Mitchell Robinson back to bench for Knicks

The Knicks season thus far has focused on rookie development, and one of the key guys to watch is center Mitchell Robinson. Here’s the New York Post with the latest on him:

Mitchell Robinson had his taste of starting and is fine with Knicks coach David Fizdale’s decision to bring him off the bench. The company line was to keep the 20-year-old project out of severe foul trouble.

In the Knicks’ stunning 117-109 win at Boston on Wednesday, Robinson played just 16 minutes but registered six blocks and was 4 for 4 from the field. It was his second straight game coming off the bench for newly promoted center Enes Kanter.

“As you seen, I didn’t get into foul trouble until late in the game,’’ Robinson said. “If I started, I would’ve gotten in trouble and would’ve sat almost the whole game. My teammates need me to come in and challenge shots.’’

For the season, Robinson is averaging 5.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and a very impressive 2.0 blocks in 18.1 minutes per game.

The Knicks play host to the Pelicans tonight.

Wizards sign forward Okaro White

 

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The Washington Wizards signed free agent forward Okaro White today.

The 6-foot-8, 205-pound guard-forward averaged 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 41 career games during the last two seasons (2016-18) with the Miami Heat. He played for Florida State between 2013-17, averaged 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Seminoles, and went undrafted.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, White in 2016-17 played in 23 games in the G League for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and averaged 18.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

There are now 14 players on the Wizards roster, not including Devin Robinson and Jordan McRae, who are signed to two-way contracts.

LeBron James, Lakers play Cavs in Cleveland tonight

LeBron James and the Lakers visit Cleveland tonight to play a Cavs team that has been in shambles this season and looks nothing like the contender they were when LeBron was still on the squad. The game will be on national TV. Seeing the type of reception LeBron receives during pregame intros and an expected video tribute will be fun to watch. More on the game from Cleveland.com below:

Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson opted for the canned answer when asked about the importance of Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Just another game. Another game on the schedule,” Thompson said following shootaround. “Another opportunity for us to play at home and compete and be on our floor.”

Only it’s not. Wednesday marks LeBron James’ first return to Quicken Loans Arena since leaving the Cavaliers a second time in free agency.

Promos have been playing for weeks on ESPN. It’s one of two games nationally televised for the Cavaliers this season. This is the one fans have had circled on the calendar since it was released.

The Lakers through Tuesday’s games are 9-7 and the West’s 8th seed, while the Cavs are an NBA-worst 2-13 and currently dealing with a reported trade request/demand from veteran shooting guard J.R. Smith.

Nuggets have lost 6 of last 7 games

The Denver Nuggets through Tuesday’s games are 10-7, which puts them in the thick of a very tight and crowded set of good Western conference teams. But they’ve been in a general slump lately, and have some things to work out. Here’s the Denver Post on the situation:

The Nuggets have lost two in a row and six of seven heading into Wednesday night’s against the Timberwolves, who recently upended their core by trading Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia. Denver’s defense, ranked as the NBA’s best prior to their slump, is down to seventh overall, and their poor late-game execution has been exposed. They are now a team searching for an identity.

“We’re probably not a team that is 9-1 every 10 games, and I know we’re not a team that’s 1-6 in the last seven games,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said at the team’s shootaround here Wednesday. “The answer is somewhere in between. We’re trying to find out who we are.”

They had some of those answers over the final seven games last season, when they reeled off six consecutive, high-pressure wins before dropping the final game 112-106 to Minnesota. Harris and Paul Millsap said they can glean confidence from that stretch to end the season.

Next up for the Nuggets are are matchups with the Timberwolves tonight, the Magic Friday and the Thunder Saturday.

Pregame: Trail Blazers vs Knicks game notes

Trail Blazers (11-5) vs Knicks (4-13)
Madison Square Garden, New York
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
7:30 p.m. ET

KNICKS NOTES

If the New York Knicks win vs POR then, they will improve their overall record versus ORL to 48-64.

If New York wins tonight vs. POR, then New York will snap a three-game losing streak vs. POR. The last time New York defeated Portland was Nov 22, 2016; 107-103.

