Trojans

The NBA is back.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual &lsquo;Day&rsquo; 1 getting underway, all 30 teams have resumed their daily basketball activities. Starting from the Media Day to each of their training camps, players are slowly ramping up as they work to get back in game shape.
For some of these familiar faces, however, a new season awaits them as they&rsquo;re looking for a fresh start in new environments and places. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these players and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook rocks new threads with Denver&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook starts a new season with the 2023 champions after his stint with the Clippers. Westbrook aims to bring the energy to a Nuggets squad losing another championship piece in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He slots in immediately as Denver&rsquo;s backup PG with the loss of Reggie Jackson, and the team could also use him to play with the starters and let Jamal Murray slide into the 2 spot. Westbrook will also be teaming up with fellow triple-double savant Nikola Jokic and it will be interesting to see two high-IQ players together on the court.
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New beginnings for <a href="https://twitter.com/russwest44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russwest44</a> 😈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wew6JRNNXm">pic.twitter.com/Wew6JRNNXm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1839352986826387752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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PG13 creates a big three with Embiid and Maxey
Perhaps the biggest signing in the offseason, George immediately slides in with the Sixers to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. At 34 years old, PG probably has a good 3 years left in his prime, but he could be in a perfect situation with Embiid and Maxey at their absolute peaks. George is in a position where he&rsquo;s not asked to shoulder much of the offensive load like he did most of the time in his career, and he can play to his strengths &mdash; a two-play wing player with some playmaking chops and be a secondary creator and scorer to Maxey and Embiid. George is also a very good three-point shooter on spot-up and catch-and-shoot attempts and should bode well for both Sixers superstars by spacing the floor for them. Overall an A+ signing by Sixers GM Daryl Morey, and now it all hinges on health as Philly tries to pull it up all together to finally make a Conference Finals in the Embiid era.
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PG in Philly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmSInGKf5L">pic.twitter.com/jmSInGKf5L</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840916610644582775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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A new Philadelphia trio... 🔥 Maxey. Embiid. George.<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjlclZdnhx">pic.twitter.com/wjlclZdnhx</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840803293473230955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CP3 in San Antonio as Wemby&rsquo;s PG; Harrison Barnes being a veteran piece in a young Spurs team
Victor Wembanyama finally gets his premier PG in Chris Paul. After playing most of last year not having a legitimate table setter, Wemby, and the Spurs add one of the greatest to ever do it at the position. Even approaching 40 years old, Paul should have a lot left in his tank to try and develop as much as possible the young yet hungry Spurs. On the other hand, Barnes adds another veteran piece as San Antonio looks to improve and at least make the play-in this season.
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WEMBY x CP3 🔥 BIG smiles in San Antonio at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 😇 <a href="https://t.co/PbV71PCH0c">pic.twitter.com/PbV71PCH0c</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840815076485259469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Wemby &amp; CP3 enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rSdwmMIx1m">pic.twitter.com/rSdwmMIx1m</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840801831577895224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Caruso, Hartenstein add more defensive toughness to an already elite OKC squad
Imagine having to add two role players that star in their role to a team that just finished atop the conference a season ago, all without losing someone significant from that core. That&rsquo;s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder did by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein into their fold. The move stamped their status even further atop the West with rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting better over the year and still having MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just starting his prime. Caruso adds yet another defensive bull on the perimeter that already features fellow All-Defensive player Lu Dort, while Hartenstein brings versatility in the frontcourt to possibly play together with Holmgren. The Thunder are poised yet again to make a deep playoff run and it all starts with their offseason acquisitions and their fit into the team.&nbsp;
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Alex Caruso very complimentary of his new backcourt mate, SGA! 🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rdxt7r5dQu">pic.twitter.com/Rdxt7r5dQu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840867849797022103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay splashing and spacing the floor for Luka, Mavs
The other Splash brother brings his act to Dallas after spending his first 13 years with the franchise. Thompson immediately fills a need in Dallas to help space the floor and be a decoy for Luka Doncic as he makes plays on the court. At his age, Thompson won&rsquo;t be asked too much like he did in Golden State and this could be a rejuvenation for his career as he finds a new environment with the Mavericks.&nbsp;
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No. 31 from the Dallas Mavericks... Klay Thompson 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/e4M8lNtvQL">pic.twitter.com/e4M8lNtvQL</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840858008794120481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay Thompson... NEW BEGINNINGS 🫵<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/YX9CX1preR">pic.twitter.com/YX9CX1preR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840806814956265762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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DeMar DeRozan as the final piece to Sacramento&rsquo;s playoff success
DeRozan comes into the Kings&rsquo; lair as one of the most clutch players in the league, and he will play alongside a player of the same caliber in DeAaron Fox. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan&rsquo;s playstyle fits into the Kings&rsquo; offense with their motion offense built on three-point shooting with Domantas Sabonis as the hub, and it will be a good problem how coach Mike Brown integrates him to play a certain kind of way. The Kings are one of the up-and-coming teams in the West and adding a player like DeRozan gives them a different dimension to their offense.&nbsp;
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DeMar DeRozan looking good in his new threads 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/uPYTeKvUBE">pic.twitter.com/uPYTeKvUBE</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841107569399480506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New trio in Sacramento 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfnZMmz317">pic.twitter.com/HfnZMmz317</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841108008769630523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dejounte Murray, Tyus Jones to solve PG issues in NOLA, PHX
Two teams that have had PG issues last season have finally addressed it by signing two of the quality PGs in the league today: Murray to the Pelicans and Jones to the Suns. Murray slots in as the Pelicans&rsquo; main shot creator, playmaker, and closer. This has been a significant hole for the Pelicans last season, especially in the playoffs when no one other than CJ McCollum (who&rsquo;s getting old) and Brandon Ingram create shots and make plays. Murray immediately comes in and fills this gap and with a returning Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are coming into the season very optimistic about their playoff chances.
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Fresh start heading into Year 8 🤲<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/j3W5D0GFoM">pic.twitter.com/j3W5D0GFoM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840852492168675766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New threads for <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> new PG 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgIxpGqxkG">pic.twitter.com/kgIxpGqxkG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840807569150837091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jones on the other hand also fills the immediate need of a PG, someone who can make plays for others without turning the ball over. Jones has been one of the best if not the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league, and with how Phoenix&rsquo;s roster is constructed, this allows their super scoring big three Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to do their thing and focus on what they do best. Jones comes in to settle these guys down and put them in the best positions to succeed.&nbsp;
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson bring veteran savvy and immediate positional needs to Golden State
Some key veteran additions to the Warriors are Hield and Anderson as they continue to beef up their roster around superstar Stephen Curry. Hield will try to replace the production of Klay Thompson after his departure with his deadeye shooting and spacing the floor for Curry. Hield has also been a good off-ball mover and that should bode well for Golden State&rsquo;s offense. Anderson meanwhile, brings his big forward, almost a center playing style to the Warriors and should fit instantly like a Draymond Green clone. Anderson has the playmaking chops and the basketball IQ to seamlessly play in Kerr&rsquo;s system and is a player who seems to understand how to play with and off of the skillset of a player like Curry.&nbsp;
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Welcome to The Bay, Buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruEDkg7ayU">pic.twitter.com/ruEDkg7ayU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840924339090100682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Prince-Trent-Wright trio come to Milwaukee to win
Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright have all signed up for a little under than what they were supposed to make and signed with the Bucks for a chance to contribute to a championship contender. All three are exactly what the Bucks need in their scheme of things as they&rsquo;re expected to bring shooting, spacing, and tough perimeter defenders. It&rsquo;s expected that Milwaukee&rsquo;s offense will revolve around superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard so there will be little expectations on these guys to do more and they can just focus on what they do best as role players in the league.

A new season awaits familiar faces in new places. Let’s take a look at them and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.

Familiar faces in new places: NBA players’ new home to start the season

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Kyrie Irving wants to run it back with Luka Doncic.
The enigmatic guard and the Dallas Mavericks agreed Friday on a $126 million, three-year contract in the opening hour of NBA free agency, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because contracts can&rsquo;t be signed until Thursday.
The person said the Mavericks also had an agreement on a two-year deal with guard Seth Curry, who is set for his third stint with the club.
Irving, who wouldn&rsquo;t talk about his future during his partial season with Dallas and declined to meet with reporters after the season, appeared to reference&nbsp;<a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://twitter.com/KyrieIrving/status/1674933191386202113?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his decision to return in a one-word tweet</a>&nbsp;with &ldquo;peace&rdquo; and &ldquo;love&rdquo; emojis.
The Mavericks paired All-Star starters for the first time in franchise history by adding Irving in a blockbuster deal with Brooklyn last February, but stumbled down the stretch to miss the playoffs for the first time since Doncic was a rookie in 2018-19.
Dallas was in the middle of the postseason chase when Irving joined the club, but the eight-time All-Star and Doncic, a four-time choice, were just 5-11 together with both missing multiple games because of injuries.
The Mavericks won their first two games with Irving but went 7-18 the rest of the way and couldn&rsquo;t even make the play-in tournament a year after reaching the Western Conference finals.
Irving originally had been offered an extension by the Nets last summer, before their relationship fell apart and Irving asked to be dealt.
General manager Nico Harrison&rsquo;s second blockbuster deal for Dallas didn&rsquo;t provide the spark of his first &mdash; a 2022 trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Washington and gave the Mavs a key playoff contributor in Spencer Dinwiddie.
Dinwiddie was one of two players Dallas sent the Nets, as was defensive stalwart Dorian Finney-Smith. Defense was high on the list of reasons the two-month trial of Doncic and Irving didn&rsquo;t work.
Doncic has three years remaining before the player option on the $215 million rookie max extension he signed two summers ago. He said after the season he wants to see where the superstar pairing can go.
&ldquo;I wish we could continue that chemistry, relationship,&rdquo; said Doncic, who finished second in the scoring race at a career-best 32.4 points per game. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not going to happen in a day, in a week. It&rsquo;s a building process.&rdquo;
Dallas&rsquo; tumultuous season ended under the&nbsp;<a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/mavericks-playoffs-nba-investigation-tanking-7ac5f76590adafd9df1c7c590a78d346" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cloud of an NBA investigation</a>&nbsp;after Irving didn&rsquo;t play and Doncic was limited to the first quarter when the Mavs still had play-in hopes with two games remaining.
The 31-year-old Irving and Doncic both sat for a meaningless season finale after a&nbsp;<a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/mavericks-bulls-luka-doncic-kyrie-irving-3389c5065a65f8e73d13ce67bcd38720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loss to Chicago in the game in question</a>&nbsp;eliminated the Mavs a season after they went to the Western Conference finals.
The 0-2 finish helped Dallas retain the 10th pick in the draft, which the Mavs parlayed into a pair of first-round picks in Duke center Dereck Lively II at No. 12 overall and Marquette&rsquo;s Olivier-Maxence Prosper at 24. Had Dallas dropped to 11th or lower, the pick would have gone to the New York Knicks.
Before the trade, Irving spent three-plus seasons in Brooklyn dealing mostly with self-induced drama.
Irving missed almost all of the home games in 2021-22 because he wouldn&rsquo;t get vaccinated against COVID-19, and missed eight games early last season after the team suspended him after he tweeted a link to a film containing antisemitic material. Nike ended its relationship with Irving over the tweet.
Days after sending Irving to the Mavericks, the Nets traded Kevin Durant to Phoenix in another blockbuster as the celebrated Brooklyn pairing ended with a whimper &mdash; and just one playoff series victory.
Curry, the younger brother of Golden State superstar Stephen Curry, kick-started his career the first time he was with the Mavs in 2016-17, three years after entering the NBA as an undrafted free agent.
He averaged 12.8 points in 70 games after playing just 50 games in his career before that, then spent one season in Portland before having another solid year in Dallas.
Curry left again in free agency in 2020, signing with Philadelphia. He then joined Irving in Brooklyn when he was dealt as part of the trade that sent James Harden to the 76ers and Ben Simmons to the Nets in 2022.

