Clarkson understood the assignment and went off for a season-high 39 points in the gritty OT thriller. Clarkson shot 15-of-26 from the field to go along with a season-high eight rebounds and seven threes too.

After the game, Clarkson was asked what it was like to be in a zone, to which he replied:

“It feels good definitely, get the shot going, moving the ball. I think the big thing for us we just kept playing. Even though I was hot, we wasn’t forcing the ball to me. We were just playing together, moving the ball, and making shots, that’s it.”

Clarkson was then asked about the teams clutchness and how they responded in overtime.

“Just big plays at the end. We all grinding, we all hungry, so when it comes down to those clutch moments we just try to make big shots.”

Clarkson went on to credit teammates Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, and Malik Beasley for their performances not only in the game, but throughout the season so far as well.

The post ‘We All Grinding’: Jordan Clarkson Drops a Season-High 39 Points in Jazz OT Win appeared first on SLAM.

Diggins-Smith had a very impressive 2022 season for the Phoenix Mercury, even though she missed games towards the end due to personal reasons. However, in the 30 games, Diggins-Smith started, she averaged 19.7 points per game, 5.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds.

Even though the game misses Diggins-Smith, she has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season as she prepares for the birth of her second child. However, with that being said, we should not be surprised to see her back out on the court hooping when the new WNBA season starts!

The post Skylar Diggins-Smith Adds Emmy Award to Her Resume appeared first on SLAM.

Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber will miss six-to-eight weeks due to a sprain in his right knee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 15, 2022

But that isn’t the least of the tough news. The Mavericks also released a report stating that Kleber has a tear in his right hamstring from Tuesday’s practice and that there is no current timetable for his return.

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that forward Maxi Kleber suffered a tear of his right hamstring at practice on Tuesday, December 13.

At this time, there is no timetable for Kleber’s return and updates will be given when appropriate. pic.twitter.com/5OLPf1dEw2

— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) December 15, 2022

Kleber, who signed a four-year contract extension with the Mavericks back in 2019, has been very effective and efficient this season. Before the injuries, Kleber has been having a career year in terms of his shooting percentage making 49 percent of his field goal attempts.

The Mavericks will surely miss the interior defense Kleber brings off the bench moving forward. With the trade deadline approaching, it will be interesting to see what Dallas does in the coming weeks.

The post Maxi Kleber Set to Miss Six-Eight Weeks Due to Knee and Hamstring Injuries appeared first on SLAM.

With this new in-ground hoop, you can bring the arena right to your driveway. The Spalding Arena Renegade® comes with an Arena-style 180 breakaway rim and a 72 inch clear glass backboard, tailor made for today’s game at the collegiate and professional level.

What also sets the Arena Renegade® apart from other traditional in-ground hoops is its boom arm and rim. Both have been designed using the latest in basketball technology to really make you feel like you’re practicing your free throws right at the Garden.

“There are key elements in the Arena Renegade® that we strived to replicate at home,” says Senior Product Marketing Manager Ben Simms. “We wanted to design an extremely sturdy, durable and premium basketball hoop that replicates the in-arena experience as much as possible. The best athletes in the world play on a Spalding Arena Renegade® during games, but at home, they are shooting on something far different. Our team wanted to deliver as much of the on-court hoop experience to the home, in the form of an in-ground built for driveways across the country.”

Even Spalding Brand Ambassador and Chicago Bulls All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan rocks with the Arena Renegade®, noting both the authenticity and similarities to that “on-court” feeling.

“The scale and quality of the Spalding Arena Renegade® in-ground is authentic to what’s on-court,” said DeMar DeRozan. “It’s a game changer that athletes get to practice what they play on, and fans get to truly bring an Arena Renegade® to their driveways.”

The future of basketball has arrived. The Spalding Arena Renegade® in-ground hoop is available now exclusively on www.spalding.com.

The post Spalding Is Bringing Hoop Dreams to the Driveway With the New Spalding Arena Renegade® appeared first on SLAM.

However, the two threes that Thompson hit moved him into some very elite NBA company. Coming off a recent game where he had just moved up to 13th in the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list, Thompson is also the 13th NBA player ever to make 2,000 career three-pointers.

Thompson now joins Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, James Harden, Kyle Korver, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Pierce as the only NBA players ever to accomplish such a milestone.

Becoming a part of such an elite group of sharpshooters must feel great to Thompson after battling his way back to form after suffering an Achilles injury in 2020 after just returning from an ACL injury in 2019.

This 2023 season has been sort of a “revenge tour” for Thompson, as he has trying to block out the noise and prove to the doubters that he’s still got it. Admittedly Thompson has come out and said that comments about his game “slipping” have hurt, but he knows that he can’t please everybody.

While it is a great career moment for Thompson, he and the Warriors look to get back on the winning track Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.

The post Klay Thompson Becomes the 13th NBA Player to Knock Down 2K Threes appeared first on SLAM.

During that three-game stretch, Ball averaged 19.3 points per game on 41.5 percent shooting from the field and 7.0 assists. Before rolling his ankle that game, Ball was also having his best game of the season thus far. He scored 26 points shooting 10-17 from the field, dished out six assists, and recorded two steals.

However, after missing the team’s last 11 games, the Hornets have upgraded Ball’s status from Out to Questionable for their matchup Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons in a report via NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The Hornets are also hopeful that Ball could return to the lineup in this matchup, too, as he will warm up with the team come game time and see how he feels.

This is excellent news for a Charlotte Hornets (7-20) team sitting in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Hopefully, if Ball can return tonight, his energetic play style can help spark a Hornets victory.

The post REPORT: Hornets Upgrade LaMelo Ball to Questionable For Wednesday Return appeared first on SLAM.

It was a game that had a little bit of everything. Superstars were making plays, tough buckets were being traded back and forth by both teams, and even overtime. The two teams were on fire down the stretch, but the Boston Celtics clutched up and came away with the W.

After putting up 25 points on 10 for 21 shooting and snatching 15 boards, Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown spoke to the media following the OT thriller;

“You know, I think one of the greatest rivalries in sports is Celtics/Lakers. From the history of the game from the 80’s carrying on till now. So to be able to be live here in 2022 going into 2023, to be able to play to play against the Lakers in a competitive atmosphere, I’m sure from a spectators standpoint, it’s amazing, but to be on the court is even more amazing. Being able to compete and be a part of that, say, legacy, so it’s definitely an honor. I had a lot of fun tonight.”

"One of the greatest rivalries in sports is Celtics – Lakers… It's definitely an honor, I had a lot of fun tonight"

Jaylen Brown on being able to participate in the Celtics – Lakers rivalry after tonight's OT thriller. pic.twitter.com/WtSez6vQmd

— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2022

Brown hit a clutch three that gave the Celtics a 122-114 lead with 53 seconds left to go in the overtime period, and what was eventually that bucket to seal the team’s victory 122-118. Boston improved to 22-7 on the season to remain in first place in the Eastern Conference, while Los Angeles remains in 12th in the West.

Both teams will be interesting to pay attention to as the season approaches the trade deadline on February 9th. We’ll just have to wait and see if either team makes a move.

The post Jaylen Brown Says Competing in the Legendary Celtics-Lakers Rivalry Is An ‘Honor’ appeared first on SLAM.

Lillard’s last game versus the Timberwolves was a special one not only because of his dominant play but because he tied his own Blazers franchise record for three-pointers made in a game and found out that he was just 106 points away from becoming the Trail Blazers’ new all-time leading scorer.

“I think it’s one of those situations where you start seeing the ball go in, I think you’ve just got to let it ride, and that’s what I was doing,” Lillard said postgame via ESPN, “Each opportunity where I felt like it was a window where I could get a three off, I was shooting it. It didn’t matter the distance; if I felt like I could get it off pretty clean, then I was going to get it off.”

When Lillard was asked a follow-up question about how he felt about closing in on being the all-time franchise record surpassing Clyde Drexler, Lillard replied;

“I think everybody here knows this; it’s documented that I’ve always said I want to be the best, to be the guy where when they say ‘Who was the best to come through here?’ I want people to look and say, ‘It was Dame. Obviously, scoring isn’t everything, but when you start to get up in these types of numbers, that’s a major thing. And the fact that it’s Clyde Drexler, anybody who knows the history of the NBA is going to respect and honor that. So, being a part of one organization for this long and being able to sustain this level of success and to catch a record like that, it means a lot to be in that position. And once it does happen, I think it’ll be just a major step in even furthering the direction of being what I want to be as far as being a Trail Blazer. It’s a major accomplishment.”

Just because Lillard has yet to win a ring should not diminish what he has done or meant to the city of Portland. Because each time Lillard takes the court, he plays with the heart of a true champion.

Shout out to Damian Lillard, a humble beast, and genuine people’s champ!

The post Damian Lillard Ties His Franchise Record While He Inches Closer to Another appeared first on SLAM.

So what could the answer be for this Lakers squad? Many fingers are surrounding the NBA point to Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Bogdanovic has been a huge part of this young Pistons team, as the eight-year veteran just signed a two-year extension with them. Acquiring Bogdanovic maybe a goal for the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean Detroit is willing to give him up.

According to Shams, the Pistons have “expressed — significant reluctance about moving Bogdanovic” to any of the dozen teams that have inquired about trading for the 33-year-old forward. It is also important to note that Bogdanovic is in the midst of having the best season of his career statistically. He’s averaging career highs in points per game (21.0), field goal percentage at (50.8), and 43.7 percent from 3-point range.

In addition to that, The Lakers were previously connected to potentially acquiring Bogdanovic before the 2022-2023 season started via trade with the Utah Jazz, but nothing went through.

Coming off a 38-point outing in a loss to the Lakers, where he shot 12 of 22 from the field (54.5 percent) and also buried six threes, you could really see why the Lakers have been pursuing him so favorably. However, Detroit does not seem to have any real urgency to move Bogdanovic and has actually expressed this to rival teams.

This will be an exciting development to see what takes place within the coming days as the NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching.

The post REPORT: Lakers Are Keen On Pursuing Bojan Bogdanovic At the Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

The last time these two powerhouse squads went at it, the Bucks defended home court and got the 124-115 win over Dallas. Antetokounmpo had himself a night, scoring 30 points on 11-19 shooting and also grabbing 11 rebounds.

Bucks shooting guard Grayson Allen also had a huge game to help seal the victory. Allen finished the game with 25 points on 8-10 after having a scorching hot first half where he shot 7-7 from the field.

Milwaukee (18-6) comes into Friday’s matchup as the second-best team in the Eastern Conference and looks to put their stamp on this regular-season matchup with another wire-to-wire dub.

On the flip side, we have Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, who are looking to bounce back from the loss they took last time out. Doncic was in his bag in their previous matchup, putting up 27 points on 10-20 shooting to go along with 12 assists.

Doncic and the Mavs have been a tear as of late, winning their last three matchups versus the Knicks, Suns, and Nuggets. Mavericks forwards Tim Hardaway Jr and Dorian Finney-Smith put up big-time offensive outbursts during this stretch of games.

Finney-Smith scored 19 points, shooting 7-13 from the field against the second-place Nuggets. Hardaway Jr also had a great game, dropping 29 points while shooting 7-12 from the field.

With the Western Conference standings so tight, every win matters. The Mavericks picked the right time to get hot, but will it be enough to even the season series tonight? All questions will be answered tonight on ESPN at 10 pm.

The post Preview: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic Lead Bucks and Mavs Into Final Encounter appeared first on SLAM.

All-Star guards Jamal Murray and Damian Lillard had quite the duel as the game came down to the wire, as they both scored 14 points each in the 4th.

It looked like Dame Time in Portland was coming down the stretch, with Lillard dropping 40 points on shooting 12-22 from the field (54.5 percent). Lillard hit a clutch three-pointer from the top right corner to put the Blazers up 120-118 with just 8.8 seconds remaining on the shot clock.

