Ronald Agers – SLAM https://www.slamonline.com Respect the Game. Thu, 28 Apr 2022 14:58:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.slamonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-android-icon-192x192-32x32.png Ronald Agers – SLAM https://www.slamonline.com 32 32 Stephen Curry Catches Fire Late Closing Out the Series For Golden State https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-catches-fire-late-closing-out-the-series-for-golden-state/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-catches-fire-late-closing-out-the-series-for-golden-state/#respond Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:06:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=745197 The Golden State Warriors found themselves in their first closeout game since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when they lost to the Toronto Raptors. The rust showed for two and a half quarters while they played listless and unorganized as a team. But sometimes, it can be a real positive to have a […]

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]]> The Golden State Warriors found themselves in their first closeout game since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when they lost to the Toronto Raptors. The rust showed for two and a half quarters while they played listless and unorganized as a team.

But sometimes, it can be a real positive to have a player like Stephen Curry on your team to get the job done.

Despite falling behind by as many as ten points in the third quarter, entering the fourth quarter on the ropes, Chef Curry led the charge with a furious scoring binge in the final period to survive the Denver Nuggets 102-98. The win closed out the series 4-1 to advance Golden State to the next round, where they wait on the winner of the Memphis Grizzlies/Minnesota Timberwolves series.

Curry welcomed himself back into the starting lineup with 30 points on 10-of-22 shooting from the field, sinking five shots from beyond the arc in 38 minutes.

Curry scored 20 points in the second half and closed out his showcase by dribbling through nearly the entire Nuggets team Harlem Globetrotter style before his layup put the Warriors up by five with 29.9 seconds left. Then he looked into the crowd and gave his newest curtain call.

The Warriors superstar shared how the Warriors had to be reminded how hard it is to close out teams in the playoffs.

“I think you can see these first three quarters, we forgot what it felt like to try to close out a game,” Curry said via Yahoo Sports. “The nerves, the energy in the building … We still know how to do it, but we kind of had to grind it out. It’s a good feeling to go out there and get the win.”

Curry even found time to pass Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving for 24th place all-time on the NBA’s playoff scoring list.

Golden State waits until Sunday to start playing in the second round against the winner of the Memphis-Minnesota series.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-catches-fire-late-closing-out-the-series-for-golden-state/feed/ 0 Ja Morant Sends Minnesota to the Brink of Elimination With Game Winner https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ja-morant-sends-minnesota-to-the-brink-of-elimination-with-game-winner/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ja-morant-sends-minnesota-to-the-brink-of-elimination-with-game-winner/#respond Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:15:13 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=745066 Ja Morant came into this game as the new recipient of the NBA Most Improved Player Award. After the Grizzlies superstar’s performance in the final quarter bringing Memphis back from an 11-point deficit, questions of why he’s not in the running for MVP will be asked. By the end of this game, Morant had the […]

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]]> Ja Morant came into this game as the new recipient of the NBA Most Improved Player Award. After the Grizzlies superstar’s performance in the final quarter bringing Memphis back from an 11-point deficit, questions of why he’s not in the running for MVP will be asked.

By the end of this game, Morant had the entire arena, along with any NBA fan that loves this game screaming at the top of their lungs. The Murray State product officially put his name in the hat of the undisputed future superstars after finishing Game 5 with 30-point, 13 rebounds, and nine assists to lift Memphis to a shocking 111-109 victory as time expired.

The 2022 All-Star’s poster at the end of the third quarter would impact national headlines even if the Grizzlies lost.

But it was his 18-point 4th quarter that set the League on fire. He overcame six missed free throws to lead Memphis on a 23-7 run to make the game close. Morant then took the game over late in the fourth quarter.

First, with a little over a minute left in the game, Morant received a tap back rebound from Brandon Clarke to knock down a huge three-pointer to give his team the lead.

Then after Anthony Edwards knocked down a clutch corner three-pointer to tie the game at 109, Morant closed the game out in spectacular fashion.

Memphis now owns a 3-2 lead in this first-round Western Conference series, with Game 6 being Friday night in Minnesota.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ja-morant-sends-minnesota-to-the-brink-of-elimination-with-game-winner/feed/ 0 ‘The Odds are Against Us’: Nikola Jokic Leads Nuggets to Game 4 Win https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-odds-are-against-us-nikola-jokic-leads-nuggets-to-game-4-win/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-odds-are-against-us-nikola-jokic-leads-nuggets-to-game-4-win/#respond Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:59:11 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744847 While many believe Joel Embiid is the odds on favorite to take the MVP award this year, Nikola Jokic continues to make his case. In Game 4, Jokic dominated in so many ways to keep Denver in the series, despite 30-plus point games from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Denver Nugget hung on to […]

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]]> While many believe Joel Embiid is the odds on favorite to take the MVP award this year, Nikola Jokic continues to make his case. In Game 4, Jokic dominated in so many ways to keep Denver in the series, despite 30-plus point games from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

The Denver Nugget hung on to beat the Warriors, 126-121 to force a Game 5 on Wednesday night. Jokic was the orchestrator on offense, as usual, putting up 37 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, but it was his leadership and basketball I.Q. that was the difference.

Jokic, who averaged 29.3 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists over the first three games of the series, dropped 18 points in the first quarter that almost matched the Warriors entire total.

These two plays down the stretch helped sealed it for his Nuggets. First, he warned his teammates about a Warriors lob play from out of bounds that led to a turnover with just over 30 seconds left to go in the game…

Then his drive and kick to Will Barton in the left corner led to the clincher off a perfect pass to send it to Game 5.

Although 143 other teams who faced a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs has never bounced back to win a series, Denver is the only team to overcome 3-1 deficits, having beaten the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers two years ago in the bubble. Jokic believes that is enough cause to have faith via ESPN.

“The odds are against us. But we’ve beaten the odds a couple of times, so why not?”

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-odds-are-against-us-nikola-jokic-leads-nuggets-to-game-4-win/feed/ 0 Brandon Clarke Shines In Game 3 Win Over Minnesota https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/brandon-clarke-shines-in-game-3-win-over-minnesota/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/brandon-clarke-shines-in-game-3-win-over-minnesota/#respond Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:01:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744652 When the Memphis Grizzlies raced off to a 124-96 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves to even up the series, the first significant adjustment of the playoffs happened with head coach Taylor Jenkins’ decision to bench starting center Steven Adams for Game 3. This happened at halftime of Game 2 after Adams picked up two personal […]

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]]> When the Memphis Grizzlies raced off to a 124-96 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves to even up the series, the first significant adjustment of the playoffs happened with head coach Taylor Jenkins’ decision to bench starting center Steven Adams for Game 3.

This happened at halftime of Game 2 after Adams picked up two personal fouls (including a Flagrant 1) in the first three minutes of the game. After a Game 1 performance of four personal fouls, three rebounds, and three assists, Adams lost his spot in the rotation to Kyle Anderson.

That decision opened up minutes for Brandon Clarke, who provided tremendous contributions from the bench on a night when Memphis exclusively went with a small ball lineup that kept Adams on the bench while Jaren Jackson Jr. battled foul trouble.

Clarke scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half for Memphis to help his team come back from two considerable deficits to win 104-95 and take a 2-1 lead in their first-round matchup over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With Memphis down 16 points going into the final quarter, Clarke was huge going down the stretch, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter to help spark a 50-13 run to shock the Wolves in Target Center.

With Karl-Anthony Towns dogged by foul trouble, Clarke took full advantage of the Wolves’ small lineup by controlling the boards and scoring down low.

After the game, Clarke’s teammates swarmed him on the floor to celebrate, including Adams, who was benched to make room for his heavy minutes down the stretch. Clarke took to social media to show his appreciation and reminded everyone it was not over.

Game 4 between these two teams is scheduled for Saturday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/brandon-clarke-shines-in-game-3-win-over-minnesota/feed/ 0 Golden State Warriors Take Command Of Series With Backcourt Brilliance https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-take-command-of-series-with-backcourt-brilliance/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-take-command-of-series-with-backcourt-brilliance/#respond Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:03:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744658 The Golden State Warriors had enough experience to know that a fired-up Denver Nuggets team would be energized in front of their home crowd for Game 3 on Thursday night. Instead of being frustrated with their own play, the Nuggets cleaned up most of the issues they faced in the blowouts of the first two games. The […]

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]]> The Golden State Warriors had enough experience to know that a fired-up Denver Nuggets team would be energized in front of their home crowd for Game 3 on Thursday night. Instead of being frustrated with their own play, the Nuggets cleaned up most of the issues they faced in the blowouts of the first two games.

The one issue that remains is the Golden State backcourt. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole are still hot, and each was on fire in Game 3.

Curry and Poole each finished with 27 points apiece, and Thompson dropped 26 points on his own to cancel out a monster 37-point, 18 rebound game by Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 118-113. The Warriors now lead 3-0 in their first-round series with a chance to sweep over the weekend.

The three guards have led a small ball lineup that has been the difference in this series. Each player has had their chance to shine individually and collectively throughout this series. In Game 1, Jordan Poole got rolling with a historic start. Then it was Curry who exploded in Game 2 to eclipse the playoff career 3,000 point mark while scoring a game-high 34 points in only 23 minutes.

In Game 3, all three made history. Thompson passed Ray Allen for third all-time in playoff three-pointers made. Chef Curry passed James Worthy for 26th on the playoff scoring list. As for Jordan Poole, he became the first guard since the merger to score 25 Pts on 60 percent shooting in three straight playoff games. Jerry West, Lou Hudson, and Brian Winters were the only guards to have done it in history, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

All three became the first trio in franchise history to record 25 points on 50 percent shooting and the first to do since Chris Mullin, Mitch Redmond, and Terry Teagle did so in 1989.

“He looks like a seasoned vet,” Thompson said about Poole via Yahoo Sports. “The shots he’s been making and taking, he’s kind of been our catalyst on offense. JP, I’ve seen him put in so much work behind the scenes that he deserves this.

“I’m incredibly proud of him.”

Not only is Thompson enjoying his teammate’s play but the opportunity to be back on the floor with his teammates in general.

“So much,” he said when asked how much he missed playoff games on the road. “It’s what you dream of, it’s what you prepare for and I don’t take granted nights like these. That was a ton of fun and just a gutsy win by our squad.

“Everything I worked for the past two years has come to fruition. I’m just incredibly grateful to be here and having fun.”

Golden State will try to close out the series on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-take-command-of-series-with-backcourt-brilliance/feed/ 0 Desmond Bane Powers Memphis Comeback Bid to Beat Timberwolves https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/desmond-bane-powers-memphis-comeback-bid-to-beat-timberwolves/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/desmond-bane-powers-memphis-comeback-bid-to-beat-timberwolves/#respond Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:20:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744647 The fast-paced offenses of the Grizzles and Timberwolves had led to an entertaining first-round series that just got a lot more interesting after a Game 3 that delivered more twists and turns with both teams traded momentum that literally lasted for moments at a time before the Grizzlies shocked the NBA world with the largest […]

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]]> The fast-paced offenses of the Grizzles and Timberwolves had led to an entertaining first-round series that just got a lot more interesting after a Game 3 that delivered more twists and turns with both teams traded momentum that literally lasted for moments at a time before the Grizzlies shocked the NBA world with the largest comeback playoff victory in franchise history.

While Ja Morant (16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) will deservedly receive most of the attention for the Grizzles’ Game 3 comeback due to his triple-double performance, his backcourt mate Desmond Bane deserves some credit too, after being a major cog in Memphis’ comeback bid thanks to his timely long-range shooting.

Memphis started the game down 12-0 and found themselves down 26 points in the first half and 25 in the second before going on significant runs to get back in the game before halftime and snatch a 2-1 series lead in the second half.

The triumphant comeback began with the hot shooting of Bane, who scored a game-high 26 points (7-15 from beyond the arc) and grabbed six rebounds.

Then after D’Angelo Russell hit a three-pointer to put Minnesota up 79-54 in the third quarter, Bane helped his team erase a 25-point lead with a massive 23-4 run to tie the game at 83-83, capped off by a three-pointer with 8:30 left in the game. This fourth-quarter dagger in the corner effectively put the game away as Memphis outscored Minnesota 37-12 in the final frame to match the fourth-largest comeback in NBA playoff history.

After the dust settled, Bane was proud of his teammates for staying composed to clinch an emotional Game 3 victory.

“Everybody stayed with it, stayed resilient throughout the whole entire game; it’s an emotional victory — coming from being down a lot,” Bane said per Yahoo Sports.

“We’ve got to keep our heads; it’s first to four.”

Game 4 of the Grizzlies-Timberwolves series takes place on Saturday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/desmond-bane-powers-memphis-comeback-bid-to-beat-timberwolves/feed/ 0 Memphis Grizzlies Even Series Led By A Ja Morant Family Affair https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/memphis-grizzlies-even-series-led-by-a-ja-morant-family-affair/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/memphis-grizzlies-even-series-led-by-a-ja-morant-family-affair/#respond Wed, 20 Apr 2022 14:13:07 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744357 When the Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 on Saturday, Ja Morant believed that the team beat themselves, allowing 130 points. Although he scored 32 points, Morant was unhappy with his overall performance and on Instagram posted a captionless picture that featured a clip from the Last Dance where Michael Jordan spoke […]

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]]> When the Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 on Saturday, Ja Morant believed that the team beat themselves, allowing 130 points.

Although he scored 32 points, Morant was unhappy with his overall performance and on Instagram posted a captionless picture that featured a clip from the Last Dance where Michael Jordan spoke about can trash when they’re in the lead.

The All-Star point guard had the best total floor game of his playoff career, leading Memphis to a 124-96 blowout. Despite only scoring 23 points in the game, he made his teammates better and controlled the game with a near triple-double adding nine rebounds and 10 assists. His playmaking opened up the offense and allowed seven Grizzlies players to score in the double figures.

While Morant was working his magic with his teammates on the floor evening the series, his family became one of the more fun storylines of the NBA playoffs. His father has collaborated with Karl Anthony Towns’ father to add a fun trash-talking element to the series that started at the end of Game 1.

For the first time in the series, Morant’s daughter, Kaari, has become a viral sensation after cameras panned her enjoying her dad’s latest exploits on the court.

Once his post-game on-court interview concluded, Morant motioned his daughter to join him as he carried her on his shoulders to walk back to her grandfather.

As the series shifts to Minnesota, Morant’s family has brought an up and personal visual of total family support for a superstar we haven’t since Stephen Curry rose to prominence during the 2014 playoffs. Something that impressed ESPN analyst Jalen Rose to the utmost earlier this week.

The pivotal Game 3 matchup is on Thursday, where the winner will go up 2-1 in their first-round matchup.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/memphis-grizzlies-even-series-led-by-a-ja-morant-family-affair/feed/ 0 Warriors Unlock Next Level With New Small Ball Lineup Featuring Jordan Poole https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/warriors-unlock-next-level-with-new-small-ball-lineup-featuring-jordan-poole/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/warriors-unlock-next-level-with-new-small-ball-lineup-featuring-jordan-poole/#respond Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:58:19 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744243 The Golden State Warriors changed this era of offensive basketball with their many versions of small-ball lineups. During their five-year NBA Finals run that netted three championships, their small lineup was the envy of many NBA coaches and general managers who desperately tried to copy their schemes. After a couple of seasons riddled with injuries and […]

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]]> The Golden State Warriors changed this era of offensive basketball with their many versions of small-ball lineups. During their five-year NBA Finals run that netted three championships, their small lineup was the envy of many NBA coaches and general managers who desperately tried to copy their schemes.

After a couple of seasons riddled with injuries and player development, the Warriors started their first playoff run in three years with a newer, more exciting version and have added another shooter to the mix.

The Denver Nuggets have had no answers to defending the Warriors when Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and the newest addition, Jordan Poole, have shared the floor. Golden State has gone for momentum-stealing runs in the first two games that have changed momentum or put the game out of reach.

This combination played only five minutes together in Game 1, but they outscored Denver by 14 points to shift the momentum sparking their 123-107 win. In Game 2, they played another five minutes, which led them to move the momentum to their side going into the second half.

After falling behind 43-31 in the second quarter, the Warriors erased that deficit by halftime with runs of 16-0 and 23-4 late to take a 57-51 lead at the break. The trend is not lost on Thompson, who forecasted this type of performance after Game 1.

“It’s a scary sight when we really get going,” Thompson said. “This is really only our first time really playing together.”

The story of this series so far has been Jordan Poole. Poole had yet another strong performance after a historic performance in Game 1, scoring 29 points while putting on another dazzling display that had the Chase Center crowd rocking!

While the running joke around the team is will Curry ever get back in the starting lineup, SC30 was very impressed with Poole’s play to start the playoffs.

“He doesn’t lack confidence,” Curry said per ESPN. “That play embodied it. Because you just have the creativity and confidence in yourself to make that play. You don’t second-guess yourself. You kind of live with the results, and we’ve done it for years, and he’s stepping into that now. It’s fun to see.”

Game 3 of this, the Warriors-Nuggets series shifts to Denver on Thursday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/warriors-unlock-next-level-with-new-small-ball-lineup-featuring-jordan-poole/feed/ 0 Stephen Curry Is the First Warriors Player to Pass 3,000 Playoff Points https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-is-the-first-warriors-player-to-pass-3000-playoff-points/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-is-the-first-warriors-player-to-pass-3000-playoff-points/#respond Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:07:16 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744235 Stephen Curry might be coming off the bench on a minutes restriction, but that has not stopped him from his usual offensive explosiveness. In-Game 2 of the Warriors-Nuggets first-round series went off for one of his patented scoring sprees while making some history along the way. 3,000 PLAYOFF POINTS Stephen becomes the first Warrior to […]

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]]> Stephen Curry might be coming off the bench on a minutes restriction, but that has not stopped him from his usual offensive explosiveness. In-Game 2 of the Warriors-Nuggets first-round series went off for one of his patented scoring sprees while making some history along the way.

In typical Curry fashion, a pull-up three-pointer made history. The bucket punctuated a huge run to come back from an early 12-point deficit to a 57-49 lead with a minute to go in the first half. The triple made the two-time MVP the first player in franchise history to score 3,000 career postseason points. Curry is also the 27th player in League history to score 3,000 points in their playoff career.

Curry finished Game 2 with a game-high 34 points after coming off the bench for a second straight game to lead Golden State to a 126-106 win over Denver to go up 2-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-is-the-first-warriors-player-to-pass-3000-playoff-points/feed/ 0 Anthony Edwards Makes Playoff Debut History in Game 1 Win https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/anthony-edwards-makes-playoff-debut-history-in-game-1-win/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/anthony-edwards-makes-playoff-debut-history-in-game-1-win/#respond Sun, 17 Apr 2022 23:08:45 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744045 Coming into the Memphis Grizzlies/Minnesota Timberwolves series, the storylines were centered on Ja Morant, an MVP candidate who lifted the Grizzlies to 56 wins, a No. 2 seed, and the early favorite to win the series. Morant brought NBA Twitter to its feet with the game’s most spectacular play. JA OFF A TRAMPOLINE WITH THE […]

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]]> Coming into the Memphis Grizzlies/Minnesota Timberwolves series, the storylines were centered on Ja Morant, an MVP candidate who lifted the Grizzlies to 56 wins, a No. 2 seed, and the early favorite to win the series. Morant brought NBA Twitter to its feet with the game’s most spectacular play.

However, Anthony Edwards showed the NBA world that he is not a young player that is not afraid of the moment. Edwards matched Morant’s 19 first-half points and engineered the Wolves’ offense in the second half to the first upset of the NBA playoffs.

Edwards shined in his first playoff game scoring 36 points while adding six assists in a 130-117 Minnesota win over the Grizzlies for their first road playoff victory since 2004. The Timberwolves now lead 1-0 going into Game 2 on Tuesday night with the win.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, the former top pick in the 2020 NBA draft is now one of only four players with more than 35 points in a playoff game before turning 21-years-old. The others were Derrick Rose, Tyler Herro, and Magic Johnson. Edwards was dominant from all areas of the court, knocking down four three-pointers, finishing strong at the rim, and hitting all eight of his free throws.

Although it surprised many, Edwards’ confidence did not waver in any way in this game, as he stated after the game.

“I told [teammate Taurean Prince] I treat every game the same,” Edwards said via ESPN. “I didn’t feel any different — like a regular-season game to me.”

“I love my shots,” Edwards said. “Whatever shot I take, whether it’s a step-back trey-ball or a step-back midrange or a floater or a layup — whatever my shot is — I like it. Sometimes, [Timberwolves coach Chris Finch] may not like it, but I love my shot. I’m just trusting myself.”

The two young stars, Morant and Edward, will continue to share the spotlight for the rest of the series after a historic performance in Game 1, becoming the first opposing players in NBA history to each top the 30-point mark in a playoff game at 22 or under. Morant finished with 32 points.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch wants to see how consistent Anthony can be going forward.

“Let’s just see what he does over the long haul. He’s had two really good games,” Finch said via Twincities.com. “I know he’ll be locked in. Can’t get bored, you know? Can’t get bored.”

Tune in to see Game 2 on Tuesday night and find out.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/anthony-edwards-makes-playoff-debut-history-in-game-1-win/feed/ 0 Golden State Warriors Host Jordan Poole Party In Game 1 Win Over Denver https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-host-jordan-poole-party-in-game-1-win-over-denver/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-host-jordan-poole-party-in-game-1-win-over-denver/#respond Sun, 17 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=744049 When the Golden State Warriors opened up their postseason against the Denver Nuggets in Game 1, all eyes were on Stephen Curry’s return to the lineup for a much anticipated Splash Brothers reunion. Thanks to Jordan Poole’s explosion in the first half, the reunion party inside the Chase Center turned into a Poole party on […]

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]]> When the Golden State Warriors opened up their postseason against the Denver Nuggets in Game 1, all eyes were on Stephen Curry’s return to the lineup for a much anticipated Splash Brothers reunion. Thanks to Jordan Poole’s explosion in the first half, the reunion party inside the Chase Center turned into a Poole party on Saturday night.

Before the series started, the young guard said he was ready to contribute in any way he could.

“As long as I’m out there being able to make an impact, help our team win, and lead us as far as we can go, I’m excited for it,” Poole said via Bleacher Report. “Whatever opportunity presents itself, I’m going to be ready to step up.”

His Game 1 performance showed that he is a man of his word.

Poole started in Curry’s place and put on an historical performance, scoring 30 points on an efficient 9-13 shooting from the floor, leading the Warriors to an easy 123–107 Game 1 victory. Poole scored the third more points in a playoff debut behind Wilt Chamberlain (35) and Mitch Richmond (30). His five triples were the most for a playoff debut too.

The former first-round pick also became the 35th player in League history to score 30 or more in their first playoff game. Whatever the role, Poole has proved that he can contribute in any role for the Warriors going forward. In the 12 games Curry missed due to his sprained foot, Poole averaged 25.8 points.

After the game, Poole was thankful for the support of his teammates via ESPN.

“There’s no better feeling than having the guys behind you who have already been through the fight,” Poole said.

Poole and the Warriors and the Nuggets will go at it for Round 2 on Monday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-host-jordan-poole-party-in-game-1-win-over-denver/feed/ 0 Trae Young Bails out Atlanta Hawks With Huge Second Half Scoring Binge https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/trae-young-bails-out-atlanta-hawks-with-huge-second-half-scoring-binge/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/trae-young-bails-out-atlanta-hawks-with-huge-second-half-scoring-binge/#respond Sat, 16 Apr 2022 15:15:25 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=743983 During the regular season, Trae Young stated that the Atlanta Hawks needed to find playoff-type motivation during their disappointing season. Now that the postseason is here, Ice Trae has found motivation and caught a rhythm that has helped lift the Hawks to the playoffs as the No. 8seed. After a slow start, much like his […]

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]]> During the regular season, Trae Young stated that the Atlanta Hawks needed to find playoff-type motivation during their disappointing season. Now that the postseason is here, Ice Trae has found motivation and caught a rhythm that has helped lift the Hawks to the playoffs as the No. 8seed.

After a slow start, much like his previous game against the Charlotte Hornets, he put together another epic performance in the second half, scoring 32 of his 38 points in a 107-101 Atlanta win. Young spearheaded the Hawks in the scoring column erasing a Cleveland halftime double-digit lead by the end of the third quarter.

Ice Trae highlighted this by knocking down a pair of three-pointers on his way to scoring Atlanta’s final 12 points. Young sparked a 17-8 Hawks run over the final 3:48 to go into the 4th quarter with an 84-all tie.

Young scored or assisted on 43 points in the second half, personally outpacing the Cavs for the final 24 minutes (40 points). The Oklahoma products performance not only punched Atlanta’s ticket to the playoffs, but he also made a little history along the way.