Kyrie Irving is running it back with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Kyrie Irving agrees to stay with Mavs, Doncic on a $126 million, 3-year deal

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Kyrie Irving isn&rsquo;t interested in talking about what his long-term future could be with the Dallas Mavericks, and he doesn&rsquo;t understand why people don&rsquo;t think he can play well off the ball.
&ldquo;All I know, this is really playing basketball with a lot of high-level, high-IQ players and making it work,&rdquo; Irving said before his first home game Monday with the Mavericks and All-Star teammate Luka Doncic. &ldquo;Every single time I step foot out there, I get a chance to prove it to myself that I can play with anybody and everybody and still be efficient and be myself.&rdquo;
Irving&rsquo;s home debut in Dallas came a week after the blockbuster deal became official to bring the potential free agent from the Brooklyn Nets.&nbsp;The Mavericks lost 124-121&nbsp;to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who held on even as Irving scored 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter.
The first three games for Irving with the Mavs were on the road, and he played with Doncic for the first time Saturday night &mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-sacramento-kings-nba-sports-deaaron-fox-13409941fa60c60c1528d0ea68ef3a41" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Irving had 28 points and Doncic 27 in an overtime loss at Sacramento</a>. Doncic had 33 points against Minnesota.
As for what happens after this season, the talented and enigmatic eight-time All-Star said that question constantly getting asked just puts unwanted distractions on him and the team.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve dealt with it before and it&rsquo;s very emotionally draining to ask questions about what&rsquo;s the long term,&rdquo; Irving said. &ldquo;What the future holds is really only going to be dictated on what I do right now, and how I prepare for those next steps, and that&rsquo;s being the best teammate that I can in that locker room and a great leader out here, I think within the Dallas community. ... So we&rsquo;re just putting that to bed and just focus on what we have ahead as a team.&rdquo;
The Mavericks, with 23 games remaining, are part of a crowded mix for a playoff spot. They are tied for fifth in the Western Conference, only 2 1/2 games ahead of 11th place &mdash; the first spot left out of the postseason.
When Dallas general manager Nico Harrison was asked his response to people who viewed the acquisition of Irving and his expiring contract as a risk, the former Nike executive, who already had a relationship with the player, said that wasn&rsquo;t the case.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see any risk involved at all. I&rsquo;ve known Kyrie for a long time, I know his core, I know what what type of person is. I think anybody who&rsquo;s ever watched him play basketball knows the type of basketball player he is,&rdquo; Harrison said. &ldquo;So I don&rsquo;t see risk. I actually see a risk in not doing it.&rdquo;
Irving smiled and responded, &ldquo;touch&eacute;,&rdquo; then adding that he appreciated their relationship and that it was now up to him to prove it &ldquo;and control what I can control.&rdquo;
Dallas also got Markieff Morris in the trade&nbsp;that sent Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round choices to the Nets.
Irving had a relationship with Nike for the entirety of his NBA career until earlier this season, when the sneaker giant dropped him &mdash; and canceled the planned release of his next signature shoe just before it came out &mdash; after Irving tweeted a link to an antisemitic film.
&ldquo;I would love to be well-liked by everybody. ... Oh, that&rsquo;s just not it. That&rsquo;s just not for I think anyone in this room,&rdquo; Irving said. &ldquo;But the genuine love that you have in your heart is the only thing that you can really control. I have open dialogue with everybody that spends time with me, wants to have conversation, wants to ask me questions.&rdquo;
For those who don&rsquo;t like him, he said he wishes them well.
&ldquo;But I have a life to live and I have kids to raise,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So I don&rsquo;t really have the energy to sit and focus on things I can&rsquo;t control.&rdquo;

Kyrie Irving isn’t interested in talking about what his long-term future could be with the Dallas Mavericks.

After trade to Mavs, Kyrie Irving doesn't want to talk about future

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Jalen Green had 26 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 as the Houston Rockets never trailed in a 111-97 win over the slumping Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
The Rockets led by as many as 23 and held a comfortable lead for most of the night in the return of coach Stephen Silas, who was back after missing the previous game following the death of his father, longtime NBA player and coach Paul Silas.
&ldquo;It was definitely great to be back,&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;I love these guys. I love this team. I kind of didn&rsquo;t want the game to end because now it&rsquo;s like real life starts up again.&rdquo;
It was the second straight victory for the Rockets, who beat Milwaukee on Sunday night.
Silas was asked if returning to work made things easier for him.
&ldquo;I don't know if it makes it easier or not, but my dad was a coach and he would tell me to coach," Silas said. &ldquo;Get your butt out there and coach. So that's what I did.&rdquo;
Already playing without Devin Booker, the Suns, who dropped their fifth straight, didn&rsquo;t have Deandre Ayton and Cameron Payne in the second half after both were injured before halftime. Ayton injured his left ankle and Payne sustained a right foot injury.
Mikal Bridges led the Suns with 18 points but shot a horrific 4 of 24 from the field and 2 of 10 from 3-point range. He made all eight free-throw attempts.
&ldquo;Mikal was 4 for 24,&rdquo; coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s going to be a tough recipe when you don&rsquo;t have Book and all the other guys that are out.&rdquo;
Chris Paul had 16 points on 5-of-17 shooting, including 2 of 10 on 3s.
Paul said he isn't worried about things snowballing for the Suns.
&ldquo;Not really,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;As long as the locker room stays positive and understands that it&rsquo;s a long season. We went on ... an 18-game winning streak (last season) and lost in the second round. You know what I mean? In this league you can&rsquo;t get too high or too low.&rdquo;
The Rockets scored the game&rsquo;s first seven points and led 54-35 after a first half where the Suns made just 11 of 50 shots, including 4 of 24 3-pointers.
A 7-2 run by the Suns got them within 11 with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the game. Houston scored the next five points, capped by an off-balance tip-in for a three-point play by Garrison Mathews, to stretch the lead to 98-82.
Phoenix entered the game ranked fifth in the league in 3-point shooting at 38.3% but made just 13 of 51 (25.5%) on Tuesday night.
TIP-INS
Suns: Booker missed a second straight game with tightness in his left hamstring. ... Torrey Craig had 12 rebounds. ... Paul had seven assists.
Rockets: Alperen Sengun had 10 points and 16 rebounds. ... Jabari Smith Jr. received a flagrant-1 foul after a collision with Bridges in the third quarter. He had 14 points and eight rebounds. ... Tari Eason had 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
REMEMBERING DAD
Silas was emotional when speaking about his father before the game. He said he&rsquo;s been moved by the outpouring of support he&rsquo;s received since Paul Silas' death Sunday at 79.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very proud to be my dad&rsquo;s son,&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very proud that people see him in me. And I want that to continue. Whenever it is my time comes, I want people to say the same things that they said about him over the last couple of days about (me). And hopefully they&rsquo;ll do that.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Jalen Green had 26 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 as the Houston Rockets scored a 111-97 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Green scores 26, Rockets beat slumping Suns in Silas' return

What stands out to you about this possession?
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If your eyes immediately go to Nikola Jovic &mdash; a skilled seven-footer that the Miami Heat are pretty excited about &mdash; initiating the offense, I wouldn't blame you.
If you're a stickler for process, it's fair to point out that the first action of the possession &mdash; a pitch to Marcus Garrett before flowing into a ball-screen &mdash; taking nearly 15 seconds to occur is less than ideal. It leads to Garrett trying and failing to beat Xavier Tillman off the bounce after forcing a switch, which then calls for Jovic to save the possession with a(nother) deep three.
But look at Haywood Highsmith.
While the Heat take their precious time getting into the possession, he's calling for Garrett to move closer to the right wing so his help defender can't park at the free-throw line. Spacing is the name of the game, and Highsmith has a strong understanding of it.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_10_08_20_24_08.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
Highsmith lifts to the right wing while the ball-screen happens, then retreats back to the corner once Jovic receives the ball. And while his defender, David Roddy, stares down the late-clock iso from Jovic, Highsmith loops into the paint in anticipation for the shot.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_10_08_20_28_13.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
Sure enough, the shot clanks off the right side of the rim. By doing his homework early, by remaining active off the ball, Highsmith goes from spacer to glass-cleaner before anyone can put a body on him. Two-possession game.
Highsmith continues to fly under the radar. You can track it back to his family; he's technically a junior, with his father &mdash; Haywood Highsmith Sr. &mdash; carving out a prolific college career <a href="https://fightingfalcons.com/honors/hall-of-fame/haywood-highsmith/74" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in his own right</a>.
"First and foremost, my parents were very supportive of me over the years," Highsmith told Basketball News during a phone interview. "My father grew up playing basketball; he was a Hall-of-Famer in college, so I basically learned the game from him."&nbsp;
The younger Haywood would have <a href="https://wucardinals.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/haywood-highsmith/3842" target="_blank" rel="noopener">productive college career</a> of his own. He shined at Wheeling University, a Division II school, starting three of his four years there. As a senior, Highsmith averaged 22 points (60.9% from two, 40.5% from three), 12.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks.
It's been work since then. A two-way deal with the Philadelphia Sixers here; a two-year stretch in Germany there; G League reps in the interim. Highsmith has had to cycle through teams, schemes, roles and countries. But that amalgamtion of experiences has prepared him for this Heat run.
&ldquo;I don't view him as a young player," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said after Friday night's win over the Memphis Grizzlies. "I understand he doesn't have an extensive NBA experience &mdash; but he's played some very good basketball in the G League. He has had to grind and earn everything and every opportunity that he&rsquo;s been given. He just continues to get better each year.
"He has also contributed on some very good winning teams in the G League, and he has been one of those glue guys for those teams. [That] was one of the things that appealed to us about him &mdash; and it was the fact that he makes winning plays and contributes to winning &mdash; and it does not necessarily always show up in the conventional box score. But he defends, has a knack for the ball [and] he is very good in the system."
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The biggest question surrounding the Heat entering this season has been some variation of, "Who starts alongside Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt?" We've seen Caleb Martin, another diamond-in-the-rough find, get reps at the 4. Adebayo himself has played the 4 alongside Omer Yurtseven. It probably won't be Jimmy Butler, who jokingly-yet-seriously shut down the prospect of it in training camp.
Keep an eye on Highsmith, once again flying under the radar. He's coming off of a productive showing at NBA Summer League where he was tasked with defending all over the floor, canning triples and occasionally keeping the offense flowing as a driver.
During preseason play, he's been sliding across the positional scale defensively. He saw time against Bryn Forbes (movement shooter), Austin Rivers (wing scorer), Taurean Prince (spacer, close-out attacker) and Eric Paschall (versatile 4). Against the Brooklyn Nets, he spent time against Kevin Durant and&nbsp;Ben Simmons. On Friday night against the Grizzlies, he saw time against Dillon Brooks, Ziaire Williams and even Xavier Tillman.&nbsp;
He didn't always fare well against those matchups, but he offers the archetype &mdash; rangy, active, physical, willing &mdash; that the Heat want if they decide to go smaller again.&nbsp;
Highsmith recently spoke to Basketball News about his qualifications at the 4, his influences as a player, what he's worked on this summer and more.
(This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.)
How would you describe your game to someone who isn't familiar with you?
Haywood Highsmith: "I'm just a versatile basketball player. I don't really have a set position; I'll go out there and play whatever the team needs me to play. It starts with defense, being able to guard multiple players. Offensively, I'd say I'm a good shooter, an underrated passer. I'm just a guy that does a little bit of everything on the floor &mdash; and plays hard."
I was going through some of your college and overseas film, and it looks like you have somewhat of a post game too. Do you feel like that's something you can utilize if opponents stash smaller players on you?
Highsmith: "When I was in college, I was a Division II player so I faced some smaller players from time to time. I was pretty dominant in the post with a right hook, spins and stuff like that. I was kind of a big man in college; now that I'm in the pros, I'm more of a hybrid. When I get mismatches, I could definitely use some of the moves I used to do back in my earlier days &mdash; take advantage of my size and length and get good shots against smaller opponents."
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Since you've been in the NBA, who are some players you've drawn from or learned from?
Highsmith:&nbsp;"When I was in Philly (2018-19 season), I did talk to Jimmy [Butler] from time to time. Obviously I'm with him now, so I've been able to learn more from him. With the Heat last year, P.J. [Tucker] taught me a lot about playing hard, doing the little things while on the court; you can affect winning in different ways.
"In the G-League, I'd say Shaq Harrison. He's been around the NBA for a minute, played for the Bulls &mdash; he's a really good player. Guys like that, you can a learn a lot from. They've been playing longer than me, and they have more knowledge than me as well."
You've discussed your dad playing on the college level. How has that shaped your game?
Highsmith:&nbsp;"My dad has been supporting me since I was a kid. I knew I'd grow up to play basketball; he played, we're both very tall. He pushed me to develop skills beyond what he had. He tries to tell me things I could do better; sometimes I listen, and sometimes I don't (laughs). I feel like I'm learning more on this side, but sometimes he does bring up good points."
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Whenever you do pour over game tape, what are the kind of things you look for?
Highsmith: "I try to pinpoint areas in which I can be better, then I look at the things I did well and see what I can be consistent with. It's not always about looking at the things you did wrong; it's important to see the things you did well and stay positive. I just try to soak it all in, honestly."
What's a specific area of your game that you looked to improve this past summer?
Highsmith:&nbsp;"Obviously, it starts with being in the best conditioning as possible. I feel like the Heat have really helped me with that. I've been with them all summer.
"Beyond that, I've worked on my ball-handling and being more consistent with my shot. I worked with Rob Fodor, the Heat's shooting coach. He's a really good guy, and has had me working on different things with my jumpshot. So, it's been a blend of skill work and getting in great shape."
On the jumper, have you made any tweaks to it, or has it been more about getting reps up?
Highsmith:&nbsp;"It's about having a one-motion jumper for me. I have to make sure I don't hold the ball up top. I want to have one fluid motion with my jumpshot."
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Last question for you. You've played D-II, played overseas, played in the G-League, and you have some NBA experience. What are some of the stylistic differences that you've seen across those leagues?
Highsmith:&nbsp;"Overseas, it's obviously a more physical game. I think the defense is harder because there's more ball movement.
"In the NBA, the players are more talented so the stars have the ball in their hands more. Overseas, they move the ball around. There are a lot of good passers. Some of the big men can really shoot, and can also pass the ball really well.&nbsp;
"But with the NBA, G-League, overseas, D-II &mdash; it's all just basketball at the end of the day. There are different levels and different skill sets; obviously, I had to make an adjustment coming from playing D-II. I was probably the best player on the court every practice, every game. When I came to the pros, I had to change spots. I had to learn how to adjust and find my niche. I feel like I've done a good job of that, being able to play alongside different types of players. It's different everywhere, but you just have to be able to adjust and adapt to different styles."
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Actually, one quick follow-up before I let you go. You mentioned the physicality overseas and, at least when I watch, there seems to be more of an emphasis on big-man play. Do you feel like there's less switching overseas? What are the differences in defensive schemes?
Highsmith:&nbsp;"Yeah. When I was overseas, a lot of teams would hedge on ball-screens. You'd have to be able to hit the short-roll with a pass, or swing a pass to the opposite wing so that guy could hit the player rolling.
"When I got over there, they asked me to hard hedge, which I'd never done before. It was hard for me to learn at first. But as I grew, they recognized that I was better at switching because I could guard multiple positions. It didn't make much sense for me to hedge and try to recover back to my man. I feel like switching is very easy to do, especially compared to something like hedging."

