“If you hear ‘D,’ for those of us in America, well, where’s the B League? Where’s the C League? You think about the grading scale,” says play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Danna, who has been calling Santa Cruz Warriors games since 2012. 

Back when Danna started working in Santa Cruz, the D-League wasn’t regarded as a natural part of the NBA development process. Not yet. Guys who were sent down to the minors often felt extremely discouraged by the news. “When most people talked about the D-League at the time when I came into being a professional, it was more so looked down upon,” says College Park Skyhawks guard Langston Galloway, whose first stint in the D-League came in 2014-15 with the Westchester Knicks.

Concerning assignment players, Galloway adds: “If you got sent down to the D-League [in 2014-15], it was like, either you weren’t retaining the information fast enough or you weren’t being successful when you got your opportunity. So… We need you to pick it up. We need you to be better.”

In other words, the D-League could feel like a punishment. A demotion, rather than an opportunity. Three steps back (B, C, D) instead of just one.

That has changed dramatically as the league has grown, however. Now the G League is considered an important part of the journey for a majority of young players. “It’s a lot more normalized than it was,” explains Danna. “It’s an expected part of the process.” One that is viewed with far more acceptance than it used to be. 

“There’s a definite process in place for most—if not all—teams that includes the G League,” adds Billy Campbell, general manager of the Birmingham Squadron.

So how did we get here? How did that evolution occur?

The most notable development has been the steady increase in the number of teams. Campbell worked as a basketball operations coordinator for the D-League from 2012-16, and when he first started, there were only 16 teams. Some, like the Bakersfield Jam and Fort Wayne Mad Ants, were shared among four different NBA parent clubs. The lack of one-to-one affiliations with the NBA created a sense of disconnect that clouded perceptions of the league. When a player was assigned from the Toronto Raptors to the Jam, for example, he suddenly found himself thousands of miles away, representing a completely new and unfamiliar organization. How could he not feel separate, ostracized, relegated?

“You had those teams that seemed like they were so far away from their affiliates, you didn’t feel like you were a part of the NBA,” says journeyman guard Scotty Hopson, whose first taste of the D-League came in 2014 with the Canton Charge. 

Without a true minor league system in place, there was far less movement back and forth from the NBA. Assignments were less frequent, as were call-ups. Rookies—or struggling older players—didn’t necessarily anticipate spending time in the D-League, so when they were sent down, it was a significant blow.

But the addition of more teams began to transform how the D-League was utilized, and therefore how it was looked upon. The total rose to 18 by 2014-15, then 22 by 2016-17, then 27 by 2018-19. Today, there are 30 teams, 28 of which are single affiliates of NBA franchises.

“It was a really great thing when it was the D-League and it was its own sort of niche league, where we all understood that we had to band together to keep the league afloat,” says Campbell. “The executives and coaches and everybody understood that. There was great basketball being played and there were great players, but now it’s become really the minor league for the NBA in a way that it couldn’t have been until they expanded to have this many teams.”

Player development plans have become more thorough. G League staffs have expanded to help carry out those plans. Communication from the top has increased, making G Leaguers still feel a part of the NBA ecosystem, not banished to some far-off and detached organization.  

“Now [when] you’re sent down, it’s like, We know you don’t get time to play on the main team right now, but we need you to just go out there, get these minutes and play in meaningful minutes at that, too,” Galloway tells SLAM. “I think that’s where it’s kind of changed—where the perception has continued to get better for not just the young guys, but as talent continues to come through this league.”

In 2012-13, there were 186 total assignments (58 players) from the NBA to the D-League. As of this writing, there have been 540 assignments (92 players) to the G League this season. For most emerging talents, especially those with limited or no college experience, the G League is now perceived as an inevitable—and valuable—destination. A place to keep maturing and progressing. 

An opportunity, rather than a demotion.

Perception has also improved as former assignment players have found tremendous success in the NBA. Khris Middleton (Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 2012-13), Rudy Gobert (Bakersfield Jam, 2013-14) and Pascal Siakam (Raptors 905, 2016-17) all made appearances in the D-League before becoming NBA All-Stars, as did CJ McCollum, Clint Capela and Terry Rozier.

Of the 92 players assigned to the G League this year, 21 are former top 20 draft picks, including James Wiseman, Jonathan Isaac, Moses Moody, Johnny Davis, Kira Lewis Jr, Mark Williams, Ousmane Dieng and James Bouknight.  

“Now that the G League has been in place for 20-something years, as opposed to 10 years when I got into the league, there’s an understanding that most first round picks are going to play at least a few games in the G League,” Danna says. 

And it’s easy to see why. 

“I’m a big believer that you get better at basketball by playing basketball,” Campbell says. “Guys who aren’t playing in NBA games aren’t really working on their craft during the season as much as they’d like to, and this gives them that opportunity to play with some freedom and sort of discover that joy, that passion, that swag, that confidence in their own abilities and their games to sort of get back to the guys that they were.”

The talent level has always been high in the G League (yes, even when it was the D-League), and the intense competition brings the best out of players. Just ask Hopson: 

“It’s a dog eat dog league down there, man. It’s cutthroat, it’s real, it’s raw. But there’s beauty in that journey—in that struggle—to get to what you [want to] achieve. There’s a lot of growth that takes place. There are a lot of learning opportunities. And there’s an opportunity as well just to grow yourself as a professional. If guys come down here and take advantage of that, it’ll do wonders for their careers, even if they take it outside of the G League. The G League is a really great place to be, especially right now. It’s the best it’s ever been, and it’s going to continue to grow.” 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post How the Perception of the G League Has Changed Amongst the Players as Being Part of the Process appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s get it.

AD Went Off and Dropped a 55-Piece in Washington, DC:

Hear straight from Mr. 55 Points pic.twitter.com/ktoVNdXLO1

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 5, 2022

Anthony Davis dropped a season-high 55 points (31 in the second half) on 22-30 shooting from the field (2-3 from beyond the arc) and grabbed 17 rebounds to help the Lakers drop the Wizards 130-119. Davis is the first Laker to drop back-to-back 40 balls since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. AD scored 44 against Milwaukee on Friday. He’s averaging 35.3 points per game over his last nine appearances.

“Our team is locked in right now,” Davis said, per ESPN. “Very focused on both sides of the ball. Overall, we’re just trying to make up ground.”

The Lakers (10-12) won their fifth straight road game and are now 8-2 over their last 10 games after starting the season with a 2-10 record.

He’s Baaaaack:

Khris Middleton returned to Milwaukee’s starting lineup on Friday when the Bucks took on the Lakers. The former champion played 27 minutes and posted 17 points on 6-11 shooting (3-4 from the three-point line), two rebounds, and seven assists in a 133-129 loss to Los Angeles.

“It felt really good to be back out there with the guys competing, playing,” Middleton said, per ESPN. “Just a range of emotions. Been through a lot these last couple months — happy, sad, anxious, nervous. To finally get out there and play and get a lot of those nerves past me, it felt pretty good.”

Khris made his return to the court tonight.

17 PTS | 2 REB | 7 AST | 3-4 3PM pic.twitter.com/gMCAWWyNlA

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 3, 2022

Grand Theft Alvarado Makes Pelicans History:

Jose Alvarado dropped a career-high 38 points on 12-19 shooting (8-11 from downtown) to help the Pelicans sail past the Nuggets, 121-106. Alvarado’s 38-point effort was the most a reserve has scored in Pelicans history. It’s also the most scored by an undrafted player in franchise history. Alvarado has also set the season-high mark for a bench player to score.

“It’s amazing,” Alvarado said, per ESPN. “Like, it could never get old. It is my second year, and every time they scream out ‘Jose’ and do the chant or just show me so much love, it keeps giving me goosebumps. And it makes me want to keep playing as hard as I can.”

JOSE’S WORLD

WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT pic.twitter.com/1qddXzB7wB

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 4, 2022

Ja x Jaden Jersey Swap Moment:

Ja Morant and Jaden Ivey, the two most explosive point guards in the League, exchanged jerseys after their latest battle over the weekend. Morant led the Grizzlies past the Pistons, 122-112, after contributing 33 points, 21 in the third quarter, and 10 assists to help Memphis win for the fifth time in their last five games.

Morant was on fire, going 8-10 from the floor and assisting on all three buckets he didn’t score to help Memphis build a 101-83 lead. Ivey (10 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals) has looked at Morant as a big brother since his mom, Notre Dame WBB head coach Niele Ivey was hired as an assistant on Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff during the 2019-2020 season.

Ivey and Morant formed a tight bond while Morant would do his pregame workout, primarily by talking about upcoming games or life. Coach Ivey was also responsible for pregame scouting reports and did skill work with players. That relationship helped Jaden gain the confidence to pick Morant’s brain whenever he was at Memphis games or practices.

The two explosive point guards share a similar electrifying downhill style. Morant’s success as Rookie of the Year and All-Star can be a blueprint for a rookie looking to become a centerpiece of the Pistons’ rebuild toward championship contention.

Draymond Gets Fined, but a Fan is Cool With It All:

On Thursday, Draymond Green was fined $25k for “directing obscene language toward a fan” when the Warriors took on and lost to the Mavericks, 116-113.

The fan involved in the interaction, Alykhan Rehmatullah, defended the four-time champ on Twitter after identifying himself as the fan Green was arguing with. Rehmatullah said he and Green “were just having fun” and offered to “match the $25k to your favorite charity or NBA Cares.” Rehmatullah told ESPN that he “didn’t take offense” and when Green called Rehmatullah’s pledge “a cool gesture” and said, “you don’t see that happen.”

The exchange occurred with 11:20 left on the clock when the teams were lined up for a free throw attempt after Rehmatullah started giving Green a hard time about his sneakers. In Green’s perspective, there was “a lot of name-callings,” which led to Green turning around and telling the fan to “sit down, shut up, and watch the f——ing game.”

The two haven’t spoken to each other, but Green said he was planning to do so while saying that “the money should go somewhere” and that it should specifically “help someone’s kid.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA Weekend Recap: Khris Middleton is Back (and Better) While Anthony Davis Made Lakers History appeared first on SLAM.

The last time Middleton was on the court, he went down with an MCL sprain during the first round of last year’s playoffs versus the Chicago Bulls. Despite still winning the series, the Bucks would later lose in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the semifinals. Milwaukee missed Middleton’s contributions, and it left many wondering what would have happened if he had been out there.

In response, Milwaukee has bounced back well to start the season. The Bucks are second in the East with a 15-5 record, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing out of his mind, averaging a career-high 31.3 points per on 53.3 percent shooting from the field. 

When Middleton is back, this will certainly make Antetokounmpo’s job easier. He will have less of a scoring load to carry for Milwaukee, thanks to his co-star.

Last season, the 31-year-old averaged 20.1 points and 5.4 assists per game. The offense will significantly improve as well because of Middleton’s ability to play off the ball. Expect Milwaukee’s 17th-ranked 111.2 .offensive rating of to shoot up. Having such a middling offense really highlights this team’s top-ranked defense (106.5 defensive rating) for their early success.

If the Bucks can win their Friday matchup with the Lakers, that will make it four consecutive wins for this team.

The post REPORT: Bucks Star Khris Middleton Set to Return on Friday appeared first on SLAM.

The team has relied on Max Strus and Duncan Robinson to handle the load at the power forward slot, but the team looks to be losing hope in their defensive powers as reports suggest the Heat are looking at trade suitors.

“Kyle Kuzma and Taj Gibson aren’t the only potential moves that the Heat have been linked to recently,” according to Heavy.com’s Thomas Darro. “Link them to PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets, as well as finalizing a reunion between Crowder and the Heat. But another has been Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons and Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Miami HEAT (@miamiheat)

Kuzma of the Washington Wizards is off to a fantastic start to the young season as he’s averaging 19.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and a staggering shooting at 46.5 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. His size and length could turn him into a problem under the talented Heat coaching staff, but Heat President Pat Riley always keeps the door open to other options.

Washington is a restricted free agent this upcoming off-season due to the inability to negotiate a contract extension. The Hornets may be focused on providing their star point guard LaMelo Ball an enormous deal for the 2024 season, leaving little cap space to work for Washington.

The Heat wouldn’t mind one-year rentals, especially when there’s a lot of talent that needs to be proven out of the group. The 24-year-old would add the floor spacing, agility, and defensive intangibles that much up well against star rivals like Jaylen Brown, Khris Middleton and Demar Derozan.

Finally, the reunion Heat fans would welcome with open arms. Not too long ago, Phoenix Suns’ Jae Crowder was part of the resilient 2020 Heat squad that, as a 5th seed, went six games against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The chemistry on display, both offensive and defensively, is in no way bound to be lost in just the two seasons apart.

With this possibly being his 10th straight playoff appearance, a reunion with the Heat opens the door to a final run at a championship.

The post REPORT: Heat Linked to Kyle Kuzma, P.J Washington, and Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

We’re gonna keep it real though: this list was pretty tough to put together. It was mostly guided by the idea that the way to measure the true quality of a team is to think about how much better they were than everyone else they played against. Some decent team in the 2000s would almost definitely destroy an excellent team from the ’70s if we teleported all of the players into the same dimension and let them go at it, but that’s not how this works. This is about dominating your era. Read here for No. 75-66, and 65-55.

Here’s our top 55-44 best teams of all time:

54. 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: Lenny Wilkens

Record: 52-30

Roster: Dennis Awtrey, Fred Brown, Lars Hansen, Joe Hassett, Dennis Johnson, John Johnson, Tom LaGarde, Jackie Robinson, Lonnie Shelton, Jack Sikma, Paul Silas, Dick Snyder, Wally Walker, Gus Williams

For the greatest team in franchise history, it was all about balance. Seven players averaged double-figures for Seattle in ’78-79, led by the high-powered young backcourt duo of Gus Williams (19.2 ppg) and Dennis Johnson (15.9 ppg), while second-year big man Jack Sikma held it down in the paint to the tune of 15.6 and 12.4 per game. The Sonics rode that young core to the Finals, where they dropped the series opener in Washington before taking four straight from the Bullets.

53. 1974-75 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Al Attles

Record: 48-34

Roster: Rick Barry, Butch Beard, Steve Bracey, Bill Bridges, Derrek Dickey, Charles Dudley, Charles Johnson, George Johnson, Frank Kendrick, Jeff Mullins, Clifford Ray, Phil Smith, Jamaal Wilkes

Rick Barry led the NBA in free-throw percentage and steals in ’74-75, League-leading numbers
to go along with a casual 30.6 ppg, 6.2 apg and 5.7 rpg. The Dubs were solid, with silky-smooth rookie Jamaal Wilkes averaging 14.2 ppg and a steady backcourt pairing of Butch Beard and Charles Johnson. But it was Barry, a decade into a spectacular career, who carried Golden State to a Finals sweep of the Bullets for the franchise’s first championship since relocating to the Bay.

52. 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Campbell, Michael Cooper, AC Green, Magic Johnson, Jeff Lamp, Wes Matthews, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Mike Smrek, Billy Thompson, Mychal Thompson, Ray Tolbert, Milt Wagner, James Worthy

It had been 19 years since an NBA champion successfully defended its title, so when Pat Riley guaranteed his Lakers would do just that after the ’87 Finals, the pressure was on. If not for Isiah Thomas’ injured ankle, Detroit might have made Riley a liar, but don’t tell a Laker fan that the last title of the Showtime era was a fluke. James Worthy confirmed his Hall of Fame bona fides with a 36-point triple-double in Game 7 to ensure his coach’s guarantee held up.

51. 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer

Record: 46-26

Roster: Jaylen Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, DJ Augustin, Elijah Bryant, Pat Connaughton, Torrey Craig, Mamadi Diakite, Donte DiVincenzo, Bryn Forbes, Jrue Holiday, Justin Jackson, Rodions Kurucs, Brook Lopez, Sam Merrill, Khris Middleton, Jordan Nwora, Bobby Portis, Jeff Teague, Axel Toupane, PJ Tucker, DJ Wilson

You can focus on the pandemic-shortened schedule, or the placement of Kevin Durant’s toe, but as time passes, what people will remember about the ’20-21 season will mostly come down to one dude: Giannis. A two-time League MVP who still faced skeptics who said he couldn’t produce when it mattered most, Antetokounmpo did just that, first against KD and the Nets (31.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg) in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal thriller, then even more impressively against the Suns (35.2, 13.2) in the Finals.

50. 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton

It was Kobe’s team, but even prime Kobe knew he couldn’t do it alone. In 2010, with a title to defend and a matchup with the hated Celtics in the Finals, the Lakers’ star once again relied on the steadiness of Pau Gasol (18.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg), and got invaluable defense and clutch play from a resurgent Ron Artest. “Kobe passed me the ball!” the man now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest said after hitting a title-sealing three late in Game 7. Every Laker fan shared his joy.

49. 1973-74 Boston Celtics

Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Record: 56-26

Roster: Don Chaney, Dave Cowens, Steve Downing, Hank Finkel, Phil Hankinson, John Havlicek, Steve Kuberski, Don Nelson, Paul Silas, Paul Westphal, Jo Jo White, Art Williams

Russell and Cousy were retired, Red Auerbach was no longer on the bench, and it had been five long years since the Celtics last hung a banner from the Garden rafters. But with John Havlicek (22.6 ppg) still around and young Dave Cowens (19 ppg, 15.7 rpg) already looking like a future Hall of Famer, Boston decided five years was long enough. They needed seven games to take down Kareem, Oscar and the Bucks, but soon enough, Red was lighting that stogie once again.

48. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Coach: Rick Carlisle

Record: 57-25

Roster: Alexis Ajinca, JJ Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois, Corey Brewer, Caron Butler, Brian Cardinal, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Dominique Jones, Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, Shawn Marion, Steve Novak, Dirk Nowitzki, Sasha Pavlovic, DeShawn Stevenson, Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry

There was still a sense that calling Dirk Nowitzki “the greatest European player of all time” was sort of a diss. Nobody doubted his production, but plenty of people questioned whether he could be that dude when it mattered. All questions were answered that June: With help from a veteran supporting cast that included Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler and 37-year-old Jason Kidd, Dirk averaged 26 points and 9.7 rebounds in the Finals to dispatch the Heatles and confirm his spot among the all-time greats.

47. 2005-06 Miami Heat

Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley

Record: 52-30

Roster: Derek Anderson, Shandon Anderson, Earl Barron, Michael Doleac, Gerald Fitch, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, James Posey, Wayne Simien, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, Matt Walsh, Jason Williams, Dorell Wright

A decade dominated by the Lakers and Spurs didn’t leave much room for Eastern Conference contenders, but in ’06, a Miami team loaded with loose parts and a wild array of past-their-prime big-name vets coalesced around a dynamic third-year guard from Marquette. Sure, Dwyane Wade benefitted from some friendly officiating in a Finals matchup that Dirk and the Mavs are probably still mad about, but mostly, Flash earned what he got in leading the Heat out of a 0-2 Finals hole and on to the title.

46. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Larry Brown

Record: 54-28

Roster: Chucky Atkins, Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, Hubert Davis, Tremaine Fowlkes, Darvin Ham, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter, Mike James, Darko Milicic, Mehmet Okur,  Tayshaun Prince, Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Corliss Williamson

Larry Brown talked all the time about playing basketball “the right way,” but he had never
won a title until the Pistons hit the League with their stifling defense. Sure, Richard Hamilton was a potent scorer, Chauncey Billups was good all year (especially in the Finals win over the Lakers) and the mid-year arrival of Rasheed Wallace was huge. But the embodiment of Detroit was lunch-pail center Ben Wallace, whose relentless approach keyed a championship.

45. 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 37-13

Roster: Antonio Daniels, Tim Duncan, Mario Elie, Sean Elliott, Andrew Gaze, Jaren Jackson, Avery Johnson, Steve Kerr, Jerome Kersey, Gerard King, Will Perdue, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Brandon Williams

It was the post-Bulls era and a lockout-shortened season, but the Spurs were ascendant. Their first championship team featured the Tim Duncan-David Robinson interior axis, one of the few times a twin towers configuration had enjoyed supreme success. Avery Johnson ran the team, Mario Elie hit big shots and locked down opposing high scorers, while Sean Elliott was a do-everything type who fit in perfectly. The Spurs lost just two games the entire postseason.

44. 1994-95 Houston Rockets

Coach: Ruddy Tomjanovich

Record: 47-35

Roster: Tim Breaux, Scott Brooks, Chucky Brown, Adrian Caldwell, Sam Cassell, Pete Chilcutt, Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Charles Jones, Vernon Maxwell, Tracy Murray, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith, Zan Tabak, Otis Thorpe

If Houston’s ’94 title run was inspired, the ’95 version seemed unlikely to ever happen. The Rockets posted the NBA’s 10th-best record and were pushed to the distance in their first two playoff rounds. But something about matchups with arguably the other two best centers in the League seemed just what Hakeem Olajuwon needed: He Dream-shook and dominated newly crowned MVP David Robinson in the conference finals, then went for 32.8 and 11.5 to sweep young Shaq and the Magic for the title.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time: No. 54-44 appeared first on SLAM.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the first player ever with 200 points, 100 rebounds and 50 assists in a single series pic.twitter.com/nuLx85wUkH

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 15, 2022

The Greek Freak shot just 3-11 in the second half, including going 1-6 in the fourth quarter. Antetokounmpo fired 27 or more shots in seven games throughout his career, with five of those coming in this second-round series against the Celtics. The two-time MVP had to carry that burden to help the Bucks win due to Khris Middleton being out after suffering a knee injury during the first round of the playoffs.

“Shots that I usually make wasn’t going in. That’s basketball. That’s sports,” Antetokounmpo said. “Sometimes, you win. Sometimes you lose. There’s a winner. There’s a loser. You’ve just got to live with it.”

If Giannis starts hitting these, it's over.

(via @NBAU) pic.twitter.com/S4gsJ6ltps

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 15, 2022

Antetokounmpo finished the seven-game series with a 237/103/50 stat line, averaging 33.9 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. The Greek Freak finished the playoffs averaging 31.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 12 playoff games this year, becoming the first player to average 31/14/6 during an entire playoff run. He became the first player in NBA history to finish single series with 200 points, 100 rebounds, and 50 assists.

Jrue Holiday finished the night with 21 points and eight dimes, followed by 15 points and 10 rebounds from Brook Lopez.

“Legs heavy. Body heavy. Mind heavy. Everything was heavy,” Antetkounmpo said after being asked if his legs felt heavy after the first quarter. ” I was just trying to be aggressive. At the end of the day, it’s Game 7, and I’m not gonna hold the ball and not look at the rim. I’d rather miss a bunch of shots and keep playing and keep coming and keep being aggressive. Keep looking for my teammates, keep making the right plays, then go into passive mode.”

The Eastern Conference Finals will start on Tuesday and will be contested between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Both 2021 NBA Finals contestants were eliminated on Sunday after the Mavericks blew the Suns out, 123-90.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo After Game 7 Loss: ‘Everything Was Heavy’ appeared first on SLAM.

Coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed Middelton would miss Game 1 of the semifinals on Sunday.

“After Game 2, the team knew what the deal was,” Antetokounmpo said per ESPN. “We knew what we had to do. We had to be desperate. We had to go out there and compete at a high level. Pay attention to detail as much as possible. Help one another defensively. We’ve got to do it as a team. It’s not a one-man show or two-man show.

While the Bucks were down a man, the Bulls were down a few too. Zach LaVine (virus protocols) and Alex Caruso (concussion) missed Game 5, allowing Milwaukee to target solely on taking DeMar DeRozan out of his comfort zone, only allowing the USC product to score 11 points on 5-10 shooting from the field.

According to ESPN, DeRozan was double-teamed 27 times in Game 5, the most doubles of a single player in a playoff game in the past three seasons. He faced 24 double-teams in the previous four games combined.

“We threw everything at him,” Budenholzer said. “He’s such a good player, the season he’s had. The ability to make shots, the ability to get to the free-throw line, he’s phenomenal. He saw a lot of people in front of him, around him, just basically always.”

Along with making DeRozan a nonfactor, the defending champs held the Bulls to under 100 points in three out of five games, winning each of their final three games by double-digits. DeRozan attempted to get his teammates involved, but Chicago had an off night, shooting just 7-25 (3-18 on three-pointers) off Deebo’s passes. Overall, the Bulls hit 15-52 treys on Wednesday.

The post Milwaukee Blankets DeMar DeRozan to Advance to Second Round appeared first on SLAM.

Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton has an MCL sprain in his left knee and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, sources tell ESPN. Bucks will have to play without Middleton for the rest of this first-round series against Chicago.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2022

Khris Middleton will reportedly miss the next 3-4 weeks due to an MCL sprain he suffered on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls.

BREAKING: Khris Middleton is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with his MCL injury, reports @Dario_Melendez.

Just… brutal. pic.twitter.com/T7L89g047O

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 21, 2022

Middleton left in the fourth quarter after falling awkwardly on an attempted drive to the rim. He posted 18 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in 33 minutes before he exited for the last time in Milwaukee’s 114-110 loss to Chicago. The first-round series between the Bucks and the Bulls are tied up 1-1 and will shift to Chicago for the next two games.

The Bucks were 44-22 with Middleton in the lineup but 7-9 without him

The post REPORT: Khris Middleton to Miss 3-4 Weeks Due to MCL Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Superstar Ja Morant tweeted that a few weeks ago. “ZW8” refers to rookie Ziaire Williams, who wears No. 8 for the Grizzlies. The tweet alludes to the fact that Williams was not selected to participate in the Rising Stars Game at All-Star Weekend in Cleveland—a clear snub, in Morant’s opinion. ZW8 has been a starter for Memphis—one of the best teams in the League at 43-21—since the beginning of January. 

As part of the three-team trade involving Steven Adams, the Grizzlies also acquired the rights to the No. 10 pick in the 2021 Draft, where they landed Williams. The 20-year-old didn’t have an exceptional freshman year at Stanford, but with his size (6-9) and athleticism, it was easy to see his potential. He developed a reputation as a solid shooter in high school, when he was a teammate of Bronny James at Sierra Canyon and the No. 8 overall prospect in his class (the highest-ranked recruit ever to commit to Stanford). That didn’t carry over to college—Williams shot just 37 percent from the field and 29 percent from three for the Cardinals. Still, he displayed an impressive ability to score at all three levels. And he occasionally did stuff like this:  

ICYMI, check out the flight of @StanfordMBB‘s Ziaire Williams on this throwdown dunk, the Play of the Week! #Pac12Hoops | @PacPremierBank pic.twitter.com/33wiQVMszB

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) January 13, 2021

Williams was in the Grizzlies’ rotation from day one. His shooting has been erratic, as it was at Stanford, but it’s clear that the rookie is getting more and more comfortable with the flow of the NBA. His confidence is rising. He is finding rhythms. He is figuring out how to impact winning.

Head coach Taylor Jenkins likes Ziaire’s versatility on both ends. Offensively, he spreads the floor for Morant and runs with him in transition (the two have quickly built strong chemistry). Defensively, he can guard multiple positions, using his 6-10 wingspan to be disruptive (he has already matched up with Stephen Curry, Khris Middleton, Brandon Ingram, Luka Doncic and more elite scorers). Coaches and teammates have praised his work ethic and willingness to learn.

The result? Williams has steadily improved and his role has steadily increased. He has been in the starting lineup for 23 games, 16 of which the Grizzlies have won. In the month of February, he averaged 9.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, shooting 58 percent from the field and 46 percent from three. He put up a career-high 21 points (on 9/11 shooting), 4 rebounds and 3 assists in a 120-108 victory over the Knicks on Feb. 2.   

“He just has continued to work, continued to believe in himself, started playing with confidence,” Morant said about Williams. “He knows the work he puts in. He knows the shots he can make. He knows what he’s capable of. And now everybody’s getting to see it and I’m proud of it. I’m a proud big brother!”

Three weeks later, on the road against Minnesota, Williams went off for 21 points again (on 7/11 shooting)—this time in a 119-114 loss. 

“I think the number one thing is we want him to play to his strengths,” Jenkins told reporters afterwards. “The way he can run the floor, he’s got a great connection with the guards, especially Ja—all those transition lobs and easy looks in transition. He started off shooting it well [from the] corner. Not so great from the wings. So we told him, just keep putting in the work, man. Keep putting in the work. He’s getting a lot more comfortable with the NBA line all around. Then his ability to shoot off the bounce is at a really high level—we knew that coming out of college. Getting in there, midrange pull-ups, but then getting to the free throw line, knocking down big free throws on small volume, but those are big shots for him. So he’s expanding his game, not just being a guy who just stands in the corner. I’ll also say defensively expanding his game. Tonight’s a great learning lesson where he can be better, we can be better. But he always responds and brings a better effort the next time.” 

Jenkins opted to go with John Konchar over Williams in the fourth quarter of that game for defensive purposes. Williams had, according to his coach, just made “too many mistakes” in coverages.

The rook understood. He likes to be coached that way—to be held accountable, so that he can continue to grow.

“I’ll never forget my first press conference with the Grizzlies, I promised [Jenkins] that I was going to give him everything that I had, and I told him that I want him to coach me as hard as possible,” Williams said. “Constructive criticism—that’s the only way I can get better, that’s the only way the team can get better.

“I definitely [welcome it] from all of the coaches, not even just Coach Taylor,” he added, “to push me to my limits and beyond.”

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Ziaire Williams appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks.

Each captain had to select their starting lineups first and then select their reserves. Because Durant is injured and will not be playing in the game, nine players were available to be drafted instead of eight, with Jayson Tatum replacing Durant as a starter.

James opened the draft up by selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo first overall, with Durant using his first pick to draft Joel Embiid.

James rounded off his starting lineup by selecting Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Jokic. Durant’s starting lineup will consist of Embiid, Tatum, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, and Trae Young. Wiggins and Young were the final two starters selected in the draft.

Between the two, Durant has the least experienced starting lineup with Wiggins and Morant, both first-time All-Stars and Young just in his second All-Star Game.

Durant got the first pick to open up the reserves section of the draft and used the pick to select Devin Booker, and James used his first pick to draft Luka Doncic.

Durant filled out his reserves by selecting Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert.

James reserves will be Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden.

Harden was the last pick of the All-Star Draft, with Durant creating a funny moment where he opted against drafting his former teammate, who was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, to take Gobert instead.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to occur in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA All-Star Teams Set, Giannis Antetokounmpo Selected First Overall appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, during a broadcast on TNT, the NBA announced the reserves for the upcoming 2022 All-Star game, a week after the starters had been announced.

In the West, the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz had two players named: Chris Paul and Devin Booker for the Suns and Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell for the Jazz. The roster comprises Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic.

The West will have to add one additional player before the All-Star game, as Green won’t be active for the festivities. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will name Green’s replacement before the All-Star Game draft.

The remaining West All-Stars are made up by the five starters, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Ja Morant.

In the East, Zach LaVine, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Fred VanVleet, Jayson Tatum, and Khris Middleton all got the nod, representing different teams from each other. They’ll be joining the East’s five starters of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, Joel Embiid, and Trae Young.

While there is a boatload of talent in this year’s All-Star game, some names that arguably deserved consideration were left off. Dejounte Murray and Deandre Ayton are putting together excellent seasons in the West but were not named to the All-Star team. Paul George was having another All-Star-caliber season but hasn’t played in over a month due to an elbow injury.

In the East, Jarrett Allen, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown have seasons potentially worthy of the All-Star distinction.

All-Star captains James and Durant will draft their teams live on TNT on Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m. EST. The NBA All-Star Game is on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA Announces Reserves for 2022 All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

The Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Wes Matthews now. Rest of team continues to undergo testing. https://t.co/M6hwEir2YV

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2021

The Milwaukee Bucks can’t catch a break with injuries and illness in general. Khris Middleton was listed as questionable after suffering hyperextended knee Monday against the Celtics; Shams Charania reported that Donte DiVincenzo entered protocols too ahead of his season debut DeMarcus Cousins (personal reasons), Brook Lopez (back surgery), and Semi Ojeleye (calf strain).

Antetokounmpo averages 27.0 points,11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, while Wesley Matthews has averaged 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in four appearances. Matthews signed with the Bucks two weeks ago.

Tuesday’s report leaves the Greek Freaks status for a Christmas Day matchup against Boston in jeopardy. Antetokounmpo, Matthews, and DiVincenzo must return two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart or miss 10 days. The Bucks (18-11) will be playing six games over the next 11 days, starting with their Pacers game. The gauntlet concludes next week against the Celtics at home.

The post REPORT: Giannis Antetokounmpo Out Against Pacers After Entering COVID-19 Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

“I’ve been working out the last couple of days here while guys were on the road,” Middleton said after Tuesday’s practice. “In practice, I felt good. But everybody knows game shape is a totally different ballgame. I can’t wait to see how I feel tomorrow.”

The Bucks (6-8) are currently off to a slow start and struggled to a 3-5 record without the two-time All-Star. Middleton’s return coincides with a five-game homestand.

Middleton averaged 20 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in the six games he has played this season.

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer discussed how Middleton’s importance goes much farther than just scoring.

“I think it’s underrated what he does for us defensively, underrated what he does for us on the boards, his communication, his leadership,” Budenholzer said. “Everybody’s going to talk about the scoring and the shooting and all those things. I don’t want to undervalue or underestimate those, but I think he really is a complete player, and he’s a great leader.”

Milwaukee plays the Lakers Wednesday at 7:30 pm EST.

The post Milwaukee Bucks Get Khris Middleton Back In Time For Lakers Game appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland’s Lauri Markkanen has entered Health and Safety Protocols, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 3, 2021

This marks the second player on Cleveland’s roster to enter health and safety protocols in the past week after Kevin Love entered the same protocols on Monday. Both forwards will be out indefinitely and not be allowed to be around the team per Chris Fedor. Markkanen’s quarantine will be the fourth the League has seen this week after Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday and Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris underwent protocols earlier this week as well.

Per Wojnarowski, players who test positive have two avenues toward being reinstated; waiting 10 days post the first positive test or passing consecutive negative PCR tests 24 hours apart. Players who exhibit symptoms must also pass cardiac testing upon their return to the court and respective organizations.

Markkanen is currently averaging 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in just eight games so far this season.

The Cavs (4-4) will take on the Portland Trail Blazers (3-4) on Wednesday.

The post Lauri Markkanen Enters Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Budenholzer says that the team “thought he just had a head cold or some type of non-COVID illness. And then didn’t feel good again the next day. And got tested and has come back positive.”

Ahead of tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons, Middleton had been listed as out.

