Pilots

The New Orleans Pelicans have announced Dejounte Murray has injured his left hand and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
The point guard, who was acquired by New Orleans this offseason, suffered the injury during the Pelicans&rsquo; opening night win against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
According to Charania, tests have confirmed the injury to the former 1-time all-star. It was initially reported that the Pelicans &lsquo;feared&rsquo; that Murray might have injured his hand after experiencing discomfort in it in the second half. Now, those fears were deemed to be true and could be a setback for the Pelicans, who also missed star forward Zion Williamson due to illness.
ANALYSIS: This is a huge blow to the Pelicans in the tough and deep Western Conference. New Orleans brought Murray in to be the main playmaker for the team that features scorers like Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum and also be a closer for the team in clutch situations.
Murray had a very good game against the Bulls, tallying 14 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds with only 1 turnover. He commanded the game well against the Bulls, finding teammates on easy baskets. Murray also played tough defense as he aims to get back to his usual defensive self with the Pelicans.
Murray did not speak to reporters after the game, and McCollum hopes he&rsquo;s not out for too long.
According to ESPN stats, Murray became the third player in Pelicans history with 10 assists in his team debut, joining Elfrid Payton (2018) and Baron Davis (2002). Last season with the Hawks, he had just two games total with 10 assists and one or fewer turnovers.
The Pelicans go on a 4-game road trip in the West coast, beginning at Portland on Friday night.&nbsp;

The New Orleans Pelicans have announced Dejounte Murray has injured his left hand and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Pelicans lose Dejounte Murray in 1st game of season after fractured left hand

In the NBA, every season tells a new story. While some players soar, others face setbacks&mdash;whether it's injuries, poor performance, or unfortunate circumstances that leave them struggling to make an impact. But basketball is also a game of redemption, and with every new season comes a chance for a comeback. This year, several NBA players who faced adversity last season or from the past few years are determined to remind the league of their talent and value. As the stage is set for the 2024 season, these players are primed for a revenge season as they are eager to bounce back and prove they still belong among the NBA's elite. Let&rsquo;s break down who these players are and why they&rsquo;re poised for a resurgence.
Lonzo Ball, Guard, Chicago Bulls
Out for the entirety of two and a half seasons or about three years worth of basketball with a knee injury, Ball&rsquo;s absence was sorely felt by the Bulls. The two-way playmaker had been evolving into an elite perimeter defender and three-point shooter before the setback. If healthy, he has the skills to transform the Bulls' fortunes as they try to contend again. They recently acquired young guard Josh Giddey and now the Bulls will have Ball&rsquo;s services back again. His ability to initiate the fast break and command the offense could be vital for a Bulls team hungry for playoff success.
Ben Simmons, Guard/Forward, Brooklyn Nets
Ben Simmons&rsquo; struggles have been highly publicized. Once regarded as an All-Star, his decline, marred by back injuries and confidence issues, has been drastic. But with a new season comes a chance for redemption. In Brooklyn, without the weight of high expectations and with a roster that&rsquo;s more role-player-centric, Simmons could thrive by doing what he does best: defense, playmaking, and transition offense. A rejuvenated Simmons can be a critical asset to the Nets&rsquo; success. It remains to be seen if Simmons can come back from the level he used to play at Philadelphia &ndash; using his uncanny combination of size and speed to terrorize opponents in transition &ndash; but being healthy is the first step of Simmons to show the world again what he is capable of.
Jordan Poole, Guard, Washington Wizards
After a breakout season in Golden State that culminated in a championship, Poole's form dipped over the last two years due to locker room tensions and inconsistency. Now with entering his second full season with the Wizards, Poole will have more freedom to dominate the ball and score now that Tyus Jones signed with the Suns. Poole will now be the Wizards&rsquo; lead guard and main playmaker and he&rsquo;s in a prime position to elevate his game as Washington&rsquo;s primary scoring option. This could lead to career-best numbers and renewed confidence for Poole as he aims to remind everyone of his career resurgence.
Gabe Vincent, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
After coming off basically an off year last year with the Lakers following a lingering injury on his leg/knee, Gabe Vincent&rsquo;s journey is one of perseverance. Now in his second season with Los Angeles after signing that free agent contract last year, Vincent has an opportunity to shine on a larger stage and be a role player that could help LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Vincent is known for his shooting and tough defense and he can provide valuable backcourt depth alongside established stars. If he continues to grow and adapt to his new role, he could be a pivotal piece for the Lakers in their title aspirations.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Which player do you think will bounce back and have a revenge season? 🤔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/HHA92LNyJ0">pic.twitter.com/HHA92LNyJ0</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1845849068238745680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>

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These players are primed for a revenge season as they are eager to bounce back and prove they still belong among the NBA's elite.

NBA Players Poised for a Comeback: Who Will Shine in 2024?

Paying customers and plenty of media members have loudly expressed their frustrations with how the New Orleans Pelicans have handled the injuries and updates regarding Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, to the point of calling the organization outright liars.
Sure, there were frustrations with injuries derailing the season, but the messaging did not come from a place of dishonesty. It came from the type of misunderstandings and miscommunications that can ravage any type of relationship.
The obvious friction within the team the last few seasons were publicly expressed through curt answers and solemn body language on gamedays. Executive vice president David Griffin even admitted last July that the Pelicans &ldquo;did a really bad job organizationally" in handling some situations, especially after Williamson&rsquo;s viral pregame dunk and vague comments to the media. It took a summer of reconciliation, but the most pressing relationship issues have been resolved. Everyone understands how to speak each other&rsquo;s basketball love language and approach expectations for the coming season.
It all started with listening sessions this summer, which were a reason Williamson stuck around town for the offseason. But go back and listen to how Williamson and Ingram talk about basketball in press conferences over the years. Examining how they speak about the game explains a lot in how they&rsquo;ve approached their careers thus far.
Ingram has been using the term "professional" and "basketball" while talking like a hardwood scientist since his rookie season. It would not be surprising for B.I. to break down film at 4 a.m., making calls to wake sleepy-eyed teammates. Specifically, Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Josh Hart have shared on record how Ingram&rsquo;s film studies helped their game. Even when Ingram was out with an injury, the deep film sessions to help his teammates improve remained part of his routine. His methodical game reflects his intense devotion to his craft, though Ingram&rsquo;s personality comes off as a bit more laid back.
Williamson &ldquo;just loves hooping&rdquo; by his admission this Monday and in past interviews. Both are highly talented and naturally gifted and, as one source put it, &ldquo;They both love the game, but show it in different ways. The game has loved them back in different ways.&rdquo; Organizationally, there have been some growing pains as perhaps some things got taken for granted along the way for a franchise shaping a new identity.
That&rsquo;s starting to change and it is a two-way street. This team knows it was in first place last December and Williamson&rsquo;s renewed commitment has been the theme of the offseason with those I&rsquo;ve spoken with.
"This was the first summer where we&rsquo;ve seen Zion take his profession seriously like that and invest in it off the court on his own in a way that, I think, is meaningful," Griffin revealed during media day.
This is a reassuring development considering the past four years. Now, Zion still loves to hoop. There is no doubt. No one shows up on an outdoor court in New Orleans to work up a mid-summer sweat with some high-school kids without loving to hoop. Roll a ball out on a court and a smiling Williamson is like an overeager puppy. At least Alvin Gentry got that right in Zion&rsquo;s rookie season.
However, Williamson has not had a healthy relationship with NBA basketball the last few years. The NBA Draft is a crap shoot and New Orleans was not exactly a prime location. The new front office had a few growing pains earlier than expect as a result. NBA HQ added some bumps and bruises to the process as well. The national-TV-heavy schedule as a rookie and through the COVID bubble was unwarranted, unnecessary attention; it was just premature pressure on someone who couldn't legally buy a drink.
Attention before production paired with injury setbacks put pressure on every strained relationship, which partly factored into the Pelicans parting ways with coaches Gentry and Stan Van Gundy after just a year each with Williamson on the roster. Zion even went to rehab in Oregon away from the team, returning to the bench just weeks before the team&rsquo;s playoff run.
Publicly and privately, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;all water under the bridge&rdquo; between the locker room and front office. Aaron Nelson is still with the team, but in an advisory role that&rsquo;s far more hands-off on the day-to-day. Newly-hired Amy Atmore, the team's physical/performance therapist and director of rehabilitation, has already made the players comfortable with the revamped staff and new "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" process. There are a few more full-time staffers to welcome into the group but by all accounts, head coach Willie Green has righted the ship culturally in the locker room. The leadership hierarchies and trust circle bonds are very strong and have been unanimously agreed upon.
In contrast to Williamson&rsquo;s on-court hooper mentality paired with a dozen endorsement deals, Ingram loves professional basketball and has been able to operate as an under-the-radar, one-time All-Star. This approach leads to multi-generational wealth that secures family futures. Ingram did not sign a contract extension this summer because "they handing a lot of people big money, [and] I&rsquo;m trying to get some big money&rdquo; next summer.
Ingram smiled while delivering that media-day-gold statement, but Zion was refusing to flash a grin for anyone to start training camp. This isn&rsquo;t just hooping anymore. This is serious, professional basketball and it would be a disservice to his talents and teammates to not approach this season as the opportunity of a lifetime. It&rsquo;s also a chance to win back all the fans and provide a return on the team&rsquo;s investment. Williamson loves to be loved. Ingram, especially after the FIBA experience, is after All-NBA respect before negotiating a contract extension.
The revamped player performance and medical staff changes were a direct result of the front office listening to player feedback. Williamson, who just signed a max-level extension, can see that.
"The Pelicans have put in a lot of things this offseason&hellip;" Williamson said. "I think what the Pelicans have done is add good structure and we'll see as the season goes&hellip; being on the same page with the personal trainers, really locking into every aspect of my body.''
Williamson also listened to feedback from the front office and the team&rsquo;s veterans. He got the message from CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr., who played through injuries last season, to set an example.
"I think [the changes] should help us," McCollum said. &ldquo;A lot of it is on us and how we prepare. Your staff can only do so much."
Off the court, Williamson&rsquo;s larger-than-life, crowd-pleasing ways mesh well with Ingram&rsquo;s reserved, low-key-funny, musically-inclined chill. Now, the Pelicans need them to make it work on the court when the stakes are highest. Like any relationship seemingly stuck running in place, huge consequences are resting on the next decision.
&ldquo;If this team can&rsquo;t take that next step, we need to know that as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Griffin stated straightforwardly at media day.
It&rsquo;s tough to hear for a young team, but at least the tough love is understood as coming from a place of caring about what&rsquo;s best for everyone.
Former NBA vet and Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon said he felt players have returned with a bitter taste in their mouths after the way last season ended and expects them to come into camp highly motivated to show their true potential. Griffin, who is passing off some of the medical-team-oversight responsibilities to Langdon, feels this group is &ldquo;really optimistic."
"We have pieces that can be really dynamic and win together," Griffin said. "They haven&rsquo;t done a lot of it and they know they have something to prove."
Williamson definitely has something to prove and has new motivations in life to live up to his potential. The expecting father with no more viable professional excuses or blame to be placed on youth ''wanted change."
"If I want change, I have to do something different so I sat down with the Pelicans and came up with a great plan," Zion said.
All public signs from the front office, All-Stars and those speaking behind the scenes point to a mended, healthy relationship between all parties as reason for future optimism. Reports of mutiny or group dissension are downright wrong according to what I&rsquo;ve been hearing. Hot takes to insinuate the franchise operates from behind a smoke screen miss the mark at best and at times show the worst of biases from people who wouldn&rsquo;t know which coach or player had a family sitting next to them in the arena.
There were no ultimatums. It was a remodel, not a revolt. The front office took feedback from their players and ran with it. That&rsquo;s a positive relationship. It&rsquo;s boring for offseason news but has long-term benefits for the team and it&rsquo;s fans.
"If we would have controlled the narrative, it would have made (the media&rsquo;s) jobs a lot more boring, but it would have put [Williamson[ in a better position to succeed," Griffin said last summer. "I feel like to a huge degree, I failed him in that sense."
The Pelicans and Williamson are now in a position to succeed with a clear narrative: Win and show the world their true capabilities. Williamson, who trained to be &ldquo;un-guardable&rdquo; this offseason, switched vocabulary halfway through the press conference with an admission that he is &ldquo;a basketball player."
"I simply want to win and impact the game. I train to impact the game from all areas&hellip; Griff, Trajan and Swin [Cash], those three have been really helpful," Williamson added. "They've supported me, they've had my back and we all got the same goal in mind, which I think is what family is about &ndash; people having your back no matter what and wanting the best for each other.&rdquo;
Williamson went further, going out of the way to declare his loyalty to New Orleans.
&ldquo;This is home for me. This is where I want to be&hellip;" he said. "If something were to happen to me where basketball wasn&rsquo;t there or my life is changed, who would be there for me? Realistically, who would be there for me? I had to come to that realization that when it comes to them, the family, and the city, it&rsquo;s always good so I focus on that.&rdquo;
Frankly, if that doesn&rsquo;t hit you right in the feels as a fan of the Pelicans, it might be time to re-examine your engagement with basketball and this team. Either way the franchise is moving forward with stronger relationships just as their championship window is truly opening. A great start to the season might even feel like a second honeymoon for fans with an open mind and little bit of hope for the future.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

The New Orleans Pelicans are all on the same page and could be poised for a big season, writes Christopher Dodson.