Nekias Duncan talks to Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith about his background, role, skill set and more.

Heat's Haywood Highsmith Q&A: Playing the 4, skill development, more

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?

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
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Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

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His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence," Bullock said.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support," he said. "We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different: &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
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Dallas' Reggie Bullock has seen a career resurgence for the Mavericks this year, and it should continue in the playoffs.

Reggie Bullock hopes to take career resurgence into NBA Playoffs

As he went through a 45-minute exit interview with media, a tumultuous season with the Los Angeles Lakers was officially put to rest for Russell Westbrook.
The 33-year-old veteran was candid throughout his closing press conference, leaving little doubt regarding how he felt about his situation.
When Westbrook was introduced upon his arrival in Los Angeles, his message was that he desired to be somewhere he was wanted. He was asked on Monday if he still felt wanted.
"When I first got here, I felt I was never given the fair chance just to be who I needed to be to help this team." Westbrook told reporters, mentioning preconceived notions as a major factor. "From top to bottom, just every aspect, because what I bring to an organization is not just basketball.
"I never felt like, coming in, I had a fair chance on the basketball front, on any front."
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Westbrook claims that those preconceived notions arose from false stories from the media, so coming to Los Angeles, he was fighting against this story and that story like no other stop in his career.
"Unfortunately, throughout the season &mdash; especially this season &mdash; the ability to be able to constantly create stories about myself, and things I may have and people thought I may be doing, it can jade people's perspective about me," Westbrook said. "The outside fan and the outside world (think), 'Oh, well maybe he is the problem, maybe he is the bigger issue,' and in actuality, there are so many issues going on internally that are actually, really happening."
One of those internal issues revolved around now-former Lakers head coach Frank Vogel and the job he did this season with three All-Stars. Immediately following Westbrook mentioning internal issues, he was asked about Vogel.
"I have never had an issue with any of my coaches before, as much as people may assume," Westbrook said. "I have never had an issue with any coach, any players, any staff members, anybody actually... I'm not sure what his issue was with me, or I am not sure why... but I cannot really give you answer why we never really connected. That's something he has to answer.
"From the get-go, it felt like I was trying to prove myself to him."
As far as making adjustments was concerned, Westbrook said he knew he was going to have to make the biggest sacrifice coming to L.A, but "any situation I have been in, I have had to make the sacrifice. Whether it was in D.C. whether it was in Houston, whether it was in Oklahoma City. In actuality, I have always been able to make a sacrifice."
In terms of on-court adjustments by the coaching staff, Westbrook stated that he "just does what he's asked."
LeBron James, who addressed the media first for Laker exit interviews, offered his thoughts on his first season as Westbrook's teammate.
<blockquote>
One thing about Russ that I love and will always love, is just his competitive spirit, what he brings to the game every night. And when you&rsquo;re in a profession when so many injuries happen and so many things go on, to have a guy that&rsquo;s reliable, who can put on the uniform every single night, that&rsquo;s something I respect out of everything. I&rsquo;m not gonna sit here and make decisions for the front office and things of that nature, but I love being a teammate of Russ.
I mean, at the end of the day, the reason why we were not very good together is we weren&rsquo;t on the damn floor together. That is the No. 1 thing. I mean, how many games did we play together? We played, what, a quarter of the season together? ... I played more games with my high school teammates in a season, and we only played 27 games. So there it is.
</blockquote>
(For what it's worth, Westbrook and LeBron weren't great in those 21 games together this season, going just 11-10 with a minus-3.5 Net Rating.)
"Russ is a hall of fame player that gave everything he could to this organization this year... In terms of Russell Westbrook and his future, part of that is in his control," Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka added.
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"Russ is a hall of fame player that gave everything he could to this organization this year... In terms of Russell Westbrook and his future, part of that is in his control." -Pelinka, on Russ' player option and future. Says they will "look under every stone" for ways to improve.
&mdash; Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1513597954585554947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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For Westbrook himself, this was the first season in his career in which he was not in the 98th percentile or better in usage rate. Even beside Kevin Durant, James Harden or Bradley Beal, Westbrook had one of the top usage rates in the league. He recorded his second-lowest assist percentage (31.0%) and second-worst turnover percentage (15.4%) &mdash; both barely edging out his rookie season.&nbsp;
The 2021-22 campaign also saw Westbrook take his fewest amount of shots per game (15.3) on the lowest field-goal percentage of his career (39.8%). His minus-4.0 NET was a product of his second-worst Offensive Rating (107.5) and career-low Defensive Rating (111.5).&nbsp;
One point Westbrook repeatedly made was that he wasn't allowed to use his strengths on the floor to help make the team successful. The veteran's ability to score on the fastbreak and take advantage of his opponents' turnovers has always been one of his strengths, but this year, he had career-lows in points off turnovers and fastbreak points per game.
Whatever the reason may be &mdash; whether it was coaching style, roster fit or straight up regression &mdash; Westbrook was clearly not the same player we have seen throughout his career.
It is clear that a new fit should be on the horizon for the oft-misunderstood point guard, or else it'll be back to the drawing board for all parties involved.
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Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Justin Lewis reviews Russell Westbrook's candid exit interview with the Lakers heading into Los Angeles' offseason.

Westbrook: I 'never felt like I had a fair chance' to be myself in L.A.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Examining 11 impact players whose return could alter NBA playoffs

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Spencer Dinwiddie knows it's up to Luka Doncic whether he takes the last shot.
Doncic is the man in Dallas, so Dinwiddie said he's well within his right to decide if he's going to be the one to determine whether the Mavericks win or lose.
Doncic passed it &mdash; and the way Dinwiddie is going, why wouldn't he?
Dinwiddie <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1504278964470169604?s=20&amp;t=TTmene7IM6Y9s3WSjooAkQ">made a 3-pointer at the buzzer</a> against his former team, giving the Mavericks a 113-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Dinwiddie hit the winning basket with nine seconds left Sunday in Boston and came through in the clutch again after Kevin Durant had given the Nets a one-point lead with a 3-pointer with 10 seconds to play.
&ldquo;Same as Boston,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s it.&rdquo;
The Mavericks took time after Durant's shot and Doncic brought the ball up before Durant left Dinwiddie and ran toward the All-Star guard. Doncic passed to Dinwiddie, who nailed the jumper from the right side, right in front of Brooklyn's bench. He then ran across the court to the other sideline in celebration.
During his celebration, he thanked Nico Harrison, the Mavs general manager who acquired Dinwiddie from Washington last month after a rocky stint with the Wizards. Dinwiddie previously played in Brooklyn, resurrecting his career and playing his way into the big contract he earned from the Wizards.
He still has friends in Brooklyn, so he said this victory was more fun than revenge.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s like sticking it to your cousin versus, like, being vengeful for an enemy,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said.
It's the first time in his career he has hit game-winners in consecutive games. The Mavericks said Chicago All-Star DeMar DeRozan is the only other player to do that this season.
Doncic finished with 37 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the Mavericks' eighth win in nine games. Dinwiddie scored 22 points, 15 in the fourth quarter.
Durant had 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, but Brooklyn had its four-game winning streak snapped. Goran Dragic scored a season-high 21 points and Bruce Brown had 17. Andre Drummond had 14 points and 17 rebounds.
A night after a 150-108 romp in Orlando, when Kyrie Irving scored a career-high 60 points, the Nets were searching for offense with the guard unable to play because of New York City's coronavirus vaccine mandate. The Mavs often sent second and even third defenders to force Durant to give up the ball.
He beat that by quickly rising for the 3-pointer that gave Brooklyn the lead, but Dinwiddie again came through late for the Mavs and left Durant wondering if he'd made the right decision to double Doncic.
&ldquo;When you watch that last play, just regret, wondering what the game would have been like if I didn&rsquo;t go jump Luka right there, you know what I&rsquo;m saying?&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;So in hindsight I wish I would have made a different decision, but it is what it is.&rdquo;
Durant's basket to open the fourth quarter gave Brooklyn a 93-79 lead. But the Nets had only one basket in the next four minutes and a 15-2 run by Dallas trimmed it to one on Dinwiddie's 3-pointer with 7:53 remaining.
The Nets went back ahead by six midway through the period before the Mavs scored eight straight to take the 104-102 lead on Maxi Kleber's free throws with 3:08 to play
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd said he hoped F Marquese Chriss (sore right knee) could play Friday or Saturday. ... With Reggie Bullock (personal reasons) out again, the Mavs stuck with a three-guard lineup with Doncic, Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson. Brunson scored 18 points.
Nets: Seth Curry (left ankle) missed his third straight game but coach Steve Nash said he expected the guard to play Friday against Portland. ... Nash thought C LaMarcus Aldridge (right hip) probably wouldn't be evaluated again until sometime next week.
WEEKLY WINNERS
The game featured both reigning players of the week in the NBA. Durant won the Eastern Conference award Monday and Doncic took it home in the West for the second time in three weeks.
COACHES IN A CLASSIC
The 150 points Tuesday were the second-most the Nets had scored in an NBA game, behind only their 161-157 double-overtime loss to Phoenix on Dec. 7, 2006, when Nash and Kidd went head-to-head as the point guards. Nash scored 42 points, while Kidd carried the Nets with 38 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists,
Asked what he remembered about the game, Nash joked: &ldquo;Just back in the day how I used to lock people down. Just keep the top guys under wraps.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Visit Philadelphia on Friday.
Nets: Host Portland on Friday.

