Roughly 24 hours after the Phoenix Suns land in Atlanta, having just flown in from New York following a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, Mikal Bridges is told that he has to hop on a flight back to Brooklyn. On a one-way ticket, that is. He’s been traded.

With no chance to grab any personal belongings from his home in Phoenix, Bridges simply gathers the bags he has packed for the five-game road trip (ATL was the fourth stop), says his goodbyes to his teammates and staff—after spending four and a half seasons in the desert—and returns to BK. 

He’ll be living out of a hotel near the Brooklyn Bridge waterfront for the next few weeks until he finds a more permanent spot. But as turbulent as the shift may feel, a change in scenery isn’t the only thing Bridges is going to have to get used to in the coming weeks. 

An entirely different role awaits, as well as an entirely different aura around his name.

In just his third game with the Nets, Bridges posted a career-high 45 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists in a win against the Heat. His career-high up to that point was 34 points. After having never touched the 40-point mark in Phoenix, he went on to drop 40+ points three times—including twice during a three-game stretch—in the last couple of months of the season with Brooklyn.

“Just having that game [against Miami] and winning, and just all that buzz and being fine, that feeling of being in New York for real and all the love and the publicity after that—I’ll definitely say after that Miami game [is] where I felt [it]. And I had a little [All-Star] break [after], so I went home and then when I came back it was like, Alright, let’s get ready for this, this little second gear,” remembers Bridges. 

With the Nets, he quickly began putting his name in the record books, again and again. He became the first player in NBA history to average 25 or more points while shooting 50/40/90 in his first 10 games with a new team. He also broke the record for most points ever scored in the month of March by a Nets player, which was good for the second-most points by a Nets player in any month in franchise history.  

After averaging 17.2 points per game in 56 outings with the Suns this past season, Bridges’ scoring average skyrocketed to 26.1 points with the Nets. Since the mid-February move, the former Villanova standout went on to finish with 30+ points on 11 different occasions in Brooklyn. Prior to the trade, he had only surpassed 30 points one time this season (and only two other times in his entire career).

He had suddenly gone from being a nice supporting player whose full potential remained hidden while hooping in the shadows of All-Stars like Devin Booker and Chris Paul in Phoenix to emerging as a full-blown bona fide star. A legitimate go-to first option on a playoff team overnight, it seemed.  

“I think the toughest thing was just not having everything, and everything [happened] so fast with the trade. Just had to leave where [I’m] at to come there. I just had my bags and went straight to New York,” says Bridges. “But it was dope. I always wanted to live in New York—came to New York a lot in college, just playing out here [in Philly], went to Villanova, so everybody lives in New York coming from Villanova. But it was great. I love the people here, and I love the vibe in New York and the city. So, I was very excited to come here.

Just being on the East Coast again, I love the East Coast people. Obviously, I love the people in Phoenix as well, they’re great people, but it’s just [about] coming back to the East Coast, to what I’m used to.”

After “blowing it all up” and trading superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant within a handful of days from each other, the Nets had found their new star much quicker than they may have anticipated. Bridges brought much-welcomed hope and excitement to a fan base that was in dire need of it. The franchise had found a fresh identity while in the dawn of a new era.  

But being the guy for any NBA team has its challenges, too. There are defensive schemes thrown at you that others don’t see. You’re scouted differently. And as a leader, expectations are higher than for anyone else in the locker room. The role has a few extra duties. It’s all been part of the learning curve for Bridges, one that he’s welcomed with open arms. 

“I think the biggest challenge is probably always leading, every single time. Even if I get frustrated, guys are kind of looking at me strictly just because, and I feel like that’s a struggle I just kind of [have to] get better at it ’cause it’s emotions in the game and I get frustrated a lot,” says Bridges of his sudden leadership role in Brooklyn. “Just can’t let my emotions bring anybody else on the team down, so, just got to stay positive, even if it’s tough—gotta push through it and try to be level-headed at all times. 

“It’s definitely a challenge, but, you know, it’s something I love and embrace and take on. It’s definitely different, being one of the go-to guys and defenses scout on you. Luckily, I had some time before I got traded—we had a lot of guys out in Phoenix at the time—where I was being that guy. And it was, trust me, a lot of growing pains. It was tough just being that focal point and everybody’s looking at you. But I feel like it’s been good—a lot of learning, still learning to this day—and there’s gonna be a lot more to learn. But I’m here to embrace it and go through the tough times just to blossom later.” 

The trade paved the way for Bridges’ return to the Northeast. He was born and raised just a couple hours south of Brooklyn in the greater Philadelphia area, where he spent his entire life until the Suns traded for him on draft night in 2018.   

“When I was in college, we came to New York a lot, just playing in the Garden [in the annual Big East Tournament] and then having events. Coach [Jay] Wright loved New York, so we had an event called Hoops on the Hudson,” Bridges remembers. “We’d come out here and be out here for a couple days while it was preseason. Just been around and visiting in college and in the summer, have friends who live out here—I just know the speed of New York and I was just super excited to come here.” 

The trade also allowed Bridges to reach an extremely rare feat: playing 83 regular season games. The last time this occurred was in 2014-15 when Josh Smith played for both the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets following a trade. In fact, Bridges hasn’t missed a single game in his five-year NBA career thus far. 

“He’s the iron man of the NBA,” Nets teammate Spencer Dinwiddie told ESPN earlier this year.  

It’s just another prime example of the kind of star the Nets got in February—a certified hooper who can be counted on to show up, whenever, wherever, with whomever.  

“I’m just trying to win, honestly, that’s the biggest thing for me. Obviously, just playoffs and hopefully eventually—the biggest is always a championship, but there’s a lot of steps to do to get there,” says Bridges. “So sustainably just winning and building a really good culture.”

Portraits by Marcus Stevens

The post Mikal Bridges is Ready to Embrace His New Star Role in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

Respect is the ultimate currency. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/kbqHv9Fexu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 13, 2023

The loss came after Luka Doncic (35 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists) knocked down a step-back triple over the 6’2 Dennis Schröder. Luka Legend forced overtime after he inbounded the ball to Spender Dinwiddie, who then handed him the ball while simultaneously setting the screen, forcing the Lakers to switch from Russell Westbrook being Doncic’s primary defender to Schröder defending Doncic.

“We weren’t looking to foul,” Ham explained postgame. “Felt confident in the five guys we had defending, and he did what Luka does, he made a shot. I’m kicking myself in the butt. I needed to coach a little better in that instance; we should have blitzed him — or at least forced him inside the three-point line.”

“You know, it’s those situations [that are] kinda chaotic — bunch of chatter, everything’s going on, you’re trying to figure out matchups. We — read [the Mavericks’ offense], switched anyways. So I’ll take the bullet for that. That’s on me. We have to be better defensively in those moments and force someone else [other than Doncic] to beat us.

2 clutch @luka7doncic stepbacks.
2 powerful @SDinwiddie_25 dunks.
2 big @Chriswood_5 blocks.

2 overtimes… 1 @dallasmavs win! pic.twitter.com/lCHqHodGcf

— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2023

Leaving Schröder on an island was a vastly different strategic decision for a Lakers team blitzing Doncic with double-teams all game. Although Doncic finished the game with a triple-double, forcing the ball out of his hand or making him shoot over a taller lengthier defender would’ve been the preferred result.

The lakers had a chance to win after rallying back from a 19-point regulation deficit, but they couldn’t make enough plays over the extra 10 minutes they played. Dinwiddie delivered the win after scoring twice during Dallas’ decisive 6-0 run, making sure the Mavs won for the second time in five games.

The Lakers will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

The post Darvin Ham Regrets Not Double-Teaming Luka Doncic Before His Clutch Shot appeared first on SLAM.

Walker averaged 8.0 points and 2.1 assists per game during his nine-game stint with the Mavericks after he signed a veterans minimum to play in Dallas in November.

Sources: Mavs are waiving Kemba Walker, whose salary would have become guaranteed Saturday. Two-way G McKinley Wright IV has earned minutes and Mavs also want to leave path for rookie Jaden Hardy to get playing time. Walker had 32-point game for Mavs and was ultimate pro.

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 6, 2023

Cardiac Kemba’s best performance as Mav came after dropping 32 points in a 100-99 loss to Cleveland on Dec. 17 in an effort to carry the load when Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie sat out.

McKinley Wright’s development and increased workload as a defensive-minded guard helped Dallas decide. Dallas is reportedly looking to create more playing time for rookie guard Jaden Hardy who has averaged 28.8 points per game when playing in the G League. Hardy scored 15 points in 15 minutes against the Celtics on Thursday.

Dallas will also consider signing players to 10-day deals before they officially close that open roster spot Walker’s release created.

The post The Dallas Mavericks Have Waived Veteran Guard Kemba Walker appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

Let it fly pic.twitter.com/W3U2W50lL6

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 26, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

As the starting point guard on Coach Jason Kidds WCF-finalist team, Brunson averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds. and 3.7 assists per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc. When Brunson and his representatives negotiated his $104 million deal, Kidd said he was happy the Villanova product got the deal.

“The biggest thing is I’m happy he got paid,’’ Kidd said on the “All the Smoke’’ podcast. “He helped us. I know [Mavericks owner Mark] Cuban doesn’t like this, but I love when I can get a player get paid.’’

This last season, Brunson emerged as Dallas’ second-best player behind Luka Doncic, forming a dynamic tandem that will leave Dallas fans asking “what-if?”The memories of Dallas’ first WCF-run since winning the 2011 title will last a lifetime for some fans.

“I tell a player on the first day of camp, ‘Tell me what you want,’ ” Kidd said. “Everyone wants shots. Everyone wants minutes. But that’s not the truth. They want to get paid and want to play.”

“Cool. I can help you do that. The other part of that is I’m going to ask for a couple of things. Trust, communicate and play hard. If you ask Brunson, he will tell you he listened [to me], and good things happened. I just want to put people in position to be successful.’’

With the departure of Brunson to New York, Dallas will look to replace Brunson with Spencer Dinwiddie at the floor general position.

The Knicks are being investigated for allegedly tampering with Brunson before free agency began. The Knicks are reportedly likely to be punished by forfeiting a draft pick. Brunson reportedly had no interest in hearing Dalass’ counteroffer while he was on vacation in Jamaica with his family, fully intent on signing in Dallas.

“There’s 30 companies in the NBA,’’ Kidd said. “We all can’t stay in the same company. For him to go to New York to get paid and an opportunity to run his own team. I’m happy for him.’’

The post Jason Kidd on Jalen Brunson Leaving for New York: ‘I Love When I Can Get a Player Get Paid’ appeared first on SLAM.

After a practice ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Croatia on Thursday, reporters at a media call asked Doncic and Dragic if they were interested in playing together. Doncic and Dragic both declined to go into specific and gave reporters a politically correct answer to avoid a tampering fine.

“I would like to answer that,” Doncic said. “But I think it’s a $100,000 penalty if I did. You should ask the GM about that.”

“We can’t talk about it till July 1.” Dragic followed up.

Luka and Goran were asked about the possibility of them playing together in Dallas next season.

Luka: “I would like to answer that, but I think it’s a 100.000 penalty if I did. You should ask the GM about that.”

Goran: “We can’t talk about it till july 1st.” pic.twitter.com/8phIKfHvsy

— Matej Sportinfo (@MatejSportinfo) June 28, 2022

The last time a Doncic-Dragic union made the rumor mill was the previous offseason. Dragic was heavily tied to the Mavericks last summer before the Raptors bought his contract out following his trade from the Heat. The plan to add Dragic fell through after the Mavs traded for Spencer Dinwiddie shortly before the trade deadline. According to Marc Stein, Dallas is once again expected to make a run at Dragic once free agency begins on Thursday.

As the leaguewide focus rapidly shifts to next week’s draft and the June 30 start of free agency, sources say Dallas — while prioritizing its need for more wing help — does intend to explore the possibility of signing Goran Dragic this summer.

More NBA: https://t.co/LGN9cVpeGP

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 17, 2022

Free Agency begins on Thursday, and the Mavericks’ front office will have a big decision to make in re-signing Jalen Brunson to an extension. The New York Knicks are hot on their trails for Brunson’s services.

The post Goran Dragic On Teaming Up With Luka Doncic: ‘We Can’t Talk About it Until July 1’ appeared first on SLAM.

31 PTS | 5 REB | 11 AST@StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/GBOXfHWNaD

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2022

Andrew Wiggins followed Curry up with 27 points and 11 rebounds on 11-20 shooting from the field, including this insane poster dunk on Luka Doncic that gave the Warriors a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Wiggins slam was initially called an offensive foul but was counted as a bucket after Coach Steve Kerr successfully protested otherwise.

“He hasn’t had the opportunity to be on the stage before,” Curry said. “With the confidence that we have as a team and the ability to come out here and prove who he is as a player in games that matter and I always say ‘just find ways to impact winning,’ he’s figured that out.

Wiggins with the poster on Luka .

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/RgHjDk8a61

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

The Warriors’ other starters were in rhythm and flowed throughout Game 3. Klay Thompson finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Kevon Looney contributed nine points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, and Draymond Green posted 10 points, five rebounds, and five dimes. Not to mention the 10 points and five rebounds effort from Jordan Poole.

The Mavs’ apparent game plan to stretch the floor and match the Warrior’s firepower with a barrage of three-pointers fell flat on its face. Dallas made just 13-45 triples on Sunday, with Luka Magic’s first-quarter buzzer-beating three bringing the Dallas fans to their feet. The Mavericks’ two long-range snipers, Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber, struggled on Sunday, missing all 12 of their combined long-range attempts.

The first half of Sunday’s Game 3 was a roller coaster ride for the WCF foes. The Warriors led by as many as 12 in the first quarter, while the Mavs led by as many as nine. The Warriors took over and sustained that effort over the long haul after ending the half on a 15-5 run.

With a look-away three-pointer, Curry put a bow on the Warriors’ first-half effort. Curry’s bucket irritated Doncic, who promptly exchanged words with Poole and Juan Toscano-Anderson. After officials stepped in to claim the situation down, a confused Curry asked Doncic what happened. The two superstars cleared the air, with Green eventually playing peacemaker when the conversation ran its course.

His movement off the ball is god-tier. Curry with the iconic look-away three.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/QApyPsgQCJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

The Warriors controlled the tempo and continued to keep Dallas at bay. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter, at the 1:15 mark, in fact, that the Mavs made the game close with a Spencer Dinwiddie (26 points) triple to cut the Warriors’ lead to five points. Poole promptly slammed the door shut on any comeback bid with a triple from the left wing to cement the Warriors’ nine-point win.

POOLE PARTY pic.twitter.com/gLIZCIf1tu

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2022

The last time the Warriors swept a WCF series was in 2019 against the Portland Trail Blazers. They lost the 2019 NBA Finals to the Raptors in six games. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit.

“When you’re up 2-0, and you come on the road, to stranglehold control of the series, that’s huge. It’s a good feeling to know that we came in and gotta win, and then we can play with house money on Tuesday and try to get a dub,” Curry said.

The post Stephen Curry Scores 31 to Lead Warriors to 109-100 Win and 3-0 Series Over Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

Mavericks came out to freaking play tonight to advance to the WCF.

Luka: 35 PTS 10 RBS 4 AST
Spencer Dinwiddie: 30 PTS
Jalen Brunson: 24 PTS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 16, 2022

Luka Legend hit his first three shots, including two three-pointers, to give the Mavericks an early lead they would never surrender. Over the next two hours, the Mavericks blitzed the Suns, leading by as many as 46 before the final buzzer sounded.

Doncic (35 points and 10 rebounds) and Spencer Dinwiddie (30 points and three rebounds) became the first teammates to at least score 20 points in a half in a Game 7 setting since Patrick Ewing and Allan Houston did it for the Knicks in 1997 according to ESPN Stats and Info.

“I don’t know what to say,” Doncic said. “But this was amazing to win. Everybody was locked in to win. Everybody played as hard as they can, no rest; we didn’t take one play off. So this is an incredible feeling.”

Mavericks came out to freaking play tonight to advance to the WCF.

Luka: 35 PTS 10 RBS 4 AST
Spencer Dinwiddie: 30 PTS
Jalen Brunson: 24 PTS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 16, 2022

Up to this point, the host team won the first six games of the series, but the Mavs dominated in Phoenix from start to finish, ending the season for a Suns team that won a franchise-record 64 games, looking like a serious contender to make back-to-back NBA Finals appearances throughout the regular-season.

Any drama fans were expecting was quickly erased by the Mavs, who built a 27-17 cushion in the first quarter. That Dallas lead eventually turned into a 57-27 Suns deficit at halftime. Doncic and Dinwiddie outscored the Suns by themselves, combining to score 48 points. Luka Legend himself matched the Suns’ team total after scoring 27 points by himself. Doncic shot 12-19 from the field, including 6-11 from distance.

The Dallas-Golden State Western Conference Finals series will begin on Wednesday, with Game 1 taking place in San Francisco.

“They’re a championship team. It’s going to be really tough again. I’m going to enjoy this win tonight, and then tomorrow we’re going to think about Golden State.”

The post Luka Doncic On Advancing to the Western Conference Finals: ‘Everybody Was Locked In’ appeared first on SLAM.

The blowout win was Luka Legends’ first career elimination game win in three tries, the first two chances coming in losses to the Clippers the last two seasons. The Mavericks have now answered a loss of at least 20 points with a victory of their own 10 straight times this year, 13 if you count last season, including a playoff win against the Clippers.

“I don’t know if he was playing as if he was trying to do something different,” Kidd said per ESPN. “I think he enjoys the moment. You guys have seen a little bit longer than I have up close. He’s not afraid of the stage. I think you guys call it the first time winning an elimination game. He’ll be in this situation a long, long time.”

Luka talking trash gets me hyped (via @espn) pic.twitter.com/99gqXehkpu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 13, 2022

The Mavs’ blowout win can be attributed to their stifling defense. Dallas held Phoenix to a season-low in scoring, regular or postseason, for the second time in the Western Conference semifinal series. The Suns were also held to a playoff low 39.7 percent shooting from the field and turned the ball over a season-high 22 times.

Luka hyped up the crowd and had words for Devin Booker after this offensive foul. pic.twitter.com/9IDmWJeXd8

— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2022

Dallas was also aided by the contributions of Reggie Bullock (19 points), Jalen Brunson (18 points), and Spencer Dinwiddie (15 points on 5-7 shooting from beyond the arc).

“I think we won this game on the defensive end,” Doncic said. “We’ve got another game. That’s fun. It’s playoffs, and we’re going to give our energy.”

The Mavericks blew the gates open with a 19-6 run to finish the first half, turning a two-point lead into a 60-45 lead going into halftime. The Suns attempted to make some second-half pushes, but the Mavs were clicked on all cylinders and grew their lead to as many as 27 points, ensuring long before the final whistle that there would be a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday.

The post Jason Kidd on Luka Doncic’s Playoff Heroics: ‘I Think He Enjoys the Moment’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, it’s not Luka Legends’ record-breaking sixth 40-point game at 23-years-old that’s receiving attention at the moment. Instead, the Suns and Chris Paul are relentlessly hunting for a CP3-Dončić matchup out of the pick-and-roll, creating an offensive attack that’s overshadowing the offensive exploits of Dončić.

During Game 2 of the Suns-Mavs series, Paul ran Dončić through 19 ball screens in the second half, scoring 1.81 points per chance on those possessions, per ESPN and Second Spectrum. The back-and-forth between the two All-Stars all but erased the 35-point effort Dončić put up in the Mavs’ 129-109 loss as CP3 torched the suns to the tune of 28 points, six rebounds, and eight assists.

“It’s no secret, they’re going to put him in every pick-and-roll,” Kidd said about the Suns seeking out Luka Doncic, “[Opponents] did the same thing with Dirk [Nowitzki] until he participated and stuck up for himself.”

Jason Kidd on the Suns’ hunting Luka Doncic: “It’s no secret, they’re going to put him in every pick-and-roll. [Opponents] did the same thing with Dirk [Nowitzki] until he participated and stuck up for himself”

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 6, 2022

Heading into Game 3 down 2-0, Kidd and Doncic will have to find a way to get vital scorers like Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie going and a way to get stops when it matters the most so that Dončić can bring them home during crunch time.

Some of that may depend on Kidd developing a game plan that will lessen the load Dončić carries; as of Game 2, he holds a League-high 38.8 percent usage rate in the playoffs. It was 45 percent in the first half of Game 2.

Defensively, the Mavs could look to do the same to CP3, effectively wearing him as the game goes on so that he loses some offensive potency late in the fourth quarter. Another solution would be to pre-switch, allowing a teammate to switch with Dončić’s matchup before a pick-and-roll action can be run.

Time is of the essence for Dallas to reclaim some momentum as the Suns-Mavs series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday.

The post Jason Kidd on the Suns Seeking Luka Doncic Matchup: ‘They’re Going to Put Him in Every Pick-and-Roll’ appeared first on SLAM.

Luka Doncic now has the most 40-point playoff games by a player 23 or younger after dropping his 6th postseason 40-piece tonight.

— SLAM Newswire (@SLAMnewswire) May 3, 2022

Doncic has eclipsed Larry Bird, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Tracy McGrady, Chris Paul, and Devin Booker for most 40-point games in just 17 career playoff games. Luka Magic is tied with Stephen Curry and George Gervin. To top off this accomplishment, Doncic’s playoff career average of 33.5 points per game matches that of the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan.

The only thing that Doncic and the Mavs could’ve asked for was a win to go along with his primetime performance. Phoenix went into Game 1 of their second-round series with Dallas focused on preventing the Mavs’ other playmakers from getting into a rhythm. The rest of Dallas’ starters combined for just 39 points; the second time in Doncic’s playoff career, he scored more points than his teammates in the starting lineup.

“He got whatever he wanted, when you look at the shots in the paint, behind the arc, midrange, and then also I thought he got his teammates some great looks that we normally had made,” Coach Jason Kidd said per ESPN. “I thought he played great.

“We’ve just got to get someone to join the party.”

The Suns also made to sure blanket Dwight Powell during pick-and-roll situations and prioritized switching on screens set by Maxi Kleber, who scored 19 points on 6-9 shooting. The breakout star of the first round, Jalen Brunson, had a tough night shooting, scoring 16 points on 6-16 shooting, and Spencer Dinwiddie finished with eight points on 3-8 shooting.

Game 2 of the Phoenix-Dallas series will take place on Wednesday.

The post Luka Doncic Posts Sixth 40 Point Game; Most Ever By a 23-Year-Old appeared first on SLAM.

The moment seemed to hang in the air, but Bogey’s shot was short, Donovan Mitchell nearly fell to his knees in disbelief as Luka Doncic, and the Mavs celebrated getting to round two.

“Oh, man, I thought, ‘He don’t miss a lot of those,'” Doncic said, per ESPN. “My heart stopped.”

For the first time since 2011, the Mavericks have won a playoff series. The 98-96 closeout win also represented Doncic’s first playoff series win and will be the first time he’s moved past the first round in his bright career.

All love.

Great series, @utahjazz. pic.twitter.com/k3iwgdWhO3

— x – Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) April 29, 2022

Doncic finished Game 6 with 24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in 42 minutes, playing the entire second half as the Mavs rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit. The triumphant comeback came after the Mavs torched Utah’s defense with 14 second-half triples, the most in one half in Dallas playoff history.

“Happiness, man,” Doncic said. “I think we worked really hard to get here. I think we deserve to get past the first round. Everybody fought their ass off today. We didn’t play good today, but everybody was staying together. Keeping everybody together was the key to win this game.”

