Tag: Mike Miller

Ja Morant sets regular season Grizzlies record with 46 points

The Memphis Grizzlies’ All-Star guard put on quite a display for the Chicago crowd and might have gotten a little extra lift after seeing highlights of Michael Jordan on the video board. Morant scored a regular-season franchise-record 46 points, and …

The Memphis Grizzlies’ All-Star guard put on quite a display for the Chicago crowd and might have gotten a little extra lift after seeing highlights of Michael Jordan on the video board. Morant scored a regular-season franchise-record 46 points, and the Grizzlies hung on to beat DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls 116-110 on Saturday night. “I did watch it,” Morant said. “And then, I did start scoring a lot. It probably played a part in it.” Morant broke Mike Miller’s previous record (45 points) set in 2007.

Source: ESPN News Services @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant gives a toast to the haters after a record-setting performance against the Bulls. dailymemphian.com/section/sports… – 12:36 AM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant scores a career-high 46, sets the Grizzlies franchise record for points, and then grabs the cup next to him at the postgame press conference:
“And for y’all, here goes a shot of Casamigos since that was the problem last game.”
*slugs it* – 11:21 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
We’ve asked pretty much every question you can about these huge Ja Morant games.
So Steven Adams jokes: “Yeah, unfortunately bro, I’ve seen too many of them. It’s kind of boring now, eh?
“… The 360 layup was tough, though. That was insane.” – 11:11 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Steven Adams on the 360 move by Ja Morant: “The 360 tonight was tough…special…that was insane”
Adams was also happy that he got the assist on that one. – 11:03 PM
Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
The NBA might need to add a column on the box score for “no-he-didn’t” plays for Ja Morant. Dude has about 3 or 4 NHDs every game.
pic.twitter.com/GIB67pWFuw – 10:46 PM

Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
What did Ja Morant see in the third quarter on the way to his 46-point night?
“Yeah, I seen the Michael Jordan video they played during the timeout. That got me going.” @thefishnation @GrizzOnBally – 10:42 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Ja Morant told the broadcast it was the Michael Jordan video that they played in the arena that got him going.
Morant had 46pts. Thank you MJ! – 10:35 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
What a game. Grizzlies defeat Bulls 116-110.
Ja Morant: 46pts, 4reb, 3ast
Steven Adams: 12pts, 21reb, 5ast, 2blk
Kyle Anderson: 6pts, 11reb, 3ast, 3blk
Jaren Jackson Jr: 8pts, 4reb, 4blk
Tyus Jones: 11pts, 4ast – 10:33 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Final: Grizzlies 116 Bulls 110
Ja Morant came to play with DeMar DeRozan on the other side. Morant scored a regular season career high 46 points. Grizzlies snap two-game losing streak and end the Bulls’ six-game winning streak. Big win. Lots of big performances. – 10:33 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
40-point games in a Grizzlies season:
5 — Ja Morant this season
1 — Everyone else
Ja had a career-high 46 points tonight. pic.twitter.com/NaDGxPkEkt – 10:33 PM

Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Vooch airballs a 3-pointer for an anticlimactic end to an otherwise thrilling 116-110 finish.
DeRozan ejected at the end of a 31-point performance.
Ja Morant scores a career-high 45 points. – 10:32 PM
Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
Ja Morant goes out and gets a career-high 46 points and DeMar DeRozan’s brilliant 35+ run ends with him ejected after scoring 31. MVP vote tiebreaker to Ja.. in Chicago too – 10:32 PM
Memphis Grizzlies PR @GrizzliesPR
Tonight @Ja Morant scored 46 points in a win over the Chicago Bulls, the most in @Memphis Grizzlies franchise history in a regular season game. pic.twitter.com/M77aanQ9vc – 10:31 PM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Career-high 45 points for Ja Morant – 10:30 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
That was fantastic defense from Zach LaVine on Ja Morant – 10:23 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Ja Morant vs. DeMar DeRozan. Two of the NBA’s best clutch scorers … let’s go. – 10:18 PM
Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
DeMar DeRozan vs. Ja Morant down stretch of a close game is proving to be very fun – 10:18 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
40-piece for Ja Morant trying to will his team to a win tonight. Incredible game. – 10:17 PM
Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Ja Morant just scored Grizzlies’ first points in over 5 minutes. They’d been stuck on 101 since 9:06 mark of fourth quarter — while Bulls scored 14 unanswered
103-99 Grizzlies, 3:56 to play – 10:14 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
We should have seen this coming. Ja Morant going up against the guy with 35+ in eight straight games and firmly in the MVP mix. Yeah, he was ready for this one. – 9:55 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
I’m at a loss of words so I’m just going to stop tweeting. Ja Morant is just unbelievable. – 9:52 PM
Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
They just build them different at Murray State. Ja Morant out here making a solid MVP case with 36 points through 3Qs. #Bulls – 9:51 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Raise the roof of the United Center Ja Morant 😳 – 9:51 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
ahem. OH MY JA MORANT – 9:51 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Ja Morant puts exclamation point on 20-point 3rd quarter with spectacular alley-oop dunk. – 9:50 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
There is a certain profile in a center that I believe gives you the best chance at slowing down Ja Morant. Nikola Vucevic is an offensive beast but slow feet for a big is like the worst case scenario with Morant coming downhill. – 9:49 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Ja Morant 1st half: 16 pts
Ja Morant 1st 7:26 of 3rd qtr: 16 pts – 9:41 PM
Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry
Ja Morant, right in front of media row, after drawing that last foul: “You can’t play fucking physical with me.” – 9:40 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
There is no stopping or slowing down Ja Morant tonight. He already has 30pts and we are just in the 3rd qtr. – 9:40 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Ja Morant is taking the Bulls to school. Class is in session. Sheesh. – 9:40 PM
Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Coby White tries to set up Javonte Green for an alley-oop on the fast break, but it’s too high and out of control.
Ja Morant succesfully pulls off the same play on the other end to Williams. – 9:34 PM
Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Bulls narrowly win the second quarter, but enter the locker room down 59-52.
Javonte Green (12 pts) and Zach LaVine (12 pts) the only Bulls in double digits. DeRozan shooting 20%.
Ja Morant (13 pts) and Steven Adams (11 pts, 15 rbds) making things tough for the Bulls. – 9:10 PM
Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
After 3s by LaVine and White, #Bulls head into half trailing Memphis 59-52. LaVine & Green have 12 each. DeRozan 2-10 FG for 7 pts.
Ja Morant has 16 pts, Steven Adams 11 & 15, looking like Boerwinkle out there. – 9:10 PM
Zach Kram @zachkram
Since the calendar flipped to 2022, Ja Morant is shooting just 24% on 3s.
But he’s averaging 29 points per game over that span anyway. Just a spectacular offensive talent. – 9:09 PM
Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Halftime: Grizzlies 59, Bulls 52
Javonte Green and Zach LaVine have 12 points apiece
Ja Morant leads with 13 for Memphis, who scored 38 points in paint – 9:08 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Nah man it’s no way Ja Morant even saw the rim on that 360 layup 🌪😳 – 9:06 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Who what where when how on earth did JA MORANT just do that?!?! – 9:05 PM
Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Ja Morant out here doing Ja Morant things – 9:05 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
OH MY JA MORANT – 9:05 PM
Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
The Grizzlies take a 31-22 lead out of the first half.
DeRozan has only scored 2 points.
LaVine: 5 points, 2 assists
Vooch: 8 points, 5 rebounds
Ja Morant: 9 points
Steven Adams: 9 points, 11 rebounds – 8:40 PM
Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Griz coach Taylor Jenkins said Ja Morant is feeling really good after treatment yesterday. His hip cramped up during Thu’s game at Minnesota, stretched it out and returned. #Bulls – 8:04 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Ja Morant just walked from Grizzlies locker room through the players tunnel and onto the court with a Memphis staffer trailing him with a large speaker blaring loud music.
Hey, @Rob Schaefer, gonna need that for next game’s walk to press row. – 8:02 PM
Ja Morant @JaMorant
undefeated in conference ‼️‼️ congrats gang 🐎🐎 job still not done .
#RacerNation – 7:14 PM
Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Coach Jenkins said Ja Morant is feeling good after getting treatments yesterday. He described it as just tightness. – 6:37 PM
Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Heading into tonight’s game at UC, Memphis has lost two in a row after winning 22 of 28.
–Grizzlies make a habit of starting fast, 12 straight games scoring 30+ in 1stQ.
-Ja Morant limped off at one point vs. Min, but is not listed on injury report. #Bulls – 2:58 PM
Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
Ja Morant and rise of Celtics earning a wider audience. TNT has picked up the March 3 Grizzlies at Boston game.
Miami at Brooklyn will no longer be the national broadcast in that 7:30 window. – 2:22 PM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Ja Morant: The Memphis MVP, by @bcabraham https://t.co/VedkvroaGI pic.twitter.com/4U9cNvy181 – 9:26 AM