Spencer Dinwiddie made a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Dallas Mavericks a 113-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Dinwiddie hits 3 at buzzer, Mavericks beat Nets 113-111

Dorian Finney-Smith hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 3.3 seconds left and the Dallas Mavericks, playing without All-Star guard Luka Doncic, overcame a 19-point deficit for the second time this week to beat the Sacramento Kings 114-113 on Saturday.
Doncic was listed on the injury report as having a left toe sprain, and coach Jason Kidd wouldn&rsquo;t elaborate on the injury. It was the first game Doncic has missed since Jan. 7 and the 16th game overall.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored a season-high 36 points to go with seven assists in his first start for Dallas since being acquired from Washington on Feb. 10. Jalen Brunson added 23 points and assisted on the winning basket, passing from behind the basket to Finney-Smith for a 114-111 lead.
&ldquo;We want Luka playing, and it took us some time to get used to him not being on the floor,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;I thought the guys got their legs and got their rhythm without Luka out there. It helps us &ndash; makes us a better team &ndash; but hopefully Luka&rsquo;s back Monday.&rdquo;
The Kings had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds, but Harrison Barnes&rsquo; 30-footer went off the rim and Justin Holiday converted the miss for a layup for the final points.
Dallas trailed by 19 at Golden State last Sunday before rallying for a 107-101 victory. The Mavericks have won five straight and pulled within one game of fourth-place Utah in the Western Conference.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox matched a career high with 44 points on 18-for-31 shooting, and Domantas Sabonis added 15 points and 10 rebounds &ndash; but only four points and three rebounds in the second half while often guarded by Finney-Smith &ndash; for the Kings.
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve done an OK job so far,&rdquo; Fox said about establishing chemistry with Sabonis, who was acquired Feb. 8 from Indiana. &ldquo;I think we have a good ways to go, and we just want to bring our team wins.&rdquo;
Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry was upset about some of Fox&rsquo;s other numbers.
&ldquo;As much as De&rsquo;Aaron Fox drives the ball to the basket and as much as he is in the paint, I&rsquo;m a little bit miffed as to how he shoots six free throws,&rdquo; Gentry said.
Fox hit the second of two free throws to tie it at 111 with 12 seconds to play, and Dallas called a timeout. Finney-Smith asked Kidd if he could set up in the right corner. Brunson took the inbound pass and, guarded by Davion Mitchell, drove to the basket before whipping the ball to Finney-Smith.
Dinwiddie averaged 14.5 points in 27.3 minutes in his first six Mavericks games coming off the bench. He was 8 for 12 from the floor in the second half and overall has scored at least 20 in three of his last four games.
THE PARTY GOES ON
The Mavericks hosted Slovenia Night in honor of Doncic&rsquo;s homeland and scheduled the game for a 4 p.m. local start in conjunction with European television. The first 3,000 fans received Slovenia scarfs, and a group of fans traveled from there to attend the game.
Doncic watched the game from the end of the bench and met afterward with the visiting Slovenians. He came to the scorer&rsquo;s table once in the first half to chat with the officials during a timeout after the Dallas bench was particularly upset with multiple calls.
NOT-SO-SWEET SIXTEEN
With the loss, the Kings will finish with a losing record for the 16th consecutive season. Of their 37 seasons in Sacramento, they&rsquo;ve had winning finishes only in the eight seasons under Rick Adelman (1998-99 through 2005-06).
TIP-INS:
Kings: Richaun Holmes returned after missing five games because of back soreness. Holmes had six points and six rebounds in 16 minutes. &hellip; Guard Jeremy Lamb sat with left hip soreness.
Mavericks: Finney-Smith had 17 points, hitting 5 of 11 from 3-point range. &hellip; Dallas came in second in the NBA allowing only 10.8 3-pointers per game and held Sacramento to nine, three in the second half. &hellip; Power forward Maxi Kleber missed his second straight game with an ankle injury.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host New York on Monday night.
Mavericks: Host the Jazz on Monday night.

Dorian Finney-Smith hit a three from the right corner with 3.3 seconds left and the Mavericks, without Luka Doncic, rallied to win.

Mavericks overcome 19-point deficit to beat Kings 114-113

Shortly after the Sacramento Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 second-round pick, fans and media (and even some <a href="https://twitter.com/HGiiizzle/status/1491118262570336257" target="_blank" rel="noopener">players</a>) rushed to social media to criticize the Kings&rsquo; decision and express confusion over the move.
Meanwhile, people in NBA circles were doing the exact same thing.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t get it at all,&rdquo; said a Western Conference scout. &ldquo;How Tyrese was made available is beyond me. It&rsquo;s puzzling.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The Kings are the worst,&rdquo; texted a league source.
&ldquo;What are the Kings doing?&rdquo; asked an NBA trainer. &ldquo;There has to be another trade.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s rare for a trade to warrant such a one-sided response among people around the league, but every individual who spoke to BasketballNews.com questioned the move for Sacramento.
It&rsquo;s not a huge surprise that Sabonis landed with the Kings; after all, Sacramento and Washington were the two teams that had been linked to the big man the most, and it had become increasingly clear that the Wizards lacked the assets to complete a deal.
The shocking part was the inclusion of Haliburton. In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Kings were shopping De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III among others, but Haliburton wasn&rsquo;t mentioned as a possible trade chip.&nbsp;
In fact, in an effort to silence some of the Fox trade rumors, Sacramento had <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/kings-have-no-plans-currently-to-trade-deaaron-fox-will-center-team-around-him-sources/k4SfP584UQrs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked to The Athletic</a> that they had every intention of building around their backcourt of Fox and Haliburton going forward. Clearly, that was a lie in order to gain leverage in trade talks.
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The strong reaction has less to do with Sabonis and more to do with the fact that the Kings seemingly lack a long-term plan. After all, Sabonis is a two-time All-Star and he&rsquo;s clearly a very talented player; he&rsquo;s averaging 18.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals this season. But what is the Kings&rsquo; ceiling with Sabonis? The eighth seed and a first-round exit?&nbsp;
Multiple executives said that it feels like Sacramento is mortgaging their future for minimal improvement, especially since they&rsquo;ll still likely miss the playoffs this year (they have the third-worst record in the Western Conference) and potentially next season too.
Also, many NBA executives expect the Kings to make another trade prior to Thursday's deadline.
Haliburton is a 21-year-old with seemingly unlimited upside, and he has a lot of fans around the NBA, so it&rsquo;s not a surprise that many league sources view this trade as a mistake. This season, he's averaging 14.3 points, 7.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 threes and 1.7 steals on .457/.413/.837 shooting splits.
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Kings Reddit is in shock (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ActionNetworkHQ</a>) <a href="https://t.co/KvGfbqyCpK">pic.twitter.com/KvGfbqyCpK</a>
&mdash; Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1491123100603551744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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While it seems unlikely, it&rsquo;s possible that this move will work out and the Kings will silence their critics. After all, the last time Sabonis was traded back in 2017, the Pacers were initially ridiculed for that move too.
When Indiana dealt Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Sabonis and Victor Oladipo, the Pacers were mocked for this return. However, the deal ended up working out since Oladipo and Sabonis emerged as All-Stars and George requested a trade from Oklahoma City after just two seasons.&nbsp;
Two years ago, I <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2020/01/24/nba-rumors-indiana-pacers-front-office-pritchard-buchanan-oladipo-brogdon-behind-the-scenes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke to</a> Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan and president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard about the backlash they received following their blockbuster trade.
&ldquo;I remember going back to my room probably around midnight and I was just exhausted. I turned on the TV before trying to fall asleep and we were just getting crushed for the trade,&rdquo; Buchanan recalled. &ldquo;I remember feeling like, &lsquo;Oh gosh.&rsquo; My wife called me and she was like, &lsquo;Uh, you guys really aren&rsquo;t getting much good press for your trade&hellip;&rsquo;"
&ldquo;After we did the trade, we were thinking, &lsquo;Okay, you ready for this avalanche?&rsquo;&rdquo; Pritchard added. &ldquo;I knew that there was going to be some harsh criticisms: &lsquo;Why didn&rsquo;t you get another pick? Why didn&rsquo;t you leverage longer? Why didn&rsquo;t you go [talk] to Boston? Why didn&rsquo;t you go to all these other teams?&rsquo; I knew it was going to come, but I didn&rsquo;t know it was going to come that hard. It came hard from the community, it came hard nationally.&rdquo;
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Pacers owner Herb Simon was very supportive of Pritchard and Buchanan during that time, which made them feel a lot better. Simon told Pritchard that they made the right move and stressed, &ldquo;You&rsquo;re not on an island.&rdquo;
&ldquo;When he said that, I could breathe,&rdquo; Pritchard recalled.
Two years later, the general consensus completely flipped, with the Pacers viewed as the clearcut winners of the trade. Perhaps the same thing will happen this time around, with Kings general manager Monte McNair and his staff getting the last laugh down the road.

As fans and media criticized the Kings' decision to trade Tyrese Haliburton, many NBA decision-makers were doing the same thing.

NBA decision-makers criticize Kings' trade: 'I don't get it at all'

