Victor Wembanyama named West Defensive Player of Month for October and November 2024

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has been named the NBA’s first-ever Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for October/November.

Kicking off the inaugural season of the award, Wembanyama is joined by Hawks guard Dyson Daniels in the East.

In 16 games to start the season, Wembanyama led the league with 3.56 blocks per game and 57 total blocks while averaging 1.31 steals in October/November. He also accounted for 45.9% of the Spurs total blocks. The sophomore’s 103.8 defensive rating helped anchor the Spurs to an eighth-ranked defense and has put them among the top three shot-blocking teams in the league.

A season after becoming the first rookie in NBA history to be named All-Defensive First Team, opponents shot 104-262 from the field last month when guarded by Wembanyama as he held a 39.7% defended field goal percentage. Within four feet of the rim, teams took 3.3% fewer shots when Wembanyama is on the floor and shot just 38.2% within four to 10 feet.

Dyson Daniels named East Defensive Player of Month for October and November 2024

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has been named the inaugural Defensive Player of the Month in the Eastern Conference for games played in October and November, the NBA announced.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama wins the award in the Western Conference.

The 21-year-old Daniels appeared in 19 games during October and November, recording 57 steals, 16 more than the next closest players (Tari Eason, Jalen Williams: 41). He also tallied 18 blocks, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1988 to record at least 57 steals and 18 blocks within the first 19 games of a season. The 6-7 guard’s 75 stocks (steals + blocks) were the most in the Eastern Conference and second-most in the NBA, trailing only Wembanyama.

Jayson Tatum named East Player of Month for October and November 2024

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for October/November, the NBA announced.

Tatum earns the first NBA Player of the Month award for the third consecutive season. He also collects his fifth career monthly honor for the second-most Player of the Month awards in Celtics history, next to Larry Bird (7).

In October/November, Tatum was the only player in the Eastern Conference to average at least 28.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Tatum scored the third-most points in the East with 546 points and ranked first in clutch points (46), tied for first in clutch assists (12), third in total three-pointers made (76), and second in plus/minus per game (10.5). He helped lead the Celtics to a 16-3 overall record for the second-best winning percentage in the NBA and tied the second-longest win streak with seven consecutive wins (11/13-11/29).

The five-time All-Star is averaging at least 25.0 points per game in his fifth-straight season and has tied his career single-season high 55.2 effective field goal percentage. Tatum is on pace to become only the second player in NBA history to lead their team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and three-point field goals in multiple seasons, joining fellow Celtic Larry Bird.

Kenny Atkinson named East Coach of Month for October and November 2024

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been named the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November, the NBA announced.

This marks the first time Atkinson has earned Coach of the Month accolades in his career. He is also the 8th coach in Cavaliers history to win the award.

Atkinson led the Cavaliers to a 17-3 record in October/November, which was the best record in the NBA and helped secure 12 wins in the month of November alone, marking the second-most wins by the Cavs in the month of November in team history (13 wins in November in 2008). The Cavaliers started the 2024-25 campaign with a franchise-best 15-0 record from October 23rd to November 17th, breaking the previous mark to start a season of 8-0 set in 1976-77. The Cavs 15-0 record also tied the 2nd-best start to a season in NBA history, with Atkinson becoming the first head coach in NBA history with an undefeated record through his first 15 games with a new team. His 15-0 mark was also the best start to a tenure with a team for any coach in NBA history, surpassing the previous mark held by Lawrence Frank, who won his first 13 games with the Nets from January 27th to February 24th, 2004. Cleveland’s 15-straight wins was also the longest winning streak in franchise history.

Cleveland led the NBA in October and November in points per game (122.4 PPG), field goal percentage (.511 FG%) and three-point percentage (.402 3FG%). The Cavaliers also ranked in the top 10 in the NBA in points per game differential (3rd, +9.8), steals per game (7th, 9.25 SPG), turnovers per game (5th-fewest, 13.1 TO), assist to turnover ratio (3rd, 2.15) and defensive rating (7th, 112.2). Offensively, Cleveland scored at least 110 points in 18 of their 20 games and scored 130 or more points six times, already setting the franchise record for games with 130 or more points in a single season (surpassing the previous record of five games with 130 or more points in 2016-17). Atkinson and the Cavaliers finished the month of November with a 10-1 record at home (2nd-best home record in the NBA) and a 7-2 record on the road (T-2nd best road record in the NBA).

Ime Udoka named West Coach of Month for October and November 2024

The NBA announced that Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November. He also won the award the last time it was available in March of 2024 and was a two-time Eastern Conference Coach of the Month while serving as head coach of Boston in 2021-22.

Overall this season, the Rockets are 15-6 and trail Oklahoma City by half a game for the top spot in the Western Conference standings. That is Houston’s best start to a season since going 17-4 in 2017-18.

The Rockets are also 3-0 during Group Play for Emirates NBA Cup 2024, heading into their final game tonight at Sacramento. Houston has already clinched a spot in the Knockout Round and will play their qualifying game next week for the right to advance to the Semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 14. Details for the qualifying game will be available following tonight’s game.