“Trae has a great deal of confidence in his game, his ability, and he continued to believe,” Hawks Coach Nate McMillan said about his superstar guard, per ESPN. “I didn’t see any panic in his play. He came out in the second half, remained aggressive. Those shots started to fall, the same shots that he was taking the first half; they started to fall in the second half.”

Young talked about his mindset going into the second half after the game.

Trae Young and the Hawks get to test their luck starting on Sunday when they take on the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/trae-young-bails-out-atlanta-hawks-with-huge-second-half-scoring-binge/feed/ 0 Pelicans Are In the Playoffs Thanks To A Big Night From Brandon Ingram https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/pelicans-are-in-the-playoffs-thanks-to-a-big-night-from-brandon-ingram/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/pelicans-are-in-the-playoffs-thanks-to-a-big-night-from-brandon-ingram/#respond Sat, 16 Apr 2022 14:36:17 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=743990 The New Orleans Pelicans qualified for the Western Conference playoffs by overcoming a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to outlast the Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 on the road Friday night. The Pelicans took the West’s No. 8 and final seed for the playoffs with the win. After CJ McCollum stole the headlines in the first […]

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]]> The New Orleans Pelicans qualified for the Western Conference playoffs by overcoming a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to outlast the Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 on the road Friday night. The Pelicans took the West’s No. 8 and final seed for the playoffs with the win.

After CJ McCollum stole the headlines in the first play-in games scoring 32 points in their win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, it was Brandon Ingram who started the game on fire, scoring 16 of New Orleans’ 30 first-quarter points.

After slowing down slightly in the second quarter, BI was huge in the third quarter when the Clippers took their biggest lead of the game at 75-62. Ingram then dropped in five of the Pelicans’ final 12 points to make the lead manageable going into the final frame at 84-74.

When Coach Willie Green gave his team his marching orders, Ingram responded and went outplayed great defense that helped spark an 11-0 run to even the game at 88 apiece.

The Duke product finished with 30 points (14-21 shooting), six rebounds, and six assists. His final assist sealed the game faced with a frantic Clippers double team to Jonas Valanciunas under the basket as time was running out to send New Orleans to the playoffs.

After the game, Willie Green had a lot to say about the star of the game, calling him “The Truth.”

The Pelicans face the top-seeded Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/pelicans-are-in-the-playoffs-thanks-to-a-big-night-from-brandon-ingram/feed/ 0 Clint Capela Suffers Knee Injury in Atlanta Hawks Victory Over the Cavs https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/clint-capela-suffers-knee-injury-in-atlanta-hawks-victory-over-the-cavs/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/clint-capela-suffers-knee-injury-in-atlanta-hawks-victory-over-the-cavs/#respond Sat, 16 Apr 2022 14:18:51 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=743984 The Atlanta Hawks’ victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers was bittersweet on Friday night. They are set to start their first-round matchup with the Miami Heat without their starting center Clint Capela. The Hawks big man had to be helped off the floor after fouling Evan Mobley and forcing him to the floor. When Capela grabbed Mobley […]

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]]> The Atlanta Hawks’ victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers was bittersweet on Friday night. They are set to start their first-round matchup with the Miami Heat without their starting center Clint Capela.

The Hawks big man had to be helped off the floor after fouling Evan Mobley and forcing him to the floor. When Capela grabbed Mobley by the shoulders, the momentum caused a collision by the sidelines.

According to the Hawks, Capela would not return to the game after suffering what was diagnosed as a hyperextended right knee. ESPN’s NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, reported that Capela would undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the extent of the damage. The timetable of his return is unknown.

Before the injury, Clint Capela had seven points and eight rebounds in 13 minutes of action. 

The injury is a significant loss for the Atlanta Hawks. Capelaposted a strong performance in the first play-in game against Charlotte with 15 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Without Capela, Coach Nate McMillan and his staff have to find other production options to replace the Swizz product, who averages a double-double with 11.1 points and 11.9 rebounds in the regular season.

SLAM will follow this injury situation as it develops.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/clint-capela-suffers-knee-injury-in-atlanta-hawks-victory-over-the-cavs/feed/ 0 Atlanta Hawks Stamp Their Ticket To Play Cavs By Blowing Out Charlotte https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/atlanta-hawks-stamp-their-ticket-to-play-cavs-by-blowing-out-charlotte-2/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/atlanta-hawks-stamp-their-ticket-to-play-cavs-by-blowing-out-charlotte-2/#respond Thu, 14 Apr 2022 14:53:08 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=743730 The Atlanta Hawks are one step closer to ending the narratives about their disappointing season by dismissing the Charlotte Hornets 132-103 to set up a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. The Cavs lost Tuesday night to the Brooklyn Nets 115-107 after Kyrie Irving’s epic shooting performance. The Hawks were in control for […]

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]]> The Atlanta Hawks are one step closer to ending the narratives about their disappointing season by dismissing the Charlotte Hornets 132-103 to set up a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. The Cavs lost Tuesday night to the Brooklyn Nets 115-107 after Kyrie Irving’s epic shooting performance.

The Hawks were in control for the entire game, but a 42-point third-quarter explosion basically put the game away to the point that questions were raised on why the starters were in the game so late in the final quarter.

Hawks Coach Nate McMillan answered that question jokingly after the game via ESPN.

“The coaches were yelling and screaming at me, ‘Get the guys out so that we could get them a rest in!'” McMillan said via ESPN. “But it’s time to play. It’s game time. We should be ready when we go to Cleveland.”

Trae Young is definitely ready for the Cleveland matchup. Even with a 3-13 shooting performance in the first half, the attention of the Hornets’ defense opened up opportunities for his teammates, particularly Clint Capela. Capela exposed Charlotte’s need for a center, putting a stat line of 15 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

After knocking down a second-quarter buzzer-beater just before the half, Ice Trae took advantage of Charlotte’s adjustments to his playmaking by knocking down open shots in the second half and finished with 24 points and 11 assists.

After stating that the Hawks needed to find motivation in the regular season to play like it was the playoffs, Young has again raised his level of play in big games. As the Knicks, Bucks, and Sixers saw last year, when he connects with his patented floaters and logo threes, it opens up lanes for his teammates that deflates defenses.

The winner of the Hawks and Cavaliers collision course on Friday night will face the Eastern Conference’s top seed in the Miami Heat.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/atlanta-hawks-stamp-their-ticket-to-play-cavs-by-blowing-out-charlotte-2/feed/ 0 Miles Bridges Apologizes To Fan For Throwing Mouthpiece After Ejection https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/miles-bridges-apologizes-to-fan-for-throwing-mouthpiece-after-ejection/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/miles-bridges-apologizes-to-fan-for-throwing-mouthpiece-after-ejection/#respond Thu, 14 Apr 2022 14:15:17 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=743697 The Charlotte Hornets ended their season with a thud as the Atlanta Hawks eliminated them in a 132-103 loss on Wednesday night. After Atlanta outscored the Hornets 42-24 in the third quarter, the game was never in doubt. But unlike Charlotte’s play-in tournament blowout last year to the Indiana Pacers, some actions from Hornets forward […]

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]]> The Charlotte Hornets ended their season with a thud as the Atlanta Hawks eliminated them in a 132-103 loss on Wednesday night.

After Atlanta outscored the Hornets 42-24 in the third quarter, the game was never in doubt. But unlike Charlotte’s play-in tournament blowout last year to the Indiana Pacers, some actions from Hornets forward Miles Bridges have the attention of the League office.

The Michigan State product was ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving double technical fouls for arguing a non-call at one end of the floor and then charging toward an official after a personal foul and goaltending call on the other.

After the ejection and being restrained by teammates, Bridges was seen throwing his mouthpiece into the stands at a heckling Hawks fan waving goodbye. Instead of hitting that fan, it hit a 16-year-old girl in the face.

To Bridges’ credit, he took immediate responsibility for his outburst after the game, even tweeting a video of the incident with the caption, “Somebody get me in contact with the young lady. That’s unacceptable.”

Bridges tried to explain his actions after the game via CBSSports.com.

“I let my temper get the best of me. That was definitely the wrong thing to do by throwing my mouthpiece,” Bridges said after the game. “I was aiming for the guy that was screaming at me, and it hit the little girl, so that’s definitely unacceptable on my part, and I take full responsibility, and I’m ready for any consequences that the NBA may give me.

“That’s on me. That’s out of character for me. … I was definitely wrong, a lot of emotions. Hopefully, I can get in contact with the little girl and sincerely apologize to her and do something nice for her.”

Bridges will likely face disciplinary action from the NBA, which puts a damper on a breakout season that made him a top candidate for Most Improved Player this season. He finished the game with 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/miles-bridges-apologizes-to-fan-for-throwing-mouthpiece-after-ejection/feed/ 0 CJ McCollum Shines As the New Orleans Pelicans Eliminate San Antonio https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cj-mccollum-shines-as-the-new-orleans-pelicans-eliminate-san-antonio/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cj-mccollum-shines-as-the-new-orleans-pelicans-eliminate-san-antonio/#respond Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:26:44 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=743691 The New Orleans Pelicans continue to be one of NBA history’s biggest in-season turnaround stories after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night. With the win, the Pelicans get the right to face the Los Angeles Clippers in Crypto.com Arena on Friday night. The winner qualifies as the eighth seed in the Western […]

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]]> The New Orleans Pelicans continue to be one of NBA history’s biggest in-season turnaround stories after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night.

With the win, the Pelicans get the right to face the Los Angeles Clippers in Crypto.com Arena on Friday night. The winner qualifies as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will play the No. 1 seed, Phoenix Suns, in the first round.

Before the game, all of the attention was on Zion Williamson and his pregame workouts that featured this acrobatic 360 masterpiece.

But when the game started, the sellout crowd in the Smoothie King Center focused their attention on their newest franchise player CJ McCollum, who was the difference in keeping a very balanced Spurs team at bay.

“He was great,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said of McCollum’s importance, per ESPN. “He set the tone early. He understood the moment, and it sort of calmed the rest of the guys down. We just got the ball to him, and he made play after play, score after score, and then the rest of the guys that just started to feed off CJ.”

Nothing illustrated that point more than when Brandon Ingram went to the bench with three fouls in the first half. McCollum spearheaded a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half with two three-pointers and two layups to put the Pelicans up 61-50.

McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2-3 from long range, to drop 27 first-half points and finished the night with a game-high 32 points.

New Orleans counts on the Lehigh product for his veteran leadership, which he acknowledged after the game in his press conference.

“I was just trying to be locked in and aggressive early,” McCollum said. “The playoffs is a lot of antics, a lot of momentum plays, a lot of back and forth. You’ve got to be stable and mentally locked in to withstand a certain level of (chaos). … There’s going to be a lot of winning in our future.”

McCollum had plenty of help as well. When San Antonio made their late run, Ingram shook off his early foul trouble to finish with 27 points, including two huge jumpers. He started the Pelicans’ in-game dunk contest with this monster dunk over Zach Collins.

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

By the end of the game, the only dunk that the crowd was going crazy over was Herb Jones’ baseline slam matching Ingram’s to put the game away.

This victory ends New Orleans’ postseason drought that started back in 2018.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cj-mccollum-shines-as-the-new-orleans-pelicans-eliminate-san-antonio/feed/ 0 St. Peter’s Peacocks On Historical NCAA Tournament Run Shocking Purdue https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/st-peters-peacocks-on-historical-ncaa-tournament-run-shocking-purdue/ https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/st-peters-peacocks-on-historical-ncaa-tournament-run-shocking-purdue/#respond Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:40:46 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741953 The St. Peter’s Peacocks are not only the Cinderella story of March Madness over the last nine days, but they are now the story of March Madness. The 15th-seeded Peacocks led by Coach Shaheen Holloway have made history by becoming the lowest-seeded team in tournament history to reach the Elite Eight by shocking the third-seeded […]

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]]> The St. Peter’s Peacocks are not only the Cinderella story of March Madness over the last nine days, but they are now the story of March Madness.

The 15th-seeded Peacocks led by Coach Shaheen Holloway have made history by becoming the lowest-seeded team in tournament history to reach the Elite Eight by shocking the third-seeded Purdue Boilermakers 67-64. Even more stunning was the 15-8 run over the final four minutes to close out the victory in crunch time.

The Peacocks are the first New York City/New Jersey college team to advance this far in the tournament since St. John’s did it back in 1999. St. Peter’s will play in the East Region final Sunday against North Carolina, who defeated UCLA.

The Peacocks are no longer the unknown team full of unheralded recruits. Just like the previous games against Kentucky and Murray State, they won the game with huge defensive stops, clutch shots, and hitting big free throws late.

Coach Holloway showed his appreciation for the fanbase’s support throughout the Peacock’s unlikely run.

The Peacocks overcame a porous 38 percent shooting performance hitting only six three-pointers with their defense on Purdue’s projected top-five NBA lottery pick Jaden Ivey and 7’4 center Zach Edey. Something Holloway talked about after the game via the New York Post.

“When you’re playing against teams like that who are supposed to win, when you keep it tight, certain things can happen,” Holloway said. “I told my guys, ‘Just keep battling, keep battling, let’s see what happens.’ We kept battling; I knew the ball was going to bounce our way, and it did.”

St. Peter’s is 40 minutes from a Final Four berth at Wells Fargo Center Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/st-peters-peacocks-on-historical-ncaa-tournament-run-shocking-purdue/feed/ 0 Minnesota Timberwolves Get Closer to Playoff Position With Win Over Mavs https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-get-closer-to-playoff-position-with-win-over-mavs/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-get-closer-to-playoff-position-with-win-over-mavs/#respond Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:07:13 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741956 The Minnesota Timberwolves were left with a sour taste in their mouth after a 110-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks Monday night in a game they had well in hand before a late whistle cost them. The Wolves made the proper adjustments and made sure things went their way in a 116-95 blowout to tighten […]

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]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves were left with a sour taste in their mouth after a 110-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks Monday night in a game they had well in hand before a late whistle cost them. The Wolves made the proper adjustments and made sure things went their way in a 116-95 blowout to tighten up a very close Western Conference race.

With the win, Minnesota is now tied in the win column, with the Denver Nuggets moving just a half-game out of the sixth spot to avoid the play-in tournament. The Timberwolves play the Nuggets next week in a game with significant playoff implications.

With the loss, the Mavericks missed a chance to pass the Utah Jazz for the fourth seed after the Jazz lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. Dallas and Utah have a showdown on Sunday for potential home-court advantage in the first round.

“You’ve got to be able to respond to adversity quick,” Karl-Anthony Towns said via ESPN about the importance of staying the course especially through Minnesota’s two-game losing streak, “Especially if we’re going to be in the playoffs and we’re talking about winning a championship.”

KAT posted 20 points nine rebounds on the night, leading a balanced offensive effort that featured seven Wolves players that scored in double figures.

Despite Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic almost collecting another triple-double after finishing the night with 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks, and the highlight of the night after nutmegging a defender with a dime to Maxi Kleber for a dunk.

Minnesota made him work for everything he got, loading up defenders such as Patrick Beverley, Anthony Edwards, and Taurean Prince.

The Timberwolves start a critical four-game road trip Sunday in Boston.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-get-closer-to-playoff-position-with-win-over-mavs/feed/ 0 Heat Inspired by Altercation Despite Loss to the Shorthanded Warriors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/miami-heat-meltdown-in-loss-to-golden-state-without-their-big-3/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/miami-heat-meltdown-in-loss-to-golden-state-without-their-big-3/#respond Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:57:26 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741712 One night after Draymond Green called out his Golden State Warriors teammates for playing “soft, stupid, and being punked,” the Warriors watched the Miami Heat handle their frustrations differently and much more passion and aggression. After battling the Warriors to a 50-50 halftime tie, the Heat gave up a 19-0 run to start the third […]

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]]> One night after Draymond Green called out his Golden State Warriors teammates for playing “soft, stupid, and being punked,” the Warriors watched the Miami Heat handle their frustrations differently and much more passion and aggression.

After battling the Warriors to a 50-50 halftime tie, the Heat gave up a 19-0 run to start the third quarter to a Golden State team without the services of Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Green.

Then during the timeout, it looked as if Jimmy Butler and Coach Erik Spoelstra had words. It was then when long-time veteran Udonis Haslem got into an altercation on the sideline with Butler. After teammates separated them, Spoelstra got angry with Butler as well, and then Heat players had to separate them.

Just moments later, the combative situation woke Miami up and sparked them to go on a momentum-shifting run to cut the lead to 81-80 by the end of the third quarter before the Warriors pulled away again to win 118-104.

“You can use moments during the season to catapult you,” Spoelstra said about the potential effects of the event going forward via ESPN. “You can galvanize together over frustration and disappointment. Teams can also go the other way. I don’t see that with our group. I don’t see that with our locker room. But we have needed a kick in the butt.”

Wednesday night’s loss was the Heat’s second straight to a short-handed opponent. The Philadelphia 76ers beat them Monday night without James Harden and Joel Embiid in the lineup. 

When Heat point guard Kyle Lowry was asked about the heated moment, he downplayed the incident as not as big a deal as some make it out to be.

“It’s crazy, but it’s passion. … It’s good sometimes to get some anger and frustration out and just talk about it,” Lowry said via CBS Sports.com. “We’re gonna have situations that make people uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, as long as we’re comfortable and we figure it out, that’s all that really matters as long as we’re together. And we are.”

Miami has a chance to show their unity against the New York Knicks on Friday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/miami-heat-meltdown-in-loss-to-golden-state-without-their-big-3/feed/ 0 Kyrie Irving Eligible to Play Home Games After New York Lifts Mandates https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kyrie-irving-eligible-to-play-home-games-after-new-york-lifts-mandates/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kyrie-irving-eligible-to-play-home-games-after-new-york-lifts-mandates/#respond Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:03:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741709 Time is running out on Kyrie Irving’s NBA regular-season schedule with only three more road games after Wednesday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. But if New York City goes through with plans to lift the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate on athletes on Thursday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Irving will be able to suit […]

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]]> Time is running out on Kyrie Irving’s NBA regular-season schedule with only three more road games after Wednesday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.

But if New York City goes through with plans to lift the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate on athletes on Thursday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Irving will be able to suit up and play in the Barclays Center as soon as Sunday.

The timing couldn’t be better for the Nets, who currently own the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and a potential date in the play-in tournament starting on April 12. Irving, who has missed 35 home games this season, is averaging 27.7 points in Brooklyn’s 19 road games.

Irving couldn’t hide his excitement in the press conference after the Nets’ loss to Memphis but did contain his feelings until everything was official.

While the mandate changes by Mayor Eric Adams are big news, he hinted that any future amendments to the policy would be based on careful consideration.

“We’re going to do it in the right way,” Adams said Tuesday via ESPN. “We’re going to follow the science… we’re going to make the right decision. And in New York, no matter what you do, this is 8.8 million people and 30 million opinions, so you’re never going to satisfy New Yorkers, so you must go with the logic, your heart, and the science.”

The Brooklyn Nets have one more road game to play against the Miami Heat on Saturday before Irving can have his potential home debut this season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kyrie-irving-eligible-to-play-home-games-after-new-york-lifts-mandates/feed/ 0 Saddiq Bey Breaks Allan Houston’s Pistons Single-Season Three-Point Record https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/saddiq-bey-breaks-allan-houstons-pistons-single-season-three-point-record/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/saddiq-bey-breaks-allan-houstons-pistons-single-season-three-point-record/#respond Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:36:39 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741714 Saddiq Bey made more franchise history from behind the arc on Wednesday night when he broke Allan Houston’s single-season record for three-pointers made during the Pistons 122-101 rout over the Hawks. Your single season record holder for 3-pointers made! 👌 #SaddiqTrey 👌@BallySportsDET | @SaddiqBey pic.twitter.com/K6aBSerCHZ — Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) March 24, 2022 Bey set the […]

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]]> Saddiq Bey made more franchise history from behind the arc on Wednesday night when he broke Allan Houston’s single-season record for three-pointers made during the Pistons 122-101 rout over the Hawks.

Bey set the record in the fourth quarter knocking down his 192nd three-pointer of the season, one of three that he knocked down during a 10 point, four rebound, and four assists outing.

This historic achievement comes on the heels of his 51 point explosion against the Orlando Magic when Bey shot 10-14 from behind the arc in a 134-120 Pistons win over the Magic. The slumping Pistons have won two games out of their last eight outings on the hardwood.

Bey ranks third on the Pistons in scoring behind Jerami Grant and Cade Cunningham with 16.3 points per game this season for the Pistons, improving on his All-Rookie first-team season average of 12.2 points.

Saddiq has a chance to add to his 3 point totals on Friday night against the Washington Wizards.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/saddiq-bey-breaks-allan-houstons-pistons-single-season-three-point-record/feed/ 0 Lakers Escape With OT Win Thanks To Huge Play by Russell Westbrook https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lakers-escape-with-ot-win-thanks-to-huge-russell-westbrook-shot/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lakers-escape-with-ot-win-thanks-to-huge-russell-westbrook-shot/#respond Sat, 19 Mar 2022 21:44:08 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741344 Russell Westbrook has built his reputation on never giving up no matter how bad things get. If there was a week that NBA fans needed a reminder, it showed in the last 48 hours. After suffering what could be considered the worst season of his career, the final moments of the Lakers’ loss to the […]

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]]> Russell Westbrook has built his reputation on never giving up no matter how bad things get. If there was a week that NBA fans needed a reminder, it showed in the last 48 hours.

After suffering what could be considered the worst season of his career, the final moments of the Lakers’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves was a real low point for one of the NBA’s top 75 players.

Westbrook rebounded with a triple-double, scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, helping the Los Angeles Lakers snap an 11-game road losing streak with a massive 128-123 win over the Toronto Raptors. But the Lakers, particularly Brodie, had to overcome adversity to get it.

With less than ten seconds left in regulation, Westbrook shot a three-pointer from the left wing that hit the side of the backboard that Toronto rebounded as they called timeout. Then Russ saved the game by hitting the biggest shot in months for Los Angeles Lakers.

After the game, Westbrook broke down the play while explaining how leaning on his faith allows him to press on through tough times.

“A lot of times with your misses, when they’re bad misses, that get a lot of attention and stuff,” A Lakers reporter asked. “The shots that are kind of high off the backboard. How do you not let that stuff affect your confidence?”

Westbrook: “I got 23,000 points. How about that?”

Russell Westbrook and the Lakers take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lakers-escape-with-ot-win-thanks-to-huge-russell-westbrook-shot/feed/ 0 Joel Embiid Prides His Active Streak During MVP Caliber Season https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-prides-his-active-streak-during-mvp-caliber-season/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-prides-his-active-streak-during-mvp-caliber-season/#respond Sat, 19 Mar 2022 14:28:11 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741352 Joel Embiid is closing on some history during his MVP-worthy season. Currently, he is leading the NBA in scoring with 30.0 points per game. If Embiid keeps this pace, he will become the first center since Shaquille O’Neal did it in 2000. The 30 point average will make him the first big man to attain […]

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]]> Joel Embiid is closing on some history during his MVP-worthy season. Currently, he is leading the NBA in scoring with 30.0 points per game. If Embiid keeps this pace, he will become the first center since Shaquille O’Neal did it in 2000. The 30 point average will make him the first big man to attain that average since Moses Malone did it in the 1981-82 season.

On Friday night, the points just kept coming as Embiid dropped 32 points (21 in the first half) to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 111-101 over the Dallas Mavericks. The former Kansas Jayhawk has topped the 30-point plateau 33 times in 57 games.

Embiid’s talent has always been there, but it has been on display consistently for the first time in his career this season. Embiid now has been active for 19 straight games, which is the third-longest active stretch of his career. The Process is closing in on his 21-game active streak he hit earlier this season and his 26-game active streak during the 2018-19 campaign.

Since his colossal scoring performance after returning from the NBA’s Health and Safety protocols, Joel has suited up in 48 of Philadelphia’s last 50 games.

“I’m a competitive guy,” Embiid said when speaking his motivation to stay healthy via ESPN. “I won’t lie. I see everything, and that’s been the knock on me, even though that was (primarily) in my first three years. I like the challenge, and I like proving people wrong. But the goal is to ultimately win a championship and be ready for the playoffs, and to be at my best. That overrules everything, and whatever is best for me to be 100% going into the playoffs, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Joel Embiid has the chance to add to this active game streak when the 76ers host the Raptors on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-prides-his-active-streak-during-mvp-caliber-season/feed/ 0 Kevin Durant’s 38 Points Spark A Huge Brooklyn Nets Comeback https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-durants-38-points-spark-a-huge-brooklyn-nets-comeback/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-durants-38-points-spark-a-huge-brooklyn-nets-comeback/#respond Sat, 19 Mar 2022 14:11:32 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741376 The Brooklyn Nets continue to depend heavily on Kevin Durant to put up huge numbers to finish out the season while Kyrie Irving remains unavailable to play games at the Barclays Center because of the vaccine mandate and Ben Simmons still recovers from a bad back, It didn’t take KD long to get his offense […]

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]]> The Brooklyn Nets continue to depend heavily on Kevin Durant to put up huge numbers to finish out the season while Kyrie Irving remains unavailable to play games at the Barclays Center because of the vaccine mandate and Ben Simmons still recovers from a bad back,

It didn’t take KD long to get his offense rolling for yet another scoring explosion. He scored seemingly from everywhere on the court. He started the game with a jumper over Josh Hart in a one-on-one matchup.