If Noah Vonleh posts a double-double vs. ORL, then he will set a new career best for double-doubles in a season with five (previous four in 16-17).

New York recorded 15 team blocks on 11/11/18 vs. ORL.

– The 15 blocks tied a franchise record for blocks in a game (at WAS, 1/28/88)

– The 15 blocks set a blocks record at the present MSG (previous 14 blocks vs. PHL 4/4/15)

– Mitchell Robinson recorded nine blocks. The nine blocks set a new Knick rookie record (previously seven blocks by Kristaps Porzingis 2x and Lonnie Shelton)

Mitchell Robinson is T-fourth in the NBA in blocks per game in the month of November at 2.44.

BLAZERS NOTES

The Trail Blazers average the second-most defensive rebounds in the NBA (39.9) while the Knicks average the third-most offensive rebounds in the league (12.6).

Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 40 points (12-29 FG, 3-10 3-PT, 13-15 FT) against the Wizards on Nov. 18. It was the third 40-point game of the season for Lillard, which is the most in the NBA. Lillard has 19 career games with 40-plus points, which is the most in franchise history (Drexler, 17). Lillard is averaging 26.6 points per game, which is the seventh-most in the NBA (Walker, 29.6).

With 13 points and 14 rebounds at Washington on Nov. 18, Jusuf Nurkic recorded his fourth straight double-double (tied for longest streak in his career) and his 10th straight game scoring in double fi gures (second-longest streak of his career). In his last four games, Nurkic has averaged 16.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.50 blocks.

CJ McCollum was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Nov. 5 to Nov. 11. His week was highlighted by 40 points, four rebounds, six assists and four steals against the Bucks on Nov. 6 and 23 points and seven rebounds against the Clippers on Nov. 8. Portland went 3-0 on the week, with all three wins coming against teams with winning records. It is the first time McCollum has received the award.

The Trail Blazers lead the league in free-throw percentage (85.4%), are fi fth in free throws per game (20.4) and are 14th in free throws attempted per game (23.9).

Lauri Markkanen takes a step forward in recovery

Lauri Markkanen takes a step forward in recovery

The Bulls could really use some good news, especially in the health department.

This isn’t big, but it’s something. It’s a step. Here’s the Chicago Tribune with an update on one of the team’s key young building blocks:

Lauri Markkanen had an individual shooting workout and participated in non-contact portions of Bulls practice Monday, the next step in his recovery from a right elbow injury.

Thursday marks eight weeks since Markkanen suffered a high-grade lateral sprain while battling for a rebound in the first week of training camp. The Bulls originally estimated Markkanen would miss six to eight weeks and later revised it to eight to 10 weeks.

“We’ll see how he responds and if we can up his activity level after that,” coach Fred Hoiberg said.

The Bulls through Sunday’s games have a 4-13 record and are the current East 12-seed. The team is off today and tomorrow, and on Wednesday has a chance to add to that win total as they host a struggling Suns squad.

NBA Players of Week: Nikola Vucevic and Anthony Davis

 

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Magic center Nikola Vucevic has been named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week, and Pelicans forward-center Anthony Davis the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played between November 11-18, 2018.

It marks the second time that Vucevic has won the award during his career and the first time a Magic player has won the award since Vucevic earned it for the period ending Mar. 30, 2014.

During four games last week, Vucevic averaged 27.8 ppg., 10.5 rpg., 4.0 apg. and 1.25 stlpg., while shooting .581 (43-74) from the floor and .471 (8-17) from three-point range. He led Orlando to a 3-1 record with wins over Philadelphia, the L.A. Lakers and New York. Vucevic tallied three double-doubles and scored 28-or-more points in three consecutive games, becoming the first Magic player since Dwight Howard accomplished the feat Mar. 1-5, 2012.

Vucevic has played and started in all 17 games this season, averaging a team-high 20.4 ppg., a team-high 10.8 rpg., 3.6 apg., 1.12 stlpg. and 1.12 blkpg. in 30.5 minpg., while shooting a team-best .556 (144-259) from the floor, .452 (19-42) from three-point range and .813 (39-48) from the free throw line. He has led (or tied) the Magic in scoring seven times, in rebounding 13 times and in assists twice.

