Orlando, Charlotte and Denver all tweaked their lineups this week as injuries and workload management continued to shape NBA rotations.
Magic
Head coach Jamahl Mosley on Friday offered the most detailed update yet on Franz and Moritz Wagner. Franz Wagner, out since Dec. 7 with a left high-ankle sprain, has advanced to on-court drills that now involve light contact. Mosley said the emphasis has moved to conditioning and stamina as the staff tracks how his ankle responds.
Moritz Wagner, rehabbing from ACL surgery, has begun two-on-two and three-on-three work and is also taking contact. Both players could be available for next Thursday’s game in Germany, though no decision has been made.
“The challenge in that is, you think long term,” Mosley said. “You want them to be ready for that Berlin game. They want to be ready for that Berlin game. That’s the ideal world. But the reality is you want them prepared and as healthy as possible for the long run.”
Hornets
LaMelo Ball came off the bench Thursday for the first time since his rookie season. After Ball saw limited fourth-quarter minutes earlier in the week, Charlotte opted to stagger his playing time to keep him fresh late.
“Just trying to find a way to get more creative with how we manage Melo’s minutes,” head coach Charles Lee said, according to the Charlotte Observer. “It helped us regulate his time and allowed him to be out there at the end, where it matters most.”
Nuggets
With Nikola Jokić and Jonas Valančiūnas sidelined, Zeke Nnaji has stepped into heavier minutes and delivered. Over his past three games, the 2020 first-round pick has totaled five steals and six blocks while drawing praise from teammates and coaches.
“He’s been amazing defensively,” guard Jamal Murray said.
Interim head coach David Adelman echoed that sentiment. “I don’t remember him moving this well,” Adelman noted after Wednesday’s win over Boston. “He guarded everybody. We were switching everything, and he handled it. It’s good to see him have success after not being in the rotation.”
Source: Hoops Wire
