Tag: jr smith

Lakers sign J.R. Smith as Substitute Player for NBA season restart

Once again, shooting guard J.R. Smith is back by LeBron James’ side.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Smith today, as a Substitute Player for the NBA season restart, which is taking place in July at Disney World in Florida.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “although Smith is designated as a replacement for [Avery] Bradley, the Lakers’ rotation at the position is likely to begin with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.”

In 971 NBA career games (395 starts) for New Orleans, Denver, New York and Cleveland, Smith, who will turn 35 years old in September, was the 2013 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. His career average is 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal in 27.0 minutes per game, and 37.3 percent shooting from three-point range. He most recently appeared in 11 games (four starts) for the Cavaliers during the 2018-19 season, notching 6.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steal in 20.2 minutes per game.

Cavs getting J.R. Smith back soon

Cavs shooting guard J.R. Smith has been medically cleared to return to action. So if he doesn’t play in the squad’s very next game, he should still likely be active soon. Here’s the News Herald reporting:

Cavs getting J.R. Smith back soon

J.R. Smith’s right thumb is fine. His head, though, might be a different story.

The Cavaliers sharp-shooting guard returned to full practice on March 8 for the first time since he was injured on Dec. 20 in Milwaukee swiping at the ball. He underwent complex surgery three days later to repair the fracture.

Smith has missed 41 of the Cavaliers’ 62 games. He is listed as questionable for their game with the Pistons in Detroit on March 9. After practice at the Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence he said he isn’t sure if he is mentally ready to play right now.

“It’s more or less my confidence going into playing,” Smith said. “It’s a weird situation. Physically, I’m fine. Mentally, going in there swiping at the ball, trying to dive for loose balls — that plays a factor.

J.R. Smith struggles badly for Cavs in NBA Finals Game 4 loss

J.R. Smith struggles badly for Cavs in Game 4 Finals loss

Here’s the Northeast Ohio Media Group reporting on Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith, who along with many of his teammates struggled to shoot the ball Thursday in Cleveland:

J.R. Smith struggles badly for Cavs in Game 4 Finals loss

J.R. Smith pretty much summed up his play after going 2-for-12 from the field and 0-for-8 from downtown.

“Horses—,” is how he described his night on Thursday after the Golden State Warriors evened the series at two games apiece with a 103-82 victory over the Cavaliers at The Q in the NBA Finals.

His answer might have been too blunt for some, but it illustrates how hard he’s taking it. With the Cavaliers using a rotation of six and a half players, it is imperative that they get a significant contribution from Smith, and he understands that.

That’s why he’s kicking himself.

“I put a lot on myself, especially with guys being out,” Smith told Northeast Ohio Media Group. “You just try to do the best you can when you can. It’s just not paying off right now.”

Former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert now key NBA Finals players

Former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert now key NBA Finals players

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on a pair of former Knicks who are now key members of the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers:

LeBron James and Stephen Curry — league MVPs, past and present — obviously will dominate much of the discussion when the NBA Finals finally commence between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night at Oracle Arena.

But the local flavor is undeniable, as well, as former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are riding shotgun alongside James in search of a championship barely five months after Phil Jackson dumped them for almost no return in January.

“It’s a dream come true, to be in the Finals and be in this situation,” Smith said before Cleveland’s practice on Wednesday. “Going from the worst team to the best team, or one of the best teams, it’s unbelievable. It’s hard to put into words.

“But we talk about it often. We just hope we make the best of the situation…You have to take advantage of it.” …

Shumpert, who figures to draw the primary assignment of guarding Curry with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving nursing multiple injuries, added that he feels “blessed” for the opportunity to play “on the big stage” of the Finals.

J.R. Smith uncertain of his future with Knicks

Here’s ESPN New York on Knick shooting guard J.R. Smith, who has always been a bit of a loose canon but recently is catching more heat than usual:

J.R. Smith Knicks future

In the last two days, J.R. Smith has been benched by the New York Knicks and fined by the NBA.

Suddenly, he is unsure of his future in New York.

“Honestly, I don’t even know at this point. At one point I was for sure, and now it’s rocking the boat,” Smith said after he was benched for the Knicks’ 102-92 win against the Miami Heat on Thursday night. “But it is what it is. It’s the nature of the business.”

The benching came one day after Smith was fined $50,000 by the NBA for “recurring instances of unsportsmanlike conduct” stemming from his recent shoelace antics.

Knicks coach Mike Woodson wouldn’t comment on why he decided to bench Smith against the Heat. Smith said he showed up to Madison Square Garden expecting to play and never was told by Woodson that he wouldn’t.

J.R. Smith struggling badly with shot so far this season

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on Knicks guard J.R. Smith. The team played Friday, losing a close battle in Denver to the Nuggets:

JR Smith

Smith scored 11 points but shot just 1-for-7 from 3-point range as he struggles to rediscover his stroke following summertime knee surgery and a five-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy.

Smith, last season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year, is shooting a career-low 32.8 percent from the floor, and even worse from beyond the arc (28.6 percent). The Knicks are 1-9 since he returned from suspension entering Sunday’s game against New Orleans at the Garden.

“My jumper just hasn’t been there,” Smith said. “That’s situations where I got to make my teammates better, get guys open shots and keep driving to the hole. But one thing, I’m not going to stop shooting.”

Asked if his surgically repaired left knee has affected his shooting stroke and his overall play, Smith admitted: “Somewhat, but it’s all right, I’m still playing…It’s taking time. I’m not one to make excuses, but I got to play better. If it’s hurting that bad, then I shouldn’t be playing. I’m out there and I’m going to try to give it all I got.”

J.R. Smith goes off on Brandon Jennings via Twitter

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on some Twitter fun:

JR Smith

J.R. Smith’s latest Twitter fiasco – an apparent threat to harm Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings – had Knicks coach Mike Woodson contemplating a team policy about using social media Thursday and the organization wondering whether the reigning Sixth Man of the Year might be looking at a disciplinary action from the league.

Smith made what appeared to be a threat against Jennings on Wednesday night shortly after the Knicks’ win in Atlanta, where he started instead of coming off the bench. Jennings posted a dispatch on Twitter in which he questioned why Knick Chris Smith – J.R.’s brother – belongs on an NBA roster.

Smith first came to his brother’s defense and then, according to Deadspin.com, posted a tweet that read, “might call some of my Number street homies an put #Detroit on smash for a min! #DeadSerious.”

Asked before Thursday night’s game whether he intended to threaten with that message, Smith said, “No. There’s a way to threaten somebody and that’s not the way to publicly threaten somebody.”

J.R. Smith wants to be a Knicks starter

J.R. Smith wants to start for Knicks

J.R. Smith took an important step toward returning to the Knicks, taking part in running drills Tuesday for the first time since undergoing left knee surgery in July.

When Smith does make it all the way back from the injury — and the five-game suspension he still must serve, once deemed healthy, for violating the NBA’s drug policy — the league’s reigning Sixth Man Award winner prefers it to be as the Knicks’ starting shooting guard.

“I’ve always wanted to start. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows how I feel about that,” Smith said after practice in Greenburgh. “I won the Sixth Man last year, so I felt as though there’s nothing left to prove at the sixth-man spot.

“But at the same time, if that’s what my team needs me to do, that’s what I’ll do. If Coach (Mike Woodson) wants me to be a sixth man, I’ll be a sixth man. If he wants me to start, I’ll start. That’s up to him.”

Reported by Peter Botte of the New York Daily News