Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving appears to have been cleared of a concussion after being forced out of Tuesday's 115-107 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Irving went down on the back court after being collected accidentally by a stray elbow from Bulls center Nikola Vucevic.
The 29-year-old, who had played 21 minutes with 13 points, three rebounds and five assists to that point, did not return to the game.
Irving's issue would be an additional concern for Brooklyn with James Harden already sidelined with a hamstring injury, although he is close to a return.
The Nets guard suffered a facial contusion and underwent concussion tests but Nets coach Steve Nash revealed it looked like he was in the clear.
"No signs of a concussion," Nash said post-game. "He had an x-ray which was inconclusive so we’ll really just have to look again in the morning.
"Probably be rescanned and all that when we get home and we’ll take it from there."
Kevin Durant played a key role for the Nets with 21 points as they improved their record to 45-24, firming up second spot in the East, ahead of the playoffs.
Durant added about Irving: "I thought he would be alright. I know those - he mixes it up a lot with the big fellas - so he might catch an elbow here and there.
"Kyrie, he plays with such toughness and competitiveness, I knew he'd get up, but I knew he took a nice one, a nice elbow to the face.
"Hopefully he gets checked out tomorrow, sees everything is alright and we move forward."
The Nets are due to play the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
Russell Westbrook believes it will be tough for anyone to break his record after he became the player with the most triple-doubles in NBA history.
Washington Wizards star Westbrook landed his 182nd career triple-double in a 125-124 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, finishing the game with 28 points, 21 assists and 13 rebounds.
At the age of 32, the likelihood is Westbrook will add significantly to his haul before his career runs its course.
He went past Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson with his latest individual epic performance, having already left the likes of Magic Johnson (138), Jason Kidd (107) and LeBron James (99) trailing in his wake.
Asked about the possibility of his record being broken one day, Westbrook said: "I'm not sure, I'm just trying to take it all in myself. I guess we'll see in another 50 years or so."
The former Oklahoma City Thunder mainstay, who joined Washington in December after a stint with the Houston Rockets, expressed pride at standing atop a list of greats.
He said: "It's a blessing. You put so much into the game and sacrifice so much that just to be mentioned with the guys like Oscar, Magic, Jason Kidd and those guys is something I never dreamt about as a young kid growing up in LA. I'm truly grateful for moments like this.
"Normally I don't like to pat myself on the back but tonight I will. Because I'm so grateful for the ones before me and so blessed and thankful for the one above that lets me go out and do what I do.
"I just go out and play and every night I try to do things that people say can't be done and my mind goes, 'Why not?'.
"That's how I think every time I step out on the floor – I try to do things people say I can and can't do over the years, proving people wrong and going out and competing at a high level."
Speaking about Robertson, who starred for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA before ending a 14-year career in 1974, Westbrook said the now 82-year-old had "paved the way for guys like myself".
"To be able to pass him, I want to just thank him because without him and the things he was able to do for the game I probably wouldn't be doing some of the things I'm able to do now," Westbrook said.
Addressing his own future, Westbrook expressed an ambition to keep on producing.
"I will never change because I've been blessed with the ability to be able to play this game at a level nobody else can play it at, and I won't stop until I can't play no more," he said.
In the course of his history-making game, Westbrook also joined James, Robertson and Gary Payton as the only players in NBA history with 20,000-plus points and 8,000-plus assists.
The Boston Celtics have made the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the past four years, but this time they are in danger of missing the playoffs entirely.
Boston (35-33) are seventh in the east heading into Tuesday's home clash against rivals the Miami Heat (37-31), and at this stage they are on track to feature in the NBA's inaugural play-in tournament next week.
If the Celtics, who lost 130-124 to the Heat on Sunday, go down to Miami again, it would all but seal Boston's fate.
Last season's NBA Finals participants Miami are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference – the top six advance directly to the playoffs.
The play-in tournament will include teams with the seventh through to the 10th-highest winning percentages in each conference, taking place between May 18-21.
There is a lot on the line with postseason berths up for grabs at TD Garden.