Pelicans better understand love languages of All-Star relationships

METAIRIE, La. (AP) &mdash; All-Star forward Zion Williamson said he won&rsquo;t return to the New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; lineup until he&rsquo;s confident his body will respond well to the way he wants to play.
&ldquo;Physically, I&rsquo;m fine,&rdquo; Williamson, who injured his right hamstring in early January, said Tuesday. &ldquo;Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of when I feel like Zion.
&ldquo;I can pretty much do everything, but it&rsquo;s just a matter of the level that I was playing at before my hamstring,&rdquo; Williamson continued. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to go out there and be in my own head and affect the team when I can just be on the sideline supporting them more, because I know myself. If I was to go out there, I would be in my head. I would hesitate on certain moves and it could affect the game.&rdquo;
Williamson&rsquo;s extended absence looms particularly large now, with New Orleans hosting Oklahoma City in a do-or-die, Western Conference play-in game on Wednesday night. The loser is done for the season while the winner survives to play at least once more on Friday night for the right to enter the first-round of the playoffs as the conference&rsquo;s eighth seed &mdash; and face top-seeded Denver.
Williamson said he has to overcome &ldquo;a little bit of a mental battle&rdquo; because of a setback in his recovery that prevented him from participating in the All-Star Game.
&ldquo;When I reaggravated it back in February, it was tough. So, when I got to make certain moves, there is that hesitation,&rdquo; Williamson said. &ldquo;I understand the magnitude of these games coming up and I don&rsquo;t want to be out there hesitating or doing something that may affect my team in a bad way.&rdquo;
Williamson&rsquo;s anxiety about re-injury is understandable, given how his first four NBA seasons have gone since he was selected first overall out of Duke in the 2019 NBA draft.
He played in just 24 games as a rookie, mostly because of a left knee injury. He missed all of his third season because of a broken right foot and played in just 29 games during the 2022-23 regular season.
The only time he&rsquo;s appeared in as many as 30 games was his second season, when he played in 61.
When available, the 6-foot-6, 280-pound Williamson has been among the most productive players in the NBA, averaging nearly 26 points and seven rebounds in 114 career games. He can handle the ball and run the floor like a guard or wing player, soar to the hoop for rim-rattling dunks and muscle his way into shooting positions from the post &mdash; often hitting off-balance, short-range shots between multiple defenders.
The Pelicans missed the playoffs during Williamson&rsquo;s first two seasons. When they finally made it last season, he could only cheer on his teammates from the sideline. The promise the club showed late last season gave Williamson enough confidence in the club&rsquo;s future to sign a rookie max extension worth close to $200 million during the next five seasons.
Now another postseason has arrived, and Williamson is again unavailable to play &mdash; for now. Williamson said the decision on his return is not his alone and will be made in concert with the team. On Friday, Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said Williamson would not likely be ready to play until some time during the first round of the playoffs at the earliest &mdash; and there&rsquo;s no guarantee New Orleans will make it that far.
Meanwhile, Williamson has had to listen to basketball fans and pundits alike question his commitment to stay in shape and his determination to get back on the court.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how else to say it. It just sucks. I love this game,&rdquo; Williamson said. &ldquo;For those people that think that I just want to sit on the sideline just to sit over there, I don&rsquo;t know why people think that.
&ldquo;From my perspective, I just want to play basketball. I want to hoop. I want to play the game I love,&rdquo; Williamson continued. &ldquo;But the reality of it is, whether I check my phone or I&rsquo;m just watching TV, no matter what it is, I can&rsquo;t really escape what the world thinks, what people&rsquo;s opinions are. So, it&rsquo;s frustrating.&rdquo;
Williamson said his series of long absences from the court have taught him that &ldquo;nothing&rsquo;s really guaranteed.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If it&rsquo;s in God&rsquo;s plan to be who I feel like I should be, then it&rsquo;s in his plan,&rdquo; Williamson said. &ldquo;If not, then you&rsquo;ve got to live with it.&rdquo;

“Physically, I’m fine,” said Williamson, who injured his right hamstring in January “Now it’s just a matter of when I feel like Zion."

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson in a ‘mental battle’ to play again

Jim Boeheim enrolled at Syracuse in 1962. Played there until 1966. Started coaching there in 1969. Took over the program as head coach in 1976.
Put simply, he was Syracuse basketball.
Until now.
The Basketball Hall of Famer&rsquo;s 47-year tenure as coach at Syracuse came to an awkward end on Wednesday, with the university saying Orange associate head coach and former Syracuse player Adrian Autry has been promoted to the job. The Orange moved quickly, making the announcement less than three hours after&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wake-forest-syracuse-dcb7b6ea899dfee2b805972b1ba60897" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syracuse lost to Wake Forest</a>&nbsp;in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. And if Boeheim knew the announcement was coming, he didn&rsquo;t let on at what was his final postgame news conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s up to the university,&rdquo; Boeheim said. &ldquo;They have to make their decision, and it&rsquo;s up to them.&rdquo;
The university didn&rsquo;t wait long before making the decision public, saying in part: &ldquo;Today, as his 47th season coaching his alma mater comes to an end, so too does his storied career at Syracuse University. Associate head coach Adrian Autry &rsquo;94, one of Boeheim&rsquo;s former players and longtime assistant, has been named the program&rsquo;s next head coach.&rdquo;
Autry has been on Boeheim&rsquo;s staff since 2011, and held the title of associate head coach since March 2017.
&ldquo;There have been very few stronger influential forces in my life than Syracuse University and Jim Boeheim,&rdquo; Autry said. &ldquo;They have both played such important roles and without either of them, I am certain I would not have this incredible opportunity before me.&rdquo;
The 78-year-old Boeheim&rsquo;s record in his 47 seasons, officially, was 1,015-441. That reflects 101 wins taken away by the NCAA for violations between the 2004-07 and 2010-12 seasons.
Whether the count was 1,015 or 1,116, only now-retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had more wins than Boeheim at the Division I level. Boeheim led the Orange to the 2003 national title &mdash; Carmelo Anthony&rsquo;s lone season in Syracuse &mdash; and saw 46 of his players get taken in NBA drafts. Among them: Anthony, Derrick Coleman, Rony Seikaly, Dion Waiters, Billy Owens, Sherman Douglas and Pearl Washington. Boeheim also was a USA Basketball assistant under Krzyzewski on the teams that won Olympic gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been very lucky to be able to coach my college team, to play and then be an assistant coach and then a head coach, never having to leave Syracuse,&rdquo; Boeheim said in that postgame news conference, one in which he hinted at retirement, then hinted at returning. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great university.&rdquo;
He has, in many ways, been the face of that university. Boeheim and his wife Juli, through their family foundation, have raised millions for children&rsquo;s causes across Central New York. He helped champion what became known as the &ldquo;Coaches vs. Cancer&rdquo; phenomenon with the American Cancer Society.
The 2-3 zone defense he used almost exclusively caused opponents fits for decades. His dedication was unwavering; the best examples were how he returned to work earlier than doctors wanted after he was treated for prostate cancer in December 2001 &mdash; the team was struggling and needed him, Boeheim said at the time &mdash; and how he went to work at 12:01 a.m. on the day his nine-game suspension for NCAA violations was lifted during the 2015-16 season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s given his heart and soul to that school,&rdquo; said Washington coach Mike Hopkins, a former Boeheim assistant. &ldquo;Still surprised they don&rsquo;t have a statue made of him in the middle of campus. When you think of Syracuse University, you think of Jim Boeheim and you think of the Carrier Dome, and now both of those will be gone, which is very sad.&rdquo;
The dome still stands, just with a different name. The program will continue, just with a different coach. For the first time since 1976, someone other than Boeheim is now the head coach of the Orange.
&ldquo;Jim has invested and dedicated the majority of his life to building this program, cultivating generations of student-athletes and representing his alma mater with pride and distinction,&rdquo; Chancellor Kent Syverud said in a statement distributed by the school.
Boeheim has been synonymous with Syracuse for more than six decades. He was born in the central New York town of Lyons, not far from Syracuse. He enrolled at the school in 1962 as a walk-on, eventually becoming a captain of the then-Orangemen along with Dave Bing.
In 1969, he was hired at Syracuse as a graduate assistant. And on April 3, 1976, he took the program over after Roy Danforth left for Tulane. Boeheim has led the program since; even the court at the dome where Syracuse plays its home games has bore his name since 2002.
&ldquo;There will never be another Jim Boeheim,&rdquo; Buddy Boeheim, one of Boeheim&rsquo;s sons who played for him at Syracuse, tweeted Wednesday. &ldquo;The greatest coach, father, and mentor I could ever ask for. A man that gave a city, program, and university everything he had his whole life with countless accomplishments. Excited for a lot of golf in our future, love you pops.&rdquo;
The Orange were 17-15 this season and will miss the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. That led to criticism, which led to questions about Boeheim&rsquo;s future, and what the school would ultimately decide.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an honor to play for Coach Boeheim,&rdquo; Syracuse&rsquo;s Benny Williams said after the loss to Wake Forest.
A low point came in November 2011. Bernie Fine, then Syracuse&rsquo;s associate head coach, was fired after being accused of sexual abuse by two former Syracuse ballboys. Boeheim initially called the ballboys liars out to get money, then apologized for being insensitive to victims of abuse and took responsibility. Fine was never charged.
Syracuse reached the NCAA Tournament 35 times under Boeheim, went to the Final Four in five of those appearances, won 10 Big East regular-season titles and five more titles in that conference&rsquo;s tournament.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been just so lucky to be able to coach at Syracuse, a place I love, I place I love to live,&rdquo; Boeheim said. &ldquo;People keep wondering about that, but maybe that&rsquo;s a flaw I have. But I&rsquo;ve lived in Syracuse my whole life, and I&rsquo;ll live there hopefully a long time into the future. I think it&rsquo;s a great place.&rdquo;
Reaction was mixed when word of the coaching change reached the Syracuse campus.
Chris Davis, a freshman, wondered if a coach change will hurt the Orange.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s disappointing to be honest,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;It hurts the students who are here. To see him gone is heartbreaking.&rdquo;
Senior Gracie Carrigan was surprised by the move, saying, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s shocking. He had such a great career. You almost thought he&rsquo;d be here forever, so it&rsquo;s shocking that it&rsquo;s actually happening.&rdquo;
Added freshman Benjamin Perle said: &ldquo;Obviously, massive shoes to fill. I have faith in coach Autry and the coaching staff.&rdquo;
Syracuse clearly has faith in Autry as well.
He played in 121 games in his four seasons for Boeheim, then spent more than a decade on the bench with his former coach.
&ldquo;I have spent much of my time in the game of basketball learning from Jim and am so grateful to him for preparing me to carry on the winning tradition that is Orange Basketball,&rdquo; Autry said.

The Hall-of-Famer’s 47-year tenure as Syracuse's head coach came to an end on Wednesday, with Adrian Autry replacing Boeheim.

Jim Boeheim’s long career at Syracuse ends, Adrian Autry takes over

METAIRIE, La. (AP) &mdash; New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Zion Williamson has aggravated his previously injured right hamstring, extending the timeline for his return to &ldquo;multiple weeks past All-Star break,&rdquo; basketball operations chief David Griffin said Sunday.
Griffin said Williamson, who has been averaging 26 points per game this season, had progressed to the point where he was able to participate in 3-on-3 drills in practice and was on the court when he experienced his setback.
When asked how Williamson handled the setback emotionally, Griffin said, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s fair to say not terribly well because he was really diligent in his rehab.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Unfortunately this is an injury that has a very high incidence of recurrence,&rdquo; Griffin said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s nothing he did wrong to bring this about. ... It&rsquo;s an injury that&rsquo;s tricky and hard to navigate. I think you&rsquo;ve seen other players around the league have those same re-incidences. It&rsquo;s not unique.&rdquo;
Williamson has missed 20 straight games since his initial hamstring injury on Jan. 2. If he misses the first two weeks after the All-Star break, he will have been out at least 27 games.
Without Williamson, the Pelicans have gone 12-16, but a number of those games were played while high-scoring wing Brandon Ingram also was out.
Ingram is now back in the lineup and has scored 25 or more points in each of his past four games.
The Pelicans enter Monday night&rsquo;s game at Oklahoma City having won three of four, with the lone loss in that stretch coming against surging Cleveland, which is on a six-game winning streak.
The silver lining for the Pelicans is that they have virtually the same core players available now that they had during their playoff run last spring, when Williamson was recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him for all of last season.
The Pelicans also made a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-2023-news-recapping-all-moves-of-day-basketball-rumors-sorting-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move at last week&rsquo;s NBA trade deadline</a>&nbsp;that sent 6-foot-1 reserve guard Devonte&rsquo; Graham to San Antonio for veteran 6-5 guard Josh Richardson, who is in his eighth season and is expected to help New Orleans defensively.
New Orleans is 29-28, placing it seventh in the Western Conference entering Sunday.
&ldquo;We all feel for Z, having to navigate these injuries,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s an opportunity for guys to kind of band together and go out and play our best basketball."
Green, who played in the NBA for 12 seasons, said it will be important for Williamson to &ldquo;get into a good mental space&rdquo; now.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be important for him to continue to attack the rehab to give himself an opportunity to get back on the floor,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;For the rest of the guys... we&rsquo;ve created a standard. We know how we want to play. Guys have to do it and we all have to kind of come together while Z is out.&rdquo;
The run the Pelicans made last spring without Williamson &ldquo;helps our confidence,&rdquo; Green said.
&ldquo;It gives us not only the belief but the results to know that we can do it,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;We just got continue to go do the things we know we&rsquo;re capable of.&rdquo;

Zion Williamson has aggravated his previously injured right hamstring and he'll miss several more weeks after the All-Star break.