A positive diagnosis means that a player has to sit out for a minimum of 10 days, meaning that Middleton could “miss the next six games” potentially until next week (per ESPN). The 30-year old, who is currently averaging 20.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and and 4.5 assists this season, is one of the latest players in the League to enter health and safety protocols—including Kevin Love and Tobias Harris.

The post REPORT: Mike Budenholzer Says Khris Middleton Has Tested Positive for COVID-19 appeared first on SLAM.

Team USA is slotted to play against Group A opponents such as France, Iran, and the Czech Republic in order to qualify for the single-elimination Final Phase starting on August 3. The first and second-place teams in each group and the two best third-place teams overall advance to the single-elimination Final Phase.

Here’s Team USA’s full schedule for the Tokyo Olympics (via NBA.com):

Having an opportunity to claim a fourth straight gold medal after winning in 2008, 2012 and 2016, Team USA’s start has not been without mixed results.

First, Team USA lost its first two exhibition games in Las Vegas to Nigeria and Australia before bouncing back to defeat Argentina and Spain. Then more changes to the 12 man roster happened as Bradley Beal dropped out due to health and safety protocols and Kevin Love left due to a calf injury. They were replaced by JaVale McGee and Keldon Johnson.

Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton will be available for the team’s opener against France.

The post USA Men’s Basketball Full Schedule For Tokyo Olympics Released appeared first on SLAM.

Team USA’s Zach LaVine has cleared health and safety protocols and will join the team in Tokyo on Thursday afternoon.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 21, 2021

LaVine is the third USA player to undergo health and safety protocols in the last week; Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant underwent a contact-tracing quarantine for four days while Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal left the team under such protocols.

The Chicago Bulls star has started in place of Beal for the past two games and averaged 10.3 points in the teams four exhibition games.

LaVine will join the team just a day before the Olympic games start—three days before the team tips off its first pool play-game against France on Sunday.

The back-to-back Slam Dunk champion won’t be the only late arrival in Tokyo this week as first-time NBA champions Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, as well as Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, will be taking the 15-hour flight to meet Team USA on Friday.

The post Zach LaVine to Join Team USA in Tokyo on Thursday appeared first on SLAM.

Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks made history last night by becoming the NBA’s newest champions. Finishing Game 6 with an astounding stat line, Giannis finished with 50 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks, making his performance one of the first to ever happen during an NBA Finals.

After the game, an emotional Giannis went into detail about his journey, and why it was important to him that he re-signed with Milwaukee:

“I could go to a superteam … but this is the hard way to do it and this is the way to do it.”

Giannis spitting bars. pic.twitter.com/Hz07RJyxSx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 21, 2021

“Coming back, I was like, ‘This is my city. They trust me. They believe in me. They believe in us,'” he said, per ESPN. “Obviously I wanted to get the job done. But that’s my stubborn side. It’s easy to go somewhere and go win a championship with somebody else. It’s easy. I could go to a super team and just do my part and win a championship.

“But this is the hard way to do it and this is the way to do it, and we did it. We f—ing did it.”

While his free throw shooting caused major criticism, Giannis was clutch and shot 17-of-19 from the free-throw line. He had something to say about all of the backlash, too:

“People told me I cannot make free throws,” he added. “I made my free throws tonight and I’m a freaking champion…I made them when I’m supposed to make them.”

While his athletic dominance helped lead the Bucks to victory, Giannis also made sure to acknowledge that his teammates stepped up big as well. He gave a special shoutout to Khris Middleton—who was clutch in the Finals and posted 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in Game 6. Middleton has continued to prove to the world that he, too, is a star on the Bucks.

As the Bucks bring the LoB trophy back home with them, let the celebrations begin.

The post Giannis on Sticking With the Bucks and Winning an NBA Title: ‘This is the Hard Way to Do It’ appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 6 of the NBA Finals here.

No. 2 Suns 98, No. 3 Bucks 105

MIL Wins Series 4-2

The Bucks were in an 0-2 hole to start the Finals, but rattled off four-straight wins to come out on top in the series. In the final game of the 2020-21 season, the Suns came out hot with their backs against the wall, leading by five points at halftime. Going into the fourth quarter, Milwaukee had tied the game, but Antetokounmpo had scored 37 of the team’s 77 points by himself. Khris Middleton and Antetokounmpo both came up clutch in the fourth quarter as the Bucks won Game 6 and ultimately the championship. 

Antetokounmpo had a historic performance, producing 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. This made him just the second player in NBA history with three 40-point, 10-rebound games in a single NBA Finals, joining Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. This performance also made him the only player since 1974 to have 40 points, 10 rebounds and five rebounds in a Finals game and only the seventh in NBA history with a 50-point game in the Finals. Chris Paul and Devin Booker led the Suns with 26 and 19 points respectively in the hard-fought loss. 

The post Post Up: Milwaukee Bucks Crowned NBA Champions appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 103, No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks 109

Series tied 2-2

The Bucks and Suns played a close game from start to finish in Game 4 but the Bucks eventually came out on top thanks to a career night for All-Star forward Khris Middleton. While having an up and down series, Middleton led his team in scoring with 40 points and chipping in six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo flirted with a triple-double, going for 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Brook Lopez (14), Jrue Holiday (13) and Pat Connaughton were the only other Bucks to finish with more than 10 points.

Antetokounmpo also had one of the plays of the season, with this block late in the game on Deandre Ayton doing justice to the nickname “Greek Freak.”

Phoenix was kept in the game, thanks largely to the scoring of star guard Devin Booker. Booker led all scorers in the game for 42 points on 60.7 percent shooting from the field. However, not holding on up their end was Chris Paul, had a shaky night shooting as well, managing only 10 points on 5-for-13 shooting while turning over the ball five times.

Ayton, who only scored six points, had five assists but cleaning up on the boards with 17 rebounds.

With the series all tied up 2-2, the two teams will head back to Phoenix for Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The post Post Up: Milwaukee Ties the Series Behind Play of Middleton, Giannis appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 3 of the NBA Finals here.

No. 2 Suns 100, No. 3 Bucks 120

PHX Leads Series 2-1

After getting into an 0-2 hole here in the 2021 NBA Finals, the Bucks were able to pull out a huge win on their home court. In a game that was ultimately decided by the second quarter, with Milwaukee outscoring Phoenix 35-17, they’re now within one game of making the series even at 2-2. As expected, all it took was the Bucks’ supporting cast stepping up to prove they’re not out of this series.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had yet another 40-point, 10-rebound game, while Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton combined for 39 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds. Bobby Portis was also a huge spark off the bench and finished with a +19 in box plus/minus. On the flip side, nobody on the Suns finished with 20 points, as Chris Paul led the team with 19 points and nine assists. Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton each finished with 18 points, but it wasn’t near enough in the 20-point loss. The series will continue on Wednesday as Game 4 takes place in Milwaukee yet again.

The post Post Up: Bucks Get Back On Track in Milwaukee Over Suns appeared first on SLAM.

The Greek Freak’s 42 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks is the 2021 version of Willis Reed’s inspirational appearance in Game 7 for the Knicks in the 1970’s. A player pushing through an injury scare that would hold back most players. Back then Reed knocked down jumpers, Giannis is dunking on people.

This is how we starting off? Heard you Giannis! (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/fnLGdwTD7T

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 9, 2021

Despite Antetokounmpo scoring 20 points in the third quarter which is the highest playoff total in a single quarter since Michael Jordan (22), the other two stars struggled in Game 2.

After leading the Bucks in scoring in Game 1, Khris Middleton’s shooting disappeared in Game 2 with a 5-16 performance, while Holiday was 7-for-21 overall. Still, Giannis has confidence and is constantly in his ear to be aggressive.

“Just keep talking to him, keep telling him to be aggressive,” Giannis says is his message for Holiday in Game 3, via ESPN. “I know he’s going to be there when we need him the most and I don’t worry about it. He’s a great basketball player. He’s played great all year and he’s going to continue to play great for this team.”

During a time out, there appeared to be a sense of urgency emulated by Giannis in Game 2. Now, the Bucks have until Sunday to find that sense of urgency.

THIS JUST GOT ME HELLA HYPED! FINALS ENERGYYYYYY (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/x1lYEFiHb3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 9, 2021

With that, a loss in Game 3 could effectively end the series. We’ll just have to wait and see.

The post Milwaukee Bucks Searching For Support To Give Giannis In the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Following the Milwaukee Bucks’ loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the 2021 NBA Finals, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins had heavy-handed criticism for the Bucks squad, calling them “the “dumbest” team to ever play in the NBA Finals on Friday’s episode of the “Get Up” podcast.

“Lets not overcomplicate this and make this simple,” Perkins said.

“The Milwaukee Bucks have the dumbest team in Finals history, and the Phoenix Suns have the youngest team with the highest IQ in NBA history.”

Perkins is known for having his share with bizarre sports takes but, that one takes the cake, by far. Led by one of the most dominant superstars in the league in Giannis Antetokounmpo, teammates such as Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and PJ Tucker don’t lack for basketball IQ, even when their shots aren’t falling.

With that said, Milwaukee has collectively made a number of costly and careless mistakes against Phoenix, plays which Perkins would describe as “disturbing.”

The Bucks will host the Suns in Game 3 on Sunday at 7 p.m. CT.

The post Kendrick Perkins Decries Bucks as ‘Dumbest Team in Finals History’ appeared first on SLAM.

With the Bucks facing a quick turnaround before the NBA Finals on Tuesday night, one of the storylines was how about how well Giannis would recover from his hyperextended left knee in Game 1.

Giannis appears to have injured his leg.

Prayers up pic.twitter.com/cHZXCIsBEd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2021

Antetokounmpo was very impressive with his 20 point, 17 rebound performance highlighted by this block that was compared to the infamous LeBron James chase down block back in 2016.

You HAD to hear Giannis’ footsteps here. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/PQy8hNzffy

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 7, 2021

Khris Middleton, who took over as the number one option in Antetokounmpo’s absence, led Milwaukee in scoring with 29 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Brook Lopez had 17 points.

Giannis was upbeat despite the loss, telling the media that his focus is on the Finals and not his left knee via NBA.com.

“I’m trying my best to not make it about my knee,” Antetokounmpo says. “My knee felt good. Obviously when you go play a game, you never know what’s going to happen. … I’m just happy that I’m out there and I’m able to help my team in any way possible and participate in my first NBA Finals. I’m just trying to put my attention on that and not on if my knee hurts.”

Game 2 is Thursday in Phoenix. Afterwards, the series moves to Milwaukee for Games 3 and 4.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo on Finals Return in Game 1: ‘My Knee Felt Good.’ appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 1 of the NBA Finals here. 

No. 2 Suns 118, No. 3 Bucks 105

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a game-time decision with a knee injury, but was able to play and start in Game 1. He tallied 20 points and 17 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Suns had control nearly the entire game. Khris Middleton 29 points but had five turnovers while Jrue Holiday struggled, scoring just ten points. 

The Suns’ trio of Chris Paul, DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker shined in the Game 1 win. The three combined for 81 points, 25 rebounds and 15 assists. Paul did tweak his ankle during the game, but was able to continue playing while Dario Saric had a season-ending ACL injury. Game 2 is set to take place Thursday in Phoenix. 

The post Post Up: Suns Jump Out to Strong Start Over Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks got their star back in Trae Young in this game while the Bucks held out Giannis again. It didn’t matter as the Bucks did just enough to win the series to face the Phoenix Suns for the NBA title next week.

No. 3 Bucks 118, No. 5 Hawks 107

Bucks win series 4-2. They will return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.

This game was won for the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter. The Bucks put up 44 points led by a scoring explosion by Khris Middleton. Middleton dropped 23 (including 16 straight Bucks points) of his game high 32 points coming out of halftime.

Khash money. (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/ZGcfYptVwo

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 4, 2021

Then when the Hawks mounted a 21-7 run in the fourth quarter, it was Jrue Holiday making big play after big play to make sure Milwaukee would advance. He finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals.

Smooth. (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/ffeKZUaZW5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 4, 2021

Trae Young really tried to give it a go, but his ankle made it hard for him to penetrate to run the pick and roll, which is basically the Hawks half court offense. He finished with only 14 points (4-17 shooting) and 9 assists. Cam Reddish had a coming out party leading the Hawks in scoring with 21 points. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 20.

Ultimately it was the inability for the Hawks to get timely rebounds late and their turnovers did them in. Milwaukee scored 25 points off of 16 Atlanta turnovers.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is on Tuesday.

The post Post Up: Milwaukee Bucks Beat Atlanta to Advance to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

The story surrounding Milwaukee is whether Giannis will be able to return to the lineup for Game 6.

Antetokounmpo hyperextended his left knee in Game 4 on Tuesday and was listed as doubtful for Game 5 before eventually being pulled from the starting lineup.

Giannis appears to have injured his leg.

Prayers up pic.twitter.com/cHZXCIsBEd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2021

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe on Wednesday, the MRI showed no structural or ligament damage to the knee. However a timetable for Antetokounmpo’s return is still unknown.

Milwaukee head coach, Mike Budenholzer mentioned that Antetokounmpo did work out with weights at the team shootaround but did no on-court activities on Thursday. The “Greek Freak” has postseason averages of 28.2 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists.

The Bucks may have found the right adjustment to their starting lineup in Antetokounmpo’s absence. The Bucks moved Bobby Portis into the starting lineup and he rewarded their move by scoring a career playoff high 22 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.

BOBBY BIH! (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/DkK3z87Uzl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 2, 2021

Budenholzer believes that keeping things simple for the players and depending on their system will buy them time until Giannis returns.

“We’ve got a lot of talent, so I think just let the guys play,” he said, via ESPN. “Put them in a comfort level and put them in a comfortable spot and let them go play basketball, not over-complicated.

“We’ve played games without Giannis, without Khris Middleton, without Jrue Holiday, without whoever it may be, and so hopefully you have a structure and a system where you can function at a high level on both ends of the court no matter who is playing.”

Milwaukee’s record without their star in the regular season was 6-5.

The Bucks play Atlanta on the road in Game 6 Saturday night on TNT.

The post Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Status Unknown After Sitting Out Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 5 in a battle of secondary stars here.

No. 3 Bucks 123, No. 5 Hawks 112

MIL Leads Series 3-2

The Bucks got out to a 20-point lead early in Game 5 and never looked back. While the Hawks chipped away at the lead late, they never were really within reach of pulling off the comeback. Without Young and Antetokounmpo, it truly a game in which Milwaukee’s players rose to the occasion and played better without their superstar.

Brook Lopez led all scorers with 33 points to go along with seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Jrue Holiday dished out 13 assists while scoring 25 points while Khris Middleton contributed 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Bobby Portis drew the start for the Bucks and was excellent, producing 22 points and eight boards. For the Hawks, Bogdan Bogdanovic led the way with 28 shots (7-for-16 from three) while Danilo Gallinari poured in 19 off the bench. Game 6 will take place in Atlanta as the Hawks look to avoid elimination.

The post Post Up: Bucks Within One Win of NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

After exiting Game 4 loss to the Atlanta Hawks with a left knee injury, Antetokounmpo is scheduled for a MRI on Wednesday (according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews).

The Bucks called the injury an hyperextension after the game on Tuesday.

Giannis hurt his knee trying to block an alley-oop dunk by Hawks center Clint Capela at the seven minutes mark in the third quarter. The two-time MVP buckled his knee and was on the floor for a while before being helped off the floor.

Giannis appears to have injured his leg.

Prayers up pic.twitter.com/cHZXCIsBEd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2021

Bucks head coach, Mike Budenholzer, weighed in on what he observed after the game.

“It just looked like their legs got tangled up. They both landed awkwardly. That’s what I saw live. I haven’t seen anything else.”

After Antetokounmpo’s injury, Milwaukee fell apart; following a made basket from Jrue Holiday, the Bucks offense went scoreless for three and a half minutes. Atlanta would use that drought to go on a 15-0 run of their own to effectively put the game away.

Ultimately, Milwaukee was defeated 110-88 by a Hawks team without Trae Young and the series is now tied at 2-2.

Now that the series shifts back to the Bucks home court, the results of Giannis’ MRI looms large determining his status for Game 5 and beyond. Bucks forward, Khris Middleton, believes the team will be okay to hold down the fort if the two-time MVP does not return.

“We’ll see what happens with Giannis,” Middleton said. “It would be great if he plays, but if not, we still have a capable team of going out there and winning.”

Game 5 between the Bucks and Hawks is slated for July 1 on TNT.

[Update: ESPN’s Adrian Wojanrowski and Zach Lowe report that there’s no structural damage to Antetokounmpo’s left knee.]

The post Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Scheduled for MRI on Injured Left Knee appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down this matchup here.

No. 3 Bucks 113, No. 5 Hawks 102

MIL Leads Series 2-1

In a pivotal Game 3 matchup, the Milwaukee Bucks took the series lead over the Atlanta Hawks. It was a night in which Khris Middleton took control late, outscoring the Hawks by himself in the fourth quarter. He finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds, as the momentum has fully shifted in the Bucks’ favor.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 33 point of his own while Bobby Portis contributed 15 points off the bench. Trae Young went down with an ankle injury in the second half, but still finished with 35 points. Danillo Gallinari provided a bench spark for the Hawks with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Game 3 loss.

The post Post Up: Bucks Take Control of East appeared first on SLAM.

(#3) Milwaukee Bucks 113, (#5) Atlanta Hawks 116

ATL leads 1-0

Trae Young has had an outstanding playoffs but Wednesday night, the up-and-coming suprstar may have been his best game to date.

