The Nets ended a four-game road trip on a down note with a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. Brooklyn fell out of first with the loss and sits a half-game back of the Miami Heat. The effort was far from James Harden’s best effort and it showed in the final result.
Around the rest of the NBA, the league suspended Grayson Allen for one game for the foul on Chicago Bulls’ Alex Caruso, John Stockton had his Gonzaga season tickets suspended and Knicks owner James Dolan is getting paid a lot for his role as executive chairman of MSG Sports.
All these stories and more in today’s Morning Shootaround:
Nets News
- The Nets struggled defensively giving up a season-high 72 points in the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves. Harden had just 13 points and the Nets couldn’t close the gap in the fourth quarter. (The Brooklyn Game)
- Joe Harris has suffered some “setbacks” on the road to recovery from his ankle surgery. Originally he was looking at a 4-6 week timeline to return, but Harris still hasn’t been back on the floor with the team. (The Brooklyn Game)
- Before the Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their road trip Sunday night, the Long Island Nets face the G League Ignite at the Nassau Coliseum. David Duke Jr. was returned to Long Island and had 14 points. (The Brooklyn Game)
- James Harden struggled in Brooklyn’s loss to the Timberwolves and didn’t take a single shot in the fourth quarter of the game. (New York Daily News)
- Kyrie Irving and Harden had plenty of time to build some chemistry with one another during Brooklyn’s four-game trip. Especially with Kevin Durant sidelined, that was critical for the Nets to see. (Newsday)
NBA News
- Grayson Allen was suspended for one game for his flagrant 2 foul on Alex Caruso. The played caused Caruso to fracture his wrist, but the Milwaukee Bucks were not thrilled with the discipline handed down by the league. In a statement, they said that they “disagree” with the suspension. (ESPN)
- John Stockton won’t be seen watching any Gonzaga basketball games from inside the McCarthey Athletic Center after his season tickets were suspended. Stockton has been against wearing masks at games and that has caused friction between him and the university. The NBA Hall of Famer is opposed to COVID-19 vaccines, shutdown measures and mask mandates. (Spokesman-Review)
- James Dolan will be making at least $26.5 million under the new contract he signed last month to retain his position as executive chairman of MSG Sports and executive chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment. MSG Sports carries both the New York Knicks and New York Rangers under its umbrella. (The Athletic)
- Michael Beasley is working to try and get back into the NBA and spoke with Michael Scotto for a pretty in-depth interview about his career. (HoopsHype)
