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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 15, 2022

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

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

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

— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) December 15, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is finalizing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Kleber was entering the final year of his deal, now under contract through 2025-26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

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

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

ESPN Sources: Free agent C Montrezl Harrell is signing two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option. Harrell brings more toughness to a team searching for it this offseason. He was Sixth Man of the Year with Doc Rivers/Sam Cassell in 2019-2020 w/ Clippers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

Sources: The Toronto Raptors signed Thaddeus Young to a two-year, $17 million extension, which includes player incentive bonuses and a $1 million partial guarantee for the 2023-24 season, @hoopshype has learned.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

Gary Harris’ two-year extension with the Orlando Magic is flat $13M each season. The second season is fully non-guaranteed, a league source told @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

Sumner is fully recovered from a torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2021-2022 season. He had been coming off his best NBA season with the Pacers prior to the injury, and now he’ll join the Nets’ backcourt rotation. https://t.co/5HfzZmkDZN

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

Free agent TJ Warren has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Free agent center Gorgui Dieng has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Cole Swider signed a two-year Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

Free agent center Serge Ibaka has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

The Brooklyn Nets signed Wake Forest Alondes Williams to a 2-way deal.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

Dragic is signing a one-year, $2.9M deal with the Bulls, sources said. https://t.co/f6VK9np1cf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

Free agent Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/z4lnVLD1GM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

Free agent G Eugene Omoruyi has agreed to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent guard Damion Lee has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent Donte DiVincenzo has agreed to a two-year, $9.3M deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $25.5M deal to return to Golden State, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent F/C Drew Eubanks is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year deal, his agent James Dunleavy of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

John Wall officially agrees with the Clippers on a two-year deal for the taxpayer midlevel. https://t.co/5yCuV4cePg

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

NBA All-Star Zach LaVine has agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million maximum contract to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a player option in Year 5, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

Free agent G Theo Pinson is returning to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed on a new four-year, $60 million contract to stay with the New York Knicks, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dnKtVQmln9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Bruce Brown has agreed to a 2-year, $13M+ deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

#Pistons to re-sign Marvin Bagley III, add Kevin Knox as free-agent frenzy begins: https://t.co/WVHahAmeKR

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

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

Free agent guard Ricky Rubio is nearing a deal on a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.

The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

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

Warriors were unwilling to meet that high of a price tag (and resulting tax spike) for Gary Payton II and have now lost their defensive ace off the bench to the Blazers. He led the NBA in steals per 36 minutes last season. https://t.co/iaY6xmUrG7

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Andre Drummond is finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent JaVale McGee has agreed to a three-year, $20.1 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with player option for third season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed on a four-year, $224M super max extension, his agent Jessica Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Towns’ total contract value to six years and $295M.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

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

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Wizards have added three veteran guards to join Bradley Beal in recent days — Will Barton, Monte Morris and now Delon Wright leaves the Hawks for Washington. https://t.co/4YFMxR2o7Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18M deal to join the Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @wassbasketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/fWzhFhVfkx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract extension, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Anthony Gill is signing a two year-deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Restricted free agent C Nic Claxton has agreed on a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Troy Brown Jr. has agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Lonnie Walker IV is signing a one-year, $6.5M deal with the Lakers, sources said. https://t.co/7xBnStLWfo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Rockets restricted free agent Jae’Sean Tate has agreed to a three-year, $22.1 million deal to return to Houston, his agents E.J. Kusnyer and Jordan Cornish of @beyond_am tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Davon Reed has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent guard Jevon Carter has agreed to a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Trevelin Queen has agreed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent F Nic Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Lu Dort has agreed to a five-year, $87.5M deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Jones’ agent, Austin Brown of @CAA_Basketball, tells ESPN the second year is a player option.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Amir Coffey has agreed to a three-year, $11M deal with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of @BDA_Sports and WME Sports tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Tyus Jones is returning to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30M deal, his agent Kevin Bradbury of @REP1Basketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Danuel House has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a four-year, $49 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option in Year 4.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a two-year, $16 million-plus deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fully guaranteed deal for Hartenstein.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Sources: Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19M deal to join the Kings. https://t.co/spgbvRZspx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

The Phoenix Suns and All-NBA guard Devin Booker are finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension that he’s set to sign as soon as next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

Booker will also be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has agreed on a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + WME Sports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Spurs are pulling the qualifying offer on Lonnie Walker IV, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Expect a strong market for Walker immediately.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

Free agent Jalen Brunson intends to sign a four-year, near $110M deal with the New York Knicks in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Mavericks never received chance to make offer, sources said.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

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

Multiple teams — including Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia — are expected to compete for PJ Tucker in free agency. All are expected to offer the full mid-level/TPMLE exception. He is unlikely to return to Miami, per sources.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

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

The Utah Jazz will not extend a qualifying offer to point guard Trent Forrest, making him an unrestricted free agent, League Sources tell The Athletic. There is interest in working something out during free agency. Forrest was a member of the rotation this past season

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

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

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

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

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”

It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P

— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022

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

The Heat are not planning to meet with Jalen Brunson today, and they did not have such a meeting scheduled, per league source.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

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

Cavs Expected To Match Outside Offers For Collin Sexton – Hoops Wire https://t.co/9k5zuRmUAd

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

The Jazz won’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Eric Paschall, sources tell @Tjonesonthenba.

