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Hawks

Following the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; shocking postseason exit, all eyes are now on Deandre Ayton's free agency.
After the Suns declined to sign Ayton to a five-year, rookie-scale max extension before the 2021-22 season, restricted free agency is now on the horizon for the athletic big man. During the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Ayton&rsquo;s agent Bill Duffy discussed Ayton's future on SiriusXM&rsquo;s NBA show.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re disappointed. We wanted a max contract,&rdquo; Duffy <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1527772160923619328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;He went out and was a solider the whole year, played well, improved his statistics. So, we&rsquo;re proud of him. A lot of guys handle things differently, but he was very mature about it. Things will work out for Deandre. He&rsquo;s a valuable player. There&rsquo;s other teams in the league as well. He&rsquo;s a restricted free agent, so we&rsquo;ll see how this process unfolds.&rdquo;
Ayton averaged 17.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 blocks on a career-high 65.6% True Shooting percentage during the 2021-22 campaign. Ayton was a key asset for the Suns on both ends of the court, especially around the basket as an easy lob threat and defensive anchor. Ayton has been a key piece for the Suns, but is he worth a max contract? Based on Duffy&rsquo;s comments earlier this week, it sounds like Ayton&rsquo;s camp won&rsquo;t settle for anything less than the max entering free agency.
From the Suns&rsquo; perspective, they saw improvement from the 2018 No. 1 overall pick this season before the team's disappointing postseason showing.
&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s shown that he&rsquo;s improved each year, helps us on both the defense and the offense,&rdquo; Suns owner Robert Sarver told <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a> recently about Ayton. &ldquo;I think offensively, you see this year he&rsquo;s taken another good step in terms of his touch and his ability to score around the basket. So, he&rsquo;s been a key part of what we&rsquo;re doing.&rdquo;
Taking all of this into consideration, what if Ayton's days in Phoenix are numbered? Here's a look at the most realistic sign-and-trade destinations for Ayton this summer.
Note: It's important to remember that sign-and-trade deals rarely return the same value as a traditional trade. The Suns have let it be known that they won't simply let an asset like Ayton walk for nothing. If Ayton&rsquo;s time in Phoenix is indeed over, the Suns won&rsquo;t be leaving the relationship empty-handed.
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones
San Antonio is one of the few teams this offseason with secured max-level cap space. All that needs to be done in order to chase Ayton is renounce the restricted rights to Lonnie Walker.
Being at the bottom of the NBA standings is new for the Spurs. After being one of the league's model organizations for over two decades, they have officially hit a playoff drought. San Antonio was hoping for some lottery luck, but now they have to try another plan to bring in a star.
San Antonio&rsquo;s dynamic young duo of Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson is so fun to watch, but the they need a third game-changer to take this rebuild back into playoff mode. Ayton would be an ideal solution, mainly because of his excellent two-way fit in the Spurs&rsquo; system. Dropping Ayton into the Spurs&rsquo; player-development program could make some in Phoenix worry about the long-term consequences of this deal.
For Phoenix, cooperating with a long-time rival would hurt. However, if the relationship between team and player becomes fractured, the Suns won&rsquo;t have much of a choice if he finds a max offer on the open market.
The Suns won&rsquo;t let Ayton leave Phoenix unless they receive strong assets in return. The Spurs can actually provide a solid package that helps in the short and long-term.
In this deal, Phoenix could land one of the most underrated big men in the Association as well as two young players who have shown flashes. The Jalen Smith experiment was a disaster for the Suns after taking him No. 10 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Vassell went one pick later. Phoenix can right that wrong while also obtaining an intriguing point guard to develop in Jones.
This feels like a win-win for both sides. San Antonio would have a new Big 3 in Ayton, Murray and Johnson, while the Suns could acquire their new starting center and two pieces to bolster the bench unit.
Charlotte Hornets
Hornets receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Terry Rozier, PJ Washington and draft compensation
There might not be a team with a more dire offseason need than the Hornets and their hole at center. Charlotte was one of my NBA League Pass teams this season due to their fun offensive pace, but the defense often bordered on disastrous. Montrezl Harrell and Mason Plumlee aren&rsquo;t going to cut it, so it&rsquo;s time for Charlotte to get aggressive.
Given Charlotte&rsquo;s roster, they would have to move some salaries around to make an Ayton chase realistic. Offloading Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s contract is going to be a tough task and they may even have to relinquish one of their top-15 picks to do so, but it would have to happen in order for them to pursue Ayton. Hayward is due $61.6 million over the next two seasons, and Charlotte simply can&rsquo;t afford to keep biting that bullet with restricted free agent Miles Bridges due for a payday and LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s own rookie-scale extension on the horizon. Trading away Hayward and Mason Plumlee would give the Hornets max space.
Landing Ayton is Charlotte's dream scenario. Not only would Ayton continue to get spoon-fed easy looks from an elite point guard, he would help stabilize the Hornets' defense to respectable levels. Thanks to his freakish athleticism, Ayton would be able to cover up a lot of holes around him defensively.
Phoenix would love to pull off a double sign-and-trade to nab Bridges, but that seems unlikely. Instead, this deal allows them to find their long-term answer at point guard post-Chris Paul. While Terry Rozier is a shot-chucker, he has improved as a playmaker in Charlotte. In the short-term, Rozier could step in as the Suns&rsquo; sixth man and provide the exact boost that they need in offensive guard creation. PJ Washington is an interesting add because he could slide right into the small-ball 5 role played previously by Dario Saric.
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Indiana Pacers
Pacers receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Myles Turner, Chris Duarte, TJ McConnell
What&rsquo;s the next step for Indiana? Long gone are Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert. Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield could be the next Pacers veterans to be shipped out via trade as Indiana fully embraces a rebuild attempt. It&rsquo;s been long overdue for the Pacers to pull the plug on the core that continued to stagnate once the postseason arrived.
A year later, Indiana&rsquo;s future looks much brighter with a talented, new-look core of Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson and whoever is selected at No. 6 overall.
Ayton couldn't ask for a better pick-and-roll partner than Haliburton. Already making magic happen with CP3, Ayton&rsquo;s rolling ability would help accentuate Haliburton&rsquo;s biggest strengths. Also, Ayton&rsquo;s defensive versatility would be a welcome arrival for a team that nosedived in that category last season.
For Indiana, the price would be hefty. Not only would this trade require a four-year max contract for Ayton, but the Pacers would likely need to ship out a key piece of their young core via sign-and-trade (such as Duarte).
This trade would be a huge win for Phoenix, but it also looks great for the Pacers. The Suns would have a starting center who adds floor-spacing equity and elite rim protection, a capable veteran backup point guard who can spell Paul at times, plus one of the most impactful rookie wings in the Association. Having to include Duarte could leave the Pacers apprehensive, but they are reportedly enamored with adding another explosive piece via the draft, as Jaden Ivey (Purdue), Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky) and Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) have all been linked to Indiana early in the pre-draft process.&nbsp;
Detroit Pistons
Pistons receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart, Cory Joseph and draft compensation
Another team that has considered making a run at Ayton this offseason is the Pistons, and they can create max space very easily: trading away Kelly Olynyk&rsquo;s contract.
The Pistons struck gold with Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey and they are helping usher in a new era in Detroit. Ayton&rsquo;s arrival would be the final piece to the puzzle for a team seemingly pushing their chips in on postseason play as early as 2023.
It would be best for Ayton to land with a capable lead guard who can feed him regularly. Already capable of tallying 20 and 10 most nights, Ayton would be set up for long-term success alongside Cunningham and Bey.
The question is, what would the Pistons need to send Phoenix&rsquo;s way in order for this sign-and-trade to go through? It&rsquo;s going to be a lot, and it would be a blockbuster-type transaction.
Blockbuster indeed, because Grant is now heading back to the Valley in this scenario. If the Suns and Pistons want to cooperate on a Ayton deal, I have to imagine one of Grant or Bey would have to be involved. Stewart is another enticing trade chip because he&rsquo;s shown the versatility to space the floor from three-point range. While he doesn't have the same touch as Ayton, Stewart brings nastiness and a tenacity on both ends of the court that Phoenix would absolutely love.
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Atlanta Hawks
Hawks receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic
No ifs, ands or buts about it, Trae Young would make Ayton an All-Star next season. What a fun inside-out duo this is to envision. While Atlanta is nowhere close to reaching the necessary cap space to absorb a massive Ayton deal on their own, a sign-and-trade becomes feasible with all of the talent that could fit into the Phoenix roster.
For the Hawks, Ayton represents another foundational building block to place alongside Young for the long-term. John Collins could be the guy, but he&rsquo;s been in trade rumors for the past year with no signs of those slowing down. Onyeka Okongwu could also grow into that role, but the Hawks signing Clint Capela to a long-term extension perhaps signals that they see him more as a piece to the puzzle rather than a true building block.
Ayton would arrive in Atlanta and instantly average around 23 points and 12 rebounds per game. On box-score fit alone, this would be the best landing spot for Ayton thanks to the greatness of Young.
If Phoenix had drafted Luka Doncic rather than Ayton at No. 1 overall in 2018, Phoenix may have considered adding Clint Capela to their frontcourt. Four years later, Capela being re-routed to Phoenix in an Ayton sign-and-trade is a plausible scenario to imagine. Capela would provide similar numbers to Ayton while requiring less of an offensive workload. Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic might vault to the top the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year leaderboards in the near future. Bogdanovic and Cameron Johnson leading the Suns&rsquo; second unit? That&rsquo;s a filthy thought.
***
None of these trades are perfect, but they do illustrate how challenging it will be for Phoenix to find a home for Ayton while also returning the value they'd love to get back for him. Ultimately, it may be in the Suns' best interest to re-sign Ayton this offseason and trade him at some point down the road when his value isn't so depressed.
Whatever happens, Ayton&rsquo;s name will continue to pop up in rumors throughout the spring and summer until the Suns and Ayton's camp find common ground at the negotiation table. This situation could become awkward and dragged out, which would surely kick the trade rumors into high gear. This isn't the last we'll hear about Ayton and the possibility of him changing teams.
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With Deandre Ayton's future in Phoenix becoming murky, it's time to examine potential destinations for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton

