Nissan #ProJackets Basketball Report

Jan. 19, 2017

By Wiley Ballard –

Iman Shumpert is getting an opportunity to start for the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers thanks to personnel changes … Marcus Georges-Hunt will play in front of nearly every NBA team during the NBA D-League’s Showcase this weekend in Ontario … Thaddeus Young and Derrick Favors are dominating down low for uprising Indiana and Utah … All of that and more can be found in this week’s Nissan #ProJackets Basketball Report.

The one-year anniversary of Chris Bosh’s last NBA game is less than a month away meaning that the waiting game is almost over. On Feb. 9, the Miami Heat will finally have the flexibility to waive the veteran power forward without a salary cap penalty. This has long been the speculated course of action after Pat Riley, team president, declared that the organization viewed Bosh’s career in Miami was over back in September. In the meantime, Bosh has spent his time hiring a new agent, learning the guitar, and contemplating retirement. With the next stage in Bosh’s delayed departure scheduled for next month, Bosh likely won’t make many headlines over the next few weeks.

Derrick Favors delivered his best week since returning from injury last week. In three games, the Atlanta-native shot 51.5 percent from the field, averaged 12.3 points, and secured 6.0 rebounds per game. Better yet, the Jazz won all three games to improve to 27-16. The highlight of the week came on Saturday night in a home game against Orlando. In a nail-biter against the Magic, Favors elevated his team, quite literally, with a lead-changing three-point play. Utah travels to Dallas on Friday night for one of just two road games over their next eight contests. Tip is at 8:30 p.m. ET. 

Marcus Georges-Hunt has been unshakably reliable in his first professional season for the Maine Red Claws. As of one just two players to play in all 26 games, the rookie has averaged 16.8 points on 47.2 percent shooting and 4.4 assists against just 2.0 turnovers. SB Nation’s D-League website, Ridiculous Upside, took special notice of Georges-Hunt in advance of the NBA D-League showcase (which began yesterday). The showcase consists of 19 regular season games played at one arena, the Hershey Centre in Ontario. A handful of games will be televised on ESPNU or NBATV including Maine’s Saturday afternoon contest against Fort Wayne. Don’t miss the chance to watch Georges-Hunt live, tip is at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBATV.

After taking the floor in only one game of an eight-game stretch, Anthony Morrow saw minutes in each of the last two contests for Oklahoma City. In lopsided losses against the Clippers and Warriors, Morrow contributed five points in 10 minutes of action. The Thunder have lost three of their last four, but still sit comfortably in the seventh spot with a six-game lead on the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder have an extended break over the weekend before facing the Utah Jazz on Monday night at 9 p.m. ET.

It’s possible that no other Cleveland Cavalier benefited more from the Kyle Korver acquisition than Iman Shumpert. Ohio.com suggests that with Korver coming off the bench, head coach Tyronn Lue feels more comfortable moving Shumpert’s offensive punch into the rotation. In his two starts since, the sixth-year guard is averaging 15.5 points per game and shooting 58 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc. Cleveland gets another shot to become the first team in the East to reach the 30-win plateau tonight against Phoenix. Tip is at 7 p.m. ET at Quicken Loans Arena.

Thaddeus Young and the Indiana Pacers have won seven of eight and seven straight on domestic soil. Aside from a 140-112 setback against Denver in the NBA London Showcase, the Pacers pose a greater threat to the Eastern Conference by the quarter. Indiana has raced into the playoff chase with a 22-19 overall record, good enough for sixth place. In Monday night’s victory, Thaddeus Young delivered a monstrous performance (17 points, 8-for-9 shooting, and a season-high six steals) complete with this mammoth jam which Jarrett Jack deemed “Sportscenter Top 10” worthy on social media. Indiana travels to Los Angeles tomorrow night for a nationally televised confrontation with the Lakers. Tip is at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

You think you will teach your kids about life,But what you find out is that they end up being the ones who teach you the most. #BoshFamily pic.twitter.com/8IGp4i0N0L

— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) January 16, 2017