In 2021-22, the Blazers had a miserable season (27-55) in which they snapped a streak of eight straight years of making the playoffs. The last time Portland missed the postseason, Damian Lillard was a rookie. After a makeover, Portland is hoping to …
In 2021-22, the Blazers had a miserable season (27-55) in which they snapped a streak of eight straight years of making the playoffs. The last time Portland missed the postseason, Damian Lillard was a rookie.
After a makeover, Portland is hoping to get back in the mix of the playoffs and please Lillard. Newly anointed general manager Joe Cronin made his big offseason move by acquiring Olympic champion Jerami Grant, formerly of the Detroit Pistons, but there will be other changes in the depth chart.
In 2021-22, the Blazers had a miserable season (27-55) in which they snapped a streak of eight straight years of making the playoffs. The last time Portland missed the postseason, Damian Lillard was a rookie.
After a makeover, Portland is hoping to get back in the mix of the playoffs and please Lillard. Newly anointed general manager Joe Cronin made his big offseason move by acquiring Olympic champion Jerami Grant, formerly of the Detroit Pistons, but there will be other changes in the depth chart.
Looking at the best player props ahead of Wednesday’s NBA slate.
Welcome back to another edition of Nightly NBA Player Props. We began February with a perfect 4-0 record and we’ll look to ride that momentum as we skip across the many games on Wednesday’s slate.
The six-game slate on this Wednesday before the trade deadline has plenty of excitement and intrigue. Will players’ performances be impacted by their names being linked to different trades? Or will they overcome the rumors and deliver what their teams need?
From the Midwest to the West Coast, we take a look at some of Wednesday’s player props to bet on.
Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic suffered a fractured right wrist during Thursday night’s loss to Indiana.
The Portland Trail Blazers lost a key part of their team for an undetermined period of time when starting center Jusuf Nurkic went down with a fractured right wrist during Thursday night’s loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Nurkic, 26, was playing in his 20th regular-season game after returning from a gruesome broken leg he suffered in March 2019. The Trail Blazers did not immediately say how much time Nurkic would miss. Nurkic has been with Klutch Sports and Rich Paul since the fall of 2019. Nurkic has also been dealing with the passing of his grandmother from COVID-19.
Nurkic had seemingly been working his way back into shape after a slow start, and the wrist fracture is yet another setback for the Blazers center. While the Blazers were understandably shaken by the loss of their center and one of the key parts of their team over the last few seasons, other players, such as Memphis’ Ja Morant, showed love to Nurkic after the injury.
Throughout the Trail Blazers matchup with the Grizzlies, Draymond Green was chiming in with some of his thoughts on the postseason play-in game on Twitter.
On Saturday, the Portland Trail Blazers tipped off against the Memphis Grizzlies in the crown jewel of the NBA’s seeding round — the postseason play-in game.
If the Blazers won, they would take over the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. Memphis would need to beat Portland twice to punch their postseason ticket.
Throughout the playoff play-in, one member of the Golden State Warriors chimed in with analysis on social media. After serving as a guest analyst on the NBA on TNT last week, Draymond Green brought his takes to Twitter for the play-in game.
Along with shoutouts to CJ McCollum, Gary Trent Jr. and Ja Morant, the former Defensive Player of the Year shared his thoughts on some of the coverages on the defensive side of the floor.
Portland going under on Ja because they don’t respect his shooting. But it’s allowing him to get a full steam ahead at that big on the pick n roll…. they need to change that coverage.
Following timely buckets by McCollum and Carmelo Anthony, the Blazers were able to seal their spot in the postseason with a 126-122 victory against the Grizzlies. McCollum and Damian Lillard led the Blazers in scoring, combining for 60 points.
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Behind Portland’s backcourt duo, Jusuf Nurkić tallied a monster double-double on 22 points with 21 rebounds. Anthony was the fourth member of the Blazers to record over 20 points.
Portland will now meet the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
When a player with the basketball resume of Green, it’s a smart move to pay attention when he shares his thoughts on the game. With Golden State out of the postseason picture for the first time since 2012, the Warriors forward will have plenty of time to comment on the Orlando Bubble playoff action.
NBA coronavirus delay could mean injured players impact 2020 NBA playoffs, including Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
With the sports world on hold and sports fans left to choose from old highlights, documentaries and video games, bettors may look as this new window of downtime as an opportunity to beef up on research. And rest assured, the most astute of gamblers are already looking ahead to what the landscape may look like when sports do return.