Young, facing a long and lean Bucks squad led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, went for 48 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in the Hawks’ nail-biter victory. He was so dominant, in fact, that he scored or assisted on 80 of the 108 points scored by Atlanta when he was on the floor.

Hawks forward John Collins continued to play strongly, hustling his way to 23 points and 15 rebounds, while the steady Clint Capela finished with 12 points and 19 rebounds.

Despite the loss, Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday both played stellar games.

The Greek Freak had a team-high 34 points with Holiday not far behind, chipping in 33 points of his own. It was another night to forget for Khris Middelton, however.

Middleton ended the night on 15 points, shooting a woeful 6-for-23 from the field and 0-for-9 from three.

However, despite a substandard game from Middleton, Milwaukee held a 111-110 lead with less than two minutes to go and were in the game all the way until the final horn sounded.

The Bucks will have the chance to even the series on Friday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, looking to avoid another slow start in a series against a formidable team.

The post Post Up: Hawks Make a Statment in Game One appeared first on SLAM.

The 12-man roster is as follows.

• Kevin Durant, F, Brooklyn Nets
• Damian Lillard, G, Portland Trail Blazers
• Devin Booker, G, Phoenix Suns
• Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics
• Bradley Beal, G, Washington Wizards
• Khris Middleton, G/F, Milwaukee Bucks
• Zach LaVine, G, Chicago Bulls
• Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat
• Draymond Green, F/C, Golden State Warriors
• Jrue Holiday, G, Milwaukee Bucks
• Kevin Love, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Jerami Grant, F, Detroit Pistons

Team USA’s basketball program had to whittle down a field of 57 potential roster additions down to 12 for the Olympic Games and several commitment decisions were very recent due to playoff scheduling. Nonetheless, the United States still managed to fill out a roster that will be considered favorites for the gold medal.

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden had initially committed to the team, but withdrew to recover from a hamstring injury, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, whose team is currently in the Western Conference Finals with a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers, recently withdrew his name as well (according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.)

That said, its possible that other players on the roster (namely Booker, Middleton and Holiday) could play in the NBA Finals. If that occurs, they could miss training camp for the Olympics.

Game 7 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for July 22, one day before the Olympic Games are set to begin.

The last time Team USA competed on the international stage, it finished in seventh-place in the 2019 FIBA World Cup due to a number of the league’s preeminent stars withdrawing from the competition. Before that tournament, the team had won 58 consecutive games in international competition dating back to the 2006 World Cup, 

The post Team USA Men’s Basketball Announces 12-Man Roster for Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM breaks down one of NBA fans’ favorite events called “Game 7” to see if the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks can live up to the hype.

No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks 115, No. 2 Brooklyn Nets 111 in overtime.

Bucks win series 4-3…It is the first Game 7 victory on the road in franchise history!

Two toes on the line was the difference between a playoff shot for the ages and overtime.

ARE YOU SERIOUS KD? pic.twitter.com/VY0bHXFpLZ

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 20, 2021

This game was an instant flashback to 90’s basketball. A tough hard nosed defensive battle between two teams with superstars playing brilliantly.

Fans were all over Giannis every time he went to the free throw line. With two airballed free throws, many players would have caved in to the pressure. The former two time MVP did not.

Giannis Antetokounmpo put together a stat line of 40 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in 50 minutes. However, it was his teammates scored timely baskets throughout the game, specifically Khris Middleton’s who knocked down a mid range jumper to give the Bucks the lead in OT.

WHAT A GAME 7 DUEL between @Giannis_An34 & @KDTrey5 as the @Bucks prevailed in an OT thriller! #ThatsGame

Giannis: 40 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST
KD: 48 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST

Milwaukee advances to the #NBAECF presented by AT&T… they will play the winner of ATL/PHI. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/FQCy51skFj

— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2021

Kevin Durant was called by the Greek Freak the best player in the world after putting up a stat line of 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 5. In Game 7, KD just proved that the man recognizes talent. Durant scored an all time Game 7 record of 48 points and basically willed his team throughout this game playing every minute.

However, it was the Bucks who came out victorious. They’ll now face the winner of the Hawks-Sixers series, with Game 7 scheduled for tonight.

The post Post Up: Bucks Defeat Nets in Game 7 Overtime Win appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Thursday’s highly-anticipated matchup here. 

No. 2 Nets 89, No. 3 Bucks 104

Series Tied 3-3

Although the game got close throughout, the Bucks had control of this game for most of the night. They jumped out to an 18-5 lead to start the game then finished the fourth quarter on a 15-0 run to extend the lead to as much as 20 and seal the deal.

James Harden attempted just nine shots, scoring 16 points, while Kevin Durant finished the night with 32 points and 11 rebounds. Khris Middleton was Milwaukee’s best player on Thursday, scoring 38 points to go along wih ten rebounds and five assists. Game 7 will take place in Brooklyn on Saturday.

The post Post Up: Bucks Survive To Force Game 7 Against Nets appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down both of Sunday’s games here.

No. 2 Nets 96, No. 3 Bucks 107

Series tied 2-2

The one thing that could hold the talented Brooklyn Nets down in the postseason was injuries. After losing James Harden early in this series, Kyrie Irving’s status is now in question after leaving Game 4 with an ankle injury. The Milwaukee Bucks have taken full advantage, winning their last two games against the Nets and tying the series after being down 2-0 last week. 

Kevin Durant struggled from the field (9-for-25) but still finished with a team-high 28 points. Irving, who played just 17 minutes, was the only other member of the Nets to score in double digits. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee with 34 points and 12 rebounds while Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 33 points and 17 assists in the win. With the series tied up, anything could happen with the Nets facing major injuries. 

No. 2 Suns 125, No. 3 Nuggets 118

PHX wins series 4-0

After making the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, the Phoenix Suns have now made their way to the Western Conference Finals. After taking down the Los Angeles Lakers with ease in the first round, they swept the Denver Nuggets in round two. Behind brilliant performances from Devin Booker and Chris Paul, the Suns made a statement to the rest of the NBA on Sunday night in the sweep. 

Unfortunately for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Cameron Payne in the third quarter, leaving Denver without their League MVP down the stretch of Game 4. Will Barton led the Nuggets with 25 points while Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris scored 20 and 19 respectively. Booker and Paul combined for 71 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

The post Post Up: Bucks Top Injured Nets and Suns Complete Sweep appeared first on SLAM.

The early evening game saw a chance for the Milwaukee Bucks to rebound after a disappointing loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1, while the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns kicked off their first game of their semifinals series to end the night.

No. 2 Brooklyn Nets 125, No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks 86

BKN leads series 2-0

Milwaukee struggled to deal with the Nets’ offensive weapons in Game 1 but longtime head coach Mike Budenholzer and the Bucks looked no more prepared in Game 2.

By the end of the first quarter, Brooklyn had already jumped to a 36-19 lead, and at no point for the rest of the game did the Bucks ever look like they had a chance. The ever-lethal Kevin Durant was automatic for Brooklyn, scoring 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting while chipping in six assists. Kyrie Irving ended the night with 22 points (on 9-17 shooting) and six assists, and fellow starters Joe Harris and Bruce Brown each had 13 points apiece.

The Nets also get big minutes from their second unit, getting 38 points from seven different players on their bench (including 23 combined points from Landry Shamet, Nic Claxton and Mike James).

Despite Brooklyn not having All-NBA guard James Harden, Milwaukee still couldn’t find an answer on either end of the floor. No Bucks player scored at least 20 points, and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo finished his night with a team-high 18 points (on 8-15 shooting).

Though the Greek Freak was efficient, Milwaukee had another poor shooting night from distance, knocking down just 29.6 percent of their 3-point attempts in the game. All-Star forward Khris Middleton struggled the most, going 7-20 from the field and committing a game-high five turnovers.

The Nets, on the other hand, lit it up, going 21-for-41 from deep and took care of the ball, with just eight team turnovers to the Bucks’ 16.

Now down 2-0 against a team looking like the favorites to come out of the East, Milwaukee will have to find a way to close the gap before heading back home for Game 3 on Thursday night.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 122, No. 3 Denver Nuggets 105

PHX leads series 1-0

The Nuggets and Suns kicked off their first game of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday, and though the Nuggets did lose by a double-digit deficit, it was a closer game than its predecessor for the majority of the contest.

In fact, Denver entered the half with a 58-57 lead over the Suns but Phoenix shut down the Nuggets’ star frontcourt in the second half, allowing just 47 points over the last two quarters. Four players finished with at least 20 points for the Suns in Mikal Bridges (23), Chris Paul (21), Devin Booker (21) and Deandre Ayton (20) as Phoenix picked apart Denver’s defensive strategy.

The Nuggets got uncharacteristically poor shooting nights from their two stars; Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr.

Jokic had a team-high 22 points but got there on 10-for-23 shooting, including 3-12 shooting in the second half. Porter, who would leave the game with a back injury, had 15 points on 6-for-13 from the field but shot just 1-5 from the field in the second half.

Monte Morris had a solid series against the Portland Trail Blazers but it would be a game to forget for the Nuggets fan favorite, who played 23 minutes and scored two points on 1-for-10 from the field. A 47.9 percent shooter for his career, Denver will certainly be looking for more from Morris and company with a chance to even the series on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: Are the Playoff Nightmares Back for the Bucks? appeared first on SLAM.

Khris Middleton continues to evolve as a star and Bobby Portis has already started to prove that he could be one of the low-key free agency steals of the season.

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

Khris Middleton	22.6p, 6.6r, 6.4a
Bobby Portis	10.4p, 6.8r, 1.2a
Donte DiVincenzo	14.0p, 3.4r, 1.4a
Thanasis Antetokounmpo	3.3p, 2.3r, 1.3a
D.J. Wilson	3.3p, 3.3r, 0.3a	–
Pat Connaughton	5.4p, 3.2r, 1.4a
Jrue Holiday	16.4p, 4.2r, 5.2a
Torrey Craig	0.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Brook Lopez	8.4p, 3.8r, 0.0a
Bryn Forbes	6.6p, 1.2r, 0.2a
Giannis Antetokounmpo	22.4p, 11.6r, 5.4a
D.J. Augustin	7.0p, 1.3r, 1.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Milwaukee Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

Playing for a team like the Bucks brings a new level of pressure for a guy like Holiday. This is a team who has been the best in the NBA the past two regular seasons but cannot get over the hump in the playoffs.

According to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, Holiday is ready to embrace that pressure. 

“Honestly, I think in any position there’s some sort of pressure. If you can’t handle pressure, you probably shouldn’t be in this locker room. There’s pressure everywhere. For me, being able to control that, handle that through my family life, handle that with my teammates who support me and I them, I feel that’s kind of how you get through those type of pressure times.”

This shows the amount of poise and confidence that Holiday has. He’s a veteran in this league who gets it done on and off the court. As the third member of Milwaukee’s big three with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday is ready to face all of the pressure and challenges that this season will provide.

The post Jrue Holiday Is Ready For The Pressure Of Playing For Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• Will the Bucks get over the hump in the playoffs? Having the best regular season record is great, but it means nothing if you can’t get it done in the postseason and win a title. With the addition of Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee is in a great position going forward.
• Can the bench score the ball at a high level? In the modern NBA, bench scoring is becoming extremely important. The Bucks have a solid starting lineup, but will need their bench to show up if they’re going to have success.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Milwaukee Bucks: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

The addition will give Milwaukee another physical perimeter defender as they reinvent much of their rotation behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

Craig seemed to be in good standing with Denver but the team withdrew a qualifying offer initially extended his way when they ran out of roster spots.

That decision allowed Craig to sign with Milwaukee as an unrestricted free agent.

The post Bucks Agree to Deal with Torrey Craig appeared first on SLAM.

To the Kings in the swap are Donte DiVincenzo, Ersan Ilyasova and D.J. Wilson.

The move further fortifies a Bucks rotation that is intent on improving upon its early exit from the 2019-20 postseason. Earlier on Monday night Milwaukee was reported to be on the verge of acquiring Jrue Holiday.

Bogdanovic came to the NBA as a seasoned 25-year-old and has been a reliable perimeter scoring option for the Kings since. He averaged 15.1 points per game for the team in 2019-20.

Bogdanovic will now join Khris Middleton on the wings in Milwaukee, giving Giannis Antetokounmpo additional options.

By executing a sign-and-trade deal, the Bucks will hard cap themselves, which means that they can’t exceed the tax apron. That figure is around $139 million.

The move gives Sacramento an additional young guard in DiVincenzo, a potential frontcourt rotation piece in Wilson and a veteran on a non-guaranteed deal in Ilyasova.

More to come.

The post Bucks to Acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic in Sign-and-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Headed to New Orleans in the swap will be Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and a giant pile of draft compensation, including three future first-round picks and a number of draft swaps.

The haul for Holiday isn’t all that surprising considering the veteran is an All-Star caliber talent that contributes at an elite level on both sides of the ball. He’ll now join Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton in their efforts to avenge a disappointingly early 2020 playoff exit.

The acquisition of Holiday, who could be a free agent as early as 2021, could indicate that the Bucks are confident they’ll get a commitment from Antetokounmpo in the near future.

The rapidly rebuilding Pels will look to slot two veteran guards into their rotation this season, should they retain them. Bledsoe will earn $16.9 million this season and is under contract through 2023.

Hill will make $9.6 million in 2020-21 and hit free agency in 2022.

Of course the biggest draw for New Orleans in the blockbuster swap was the trove of draft assets, a yield not unlike the pick package executive David Griffin brought home in exchange for Anthony Davis.

The post Bucks to Acquire Jrue Holiday in Trade With Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

Kings head coach Luke Walton and second-leading scorer Buddy Hield are bumping heads, at odds over Hield’s starting role and playing time. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Harrison Barnes, arguable the team’s two most talented wings, are rumored to be being pursued by the Milwaukee Bucks. Promising center Harry Giles is likely out of the door as well, as Sacramento can only pay him $3.9 million in free agency after foolishly declining his option for the 2020-21 season.

Related: Full Sacramento Kings 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Kings Draft Needs

What will it take to bring the Kings out of dysfunction once again?

Nobody can be sure of the answer to that question but with four picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, including a lottery selection, Sacramento needs to improve the team culture.

The Kings may also need to replace Bogdanovic through the draft, as the $9.3 million mid-level exception is the best deal they can offer impending free agents. If a deal between Bogdanovic and the Bucks does transpire and Harrison Barnes is involved, matching salaries may result in Milwaukee sending a versatile defender and elite shooter in Khris Middleton to Sacramento. However, the Kings can’t guarantee the deal will occur, so they need to have multiple plans to replace the Serbian swingman.

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 Sacramento Kings: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

That won’t be easy.

Even though the Bucks will enter 2020-21 with nearly the same rotation as last season (a rotation that allowed Milwaukee to have the league’s best record at 56-17), they’re a weak shooting team and they ended up exposed in the playoffs. In addition, while the Bucks may have been dominant in 2019-20, they were ranked 23rd in strength of schedule by ESPN.

Related: Full Milwaukee Bucks 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Bucks Draft Needs

At the risk of oversimplifying their draft needs, Milwaukee’s most glaring weakness is their lack of 3-point threats.

Therefore, with their sole pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Bucks should target the best possible shooter they can find without sacrificing their defensive aptitude.

In terms of who to target, with players entering the draft knowing how important of a skill shooting is? Milwaukee’s roster composition dictates that they prioritize a small forward prospect.

Although there’s plenty of talk surrounding the point guard position, the Bucks likely don’t have a pick high enough in the draft to secure a prospect that will perform better than Eric Bledsoe. Meanwhile, 39-year-old Kyle Korver — who ranked fourth on the Bucks in total threes last season while ranking 10th in total minutes — is set to become a free agent.

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 Milwaukee Bucks: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

If you’re to believe former NBA star Jerry Stackhouse, one such player is former Vanderbilt wing Aaron Nesmith.

Stackhouse, who was Nesmith’s head coach at Vanderbilt, was one of the league’s stars at the turn of the millennium. A 1996 All-Rookie selection (Michael Jordan was the Rookie of the Year), “Stack” would go on to earn two All-Star selections and earn a reputation as one of the league’s top scorers.

All that noted, while career accolades and a lengthy NBA career don’t mean that you’re a great evaluator of talent, Stackhouse’s belief in Nesmith’s All-Star potential is valuable.

“We compare him to Khris Middleton,’’ Stackhouse told Marc Berman of the New York Post in an email Sunday. “He’s perfect for the wing spot. He has the size. He has the strength and in addition to being a shooter, he is dedicated to the defensive side as well.”

Nesmith’s length, shooting prowess and defensive upside do compare favorably to Milwaukee Bucks guard-forward Middleton. Middleton has been named an All-Star for two consecutive season and has consistently developed as a playmaker. He’s now recognized as one of the league’s best two-way players.

Similar to Middleton, the 21-year-old Charleston native made quite the jump in his sophomore season, averaging 23.0 points per game for Vandy while shooting .522 from deep on 8.2 3-point attempts per game.

“He’s a competitor,” Stackhouse said. “He doesn’t take shortcuts.”

Nesmith is projected to be a lottery pick and he could go within the top-10, especially with the difficulty in ranking this season’s prospects.

However, whether Nesmith shows himself to be a mirror image of Middleton (drafted 39th overall), an elite three-and-D player like Klay Thompson (drafted 11th overall) or just a player similar to Danny Green (drafted 46th overall), the team that drafts him should be confident in his potential to eventually be an All-Star player.

