Tag: Luguentz Dort

Thunder officially rule Lu Dort out for Game 1 vs. Rockets on Tuesday

After nursing a knee injury, guard Lu Dort has been officially ruled out for Game 1.

Russell Westbrook will be missing in action for the Rockets when they tip off their first round series against the Thunder on Tuesday, and the Thunder won’t be at full strength, either.

On Tuesday morning, in an announcement that didn’t necessarily come as a shock to anyone who follows the team, starting guard Lu Dort was officially ruled out by the Thunder.

The news comes courtesy of The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto, who also mentioned that head coach Billy Donovan will be leaning on the trio of Hamidou Diallo, Terrance Ferguson and Dennis Schroder to help slow Harden Down.

Diallo and Ferguson are considered the most likely options to start in place of Dort, who emerged as the starter following a string of standout performances in January.

As mentioned, the Rockets will be without Russell Westbrook for at least Game 1. There was a report on Monday that the Rockets are cautiously optimistic that Westbrook could be able to return to action for Game 3, which will be contested on Saturday.

Game 1 will tip off at 5:30 p.m. CT.

Thunder ‘uncertain’ if Luguentz Dort will play in Game 1 vs. Rockets

The Thunder rookie is averaging 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in seven games played during the season restart.

[jwplayer 6YKYPoxe]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan said on Friday that the team is uncertain if rookie Luguentz Dort will be available to play in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets.

Dort was ruled out of Friday’s regular-season finale versus the Los Angeles Clippers after he collided with Miami Heat forward Jae Crowder on Wednesday. The two players banged knees on the play and Dort left the game and would not return.

The Thunder determined that Dort suffered a right knee sprain and will be listed as day-to-day moving forward. Donovan provided additional information on the injury, adding that the team will have to wait and see on his status.

We won’t probably know much more. He is out tonight. We, obviously, have three days going into the Houston series but right now it’s something that needs to be evaluated continually. Obviously, I trust our medical staff. They will do a great job with Lou. They will do a great job of getting treatment. It is too early to say and too early to diagnose how long this could be. We’ll have to wait and see how this unfolds. … I have uncertainty on whether or not he’ll even be available for Game 1. We’ll have to wait and see those things. We’ll see how he progresses over the next few days.

Dort has emerged as a key player for the Thunder during the season restart, averaging 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in seven games at the Wide World of Sports Complex. He is one of the team’s best defenders and could be a big loss for the team should he miss extended time.

[lawrence-related id=21541,21496,21442]

[vertical-gallery id=14282]

Thunder injury report: Chris Paul and Lu Dort both out vs. Clippers

After spraining his left hand, Chris Paul has been ruled out for the Thunder’s final game of the regular season.

The Thunder will be wrapping up their regular season on Friday when they square off against the Los Angeles Clippers, and the team will be far from full strength when they do so.

The team announced on Thursday that Chris Paul and Lu Dort will each be out of the lineup. The news doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise considering the fact that the Thunder are already locked into a first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets.

While it’s still possible that the Thunder could finish the season as the fourth or fifth seed, in the Orlando bubble, the distinction doesn’t matter. The fourth and fifth seeds would normally be competing for home court advantage, but since all games will be contested in Orlando without fans, the distinction doesn’t seem important.

Similarly, the difference between the fifth and sixth seeds, for example, would be of importance considering the way the NBA’s playoff brackets work. If the sixth seed were to advance, it would play the winner of the series between the second and seventh seed, whereas, in the second round, the fifth seed would draw the first seed (assuming it won its first round series).

Again, there’s no difference to the Thunder. Whether they finish fourth or fifth, they’d be looking at a matchup with the winner of the 1-8 playoff series, regardless.

On a related note, Dennis Schroder — who recently returned to the Orlando campus — will also be missing from the contest. He is completing his mandatory quarantine but is likely to be available to the team by the time the first round tips off on Aug. 17.

Friday’s contest — the final of the regular season — will commence at 5:30 p.m. CT.

Luguentz Dort ruled out Friday vs. Clippers with knee injury

The Thunder rookie suffered the injury in the first quarter on Wednesday when he collided with Heat forward Jae Crowder.

[jwplayer wMJMDGff]

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Luguentz Dort will reportedly not play Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a sprained right knee, according to Erik Horne of The Athletic.

