Search Results for “Ricky Rubio” – SLAM https://www.slamonline.com Respect the Game. Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:05:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.slamonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-android-icon-192x192-32x32.png Search Results for “Ricky Rubio” – SLAM https://www.slamonline.com 32 32 THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Brandon Jennings https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/30-players-who-defined-slam/brandon-jennings/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/30-players-who-defined-slam/brandon-jennings/#respond Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:05:55 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=795303 For three decades we’ve covered many amazing basketball characters, but some stand above the rest—not only because of their on-court skills (though those are always relevant), but because of how they influenced and continue to influence basketball culture, and thus influenced SLAM. Meanwhile, SLAM has also changed those players’ lives in various ways, as we’ve […]

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Brandon Jennings appeared first on SLAM.

]]> For three decades we’ve covered many amazing basketball characters, but some stand above the rest—not only because of their on-court skills (though those are always relevant), but because of how they influenced and continue to influence basketball culture, and thus influenced SLAM. Meanwhile, SLAM has also changed those players’ lives in various ways, as we’ve documented their careers with classic covers, legendary photos, amazing stories, compelling videos and more. 

We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

Most players in the “SLAM 30” would, honestly, be in most basketball outlets’ rankings of the most relevant 30 players of the last three decades. Brandon Jennings, however, is a special case. Thanks to a truly symbiotic relationship made possible by Brandon’s love of SLAM, the people he surrounded himself with and our admitted bias to players who fuck with us as hard as we fuck with them, BJ is like “our” All-Star.

The relationship started regularly enough—not that it didn’t mean the world to a young Brandon. He got what we used to call a “little Punk” story in our high school section, shot in his Compton (CA) Dominguez uniform and interviewed by Ryan Jones. Just a sophomore at the time, Jennings remembers it fondly. “That was my first look in SLAM,” he says on a recent Zoom. “In the Dominguez locker room. I was so fucking excited! Like, Everybody is gonna see me. I’m known now. The SLAM thing was always the biggest thing in sports and basketball magazines. When you did the cover shoot with Sebastian [Telfair] and LeBron James and I was a kid in the 7th grade…I had to be like them. SLAM was always that stamp of approval.” 

Jennings’ path got more unique from there—as a player and a SLAM subject—as he transferred to Oak Hill Academy in VA for his last two years of high school. Not a shocking move, but to travel all the way from L.A. and go for two years was rather brave. BJ made a couple appearances in SLAM/related pubs while he was a Warrior. In August ’07, while in NYC for the second annual Elite 24 game (in which, he proudly reminds me, he set a record that was never broken for assists in the game with 23), he posed for the cover of our special PUNKS magazine alongside fellow top guards Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans and Lance Stephenson. Half a year later, back in the Big Apple for the Jordan Brand Classic, we shot Jennings at Grand Central Terminal for our High School All-American First Team. He’s got fond memories of both shoots but does share the one gripe he has with us in our long history. “I’m not gonna front—I was mad I didn’t get the diary that year,” Jennings says of the storied column that was penned by Evans that season.

Jennings’ path took two massively unexpected turns after high school. For one, the University of Arizona commit chose not to wait out any debates surrounding his academic eligibility and turned pro—in Italy! For another, he did so in Under Armours, becoming the first signing the famous “football” brand ever made in hoops. UA’s foray into basketball was largely led by Kris Stone, a former SLAM Advertising Manager who had a flair for marketing, a belief in Brandon and a loyalty to the Basketball Bible. We became, in many ways, the perfect place for UA to hype its move—with Jennings at the forefront. And since we’re always suckers for good access to a dope baller with personality—we were down. After a couple more small appearances in our pages, Jennings’ next SLAM hit was big time: the European adventurer was on the cover of SLAM 128 next to a more conventional Continental prospect—Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio. 

Future Shock, indeed.

“That was so unreal for me,” Jennings recalls today. “The decision I’d made. Ricky being who he was. I was a little nervous. The first time I met him was at that shoot, the night before we played against each other in Barcelona. I met his mom, too, rest in peace. Ricky and I just shared a little chit-chat that day. We knew we were about to do some big shit.”

Jennings’ time in the L came sooner than Rubio’s. A little while after that cover, he was in the 2009 Draft, going 10th overall to the Milwaukee Bucks. And soon after that, in just his seventh NBA game, Jennings dropped 55 points. On the Golden State Warriors and their rookie PG, Stephen Curry. What were we supposed to do? Put him on his first solo cover, of course. Behold SLAM 135, an Adam Fleischer-Atiba Jefferson production that featured Jennings bursting off the front page in a fire red Bucks uni. “That meant that I made it,” Jennings says. “I was that kid running to the store to get that magazine. Now I’m on the cover. That was a full-circle moment.”

Jennings played all 82 as a rook and copped a solo KICKS cover the next summer. He’d go on to play 555 games in the League, bouncing from Milwaukee to a few different spots before finishing his career as a Buck in ’18. It was an appropriate ending, because it connected Jennings to the Giannis Era in Milwaukee and greatly extended the lifespan of his #BucksInSix quote.

And even though he stopped playing, Jennings has stayed fresh and relevant. Most notably, he’s the founder of streetwear brand Tuff Crowd. And in another full-circle moment, the brand recently collabed with Under Armour and its current signature hooper, none other than Curry. 

You’ll never guess where you can read more about it…

FULL LIST
COP THE MAG

Photo by Atiba Jefferson. Featured image via Getty Images.

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Brandon Jennings appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/30-players-who-defined-slam/brandon-jennings/feed/ 0 International Superstars are Now Dominating the Game More Than Ever Before https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/fiba-244-slam/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/fiba-244-slam/#respond Wed, 31 May 2023 15:03:38 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=779918 This story appears in SLAM 244. Shop now. The United States will enter the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in August as the second- ranked country in the world. Yes, the second-ranked country. For the first time in more than a decade, US men’s basketball slipped to No. 2 in the FIBA world rankings back […]

The post International Superstars are Now Dominating the Game More Than Ever Before appeared first on SLAM.

]]> This story appears in SLAM 244. Shop now.

The United States will enter the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in August as the second- ranked country in the world.

Yes, the second-ranked country.

For the first time in more than a decade, US men’s basketball slipped to No. 2 in the FIBA world rankings back in November. The top spot currently belongs to Spain, winners of the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket—the championship of Europe for men’s national teams—and the 2019 FIBA World Cup (a tournament in which the Americans finished seventh). The US does not send its A-team to events such as the FIBA AmeriCup, where it came in third last year after being knocked out by Argentina, but the results of those tournaments still impact the rankings. And while the squad put together for the Tokyo Olympics emerged victorious two summers ago, it lost to France during the preliminary round and only won by 5, 87-82, in a rematch in the Final. 

You don’t have to look hard for proof that the game is growing around the world. The three finalists for the 2023 NBA MVP hailed from countries outside the United States—winner Joel Embiid (Cameroon) and runners-up Nikola Jokic (Serbia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)—as well as six of the top eight vote-getters. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) finished fifth, followed by Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) in seventh and Luka Doncic (Slovenia) in eighth. This marked the fifth straight season that a foreign-born player was crowned MVP, dating back to Antetokounmpo’s first triumph in 2019.

Most of those stars have confirmed that they intend to play in the upcoming World Cup, which will take place in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. This year’s event will be the second to feature 32 teams and the first to be hosted by multiple nations. It’s also the gateway to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, as seven countries will qualify based on their performances: two from the Americas, two from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia and one from Oceania.

For the US, the tournament will be far from a cakewalk, regardless of who lands on the team’s final roster. 

“There are quality players around the world—I think we’re starting to see that,” says Carlan Gay, deputy editor at The Sporting News and an announcer for international competitions. “Four of the five that finished at the top of the MVP voting aren’t American born—that just tells you that the world isn’t catching up, it has caught up.” 

“I think that we have this idea that, well, if it’s not American, it’s not as good,” says Jeff Taylor, an international basketball commentator since 1997. “I understood immediately watching the [1997] EuroBasket—watching a game between Poland and Germany—I was struck by how good they were.” 

Taylor has covered most of FIBA’s flagship events since then, observing firsthand how the level of talent has risen in other countries. “It’s grown exponentially,” he tells SLAM. “I think it was already good at the time, but I think there are different factors at work here [that have made it even better].”

For one, an increasing number of Europeans jumped to the NBA in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The success of guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker helped erase stigmas about foreign players—mainly, that they were too soft and not athletic enough to succeed in the States—and inspired others to follow in their footsteps.

Emerging talents overseas join top professional organizations as teenagers, where they are exposed to elite coaching and stiff competition that accelerates their development. Doncic signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid at the age of 13, and No. 1 NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama has been a pro since he was 15. Of course, those high-level prospects also join their respective national team programs early on, which facilitates even more growth.

“There’s more opportunity for development within your national team program [overseas],” says University of Alabama assistant coach Ryan Pannone, who has previously coached in the NBA, G League, China Germany, Slovakia and Israel. “And the pressure those guys are playing under and the pride for their national teams is really high. [For example], Luka was playing within the national team obviously from a very young age in Slovenia, and he was in the academy within Real Madrid in Spain. So he’s getting professional coaching seven days a week from coaches whose full-time jobs are to make sure he develops; and then in the summer, he’s in the national team system of Slovenia, where he’s playing in high-pressure-filled games.”

Basketball journeyman Scotty Hopson, who has played in 10 countries and suited up for the 2018 USA World Cup Qualifying Team, notes that the “athleticism level” has increased among international players. “Whenever I go to these countries and play against other teams and players, I feel like they always have a knowledge of basketball that’s pretty high level,” says Hopson. “And now you add the component that guys are starting to get more athletic, starting to understand how to take care of their bodies, how to train more.”

It’s important to mention that the FIBA game is different—harder, in a lot of ways. Quarters are 10 minutes long as opposed to 12. The court is smaller (91 feet-10 inches by 49 feet-2.5 inches, compared to the NBA’s 94 feet by 50 feet), and the three-point line is about a foot closer. There’s no defensive three seconds, and goaltending rules are modified: players are allowed to swat the ball off the cylinder as soon as it touches the rim.

All of these changes result in a distinct style of play: more strategic and methodical, less spaced. Teams value possessions more because there are fewer of them. On defense, it’s easier to pack the paint and provide help. Closeouts are faster—there’s not as much ground to cover—so coaches emphasize shooting and making quick reads. “The game internationally can be very physical, very tactical. And if you’re going to play it, you have to be very intelligent,” explains Taylor.

“The game in Europe is way harder than the game in the NBA,” Antetokounmpo said last September. “The talent obviously in the NBA is way higher, but the space [is better]—you have a lot of lanes to drive the ball, a lot of lanes to create. Over there it’s more intense.” 

During the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket last summer, Antetokounmpo had to work extremely hard for his points, as opponents clogged the middle and sent double or triple teams his way. “And in the past, this has helped me a lot, like when I came back from [the World Cup] in 2019,” he added. “That was the year we went to the bubble. The first couple of games, I felt like the court was huge.”

“Is it harder? Yes, because I think you really need to have quick thinking,” Jokic said about the international game after EuroBasket. “In the NBA, if you go by the guy, you can see the help is coming. In Europe, help is always there. So you need to think and play ahead.” That challenge helped Jokic evolve into the playmaker that he is today and made transitioning to the NBA much easier. Similarly, Doncic told SLAM in 2022: “I think from [Europe] comes my reading the game, all the passing skills.”

Thus, current and future NBA players can benefit tremendously from participating in FIBA events, especially given the intensity of those environments. Many of those players also assume bigger roles for their national teams, which allows them to showcase other parts of their games. Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, for example, shined as the number one option for Finland at the 2022 EuroBasket, averaging 27.9 points on 54 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent from three.

When he returned to the States for the 2022-23 NBA season, Jazz head coach Will Hardy encouraged Markkanen to play exactly as he had for Finland—confident, assertive, in more of a central role. And Markkanen had the best year of his NBA career, making his first All-Star team and winning the Most Improved Player award.

Says Coach Pannone, who was an assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022-23, “Obviously, Lauri Markkanen and the way that panned out doesn’t happen for every [NBA] team, but [FIBA events] certainly give you the chance to see one of your players in more of a star role—how they’re used, how they handle it, how successful they are. And you get that opportunity without it costing you games by trying to experiment with that throughout the NBA season.”

Markkanen will be with Finland again this summer for the World Cup. Other international players expected to compete include Antetokounmpo, Doncic, Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Sabonis, Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert (France), Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic), Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia), Franz Wagner (Germany), Josh Giddey (Australia), Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro), Jordan Clarkson (Philippines) and more. The US will likely enter the tournament as a significant favorite, but the depth of talent this year will once again make the road to the Naismith Trophy very difficult.

“Whether you’re from the United States or not, there’s going to be amazing competition here because the level of basketball in this World Cup, I think, will be unprecedented,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said during an episode of One Sports’ The Game.

Defending champions Spain should have another formidable roster, led by veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, MVP of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and Willy Hernangomez, MVP of the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. Australia, ranked third, should have Giddey and several other NBA players, including Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Matisse Thybulle, Josh Green and Jock Landale. The likely presence of Antetokounmpo, Doncic and Jokic ensures that Greece, Slovenia and Serbia will all be tough opponents. Canada could be stacked with household names: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, Lu Dort, Dillon Brooks and more. And then, of course, there’s France, a country that nearly toppled the United States in the Tokyo Olympics and should have a similar squad, plus the 7-4 phenom Wembanyama. 

The list of worthy competitors for the ’23 World Cup title goes on and on—each one composed of prideful players determined to reach the podium for their countries. 

“You can go down the list of guys who really take pride in putting on that [national team] jersey,” says Gay. “I don’t think it’s something that we truly understand in North America—how much passion there is for basketball outside of these borders and how much passion there is for performing on the world stage for your country—because of the NBA factor. I think kids around the world grow up not dreaming to be in the NBA but dreaming to play and win a World Cup and win an Olympic gold medal.”

“Representing your national team, it’s heavy,” said Antetokounmpo in September. “You represent your whole country.”

Asked about facing Antetokounmpo during the 2019 FIBA World Cup, then-United States head coach Gregg Popovich said this of international superstars: “When they play for their countries, we like to say that they become superheroes. They get together and, through their relationships and their views about their game, they just form a team that—they fall in love with each other. They enjoy playing with each other. And that goes across the board for everybody that’s in the tournament. A lot of them have grown up together, a lot of them have spent a lot of time playing together, and you can see that.”

“The biggest advantage I felt like [other countries] had was that those teams play together for years and years and years,” Hopson reiterates. He speaks from experience, having lost to a cohesive and well-coached Argentina squad during qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. “You’re going into a situation where you’re playing against guys who have probably been playing together since they were kids. They have an advantage with that because the chemistry is already built.” 

Combine that chemistry with the rising talent and the hunger of players to win for their countries and the US will certainly have its hands full trying to reclaim the World Cup title and the No. 1 FIBA ranking.

“The gap has closed, but also, the fear factor is gone,” Gay says. “No one’s afraid to play Team USA. In fact, they’re circling that date on the calendar to try to make history.”

SLAM 244 is also available in this exclusive Gold Metal Edition.

SHOP NOW

Photos via Getty Images.

The post International Superstars are Now Dominating the Game More Than Ever Before appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/fiba-244-slam/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio Feels ‘Back to Normal’ After Comeback Game https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-feels-back-to-normal-after-comeback-game/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-feels-back-to-normal-after-comeback-game/#respond Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:30:43 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=770791 Ricky Rubio is back! The former lottery pick scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds during the 10 minutes he played off the bench to help the Cavaliers beat the Trail Blazers 119-113. He also won the junkyard dog chain for his efforts in his first game since suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December […]

The post Ricky Rubio Feels ‘Back to Normal’ After Comeback Game appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ricky Rubio is back!

The former lottery pick scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds during the 10 minutes he played off the bench to help the Cavaliers beat the Trail Blazers 119-113. He also won the junkyard dog chain for his efforts in his first game since suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December 2021.

“It felt good,” Rubio said of his first game, per ESPN. “It felt weird in the beginning, especially the first time, but after that, it felt back to normal. Of course, rhythm and all that stuff will come, but today was a lot of emotions out there. Working hard all year just to be healthy and grateful to be out there playing basketball again.”

The 32-year-old point guard was a critical part of Cleveland’s success last season. After he suffered his knee injury, he was traded to Indiana for Caris LeVert, but come back via free agency because of the chemistry and camaraderie he saw in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell, who played with Rubio in Utah, was excited to see his teammate back on the court.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Mitchell said. “It felt like my rookie year. For me, it’s just a full-circle moment, but it’s great to see him out there after the ACL. And also, hitting two big 3s for us, leading the offense.”

Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters during a pre-game scrum that he wanted to play Rubio in two stints in the first half. However, Rubio played six minutes, so Bickerstaff played Rubio for a third stretch in the third quarter. After the game, Rubio said he felt good physically because the cardio workouts he did in rehab were more challenging than game action.

The Cavs admitted Rubio has been ready to play “for a long time,” but Rubio understood why they held him out. Regardless, Rubio said the process of coming back was “frustrating” but he’s happy to be “playing the game I love,” after 380 days.

“I didn’t work just to come back today,” Rubio said. “I worked hard to come back stronger than ever. It’s not just about today. I’m looking forward to having a strong season, not just a comeback season.”

Cleveland (27-16) is set to play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road on Saturday.

The post Ricky Rubio Feels ‘Back to Normal’ After Comeback Game appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-feels-back-to-normal-after-comeback-game/feed/ 0 REPORT: Ricky Rubio Set to Return to Action on Thursday https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-ricky-rubio-set-to-return-to-action-on-thursday/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-ricky-rubio-set-to-return-to-action-on-thursday/#respond Wed, 11 Jan 2023 21:00:20 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=770676 Ricky Rubio could reportedly return to the Cleveland Cavaliers lineup as soon as Thursday when the Cavs play the Trail Blazers, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. ESPN Sources: After a full year of rehabilitating an ACL tear in his left knee, Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio is targeting a return against the Trail […]

The post REPORT: Ricky Rubio Set to Return to Action on Thursday appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ricky Rubio could reportedly return to the Cleveland Cavaliers lineup as soon as Thursday when the Cavs play the Trail Blazers, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

If all goes well when Rubio practices with the team on Wednesday, then he will play against Portland, per Woj. The Cavs (26-16) will welcome Rubio’s vaunted playmaking abilities and veteran presence on a team looking to lock in their playoff spot after All-Star weekend. Before he tore his ACL, Rubio helped lead Cleveland to a 20-14 start.

When he was last healthy, Rubio averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. Rubio is known as one of the most popular teammates in the NBA and was a close friend of Donovan Mitchell while they played on the Utah Jazz.

The post REPORT: Ricky Rubio Set to Return to Action on Thursday appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-ricky-rubio-set-to-return-to-action-on-thursday/feed/ 0 J.B. Bickerstaff: Ricky Rubio’s Torn ACL Rehab ‘Progressing in the Right Direction’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/j-b-bickerstaff-ricky-rubios-torn-acl-rehab-progressing-in-the-right-direction/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/j-b-bickerstaff-ricky-rubios-torn-acl-rehab-progressing-in-the-right-direction/#respond Tue, 27 Dec 2022 21:24:04 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=769534 Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff gave an injury news update on Ricky Rubio’s rehab from the season-ending torn ACL he suffered last year, revealing that Rubio could come back in January. “I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month,” Bickerstaff said. “So we’re definitely progressing in the right direction.” […]

The post J.B. Bickerstaff: Ricky Rubio’s Torn ACL Rehab ‘Progressing in the Right Direction’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff gave an injury news update on Ricky Rubio’s rehab from the season-ending torn ACL he suffered last year, revealing that Rubio could come back in January.

“I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month,” Bickerstaff said. “So we’re definitely progressing in the right direction.”

Rubio was averaging a career-best 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 36.3 percent shooting from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc when he suffered the injury on Dec. 28. At the time, Rubio played a significant role in Cleveland’s massive turnaround to becoming a play-in tournament participant.

As a veteran point guard, Rubio helped Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen become All-Stars. The positive impact he had was so palpable that after he got traded to Indiana for Caris LeVert, Cleveland re-signed him over the summer to a three-year pact despite Rubio missing a chunk of time rehabbing his knee.

The post J.B. Bickerstaff: Ricky Rubio’s Torn ACL Rehab ‘Progressing in the Right Direction’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/j-b-bickerstaff-ricky-rubios-torn-acl-rehab-progressing-in-the-right-direction/feed/ 0 The Most Elite Hoop Collections Out There: From NBA Jerseys to Rare Jordans Game-Worn by Michael Jordan https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/most-elite-hoop-collections-241/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/most-elite-hoop-collections-241/#respond Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:47:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=768887 This story appears in SLAM 241. Shop now. My name is Sammy, and I’m a collect-aholic. It’s an addiction—more like an obsession. My pursuit to possess every SLAM cover ever released is something that I act upon daily. It’s the eBay search that I’ve saved and the hashtag that I follow. It has me empathizing […]

The post The Most Elite Hoop Collections Out There: From NBA Jerseys to Rare Jordans Game-Worn by Michael Jordan appeared first on SLAM.

]]> This story appears in SLAM 241. Shop now.

My name is Sammy, and I’m a collect-aholic. It’s an addiction—more like an obsession. My pursuit to possess every SLAM cover ever released is something that I act upon daily. It’s the eBay search that I’ve saved and the hashtag that I follow. It has me empathizing with the hoarders documented on TV shows. Like them, I want to hold on to something and store it away to capture a moment. It’s a nostalgic task to complete.

Collecting back issues of SLAM is cool (at least I think so; my wife, not so much…), but it’s not unique. Although they’re not as commonly collected as sneakers, trading cards or jerseys, old SLAM mags are widely available, with a community of us who carry a vulture-like quality when it comes to pouncing on a 30-something-year-old hoops fan who happens to be clearing out their parents’ garage. There are small pockets of basketball collectors, however, who obsess over items that are not so common…

Simon Jackson, Autographs

When Simon Jackson (@dallasmavsautos) began collecting Dirk Nowitzki trading cards in 2008, he was quickly impressed by Dirk’s speedy responses to fan mail, specifically autograph requests. His commitment to building a Dirk card collection soon got weighed down by a ton of Dallas Mavs cards. 

“I realized that I’d gained a surplus of Mavericks trading cards by searching for Dirk, which got me thinking…” he says.

Now a Mavs fan, and putting his cards to good use, Simon has made it his mission to get an autograph from every player who has ever stepped on the court in a Mavs uniform. He says there have been 358 players in total (at the time of this writing) and he has 325 of them.

This is some achievement—as an Aussie living in Australia, he acquires autographs by sending stamped envelopes to former players with cards for them to sign and return. He reaches out via Instagram, Twitter and emails. The fact that he has an autograph from Randall Jackson, a man who played 39 seconds for the Mavericks, confirms what I already knew: Simon Jackson isn’t playing around.

Chris Jungwirth, Armbands

When Chris (@nbagameworn_chris) was 14, he noticed players throwing armbands into the stands at the Target Center in Minneapolis. It was the early 2000s—prime KG era—and Chris would sneak from the cheap seats down to the court to grab a grail band from Garnett, or from the visiting Paul Pierce or Vince Carter. He even caught a Rookie LeBron James headband when the Cavs came to town in ’04. Before armband customization was banned for a few years in ’06, players would rock them with short messages, tributes and nicknames.

Chris made note of the ones he needed by studying the SLAMUPS posters on his bedroom wall. Waiting by the team bus, getting to know equipment managers, befriending ball boys and even getting to know players while hanging out by hotels—all of these tactics helped his collection grow.

In more recent years, Chris has splashed a little cash acquiring some of the big names of the past: the iconic “Pip” armband that Scottie rocked while winning hardware, the Reggie Miller finger sleeve that he wore while tearing the beating hearts out of our chests (Yes, I’m a Knicks fan…). He’s also got the unmistakable “Mailman 32” band that Karl Malone rocked while racking up countless buckets. Chris recently dropped $300 on a Jayson Tatum one and has seen a rare Penny Hardaway go for $1,000. I’m still trying to figure out how he managed to talk a Lakers locker room “source” into parting with some Kobe No. 24 finger sleeves for just $150! 

“There are only about five of us continually looking for armbands,” he says. “It gets competitive at times. I’ve been offered $3,000 for my LBJ rookie headband.”

Chris’ collection is currently at 130 armbands and rising. I didn’t even mention the signed PE sneaks he has…

Gerard Starkey, Sneakers

Arguably, basketball sneaker collections are only truly worth discussing if they’re game-worn, and not only that, but worn by the greatest player ever to step onto a basketball court. Gerard Starkey (@gerard_og_vi) had been buying Jordans since he was a 9-year-old skateboarder but when he was 15, he took a leap, figuratively of course, when he got his hands on a pair of Michael Jordan PEs (“Carmine” Jordan VIs). His previous collection suddenly eclipsed by the glow of an MJ exclusive, Gerard set his sights on the shoes that told stories. 

“If you just collect stuff, you end up boxing it and not really enjoying it,” he says. “If the items have a story, then they have context and meaning. If you don’t just have the VIs, but you have the VIs that MJ cut his toe on, then it means a lot more. I started off trying to collect a PE in every style he wore, and then it snowballed.”

He forged a network through his skateboarding and basketball communities. Before social media tied the whole world together, Gerard became tied in with a few of the OG basketball sneaker collectors, guys who’d built up deep catalogs before the market went crazy. He’d help them sell stuff and even claim a pair of game-worn Js in exchange—gathering items that he adamantly says he’ll never let go of. “I don’t sell stuff,” he says. “I don’t sell stuff ever.”

Not only has Gerard built up one of the best MJ sneaker collections in the world, but he’s also built a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable in the game. From offering advice and photo-matching to confirming that a pair has been laced by Mike himself, Gerard provides a service used by Christie’s Auction House as well as high-end collectors who need help sourcing legit items. If there’s a top-tier item sold that has touched Jordan’s feet, it’s usually been through Gerard’s reliable hands.

The game has changed drastically since Gerard started collecting, with the current market allowing millionaire collectors to build a viral-worthy arsenal of MJ PEs in six months. Gerard, though, is unfazed: “They bought their collections. I built mine.”

Ferran Salavert, Jerseys

Hoops hoarders often set out on one path, but become sidetracked by a different obsession. Spanish native Ferran Salavert (@fibawhatelse) initially began collecting FIBA jerseys, primarily from teams in Spain. His favorite, Club Joventut Badalona, produced the likes of Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernández, and his love for the team prompted Ferran to hunt for game-worn jerseys of Joventut Badalona players who made it to the NBA.

“I like the NBA,” he explains, “but my roots are in European basketball.” 

This mission then expanded to Spanish NBA players, which eventually led him to expanding to jerseys of NBA players who hooped in Spain. Needless to say, this has created one of the most beautifully eclectic collections—“The European focus of my collection is what makes it unique”—of game-worn jerseys around. His collection currently stands at 250 jerseys, with his most valuable ones being the Gasol brothers and Ricky Rubio gamers.

Marcin Wójciuk, John Starks Gear

Even though he’s in Poland, Marcin Wójciuk (@john_starks_3) found himself collecting jerseys of each New York Knicks player who took the floor in the ’94 and ’99 NBA Finals. The collection grew, but so did his focus on John Starks. Marcin loved Starks. He could relate to the passion, the hustle and the sporadic nature of his game. This new focus on Starks led to a condensing of the initial collection. Quality over quantity was his new goal—game-worn jerseys and sneaks, the rarest trading cards, signed photos, but only the highest quality Starks items would suffice. 

“The first Starks jersey I bought was a fake,” Wójciuk says. “I waited three months for it to arrive in Poland from the States. I keep it as a reminder of where it all started.”

At the last count, he has 460 pieces. Marcin is still on the hunt for the adidas Intruders (rocked on the cover of SLAM 4) and has a friend who owns the pair that Starks wore in the ’94 Finals. If he’s reading this, I hope he sees sense and sends them to the place where all John Starks-related items can find their true home.


Leo Klein, All-Star Weekend Basketballs

The beauty of basketball collections is that most are never truly complete. New items are released, fresh players join the League and the hunt for another must-have grail item continues. One of the most complete collections I’ve ever seen, however, belongs to long-time NBA fan Leo Klein.

Like others, Leo has some of the more commonly collected items—jerseys and signed photos—only his are in mind-boggling quantities and presented beautifully in a man-cave-style basement to die for. The centerpiece of his incredible collection, though, is something much less common: a full run of NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest money balls dating back to when the competition began in 1986. There are 35 in total, all displayed in custom Lucite cubes. Leo has been to every All-Star game since 1994, picking up much of his collection in person. 

“I was often in the right place at the right time,” Klein says, “and so got handed things that someone in the regular crowd wouldn’t be privy to. Traveling to 25 All-Star games was part of the catalyst in why I decided to see if I could collect a full run of money balls.”

Others weren’t so easy. Despite knowing many of the top NBA personnel, grabbing any of the pre-1990 balls presented a difficult task, primarily because so few were produced. Klein contacted sponsors of the competition, tracked down collectors via auction houses and even placed an ad, specifically to find the balls from ’86 and ’87. 

Leo’s commitment to such a specific item, the way the collection was acquired and the fact that the last ball in his collection was the end of Spalding’s NBA era, make it all so unique. The collection has been valued at anywhere between $150,000 to $500,000, and to the right buyer, he might just consider selling. 

Photo credit Nathaniel S. Butler.  

The post The Most Elite Hoop Collections Out There: From NBA Jerseys to Rare Jordans Game-Worn by Michael Jordan appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/most-elite-hoop-collections-241/feed/ 0 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2022-nba-free-agency-tracker/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2022-nba-free-agency-tracker/#respond Wed, 29 Jun 2022 13:57:11 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=751152 The NBA offseason turns to its next and most chaotic page, the free agency period. Teams and their free agents will be able to sign deals on Thursday at 6 P.M est officially. After Kyrie Irving decided to sign his player option and stay in Brooklyn for at least one more season, there will be […]

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The NBA offseason turns to its next and most chaotic page, the free agency period. Teams and their free agents will be able to sign deals on Thursday at 6 P.M est officially. After Kyrie Irving decided to sign his player option and stay in Brooklyn for at least one more season, there will be plenty of theatrics and drama to keep track of.

So far we have seen the Knicks land, Jalen Brunson, on a massive four-year deal, and Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns have re-signed to their teams on supermax deals. Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal will remain with the Bulls and Wizards respectively after signing max deals. Young All-Stars like Ja Morant, Darius Garland, and Zion Williamson have also signed max extensions with their teams.

The Warriors will also look to be putting a different bench mob on the court this coming season after they let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away in free agency. The decision seems to imply that the Warriors will invest 100 percent into their win-and-develop model as they keep their championship core intact while empowering Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.

Montrezl Harrell is headed to Philly after a tumultuous offseason where he dealt with some legal troubles surrounding marijuana trafficking that was later reduced to misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) courthouse. The charge will be expunged from his record in 12 months if Harrell doesn’t get in any more legal trouble.

James Harden recruited Harrell due to their relationship as teammates on the Rockets. Harrell is expected to bring some toughness and grit to a Philly team that needed a backup big man behind two-time MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

The defending champs lose another valuable two-way star after Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors on a two-year deal that has a player option.

Ricky Rubio played an integral part in the Cavs’ resurgence to the playoff scene last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. Rubio was traded to the Pacers near the trade deadline but the Cavs and Rubio were mutually interested in bringing back the former lottery pick point guard.

Zion Williamson, the 2021 All-Star phenom, has locked in on signing a max extension deal with the Pelicans. Williamson missed all of the 2021-2022 season while he recovered from foot surgery. The deal keeps Williamson in New Orleans through 2027-28.

The Golden State Warriors lose one of their best and most versatile defenders after Gary Payton II decided to head towards playing for the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year deal. Payton led the League in steals per 36 minutes.

Ja Morant is locked in with the Grizzlies after his agent told Woj that he signed a five-year max extension to lead Memphis as its lead guard for the foreseeable future.

Karl Anthony-Towns has reportedly agreed to a four-year super max extension per his agent. KAT’s contract will begin during the 2024-2025 season.

Jalen Brunson has reportedly agreed to the four-year deal that the Knicks offered him. Woj reported that the near-max deal includes a player option on its final season.

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly finalized a four-year supermax extension that he will likely sign sometime next week. Shams Charania reports that he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.

Nikola Jokic has reportedly signed the richest deal in NBA history after signing a supermax contract extension with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Bradley Beal will stay in the Nation’s Capital after he reportedly signed a five-year max deal.

Jalen Brunson is headed to New York after Shams Charania reported that he intends on signing a four-year deal with the franchise.

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, P.J. Tucker will be pursued by Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago. and Philadelphia during the free agency period of the NBA offseason. Furthermore, Schiffer reports that Tucker is unlikely to return to South Beach.

Trent Forrest will be an unrestricted free agent after the Jazz decided not to extend a qualifying offer to the point guard out of Florida State.

Per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, Juan Toscano-Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period of the NBA offseason begins on Thursday. The 29-year-old became the first Mexican-American to win an NBA title after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I got a championship with my hometown team,” JTA told Thompson during a phone interview Wednesday night.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me. You’ve got to give a little to get a little. And I gave up playing time to, you know, become a legend. I’m a legend in the Town. I’m a legend in Mexico. And I’m not saying that myself. It’s showing, know what I mean?”

According to Tim Reynolds, the Heat does not have a meeting scheduled with restricted free agent Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Cavs are reportedly expected to match offers given to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. Multiple reports say Sexton wants a “starting guard” extension. The Alabama product is coming off a season-ending torn meniscus.

Kemba Walker and the Pistons have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. Walker will be a free agent after he clears waivers. Walker last played for the Knicks last season before he was traded to the Pistons as New York clears space to sign fellow free agent Jalen Brunson.

Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat have guaranteed the contracts of Max Strus, Gabe Stevenson, and Omer Yurtseven as of Thursday morning.

Patty Mills will be exploring his options on the free-agent market after declining to sign his player option with the Nets on Wednesday afternoon.

The Kings won’t be offering a qualifying offer to Donte DiVencenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Lu Dort will be a restricted free agent after the OKC Thunder decided to not sign Durt’s team option for the 2022-23 season, per Shams Charania.

James Harden will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career but he is likely to re-sign with the 76ers.

Bobby Portis told the Bucks that he’ll decline his player option and will instead become a free agent.

Bradley Beal has made his long-awaited decision and will become a free agent for the first time in his career after declining his player option.

Jae-Sean Tate will be a restricted free agent after the ROckets declined his team option for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania reports that Houston and Tate are mutually interested in signing a new deal once free agency begins on Thursday.

The Cavaliers have reportedly elected to not offer Moses Brown a qualifying offer to Moses Brown, per Michael Scott of the Hoopshype. The decision allows Brown to enter the free-agent market as an unrestricted free agent.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Ivica Zubac and his reps have reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the Clippers, per Woj. The Clippers declining to sign his team option led to the agreement with Zubac.

Tony Bradley is reportedly opting into his player option and will remain with the Bulls next season, per Woj.

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2022-nba-free-agency-tracker/feed/ 0 REPORT: Caris LeVert Out Up to Two Weeks With Foot Injury https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-caris-levert-out-up-to-two-weeks-with-foot-injury/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-caris-levert-out-up-to-two-weeks-with-foot-injury/#respond Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:06:52 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739339 The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the thick of a playoff race, and on Thursday, they received some disappointing news about one of their recent acquisitions. On Thursday, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Cavs guard Caris LeVert would be out up to two weeks with a right foot sprain. LeVert is a very recent acquisition […]

The post REPORT: Caris LeVert Out Up to Two Weeks With Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the thick of a playoff race, and on Thursday, they received some disappointing news about one of their recent acquisitions.

On Thursday, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Cavs guard Caris LeVert would be out up to two weeks with a right foot sprain.

LeVert is a very recent acquisition for the Cavaliers, making his way to Cleveland at the NBA trade deadline two weeks ago from the Indiana Pacers. To acquire LeVert, the Cavs had to send the injured Ricky Rubio, a 2022 first-round pick and two second-round draft picks.

Since coming to Cleveland, LeVert has played just four games but has an average of 13.3 points and 3.8 assists per game. LeVert is capable of much more, and with more time, Cavs fans may soon watch the LeVert, who was averaging 18.7 points and 4.4 assists per game with the Pacers, emerge.

The Cavaliers (35-24) are fifth in the East and are 3.5 games back of the first-place Chicago Bulls.

If LeVert is out for two weeks, he could miss up to seven games for the Cavaliers, including matchups against teams at the top of the East in the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, and a rematch with his former team, the Pacers.

The post REPORT: Caris LeVert Out Up to Two Weeks With Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-caris-levert-out-up-to-two-weeks-with-foot-injury/feed/ 0 How Jarrett Allen Established Himself as One of the Best Defenders in the League https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/jarrett-allen-all-star-vol-2/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/jarrett-allen-all-star-vol-2/#respond Sat, 19 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738735 In honor of this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities, this story appears in SLAM Presents All-Star Vol 2: The Land. Shop now. We’ve got a myth to get out of the way: NBA defense wasn’t better in the ’80s and ’90s.  Those dudes, for the most part, just hit people. They called that defense.  There are exceptions, […]

The post How Jarrett Allen Established Himself as One of the Best Defenders in the League appeared first on SLAM.

]]> In honor of this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities, this story appears in SLAM Presents All-Star Vol 2: The Land. Shop now.

We’ve got a myth to get out of the way: NBA defense wasn’t better in the ’80s and ’90s. 

Those dudes, for the most part, just hit people. They called that defense. 

There are exceptions, of course. Scottie Pippen, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, 
David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Gary Payton, John Stockton, Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning were all defenders ahead of their time—mentally, physically, technically and strategically. 

But defense in this era is a different game. This isn’t just about the new glossary of fancy terms that get yelled out on courts today. This is about a total redefinition of defensive responsibilities, an intellectual overhaul that has swept across the League. 

The new standards for guarding have touched down in Cleveland, where Jarrett Allen is an all-encompassing fortress. He doesn’t just lock down the interior. What started as something of a joke has become something closer to a revelation; the 6-10 Allen has been entrusted to switch pick-and-rolls on the perimeter. 

“I don’t really know how it happened, to be honest,” Allen tells us about the decision that he’d be guarding in space this season. “But I know last year, we were joking around, saying, you know, Let’s just switch 1 through 5. Partly just joking. And then this year we ended up adding Evan [Mobley] and Lauri [Markkanen] and Isaac [Okoro], great defenders. And then DG, he’s alright,” he says with a pause to allow his point guard, Darius Garland, the proper time to react to the playful slight on the group Zoom call. 

“And then we decided, Hey, you know, we’ve got all these bigs, why not just switch 3 through 5? Nobody’s gonna be able to really score against us in the paint. You blow by Evan, then you have to go up against me and Lauri. So we decided, Hey, this just might work. We tried it, what, in like the fifth game? And it worked. So don’t change what’s working.”

SLAM Presents All-Star Vol 2: The Land is available now!

SHOP NOW

“Working” is a humble way for the 23-year-old to talk about his breakout season.  

Allen’s numbers are career-best across the board. The 2017 draftee has never averaged more points, rebounds or assists, played as many minutes per game or had a better shooting percentage. 

If the season ended today (as of early January), Allen would finish with the seventh best single season field goal percentage in the history of the League. That’s seventh ever, throughout 75 years. 

It’s been dunks, lays, jump hooks and extensions out to the middle. And, as confirmed by the history-maker himself, a three-ball is in the works. 

“It’s just a testament to the team and how we’re playing together,” the Texas alum says. “As corny as it sounds, it’s a team game. Everybody sharing the ball, especially my point guard DG getting me open, throwing me lobs. That’s one of the main reasons that I’m doing what I’m doing. And partly to the work I put in this summer. I made a big emphasis to improve my offensive game, whether it’s passing, scoring in the post, just all of it.”

That connection with Garland has proven devastating for opponents, something the old NBA defenses would’ve needed Hakeem or one of the Georgetown boys to contain. 