After the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the 2022 NBA Playoffs on Thursday night, Joel Embiid was asked about the disappointing play of James Harden, who finished with just 11 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds. Embiid, who is never afraid to speak candidly, replied: "I'm sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden, but that's not who he is anymore."
It's through that pragmatic prism that the Sixers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey must approach the most pressing offseason issue in Philadelphia: How much is Harden worth?&nbsp;
Make no mistake, Harden is still an elite NBA player. In the 21 regular-season games he played for Philly after arriving in the blockbuster deal with Brooklyn, he averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists, 7.1 assists, 2.2 treys and 1.2 steals. The only other players to average at least 20/7/7 over the second half of the season were Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, Dejounte Murray and Nikola Jokic.&nbsp;
However, Harden's numbers dipped in the postseason when he posted 18.6 points, 8.6 dimes and 5.7 boards per game, while shooting below 41% from the floor. He also averaged 4.2 turnovers. The Beard all but disappeared in Thursday's season-ending loss, taking just two shots over the entire second half.&nbsp;
(It's worth noting that the relationship between Ben Simmons and the Sixers fractured after the team and city seemed to pin last year's loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Simmons, who sinfully passed up an open lay-up. Yet, in that Game 7 loss to Atlanta, Simmons finished with 5 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and just 2 turnovers, to go along with a +1 plus/minus. In Game 6 on Thursday, Harden finished with 11 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and was -16. Simmons made one shot in the second half of Game 7, or one more than Harden in Game 6).
Watching him this past season, it became abundantly clear that Harden didn't have the same explosive first step that made him arguably the league's most lethal offensive weapon at the peak of his prime. (Harden has scored more points than anyone in the league over the past decade and is the last player not named Giannis or Nikola to win an MVP award).
Harden also shot a career-worst from three-point territory (32.6%) and on <a href="https://www.nba.com/player/201935/james-harden">lay-up attempts (49%)</a> in 2021-22. And according to ESPN Stats and Info, Harden blew by his defender on just 29% of his drives this past season (down from 44% in 2019-20).
When asked if he plans to stay in Philadelphia, Harden gave a short response.
"I'll be here," Harden declared, adding that he would do "whatever it takes to help this team continue to grow."
Well, that's where things get very interesting.&nbsp;
Harden has until June 29 to make a decision regarding his player option for the 2022-23 campaign, which is worth $47,366,760. If he opts in, he would be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth a whopping $233 million.
Here's an annual breakdown of what that max contract would look like:
2022-23: $47.4 million (opt-in) 2023-24: $49.7 million&nbsp; 2024-25: $53.7 million 2025-26: $57.7 million&nbsp; 2026-27: $61.7 million&nbsp;
Summing it all up, that brings the five-year total to a mind-boggling $270+ million, which would be the largest contract in NBA history.
Harden will turn 33 in August and will celebrate his 37th birthday before the start of the 2026-27 season. Recently, we've seen players such as LeBron James and Chris Paul play at an extremely high level on the wrong side of 35, but it's crucial to remember that those athletic freaks are the exceptions to the rule. Most players begin to break down in their mid-30s. Over the last two seasons, Harden has missed 39 games due primarily to nagging hamstring issues.
Committing to pay Harden north of $60 million at age-37 would be a nightmare, bordering on organizational malpractice. But would Harden be willing to meet the Sixers halfway, or might he dig in and back Morey into a corner? Considering all that the Sixers gave up to acquire him (Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future first-round picks), Philly can't afford to let Harden leave via free agency. Even if Harden walked out the door in July, the Sixers would still have more than $105 million in salary on the books for next season. Wasting the window of Embiid's prime would be catastrophic to the franchise.
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If Harden did opt-out, he would be an unrestricted free agent and could sign a four-year deal with another club for roughly $200 million. However, only three clubs (Detroit, Orlando and San Antonio) are projected to have significant cap space, and it's doubtful any of the three would be interested in maxing out Harden (and it seems unlikely that The Beard would have any interest in joining a rebuilding team).
The Sixers could explore some sign-and-trade or extend-and-trade possibilities (the Los Angeles Lakers could make some sense for all parties involved), but that would require Harden agreeing to join his fourth team in the past 24 months.&nbsp;
The ideal scenario for Philly is bringing back Harden at a reasonable rate. On "<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6RVNT4C0NVrxqGFJ2BXC7P" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic NBA Show</a>" podcast earlier this month, reporter Sam Amick stated that Harden might be willing to sign for less than the max. 
"When the Sixers got him, their intel was that he would potentially be willing to take less," <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6RVNT4C0NVrxqGFJ2BXC7P">Amick said</a>. "And obviously, you know, nobody knows him better than Daryl."
The critical question, of course, is how much less is Harden willing to take?&nbsp;
For the Sixers, they have to look forward, not back. As Embiid sagely explained, "Everybody expected the Houston James Harden, but that's not who he is anymore." Morey and Co. have to determine how much Harden will be worth over the next five years based on the current version of The Beard, not what he would have been worth had he hit the open market three years ago.&nbsp;
All of this makes for a very interesting and unpredictable summer in the City of Brotherly Love.&nbsp;
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Should the Sixers give James Harden a max contract this summer? Tommy Beer breaks down Philadelphia's tough decision.

Giving James Harden a max contract could cripple the Sixers

We&rsquo;re officially two months away from 2022 NBA Free Agency officially kicking off. Although the class is rather shallow &mdash; especially on superstar movement &mdash; the headliners provide some intrigue and there are endless possibilities in terms of the potential domino effects.
Will Zach LaVine and Deandre Ayton be viewed as max-level talents by their respective organizations? What will happen with James Harden and Kyrie Irving? Will Bradley Beal once again commit long-term to the Washington Wizards?
Let&rsquo;s dive into my predictions on what the top-five projected free agents will likely do this offseason, and how those moves could alter the calculus of the entire NBA.
James Harden
Player Option ($44.7 million)
Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey accomplished his long-awaited dream when he helped James Harden and Joel Embiid join forces in Philadelphia earlier this season. When Harden wanted to get out of Brooklyn (an era we'll look back on as a huge "what if" in NBA history), the Sixers pushed their chips all-in on the dominant inside-out duo&rsquo;s potential.
However, having sent out Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and future draft capital to the Nets, it hasn&rsquo;t gone as smoothly as many expected for Harden. After a fast start with his new team, Harden's production has tailed off. Now, with Embiid's postseason status in jeopardy due to an orbital fracture, can Harden recapture his form before another important career decision?
Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 21 regular-season games with the Sixers, and through six playoff games, has produced to the tune of 19.0 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds.
Since these numbers aren't anywhere close to vintage-Harden levels of offensive production, does Morey feel comfortable shelling out a gigantic long-term extension to the 32-year-old, high-usage guard? It feels like we&rsquo;re entering into the next phase of Harden&rsquo;s career, and if that&rsquo;s the case, he&rsquo;s probably not a $40-plus-million player.
It seems like Philadelphia is backed into a corner in this situation though. After shipping off Simmons and future assets to Brooklyn, the Sixers have committed to Embiid and Harden hopefully delivering a championship within their short-term window.
Prediction: Harden opts out and re-signs on three-year max contract
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Kyrie Irving
Player Option ($36.5 million)
Who knows what the future holds as it relates to Kyrie Irving? Unwilling to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Irving cost the Nets a realistic chance at competing for an NBA championship this season; this should've never been an issue, but he had to try to catch up and learn on the fly with his teammates.
Brooklyn still holds those championship expectations moving forward, especially with Kevin Durant and Simmons alongside Irving.
Irving is the true wildcard to watch this summer. If he decides to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-nets-should-part-ways-with-kyrie-irving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move on from the Nets</a>, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise at all. Honestly, even retirement wouldn&rsquo;t be a complete surprise with Irving. In the end, though, the Nets are also married to this idea of competing for rings over the extended window with Durant.
The reason why Durant joined the Nets was to play with his best friend in Irving. It&rsquo;s hard to envision Irving leaving Brooklyn, and he echoed similar sentiments after the Nets&rsquo; disappointing first-round exit against the Boston Celtics.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way I&rsquo;m leaving my man 7 anywhere,&rdquo; Irving said after the series.
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"I don't really plan on going anywhere.... when I say I'm here with Kev [Durant] I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks]... we're cornerstones here but we have Ben, we have a few other guys..." -Kyrie Irving on FA <a href="https://t.co/ulk86MzHTK">pic.twitter.com/ulk86MzHTK</a>
&mdash; DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEarly/status/1518782963579867138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Nets should definitely reconsider their stance on handing out a potential five-year max extension to Irving though. Understanding his unpredictability, who knows what could happen in the future with him? With Durant still dominating, Irving will likely align his next contract on a similar path.
Prediction: Irving opts out and re-signs on four-year max contract
Bradley Beal
Player Option ($36.4 million)
Will Bradley Beal really decide to stick around in D.C. for the long-term? I have serious doubts on that idea, and Beal should as well for his legacy. Even in a down year for the Washington Wizards &mdash; one in which he was shut down due to a torn ligament in his left wrist on Feb. 8 &mdash; he&rsquo;s still a star-level player in the NBA. Capable of dropping 30-plus points with ease at anytime, Beal has consistently shown the team around him has been the main issue. Carrying subpar teams on his back since John Wall left, Beal needs to consider doing the greater good for his own individual outlook.
From Beal&rsquo;s perspective, looking around at other options to win right now would be the best-case scenario. While he's been very loyal to the Wizards since being drafted by the organization, this could become very awkward rather quickly once the offseason window opens.
Washington has done a fantastic job retooling its team on the fly since trading away Russell Westbrook. Rolling the dice on Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline is a massive risk, but he&rsquo;s the closest thing to a star-level player who would be willing to stay long-term. With Porzingis and a plethora of young talent led by Kyle Kuzma, will Beal lock himself into this situation for another four or five years?
The trade market will be the most realistic route to see star movement in the summer. Beal is one of those names to watch via sign-and-trade. If Beal opts out, don&rsquo;t be surprised to see him sign elsewhere while not leaving the Wizards high and dry with nothing back in return. Beal seems destined to spread his wings elsewhere and serve as the cherry on top of a true title contender's roster.
Prediction: Beal opts out and the Wizards pull off sign-and-trade to recoup some assets
Zach LaVine
Unrestricted Free Agent
Zach LaVine is one of the more underrated players in the league. He&rsquo;s a highlight reel on the offensive end, but his defense leaves so much to be desired. We&rsquo;ve seen incremental improvements with LaVine on that end with better talent around him, but will the Bulls view him as a max-level player? Committing that type of money to LaVine could be risky &mdash; especially with an upcoming offseason knee surgery &mdash; but it&rsquo;s the Bulls&rsquo; best bet to keeping their core together long-term.
If the Bulls balk at paying LaVine, many teams with cap space will come knocking on his door. San Antonio Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray has already started <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1519870631180791808?s=20&amp;t=vGdMwWWoEEc20-pQbx0udg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recruiting LaVine on social media</a> with photoshops of him in their jersey, for example.
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LaVine and DeMar DeRozan showed throughout this season that they are a lethal scoring combination that is very difficult to contain. Before injuries ravaged Chicago&rsquo;s roster, they were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Maybe the Bulls try to move Nikola Vucevic, who has a $22 million expiring contract; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rudy Gobert could be a name to watch</a> if the Bulls try to take their team to another level.
But LaVine is a different story.
A core in Chicago of LaVine, DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams and Alex Caruso is a fun one. Chicago runs it back and doesn&rsquo;t hesitate coughing up huge money to its star shooting guard.
Prediction: LaVine signs a five-year max extension with Bulls
Deandre Ayton
Restricted Free Agent
This is one of the more interesting situations to follow heading into the offseason. After the Phoenix Suns shockingly decided not to pay 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton before the season began, questions are still bubbling under the surface on his long-term future with the organization. Ayton hasn&rsquo;t let this impact his on-court performance though, as he's continued to be a two-way anchor to the Suns&rsquo; immense success. The Bahamian big man keeps proving his game is tailor-made for the postseason as well.
Will the Suns actually allow Ayton and his representation to test the open market as one of the top free agents available? It would be stunning, but it feels like we could be heading in that direction.
ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski has mentioned that, in negotiations, the Suns didn&rsquo;t view Ayton as a max-level player at the time, which stunned many executives around the NBA. Has Phoenix&rsquo;s stance changed after Ayton&rsquo;s consistent performances throughout this season and the playoffs?
Here&rsquo;s a little nugget: According to a league source, Phoenix is more than comfortable paying up and going deep into the luxury tax as long as its roster is competing for championships. Ayton is part of that puzzle, and 2019 lottery pick Cameron Johnson is eligible for an extension this offseason. Do with that information what you will, but it would truly be stunning to see Ayton playing elsewhere in 2022-23.
Prediction: Ayton tests the market and signs four-year max offer sheet elsewhere, which includes a player option; Phoenix eventually matches the offer sheet and keeps him long-term 
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What will happen with the best projected 2022 free agents this offseason? Evan Sidery shares his predictions for the top five.

