Nissan #ProJackets Basketball Report

Nov. 24, 2016

By Wiley Ballard

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After a month of getting to know his new teammates, Thaddeus Young looks comfortable in Indiana … Marcus Georges-Hunt put on a show for Crustacean Nation in D-League Maine’s home opener … Big men Chris Bosh and Derrick Favors are still struggling to get healthy … All of that and more can be found in this week’s Nissan #ProJackets Report.

Chris Bosh missed his 41^st consecutive regular season game this past Saturday, a Miami victory over Washington. That now means the Heat can file an insurance claim in order to recoup some of Bosh’s salary according to The Sun Sentinel. As each day passes, Miami’s inevitable release of their superstar inches closer. Team president Pat Riley acknowledged that Bosh’s Heat career is over and that the team will look to unload him on February 9, the one-year anniversary of the forward’s last game. It’s hardly that simple as The Miami Herald points out, “the labor agreement is written in such a way that Miami now must root against Bosh being cleared to make a comeback elsewhere.” It’s been an unpleasant close to the LeBron-Wade-Bosh era to say the least.

Meanwhile, the on-court action continues to disappoint in South Florida. Detroit slaughtered Miami, 107-84, handing the visitors their tenth loss of the season. The road trip concludes with a visit to Memphis Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Derrick Favors has been ruled out indefinitely since an MRI last week revealed a bone contusion in his left knee. So far this season, Favors is averaging just 24 minutes in 11 games while scoring 10.4 points and pulling down 6.5 rebounds. Utah is just 1-3 since the Atlanta-native last took the floor. The Jazz host the Hawks Friday night looking to nose above .500 with their ninth win. Tip is at 8 p.m. ET.

He may have only six games under his belt, but Marcus Georges-Hunt is playing like a seasoned veteran for the NBA Development League’s Maine Red Claws. The rookie leads the team with 36.5 minutes per game and ranks second in nightly assists (4.8) and plus-minus (+9.7). The 22-year-old delivered his best performance in Maine’s home opener with 22 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Not to mention, Georges-Hunt is already making friends with some younger fans in “Crustacean Nation.” Next, the Red Claws take the floor Friday afternoon against Raptors 905. Tip is at 2 p.m. ET and is free to watch on Facebook Live.

After seeing minutes in only four of the first ten games, Anthony Morrow has played in six straight for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 31-year-old scored a season-high eight points in a loss to Sacramento last night. In four games last week, Morrow struggled shooting 33 percent from the field and only 1-of-6 on three-point attempts. The Thunder battle the Nuggets Friday night at 9 p.m. ET in Denver.

It was a light week for Iman Shumpert and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wednesday night’s high-scoring win over Portland, 137-125, was only the second game in the last seven days. In Cleveland’s two wins, Shumpert added 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting (4-of-6 from deep) with four assists. Away from the court, the sixth year veteran has displayed his holiday spirit on social media by volunteering in the community and spending time with his 11-month-old daughter. Cleveland hosts Dallas Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Thaddeus Young may have had his best week as a Pacer, but unfortunately it translated to only one victory in four contests. Young notched his first double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds) of the season in Sunday’s overtime win against Oklahoma City, 115-111. Then Wednesday night, Young scored a season-high 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting in a home loss to Atlanta.

It appears that Indiana is still learning the ins and outs of their new pieces (Young, Jeff Teague and first-year coach Nate McMillan). The Pacers have won back-to-back games only once this season and sit 10^th in the Eastern Conference at 7-9. Young gets another crack at his old team Friday night as Indiana hosts Brooklyn. Tip is at 8 p.m. ET.