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Pacers

The 2024 NBA Free Agency underway. Here's everything you need to know about the makings and the moves around the NBA.

2024 NBA Free Agency Tracker: All the signings and deals in the offseason

Despite missing eight players, the Orlando Magic upset the Denver Nuggets, 122-120, on Friday night behind Paolo Banchero's first career triple-double.
Fresh off scoring a career-high 43 points in a double-overtime loss against the Sacramento Kings, Banchero poured in 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for Orlando. The 21-year-old is the youngest player in Magic history to record a triple-double.
Banchero attempted a career-high 19 free-throw attempts, making 15 of them &mdash; including four free throws late in the game to seal the win for Orlando.
&ldquo;Coming into the game, we had eight guys out, so we had to have a next-man-up mentality," said the reigning Rookie of the Year and No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. "I can't be prouder of the team; that was a hell of a win."
Orlando came into the game with only nine players available, and then rookie Anthony Black left the game after just five minutes due to illness. The Magic played with just eight players the rest of the way. 
Franz Wagner (right ankle), Wendell Carter Jr. (right knee), Markelle Fultz (left knee), Gary Harris (right calf), Joe Ingles (left ankle), Jonathan Isaac (right hamstring) and Goga Bitadze (illness) were among the players who were sidelined.
Fortunately for the Magic, they made up for their lack of depth with hot shooting, making 17 three-pointers against Denver (led by Jalen Suggs&rsquo; career-high 7 threes). Orlando also shot a franchise-record 25 threes two nights ago in Sacramento.
Suggs and Cole Anthony combined for 50 points, while Mo Wagner added 19 to reinforce Banchero.
The Magic, who have now beaten the Nuggets twice this season to sweep the season series, move to 20-15 after going just 4-6 over their last 10 games and 6-9 over their last 15. Orlando is currently the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Nikola Jokic was splendid again from the field, scoring 29 points on 68% shooting, but it wasn't enough to lead Denver to victory a night after <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nuggets-nikola-jokic-hits-gamewinner-near-halfcourt-to-beat-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banking in a 39-foot heave</a> to bury the Golden State Warriors.&nbsp;

Paolo Banchero recorded his first career triple-double to lead his short-handed Magic to an upset win over the Nuggets, 122-120.

Shorthanded Magic beat Nuggets behind Banchero’s first triple-double

NBA free agency has died down and the 2023-24 NBA season is nearly three months away. This is why August is known as the dog days of the NBA calendar.
However, NBA fans will be able to watch some of their favorite players in action very soon, as the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup tips off tomorrow.
From Nov. 2021 through Feb. 2023, 80 countries battled for a spot in the World Cup but only 32 national teams qualified. There are a ton of NBA players participating, as Team USA has a talented young roster and they'll be facing stars such as Luka Doncic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lauri Markkanen and Rudy Gobert.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
WHEN IS IT?
World Cup games will be played Aug. 25 through Sept. 10. There have been a number of warm-up games in recent weeks, but the real action tips off tomorrow.
First Round (Group Phase): Aug. 25-30 Second Round (Group Phase): Aug. 31 - Sept. 4 Quarterfinals: Sept. 5-6 Semifinals: Sept. 8 Final: Sept. 10 Third-Place Game: Sept. 10
The <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full schedule of games can be found here</a>.
WHERE IS IT?&nbsp;
For the first time ever, the FIBA Basketball World Cup will feature three host countries: the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
WHICH COUNTRIES QUALIFIED?
These are the 32 countries that will be participating in the 2023 FIBA World Cup: Angola, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, New Zealand, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Slovenia, South Sudan, Spain, United States and Venezuela.
These are the groups for the first round:
Group A:&nbsp;Angola, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Italy
Group B:&nbsp;&nbsp;South Sudan, Serbia, China, Puerto Rico
(Groups A and B will play their games at Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines)
Group C:&nbsp;Team USA, Jordan, Greece, New Zealand
Group D:&nbsp;Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Lithuania
(Groups C and D will play their games at Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines)
Group E:&nbsp;Germany, Finland, Australia, Japan
Group F:&nbsp;Slovenia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Venezuela
(Groups E and F will play their games at Okinawa Arena in Japan)
Group G:&nbsp;Iran, Spain, Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire, Brazil
Group H:&nbsp;Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, France
(Groups G and H will play their games at Jakarta Arena in Indonesia)
WHICH NBA PLAYERS ARE COMPETING?
There are quite a few NBA players participating in this tournament. The <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/fiba-world-cup-roster-tracker-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full list can be found here</a>, but below are the national teams that feature notable NBA players:
Group A
Dominican Republic: Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lester Quinones (Golden State Warriors)
Philippines: Jordan Clarkson&nbsp;(Utah Jazz)
Group B
China: Kyle Anderson&nbsp;(Minnesota Timberwolves)
Serbia: Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks), Aleksej Pokusevski (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat)
Group C
Greece: Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
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United States: Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers)

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Group D
Lithuania: Jonas Valanciunas (New Orleans Pelicans)
Montenegro: Nikola Vucevic (Chicago Bulls)
Group E
Australia: Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), Patty Mills (Atlanta Hawks), Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers) Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks), Joe Ingles (Orlando Magic), Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans), Dante Exum (Dallas Mavericks), Jock Landale (Houston Rockets), Xavier Cooks (Washington Wizards)
Finland: Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
Germany: Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic), Dennis Schroder (Toronto Raptors), Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic), Daniel Theis (Indiana Pacers),&nbsp;
Japan: Yuta Watanabe (Phoenix Suns)
Group F
Georgia: Goga Bitadze (Orlando Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (San Antonio Spurs)
Slovenia: Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
Group G
Brazil: Raul Neto (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Spain: Santi Aldama (Memphis Grizzlies), Usman Garuba (Atlanta Hawks)
Group H
Canada: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), R.J. Barrett (New York Knicks), Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets), Lu Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks)
France: Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Evan Fournier (New York Knicks), Frank Ntilikina (Charlotte Hornets)
Latvia: Davis Bertans (Oklahoma City Thunder)
HOW TO WATCH
FIBA recently announced that all 92 World Cup games will be available across ESPN's platforms. Six games will air on ESPN2 (including Team USA's three first-round games), while the other 86 games will be available on ESPN+.
FIBA&rsquo;s official streaming service, <a href="https://www.courtside1891.basketball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courtside 1891</a>, will also air the games live and on-demand. If you're interested in Courtside 1891, FIBA is offering our readers 20% off their World Cup bundle. Follow the instructions below if you'd like to use the 20% discount:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li><a href="https://www.courtside1891.basketball/choose-a-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click this link</a> and you&rsquo;ll get a prompt to register</li>
<li>You&rsquo;ll then be redirected to the choose-a-package page</li>
<li>Select the &lsquo;Max &ndash; World Cup Bundle&rsquo;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Use the discount code FIBAWCAK to get 20% off</li>
</ul>
Enjoy the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and hopefully the dog days of summer will fly by quickly!

The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup tips off tomorrow. Here's everything you need to know about the tournament.

Everything you need to know about the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; The Brooklyn Nets made sure a season that started turbulently will end in the playoffs.
Not only that, they did it with a better record and seeding than last season, even after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;This group just endured,&rdquo; coach Jacque Vaughn said. &ldquo;I mean, we chose to be courageous over comfort many times and that&rsquo;s hard to do in this league.&rdquo;
Mikal Bridges scored 22 points and the Nets, shortly after clinching the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, beat the Orlando Magic 101-84 on Friday night.
The Nets no longer needed the victory by the time the game was over, having wrapped up a playoff spot when Miami lost at Washington while their game was in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn earned the final guaranteed spot in the East and will face the No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
First, those teams meet on Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn for what is now a meaningless regular-season finale.
The Nets lost their star power when they dealt Durant and Irving in February. But the players they brought back have recent postseason success, with Bridges and Cam Johnson playing for Phoenix in the 2021 NBA Finals, and Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith helping Dallas reach the West finals last year.
&ldquo;Now again, we have to come together, new system, new city, all of the other stuff, so it&rsquo;s not going to be an easy task by any stretch and they have the probable MVP (Joel Embiid),&rdquo; Dinwiddie said of the 76ers. &rdquo;So again, like I said, there&rsquo;s an appropriate respect, give Philly their credit, but at the same time we do feel like we belong in that arena.&rdquo;
Bridges was 1 for 12 from 3-point range and fellow starting guard Dinwiddie was 0 for 6 on a night both teams were miserable behind the arc. But Johnson scored 18 points, Nic Claxton finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Dinwiddie had 14 assists and seven rebounds.
The Nets replaced coach Steve Nash with Vaughn after starting 1-5, traded Durant and Irving within days of each other and got a disappointing, injury-shortened season out of Ben Simmons.
Despite all that, Brooklyn fared better than last season. The Nets improved to 45-36 after going 44-38 in 2021-22, when they had to win a play-in game to get the No. 7 seed before being swept by Boston in the first round.
Cole Anthony had 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Magic. Goga Bitadze added 12 points and 15 rebounds.
After being eliminated from contention for a play-in spot Tuesday with a loss to Cleveland in the opener of a two-game series, the Magic sat all of their starters while losing the second game Thursday. They kept No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero out again Friday but started regulars Franz Wagner and Markelle Fultz.
The Nets blew it open in the second quarter, with an 11-0 spurt to open the period pushing a four-point lead to 38-23. It grew to 46-28 when Seth Curry made his second four-point play of the period &mdash; giving him eight points on just two field goals &mdash; and would reach 24 before the Nets took a 58-39 lead to the break.
&ldquo;When they broke that lead open, it was a lot of turnovers and a lot of fouls,&rdquo; coach Jamahl Mosley said. &ldquo;So I think the more we can focus on being able to take care of the basketball and defend without fouling, those will continue to be our keys.&rdquo;
It was 78-62 entering the fourth, matching the fewest points the Nets allowed through three quarters this season.
Brooklyn was 9 for 42 (21.4%) on 3s and Orlando finished 7 for 38 (18.4%).
TIP-INS
Magic: Wagner scored 12 points. ... Orlando has lost 15 of its last 19 games in Brooklyn.
Nets: Curry scored 13 points. ... The Nets converted the deal for guard David Duke Jr. into a standard NBA contract. Terms were not released. He has appeared in 22 games off the bench for Brooklyn this season . ... The Nets finished 16-2 against the Southeast Division.
GOOD FRIDAY
The Nets finished 12-2 on Friday, the best record in the NBA on that day.
UP NEXT
Magic: At Miami on Sunday.
Nets: Host Philadelphia on Sunday.