2022 NBA Free Agency: Predicting where 5 stars will land this summer

Memphis guard Ja Morant was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player, beating out San Antonio's Dejounte Murray.
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The 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Improved Player is Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant! <a href="https://t.co/XNLdPFQwFe">pic.twitter.com/XNLdPFQwFe</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1518719763916427264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Morant got 38 first-place votes and 221 points from a panel of 100 sports writers and broadcasters while Murray received 20 first-place votes and finished with 183 points.
Morant averaged 27.4 points 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists this past season while helping lead the Grizzlies to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The third-year player boosted his scoring and rebounding from the previous season where he averaged 19.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
Cleveland's Darius Garland finished third with 178 points followed by Golden State's Jordan Poole and Memphis' Desmond Bane.
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Ja Morant is the first player to win the Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award with the Memphis Grizzlies. More ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/DGowSmohq5">https://t.co/DGowSmohq5</a> Voting Results ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/xRFlJ9dtEW">pic.twitter.com/xRFlJ9dtEW</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1518720295661621253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Memphis guard Ja Morant was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player, beating out San Antonio's Dejounte Murray.

Ja Morant wins NBA's Most Improved Player award

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
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Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ethan Fuller sets the stage for the NBA's four Play-In exits approaching the offseason.

Summer plans for the Spurs, Hornets, Cavaliers and Clippers

From their first-ever Western Conference Finals appearance to a last-gasp play-in game, the Los Angeles Clippers have been a surprisingly resilient bunch.
They finished two games above .500 despite not having superstar Kawhi Leonard all season and losing Paul George for a big chunk of it. They traded for Norman Powell in February, only to lose him to injury days later.
George and Powell recently returned within days of each other and sparked the Clippers to a five-game winning streak to end the regular season.
They're not ready to head home for the summer.
The Clippers are a four-point favorite against the New Orleans Pelicans in their play-in elimination game Friday night, according to <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba">FanDuel Sportsbook.</a>
&ldquo;Honestly, it&rsquo;s not even about the matchup,&rdquo; George said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no pep talk, no X&rsquo;s and O&rsquo;s. We got to win.&rdquo;
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-pelicans-san-antonio-spurs-los-angeles-clippers-phoenix-suns-nba-6ee83546d2425bc98075a06b0c19dc3e">The Pelicans </a> advanced with a 113-103 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-clippers-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-anthony-edwards-eeb23f11c4002d7d2f48dffeac32dcc9">The Clippers lost </a> to the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-104, which cost them the No. 7 seed and a first-round matchup against Memphis.
&ldquo;I definitely hope that we keep our spirits high, that we understand we still got another one on Friday, that we control our own destiny,&rdquo; Clippers guard Reggie Jackson said.
The winner earns the No. 8 seed and a first-round meeting with the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns. The Clippers lost to the Suns in six games in last year's conference finals.
MISSING IN ACTION
Both teams will be without their superstars.
Leonard continues to work his way back from surgery for a partial tear of his right ACL that occurred in the second round against Utah last year. The team has honored Leonard's penchant for privacy and provided little information about his status.
However, he has maintained a presence around the team and will be on hand Friday.
&ldquo;Even when PG was out, just having those guys around means a lot to this team, especially a young team,&rdquo; coach Tyronn Lue said Thursday.
Zion Williamson is progressing in his recovery from a foot injury that has kept him out all season for the Pelicans and has been participating in controlled scrimmages. However, the 2019 top overall draft pick isn't expected to play against the Clippers, although he did steal the show with <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/zion-williamson-throws-down-360-windmill-dunk-before-pelicans-play-in-game">a pair of windmill dunks </a> during warmups Wednesday.
THREE-PRONGED ATTACK
Even without Williamson, the Pelicans have still got a potent Big Three, so to speak, as the Spurs found out.
CJ McCollum, acquired in a midseason trade, center Jonas Valanciunas, acquired in a trade before the season, and incumbent wing Brandon Ingram combined for 81 points against San Antonio. Valanciunas also had 14 rebounds.
&ldquo;We have to ride those guys,&rdquo; coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;When you get to this point in the season, you&rsquo;ve got to bump their minutes up a little but more. We&rsquo;re going to run more plays that go through them and allow them to create for others, and they did a heck of a job&rdquo; against San Antonio.
GEORGE'S IMPACT
George's return to the lineup has positively impacted his teammates.
Ivica Zubac produced double-doubles in his last four regular-season games, averaging 12.3 points and 9.4 rebounds. The 7-footer has been a big factor on the defensive side as well.
Luke Kennard didn't make the trip to Minnesota because of a sore right hamstring, which he had treatment on Thursday. He leads the league in 3-point percentage at 44.9 and averaged 15.8 points in his last six games.
George has been showcasing his playmaking skills, averaging a career-high 5.7 assists. Double-teaming George hasn't been an answer for opponents since he can kick it out to Kennard and 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein, who is showing a deft touch from long range.
GREEN BLOOMS
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-nba-phoenix-suns-new-orleans-pelicans-62e8b460b8288be4cdef3fcd850304a8">Green </a> guided the Pelicans to a 36-46 record after starting 1-12 in his first season as coach. Now, he faces off against his old team for a playoff berth.
Green was a shooting guard with the Clippers from 2012-14, averaging 5.7 points while playing 16 minutes a game on a team that featured the Lob City trio of Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.
Green ended his 12-year playing career after the following season in Orlando.
He owns two NBA championships as a Golden State assistant. He was an assistant with Phoenix before taking the Pelicans job.
ROOKIE RELIANCE
The Pelicans' rookie trio of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy and Joe Alvarado passed their first postseason test, setting the stage for them to play significant roles against the Clippers as well.
Jones, a second-round pick out of Alabama, guarded Spurs All-Star Dejounte Murray and held him to 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting and five assists. He could wind up on George next.
&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have doubts in Herb,&rdquo; Valanciunas said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a great defensive player. He&rsquo;s always guarding the offensive threats from opponent teams."
Jones also scored 12 points, as did Alvarado, an undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech. Murphy, a first-rounder out of Virginia, had a relatively quiet night but still played 22 minutes and has been an explosive scorer in recent weeks.
___
AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.

The winner between New Orleans and L.A. will earn the No. 8 seed and a first-round meeting with the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns.