However, Murray seemed to have other plans.

As the Nuggets inbounded the ball on their side of the court, Murray used his crafty handling abilities to make enough space in the left corner to get a long-distance shot off over Blazers forward and former teammate Jerami Grant.

As time winded down 3, 2, 1 — Murray delivered a cold-blooded dagger that sealed the Nuggets’ victory over the Trailblazers 121-120.

“I’ve come a long way,” Murray said, per The Athletic.

Postgame, Murray spoke to AltitudeTV about his game-winning shot;

“We just wanted to get the ball in going to Jokic, he fumbled it kinda on the sideline, and he just gave it back. I realized we had a lot of time, so I didn’t have to rush my shot, got to my spot, and made it.”

Murray finished the game with 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Just another regular day in the office for the SLAM 230 cover athlete. Murray and the Nuggets look to build on the momentum from Thursday’s win as they return home to Denver to take on the Utah Jazz tomorrow.

The post Jamal Murray Spoils Dame Time With a Clutch Game-Winner Over Portland appeared first on SLAM.

Mazzulla has also earned the respect of the players on the Celtics roster, who have responded well and have been ‘all-in’ on their new coach.

“The thing I appreciated most was that he wasn’t going to try to be somebody he wasn’t because he was in a new role,” said Celtics star Jayson Tatum in a recent interview with Andscape. “He was very transparent. He said this was new for him, and it was going to be new for everybody. It wasn’t something that we were just going to move on and forget about. It was going be tough and a transition that everyone was going to be comfortable talking about.”

Mazzulla recently sat down to talk about his upbringing, coaching style, and how he prepared himself for his latest role as the head honcho of the Celtics. One of the first things everyone wanted to know was what was going through Mazzulla’s mind when he was first named to be Celtics interim coach;

“I’ve always had faith that I was going to be an NBA head coach,” answered Mazzulla. “I believed in myself, but I didn’t know it was going to happen this fast. I didn’t know it was going to happen in Boston. But I kind of felt it that it would happen at some point. At least, I had hope that it would.”

Given the Celtics’ rich championship-winning history and big-name head coaches of the past, Mazzulla was asked where his confidence came from;

“It’s developed over time. I think my dad and my mom, they had a huge influence on me as far as my mental preparation. As far as what’s your mindset on a daily basis, how do you navigate the world around you? And as a player, I wasn’t great. I thought I was a tough kid, but I didn’t have true mental toughness. I didn’t handle adversity well. I didn’t have great self-awareness. I didn’t have great self-management. I couldn’t self-regulate a lot. And so, when I got into coaching, I made a huge investment into that emotional intelligence and that mental preparation and how you navigate everything that’s going on around you. So, that’s helped.”

When asked if he felt any added pressure being the coach of such a historic franchise, Mazzulla responded by saying;

“There’s no real pressure. To me, you just have a responsibility. I have a responsibility to the Celtics, to the tradition, to the players, to the organization, the owners, to just do whatever you got to do to give this team and this organization the best chance to win another banner. And you just can’t stop until that happens. To me, it’s just a responsibility. And when I’m in moments of that, the only thing I can focus on is how do I execute. How do I just execute the next situation that I’m in?”

Mazzulla is definitely making the most of his opportunity right now and knows that whether he’s interim or coach in the NBA, either title can be taken away at any time. That being said, we should all be excited to see what Mazzulla and his Celtics do as the season progresses.

The post Joe Mazzulla Says He ‘Always Believed’ He Would Become an NBA Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Rob Williams is back scrimmaging at Celtics practice pic.twitter.com/gHCHkMRPQI

— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) November 30, 2022

During a recent team practice, some of Williams’s teammates spoke to The Athletic about the progress they have seen in Williams.

“He looks good, man,” said Celtics small forward Sam Hauser. “When you come back from injury, you still gotta get over the mental block of being okay. But physically out there, he looks like you would have never thought he had surgery.”

Hauser also spoke from his own experience about returning from injury, adding;

“Getting back into shape is the worst; I had somewhat of a similar feeling to what he’s feeling right now, but I’m sure he’ll be ready to go whenever he gets his number called and whenever he is allowed to play. We’re excited to have him back.”

Celtics power forward Mfiondu Kabengele also spoke on William’s progression after practicing against him, stating;

“It was really fun; he’s been progressing really well. I don’t know what his status is right now, but he looks strong. He’s moving well.”

Robert Williams can still block shots. pic.twitter.com/p6y7XQ9fNR

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 30, 2022

At a recent press conference, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was asked about William’s progress and return to the court, to which he answered;

“He went through another session today; he’s progressing really well. Pretty close to returning along with the timeline, and it’s just a matter of getting him back conditioning-wise, making sure he’s comfortable and ready to go.”

Joe Mazzulla says Robert Williams is "pretty close to returning" pic.twitter.com/adRhbS83eo

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 4, 2022

The Celtics are currently in first place in the East and have been clicking on all cylinders. So whenever Williams returns to the court, he will make the team even stronger. We’ll have to wait and see whether that is before the All-Star break.

The post Robert Williams ‘Making Progress’ Toward Return From Knee Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers took on the Washington Wizards on the road, and Davis was in his bag as he went off for 55 points on 22-30 shooting from the field (73.3 percent), 17 rebounds, and three blocks. With yesterday’s performance, Davis now joins Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal as the only two Lakers in team history to record 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games.

He’s also the first Laker to score 40 points in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. Davis’ season-high effort had the road crowd chanting MVP, and his teammates backed it up with their post-game comments;

“Jayson Tatum is playing his a** off, but when you’re talking about people in the MVP race or category, that probably will change after tonight,” Lakers guard Patrick Beverley told ESPN. “Davis should be up there for sure.”

LeBron James also chimed in with his thoughts on Davis and the MVP race, stating;

“He’s been unbelievable, man, on both sides of the floor, I mean, playing like the MVP of this league. Just straight dominance.”

When Davis was asked if his goals this season included winning his first MVP award, he said his main goal is to win a championship and that “the rest will take care of itself.”

“To win a championship, that’s it. If your mindset is on winning a championship, the rest will take care of itself. That’s always been my thought. I put the team first over any individual awards or accolades that come with it. So if we continue to do what we do and win basketball games, the rest will take care of itself.”

It’s great to see AD showcasing his true potential and talent out there on the court again after battling a series of nagging injuries. Laker nation, hold on to your seats because it looks like the LakeShow is coming back!

The post Anthony Davis Is Focused On Titles: ‘the Rest Will Take Care of Itself’ appeared first on SLAM.

Butler averaged 25.6 points per game in that series while shooting 47 percent from the field. Butler was clearly on a whole other level in that series, including a 47-point Game 6 performance in TD Garden to force a Game 7 back in Miami.

The Heat and Celtics have matched up in the playoffs twice in the past two years, with Miami getting the best of Boston in 2019-2020 and Boston beating the Heat last year.

So far this year, the Heat (10-12) haven’t looked like themselves, as they currently sit in 11th place in the East. On the flip side, you look at the Boston Celtics, which seem to be clicking on all cylinders. They sit in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 18-4 and are winners of their last five straight games.

The two teams recently played an exhibition together this past Wednesday, but the undermanned Heat was no match for the healthy Celtics and ended up losing 134-121. Celtics star Jayson Tatum went off for a season-high 49 points as well.

Butler took to his Instagram story yesterday with a little hype-up video giving Heat fans hope and Celtics fans flashbacks to last year, saying he is “on the way.” Hopefully, Butler’s return helps to change the course of this Heat team’s record and shifts the momentum to a positive one going into the All-Star break.

We’ll have to wait and see if the Heat can start the month of December off strong.

The post Jimmy Butler’s Message to Boston Ahead of Friday Matchup: ‘I’m On the Way’ appeared first on SLAM.

A key piece for this Cavs team’s production, however, has come from second-year player Evan Mobley. The team wanted to get Mobley more involved this season, and the coaching staff has even said they see Hall-of-Fame potential within Mobley.

When Mobley was asked about his offensive growth per The Athletic, he said;

“You definitely want to get better every single time and get more uses for sure. So I was expecting that.”

So far this season, Mobley has a total of seven double-doubles and has taken his offensive game up a notch shooting a career-high 54.5 percent from the field. With each game, Mobley continues to improve from the previous one, and his teammates are all for it.

When asked about how it has been to play with Mobley, Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland stated;

“It’s crazy ’cause he’s 21 like he hasn’t really just got all his tools together. I mean, sometimes it still looks like he’s trying to get used to his seven-foot size out there. I mean, he’s really a unicorn, like there’s not a lot of people like him on this planet, and it’s cool to just have him as a teammate for sure.”

Mitchell also spoke on Mobley’s noticeable improvement this season, saying;

“I’ve never seen a young guy on a nightly basis, not knowing if it’s going to be offense or defense or show up on the stat sheet, but understanding it and not complain, that’s huge,” Mitchell continued, “that’s not typical for a second-year player who should have been the Rookie of the Year last year. Like, typically, you come into your second year expecting to be that guy, and he’s understanding that the role is going to change night to night — damn near triple-double with blocks some nights, holding down the defensive end when Jarrett Allen is out, when J.A. is in, being able to be there for us on the offensive end. I’ve never seen that out of a young guy. That’s a huge credit to him. And him as a person as well.”

Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised Mobley for stepping out on the court and focusing on the one thing that matters, winning instead of hunting for shots and being a player that “tried to get his stats as a rookie.”

Mobley is definitely a future star in this League, and it seems like he’s made a true home within the Cavaliers organization. SLAM can’t wait to see what the rest of this season has in store for Mobley and the resurged Cavs.

The post Evan Mobley’s Teammates Are Impressed With His Development in Year Two appeared first on SLAM.

Doncic was in his bag last night, scorching the visiting Golden State Warriors with his hot hand and impressive playmaking abilities. Doncic sealed the 116-113 victory with 41 points shooting 14-27 (51.9 percent) from the field, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Unreal performance from Luka.

41 PTS, 12 REB, 12 AST, 4 STL.

(via @nba) pic.twitter.com/2YBzHUSDVB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2022

This is Doncic’s third 40+ point triple-double this season, and every other player in the League currently has zero. Performances like what we witnessed last night on national television are why many would agree that Doncic is a front-runner for MVP this year. I mean, with the way he has been playing at such a high level, how could you argue against him right now?

“It’s getting boring,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd jokingly told ESPN postgame. “I mean, let’s see something different. Maybe do it with his left hand. I’m just joking. Look, he’s one of the best in the world, and that’s what he does. Some of us can take him for granted. The man is special.”

Warriors Superstar Stephen Curry also chimed in postgame with some high praise for Doncic as well;

“His size and his ball-handling skills keep you on edge the entire game, that plus him being a three-level scorer, you’ve got to worry about everything,” Curry said. “Then obviously, his court vision is unreal. It’s an offensive package of being a playmaker and scorer, and when he’s knocking down shots like he did tonight, it’s tough. You want to take something away from him, but he can make play after play.”

Tuesday’s game just continues to add to what has been a spectacular season for Doncic, whose performance yesterday also landed him in the history books. Doncic is now the sixth player in NBA history to record five or more 40-point triple-doubles. The five other big names he joins on that list are Oscar Robertson, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James.

In addition to his new piece of NBA history, Doncic made franchise history after tying Dirk Nowitzki’s franchise record for most 40-point games as a Maverick.

There just doesn’t seem to be anything anyone in the League can do to stop Doncic. With the All-Star break quietly approaching, we will just have to wait to see if Doncic and the Mavericks can continue to sustain their current level of play.