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson has setback with hamstring injury

Cleveland Cavaliers president Koby Altman is typically one of the NBA's busiest executives when the trade deadline comes around. In fact, since taking over for David Griffin as the Cavs' general manager in July 2017, there hadn&rsquo;t been a single deadline where he stood pat.
On Thursday, that changed, as the Cavaliers decided not to make a trade.
&ldquo;My guys over there, they said, 'Koby I'm proud of you,' for not [making a move],&rdquo; Altman said with a grin at Cleveland Clinic Courts in his first media appearance this season. &ldquo;Because you could make deals. You can. There's things you can land the plane on. Don't just do something to do something. Let's be very, very intentional with what we're doing. It's different when you're in asset collection mode. It's different when you're trying to accumulate picks. That becomes a different motivation. I think where we are now is being very, very intentional [with] how you're going to help this young core grow and set them up for success. And if the move wasn't there to do it, don't do it. I guess we sat this one out.
&ldquo;I think there's value in continuity. I think there's value in giving this group a runway. And sometimes as a GM, you just say to yourself, 'Don't mess this up.' And I think that was a big key for us this deadline. [That's] not easy for me; you guys know I'm volume-heavy. But to take a step back and realize the growth we've seen already, mixed with the results... I didn't see anything that was appreciably gonna make us better and put us over the top. And so, I'm really happy with where we are and where we're going.&rdquo;
We all know the NBA community abides by a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately code, but remember Donovan Mitchell? The 26-year-old first-time All-Star starter who&rsquo;s already stamped his name in the Cavs history books and helped lead Cleveland to a torrid start? One of the best shooting guards in the league who&rsquo;s already won two Player of the Week awards and has brought 39 games worth of playoff experience with him to the team? The dude who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-breaking-news-donovan-mitchell-scores-nbaseasonhigh-cavs-franchisebest-71-in-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped 71 freaking points in one night</a>?
Lest we forget that Altman already launched his full-court heave on the first day of September, prior to the frenzy that was this past week.
&ldquo;I'm really glad we did what we did in the summer, to bring in a Donovan Mitchell, because it's so competitive &mdash; hyper-competitive in the trade market, hyper-competitive in the standings. And so, that was our big move to really lift our ceiling,&rdquo; Altman said. &ldquo;I knew that we weren't going to top that move come trade deadline (laughs). I think it's been a seamless fit. I think it's been some really exciting basketball... I think we had a great future without Donovan, and I can't imagine not having him right now.
&ldquo;We don't need to take swings. We don't need to take these &lsquo;find this incredible talent that you have to build around&rsquo; (approaches). I think we've found that, which is the hardest part. And now, does it work within the group and does it make the team better?&rdquo;
Altman&rsquo;s reasoning behind this approach is logical in short-term and long-term lenses. First and foremost, he brought up the delicate nature of a rare, connected locker room. That&rsquo;s why, though he&rsquo;ll leave open the idea of scouring the buyout market with an open roster spot available, everything will be about fit and skill set when it comes to any addition.
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The Cavs are in a position that they haven&rsquo;t been in during his tenure. They boast the fifth-best record in the NBA while employing the second-youngest starting five (average age of 23.2 years old) in the league, and a majority of that core still has yet to experience postseason basketball.
&ldquo;There's no trade I could've accomplished that was going to account for Darius Garland playing in his first playoff series, Evan Mobley playing in his first playoff series, Isaac Okoro playing in his first playoff series. We have to go through that as a team,&rdquo; Altman said. &ldquo;We're gonna have to go down the stretch here and battle for our position. We're gonna have to go in, hopefully, knock on wood, to a playoff series and see what that feels like, and I'm excited about that.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And that's the growth, that's the maturation that I wanna see from this group down the stretch, and really take a step back and let them experience this kinda basketball that's very, very new for us, and give them the runway to achieve, have setbacks and grow from those experiences. But it's a really, really exciting place to be... Give this group what they deserve [with] what they've already accomplished.&rdquo;
Given his expiring contract situation, there were a lot of questions surrounding Caris LeVert, a hot name on the trade front. Multiple teams inquired about his status with the Cavs and what it&rsquo;d take for the franchise to part ways with him. Altman instead revealed that &ldquo;there&rsquo;s a lot of interest to keep him here,&rdquo; and explained his rationale behind sticking with LeVert.
&ldquo;We acquired Caris last year in vastly different circumstances. If you remember, we had Darius Garland and no other ball-handlers; Ricky [Rubio] was out for the year, we had lost Collin [Sexton] for the year. And so, we brought Caris in under vastly different pretenses. I think what he's done this year is try to adapt his game to two ball-dominant, all-world guards," Altman said. "He's gotten better at his spot-up shooting; he's at a career-high this year at 37% in terms of shooting, and that's not even his real piece. He's just a really good basketball player, and I think he's embraced the challenge of being a defensive stopper.
&ldquo;The thing that really speaks to me too is, and I'm a softy for this, but guys that really want to be here. Guys that show up every day to work, that have a great attitude, that whatever their role is &mdash; and he had to take a substantial step back, be a sixth-man type when he could be starting in the NBA on a lot of different teams &mdash; and being like, 'I want to make this work. I want to be here.' That's meaningful to me, that's meaningful to this organization and it's a big reason why he's here. The other thing too is, let's be honest, we're not playing guys 82 games a year anymore. And to be able to spot start Caris at times is an absolute luxury. We learned that last year we can't have enough ball-handlers. We'll see in the playoffs. I know it's been a few years now, [but] to break your man off the dribble when everything else breaks down and your set play is not working, you're gonna need guys to go get some stuff for you and manufacture some runs. He remains a very important part of what we're doing. He's just a really good basketball player. I know he's thrilled to still be here, and we're happy that he's here as well.&rdquo;
As per usual, Kevin Love&rsquo;s name surfaced in rumblings for another year. This time around, it made sense because he&rsquo;s recorded five straight DNP-CDs and missed action in the three previous games due to a bothersome thumb injury. Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff stated Wednesday night that the veteran big man is healthy and available, but wants to see what this new, healthy iteration of the team can do.&nbsp;
Asked about Love, Altman responded by saying that he&rsquo;s never had conversations with him or his representation about a buyout and doesn&rsquo;t anticipate it happening. He did however share that he and the 35-year-old have talked about making a sacrifice and staying ready when his chance to play comes again. Altman feels he&rsquo;ll have that opportunity at some point this season.
After striking a rhythm over the last week, Altman is pleased with what he&rsquo;s seen from this current Cavs rotation that&rsquo;s added some bodies off the injured list. Ricky Rubio &mdash; whom he considers midseason acquisition-like &mdash; came back in the fold less than a month ago and is rounding into form with the bench bunch, and Dean Wade has been getting his legs back under him since returning on Jan. 21, providing meaningful spacing and defensive chops.
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Are the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> finding stability? J.B. Bickerstaff, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Dean Wade weigh in (with hand signals and all 🎢). <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/oTD1TBWkyl">pic.twitter.com/oTD1TBWkyl</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1623719182910070786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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When the franchise pulled the trigger on the Mitchell blockbuster, it created a significant void left by now-Utah-Jazz-All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen. For much of the season, the wing has been anything but consistent and a point of contention around town. A whopping 18 different starting lineups is an obvious indication of that, which has included starts at small forward from LeVert, Okoro, Wade and Lamar Stevens. (That&rsquo;s due to injury and mixing and matching.)
However, to Altman&rsquo;s point of internal additions, Cleveland has seen a fresh version of Okoro emerge since the turn of the new year. From Jan. 4 and on &mdash; when &ldquo;Ice&rdquo; reentered the starting five &mdash; the burly third-year swingman over 19 games has averaged 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest on 58.5% from the field, including a scorching 49.0% clip beyond the arc.&nbsp;
Coupling his already-stout defense with the threat of knocking down triples in the corner &mdash; and playmaking for teammates off the catch when closed out on &mdash; has helped Okoro earn the Cavs&rsquo; trust.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so happy for Isaac, who puts the most work in that now he deserves that sorta 3-and-D position that we drafted him as, that can guard 1-through-4, that really puts pressure on the defense,&rdquo; Altman said. &ldquo;I think what you're seeing from us and from Isaac specifically is a dude that, right away, you feel that defense as soon as you get across half-court, or you want to take a shooter out and he's making you catch 40 feet out. That sets the tone for your defense, and he does that remarkably well. And now, he's hitting the three-ball and giving space to our guards, which we really need.&rdquo;
It also played a factor in Altman avoiding a potential disruption in Okoro&rsquo;s rhythm.
&ldquo;Obviously, everybody wants more shooting. It's something I looked at. But I also know... where are those minutes gonna go to?&rdquo; Altman argued. &ldquo;And that starting five, which has been really good with Isaac Okoro, who are you taking off the floor there when that group as a starting five is a plus-7.3 net rating with a substantial size now? Who are you taking off the floor there, right?
&ldquo;Between him, Dean, Cedi [Osman], we always wanted to hopefully have that be internal and not use more assets to go outside and hope it works. That's the other part too is, at the deadline, you're making these deals and hoping that it fits. You're ingratiating a new person into this system, everybody has to adapt around this person, you have to change the way you play a little bit to accentuate their positives. Keeping the continuity and letting the internal growth happen, I think, was a big part of (standing pat). And seeing those signs certainly gave us pause to... Isaac's only 22 years old, and he's getting better every single day. Let's let that play out.&rdquo;
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Flexibility is still present in Cleveland&rsquo;s books despite being over the salary cap. Altman noted how Mobley still being on his rookie-scale deal will allow the Cavs to re-sign LeVert and Love and use their mid-level exception if they choose. There are also second-round picks at their disposal, and if Thursday taught us anything, it&rsquo;s that they can be quite valuable.
Mitchell and Garland are meshing well with one another as the games pass, Mobley and Jarrett Allen have not shown signs of slowing down and Okoro is coming into his own. Rubio, LeVert, Wade and Osman have had their moments individually and are looking to put it all together to bolster the bench production. As long as the team can stay away from the injury bug, with a softer schedule in the second half of the season, there&rsquo;s no reason to expect any kind of decline. &nbsp; The overlying theme of the Cavs' strategy at this point? If it ain&rsquo;t broke, don&rsquo;t fix it.

Spencer Davies summarizes Cavaliers president Koby Altman's first press conference of the season after a quiet trade deadline.

Koby Altman counting on Cavaliers' continuity, growth from within

Barring any setback during his pregame warmup, Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis will return to the lineup Wednesday versus the San Antonio Spurs, <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1618122256626102273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin</a>.
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L.A. Lakers star big man Anthony Davis will return to the lineup Wednesday vs. SAS, barring any setback during his pregame warmup, league sources told ESPN. He will be back in the lineup 5 1/2 weeks after suffering a fractured bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot
&mdash; Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1618122256626102273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Davis has missed the last 5 1/2 weeks after suffering a fractured bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot. <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1618122664232747011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McMenamin adds</a> that Davis will be on a 20-24 minute restriction.
The Lakers have gone 10-10 since his absence including <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-scores-46-points-with-9-3s-but-clippers-rout-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuesday night's 133-115 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers</a>. The Lakers are 22-26 on the season and sit in the 13th spot in the crowded Western Conference but are only 1.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament.
The team desperately needed to get its All-Star big man back who, prior to his injury, averaged 27.4 points and 2.1 blocks along with career bests in rebounds (12.1 per game) and field goal percentage (59.4%).
&nbsp;

Anthony Davis is set to return for the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night after missing 5 1/2 weeks with a foot injury.

Lakers' Anthony Davis to return Wednesday night

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored 30 points before leaving the court with pain in his left leg late in the Los Angeles Lakers' 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
James felt discomfort in his leg and groin shortly after he backed down Paul George to draw a foul in the paint with less than five minutes to play. James had sat out Monday's game at Utah to rest the persistent pain in his left foot, but he was having one of his best games of the season before his latest physical setback.
&ldquo;I feel good, besides the injury,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll get pictures on it tomorrow and go from there. Didn't do anything strenuous on the play. When I landed, I felt a little spasm or strain in my groin. Immediately I asked to come out on the next play down.&rdquo;
James said the injury doesn't feel as painful as his groin injury from Christmas 2018 during his first season with the Lakers. He missed a career-high 17 games with that injury.
James, on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar this season to become the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring leader, hit four 3-pointers and added eight rebounds and five assists against the Clippers while finishing one shy of his season high in points.
&ldquo;We'll let him see our medical staff first,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;It's just a lot of adversity. He's been trying his heart out just to be there for us and play at a high level. I thought he had it going really, really well tonight. But it's the NBA season, man. You've got to be ready for a little bit of everything, so we'll see what the results are once he gets evaluated and be ready to move forward.&rdquo;
George scored 29 points as the Clippers extended their recent domination of their arena roommates with their ninth consecutive victory over the Lakers. Norman Powell added 18 for the Clippers, who had seven scorers in double figures during their fifth victory in the past six games without injured star Kawhi Leonard, who missed his 10th game this season.
The Clippers are unbeaten in the city rivalry since July 2020 and still perfect against the Lakers under coach Tyronn Lue, who took over in October 2020.
&ldquo;I was proud of how we came out in the third quarter and took control of the game again,&rdquo; Lue said. &ldquo;Just being able to get it back in the second half and understanding it's a competition, not a show. I know it's the two LA teams, but we're playing to get better every night, so it's not a show.&rdquo;
Anthony Davis had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who dropped to 2-9 with their fourth consecutive defeat. Russell Westbrook added 14 points and nine assists, but the Lakers have the NBA's second-worst record so far.
John Wall scored 10 points in his return to the Clippers&rsquo; bench after sitting out the second game of a back-to-back Monday night. Wall is being cautious with his knee and his comeback after sitting out two of the past three seasons.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Lonnie Walker missed his second straight game with a non-COVID-19 illness. He started the Lakers' first nine games, averaging 15.3 points. ... Patrick Beverley returned from a two-game absence (illness) and scored seven points.
Clippers: Luke Kennard moved back into the starting lineup in place of Terance Mann and scored 13 points. ... Chargers stars Keenan Allen, Derwin James and Mike Williams all watched from courtside. ... The Clippers blocked seven shots in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Clippers: Host the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

LeBron James scored 30 points before leaving the court with pain in his left leg late in the Lakers' 114-101 loss.