With rumblings surrounding the availability of Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins, BasketballNews.com's Evan Sidery and Nekias Duncan teamed up to come up with possible destinations prior to the NBA's Feb. 10 trade deadline.
John Collins is growing increasingly frustrated with his role. Carrying his lowest usage rate since his rookie campaign in 2017-18, Collins feels <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/stats-notebook-has-john-collins-role-with-the-hawks-really-changed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he's more than deserving of being a more featured piece within the Hawks&rsquo; offense</a>. Even with Collins still only holding a 19.9 USG%, he&rsquo;s averaging an impressive stat line of 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks at an above-average efficiency clip.
Collins is excellent at what he does for Atlanta, but would he look like in a different role elsewhere away from Trae Young?
He is only on the first year of his new deal, which drew lines in the sand during a tough restricted free agency period last offseason.
With extremely high expectations in Atlanta following its Eastern Conference Finals surprise, the team has been unable to clear the first bars. The Hawks already dealt promising young wing Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks in order to avoid paying him a big-figure contract. Meanwhile, if Collins is indeed available to the highest bidder around the Association, Atlanta could receive an extremely high amount of resources.
Below, Nekias and I dove into the film room, as well as five destinations that make the most sense for Collins in a trade scenario.
WHAT COLLINS BRINGS
Collins has become one of the NBA's most versatile pick-and-roll partners. Because of his speed, soft hands and impressive vertical pop, Collins is able to sky for just about anything you throw his way after he rolls to the basket. And because of his improved shooting ability &mdash; he's converted north of 40% of his above-the-break threes in each of the past three seasons &mdash; you can't afford to completely sell out against rim attempts.
It's that combination of skills that makes him deadly. Pairing that with Young &mdash; a guy that can pull from 30, make every pass in the book, and #FloaterGang you to death &mdash; is patently unfair. It's unsurprising that trips featuring a Young-Collins ball screen has generated over 1.05 points per possessions over the last three seasons, per Second Spectrum.
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Collins' quick-leaping ability also makes him a menace on the offensive glass when he's allowed to hover around the paint. The gradual decline in offensive rebounding has more to do with his positioning within the offense than some lack of instinct or physicality.
LIMITATIONS&nbsp;
There are some questions defensively.
There are fewer questions to answer than in years past, to be fair. Collins' activity level and awareness have improved throughout his career. You could especially sense a shift from him during last year's playoffs, and that has seemingly carried over into this year.&nbsp;
Collins looks a little more comfortable on the perimeter, holding his own in switches and in the rare times the Hawks have asked him to trap this year. He has the feel needed to clean up messes as a weak-side helper, especially if he's allowed to roam against a non-shooter.
It's still largely unclear if Collins has made enough strides to serve as a primary rim-protector for extended periods of time. Among 75 frontcourt players that have defended at least 150 picks in drop coverage this season, Collins ranks in the bottom five in points allowed per Second Spectrum.
The added activity is nice, but he's still suffering from the too-little-too-much problem. Sometimes he's giving up too much of a gap, which allows the ball-handler or roll man (if he receives a pass early enough) to build momentum and launch into Collins' chest. Other times, he's playing the gap a little too high, which allows the big to get behind him for easy lobs.
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It's fair to question how much of that is Collins trying to figure things out, and how much of it is him not trusting the point-of-attack defenders he's had to play with over the past couple of seasons. Let's be kind and say Young and Lou Williams leave quite a bit to be desired.
The boring answer: Collins has clear strengths and weaknesses, and a stronger defensive infrastructure could bring the best out of him.
Sacramento Kings
Rumors <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-making-buddy-hield-richaun-holmes-harrison-barnes-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continue to billow out of Sacramento</a> right now pointing towards a massive roster overhaul soon in store. Everyone on the Kings, except reportedly De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, is available in trade talks. It shows the urgency is rising in Sacramento, and someone like Collins could be the perfect remedy.
Kings receive: John Collins
Hawks receive: Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell
This feels like a very fair trade for both sides, especially if Collins malcontents his way out of Atlanta. Barnes would provide beautiful floor-spacing acumen for the Hawks&rsquo; guards, plus Mitchell would be a bulldog defender who'd had heavy spot minutes alongside Young.
For Sacramento, it&rsquo;s easy to sell yourself on the idea of switching things up and inserting a potential 20-and-10 machine in Collins. Haliburton would be spoon-feeding easy looks for Collins, plus Fox provides a steady scoring partner as well.
Resetting around a trio of Fox, Collins and Haliburton in Sacramento could actually be a fun scenario to watch unfold. And from Atlanta&rsquo;s standpoint, this feels like a win-win deal in the short and long-term.
Charlotte Hornets
An intra-division trade, huh? With the way the Hornets have played lately, showcasing a complete turnaround on the defensive end, could they be positioning themselves to make a big push at February&rsquo;s trade deadline. Don&rsquo;t rule it out, because Charlotte&rsquo;s upside is already massive with a young superstar like LaMelo Ball running the show offensively.
Nabbing Collins from Atlanta would cost significant assets, but the payoff could be absolutely massive. Could you imagine Collins and Miles Bridges catching lobs from Ball with reckless abandon?
Hornets receive: John Collins
Hawks receive: Kelly Oubre Jr., P.J. Washington, James Bouknight
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For Atlanta, Oubre would fill a similar energizer role as Collins, but with much less consistency and pop. Oubre has flashed at times brilliance this season we saw from him during his years with the Phoenix Suns; could that jump be intensified playing with Young as his point guard?
Washington and Bouknight are two former lottery picks for the Hornets who simply haven&rsquo;t been able to carve out a consistent role. If Charlotte decides the time is now, relinquishing these two enticing prospects likely is the going rate to seriously upgrade. Bouknight would provide a promising young building block who could turn into a 20-plus point-per-game scorer. Washington has the makeup similar to Collins where he can feast around the rim and pick-and-pops in Atlanta&rsquo;s scheme.
I would grade this one as doubtful on the potential scale of realism, but the construct of this certainly makes plenty of sense on paper.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are so much fun to watch when they&rsquo;re clicking on all cylinders. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have been the dynamite scoring duo Minnesota had hoped for. D&rsquo;Angelo Russell is also finding his footing with the Timberwolves, showcasing a strong ability to bounce-back and fit within what&rsquo;s required of him.
It&rsquo;s long been known the Timberwolves have really been one more piece away from taking another serious jump in the Western Conference hierarchy. That&rsquo;s why Ben Simmons has been floated around Minnesota for months now.
What about Collins landing in Minnesota to play alongside Towns, Edwards and Russell? It wouldn&rsquo;t provide the defensive security blanket Minnesota is in desperate need of, but he makes an already scary offense absolutely terrifying.
Timberwolves receive: John Collins
Hawks receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Malik Beasley, draft compensation
The Hawks check plenty of boxes in this scenario where they send Collins off to Minnesota, bringing back an immediate impact scorer in Beasley, a super versatile rebounder with flashes of elite defense in Vanderbilt; plus, they would get a potentially beautiful backcourt fit with Bolmaro as a jumbo-sized playmaker. Throwing in some picks to the equation makes this so enticing for Atlanta as well.
This would be one to watch out for as a real fit for Collins, if it reaches that point in Atlanta anytime soon.
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland is in an odd spot right now. Damian Lillard is out indefinitely due to an abdomen injury that has plagued him for a while. With the Trail Blazers far out of competing for a serious playoff push, especially with no Lillard, now is the perfect time to reset a little bit and try something different.
The pressure is on for the Blazers to find another competent scoring punch to keep Lillard happy in Oregon long-term. Could Collins be the answer here? It&rsquo;s a very intriguing fit for both player and team.
Hawks receive: Larry Nance Jr., Robert Covington, Nassir Little
Trail Blazers receive: John Collins
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I have to admit, Collins teaming up with Lillard would be so much fun for everyone to watch. Instantly, Collins would provide an inside scoring jolt that&rsquo;s been missing for the Blazers. Also, Collins would be feasting consistently playing off the gravity of Lillard and CJ McCollum.
For the Hawks, they would receive three pieces to insert into their frontcourt to replace Collins&rsquo; production. Nance would be a strong bounce-back candidate playing with Young as his point guard in Atlanta. Covington isn&rsquo;t who he used to be, but can still provide winning attributes on a hopeful contender. Little is the wildcard who provides real intrigue here. Beginning to flash more consistently this season, could Little&rsquo;s rise become a full-on ascension with the Hawks?
Another scenario where this feels like a win-win for both sides. Maybe Portland throws on some draft compensation to make the return more eye-opening for Atlanta.
San Antonio Spurs
The dots have already been connected around Collins to San Antonio. As Collins entered restricted free agency, the Spurs were the one team we continuously heard as a team who was seriously interested in pursuing him for a lucrative offer sheet.
San Antonio&rsquo;s core has been overachieving a little bit this season, thanks in large part to Dejounte Murray becoming a key building block. It&rsquo;s really almost a blank slate for the Spurs, so maybe Collins could be the piece to really augment another era of strong basketball in San Antonio?
Hawks receive: Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV
Spurs receive: John Collins
White has been thrown around in trade rumors throughout his career, but his fit next to Young is nothing short of excellent. White&rsquo;s all-around ability would cover up a lot of holes and help strengthen Atlanta&rsquo;s backcourt depth. Walker is a home-run swing, but an athlete like that to catch lobs every game from Young could lead to some magic happening.
San Antonio has been floating around as a potential shocking buyer at the trade deadline, including its name being thrown into the Simmons sweepstakes. Collins would boost up a Spurs core in desperate need of another strong piece.
Collins would cause a feeding frenzy in the NBA, if the Hawks are indeed shopping him around to the highest bidder anywhere. The Hawks&rsquo; big man has displayed he&rsquo;s deserving of a bigger role. Whether it&rsquo;s in Atlanta or elsewhere, Collins would change the dynamics of a lot of organizations.
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John Collins is growing increasingly frustrated with his role in Atlanta. If the Hawks decide to move on, where could he end up?

Examining potential trade destinations for John Collins

Late in the second quarter of a January game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets, Joel Embiid is operating from his comfort zone of the left block. He faces up, drives baseline and transitions into a shot, but doesn&rsquo;t quite find the edge to finish inside.&nbsp;
As he pivots back toward the hoop and away from the baseline, Garrison Mathews is there to offer a soft double-team. A hook shot is still available for Embiid and would be a fine decision. He&rsquo;s taller than both Mathews and his primary defender, Christian Wood. Extending over the top would present a clean release.&nbsp;
But after Charlie Brown Jr. cuts to occupy Kevin Porter Jr., Furkan Kormaz, a career 36 percent three-point shooter, is wide open. So, in one swift motion, Embiid spins, stares down Brown to dissuade Porter from closing out and delivers a no-look pass to set up Korkmaz.&nbsp;
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Korkmaz missing badly is a trivial matter. That&rsquo;s not a pass Embiid likely dishes out a year ago, nor is it one he likely makes at any stage of his career prior to this season. Late arriving help like the type Mathews brings would routinely bury him.&nbsp;
Nowadays, the seven-foot center is playing the best basketball of his career, in part because he&rsquo;s processing the game better than ever. Philadelphia is 22-9 when he&rsquo;s in the lineup. Once a middling 16-16 squad, the 25-17 Sixers have won nine of their last 10 and are just 2.5 games back of the top seed in the East.&nbsp;
Embiid isn&rsquo;t the front-runner for MVP, and he might not even finish top-three if voting was finalized today. He is, however, among the six-man race of superstars vying for the award, and perhaps nobody has been playing better basketball than him since early December.
Over his last 18 games, the big fella is averaging 30.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists (2.9 turnovers), 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on a 64.4% True Shooting Percentage. For the year, he&rsquo;s averaging 27.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists (2.9 turnovers), 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals on 60.1% TS.
After finishing second in MVP voting last season and registering 28-10.5-3-1.5-1 on 63% TS across 11 playoff games, Embiid has returned as an improved player to reach unexplored heights.&nbsp;
The most discernible growth is his composure, control and discretion offensively, which often manifest in his playmaking. His 24.3% assist rate is a career-high, while his 11.5% turnover rate is a career-low, according to Cleaning The Glass. Those numbers aren&rsquo;t always a worthwhile proxy for passing ability, but they&rsquo;re illuminating and relevant with Embiid.&nbsp;
For years, he&rsquo;s been capable of whirling skip passes from the post to corner shooters. He incorporated them on a consistent basis last season, yet was still prone to succumbing against double-teams and struggled to find teammates on the interior. This year, the skip pass remains valuable and he&rsquo;s diversifying the reads in his arsenal.&nbsp;
Embiid has developed nifty synergy with Matisse Thybulle roaming the dunker spot. He keeps his dribble alive against double-teams and avoids them altogether more regularly. In years past, help would come and he&rsquo;d be neutralized, unsure of how to proceed and prone to shying away from the defense, desperate for some sort of counter.&nbsp;
Even if he&rsquo;s not entirely infallible, those moments of complete ineptitude are a relic. He&rsquo;s built upon last season&rsquo;s improvements to become an exceptionally high-level passing center who organizes the offense and picks apart defenses with skill, flair and feel.&nbsp;
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More than ever before, he&rsquo;s simply aware of how much pressure he applies on opponents and how to parlay that into effective offense for everyone. Previously, he had a tendency to make decisions based solely upon his individual defender and the best way to score against them.&nbsp;
Shifting his approach to identify the positioning of everyone on the floor and act based on that perspective has facilitated his maturation. Trouble used to arise when the opposition sped up his decision-making. That rarely transpires anymore. Teams don&rsquo;t really deter Embiid from his first option. If they do, he calmly moves onto a secondary plan, a critical facet in his rise from All-NBA superstar to MVP-caliber superstar.
While a portion of all this was prevalent last season, Embiid also benefited from the best midrange shooting campaign of his career, which masked some of the longstanding issues in his offensive style.
According to Cleaning The Glass, he shot 47% from midrange, six points higher than his previous career-best. This season, he&rsquo;s back down to 41% but is a more complete, impactful offensive player, and has combated that regression with a retooled means of scanning the court. His TS% is 4.4 points above league average, the second-best mark of his career behind last season&rsquo;s 6.4 points above average.&nbsp;
Without Ben Simmons around, Embiid&rsquo;s become the team&rsquo;s de facto transition energizer. After a rebound, he&rsquo;s empowered to ignite grab-and-go sequences or simply flow into the normal offense, whether it&rsquo;s a dribble handoff, high-low action, post-up or off-the-bounce jumper. Some of these occurrences happened in 2020-21, though their frequency has seen a major spike this year.&nbsp;
He boasts dexterous footwork, nimble body control and the requisite handling chops to pilot the break. As it turns out, most defenders have zero interest in being an obstacle between the hoop and a 7-foot, 280-pound point guard barreling downhill.
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Arguably the most vital component of Embiid&rsquo;s 2020-21 transformation was the diversification of his scoring repertoire. He significantly expanded his pull-up game and emerged proficient at commonly initiating offense from spots other than mid-post. That remains true.&nbsp;
According to Synergy, in 2018-19, he set a career-high with 13.4% of his half-court offense being derived from off-the-dribble jumpers, though only generated 0.783 points per possession on those shots. Last season, he eclipsed that career-high at 18.8% and generated 1.013 PPP. This season, he&rsquo;s up to 25.1% frequency and 0.992 PPP.&nbsp;
With savvy footwork that implies a drive is imminent, he&rsquo;s masterful at creating space for jumpers against defenders. His shot fake is incredibly lethal. He&rsquo;s even canned 34.2% of his pull-up triples (13 of 38).&nbsp;
There are vast avenues for Embiid to score. Leading the break. Deep seals inside -- he&rsquo;s shooting a career-high 72% at the rim, per Cleaning The Glass. The classic post touch. Pick-and-pop threes. Attacking from the perimeter as a driver. Free throws (.592 free-throw rate, second-best of his career).
He knows what he wants, which ranges far and wide, and how to pursue it. Flustering him into suboptimal decisions is a landmark achievement. Compared to his early years, and even in general, the dude is just so dang patient. That development has done wonders for him.&nbsp;
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Embiid is not the lone Sixers starter riding a career year. His ball-screen buddy, Seth Curry, has joined him in that regard, averaging 16.3 points on scintillating 63.8% TS.
Most of the credit goes to Curry. He&rsquo;s a wicked good shooter raining fire all over the floor. Some of it, though, should be attributed to Embiid&rsquo;s refined screen-setting. For years, he opted to go through the motions of a pick and avoid physical contact. Far from the most glaring issue with Philadelphia&rsquo;s offense, it still played a role in the struggles.&nbsp;
This season, he&rsquo;s committed to springing free guys like Curry with his screening. Not every possession is perfect, but there&rsquo;s significantly more good than any year prior. He&rsquo;s legitimately stonewalling some players and Curry is reaping the benefits by way of a silky jumper.
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The most remarkable part of everything he brings offensively is how defensive-oriented he was entering the league. He&rsquo;s always been a very good defender, but dating back to 2017-18, has saved a little something for the playoffs. That may still be the case, though he&rsquo;s playing the best regular season defense since his rookie year right now.&nbsp;
Between his own enhancements and seven games of trial by fire against the fearsome Trae Young-Clint Capela-John Collins trio, it felt like Embiid refined his pick-and-roll coverage substantially last season. Bouncy lob threats still expose his lack of vertical explosion at times, but he&rsquo;s learned to exquisitely engage the cat-and-mouse game of guarding ball-handler and roller.
He excels at baiting drivers into tossing lobs before retreating to alter or block shots. His positioning and recognition of proper angles in drop coverage are clinical. Philadelphia has broadened its pick-and-roll defense since assistant coach Dan Burke arrived last season, so Embiid is also asked to play at the level of the screen, trap and hedge at times as well, especially the last of those in recent weeks.&nbsp;
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Not only has Embiid showcased his merits and technique in pick-and-rolls, but he&rsquo;s also been supremely active as a general rim protector. In the Sixers&rsquo; impressive win over the Heat on Saturday, he almost entirely shut down the paint for them and extinguished (ha, get it, heat, fire) their crunch-time offense.
Miami was quite timid to challenge him and Philadelphia&rsquo;s perimeter defenders were empowered to run shooters off the arc, knowing Embiid loomed behind, waiting to reinforce their efforts.
Although most games haven&rsquo;t been that extreme, he executes necessary rotations to influence plays inside the paint. His verticality is masterful and a 280-pound frame means winning the strength battle is a nonstarter for most contestants.&nbsp;
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As a rookie, Embiid produced a gaudy 5.1% block rate, one counteracted by 6.9 fouls per 100 possessions. Over the years, he&rsquo;s become increasingly calculated and that evolution has coalesced in 2021-22.&nbsp;
While he persists as a defensive menace, his block rate sits at a career-low 2.2% and he averages 3.8 fouls per 100 possessions. In fact, he hasn&rsquo;t fouled out of his past 101 games, and hasn&rsquo;t even tallied five fouls over his past 38 outings. All this despite the Sixers&rsquo; perimeter defense being much worse than last season and inconsistent on the whole.
The Sixers have the NBA&rsquo;s sixth-ranked defense since Embiid returned from COVID on Nov. 27. That largely stems from him flying around the floor, quarterbacking everyone with vocal communication and avoiding costly penalties (2.6 fouls a night over that 22-game span).
Philadelphia doesn&rsquo;t solely lean on him defensively. His 36% usage rate is a career high and ranks fourth league-wide, according to Cleaning The Glass. Most of its offensive goodness originates with him.&nbsp;
These aren&rsquo;t new trends during his Sixers tenure; they&rsquo;ve long demanded he captain them on both ends. Yet the rate at which Embiid is succeeding in such a complex, burdensome role feels unprecedented for him.
His scoring is elite. His passing is very good. His defense has been stellar. He&rsquo;s a do-it-all superstar elevating his game to another level and asserting himself into the thick of the MVP discussion for the second consecutive season.&nbsp;

