With Ja Morant back, energized Grizzlies face Rockets
Thu Mar 23 10:05pm ET
Field Level Media
The Memphis Grizzlies remain without Steven Adams and will be without Brandon Clarke for the remainder of their season, but on Wednesday their rotation received a much-needed boost.
All-Star guard Ja Morant returned from an eight-game suspension and nine-game absence and produced 17 points, five assists and two steals in 24 minutes off the bench in the Grizzlies' 130-125 victory over the Houston Rockets.
The win clinched the Southwest Division title for Memphis (45-27), which extended its winning streak to four games and will host the Rockets again on Friday in the finale of the four-game season series. The Grizzlies are 3-0 against Houston.
Morant provided the dynamism that has become a hallmark of his game. His first two baskets were scored through fouls and were parts of three-point plays.
Immediately upon entering the game late in the first quarter, Morant assisted on two baskets from Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored a season-high 37 points. Morant added four rebounds, a block and the requisite thrills.
"It meant a lot," Morant said of the crowd's reaction to his return. "Obviously I'm thankful and grateful for everybody who's been supporting me during this time. It definitely helped me a lot, definitely made me feel a little better, ease everything that's going on. Felt good to be back. Super excited."
Morant accepting a bench role showed his willingness to integrate back into a successful mix. Memphis won six of the final seven games with Morant sidelined.
"He knew what this team was doing the last couple of weeks," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "He wanted to come in and make sure he was playing winning basketball for the guys."
Offensive efficiency enabled the Rockets (18-55) to hang tough with Memphis. Houston shot 51.6 percent from the floor, grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and recorded 20 fast-break points.
The Rockets' 16 turnovers negated their plus-6 advantage in field-goal attempts, and they scored just 12 second-chance points despite their handiwork on the offensive glass. Still, with Jalen Green, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Alperen Sengun combining to score 88 points on 64.7 percent shooting, the Rockets made Memphis sweat out the victory.
Green scored a team-high 32 points and registered his 13th 30-point game. He is averaging 29.3 points over his last four games.
"Really just trying to take the shots that my guys give me instead of having to force all the time and jack shots," Green said. "Guys have been locked in and setting screens and we've been executing the offense pretty well, too, and I think that plays a big part in how I've been scoring."
Martin chipped in a career-high 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting, marking the 34th time this season he has shot at least 60 percent. He has reached double figures in 28 of those games.
"Doing what he does," Rockets coach Stephen Silas said of Martin. "He screens and rolls; he's an expert at it. He was just aggressive and attacking. There were times when I thought he got even hit at the rim and still powered through and finished or got to the free-throw line.
"He continues to be consistent, and that's important."
- Projected first-rounder Dariq Whitehead has 2nd foot surgery
- Heat G Tyler Herro (hand) makes progress, not yet cleared
- Sportsbook pauses action after LeBron James report
- Suns add David Fizdale to coaching staff
- Clippers promote Trent Redden to GM
- Kyrie Irving recruiting LeBron to Dallas
- Ex-Hornets coach James Borrego joining Pelicans' staff
- Stephen Silas to join Monty Williams' staff in Detroit
- Sam Cassell agrees to join Celtics' coaching staff
- Rick Adelman earns lifetime achievement award
- Heat C Cody Zeller (foot) upgraded to probable for Game 2
- NBA Finals: Heat big underdogs entering Game 2 in Denver
- Kevin Ollie to join Nets as assistant coach
- Knicks' Julius Randle undergoes ankle surgery
- Thunder's Aleksej Pokusevski fractures arm, out at least 4-6 weeks
- Suns to hire Frank Vogel as head coach
- 76ers F Danuel House exercises $4.3M option
- Commissioner: NBA to discipline Ja Morant after Finals
- NBA Finals: Public split on heavily-favored Nuggets in Game 1
- 76ers make it official, hire Nick Nurse
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, many within the Lakers' organization want D'Angelo Russell to remain with the team. The 27-year-old averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 17 games with LA last season. He also shot 41.4% from behind the arc in those appearances and was instrumental in helping the Lakers make a deep playoff push. Unfortunately, Russell didn't play well in the postseason. However, the club needs a point guard, especially since adding Kyrie Irving isn't a lock. That said, Los Angeles reportedly isn't looking to offer Russell a max contract, so there will certainly be more to this situation in the coming weeks.