LeBron hurt late in Clippers' 114-101 win over Lakers

Louder, bulkier and more locked-in than anybody&rsquo;s seen him before, Cleveland Cavaliers sophomore Evan Mobley is determined to surge to another level, and his teammates and coaches are eager to see it unfold.
&ldquo;Evan, he's on a mission right now,&rdquo; Darius Garland stated at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Monday. &ldquo;I think that he's on the mission of the Rookie-of-the-Year campaign (after a second-place finish).&nbsp;I think he's felt that this year, felt that this summer, and he really wants to show the world what he really can do and what they missed out on last year, sohe's coming in a lot more hungry. He's a lot stronger. He knows more about the game than he did last year. So we&rsquo;re super excited to see his jump from last year to this year, so I'm excited to see for sure. Hopefully [we have] four All-Stars as well.&rdquo;
With an impact on winning basketball and a scintillating start, Mobley helped lead the Cavs to one of the strongest starts in the Eastern Conference last season. Remember, this was a team that was picked to finish in the bottom half of the standings in the 2021 preseason (by just about everyone outside of the building). Yet, in spite of rotational injuries and setbacks, Cleveland made a Play-In Tournament appearance and put together a 44-38 record.&nbsp;
And while his counting stats were solid in their own right &mdash; 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks per game on just a hair under 55% True Shooting &mdash; they hardly encompass how brilliant he truly was at such a young age.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really proud of everything I accomplished this past year,&rdquo; Mobley said. &ldquo;I feel like I did the best I could. Everything that went down last year was great, it was a learning experience. I&rsquo;m just trying to get better from it and come next year even stronger and harder.&rdquo;
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The then-rookie Mobley&rsquo;s prowess as a help defender, on-ball defender and off-ball defender worked flawlessly in tandem with Jarrett Allen&rsquo;s blunt, emphatic rim protection. Evan started fast breaks with deflections, rejections and ridiculous lateral movement that led to turnovers. Opposing guards thought it would be smart to force a switch with either 7-footer, but as the season went on, teams quickly learned that this was the wrong idea. (It should be noted that Lauri Markkanen, Cleveland&rsquo;s ex-primary small forward, played a huge role in this success as well.)
However, it&rsquo;d be short-sighted to gloss over the fact that the USC product provided flashes of brilliance on the offensive end in some games, particularly as a playmaker and off the dribble. We can certainly expect the Cavs to ask more of him on that side of the court as a sophomore.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just going to try to affect the games in different ways that I didn&rsquo;t necessarily really do last year, such as bringing the ball up. You&rsquo;ll see me on the perimeter a little bit more as well as inside, obviously,&rdquo; said Mobley, who told the media he got even closer with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff this offseason. &ldquo;Me and him just had conversations throughout the summer, just trying to get me ready for this season. He&rsquo;s been really working with me, with my faceup game, really playmaking from the elbow area and mid-range area and getting to my spots and hitting &lsquo;em and knocking &lsquo;em down. I feel like that&rsquo;s where you&rsquo;re really going to see me a lot this year... (My three-point shot) is coming along really well. I&rsquo;m happy with all that I&rsquo;ve been working on. Hopefully this year you&rsquo;ll see a lot more threes.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Every time I have to guard him, it seems like he scores,&rdquo; Allen said. &ldquo;He always scores on me. His offensive game is improving still from what it was last year. We obviously know he&rsquo;s an All-NBA Defense-caliber type of defensive player. On the offensive side, he still amazes us every time.&rdquo;
Having worked out together in Los Angeles this past summer, Kevin Love spoke with Mobley's father, Eric, and found out how serious Evan was about becoming great.
&ldquo;We know what he&rsquo;s capable of. He hasn&rsquo;t even scratched the surface of really how good he can be. But all the signs are there and he&rsquo;s not afraid to work,&rdquo; Love said. &ldquo;When I saw him in L.A. when we were all there together, I thought, &lsquo;Okay, he&rsquo;s going to make a big step.&rsquo; He&rsquo;s obviously been putting in the work; he hasn&rsquo;t been shy about showing up and putting the hours in, adding a little bit to his game. We know what he can do defensively, but the thing that stuck out to me was just again his size, his ability to be a shot-maker and put the ball on the floor.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think he has the skill set to be able to do whatever he wants offensively. I think between, whether it be Donovan [Mitchell] or Darius or J.A., we have so many young guys on this team who can do so much. But I think as a 7-footer, he&rsquo;s one of those guys that&rsquo;s like a unicorn, able to do it all now and be very special.&rdquo;
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Kevin Love on Evan Mobley in Year 2: "When I saw him out in LA., I thought to myself, 'Okay, he's gonna make a big step.'" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/oQ6J3adyIv">pic.twitter.com/oQ6J3adyIv</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1574556678451699712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Another reason Cleveland should be excited about the 21-year-old is the amount of muscle he added this offseason. He can't put a number on it, but his arms definitely took center stage while at the podium, and he admits that he feels stronger and heavier. And the bigger he&rsquo;s gotten, so evidently has his voice.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve known Ev since he was in high school and I&rsquo;ve probably heard him say five things before we got here. Now, he&rsquo;s talking and communicating and getting to his spot,&rdquo; Donovan Mitchell said on Tuesday. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s much better, and I don&rsquo;t mean that in a bad way. He was really good in high school and he&rsquo;s really, really good now. For him, there&rsquo;s little things he can obviously improve on, technique and stuff like that. But his natural feel for the game as a defender, as an offensive player, there&rsquo;s certain things you just can&rsquo;t teach.
&ldquo;Obviously, we all know the size and quickness and the speed and his length. But for me, his instincts of knowing where to be, and this is just after one year being in the league, that&rsquo;s not always the case for a guy that just turned 21. He&rsquo;s got a lot of potential in a lot of areas. From what I saw in Nashville and from playing pickup when I came back here and even [Tuesday], there&rsquo;s just little things that he does that you just can&rsquo;t teach. It makes teaching even easier because he&rsquo;s able to pick up on stuff and get better day by day.&rdquo;
Cavs president Koby Altman can&rsquo;t help but envision what Mobley&rsquo;s progression will look like after having another year of experience under his belt.
&ldquo;His commitment has been incredible, of what we've challenged him to do,&rdquo; Altman said. &ldquo;He was one of the contingent that came back to Cleveland multiple times before summer league, showing his commitment to the organization and what we're asking him to do. At 21 years old, we're already giving him a lot of challenges &mdash; not only from the basketball court, but off the court from a strength-and-conditioning, nutrition program. All of this [is] to mold him to be what we think he could be, which is a superstar.
&ldquo;We're very excited about Evan Mobley here. He's about basketball. He's about team. He&rsquo;s about all the right stuff. We're really fortunate to have him.&rdquo;
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Echoing his players&rsquo; sentiments, Bickerstaff is enthusiastic about Mobley&rsquo;s eventual development into one of the best players on the team and in the NBA.
&ldquo;Our conversation with Evan and our expectations is he has the ability to be a superstar without being the leading scorer on your team. He has an opportunity to be the best player on the floor without having to take the most shots. I think that's hard to find. But he does [have that]. He can stuff the stat sheet in every category; that's our expectation for him.
&ldquo;We want him eventually &mdash; and hopefully it's this year &mdash; to be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. We believe he has that type of ability and can have that type of impact on the floor. Very few superstars, which he's going to work his way to be, can be that type of player without dominating the ball on the offensive end of the floor. We believe he has the ability and we'll get there.&rdquo;
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Evan Mobley on his chats with J.B. Bickerstaff and his offensive offseason improvements. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/MEzmb3bUC8">pic.twitter.com/MEzmb3bUC8</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1574534485290323968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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With all of this hype surrounding the maturation of his game, Mobley likes to keep it about the squad as a whole. His sole goal, like everybody else, is to help the Cavs succeed at the highest level.
&ldquo;I think our whole team is trying to win. I feel like we didn&rsquo;t go to our full capacity last year and I feel like we&rsquo;ve got a lot to prove this year,&rdquo; Mobley said.
&ldquo;The Play-In experience was great, it was like a playoff game. I feel like that experience definitely opened all of our eyes to what we want to accomplish and what we want to get to. I feel like this year we&rsquo;re going to be even hungrier.&rdquo;
(Note: This article mistakenly originally stated that Mobley gained 25 pounds; that is incorrect. The 240-pounder is his older brother, Isaiah.)

Spencer Davies highlights the hype surrounding Evan Mobley in Year 2 through the words of his Cavs teammates.

Cavaliers forecast a giant leap from more vocal, muscular Evan Mobley

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes Penny Hardaway as a dual threat and how he stood out from other point guards.

Blazing the Trail: Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway, the floor giant

In the NBA, getting ahead of the trend when it comes to teams on the rise is a tricky process. However, sometimes it&rsquo;s easy to spot the obvious candidates who have oodles of potential for a massive jump. Recently, we&rsquo;ve seen teams like the Phoenix Suns go from perennial lottery team to instant Finals gratification. The Memphis Grizzlies are another strong example where a talented nucleus formed together, ultimately leading to an expedited rebuild process.
Here at Basketball News, I will unveil a few teams leading into the season who stand out from the rest. First is the upstart New Orleans Pelicans, who appear finally ready to break through the glass ceiling as a legitimate threat in the Western Conference.
When the Pelicans pushed the Suns in the first round of the postseason, it certainly opened a lot of eyes, myself included, for what could be coming down the Bayou. All of this occurred without their most important piece to the puzzle: Zion Williamson. With Williamson now expected to be fully healthy at the start of next season, New Orleans&rsquo; rotation doesn&rsquo;t have many holes on paper.
Starting Lineup: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
Second Unit: Jose Alvarado, Dyson Daniels, Trey Murphy III, Larry Nance Jr., Jaxson Hayes
The ideal blend of win-now veterans and enticing youth weave together for head coach Willie Green, who helped steer the ship when it mattered most in New Orleans&rsquo; improbable run to the playoffs without their young superstar. Now, in his second season at the helm, Green and the Pelicans top the list for organizations ready to truly ascend forward.
One of the biggest pivot points for the Pelicans was their acquisition of McCollum, who looks at ease running the show offensively. Playing more as a combo guard compared to exclusively off-ball in Portland, McCollum thrived. He amassed a career-high 24.3 points and 5.8 assists per game. In 386 regular season minutes, the two-man lineup of McCollum and Ingram averaged a blistering 116.9 points per 100 possessions. Not only should that number take potentially another step forward in 2022-23, but Williamson's presence can also make this entire roster better overnight.
Before Williamson&rsquo;s offseason foot surgery caused a season-long setback &mdash; one that Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin said would originally have him back soon after the 82-game schedule began &mdash; the former Duke Blue Devil was beginning to truly dominate as an offensive engine.
Williamson acted as Pelicans&rsquo; lead playmaker bringing the ball up the court, running sets for himself and others under former head coach Stan Van Gundy while also being a one-man wrecking crew, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest.
There have been no indications that Williamson&rsquo;s foot remains an issue in New Orleans, so throwing him back into the mix alongside McCollum and Ingram will certainly become a scary sight for opposing teams. Allowing McCollum to fall into the third option for the Pelicans&rsquo; new-look attack should greatly benefit all parties.
Speaking of Ingram &mdash;remember how he seized the moment during his first postseason appearance, almost willing the No. 8 seed Pelicans over Phoenix? Before falling in six games, Ingram put the Association on notice for what should be the next step of his own blossoming career. The lanky wing averaged 27.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists on an impressive 58.2% True Shooting percentage.
We&rsquo;ve already witnessed Ingram&rsquo;s first All-Star berth, but could a potential Pelicans&rsquo; rise finally lead to some All-NBA consideration? Honestly, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a shock once April 2023 rolls around.
The three-headed monster of Williamson, Ingram and McCollum speaks for why New Orleans qualifies as a top candidate for a serious leap forward. The ancillary pieces on this roster fit smoothly into the mix as well.
Herb Jones quickly turned into one of the NBA&rsquo;s most versatile defenders as a rookie. Jose Alvarado, an undrafted rookie, also showcased a never-say-die attitude that quickly won him valuable rotation minutes, which should only increase during his second go-around.
Trey Murphy III is another intriguing long-term piece for New Orleans, because wings who can shoot from distance at an above-average clip are among the most coveted archetypes in the modern NBA. Murphy recently dove into his growth last season <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/trey-murphy-iii-wants-to-announce-presence-new-orleans-pelicans-zion-williamson-brandon-ingram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with our own Ethan Fuller</a> and laid out what should be another important developmental year in 2022-23.
The over/under win total projection in Las Vegas for the Pelicans sits at 44.5, which feels like an easy wager to lay. Williamson&rsquo;s health will obviously be a huge question looming for New Orleans now and in the future, but last season showed this team is on the cusp even without their most important piece. Ingram is a bonafide All-Star-caliber player who will only continue to grow entering (incredibly) his age-25 season. McCollum continues the next phase of his career in arguably his best spot yet, deferring to the young stars and finding his spots at the most efficient parts of the floor.
And how could we not talk about the plethora of assets the Pelicans sit on following the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades? Ingram is a centerpiece to their vision from the Lakers, but they remain in an advantageous position whenever the next disgruntled superstar wants out.
All of the following picks from Los Angeles and Milwaukee are still heading their way, which still provides ample ammunition for the next few years: 2023 first-round swap rights (via Lakers), 2024 unprotected first-round pick with defer rights to 2025 (via Lakers), 2024 swap rights (via Bucks), 2025 unprotected first-round pick (via Bucks), 2026 swap rights (via Bucks), 2027 unprotected first-round pick (via Bucks). Who wouldn&rsquo;t at least consider playing in New Orleans with this core, especially if Williamson bounces back into premier form?
Everything on the table right now in New Orleans is simmering like a tasty shrimp gumbo. Now, all that needs to happen is internal improvement and health cooperating along the way. Similarly to the Suns and Grizzlies from years prior, the Pelicans are an odds-on favorite to surprise everyone in just a few months.

Zion Williamson's return should add a serious boost to a Pelicans team that turned heads last season.