Then he showed how dangerous a threat he is playing off the ball and letting things develop within the offense.

But despite 13 early points from Durant, the Blazers ran off to a first-half lead by knocking down nine of their first 12 shots and used a 42-point second quarter to grab a 75-62 at the break. But finally, after Portland extended the lead to 82-64 in the third quarter, thanks to KD and some timely shots from Seth Curry, Brooklyn outscored the Blazers 39-26 to even it at 101, heading to the final quarter.

Even with Durant’s 38 points with six rebounds and six assists, he praised Curry for sparking a 10-0 spurt with two triples to give Brooklyn a 111-101 lead while he was on the bench.

“We needed that, and good to see him back out there,” Durant said via ESPN. “He missed a few games with that ankle, but I’m glad he’s getting better, and he was able to come out here and play, and we needed all those points tonight.”

The Nets will need more of the same Monday night as they take on the Utah Jazz at home.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-durants-38-points-spark-a-huge-brooklyn-nets-comeback/feed/ 0 Anthony Edwards Huge Second Quarter Leads Confident Timberwolves to Win Over Lakers https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-use-anthony-edwards-swag-to-beat-lakers/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-use-anthony-edwards-swag-to-beat-lakers/#respond Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:59:23 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741137 The Minnesota Timberwolves have quietly been collecting wins by beating struggling teams all season long. On Wednesday night, the beat went on for them as they added the free-falling Los Angeles Lakers to the list in dominating fashion. The Timberwolves unceremoniously dismissed the Lakers 124-104 for their ninth win in the last 10 games, guaranteeing […]

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]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves have quietly been collecting wins by beating struggling teams all season long. On Wednesday night, the beat went on for them as they added the free-falling Los Angeles Lakers to the list in dominating fashion.

The Timberwolves unceremoniously dismissed the Lakers 124-104 for their ninth win in the last 10 games, guaranteeing a spot in the play-in tournament.

While Karl-Anthony Towns closed out the game for Minnesota, Anthony Edwards set the tone for the team with a huge second quarter that propelled the Wolves to a huge halftime lead.

Edwards scored 20 of his 27 points in the second quarter by knocking down all five of his three-point attempts in the frame after just shooting only 29 percent from behind the arc in his past 10 games.

“A couple players on your team got to have swag,” Edwards said about his confidence via The Star Tribune. . “It can’t just be one. Once a couple of them get swag, then you put it in three more, four more and everybody feel like they the man of the hour and that’s what we need.”

Despite the satisfying win and his team building confidence, Minnesota Coach Chris Finch stated his team needed to learn how to control their emotions.

 “I like the fact that we have confidence, the fact that we play with a lot of emotion. We also have to realize we have to mature a little bit and act like we’ve been there before.” Finch said via ESPN.

The Timberwolves get a chance to practice handling their swag against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/minnesota-timberwolves-use-anthony-edwards-swag-to-beat-lakers/feed/ 0 Donovan Mitchell Explodes For A Career Night in Utah’s Win Over Chicago https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-explodes-for-a-career-night-in-utahs-win-over-chicago/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-explodes-for-a-career-night-in-utahs-win-over-chicago/#respond Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:33:53 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741143 There’s plenty of evidence that poking the bear is never a good idea. When it comes to NBA greats, there are plenty of legendary stories that come from player-fan interactions or trash talk from player-player, even heated interactions with a referee will rile players up. You can now add Donovan Mitchell to that list after […]

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]]> There’s plenty of evidence that poking the bear is never a good idea. When it comes to NBA greats, there are plenty of legendary stories that come from player-fan interactions or trash talk from player-player, even heated interactions with a referee will rile players up.

You can now add Donovan Mitchell to that list after he erupted for 37 points after drawing a technical foul in the third quarter after protesting an earlier non-call. In response, Mitchell destroyed everything in sight and went off on a historic scoring spree to blow Chicago out of the water.

In that same third quarter, Spida exploded to reset the Jazz record for points scored in the third frame with 25 points, passing Karl Malone’s 22 points as the Jazz beat the Bulls 125-110 on Wednesday night.

“Once I saw the three on the wide pin go down, it was on,” Mitchell said via ESPN. “From there, I just started getting to my spots and do what I do. Sometimes you just gotta go to that place inside you.”

Mitchell also set a franchise record by knocking down seven three-point shots in the third period on nine attempts. The former Louisville Cardinal ended the night with a career-high nine three-pointers, topping his previous career-high of seven.

Then when the Bulls started double teaming to get the ball out of his hands, it opened up opportunities for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to score 14 of his 16 points in the final quarter. Mitchell spoke about him as well.

“I was really happy for Nickeil because people don’t see that every morning before shootaround; those guys are in there at 8 o’clock working out and going hard too,” Mitchell said.

On Friday night, Mitchell and the Utah Jazz (43-26) host the Los Angeles Clippers (36-36).

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-explodes-for-a-career-night-in-utahs-win-over-chicago/feed/ 0 Charlotte Hornets Overtake the Hawks in Playoffs Seeding Behind LaMelo Ball https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/charlotte-hornets-overtake-the-hawks-in-playoffs-seeding-behind-lamelo-ball/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/charlotte-hornets-overtake-the-hawks-in-playoffs-seeding-behind-lamelo-ball/#respond Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:05:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=741128 The Charlotte Hornets went into Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks one half-game behind them as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference with time running out in the season. But thanks to a huge final quarter led by LaMelo Ball, the Hornets defeated the Hawks 116-106 to not only get back to .500 […]

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]]> The Charlotte Hornets went into Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks one half-game behind them as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference with time running out in the season. But thanks to a huge final quarter led by LaMelo Ball, the Hornets defeated the Hawks 116-106 to not only get back to .500 on the season but take over the eighth seed in the playoffs.

Ball’s stat line of 22 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, coupled with 13 points from P.J. Washington in the fourth quarter, powered the Hornets’ small-ball lineup that started in an 85-85 tie.

But what was underrated in Ball’s performance is his contributions with team defense holding Trae Young to only nine points on 3-12 shooting.

“We used our length, size, and physicality, and we made it tough on Trae.” Hornets Coach James Borrego said about the gameplan to defend Young per ESPN. “He is a heck of a player, and getting him out of the pick and roll, we went through probably three or four iterations tonight to make him think on the fly.”

But in the end, it was Ball’s execution of the offense when the Hornets went small playing “pick and pop” with Washington that was the difference in the game. Something that Hawks coach Nate McMillan discussed after the game.

“We didn’t get out quick enough, and we didn’t get out to the shooters, and they basically just ran a pick-and-pop game, and he was able to knock down some shots.”

Then finally, at the end of the game, Melo finished things off in style.

Melo and the Hornets have a few days off before taking on the Dallas Mavericks at home on Saturday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/charlotte-hornets-overtake-the-hawks-in-playoffs-seeding-behind-lamelo-ball/feed/ 0 Kevin Garnett Cemented As Boston Celtics Legend With Jersey Retirement https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-garnett-cemented-as-boston-celtics-legend-with-jersey-retirement/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-garnett-cemented-as-boston-celtics-legend-with-jersey-retirement/#respond Mon, 14 Mar 2022 13:14:50 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740689 It can never be an uneventful moment in the TD Garden with Kevin Garnett in attendance. He had a full day from a jersey retirement to giving dap to Jaylen Brown after a monster dunk in the first half. Jaylen Brown with a poster dunk to welcome the Big Three back to TD Garden. (via […]

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]]> It can never be an uneventful moment in the TD Garden with Kevin Garnett in attendance. He had a full day from a jersey retirement to giving dap to Jaylen Brown after a monster dunk in the first half.

Garnett is just the 23rd Celtic in franchise history to have his jersey retired. There were video tributes from his peers offering congratulations to Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Mike Gorman saying he wanted to hug then-President Danny Ainge after seeing Garnett play for only one half of basketball, to Paul Pierce who had played with KG as far back as their AAU days.

Then after one of the numerous standing ovations, Garnett talked about his championship era in Boston.

One of the best moments of the ceremony was the public reconciliation between Garnett and Ray Allen, who was considered “questionable” to attend throughout the week. The crowd erupted as the two hugged to close a 10-year rift that began when Allen signed with the Miami Heat as a free agent, effectively ending the five-year “Big 3” era.

Ray Allen’s appreciation was evident when he spoke after the ceremony.

“Just because I moved away doesn’t mean that relationship, that friendship, ends.” Allen said via ESPN, “So it did center around Kevin and myself because I did get the sense that the people here felt how Kevin felt. Once he accepted me, then the people accepted me. That was the sense. I was glad we could do that and people could see, ‘We won with this guy in 2008, and that’s what matters most.'”

Kevin Garnett has a six-season resume that showed that his No. 5 deserved to be in the rafters. KG collected five All-Star teams selections was named to four NBA All-Defensive Teams with a first-team All-NBA selection in 2008. He rode that momentum along with the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award to the NBA title that year.

With Phil Collins’ famous tune “In The Air Tonight” blasting throughout the arena, a tearful Garnett raised his banner along with his two daughters. His number ended up next to Paul Pierce’s.

Kevin Garnett’s legacy may be forever attached to this quote, cementing him as a Celtic forever.

“You know, I was listening to the videos, and everything in here, and I kept hearing that it was saying that I came here to make players better,” Garnett said, “And in all actuality, those players made me better, and I like to think that we made each other better.”

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-garnett-cemented-as-boston-celtics-legend-with-jersey-retirement/feed/ 0 Kevin Durant Sets Nets Single-Game Scoring Record Against the Knicks https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-durant-sets-nets-single-game-scoring-record-against-the-knicks/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-durant-sets-nets-single-game-scoring-record-against-the-knicks/#respond Mon, 14 Mar 2022 12:45:44 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740677 With Kyrie Irving in the attendance courtside due to vaccine mandate, Kevin Durant decided to give all New York and a national audience a show they won’t soon forget. Durant started out the gate strong, scoring 16 points in the first quarter on his way to 53 points to lead the Nets to a 110-107 […]

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]]> With Kyrie Irving in the attendance courtside due to vaccine mandate, Kevin Durant decided to give all New York and a national audience a show they won’t soon forget.

Durant started out the gate strong, scoring 16 points in the first quarter on his way to 53 points to lead the Nets to a 110-107 victory over the New York Knicks. KD’s 53 points set a franchise single-game scoring record for most points scored against their crosstown rival. He shot 19-37 from the field with nine assists and six rebounds in his 60th career 40-point performance.

The Nets controlled most of the game, but a Knicks rally to take a 103-101 lead set the stage for Durant’s theatrics with less than a minute to go. A clutch three-pointer from the right-wing snapped a 103-all tie with 56 seconds remaining. Then he knocked down four free throws to close out the game.

While Durant spent most of his press conference talking about the vaccine policy, Nets Coach Steve Nash spoke about the preparation without Irving that goes into a performance like Durant’s via ESPN.

“We just keep proceeding with the task that we can control. That’s getting better every day, and obviously, we wish he was back yesterday, but the reality is we only focus on what we can control.”

The next time KD and Kai play together will be Tuesday when the Nets (34-33) take on the Orlando Magic (18-51). Brooklyn will play 11 of their next games without the services of Irving.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kevin-durant-sets-nets-single-game-scoring-record-against-the-knicks/feed/ 0 Milwaukee Bucks Confirm Loss of DeAndre’ Bembry For Season https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/milwaukee-bucks-confirm-loss-of-deandre-bembry-for-season/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/milwaukee-bucks-confirm-loss-of-deandre-bembry-for-season/#respond Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:30:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740659 The Milwaukee Bucks are looking at more roster decisions leading into the playoffs after finding out that their recently acquired small forward DeAndre’ Bembry would be lost for the season due to a knee injury, according to ESPN on Sunday. Bembry underwent imaging on Sunday afternoon, but it was only believed to confirm that the […]

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]]> The Milwaukee Bucks are looking at more roster decisions leading into the playoffs after finding out that their recently acquired small forward DeAndre’ Bembry would be lost for the season due to a knee injury, according to ESPN on Sunday.

Bembry underwent imaging on Sunday afternoon, but it was only believed to confirm that the injury suffered in Saturday night’s 122-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors is very serious and season threatening.

Milwaukee signed Bembry for perimeter depth, filling spot minutes with Donte DiVincenzo being sent to the Sacramento Kings and injuries to Pat Connaughton. In the short term, look for Wesley Matthews and Jordan Nwora to be relied upon to fill Bembry’s 10 minutes going forward. 

Bembry averaged 5.8 points in 48 games with the Brooklyn Nets before they waived him to create a roster spot after the blockbuster trade for James Harden and Ben Simmons. 

Bembry was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 2016, where he played the first four years of his career before moving on to the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn, and now Milwaukee.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/milwaukee-bucks-confirm-loss-of-deandre-bembry-for-season/feed/ 0 Jayson Tatum Scores 31 On Boston Celtics Legends Celebration Night https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-scores-31-on-boston-celtics-legends-celebration-night/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-scores-31-on-boston-celtics-legends-celebration-night/#respond Sat, 12 Mar 2022 16:18:58 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740587 The hot scoring streak of Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics run hand in hand. As long as Tatum scores the ball at a high rate, the Celtics can’t lose. In a special night honoring former Celtics legends leading up to the jersey retirement this weekend, Boston turned in one of the best defensive performances […]

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]]> The hot scoring streak of Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics run hand in hand.

As long as Tatum scores the ball at a high rate, the Celtics can’t lose. In a special night honoring former Celtics legends leading up to the jersey retirement this weekend, Boston turned in one of the best defensive performances of the year, completely shutting down the Detroit Pistons 114-103 for their fifth straight win.

Tatum dropped 30+ points in his fifth straight game, matching the longest streak of his career with the 2019-20 campaign from Feb 23-March 4.

Tatum finished with 31 points on 13-27 shooting after scoring 33, 37, 54, and 44 points in his previous four games.

The Celtics took some time at the intermission to honor some former players who traveled for the jersey retirement ceremony of Kevin Garnett on Sunday. A few members of the 2008 NBA championship team attended the game, including Paul Pierce, James Posey, Leon Powe, Brian Scalabrine, Dana Barros, Antoine Walker, and even current Pistons forward Kelly Olynyk, who played four years with the franchise.

Bill Russell was a part of the celebration but did so from home.

The Celtics take on the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday when Kevin Garnett becomes the 24th Celtic to have his jersey retired.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-scores-31-on-boston-celtics-legends-celebration-night/feed/ 0 Ja Morant Praises Jaren Jackson Jr. In Grizzlies Win Over Knicks https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ja-morant-praises-jaren-jackson-jr-in-grizzlies-win-over-knicks/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ja-morant-praises-jaren-jackson-jr-in-grizzlies-win-over-knicks/#respond Sat, 12 Mar 2022 15:57:39 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740590 Ja Morant may not win the MVP award this season, but that doesn’t mean that he is not the most exciting player in the NBA by a wide margin.  The league’s greatest attraction sparked a huge Memphis fourth-quarter comeback scoring 15 of his game-high 37 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 118-114 victory to […]

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]]> Ja Morant may not win the MVP award this season, but that doesn’t mean that he is not the most exciting player in the NBA by a wide margin. 

The league’s greatest attraction sparked a huge Memphis fourth-quarter comeback scoring 15 of his game-high 37 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 118-114 victory to beat the New York Knicks on Friday night.

With less than four minutes left in the game, Morant went on a personal 10-0 run to turn a 106-105 deficit into a comfortable 115-108 lead with a minute left in the game. Morant’s numbers stacked up well against Knicks forward Julius Randle’s 36 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. But after the match, Morant wanted to shine the light on his teammate, Jaren Jackson Jr.

“Jaren is what everybody needs to be excited about,” Morant said about Jackson’s defensive dominance via ESPN. “His defensive presence was big for us. We’re a totally different team with him out there on the floor. He sparked us.”

Jackson finished with 13 points, but it was his season-high five blocks for Memphis supported Morant’s scoring explosion. Jackson had three blocks during a critical stretch during the Grizzlies’ 31-18 run in the fourth quarter to finish the comeback.

The New York Knicks was held to only 18 points in the quarter, shooting 27 percent, including forcing the Knicks to miss four out of their five attempts from the three-point line.

Memphis goes on the road to play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/ja-morant-praises-jaren-jackson-jr-in-grizzlies-win-over-knicks/feed/ 0 LeBron James Leads Lakers Comeback With Second 50 Point Performance in Three Games https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lebron-james-leads-lakers-comeback-with-second-50-point-performance-in-three-games/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lebron-james-leads-lakers-comeback-with-second-50-point-performance-in-three-games/#respond Sat, 12 Mar 2022 15:22:35 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740584 The Los Angeles Lakers have won two games this week with one strategy. Give the ball to LeBron James, get out of the way, and let him score 50 points. The Washed King scored 50 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 122-109 victory over the Washington Wizards. At 37, he now is […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Lakers have won two games this week with one strategy. Give the ball to LeBron James, get out of the way, and let him score 50 points.

The Washed King scored 50 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 122-109 victory over the Washington Wizards. At 37, he now is the oldest player in NBA history to have multiple 50 point games in a season, passing Bernard King. LeBron James-led teams have won for the 12th straight time when James has scored 50+ in a night.

He’s now the first Laker player to hit the 50 point plateau in back-to-back home games since the late Kobe Bryant did so in April 2007. James also scored a season-high 56 in a win over Golden State last weekend.

“We just needed to pick our energy up and get more detailed about how we wanted to attack the Wizards. We did that, especially in the third quarter,” said James on taking over the game offensively, per ESPN. “I was able to hit a hot streak at one point. I just tried to stay in that zone as long as possible and hit a couple.”

Frank Vogel spoke on what many NBA counterparts are thinking about James’ brilliance, including The King personally erasing a seven-point halftime deficit with 12 straight points as a part of a 22-8 Lakers run to put the game away.

“He’s really good at basketball, that LeBron James,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “I think what stands out to me is the league has never seen a player at his stage of his career do what he’s doing. Just an incredible, unbelievable, epic performance.”

James and the Lakers go back on the road to take on the team with the NBA’s best record in the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lebron-james-leads-lakers-comeback-with-second-50-point-performance-in-three-games/feed/ 0 Phoenix Suns First to Qualify For the Playoffs With Win Over Miami Heat https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-first-to-qualify-for-the-playoffs-with-win-over-miami-heat/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-first-to-qualify-for-the-playoffs-with-win-over-miami-heat/#respond Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:19:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740410 The Phoenix Suns are on a fast track with their plans to return to the NBA Finals. They have already accomplished their first goal with approximately one month left in the season already. With their dominant 111-90 win over the Miami Heat, Phoenix became the first team in the NBA to qualify for the playoffs […]

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]]> The Phoenix Suns are on a fast track with their plans to return to the NBA Finals. They have already accomplished their first goal with approximately one month left in the season already.

With their dominant 111-90 win over the Miami Heat, Phoenix became the first team in the NBA to qualify for the playoffs after improving to 53-13. The Suns improved their road record to 25-6, which is tops in the league. Not only are they close to locking up the Western Conference’s top seed with an 8.5-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies and a nine-game lead over Golden State, but they can lock up home-court advantage for the NBA Finals with a nine-game edge over the East-leading Heat. 

The reigning Western Conference champions have established their dominance by beating the other 29 teams after avenging their loss to Miami back in January. The last time they accomplished that feat was back in 2006-07 when the Suns went 61-21.

Head coach Monty Williams was prideful of the team defense that erased a double-digit lead stemming from a sluggish start.

“I told the guys it was one of the best defensive performances I’ve ever seen,” Suns coach Monty Williams said via ESPN.. “I’ve been around for a little bit.”

In Devin Booker’s return from a four-game absence in the NBA’s Health and Safety protocols, the Kentucky product messed around and nearly got a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Mikal Bridges had 21 points and nine boards, while Deandre Ayton collected a 19 point and 10 rebounds double-double.

Phoenix will try to add to their win total when they take on the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/phoenix-suns-first-to-qualify-for-the-playoffs-with-win-over-miami-heat/feed/ 0 Russell Westbrook Joins 23k Club After Scoring 30 in the Lakers’ Loss to Rockets https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/russell-westbrook-joins-23k-club-after-scoring-30-in-the-lakers-loss-to-rockets/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/russell-westbrook-joins-23k-club-after-scoring-30-in-the-lakers-loss-to-rockets/#respond Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:38:58 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740403 Even though LeBron James made his return from a one-game absence on Wednesday night, it was Russell Westbrook that played the best overall game for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Brodie made history early in the contest despite the Lakers giving up a 13-0 run to start overtime at the Toyota Center in a crushing […]

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]]> Even though LeBron James made his return from a one-game absence on Wednesday night, it was Russell Westbrook that played the best overall game for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Brodie made history early in the contest despite the Lakers giving up a 13-0 run to start overtime at the Toyota Center in a crushing 139-130 loss to the Houston Rockets.

With this layup, Westbrook became one of 33 players to surpass the 23,000 mark in NBA history. He is only the second point guard to accomplish the feat after NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. He is now chasing Lakers icon Elgin Baylor who scored 23,149 points.

Russell Westbrook finished with 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out six assists. He also tied the game with a 15 footer that eventually sent the game into overtime. Westbrook was efficient, shooting 11-21 from the field, knocking down seven of his eight free throws attempts.

The Lakers (28-37) desperately need this type of effort consistently from Westbrook for the last 17 games of the season. With this loss to Houston, they have lost six of their last seven games and 13 of their previous 17. The Lake Show go into their matchup Friday night against the Washington Wizards (29-35) as the 9th seed in the Western Conference standings, only a game and a half ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, who sit in 10th place.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/russell-westbrook-joins-23k-club-after-scoring-30-in-the-lakers-loss-to-rockets/feed/ 0 Jayson Tatum Ties Kevin McHale’s Two-Game Celtics Scoring Record https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-ties-kevin-mchales-two-game-celtics-scoring-record/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-ties-kevin-mchales-two-game-celtics-scoring-record/#respond Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:34:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740405 Jayson Tatum is well on his way to winning the NBA’s Player of the Month award in a landslide after scoring at a historic and record pace for most of March. Fresh off of scoring a season-high 54 points at home against the Brooklyn Nets on national television Sunday, Tatum took his high-scoring tour on […]

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]]> Jayson Tatum is well on his way to winning the NBA’s Player of the Month award in a landslide after scoring at a historic and record pace for most of March.

Fresh off of scoring a season-high 54 points at home against the Brooklyn Nets on national television Sunday, Tatum took his high-scoring tour on the road to Charlotte, where he lit the Hornets up for 44 points to lead the Celtics to a 115-101 win Wednesday night.

With 98 points combined in back-to-back games, Tatum tied Kevin McHale’s franchise scoring record over a two-game span.

Setting Boston scoring records is starting to become a trend for the three-time All-Star as he just recently tied Larry Bird for 50 point games in franchise history over the weekend.

After Jaylen Brown called Tatum “unstoppable” after the Nets game, Celtics teammate Derrick White talked about the influence the superstar forward’s hot streak has on how the team gels.

“They’re doubling, so everybody’s in rotation kind of chasing,” said Derrick White via NBA.com. “So it’s an opportunity for me and everybody else just to take advantage of what the defense gives us and be aggressive.”

On the other hand, the former Duke Blue Devil is appreciative and thankful after working his way through a slow start at the beginning of the year.

“I’m in a lot better zone than I was to start the season,” Tatum said with a smile. “But it was just part of it. I believe in the work I put in, and I never doubted myself. I’m just thankful my teammates didn’t doubt me either.”

Not only is he matching scoring marks from legends like Bird and McHale, but Tatum also has a few of his own. The 24-year-old forward owns three of the top four scoring totals over three games in team history.