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo.com, the Rockets are expected to target free-agent center Brook Lopez. The 35-year-old was still a reliable fantasy contributor last season, averaging 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. He also shot a career-high 37.4% from deep and appeared in 78 games, his most since 2018-19. That said, if Lopez signs with Houston, his production will likely drop, considering the team has Alperen Sengun in the middle. But with the Bucks strapped for cash and looking to retain Khris Middleton, Milwaukee may be unable to afford to bring Lopez back.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo.com, many around the league expect forward Khris Middleton will remain in Milwaukee. The veteran has a $40 million player option but is searching for a new deal. While there are still doubts Middleton will be back, he sat in during meetings with prospective coaching candidates after the dismissal of Mike Budenholzer. The three-time All-Star had a down year in 2022-23, averaging 15.1 points, 4.9 assists, 4.2 steals, and shooting 31.5% from deep. At any rate, Middleton is an excellent bounce-back candidate for fantasy managers, although he's likely to miss time because of injuries moving ahead.
Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons (back) posted several pictures to social media of a recent on-court session. The 26-year-old had the worst season of his career in 2022-23, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. He also battled a knee injury before his year ended in February because of nerve impingement in his back. While the images are somewhat promising, nobody knows for sure when he'll be ready to play. Of course, even if Simmons is cleared well ahead of fantasy drafts moving into the 2023-24 campaign, he won't garner the same level of attention he did in the past. However, if the former LSU Tiger is added to Australia's roster for the FIBA World Cup and plays well, that will change.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, guard James Harden is expected to either re-sign with Philadelphia or return to Houston. While the update provides some clarity on Harden's future, nobody will know for sure until at least July. The 33-year-old finished the 2022-23 campaign by averaging 21.0 points, 10.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. He also shot 38.5% from deep, the second-high mark of his career. However, Harden has battled injuries over the years, recently suiting up for only 58 games last season. That said, the veteran likely has a few potent seasons left in the tank, although he'll probably never re-enter the MVP conversation.
Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green recently mentioned that he'd like to finish his career with the organization. The veteran forward said he plans on playing two more seasons and would like to finish his career in Denver. Green is set to become a free agent this summer after spending each of the last two seasons with Denver. He has basically become a role player, but still contributes in limited playing time. He averaged 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 56 games with Denver this season. The 36-year-old is still able to contribute at a decent level, so it wouldn't be shocking to see the Nuggets bring him back again next season.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is set to become a free agent this summer. The superstar guard recently said he wasn't going to rush into making a decision this offseason. However, his chances of coming back to Dallas are beginning to look better by the day. Irving recently reached out to LeBron James to see if he'd come to Dallas to play. The two of them have spent six seasons on the floor together during their time on the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is still signed for the 2023-2024 season with a player option for the following season. It's worth noting that James has admitted he's unsure about returning to the Lakers next season. That means, James might decide to take up Irving's offer and join him in Dallas. The fact Irving is trying to recruit players to Dallas means that the Mavs have a good chance of resigning him this offseason.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (wrist) is reportedly still dealing with soreness and swelling in his right hand. The organization was hopeful that Herro would be able to return at some point during the NBA Finals. Herro has been sidelined since fracturing his wrist at the beginning of the postseason. The 23-year-old said he still feels soreness when he is making his follow through motion. The Heat were hopeful that Herro could return for Game 3, but that seems unlikely right now.
The New York Knicks are reportedly looking into forward Torrey Craig as a possible addition this offseason. Craig will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Knicks have a Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception worth roughly $12 million. Craig fits the mold as a 3-and-D veteran who would be a solid role player in defensive-minded head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation. If Craig is on the move this offseason, the Phoenix Suns will have to look at retooling their supporting cast, especially with a new coaching staff.
Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love is expected to start Sunday night against the Denver Nuggets. Love recently fell out of the rotation after sitting the final two games of the Eastern Conference Finals and the first game of the NBA Finals. Heat could use Love's shooting ability to space the floor against Denver's lengthy frontcourt. Love's return to the starting lineup may push Caleb Martin (illness) to the bench.
Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams is expected to receive interest from multiple teams this offseason. Williams will be a restricted free agent and may be due for a change of scenery. Williams was a DNP-CD in five playoff games for the Celtics before having a prominent role in the Eastern Conference Finals. Rival teams are expected to offer Williams a hefty contract which the Celtics will have to decide if they want to match. With Jaylen Brown eligible for a supermax contract extension, it could prove too costly to keep both.
The San Antonio Spurs are expected to have some interest in New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier during this offseason. Fournier was pushed out of the rotation in New York and has expected to be traded. The Spurs have reportedly had some interest in making a deal for Fournier and would likely not have to give up much. The Spurs would have a mentor for projected first overall pick Victor Wembanyama and the Knicks would be able to unload some cap space as they look to retool this summer.
Miami Heat guard/forward Caleb Martin (illness) will be available for Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. Martin will suit up against the Denver Nuggets after missing Saturday's practice with an undisclosed illness. Martin shot poorly in Game 1 and may have been feeling some effects of the illness. If Martin is limited in any capacity, Kyle Lowry and Haywood Highsmith would likely see increased roles with Tyler Herro (hand) still out.
Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (ankle) is good to go on Sunday against Denver. Vincent sprained his left ankle in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Boston Celtics and didn't suit up for Game 5. However, he's been good to go since then, although he hasn't been a consistent fantasy producer.
Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (illness) is questionable ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Denver. He missed practice on Saturday, which isn't a good sign. However, with Martin being so valuable during the postseason, he'll likely do whatever it takes to get on the floor. At the same time, if he doesn't suit up on Sunday, Kevin Love could move back into the starting lineup. Unfortunately, Love hasn't been an impactful fantasy option, so managers should consider Hayward Highsmith, who had 18 points and two steals in Game 1.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (shoulder) is available for Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The 25-year-old has battled shoulder discomfort for quite some time. However, he has been playing through it while wearing a compression shirt for support. It certainly didn't appear to impact his performance in Game 1, as he finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and one block in 40 minutes. Considering Adebayo hasn't had any issues putting up points versus Denver all year, DFS managers should keep him in mind for Game 2.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (hand) is out for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Denver. It seemed there was a chance he could be back after missing nearly all of the postseason with a hand injury. However, Herro won't return for this one, although he's worth monitoring ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Caleb Martin (illness) is questionable, so Miami could be even more shorthanded versus the Nuggets, who are up 1-0 after winning the series opener. If Martin isn't available, Hayward Highsmith, fresh off an 18-point performance in Game 1, will see more than enough attention from DFS participants.
New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle, the team announced on Saturday. Randle hurt his left ankle near the end of the regular season, missing the final five games, and also tweaked it in the first-round playoff series against Cleveland. The two-time All-Star will be able to resume basketball activities later this summer and is expected to be fully recovered for the start of the 2023-24 season. Randle completed his fourth season in New York averaging a career-high 25.1 points with 10.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Sacramento Kings forward/center Domantas Sabonis (thumb) has not ruled out offseason surgery on his right thumb. He was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb all the way back in December and Sabonis managed to play through the issue, helping the Kings end a 16-year postseason drought, but the team would obviously like to get him fully healthy for next season. Sabonis made the All-NBA Third Team this season and was named an All-Star for a third time, averaging 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and a career-high 7.3 assists.
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Danuel House Jr. has picked up his $4.3m player option for the 2023-2024 season. The 29-year-old didn't have a lot of success in 2022-23, averaging only 4.8 points per game in 14.4 minutes, but he will get a fresh start under new head coach Nick Nurse and could play a larger role next season, depending on how the roster shapes up in the summer. Philadelphia's roster could look quite different in 2023-24, with James Harden, Jalen McDaniels, Georges Niang and Paul Reed becoming free agents.