MAGIC pic.twitter.com/w2eU4CA4sl

— x – Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) April 29, 2022

The third quarter proved vital as the Mavs outscored the Jazz 36-19 and knocked down 8-12 three-pointers. Ten out of the Mavs’ 13 bucks were assisted, primarily thanks to the decisive decision-making of Doncic out of traps and double-teams. Doncic had one dime but scored 10 points, including two step-back threes in the monumental third frame.

“I like sharing the ball,” Doncic said. “If they’re going to [double-team], somebody is going to be open. We’ve been playing against blitzes or hits the whole season, and I think we did great. Then it’s just basketball, four-on-three.”

Game 1 of the Suns-Mavs second-round series will start on Monday.

The post Luka Doncic On Winning His First Playoff Series: ‘I Think We Deserve to Get Past the First Round’ appeared first on SLAM.

The differentiator in Game 2 was on the perimeter. Dallas was hot from beyond the arc all night, finishing 22-of-47 (46.8%) from that distance. Those 22 made 3-pointers set a new franchise-best for the postseason.

This was fueled by Maxi Kleber, who knocked down eight of his 11 attempts from deep. This was one make away from tying Jason Terry for the all-time postseason record for triples made in a game. 

Dallas made 17 uncontested 3-pointers in this contest, which is the most by any team in last ten postseasons. However, that’s not something the Mavericks are going to depend upon moving forward in this series. 

“It’s not live or die by the three. We’re not Golden State,” Spencer Dinwiddie said postgame. 

Furthermore, Jalen Brunson continued to shine in the absence of Doncic, finishing the night with a career-high 41 points. He also posted eight rebounds and five assists. From the moment the game tipped off, Brunson was in control of the offense. He became became the fifth member in the history of the Mavericks to score at least 40 points in a playoff game.

“He’s gonna make a lot of money,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd of Brunson who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. “I don’t know if he needs an agent. It’s not just what he did tonight. He’s shown he deserves to be paid.”

What was perhaps most impressive about Brunson’s night was that he kept the offense in rhythm, which helped Dallas take care of the ball. Brunson became the first player in Mavericks history with 40 points and zero turnovers in a playoff game. 

As a team, Dallas committed just three turnovers, which is a franchise record since that statistic began being tracked in 1982. 

Again, it took a historic night for the Mavs to pull off the much needed win. Now, they’ll head to Utah for the next two games of the series. Although the Jazz would have preferred to win both games without Doncic in the lineup this far, they’re still confident moving forward. 

“Two wins is great, but one win is good. We have to make adjustments,” said Rudy Gobert postgame. “It’s a marathon.” 

Jazz coach Quin Snyder has a similar mindset entering Game 3, realizing there’s still a ton of basketball left to be played. 

“This is the playoffs,” said Snyder after the loss. “It’s 1-1, we’re going back home. It’s a seven-game series.”

Utah struggled to defend the perimeter, which ultimately led to Dallas getting whatever it wanted offensively all over the court. 

“This is something we can fix,” said Donovan Mitchell postgame. 

A true x-factor in this series, veteran Mike Conley was held to zero points in Game 2, missing all seven of his shot attempts. Especially if Doncic comes back into the fold later in the series, Conley will need to contribute more offensively.  

Nonetheless, it’s a tied series with the Jazz hosting the next two games. Regardless of the personnel they’re up against, it’s a clean slate with five games remaining. 

“We are not going to overreact,” said Mitchell after Game 2. “We just have to go home and try and take care of business. They are going to try and get a split like we got a split here.”

Utah continues to dominate the boards with its size, but that proved to not be enough with the Dallas bigs knocking down triples at a high rate in Game 2. 

Moving forward, the status of Doncic will be a huge swing in how this series ends.  

The post Mavericks Ride Historic Night To Game 2 Victory Over Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Entering the game, the Mavs knew they’d be without their best player in Luka Doncic. However, even without their star they nearly beat the Jazz. 

 “Hopefully he gets healthy,” said Jazz coach Quin Snyder. “You always want a great player to get the opportunity to play, whether he’s on your team or the other.”

Utah ultimately won Game 1 by a final score of 99-93. It was a contest in which scoring wasn’t plentiful, but also didn’t lack excitement. In a game of runs, it truly came down to the final minutes to determine a winner. 

When it came down to it, the size difference between the two rosters was the primary factor. The Mavericks lack a dominant 7-footer, as Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber (both 6-foot-10) filled out the center rotation on Saturday afternoon. 

That’s simply not enough size to match up against the Utah centers in Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside, who are both 7-foot-1. Additionally they’re both traditional bigs that are great on the glass. This proved to be a key differentiator, as Dallas was outrebounded 53 to 34. 

“We’ve just gotta rebound the ball, especially playing small. It’s just something we’ve gotta get better at,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd postgame. 

Regardless of when Doncic comes back, the battle on the boards is going to continue to be important. This series could ultimately come down to the style of play. If the Jazz continue to outmatch the Mavs with their size, they’ll have a huge advantage. On the flip side, if Dallas can have success with its small ball lineups and play Gobert and Whiteside off the floor, things could swing in the favor of the Mavericks. 

Both teams failed to score 100 points in Game 1, so every bucket really mattered throughout the contest. It was a tale of two halves for the Jazz, as Bojan Bogdanovic carried the offense in the first half while Donovan Mitchell shouldered the load in the second. 

Of the 45 points Utah scored in the first half, Bogdanovic account for nearly half with 20. In the second half, Mitchell produced 30 of his 32 points on the afternoon. 

While the Jazz didn’t have a consistent primary scorer across the entire game, they got the points they needed in bunches from two of their best offensive players. Gobert finished with just five points on one field goal attempt, but made his impact on the glass and on defense. 

“We had a chance, held them under 100 points. That was tough,” said Spencer Dinwiddie after the loss. 

Although Utah came out on top in Game 1, Dallas should feel extremely optimistic. Without their best player, the Mavericks legitimately had a shot to win. You could argue that when Doncic comes back, the Mavs should be favorites the rest of the way.  

The guard duo of Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson combined for 46 points, but will need to be more efficient moving forward. Those two took a total of 39 shots to produce those points. 

The Mavs started hot from beyond the arc, but cooled off as the game went on. They finished 9-of-32 (28.1%) from deep on the afternoon. If just a couple more of those shots would have gone down, the outcome of this game could have easily been different. 

The Jazz got the win, but it wasn’t necessarily convincing against a shorthanded Mavericks team. This series could still go either way. 

“We’ve got to do a better job of making the easy shots,” said Brunson looking ahead to the next matchup. “We missed a lot of easy shots. Gotta follow our game plan and stick together.”

Game 2 will take place in Dallas once again on Monday evening. 

The post Jazz Win Game 1 With Size, Mavericks Feel Optimistic Moving Forward appeared first on SLAM.

In the Western Conference, one of the most anticipated matchups is between the Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) and Utah Jazz (No. 5) which is a series that will begin on Saturday night. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a record of 52-30, which gave them the slight edge on the Jazz (49-33) for home court advantage. As such, Dallas will host the first two games of the series and also Game 7 if it’s needed. This could become a huge advantage to get the series off on the right foot and potentially close it out at home.

Any advantage will be key for the Mavs, as their superstar in Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 and potentially Game 2 with a calf strain.

The Mavericks had a fairly slow start to the season, but ultimately got better as it went on. Gradual growth and improvement is a good sign for Dallas, as the team could be peaking at the right time. Early in the season, Jalen Brunson began to emerge as a legitimate piece of the roster. He’ll be a primary scorer for the Mavs during the postseason. Alongside him in the backcourt will be Spencer Dinwiddie, who was the cornerstone piece of the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the Washington Wizards at the deadline.

While defense was something that’s held the Mavericks back during the past few seasons, it’s been a strength in the 2021-22 campaign. They finished the regular season as the seventh-best team on that end of the floor with a defensive rating of 101.9. Additionally, Dallas was well-disciplined and took great care of the ball. The Mavs’ 1025 turnovers on the season were the third-fewest of any team.

Lacking a dominant center could detrimental for the Mavs in this series, as they’ll go up against a a deep frontcourt team. Utah was a top-three rebounding team this season, while the Mavericks finished 24th in the league. On the flip side, if Dallas is able to have success using their unique floor-spacing bigs and small ball lineups, Utah could have to play out of character to match up.

Dallas hasn’t won a playoff series since its championship run back in 2011. As such, the Mavs are on one of the longest active droughts in the NBA when it comes to winning a postseason series. Could this be the first time in over a decade that they advance past the first round?

If the Mavericks are going to have success without Doncic, it will likely come down to Dinwiddie and Brunson. Both have been extremely effective this season whether their superstar teammate is on the floor or not. If they struggle while Doncic is out, the Jazz could jump out to an early series lead before heading back to Utah.

Utah had a strong start to the season, but has really struggled of late. In fact, the Jazz went just 7-8 over their final 15 games of the season. While Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have been great once again, the production from the role players around them has been fairly inconsistent. There’s no question Utah has the pieces to make a championship push, but will they all come together and play at the top of their games when it matters most? Scoring shouldn’t be a problem, as Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley are able to score 20 points each on any given night.

During the regular season, the Jazz took second-most shots from deep (40.3 per game) and knocked down 36.0% of them. They also did a great job at getting to the rim and drawing fouls, finishing fourth in the league in free throw attempts this season with 23.4 per game. These are just some of the things that led Utah to the top offensive rating (11.2) in the NBA this season. What’s most interesting about the Jazz offense is that it’s heavily in isolation, as they were bottom five in both assists per game and assist percentage.

However, the playoffs are all about superstars and who can get a bucket when it’s needed, so perhaps that style of play will work in Utah’s favor. The Jazz also don’t take a ton of shots, playing with a slower pace and attempting the sixth-fewest shots in the league this season. This isn’t dissimilar from the Mavericks, who were in the bottom five in terms of field goal attempts in the regular season.

One of the best defenders in the entire NBA, Gobert will be a major factor on that end of the floor against the Mavs. Since the All-Star break, he’s limited opponents to 39.1% when he’s the closest defender.

The duo of Mitchell and Gobert has certainly had its flaws in the past. If the Jazz aren’t able to get out of the first round this season, could it be time for a major roster shakeup? It seems this series could directly impact what the Utah roster looks like moving forward.

In four games during the 2021-22 campaign, the Jazz and Mavericks have split the regular season series. Utah won the first two matchups of the season, while Dallas won the two more recently. That’s indicative of the seasons these two teams have had, as the Jazz looked better to start but the Mavs have been better down the stretch.

Outside of the primary stars in this series, there are several players for both teams that could really impact the outcomes. For Utah, Conley and Rudy Gay are veterans that have the experience to shine in the big moments. However, if they struggle the Jazz could have a rough series. For Dallas, Davis Bertans and Reggie Bullock will be important offensively, as they have the firepower to fill it up from beyond the arc. If they aren’t converting from deep and producing points, the Mavericks’ offense could stall.

The post NBA Playoff Preview: Dallas Mavericks Take On Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Kispert played four years in Spokane for Gonzaga, steadily improving each season. He went from playing around 20 minutes off the bench as a freshman to being the go-to perimeter scorer on a team that nearly went undefeated as a senior, losing in the national title game to Baylor. He was the 2020-21 WCC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. He appeared in 137 games, logged 3755 minutes, scored 1586 points, hit 270 three-pointers and went 63-2 in conference play as a member of the Bulldogs (who could have used him last night, when they shot 38 percent from the field in a Sweet 16 loss to Arkansas). Point being: the 6-6 forward entered the ‘21 Draft with more experience and maturity than most prospects. He certainly wasn’t a question mark. 

The Wizards selected him with the 15^th overall pick and Kispert came in already looking and moving like he belonged. Here’s what Bradley Beal recently told The Athletic about him: “He was never like a rookie and like a deer in the headlights, like me coming into the League. He’s very mature. He has the experience. He played in college a few years, so he came in with the understanding of how to play the game.”

Yes, Kispert had that experience. Yes, he had that understanding of the game. Yes, he was “NBA ready.” But the 23-year-old didn’t get his opportunity right away. He played sparingly during the first few months of the season, averaging merely 12.5 minutes through October and November. He struggled to find his rhythm in the limited action. His shot wasn’t falling with the same consistency that it did at Gonzaga, where he hit 41 percent of his 4.8 three-point attempts per game.

According to teammates and coaches in Washington, the rookie just stayed the course. He was a professional, continuing to work and ensuring he was ready for his opportunity. It came right around Christmas, when Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope tested positive for COVID-19. Kispert was inserted into the starting lineup on Dec. 23 for a matchup with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and needed just seven shots to drop 20 points, helping the Wizards get a 124-117 win. He maintained a significant spot in the rotation from there, even as players returned from the League’s health and safety protocols.

Following the trade deadline, a lot more minutes opened up, particularly for Washington’s wings. Spencer Dinwiddie was sent to Dallas. Aaron Holiday was sent to Phoenix. Beal was sidelined due to a wrist injury. Kispert has started every game since Feb. 10 and quietly played very well, averaging 11.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep. He spaces the floor, drifts around the perimeter, launches open shots and slashes to the paint for easy layups. He never forces the action or looks to create offense that isn’t there. Of his 423 total field goal attempts so far this season, 389 have been from behind the arc (259) or within ten feet of the basket (130).  

Beal praised Kispert’s overall feel for the game and recent development: “He just understands [the] timing of when to cut, when not to cut,” the three-time All-Star said, via The Athletic. “When guys penetrate, [he knows] how to seep into the open gap for shots. He’s always open, and I think his ability and his confidence to take those shots and knock them down as a rookie has been great. He’s just going to continue to get better. And I love the fact that he could put the ball on the floor. He’s athletic—sneaky athletic. He’ll dunk [on] you. He makes plays on the defensive end, too. So the sky’s the limit for him. I’m happy that he gets an opportunity, too, to be able to grow in the role.”

Grow in the role—that’s exactly what the former Bulldog has done. He posted 20 points and 6 assists against the Kings; 16 points and 2 steals in a win over Brooklyn; 21 points against the Lakers at Staples Center. He has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, beginning to knock down threes more consistently.

In other words, he is having the kind of impact that everyone knew he could potentially have at this level.

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Corey Kispert appeared first on SLAM.

Since that deal was made, Dallas has gone 9-2 and looks as good as it has all season. 

A huge part of the Mavericks’ recent success has been Dinwiddie, who’s playing the best basketball of his 2021-22 season. Since coming to Dallas, he’s averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 assists per contest while shooting 44.2% from deep. 

Splitting time between the bench and as a starter, Dinwiddie has proven to be effective in any role. Whether it’s playing alongside Luka Doncic or facilitating with the second unit, he’s been stellar. 

In fact, on Sunday afternoon against the Boston Celtics, he hit a game-winning triple. 

It’s still unclear whether the Mavs will have the star power to make a splash in the playoffs, but they’ve been solid over the past couple of weeks with their new-look roster. If Dinwiddie can continue playing at this level, Dallas will only continue winning games and climb the Western Conference standings.

The post Mavericks Guard Spencer Dinwiddie Continues to Thrive in Dallas appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s going to mean a lot. Me and Kuz are already trying to picture what it’s going to be like,” Caldwell-Pope told NBA.com. “We know it’s going to be a lot of emotions because of the championship run we had with the team and our friends that are still there. There’s going to be a lot of emotion and a lot of fun.”

Since moving to Washington, Kuzma has become the third leading scorer on the Wizards, averaging 17.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 45.7 percent shooting from the field. He’s looked at several times to be the Wizards’ second-best player after Bradley Beal. KCP has continued to thrive in his usual role as a Three-and-D threat, scoring 12.3 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting from deep.

“The team and organization really lean on me,” Kuzma said. “Everyone respects my basketball acumen here with being able to win a championship and to have winning habits. People respect that. On top of that, everybody believes in me. They really allow me to be myself. They want me to impact the game by doing it all. Having that confidence from everybody makes it easier for me.”

At this point of the season, the Wizards (29-35) and the Lakers (28-37) are fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament. Neither team expected to be in a position so late into the season after the Wizards were thought to be a playoff threat after GM Tommy Sheppards’ masterful orchestration of a Westbrook trade and acquiring Kuz KCP, Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell, and Aaron Holiday.

However, all but KCP and Kuz were moved at the deadline.

For the Lakers, they were believed to be a championship contender after acquiring Westbrook. The season has been full of drama and disaster as the Lakers have struggled just to stay at .500, let alone be a guarantee for a playoff spot. Blame has been spread everywhere to coaching, the front office, and the players themselves.

With all that being said, Kuzma described the return game as “we have to win that game” Kuzma also depicted the end of the LA trip as an “exciting time.” and Caldwell-Pope admitted he would have “some extra juice” when they play the Lakers on Thursday.

“I don’t really play the ‘what if,'” Kuzma said. “I’m cemented as a winner, and I’m cemented as a Lakers champion. For me, it’s not about ‘what if.’ It’s time to move on. It’s time to improve my game.”

“No hard feelings. I’m at peace,” Caldwell-Pope added. “I’m happy where I’m at.”

The post Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Have ‘No Hard Feelings’ About Trade to Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

During a call with media on Thursday, Wizards beat writer Ava Wallace reported an exciting response from Beal when she asked if he’s leaning towards re-signing with the Wizards this summer.

Bradley Beal will be eligible to sign a 5-year, $246M deal with Washington, if he declines his player option on 2022-2023. https://t.co/W9VidgGA5y

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 3, 2022

During the 2021-2022 campaign, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Although his scoring dropped from a career-high 31.3 points per game last season, he did put up a career-high mark for assists while he emerged as a lead playmaker for the Wizards.

Bradley Beal's been taking notes on the Black Mamba's bag I see. (via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/9SnS2RcNDn

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 6, 2021

Beal shut down his season in February after he decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. The decision came as the Wizards had faltered after becoming an early-season darling, briefly owning the top record in the Eastern Conference before their defense failed them and their offense started to stagnate.

Bradley Beal is like that.

(via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/02y1Rdg21r

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 19, 2021

Heading into the season, Beal told reporters that he wanted to play for a winner, and Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard attempted to build a winning team around him after flipping former MVP Russell Westbrook for Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Hope, and used the Lakers 22nd overall pick to acquire Aaron Holiday.

Sheppard had a fire sale at the trade deadline, trading Harrell to the Hornets for Ish Smith and Vernon Carey, and moved Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans to the Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis.

On Friday, the Wizards (28-33) are set to play the Hawks (29-32) at Capital One Arena.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Eligible For Five-Year Supermax Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Recording his third outing scoring 40+ in the past four games, Luka Dončić is leading the new-look Dallas Mavericks into an era without Kristaps Porziņģis. Dončić now has 30 double-doubles, trailing Chris Paul by only one game for the most double-doubles by a guard this season. The Mavericks are 21-9 in such games. How does he do it? He says a good ol’ cup of Joe.

After shipping off Porziņģis to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline, the Mavericks have gone 2-0 with the newly acquired Spencer Dinwiddie and Dāvis Bertāns. While their performances aren’t eye-popping, it’s their play styles that are making a difference.

Dinwiddie gives Dallas an added ball-handler with a proven ability to score, though his efficiency is down this season. Bertāns provides the Mavericks with a volume catch-and-shoot big that could go back to his old self with his new team, potentially thanks to Doncic.

This performance by Doncic ties him with Mark Aguirre for the most 45+ points game in Mavericks history with four. He’s also the fourth player in NBA history (Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy) with multiple 45 points, 15 rebounds, five-assist games in a calendar month, with Wilt Chamberlain in January 1966 being the last to do it.

The Dallas Mavericks head into the All-Star break with a 35-24 record with the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

The post Luka Dončić Leads New Look Mavericks Past Pelicans With Near 50 Point Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, a couple of hours past the trade deadline, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith signed a four-year extension worth $52 million.

Finney-Smith has been with Dallas since going undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2016. The 28-year-old forward has more than proven his worth over the past six seasons.

In 368 games played for the Mavericks, Finney-Smith has averaged 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while accumulating 256 career starts. His production has seen a real uptick this season, averaging a career-high 10.1 points and 1.9 assists per game while starting in all 54 games he has played in this season.

Following news of his extension hitting being announced, Finney-Smith was asked by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon about the extension. Finney-Smith said that he wanted to use the money to allow his mom to “kick up her feet and chill.”

The Mavericks were quite busy on Thursday. Before the Finney-Smith extension, Dallas also made one of the biggest trades of the trade deadline, sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.

Finney-Smith’s contract will kick in at the end of the season when his initial three-year $12 million contract was going to expire and make him a free agent.

The post REPORT: Mavericks Give Four-Year Extension to Dorian Finney-Smith appeared first on SLAM.

TRADES:

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

No deal for the Lakers, source tells ESPN. THey’ll focus on the buyout market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

Boston is sending guard Dennis Schroder to the Rockets in the deal, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/4RFdjoULq3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

The Wizards will send Davis Bertans in deal too, source tells ESPN. Mavericks send a second-round pick to Wizards. https://t.co/RJdybUd0Lw

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

Charlotte is acquiring Washington center Montrezl Harrell for Vernon Carey and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

The Celtics will acquire Derrick White from the Spurs.

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

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

The Celtics are trading PJ Dozier and Bol Bol, a future second and cash to the Magic for a future second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Dozier and Bol are both out for the season. Cost-savings for Boston.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

The Raptors are trading Dragic and protected 2022 first-round picks to the Spurs for Thad Young, Drew Eubanks and a 2022 second-round pick via Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Pick is protected 1-14 in 2022; 1-13 in 2023 and would turn into two seconds beyond that. https://t.co/SN0sFyVurm

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

ESPN Sources:
Full trade participants:
Kings: Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson.
Bucks: Serge Ibaka, two future second-round picks, cash.
Clippers: Rodney Hood, Semi Ojele.
Pistons: Marvin Bagley Jr.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

The Utah Jazz are acquiring guard Portland’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Spurs’ Juancho Hernangomez in a three-way deal, sources tell ESPN. The Spurs gets guard Tomas Satoransky and a second-round pick, and the Blazers get Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes and a second-round pick.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2022

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

Jeremy Lamb AND Justin Holiday. https://t.co/0GbRwKcRBP

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

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

Full trade, per sources:
Blazers: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, 2022 protected first-round pick, two second-round picks.
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Tony Snell.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

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

Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah, per sources.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022

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

The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

RUMORS:

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

James Harden is pushing for a trade and is ‘screaming in every way he possibly can’ to get out of Brooklyn, per @WindhorstESPN. https://t.co/D7l2VI9IZq pic.twitter.com/GcFCoivKjF

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2022

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

Update: Sixers have refused to include Tyrese Maxey in any deal with Brooklyn. Nets have countered with an asking price of Simmons, Curry, Thybulle, and Drummond. Sixers are hesitant to include Curry. Any deal would likely send Patty Mills to Philly aside from Harden.

— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) February 9, 2022

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

This is from Sunday night’s BS Podcast and nothing has changed — Brooklyn wants Seth in any Harden deal. (And Embiid loves playing with Curry.) pic.twitter.com/sTD2vyY1co

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) February 9, 2022

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

It sounds like rival teams think a deal between Brooklyn and Philadelphia may be getting close. One team told me “They’ve kind of put other talks on hold. If that deal finally happens, then the floodgates will open around the league for a lot more to happen.”

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 9, 2022

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

Now arrives another stretch of uncertainty, with the trade deadline approaching Thursday afternoon and sources telling The Inquirer that the Sixers have explored trading Tobias Harris. https://t.co/Kv6MEFjDDh

— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) February 9, 2022

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

Small trade note: As of now — and everything can change in the next 26 hours — the Indiana Pacers do not plan to trade Buddy Hield despite some interest from other teams, sources tell ESPN.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 9, 2022

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

Pistons Listening To Offers On Jerami Grant, Could Wait Until Offseason For Trade https://t.co/nImk0qLAHF

— RealGM (@RealGM) February 9, 2022

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

Injury update: Bradley Beal will undergo surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament of his left wrist and will miss the remainder of the regular season.