He will become an unrestricted free agent.https://t.co/fcOCtqEmMN pic.twitter.com/ok07Xpx9Dr

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 30, 2022

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

Four-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the Detroit Pistons are finalizing a contract buyout, sources tell ESPN. Once Walker clears waivers, he’ll join free agency.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

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

Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven are still on the Heat’s roster this morning, which means their full $1.8 million salaries for next season are now guaranteed. This was seen as a formality. Carry on.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

The Sacramento Kings are exercising the option on PF/C Chimezie Metu for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN. Metu averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21 minutes a game for the Kings last season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills declined his $6.2M option and will become a free agent, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $1.9 million team option on froward Lu Dort for 2022-23 season, which makes him a restricted free agent and allows sides to negotiate a new deal in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

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

ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

The maximum that he can sign for is 4 years/$49M.

The contract has to be for a minimum of 2 seasons and cannot include an option in year 2. https://t.co/Nu5KC9G8D9

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

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

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

The Houston Rockets have declined forward Jae’Sean Tate’s $1.8 million team option for next season, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Rockets and Tate have mutual interest in discussing new deal in free agency beginning Thursday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

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

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers won’t tender a qualifying offer to center Moses Brown, @hoopshype has learned. The 7-foot-1, 22-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent. Brown could be an intriguing development option for NBA teams around the league.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

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

Minnesota Timberwolves F Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

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

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

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

Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

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

Since signing with the Mavs as an undrafted agent in 2016, Finney-Smith has grown to be a strong 3-and-D specialist, with the corner three being his signature shot. The former Florida Gator has former teammate Wesley Matthews to thank for his jumper becoming a lethal strength.

“I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,” Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com. “Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court,”

“And I did!”

Finney-Smith’s accuracy as a shooter has gone up every season thanks to his dogged work ethic. As a rookie, he shot 29.3 percent from beyond the arc. Now, Finney-Smith is knocking triples down at a career-high 39.5 percent clip. He’s also hit 46.1 percent of his corner three-pointer attempts, a vast improvement from the 26.3 percent clip he shot as a rookie.

Finney-Smith is smoking the nylon during the Mavs run to the Western Conference Finals, shooting 52.5 percent from the corner.

“I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college; it just ain’t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,” Finney-Smith said.

He credits his development into a plus shooter to not only Matthews, but teammates like Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell, and Luka Doncic, who Finney-Smith says watched him put the work in often enough to trust him when it matters late in the game.

“Repetition builds confidence,” Finney-Smith explained. “Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey — like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] — I think they see the work I put in, and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.

“Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you’ve been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.”

Along the way, Finney-Smith earned the trust of the Mavericks front office, who awarded the former undrafted wing with a four-year contract, reportedly with $55 million for all his hard work and being pivotal in numerous regular-season and playoff wins.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Finney-Smith averaged a career-best 11.0 points on 3.2 attempted threes per game, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game on 47.1 percent shooting from the field. Finney-Smith joined Kleber and Jason Terry as the only players in Mavs history to make at least eight three-pointers in a game.

The Mavericks’ season is still alive after they blew the Warriors out in Game 4, extending their season for at least one more game while attempting to become the first team in NBA playoff history to come back from a 3-0 deficit. Golden State hosts Thursday’s Game 5 of the WCF series.

Should the Warriors win, Golden State will be making their sixth NBA Finals trip since 2015.

The post Dorian Finney-Smith Speaks on His Journey to Becoming the Mavs’ 3-and-D Specialist appeared first on SLAM.

Now that they’re staring down a 3-0 series deficit after losing Sunday’s Game 3 to the Warriors, 109-100, Coach Jason Kidd elected to keep the Mavs’ unexpected ascension to the Western Conference Finals in perspective during his postgame presser.

“This is just the beginning of this journey,” Kidd told reporters postgame. “I know you guys have us winning the championship before the season started. And that’s a joke if you didn’t get it. This is a lot bigger than just this one game or this series. This is huge for our franchise because none of you guys had us here.”

Luka pulled out the shimmy after this buzzer beater over Curry .

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/4fSXlnSya9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

He also credited their loss to getting outrebounded and not being able to hit enough of their three-point attempts. For the night, Golden State rebounded Dallas 47-33, with Kevon Looney leading the Warriors with 12 boars, followed by 11 from Andrew Wiggins (27 points). Doncic (40 points) led the Mavericks with 11 rebounds, but no other Maverick corralled more than five boards.

Heading into a do-or-die Game 4, the Mavs will have to kick up their physicality inside in order to win the rebounding battle. They will also need their snipers like  Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber not to go 0-12 from the three-point line. The decision to attack the boards and create second-chance buckets will be pivotal when they’re not hitting shots, and the Mavs will need all the extra possession they can get to extend the series.

“I’ve said we’re going to live and die by the three, but we’re also dying by not getting rebounds,” Kidd said, per Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News.

Luka Magic dimes.

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/rxAoQ8Uvpg

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

Game 4 of the WCF will be on Tuesday, with the Mavs hoping to avoid the sweep. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit.

The post Jason Kidd On 3-0 Series Deficit: ‘None of You Guys Had Us Here’ appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

Wiggins with the poster on Luka .

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

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

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

POOLE PARTY pic.twitter.com/gLIZCIf1tu

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

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

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

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

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

— SLAM Newswire (@SLAMnewswire) May 3, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the first round against the Pelicans, Ayton averaged 20.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 70.0 percent shooting from the field. A good jump from his regular season when he posted 17.2 points and 10.2 boards per game.