Joel Embiid has made noticeable improvements across the board in a dominant 2021-22 campaign.

Another career year from Joel Embiid has him back in the MVP race

The New Orleans Pelicans spent the first third of their season languishing at the bottom of the NBA ladder. They opened the schedule 1-13, and hit Thanksgiving at 4-17 with some of the worst leaguewide efficiency ratings on both ends of the floor.
Then, a switch flipped. The Pelicans are 11-9 since Nov. 24 before the mini-break and have grinded out victories against some of the NBA's top teams without their top player in Zion Williamson. It's no coincidence that in those 20 games, they reinserted one Herb Jones into the starting lineup.
Jones has been nothing short of a revelation as a rookie second-round pick. He'd be a lock for All-Rookie First Team honors if this 2021 class wasn't so dang stacked. Let's move beyond rookie talk though. The 23-year-old has already cemented himself as New Orleans' go-to defender, and three months into his pro career, he's been one of the better wing-stoppers in the entire NBA.
In this 20-game stretch, Jones is tied for fourth in the league (min. 10 games played) with 1.8 steals per game and fifth with 3.3 deflections per game. He has a seven-foot wingspan that he uses to its full potential, jumping passing lanes with his head on a swivel.&nbsp;
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It isn't just about his length; plenty of today's NBA players have that. Jones also possesses a relentless motor and quick processing of the opposing offense. Watch this one play in particular, where he sees a Rockets play designed for Garrison Mathews. Jones recognizes it and can switch from his own assignment in time to get the steal:
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Per Cleaning the Glass, Jones is one of six players with steal and block rates of at least 2.0% in at least 500 minutes of action. The others are: Draymond Green, Robert Covington, Matisse Thybulle, Andre Drummond and fellow rookie Alperen Sengun. He's also averaging 3.1 fouls per game, which is a completely reasonable number for such an active and valuable defender.
He gets those blocks partially from being a fantastic help defender. Jones has a quick first step on defense and can jump in front of a driver or shooter, but also has the body control to contest without fouling. If he gets beat or pinned on a screen, Jones can use his length and long strides to make some amazing recoveries. Look at these blocks:
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Perhaps the biggest sign of his importance, though, comes with his on-ball matchups. Jones is asked to guard some of the best scorers on the planet &mdash; on any given night, across all positions. He's recently been the primary defender for Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins, while switching onto both guards and bigs.&nbsp;
It's been mostly great. Jones can mirror the opponent's movements well and force them into a tough look. If we're nitpicking, maybe he could improve his lateral movement; Mitchell was able to shake-and-bake him for a couple of buckets recently. But if we're nitpicking a 23-year-old, No. 35 overall pick for not locking down an All-World scorer? That's a great sign.
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The BBall Index has created <a href="https://www.bball-index.com/glossary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">metrics to track defenders' positional versatility and matchup difficulty</a>. Among players who have logged at least 500 minutes, Jones is one of 27 players in the 90th percentile of both categories. He is third among those players in the site's defensive impact estimator, D-LEBRON.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
We're back on that Herb Jones propaganda train. Here's him getting good positioning and a steal on two of the toughest matchups in the NBA: <a href="https://t.co/nHhSxEN2Gw">pic.twitter.com/nHhSxEN2Gw</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1478751641562226688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

By all accounts, the rookie's defensive impact is undeniable. He's also improving in his small, specialized role on offense as a spot-up shooter, cutter and ball-mover. Since Nov. 24, Jones is making a solid 65% of his at-rim attempts and 35% of his three-pointers, per Cleaning the Glass. He's a complementary option who is still ironing out the long-range shot (though it has come a long way since college at Alabama), but Jones is a tough finisher and a trustworthy offensive piece.
On the season, New Orleans is 11.4 points per 100 possessions better with Jones on the floor, which ranks in the 90th percentile at his position. He's a notable net positive on both offense and defense.&nbsp;
If I had a vote, I'd stick Jones on an All-Defensive team right now. He's been that good and that impactful for the Pelicans. Either way, New Orleans has found a gem in the second round and an ideal long-term fit next to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
Get Herb Jones on your radar now before he make your favorite scorer's life a living nightmare.

Herb Jones has not only emerged as a rookie standout this season, but also has taken on some tough defensive matchups.

Herb Jones is already one of the NBA's elite wing defenders

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points and 17 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped the Houston Rockets' seven-game winning streak with a 123-114 victory Friday night.
&ldquo;I was just looking to be aggressive," he said. &ldquo;Last game I wasn&rsquo;t as aggressive as I wanted."
Houston hadn't fallen since ending a 15-game losing streak Nov. 24. The Rockets led by 10 at one point Friday and hung around until the Bucks pulled away in the fourth.
Eric Gordon's 3-pointer got Houston within 1 before Khris Middleton scored the last five points of a 7-0 stretch to extend Milwaukee's lead to 117-109 with about four minutes to go.
Houston scored the next three points, with a layup by Christian Wood. But Jrue Holiday intercepted a bad pass by Garrison Mathews and dished it to Antetokounmpo for a dunk that made it 119-112 with less than a minute left and sent fans toward the exits.
Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer was asked about the play of Antetokounmpo and Middleton down the stretch.
&ldquo;When you have a good team and have players like that, you&rsquo;re fortunate to put the ball in their hands and let them make plays," he said.
Mathews led the Rockets with a season-high 23 points and made a career-best six 3-pointers. Wood and Armoni Brooks had 21 apiece for Houston.
Jae'Sean Tate had six points for Houston with nine assists and a steal.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s very much the pulse and heart and soul on what we have going on," coach Stephen Silas said.
Bobby Portis and Middleton added 21 points each for Milwaukee as the Bucks won for the 11th time in 13 games.
Budenholzer raved about the defense of Wesley Matthews, who was signed less than a week ago.
&ldquo;He just has that focus that I think you need," he said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s delivered early in a good way and we&rsquo;re excited that we have everything he brings to the table. I thought he was huge tonight."
Milwaukee trailed by eight early in the fourth quarter before scoring the next 10 points, capped by a 3 from Antetokounmpo, to take a 100-98 lead with about 8 &frac12; minutes remaining.
Gordon ended Houston&rsquo;s scoring drought a few seconds later when he made a 3.
Houston led by seven at halftime, but the Bucks opened the third quarter with a 10-3 run to tie it at 68 with about 9 &frac12; minutes left in the third quarter.
The game was tied again about two minutes later when a dunk by Antetokounmpo put the Bucks up 75-73.
Holiday made two free throws to get Milwaukee within two late in the third quarter, but Josh Christopher hit a 3 for Houston to extend the lead to 95-90 entering the fourth quarter.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Budenholzer received a technical in the second quarter for yelling at officials about a foul call. ... G George Hill missed his fourth straight game with a hyperextended right knee. ... Holiday scored 12 points with seven assists.
Rockets: G Jalen Green was out for the seventh consecutive game with a strained left hamstring. ... G Kevin Porter Jr. missed a third straight game with a bruised left thigh. ... F Danuel House sat out for a second game with a sprained left ankle.
BLOCK PARTY
Antetokounmpo had two blocks to give him 805, passing Alton Lister (804) for most in franchise history.
He set the record when he stuffed a layup by rookie Alperen Sengun midway through the second quarter.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s big time, a great compliment to my career, but I&rsquo;ve got to keep getting better, keep defending better," Antetokounmpo said.
SENGUN'S NIGHT
Sengun scored a career-high 15 points for Houston, but Silas kept him on the bench for the last few minutes of the game.
&ldquo;I wanted to figure out a way to keep him in the game, but when they have Giannis at the 5, it was hard," Silas said.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit the Knicks on Sunday.
Rockets: Visit Memphis on Saturday night.

The Rockets led by 10 at one point Friday and hung around until the Bucks pulled away in the fourth.

Milwaukee ends Houston's 7-game streak with 123-114 win

HOUSTON (AP) — Eric Gordon scored 21 points before being ejected in the fourth quarter and Garrison Mathews added 19 as the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to seven games with a 114-104 victory over the shorthanded Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. 
Before the streak, the Rockets dropped their previous 15 games. It's the first time Houston has won seven straight since winning eight in a row in November 2019. 
“The adversity that we went through prior to this point has made it even sweeter," coach Stephen Silas said. “We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves."
James Harden had 25 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Nets on a night when NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge both sat out for rest. It was Harden’s second visit to Houston since he was traded in January during his ninth season with the Rockets. 
The Rockets led by 17 to start the fourth quarter and the Nets cut the deficit to four before Houston pulled away. 
Mathews, who had 12 points in the fourth, scored four in a 5-0 run that extended Houston’s lead to 109-97. Patty Mills made one of two free throws for the Nets before a three-point play by D.J. Augustin made it 112-98 with about two minutes to go. 
“When you beat a team like that it means something," Mathews said. “This streak's been a huge boost to our confidence. It’s been a huge boost to our morale." 
The loss snapped a six-game road winning streak for the Nets, whose nine road wins are tied with the Suns for most in the NBA. 
The Nets shot just 8 of 33 from 3-point range, with Harden going 3 of 12 and finishing 4 of 16 overall. He was 14 for 16 from the line. 
“I got the shots I wanted, for sure," he said. “I just didn’t make them.”
Harden received a fair number of boos when he was introduced and each time he had the ball early. But he got a warm ovation after a highlight video of his time in Houston was played during a timeout in the first quarter. 
He formed his hands into the shape of a heart as he held them over his head and then moved them to his chest and smiled as the crowd cheered. 
Harden said playing in Houston will always be meaningful to him.
“Very special," he said. “I spent some of my most amazing years here on the court and off the court.”
Cam Thomas had 18 points for Brooklyn, and Mills added 12. 
A 10-0 spurt by the Nets got them within four with about 7½ minutes left. Harden capped that run when he made a 3-pointer as he crashed to the court after being fouled by Mathews and made the free throw for a four-point play.
Gordon was ejected soon after that when he received his second technical foul of the game for yelling at the officials about not getting a foul call. 
Harden’s free throw after Gordon’s technical cut the lead to four, but a 6-1 spurt by the Rockets, highlighted by a 3 from Mathews, made it 104-95 with 4½ minutes left. 
Houston led by as many as 20 and took control of the game with a 37-point second quarter. 
The Rockets ended the third quarter on a 6-2 run, punctuated by a one-handed dunk by Kenyon Martin Jr. to make it 90-73 entering the fourth. Houston rookie Josh Christopher stole the ball from Jevon Carter and dished to Martin on the other end, and he sailed over Carter for the slam. 
TIP-INS
Nets: Nic Claxton received a flagrant 1 foul for a foul on Mathews in the second quarter. ... Paul Millsap scored 10 points off the bench. ... Claxton had eight points. 
Rockets: Jalen Green missed his sixth straight game with a strained left hamstring. ... Kevin Porter Jr. missed his second game in a row with a bruised left thigh. ... Danuel House sat out with a sprained left ankle. 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 
Christopher had a career-high 18 points off the bench on his 20th birthday. 
“He’s been working at his game day in, day out," Silas said. “He played a really solid game on both ends of the floor."
Asked what it was like to have such a big game on his birthday, Christopher thought for a second before answering. 
“Perfect, perfect day," he said. 
UP NEXT
Nets: Visit the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. 
Rockets: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
___ 
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 114-104 for their 7th straight win on Wednesday night.