Mikal Bridges scored 22 points and the Nets, shortly after clinching the No. 6 seed, beat the Orlando Magic 101-84 on Friday night.

Nets beat Magic 101-84, will be No. 6 seed in East playoffs

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Myles Turner scored 24 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 15 points and 14 assists and the Indiana Pacers ran away from the Orlando Magic in the second half for a 121-108 victory on Saturday night.
Indiana shot 59% in the second half and won for only the fourth time in 21 games.
&ldquo;That was one of the better games we&rsquo;ve played in a while, on the road,&rdquo; coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve played some good home games, but it&rsquo;s been a while (more than two months) since we&rsquo;ve won on the road.&rdquo;
Bennedict Mathurin scored 19 points and Jordan Nwora had 18 for the Pacers, while Jalen Smith added seven rebounds and five blocks.
&ldquo;Jalen Smith and Nwora really were exceptional off the bench,&rdquo; Carlisle said.
Franz Wagner led Orlando with 21 points. Paolo Banchero scored 19 points and Markelle Fultz 18. The Magic struggled with their shooting, going 6 for 29 from 3-point range and finished the game at 38.9% overall.
Both teams shot below 40% in the first half, while the Pacers blocked nine shots, including four by Smith.
Andrew Nembhard, Buddy Hield and Haliburton hit 3-pointers in a 17-2 run to open the second half that put Indiana up by 68-54.
&ldquo;We knew we were due for a big quarter there,&rdquo; Haliburton said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if the first half was as much them doing a good job on us defensively or us not playing our brand of basketball. But we were able to do that in the third and that was big for us.&rdquo;
Mathurin, Nwora and T.J. Connell sparked another rally that stretched the lead to 19 points with 7:51 left in the game, and a 3-pointer by Mathurn pushed the Pacers&rsquo; lead to 21, their largest of the game.
&ldquo;Our second unit really helped us today,&rdquo; Haliburton said. &ldquo;They have been struggling of late, just getting comfortable playing with each other. I thought they were really good today.&rdquo;
The Magic, who are just behind the Pacers in the conference playoff race, never recovered from the start of the second half.
&ldquo;I think something happened that we can&rsquo;t let happen,&rdquo; Wagner said. &ldquo;After a couple of shots being missed or us not getting what we wanted, we let it affect how we played on the other end. That&rsquo;s when they made that run.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Pacers: Indiana&rsquo;s last road win was Dec. 23 at Miami. . . . The Pacers had 34 assists on 48 field goals. . . . Turner, who tied his career high with 40 points against Boston on Thursday night, had only two points until hitting a 10-footer with 3:24 left in the first half. ... Nwora finished the game with a plus-minus of 17.
Magic: F Jonathan Isaac, who played a season-high 16 1/2 minutes Thursday night, was held out of the game due to &ldquo;injury recovery management.&rdquo; ... Newly acquired C Goga Bitadze had six points and four rebounds in his first minutes with Orlando after Wendell Carter Jr. left the game with three fouls in the first quarter. . . . Carter shot 1 for 11 while taking down a game-high 11 rebounds in 18 minutes. . . . Gary Harris opened the game&rsquo;s scoring with a 3-pointer, but never made another shot in eight filed goal attempts.
UP NEXT
Pacers: At Dallas on Tuesday.
Magic: At New Orleans on Monday.

Myles Turner scored 24 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 15 points and 14 assists and the Pacers beat the Magic 121-108 on Saturday.

Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton help Pacers beat Magic 121-108

This marks the first time that NBA opening-night rosters have at least 120 international players in consecutive seasons

NBA features 120 international players from 40 countries, 6 continents

Nekias Duncan thoroughly breaks down all five teams in the Central Division ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Central Division

MILAN (AP) &mdash; The stars showed up at EuroBasket on Tuesday in a big way.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 41 points in 27 minutes for Greece, Luka Doncic had 36 points for Slovenia and two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 29 points for Serbia &mdash; three of the world&rsquo;s best players all leading their teams to big group-stage wins at the European championships.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ain&rsquo;t nothing but a little Luka Magic 🪄 36 PTS 10 REB 4 AST<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a><a href="https://t.co/hIo3xZOABm">pic.twitter.com/hIo3xZOABm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1567255650132004865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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There&rsquo;s one more group-stage game left for each to play, and then a trip to Berlin awaits since Greece, Slovenia and Serbia have all clinched spots in the 16-team knockout round that begins Saturday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Nikola Jokic had himself a night at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a>. 🃏👀 29 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST<a href="https://t.co/yqgLLMI2AS">pic.twitter.com/yqgLLMI2AS</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1567261660729032706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s point total was the most in a EuroBasket game since Dirk Nowitzki had 43 for Germany in 2001. And when he heard that stat, all Antetokounmpo did was nod.
&ldquo;I try not to rate my performance,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;I just try to go out there and have fun as much as possible, try to focus as much as I can on what I can control, try to bring energy any way possible. ... But I&rsquo;ll say this: I think this is one of the years where I feel very, very excited to go out there on the court and play with my teammates.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Giannis went OFF today in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a>. 41 PTS 9 REB 72% FGM On fire. 🔥<a href="https://t.co/XRF620yKBK">pic.twitter.com/XRF620yKBK</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1567208097826963458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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As Antetokounmpo did, Doncic also deflected credit after the game. Told that Germany&rsquo;s postgame reaction was &ldquo;Luka Doncic happened,&rdquo; Doncic replied by saying &ldquo;Slovenia happened.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The whole team was ready,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;Everybody who stepped on the court was fighting, whether they played one minute or 30. I&rsquo;m really proud of this team.&rdquo;
Doncic was asked after the game if he or Antetokounmpo was in a better position to break the EuroBasket single-game scoring record.
Doncic didn&rsquo;t hesitate with his answer: He picked Antetokounmpo.
&ldquo;I would bet on Giannis,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;Why? Because he&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo.&rdquo;
GROUP C
GREECE 99, UKRAINE 79
At Milan, Antetokounmpo simply overpowered Ukraine and ensured that Greece would finish atop its group.
Antetokounmpo &mdash; who got Monday off to rest &mdash; had his 41 points and nine rebounds in just 27 minutes to lead Greece (4-0).
He was 13 for 18 from the floor, 15 for 18 from the foul line.
&ldquo;It was very easy to prepare the team because it is absolutely clear what Greece does when Giannis is out there,&rdquo; Ukraine coach Ainars Bagatskis said. &ldquo;They play really aggressive basketball. And if you don&rsquo;t put against them the same aggressiveness, even higher aggressiveness, then you have big problems.&rdquo;
Nick Calathes and Tyler Dorsey had 13 apiece for Greece.
Issuf Sanon and Svi Mykhailiuk each scored 16 for Ukraine (3-1), while Alex Len and Illya Sydorov added 10 apiece. Ukraine led by seven at the half, before Greece won the third quarter 32-11.
ESTONIA 94, GREAT BRITAIN 62
Henri Drell scored 20 points, Siim-Sander Vene added 18 and Estonia had no trouble on the way to its first win of the tournament.
Maik-Kalev Kotsar scored 15, Kristjan Kitsing added 14 and Janari Joesaar finished with 11 for Estonia (1-3).
Myles Hesson scored 14 for Great Britain (0-4), with Carl Wheatie and Patrick Whelan each scoring 12.
ITALY 81, CROATIA 76
Simone Fontecchio and Nicolo Melli each scored 19 points to lead Italy (2-2).
Bojan Bogdanovic led Croatia (2-2) with 27 points, while Ivica Zubac scored 13 and Dario Saric added 10.
Both teams are headed to the knockout round.
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GROUP B
SLOVENIA 88, GERMANY 80
At Cologne, Germany, Doncic&rsquo;s 36 points came with him making 14 of 25 shots. He also had 10 rebounds for Slovenia (3-1).
Goran Dragic scored 18 points and Mike Tobey added 10 for Slovenia.
&ldquo;We showed what we are made of,&rdquo; Dragic said.
Dennis Schroder scored 19 points, Andreas Obst had 14 and Maodo Lo added 13 for Germany (3-1).
LITHUANIA 87, HUNGARY 64
Lithuanian basketball is known for a lot of things, including passionate fans.
They go everywhere to cheer for their national team. And Tuesday, they even cheered for France &mdash; for good reason.
Lithuania topped Hungary and that, combined with France&rsquo;s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, means the last qualifying spot out of Group B is still unclaimed. It&rsquo;ll be decided Wednesday when Lithuania plays Bosnia and Herzegovina, the winner moving on to Berlin and a round-of-16 game, the loser heading home eliminated.
&ldquo;Lithuanian fans are the best,&rdquo; France guard Evan Fournier said.
If France had lost Tuesday, Lithuania would have been eliminated. Instead, those Lithuanian fans serenaded the French with cries of &ldquo;Merci!&rdquo; for keeping their national team&rsquo;s hopes alive.
&ldquo;It feels amazing,&rdquo; Lithuania forward Domatas Sabonis said. &ldquo;They travel to every championship to support us. It&rsquo;s sad we couldn&rsquo;t give them a win over the weekend, but we&rsquo;re glad we could give them one today and the goal is to give them another one tomorrow.&rdquo;
Jonas Valanciunas scored 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting and Sabonis added 19 for Lithuania (1-3).
Marius Grigonis had 15 points and Rokas Jokubaitis added 10 for Lithuania. Zoltan Perl scored 16 for Hungary (0-4), while David Vojvoda and Rosco Allen each finished with 10.
FRANCE 81, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 68
Thomas Heurtel&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 5:49 left put France ahead to stay and started a game-ending 22-7 run for the winners, who were already assured of a spot in the round of 16.
Guerschon Yabusele scored 15 for France (3-1), while Heurtel and Fournier each had 14 and Rudy Gobert posted an 11-point, 12-rebound performance.
Jusuf Nurkic, Miralem Halilovic and Dzanan Musa all had 14 for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-2), while John Roberson had 13 and Edin Atic finished with 10.
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GROUP A
TURKEY 78, BELGIUM 63
At Tbilisi, Georgia, Alperen Sengun scored 24 points, Furkan Korkmaz had 16 and Turkey (3-1) remained tied atop Group A.
Ercan Osmani added 12 for Turkey.
Haris Bratanovic scored 15 for Belgium (2-2) and Hans Vanwijn scored 11.
SPAIN 82, MONTENEGRO 65
Spain (3-1) clinched its berth in the round of 16, with Dario Brizuela leading the way with 18 points.
Willy Hernangomez scored 14 for Spain, while Jaime Pradilla and Lorenzo Brown added 12 apiece.
Vladimir Mihailovic scored 18 for Montenegro (2-2), which got 11 from Marko Simonovic and 10 from Kendrick Perry.
BULGARIA 92, GEORGIA 80
Dee Bost had 33 points and 12 assists, Aleksandar Vezenkov finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds, and Bulgaria kept its hopes alive.
Pavlin Ivanov scored 17 for Bulgaria (1-3).
Goga Bitadze scored 21 for Georgia (1-3), while Thaddus McFadden had 19, Alexander Mamukelashvili scored 13, and Giorgi Shermadini and Duda Sanadze scored 10 apiece.
GROUP D
SERBIA 89, ISRAEL 78
At Prague, Jokic was 11 of 13 from the floor and also grabbed 11 rebounds for Serbia (4-0), while Vasilije Micic added 19.
Nikola Kalinic and Ognjen Jaramaz each scored 10 for Serbia.
Yam Madar scored 20 for Israel (2-2), while Deni Avdija had 14 and Roman Sorkin added 11.
POLAND 75, NETHERLANDS 69
Poland was down by 13 in the third quarter before closing the game on a 39-20 run to tune up for its knockout-stage appearance.
Michal Sokolowski scored 24 for Poland (3-1), which got 16 from Aleksander Balcerowski and 10 from Jakub Garbacz.
Charlon Kloof led the Netherlands (0-4) with 26, and Yannick Franke scored 13.
FINLAND 98, CZECH REPUBLIC 88
Lauri Markkanen continued his strong tournament with 34 points and 10 rebounds, and Finland clinched its berth in the round of 16.
Sasu Salin scored 23 and Petteri Koponen added 14 for Finland, with Elias Valtonen finishing with 11.
Vojtech Hruban scored 22 for the Czech Republic, with Jan Vesely adding 15 and Patrik Auda and Jaromir Bohacik scoring 13 apiece. The Czechs play Israel on Thursday and, according to FIBA, could reach the knockout stage with a win.
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WEDNESDAY&rsquo;S SCHEDULE
First-round play in Groups A and B concludes, with Groups C and D getting the day off before they finish their round-robins on Thursday. Friday is an off day and the knockout round in Berlin starts Saturday.
Group A: Turkey (3-1) vs. Spain (3-1), Bulgaria (1-3) vs. Belgium (2-2), Georgia (1-3) vs. Montenegro (2-2). The Turkey-Spain winner will win the group. Bulgaria and Georgia are in must-win scenarios.
Group B: Lithuania (1-3) vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-2), France (3-1) vs. Slovenia (3-1), Hungary (0-4) vs. Germany (3-1). France, Slovenia (which wins the group with a victory) and Germany have already qualified, Hungary is eliminated and the Lithuania-Bosnia game is the one that matters most.

