Donovan Mitchell and Nikola Jokic named NBA Players of Week

The NBA announced today that Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic have been named the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Players of the Week for Week 9 (games played Monday, December 12, through Sunday, December 18).

This marks Mitchell’s fourth career player of the week award (once in 2021-22 and twice in 2018-19) and the 65th time a Cavalier has ever won the weekly honor, including the first time this season.

Mitchell led the Cavaliers to a 3-1 record this past week, will all three victories coming against teams with winning records. The sixth-year guard averaged 32.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists, while shooting .539 from the field, .425 from three-point range and .882 from the foul line. He topped the 25-point mark in all four games and was one of only two players in the East to average 30.0 points with at least a .500 clip from the field and .400 mark from beyond the arc (Kevin Durant). Among Eastern Conference leaders, Mitchell ranked first in field goals made (48, no other NBA player made more than 36), second in three-pointers made (17), third in points per game (32.0) and 16th in field goal percentage (.539). Additionally, he made at least six three-pointers in a game twice last week and now has seven such games this season, which is already tied for second-most in a season in Cavaliers history behind only JR Smith’s nine games of six threes or more in 2015-16.

Mitchell opened the week by nearly helping the Cavs overcome a 19-point deficit in San Antonio after tallying a game-high 28 points and five rebounds in 37 minutes on Dec. 12. He followed that up with 34 points (27 in the first half), a 6-9 (.667) clip from beyond the arc, three rebounds, four assists and one steal in 38 minutes during Cleveland’s 105-90 win at Dallas on Dec. 14. In the 118-112 victory over Indiana on Dec. 16, the Cavaliers overcame 13-point fourth quarter deficit by going on a 28-9 scoring run in the last nine minutes of the game, with Mitchell scoring 16 points during that run and finishing with a game-high 41 points and eight three-pointers made. He also scored his 9,000th career point that night (his 371st game), becoming the fourth-fastest active NBA player to reach 9,000 points, behind LeBron James (336 GP), Joel Embiid (343 GP) and Kevin Durant (346 GP), and is the quickest in NBA history to total 9,000 points and 1,000 three-pointers. The 6-3 guard closed out the week with another come-from-behind victory after his 25-point, four-rebound, three-assist and one-steal performance in a 100-99 overtime win against Dallas on Dec. 17.

Through his 27 appearances this season (all starts) with Cleveland, Mitchell is averaging a career-best 29.5 points (eighth best in NBA) on career highs in field goal percentage (.503), three-point percentage (.424) and free throw percentage (.889), to go with 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.37 steals in 36.9 minutes per contest. He is one of two NBA players with at least 100 three-pointers made on at least .400 shooting from deep (Stephen Curry), and his 106 three-pointers made rank fifth in the NBA. The Cavaliers’ 20-11 record is the third-best mark in the Eastern Conference and the franchise’s best 31-game start since 2017-18 (23-8).

Jokić wins the award for the first time this season and has now earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors 12 times in his career, the most in franchise history.

Jokić, 27, averaged 36.0 points, 17.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 3.66 steals while shooting .623 from the field en route to a 2-1 week. He ranked first in the NBA in total rebounds for the week and among the Western Conference he ranked first in steals, second in assists and third in points. The Nuggets have now won four of their last five games and currently sit tied for second in the Western Conference at 18-11.

Joker kicked off the week by registering 43 points (17-20 FG’s, 9-10 FT’s), 14 rebounds, eight assists and five steals in a home win against Washington on 12/14, becoming the first player in NBA history to post those numbers in game. He followed that up with 25 points (8-15 FG’s), 11 rebounds and eight assists in Denver’s lone loss of the week on the road against the L.A. Lakers on 12/16. He capped the week by posting 40 points (12-26 FG’s), a career-high 27 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in a 119-115 win over the Charlotte Hornets. His 20 rebounds in the first half set a new franchise record for most rebounds in a single half and was the most by any NBA player since Dwight Howard in 2018.