With a deep roster, the New Orleans Pelicans can surprise everyone

The 2001-02 NBA season was Michael Jordan&rsquo;s first with the Washington Wizards, a time when he decided to unretire and return to the league for the second time in his career.
Some would have you believe that MJ&rsquo;s Wizard years &ldquo;diminished his legacy," while others feel that he was still the best shooting guard in the league. Wherever he actually stood, Jordan was clearly still exceptional given his age, production and general persistence.
In that '01-02 campaign, there were plenty glimmers of &ldquo;old&rdquo; Jordan &mdash; as well as old Jordan, who turned 39 that February &mdash; but were they enough to make him a Most Valuable Player candidate at one point? It was at least discussed.
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Around this time 20 years ago, Jordan had just returned from a chronic knee injury that had <a href="http://www.espn.com/nba/news/2002/0225/1340423.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly been bothering him throughout the season</a>. He even came off the bench upon being reinserted to the lineup for the final seven games of the season, and he scored more than 14 points just one time. But before missing 12 games of action between Feb. 27 and March 18, Jordan&rsquo;s comeback season had been a successful one.
When Jordan went down, <a href="http://www.shrpsports.com/nba/stand.php?link=Y&amp;season=2002&amp;divcnf=div&amp;month=Feb&amp;date=23">the Wizards were 27-27 and in the playoff chase</a>, tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference with Allen Iverson&rsquo;s Philadelphia 76ers and Baron Davis&rsquo; Charlotte Hornets. Washington was also just three games behind Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker and the Boston Celtics, who were sitting in fourth. Jordan had been averaging 24.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game on 41.9% shooting from the field and 78.8% from the free-throw line at the time of his injury, which forced an extended absence.&nbsp;
(Just days before the setback, the Wizards were 27-23 and fifth in the East, and that was about three months following a 2-9 start to the season).
There's at least one notable story regarding Jordan&rsquo;s MVP candidacy that you can still find on the internet. Here's an excerpt of an article <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/13/sports/pro-basketball-inside-the-nba-jordan-lifts-wizards-and-his-mvp-bid.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">written by Mike Wise in the New York Times</a> on Jan. 13, 2002, for example.
<blockquote>
Who else besides Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett has been more important to his team? O'Neal and Chris Webber have been injured, and neither Tracy McGrady nor Vince Carter has elevated his team to the top of the Eastern Conference. Allen Iverson, the reigning MVP, is muddling through a disappointing season in Philadelphia.
</blockquote>
By that point in the season, the Wizards were 18-16 and on track to not just make the playoffs, but also match the 19-win mark that the team recorded the previous season that same week. (That's how D.C. ended up with 2001 No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown).
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Just two weeks earlier, Jordan dropped 51 points against the Hornets and 45 points (plus 10 rebounds and 7 assists) against the first-place (and soon-to-be East champion) New Jersey Nets in consecutive blowout victories. Those were his two highest-scoring totals of the season &mdash; though he did have back-to-back 40-point games in late January in wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns.
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More importantly, that two-game, 96-point outburst against the Hornets and Nets stemmed from an uncharacteristic 6-point effort against the Indiana Pacers just days earlier. It's a time that our own Etan Thomas, then a rookie teammate of MJ's on the Wizards, specifically recalls.
&ldquo;I remember the media was ripping him to shreds,&rdquo; Thomas said. &ldquo;After that, they were like, 'He&rsquo;s too old, he shouldn&rsquo;t have come back, he&rsquo;s tarnishing his legacy,' yadda, yadda, yadda. So I remember going into the locker room, and he was sitting in this chair reading the papers. I remember seeing him rockin&rsquo; and, like, humming and biting his lip, and he was like, 'Uh huh.' So I guess he was just reading it over and over again. He was very intense.&rdquo;
On the 51-point eruption in particular, Thomas highlighted: &ldquo;In that game, it was like magic. It was electrifying, like every move, and he was on fire!&rdquo;
In Wise's aforementioned story, then-Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning had his own <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/13/sports/pro-basketball-inside-the-nba-jordan-lifts-wizards-and-his-mvp-bid.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thoughts on Jordan's aging process</a>.
<blockquote>
"Every player reaches a point in their career where their game starts to decline. Some earlier than others. Look at Michael. He's 38. He's not averaging 30-something points a game like he used to. He's in the low 20's now. Is he still effective? Yeah, he's very effective. Is he the old Michael? Hell no. Far from it, even with those 50-point games now and then.
"I played against the old Michael. I've seen him at that level. But he's made the adjustment. He's learned to cope with his body playing at a certain level and not expecting to play at the old level. He's raised his game in other areas."
</blockquote>
Thomas, though, explains that people didn&rsquo;t realize the severity of Jordan's ongoing ailments. Beyond nearing 40 years old, MJ was simply overcoming more than the public knew.
&ldquo;This is the part that people don&rsquo;t understand: how injured he was. I saw it firsthand,&rdquo; Thomas said. &ldquo;Somehow it leaked that he was getting his knee drained, and I was sitting there like, &lsquo;I see him do that every other day!&rsquo; Literally, his knee would swell up like the Elephant Man! I was sitting in the training room getting some treatment or whatever, and he was on the table next to me. I saw it! They came in, and they pulled out this needle and drained his knee. They drained it and this black-tar goo stuff came out and he was in excruciating pain and it looked terrible!
&ldquo;I asked him, &lsquo;Why are you even doing this?&rsquo; He didn&rsquo;t need to prove anything to anybody. And when I said it, the whole training room got quiet, and he just looked at me and kinda shook his head. He didn&rsquo;t give me an answer, he just kinda shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. He was really in pain, he just didn&rsquo;t tell nobody.&rdquo;
In the NYT piece, Sacramento Kings general manager Geoff Petrie &mdash; who won NBA Executive of the Year in both 1999 and 2001 &mdash; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/13/sports/pro-basketball-inside-the-nba-jordan-lifts-wizards-and-his-mvp-bid.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said Jordan had a shot at MVP</a>, albeit a fringe one, saying he&rsquo;d vote for Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal and Kobe Bryant instead, who then had the Lakers at 26-8.
<blockquote>
"I'd say Shaq and Kobe, who are almost indistinguishable because both are so good. Then [Jason] Kidd, [Tim] Duncan and maybe [Kevin] Garnett. But if the Wizards keep going the way they are, Michael would have to have a shot.
"There is another reservoir of talent there with [Jordan]. He's so driven. I was reading something Grant Hill said recently, about the fact that it's so easy to get caught up in Jordan's athleticism. The level of athleticism has dropped, but the skill level is so high."
</blockquote>
Thomas adds that, while Jordan was nearing 40, you&rsquo;d still often get those glimpses of his true game in practices &mdash; and his competitiveness on a daily basis.&nbsp;
&ldquo;You saw the flashes of him being MJ MJ,&rdquo; Thomas assured. &ldquo;But his game was different, so now, it wasn&rsquo;t that explosive game that you&rsquo;re seeing on all the highlights with him coming down dunking on everybody. He started working the mid-range. And I saw him torch people with that mid-range. We had that little drop play to 'em &mdash; kinda semi-triangle &mdash; but he would work off the elbow and he would just be torching cats with it. So his game changed.
&ldquo;I was there seeing all of that. I was like, 'Man, he&rsquo;s still MJ!' It was just different. It wasn&rsquo;t like, 'Oh, come down the lane and dunk on everybody,' it was just killing everybody with the mid-range. It was like he had everybody on a string! He was making these moves and they could not stop him! They kept going for all of the fakes! And these were all top defenders!&rdquo;
Jordan subsequently finished 13th in MVP voting with 16 voter points. His finished with averages of 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 41.6% shooting from the field and 79.0% on free throws. He led the team in points, assists and steals per game through 60 appearances.
The Wizards finished the season 37-45, but they were 7-15 in the games that MJ missed.
Tim Duncan <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2002.html">wound up winning the MVP that year in a close race over Jason Kidd</a>. Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal, Tracy McGrady, and Kobe Bryant rounded out the top five.
But when healthy, Jordan was far better than people would have you believe that season.
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Bryan Fonseca revisits Michael Jordan's comeback season with the Wizards, with insight from MJ's former teammate Etan Thomas.

Did you know Michael Jordan was an MVP candidate with the Wizards?

Lakers star Anthony Davis plans to return Friday vs. the Pelicans, barring a setback, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Davis has been sidelined since Feb. 14 due to a mid-foot sprain.
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Lakers star Anthony Davis plans to return Friday vs. the Pelicans, barring setback, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>. Davis has been sidelined since Feb. 14 due to mid-foot sprain. Big Lakers-Pelicans game with Play-In ramifications.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1509608005527998488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Anthony Davis plans to return to play for the Lakers tomorrow in a pivotal matchup against his former team.

Shams: Anthony Davis slated to return tomorrow vs. New Orleans

Luka Doncic scored 34 points in a triple-double and the Dallas Mavericks routed the Lakers 128-110 on Tuesday night with Los Angeles missing LeBron James because of an ankle issue while anticipating the return of long-injured Anthony Davis.
James and Davis didn't play after being listed as doubtful, which was actually an upgrade for Davis. The eight-time All-Star hasn't played since Feb. 16 because of a right mid-foot sprain. His first full practice since the injury was Monday in Dallas.
The question is when the superstars return. The Lakers (31-44) are tied with San Antonio for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference with seven games remaining for both teams. Coach Frank Vogel was non-committal before the game.
Los Angeles finishes a three-game road trip in Utah on Thursday before returning home Friday to complete a back-to-back against New Orleans. The Pelicans are ninth in the West, a game ahead of the Lakers and Spurs.
&ldquo;With those guys out, we&rsquo;re at a talent deficit, so the focus and execution has to make up for it,&rdquo; Vogel said. &ldquo;This is just the latest dose of adversity that this year&rsquo;s team has faced. When you lose &rsquo;Bron, OK, you have to adjust yet again throughout a season of setbacks.&rdquo;
Malik Monk scored 28 points and Russell Westbrook had 25 for the Lakers, who dropped their third straight for their fifth losing streak at least that long in the past two months as part of a steady slide away from .500 for the 2020 champs.
Doncic had 25 points in the first half as Dallas scored a season-high 82 for a 26-point lead. He finished with 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
The 23-year-old star secured his first triple-double in almost two months and 10th of the season with an <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1508973213480497153?s=20&amp;t=1oiVTgbr4YMZ7HtyrqQYJg">offensive rebound for a layup</a> that gave him 32 points and put Dallas up 101-65 with 6:58 left in the third quarter. Doncic sat the fourth.
Maxi Kleber capped an 11-0 run in the final 84 seconds of the first quarter with a coast-to-coast layup just before the buzzer. Dallas shot 64% for a 43-25 lead.
One of the few times LA tried to defend the 3-pointer, Spencer Dinwiddie was fouled on a 3 that put Dallas up 63-33 in the second quarter. He missed the free throw. Dallas was 11 of 19 from 3 after Dinwiddie's make and finished with a season-high 20 in 46 attempts.
&ldquo;We respect who they are,&rdquo; Dallas coach Jason Kidd. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re dangerous. (Monk) played well. Russ played well. We took care of business from the start. I think those guys set the tone. Three great quarters of basketball.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Lakers: The other meeting in Dallas this season was one of the 21 games James and Davis have played together. The Lakers won it 107-104 in overtime on Austin Reaves' 3 with a second remaining on Dec. 15. Reaves missed all four of his attempts from deep in his return and scored three points. ... Stanley Johnson matched his season high with 16 points.
Mavericks: G Brandon Knight signed his second 10-day contract of the season under the COVID-19 allowances after G Trey Burke joined G Sterling Brown in the health and safety protocols. ... Reggie Bullock scored 17 points and was 5 of 8 from 3, putting him at 12 of 19 over two games after going 1 of 12 in the previous two.
DALLAS IN THE WEST
The Mavericks (47-29) moved within a game of Stephen Curry and Golden State for the third seed in the West. Dallas owns the tiebreaker.
The victory also assured the Mavericks of staying at least a game ahead of Utah for No. 4, the final spot with home-court advantage in the first round. The Jazz will have that tiebreaker if they maintain their Northwest Division lead over Denver.
HOWARD BENCHED
Dwight Howard didn't play again for the Lakers after coming out five minutes into the game. &ldquo;We got down 25 points very early in the game so I was looking for somebody else to get something done,&rdquo; Vogel said.
UP NEXT
Lakers: LA can sweep the season series against Utah for the second time in three seasons after going the previous 34 years without doing it.
Mavericks: The second night of the final back-to-back of the regular season is Wednesday in Cleveland. It opens the last road trip (four games) as Dallas completes a stretch of 15 of 23 games away from home,

Luka Doncic scored 34 points in a triple-double and the Mavericks routed the Lakers 128-110 on Tuesday night.

Mavs rout Lakers 128-110 with LeBron sitting, AD near return

The NBA playoffs are fast approaching and as the season winds down, there are a total of 21 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots across the two conferences.
Every game matters.
Injuries have had a major impact on this season. In the Western Conference, a number of potential playoff teams are missing key pieces, including the Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry and James Wiseman), Denver Nuggets (Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.), Los Angeles Clippers (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George), Memphis Grizzlies (Ja Morant), Los Angeles Lakers (Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans (Zion Williamson) and Portland Trail Blazers (Damian Lillard).
There are fewer injured stars in the Eastern Conference, but Jarrett Allen (CLE), Ben Simmons (BKN), Lonzo Ball (CHI), Gordon Hayward (CHA) and Colin Sexton (CLE) are currently sidelined.
Between now and the start of the playoffs on April 12, some important players are expected to return to their respective teams, which could alter the NBA landscape in a major way.
<h2>WESTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
DENVER NUGGETS
On March 15, the Nuggets assigned Jamal Murray to their G-League affiliate (the Grand Rapids Gold) to get some additional work at practice. This sent waves through social media, as fans anticipated Murray's long-awaited return to the Nuggets' lineup. However, just a few days later, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said that Murray is "not close" to suiting up.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Denver Nuggets HC Michael Malone says Jamal Murray is "not close" to rejoining the lineup, per <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonWind</a> <a href="https://t.co/7leLWbJe5W">pic.twitter.com/7leLWbJe5W</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1505676501303320576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It seems unlikely that Murray will be able to play during the regular season, but perhaps he'll be able to return at some point during the postseason.
Michael Porter Jr. is also on the mend, but the reports about his availability have been all over the place. There were rumblings that his rehab didn't go great and that he was further away than Murray. Then, there was a rumor that he's <a href="https://theathletic.com/3198516/2022/03/21/nuggets-hopeful-jamal-murray-and-michael-porter-jr-could-be-back-by-playoffs-but-no-immediate-return-on-the-horizon/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">due back very soon</a>.