Clippers looking to eke out playoff berth vs. Pelicans

Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;
They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;
Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;
Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;
CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;
This is his opportunity to be the veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;
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CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;
McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on ~62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.
After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;
When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring 6 of New Orleans&rsquo; next 8 points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;
Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;
If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;
When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, 5 boards, 3 dimes, 2 steals and 2 blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;
The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.
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With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.
As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;
When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;
The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.
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Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.
Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;
They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxie and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;
Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;
Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;
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The New Orleans Pelicans did not start the season looking like a playoff team, which is why their success is something to celebrate.

Wednesday was a celebration of how far the Pelicans have come

In a dynamite defensive performance, the New Orleans Pelicans stifled the San Antonio Spurs, 113-103, advancing to the second round of the Play-In Tournament toward a matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. The final score indicates a close game, and while there were moments down the stretch after a Devin Vassell heater, the Pelicans largely controlled the game.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-how-the-pelicans-are-blending-their-big-three-together" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The trio of</a> Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas combined for 81 of New Orleans' points, all putting forth stellar performances.
Yet, if there was one takeaway (for me) from last night's game, it was that Herb Jones is HERE.
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HERB JONES <a href="https://t.co/JDJuaQLCDT">pic.twitter.com/JDJuaQLCDT</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1514421185051779074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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If you've followed the NBA season and come across the Pels for even a modicum of time while perusing NBA League Pass, you probably know about Jones, as he's done this all year. But he dominated in primetime, and Mark Jones' silky voice peppered the broadcast with varying intonations of "HERB JONES" as many different points of the night.
There are moments and games where it becomes recognized that a player is a star. Last night, Jones put his stamp on the national stage, emphatically punching his ticket as a defensive star. That's such a wild statement. A defensive star. It's not easy to cement yourself as a bucket-getter or primetime scorer, and it's that much harder to play defense with the ferocity, efficacy and splendor required to captivate an audience. Jones fits the bill and then some, and as a rookie, that's absurd.
(Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I unanimously voted Herb Jones to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the All-Defensive Second Team</a> about a month ago.)
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Jones took first time All-Star guard Dejounte Murray as his main assignment, and man, he had him in purgatory. Murray finished 5 of 19 from the field Wednesday night. Jones' hands were everywhere and on everything, reminiscent of a <a href="https://youtu.be/voTxE2U8aYc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Naruto montage</a>.
The opening possession of the game was indicative of what the night would be for Murray. It was akin to watching a world title fight open up, and the challenger unloads the first jab and immediately it's like "Oh, this is way different than I thought." And as the viewer, you quickly find out that this isn't a tune-up fight.
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This is one of my favorite things about Herb, and a part of what makes him a special defender. He uses his hands and his feet in tandem with regularity. It sounds minute, but it's a sizable difference. So much of defense is about consistency, and Jones embodies that.
His hands never come off of Murray; just enough to bother, but also possessing the deftness to not foul. Even with a pretty solid screen from Jakob Poeltl, Murray can't shake free. The Pels maintain their shell, and it's a turnover.
The Pels run a great deal of ICE coverage, forcing ball-handlers to the sidelines to prevent middle penetration. Valanciunas is a quality defender, but he has some limitations with his mobility. Plays like this allow New Orleans to stay solid and maintain a strong base. (I'm super interested to see how this plays out against a more dynamic offensive team in the Clippers, because it's much harder to play ICE against a team that can thrive on five-out lineups).
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Jaxson Hayes comes up with the double drags to ICE along with Jones, calls out the coverage and Murray catches him going downhill. While this isn't a perfect defensive possession from Herb, it's a reflection of the tools that allow him to supersede technique at times (he's an incredible technique defender, don't get it twisted). Even if he does take a wrong step, he has impeccable recovery skills and the ability to still contest what would otherwise be an easy finish at the rim against most defenders.
Run Jones through the ringer of screens and try to grease the context for an off-ball scorer? Not on Herb.
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Try to initiate the offense with a kick-ahead to one of the best downhill drivers in the game in Keldon Johnson? Not so fast. I am not a fan of the charge, but man, Jones makes me want to be. This is just a clean standing of ground, and I love it. It would be so easy to let that be a quick lay-in with a decent enough contest, but again, this is what separates Jones from the rest.
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Jones also emphatically closed the half, shutting down a sideline out-of-bounds play leading to a Johnson three-point attempt.
The block, the staredown. YES.
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Even in moments when Jones did get overly physical and was called for fouls, those are plays you live with. I'm not a huge believer in tone-setting; it can be cliche and attributed to non-basketball plays that really don't do much but stop the clock. (Although, what do I know? Glue Girl <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1514075112059727874?s=20&amp;t=su-bpBBT0mwo3mSQsH7Y-A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was a game-changer</a>.)
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That rotation to block Vassell is fantastic; the communication and vision stands out. That reconnection on Murray after the screen is all you can ask for, even if ideally a foul is not attached. Jones constantly made multiple Spurs players feel him.
Then, there are the "crown jewel" plays &mdash; the pinnacle defensive highlights that you watch in amusement and giggle because those things just shouldn't be able to happen on the court.
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Incredible performance.
There aren't enough words to describe what a fun and enjoyable defensive player and prospect Jones is. This isn't just a "rookie defenders" shouldn't be able to that type beat. This man is legitimately already one of the best defenders on planet earth regardless of age.
While the Pelicans still need to win against the Clippers on Friday night to secure another week or two of guaranteed basketball, Herb Jones' play should be cemented in your cerebrum moving forward.
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The Pelicans secured a matchup with the Clippers after beating the Spurs, and it was sparked by Herb Jones' defense.

Not on Herb: Pelicans rookie Jones punches ticket as defensive star

CJ McCollum scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half, Brandon Ingram shook foul trouble to add 27 points and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night in a Western Conference play-in game.
The Pelicans, who finished ninth in the West after starting the season 3-16, will play at the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, with the winner getting the eighth seed and a spot against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. New Orleans beat Los Angeles in three of four meetings this season.
The Pelicans seemed headed to a rout, leading 96-75, with 10:39 left, but the 10th-seeded Spurs used a 16-1 run over the next 5:25 to cut it to 97-91. The Pelicans missed seven consecutive shots during the run.
Ingram a pair of soft jumpers in the lane and Jonas Valanciunas added a short jumper to out New Orleans back on top, 103-91. Valaciunas had 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 23 points. Dejounte Murray had 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
After Ingram went to the bench with three fouls 5:17 before halftime, McCollum carried the Pelicans offensively. In a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half, McCollum made two 3-pointers and pierced the San Antonio defense for two finger-roll layups on strong drives into the lane as New Orleans built a 61-50 lead.
McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2 of 3 from long range, despite drawing consistent double teams.
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TIP INS
Spurs: After eight years as a San Antonio assistant, Becky Hammon officially assumed her new position as head coach of the WNBA&rsquo;s Las Vegas Aces. Coach Gregg Popovich said he would miss Hammon&rsquo;s contributions. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s been wonderful for a while,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;I just wish her well, and I just wish she was here.&rdquo; &hellip; G Dejounte Murray had two of his 13 triple-doubles against the Pelicans in the regular season.
Pelicans: While F Zion Williamson missed the entire regular season with a fractured right metatarsal, the former No. 1 overall pick was doing 360-degree dunks in pregame before sliding back into his street clothes. Coach Willie Green said he was not looking for Williamson to return until the beginning of next season.

The New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night in a Western Conference play-in game.

McCollum, Ingram lead Pelicans past Spurs 113-103 in Play-In game

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zNxt0NQXPmKuryAdz89m0?si=1038d121100444fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>&nbsp;or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into our favorite NBA spread bets for Wednesday's Play-In Tournament slate.
Atlanta Hawks (-6) vs. Charlotte Hornets
Betting against Trae Young and the Hawks in this spot is a dangerous game to play, which is why we&rsquo;re wagering on the favorite here. If you haven&rsquo;t been monitoring closely, Young has been putting up monster numbers while keeping Atlanta afloat post-All-Star break.
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&nbsp;
&mdash; Wednesday, April 13th Charlotte Hornets @ Atlanta Hawks</blockquote>

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On the other hand, Charlotte is such a feisty team. The Hornets have shown on multiple occasions that they can hang with anyone when they get hot offensively. Young against LaMelo Ball is going to be such a fun 1-on-1 matchup to follow along with as well. In the end, the postseason experience for Atlanta looms large. Hammer the Hawks in the Play-In as home favorites.
Pick: Hawks -6
Player Props: Trae Young over 30.5 points, Miles Bridges over 21.5 points, Clint Capela over 13.5 rebounds, LaMelo Ball over 8.5 assists
New Orleans Pelicans (-5.5) vs. San Antonio Spurs
Kudos to Pelicans head coach Willie Green, because this reminds me an awful lot of Phoenix&rsquo;s sudden turnaround under Monty Williams. Green learned under Williams for a few seasons, and now those same principles are being applied magnificently in New Orleans. CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram are a dynamite wing duo, but just imagine the possibilities once Zion Williamson eventually returns. If Williamson returns to form, the Pelicans have those same ingredients we&rsquo;ve seen surge with the Suns and Grizzlies.
The Spurs will be a tough out on Wednesday, especially with Dejounte Murray and their versatile two-way wings. However, we feel confident locking in the Pelicans to win and ultimately cover the 5.5-point spread.
Pick: Pelicans -5.5
Player Props: CJ McCollum over 26.5 points, Brandon Ingram over 23.5 points, Jakob Poeltl over 9.5 rebounds, Dejounte Murray over 9.5 assists
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Who are the best bets for tonight's NBA Play-In Tournament games? We've got you covered!