As the Mavericks-Suns series rolls, Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd’s use of small-ball lineups might not be as valuable against Ayton, who is athletic enough to keep up with shooters like Maxi Kleber when Kidd deploys him as small-ball 5. The Suns also have lengthy and versatile defenders like Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Cam Johnson, who can chase the Mavericks’ marksman

“We have to adapt,” Kidd said per Sports Illustrated. “Our game plan against Utah is not going to work against the Suns. We’ve already changed that mindset because we’re not playing the Jazz.

Ayton will be tasked with taking advantage of the Mavs whenever he’s in a pick-and-roll situation with CP3, rim-running in transition, and bullying his matchup when he’s given the rock in the low post. Ayton is also a threat to score from deep, sinking 50 percent of his four three-point attempts so far in the playoffs.

“We understand their strength is midrange, but they hurt you with the 3 in transition, and they can hurt you in the paint with JaVale and Ayton. This isn’t Gobert or Whiteside. These guys can put the ball in the basket. So, our bigs are going to be tested.”

The post Jason Kidd on Guarding the Suns’ Big Men: ‘We Have to Adapt’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Mavs pulled out to an early lead, but the Jazz chipped away in the third quarter. However, the Dallas defense showed out in the fourth quarter to secure the 126-118 victory. 

“We made timely shots and we made timely stops,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd following the win.

In the absence of Doncic, Jalen Brunson continued to play like a star. After his 31-point performance in Game 3, he’s now averaging 32.0 points per contest in the series. 

Utah is in a tough situation after losing its first matchup of the series at home. Even without Doncic taking the floor yet again, the Mavericks have taken control of the series with a 2-1 lead. 

The Mavs were once again on fire from beyond the arc on Thursday night, converting on 18 of their 42 triples as a team. This was again sparked by forward Maxi Kleber, who is now 12-16 through his past two games. 

“When you’re a hot player, you’re a hot player,” said Kleber following Game 3. 

For the Jazz, the offense still hasn’t clicked in this series. The slump towards the end of the regular season has continued into the postseason to this point. While they scored 118 points tonight, it wasn’t enough as the scoring was stagnant in the first and fourth quarter. 

Overall, Utah looked solid offensively shooting 56.5% from the floor. It just wasn’t consistent enough to get the job done. 

After scoring zero points in Game 3, Mike Conley produced 21 points on 14 shots Thursday night. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 24 points while Donovan Mitchell produced 32 of his own. 

With that in mind, Mitchell still believes everything starts with defense for this Jazz team. 

“It starts defensively, and everything else falls into place,” he said postgame. 

For the first time this series, the rebounding battle was balanced. Both teams pulled down 32 boards on the night.  

This series is far from over, even if Doncic does return at some point. The Jazz have the talent to make things interesting down the stretch, and the Mavericks know that. 

“I’m proud of this team,” Brunson said postgame. “I’m proud of the fight that we have. They’re a team that’s not going to quit. They’re a good team.”

Game 4 will take place on Saturday in Utah. 

The post Mavericks Continue To Roll, Sealing Game 3 Road Victory Against Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

full squad effort.

KAT – 20 pts. / 9 reb. / 1 ast. / 1 stl.
JMac – 16 pts. / 5 reb. / 3 ast.
DLo – 15 pts. / 5 reb. / 8 ast.
TP – 14 pts. / 5 reb.
Ant – 12 pts. / 6 reb. / 4 ast. / 1 stl.
Vando – 12 pts. / 6 reb. / 1 stl.
PatBev – 10 pts. / 1 reb. / 2 ast. / 1 stl. / 1 blk. pic.twitter.com/rZnvU67TAT

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 26, 2022

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

Luka sneaks in a bounce pass!

Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/PrL4MmbWJc

— NBA (@NBA) March 26, 2022

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

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

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Get Closer to Playoff Position With Win Over Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

Tuesday, the Mavericks have four players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols: Hardaway Jr, Reggie Bullock, Josh Green, and Maxi Kleber.

Dallas also signed NBA G Leagues Caliente Clippers forward George King to a 10-day hardship deal.

The newest add-ons to the team come just in time for the Mavericks in their matchup against the Timberwolves, Tuesday evening.

With Delaware, Brown averaged 16.8 points and 8.1 boards. King averages 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds.

The post Maverick’s Sign Charlie Brown To A 10-Day Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Many throughout the NBA world have been critical of the Mavericks’ play thus far, including team owner Mark Cuban. In an interview with Sky Sports, Cuban opened up about the Mavericks’ performance so far this season.

“We got a long way to go. But we’re getting better. I like that J-Kidd is working to develop us into the best team that we can be. Sometimes that means you’re not always playing for the short term, which is what we agreed on and what he wants to do.”

“At the end of the day, the goal moving forward is the playoffs. There are things that might not on the surface seem okay. Or you might ask, ‘Why did you do this in this game at that point,’ and there’s a longer-term meaning for it. He’s invested in his team to make it as good as we can be.”

The Dallas Mavericks are currently 9-7 on the season, which is good for the fifth seed in the West. They are currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak, having lost back-to-back contests against the Suns and the Clippers.

“We haven’t played our best basketball yet, and we will at some point. It’s too early on the standings. Other than Golden State and Phoenix, everybody else is battling it out. But it’s still early. A lot of things can change. We’ll get Maxi Kleber and hopefully Luka [Doncic] back. We’ll get our guys back, but I really, really like the fact that each game is part of the development.”