He gets to try to continue his hot streak Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-ties-kevin-mchales-two-game-celtics-scoring-record/feed/ 0 Kentucky Wildcats Women’s Basketball Crowned SEC Champions for the First Time in 40 Years https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/kentucky-wildcats-womens-basketball-end-40-year-sec-champ-drought/ https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/kentucky-wildcats-womens-basketball-end-40-year-sec-champ-drought/#respond Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:14:38 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740078 Oh, NCAA’s March Madness applies to the women’s game as well. Look no further than the instant classic of an SEC championship game between Kentucky and South Carolina that ended in the Lady Wildcats winning their first conference championship in 40 years. The bucket that sealed the deal 🥶 @KentuckyWBB pic.twitter.com/e9rlNtlPNZ — WSLAM (@wslam) March […]

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]]> Oh, NCAA’s March Madness applies to the women’s game as well. Look no further than the instant classic of an SEC championship game between Kentucky and South Carolina that ended in the Lady Wildcats winning their first conference championship in 40 years.

The Kentucky women’s basketball team outlasted the No. 1 ranked South Carolina 64-62 to win the SEC tournament title for the first time since 1982. Dre’una Edwards provided a huge three-pointer with five seconds left to finish off a 27 point, nine-rebound afternoon to preserve the Lady Wildcats’ shocking upset.

The 7th seeded Wildcats won four games, beating the three top seeds in the tournament that included South Carolina, No. 2 LSU, and No. 3 Tennessee after beating No. 10 seed Mississippi State in the first round.

Since winning their previous title in 1982 over Tennessee, the Wildcats had lost four SEC finals from 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014.

Kentucky punched their ticket to March Madness with a ten-game winning streak that wiped out a 2-8 record in the SEC and a 9-11 record overall just a month prior.

Two-time SEC player of the year, Rhyne Howard started a 14-2 run with a huge three-pointer with 5:30 left in the game to showcase why the Wildcats have turned around as the NCAA tournament inches closer and closer.

“We started having fun,” Howard told ESPN of Wildcats’ dramatic turnaround. “When things were getting tough, basically we acted like we didn’t want to be there. That’s how it looked and how it appeared to our fans.”

“We had a team meeting where we were like, ‘This is it. We cannot end like this.’ Especially with a lot of us being seniors. We knew we had to get it together.”

Wildcats Coach Kyra Elzy never doubted that things would turn around.

“We had been put in situations when our back was against the wall, and we had enough to step up,

“We’re a talented team.”

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/kentucky-wildcats-womens-basketball-end-40-year-sec-champ-drought/feed/ 0 Jaylen Brown Calls Jayson Tatum ‘Unstoppable’ After 54-Point Performance https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/boston-celtics-embrace-the-historic-performance-of-jayson-tatum-in-win/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/boston-celtics-embrace-the-historic-performance-of-jayson-tatum-in-win/#respond Mon, 07 Mar 2022 07:56:46 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740089 Jayson Tatum’s ascension from borderline All-Star to undisputed superstar continued with his 54 point performance in a 126-120 thriller over the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant led Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. KD, a walking bucket by his onw right, found himself very impressed with the overall performance of Tatum, calling him a “shot maker.” Kevin […]

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]]> Jayson Tatum’s ascension from borderline All-Star to undisputed superstar continued with his 54 point performance in a 126-120 thriller over the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant led Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

KD, a walking bucket by his onw right, found himself very impressed with the overall performance of Tatum, calling him a “shot maker.”

The term “shot-maker” was nowhere near attached to former Duke Blue Devil when he was mired in a considerable shooting slump featured by a stretch where he missed 20 straight 3-point shot attempts. Now the pendulum has completely swung the other way for Tatum. In his last three games, he has shot 52.5 percent (42-80) from the floor while averaging 41 points per game, which has led to three Celtics wins.

The 24-year-old forward has taken the next step as a superstar by putting up big games against other top stars. Before this one-on-one matchup with Durant, Tatum scored 33 points on a 12-25 shooting clip in a win over Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. After that, he dropped 37 points against Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Those matchups — when you’re playing one of the better teams in the league, two of the best guys — as a competitor, those are the kinds of moments that as a kid you looked forward to,” Tatum told ESPN about playing his peers. “When those opportunities come, you try to make the most of it.”

Tatum’s play coincides with the overall improvement of play from the Boston Celtics, who have won 21 of their last 27 games. Something that was not lost on his teammate, Jaylen Brown, who spoke on just that after the game.

The Celtics take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/boston-celtics-embrace-the-historic-performance-of-jayson-tatum-in-win/feed/ 0 Jayson Tatum Ties Larry Bird For Most 50 Point Games in Celtics History https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-ties-larry-bird-for-most-50-point-games-in-celtics-history/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-ties-larry-bird-for-most-50-point-games-in-celtics-history/#respond Sun, 06 Mar 2022 22:58:33 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740072 Jayson Tatum showed up and showed out against the Brooklyn Nets, dropping a season-high 54 points in the 126-120 win. His fourth quarter dominance of 18 points was the ultimate difference in the game. With his recent 54-point outburst, Jayson Tatum is now tied with Larry Bird for the most 50-point games in Celtics history. […]

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]]> Jayson Tatum showed up and showed out against the Brooklyn Nets, dropping a season-high 54 points in the 126-120 win. His fourth quarter dominance of 18 points was the ultimate difference in the game.

With his recent 54-point outburst, Jayson Tatum is now tied with Larry Bird for the most 50-point games in Celtics history.

“This is what I dreamed about as a kid, and I waited my whole life to get to,” Tatum said per CBS Sports. “Obviously I have a long way to go, a long way to what I’m trying to accomplish, but [I’m] staying in the moment and just enjoying it. Having fun doing what I love everyday.” 

Tatum kept things efficient shooting 16-30 from the field overall, knocking down eight three-pointers while shooting 14-17 from the free throw line. He also added five rebounds and three assists.

The Boston Celtics hot streak coincides with their franchise player as they have won five of their last six games. They’re currently ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference.

The Boston Celtics go on the road to take on the Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/jayson-tatum-ties-larry-bird-for-most-50-point-games-in-celtics-history/feed/ 0 New Orleans Pelicans Show Defensive Prowess Blowing Out the Utah Jazz https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/new-orleans-pelicans-show-defensive-prowess-blowing-out-the-utah-jazz/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/new-orleans-pelicans-show-defensive-prowess-blowing-out-the-utah-jazz/#respond Sat, 05 Mar 2022 16:49:53 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740017 Watch out, NBA, the New Orleans Pelicans are now one of the hottest teams coming out of the All-Star break. In their four games since resuming the season, the Pelicans have dominated their opponents at least 30 points in each contest, winning by an impressive average of 26.8 points per game. Since the All-Star break, […]

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]]> Watch out, NBA, the New Orleans Pelicans are now one of the hottest teams coming out of the All-Star break.

In their four games since resuming the season, the Pelicans have dominated their opponents at least 30 points in each contest, winning by an impressive average of 26.8 points per game. Since the All-Star break, New Orleans has been the NBA’s best defensive team, limiting three of their opponents to only 95.5 points per game.

The beat keeps going for the Pelicans as they routed the Utah Jazz Friday night, 124-90. New Orleans had runs of 10-0 and 9-0 to build a 35-17 first-quarter lead that grew to as large as 37 points late in the third frame.

Pelicans forward Jaxson Hayes has been a difference-maker on the defensive end. He shared his observations on the team’s improvement after the game.

“I feel like we’ve done a great job as a team defensively. Everyone is picking up everyone’s slack. If somebody gets beat, somebody is there. Our team defense as a whole has gotten really good.” Hayes said via ESPN.

He also put on a Play of the Year candidate with this insane putback dunk early in the first quarter.

The Pelicans used their stifling defense to shut down the NBA’s highest-scoring team to only 35.2 percent shooting while holding their leading scorer, Donovan Mitchell, to only 14 points on 5-18 shooting after averaging 32.6 points in his previous five games.

The Pelicans will have a chance to test their improved defense against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/new-orleans-pelicans-show-defensive-prowess-blowing-out-the-utah-jazz/feed/ 0 Cam Johnson Has A Career Night After Dustup With Julius Randle https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-johnson-has-a-career-night-after-dustup-with-julius-randle/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-johnson-has-a-career-night-after-dustup-with-julius-randle/#respond Sat, 05 Mar 2022 15:35:09 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740023 The words “turning point” in a basketball game can be a cliché at times, but when the Phoenix Suns took on the New York Knicks on Friday night, the perfect illustration of those words happened. Julius Randle was boxing out Cam Johnson for a rebound in the third quarter. Randle took exception to Johnson pushing […]

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]]> The words “turning point” in a basketball game can be a cliché at times, but when the Phoenix Suns took on the New York Knicks on Friday night, the perfect illustration of those words happened.

Julius Randle was boxing out Cam Johnson for a rebound in the third quarter. Randle took exception to Johnson pushing him in the back, and an altercation happened.

Both players received double technical fouls for the incident. However, when Randle shoved the referee to get at Johnson, he received yet another technical and was ejected. It couldn’t have been a worse time for the reigning Most Improved Player because he was on fire with 25 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in only 28 minutes.

At that point, the former Tar Heel went into a zone and did not come out. After Randle’s exit, his hot three-point shooting helped the Phoenix Suns erase a 86-76 New York lead.

Johnson went on to score a career-high 38 points, including a career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter, to lead the Suns to a 115-114 victory over the Knicks and sent the Phoenix fans home in a frenzy with a 30 footer at the buzzer to win it.

The shot was the last of six three-point attempts in the fourth quarter for Johnson to help power Phoenix to their League-best 51st victory of the season. They are currently on a two-game winning streak without their starting backcourt, Chris Paul (thumb fracture), and Devin Booker (NBA’s Health and Safety protocols).

Phoenix gets to face the Milwaukee Bucks next on the road Sunday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-johnson-has-a-career-night-after-dustup-with-julius-randle/feed/ 0 Tyrese Maxey Lifts 76ers To 125-119 Win Over Cleveland https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/tyrese-maxey-lifts-76ers-to-125-119-win-over-cleveland/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/tyrese-maxey-lifts-76ers-to-125-119-win-over-cleveland/#respond Sat, 05 Mar 2022 15:18:35 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=740012 The Philadelphia 76ers have improved to 4-0 in the James Harden era. While Harden’s 25 points and 11 assists will grab headlines and Joel Embiid’s 22 points and nine rebounds solidify his top spot in the MVP conversation, Tyrese Maxey was the star in the Sixers’ come from behind 125-119 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers […]

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]]> The Philadelphia 76ers have improved to 4-0 in the James Harden era. While Harden’s 25 points and 11 assists will grab headlines and Joel Embiid’s 22 points and nine rebounds solidify his top spot in the MVP conversation, Tyrese Maxey was the star in the Sixers’ come from behind 125-119 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday night.

The second-year guard ran roughshod over the Cavaliers’ defense in the second half, scoring 14 points in the third quarter to erase Cleveland’s early 21-point lead late.

Maxey officially took over the game in the final quarter, hitting a huge three-pointer to give the Sixers a one-point lead followed by a second to extend the lead to 110-106 that had Sixers Nation blowing the roof off the arena.

The Kentucky product finished the night with 33 points on 10-15 shooting while hitting 5-6 shots from beyond the arc. Despite the new “Big 3” talk in Philadelphia, Maxey doesn’t see it that way.

“I don’t think we look at it as Big 3, Big 2,” Maxey said per ESPN. “I think we look at it as one unit.”

His huge game was not lost on The Beard, who was in foul trouble early in the first half. Afterward, he sent out a tweet shining the light on his young teammate.

Maxey, Harden, and the Sixers do not have long to celebrate their win due to an impending showdown Saturday night against the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat in South Beach.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/tyrese-maxey-lifts-76ers-to-125-119-win-over-cleveland/feed/ 0 Isaiah Thomas Makes His Charlotte Hornets Debut https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/isaiah-thomas-scores-10-points-in-his-charlotte-hornets-debut/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/isaiah-thomas-scores-10-points-in-his-charlotte-hornets-debut/#respond Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:45:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739800 “I’m not motivated by anything else but the love of the game. And, you know, I think that’s the difference between me and a lot of other players and how people always ask how do you keep going? I really love it.” Back in Decemeber, Isaiah Thomas talked to SLAM about his love for the […]

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]]> “I’m not motivated by anything else but the love of the game. And, you know, I think that’s the difference between me and a lot of other players and how people always ask how do you keep going? I really love it.”

Back in Decemeber, Isaiah Thomas talked to SLAM about his love for the game. Now, three months later, there’s something special about seeing IT not only step up, but show out after signing a series of 10-day contracts and hoopin’ in the G League.

The Hornets recently signed Thomas to a deal after three explosive outings with the Denver Nuggets’ NBA G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, where he scored 42, 45, and 46 points, respectively. The last showcase was against the Hornets’ G League team, the Greensboro Swarm. In his debut as a Charlotte Hornet on Wednesday, Thomas contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists in only 14 minutes of action off the bench to help lead Charlotte to a much-needed 119-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.


He scored his first points as a Hornet off a simple pin-down action that sprung him open for a sweet pull-up from beyond the arc.

After the game, Terry Rozier shared what makes him so excited about reuniting with the former All-Star in a Hornets uniform.

“He never ceases to amaze me, the way he can put the ball in the basket,” Rozier said of Thomas, his former teammate in Boston via ESPN. “With his leadership and his voice, he’s already making a difference in the locker room.”

This is not the first time the Washington product started out the gate fast on a 10-day contract. In December, Thomas led the Los Angeles Lakers in scoring with 19 points in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Hornets will be Thomas’ 10th NBA stop over his 12-year career, including a memorable three-year tenure with the Boston Celtics. During his time in Beantown, Thomas was made the All-Star Game twice and earned a Second-Team All-NBA selection in 2017.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/isaiah-thomas-scores-10-points-in-his-charlotte-hornets-debut/feed/ 0 Mike Conley Shines In Overtime to Lead the Utah Jazz to Win Over Houston https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mike-conley-shines-in-overtime-to-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-win-over-houston/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mike-conley-shines-in-overtime-to-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-win-over-houston/#respond Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:30:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739795 With the Utah Jazz battling for position in a very tight Western Conference, they couldn’t afford a bad loss to the Houston Rockets. After blowing a 14-point lead around the halfway point of the fourth quarter due to a 12-2 Rockets run, the Jazz backcourt made the last ten seconds of regulation quite exciting. The […]

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]]> With the Utah Jazz battling for position in a very tight Western Conference, they couldn’t afford a bad loss to the Houston Rockets. After blowing a 14-point lead around the halfway point of the fourth quarter due to a 12-2 Rockets run, the Jazz backcourt made the last ten seconds of regulation quite exciting.

The game was tied late when Donovan Mitchell dished to Mike Conley as he stumbled in the lane, and Conley dropped a triple from the right corner to put Utah up 117-114 with 8.3 seconds to go in the fourth.

However, Rockets forward Christian Wood tied the game moments later with a last-second three-pointer to force overtime.

Conley carried his momentum into the extra period to bail the Utah Jazz out for a 132-127 win, their third straight. The 34-year-old point guard scored nine of his 15 points, eight assists, and four steals in the extra period.

When the Rockets took a 124-123 lead on a three-point play from Kevin Porter Jr., Conley responded with consecutive three-pointers to give Utah a five-point lead, and some needed breathing room with just over a minute left in the game.

Then the Ohio State product closed out the game at the free-throw line with three crucial free throws, cementing a 132-127 Jazz win over the Rockets. After the game, Conley talked about the trust he’s built with Mitchell and how he mentally dealt with the pressure of overtime.

The Utah Jazz (39-22) have won nine of their last ten games going into their matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on(26-36) on Friday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mike-conley-shines-in-overtime-to-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-win-over-houston/feed/ 0 James Harden Picks Apart the Knicks in 76ers Home Debut https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-picks-apart-the-knicks-in-76ers-home-debut/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-picks-apart-the-knicks-in-76ers-home-debut/#respond Thu, 03 Mar 2022 04:27:33 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739789 The Philadelphia 76ers fanbase had been waiting almost two weeks for this night. They met James Harden in street clothes soon after the trade was finalized and watched two dominant performances on the road. Philly fans have to wait until Wednesday night to see the 76ers newly acquired superstar in person. Harden, along with Joel […]

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]]> The Philadelphia 76ers fanbase had been waiting almost two weeks for this night. They met James Harden in street clothes soon after the trade was finalized and watched two dominant performances on the road. Philly fans have to wait until Wednesday night to see the 76ers newly acquired superstar in person.

Harden, along with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, hosted a packed house party in his Philadelphia home debut, putting up a stat line of 26 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds to lead the 76ers to a 123-108 win over the struggling New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

The Beard displayed the entire repertoire of what he has to offer to the Sixers.

First, he got his superstar center involved early in the post to start the game off.

Then after finding his rhythm midway through the first quarter, Harden dropped his first points came with 5:32 mark with a step-through drive to the basket to draw the foul and a free throw.

Then the next time down, the Beard showcased his step-back 3 point shot that NBA fans have grown to love for five fast points at the drop of a hat.

The Sixers have now moved to 3-0 with Harden in the lineup. His partnership with Embiid (27 points and 12 rebounds) and surprisingly seamless transition with Maxey (25 points, four boards, three dimes) have helped the Sixers emerge as the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.

The Sixers (38-23) take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (36-26) at home on Friday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-picks-apart-the-knicks-in-76ers-home-debut/feed/ 0 Goran Dragic Credits Steve Nash’s Influence As Reason For Signing With Brooklyn https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/goran-dragic-credits-steve-nashs-influence-as-reason-for-signing-with-brooklyn/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/goran-dragic-credits-steve-nashs-influence-as-reason-for-signing-with-brooklyn/#respond Thu, 24 Feb 2022 15:23:20 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739233 Now that free-agent guard Goran Dragic decided to sign with the Brooklyn Nets for the rest of the season, more information is coming out on the deciding factor. According to numerous reports, at least six contenders were vying for the Dragon’s services after being bought out by the San Antonio Spurs. Dragic said he had […]

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]]> Now that free-agent guard Goran Dragic decided to sign with the Brooklyn Nets for the rest of the season, more information is coming out on the deciding factor. According to numerous reports, at least six contenders were vying for the Dragon’s services after being bought out by the San Antonio Spurs.

Dragic gave a lot of credit to Nets coach Steve Nash due to their relationship at the beginning of his career in Phoenix. Their mentor/mentee relationship began when Nash was the starting point guard of the Suns, and Dragic was trying to find his way around the League. It was their background, coupled with a talented roster and a chance at an NBA title, that eluded him in the 2020 NBA Finals in the bubble that ultimately led him to the Nets.

“I chose Brooklyn because I think they have a really good chance to win a championship, especially to play alongside (Kevin Durant), Kyrie (Irving), Ben Simmons, (LaMarcus) Aldridge,” Dragic said via the New York Post.

Dragic played only five games with the Toronto Raptors this season after the 35-year-old came over from Miami in the Kyle Lowry deal. Dragic and Toronto had a tumultuous start that ended up in both parties agreeing to part ways until the team could find a trade partner at the trade deadline.

Dragic also shared that Nash’s influence goes back much further than this week, sharing that the two-time MVP inspired him to leave Europe to try the NBA in the first place.

“At that time, I made that decision I was going to come from Europe to NBA — only because of Steve,” said Dragic. “If that were some other team, I probably would have stayed in Europe another two or three years.”

The Nets were counting on Dragic’s postseason experience and leadership when he averaged 19.1 points and 2.8 assists per game during Miami’s run to the Finals.

It is unknown at this time when Dragic, who last played Nov. 13, will suit up for his debut.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/goran-dragic-credits-steve-nashs-influence-as-reason-for-signing-with-brooklyn/feed/ 0 James Harden on Winning a Title in Philly: ‘The Opportunity to Win is Now’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-on-winning-a-title-in-philly-the-opportunity-to-win-is-now/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-on-winning-a-title-in-philly-the-opportunity-to-win-is-now/#respond Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:35:01 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739224 The timetable for James Harden’s Philadelphia 76ers debut wasn’t specific until after the All-Star break. Based on the comments from Daryl Morey and Joel Embiid, it looks as if “the plan” will be Friday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Morey added fuel to the fire when he sent out this Tweet on Sunday night […]

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]]> The timetable for James Harden’s Philadelphia 76ers debut wasn’t specific until after the All-Star break.

Based on the comments from Daryl Morey and Joel Embiid, it looks as if “the plan” will be Friday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Morey added fuel to the fire when he sent out this Tweet on Sunday night with a cryptic message to the Sixers’ upcoming opponents.

Harden had been sidelined with hamstring tightness that kept him out of the final four games of his Brooklyn tenure before he was traded. Despite the ongoing reports from Harden’s frustration to Steve Nash’s attempt to squash rumors of a trade, James made it clear that now that he’s a Sixer, he will do “whatever it takes” to win a championship, according to ABC News.

“It’s a time where I needed to be around guys that I know want to win and know that they are willing to do whatever it takes to win, and the structure here is unbelievable.

“[Winning a title is] the goal, man. That’s the goal. Like Daryl [Morey] said: The opportunity to win is now. Joel is playing the best he’s ever played. So my job is to come out there and help him and help the entire team win a championship this year and in years going forward.”

Now all eyes will be on Harden to deliver on his promise of winning the first 76ers championship since 1983. After a combination of injuries and other issues derailing his championship plans in Brooklyn, it looks as if the Harden era officially begins on Friday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-on-winning-a-title-in-philly-the-opportunity-to-win-is-now/feed/ 0 Chicago Bulls Signee Tristan Thompson Calls DeMar DeRozan MVP https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/chicago-bulls-signee-tristan-thompson-calls-demar-derozan-mvp/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/chicago-bulls-signee-tristan-thompson-calls-demar-derozan-mvp/#respond Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:53:23 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739217 After officially signing his contract with the Chicago Bulls, Tristan Thompson decided to make his presence felt early with the Chicago media cracking jokes about his lack of passion for deep-dish pizza to his long 15-year history with Bulls coach Billy Donovan who recruited him to go to the University of Florida. But it was […]

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]]> After officially signing his contract with the Chicago Bulls, Tristan Thompson decided to make his presence felt early with the Chicago media cracking jokes about his lack of passion for deep-dish pizza to his long 15-year history with Bulls coach Billy Donovan who recruited him to go to the University of Florida.

But it was after making jokes about his Cavaliers teams sending DeMar DeRozan’s Toronto Raptors teams home that he got serious. The 30-year-old forward made it clear that DeRozan’s presence played a significant part in the decision to come to Chicago. During those playoff battles on the court, the two formed a mutual respect built over three years.

Off the court, the two became close friends, a relationship that made Thompson’s decision to come to Chicago easy.

Thompson raised eyebrows by claiming that DeMar DeRozan is a definite MVP candidate, even comparing his shooting to Michael Jordan’s with his midrange accuracy.

“He’s playing out of this world,” Thompson said via the Chicago Tribune. “Right now, he’s the league MVP in my eyes. Flat out. What he’s able to be doing with Zach (LaVine) out and with Zo (Lonzo Ball) out and with AC (Alex Caruso) out and Vooch was out a little bit too, for him to be able to just hold the fort down and keep that ship right — that’s what an MVP does.”

According to NBC Sports Chicago, Thompson believed that a combination of DeMar’s attributes with others could lead to championship aspirations.

“There’s a lot of potential here,” Thompson said, Zach LaVine’s effortless offensive prowess, Lonzo Ball’s status as a “walking triple-double,” DeRozan’s midrange mastery, Vučević’s versatility, Javonte Green’s energy, Coby White’s “firecracker” scoring ability, and on and on.”

“All those pieces are what you need to be one of the last teams dancing. The key is gonna be, can we put it all together.”

The Bulls resume their season Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/chicago-bulls-signee-tristan-thompson-calls-demar-derozan-mvp/feed/ 0 Team LeBron Wins the 2022 NBA All Star Game Behind Stephen Curry’s 50 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-lebron-wins-the-2022-nba-all-star-game-behind-stephen-currys-50/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-lebron-wins-the-2022-nba-all-star-game-behind-stephen-currys-50/#respond Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:03:52 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738935 The NBA All-Star Weekend came to a close on Sunday as Team LeBron took on Team Durant. At halftime, the NBA honored the Top 75 players by giving each player individual introductions with Earth Wind and Fire performing “Shining Star.” Three players made early news for the All-Star Game. Donovan Mitchell sat out with a […]

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]]> The NBA All-Star Weekend came to a close on Sunday as Team LeBron took on Team Durant. At halftime, the NBA honored the Top 75 players by giving each player individual introductions with Earth Wind and Fire performing “Shining Star.”

Three players made early news for the All-Star Game. Donovan Mitchell sat out with a non-COVID-19 related illness, and it was announced on TNT that Chris Paul suffered a thumb fracture which will keep him out for six to eight weeks just before the game. He checked in late in the first quarter.