Antetokounmpo scored 41 points in 27 minutes for Greece, Doncic had 36 points for Slovenia and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic scored 29 points for Serbia.

Stars shine bright: Giannis, Luka, Jokic lead at EuroBasket

FIBA EuroBasket is making a triumphant comeback this week after five years away from competition. Per ESPN, that's the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34457762/eurobasket-2022-scores-schedules-teams-news-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longest gap in the tournament since World War II</a>, so EuroBasket 2022 should turn out to be a remarkable celebration of basketball's growth across Europe.
A&nbsp;lot has changed in five years. Luka Doncic was the "chosen one" of European hoops in 2017 as an 18-year-old suiting up for Slovenia, Giannis Antetokounmpo had just won Most Improved Player with the Milwaukee Bucks and earned his first NBA All-Star appearance, and Nikola Jokic had yet to clear 30 minutes per game in an NBA season.
Today, the three international stars are among the faces of basketball in the NBA and around the world, and the trio will compete in EuroBasket 2022. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as the immese talent slated to participate. We've already gotten a peek of what the action could look like via the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers that have taken place over the past week.
EuroBasket features 24 teams in four groups, with action beginning on Thursday and culminating in a gold-medal showdown on Sept. 18. Here's a rundown of the must-see NBA players (as of last season), international stars and top prospects (under age 23) in each group.
(Note: If a player is listed as "questionable," it is because their playing status is uncertain. Not all EuroBasket rosters have been finalized, so several countries' teams may look slightly different. <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobasket/2022/news/roster-tracker-fiba-eurobasket-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here is a full roster tracker</a>.)
GROUP A: SPAIN, TURKEY, MONTENEGRO, GEORGIA, BELGIUM, BULGARIA
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Alperen Sengun against Serbia: 17 PTS | 13 REB | 2 AST | 2 BLK | 61 TS% Spearheaded the Turkey comeback in the third quarter 🔥<a href="https://t.co/faBFt2SQLe">pic.twitter.com/faBFt2SQLe</a>
&mdash; Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/JTGatlin/status/1563966082322468869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Juan Hernangomez (Spain), Willy Hernangomez (Spain), Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey), Cedi Osman (Turkey), Goga Bitadze (Georgia), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia)
Top International Players: Rudy Fernandez (Spain), Lorenzo Brown (Spain), Shane Larkin (Turkey), Bojan Dubljevic (Montenegro), Retin Obasohan (Belgium), Sasha Vezenkov (Bulgaria)
Notable Prospects: Usman Garuba (Spain), Vrenz Bleijenbergh (Belgium), Alperen Sengun (Turkey), Marko Simonovic (Montenegro)
Spain and Turkey might not have quite the Tier 1 star power of some other countries, but both squads are fun and deep. Fernandez and Brown are stalwarts who have starred on their respective European teams for years. Then for Turkey, Osman and Korkmaz are NBA rotation players boosted by an electric point guard in Larkin.
We'll hopefully get to see the pair of Houston Rockets sophomore talents as well. Sengun impressed with his flashes last season and has already created highlights with Turkey over the summer. Garuba was quieter as a rookie, but has experience on a large Spanish stage with his time playing for Real Madrid.&nbsp;
GROUP B: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, FRANCE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, LITHUANIA, SLOVENIA
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Luka Doncic drops 25 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST in win over Estonian National team 🔥😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/4khnb7BEr3">pic.twitter.com/4khnb7BEr3</a>
&mdash; MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationMffl/status/1562897679155204098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Evan Fournier (France), Rudy Gobert (France), Timoth&eacute; Luwawu-Cabarrot (France), Daniel Theis (Germany), Dennis Schr&ouml;der (Germany), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania), Ignas Brazdeikis (Lithuania), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Goran Dragic (Slovenia), Vlatko Cancar (Slovenia)
Top International Players:&nbsp;Dzanan Musa (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Elie Okobo (France), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Thomas Huertel (France), Vincent Poirier (France)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Th&eacute;o Maledon (France), Franz Wagner (Germany), Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania), Ziga Samar (Slovenia)
Yeah, this group is absolutely loaded. Five of the six rosters could potentially boast multiple players with 2021-22 NBA experience. Slovenia, led by Doncic and Dragic, is considered a favorite to win EuroBasket. But France has a loaded roster (though no Victor Wembanyama), too. They'll be worth checking out additonally because Okobo has been balling in Europe since leaving the NBA.
New York Knicks fans might want to circle Lithuania as the team to watch. They'll receive a nostalgia injection in the forms of Brazdeikis and Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and they'll get a glimpse of the future with Jokubaitis, the team's 2021 draft-and-stash guard. Franz Wagner is one of the best young talents in EuroBasket too, making Germany a team to monitor.
GROUP C: CROATIA, ESTONIA, GREAT BRITAIN, GREECE, ITALY, UKRAINE
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Giannis Antetokounmpo <a href="https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Giannis_An34</a> dropped 26pts 7rebs in the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fibawc</a> Qualifiers win for Greece. Watch all the games of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> Qualifiers on Courtside 1891 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAll</a> <a href="https://t.co/t7JNIYvGgG">pic.twitter.com/t7JNIYvGgG</a>
&mdash; Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) <a href="https://twitter.com/swishcultures_/status/1564222344067010561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia), Dario Saric (Croatia), Ivica Zubac (Croatia),&nbsp;Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Tyler Dorsey (Greece), Simone Fontecchio (Italy), Alex Len (Ukraine), Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine)
Top International Players: Mario Hezonja (Croatia), Sacha Killeya-Jones (Great Britain, questionable),&nbsp;Nick Calathes (Greece), Georgios Papagiannis (Greece, questionable), Kostas Papanikalou (Greece), Kostas Sloukas (Greece, questionable), Nicolo Melli (Italy)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Karlo Matkovic (Croatia), Roko Prkacin (Croatia),&nbsp;Issuf Sanon (Ukraine), Nico Mannion (Italy)
Three of the Antetokounbros (the above two, plus Kostas, who is questionable at this time) could assemble for their home country. Greece also has a handful of international stars who might play; their roster has yet to be finalized. Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 40 points in a World Cup Qualifiers loss against Nikola Jokic and Serbia, so it's safe to say he's firing on all cylinders.
Croatia, however, might be my pick for most intriguing team in the tournament. They have a trio of NBA players, plus a former top-five pick in Mario Hezonja. Prkacin has been on NBA Draft radars for several years now, and Matkovic just went No. 52 overall in the 2022 Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans. This is a fun mix of talent at different stages and platforms.
GROUP D: CZECH REPUBLIC, FINLAND, ISRAEL, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SERBIA
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They call him the MVP for a reason 🃏 Deadly in so many ways, Nikola Jokic was in top form for Serbia during World Cup Qualifying 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForSrbija?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForSrbija</a> 🇷🇸 <a href="https://t.co/1ZqvDPLQsi">pic.twitter.com/1ZqvDPLQsi</a>
&mdash; FIBA (@FIBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1564286832510226436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Vit Krejci (Czech Republic), Tomas Satoransky (Czech Republic, questionable), Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Nemanja Bjelica (Serbia, questionable),&nbsp;
Top International Players: Jan Vesely (Czech Republic), Vasilije Micic (Serbia, questionable), Nikola Milutinov (Serbia)
Notable Prospects: Deni Avdija (Israel), Yam Madar (Israel), Balsa Koprivica (Serbia, questionable)
Nikola Jokic instantly makes Serbia a frontrunner for the gold, but the nation could have several veterans backing him up in a potential deep run. Micic in particular should be on NBA fans' radars as a player who could immediately come over and produce in the league. The 28-year-old guard won two EuroLeague titles and was named MVP in 2021. Oklahoma City currently owns his draft rights, though he was mentioned frequently in offseason trade rumors.&nbsp;
Israel has a pair of notable young talents leading the way. Deni Avdija took a legitimate step forward in his second year with the Washington Wizards. Madar, meanwhile, has been playing overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect selected by the Boston Celtics in 2020.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic lead a stellar group of competitors in EuroBasket 2022.