“DG, he just said he’s shooting seven threes a game and he’s shooting them super efficiently,” Allen continues. “So it’s really one of those pick-your-poison things. Do you want DG to get hot on the pick-and-roll? Shoot this floater? Or do you want to get dunked on by him throwing the lob to me? It’s one of those things. It’s tough to guard because each option usually leads to a bucket.”

Allen, DG and Mobley make up the Cavs’ young core. Hitters like Markkanen, Okoro and Cedi Osman have filled in the gaps. There’s even more talent—losing Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio to unfortunate injuries until the 2022-23 campaign stings, but the rest of the active players, including NBA champion and five-time All-Star Kevin Love, have the Cavs in the hunt for home court advantage in the 2022 playoffs.  

“Kevin’s a kid at heart, to be honest,” Allen says. “He kinda fits into our group, our young guys.”

It’s a group that has started barking together. Yeah, barking. Like dogs. Literally. 

“I didn’t start it,” Allen says. “Lamar [Stevens] started it, but I kinda adopted it. I think it’s perfect for what the team is trying to achieve. And it was fun. People look at us like, Why the hell are they barking? Honestly, I don’t know why, but it gets the team going. It’s funny. It’s one of those scrappy mentalities that I think works well with us. We’re a young team, but we have the talent to back up the scrap. I think that’s a perfect mentality for this team right now.”

Team, indeed. Excluding Sexton and Rubio, who would be part of this statistical crew, there are six Cavs averaging at least 11 points per game, as we head to press. Allen, Mobley and Love combine to pull down around 26 boards a night. Over 60 percent of their buckets come from assists. And thanks to Allen, the team has the third best defensive rating in the NBA, behind just the Warriors and the Suns. 

“It’s not a fluke,” Allen says. “That’s what people need to start realizing. You see people saying, Oh, man, they got the three bigs. Oh, this was just a lucky game for them. Oh, it’s not the new Cavs. It’s just a lucky game for them.

“But I’m just gonna keep asking: How many lucky games are we gonna have in a row? How many times are we gonna have to show that we’re a tough team, [that] you’re gonna have to play us hard, before they realize that we’re actually one of the top teams now?” 

Portrait Jimmy Longo/Cleveland Cavaliers and Getty Images.

The post How Jarrett Allen Established Himself as One of the Best Defenders in the League appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/jarrett-allen-all-star-vol-2/feed/ 0 Caris LeVert Helps Cleveland Cavaliers Burn His Old Indy Team After Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/caris-levert-helps-cleveland-cavaliers-burn-his-old-indy-team-after-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/caris-levert-helps-cleveland-cavaliers-burn-his-old-indy-team-after-trade/#respond Sat, 12 Feb 2022 17:37:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738076 It didn’t take too long for Caris LeVert to visit his old friends in Indiana after the Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off the NBA trade frenzy with LeVert being moved to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio and multiple draft picks last weekend. Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via […]

The post Caris LeVert Helps Cleveland Cavaliers Burn His Old Indy Team After Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> It didn’t take too long for Caris LeVert to visit his old friends in Indiana after the Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off the NBA trade frenzy with LeVert being moved to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio and multiple draft picks last weekend.

LeVert scored 22 points, including some huge baskets down the stretch to help his new team rally against his old team for a 120-113 comeback victory on Friday night. LeVert received a standing ovation from the Pacers fans during pregame introductions. The Pacers also honored the 27-year-old guard with a special highlight package during the first timeout.

Pacers President Kevin Pritchard spoke with ESPN about Caris LeVert before the game how he struggled with his decision to trade LeVert about one week prior.

“He was one of the hardest people I’ve ever had to trade,” Pritchard said. “He is a special person, and I want to thank Caris. He’s probably going to go score 50 tonight.”

With the win, Cleveland notched their fifth straight (35-21) to stay in contention for the Eastern Conference’s top seed behind the Miami Heat. After the game, LeVert couldn’t hide his excitement after playing with his new teammates.

The post Caris LeVert Helps Cleveland Cavaliers Burn His Old Indy Team After Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/caris-levert-helps-cleveland-cavaliers-burn-his-old-indy-team-after-trade/feed/ 0 LIVE: NBA Trade Deadline Tracker https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-trade-deadline-tracker/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-trade-deadline-tracker/#respond Wed, 09 Feb 2022 20:06:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737792 To keep you up to date on all things NBA trades amidst the deadline approaching on February 10, here’s a rundown of the moves that are reportedly being made: TRADES: The Lakers and Knicks didn’t make any moves according to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers will reportedly be focusing on the buyout market. No deal for […]

The post LIVE: NBA Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

]]> To keep you up to date on all things NBA trades amidst the deadline approaching on February 10, here’s a rundown of the moves that are reportedly being made:

TRADES:

The Lakers and Knicks didn’t make any moves according to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers will reportedly be focusing on the buyout market.

Houston is trading Daniel Theis to the Celtics for Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando, and Enis Freedom. Freedom has been waived by the Rockets.

The Wizards are trading Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie to the Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis.

The Wizards are flipping Montrezl Harrell for Charlotte’s Vernon Carey and Ish Smith.

The Pacers are reportedly working on a deal to send Torrey Craig to the Suns for Jalen Smith.

The Celtics will acquire Derrick White from the Spurs.

Romeo Langford and Josh Richardson are included in the deal to the Spurs.

The Celtics are trading PJ Dozier and Bol Bol to the Magic for a future second-round pick.

The Spurs are working on a trade for Goran Dragic and are expected to buy out his contract. The Mavericks, Bucks, Bulls, and Clippers are reportedly interested in the Dragons services. Thad Young, Drew Eubanks, and a 2022 second-round pick are headed to the Raptors.

The Bucks have traded Rodney Hood and Semi Ojele to the Clippers, Serge Ibaka to the Bucks, Donte DiVencenco to the Kings and Marvin Bagley is headed to the Pistons on Thursday according to Woj.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Utah Jazz is receiving Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Juancho Hernangomez of the Spurs in a three-way deal. Spurs receive Tomas Satoransky and a second-round pick, and the Blazers get Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, and a second-round selection.

The Pacers are sending Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday to the Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson. 

The Pelicans receive CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, and Tony Snell in a trade with the Blazers. Portland gets Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, and a protected first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. 

The Pacers trade Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick from Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick from Houston, and a 2027 second-round pick from Utah.

The Clippers and the Blazers agreed to a trade last week. The Clippers move Eric Bledsoe, Justice Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. 

​​

RUMORS:

REPORT: James Harden is pushing for a trade to Philadelphia by ‘screaming in every way he possibly can,’ to get out of Brooklyn.

REPORT: Philadelphia refuses to include Maxey in any deal, causing Brooklyn to counter with an asking price of Simmons, Curry, Thybulle, and Drummond. Philadelphia is hesitant to have Curry, though Mills would reportedly end up in Philadelphia.

Brooklyn needs to see Curry in the deal alongside Simmons for them to be willing to move Harden.

Teams around the League think a deal between Philadelphia and Brooklyn is close to being done and that it would open the ‘floodgates’ if the agreement were to be done before tomorrow’s deadline.

Philadelphia has talked to Oklahoma City about Tobias Harris, though it may be a ploy to put more pressure on Brooklyn to trade Harden before tomorrow’s deadline.

Buddy Hield may not end up in Indiana after claims of Pacers opening to flipping him to another team before the Thursday deadline.

Detroit is listening to offers for Jerami Grant but may wait until the offseason to move him. Detroit wants two first-rounders in exchange for Grant, and the Portland Trail Blazers have shown the most interest. 

The post LIVE: NBA Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-trade-deadline-tracker/feed/ 0 Update: Pacers Sending Domantas Sabonis to the Kings https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/update-pacers-sending-domantas-sabonis-to-the-kings/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/update-pacers-sending-domantas-sabonis-to-the-kings/#respond Tue, 08 Feb 2022 17:25:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737674 All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis is being traded to the Sacramento Kings, per NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The Pacers are trading Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday to the Kings for Tyrese Hailburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/VwjKcZ0BkA — SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 8, 2022 The Pacers are also sending Jeremy Lamb and […]

The post Update: Pacers Sending Domantas Sabonis to the Kings appeared first on SLAM.

]]> All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis is being traded to the Sacramento Kings, per NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Pacers are also sending Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday to the Kings and will be receiving Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson.

Sabonis has been involved in trade rumors since December. When the reports first came out, it was reported that the Pacers not only wanted to trade Sabonis but Caris LeVert and Myles Turner to jumpstart their rebuilding process. So far, only LeVert has been moved after the Michigan product was traded to the Cavaliers over the weekend.

The Kings moving Haliburton comes as a surprise after Sacramento told potential trade partners they wanted to keep De’Aaron Fox and Haliburton and build around the budding backcourt. However, the NBA is a business, and when you get a chance to acquire an All-Star, you have to pull that trigger sometimes.

Sabonis averages 18.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, one of seven players in the League to put up similar numbers.

The Pacers (19-36) face the Hawks (25-28) on the road on Tuesday.

The post Update: Pacers Sending Domantas Sabonis to the Kings appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/update-pacers-sending-domantas-sabonis-to-the-kings/feed/ 0 Cleveland Cavaliers Trade Ricky Rubio For Caris LeVert https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cleveland-cavalier-trade-ricky-rubio-for-caris-levert/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cleveland-cavalier-trade-ricky-rubio-for-caris-levert/#respond Mon, 07 Feb 2022 20:23:41 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737600 The Ricky Rubio–Caris LeVert exchange is official. LeVert is a Cav, and Rubio will be Pacer as of Tuesday. The Cavaliers received a second-round pick via Miami, while the Pacers received a 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick from Houston, and a 2027 second-round pick from Utah. “We are very excited to add […]

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Trade Ricky Rubio For Caris LeVert appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Ricky Rubio–Caris LeVert exchange is official. LeVert is a Cav, and Rubio will be Pacer as of Tuesday. The Cavaliers received a second-round pick via Miami, while the Pacers received a 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick from Houston, and a 2027 second-round pick from Utah.

“We are very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience,” Cavs GM Koby Altman said in a statement on Monday. “Caris LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots brings an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster. We also want to send our best wishes to Ricky Rubio and his family. Ricky has been the consummate professional, and his leadership both on and off the court was invaluable, and we respect everything he brought to this franchise.”

LeVert will reportedly take on the off-guard spot opposite All-Star point guard Darius Garland who has been hampered by a sore lower back as of late. The acquisition of LeVert adds scoring punch to a lineup that is missing Collin Sexton since he went down for the season with a knee injury in February.

“He and Garland in the backcourt is really dynamic,” Carlisle said. “These guys have improved a great deal today.”

LeVert has been in trade rumors since December when the Pacers were rumored to be looking to trade former All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and LeVert to help speed up their rebuilding process. When the Cavs and Pacers agreed to the exchange, it was about 90 minutes before tipoff of their game against each other on Sunday. Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed the news pregame with assembled media.

News of the trade was delayed so Carlisle could notify LeVert was headed down the hall.

With the Cavs (33-21) squarely in the driver’s seat as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, LeVert can help raise the ceiling of a team that has blasted away any preseason expectations many around the League had for them. Cleveland still has time to make one more move as well. The NBA’s trade deadline isn’t until Thursday.

LeVert signed a three-year, $52 million contract with Brooklyn in 2020. Since re-signing with Brooklyn, he’s been moved to Indiana and now Cleveland. The 27-year-old guard averaged 18.7 points and 4.4 assists for the disappointing Pacers (19-36). The Cavaliers will return to action on Wednesday when they play the Spurs at home.

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Trade Ricky Rubio For Caris LeVert appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cleveland-cavalier-trade-ricky-rubio-for-caris-levert/feed/ 0 REPORT: Lauri Markannen Out Against the Knicks With Serious Ankle Sprain https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lauri-markannen-out-against-the-knicks-with-serious-ankle-sprain/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lauri-markannen-out-against-the-knicks-with-serious-ankle-sprain/#respond Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:22:41 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736372 The Cleveland Cavaliers took another hit to their roster when they lost Lauri Markannen to what is being called a “pretty significant” ankle sprain in their victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder over the weekend. The Cavaliers are already without Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton, who is lost with knee injuries for the remainder of […]

The post REPORT: Lauri Markannen Out Against the Knicks With Serious Ankle Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Cleveland Cavaliers took another hit to their roster when they lost Lauri Markannen to what is being called a “pretty significant” ankle sprain in their victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder over the weekend. The Cavaliers are already without Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton, who is lost with knee injuries for the remainder of the season.

Markannen suffered the injury to his right ankle in the first half and never returned to the game.

The early injury report came from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. He also reported that the injury is not linked to his knee or Achilles, with more information after more tests are conducted. On Monday, Fedor reported that Markannen will miss the Cavs’ game against the Knicks.

Markkanen hurt himself landing on his right leg trying to challenge Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s driving layup. Up until that point, the 24-year-old seven-footer had a solid game scoring 9 points to go with two rebounds and one block before exiting the game.

Markannen has been one of several surprises during the Cavaliers’ resurgent 2021-2022 campaign. The Cavs are 28-17, good for fifth in the Eastern Conference playoff race as of Monday. Before suffering his ankle injury, Markkanen hit his scoring stride in the last 10 games scoring 14.3 points per game on 52.0 percent shooting from the field.

The post REPORT: Lauri Markannen Out Against the Knicks With Serious Ankle Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lauri-markannen-out-against-the-knicks-with-serious-ankle-sprain/feed/ 0 REPORT: Lakers Trade Rajon Rondo To Cavaliers https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lakers-trade-rajon-rondo-to-cavaliers/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lakers-trade-rajon-rondo-to-cavaliers/#respond Fri, 31 Dec 2021 18:14:07 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=734849 According to League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers have agreed to trade Denzel Valentine to the Lakers for two-time champion Rajon Rondo. ESPN Sources: The Cavaliers have agreed to trade Denzel Valentine to the Lakers to acquire Rajon Rondo. The Lakers are expected to waive Valentine’s partially-guaranteed deal and create an open roster spot. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) […]

The post REPORT: Lakers Trade Rajon Rondo To Cavaliers appeared first on SLAM.

]]> According to League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers have agreed to trade Denzel Valentine to the Lakers for two-time champion Rajon Rondo.

The Cavs made the trade, hoping Rondo can replace the lost production of Ricky Rubio, who is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL on Tuesday against the Pelicans. Rondo is reportedly eager for a chance to play a more significant role on the resurgent Cavaliers in the absence of Rubio. The two-time champion has reportedly been positive on the deal since the Lakers notified him of the option Thursday.

This is Rondo’s 16th season, and he’s currently averaging 3.1 points and 3.7 assists per game for the Lakers during his 16th season in the League. Since Sunday, he has been in health and safety protocols and will need to clear protocols before he joins the Cavs (20-14). The Cavs are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference.

The Lakers are expected to waive Valentine and create an open roster spot. Valentine has averaged 2.9 points over just 9.3 minutes per game for the Cavs this season after signing a two-year deal in September.

The post REPORT: Lakers Trade Rajon Rondo To Cavaliers appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lakers-trade-rajon-rondo-to-cavaliers/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio Out For the Remainder of the Season With a Torn ACL https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-out-for-the-remainder-of-the-season-with-a-torn-acl/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-out-for-the-remainder-of-the-season-with-a-torn-acl/#respond Wed, 29 Dec 2021 23:39:24 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=734789 On Wednesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that Ricky Rubio had torn the ACL in his left knee, ending his 2021-2022 season. Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio has suffered a season-ending ACL tear to his left knee, sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 29, 2021 Rubio suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter against […]

The post Ricky Rubio Out For the Remainder of the Season With a Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

]]> On Wednesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that Ricky Rubio had torn the ACL in his left knee, ending his 2021-2022 season.

Rubio suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter against the Pelicans when he slipped and fell attempting to drive into the teeth of the New Orleans defense. Rubio walked off the floor with assistance after logging 27 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in 37 minutes. Rubio tore the same knee ligament in his left knee as a rookie in the 2011-2012 season.

The Spanish guard has been a revelation in Cleveland, teaming up with Darius Garland to lead the Cavs to a 20-14 record. According to Matt Williams of ESPN, the Cavs have a +16.1 net efficiency when Rubio and Garland play together. This leads all two-man lineups that have played at least 500 minutes together.

Rubio averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 boards, and 6.6 dimes this season, tied for the most points he’s averaged in a season since the 2017-2018 season he played with the Utah Jazz.

The Cavs return to action on Thursday against the Wizards (17-17).

The post Ricky Rubio Out For the Remainder of the Season With a Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-out-for-the-remainder-of-the-season-with-a-torn-acl/feed/ 0 SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Josh Giddey https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/panini-rookie-spotlight-josh-giddey/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/panini-rookie-spotlight-josh-giddey/#respond Fri, 19 Nov 2021 22:20:19 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=731667 Something very unexpected and noteworthy happened in the NBA last week—the Oklahoma City Thunder won four games in a row. That might not seem so exceptional, but consider the following factors: 1) The Thunder were projected to win just 23 total games in 2021-22 by most oddsmakers; 2) They are the youngest team in the […]

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Josh Giddey appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Something very unexpected and noteworthy happened in the NBA last week—the Oklahoma City Thunder won four games in a row.

That might not seem so exceptional, but consider the following factors: 1) The Thunder were projected to win just 23 total games in 2021-22 by most oddsmakers; 2) They are the youngest team in the League, with an average age of 24.1 when the season tipped off; 3) They had to play the Lakers on the road amid that stretch—a match-up in which they were 14-point underdogs.

So yeah, if you’re an NBA fan, or someone who tracks the crazy NBA Twitter world, the Thunder’s mini win streak probably caught your attention. Of course, much of their success has been due to the ridiculous play of dynamic guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s currently averaging 21.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists, and the evolution of undrafted forward Lu Dort. But 19-year-old Josh Giddey—the No. 6 overall pick and second youngest player in the entire NBA—has had a major impact as well. And he’s doing it in an extremely unique way. 

When highly-touted rookies join rebuilding teams—you know, the type of teams projected to win 23 games—they tend to launch a lot of shots right away, regardless of their efficiency. That’s just not Giddey’s game, though. Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, he learned the sport at an early age from his parents—Warrick and Kim—who both played professionally for the Melbourne Tigers. With additional coaching from Australian basketball legends like Andrew Gaze and Chris Anstey throughout his junior years, Giddey developed an incredible feel for the game and a rare pass-first mentality.

“When my dad played, he was a team guy, a glue guy,” Giddey told NBA.com back in July. “He wasn’t a big points guy or highlight maker. He played with a bunch of superstars and was a really good passer. I think that’s where I get it from. He was really good at teaching the game, too, and he instilled team ball in me. He coached me my entire junior career. He allowed me to play and grow and learn and I give a lot of credit to him.”

Giddey eventually hit a growth spurt and was able to further hone his skills at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra before winning Rookie of the Year in his sole season with the National Basketball League’s Adelaide 36ers. He emerged as a 6-9 prospect who could do a little bit of everything, but it was his passing that really caught the eye of NBA scouts. Here was a teenager, starring in the NBL, who could facilitate out of pick-and-rolls and dissect defenses like a ten-year vet. It wasn’t normal.

OKC wouldn’t let him fall past the No. 6 spot in the 2021 Draft (the Warriors were reportedly prepared to select him at No. 7). With his size and basketball IQ, the front office knew Giddey could contribute from day one.

His perimeter shooting and overall scoring ability need to improve, no question, but he rarely forces the action as others in his position (receiving 29 minutes per game) might. Instead, he orchestrates the offense with poise, works his way into the paint and sets up teammates perfectly. I mean, just look at these beautiful assists (with both hands!): 

As of this writing, Giddey is averaging 9.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.1 steals. I asked Nick Crain, who does a fantastic job covering the Thunder for Forbes and Sports Illustrated, to share some of his thoughts on the rookie: 

“Giddey has been as good as advertised in the early part of his NBA career,” he told me. “A jumbo guard standing at 6-9, he’s got some of the highest upside of any rookie this season. While it was expected that he would be an instant contributor on offense at this level, his basketball IQ and passing have been better than the Thunder could have ever asked for. He’s the best passer in this rookie class, and it’s not particularly close. With his unique size as a guard, Giddey is also a tremendous rebounder. The Australian is one of only three rookies to average at least six rebounds per game to this point in the season.”

“The big question about Giddey coming into his rookie season was the ability to score, which is still the one factor that will determine his NBA ceiling,” Crain added. “It could be the difference between him ending up being closer to someone like Ricky Rubio rather than Luka Doncic.”

Either way, the ceiling is undoubtedly high. And with Giddey in the mix, there will come a time—hopefully in the not-so-distant future for Thunder fans—when four-game win streaks aren’t unexpected or noteworthy at all.

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Josh Giddey appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/panini-rookie-spotlight-josh-giddey/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio Drops Career-High 37 in Cavaliers 126-109 Win Over the Knicks https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-drops-career-high-37-in-cavaliers-126-109-win-over-the-knicks/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-drops-career-high-37-in-cavaliers-126-109-win-over-the-knicks/#respond Tue, 09 Nov 2021 04:15:44 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=730634 This season’s Cleveland Cavaliers team has been full of surprises. The Cavs are pushing for playoff contention to Evan Mobley’s stellar start to his rookie campaign to their 7-4 start to the regular season. Yet in a matchup with the now 6-4 New York Knicks that saw star guard Collin Sexton go down in the first half with a left […]

The post Ricky Rubio Drops Career-High 37 in Cavaliers 126-109 Win Over the Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

]]> This season’s Cleveland Cavaliers team has been full of surprises. The Cavs are pushing for playoff contention to Evan Mobley’s stellar start to his rookie campaign to their 7-4 start to the regular season.

Yet in a matchup with the now 6-4 New York Knicks that saw star guard Collin Sexton go down in the first half with a left knee injury, backup point guard Ricky Rubio took over the reins.

Rubio returned in kind, dropping a career-high 37 points off the pine, shooting a scintillating 8-9 from three and 13-19 shooting from the field, casually slicing and dicing the Knicks defense for 10 dimes.

Rubio’s 26 second-half points propelled the Cavaliers to their fourth straight win, positioning themselves in 6th in the Eastern Conference standings. According to StatMuse, Rubio became the first player in NBA history to record at least 30 points and 10 assists while making eight threes off the bench.

Rubio’s memorable night may have also overshadowed a highlight for Cavaliers fans, Evan Mobley posting possibly his best game to date. In 36 minutes of action, Mobley recorded 26 points, 9 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 11-15 from the field.

With star guard Collin Sexton being sidelined for the near future with a meniscus tear in his left knee, Rubio will have plenty more chances to lift the hearts of Cavalier fans across the nation with a Wednesday matchup against the Wizards.

The post Ricky Rubio Drops Career-High 37 in Cavaliers 126-109 Win Over the Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-drops-career-high-37-in-cavaliers-126-109-win-over-the-knicks/feed/ 0 REPORT: Cavs Sign Denzel Valentine to Two-Year Deal, Waive Damyean Dotson https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-cavs-sign-denzel-valentine-to-two-year-deal-waive-damyean-dotson/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-cavs-sign-denzel-valentine-to-two-year-deal-waive-damyean-dotson/#respond Sat, 11 Sep 2021 15:47:57 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=725661 In what’s been one of the more expected moves by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reports that Cleveland has signed wing Denzel Valentine to a partially guaranteed two-year contract. In a subsequent move, the Cavs are waiving guard Damyean Dotson, per The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo. Valentine, selected by the Chicago […]

The post REPORT: Cavs Sign Denzel Valentine to Two-Year Deal, Waive Damyean Dotson appeared first on SLAM.

]]> In what’s been one of the more expected moves by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reports that Cleveland has signed wing Denzel Valentine to a partially guaranteed two-year contract.

In a subsequent move, the Cavs are waiving guard Damyean Dotson, per The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo.

Valentine, selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 14th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has had an up-and-down career filled with highs like a 34-point outing (against the Cavaliers) and lows like major surgeries to his left knee and left ankle.

Perhaps Valentine trying to get back into rhythm following surgeries and in pandemic-shortened seasons (as well as offseasons) is what’s led to his regression as a perimeter shooter since the 2017-18 season, when he shot a career-high 38.6 percent from 3-point range. He’s only shot 33.2 percent from 3-point range since then.

However, playing beside savvy playmakers like Darius Garland, Ricky Rubio, Evan Mobley and Kevin Love could provide Valentine with the type of clean looks he needs while players like Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Lamar Stevens have the potential to take the pressure off of him defensively.

He’ll also reunite with sharpshooting power forward Lauri Markkanen, who the Cavs recently acquired in a sign-and-trade.

Meanwhile, Dotson’s release will come as a surprise to many.

Although he shot a career-low 28.9 percent from 3-point range in 2020-21 (while shooting a combined 36.6 percent from deep in the two previous seasons), he was miscast in a combo guard role.

Just 27-years-old himself, Dotson’s playing career is far from over.

The post REPORT: Cavs Sign Denzel Valentine to Two-Year Deal, Waive Damyean Dotson appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-cavs-sign-denzel-valentine-to-two-year-deal-waive-damyean-dotson/feed/ 0 REPORT: Cleveland Cavaliers Eyeing Garrison Mathews, Denzel Valentine https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-cleveland-cavaliers-eyeing-garrison-mathews-denzel-valentine/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-cleveland-cavaliers-eyeing-garrison-mathews-denzel-valentine/#respond Wed, 08 Sep 2021 17:56:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=725428 The Clevland Cavaliers have been busy this offseason, but they are reportedly still looking to sure up the back end of the roster. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, free agents Garrison Mathews and Denzel Valentine both have interest in joining the Cavs before the start of the season. Mathews is a 24-year-old sharp-shooter coming […]

The post REPORT: Cleveland Cavaliers Eyeing Garrison Mathews, Denzel Valentine appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Clevland Cavaliers have been busy this offseason, but they are reportedly still looking to sure up the back end of the roster.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, free agents Garrison Mathews and Denzel Valentine both have interest in joining the Cavs before the start of the season.

Mathews is a 24-year-old sharp-shooter coming off his second season in the NBA. Mathews has played in 82 NBA games, 64 last year, with an average of 5.5 points per game and a 38.9 field goal percentage from three-point range.

Valentine is a former first-round draft pick out of Michigan State, coming off four seasons in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls. Valentine has played in 223 career games and has career averages of 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

The Cavs have already made quite a few moves this offseason, drafting Evan Mobley in the NBA Draft, trading away Larry Nance Jr. in a sign-and-trade to acquire Lauri Markkanen and trading for Ricky Rubio and giving center Jarrett Allen a five-year $100 million contract extension.

The Cavs are coming off another tough season, finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 22-50.

The post REPORT: Cleveland Cavaliers Eyeing Garrison Mathews, Denzel Valentine appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-cleveland-cavaliers-eyeing-garrison-mathews-denzel-valentine/feed/ 0 USA Men’s Basketball Team Defeats Spain, Will Face Australia in Semifinals https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/usa-mens-basketball-team-defeats-spain-will-face-australia-in-semifinals/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/usa-mens-basketball-team-defeats-spain-will-face-australia-in-semifinals/#respond Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:06:19 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=722072 Team USA punched their ticket to the semifinals by defeating Spain 95-81 on Tuesday to move on to the medal round. Kevin Durant continued his historical dominance over the tournament with 29 points. The USA men’s basketball team has now won three straight games and will face Australia in the semifinals Thursday and a chance to […]

The post USA Men’s Basketball Team Defeats Spain, Will Face Australia in Semifinals appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Team USA punched their ticket to the semifinals by defeating Spain 95-81 on Tuesday to move on to the medal round. Kevin Durant continued his historical dominance over the tournament with 29 points.

The USA men’s basketball team has now won three straight games and will face Australia in the semifinals Thursday and a chance to play in the gold medal game on Saturday. A win over the weekend will land the Americans their fourth Olympic gold medal in a row. 

The Americans took over in the second half despite Spain’s Ricky Rubio putting on a masterful 38-point performance. It was the highest point total ever against Team USA in any international event.

Kevin Durant was one of five U.S. players in double figures, with Jayson Tatum (13 points ), Jrue Holiday (12), Damian Lillard (11), and Zach LaVine (10).

The post USA Men’s Basketball Team Defeats Spain, Will Face Australia in Semifinals appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/usa-mens-basketball-team-defeats-spain-will-face-australia-in-semifinals/feed/ 0 REPORT: Jarrett Allen Agrees to Five-Year, $100 Contract with Cavs https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-jarrett-allen-agrees-to-five-year-100-contract-with-cavs/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-jarrett-allen-agrees-to-five-year-100-contract-with-cavs/#respond Tue, 03 Aug 2021 03:13:57 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=721810 As the Cleveland Cavaliers attempt to cement their core and retain their impressive length along the front line, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that fourth-year center Jarrett Allen has agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract to remain in Cleveland. Allen, 23-years-old, was acquired by the Cavs in January as part of a four-team trade headlined […]

The post REPORT: Jarrett Allen Agrees to Five-Year, $100 Contract with Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

]]> As the Cleveland Cavaliers attempt to cement their core and retain their impressive length along the front line, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that fourth-year center Jarrett Allen has agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract to remain in Cleveland.

Allen, 23-years-old, was acquired by the Cavs in January as part of a four-team trade headlined by the Houston Rockets and All-NBA guard James Harden.

In the deal, Cleveland only had to surrender guard Dante Exum, a 2022 first-round pick (to the Rockets) and a 2024 second-round pick (to the Brooklyn Nets) while acquiring Allen and forward Taurean Prince (since traded in a package for veteran playmaker Ricky Rubio).

Last season, Allen continued to emerge as one of the league’s better shot-blockers after posting at least three blocks in 10 games and at least one block in 51 contests. By the end of his 2020-21 campaign, Allen amassed career-highs of 12.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game (while averaging 1.0 block per game as well).

Allen’s chemistry with Cavs fan favorite Darius Garland is also likely another reason for his return, as the duo managed to establish a consistent and impressive connection in their short time together.

The post REPORT: Jarrett Allen Agrees to Five-Year, $100 Contract with Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-jarrett-allen-agrees-to-five-year-100-contract-with-cavs/feed/ 0 T’Wolves’ Juan Hernangomez Cleared to Play for Spain in Tokyo Olympics https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/twolves-juan-hernangomez-cleared-to-play-for-spain-in-tokyo-olympics/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/twolves-juan-hernangomez-cleared-to-play-for-spain-in-tokyo-olympics/#respond Tue, 20 Jul 2021 20:10:36 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=720410 Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Juancho Hernangomez will play for Spain’s men’s national basketball team in the Tokyo Olympics after a left shoulder injury kept him from playing multiple exhibition matchups. Expectations must be tempered for his play however, as Hernangomez will need significant recovery time for the injury, which he sustained on July 8 while […]

The post T’Wolves’ Juan Hernangomez Cleared to Play for Spain in Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Juancho Hernangomez will play for Spain’s men’s national basketball team in the Tokyo Olympics after a left shoulder injury kept him from playing multiple exhibition matchups.

Expectations must be tempered for his play however, as Hernangomez will need significant recovery time for the injury, which he sustained on July 8 while playing against France.

This past season, Hernangomez averaged 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 17.3 minutes for the Timberwolves.

A member of their senior national team since 2017, Juancho will once again join Marc Gasol, Paul Gasol and Ricky Rubio in the race for Olympic Gold.

The post T’Wolves’ Juan Hernangomez Cleared to Play for Spain in Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/twolves-juan-hernangomez-cleared-to-play-for-spain-in-tokyo-olympics/feed/ 0 Anthony Edwards is Ready to Take His Game to the Next Level https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/anthony-edwards-slam-233/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/anthony-edwards-slam-233/#respond Tue, 13 Jul 2021 17:05:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=719906 There’s a serene ambiance flowing throughout the third floor of the Mayo Clinic Square in downtown Minneapolis, home to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx’s state-of-the-art practice facility. The Wolves’ HQ is quiet and empty on this Monday afternoon in late June, with front office personnel out of town in Chicago for the NBA draft combine […]

The post Anthony Edwards is Ready to Take His Game to the Next Level appeared first on SLAM.

]]> There’s a serene ambiance flowing throughout the third floor of the Mayo Clinic Square in downtown Minneapolis, home to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx’s state-of-the-art practice facility. The Wolves’ HQ is quiet and empty on this Monday afternoon in late June, with front office personnel out of town in Chicago for the NBA draft combine while most of the players have already returned home for the summer. Yet, here is Anthony Edwards in the flesh, in town over a month after his season ended. 

We initially figured this cover shoot would end up happening in his native city of Atlanta or maybe even L.A.—a popular offseason destination for many NBA stars. Yet Edwards is indeed in the Twin Cities as the Conference Finals get underway in late June. His commitment to the franchise, the city, his craft and the future all evident in his presence.   

Get your copy of SLAM 233 featuring Anthony Edwards NOW!

A facility employee mentions right before Edwards’ arrival that the NBA All-Rookie First Team honoree had actually been back working out at the gym just a couple of weeks earlier. The day after our shoot, Edwards is slated to represent Minnesota in the draft lottery—just another minor example of how invested he is in the franchise’s future. Therefore, right after our shoot, Edwards has to sit for a quick test shot with the Timberwolves’ digital team on the practice court, where he’ll be joining the live broadcast of the draft lottery the following night—due to COVID-19, all team representatives were remote for a second consecutive year. Edwards is patiently taking it all in, though. The test shots. The multiple takes. The summer days in Minneapolis—even if and when he’s the only player at the practice facility or maybe even in the city. 

One of the many reasons he’s in town during the summer is that he’s in the midst of getting settled in at the new downtown apartment he just moved in to. During a break in between shooting stations at our shoot, Edwards excitedly talks about the “top floor views” of the city from his apartment, a prerequisite he says played a major role during the home search process. 

At one point toward the end of our time with him, Edwards sits down and looks around at the empty gym. He begins to reminisce about his first few days with the franchise, his very first time scrimmaging on the practice court is still clear as day on his mind.        

“I think we got here around 9. Practice started at 10. So, I got here kinda early [and] got some shots up. Everybody did. We had a regular training camp and then we started scrimmaging,” says Edwards. “I don’t think I played since, like, January because of COVID. So, like, I thought I was going to come out here and be myself. I looked bad. I just remember I played real bad. And then as the days went on, then I finally found myself.”

It was actually March the last time he had played in a real game, but it might as well have been January—those days felt like an eternity. If anything, it’s indicative of what 2020 felt like for most people—all those months becoming one big blur.  

It all really happened so fast. Training camp began 13 days after Draft Night. The first preseason game was 11 days later. The first regular-season game was 11 days after that. No Summer League games in Vegas to get some reps in. No three-month summer window to get acclimated to a new city, to learn the team’s playbook, offensive and defensive sets, to bond with the coaching staff, to build rapport with new teammates. An abbreviated training camp with a grueling condensed regular season schedule awaited him instead. Edwards and every other rookie were thrown into the fire like no other rookie class in NBA history had ever been before.  

Edwards started the season coming off the bench during his first 17 games. But injuries and some line-up shuffling, as well as Edwards showing flashes of serious star potential during his first month in the L, led to him getting the nod against the Philadelphia 76ers in late January. 

“It was the day of. We always do a walk-through at four [in the afternoon]. So, at walk-through, I had seen my name on the board. You know, they always have the starting five versus the other starting five. And [former HC Ryan Saunders] was like, Ant, you gonna start today. And I was like, Alright, bet! And then just went from there…I was like, About time!” he recalls. “I gotta prove that I belong to start. This is what I need to be doing. So, when I got out there, I was just trying to do everything to show Ryan that I was supposed to be starting.” 

From then on, Edwards never looked back. He started every game for the remainder of the season. In reality, though, it wasn’t until the All-Star break when he reached a turning point. With the pandemic still fully raging in March, the NBA opted to nix all ASW festivities outside of the main game. And so, with the Rising Stars Game canceled, Anthony Edwards decided to head back home to Atlanta to recharge for the week. There, he linked up with two trusted trainers, and as the cliché goes, the rest is history. 

“I got these two trainers, Justin Holland and Kierre Jordan. And we was just watching film and I was just seeing every shot that I was missing. I wasn’t jumping. Most of the threes I was missing, I wasn’t jumping. Or I wasn’t doing something right. I just looked at film and it worked out. When I came back, it was a lot easier,” says Edwards. “I was watching film a lot during the All-Star break, for sure. 

“I never watched film, but now I watch a lot of film. It’s fun because you see, like, OK, if they giving me this shot, I’m gonna go to the gym and work on this shot. Ok, they’re giving me this midrange, I’m gonna go to the gym and work on this for three hours today. And then come back and work on it tomorrow until I feel like I perfected it.”

His post-All-Star break numbers soared. After averaging 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists heading into the All-Star recess, he averaged 23.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists after the break. Furthermore, his efficiency also saw significant improvement—he shot 37.1 percent from the floor prior to ASW but shot over 45 percent afterward. 

He ultimately ended up leading all rookies in scoring with 19.3 points per game. He scored 20 or more points 36 times—no other rookie even reached half of that. He was the only rookie to play in all 72 games. His 42 points against the Phoenix Suns—in his fifth game back from the All-Star break—made him the third youngest player in NBA history to have a 40-point night, behind only Kevin Durant and LeBron James. He dropped 42 twice.

“I think one of the fans had said something to me. And then it just got me going,” recalls Edwards of that night in Phoenix. “Most of those games where I played pretty good, a fan had said something to me. I don’t even remember what they said. I just remember they said something. And I was like, Oh, for real? Alright. And then I just started scoring the ball crazy.” 

Get your copy of SLAM 233 featuring Anthony Edwards NOW!

That night was actually part of a stretch in which he also finished with 34 and 29 in the two previous games. It made him the youngest player in NBA history to ever score over 100 points during a three-game stretch. 

“I feel like with me, once I find what I can do, a lot of people are in trouble. Once I find, OK, this is what I’m gonna do. This is how I’m going to score the ball every time. These are my three ways. Once I find that, it’s really nothing you can do ‘cause I’ma get there,” says the 19-year-old. “That’s kind of what I did. After watching all that film, I found there was three ways I’m going to score the ball. [And] I did that.” 

When asked about the three ways he speaks of, Edwards quickly responds, “Nah, I can’t tell the people because then they’re going to know how to guard me,” before cracking a laugh. He was kinda serious about that one, though.

Beyond the numbers, he was passing the eye test just as easily. That monster dunk on Toronto Raptors forward Yuta Watanabe was heard and felt worldwide. He accumulated jaw-dropping finishes like that one throughout the season. His candid post-game interviews, electrifying smile and ultra-confidence made him a fan-favorite beyond the state of Minnesota. And not just among fans. Edwards became an easy mentee for even one of the most respected veteran guards in the League.    

“Ricky Rubio was just like an uncle on the team. Ricky Rubio was always in my ear. On the court, off the court. He was always in my ear,” recalls Edwards. “The thing he always said was, Man, I wish I had your confidence. I had a bad game one time in OKC and we was on the elevator and I was still happy. I wasn’t mad. I was calling my friends, Let’s play the game. He was like, Man, I wish I had your confidence. He was like, ’Cause nothing bothers you. You’re the same every time. He was like, I love it. Ricky was the biggest influence on the team [for me] for sure.”   

Anthony Edwards, Ricky Rubio

Edwards understands that his rookie season is now a thing of the past, though. His focus has shifted to ensuring that there’s a Year 2 leap to remember, one that turns heads across the League even more so than any of the body-catching finishes from last season.  

“Winning as a team comes with individual accolades, I feel. KAT texted me and D-Lo texted me and we was just like, Playoffs! We want to go to the playoffs next year. So, if we go to the playoffs next year, the individual achievements gonna come because you’re winning. I don’t really even think about my individual achievements. I want to take my team to the playoffs, for sure,” says Edwards. 

“Throughout the whole summer, when we text, we just be like, We’re going to the playoffs next year.” 