The post Aaron Nesmith Draws All-Star Comparison From Jerry Stackhouse appeared first on SLAM.

While several teams are expected to be interested in the 28-year-old’s services, one team who stands out as a suitor is the Milwaukee Bucks. After a disappointing second-round playoff exit, the Bucks must add more pieces to bolster their championship chances.

According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, “Milwaukee will pursue additional playmaking and shooting this offseason to bolster the roster around their two-time MVP, Antetokounmpo, and All-Star Khris Middleton.”

Bogdanovic certainly checks these boxes as a capable scorer and playmaker and is known to have interest from Milwaukee. But is he really the answer for the Bucks?

The post Report: Bucks Expected To Pursue Bogdan Bogdanovic in Free Agency 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

Dead Money

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000
• Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• Will Giannis Antetokounmpo sign a super max extension? Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a super max (10+ years of service tier) that would start with the 2021-22 season. He may choose to play things out and become an unrestricted free agent in 2021. If so, he’ll be one of the most anticipated free agents of all time.
• Will Robin Lopez ($5M) and Wesley Matthews ($2.7M) pick up their player options? Matthews had a nice season as a 3&D starter on the wing. Lopez was in and out of the rotation in the playoffs as the backup to his brother.
• Will Milwaukee guarantee Ersan Ilyasova? Ilyasova has been a key reserve for the Bucks for years now. $7M is a fairly healthy number for a fourth or fifth big though.

Projected Team Salary

$141,349,475

While the Bucks have more immediate roster decisions for the 2021 season, everything comes down to Giannis Antetokounmpo signing a super max extension or not. One thing he reportedly asked Milwaukee ownership to do in a postseason meeting was to commit to spending money for a contender. The Bucks are just $8.2M under the luxury tax. To improve the roster to get to Finals contention, Milwaukee may need to dip into the tax. Also, look for the Bucks to guarantee Ersan Ilyasova, as his $7M would be a nice piece towards salary-matching in trade talks. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$32,219,475 (10^th out of 30). $8,206,492 under the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Milwaukee Bucks: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

Green recently reflected on his draft class and who was taken above him on Bleacher Report’s new digital show that he hosts, called ‘Chips’. In his opinion, he is the fourth best player in the 2012 class and should have been taken fourth overall.

“I go back and look at our draft, and I say there are three people that would get drafted before me if our draft was re-done,” Green said.

The 2012 NBA Draft class is a pretty solid group. The best players that came out of that draft include:

• Anthony Davis
• Bradley Beal
• Damian Lillard
• Harrison Barnes
• Terrence Ross
• Andre Drummond
• Austin Rivers
• Meyers Leonard
• Jae Crowder
• Draymond Green
• Khris Middleton
• Will Barton

If Green had been taken fourth overall, he would have been a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which would have been interesting to see. Regardless, his statement about there only being three players that would be drafted over him if there was a re-draft does make sense.

When looking at the careers that his peers have had, Green has had one of the best. He’s a two-time All-NBA, three-time NBA champion, three-time NBA All-Star, and one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Those accolades alone say that he certainly should have been one of the top picks in the 2012 NBA Draft if there were to be a re-draft.

The post Draymond Green Says He Is The Fourth Best Player in the 2012 NBA Draft Class appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Wednesday’s matchups below.

No. 2 Toronto Raptors 125 at No. 3 Boston Celtics 122 (2OT)

Series tied 3-3

It took nearly 54 minutes of play for Kyle Lowry to push the Raptors across the finish line in the second overtime of tonight’s Game 6, but he did it nonetheless. He got help from Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell, who contributed 21 and 23 points respectively but Pascal Siakiam struggled once again. Shooting just .263 from the floor, Siakam scored 12 points in 54 minutes of play. Kemba Walker struggled for Boston, producing only five points in a game where they needed him most. On the bright side, Marcus Smart notched a triple-double while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 60 points and 30 rebounds.

No. 2 LA Clippers 96 at No. 3 Denver Nuggets 85

LAC Leads Series 3-1

The Clippers jumped out to an early lead in Game 4 and held a 14-point lead after the first quarter. Denver did their best to chip away at the lead throughout the game but never really got within striking distance in this one. The Clips led for every minute of this game and were up by as many as 19 points. Kawhi Leonard led them in points (30), rebounds (11) and assists (9) as he nearly achieved a triple-double. Outside of him, nobody else scored more than 12 points for the Clippers in this low scoring affair. Of Denver’s 85 points, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Michael Porter Jr. scored 69, as the rest of the roster really struggled offensively.

• Sep. 7: Post Up: Clippers Dominate Late to Take Series Lead
• Sep. 6: Post Up: Khris Middleton Takes the Wheel
• Sep. 5: Post Up: Nuggets Cruise to Tie
• Sep. 4: Post Up: Rockets Over Power In Second Round Debut
• Sep. 2: Post Up: The Close-Out Closeout
• Sep. 1: Post Up: Nuggets Grind Through Game 7
• Aug. 31: Post Up: The Jimmy Butler Effect
• Aug. 29: Post Up: A Guard Duel For The History Books
• Aug. 24: Post Up: Thunder Rally Back
• Aug. 23: Post Up: Where Luka Happens
• Aug. 22: Post Up: Lakers Hit Next Level
• Aug. 21: Post Up: Kawhi Carries Clippers
• Aug. 20: Post Up: The Empires Strike Back
• Aug. 19: Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived
• Aug. 18: Post Up: Crazy Eights
• Aug. 17: Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History

The post Post Up: Raptors Force Game 7 in 2OT Thriller appeared first on SLAM.

If he so chooses, the 25-year-old superstar is uniquely suited to exercise his will on the league and strong-arm the Bucks franchise into trading him to a select list of desired locations. It wouldn’t be the first time a player in his position has done just that.

That doesn’t appear likely to happen, though.

“It’s not happening,” Antetokounmpo told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “That’s not happening.”

Don’t get things twisted, Antetokounmpo will be an unrestricted free agent in the 2021 offseason and will have every opportunity under the sun available to him then but the 2018-19 league MVP has plenty of work to do before he even considers, at least publicly, his options for 2021 and beyond.

We lost. Everyone saw that we lost. It’s disappointing, but what are we going to do? We’re going to keep working. I’ve got confidence in my teammates.

Barring any major offseason trades, the Bucks will return a largely similar roster next to the one that they used in the bubble, so they’ll need to get creative and improve from within. Not underperforming when the games mattered most would help too.

Fortunately, the Bucks were historically dominant on the defensive end this season and fielded three players named to the All-Defensive team. Though his tactics were called into question for several reasons during the postseason, head coach Mike Budenholzer is also an award winner in his field. Teammate Khris Middleton is a veritable All-Star.

It remains to be seen what the Bucks’ ceiling, as presently constructed, could be but its unquestionably higher than what they showed in 2020.

At least now we know now that we’ll get at least one more opportunity to gauge it when teams return to action in 2020-21.

The post Giannis on Idea of Requesting Trade: ‘That’s Not Happening’ 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.

Bucks NBA 2K21 Ratings

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

The post Milwaukee Bucks: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Monday’s Labor Day action here:

No. 3 Boston Celtics 111 at No. 2 Toronto Raptors 89

BOS leads series 3-2

The Celtics had dropped two straight games to the Raptors before today’s game as they looked to bounce back and regain the series lead. They did just that, coming out of the gates hot. The Celtics took an early lead and never looked back. Up 14 points after the first quarter, the Raptors never got back within striking distance, finding themselves down 27 points at halftime and as many as 30 in the contest. Despite having a major advantage at the center position, Toronto was outrebounded 41 to 26 on the defensive glass. In a game where they struggled offensively, the Raptors had zero 20-point scorers today, while the Celtics received 66 points from Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker alone. Pascal Siakam once again struggled against the scrappy Celtics defense, producing only ten points on nine shots.

No. 2 LA Clippers 113 at No. 3 Denver Nuggets 107

LAC leads series 2-1

After a poor performance from Kawhi Leonard in a Game 2 loss, the Clippers bounced back strong tonight in Game 3. Leonard and his superstar teammate Paul George combined for 55 points on 37 shots to claim the series lead against the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic looked excellent for Denver, nearly tallying a triple-double behind his 32 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists. Even that stat line wasn’t enough to power past the Clips, with Jamal Murray struggling from the floor, scoring just 14 points on .294 from the field. The Nuggets did have control of the game early, taking as much as a 12 point lead. However, as great teams do, LA outscored Denver 29 to 19 in the fourth quarter to ultimately win tonight’s matchup.

• Sep. 6: Post Up: Khris Middleton Takes the Wheel
• Sep. 5: Post Up: Nuggets Cruise to Tie
• Sep. 4: Post Up: Rockets Over Power In Second Round Debut
• Sep. 2: Post Up: The Close-Out Closeout
• Sep. 1: Post Up: Nuggets Grind Through Game 7
• Aug. 31: Post Up: The Jimmy Butler Effect
• Aug. 29: Post Up: A Guard Duel For The History Books
• Aug. 24: Post Up: Thunder Rally Back
• Aug. 23: Post Up: Where Luka Happens
• Aug. 22: Post Up: Lakers Hit Next Level
• Aug. 21: Post Up: Kawhi Carries Clippers
• Aug. 20: Post Up: The Empires Strike Back
• Aug. 19: Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived
• Aug. 18: Post Up: Crazy Eights
• Aug. 17: Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History

The post Post Up: Clippers Dominate Late to Take Series Lead appeared first on SLAM.

Here are the highlights from Sunday.

No. 1 Bucks 118 at No. 5 Heat 115 (OT)

MIA leads series 3-1

The Bucks needed to shown signs of life in their second-round matchup with the Heat and did exactly that despite the early loss of their token superstar. After scoring 19 points in 11 minutes, Giannis Antetokounmpo re-aggravated the ankle injury he sustained but played through in Game 3. The Greek Freak stayed on the court to shoot his free throws so that he’d be eligible to return but was ultimately ruled out for the contest. Without their leader, the Bucks turned to All-Star running mate Khris Middleton, who finished the game with 36 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Yes, the game went to a five minute overtime but it’s worth noting that Middleton ended up logging 48 minutes in the contest, a far cry from the capped workload he had been seeing earlier this series. Mike Budenholzer may have no choice but to break his minute restriction philosophy for the rest of the series.

No. 4 Rockets 117 at No. 1 Lakers 109

Series tied 1-1

The Lakers looked poised to mop the floor with the Rockets after the first quarter of their Game 2 matchup but Houston held on long enough to eventually put together a rally. James Harden and Houston’s supporting cast made the game competitive but, despite narrowing the gap, they could never quite recapture the magic of their upset win the last time out. Russell Westbrook shot just .267 from the field for 10 points, while Los Angeles’ duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis fired on all cylinders.

• Sep. 5: Post Up: Nuggets Cruise to Tie
• Sep. 4: Post Up: Rockets Over Power In Second Round Debut
• Sep. 2: Post Up: The Close-Out Closeout
• Sep. 1: Post Up: Nuggets Grind Through Game 7
• Aug. 31: Post Up: The Jimmy Butler Effect
• Aug. 29: Post Up: A Guard Duel For The History Books
• Aug. 24: Post Up: Thunder Rally Back
• Aug. 23: Post Up: Where Luka Happens
• Aug. 22: Post Up: Lakers Hit Next Level
• Aug. 21: Post Up: Kawhi Carries Clippers
• Aug. 20: Post Up: The Empires Strike Back
• Aug. 19: Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived
• Aug. 18: Post Up: Crazy Eights
• Aug. 17: Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History

The post Post Up: Khris Middleton Takes the Wheel appeared first on SLAM.

This just means that the East was top-heavy, which isn’t surprising based on how the regular season shook out. This also means that both of the second-round matchups should be extremely competitive and fun to watch.

Let’s dive into both of these pairings. Our preview of the Western Conference’s second round will be published when those games are set.

1 Milwaukee Bucks (56-17)
5 Miami Heat (44-29)

The Milwaukee Bucks came out of the gate slow, losing game one of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. From there, they would go on to win four straight by a combined 58 points. This series wasn’t expected to be particularly close but the Bucks for the most part looked like the team we all expected them to be.

They will now matchup with the Miami Heat, who swept the Indiana Pacers in their own first-round matchup. The Heat won each of their first round games by at least nine points and looked unstoppable in the fourth quarters. In the regular season, these teams played three times, Miami taking two of them to win the regular season series.

When it comes to teams best equipped to take on the Bucks, who had the best record in the NBA this season, there is none better than the Heat. Behind their defensive anchor in Bam Adebayo, who will be expected to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami has a real shot at making this series interesting.

Jimmy Butler will also be a player to watch for the Heat, especially considering he only suited up in one of the three regular season matchups against the Bucks. Goran Dragic led Miami in scoring in the first round of the playoffs, averaging 22.8 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting .414 from deep.

NBA All-Star Khris Middleton will be key for the Bucks to continue their playoff run as one of the favorites to win a title this season. In their first-round series, Middleton struggled tremendously, averaging just 15.0 points per game and shooting .361 from the floor. Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.6 points and 16.0 rebounds per game, will need guys like Middleton to step up and help out in this upcoming series if they want to have success. Additionally, a league-worst 16.6 turnovers per game in the playoffs thus far for the Bucks is something else they will need to clean up.

Both teams heavily rely on three-point shooting. In the playoffs thus far, these teams combine for 74.5 attempts per game and both have shot over .380 from beyond the arc. Overall, Milwaukee should be a relatively heavy favorite in this series but don’t be surprised if Miami gives them a run for their money with how well they have played recently.

2 Toronto Raptors (53-19)
3. Boston Celtics (48-24)

Both the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics swept their first-round opponents, making their second-round matchup extremely interesting. The Raptors showed no mercy against the Brooklyn Nets, winning the series by a combined 82 points. The Celtics series wasn’t as much of a blowout but that was largely due to them matching up against a more solid Philadelphia 76ers team. Regardless, these teams finished the regular season just five games apart in the standings and will be very evenly matched.

When it came to the regular season, Boston took care of business against Toronto, winning the season series 3-1. With that in mind, the playoffs are a completely different stage and the Raptors will look to make adjustments and ensure the Celtics don’t have similar success in the playoffs.

A few matchups stick out initially when it comes to these two teams, one of which is Jayson Tatum and Pascal Siakam. Both are young, long wings that led their teams in scoring during the regular season. Point guard play will also be something to watch, as Kemba Walker and Kyle Lowry are both veteran floor generals who will look to keep their respective offenses running smoothly. Although Lowry struggled a bit in the first round, producing just 12.5 points on .368 shooting from the floor, he could be a key piece and bounce back in this series.

Highly productive bench play will also be crucial in this matchup. Through the first round, the Toronto bench has been the best of anyone in the playoffs, averaging 56.5 points per game. A good chunk of this production comes from Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell, who together produced 36.8 points per game in the first round. On the flip side, Boston’s bench through their four playoff games has only averaged 20.0 points per contest, which is the worst of any team still remaining in the playoffs. With the absence of Gordon Hayward, someone on the Celtics’ bench will need to step up and score the ball.

In what could easily be a seven-game series, the Boston Celtics came out hot in the first game of this series, winning 112-94 and taking a quick 1-0 lead. It was a poor shooting night from Fred VanVleet, who will look to turn things around in Game 2 as one of Toronto’s most important offensive pieces.

Nick Crain is a contributor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter.

The post 2020 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference, Round 2 appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down each of the day’s games below.

No. 1 Bucks 121 at No. 8 Magic 106

MIL leads series 3-1

The Magic hung around with the Bucks for the first half of their Game 5 battle but in the fourth and final quarter of the contest it was all Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to fill the stat sheet in a modest work load (31 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists on .667 shooting) and Khris Middleton chipped in with a series-best 22 points and 10 rebounds. It’s little consolation but Orlando is the only underdog opponent still alive in the first round of the Eastern Conference bracket.

No. 4 Rockets 114 at No. 5 Thunder 117

Series tied 2-2

The Thunder survived a three-point rampage from the Rockets and a particularly impressive offensive showing from James Harden to tie their first-round battle at two games apiece. Houston shot a playoff record 58 threes in the game, netting 23 of them and even began to pull away in the beginning of the second half. Despite the monster 32-point, 15-assist night from Harden, Oklahoma City began to chip away over the course of the second half as veterans Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder used and abused any defenders sent their way – including the aforementioned bearded one. Paul and Schroder combined for 56 points, including a number of critical buckets late in the close game and actively sought out and attacked Harden off the dribble. The knotted series is one of the most intriguing of the first round and should only get better.

No. 4 Pacers 87 at No. 5 Heat 99

MIA wins series 4-0

The Heat snuck out in front of the Pacers and never looked back on Monday, completing their four-game sweep of the technically favored No. 4 seed. Miami took and held the lead thanks to contributions from across the spectrum as the hoops world at large is left scratching their heads wondering just how deep and how good the Vice City squad really is. Veteran Goran Dragic led the Heat with 23 points while Bam Adebayo added 14 points, 19 rebounds and six assists of his own. Jimmy Butler, who entered the game with a sore shoulder was able to log just 23 minutes in the series finale. Myles Turner, Victor Oladipo, T.J. Warren and Malcolm Brogdon combined for 81 of Indy’s 87 points in the loss.

