The Lakers are getting a major piece back just as they start to settle in.
Luka Doncic has been cleared to return Friday against the Warriors after missing the Clippers game with back tightness, according to Ryan Ward of Lakers On SI. Los Angeles got by without him Wednesday, but it will be a much different look with Doncic back in the mix.
The Lakers are 4-1 after holding the Clippers to 87 points, and the added offense Doncic brings should be obvious. Still, Wednesday also showed something Los Angeles will want to keep: the defensive edge. If that carries over, Doncic’s return only becomes more valuable.
There are still a few moving parts on the injury front. Ziaire Williams is questionable after missing time with left foot soreness, while Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr remain sidelined.
In Chicago, Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis gave the Bulls some real juice, even if the night still ended in a loss to the Knicks. Wilson posted 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Buzelis added 17 points, five rebounds and three assists.
“They were aggressive. Tried to make plays, took care of the ball,” coach Tiago Splitter said, via Elias Schuster of Bulls On SI. “I can go to sleep with a fight like this.”
The numbers weren’t perfect - the two combined to shoot 12-of-31 - but Chicago did get a look at something worth building on. Wilson’s passing and the pair’s ability to push the pace hinted at the kind of style the Bulls want to play.
“Matas is my guy, on the court and off the court. I love playing with him,” Wilson said. “And I want to make a bunch more lobs both ways.”
Miami, meanwhile, finally snapped out of its early skid. The Heat got their first win, and the biggest shift came from the way they used Bam Adebayo around the basket.
Brady Hawk of Heat On SI noted that Miami ran more screens, pick-and-rolls and handoffs in Wednesday’s win at Atlanta after opening the season 0-4. That change gave Adebayo more chances to work as a roller instead of hanging out on the perimeter.
The Heat also got Giannis Antetokounmpo working near the baseline, where he piled up offensive rebounds. When Adebayo rested, he also rolled to the rim. In short, Miami put both bigs in spots where they could do what they do best, and Adebayo helped tie it together with eight assists.
In Other News...
Clippers Got Bullied In Every Important Area Against The Lakers
The Lakers spent most of the night making the Clippers look small in the places that usually decide a game. Quentin Grimes led Los Angeles with 23 points in a 103-87 win, and the supporting cast did plenty of the heavy lifting too, with Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle and Walker Kessler all helping tilt the game in the Lakers favor. The edge showed up everywhere that mattered, from the paint to the glass to the open floor.
For the Clippers, the numbers told a frustrating story because they could not protect the ball or recover enough second-chance opportunities to keep pace. The Lakers turned the game into a physical, turnover-heavy slog and made sure the Clippers paid for every mistake, which is exactly the sort of loss that lingers because it exposes so many problems at once. How quickly the Clippers clean that up will say a lot about whether this was just a bad night or a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonards Raptors Season Just Took A Tough Early Turn
Kawhi Leonards new start in Toronto was already unusual, with the Raptors waiting out an NBA investigation into possible salary-cap circumvention before the trade from the Clippers was finally completed. Once the deal went through, the immediate focus shifted from the paperwork to Leonards health, and the early signs were not encouraging as swelling in his left knee forced him to the sideline right away.
The hope around the Raptors has been that Leonard can get fully right before he steps back on the floor and becomes the kind of difference-maker they brought him in to be. For now, the organization is still navigating the uncertainty that comes with a star arrival delayed by injury, and the next stretch will matter as much for patience as it does for the long-term championship picture. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Suddenly Have A Ben Sheppard Problem They Didn't Expect
The Clippers are still piecing together their own rotation picture as the road schedule approaches, with several familiar names working back from injury. Max Strus, Brandon Ingram and Yanic Konan Niederhauser are all staying in Los Angeles for rehab, leaving the team to manage depth and lineup flexibility a little longer than it would like.
There is at least one welcome note on the horizon, though. Rui Hachimura is expected to join the upcoming road trip after sitting out with left quad soreness, which gives the Clippers a chance to add another healthy body as they try to steady the group away from home. For a team already navigating absences, every returning piece matters, even if the full picture still is not quite settled. [Read more 🡒]