Best Bets: BasketballNews' picks and fantasy advice for 4/13/22

New Orleans first-year coach Willie Green could have been forgiven for wondering what he had gotten himself into early this season.
Star forward Zion Williamson was injured with no clear timeline for recovery, and the Pelicans started 1-12.
Rather than foreshadowing a long year at the bottom of the Western Conference, those setbacks set the stage for New Orleans to exemplify the benefits of patience and perseverance.
Williamson still hasn't played all season, yet the Pelicans have won more games than they've lost since last Thanksgiving. They finished ninth in the Western Conference and will host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in the first postseason game played in New Orleans since 2018.
&ldquo;We definitely have resiliency," Green said. "It&rsquo;s a continuation of trying to build our program, starting with the beginning of this season and how difficult it was to be 1-12, and be at a point where we have this opportunity in front of us.&rdquo;
While Gregg Popovich is in his 26th season as Spurs coach, is the NBA's career leader in coaching victories and has five NBA championships to his name, his road to the 2022 postseason hasn't been much different from Green's.
The Spurs won just four of their first 17 games and were 16 games below .500 after a loss at Charlotte on March 5. Since then, they've gone 10-8 to sneak into the last Western Conference play-in spot as the 10th seed.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re starting to get better and better,&rdquo; said Spurs wing player Devin Vassell, now in his second NBA season. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re growing as a team. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of young players, but we&rsquo;re all developing right now.&rdquo;
Spurs guard Dejounte Murray has made major strides, becoming a first-time All-Star and averaging 21.1 points, 9.2 assists and 8.3 rebounds this season.
Brandon Ingram has been New Orleans' most productive offensive player, averaging 22.7 points, but he has gotten some help since the Pelicans acquired guard CJ McCollum in a multiplayer deal with Portland shortly before the NBA trade deadline in February.
McCollum, averaging 24 points since the trade, wasn't around for New Orleans' early season stumbles, but was well aware of them.
&ldquo;It shows you how they stuck together, how they continued to fight through adversity, how much growth the team has had,&rdquo; McCollum said. "I&rsquo;m happy I could help get us into this position where we have a chance to get some postseason experience.&rdquo;
To make it into the first round of the NBA playoffs, the winner in New Orleans must win again on Friday night, on the road, against the Los Angeles Clippers.
PRODUCTIVE LINEUP
Some recent lineup changes have yielded compelling results for New Orleans.
The 6-foot-11 Jaxson Hayes, drafted eighth overall in 2019, was inserted into the starting lineup at power forward, and McCollum took over at point guard following his trade. When those two have started alongside center Jonas Valanciunas, Ingram and defensive-minded rookie Herb Jones, the Pelicans are 7-3.
That is the likely lineup against San Antonio. Ingram, who missed the last three regular-season games with a sore hamstring, practiced Tuesday and declared himself ready.
While various injuries have limited that lineup's sample size to 10 games, Green said the way that group plays passes the &ldquo;eye test.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It looks right. It feels right,&rdquo; Green said. "The numbers kind of solidify what we&rsquo;re seeing, and we kind of go with that.&rdquo;
PERIMETER IMPROVEMENT
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson set career highs in points (17.0), rebounding (6.1), assists (2.1) and 3-point shooting (40%) in his third NBA season.
Johnson led the Spurs in 3-pointers, going 159 for 399 after making just 73 in his first two seasons.
The long-range scoring "frankly kind of surprised us all,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not what we expected him to improve on to that degree.&rdquo;
ROOKIE TRIO
During the final weeks of the regular season, the Pelicans relied on significant contributions from three rookies.
The 6-8 Jones, a second-round pick out of Alabama, has started much of the season after demonstrating he could defend many opposing teams' top scorers.
First-round pick Trey Murphy III and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado also have emerged during the latter portion of the season.
While Murphy has only scored 10 or more points eight times &mdash; seven of those instances came in the last 16 games, including a high of 32 points.
Alvarado seldom played prior to January, but now has 16 games with two or more steals, including a high of six. He has scored more than 10 points 12 times since Jan. 20, with a high of 23, and routinely plays meaningful minutes in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;You see the strides throughout the year, especially Trey Murphy in these last few games,&rdquo; Ingram said. &ldquo;Jose is getting more confidence shooting the basketball and Herb has been playing like a professional since he&rsquo;s been here.&rdquo;
CLOSING TIME
The Spurs say they have become more poised in late-game situations. They blew numerous fourth-quarter leads early this season, but have closed out some critical wins in recent weeks, including a 107-103 victory on March 23 in New Orleans.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s something I&rsquo;ve really been saying since Day One: We&rsquo;re young, we&rsquo;re still growing,&rdquo; fourth-year guard Lonnie Walker said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re starting to get used to (close games) and have that type of mindset &mdash; locked in &mdash; those final moments.&rdquo;

To make it into the first round of the NBA playoffs, the winner in New Orleans must win again on Friday night, on the road, in L.A.

Pelicans-Spurs Play-In Tournament matchup a study in resilience

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole each had 18 points and the Golden State Warriors won their fourth straight, beating the San Antonio Spurs 100-94 on Saturday night and strengthen their hopes for a top-three seed. 
Golden State is a game ahead of Dallas in the Western Conference and can secure the third seed with a victory Sunday at New Orleans in the season finale. If the Warriors lose, and the Mavericks beat the Spurs on Sunday, Dallas will finish third after going 3-1 in its season series with Golden State.
San Antonio will finish 10th in the Western Conference and must travel to ninth-seeded New Orleans for the opener of the play-in tournament Wednesday.
Lonnie Walker IV had 24 points to lead the Spurs. Walker was the only San Antonio player in double figures through the first 39 minutes. Tre Jones finished with 15 points, Josh Primo had 14 and Josh Richardson added 10.
After the Spurs pulled within two points with two minutes remaining, Poole made a pair of free throws with 47.9 seconds to put Golden State up 98-94 remaining after Jones missed a running layup.
Andrew Wiggins finished with 15 points and Draymond Green added 12 points and 13 rebounds for Golden State.
The Warriors were without Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Spurs were without their entire starting lineup of Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson, Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell and Doug McDermott. 
Those absences led to a low-scoring affair with the teams combining to score 44 points in the opening quarter. The Spurs scored 36 points in the first quarter of each of their three previous games against the Warriors.
After trailing by as many as 17 points, the Spurs closed to 78-71 on a 3-pointer by Primo as time expired in the third quarter. A 3-pointer by rookie forward Joe Wieskamp and a 15-foot jumper by Primo cut the Warriors’ lead to 86-84 with 6 1/2 minutes remaining.
San Antonio outscored Golden State 17-12 in the opening seven minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Warriors were able to maintain their lead down the stretch with veterans Green and Wiggins leading the way.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State sat Thompson for the fourth straight game as part of the injury management for his right Achilles’ tendon, which he had surgery on in November 2020. Thompson was crisply working out and shooting prior to the game with no discomfort. … Curry remains out with a sprained left foot. The two-time MVP has not played since suffering the injury March 16 against Boston. … 
Spurs: San Antonio honored former owner Red McCombs during the game’s first time out. McCombs was member of the original ownership that bought the ABA’s Dallas Chapparals and brought them to San Antonio in 1973. He sold his interest in the Spurs in 1978 and later owned the Denver Nuggets from 1982 to 1985. McCombs returned to the Spurs in 1988 to become the team’s majority owner at a time when the franchise’s future in San Antonio was in question. … Murray sat out for reconditioning after missing four consecutive games with a non-Covid upper respiratory illness.
UP NEXT
Warriors: At New Orleans on Sunday night.
Spurs: At Dallas on Sunday night.

The Golden State Warriors maintained their hold on the three-seed with a win over San Antonio.

Warriors hold off Spurs and maintain hold on third seed

Anthony Edwards set a career high with 49 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves hung on for a 127-121 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night.
Edwards&rsquo; big output came on 16-of-28 shooting and 6 of 14 from 3-point range. He found multiple ways to score, including a highlight-reel dunk and a game-high 11 free throws.
With the ball in his hands late in the game and a chance at 50 points, Wolves fans rose to their feet as Edwards shot from deep. He missed four times from long range in the final minutes but made two free throws with 9.1 seconds remaining to finish with 49.
Keldon Johnson had 20 points and Devin Vassell scored 18 for San Antonio. Eight players scored in double figures for the Spurs.
It was Edwards who gave the Wolves a spark early, scoring 15 of Minnesota&rsquo;s 30 first-quarter points. But the second-year guard took over in the second half, making big shot after big shot to fend off the Spurs.
Minnesota (46-35) led by 18 in the third quarter but let it slip to seven before Edwards hit another shot from deep to stop a run by San Antonio (34-46). Edwards remained a calming presence as Towns&rsquo; frustration grew in the third and ultimately resulted in a technical foul.
The last time these teams played, Towns set a team record with 60 points. Edwards scored just five in that game.
Edwards connected from deep in the closing seconds of the third, giving Minnesota a 15-point advantage entering the fourth.
Malik Beasley got hot from long range in the third period for Minnesota. Beasley hit three 3-pointers after being held to two points in the first half, helping the Wolves build an 18-point lead.
Minnesota guard D&rsquo;Angelo Russell did not play. Russell was sidelined with bilateral hamstring soreness after scoring 17 points and adding 11 assists in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to Washington.
TIP-INS
Spurs: San Antonio was without leading scorer Dejounte Murray, who missed his fourth straight game with an illness. Murray leads the Spurs with 21.2 points per game.
Timberwolves: Minnesota signed C Greg Monroe for the rest of the season. Monroe has played in 12 games for four NBA teams this season, including three with the Timberwolves in December. He&rsquo;s averaged 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds this season.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday before Sunday&rsquo;s regular-season finale at Dallas.
Timberwolves: Finish the regular season Sunday at home against Chicago.

