Tag: PJ Tucker

DJ Augustin returns to Rockets, impressed by Kevin Porter Jr.’s evolution as point guard

“The way he slowed down his game and his pace, you can see that it is opening things up for him more,” DJ Augustin says of Kevin Porter Jr.’s growth as a point guard. #Rockets

After 13 years in the NBA, veteran guard DJ Augustin had called it a career. Although the man who made Houston his adopted hometown had not officially made a retirement speech or submitted paperwork to the league, Augustin was content being at home with his family.

A former first-round pick in the 2008 NBA draft by Charlotte, Augustin played portions of two seasons with the Rockets after being traded from Milwaukee in March 2021 as part of the PJ Tucker trade. He was waived by Houston in February 2022 and was claimed by the Lakers, where he played 21 games to end the 2021-22 season.

“I was done playing,” said Augustin, a point guard, as he prepared for Friday’s home game versus Detroit. “I had a few teams calling, but I was pretty much just at home with my family, being a dad. I was still working out and doing things, but for the most part, being on a team, I wasn’t trying to go anywhere.”

Only one team could get Augustin to give up “Daddy Duties” and return. “The only situation I was willing to go to was Houston,” said a smiling Augustin. “Not thinking it would happen, and one day I got the call. That is how life is sometimes. I am just happy to be back.”

That call came from Rockets general manager Rafael Stone while Houston was in the middle of a five-game road trip in late March. During his first stint in Houston, Augustin averaged 7.3 points and 2.8 assists per game, but his main objective was to help Kevin Porter Jr. transition into a starting point guard, a position he was still learning.

Before the 2021-22 season, Augustin had noticed the work Porter had put into becoming better at his new position in the offseason.

“He is just trying to put it all together,” Augustin said of Porter’s transition. “Switching positions and becoming a point guard ain’t easy. It is not something that you can just do all the time.”

During his time away from the game, Augustin noticed that Porter had finally started evolving from a natural scorer to a team leader.

“I have been watching his whole season,” Augustin said of Porter. “The way he slowed down his game and his pace. You can see that it is opening things up for him more. He knows when to use his body and control the game and be a real point guard. I am happy to see him do that, and he is growing a lot.”

Porter’s growth and maturity have been displayed over the four games that Augustin has been on the bench and in the locker room with him. He is averaging 24 points per game, including back-to-back 30-plus point games. His 33-points, four steals, and seven made 3-pointers in Friday’s victory against the Pistons put him in some elite company. The only other Rockets player to perform that feat was former NBA MVP James Harden, who did it four times in Houston.

“It is good to have DJ back, because he is a player who has played my position for a very long time, and he shows and tells me different things I may not see,” Porter said. “He has a great approach to how he sees the game and breaks it down in a way that can be easily explained. It is good to have him back.”

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Player grades: James Harden, Joel Embiid lead Sixers to win over Raptors

James Harden and Joel Embiid lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the Toronto Raptors at home.

PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to get themselves together as they prepare for the playoffs and a matchup with the Toronto Raptors is what the doctor ordered in that respect. The Raptors are the type of team the Sixers will see in the postseason with their size, length, and athletic ability.

Philadelphia had a near-perfect first half as they shot a scorching 76.9% from the floor in order to build a 77-57 halftime lead. However, the Raptors worked their way back into it and cut the lead down to seven rather quickly and then the lead was only two in the fourth. Eventually, the Sixers were able to pull away for a 117-110 victory in large part due to James Harden and Joel Embiid.

Harden had 23 points and 11 assists while Embiid added 25 points and 12 rebounds for Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey added 13 points and six assists, De’Anthony Melton added 13 points, and PJ Tucker had nine and five rebounds. Paul Reed added 11 points and six rebounds and Danuel House Jr. added eight off the bench.

Here are the player grades after the win:

Player grades: Joel Embiid, James Harden return to lead Sixers past Mavs

Joel Embiid and James Harden return from injury to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the Dallas Mavericks at home.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Wednesday from a grueling stretch in which they played seven of eight games on the road. They entered the contest with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-game losing skid, and they were looking to get back on track.

The Sixers received reinforcements on Wednesday: Joel Embiid and James Harden returned from injury. Embiid missed a game with calf tightness and Harden missed the previous four games with left Achilles soreness. Their return on Wednesday helped spark the Sixers to a 116-108 victory over the Mavs.