Kevin Durant was also unable to attend the All-Star festivities after his mother, Wanda Pratt announced that his grandmother passed away Sunday and left Cleveland to be with his family.

The event was not just for entertainment but for a good cause. Team LeBron and Team Durant competed for $750,000 in donations for two organizations. Team LeBron played for the Kent State I Promise Scholars Program, and Team Durant played for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. The competition was spread out over three quarters for $100,000 apiece.

Each organization started with a $150,000 contribution, with the winning team earning $150,000 for their respective organization.

First Quarter:

Defense was optional in the first quarter for the players, with the exception of Stephen Curry, who had the game’s only two blocked shots for an extended period. A point that Draymond Green trolled him for during the TNT broadcast.

Otherwise, it was lighthearted, running up and down the floor with some high-flying dunks and long-distance shots. On a side note, Giannis Antetokounmpo finally missed a field goal attempt after hitting all 16 of his shots in last year’s event.

Another great moment was watching Trae Young and Curry match each other in three-point marksmanship. Knowing that these two will be compared to each other for the next several seasons, this moment sends a message that fans will be enjoying 30 footers for years to come.

In the end, despite Team LeBron running out to an early lead, Team Durant’s late first-quarter run was not enough to make up the deficit at the end.

Winner: Team LeBron wins the quarter 47-45. Kent State I Promise Scholars Program receives $100,000.

Second Quarter:

After showing his defensive prowess in the first quarter, Curry reminded NBA fans of his real forte, shooting the long ball. Chef Curry set the All-Star Game record by knocking down an absurd eight 3 point shots in the first half.

Before the Curry fireworks started, Cavs representatives Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland had some solid moments in the second quarter. Garland looked very comfortable on the floor and used this long-range bomb from the logo to spark a 10 point quarter.

While Team LeBron had all of the flash, Team Durant had the substance with LaMelo Ball combining with Dejounte Murray making plays for his teammates like Rudy Gobert, Devin Booker, and others. They ran out to a lead and never were in any trouble of losing it.

Team Durant win 49-46. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank receives $100,000.

Third Quarter:

Surprisingly, Curry has been shooting 37.9 percent from deep this season, well short of his career 42.8 mark. Well, he found his stroke in this game. If anyone thought SC30 was hot in the second quarter, the greatest three-point shooter of all time was burning up in the third quarter.

The two-time MVP broke the record for most three-pointers in an All-Star game by this point held by Paul George in 2016, and it was the way he was doing it that set the building on fire.

Even though Curry was stealing all of the thunder in the third quarter, Team Durant pretty much held the lead the entire quarter. But Team Durant got cold at the end and allowed Team LeBron to pull to a tie at the end of the third quarter.

Even though the period ended in a tie, the third period belonged solely to Stephen Curry, who cemented his claim to MVP after pouring in 45 points on 15-21 shooting from behind the line. At this point, he was only seven points away from the all-time scoring record.

Team LeBron and Team Durant finish the quarter with a 45-45 tie. Now the score is 139-138 Team Durant.

Final Quarter:

In the final quarter, the target score to end the game was set at 163. The gas Curry was cooking with ran out, and he finished with 50 points. Like in previous years, the ball was given to Joel Embiid in the post to score. But Jarrett Allen, with the assistance of LeBron James and Antetokounmpo, slowed him up just enough.

In the end, it was the Captain’s choice on who would close the game out!

Team LeBron defeats Team Durant 163-160. Kent State I Promise Scholars Program receives a donation of $150,000 for a total of $450,000. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank received a total donation of $300,000.

All-Star Game MVP: Stephen Curry with 50 points.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-lebron-wins-the-2022-nba-all-star-game-behind-stephen-currys-50/feed/ 0 Obi Toppin Uses Consistency to Take the NBA Slam Dunk Contest https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/obi-toppin-uses-consistency-to-take-the-nba-slam-dunk-contest/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/obi-toppin-uses-consistency-to-take-the-nba-slam-dunk-contest/#respond Sun, 20 Feb 2022 16:46:26 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738876 In the final event of All-Star Saturday Night, the Slam Dunk Contest once again took center stage. As always, the fans were hoping to be blown away like they during the epic Aaron Gordon/ Zach LaVine duel in 2016, or if they would be let down from watching contestants miss dunks and fail to throw […]

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]]> In the final event of All-Star Saturday Night, the Slam Dunk Contest once again took center stage. As always, the fans were hoping to be blown away like they during the epic Aaron Gordon/ Zach LaVine duel in 2016, or if they would be let down from watching contestants miss dunks and fail to throw down something that would blow their mind.

The contest featured Obi Toppin (New York Knicks), Cole Anthony (Orlando Magic), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Golden State Warriors), and Jalen Green (Houston Rockets).

The one thing that this contest brought that fans would remember is the footwear of a particular contestant that went back to hit NYC roots to attempt a dunk.

First Round: (Jalen Green and Cole Anthony get eliminated)

Cole Anthony pulled off a stunt that is difficult in any YMCA, much less an NBA arena. He put on some Timbs to bring the New York vibe to the contest. Then he put on his father, Greg Anthony’s, Knicks jersey to show homage. After two non-attempts, he put down a left-hand windmill for a score of 40.

However, Cole injured himself on the dunk and missed three times on his next dunk, and was eliminated. It was a shame considering that dunk brought a lot of energy to the crowd and the announcers. Even Toppin was pointing to his wrist, wondering when the clock would start.

While Cole Anthony provided the theater, Green probably had the most impressive dunk of the first round with an impressive between-the-legs 360 dunk finishing away from the basket.

What doomed this year’s pre-competition favorite was completing his first dunk. The plan was to get a pass off the backboard from Josh Christopher running out of bounds in the corner. But after two misses, Green had to settle with a windmill off an underhand lob that received the lowest score of any completed dunk in the first round.

Toppin and Toscano-Anderson made the final the old-fashioned way by not missing any dunk attempts.

Final round: (Juan Toscano-Anderson had some controversy on his first dunk)

In the finals, Toscano-Anderson tried to put his elbow in the rim ala Vince Carter but did not get enough lift to hang on the rim to finish. According to the rules, it was considered a dunk attempt, and he could not try again. The score of 39 basically doomed his chances.

He then tried to replicate Jason Richardson’s iconic dunk with a pass off the backboard into a left-hand windmill between the legs that went nowhere. He missed all three attempts, and for all practical purposes, the contest was over with a score of 30.

Obi Toppin went on to take the Slam Dunk Contest with some impressive dunks.

With the win, Obi Toppin became the third Knicks player to win the Slam Dunk Contest along with the three-time winner Nate Robinson and Kenny Walker.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/obi-toppin-uses-consistency-to-take-the-nba-slam-dunk-contest/feed/ 0 Cleveland Cavaliers Represents By Taking the NBA All-Star Skills Challenge https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cleveland-cavaliers-represents-by-taking-the-nba-all-star-skills-challenge/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cleveland-cavaliers-represents-by-taking-the-nba-all-star-skills-challenge/#respond Sun, 20 Feb 2022 16:43:41 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738862 It looks like the Cleveland Cavaliers are not satisfied with just being the NBA team hosting the NBA All-Star festivities. Some of the players participating in the events leading up to the All-Star game were making some noise on All-Star Saturday Night. Three players from the Cleveland Cavaliers teamed up to participate in the All-Star […]

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]]> It looks like the Cleveland Cavaliers are not satisfied with just being the NBA team hosting the NBA All-Star festivities. Some of the players participating in the events leading up to the All-Star game were making some noise on All-Star Saturday Night.

Three players from the Cleveland Cavaliers teamed up to participate in the All-Star Skills Challenge. First-time All-Stars, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen teamed up with rookie Evan Mobley, whose star shined brightly in the NBA Rising Stars tournament, took on the Antetokounmpo brothers (Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex) and a team of rookies that consisted of Cade Cunningham, Josh Giddey and Scottie Barnes.

The Skills Challenge received a new look as the NBA revamped All-Star Weekend. The format featured the three teams participating in a competition broken down into three rounds of shooting, passing, and dribbling ability.

Round One (Shooting):

Team Cavs should thank their lucky stars they dominated this part of the competition because the next two rounds were not as kind. The Cavaliers trio played strategically, placing Jarrett Allen first and downsizing to Evan Mobley then Darius Garland. Garland dropped 24 points, outscoring the Antetokounmpos brothers by himself, followed by Mobley with 18.

Round Two (Passing):

At this point of the competition, it looked like it was a two-team race between Team Cavs and Team Antetokounmpo despite the smooth execution of the weave to pile up the points by Team Cavs.

The Greek Freak turned on the competitive drive that captured him two MVP awards, and his brothers tied Team Rooks at the end of round two. However, Team Antetokounmpo won the tiebreaker to collect 100 points from the passing competition for a tie leading into the skills competition that counted 200 points.

Round Three (Skills competition) and tiebreaker:

The idea of giving 200 points to the winner of the third round made this competition much more exciting. At this point, Team Rooks looked dead in the water when they put up a time of 1:18.5. That time presumably wasn’t fast enough to win the round.

In the end, poor shooting by Team Giannis and slow times by Team Cavs bailed the rookies out, and they took the 200 points to go to the final round. That left Team Giannis and Team Cavs with one shot for a chance to take on the rookies in the final round.

In a surprise to some, Giannis did not take the shot, and Thanasis missed to the right. On the other hand, Garland hit his attempt to win the tiebreaker and a trip to the finals.

Final Round (Half-court shot):

The rules were simple, whichever team could make a half-court shot the fastest would be declared the winner of the Skills Challenge. Cade Cunningham knocked down the half-court shot for the rookies to set the bar at 9.9 seconds.

It didn’t take long for Evan Mobley to close the deal for the hometown Cavaliers. The moment became a classic after legendary sharpshooter Reggie Miller screamed, “Cleveland, this is for you!” over the airwaves as the competition concluded.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cleveland-cavaliers-represents-by-taking-the-nba-all-star-skills-challenge/feed/ 0 Karl-Anthony Towns Makes History In NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/karl-anthony-towns-makes-history-in-nba-all-star-three-point-shootout/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/karl-anthony-towns-makes-history-in-nba-all-star-three-point-shootout/#respond Sun, 20 Feb 2022 16:27:11 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738872 Karl-Anthony Towns stood out in the list of contestants in the NBA All-Star Three-Point contest on Saturday night. Not only was he the only big man to compete, but his December comments to The Athletic claiming that he was “the greatest big-man shooter of all time.” brought headlines to the competition. Despite Towns’ 41 percent […]

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]]> Karl-Anthony Towns stood out in the list of contestants in the NBA All-Star Three-Point contest on Saturday night. Not only was he the only big man to compete, but his December comments to The Athletic claiming that he was “the greatest big-man shooter of all time.” brought headlines to the competition.

Despite Towns’ 41 percent shooting from distance this season and 39.6 percent career average, he was considered a long shot to win. Even with the number of long-distance shots KAT attempted this season, no one counted on the Wolves center in the shoot-out. 

First Round:

The early favorites going into the competition were Trae Young, Patty Mills, and Desmond Bane.

Bane took himself out of the competition early by tallying 18 points. Then Luke Kennard set the bar for the first round dropping 28 points to put pressure on the rest of the field. Then Towns became the most significant threat for the title, surprising many by putting up 22 points of his own.

Young provided some drama of his own by almost getting eliminated in the first round. He had to finish the round with a flurry to slide past Patty Mills by one point to get into the second round with 22 points.

Final Round:

KAT was the first shooter in the finals, and the way he shot the ball, everyone in the arena, including Ice Trae and Kennard, knew the competition was over. He made history and put on a show while doing it.

Towns concluded the event in epic proportions, taking home the shoot-out trophy in historic fashion by putting up 29 points beating renowned shooters Kennard and Young. KAT’s score broke the record for most points scored in the final round previously held by Devin Booker, who scored 28 back in 2018. 

The reigning champ is not only the first center to ever win the event, but the first big man since Kevin Love in 2012 to take home the award.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/karl-anthony-towns-makes-history-in-nba-all-star-three-point-shootout/feed/ 0 Team Walton Defeats Team Dominique in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-walton-defeats-team-dominique-in-nba-all-star-celebrity-game/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-walton-defeats-team-dominique-in-nba-all-star-celebrity-game/#respond Sat, 19 Feb 2022 21:20:20 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738782 The All-Star Weekend officially started with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game pitting Team Walton against Team Dominique. The coaches were NBA Top 75 icons, Bill Walton and Dominique Wilkins. The game started with yet another reason why the NBA represents as one of the most giving sports leagues in the world. Anderson Varejao and Myles […]

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]]> The All-Star Weekend officially started with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game pitting Team Walton against Team Dominique. The coaches were NBA Top 75 icons, Bill Walton and Dominique Wilkins.

The game started with yet another reason why the NBA represents as one of the most giving sports leagues in the world. Anderson Varejao and Myles Garrett squared off in the Ruffles 4-point shooting contest. With Varejao defeating Garrett 2-1, not only did his team win $4,000 to donate to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund but gave Team Walton an immediate 4-0 lead.

It would be a lead that was never challenged. Team Walton defeated Team Dominique 65-51 despite a dunking exhibition led by Olympic Gold Medal high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi and Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett in a losing effort.

But in the end, the only drama that came from Team Walton was who would pick the MVP award. Singer and songwriter Jimmie Allen got red hot knocking down long-distance shots, but Peleton instructor Josh Touissant’s 18 points were just enough to pick up MVP honors.

With celebrities such as former MVP, Quavo of the Migos, and actress comedienne Tiffany Haddish participating in the game, ESPN still took time to give a tribute to Kevin Hart. He famously retired from competition after winning three MVP awards.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-walton-defeats-team-dominique-in-nba-all-star-celebrity-game/feed/ 0 Team Barry Wins A Newly Formatted 2022 NBA Rising Stars tournament https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-barry-wins-a-newly-formatted-2022-nba-rising-stars-tournament/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-barry-wins-a-newly-formatted-2022-nba-rising-stars-tournament/#respond Sat, 19 Feb 2022 15:55:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738800 The NBA started their hardwood action on Friday night with some exciting basketball. After the celebrity game, the nightcap that stole the evening was easily the Rising Stars tournament. The Rising Stars event ushered out a new format this year, allowing 28 players with 12 rookies featuring Rookie of the Year candidates Cade Cunningham, Evan […]

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]]> The NBA started their hardwood action on Friday night with some exciting basketball. After the celebrity game, the nightcap that stole the evening was easily the Rising Stars tournament. The Rising Stars event ushered out a new format this year, allowing 28 players with 12 rookies featuring Rookie of the Year candidates Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, and Jalen Green, 12 sophomores, led by LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards.

The addition of four players from the NBA G League Ignite developmental team with a four-team draft set the stage for three entertaining basketball games. The winners had to get to 50 points in the first round and 25 points in the final round.

Team Worthy vs. Team Isiah (Game to 50):

This was probably one of the more exciting games of the night. Jalen Green sparked Team Worthy, who led everyone in the game in scoring, and the Orlando Magic connection, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs.

Team Isiah looked like they had things well in hand to go to the next round before Team Worthy went on a massive 15-4 run to put go ahead 40-39. Both teams were neck and neck up to a 48-48 tie.

Then the Cole Anthony effect happened.

With Jalen Suggs on the line to end the game, Anthony said something to Suggs, with the rookie out Gonzaga missing the subsequent free throw.

That left the door for Team Isiah to win the game with Desmond Bane at the line. Anthony had a conversation with him, too, and even pulled down his shorts to distract him! Only for Bane to hit both of his free throws to end things.

Team Isiah defeats Team Worthy 50-49.

Team Barry vs. Team Payton (Game to 50):

While the first game showed a ton of highlight dunks and flashy play, things were a little more structured in this one. Hall of Famer Rick Barry will probably be the only coach in an All-Star event that mandates set plays to start a game, while Gary Payton, also a Hall of Famer, hasn’t lost a bit of competitive fire, too say the least.

For a while, it looked like Team Payton was off to win after a strong start by Timberwolves’ rookie Jaden McDaniels, but crowd favorite Mobley kept things close by dominating down low and getting easy baskets.

But when the Pistons’ number one overall pick, Cunningham, got warmed up, Team Barry’s offense started clicking with their ball movement, and the game turned around.

In a down to the wire affair like the previous first-round game, Team Barry was just disciplined enough to win thanks to two final baskets by Houston Rockets’ Jae’Shan Tate, including this game-winner!

LaMelo Ball almost stole the pass and nearly ripped the ball from Tate in vain, but it was not enough.

Team Barry defeats Team Payton 50-48.

The Clorox Clutch Challenge!

Tyrese Haliburton and Bane were the only players to knock down five shots from positions of famous NBA Finals shots of the past to win the challenge.

What most will remember from this event was Scottie Barnes continually missing the layup part of the competition.

Team Barry vs. Team Isiah (Game to 25):

Just like in the first game, Team Isiah opened up a lead over Team Barry thanks to Toronto Raptors forward Precious Achiuwa’s quick 13 points to get within shouting distance of the targeted 25 points.

But like in the first game, Team Isiah allowed a momentum-stealing run to enable their lead to evaporate. This time it cost them as tournament MVP Cade Cunningham took over, hitting huge shots to help Team Barry triumph over Team Isiah in the championship game with a 13-2 run.

Team Barry wins the tournament over Team Isiah 25-20.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/team-barry-wins-a-newly-formatted-2022-nba-rising-stars-tournament/feed/ 0 Cam Thomas Finishes Off Brooklyn Nets Biggest Comeback in 25 Years https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-thomas-finishes-off-brooklyn-nets-biggest-comeback-in-25-years/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-thomas-finishes-off-brooklyn-nets-biggest-comeback-in-25-years/#respond Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:06:54 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738452 Cam Thomas’ night was a reflection of the Brooklyn Nets. While he started slowly, so did the Nets. But when he began to heat up, his team came back from a 28 points deficit, the largest in team history. After Brooklyn was dominated by the Knicks for three quarters Wednesday night and was down 18 […]

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]]> Cam Thomas’ night was a reflection of the Brooklyn Nets. While he started slowly, so did the Nets. But when he began to heat up, his team came back from a 28 points deficit, the largest in team history.

After Brooklyn was dominated by the Knicks for three quarters Wednesday night and was down 18 points in the fourth, the rookie out of LSU led a furious comeback hitting numerous big shots, including a deep three with less than ten seconds left to shock the Knicks in Madison Square Garden 111-106.

After shooting 2-11 from the field for five points in the first three frames, he scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth to spark a 15-0 Brooklyn run to take the lead. Then with Brooklyn hanging on to a 106-103 lead, Thomas knocked down the biggest shot of the game, a step-back three-pointer with 3.7 seconds remaining in the game.

“It was 16 on the clock, 10 on the shot clock, so we just went in the backcourt. I saw coach tell them everyone flatten out, so I knew it was one-on-one time,” Thomas said, breaking down the clinching play via the New York Post. “So I just went to my go-to move. So glad it went in because I was struggling. I went like 1-for-9, 1-for-10 to start, wasn’t getting any calls, so I just had to keep playing through it, keep playing, so I’m glad it worked out for us.”

This is not the first time Cam Thomas has come up huge for Brooklyn. Last month he made a huge basket to seal a win over San Antonio.

The Nets play one more game against the Washington Wizards on Thursday night before the All-Star break.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-thomas-finishes-off-brooklyn-nets-biggest-comeback-in-25-years/feed/ 0 DeMar DeRozan Breaks a Scoring Record Held By Wilt Chamberlain https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-breaks-a-scoring-record-held-by-wilt-chamberlain/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-breaks-a-scoring-record-held-by-wilt-chamberlain/#respond Thu, 17 Feb 2022 15:23:40 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738447 All-Star Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has had a scoring stretch that puts his name next to all-time scoring greats such as Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. After a 38 point, 16-27 shooting performance in a Bulls 125-118 win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, DeRozan broke Chamberlain’s record as the only player to score […]

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]]> All-Star Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has had a scoring stretch that puts his name next to all-time scoring greats such as Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

After a 38 point, 16-27 shooting performance in a Bulls 125-118 win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, DeRozan broke Chamberlain’s record as the only player to score 35 points or more while shooting better than 50 percent in seven straight games.

During this historic streak, DeRozan averages 38.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 60.7 percent shooting in his last seven games. He also has an overall streak of scoring at least 30 points in eight consecutive games, which is the longest streak by a Chicago player since Michael Jordan in 1996.

DeMar expressed his gratitude after the game via ESPN.

“Just to be in the record books along with staples of basketball history — [I’m] speechless,” DeRozan said following Wednesday’s game. “As a kid, as a fan of the history of the game, being in the League as long as I’ve been in the League, things like that continue to make me even more humble.

“It’s something I’ll never take for granted. And the crazy thing is, I feel like I missed eight easy shots I normally would have made. I felt like I had a bad shooting night, honestly.”

His scoring tear has not been in vain either. The Bulls are currently on a five-game winning streak, even without Zach LaVine, who had to see a specialist for his troublesome knee.

DeMar DeRozan gets a chance to extend the streak Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks. A win guarantees the Bulls at least a share of the number one seed going into the All-Star break.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-breaks-a-scoring-record-held-by-wilt-chamberlain/feed/ 0 Dennis Schroder Shines In Starting Role For Houston Rockets Against Suns https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dennis-schroder-shines-in-starting-role-for-houston-rockets-against-suns/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dennis-schroder-shines-in-starting-role-for-houston-rockets-against-suns/#respond Thu, 17 Feb 2022 15:03:33 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738441 The Houston Rockets entered their matchup against the Phoenix Suns with the worst record in the Western Conference with the vision of developing the young players and rebuilding the roster for the future. According to Rockets executive Rafael Stone, part of those plans was bringing in Dennis Schroder to provide leadership and fill in as […]

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]]> The Houston Rockets entered their matchup against the Phoenix Suns with the worst record in the Western Conference with the vision of developing the young players and rebuilding the roster for the future. According to Rockets executive Rafael Stone, part of those plans was bringing in Dennis Schroder to provide leadership and fill in as needed.

Stone further explained what Schroder can bring to this team going forward via USA Today Sports.

“Dennis is not by any means like an over-the-hill veteran,” Stone said. “He’s just a really good basketball player and has been for years. Depending upon how you measure it, we’re either the fastest or one of the top three or four fastest teams in the NBA, and he’s obviously electric in the open court, and he’s an above-average defender. So I think it’s going to be a good fit, or I hope it’s going to be a good fit, both ways.”

Schroder was placed in the starting lineup due to a Kevin Porter Jr. scratch and played precisely how the Rockets envisioned he would, leading the Rockets in scoring in a 124-121 loss.

Schroder averaged 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists as a Celtic. In his second game as a Rocket, the 28-year-old point guard put up a stat-line of 23 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, almost leading Houston to a big upset of the NBA’s best team.

Rafael Stone and the Rockets will need more of Schroder’s production like this going forward.

“We play a five-out system, so you need multiple perimeter players on the court and multiple ballhandlers,” Stone said. “One of the things that is hard about playing four or five young guys at the same time is that making reads as a young player in the NBA is difficult.”

Schroder is in his ninth season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dennis-schroder-shines-in-starting-role-for-houston-rockets-against-suns/feed/ 0 Boston Celtics Improved Chemistry Shown In 8th Straight Win Over Hawks https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/boston-celtics-improved-chemistry-shown-in-8th-straight-win-over-hawks/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/boston-celtics-improved-chemistry-shown-in-8th-straight-win-over-hawks/#respond Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:10:56 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738177 At one time, the Boston Celtics were the biggest disappointments in the NBA, spending much of the season at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Their biggest problem was blowing leads games. The Celtics led the NBA with four blown leads of at least 19 points, twice as much as any other team at the […]

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]]> At one time, the Boston Celtics were the biggest disappointments in the NBA, spending much of the season at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Their biggest problem was blowing leads games. The Celtics led the NBA with four blown leads of at least 19 points, twice as much as any other team at the time.

The season’s low point was when the Celtics blew a 25-point-lead to the New York Knicks that had head coach Ime Udoka calling out his team for lack of mental toughness.

Now thanks to a 108-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics are not only riding an eight-game winning streak, but they have leapfrogged into the sixth seed, making them playoff eligible. The difference in this game was chemistry and poise. While Boston continued to execute down the stretch, Hawks Coach Nate McMillan pointed to the third quarter that cost Atlanta.

“I thought in the third quarter; we got distracted by the officiating. They got into the penalty early, and they had a 42-point quarter,” Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said via ESPN. “I thought that was the difference in the game. We just were not able to recover from that.”

The Celtics chemistry issues were apparent enough that team president Brad Stevens felt he had to address it amid his teams’ struggles. Now, those issues seem to be a thing of the past, according to Jaylen Brown.