Rockets beat shorthanded Nets 114-104 for 7th straight win

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-and-suns-still-sit-at-the-top" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
Golden State and Phoenix split a pair of highly anticipated games last week, while the Bucks and Bulls continue to climb up the rankings.
1. Golden State Warriors (20-4) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
The Warriors were beaten by the Phoenix Suns last Tuesday, but bounced back and beat them in a rematch on Friday. Of note: Steph Curry is currently just 15 three-pointers away from tying Ray Allen as the NBA's all-time leader in made triples. Before embarking on a five-game road trip, the Warriors have one more home game: Wednesday vs. Portland. When asked if Curry could tie/break the record on Wednesday, coach Steve Kerr said it "absolutely" could happen. "He's Steph Curry, so anything's possible." Here's to hoping Kerr and the Warriors let Steph make a real run at the record by allowing him to attempt 25+ treys.
2. Phoenix Suns (20-4) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
Since the week of Halloween, the Suns have lost just once (the aforementioned defeat to the Warriors), compiling an absurd 19-1 record in their past 20 contests. Devin Booker strained his left hamstring in Phoenix's first matchup vs. Golden State and has missed each of his team's past three games.&nbsp;
3. Milwaukee Bucks (16-9) 🔼 Last Week: 4 
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to action on Monday after missing two games due to a sore right calf, and scored 27 points on his 27th birthday to help lead the Bucks to another victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Giannis is the only player in NBA history to tally at least 12,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists before turning 27. It's scary to think he is just now entering the heart of his prime.&nbsp;
4. Chicago Bulls (17-8) 🔼 Last Week: 5
On Monday afternoon, the Bulls learned that the team's leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan, would be forced out of actoin due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. Chicago is also without Alex Caruso, who is expected to miss at least a week due to a strained right hamstring suffered in Saturday's win at Brooklyn. However, the Bulls still found a way to beat the Nuggets on Monday night, notching their fourth consecutive victory. Ayo Dosunmu made his first career start in place of DeRozan and tallied 11 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.
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5. Brooklyn Nets (16-7) 🔽 Last Week: 3
The Nets have beaten up on lesser teams all season, posting a perfect 10-0 record against opponents with sub-.500 records. However, Brooklyn is 0-5 in the five games it has played against the top two teams in the West (Suns, Warriors) and the other two teams in the top three of the Eastern Conference (Bucks, Bulls).
6. Utah Jazz (16-7) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The league announced Monday that Donovan Mitchell <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mitchell-derozan-earn-nba-player-of-the-week-honors-for-nov-29dec-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors</a>. Over three contests, he averaged 33.0 points while shooting 57.1% from the floor &mdash; including 43.3% from downtown, and 93.3% from the charity stripe &mdash; to go along with 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals to lead the Jazz to victories in each.
7. Philadelphia 76ers (13-11) 🔼 Last Week: 10
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🔔 <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoelEmbiid</a> joins Giannis Antetokounmpo and Charles Barkley as the only players in the last 40 years with 40+ points, 15+ rebounds and 5+ assists at least 75% shooting! 43 PTS 15 REB 7 AST 15-20 FGM<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> W <a href="https://t.co/TdvnQTfEtN">pic.twitter.com/TdvnQTfEtN</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1468207421805973507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It took a Herculean effort from Joel Embiid (a season-high 43 points to go along with 15 rebounds and 7 assists), but Philadelphia was able to go on the road and beat the shorthanded Charlotte Hornets on Monday. In the process, the Sixers secured back-to-back wins for the first time in more than a month.
8. Miami Heat (14-11) 🔽 Last Week: 7
On Monday, Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup after missing four games due to a tailbone contusion. Unfortunately, he couldn't finish the contest, as he re-injured his back after a hard fall. Butler "drew contact and got shoved and landed on his tailbone," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. "There could not have been a worst scenario for us to start the game. It is a contact sport. It's an unpredictable thing... But he definitely reaggravated it. You can tell from that point on he was not his usual self. So we'll reevaluate him (Tuesday) and see where we are."
9. ​​Charlotte Hornets (14-12) &harr;️&nbsp;Last Week: 9
Despite missing five players &mdash; including starters Lamelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee, due to NBA health and safety protocols &mdash; the Hornets beat the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and nearly knocked off the Sixers and the second night of a back-to-back Monday. After pouring in 28 points vs. Atlanta, Kelly Oubre Jr. racked up 35 points (on 13 of 24 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, and made six treys in the Hornets' 127-124 overtime loss to the 76ers.
10. Washington Wizards (14-11) 🔽 Last Week: 8
The Wiz exceeded expectations early this season, winning 10 of their first 13 games. However, after falling to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, Washington has lost three in a row and 4 of its last 5. (In fact, the Wizards are just 3-6 in the nine games they've played since Kyle Kuzma made an interesting fashion choice. Could it be the <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1468058584625954818?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">curse of the oversized pink sweater?!?!</a>)
11. Boston Celtics (13-11) 🔼 Last Week: 14
The C's have won 3 of their last 4, but are entering a brutal stretch of their schedule. They play a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers in L.A. on Tuesday and Wednesday, then travel to Phoenix on Friday to wrap up a five-game road trip. Boston then returns home, but has to take on the Bucks and Warriors in the team's first games back in Beantown.&nbsp;
12. Los Angeles Clippers (13-12) &harr;️ Last Week: 12
The Clippers had lost 4 of 5 before beating up on an undermanned Portland Trail Blazers squad Monday night. Encouragingly for Los Angeles, Marcus Morris is healthy and seems to be finding his rhythm. Morris is averaging 19.7 points and 4.3 treys while shooting 56.8% from the floor and 56.5% from downtown over his last three games.&nbsp;
13. Memphis Grizzlies (14-10) 🔼 Last Week: 20
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Dillon Brooks with the slickest of his career high-tying 8 assists, setting up Desmond Bane for the late slam in the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> 5th straight W! <a href="https://t.co/H8waWUWIrr">pic.twitter.com/H8waWUWIrr</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1468060881598619651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Grizz have won five in a row, and I'm not sure what's more impressive: The fact that they've won all five games without Ja Morant (who is sidelined by a left knee injury), or the fact that Memphis has not trailed, even for a second, at any time during this five-game run!
14. Atlanta Hawks (13-12) 🔼 Last Week: 17
The Hawks had lost 3 of 4 and were missing Bogdan Bogdanovic, Cam Reddish and Solomon Hill on Monday, but still found a way to push past the Minnesota Timberwolves. Trae Young scored 29 points despite shooting just 7 of 18 from the floor, as he was able to knock down 11 of his 13 free throws. After averaging 5.3 free-throw attempts per game over the Hawks' first 15 contests this season, Young is now averaging 7.0 attempts over his past 10 games.&nbsp;
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-12) 🔼 Last Week: 18
The Cavs had won four in a row before falling to the Jazz and Bucks in a torturous back-to-back set on Monday and Tuesday. Jarrett Allen has been a beast since returning to action in late November. Over his last eight games, Allen is averaging 22.6 points, 11.8 boards and 1.9 blocks while shooting 73% (!!) from the floor and 78% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
16. Dallas Mavericks (11-11) 🔽 Last Week: 11
The Mavs have lost 4 of their last 5, and 7 of their previous 9 contests. In Saturday's loss to the Grizzlies, they were forced to play without both Luka Doncic (left ankle) and Kristaps Porzingis (left knee contusion). Fortunately for Dallas, Porzingis said he expects to play Tuesday night against Brooklyn, and both Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. (right knee contusion) have been upgraded to probable for Tuesday's matchup vs. the Nets.&nbsp;
17. Los Angeles Lakers (12-12)&nbsp;🔽 Last Week: 16
The Lakers host the Celtics on Tuesday, but then play 5 of their next 6 games on the road. Head coach Frank Vogel did say Monday that Trevor Ariza was able to participate in live-action practice for the first time since he underwent ankle surgery back in October, indicating Ariza's rehab is progressing in the right direction.
18. Denver Nuggets (11-12) 🔽 Last Week: 13
In their last 10 games, the Nuggets are just 2-8, but those defeats certainly can't be pinned on Nikola Jokic. Denver went 0-4 in the four games Jokic missed due to injury, and in the six games he's played in, Joker is averaging 26.0 points, 13.2 rebounds and 7.8 dimes. On Monday, he notched his 60th career triple-double, passing Larry Bird for eighth place on the all-time career list.
19. New York Knicks (11-12) 🔽 Last Week: 15
The 'Bockers have lost three in a row, and for the first time since Tom Thibodeau was hired as head coach, the Knicks have given up more than 110 points in three consecutive defeats. Part of the reason for their struggles of late has been RJ Barrett's nasty shooting slump. Over the last month (13 games), Barrett is shooting 32.9% from the floor (50-of-152), 22.4% from downtown (13-of-58) and 66.7% from the stripe (22-of-33).
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (11-13) 🔼 Last Week: 19
Karl-Anthony Towns (tailbone contusion) returned to the lineup Monday night and chipped in 31 points and 16 rebounds, but KAT couldn't prevent Minnesota from losing its third straight game. The Wolves host the Jazz on Wednesday.&nbsp;
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21. Toronto Raptors (11-13) 🔼 Last Week: 22
The Raps have won two games in a row and are finally showing some improvement on the defensive end. Toronto has held three consecutive opponents below 100 points for the first time all season.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (11-14) 🔽 Last Week: 21 
The Blazers were forced to play without Damian Lillard (abdomen injury), backup point guard Anfernee Simons (sprained right ankle) and CJ McCollum (rib contusion) Monday, and unsurprisingly fell to the Clippers. On Monday morning, The Athletic <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-damian-lillard-wants-to-play-with-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>: "In recent weeks, sources say Lillard has grown frustrated with the team's play and tension appears to be on the rise between the players and Billups."
23. Indiana Pacers (10-16) &harr;️ Last Week: 23
The Pacers secured a desperately needed victory Monday night over the Wizards. Indiana had lost four straight before Domantas Sabonis (30 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals) put the team on his back to lead them past the Wiz. Indy will look to maintain the positive momentum going Wednesday when they host the Knicks. It should be mentioned that the team is also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-moving-to-substantial-rebuild-listening-to-trade-calls-on-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mulling significant long-term changes</a> despite its latest win, per The Athletic.
24. Sacramento Kings (10-14) &harr;️ Last Week: 24
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/TerenceDavisJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TerenceDavisJr</a> had the hot hand in tonight's victory, with a season-high 28 pts (6-11 3PM) 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/nA9qo3Ckq0">pic.twitter.com/nA9qo3Ckq0</a>
&mdash; Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1467386806593146882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Kings beat the Clippers twice last week to improve to 4-3 in seven games under Alvin Gentry, despite playing without Harrison Barnes (right foot sprain) in each of their past five contests. Terence Davis stepped up in the two wins over L.A., tallying a combined total of 51 points on 18 of 30 shooting, including 11 of 20 from behind the arc.&nbsp;
25. San Antonio Spurs (8-14) &harr;️ Last Week: 25
The Spurs had their four-game winning streak snapped by the red-hot Suns on Monday night. San Antonio will look to get back on track on Tuesday when they begin a five-game homestand by hosting the Knicks.
26. Houston Rockets (7-16) 🔼 Last Week: 28
Yes, the league's longest winning streak (six games) belongs to the Rockets, just as we all predicted before Thanksgiving &mdash; when Houston was riding a 15-game losing skid. After four straight wins against teams at least 10 games below .500, the Rockets get a much tougher test this week. They play the East-leading Nets Wednesday and the world-champion Bucks on Friday.
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (7-16) 🔽 Last Week: 26
The Thunder had lost eight straight before overcoming a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Detroit Pistons on the road Monday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for OKC, pouring in 30 points and dishing out a career-high 13 assists, while Luguentz Dort scored 28 points, including five made three-pointers.&nbsp;
28. New Orleans Pelicans (7-19) 🔽 Last Week: 27
The Pels' record is still awful, but it seems they are headed in the right direction. New Orleans is 4-3 over their last seven games, with all four of those victories coming against teams at or above .500. Brandon Ingram was a beast last week, averaging 30.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.0 made treys over a four-game stretch.
29. Orlando Magic (5-20) 🔼 Last Week: 30 
Although Orlando has lost 9 of their last 10 , Wendell Carter Jr. has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-orlando-magic-are-finding-their-front-court-of-the-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued to play well</a>. He's averaging 15.6 points and 11.4 rebounds over the Magic's past seven contests. And, on the season, he's shooting nearly 36% from downtown. Over his first three years in the league, WCJ was 27-for-112 from behind the arc. In 2021-22, he is 35-of-98 from deep.&nbsp;
30. Detroit Pistons (4-19) 🔽 Last Week: 29
The Pistons have lost nine in a row, but after a slow start to the season, Cade Cunningham is establishing himself as a Rookie of the Year favorite. Over Detroit's past three games, Cade is averaging 24.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks and 4.7 made treys while shooting 55.8% from the floor and 60.9% from downtown.&nbsp;