TOP PERFORMERS
Jimmy Butler – Miami Heat
If you needed more proof of Butler's importance to the Heat, look no further than Sunday's showdown. Miami's go-to guy put up 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds on the road in Boston, where he recorded his 17th double-double of the season.
Butler's character has often been questioned following stops in Minnesota and Philadelphia after making a splash with the Chicago Bulls, but he continues to impress in Miami, where he is averaging 21.6 points, a career-high 7.2 assists and a career-best 7.0 rebounds. The five-time All-Star also boasts a field-goal percentage of 49.6 – the best mark of his career so far.
Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
With Jaylen Brown suffering a season-ending wrist injury, the Celtics will rely heavily on another of their All-Stars – Tatum, who had 29 points in a losing effort against the Heat last time out.
Tatum is enjoying a career year, having elevated himself to an All-Star calibre forward with the Celtics last year. The third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum is averaging 26.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists – all career highs in 2020-21, while he is also averaging the highest number of minutes on the court (35.9) amid Boston's frustrating season.
KEY BATTLE – PRESSURE ON KEMBA
Kemba Walker arrived in Bostom amid much fanfare in 2019 but the four-time All-Star has only shown glimpses, albeit injuries have not helped.
Walker finished with 18 points in the previous game against the Heat, though he was five-for-12 shooting, making just one of his four three-point attempts.
As Tatum carries the load, Walker must provide the necessary support against a Heat roster stacked with shooters in Butler, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Celtics and Heat have split their two games this season, and there is a theme.
After the Celtics beat the Heat 107-105 in January, Miami bounced back on Sunday. The margin of victory has not gone above six points, highlighting just how closely matched these two teams are.
Unsurprising, Tatum (27 points) and Butler (26 points) were the stars of the show in the January encounter.
Stephen Curry was the hero as the Golden State Warriors upstaged the NBA-leading Utah Jazz 119-116.
Curry hit the game-winning shot during the final 14 seconds to lift the Warriors past the Jazz in San Francisco on Monday.
Two-time MVP Curry – coming off a 49-point performance – posted 36 points to make it seven successive games with 30-plus points.
The Warriors kept hold of the Western Conference eighth seed in the playoff race, with the play-in tournament set to take place next week.
Westbrook makes history
Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook broke the record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history after posting the 182nd of his career, surpassing Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson (181). Former MVP Westbrook finished with 28 points, 21 assists and 13 rebounds in a 125-124 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. With his second assist earlier in the game, Westbrook also joined LeBron James, Robertson and Gary Payton as the only players in NBA history with 20,000-plus points and 8,000-plus assists.
Trae Young had a game-high 36 points, while Clint Capela (10 points and 22 rebounds), Bogdan Bogdanovic (25 points) and John Collins (28 points) chipped in to fuel the Hawks.
It was a team effort from the San Antonio Spurs, who took down the Milwaukee Bucks 146-125. DeMar DeRozan (23), Dejounte Murray (21), Keldon Johnson (20), Patty Mills (20), Lonnie Walker IV (19) and Rudy Gay (19) all had double-digit points. In NBA history, only the Portland Trail Blazers on November 22 in 1983 had six team-mates with 19-plus points in a game.
Double-doubles from Domantas Sabonis (21 points and 20 rebounds) and Caris LeVert (20 points and 10 assists) inspired the Indiana Pacers' 111-102 victory at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Damian Lillard (34 points), CJ McCollum (28 points), Norman Powell (28 points) and Jusuf Nurkic combined to lead the Trail Blazers to a fourth straight win – a 140-129 success over the lowly Houston Rockets.
Ingles has off night
Usually a reliable shooter, Joe Ingles struggled in Utah's defeat. The Australian was two-for-seven shooting, having made just one of his six three-pointers for only five points in 31 minutes.
The Hawks won but Kevin Huerter made only three of his 12 field-goal attempts in 37 minutes of action. Huerter was one-for-six shooting from beyond the arc in the seven-point display.
Clutch Curry!