SLAM 233 featuring Anthony Edwards is available now in these exclusive gold and black metal editions. SHOP HERE.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Anthony Edwards is Ready to Take His Game to the Next Level appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/anthony-edwards-slam-233/feed/ 0 2022 NBA Draft Prospect Yannick Nzosa is Ready to Make the Congo Proud https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/2022-nba-draft-prospect-yannick-nzosa-is-ready-to-make-the-congo-proud/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/2022-nba-draft-prospect-yannick-nzosa-is-ready-to-make-the-congo-proud/#respond Mon, 10 May 2021 21:34:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=712924 At 14 years old, Yannick Nzosa found himself boarding an airplane alone, saying goodbye to his family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and en route to Rome, Italy. He was embarking on a journey in 2017 that was about more than basketball. With the weight of his family and country on his shoulders, […]

The post 2022 NBA Draft Prospect Yannick Nzosa is Ready to Make the Congo Proud appeared first on SLAM.

]]> At 14 years old, Yannick Nzosa found himself boarding an airplane alone, saying goodbye to his family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and en route to Rome, Italy. He was embarking on a journey in 2017 that was about more than basketball. With the weight of his family and country on his shoulders, Nzosa headed north to The Eternal City to join Stella Azzurra, an amateur basketball club in the country’s Serie B league.     

“It was really difficult for me to leave my family. My mom encouraged me to go to Italy to follow my path. She knew it would be difficult at first, alone on a new continent, but she told me, You need to go there and work hard! It was difficult when I first arrived in Italy, getting used to the cold weather was complicated but I finally managed to deal with it,” says Nzosa, in his native French, through a translator.

“Sometimes, after a tough practice, I felt homesick. I was thinking about my family and I needed to hear their voices. I was lucky enough to have some good people taking care of me, helping me.” 

“When he left for Italy, he was very emotional. He cried when I joined him one day after his arrival, because he told me it was something big for him to leave his country to go to Italy,” adds Joe Lolonga, a mentor from back home and now his manager, who is also communicating in French through a translator. “It’s a big opportunity for him to help his family and I told him, The way you can make us all proud is by playing really well and defend the culture and the color of Congo by staying self-disciplined, by working hard, by staying focused [and] by listening.”

Soccer is the main sport in the Congo and Nzosa grew up playing goalkeeper. As he got taller and taller, friends began suggesting that he give basketball a try. But he didn’t really have any interest. One day an elder from his neighborhood in Kinshasa offered to introduce him to a gentleman who runs a local basketball program. He suggested that Nzosa, 13 years old at the time, just give it a try. The teenager finally agreed. The hoops team was operated by Lolonga as part of his non-profit organization called New Generation, which serves over 100 kids.

“In my neighborhood, everybody was telling me how easy it would be for me to play basketball. You are so tall, you will just have to go under the basket and score…And that very first month, it was a struggle. I was stressed because I didn’t know how to play the game. I was on the bench all the time, just watching my teammates. I tried to do things but technically I was too limited. I was frustrated, really frustrated. People had told me basketball would come easily for me and I told myself, I have to train hard,” says Nzosa. 

“I wanted to emulate what [Serge] Ibaka is doing in Congo and help my people. When I was young, since I’m tall, people were calling me Mutombo Dikembe. If you are tall in Congo, they call you Mutombo Dikembe,” says Nzosa while laughing. “It’s not an easy thing to be tall in my neighborhood. People were making fun of me. But then playing basketball made me feel good about myself so I didn’t mind being tall anymore.”   

Among the biggest challenges for kids looking to pursue the game in the Congo is access to courts. Lolonga has begun implementing a long-term strategy that he hopes will ensure that future generations are able to train—or just play—on quality courts across the country.

 “We have no indoor basketball court in the [whole] country and most outdoor playgrounds are not safe and regulated. Their layouts aren’t proper. I’m the vice president of the Congolese basketball federation and we want to popularize basketball all over Congo,” says Lolonga. “The main focus is on the national basketball team—we need to win in order to gain followers. We are getting there slowly, and if everything goes according to our plans, we want to develop a pro league to keep our young players from having to go overseas. That way we will be able to get more sport grants, attract more sponsorship to build basketball courts all over Congo. That’s the vision we have at the federation and we are committed to growing our sport.”

Adds Nzosa, “I was lucky enough to play for Joe’s team; we have a court where we can practice. But playing basketball in Congo is difficult. There are many soccer fields and it’s easy to play soccer. Basketball is another story. You can’t really practice and play pickup games. It’s difficult to find basketball shoes, so we had to practice in our everyday shoes. It was a struggle to find a playground.”

After a couple of years in Italy, Nzosa relocated to Spain for the opportunity to play in the best hoops league in Europe, Liga ACB, joining Unicaja Málaga. Nzosa made his debut with the senior team in September of 2020 at the age of 16. After getting some minutes during the preseason, the 6-10 forward didn’t see the court until his third game of the regular season.

It didn’t take long before he was tying or setting new records, though. In his debut, he finished with 10 points after going a perfect 5-5 from the floor, to go along with three rebounds and a couple of blocks. He joined Ricky Rubio and Luka Doncic as the only 16-year-olds in the Spanish league’s history to score at least 10 points in a game. A couple of weeks later he became the youngest player in the prestigious league’s history to finish with at least 4 blocks in a game, surpassing Kristaps Porzingis’ previous record. 

“To be honest, I never really thought about breaking those records when I started to play this season. I didn’t even think I was good enough to play. When I see the names on that list, it makes me want to work harder because it’s an honor to be mentioned side by side with those great players who are way better than me,” says Nzosa. “I don’t really like it when people try to compare me to those guys. The only thing I know is that I’m working the right way and I need to keep on working to get to where they are—that dream of playing in the NBA.”

Two months later, what once felt like the wildest of dreams when he boarded that flight to Italy now began to look like a very attainable goal. ESPN dropped its first mock draft for the 2022 NBA Draft in late December. And there, listed at No. 5, was Yannick Nzosa. ESPN updated its list in April of this year and this time Yannick had moved up one spot to No. 4. Of course, those are just ever-evolving opinions. There’s still a long way to go between now and then. Nonetheless, it was a strong validation that all the sacrifices, relocations and countless hours were indeed paying off. Except, if you ask Nzosa about it, he’d tell you it’s one subject he isn’t invested in spending too much energy on at the moment. 

“To tell you the truth, I don’t really pay any attention to this. It’s great but I’m not really focused on that. They are just predictions. For me, not only do I want to go to the NBA, but I want to play in the League for a long time,” he says. “I want to work as much as I can so that when I go to the NBA, I can really show what I can do. A lot of friends keep on mentioning those mock drafts, and they tell me, Don’t forget about me when you are in the League. I don’t like to talk about this; the goal is to be ready when my name is called.”

Leaving home at such a young age has exposed Nzosa to so many cultures and languages. Only 17 years old, he speaks five different languages already. And he’s learning English, so it’s bound to be six very soon. He studied French back home, since it’s regarded as the official language in the DRC, but also grew up speaking Lingala, the native Bantu language. His parents also spoke to him in Portuguese growing up and therefore he understands it, although he says he’s gotten rusty at speaking it since it’s been a while. Then there’s Italian and Spanish, which he learned over the past 3+ years while kick starting his professional career in Europe. Not only does he have as much upside as anyone in that 2022 class, you also won’t find a prospect with as much of a well-rounded résumé away from the court either. 

Some of the international players in the NBA have begun to take notice of Nzosa. Pau Gasol called him one day and they ended up spending a good amount of time on the phone. The two-time NBA champ offered some advice and answered questions from Yannick, who was eager to learn more about him and his journey. Clippers forward Serge Ibaka, a native of the Congo himself, has sent messages of encouragement through Nzosa’s Málaga teammate and captain Carlos Suarez—Ibaka and Suarez were teammates when Ibaka played a few games for Real Madrid during the 2011 NBA lockout.     

Nzosa is already giving back to the kids of the same program he was once a part of as well. Lolonga points out that Yannick has been sending the basketball gear he’s gotten in Italy and Spain back home to the kids in the New Generation program—sending basketball sneakers, tees and shorts. He’s already a role model in the Congo to those closely examining his ascension while looking to one day follow in his footsteps.        

“Ibaka is the reference for me. He is Congolese [and] in Congo he helps people. He is an example to follow. I see a little bit of myself in him, in the way he plays defense [and] how he excels as a pick and roll finisher,” says Nzosa. “[I’m] a player who is fast and gives 100 percent. I’m good on pick and roll plays. I can defend the 1, the 2 and the 3. Physically, I’m not that great—I really need to build up my body, get stronger. I play with a lot of energy [though]. I leave everything on the court.”

—

Photos via Getty.

Additional Reporting by Pascal Giberne.

The post 2022 NBA Draft Prospect Yannick Nzosa is Ready to Make the Congo Proud appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/2022-nba-draft-prospect-yannick-nzosa-is-ready-to-make-the-congo-proud/feed/ 0 Karl-Anthony Towns: Anthony Edwards Being Drafted with No. 1 Pick ‘the Right Decision’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/karl-anthony-towns-anthony-edwards-being-drafted-with-no-1-pick-the-right-decision/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/karl-anthony-towns-anthony-edwards-being-drafted-with-no-1-pick-the-right-decision/#respond Mon, 15 Mar 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=705851 With Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball looking like the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year, many of the discussion surrounding his draft classmates in recent weeks has been centered around whether the franchises that passed on Ball — drafted third overall — made the right decision. That puts Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards […]

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: Anthony Edwards Being Drafted with No. 1 Pick ‘the Right Decision’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> With Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball looking like the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year, many of the discussion surrounding his draft classmates in recent weeks has been centered around whether the franchises that passed on Ball — drafted third overall — made the right decision.

That puts Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman directly in the spotlight, with both having an up-and-down seasons that have paled in comparison to LaMelo’s.

For Edwards at least, the conversation is less of a question about his potential than where the two players are at in their respective careers.

Already a starter, Edwards has averaged 15.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steal per game while demonstrating an elite level of athleticism and downhill explosion that’s eerily reminiscent of future Hall of Fame guard Dwyane Wade.

However, Edwards has had a rough go of it as a jump shooter, knocking down just .381 percent of his shots from the floor and .315 percent of his 3-point attempts.

For those wondering, Timberwolves superstar Karl-Anthony Towns — the face of the franchise and a player known to be both candid and outspoken — is of the mindset that Edwards being selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft was “the right decision for [Minnesota] as a franchise.”

While Edwards seems to take offense to the ongoing debate, KAT’s support of his young teammate speaks volumes about himself, Edwards and the Timberwolves franchise as a whole.

In addition, while Ball has played the best of all rookies in his class, Edwards was the most natural fit (of he, Ball and Wiseman) for a Minnesota team that already had Towns at center and prized facilitator in Ricky Rubio. As guard Malik Beasley’s future with Minnesota was in question in the offseason before signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Timberwolves, Edwards provided them with a safety net as well.

All in all, it’s difficult to say that Edwards wasn’t the right pick for Minnesota, no matter how well Ball is playing for Charlotte.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: Anthony Edwards Being Drafted with No. 1 Pick ‘the Right Decision’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/karl-anthony-towns-anthony-edwards-being-drafted-with-no-1-pick-the-right-decision/feed/ 0 Heat Interested in Acquiring Kyle Lowry Ahead Of Trade Deadline https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-interested-in-acquiring-kyle-lowry-ahead-of-trade-deadline/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-interested-in-acquiring-kyle-lowry-ahead-of-trade-deadline/#respond Mon, 15 Mar 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=705774 Never a franchise that’s okay with settling, the Miami Heat are looking to take their roster to the next level this season after falling short in the 2020 NBA Finals last fall. Currently 21-18 and fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, HoopHype’s Michael Scotto reports that Miami has expressed interest in acquiring Kyle Lowry from […]

The post Heat Interested in Acquiring Kyle Lowry Ahead Of Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Never a franchise that’s okay with settling, the Miami Heat are looking to take their roster to the next level this season after falling short in the 2020 NBA Finals last fall.

Currently 21-18 and fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, HoopHype’s Michael Scotto reports that Miami has expressed interest in acquiring Kyle Lowry from the Toronto Raptors ahead of the Mar. 25 trade deadline in a package that could include Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk and Kendrick Nunn.

Winners of 10 out of their last 11 games, a Heat team that had a mediocre start to the 2020-21 season is starting to find it’s stride. Nonetheless, Miami knows as well as any franchise how competitive an NBA roster needs to be in order to win an NBA championship.

Lowry, on an expiring contract, could legitimately be the piece that the Heat are missing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQRPshRSSoQ

An upgrade over both Dragic and Nunn (a 3-point specialist with a career 3-point percentage of .351), Lowry’s combination of on-court talent, league experience, veteran leadership and toughness are right up the Heat’s alley.

Through 31 games this season, Lowry is averaging 18.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds per contest while shooting .445 percent from the field and .397 percent from deep.

The post Heat Interested in Acquiring Kyle Lowry Ahead Of Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-interested-in-acquiring-kyle-lowry-ahead-of-trade-deadline/feed/ 0 Heat Check 2020-21: Minnesota Timberwolves https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-2020-21-minnesota-timberwolves/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-2020-21-minnesota-timberwolves/#respond Thu, 31 Dec 2020 10:39:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=694740 The Minnesota Timberwolves knew exactly what they were investing in when they onboarded Malik Beasley at the trade deadline last season. Now four games into his first full season with Wolves, on a freshly inked long-term deal no less, Beasley is paying dividends. Expect Ricky Rubio and D’Angelo Russell to ramp up as they acclimate […]

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Minnesota Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves knew exactly what they were investing in when they onboarded Malik Beasley at the trade deadline last season. Now four games into his first full season with Wolves, on a freshly inked long-term deal no less, Beasley is paying dividends.

Expect Ricky Rubio and D’Angelo Russell to ramp up as they acclimate to sharing time in Minnesota’s backcourt, that may be a critical piece of the puzzle if this team hopes to compete for a playoff spot.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Jarred Vanderbilt5.5p, 6.5r, 3.5a🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Malik Beasley17.0p, 4.8r, 1.0a🔥🔥🔥
Naz Reid9.5p, 3.8r, 2.0a🔥
Ed Davis1.3p, 4.3r, 0.7a–
Jarrett Culver8.0p, 7.5r, 0.5a–
Karl-Anthony Towns19.0p, 11.5r, 5.0a❄
Josh Okogie8.0p, 3.3r, 1.7a❄❄
Jake Layman3.5p, 1.3r, 0.5a❄❄❄
Jordan McLaughlin3.0p, 1.5r, 5.0a❄❄❄
Juancho Hernangomez2.0p, 3.3r, 0.0a❄❄❄
D’Angelo Russell17.3p, 2.5r, 4.3a❄❄❄❄❄
Ricky Rubio9.5p, 2.3r, 4.5a❄❄❄❄❄

Team-by-Team Breakdown

AtlantaBostonBrooklyn
CharlotteChicagoCleveland
DallasDenverDetroit
Golden StateHoustonIndiana
LA ClippersLA LakersMemphis
MiamiMilwaukeeMinnesota
New OrleansNew YorkOklahoma City
OrlandoPhiladelphiaPhoenix
PortlandSacramentoSan Antonio
TorontoUtahWashington

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Minnesota Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-2020-21-minnesota-timberwolves/feed/ 0 Live From the World: Luka Doncic’s Global Rise https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/luka-doncic-global-rise/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/luka-doncic-global-rise/#respond Tue, 22 Dec 2020 20:07:03 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=682907 “His feet [are] slower than rush hour traffic. Really slow feet…When I look at him on tape, he struggles with quick defenders. Guys getting in his pocket, getting after him… So, his NBA comparison is Hedo Turkoglu.” “That’s my takeaway—He doesn’t pop athletically.” “I mean, he’s better than Ricky Rubio but he doesn’t look special […]

The post Live From the World: Luka Doncic’s Global Rise appeared first on SLAM.

]]> “His feet [are] slower than rush hour traffic. Really slow feet…When I look at him on tape, he struggles with quick defenders. Guys getting in his pocket, getting after him… So, his NBA comparison is Hedo Turkoglu.”

“That’s my takeaway—He doesn’t pop athletically.”

“I mean, he’s better than Ricky Rubio but he doesn’t look special to me.”

“Doncic, at 6-7, will get exposed for all of the inadequacies that Dirk had. Dirk is not a great athlete. Dirk doesn’t have explosiveness. Dirk isn’t physical. That’s what is going to happen to Doncic…I’m not saying Luka is setting the NBA world on fire—I’m not sure he’s going to be a dominating NBA player.”

“The athleticism, that’s a problem. The lack of athleticism.”

“I believe Luka should go to a good team. I don’t believe he’s a lottery pick. No, I don’t. I think he falls right outside the lottery.”

“I don’t give a damn about how this kid in Europe looked.”

“We tend to over-sensationalize European basketball. There [are] restrictions that cater to him. You can’t have nine Americans on the floor in Europe. There’s going to be nine bred Americans on the floor with you 95 percent of the time in the NBA. That changes the dynamics of the game.” 

—

These weren’t from randoms on Twitter purposely throwing out hot takes for some retweets and follows. These were hoops analysts on ESPN and FS1 talk shows (which, on second thought, sometimes spiel absurd hot takes for the same reasons as the Twitter randoms) giving their thoughts on Luka Doncic’s potential in the lead up to the 2018 NBA Draft. We’re not here to judge or air any of them out, so purposely not attaching any names to these. But you’ve probably seen some of these clips on your own social feeds or on YouTube already. Even Damian Lillard quote-tweeted an 80-second video compilation with some of these very same soundbites the morning after the Mavs star dropped a monster triple-double during last summer’s (still super strange saying that) playoffs. Dame’s caption was simply an “Lol”—which perfectly sums it all up in hindsight.

Luka Doncic

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 230

Doncic had proven himself overseas—going pro at age 13 (he left Slovenia by himself and relocated to Spain to play for Real Madrid—his mom didn’t join him there until three years later), winning MVP of the Liga ACB, EuroLeague and EuroLeague Final Four at 19 years old. The accolades actually made him the youngest MVP in the EuroLeague’s history.  

But a lot of fans (and media, seemingly) in the States had increasingly grown skeptical of highly-touted international prospects after many had not lived up to expectations upon their arrival to the Association. For the sake of consistency, they shall remain nameless here too. There’s that dude from Eastern Europe that got drafted really high in the 2003 NBA Draft by that team that had just played in the Eastern Conference Finals a month earlier. Or that other guy in the previous draft class that went really high too but was never able to make it work in the Mile-High City. Or even three years prior to that when the Knicks drafted a player in the teens that ultimately never saw a single minute of action in the League. There are plenty of posts online attempting to rank which international players were the most disappointing.

Hey, it’s the NBA. It’s not supposed to be easy or for everybody. There’s a reason why the average NBA career length is barely four years. It doesn’t make any of the guys that weren’t able to take off in the Association are any less as hoopers. Luck, timing, fit, politics—whatever the case is, it doesn’t work out more often than it does. Nevermind the complexities in scouting and the challenges of evaluating players competing in leagues of various talent levels. 

Nonetheless, it happened. And will continue to. Can’t-miss prospects will miss when they finally get there. And many of those that were overlooked, underrecruited and slighted on social media (and on TV) will turn heads. 

It didn’t take long for the very same TV analysts to change their tune about Luka. Like, literally just a few games into his career. And now only two seasons in, the 6-7 Slovenian guard has accumulated a ridiculous amount of shattered records. Forget the two regular seasons worth of games (which include records like surpassing Michael Jordan for the most consecutive 20-5-5 performances since the ABA/NBA merger), just the very first playoff series of his career alone is enough to justify everything you hear about him. The six-game series against the L.A. Clippers dissipated any lingering doubts.   

Luka Doncic

Game 1: 42 points—most points in a playoff debut by any player in NBA history, first 21-year-old to drop 40+ in a playoff game since LeBron James, fourth player to do it in general (after Magic Johnson, Tracy McGrady and James).

Game 2: 28 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists—most points (70) by a player through his first two career playoff games in NBA history.

Game 3: first player in Mavericks history to record a triple-double in the playoffs, third youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double in the playoffs after Magic and LeBron.

Game 4: a gazillion records. So much that Mavs PR Twitter had to create a Twitter thread just to be able to list them all. And even then, there were others they missed. Media members soon chimed in with the additional data.

His 43-point, 17-rebound and 13-assist stat line, which included a buzzer-beater to tie the series at 2-2, made him: the youngest ever to record a 40-point triple-double in the playoffs, the youngest to ever hit a playoff buzzer-beater, the only player aside from Wilt Chamberlain to finish with 43+ points, 17+ rebounds and 13+ assists in a game, the only player aside from Jordan to put up a 40-piece to go with a buzzer-beater while trailing, the third ever 40-15-10 performance in the playoffs after Oscar Robertson and Charles Barkley, second ever 21-year-old to record a 30-point triple-double in the playoffs, the third player ever after Magic and LeBron to have multiple playoff triple-doubles by the age or 21. The list went on and on, but you get the point.  

Although the Mavs went on to lose in six games, they still managed to come away as the real winners in the grand scheme of things—in front of the whole world, they confirmed they had THE one.

In the aftermath of Game 4 and in the weeks that followed, players across the League reacted to Luka’s insane performances. Props were given by the biggest names around.

Even before Luka played a single game in the NBA, back-to-back reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo saw all of this coming from a mile away. In the summer of 2018, the Greek Freak, speaking with Marca, a local newspaper in Madrid, showed that he was better equipped than anyone else to evaluate Luka’s NBA potential as an international player himself. 

“He is the most exciting player that has appeared in basketball in recent years. This past year in Europe he has won every competition he has played. EuroBasket, EuroLeague, Liga Endesa. He has been MVP of the EuroLeague, of the Final Four,” said Antetokounmpo. “He has shown that he is more than ready to play, that he has matured faster than the rest. He has played against professionals, as Charles Barkley said. The other rookies played against schoolboys.

“People in the United States sometimes forget that in the EuroLeague they play very well and very hard, more than in the NCAA. You have to be very good to stand out in the EuroLeague, and Luka is. Doncic has a lot of talent. He will have a great first year and, if it is not in the second, he will explode in the third.”

Looks like that explosion may have happened in the second year after all. Unless, of course, that wasn’t the explosion Giannis was talking about. There’s a chance we’re about to witness a whole other level that Luka could tap into. It’s worth noting, as of mid-December, he is the betting favorite to win MVP, according to Caesars Sportsbook with a +400. Defending MVP Giannis is right behind him at +450. 

Giannis isn’t the only MVP who’s had high praise for the former Real Madrid star. The King himself, while appearing on Uninterrupted’s Road Trippin’ in early December, made it known that at one point he had intentions of starting a subset of his brand with Luka as the centerpiece.

“I wanted to begin Team LeBron and have Luka as my first signing with Nike,” said LeBron. “I don’t even know if Luka knows this, but he will know it now. I wanted Luka to be the first signing of Team LeBron when he was going through his situation…That’s how much I believed in him.”

In July, Paul Pierce went as far as to suggest that there’s already been a passing of the crown.

Luka Doncic

“You talk about a kid who made one of the biggest leaps in recent memory from a Rookie of the Year to MVP-caliber player,” said the Celtics legend. “He has won at every European championship that you can think of, every European MVP that you can think of. So, I expect special things from this kid. Clearly, he’s special. He’s a talent. To me, he is the most talented player in the NBA today. The lights are never too bright for him.”

The amount of individual records he’s been able to set and break are so many that his Wikipedia page has an “achievements” section specifically dedicated to that, where people have been able to create a list with 43 different bullet points detailing where his performances have landed him in the history books. Forty-three. Two years in.

“I just feel confident. I know I have the confidence of my teammates and my team, so I just feel confident [in] myself and I love taking those shots. I get motivated. I have to make the last shot,” Luka told Rachel Nichols in a sit-down interview in 2019. When he sat down with her again in 2020, he added: “Pressure was in my life when I was 13, when I had to move from Slovenia alone to Madrid. I live with pressure every day, so I just don’t feel it anymore.”              

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 230

The post Live From the World: Luka Doncic’s Global Rise appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/luka-doncic-global-rise/feed/ 0 Minnesota Timberwolves: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-projected-2020-21-depth-chart/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-projected-2020-21-depth-chart/#respond Tue, 22 Dec 2020 09:05:13 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=680742 The Minnesota Timberwolves had the luxury of drafting No. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. They also made a few offseason moves to continue to build a quality roster around Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. They may not be a playoff team this season but the Timberwolves seem to be headed in the right […]

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves had the luxury of drafting No. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. They also made a few offseason moves to continue to build a quality roster around Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. They may not be a playoff team this season but the Timberwolves seem to be headed in the right direction.

We broke down the Timberwolves’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Timberwolves’ offseason.

Point Guard
D’Angelo Russell
Ricky Rubio
Jordan McLaughlin
Shooting Guard
Malik Beasley
Anthony Edwards
Jaylen Nowell
Small Forward
Josh Okogie
Jarrett Culver
Power Forward
Jake Layman
Juancho Hernangomez
Jaden McDaniels
Jarred Vanderbilt
Center
Karl-Anthony Towns
Naz Reid
Ed Davis

Biggest Questions

  • Will Malik Beasley be suspended in the upcoming season? Under investigation for several charges, there’s a chance the Wolves could be without him for a stretch of the upcoming season.
  • Is D’Angelo Russell a servicable number two option on a playoff team? With an entire offseason to settle in, there will be high expectations for him playing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns this season.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-projected-2020-21-depth-chart/feed/ 0 Oklahoma City Thunder: Offseason Summary 2020 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder-offseason-summary-2020/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder-offseason-summary-2020/#respond Mon, 14 Dec 2020 07:00:50 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=668646 When it comes to offseason transactions, nobody has been as active as the Oklahoma City Thunder. After an extremely impressive 2019-20 campaign, Sam Presti and the Thunder have taken clear steps towards a rebuild in Oklahoma City. While they already led the league in future draft capital coming into the offseason, they only added more […]

The post Oklahoma City Thunder: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> When it comes to offseason transactions, nobody has been as active as the Oklahoma City Thunder. After an extremely impressive 2019-20 campaign, Sam Presti and the Thunder have taken clear steps towards a rebuild in Oklahoma City.

While they already led the league in future draft capital coming into the offseason, they only added more draft picks to their stash over the past few weeks. Headlined by a deal that shipped Chris Paul to Phoenix, Oklahoma City has pulled the trigger on a string of deals that has resulted almost the entirety of their roster being turned over. In fact, upcoming third-year player Hamidou Diallo is now the longest-tenured member of the Thunder.

Thunder Roster Additions

PlayerTransaction
Aleksej Pokusevski Draft (17th)
Theo Maledon Draft (34th)
Vit KrejciDraft (37th)
Frank Jackson Free Agency (NOP)
Josh Hall Free Agency (UDFA)
Moses Brown Free Agency (POR)
Al Horford Trade (PHI)
George Hill Trade (MIL)
Trevor Ariza Trade (DET)
Justin Jackson Trade (DAL)
Admiral Schofield Trade (WAS)
Ty Jerome Trade (PHX)
T.J. Leaf Trade (IND)
Darius MillerTrade (NOP)
Kenrich Williams Trade (NOP)

Biggest Acquisitions

  • Al Horford: Although they are looking to rebuild, every team needs a veteran in the locker room to create the right culture and be a leader to the younger players. Horford will be excellent in this role, while also being a potential asset to flip down the road.
  • Aleksej Pokusevski: Oklahoma City had been linked to Pokusevski for weeks leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft. They ultimately traded up to acquire him to add to their young core. While he is still 18 years old and extremely raw, Pokusevski has an extremely high ceiling and could end up being an excellent player in a few years when the Thunder are entering another window of contention.

Thunder Roster Subtractions

PlayerTransaction
Danilo Gallinari Free Agency (ATL)
Nerlens Noel Free Agency (NYK)
Andre RobersonFree Agency
Deonte BurtonFree Agency
Devon Hall Free Agency
Kevin Hervey Free Agency
Chris Paul Trade (PHX)
Steven Adams Trade (NOP)
Dennis SchroderTrade (LAL)
Terrance FergusonTrade (PHI)
Abdel NaderTrade (PHX)

Biggest Losses

  • Chris Paul: When it comes to the impact on winning, Paul’s void will be impossible to fill. Although he played just one season in Oklahoma City, his mentorship will be felt for years as he expedited the development of guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, and Lu Dort.
  • Steven Adams: While he’s never been the best player on any Thunder roster throughout the years, Adams has been the heart and soul of the team. For the fanbase and the Thunder culture, this is no question the biggest loss of the offseason. He was the last remaining player of the previous eras of Thunder basketball as Oklahoma City officially enters their rebuild.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Oklahoma City Thunder: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder-offseason-summary-2020/feed/ 0 Minnesota Timberwolves: Offseason Summary 2020 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-offseason-summary-2020/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-offseason-summary-2020/#respond Mon, 14 Dec 2020 07:00:34 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=668640 The Minnesota Timberwolves had the opportunity to select first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. After acquiring D’Angelo Russell last season, they were searching for a young guy with future star potential to complete their trio. Not only were they able to take Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 pick, but Minnesota was also able […]

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves had the opportunity to select first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. After acquiring D’Angelo Russell last season, they were searching for a young guy with future star potential to complete their trio.

Not only were they able to take Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 pick, but Minnesota was also able to add several other key pieces as they look to be a playoff team once again.

Timberwolves Roster Additions

PlayerTransaction
Anthony EdwardsDraft (1st)
Jaden McDaniels Draft (28th)
Ashton HagansFree Agency (UDFA)
Tyler CookFree Agency (DEN)
Ed DavisTrade (NYK)
Ricky RubioTrade (OKC)

Biggest Acquisitions

  • Anthony Edwards: A one-and-done player out of Georgia, Edwards has an NBA-ready body. His build should allow him to be a productive player on both sides of the ball. Although the 2020 draft class was considered weak, the opportunity to take who you think is the best player in the entire group is never something you take for granted.
  • Ricky Rubio: Ricky Rubio will be a member of the Timberwolves once again in the upcoming season. There is no question that he is still a starting-caliber point guard in this league, whether he ends up starting or not.

Timberwolves Roster Subtractions

PlayerTransaction
Kelan MartinFree Agency (IND)
Jordan McLaughlinFree Agency
James JohnsonTrade (OKC)
Omari SpellmanTrade (NYK)
Jacob EvansTrade (NYK)
Evan TurnerRetirement (Coach)

Biggest Losses

  • James Johnson: Johnson is an underappreciated player in the NBA. He brings toughness and grit to his team on both ends of the floor, while also being productive as a player. With his size and versatility, Minnesota will miss his ability to play multiple positions.
  • Jordan McLaughlin: Coming out of nowhere last season, McLaughlin ended up being one of the biggest surprises of Minnesota’s season. Coming off of the bench, the 24-year-old guard was able to do the most per minute on the floor than nearly any other player on the team.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-offseason-summary-2020/feed/ 0 Phoenix Suns: Offseason Summary 2020 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-offseason-summary-2020/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-offseason-summary-2020/#respond Mon, 14 Dec 2020 07:00:24 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=668645 When it comes to the most improved team of the offseason, the Phoenix Suns might take the crown. Not only were they able to acquire future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul, but they were also able to select in the top ten of the 2020 NBA Draft as well as sign several key free agents. […]

The post Phoenix Suns: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> When it comes to the most improved team of the offseason, the Phoenix Suns might take the crown. Not only were they able to acquire future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul, but they were also able to select in the top ten of the 2020 NBA Draft as well as sign several key free agents.

Once the dust settled, the Suns looked like a legit playoff team. Although they had to give up several key pieces of last seasons’ roster to make the moves they wanted to, it was a clear step towards wanting to win now with Devin Booker.

Suns Roster Additions

PlayerTransaction
Jalen SmithDraft (10th)
Chris PaulTrade (OKC)
Abdel Nader Trade (OKC)
Jonathan MotleyFree Agency (LAC)
E’Twaun Moore Free Agency (NOP)
Damian Jones Free Agency (ATL)
Langston Galloway Free Agency (DET)
Jae Crowder Free Agency (MIA)
Ty-Shon Alexander Free Agency (UDFA)

Biggest Acquisitions

  • Chris Paul: Acquiring Chris Paul might be one of the biggest trades in Suns history. While he is on an extremely large contract and getting up there in age, he showed last season in Oklahoma City that he can still raise the ceiling on the team he is playing for exponentially.
  • Jae Crowder: Every team needs guys who are just known for being winners, and Crowder is one of those guys. He’s been to the playoffs in seven straight seasons with four different teams. His mentality and playoff experience will be key for the Suns.

Suns Roster Subtractions

PlayerTransaction
Aron Baynes Free Agency (TOR)
Frank KaminskyFree Agency (SAC)
Elie OkoboFree Agency (BKN)
Cheick DialloFree Agency
Tariq OwensFree Agency
Ty Jerome Trade (OKC)
Kelly OubreTrade (OKC)
Ricky RubioTrade (OKC)
Jalen Lecque Trade (OKC)

Biggest Losses

  • Ricky Rubio: Although he just turned 30 and will be exiting his prime shortly, Rubio was still a key piece for the Suns last season and part of their magical 8-0 record in the bubble. He did a ton for the direction of the franchise and its culture during his one year in Phoenix.
  • Kelly Oubre: One of the biggest fan favorites in Phoenix, Oubre will be missed for several reasons. He is still just 24 years old and would have been a good guy to re-sign and solidify into your core for the foreseeable future. However, when you have the chance to acquire Chis Paul, moving Oubre to make that happen is a no brainer.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Phoenix Suns: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-offseason-summary-2020/feed/ 0 Wolves, Juan Hernangomez to Finalize a Three-Year Deal https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/uan-hernangomez-wolves-nba-free-angency/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/uan-hernangomez-wolves-nba-free-angency/#respond Mon, 23 Nov 2020 22:17:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=667624 After bringing back free agent Malik Beasley, the Minnesota Timberwolves will do the same with forward Juan Hernangomez. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that he is finalizing a three year, $21 million deal to re-sign with the team, and Jon Krawczynski adds that the third year is a team option. The 25-year old was selected […]

The post Wolves, Juan Hernangomez to Finalize a Three-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

]]> After bringing back free agent Malik Beasley, the Minnesota Timberwolves will do the same with forward Juan Hernangomez. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that he is finalizing a three year, $21 million deal to re-sign with the team, and Jon Krawczynski adds that the third year is a team option.

The 25-year old was selected by the Denver Nuggets as the 15th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, and has emerged as a solid offensive contributor since his early playing years. After getting traded to the Timberwolves in 2019, he stepped up this season: averaging a career-high 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 42% from the three.

The Wolves are solidifying quite the roster this offseason, having just drafted the No.1 overall pick, Anthony Edwards, and signed deals with Beasley, Juancho and vet Ricky Rubio.

Rubio told The Athletic that he’s ready to help lead the team’s young roster:

“It started to really make more sense for me to really connect the puzzle and get to Minnesota and help a young team with a lot of talent and already have done really good things,” Rubio said. “I feel like I can fit in the puzzle.”

The post Wolves, Juan Hernangomez to Finalize a Three-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/uan-hernangomez-wolves-nba-free-angency/feed/ 0 Mavs Trade Delon Wright to Pistons in Multi-Team Deal https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mavs-trade-delon-wright-to-pistons-in-three-team-deal/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mavs-trade-delon-wright-to-pistons-in-three-team-deal/#respond Sat, 21 Nov 2020 06:13:49 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=667201 The Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons have come to terms on a trade that would send Delon Wright to Detroit, James Johnson to Dallas and Justin Jackson to OKC, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The move will also see Trevor Ariza, required by Detroit in a draft day trade, sent to Oklahoma […]

The post Mavs Trade Delon Wright to Pistons in Multi-Team Deal appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons have come to terms on a trade that would send Delon Wright to Detroit, James Johnson to Dallas and Justin Jackson to OKC, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

The move will also see Trevor Ariza, required by Detroit in a draft day trade, sent to Oklahoma City, as well as a draft pick.

The move would give Detroit a solid young guard fresh off a relatively down year in Dallas. Before he joined the Mavs, Wright averaged 12.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half of the 2018-19 season.

The trade would give Dallas a veteran on an expiring contract in Johnson. Johnson will earn $16 million in 2020-21 and has already been traded since exercising his player option. The Minnesota Timberwolves sent him to the Thunder in the Ricky Rubio trade on draft night.

The Thunder nab Ariza and his expiring contract, in addition to a young player in Jackson and a draft pick.

More to come.

The post Mavs Trade Delon Wright to Pistons in Multi-Team Deal appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mavs-trade-delon-wright-to-pistons-in-three-team-deal/feed/ 0 Wolves in Talks to Acquire Ricky Rubio in Draft Day Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/wolves-in-talks-to-acquire-ricky-rubio-in-draft-day-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/wolves-in-talks-to-acquire-ricky-rubio-in-draft-day-trade/#respond Thu, 19 Nov 2020 02:18:22 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=666334 The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the process of acquiring Ricky Rubio from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the No. 17 pick, John Krawczynski of The Athletic reports. Also headed to Minnesota in the swap would be the No. 25 and No. 28 picks. The move would reunite Rubio with the Wolves. He played […]

The post Wolves in Talks to Acquire Ricky Rubio in Draft Day Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the process of acquiring Ricky Rubio from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the No. 17 pick, John Krawczynski of The Athletic reports.

Also headed to Minnesota in the swap would be the No. 25 and No. 28 picks.

The move would reunite Rubio with the Wolves. He played there for six seasons before a trade sent him to the Utah Jazz in 2017. He spent last season with the Phoenix Suns and was involved in the Chris Paul trade earlier this week.

It’s likely that there will need to be more in order for the money to work.

More to come.

The post Wolves in Talks to Acquire Ricky Rubio in Draft Day Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/wolves-in-talks-to-acquire-ricky-rubio-in-draft-day-trade/feed/ 0 SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Recap https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-draft-recap/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-draft-recap/#respond Thu, 19 Nov 2020 00:07:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=666196 After a long and unpredictable year, the 2020 NBA Draft is here. Yes, it’s November and Adam Silver is calling these names five months later than he was supposed to be but at long last we’ve made it and that’s a win worth celebrating. Below is a list of all the picks as they happen […]

The post SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Recap appeared first on SLAM.