The post Jason Kidd On Taking Luka Doncic ‘for Granted’ After His 40-Point Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

Rose has been in the League since 2008 and, like Morant, was also a lottery pick after the Chicago Bulls selected him with the first overall pick. Rose is the youngest player ever to win the NBA MVP Award at just 22, and if Morant keeps up his current level of play at 23, he could possibly join him.

Rose and Morant have very similar play styles from their relentless slashing, defying the laws of physics for crafty layups, and making memorable electrifying finishes at the rim.

As Morant and Rose squared off in the Garden last night, you could tell that Morant and Memphis were on a mission. Morant powered the Grizzle’s to a win over the Knicks by dropping his fifth career triple-double. Morant finished with 27 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds.

Postgame, Morant reflected on the comparisons that he has drawn to Rose.

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

It is always nice to see the next generation give their respect to those who helped to influence them and their game coming up. It just goes to show no matter what stage of your career that you’re in, respect for the game never goes out of style.

The post Ja Morant: Derrick Rose ‘Made it to Where People Believe in’ Athletic Guards appeared first on SLAM.

After Lakers guard Austin Reaves tried to lay the ball up strong against Suns star shooting guard Devin Booker, Reaves was met with a block from Booker, and it seemed like a bit of trash talk added to it. As the whistle was blown and the next possession was about to commence, Reaves was just about to roll over and get up off the hardwood when Suns center Deandre Ayton stood over him and seemed to have some words for Reaves as well.

Then like lightning out of a bottle, Patrick Beverley sprinted over to Reaves and shoved Ayton from behind to the ground. That is when everybody on the court comes together; there are more words, some pushing, and shoving, but that’s just basketball. After things calmed down, the refs gave Booker a flagrant 1 foul and ejected Beverley from the game.

The Suns went on to win 115-105; then, in a postgame interview with NBA on TNT, Booker had a message to send to Beverley. Booker was asked what he thought about how everything unfolded during that heated moment in the game,

“It was more than it was supposed to be. Pat need to stop pushing people in the back, man; push ’em in the chest. That’s all I gotta say.”

Patrick Bev also spoke to the media following the game and had a lot to say following his ejection via ESPN.

“Got a person on the ground, two people looking over mean-mugging and puffing their chest out, and referees don’t get into it to kind of separate it, control the game, so I’m going to stand up for my teammate. I’m not going for that s—. Obviously, it’s unfortunate that it happened on national tv, but you know me. Regardless of what’s going on, I’m a big fan of protecting my teammates. I’m a foxhole guy. I put on my jersey, and I commit to the team, I commit to the city, and it’s kind of my motto. I’m a foxhole guy. Very unfortunate situation, though.”

Reaves also commented on the situation postgame, saying that he told Beverly that he appreciated him five times afterward.

“He’s a team player,” said Reaves. “He rocks with who he rocks with. Whoever is on his team, you respect him. You love him. You’re glad he’s on your team. When he’s not, he’s a pest, does all that stuff, all those little things. But I just respect him for who he is and standing up for me.”

Suns coach Monty Williams also shared his thoughts postgame saying;

“It’s just happening too many times. I just think the league needs to look at those kind of plays. They’re just unnecessary. There was obviously some tension, but with us, it’s happening too many times. You know, when you push a guy when he’s not looking like that, that’s not called for. There’s going to be physicality; there’s going to be tension in games; that’s just the nature of basketball.”

The final person to give their take on the situation was Ayton, who simply said;

“He ain’t hurt me, he didn’t take nothing out my pocket, and I ain’t react.”

The post Lakers and Suns Comment on Heated Exchange Between Deandre Ayton and Patrick Beverley appeared first on SLAM.

The team sits at 5-10, struggling to meet the outsized expectations the Lakers typically face. With LeBron James currently sidelined and being evaluated daily with a groin injury, the Lakers desperately need someone to step up. Well, Lakers center Anthony Davis has answered the call.

Davis has been critical in the Laker’s current three-game winning streak. Earlier on in November, it was reported that the team was working on getting Davis more touches and being a more featured option. Now it looks like the coaching staff’s new schemes are really paying off.

In the last three Lakers games, Davis has scored 30 plus points while shooting above 60 percent from the field and ten plus rebounds in each of their wins. Davis went off for 37 points (15-25) and 18 rebounds versus the Brooklyn Nets, 38 points (10-16) and 16 rebounds versus the Detroit Pistons, and then last night had 30 points (12-19) and 18 boards versus the San Antonio Spurs.

Davis’ recent stretch has added him amongst Laker greats Shaquille O’Neal and Elgin Baylor as the only three Lakers in franchise history to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in 3+ games.

In a postgame interview with ESPN, Davis spoke on the effect James’ absence has had on his game and that James even told him that he’s “playing like his old self.”

“Obviously, when he’s out, or I’m out,” Davis said. “We take it upon ourselves to kind of, as much as we can, fill that void.”

Lakers coach Darvin Ham even commented on AD’s recent performances saying, “AD is playing out of his mind; he’s in a great rhythm.”

It’s great to see the Laker’s offense finally start to come to life here in these last few games. If Davis and company can keep up their recent stretch of offensive dominance until James returns, the Lakers will, without a doubt, begin to be back on track in a very tightly contested Western Conference.

The post Anthony Davis: ‘Playing Like His Old Self’ During Three-Game Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

The defending champs have heard all the noise, and last night, one player, in particular, stepped up and gave us an offensive performance for the ages. Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson had a vintage shooting performance last night versus the Houston Rockets on the road.

Thompson dropped 41 points on 14-23 shooting from the field, which included 10 threes! It was an absolutely unconscious offensive performance, the likes of which many basketball fans have missed from him. Not only was this a huge win and boost for Thompson’s confidence, but his supernova night helped to snap Golden State’s eight-game road losing streak.

Thompson has had to overcome some major injuries over the past few NBA seasons, from a torn Achilles and ACL. So when hearing that, some people thought his game was slipping coming back this season after fighting for two seasons to get back hurt.

In a postgame interview with CBS Sports following the Warriors’ win, Thompson had this to say about his night:

“It feels amazing. I’m hard on myself, so I’ve been wanting one of these. And to get one and kind of open the floodgates, it’s only up from here. I promise you,” Thompson said in his postgame interview. “I finally feel like myself. My legs feel great. I’m cutting to the rim, taking great shots, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. Man, I’m not gonna lie, guys, that felt amazing. Wow. I don’t care if it’s a mid-November game. That felt great.”

Shout out to Klay Thompson, a true warrior; the game has missed you!

The post Klay Thompson’s Big Night Helps Golden State Secure Their First Road Win appeared first on SLAM.

From the slow 4-6 record to start the season to their decision to part ways with former coach Steve Nash and now dealing with the suspension/backlash following Kyrie Irving’s controversial social media posting of a film with anti-Semitic messaging, the Nets are in desperate need of some good news right now.

Lucky for Nets fans, they just may have gotten some much-needed sunlight. In a recent report per The New York Post, All-Star guard Ben Simmon’s injury status has been changed from “out” to “available” for tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Simmons said he “feels great” and will play a limited amount of about 20 minutes tonight against Luka Doncic and the Mavs.

Simmons has missed the Nets’ last four games with a sore left knee and did not travel with the team on their recent road games in Charlotte or Washington. Luckily for Simmons and the Nets, it does not seem like the knee was a severe danger. The MRI came back clean and revealed some swelling that Simmons had drained.

With Irving suspended, for the time being, this Dallas game seems like the perfect opportunity for Simmons to maybe take over and play a point-forward role as he did with the Philadelphia 76ers. We all know how special and gifted a player Simmons can be with the ball in his hands, and with Kevin Durant (who has been on an absolute tear as of late) on the wing, the two could make an unstoppable 1-2 combo.

It will be exciting to see how interim coach Jacque Vaughn utilizes Simmons tonight in this matchup. Doncic has been scorching hot in every game he has played this year. Doncic comes into this Nets game averaging 36.0 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists.

It will take a lot to slow this Maverick’s team down; however, the Nets are riding a two-game win streak, so hopefully, we will see some of the recently developed momentum carry over into tonight.

The post Ben Simmons ‘Feels Great’ and Plans to Play Against Dallas After Missing Four Games Due to Knee Soreness appeared first on SLAM.

VanVleet’s toughness, dependable offense, and leadership on and off the court are just a few of the qualities that make him one of the most respected players in the league. It is also a massive part of what helped the Raptors secure their first NBA title in 2019.

VanVleet dropped 30 points, five rebounds, and 11 assists on 9-22 shooting from the field (5-13 from beyond the arc) to lead the Raptors to a 113-114 win over the Bulls. Following the loss, former teammate and Raptors icon DeMar DeRozan shared his thoughts on VanVleet’s electrifying performance per ESPN;

“Hell of a player, one of the best point guards in this League,” said DeRozan. “I didn’t expect anything less from him. That’s who he is, aggressive, changes the dynamic of the game.”

VanVleet is averaging 15.7 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game in just seven games this season. Even though the Raptors currently have a 6-4 record, it is still very early in the season, and the team still has some things to improve upon.

One thing is for sure, though, with VanVleet’s leadership, Pascal Siakam’s craftiness, and SLAM 239 cover athlete Scottie Barnes‘ explosiveness, the Raptors have positioned themselves for a dominant playoff run this season.

The post DeMar DeRozan: Fred VanVleet is ‘One of the Best Point Guards in the League’ appeared first on SLAM.

Murray had a quiet eight points in the first-half of action but erupted for 16 points over the final 24 minutes. Murray ended up finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 33 minutes of action.

Love seeing Jamal attack like this. Returning to form. (via @nuggets) pic.twitter.com/qMSw2t0qIx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 4, 2022

Murray was a human highlight reel last night, making all the plays and shots we had gotten accustomed to seeing him hit before he tore his ACL. At one point, he had hit a tough three-pointer and then turned around and pointed at a fan. Murray couldn’t recall who said what, but postgame, he simply said;

“I blacked out; I kind of get like that.”

TOUGH bucket by Jamal pic.twitter.com/OzqSF7kFYB

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 4, 2022

Postgame, Murray was interviewed by AltitudeTV, where he was asked what was going well for him in the fourth, to which Murray answered,

“Just made some shots, wanted to win the game, we needed a spark, and I just decided to make some shots and give us that edge.

"I just didn't want to lose the game, honestly."

Jamal's on last night's game and his performance pic.twitter.com/GkwChdCmFo

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 4, 2022

The Nuggets ended up winning the game 122-110 and improved to a 5-3 record to kick off the new season. Things can only go up from here for fans in the Mile High state as Murray and the Nuggets look to start a winning streak going versus the San Antonio Spurs Saturday.

The post Jamal Murray ‘Blacked Out’ During Explosive Second-Half Surge appeared first on SLAM.

With the 130-129 loss yesterday, the Warriors now sit at 12th in the Western Conference. While it is still early in the season, through their nine games played thus far, the Warriors’ defensive and bench production struggles have been glaringly apparent.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke on the team’s struggle postgame per ESPN, stating;

“We have to save us because nobody else is coming.”

When asked what was the “first step” to save the team, Kerr added;

“We’ve had nine games now, so we’ve had a decent look at combinations. It’s time to try something different. Everybody’s going to get a chance to play. We’ve got guys who are dying to get on the floor, and we’ve got to find combinations that play. We will look at that as a staff.”

Warriors veteran Draymond Green also chimed in postgame on the team’s struggles, saying;

“It’s our defense; we have to correct our defense.”

Whatever adjustments that need to be made, best believe Kerr and the Warriors staff will figure things out. The Warriors have found diamonds in the rough before through their G-League system. Two prime examples are Jordan Poole and former Warrior, now Portland Trailblazer Gary Payton II.

There is no doubt that Golden State will turn things around. The only question is when? The Warriors look to bounce back Friday versus the New Orleans Pelicans on the road in the final stop on their current road trip.

