Jimmy Butler likely back in action soon for Heat

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

With Jimmy Butler missing his fifth consecutive game due to soreness in his right knee Friday against the visiting Washington Wizards, the expectation is that he will be back in time for the Miami Heat’s two games next week against the Boston Celtics.

Butler last played in the Nov. 18 road loss to the Toronto Raptors, when he went 38 minutes two nights after playing 35 in a home victory against the Phoenix Suns. Two games before that, he played 42 in an overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

With Tyler Herro back from eight-game absence with an ankle sprain, and with Victor Oladipo working toward his season debut as he works back from his own knee pain, the expectation is an attempt to somewhat lighten the minutes load on Butler, who has three seasons beyond this on his contract, at $140 million.

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Ben Simmons playing well lately for Nets

There was no good reason to expect Nets guard Ben Simmons to play well right away this season. The question was when, or if, he’d eventually start to look like his former multi-talented basketball self. Via the New York Post:

Ben Simmons is getting healthier. And he’s getting better.

Considering the All-Star hadn’t played since June 2021 — beset by a bad back and nerve damage that pundits accused him of faking — it’s predictable that even after rehab would follow rust. And though Simmons isn’t 100 percent yet going into Friday’s tilt versus the Pacers, the last few games are a tantalizing taste of what he can be when he gets there.

Kyrie Irving pointed to confidence, while coach Jacque Vaughn called it the “body piece.” Unsurprisingly, Markieff Morris was more blunt.

“Healthy. Finally got his legs under him. He was off for two years. Y’all won’t even give him a chance. Y’all want to criticize him after every f–king game,” Morris said. “But the guy didn’t play two years. Obviously, y’all wouldn’t know, because none of y’all played in the NBA. He’s got to get his body right. There’s contact every night. Playing 30-plus minutes, it takes time.”

The Nets are 9-10 so far this season. And with Simmons playing well and Kyrie Irving back in action after suspension, the team is worth keeping more of an eye on going forward.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau keeps the faith in Obi Toppin

Via the New York Post:

Obi Toppin’s promising season hit a road bump out west.

The reserve forward struggled in the final four games of the trip with his shot, going 5-for-28 from the field and 2-for-15 from 3-point range. He was particularly off against the Warriors, missing all five of his shot attempts — including two dunks.

Toppin had performed so well up to that point. He shot above 40 percent from distance before this mini-slump. But coach Tom Thibodeau believes it is only temporary.

“I trust his process,” the Knicks’ coach said. “He’s very diligent. I think he has a strategy for everything. He’s put a lot of time into his shooting. Players go through things like that, but he can help us in a lot of different ways. Just the way he moves the ball, the way he runs the floor, gets some rebounds. But I’m very confident in his ability.”

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Lakers guard Patrick Beverley suspended three games for incident with Deandre Ayton

Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended three games without pay for forcefully shoving Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton from behind and knocking him to the court, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The suspension was based in part on Beverley’s history of unsportsmanlike acts.

The incident, for which Beverley was assessed a technical foul and ejected, occurred with 3:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 115-105 loss to the Suns on Nov. 22 at Footprint Center.

Beverley will begin serving his suspension Nov. 25 when the Lakers face the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center.

To view the incident, click on the following link: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/lakers-vs-suns-11-22-22

76ers sign Saben Lee, waive Michael Foster Jr.

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed Saben Lee to a two-way contract.

In a related move, the team has waived Michael Foster Jr.

Lee joins Philadelphia after appearing in seven games this season with the Toronto Raptors’ G League affiliate, Raptors 905, where he averaged 21.7 points and 6.0 assists while shooting .563 from the floor. He’s one of six G League players averaging 20-plus points, while shooting at least 55-percent from the field.

Prior to Raptors 905, Lee spent two seasons with Detroit, appearing in 85 NBA games (seven starts) with averages of 5.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. In 19 regular-season G League games with the Motor City Cruise last season, he posted 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

Originally selected by Utah with the No. 38 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Lee played collegiately at Vanderbilt where was named to the All-SEC Second Team as a junior.

Lee will wear No. 9 with the 76ers.

On the development of Rockets rookie Jabari Smith

Via the Houston Chronicle:

The slow burn that is Jabari Smith’s rookie season with the Houston Rockets flashed some serious sparks on Sunday night.

Houston’s forward and the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NBA draft tallied 22 points and seven assists in a narrow loss to the defending champions, registering a career-high scoring night as he made things difficult for the Golden State Warriors on both ends of the floor. Smith’s first professional campaign has been uneven thus far. Sunday night was the clearest example of his All-NBA potential.

“[Those are] some of the greatest players to ever do it out there,” Smith said following Houston’s 127-120 loss. “Definitely a confidence booster going out there and knowing I can compete with some of the greatest.”

The season-best effort from Smith continued his progression on the offensive end of the floor after a slow start. Smith entered Tuesday night averaging just 10.9 points per game, fourth among all rookies. He’s shooting a paltry 33.3 percent from the floor and 30.2 percent from three, a stark contrast to his 42 percent mark from three during one season at Auburn. Smith is still getting plenty of respect from defenses as a floor spacer. But through his first 15 games, Smith struggled to convert many of his open looks.

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Ja Morant may return sooner than expected for Grizzlies

Via the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

Ja Morant may be healing at a faster rate than anticipated.

The Memphis Grizzlies updated Morant to questionable ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. Morant was initially listed as doubtful on Monday.

He’ll undergo testing ahead of the game to determine if he will be able to play.

Morant injured his left ankle on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team announced that he suffered a grade 1 ankle sprain and would be evaluated week-to-week.

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Weekly Houston Rockets notes: Nov. 21, 2022

ROCKETS TEAM NOTES

KJ Martin joins Toronto’s OG Anunoby and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen as the only players to have recorded at least 18 3-pointers and 30 dunks this season… Martin ranks tied for fifth in the NBA with 32 dunks this season after finishing 15th with 114 in 2021-22.

Tari Eason is averaging 8.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.47 steals in 18.4 minutes per game… he is on pace to become the first player in NBA history to have averaged at least 8.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 1.00 spg in fewer than 19.0 mpg in a single season… Eason is tied for the most games recording multiple steals by a rookie this season with six.

Houston has shot 45.0% or better from the floor in six of the past eight games after doing so once the first nine games of the season… since the start of last season, all but three of the Rockets wins have come when shooting 45.0% or better.

The Rockets have outrebounded their opponent in seven of the past 11 games after doing so once the first six games of the season… Houston ranks fifth in rebounding differential this season (+2.7 per) after finishing last in in each of the previous two seasons.

Wizards sign Devon Dotson, and waive Jordan Schakel

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Devon Dotson to a two-way contract.

And in a related move, Washington waived forward Jordan Schakel, who appeared in six games with the team after being signed to a two-way contract in March 2022.

Dotson, a 6-1, 185-pound guard from Kansas, has played in seven games this season with the Capital City Go-Go, averaging 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. On November 15, Dotson recorded the third triple-double in Capital City history, scoring 17 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Dotson spent 2022 Summer League, preseason and training camp with Washington after spending his first two seasons in the league with Chicago. The Charlotte, N.C. native appeared in 22 total games, averaging 2.4 points per game with the Bulls.