The team will look to bounce back Tuesday against the Clippers yet again.

The post Mark Cuban Gets Candid on the Mavericks’ Slow Start to the Season: ‘We Got a Long Way to Go’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, the young center has played in just three games before being shut down for back stiffness. Now after missing four games including the most recent loss to the Miami Heat, Jason Kidd announced the team’s plan to bring him back on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Kristaps Porzingis is “progressing” and will “hopefully” play tomorrow night vs. Spurs, Jason Kidd said. Porzingis is out for fourth straight game due to lower back stiffness.

Maxi Kleber will be out at least 7-10 days due to an oblique strain.

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 2, 2021

Porzingis can make an immediate impact by helping the team’s rebounding totals. Since he’s been injured, the Mavericks are amongst the worse, 28th, in the League in rebounding percentage.

In the three games, Porzingis did play; he has struggled, averaging just 12.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of only 30.2 percent. A noticeable dip from his career averages of 18.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on 44.0 percent shooting from the field.

For the Mavericks to take the anticipated next step towards championship contention, they’ll need Porzingis to get healthy and play well this season.

The post Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd Says Kristaps Porzingis is “Progressing and Could Return Against Spurs appeared first on SLAM.

On the bright side, Jalen Brunson looks spectacular off the bench with his ability to score the ball at a high level. With Kristaps Porzingis set to return to action in just a few weeks, the Mavericks have a light at the end of the tunnel.

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

James Johnson	4.0p, 4.5r, 3.0a	–
Jalen Brunson	10.8p, 2.5r, 3.0a	–
Tim Hardaway Jr.	14.5p, 3.8r, 1.3a	–
Josh Richardson	13.5p, 3.5r, 1.8a
Trey Burke	8.0p, 1.0r, 1.8a
Dorian Finney-Smith	8.5p, 4.3r, 1.0a
Maxi Kleber	8.0p, 4.8r, 0.8a
Wes Iwundu	4.7p, 0.3r, 0.0a
Dwight Powell	6.5p, 3.3r, 1.0a
Boban Marjanovic	4.0p, 2.3r, 0.0a
Willie Cauley-Stein	4.0p, 3.3r, 0.8a
Luka Doncic	23.8p, 5.8r, 6.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Dallas Mavericks appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• Can the Mavericks stop anyone on defense? Last season, they had the most efficient offense in NBA history but were among the league’s worst defensively. If they can be a mediocre defensive team, they could be looking at a top-four seed in the Western Conference.
• Is Kristaps Porzingis going to be healthy on a consistent basis? To this point in his career, his knees have been an issue. In fact, they kept him out of some of the most crucial games in the playoffs last season. Without a healthy Porzingis, the Mavericks aren’t nearly as much of a threat.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Dallas Mavericks: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

However, if Dallas wants to be seen as a championship contender, they’ll need to compete with at least the triumvirate of the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. In order to do that, they’ll need to make slight but significant upgrades all over the roster.

Related: Full Boston Celtics 2020 Salary Cap Preview

Mavericks Draft Needs

With the Mavericks looking to add a third star to the roster, the players selected with their picks in the 2020 NBA Draft may not even be on the roster on opening night.

If Dallas was to keep their picks though, addressing their defense would be the obvious priority.

There are quite a few players in the rotation that are difficult to replace but not the most impactful defenders. Of course, if Dallas manages to swing a trade for an additional star, then players with higher salaries will be sent away. As a result, the Mavs have to be even more careful to select the right players.

If Dallas can find a defensive-minded wing or guard with one of their two picks in the upcoming draft, then they should walk way from draft night satisfied. Because of their lack of depth at small forward, the Mavericks would likely prefer a wing.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

The post Dallas Mavericks: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

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

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• Is Willie Cauley-Stein going to opt in? Cauley-Stein is at the point in his career where he could make more than $2.3M on the open market, but it’s not a guarantee. He seems to be fairly happy in Dallas and with Dwight Powell making his way back from a torn Achilles’, Cauley-Stein should have a path to plenty of playing time.
• Will Tim Hardaway Jr. deviate from the plan of opting in? Hardaway will be hard-pressed to find a team that will pay him $18.9M this offseason. He’s also still young enough that long-term security shouldn’t be a concern just yet.

Projected Team Salary

$151,977,957

The Mavericks have one more season before they can be major offseason players. They’ll likely run it back with a lot of the same team as last season, as both Tim Hardaway Jr. and Willie Cauley-Stein are likely to opt in. Look for Dallas to use their MLE to bring in another wing player, but on a short-term contract. This will allow the Mavs to conserve space for the 2021 offseason. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$42,837,957 (16^th out of 30). $29,788,398 under the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Dallas Mavericks: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

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

Mavs NBA 2K21 Ratings

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

The post Dallas Mavericks: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

Porzingis missed Dallas’ past two contests with knee soreness and now the extent of the injury, a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee, is known.

Porzingis averaged 20.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game during the 2019-20 campaign and added 34 points in his final taste of action on Aug. 21. Dallas ended up winning their first contest without the big man but now trail the Los Angeles Clippers 2-3 in their series.

In addition to Porzingis, the Mavericks are already down Dwight Powell and Willie Cauley-Stein, so expect head coach to rely more heavily on Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic.

The knee injury that cost Porzingis the complete 2018-19 was in his left knee.

