Nissan #ProJackets Basketball Report

Nov. 17, 2016

By Wiley Ballard –

Marcus Georges-Hunt has impressed in his first week as a pro … Big men Chris Bosh and Derrick Favors are struggling to get healthy …  Iman Shumpert steals the show at the White House … All of that and more can be found in this week’s Nissan #ProJackets Report.

Chris Bosh – The waiting game continues in South Florida. Chris Bosh waits to see if a doctor will medically clear him while Miami waits until the all-star break before they can cut him without penalty. The Heat meanwhile continue to flounder in their superstar’s absence, losing six straight and falling to 2-8. Miami hosts Milwaukee tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Derrick Favors – The health concerns persist for Utah’s Derrick Favors. The big man’s knee troubles began near the beginning of training camp and have limited his minutes and effectiveness. On Saturday night, Favors lasted only six minutes before exiting Utah’s road victory over Miami. Two nights later Favors played only 21 minutes while shooting 2-of-6. The Jazz have decided to rest Favors for tonight’s game against Chicago. The St. Louis Tribune reported the findings of yesterday’s MRI and how his injuries have affected his contract negotiations here. Following a 4-1 road swing, the Jazz look to regroup against Chicago after a home loss to Memphis on Monday night. Tip is at 10:30 p.m. ET inside Salt Lake’s Vivint Smart Home Arena.

Marcus Georges-Hunt – In his first week as a pro, Marcus Georges-Hunt hasn’t disappointed. The rookie has strung together two 20-point efforts in the Maine Red Claws’ first three games. The College Park, Ga., native poured in 20 points on opening night and followed his impressive debut with a double-double the next night. The Red Claws play their first home game tomorrow night against the Long Island Nets. Tip is at 7 p.m. ET and is free to watch on Facebook Live.

Anthony Morrow – Anthony Morrow saw action in two games this past week for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The ninth-year shooting guard added six points in a lopsided 104-88 defeat against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. In last night’s win over Houston, Morrow went 0-for-1 in the field in a single minute of action. After a roaring 5-0 start, the Thunder have quietly fallen back to earth, losing six of their last eight. Oklahoma City hosts Brooklyn Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Iman Shumpert – Cleveland suffered only its second loss of the season last night after LeBron James took a scheduled night off. Iman Shumpert got the start in place of James and struggled, shooting just 1-of-6 from the field with three turnovers and zero steals against Indiana. Off the bench, the 6-foot-5 guard has been much more effective shooting above 50 percent and averaging 1.6 swipes per night. Off the court, Shumpert continues finding new ways to incite laughter. Any visit to the White House is memorable, but Shumpert’s reactions at Cleveland’s championship ceremony were priceless. Cleveland.com devoted an entire piece to Shumpert’s first presidential visit which included personal compliments from President Obama himself. Cleveland returns home to face Detroit Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Thaddeus Young – Thaddeus Young may still be adjusting to his new teammates in Indiana, but last year’s double-double machine (28 in 73 games for Brooklyn) is showing progress. Over the last week, Young averaged 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the field. Last night, Young contributed 16 points, his second-best output as a Pacer, in a 103-93 win over Cleveland. The win gave the Pacers’ their first winning streak of the season. Indiana looks to make it three in a row Friday night at 7 p.m. ET against the Phoenix Suns.