Houston joins Boston as the only teams who have not lost consecutive games this season. Only one of the Rockets losses was by more than six points and Houston has eight wins by double-digits while outscoring opponents by an average of 8.2 ppg. The Rockets are 13-1 when leading at halftime and 14-1 when ahead at the start of the fourth quarter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named West Player of Month for October and November 2024

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named Western Conference Player of the Month for games played in October/November.

This marks the second Player of the Month honor for Gilgeous-Alexander. He appeared in 19 games (all starts) and averaged 29.8 points on 50.3 percent shooting from the field to go along with 6.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.68 steals and 1.11 blocks in 34.5 minutes per game, as Oklahoma City went 15-4 during that stretch.

Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player in NBA history to register 45+ points, 9+ assists, 5+ steals and 2+ blocks in a single game in a 134-128 win over the Clippers on 11/11.

He recently joined Giannis Antetokounmpo, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird as the only players to ever average at least 29.0 points on 50% shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.50 steals and 1.00 block through the first 20 games of a season.

Sixers sign Pete Nance, waive Lester Quinones

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed Pete Nance to a two-way contract.

In a related move, the team has waived Lester Quinones.

This season, Nance has appeared in eight G League games (all starts) for the Cleveland Charge, averaging 18.3 points on 47.2-percent shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.9 blocked shots. Nance has compiled 146 points and 15 blocks through his eight appearances, making him one of two players in the G League with such totals so far this season. He spent training camp with the Cavaliers and appeared in two of the team’s preseason games before joining its G League affiliate.

Last season, Nance appeared in eight NBA games for the Cavs after signing a 10-day contract on Jan. 18, followed by a two-way contract on Feb. 19. He also saw action in 26 G League games (all starts) for the Charge, posting 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 blocked shots, and 1.0 steals in 34.2 minutes per game. On Jan. 10 against Fort Wayne, he recorded the Charge’s first triple-double in more than two years, tallying 27 points, 10 rebounds, and a G League career-high 12 assists.

Originally from Ohio, Nance completed his collegiate career with one season at North Carolina (2022-23), following four at Northwestern (2018-22).

Nance averaged a combined 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 137 games (104 starts) for the Tar Heels and Wildcats. At UNC, Nance averaged 1.1 blocks per game, which ranked ninth in the ACC.

Nance’s father, Larry, spent 14 seasons in the NBA (1981-94), earning three All-Star nods and three All-Defensive team selections. His brother, Larry Nance Jr., is currently in his 10th NBA season, playing for Atlanta.

Nance will wear No. 22 for the 76ers.

Norman Powell set to return for Clippers

Per the OC Register:

The Clippers left the East Coast on Friday with a 2-2 record in NBA Cup group play and still a slim chance of moving forward. All good news for a team that was missing two of its biggest stars.

Norman Powell sat out all four games, six total, because of a sore left hamstring that he tweaked in a victory against the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 18. He was upgraded to questionable on Friday but stayed on the bench for the Clippers’ 93-92 loss in Cup play to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Powell, however, is expected to play when the Clippers (12-9) come home for a four-game homestand, starting with Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets (10-7).

The biggest, and perhaps most anticipated news, was on Kawhi Leonard, who has not played at all this season because of lingering right knee issues. Coach Tyronn Lue offered a positive update on his status.

On the leadership skills of Anthony Edwards

Per the Pioneer Press:

This Timberwolves roster is different than the one from a year ago. That much is obvious in games, as Karl-Anthony Towns’ consistent scoring and general size is missed, as is the playmaking and ball security of guys like Kyle Anderson and Jordan McLaughlin.

But their absences have been felt in the locker room, as well. Towns was a consistent source of positivity for the team. Anderson was one of the loudest vocal leaders. The latter can be especially difficult to replace, especially because it can be uncomfortable to speak up when things are going poorly and something needs to change.

That was the position Anthony Edwards has found himself in early this season. Edwards has been praised for his leadership through his first four years on Minnesota’s roster. Mostly, that all came via positivity and example. Edwards can be coached hard, which gave the greenlight for the coaches to treat everyone else the same way.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball out with calf strain

After undergoing additional evaluation, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been diagnosed with a left calf strain. The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter of the Hornets game vs. Miami on Nov. 27. Ball, who missed Friday’s game vs. New York due to left calf soreness, is listed as out tonight vs. Atlanta and will be reevaluated two weeks from the date the injury occurred.

Ball has averaged career highs this season in points (31.1) and 3-pointers (4.7), both of which rank second in the NBA, in addition to recording 5.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 18 contests (18 starts). He has appeared in 202 games (182 starts) in five seasons since being selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and he holds career marks of 21.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.5 steals. Ball was named the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year and was selected as an All-Star in 2021-22, and he is the franchise’s all-time leader in triple-doubles (10).