The post Mavs’ Kristaps Porzingis Out for Playoffs appeared first on SLAM.

In March, just prior to the shutdown, Porzingis was averaging 23.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Pair the solid numbers with his absurd length and unprecedented perimeter game (shout out Rick Carlisle’s analytics team), he’ll be a must-watch candidate in Orlando.

Porzingis isn’t the only one that was flexing for the Mavs in March. Seth Curry posted 21 points per game of his own in the contests he suited up for during the period and that doesn’t even include the 37 points he dropped on the Miami Heat in late February.

Tim Hardaway Jr. cracked the 20-point mark in the month of March, too, giving Luka Doncic plenty of possible options to run through now that the season is back.

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

Heat Check Dallas Mavericks

Kristaps Porzingis
Seth Curry
Boban Marjanovic
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Courtney Lee
Delon Wright
Justin Jackson
Dorian Finney-Smith
Maxi Kleber
Luka Doncic	–
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
J.J. Barea
Willie Cauley-Stein

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check (Hiatus): Dallas Mavericks appeared first on SLAM.

It’s truly incredible that Luka Doncic is not even legally allowed to drink yet and he already has 29 30-point performances under his belt. He’s been the engine behind one of the league’s best and most efficient offenses all season.

Luka scored 33 points, grabbed 10 boards and dished out 8 assists in the convincing win over the Magic. Maxi Kleber also had himself a career-high 26 points.

Cavaliers 113 (15-40), Wizards 108 (20-34)

In their first game since John Beilein stepped down as head coach, the Cavs grabbed a solid victory against the Wizards. Colin Sexton led the way with 25 points, and Andre Drummond had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Despite the loss, Bradley Beal was putting on a show around the rim. He finished with 26 points.

Pacers 106 (33-23), Knicks 98 (17-39)

Behind the steady pair of TJ Warren (27 points, 8 rebounds) and Domantas Sabonis (24 points, 13 rebounds), the Pacers put away the Knicks. While Victor Oladipo continues to find his groove after missing almost a year of basketball, the Pacers can support their star just fine.

Raptors 118 (41-15), Suns 101 (22-34)

All the Raptors do is win, and the most impressive part is most of the time, one of their core players is usually injured. This time it was Marc Gasol and Norman Powell, still nursing injuries after the All-Star break.

But no matter. Pascal Siakam dropped 37 points, 12 boards and 3 blocks, while every other starter scored in double digits to stifle the poor Suns.

Celtics 127 (39-16), Timberwolves 117 (16-38)

Four Celtics went off to defeat the Timberwolves. Jayson Tatum had 28 points and 11 rebounds, Gordon Hayward had 29, Daniel Theis had 25 and 16 boards, and Jaylen Brown had 25 of his own. A true committee approach.

The last time four starters scored at least 25 points each was when Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, Channing Frye and Stephon Marbury did it with the Knicks in 2006, Per NBA stats.

Thunder 113 (34-22), Nuggets 101 (38-18)

This was a huge win for OKC. Leading the Nuggets by only a single point heading into the 4th quarter, CP3 took over as they broke it open and won by a solid 12 points.

CP3 had 29, Steven Adams had 19 points and 17 boards, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was one assist and one rebound away from a triple double.

Spurs 113 (24-31), Jazz 104 (36-19)

Time is running out for San Antonio to keep their 22-year playoff streak alive, and beating a West heavyweight in Utah is as good a win as they can get.

DeJounte Murray led the way with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals, while Donovan Mitchell treated us to another classic slam.

Lakers 117 (42-12), Grizzlies 105 (28-28)

The Lakers came out of the break strong, defeating a pesky and youthful grizzlies team by 12 points. As usual, LeBron (32 points, 7 assists) and trusty sidekick Anthony Davis (28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 blocks) led the way.

Pelicans 128 (24-32), Trailblazers 115 (25-32)

The Pelicans soundly defeated the Blazers, who were without franchise star Damian Lillard, who is still nursing a groin injury.

Zion Williamson continued his insane start to his career with 25 points, while the rest of the team played a solid floor game to take down the Blazers.

The post Post Up: Spurs Defeat Jazz To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive 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 Mavs 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

• Kristaps Porzingis
• Luka Doncic

A pair of trades gave the Mavericks their building blocks of the future. The team dealt away a future first-round pick in order to move up in the 2018 draft and select Luka Doncic. Then, prior to last season’s trade deadline, Dallas traded future draft picks to obtain Kristaps Porzingis from New York. It’s unlikely the team makes as big of a splash at this year’s deadline and it’s even more unlikely that it deals away either franchise player.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Tim Hardaway Jr.

A move to the starting lineup back in November was the catalyst to Tim Hardaway Jr.’s revived season. In 24 starts this year, the wing is averaging 16.0 points per game while making 42.7% of his shots from downtown. 

He’s making $20M this season as a result of the contract the Knicks gave him back in 2017 and the 15% trade kicker that came with it. The uncertainty that comes with THJ could play a factor in teams taking on his deal. He has a player option worth $19M next season and there’s no word on whether he plans to pick it up.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee is making $12.8M in the final year of his contract. He came over in the Porzingis deal, though no one really expected him to be a member of the squad long-term. The 34-year-old has played sparingly for the Mavs, appearing in just 10 games this season. His mid-sized salary along with the fact that he doesn’t have a role on the team, makes him a major candidate to be moved. 