FIBA EuroBasket 2022: Top teams, players and prospects to watch

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

As currently constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers are nowhere closer to escaping the hole they dug for themselves last offseason. While injuries played a part in their struggles, it&rsquo;s fair to say that the Russell Westbrook experiment couldn't have gone much worse. Westbrook struggled to blend off-ball alongside LeBron James, and his fit was immediately clunky.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has been saying all of the right things, discussing how he could get the most out of Westbrook and stressing that there's plenty of blame to go around for last year. Meanwhile, the front office continues to explore possible Westbrook trades.
According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/lakers-pacers-russell-westbrook-trade-dead/BmoKawpwiFm8/?source=twitterhq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Bob Kravitz</a>, the Indiana Pacers recently rejected an offer from the Lakers that would have sent Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to Los Angeles in exchange for Westbrook, a 2027 first-round pick and multiple second-rounders. Indiana is reportedly ready to accept if the Lakers include their 2029 first-round selection as well. Los Angeles hasn't been willing to do so, which is why talks are currently at a standstill.
For both sides, these negotiation tactics make sense. There&rsquo;s absolutely no reason for the Pacers to help the Lakers, especially if they're only receiving one pick to take on Westbrook&rsquo;s $47.2 million salary for 2022-23. Holding out for both the 2027 and 2029 picks with little to no protections would be a fair haul for both Hield and Turner while absorbing an albatross expiring.
Los Angeles is stuck in a Westbrook bind, and it seems they have three remaining options: run it back, hold out for Kyrie Irving, or pull off this win-now deal with the Pacers. At least the Indiana deal would bring back two starters to place alongside LeBron and Anthony Davis.&nbsp;
Some might argue that the trio of James, Davis and Westbrook only played 21 games together, so we haven't seen enough to properly evaluate this group. However, it&rsquo;s fairly apparent that this core isn&rsquo;t good enough to challenge most of the Western Conference&rsquo;s elite teams. Westbrook was unable to function as a secondary option more often than not, and now he'll turn 34 years old in November. Not to mention, the West will likely be tougher than ever &mdash; with teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets finally getting healthy and several up-and-coming squads expected to take a leap forward as well.&nbsp;
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Earlier this month, Westbrook parted ways with his longtime agent, Thad Foucher, which set off alarm bells. Foucher had represented Westbrook throughout the entirety of his NBA career, helping him earn $291,756,333 from his NBA contracts alone. Why would they split up now? Well, Foucher didn&rsquo;t mince words in <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34250337/russell-westbrook-long-agent-thad-foucher-parting-ways-irreconcilable-differences" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a written statement</a> to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, citing "irreconcilable differences" regarding the direction of Westbrook's career.
&ldquo;Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario. And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout," Foucher <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34250337/russell-westbrook-long-agent-thad-foucher-parting-ways-irreconcilable-differences" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>. "My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell&rsquo;s value and his best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that Darvin Ham publicly offered.&rdquo;
Less than a week after Foucher&rsquo;s eye-opening remarks, trade winds began to pick up again around the future Hall-of-Fame point guard. There was also the Summer League awkwardness, where James and Westbrook sat on opposite sides of the arena and didn't interract with one another. Reading the tea leaves, it sure feels like Westbrook's days with the Lakers are numbered.
Based on Kravitz&rsquo;s intel from Indiana, the deal between the Lakers and Pacers would be &ldquo;done tomorrow&rdquo; if an additional pick is offered alongside Westbrook. The Brooklyn Nets don't seem to be in any rush to move Kevin Durant or Irving &mdash; with some NBA executives predicting that both players will be in Brooklyn when the 2022-23 season begins &mdash; so this Indiana trade may be the Lakers' only other option to significantly improve their title odds for next season.
As Foucher laid out, the marketplace is telling the Lakers all they need to know right now about extracting peak value in a potential Westbrook trade. It may seem like the Lakers are &ldquo;losing&rdquo; this deal based off of asset accommodation alone, but what are the alternatives? In order to move off of Westbrook's contract&nbsp;and&nbsp;bring back key contributors, the Lakers must include both first-round picks. Think of it like this: One first-rounder is to get Indiana to take on the Westbrook contract, and the other is to acquire Turner and Hield.
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Honestly, based off that viewpoint, Indiana&rsquo;s angle seems more than fair. It&rsquo;s been impossible for Los Angeles to find a willing taker for Westbrook, and the Pacers are ready to take on his salary while also relinquishing two key contributors who are certainly worth a future first-round pick.&nbsp;
Acquiring Hield and Turner would be an instant game-changer for the Lakers&rsquo; postseason aspirations and a win on several levels. Hield is a talented sharpshooter who would thrive in the Lakers' system, hitting open looks in the corner or while running off perimeter actions. Thanks to the gravity provided by James and Davis, Hield would consistently feast from the perimeter. The 29-year-old would be the team's best outside shooter, and the Lakers&rsquo; roster is in dire need of perimeter weapons. Hield fills a need, and his salary would only be on their books through the 2023-24 campaign.
Turner has had trouble staying healthy, but he's been extremely productive when he's available. Turner has proven that he&rsquo;s one of the best rim protectors in basketball, averaging 2.5 blocks over the last four seasons. Paired next to Davis, who is more comfortable playing the 4, Turner&rsquo;s defense and floor-spacing acumen would provide a balanced frontcourt attack. Only 26 years old, Turner could become a long-term fixture alongside Davis in the frontcourt, as the Lakers would own his Bird rights going forward.
The Lakers&rsquo; biggest needs are three-point shooting and defensive versatility. Hield and Turner would emphatically check both boxes, and their projected rotation certainly looks more appealing.
Starters: LeBron James, Buddy Hield, Talen Horton-Tucker, Anthony Davis, Myles Turner
Bench: Kendrick Nunn, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson, Stanley Johnson, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones
As evidence by the larger bench mob, this deal would provide Los Angeles with instant relief &mdash; consolidating a deeper rotation. Losing Westbrook is a net-positive in this situation, because Hield and Turner help address needs while allowing LeBron to run the show as pseudo-point guard.
How exactly should the Lakers and Pacers meet in the middle in these trade talks? If the Lakers are balking on including an unprotected first-round pick in 2029, would the Pacers relent on protections possibly up to top-8? Would Indiana be willing to toss in veteran playmaker TJ McConnell to push this pick into unprotected territory? Packaging McConnell with Hield and Tuner would make this three-for-one deal a nearly identical salary match.
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Indiana is the rare team that would feel comfortable taking on the Westbrook contract, simply because he would never suit up for them. Armed with $31 million in cap space after their failed pursuit of Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, the Pacers can easily absorb Westbrook&rsquo;s salary. And as they tear the roster down to its foundation and rebuild around Tyrese Haliburton and No. 6 overall pick Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana is nowhere close to competing for a playoff spot. Allowing Hield and Turner the opportunity to play on a title contender also opens up more playing time for prioritized members of their young core like Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson.
Looking ahead to next offseason, the Pacers project to have over $70 million in cap space if they move Hield&rsquo;s contract. Also, like the Utah Jazz, Indiana is currently slated to have at least three first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Moving Turner and Hield for picks could also help Indiana in the tank race for Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. With some lottery luck, they could land one of these potential superstars and usher in the next great era of Pacers basketball.
If the Pacers traded Turner and Hield for Westbrook (and then bought him out), they would have the perfect lineup for developing their young guys &mdash; and tanking.&nbsp;
Starters: Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Bennedict Mathurin, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson
Bench: Andrew Nembhard, TJ McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, Terry Taylor, Oshae Brissett, Goga Bitadze, Daniel Theis
Indiana is in the perfect spot to be aggressive when it comes to salary dumps. With cap flexibility over the next two summers until Haliburton is due for a massive pay raise, the Pacers can continue to stockpile future assets and kick the can down the road as their young core continues to develop together. This trade for Westbrook is a prime example where Indiana can take advantage, because those first-round picks from Los Angeles could be very valuable down the road.
Talks between the Lakers and Pacers have stalled, so it remains to be seen whether negotiations will pick back up. The next steps will be critical in order to re-ignite this potential pathway for offloading Westbrook.
It&rsquo;s a tough pill to swallow for Westbrook and the Lakers, but he&rsquo;s a negative asset at this stage of his illustrious career. The best course of action seems to be finally ending this marriage, and the rebuilding Pacers provide the ideal launchpad to change direction for good.