]]> After a long and unpredictable year, the 2020 NBA Draft is here. Yes, it’s November and Adam Silver is calling these names five months later than he was supposed to be but at long last we’ve made it and that’s a win worth celebrating. Below is a list of all the picks as they happen and below that is a series of resources to keep you up to date on all the trades

Presented by Foot Locker’s 12 Days of Greatness

2020 NBA Draft

1MINAnthony Edwards
2GSWJames Wiseman
3CHALaMelo Ball
4CHIPatrick Williams
5CLEIsaac Okoro
6ATLOnyeka Okongwu
7DETKillian Hayes
8NYKObi Toppin
9WASDeni Avdija
10PHXJalen Smith
11SASDevin Vassell
12SACTyrese Haliburton
13NOPKira Lewis
14BOSAaron Nesmith
15ORLCole Anthony
16DETIsaiah Stewart
17OKCAleksej Pokusevski
18DALJosh Green
19DETSaddiq Bey
20MIAPrecious Achiuwa
21PHITyrese Maxey
22DENZeke Nnaji
23MINLeandro Bolmaro
24DENRJ Hampton
25NYKImmanuel Quickley
26BOSPayton Pritchard
27UTAUdoka Azubuike
28MINJaden McDaniels
29TORMalachi Flynn
30MEMDesmond Bane
31DALTyrell Terry
32CHAVernon Carey
33MINDaniel Oturu
34OKCTheo Maledon
35MEMXavier Tillman
36DALTyler Bey
37OKCVit Krejci
38DETSaben Lee
39UTAElijah Hughes
40SACRobert Woodard
41SASTre Jones
42CHANick Richards
43SACJahim’us Ramsey
44CHIMarko Simonovic
45MILJordan Nwora
46PORCJ Elleby
47BOSYam Madar
48GSWNico Mannion
49PHIIsaiah Joe
50ATLSkylar Mays
51GSWJustinian Jessup
52HOUKenyon Martin Jr.
53WASCassius Winston
54INDCassius Stanley
55LACJay Scrubb
56CHAGrant Riller
57BKNReggie Perry
58PHIPaul Reed
59TORJalen Harris
60MILSam Merrill

2020 NBA Draft Trades & Notes

The New York Knicks packaged picks No. 27 and No. 38, then sent them to the Utah Jazz for pick No. 23 (SLAM story)

The Milwaukee Bucks acquired pick No. 45 in exchange for a pair of future second rounders (SLAM story)

The Thunder pocketed pick No. 34 tonight, along with Al Horford and a future first in exchange for Danny Green and Terrance Ferguson (SLAM story)

The Pistons will now draft at No. 16 after acquiring the pick from the Rockets along with Trevor Ariza (SLAM story)

The Oklahoma City Thunder flip Ricky Rubio to the Minnesota Timberwolves to up to No. 17 (SLAM Story)

Landry Shamet and Luke Kennard on the move in three-team deal involving pick No. 19 (SLAM Story)

Knicks trade back two spots late in first round to add early second round pick (SLAM Story)

Nuggets give up future first round pick to Pelicans to acquire RJ Hampton (SLAM Story)

Pistons acquire Tony Bradley and pick No. 38 for cash considerations (SLAM Story)

Grizzlies acquire pick No. 30 from Celtics to acquire Desmond Bane (SLAM Story)

Sixers trade Josh Richardson and No. 36 pick to Mavericks for Seth Curry (Slam Story)

Thunder pick up No. 37 pick from Wizards to select Vit Krejci (SLAM Story)

Pelicans trade Pick No. 39 to Jazz who take Elijah Hughes (SLAM Story)

Charlotte acquires Nick Richards from New Orleans who was picked at pick No. 42 (SLAM Story)

Clippers move up two spots late in second round to acquire Jay Scrubb at pick No. 55 (SLAM Story)

Kenyon Martin Jr. traded to Rockets after being selected by Sacramento with pick No. 52 (SLAM Story)

We consolidated the final 2020 NBA mock drafts from some of our favorite draft experts (SLAM story)

The post SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Recap appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-draft-recap/feed/ 0 Suns, Thunder Finalizing Chris Paul Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/suns-thunder-finalizing-chris-paul-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/suns-thunder-finalizing-chris-paul-trade/#respond Mon, 16 Nov 2020 18:12:17 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=665728 The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a trade to acquire Chris Paul from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Headed to the Thunder will be Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre and more. Additionally included in the Oklahoma City-bound package are Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick. Abdel Nader is reported to […]

The post Suns, Thunder Finalizing Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a trade to acquire Chris Paul from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Headed to the Thunder will be Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre and more.

Additionally included in the Oklahoma City-bound package are Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick. Abdel Nader is reported to be heading to Phoenix.

The 2022 first-round pick that Oklahoma City will acquire is top-12 protected in 2022, top-10 protected in 2023, top-eight protected in 2024 and unprotected thereafter, Shams Charania of The Athletic adds.

The acquisition of Paul signals a serious commitment to winning now for the Suns. Devin Booker’s squad went undefeated in the bubble but still missed out on the playoffs in the West.

With Booker back in 2020-21, Deandre Ayton about to begin his third NBA campaign and now the addition of a future Hall of Famer in Paul, the team’s ceiling is the highest it has been in years.

The Suns had options to take back Paul’s $40-plus million contract and ended up acquiring CP3 as an over-the-cap team. As a result, the inclusion of Oubre was necessary.

Oubre averaged 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Suns in 2019-20 and will now join a rebuilding Thunder team at just 24 years of age.

Paul will now play for his fourth team in four seasons after spending last year leading a resurgent Thunder squad to the postseason. He spent the 2018-19 season with the Houston Rockets and was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers before that.

Paul’s arrival in Phoenix will reunite him with head coach Monty Williams. Williams was Paul’s coach during part of his tenure with the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans).

The post Suns, Thunder Finalizing Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/suns-thunder-finalizing-chris-paul-trade/feed/ 0 Phoenix Suns: 2020 NBA Draft Preview https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-2020-nba-draft-preview/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-2020-nba-draft-preview/#respond Thu, 12 Nov 2020 22:00:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=664496 Maybe it wasn’t apparent before the Phoenix Suns were invited to the NBA bubble in Orlando and went undefeated (8-0) in the seeding games but the Suns are an up-and-coming team that will be a force to be reckoned with out West. With the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, only expect Phoenix […]

The post Phoenix Suns: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Maybe it wasn’t apparent before the Phoenix Suns were invited to the NBA bubble in Orlando and went undefeated (8-0) in the seeding games but the Suns are an up-and-coming team that will be a force to be reckoned with out West. With the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, only expect Phoenix to get better this offseason as they try to earn a postseason berth in 2020-21.

Led by two strong scorers in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, the Suns’ trade for Kelly Oubre (who averaged 18.7 points per game with Phoenix) was the icing on the cake offensively. Now it’s time for Phoenix to focus on improving their defense, as they need stout defenders in both the backcourt and frontcourt.

Related: Full Phoenix Suns 2020 Salary Cap Table

2020 NBA Draft Picks

No. 10 overall

Suns Draft Needs

As of today, the Suns are basically all offense and no defense.

That’s fine for franchises that don’t mind fielding middling teams or having to scratch and claw their way into the playoffs. Yet, it’s difficult to believe that a team that has three-time NBA champion James Jones as it’s general manager and Jerry Colangelo as a managing partner would align themselves with an organization that’s satisfied with being average, let alone mediocre.

With just one pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and a lottery pick at that, Phoenix has to continue drafting well. After drafting defensive standouts Mikal Bridges with the 10th overall pick in 2018 and Cameron Johnson with the 11th overall pick in 2019, the Suns need to address their defensive presence in the backcourt.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

No. 10 overall
PG Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa St.
F-C Onyeka Okongwu, USC
F-C Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
PG Killian Hayes, Ratiopharm
G R.J. Hampton, New Zealand

What The Mocks Are Saying

The RingerKira Lewis Jr. (No. 10)
The AthleticKillian Hayes (No. 10)
USA TODAY SportsDevin Vassell (No. 10)
CBS SportsDevin Vassell (No. 10)
The ScoreCole Anthony (No. 10)

Projected Roster

PGRicky Rubio
PGTy Jerome
PGJalen Lecque
SGDevin Booker
SFKelly Oubre Jr.
SFMikal Bridges
FCameron Johnson
F-CDeandre Ayton

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
Oklahoma LA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

The post Phoenix Suns: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-2020-nba-draft-preview/feed/ 0 Report: Phoenix Suns Discuss Chris Paul Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-phoenix-suns-discuss-chris-paul-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-phoenix-suns-discuss-chris-paul-trade/#respond Wed, 11 Nov 2020 01:44:56 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=664886 The Phoenix Suns have had discussions about a possible Chris Paul trade, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN report. The 35-year-old has been a popular subject of trade speculation since joining the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer. No trade is imminent considering that the league’s transaction moratorium hasn’t officially been lifted. The largest impediment […]

The post Report: Phoenix Suns Discuss Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns have had discussions about a possible Chris Paul trade, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN report. The 35-year-old has been a popular subject of trade speculation since joining the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer.

No trade is imminent considering that the league’s transaction moratorium hasn’t officially been lifted.

The largest impediment to any Paul trade is the veteran’s $41 million contract in 2020-21 but if Phoenix finds a way to incorporate such a deal, they’ll instantly provide an already promising young team with a proven difference maker.

Paul turned heads with his success guiding the Thunder to the postseason after the departures of Paul George and Russell Westbrook. It stands to reason that a Suns team that went undefeated in the bubble could make even more noise with a future Hall of Famer in the lineup.

As we wrote about in our Phoenix Suns offseason preview, the Suns can free up $18 million in cap space renouncing the rights to their free agents. That’s not necessarily the course of action they would pursue in order to nab Paul but the flexibility is there.

If the Suns decide to keep the rights to their free agents and act as a team over the cap, they would need to export $33.05 million (h/t ESPN’s Bobby Marks) in order to onboard Paul.

Ricky Rubio, Phoenix’s current point guard, will earn $17 million this season and could be a Thunder-bound option in a potential trade.

The Suns hold the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The post Report: Phoenix Suns Discuss Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-phoenix-suns-discuss-chris-paul-trade/feed/ 0 Phoenix Suns: Salary Cap Space 2020 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-salary-cap-space-2020/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-salary-cap-space-2020/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2020 04:40:06 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=654162 We’ve summarized what Phoenix Suns fans can expect from their squad in terms of salary cap space this offseason. Below you’ll find lists of the players expected back on the roster, the team’s potential free agents and a number of insights about questions the franchise will face before the 2021 campaign. In addition to a […]

The post Phoenix Suns: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> We’ve summarized what Phoenix Suns fans can expect from their squad in terms of salary cap space this offseason. Below you’ll find lists of the players expected back on the roster, the team’s potential free agents and a number of insights about questions the franchise will face before the 2021 campaign.

In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

Deandre Ayton$10,018,200Guaranteed
Devin Booker$29,467,800Guaranteed
Mikal Bridges$4,359,000Guaranteed
Ty Jerome$2,303,040Guaranteed
Cameron Johnson$4,235,160Guaranteed
Jalen Lecque$1,517,981Guaranteed
Kelly Oubre Jr.$14,375,000Guaranteed
Ricky Rubio$17,000,000Guaranteed

Projected Free Agents

None$0N/A

Projected Waivers/Renouncements

Aron BaynesUFA – Renounced
Jevon CarterUFA – No Qualifying Offer, Renounced
Cheick DialloUFA – Renounced
Frank KaminskyUFA – Renounced
Elie OkoboUFA – Waived
Tariq OwensUFA – Renounced
Cameron PayneUFA – Renounced
Dario SaricUFA – No Qualifying Offer, Renounced

2020 NBA Draft Picks

2020 Pick #10$4,245,720

Exceptions Available

  • Room Exception – $4,767,000

Key Offseason Decisions

  • Will Phoenix stay over the cap or go under? The Suns are right on the tipping point of being a cap space team with around $18.9M in cap space. That’s enough for them to add an impact player this offseason. The other option is to prioritize re-signing their own free agents and staying over the cap.
  • If the Suns go the cap space route, how to fill out the big man rotation? Going for cap space would mean renouncing Aron Baynes, Dario Saric and Frank Kaminsky. All three were regular rotation players next to and behind Deandre Ayton.

Projected Team Salary

$87,521,901

Even though it’s not the best free agent class, Phoenix could be positioned to snag and impact player or two with about $18.9M in cap space. The Suns are an up-and-coming team with good young players. Several veterans could see themselves as the guy to put them over the top and into the playoffs again. For that reason, expect Phoenix to chase cap space, with re-signing their own free agents as their fallback plan. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

$18,923,169 (2nd out of 30)

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
Oklahoma LA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Phoenix Suns: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-salary-cap-space-2020/feed/ 0 Phoenix Suns: NBA 2K21 Ratings https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-nba-2k21-ratings/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-nba-2k21-ratings/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2020 20:26:26 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=646965 The Phoenix Suns saw the majority of their core improve in 2019-20 and the team’s player ratings have reflected that. The only team that went undefeated during the regular season bubble game could be extra scary next season and the developers of NBA 2K are clearly ready for it. We’ve listed the entire roster with […]

The post Phoenix Suns: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns saw the majority of their core improve in 2019-20 and the team’s player ratings have reflected that. The only team that went undefeated during the regular season bubble game could be extra scary next season and the developers of NBA 2K are clearly ready for it.

We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons to last year’s launch rating below. We’ve also identified some general NBA 2K21 ratings trends for the league as a whole.

Suns NBA 2K21 Ratings

PlayerPos.2K212K20
Devin BookerSG/PG8786
Deandre AytonC8482
Kelly Oubre Jr.SF/PF8178
Ricky RubioPG7978
Aron BaynesC/PF7875
Mikal BridgesSF/PF7775
Cameron JohnsonPF/SF7672
Dario SaricPF7677
Frank Kaminsky IIIC/PF7576
Cameron PaynePG7472
Jevon CarterPG/SG7371
Cheick DialloC/PF7374
Ty JeromePG7172
Elie OkoboPG/SG7171
Jalen LecqueSG/PG6868
Tariq OwensPF/SF68

View the NBA 2K21 player ratings for other teams below.

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Phoenix Suns: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-nba-2k21-ratings/feed/ 0 Heat Check (Hiatus): Phoenix Suns https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-hiatus-phoenix-suns/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-hiatus-phoenix-suns/#respond Fri, 31 Jul 2020 21:09:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=633553 The Phoenix Suns were playing solid basketball when the league went on hiatus in March, thanks largely in part to increases in personal production across the board. Whether those hot hands can continue on into the restart remains to be seen. Both Aron Baynes and Ricky Rubio had started to heat up in March, Baynes […]

The post Heat Check (Hiatus): Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns were playing solid basketball when the league went on hiatus in March, thanks largely in part to increases in personal production across the board. Whether those hot hands can continue on into the restart remains to be seen.

Both Aron Baynes and Ricky Rubio had started to heat up in March, Baynes averaging 22.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in three contests and Rubio dropping 18.8 points, 6.8 boards and 10.5 assists (up from 12.6, 4.5 and 8.8, respectively).

Both players, however, were ultimately faced with COVID-19 with Baynes being especially impacted by the virus.

Mikal Bridges, the versatile sophomore forward out of Villanova, was averaging 40.4 minutes per game for the squad in March and could be featured similarly in Orlando. Bridges put up 14.8 points per game in the new role.

Dario Saric, too, started to showcase more potential, flashing 18.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in March, versus the 9.5 and 5.9 he put up prior.

SLAM’s Heat Check series compares each individual player’s personal production in the month of March with their production prior. The goal is to get a sense of the direction in which players were trending when the league stood still. For a more in-depth description, check out our Heat Check (Hiatus Edition) introduction.

Heat Check Phoenix Suns

Cameron Johnson🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Aron Baynes🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Ricky Rubio🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Dario Saric🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Devin Booker🔥🔥🔥🔥
Mikal Bridges🔥🔥🔥
Jevon Carter🔥🔥
Cheick Diallo🔥
Ty Jerome❄❄
Elie Okobo❄❄
Deandre Ayton❄❄❄❄

Team-by-Team Breakdown

BostonBrooklynDallas
DenverHoustonIndiana
LA ClippersLA LakersMemphis
MiamiMilwaukeeNew Orleans
Oklahoma CityOrlandoPhiladelphia
PhoenixPortlandSacramento
San AntonioTorontoUtah
Washington

The post Heat Check (Hiatus): Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-hiatus-phoenix-suns/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio Returns After COVID-19 Diagnosis https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-returns-after-covid-19-diagnosis/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-returns-after-covid-19-diagnosis/#respond Wed, 22 Jul 2020 21:00:45 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=627444 Point guard Ricky Rubio has practiced with the Phoenix Suns for the first time after testing positive for COVID-19, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports. Rubio is the second Suns player revealed to have tested positive for the coronavirus today, although it’s unclear when he was initially diagnosed. Big man Aron Baynes remains sidelined […]

The post Ricky Rubio Returns After COVID-19 Diagnosis appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Point guard Ricky Rubio has practiced with the Phoenix Suns for the first time after testing positive for COVID-19, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.

Rubio is the second Suns player revealed to have tested positive for the coronavirus today, although it’s unclear when he was initially diagnosed. Big man Aron Baynes remains sidelined on account of the virus.

Rubio’s return to the court gives the young squad necessary veteran leadership as they set out on the uphill battle to sneak into the Western Conference playoff picture.

In 57 games for the Suns this year, Rubio averaged 13.1 points and 8.9 assists per game. He’s under contract with the squad through the 2021-22 campaign.

Related: Complete list of all COVID-19 cases in NBA

The post Ricky Rubio Returns After COVID-19 Diagnosis appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-returns-after-covid-19-diagnosis/feed/ 0 Cameron Payne Inks Deal with Phoenix Suns https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cameron-payne-inks-deal-with-phoenix-suns/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cameron-payne-inks-deal-with-phoenix-suns/#respond Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:54:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=607604 The Phoenix Suns have become the latest NBA squad to take a flyer on 2015 lottery pick Cameron Payne. The club announced the signing on the final day of the pre-Disney transaction window. Payne hasn’t seen big league action since 2018-19 but he did play 15 G League games with the Texas Legends this season, […]

The post Cameron Payne Inks Deal with Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns have become the latest NBA squad to take a flyer on 2015 lottery pick Cameron Payne. The club announced the signing on the final day of the pre-Disney transaction window.

Payne hasn’t seen big league action since 2018-19 but he did play 15 G League games with the Texas Legends this season, averaging 23.2 points and 7.3 assists per contest. Prior to the G League stint, he played through training camp with the Toronto Raptors and had a stint in China.

Payne’s deal with the Suns – which has already been formally announced – is for two years, Shams Charania of The Athletic notes. It’s possible that the 2020-21 season comes with a team option.

Payne will compete for minutes in a Suns backcourt with Ricky Rubio, Elie Okobo, Jevon Carter and Ty Jerome when NBA action resumes next month. Phoenix is on the outside looking in at the postseason heading into the final eight regular season games.

The post Cameron Payne Inks Deal with Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cameron-payne-inks-deal-with-phoenix-suns/feed/ 0 List of NBA Players to Test Positive for Coronavirus https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-coronavirus-covid-list/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-coronavirus-covid-list/#respond Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:22:58 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=602606 A number of NBA players and individuals associated with the league have tested positive for coronavirus. The list of known cases is surely to grow as more cases are identified and addressed ahead of the league’s scheduled resumption of play in July. Below is a complete account of confirmed cases where specific players have been […]

The post List of NBA Players to Test Positive for Coronavirus appeared first on SLAM.

]]> A number of NBA players and individuals associated with the league have tested positive for coronavirus. The list of known cases is surely to grow as more cases are identified and addressed ahead of the league’s scheduled resumption of play in July.

Below is a complete account of confirmed cases where specific players have been reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. Additional instances where cases of the illness were reported can be found at the bottom of this post.

NBA Players Positive For Coronavirus

PlayerReported
Rudy Gobert (UTA)Mar. 11 (story)
Donovan Mitchell (UTA)Mar. 12 (story)
Christian Wood (DET)Mar. 14 (story)
Kevin Durant (BRO)Mar. 17 (story)
Marcus Smart (BOS)Mar. 19 (story)
Nikola Jokic (DEN)Jun. 23 (story)
Malcolm Brogdon (IND)Jun. 24 (story)
Jabari Parker (SAC)Jun. 24 (story)
Buddy Hield (SAC)Jun. 24 (story)
Alex Len (SAC)Jun. 24 (tweet)
Derrick Jones Jr. (MIA)Jun. 25 (tweet)
Spencer Dinwiddie (BRO)Jun. 29 (story)
DeAndre Jordan (BRO)Jun. 29 (story)
Landry Shamet (LAC)Jul. 4 (story)
Taurean Prince (BRO)Jul. 7 (story)
Thomas Bryant (WAS)Jul. 10 (story)
Gary Payton II (WAS)Jul. 10 (story)
Russell Westbrook (HOU)Jul. 13 (story)
Harrison Barnes (SAC)Jul. 14 (story)
Michael Beasley (BRO)Jul. 14 (story)
James Ennis (ORL)Jul. 15 (story)
Eric Bledsoe (MIL)Jul. 16 (story)
Pat Connaughton (MIL)Jul. 20 (story)
Justin Anderson (BRO)Jul. 22 (story)
Aron Baynes (PHO)Jul. 22 (story)
Ricky Rubio (PHO)Jul. 22 (story)
Bam Adebayo (MIA)Jul. 24 (story)
Kendrick Nunn (MIA)Jul. 24 (story)
Luc Mbah a Moute (HOU)Jul. 27 (tweet)
Ivica Zubac (LAC)Jul. 27 (story)
Mo Bamba (ORL)Aug. 14 (story)

Additional Coronavirus Cases In NBA

TeamReported
4* Nets PlayersMar. 17 (story)
2 Lakers PlayersMar. 19 (story)
3 76ers Org. MembersMar. 19 (tweet)
Doris BurkeMar. 27 (tweet)
James DolanMar. 28 (story)
Michael MaloneJun. 15 (tweet)
2 Suns PlayersJun. 23 (story)
4 West Conf. PlayersJun. 23 (tweet)
16 of 302 Players**Jun. 26 (story)
3 Pelicans PlayersJun. 30 (tweet)
9 of 344 Players***Jul. 2 (story)
3 Heat Players****Jul. 4 (tweet)
2 of 322 Players*****Jul. 13 (story)
0 of 346 PlayersJul. 20 (story)
2 Warriors PlayersDec. 1 (story)

*One presumed to be Durant
** Tested June 23, 2020
*** Tested June 24-29, 2020
**** Presumed to be Jones Jr., Nunn, Adebayo

Related: NBA players who have opted out of Disney World games

The post List of NBA Players to Test Positive for Coronavirus appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-coronavirus-covid-list/feed/ 0 Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 58 Points in Battle for LA https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-lebron-ad-win/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-lebron-ad-win/#respond Mon, 09 Mar 2020 03:40:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=562811 Nets 110 (29-34), Bulls 107 (21-43) Spencer Dinwiddie scored a team-high 24 points in Brooklyn, including two clutch free throws down the stretch. Joe Harris and Caris LeVert each had 23 apiece. Pelicans 120 (28-36), Timberwolves (19-44) Jrue Holiday (37 points) was one rebound and two assists away from a triple-double. Zion Williamson was the […]

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 58 Points in Battle for LA appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Nets 110 (29-34), Bulls 107 (21-43)

Spencer Dinwiddie scored a team-high 24 points in Brooklyn, including two clutch free throws down the stretch. Joe Harris and Caris LeVert each had 23 apiece.

Pelicans 120 (28-36), Timberwolves (19-44)

Jrue Holiday (37 points) was one rebound and two assists away from a triple-double. Zion Williamson was the Pels’ second-leading scorer with 23 points and had a MEAN windmill dunk the fourth quarter.

Lakers 112 (49-13), Clippers 103 (43-20)

LeBron James (30 points) and Anthony Davis (28 points) combined for 58 points in Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers. Avery Bradley was the other starter who finished in double digits, scoring 24 points.

Suns 140 (26-38), Bucks 131 (53-11)

All five Suns starters finished in double digits – Devin Booker (36 points), Ricky Rubio (25), Aron Baynes (24), Mikal Bridges (24) and Dario Saric (11).

Thunder 105 (40-24), Celtics 104 (42-21)

Dennis Schroder made the game-winning layup after stripping the ball from Jayson Tatum with 8.5 seconds in the 4th quarter. The Thunder overcame a 18-point deficit due to the stellar play of Schroder (27 points) and Chris Paul (28 points).

Heat 100 (41-23), Wizards 89 (23-40)

Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (27 points and 14 rebounds) in the Nation’s Capitol. Ducan Robinson caught fire from deep, knocking down six 3-pointers, en route to a 23-point performance.

Pacers 112 (39-25), Mavericks 109 (39-26)

Victor Oladpio scored the final six points to give Indiana the W in Dallas. Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, TJ Warren and Myles Turner had 16 apiece.

Magic 126 (29-35), Rockets 106 (39-24)

Orlando’s bench came up huge in H-Town – D.J. Augustin scored a team-high 24 points, and Michael Carter-Williams and Terrence Ross each had 16. Aaron Gordon finished with 19 points.

Knicks 96 (20-44), Pistons 84 (20-45)

New York pulled away in the fourth to get the win at The Garden. Julius Randle had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Elfird Payton finished 16 points and RJ Barrett added 12.

Cavaliers 132 (19-45), Spurs 129 (26-36)

After Rudy Gay hit a jumper to force OT, Kevin Love’s late-game 3-pointer gave the Cavs the lead. Love finished with 14 points, Andre Drummond had 28 points and 12 rebounds and Collin Sexton finished with 26.

Raptors 118 (45-18), Kings 113 (28-36)

Both teams went back and forth, but Pascal Siakam made some huge plays to give Toronto the edge on the road. Siakam finished with 23 points. Norman Powell finished with 31 points and Kyle Lowry had 30 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 58 Points in Battle for LA appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-lebron-ad-win/feed/ 0 Newswire Notebook: Malik Beasley’s Emergence and More https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/newswire-notebook-malik-beasleys-emergence-and-more/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/newswire-notebook-malik-beasleys-emergence-and-more/#respond Sat, 29 Feb 2020 01:15:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=561847 Each week here at SLAM we’re going to empty out the notebook and give you some facts and figures about each NBA team. These are meant to give you a one-stop shop for what’s been happening around the league and highlight a few things you may have missed! You can find the Eastern Conference notes […]

The post Newswire Notebook: Malik Beasley’s Emergence and More appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Each week here at SLAM we’re going to empty out the notebook and give you some facts and figures about each NBA team. These are meant to give you a one-stop shop for what’s been happening around the league and highlight a few things you may have missed! You can find the Eastern Conference notes here.

  • Dallas Mavericks – Dallas is continuing to deal with injuries. Dwight Powell is out for the season, and now Luka Doncic (ankle) and Jalen Brunson (shoulder) are nicked up. For Doncic, it doesn’t seem serious, but it is a bit troubling that he continues to have ankle troubles. Brunson has a torn labrum in his right shoulder, but he’s a lefty and is planning to try to play through it. The Mavs have lots of guard depth, but getting healthy for the playoff run is key.
  • Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets aren’t catching the Lakers for the top spot in the Western Conference, but they’ve been able to hold off the Clippers and Rockets so far. A big reason why is Denver is finally healthy. With their full roster, the Nuggets are legitimately 10 deep. Mike Malone can now use the rest of the regular season to figure out his playoff rotation.
  • Golden State Warriors – One star back, one star out for the Dubs. Stephen Curry’s return is right around the corner, but Klay Thompson was ruled out for the season recently. Steve Kerr will get a look at how Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins can work together over the season’s final 20 games or so, and then Thompson will slide in as a plug-and-play addition next season. Golden State also continues to cycle through 10-day players, as Dragan Bender and Mychal Mulder have both signed on recently.
  • Houston Rockets – Houston is fully committed to the small-ball style. Unless Tristan Thompson is shockingly bought out in the next couple of days, the Rockets will stick with a “center” rotation of P.J. Tucker and Jeff Green, the latter of whom will sign for the rest of the season. It’s worked so far, as Houston has won five straight games. One worry: Will Tucker have enough in the tank to make this a multi-month thing in a playoff run?
  • Los Angeles Clippers – Doc Rivers and a handful of players have recently intimated that it’s time for the Clippers to figure out who they are. Due to injuries, load management and recent trades/signings, LA has about a month and a half to figure out their rotation. Sure, the roster is stacked with talent. But it’s up to Rivers to figure out how all that talent fits and time is starting to running out.
  • Los Angeles Lakers – Markieff Morris is now in the fold for the Lakers. That might be the final move for Los Angeles, as the buyout market has really dried up. Morris gives the Lakers some additional depth up front, and that could be key down the stretch. LA hasn’t had a real backup for Anthony Davis, as Kyle Kuzma is more of a swing forward than a true four. With Morris, Frank Vogel can now spot Davis some rest days or keep him out when the inevitable bumps and bruises come. With a 5.5-game cushion in the standings, expect the Lakers to turn the focus to being healthy and rested for the playoffs.
  • Memphis Grizzlies – Memphis’ Cinderella season seems to be closing in on midnight. The Grizzlies lead for the last playoff spot in the West is down to just three games, and five teams have closed to within 4.5 games. With Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and Justise Winslow sidelined with injuries for at least a few weeks, it’s going to be tough for Memphis to hold off the charge.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves – The Wolves hope at the trade deadline was to get their new additions on the floor with Karl-Anthony Towns and get a glimpse of their future. Now, Towns is out for at least a couple of weeks with a fractured left wrist. On the flip side, Malik Beasley is playing great since getting to Minnesota. He’s averaged 21.7 PPG on nearly 42% as a Timberwolf. D’Angelo Russell got the headlines as a trade addition, but Beasley may be just as big a part of the future in Minnesota.
  • New Orleans Pelicans – Have you seen this Zion kid? He’s pretty good! In all seriousness, Williamson’s debut has jolted the Pelicans into the Western Conference playoff race. New Orleans is now just three games behind Memphis. And the Pels have a very easy closing schedule. Would you like to see a Lakers vs. Pelicans series in Round 1? Us too!
  • Oklahoma City Thunder – The Thunder have gone from a nice story to a full-scale playoff team. Did you know OKC is only four games behind for the two-seed? Didn’t think so. And they’re getting some wings back, as Terrance Ferguson and Hamidou Diallo are both healthy now. Neither is a star, but for a team that needs wing depth, they’ll take what they can get.
  • Phoenix Suns – Phoenix simply can’t have nice things. Deandre Ayton is back and dominating. Key veterans Aron Baynes and Ricky Rubio are healthy. Devin Booker is an All-Star. So, of course, they lose a key player to injury. Kelly Oubre Jr., who was having a career-year, suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and will likely miss the rest of the season. Oubre is seeking a second opinion, but the Suns are preparing for life without him.
  • Portland Trail Blazers – Even without Damian Lillard, the Blazers have hung around the playoff race. Portland is three games behind Memphis and they have one of the easier closing schedules left. There is still no clear return timetable for Jusuf Nurkic or Zach Collins, but if the Trail Blazers can hang in there, they’ll add as much talent as anyone for the final playoff push.
  • Sacramento Kings – The Kings are making an improbable run at the playoffs. Sacramento has gone 6-4 over their last 10 games to get back in the race. Luke Walton’s lineup swap of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield has worked as well. Bogdanovic has averaged 14.2 PPG as a starter, while Hield has been instant-offense off the bench at 20.2 PPG on 48.9% from behind the arc.
  • San Antonio Spurs – San Antonio is scratching and clawing to extend their playoff streak to 24 years. They’ve been passed by New Orleans in the standings, which means the Spurs will have to pass the Pelicans, Trail Blazers and Grizzlies to get into the postseason. Gregg Popovich is leaning heavily on LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, but is finally getting improved play from the Spurs role players. It’s a tall task, but bet against San Antonio at your own peril.
  • Utah Jazz – To put it simply, the Jazz are a mess right now. Utah has lost four straight games and this week Quin Snyder made a messy lineup shuffle. On Wednesday morning, Mike Conley was informed he’d go back to the bench and Royce O’Neale would open games again. By the time players showed up at the arena, Conley was back in the opening group and Joe Ingles was coming off the bench. That confusing back-and-forth sums up where the Jazz are at right now.

The post Newswire Notebook: Malik Beasley’s Emergence and More appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/newswire-notebook-malik-beasleys-emergence-and-more/feed/ 0 No. 8 Seed In The West Open As Playoff Race Heats Up https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/no-8-seed-in-the-west-open-as-playoff-race-heats-up/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/no-8-seed-in-the-west-open-as-playoff-race-heats-up/#respond Wed, 26 Feb 2020 01:29:30 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=561559 Heading into the All-Star break, it looked like the Memphis Grizzlies had a firm grasp on the eighth seed in the Western Conference. A week or so later, it looks like as many as six teams are making a run at the final spot in the West’s postseason bracket Memphis has come out of the […]

The post No. 8 Seed In The West Open As Playoff Race Heats Up appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Heading into the All-Star break, it looked like the Memphis Grizzlies had a firm grasp on the eighth seed in the Western Conference. A week or so later, it looks like as many as six teams are making a run at the final spot in the West’s postseason bracket

Memphis has come out of the break banged up and on a three-game losing streak. Jaren Jackson Jr. is down for at least two weeks due to a sprained knee and Brandon Clarke joined him on the shelf with a right quad bruise. Justise Winslow, who was acquired at the trade deadline for starting forward Jae Crowder, has yet to make his Grizzlies debut as he continues to deal with a back injury that has plagued him all season.

All of the injuries have left Memphis shorthanded up front and relying on backups to play key minutes.

To add to it, the Grizzlies have the NBA’s toughest closing schedule. Memphis’ opponents over their last 25 games have a combined .554 winning percentage. The stretch includes games against both the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers (the leaders of each conference), two games against the Toronto Raptors and a game each against the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets.

The young Grizzlies have been a surprise to this point in the season, but to hang on and make the playoffs might be an even bigger shock at this point.

Battling it out behind Memphis is a collection of teams who have been there before and a few who haven’t sniffed the postseason in years. There are five teams between 2.5 and 4.5 games back and all of them have 24 or 25 games left to play.

Despite a slew of injuries of their own, the Portland Trail Blazers have hung around and trail the Grizzlies by 2.5 games entering play on Tuesday night. Damian Lillard is out for a few weeks, and big men Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins still don’t have return dates, but Terry Stotts has kept the Blazers afloat.

C.J. McCollum is carrying the scoring load and Carmelo Anthony’s resurgence has seen him pick up a bigger offensive role over the last couple of weeks. Hassan Whiteside continues to play well as the only healthy center on the roster, and Trevor Ariza has added a defensive element since he was acquired in late-January.

Unlike the Grizzlies, the Trail Blazers benefit from their closing schedule. They’ve got the league’s fifth-easiest batch over their final 24 games. Portland has games against Golden State, Cleveland, Minnesota (twice) and Atlanta still coming. That’s a bunch of wins the Blazers should be able to bank.

Speaking of easy schedules, the New Orleans Pelicans have gotten back in the race behind the third-easiest schedule to close the season. Cleveland, two games apiece against Atlanta and Minnesota and one game against New York are on tap for the Pels.

In addition, no team has gotten more players back from injury than New Orleans has. Their entire roster is ready to go for this stretch run, including rookie sensation Zion Williamson. And if the Pelicans can snag the eight seed, they’d likely match up with the Lakers. Who wouldn’t like to see that in the first round?

Just behind the Pelicans are the San Antonio Spurs. Why should we keep monitoring the surprisingly underwhelming Spurs? Because they’ve made the postseason for a record 23 straight times.

The challenge for Gregg Popovich in extending that streak is getting production from someone other than LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. It’s been a bit of a mixed-bag for San Antonio from night to night as to anyone showing up around two former All-Stars.

The Spurs will also benefit from an easy schedule to finish out the year as well, as they’ve got the sixth-easiest schedule. Much like their competitors for the last playoff spot in the West, San Antonio can feast on a couple of games against the Timberwolves, as well as two vs the Warriors. Unlike their peers, the Spurs have been mostly-healthy this season, so they really just need productive minutes from players who have been there, done that.

Two other teams have unexpectedly gotten themselves back in the playoff conversation: the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. The Kings recently said that they were making a playoff push. They’ve gone 6-4 over their last 10 games and also have an easy closing schedule. They’ve got the Warriors and Cavaliers two times apiece and a game against the Wolves.

Sacramento has worked around injuries all season, as they’ve rarely had their full rotation together at the same time. Luke Walton recently shuffled the lineup around by switching Buddy Hield to the sixth-man role and inserting Bogdan Bogdanovic in the starting group. That has brought some balance to both units. Bogdanovic gives the openers another player who can create offense off the bounce alongside De’Aaron Fox, while Hield is instant offense off the bench.

The Suns are no stranger to not having their full complement of players available. Monty Williams has mixed and matched around injuries and DeAndre Ayton’s 25-game suspension early in the season. Now that Phoenix is fully healthy, they’re playing some of their best ball of the year. Devin Booker has blossomed into an All-Star and Ayton’s improved defense is matching his terrific offense.

With solid veterans like Ricky Rubio and Aron Baynes, the Suns have players who know what it’s like to make a playoff push. The challenge for Phoenix, like Sacramento, is making up not only the 4.5 game deficit in the standings, but also climbing several other teams.

For a while it looked like the playoff picture in both conferences was locked in, minus seeding. With the precocious Grizzlies coming back to the pack and the teams behind them benefiting from schedules and better health, we might just have a real playoff race on our hands after all.

The post No. 8 Seed In The West Open As Playoff Race Heats Up appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/no-8-seed-in-the-west-open-as-playoff-race-heats-up/feed/ 0 Post Up: Joel Embiid Drops Career-High 49 Points in Win vs. Hawks https://www.slamonline.com/postup/joel-embiid-career-high-49-points-hawks/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/joel-embiid-career-high-49-points-hawks/#respond Tue, 25 Feb 2020 05:56:39 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=561394 Heat 119 (36-21), Cavaliers 125 (16-41) Cavs rookie Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 30 points to help Cleveland upset the Heat. Bam Adebayo almost finished with a triple-double, registering 22 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists. Hawks 112 (17-42), 76ers 129 (36-22) Joel Embiid showed out against the Hawks, dropping a new career-high of […]

The post Post Up: Joel Embiid Drops Career-High 49 Points in Win vs. Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Heat 119 (36-21), Cavaliers 125 (16-41)

Cavs rookie Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 30 points to help Cleveland upset the Heat. Bam Adebayo almost finished with a triple-double, registering 22 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists.

Hawks 112 (17-42), 76ers 129 (36-22)

Joel Embiid showed out against the Hawks, dropping a new career-high of 49 points to secure the home win. Trae Young scored 28 points in the loss.

Bucks 137 (49-8), Wizards 134 (20-36)

Bradley Beal did everything he could to drag his team to the win, putting up his second 50-point game in as many nights, but the Wizards fell at home in overtime. Khris Middleton was the standout for Milwaukee, leading the team with 40 points.

Magic 115 (25-32), Nets 113 (26-30)

Aaron Gordon came up with a clutch block in the final seconds that sealed the road win for Orlando; Gordon finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the winning effort. Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 24 points for the Nets.

Knicks 112 (17-40), Rockets 123 (37-20)

Houston had no problems in the second half as they coasted to a home win against New York. James Harden scored a team-high 37 points and added 9 assists. Knicks rookie RJ Barrett put up 21 points to lead the team.

Timberwolves 123 (16-40), Mavericks 139 (35-32)

Dallas led from start to finish in their victory against the Wolves. Tim Hardaway Jr. (23 points) and Luka Doncic (20 points) gave the Mavs the scoring edge. D’Angelo Russell scored 29 points for Minnesota.

Suns 131 (24-34), Jazz 111 (36-21)

Ricky Rubio helped his new team beat his ex-team by contributing 22 points and 11 assists in the Suns’ win; his teammate Devin Booker added his own double-double of 24 points and 10 assists. Donovan Mitchell popped off for 38 points in the loss.

Grizzlies 97 (28-28), Clippers 124 (37-19)

LA took a 40-14 lead after the first quarter, a sign of how this game would go. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 25 points.

The post Post Up: Joel Embiid Drops Career-High 49 Points in Win vs. Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/joel-embiid-career-high-49-points-hawks/feed/ 0 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Phoenix Suns https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-trade-deadline-primer-phoenix-suns/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-trade-deadline-primer-phoenix-suns/#respond Sat, 18 Jan 2020 20:08:06 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=557720 With the new year now finally upon us, speculation ahead of the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline is in full swing. Whether Phoenix Suns fans are in consensus about what the team ought to do before the Feb. 6, 2020 cut off or not, anticipation mounts across all fanbases that there will be fireworks. In this […]

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> With the new year now finally upon us, speculation ahead of the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline is in full swing. Whether Phoenix Suns fans are in consensus about what the team ought to do before the Feb. 6, 2020 cut off or not, anticipation mounts across all fanbases that there will be fireworks.

In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Suns players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

  • Devin Booker
  • Kelly Oubre
  • Deandre Ayton
  • Mikal Bridges
  • Cameron Johnson
  • Ty Jerome

No, the Suns are not going to trade Devin Booker for Kyle Kuzma despite Stephen A. Smith’s wishes. In fact, it’s unlikely the team moves its franchise shooting guard before the trade deadline regardless of how bleak the team’s playoff hopes look.

Kelly Oubre, who came to the Suns via a mid-season trade with the Wizards last year, is the team’s candidate for the Most Improved award and it would be surprising if the team moved him or any member of its young core (barring a blockbuster deal for a star of course).

