THE FLATS – Josh Okogie takes up the scoring slack for injury-riddled Suns … Check out a J.O. poster dunk … Jose Alvarado sidelined for a while with injury … Moses Wright joins Cyprus for EuroBasket competition … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
OKOGIE EMERGES AS SCORING THREAT AMID SUNS’ INJURY WOES
It is just 13 games into the new NBA season, but the injury bug has already hit the Phoenix Suns. One player who has benefitted from the absences of his teammates is Josh Okogie. The 26-year-old dealt with an injury of his own to start the campaign but is now playing an extended role. Kevin Durant is the biggest missing piece as he deals with a left calf strain, but he has since been joined on the sidelines by Bradley Beal, who is suffering from a similar injury. Jusuf Nurkic has missed a couple of games with an ankle sprain, whilst Grayson Allen has also sat out with a hamstring issue.
Okogie had been on the fringes of the rotation with Royce O’Neale, Ryan Dunn, and Allen ahead of him in the pecking order. The injuries to Durant and now Beal have seen different combinations used, including a starting lineup spot for the former Minnesota Timberwolves player. The absence of Allen has opened up a further lane. He has certainly taken advantage of this unlikely opportunity, averaging 11.4 points per game. In the last two games, he has scored 25 and 15 respectively, which coincides with the games Beal has missed. He was the team’s leading scorer in both.
OKOGIE THROWS DOWN POSTER DUNK ON MAVS’ GAFFORD
Phoenix Suns guard Josh Okogie’s start to the season was delayed several games, but he needed just one possession to flash his athleticism with a poster dunk over Dallas Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford.
The dunk came just 17 seconds after he checked into his first game of the season on Friday, and it extended Phoenix’s lead over Dallas to 12.
The Suns won the first quarter, 36-26, and Okogie’s aggressive take to the rack set a tone that his squad wasn’t about to let up out of the break.
The guard was listed on the team’s first several injury reports with a right hamstring strain, and the hamstring looked plenty healthy as he got up for the dunk.
WELCOME BACK JOSH OKOGIE pic.twitter.com/crw32bAQY0
— Cage (@ridiculouscage) November 9, 2024
ALVARADO OUT FOR EXTENDED PERIOD WITH INJURY
The New Orleans Pelicans suffered another injury blow to their season, losing guard Jose Alvarado for six weeks due to a hamstring strain, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
Alvarado suffered the injury in Monday’s home loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the Pelicans’ fifth straight loss and dropping them to 3-8.
In a season ravaged by injuries, Pelicans are now without six key rotation players: Alvarado, Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Jordan Hawkins.
Alvarado has had standout performances recently, posting 20-plus points and five assists in back-to-back games last week. He has averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals and shot 41.9% from 3-point range this month.
Another injury blow to New Orleans: Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado is expected to miss six weeks due to a hamstring injury, sources told ESPN.
New Orleans is now without Alvarado, Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum and Jordan Hawkins. pic.twitter.com/8BLBGBTM3W
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 12, 2024
MOSES WRIGHT CONFIRMS JOINING CYPRUS FOR EUROBASKET
Moses Wright confirms the report about him playing with Cyprus and explains how the opportunity presented itself. The American-born big man describes how he experienced some exciting moments during and after the latest EuroLeague derby and reveals his good luck charm in those games.
Moses Wright sat out for the better part of the latest Greek derby between Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus for EuroLeague Round 8.
The American big man stepped on the OAKA glass floor for only three minutes, recording one assist and two missed field-goal attempts. However, he still relished Evan Fournier’s daggers down the stretch, which allowed the Reds to come out with their biggest win in the season so far (94-89).