Davis led the Pelicans to a 3-1 week behind averages of 34.3 points (ranked 2nd in the NBA), 14.0 rebounds (4th in the NBA) and 2.0 blocks (T-5th in the NBA). Davis helped lead the Pelicans to a win at Toronto – handing the Raptors just their second loss of the season, and their first loss at home, behind 25 points and a season-high 20 rebounds – a 19-point comeback victory against New York on Nov. 16, registering a season-high 43 points to go with 17 rebounds and five assists, and capped off the week with 40 points, eight rebounds and a career-high-tying eight assists, while shooting 20-of-21 at the free throw line, Nov. 17 vs. Denver. Davis finished the week as one of just five players (at least 50 field goal attempts) to shoot at least .500 from the floor, .400 from three-point range and .850 from the free throw line.

This marks the fifth time Davis has earned Player of the Week honors during his career, and the first time during the 2018-19 season, becoming the first player in franchise history to earn multiple Player of the Week honors in the same season since Chris Paul in 2008-09.

Davis is currently averaging 27.5 points (ranked fifth in the NBA), 12.7 rebounds (ranked tied for sixth in the NBA) and 2.8 blocks (ranked second in the NBA) on the season for the Pelicans.

 

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Josh Richardson fined for shoe toss

Josh Richardson fined for throwing shoe into stands

Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for throwing his shoe into the stands, according to Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations Kiki VanDeWeghe

The incident resulted in Richardson receiving a technical foul and an ejection from the game. It happened with 6:31 remaining in the fourth quarter during Miami’s game against Los Angeles Lakers on November 18 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Heat lost the game, 113-97.

According to ESPN.com, Richardson had this to say after the game: “I don’t want to talk about it. It was a series of events… I got caught up.”

Denzel Valentine to undergo surgery, out 4-6 months

Denzel Valentine to undergo surgery, out 4-6 months

Chicago Bulls guard Denzel Valentine has been diagnosed with ongoing ankle instability. After being evaluated by Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Valentine will undergo a surgical reconstruction by Dr. Anderson the week of Nov. 26 with an anticipated recovery time of four-to-six months.

The team says that Valentine is expected to make a full recovery and have a normal summer of offseason training leading into training camp for the 2019-20 season.

According to the Chicago Tribune, “it’s the second ankle surgery in three seasons for Valentine, a critical reserve floor spacer, and playmaker and leader.”

Enes Kanter plays just 15 minutes in latest Knicks loss

 

 

 

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Every player wants to step up during a contract year (a year when they will or at least might be a free agent after the season). But it’s hard to do that while receiving limited minutes. Such is the situation for many veterans on rebuilding teams that are more focused on the development of rookies and other young players than they are about the immediate dividends that may come from giving veterans more minutes.

Speaking of which, here’s New York Newsday discussing the Knicks and veteran center Enes Kanter, who received 26 minutes of court time three games ago, 22 minutes two games ago, and just 15 minutes on Friday:

When Knicks coach David Fizdale put all three of his rookies in the starting lineup Friday he made a statement. And then a stronger one when, with the game on the line, he inserted all three with the game on the line, admitting he wanted to test the trio under fire.

But the bigger test might be how Fizdale can manage the veterans on the roster. Enes Kanter, left on the bench as the New Orleans Pelicans dominated the Knicks’ young frontcourt that night to turn the game, left the locker room quickly with no comment night, then went, as he often does to social media. He tweeted out just a line of periods and asked about it Sunday morning, he didn’t reveal the meaning but said with a smile, “It’s only going to grow bigger.”

Kanter may be the most pressing case, a player who has established himself as much of a star as there is on this lottery-bound development project. He is a free agent at season’s end after opting in to the final season of his contract over the summer, and while his minutes and numbers have for the most part remained steady, he was pulled from the starting lineup after five games in favor of Mitchell Robinson. And on nights like Friday when he played just 15 minutes, there was clear frustration.

It would not be surprising to see Kanter receive more minutes again, but the reality is his future may very well be elsewhere so unless they market him in order to trade him, the team’s focus may likely remain on their youth.