Biggest Name Available On Market

  • Dario Saric

Offseason addition Dario Saric hasn’t made much of an impact as Phoenix’s fifth starter this season. Prior to the contest against the Knicks, he hadn’t scored in double figures since the calendar turned to 2020. His usage rate has approached single digits on many nights and according to NBA Math, he’s a neutral presence on defense while only Tyler Johnson and Jevon Carter have been worse offensively.

Saric, who will be a restricted free agent after the season, arrived in Phoenix on draft night in a deal that saw Minnesota move up to No. 6 and nab Jarrett Culver. There’s been no reports of Phoenix shopping Saric but the power forward is surely available should a team have interest.

Logical Trade Pieces

  • Tyler Johnson

Johnson is in the final year of a unique four-year, $50M deal he signed back in 2016. His $19.3M salary could be used to bring Phoenix a piece should the team go hunting for an expensive addition.

Trades Are Possible

  • Ricky Rubio
  • Aron Baynes
  • Frank Kaminsky
  • Cheick Diallo
  • Elie Okobo
  • Jevon Carter
  • Jalen Lecque

After years of disappointing point guard play, the team ponied up for Ricky Rubio during the offseason and it’s hard to envision the team trading the veteran unless it was for a significant upgrade at the position. 🏀 Aron Baynes is making just $5.5M in the final year of his deal, though he may seem like logical trade candidate, he’s simply been too important for this club to move. The Suns have even given the Baynes-Ayton combo significant run, hoping to find reasons to keep the Australian big on the floor. 🏀 Frank Kaminsky is out indefinitely with a right patella stress fracture. He has a $5.0M team option on his deal for next season. 🏀 Cheick Diallo has really only played when Baynes misses times, though he’s been stuffing the stat sheet on those occasions. 🏀 Jevon Carter came to the Suns in the Josh Jackson trade over the summer. He has seen inconsistent minutes across his 25 appearances in Phoenix. 🏀 Although he’s on a standard contract, Jalen Lecque has spent most of his time with the G League’s Northern Arizona Suns and only recently made his NBA debut.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-trade-deadline-primer-phoenix-suns/feed/ 0 Post Up: Brandon Ingram Erupts for Career-High 49 Points to Defeat Jazz in OT https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-brandon-ingram-erupts-for-career-high-49-points-to-defeat-jazz-in-ot/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-brandon-ingram-erupts-for-career-high-49-points-to-defeat-jazz-in-ot/#respond Fri, 17 Jan 2020 06:32:41 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=557586 Suns 121 (17-24), Knicks 98 (11-31) Granted, it was against the Knicks, but Phoenix has to be happy with the performance they just turned in. Center Deandre Ayton, who has spent a majority of his sophomore season either suspended or chasing smaller players around the perimeter, finally had a monster game again with stalwart center […]

The post Post Up: Brandon Ingram Erupts for Career-High 49 Points to Defeat Jazz in OT appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Suns 121 (17-24), Knicks 98 (11-31)

Granted, it was against the Knicks, but Phoenix has to be happy with the performance they just turned in. Center Deandre Ayton, who has spent a majority of his sophomore season either suspended or chasing smaller players around the perimeter, finally had a monster game again with stalwart center Aron Baynes out. Ayton had 26 points, 21 rebounds and 2 blocks, a true throwback center game.

Elsewhere, Devin Booker had an efficient 29 and Ricky Rubio was just having fun out there with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists and 4 swipes.

Bucks 128 (37-6), Celtics 123 (27-13)

Despite a furious Celtics 4th quarter comeback, the Bucks got the dub, and further displayed that they may have the Celtics’ number this season. Giannis had 32 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists (the fact that this stat line has become normal is simply unbelievable), Khris Middleton chipped in 23 and Donte DiVencenzo had 19 off the pine.

For the Celtics, Kemba Walker exploded for 40 and Jaylen Brown scored 24, but the Bucks were simply too much to handle.

Pelicans 138 (16-26), Jazz 132 (28-13)

What a game.

Both Brandon Ingram (49 points) and Donovan Mitchell (46 points) had career-highs in this unexpectedly epic showdown. And even though the Jazz sent the game into overtime thanks to a Rudy Gobert free throw, Ingram sealed the deal in extra minutes. Also, shout out Derrick Favors (21 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks) for showing his old team he’s still a menace.

Nuggets 134 (29-12), Warriors 131 (9-34)

Well that was a surprise banger of a game.

Trailing for most of the game, the Nuggets rallied all the way back to force OT and secure the victory thanks to some clutch plays by Malik Beasley, Michael Porter Jr and Nikola Jokic.

With Jamal Murray nursing an injury, everyone stepped up. Beasley had 23 points to bring them back and Porter Jr had 18 (and some fantastic plays down the stretch). Then there was Jokic, who had 23 points, 12 boards and 8 assists, and Will Barton, who led the team with 31 points.

Clippers 122 (29-13), Magic 95 (20-22)

Add another win to the Clippers’ books. Despite having virtually one of their stars sit out ever game, LA still has a great record. Kawhi Leonard was his usual surgical self, scoring 32 points, grabbing 5 boards and dishing 5 assists.

The post Post Up: Brandon Ingram Erupts for Career-High 49 Points to Defeat Jazz in OT appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-brandon-ingram-erupts-for-career-high-49-points-to-defeat-jazz-in-ot/feed/ 0 Post Up: Kyrie Irving Leads Nets to Win Over Hawks in Return 😤 https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-kyrie-irving-leads-nets-to-win-over-hawks-in-return/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-kyrie-irving-leads-nets-to-win-over-hawks-in-return/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2020 03:32:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=557090 Jazz 127 (27-12), Wizards 116 (13-26) All five of Utah’s starters finished in double figures with Bogdan Bogdanovic scoring a game-high 31 points. Rudy Gobert had 21 and 14, and Jordan Clarkson added 23 off the bench. Knicks 124 (11-29), Heat 121 (27-12) Julius Randle finished with 26 points and RJ Barrett added 23 points […]

The post Post Up: Kyrie Irving Leads Nets to Win Over Hawks in Return 😤 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Jazz 127 (27-12), Wizards 116 (13-26)

All five of Utah’s starters finished in double figures with Bogdan Bogdanovic scoring a game-high 31 points. Rudy Gobert had 21 and 14, and Jordan Clarkson added 23 off the bench.

Knicks 124 (11-29), Heat 121 (27-12)

Julius Randle finished with 26 points and RJ Barrett added 23 points at MSG to snap a five-game losing streak. The Knicks rallied back from being down 14 in the third quarter.

Grizzlies 122 (18-22), Warriors 102 (9-32)

Jonas Valanciunas posted a double-double (31 points, 19 rebounds) to give Memphis its fifth consecutive win. Jaren Jackson Jr added 21 points and Ja Morant posted a near triple-double (11 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds).

Nets 108 (18-20), Hawks 86 (8-32)

In his return back to the starting lineup, Kyrie Irving finished with a team-high 21 points at Barclays Center. Tauren Prince had 14 points and DeAndre Jordan put up 13 and 8.

Spurs 105 (13-21), Raptors 104 (25-14)

DeMar DeRozan put up a game-high 25 points, including a nasty poster on Chris Boucher. Rudy Gay, who also had an impressive dunk of his own, finished with 15 points. Derrick White added 13.

Suns 100 (16-23), Hornets 92 (15-27)

Kelly Oubre led all scorers with 25 points in the home win. Devin Booker finished with 12 and Ricky Rubio and Mikal Bridges finished with 10 apiece.

Nuggets 112 (267-12), Clippers 104 (27-12)

The Clippers showed signs of closing the gap, but couldn’t convert down the stretch. Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Jamal Murray finished with 19 points and Michael Porter Jr (13 points) and Monte Morris (12 points) combined for 25 points off the bench.

The post Post Up: Kyrie Irving Leads Nets to Win Over Hawks in Return 😤 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-kyrie-irving-leads-nets-to-win-over-hawks-in-return/feed/ 0 Post Up: The Braided Beard Handles 76ers in Primetime https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-the-braided-beard-handles-76ers-in-primetime/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-the-braided-beard-handles-76ers-in-primetime/#respond Sat, 04 Jan 2020 06:02:33 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=556224 Celtics 109 (24-8), Hawks 106 (7-28) The Celtics did not miss a beat without star guard Kemba Walker, as they defeated the Hawks to bring their home record to an admirable 14-2. Jaylen Brown was excellent, scoring 24 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting with 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Marcus Smart, back from a […]

The post Post Up: The Braided Beard Handles 76ers in Primetime appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Celtics 109 (24-8), Hawks 106 (7-28)

The Celtics did not miss a beat without star guard Kemba Walker, as they defeated the Hawks to bring their home record to an admirable 14-2. Jaylen Brown was excellent, scoring 24 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting with 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Marcus Smart, back from a recent eye infection, stuffed the stat sheet as usual, and even though he only scored 15 points, he made his presence felt with 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. If I’m in the playoffs, I want him on my team.

For the Hawks, Trae Young was marvelous, with 28 points, 10 assists and some jawdropping long-range bombs, but this game showed exactly why the Hawks were reportedly targeting Andre Drummond. They lost the rebounding battle 42-54, and the Celtics had twice as many offensive rebounds. Bring on the trade rumors.

Magic 106 (16-19), Heat 85 (25-10)

Remember when 85 points was a normal score? Nowadays, if a team scored that many, it usually doesn’t end well. Despite a valiant effort from star Jimmy Butler (23 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals), center Bam Adebayo was the only other player to reach double-digit points.

Thanks to 25 points on a scorching 6-10 from deep from Terrence Ross, the Magic were able to take advantage of Miami’s off night. They also got this wild dunk from renowned leaper Aaron Gordon:

Blazers 122 (15-21), Wizards 103 (10-24)

The Blazers easily handled the Wizards thanks to their core four. Damian Lillard dropped 35 points, CJ McCollum contributed 24 of his own, Hassan Whiteside had 23 points, 21 rebounds and 5 blocks, and Melo had a sweet put back jam to go along with 16 points on 7-9 shooting

The Wiz can take solace in an unexpected 35 points from reserve guard Jordan McRae at least.

Rockets 118 (24-11), 76ers 108 (23-14)

James Harden broke out the braids, and the results were fantastic as usual. The braided Beard dropped 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a convincing win over the inconsistent 76ers. Clint Capela also exploded for 30 points and 14 rebounds on 80% shooting.

Sure, Ben Simmons had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, but it simply was not enough.

Suns 120 (14-21), Knicks 112 (10-25)

The Suns got to throw out their original starting lineup of Ricky Rubio, Devin Booker, Kelly Oubre, DeAndre Ayton and Aron Baynes for the first time in a while, and the result was a victory. Sure, it was against the Knicks, but it was a victory nonetheless.

Booker was fantastic per usual, with 38 points and 7 assists; it was his fifth straight game of 30 or more points. Oubre continued his phenomenal season with 29 points on 11-16 shooting and Ayton added a double double and 5 assists.

Lakers 123 (28-7), Pelicans 113 (11-24)

It was a big reunion night for all involved from the blockbuster Lakers-Pelicans trade this summer. Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball combined for 45 points, but it was not enough against the rolling Lake Show.

AD was out for vengeance, exploding for 46 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals, while LeBron supplanted a modest 17 points with a monster 15 assists. Danny Green also splashed home six 3-pointers for 25 points.

The post Post Up: The Braided Beard Handles 76ers in Primetime appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-the-braided-beard-handles-76ers-in-primetime/feed/ 0 Post Up: Trae Young Drops 49 Points, But Hawks Succumb to Pacers in OT https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-49-points-but-hawks-succumb-to-pacers-in-ot/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-49-points-but-hawks-succumb-to-pacers-in-ot/#respond Sat, 30 Nov 2019 05:51:24 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=552869 Nets 112 (10-6), Celtics 107 (13-5) After succumbing to a pre-Thanksgiving loss to the Celtics, the Nets roared back in their second consecutive game against Boston. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie was fantastic in Kyrie Irving’s absence, scoring 32 points, dishing out 11 assists and swiping 2 steals. Third year center Jarrett Allen continued his solid play […]

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 49 Points, But Hawks Succumb to Pacers in OT appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Nets 112 (10-6), Celtics 107 (13-5)

After succumbing to a pre-Thanksgiving loss to the Celtics, the Nets roared back in their second consecutive game against Boston. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie was fantastic in Kyrie Irving’s absence, scoring 32 points, dishing out 11 assists and swiping 2 steals. Third year center Jarrett Allen continued his solid play of late, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 boards on 7-12 shooting.

The Celtics have played excellent ball recently, despite losing Gordon Hayward to a hand injury. Jayson Tatum has bounced back from his sophomore slump to take over the scoring reigns this year, and he scored 26 points, corralled 9 rebounds and collected 4 steals in the first game of Black Friday.

Raptors 90 (14-4), Magic 80 (7-11)

The Raptors just keep on winning. Amid a slew of free agent departures and injuries to Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, Toronto has kept on chugging. They can even sustain an off-night from Pascal Siakam thanks to Norm Powell exploding for 33 points and Fred VanVleet putting up 22 and 7 steals.

The Magic shot 34% from the field, and that’s really the only stat you need to know to get an idea of how their night went.

Hornets 110 (8-12), Pistons 107 (6-13)

PJ Washington has continued his impressive rookie campaign, scoring 26 points and grabbing 4 steals on an efficient 9-12 shooting performance.

It’s been an uninspiring start to the season for Detroit, but at least Derrick Rose has proven to be a spark plug off the bench. He dropped 23 points on 8-12 shooting, and also provided us this adorable moment with his son, PJ, before the game.

Bucks 119 (16-3), Cavaliers 110 (5-14)

Giannis set the tone instantly with a dunk on the first play of the game, as the Bucks won their 10th straight game to finish off the Cavaliers. The Greek Freak remains a beast, and it’s incredible that he makes 33 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks seem ordinary.

Even in defeat, the Cavs have been competent. Rookie Darius Garland showed out with 21 points, 6 assists and 5 three-pointers. Keep an eye on the rook, because he’s going to be a stud in this league for a long time.

76ers 101 (13-6), Knicks 95 (4-15)

The 76ers had a sluggish start, as they were outscored 18-31 in the first quarter, but they eventually got their act together to take care of business. Joel Embiid was fantastic, scoring 27 points (albeit on a subpar 7-19 shooting), corralling 17 boards and swatting 3 shots, while Ben Simmons brought the 76ers home with a late-game inbounds steal and score.

He also converted this acrobatic layup on the move.

Jazz 103 (12-7), Grizzlies 94 (5-13)

In perhaps the most visually appealing game this season (seriously, each team absolutely nailed their throwback jerseys), the Jazz were too much to handle for the young Grizz. Bojan Bogdanovic put up 33 points, Rudy Gobert chipped in a solid double-double and Donovan Mitchell added 20 points of his own.

Thunder 109 (7-11), Pelicans 104 (6-13)

The Thunder came back by outscoring the Pelicans 30-20 in the 4th quarter. Dennis Schroder led the way off the bench with 25 points and 7 assists, while Steven Adams finished them off with a thunderous (pun intended) slam dunk down the stretch.

The Pelicans are swill biding time before the Zion Williamson’s highly anticipated debut, but in the meantime, Brandon Ingram seems content to keep on cooking. He had the smoothest transition from spin move to dunk:

Heat 122 (13-5), Warriors 105 (4-16)

It’s so weird to see the record 4-16 next to the Warriors, but that’s what happens when Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston are absent.

The Heat have been one of the best stories of the young season, riding a new wave of their young talent (Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow) to supplement their veteran core of Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk. the team shot a blistering 52% from deep. Also, they never miss on the gorgeous Miami Vice city edition jerseys.

Spurs 107 (7-13), Clippers 97 (14-6)

The Spurs broke out of their surprising downward spiral by giving the Clippers their first loss when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both shared the court together.

For the Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his most complete games of the season, going for 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks.

Pacers 105 (12-6), Hawks 104 (4-15)

Despite a monstrous Trae Young performance (49 points on 16-28 shooting with 8 three-pointers and 9-9 from the line), the relentless Pacers pulled away in overtime. No other starter on the Hawks scored more than 7 points.

With Malcolm Brogdon back in the fold, Indiana has been rock solid this season. Every starter scored between 16 and 20 points; the epitome of a group effort.

Mavericks 120 (12-6), Suns 113 (8-10)

Luka Doncic went scorched earth all over the poor Suns. The Slovenian sensation dropped 42 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists in a convincing victory against the Suns. Tim Hardaway Jr also chipped in 26 points.

The Suns have slowed down a tad after an impressive start to the season, but a core four of Devin Booker, Aron Baynes, Kelly Oubre and Ricky Rubio has outscored opponents by 8 points per 100 possessions all season, and center DeAndre Ayton is set to return soon. The future is bright in Phoenix.

Blazers 107 (8-12), Bulls 103 (6-14)

Melo is looking like his old self, and every moment is beautiful to watch. He scored 23 points and grabbed 11 boards, while teammate Hassan Whiteside swallowed a Blazers franchise record 10 blocks to go along with 15 rebounds. Maybe he grew dissatisfied with his NBA 2K rating again.

For the Bulls, Zach LaVine led the way with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and so far, zero public disputes with Jim Boylen today.

Lakers 125 (17-2), Wizards 103 (6-11)

Well, that was certainly a blowout. The Lakers have been on fire this season and they showed no signs of letting up Friday at Staples. LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the way per usual, with commendable contributions from Rajon Rondo (who threw two beautiful alley-oops), JaVale McGee and Danny Green.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 49 Points, But Hawks Succumb to Pacers in OT appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-49-points-but-hawks-succumb-to-pacers-in-ot/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio Limited As Back Spasms Return https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-limited-as-back-spasms-return/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-limited-as-back-spasms-return/#respond Wed, 20 Nov 2019 15:46:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=551853 The Phoenix Suns found out five minutes before their Monday night game that starting point guard Ricky Rubio was unable to play as a result of back spasms. Those issues returned against last night, forcing the veteran back to the sidelines. Despite missing the first game of Phoenix’s back-to-back against the Boston Celtics, Rubio set […]

The post Ricky Rubio Limited As Back Spasms Return appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns found out five minutes before their Monday night game that starting point guard Ricky Rubio was unable to play as a result of back spasms. Those issues returned against last night, forcing the veteran back to the sidelines.

Despite missing the first game of Phoenix’s back-to-back against the Boston Celtics, Rubio set out to play Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings and even started the first half of the ball game.

Unfortunately for Suns fans, Rubio struggled to an 0-7 first half and was eventually shut down after just 16 minutes of action. Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports that it was in fact that back spasms that limited Rubio.

It’s unclear how the team will handle the injury heading forward given that the spasms returned so quickly after the first bout. Their next game is scheduled for tomorrow night.

In his first year with the Suns, Rubio has been a major part of the team’s drastic improvement and his absence was felt when he was forced to the sidelines. Despite the consecutive losses without Rubio, Phoenix is still 7-6 on the season.

In 11 games for the Suns this season, Rubio has averaged 12.5 points and 8.1 assists.

The post Ricky Rubio Limited As Back Spasms Return appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-limited-as-back-spasms-return/feed/ 0 Post Up: Trae Young Drops 42 to Lead the Hawks to a Win in Denver https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-42-to-lead-the-hawks-to-a-win-in-denver/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-42-to-lead-the-hawks-to-a-win-in-denver/#respond Wed, 13 Nov 2019 06:02:34 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=551313 Pacers 111 (7-4), Thunder 85 (4-7) T. J. Warren led the way with 23 points on 10-14 shooting as the Pacers cruised to a win in OKC. Malcolm Brogdon added 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. 76ers 98 (7-3), Cavaliers 97 (4-6) A clutch, go ahead dunk from Joel Embiid with 13 seconds left […]

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 42 to Lead the Hawks to a Win in Denver appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Pacers 111 (7-4), Thunder 85 (4-7)

T. J. Warren led the way with 23 points on 10-14 shooting as the Pacers cruised to a win in OKC. Malcolm Brogdon added 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

76ers 98 (7-3), Cavaliers 97 (4-6)

A clutch, go ahead dunk from Joel Embiid with 13 seconds left lifted the 76ers to the win over the Cavs. Embiid was a monster all night, finishing with 27 points and 16 rebounds. Kevin Love and Jordan Clarkson each dropped 20 in the loss.

Heat 117 (7-3), Pistons 108 (4-8)

The Heat held off a late surge from the Pistons to secure their 7th win of the season. Miami had 6 players finish in double figures, and Jimmy Butler led the way with 20 points and 13 assists. Luke Kennard finished with 22 points in the loss.

Bulls 120 (4-7), Knicks 102 (2-9)

It was the Coby White show in the windy city.

The rookie splashed a franchise record 7 threes in the 4th quarter alone and finished with a game-high 27 points. Zach LaVine shined too, dropping 25 points and 5 assists. For the Knicks, rookie RJ Barrett continued to impress, finishing with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Lakers 123 (8-2), Suns 115 (6-4)

The top-seeded Lakers took care of business on the road against the Suns, closing the game on a 12-2 run. Anthony Davis dropped a game-high 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma added 23 points, and LeBron stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Suns, who have been the surprise of the season thus far, battled till the end on the backs of Devin Booker (21p, 9a) and Ricky Rubio (21p, 10a).

Hawks 125 (4-6), Nuggets 121 (7-3)

Ice Trae continues to tear up the league.

He went OFF for a season-high 42 points, including 8-13 from three, and 11 assists to lead the Hawks to a big win in Denver. Trae became the first player in Hawks franchise history to record 30 points and 10 assists in three straight games. Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Jazz 119 (8-3), Nets 114 (4-6)

The Jazz continued their red-hot start to the season with a wire-to-wire win over the Nets. Donovan Mitchell shined, dropping a game-high 30 points. Rudy Gobert added 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 27 points and 5 assists.

Kings 107 (3-6), Blazers 99 (4-6)

The Kings outscored the Blazers 35-21 in the third quarter and held off the late comeback to pick up their 3rd win of the season. Bogdan Bogdonaovic led the way with 25 points and 10 assists off the bench. Portland’s elite backcourt showed out, with Damian Lillard dropping 27 and CJ McCollum adding 24 in the loss.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 42 to Lead the Hawks to a Win in Denver appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-42-to-lead-the-hawks-to-a-win-in-denver/feed/ 0 Post Up: Pascal Siakam Helps Snap Lakers’ Seven-Game Win Streak https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-pascal-siakam-helps-snap-lakers-seven-game-win-streak/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-pascal-siakam-helps-snap-lakers-seven-game-win-streak/#respond Mon, 11 Nov 2019 05:19:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=551069 Nuggets 100 (7-2), Timberwolves 98 (5-4) Late in OT, Nikola Jokic hit the game-winning bucket over Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Nuggets the win on the road. Jokic had a team-high 20 points to go with 7 dimes and 6 rebounds. Pacers 109 (6-4), Magic 102 (3-7) Domantas Sabonis put up a double-double (21 points, […]

The post Post Up: Pascal Siakam Helps Snap Lakers’ Seven-Game Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Nuggets 100 (7-2), Timberwolves 98 (5-4)

Late in OT, Nikola Jokic hit the game-winning bucket over Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Nuggets the win on the road. Jokic had a team-high 20 points to go with 7 dimes and 6 rebounds.

Pacers 109 (6-4), Magic 102 (3-7)

Domantas Sabonis put up a double-double (21 points, 16 rebounds) to give Indiana its third-straight win. T.J. Warren and Malcolm Brogdon had 19 apiece, while Doug McDermott had 18 off the bench.

Sixers 114 (6-3), Hornets 106 (4-6)

Four of Philly’s starters scored in double figures – Joel Embiid (18 points), Al Horford (15 points), Tobias Harris (14 points) and Josh Richardson (11 points).

Bucks 117 (7-3) , Thunder 114 (4-6)

Tied 114-all with under a minute, Brook Lopez knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Bucks the W. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another monster performance, finishing with 35 points and 16 rebounds.

Cavaliers 108 (4-5), Knicks 87 (2-8)

Collin Sexton finished with 21 points at The Garden. Kevin Love was the second-leading scorer with 17 points.

Suns 138 (6-3), Nets 112 (4-5)

All five Suns starters finished in double figures as Devin Booker led the team with 27 points. Ricky Rubio had 22 points and 12 dimes; Kelly Oubre also had 18.

Trailblazers 124 (4-6), Hawks 113 (3-6)

Damian Lillard and Kevin Huerter traded back-to-back buckets to force it to overtime, but the Blazers prevailed at home. Lillard (30 points) and CJ McCollum (23 points) combined for 53 points, and Anfernee Simons finished with 20 points off the bench.

Raptors 113 (6-2), Lakers 104 (7-1)

Toronto extended the lead to 10 in the 4Q and closed it off when the Lakers started to make their run. Last season’s MIP finished with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds. Fred VanVleet also had 21 points in the win to snap the Lakers’ 7-game wining streak.

The post Post Up: Pascal Siakam Helps Snap Lakers’ Seven-Game Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-pascal-siakam-helps-snap-lakers-seven-game-win-streak/feed/ 0 Post Up: Devin Booker, Suns Get Statement Win against Clippers ☀️ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/devin-booker-suns-statement-win-clippers/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/devin-booker-suns-statement-win-clippers/#respond Sun, 27 Oct 2019 05:56:27 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=545565 Heat 131 (2-0), Bucks 126 (1-1) Miami battled back from a 21-point third quarter deficit to force overtime and eventually beat a very good Bucks team on the road. Bam Adebayo dropped 19 points (on 9 shots) with 13 boards and 8 dimes. Goran Dragic added a team-high 25 points. Sixers 117 (2-0), Pistons 111 […]

The post Post Up: Devin Booker, Suns Get Statement Win against Clippers ☀️ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Heat 131 (2-0), Bucks 126 (1-1)

Miami battled back from a 21-point third quarter deficit to force overtime and eventually beat a very good Bucks team on the road.

Bam Adebayo dropped 19 points (on 9 shots) with 13 boards and 8 dimes. Goran Dragic added a team-high 25 points.

Sixers 117 (2-0), Pistons 111 (1-2)

Down 13 points in the third quarter, Tobias Harris (team-high 29 points) helped Philly completely erase the deficit by the end of the period.

With Joel Embiid nursing an ankle sprain, Al Horford stepped up with 23 points, 9 boards and 5 dimes.

Magic 99 (1-1), Hawks 103 (2-0)

After scoring 38 points in the Hawks’ season opener, Trae Young went off once again.

Young dropped a game-high 39 points with 9 dimes and 7 rebounds and hit some clutch buckets.

Celtics 118 (2-1), Knicks 95 (0-3)

Boston completely ran away with the game in the second half, outscoring the Knicks by 28 points.

After a rough couple games, Kemba Walker bounced back with a game-high 32 points on 11-17 shooting.

Pelicans 123 (0-3), Rockets 126 (1-1)

When Russell Westbrook drops a triple-double, he team usually wins. And that was the case for the Brodie’s new team tonight.

Westbrook dropped 28 points with 13 assists and 10 boards. James Harden added a team-high 29 points.

Raptors 108 (2-1), Bulls 84 (1-2)

Toronto took an 8-point lead into halftime and continued to blow the game wide open during the third quarter. The lead would eventually balloon to 26 points during the fourth quarter.

OG Anunoby dropped 17 points with 6 boards and 4 blocks and had a +25 plus/minus. Pascal Siakam added a game-high 19 points and had a +22 plus/minus.

Pacers 99 (0-2), Cavs 110 (1-1)

Cleveland picked up a nice win on a night that they celebrated late broadcaster Fred McLeod.

Kevin Love dropped 21 points (on 8 shots) with 13 boards and 9 assists. Tristan Thompson added a team-high 25 points (including his first career three-pointer) and had a +23 plus/minus.

Wizards 122 (1-2), Spurs 124 (2-0)

San Antonio narrowly came away with the dub in a game that featured 17 ties and 23 lead changes.

LaMarcus Aldridge dropped a game-high 27 points with 9 boards. DeMar DeRozan (26 points) came through in the clutch with some big buckets.

Kings 81 (0-3), Jazz 113 (2-1)

Wearing their crispy ’90s throwback unit, Utah took a 10-point lead after the first quarter and never looked back. The lead would grow to as much as 37 points during the second half.

Bojan Bogdanovic dropped a game-high 26 points with a +32 plus/minus. Donovan Mitchell added 15 points and 4 dimes and had a +36 plus/minus.

Clippers (2-1), Suns (2-1)

The cards were stacked against the Suns. No DeAndre Ayton or Ricky Rubio. Second night of a back-to-back. But they managed to make a big statement by defeating the Clippers.

Devin Booker dropped a game-high 30 points with 8 dimes and 6 boards. And despite foul trouble, Kelly Oubre added 20 points and 3 steals in just 22 minutes.

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

The post Post Up: Devin Booker, Suns Get Statement Win against Clippers ☀️ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/devin-booker-suns-statement-win-clippers/feed/ 0 Post Up: Kyrie Irving Lifts Nets Over Knicks With Clutch Shot https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kyrie-irving-lifts-nets-over-knicks-with-clutch-shot/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kyrie-irving-lifts-nets-over-knicks-with-clutch-shot/#respond Sat, 26 Oct 2019 05:08:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=545526 Celtics 112 (1-1), Raptors 106 (1-1) Despite herculean efforts from Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry (a combined 62 points, nine assists, 12 rebounds, 11 3’s and 55% from the field), the Raptors succumbed to their first loss of the season in Beantown. For the Celtics, who were missing center Enes Kanter to a bruised knee […]

The post Post Up: Kyrie Irving Lifts Nets Over Knicks With Clutch Shot appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Celtics 112 (1-1), Raptors 106 (1-1)

Despite herculean efforts from Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry (a combined 62 points, nine assists, 12 rebounds, 11 3’s and 55% from the field), the Raptors succumbed to their first loss of the season in Beantown.

For the Celtics, who were missing center Enes Kanter to a bruised knee injury, Jayson Tatum (25 points), Jaylen Brown (25 points) and fresh import Kemba Walker (22 points) all had standout performances.

Timberwolves 121 (2-0), Hornets 99 (1-1)

Karl Anthony-Towns had another phenomenal performance, with a beastly 37 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks on 13-18 shooting. The 5th year big man has been virtually – check that – completely unstoppable so far in the early stages of the season.

For the Hornets, reserve guard Devonte’ Graham poured in 24 points, while rookie PJ Washington continued his solid start to the season with a double-double.

Nets 113 (1-1), Knicks 109 (0-2)

In the battle of New York, the Nets barely squeezed by thanks to some late Kyrie Irving clutch heroics. With just over 20 seconds to go and down one point, Kyrie dribbled up to the same exact spot on the court where he drained the Game-clinching shot in game 7 against the Warriors in 2016.

The result was the same.

Splash.

He also got to spend a special moment with his father, Drederick.

Bulls 110 (1-1), Grizzlies 102 (0-2)

After trailing 12 points at halftime, the Bulls roared back behind rising star Zach LaVine‘s 37 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block along with 25 points from rookie Coby White, who has acquitted himself nicely thus far.

This loss drops the youthful Grizzlies to 0-2, but there were some silver-linings in their young players’ performances. Jaren Jackson Jr, who turned only 20-years-old in September, dropped 23 points and 11 rebounds on an efficient 9-17 shooting. Electric rookie Ja Morant led the team with three steals, while fellow rook (and Summer League MVP) Brandon Clarke shot 7-9 and swatted away three shots.

Mavericks 123 (2-0), Pelicans 116 (0-2)

The Mavericks’ new star duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis is clicking into place faster than we could have expected, which is a scary proposition for the rest of the league. Luka dropped a 25-10-10 triple-double like it was nothing, while the Unicorn (wait, aren’t they both unicorns?) scored 24 and swallowed five blocks.

As for the Pelicans, dropping to 0-2 is definitely no way to start the season, but they extracted some positive play from two of their future cornerstones in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. Ball stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Ingram chipped in 25 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Ball also tossed this beautiful full-length of the court dime:

Wizards 97 (1-1), Thunder 85 (0-2)

While neither team shot better than 40% from the field or 26% from three, there were some standout performances in the Wizards’ convincing win against Oklahoma City. Center Thomas Bryant, who the Wiz picked off the free agency scrap heap last season, paced the squad with 21 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and three blocks.

For the Thunder, scoring only 85 points is a rough look, but sophomore stud Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to show he’s a beast, with 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks.

The Thunder are primed to have a super team when Shai grows into his prime alongside their other 2026 draft picks.

Nuggets 108 (2-0), Suns 107 (1-1)

The Nuggets gutted out the OT victory thanks to the continued brilliance of Nikola Jokić, who notched a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. Jamal Murray also contributed 27 points.

There are no moral victories in professional basketball, but the Suns should be proud in their first effort without starting center DeAndre Ayton. Devin Booker hit a clutch contested 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation, then Ricky Rubio nailed three free throws in a row to force OT.

But it wasn’t enough, especially with Torrey Craig bursting out of nowhere like the Kool-Aid Man rejecting potential game-winning shots.

Also, Jerami Grant destroyed a rim, and that was plenty entertaining.

Blazers 122 (1-1), Kings 112 (0-2)

The result of this matchup was the same as many other past Blazer victories: Dame Lillard was simply too much for the other squad to handle. Dame dropped 35 points on an efficient 12-20 shooting with five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Kings remained competitive for a majority of the game, but a third quarter in which they were outscored by 10 points in a 10 point loss ultimately did them in. On the bright side, De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield continued to display their dazzling abilities, combining for 49 points.

Lakers 95 (1-1), Jazz 86 (1-1)

After a tough opening loss against the Clippers, The Lakers bounced back in spectacular fashion by trouncing the perennially competent Utah Jazz in a game that never felt very close. LeBron James and Anthony Davis were unstoppable, connecting for multiple alley-oops, swatting shots, euro-stepping all over the poor Jazz and combining for 53 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and five blocks.

The post Post Up: Kyrie Irving Lifts Nets Over Knicks With Clutch Shot appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kyrie-irving-lifts-nets-over-knicks-with-clutch-shot/feed/ 0 Devin Booker: ‘I Don’t Care About Getting 50 Anymore’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/devin-booker-i-dont-care-about-getting-50-anymore/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/devin-booker-i-dont-care-about-getting-50-anymore/#respond Wed, 23 Oct 2019 23:34:55 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=545335 Devin Booker says he no longer cares about 50-point games. Booker, 22, has long relished big scoring nights, but is now entirely focused on leading Phoenix and winning. “This is the first time in my career where the situation is a lot different,” Booker said during an interview with Sirius XM NBA. “We have playoff […]

The post Devin Booker: ‘I Don’t Care About Getting 50 Anymore’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Devin Booker says he no longer cares about 50-point games.

Booker, 22, has long relished big scoring nights, but is now entirely focused on leading Phoenix and winning.

“This is the first time in my career where the situation is a lot different,” Booker said during an interview with Sirius XM NBA.

“We have playoff experience on our team now, and recent experience with Ricky Rubio being there the past two or three years. [Dario] Saric the same way, Aron Baynes the same way. These guys were just in the playoffs rather than the past few years our vets were a little bit older and telling us about the experience instead of being on the court hands on…

“I don’t care about getting 50 anymore. I’m literally out there doing everything I can do to win, and a lot of that is not being involved of, really, me executing a play. A lot of it is leadership, the little things that matter.”

Suns head coach Monty Williams fully supports Book’s oft-mocked goal of reaching the postseason.

Per The Arizona Republic:

“For us at this point, it’s the playoffs, whatever seed that is,” Booker said after Saturday’s practice. “It’s not going to be easy in the West and we know that. The wild West is tough this year. It is every year, so we know it’s going to have to be consistent work.”

Williams was later asked Saturday about Booker’s playoffs comments and stood by his star’s words.

“It should be,” Williams said. “That’s something that if you’re not playing for that, then why are you playing? I’ve heard all the stuff, and everybody is entitled to their opinion, but if that’s not what we’re fighting for, then you probably won’t be around me long. That’s not something that we put out there lightly, but we know we’re in the tough West, but we’re a part of it. We feel like we’re one of the teams that people are going to look at and say that’s not a night off anymore.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: THE NBA’s GOODFELLAS

The post Devin Booker: ‘I Don’t Care About Getting 50 Anymore’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/devin-booker-i-dont-care-about-getting-50-anymore/feed/ 0 Standout Players from the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup https://www.slamonline.com/international/standout-players-fiba-world-cup/ https://www.slamonline.com/international/standout-players-fiba-world-cup/#respond Tue, 17 Sep 2019 22:38:30 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=542886 The 2019 FIBA World Cup did not unfold as many anticipated. USA got knocked out in the quarterfinals by France. Serbia, the second favorite to win it all, was eliminated in the same round by Argentina.   Led by Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol, Spain went undefeated on their way to a title. They locked […]

The post Standout Players from the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The 2019 FIBA World Cup did not unfold as many anticipated. USA got knocked out in the quarterfinals by France. Serbia, the second favorite to win it all, was eliminated in the same round by Argentina.  

Led by Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol, Spain went undefeated on their way to a title. They locked up their second WC championship with a 95-75 victory over Argentina. With an average age over 30, their 12-man roster was actually the oldest to take gold since 1978. 

Much of the conversation surrounding this year’s tournament centered on the players not participating. Ben Simmons (Australia), Jamal Murray (Canada), James Harden (USA), Anthony Davis (USA) and Damian Lillard (USA) are just a few of the guys who dropped out in the weeks prior. But to focus on those absent was to ignore and disrespect the talent that was on display, as Donovan Mitchell and Gregg Popovich emphasized during a postgame press conference. 

“I know that people are going to focus on who we didn’t have, but how about we focus on who we do have,” Mitchell said, after USA’s loss to France. “Our [NBA] season ended, and we came out ready to work with Coach Pop and all his coaches. It’s not about who’s not here.”

“It’s also a disrespectful notion to bring something like that up and say, ‘You didn’t have this guy or that guy,’” Pop added. “That’s disrespectful to France and whoever else is in the tournament. France beat us. Doesn’t matter who is on the team, and I couldn’t be prouder of these 12 guys who sacrificed their summer to come here, having never played with each other before, and they put themselves in the arena and competed, and they deserve credit for that.” 

Under intense pressure and amid crazy environments, players from across the world shined out in China. Let’s focus on that. Below are some of the standouts.

—

Ricky Rubio (Spain): Gold Medal, MVP, All-Star 5

Rubio was the floor general for the champs. He controlled the pace of games and was aggressive on both ends, averaging 16.4 points, 6.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals. In the final against Argentina, he led his team with 20 points and kept them in the driver’s seat. Since 1994, he’s the only player to record 100+ assists and 50+ steals in a single World Cup. Spain had a balanced attack, but Rubio was their most reliable creator on their road to the title.

Marc Gasol (Spain): Gold Medal, All-Star 5

When Spain needed him most, Gasol delivered. His best game came in the semifinal against Australia, a double-overtime thriller. The big man finished with 33 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks and made clutch free throws down the stretch. He followed that up with another impressive performance in the final (14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks), earning a spot in the All-Star 5 alongside Rubio.

Luis Scola (Argentina): Silver Medal, All-Star 5

Though Argentina ultimately fell short of gold, Luis Scola was the biggest story of the tournament. Participating in his fifth World Cup, the 39-year-old forward set records, posted incredible numbers (17.9 points, 8.1 rebounds) and steered a team (along with star point guard Facundo Campazzo) featuring no NBA players on an improbable journey to the final. During the group stage, he passed Australia’s Andrew Gaze to become the second leading scorer in World Cup history. He had 20 points in a shocking win over Serbia in the quarterfinals and 28 points in another upset over France in the semis. 

When Scola first joined the senior national squad in 1999, his current teammate Maximo Fjellerup was a one-year-old. It’s been two decades since then and somehow Scola’s still going strong. His legendary run was what stood out the most from this competition.

Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia): All-Star 5

Serbia underachieved at the World Cup, but Mr. Automatic exceeded expectations. Bogdanovic was unstoppable offensively, averaging 22.9 points on an insane 56% shooting from the field and 53% from deep. With the closer arc, he nailed more threes by himself (35) than seven of the 32 teams in the pool. He dropped 30+ twice and helped guide Serbia to a victory over the United States in the classification round. 

Evan Fournier (France): Bronze Medal, All-Star 5

While Rudy Gobert held down France’s defense, it was Evan Fournier who carried them on the other end. The 26-year-old guard was the go-to scorer his team desperately needed. Fournier showed the full arsenal during the tournament, working off high screens to create open threes, midrange fade-aways and floaters in the paint. His 158 points (19.8 per game) was the most ever recorded by a French player in the World Cup (previous high was Maxime Dorigo with 153 in 1963). 

Patty Mills (Australia)

Head coach Andrej Lemanis (NBL) had Patty Mills sprinting around screens like Ray Allen, orchestrating the pick-and-roll up top and pushing the ball in transition—an approach that led the Boomers to a fourth-place finish, their highest ever rank in the World Cup. Patty was the only player to score 15+ points in each of his eight games and went for 30 or more twice. Along with Bogdanovic and Corey Webster (see below), he was clearly one of the best shooters in the tournament.

Tomas Satoransky (Czech Republic)

Czech Republic made the most of their first appearance in the World Cup. They caught people’s attention with a win over Turkey to advance out of the opening group stage and continued on to the knockout round. Satoransky was at the center of everything they did, posting 15.5 points, 8.5 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. He was the only one in the tournament to average 15+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists.

Cedi Osman (Turkey)

Don’t let those missed free throws against USA cloud Cedi’s overall World Cup. Turkey was competitive throughout and he was the primary reason, averaging 20.4 points on 50 percent shooting from the field. After an encouraging NBA season, the young forward showed further signs of improvement out in China.

Corey Webster (New Zealand)

If you didn’t know who Corey Webster was a few weeks ago, you should now. The 6-2 guard from the NBL was a star for New Zealand, putting up 22.8 points and 5.6 assists per game. He was the focus of an offense that averaged the most points of any team at the World Cup (99.4). Through five games, Webster was also in 50-40-90 club.

Kemba Walker (USA)

USA had its struggles, finishing in seventh place—their worst ever ranking in the World Cup. But Kemba put together some really nice performances and led the squad in both points (14.4) and assists (5.4) per game, even while battling illness for a portion of the trip. He took over late in an overtime win against Turkey and was in full control during back-to-back victories against Greece and Brazil that secured a spot in the quarterfinals.

Guna RA (Korea)

The leading PPG scorer (23.0) in the entire tournament, big man Guna RA did all he could for his country. He was the only player to notch a double-double in every game he appeared in and capped an incredibly productive run with 26 points and 16 boards against Ivory Coast to help Korea get in the win column.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via FIBA and Getty.

The post Standout Players from the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/international/standout-players-fiba-world-cup/feed/ 0 Kobe Bryant Talks FIBA World Cup, Growing Up in Italy, Coaching Style and More https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kobe-bryant-interview-wc/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kobe-bryant-interview-wc/#respond Tue, 17 Sep 2019 14:51:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=542754 Walk around Wukesong Stadium in Beijing, China and you’re bound to see several purple and gold Kobe Bryant jerseys. When he was briefly shown on the jumbotron during the semifinals of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, fans gave perhaps their loudest ovation of the evening. Bryant couldn’t even get up from his courtside seat next […]

The post Kobe Bryant Talks FIBA World Cup, Growing Up in Italy, Coaching Style and More appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Walk around Wukesong Stadium in Beijing, China and you’re bound to see several purple and gold Kobe Bryant jerseys. When he was briefly shown on the jumbotron during the semifinals of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, fans gave perhaps their loudest ovation of the evening. Bryant couldn’t even get up from his courtside seat next to Manu Ginóbili without the crowd erupting. 

“Now, the game is truly global,” Kobe told SLAM earlier that day.

He’s a major reason why.

Bryant grew up and developed his skills in Italy—his father, Joe, played pro there—before moving permanently to the United States at the age of 13. His eventual success in the NBA inspired countless others to pursue basketball, from Los Angeles all the way to Beijing. Since retiring in 2016, Kobe has continued his efforts to spread the sport globally, taking on the role of ambassador for the World Cup. 

Having competed with and against so many international players, Kobe knew it wouldn’t be an easy road for USA this year. Back in March, prior to rosters being finalized, he spoke to SLAM and a few other reporters about the tournament and cautioned that they were not a lock to win gold.  

“We made the assumption in ’06 [when USA won the bronze at the FIBA championship] and prior to that, that some of these players aren’t in the NBA, so they must not be very good,” he said. “When I came in ’08, it was like, Listen, that’s not it. There are plenty of players that are insanely good that choose not to come play in the NBA, so let’s understand that.“

The 2019 silver medal went to Argentina, a team with no current NBA guys on its roster. Spain, led by Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol, claimed gold.

“Put the best players that you think are going to make the best U.S. team out on the floor, we are still going to have challenges,” Bryant added during a recent press conference, alluding to the fact that many superstars from the US declined the opportunity to participate this summer.

“It’s not going to be a cakewalk. The days of the ’92 Barcelona Dream Team are gone.”

We sat down with Kobe while he was out in China to further discuss the expansion of basketball, memories from Italy and more.

—

SLAM: Describe your role as global ambassador and why you wanted to be involved in the World Cup.    

KB: Well, growing up overseas, I’m basically an international kid. I learned how to play the game on an international level before I got back to the States. When I was growing up over here, the game wasn’t as global as it is now, so I had to get up and record games super, super early and listen to [Italian coach] Dan Peterson break down the game and all sorts of stuff. Now, the game is truly global. So it’s an honor for me to come back at this stage in my career and help expand the game even further.

SLAM: What are your early memories of playing basketball in Italy and how did that upbringing influence your game?

KB: Some of my early memories are playing Minibasket. I think that really helped mold me because we played on smaller courts and smaller rims at a really early age and that taught us how to shoot the ball correctly and how to be fundamentally sound. Every week in practice, we wouldn’t scrimmage ever. It was all fundamentals. Passing, screening, moving off the ball, shooting. All the basics. And if we did scrimmage, we’d scrimmage full court no dribbles allowed. So that set the foundation for me for how I came to understand the game and how I now teach the game.

SLAM: What’s your style of coaching and who are the people you drew from? [Kobe coaches his daughter Gigi’s AAU team]

KB: I draw a lot from Phil [Jackson]. Phil’s coaching philosophies and my coaching philosophies were put into the Wizenard series. If you want to learn a lot about how Phil used to do things and how I do things now, I put a lot of that into the Wizenard book. It’s one where you don’t give directions so much as ask questions. You want to get players thinking on their own and figuring things out on their own. We don’t have sets. We don’t have plays. We have ideas. Within those ideas, the players are responsible themselves for figuring out what is the best idea to use at what time and why. When you have players that can think, particularly at a really early age, and you start teaching them that at 11, 12 years old, then when they get to 17, 18 years old—how are they going to be processing the game then? It’s really fun to watch them work through those ideas. 

SLAM: Can you talk about your performance in the 2008 gold medal game against Spain? [Kobe scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to help USA defeat Spain in the ’08 Olympics]

KB: It was a great game. There was a lot of hype around the game. Spain was one of those teams that we couldn’t really blow out because they were too fundamentally sound. They understood how to use the clock and minimize possessions. So as a result, they were always in striking distance. I just had to bide my time because I knew they were going to be there in the fourth quarter. Just kind of laid in the weeds a little bit and then in the fourth quarter, tried to create some separation at the right time where I felt like they couldn’t get it back. And that’s how I paced that game out. 

SLAM: Whether it was in international competitions or the NBA, who were the toughest guys you faced head-to-head during your career? 

KB: There were a lot of them when I first came into the League. Having to deal with John Stockton was tough. Dealing with Gary Payton was tough. Clyde Drexler was tough. Michael [Jordan] was tough. Then you kind of transition out of that, because I’ve seen so many generations. AI was tough. McGrady was tough. Durant, Melo. All these guys. I feel like I’ve seen so many generations that my list could go on for a long time. 

SLAM: You’ve obviously witnessed the game change quite a bit through the years, especially moving out to the three-point line. What do you see as the next evolution of basketball? 

KB: I think it just goes the opposite [way]. It goes back to midrange. I’m just kind of sitting here waiting for all these statistical people to figure out how to make midrange sound appealing after all these years of making it sound not appealing. Because it’s coming. 

SLAM: What’s the best advice you can give to young players coming up in the League?

KB: Be consistent. That’s the most important part. Be consistent with your work.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via FIBA and Getty.

The post Kobe Bryant Talks FIBA World Cup, Growing Up in Italy, Coaching Style and More appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kobe-bryant-interview-wc/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio Leads Spain Over Argentina in FIBA World Cup Championship 🏆 https://www.slamonline.com/international/ricky-rubio-leads-spain-over-argentina-in-fiba-world-cup-championship/ https://www.slamonline.com/international/ricky-rubio-leads-spain-over-argentina-in-fiba-world-cup-championship/#respond Sun, 15 Sep 2019 22:05:24 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=542763 Ricky Rubio scored 20 points and dropped 7 dimes as Spain defeated Argentina, 95-75, in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Beijing, China. Rubio earned MVP honors and joined former teammate Pau Gasol (2006) as the second Spanish player to be named MVP. Rubio averaged 16.4 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.6 rpg and 1.5 spg and […]

The post Ricky Rubio Leads Spain Over Argentina in FIBA World Cup Championship 🏆 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ricky Rubio scored 20 points and dropped 7 dimes as Spain defeated Argentina, 95-75, in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Beijing, China. Rubio earned MVP honors and joined former teammate Pau Gasol (2006) as the second Spanish player to be named MVP.

Rubio averaged 16.4 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.6 rpg and 1.5 spg and passed Pablo Prigioni (Argentina) as the World Cup’s assist leader, according to FIBA.

“Right now we made history, and we were ready for that,” Rubio said after the game. “We had a great tournament. We had to fight for this one. It’s just amazing how the whole tournament has been for us as a team. We weren’t the biggest or most talented team, but we were the team with the biggest heart. We showed it tonight and in the whole tournament. Couldn’t be more proud of my teammates and our coaches. This will go down as a memory for us as a family.”

Five other Spanish players finished in double figures: Sergio Llull (15 points), Marc Gasol (14 points), Rudy Fernandez (11 points), Willy Hernangomez (11 points) and Juancho Hernangomez (11 points).

Spain started the game scoring 14 of the game’s first 16 points and holding Luis Scola scoreless in the first half. Scola finished the contest with 8 points and 8 rebounds. In the second half, the Spaniards went on a 14-0 run and extended the lead to 22 points.

Spain dominated all facets of the game – out-rebounding Argentina (47-27) and outscoring them in the paint (44-30).

The post Ricky Rubio Leads Spain Over Argentina in FIBA World Cup Championship 🏆 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/international/ricky-rubio-leads-spain-over-argentina-in-fiba-world-cup-championship/feed/ 0 2019 FIBA World Cup Update: 16 Teams Remain https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2019-fiba-world-cup-update-16-teams-remain/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2019-fiba-world-cup-update-16-teams-remain/#respond Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:47:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=542029 The field of teams at the FIBA World Cup has been cut in half with 16 remaining in international play. The 3rd and 4th place teams in each group from the first round have been eliminated while the top two teams in those groups have advanced to the next round. The results of the first […]

The post 2019 FIBA World Cup Update: 16 Teams Remain appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The field of teams at the FIBA World Cup has been cut in half with 16 remaining in international play. The 3rd and 4th place teams in each group from the first round have been eliminated while the top two teams in those groups have advanced to the next round.

The results of the first round carry over into the second and the remaining countries are placed into new groups. Every advancing team will play against two teams that they did not face in the first round.

Here’s a list of which teams remain after the first round of action:

Group I

  • Argentina (3-0)
  • Poland (3-0)
  • Venezuela (2-1)
  • Russia (2-1)

The 39-year-old Luis Scola (Argentina) is the player with the most FIBA World Cup experience in this tournament. The 2019 games are his fifth time participating in the FIBA World Cup, as our own Alex Squadron recently detailed. And while Scola isn’t currently on an NBA roster, he has the most NBA experience in this group. No other country has an active player on their squad.

Group J

  • Serbia (3-0)
  • Spain (3-0)
  • Italy (2-1)
  • Puerto Rico (2-1)

Serbia boasts several NBA players including Nikola Jokic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Boban Marjanovic. Their match-up with Spain (8:30am, Sunday) led by Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, and Juancho Hernangomez should be the premier contest in the group.

Group K

  • USA (3-0)
  • Brazil (3-0)
  • Greece (2-1)
  • Czech Republic (2-1)

USA Basketball will take on the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Greece team on Saturday. Antetokounmpo is arguably the best player remaining in the tournament, while USA Basketball is, by many accounts, the best team. Team USA will take on Brazil on Monday and will need to win just one of the two games to advance to the next stage.

Group L

  • France (3-0)
  • Australia (3-0)
  • Lithuania (2-1)
  • Dominican Republic (2-1)

Australia is the only team to beat Team USA, though it came during exhibition play (knock on wood if you thought Cedi Osman was going to make his free throws during the Turkey match-up). While the country lacks an NBA star, it has several notable players on the roster including Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Aron Baynes, and Joe Ingles. The Aussies aren’t the only dangerous team in the group, as France yields Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier in its attack and Lithuania has a fearsome frontcourt headlined by Domantas Sabonis and Jones Valanciunas.

The post 2019 FIBA World Cup Update: 16 Teams Remain appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2019-fiba-world-cup-update-16-teams-remain/feed/ 0 NBA 2K20 Ratings: Phoenix Suns https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-nba-2k20-ratings/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-nba-2k20-ratings/#respond Sun, 01 Sep 2019 23:56:50 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=542508 Every hoops season, video games like NBA 2K20 play a significant role in shaping basketball culture and this year is no different. For proof, look no further then the wave of fans and athletes alike desperate to get their hands on the individual player ratings included in the latest release. We’ve broken down the overall […]

The post NBA 2K20 Ratings: Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Every hoops season, video games like NBA 2K20 play a significant role in shaping basketball culture and this year is no different. For proof, look no further then the wave of fans and athletes alike desperate to get their hands on the individual player ratings included in the latest release.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Phoenix Suns NBA 2K20 Ratings

Player Rating Original Update
Deandre Ayton 82 82
Aron Baynes 79 75 +1
Devin Booker 87 86
Mikal Bridges 75 75
Jevon Carter 72 71
Cheick Diallo 74 74
Ty Jerome 72 72
Cameron Johnson 72 72 +1
Tyler Johnson 74 74 -1
Frank Kaminsky 76 76
Jalen Lecque 68 68
Elie Okobo 70 71 +1
Kelly Oubre Jr. 80 78
Ricky Rubio 80 78 +1
Dario Saric 77 77

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post NBA 2K20 Ratings: Phoenix Suns appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-nba-2k20-ratings/feed/ 0 Phoenix Suns Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-roster-count-2019-training-camp/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-roster-count-2019-training-camp/#respond Fri, 23 Aug 2019 16:05:19 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=541288 After a wild NBA offseason, training camps are fast approaching. Teams around the league are scrambling to iron out their rosters and will have plenty of decisions to make before rosters condense at the start of the regular season. Below is a list of the contract types the Phoenix Suns have heading into training camp. […]

The post Phoenix Suns Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

]]> After a wild NBA offseason, training camps are fast approaching. Teams around the league are scrambling to iron out their rosters and will have plenty of decisions to make before rosters condense at the start of the regular season.

Below is a list of the contract types the Phoenix Suns have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Phoenix Suns

Total Roster Count16
Guaranteed15
Non-Guaranteed0
Two-Way Deal1
Exhibit 10 Deals0
Guaranteed ContractsNon/ Partial Guaranteed
Devin BookerNone
Tyler Johnson
Ricky RubioTwo-Way Contracts
Kelly OubreJared Harper
Deandre Ayton
Aron BaynesExhibit 10 Deals
Frank KaminskyDavid Kramer
Mikal BridgesTariq Owens
Cameron JohnsonNorense Odiase
Dario Saric
Ty Jerome
Cheick Diallo
Elie Okobo
Jevon Carter
Jalen Lecque

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The post Phoenix Suns Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-roster-count-2019-training-camp/feed/ 0 Donovan Mitchell vs Ricky Rubio!? 👀 USA vs Spain Full Highlights https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/donovan-mitchell-vs-ricky-rubio-usa-spain-full-highlights/ https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/donovan-mitchell-vs-ricky-rubio-usa-spain-full-highlights/#respond Sat, 17 Aug 2019 15:17:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=540936 Former teammates Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell faced off in Anaheim, CA, on Friday. The Red, white and blue overcame a tough test against Spain, as Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol combined for 35 points. Led by the strong guard play of Mitchell and Kemba Walker, Team USA defeated Team Baloncesto, 90-81 (full highlights above). […]

The post Donovan Mitchell vs Ricky Rubio!? 👀 USA vs Spain Full Highlights appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Former teammates Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell faced off in Anaheim, CA, on Friday. The Red, white and blue overcame a tough test against Spain, as Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol combined for 35 points.

Led by the strong guard play of Mitchell and Kemba Walker, Team USA defeated Team Baloncesto, 90-81 (full highlights above).

RELATED: Draymond Green & DeMar DeRozan Pop Out at USA Practice!? 🇺🇸

The post Donovan Mitchell vs Ricky Rubio!? 👀 USA vs Spain Full Highlights appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/donovan-mitchell-vs-ricky-rubio-usa-spain-full-highlights/feed/ 0 The Terry Rozier Ripple Effect Of The 2019 Offseason https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-terry-rozier-ripple-effect-of-the-2019-offseason/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-terry-rozier-ripple-effect-of-the-2019-offseason/#respond Thu, 15 Aug 2019 03:11:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=540776 Terry Rozier has a new home in Charlotte, though he had other options leading up to his decision to join the Hornets. Rozier told Jonathan Abrams of Bleacher Report that on the eve of free agency, he thought he was going to New York. Then, the Suns then came in an offered him a more […]

The post The Terry Rozier Ripple Effect Of The 2019 Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Terry Rozier has a new home in Charlotte, though he had other options leading up to his decision to join the Hornets. Rozier told Jonathan Abrams of Bleacher Report that on the eve of free agency, he thought he was going to New York. Then, the Suns then came in an offered him a more lucrative deal before the Hornets swooped in and landed the point guard on a three-year, $56.7 million contract.

The signing was backed by owner Michael Jordan with the legend telling general manager Mitch Kupchak to “do what you need to do to get [Rozier] over here” prior to the start of free agency, as the point guard told Abrams.

“I’d be a fool if I was to go anywhere else or turn down that,” Rozier said. “I look at it as just a team, organization believing in me. Knowing that I want to prove myself in this league and giving me that chance is bigger than anything and [their willingness] to pay me a right amount of money, it was just big and the guy that was behind all that was Michael Jordan. It’s still surreal to me.”

The signing had a ripple effect in free agency, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors detailed. The Knicks, fresh off of being turned down by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, saw their backup plan at the point guard slip from their grasps. New York then shifted gears, offering Elfrid Payton a contract with annual values of $8 million.

The Suns shifted their attention to Ricky Rubio, who had been reported as signing with the Pacers. Phoenix was able to land the point guard, which left Indy with a void. They ended up swinging a deal for Malcolm Brogdon and while its possible that Indiana would have liked to pair the two guards in the backcourt, it seems more plausible that the Brogdon sign-and-trade was conjured as a result of missing out on Rubio. Indiana was able to use its remaining cap space on a backcourt partner for Brogdon by signing Jeremy Lamb away from Charlotte.

Critics have called Charlotte’s signing of Rozier an overpay; others say they simply don’t understand the Hornets’ motives. Rozier is embracing the scrutiny.

“I’m going to work hard and be a competitor, and I know a lot of people are going to fall in love with me,” Rozier said. “… I basically just got to make a name for myself again, and that’s fine. That’s how I want it. That’s how it should be.”

Like many free agents, Rozier’s decision caused other dominoes to fall but the point guard is viewing his move to Charlotte as an opportunity to prove he’s the type of player that franchises should start angling for when he hits the free agent market again in the future.

“I work my butt off because that’s all I know,” Rozier said. “I want to break the bank. I want the best deal I can possibly get after this, so it ain’t about the money. I feel it’s always going to be there. I feel like I’m a guy that deserves a lot, and I’m gonna get everything I deserve, but I’ve been in the league for four years and for me to actually get a starting job, I don’t even know what to say. I’m more excited that I can really just show my talent every night. I can show my talent, show what I’m about. To me, that’s what’s going to bring anything I want. Me just having my opportunity to go out there and show the world who Terry Rozier really is.”

The post The Terry Rozier Ripple Effect Of The 2019 Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-terry-rozier-ripple-effect-of-the-2019-offseason/feed/ 0 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2019-nba-free-agency-tracker/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2019-nba-free-agency-tracker/#respond Mon, 01 Jul 2019 05:40:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=537618 Below is an updating table with all that we know about the free agents on the market in this 2019 offseason. There’s a lot of noise around this time of year, so we won’t bother distracting you with every single whisper floating out there on the internet but we will include substantive reports. Name Then […]

The post 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Below is an updating table with all that we know about the free agents on the market in this 2019 offseason. There’s a lot of noise around this time of year, so we won’t bother distracting you with every single whisper floating out there on the internet but we will include substantive reports.

NameThenNowTermsStatus
A. AminuPORORL3yrs/$29MReported
A. BurksSACGSW1yr/$1.6MReported
A. HorfordBOSPHI4yrs/$97MReported
A. RiversHOUHOU2yrs/$4MReported
A. TolliverMINPOR1yr/$3MReported
B. BogdanovicINDUTA4yrs/$73MReported
B. LopezMILMIL4yrs/$52MReported
B. MarjanovicPHIDAL2yr/$7MReported
B. PortisWASNYK2yrs/$31MReported
B. WanamakerBOSBOSReported
C. JosephINDSAC3yrs/$37MReported
D. CarrollBKLSAS2yrs/$13MReported
D. DedmonATLSAC3yrs/$40MReported
D. Finney-SmithDALDAL3yrs/$12MReported
D. HouseHOUHOU3yrs/$11MReported
D. JordanNYKBKL4yrs/$40MReported
D. MillerNORNOR2yrs/$14MReported
D. RoseMINDET2yrs/$15MReported
D. RussellBKLGSW4yrs/$117MReported
D. TheisBOSBOS2yrs/$10MReported
D. WrightMEMDAL3yrs/$27MReported
E. DavisBKLUTA2yrs/$10MReported
E. KanterPORBOS2yrs/$10MReported
E. MudiayNYKUTA1yrReported
E. PaytonNORNYK2yrs/$16MReported
E. SumnerINDIND3yrsReported
F. KaminskyCHAPHO2yrs/$10MReported
G. GreenHOUHOU1yr/$2MReported
G. HillMILMIL3yrs/$29MReported
G. Robinson IIIDETGSW1yr/$1.6MReported
G. TempleLACBKL2yrs/$10MReported
H. BarnesSACSAC4yrs/$85MReported
I. SmithDETWAS2yrs/$12MReported
I. ThomasDENWAS1yr/$2MReported
J. BareaDALDAL1yr/$2MReported
J. BellGSWMIN1yr/$2MReported
J. ButlerPHIMIA4yrs/$141MReported
J. DudleyBKLLAL1yr/$3MReported
J. GreenWASUTA1yr/$3MReported
J. EnnisPHIPHI2yrs/$4MReported
J. LambCHAIND3yrs/$31MReported
J. LaymanPORMIN3yrs/$12MReported
J. RandleNORNYK3yrs/$63MReported
J. RedickPHINOR2yrs/$27MReported
K. DurantGSWBKL4yrs/$164MReported
K. IrvingBOSBKL4yrs/$141MReported
K. LooneyGSWGSW3yrs/$15MReported
K. O’QuinnINDPHI1yr/$2MReported
K. MiddletonMILMIL5yrs/$178MReported
K. PorzingisDALDAL5yrs/$160MReported
K. ThompsonGSWGSW5yrs/$192MReported
K. WalkerCHABOS4yrs/$141MReported
L. KornetNYKCHI2yrsReported
M. BrogdonMILIND4yrs/$85MReported
M. Carter-WilliamsORLORL1yrReported
M. HezonjaNYKPOR2yrs/$4MReported
M. KleberDALDAL4yrs/$35MReported
M. MorrisOKLDET2yrs/$7MReported
M. MuscalaLALOKLReported
M. ScottPHIPHI2yrs/$10MReported
M. ThomasN/ATOR3yrsReported
N. MiroticMILN/AN/AReported
N. NoelOKLOKLReported
N. VonlehNYKMIN1yrReported
N. VucevicORLORL4yrs/$100MReported
P. BeverleyLACLAC3yrs/$40MReported
R. ArcidiaconoCHICHI3yrs/$9MReported
R. BullockLALNYK2yrs/$21MReported
R. GaySASSAS2yrs/$36MReported
R. HolmesPHOSAC2yrs/$10MReported
R. HoodPORPOR2yrs/$12MReported
R. LopezCHIMIL2yrs/$10MReported
R. McGruderLACLAC3yrs/$15MReported
R. NetoN/APHI1yrReported
R. RubioUTAPHO3yrs/$51MReported
S. CurryPORDAL4yrs/$32MReported
S. MiltonPHIPHI4yrsReported
T. ArizaWASSAC2yrs/$25MReported
T. BryantWASWAS3yrs/$25MReported
T. DanielsPHOLALReported
T. FrazierMILDET1yr/$2MReported
T. GibsonMINNYK2yrs/$20MReported
T. HarrisPHIPHI5yrs/$180MReported
T. McConnellPHIIND2yrs/$7MReported
T. RossORLORL4yrs/$54MReported
T. RozierBOSCHA3yrs/$58MReported
T. SatoranskyWASCHI3yrs/$30MReported
T. YoungINDCHI3yrs/$41MReported
V. PoirierN/ABOS2yrsReported
W. Cauley-SteinSACGSW2yr/$4.5MReported
W. ChandlerLACBKL1yrReported
W. EllingtonDETNYK2yrs/$16MReported
W. MatthewsINDMILReported

This list is maintained by @AustinKent. Please forward any omissions, clarifications or helpful reminders about how the alphabet works to him on Twitter.

The post 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2019-nba-free-agency-tracker/feed/ 0 Suns Agree To Three-Year Deal With Ricky Rubio https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/suns-agree-to-three-year-deal-with-ricky-rubio/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/suns-agree-to-three-year-deal-with-ricky-rubio/#respond Sun, 30 Jun 2019 22:45:16 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=537691 The Phoenix Suns have found their point guard. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the team will sign veteran playmaker Ricky Rubio to a three-year deal worth $51 million. Rubio had previously been linked to the Pacers but Indiana’s plans took a twist when they were able to agree to land Malcolm Brogdon in […]

The post Suns Agree To Three-Year Deal With Ricky Rubio appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Phoenix Suns have found their point guard. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the team will sign veteran playmaker Ricky Rubio to a three-year deal worth $51 million.

Rubio had previously been linked to the Pacers but Indiana’s plans took a twist when they were able to agree to land Malcolm Brogdon in a sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rubio will provide a veteran presence on a young Suns roster and provide a solid mentor for first-round pick Ty Jerome. New Suns head coach Monty Williams will hope that the addition of Rubio can make life easier for Phoenix’s two building blocks: Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.

The post Suns Agree To Three-Year Deal With Ricky Rubio appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/suns-agree-to-three-year-deal-with-ricky-rubio/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio To Pacers May Already Be Done Deal https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-to-pacers-may-already-be-done-deal/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-to-pacers-may-already-be-done-deal/#respond Sun, 30 Jun 2019 16:11:12 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=537578 There’s been talk of an apparent done deal between the Indiana Pacers and Ricky Rubio for a week, Marc Stein of the New York Times report. The scribe says it’s yet another likely Day 1 agreement. Given the recent retirement of veteran Darren Collison, the Pacers would welcome Rubio fresh off a season in which […]

The post Ricky Rubio To Pacers May Already Be Done Deal appeared first on SLAM.

]]> There’s been talk of an apparent done deal between the Indiana Pacers and Ricky Rubio for a week, Marc Stein of the New York Times report. The scribe says it’s yet another likely Day 1 agreement.

Given the recent retirement of veteran Darren Collison, the Pacers would welcome Rubio fresh off a season in which he averaged 12.6 points and 6.1 assists per contest.

Rubio just closed out the final year of a rookie scale extension making $15 million in 2019-20. It’s unclear what kind of salary he would command with a new team but the Pacers have more than enough cap space to be flexible.

With Collison out of the picture, Indiana’s only point guard under contract for next season is sophomore Aaron Holiday.

The post Ricky Rubio To Pacers May Already Be Done Deal appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-to-pacers-may-already-be-done-deal/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio: ‘I Am Not Priority Number One’ for the Utah Jazz https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-i-am-not-priority-number-one-for-the-utah-jazz/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-i-am-not-priority-number-one-for-the-utah-jazz/#respond Tue, 04 Jun 2019 10:52:04 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=535427 Ricky Rubio says Utah’s front-office told him he is “not priority number one” this summer. Rubio, 28, will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. The Jazz explored trade options for the veteran point guard this season, who averaged 12.7 points and 6.1 assists in 27.9 minutes per game, and says he wants to play […]

The post Ricky Rubio: ‘I Am Not Priority Number One’ for the Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ricky Rubio says Utah’s front-office told him he is “not priority number one” this summer.

Rubio, 28, will be an unrestricted free agent July 1.

The Jazz explored trade options for the veteran point guard this season, who averaged 12.7 points and 6.1 assists in 27.9 minutes per game, and says he wants to play for an NBA title contender.

Per The Salt Lake Tribune:

In a recent interview with Catalunya Radio, Rubio was quoted as saying [in Catalan], “[Utah has] let me know that I am not priority number one. Then, we have to look for other options.”

The Jazz front office declined to comment on the report.

Rubio himself seemed to recognize in the immediate aftermath of the season that the likelihood of him returning was apparently slim, in spite of his professed desire to remain with the team.

“When free agency comes, now that the season is over, I can start thinking and see where I want to go, where I can go,” Rubio told the SLC media. “But one thing I’m gonna look [at] for sure is the best situation for me, with the coach and the team. … I want to be happy. I’m gonna try to find the best situation for me to perform and be happy.”

Related Report: Grizzlies, Jazz Discussing Conley-for-Rubio Trade

The post Ricky Rubio: ‘I Am Not Priority Number One’ for the Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ricky-rubio-i-am-not-priority-number-one-for-the-utah-jazz/feed/ 0 NBA Players React to Damian Lillard’s CLUTCH Game 5 Performance https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-players-react-to-damian-lillards-clutch-game-5-performance/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-players-react-to-damian-lillards-clutch-game-5-performance/#respond Wed, 24 Apr 2019 05:50:04 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=532043 Damian Lillard picked the perfect time to have one of his best games of his career. On Tuesday night, Lillard dropped a playoff career-high 50 points—including a buzzer-beating game-winner from about 40 feet—to defeat the Thunder, 118-115. The win gave the Blazers a 4-1 series win against OKC. After Lillard’s clutch bucket to the clinch […]

The post NBA Players React to Damian Lillard’s CLUTCH Game 5 Performance appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Damian Lillard picked the perfect time to have one of his best games of his career.

On Tuesday night, Lillard dropped a playoff career-high 50 points—including a buzzer-beating game-winner from about 40 feet—to defeat the Thunder, 118-115. The win gave the Blazers a 4-1 series win against OKC.

After Lillard’s clutch bucket to the clinch the series, NBA and WNBA players took to social media to sound off on Dame’s epic performance.

https://twitter.com/JordanClarksons/status/1120915965418430464?s=20

The post NBA Players React to Damian Lillard’s CLUTCH Game 5 Performance appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-players-react-to-damian-lillards-clutch-game-5-performance/feed/ 0 Donovan Mitchell Drops 31 on Houston to Avoid Sweep https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-drops-31-on-houston-to-avoid-sweep/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-drops-31-on-houston-to-avoid-sweep/#respond Tue, 23 Apr 2019 10:58:40 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=531989 Donovan Mitchell helped extend Utah’s season by at least another game Monday night, scoring 19 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter of a 107-91 win against the Rockets. Mitchell’s performance ensured the Jazz would not be swept, forcing a Game 5 on Wednesday. James Harden had 30 points and Chris Paul added […]

The post Donovan Mitchell Drops 31 on Houston to Avoid Sweep appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Donovan Mitchell helped extend Utah’s season by at least another game Monday night, scoring 19 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter of a 107-91 win against the Rockets.

Mitchell’s performance ensured the Jazz would not be swept, forcing a Game 5 on Wednesday.

James Harden had 30 points and Chris Paul added 18 points and 11 assists for Houston in the loss.

Per The AP:

“My teammates have had my back with every mistake, everything I’ve done well,” Mitchell said. “When you have that support system in the locker room every day, it makes it easier when you start the game with two straight turnovers.”

Jae Crowder scored 23 points. Ricky Rubio chipped in 18 points and 11 assists and Derrick Favors finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

“Of course, we wanted to end it tonight,” Harden said. “We had plenty of opportunities. They made some plays in that fourth quarter and we didn’t.”

Mitchell scored 13 points in three minutes to fuel the run after totaling just 12 points in the first three quarters. He capped off the surge with back-to-back 3-pointers, giving the Jazz a 91-80 lead with 9:02 remaining.

“We’ve had our backs against the wall plenty of times the past two years we’ve been together as a team,” Mitchell said. “This is familiar ground with us. Everybody responded the way we expect them to, but the biggest thing for us is take what we did today and multiply it.”

The post Donovan Mitchell Drops 31 on Houston to Avoid Sweep appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-drops-31-on-houston-to-avoid-sweep/feed/ 0 ‘Nobody’s Better’: James Harden Notches Triple-Double in Game 2 vs Jazz https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nobodys-better-james-harden-notches-triple-double-in-game-2-vs-jazz/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nobodys-better-james-harden-notches-triple-double-in-game-2-vs-jazz/#respond Thu, 18 Apr 2019 11:37:10 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=531600 James Harden notched his third career postseason triple-double Wednesday night, delivering 32 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to drive Houston past the Utah Jazz 118-98 in Game 2 of their first-round series. Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni marveled at his superstar guard’s play—which gave his team a 2-0 series lead—and said, “when he gets […]

The post ‘Nobody’s Better’: James Harden Notches Triple-Double in Game 2 vs Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> James Harden notched his third career postseason triple-double Wednesday night, delivering 32 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to drive Houston past the Utah Jazz 118-98 in Game 2 of their first-round series.

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni marveled at his superstar guard’s play—which gave his team a 2-0 series lead—and said, “when he gets it rolling nobody’s better.”

Jazz guard Ricky Rubio vows not to give up, despite having the unenviable task of checking the reigning MVP.

Per The AP:

“It was important for us to come out aggressive,” Harden said. “I think it was our defensive effort.”

Harden controlled the game from the start as the Rockets raced out to a 39-19 lead after a first quarter where he scored just two points fewer than the Jazz.

“What he did in that first quarter was ridiculous,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Just dicing everybody up. When he gets it rolling nobody’s better.”

Ricky Rubio was the man tasked with guarding him most of the night.

“He’s hard but I’m not going to quit,” he said. “He’s one of the best scorers of all time and we’re going to keep trying to find ways to make his scoring hard.”

Related Chris Paul: ‘We All Need to Win a Championship’

The post ‘Nobody’s Better’: James Harden Notches Triple-Double in Game 2 vs Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nobodys-better-james-harden-notches-triple-double-in-game-2-vs-jazz/feed/ 0 Donovan Mitchell: ‘This year, It’s Different’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-this-year-its-different/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-this-year-its-different/#respond Thu, 21 Mar 2019 15:53:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=528827 Donovan Mitchell knew his second year in the NBA would be a lot harder than his unexpected breakout as a rookie. So, the 22-year-old spent his summer picking the brains of the League’s best and brightest. Having turned their season around following a poor start, Mitchell and the Utah Jazz are primed for the playoffs. […]

The post Donovan Mitchell: ‘This year, It’s Different’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Donovan Mitchell knew his second year in the NBA would be a lot harder than his unexpected breakout as a rookie.

So, the 22-year-old spent his summer picking the brains of the League’s best and brightest.

Having turned their season around following a poor start, Mitchell and the Utah Jazz are primed for the playoffs.

Per Sports Illustrated:

“This year, it’s different. I have to be locked in for every moment, they make it so tough on every possession,” Mitchell told The Crossover. “But the words I’ve received from James [Harden], from Kobe [Bryant], Chris Paul, it’s helped me understand that. I think in my rookie year, I was really taken aback. This year I came seeking advice.”

Utah’s offense sagged with Mitchell’s inefficiency, and Ricky Rubio took a step back as well. The Jazz closed 2018 with a losing record, sitting 11th in the West at 18–19.

“Coach [Quin] Snyder stressed to me that this year was going to be a lot different, and it was one thing for me to hear, and another thing for me to go through it,” Mitchell said regarding Utah’s poor start. “It’s one of those things you really have to go through, to experience. They kind of anticipated this happening, I didn’t. But to have the support of my teammates through the early part of the season was really special, and really helped get us back to where we need to be.”

Mitchell is preparing for the next decade in Utah, growing a contender from the ground up into the 2020s. With the help of some household names, Mitchell says he’s now ready to go from rookie sensation to bankable star.

“It’s been a crazy past two years, trying to absorb everything I’ve learned,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got a healthy lineup, and one that can be pretty special. Now we’ve got to prove it each and every night.”

Related Donovan Mitchell Says He’s Facing Tougher Defense in Year 2

The post Donovan Mitchell: ‘This year, It’s Different’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-this-year-its-different/feed/ 0 Post Up: Nikola Jokic Makes Third Game-Winner of 2019 https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-nikola-jokic-makes-third-game-winner-of-2019/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-nikola-jokic-makes-third-game-winner-of-2019/#respond Fri, 15 Mar 2019 05:52:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=528227 Thunder 106 (42-27), Pacers 108 (44-25) Wes Matthews tipped in an offensive board with less than two seconds to give the Pacers a much-needed win to move into third place in the Eastern Conference standings. Prior to scoring the game-winner, Matthews locked up a red-hot Paul George in the final minute of action. Bojan Bogdanovic […]

The post Post Up: Nikola Jokic Makes Third Game-Winner of 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Thunder 106 (42-27), Pacers 108 (44-25)

Wes Matthews tipped in an offensive board with less than two seconds to give the Pacers a much-needed win to move into third place in the Eastern Conference standings. Prior to scoring the game-winner, Matthews locked up a red-hot Paul George in the final minute of action.

Bojan Bogdanovic led Indiana with 23 points.

Russell Westbrook recorded another triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 11 dimes and four steals and George dropped a game-high 36 points.

Mavericks 99 (27-41), Nuggets 100 (45-22)

Denver moved just a game out of first place in the Western Conference thanks to Nikola Jokic’s third winning shot of 2019. Before Jokic’s floater won the game, Luka Doncic (24 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, two steals) threw down a dunk in traffic with 5.8 seconds to go on what looked like a potential winner.

Dirk Nowitzki knocked down three 3’s for Dallas.

Cavaliers 91 (17-52), Magic 120 (32-38)

The Cavaliers never stood a chance as the Magic ran out to a 16-point first quarter lead and never looked back.

Aaron Gordon, DJ Augustin and Nikola Vucevic combined for 60 points to lead Orlando.

Collin Sexton was a bright spot for Cleveland, scoring 23 points — his plus-minus of -17 was the best of all the Cavs’ starters.

Kings 120 (33-34), Celtics 126 (42-27)

Buddy Hield’s game-high 34 points wasn’t enough as Kyrie Irving racked up his second career triple-double with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 12 dimes.

The Kings started off strong, leading 38-25 at the end of the first quarter, but 70 second half points from the Celtics spearheaded the comeback.