With the Warriors trailing 116-114, Curry nailed a triple 13.4 seconds from the end to lift Golden State in trademark fashion.
Monday's results
Indiana Pacers 111-102 Cleveland Cavaliers
Atlanta Hawks 125-124 Washington Wizards
Memphis Grizzlies 115-110 New Orleans Pelicans
Golden State Warriors 119-116 Utah Jazz
Portland Trail Blazers 140-129 Houston Rockets
San Antonio Spurs 146-125 Milwaukee Bucks
76ers at Pacers
Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia 76ers (47-21) – the most in-form team in the league – will put their eight-game winning streak on the line against the Pacers (32-36) on Tuesday.
Boston Celtics All-Star guard Jaylen Brown will miss the remainder of the NBA season due to a wrist injury.
In a major blow for the playoff-chasing Celtics, Brown was diagnosed with a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist, the team announced on Monday.
Brown is expected to have surgery on the torn ligament later this week, while there is no timetable for a return.
The 24-year-old had already missed the past three games with a sprained left ankle.
Brown had been enjoying a career season for the Celtics, resulting in his first All-Star selection.
In 2020-21, Brown was averaging career highs for points (24.7), assists (3.4), field-goal percentage (48.4) and three-point percentage (39.7), while he also averaged 6.0 rebounds per game.
Brown's injury comes with Boston's season in the balance.
The Celtics (35-33) are seventh in the Eastern Conference – enough for a play-in tournament berth – though Boston are in danger of missing the postseason altogether.
Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook broke the record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history on Monday.
Westbrook surpassed Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson with his 182nd career triple-double during the Wizards' agonising 125-124 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Former MVP Westbrook collected the necessary rebound to eclipse Robertson in the fourth quarter away to the Hawks in Atlanta.
He finished with 28 points, 21 assists and 13 rebounds against the Hawks.
Westbrook now stands alone atop a list that also includes Magic Johnson (138), Jason Kidd (107), LeBron James (99), Wilt Chamberlain (78) and Larry Bird (59).
With his second assist earlier in the game, Westbrook also joined James, Robertson and Gary Payton as the only players in NBA history with 20,000-plus points and 8,000-plus assists.
Entering Monday's contest, Westbrook has been averaging 22.0 points, a career-high 11.6 rebounds and a career-best 11.5 assists.
Westbrook has also been leading the league in assists per game, total assists (700) and assist rate (48.0).
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was a full participant in practice on Monday as he steps up his recovery from an ankle injury.
James returned from a six-week absence due to a right ankle sprain only to re-aggravate the injury after just two appearances for injury-hit NBA champions the Lakers.
The four-time MVP has since missed four straight games as the Lakers – seventh in the Western Conference – sit in the play-in positions in their playoff pursuit.
But James could reportedly return on Tuesday or Wednesday after Lakers head coach Frank Vogel provided an update following practice.
"He did participate in full practice. No update to his status tomorrow," Vogel told reporters on Monday. "General plan is to take it one day at a time. Nothing more than that."
Vogel added: "We did some drill work. We did some contrived scrimmages and we did a short, full scrimmage. And he did all of it."
James has been averaging 25.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the Lakers this season.
Through 43 games in 2020-21, James boasts a field-goal percentage of 51.3 – his best since 2017-18 and it is the same story regarding his three-point percentage of 36.6, which is his highest since that season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"What I've seen from LeBron today, he'll be fine. Trust me. He'll be fine," Lakers team-mate Anthony Davis said on Sunday, after inspiring a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns via 42 points and 12 rebounds.
"He's been in this game long enough. Obviously, he hasn't missed a ton of games, but he's been in this league long enough to be able to come back and lock in and do what he got to do to help the team.
"But I don't know what other teams are thinking. We know that we're confident against anybody we match up against, especially when we're fully healthy. That's our mindset.
"…We're going to come out and fight and I think teams know that just because we’re a lower seed we're not going to back down from anybody. We're going to come out and play Lakers basketball and I think teams know that and fear that as well."
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