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 8, 2022

Beal suffered the injury in January against the Memphis Grizzlies. For this season, Beal has averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

The decision from Beal comes as the Wizards (24-29) are playing their worse stretch of basketball, sitting at fourth in the Southeast Division and 11th in the East after losing eight of their last two games. Fan optimism was high for the Wizards after the first 20, or so games after the Wizards briefly took over first place in the conference.

That confidence quickly waned after the defensive identity Washington built quickly vanished, and key offseason signee Spencer Dinwiddie seemed to go up and down with his production. The struggles have now given way to questions of whether or not Beal will stay and re-sign with the Wizards to a contract worth up to five years and $245 million this summer.

Bradley Beal is eligible to sign a five-year, $245M contract with the Wizards this summer. Beal has a $36.4M player option on next season. https://t.co/T22NT7QzR8

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

Beal himself has said he wants to stay in the nation’s capital but wants to play for a winner as well. His non-committal stance as of late has kept plenty of Wizards fans anxious about his free-agent status, others just pining for the Wizards to start a rebuild and embrace losing to improve their draft status for the 2022 NBA Draft. Either way, Beal will be gone for the season and possibly be leaving Washington as a free agent this offseason.

The post Wizards Announce Bradley Beal Will Undergo Wrist Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

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.

The post REPORT: The Clippers Make Multiple Players Available For Point Guard Help appeared first on SLAM.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal will miss the next two games with a sprained left wrist, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2022

Beal averages 23.2 points, a career-high 6.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and a career-worse 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Beal’s numbers are down across the board after averaging career-best numbers as a scorer after the scoring load has become more balanced following a revamping of the roster from the Wizards moving Russell Westbrook to the Lakers for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and acquired Spencer Dinwiddie in a five-team trade as well.

Real Deal Beal is also embroiled in free agency drama around whether or not he will resign with the Wizards this summer. The 28-year-old superstar will reportedly be opting out of the final year of his extension and can enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent in the ’22 offseason.

It remains to be seen what Beal will do regarding his future in the nation’s capital. Until then, the Wizards will play the defending champion, Milwaukee Bucks (31-21), on Wednesday without their three-time All-Star teammate.

The post Wizards Announce Bradley Beal Is Out With A Sprained Wrist appeared first on SLAM.

His answer was fairly surprising.

“It’s an interesting situation,” said Dinwiddie. “I spoke up a little bit early on. It wasn’t necessarily welcomed. And so, like I said, I try to do whatever’s asked of me. At the end of the day, everybody has a role to play. It’s about being accountable in your role and doing that to the best of your ability. That’s really all I’ve got.”

After being acquired by the Wizards during the offseason, it appears Dinwiddie tried to emerge as a vocal leader early in his first season with the team, but it wasn’t welcomed.

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaching, Washington will certainly be a team to monitor. They could go two completely different directions the remainder of the season depending on what happens over the next week or two. As of now, they’re on the outside looking in of the playoff picture.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Opens Up About Leadership Situation in Washington appeared first on SLAM.

“I am honored to represent this organization and tremendously grateful for the opportunity to continue building this team in order to use what we accomplish both on and off the court to uplift the community,” Sheppard said per ESPN. “Our staff, and their dedication to working together, has been essential to our success, and we will continue to work hard, follow our plan and make our fans proud of the team we put on the floor.”

Sheppard is in his 19th season with the organization. Before being named GM, he started as Vice President of Basketball Operations from 2003 to 2013, and then he became Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations from 2013 to 2019.

The Wizards are currently on a 10-4 start to the 2021-22 season, their best since the 1974-75 season when the then-Bullets made their first NBA Finals appearance but got swept by the Warriors.

The Wizards were one of the busiest teams in the offseason, hiring Wes Unseld Jr. as their new head coach and flipping Russell Westbrook to the Lakers for Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and signing Spencer Dinwiddie.

The post Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard Earns Contract Extension After Team’s Fast Start appeared first on SLAM.

Dinwiddie tempered expectations on the oncoming comparisons to those star point guards via ESPN.

“I’m not Gilbert, John or Russ. Those are all dudes with very interesting personalities,” Dinwiddie said Monday. “You’ve got some of the best players — obviously Russ, one of the best players to ever play in terms of the triple-doubles. You’ve got Gilbert, one of the best scorers of all time. You’ve got John, who had an extended run when you could argue he was the best point guard in the league.”

Dinwiddie only played three games for the Brooklyn Nets last season due to a partial ACL tear back in December. He is expected to be in the Wizards starting lineup on opening night. Spencer’s rise from being a second-round draft pick reached new heights when he was named a finalist for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award.

He then followed up that performance with a career-high scoring average of 20.6 points the next season with 6.8 assists while shooting 41.5 percent from the field.

Washington will look to team Dinwiddie up with Bradley Beal and make the transition from Westbrook, who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Soon after, Washington agreed to terms with Spencer in a sign and trade deal to become a part of the blockbuster trade that sent Westbrook to Los Angeles.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Doesn’t Want Comparisons to Former Wizards Guards appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds that the Wizards will trade forward Chandler Hutchinson and a 2022 second-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs as the sign-and-trade expands to include the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers.

Washington’s decision to trade for Dinwiddie comes on the heels of a blockbuster trade that saw them deal All-Star guard Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers late last week.

Dinwiddie, who averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game in his last fully healthy season, is a steady and efficient playmaker who may not put up the gaudy stat lines Westbrook has become known for but is more than capable of being the Wizards’ second option behind Bradley Beal.

And, in regards to Beal—who was said to be weighing his future with the franchise prior to the 2021 NBA Draft—Washington’s aggressive pursuit of one of the better point guards indicates their desire to keep the rising star in D.C.

After going clawing their way into the 2021 NBA Playoffs behind a 34-38 record and a career season from Beal, the Wizards have once again given themselves a chance to make a run to the postseason.

The post REPORT: Spencer Dinwiddie Acquired by Wizards in 5-Team Sign-and-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

There are a lot of mock drafts out there, but it’s never too late to hit you with a new perspective. Members of the SLAM Fam were assigned a team to pick for, and here are the results and explanations for who they’ve selected.

We’d also like to extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Terrence Clarke, who tragically passed away in April. Tonight would have been a special moment for him. Rest in Peace.

2021 FIRST ROUND

1. DETROIT PISTONS: Jalen Green (6-6 G, G League Ignite)

Jalen Green is a really, really, really good basketball player. He’s so good that it doesn’t look like he’s trying, for real, for real. But that’s foolish. Underneath the air that he occupies on his ever-elevating jump shots and on his albatross-like soaring dunks is a foundation of respect for the game and what it takes to be a really, really, really great basketball player. He’s a student of high-level basketball, rapidly consuming both mental and physical knowledge. That desire has separated him from his peers and will separate him from the League at some point. His computational capacity moves so swiftly that it doesn’t look like he’s trying, for real, for real. But that’s foolish. He is. And he is numero uno. — Max Resetar 

2. HOUSTON ROCKETS – Cade Cunningham (6-8 G, Oklahoma State)

Whether you’re interested in basketball players versus hoopers, or players with understated skill versus “a bag,” Cade Cunningham is the player for you.

At 6’8” and 220 pounds, Cunningham is a dynamic point-forward prospect that any team could realistically slot into their starting lineup at the 1, 2, or 3, and that’s perfect for a Rockets team with a veteran point guard on a rebuilding team (John Wall), a promising backcourt talent without a true position (Kevin Porter Jr.) and small forwards that are specialists, not polished two-way playmakers with an arsenal of scoring moves (including a stepback game that’s eerily reminiscent of the sensational Luka Doncic) that’s buoyed by his footwork, balance, body control, and ball-handling abilities. — Quenton Albertie

3. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS – Evan Mobley (7-0 C, University of Southern California)

Can’t count out Jalen Suggs here, especially if the Cavs end up moving Collin Sexton—which is a rumor that some reporters have been kicking around. All signs, though, point to Evan Mobley getting the call here. ESPN draft insider Chard Ford said this a couple of days ago: “I had a scout tell me the other night that Mobley is Chris Bosh on offense and Anthony Davis on defense. That’s an NBA superstar. That’s crazy.” If this forecast is accurate, the Cavs would be crazy not to take him.  — Franklyn Calle

4. TORONTO RAPTORS – Jalen Suggs (6-5 G, Gonzaga)

With Kyle Lowry’s likely departure ending an era he defined with professionalism, leadership, and grit, the Raptors can draft someone to continue that high standard. Suggs chose Gonzaga for the accountability and hard coaching, so he’ll embrace a similar situation in Ontario. A rotation of Fred Van Vleet, Suggs, and Malachi Flynn flexes versatility and hustle, while Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Chris Boucher uphold defensive tradition. Toronto won’t rely on Jalen’s on-court abilities immediately, but his leadership should convey from day one. In high school, Jalen was required to carry in two sports. He delivered state championships. At Gonzaga, he needed to be a do-it-all superstar. He delivered an unforgettable run. I don’t know what expectations are in Toronto, but I bet he’ll deliver. — Thilo Latrell Widder

5. ORLANDO MAGIC – Scottie Barnes (6-9 F, Florida State)

Now that the sexy picks are off the board, Scottie Barnes has the best potential that is not in the NBA Draft spotlight. Barnes made himself a top-five prospect dominating the pre-draft process. Teams were impressed with his incredible physical profile, wingspan, a strong bulky frame combined with a quickness.

He’s the perfect player to help set the defensive tone for Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley’s culture. However, his offensive game is limited due to his stiff shooting mechanics and confidence at times. Best case scenario, if he can combine his high energy, versatile defense with a reliable jumper, Scottie Barnes could have All-Star potential. Worst case, he could be a very capable All-NBA defender.  — Ronald Agers

6. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER – James Bouknight (6-5 G, Connecticut)

While the Thunder are looking to do everything they can to move into the top-five, Bouknight is still a great pick if they’re unable to. One of the most dominant scorers in this class, Oklahoma City would instantly have one of the most intriguing young backcourts in the league with him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His assist and turnover numbers are certainly something to worry about, but Bouknight essentially had to carry the offense in college. At the next level, with more spacing and talent, he could look like a completely different player. While he hasn’t been a dominant defender to this point, he’s got the tools to develop into a solid perimeter defender. — Nick Crain

7. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS – Jonathan Kuminga (6-8 F, G League Ignite)

Jonathan Kuminga is tuff. That’s all that needs to be said. – Theus McBee

8. ORLANDO MAGIC: Kai Jones (6-11 F, Texas)

Since Jonathan Kuminga was snatched up, Orlando will use their second lottery pick on Kai Jones, a raw athlete that fits the mold of a rim running, lob-catching threat. The Magic will continue their defensive theme in the lottery by drafting a player who shows potential with mobile defense with the ability to switch multiple positions. Offensively, he is a project with inconsistent shooting mechanics and no reliable post moves. Assuming Orlando drafts him at the 8th spot, they will need to have patience with him. They’ve done it before with another Texas Longhorn, Mo Bamba. If the Magic passes on Jones, look for a drop near the 20th selection. — Ronald Agers

9. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Franz Wagner (6-9 G/F, Michigan)

The needs of the Sacramento Kings this offseason are clear, they need help on the defensive end. Statistically, Sacramento had the worst defense in the NBA last year, clocking in with a defensive rating of 117.2, dead last in the league. Franz Wagner, a sophomore out of the University of Michigan, is a 6-foot-9 wing who showed the ability to defend multiple positions both on and off-ball at a high level in his two years with the Wolverines. Wagner’s versatile defensive abilities, along with improved jump shooting and playmaking on offense in his sophomore year, make him a great fit for the Kings at ninth overall. — Zach Dupont

10. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Josh Giddey (6-8 G, Adelaide 36ers (NBL)

 Josh Giddey’s game speaks itself, but if we are gonna dive into what makes him such a standout, our editorial intern, Jared, described him best: He’s a gifted passer who thrives in transition with an advanced ability to find the descending big man in pick and roll scenarios. Armed with a bounty of knowledge and experience from mentors, a year playing professionally and a playmaking bag rivaled by the League’s top guards, Josh Giddey is ready for what he’s been waiting for. 

Giddey is already a pro who dominated in the NBL and finished the season with 13 double-doubles, and three triple-doubles. His playmaking ability will only add to the Grizzlies’ roster offensively, especially when he’s alongside a bucket like Ja. – Deyscha “Sway” Smith

11. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Alperen Sengun (6’9 C, Besiktas (Turkey))

Traded to Washington for the No. 15 pick and Thomas Bryant

Beal. Westbrook. Hachimura. Bertans. Avdija. The core of an exciting playoff team is here, so moving up in the draft makes sense for Washington to grab Turkish big man Alperen Sengun. The MVP of the Turkish Super League last season–who just turned 19 on Sunday–averaged 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in under 30 minutes per game. Last season’s emergence of Daniel Gafford made us feel comfortable moving Thomas Bryant and his expiring contract to clear some cap space since both Alex Len and Robin Lopez are also free agents. Sengun, who models his game after reigning MVP Nikola Jokić and MVP runner-up Joel Embiid, should be ready to contribute right away. – Aron Phillips

12. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Davion Mitchell (6-2 G,  Baylor)

Mitchell is quite possibly the most capable player in the draft to step in and be a major contributor to whichever team drafts him. The Spurs selecting him at 12 is a fantastic fit for an organization known to garner the most out of their young draft talent. Mitchell’s size at 6’3 and age of 23 by the time the 2021 season tips off doesn’t necessarily scream lottery material, yet when you turn on the tape of Mitchell in this past year’s Final Four, those concerns seem to evaporate. — Josh Frohlinger

13. INDIANA PACERS: Corey Kispert (6-7 SG, Gonzaga)

Standing at 6-7 this wing is a walking bucket. I’m talking about a three-point sniper deemed one of the best all-around shooters in the draft. Once he’s hot this kid poses as a true threat from downtown. He may very well be the missing piece that Naptown needs. — Charlie Desadier

14. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Josh Christopher (6-5 G, Arizona State)

With Klay Thompson back in the mix this coming season, the Warriors are gearing up for yet another championship run. With two lottery picks in this draft, the Warriors have the ability to take a bit more of a gamble at 14 as opposed to 7; and that’s what they do snagging Arizona State’s Christopher higher than most mock boards have projected. As a 6’5 shooter with confidence and elite athleticism, Christopher already displays an NBA-ready frame with suburb transition finishing.

15. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (via Washington): Quentin Grimes (6-6 G, Houston)

Just one game away from the 8-seed a year ago, Charlotte is on the cusp of being a regular playoff contender. I tried to keep the team young while also adding guys who can contribute on day one. We moved back a few picks and added Thomas Bryant via the Wizards, who will fight for the starting center job should Cody Zeller take his talents elsewhere. After moving down to 15, adding Quentin Grimes was an easy choice. The Houston shooting guard is uber-efficient as a scorer and showed he can run an offense while at the NBA Combine. He’s a perfect fit to replace Devonte Graham in the Hornets’ guard rotation feat. LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, and can play alongside either, or on his own. — Ian Pierno

16. OKC THUNDER: Moses Moody (6-6 G, Arkansas)

There’s a real chance that Moody is taken in the top ten on Thursday, so the Thunder getting him at sixteen would be a pleasant surprise. Although OKC is looking to package No. 16 and No. 18 to move up and grab another lottery pick, they certainly wouldn’t be upset with a lottery talent like Moody falling to them here. While he may not have the ceiling of others in this class, his floor feels high. At a minimum, he projects to be a solid 3-and-D player at the next level. With a long frame and smooth stroke, Moody is a safe pick for a team that’s looking for a solid NBA player. — Nick Crain 

17. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Cam Thomas (6-4 G, LSU)

An instant-offense bucket-getter who, when he’s hot, cannot be left open under any circumstance. In other words, the perfect guy to stretch the floor alongside Zion Williamson. Done deal. — Adam Figman

18. OKC THUNDER: Jalen Johnson (6-9 G/F, Duke)

If it weren’t for his off-the-court issues, we could be talking about Johnson going just outside the top five of this draft. One of the most gifted prospects in this class, he’s an absolute force in transition. Johnson has the build of the perfect modern NBA forward and can do a little bit of everything. With their third pick in the top-20, OKC has the ability to take a gamble here, with Johnson being one of the highest risks in the draft but having the potential to be the biggest steal at the same time. — Nick Crain

19. NEW YORK KNICKS: Keon Johnson (6-5 G, Tennessee)

There’s no need to mince words. Keon Johnson is explosive. Watching him is almost akin to watching a bull in a china shop; he drives into the paint with the fury of a battering ram, unconcerned, and largely unbothered, by the less-athletic defender in front of him. The Knicks at No. 19 are a perfect landing spot for Johnson; while he still needs to address some major mechanical issues in his game—including tightening up his shot-motion and handle—his developmental upside will be cultivated and fostered by Tom Thibodeau and a potential rotation of him, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett long term could end up putting the League on notice. — Jackson Wald

20. ATLANTA HAWKS: Sharife Cooper (6-1 G, Auburn)

Rife is Trae 2.0. Put these two together and you got the new Mobb Deep. Both are small guards, but ready to make any play turn into a highlight reel. Sharife’s short college season left an imprint around the country of his game not slowing down due to all the allegations he faced his freshman year. The Hawks had an incredible season/playoff run making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Adding Cooper can only elevate their motion offense and create even more three-point possessions. In all honesty, Cooper’s a dawg, and I wish the Knicks were getting him next pick! — Nick Torres

21. NYK: Chris Duarte (6-6 G, Oregon)

Duarte is a proven commodity; he is a plus-defender, a reliable three-pointer shooter (he shot 42 percent last season at Oregon), and someone who will fit seamlessly in the Knicks’ new age grit-and-grind culture. Duarte has arguably the safety floor of any prospect selected after pick twenty. Also, as we saw with Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder in the NBA Finals, it never hurts to have a solid core of 3-and-D wings. — Jackson Wald

22. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Tre Mann (6-5 PG, Florida)

You know those players that make you feel like you’re getting punched in the gut every time they make a three against you? Tre’Shaun Mann is one of them. All you have to do is turn on the tape for a couple of minutes and you’ll see not many people in the world possess his combination of size, athleticism, and scoring creativity. It may or may not happen right away, but when Tre gets comfortable in the League he’s going to be one of the most dynamic guards. — Christian Quezada 

*We’re breaking a few rules here and adding another name to this list, too.

BJ Boston (6-7 F, Kentucky)

Say what you want about his performance last season at Kentucky, but BJ Boston says he’s improved his game “tremendously” since his college days. Word is he even recently had a “great” pre-draft workout with the Lakers and dominated their “Mentality Drill.” 

Anyone who has been following BJ’s trajectory will tell you that he’s been ready for the bright lights since the start. He knows how to navigate a spotlight, and how to power through negativity while focusing on his game and the things only he can control. If the Lakers don’t draft Mann, then it sounds like BJ could fit in on a star-studded roster led by the King.  — Sway

23. HOUSTON ROCKETS: Usman Garuba (6-8 PF, Real Madrid (Spain))

After selecting Cunningham second overall, the Rockets’ focus now shifts to their center position. Enter Usman Garuba, a Nigerian-Spanish big man with extensive experience in international competition and a few awards in his trophy case to boot.

At 6’8” and 230 pounds (with a 7’3” wingspan), Garuba is already a high-energy defensive force thanks to an exceptional feel of how to disrupt passing lanes and shot attempts, as well as enough agility and fluidity to guard out on the perimeter or in space. Combined with his abilities as a passer and potential as an outside threat, there are many who see him in the Draymond Green mold.

With a bevy of offensive talents, players willing and capable of thriving without the ball in their hands (and who can be a defensive menace in the same breath) are invaluable. — Quenton Albertie

24. ROCKETS: Josh Primo (6-6 G, Alabama)

The Rockets, all-in on their rebuild, select another of the 2021 NBA Draft’s youngest players: 18-year-old Josh Primo, a one-and-done at the University of Alabama.

Primo’s most NBA-ready skill at this point is his outside shooting, as he knocked down 38.1 percent of his 3-point attempts at Alabama with his 3-point attempts amounting to 57.9 percent of his overall shot attempts. With that said, not only does Primo’s selection fit the Rockets’ current timeline but it addresses the team’s mediocre outside shooting as well.

Due to his youth and need to develop his other guard skills, Primo may not get minutes early on, at least outside of the G League. But he’ll grow alongside Houston’s vibrant young core until his number is called, and likely hit at least one three by the time he leaves the game, no matter how small the role. — Quenton Albertie

25. LA CLIPPERS: Jared Butler (6-3 G, Baylor)

LA is known for helping young guards develop into immediate NBA talent (just look at what Terance Mann was able to do in the playoffs this year)  and Jared Butler is next up for the Clippers. A smooth, consistent guard for the national champion Baylor Bulldogs, Butler’s veteran mindset and consistent shooting will likely make him an immediate rotation staple on the Clippers. — Camille Buxeda

26. DENVER NUGGETS: Ayo Dosunmu (6-5 G, Illinois)

Ayo Dosunmu was, for the large majority of last year’s college basketball season, the best player on the best team in the nation. Dosunmu is an all-around ballplayer; need him to lock down the opponent’s best player? He’s on it. Need him to get you some buckets? He’ll drop twenty-plus. He’ll face a pretty serious adjustment coming into the league, where he will likely never be the main ball-handler or facilitator, but Ayo has the experience and drive to make it in the league for a long time. — Saheem Anthony

27. BROOKLYN NETS: Jaden Springer (6-4 SG, Tennessee)

After declining his player option, Spencer Dinwiddie and the Brooklyn Nets will most likely be parting ways this offseason, which leaves the Nets with a major need for defensive prowess and playmaking. While he needs to fine-tune his shot creation abilities, Tennessee’s Jaden Springer is a great grab for the Nets at 27. Springer could serve as the next young developmental guard in the rotation amidst a roster that has a plethora of shot creation abilities. An energizer on both ends of the floor, Springer averaged 12.5 points a game in his lone season with the Volunteers and is a tenacious on-ball defender. He’s a perfect fit alongside the likes of Bruce Brown for Steve Nash’s small-ball lineup that lacked the ability to effectively defend ball screens and switches this past season. — Jared Ebanks

28. PHILADELPHIA SIXERS: Ziaire Williams (6-8 F, Stanford)

Although Williams had a somewhat underwhelming freshman year at Stanford, he’s still the same Ziaire. Looking past the pressure of being an incoming Top 10 player in the country, Williams showed flashes of high-level scoring mixed with impressive athleticism. Going to the cup more could do him wonders and he simply has too much potential to slip past the first round. At a lengthy 6’8 185, he fits the modern-day NBA’s positionless basketball scheme to a tee. His shooting needs to improve if he wants to get big minutes, but Williams can definitely lighten the scoring load off the bench for Philly in the 2021-22 season. — Caleb Gagne

29. PHOENIX SUNS: Isaiah Jackson (6-10, F, Kentucky)

Although there were hints of returning to Kentucky, Jackson is taking his talents to the NBA. Jackson is an all-around hooper who can get it done on both ends of the floor. He averaged 2.6 blocks per game and was selected to the SEC All-Defense team. Jackson is a versatile player who can do it all for a big man. His playmaking ability stood out as he is able to put the ball on the floor and advance the ball. The Suns could use a player to develop behind star center Deandre Ayton, giving them the bench support they can use in the frontcourt. — Kobe Blackwell

30. UTAH JAZZ: Kessler Edwards (6-8 F, Pepperdine)

Did I just take someone out of Pepperdine in the first round? It’s a hard sell considering just two Waves —Doug Christie and the oft underrated Dennis Johnson— have had a five or more year career in the NBA. How’s that for trivia? I believe Kessler Edwards could become the third. The Jazz could trade out to dump contracts, but after a failed move with Charlotte, I decided to examine team needs. Joe Ingles is getting older and slipping on defense and the loss to the Clippers exposed Utah’s need for perimeter stoppers. Edwards shot 38% from deep on 119 attempts and with a nearly 7-foot wingspan and strong fundamentals, he’s a prototypical 3-and-D wing. — Thilo Latrell Widder

The post SLAM’s Official 2021 NBA Mock Draft appeared first on SLAM.