Anthony Edwards set a career-high with 49 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Edwards scores 49 as Timberwolves hold off Spurs, 127-121

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zNxt0NQXPmKuryAdz89m0?si=1038d121100444fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>&nbsp;or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into our favorite NBA spread bets for Thursday's slate.
Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers (-2)
This is going to be a fun one in Toronto, folks. People continue to sleep on how good the Raptors truly are, especially noticing the late spread flip in favor Philadelphia. In the last 12 hours, the line has moved from Raptors -2 to Sixers -2. With plus money now on the table, hammer the home team here. Pascal Siakam is playing at an All-NBA level, plus Fred VanVleet and Scottie Barnes continue to step when called upon. Toronto pulls off another impressive victory in our forecast.
Pick: Raptors +2
Minnesota Timberwolves (-8) vs. San Antonio Spurs
In terms of stylistic matchups, Minnesota versus San Antonio is always entertaining. The Timberwolves want to run-and-gun with a blistering pace, which the Spurs can keep up with. San Antonio can slow it down as well, playing through their point guard ace in Dejounte Murray. As I mentioned this morning on SportsGrid, this feels like a game where Minnesota comes out and makes a statement.
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&mdash; Thursday, April 07th San Antonio Spurs @ Minnesota Timberwolves</blockquote>

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Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards will be dynamite against the Spurs&rsquo; defense. Hammer an emphatic victory for the Timberwolves by double-digits.
Pick: Timberwolves -8
Denver Nuggets (-4.5) vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Who&rsquo;s ready for another masterpiece performance from Nikola Jokic tonight? The MVP is ready to capture the crown once more, and this feels like thew perfect time to make some jaws drop in Denver. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if Jokic puts up a 30-plus-point triple-double against the Grizzlies, who are already locked into the Western Conference&rsquo;s No. 2 playoff seed. As Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to put up dominant numbers each game, Jokic needs to keep pace in the razor-thin MVP race. Lock-in the Nuggets to pull off the victory as they continue to build rhythm for a potentially deep playoff run.
Pick: Nuggets -4.5
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Who are the best bets for tonight's NBA games? We've got you covered!

Best Bets: BasketballNews' picks against the spread for 4/7/22

Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each scored 20 points to help the San Antonio Spurs beat the Denver Nuggets 116-97 on Tuesday night, securing a spot in the play-in tournament.
Since the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns tonight, the Spurs locked up at least the 10th seed in the Western Conference.
Not that they're really thinking about it. Or at least Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn't.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a game on Thursday and we&rsquo;re going to play that,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;Not worry about anything else. It&rsquo;s not like we&rsquo;re world beaters.&rdquo;
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic had 41 points and 17 rebounds for the Nuggets, who squandered a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win after Minnesota lost to Washington.
"We wasted a golden opportunity,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;I just didn&rsquo;t think we had the requisite focus, determination, urgency, desperation &mdash; whatever adjective you want to use. I just didn&rsquo;t think we had it tonight.&rdquo;
The Spurs had six players score in double figures as they won a regular-season game in Denver for the first time since Jan. 5, 2017. But it wasn't easy even after San Antonio built a lead that stretched to 21 late in the second quarter.
The Nuggets cut it to four early in the fourth, only to see the Spurs go on a 14-2 surge to regain momentum. One of the key plays was when Davon Reed tried to make a behind-the-back pass that was stolen by Tre Jones, who went in for a layup. Jones finished with 14 points and 10 assists.
&ldquo;Every team has nights like that and I think this was one of those for the Nuggets,&rdquo; Popovich said. "Nothing went right for those guys, even to start the game. ... We took advantage of it.
&ldquo;So I think for them it was one of those nights, but I was really happy with our aggressiveness the whole game.&rdquo;
The Nuggets fell to sixth in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Utah and two games in front of the seventh-place Timberwolves. Denver can wrap up a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament with a Minnesota loss or by winning one of its final two remaining home games.
Teams seeded Nos. 7-10 compete in the play-in tournament.
Malone was given a technical in the second quarter for arguing a call with official Tony Brothers.
It came almost a week after Austin Rivers was ejected by Brothers when the guard faked throwing an elbow on Indiana's Lance Stephenson. Malone said Brothers told him it was a malicious act by Rivers.
Jokic later picked up a technical in the second half as well &mdash; not from Brothers.
TIP-INS
Spurs: G Dejounte Murray didn't play due to a respiratory illness. ... It was San Antonio's fifth straight road win. ... Josh Richardson had 18 points and four 3-pointers. Vassell and Richardson were a combined 8 of 11 from 3-point range.
Nuggets: G Jeff Green (personal reasons) was a late scratch. ... Rivers had a basket overturned when officials later determined he stepped out of bounds. ... F Aaron Gordon had 18 points and 13 boards.
STOPPING JOKIC
Asked the best way to contain Jokic, Popovich responded: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think anybody has figured that out. He&rsquo;s a great one.&rdquo;
OFF NIGHT
Jokic finished 18 of 35 from the floor, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range.
Malone had a simple explanation: "That he is fatigued. He&rsquo;s been carrying a team for 80 games, and I can&rsquo;t take him out of the game.&rdquo;
HOME SWEET HOME?
At 22-17, the Nuggets haven&rsquo;t been as dominant at home this season. On the road, though, they&rsquo;ve won a franchise-best 25 games.
&ldquo;Can&rsquo;t explain it. I really can&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Malone said of the struggles at Ball Arena.
MPJ &amp; MURRAY UPDATE
Malone didn&rsquo;t rule out a possible return of forward Michael Porter Jr. (back) and point guard Jamal Murray (knee) at some point.
&ldquo;Yes, you have that in the back of your mind. We could get reinforcements,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;But you also have to help the guys that are ready and available to play.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Spurs: At Minnesota on Thursday.
Nuggets: Host Memphis on Thursday.

The San Antonio Spurs secured a spot in the play-in tournament by beating the Denver Nuggets 116-97 on Tuesday night.

Spurs beat Nuggets, secure a spot in West Play-In Tournament

Just two weeks ago, the San Antonio Spurs were 27-44, two-and-a-half games out of postseason positioning and three games behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference standings.
The Lakers' failures have been the dominant headline of this year's playoff race. However, their epic meltdown is overshadowing a Spurs team that capitalized on an easy stretch of schedule to go 6-1 in the past two weeks and surge to the No. 10 seed.
San Antonio boasts a fifth-ranked offense and defense over that time, according to Cleaning the Glass. Sure, three of the wins have come against the Portland Trail Blazers, and a fourth victory versus the Houston Rockets; however, the Spurs have also downed Golden State and New Orleans &mdash; and even fighting tooth and nail in a one-point loss against second-seeded Memphis is commendable. This roster features just two players over age-26 in Doug McDermott (30) and Josh Richardson (28).&nbsp;
For a team that has appeared well out of contention all season, the Spurs have displayed impressive resilience with this late run.
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Any praise starts with Dejounte Murray, who is simply a full-blown superstar. The 25-year-old kicked his All-Star season up another notch in March, putting up 25.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game with a 57.5% True Shooting percentage. Then, on defense, he led the NBA with 4.7 deflections per game.
Murray averaged 92.6 touches per game last month &mdash; third in the entire NBA &mdash; and sported a 33.5% usage rate, in the 81st percentile among point guards. His assist rate (39.3%) is in the 88th percentile post-February, and it underscores the success Murray is having with tremendous responsibility as an engine.
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Against the Pelicans, Murray racked up 13 assists against 2 turnovers. He often simply made the right pass, and on other plays, he showed off the vision and control that has come to define his methodical tempo.
Murray may be the fulcrum, but he isn't carrying San Antonio. The Spurs missed him for the past two games due to illness, yet still soundly thrashed Portland twice. They beat New Orleans on a night where Murray had those 13 assists but shot 4 of 19 from the field.
Tre Jones subbed into the starting lineup for Murray in those two wins against the Trail Blazers, handing out 16 assists without turning the ball over once. Jones has a scintillating 62.6% True Shooting percentage and a 6.40 assist-to-turnover rate during the seven-game run.
Keldon Johnson has shined as the team's second-leading scorer at 22.0 points per game. He has reasserted himself as a powerful driver while canning 47% of his corner threes over the past seven games. The drive-and-kick game has also shined.
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Johnson is already a reliable driver who continues to improve. Since March 1, his overall turnover rate has dropped to a pristine 7.0%, while his assist totals have gone up. The reads that the 22-year-old has made out of his attacks have been quite impressive.
It feels like the young core is rising collectively on the score sheet. Devin Vassell has knocked down 37.0% of his three-pointers since the All-Star break, showing off the pull-up savvy that made him a 2020 lottery pick. Zach Collins has returned from lengthy injury absences to back up Jakob Poeltl and help San Antonio post the second-highest offensive rebound rate in the NBA over the past seven games.&nbsp;
Even 19-year-old Josh Primo, the youngest player in the NBA, has stepped in as a starter over the past eight games. He hasn't been an efficient offensive contributor, but Primo is still playing 27.2 minutes per game for a Spurs team that is winning when it counts. That's meaningful development.
Seven different Spurs have logged a 15-plus-point outing during the 6-1 run. Five others have scored between 10 and 15 points at least once. Regardless of the context or competition, it's fun to see so many players impacting the point total.
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On defense, San Antonio has arguably played even better, and it starts with Poeltl. The 26-year-old has already faced the most at-rim shots in the league this season and performed admirably. During the recent winning stretch, Poeltl has faced 7.7 shots at the rim per game. Opponents are shooting just 45.7% on those attempts &mdash; the lowest rate against any player facing at least 5 attempts per game in that span.
Overall, the Spurs have held their opponents to just 54.1% shooting at the rim over the past seven games, per Cleaning the Glass, by far the league's lowest rate in that span. Teams have struggled to get out and run on San Antonio, and when stuck in a half-court game, the Spurs have allowed the fifth-fewest points per half-court possession.
In short: It's been a fantastic run, and it's placed all the pressure on the Lakers to change their fate.
L.A. is 4-16 since the All-Star break with the NBA's second-worst defensive rating. The Lakers still have to face Phoenix and Denver, two top-10 offenses on the season, along with the Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers must win at least two games to even have a mathematical chance at the No. 10 seed, and even if they somehow won out, San Antonio would then only need to win two games (the Spurs hold the tiebreaker).
The Spurs have a difficult road ahead against four West playoff teams in the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Warriors and Dallas Mavericks. Does San Antonio's recent hot stretch provide enough momentum to split the schedule? Do the Lakers have anything left in the tank to apply pressure?
Regardless of the outcome, Gregg Popovich and his staff should take pride in how the young Spurs have fought for their spot in the postseason.
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Dejounte Murray has helped lead the young Spurs into the Play-In Tournament picture, and a number of others are contributing as well.