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A little over a week ago, Malone was asked about the possibility of Murray and Porter returning, and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/malone-michael-porter-jr-and-jamal-murrays-wont-be-back-soon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, "There is no immediate return on the horizon for either one of those players."
Denver is currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, trying to stave off the Minnesota Timberwolves and avoid the Play-In Tournament.&nbsp;
Nikola Jokic has played at an MVP level (again) and the absence of these two stars has allowed for Bones Hyland to emerge as a legitimate rotation player as a rookie. Adding even one of these two players back into the fold would make the Nuggets a significantly more threatening first-round opponent for the Grizzlies, Warriors or Mavericks.&nbsp;
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NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Since the acquisition of CJ McCollum on February 8, the New Orleans Pelicans rank No. 10 in offensive rating and No. 6 in net rating. While the Pelicans won't be getting All-Star power forward Zion Williamson back at any point this season, they did just have another impact player return to their lineup.
Larry Nance Jr. was acquired as part of the McCollum trade and he made his Pelicans debut a few days ago. The 29-year-old is a seamless fit on the offensive end and he'll give New Orleans some defensive versatility.
Even though we all wanted to see how this team would look with a healthy Zion, they have a solid core with McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones, Devonte' Graham, Nance and Co. &mdash; making them a scary opponent in the Play-In Tournament.

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New Orleans likely won't catch the Clippers for the eighth seed, but they could steal homecourt advantage in the 9-10 game against the Lakers, as they are currently a half game behind L.A.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
With LeBron James on roster, there always seems to be this lingering feeling that the Lakers will catch their stride and figure this thing out. But without Anthony Davis, it seems unlikely that Los Angeles will be able to escape the Play-In Tournament.
There has been no official word on a potential return date for Davis, but the Lakers would need him available if they hope to play beyond April 12.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Anthony Davis continues to do on-court shooting, per Frank Vogel, and is progressing each day: &ldquo;Anthony has had a good week &hellip; He&rsquo;s had a productive week.&rdquo;
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1504943043669106699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The presence of Davis would inject a tiny sliver of hope that he and James could will this team to victory and into a revenge series against the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Stephen Curry is expected to be out until mid-April at the earliest, which is a huge blow to the Warriors. Fortunately, Curry has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/warriors-curry-expects-to-return-by-start-of-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he should be back in time for the first game of the playoffs.
The team has reintroduced Klay Thompson back into the fold, and Draymond Green is back in the lineup too. While Golden State's star-studded trio has only played three games together this season, at least the Warriors should have all three vets together for the postseason (barring any setbacks or new injuries).
Unfortunately, Golden State won't be at full strength, as James Wiseman was recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/warriors-james-wiseman-ruled-out-for-remainder-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled out</a> for the remainder of this season. The sophomore is still recovering from a torn meniscus that he suffered last April. Wiseman's size and versatility would have helped the Warriors, especially when facing the likes of Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Golden State has been struggling without Curry, dropping four of their last five games (including surprising losses to the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks). Golden State surrendered the No. 2 seed to the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Warriors could slip to fourth in the Western Conference, leading to a potential second-round matchup against Phoenix (instead of Memphis or Utah).&nbsp;
Still, assuming the Warriors have their Big Three, they will be dangerous in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Recently, Clippers head coach Ty Lue was asked about Kawhi Leonard and Paul George potentially returning prior to the playoffs, and he didn't shoot down the possibility.
"If guys are able to [return], they are gonna do it," Lue said. "But the most important part is making the sure the players are taken care of and making sure they're ready to go and fully healthy."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ty Lue says he&rsquo;ll keep the door open on Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and/or Norman Powell returning if it&rsquo;s less than a week until the playoffs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clippers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clippers</a> <a href="https://t.co/iebGp2sRcp">pic.twitter.com/iebGp2sRcp</a>
&mdash; Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1505958728125739011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Leonard has been sidelined since last postseason, and Clippers fans have been holding out hope for a late-season comeback. ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Leonard may be able to return if the Clippers make it out of the Play-In Tournament.
George has been sidelined due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and there is no timetable for his return. Recently, he has <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> made progress and been cleared for 4-on-4 and shooting drills, so a return still seems possible.&nbsp;
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<h2>EASTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
CHICAGO BULLS
The Bulls skyrocketed to the top of the East standings early in the season thanks to a supernova DeMar DeRozan and stellar defense. Two key cogs of that defense were Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, who have played just 35 and 36 games, respectively. Chicago also played most of the season without forward Patrick Williams, who's another important rotation player.&nbsp;
The absence of those two elite perimeter defenders caused the Bulls to slip to the East's five seed, and they are just one game ahead of the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors.&nbsp;
Caruso returned on March 12 and Williams returned on March 21. But if Ball is able to return to the starting lineup, that could significantly affect the outcome of a series against the Celtics or 76ers.
However, here's the bad news:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lonzo Ball will stop running on his knee for the next 10 days, per Billy Donovan. They&rsquo;ve been trying to ramp him up but he hasn&rsquo;t responded well
&mdash; Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamalCollier/status/1506033717608865798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ball may not be needed for Chicago to avoid the Play-In Tournament, but his return is crucial in order for the Bulls to make a deep run in the playoffs.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Colin Sexton is not coming back this season. In fact, it's possible that he has played his final game as a Cavalier since he's set to become a restricted free agent.
However, one of the main reason that the Cavaliers have exceeded expectations this season is the play of Jarrett Allen. Ricky Rubio was also a key cog in the Cleveland machine, but his injury back in December led to the acquisition of Rajon Rondo... who is also currently out with an ankle injury.&nbsp;
Allen's presence defensively next to Evan Mobley is crucial to the success of the Cavs. Cleveland's opponents take the ninth-most shots at the rim in the league, but they shoot the worst percentage. Their perimeter defense funnels opponents to the rim because of the three 7-footers they have on the floor.&nbsp;
For Cleveland to pull off a first-round upset, Allen must be present and continuing his career-year.&nbsp;
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Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game and oftentimes play a major factor in the postseason. This year is proving to be no different, as the field seems wide open due to injuries and the players who are returning could have a major impact on who is eventually crowned champion.
BROOKLYN NETS
After arriving in Brooklyn, Ben Simmons began ramping up his conditioning and preparing to make his season debut, but then his back started giving him trouble. Initially, it was being described as back soreness, but he was recently diagnosed with a herniated disc and he needed an epidural for the pain.
Nets head coach Steve Nash has said that surgery isn't currently being considered. Simmons is working with a physical therapist and trying to get healthy enough to make his Nets debut. Nash told reporters that he's "fully expecting" Simmons to play at some point this season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33520712/brooklyn-nets-hold-hope-ben-simmons-return-couple-regular-season-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Brooklyn hopes to have Simmons for a "couple" regular-season games so that he can start shaking off the rust and getting acclimated prior to the postseason.
Whenever he returns, the Defensive-Player-of-the-Year runner-up will provide a huge boost for the Nets. Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals with the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Several NBA playoff teams are hoping to get back key contributors in time for the postseason. Justin Lewis examines these situations.

Examining 11 impact players whose return could alter NBA playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers just can&rsquo;t get it together, and now they&rsquo;re nearly out of time.
From Anthony Davis&rsquo; injuries and Russell Westbrook&rsquo;s subpar play to LeBron James&rsquo; inability to carry them all, practically nothing has gone well this season for the franchise that momentously assembled a veteran-laden roster last fall to chase another ring.
After their <a href="https://apnews.com/article/toronto-raptors-los-angeles-lakers-san-antonio-spurs-nba-sports-73766ac5ecd0997e813d14de5e07d1d5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">117-110 loss to the Spurs</a> on Monday night, the Lakers are 28-36 and in ninth place in the Western Conference, just three games out of 11th. A group expected to contend for a title is much closer to missing the 10-team playoffs.
They haven't given up hope in Hollywood: James and coach Frank Vogel both insist there's still time for Davis to get healthy, for Westbrook to find his game and for the Lakers' supporting cast to recapture its collective prime.
&ldquo;We still have games to play,&rdquo; James said last week after the Lakers blew a late lead <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-lakers-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-carmelo-anthony-38b427c106ab4e560f0428a18ca6c84b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and lost to Dallas</a> at home. &ldquo;Until you stomp me out, cut my head off, bury me 12 feet under, then I got a chance. So that&rsquo;s my confidence.&rdquo;
But every dispiriting loss and injury setback underscores the likelihood that the Lakers&rsquo; dreams of an 18th title are profoundly unrealistic. A roster with four members of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team has gone 7-17 since Jan. 7.
Nobody knows exactly where to assign the blame for this m&eacute;lange of mediocrity &mdash; not even the Lakers' front office, which hasn't yet scapegoated Vogel for the struggles by firing him.
But past Lakers greats are embarrassed by the current state of the franchise with glory days worthy of an HBO series. &ldquo;Winning Time," the dramatization of LA's vibrant championship teams of the 1980s, began airing last weekend.
James Worthy, a star on those Showtime Lakers, recently referred to the current team as &ldquo;the walking dead&rdquo; on its own television network. Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal castigated the Lakers last week for their lack of visible passion during another defeat &mdash; and boasted he wouldn't have accepted the current situation.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m losing to the Clippers, somebody is getting beat up that night in the locker room,&rdquo; Shaq said.
The past two games encapsulate the frustration and inconsistency that have defined LA's season. James carried the Lakers to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-los-angeles-lakers-nba-sports-los-angeles-9107a169a0fdc322b9fd0e6482d2929d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a 124-116 victory over powerhouse Golden State</a> last Saturday with a massive 56-point performance, tied for the third-biggest in his 19-year NBA career &mdash; but then he sat out the loss at 12th-place San Antonio with knee soreness.
The Lakers lost to the Spurs without their two most important players on the court, and they did it on the two-month anniversary of the last time they won consecutive games.
&ldquo;I feel like every time we get some momentum, something happens,&rdquo; Westbrook said, shaking his head. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been like that. When we play a good game, something always happens (shortly afterward). But that&rsquo;s just how it&rsquo;s been for us. We&rsquo;ve got to keep plugging away, keep finding ways to pick each other up, because some of that stuff is out of our hands, and health is the most important thing for all of us.&rdquo;
Westbrook is correct: Of all the Lakers&rsquo; risky personnel decisions over the past 16 months, relying on Davis to stay healthy has been the biggest bust.
The star forward&rsquo;s gangly body and awkward movement have never allowed him to be durable, but Davis has been sidelined by several woes for much of the past two seasons, undercutting everything the Lakers want to do.
After missing half of the Lakers' 2020-21 regular season with injuries and then getting hurt again in the playoffs, Davis missed 17 more games this season with a sprained knee. He went out yet again before the All-Star break with a sprained foot, and there's a chance he won't return at all this season.
While Davis has missed 27 of the Lakers' 64 games, James has also been less reliable than usual, missing 18 games. They appeared in only 27 games together last season, and they've played just 20 games alongside Westbrook this year &mdash; only five since Dec. 17.
The Lakers have used 32 starting lineups already, both because of their stars' injuries and their unimpressive supporting cast. They're currently starting Austin Reaves, an undrafted rookie who wasn't expected to play much at all.
&ldquo;It changes a lot of things when you've got some of your main guys out," said Westbrook, whose first year with his hometown team has been largely a nightmare. "We've got to stick to it, and hopefully guys can step up and make that change.&rdquo;
The 2017 NBA MVP is shooting poorly and struggling to fit alongside James. Westbrook's 18.1 points per game are his fewest since 2009-10, as are his 15.9 shots per game, but that attempt to play team ball isn't translating into wins.
Just as Pau Gasol was the target of Lakers fans' frustration during their most recent season with this level of unrealized expectations in 2013, Westbrook is the prime scapegoat at their downtown arena. He has even stopped bringing his family to home games because of the booing and profanity directed at him.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just super unfortunate, and it&rsquo;s super upsetting to me,&rdquo; Westbrook said. &ldquo;The shaming of my name, the shaming of my character, the shaming of who I am as a person is, to me, not warranted. I haven&rsquo;t done anything to anybody. I haven&rsquo;t hurt anyone. I haven&rsquo;t done anything but play basketball in a way they may not like.&rdquo;
The only thing that suggests the Lakers still might make something of this miserable season is the name at the top of the roster. Although he'll apparently have to manage his knee soreness down the stretch, the 37-year-old James has missed the playoffs just once since 2005, and he's still near the peak of his formidable talents when healthy.
&ldquo;Even though they&rsquo;ve struggled, they&rsquo;ll be able to figure it out," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;I have no doubt about that. I&rsquo;ve seen Bron in tough situations before. I&rsquo;ve always seen him come out on top.
"I know a lot of people count the Lakers out, but they&rsquo;re still a good team,&rdquo; Lue added. &ldquo;Guys have been in and out all year, and it&rsquo;s tough. But when they get to the playoffs or the play-in game or whatever, I guarantee that (No. 1 seed) won't want to see them. They're not out of it.&rdquo;

The Lakers just can’t get it together, and now they’re nearly out of time.