Tomorrow on the Crossover: @SDinwiddie_25 goes deep on the Nets, free agency, crypto and his new business, @CalaxyApp.

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— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) July 8, 2021

The 28-year-old Dinwiddie, who will be in his eighth NBA season during the 2021-22 campaign, revealed the ball is in the organization’s court as to what a substantial offer might look like. As for specifics, the consistently candid California native didn’t shy away from what he believes would be an adequate pay day.

“The Nets have the ability to do something that other people can’t,” Dinwiddie said on the “The Crossover Pod”. “If they come to the table like that, and they’re being aggressive and are saying, ‘Hey we got five, 125 for you,’ I would say there’s a high likelihood that I go back to the Nets, you know what I mean? But if they don’t come to the table like that, and they’re like ‘Oh, we’re going to give you a three for 60,’ well, anybody can do that.”

The 2019-20 season proved to be a career year for Dinwiddie, who averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists before sitting out of the Orlando bubble due to consecutive positive COVID-19 tests. He began the 2020-21 season starting alongside Irving, but was relegated to the sixth man role after the team acquired 2018 NBA MVP James Harden.

His campaign was cut short as three games later, as he tore his right ACL in a contact injury against the Charlotte Hornets in late December.

Due to the the Nets’ midseason acquisition of Harden and the presence of both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the roster, it remains to be seen if Brooklyn is willing to pay a handsome salary to Dinwiddie. Particularly with their need of to retain an impending restricted free agent in wing Bruce Brown.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Reveals His Desired Contract Terms Ahead of Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

The 32-year-old Beasley is an 11-year veteran who has spent time with the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers over the court of his career.

Widely known as one of the most talented players to have entered the NBA due to his scoring ability, Beasley lacked the consistency that NBA teams coveted from such highly drafted and highly-touted star. Undisciplined defensively, and with a string of marijuana-related off-court incidents surfacing throughout his career, Beasley’s last season playing in the NBA was during the 2018-19 campaign.

Briefly signed by the Brooklyn Nets as a replacement player for Spencer Dinwiddie during the 2020-21 season, Beasley’s contract was voided after he tested positive for COVID-19.

With a number of Portland’s frontcourt players (including power forwards Zach Collins and Carmelo Anthony), set to hit free agency in the offseason, taking a look at Beasley—particularly in a Summer League setting—is an easy way to assess hit potential fit. Particularly in a league with rules favoring offensive players and a style of play that emphasizes spacing and positional versatility.

Because the competition won’t be as stiff as that he would face in the regular season, Beasley could possibly shine in Summer League.

Only time will tell, but the NBA may soon have one of it’s most notorious ballers back in the fray.

The post Michael Beasley to Attempt NBA Comeback with Blazers in Summer League appeared first on SLAM.

Last week, Brown spoke to The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears, stating his belief that the influx of NBA players of African descent has helped level the playing field, giving the Nigeria a realistic chance to win their first medal at the Olympic Games.

“There are more players of Nigerian descent in the NBA than probably any other country besides the U.S…the talent is there. It’s just about getting everybody organized and on the same page and getting everybody excited about playing and wanting to be a part. And so there are right around 10 or so guys in the NBA that are going to come and try out for the team. So looking forward to mixing some of that NBA talent with some very talented individuals that are playing professionally in Europe and abroad.”

According to Spears, forward Al-Farouq Aminu (Chicago Bulls), center Chimezie Metu (Sacramento Kings), guard Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves), center Jahlil Okafor (Detroit Pistons) and forward Wes Iwundu (New Orleans Pelicans) are expected to join Morris and Anunoby. He adds that former NBA players Emeka Okafor, Festus Ezeli and Ben Uzoh could also join the roster.

Per Nigerian journalist Colin Udoh, guard Miye Oni and center Udoka Azubuike of the Utah Jazz; guard Gabe Vincent and forwards KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa of the Miami Heat; and Milwaukee Bucks forward Jordan Nwora will also join the list of 13 NBA players expected to comprise the Nigerian national team.

With the FIBA AfroBasket tournament quickly approaching as well, Brown may have to field two national teams for Nigeria to compete in the Olympics and AfroBasket, respectively.

If this is the case, expect wing Aaron Nesmith (Boston Celtics), forward Zeke Nnaji (Denver Nuggets), guard Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies) and guard Spencer Dinwiddie (Brooklyn Nets) to be in consideration for national team roster spots as well.

Morris, who’s nationality switch was made known officially in March, will join the team as a roster exemption and make his international debut with Nigeria.

In 47 games, the four-year pro has averaged 10.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting .479 percent from the field and .393 percent from 3-point range.

Anunoby is a player that Brown had on his radar since taking over as the Nigeria coach two years ago and seeing his name on the roster has brought excitement and energy to the Nigerian basketball program.

In 43 games, Anunoby showed flashes of why the Raptors consider him one of the cornerstones of their franchise with averages of 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Nigeria, which became the first African team to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after the 2019 FIBA World Cup, will be in group B alongside Australia, and the winners of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Serbia and Croatia from June 29 to July 4.

D’Tigers, who will also led by longtime team captain Ike Diogu, face Team USA’s men’s basketball team in the Olympics on July 10.

We meet again @usabasketball!

July 10
Nigeria vs. USA pic.twitter.com/yHzAB8Ev23

— D’Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) June 22, 2021

The post 13 NBA Players Have Been Named to Nigeria’s Preliminary Olympics Roster appeared first on SLAM.

After tearing his ACL just five months ago, Dinwiddie has been cleared for all basketball activities, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Dinwiddie had played in just three games and 64 total minutes in 2020-21.

However, in the 2019-20 season, Dinwiddie averaged 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game over the course of 64 appearances. The seven-year NBA veteran is set to become a free agent this offseason, as he’s expected to decline his $12.3 million player option for 2021-22.

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Now that Brooklyn’s season is over, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Dinwiddie plans to decline his $12.3M player option and enter free agency this offseason.

Dinwiddie has until Monday to make his decision on opting in or out. If he were to test the free agent waters, he should be able to demand a longer term deal earning close to that $12.3 million annually. Even after coming off of an ACL injury, Dinwiddie projects to be a highly efficient combo guard for years to come. 

Just 28 years old, he’s proven he can be a quality starter for a team or be one of the best sixth men in the NBA off the bench. 

Dinwiddie only played in three games during the 2020-21 season, but the season before he split time as a starter and reserve, averaging 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. 

We’ll know more in the next few days, but it appears Spencer Dinwiddie is going to be the next big name added to the free agency mix. 

The post Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie Expected to Decline Player Option and Become Free Agent appeared first on SLAM.

However, they may become an even better team in the coming weeks with one of their key pieces having a chance to return from injury. According to Kristian Winfield of The Athletic, Spencer Dinwiddie is “eyeing” a return to the Nets for the NBA Finals. The bench spark plug is expected to be on sidelines supporting the Nets “sooner than later.”

Dinwiddie has been been out since December after suffering a partially torn ACL in his right knee just three games into the 2020-21 season. 

The guard is a versatile scorer that has proven he’s one of the best bench players in the NBA, but is also capable of being an excellent starter. Last season Dinwiddie split time as a starter and reserve, averaging 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. 

While his role will be decreased with the new roster composition and needing to ease back into on-court action, Dinwiddie could be a real difference maker if he returns in the NBA Finals. 

The Brooklyn Nets are currently tied 2-2 in their series with the Milwaukee Bucks and will have to defeat another Eastern Conference opponent after that series to make it to the Finals. There’s a long way to go, but if the Nets make it the distance, more help could be coming.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Could Return For Nets in NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Chris Sheridan of Basketballnews.com would confirm the report.

James had been suspended from CSKA Moscow since March, following his decision to leave during a game that he had bench in, per EuroHoops’ Stefan Djordjevic. It was his second suspension from CSKA Moscow, as James had been reprimanded in January following a locker room incident.

The 27-year-old has played internationally since the 2014-15 season, suiting up for various clubs in the EuroLeague, Liga ACB, Greek Basketball League and other leagues. He’s averaged 14.9 points, 3.9 assists and 1.0 steal in 25.0 minutes per game since 2014-15, shooting .438 percent from the field and .341 percent from 3-point range.

A crafty ball-handler with a soft touch and a penchant for making tough shots, James is an intriguing pickup for a Brooklyn squad with thin depth.

The Nets have had, perhaps, the most interesting season of any team.

After losing sixth man Spencer Dinwiddie to a torn ACL in December, the Nets acquired superstar guard James Harden soon after and became the favorites to reach the NBA Finals out of the Western Conference.

Led by two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant and seven-time All-Star Kyrie Irving prior to trading for Harden, Brooklyn continued to add to their star-laden roster, signing Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge this year after they reached contract buyouts with their former teams.

That said, injuries have been the bane of Brooklyn’s title hopes this season.

Durant has been out for 33 games with various maladies; Harden has missed a career-high 22 games; and Irving has missed 16 games. To add onto that, Aldridge announced his retirement from the NBA due to health concerns last week.

James’ role with the Nets could be menial, if not nonexistent. However, with Brooklyn’s concerns with perimeter depth and injuries, he could find himself playing significant minutes sooner rather than later.

The post Nets to Sign Mike James for Remainder of 2020-21 Season appeared first on SLAM.

Notably, although Brooklyn is a clear title favorite, it still took convincing — and recruiting — for Griffin to decide that the Nets were the best fit for him. 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday night, Griffin would reveal that it was actually two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant who recruited him most heavily prior to his decision to sign with Brooklyn.

Furthermore, Griffin once again confirmed that a key reasons he signed with the Nets was to play “meaningful basketball” while “contending for a championship.

With Griffin telling reporters that he’s “not injured at all,” it’ll be interesting to see what type of performance they get from the six-time All-Star. Multiple players thought to be over-the-hill over the past two seasons have defied expectations, like Los Angeles Clippers forward Nic Batum, Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony or even Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul.

The Nets, who have the most talented three-man unit of any team but a lack a strong bench (particularly in light of Spencer Dinwiddie’s season-ending injury), are surely hoping for Griffin to be the next veteran player to defy expectations.

Griffin has appeared in only 38 games since the 2018-19 season, averaging 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 29.9 minutes per game in that stretch. While those numbers are pedestrian and substandard when compared to the output he had in his prime, that’s enough production for a team to be pleased with a player who will now come off of the bench.

The post Blake Griffin Reveals Kevin Durant is Nets Player That Recruited Him Most Heavily appeared first on SLAM.

In a January 8 contest against Sacramento, Boucher was his typically efficient self—23 points, 10 boards and 2-4 from long distance. His most memorable highlight of the night, though, was an emphatic block against Marvin Bagley III. It was probably the best moment of the game, and so it became a Moment, literally; a platform called NBA Top Shot, owned by a company called Dapper Labs, immortalized the block by minting it into a digital collectible.

We purchased the highlight, or “moment” as they’re called by Top Shot, for $9 on February 15. By the time we went to press for this issue a few weeks later, three of the same moments, albeit rarer ones, sold for over $1,000 each. Yes, a Chris Boucher rejection clip has had that kind of return. 

OK, we might have lost a few readers there. Our bad. Let’s back up a bit. As you’ve probably heard, the sports card industry is bananas right now. Individual sales are shattering records. Good luck finding a proper pack—Target shelves are empty. eBay is experiencing unprecedented transactions. NBA Top Shot is simply leaning into the frenzied collectibles space, but doing so with a revolutionary approach. 

Top Shot is a blockchain-based platform that allows fans to collect, trade, and sell officially licensed game clips. Moments are placed in virtual packs sold exclusively on NBATopShot.com. Packs, priced so far between $9 and $1000 (depending on the potential exclusivity of the pack’s contents), sell out very quickly and are only released at certain times, announced a few hours or at most a day before the pack’s drop. Tens of thousands of people have been “lining up” (digitally) to get their hands on them, and most are usually unable to. 

But they aren’t just selling out. Early adopters are also cashing out. Like with traditional cards, NBA Top Shot releases Commons, Rare clips and elusive Legendary moments. The latter comes with a production cap of at most 99, sometimes less. People who’ve lucked into one have doubled, tripled or 10-timesed their profits on the site’s marketplace. A clip of a LeBron James dunk recently sold for a whopping $208,000. 

What’s crazy is that even with the buzz, things are only just starting here. 

“As far as adoption cycle, we’re super early,” says Roham Gharegozlou, the CEO of Dapper Labs, NBA Top Shot’s parent company. “I think we are still at the ‘insider’ stage going to the ‘early adopters’ stage.” 

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We sense your hesitation, though. Real money? Virtual highlights? Can’t I just go to YouTube for free if I want to see a Ja Morant dunk? Of course you can. You could also have your cousin in art school design a Kobe Bryant rookie card for you in Photoshop instead of paying $42,000 for a gem mint 1996 Topps Chrome on eBay. 

“That is a question that comes up from people who don’t necessarily understand collector economies,” says Gharegozlou, who’s already tasted success in the virtual world with the CryptoKitties virtual game. “What you’re buying in an NBA Top Shot isn’t the video rights, it’s not the intellectual property rights. It’s the asset itself. It’s kind of analogous to a trading card. The difference with a digital item is you don’t have to prove that it’s [real]. The blockchain is what ensures the authenticity.” 

Blockchains have made plenty of headlines the past few years. In simple terms, they’re databases where blocks of information are chained together. Bitcoin transactions are done on them. In NBA Top Shot’s case, its moments (which are, in technical terms, minted as non-fungible tokens or NFTs) serve as digital certificates on the blockchain that collectors show for ownership of a video asset. 

Many see this concept as the future of the industry. Investors like Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and influential entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk loudly agree. Other companies such as StarStock and Otis, essentially stock markets for cards and collectibles, differ from TopShot, but are relevant examples of how the collecting world is changing to a more digital, you-don’t-even-touch-what-you’re-paying-for space. 

The NBA, one of the more forward-thinking professional sports leagues, saw it, too, which is why it and the National Basketball Players Association decided to partner with Dapper Labs for Top Shot. “They already identified this technology as something that could make an impact on their business,” says Caty Tedman, Dapper Lab’s head of partnerships, of the joint venture that started in July 2019. “What we brought was an idea of how to bring it to consumers.” Tedman says more than 150,000 have registered on the site when we spoke with her, and The Action Network reported that NBA Top Shot has already eclipsed $180 million in marketplace sales, with more than 60 percent of that coming just in February 2021. (By the time you read this, all of these numbers will be much higher.)

Those around the League also noticed the potential. Though players get a cut of the sales via Dapper’s partnership with the NBA and the PA, some have decided to purchase their own moments. And when Dapper Labs announced a $12 million round of funding in August 2020, its list of investors included the Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie, the Magic’s Aaron Gordon and the Cavs’ JaVale McGee. 

“The company is very innovative,” says McGee. “I understand how [sports] cards work so the fact that they were technically digital cards, sitting on the blockchain, it was definitely one of the most impressive things that I’ve seen. I’m really into Bitcoin and all the cryptocurrency. I was taking a chance with this company, but it worked out perfectly.” 

Of course, with any investment comes inherent risks. Top Shot prices fluctuate with demand, the moment’s scarcity and other factors. And sure, with any new tech company comes growing pains. Collectors have grumbled about packs being too hard to obtain. The NBA Top Shot site has been buggy at times. But to the company’s credit, they’ve faced every challenge head on, made the appropriate fixes and have smoothed out subsequent drops.

Still not convinced? Neither was Michael Ferguson. A passionate Ohio card collector, Ferg turned his love into Rated Rips, a vibrant online card business that live streams pack-ripping sessions called breaks, submits subscribers’ cards to grading companies and runs an informative Discord community that talks about everything surrounding the hobby, including NBA Top Shot. 

“Somebody did bring it up in one of the live streams one night,” says Ferguson. “I don’t know. It’s hard to understand yet because they’re so new and have some kinks to work out. But it’s insane the amount of money you can make on that platform. It blows my mind what people are paying for these moments. It’s really a fascinating idea. It’s a big opportunity with how high everybody is into the card market right now. The only problem with it now is that it’s almost impossible to get packs because they sell out in an instant.”

The topic of Top Shot kept coming up in Rated Rips’ chats. So, like any good businessman, Ferg started a discord channel on the subject and dabbled a few dollars into the company. “I try to get through [on release days],” says Ferguson, who stood with us and 12,000 others in the virtual line for a recent pack drop, “because the return on investment is almost a guaranteed profit. The first pack I bought was $9. I pulled a LeBron out of it and I sold it for $380.”

And honestly, that’s all the NBA Top Shot team wants basketball fans to do—give the platform a chance. “We really want people to check it out and make up their own minds,” says Gharegozlou, who’s aiming to add games and more vintage moments to the lineup in the future. “The $100k sales get the headlines but there are a million ways to collect and grow a collection you love and care about. It’s easier to get into than anyone thinks.” 

The post The Future is Now: NBA Top Shot is the New Digital Frontier appeared first on SLAM.

Rising to prominence during the Nets’ 2017-18 campaign, the California native averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 assists per game over the last two seasons, solidifying himself as a highly productive player who team can count on night-in and night-out.

However, as it happens, Dinwiddie will miss the entire 2020-21 season after suffering a partially torn right ACL in December. Then, two weeks after Dinwiddie reportedly underwent season-ending surgery, Brooklyn traded for star guard James Harden.

Dinwiddie, who signed a three-year, $34.4 million contract with Brooklyn in 2019, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2022 unless he declines his player option for the 2021-22 season.

As there’s a significant possibility that he won’t find a more lucrative contract fresh off a major injury, it’s all but certain that Dinwiddie will pick up his player option next season but the combination of his salary, his recovery timeline and his shifting role could make him expendable.

With that in mind, the Nets have long had an important decision to make regarding Dinwiddie’s future with the team.

Making an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump over the weekend, The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears reported that the Nets will be shopping Dinwiddie as the trade deadline approaches to bolster their roster and make an NBA Finals run.

As good as he was when healthy, it appears that Brooklyn is open to moving him for the right package and capitalizing on the success generated by the star-studded trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Detroit Pistons are among the teams who have had interest in acquiring Dinwiddie. Still just 27-years-old and a cultural fit for Detroit, Dinwiddie could be a key building block for a team like the Pistons. 

While it’s still unclear what type of package the Nets could get in return from Dinwiddie, especially considering he’s recovering from a major injury, it will a development worth monitoring over the next few weeks.

As solidifying the team’s defense and the bench the essential to fortifying Brooklyn’s championship chances, former Nets center Mason Plumlee could find himself on his way back to the borough.

The post Pistons Among Teams Interested in Pursuing Spencer Dinwiddie Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Per Dumas, the Nets are in active discussions to acquire Cleveland Cavaliers center, JaVale McGee. Dumas adds that Brooklyn also has an interest in stretch big Kevin Love, a five-time All-Star.

While the Nets have the most talented and decorated star trio in the NBA, their second unit has holes that both McGee and Love could help fill.

Perhaps ironically, McGee would be helping replace the shot-blocking and interior defense provided by Jarrett Allen, who the Cavaliers acquired in the trade that brought Harden to Brooklyn. Nets head coach Steve Nash has recently been critical of his team’s defense and it’s no coincidence that his comments have come so soon after Allen and forward Taurean Prince were shipped to Cleveland.

Love, an excellent defensive rebounder, would help Brooklyn defensively by limiting the number of possessions the opposing team has. Furthermore, as a career .370 percent shooter from deep, his biggest contribution could be as a 3-point shooter that plays off the dribble-drives of the Nets’ Big Three.

That said, Love is a more-than-capable three-level scorer who could help carry their second unit while talented guard Spencer Dinwiddie is out for the season with an ACL injury.

For the Cavs, trading McGee frees up a logjam at center that they’ve had since acquiring Allen. Love, though beloved in Cleveland, is past his prime but has a pricey contract that the Cavaliers have had difficulties moving.

The post Nets Interested In Acquiring Kevin Love, JaVale McGee appeared first on SLAM.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania has reported that the 27-year-old’s injury is season-ending and the Nets are expected to apply for a Disabled Player’s Exception amidst the tough blow that Dinwiddie’s loss presents.

Dinwiddie, one of the league’s most respected players due to his on-court development and off-court personality, emerged as a full-time starter in 2020-21.

The seven-year pro didn’t get off to the strongest start this season, averaging 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game in the two contests preceding Brooklyn’s matchup against Charlotte. Likely set to enter free agency prior to his injury, as he averaged a career-high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game in 2019-20, Dinwiddie’s future value on the open market is now thrown into question.

As is the possibility that he declines his $12.3 million player option for the 2021-22 season at all.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Undergoes Season-Ending ACL Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

Although they’ve already experienced injury troubles with Spencer Dinwiddie going down for the year with a partially torn ACL, they are still deep enough to be a top team in their conference. Bruce Brown has gotten off to a slow start, but could turn into a key piece off the bench down the road.

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

Caris LeVert	15.6p, 4.6r, 6.2a
Chris Chiozza	14.0p, 1.0r, 4.0a
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot	8.8p, 1.8r, 1.0a	–
Jarrett Allen	9.6p, 12.0r, 1.2a	–
Joe Harris	13.8p, 4.0r, 1.6a
Kyrie Irving	28.3p, 3.8r, 6.0a
Jeff Green	4.4p, 1.4r, 1.0a
Landry Shamet	6.0p, 1.4r, 0.4a
DeAndre Jordan	3.6p, 8.0r, 2.0a
Rodions Kurucs	1.5p, 1.0r, 0.0a
Tyler Johnson	1.5p, 0.5r, 0.0a
Taurean Prince	5.8p, 2.2r, 0.2a
Spencer Dinwiddie	6.7p, 4.3r, 3.0a
Bruce Brown	1.0p, 1.0r, 0.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Dinwiddie will miss the remainder of the season with a partial ACL tear in his right knee that he suffered Sunday night against the Hornets. While he likely won’t be able to return this season, he is expected to return fully healthy by the start of next season. 

Dinwiddie also tore his ACL in college at Colorado but it was his left knee. He went to Instagram on Monday to reflect on his injury both then and now. 

Dinwiddie has a $12.3M player option in offseason, allowing him to come back for one more season with the Nets to improve his value, or opt out and become a free agent this summer. Regardless, he will have a variety of suitors. 

Spending time as both a stater and high-caliber sixth man in recent years, Dinwiddie averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per contest last season. This will be a major blow to the Nets, but with the depth they have on their roster, there is no question they should still be considered a contender.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie’s Season Comes to an End After Partially Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• How long will it take for the team to mesh? Like we’ve seen with new superstars playing together in the past, sometimes the first season can be full of ups and downs.
• What version of Kevin Durant will we get? The injuries he is coming off of are some of the most devastating in the sport. If Durant is able to get back to the player he once was, the Nets will be a scary team.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Brooklyn Nets: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

Although he wasn’t able to finish the season healthy with the Denver Nuggets on their magical run to the Western Conference Finals last season, he was still an important piece of the roster, starting in all 58 games that he played in.

In his first preseason game earlier this week against Portland, Barton came off the bench. While he was extremely effective running the second unit, he made a comment after the game about not wanting to come off of the bench to Mike Singer of The Denver Post and other members of the media.

“Like I said, I’m a starter. I looked comfortable out there because I’m just that good of a basketball player. I’m comfortable with playing with anybody on the planet. It doesn’t really matter… I put a lot of hard work into this game, and I think it shows when I’m healthy. I have no plans on being the sixth man. I have no desire to be that at all.”