Should the Lakers re-engage the Pacers' recent trade talks? Evan Sidery believe L.A. should take the Russell Westbrook lifeline.

Lakers would be foolish to reject Pacers' offer for Russell Westbrook

For years, the trade rumors have been nonstop between Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers.
But in this latest chapter, things appear to be different.
After weeks of flirting with Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, Indiana stunningly extended a four-year, $133 million max offer sheet to the Bahamian big man. And although the Suns matched and retained Ayton right away, Turner&rsquo;s long-term stance with the Pacers now feels crystal clear.
The 26-year-old center doesn&rsquo;t look to be in the Pacers&rsquo; plans, and it feels like it&rsquo;s in the best interest of both parties at this point to finally break off from one another.
Even if it didn&rsquo;t lead to an actual transaction, the Pacers&rsquo; aggressive pursuit of Ayton speaks volumes to the tune changing within Indianapolis recently. Extending max offer sheets, let alone to restricted free agents? That's unheard of throughout the ownership tenure of Herb Simon, but the tides seem to be turning towards a new era when the opportunity presents itself the Pacers are going to go for it no matter the price.
So, where do the Pacers and Turner go from here? It&rsquo;s going to be a rocky road to reconciliation, one that might actually pick up trade conversations around the league instead. How else should Turner view the latest chapter besides seeing the writing on the wall? Indiana did right by Malcolm Brogdon, cooperating with his agent to ship him off to the best win-now destination. We could soon see deja vu with Turner instead being moved by the rebuilding Pacers in short order.
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Since the midpoint of last season, Indiana has decided to finally embrace a long-overdue rebuild attempt. Trading away two-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, the shift to becoming sellers and prioritizing a full-on youth movement was instant. Post-Haliburton, the Pacers brought aboard Jalen Smith and Aaron Nesmith via trade, and selected Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin at No. 6 overall to pair alongside their star young point guard.
All of a sudden, Turner now feels like a clunky long-term fit within the Pacers&rsquo; new nucleus of talent all under age-25, sans Chris Duarte (25): Haliburton, Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, Smith, Nesmith, Oshae Brissett, Andrew Nembhard, Kendall Brown, Goga Bitadze.
When Indiana instead chose to chase Ayton at max dollar figures, the franchise kind of already answered the question of whether or not to pay Turner. Smith was re-signed to a team-friendly contract &mdash; which included a promised starting spot at power forward &mdash; and the internal development of Isaiah Jackson begins to become a pivotal storyline to monitor with his immense two-way upside. With Smith and Jackson ready to absorb heavy minutes on a roster nowhere close to competing next season, it&rsquo;s a plausible reality to predict that a Turner trade will be the next notable NBA domino to drop.
The curious case of Turner&rsquo;s value now goes under the microscope because it&rsquo;s a complicated situation. There&rsquo;s no denying the game-changing impact Turner brings as one of the best shot-blockers in the league, but his availability has become a recent concern. It&rsquo;s especially dicey because Turner&rsquo;s last two seasons were cut short due to foot injuries, which is never something you want to see for a big man.
Also, with Turner now on an $18 million expiring contract, Indiana missed its window awhile ago to flip him at his potential peak value. Now, a potential return for Turner in a trade likely falls into the same category as Brogdon, which features a late first-round pick and maybe a prospect unable to crack a team&rsquo;s rotation yet.
Here's a hypothetical example of a framework regarding the Charlotte Hornets, an often-rumored Turner destination that could bring back realistic value to the Pacers.
Pacers receive: Mason Plumlee, Kai Jones, JT Thor, 2023 first-round pick (via Nuggets)
Hornets receive: Myles Turner
It's certainly not a package that would make Pacers fans giddy with enthusiasm, but it&rsquo;s the hand dealt for the team's current situation. If the Pacers were to add a fourth first-round pick for next year&rsquo;s draft, it could further shape their vision as a team fully plunging into the tank race for Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and other top prospects in the Class of 2023.
Although Turner may not fit the Pacers&rsquo; window anymore, his role would make him an easy fit for any win-now organization.
Over the last four years, Turner&rsquo;s statistics help display his impact while also playing alongside another big in Sabonis: 12.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game on 35.0% from three-point range. Being able to protect the rim as well as anyone, while also adequately spacing the floor for others, Turner&rsquo;s presence has the potential of elevating a team looking to be a Finals contender. (Teams like the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors immediately come to mind as potential Turner suitors.)
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Indiana&rsquo;s rebuild has started off strong, much in part to the presence of Haliburton making it easier for everyone else. If Mathurin becomes a hit, the Pacers' backcourt will be set for years to come, and other young pieces to the puzzle should continue to find their footing. And if they were to somehow get some lottery luck next year, this Indiana rebuild projected to take a long time might be much quicker than everyone expects.
Moving away from a stagnated core, Turner is the lone piece remaining for the time being still in Indiana. Caris LeVert is in Cleveland. Sabonis is alongside De&rsquo;Aaron Fox on the Kings. Brogdon recently joined a top title threat in Boston.
Where exactly will Turner end up soon enough? That&rsquo;s the biggest question looming out there, as the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant sagas continue to lead nowhere.

After a failed aggressive pursuit for Deandre Ayton, the Pacers may have finally provided their answer to the Myles Turner question.

Have the Pacers already determined Myles Turner's future in Indiana?