Trades Are Possible

• Dwight Powell
• Delon Wright
• Maxi Kleber
• Seth Curry
• Dorian Finney-Smith
• Justin Jackson
• J.J. Barea
• Isaiah Roby
• Jalen Brunson
• Ryan Broekhoff

Dwight Powell inked an extension with the Mavs this past offseason on a deal that will keep him under team control through the 2022-23 season. He’s having another one of his signature under-the-radar, yet efficient campaigns, as he’s currently sixth in the league in true shooting percentage. Delon Wright is having a nice first season in Dallas. He’s seeing 20.8 minutes per game, helping the Mavericks to have one of the better benches in the league. Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith each became trade eligible on January 15, as the team re-signed both players this offseason using some version of Bird rights. Seth Curry’s $32M contract runs through the 2022-23 season. He’s having another fine season from behind the arc. Justin Jackson came to the Mavs in the Harrison Barnes deal last year and in his first full season with the club, he’s seeing just under 16 minutes per game. Long-time Maverick J.J. Barea has the right to veto any trade, as he re-signed on a one-year deal with the club. 2019 second-round pick Isaiah Roby hasn’t yet appeared in an NBA game. The forward is mostly gaining experience with the Texas Legends of the G League. former second-round pick Jalen Brunson has two more years left on his deal, though his contract in 2021-22 is non-guaranteed. Ryan Broekhoff saw action in 10 games for the Mavs before breaking his fibula. There is no timetable for his return.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Dallas Mavericks appeared first on SLAM.

Jimmy Buckets made his debut and dropped 21 as the Heat cruised to their third win of the season. The rookie Tyler Herro shined, finishing with 29 points on 7-9 shooting and 3-4 from downtown.

The Hawks were led by John Collins, who finished with a game-high 30 points (10-17 FG) in the loss. Trae Young went down in the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. Thankfully, X-rays were negative and it’s being called a right ankle sprain. Hoping for a speedy recovery, Trae was hooping to start the season.

Mavericks 109 (3-1), Nuggets 106 (3-1)

The Mavericks outscored the Nuggets 26-18 in the fourth quarter to pick up a statement win on the road. It was a full team effort for Dallas, with nine players scoring in double figures. They were led by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber, who both dropped 14 apiece off the bench.

Paul Millsap led the nuggets with a game-high 23 points to go along with 8 rebounds. The Joker added a clean triple double, finishing with 10 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists in the loss.

Lakers 120 (3-1), Grizzlies 91 (1-3)

Lakers fans, meet AD.

Anthony Davis had the best game of his young Laker career tonight, going OFF for 40 points and 20 rebounds in just three quarters (31 minutes). Davis set the franchise record with 26 free throws made and became the first Laker since Shaq in 2003 to post a 40-point, 20-rebound game. It’s safe to say the AD era has officially begun in LA.

Lebron added 23 points and 8 assists in the blowout Lakers win. Ja Morant led the Grizzlies, dropping 16 points in the loss.

The post Post Up: Anthony Davis’ Monster Night Leads Lakers to Win 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.

Dallas Mavericks NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

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Below is a list of the contract types the Dallas Mavericks 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.

Dallas Mavericks

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 Dallas Mavericks Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

In 71 appearances for the Mavs in 2018-19, the forward averaged 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He’ll return to Dallas basketball club that’s ramping up to throw competitive pieces around their young core of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

The 27-year-old from the same Wurzberg, Germany hometown as Dirk Nowitzki has played the past two seasons with the Mavericks.

The post Maxi Kleber Agrees To Four-Year Deal With Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

This list is maintained by @AustinKent. Please forward any omissions, clarifications or helpful reminders about how the alphabet works to him on Twitter.

The post 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

This is an updating list of all the non-two-way players who can receive qualifying offers ahead of the 2019 NBA free agency period. If a qualifying offer is extended to a player, they automatically become a restricted free agent.

To learn more about qualifying offers, check out our CBA Explained featured on the subject: CBA Explained: Qualifying Offers

The post 2019 NBA Qualifying Offer List appeared first on SLAM.

Boston took a 12-point lead into halftime, grew it to 25 in the third quarter, and… the game was tied with 5:53 left in the fourth.

But the Celtics were able to hold on, thanks to some stifling defense in the final minutes.

Kyrie Irving narrowly missed a triple-double, scoring a game-high 30 points with 11 boards and 9 assists.

Grizzlies 128 (28-42), Wizards 135 (30-40)

There were 20 ties and 20 lead changes in this game, but the Wizards were able to outscore Memphis by 9 in the second half to get the win.

Bradley Beal dropped a game-high 40 points (on 12-17 FG) with 7 assists and 5 boards. What’s even crazier: Beal also scored 40 points the night before.

Suns 138 (17-54), Pelicans 136 (30-42) (OT)

New Orleans had a 3-point lead and was inbounding the ball with 7 seconds left in OT. The Pelicans tried to call a timeout, but they didn’t have any left and were whistled for a 5-second violation.

The Suns ended up draining a three to tie the game on the next possession, and would go on to win the game.

Whew.

Devin Booker dropped a game-high 40 points with 13 dimes and 5 boards.

New Orleans has now lost 6 straight.

Cavs 116 (17-53), Mavs 121 (28-41)

Dallas led by double-digits for most of the game en route to snapping a 7-game losing streak.

Tim Hardaway Jr had a team-high 22 points. Maxi Kleber dropped 18 points with 12 boards.