Dort suffered the injury in the first quarter on Wednesday when he collided with Miami Heat forward Jae Crowder. Dort banged knees with him but was able to walk off the court under his own power to the locker room and would not return to play.

Dort has emerged as a key player for the Thunder during the season restart, averaging 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in seven games at the Wide World of Sports Complex. The Thunder said that he will be listed as day-to-day moving forward.

The collision with Crowder appeared to be rather painful so it is an encouraging sign that he walked away with just a knee sprain. Dort has emerged as one of the Thunder’s best defenders and figures to play a big role in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets.

[lawrence-related id=21496,21382,21179]

[vertical-gallery id=14282]

Lu Dort ruled out for rest of Thunder game after suffering knee injury

Thunder rookie Luguentz Dort suffered a right knee injury on Wednesday against the Heat and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

[jwplayer 77jr8Gtv]

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Luguentz Dort suffered a right knee injury on Wednesday night against the Miami Heat and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the team announced.

Dort collided with Heat forward Jae Crowder during the first quarter as the two players appeared to bang knees with each other. Dort would get up and walk off of the floor to the locker room under his own power but was ruled out to return.

Dort played just seven and a half minutes prior to leaving the game, recording two points and one rebound. He was replaced by Abdel Nader in the lineup.

Dort emerged as a key player for the Thunder prior to the season suspension and the team rewarded him by upgrading his two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. The team will be holding their breath with his injury but it was likely a good sign he was able to walk off of the floor.

[lawrence-related id=19454,21382,21179]

[vertical-gallery id=14282]

Thunder rookie Lu Dort has taken defensive advice from Andre Roberson

Roberson was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2017 prior to suffering a devastating knee injury with the Thunder.

[jwplayer UbYvRska]

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Luguentz Dort said Monday that he has been given a lot of advice on how to defend in the NBA from teammate Andre Roberson.

Roberson emerged as a strong defender in the league prior to suffering a devastating knee injury in January 2018. Roberson was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2017 and was previously the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year with Colorado.

Dort has already shown flashes on the defensive end of the floor this season in a limited sample size but told reporters in a conference call that he has leaned on Roberson for advice, according to Erik Horne of The Athletic.

The Thunder announced last month that they signed Dort to a standard NBA contract after showing promise earlier this season. Dort averaged 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 21 games as a starter with the Thunder from Jan. 20 to the season shut down in March.

The Thunder will return to action on Aug. 1 vs. the Utah Jazz.

[lawrence-related id=10684,8032,19394]

[vertical-gallery id=11659]

Thunder sign rookie Luguentz Dort to multi-year contract

Dort, who was previously signed to a two-way contract, averaged 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 21 games as a starter.

[jwplayer eEfPZIZL]

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced Wednesday that they have signed rookie Luguentz Dort, who was previously signed to a two-way contract, to a multi-year contract.

The Thunder were expected to convert the contract of Dort after a strong second-half to his rookie campaign. He spent much of the first half of the season in the G League with the OKC Blue but performed well upon joining the Thunder in January.

Dort averaged 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 21 games after entering the starting lineup on Jan. 20. He recorded a career-high 23 points on Jan. 29 and helped the Thunder to a 16-5 record as a starter.

The Thunder were motivated to sign Dort in order for him to be eligible to play in the postseason. In addition, the Thunder can also now sign a player to a two-way contract as teams are permitted to bring 17 players into the season, including two two-way contract players.

The 21-year-old gave the Thunder a sound defensive option this season and he even drew praise from teammate Chris Paul. He was once touted as a first-round prospect but has been a steal for the Thunder this season.

[lawrence-related id=18854,18793,18590]

[vertical-gallery id=14282]

Thunder may sign Luguentz Dort to standard NBA deal for playoff run

NBA teams will have one week to complete transactions before heading to Orlando. Might the Thunder try to lock up Luguentz Dort?

As NBA teams reconvene and make preparations for travel to Florida, the league has made some necessary changes to its schedule.

We’ve known for quite some time that the 2020 NBA Finals could go well into the second week of October, and recently, we’ve learned that the 2020 NBA Draft would take place on October 16.