“We definitely lost some games we felt like we shouldn’t have lost early in the season. Now we get the chance to play some of these teams again, and we’re looking to pull out some wins,” Brown said. “We had a lot of guys making plays right now, and that’s what we need to do in the fourth quarter. We’ve been finding ways to win — defensively, timely baskets, and we’ve been sealing out games.”

The Celtics take on the new-look Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/boston-celtics-improved-chemistry-shown-in-8th-straight-win-over-hawks/feed/ 0 Los Angeles Clippers Lose Norman Powell ‘Indefinitely’ To A Broken Foot https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-clippers-lose-norman-powell-indefinitely-to-a-broken-foot/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-clippers-lose-norman-powell-indefinitely-to-a-broken-foot/#respond Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:36:21 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738147 The Los Angeles Clippers received another bad break over the weekend by losing yet another offensive threat to try and solidify their position in the play-in tournament, currently residing at the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The newest Clippers acquisition, Norman Powell, suffered a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, according to […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Clippers received another bad break over the weekend by losing yet another offensive threat to try and solidify their position in the play-in tournament, currently residing at the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The newest Clippers acquisition, Norman Powell, suffered a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, according to the team announcement on Sunday. Even though Powell’s injury won’t require surgery, there is no timetable for his return at this time.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported the news.

The injury couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the Clippers or Powell. After coming over from the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that netted Robert Covington, Norman was on a hot streak averaging 21.0 points and 4.0 assists per game in three contests that included a 28-point explosion in his debut a week ago.

Powell suffered his left foot injury on Thursday during the Clippers’ 112-105 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He sat out Saturday’s rematch that the Clippers won 99-97 with what the team initially called turf toe.

Before being ruled out of the game, Powell stated that his foot was ‘feeling better’ per ESPN.

“It’s doing a lot better,” Powell said at the team’s morning shootaround. “Better than it was after the game. Better than it was yesterday. Feeling better, walking better. Felt a little pain in it. All from the last game. Just going to see how it feels and go from there.”

With Kawhi Leonard presumably gone for the season and Paul George’s status still in the air, Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue will have to find offense from somewhere on the roster to fill in Powell’s production.

The Clippers have 24 games left in the season with a record of 26-31, currently a game and a half ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/caris-levert-helps-cleveland-cavaliers-burn-his-old-indy-team-after-trade/feed/ 0 Dejounte Murray Sets Spurs Triple-Double Record In Win Over Atlanta https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dejounte-murray-sets-spurs-triple-double-record-in-win-over-atlanta/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dejounte-murray-sets-spurs-triple-double-record-in-win-over-atlanta/#respond Sat, 12 Feb 2022 17:19:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738079 The San Antonio Spurs started the night against the Atlanta Hawks in a freefall losing 13 of their last 18 games to fall to the 13th seed in the West. Thanks to their freshly minted All-Star, Dejounte Murray, the Spurs not only got a win but a new record in the franchise history book. Murray […]

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]]> The San Antonio Spurs started the night against the Atlanta Hawks in a freefall losing 13 of their last 18 games to fall to the 13th seed in the West. Thanks to their freshly minted All-Star, Dejounte Murray, the Spurs not only got a win but a new record in the franchise history book.

Murray became the first Spurs player in franchise history to record 30 points, 15 assists & 10 rebounds in a single game in their dominating 136-121 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Even more impressive, Murray passed Spurs icon and Hall of Famer David Robinson with his 15th career triple-double, now the most in team history.

Murray had an outstanding game shooting the ball, knocking down 11 of 18 shots from the field, going eight for nine from the free-throw line.

“That’s the thing in this league,” Murray said via NBA.com. “You make shots, you miss shots, and I think tonight we made shots, but we also kept our composure and matured. From the first quarter to the fourth quarter, we didn’t let up. We knew we couldn’t let up against a scoring team like Atlanta. That’s really what it was tonight.”

This historical game comes on the heels of an All-Star game invite for Murray, replacing an injured Draymond Green.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dejounte-murray-sets-spurs-triple-double-record-in-win-over-atlanta/feed/ 0 Joel Embiid ‘Happy’ Philadelphia 76ers Has Moved On From Ben Simmons https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-happy-philadelphia-76ers-has-moved-on-from-ben-simmons/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-happy-philadelphia-76ers-has-moved-on-from-ben-simmons/#respond Sat, 12 Feb 2022 16:58:54 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=738082 Roughly 24 hours after the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers pulled off the biggest trade of the season, swapping disgruntled superstars Ben Simmons and James Harden, the Sixers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. Philly didn’t have Harden available to suit up but provided the fans with a produced video of his […]

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]]> Roughly 24 hours after the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers pulled off the biggest trade of the season, swapping disgruntled superstars Ben Simmons and James Harden, the Sixers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. Philly didn’t have Harden available to suit up but provided the fans with a produced video of his highlights before showing him in a number one Sixers jersey to a standing ovation.

Joel Embiid had a chance to speak his thoughts on the trade after the Sixers took care of the Thunder for their 33rd win of the season via ESPN.

“Yeah, I’m happy that I’m not going to be answering any more questions about that subject,” Embiid said after finishing with 25 points and 19 rebounds in 35 minutes in a 100-87 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center Friday night. “It’s good that not just for me, but my teammates, the whole organization. The whole year, it was pretty annoying with the whole situation, but I’m glad that everybody has moved on.”

“I wish everybody the best in whatever they want to accomplish, but I’m focused on winning games here and trying to win a championship.”

Harden, who has missed several games due to a hamstring injury, is not expected to play Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. That leaves only two games for Harden to play before the All-Star break, either against the Boston Celtics at home Tuesday or the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks.

But in true Troel fashion, he explained the tweet he sent out after the trade went down.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what the tweet was about,” Embiid said with a sly smile. “I just tweeted a random person. I just saw the picture on the internet, and I thought he was well dressed. He had a nice suit on, good looking, you know, he had some swag.”

“So I just thought it was a good picture.”

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-happy-philadelphia-76ers-has-moved-on-from-ben-simmons/feed/ 0 Los Angeles Lakers Sit Russell Westbrook Just Before the Trade Deadline https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-lakers-sit-russell-westbrook-just-before-the-trade-deadline/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-lakers-sit-russell-westbrook-just-before-the-trade-deadline/#respond Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:32:35 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737863 Hours leading up to the Los Angeles Lakers’ unthinkable loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, all eyes that weren’t centered around the James Harden rumors connected to Philadelphia and Brooklyn was focused on every possible scenario the Lakers had to trade Russell Westbrook at the deadline by 3:00 EST Thursday afternoon. It was reported that […]

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]]> Hours leading up to the Los Angeles Lakers’ unthinkable loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, all eyes that weren’t centered around the James Harden rumors connected to Philadelphia and Brooklyn was focused on every possible scenario the Lakers had to trade Russell Westbrook at the deadline by 3:00 EST Thursday afternoon.

It was reported that Westbrook was held out of the game just before the game due to back tightness, marking the first game he has missed this season. Some fans and media believed that Westbrook was not playing to avoid serious injury in case the Lakers could make a deal. Coach Frank Vogel skirted the question when The Athletic’s Bill Oram asked about Westbrook being potentially moved.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Westbrook had the same back issue when the Lakers lost 131-116 to the Milwaukee Bucks. After trying to play through the pain, he was subbed out with 2 minutes and 34 seconds remaining in the third quarter, never returning.

Despite the widespread rumors, many believe that the Lakers will not be able to trade Westbrook for the assets they want. There aren’t many teams willing to take on Westbrook’s $44.2 million tab this season or his $47.1 million player option for next season. John Wall’s almost identical contract of $44.3 million and a $47.4 million player option for the following season is the only scenario that makes sense, but with a price.

The Houston Rockets reportedly will make the deal only if the Lakers are willing to give up their 2027 first-round pick and possibly more assets. Lakers executives have already panned the idea to give up the team’s draft picks to finish out the decade just to get rid of him.

Westbrook is averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.6 assists this season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-lakers-sit-russell-westbrook-just-before-the-trade-deadline/feed/ 0 Tobias Harris Frustrated Being Included In Philadelphia 76ers Trade Rumors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/tobias-harris-frustrated-being-included-in-philadelphia-76ers-trade-rumors/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/tobias-harris-frustrated-being-included-in-philadelphia-76ers-trade-rumors/#respond Wed, 09 Feb 2022 23:59:40 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737819 The Philadelphia 76ers have had their name in several trade rumors throughout the season. From the 30 player list, 6ers general manager Daryl Morey released, to mulling offers for John Collins, and their high price tag that closed the door on the Sacramento Kings trading for Ben Simmons. With less than 24 hours left before […]

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]]> The Philadelphia 76ers have had their name in several trade rumors throughout the season. From the 30 player list, 6ers general manager Daryl Morey released, to mulling offers for John Collins, and their high price tag that closed the door on the Sacramento Kings trading for Ben Simmons.

With less than 24 hours left before the trade deadline and Nets Coach Steve Nash claiming James Harden is not being traded, rumors of a possible Harden to Philadelphia still exist.

One player that is tired of the scenarios is Sixers forward Tobias Harris. Even if the team can’t get Harden at the trade deadline if the pursuit continues in the offseason, Harris’ contract would need to be moved to open up cap space.

But for now, with Harris’ having experienced in-season trades four times during his NBA career, he openly admitted via ESPN that the rumors that have surrounded his team this season have been difficult for the team to ignore.

“That will be good for us because you’re just hearing everybody’s name. I’ll just be honest, it’s one of those things — trade rumors always come around, even for guys around the NBA, but in this situation, yeah, I was reading an article, and there were five guys on the top 10 list to be moved, whatever,” he said. “So, obviously don’t get twisted: that has an impact on guys’ mental, psyche, focus, all the way down the line. So we’ll see what happens.”

“I think everybody else is in the same position as well, checking their phones to see what happens,” Harris said. “It’s our livelihoods and our jobs.”

It has been rumored by the Philly Voice that there are two potential teams with cap space, notably the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Sixers could move Harris to clear space for a possible James Harden deal.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/tobias-harris-frustrated-being-included-in-philadelphia-76ers-trade-rumors/feed/ 0 REPORT: Portland Trail Blazers Waive Veteran Center Cody Zeller https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-portland-trail-blazers-waive-veteran-center-cody-zeller/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-portland-trail-blazers-waive-veteran-center-cody-zeller/#respond Wed, 09 Feb 2022 22:18:25 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737805 The Portland Trail Blazers waived their injured center, Cody Zeller, to open a roster spot to make room for the players the team received in the trade that sent CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Athletic’s Jason Quick reported the news. The Trail Blazers are waiving center Cody Zeller, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA. Blazers needed […]

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]]> The Portland Trail Blazers waived their injured center, Cody Zeller, to open a roster spot to make room for the players the team received in the trade that sent CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Athletic’s Jason Quick reported the news.

Zeller had been out since January 25th after undergoing surgery to repair a right patellar avulsion fracture, which has cost more than 20 games this season. After signing a free-agent contract with Portland last offseason, he’s played 27 games with averages of 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench.

Before coming to the Blazers, Zeller was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft of the Charlotte Hornets and averaged 8.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in 22.7 minutes. He averaged double figures three times, with his best season coming in 2019-20, when he averaged a career-high in points (11.1) and rebounds (7.1).

However, Zeller’s injury issues have stunted his career, costing him substantial playing time in several seasons. Since playing every game as a rookie, he has never played more than 62 games in a season while averaging just 50 games in his last five seasons.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-portland-trail-blazers-waive-veteran-center-cody-zeller/feed/ 0 Brooklyn Nets HC Steve Nash Closes Door On James Harden Trade Rumor https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/brooklyn-nets-hc-steve-nash-closes-door-on-james-harden-trade-rumor/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/brooklyn-nets-hc-steve-nash-closes-door-on-james-harden-trade-rumor/#respond Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:44:45 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737506 Despite the rumors that the Brooklyn Nets were willing to listen to offers from the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons late last week, head coach Steve Nash shut down the rumors by making it clear this weekend that there are no plans to trade James Harden. Before the Nets played the Nuggets on Sunday, Nash stated […]

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]]> Despite the rumors that the Brooklyn Nets were willing to listen to offers from the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons late last week, head coach Steve Nash shut down the rumors by making it clear this weekend that there are no plans to trade James Harden.

Before the Nets played the Nuggets on Sunday, Nash stated that the Nets plan on keeping Harden for the foreseeable future. According to ESPN, Harden missed the Nets’ loss to the Nuggets due to hamstring tightness.

“I’ve talked to James; he wants to be here,” Nash said. “He wants to be here long-term as well, so I don’t think anything’s changed other than noise from the outside. James wants to be here, we’re building with James, and we think we have the best chance to win with James. I don’t think anything’s changed on the inside, in our locker room, in our communication; it’s just all the noise from the [outside].”

Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving also believes that his starting backcourt mate will be around after the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.

“I think James can speak better to that than I can,” Irving said. “We’ve had conversations, but I’m just getting back into the swing of things, how all those media plants start going around with rumors and stuff like that; I really do not concern myself with that.”

The speculation of Harden’s unhappiness and reports of Harden wanting to explore free agency options after the season fueled possible issues behind the scenes. Accounts that were strongly refuted a couple of weeks ago.

After losing to the Nuggets 124-104, the Brooklyn Nets are struggling through an eight-game losing streak along with a lengthy injury list that includes Harden (hamstring tightness), Kevin Durant (knee), Joe Harris (ankle surgery), LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) and Nic Claxton (hamstring tightness).

On Tuesday, the Nets return from a winless road trip to take on the Boston Celtics.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/brooklyn-nets-hc-steve-nash-closes-door-on-james-harden-trade-rumor/feed/ 0 Los Angeles Lakers’ Russell Westbrook Speaks Out On Overtime Benching https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-lakers-russell-westbrook-speaks-out-on-overtime-benching/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-lakers-russell-westbrook-speaks-out-on-overtime-benching/#respond Mon, 07 Feb 2022 16:20:56 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737520 For the second time in less than a month, Russell Westbrook was benched in crunch time by Los Angeles Lakers Coach Frank Vogel to finish out a game. The first time happened in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. This time, the Lakers survived an overtime thriller over the New York Knicks 122-115 over the […]

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]]> For the second time in less than a month, Russell Westbrook was benched in crunch time by Los Angeles Lakers Coach Frank Vogel to finish out a game. The first time happened in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. This time, the Lakers survived an overtime thriller over the New York Knicks 122-115 over the weekend.

Westbrook struggled throughout the game, only scoring five points on 1-for-10 shooting with six assists and four turnovers in 29 minutes. Westbrook’s fourth quarter production of zero points, missing his only field goal attempt and going 0-for-2 from the free-throw line. He spent the first six minutes and 30 seconds of the final quarter and all of overtime on the bench.

The Brodie seemingly took the benching in stride, stating the win was more important.

“That [fourth quarter] stretch was part of it,” Vogel said to explain his decision-making via ESPN. “I think obviously Russ was having a tough night on both sides of the ball, and Bron was really going. So I knew the ball was going to be in Bron’s hands, and I felt like we were going to get more from a defensive perspective and off-ball action with Talen, so–you just make tough decisions in the spirit of whatever the team needs to win a game.”

When the Lakers lost to the Pacers, the mood around the Lakers was more mellow, so much so that Westbrook had to appear on Wojnarowski’s podcast to clear the air before LA played the Magic.

The game against New York was just the 17th game Westbrook has played with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup this season. The Lakers are 10-7 in those games.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/los-angeles-lakers-russell-westbrook-speaks-out-on-overtime-benching/feed/ 0 REPORT: Milwaukee Bucks Sign Greg Monroe to A 10 Day Contract https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-milwaukee-bucks-sign-greg-monroe-to-a-10-day-contract/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-milwaukee-bucks-sign-greg-monroe-to-a-10-day-contract/#respond Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:33:12 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737527 The Milwaukee Bucks brought back veteran center Greg Monroe on a 10-day contract. He is the second center the team has brought in (DeMarcus Cousins being the other) to steal some minutes of rest for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. Monroe has been preparing himself for this opportunity by playing the last 12 games for […]

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]]> The Milwaukee Bucks brought back veteran center Greg Monroe on a 10-day contract. He is the second center the team has brought in (DeMarcus Cousins being the other) to steal some minutes of rest for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.

Monroe has been preparing himself for this opportunity by playing the last 12 games for the Capital City Go-Go of the G League and two other 10-day NBA contracts spanning five games with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards. In those games, Monroe averaged 5.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 blocks.

The veteran big man shared his feelings on being signed after a team shootaround recently via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“I’m not coming from the couch,” he said. “I’ve gotten in a full season. I’m ready to play. It’s just about getting caught up with exactly what they do here. I’m definitely ready to play. Excited to be back here. Looking forward to getting out there.”

“It’s fun being back. Loved being here. Just feels good. Excited to play with these guys and excited to get back to Milwaukee, too, and play in front of those fans as well.”

Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned how Monroe’s addition could help the team.

“I think another big has been something we’ve just been, kind of constant dialogue with Jon (Horst) and the front office and coaches, and he’s a proven pro, a veteran, has some relationships, some familiarity with guys in our locker room, felt like he fit a lot of things that we need,” Budenholzer said. “So, excited to have him, and hopefully he help us.”

During his previous stint with Milwaukee from 2015-17, Monroe averaged 13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 165 games. He’s also played for the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged 13.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals for his career.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-milwaukee-bucks-sign-greg-monroe-to-a-10-day-contract/feed/ 0 Clippers HC Ty Lue Announces Kawhi Leonard Is Likely to Miss Season https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/clippers-hc-ty-lue-announces-kawhi-leonard-is-likely-to-miss-season/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/clippers-hc-ty-lue-announces-kawhi-leonard-is-likely-to-miss-season/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 22:37:51 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737440 The Los Angeles Clippers gave some updates on their superstars returning after an exciting 111-110 victory over their cross-the-hall rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers. Paul George’s status will be more apparent when he undergoes an MRI on his right elbow on Feb. 24, but head coach Ty Lue may have spilled the beans on if Kawhi […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Clippers gave some updates on their superstars returning after an exciting 111-110 victory over their cross-the-hall rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers. Paul George’s status will be more apparent when he undergoes an MRI on his right elbow on Feb. 24, but head coach Ty Lue may have spilled the beans on if Kawhi Leonard would return via ESPN.

“We know Kawhi’s probably not gonna come back,”

“I don’t know,” Lue said. “I’m not a doctor. But hope is stronger than fear. So I’m hoping that these two guys can come back. But you never know.”

Leonard has been held out all season to rehab a torn ACL suffered in Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round series on June 14. Serge Ibaka shared what he observed with Leonard’s process to return to the floor.

“I saw him a couple times. He [is] doing good, he [is] working so hard,” Ibaka said. “Every day, he’s in the gym. I know Kawhi. He loves this game, and he’s going to try to do [the] best he can to be back strong.

“He [is] working so hard. Actually, it is impressive to see the way he has been working. He’s getting stronger. I know he wants to come back, but it’s just a question of time.”

Ty Lue’s quote might bring closure to the ongoing questions of Leonard’s return. First, it was hopeful that he would be back by the playoff due to reports of how well rehab was going. A report that Yahoo! Sports’ Chris B. Haynes touched on during a Clippers game on TNT a few weeks ago.

After opting out of his contract, Leonard signed a four-year max extension with the Clippers this offseason. He averaged 24.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/clippers-hc-ty-lue-announces-kawhi-leonard-is-likely-to-miss-season/feed/ 0 REPORT: New York Knicks Interested in DeAaron Fox-Julius Randle Deal https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-york-knicks-interested-in-deaaron-fox-julius-randle-deal/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-york-knicks-interested-in-deaaron-fox-julius-randle-deal/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 21:11:17 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737425 With the 2022 NBA trade deadline less than a week away on Thursday, rumors are heating up that the New York Knicks are pursuing a potential blockbuster deal for Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox that may include forward Julius Randle. ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst had some insight on the rumored news Friday on The Hoop […]

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]]> With the 2022 NBA trade deadline less than a week away on Thursday, rumors are heating up that the New York Knicks are pursuing a potential blockbuster deal for Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox that may include forward Julius Randle.

ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst had some insight on the rumored news Friday on The Hoop Collective podcast.

“This has been reported elsewhere, but I’ve heard as well that the Knicks have shown some interest in De’Aaron Fox,” Windhorst said. “The player that makes the most sense in that swap is Julius Randle.”

Sacramento, who recently took themselves out of the running for a potential Ben Simmons deal last week, still hasn’t officially taken Fox off the trading block due to a crowded backcourt that includes Tyrese Haliburton, Davion Mitchell, and Buddy Hield, to name a few.

Fox has been out since January 19 with an ankle injury but has been solid when healthy for the Kings. Fox averages 21.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 2021-22.

Since Randle was voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season, he has struggled mightily not only with his play but with his relationship with the Knicks fanbase. His thumbs-down gesture caused a controversy that Randle apologized for shortly afterward. His scoring average of 18.5 points is far lower than the 24.1 points per game he scored last season. Randle also averages 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

What makes the trade intriguing is that the contracts match up with Fox in the first season of a five-year, $163 million deal, while Randle’s four-year, $117 million extension kicks in next season. With both teams looking to shake up their rosters and two players possibly looking for new scenery, look for this rumor to last up to the deadline.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-york-knicks-interested-in-deaaron-fox-julius-randle-deal/feed/ 0 REPORT: Carmelo Anthony Listed Day to Day After Hamstring Strain https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-carmelo-anthony-listed-day-to-day-after-hamstring-strain/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-carmelo-anthony-listed-day-to-day-after-hamstring-strain/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 19:57:38 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737415 The Los Angeles Lakers have suffered a season of injury musical chairs, with important players missing extended time from the lineup. The injuries started with Kendrick Nunn being held out with a knee bruise the entire season thus far. LeBron James has two stints of missing multiple games with abdominal and knee injuries, while Anthony […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Lakers have suffered a season of injury musical chairs, with important players missing extended time from the lineup.

The injuries started with Kendrick Nunn being held out with a knee bruise the entire season thus far. LeBron James has two stints of missing multiple games with abdominal and knee injuries, while Anthony Davis missed 17 games with a knee injury.

In Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers lost Carmelo Anthony to a hamstring strain.

Following a 24-point performance in a Lakers win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Melo was still locked in with seven quick points in 11 minutes. However, he came up limping in the second quarter, leaving immediately for the locker room and did not return.

According to ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the injury is not as severe as feared, and he is listed day-to-day to get back in action.

Carmelo Anthony has appeared in 50 of the Lakers’ 53 games this season, leaving Russell Westbrook as the only player that has not missed a game this season.

Anthony is averaging 13.4 points and 4.2 rebounds this season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-carmelo-anthony-listed-day-to-day-after-hamstring-strain/feed/ 0 REPORT: The Timberwolves Look To Trade Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-timberwolves-look-to-trade-patrick-beverley-and-malik-beasley/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-timberwolves-look-to-trade-patrick-beverley-and-malik-beasley/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 23:29:53 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737222 The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to deal with current and future roster changes while trying to build around their “Big 3”, Karl Anthony-Towns, D’Angelo Russell, and Anthony Edwards. With Patrick Beverley close to free agency with an expiring contract, the team is putting him on the trading block along with Malik Beasley with eyes for […]

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]]> The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to deal with current and future roster changes while trying to build around their “Big 3”, Karl Anthony-Towns, D’Angelo Russell, and Anthony Edwards.

With Patrick Beverley close to free agency with an expiring contract, the team is putting him on the trading block along with Malik Beasley with eyes for a specific guard.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Timberwolves are looking at a Boston Celtics guard to replace Beverley in the future.

“Before Patrick Beverley reaches free agency, Minnesota is exploring trade avenues involving its veteran point guard in addition to the Timberwolves’ conversations regarding Malik Beasley. Marcus Smart has been mentioned as a recent target for Minnesota who would fill Beverley’s integral role in the Wolves’ starting lineup.” 

Marcus Smart is considered a younger version of Patrick Beverley at 27-years-old as a scrappy guard who exercises the most of his abilities on the court on a consistent basis. He also is a much more expensive version with a contract that won’t expire until the end of the 2025-26 season and with a remaining guaranteed amount of nearly $100 million.

If the Wolves front office decides to make the move, it’s a definite push for the playoffs where they haven’t been since the 2017-18 season.