More on this storyline

Kyle Lowry moved ahead of JR Smith with 1,931 three-pointers. He’s now 19 away from JJ Redick. -via HoopsHype / February 27, 2022

Mark Daigneault finalizes OKC Thunder coaching staff for 2020-21

The new Oklahoma City Thunder coaching staff under first-year head coach Mark Daigneault has been finalized, the team announced.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s coaching staff has been finalized.

On Wednesday, the team announced who will join first-year head coach Mark Daigneault in the 2020-21 season.

David Akinyooye, Dave Bliss, Mike Miller and Mike Wilks will serve as assistant coaches and Zach Peterson and Kameron Woods will be player development coaches.

“This group has proven to be great collaborators during their time with the Thunder, complementing their ability to help develop our team and players,” Daigneault said in a statement. “They all share a deep commitment and understanding for the values of the organization and are dedicated to being continuous learners.

Miller is the only new coach on the Thunder’s staff. Last season, he served as an interim head coach for the New York Knicks after the firing of David Fizadale. The bulk of his experience comes at the college and G League levels.

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Akinyooye was an assistant on Daigneault’s Oklahoma City Blue coaching staff, the G League affiliate of the Thunder. Both coaches joined the NBA team last season. Akinyooye has also spent time as a coach for the San Antonio Spurs and for Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket in France.

Bliss re-joined the Thunder staff last season as a player development coach after serving the Knicks for the previous three seasons at the same position. This is his second stint with Oklahoma City, as he worked as a video analyst and player development coach from 2010 to 2015. He was the head coach of the Thunder’s summer league team last summer.

Wilks was a senior pro evaluation scout for the Thunder for seven seasons before becoming an assistant coach last year. He played in the NBA from 2002 to 2010, spending parts of three different seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics and ending his career with the Thunder. He is the second former Thunder player to become a coach for the team.

Peterson got his NBA start in 2014 as a video intern with the Atlanta Hawks. By 2017 he became the head video coordinator, and the next season joined the Milwaukee Bucks in the same capacity. Last season, he joined the Thunder as a player development coach.

Woods played on the Blue under Daigneault for two seasons and then spent two years as an assistant coach on the G League team, one of which was under Daigneault. He’ll rejoin the head coach’s staff in player development.

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Report: Former Knicks interim coach Mike Miller joins Thunder coaching staff

Former New York Knicks interim head coach Mike Miller has reportedly joined Mark Daigneault’s Oklahoma City Thunder coaching staff.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have added a man with head coaching experience to the staff of Mark Daigneault.

Mike Miller, who spent most of last season as the interim head coach of the New York Knicks, will be joining the Thunder staff, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

In 44 games with Miller at the helm, the Knicks went 17-27, a large improvement on the 4-18 start to the season they had under David Fizdale.

Like Daigneault, Miller has G League coaching experience.