While Barton may not have the desire to pay sixth man, it’s an extremely important role. Over the past few seasons, guys like Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams, and Spencer Dinwiddie have proven to be some of the most important players on their respective teams coming off of the bench.

While Denver still sorts through what their lineup will look like when the regular season kicks off next week, it will be interesting to see whether Will Barton starts the season coming off of the bench or as a starter.

The post Will Barton: ‘I Have No Plans on Being the Sixth Man’ appeared first on SLAM.

Brooklyn Nets forward Jeff Green says that as a team, the Nets are the very definition of the word. They’ve got centers who are “mobile” and guards that can play multiple positions. It’s a sentiment being echoed by superstar Kevin Durant.

According to Kristian Winfield of the Daily News, Durants says he’s ready to play any position that head coach Steve Nash wants him at, whether it be small-ball forward or at center.

“As far as schemes and how I fit on the offense and defense, I think coach is going to use me in a variety of ways, especially as a small-ball five and four sometimes and bringing the ball up too,” Durant said in a conference call on Wednesday. “It’s more so where everybody can utilize their strengths. They can handle the ball. Anybody can bring it up, and guys are going to be switching on the defensive side of the ball. So, I think as the game goes and as it ebbs and flows, each player, I think guys are going to be playing different positions.

“On one possession, Kyrie might be the two, Caris might be bringing it up,” Durant added. “So, you’ve just got to be ready for anything. Coach is just going to throw me out there and see how I respond.”

The Nets have a stacked roster this season with Durant, Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and others. The real question for Nash is figuring out what to do with all of that versatile talent.

“I couldn’t tell you what’s going to happen to the rotations yet, there’s a lot of competition for spots and minutes which is a positive as well,” Nash said. “It’s tough on a coach but it’s positive for our group and program but they are. They’re gaining connectivity which I always preach that familiarity that chemistry’s coming and so that’s something where I’ll say a few days in I’ve been really positive and excited about it.”

KD says there’s been a lot of “healthy competition” in practice, too:

“We’ve got such a talented group. You’ve got guys who can do multiple things on the floor with the basketball. It brings the best out of everybody, having Spencer and Caris going at it every day, Kyrie, myself going at it, DJ and Jarrett going at it every day,” Durant says. “That just breeds that competition. It’s a healthy competition. It’s not like guys are, you know, wanting another guy’s spot. It’s more so we want to push each other because we know it’s going to help with the end goal. So, it’s been healthy, it’s been good and guys are getting better.”

He’s optimistic about the team’s potential:

“I’ve never been one to predict anything, but I like our chances of going out there and competing at that high level every single night,” Durant says. “And as tough as that is in this league, I think we’re capable of doing that,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have experienced so much in this league. We’ve got champions on this team, we’ve got guys that have been in playoff runs, been in Game 7s, so, it’s always important to have that much experience and knowledge within the group. We’ll see where we go from here.”

The post Kevin Durant Open To Playing Small Ball-Five For Nets This Season appeared first on SLAM.

The first will be what they want to do with Spencer Dinwiddie, as multiple Western Conference contenders are interested in trading for him per Ian Begley of SNY.

But why would the Nets want to trade away a guy that produced 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds last season?

For starters, Nets general manager Sean Marks has recently made it clear that re-signing sharpshooter Joe Harris is a top priority for the team this offseason.

“Priority number one. It’s that simple, yeah. Joe, I think we’ve talked about plenty of times. We’re obviously very proud of where Joe has come from. And where he is today. And he still continues to get better. (He) Still wants to work on his craft. So, yeah, signing him and seeing him with this group will certainly be a priority for us.”

If Brooklyn re-signs Harris to a large contract over the next few weeks, that would be a huge financial hurdle when it comes to re-signing Dinwiddie as a free agent in 2021.

Although Dinwiddie has proven to be one of the best reserves in the league over the past few seasons, he clearly has what it takes to be a starter on many teams. It makes sense that plenty of teams are interested in his services, especially contenders.

The post Nets Face Decision as Teams Show Interest in Spencer Dinwiddie appeared first on SLAM.

With three championships combined between KD and Kyrie, there are championship expectations but there shouldn’t be any particular pressure on them to win it in 2020-21. This is especially true in light of both stars’ recent injury history.

This offseason should be about bolstering the roster around those two and with a top-20 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Nets should be able to add a quality piece.

Related: Full Brooklyn Nets 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Nets Draft Needs

There should be two main focuses for Brooklyn heading into the offseason: making a decision on re-signing sharpshooter Joe Harris and deciding how to improve their play at forward (outside of Durant).

Harris is a great fit in the starting lineup because of how his off-ball scoring complements both Durant and Irving’s ability to get into the teeth of the defense with the ball in their hands. However, after being paid a total of $16 million over the past two seasons, Harris may be in line for a pay raise.

The 29-year-old has been shooting an absurd .448 percent from 3-point range since 2018-19 (on 5.5 attempts per game) and he’s as professional as veterans come.

There’s quite a few prospects who excel as perimeter shooters in this year’s draft so, if Brooklyn feels the need to replace Harris, they should be able to.

At power forward, Taurean Prince could be a solid three-and-D option for the Nets. Nonetheless, they have a plethora of lower-level players — Dzanan Musa, Rodions Kurucs and Wilson Chandler — who can be replaced.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

The post Brooklyn Nets: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

This isn’t the first time that Dinwiddie has considered an unconventional approach to managing his NBA business. He famously tried to turn his current NBA contract into an investment vehicle and has separately suggested crowdfunding his next one.

Dinwiddie was represented by Roc Nation.

While Dinwiddie’s potential approach is not common, it’s not entirely unheard of in sports and in the NBA itself. Recently Major League Baseball pitcher David Robertson did such a thing and Ray Allen did so back in 1999.

Dinwiddie is under contract in 2020-21 and has a player option worth $12.3 million in 2021-22. It’s likely that he passes on that option in order to collect a substantial pay raise during a free agency period that teams have been preparing for for years.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Considers Representing Self After Leaving Agent appeared first on SLAM.

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

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $5,718,000
• Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• How much can Brooklyn afford to offer Joe Harris to retain him? Harris is a great fit for the Nets when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving return, but Brooklyn is already over the tax. If the tax is a concern, could a team offer Harris more than the Nets will match?
• With the returns of Durant and Irving looming, does Brooklyn look to rebalance the roster by moving another high usage player like Caris LeVert or Spencer Dinwiddie?
• How do the Nets fill the hole at power forward? This is the most glaring need on the roster.

Projected Team Salary

$163,282,027

Brooklyn’s projections are pretty easy to make. The one question may be picking up Garrett Temple’s team option. He’s worth at least $5M as a veteran combo-guard, so it’s likely he’ll be back. Beyond that, the Nets will retain rights for their free agents, as they all have some value to the team. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$54,142,027 (26^th out of 30). $892,918 over the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Brooklyn Nets: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

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

Nets NBA 2K21 Ratings

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

The post Brooklyn Nets: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

Isaac’s run in the bubble came to a premature end when he tore his left ACL and the team is in no rush to jeopardize his recovery. The versatile 22-year-old forward had just made his return to the court from another significant knee injury on Jan. 1 when he did it.

Isaac is just the latest NBA player to suffer from the major knee injury, although it’s not the career ending prognosis that it once was. Other recent examples of players who’ve suffered the same fate include Kristaps Porzingis, Spencer Dinwiddie and Klay Thompson.

In many cases, the recovery period for such an injury is at least one full season. Otherwise, a nine-month to one-year window is common. While we don’t know what the 2020-21 NBA campaign will look like, shutting Isaac down for the entire season is a welcomed cautious approach for a player with a long career ahead of him.

Isaac had begun to establish himself as one of the premier defenders in the NBA and certainly factors into Orlando’s long-term plan.

The post Jonathan Isaac to Miss 2020-21 Season appeared first on SLAM.

While some of the series in this conference were locked in during the early days of the seeding round, the middle portion of the playoff bracket was in flux up until the final day of the season. Now teams will get the chance to renew rivalries under the spotlight of postseason basketball.

With the playoff matchups finally set, let’s take a look at each Eastern Conference series in the first round. Our Western Conference series preview is available here.

1 Milwaukee Bucks (56-17)
8 Orlando Magic (33-40)

The Milwaukee Bucks were the best team in the NBA during the regular season and their record shows it. Although they struggled in the bubble, going 3-5, there is absolutely no need to worry about this team. Looking at a larger sample size, prior to the NBA hiatus, they were 53-12 and on track to have one of the best regular season records in team history. The Orlando Magic on the other hand had a solid season, earning a second consecutive playoff appearance after a six-season drought.

The Bucks swept the Magic in the regular season, beating them four times by a combined 68 points. There is a good chance this upcoming playoff series will be no different. Behind reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee will look to cruise past Orlando in the opening round while keeping their core fresh for the next few rounds of the playoffs.

2 Toronto Raptors (53-19)
7 Brooklyn Nets (35-37)

One of the biggest surprises all season has been the Toronto Raptors, who ,after losing Kawhi Leonard in free agency, actually finished with a better win percentage this season than last. They will face off against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round – or what is left of them. After a decent season for the Nets, they entered the bubble without most of their key regular season pieces in Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan and Taurean Prince. Regardless, Toronto won the regular season series against Brooklyn, taking three of the four games they played.

Assuming the Raptors play the way they have all season, this series won’t be particularly long. Behind Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, and others, Toronto will be a heavy favorite. With that said, Brooklyn played excellent in the bubble, even without many of their key pieces. They finished 5-3, which gave them the third best record among Eastern Conference Teams in the bubble. For the Nets, this series will still be beneficial for getting some of their guys playoff experience prior to Kevin Durant and Irving looking to take them the distance next season.

3 Boston Celtics (48-24)
6 Philadelphia 76ers (43-30)

The Philadelphia 76ers got the best of the Boston Celtics in the regular season, winning three of the four games they played. However, looking at the bigger picture, they had a variety of problems all season and finished in just the No. 6 seed in the East. The Boston Celtics have been excellent this season with the emergence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with the addition of veteran point guard Kemba Walker.

Although Ben Simmons of the 76ers will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, Philadelphia still has enough talent to potentially upset the Celtics in the first round, even as an underdog. Boston’s weakest link is their depth and production at the center position. Philadelphia has two guys in Joel Embiid and former Celtic Al Horford who will be a matchup nightmare for Boston, just like they were in the four regular season matchups. Unfortunately for the 76ers, who went 31-4 at home this season, there will be no games played at the Wells Fargo Center in the playoffs.

4 Indiana Pacers (45-28)
5 Miami Heat (44-29)

Miami and Indiana have a long-standing rivalry. Their fourth and final matchup of the 2019-20 regular season took place on Friday, with the winner, Indiana, taking the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and the loser falling to the No. 5 seed. Up until that game, the Heat had won all three matchups against the Pacers this season. Although home court advantage likely won’t matter much in the bubble, Indiana will hope that they can keep the momentum going.

Indiana will more than likely be without a key piece in Domantas Sabonis in this series who would have been a great matchup against Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat. To combat this, the Pacers will need T.J. Warren to continue his hot streak of scoring, after producing 31.0 points per contest in the bubble. Before he ruptured his quad last season, Victor Oladipo was playing at an MVP-caliber level. Now, fully recovered from that injury, the sky is the limit with how far he can take this Indiana team. On the flip side, NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler will look to take Miami on a deep playoff push in his first season with the team.

The post 2020 NBA Playoff Matchups: Eastern Conference appeared first on SLAM.

Such an opportunity came during Irving’s absence in the first chunk of the 2019-20 campaign. In five March games before the shutdown, LeVert had averaged 27, 6 and 6 and while that may be buffed by a 51-points March 3 outing, we may see similarly impressive command of the squad in Orlando.

Don’t sleep on guard Chris Chiozza either, the point guard saw his workload double in March and averaged 10 points per game during that period (up from 2.1 previously). Now with Spencer Dinwiddie sidelined, too, he’ll get even more of an opportunity to show what he’s made of.

Jarrett Allen saw a reduced role in March (21.2 minutes per game, down from 26.1) but with so many absences in Brooklyn’s frontcourt, it’s hard to imagine his opportunities won’t ramp back up again.

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

Brooklyn Nets Heat Check

Caris LeVert
Chris Chiozza
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Jeremiah Martin
Joe Harris	–
DeAndre Jordan	–
Rodions Kurucs
Spencer Dinwiddie
Garrett Temple
Theo Pinson
Wilson Chandler
Taurean Prince
Jarrett Allen

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check (Hiatus): Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

Each of the 22 teams chosen to participate in the unprecedented Walt Disney World bubble will play eight games to determine their final playoff seeding.

The opportunity gives those on the cusp of making a postseason appearance one last shot at getting in. Once finalized, the 2020 NBA Playoffs will be played as they traditionally are and a champion will be crowned in October.

These final eight games will be crucial for teams and stakes will be as high as ever. Not only will they be fighting for the final playoff spots, but with how tight the conference standings are, certain teams can still move up or down more than three spots in the standings. For this reason, the strength of schedule for each of the 22 teams is extremely important.

There are certainly many factors that come into play when looking at how difficult a team’s schedule is, but purely based on cumulative opponent win percentage to this point in the season, let’s see who has the easiest schedules.

1. New Orleans Pelicans (.495)

The team with the easiest remaining schedule is New Orleans, who play six of their eight remaining games against sub-.500 opponents. They are also the only team that has a cumulative opponent win percentage under .500. Still 3.5 games out of the playoff picture, not only will New Orleans have to take advantage of this relatively easy schedule, they will have to rely on other teams fighting for the final playoff spot to perform poorly. Although there are many moving parts, the Pelicans may have the best chance of anyone to steal the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference from the Grizzlies due to their schedule.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (.506)

Over half of Philadelphia’s remaining opponents have a losing record. For a team that is only two games out of the No. 4 seed in the East, having one of the NBA’s easiest schedules going forward is a huge advantage. Their potential playoff opponents and how they match up would vary quite a bit based on where they land in the final standings.

3. Sacramento Kings (.529)

The Sacramento King haven’t fared quite as well as some hoped this season. Nonetheless, they still have one last chance to change that narrative and make the playoffs, even if it is unlikely. The Kings are currently 3.5 games out of a playoff spot but will have the luxury of playing five of their eight games against teams that are under .500 on the season.

4. Brooklyn Nets (.544)

Not only will the Nets be without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Orlando due to injury, but they’ll also be missing DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie and a number of others due to health concerns related to the current pandemic. While they will likely be heavy underdogs in any first round series they participate in, they do have a manageable remaining regular season schedule. Their first two games will be against the Magic and Wizards, who are both below them in the Eastern Conference standings.

T-5. Boston Celtics (.550)

Although Boston has a pretty difficult start to their schedule, four of their final five games are against teams with a losing record. With the amount of talent the Celtics have, this means they should finish out the regular season on a very positive note. Of the teams with a top-five easiest schedule, Boston is one of the best based on their current record. Jayson Tatum, who was looking like a superstar before the season was paused, will be exciting to watch the rest of the season.

T-5. L.A. Clippers (.550)

On opening night in Orlando, the Clippers have a highly anticipated matchup against the Lakers. After that, they have five straight games against teams they should have no trouble with, followed by Denver and Oklahoma City to round out their schedule. The Clippers do have a chance to move up to the top spot in the West and could even slide down to the No. 3 seed, but it seems likely they will finish out where they are now at the No. 2 spot. A fully healthy and rested Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is scary for opposing teams going forward.

7. Orlando Magic (.551)

The Magic will be playing in Orlando like they have many times this season, only now it will be in a different stadium roughly 20 miles southwest of their home court. Orlando will have a touch stretch of Indiana, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Boston in the middle of their schedule, but have a manageable start and finish. Although they have a losing record, they still sit comfortably in the playoffs and would have to have an extremely poor outing to lose that spot.

8. Dallas Mavericks (.555)

Dallas is a team that started off hot but has fallen off more recently. With a fully healthy Luka Doncic and more time for Kristaps Porzingis to get his knee strengthened, the Mavericks will be a dangerous team heading to Orlando. One advantage on the schedule for Dallas is that they will get to play the Suns twice in eight games, who will be without Kelly Oubre.

9. Utah Jazz (.556)

The Jazz are one of the most intriguing teams heading into the bubble. Considering Rudy Gobert was the main domino that fell prior to the league shutdown and the locker room drama that came with it, all eyes will be on them as they play in the first NBA game in over four months. The Jazz will matchup against the short-handed Spurs twice in the restart, which should play out in their favor. Utah will be without their second leading scorer on the season in Bojan Bogdanovic due to a season ending surgery.

10. Indiana Pacers (.562)

Indiana is currently two games behind Miami for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Luckily for them, they play the Heat twice in eight games and will have every opportunity to make a run at that spot prior to the playoffs. With questions surrounding Victor Oladipo given his uncertainty about playing in the restart, it is hard to predict how good this Pacers roster will be.

11. San Antonio Spurs (.567)

It’s tough to see the Spurs make much noise at Disney World with their star big man LaMarcus Aldridge sidelined after season-ending shoulder surgery. On top of this, their schedule only gets gradually tougher as they go. After matching up against Sacramento and Memphis in their first two games, five of their final six games are against teams who have already locked up a playoff spot.

12. Milwaukee Bucks (.573)

As the best team in the NBA this season, the Bucks have quite a few decisions to make in the final eight games of the regular season. Being 6.5 games ahead of Toronto for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they don’t necessarily have to play their best players all that much. With that being said, would they prefer to utilize their regular rotations to rebuild chemistry and knock off some rust? Seven of their eight games are against teams who currently hold a playoff spot.

13. Washington Wizards (.578)

While five teams in the Western Conference are getting a chance to earn a postseason spot that aren’t currently in the playoff picture, the Wizards are the only team from the Eastern Conference that are getting this opportunity. With that being said, they currently sit 5.5 games back of the Magic for the final playoff spot. It would take everything going their way to earn that No. 8 seed in the East but it is not impossible. It does not help that Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans will not be competing with the team at Disney World.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder (.583)

Every team has one back-to-back during these final eight games, but Oklahoma City might have the easiest of any. They will play Washington on the first night and Phoenix on the second night of their scheduled back-to-back. The Thunder have struggled against the eight teams they will match up with, going just 6-10 against them to this point in the season. Behind Chris Paul, the Thunder have shocked the world with their play thus far in the 2019-20 season.

15. Houston Rockets (.587)

Houston will look to continue their small-ball style of play in Orlando and with the way they like to play, this long rest and reset might actually benefit them. Although they are the No. 6 seed as of now, they’re only 2.5 games back of the No. 3 seed in a tight Western Conference race. Their schedule will do them no favors as they only play three teams with a losing record and will also play both the Lakers and the Bucks over the final eight games.

16. Phoenix Suns (.589)

Of all of the Western Conference teams heading to Orlando, the Suns have the worst record of all and are a full six games back of the Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed. Combine that with an injury to one of their best players in Kelly Oubre, Phoenix could be eliminated from the playoff race early on. After starting their schedule against the Wizards, their next seven games are against current playoff teams.

17. Memphis Grizzlies (.597)

The team that five others in the West are chasing for the final playoff spot is Memphis. Currently 3.5 games ahead of the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Kings, the Grizzlies have a solid cushion heading into the bubble but nothing is guaranteed. If they can win over half of their games, they will lock up their spot in the playoffs. This won’t be easy though, with one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league. Two of their first three games are against the Trail Blazers and Pelicans who are chasing them, so they hold their own fate early on.

18. Portland Trail Blazers (.600)

After making a trip to the Western Conference Finals last season, the Trail Blazers are on the outside looking in. Getting one last chance to make a playoff push, it will take an exceptional showing for Portland after a disappointing, injury-ridden season. Not only do the Trail Blazers have a top-five most difficult schedule in the NBA, but their one back-to-back features the Clippers and 76ers, which will be a tough task.

19. Denver Nuggets (.618)

The Nuggets have been one of the best teams in the West this season and hold the No. 3 seed. It will take a productive eight games out of Denver to hold onto this position as they have the fourth toughest schedule remaining. They will even have to play the Lakers and the Clippers in consecutive games towards the end of the eight-game schedule, who are the only teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings. One positive for the Nuggets is that Nikola Jokic seems to have slimmed down quite a bit and looks to be in excellent shape.

20. Los Angeles Lakers (.625)

The Lakers have a comfortable 5.5 game lead over the Clippers for the top spot in the West. Due to this, we may see them rest guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis down the stretch once they have secured that No. 1 seed. Regardless, they will have to work for it as their first seven games are against current playoff teams. With how good they have played all season, it is likely that they will have no trouble, even with such a difficult schedule. They may be more interested in starting to build chemistry with their newer additions in Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith.

21. Miami Heat (.636)

After a hot start to the season, the Heat cooled off a bit down the stretch before the NBA hiatus. After starting the season 22-8, they’ve gone 19-16 since Christmas. Perhaps this time off will be beneficial for a team like Miami as they will get to reset and get back on the right foot like they had earlier in the season. It will be fascinating to see how much production they get out of new acquisition Andre Iguodala as well. Miami will only have one game against a team with a losing record while in Orlando before the playoffs.

22. Toronto Raptors (.638)

The team with the toughest schedule over the final eight games of the regular season is the defending champion Raptors. Not only are every single one of their opponents current playoff teams, but they will also have to match up against the top team in each conference – the Lakers and Bucks. A full three games above the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the East, Toronto will need to take care of business throughout this difficult stretch to hold their spot.

The post Disney Restart: Strength of Schedule Comparison appeared first on SLAM.

Crawford’s 2018-19 season ended with a bang when dropped 51 points on the Dallas Mavericks in the final game of the season but he didn’t catch on with an NBA squad throughout the first portion of the season.

Now, almost incomprehensibly short-handed, the Nets will solicit the veteran journeyman’s help.

Crawford will play for the Nets for the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign and help the Nets defend their No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference bracket.

During the 2018-19 campaign, Crawford averaged 7.9 points in an elder statesman role with the Suns. With the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyrie Irving already ruled out of action in Disney, Crawford could step into a significant role out of the gates.

The post Jamal Crawford to Sign With Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

Part and parcel with the league’s restart plan is the fact that players can opt out of the Disney World games without breaching their contract, but whether or not players will forfeit a prorated share of their contract when they opt out or not depends on whether they’re formally excused or not due to a medical issue.

Many of the players who will forego suiting up for the squads when the league resumes are facing the same injuries that they faced prior to the shutdown, most notably the likes of Kevin Durant and John Wall, who were expected to be out for the season regardless and will not alter those plans to take part in the unprecedented campaign extension.

Other players that have already revealed that they won’t participate at Disney did not appear on injury reports prior to the shutdown.

In addition to players who will sit out due to recent positive COVID-19 diagnoses – like DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie – there are players like Bradley Beal and Victor Oladipo who will take the opportunity to sit despite being active in mid-March.

To get a sense of where player’s stood when the league shut down in March, I’ve combed through the league’s final injury reports from prior to the shutdown, noting any instances where players were formally listed as “out”.

A total of 19 of the 22 Disney-bound teams had at least one such player in their most recent injury report prior to the shutdown. All told, 49 NBA players from those teams were listed as “out” on their team’s last injury report before the league ground to a halt on the night of March 11.

At least 11 of those players that were listed as “out” in March are not expected to play at Disney World. Many of the rest have long returned to health and will be active in Orlando later this month.

Out Then; Out Now

Of the 11 players that are expected to be out of action when the Disney World games tip off, three had missed the entire 2019-20 campaign. Not all players that spent the first seven months of the season on the sidelines will forego the return, however.

Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers has been sidelined since breaking his leg in March of 2019 but has been cleared to suit up for his squad after the extended layoff.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Andre Roberson is another example of a player that could make his season debut at Disney. Roberson has been on the sidelines since January, 2018.

A grand total of 30 players that were “out” the day the league stood still are now at least reasonably expected to be back at full health on July 30.

Out Then; Available Now

Naturally, there are a number of cases where availability isn’t known or at least hasn’t been verified. This list could grow with confirmations that players like Nigel Williams-Goss or Justin James are deemed eligible.

In addition to those less documented cases, there’s no consensus yet that a player like Malcolm Brogdon, who has recovered from his right quad injury but now faces recovery from COVID-19, will actually suit up at Disney World, or if a late signee like Jontay Porter, who inked a deal mid-rehabilitation on March 10, will make his debut for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Other players like Memphis’ Grayson Allen and NOLA’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker, much like Roberson, could potentially be capable of returning but don’t yet have a formally revealed clean bill of health.

Additionally, not all players that were available in March are expected to suit up for their teams during the restart. I’ve published a dynamic list of NBA players who’ve voluntarily opted out of the Disney World games but these aren’t the players that I’m concerned about here.

Below is a list of the additional players that won’t play for medical reasons. For several of these players, the hiatus represented an opportunity to undergo surgery to treat nagging injuries. LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs and Bojan Bogdanovic of the Utah Jazz elected to go this route.

Other players will sit out of the restart after testing positive for the coronavirus during the shut down. A trio of Brooklyn Nets players, DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince, have done exactly that and this list may grow if more players see positive diagnoses closer to the July 30 tip off.

Available Then; Out Now

The post List of Injury Updates Ahead of NBA Restart appeared first on SLAM.

While the Nets have been besieged by the virus since shortly after the league’s shutdown, the club has been recently ravaged by several positive diagnoses as well. Along with Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan have also tested positive in the past eight days.

Prince’s absence will be felt by the Nets as they struggle to roster a healthy lineup as they stave off challengers for their No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. In 64 games for the team this year, including 61 starts, Prince averaged 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Prince will return for the Nets next season when the two-year, $29M contract extension he inked last offseason officially kicks in.

Related: The complete list of known COVID-19 cases in the NBA

The post Taurean Prince to Miss Restart After Positive COVID-19 Test appeared first on SLAM.

The loss of Dinwiddie is the latest in a long line of them for Nets fans. The team will already be without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler when play resumes.

Dinwiddie is in the midst of a career year for the franchise, averaging 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game in 64 contests.

The injuries will make life difficult for the Nets as they hope to hold onto the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie To Sit Out League Restart appeared first on SLAM.

Jordan becomes the latest on a disconcertingly long list of Nets players to test positive for the coronavirus. Earlier today we wrote about how Spencer Dinwiddie, too, announced he had tested positive.

Jordan’s decision to bail out of the Disney games altogether isn’t all that surprising. As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets, Jordan suffers from asthma and has been sidelined with pneumonia in the past.

Like Dinwiddie, Jordan found out that he tested positive after returning to the Nets’ home market, which players were required to do earlier this month.

Teams are scheduled to head to Florida next week.

The loss of Jordan will hurt a franchise that will already be without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Wilson Chandler and Nicolas Claxton. Dinwiddie’s availability is not yet known.

The post DeAndre Jordan, Positive for COVID-19, Opts Out of Return appeared first on SLAM.

“Over the past few months, I have been diligent about protecting myself and others from COVID-19 by following all designated protocol and quarantining,” Dinwiddie said, via The Athletic. “I was ready and prepared to rejoin my teammates as we were to be an early entry team in the resumed season. I flew private to return to New York, passed multiple COVID-19 tests over my first several days in New York and was able to participate in a couple practices within the first week.

“Originally, we were supposed to be one of the teams to enter into the Orlando bubble early, but training camp got switched back to New York and unfortunately I am now positive. Given that I have experienced symptoms, including fever and chest tightness, it is unclear on whether or not I’ll be able to participate in Orlando.”

Through 64 games, Dinwiddie has averaged 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds for the 30-34 Nets. Teams have until Wednesday to finalize their rosters for the remainder of the season.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Tests Positive For Coronavirus appeared first on SLAM.

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

NBA Players Positive For Coronavirus

Additional Coronavirus Cases In NBA

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

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

“I don’t support going into Orlando,” said Irving, per The Athletics‘ Shams Charania. “I’m not with the systematic racism and the bullshit. … Something smells a little fishy. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are targeted as black men every day we wake up.”

The call, which reportedly lasted 90-100 minutes, focused on “combating systemic racism, investing in black communities and sticking together through this process,” reports Yahoo’s Chris Haynes. Several players suggested that they’d be willing to sit out the remainder of the season, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

While Irving made it known he was against resuming the NBA season, he said he would travel to Orlando if the players agreed it was the right decision.

“If it’s worth the risk, then let’s go and do it,” said Irving, per Haynes. “But if you’re not with it, it’s OK, too. We’ve got options for both ways. Let’s just come to a middle ground as a family.”

According to Haynes, WNBA players on the call vowed to stand united with the NBA counterparts, as they prepare for a season tipoff in July.

NBA players on Friday’s call included:

• Kyrie Irving, Nets
• Kevin Durant, Nets
• Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets
• Garrett Temple, Nets
• Chris Paul, Thunder
• Russell Westbrook, Rockets
• CJ McCollum, Blazers
• Carmelo Anthony, Blazers
• Zach Collins, Blazers
• Joel Embiid, Sixers
• Tobias Harris, Sixers
• Dwight Howard, Lakers
• Avery Bradley, Lakers
• Donovan Mitchell, Jazz
• Mike Conley, Jazz
• Malcolm Brogdon, Pacers
• Myles Turner, Pacers
• Justin Holiday, Pacers
• Al-Farouq Aminu, Magic
• Mo Bamba, Magic
• Kyle Lowry, Raptors
• Lou Williams, Clippers
• Andre Iguodala, Heat
• Rudy Gay, Spurs
• Harrison Barnes, Kings
• Mason Plumlee, Nuggets

WNBA players included:

• Tiffany Hayes, Dream
• Renee Montgomery, Dream
• Kristi Toliver, Sparks
• Natasha Cloud, Mystics

RELATED: NBA Players Planning To Take Stand Against 2019-20 Season Restart

The post Kyrie Irving Plays Key Role in Conference Call Featuring 80+ NBA Players appeared first on SLAM.

The Pacers made a truly inspired comeback, at one point outscoring Boston 21-2, in order to make things interesting. But down the stretch, Marcus Smart converted a contorting layup, Victor Oladipo missed a 3-pointer, and the game slipped away.

Jayson Tatum (30 points) and Gordon Hayward (27 points) led the way for the Celtics, while Domantas Sabonis (28 points) and Oladipo (27 points) led the Pacers.

Wizards 122 (24-40), Knicks 115 (20-45)

Bradley Beal is on fire. amid a tough losing season in Washington, he’s done nothing but excel, and tonight was no different. Beal put up 40 points, 7 assists and 3 steals in the win.

The Knicks have very few bright spots nowadays (or ever), but Frank Ntilikina had 20 points, 10 assists and 2 steals on very efficient shooting. If he can figure out his offensive game, he’s going to be a problem.

Spurs 119 (27-36), Mavericks 109 (39-27)

This was a quality win for the Spurs, with their playoff chances on life support. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 24 points, 3 steals and 4 blocks, while six other Spurs reached double figures.

Luka Doncic’s 38 points weren’t enough for the Mavs.

Bulls 108 (22-43), Cavaliers 103 (19-46)

What Coby White has been doing deserves some more recognition. The rook is scoring like a vet, and while he had too many turnovers tonight, he dropped 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists to take home the win.

Rockets 117 (40-24), Timberwolves 111 (19-45)

Good for the Rockets snapping their mildly concerning losing streak. Russ and the Beard were at the forefront as usual, combining for 64 points, 6 steals, 14 assists and 10 boards to seal the win.

Magic 120 (30-35), Grizzlies 115 (32-33)

In a battle of the current 8 seeds, The Magic’s bench pulled through, with Terrence Ross (24 points), Michael Carter-Williams (20 points) and DJ Augustin (16 points) all stepping up to beat the Grizzlies.

Trail Blazers 121 (29-37), Suns 105 (26-39)

The Blazers can still pop off with their healthy lineup. Unfortunately, they’ve not had that luxury all season due to injuries and trades.

Dame Lillard had 25, CJ McCollum had 22, Trevor Ariza had 22, and Melo had 21 points. Hassan Whiteside also chipped in with 16 points and 14 boards. That’s what you call a group effort.

Clippers 131 (44-20), Warriors 107 (15-50)

This was a demolition.

After losing to the Lakers last game, the Clippers took out their anger on the poor Warriors, ultimately winning by 24 points.

No Clipper overexerted themselves, and we glimpsed this gorgeous step-back jumper from Montrezl Harrell, who is adding more and more tricks to his offensive bag by the day.

Lakers, Nets

It was a close one down the stretch, with Anthony Davis draining a 3-pointer to tie the game. Then, Spencer Dinwiddie came back and brought the Nets up 2 with a smooth jumper.

Ultimately, Davis had a wide-open 3-pointer to win the game, and it rimmed out. After beating two of the league’s heavyweights in Milwaukee and the Clippers, it’s not surprising the Lakers dropped their next game.

The post Post Up: Brooklyn Nets Defeat Lakers in Close Game appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Queensbridge’s finest. (via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/BTUvAOyhTd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 9, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

Atkinson served as the head coach of the Nets for three full seasons prior to the injury-ravaged campaign and showed incremental gains throughout. The Nets won 20 games in 2016-17, a win total that eventually climbed up to 42-40 in 2018-19.

Of course this year’s Nets roster was considerably different than last year’s. After squeezing every ounce of productivity out of journeyman players like Spencer Dinwiddie, who evolved into a near-All-Star under Atkinson, Brooklyn invested in a pair of superstars.

Neither Kevin Durant nor Kyrie Irving were able to suit up consistently for the Nets this season, the former of course missing the entire campaign with an Achilles injury, but there’s no denying that the team is in a different place than where it was when Atkinson arrived in Brooklyn.

The Nets currently sit 28-34 in the East, a disappointing mark compared to last year, and a growing sense that the relationship between team and coach had run its course precipitated the decision, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Expect Atkinson to draw considerable interest as a free agent coach as rebuilding teams around the league salivate at the idea of a turnaround as quick and successful as Brooklyn’s.

The man who will hold down the fort until the franchise lands a new head coach has two and a half season of head coaching experience in addition to his time as an assistant but Vaughn’s 58-158 record across three years with the Orlando Magic leaves much to be desired.

As an assistant coach, however, Vaughn has worked alongside Atkinson since 2016 and prior to this stint served under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs.

The post Nets Part Ways With Head Coach Kenny Atkinson appeared first on SLAM.

The Magic played incredible, with Terrence Ross recording a season-high 33 points, Nikola Vucevic having 27 points and 10 boards and Aaron Gordon enjoying his first triple-double of his career with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.

D’Angelo Russell was solid for the Wolves, scoring 28 points and dishing 7 assists with a respectable +8 plus/minus on the night.

Hawks 141 (18-43), Nets 118 (32-36)

This wasn’t just a promising game for the Hawks because they won, but also due to the fact that their young core of players were the biggest contributors to their success. Trae Young dropped 22 and 14 assists. John Collins popped off for 33 and 12 boards. Kevin Huerter scored 15 on an efficient 60% from the field. The rook DeAndre Hunter had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Cam Reddish had perhaps his best game of the season with 26 points on 6-9 from deep.

As for the disappointing Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie did his best with 24 points and 13 assists, but it simply wasn’t enough.

Hornets 99 (21-38), Raptors 96 (42-17)

Well, this was a surprise.

The Raptors usually steamroll objectively inferior opponents, but not tonight, apparently. No Hornets starter even scored 20 points, but they all reached double figures. Solid performances from Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry weren’t enough to offset a bench that only mustered nine points.

Despite all that, there was still a chance to win, with the game tied at 96 with about two seconds left, Hornets ball. But Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was called for an off-ball foul. Tough way to lose.

Heat 126 (37-22), Mavericks 118 (36-24)

This was a very quality win for the Heat, beating a bona-fide playoff team in the West and one of the best offenses in league history. Jimmy Butler predictable led the way in scoring with 26, but Duncan Robinson (24 points, 6-9 from deep, +24 plus/minus) and Kelly Olynyk (13 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists in only 19 minutes) were the unsung heroes.

For Dallas, despite a Seth Curry explosion of 37 points and stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis both scoring in the 20’s, Miami was too tough.

Kings 104 (25-34), Grizzlies 101 (28-31)

The Kings are closer to the 8th seed than you think. After beating the Grizzlies, a team currently above them in the chase, Sacramento is only three games out of a playoff berth. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 25 points in what was a very solid all-around team win.

The Grizzlies are crumbling right now, through no fault of their own. Young bigs Jaren Jackson Jr and Brandon Clarke are out with injuries, and they traded two reliable wings in Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill for a Justise Winslow, who is still recuperating from injury. Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 32.

Bucks 133 (51-8), Thunder 86 (37-23)

This was simply an annihilation. The scary part is OKC is a tough, gritty and respectable team with the second best record in the entire damn league since Thanksgiving. But they were no match for Milwaukee and their unskilled star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped an easy 32 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in 27 measly minutes.

Pelicans 116 (26-33), Cavaliers 104 (17-42)

The Pelicans have now won six of their last 8 games thanks to a mixture of superhuman Zion Williamson efforts and excellent supporting cast members in Brandon Ingram (an All-Star!), Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball, plus a deep cadre of role players.

Ingram led the Pels with 29 points, Zion followed with 24 and Holiday had 22.

Pistons 113 (20-41), Suns 111 (24-36)

We were just treated to a throwback Derrick Rose game.

Rose dropped 31 points and the game-sealing bucket, a beautiful driving, off-balance floater. Also, shoutout to Brandon Knight, who has endured many tough injuries, for scoring 19 points in the win.

Jazz 129 (37-22), Wizards 119 (21-37)

Between a losing streak, uncharacteristic drop in efficiency and some epic role confusion over who is starting and sitting between Mike Conley, Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale, Utah needed this. Donovan Mitchell once again put the team on his back, going for 30 points and this monster dunk on poor Rui Hachimura.

Bradley Beal can’t be happy after dropping 42 points, 5 boards, 10 assists and 2 steals and still coming away with a loss.

Clippers 132 (40-19), Nuggets 103 (40-19)

Big win for the Clips, who inch closer to the Nuggets for 2nd place in the Western Conference standings.

It was quite the balanced victory, with all ten rotation players notching between 19 and 25 minutes.

Paul George had 24 on an efficient 9-15 shooting, and Kawhi had 19 points on 50% shooting.

The post Post Up: Giannis Antetokounmpo Goes Off Against Thunder appeared first on SLAM.

Dinwiddie is in the first year of a three-year contract extension he signed with Brooklyn during the 2018-19 season. That extension comes with a combined $22M over this season and next, and Dinwiddie holds a player option of $12.3M for the 2021-22 season.

Dinwiddie was originally drafted by Detroit in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. After two non-descript years with the Pistons, Dinwiddie was traded to the Chicago Bulls. He never appeared in a regular season game with the Bulls and was waived prior to the 2016-17 season.

Marks then plucked Dinwiddie off the scrap heap. Dinwiddie earned regular minutes under Kenny Atkinson as Brooklyn launched a rebuild. Over the course of his four years with the Nets, Dinwiddie has blossomed into a near-All-Star, as he’s shuttled between the starting lineup and bench.

This season, Dinwiddie is averaging a career-high 20.8 points and 6.6 assists per game. He’s started in 42 of his 57 appearances, mostly due to Irving being out of the lineup with a shoulder injury. The 6-6 guard was also reportedly a key figure in the Nets’ recruitment of Durant and Irving as free agents this past summer.

The challenge is Brooklyn has guard depth and is believed to need athletic players who can play off the ball. Begley speculates that a trade of Dinwiddie for Aaron Gordon could be a move that makes sense for both the Nets and Magic.

Gordon is seen by some as expendable for the Magic due to the emergence of fellow young forward Jonathan Isaac. The two overlap positions and neither are considered a pure scorer, which can make it tough for Orlando to put together lineups with enough scoring punch. Gordon is under contract for slightly more money than Dinwiddie, but his deal does decline in value each season through 2021-22.

Even though Markelle Fultz has had easily his best season as a professional, the Magic still lack players who can create offense, especially off the dribble. Dinwiddie would solve that, while being comfortable as either a starter alongside Fultz or in a bench role.

Ultimately, no deal was reached, but often in-season talks can lead to a deal over the summer. This was most recently seen in the case of the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz discussing a Mike Conley deal at the 2019 trade deadline. Trades involving big contracts can be hard to swing in-season, due to cap and roster issues but sometimes the groundwork is laid for teams to re-connect in the offseason.

It’s unclear how Marks will build out his roster around Durant and Irving, but it seems more changes may be on the horizon.

Brooklyn was never really building just for this year, with Durant sidelined due to a torn Achilles but they are hoping the 2020-21 season will be the first in a string of years as a title contender.

A Dinwiddie trade could bring in the depth and lineup balance to help put Brooklyn on their way.

The post Report: Magic, Pistons Discussed Spencer Dinwiddie Trade appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Charlotte mustered up just enough offense in this low-scoring affair to come out on top. Miles Bridges (18 points) and Devonte’ Graham (14 points, 11 assists) helped lift the Hornets over Detroit.

Nets 106 (24-28), Pacers 105 (31-23)

Spencer Dinwiddie continues to step up in the clutch. His step-back with 3.8 seconds left put Brooklyn ahead for good; he finished with a team-high 21 points.

Hawks 126 (15-40), Magic 135 (23-31)

The scoring was plentiful in Orlando, with the home team securing the win. Nikola Vucevic posted a near triple-double with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. All-Star Trae Young scored 29 points for Atlanta.

Timberwolves 126 (16-36), Raptors 137 (40-14)

D’Angelo Russell scored 22 points in his Timberwolves debut, although Minnesota fell short of the win in Toronto. It was the Raptors’ 15th straight win. Pascal Siakam led Toronto with 34 points.

Kings 111 (21-32), Bucks 123 (46-7)

Without Giannis, the Bucks had no problem taking care of business. Eric Bledsoe (28 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) and Khris Middleton (28 points, 11 rebounds) gave Milwaukee the boost it needed with the MVP out.

Jazz 123 (35-18), Mavericks 119 (32-22)

Jordan Clarkson has been reinvigorated since arriving in Utah. Clarkson scored a team-high 25 points off the bench to help the Jazz beat Dallas. Tim Hardaway Jr. put up 33 points for the Mavs.

Spurs 120 (22-31), Nuggets 127 (38-16)

Denver didn’t hold a lead until the fourth quarter, rallying late to upset San Antonio. Jamal Murray paced the Nuggets with 26 points. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 33 points for the Spurs.

Heat 113 (35-18), Warriors 101 (12-42)

Andre Iguodala received a warm welcome and a win in his return to Golden State. Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder led the team with 21 points apiece.

Suns 100 (21-33), Lakers 125 (40-12)

Los Angeles handled the Suns easily, turning it on in the second half. Anthony Davis scored a team-high 25 points, followed by Rajon Rondo’s 23 points.

The post Post Up: Spencer Dinwiddie Hits Game-Winner to Beat Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers were fully healthy for the first time in a while, and they made quick work of the struggling Wolves. Kawhi Leonard was his usual brutally efficient self, scoring 31 points in only 24 minutes of action. Paul George also enjoyed a complete game, pouring in 21 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals on 9-18 shooting.

Leading the bench, once again, were Lou Will (17 points) and Montrezl Harrell (16 points).

Karl Towns had 32 points and 12 rebounds, but nobody else on the team could muster a quality performance.

Heat 102 (33-15), Magic 89 (21-28)

Miami keeps plugging alone, and this time it was rookie Tyler Herro draining six 3-pointers off the bench, while Myers Leonard notched 18 points and 14 rebounds. Jimmy Butler led the way with 24 points.

Knicks 92 (14-36), Pacers 85 (31-18)

Good for the Knicks.

beating a respectable Pacers team while on the road deserves praise, even if Indiana is adjusting to their star player Victor Oladipo coming back. Marcus Morris Sr. led the way with 28 points and 6 rebounds, while Julius Randle contributed a beefy double-double of 16 points and 19 boards.

Warriors 131 (11-39), Cavaliers 112 (13-37)

Remember when this was a finals matchup for four straight years?

In the present day, we were treated to a strong D’Angelo Russell game, as he scored 19 points, grabbed 7 boards and dished 8 assists. Draymond Green also had a whopping 16 assists.

For the Cavs, Colin Sexton had a respectable 23 points and 3 steals.

Wizards 113 (17-31), Nets 107 (21-27)

Bradley Beal is aware he was not voted to the All-Star team.

So what does he do tonight? Well, go off for 34 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks, of course.

The Nets lost again, and while Spencer Dinwiddie was a bright spot once again off the bench, Kyrie Irving exited the game late with a sprained knee and will undergo an MRI on Sunday, according to Woj. Let’s hope everything is ok.

Mavericks 123 (30-19), Hawks 100 (13-37)

No Luka Doncic and no Kristaps Porzingis?

Didn’t matter, as the Mavericks, behind 27 points and 8 assists from Jalen Brunson, took care of the Hawks.

John Collins (26 points, 11 boards), got his numbers, but Trae Young struggled before exiting with an ankle injury. At least we were treated to this high-arching beauty:

Celtics 116 (33-15), 76ers 95 (31-19)

Even without star guard Kemba Walker, the Celtics got a statement win over their rival 76ers. Jaylen Brown stepped up to the plate, with 32 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals, as well as a beautiful handles display.

The 76ers had one of their puzzling night where they simply do not play to their full potential. Joel Embiid shot a surprising 1-11, Al Horford shot 4-11 and Tobias Harris shot 4-12.

Spurs 114 (22-26), Hornets 90 (16-33)

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and added 6 assists as the Spurs inch another game closer to the 8th seed in the West.

For Charlotte, Miles Bridges had 25 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks, but 90 points as a team isn’t going to cut it.

Lakers 129 (37-11), Kings 111 (18-31)

At this point, it would have been understandable if the Lakers followed up last night’s close and emotional loss with another one, as they are still grieving as a collective unit. But they came out strong, scoring 81 points in the first half alone.

LeBron had a triple-double, with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, as well as this gorgeous pass to Avery Bradley:

Portland 124 (23-27), Utah 107 (32-17)

Damian Lillard is simply not of this world right now.

Even before tonight, Lillard’s last five scoring outputs were as followed: 61, 47, 50, 36 and 48 points.

Tonight, he added to his growing legend by dropping 51 points and 12 assists to lay waste to the Jazz.

The post Post Up: Lakers Defeat Kings Following Emotional Friday Night appeared first on SLAM.

Ja Morant (18 points, 10 assists) provided a spark for the Grizzlies, recording an astounding plus-minus of plus-42 in 28 minutes of work. Dillon Brooks scored a game-high 27 to lead the way offensively.

The two sides got into a scuffle after Jae Crowder was shoved by Elfrid Payton while taking a 3-pointer in the game’s final minute.

Pistons 115 (17-32), Nets 125 (20-26)

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 28 points on just 13 points off the bench to lead the Nets in an emotional home win over the Pistons. It was Dinwiddie’s first game wearing No. 26.

Kyrie Irving added 20 points for Brooklyn.

Bulls 106 (19-31), Pacers 115 (31-17)

Victor Oladipo scored nine points in his first game in over a year, hitting a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game to overtime.

TJ Warren scored a team-high 25 on 10-for-15 shooting for the Pacers.