Warriors 110 (47-21), Thunder 88 (42-28)

The Warriors went in to Oklahoma City and delivered a dominant performance, leading for the entire game and by as much as 22 points.

Stephen Curry dropped a game-high 33 points with 7 boards and a +19 plus/minus. Klay Thompson had 23 points, 8 boards, 4 dimes, 3 steals and a game-high +22 plus/minus.

Blazers 103 (42-27), Spurs 108 (41-29)

San Antonio outscored the Blazers by 9 in the fourth quarter to close out the game.

Portland did not look the same after losing CJ McCollum to a scary knee injury with 7:03 left in the third quarter.

DeMar DeRozan dropped a team-high 21 points with 8 boards. San Antonio has now won 8 straight.

Pacers 100 (44-26), Nuggets 102 (46-22)

Despite Nikola Jokic’s very questionable ejection by referee Tony Brothers with 2:56 left in the game, Denver was able to hold on for the win.

Jokic scored a game-high 26 points with 7 boards and 5 dimes. Paul Millsap (15 points, 13 boards) scored the go-ahead bucket with 7 seconds remaining.

Nets 98 (36-35), Jazz 114 (40-29)

Utah took a 17-point lead into halftime and led by a large margin for the rest of the game.

Rudy Gobert finished with 23 points (on 9-12 FG) with 17 boards and 3 blocks. Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 24 points with 6 boards and 4 dimes.

The post Post Up: Curry, Thompson Lead Warriors To Blowout Win in OKC 💦 appeared first on SLAM.

It’s now been over a month since the Rockets have lost a game. Houston won its 13th in a row behind 31 points from James Harden and 25 from Chris Paul. But it wasn’t easy. Though the Rockets led by 12 with just 4:18 to go, Khris Middleton scored 12 points in the final minutes to keep the Bucks close. He finished with 23 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 28.

Your nightly Giannis… (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/mehHr5S4UT

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 17, 2017

Knicks 111 (16-13), Thunder 96 (14-15)

Carmelo Anthony had his return to MSG spoiled by the Kristaps-less Knicks, who pulled away late. Before the game, the Knicks played a video tribute to their former star and he was greeted with a warm ovation during pregame introductions. Anthony went just 5-18 from the floor, however, as Michael Beasley went for 30 on the other end to lead New York. Russell Westbrook had 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Thunder, who could not win their fourth-straight road game.

RUSS! (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/xRl0QTW3nf

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 17, 2017

Trail Blazers 93 (16-13), Hornets 91 (10-19)

The Hornets missed a bevy of chances down the stretch, allowing the Trail Blazers to survive in Charlotte. Kemba Walker missed three shots in the final 22 seconds with the Hornets trailing by just a single possession. Jeremy Lamb’s heave with four seconds to go also fell short. On the other side, the Portland backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum was  phenomenal — McCollum had 25 points, while Lillard had 18 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. Nicolas Batum led Charlotte with 23 points on 5-9 shooting from three.

Dame.
Nurk.
Foul.
Flush. pic.twitter.com/yYH6BQhvDW

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 17, 2017

Cavaliers 109 (22-8), Jazz 100 (14-16)

Cleveland won its 11th-straight home game behind 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists from LeBron James. The triple-double moved LeBron into sole possession of sixth place on the NBA’s all-time list. Donovan Mitchell continued his incredible rookie year with 26 points on 11-16 shooting, but when the King makes plays like this, there’s just no stopping the Cavs:

He’s just not human. (via @Cavs) pic.twitter.com/WfYF4NYriK

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 17, 2017

Heat 90 (15-14), Clippers 85 (11-17)

The Heat scored the final six points to steal one from the Clippers late. A Goran Dragic jumper with 1:19 to go put Miami up for good as L.A. went scoreless the rest of the game. Josh Richardson made six of his eight three-point attempts and scored 28 points to lead all scorers on a night where the Heat shot just 38 percent from the field. Montrezl Harrell had 15 to lead the Clippers.

Feel bad for that rim… (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/hJ1EU1629u

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 17, 2017

Suns 108 (10-21), Timberwolves 106 (17-13)

Isaiah Canaan drew a foul on a three-pointer with six seconds to go and hit all three free throws to turn a one-point deficit into a two-point win for the Suns. That three-point attempt was initially waved off as the officials called a shot clock violation, but replay showed that Jeff Teague committed a foul just a couple tenths of a second before the buzzer. Troy Daniels and Dragan Bender each had 17 to lead Phoenix. Karl-Anthony Towns led everyone with 28 points for the Timberwolves.

Spurs 98 (20-10), Mavericks 96 (8-22)

Manu Ginobili‘s layup with four seconds left lifted the Spurs to a thrilling win over Dallas. Ginobili’s heroics came just seconds after a LaMarcus Aldridge jumper tied the game, allowing San Antonio to steal one at home. The Spurs trailed by nine going into the fourth quarter and by 11 when Maximilian Kleber hit a jumper with 4:11 to go. The Mavericks did not score again as San Antonio ended the game on a 12-0 run. Kleber led the Mavericks with 21, while Aldridge had 22 points and 14 rebounds.