Jokić joined Wilt Chamberlain as only the second player in NBA history to post a triple double with at least 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists. Additionally, over this past week, he became the Nuggets NBA franchise leader in rebounds passing Dan Issel (5,707) for first all-time.

The Sombor, Serbia native, leads the NBA in PER, is third in assists per game, sixth in rebounds per game and seventh in field goal percentage while averaging 25.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.50 steals in 32.9 minutes per game.

Bradley Beal returns, but Wizards lose 10th straight game

The good news is, Bradley Beal is back in action for the Washington Wizards. The bad news is, his return couldn’t prevent the team from losing their 10th game in a row. Via the Washington Post:

Sunday’s game ended with drama appropriate of a Hollywood script, but the Lakers emerged as the heroes. They prevailed, 119-117, to hand Washington its 10th straight loss, making it 41 days since the Wizards have won on the road.

A back-and-forth thriller in the fourth quarter came down to one scrambled possession.

James had the ball just inside the half-court line when Deni Avdija and Kuzma trapped him in a double team, forcing a turnover out of James that he ended up sending off Kuzma’s leg. A scramble for the ball ended up with James recovering and getting the ball to former Wizard Thomas Bryant for a smooth, go-ahead dunk with less than eight seconds to play. Kuzma missed a desperation three-pointer on the other end to end it.

“I felt like they were not at our level,” a visibly agitated Kristaps Porzingis said, trying to find his words. “We just lost the game. Obviously LeBron did his thing and played well, but — some mental mistakes from us. I don’t know what to say. It’s tough, it’s tough, it’s tough. But, yeah, we’re going to get out of it.

“If [Kuzma’s three-pointer] went in, it would have been a completely different movie. Nobody wants to be in this position, but we’re going to have to find a way out, to dig our way out of this.”

The Wizards are 11-20 this season, which ties them with the Orlando Magic for the 12th best record in the Eastern conference.

Damian Lillard says he should be in discussion of greatest shooters ever

Who are the greatest shooters in NBA history? Stephen Curry appears to be a very solid choice for best ever. But which players are in the running for second? In the opinion of Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, a great choice for 2nd place is… himself. Via NBA.com/blazers:

Lillard, who reached 2,222 three-pointers in nearly half the number of games that Crawford, Terry and LeBron James, who is ninth all-time, needed to make the Top 10, also took the opportunity to wonder why he’s not considered one of the league all-time great shooters despite his ranking. He was quick to note that Stephen Curry, whose 3,248 threes is first on the all-time list by a considerable margin, is the best shooter in NBA history, but that he’s no slouch either, despite what some of his detractors might argue.

“I always see stuff on social media where they talk about the greatest shooters of all-time and they always act like it’s just crazy for people to mention me,” said Lillard. “I think for how many threes I’ve made, for how consistent I make them, the level of difficulty that I shoot threes with over years and years and years, I just think it’s kind of crazy people don’t mention me in those discussions.

“Obviously I think Steph is the greatest ever, but I think after him, I don’t see why I’m not clear-cut in that discussion, not just by makes, but how I shoot it, how I make tough ones all the time, how easy I shoot the ball. I’m looking forward to keep climbing that list so once I get up there in that top two, top three, I’m curious to see what people will say about me as a shooter at that point.”

The Blazers are 17-13 this season, which is the 6th best record in the Western conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2022-23 are Lillard are 28.3 PPG, Anfernee Simons at 23.4 PPG, and Jerami Grant at 21.9 PPG.

Celtics’ Al Horford fined by NBA

Boston Celtics forward-center Al Horford has been fined $25,000 for making unnecessary and excessive contact to the lower body of Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

The contact, for which Horford was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 10:39 remaining in the third quarter of Boston’s 117-109 loss to Orlando on Dec. 16 at TD Garden.