The Lakers might be collapsing, but let's give credit to the Spurs

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Keldon Johnson scored 28 points and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers 113-92 on Sunday night to strengthen their bid for a play-in berth.
Coupled with the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; loss to Denver, San Antonio&rsquo;s magic number for clinching 10th place in the Western Conference is two games. The Spurs (33-45) also hold the tiebreaker over the Lakers (31-47) with a better conference record.
San Antonio won a two-game weekend series with Portland to complete a four-game sweep of the Trail Blazers. It was the sixth win in seven games for the resurgent Spurs.
San Antonio's Zach Collins had 18 points and 13 rebounds for his first career double-double. Tre Jones added 18 points and Keita Bates-Diop 12.
The Blazers struggled to maintain any consistency offensively without Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Eric Bledsoe, Anfernee Simmons and several other injured players.
Keon Johnson and Ben McLemore had 19 points each to lead Portland.
San Antonio was without Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl.
As they did Friday, the Trail Blazers took an early lead as the Spurs struggled to adjust without its missing starters.
Johnson responded with his sixth straight 20-point game.
San Antonio outscored Portland 34-16 in the third quarter to overcome a 13-point deficit.
The Spurs tied the game at 23 on a runner by Josh Richardson off a pair of offensive rebounds and then took the lead on Lonnie Walker IV&rsquo;s 3-pointer.
The Blazers regained the lead in the second quarter, much to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s dismay. The veteran called a timeout with 7 minutes remaining after San Antonio allowed a 3-pointer that put up Portland up 43-37.
The Blazers were 6 for 10 on 3-pointers in the second quarter and shot 52% overall in the period. Portland finished 16 for 44 on 3-pointers and shot 40% overall.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Portland has lost four straight to San Antonio. The Trail Blazers' last victory at the AT&amp;T Center was May 8, 2021. ... Portland is 27-51, its first 50-loss season since going 32-50 in 2007. ... Rookie F Greg Brown III was assessed a clear path foul with 11:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. After committing a turnover, Brown began attempting to wrap up Tre Jones near midcourt on a fast break. ... G Kris Dunn received a flagrant foul 1 after hitting Johnson in the head on a layup attempt with 8 minutes remaining in the fourth. Initially ruled a common foul, the penalty was changed after video review. Johnson had to reinsert a contact lens before shooting free throws.
Spurs: San Antonio star Manu Ginobili received a standing ovation after the Spurs honored the Argentinian for his selection to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Spurs showed a video of Ginobili receiving a call from Hall of Fame president John Doleva informing him of the selection. San Antonio then cut to a live shot of Ginobili, who was in attendance &mdash; which drew another huge roar and standing ovation. ... Murray and Poeltl were both late scratches from the starting lineup. Murray is still battling a non-COVID upper respiratory illness. Poeltl has a back injury. ... Collins was a rebound shy of completing his first career double-double on Friday. ... C Jock Landale did not return after spraining his right foot 30 seconds into the second quarter. After writhing in pain on the court for about a minute, Landale walked back to the locker room unassisted. ... Romeo Langford played for the first time since March 7 after missing 12 straight games due to an injured hamstring.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: At Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
Spurs: At Denver on Tuesday night.

Keldon Johnson led the San Antonio Spurs with 28 points in their play-in strengthening win against the Trail Blazers.

Spurs top short-handed Blazers to strengthen play-in hopes

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Tyus Jones scored 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies edged the San Antonio Spurs 112-111 on Wednesday night to capture the Southwest Division title and clinch the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies claimed their first division title in franchise history and accomplished the feat with All-Star point guard Ja Morant watching from the sidelines.
&ldquo;Definitely a big milestone,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;I told the group, a special accomplishment for a special group, but we&rsquo;ve got more work to do.&rdquo;
Memphis never trailed, even as Morant missed his sixth straight game with a sore right knee. The Grizzlies improved to 19-2 without Morant this season.
&ldquo;A gutsy win,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;Those are the wins that show you it&rsquo;s not always going to be a pretty game. It&rsquo;s not always going to be every shot falling and we win by 20. Sometimes you&rsquo;re going to have to grind it out and go win a game down the stretch on the offensive end or maybe the defensive end. We need those games down the stretch here.&rdquo;
The loss halted San Antonio&rsquo;s four-game winning streak, the Spurs&rsquo; longest of the season. They dropped a half-game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for 10th in the West and the final berth in the play-in tournament.
San Antonio closed within a point, at 112-111, on a tip-in by Keldon Johnson with 27.8 seconds remaining. Following a miss by the Grizzlies&rsquo; Desmond Bane, Johnson missed a layup contested by Bane with 2.7 seconds remaining.
&ldquo;What a brilliant (play call),&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;They probably knew that we were going to switch before. They got exactly what they wanted, a shot right at the rim. It just didn&rsquo;t go in.&rdquo;
Jenkins said it was &ldquo;stressful&rdquo; matching basketball wits with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who he considers a mentor. Jenkins spent six seasons with the Spurs, including head coach of their G League affiliate.
Memphis withstood San Antonio with a balanced effort, as it has done for much of the season.
The Grizzlies had five players score in double figures and shot 48% (44 for 91). Dillon Brooks scored 21 points and Bane and De&rsquo;Anthony Melton each added 16.
Dejounte Murray had 33 points, matching the career-high he set Monday in Houston, and added 13 rebounds. Johnson scored 23 points.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Murray and Lonnie Walker IV and a video review that disallowed a basket by Jarren Jackson Jr. cut Memphis&rsquo; lead to 93-86 entering the fourth, the first time San Antonio was within single digits in the second half. The Spurs scored the first five points of the fourth, pulling within 93-91 and setting up the tense final seconds.
&ldquo;I was really proud of them,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;But I am proud of them, it was great. Good stuff. Great growing experience for them against a hell of a team. Like I said before, Taylor and his staff have done a fantastic job. That team competes hard, they execute really well, maybe better than most anybody in the league, so that is a fine performance for us tonight."
Jackson scored the game&rsquo;s first five points, including his only 3-pointer. The Grizzlies and Spurs were a combined 10 for 23 on 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
GO DUKE!
With Memphis having the weekend off, Jones is considering traveling to New Orleans on Saturday to see Duke play North Carolina in the Final Four.
Jones played for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski, who is retiring at the close of the tournament after 41 seasons as the team&rsquo;s head coach.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not nervous, I&rsquo;m excited. I&rsquo;m excited,&rdquo; Jones said.
The fact that Duke is facing rival North Carolina for the first time in the NCAA Tournament only makes this moment more meaningful for Jones and the Blue Devils.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of fate that the first time ever playing UNC would be in his last year in the Final Four with the chance to go to the championship game,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;Everything lines up. I&rsquo;m excited for him.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Morant was shooting 3-pointers minutes before pregame warmups after his teammates had left the court. Morant didn&rsquo;t show any signs of discomfort during his workout. He was bounding around the court as he attempted numerous half-court and three-quarter court shots before sprinting off the court. &hellip; Jackson played 25 minutes after being a game-time decision because of a sore right thigh. &hellip; Jones injured his left hand in the first half after the ball bounced back and jammed his fingers. He returned in the third quarter with his middle and ring finger taped together. &hellip; Memphis&rsquo; bench averages a league high 98.5 minutes per game.
Spurs: San Antonio has lost six straight to Memphis and five straight at home. The Spurs last home victory against the Grizzlies was Jan. 5, 2019, and their last win overall as Dec. 23, 2020. &hellip; Walker had six points and played 14 minutes in his return from a four-game absence. Walker injured his back March 18 after a blind screen from Willy Hernangomez on March 18.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host Phoenix on Friday night.
Spurs: Host Portland on Friday night.
&nbsp;

Tyus Jones scored 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies edged the San Antonio Spurs 112-111 to capture the Southwest Division title.