The post Steve Kerr: Warriors ‘Have to Save’ Themselves Amidst Four-Game Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

He is doing all this while shooting an improved 44.9 percent from the field and 36.9 from three.

While there is no doubt that Edwards has increased his output and has taken the necessary steps during the off-season to take “the leap” that he predicted for himself, the Wolves find themselves sitting at just .500 with a record of 4-4 in their first eight games. It is important to note that Minnesota did go out and strike a great deal with the Utah Jazz to trade for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

Last night versus the Suns’ Edwards went off for 24 points on 5-10 shooting from deep to go along with six rebounds. Gobert also chipped in with seven points and nine rebounds while shooting a surprising 0-1 from the field but going 7-7 from the free throw line.

However, of everything that Edwards has done this year, one thing that seems to be missing from his versatile scoring: his insane dunking. In the eight games in which Edwards has played, the rim-rattling young star has zero dunks.

“Everybody is in the paint,” Edwards said about having 0 dunks. “I’m only 6’4, 6’5; I can’t just jump over everybody, man. I ain’t as tall as Giannis. Everybody be asking me to dunk the ball like it’s all peaches and cream. I’ve got to get a good lane to dunk the ball.”

Both Edwards and Gobert are looking to take Minnesota to the “next level” and really make other NBA teams see them as a powerhouse within an already stacked Western Conference. The T-Wolves have a roster full of talent to make a real name for themselves in the West this year.

With Edwards stepping up, a defensive anchor in Gobert, a true point guard in D’Angelo Russell, and the leadership of Karl Anthony-Towns, the young wolf pack can potentially achieve their playoff goal. Adjustments will be made, and team chemistry will grow as the season progresses; just give them some time.

The post Anthony Edwards On Why He Has Zero Dunks: ‘ I Can’t Just Jump Over Everybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

Last night’s 116-109 victory versus the Golden State Warriors was a huge statement win for Miami, as Kyle Lowry (13 points, nine assists, five rebounds) made history, passing Jason Kidd for 12th on the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list after going 3-8 from beyond the arc. The Heat’s sharpshooters Max Strus and Duncan Robinson also came alive off the bench to combine for 41 points to power Miami to the win!

Lowry finished the game with 13 points on 50 percent shooting (5-10), nine assists, and five rebounds. The Strus got loose and went for 24 points to lead the team in scoring, making eight of his seventeen shots and shooting forty percent from deep. Then the icing on the cake was Robinson, who contributed 17 points on 62.5 percent shooting from three.

“For us to get a win like that is huge for us with how our season has gone thus far,” Strus said in a postgame interview with Bally Sports Sun’s Will Manso. “To grind one out, out of the mud, and win one like that is huge for our confidence, and hopefully, it pushes our momentum forward.”

Manso also caught up with Robinson postgame and asked about the Heat’s “next man up” mentality. Robinson had this to say following his hot shooting night;

“We’re a deep team, so somebody goes down, different guys are going to step up and try to contribute.”

Miami seems to be heating up at the right time and is looking to keep things rolling tonight versus the Sacramento Kings at home. There are still a lot of games left, which means that the Heat can only continue to improve from here on out.

The post Kyle Lowry Moves Up to 12th On All-Time Made Three Pointers List appeared first on SLAM.

Over the past couple of seasons, Turner has been linked to multiple trade reports and rumors. However, he has yet actually to be acquired by another team. These trade rumors have happened so often and been so persistent that Turner has become ‘numb‘ to them.

“If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in. I know what I can provide for a team. My leadership, my shot blocking, my three-point ability, and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor.”

Turner is entering the last year of his contract with the Pacers, and in his time there thus far, he has been a dominant force. Since coming into the League in 2015, Turner has averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game throughout his eight-year career. Turner is also shooting a career 48.8 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc.

The Lakers could use a defensive presence like Turner right now, as they rank 26th in overall defensive rankings this season. It is still very early in the season, but the Lakers just secured their first win of the season, bringing their overall record to 1-5.

This could be a win-win move for the Pacers and Lakers if a deal were to be done. There’s still a long season ahead, and if the Lakers do get it turned around, it’s unlikely they’ll give up such high picks. Only time will tell what is to come for both Turner and the Lakers, but it is definitely a situation to keep an eye on.

The post Myles Turner Speaks on What He Could Possibly Bring to Lakers if He’s Traded appeared first on SLAM.

Bogdanovic has scored over 20 points in his last three appearances and is shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 50.9 percent from deep for the season. Although the season is just beginning, it is a great sign to see Bogdanovic shooting lights out early and with great confidence.

Bogdanovic’s stellar shooting made him a huge trade target for other teams, and that specific skill was vital in many of the Utah Jazz‘s playoff runs these past few years.

You could tell that Bogdanovic is worth every penny to the Pistons, as his most recent offensive masterpiece helped to lead the Pistons to their second win of the season against the reigning champs, the Golden State Warriors. Bogdanovic finished with 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists on 5-8 shooting from the field and shot 50 percent (3-6) from three on Sunday.

Cade + Bojan = @BELFORGroup | #AssistOfTheWeek pic.twitter.com/N9TfqUd5Ba

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) October 30, 2022

After being in rebuild mode these last few years, it seems like the Detroit Pistons are turning the corner. By making moves like drafting former OSU standout and SLAM 238 cover star Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, extending Bogdanovic, and adding an explosively offensive rookie Jaden Ivey, along with keeping defensive pressure with Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, the Pistons seem to have certainly put their foot on the gas this year.

Detroit vs Everybody is the motto.

Cade Cunningham covers SLAM 238. https://t.co/P0L78ZkhIu pic.twitter.com/hqxiGN8J1r

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 26, 2022

Earlier this season, Cunningham said he was confident that the Pistons could “turn the corner.” Although the season has not gotten off to the best of starts for this young Pistons squad, there is still plenty of time left in the season to turn things around. That win against the Warriors proves that this Pistons team has what it takes to play and win against any team they face. They are scrappy, hungry, talented, and young, which is a great combination.

The post REPORT: Bojan Bogdanovic and Detroit Agree On A Two-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The injury happened in Charlotte and started a wild string of injuries for the Nets.

Before Dinwiddie was injured, numerous trade rumors were swirling around involving Dinwiddie and eventual-now-former Net James Harden. If Dinwiddie had not gotten hurt, then there is a huge chance he might have been involved in a trade deal for Harden. Had Dinwiddie stayed in Brooklyn, he would have played a significant role as the primary point guard because of the vaccination rules situation with Kyrie Irving.

Due to the injury, Dinwiddie was traded as part of a 5-team sign-and-trade that dealt him to the Washington Wizards.

Let it fly pic.twitter.com/W3U2W50lL6

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 26, 2022

Dinwiddie was always a media favorite during his time as a Net. After the Maverick’s win against the Nets Thursday night, Dinwiddie was asked if he ever thought about how his career would look if his time in Brooklyn never ended on an ACL tear.

“I don’t know if the trade still happens or not or if I’m in it,” Dinwiddie said per The Athletic. “Regardless of whether it happens or not, I believe the Nets are a championship team. Just because if you look how close that team was, we were steamrolling people before I got hurt. Even if they make the trade and I’m in it, that means they probably get to keep one of Caris (LeVert) or Jarrett (Allen), which obviously really would have been needed. Or I’m not in it; it means I’m still here, and I’m with Harden. So either way you slice it, all three of those scenarios, the team probably wins the championship.”

The Nets would definitely benefit from an energetic rim protector like Jarrett Allen right now, who has emerged as an All-Star center since signing a five-year deal worth $100 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though Nets coach Steve Nash said a while ago, he wasn’t sure the team would have been able to offer Allen the five-year, $100 million contract he got from the Cavs. Ironically since all this, Allen and Caris LeVert have reunited and are once again on this year’s Cavs squad.

One thing is for sure; both guys are currently making huge differences for their respective teams. It is still early in the season, so there is still a ton of optimism for Net’s fans that the team will be able to turn things around. The team, without question, has enough talent to make a deep playoff run with a lineup headlined by Irving, Kevin Durant, Patty Mills, and Ben Simmons.

Just need to give them some time and let the chemistry develop because they still have a long season ahead.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Opens Up About Getting Traded After His Knee Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Doncic’s final stat line for the night was 41 points on 50 percent shooting (14/28) to go along with 11 rebounds, 14 assists, and three steals to help the Dallas Mavericks secure a 129-125 win.

“We’re just trying to do the best we can to make his job a lot easier out there on the floor when he gives the ball up, and the only way you can do that is knock down shots and take them with confidence and make a play,” said Tim Hardaway Jr. postgame, per ESPN.

Mavericks Maxi Kleber also went on to add to what Hardaway said, stating,

“Obviously, Luka is probably the best guy to make tough shots and make shots when they count, but he also knows when to make the right basketball plays,” Kleber said. “And especially when we came into overtime, they were like really aggressive with him, and he made the right play, I don’t know, three or four times in a row. We just got hot and made all those shots.”

Doncic’s 40-point triple-double performance was also one for the history books, as he now becomes the 10th player in NBA History with three or more 40-point triple-doubles.

The list includes many impressive names, such as NBA Legends Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, and The King LeBron James. This recent outing adds to what has been such a stellar start to the 2022-2023 season for Doncic, as he has put up over thirty points in each one of the four Mavericks games so far.

The Mavericks’ record currently sits at 2-2, placing them as the 10th seed in the Western Conference.

Although it is still very early into the new NBA season, we would not put it past Doncic to definitely continue to play at such a high level. Only time will tell if Doncic can sustain this level of play and carry it on to the playoffs later down the road; for now, let’s just appreciate the nightly magic we witness.

The post Luka Doncic Becomes The 10th Player In NBA History With Three or More 40-Point Triple Doubles appeared first on SLAM.

There is nothing like a regular season NBA game with a playoff atmosphere, and basketball fans watching on television and in attendance got a real treat watching these two teams go at it so early in the season.

With the Warriors coming off yet another impressive championship run and a young seasoned Suns team on the rise knocking at the door trying to get back to the Finals, things got a bit heated between the two teams.

Can’t. Be. Stopped. @DevinBook with his 3rd straight 30-point game! pic.twitter.com/bFQdtuNsMC

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 26, 2022

In the third quarter, Warriors legend Klay Thompson was ejected for the first time in his professional career after picking up two quick technical fouls. These techs were given after Thompson was seen visibly taunting the Sun’s bench and jawing back and forth with Suns guard Devin Booker.

In that third quarter alone, a record-tying seven technical fouls were given out between both teams in one quarter. Postgame, Stephen Curry had the following to say per ESPN in regard to Thompson getting tossed.

“After he got thrown out, he had a lot more to say, which I love,” Curry said. “The back and forth is a part of the game, and I like that he’s engaged in that respect because it matters to him.”

Curry added that since the Warriors are the defending champs, teams will try to come at them, especially on the road, to get their home crowd into it. Curry and the Warriors know they have a target on their back coming off their fourth championship win in the last seven years and that every team going against them will have something to prove.

When Dubs Coach Steve Kerr weighed in on Thompson’s ejection postgame, he downplayed the altercation, and talked about how D-Book and Thompson had a similar incident when Booker was first breaking into the League.

“He and Book have gotten into it a little bit over the years; they’re just competitors, both great players — I remember four or five years ago when Book was first coming up, Klay was in his prime, he went at it one night in Oracle, and the same type of thing happened,” Kerr said. “There were no ejections, but they’re both competitive, they’re guarding each other, and this is the NBA. Highest competition in the world, stuff like that happens.”

Suns Coach Monty Williams also downplayed Booker and Thompson’s interaction when spoke to the media after the game. Williams believes that the championship veteran Warriors will always bring the best out of an up-and-coming team like the Suns.

