Dear Markelle Fultz, the beguiled 2017 No. 1 pick who has had a more curious sophomore than rookie season, which we thought impossible before we saw it with our own eyes, has a new diagnosis: neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.
Markelle Fultz’s shoulder has *some* nerve
We have that and more in Wednesday’s NBA newsletter.
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
This is a nerve issue that restricts motion in the shoulder and elbow, and has usually been associated with baseball pitchers. The symptoms actually line up quite neatly with what we’ve seen from Fultz (discomfort, an inability to smoothly lift his arms above his head). The best news is the condition is treatable with physical therapy. Fultz will miss 3-6 weeks while receiving treatment. Jeff Stotts has loads more information on the condition.
We all hope the treatment takes and Fultz regains his ability to shoot the ball and contribute to the Sixers. That said, it’s a bad look for Fultz’s agent Raymond Brothers to reject the mere idea that a player as talented as Markelle could have a mental issue that manifests physically. It may not be the case here — this diagnosis would indicate that — but it’s not impossible that some sort of mental trigger could cause something like this. Suggesting as much cheapens everything else Brothers says.
Scores
Bulls 90, Pacers 96
Magic 105, Heat 90
Blazers 102, Mavericks 111
Kings 122, Suns 105
Spurs 105, Jazz 139
Schedule
All times Eastern.
On National TV:
Sixers at Raptors, 8, ESPN
Spurs at Lakers, 10:30, ESPN
Selections from League Pass:
Nuggets at Magic, 7
Clippers at Grizzlies, 8
Pistons at Bucks, 8
Hornets at Wolves, 8
Mavericks at Pelicans, 8
Links
Paul Flannery on the return of Steph Curry and the high likelihood the Warriors are about to go on another run.
A call for Domantas Sabonis to get more minutes.
Some filthy Nikola Jokic passes. Best big man passer since Darko Milicic. (Wink.)
Danny Chau tries to make sense of Andrew Wiggins.
A beautiful headline on this Candace Buckner piece about why Wizards season ticket holders stick through it. You all know how I feel about permanent fandom.
A call for more Jimmy Butler court time without Ben Simmons.
Sheesh, Klay Thompson is still mad about those tombstone cookies. Thompson thinks he’s getting the last laugh here — and he is getting some laughs, make no mistake — but really this whole conversation just reminds me that the Warriors lost the NBA Finals despite being up 3-1 in the series. In fact, it reminds me that Thompson was talking about LeBron James being caught in his feelings when the Warriors were up 3-1. Friends, the Warriors didn’t win another game in that series.
Jesus Gomez writes that this Spurs team is fundamentally flawed.
John Gonzalez’s 10 guilty pleasures of the NBA season.
And finally: Kyrie Irving argues with a kid, and then the kid drops some Duke slander to everyone’s great delight. This clip is life force.
Be excellent to each other.
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