Miller was an assistant coach for the Austin Toros/Spurs beginning in 2015 and then the head coach of the Westchester Knicks from 2015-19. The Knicks made the playoffs in three of the four seasons with Miller in charge.

He was hired as a New York Knicks assistant in 2019 then became interim head coach that season.

The bulk of Miller’s coaching experience comes at the college level. He first became an assistant coach in 1989 at Western Illinois, spending a year there before moving to Sam Houston State, which also lasted a season before he spent three as a Texas State assistant.

That’s where he earned his first head coaching experience, leading Texas State from 1994-2000. The team went 87-79 with him as head coach and made an NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history.

After the 2000 season, Miller served as an assistant coach at Kansas State until 2005. He was hired as Eastern Illinois head coach, where he led from 2005-2012. The team went 75-130 with Miller at the helm.

After a one-year stint as a UC Riverside assistant, Miller moved to the G League level.

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Mike Miller may become an agent with R.J. Hampton a potential client

The two-time NBA champion may reportedly look to become an agent with R.J. Hampton as a potential client.

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Two-time NBA champion Mike Miller may reportedly look to transition into becoming an agent with R.J. Hampton as a potential client, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Of course, Miller spent two years as an assistant head coach under Penny Hardaway at Memphis. He was heavily involved in the recruitment process for Hampton before he opted to play professionally in the National Basketball League.

Miller has since worked extensively with Hampton during the pre-draft process and has helped improve his shot. The two have worked on reducing the movement in Hampton’s shot and changed the placement of the ball when he rises up.

Hampton is widely considered to be a first-round pick on Nov. 18 with the Brooklyn Nets emerging as a potential suitor. The team is reportedly extremely interested in him should he remain on the board when the Nets are on the clock at No. 19.

Miller and Hampton have grown close in recent memory and the former NBA player believes Hampton can eventually become a multi-time All-Star. They may reach the next level of their friendship soon should Miller make the transition into being an agent.

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Report: If Rockets hire Van Gundy, Mike Miller is a possible assistant

Per the New York Post, Miller could be Jeff Van Gundy’s assistant in Houston if Van Gundy holds off John Lucas for the head coaching job.

If the Houston Rockets hire veteran NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy to their vacant position, recent New York Knicks interim head coach could be among Van Gundy’s assistants, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Van Gundy is believed to be one of three finalists to replace Mike D’Antoni as head coach of the Rockets. The other top candidates are John Lucas, who was D’Antoni’s director of player development in Houston for the last four seasons, and Dallas Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas.

Of those three, Van Gundy has the most prominent experience as a head coach, having worked over parts of 11 seasons in that capacity for the Rockets (2003 to 2007) and Knicks (1996 to 2001).

If Van Gundy is the hire, Miller could potentially be part of his staff in Houston, according to Berman. His report:

Mike Miller, the former Knicks interim head coach, could resurface as Jeff Van Gundy’s assistant in Houston if Van Gundy holds off John Lucas for the Rockets’ head coaching job, according to sources.

After Miller was passed over by the Knicks for the permanent position, Miller opted against staying on Tom Thibodeau’s staff to see if he could land another gig. Miller has been Van Gundy’s assistant on Team USA’s World Cup qualifying teams.

Van Gundy has spoken very highly of Miller and thought he deserved to remain as Knicks head coach after he did well taking over for David Fizdale in December. Miller weaved a 17-27 record before the season shut down on March 11.

The shared USA Basketball experience of the 58-year-old Van Gundy and 56-year-old Miller could certainly be a connection worth monitoring, should “JVG” ultimately land the Houston job. By comparison, the Knicks were 17-27 (.386) under Miller, and 4-18 (.182) with David Fizdale.

According to Berman, Van Gundy’s top competition for the position with the Rockets appears to be Lucas. Having worked in Houston for the last four years, Lucas seems to have the initial endorsement of All-Star guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook, per several media reports.

There is still no definitive timetable for a hire to be made.

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