“I think both teams want it. I don’t think it’s personal at all. I think we respect them. They’re the champions,” Williams said. “So, they’re going to get our best because they are the best. So, I think a lot of the emotion is just about being competitive. We don’t take it personally at all; we just understand better that once all that stuff happens, we got to get back on focusing on being competitive and trying to win the game.”

When Booker said his two cents, the former Kentucky Wildcat said that he admires Thompson and that he’s trying to become a champion like his shooting guard contemporary.

“We’re just two competitors; I love Klay Thompson,” Booker said. “I have for a really long time. But it’s not going to excuse from us being competitive and talking to each other. I’ve always admired his game, how he plays on both ends of the ball. And obviously, the rings speak for themselves.”

Devin Booker spoke on the situation with Klay Thompson. Went on to say Klay was probably frustrated by the off night he was having and noted he kept going back to the 4 rings, which is what he wants pic.twitter.com/vInEsJcJnp

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 26, 2022

This situation is not one that needs to be overanalyzed or blown out of proportion. It is just a simple case of two teams and two top players going at it; this is nothing new, especially in sports. We have all seen it repeatedly; it’s just basketball. At the end of the day, both teams and players have a great deal of respect for one another and will not let this deter them from accomplishing their true goal, a championship.

These two teams have two more matchups this season on November 16th and January 10th. If that first game did not make things clear enough, their next matchup is one that you do not want to miss!

The post Phoenix and Golden State Downplay Altercation Between Devin Booker and Klay Thompson appeared first on SLAM.

Toppin is going into his third season with the Knicks and has become a consistent producer for the team off the bench. So far this season, Toppin’s averages across all statistical categories have gone up compared to last year. Toppin is averaging 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep.

The Knicks likely re-signed Toppin due to his durability; the former Dayton Flyer has missed 30 games over his three-year career. He missed 20 games as a rookie due to a calf strain and 10 games last season due to various injuries.

New York made a few key moves this summer, highlighting a great deal of urgency within the organization to make the playoffs again.

It’s also clear that they have faith in their young talent to develop and are looking to build a team centered around free agent acquisition Jalen Brunson and young, athletic, two-way studs. Another move they made this summer was re-signing RJ Barrett to a four-year rookie extension that’ll pay Barrett approximately $120 million. Then finally, this past January, the Knicks went out and got a sharpshooter and one of Barrett’s best friends Cam Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks before the All-Star break.

Just looking at what the Knicks’ did, making sure their young talent sticks together and combining it with the veteran leadership of Derrick Rose, Julius Randle, Evan Fournier, and Coach Thibodeau, this team most definitely has a shot at being a playoff contender at the end of the season.

With all these positive developments, definitely make sure you keep a keen eye on how the Knicks perform as the season progresses.

The post REPORT: New York Knicks Pick Up Obi Toppin’s Fourth-Year Option appeared first on SLAM.

Miami still secured their first win of the season over Toronto 112-109. Following the game and news of his suspension, Martin immediately felt remorseful and had the following to say

“I felt bad that it happened,” Martin said. “I was embarrassed Saturday night; I was embarrassed the next morning about how I handled things because I pride myself on being more professional than that. Anybody who plays sports understands that emotions get high, especially at the highest level. Sometimes it boils over. It’s not the first incident like that in basketball history. But those are things I try to make sure I avoid.”

Martin revealed that since the incident, he had reached out to Koloko and apologized.

“I got to deal with the consequences,” Martin continued. “I reached out to him last night. I talked to him Saturday night and yesterday morning. Just letting him know I apologize, and that’s not the way I carry myself, and I don’t condone that type of stuff. Obviously, he was cool about it. We talked about it, and he understands. He doesn’t hold anything against me. So as long as me and him are good and he understands where I’m coming from, I’m good.”

“I remember being a rookie and scratching and clawing for playing time, too,” Martin added. “You’re going to do whatever it takes, even if you got to climb on somebody’s back. Whatever the case may be, you’re going to try to earn playing time. So I don’t fault him at all for the way he was playing. That’s just their culture, and I respect that.”

Heat rookie Nikola Jovic was also suspended and fined $15,000 for coming off the bench during the altercation. Having only played overseas in Serbia, Jovic was a bit surprised that he was also suspended and fined due to the NBA’s rules/regulations.

“I didn’t know because everything happened near the bench,” Jovic said. “So my reflex was to come out and help my teammate and get people to just move away from him and stuff. It just happened — I felt like they were right in front of me, and I tried to help my friend, and that’s all that happened.”

The Heat take on the Raptors again tonight, but everything seems to have cooled down and been squashed between the players. This is the NBA; sometimes, these things happen. At the end of the day, everyone on every team is competing against the best of the best, so things will sometimes escalate. That’s just basketball.

The post Caleb Martin Felt ‘Embarrassed’ After Altercation with Christian Koloko appeared first on SLAM.

The Utah Jazz took on the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday night, and it was a beautiful display of basketball at the highest level. Whenever you have two hungry teams going at it, especially this early in the season? As a basketball fan, you know that you are in for a real treat! This game needed overtime, where it came down to the wire as the Jazz took home the win with an insane layup by Kelly Olynk as time expired.

Following the game, Olnyk had the following to say about this year’s Jazz team:

“Top to bottom, guys are playing hard, playing the right way, playing together, unselfish,” Olynyk said. “It’s been really fun to play the first three games. We’re getting better and learning more about each others’ games, it’s been showing, and it’s exciting.”

The Jazz was down by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter. However, the team did not panic and stayed on the course. Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was a huge spark for the team, finishing the game with 31 points on 9-17 shooting from the field and 12 rebounds. Markkanen also was a perfect 11/11 from the free throw line, hitting some clutch ones late to pad Utah’s come-from-behind victory and keep them undefeated.

While the Pelicans fought hard and left Utah with the loss, they also lost Zion Williamson late in the 4th due to injury after he took a hard fall on a fastbreak play. The team ruled the injury a posterior hip contusion, and they will continue to evaluate Williamson’s condition. Their next game is not until Tuesday, so we should expect an update on Williamson’s status later Monday or by gametime on Tuesday.

While still early in the season, it is clear that these two teams are ones that we should keep an eye on as the season progresses.

The post Kelly Olynk’s Game-Winner Lifts ‘Exciting’ Jazz Over the Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

Whether a player says it or not, going against a former team is always a big deal. However, it is an even bigger deal to make history against them. With about 10:50 left in the first quarter, Paul threw up a lob that Deandre Ayton slammed home to give Paul the 11,000th assist in his career!

With that assist, Paul now sits in the company of two other elite point guards, Jason Kidd and John Stockton, who are the only three players in the NBA to accomplish this feat. Record-wise, Stockton is still the all-time NBA assist leader with 15,806, followed by Kidd with 12,091, and CP3 with 11,009.

“I honestly didn’t have a clue until I checked out of the game,” Paul said when asked when he found out about his historic achievement.

Paul then went on to credit a few of his teammates.

“I’ve been fortunate to play for a while now with a lot of great shooters, great players in general,” Paul then reeled a couple of names such as David West, Peja Stojakovic, and Devin Booker. “I’m privileged.”

Suns Coach Monty Williams even chimed in on Paul’s historic night.

“It’s amazing, I look at him, and I’m like, ‘holy smokes, I get to coach Chris Paul.'”

In addition, Paul is now the only NBA player in history to have over 20k points and 11k assists. That is a record fit for a true Point God. It is about time we gave Paul his flowers and credit for playing the point guard position with such finesse, craftiness, and humbleness. Shout out to CP3! We are all looking forward to seeing how far Phoenix can go with such a great vet on their squad.

The post Chris Paul Becomes the First Player in NBA History to Record 20k Points and 11k Assists appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m definitely not going to sit here and harp on what we can’t do every single game,” James said, per ESPN, when asked about his team’s shooting struggles. “That’s not a leader. What I know we can do? We can defend our a** off. We did that tonight, which gave us an opportunity to win, and we just couldn’t make it happen. But I’m OK with that.”

This is all kind of ironic because, in this same game, James moved up to No. 10 in the NBA on the all-time made three-pointer list. A huge career accomplishment, no doubt, but even though it is another impressive milestone for James, 20 points on 7-17 shooting from the field in 37 minutes of action was not enough to help secure victory for the Lakers.

“If we’re reliant on [sufficient outside shooting] every single game, then we’re in trouble,” James said. “So I’m not worried about that or thinking about that. It’s how hard we play, how aggressive we play, how determined we are to go out and compete every night. And we got to defend. When we defend, we’re going to give ourselves a good chance to win.”

With just 2 out of 82 games played so far in the 2022-2023 NBA season, Lakers fans should remain optimistic. It is still early on in the season, and every team needs time to gel in the beginning. Team chemistry is something that cannot be built in just one, two, or even ten games. At the end of the day, James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Coach Darvin Ham, and company will figure everything out.

The post LeBron James Won’t ‘Harp On’ What Lakers Can’t Do appeared first on SLAM.

The SLAM 240 cover star opened up about why coming off the bench was the correct choice. In a post-game interview with Ohm Youngmisuk, Leonard said the following;

“You gotta gradually play minutes in order to get the ACL strong,” Leonard said. “Once you start playing 38 minutes first game, it could easily weaken up, but I’m listening to the doctor with that. It’s a long season. We wanna get in the playoffs and want me to play in the playoffs.”

We must also remember that Leonard missed the entirety of last season with an ACL injury, which is no small feat to return from. Returning from an injury like that is not easy, and some players never return the same. Leonard also mentioned that the idea came about from looking at data and running simulations in practice subbing in and out of games.

The NBA season is still young, and if Leonard and the Clippers want to maximize their chances come playoff time, they need their stars healthy.

When asked by another reporter what it was like to come into the game in the middle of the second quarter, Leonard said he didn’t “think 15 minutes would be long” after waiting “82 games last year.”

“I waited 82 games last year, so I didn’t think 15 minutes would be long. This is how I started my career. Act like I was in foul trouble, and once I check in the second quarter, it’s time to play basketball.”

In just 21 minutes off the bench, Leonard played well. The Klaw dropped 14 points and seven rebounds on 6-12 shooting in the Clippers’ 103-97 season-opening win against their hometown rivals.

No timetable was revealed for how long Leonard plans to come off the bench instead of starting. However, we all know the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and if this is the strategy that guarantees a winning season plus a healthy Leonard come playoff time for the Clippers, plus the fact that it was a decision being considered by both team and player then why be in a rush to change it?

The post Kawhi Leonard Speaks On Decision to Come Off the Bench Versus Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

Porter Jr. has had a tough stretch of NBA seasons so far, as yet another lower-back injury caused Porter to miss out on yet another season of action. After just signing a five-year $207 million extension with the Nuggets the previous year, many had begun to question if Porter could stay healthy.

Coach Michael Malone recently commented on Porter and said his main hope is that the Missouri product “stays healthy and gets through the season.

“The one priority for Michael is to hope that he stays healthy and gets through the season,” Malone said. “If he does that offensively, we know how gifted he is. The guy can score from all over the place. He is such a threat and weapon on the offensive end of the floor.”

In Porter’s recent preseason outing versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, Porter seemed to be clicking offensively, dropping 12 points on 5-7 shooting from the field in just 14 minutes of action. When MPJ was questioned about where he feels physically, he said he feels “really good right now.”

“I feel really good right now. I feel just as good as I have since I’ve been in the League. Still a lot of things I want to improve on, get better on, but I feel like, for now, it’s going to be steps up. Keep going up, keep going up until I keep reaching those goals, helping my team win, things like that. I kind of figured out the back thing, Lord willing. I think I kind of figured that out. So, now I can just keep growing and growing. I spent a lot of my offseason just getting back on the floor. So now, to be back where I’m on the court, I just feel like I can grow from here.”