No. 1 Lakers 135 at No. 8 Trail Blazers 115

LAL leads series 3-1

The Lakers sprang out to a 15-0 start against the Blazers and didn’t look back. Los Angeles had 80 points at half time and cracked 100 with minutes to spare in the third quarter. LeBron James’ 30 points, six rebounds and 10 assists came in just 28 minutes of action while Anthony Davis add 18, 5 and 5 in just 18 total minutes. Portland got a solid 20 points and 13 rebounds from the violent dunking Jusuf Nurkic but they trailed by nearly 40 before L.A. started to let their foot off the gas. The Blazers will face elimination in Game 5 and may have to do so without star guard Damian Lillard. To add injury to insult, Dame left the blowout in the third quarter with a knee injury.

• Aug. 23: Post Up: Where Luka Happens
• Aug. 22: Post Up: Lakers Hit Next Level
• Aug. 21: Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Carries Clippers
• Aug. 20: Post Up: The Empires Strike Back
• Aug. 19: Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived
• Aug. 18: Post Up: Crazy Eights
• Aug. 17: Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History

The post Post Up: Thunder Rally Back appeared first on SLAM.

During the month of March, the Bucks saw an increase in production from some rotation pieces as a result. Kyle Korver cracked double digits, averaging 11.7 points per game (up from 6.4), as did Donte DiVincenzo who had elevated his game to 13.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per.

Both Korver and DiVincenzo will be critical to establishing Milwaukee’s depth in the postseason. As will Brook Lopez, who went from averaging 10.7 points and 4.4 boards to averaging 14.2 and 5.0 in March.

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.

MIL

Donte DiVincenzo
Kyle Korver
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Frank Mason
D.J. Wilson
Wesley Matthews	–
Pat Connaughton	–
Brook Lopez	–
Sterling Brown	–
Robin Lopez
Marvin Williams
Giannis Antetokounmpo
George Hill
Ersan Ilyasova
Eric Bledsoe
Khris Middleton

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check (Hiatus): Milwaukee Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

Domantas Sabonis led the way with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists on 8-10 shooting as Indiana cruised to a win at home. Five other Pacers scored in double figures, including T.J. Warren (19) and Malcolm Brogdon (15). Myles Turner was dominant on the defensive end, finishing with a career-high 8 blocks. The Hornets were led by Miles Bridges who dropped 17 in the loss.

Bucks 108 (50-8), Raptors 97 (42-16)

In a much-anticipated battle between the top two teams in the East, the Bucks pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Raptors 34-19 en route to their 50th win of the season. Khris Middleton dropped a team-high 22, while Giannis stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, 19 rebounds, and 8 assists. Eric Bledsoe added 17 and 7 rebounds, and Brook Lopez finished with 15 points and 5 blocks in the win. Pascal Siakam finished with 22 points and 5 3PM in the loss.

Thunder 124 (36-22), Bulls 122 (20-39)

It was a wild one in the Windy City. The Bulls erased a 24-point second half deficit to tie the game late. The comeback was led by Coby White (35 points, 6 3PM, 7 rebounds) and Zach LaVine (41 points). But big-time buckets from Chris Paul and clutch free throws from the entire Thunder team held off the Chicago surge and secured the road win. Danilo Gallinari finished with a team-high 24 points, and Dennis Schroeder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each dropped 21 in the win. CP3 added 19 points and 9 assists for OKC.

Nuggets 115 (40-18), Pistons 98 (19-41)

The Nuggets picked up their 40th win of the season, led by 29 points off the bench from Jerami Grant. Jamal Murray added 16 points and 8 assists in the win. For Detroit, Derrick Rose and Christian Wood each dropped 20 in the loss.

Celtics 118 (40-17), Trail Blazers 106 (26-33)

Boston also secured win number 40 on the road in Portland. Jayson Tatum was unstoppable, dropping 36 points, including a career-high 8 3PM to lead the Celtics. Jaylen Brown added 24 points, and all five Boston starters finished in double figures. Without Damian Lillard, the Blazers were led by CJ McCollum, who dropped 28, and Hassan Whiteside, who finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers 118 (44-12), Pelicans 109 (25-33)

It was the game every NBA fan had been waiting for: the first installment of LeBron vs. Zion. And it did not disappoint.

The Pelicans battled tough with the West’s top team, but the Lakers pulled away in the fourth, outscoring New Orleans 30-23 in the final frame. LeBron showed out, dropping a season-high 40 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists in the win. Anthony Davis finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks, and Danny Green added 17 points on 5 3PM. Brandon Ingram led the way for New Orleans, dropping 34 points on his former team. In Zion’s first matchup with the King, he finished with 29 points, including 13-19 from the free throw line.

Kings 112 (24-33), Warriors 94 (12-46)

Harris Barnes and De’Aaron Fox each finished with 21 points to lead the Kings to the win on the road. Bogdan Bogdanovich dropped 17, and Buddy Hield added 19 off the bench in the win. The Warriors had all five starters finish in double figures, led by Marquese Chriss with 21, and Andrew Wiggins with 16.

The post Post Up: LeBron Drops Season-High 40 in Win Over Pelicans 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.

Four of five of Milwaukee’s starters finished in double digits with Giannis Antetokounmpo (33 points) leading all scorers. Khris Middleton was the Bucks’s second-leading scorer with 28 points and Brook Lopez had 19.

Hawks 129 (16-41), Heat 124 (35-20)

With Quavo in attendance, Trae Young put up a career-high 50 points at Phillips Arena on Thursday night. De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter put up 17 points apiece and rookie Cam Reddish added 16 points off the bench.

Hornets 103 (19-33), Bulls 93 (19-37)

Charlotte took care of business in the Windy City. Miles Bridges led all starters with 22 points and Malik Monk added 25 points off the bench.

Malik Monk taking FLIGHT (via @BR_NBA) pic.twitter.com/bkad4zC7GO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 21, 2020

Sixers 112 (35-21), Nets 104 (25-29)

The Nets only scored one point in overtime as Philly prevailed at home. Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Tobias Harris had a double-double of his own (22 points, 12 rebounds) and Alec Burks had 19 points.

Kings 129 (21-33), Grizzlies 125 (28-26)

Harrison Barnes (32 points) and De’Aaron Fox (26 points) combined for 58 points in the home win. Buddy Hield added 20 points.

Rockets 135 (34-20), Warriors 105 (12-44)

Houston jumped out the gate with a double-digit lead and had that cushion throughout the contest. The Rockets also shot 25 3-pointers, including 15 in the first half.

All five of the Houston’s starters finished in double figures. James Harden put up 29 points in 30 minutes and Russell Westbrook had 21 points and dished out 10 dimes.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Puts Up Career-High 50 Points Against Heat 🤫 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.

Only 12 players will be selected to participate in the actual games, so we’ll see a number of these players withdraw from consideration and then a select 12 hand-picked from those that remain.

A total of nine players represented the country at the Olympics four years ago in Rio de Janeiro and the only three from that squad not on this list are Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan.

All of the 12 players who represented America during last summer’s FIBA World Cup have been selected to participate in the preliminary stages of the Olympic roster selection process.

A total of five players have been selected from both the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.

The post Team USA Men’s Basketball Roster For Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

Below are the rosters in the order that they were drafted, pick-up style, by team captains, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The results are coming in in real-time on TNT and this post will be updated accordingly.

Team Giannis

Starters

F – Giannis Antetokounmpo (C)

C – Joel Embiid (2nd)

F – Pascal Siakam (4th)

G – Kemba Walker (6th)

G – Trae Young (8th)

Bench

G – Khris Middleton (9th)

C – Bam Adebayo (11th)

C – Rudy Gobert (13th)

F – Jimmy Butler (15th)

G – Kyle Lowry (17th)

F – Brandon Ingram (19th)

G – Donovan Mitchell (21st)

Team LeBron

Starters

F – LeBron James (C)

C – Anthony Davis (1st)

F – Kawhi Leonard (3rd)

G – Luka Doncic (5th)

G – James Harden (7th)

Bench

G – Damian Lillard (10th)

G – Ben Simmons (12th)

C – Nikola Jokic (14th)

G – Jayson Tatum (16th)

G – Chris Paul (18th)

G – Russell Westbrook (20th)

C – Domantas Sabonis (22nd)

Notable

• The two starting lineups are split exactly down East/West conference lines.
• For the second time in a row, LeBron James drafted Anthony Davis with his top pick.
• Only two sets of teammates in real-life will play for different All-Star teams. Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum have been split up, as have Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
• Teammates paired together on All-Star teams: Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Chris Paul, Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
• Team Giannis is composed of 9 East players and 9 West players. Team LeBron is composed of 9 West players and 3 East players.

The post 2020 NBA All-Star Game Draft Rosters appeared first on SLAM.

In the first installment of Giannis vs. Zion, the Bucks took over in the third quarter, outscoring the Pelicans 42-24 en route to their 43rd win of the season. The Greek Freak went off for 34 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists on 12-17 shooting. Khris Middleton added 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in the win. New Orleans was led by Brandon Ingram, who dropped 32 points in the loss. After a slow start and a big fourth quarter, Zion finished with 20 points and 7 rebounds. Lonzo Ball added 11 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.

Rockets 125 (32-18), Hornets 110 (16-35)

James Harden went off for 40 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists as the Rockets cruised to the home win over the Hornets. Danuel House finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds, and Eric Gordon added 16 for Houston. Charlotte was led by Miles Bridges, who finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds in the loss. Terry Rozier added 20 points, and Malik Monk dropped 19 off the bench.

Nuggets 127 (35-16), Trail Blazers 99 (23-28)

The Nuggets outscored the Blazers 27-10 in the second quarter and built on their lead in the second half to pick up the easy win at home. Nikola Jokic dominated, finishing with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists in 31 minutes. In his first game back after missing the last 10 with an ankle injury, Jamal Murray dropped 20 points on 6-9 shooting. Denver was able to slow down the red hot Damian Lillard, holding him to 21 points and 9 assists.

Lakers 129 (38-11), Spurs 102 (22-28)

The Lakers went crazy for 42 points in the fourth thanks to LeBron James, who splashed 5 straight threes in the first 4 minutes of the quarter to blow open the Los Angeles lead. The King finished with a monster stat line of 36 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 6 3PM. Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma each added 18 points for the Lakers. San Antonio was led by DeMar DeRozan, who stuffed the stat sheet himself with 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in the loss.

The post Post Up: LeBron, Harden, Giannis Each Have Big Nights in 3 Wins appeared first on SLAM.

The Beard was one assist shy of a triple-double in the win at the Toyota Center. Russell Westbrook had 22 points and Danuel House Jr added 12 points. Ben McLemore was huge off the bench, finishing with 22 points.

Bucks 129 (42-7), Suns 108 (20-29)

Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a 30-point, 19-rebound performance on Sunday afternoon, reaching the 30-point mark for the 26th time. Khris Middleton chipped in 25 points of his own. Brook Lopez (17 points) and Eric Bledsoe (12 points) combined for 29 points and Donte DiVincenzo had 15 off the bench.

Raptors 129 (36-14), Bulls 102 (19-33)

The Raptors received 46 bench points from Terrence Davis (31 points) and Chris Boucher (15 points). Four of five Raptors starters finished in double figures.

Pistons 128 (18-33), Nuggets 123 (34-16)

Detroit overcame a 21-point deficit and got the W in OT to snap a five-game losing streak. Andre Drummond finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds to get his 400th career double-double.

The post Post Up: James Harden Drops 40 Points to Lead Rockets over Pelicans 🚀 appeared first on SLAM.

The 14 reserves will join then 10 All-Star Game starters already selected in a pool of players that will then be drafted, pickup-game style by the two captains.

This year’s captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo will divvy up the teams on national television on Feb. 6.

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Notable

• A total of six All-Star Game reserves will be making their debut in the game this year (Adebayo, Gobert, Ingram, Mitchell, Sabonis, Tatum)
• The reserve with the most experience at All-Star Weekend is Chris Paul. Paul will be making his 10th All-Star Game appearance, with a total of three different franchises. Paul is the 44th player in NBA history to make double-digit All-Star Games.
• Domantas Sabonis has now made more All-Star Games than his Hall of Fame father, Arvydas Sabonis
• Among those notably absent from the list are Bradley Beal (who finished second in player voting) and Kyrie Irving (who finished third in overall starter voting).

Related: The NBA has elected to fully revamp how the All-Star Game works

The post 2020 NBA All-Star Game Reserves appeared first on SLAM.

Terry Rozier led a second half comeback for the Hornets, finishing with a game-high 30 points to go along with 10 rebounds. For the Knicks, Julius Randle dropped 24 points and Marcus Morris Sr. added 23 points in the loss. In honor of Kobe, the Hornets wore special arm sleeves that had 8 and 24 written in purple and gold.

Bucks 151 (41-6), Wizards 131 (15-31)

Without Giannis, the Bucks still took care of business easily at home. Khris Middleton went crazy for 51 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists on 16-26 shooting. Eric Bledsoe added 34 points and 10 assists in the blowout win. Despite the loss, Bradley Beal showed out, leading Washington with 47 points and 6 assists in the loss.

76ers 115 (31-17), Warriors 104 (10-38)

It was an emotional night in Kobe’s hometown of Philadelphia, where the Sixers took the floor in number 8 and number 24 jerseys for pregame warmups. Still wearing number 24 in honor of Mamba, Joel Embiid finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the 76ers to the win at home. Embiid even scored his 24th point on a textbook, Kobe-like fadeaway from the corner. For the Warriors, DeAngelo Russell dropped 28 points and 7 assists in the loss.

Pelicans 125 (19-29), Cavaliers 111 (13-35)

The Pelicans built off a 40-point first quarter to pick up the win on the road in Cleveland. New Orleans was led by Jrue Holiday, who finished with 28 points and 8 assists, and Brandon Ingram, who scored 24 in the win. Zion Williamson added 14 points and 9 rebounds on 7-13 shooting. Collin Sexton finished with a team-high 24 points for the Cavs, and Kevin Porter Jr. added 21 off the bench.

Raptors 130 (33-14), Hawks 114 (12-36)

Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka led the way for Toronto, both finishing with 24 points. This win marked the Raptors 8th in a row, and they are now in sole possession of second place in the East. For Atlanta, John Collins had a big night, finishing with 28 points and 12 rebounds on 11-14 shooting.

Grizzlies 104 (23-24), Nuggets 96 (32-15)

The Grizzlies continued their impressive play, picking up a win over one of the top teams in the West. Dillon Brooks dropped 24 points to lead the way for Memphis, and Jonas Valanciunas added 23 points and 12 rebounds. The Grizzlies improved to 8-2 in their last 10. The Nuggets were led by Nikola Jokic, who finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists in the loss.

Celtics 109 (31-15), Heat 101 (32-15)

The Celtics picked up an impressive win on the road against the Heat, who had won 14 straight home games against Eastern Conference opponents. Gordan Hayward dropped a team-high 29 points to go along with 9 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown added 25 points on 10-16 shooting. The Heat were led by Goran Dragic, who dropped 23 off the bench in the loss.

Suns 133 (20-27), Mavericks 104 (29-18)

Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton proved to be a dominant duo, leading the Suns to an impressive road victory over Dallas. Booker finished with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists, and Ayton dropped 31 points on 13-15 shooting. Luka Doncic led the Mavs with 21 points .

The post Post Up: Middleton Drops 51 in Bucks Win Over Wizards 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 Bucks 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

• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Khris Middleton

Through the first half of the season, Milwaukee has been the best team in the league and major trades aren’t expected before the deadline.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Eric Bledsoe

If the team makes a major trade, Eric Bledsoe seems like the likeliest core player to be moved. One Eastern Conference executive told long-time NBA journalist Gery Woelfel that the Bucks are open to the idea of trading Bledsoe. “Sure. Publicly, [the Bucks] say all the right things about him but I know that’s not the case,” a separate source told Woelfel. 

The point guard has missed time with a leg injury and the emergence of Donte Divincenzo has slightly cut into his playing time in Milwaukee. However, Bledsoe is still playing at a high level, as his .354 shooting from deep is his highest mark since the 2015-16 season.

Logical Trade Pieces

• D.J. Wilson

The Bucks could dangle D.J. Wilson in trade talks if they wish to make upgrades to the back end of their rotation. Wilson has only appeared in 26 games for the club, seeing under 10 minutes of action in 17 of those appearances. Perhaps a team with more playing time to spare can see some potential in the 2017 No. 17 overall pick.