Pretty soon, we’ll probably learn about the fate of 21-year-old guard Luguentz Dort, whom the Thunder currently have signed on a two-way contract.

Heading into Orlando, the league made one other important ruling: teams will have a seven-day period from June 23 to June 30 to complete transactions prior to the playoffs.

On Monday, Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards and Trevor Ariza of the Portland Trail Blazers each exercised their right to withdraw from competition for the remainder of the season, and accordingly, both the Wizards and Blazers will have the opportunity to sign players to fill their roster spots.

The Thunder will have a similar opportunity.

Dort, who started 21 games for the Thunder this season, is believed to be under consideration to be signed to a standard NBA deal by Oklahoma City. Whether he is or isn’t, he will be eligible to compete in Orlando, but if the Thunder do not sign him to a standard NBA contract, he could enter restricted free agency at the conclusion of the season.

Signing him now — depending on the terms of the deal — could allow the Thunder to lock the rookie up through the conclusion of 2020-21 season, at least.

At this point, the prevailing sentiment is that the club will attempt to re-sign Dort, especially with general manager Sam Presti publicly singing the praises of the young guard not too long ago.

“We have to just see what the options are and then make our best decision there, but he’s clearly someone that we want to have with us going forward, and that would be my expectation,” Presti was quoted as saying earlier this month by The Oklahoman.

In 29 appearances this season, Dort is averaging 6.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest.

Thunder could convert Lu Dort to standard contract as soon as June 22

The NBA is working to allow teams the ability to sign two-way contract players to standard deals later this month.

[jwplayer 3Kwb3gqV]

Now that the NBA Board of Governors has approved a competitive format to restart the 2019-20 season, the league is working on the guidelines for roster construction once play resumes on July 31.

The NBA, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, is working with teams on how players signed to two-way contracts may be utilized during the playoffs. The proposal is that the league will allow teams no limitations on how a team may replace a player that potentially tests positive for the coronavirus or suffers a long-term injury.

Currently, players signed to two-way contracts would be left out of the bubble environment in order to limit the size of a team’s traveling party. Teams are reportedly petitioning the NBA to allow the inclusion of two-way players as insurance for potential sickness or injury. Players on two-way contracts are not currently permitted to appear in the playoffs.

As the NBA works with teams on those details, the league is working to allow teams the ability to convert two-way players to standard NBA contracts before the season returns. According to ESPN, the window to sign those players would be for just over one week.

The NBA is hopeful to allow teams to convert two-way players to NBA contracts beginning on June 22 until July 1, sources said. In this instance, for example, the Oklahoma City Thunder could convert the two-way contract of rookie guard Luguentz Dort, who had started 21 consecutive games before the season’s shutdown.

Dort played well with the Thunder prior to the season suspension after entering the starting lineup on Jan. 20.

In 14 games played as a starter, Dort averaged 7.9 points and 1.6 rebounds. The Thunder were expected to sign Dort to a standard NBA deal prior to the suspension so he could eventually have his contract upgraded beginning on June 22.

[lawrence-related id=18136,18052,17984]

[vertical-gallery id=14282]

Luguentz Dort on the verge of a standard NBA contract from the Thunder

The undrafted rookie from Arizona State has played well since becoming a full-time starter last month and could soon be rewarded.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Luguentz Dort has impressed after becoming a full-time starter last month and the undrafted rookie could have solidified his place on the roster as a result.

Dort, who is signed to a two-way contract, spent most of the first half of the season with the OKC Blue in the G League. He has played the past month with the Thunder in the NBA after taking the place of Terrance Ferguson in the lineup, who missed time due to personal reasons.

The former Arizona State product has played well since entering the starting lineup on Jan. 20, averaging 7.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in 14 games. Dort recorded a career-high 23 points on Jan. 29 and has scored in double figures in each of his last two games.

Dort has 22 appearances in the NBA and is likely nearing the end of his 45-day service clock in the NBA. In order to be eligible for the playoffs, the Thunder will have to convert his contract to a standard NBA deal, which is likely to happen, according to Royce Young of ESPN.

The 20-year-old has given the Thunder a sound defensive option this season and his play has even drawn praise from teammate Chris Paul. He was once touted as a first-round prospect but has been a steal for the Thunder this season and could be soon rewarded.

[lawrence-related id=10450,8032,12220]