The Tyrese Haliburton era is well on its way in Indianapolis, which means it&rsquo;s likely time to say adios to Malcolm Brogdon in an Indiana Pacers uniform. Brogdon is one of the more <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obvious trade candidates in the NBA this offseason</a> thanks to his consistent injury issues and Haliburton&rsquo;s quick emergence. Despite Brogdon's missed games, he will still attract interest from rival teams.
During Brogdon&rsquo;s three-year tenure with the Pacers, he averaged 18.9 points, 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game on a 55.3 True Shooting percentage. Brogdon always produced when he was on the court for Indiana, but his availability was an issue. Going forward, it&rsquo;s going to be hard for Brogdon to shed the &ldquo;injury prone&rdquo; label because it&rsquo;s been an issue dating back to his collegiate career at the University of Virginia.
Aside from injury concerns, Brogdon&rsquo;s market will be robust with playofff or championship-hopeful teams lining up for his services. As a versatile multi-positional defender, connective playmaker and secondary scorer, Brogdon can really help a team that's going in the opposite direction as the rebuilding Pacers.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into the most realistic trade packages Indiana could expect for Brogdon this offseason. As Indiana turns the page to Haliburton, it&rsquo;s time to extract some value from a potential Brogdon deal.
Phoenix Suns
Pacers receive: Landry Shamet, Dario Saric, 2024 1st-round draft pick (lottery protected)
Suns receive: Malcolm Brogdon, 2022 No. 31 pick
Phoenix&rsquo;s lack of guard depth was exposed throughout the playoffs. They simply can&rsquo;t rely on Cameron Payne anymore, who was a DNP-CD when it mattered most in the Western Conference Semifinals. Phoenix flirted with the idea of chasing Brogdon before signing Ricky Rubio back in 2019. Three years later, bringing Brogdon to the Valley as the Suns&rsquo; short-term backup and long-term fit alongside Devin Booker is a home run transaction.
Also, there has been some buzz that the Suns are trying to get into the 2022 NBA Draft. They have met with multiple players projected to be selected in the mid-to-late first round, including LSU&rsquo;s Tari Eason, Ohio State&rsquo;s E.J. Liddell and Duke&rsquo;s Wendell Moore. Adding any of those prospects will be impossible without adding a pick. The Suns could always buy an early second-round pick for $3 million, but that&rsquo;s never been their way of thinking.
Is this where Suns GM James Jones could get creative to snag a championship piece at discounted value? Brogdon and Chris Paul sharing minutes is a dream scenario for Phoenix since all 48 minutes at point guard would provide well above-average production. Also, we could see three-guard lineups galore thanks to Brogdon&rsquo;s versatility.
In this scenario, Indiana would add a shooter in Shamet who only has two guaranteed years left on his extension. Maybe Shamet could be their Buddy Hield replacement if they also decide to trade him soon. Adding a future first for Brogdon is the right risk for Indiana to take as well.
Utah Jazz
Pacers receive: Mike Conley, Jared Butler, 2025 2nd-round pick
Jazz receive: Malcolm Brogdon
The Jazz desperately need to shake things up. Stagnation is on the horizon in Salt Lake City, if it hasn&rsquo;t reached that point already. Utah may blow it up this offseason, but even if they don't, they need to do something in order to keep Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert happy long-term.
As we saw during the Jazz&rsquo;s quick postseason exit, Conley seems like a shell of himself. Looking back on that trade now, Utah has to be kicking themselves for surrendering so much for the veteran point guard.
Utah needs to get creative to avoid moving one of Mitchell or Gobert soon, so Conley going back home to Indianapolis makes a lot of sense here. Brogdon is a huge upgrade over Conley, and he helps address a dire need of perimeter defense.
Indiana would add a veteran mentor for Haliburton to lean on for a year since Conley&rsquo;s contract isn&rsquo;t fully guaranteed in 2023-24. Adding a young scoring guard in Butler alongside a future second-round pick might not be enough for the Pacers, but it's at least enough to start negotiations.
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Los Angeles Lakers
Pacers receive: Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, 2023 2nd, 2025 2nd, 2027 1st (lottery protected)
Lakers receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Goga Bitadze
This only makes sense if the Pacers are willing to take on the final year of Westbrook&rsquo;s contract, which would have any team second-guessing themselves beforehand. Surprisingly enough, Indiana is actually the betting favorite to land Westbrook if the Lakers offload him this offseason.
The Pacers would need a hefty return in order take on Westbrook while also relinquishing Brogdon and Hield. Adding Horton-Tucker, two future second-round picks and the Lakers&rsquo; next available first-round selection gets the job done. Los Angeles would hate to part with THT and even more draft capital, but Brogdon and Hield are perfect pieces to place alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Who knows, maybe Bitadze slides into the Lakers&rsquo; rotation as the backup center?
Indiana is embracing a full-scale rebuild, and pulling off a move like this would be consistent with that approach.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Pacers receive: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, No. 19 pick, No. 40 pick
Timberwolves receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Goga Bitadze, No. 31 pick, 2023 2nd (via San Antonio Spurs)
As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-dangelo-russell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our Nekias Duncan recently wrote</a>, a D&rsquo;Angelo Russell departure from Minnesota feels imminent this summer. It&rsquo;s another unfortunate turn in the career for Russell, who continues to bounce around the Association, unable to find a long-term home. The fit in Minnesota alongside good friend Karl-Anthony Towns had its moments, but Russell&rsquo;s negatives popped up in the postseason when it mattered most. After being benched in crunch-time situations by head coach Chris Finch and not having his name mentioned in The Athletic&rsquo;s recent story on new executive Tim Connelly, it wouldn't be shocking to see Russell playing elsewhere in 2022-23.
Even with the Pacers already having Haliburton and Chris Duarte, this feels like a spot where they could take a year-long look at Russell as a potential long-term backcourt piece. As a former top-three pick, Russell would bring more fanfare to the Pacers&rsquo; rebuild. And if he meshes well alongside Haliburton, Russell could become a long-term piece in Indiana and finally find a home.
From the Timberwolves&rsquo; point of view, this makes a whole lot of sense. Brogdon is a much better fit alongside Towns and Anthony Edwards, as he's easily able to slide into the No. 3 scoring role while providing an ideal complementary low-usage skill set. Taking a flier on Bitadze, a former top-20 pick, is also interesting, and as he could back up Towns.
Miami Heat
Pacers receive: Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, 2023 1st (lottery protected)
Heat receive: Malcolm Brogdon
As we&rsquo;ve seen unfold late in the postseason, Miami needs to find another offensive creator. Simply put, the Heat need more weapons to compete with the NBA&rsquo;s current juggernauts. Luckily for Miami, some much-needed flexibility could be on the way.
The Duncan Robinson contract looks like a disaster, but what if they could use his bloated salary and some future draft capital to bring in an immediate impact piece? Brogdon feels like the perfect remedy for Miami since he can take playmaking pressure off of Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry. Brogdon and Lowry could split minutes, which is a huge benefit for both players and would help keep them fresh and out of the training room.
For Indiana, they could be comfortable taking on Robinson&rsquo;s contract with all of their salary-cap space currently available. Adding Strus and a draft pick could make this deal worth it for the Pacers.
All of a sudden, Miami is now in a strong position to make another deep postseason push with Brogdon onboard for 2022-23 and beyond.
***
Every team in the NBA needs shooting, defensive versatility and playmaking. Even with his injury history, Brogdon would be well worth the risk for any team looking to take the next step forward.
If Brogdon is able to stay healthy, adding him at this price could be a coup for whichever team is next after Milwaukee and Indiana.
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With the Tyrese Haliburton era blossoming for the Pacers, Malcolm Brogdon is one of the most logical NBA trade candidates.

Examining potential trade destinations for Malcolm Brogdon

When Rick Carlisle was hired as head coach of the Indiana Pacers, the hope was that he could take the team to the next level. With veterans such as Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert, Indiana hoped to "become relevant in the East again," as Carlisle put it on media day.
This season didn't go as planned, as the Pacers are currently 25-55, which is the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Indiana has the NBA's 18th-ranked offense (109.1 points per 100 possessions) and 28th-ranked defense (113.5 points per 100 possessions). The team became sellers prior to the trade deadline, dealing away Sabonis, LeVert, Aaron Holiday and Jeremy Lamb.
Now, the Pacers' goals have changed. They are rebuilding around their young core, which features Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Goga Bitadze and Oshae Brissett among others. Even though the team is now focused on the future, Carlisle stressed that he isn't going anywhere.
&ldquo;Let me be absolutely clear: I&rsquo;m here to coach this team and coach this team for the long-haul," Carlisle said, per <a href="https://twitter.com/preston76/status/1512118135658319877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacers' VP of Basketball Communications Michael Preston</a>. "I&rsquo;m not afraid of any aspect of a rebuild one bit. Not one single bit.&rdquo;
He also shot down speculation that he might move to a front-office role.
"I came here to coach&hellip; I want to put this to rest once and for all," Carlisle said, per <a href="https://twitter.com/preston76/status/1512116680742350858" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Preston</a>.
Since becoming a head coach, Carlisle's career record is 836-689. He led the Dallas Mavericks to a championship in 2011, and he won the NBA's Coach of the Year award in 2002. Prior to this stint with the Pacers, he worked in Indiana as an assistant coach (from 1997-2000) and a head coach (from 2003-2007).

Even though the Pacers are rebuilding, head coach Rick Carlisle stressed that he isn't going anywhere or moving to the front-office.

Rick Carlisle says he'll coach rebuilding Pacers 'for the long haul'

Play-In and playoff time are right around the corner in the dwindling NBA season. As such, most of conversations will understandably revolve around the league's premier teams. It's easy for the teams at the bottom to get lost in the shuffle. They generally reach a point where lottery odds take precedence; in some instances, important young pieces are getting shut down like the veterans are.
I wanted to take a moment to highlight some players who are likely flying under the radar. You have to take post-All-Star break stretches with at least two grains of salt, but this is a time for unheralded players to stretch themselves. In a best-case scenario, they wind up showing you something that transfers to the next season.
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Here are a few players &mdash; just a few! &mdash; who have caught my eye recently.
KILLIAN HAYES
The Stats: 13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists (1.4 turnovers), 2.8 steals over last five games&nbsp;
The Skill: Downhill Comfort
It's been a hectic start for Killian Hayes, a high-upside guard project who's had his career derailed by injury woes to this point. Young ball-handlers need live reps to work out the kinks of their game; Hayes hasn't consistently been able to do that, which make his flaws look even worse when he's been on the floor.
Hayes is in the midst of finding himself though. He's one of the most underrated guard defenders in the sport already, boasting off-ball prowess and a knack for getting over or&nbsp;ducking under picks and remaining attached.&nbsp;
Offensively, there's been a bit of a chicken-or-egg ordeal with him. He's shown legit passing chops from the jump, but his ability to create advantages &mdash; via explosive drives or out of fear of his jumper &mdash; hasn't been there. Putting him off-ball has led to teams ignoring him as a threat.
That's what makes Hayes' recent aggression worth paying attention to. This is probably the most I've seen him generate paint touches.
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How about this: Hayes is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;LastNGames=5&amp;TeamID=1610612765&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">converting over 68%</a> of his shots via drive over this five-game stretch. That's wildly impressive, and likely unsustainable. The rising drive volume is the key here. After averaging 6.0 drives per game <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612765&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1&amp;SeasonSegment=Pre%20All-Star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before the All-Star break</a>, that number has risen to 7.1. Over the last five, it's up again to 8.8.
If Hayes can get downhill more consistently, that should open up more passing windows for him. If you want to zoom out a bit, that should unlock some off-ball opportunities for Cade Cunningham so he doesn't have to create all the time (even though he's probably good enough to do so.)
Don't sell your Hayes stock, folks.
BRANDON WILLIAMS
The Stats: 14.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists (2.8 turnovers), 1.6 steals over last five games
The Skill: Pick-and-Roll Passing
The Blazers are an absolute mess right now, but that's mostly fine. They're playing for lotto odds and hoping to make some "keep Damian Lillard" splashes in the offseason.
In the meantime, can I just say I've oddly enjoyed the dynamic between Brandon Williams and Drew Eubanks? Also, did you know Eubanks was averaging nearly 18 points and 12 rebounds over his last five games? You do now!
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But seriously, Williams has a real feel for pocket passing. There's a pace to him that allows him to operate with slower rollers. I've also seen enough skips in his film to say he can make most of the reads you want from him.
The question becomes: What level of a shooter is he going to be? The three-point shooting has fluctuated in both directions since he's been given more reps, and the pull-up middy <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/pullup/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;LastNGames=5&amp;TeamID=1610612757&amp;sort=PULL_UP_FGA&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hasn't been great either</a>. There's enough craft there to be excited about though. I'm curious to see what he looks like in a more defined role next season.
DAMIAN JONES
The Stats: 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists (1.5 turnovers), 1.8 blocks over last six games
The Skill: Playmaking
Damian Jones had stops with Golden State, Atlanta, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers before landing in Sacramento. Go down the line; you don't think the Dubs could use a vertical spacer like this? Think the Suns would rather have Bismack Biyombo than Jones? Would the Lakers turn down young talent to... well actually, nevermind.
Jones has&nbsp;really&nbsp;been balling since newbie Domantas Sabonis has been out of the lineup. Averaging 17 and 8 is nothing to sneeze at, and he's predictably getting busy as a roll man and glass-cleaner.
What's been interesting &mdash; the Kings are putting the ball in his hands a little. You won't confuse him with Sabonis, but he's been allowed to be a handoff hub in Delay sets. And when the Kings are able to draw two to the ball, Jones hasn't looked entirely out of place as a short-roll decision-maker.
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Expectations of "traditional" centers are changing. If you aren't good enough to build the boat around, you'll need to complement stars with something. Some bigs have attempted to expand their range to the three-point line &mdash; something Jones has dabbled with on occasion this season &mdash; while others are becoming more adept as initiators. That Jones is showing flashes in the latter should add to his value moving forward.
ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI
The Stats: 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 9.0 assists (4.3 turnovers), 0.8 steals over last four games
The Skill: Decision-Making
Let's start right here, because what the heck.
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That is Aleksej Pokusevski getting&nbsp;Chris freakin' Paul&nbsp;on a rip-through foul. After that, you get Pokusevski running a pick-and-roll and freezing Cam Johnson with a jump pass to the corner. The pass accuracy was off, but it's hard not to appreciate the level of manipulation.
It's easy to point to the recent triple-double, but the overarching thing is that Pokusevski looks more comfortable on both ends as of late. The shot is falling for him at nearly a 48% clip &mdash; wildly impressive considering the amount of movement attempts he fires. He's made some real strides on the ball too. He's still trying some wild stuff, but the chaos is more controlled.
Pre-break, Pokusevski had an assist rate of 11.6 and a turnover rate of 16.2. Since then, he's been firmly in the positive (22.0 to 16.7). Both numbers have shot up during this four-game stretch (35.1, 26.2) but, he's still largely been a plus-playmaker statistically.
Skipping steps in pick-and-roll. No-looks in transition. Timely "one more" passes when the ball gets to swinging. The level of ball placement with some of his interior reads should not be possible for a guy his size.
I have been, I am and I will continue to be intrigued by Poku.&nbsp;
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>What Houston Rockets forward KJ Martin brings to the table as a (violent) dunker and weak-side shot-blocker should be well documented at this point. I think he's also firmly proving you can't leave him completely open. I'm not buying him being a 48% shooter from deep like he has been since the All-Star break (on "meh" volume), but the form and touch are to the point where he should be accounted for as a spot-up option.&nbsp;</li>
<li>I'd keep an eye on Markelle Fultz (13.8 points, 5.4 assists, 2.0 steals over his last five) if I were you. The burst looks solid, as does the defense. So much focus has (understandably) been on his injury history and whatever the heck happened with his jumper, but that's one crafty dude with the ball in his hands.</li>
<li>Nothing deep here, just want to say I'm glad Goga Bitadze is showing some signs of life in a weird context. Related: I have no idea what Indiana's big man room is going to look like next season.</li>
</ul>
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Nekias Duncan highlights some young (role) players on struggling teams who are worth keeping an eye on.

