Cleveland Charge center Tacko Fall named G League Player of the Week

Cleveland Charge center Tacko Fall has been named NBA G League Player of the Week for games played 11/22 through 11/28. Cleveland won both of their contests last week where Tacko averaged 22.0 points on .810 shooting from the field with 14.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 0.5 steals in 28.0 minutes per game.

In the first win in Sioux Falls on Saturday, Fall hit all 10 of his FG attempts in scoring 22 points while grabbing 11 rebounds with a steal and a block in the 115-111 victory. To help secure the two-game sweep over the Skyforce, Tacko scored another 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting with a season-high 17 boards and swatting three blocks in Sunday’s 113-110 double overtime victory.

Blake Griffin out of Nets rotation lately

Veteran Nets big man Blake Griffin is healthy yet has been riding the bench lately. Via ESPN.com:

Falling completely out of the Brooklyn Nets’ rotation was not something Blake Griffin saw coming.

After starting 17 games this season, Griffin has sat the past two games after Steve Nash inserted LaMarcus Aldridge into the starting lineup.

“No, I mean listen, [Aldridge] has been playing unbelievable,” Griffin said. “So, I totally get starting him, especially Joe [Harris] has been out, and I totally get that.

“Being completely out of it, though, I didn’t necessarily see that coming. But that’s not my decision. As players it’s our job to do whatever coaches see best, so at this point that’s what it is.”

The Nets are 14-6 this season, which is the best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2021-22 are Kevin Durant at 28.6 points per game, James Harden at 20.3 ppg, and LaMarcus Aldridge at 13.8 ppg.

Griffin is averaging 5.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.7 minutes per game.

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas goes three-point crazy in win over Clippers

Jonas Valanciunas went insane from three-point range yesterday. Via ESPN.com:

Jonas Valanciunas wasn’t exactly a marksman when he entered the NBA in 2012. In fact, in his first five seasons in the league, he went 1-of-4 from 3-point range.

But those days are long gone.

Valanciunas hit his first seven 3-pointers on Monday night — all in the first half — as he helped lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 123-104 win over the LA Clippers.

The 6-foot-11, 265-pound bruiser has slowly started to add the three-point shot to his game since 2017, but he’s never had a night like Tuesday when he scored a career-high 39 points to go along with 15 rebounds.

Nets swingman Joe Harris undergoes ankle surgery

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Joe Harris underwent arthroscopic surgery today on his left ankle.

The procedure, performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery, involved the removal of a loose body. Harris has missed the past six games since injuring the ankle on Nov. 14 at Oklahoma City.

An estimate return date for Harris isn’t known yet.

Harris currently ranks second in the NBA in 3-point shooting (.466) while averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 30.2 minutes per contest in 14 games this season.

Hawks injury updates on Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish

Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who left during the second quarter of last night’s game vs. New York with an ankle injury, underwent an MRI earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. The MRI confirmed a right ankle sprain. Following a period of rest and rehabilitation, his status will be updated in approximately two weeks.

Hawks forward Cam Reddish, who also left last night’s contest vs. New York in the second quarter with a wrist injury, underwent an MRI earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, which confirmed a left wrist sprain. His status will be determined by his response to daily treatment.

Enes Kanter will reportedly change his name to Enes Kanter Freedom

NBA player name-changes don’t happen too often. The latest to do so will reportedly be Enes Kanter. Via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is changing his name to Enes Kanter Freedom.

The decision comes ahead of the Turkish-born Kanter becoming a United States citizen on Monday. His agent told The Associated Press that Kanter will make his name change official after completing the citizenship process.

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson cleared to participate in full team activities

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities. Williamson, who underwent imaging on his fractured right foot on Wednesday (Nov. 24), was medically cleared by Dr. Richard Ferkel of Southern California Orthopedic Institute and Dr. Scott Montgomery of Ochsner Health.

Williamson played 4-on-4 full court today and will continue his progression towards returning to play. An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined.

Knicks begin very tough stretch of games

The upcoming New York Knicks schedule is looking very unfriendly. It’ll be quite the extended test. Via New York Newsday:

If you’re looking for a bright spot as you stare at the Knicks upcoming schedule, consider this: They have played their worst games against the worst of the opponents. Oddly, they play up and down to the level of the competition.

The Knicks will need something to create some optimism because their play on the court has not done that. The team struggled against two of the league’s worst teams in recent days, losing to Orlando and needing a fourth-quarter flurry to overcome the Houston Rockets. On Sunday night they competed against the surging Chicago Bulls, the start of a brutal gauntlet through an assortment of last year’s playoff teams and this year’s surprising front-runners…

Starting with the loss in Chicago, the Knicks host Los Angeles and the red-hot Phoenix Suns before flying to Atlanta for the second half of a back-to-back set. On to Brooklyn to face Nets and then hosting Chicago and Denver before three games in four nights on the road. They then return home for Milwaukee and Golden State.

The Knicks are 9-8 so far this season, which through Sunday’s games puts them in a five-way tie for the sixth best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2021-22 are Julius Randle at 20.4 points per game, RJ Barrett at 14.9 ppg, Evan Fournier at 12.1 ppg, Derrick Rose at 12.0 ppg, and Kemba Walker at 11.7 ppg.

LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart suspended for altercation

Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended two games without pay for escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James in an unsportsmanlike manner, and James has been suspended one game without pay for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

Stewart was assessed two technical fouls, James was assessed a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, and both players were ejected. The incident began with a loose ball foul on Stewart with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter of the Pistons’ 121-116 loss to the Lakers on Nov. 21 at Little Caesars Arena.

Per the Detroit News, “in his repeated attempts to get to James, Stewart had to be restrained by several teammates, coaches and security personnel. He looked to be calm for a moment, then raced toward the middle of the court again to try to get to James.”

Stewart will serve his suspensions Tuesday, Nov. 23 when the Pistons host the Miami Heat at Little Caesars Arena and Wednesday, Nov. 24 when Detroit faces the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

James will serve his suspension Tuesday, Nov. 23 when the Lakers visit the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Jaylen Brown returns to action for Celtics

The Celtics tonight welcome a very important player back in action. Via ESPN.com:

The Boston Celtics had forward Jaylen Brown back in the lineup for the first time in two weeks Monday against the Houston Rockets after he missed the prior eight games with a right hamstring strain.

“He’ll be on limited minutes,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said before the game. “[We’ll] try to keep him around 24 minutes — probably four six-minute stints. Keep it lower, keep him away from fatigue.

“We’ll monitor that, just see how he feels.”