MPJ was also asked if his confidence was back.

“It doesn’t leave me. My confidence in my game doesn’t leave me. But confidence in movement, I’m still working through all that. But I’m good. I feel really good. My balance is getting there. It’s coming along. That’s the last thing, the last pop, the last bit of explosiveness is kind of what you wait on the most. But it is getting there, for sure. Every week, every month, it’s getting better and better.”

Seeing Porter back on the basketball court after dealing with such severe and nagging injuries is genuinely remarkable. Heading into this new NBA season, Porter will also be joined by another sensational talent in Jamal Murray, who the Nuggets missed last season due to injury. With those two back, the Denver Nuggets have a huge opportunity to make a deep playoff run and possibly even win the championship.

With the Nugget’s season set to tip off tonight against the Utah Jazz, their journey begins to see if they can achieve those goals.

The post Michael Porter Jr. Opens Up About His Confidence Within His Body and Game appeared first on SLAM.

Before Tuesday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics held a moment of silence as a tribute to Russell, and afterward, Jaylen Brown said a few words.

“Bill Russell was a great man, but what defined his greatness,” Brown asked the crowd. “Who he was as a mentor, a father, a member of his community, and most certainly his eleven championships here in Boston both playing and coaching, but undoubtedly, Bill Russell was a great man for what and who he stood for. During the peak of racial tension in our society, he represented a type of nobility and honor that transcended sports.

“The amount of respect that he receives from his people will live on eternally, and I’m grateful to be able to shake his hand. He was a true champion both on and off the floor, and our gratitude is endless. I started off by saying Bill Russell was a great man; in closing, Bill Russell was the greatest of men in the NBA, this organization, and this world was very lucky to have him. May he rest in peace.”

Russell’s impact throughout the NBA will be felt for many decades to come. This is a huge reason League Commissioner Adam Silver considers Russell “the founding father of the modern NBA.” Russell’s legacy will forever live on in the hearts of not only those within the NBA but the fans and the next generation of basketball talent coming up too.

Russell’s No. 6 will not only be a patch on every player’s jersey, but the Silver announced Russell’s number would be retired by every team across the League. This is the ultimate tribute and the most significant sign of admiration and respect that is only fitting for someone like Bill Russell. Echoing Brown’s words, may he rest in peace and may his legacy continue to live on.

The post Jaylen Brown Calls Bill Russell ‘a Great Man’ During Speech Honoring the NBA Legend appeared first on SLAM.

Clarke has carved out an excellent role coming off the Grizzles’ bench. Over the course of three NBA seasons, Clarke has averaged 10.9 points per game for his career. The stat that jumps out at you when looking at Clarke’s game is that he’s shooting 59.1 percent from the field for his career. This past season alone, Clarke shot a career-best 64.4 percent from the field for the entire season.

Another reason for the extension is that Clarke has been ranked in the top five in several categories, like second-chance points, points in the paints, and offensive rebounds. Because of things like this, Clarke has been critical in the Grizzle’s emerging as a powerhouse team within the Western Conference.

With such a talented young core of players like Clarke, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane, the Grizzles have a real shot at being a top-seeded team in the Western Conference. The sky truly does seem like the limit for this squad, and with tip-off around the corner, anybody who is a basketball fan should be excited about what is to come.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post REPORT: Brandon Clarke and Memphis Agree on a Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Porter was traded to the Rockets after a tough stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since coming over to Houston, it still was not always easy for KPJ, spending some time between the G-League and playing for the Rockets when first traded. However, now Porter has found a role amongst the team and is looking like the right fit in the Rockets backcourt alongside teammate Jalen Green.

General Manager Rafael Stone and Coach Stephen Silas feel that they have invested a significant amount of time and energy into KPJ, both on and off the court. Porter’s rapid growth is what gave them the confidence to keep helping the 22-year-old to develop and become a franchise cornerstone.

Last season in just 61 games with Houston, Porter averaged 15.6 points on 41.6 percent shooting from the field. To go along with scoring in bunches, he also averaged 6.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds while playing 31.2 minutes per game.

It will be truly interesting to see how KPJ and the Rockets do this season, being one of the youngest teams in the NBA. That being said, they are definitely a team on the rise and should be taken seriously in any matchup they get. Happy to see things finally trending in a positive direction for both Porter Jr and the Rockets organization.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post REPORT: Kevin Porter Jr. and Houston Agree On Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Cunningham is now entering Year 2 with the franchise and is looking to grow individually and as a teammate. Cunningham’s rookie season started slowly due to injury, but as the season went on, Cunningham began to heat up. When the season was over, Cunningham averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds while only appearing in 64 games total.

During a recent interview with Andscapes Marc Spears, Cunningham reflected on his first year in the NBA, stating:

“It was tough. I wanted to go through training camp. I wanted to go through preseason and get my early feel before the regular season to fill my game out throughout the league and arenas. Sitting there watching helped my game a lot, mentally especially. I feel like there was a lot of things going on in my mind, but it just kept me poised and really helped me learn about myself and how to keep myself steady and be ready for the next day and ready to go.”

Cunningham’s words and stellar play impressed Pistons Coach Dwayne Casey, who said, “He is just mature,” Casey said. “He has what few players, like Kyle Lowry, have in their career. He’s a born leader. Does he make mistakes like other young players? Yes. But he knows it as soon as he does it. He’s a very smart player. He just has ‘it.’ He is not your typical 21-year-old man.”

Since appearing on the cover of SLAM 238, Cunningham has always been outspoken about wanting to build a special culture in Detroit, which the team has tried to showcase with its recent off-season additions. This past summer, the Pistons added veterans Bojan Bogdanovic, Nerlens Noel, and Alec Burks. The Pistons also have other talented young players to keep an eye on Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Marvin Bagley III, and Isaiah Stewart.

However, Detroit’s new additions of talent and veteran leadership could not come without a price, and that price was trading away the key and very well-liked Jerami Grant to the Portland Trailblazers.

Cunningham touched on this, saying the following,

“He was a big part of our team. Letting him go was something that really changed the locker room but made me have to step up and be ready,”

When Cunningham was asked what the goal was, the Oklahoma State product said that he believed the Pistons “can turn the corner.”

Cunningham seems more than ready to lead the Pistons back to the ‘glory days,’ and even former NBA player Jalen Rose believes the Pistons have an ‘All-Star backcourt’ pairing in Ivey and Cunningham as well.

“We can turn the corner,” Cunningham said. “We’ve got a lot of talent in here, a lot of depth. We’re coming together more and more each day. We’re figuring each other out more. It’s an exciting time for us. But the league is tough. The league ain’t easy. So, we’re just taking it day by day and trying to get better each day. If we do that, then playoffs are our goal. We’re trying to get into playoffs and really just see where we can go.”

One thing is certain: there is, without a doubt, a storm brewing over in the Motor City, and it is no longer a quiet one.

The post Cade Cunningham is Confident Detroit Can ‘Turn the Corner’ appeared first on SLAM.

No one knew what had happened or the extent to which Bagley III was hurt. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that an MRI revealed that Bagley suffered a bone bruise and sprained MCL in his right knee. Although the Duke product avoided severe injury, Bagley will miss up to 3-4 weeks.

Sadly, Bagley III now joins the growing list of other NBA players like Lamelo Ball, Marcus Garrett, and Dyson Daniels, who have fallen victim to the injury bug. At the end of the day, no one likes to see or hear about injuries, but they are sadly a part of the game we all love, as always hoping for all the best for Bagley, as the injury rehab process should soon begin here in the next few days.

The post REPORT: Marvin Bagley III to Miss 3-4 Weeks With Sprained MCL appeared first on SLAM.

“The first thing that jumped out when the scouts had us watch edits on him, I literally had never even heard of him, and it was his passing,” said Spoelstra, per the Sun Sentinel. “He was a ballhandling, passing three-man previously in Europe.”

“I think any young player that knows how to pass and is a willing passer is super unique. All these players coming up, nobody’s really looking to pass. They’re looking to score, looking to put points on the board. I think it’s just a really interesting skill set when people can see the floor and can see two plays ahead. And he had a lot of that as a young player playing in an adult men’s professional league; he was developing a lot of those habits. So we’re playing him a little bit more as a passing big, which fits right into his skill set.”

Jovic’s unique passing abilities are not the only thing Spoelstra was impressed with; standing at 6’11 and still being so young, Jovic’s rebounding is another vital quality.

“I mean, he rebounded pretty well over there,” Spoelstra said, referring to Jovic’s time in Serbia “You just don’t know analytically if that translates to the NBA. So I was just kind of open to seeing that.”

It seems like Jovic has settled in quite well to the NBA’s level of play after racking up his second double-double of the preseason. That is an excellent sign for the rookie after facing some struggles during Summer League. According to Spoelstra and Heat scouts, Jovic had never played the four or five in Serbia and was strictly a wing player.

The new positions, environment, and pace of play were more than likely what was contributing to Jovic’s struggles.

“He’s a quick learner,” Spoelstra said. “So he picks up things faster than I probably anticipated for a kid his age. He’s diligent. He works at it, in pre-practice, after practice, watches film. He takes accountability for his mistakes, and he just doesn’t often make the same mistake twice in a row.”

It will be exciting to see how Coach Spo fits Jovic into this playoff-tested Heat core. However, one thing is for sure being a former video coordinator for the team himself, Spoelstra has a natural eye for talent, and we should expect to see more of Jovic this season.

The post ‘Diligent’ Nikola Jovic Making Solid First Impression With Erik Spoelstra appeared first on SLAM.

Wall has had a rough go of it the past few years since he was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Houston Rockets back in 2020. However, Wall’s time with the Rockets was sadly cut short due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. On top of that, Wall had also been dealing with off-court losses after his mom passed away in 2019.

Fast forward to 2022, and Wall seems completely rejuvenated and back to making his signature behind-the-back finishes at the rim.

“You see somebody’s that happy, you know? Enjoying the game,” said Wall’s teammate Paul George in a postgame interview after the Clipper’s preseason game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. “When it’s taken away from you, and you don’t know where you’re going to go from there. You get an opportunity to come back to it, man; you appreciate it.”

On Sunday, Wall led the team in scoring with 20 points on 5-11 shooting from the field. Wall even dished out three assists and picked up one rebound in his 20 minutes of action. It’s been more than a year since we last saw the Wall Star, and it’s so great to see him back on an NBA court hooping with the best-of-the-best.

This seems like a great beginning to ana fantastic comeback story for Wall. By joining forces with NBA superstars George and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, we may also get a chance to see Wall in playoff games down the road too.

The regular-season is grueling, but so far, Wall “has been looking great.” according to Leonard. Only time will tell what is in store for these new-look Clippers; however, they are a team to pay close attention to.

The post Paul George on John Wall’s Joyful Return: ‘You See Somebody That’s Happy’ appeared first on SLAM.

“Look, it’s the NBA in professional sports these things happen, nobody likes it we don’t condone it,” Myers said. “Draymond apologized to the team this morning, Jordan was there in the room.

Head coach Steve Kerr added: “I’m not going to answer anything more because Bob already answered what needed to be answered. The only thing I will say is that Jordan has been fantastic throughout camp. There was a report that I was made aware of last night that someone put out there that Jordan had an attitude in camp. Nothing could be further from the truth, he’s been fantastic. So, disappointing to see this information out there, but I wanted to make sure I set the record straight on that. Everything else, we will handle internally and go from there.”

Stephen Curry also reiterated Kerr’s sentiment about Poole’s behavior, saying, “JP’s been great. There’s nothing that warrented the situation yesterday. We made that clear, but it’s also something that we feel like will not derail our season and what we’re trying to build and that’s with Draymond as a part of that.”