Jazz 120 (32-15), Spurs 127 (21-26)

DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 38 on 11-for-19 shooting to lead the Spurs’ upset bid over Utah.

Rockets 112 (29-18), Trail Blazers 125 (21-27)

Damian Lillard recorded his first-ever triple-double with 36 points, 10 rebounds and 11 dimes. His point guard counterpart shined, too, as Russell Westbrook had 39 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals for Houston.

Thunder 120 (29-20), Kings 100 (17-30)

The Thunder’s starting five clamped the Kings up early, allowing just 16 first quarter points, and Dennis Schroder’s offense off the pine (team-high 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting) kept the momentum rolling the rest of the way.

The post Post Up: Victor Oladipo Hits Clutch Buzzer-Beater in Season Debut appeared first on SLAM.

Bradley Beal (29 points) and Ian Mahinmi (21 points) helped Washington fend off the Pistons at home. Derrick Rose put up 21 points for Detroit.

Raptors 122 (29-14), Hawks 117 (10-34)

Despite 42 points and 15 assists from Trae Young, the Hawks fell short against the defending champions. Norman Powell led the Raptors with 27 points.

76ers 117 (29-16), Nets 111 (18-24)

Fresh off his Player of the Week win, Ben Simmons dropped a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists to beat the Nets. Spencer Dinwiddie registered 22 points and 7 assists in the loss.

Magic 106 (21-23), Hornets 83 (15-30)

Orlando’s scoring duo of Evan Fournier (26 points) and Nikola Vucevic (24 points) lifted the Magic over Charlotte. Malik Monk paced the Hornets with 20 points off the bench.

Knicks 106 (12-32), Cavaliers 86 (12-32)

Julius Randle and Marcus Morris each scored 19 points apiece as the Knicks came out with the road win. New York took over in the second, stretching their lead to as large as 21 points.

Kings 113 (15-28), Heat 118 (30-13)

Two crazy buckets sent this game to overtime, but the Heat prevailed in the extra period. Rookie Kendrick Nunn continues to shine, leading Miami with 25 points in 43 minutes.

Thunder 112 (25-19), Rockets 107 (26-16)

Oklahoma City came back from 17 down to steal a win in Houston. Dennis Schroder hit a step-back dagger to put the Thunder ahead for good; he scored 23 points, while Chris Paul led the team with 28 points.

Pelicans 126 (17-27), Grizzlies 116 (20-23)

Jrue Holiday tied his season high with 36 points in the road win. Brandon Ingram added 25 points and 6 assists. Dillon Brooks scored 31 points for the Grizzlies.

Bulls 98 (16-29), Bucks 111 (39-6)

Giannis Antetokounmpo notched his 10,000th point as the Bucks easily handled Chicago. The MVP registered a triple-double of 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

Lakers 107 (34-9), Celtics 139 (28-14)

Boston enjoyed 20+ points from Jayson Tatum (27 points), Kemba Walker (20 points) and Jaylen Brown (20 points) as they quieted the Lakers. JaVale McGee scored 18 points in 18 minutes for L.A.

Nuggets 107 (30-13), Timberwolves 100 (15-28)

Michael Porter Jr. came off the bench to provide a spark for Denver, contributing 20 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in the road win. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 28 points.

Spurs 120 (19-23), Suns 118 (18-25)

Phoenix took the lead late, but San Antonio rallied to secure the victory. Derrick White (25 points) and Bryn Forbes (24 points) led the scoring charge for the Spurs. Devin Booker scorched San Antonio for 37 points but came up short of the win.

Pacers 88 (28-16), Jazz 118 (30-13)

Utah led from start to finish, growing their lead to as large as 30 in this smooth-sailing contest. Donovan Mitchell put up 25 points, while Rudy Gobert added 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Warriors 124 (10-35), Blazers 129 (19-26)

Damian Lillard had a career night for the second time this season. Lillard scored 61 points in a clutch and dominant performance to beat the Warriors in overtime. Alec Burks paced Golden State with 33 points.

The post Post Up: Ben Simmons, Giannis Put Up Triple-Doubles in Wins appeared first on SLAM.

Yes, Irving says that even once Kevin Durant suits up, Brooklyn will still have a “glaring” hole.

The injury-riddled Nets (18-22) have lost two in a row, and are clinging on to the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Per The NY Post:

“It’s transparent. It’s out there. It’s glaring in terms of the pieces that we need in order to be at that next level,” Irving said after scoring just 14 points in the Nets’ 117-106 loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night. “I’m going to continue to reiterate it: We’re going to do the best with the guys that we have in our locker room now, and we’ll worry about all the other stuff — in terms of moving pieces and everything else — as an organization down the line in the summer.

“It’s just something that we signed up for. We knew what we were coming into at the beginning of this season. Guys were going down left and right, [Garrett Temple] is out, [DeAndre Jordan] just got hurt, Wilson [Chandler] just came back. We’ve got complimentary young guys as well that’ve done a great job the last three years; collectively, I feel like we have great pieces. But it’s pretty glaring we need one more piece or two more pieces that will compliment myself, KD, DJ, GT, Spencer (Dinwiddie), Caris (LeVert), and we’ll see how that evolves.”

Though Irving seems to think the Nets need not only Durant but possibly another piece to hoist a trophy, his boss’ boss doesn’t agree, (owner Joe) Tsai saying there’s enough talent on this roster to win a title.

“Absolutely. I think the fans expect that we win a championship,” Tsai said on YES. “And the good thing is I believe that we do have the pieces in place. Now, we have some injuries and people are coming back. But the fundamental pieces are in place to perhaps go all the way, so I’m absolutely comfortable that if we pay the luxury tax that’s fine.”

Either way, Irving conceded that for the time being, they can’t use Durant’s absence as an alibi.

“It’s glaring that you’re missing a big piece here,” said Irving, who shot 1-for-7 in the fourth quarter. “We all know that. But we can’t continue to make that excuse. We’ve got to go out there and compete and continue to lock in and see where we end up.”

Related Kyrie Irving: ‘I Love the Game, I Missed it So Much’

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The Wiz have played admirably without star guard Bradley Beal. Jordan McRae scored 29 points, Troy Brown Jr chipped in 18 and 10 boards off the bench and Davis Bertans treated us to a surprising flush.

Pelicans 123 (14-25), Knicks 111 (10-29)

Watch out for the Birds. After a pitiful start to the season, they’re finding their stride, with an easy schedule and Zion Williamson on the horizon. In the present, Brandon Ingram went off for 28 points, Lonzo Ball had 11 assists and rookie Jaxson Hayes had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.

No matter how many starting lineups they try, the Knicks still find a way to lose. At least all five starters scored, and we glimpsed signs of life from the mysterious Frank Ntlikina.

Nets 117 (17-20), Heat 113 (27-11)

Spencer Dinwiddie is so under-appreciated. He’s kept the entire Nets boat afloat while Kyrie nurses a shoulder injury, and tonight was no different. Dinwiddie dropped 26 points and 14 assists to take down the Heat.

Pacers 116 (24-15), Bulls 105 (13-26)

Without arguably their best player Malcolm Brogdon (plus Victor Oladipo having missed the whole season thus far), the Pacers still took care of business against an inferior Bulls team. Center Myles Turner produced one of his best games yet, with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks.

The Bulls wasted a fantastic Zach LaVine 43-point scoring outburst (he scored 20 in a row at one point), and look poised for another year in the lottery.

Grizzlies 134 (17-22), Spurs 121 (16-21)

The new guard beating the old guard. There’s something symbolic about that, and Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson are the future, but the present is pretty damn good too. Jaren had 24 points on an efficient 8-11 shooting. Ja also had a complete game with 22 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds.

The Spurs had beaten the Bucks and Celtics in recent games, yet they succumbed to the pesky Grizzlies. DeMar DeRozan had a 36-9-9 stat line, but it was not enough.

Suns 98 (15-23), Magic 94 (18-21)

The Magic were leading the Suns 94-90 with less than a minute to go.

Then, Devin Booker happened. The star shooting guard drained a 3-pointer, then caught a steal on defense and came back down to splash another 3. Game, set, match.

Jazz 109 (26-12), Hornets 92 (15-26)

The Jazz are rolling. Trading for Jordan Clarkson has been a godsend, as the seemingly minor trade simultaneously excised poor, yet consistently injured Dante Exum and brought in a much needed bucket-getter. Clarkson scored 20 points on 8-15 shooting, while Rudy Gobert provided his usual dose of stingy defense with 5 blocks and a modest double-double. The Jazz have won 13 of their last 14 games.

Lakers 129 (31-7), Mavericks 114 (23-15)

LeBron James did LeBron James things with his superstar sidekick Anthony Davis sidelined. Bron dropped 35 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists to dismantle the Mavs, making him the first Laker to put up such stats since Shaq in 2003. Kyle Kuzma stepped into the starting lineup admirably with 26 points of his own.

Bucks 127 (34-6), Kings 106 (15-24)

Another day, another Bucks win while Giannis doesn’t even play 30 minutes. Khris Middleton (27 points, 11 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (24 points, 5 assists) led the way to crush the Kings, who actually stayed competitive through halftime.

De’Aaron Fox was phenomenal stuffing the stat sheet, with 19 points, 9 boards, 10 assists, 4 steals and even 2 blocks in the loss.

Clippers 109 (27-12), Warriors 100 (9-31)

The Dubs played them close, but the Clippers still took care of business even without star Paul George. Kawhi had a monster slam dunk, and 36 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Pat Beverley was one assist shy of a triple-double.

The post Post Up: Lakers Defeat Mavericks in Final Regular Season Meeting appeared first on SLAM.

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

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• Kevin Durant
• Kyrie Irving
• DeAndre Jordan
• Taurean Prince
• Caris LeVert

Brooklyn didn’t sign Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this summer just to deal them away before the duo has a chance to play together on the court. Durant, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, seems unlikely to return this season. Irving, who has only appeared in 11 games during his first season in Prospect Heights, is dealing with a serious shoulder injury and as of this writing, there’s no timetable for him to return. DeAndre Jordan’s relationship with Durant played a role in him signing with the franchise, which from the outside, makes a trade for him hard to envision.

The Nets could certainly trade Caris LeVert and Taurean Prince, though doing so will be difficult. Each player signed a contract extension this fall, which will likely extend their stay in Brooklyn. Should the team trade either player, they’d be subjected to the Poison Pill Provision, which makes salary matching a chore.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Joe Harris

It’s hard to find a major move for the Nets to make given that they are in a state of limbo with their star players. 

Joe Harris is making just $7.7M this season in the last year of his contract and if the team feels like he will be too pricey (he’s expected to garner a significant raise on that figure), perhaps the team deals him away for future assets. General manager Sean Marks and company haven’t given any indication that Harris is on the block, though if he’s available, there would be no shortage of suitors for the career .427 three-point marksman.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Garrett Temple

Again, this team is in the midst of a wacky season where the franchise’s short-term intentions aren’t exactly clear. If the Nets decide bringing Irving back is too risky regardless of the progress he makes with his shoulder woes, then selling a veteran like Garrett Temple could make sense.  

Trades Are Possible

• Spencer Dinwiddie
• Jarrett Allen
• Dzanan Musa
• Rodions Kurucs
• Wilson Chandler
• Theo Pinson
• Nicolas Claxton

Where would the Nets be without Spencer Dinwiddie? The potential first-time All-Star has kept the team in the playoff picture and it’s hard to envision the franchise trading away the combo guard. However, it’s worth noting that Atlanta will get Brooklyn’s 2020 first-round pick if the team makes the postseason, so the Nets would have an incentive to “focus on player development,” especially if Irving never returns. Jarrett Allen will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer. His playing time has increased slightly this season despite the presence of Jordan on the roster. Second-year wing Dzanan Musa, who was the No. 29 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has seen spotty playing time for the Nets lately, which coincides with the return of Wilson Chandler. Chandler is on the veteran’s minimum. Rodions Kurucs appears to have made his way into Kenny Atkinson’s rotation. He has two seasons left on his deal after this one, including a team option in 2021-22. Theo Pinson has the right to veto any trade by virtue of re-signing with the club on a one-year deal with an option. 2019 No. 31 overall pick Nicolas Claxton is the only rookie on the team. He hasn’t played since November.

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It was the Melo show in Toronto tonight. He dropped a season-high 28 points on 10-17 shooting, including a game-winning pull-up jumper with 3 seconds left to lift the Blazers to the impressive road win. Damian Lillard added 20 points and Hassan Whiteside finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds for Portland. For the Raptors, Kyle Lowry dropped 24 in the loss.

Pistons 115 (14-24), Cavaliers 113 (10-27)

Detroit outscored Cleveland 31-18 in the fourth quarter, and Derrick Rose hit a smooth go-ahead floater with 26 seconds left to secure the win on the road. The bucket gave Rose 2 of his team-high 24 points, and Andre Drummond was a monster again, finishing with 23 points and 20 rebounds. Kevin Love led the Cavs in the loss, dropping 30 points on 12-15 shooting.

Thunder 111 (21-16), Nets 103 (16-20)

After Chris Paul tied the game with a pull-up jumper, Spencer Dinwiddie missed a free throw in the final seconds, sending the game to OT. The Thunder outscored the Nets 10-2 in overtime, giving struggling Brooklyn their 7th straight loss. CP3 was awesome, dropping 20 of his game-high 28 in the fourth quarter and OT. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his stellar play, dropping 22 for OKC. The nets were lead by Taurean Prince, who finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Caris LeVert, who dropped 20 off the bench.

Grizzlies 119 (16-22), Timberwolves 112 (14-22)

The Grizzlies scored 37 fourth quarter points to secure their third win in a row. Memphis was led by Ja Morant, who finished with 25 points (12-18 FG) and 7 assists, and Dillon Brooks, who dropped a game-high 28 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points in the win. For Minnesota, the rookie Jarrett Culver finished with a season-high 24 points on 8-11 shooting.

Kings 114 (15-23), Suns 103 (14-23)

The Kings stormed back late to beat the Suns, winning the fourth quarter by a score of 36-16. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 27 points and 6 assists, and Nemanja Bjelica added 19 points and 7 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker dropped 34, his seventh straight game with 30+ points. Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers 117 (30-7), Knicks 87 (10-27)

The Lakers dominated the Knicks throughout to pick up their 30th win of the season. LeBron James led the way, finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Anthony Davis left the game in the third quarter after a scary fall, but x-rays on his lower back were negative. For the Knicks, RJ Barrett dropped a team-high 19 points.

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Cleveland and Charlotte went back and forth in the final minutes, but Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham hit the crucial go-ahead bucket that helped his team get the win. Graham finished with 16 points in 41 minutes, while Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 30 points.

Nuggets 124 (24-10), Pacers 116 (22-31)

It was a career night for Michael Porter Jr., who scored his most points in a game yet with 25 against the Pacers. Jeremy Lamb notched 30 points in the loss.

Raptors 76 (23-12), Heat 84 (25-9)

Miami gutted out the win in this low-scoring affair between two top Eastern Conference teams. Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Jazz 102 (22-12), Bulls 98 (13-22)

Five Utah players hit double-digit scoring, led by 19 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. Rudy Gobert added a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 26 points in the loss.

Warriors 84 (9-27), Timberwolves 99 (13-21)

Robert Covington and Shabazz Napier each contributed 20 points to Minnesota’s home win. Glen Robinson III led Golden State with 16 points.

Nets 111 (16-17), Mavericks 123 (22-12)

It was another night of MVP-level play from Luka Doncic. The forward registered 31 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists to propel the Mavs over Brooklyn. Spencer Dinwiddie notched 19 points for the Nets.

Thunder 109 (19-15), Spurs 103 (14-19)

OKC outscored San Antonio 35-27 in the final frame to steal the road win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander provided a spark with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. DeMar DeRozan put up 30 points for the Spurs.

Grizzlies 123 (13-22), Kings 128 (13-22)

Sacramento received the scoring edge from the duo of De’Aaron Fox (27 points) and Buddy Hield (26 points) to come back and beat Memphis. Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant led the team with 23 points.

Pistons 112 (12-23), Clippers 126 (25-11)

Six Clippers players scored 12+ points, led by Montrezl Harrell’s 23 points in 27 minutes. Lou Williams (22 points) and Kawhi Leonard (18 points) added to the offense as well.

The post Post Up: Michael Porter Jr. Scores Career-High 25 Points in Win appeared first on SLAM.

Atlanta prevailed in Orlando despite the absence of Trae Young (right ankle sprain). Brandon Goodwin led the team with 21 points in 21 minutes off of the bench. Nikola Vucevic scored 27 points for the Magic.

Heat 105 (24-9), Wizards 123 (10-22)

Washington was led by a high-scoring trio of Jordan McRae (29 points), Garrison Mathews (28 points) and Ian Mahinmi (25 points) in the home win. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 27 points.

Bucks 123 (30-5), Bulls 102 (13-21)

Milwaukee enjoyed big nights from Khris Middleton (25 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (23 points, 10 rebounds) to get the road win. Zach LaVine put up 19 points for Chicago.

Nets 115 (16-16), Timberwolves 122 (12-20)

Minnesota was without both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, but they still outlasted the Nets in overtime. Shabazz Napier led the Wolves with 24 points, one of six double-digit scorers. Spencer Dinwiddie went off for 36 points and 8 assists but the Nets fell short in the extra frame.

Pistons 81 (12-22), Jazz 104 (21-12)

Utah took control in the second half, stretching their lead to as large as 23 in the fourth quarter after trailing for a majority of the first two quarters. Rudy Gobert set the tone for the Jazz, registering 13 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks; Donovan Mitchell added 23 points.

Suns 122 (13-20), Blazers 116 (14-20)

Phoenix and Portland went back-and-forth until the Suns closed the game down the stretch. Kelly Oubre hit a critical dagger to put Phoenix comfortably ahead; he finished with 29 points and seven 3-pointers in the win. Damian Lillard put up 33 points for the Blazers.

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Eight Pistons players hit double-digit scoring, led by Christian Wood’s 22 points. Andre Drummond (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Blake Griffin (14 points, 11 rebounds) both contributed double-doubles as well.

Knicks 94 (8-24), Nets 82 (16-12)

Julius Randle scored a game-high 33 points (including a career-high five made 3-pointers) to help win this battle for New York. Spencer Dinwiddie put up 25 points for the Nets.

Grizzlies 110 (12-20), Thunder 97 (15-15)

Memphis’ frontcourt of Jonas Valanciunas (21 points) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (20 points) helped propel the Grizzlies to a road victory. Chris Paul registered 23 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss.

Spurs 98 (12-18), Mavericks 102 (20-10)

Luka Doncic returned as good as new. Doncic, who missed four games with a sprained right ankle, almost put up a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 21 points.

Timberwolves 105 (11-19), Kings 104 (12-19)

It took two overtimes, but Minnesota eventually prevailed on the road. Gorgui Dieng led the team with 21 points in 40 minutes. Richaun Holmes scored 20 points for the Kings.

Blazers 115 (14-18), Jazz 121 (19-12)

Utah held its ground down the stretch and kept Portland from ever taking the lead. Donovan Mitchell (35 points) and Joe Ingles (26 points) provided the offensive firepower that the Jazz needed. Damian Lillard finished with 34 points in the loss.

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Nears Triple-Double in Return to Action appeared first on SLAM.

Utah battled back from a 12-point third quarter deficit to get their fifth straight win.

Rudy Gobert dropped 17 points (6-9 FG) with 19 boards and 3 blocks. Bojan Bogdanovic added a team-high 26 points.

Hawks 112 (6-24), Nets 122 (16-13)

Brooklyn turned it on after falling behind by 18 points in the third quarter, eventually winning by double-digits.

Spencer Dinwiddie dropped 16 of his team-high 39 points in the fourth and became the first Net in over 10 years to drop 30+ points in three straight games.

Atlanta has now lost 7 straight.

Wizards 108 (8-20), Sixers 125 (21-10)

After taking the lead 2:34 into the game, Philly would lead the rest of the the way. Joel Embiid dropped a team-high 21 points with 13 boards.

Isaiah Thomas was ejected in the fourth quarter for going into the stands to confront a heckler (who was later escorted out of the arena). Listen to what IT had to say about the incident:

Bulls 119 (12-19), Pistons 107 (11-19)

Chicago outscored the Pistons by 18 points in the second half to secure the dub.

Zach LaVine dropped a game-high 33 points with 5 dimes.

Bucks 123 (26-4), Knicks 102 (7-23)

Milwaukee led for the entire game, and by as much as 29 points during the third quarter.

Giannis Antetokounmpo needed just 22 minutes to record a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, 11 boards and 10 dimes. Khris Middleton added a game-high 23 points.

Kings 115 (12-17), Grizzlies 119 (11-19)

Memphis took the lead at the end of the first quarter and led for the rest of the game.

Jaren Jackson Jr dropped a team-high 18 points with 4 blocks and 3 steals.

Clippers 134 (22-9), Spurs 109 (11-17)

Kawhi Leonard captured his first win in San Antonio, dropping a game-high 26 points with 9 dimes, 7 boards and 4 steals in just 27 minutes.

The Clippers would outscore the Spurs by 16 points in the third quarter and go up by as much as 33 points during the fourth.

Rockets 139 (20-9), Suns 125 (11-18)

Houston outscored the Suns in every quarter, leading to a 20-point cushion during the fourth quarter.

James Harden went off for a game-high 47 points (15-27 FG) with 7 dimes. Russell Westbrook dropped 30 points with 10 dimes.

Phoenix has now lost 6 straight.

Wolves 106, Blazers 113 (-6)

Minnesota kept it close, but the Blazers pulled away in crunch time.

Hassan Whiteside dropped a historic line of 16 points, 22 boards and 7 blocks—the first Blazer to ever do so. Damian Lillard added a team-high 29 points with 7 dimes.

Minnesota has now lost an abysmal 10 straight games.

The post Post Up: Clippers Rout Spurs in Kawhi Leonard’s First Win in San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

Malcolm Brogdon finished a tough, go-ahead layup with 36 seconds left to lift the Pacers over the Lakers, snapping LA’s 14-game road winning streak. The Lakers streak will finish as tied for the third longest in NBA history, 2 shy of the all-time record. For the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis recorded his 13th straight double-double, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Dwight Howard led the Lakers, dropping 20 points on 10-10 from the field. LeBron added 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists in the loss.

Hornets 110 (13-17), Kings 102 (12-15)

The Hornets outscored the Kings 30-23 in the fourth quarter to secure the win in Charlotte. Malik Monk led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-12 shooting for the Hornets. De’Aaron Fox returned after missing 17 games with an ankle injury, dropping a team-high 19 points in the loss.

Knicks 143 (7-21), Hawks 120 (6-22)

The Knicks’ 143 points is the most the franchise has scored in regulation in 39 years. New York was led by RJ Barrett, who dropped a career-high 27 points on 10-13 shooting. Mitchell Robinson also finished with a career-high of 22 points (9-13 shooting) to go along with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Knicks’ youth movement is showing out under interim coach Mike Miller, who is now 3-3 since taking over for David Fizdale. Even in the loss, Trae Young went off for 42 points and 7 made threes. Vince Carter added 15 off the bench in his final game in MSG.

Nets 108 (15-12), Pelicans 101 (6-22)

The Nets outscored the Pelicans 15-8 in overtime to pick up the win on the road. Spencer Dinwiddie led the way, finishing with a game-high 31 points. Joe Harris added 24 points, and Jarrett Allen finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks for Brooklyn. New Orleans was led by Brandon Ingram, who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Jazz 109 (16-11), Magic 102 (12-15)

The Jazz held off a late surge from Orlando to secure the win at home. Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic each dropped 30 points in the win, the first time since 2008 that two Jazz players finished with 30+ points in the same game. Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 19 rebounds in the win. For the Magic, D.J. Augustin scored 14 of his team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Clippers 120 (21-8), Suns 99 (11-16)

Kawhi Leonard (20), Lou Will (24), and Paul George (20) all dropped 20+ points as the Clippers dominated the Suns in LA. For Phoenix, Deandre Ayton returned from his 25-game suspension and led the team with 18 points and 12 boards. Kelly Oubre added 19 points on 8-14 shooting in the loss.