With that in mind, here’s a look at some key NBA players who were injured when play was suspended and could return when play resumes — and alter both scoreboards and oddsboards.
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Monday, March 16 at 2:20 a.m. ET.
Kevin Durant, F, Brooklyn Nets
Injury (date): Torn Achilles (June 10, 2019)
Original prognosis: Start for 2020-21 season
Current playoff position: 7th in East (30-34)
Current odds: +4900 to win East; +10000 to win championship
Looking ahead: On March 10 — or a day before the NBA announced the season’s postponement — video surfaced of Durant driving from beyond the top of the 3-point line, blowing by a defender and slamming it home. While the expectation has always been Durant would return next season, if the postseason is pushed back into the middle of summer, getting Durant back could make the Nets a contender in the Eastern Conference. It’s enough of a possibility that some sportsbooks have reportedly taken down NBA futures bets in large part because of fear of a flood of Nets bets.
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John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards
Injury (date): Torn Achilles (January/February 2019)
Original prognosis: 12 months
Current playoff position: 9th in East (24-40; 5.5 games out of playoff spot)
Current odds: +10000 to win East; +25000 to win championship
Looking ahead: Wall hasn’t played since Dec. 26, 2018, having first undergone surgery on a nagging Achilles injury, then developing an infection in the area before rupturing his Achilles in a fall at his home. The five-time All-Star turns 30 in September, so age and rust aren’t on his side. But since the postponement, Wizards fans have been buzzing about Wall’s potential return. Plus, we’re beyond the original timetable for his return. The ultimate question may not be time but rather, even if Wall can come back when the season resumes, are the Wizards too far out of it to take the risk?
Jusuf Nurkic, C, Portland Trail Blazers
Injury (date): Compound factures of leg (March 25, 2019)
Original prognosis: Return March 15, 2020
Current playoff position: 9th in West (29-37; 3.5 games out of playoff spot)
Current odds: +5000 to win West; +20000 to win championship
Looking ahead: The timing actually worked out against Nurkic and the Blazers, as the big man was ready to return just a few days before the NBA suspended the season — and the G League season (Nurkic was expected to get some work in the G League first). With a playoff spot within reach and the banged-up Damian Lillard now getting some time to rest, the Blazers could be primed for a late-season run. Of course, in the West, squeaking into the playoffs means an early date with the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers.
Mar 25, 2019; Portland, OR; Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is wheeled off the court after injuring his leg vs. the Brooklyn Nets. (Photo Credit: Troy Wayrynen – USA TODAY Sports)
Current odds: +3500 to win West; +10000 to win championship
Looking ahead: As long as Durant and Nurkic have been out, they have nothing on Roberson (who was injured while playing alongside Russell Westbrook). Roberson’s specialty is on the defensive end, as evidenced by his 2017 All-Defensive Team selection. In late February, Roberson rejoined the team to do individual work. Coach Billy Donovan at the time admitted the team was looking at the possibility of Roberson playing this season. The extra time can only make that more possible. If he does make it back, expect him to guard the likes of LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
DeMarcus Cousins, C, free agent
Injury (date): Torn ACL (Aug. 12, 2019)
Original prognosis: Start of next season
Current playoff position: N/A
Current odds: N/A
Looking ahead: After Durant, Cousins may be the biggest wild card on this list — if for no other reason he will have his pick of playoff teams to join should he return. Cousins injured his knee shortly after signing with the Lakers in the offseason but before he ever played in a game. With the emergence of Dwight Howard and the addition of Markieff Morris last month, the Lakers cut Cousins. But the big man has been attending Lakers games and there is no shortage of speculation he could be back with the Lakers for the playoffs … giving them a frontcourt of Cousins, Howard, Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee.
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LeBron James has thrown down posterizing dunks against opponents for 17 seasons.
LeBron James is the king (pun intended) of pulling off posterizing dunks.
Remember when he dunked on Kevin Garnett in Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference semifinals? Or that time when he dunked on former Miami Heat guard Damon Jones? No one can forget when he ruthlessly posterized Jason Terry during a March regular season game in 2013.
Another one of James’ best dunks happened two years ago. It was during James’ last regular season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they were playing the Portland Trail Blazers on March 15, 2018.
James drove down the lane against Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, and he slammed one of his most ruthless dunks ever.
Even in season 17, James has added to his collection of poster or near-poster dunks. During a recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, James blew past former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Josh Hart for a jam.