This season, Smart is averaging 11.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, while Patrick Beverley is averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 board, and 5.0 dimes.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-timberwolves-look-to-trade-patrick-beverley-and-malik-beasley/feed/ 0 REPORT: New Orleans Pelicans Looking to Trade Two Players For the ‘Right Upgrade’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-orleans-pelicans-looking-to-trade-two-players-for-the-right-upgrade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-orleans-pelicans-looking-to-trade-two-players-for-the-right-upgrade/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 23:20:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737224 With the New Orleans Pelicans only two and a half games out of the NBA play-in tournament with a record of 19-32, the team is trying to make a push by adding veteran leadership to the roster by making deals for players like Harrison Barnes, Eric Gordon, or Robert Covington. Michael Scotto of Hoopshype listed […]

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]]> With the New Orleans Pelicans only two and a half games out of the NBA play-in tournament with a record of 19-32, the team is trying to make a push by adding veteran leadership to the roster by making deals for players like Harrison Barnes, Eric Gordon, or Robert Covington.

Michael Scotto of Hoopshype listed Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes being available for the right price, while Josh Hart’s cap-friendly contract brings interest from NBA teams.

“The New Orleans Pelicans appear to be buyers heading into the trade deadline and have expressed interest in trading for several players, including Harrison Barnes, Robert Covington, and Eric Gordon, league sources told HoopsHype. Rival executives also believe Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes are both available for the right upgrade as well.”

“According to multiple executives, the Pelicans are more willing to listen on moving Alexander-Walker than in the past. Josh Hart is also a player to keep an eye on, thanks to his team-friendly contract, which is non-guaranteed next season, as noted on our Pelicans salary page. Some teams have liked him from afar. One of those teams is Atlanta.”

Through 48 games this season, Alexander-Walker averages 12.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. In comparison, Hayes has worked his way into the rotation as the backup center behind Jonas Valanciunas, with averages of 7.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Both have guaranteed contracts through next season but could become restricted free agents if they decline their qualifying offers.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-orleans-pelicans-looking-to-trade-two-players-for-the-right-upgrade/feed/ 0 REPORT: The Clippers Make Multiple Players Available For Point Guard Help https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-clippers-make-multiple-players-available-for-point-guard-help/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-clippers-make-multiple-players-available-for-point-guard-help/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 23:07:25 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737212 The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the more unique teams in the Western Conference approaching the All-Star break. Despite not having the services of superstar Kawhi Leonard this season and losing Paul George in December to an elbow injury, they now stand at seventh place in the West with a 26-26 record. The team […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the more unique teams in the Western Conference approaching the All-Star break.

Despite not having the services of superstar Kawhi Leonard this season and losing Paul George in December to an elbow injury, they now stand at seventh place in the West with a 26-26 record. The team hasn’t closed the door on either player being shut down for the season and is looking for point guard help just in case.

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Clippers are in the market for a point guard in a trade with possibly six players being targets.

“If the Clippers dip below .500, it should come as no big surprise. But this isn’t a lost season without Leonard and George. Not at all. In fact, the Clippers found their identity on defense by examining their roster and trying to find out who will fit with their stars in the years to come.”

Despite all the good vibes on the court this season, no team is ever fully complete. Change is inevitable. And the next step for the Clippers is to find a new point guard.

While Reggie Jackson currently covers the position, the Clippers see him as more of a scorer. What they want by his side is a playmaker. Someone like Fred VanVleet or Kyle Lowry for Leonard in Toronto, or even George Hill was for a young PG-13 in Indiana. L.A. wants a point guard on that level, someone who can manage the game or provide a spark depending on the situation.

So, what kind of point guard can the Clippers reasonably obtain? Over the past few weeks, numerous reports have cited names like Jalen Brunson, Dennis Schröder, Kemba Walker, Goran Dragic, Spencer Dinwiddie, and John Wall as targets.”

The team plan’s on moving potential expiring contracts such as Serge Ibaka, Ivica Zubac (team option for 2022-23 season), or Nicolas Batum (player option for 2022-23)

The Los Angeles Clippers made team history by making Western Conference Finals last season before falling to the eventual conference champion, Phoenix Suns.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-clippers-make-multiple-players-available-for-point-guard-help/feed/ 0 LeBron James Leaves Road Trip to Atlanta Early for Treatment For Knee https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lebron-james-leaves-road-trip-to-atlanta-early-for-treatment-for-knee/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lebron-james-leaves-road-trip-to-atlanta-early-for-treatment-for-knee/#respond Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:55:08 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736959 LeBron James was not in attendance to watch the Los Angeles Lakers lose the last game of their six-game road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon, 129-121. Instead, he flew back to Los Angeles the day before to receive treatment on a swollen knee that has been bothering him since the Philadelphia 76ers […]

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]]> LeBron James was not in attendance to watch the Los Angeles Lakers lose the last game of their six-game road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon, 129-121.

Instead, he flew back to Los Angeles the day before to receive treatment on a swollen knee that has been bothering him since the Philadelphia 76ers game on Thursday. The last matchup James played was on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets.

An MRI revealed that The King was dealing with “general swelling” that did not come from a specific play on the road trip. Lakers Coach Frank Vogel stated that James could be ready to go by Wednesday when the Lakers host the Portland Trail Blazers per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

With a season average of over 36 minutes per game which ranks him fourth in the NBA, the Chosen One has taken on a heavy workload as the Lakers’ leading scorer and is second on the team in assists behind Russell Westbrook. James is second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 29.1 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists but the Lakers and Coach Frank Vogel are looking to make life easier for James.

“I think about it every day,” Vogel said about James. “We’re always mindful of the load that he’s carrying, in constant communication with him and the medical team. And in terms of what we do going forward with the knee and where he’s at, it’s really a heavy lean on the medical staff and [trainer] Mike Mancias and what they feel is best. It’s really not a head-coach thing as much as it is relying on the medical team.”

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lebron-james-leaves-road-trip-to-atlanta-early-for-treatment-for-knee/feed/ 0 Onyeka Okongwu On Playing in All-Star Weekend: ‘I Should Get A Rising Stars Nod’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/onyeka-okongwu-on-playing-in-all-star-weekend-i-should-get-a-rising-stars-nod/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/onyeka-okongwu-on-playing-in-all-star-weekend-i-should-get-a-rising-stars-nod/#respond Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:34:01 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736961 In his second season, Onyeka Okongwu has shown the potential the Atlanta Hawks envisioned by increasing the minutes of the sixth overall in the 2020 NBA draft. During the final quarter of the Hawks’ 129-121 comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Okongwu decided to put on a slam dunk exhibition in the fourth […]

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]]> In his second season, Onyeka Okongwu has shown the potential the Atlanta Hawks envisioned by increasing the minutes of the sixth overall in the 2020 NBA draft. During the final quarter of the Hawks’ 129-121 comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Okongwu decided to put on a slam dunk exhibition in the fourth quarter.

Okongwu finished with 16 points, five rebounds, and one steal.

Okongwu recently stated in an interview with Hoopshype that he believes he should be invited to the Rising Stars Challenge on All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

“Everybody can see what I do out there on the court. I think my play really speaks for itself, especially defensively with what I’ve been able to do, guarding on the ball and helping. Offensively, I’ve got my confidence back. I’ve doubled my points scoring to almost 10. At the end of the day, we’re on a six-game winning streak playing good basketball, and I’m part of the mix, which is always a blessing. I’m thankful to be able to be on the Hawks, and we’re playing good basketball. I think, all things considered, I should get a Rising Stars nod”.

The Hawks’ backup center has been a major contributor to the team’s success this season, as his skill and athleticism work well alongside Trae Young and John Collins in their small-ball lineups.

Okongwu is one of only three players (Rudy Gobert and Robert Williams the others) to average nine or more points (9.7) six or more rebounds (6.0) while shooting over 70 percent from the field (74.4 percent).

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/onyeka-okongwu-on-playing-in-all-star-weekend-i-should-get-a-rising-stars-nod/feed/ 0 REPORT: Goran Dragic Almost Certain To Be Traded https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-goran-dragic-almost-certain-to-be-traded/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-goran-dragic-almost-certain-to-be-traded/#respond Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:27:53 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736965 The Goran Dragic era in Toronto is close to ending before it had a chance to start. According to Doug Smith of the Toronto Sun, the Raptors guard hasn’t been with the team since Nov. 13 because of what was announced as a family matter. Statement from GM Bobby Webster on Goran Dragic. pic.twitter.com/g9oJxtsAhp — […]

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]]> The Goran Dragic era in Toronto is close to ending before it had a chance to start.

According to Doug Smith of the Toronto Sun, the Raptors guard hasn’t been with the team since Nov. 13 because of what was announced as a family matter.

Since the Dragon went on his leave of absence, the question is not about if he would be moved, but to what team and who would be involved in that package ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline.

According to Smith, that deal is coming sooner than later for the former All-Star.

“According to multiple NBA sources, granted anonymity because nothing has been finalized, the Raptors are finding great interest in a myriad of differently structured deals for the veteran point guard, and he is almost certain to be dealt near the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline…

“No names were clear in conversations with sources here on the weekend, but it is clear that 10 days out from the deadline, general manager Bobby Webster and president/vice-chairman Masai Ujiri are being proactive in seeking deals.”

Dragic is in the last year of his contract that pays $19.4 million this season. The 35-year-old point guard has made it clear that he wasn’t happy about the trade from Miami, stating that he was not interested in staying with the Toronto Raptors long-term and that he has “higher ambitions.” He later apologized for the comments.

The Raptors want to get below the luxury tax line and trade for a player with a cheaper salary season for another year or two.

With rumors that Goran Dragic wants to play in Dallas to back up Luka Doncic, look for the team that acquires Dragic to buy him out.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-goran-dragic-almost-certain-to-be-traded/feed/ 0 ‘Iceman’ George Gervin Endorses Dejounte Murray For the All-Star Game https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/iceman-george-gervin-endorses-dejounte-murray-for-the-all-star-game/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/iceman-george-gervin-endorses-dejounte-murray-for-the-all-star-game/#respond Fri, 28 Jan 2022 23:15:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736771 Even though no players from the San Antonio Spurs were announced as starters for the 2022 NBA All-Star team, Dejounte Murray still has a chance to be added to the West reserves with the incredible season he’s having collecting triple-doubles at a rapid rate. Dejounte Murray has tied David Robinson for the most triple-doubles in […]

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]]> Even though no players from the San Antonio Spurs were announced as starters for the 2022 NBA All-Star team, Dejounte Murray still has a chance to be added to the West reserves with the incredible season he’s having collecting triple-doubles at a rapid rate.

With Murray finishing eighth in fan voting receiving 307,213 fan votes, and with 24 player votes, a Spurs legend has started speaking out in an attempt to lobby coaches to vote him into the All-Star game as a reserve.

George Gervin recently had an interview with HoopsHype, and he believes Murray should be playing on the final day of All-Star weekend in Cleveland. 

“I think he’s an All-Star myself. I think he’s playing in the All-Star range,” Gervin said. “I really do hope. It would be good for him, and it would be good for San Antonio.”

“He’s going to get to that phase where he just knows how to win, He’s unbelievably talented, and I think he’s getting better and better.”

Whether the Spurs legend wishes get granted or not, Murray has done his part by putting up career-high numbers in scoring (19.2), rebounds (8.5), and assists (9.1) in 44 games.

George Gervin, nicknamed “The Iceman” was honored as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history known for his famous finger roll that stands as one of the most iconic shots still in the game.

“The Iceman” is a nine-time NBA All-Star and four-time scoring champ who averaged 25.1 points per game over his career. Gervin still has a legacy as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and still gets compared to the best scorers today.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/iceman-george-gervin-endorses-dejounte-murray-for-the-all-star-game/feed/ 0 REPORT: Sacramento Kings Out of the Running For Ben Simmons https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-sacramento-kings-out-of-the-running-for-ben-simmons/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-sacramento-kings-out-of-the-running-for-ben-simmons/#respond Fri, 28 Jan 2022 21:00:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736750 With less than two weeks before the NBA trade deadline on February 10th, the Sacramento Kings have officially been eliminated from the Ben Simmons sweepstakes and will pursue potential deals elsewhere, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Inside of two weeks until the February 10 NBA trade deadline, the Kings believe the asking price for Simmons […]

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]]> With less than two weeks before the NBA trade deadline on February 10th, the Sacramento Kings have officially been eliminated from the Ben Simmons sweepstakes and will pursue potential deals elsewhere, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Kings was one of the more aggressive teams for Simmons offering rumored deals surrounding guards DeAaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, but the team now believes the asking price is too high for Simmons, and they have run out of feasible offers.

Sacramento has players like Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, and Richaun Holmes to easily match Simmons’ contract salary, along with rumors of James Harden being unhappy in Brooklyn. Wojnarowski believes an in-season trade at this point could be unlikely, and the team could wait until the offseason to make a deal.

Ben Simmons continues to sit out due to mental health reasons and still hasn’t changed his mind on his trade requests. On the other hand, Simmons is signed with 6ers through the 2024-25 season, which gives them patience and leverage to wait on a deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a 29-19 start, two games behind the first-place Miami Heat, while the Sacramento Kings are in 13th in the Western Conference at 18-32 after losing five straight.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-sacramento-kings-out-of-the-running-for-ben-simmons/feed/ 0 REPORT: New York Knicks Have Interest In Dallas Guard Jalen Brunson https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-york-knicks-have-interest-in-dallas-guard-jalen-brunson/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-york-knicks-have-interest-in-dallas-guard-jalen-brunson/#respond Fri, 28 Jan 2022 20:50:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736745 The New York Knicks have been looking to make changes with their roster after a disappointing start to the season. After recently trading away forward Kevin Knox and a first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Cam Reddish, it is reported that the team has its eyes set on a guard in the Western Conference. […]

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]]> The New York Knicks have been looking to make changes with their roster after a disappointing start to the season. After recently trading away forward Kevin Knox and a first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Cam Reddish, it is reported that the team has its eyes set on a guard in the Western Conference.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer and SNY’s Ian Begley, the New York Knicks have been in constant rumors to be interested in Jalen Brunson of the Dallas Mavericks on their live audio room on the Halftime app.

With Brunson to become an unrestricted free agent this summer bringing the possibility that Dallas may have to pay the luxury tax to keep him, it might open the door for a possible trade scenario for the Knicks. Begley mentioned that New York “has touched base” with the Mavs.

“Jalen Brunson, for many different reasons, has been on the Knick radar for a while now. He’s got plenty of connections to the Knicks. So I know the Knicks, at the very least, have touched based with Dallas on Brunson, and I can’t tell you what it would take to pry Brunson from Dallas from a Knick perspective. I’m not sure on that.

But I do know he’s a highly sought-after player, and if he does hit unrestricted free agency, I can say pretty confidently there’s at least one other team prepared to give him an offer north of $20 million per year. “

Begley also laid out a scenario where the Mavs front office is forced to trade Brunson and get something back or see him walk in free agency and lose him for nothing.

“I don’t know about Dallas’ willingness to get off of Brunson at the moment. But if I’m hearing there will be significant suitors for Brunson in free agency, I’m sure they know that too. So you have to weigh the idea of potentially losing him for nothing versus dealing him at the deadline and at least getting an asset back.”

With the Mavericks averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 50.1 percent shooting from the field, Brunson is having a solid season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-new-york-knicks-have-interest-in-dallas-guard-jalen-brunson/feed/ 0 James Harden Strongly Denies Reports He’s Frustrated in Brooklyn https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-strongly-denies-reports-hes-frustrated-in-brooklyn/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-strongly-denies-reports-hes-frustrated-in-brooklyn/#respond Wed, 26 Jan 2022 23:12:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736577 James Harden was in the news on Tuesday, but not for the much-anticipated matchup between his Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. It was because of a report suggesting there’s a legitimate chance that his time in a Brooklyn uniform is numbered because of mounting frustrations over various issues.  The report being discussed was […]

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]]> James Harden was in the news on Tuesday, but not for the much-anticipated matchup between his Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. It was because of a report suggesting there’s a legitimate chance that his time in a Brooklyn uniform is numbered because of mounting frustrations over various issues. 

The report being discussed was from Jake Fischer from Bleacher Report citing sources about Harden’s frustrations from Kyrie Irving’s part-time status to Steve Nash’s coaching style at the end of games to even his living situation in New York.

When the Nets superstar was being interviewed, he simply replied, “I don’t know what you talking about… I don’t know about no reports,” Harden said. 

Whatever Harden’s level of frustration, if any, with his current situation, it is essential to note that Fischer acknowledged Harden’s “investment” in winning a title this season despite the challenges in Brooklyn.

New York Post’s Brian Lewis reached out to Nets Head Coach Steve Nash about the concerns in the Bleacher Report article, and Nash not only stated he knew nothing about what was said in the story, but he maintains ongoing communications with Harden.

The Nets’ loss to the Lakers on Tuesday dropped the Nets to third in the standings in the Eastern Conference with a 29–18 record. They are currently on a two-game losing streak, but they have a chance to get back in the win column against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-strongly-denies-reports-hes-frustrated-in-brooklyn/feed/ 0 REPORT: Philadelphia 76ers Made A Ben Simmons Offer For John Collins https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-philadelphia-76ers-made-a-ben-simmons-offer-for-john-collins/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-philadelphia-76ers-made-a-ben-simmons-offer-for-john-collins/#respond Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:29:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736574 Philadelphia 76ers team executive Daryl Morey warned that the process of finding a solution for Ben Simmons would take a long time. Since then, the team is still trying to figure out a way out of the Simmons situation before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10. The list of players the Sixers currently are […]

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]]> Philadelphia 76ers team executive Daryl Morey warned that the process of finding a solution for Ben Simmons would take a long time. Since then, the team is still trying to figure out a way out of the Simmons situation before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10.

The list of players the Sixers currently are monitoring is just as long as the rumors in the news cycle of potential players that included Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox, and Draymond Green going back to last summer.

Morey and the team recently discussed a potential Simmons package with the Atlanta Hawks for John Collins. But as soon as Tobias Harris was added to the deal, the Hawks quickly said no, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

“The 76ers and Hawks briefly kicked around a trade of Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris for John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Danilo Gallinari, League sources told HoopsHype. However, those talks stalled quickly, with Atlanta uninterested in Harris and unlikely to be able to flip him to a third team.”

This year, the Sixers have been looking for specific pieces to put around Embiid for a championship run. Collins’ athleticism and his ability to defend inspired Philadelphia to put an offer together. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Sam Amick, the asking price for the Sixers hasn’t changed.

“In return for Simmons, the 76ers have wanted a top-level All-Star or a package featuring a bevy of first-round draft picks for Simmons.”

It is understood that this Simmons deal may be pushed back to the offseason, especially with rumors of James Harden being unhappy in Brooklyn.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-philadelphia-76ers-made-a-ben-simmons-offer-for-john-collins/feed/ 0 Anthony Davis, Lakers On His Return Against the Nets https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/anthony-davis-lakers-on-his-return-against-the-nets/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/anthony-davis-lakers-on-his-return-against-the-nets/#respond Wed, 26 Jan 2022 20:58:43 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736570 After missing 17 games with a sprained MCL, superstar Anthony Davis was welcomed back into the Los Angeles Lakers starting lineup on Tuesday night in a big win over the Brooklyn Nets 106-96. After it was announced that Davis wouldn’t have a concrete minutes restriction, he ended up playing 25 minutes, finishing with 8 points, […]

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]]> After missing 17 games with a sprained MCL, superstar Anthony Davis was welcomed back into the Los Angeles Lakers starting lineup on Tuesday night in a big win over the Brooklyn Nets 106-96.

After it was announced that Davis wouldn’t have a concrete minutes restriction, he ended up playing 25 minutes, finishing with 8 points, two rebounds, two assists, and four blocks.

After the game, AD shared how he felt on the floor after missing over a month (spanning 17 games) with his injured left knee via ESPN.

“For the most part, I felt fine, felt great out there, and the first couple minutes the adrenaline took, and after that, the wind caught up to me,” Davis said. “When I caught my second wind, I was fine for the rest of the game.”

“I don’t know about the whole minute restriction thing; I think for me that might come off,” Davis said. “Might tell coach Vogel I don’t need that, but we’ll see.”

Davis’ superstar teammate LeBron James discussed the importance of his return as a boost for an underachieving team sitting seventh in the Western Conference at 24-24.

“He just makes our team so much more complete, our length defensively, our ability to really get up in people’s faces because we know we got him at the rim, or our ability to switch a lot of things because he can literally guard 1-through-5,” James said. “Offensively, it just attracts another set of eyes off of myself, off of Russell Westbrook, off of Carmelo Anthony, off of Malik Monk. Off everybody, because he’s such a dynamic player.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are 7-10 without The Brow. They face the Philadelphia 76ers (28-10) Thursday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/anthony-davis-lakers-on-his-return-against-the-nets/feed/ 0 REPORT: Indiana Pacers Sit Malcolm Brogdon For 10 Days Of Rehab https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-indiana-pacers-sit-malcolm-brogdon-for-10-days-of-rehab/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-indiana-pacers-sit-malcolm-brogdon-for-10-days-of-rehab/#respond Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:38:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736375 After holding Malcolm Brogdon out the last two games, the Indiana Pacers will be shutting down their starting point guard for the next 10 days. Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle announced that Brogdon would be undergoing a rehab program for his right Achilles. Malcolm Brogdon (sore right Achilles) will be shutdown for at least 10 days to rehab his […]

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]]> After holding Malcolm Brogdon out the last two games, the Indiana Pacers will be shutting down their starting point guard for the next 10 days. Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle announced that Brogdon would be undergoing a rehab program for his right Achilles.

The last time Brogdon saw any action was against the Los Angeles Lakers last week when he contributed 19 points, six assists, and four rebounds in 26 minutes in a Pacers win.

The Lakers game is one of only two games Brogden has been able to play in the past month, along with the January 12 game against the Boston Celtics when he played only 17 minutes. A stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols kept him out of the lineup as well.

Brogdon’s upcoming absence is just the latest of a long list of injury problems to key players for the Pacers. Indiana is missing Domantas Sabonis who is out due to an ankle injury suffered in the Lakers game last week, Myles Turner (stress fracture in foot), T.J. McConnell (hand surgery) and T.J. Warren, who has yet to suit up because of a broken foot.

Brogdon is averaging 18.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 28 games. The Pacers (17-30) are on the road toplay the Pelicans (17-28) on Monday

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-indiana-pacers-sit-malcolm-brogdon-for-10-days-of-rehab/feed/ 0 REPORT: Lauri Markannen Out Against the Knicks With Serious Ankle Sprain https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lauri-markannen-out-against-the-knicks-with-serious-ankle-sprain/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lauri-markannen-out-against-the-knicks-with-serious-ankle-sprain/#respond Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:22:41 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736372 The Cleveland Cavaliers took another hit to their roster when they lost Lauri Markannen to what is being called a “pretty significant” ankle sprain in their victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder over the weekend. The Cavaliers are already without Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton, who is lost with knee injuries for the remainder of […]

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

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

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

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

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

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-lauri-markannen-out-against-the-knicks-with-serious-ankle-sprain/feed/ 0 Cam Reddish Opens Up On His Trade Before His New York Knicks Debut https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-reddish-opens-up-on-his-trade-before-his-new-york-knicks-debut/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-reddish-opens-up-on-his-trade-before-his-new-york-knicks-debut/#respond Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:59:19 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736359 Cam Reddish made his debut in a New York Knicks uniform ten days after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks for Kevin Knox and a first-round draft pick on Sunday. Reddish made his return to court after recovering from an ankle sprain he has been dealing with since January 9th. Before the game against the […]

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]]> Cam Reddish made his debut in a New York Knicks uniform ten days after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks for Kevin Knox and a first-round draft pick on Sunday. Reddish made his return to court after recovering from an ankle sprain he has been dealing with since January 9th.

Before the game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Cam shared his thoughts on the trade and his excitement to start the next phase of his NBA career via the New York Post.

“To be honest, I didn’t know what was going to happen with the whole trade situation,” Reddish said. “I literally woke up to it all and ended up in New York. So, I’m just excited, man, to just get started. I can’t really control everything, minutes, and stuff like that. But I can control my attitude and my effort. I’m going to do my best to give all that up.”

Even though Reddish only played five minutes and scored two points off a layup and grabbed two rebounds, Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau is focusing on how his new small forward can fit in the Knicks roster.

“It’s a good question. See, I do love Cam’s size,” Thibodeau said. “Right now, we’re focused more on the wing position at the two and the three. But eventually, I do want to get a look at that to see where that goes. But I don’t think you could have enough wings, and that’s why we did the deal.”