Trades Are Possible

• Brook Lopez
• George Hill
• Ersan Ilyasova
• Robin Lopez
• Donte DiVincenzo
• Wesley Matthews
• Pat Connaughton
• Dragan Bender
• Kyle Korver
• Sterling Brown
• Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Brook Lopez inked a four-year deal this offseason and being that he’s arguably the perfect center to play alongside Giannis, it’s unlikely that the team moves him before the deadline. George Hill filled in nicely for Bledsoe earlier this season. He’s a nice insurance policy for Bledsoe and has showcased that he can still play a role off the bench when everyone is healthy. Ersan Ilyasova is knocking down 37.3% of his treys this season, though the 32-year-old is seeing just 16.6 minutes per game, his lowest mark since his rookie campaign. Robin Lopez joined the team in free agency this offseason via the room exception. He has primarily been the backup to his brother, though the duo has shared the floor for exactly three minutes this season. DiVincenzo’s shooting has been streaky this season but coach Mike Budenholzer is trusting him more than ever. He’s earned a major slot in the rotation. Wesley Matthews’ 8.6 player efficiency rating leaves much to be desired. He has a $2.7M player option on his contract for next season. Pat Connaughton has made just 28.6% of his shots behind the arc this year, which is his worst mark since his rookie season. Dragan Bender’s career has not been revived in Milwaukee. The former No. 4 overall pick has seen action in just six games this season. Kyle Korver remains strong from behind the arc, hitting 43.3% of his looks. Sterling Brown has appeared in 32 games for the club. He’s scored over 10 points just twice. Thanasis Anteokounmpo, the brother of Giannis, seems like a safe bet to remain in Milwaukee through the deadline. He’s under contract through the 2020-21 campaign.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Milwaukee Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

Another game without a star (this time Paul George), and yet another win for the Clippers. Reaching win number 30 on the season was no breeze though, with the feisty Pelicans leading for a good chunk of the game. But ultimately, Kawhi Leonard was too much to handle. He had himself a phenomenal game, with 39 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. And who could forget Lou Will, who dropped a cool 32 points off the pine.

For the Pelicans, Lonzo Ball had a triple double, scoring 18 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 11 assists. Derrick Favors was also excellent, scoring 22 points on a perfect 10-10 shooting along with 11 boards.

Bucks 117 (38-6), Nets 97 (18-23)

The Bucks just do not let up. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds in only 25 minutes, Khris Middleton had 20 of his own, and Brook Lopez did a fantastic job protecting the rim, notching 5 blocks.

The Nets were helpless against the brutal efficiency of the Bucks, and it showed with no player scoring higher than 17 points.

Suns 123 (18-24), Celtics 123 (27-14)

Fantastic win for the Suns beating Boston at home. Devin Booker went inferno, with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. Deandre Ayton backed that up with a monster 26 points and 15 boards.

Despite the loss, Marcus Smart went bonkers, with a career-high 11 3-pointers made for 37 points, 8 assists and 4 steals.

Pistons 136 (16-27), Hawks 103 (10-33)

It must have been very cathartic for Detroit to finally blow somebody out. Derrick Rose, recently inserted into the starting lineup to fill the playmaking black hole, was excellent. D Rose scored 27 points along with 9 assists and a plus/minus of +24. Andre Drummond also cleaned up as usual, with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 5 swipes.

76ers 90 (28-16), Knicks 87 (11-32)

A surprisingly close game, but all Philly should care about is getting the victory. Ben Simmons was fully in control, ending the game with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals.

Raptors 122 (28-14), Timberwolves 112 (15-27)

The Raptors have been butchered by injuries all year, and they finally had their core group together again, and the results were excellent. Fred VanVleet (29 points, 4 steals, 7-8 from deep) barely missed a beat from his weeks-long absence. Kyle Lowry was great too, scoring 28 points, grabbing 7 rebounds and splashing 5 3-pointers.

Bulls 118 (16-28), Cavaliers 116 (12-31)

What an impressive win from the Bulls! Coming into the 4th quarter down a sizable 15 points, none other than Zach LaVine went off. The star guard had 42 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals for a wild performance.

Don’t blame the loss on Kevin Love though. He had a 29-5-6 line and the Cavs outscored the Bulls by 11 points when he was in.

Warriors 109 (10-34), Magic 95 (20-23)

Orlando may have a subpar record, but they’re long, athletic and make you beat them, making this a quality win for a youthful Dubs team. DLO had 26 points, 12 assists and 2 steals along with a beautiful 3 late in the game.

Also, let’s take a moment, even in defeat, to appreciate the comeback of Markelle Fultz. Dude has been a problem for defenses.

Lakers 124 (34-8), Rockets 115 (26-15)

No Anthony Davis and on the road against the Rockets…that’s a quality win right there, Lakers. LeBron was fantastic as usual. He put up 31 points, 12 assists and 5 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all showed out as well.

For the Rockets, Russell Westbrook scored 35 points and James Harden scored 34, but no one else really stepped up.

Jazz 123 (29-13), Kings 101 (15-27)

The Jazz are rolling. Other than a slight hiccup against the Pelicans a couple of nights ago, they’ve been creaming everyone in their path and tonight was no different. Bojan Bogdanovic had a clean 30 points, Rudy Gobert had a monster 28 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks, and Jordan Clarkson had another quality performance off the bench with 20 points.

Thunder 119 (24-19), Blazers 106 (18-26)

Chris Paul had 30 points and 7 assists on 11-15 shooting in just 28 minutes, while his protege and backcourt mate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

For the Blazers, it’s unfortunately becoming a common trend to see Dame go off (34 points, 6 assists), but lose the game.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Pops Off for 39 Points to Defeat Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What a game.

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

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

Well that was a surprise banger of a game.

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

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

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

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

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

The Jazz continued their impressive play, defeating the Nets on the road to win their 10th in a row. Joe Ingles led the way with 27 points on 10-14 shooting and 6-8 from three. Donovan Mitchell added 25 points, and Rudy Gobert finished with 22 points and 18 rebounds. For Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving dropped 32 points to go along with 11 assists in his second game back from injury.

Hawks 123 (9-32), Suns 110 (16-24)

Trae Young was cooking in Atlanta, finishing with 36 points and 10 assists in the Hawks win. Kevin Huerter stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists, and John Collins added 22 points on 10-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker continued his red-hot scoring, finishing with a game-high 39 points in the loss. DeAndre Ayton added 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Grizzlies 121 (19-22), Rockets 110 (26-13)

Ja Morant put on an absolute show in Memphis, leading the Grizzlies to their 6th win in a row. Morant finished with 26 points and 8 assists on 10-11 shooting, including a handful of show-stopping highlight plays. The rookie is turning into a star right before our eyes.

For Houston, James Harden dropped 41 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss.

Bucks 128 (36-6), Knicks 102 (11-30)

The Greek Freak completely dominated the Knicks, scoring 37 points in just 21 minutes. Khris Middleton added 17 points in the Bucks blowout win. The Knicks were lead by Julius Randle, who had 25 points and 15 rebounds, and RJ Barrett, who dropped 22 points in the loss.

Clippers 128 (28-13), Cavaliers 103 (12-29)

Kawhi went off for 43 points on 14-22 shooting and 6-10 from three to lead the Clippers to the blowout win. Lou Will added 24 points off the bench. Cleveland was lead by Collin Sexton, who dropped 25 in the loss.

Mavericks 124 (25-15), Warriors 97 (9-32)

The Mavericks dominated the Warriors throughout to secure their 25th win of the season. Dallas was lead by Dwight Powell, who dropped 21 points on 9-9 shooting, and Luka Doncic, who added 20 points.

The post Post Up: Ja Morant Puts On a Show in Grizzlies Win over Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

Houston won in a blowout despite 11 TOs from James Harden. The Rockets outscored the Wolves by 14 in the second quarter to take a 16-point lead into halftime, and led by as much as 41 during the fourth.

James Harden dropped a game-high 32 points with 12 boards and 8 dimes. Russell Westbrook added 30 points and 10 dimes.

Pelicans 105 (14-26, Celtics 140 (26-11)

Boston dominated from the first quarter, taking a 17-point lead into the second. The Celtics would grow the lead to as much as 37 points during the third quarter.

Jayson Tatum need just three quarters to drop a career-high 41 points on 16-22 shooting.

Bulls 108 (14-26), Pistons 99 (14-26)

After taking the lead with 4:36 left in the first quarter, Chicago wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game, eventually snapping a 6-game losing streak.

Zach LaVine dropped a game-high 25 points with 6 dimes.

Lakers 125 (32-7), Thunder 110 (22-17)

No LeBron, AD and Danny Green, no problem. The Lakers led the entire game, and by as much as 32 points during the third quarter.

Kyle Kuzma dropped a game-high 36 points with 7 boards. Rajon Rondo added 21 points with 12 boards and 8 dimes.

The Lakers have won 8 straight games.

Sixers 91 (25-15), Mavs 109 (24-15)

Dallas outscored the Joel Embiid-less Sixers by 27 points during the second half.

Luka Doncic dropped a team-high 19 points with 12 dimes and 8 boards. Dwight Powell added 19 points with 12 boards.

Cavs 111 (12-27), Nuggets 103 (26-12)

Cleveland blew a 17-point fourth quarter lead, but was able to hold on when it mattered most.

Kevin Love dropped 19 points with 15 boards. Collin Sexton added a game-high 25 points.

Bucks 122 (35-6), Blazers 101 (16-24)

Milwaukee took the lead with 6:25 left in the first quarter, and did not trail for the rest of the game. The Bucks would go up by as much as 25 points during the fourth quarter.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 32 points with 17 boards and 6 dimes. Khris Middleton added 30 points on 11-17 shooting.

The post Post Up: Lakers Rout Thunder Without LeBron, Anthony Davis appeared first on SLAM.

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.

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.

The post Post Up: Kelly Oubre Scores 29 Points, Hits Dagger to Beat Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

Denver led the entire game, and mostly by double-digits.

Nikola Jokic dropped a game-high 31 points with 10 boards and 10 dimes.

Raptors 113 (22-10), Celtics 97 (22-8)

Toronto successfully countered every Boston run to snap the Celtics’ 5-game win streak.

Kyle Lowry dropped a game-high 30 points with 7 dimes.

Pacers 98 (21-12), Pelicans 120 (10-23)

New Orleans outscored the Pacers by a combined 31 points in the second and third quarters.

Brandon Ingram dropped a team-high 24 points with 7 dimes.

Jrue, Aaron and Justin Holiday became the first trio of brothers to play in the same game.

Hawks 81 (6-27), Bulls 116 (13-20)

Chicago controlled the entire game against the Trae Young-less Hawks.

Zach LaVine dropped 19 points with 7 boards. Lauri Markkanen added a team-high 25 points.

Atlanta has now lost an abysmal 10 straight games.

Cavs 94 (10-22), Wolves 88 (11-20)

Cleveland led for the majority of the game against the Wolves, who were without Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

Tristan Thompson dropped 12 points with 15 boards. Collin Sexton added a game-high 18 points.

Knicks 107 (9-24), Wizards 100 (9-22)

New York built a few double-digit leads only to see them disappear to the Bradley Beal-less Wizards. But they held on to the lead when it mattered the most during crunch time.

Julius Randle continued his strong play, dropping a game-high 30 points with 16 boards and 6 dimes.

Sixers 116 (23-12), Heat 117 (24-8) (OT)

Miami battled back from a 5-point deficit with 1 minute to play to take the lead on a clutch three-pointer by Tyler Herro. But the Heat fouled Josh Richardson with less than a second left. J-Rich intentionally missed his second free-throw and Ben Simmons got a putback to send the game to OT.

The Heat would hold on to improve to an incredible 6-0 in OT this season.

Jimmy Butler dropped a team-high 25 points with 9 dimes and 9 boards. Herro added 17 points (4-8 3FG) off the bench.

Miami has now won 5 straight.

Nets 98 (16-15), Rockets 108 (22-10)

Brooklyn battled back to take the lead in the fourth quarter after falling down by 18 points in the third. But the Rockets would pull away during the final minutes of the game.

James Harden dropped a game-high 44 points with 10 boards and 6 dimes.

Pistons 109 (12-21), Spurs 136 (13-18)

San Antonio would outscore the Pistons by 17 points in the third quarter and go up by as much as 29 points during the fourth.

LaMarcus Aldridge dropped 25 points (5-6 3FG) with 12 boards. DeMar DeRozan added a game-high 29 points.

Mavs 141 (21-10), Warriors 121 (9-25)

After going off for 30 points in the first half, D’Angelo Russell went down with a scary-looking shoulder injury with 5:20 left in the third quarter—and the Mavericks proceeded to blow open the game.

Luka Doncic dropped a team-high 31 points with 15 dimes and 12 boards as Dallas snapped the Warriors’ 4-game winning streak.

Magic 100 (14-18), Bucks 111 (29-5)

Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) missing his second straight game, Milwaukee jumped out to a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

Ersan Ilyasova dropped 17 points with 14 boards and 5 dimes. Khris Middleton added a team-high 21 points.

Suns 112 (12-20), Kings 110 (12-20)

Phoenix blew a 14-point third quarter lead but held on to snap an 8-game losing streak.

Devin Booker dropped a game-high 32 points with 10 dimes.

Sacramento has now lost 6 straight.

Lakers 128 (25-7), Blazers 120 (14-19)

The Lakers looked sharp after their Christmas Day loss to the Clippers, snapping their 4-game losing streak.

LeBron James dropped 21 points with 16 dimes and just 1 TO. Kyle Kuzma added a team-high 24 points.

Jazz 120 (20-12), Clippers 107 (23-11)

Utah outscored the Clippers by 12 points during the fourth quarter to pick up a big road win.

Donovan Mitchell dropped a game-high 30 points with 9 dimes and 7 boards.

The post Post Up: Heat Defeat Sixers Behind Tyler Herro’s Clutch Heroics appeared first on SLAM.

The Celtics are the real deal. This time last year, there were clearly chemistry issues and something seemed off. But this season has been a complete heel turn.

The two main factors to thank? Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who have both leveled up their games to an All-Star level caliber. Brown had a career-high 34 points with 9 rebounds, while Tatum had 30 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks as the Celtics improved to 13-1 at home.

There’s not much better to watch two young studs realize their potential and turn that into consistent dominant production. Brown is 23-years-old, and Tatum 21. They aren’t going away anytime soon.

Magic 98 (14-17), 76ers 97 (23-11)

The Magic hung on for one of their best wins of the season against a 76ers team that, albeit inconsistent, was coming off a fresh pounding of the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Aaron Gordon had himself 19 points and 11 rebounds (and one sweet lob throw down), Nikola Vucevic had a 19-12-7 line, and Terrence Ross contributed 17 off the bench.

Bucks 112 (28-5), Hawks 86 (6-26)

Absent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe, the Bucks still managed to steamroll the slumping Hawks. Trusty veteran Ersan Ilyasova was phenomenal in only 24 minutes, recording 18 points, 17 rebounds and a monster + 37 plus/minus in relief for the resting Greek Freak. Khris Middleton also had a highly efficient game, scoring 23 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing 7 assists.

It was another brutal loss for the lottery-bound Hawks, who unfortunately lost Trae Young to an ankle injury halfway through the game, but X rays were luckily negative. Get well soon Trae, the league is not the same without you.

Thunder 104 (16-15), Hornets 102 (13-21)

This was a thriller.

Dennis Schroder, who has quietly become one of the best sixth men in the league, dropped 24 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 (and had a filthy euro-step), and the reliable Steven Adams had a 14-12 double-double to knock out the Hornets in overtime.

Despite the loss, Devonte’ Graham was excellent. He had a clutch full-court drive to the rack to force OT in the first place, and he stayed splashing tough shots down the stretch. He was one rebound off of a triple double with 15 points, 13 assists and 9 boards. Terry Rozier also had 26.

Heat 113 (23-8), Pacers 112 (21-11)

It all came down to a wild late possession, as Jimmy Butler passed to Duncan Robinson, who zipped the ball to Kendrick Nunn in the left corner. Nunn attacked the rack, and just missed a reverse layup, which was tipped into the air by Butler, and recovered by Bam Adebayo. Adebayo kicked it out to Goran Dragic on the perimeter, who swerved into the lane for a silky game-winning floater.

Follow that? In short, it was exhilirating.

Warriors 105 (9-24), Suns 96 (11-20)

After trailing for a majority of the game, the Dubs came roaring back down the stretch, and finally secured the lead with a thunderous Glenn Robinson III cutback dunk. An underrated aspect of the game that the Warriors crushed the Suns in was turnovers. While Phoenix coughed the ball up a stunning 26 times, Golden State limited themselves to 10 turnovers.

D’Angelo Russell led the way with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, while Devin Booker had his eighth game of the season with 30 points or more for the Suns.

The post Post Up: Thunder Edge Out Hornets in OT appeared first on SLAM.

For game-by-game synopses of what went down, peep our most recent Post-Up, but for a celebration of cold, hard data continue on in our latest edition of Count ‘Em Up.

There’s no easy way to break down individual stat lines in a way that everybody agrees with, so here are the Newswire’s Top 10 from Christmas Day 2019.

At the top of the list are a pair of young superstars – Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons – that led their squad to a colossal victory over a legitimate title contender.

Joining them in the top 10 are several other key components of significant Christmas Day upsets, like Damion Lee, Brandon Ingram and Derrick Favors.

Of course, Dec. 25 is when the superstars show out, so there’s no shortage of high profile megastars that put in an adequate day’s work under the international spotlight of Christmas Day.

Ben Simmons • PHI vs. MIL (W)

Joel Embiid • PHI vs. MIL (W)

Damion Lee • GSW vs. HOU (W)

Kawhi Leonard • LAC vs. LAL (W)

James Harden • HOU vs. GSW (L)

Jrue Holiday • NOR vs. DEN (W)

LeBron James • LAL vs. LAC (L)

Khris Middleton • MIL vs. PHI (L)

Brandon Ingram • NOR vs. DEN (W)

Derrick Favors • NOR vs. DEN (W)

Honorable Mentions: Celtics guard Jaylen Brown going for 30 on 10-13 shooting in a win over the Raptors and Draymond Green finishing plus 20 as the Warriors knocked off the Rockets.

The post Count ‘Em Up: NBA Christmas Day 2019 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.