Alex Caruso with the through-the-legs pass to LeBron James, who finishes with a big dunk over Josh Hart. pic.twitter.com/hejVRxbHIt
With the NBA’s season currently suspended, Nurkic’s return to the floor was put on hold. Nurkic was slated to return Sunday against the Houston Rockets, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Nurkic has been out with a left leg injury since March 2019.
The Los Angeles Lakers are giving both No. 8 jerseys and No. 24 jerseys to every fan at Friday night’s game, the first since Kobe’s death.
As the Los Angeles Lakers return to the basketball court on Friday night for the first time since the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and seven others on Sunday. And as part of the many ways the Lakers are expected to honor Bryant’s memory tonight, each fan in attendance will get a Bryant jersey, but the Lakers will honor both numbers Kobe wore in his legendary career.
One half of the arena has the classic No. 8 jersey that Bryant wore when he broke into the league and won three championships alongside Shaquille O’neal. The other half has the No. 24, the number with which he won two championships in 2009 and 2010.
Players from the Portland Trail Blazers, who face the Lakers tonight, posted photos from the scene of the arena during their team shootaround on Friday.
I’m still going to stand by what I wrote just three days ago: the Portland Trail Blazers are a mess — aside from Damian Lillard, of course — and the front office has to decide whether to hit the gas and attempt to make the playoffs in the West or make a deadline deal that will help them reload for 2020-21.
But there is one scenario I keep replaying in my head: with Jusuf Nurkic participating in his first full-contact practice on Wednesday since a horrific broken leg he suffered last March, can he help steer the Blazers to a playoff spot and, then, maybe some upsets in the postseason?
Nurkic left a gaping hole in the Blazers front-court — the hope was free-agent-to-be Hassan Whiteside could fill it, and he mostly has (15.5 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 3.0 bpg), while Zach Collins played just three games before undergoing shoulder surgery, leading the franchise to sign Carmelo Anthony.
"He went through practice…first time it was 5-on-5…he's been progressing to this point, i guess it's a milestone, but it's part of his progression…he played basketball." Blazers Terry Stotts on Jusuf Nurkic practicing today #RipCitypic.twitter.com/Wb8AfqiSd0
Lillard continues to be one of the most underrated superstars in the league, scoring 47 points Thursday night after that 61-point outburst, but in a losing effort to the Dallas Mavericks. When he and C.J. McCollum are healthy, they form one of the best backcourts in the NBA, and there are signs the bench has really good depth when Nurkic returns — you get the newly acquired Trevor Ariza (or does he start at small forward?), Rodney Hood and maybe Melo heads there when Nurkic comes back. That’s not bad!
I would also assume the Blazers trade Whiteside and his expiring contract. I don’t see a way Portland puts both him and Nurkic on the floor together, or that they’ll lose Whiteside’s contract for nothing. Whatever they get back could help as well.
That all sounds great … but I still think the Blazers have dug themselves into a humongous hole, one that Nurk might not be able get them out of: as of Friday morning, they’re 19-27, 2.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs (who are surging) and right there with the upstart Memphis Grizzlies. The seven seed — currently the Oklahoma City Thunder — is a distant 7.5 games away. Nurkic could help them go on a run for that final seed. But it’s a tall task.
Still, if there’s any hope for the Blazers doing anything this season, it rests on the enormous shoulders of Nurkic when returns.
The Portland Trail Blazers center has been sidelined since last March after suffering a compound fracture in his leg.
One of Klutch Sports’ latest signings may be back on the court sooner than anybody expected. Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, who has been out since late March of last year with a broken leg, participated in a 5-on-5, full-contact practice on Wednesday, according to Rip City Radio’s Jay Allen.
Nurkic chose to be represented by Klutch Sports and Rich Paul over the summer. The connection is a personal one as Nurkic played in Europe at Cedevita Zagreb with LeBron’s high school teammate Romeo Travis.
Nurkic and the Blazers have been purposefully mum on Nurkic’s progress until their star Damian Lillard told reporters today that Nurkic was participating in a full practice with the team. Teammate Caleb Swanigan said that Nurkic looked like himself, according to The Athletic’s Jason Quick.
Caleb Swanigan said “Nurk looked like Nurk” during practice, adding that Nurkić dunked at one point.
Nurkic, 25, had a career-year last season prior to the injury. He averaged career-highs in rebounds, points, and assists while anchoring a top-ten defense for much of the season.
There’s no official word yet on when Nurkic will make his return, but by the progress already made, it appears that it will be sooner rather than later.