Lakers 98 (31-37), Raptors 111 (49-20)

Kawhi Leonard hit five 3’s en route to a team-high 25 points as the Raptors cruised to their ninth straight win against the Lakers.

Los Angeles, who has lost six of its last seven, scored only 14 points in the final quarter. LeBron James finished the night with 29 points, four rebounds and six assists.

Timberwolves 100 (32-37), Jazz 120 (39-29)

Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 24 points as the Jazz held onto the six-seed in the Western Conference. Three different Timberwolves dished out at least six dimes (Joe Ingles: 6, Mitchell: 6, Ricky Rubio: 8).

Karl-Anthony Towns had a game-high 26 points.

The post Post Up: Nikola Jokic Makes Third Game-Winner of 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-nikola-jokic-makes-third-game-winner-of-2019/feed/ 0 Report: Grizzlies, Jazz Discussing Conley-for-Rubio Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/grizzlies-jazz-discussing-mike-conley-ricky-rubio-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/grizzlies-jazz-discussing-mike-conley-ricky-rubio-trade/#respond Fri, 01 Feb 2019 16:29:15 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=523975 The Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz have held exploratory discussions surrounding a Mike Conley for Ricky Rubio swap, reports the New York Times’ Marc Stein. Utah has had exploratory discussions with Memphis on a potential swap headlined by Mike Conley and Ricky Rubio in advance of next week's trade deadline, according to league sources. — […]

The post Report: Grizzlies, Jazz Discussing Conley-for-Rubio Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz have held exploratory discussions surrounding a Mike Conley for Ricky Rubio swap, reports the New York Times’ Marc Stein.

After a promising start to the season, the Grizzlies have fallen off a cliff, currently sitting at 14th place in the Western Conference with a depressing 20-32 record. Due to their steep downfall, the Grizz have been listening to tradeoffs for their franchise cornerstones in Conley and his running mate Marc Gasol, reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Jazz, on the other hand, have been on a tear recently and would like to upgrade their point guard situation to secure a playoff spot.

Rubio has had a modest season, averaging 12.8 points, 6.1 assists and 1.3 steals, but his persistent shooting struggles have failed to disappear, with the Spaniard shooting only 40.2 percent from the field.

Conley, though, is in the midst of a resurgent campaign after appearing in a mere 12 games last season due to a left heel injury. The 12-year veteran has averaged 20.2 points, 6.3 assists and 1.4 steals.

RELATED:
‘It’s Part of the Business’: Mike Conley and Marc Gasol Discuss Trade Talks

The post Report: Grizzlies, Jazz Discussing Conley-for-Rubio Trade appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/grizzlies-jazz-discussing-mike-conley-ricky-rubio-trade/feed/ 0 Post Up: Paul George Goes Off to Lead Thunder Past Bucks 🔥 https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-74/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-74/#respond Mon, 28 Jan 2019 05:10:36 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=523255 Clippers 122 (28-22), Kings 108 (25-25) Montrezl Harrell led the way with 25 points off the bench as the Clippers defeated the visiting Kings. Tobias Harris had 18 points and Lou Williams posted a double-double (12 points, 10 assists) as the Clippers have won the last three games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley […]

The post Post Up: Paul George Goes Off to Lead Thunder Past Bucks 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Clippers 122 (28-22), Kings 108 (25-25)

Montrezl Harrell led the way with 25 points off the bench as the Clippers defeated the visiting Kings. Tobias Harris had 18 points and Lou Williams posted a double-double (12 points, 10 assists) as the Clippers have won the last three games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley all finished in double figures.

Cavaliers 104 (10-41), Bulls 101 (11-39)

Cleveland, who dropped 18 of their last 19 games, got a win on the road in Chicago. Alec Burkes posted a team-high 18 points as Matthew Dellavedova and Jordan Clarkson chipped in 34 bench points. The Cavaliers went on a 12-2 run in the fourth to push the lead to eight points.

Rockets 103 (29-20), Magic 98 (20-30)

James Harden went on another scoring barrage, dropping 40 points in Houston. This was Harden’s 23rd straight game with 30 or more points. Chris Paul, who made his return to the starting lineup, had 12 points and six dimes.

Raptors 123 (37-15), Mavericks 120 (22-27)

Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 19 points and Pascal Siakam had 14 points. Despite the loss, Mavs rookie Luka Doncic became the youngest player in NBA history to record a 30-point triple-double (35 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists).

Jazz 125 (29-22), Timberwolves 111 (24-26)

Donovan Mitchell’s 29 points helped the Jazz rally past the Wolves. The Jazz shot 71 percent from the field as the team has won its ninth of its last 10 games. Ricky Rubio had 18 points and eight assists.

Spurs 132 (29-22), Wizards 119 (21-28)

As DeMar DeRozan missed another game, LaMarcus Aldridge had another 30-point performance to go with the W. Seven Spurs players finished in double digits as David Bertans had a season-high 21 points. The Spurs’ bench also outscored the Wizards 54-27.

Heat 106 (24-24), Knicks 97 (10-38)

With Carmelo Anthony in attendance, Dwyane Wade had 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Wayne Ellington was the Heat’s leading scorer with 19 points. The Knicks’ bench put points on the board as four reserves finished in double digits.

Lakers 116 (25-24), Suns 102 (11-40)

Ivica Zubac filled in for a missing Tyson Chandler, scoring 24 points and grabbing 16 boards. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 24, too, and Brandon Ingram put up 22. Off the bench, Lance Stephenson scored 17, including back-to-back triples down the stretch.

Thunder 118 (31-18), Bucks 112 (35-13)

Paul George was in his bag on Sunday afternoon, scoring 36 points to lead the Thunder over the Bucks. Russell Westbrook messed around and had a triple-double (13 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) for his 16th of the season. George scored 21 first-half points and hit a clutch three-pointer late in the game. He also put the Greek Freak on a poster.

The post Post Up: Paul George Goes Off to Lead Thunder Past Bucks 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-74/feed/ 0 Post Up: Raptors Beat Cavs, Become First Team to Hit 25 Wins https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-raptors-beat-cavs-first-team-25-wins/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-raptors-beat-cavs-first-team-25-wins/#respond Sat, 22 Dec 2018 06:13:32 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=519483 Cavaliers 110 (8-25), Raptors 126 (25-9) Toronto became the first team to hit 25 wins with the victory at home even despite Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka missing the game due to injury. Kawhi Leonard dropped 37 points while OG Anunoby added 21 points for the Raptors. Jordan Clarkson led Cleveland with 20 points. Dang, […]

The post Post Up: Raptors Beat Cavs, Become First Team to Hit 25 Wins appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Cavaliers 110 (8-25), Raptors 126 (25-9)

Toronto became the first team to hit 25 wins with the victory at home even despite Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka missing the game due to injury. Kawhi Leonard dropped 37 points while OG Anunoby added 21 points for the Raptors. Jordan Clarkson led Cleveland with 20 points.

Pistons 86 (15-15), Hornets 98 (16-15)

Marvin Williams poured in a career-high seven 3-pointers to lead all scorers and help Charlotte secure the win. Teammate Kemba Walker added 22 points and five assists in the win. Blake Griffin put in 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists for Detroit.

Pacers 114 (21-12), Nets 106 (15-19)

Indiana finished the game on a 14-3 run to capture the road win. Four of the Pacers’ five starters scored in double digits, led by Victor Oladipo’s 26 points. Rodions Kurucs paced Brooklyn with 24 points.

Hawks 114 (8-23), Knicks 107 (9-25)

Atlanta was propelled by an all-round effort, with seven players hitting double digits. Kent Bazemore (22 points, six rebounds) and John Collins (17 points, 16 rebounds) were the Hawks’ standout performers. Emmanuel Mudiay continued a hot stretch of play with 32 points.

Bucks 120 (22-9), Celtics 107 (18-13)

This matchup of Eastern Conference heavyweights was mostly one-sided. The Bucks held a sizable lead in the first half and didn’t back down when the Celtics cut down their lead in the fourth quarter. Giannis Antetokounmpo put in 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the road win.

Magic 80 (14-17), Bulls 90 (8-25)

Lauri Markkanen led Chicago to the win behind his game-high 32 points, which included a monster dunk on Nikola Vucevic. Evan Fournier led Orlando with 24 points.

Timberwolves 98 (14-18), Spurs 124 (18-15)

San Antonio displayed incredible ball movement, registering 36 assists on 46 made field goals. Bryn Forbes (22 points) and Marco Belinelli (17 points) provided the scoring punch. Andrew Wiggins led the Wolves in scoring with 15 points.

Jazz 120 (16-17), Blazers 90 (18-14)

A hot shooting night by Utah doomed Portland. The Jazz shot an astounding 51.6 percent from 3-point range and 55.3 percent from the field. They were led by Ricky Rubio, who dropped 24 points on 4-4 shooting from three. Damian Lillard scored 19 in the loss.

Grizzlies 99 (16-15), Kings 102 (16-15)

This one went down to the buzzer as each team was tied close to each other throughout. Each team had six double-digit scorers as well. Buddy Hield led Sacramento with 28 points; Mike Conley led Memphis with 23 points.

Pelicans 104 (15-18), Lakers 112 (19-13)

Los Angeles and New Orleans flipped the lead several times in the first half, but the Lakers took control in the third and fourth quarters. LeBron James posted a triple-double of 22 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds. Anthony Davis paced the Pelicans with 30 points and 20 rebounds.

RELATED:
Kyle Lowry: ‘I Will Be Happy for Kawhi Leonard When He Makes His Decision’

The post Post Up: Raptors Beat Cavs, Become First Team to Hit 25 Wins appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-raptors-beat-cavs-first-team-25-wins/feed/ 0 James Harden Will Not ‘Tell’ on Himself Getting Away With Travel vs Jazz https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-will-not-tell-getting-away-travel-vs-jazz/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-will-not-tell-getting-away-travel-vs-jazz/#respond Tue, 18 Dec 2018 11:55:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=518989 "What do you want me to say?"

The post James Harden Will Not ‘Tell’ on Himself Getting Away With Travel vs Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> James Harden appeared to invent a new double-step-back move Monday night, drawing a foul on Ricky Rubio behind the three-point line after getting away with a blatant traveling violation.

Rubio, hoping to avoid a fine, refused to take reporters’ bait when asked about the controversial play.

Harden, meanwhile, says he won’t tell on himself if the refs don’t blow the whistle.

Per ESPN:

“You watch the play? What do you think?” Rubio said when asked if he thought Harden traveled, not wanting to get fined for criticizing officiating. “I’m not going to answer, but I think 100 percent of the people know the answer.”

Harden didn’t deny that he got away with a walk.

“What do you want me to say? Tell on myself?” Harden said.

The missed traveling call added a controversial element, but Harden’s 47-point outing against the Jazz was the continuation of an offensive groove for the Rockets superstar. He is averaging 39.5 points per game during Houston’s four-game winning streak, highlighted by a pair of triple-doubles, including a 50-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Related
‘He’s the Best Offensive Player I’ve Ever Seen’: James Harden Drops 47 on Utah

The post James Harden Will Not ‘Tell’ on Himself Getting Away With Travel vs Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-will-not-tell-getting-away-travel-vs-jazz/feed/ 0 Post Up: DeMar DeRozan Scores 36 Points Against the Blazers https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-63/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-63/#respond Mon, 03 Dec 2018 03:04:07 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=517165 Lakers 120 (14-9), Suns (4-19) Kyle Kuzma (23 points) and LeBron James (22 points) were the Lakers’ leading scorers as the pair sat the fourth quarter in Sunday’s rout at home. Micheal Beasley, who’s been inserted into the rotation again, scored a season-high 14 points. Devin Booker left the game in the second quarter with […]

The post Post Up: DeMar DeRozan Scores 36 Points Against the Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Lakers 120 (14-9), Suns (4-19)

Kyle Kuzma (23 points) and LeBron James (22 points) were the Lakers’ leading scorers as the pair sat the fourth quarter in Sunday’s rout at home. Micheal Beasley, who’s been inserted into the rotation again, scored a season-high 14 points. Devin Booker left the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.

Pelicans 119 (11-12), Hornets 109 (11-11)

Anthony Davis feasted in Charlotte with a near triple-double: 36 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists. Jrue Holiday chipped in 19 points and eight dimes as well, and Julius Randle dropped 13 points off the bench.

Sixers 103 (17-8), Grizzlies 95 (13-9)

Every time they step on the floor, the Sixers are looking like one of the top favorites in the East with the addition of Jimmy Butler. Butler was the second-leading scorer with 21 points behind JJ Redick’s 24 in the home win. Ben Simmons (19 points, 12 rebounds) and Joel Embiid (15 points, 14 rebounds) posted double-doubles, respectively.

Heat 102 (9-13), Jazz 100 (11-13)

Late in the game with the game tied at 100, Dwyane Wade knocked down two free throws to give the Heat the two-point lead at American Airlines Arena. Hassan Whiteside had 23 points and 20 boards. Ricky Rubio was Utah’s leading scorer with 23.

Spurs 131 (11-12), Blazers 118 (13-10)

DeMar DeRozan erupted for a season-high 36 points in San Antonio, dissecting the Blazers’ defense in the mid-range area. LaMarcus Aldridge (29 points) and Rudy Gay (18 points) were the two other starters in double figures.

Mavericks 114 (11-10), Clippers 110 (15-7)

Dennis Smith Jr., who lost a tooth in the first half, made a huge block on Tobias Harris in the fourth quarter. Harrison Barnes led all scorers with 30 and JJ Barea was huge off the bench to contribute 24 points.

The post Post Up: DeMar DeRozan Scores 36 Points Against the Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-63/feed/ 0 Post Up: Jimmy Butler Serves Up Season-High 34 points in Brooklyn https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-jimmy-butler-serves-up-season-high-34-points-in-brooklyn/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-jimmy-butler-serves-up-season-high-34-points-in-brooklyn/#respond Mon, 26 Nov 2018 04:36:06 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=516390 Pistons 118 (10-7), Suns 107 (4-15) Despite Devin Booker’s 37 points in Motown, it wasn’t enough as the Suns dropped another one on the road. Andre Drummond finished with 19 points and 16 boards. Blake Griffin had 16 and Langston Galloway (15 points) and Stanley Johnson (14 points) were the two leading scorers off the […]

The post Post Up: Jimmy Butler Serves Up Season-High 34 points in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Pistons 118 (10-7), Suns 107 (4-15)

Despite Devin Booker’s 37 points in Motown, it wasn’t enough as the Suns dropped another one on the road. Andre Drummond finished with 19 points and 16 boards. Blake Griffin had 16 and Langston Galloway (15 points) and Stanley Johnson (14 points) were the two leading scorers off the bench.

Magic (10-10), Lakers 104 (11-8)

Nikola Vucevic lit up the Lakers for 31 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists as the Magic left L.A. victorious. Terrence Ross, who made a lay-up topo put Orlando up two, finished with 16 points in a game that went down to the wire. LeBron James was the Lakers’ leading scorer with 24 points.

Knicks 103 (6-14), Grizzlies 98 (12-6)

Enes Kanter feasted with a 21-point, 26-rebound performance in Memphis. Tim Hardaway Jr. also contributed 22 points and Emmanuel Mudiay had himself a nasty poster to go along with his 17 points. Mike Conley and Marc Gasol combined for 50 points as the Grizzlies have dropped the last two games.

Sixers 127 (14-8), Nets 125 (8-13)

Jimmy Butler, who scored a season-high 34 points, took matters into his own hands (again!) in the final seconds and hit a game-winning three-pointer at Barclays Center on Sunday night. The side-step on the right wing was similar to the one he had earlier this month against the Hornets. Joel Embiid posted a double-double (32 points and 12 boards).

Hawks 124 (4-16), Hornets 123 (9-10)

John Collins was the savior with the game-winning block. Collins finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Kent Bazemore contributed 20 points and the go-ahead bucket to give the Hawks the lead.

Raptors 125 (17-4), Heat 115 (7-12)

Four of the five Raptors’ starters finished in double digits as Kawhi Leonard led the way with 29 points. Pascal Siakam was the second-leading scorer with 21. Dwyane Wade, who came off the bench, holds the franchise record for most points (33) by a bench player and finished with 35 points in the loss.

Jazz 133 (9-11), Kings 112 (10-10)

Ricky Rubio went off in Northern California, dropping a team-high 27 points against the Kings. Both Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert chipped in 18 apiece, too. Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Kings with 20 points in the home loss.

Clippers 104 (13-6), Blazers 100 (12-8)

Patrick Beverley’s offensive rebound and two made free throws were huge for the Clippers to escape the Moda Center with the W. Tobias Harris had himself a career-high night, scoring 34 points, and Danilo Gallinari contributed 17 while Montrezl Harrel was a spark off the bench with 12 points. Damian Lillard had 30 points for the Blazers.

The post Post Up: Jimmy Butler Serves Up Season-High 34 points in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-jimmy-butler-serves-up-season-high-34-points-in-brooklyn/feed/ 0 Post Up: DeMar DeRozan Sinks Lakers With Clutch Bucket https://www.slamonline.com/postup/demar-derozan-sinks-lakers-clutch-bucket/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/demar-derozan-sinks-lakers-clutch-bucket/#respond Sun, 28 Oct 2018 05:54:05 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=512901 Celtics 109 (4-2), Pistons 89 (4-1) Boston hit the Pistons with a reality check after Detroit started the season with four straight wins. Impressively for Boston, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford combined for just 13 points and the game was nowhere near close. After a slow start to the season, Jaylen Brown led […]

The post Post Up: DeMar DeRozan Sinks Lakers With Clutch Bucket appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Celtics 109 (4-2), Pistons 89 (4-1)

Boston hit the Pistons with a reality check after Detroit started the season with four straight wins.

Impressively for Boston, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford combined for just 13 points and the game was nowhere near close.

After a slow start to the season, Jaylen Brown led the way with 19 points.

Jazz 132 (3-2), Pelicans 111 (4-1)

Without Anthony Davis (elbow), New Orleans allowed 64 points in the paint and couldn’t keep up with a red-hot Jazz team.

Ricky Rubio broke out with 28 points (on 14 shots) and 12 dimes, while Rudy Gobert had 25 (on 13 shots), 14 boards and 4 blocks.

Bulls 97 (2-4), Hawks 85 (2-3)

It wasn’t a pretty game, but Chicago played well when it mattered most: Outscoring the Hawks 30-22 in the fourth quarter.

Zach LaVine had a game-high 27 points, but nearly triple-doubled with turnovers (9) and rebounds (11).

Pacers 119 (4-2), Cavs 107 (0-6)

Indiana was red-hot throughout this game, shooting 64.9 percent overall and 38.5 percent from three.

Victor Oladipo continued his strong start to the season with 24 points, 6 assists and 3 steals.

Hornets 103 (3-4), Sixers 105 (3-3)

Kemba Walker (37 points) turned-in another magnificent performance, but it wasn’t enough to carry Charlotte to victory.

Markelle Fultz (10 points, 4 boards, 4 dimes) had another solid game for the Sixers, and Joel Embiid (27 and 14) didn’t seem phased after rolling his ankle in practice on Friday.

Blazers 111 (3-2), Heat 120 (3-2)

After digging themselves a 19-point hole in the second quarter, the Blazers actually ended up taking the lead late in the fourth quarter.

But Goran Dragic (28 points, 5 assists) and the Heat held on, outscoring the Blazers 19-7 in the final 3:18.

Dwyane Wade turned-in a vintage performance, finishing with 19 points in 21 minutes off the bench.

Suns 96 (1-4), Grizzlies 117 (3-2)

Phoenix really struggled to score without Devin Booker in this one. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 25-point lead in the second quarter, and it was a blowout the rest of the way.

Marc Gasol had 19 points, 8 boards and 3 steals.

Magic 91 (2-4), Bucks 113 (6-0)

The Bucks continued on its tear with an easy win over the Magic. A bit concerning, however, was that Giannis Antetokounmpo said he blacked out after taking an elbow to the head by Aaron Gordon.

After being tested in the locker room, Giannis would return to the game. But Mike Budenholzer eventually decided to play things safe and keep Giannis out.

It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll be allowed to play when the Bucks take on the Raptors on Monday.

Lakers 106 (2-4), Spurs 110 (3-2)

L.A. jumped out to a 14-point lead in the second quarter, but the Spurs slowly chipped away until they took the advantage in the fourth.

LeBron (35 points, 11 boards) reached another milestone—passing Dirk Nowitzki for sixth on the all-time scoring list—but the Lakers could get a bucket when it mattered most.

Controversially, while down 3 with 12 second remaining, Rajon Rondo passed up on a wide-open layup and decided to kick it out to the perimeter.

DeMar DeRozan continued on his early season tear, finishing with 30 points, 12 boards and 8 assists.

The post Post Up: DeMar DeRozan Sinks Lakers With Clutch Bucket appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/demar-derozan-sinks-lakers-clutch-bucket/feed/ 0 On The Rise: Dillon Brooks Has Already Arrived 💯 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/on-the-rise-dillon-brooks/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/on-the-rise-dillon-brooks/#respond Thu, 09 Aug 2018 16:42:22 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=506558 Ask Dillon Brooks if he remembers one particular welcome-to-the-League moment from his rookie season, and you’ll get a very honest answer. Nah, there was more than one. “We went to Cleveland, like a month into the season, and I thought I was doing a great job on LeBron,” Brooks remembers. “And then at the end […]

The post On The Rise: Dillon Brooks Has Already Arrived 💯 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ask Dillon Brooks if he remembers one particular welcome-to-the-League moment from his rookie season, and you’ll get a very honest answer.

Nah, there was more than one.

“We went to Cleveland, like a month into the season, and I thought I was doing a great job on LeBron,” Brooks remembers. “And then at the end of the half, I looked up, and you know those little player stat boxes on the scoreboard? He already had like 15 points, 8 assists and 10 rebounds in the first half.”

Brooks is talking by phone in July, so enough time has passed that he can laugh about being on the receiving end of a fairly typical King James first half. But that wasn’t the only one: He recalls another early-season trip, this one to Portland, where he started off cold from the floor and thought to himself, OK, this is going to be a good day for me on defense. He was primarily guarding CJ McCollum that night. CJ finished with 36.

“That’s when you know,” he says, “even though you feel like you’re playing great defense, these guys are superstars.”

It’s worth pointing out that, individually at least, such rough moments were the exception for Brooks last season, not the rule. The 45th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Brooks was hardly expected to make much of an impact from his spot in the middle of the second round. But the 6-6, 220-pound wing from Oregon—the 2017 Pac-12 Player of the Year—made the most of an unexpected opportunity, establishing himself as one of the most effective rookies in a strong class. Last season wasn’t much fun for anyone in Memphis, but if anyone benefitted from the Grizzlies’ difficult year, it was the up-and-coming Canadian.


To quickly recap: Drafted by the Rockets (behind a whole bunch of dudes whose names you’ve already forgotten), Brooks was sent to Memphis in a draft-night trade. He put in sufficient work over the summer to earn a place in the rotation, and then justified it on opening night. Coming off the bench against New Orleans, he scored 19 points in 29 minutes—a shocking debut for any rookie, let alone one who wasn’t guaranteed a roster spot a couple of months earlier.

Memphis won its first three games of the season, notching dubs over the Pelicans, Warriors, and Rockets, and Brooks played substantial minutes as a reserve in each. For both the team and the player, it was a promising start to what looked like a potentially great year. Neither of them could’ve predicted the rash of injuries that was about to hammer the squad.

The big one was stalwart point guard Mike Conley, a move that forced Tyreke Evans to the 1 and ultimately opened up a spot for Brooks. Add in injuries to Chandler Parsons, Wayne Selden, and even Tyreke eventually, and Brooks went from a nice option off the bench to a vital piece on a team that was just trying to stay afloat. They mostly sank, however, suffering a pair of double-digit losing streaks and finishing a dismal 22-60. But Brooks was a bright spot throughout, playing all 82 games—the only rookie in the League last season to manage that—and starting 74. His per-game averages of 11 points and 3 boards were modest enough, but considering his duties generally included checking the opponents’ best wing players, it was by any measure an impressive first season.

Brooks admits he’d be lying if he said he expected it.

“I thought it was gonna come a little slower for me, I guess,” he says. “At the beginning of the year, we had one of the best benches in the League, and I know I was fortunate not to go to the G-League. But then with the injuries, and especially with a losing season, as a young guy, you don’t want to lose the opportunity to show what you’re all about. I heard that a lot from my coaches—you don’t get a lot of opportunities, and you might only get one.”

If you’re looking beyond the numbers for a testament to Brooks’ determination, it might come from the Grizzlies coaching staff, who actually had to tell him to work on his game less—during the season, at least.

“I tried to be in the gym every day, but the coaches were telling me to take it easy—you know, don’t work out every day, it’s a long season, take it easy,” Brooks says. “But that’s not in my nature. I had goals for myself.”

He’s already achieved one of those goals, showing he can be a serviceable NBA starter. Making sure he’s got his spot locked down will require more work, of course, including fine-tuning a decent jumper that still shows room for improvement. But perhaps his biggest accomplishment last season was establishing himself as a guy his teammates could count on. “I feel like that’s the biggest thing for a rookie,” he says. “I got my chance when we started losing, and I was able to leave my mark.”

Another of those goals is arguably a bit more personal: Establishing himself as one of the key pieces on a promising young Canadian national team. With a mix of NBA vets like Kelly Olynyk and Cory Joseph and potential superstar in Duke freshman RJ Barrett, Brooks knows the Canadians could make some noise at next summer’s FIBA World Cup. More than most, the Mississauga, Ontario native appreciates the chance to rep his country—an opportunity he told himself he wanted no part of just a few years ago.

“You know, I tried out for a provincial team when I was probably 13 or 14, and I got cut. And I told myself, this is all politics, I’m better than most of these guys, I’ll never play for Team Canada again,” Brooks explains. It took a few years before one of the national team coaches approached Brooks and asked him to reconsider. “Ever since then, I know that ultimately I was blessed to play with Team Canada again. I feel like I’m indebted to Team Canada—I just want to prove myself every single year that I belong on that team.”

Having helped the squad advance to the next round of World Cup qualifying this fall, Brooks says that even with Andrew Wiggins’ uncertain status, he feels their potential is higher than the top of the CN Tower. “If we play as a cohesive unit,” he says, “we could definitely make some noise next summer in the Worlds.”

Brooks’ international experience this summer wasn’t limited to his time with Canada’s qualifying campaign. In July, he traveled to Spain at the invitation of teammate Marc Gasol to play in the summer charity game Gasol hosts with his brother. Brooks scored a team-high 26 points to lead “Friends of Marc” to victory over a “Friends of Pau” squad that included Ricky Rubio and Jimmy Butler. “That was really fun,” Brooks says. “I got to see different parts of Spain, and I had some great meals—I love their signature dish, even though I can never pronounce it.” Of that famous paella, Brooks adds, “They didn’t serve it at any of the meals we had, so Marc’s like, I got you when we get back to Memphis.”

An unexpected NBA starting job, a key role on his national team, even the promise of homemade paella—Brooks’ first year as an NBA player had a little bit of everything. The one exception, of course, is team success. In that, he was a particularly interested observer of Jordan Bell, his former Oregon teammate, who was picked seven spots ahead of him last summer. Bell’s draft-night trade was a little more fortuitous, as he went from the Bulls to the Warriors—and eventually played key playoff minutes in the Dubs’ run to a second straight championship.


Naturally, Brooks remains an admirer of his friend and fellow ex-Duck. “I watched him every single game,” he says. “What impressed me about Jordan was, he had to sit and watch so many games, but he was always ready. And then in the playoffs and Finals, he’s playing big minutes, guarding the best players.”

It can’t be easy seeing one of your boys collect a ring as a rookie on an all-time-great squad while you had to endure a brutal losing season, and Brooks doesn’t deny a little bit of envy. It’s also motivation: “It’s just the competitive nature in me, but when I watch any of the other rookies, I feel like I did better than most of them.”

The goal now is to ensure he’s even better next year. He wants to establish himself as the Grizzlies’ third scoring option behind Mike and Marc, improve his three-point shot, tighten up his handle, and, his defensive solidity aside, stop falling for pump fakes. “I did that so many times last year,” he says with a sigh.

But the one thing he doesn’t need to do is prove he belongs. That job is already done.

—

Ryan Jones is a Contributing Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter at @thefarmerjones.

Photos via Getty.

The post On The Rise: Dillon Brooks Has Already Arrived 💯 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/on-the-rise-dillon-brooks/feed/ 0 Gobert, Davis Lead All-Defensive First Team https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rudy-gobert-anthony-davis-lead-all-defensive-first-team/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rudy-gobert-anthony-davis-lead-all-defensive-first-team/#respond Wed, 23 May 2018 18:32:58 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=497510 Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Pelicans forward Anthony Davis received the most votes among the 2017-18 All-Defense First Teamers, the NBA announced on Wednesday. The big men are joined by Victor Oladipo, Jrue Holiday and Robert Covington—all first time All-Defensive selections. A panel of 100 media members voted for the 2017-18 NBA All-Defensive Teams, with a […]

The post Gobert, Davis Lead All-Defensive First Team appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Pelicans forward Anthony Davis received the most votes among the 2017-18 All-Defense First Teamers, the NBA announced on Wednesday.

The big men are joined by Victor Oladipo, Jrue Holiday and Robert Covington—all first time All-Defensive selections.

A panel of 100 media members voted for the 2017-18 NBA All-Defensive Teams, with a First Team vote counting for 2 points, and a Second Team vote counting for 1 point.

Check out the full results below:

First Team: Rudy Gobert (192), Anthony Davis (163), Victor Oladipo (136), Jrue Holiday (105), Robert Covington (90)

Second Team: Joel Embiid (90), Draymond Green (86), Al Horford (85), Dejounte Murray (80), Jimmy Butler (79)

Other players receiving votes: Chris Paul (74); Paul George (69); Giannis Antetokounmpo (43); Kevin Durant (31); Klay Thompson (24); Josh Richardson (22); Marcus Smart (18); Andre Roberson (17); Jaylen Brown (16); Ben Simmons (16); PJ Tucker (13); Kyle Lowry (7); Russell Westbrook (7); Danny Green (6); Luc Mbah a Moute (5); Ricky Rubio (4); Andre Drummond (3); Gary Harris (3); LaMarcus Aldridge (2); Al-Farouq Aminu (2); Avery Bradley (2); Steven Adams (1); Will Barton (1); Eric Bledsoe (1); Ed Davis (1); Derrick Favors (1); LeBron James (1); DeAndre Jordan (1); Damian Lillard (1); Donovan Mitchell (1); Fred VanVleet (1)

RELATED:
Mitchell, Simmons Voted Unanimous All-Rookie First Teamers

The post Gobert, Davis Lead All-Defensive First Team appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rudy-gobert-anthony-davis-lead-all-defensive-first-team/feed/ 0 Report: Rubio Out For Game 1, Could Miss A Few Weeks With Hamstring Injury https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-ricky-rubio-game-1-miss-weeks-hamstring-injury/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-ricky-rubio-game-1-miss-weeks-hamstring-injury/#respond Sat, 28 Apr 2018 20:24:10 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=493212 Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio is out for Game 1 against the Rockets and could miss as much as a few weeks with a left hamstring injury, per Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune. League sources: Jazz PG Ricky Rubio is OUT for Game 1 against Houston, and could miss as much as a […]

The post Report: Rubio Out For Game 1, Could Miss A Few Weeks With Hamstring Injury appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio is out for Game 1 against the Rockets and could miss as much as a few weeks with a left hamstring injury, per Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune.

According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the early estimation on Rubio’s recovery is 10 days, but a quicker return is possible based on his rehab:

Rubio averaged 14 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in Utah’s first round playoff series against OKC.

RELATED
Ricky Rubio: Jazz Play ‘More as a Team’ Than Timberwolves

The post Report: Rubio Out For Game 1, Could Miss A Few Weeks With Hamstring Injury appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-ricky-rubio-game-1-miss-weeks-hamstring-injury/feed/ 0 Russell Westbrook Vows to Stop Ricky Rubio in Game 4 https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/russell-westbrook-vows-to-stop-ricky-rubio-in-game-4/ https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/russell-westbrook-vows-to-stop-ricky-rubio-in-game-4/#respond Mon, 23 Apr 2018 10:55:08 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=492084 "Guarantee that.”

The post Russell Westbrook Vows to Stop Ricky Rubio in Game 4 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ricky Rubio can forget about registering another triple-double in Game 4, or much of anything at all, according to Russell Westbrook.

The NBA’s reigning MVP told reporters that he will “shut that s**t off” Monday night.

“He made some shots,” Westbrook said of Rubio.

“Too comfortable, but I’ma shut that s**t off next game, though. Guarantee that.”

Rubio finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Utah’s 115-102 Game 3 win, giving the Jazz a 2-1 first round series lead against the OKC Thunder.

Per the AP:

“We were down by 10 … and I just changed my mentality, trying to be more aggressive and make some shots,” Rubio said. “We made a run and it helps a lot when you’re making shots and it felt great.”

At one point, Rubio walked toward half-court with his arms outstretched, drinking in the deafening roar and subsequent “RU-BI-O! RU-BI-O!” chants from the fans.

Rubio’s triple-double was the first by a Jazz player in the postseason since John Stockton in the 2001 playoffs against Dallas.

“Having my name next to his name is an honor,” Rubio said of joining the Hall of Famer in making franchise history. “I have huge respect for him.”

The post Russell Westbrook Vows to Stop Ricky Rubio in Game 4 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/russell-westbrook-vows-to-stop-ricky-rubio-in-game-4/feed/ 0 Post Up: Pelicans Sweep Blazers, Sixers Go Up 3-1 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-pelicans-sweep-sixers-3-1/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-pelicans-sweep-sixers-3-1/#respond Sun, 22 Apr 2018 04:43:06 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=492040 Pelicans 131, Trail Blazers 123 (Pelicans win series 4-0) The Pelicans became the first team to advance to the conference semifinals by completing a four-game sweep over the 3 seed Trail Blazers. As the 6 seed in the West, the Pelicans became the lowest seed to ever sweep a first-round series. Anthony Davis and Jrue […]

The post Post Up: Pelicans Sweep Blazers, Sixers Go Up 3-1 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Pelicans 131, Trail Blazers 123 (Pelicans win series 4-0)

The Pelicans became the first team to advance to the conference semifinals by completing a four-game sweep over the 3 seed Trail Blazers. As the 6 seed in the West, the Pelicans became the lowest seed to ever sweep a first-round series.

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday were on their game Saturday. Davis had 47 points, including 19 in the third quarter as New Orleans extended his lead, and Holiday had 41 more to go with eight assists.

While the Pelicans led for almost the entire second half, the game was hotly contested. The officials handed out five technical fouls in the first half with the help of this wild sequence in the final minute of the second quarter:

New Orleans led by as many as 15 near the end of the third quarter, but the Blazers used a 17-4 run to pull to within two with 8:47 remaining in the game. Davis then scored eight points and Holiday scored six in the next four minutes to keep the Blazers at bay. CJ McCollum had 38 to lead Portland in scoring, and Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27.

The Pelicans will face the winner of the Warriors-Spurs series in the next round. Golden State currently leads that one 3-0.

76ers 106, Heat 102 (76ers lead 3-1)

Ben Simmons had a triple-double (17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) and scored nine points in the fourth quarter to lead the Sixers to a come-from-behind win in Miami. Philadelphia trailed by 12 with six minutes to play in the third quarter, but was able to cut the deficit to just four headed into the fourth — a run that Ersan Ilyasova capped with a three with 1.2 seconds to play.

Simmons was the only player on either side to score in the first two minutes of the fourth as he promptly tied the score. Joel Embiid and JJ Redick followed him to make it a 14-0 run spanning two quarters to put the Sixers up by four. They never trailed again.

Down the stretch, however, Dwyane Wade did his best to keep the Heat in the game. He scored 12 over the final eight minutes to keep the pressure on, but Philly had every answer. Simmons’ biggest basket of the game came on a dunk with just over a minute to go that answered a 5-0 run from Wade which brought the Heat to within a point.

Wade led all scorers with 25 points and Redick had 24 to lead the Sixers, who overcame 26 turnovers and 23 percent shooting from three to win the game.

Timberwolves 121, Rockets 105 (Rockets lead 2-1)

It was the Timberwolves’ first home playoff game since 2004, and they gave their fans a memorable performance. Jimmy Butler led the way with 28 points as Minnesota took down the top seed in the West. The Timberwolves led by just three at halftime but methodically built a third-quarter lead behind eight points from Karl-Anthony Towns. He finished with 18 points overall and a game-high 16 rebounds. Minnesota led by as many as 19 early in the fourth, but the Rockets battled back, pulling to within nine on a James Harden three-point play with 6:34 remaining. Jeff Teague answered immediately with a three-point play of his own. Then he and Butler hit back-to-back threes in a span of 21 seconds that essentially put the game away. Harden scored 29 and also had seven rebounds and seven assists to lead the Rockets.

Jazz 115, Thunder 102 (Jazz lead 2-1)

Ricky Rubio turned in a stellar performance, earning chants of “Ru-bi-o!” from the Utah crowd throughout the night. He finished with a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The veteran guard set the tone early when he scored 14 of the Jazz’ 15 points during a second-quarter run. In the second half, it was more of the same as he found ways to contribute throughout:

Rudy Gobert (18 points, 12 rebounds) and Donovan Mitchell (22 points, 11 rebounds) helped him out with double-doubles of their own. Paul George scored 23 to lead the Thunder.

The post Post Up: Pelicans Sweep Blazers, Sixers Go Up 3-1 appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-pelicans-sweep-sixers-3-1/feed/ 0 Post Up: Cavaliers And Jazz Both Draw Even https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-cavs-jazz-even-series/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-cavs-jazz-even-series/#respond Thu, 19 Apr 2018 04:13:11 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=491562 Cavaliers 100, Pacers 97 (Series tied 1-1) The Cavs never trailed and LeBron James was brilliant from the start as Cleveland evened this series at a game apiece. James scored the Cavs’ first 16 points and had 13 before the Pacers even got on the board. He finished the first quarter with 20, en route […]

The post Post Up: Cavaliers And Jazz Both Draw Even appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Cavaliers 100, Pacers 97 (Series tied 1-1)

The Cavs never trailed and LeBron James was brilliant from the start as Cleveland evened this series at a game apiece. James scored the Cavs’ first 16 points and had 13 before the Pacers even got on the board. He finished the first quarter with 20, en route to a 46-point, 12-rebound, and five-steal game.

Although the Cavs led by 15 after the first quarter, the Pacers fought back, slowly chipping away at the deficit. Victor Oladipo overcame early foul trouble to total 22 points and six assists as Indiana stayed within a couple possessions down the stretch. He did, however, miss a three with just under 30 seconds left that would have tied the game. Instead, James got the rebound and hit a couple free throws to ice it.

Jazz 102, Thunder 95 (Series tied 1-1)

The Jazz trailed by five on the road going into the fourth quarter, starring down a potential 0-2 deficit in the series. Then Donovan Mitchell broke through. Mitchell scored 13 of his team-high 28 points in the fourth quarter to lead Utah to the come-from-behind victory. But he wasn’t the only Jazz player to have a big night. Derrick Favors had 20 points and 16 rebounds — both career playoff highs — and Ricky Rubio had 22 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds. Rubio’s three with 4:02 left broke an 89-89 tie and gave the Jazz the lead for good. As for the Thunder, they got 19 points, 13 assists, and nine rebounds from Russell Westbrook and 18-and-10 from Paul George. Carmelo Anthony added 17, but missed threes on back-to-back possessions in the final minute.

Rockets 102, Timberwolves 82 (Rockets lead 2-0)

The first 10 minutes of the game belonged to the Timberwolves, who jumped out to a 22-13 lead. It turns out that’s as good as things got for Minnesota, as the Rockets took over from there and cruised to a 2-0 series advantage. The Rockets owned the second quarter, outscoring the Timberwolves 37-17, and led by 15 at the half to put an end to any drama in the late game of the night. Chris Paul had 27 points to lead all scorers, making up for James Harden‘s 2-18 shooting night. Paul also had eight assists to just one turnover. Andrew Wiggins had 13 points and eight rebounds to lead the Timberwolves.

