No games were scheduled on Wednesday as the U.S. held its national elections to determine who between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will be the next president. Nevertheless, plenty still happened in the Association, starting with teams announcing injury updates and the NBA suspending one of its biggest names.
Aaron Gordon, Jeremy Sochan to Miss Multiple Weeks Due to Injury
Two starting forwards—Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets and Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs—will miss several games due to injury.
Gordon, who is averaging 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Nuggets, is expected to miss multiple weeks of NBA action, according to ESPN. The high-flying forward, who is shooting 55% from deep this season, sustained the injury in the Nuggets’ thrilling win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
The Spurs’ Sochan, who is averaging 15.4 points and 7.7 rebounds, will similarly be out for several weeks after fracturing his left thumb in the Spurs’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, also on Tuesday. The hardworking forward is scheduled to get surgery sometime this week, per the Spurs.
Anthony Davis Dealing with Foot Issue
Elsewhere, Los Angeles Lakers fans are probably holding their breath after big man Anthony Davis seemingly hurt his left ankle in the Lakers’ shock loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.
After the game, the NBA’s leading scorer admitted that he has been “managing” the injury since the offseason and that he “just kind of landed directly on the spot that’s been killing me.” Nonetheless, he emphasized that he and the Lakers trainers will figure things out and that his “goal for every game is to be on the floor.”
Davis, who is averaging 32.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.7 blocks, is having an MVP-type start to the 2024–25 NBA Season.
Joel Embiid Gets Suspended
Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid, who has yet to play in the 2024–25 NBA Season, has been suspended three games by the NBA due to his confrontation with a Sixers beat reporter after the team’s 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday at Wells Fargo Center.
Embiid, according to ESPN, will lose $1,063,778 in his three-game suspension, which will reportedly cover the 76ers’ next three games—the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, and the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
The team had previously announced that their star big man will make his season debut at home next Wednesday versus the New York Knicks.
Spurs’ Greg Popovich Out Indefinitely
Greg Popovich, the five-time NBA champion coach, will not be coaching the Spurs for some time, the team announced on Wednesday as he is dealing with a still undisclosed medical condition.
Per the Spurs, the 75-year-old Popovich suffered a health scare before the team’s 113-103 win versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. No further details have been provided just yet as to the nature of Popovich’s condition.
Assistant Mitch Johnson will take the place of the longest-tenured coach in the NBA.