Lakers stumbling through season of high expectations

If you haven&rsquo;t heard by now, you will soon: the Cleveland Cavaliers are coming for you.
Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the wine-and-golders have gone from lovable underdogs to unforgiving bullies. Through 30 games, over one-third of the way into the 2021-22 campaign, the Cavs boast an 18-12 record &mdash; probably the most misleading in the NBA, an absolute undersell &mdash; with one of the top average margins of victory in the league.
Using cliches and &ldquo;broken-record coach speak&rdquo; as J.B. Bickerstaff lightheartedly says before answering our repetitive comments of praise, you can&rsquo;t single out anyone as the sole reason for such a dramatic turnaround. Everyone has collectively bought in &mdash; from the returning players who &ldquo;took a lot of ass whoopings&rdquo; to the new ones who came in looking to advance a process.
Pun definitely intended, these Cavs will let you know, and fast. Jumping out to double-digit leads quickly. Punching you square in the mouth to close first halves. Putting you on the wrong end of the highlight reel. Not only do they feel like they belong, they expect to win.&nbsp;
No matter who they&rsquo;re up against. No matter who&rsquo;s on the floor for them. No matter the situation.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s giving us confidence just knowing we can beat some of the best teams in this league. I think we&rsquo;re one of &lsquo;em, to be honest with you,&rdquo; Darius Garland said after a win over the Chicago Bulls last week. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to bring that confidence, bring that intensity every game. Just stay with it, just keep being us. Bring the scrap every night, listen to the coaching staff and keep playing Cavaliers basketball.&rdquo;
There were times in the past few years when Cleveland looked like it began to put things together... in stretches. But an injury here, a setback there, an interruption, a roster change &mdash; it never sustained. At this point, we&rsquo;ve gotten a two-month sample size of this version of the team. It fights with the same vigor, the same self-belief and the same grit on a nightly basis.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about those guys in the locker room,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;From day one &mdash; go back to September, they showed up the day after Labor Day &mdash; they were in the gym and working, and were committed to one another. And then their personalities, they genuinely all get along, they genuinely all like each other. They fight for each other. They support each other.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I go home and I watch the games over, and I spend so much time just watching our bench. There&rsquo;s body after body after body that&rsquo;s up celebrating, cheering, [and] guys that don&rsquo;t even sit down during the game. That&rsquo;s what does it, and it&rsquo;s that chemistry the guys have formed. They love to compete. These games, even games we&rsquo;ve lost, they&rsquo;ve laid it out there. We&rsquo;ve had leads versus really good teams because of the spirit that those guys have played with... Guys being committed to what you're trying to do, and committed to one another is the most important thing that you can have. And I think that's where we've seen the biggest leap.&rdquo;
Combine that consistent effort with otherworldly versatility, skill and attitude, and you&rsquo;ve got the recipe for a unique, killer concoction.&nbsp;
As muttered recently on a radio hit in Cleveland, it&rsquo;s nearly impossible to cover everything top to bottom in regards to what&rsquo;s going right for this team. But we&rsquo;ll give it a try.
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Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley (and Lauri Markkanen)
Coming into the season, everybody wondered how the duo of Allen and Mobley would coexist on the floor. The thought of Markkanen sharing the floor with both never crossed anybody&rsquo;s mind. And yet, here we are, talking about Tall Ball as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-the-nba-length-matters-unedited" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the league's newest craze</a> that&rsquo;s thrown nearly every opponent for a loop.
Bickerstaff decided at the beginning of the season that he had to find a way to put his best players on the floor all at once, and for his team, that was through size and skill. We&rsquo;re seeing Cleveland reap the benefits of that on a nightly basis. It all starts on the defensive end.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;re seeing Allen and Mobley deny those bold enough to enter their territory. Allen is the anchor in the middle, timing his head-on challenges to near perfection, while Mobley is the weak-side insurance policy waiting to reject all comers who&rsquo;d initially believed there was a path to an easy bucket. The rookie covers some insane ground, by the way, with his long strides allowing for quick recovery if he ever overcommits or has to be the last line of defense at a certain spot. He&rsquo;s also insanely intelligent, keeping the ball in play whenever he blocks shots (or just blatantly ripping it out of somebody&rsquo;s hands).
The funny part is that the teams strategizing to get Allen and Mobley on perimeter switches don&rsquo;t fully comprehend that those two are hoping for such a plan. They are not going to be left in the dust in space, and no matter which one is tasked with defending a quicker guard, the other will have his back down low. The rotations are just incredibly crisp. Of the duos in the NBA that have played at least 500 minutes, the Allen-Mobley pairing is allowing just 95.9 points per 100 possessions. That is the top Defensive Rating in the entire league, if you&rsquo;re keeping count.
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Also, their defensive prowess allows the Cavs&rsquo; perimeter defenders to put more pressure on the ball and gamble more due to the protection behind them. Which brings us to the third leg of the triumvirate&hellip;
Let&rsquo;s give credit to the unheralded contributions from Markkanen on this end of the floor too. Stride for stride, the Finnish 7-footer has been able to shuffle his feet laterally to contain his assignments rather successfully. He&rsquo;s not fouling, he&rsquo;s contesting the third-most shots on the team on average (8.3) and he&rsquo;s utilizing his length to make his man either give up the ball or force a shot attempt over a trio of towers. By no means is he the primary guy to highlight individually; however, considering past questions of how Markkanen would handle playing the 3 on the defensive side of the ball, the returns have been more than acceptable, particularly with how he&rsquo;s positioned himself. He&rsquo;s an integral part of this Cavs' frontcourt.
DG the PG
Where do you even start with Darius Garland?&nbsp;
Is it the way he picks his spots? How quickly he&rsquo;s processing his reads? His trickery with lobs? The fact that he's firing up shots without hesitation?
No matter which area of his game pops out to you, it&rsquo;s plain and obvious that Garland is making that all-too-familiar third-year jump from good to great. He&rsquo;s in complete control of the game with the ball in his hands, becoming the conductor of the (not-so) soothing Cavs symphony.&nbsp;
The 21-year-old is so agile and shifty that he has his defenders constantly asking for help, and what happens after that is up to him. He has shown a tendency to disguise the floater he used so often last year, which allows the aforementioned Allen and Mobley to capitalize with thunderous throwdowns. They are Garland&rsquo;s top two targets on the offensive end by and large, and Allen has a 62.8% field-goal percentage off those connections.
With his dribble penetration drawing more and more attention, opportunities are opening up for others. Garland puts a lot of heat on his pocket passes and quick shovel feeds, but his teammates are beginning to understand when and where to expect the ball, which has allowed for this Cleveland offense to thrive.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Asked Steph Curry about Darius Garland, and he gave his props to the third-year <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> guard: "He's taking another step in that right direction." <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/071djCaBWJ">pic.twitter.com/071djCaBWJ</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1461716450301947906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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He&rsquo;ll also get his own shot going when he sees an opportunity, and those attempts are coming at all three levels of the floor. Not many point guards around the league can match his production. According to Basketball-Reference, Garland&rsquo;s shooting percentages across the board are as follows: 63.2% from 0-to-3 feet, 46.3% from 3-to-10 feet, 49.2% from 10-to-16 feet, 52.6% from 16 feet to the three-point line and 38.9% from beyond the arc.
Garland has been able to play off the ball as well, with Ricky Rubio as a ball-handler. He&rsquo;s been able to catch the opposition sleeping on a number of cuts, and is making them pay as a catch-shooter on the outside to boot. He&rsquo;s got synergy with the bigs coming off dribble handoffs. It&rsquo;s just all clicking for him right now. (Spoiler Alert: Our own Nekias Duncan will have more on Garland in the future.)
Veterans Matter
Without Rubio, who knows if Garland reaches this level of success? The Spanish guard has been a mentor and a maestro in his own right for this young team. As adamantly stated by several Cavs, he is a starting point guard in the NBA, yet he is propelling a uniquely productive bench alongside Kevin Love.&nbsp;
Both are buying what Cleveland is selling, and have become a crucial part of not only the development of this inexperienced bunch, but also the contributions toward its winning ways. The inherent unselfishness has permeated throughout, which is allowing for the production we&rsquo;ve seen.
Rubio has been the Cavs&rsquo; iron man, having played all 30 games and making an impact in whatever way is working that night &mdash; turning the corner, shooting the basketball at a 34% perimeter clip, pushing the offense in transition. In addition to all of this, he recently surpassed the 5,000-assist mark, backing up the importance of moving the ball. It was the team's No. 1 goal coming into the campaign, and thanks to Rubio&rsquo;s IQ, there&rsquo;s been a domino effect.
Love has rediscovered the fun of &ldquo;the chase&rdquo; with Cleveland, and it&rsquo;s shown with his performances. As a super-sub this season playing a tad under 20 minutes per night, the former All-Star is averaging 12.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest, while nailing 41.2% of his triple tries. Albeit on a low amount of attempts, Love is leading the NBA at 96.4% from the free-throw line.
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"You don't get this often." No lip service when Kevin Love talks about *these* <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a>. He's saying this team has something "bigger than ourselves" and "truly celebrate each other." <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/MJIf43fdLW">pic.twitter.com/MJIf43fdLW</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1470597707341479941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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These two deserve a boatload of credit for the sacrifices they&rsquo;ve made knowing where they&rsquo;re at in their respective careers, and the fact that they&rsquo;ve embraced the roles fully demonstrates their professionalism.
Those are the vets who see consistent playing time. There&rsquo;s another who doesn&rsquo;t receive quite as much love because his impact is not as obvious, and that&rsquo;s Ed Davis. Bickerstaff went to bat for the seasoned big man to occupy Cleveland&rsquo;s final roster spot for locker-room and mentorship purposes, and thus far, it&rsquo;s been a home run. Davis knows why he&rsquo;s here, and he&rsquo;s more than willing to hold up his end of the bargain. And in cases where Allen and/or Mobley aren&rsquo;t available, he&rsquo;s able to slot in and do his job.&nbsp;
The &ldquo;others&rdquo; that really aren&rsquo;t the others
It&rsquo;s unfortunate that Isaac Okoro just got placed into the NBA&rsquo;s health-and-safety protocols, because he is the backbone of the Cavs&rsquo; perimeter defense. He&rsquo;s constantly taking on the opponents&rsquo; toughest offensive players, chasing guys all around the half-court to deny them the ball, defeating screens to stick on them when the ball is in their hands and forcing them into awkward positions.
Offensively, Okoro is beginning to find his footing from the corner. It&rsquo;s not just the three-point shot &mdash; where 61.6% of his perimeter tries have come from &mdash; it&rsquo;s the way he&rsquo;s making defenses pay when they close-out too hard. He&rsquo;s putting the ball on the floor, going into contact and, in some cases (as seen against Houston), bruising the rim. Okoro&rsquo;s got a hell of a layup package too, and in transition, he&rsquo;s a load to handle.
Cedi Osman&rsquo;s hot start to the season has tailed off a bit; however, with a defined role as a part of the second unit, you can see how relaxed he&rsquo;s playing. Defensively, he&rsquo;s been swiping away steal after steal, and in the open floor, he&rsquo;s been in attack mode. He&rsquo;s also hoisting threes on the move and standstill like we&rsquo;ve never witnessed before. There is no lack of confidence there.
Maybe the most underappreciated player the Cavs have is Dean Wade, who, whether in the starting lineup playing 30 minutes or with the reserves in garbage time, constantly brings the same effort on both ends no matter the circumstance. He&rsquo;s able to stretch the floor as a long-range sniper, and he is Bickerstaff&rsquo;s sneakiest contingency plan on the defensive end.&nbsp;
Speaking of which, Lamar Stevens is the man Cleveland goes to when it needs a shot in the arm. He&rsquo;s got a bulky frame and matches up well 1-through-4. There have been numerous occasions when the team has gone to him and found the energy it needed from only his presence on the floor. He won&rsquo;t take many shots, but he&rsquo;ll prevent quite a few.
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The core of what makes the Cavs such a dangerous team is their box-score balance. Every night, you&rsquo;ll see six or seven players in double figures, assist figures in the mid-to-high 20s and 30s and modest (or poor) opponent field-goal percentages.
In every sense of the word, Cleveland is playing team ball. The NBA challenged the organization with eight out of 11 on the road to begin the season &mdash; including a grueling West Coast trip &mdash; and the wine-and-gold passed that test with flying colors. (They&rsquo;re one of the best away teams in the league at 9-5.) Now, whenever the Cavs are playing a team that isn&rsquo;t a playoff contender, they&rsquo;re demoralizing them and steamrolling them. The tough love has paid off in a major way.
No, they&rsquo;re not a finished product. They're even missing their leading scorer from a season ago (here's to hoping for a speedy recovery for Collin Sexton). They&rsquo;re not close. There haven't been nearly enough 48-minute games, and the hunt for a &ldquo;signature win&rdquo; is still on.
With that said, the Cavs have consistently brought it every single night, and teams that haven&rsquo;t taken notice are in for a hard, painful lesson once that ball tips off.
The warning sign is right in front of them: Beware of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiC_7ut0-v0AhWHkIkEHe4rAFUQFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleveland.com%2Fcavs%2F2021%2F11%2Fcleveland-cavaliers-have-adopted-underdog-mentality-complete-with-new-barking-celebration.html&amp;usg=AOvVaw1bAEDy2vYzH4odGmLpFcU0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Junkyard Dogs</a>.

Spencer Davies breaks down the Cavaliers' unexpected start to the season and why they're having so much success.