Views from the bottom: 4 young NBA players to keep an eye on

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic flirted with another triple-double with 37 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, helping the Denver Nuggets hold off the Indiana Pacers 125-118 on Wednesday night.
The Nuggets led by as many as 31 points in the second quarter before the Pacers stormed back. Indiana led 102-100 with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter before the Nuggets scored seven straight points to regain control.
Jokic made his first nine shots in the first half and finished 15 of 19 from the field for Denver. He fell one assist shy of his 20th triple-double of the season after getting one Monday night at Charlotte. Bones Hyland scored 20 points and Will Barton added 18 for the Nuggets, who shot 62.5% for the game.
"My frustration is we get bored with success," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;I hate when we get up 31 points early."
Hyland said Malone told the team a win is a win.
&ldquo;We pulled it out," Hyland said. &ldquo;It may have been ugly. We have to clean things up. We could have won the game by a lot of points, but the biggest thing is we came out with a win.'&rdquo;
The Nuggets had 19 turnovers, 11 more than the Pacers.
&ldquo;We had too many turnovers, I had seven of them,&rdquo; Jokic said.
Malone said the important thing is the Nuggets are going back home as the No. 5 seed.
Seven of the nine Pacers who played scored in double figures, led by Buddy Hield with 20 points, Terry Taylor with 18 and Goga Bitadze 17. The Pacers shot 45.4% for the game.
After trailing big early in the first half, Indiana cut the deficit to forge a 91-all tie after three quarters. Indiana shot 62.5% to hold a 38-22 edge in the third quarter.
&ldquo;Give Indiana credit, they got back in the game,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;They turned up the heat, the intensity, the pressure. They became the attacker until the last six or seven minutes. You want guys that are going to fight and not sit there and take it. You want guys that will fight for every inch and I think we have had bunch of guys like that.&rdquo;
With the Nuggets leading 100-98 with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter, Denver&rsquo;s Austin Rivers shoved Lance Stephenson after he felt Stephenson hit him while guarding him. Both players were called for technicals.
Rivers was ejected later after a second technical because he faked throwing an elbow at Stephenson, but didn&rsquo;t make contact. Malone said referee Tony Brothers said it was malicious act by Rivers. Malone said he would talk to the league about the ejection.
The Nuggets shot 68% in the first quarter to take a 43-15 lead. The 28-point margin was the largest by any team in the league after the first quarter this season.
The Pacers were able to trim the deficit to 69-53 at halftime by holding a 38-26 edge in the second quarter.
&ldquo;Obviously a bad start,&rdquo; said Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who had 15 points and 12 assists. "The crowd got involved, and that&rsquo;s what got us going. We've just got to figure out how to bottle up that third and fourth quarter and second half and sustain it.&rsquo;
TIP-INS
Nuggets: JaMychal Green missed his second consecutive game with a wrist injury. ... Jamal Murray, who hasn&rsquo;t played this season after ACL surgery, did strength training in the hallway and had a workout on the court before team workouts.
Pacers: Isaiah Jackson remains out. He missed two games because of a concussion. He tried to play March 23 against Sacramento, but left after a short stint with a headache. ... Oshae Brissett missed his second consecutive game with a sore back. However, Duane Washington Jr. returned after missing the past two games with a hip injury.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Hosts Minnesota on Friday.
Pacers: At Boston on Friday.
&nbsp;

Nikola Jokic had 37 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, helping the Denver Nuggets hold off the Indiana Pacers 125-118.

Jokic has 37 points to lead Nuggets past Pacers 125-118

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored 23 points and the Toronto Raptors routed the depleted Indiana Pacers 131-91 on Saturday night in a game delayed 70 minutes in the first half because of a speaker fire that forced the evacuation of fans.
Scottie Barnes added 19 points, Precious Achiuwa 18, OG Anunoby 16, Chris Boucher 15 and Thad Young 11 as the Raptors posted their biggest margin of victory this season.
Oshae Brissett led Indiana with 21 points. Justin Anderson had 18, Jalen Smith 15 and Buddy Hield 14. The Pacers have lost three straight and five of seven.
No one from the sellout crowd of 19,800 was around at end to see Toronto move past Cleveland into sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern Conference after the Cavaliers lost 98-94 in Chicago. The Raptors are one game behind the fifth-place Bulls with eight games remaining.
Sixth place is the last guaranteed postseason spot, with teams finishing in the Nos. 7-10 spots headed for the play-in tournament.
In the first quarter, two sections of fans behind the basket at the east end of the stadium were cleared and Toronto Fire Services personnel could be seen in the empty aisles, staring at the ceiling.
&ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Jeez, I wonder why they didn&rsquo;t sell those seats tonight?&rsquo; That was my first thing,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;Then I saw the firemen standing there.&rdquo;
Later, another section was cleared as play continued. Before long, video surfaced on social media of flames coming out from a speaker hanging above the stands.
Pacers acting head coach Lloyd Pierce said he spoke to lead official Zach Zarba about the acrid smell coming from the burning speaker.
&ldquo;You could definitely smell it,&rdquo; Pierce said. &ldquo;By the time (the game) stopped the smell was tough.
&ldquo;Fifteen years for me, probably the most bizarre situation that we&rsquo;ve been in for a game,&rdquo; Pierce added.
During a timeout, public address announcer Herbie Kuhn announced that the arena was being evacuated at the order of Toronto Fire Services, telling booing fans that the game had been suspended.
Players headed to their locker rooms with 4:05 left in the second quarter and the Raptors leading 66-38.
Brissett, who is from Toronto, had a large crowd of people on hand to watch him play at home but they all had to leave.
&ldquo;I got a whole bunch of texts from friends, family,&rdquo; Brissett said. &ldquo;They were really mad.&rdquo;
During the delay, two workers using ropes and harnesses hung from the ceiling and sprayed a fire extinguisher at the problematic speaker.
Remaining ushers and arena security staff cheered when the Raptors returned to warm up for the restart. The halftime break was cut from 15 minutes to 7 1/2 minutes, and players did not leave the court during the intermission.
&ldquo;It was crazy,&rdquo; Achiuwa said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never been in a game like that.&rdquo;
Toronto guard Fred VanVleet, who missed two games earlier this month because of a sore right knee, did not return following the restart.
This was the latest instance of fan-free basketball for the Raptors, who played to no more than a few hundred fans at home games between Dec. 31 and Mar. 1 because of Ontario government restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anunoby and Siakam combined for 22 points in the first, one more than the Pacers had as a team, and Toronto closed the quarter with a 23-5 spurt to lead 41-21.
&ldquo;We definitely came out really flat,&rdquo; Brissett said.
Ahead 66-38 when the game was suspended, Toronto led 74-46 at halftime.
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HURTING PACERS
Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon (conditioning) sat for the fourth straight game, while guard Chris Duarte (left big toe) missed his fifth straight, and forward Isaiah Jackson (headache) missed his second straight. The Pacers were also without center Goga Bitadze, who sat because of a sore right foot.
CHECKING ON COACH
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle missed his second straight game for personal reasons. Pierce said he&rsquo;d checked in with Carlisle since a loss Thursday night at Memphis.
&ldquo;We just keep it professional, but he&rsquo;s doing well,&rdquo; Pierce said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s concerned about us but we&rsquo;re concerned about him as well.&rdquo;
SIX PACK
Toronto is 15-4 when six or more players score in double digits.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Smith returned after missing the past two games because of a non-COVID illness. &hellip; Indiana is 9-29 on the road. The Pacers went 3-5 away from home in March.
Raptors: G Gary Trent Jr. (left big toe) sat for the third straight game but is &ldquo;pretty close&rdquo; to a return, Nurse said. &hellip; Signed G Armoni Brooks to a multi-year contract. Brooks had previously signed two 10-day contracts with Toronto.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Atlanta on Monday night.
Raptors: Host Boston on Monday night.

