While the NBA regular season is quickly winding down, many things have yet to be decided over the last couple of weeks. Twenty-two of the league’s 30 teams are still alive for a top-10 spot.
Playoff seeding is also up in the air, with the Boston Celtics being the team that has secured their spot. The Celtics (57-15) will be the top seed in the East.
Denver (51-22) leads the West just by a half-game over Minnesota and Oklahoma City.
NBA Rumors: Joel Embiid, Jonathan Kuminga, Jamal Murray, and Jrue Holiday Plus More Updates
76ers Injury Updates
The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) have fallen off the pace over the last two months. They currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, having gone 10-17 since February 1. The Sixers can still move up in the standings, as they are half a game behind Miami and one and one-half games behind Indiana. They are also 3.5 out of the fifth spot, which Orlando holds.
Part of the 76ers’ problem is that they have dealt with several injuries lately, the big one being Joel Embiid. However, there is reportedly some good news as the Sixers look to close out the season strong.
According to Tankathon, the 76ers have the second-easiest schedule remaining, with just four of their last nine opponents possessing winning records. The Sixers close out the year with three straight home games, where they are 21-16 with a 3.9 scoring margin.
More good news includes Embiid, De’Anthony Melton, and Robert Covington, as all three players could return before the end of the regular season.
Joel Embiid
Embiid is the least likely of the three players to return, but Nick Nurse told ESPN’s Tim Bontempts that he is optimistic that the 7-footer will return before the NBA’s play-in tournament.
“I think there’s a very good likelihood that he will return before the play-in, playoff,”
Embiid has not played since January due to a knee injury. The Sixers are 13-26 without the big man.
Nurse didn’t disclose a timetable for Embiid’s return. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on the NBA Countdown that Embiid will likely be back in action within the next few week s.
Reporting on Joel Embiid for NBA Countdown with @malika_andrews pic.twitter.com/nXI5WbZAF0
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2024
“I’m told it’s not a question of if but when. And the belief is, with nine regular-season games left after tonight against the Clippers, that Joel Embiid can be back for a handful of those.
“… There’s a lot of optimism right now around Joel Embiid. I’m told that he is moving well — he has looked good on the court.”
Embiid participated in practice today, tweeted Noah Levrick of NBC Philadelphia. Levrick also said that Embiid will travel with the 76ers on their upcoming road trip, though there is still no firm return timetable. ESPN projects Embiid could return on Tuesday.
Nick Nurse: Joel Embiid will go on the Sixers’ upcoming trip, do his workouts on the road.
He was in today’s practice, which was a light one. Still no exact/firm timeline to offer.
— Noah Levick (@NoahLevick) March 28, 2024
Covington and Melton
Nurse also provided semi-updates on Covington and Melton, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. Nurse added that Covington is closer of the two players of returning.
Nick Nurse says he thinks there is a "very good likelihood" that Joel Embiid will return before the start of the playoffs / play-in.
Nurse also says he's hopeful both Melton and Covington can return before the end of the regular season, although he notes Covington is closer.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) March 27, 2024
Covington has yet to play since the calendar turned to 2024 as a result of a left knee bone bruise. Covington won’t play Friday at Cleveland. But he may play on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Melton has dealt with back problems all year and has been out since Feb. 28.
Cavs Hope To Keep Mitchell For The Long-Term
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 44-29 on the campaign, marking the third straight year they have won at least that many games. The Cavaliers have succeeded despite Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley for at least 24 games apiece.
However, the Cavaliers have been 2-4 in their last six games, all without Mitchell, who is dealing with a nasal fracture. The Cavs are also 5-10 in their previous 15 games, and Mitchell has missed 13 of those games. Overall, the Cavs are 11-13 without their star guard.
Yesterday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Mitchell hopes to return on Friday against Philadelphia. Mitchell is officially listed as questionable for the contest.
Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell is targeting a return to action as soon as Friday's home game vs. the 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Mitchell has been sidelined since March 16 due to knee issue and nasal fracture. Now on cusp of return. pic.twitter.com/3phFB5k0sP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 27, 2024
Speaking of Mitchell, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told Lary Lage of The Associated Press, earlier today, that he believes Mitchell will eventually sign a long-term deal with the franchise.
“We’ve been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract. We think he will extend. I think if you listen to him talk, he loves the city. He loves the situation in Cleveland because our players are very young and we’re just kind of putting the core together that he’s clearly the biggest part of.”
Mitchell is in the third year of a five-year rookie scale extension he signed with Utah. After next year, he could opt out of a $37.1 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
While Mitchell is not eligible for a super-max deal, he is eligible for an extension in July. The extension could be worth $199 million over four years based on cap projections.
Other News
- Marcus Morris saw his 10-day contract with the Cavaliers early this morning. However, the Cavs plan to bring the 34-year-old forward back on a rest-of-the-season contract, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
After the expiration of his 10-day contract, #Cavs are planning to sign Marcus Morris Sr. to a rest of season deal, sources tell @clevelanddotcom
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) March 28, 2024
Since joining the team over a week ago, Morris has scored double-figures in two of his five games for the Cavs. Morris averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 treys in 17.8 minutes while shooting .438/.438/.667.
- Houston Rockets rookie wing Cam Whitmore‘s sprained right knee is progressing ahead of schedule, coach Ime Udoka told Jonathan Feigan of The Houston Chronicle.
“He’s going to get the contact portion eventually and progressing from spot shooting to moving to contact moving will be next, but we’ll see when that is. He heals fast and so he’ll probably beat the three-week diagnosis.
Whitmore has played reasonably well since becoming a regular member of the Rockets rotation in January. However, the 19-year-old last played on March 10. Thus, the Rockets game on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks marks three weeks since the injury.
Houston is 37-35 on the season and a league-high 10-game winning streak. The Rockets are one game behind the Golden State Warriors for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
- According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Los Angeles Lakers reserve guard Gabe Vincent is slated to return to the floor on Sunday against Brooklyn. Vincent has appeared in just five games this season and has been out since Dec. 20.
- Milwaukee Bucks backup point guard Pat Beverley said he will not miss any time despite having torn ligaments in his right wrist.
BREAKING: Patrick Beverley WILL play through his wrist injury today and moving forward!
Source- Us. pic.twitter.com/cJr1aoFGu3
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) March 28, 2024