Heat rookie Nikola Jovic currently playing in G League

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

It’s about the experience, the minutes, the speed and strength of something closer to the NBA game.

That has been the message for Miami Heat rookie big man Nikola Jovic when it comes to his seasoning in the G League.

And it is an essential message when it comes to maintaining perspective, considering that in his five G League appearances so far, the 6-foot-10 first-round pick out of Serbia is shooting .255 from the field and .143 on 3-pointers.

“I’m not worried about that,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat on Saturday facing the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City before a two-day break and start of a four-game homestand. “He’s really been working at it, and sometimes you just need to feel comfortable to be able to knock down open shots.”

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Jazz road trip begins with trip to Milwaukee

Via the Deseret News:

On Saturday, the Jazz will begin a three-game stretch on the road that will not only be tough, but will also take the Jazz’s longest-tenured players on a stroll down memory lane.

The first stop is in Milwaukee to face Giannis Antetokoumpo and the Bucks. But it’s another Bucks forward that will be more familiar to the Jazz — Joe Ingles.

Ingles still hasn’t played after the ACL injury and surgery that cut his season short before being traded away from the Jazz. Despite his recovery timetable, the Bucks signed Ingles in the offseason.

Ingles has begun on-court work and has even been getting reps in with the Bucks’ G League team, and earlier this week Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said that Ingles is getting close to returning, but warned that Ingles would need time to get his conditioning to a level that’s ready for an NBA game. Still, those are signs that could add a little more intrig

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James Harden speaks on time with Nets

Via the New York Post:

James Harden’s time with the Nets was brief, complicated and ultimately a flop.

But the organization was as much to blame as anyone, according to Harden.

“I don’t mean to, like, just down talk to anybody or whatever. It was just, there was no structure and even superstars, they need structure,” Harden said in an interview with Fox Sports in an interview that took place five days before the Nets fired Steve Nash and was published Friday. “That’s what allows us to be the best players and leaders for our respective organizations.

“I just feel like internally, things weren’t what I expected when I was trying to get traded there. I think everybody knows that. And I knew people were going to talk and say, ‘You quit’ and all that stuff, but then the following summer, the other superstar there [Kevin Durant] wanted to leave. So it’s like: Am I still the quitter?”

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Anthony Davis exits early in Lakers win over Nuggets

Via the OC Register:

The start of the second half featured a concerning moment for Lakers fans everywhere: Anthony Davis didn’t come back out on the court.

Teammates, coaches and team officials have tied the success of the franchise to Davis’ high performance and good health – which has been seen too infrequently over the past two years. Davis sitting out the second half Friday night against the Denver Nuggets with a right foot injury struck as an ill omen.

Except something funny happened: It didn’t slow down the Lakers.

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, the two stars who have often seemed like a clunky on-court fit, powered a surprising 126-108 victory against the Nuggets, the third-place team in the Western Conference. After two disappointing overtime losses in their previous three games against high-level opponents, the Lakers (12-16) came out hungry and hustling, in spite of a size advantage that never really became an issue.

FULL ARTICLE

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham undergoes season-ending surgery

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham underwent surgery on Friday, December 16 to stabilize and promote complete healing of a left tibial stress fracture.

The surgery was performed by Dr. David Porter and Dr. Mark Ritter of Forte Sports Medicine and Orthopedics (Carmel, IN) in consultation with team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Bill Moutzouros of Henry Ford Health, who was also present.

The 6-foot-6 guard is expected to miss the remainder of the season with doctors anticipating a recovery and return to full basketball activities this offseason.

Per the Detroit Free Press, “the 2021 No. 1 overall pick was initially shut down for five games after Nov. 9 for what the team characterized as “shin soreness,” but there was suspicion a stress fracture was the cause of the underlying soreness Cunningham had been dealing with for an extended period of time. He averaged 19.9 points on poor efficiency (41.5% on field goals, 27.9% on 3-pointers) with 6.2 rebounds and six assists a game in 12 appearances this season.”