The post Post Up: Cavaliers And Jazz Both Draw Even appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-cavs-jazz-even-series/feed/ 0 Post Up: Timberwolves Earn Playoff Berth, Westbrook Makes History https://www.slamonline.com/archives/post-up-timberwolves-nuggets-playoffs/ https://www.slamonline.com/archives/post-up-timberwolves-nuggets-playoffs/#respond Thu, 12 Apr 2018 05:10:18 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=490517 Timberwolves 112 (47-35), Nuggets 106 (46-36) (OT) The Timberwolves are headed to the playoffs, and they got there in riveting fashion. Hosting the Nuggets in what was essentially a play-in game, Minnesota led 99-91 late in the fourth quarter. Then Jamal Murray led a 10-2 run that forced overtime. But the Timberwolves kept the Nuggets […]

The post Post Up: Timberwolves Earn Playoff Berth, Westbrook Makes History appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Timberwolves 112 (47-35), Nuggets 106 (46-36) (OT)

The Timberwolves are headed to the playoffs, and they got there in riveting fashion. Hosting the Nuggets in what was essentially a play-in game, Minnesota led 99-91 late in the fourth quarter. Then Jamal Murray led a 10-2 run that forced overtime. But the Timberwolves kept the Nuggets off the board for the final 2:28 of OT as they hit free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Nikola Jokic scored 35 points, including 17 in the third quarter, to lead all scorers, while Jimmy Butler had 31 for Minnesota. Next up for the Timberwolves: the Houston Rockets.

Thunder 137 (48-34), Grizzlies 123 (22-60)

Paul George scored 40 points and Russell Westbrook had 16 rebounds to lead the Thunder. Westbrook’s performance gave him a triple-double average for the season, making him the first player in NBA history to do that more than once in his career. Though he scored just six points on Wednesday, he had a career-high 20 boards and 19 assists. Dillon Brooks ended his rookie season with a 36-point performance. The Thunder will play the Jazz to start the postseason.

Celtics 110 (55-27), Nets 97 (28-54)

With the Celtics resting their regulars, Aron Baynes had himself a night, scoring 26 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Jonathan Gibson added 18 more off the bench. For the Nets, Alan Crabbe scored 16 and hit five threes to go with seven rebounds and three assists. The Celtics will face the 7 seed Bucks in the First Round.

Knicks 110 (29-53), Cavaliers 98 (50-32)

The Cavs dropped their final game of the regular season, but head into the playoffs with a clean slate after a turbulent campaign. John Holland had 21 points and Ante Zizic had 20 for Cleveland, which only played its regulars for a few minutes early on. Luke Kornet scored 23 for the Knicks. The Cavs draw the Pacers in the First Round.

Heat 116 (44-38), Raptors 109 (59-23) (OT)

Wayne Ellington set the Heat’s single-season record with 227 threes on his way to 32 points Wednesday night. That helped Miami clinch the 6 seed in the East, which means they’ll visit Philadelphia to start the playoffs. Ellington’s final three came with just under 20 seconds in regulation to put Miami ahead, but the Raptors forced overtime on a Jakob Poeltl tip-in a few seconds later. The Heat never trailed in OT as they held on to defeat the No. 1  seed in the conference.

Magic 101 (25-57), Wizards 92 (43-39)

The Wizards went just 5-25 in the fourth quarter and as a result dropped to the 8 seed in the East, forcing a matchup with the Toronto Raptors. Rodney Purvis led the victorious Magic with 16 points in their final game of the season, while Jodie Meeks had 18 off the bench to lead all scorers.

76ers 130 (52-30), Bucks 95 (44-38)

The Sixers led 46-18 after a quarter and never looked back, dismantling the Bucks even as Joel Embiid continues to sit out, recovering from injury. Justin Anderson had 25 points to lead Philly, which finished the regular season with 16 straight wins. Jabari Parker led the Bucks with 25 points.

Pistons 119 (39-43), Bulls 87 (27-55)

Detroit won every quarter, opening up a 14-point lead after one and cruising to victory. Eric Moreland had 16 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks to lead the Pistons, and rookie Luke Kennard added 23 points. Lauri Markkanen had 20 to lead the Bulls as both teams ended disappointing seasons.

Pelicans 122 (48-34), Spurs 98 (47-35)

The Pelicans will head into the postseason with five straight wins, led by 22 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks from Anthony Davis. Rajon Rondo had 19 points and 14 assists to go with that. No player for the Spurs scored more than 11 points, a mark matched by LaMarcus Aldridge, Dejounte Murray, and Tony Parker. New Orleans will play Portland in the First Round and the Spurs will face Golden State.

Lakers 115 (35-47), Clippers 100 (42-40)

Josh Hart scored 30 points on 7-9 three-point shooting as the Lakers won the battle of L.A. teams to close the season. Gary Payton II had 25 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. For the Clippers, Tobias Harris led the way with 23 points.

Kings 96 (27-55), Rockets 83 (65-17)

With James Harden, Chris Paul, Clint Capela, and more sitting out, the Rockets couldn’t get much going against the Kings. Gerald Green did manage 31 points and hit seven threes, but seven Kings players scoring in double figures was too much. Willie Cauley-Stein led the Kings with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists.

Trail Blazers 102 (49-33), Jazz 93 (48-34)

The Blazers clinched the Northwest Division behind 36 points and 10 assists from Damian Lillard and 19 points from CJ McCollum. Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell each had 17 to lead the Blazers, who shot just 37 percent as a team.

The post Post Up: Timberwolves Earn Playoff Berth, Westbrook Makes History appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/archives/post-up-timberwolves-nuggets-playoffs/feed/ 0 Richard Jefferson: Ben Simmons Isn’t A ‘True Rookie’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/richard-jefferson-ben-simmons-isnt-true-rookie/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/richard-jefferson-ben-simmons-isnt-true-rookie/#respond Tue, 10 Apr 2018 17:42:05 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=490244 Richard Jefferson says Ben Simmons isn’t a “true rookie,” and Donovan Mitchell deserves the Rookie of the Year award. In a Snapchat post, Jefferson reasoned that Simmons’ redshirt NBA season better prepared him for this year. 👀 Richard Jefferson says Ben Simmons isn't a "TRUE rookie," picks Donovan Mitchell for ROY. pic.twitter.com/QbgjVY32yO — SLAM (@SLAMonline) […]

The post Richard Jefferson: Ben Simmons Isn’t A ‘True Rookie’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Richard Jefferson says Ben Simmons isn’t a “true rookie,” and Donovan Mitchell deserves the Rookie of the Year award.

In a Snapchat post, Jefferson reasoned that Simmons’ redshirt NBA season better prepared him for this year.

“It’s not Ben’s fault but [Donovan Mitchell] is a TRUE rookie. He didn’t have an entire year to train and practice against NBA talent. He didn’t get to sit on a bench and watch film and dedicate is life to basketball.

“Donovan’s next best offensive players are Rudy Gobert (spoiler alert DPOY) and Ricky Rubio….. no disrespect but nuff said. Ben has a wealth of monsters and proven offensive guys around that he does an amazing job facilitating for.

“Donovan also lead his team on a 10+ game winning streak average 20+ pts. If you have never done it you don’t know how hard that is for a TRUE ROOKIE. Ben is a future HOF’er and it’s very close but best and most surprising rookie is DONOVAN MITCHELL.. I’ll only concede CO ala JKIDD and GHILL.”

The post Richard Jefferson: Ben Simmons Isn’t A ‘True Rookie’ appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/richard-jefferson-ben-simmons-isnt-true-rookie/feed/ 0 Ricky Rubio: Jazz Play ‘More as a Team’ Than Timberwolves https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/ricky-rubio-jazz-play-team-timberwolves/ https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/ricky-rubio-jazz-play-team-timberwolves/#respond Thu, 05 Apr 2018 11:25:21 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=489294 Shots fired?

The post Ricky Rubio: Jazz Play ‘More as a Team’ Than Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Ricky Rubio says Utah plays “more as a team” than his old squad in Minnesota.

Rubio, 27, logged his fifth career 30-point game Tuesday night and told reporters that his first season with the Jazz is his best since being drafted by the Timberwolves in 2009.

Rubio says he now feels “mature enough to really take over a game.”

Per the Deseret News:

He finished with 31 points, eight assists and six rebounds (in a 117-110 win against the Los Angeles Lakers), leading the seventh-year pro to make a bold claim afterward that this is the best season of his career.

“Yeah, absolutely. Because I feel good, I feel like I can control the tempo of the game without just scoring but in a lot of areas and I feel mature enough to really take over a game,” Rubio said. “A different system fits me better, and I’m playing better.”

“He’s had a terrific year. Ricky’s a very good player,” said Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau. “He plays all aspects of the game. I think he shot the ball well this year and he’s doing a good job for them.”

The post Ricky Rubio: Jazz Play ‘More as a Team’ Than Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/ricky-rubio-jazz-play-team-timberwolves/feed/ 0 Post Up: KD And The Warriors Get The Last Laugh in Oklahoma City https://www.slamonline.com/archives/post-up-kevin-durant-warriors-beat-thunder-westbrook/ Wed, 04 Apr 2018 05:45:08 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=488941 76ers 121 (47-30), Nets 95 (25-53) Even without Joel Embiid or Dario Saric, Philly dominated this one from the opening tip. The 76ers outrebounded Brooklyn by 20 and shot over 54 percent from the field while forcing 18 Nets turnovers. Philly sharpshooters J.J. Redick (19 points) and Marco Belinelli (17 points) ran circles around the […]

The post Post Up: KD And The Warriors Get The Last Laugh in Oklahoma City appeared first on SLAM.

]]> 76ers 121 (47-30), Nets 95 (25-53)

Even without Joel Embiid or Dario Saric, Philly dominated this one from the opening tip. The 76ers outrebounded Brooklyn by 20 and shot over 54 percent from the field while forcing 18 Nets turnovers. Philly sharpshooters J.J. Redick (19 points) and Marco Belinelli (17 points) ran circles around the Brooklyn defense, while Ben Simmons (15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists) put together his 36th double-double. He also became the second player in NBA history to eclipse 1,200 points, 600 rebounds and 600 assists in a rookie season. The other? Oscar Robertson.

Cavaliers 112 (48-30), Raptors 106 (55-22)

Toronto is still in a battle with Boston for both the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division crown, so the Raptors’ recent swoon is more than just the result of complacency and may be a cause for concern. All five Cavaliers starters scored in double digits — led by LeBron‘s 27 points and 10 rebounds — as Cleveland led most of the way in Kyle Korver‘s return.

Kyle Lowry (5 points on 2-of-11 shooting) never got going and even Toronto’s stellar bench couldn’t make up the missed production. DeMar DeRozan had a team-high 19 points with seven dimes. The Cavs also need to keep winning to maintain their No. 3 spot in the East and, with the 76ers and Pacers bearing down, Cleveland having homecourt advantage in the first round is far from guaranteed. But, if the Cavs keep playing like this, they’ll be fine.

Heat 101 (42-36), Hawks 98 (22-56)

Atlanta is far from the postseason but gave the playoff-bound Heat a real scare on Tuesday night, leading 98-90 with three minutes left to play. However, as the final score would indicate, Miami scored the game’s final 11 points with a crazy rally and was able to seal the win with two last-second Josh Richardson blocks following a go-ahead Hassan Whiteside tip-in.

John Collins (19 points, 10 rebounds) led the way for the Hawks, who also got 18 points off the bench from Tyler Dorsey. Goran Dragic had 22 points and 10 assists for Miami while Whiteside — days after complaining about his lack of playing time — posted an 18-point, 12-board double-double.

Magic 97 (23-54), Knicks 73 (27-51)

The Mario Hezonja redemption tour continues, as the former lottery pick — whose fourth-year option wasn’t picked up by the Magic earlier in the season — keeps playing well. He paced the Magic with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, as Orlando used a dominant final frame to beat up on the Knicks.

New York was just 4-of-27 from three-point range and scored a measly 28 second half points. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 16 points in the defeat. It was a big loss for the Knicks from a draft pick perspective, as they entered a tie with the Bulls for the 8th-worst record in the Association.

Bulls 120 (27-51), Hornets 114 (34-45)

Chicago has followed up a seven-game losing streak with a fairly improbably three-game winning streak, especially for a team missing a good chunk of its starting lineup. Lauri Markkanen (24 points in 24 minutes) knocked down five triples while relative newcomer Sean Kilpatrick added 21 points off the bench.

The Hornets committed 20 turnovers in the loss. Dwight Howard (23 points, 17 rebounds) had another big game while Malik Monk, who hasn’t gotten consistent playing time in his rookie season, scored 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Kemba Walker struggled from the field, posting just nine points and four assists.

Rockets 120 (63-15), Wizards 104 (42-36)

Another ho-hum 71-point first half for the Rockets made for a pretty boring final 24 minutes as Houston rolled past the Wizards. James Harden (38 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) dominated all game and Washington — like most teams — had no answer for him. There was some injury concern for the Rockets, though, with Ryan Anderson suffering a left ankle sprain after playing just five minutes. He didn’t return.

The Wizards are still reintegrating John Wall back into the flow of things and he had an off-night, shooting 3-of-10 from the field along with eight turnovers. Bradley Beal (27 points) was locked in.

Bucks 106 (42-36), Celtics 102 (53-24)

The shorthanded Celtics had to lose at some point. Boston’s six-game winning streak, all without Kyrie Irving, was snapped by a Bucks team that needs one more win (or one more Pistons loss) to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo (29 points, 11 rebounds) and Khris Middleton (20 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists) were great, and Giannis may have saved the game with an insane chasedown block on Jaylen Brown with less than a minute to go.

Brown and Jayson Tatum (combined for 44 points) provided much of Boston’s scoring on a night when the bench didn’t do much.

Warriors 111 (57-21), Thunder 107 (45-34)

The latest KD–Russell Westbrook battle in Oklahoma City lived up to the hype, even with Steph Curry on the sidelines. Durant dropped 34 points (albeit on 9-of-25 shooting) and grabbed 10 boards in the Golden State win while Westbrook had a ridiculous 44 points and 16 rebounds.

For the most part, though, the OKC starting five outplayed that of the Warriors. The difference in this game was when KD and Russ weren’t on the floor. Golden State got 38 points from its bench while OKC got just 14. The trio of David West, Damian Jones and JaVale McGee combined to go a perfect 12-for-12 from the field.

Paul George (5-of-19) and Carmelo Anthony (4-of-16) weren’t very efficient, with Melo missing all nine of his three-point attempts. The Thunder are far from guaranteed to make the postseason and are just 1.5 games up on idle No. 9 Denver. A first round matchup with Golden State is also very possible.

Mavericks 115 (24-54), Trail Blazers 109 (48-30)

Portland has already clinched a playoff spot, but losing to lottery-bound Dallas delayed the Blazers’ quest for homecourt advantage in the postseason’s opening round. Every Mavs starter reached double figures — led by Dennis Smith Jr.‘s 18 points — with Yogi Ferrell adding 15 as a reserve.

The Blazers couldn’t buy a three, going 10-for-40 beyond the arc. Damian Lillard (29 points) was the game’s high-scorer but was just 6-of-20 from the field. He did make all 15 of his free throw attempts. Jusuf Nurkic (15 points, 13 rebounds) was effective but limited to 27 minutes, partially due to foul trouble.

Nuggets 107 (43-35), Pacers 104 (46-32)

For the third consecutive game, the Nuggets played a postseason-bound team tough and won a one-possession decision that helped them keep pace in the West. Following wins over the Thunder and Bucks, Denver had a chance to gain some ground against a red-hot Pacers team and did just that. Nikola Jokic (30 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals) filled up the stat-sheet in the W alongside Will Barton (26 points, 10 rebounds) as Gary Harris continued to sit with due to a knee injury.

Victor Oladipo (25 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals) played well as Indiana had a solid offensive game, but lost the rebounding battle by 14 and couldn’t stop Jokic at all. When he’s making threes and getting his teammates involved, there’s not much any team can do against him.

Jazz 117 (45-33), Lakers 110 (33-44)

Without Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Isaiah Thomas, the Lakers needed other guys to step up if they were going to have a chance to take down the Jazz. Julius Randle (12 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists), Kyle Kuzma (26 points) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (28 points) did just that but it still wasn’t enough as the backcourt combo of Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell (57 combined points on 37 shots) spearheaded a big scoring night for Utah.

The Jazz, which leapfrogged the Thunder to tie with the Spurs for the No. 4 spot in the West, scored 65 first half points en route to a third-straight win. Rudy Gobert (12 points, 16 rebounds) even helped in facilitating with five assists, his second-highest total of the season. Joe Ingles knocked down 3 threes, extending his streak with at least one made triple to 35 games. That’s a Jazz record.

Suns 97 (20-59), Kings 94 (25-54)

No player from this year’s rookie class has arguably made a bigger in-season improvement than Josh Jackson (28 points, 6 rebounds), who couldn’t find his shot for the first few months of the season but has turned into a reliable scorer for the Suns as of late. His big game helped the Suns snap a franchise-worst 15-game losing streak that lasted the entire month of March. Alex Len helped with a 17-point, 15-rebound double-double off the bench.

Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points) and Justin Jackson (19 points, 8 rebounds) had good performances in the loss. With the Mavs’ win over Portland, the Kings moved to a half-game “behind” Dallas for the 5th in the reverse standings. Phoenix has a two-game “lead” over Memphis for the worst record in the NBA.

Clippers 113 (42-36), Spurs 110 (45-33)

Maybe against the Spurs of old — with Kawhi Leonard — a 41-point fourth quarter and late double-digit comeback would have been unthinkable, but this Spurs team isn’t the Spurs of old anymore. Needing a win to move within 1.5 games of a playoff spot, the Clippers fought back to stun San Antonio thanks to 31 points from Tobias Harris and a go-ahead three from Austin Rivers with 29 seconds left.

Lou Williams (22 points), as usual, provided a massive spark to draw the game to a tie midway through the final quarter just minutes after the Spurs led by 11. But San Antonio went back up, and held a 103-96 advantage with three minutes to play. LA scored the next seven points to tie it up at 103 and took the lead for good on Rivers’ three from the wing.

LaMarcus Aldridge (35 points, 9 rebounds) had his way all night in the loss but he and Patty Mills (17 points) didn’t get much help, especially in the fourth quarter.

The post Post Up: KD And The Warriors Get The Last Laugh in Oklahoma City appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Post Up: Sixers Win 10th Straight And Spurs Knock Off Rockets https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-sixers-win-10-straight/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-sixers-win-10-straight/#respond Mon, 02 Apr 2018 04:11:39 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=488527 76ers 119 (46-30), Hornets 102 (34-44) Ben Simmons didn’t record another triple-double, but he was nonetheless phenomenal as the Sixers won their 10th game in a row. The rookie finished with 20 points and 15 assists, helping Philly record at least 30 assists for a team-record ninth-straight game. A 14-0 run from the Sixers in […]

The post Post Up: Sixers Win 10th Straight And Spurs Knock Off Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

]]> 76ers 119 (46-30), Hornets 102 (34-44)

Ben Simmons didn’t record another triple-double, but he was nonetheless phenomenal as the Sixers won their 10th game in a row. The rookie finished with 20 points and 15 assists, helping Philly record at least 30 assists for a team-record ninth-straight game. A 14-0 run from the Sixers in the third quarter, which came right after the Hornets momentarily grabbed the lead, put the game away. Marco Belinelli led all scorers with 22 points, and Malik Monk and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist each had 16 to lead the Hornets.

Bulls 113 (26-51), Wizards 94 (42-35)

Lauri Markkanen scored 23 points on 5-8 shooting from three as the Bulls handed the Wizards their third-straight road loss. As a team, the Bulls were on fire from deep, making 18 of 34 three-point attempts. Bobby Portis went 4-5 from three off the bench and scored 18 points. The Wizards, a day after wrapping up a playoff spot, turned the ball over 16 times, but got 17 points from Otto Porter Jr.

Pacers 111 (46-31), Clippers 104 (41-36)

Victor Oladipo filled the stat sheet with 30 points, 12 assists, five steals, and four rebounds to lead the Pacers on the road. Indiana earned its 12th win in 16 games thanks to Oladipo’s heroics, a 35-26 fourth quarter, and 24 points from Myles Turner. Tobias Harris had 21 and Lou Williams scored 20 to lead the Clippers, who are now two games out of the 8 spot in the West with five remaining.

Spurs 100 (45-32), Rockets 83 (62-15)

The Rockets still have the best record in the NBA, but the Spurs held them to their lowest point total of the season on Sunday. Houston shot just 34 percent overall and went 7-31 from three. On the other end, LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Spurs, while Rudy Gay added 21. James Harden had 25 points and eight assists for Houston.

Hawks 94 (22-55), Magic 88 (22-54)

Back-to-back buckets from Tyler Dorsey with under two minutes to go gave the Hawks all the breathing room they needed to hold off the Magic in a back-and-forth game. Dorsey scored a team-high 19 off the bench on 8-11 shooting, including three from long distance. D.J. Augustin had 20 to lead the Magic.

Pistons 108 (37-40), Nets 96 (25-52)

Playing without Blake Griffin once again, the Pistons earned their fifth win in a row, this one behind 29 points from Reggie Jackson. Detroit is still alive in the playoff hunt, albeit just barely, at four games out of the 8 seed with five remaining. Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris each scored 15 points for the Nets.

Cavaliers 98 (47-30), Mavericks 87 (23-54)

LeBron James endured a rough day offensively and still somehow managed a triple-double with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. That pretty much says it all about LeBron. Cleveland has won eight out of nine as it tries to wrap up the 3 seed in the East. Harrison Barnes had 30 for the Mavericks, but only one other Dallas player scored more then nine.

Thunder 109 (45-33), Pelicans 104 (43-34)

Russell Westbrook’s triple-double (26 points, 15 rebounds, 13 assists) and Paul George’s 19 first-half points lifted the Thunder in a close game over the Pelicans. They stayed within reach of the 4 seed, or even the 3 with some luck, while New Orleans’ path to wrapping up a playoff spot narrowed a little bit. Anthony Davis had 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Pelicans.

Jazz 121 (44-33), Timberwolves 97 (44-34)

The Jazz shot a season-best 60.5 percent from the field to blow out the Timberwolves and improve to 25-5 over their last 30 games. Some of the shooting numbers were outrageous. Donovan Mitchell had 21 points on 10-15 shooting. Ricky Rubio had 23 and shot 9-14. He also went 5-6 from three. Andrew Wiggins had 23 and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 for the Timberwolves, but it wasn’t close to enough.

Warriors 117 (56-21), Suns 107 (19-59)

The Warriors didn’t look like themselves for the first half of this one, but came alive with a 36-18 third quarter to beat the Suns. Kevin Durant led the way with a near triple-double (29 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists), and Draymond Green had 13 points and 12 assists. Marquese Chriss and Josh Jackson each had 22 for the Suns who, somehow, have lost 25 out of 26.

Nuggets 128 (42-35), Bucks 125 (OT) (41-36)

The Nuggets trailed by eight in the final minute of regulation but rallied to force overtime on three Jamal Murray free throws with 2.8 seconds left. Denver never trailed in overtime as Jabari Parker missed what would have been the game-tying three in the final seconds. Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 13 rebounds, while Paul Millsap added 26 and 13 of his own. Parker had 35 for the Bucks.

Trail Blazers 113 (48-29), Grizzlies 98 (21-56)

The Blazers clinched a playoff spot behind 27 points from Damian Lillard and 20 from CJ McCollum. Portland led by as many as 23 but had to fend off a late rally from Memphis to hold on. Dillon Brooks had 28 to lead the Grizzlies. While it took until Sunday for the Blazers to officially clinch the playoffs thanks to a crowded middle of the field, they’re in good shape for the 3 seed and home court in the first round.

Kings 84 (25-53), Lakers 83 (33-43)

Buddy Held broke an 80-80 tie on a dunk with 37 seconds left and De’Aaron Fox made what proved to be the game winner 26 seconds later to hand the Lakers their third loss in four games. Hield led the Kings with 19 points and Julius Randle matched him to lead the Lakers. Neither team shot well for the game as the two combined to go 14-56 from three 23-39 from the line.

The post Post Up: Sixers Win 10th Straight And Spurs Knock Off Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-sixers-win-10-straight/feed/ 0 NBA Kicks of the Night https://www.slamonline.com/kicks/nba-sneakers-2018-0328/ https://www.slamonline.com/kicks/nba-sneakers-2018-0328/#respond Thu, 29 Mar 2018 16:59:02 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=487965 Kickstradomis' customs on full display around the league and Big K.A.T. drops a career-high 56 points in Nike Hyperdunk 2017 PEs.

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The 2017-2018 NBA season has seen a surge in players rocking customs in-game and the man many of them trust to make their sneaker dreams come true is Kickstradomis. His talents were seen on the feet of several players last night.

Rudy Gobert had Nintendo fanboys crushing as he wore a “Zelda” themed custom of the Nike Air Max Dominate. Teammate Ricky Rubio used his customs to show support and bring awareness to 5 for the Fight Cancer Awareness Night while former Jazz player and current Magic guard Shelvin Mack decked out his Nike Mamba Rage in a Disney theme featuring Mickey Mouse holding the Swoosh as a paintbrush. Lastly, Kemba Walker turned heads as he donned a Hornets custom of the Air Jordan X Retro on the night he became the team’s all-time leading scorer.

Continuing on, one of Kickstradomis’ biggest clients, Karl-Anthony Towns, had a career night as he dropped 56 points to go along with 15 rebounds and four dimes in his Nike Hyperdunk 2017 PEs. MarShon Brooks made his return to the NBA a memorable one as he dropped 21 points to help lead Memphis to a win over Blazers and Kyle Kuzma went back nearly a decade as he brought out the Nike Zoom Kobe 3.

The rest of Wednesday’s NBA kicks is just a few clicks away and make sure to share your opinions on players rocking customs in the comments below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/kicks/nba-sneakers-2018-0328/feed/ 0 Jazz Rookie Donovan Mitchell is a Ready-Made Superstar https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-slam-cover/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-slam-cover/#respond Wed, 21 Mar 2018 14:44:33 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=485864 Tap! Tap! Tap! All day long, a young Donovan Mitchell would jump up towards the archway that separated his family’s living room from their dining room at their house in Elmsford, NY, slapping the wall at the highest point he could reach. Tap! Tap! Tap! “You’re dirtying up my walls!” Nicole Mitchell, Donovan’s mother, would […]

The post Jazz Rookie Donovan Mitchell is a Ready-Made Superstar appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Tap! Tap! Tap!

All day long, a young Donovan Mitchell would jump up towards the archway that separated his family’s living room from their dining room at their house in Elmsford, NY, slapping the wall at the highest point he could reach.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

“You’re dirtying up my walls!” Nicole Mitchell, Donovan’s mother, would yell at him.

A decade-plus later, Nicole sat courtside as Donovan flew through the air time and time again en route to a 2018 Slam Dunk Contest victory in Los Angeles. He leapt over his little sister Jordan, along with comedian Kevin Hart and Hart’s son. He re-enacted a classic Vince Carter dunk—while wearing a Vinsanity jersey, no less. He tossed two alley-oops off the backboard to himself. Nicole was amazed by his ability to soar, but not surprised—she’s been watching him practice for that moment for a while.

“Whether he had so much energy that he had to jump up and down or he knew [jumping in the living room] is how he could get up closer towards the rim, he’s been working on that vertical for quite some time now,” she says. “It paid off.”

It’s been a theme as of late—years of hard work paying off all at once for the 21-year-old rookie. He was drafted last June by the Utah Jazz, a franchise that played in a city he had visited for the first time during his predraft workout. Then he started the season relatively slowly, averaging 9.4 points through the first seven games of his career. “I was just focusing on all the wrong things,” he says.


He speaks from the middle of the court in an empty Vivint Smart Arena, where the Jazz play, on an off day in late February. Cameras roll in front of him, and off to the side the lighting for his first magazine cover is being set up. “I’m a selfless player, and I was focused on, like, Who are the Rookie of the Year candidates? Who is scoring this? Who is doing that? Instead of worrying about what we’re doing here.”

Conversations with veterans like Thabo Sefolosha—who recommended that Donovan simply turn off his cell phone (gasp) during moments of stress—helped him get on track pretty quickly, though. He scored in the 20s in a bunch of games through November, and then on December 1, with his sister’s name penned on his sneakers, he dropped a cool 41 points in a home win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

And that was just the beginning. He topped 24 points eight more times in the month of December, combining high-flying dunks with a silky three-point shot and a knack for moving the ball effectively and getting his teammates involved. With star guard Gordon Hayward having bolted for Boston the previous summer, the Jazz had been a popular bottom-of-the-standings preseason pick, an organization many expected would tank away this season to load up for a 2019-and-beyond approach. Instead, as 2018 hit, Mitchell was averaging close to 20 a game and the Jazz were pushing for a playoff spot in the ever-competitive and absurdly deep Western Conference.

“On December 1 is when I was like, Man, I can do this,” he says. “I was like, I can play at this level and compete.

“Every game there’s something that I do that makes me be like, Man!” he continues. “Even when I score, sometimes—I don’t know how to explain it. I’m making these shots that a year ago I wouldn’t come close to making.”


The breakout didn’t slow down when the new year hit. Spida—as he was nicknamed by a teammate’s father as a kid because of us his spider-esque long arms—dropped 35 and 34 in January and kicked off February with a 40-point, 6-assist, 5-rebound performance against the Suns. He also threw down a few poster dunks and led the Jazz on an 11-game winning streak that stretched from late-January through most of February. At least locally, sales of his jersey went through the roof. (A team staffer told SLAM the organization hasn’t seen jerseys move at the rate they have recently since the Stockton-Malone days.) In late December, he made an appearance at a Stance Socks store at a mall just outside of Salt Lake City, and the 1,100-person line to grab a photo or autograph wrapped through the entire mall and around the block outside.

The momentum kept rolling at February’s All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. There was that amazing Dunk Contest, plus the Rising Stars Game, where he started and threw down a self-alley-oop off the backboard during a fast break. CAA, the agency that represents Mitchell, set him up with a jam-packed schedule of events and signings for fans, which he appeared at, one after the next, with his mother and sister by his side at all hours of the day.

When we catch up with him in Utah, Donovan spends a lot of time talking about his family. They guided him through the process, but more than that, they made sacrifices to make sure he was able to take advantage of every opportunity. Nicole and Jordan traveled with Donovan to every tournament he participated in as a kid and every game he played in that they could possibly get to. “My mom wouldn’t hang out with her friends because she’s taking me to a tournament, or my sister wouldn’t be able to go on vacation with some of her friends because she’s with me,” Donovan says. “I never take stuff like that for granted.”

Since 1999 Donovan’s father has worked for the New York Mets (he’s currently the Director of Player Relations and Community Engagement), and growing up Spida was as enamored with baseball as he was basketball. As the now-commonly-told story goes, DM injured his wrist playing high school baseball, forcing him to miss the subsequent AAU basketball season. Sidelined and frustrated, Donovan learned that A.) the ability to play sports can be taken away at the snap of a finger and B.) that basketball was his future, and that if he was going to commit to it, he needed to ditch all other pursuits. He decided to go all in on hoops and never looked back.


During his junior and senior years of high school he attended Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH, where he became a coveted top-30 prospect with his choice of D-1 college options. “I thought, Jackpot, we’ve got a good education ahead of us,” Nicole says. She was right, but didn’t realize that that education wouldn’t need to last long. He went to Louisville University and was decent (at best) his freshman year, but returned to his family’s new home in Connecticut after the school year ended and worked his ass off to get better. That summer, “[Donovan] would take the train all the way to 42nd Street and walk to the building where we’d workout,” says Chris Brickley, a personal trainer now known for the popular Black Ops summer pick-up games he runs in NYC. Brickley had also played at Louisville and was close with then-Louisville coach Rick Pitino, and had trained with Donovan before his freshman year of college, too.

Donovan’s sophomore year changed everything. He averaged 15.6 ppg (more than double his previous season’s scoring numbers), plus 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 dimes and 2.1 steals per game. The story’s circulated plenty by now, but Mitchell famously paid for himself to travel to and workout in L.A. after the season ended (to retain his NCAA eligibility if he decided not to enter the League), then trained with NBA superstars Chris Paul and Paul George, who wisely advised him that of course he should declare for the draft. “He was trippin’,” Chris Paul says. “Me and him did a little shooting game, and he won. We played some 1-on-1. I just told him it’s a decision he has to make with his family, but I knew he was ready to play.”

The rest happened fast. He declared, went through team workouts, was selected by the Nuggets at 13th overall and subsequently traded to the Jazz for Trey Lyles and the 24th overall pick. Twelve days later, he watched as 2017 All-Star Gordon Hayward announced that he’d be shipping off to Boston, leaving Jazz fans unsure of what the coming season held. They had some nice pieces—Rudy Gobert is a 25-year-old All-Defensive First Team stud, Ricky Rubio is a solid pass-first point guard, and there were some reliable role players like Derrick Favors, Joe Ingles and Rodney Hood (before a mid-season trade sent him to Cleveland) in tow. It’d be relatively standard, though, for a team coming off the loss of its one All-Star to fill out the roster with inexperienced up-and-comers, give them big minutes and prepare for the top of the 2018 lottery.

“I think it’s a credit to the organization and the tradition that we have,” Mitchell says, “[that] we really want to go out there and try to make the playoffs. We’ve structured our lineup to go and do that.”

Part of that structure was giving lots of playing time to the aforementioned group of vets, though the coaching staff still puts Donovan front and center, regularly starting him as a shooting guard who shifts over to point once Rubio subs out. He averages over 33 minutes per game (third in the NBA among rookies) and has a usage rate higher than guys like Kemba Walker and CP3. Which is to say that he’s been thrown into the fire, and he’s responded like he was 1,000 percent ready for it.


Brickley hasn’t been shocked. He watched Donovan participate in those Black Ops runs with NBA-level talent last summer, where he held his own. “Everyone knew,” Brickley says. “It hasn’t been a surprise. Everyone that was in the runs, from JR [Smith], to Devin Booker, to CJ [McCollum], they’ve seen how good the kid is. He was doing that all summer—he was dominating. So I really wasn’t surprised when I saw what he was doing, because I saw him do it in the summer versus elite NBA guys.”

“I never expected to be here,” Mitchell admits. But he mentions repeatedly that he refuses to let the newfound fame change him. “Breaking my wrist [in high school] allowed me to see that this isn’t a given. This can be taken away at any moment. The minute you let all this get to your head is the minute all of this stops.”

On February 26, the night before Mitchell’s SLAM cover shoot, the Jazz host the Rockets in SLC. From press row, even a cursory look around and it’s clear: Donovan Mitchell is officially this franchise’s headliner. No. 45 MITCHELL jerseys (he chose the number to honor his favorite player’s iconic baseball career, switching up the usual form of MJ worship) don’t just dot the stands—they flood them. His face is featured on promo materials and perpetually displayed on the arena’s strikingly massive Jumbotron.

The Jazz flash constant potential, as does Donovan individually. Once or twice, as he has seemingly a couple dozen times this season, he splits two defenders, finds a crack in the lane and rises up for a forceful dunk. He often plays relatively low to the ground—dribbling close to the hardwood and weaving through taller defenders by maintaining his handle while crouching down—but when he extends up and rises for a dunk, he flies higher than you’d expect he’s capable of, even for an athletic NBA player.

And yet the Rockets are the hottest team in the NBA, and at the moment Chris Paul and James Harden are simply too good. Towards the end of the first half, the rook drives on CP3, who displays vet-like poise by waiting until DM is just a little off-balance then rips the ball away from him as an unsteady Mitchell crashes to the floor. The Rockets wind up with a 96-85 victory, extending their impressive winning streak to 13, and the Jazz fall to 31-30 on the season. Since then, Mitchell’s team has gone 9-1,  holding the No. 8 seed in a competitive Western Conference as this story went live.


Mitchell’s averages of 19.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals have put him neck and neck in the Rookie of the Year race with Philadelphia Sixers do-everything dynamo Ben Simmons, though Mitchell says, “I can care less [about the award]. The biggest thing right now is making a playoff push. I really love competing. I don’t wanna be at home watching it, saying, Man, we should be there.”

If the team does slide into the postseason, it’ll be largely because Utah coach Quin Snyder gave his star rookie the reps that any young NBA player craves upon entering the League, and Mitchell then turned those reps into quick results. “A lot of guys have to come in this league and sit and watch and learn,” Paul says. “He’s dealing with a coach that’s letting him play, which is really great. Watch when the game starts slowing down for him. He’s only getting started.”

“Coming in, people didn’t say I had that high of a ceiling,” Mitchell adds. “Obviously I’ve seen that their feelings have changed. I really don’t base it off what other people say I can or can’t be. It’s a matter of how much I wanna work.

“I think I can be as good as I allow myself to be.”

It’s early yet, but so far that is pretty damn good.

—

Adam Figman is the Editor-in-Chief at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @afigman.

Portraits by Ryan Young; action photos courtesy of Getty Images

Video by Christian Quezada

The post Jazz Rookie Donovan Mitchell is a Ready-Made Superstar appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-slam-cover/feed/ 0 Report: NBA Fines Chriss And Dudley $25K Each For Roles In Altercation https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-nba-fines-marquese-chriss-jared-dudley-25k-altercation/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-nba-fines-marquese-chriss-jared-dudley-25k-altercation/#respond Sat, 17 Mar 2018 19:32:41 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=485588 Phoenix forwards Marquese Chriss and Jared Dudley have been fined $25K each for their roles in a scuffle with the Jazz on Thursday, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports: The NBA has fined Phoenix forwards Marquese Chriss and Jared Dudley $25,000 each for roles in altercation against Utah on Thursday night, league sources tell Yahoo. […]

The post Report: NBA Fines Chriss And Dudley $25K Each For Roles In Altercation appeared first on SLAM.

]]> Phoenix forwards Marquese Chriss and Jared Dudley have been fined $25K each for their roles in a scuffle with the Jazz on Thursday, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports:

Both players took a shot at Utah point guard Ricky Rubio during the altercation and were ejected.

RELATED
Enes Kanter, Jared Dudley Exchange Words on Twitter

The post Report: NBA Fines Chriss And Dudley $25K Each For Roles In Altercation appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-nba-fines-marquese-chriss-jared-dudley-25k-altercation/feed/ 0 Report: David Stockton, John Stockton’s Son, Signs 10-Day Contract With Jazz https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-david-stockton-john-stocktons-son-signs-10-day-contract-jazz/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-david-stockton-john-stocktons-son-signs-10-day-contract-jazz/#respond Sat, 17 Mar 2018 16:07:21 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=485554 The Utah Jazz have signed David Stockton, son of Hall of Famer John Stockton, to a 10-day contract, reports ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski: One of the most interesting 10-day contract deals in recent years: The Utah Jazz are signing David Stockton today, league sources tell ESPN. He is the son of Hall of Fame guard John […]

The post Report: David Stockton, John Stockton’s Son, Signs 10-Day Contract With Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> The Utah Jazz have signed David Stockton, son of Hall of Famer John Stockton, to a 10-day contract, reports ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski:

According to Wojnarowski, Utah was looking for another guard because of the potential of starter Ricky Rubio missing Saturday’s game against the Kings.

David Stockton, 25, has averaged 16.3 points and 5.2 assists for the Reno Big Horns in the G League. His father spent his entire NBA career (19 seasons) on the Jazz, making 10 All-Star appearances and 11 All-NBA teams. John is currently the all-time leader in assists with 15,806.

RELATED
John Stockton Re-Enacts Legendary Game-Winner

The post Report: David Stockton, John Stockton’s Son, Signs 10-Day Contract With Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-david-stockton-john-stocktons-son-signs-10-day-contract-jazz/feed/ 0