Grizzlies edge Spurs 112-111, clinch No. 2 seed in West

Here&rsquo;s a short list of NBA players who were born since the last time a guard won Defensive Player of the Year: Devin Booker, Dejounte Murray, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo and Brandon Ingram. Hold that thought &mdash; you can bet your life savings we&rsquo;ll get back to it.
We can do the heavy analytical dissection, but if we&rsquo;re being honest, advanced metrics haven&rsquo;t appropriately caught up to or captured how we watch defense, specifically on the perimeter.
This isn&rsquo;t going to be anti-film or anti-analytics; it's just that, sometimes, you gotta throw that sh** out the window and just make your points. You should still sound reasonable and informative while doing it &mdash; not just hot-taking for the sake of it &mdash; but even Kevin Durant famously said, &ldquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/kdtrey5/status/1184140634208329728?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Who the f*** wants to look at graphs while having a hoops convo?</a>&rdquo; While many of you might not agree, there&rsquo;s at least a time and place to put this into practice. Now&rsquo;s that time.
The Boston Celtics were 25-25 on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 29. It was the day Marc Gasol turned 37, the day <a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter-noreaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a number of us experienced a Nor&rsquo;easter</a> and the day the C's beat the New Orleans Pelicans 107-97. Boston got a combined 69 points from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Some would call it a nice win.
But that day also marked the beginning of what is now a two-month Celtics run of Oscar-smacking the piss out of teams, riding a record of 47-29 ahead of their showing Wednesday night against the Miami Heat &mdash; another Eastern Conference contender.
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Oh yeah, we generally weren&rsquo;t calling Boston a contender two months ago &mdash; some weren&rsquo;t positive the team would totally avoid the Play-In Tournament. If you&rsquo;re keeping score at home, the Celtics have won 22 of their last 26, holding opponents under 100 points (in this NBA) 12 times &mdash; almost half of the time &mdash; and winning 15 of those games by 10 or more points.
The Celtics, right now, have the league&rsquo;s best defense. They&rsquo;ll experience some drop-off with Robert Williams out due to a torn meniscus, and even if we do see him again this season, he&rsquo;ll likely be less than 100%. That&rsquo;s unfortunate, but Boston should still be elite on that end, especially on the perimeter.
In 2022, we&rsquo;d like to think we&rsquo;re too sophisticated to use opposing points per game, but it bares mentioning that the C&rsquo;s are first in the league, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2022_games.html">allowing just 104.0 points per game</a>. <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/defense/?sort=DEF_RATING&amp;dir=-1">They&rsquo;re also first in Defensive Rating at 105.9</a>.
Basic stuff, right? Yeah, I know. But if you keep going through defensive metrics, you&rsquo;ll find the Celtics at or near the top of many key statistics.
Now, go and look at Marcus Smart&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/smartma01.html">Basketball-Reference page</a>, and we&rsquo;ll be here when you get back...
Did you know Smart has only been on an All-Defensive Team twice in his eight-year career? Surely, we can expect a third appearance this season, but still... that&rsquo;s it? (Note: Yes, this is also a case for three All-Defensive Teams for those of us who value that 50% of the game.)
When were those two All-Defensive years? The 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, where Smart cracked the First Team in back-to-back campaigns. We&rsquo;ve lauded his defense for years, and rightfully so. He&rsquo;s one of the best perimeter defenders you may have ever seen &mdash; definitely over the last 10 years. Advanced numbers don&rsquo;t always benefit perimeter defenders; in fact, they favor bigs all the time.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🗣 Marcus Smart is the DPOY <a href="https://t.co/XVJFmYKbn2">pic.twitter.com/XVJFmYKbn2</a>
&mdash; Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) <a href="https://twitter.com/StoolGreenie/status/1508617595179585537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Smart&rsquo;s been amazing on defense this year. He&rsquo;s been as good as anyone on the perimeter, but even so, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_leaders.html">he&rsquo;s only 20th in DRTG</a>, per Basketball-Reference. Wanna guess the positional breakdown of the 19 ahead of him?
There are nine centers, and six guys who play power forward. All but one, Jae Crowder, are considered bigs. Only three are considered guards: Chris Paul, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Luka Dončić. Would you say any of them, as good as they&rsquo;ve been, have been better than Smart defensively this year with a straight face?
(By the way, Smart is fourth on his own freaking team behind Williams [first], Al Horford [fourth] and Tatum [15th] somehow.)
Smart&rsquo;s tied for 11th in Defensive Box Plus-Minus. Wanna play the positional breakdown game again? No need. Only one guard is ahead of him, and that&rsquo;s Paul, who&rsquo;s on the best team in the league &mdash; the rest all play the 3, 4 or 5&mdash; especially the latter two.
Defensive Win Shares? Smart&rsquo;s 12th. Wanna do it again? All bigs except for Dončić and his teammate Tatum, who actually leads the league.
This isn&rsquo;t to say that these metrics (and ones that are alike) have been the only thing to influence voting throughout the DPOY award&rsquo;s history, but the award itself basically crowns whoever voters think is the best defensive big man. Sometimes you can crunch numbers, other times you can compare charts, but all in all, you still need to watch the m*****f*****. From there, it&rsquo;d be nice to recondition your thinking so we don&rsquo;t wind up in the same place all the time.
No guard has won DPOY since 1995-96, and that was Gary Payton &mdash; one of the best to ever do it. The most recent guard before Payton was Michael Jordan in 1988. That&rsquo;s two guards that have won DPOY since Mike Conley was born, and he&rsquo;ll turn 35 in October.
We don&rsquo;t even need to do the positional breakdown. We can do it like this: the last non-big to win DPOY was Kawhi Leonard in 2016 &mdash; the second season of back-to-back award wins. The last non-big before him? Ron Artest in 2004. And before that? Payton in &rsquo;96, then Jordan in &rsquo;88.
That&rsquo;s five DPOY Awards to non-bigs over the last 34 seasons, not including this year, where I&rsquo;m bracing for the voters to give it to Rudy Gobert a fourth time.
Smart&rsquo;s awesome, but even just on principle, just give the award to a (insert expletive here) guard. This is a guard- and wing-driven league offensively and Smart defends all those dudes, putting the clamps on several &mdash; and he's done this since being drafted in 2014. He&rsquo;s the best perimeter defender &mdash; arguably best, period &mdash; on the league&rsquo;s best defensive team. As the longest-tenured Celtic since 2017, this team has taken on his identity. Without Smart &mdash; even with Williams, Tatum, Brown, Horford and Derrick White &mdash; the Celtics wouldn&rsquo;t be this. His point-of-attack defense, switchability and leadership are immeasurable.
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And to the voters &mdash; y&rsquo;all are media members, many of whom grew up admiring the Celtics (let&rsquo;s keep it real, it&rsquo;s why we haven&rsquo;t stopped hearing about this run since it began) &mdash; so you know Smart&rsquo;s been as good as anyone. And if you&rsquo;re not going to give it to Mikal Bridges for his awesome work defensively on the NBA&rsquo;s best team, or Bam Adebayo for being the most versatile clamper in the league (<a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1503811583067271176" target="_blank" rel="noopener">games missed don&rsquo;t matter</a>), then give it to Smart.
He&rsquo;s earning it, he&rsquo;s deserving of it, and y&rsquo;all just need to do something different.
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Bryan Fonseca shares the history of the NBA DPOY award in reference to guards and believes Marcus Smart should win it.

Give Marcus Smart the damn Defensive Player of the Year award

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Dejounte Murray could feel his annoyance building as San Antonio coaches repeatedly went back over video of the Spurs' blowout loss to New Orleans in the previous meeting between the two Western Conference play-in hopefuls.
Apparently, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the NBA's all-time leader in coaching victories, knows something about using bad memories to inspire better performances.
Murray had 15 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, Keldon Johnson punctuated his 21-point night with a breakaway dunk in the final seconds and the Spurs bolstered their postseason hopes with a 107-103 victory over the Pelicans on Saturday night.
&ldquo;Our two meetings today, I kind of was mad that we kept watching the film of that last game because they beat us really bad from tip all the way to the end of the game,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;We all took that personal.&rdquo;
The Pelicans nearly wiped out a 10-point deficit in the final 3:43 and had the ball, down 105-103, in the final seconds. But the Spurs sent multiple perimeter defenders at CJ McCollum, who opted to pass to Jose Alvarado on the left wing. Alvarado, an undrafted rookie who scored a career-high 23 points, missed his final shot for the lead from the 3-point line.
Jock Landale rebounded and got to the ball to Murray, who found Johnson with a long cross-court pass for the put-away basket in a victory that pulled San Antonio (30-44) one game behind New Orleans (31-43) for the final Western Conference play-in spot.
Pelicans first-year coach Willie Green said that although Alvarado had &ldquo;a good look&rdquo; at his last shot, the coaching in that situation could have been better.
"In hindsight, that's a situation where I probably need to take a timeout and get us organized," Green continued. &ldquo;That's an area where I probably have to get a little better.&rdquo;
Green also sensed the Spurs were playing with the emotion and purpose of a team seeking redemption.
&ldquo;They remembered what happened the last time we played them and you could see they came out with a different force,&rdquo; Green said, calling the Spurs' 16 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points &ldquo;the biggest factor&rdquo; in the game.
&ldquo;Normally teams don't rebound the ball like that against us,&rdquo; Green added. &ldquo;It sort of negates what we do well.&rdquo;
Josh Richardson scored 18 points for the Spurs, who trailed 92-90 with less than nine minutes to play before stringing together a pivotal 12-0 run during which Landale scored eight on a pair of 3s and a layup set up by Zach Collins' shot fake and pass from underneath the basket.
&ldquo;We kind of all understood what this game meant to our record and the chase with those guys,&rdquo; Landale said. &ldquo;There was a different level of intensity in the locker room and walking out on the court. ... It was just good to see it all come together down the stretch.&rdquo;
McCollum scored 32 and Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which led most of the first half. The Pelicans were up by as many as 12 when Larry Nance Jr., in his second game back from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, tipped in Devonte' Graham's missed 3 early in the second quarter to make it 34-22.
The Spurs controlled the rest of the quarter, however, thanks in large part to Richardson, who scored 11 of his points in a four-minute span in the middle of the period.
Richardson's three free throws after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt gave the Spurs a 50-46 lead with 4:30 left in the half.
New Orleans rallied to briefly take the lead when Herb Jones' forceful, fast-break two-handed jam and Alvarado's 3 made it 57-54. But Tre Jones' driving layup and Johnson's tip-in in the final seconds gave the Spurs a 58-57 halftime lead.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Jakob Poeltl and Jakob Primo each scored 12 points, while Landale and Collins each scored 10. ... Poeltl grabbed 11 rebounds. ... Made 22 of 25 free throws. ... Outrebounded New Orleans 49-42. ... Small forward Devin Vassell, who averages 11.9 points per game, was held out with a sore right Achilles tendon.
Pelicans: Brandon Ingram, who leads the Pelicans with 22.8 points per game, missed his 10th straight game with a sore hamstring after being listed as questionable coming in. ... Missed six of 19 free throws and missed 22 of 32 3-point shots. ... Pelicans forward Naji Marshall was called for a flagrant foul when his hand caught Collins in the face early in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit Houston on Monday night.
Pelicans: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in the last of three straight at home.

Dejounte Murray had a triple-double as the Spurs bolstered their postseason hopes with a 107-103 win over the Pelicans