From lovable underdog to unforgiving bully: How the Cavs got here

The 2021-22 NBA campaign has been a Battle Royale-esque affair through the first third of the season, with seemingly 90% of the league jostling for postseason positioning. The Cleveland Cavaliers have popped, Indiana is potentially hitting reset, Memphis has been on a tear without Ja Morant (7-1) and DeMar DeRozan is making off-ball rotations on defense. Very little has been certain or expected in an inspiring start to the year.
Every game I watch, I seem to simultaneously understand more, but know less. So much is changing and evolving each game on a macro- and micro-scale. While my opinions on franchises and players continuously blossom, one thought has constantly reverberated in my mind: Greatness is fleeting.
I&rsquo;ve mostly found myself contemplating this with each passing Los Angeles Lakers game I watch. Anthony Davis is having a good year and will undoubtedly be an All-Star barring health, and all I can think about is how he&rsquo;s not AD. He is in body and person, but not in essence. Those rotations at the rim, a half-step later. His feet on the perimeter, not quite as nimble. He seems tired and fatigued, and is just moving slower in general.
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Davis is having his lowest impact season defensively since his second year in the league, per Dunks and Threes&rsquo; EPM. It&rsquo;s worth noting, as well, that the surrounding talent in Los Angeles does him no favors, but that&rsquo;s only part of the equation.
Flashback to 2019-20 season, the Orlando Bubble and an NBA title for the Lakers. Davis was getting mentioned as potentially the best player in the world. He&rsquo;d hit his stride and then some offensively, and was rivaled only by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid as bigs with the highest level of two-way impact.
A slew of injuries and an onslaught of games over the past two years have seemingly taken a toll. At the expense of sounding pessimistic, it genuinely raises concerns about whether or not Davis will hit that level again, and that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s so wild to me. AD is still one of the very best players in the world, and all the basketball world can talk about is how he&rsquo;s underperforming. It&rsquo;s not necessarily unwarranted considering the standard he&rsquo;s built for himself in his play throughout his career. The starkness in change is just hard to cast aside. He hit that very pinnacle for a few brief months and there was an immediate, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s here!&rdquo; crowning (that was deserved), but was unable to maintain that mantle.
What makes the matter more disheartening is that it&rsquo;s nobody's fault, it just *is*. There&rsquo;s a defeating resonance in the notion that Davis may never reach those heights again as a player despite his best efforts.
Injuries and time are equally damning. I never reached remotely similar heights as an athlete, and dealing with recurring injuries and their fallout was the most trying time in my life. I don&rsquo;t intend to make a comparison, but applying my own experience to those on a grander scale is startling in looking at how these scenarios play out. It&rsquo;s one thing to have everything derailed before the train even departs on your career; it&rsquo;s another to be in the throes of your everyday life as a professional.
You go from spending all of your time focused on what&rsquo;s ahead and preparing for tomorrow, to hoping you will be able to do what was once status quo at the same level after six months of rehab. That everyday grind and repetition that built you and was your daily engine screeches to a halt because the transmission is busted.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;re not prepared for it, it just happens. When you finally do get back, you&rsquo;re not really back. You&rsquo;re scrambling to regain your condition, you&rsquo;re lagging in workouts. You might start working overtime to see if you can cut down recovery time. Maybe you have a setback. And even if you do everything right, you might never move your feet with quite the same speed, or regain that quarter-second of timing that made you a Defensive Player of the Year candidate &mdash; not because you don&rsquo;t see the drive, but because your body can&rsquo;t move and react in the same way it once did.
(And for the record, Kevin Durant returning to MVP level form after his Achilles injury is an impressive abnormality that should not be expected.)
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Michael Porter Jr. signed a max contract after a career year last season. His year ended abruptly, and his future is possibly altered due to a back injury that was clearly hampering him in the nine games he played this year (the infamous missed dunk in transition). The potential of suffering a significant injury has loomed over his career as darkly as his budding potential has been bright. Porter had back surgery during his sole season at Missouri prior to the draft and missed his entire rookie year. Hopefully, with time and rehab, he can return to who he&rsquo;s blossomed into as a player.
Kemba Walker was an All-Star two seasons ago and now is fully out of the rotation in New York. Once one of the great paint-touch artists in the league, Walker&rsquo;s knees have degraded to the point where consistent dribble penetration isn&rsquo;t in the cards. His percentage of shots taken at the rim has dropped by 10% since his All-NBA campaign in 2018-19 per Cleaning the Glass.
So often it takes injuries or inopportune events unfolding to remember that athletes are human. It&rsquo;s a necessary reminder that perfection is an impossible achievement. Greatness is fleeting, and reminiscing on recent history and the evolution of timelines pushes me to admire those apex moments with greater appreciation.
As much as we desire and long for the promise of potential and growth, it&rsquo;s worth stopping to breathe in the amazing things these players are doing presently, because the context of the present could be drastically different in the intermediate future.

Mark Schindler has thoughts on how injuries and workload take a toll on stars, and why we should take time to appreciate the present.

Greatness is fleeting, so enjoy stars in their prime while you can

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-and-suns-continue-to-battle-for-the-top-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The same two names remain at the top of this week's Basketball News NBA Power Rankings, but there is a bit of a shakeup in the back half of the top-10, as Cleveland and Memphis continue to win. &nbsp;
1. Golden State Warriors (22-5) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Stephen Curry couldn't break Ray Allen's all-time three-point record Monday night in Indiana, but the Warriors were able to walk away with a 102-100 victory. Steph has a chance to pass Allen on Tuesday night in the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, against the team that was <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1470778720600403974?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one spot away from drafting him</a>: the New York Knicks.&nbsp;
2. Phoenix Suns (21-5) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
The Suns, playing without Deandre Ayton (non-COVID illness) and Devin Booker (left hamstring strain), were beaten badly by the Clippers on Monday night. The Suns still haven't lost consecutive games since before Halloween.&nbsp;
3. Utah Jazz (19-7) ⬆️ Last Week: 6
The Jazz, winners of seven consecutive contests &mdash; including four straight on the road &mdash; possess the league's longest active winning streak. Now, Utah returns home, where the team will commence a string of six straight home games beginning Wednesday. It's longest homestand this season for the Jazz.&nbsp;
4. Brooklyn Nets (19-8) ⬆️ Last Week: 5
Kevin Durant <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/durant-scores-51-in-nets-116104-win-over-slumping-pistons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poured in an NBA season-high 51 points</a> in the Nets' victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. The NBA's leading scorer, KD is averaging 32.9 points over his last seven games. But it's also worth noting he is averaging over 40 minutes per game during this current stretch &mdash; truly remarkable considering he is just two years removed from a torn Achilles.&nbsp;
5. Milwaukee Bucks (18-11) ⬇️ Last Week: 3
Khris Middleton limped to the locker room in the third quarter of Monday's loss to the Boston Celtics and could not return. After the game, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer <a href="https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/1470590960069488640?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Middleton suffered a hyperextended left knee, but stated that "initially there are positive indications" about the injury. However, the team will have a better idea of the severity of the hyperextension after further examination.&nbsp;
6. Chicago Bulls (17-10) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The NBA announced Monday that the Chicago Bulls' next two games (Tuesday's matchup with the Pistons and Thursday's game vs. the Toronto Raptors) will be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak within the locker room. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Troy Brown Jr., Coby White, Javonte Green, Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu, Alize Johnson and Stanley Johnson are all currently in the league's health and safety protocols. These are the first two games postponed this season. Unfortunately, they may not be last.
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7. Memphis Grizzlies (17-11) ⬆️ Last Week: 13
Despite seeming to fly under the radar, the Grizzlies are one of the NBA's hottest teams, having won 8 of their last 9 games. This 8-1 surge is especially remarkable when you consider the Grizz are doing it without Ja Morant, who suffered a left knee injury in late November. Plenty of credit goes to Tyus Jones, who has been starting in place of Morant. Over his last seven games, Jones is averaging 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.7 steals. He has dished out 47 dimes during this stretch while committing just eight turnovers.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-12) ⬆️ Last Week: 15
Kevin Love scored all 23 of his points in the second half of Monday's win over the Miami Heat to help lead the surging Cavs to their fourth consecutive victory. Remarkably, the Cavs are now five games above .500 without LeBron James on their roster for the first time since December of 2000, when they were 15-10. Yes, incredibly, it's the first time this century!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"You don't get this often." No lip service when Kevin Love talks about *these* <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a>. He's saying this team has something "bigger than ourselves" and "truly celebrate each other." <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/MJIf43fdLW">pic.twitter.com/MJIf43fdLW</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1470597707341479941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
9. Miami Heat (16-12) ⬇️ Last Week: 8
The Heat started their four-game road trip with a dud Monday night, falling to the Cavs. Miami has three road games left to close out the week, but after playing in Philly on Wednesday, they play the two worst teams in the conference (Orlando on Friday and Detroit on Sunday).&nbsp;
10. Los Angeles Clippers (16-12) ⬆️ Last Week: 12 
The Clips smashed the Suns on Monday night, despite playing without Paul George (right elbow sprain) and Nicolas Batum (ankle). Marcus Morris Sr. led the way for L.A., racking up 24 points on 10 of 16 shooting and ripping down a season-high 11 rebounds, two triples and one assist. We'll see if PG-13 is cleared to play Wednesday vs. the Jazz.&nbsp;
11. Philadelphia 76ers (15-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
The Sixers were forced to play without Seth Curry (right shoulder) and center Joel Embiid (rib soreness), and got hammered by the Grizzlies, 126-91. Memphis led by as much as 36 points in the final frame. "This is a burn-it film. Throw it away and move on to the next game," Philly head coach <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401360233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doc Rivers said</a> after the contest. Philly will look to bounce back Wednesday when they host the Heat.&nbsp;
12. Charlotte Hornets (15-14) ⬇️ Last Week: 9
Good news for the Hornets, as LaMelo Ball, Jalen McDaniels and Mason Plumlee have all been cleared to return from health and safety protocols. The three players have been assigned to the Greensboro Swarm for conditioning purposes. Charlotte's next game is Wednesday vs. the San Antonio Spurs.&nbsp;
13. Washington Wizards (15-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 10
The slumping Wizards have lost 5 of their last 6 games. Their only win during this current stretch was against the lowly Pistons in overtime. Washington hasn't won a game in regulation since Dec. 1, and things won't get any easier for the Wiz in the near future. Monday's loss in Denver was the first game of a grueling six-game road trip that includes stops in Utah, Phoenix and Brooklyn.
14. Los Angeles Lakers (15-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 17 
Over in the NFL, 42-year-old Tom Brady has a chance to become the oldest MVP ever in any pro sport in North America. Not to be outdone, LeBron James &mdash; who will celebrate his 37th birthday later this month &mdash; is averaging 29.8 points, 8.0 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 made three-pointers over his last eight games, while logging more than 39 minutes per contest.&nbsp;
15. Boston Celtics (14-14) ⬇️ Last Week: 11
Jayson Tatum poured in 42 points Monday in Boston's victory over Milwaukee. Tatum was joined by his fellow Celtic star, Jaylen Brown, who returned to action after missing five games with a right hamstring injury and chipped in 19 points for Boston.
16. Denver Nuggets (14-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 18
Nikola Jokic was ejected from Monday's win over the Wizards after being hit with two technical fouls, but not before he tallied 28 points, 19 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals in 31 minutes. Over Denver's last six games, Jokic is averaging a mind-boggling 28.8 points (on 60% shooting), 13.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists in just 33.3 minutes per contest.
17. Dallas Mavericks (14-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
Kristaps Porzingis was dominant in Dallas' victory over the Hornets Monday. Playing without Luka Doncic, who is expected to miss multiple games due to left ankle soreness, KP shouldered the load vs. Charlotte, tallying 24 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks. The Mavs host LeBron and the Lakers on Wednesday.&nbsp;
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18. Atlanta Hawks (13-14) ⬇️ Last Week: 14
Despite a 41-point, 9-assist performance from Trae Young, the Hawks blew a 19-point second-half lead Monday night in a bitterly disappointing home loss to the Houston Rockets. Atlanta has 4 four of its last 5 games and has lost five straight at home.&nbsp;
19. Toronto Raptors (13-14) ⬆️ Last Week: 21
After a disappointing and inconsistent start to the season, Chris Boucher is starting to turn it around for Toronto. Over the Raps past four games, Boucher is averaging 14.0 points (while shooting 56.8%) to go along with 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in just 22 minutes a night.&nbsp;
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-15) &harr;️ Last Week: 20
The Timberwolves welcomed back D'Angelo Russell to the lineup Sunday night in Portland after the point guard had missed three straight games due to a right ankle injury, and ended their five-game losing skid by beating the Portland Trail Blazers. Minnesota travels to Denver on Wednesday and then returns home to take on the Lakers.&nbsp;
21. Indiana Pacers (12-17) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Big double-double for Domantas Sabonis in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pacers</a> W 💪 30 PTS 11-15 FGM 10 REB 6 AST 3 STL 60 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/RD341JwbqV">pic.twitter.com/RD341JwbqV</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1468052587882721288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Monday, the NBA announced Domantas Sabonis as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging a team-high 25.0 points (on 75% shooting!) and 10.3 rebounds per game, to go along with 6.0 assists per game, as the Pacers went 3-0.
22. New York Knicks (12-15) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
The Knicks were forced to play Sunday vs. Milwaukee without RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin (who both missed the game because they are in the league's health and safety protocols), and Julius Randle and Evan Fournier combined for just 14 points. Unsurprisingly, the Knicks fell to the defending champs. It was New York's third straight defeat. The silver lining for New York was Quentin Grimes' performance in his first career start. Grimes poured in 27 points and knocked down seven three-pointers, the most ever by a Knicks rookie.
23. San Antonio Spurs (10-16) ⬆️ Last Week: 25
Dejounte Murray recorded his fourth triple-double of the season in Sunday's victory over the Pels. Murray has been playing extremely well over the past month, averaging 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.9 steals.
24. Portland Trail Blazers (11-16) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
Damian Lillard (lower abdominal tendinopathy) returned to action Sunday night and tallied 24 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, but it wasn't enough to get the Blazers back on track. Portland has now lost five games in a row and 8 of their 9 nine. And things don't get any easier for Portland this week, as they host the Suns on Tuesday night and take on the Grizzlies this Wednesday on the back-end of a back-to-back.
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25. Houston Rockets (9-18) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
After having their seven-game win streak snapped last week, the Rockets got back in the win column Monday in Atlanta. Houston is 8-2 over their last 10 games, which is tied for the best record in the league over that stretch.&nbsp;
26. Sacramento Kings (11-17) ⬇️ Last Week: 24
The Kings went 0-3 in their recently-completed three-game road trip. Sacramento coach Alvin Gentry <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401360230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> that his players held a closed-door meeting after Monday's embarrassing blowout loss to the Raptors.
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
Luguentz Dort, who has been one of the bright spots during a disappointing OKC season, sprained his left ankle in Sunday's loss to the Mavericks. Over the Thunder's previous 15 games, Dort was averaging 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 made treys per contest.
28. New Orleans Pelicans (8-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 28
Just when it seemed the Pels' 2021-22 season couldn't get any more depressing, it was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/zion-williamson-foot-experiences-setback-will-be-shut-down-from-basketball-activities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Saturday that Zion Williamson "continues to experience soreness in his surgically-repaired right foot and is likely to be shut down from basketball activities for the time being," and that Williamson's bone "has not healed the way the team expected and he will take some time off before proceeding." It appears there is now a possibility that Zion doesn't log a single minute all season.
29. Orlando Magic (5-23) &harr;️ Last Week: 29
The Magic lost each of the five games they played on their recently completed five-game road trip, but Cole Anthony refuses to slow down. Over the three games Orlando played last week, Anthony averaged a whopping 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 5.0 made three-pointers while shooting 53.6% from downtown.&nbsp;
30. Detroit Pistons (4-22) &harr;️ Last Week: 30
It was revealed over the weekend that Jerami Grant suffered torn ligaments in his right thumb and will be out indefinitely. However, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Grant is "one of the most sought-after players in a potential trade, with the Lakers and Trail Blazers among the teams pursuing the Pistons versatile forward." Shams adds that Grant's injury "is not expected to impact his trade market, as "dozens of teams call the Detroit front office about Grant each week, and sources said the team is open to a possible deal." Our own Evan Sidery looked at <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible destinations for Grant</a> on Monday night.

Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.