The former 10th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft averaged 11.9 points, 2.5 boards, and 1.1 assists in 23.4 minutes per game as a Hawk this season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/cam-reddish-opens-up-on-his-trade-before-his-new-york-knicks-debut/feed/ 0 Russell Westbrook On Benching: ‘Whatever Is Asked of Me I Try to Do It to the Best of My Ability’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/russell-westbrook-on-benching-whatever-is-asked-of-me-i-try-to-do-it-to-the-best-of-my-ability/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/russell-westbrook-on-benching-whatever-is-asked-of-me-i-try-to-do-it-to-the-best-of-my-ability/#respond Fri, 21 Jan 2022 20:23:59 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736219 Russell Westbrook’s benching in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday has dominated the NBA headlines. Storylines started appearing from his leaving the arena and not making himself available to the media to the Lakers front office, giving Frank Vogel the green light to bench him. The […]

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]]> Russell Westbrook’s benching in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday has dominated the NBA headlines.

Storylines started appearing from his leaving the arena and not making himself available to the media to the Lakers front office, giving Frank Vogel the green light to bench him.

The Lakers point guard sat down in Orlando with League insider Adrian Wojnarowski for an interview, stating that even though he was disappointed with being benched Wednesday, he remains focused on doing what’s best for the team to win.

Westbrook also wanted to provide insight into the rumors that he left the locker room without meeting with reporters when both Westbrook and team officials requested that he skip the interview session. He also asked Lakers Nation for patience and a chance to show what he and the Los Angeles Lakers can do when Anthony Davis returns from his MCL injury in his left knee.

Russ made it directly clear to ESPN that he is still committed to the process of doing whatever the Lakers need to do to be successful this season.

“We obviously haven’t been fully healthy, but I’m committed to making this thing work. The communication is there with everybody in the organization to make this thing work, to make this team we all want it to be in the future.”

“Everybody is trying to figure out what to do and how to do it. I try to put my head down and do the best that I can do for our team, and whatever is asked of me, I try to do it to the best of my ability. That’s all I’ve been trying to do since I got here.”

Lakers Coach Frank Vogel has backed Westbrook throughout this period and said as much via NBA.com.

“I feel good about what we’re doing with our team and don’t feel good always about the results,” Vogel said Wednesday. “But I believe in what we can do this year, and so (I’m) steadfastly remaining focused on the task at hand.”

Russell Westbrook and the Lakers (22-23) are on the road to take on the Orlando Magic (8-38) Friday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/russell-westbrook-on-benching-whatever-is-asked-of-me-i-try-to-do-it-to-the-best-of-my-ability/feed/ 0 REPORT: WNBA Superstar Breanna Stewart Meets With New York Liberty https://www.slamonline.com/wnba/report-wnba-superstar-breanna-stewart-meets-with-new-york-liberty/ https://www.slamonline.com/wnba/report-wnba-superstar-breanna-stewart-meets-with-new-york-liberty/#respond Fri, 21 Jan 2022 18:37:55 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736205 Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion and three-time WNBA All-Star, met with New York Liberty executives this week, which could close the book on her time with the Seattle Storm. Along with Sue Bird, Stewart is one of the Storms’ two stars who are unrestricted free agents this offseason. Bird recently announced her intentions to […]

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]]> Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion and three-time WNBA All-Star, met with New York Liberty executives this week, which could close the book on her time with the Seattle Storm.

Along with Sue Bird, Stewart is one of the Storms’ two stars who are unrestricted free agents this offseason. Bird recently announced her intentions to play for a 19th season.

Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes reported the news of the meetings.

Breanna had an injury-riddled season in 2021 that got cut short with an injury to her left foot back in September against the Washington Mystics. The top overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft had surgery for a minor repair and reinforcement of the Achilles tendon in her left leg on October 14.

“My heart is in Seattle, and I plan to be back playing in the new arena, playing in Climate Pledge,” Stewart said via Forbes.com. about her desire to stay in Seattle. “Overall, I think the offseason is going really well—obviously taking some time away from basketball and making sure I’m rehabbing and recovering well.

“I am going to be interested with what happens in free agency not only for myself but really for the entire WNBA because it seems like we have a lot of free agents this year, and with the new CBA, it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out.”

Breanna Stewart has a career average of 20.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/wnba/report-wnba-superstar-breanna-stewart-meets-with-new-york-liberty/feed/ 0 REPORT: Denver Nuggets Sign DeMarcus Cousins to 10 Day Contract https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-denver-nuggets-sign-demarcus-cousins-to-10-day-contract/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-denver-nuggets-sign-demarcus-cousins-to-10-day-contract/#respond Fri, 21 Jan 2022 18:14:33 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736198 The Denver Nuggets officially signed DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract on Friday per ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The agreement comes after the veteran big man was let go by the Milwaukee Bucks after a very productive stint on Jan. 9. The Nuggets brought him in for a physical and a testing process with […]

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]]> The Denver Nuggets officially signed DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract on Friday per ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The agreement comes after the veteran big man was let go by the Milwaukee Bucks after a very productive stint on Jan. 9.

The Nuggets brought him in for a physical and a testing process with plans to sign Cousins after the Bucks waived him nearly two weeks ago.

The Sacramento Kings’ 5th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft was signed as the Nuggets start a long stretch of road games. Denver will be on the road for six games during his tenure with the Nuggets beginning with a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, followed by a game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

Before being released by Milwaukee, Cousins averaged 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds over 17 games, including a season-high 22 points against the Dallas Mavericks.

After being considered one of the NBA’s best centers in his first six seasons in Sacramento, Boogie’s career has been ravaged by injury, forcing him to become a journeyman since being traded to the Pelicans during the 2015-16 season. After playing less than two seasons for the New Orleans Pelicans, he only played 30 games for the Golden State Warriors in 2018-19. 

Then when he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, he tore his ACL in an offseason workout in Las Vegas. Since then, Cousins has had short stints with the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Bucks. 

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-denver-nuggets-sign-demarcus-cousins-to-10-day-contract/feed/ 0 Lusia Harris, the Only Woman Drafted in NBA History Passes Away https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lusia-harris-the-only-woman-drafted-in-nba-history-passes-away/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lusia-harris-the-only-woman-drafted-in-nba-history-passes-away/#respond Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:46:03 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736036 Lusia Harris, the ultimate female basketball pioneer who was the first and only woman to be officially drafted by an NBA team in 1977, passed this week aged 66. Her family sent out a statement soon after her death via NBA.com. “We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, […]

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]]> Lusia Harris, the ultimate female basketball pioneer who was the first and only woman to be officially drafted by an NBA team in 1977, passed this week aged 66. Her family sent out a statement soon after her death via NBA.com.

“We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, grandmother, Olympic medalist, The Queen of Basketball, Lusia Harris has passed away unexpectedly today in Mississippi,” the family said in a statement. “The recent months brought Ms. Harris great joy, including the news of the upcoming wedding of her youngest son and the outpouring of recognition received by a recent documentary that brought worldwide attention to her story.”

She was recently honored as the subject of a 2021 short film titled “The Queen of Basketball” that documented her accomplishments throughout her career. It caught the attention of Good Morning America, who interviewed her about the film.

Harris was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in the seventh round back in 1977, but due to her pregnancy, she chose not to attend training camp. She also scored the first points in Olympic history for women’s basketball in the Montreal Olympics when the team earned a silver medal.

Lusia Harris is an icon for the Delta State basketball program, leaving as the school’s all-time leader in points and rebounds. Harris averaged a dominant 25.9 points and 14.4 rebounds, leading Delta State to a 109-6 record and three national titles.

Harris also made history by becoming the first Black woman to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. 

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/lusia-harris-the-only-woman-drafted-in-nba-history-passes-away/feed/ 0 Donovan Mitchell Put in Concussion Protocol and Held Out Against Rockets https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-put-in-concussion-protocol-and-held-out-against-rockets/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-put-in-concussion-protocol-and-held-out-against-rockets/#respond Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:29:46 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736034 The Utah Jazz will be without their superstar guard in their Wednesday night matchup against the Houston Rockets. The team placed Donovan Mitchell in the concussion protocol this week. Mitchell appeared to have taken a shot to the head just before halftime in Utah’s 101-95 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the symptoms became […]

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]]> The Utah Jazz will be without their superstar guard in their Wednesday night matchup against the Houston Rockets. The team placed Donovan Mitchell in the concussion protocol this week.

Mitchell appeared to have taken a shot to the head just before halftime in Utah’s 101-95 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the symptoms became apparent after the game.

ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news of the Jazz placing him into the concussion protocols.

Mitchell finished the game with 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. As of Wednesday, he averages 25.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.

The Utah Jazz is out to a strong start with a 29-15 record, which places them at fourth in the Western Conference. However, the Jazz will need Mitchell back as soon as possible to keep pace with the Warriors and Suns at the top of the standings and a surging Memphis Grizzlies team now occupying the third seed.

The Jazz will look for reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson, who has shined previously in big games with veteran wing Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert to fill minutes against Houston potentially.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/donovan-mitchell-put-in-concussion-protocol-and-held-out-against-rockets/feed/ 0 REPORT: Los Angeles Lakers Place Talen Horton-Tucker On Trading Block https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-los-angeles-lakers-place-talen-horton-tucker-on-trading-block/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-los-angeles-lakers-place-talen-horton-tucker-on-trading-block/#respond Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:25:09 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=736018 The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly trying to reset their roster to move up the standings in the Western Conference. Now that Talen Horton-Tucker has become trade eligible as of Jan. 15th, he is reportedly on the trading block, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “According to people with knowledge of the […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly trying to reset their roster to move up the standings in the Western Conference. Now that Talen Horton-Tucker has become trade eligible as of Jan. 15th, he is reportedly on the trading block, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

“According to people with knowledge of the situation, the team is shopping 21-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker in trade discussions. Rival general managers believe the Lakers value Horton-Tucker, but they lack the mid-range contracts needed to put together a deal to upgrade their roster and understand no significant trade is getting made without him.”

Horton-Tucker just inked a three-year deal worth $30 million, making him the fourth highest-paid player behind LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. The Lakers have struggled with cap flexibility for the last few seasons in their attempt to acquire stars. The draft-day deal to land Westbrook and his $40 million contract makes Horton-Tucker expendable because of limited options.

THT is currently in his third season with the team, but a thumb injury that required surgery and an extended stint in the NBA Health and Safety protocols has slowed his progress.

This rumor comes on the heels of a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stating the Lakers will not make any moves of consequence.

“Listen, the Lakers tried,” Wojnarowski said. “They tried to get involved with [former Atlanta Hawks wing Cam Reddish], you know the Knicks had a better asset for them. I think the Lakers are in a tough spot to do anything other than just kind of move the furniture around.

“… I think, for the most part, the Lakers’ improvement is going to have to come from within. They just don’t have tradeable assets, especially with so few sellers in the market. There are going to be other teams who can offer those select few sellers better offers than the Lakers will be able to.”

At this point, time will tell how coveted Talen Horton-Tucker is on the trade market and if the Lakers can put together a package that a team would be interested in.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-los-angeles-lakers-place-talen-horton-tucker-on-trading-block/feed/ 0 Giannis Antetokounmpo Talks About Good Habits Against Elite Teams https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/giannis-antetokounmpo-talks-about-good-habits-against-elite-teams/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/giannis-antetokounmpo-talks-about-good-habits-against-elite-teams/#respond Fri, 14 Jan 2022 23:34:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735694 The reigning NBA champion, Milwaukee Bucks (27-17), sent another message to possible NBA Finals contenders with a huge win over the Golden State Warriors (30-11) on Thursday night. The victory added to a streak of impressive play against the top teams in the league. However, the shocker was the dismantling of the Warriors by racing […]

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]]> The reigning NBA champion, Milwaukee Bucks (27-17), sent another message to possible NBA Finals contenders with a huge win over the Golden State Warriors (30-11) on Thursday night. The victory added to a streak of impressive play against the top teams in the league. However, the shocker was the dismantling of the Warriors by racing out to a 39 point halftime lead on their way to a 118-99 victory.

Giannis Antetokounmpo shined in the spotlight, collecting a triple-double with a stat line of 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in only 30 minutes.

With the Bucks taking games from the Warriors and Brooklyn Nets (26-15) in a dominating fashion last week, The Greek Freak credited the significant win to the Bucks practicing good habits per ESPN.

“I don’t know why we play well in big games, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to just keep building good habits moving forward,” Antetokounmpo said. “Big games with big excitement or even games nobody watches, nobody cares about, we have to keep building good habits, so we can be good in May and June.”

Antetokounmpo’s overall performance against Golden State is backing up his words. Not only is he scoring efficiently, but the reigning Finals MVP is also focused on making the right reads based on what the defense shows him.

“My mindset is, I have something I’m going to take it. I’m not going to second guess it,” Antetokounmpo said. “If somebody is wide open, I’m going to try and deliver that ball to him. If I cannot, I’m going to see what’s next. I always try to be in the moment. But having an assertive mindset, an aggressive mindset, that’s how I start the game. That’s what I think in every possession.”

Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks play the Toronto Raptors (20-18) on Saturday night.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/giannis-antetokounmpo-talks-about-good-habits-against-elite-teams/feed/ 0 REPORT: Boston Celtics Interested In a Jeff Green Reunion Via Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-boston-celtics-interested-in-a-jeff-green-reunion-via-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-boston-celtics-interested-in-a-jeff-green-reunion-via-trade/#respond Fri, 14 Jan 2022 21:11:48 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735677 It seemed the Boston Celtics are always in the rumor mill to make a major deal at the trade deadline in the past few years. However, without the outrageous amount of enticing draft picks and potential young breakout stars on the roster they typically have, Brad Stevens is looking for diamonds in the rough. One […]

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]]> It seemed the Boston Celtics are always in the rumor mill to make a major deal at the trade deadline in the past few years. However, without the outrageous amount of enticing draft picks and potential young breakout stars on the roster they typically have, Brad Stevens is looking for diamonds in the rough. One of those players that fit the bill is Nuggets forward Jeff Green.

While Green was putting on a dunking exhibition against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, linked him with Phoenix Suns center Jalen Smith in the Celtics’ trade rumors on the HoopsHype podcast on Wednesday.

“The Boston Celtics have expressed interest in re-acquiring forward Jeff Green, league sources told HoopsHype. Green was coached by Brad Stevens in Boston. I’ve also heard former lottery pick Aaron Nesmith and guard Dennis Schroeder are also available in Boston. They’ve made several calls doing due diligence, including to Phoenix regarding Jalen Smith’s availability.” Scotto said.

While the Denver Nuggets have shown no indication for dealing the veteran, Green could provide a scoring and rebounding punch off the bench, a role that has kept him in the NBA for years. Also, he could be a solid veteran presence in the locker room which has been an issue at times this season.

Green reportedly has a good relationship with Celtics Coach Ime Udoka when the two had success last season with the Brooklyn Nets, and he would give Boston a versatile defender. He has a player option for $4.5 million for next season.

The 35-year-old started 24 of his 36 games and averaged 10.4 points and 3.1 rebounds for Denver this season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-boston-celtics-interested-in-a-jeff-green-reunion-via-trade/feed/ 0 De’Aaron Fox Speaks On Potential Ben Simmons Trade Rumors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/deaaron-fox-speaks-on-potential-ben-simmons-trade-rumors/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/deaaron-fox-speaks-on-potential-ben-simmons-trade-rumors/#respond Fri, 14 Jan 2022 20:19:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735673 The NBA news cycle has been dominated this season with rumors of when or if the Philadelphia 76ers will trade Ben Simmons based on the list of the 30 players that they have an eye on. With less than 30 days before the trade deadline on February 10th, De’Aaron Fox has gotten his chance to […]

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]]> The NBA news cycle has been dominated this season with rumors of when or if the Philadelphia 76ers will trade Ben Simmons based on the list of the 30 players that they have an eye on. With less than 30 days before the trade deadline on February 10th, De’Aaron Fox has gotten his chance to be connected as the latest Simmons rumor, according to Chris B. Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

“The Philadelphia 76ers canvassed the prospect of a Fox, Ben Simmons trade package as recently as a few days ago, but dialogue remains exploratory due diligence, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Kings, under second-year general manager Monte McNair, are expected to be aggressively active at the trade deadline, sources said. The front office has been given the green light by team owner Vivek Radavine to survey all options with the goal of drastically improving the roster.”

With the Interest in Fox and his backcourt teammate, Tyrese Haliburton, increasing with each passing day, Fox understands this is a part of the business of being in the NBA. His focus right now is not worrying about things he can’t control.

“If you do have a change of scenery, it changes everything. I’ve been here for five years. I’ve built a life here, a family here. But once I’m on the court, all that is out the window.” Fox said. “You’re not thinking about anything else that can happen outside of your control. 

But I’ve been through some deadlines. I’ve seen people get traded at the last second. You try not to think about it, but you know it’s a business, and anything can happen. I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Obviously, you see reports on Twitter. Am I worried about it? No. Can it happen? Yeah, it can definitely happen.”

Simmons reportedly has already made it clear that he is “open” to a trade to the Kings back in October.

De’Aaron Fox is averaging 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds this season.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/deaaron-fox-speaks-on-potential-ben-simmons-trade-rumors/feed/ 0 REPORT: Damian Lillard Will Undergo Abdominal Surgery https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-damian-lillard-to-undergo-abdominal-surgery/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-damian-lillard-to-undergo-abdominal-surgery/#respond Thu, 13 Jan 2022 01:02:45 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735521 The Portland Trail Blazers have been besieged with injuries throughout the season, and this latest news does not help in the least. Blazers superstar guard, Damian Lillard according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, will be undergoing surgery to address ongoing pain from an abdominal injury. Windhorst also reports that the surgery will not put him out […]

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]]> The Portland Trail Blazers have been besieged with injuries throughout the season, and this latest news does not help in the least. Blazers superstar guard, Damian Lillard according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, will be undergoing surgery to address ongoing pain from an abdominal injury.

Windhorst also reports that the surgery will not put him out for the season, and according to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes, the Blazers will reevaluate Lillard in six to eight weeks.

This decision is a part of a season reset after the guard was shut down for 10 days last month for the abdominal injury and is out for at least three games, as reported last week.

When the Blazers announced they were shutting Lillard, Coach Chauncey Billups discussed the possibility when asked about the possibility of shutting Lillard down.

“I think that’s probably going to be the route that we go if he doesn’t get some kind of relief there,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said last week per the Oregonian.

It’s no secret that the workload for Lillard has been heavy. Lillard’s gutsy performances in the NBA Bubble allowed Portland to get to the first round of the playoffs. Then after a short offseason with the season starting on Christmas week, he carried the team to yet another first-round playoff loss. Then he immediately went to play with Team USA in Tokyo.

Dame is off to the worst shooting start of his career, shooting only 40.2 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three-point range.

Lillard said in November that the abdomen injury has been affecting him for “three and a half or four seasons.”

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-damian-lillard-to-undergo-abdominal-surgery/feed/ 0 Carmelo Anthony Agrees With LeBron James’ Comparisons To Super Bowl Champs https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/carmelo-anthony-agrees-with-lebron-james-comparisons-to-super-bowl-champs/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/carmelo-anthony-agrees-with-lebron-james-comparisons-to-super-bowl-champs/#respond Wed, 12 Jan 2022 22:18:16 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735505 The Los Angeles Lakers have surprised some with their underachieving start at 21-20 despite their blockbuster trade to bring in Russell Westbrook in the offseason. Despite filling their roster with NBA veterans such as Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard, and Trevor Ariza, the Lakers have struggled to find consistency even though LeBron James is […]

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]]> The Los Angeles Lakers have surprised some with their underachieving start at 21-20 despite their blockbuster trade to bring in Russell Westbrook in the offseason. Despite filling their roster with NBA veterans such as Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard, and Trevor Ariza, the Lakers have struggled to find consistency even though LeBron James is playing his best stretch of basketball in years.

That stretch is the reason why James believes that the Lakers can still finish strong to win the NBA championship in a similar fashion to what Tom Brady did with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a mediocre start, the team put it all together late in the season and went on a playoff run that ended in Brady winning a seventh overall Super Bowl.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Anthony, and other Laker teammates seem to have related to the comparison to the seven-time Super Bowl champion and arguably the greatest football player of all time.

“It’s a great comparison, What better team and what better situation to compare it to than what the Bucs did last year?”

“Just from the standpoint of starting off slow and having new guys on the team. New system. Guys trying to figure it out, guys trying to figure out how to play with LeBron and (Anthony Davis) and now incorporating Russ and just now everybody figuring out what their role is,” Anthony said. “And what made it beautiful for the Bucs is that once it came together, it came together and you saw what happened with that.”

The King used the comparisons to prepare his team for the possible growing pains of figuring out roles long-term and team chemistry during the offseason. Anthony stated that James’ foreshadowing has kept the team on an even keel at the halfway point this season.

“It was just kind of preparing ourselves for whatever happens, whatever comes along,” Anthony said. “I think we were, I don’t want to say prepared for those (difficult) moments and those times mentally and emotionally, but yeah, those were conversations that were happening.”

The Los Angeles Lakers start the second half of the season against the Sacramento Kings (16-27).

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/carmelo-anthony-agrees-with-lebron-james-comparisons-to-super-bowl-champs/feed/ 0 REPORT: Paul George May Miss the Rest Of the Season With Elbow Injury https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-paul-george-may-miss-the-rest-of-the-season-with-elbow-injury/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-paul-george-may-miss-the-rest-of-the-season-with-elbow-injury/#respond Wed, 12 Jan 2022 21:28:38 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735502 According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly operating as if the torn ulnar collateral ligament that superstar Paul George suffered in December could possibly keep him out for the rest of the season. When the Los Angeles Clippers initially announced the injury, the team hoped resting George for three to […]

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]]> According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly operating as if the torn ulnar collateral ligament that superstar Paul George suffered in December could possibly keep him out for the rest of the season.

When the Los Angeles Clippers initially announced the injury, the team hoped resting George for three to four weeks would help the 31-year-old guard recover.

“While the team’s initial announcement on Christmas Day stated George would be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks, the Clippers are operating under the possibility that George may not return this season, sources told B/R.”

In 26 games this season, PG-13 was playing at a level that had some believing that he was in the MVP conversation averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He had thrived as the Clippers’ number one option while Kawhi Leonard continued his rehab on his surgically repaired knee.

The Clippers had high hopes to start the season during their seven-game winning streak that had them at the top spot early in the Western Conference playoff picture. Since George’s injury, the Clippers have fallen into the play-in tournament section of the standings at 21-21 behind the Los Angeles Lakers. 

With the Clippers without their best two-way player, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, and Terrence Mann will be counted on for the team to stay relevant in the Western Conference playoff race. The Clippers’ future plans depend on how well things go. If Los Angeles can move up in the standings, they can entertain options of bringing back Leonard and George in time for the postseason.

However, if the struggles continue, both stars could be shelved in plans for next season. The Clippers have Tuesday off before playing the Pelicans (15-26) on the road.

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-paul-george-may-miss-the-rest-of-the-season-with-elbow-injury/feed/ 0 REPORT: Indiana Pacers Sign Lance Stephenson For the Rest Of Season https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-indiana-pacers-sign-lance-stephenson-for-the-rest-of-season/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-indiana-pacers-sign-lance-stephenson-for-the-rest-of-season/#respond Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:47:21 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735378 Lance Stephenson didn’t take long to become the NBA’s first hardship waiver success story. The last day of his 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers is on Monday, but he will not only be a part of the roster but the rotation for quite a while. According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Pacers announced […]

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]]> Lance Stephenson didn’t take long to become the NBA’s first hardship waiver success story. The last day of his 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers is on Monday, but he will not only be a part of the roster but the rotation for quite a while.

According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Pacers announced their intentions to keep Lance through the end of the season.

Anyone that saw Stephenson’s last two games saw this decision from the Pacers’ front office coming. They waived Kelan Martin to open a roster spot for the 6-5 guard the team drafted 40th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft.

First, he stole the show when Kyrie Irving’s made his return to the Brooklyn Nets roster by scoring an NBA-record 20 points off the bench in the first quarter on his way to a 30 point performance last Wednesday.

Then he followed it up by dishing a career-high 14 assists to go with 16 points, six rebounds, and four steals in the Pacers’ 125-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. His playmaking sparked his teammate Domontas Sabonis to a 42 point and six rebound night on 18-22 shooting.

After the Nets game, Stephenson expressed his feelings about being back in an Indiana uniform via the Indy Star.

“As soon as I put that jersey on, I feel like I just get my powers,” Stephenson said after scoring 30 points, just three points shy of his career-high, against the Nets on Wednesday. “I don’t know what it is. Every time I put that jersey on, I just feel comfortable, and when you playing in front of people that’s happy for you to play and egging you on, it just makes the game more easier.”

This is Stephenson’s third stint with the franchise. On Monday, the Pacers (15-25) return to action against the Celtics (19-21).

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]]> https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-indiana-pacers-sign-lance-stephenson-for-the-rest-of-season/feed/ 0