Siakam scored 23 and the Raptors routed the Pacers 131-91 in a game delayed due to a speaker fire that forced fans to evacuate.

Raptors rout Pacers after fire causes delay, fan evacuation

Desmond Bane scored 30 points, hitting 12 of 15 shots, and the Memphis Grizzlies built a big lead early before coasting to a 133-103 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 20 points, going 7 of 13 from the field, as the Grizzlies shot 54%. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton added 19 and John Konchar matched his career high with 18. Bane was 5 of 7 from outside the arc as Memphis made a season-high 21 3-pointers.
Before the game, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins announced that leading scorer Ja Morant would miss the next two weeks with right knee soreness. Morant sat out the previous two games after tweaking the knee in Memphis&rsquo; loss to Atlanta last Friday.
But the Grizzlies were sharp again without their All-Star, just as they were in a 132-120 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, and became the second team to lock up a spot in the postseason.
With Memphis leading 107-71 entering the fourth, the Grizzlies reserves finished up the game.
Lance Stephenson led the Pacers with 25 points, while Terry Taylor had 17. Goga Bitadze finished with 14.
Besides Morant, the Grizzles were also without Dillon Brooks, who rested his left ankle, and Brandon Clarke (left hip soreness.)
Indiana also was playing the second consecutive night after a last-second loss to Sacramento. Like Memphis, the Pacers had multiple players out. Additionally, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle missed the game for personal reasons.
As they did against Brooklyn on Wednesday night, the Grizzlies surpassed 70 points in the first half, taking a 74-48 lead into the locker room. Bane had 23 points, missing only one of his shots in the half, going 5 of 6 from outside the arc.
The Grizzlies opened the second half on a 10-0 run and Memphis had its seventh win in the last eight.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Lloyd Pierce served as acting coach with Carlisle absent. &hellip; G Malcolm Brogdon missed his third game with rest. &hellip; Bitadze has reached double figures in seven straight. &hellip; Duane Washington Jr., who turned 22 on Thursday, finished with four points. &hellip; Indiana is 9-28 on the road.
Grizzlies: Memphis outscored the Pacers 44-23 in the first quarter, matching its most points in a quarter this season. &hellip; The 10 3-pointers in the first quarter were a franchise record. &hellip; Memphis is 7-1 against the Central Division. Its only loss was to the Milwaukee Bucks, whom Memphis plays Saturday night. &hellip; C Steven Adams had 17 rebounds, nine of them off the offensive glass.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Travel to Toronto to face the Raptors on Saturday.
Grizzlies: Continue a four-game homestand Saturday against Milwaukee.

The Grizzlies built a big lead early before coasting to a 133-103 victory to clinch a spot in the NBA postseason.

Bane has 30, Jackson Jr. 20 as Grizzlies rout Pacers 133-103 for playoff spot

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 and the Memphis Grizzlies rolled without All-Star Ja Morant, beating the Indiana Pacers 135-102 on Tuesday night.
De&rsquo;Anthony Melton added 18 points while Morant sat out with back soreness. The Grizzlies made the decision to hold him out after he went through pregame warmups.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Grizzlies. The Pacers have lost two in a row and five of their last six games.
&ldquo;We played great,&rdquo; Bane said. &ldquo;Everybody contributed. We had 38 assists, not a lot of teams do that."
Bane, who grew up about 75 miles away in Richmond, Indiana, said it was great to have so many family and friends at the game.
Steven Adams had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies.
Jalen Smith scored 15 points for Indiana. Buddy Hield and Terry Taylor each had 14.
Tyus Jones, who started in Morant&rsquo;s spot, had 10 assists.
&ldquo;We shared the ball,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;We played fast. We played with pace. We played unselfish basketball. Instead taking a good shot, we created for someone else to have a great, wide-open shot. We had everything clicking on both ends of the floor.
&ldquo;Ja has been out before this year and I just try to step in and fill his shoes the best I can,&rdquo; Jones added. &ldquo;We just try to get the team to continue to play the right way, play as a team and execute the game plan.&rdquo;
Memphis shot 51% while holding Indiana to 42%. The Pacers were 6 of 30 from 3-point range while the Grizzlies were 15 of 40.
The 33-point loss was the Pacers&rsquo; largest of the season, topping the previous total of 32 points to Charlotte.
The Grizzlies dominated throughout, leading by as many as 37 in the third quarter before settling for a 104-70 lead after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, the Pacers&rsquo; Isaiah Jackson fouled out when he was called for a flagrant foul on a moving screen. Jackson actually fell over Dillon Brooks.
The Pacers' largest deficit was 43 points in the fourth quarter.
Memphis shot 55.6% in the first half to take a 74-49 halftime lead.
&ldquo;I think looking at the stat sheet and remembering the game, I've got to give them a lot of credit for how they played,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;(It was) very, very difficult night.&rdquo;
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon said the Pacers had no chemistry on either end.
&ldquo;There was no consistency,&rdquo; Brogdon said. &ldquo;Part of it is new team and attention to detail and coming out being ready to play. That's a real good team out there with or without Ja Morant.&rdquo;
Hield said he hates losing.
&ldquo;It's hard to forget about this,&rdquo; Hield said, &ldquo;We can try to flush it out of our minds, but it's human nature, especially as competitors. It'll be hard to sleep.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Coach Taylor Jenkins said before the game he doesn&rsquo;t see Morant&rsquo;s back soreness as anything that will linger for multiple games. &hellip; Jackson played three seasons for Park Tudor School in Indianapolis before transferring to La Lumiere in LaPorte, Indiana.
Pacers: Brogdon returned to action after missing the past two games with a concussion. He scored 12 points. &hellip; Goga Bitzadze was listed as active, but didn&rsquo;t play. He had missed Sunday&rsquo;s game at Atlanta with a lingering foot injury.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Grizzlies scored 24 fast-break points in the first half compared to zero for the Pacers. For the game, Memphis had a 33-9 edge.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: At Atlanta on Friday
Pacers: At Houston on Friday

Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers 135-102.

Grizzlies roll without Morant, beat Pacers 135-102

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young scored 33 of his 47 points in the first half, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 131-128 on Sunday night.
Atlanta, 10th in the Eastern Conference, had seven players score in double figures and shot 54.8% from the field. Danilo Gallinari and De'Andre Hunter had 15 points apiece, and Kevin Huerter finished with 14.
The Hawks have won 13 of 15 at home and two straight overall. They had a season-high 77 points in the first half.
Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield each scored 25 points for Indiana, which has dropped four of five and 13 of 17. The Pacers, 13th in the East, fell to 8-27 on the road.
Young&rsquo;s 33 first-half points were a career high for either half. He was coming off his NBA-leading 23rd game of at least 25 points and 10 assists in Friday&rsquo;s win over the Los Angeles Clippers. That&rsquo;s 10 more than James Harden, the next closest player. He finished with five assists.
The Hawks&rsquo; biggest lead of the first half was 19 in the closing seconds on Young&rsquo;s two free throws. Atlanta shot 60% from the floor in the first half, 59.1% on 3s.
Young was 9 for 13 from the floor, including 7 for 9 on 3s, in the first two quarters. He did as he pleased most of the game, pulling up for long 3s, showing off his ballhandling ability and scoring with ease.
Indiana went on a 21-10 run to begin the third and pulled within seven at the 6:09 mark, but Young drove the lane for a runner and hit a layup on a fast break to make it 94-82 and cause the Pacers to call timeout.
Young went 14 for 14 on free throws.
The Pacers, down to eight players because of injuries, pulled within two on Duane Washington Jr.&rsquo;s free throws with 1:09 remaining in the game. Young knocked down a pair of free throws with 28.8 seconds to go and two more with nine seconds left to help close it out.
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TIP-INS
Pacers: C Goga Bitadze (right foot), G Chris Duarte (left big toe) and G Lance Stephenson (left ankle) were questionable before the game but were ruled out. ... G Malcolm Brogdon (concussion), G T.J. McConnell (right wrist), C Myles Turner (left foot), F T.J. Warren (left foot), and G Ricky Rubio (left knee) were out.
Hawks: F John Collins, the team&rsquo;s second-leading scorer and rebounder, was out with a right finger sprain and a right foot strain. Gallinari started in his spot and scored 11 points in the second quarter. ... Atlanta&rsquo;s previous first-half high was 76 points, coming against Indiana on Feb. 8. ... Young reached 40 points for the seventh time this season.
TOUGH TO STOP
Atlanta coach Nate McMillan has been impressed all season with Young&rsquo;s ability to run the pick-and-roll and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. The Hawks rank seventh in scoring and Young is fifth in scoring and third in assists.
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve seen pretty much everything teams have tried to do,&rdquo; McMillan said. &ldquo;Trap, they deny, they try to play box-and-one. Normally he&rsquo;s going to get the best defender and normally they&rsquo;ve tried to (use) length. They switch one through five, so Trae has seen really all the defenses this year. Trae does a good job creating offense out of that set so we&rsquo;re going to continue.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Memphis on Tuesday.
Hawks: Host Portland on Monday.

Trae Young scored 33 of his 47 points in the first half, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 131-128 on Sunday night.