The post Post Up: Pacers Snap Lakers’ Road Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

Four of Orlando’s starters finished in double digits with Jonathan Issac scoring a team-high 21 points. D.J. Augustin put up 17 bench points as the Magic handed NOLA its 12th-straight loss.

Pacers 107 (18-9), Hornets 85 (12-17)

Myles Turner posted a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) in the W on Sunday night. Domantas Sabonis also had a double-double of his own, too – 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Nets 109 (14-12), Sixers 89 (20-8)

Spencer Dinwiddie (24 points) led Brooklyn as the Nets snapped Philly’s five-game winning streak. Joe Harris was the team’s second-leading scorer with 16 points.

Lakers 101 (23-3), Hawks 96 (6-20)

The Hawks cut the deficit and had a chance to tie it late in the game, but rookie Cam Reddish missed a wide-open 3-pointer. LeBron James (32 points) and Anthony Davis (27 points) combined for 59 points in the road win.

Nuggets 111 (16-8), Knicks 105 (6-20)

With the game close, Denver scored 13 unanswered to extend the lead down the stretch and win their 11th home game of the season. Nikola Jokic finished with a team-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Kings 100 (12-4), Warriors 79 (5-23)

Buddy Hield led all scorers with 19 points, and Bogdan Bogdanovic (25 points) and Marvin Bagley III (17 points) combined for 42 bench points in the Bay Area.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 59 Points in Atlanta 🍿 appeared first on SLAM.

Spencer Dinwiddie finished a tough, go-ahead layup with 26 seconds left to lift the Nets to their 3rd win in a row and 8th in their last 10. Dinwiddie dropped a team-high 24 points and added 8 assists, and Jarrett Allen finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Nikola Jokic stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 11 boards, and 6 assists, and Jamal Murray added 21 for Denver.

Hawks 122 (6-17), Hornets 107 (9-16)

The Hawks outscored the Hornets 34-24 in the fourth quarter to secure the win in Charlotte. Trae Young did his thing, dropping a game-high 30 points and adding 9 dimes. The Hornets were led by PJ Washington and Miles Bridges, who both finished with 20 points in the loss.

Clippers 135 (17-7), Wizards 119 (7-15)

The Clippers’ superstars were dominant as LA cruised to a win in Washington. Kawhi finished with 34 points, 11 boards, and 5 assists on 12-18 shooting, and PG dropped 27, 6, and 6. Montrezl Harrell added 20 points off the bench. For the Wizards, Davis Bertans hit 6 threes and finished with 25 points in the loss.

76ers 110 (17-7), Raptors 104 (15-7)

Philly came away with a big win in a battle between two of the top teams in the East. Tobias Harris led the way with 26 points, and Ben Simmons added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. Kyle Lowry dropped 26 on 7-14 shooting for Toronto.

Heat 110 (17-6), Bulls 105 (8-16)

It was the Tyler Herro show in Miami.

The rookie hit big shot after big shot in the Heat’s thrilling overtime win over the Bulls. Herro finished with 27 points, including 16 of the team’s last 18 and 11 of 13 in overtime. It’s safe to say that this young bucket getter has officially arrived.

Jimmy Butler added 23 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. The Bulls were led by Lauri Markkanen, who dropped 22 points in the loss.

Kings 110 (9-13), Mavericks 106 (16-7)

The Kings went up big early and held off the Dallas comeback to secure a big road victory. Nemanja Bjelica led Sacramento with 30 points on 13-18 shooting, and Buddy Hield added 26 points on 10-15 shooting. For Dallas, Tim Hardaway Jr. dropped a team-high 29 in the loss. Luka Doncic (27p, 7r, 8a) extended his streak of consecutive games with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists to 19, passing Michael Jordan for the most since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. The 20 year old has been unstoppable all year and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Thunder 108 (10-12), Blazers 96 (9-15)

OKC outscored Portland 26-18 in the fourth quarter to grab their 10th win of the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 14 of his team-high 21 points in the 4th quarter for the Thunder. For the Blazers, Damian Lillard finished with 26 points and 7 assists, and CJ McCollum added 20 in the loss.

Lakers 142 (21-3), Timberwolves 125 (10-12)

There’s something special brewing in LA, and it all starts with the dominant duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

AD went OFF for a season-high 50 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 20-29 shooting, his first 50-piece as a member of the Lakers. The King added 32 points and 13 assists on 12-20 shooting in the win. The LakeShow secured their NBA-best 21st win of the season and have won 9 of their last 10.

Are the Lakers the early favorites to win it all? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The post Post Up: AD Drops 50 to Lead Lakers to Win Over Wolves. appeared first on SLAM.

After a sluggish start to the season, the Magic have found their grove, winning four of their last five contests and getting to a .500 record. Starting point guard Markelle Fultz may have had a substandard stat line, but it’s clear he is becoming more comfortable with his game. On one early play, he spun between two defenders and spoon-fed Aaron Gordon an easy layup.

The Cavs’ season has been the opposite of the Magic. They started off playing inspired ball, but have since tailed off, losing 11 of their last 12 games amid reports of discontent with coach John Beilein’s tendency to treat his team like a college program, according to Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of the Athletic.

Pistons 108 (9-14), Pacers 101 (14-8)

Andre Drummond had a monster double-double with 25 points and 22 rebounds, while Blake Griffin, who has become one of the most well-rounded players in the league, chipped in 25 points, 5 assists and 2 steals.

The Pacers are a tough, disciplined team, and no wins come easy against them. TJ Warren led Indiana in scoring with 26 points, but only contributed 1 assist and 1 rebound. Malcolm Brogdon had a solid outing with 21 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds.

Nets 111 (12-10), Hornets 104 (9-15)

The Nets have done an excellent job withstanding Kyrie Irving’s lingering shoulder injury. It was another balanced effort, with Joe Harris (22 points, 5 assists, 6 three-pointers) leading the way and Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Prince and David Nwaba hitting double-digits.

There were some bright spots for the Hornets amid defeat. Devonte’ Graham (who is making a strong case for Most Improved Player) dropped 29 points and eight assists, while backcourt mate Terry Rozier added 24 points of his own, as well as this slick step-back jumper:

Heat 112 (16-6), Wizards 103 (7-14)

Jimmy Butler tripled-doubled (28-11-11) and Bam Adebayo double-doubled (24-13) as the Heat breezed by the Wizards without Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow.

For the Wiz, Bradley Beal put up 23 points and 8 assists, but also 6 turnovers. Second-year big man Mo Wagner was solid, with 19 points and 10 boards.

Warriors 100 (5-19), Bulls 98 (8-15)

The Warriors broke a mini four game skid to take down the struggling Bulls. Well, truth be told, both these squads have been struggling, but there is hope. The Warriors found a late-round gem in Eric Paschall, while the Bulls have a promising young core that simply has not jelled yet. Zach LaVine is prone for a scoring explosion at any second. Also, Coby White is electric.

Celtics 108 (16-5), Nuggets 95 (14-6)

After a bumpy season for both of them last year, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have morphed into complete wings capable of winning games by themselves. Tonight was yet another test the two passed with aplomb. Tatum dropped 26 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, as well as some advanced step-back three-pointers, while Brown added 21 points and 7 rebounds of his own and a monster jam in transition.

Thunder 139 (8-12), Timberwolves 127 (10-10)

If it seems as if every Thunder-Wolves game is a banger, that’s because they are. From Andrew Wiggins half-court buzzer beaters to what feels like dozens of nail-biters, this latest edition did not disappoint. There was a plethora of gaudy stateliness (30 points for KAT, 32 for Jeff Teague, 30 for CP3, 29 for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 22 for Steven Adams), quirky calls (Jordan Bell getting called for a delay of game because Chris Paul told the refs he did not have his jersey tucked in) and an electric finish.

Trailing by 2 points in regulation with one second to go from under their own basket, Steven Adams heaved a beautiful touchdown pass to Dennis Schroder, who floated in a graceful shot. The Thunder proceeded to dominate in OT, and you have to think that completion pass gave them a jolt of momentum.

Bucks 119 (20-3), Clippers 91 (16-7)

Well that was surprising.

In what was supposed to be the marquee matchup of the night and a feasible Finals matchup, the Bucks trounced the visiting Clippers.

On his 25th birthday, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points, 11 rebounds and one poster dunk in only 26 minutes, while the rest of the Bucks shot efficiently and held the Clips to a measly 35% from the field. Kawhi led the Clippers with 17 points, but he was inefficient (5-14 FG) and sloppy with 5 turnovers. The takeaway here is it’s probably a blip in the road, but it’s nonetheless an impressive win by a Bucks team now on pace for 70 wins.

Spurs 105 (9-14), Kings 104 (8-13)

The Spurs are having a small resurgence after going on a brutal losing streak, as they’ve quietly won three of their last four games. Thanks to a clutch Marco Belinelli three-pointer to force overtime, the Spurs eked out the one-point victory. The Kings had plenty of opportunities to score on the final possession (four of them, to be exact), but just couldn’t cash in.

Lakers 136 (20-3), Blazers 113 (9-14)

Before we get into the results, let’s send some prayers up for Rodney Hood, who suffered a torn achilles and is out for the year. He was in the midst of an awesome campaign, and was shooting a blistering 49% from beyond the arc, the fourth best rate in the entire league. Come back better than ever, Rodney.

LeBron and AD had another amazing day at the office, with AD pouring in 39 points and 9 rebounds to complement LeBron’s 31-7-8 line. Damian Lillard mustered 29 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, but it wasn’t nearly enough to dethrone the Lakers.

The post Post Up: Bucks Blow out Clippers on the Greek Freak’s Birthday appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He also converted this acrobatic layup on the move.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spencer Dinwiddie’s fadeaway jumpshot with 1.6 seconds left broke the tie and gave Brooklyn the win. Dinwiddie finished with a team-high 23 points.

Magic 88 (6-10), Pistons 103 (6-11)

Detroit was given the scoring edge thanks to six double-digit scorers, led by Luke Kennard’s 20 points. Terrence Ross scored 19 points for the Magic.

Grizzlies 114 (5-11), Pacers 126 (10-6)

Four of Indiana’s starters notched 13 or more points, paced by TJ Warren’s 26 points. Ja Morant had to leave the game after falling over a cameraman, but he thankfully returned injury-free, finishing with 19 points.

Timberwolves 125 (9-8), Hawks 113 (4-13)

Another high-scoring night for Trae Young was spoiled as Minnesota came away with the victory. Young poured in 37 points while adding 9 assists and 6 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Wolves with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists.

Kings 102 (7-9), Celtics 103 (12-4)

Sacramento and Boston came down to the wire as they exchanged buckets in crunch time. Marcus Smart hit the go-ahead layup with 31 seconds left to put the Celtics ahead for good. Buddy Hield put up 41 points and hit 11 threes but came up short of the win.

Hornets 100 (6-12), Heat 117 (12-4)

Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler each scored 21 points to help Miami get its 12th win. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 19 points.

76ers 96 (11-6), Raptors 101 (12-4)

Pascal Siakam hit the clutch and-1 over two defenders to help the Raptors seal the close victory. Siakam poured in 25 points while teammate Fred VanVleet added 24 points. Josh Richardson put in 25 points for Philly.

Blazers 117 (6-12), Bulls 94 (6-12)

Carmelo Anthony was in vintage form Monday night. The veteran scored a game-high 25 points, hitting four 3-pointers and grabbing 8 rebounds. He also passed Alex English for 18th on the all-time scoring list.

Jazz 118 (11-6), Bucks 122 (14-3)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is following up his MVP win last season with another incredible performance this year. He finished with 50 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists as the Bucks edged out the Jazz.

Lakers 114 (15-2), Spurs 104 (6-12)

LeBron James isn’t slowing down in Year 17. He put up 33 points in 35 minutes to keep the Lakers on their hot start to the season.

Thunder 100 (6-10), Warriors 97 (3-15)

Oklahoma City scored 26 points in the fourth quarter as they closed out the road win. Chris Paul hit a go-ahead midrange shot with under 40 seconds left that sealed Golden State’s fate. Paul finished with 20 points.

The post Post Up: Giannis Scores 50 Points as Bucks Win Eighth Straight appeared first on SLAM.

Luka Doncic continues to fill up stat sheets, putting up 41 points against the Rockets in a Sunday matinee. Doncic also dished out 10 dimes, notching his fourth game with 30+ points and 10+ assists to give Dallas their fifth-straight win.

Kings 113 (7-8), Wizards 106 (5-9)

Harrison Barnes put up a team-high 26 points in the Nation’s Capital. Buddy Hield had 18 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 21 points off the bench.

Nets 103 (8-8), Knicks 101 (4-13)

Brooklyn won the Battle of New York behind Spencer Dinwiddie’s 30-point performance at The Garden. Taurean Prince finished with a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds).

Nuggets 116 (12-3), Suns 104 (8-8)

Paul Millsap led all scorers with 23 points at the Pepsi Center. Jamal Murray and Will Barton had 22 apiece. Denver held Devin Booker to a season-low 12 points.

Clippers 134 (11-5), Pelicans 129 (6-10)

The Clippers cruised past New Orleans to go 2-0 on the weekend. Montrezl Harrell was the team’s leading scorer, tying his career high with 34 points. Kawhi Leonard finished with 26 points.

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Drops 41 Points to Give Dallas Fifth-Straight Win 🥶 appeared first on SLAM.

Detroit shot a whopping 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three en route to snapping a five-game losing streak.

Andre Drummond dropped 23 points with 15 boards. Blake Griffin added a game-high 24 points and had a +18 plus/minus.

Atlanta has now lost 5 straight.

Hornets 118 (6-10), Wizards 125 (5-8)

Washington rallied back from a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to pull out the win.

Bradley Beal dropped a team-high 30 points with 12 dimes.

Kings 97 (6-8), Nets 116 (7-8)

Playing without Kyrie Irving for the fourth straight game, Brooklyn came away with a much-needed win.

Spencer Dinwiddie dropped a game-high 23 points with 7 dimes.

Spurs 104 (5-11), Sixers 115 (10-5)

Philly took the lead after the first 3 minutes and wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game.

Tobias Harris dropped a team-high 26 points with 6 boards and had a +18 plus/minus.

San Antonio has now lost an abysmal 8 straight games.

Heat 116 (11-3), Bulls 108 (5-11)

Miami completely lit up the Bulls in the first half, jumping out to a 26-point lead. Chicago would rally in the fourth quarter, but it would be too little too late.

Jimmy Butler dropped a game-high 27 points with 7 dimes and 4 thefts and had a +16 plus/minus.

Miami has now won 5 straight.

Lakers 130 (13-2), Thunder 127 (5-10)

The Lakers managed to squander a 15-point third quarter lead, but were able to gut out the win late in the fourth.

Anthony Davis dropped a game-high 33 points with 11 boards and 7 dimes. LeBron James added 23 points and 14 dimes and had an insane, one-handed catch (see below).

The Lakers have now won 6 straight.

Cavs 101 (4-11), Mavs 143 (10-5)

Dallas completely housed the Cavs in the second and third quarters and shot an insane 20-37 from the three-point line.

Luka Doncic finished with his third straight game of 30+ points, becoming the first Mav to accomplish the feat since Dirk Nowitzki in 2010. Luka finished with a game-high 30 points, 14 dimes, 7 boards and had a +21 plus/minus.

Cleveland has now lost 6 straight.

Celtics 92 (11-4), Nuggets 96 (11-3)

Despite losing Kemba Walker to a head injury and trailing by 19 points in the third quarter, the Celtics battled back to nearly win the game.

Denver would narrowly hold on, behind Nikola Jokic’s 18/16/10 triple-double. Jamal Murray added a game-high 22 points.

Warriors 109 (3-14), Jazz 113 (10-5)

Golden State battled back from a 21-point fourth quarter deficit to come within 2 points with 22 seconds left. Utah would eventually hold on to the lead.

Donovan Mitchell dropped a game-high 30 points. Rudy Gobert had 8 points, 19 boards and 7 blocks.

Rockets 119 (11-5), Clippers 122 (11-5)

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have played just two games as teammates, but both games were two of the best games all season.

Kawhi, James Harden, Lou Williams, PG and Russell Westbrook all traded clutch buckets during a crazy fourth quarter. But it would be Kawhi who would hit the deciding, go-ahead shot.

George finished with 19 points, 8 boards and 7 dimes. Leonard had 24 points, 6 boards and 3 steals. Williams added a team-high 26 points, all scored in the second half.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Leonard, Lou Williams Come Up Clutch in Clippers’ Win Over Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

New York led from start to finish as they secured the home win. Julius Randle put up a game-high 30 points for the Knicks.

Pacers 115 (8-6), Nets 86 (5-8)

Indiana received a scoring a boost from the Holiday brothers, with Aaron (24 points) and Justin (20 points) leading the team to victory. Brooklyn struggled without star Kyrie Irving; Spencer Dinwiddie (28 points) was the only Nets player with more than 10 points.

Hornets 96 (6-8), Raptors 132 (9-4)

Toronto took control in the second half, scoring 32 points in the third quarter and 40 in the final frame to close out Charlotte. OG Anunoby’s 24 points helped the Raptors secure their ninth win.

Bucks 115 (10-3), Bulls 101 (4-10)

Giannis Antetokounmpo put in a dominant performance of 33 points in 33 minutes. Brook Lopez added a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Blazers 108 (5-9), Rockets 132 (11-3)

The Beard and The Brodie showed why they are an elite pairing, helping Houston to its eighth straight win. James Harden finished with 36 points, while Russell Westbrook registered a triple-double of 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.

Spurs 110 (5-9), Mavericks 117 (8-5)

Luka Doncic continued his special season with a career-high night. Doncic scored 42 points and hit the pivotal dagger to clinch Dallas’ win; he also added a triple-double to top off his performance.

Celtics 99 (11-2), Suns 85 (7-5)

Jayson Tatum paced Boston with 26 points, and Kemba Walker added on 19 points in the road win. Devin Booker led the Suns with 20 points.

Timberwolves 112 (8-6), Jazz 102 (8-5)

Minnesota scored 36 points in the fourth quarter to seal their road win in Utah. Karl-Anthony Towns (29 points, 13 rebounds) and Jeff Teague (21 points, 11 assists) gave the Wolves a boost. Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 18 points for the Jazz.

Thunder 88 (5-7), Clippers 90 (8-5)

Paul George hit the go-ahead bucket against his former team to give the Clippers the win. George put up 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Chris Paul, also facing his former team, contributed 22 points for the Thunder.

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Drops Career-High 42 Points in Win appeared first on SLAM.

The Kyrie-less Nets managed to drop 43 points in the fourth quarter to pull off the road win.

Joe Harris dropped 22 points with 8 dimes and had a +16 plus/minus. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 of his team-high 24 points during the fourth.

Bucks 102 (9-3), Pacers 83 (7-6)

Milwaukee took care of business against a depleted Pacers squad.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 26 points with 13 boards, 6 dimes and had +19 plus/minus.

Hornets 103 (6-7), Knicks 102 (3-10)

The Knicks looked like they were on their way to their fourth win of the season, but a red-hot Devonte’ Graham ripped their hearts out with a game-winning three.

Graham dropped a game-high 29 points, including 9 threes.

Rockets 125 (10-3), Wolves 105 (7-6)

The game was close until the fourth quarter, when Houston outscored the Andrew Wiggins-less Wolves by 12 points.

James Harden dropped 49 points on an insane 41 shot attempts (22 three-point attempts), finishing with a +16 plus/minus.

The Rockets have now won 7 straight.

Pelicans 94 (3-9), Heat 109 (9-3)

Miami took care of business against a depleted Pelicans team.

Jimmy Butler dropped 16 points, with 13 dimes and 8 boards, finishing with a +22 plus/minus. Bam Adebayo added 18 points with 14 rebounds. Kendrick Nunn dropped a team-high 22 points.

Raptors 102 (8-4), Mavs 110 (7-5)

Up 14 points mid-way through the fourth quarter, the Mavericks nearly blew the entire lead, but ultimately was able to hang on.

Luka Doncic dropped a game-high 26 points with 15 boards and 7 dimes.

Blazers 121 (5-8), Spurs 116 (5-8)

Down by 15 points early the third quarter, the Spurs would go on a run of their own after Gregg Popovich was tossed from the game. San Antonio would take a 15-point lead in the fourth, but Portland rallied back to regain the lead.

Damian Lillard dropped 22 points with 6 dimes, finishing with a +18 plus/,minus. CJ McCollum added a game-high 32 points with 7 dimes.

After the heartbreaking loss, San Antonio has now lost 5 straight.

Hawks 101 (4-8), Clippers 150 (8-5)

The Clippers simply couldn’t be stopped, as the TEAM shot 53.8/51.5/94.3 splits for the entire game.

In just his second game this season, Paul George dropped 37 points, scoring the most points of any Clipper in his home debut. PG would finished with a +28 plus/minus.

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

The post Post Up: Devonte’ Graham Sinks Hornets’ Second-Straight Game-Winner 🚨 appeared first on SLAM.

Heat 108 (8-3), Cavaliers 97 (4-7)

How can you not love this Heat team? With a hard-working culture cultivated by coach Erik Spoelstra and enforced by star Jimmy Butler, the Heat have gotten off to an excellent start to the season. Rookie sensation Kendrick Nunn did it again, going for 23 points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals.

The Cavs have performed above expectations thus far this season, and it’s great to see Kevin Love back to his old double-double ways (he dropped 21 points, 10 boards and four steals).

Pelicans 132 (3-8), Clippers 127 (7-5)

Jrue Holiday (36 points, seven assists, six steals) and Derrick Favors (20 points, 20 boards) spoiled Paul George’s first game as a Clipper in a stunning upset.

George stuffed the stat sheet in his debut with 33 points, nine rebounds and four assists with a perfect 10-10 from the free throw stripe in only 24 minutes, but it simply was not enough.

Bucks 124 (8-3), Bulls 115 (4-8)

Giannis Antetokounmpo continued his stellar campaign, taking care of business against the Bulls by scoring 38 points, inhaling 16 rebounds and swiping three steals. The Greek Freak is on another level right now, and there’s nothing anybody can do to stop him.

For the Bulls, rookie Coby White once again showed his high-confidence, shooting 23 times and scoring 26 points off the bench, while Zach LaVine chipped in 25 points, seven assists and three steals.

Knicks 106 (3-9), Mavericks 103 (6-5)

What a thriller! Anytime a star player returns to the city they left, there are usually some fireworks, and this game did not disappoint. We had Frankie Smokes and Luka Doncic fighting for a loose ball, Dwight Powell tipping a shot with 0.1 seconds left on the shot clock, deafening boos and finally, an icy Marcus Morris step-back dagger to seal the Knicks win.

In what is becoming a regular occurance, Luka indeed dropped another triple double with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, while Porzingis added 20 points, 11 boards and three blocks.

Behind a balanced Knicks effort led by Morris’ 20 points, The Garden was rocking once again.

Suns 128 (7-4), Hawks 112 (4-7)

The Phoenix Suns, man. They were completely disrespected all preseason, and have been taking care of business so far. Kelly Oubre (a League Fits stud by the way) scored 30 points, while Devin Booker (27 points) and Dario Saric (23 points) followed suit.

It was not one of Trae Young’s more efficient games, but the man still put up 21 points, 13 assists and two steals. A respectable effort amidst defeat.