It seems that for now at least, the Warriors have it under control and we’l; have to wait and see what comes about from the situation.

The post Warriors Briefly Address Practice Scuffle Between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole appeared first on SLAM.

Still, there have been lots of questions about whether Wembanyama’s game can translate well over into the NBA. The SLAM 240 cover star and the Metropolitans 92 in an exhibition game Tuesday night in Las Vegas against the G League team Ignite—who has their own contender for projected No. 1 pick in Scoot Henderson— in front of 200 scouts and NBA executives.

The French cheat code dropped 37 points on what was a very efficient 11-of-20 shooting. Wembanyama’s scoring clinic also included seven threes as well as showing a ton of heart on the defensive end picking up five blocks along with four rebounds.

“I want to become the kind of player you have never seen,” Victor told SLAM in his exclusive cover story.

Henderson also had a great outing to show dynamic play at the guard position. Henderson finished with 28 points and nine assists.

With the 2023 NBA Draft on the horizon, it’s more than safe to say the NBA has no shortage of talent coming into the League. Wembanyama and Henderson square off again in another exhibition match on Thursday night in Vegas.

Get your copy of SLAM 240 here.

The post Victor Wembanyama Backs up the Hype, Drops 37 in Exhibition Matchup Against Scoot Henderson appeared first on SLAM.

Now, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Herro and the Miami Heat have reportedly agreed on a contract extension for four years worth $130 Million.

During the 2021-2022 season, Herro averaged 20.7 points on 44.7 percent shooting from the field, to go along with 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Since coming into the League, Herro has gone from averaging 13.5 points per game to 15.1 and, as of last year, 20.7.

Herro had even earned high praise from head coach Erik Spoelstra this past season, who said the Sixth Man of the Year “becoming one of the most skilled players in the League.”

Following the signing of Herro’s extension, Heat President Pat Riley said via NBA.com that, “Tyler is an impact multi-faceted player and we are excited to have him signed for the next five years,” said Riley. “His improvement every year since we drafted him has led to this day. We believe he will continue to get better per the Miami Heat.

Now with Herro officially extended, Heat fans are definitely looking forward to seeing many more performances this season.

The post REPORT: Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat Reach an Agreement on a Four-Year, $130 Million Extension appeared first on SLAM.

That persistence paid off as the third-year big man played well at Summer League, where his tantalizing skillset shined. Wiseman said he felt good after Summer League play and Coach Steve Kerr recently raved about Wiseman gaining a lot of confidence in his knee.

In the Golden State Warrior’s first preseason game in Tokyo, Japan, versus the Washington Wizards, Wiseman sure looked like his old self finishing the game with 20 points on 72.7 percent shooting from the field while grabbing nine rebounds and one block as well.

“This is my first game out of two years,” Wiseman said. “But I just went out there and just played my game. I wasn’t trying to do as much; I wasn’t trying to do something that was outside of my boundaries, just keep the game simple and just be myself out there.”

Wiseman’s preseason debut lasted a little over twenty-three minutes a. The brief stint filled Warriors fans’ minds with optimism as the Dubs look to win back-to-back championships. Given the Golden State Warrior’s strong foundation, a budding young core of talent, and a roster full of elite vets, there talented is no reason why the Warriors should not be top favorites to win it all again this season.

With the 2023 NBA season set to tip off in just a few more days, the Warriors start their long journey to become the back-to-back champs Tuesday, Oct. 18, versus the Los Angles Lakers.

The post James Wiseman: ‘Just Played My Game’ During First Warriors Preseason Game appeared first on SLAM.

He had an amazing high school career that ended up with him winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award and being the No. 1 recruit in his draft class. After an impressive year at college basketball powerhouse Gonzaga, Holmgren declared for the 2022 NBA Draft and was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the second pick.

However, after what was a dominant Summer League outing Holmgren where he proved many doubters wrong, the rookie forward would then end up suffering torn ligaments in his foot after competing in an off-season Pro-Am game. To make matters worse, this Lisfranc injury will keep Holmgren out for the entire 2022-2023 NBA season.

In his first appearance talking to reporters since the injury, per Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman, Holmgren said that he had spoken to NBA superstar Joel Embiid who told him the following.

“It’s always great to look at something, knowing it’s been done before,” Holmgren told reporters. “Even if it wasn’t (done before), I was going to put my hard hat on and get to work.”

Holmgren also pointed out that he is familiar with the stories of Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin, who are two other NBA stars who lost out on their rookie seasons due to injury as well. When asked about how his rehabilitation process was going, Holmgren said he’s “studied (his) body a lot” and that he’s “taking those proper steps to prevent injuries as well.”

“I try to take steps every single day to put my body in the best position for the best possible health on and off the court,” Holmgren said. “I’ve studied my body a lot, along with people here on the medical staff. We’re taking those proper steps to prevent injuries as well.” 

Holmgren also responded to those who criticize NBA players for playing in the Pro-Am games saying “At the end of the day, basketball players are going to play basketball,”

“It’s just kind of like; you’ve got to feed the love for the game,” Holmgren said. “I don’t want an injury like this to take away from that. I’m always going to have a love for basketball, so I’m always taking advantage of opportunities to play basketball. Just gotta make sure that you do it right and you’re able to kind of avoid things like this.” 

Only time will tell how Holmgren will fit into OKC’s rotation, but whenever he does set foot on a basketball court again, the basketball world is in for a real treat!

The post Chet Holmgren Speaks On His Injury Rehab and What He’s Learned About the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

“Kah is just electric,” Stewart told ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. “It seems like she just slithers to the basket. She’s able to find these gaps where she gets in and is able to get an easy layup. But she’s a spark. Whenever her name is called, she’s ready.”

Wilson also chimed in, saying, “Kah is very versatile,”

“We need a spark off the bench from her. Even in the starting lineup, she’s just going 100 percent through and through. When it comes to USA Basketball, it’s all about knowing your role, and I think for it to be a rookie, to come in and instantly understand her role, is huge for us. So we play off her energy.”

So far, Cooper has averaged 11 points on 53.8 percent shooting from the field, and 41.7 percent from three, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 steals while playing 20.0 minutes per game for Team USA.

Team USA Coach Cheryl Reeve also commented on Cooper’s recent play.

“She has been absolutely pivotal to not only penetration that you get, but her defense,” Reeve said. “She’s really taken some players out of games, and so kudos to her. She’s been an important part for us.”

With such high praise and respect coming from both coach and peers, Cooper spoke about what being able to play for Team USA meant to her. Cooper had this to say: coming off a disappointing semifinal loss in the playoffs.

“It was just important that I didn’t miss a beat and that competitor and that fire in me continued to stay lit,” Cooper said. “I think this is special, and this is a big-time opportunity for me.”

One of Cooper’s personal bucket list goals is to win gold as a part of the US Women’s Basketball team, and with this roster, that goal, without a doubt, is attainable. If Team USA can keep dominating, as their recent play has shown, they will likely bring home gold, and Cooper can check an accomplishment off her list.

The post Kahleah Cooper’s ‘Electric’ Play Leading Team USA into World Cup Quarterfinal appeared first on SLAM.

Udoka will be away from the team while he serves his season-long suspension for “violations of team policies.”

With such a chaotic situation right before Media Day, of course, players were going to be asked their thoughts about it. When Jayson Tatum was asked when he found out about Udoka’s suspension, Tatum said he learned what had happened in real-time just like everybody else through Twitter. According to Brain Robb, Tatum also said that Udoka’s suspension was “a lot to process.”

Tatum said he hasn’t spoken to Udoka since the suspension was handed down, but he’s excited to get on the court for training camp and get back to playing basketball.

“We were all kind of caught off guard,” Tatum said

Tatum: "You read the statement, you watch the press conference, apparently there are a lot of things they can’t speak about. I’m kind of in the same boat. I don’t know. It’s hard for me to answer if things were handled in the right way or they weren’t … I just don’t know."

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) September 26, 2022

While a head coach controversy is not the way any team wants to start their season, it seems that Tatum as a whole is not letting this sidetrack his or the team’s goals for this season. In an interview per NBC Sports, Tatum spoke about what he learned from the Celtic’s 2022 NBA Finals run.

“It’s extremely tough to even get to that point; not many people have even gotten there,”. Tatum continues. “You think about (we) sweep the Nets, and go seven with Milwaukee that could’ve obviously gone the other way, then seven with the Heat if Jimmy Butler made that shot, we could not have been in the championship, then you know getting to that point and then accomplishing the goal, it’s hard to put in words, it’s tough.”

Tatum also told NBC Sports that he’s heading into year six with that “plan of things that you like you can do differently.”

“Approaching the off-season with a plan of things that you feel like you can do differently coming into next season so that you know you’re more than capable of going all the way.”

Heading into his uncertain year with the Celtics, it looks like Tatum is more ready and eager to take that next step individually as well as a team.

The post Jayson Tatum On Ime Udoka’s Suspension and What He Learned During Boston’s Finals Run appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons continued to say that he has been playing pickup with teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving all week and that those two look “incredible”. This new trio of Irving, Simmons, and Durant will be a Big Three that will be on everyone’s radar to watch this season, whether you are a fan or an opponent. All three players contribute unique skills and abilities that are just spiritual performances waiting to be witnessed.

Simmons is not the only Net eager to start the new season; Kyrie Irving also shared his thoughts on Simmons as well as a personal goal of his.

“It’s not too often that you get to see a 6’10” guy do the things he does,” Irving said about Simmons per Nets beat reporter, Erik Slater. “What I’ve been able to observe is just his resolve and his resiliency. He wants it.”

Irving’s encouraging words should give a considerable boost to Simmons after what was a very chippy ending to his time with the Philadephia 76ers and a rough start dealing with injuries when joining the Nets last season.

This just shows that Irving is also making good on his goal to want to help provide a sound support system that everyone on the team can thrive within. This Nets team has the talent to make a deep playoff run and has a chance to win the 2023 NBA championship, but it remains to be seen if this Big 3 can mesh together as a unit that can lead the Nets on and off the court.

With opening night just around the corner, the suspense and anticipation are growing on what will be a very exciting season for Brooklyn.

The post Ben Simmons ‘Ready to Go’ After Getting Cleared to Play appeared first on SLAM.

“Sometime around after the All-Star break, I just felt it during one game, and it kind of just never went away,” Middleton said regarding the injury. “It wasn’t too painful, just something that was going to have to be fixed at some point.”

Middleton has also been working through an MCL injury he suffered during the postseason that kept him out of Milwaukee’s second-round series against Boston. It is important to note that Middleton does have a player option within his contract worth a bit over forty million for the 2023-2024 season. Skipping that would make him a free agent the following summer.

Middleton also discussed his contract situation over the weekend, confirming that he wants to stay in Milwaukee but is prepared for any case to play out.

“Even though I know you’re really not supposed to say it for all the reasons out there, I think everybody knows deep down that I want to stay,” Middleton said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. “But also, you know it’s a business. Things change; things happen. You just never know. For sure I would love to stay. If everything works out.” 

It will be very interesting to see when Middleton will make his way back into Milwaukee’s starting rotation at some point this season and watch what happens in the future with his contract. Overall, this season seems like it could be a big one determining his and Milwaukee’s future.

The post Khris Middleton Likely to Miss the Start of the 2022-2023 Season appeared first on SLAM.

Dupree was the sixth overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft and played for fifteen seasons in the W. The seven-time WNBA All-Star won a WNBA Championship in 2014 with the Phoenix Mercury.

The news was initially reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

By joining the Spurs’ staff, Dupree is now following in the footsteps of her predecessor and former Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon, who just led the Las Vegas Aces into a new era after winning not only the 2022 WNBA Coach of the Year Award, but the organization’s first-ever 2022 WNBA Championship.