Embiid led Philadelphia with 25 points and nine rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 22 points, and Tobias Harris had 13. Harden didn’t look great: He shot only 4-for-14, but he had 15 points, 12 assists and four rebounds. De’Anthony Melton added 17 huge points with six rebounds and Georges Niang had 14 off the bench.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Player grades: Tyrese Maxey, short-handed Sixers fall short in loss to Nuggets

Tyrese Maxey and the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers gave a spirited effort, but they come up short to the Denver Nuggets on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers invaded Ball Arena in Denver to face the Nuggets on Monday night looking to end this grueling stretch on a high note. Monday’s contest marked the end of a four-game road trip as well as a stretch where they have played seven of eight games on the road.

In order to end a two-game skid on Monday, they would have to do so while being short-handed. Joel Embiid was out due to his calf tightness and James Harden missed his fourth straight game due to left Achilles soreness. The Sixers were able to stay in the game due to the play of Tyrese Maxey, but it wasn’t enough as the Nuggets eventually pulled away for a 116-111 victory after they led by as many as 22.

Maxey had 29 points, with 25 coming in the first half, to lead Philadelphia, Paul Reed had 16 and nine rebounds, Tobias Harris added 16 points and five rebounds, and De’Anthony Melton had seven points, but on 3-for-12 shooting. Georges Niang hopped off the bench and had eight points while Jalen McDaniels had 14.

Here are the player grades following a tough loss:

Player grades: Devin Booker too much for Sixers to handle in loss to Suns

Devin Booker was too much for the Philadelphia 76ers to handle as they fall to the Phoenix Suns on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers have proven themselves a resilient bunch all season. As they invaded the Footprint Center to take on the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, they were looking to show that again after a loss on Friday. Both teams were short-handed for this one. Philadelphia was missing James Harden. Phoenix was missing Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.

Considering the pieces missing on both sides, it was an even matchup in that sense. In the end, Devin Booker and the Suns walked away with a 125-105 win. Booker had 29 points and five assists to lead Phoenix. The Suns also received a big boost from their bench, which outscored Philadelphia’s bench unit, 53-17.

Tyrese Maxey had 37 points and seven rebounds to lead Philadelphia. Joel Embiid had a bit of an off night, but he still finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Tobias Harris had 13 points.

Here are the player grades following the loss on the road:

Player grades: Joel Embiid not enough, short-handed Sixers fall to Warriors

Joel Embiid’s big night was not enough as the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Golden State Warriors on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers entered the night short-handed in The Bay Area as they prepared to take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors. The Sixers, who entered the night with the top road record in the NBA at 23-12, were missing James Harden and two key bench pieces which made their task tougher than usual.

However, whenever Joel Embiid is out there and healthy, the Sixers will always have a chance. The big fella finished with 46 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to keep Philadelphia in the game against a good Warriors team, but it wasn’t enough. Golden State walked away with a 120-112 win led by Jordan Poole who had 33 points for the defending champs while Steph Curry added 29.

Tobias Harris added 23 points on 10-for-12 shooting and six rebounds for the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and five assists, and De’Anthony Melton had eight points, six rebounds, and three steals.

Here are the player grades following the tough loss on the road:

Sixers single out PJ Tucker, defense after easy road win over Bulls

The Philadelphia 76ers single out PJ Tucker and their defensive effort in order to run away from the Chicago Bulls.

The Philadelphia 76ers were short-handed when they invaded the United Center on Wednesday night to begin a four-game road trip. As they were looking to bounce back against the Chicago Bulls, they entered the contest without James Harden and Jalen McDaniels due to injuries.

Then, they lost Joel Embiid at halftime due to mild right calf tightness. Although it sounds as though if the game had been closer, he would have been OK to play.

The Sixers welcomed PJ Tucker back to the lineup, and they ran all over the host Bulls, 116-91. Philadelphia led by as many as 31, and they jumped to a 23-1 lead. Tucker was a big reason for that as he set the tone.

“PJ was great,” coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “He looked great. He moved as well as I’ve seen him move so he played well. Defensively, made shots but his energy — listen we’re a completely different defensive team when PJ Tucker is on the floor and it’s not even close.”

The Bulls didn’t convert on a field goal until the 6:34 mark of the first quarter. The Sixers were active on the defensive end. They were getting into the passing lanes and that allowed them to get out in transition, which is where they have their most success.

“I think how we was executing on defense,” De’Anthony Melton told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Holding a team to what we did in the first seven minutes is impressive. So we was going out there just being locked in, in sync on defense, and getting out in transition just moving the ball so when we play like that, we get the results we want.”

The defensive tone the Sixers played with was important. When that happens, they are able to play at the pace they are looking for. Tucker was a big part of that to help give the team a spark.

