The Heat lost rookie guard Pelle Larsson on Wednesday to a sprained ankle he suffered during a weightlifting incident, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. The rookie out of Arizona called the incident a “freak accident.” “I was lifting and just stepped and got my foot caught in something,” Larsson said. “So I just stepped on a twisted ankle, and it doesn’t feel … [Read more...] about Southeast Notes: Larsson, Mitchell, Risacher, Middleton
And-Ones: Wong, 82 Games, Powell, Jamaica, More
After being waived by the Hornets prior to the All-Star break, guard Isaiah Wong signed a rest-of-season contract with the Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas in February. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links), Wong has since agreed to extend his relationship with Zalgiris, though his new deal comes with opt-out potential. As agent Darrell Comer explains to … [Read more...] about And-Ones: Wong, 82 Games, Powell, Jamaica, More
Wizards Notes: Sarr, Middleton, Bey, Johnson
Wizards center Alex Sarr frequently displays the defensive potential that made him the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, but he still has room to grow, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Sarr is tied for sixth in the league with 1.5 blocked shots per game, although some of his underlying numbers put him far behind the league’s top rim protectors. Shankar notes that … [Read more...] about Wizards Notes: Sarr, Middleton, Bey, Johnson
Southeast Notes: Magic, Hornets’ Offseason, Heat Loss, Wizards’ Process
The Magic clinched home court in all potential play-in games by defeating the Celtics on Wednesday. In the process, they also clinched the Southeast Division title, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Orlando still needs to win a play-in game to clinch an official postseason slot, but it’s still an impressive feat for a team that endured varying lengthy injuries to … [Read more...] about Southeast Notes: Magic, Hornets’ Offseason, Heat Loss, Wizards’ Process
Marcus Smart: “Control What I Can Control”
For years, Marcus Smart dreamed of bringing a championship to Boston, so it felt odd to be back at TD Garden on Sunday with the rebuilding Wizards, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Smart didn’t play, despite loud chants from Celtics fans for coach Brian Keefe to put him in the game. Keefe explained that he’s focused on giving time to younger players as the season winds down. With … [Read more...] about Marcus Smart: “Control What I Can Control”