“You’re starting to see a lot of women that are breaking into the NBA ranks and so they’re just like, ‘soak up as much as you can,’” Dupree told TheNextHoops in regard to advice she’s gotten from Dawn Staley and Ervin Monier, who was her coach at Temple. “Obviously, if I need any help from them [Staley and Monier], they’re there. If I need to steal plays and everything else, I have that available as well.”

As the 2022-23 NBA season approaches, Dupree and other female coaches across the League are continuing to pave the way for future generations.

The post REPORT: San Antonio Spurs are Hiring Former WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree as Assistant Coach appeared first on SLAM.

According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, when Sheppard was asked if this year’s Wizards team was a playoff team on paper, the Wizards exec said: “I think we just continue to improve. Obviously, that’s everybody’s goal: to make the playoffs. I think we’ve got to see the improvement on the defensive end. I think we addressed that this summer. You find out in the winter what you did in the summer.”

The Wizards made some interesting moves this off-season, trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith to the Denver Nuggets for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Unseld stated that he had seen an “immediate impact” coming from Morris.

“He’s a connector,” Unseld said. “And he’s a guy that, I’m not sure how, but around the league, everyone knows Monte, and he does a terrific job of ingratiating himself beyond just between the lines. He’s obviously a point guard at heart. He prides himself on running the team, and I think that’s going to be a huge benefit to this group because he’s going to know what the group needs at the right time.”

Some other noteworthy off-season additions Washington made include acquiring Delon Wright and Taj Gibson and using their 10th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft to secure Johnny Davis.

“I think all the guys that are new to our roster bring a whole different mentality may be in terms of their expectations of themselves,” said Sheppard. “Walking in the door, defining themselves as players, it’s obvious that they don’t have to tell you about it. They show you.”

It seems Washington’s coach and front office staff took the steps they felt were necessary to drastically improve the team’s chemistry issues and move forward from last season’s struggles. With the 2022-2023 NBA Season set to tip off in just a few more weeks, the clock is ticking to see if this Wizards team can back up these words.

The post Wizards Are ‘Hopeful’ Their Off-Season Moves Will Lead to a Playoff Appearance appeared first on SLAM.

This means that unvaccinated NBA players can play in Toronto without fear of missing games, suspension, or fines. This news comes after about a year of drama surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine and players in the NBA and across the sports world.

As it stands, Canada’s government requires each person entering the country to have their first and second COVID shot or the one shot of Johnson and Johnson at least two weeks before entering.

This new proposed move from Canada comes on the heels of the NBA releasing a League memo to teams this past month. In the memo, the League informed teams that players still needed to have either received a primary course of a COVID vaccine or must receive medical clearance to get one.

With that being said, the Candian Government still needs Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to sign off and finalize this act. This past 2021-2022 NBA season was not short on players who used their platform to speak out against the COVID-19 vaccine. The most notable NBA players who spoke out were Kyrie Irving and Matisse Thybulle, who could not play or even travel to Toronto last season.

Andrew Wiggins, who was opposed to getting the vaccine at first but then got it revealed that he regretted getting the vaccine at all. While we wait to see what the Prime Minister decides, we are on the verge of another enormous shake-up to hit the League.

The post Report: Canada Set to Remove Its Vaccine Requirements appeared first on SLAM.

Per Charania, two key points were brought to attention between the League and the players union, figuring out a measure that allows players to cite mental health as similar to physical injury and changing the NBA Draft age eligibility from 19 to 18 to bring back the ‘high school-to-NBA’ pipeline.

This is huge, considering the last time the NBA drafted an eighteen-year-old was Josh Primo in 2021. Andrew Bynum (2005 NBA Draft)was 18 and six days when he played his first game, while Amir Johnson was 18 and 268 days old when he first played in the League in 2006.

The League is no stranger to getting high school kids and seeing them blossom and transition into superstardom. Some star players who transitioned from high school to the NBA are LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, and the late great Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant.

The world of basketball as we know it is about to take a significant shift again by tackling another big challenge surrounding the next generation of talent.

This would cause a change to the scope of the sport almost similar to the major ones that we saw surrounding the NCAA when they began to permit athletes to benefit from their Name, Image, and Likeness and allow NCAA players to hire an agent to negotiate those deals, as well as giving them the option to stay in school if they went unselected in the NBA Draft back in 2018.

There are still a couple more details to iron out before December 15, which is the mutually agreed upon opt-out date between the League and the Players Association. However, talks between NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio have had extensive CBA talks that have all gone in a positive direction. For now, we will all have to hold our breath and wait for the official decision.

The post REPORT: The NBA and NBPA ‘Expected’ to Remove One-and-Done Rule appeared first on SLAM.

In July, Hammon was asked by WSLAM about her career and how she planned to lead the Las Vegas Aces into a new era. When Hammon played in the WNBA, she made six All-Star appearances and four All-WNBA Teams. Then in 2021, Becky was named to The W25, a collection of the twenty-five most influential and greatest players in WNBA history.

“Honestly, it’s not like I’m setting out to do these things,” Hammon told WSLAM about barrier-breaking experiences in the NBA. “You show up, you work, you keep working, and you try to do your job to the best of your ability. And those other things just kind of take care of themselves.”

After a turbulent 2021-2022 NBA off-season in which many vacant head coaching positions were filled by candidates who were not Hammon, Las Vegas took their shot and landed their very own Ace. In Hammon’s first year with the team, she not only won a title and Coach of the Year, but her team earned the No.1 overall record; she was head coach of the 2022 All-Star team and won the Commissioner’s Cup Championship as well.

Since taking the reigns in Las Vegas, Hammon not only diversified Las Vegas’ offensive and defensive schemes but most importantly, she helped her team learn to believe in themselves.

“When you take the word ‘encourage,’ which actually means to give courage to another person, that’s what I’ve tried to speak into them every day,” Hammon said per Ballysports. “It’s how much I believed in them and that we could be special if we all do it together.”

Becky also stated that she believes that the first step to any winning culture is accountability.

“First thing that you have to do in building a championship culture is to set a tone of accountability. Bringing people together for a common goal that’s bigger than themselves, and then you’ve got to get the buy-in factor. My buy-in factor on each one of these women has been high, and I think they respond to me well. I try to be very clear with what their job is, what the expectation is,” Hammon said. “Then, everybody is held to the same line in the sense of, you know, nobody is shooting it over two, three people. Play the right way, and everybody wins, and when we win, everything else takes care of itself.”

It’s safe to say that Hammon’s first season as head coach of the Aces has been a success after leading the Aces to their first-ever title and helping A’ja Wilson win her second MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors, Kelsey Plum win an All-Star game MVP, and Jackie Young become the 2022  Most Improved Player.

The post How Coach Becky Hammon Built a Championship Culture in Las Vegas appeared first on SLAM.

During the 2022 free agency period, after former Miami Heat forward P.J. Tucker opted-out of his player-option with Miami, he then, within just a few short minutes of being on the free agent market, had inked a three-way trade deal with the Sixers.

Tampering is something that the NBA does not tolerate, and teams found guilty of this action are either fined heavily or even end up losing future draft picks. The Sixers are not the only team this offseason to be investigated for tampering; the New York Knicks are also in the hot seat after the NBA announced they’d be looking at New York due to the circumstances surrounding their acquisition of Jalen Brunson before he officially signed with the Knicks.

At the recent NBA Board of Governor’s press conference, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gave his thoughts and an update on both investigations.

“I think what prompted [the investigations] was sort of just the tick-tock chronology around sort of when the signings are permissible and the announcements of those signings and the information that came out about them,” Silver continued. “[That] was cause for the league office to investigate.”

Silver then wrapped up the topic by stating, “The statuses of those investigations are still ongoing,” and “Hopefully, they’ll be wrapped up in the next few weeks.”

The post NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Offers An Update On Free Agent Tampering Investigations appeared first on SLAM.

Chef Curry is coming off of such a historic 2021-2022 season for himself, where he became the League’s all-time three-point record holder and won what he believed to be his most meaningful championship last year; Curry is on the verge of yet another historic accomplishment!

In a recent interview, Curry did with Rolling Stone; Curry revealed that he “has nearly locked down a lifetime contract with Under Armor worth potentially more than $1 billion.” Curry appeared on SLAM Kicks 25 to talk about Under Armour dropping the 10th sneaker in his signature line.

“The Curry 10 is expressing consistency and continuing to level up your game. The fact that you can have 10 signature shoes and, coming off a championship, being at this level, like, you want people to be a part of that journey with you. We’re also bringing back classic colorways from throughout my career, that meant a lot to me. A special moment. It’s a celebration of success, the journey, the process, the work, the memories, everything. The Curry 10, ballplayers should know that it’s gonna help them be better, help them perform better, give them all the advantage they can have on the court when they lace up, but it’s also going to give them joy, hopefully. That’s what I’m trying to express through the shoes. They get to embody it as well.” Curry told SLAM.

Curry is certainly making as many splashes off the court as he is on it. Steph has already earned over $254.7 million dollars in his NBA career alone, along with the rest of the off-court money he makes from other endorsement deals. Whenever he does end up inking this lifetime deal with Under Armor to go along with the highly anticipated release of his 10th signature shoe set to release sometime this year, Curry will once again shock the world in his own unique way.

The post Stephen Curry On the Verge of Signing Lifetime Deal With Under Armour appeared first on SLAM.

Wilson’s 26 points and 10 rebounds not only helped her team win, but her phenomenal Game 2 earned her a spot within an exclusive club. Plum, who has had her struggles this postseason, got her swagger back last night, putting up 20 points to go along with seven assists. Then finally, Gray, whose ‘unconscious’ Game 4 performance against the Seattle Storm helped to put the Aces in the 2022 WNBA Finals. Gray put 21 points and eight assists in Ace’s Game 2 win over the Suns.

The Suns are down 2-0 heading back home and have to navigate the challenging task ahead of winning a pivotal Game 3 to extend the Finals and surviving. As WNBA history notes, teams that have a 2-0 lead in the finals are historically 15-0 all-time in the finals. However, the Suns this postseason are 3-0 when in elimination games.

“We are taking it one game at a time,” Jonquel Jones said, per CBS Sports. “That’s all we can do. We are going to go back home like you said. We are going to have our fans behind us, who have been with us all season, and we are going to use that to propel us to a win, and that’s all we can do.”

Jones dropped 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists in Game 2, followed by a team-high 18 points and five assists from Courtney Williams.

Only time will tell if WNBA history repeats itself or if the Suns will be able to create some new history of their own.

The post Jonquel Jones: Connecticut ‘Taking It One Game At a Time’ Heading Into Game 3 appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves hit big this off-season, adding three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in a monumental trade with Utah. Now that the Wolves have added another star-caliber talent to their roster, championship expectations have never been higher. When asked his thoughts on the addition of Gobert and how they would co-exist, Towns replied:

“I think Rudy’s one of the best defensive players we’ve ever had in the NBA. He has the hardware to prove it.” He said, according to CBS Sports, “I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen. So putting us together gives us really a whole new spectrum of talent to use.”

KAT signed an extension in June to stay at the place he “calls home.” He went on to list all the sacrifices that he has made personally to help get the team to this point:

“I came into the NBA; I sacrificed everything I can, my body included trying to get us to the playoffs. I’ve sacrificed everything. I’ve sacrificed my life. I’ve sacrificed time with my mom. I’ve sacrificed public opinion of me. All for the betterment of my team, my teammates, their lives, and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Anthony Towns has previously stated that he wants to ‘build a legacy’ in Minnesota. With so many talented pieces and young superstar Anthony Edwards, his best friend, and former All-Star D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Towns can begin to cement that legacy, and the Wolves potentially could make a huge playoff run.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m One of the Best Offensive Players and Talents the NBA has Ever Seen’ appeared first on SLAM.