“Defensively, I thought we were just totally locked in from the start of the game, getting stops getting out running,” Tobias Harris added. “We know they’re a team that over-helps a lot, too. So making that first pass, the quick pass as well, that opened up the game for us, and we were able to make shots and just roll from there.”

The Sixers look to carry this play into The Bay on Friday when they take on the Golden State Warriors.

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Player grades: Joel Embiid, Sixers get revenge in blowout win over Bulls

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers get some revenge as they pick up an easy, blowout win over the Chicago Bulls on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers were looking to begin their final road stretch of the season on the right foot as they paid a visit to the United Center on Wednesday for a rematch with the Chicago Bulls. These two teams had just played a double-overtime matchup on Monday, a Chicago rin, so the Sixers were looking for revenge as well.

Philadelphia was short-handed missing both James Harden and Jalen McDaniels due to injury, but they started off the game picture-perfect. They led the Bulls 23-1 in the opening minutes and they led by as many as 31 on their way to an easy 116-91 win in Chicago. Joel Embiid had 12 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds, and he only had to play the first half.

De’Anthony Melton led the Sixers with 25 points and three steals, Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and five rebounds, and Tobias Harris had 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Georges Niang had 11 points off the bench.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Full injury report for James Harden, Sixers vs. Bulls

James Harden listed on the Sixers injury report as questionable with achilles soreness.

James Harden is officially listed as questionable for the Philadelphia 76ers get set to take on the Chicago Bulls with an ankle injury.

Harden shot 2-for-14, and 0-for-6 from 3, finishing with just five points and 12 assists in 47 minutes, but suffered some sort of discomfort during the home game against the Bulls. He was noticeably grimacing down the stretch of regulation and overtime. He somehow finished the game.

PJ Tucker also appears on the injury report with ankle soreness.

Foot and Ankle injuries are always tricky, especially when they aren’t the direct result of some form of trauma. Harden and Tucker’s age and mileage make it imperative that the Sixers’ are as cautious as possible to make sure they’re good when the Second Season starts.

The Sixers’ are fighting for a possible 1-seed in the playoffs, but have a much better chance of catching the Boston Celtics for the 2 seed. They currently sit 3 games out of 1st, and 2.5 games out of the 2nd seed, and play both teams one more time before the season ends.

 

With the playoffs around the corner, getting Harden and Tucker as healthy as possible is very significant to the Sixers’ chances at a deep run.

Sixers champion Bobby Jones details the importance of having PJ Tucker

Philadelphia 76ers champion Bobby Jones explains the importance of having PJ Tucker on the floor.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers made their big move early in free agency when they brought in PJ Tucker on a 3-year $33 million deal. The Sixers made the move hoping Tucker can bring in the necessary toughness and intangibles needed to help the team win.

In his first season with the Sixers, Tucker’s numbers aren’t extraordinary. He’s averaging 3.4 points and 4 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game, but he has been important to Philadelphia’s success. He does all of the dirty work and he creates extra possessions for the Sixers to get more looks at the basket.

On Monday, the Sixers welcomed the 1983 championship team into the building at shootaround. Bobby Jones, who was the sixth man of that team and did the dirty work for that group, detailed how important Tucker is to this current team.

“Two things, one, the toughness that he brings, and then two, the attitude that he has of what, what can I do to help the team win?” Jones explained. “It’s like when I watch him play, if he has an open shot, he’s gonna take it, but if he doesn’t, he moves the ball quicker than anybody else on the team. He gets it out of his hands, and just shuffles it up to somebody else.”

Tucker has done so many things that don’t show up in a box score. For example, he boxes multiple guys out to help his teammates grab a rebound rather than the opposition. That shows up in key moments.

“Then he’s also waiting, as the shot goes up to knock three guys sideways, and he does!” Jones added. “He’s got quick hands. He’s got strong hands, and he kicks it out and gets it to somebody else. So when you have a player like that who knows his role and fulfills his role, it inspires other people to say, ‘Hey, we’ll he’s doing that. Why won’t I do that?'”

Jones sees what Tucker does as something of a motivating factor. An opportunity for others to step up and do the little things in order to get the job done out on the floor.

“It kind of motivates other people to do the same kind of thing,” Jones finished. “To figure out what their role is, but also to do more. To be tougher.”

Tucker is dealing with ankle soreness and wasn’t able to participate in the shootaround Monday morning. There is a chance he doesn’t play against the Chicago Bulls. However, it’s obvious how important he is to this team’s success.

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