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

NBA Power Rankings: Rockets, Grizzlies on unexpected winning streaks

College basketball is just around the corner, and when the season tips off on Nov. 9, the scouting season will truly kick into high gear.
BasketballNews.com Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock and his team of scouts have already been watching prospects in U.S. professional programs (G League Ignite and Overtime Elite) as well as abroad, and have made stops at college pro days and exhibition games. So even though the collegiate season has yet to start, they have already been hard at work scouting some must-watch players.
I asked Babcock some questions about what he has observed in the collegiate preseason, what he expects from the early stretches of play, and more. Be sure to also check out the BasketballNews.com <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>.
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1. From a scouting perspective, how much do you take away from college basketball preseason?
Well, I evaluate hundreds of prospects every year. I&rsquo;m in the information-gathering business, and there is an extensive process to be able to gather enough information and come to a conclusive evaluation of a player prior to their draft. During the preseason &mdash; depending on who I&rsquo;ve seen before &mdash; I know some players better than others, how many times I&rsquo;ve seen them and in what setting. If I&rsquo;m seeing a player for the first time, it&rsquo;s the first step in my evaluation process.&nbsp;
In those cases, I&rsquo;m really just trying to get a feel for the player&rsquo;s skill set, body type, movements and personality &mdash; essentially creating a platform to work off in order to be able to do a deeper dive on the player. If I already know the player decently, I try to get a pulse of where they&rsquo;re at in their development. Both scenarios are important to me. I carefully put together my travel and my day-to-day efforts to make sure I gather enough information on all of the relevant prospects by draft night. To make a long story short, I value seeing prospects in all different types of settings, including practices and scrimmages during the preseason.
2. What were the most significant changes you made to your recently updated Big Board?
I&rsquo;d say the biggest change was including some additional freshmen who I&rsquo;m somewhat on the fence about. I recently included Max Christie from Michigan State, Moussa Diabate from Michigan, and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield from Tennessee. Projecting how a true freshman will do right off the bat can be extremely challenging. I spend a lot of time evaluating high-school prospects in an effort to get a head start on the evaluation process.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m confident that all of the freshmen we currently have on our Big Board have the tools to be NBA prospects this year, but there are so many variables that can affect their imminent draft status: How will they adapt to their new setting? What role will they play for their team? Different things along those lines. I make it a point to track freshmen closely because oftentimes it can go either way.
3. What opening week games would you consider to be must-watch for scouts?
I&rsquo;m kicking the season off with a bang. I&rsquo;m heading to New York City for the State Farm Champions Classic to see Kansas versus Michigan State, and then Kentucky versus Duke at Madison Square Garden. Obviously it&rsquo;s great from a scouting standpoint because I&rsquo;ll see a bunch of top prospects. But even just as a basketball fan, I&rsquo;ll get to see some of the best coaches in the country go head-to-head: Bill Self versus Tom Izzo, and then John Calipari versus Coach K. It doesn&rsquo;t get any better than that.
4. After seeing Kentucky and TyTy Washington recently, what type of impact do you expect from him?
I&rsquo;ve spent a lot of time watching TyTy over the course of the last year. I feel like he&rsquo;s one of those players who I&rsquo;m constantly higher on than the consensus. My latest trip to Kentucky kept that idea intact. In fact, I walked away even higher on him than I was before. Kentucky had a brutal season last year, but I&rsquo;m expecting for them to bounce back this season &mdash; and I think TyTy is going to lead the charge for them. They&rsquo;ll go as TyTy goes. That said, I think he&rsquo;s going to be a star player for them and subsequently become a lottery pick come June.
5. Which prospects moved the needle the most this preseason?
There are a few guys in my book who have impressed me and helped themselves recently &mdash; Max Christie from Michigan State, Oscar Tshiebwe from Kentucky and MarJon Beauchamp from the G League Ignite.
6. What college freshman not currently on your Big Board could possibly be included sometime soon?
I&rsquo;ve got my eye on a few. Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis from Gonzaga, Harrison Ingram from Stanford, Trevor Keels from Duke and Bryce McGowens from Nebraska. There are some others too, but those are names that come to mind first.
7. How does this year&rsquo;s G League Ignite team compare to last year&rsquo;s?
Last year, the Ignite produced two lottery picks in Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga. This year, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/babcock-takeaways-from-the-g-league-ignites-season-opener" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I&rsquo;m expecting</a> Jaden Hardy to be a high lottery pick, but I don&rsquo;t expect any of the other guys to be taken quite that high. However, I think they have more depth and overall talent top-to-bottom. We are currently projecting that Dyson Daniels will be a first round pick, Michael Foster is not far off and MarJon Beauchamp is doing some really good things early for them too.
8. Which international prospects have risen for you in recent weeks?
One player to keep an eye on is Ismael Kamagate, who is playing for Paris. He&rsquo;s a big, athletic rim-protector and rim-runner. Our international scout, and a former NBA scout, Jason Filippi, recently watched Kamagate and had the chance to interview him. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-qa-french-big-man-ismael-kamagate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">His Q&amp;A is up on BasketballNews.com</a>. Jason walked away impressed with Kamagate. He&rsquo;s not currently on our Big Board but I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised if we ultimately included him.

Ethan Fuller checks in with Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock ahead of the 2021-22 college basketball season.

2022 NBA Draft: NCAA basketball season preview with Matt Babcock

Lou Dunbar is a Harlem Globetrotters legend.&nbsp;
A showman who has been with the organization since 1977 &mdash; as a player, coach and director of player personnel. Dunbar, a college All-American at the University of Houston, is often considered a precursor to Magic Johnson, because of his size &mdash; 6-foot-10 and unique ability as a ball-handler.&nbsp;
Over 79 career games with the Cougars, he scored 1,765 points.&nbsp;
Dunbar played a year of pro basketball abroad before calling it quits on a &ldquo;straight&rdquo; basketball career. He was working at a jewelry story in Houston, when he signed a free agent deal with the Rockets. It was a deal that ultimately didn&rsquo;t lead to an NBA career, but it did open the door to the Globetrotters.&nbsp;
Nicknamed "Sweet Lou" as a Globetrotter, Dunbar has a gregarious presence that radiates, even over the phone. When he tells a story, he often punctuates it with an infectious chuckle. Separate from our conversation regarding <a href="https://www.independent.com/2021/10/15/the-day-santa-barbara-police-racially-profiled-three-harlem-globetrotters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being racially profiled by Santa Barbara Police</a>, here's a look into a talk we had recently:
Who were your basketball heroes growing up?
Lou Dunbar: My first one was Wilt Chamberlain. Coming up I wore the number 13 because of Wilt &ndash; I loved Wilt. Going into high school, Elgin Baylor. I switched my number to 22 because of Elgin Baylor.&nbsp;
Did you ever meet Wilt?
Dunbar: My coach, Tex Harrison played with Wilt; they were roommates. I met him through Tex Harrison in Hawaii &ndash; he used to live over there. We went out for lunch or dinner. From what I saw, Wilt was a great guy.&nbsp;
Why do you think that generation of players is so overlooked or forgotten today?
Dunbar: Nobody knows who they are. You have to be a student of the game. You can&rsquo;t just be a student of this era. Everything they told Wilt he couldn&rsquo;t do, he did it. Look at the record books, he&rsquo;s in every category &ndash; then you have guys like Oscar Robertson. Back then they played real basketball, wasn&rsquo;t none of that crying. You come to the well, if you want to drink, you better be ready to drink.&nbsp;
Even guys like David Thompson who came out when I came out; David Thompson was something special; but you don&rsquo;t hear people talking about him &ndash; David Thompson was a beast, man. He invented the alley-oop &mdash; he and a little guy, Monte Towe. My senior year of college we went on an All-Star tour; every game we played, David Thompson got an alley-oop the first play of the game &ndash; he was great at going backdoor, he&rsquo;d fake up top to the free throw line and go backdoor and Monte Towe would throw that alley-oop.
Who were the guys that showed you the ropes when you first became a Globetrotter?
Dunbar: My first year I played with Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal. I tell these young guys today the opportunity they have is so much different than when I came up. They used to use my young legs for the first dunk of the game and then after that I&rsquo;d sit and watch like I had bought a ticket.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Meadowlark gave me one of the greatest compliments I had being a Globetrotter: he said I picked this up better than anybody who ever played with him &ndash; I knew all the positions on the floor.&nbsp;
My second year I played with Geese Ausbie and Marques Haynes.&nbsp;
As far as being a showman, Meadowlark was guy who did stuff by timing. Every show, you know Meadowlark was about to do this, or that. Geese, we never knew where he was &ndash; he was spontaneous, I loved that about Geese. He was hilarious; he just went off the cuff. I picked up a little of everything from both of those guys.&nbsp;
What made you come back to the Trotters year after year?
Dunbar: This is not for everybody. Tex Harrison used to say that all the time. Nobody travels like the Globetrotters: most of time we play seven days a week and sometimes twice on Saturday and Sunday. It&rsquo;s not an easy gig so you have to have some love for the game and this organization to be able to do it day in day out.&nbsp;
Regardless of how many games we played a week I loved what I did. I had the best job in the world. It was kind of like Santa Claus. We put smiles on people&rsquo;s faces every day. A lot of people get up and say man, I don&rsquo;t want to go to work.
You are a Houston guy. Did you ever play at the Fonde Rec Center?
Dunbar: Come on man. You can&rsquo;t come to Houston and not do that. Once we got off the road that&rsquo;s where we went to play. I recruited Moses Malone coming out of high school, he was down there. All the pros &ndash; John Lucas &ndash; everybody; whose who in the game of basketball and they went to the Fonde Rec Center.&nbsp;
I still play downtown.&nbsp;
With the Globetrotters, we do fool around a bit, but when we come back home, we go to Fonde and get it on.
How do you think you&rsquo;d have been as an NBA player?
Dunbar: I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d have been bad. I went that route and was tired. I played a year in Europe &ndash; came back signed a free agent contract with the Houston Rockets and was in LA in the summer pro with those guys. They would play me sparingly. I thought I did alright when they played me.&nbsp;
There comes a point in your life when you have to move on.
People from the Globetrotters asked me to come to training camp and everything else is history. I&rsquo;ve enjoyed what I have done. I think I left a stamp on some people&rsquo;s lives.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s been a good run. It&rsquo;s like everything else you have your good times you have your bad times. I can tell you the good outweigh the bad. I&rsquo;d never trade it for anything in the world.

Nicknamed "Sweet Lou" as a Globetrotter, Dunbar has a gregarious presence, that radiates, even over the phone.