The San Antonio Spurs today announced that the team has waived forward Alize Johnson.
Johnson appeared in four games for the Spurs this season, averaging 1.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.
The Spurs roster now stands at 16 players.
Wizards guard Bradley Beal returning to action soon
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal has been cleared to resume all on-court basketball activities following a re-evaluation of his right hamstring strain.
He will be out for tonight’s game vs. Brooklyn and his status moving forward will be determined by his clinical evolution.
Sixers center Joel Embiid is doing it his own way in a monster of a season
Via the Philly Voice:
If Joel Embiid has a defining trait, there’s a case to be made it is defiance. In a league filled with stars who threw themselves into basketball and basketball only for most of their lives, it is a former soccer and volleyball player often shining brightest. Instead of giving canned answers and following the path of many of the league’s best, he says what he thinks, whether the results are funny, enraging, or misinterpreted by people who don’t have the time to listen to a full quote.
And then there’s his game, never quite what a lot of people want from him. He is a big man in a league tilting more toward little men, a jump shooter for a fanbase that has so often demanded more paint touches. And in a 53-point classic against Charlotte, he did what few big men are able to do, which is to say, absolutely everything.
“He literally scored in every way you can possibly score a basketball tonight,” Doc Rivers said on Sunday. “Even the last play was a slot drive, and we do that drill every day but we do it for the guards. I don’t think we’ve ever done it for bigs. Maybe we need to add that now because that was terrific.”
Larry Nance Jr. playing well as reserve for Pelicans
Via the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
The Pelicans are in first place in the Western Conference. They have ripped off seven straight wins without an injured Brandon Ingram, a winning streak they can attribute to [Zion] Williamson playing like a superstar and their depth, of which Nance is a major part of.
[Larry Nance Jr.] has been one of the NBA’s most valuable reserves this season. He is averaging 9.5 points on 66.4% shooting, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1 steal and 0.9 blocks in 23 minutes. The Pelicans are blasting opponents with him on the floor, outscoring other teams by 11.6 points per 100 possessions.
Pelicans coach Willie Green has chose to use Nance primarily at center. He has spent 90% of his minutes at that position, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Pelicans can switch every ball screen when he’s at center in what they call their “red” defense.
Encouraging results for Warriors from G League game
Via the San Jose Mercury News:
A trio of young Warriors players led the Santa Cruz Warriors to a 122-111 win over the Oklahoma City Blue Sunday afternoon at Kaiser Permanente Arena.
James Wiseman tallied 24 points and 16 rebounds on assignment from the NBA’s Warriors, while Ryan Rollins led Santa Cruz with 26 points, adding nine rebounds and seven assists. First-round pick Patrick Baldwin added 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting (6-of-9 from 3).
All five Santa Cruz starters scored in double digits as Lester Quinones, Wiseman’s college teammate at Memphis, added 20 points and Jerome Robinson scored 16.
Video: NBA Plays of the Night from Dec. 11, 2022
Former NBA star player and coach Paul Silas has passed away
STATEMENT FROM CHARLOTTE HORNETS CHAIRMAN MICHAEL JORDAN
Charlotte Hornets Chairman Michael Jordan released the following statement today regarding the passing of former Head Coach Paul Silas:
“Our Hornets family mourns the passing of Paul Silas. Paul was an incredible leader and motivator who served as our head coach on two occasions. He combined the knowledge developed over nearly 40 years as an NBA player and coach with an innate understanding of how to mix discipline with his never-ending positivity. On or off the court, Paul’s enthusiastic and engaging personality was accompanied by an anecdote for every occasion. He was one of the all-time great people in our game, and he will be missed. My thoughts, and the thoughts of our entire organization, are with his wife, Carolyn; his children, Paula and Stephen; and the entire Silas family.”
ABOUT PAUL SILAS
Paul Silas spent eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets across two different stints with the franchise. During his first tenure, in which he spent two-and-a-half seasons as an assistant coach before becoming interim head coach to conclude the 1998-99 season, he posted a record of 161-120 (.573). In each of his three full seasons, the Hornets won at least 44 games and made the playoffs, advancing to the second round in both 2000-01 and 2001-02. He returned to Charlotte to once again become interim head coach during the 2010-11 season and remained the team’s head coach in 2011-12.
Silas ranks third in franchise history in games coached (401), games won (193) and winning percentage (.481), and is the all-time leader in each of the three categories for playoff games with an overall record of 11-12 (.478) in 23 games total. He is the only head coach in franchise history to lead the team to three playoff appearances and two Eastern Conference Semifinals appearances. The team’s three straight playoff berths from 1999-2000 through 2001-02 is the only time in franchise history that the Hornets have gone to the playoffs in three straight seasons.
Following four years at Creighton in which he became one of only five players in NCAA history to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds in his college career, Silas played 16 seasons in the NBA, where he was a three-time NBA Champion (1973-74 Celtics, 1975-76 Celtics and 1978-79 SuperSonics) and a two-time NBA All-Star (1971-72 and 1974-75). He retired after the 1979-80 season and immediately became head coach of the San Diego Clippers, spending three seasons in the role. In 12 seasons overall as an NBA head coach, Silas had a career record of 387-488 (.442).
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS STATEMENT ON PAUL SILAS
Paul Silas served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003-05. His engaging presence and huge personality inspired legions of NBA players and coaches. We send our deepest condolences to the Silas family and everyone that loved him. Rest in power Coach!
G League news and notes: Luka Samanic named Player of Month
AWARD WINNERS: On Friday, the NBA G League announced monthly award winners for November. Maine’s Luka Samanic (21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds) was named NBA G League Player of the Month after leading the Celtics to a conference-best 8-2 record. Ontario Clippers head coach Paul Hewitt was named NBA G League Coach of the Month after guiding the Clippers to a league-best 9-2 record.
ANOTHER ONE FOR GABE: Fort Wayne Mad Ants guard Gabe York was named the NBA G League Player of the Week for games played Monday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 4. This is the second time this season York has won the award. York averaged 36.5 points and 5.0 rebounds, highlighted by a 43-point performance against Windy City on Dec. 3.
SURGING AHEAD: The South Bay Lakers (8-3), fueled by Scotty Pippen Jr. (23.8 ppg, 4.6 apg), finished the week on six-game winning streak, moving them towards the top of the West Region standings. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers (9-3) also finished the week on a five-game winning streak, increasing its lead at the top of the South Region standings.
TOP PERFORMERS
On Dec. 4, Sioux Falls Skyforce center Orlando Robinson tallied career-highs with 27 points and 19 rebounds in a 142-96 win over the Wisconsin Herd.
Texas Legends guard Tyler Dorsey recorded 39 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a 139-129 victory over the Memphis Hustle on Nov. 29.
On Dec. 1, Raptors 905 forward Reggie Perry posted 24 points and 24 rebounds in a 127-117 loss to the Delaware Blue Coats.
Hawks guard Dejounte Murray injury update: ankle sprain
Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, who suffered a left ankle injury during the first quarter of last night’s game at New York, underwent an MRI earlier today in New York. The MRI confirmed a left ankle sprain with associated swelling.
Murray will be out approximately two weeks and his return to play will be updated as appropriate.
Jazz guard Collin Sexton injury update: mild hamstring strain
The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton:
Sexton was examined Thursday by the Utah Jazz medical staff and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) testing. The MRI revealed a mild hamstring strain in his right leg. He will be reevaluated in one week.
Sexton (6-1, 192, Alabama) is in his fifth NBA season and first with Utah, where he’s averaging 14.3 points on 49.3 percent from the field, 3.0 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per contest during the 2022-23 season.