The Warriors came back from a 22-point deficit as D’Angelo Russell (32 points, six assists) hit a game-tying 3 with seconds to go in regulation, but it wasn’t enough.

The Knicks, led by Marcus Morris Sr.’s 36 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, came back strong in overtime — keeping a red-hot Russell scoreless after the period’s first possession.

Clippers 112 (19-7), Raptors 92 (16-8)

Kawhi Leonard (23 points) received a standing ovation as he was introduced in Toronto for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals.

His new squad owned the night; however, bouncing back from a five-point first quarter deficit to blow out the Raptors.

Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 24 points and also blocked three shots.

Grizzlies 115 (8-16), Suns 108 (11-13)

Ja Morant (13 points, six assists) caught a body I won’t forget for a long, long time.

Rockets 116 (16-8), Cavaliers 110 (5-19)

It’s going to be hard for naysayers to declare James Harden can only score because of how often he gets to the free throw line now: the Beard led Houston’s comeback charge in Cleveland, scoring 55 points on 20-for-34 shooting while taking just five free throws. He also tied a career-best with 10 3-point attempts made.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 24 points in 29 minutes of work for Cleveland.

Lakers 96 (22-3), Magic 87 (11-13)

The Lakers held the Magic to a measly nine points in the first period and rode that momentum for the rest of the night.

LeBron James finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Hornets 113 (11-16), Nets 108 (13-11)

Devonte Graham is the real deal.

The Carolina-native scored a career-high 40 points and scored Charlotte’s go-ahead bucket to close out the night.

Celtics 117 (17-6), Pacers 122 (16-9)

Kemba Walker took over with 44 points, but five Pacers scoring at least 14 points was too much for Boston to overcome.

Malcolm Brodgon hit all 15 of his free throw attempts en route to a team-high 29 for Indiana.

Thunder 93 (11-13), Kings 94 (11-13)

Bogdan Bogdanovic is making a name for himself as one of the league’s premier crunch time shooters after adding another game-winning shot to his resume.

Pelicans 112 (6-19), Bucks 127 (22-3)

No Giannis? No problem.

The Bucks ran out to 24-point halftime lead despite a DNP from the reigning MVP due to injury.

Eric Bledsoe (29 points) and Khris Middleton (24) held it down in his absence as Milwaukee won its 16th straight. JJ Redick scored a game-high 31 for New Orleans.

Jazz 127 (14-11), Timberwolves 116 (10-14)

Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles combined for 73 points as the Jazz shot 56.6 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from deep as a unit.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Receives Warm Welcome, Picks Up W in Return to Toronto appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA’s reigning MVP knows opponents will do everything they can to get under his skin, but vows to rise above it.

Antetokounmpo finished with 35 points to lift the Milwaukee Bucks to a 127-103 win—their 13th in a row—over Detroit.

Per The AP:

“They’re just a great defensive team and just play really physical,” Antetokounmpo said. “They want to be physical, they want to be dirty. They want you to get out of your game, and whenever you come in Detroit, you expect that.”

There were six technical fouls in this game, and there were words exchanged during a couple mild altercations. The first involved Antetokounmpo and Griffin after those two collided around midcourt in the second quarter.

“There’s going to be a lot of teams that are going to come out and try to be physical with me — try to hit me, knock me down to the floor,” Antetokounmpo said. “I just got to keep my composure.”

In the third quarter, Antetokounmpo fell to the ground after being fouled, and then Griffin stepped over him. Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton came over to confront Griffin. Three technicals were assessed after that.

“That’s going to happen. In a competitive game, it’s going to happen,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “If anything, that should get you more focused, more riled up, more ready to play, more ready to compete and more ready to be physical and finish at the rim. All those things you have to do in a competitive game like that, a physical game like that.”

Related Giannis Antetokounmpo: ‘I Definitely Want to Be One of the Best Players to Ever Play’

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo: Teams ‘Try to Hit Me, Knock Me Down to the Floor’ appeared first on SLAM.

Middleton came off the bench in his first game since the setback and scored 16 points in 19 minutes of action.

The All-Star missed seven games with the injury but the Bucks didn’t miss a beat while he was gone. Milwaukee won all of their seven games without Middleton and have won nine in a row.

Middleton will hope to stay at full strength for the majority of the 2019-20 campaign and has a track record of doing so, the swingman has played in at least 77 games in five of the past six seasons.

Middleton initially suffered the thigh bruise in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The post Khris Middleton Returns From Thigh Bruise appeared first on SLAM.

The Milwaukee Bucks will be without All-Star swingman Khris Middleton for several weeks, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. The 28-year-old small forward has suffered a leg injury.

While the Bucks are sure to be cautious with their second-leading scorer, the veteran is said to have avoided serious damage to his leg.

Through 10 games so far this season, Middleton has averaged 18.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. That includes his abbreviated appearance on Sunday when he left for the locker room after just 22 minutes of action.

When Middleton left the Sunday game prematurely, Matt Velasquez of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that he had suffered a left thigh contusion.

The precise connection between Middleton’s latest diagnosis and that initial determination is not yet known.

The post Leg Injury To Sideline Khris Middleton For Several Weeks appeared first on SLAM.

After a sluggish start to the season, the Pacers have now won five of their past six games after knocking off the pesky Pistons. One of the keys to their victory? The Pacers bench throttled the Pistons bench, outscoring them 51-28. Domantas Sabonis has become a nearly automatic double-double, as he paced the team with 17 points, 14 boards and six assists on the night.

With Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose and Reggie Jackson all sidelined due to various injuries, Detroit is sorely lacking playmaking options. Third-year guard Luke Kennard has done an admirable job vacuuming up more possessions, and he dropped 29 points, six rebounds and five assists while playing a game-high 41 minutes.

Orlando Magic 118 (3-6), Memphis Grizzlies 86 (2-6)

This was a complete demolition. The Magic were in control all game, and put the nail in the coffin by outscoring the Grizzlies 34-8 in the 4th quarter. It was a beautifully balanced effort, with Nikola Vucevic looking back like his old self with 23 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and two steals. French guard Evan Fournier continued his solid season with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Jonathan Issac has become a fully-fleshed defensive terror. He had 22 points on 9-11 shooting, and now has a whopping 16 blocks in his last four games.

For Memphis, it was simply one of those down games a young, inexperienced team is bound to have throughout the rigors of an 82-game season. Their highest scorer was center Jonas Valinciunas, who put up 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Cleveland Cavaliers 113 (3-5), Washington Wizards 100 (2-6)

Of all the games on tonight, somehow this one ended up on national TV. but surprisingly, it was…kind of good basketball. The Cavaliers brought a balanced approach to D.C., with seven players scoring in double digits and Tristan Thompson leading the way w9ith 21 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks on 67% shooting

The Wizards may be off to a rough start to the season, but their young frontcourt comprised of Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant combined for 44 points and 15 rebounds on 21-29 shooting. Plus, Rui threw down this filthy dunk:

Sacramento Kings 121 (3-6), Atlanta Hawks 109 (3-5)

Ever since their perplexing and disastrous 0-5 start, the Kings have gone on to with three of their last four games to right the ship. Buddy Hield led the way with 22 points, while Bogdon Bogdanovic had a terrific game off the bench, scoring 20 points along with four rebounds, five assists and converting 83% of his 3-point attempts.

The Hawks continued their downward spiral, and are now 1-4 in their last five games. On the bright side, Trae Young is still making a mockery of the poor fools tasked with guarding him. He dropped a cool 30 points, 12 assists and five steals on 54% from the field.

Toronto Raptors 122 (6-2), New Orleans Pelicans 104 (1-7)

Is it possible to win most Improved Player two years in a row? Because Pascal Siakam is making a hell of a case to go back-to-back with the award after winning it last year. The dude just dropped a career-high 44 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He’s a monster, and he just joined Vince Carter, Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan as the only Raptors players with multiple games of 40 points and 10 rebounds.

It’s sad seeing the Pelicans drop to a league-worst 1-7, but there are multiple silver linings. Brandon Ingram has taken the next step from ambiguous young player with potential to a star, super-human Zion Williamson’s debut is just around the corner and even if the losing continues, they are in line to add another quality prospect to their current treasure trove.

But as of now, it’s been rough.

Minnesota Timberwolves 125 (5-3), Golden State Warriors 119 (2-7)

This was a wild game. Andrew Wiggins popped off for 40 points, Karl Towns had a 20-14 double-double and Robert Covington had a quietly excellent night, scoring 17 points, corralling 11 rebounds, snatching five steals and swatting three blocks

A 2-7 record is pretty brutal for the “Dubs”, but it was a blast to see D’Angelo Russell balling again after a week off due to injury. He carried the Warriors, with 52 points, nine rebounds, five assists and seven three-pointers made.

New York Knicks 102 (2-7), Dallas Mavericks 102 (5-3)

In the surprise of the evening, the previously 1-7 Knicks strutted into Dallas and defeated old pal Kristaps Porzingis. Marcus Morris Sr. stepped up big-time with 29 points and nine rebounds, with Julius Randle scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Dallas’s two studs were phenomenal (Luka had a ridiculous 38-14-10 triple-double and Porzingis had 28 points, nine boards and five blocks), but the rest of the Mavericks starters combined for a measly…six points. That just cannot happen.

Denver Nuggets 100 (6-2), Philadelphia 76ers 97 (5-3)

What a fantastic comeback for the Nuggets! Down 19 points in the 4th quarter, they clawed their way back, and then Nikola Jokic went full Joker and hit a game-winning buzzer-beater 3-pointer. Boom. Now that’s a way to end the night.

The 76ers, who started the season 5-0, have now succumbed to three straight losses. To be fair, they were missing Ben Simmons, who orchestrates so many actions for them and serves as a strong first line of defense on the perimeter. Joel Embiid had 19 points, 15 rebounds and one soul-snatching block, but he also coughed up the rock eight times.

Utah Jazz 103 (6-3), Milwaukee Bucks (6-3)

What a thriller. Despite trailing virtually all game, the Bucks tied it up at 100 a piece thanks to excellent efforts from Giannis Antetokounmpo (30 points, 13 rebounds), Khris Middleton (26 points, 11 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (22 points, eight rebounds, five assists). It was a valiant comeback effort with the potential to turn into a quality win.

Then, Bojan Bogdanovic happened.

Not only did he win the game with this ice-cold three-pointer, but he also dropped 33 points.

Brooklyn Nets 119 (4-4), Portland Trail-Blazers 112 (3-6)

Apparently, if you scored 50 or more points in the NBA today, your team lost. Despite Damian Lillard’s herculean 60-point effort, his Trail-Blazers dropped to 3-6 in the brutal Western Conference. Get this man some more help.

Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie led the way for the Nets, with 33 and 34 points, respectively.

Los Angeles Lakers 95 (7-1), Miami Heat 80 (6-3)

The Lakers are fun again! They haven’t lost since opening night, the fans are louder than ever and there’s no drama around the team after years of behind-the-scenes tension. Bottom-line: this team is championship-level good, and they’re playing like it.

Anthony Davis stuffed the stat sheet yet again, with 26 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and three blocks, while LeBron controlled all facets of the game as he had himself a tidy 25 points along with four rebounds and six assists.

The post Post Up: Nikola Jokic, Bojan Bogdanovic Hit Buzzer-Beaters To Seal Victories appeared first on SLAM.

Washington was propelled to the win thanks to six double-digit scorers, led by Bradley Beal (22 points). Andre Drummond put up a monstrous 15 points and 24 rebounds for Detroit.

Pelicans 125 (1-6), Nets 135 (3-4)

Kyrie Irving was in his bag Monday night, using a variety of impressive moves to score at will. He finished with 39 points. On the other side, Brandon Ingram one-upped Irving with a career-high 40 points, but New Orleans fell just short of the win.

Rockets 107 (4-3), Grizzlies 100 (1-5)

Houston pulled away in the second half, boosted by James Harden’s 44 points. Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant dropped 23 points on 10-16 shooting in the loss.

Bucks 134 (5-2), Timberwolves 106 (4-2)

Milwaukee was led by a trio of high scorers: Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 points), Khris Middleton (26 points), and Eric Bledsoe (22 points). Minnesota was paced in scoring by Andrew Wiggins’ 25 points.

76ers 109 (5-1), Suns 114 (5-2)

The good times continue in Phoenix. Devin Booker poured in a game-high 40 points on 15-19 shooting to hand the Sixers their first loss of the season. Al Horford notched 32 points to lead Philly.

Blazers 118 (3-4), Warriors 127 (2-5)

Golden State didn’t let up despite a deep injury list, handing Portland its fourth loss of the season. Warriors rookie Eric Paschall put in a dominant effort of 36 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way. Damian Lillard’s 39 points wasn’t enough for the Blazers to pull it out.

The post Post Up: Devin Booker’s 40 Points Helps Hand Sixers First Loss appeared first on SLAM.

Derrick Rose, who made his NBA debut 11 years ago today, hit the go-ahead bucket late to put the Pistons up for good. Andre Drummond impressed with 18 points and 18 rebounds.

Bulls 98 (1-3), Knicks 105 (1-3)

Bobby Portis showed out for the Knicks, leading the team with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and several clutch threes down the stretch. Chicago led for the entire game until New York rallied late in the fourth quarter.

76ers 105 (3-0), Hawks 103 (2-1)

Joel Embiid put in a monster effort of 36 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals to propel Philadelphia to the win. Trae Young put up 25 points and dished out nine assists for the Hawks.

Magic 95 (1-2), Raptors 104 (3-1)

Toronto went old school with their dinosaur-themed jerseys and court, and they didn’t disappoint. The duo of Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam combined for 50 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.

Jonathan Isaac scored 24 points in the loss.

Cavaliers 112 (1-2), Bucks 129 (2-1)

It was an all-around effort for Milwaukee in the win as seven players hit double-digit scoring. Khris Middleton led the team with 21 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo almost notched a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Thunder 112 (1-3), Rockets 116 (2-1)

Russell Westbrook came out victorious over his old squad on Monday. The former MVP did it all, posting a line of 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. James Harden poured in 40 points for Houston.

Warriors 134 (1-2), Pelicans 123 (0-4)

Golden State finally earned its first win of the season after a rocky start. Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell combined for 50 points and 19 assists.

Brandon Ingram notched 27 points for the Pelicans.

Blazers 110 (2-2), Spurs 113 (3-0)

Damian Lillard scored 18 straight points for the Blazers and had a chance to tie it at the end, but his 3-pointer rimmed out as time expired. DeMar DeRozan paced the Spurs with 27 points and seven rebounds.

Jazz 96 (3-1), Suns 95 (2-2)

Donovan Mitchell won the game for Utah with a last-second free throw after drawing a foul with the game tied 95-95. Mitchell finished with 25 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic dropped 27 points for the Jazz.

Nuggets 101 (3-0), Kings 94 (0-4)

Jamal Murray (18 points) and Gary Harris (17 points) led the way for Denver in the road win. Richaun Holmes came up huge for the Kings with 24 points and 13 boards.

Hornets 96 (1-3), Clippers 111 (3-1)

L.A. outscored Charlotte in each of the game’s four quarters as they cruised to a win. Kawhi Leonard gave the Clippers a scoring edge with 30 points; teammate Lou Williams added 23 points off the bench.

The post Post Up: Derrick Rose Comes Up Clutch; Joel Embiid Goes Off appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Milwaukee Bucks have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Milwaukee Bucks

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post Milwaukee Bucks Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

Gregg Popovich‘s game plan for slowing down The Greek Freak worked to perfection, as the rest of his squad shot just 25 percent from the field.

Things also grew testy in the game’s dying moments after Antetokounmpo’s brother Thanasis took Harrison Barnes down with an unnecessarily hard foul.

Per The Athletic:

Giannis Antetokounmpo sat the whole fourth quarter. His brother nearly killed Harrison Barnes on a dirty play after the outcome was no longer in doubt.

“Yeah, I said something to Giannis. Well, Giannis said something to me, really,” [Jaylen] Brown said.

“We took exception to that hard foul,” [Marcus] Smart said. “The game was pretty much over, and you had no way of blocking the shot. At that moment, you’ve got to prepare for injuries, and you don’t want nobody to be injured. We just let them know it’s a learning moment for him (Thanasis) at that time. Because if the tables were turned and somebody did that to (Giannis), we’d probably be having a whole different discussion right now.”

Even with Barnes on him to start, Antetokounmpo came out hungry. He bullied his way in for a layup, canned a 3 and then dunked hard over Milwaukee teammate Khris Middleton for his first three baskets. But he grew tired as the game wore on — and probably tired of watching Greece miss shot after shot. Pop used Barnes and Smart and Brown to guard him.

“Over the course of the game, he dwindled a little bit,” Brown said.

Related Brazilian Coach: ‘We Have Several Players Who Can Stop’ Giannis Antetokounmpo

The post Team USA Stifles Giannis Antetokounmpo, Beats Greece appeared first on SLAM.

Turkey had every chance to capitalize in overtime, but missed four (!!) consecutive free throws, which led to Khris Middleton getting fouled and sinking the game-winning free throws to put Team USA 2-0 in Group E. Kemba Walker also finished with 14 points.

Tatum rolled his ankle in transition and exited the game in the overtime. The sprain doesn’t seem to be serious as the 21-year-old was able to walk on his own without a noticeable limp.

The post Team USA Defeats Turkey 93-92 in Overtime at FIBA World Cup 🇺🇸 appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Milwaukee Bucks NBA 2K20 Ratings