Category: Basketball

Basketball News

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Lonnie Walker IV enters concussion protocol after hard fall in Toronto

Lonnie Walker IV enters concussion protocol after hard fall in Toronto   originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Lonnie Walker IV is the latest sidelined Sixer in the team’s injury-packed season.

A Sixers official said Walker was diagnosed with a concussion Thursday morning, has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol and will be evaluated daily. 

Walker rose for a defensive rebound Wednesday night, got fouled by the Raptors’ Colin Castleton and hit the back of his head on the floor. He exited the game with 6:24 left in the first quarter and did not return for the rest of the Sixers’ loss in Toronto.

Under the NBA’s concussion protocol, a player must have no concussion-related symptoms at rest and then complete a multi-step return process monitored by a member of a team’s medical staff. 

Before his 20-second stint Wednesday, Walker had played nine times since signing with the Sixers and averaged 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists. 

On top of Walker, the 22-43 Sixers listed the following players as out for their Friday night meeting with the 36-28 Pacers:

  • Tyrese Maxey (lower back sprain and right finger sprain)
  • Paul George (left groin soreness) 
  • Kyle Lowry (right hip injury management) 
  • Joel Embiid (season-ending left knee injury)
  • Eric Gordon (season-ending right wrist surgery)
  • Jared McCain (season-ending left lateral meniscus surgery)

Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), Justin Edwards (left ankle sprain) and Alex Reese (left shoulder contusion) were questionable.

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No. 1 Duke’s Cooper Flagg shown in wheelchair after leaving ACC Tournament game with ankle injury

Duke star Cooper Flagg left his team's Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinal game on Thursday with a left ankle injury and had to be helped to the locker room. The top-ranked Blue Devils were trailing by 26-17 late in the first half when Flagg went up for a rebound and crashed to the floor after he appeared to have his left foot land on the foot of Georgia Tech’s Darrion Sutton. After sitting on the bench for a few minutes, Flagg got up and put his arms around two teammates and was taken to the locker room for observation.

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USC keeps season alive with double-OT win over Rutgers in Big Ten tourney

In some ways, USC's Big Ten tournament opener Wednesday was a lot like this basketball season as a whole -- the Trojans flashed their compelling potential before seeming to run out of steam on the way to what looked like a deflating finish. After letting a 15-point lead entirely slip away as Rutgers led by 4 points inside the final 30 seconds, the Trojans came through with the defensive stops they needed, two Wesley Yates free throws and a clutch driving layup from Desmond Claude to tie the game and force overtime. It would take two extra periods, but No. 14-seeded USC eventually found a final surge while pulling away from No. 11 Rutgers for a 97-89 double-overtime win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

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Sabonis out for Kings vs. Warriors game with hamstring injury

Sabonis out for Kings vs. Warriors game with hamstring injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings are ready to bounce back from an ugly home loss Monday night, but they’ll have to do so without their star center.

Domantas Sabonis, who originally was questionable for Sacramento’s NorCal showdown Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, will miss his sixth consecutive game with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.

Sabonis was cleared for on-court activity Saturday and practiced with the team Wednesday, but the team likely is being cautious with his return.

Kings backup big man Jonas Valančiūnas, who has stepped up in that starting role in Sabonis’ absence, likely will get the start against the Warriors.

Before his injury, Sabonis was averaging 19.5 points on 59.6-percent shooting from the field and 43.2 percent from 3-point range, with a league-leading 14.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 56 games this season.

In five games without Sabonis, Valančiūnas, who the Kings acquired at this year’s trade deadline, is averaging 13.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting, with 12.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in five games.

Kings forward/center Trey Lyles is questionable with left leg soreness, and Jake LaRavia was upgraded from questionable to available for Thursday’s game.

For Golden State, Jonathan Kuminga, who has missed the last 31 games with a nagging ankle sprain, is listed as probable. Gary Payton II was upgraded to available, and Brandin Pódziemski is out with a bilateral back strain.

The Warriors (37-28), who have won five consecutive games and 10 of their last 11, sit in the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed entering Thursday’s contest.

The Kings (33-31), who are coming off a 133-104 blowout home loss to the New York Knicks, currently are ninth in the West.

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