Game Winner. pic.twitter.com/xcEp6bZI58

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 17, 2017

Celtics 102 (25-7), Grizzlies 93 (9-21)

When the Celtics took a 31-12 lead at the end of the first quarter, they probably didn’t feel like they’d have to sweat this game out. But the Grizzlies came back, outscoring Boston by 21 over the next two quarters before the Celtics went on a 16-0 run to start the fourth and restore order. Kyrie Irving had 20 to lead six Celtics in double-figures. That was too much for Memphis to handle, despite 30 from Marc Gasol and 25 from Tyreke Evans. With the win, Boston has still not lost two straight since the opening two games of the season.

ISO Tatum pic.twitter.com/wIj0OJZ8WX

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 17, 2017

The post Post Up: Lucky 13 appeared first on SLAM.

They’ve been overshadowed a bit by the Celtics, but the Stan Van Gundy-led Pistons might be the biggest surprise team in the Eastern Conference. With the throttling of Phoenix, Detroit moved just two games behind Boston and won a third-straight game. Tobias Harris (20 points, 7 rebounds), Avery Bradley (20 points) and Reggie Jackson (23 points, 5 assists) led the way.

Dish Smith to Dre for the #DetroitMuscle. #PistonsNow pic.twitter.com/JYAT111dsT

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 30, 2017

Andre Drummond scored 13 points and notched 7 boards, but took on more of a distributor role in this one, posting 7 dimes from the center position. He also became the first player in the NBA this season to reach 300 rebounds. What makes Detroit so scary is that, on any given night, a different player can be the main guy.

Last season, the Pistons’ offense would bog down often when Drummond was dealing with foul trouble or just not playing well. But, Harris has been playing at an All-Star level and the addition of Bradley has given Detroit a solid shooter who is a lockdown defender. It doesn’t hurt that Jackson is finally feeling comfortable in Stan Van’s system.

Magic 121 (9-13), Thunder 108 (8-12)

Orlando snapped a 9-game losing streak as the Thunder keep struggling to get on the same page. It was close most of the way until the Magic broke away during the second half. Aaron Gordon did most of the damage, exploding for 40 points and 15 rebounds. He did it with dunks, threes (6-for-12 beyond the arc) and defense (4 steals).

Results are in for @Double0AG‘s windmill: , , , , pic.twitter.com/iirB1ZA86X

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 30, 2017

People were never worried with AG’s athleticism or high-flying ability, it was his questionable jumpshot that limited his ceiling as a big-time scorer. That’s not too much of a concern anymore. Elfrid Payton helped out with an efficient 19 points and stuffed the stat sheet with 5 boards, 6 assists and 4 steals. After a quick start, the Magic have cooled down considerably so they needed this one.

MVP Russ showed up in Orlando with 37 points and 11 rebounds, but the Thunder bench scored just 16 points and Carmelo Anthony was 5-for-16 from the field. As a team, OKC shot under 40 percent and let the Magic make 59 percent of their shots. That combo isn’t going to result in wins too often.

76ers 118 (12-8), Wizards 113 (11-10)

Already without John Wall (knee), the Wizards lost Bradley Beal to a facial contusion a few minutes into the game and kind of slogged through the opening half as a result. They trailed 58-40 at the break, as Embiid and Simmons took over (the pair combined for 56 points, 32 rebounds and a crazy 47 free throw attempts).

Look at @JoelEmbiid showing off for the fam! (via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/l8acnHYUaz

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2017

Beal would return and helped Washington fight back with a 48-point fourth quarter to make this a game. The Wizards were within 116-113 with 11 seconds to play. But, they couldn’t grab a key defensive rebound and didn’t have a chance to cut the deficit any further. Three Wizards (Beal, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jodie Meeks) scored 20+ points in the loss.

Something interesting: Washington used a Hack-a-Simmons strategy in the final frame to aid the comeback effort, and it worked perfectly. Simmons took 24 free throws in the fourth quarter — an NBA record — and was just 15-of-29 at the charity stripe overall. Have a feeling we’ll see other teams do the same when they play Philly.

Raptors 126 (13-7), Hornets 113 (8-12)

Entering tonight, Toronto was 6-1 at home and Charlotte was 1-8 on the road. So, it wasn’t much of a surprise that the Raptors scored 71 first half points and cruised to an easy W as Kemba Walker, sat with a bruised shoulder. Both Kyle Lowry (36 points, 6 assists) and DeMar DeRozan (30 points, 6 assists) had monster games.

Lowry had the honor of being interviewed after the game by the 6 God himself.

Drake asking the tough questions (via @Ananth_Pandian) pic.twitter.com/wezmhwKcao

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2017

You could make the argument that Lowry and DeRozan make up the East’s best backcourt, and both have seemingly been unleashed this season as they make three-pointers more of a focus. When they each are feeling good on offense, it’s really hard to stop this Raptors squad.

Kemba is the heart and soul of the Hornets, so when they don’t have him, other guys need to step up. Dwight Howard did that tonight, needing just 12 shots to post a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double (and posterize Serge Ibaka). He was the only Charlotte starter to do much. Jeremy Lamb and Frank Kaminsky each added 18 points off the bench.

Knicks 115 (11-10), Heat 86 (10-11)

Disaster almost struck the Knicks in the first quarter, as Kristaps Porzingis turned his ankle badly while trying to grab a loose ball. KP wouldn’t return, but the team announced that x-rays were negative and it was only a sprain. Even without their star, the Knicks crushed Miami, outscoring the Heat by 21 in the first half and winning each quarter.

Let’s see the shimmy pic.twitter.com/6heEVCY0Ob

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 30, 2017

New York snapped a three-game skid and got back to the high-energy, unselfish play that helped the Knicks surprise people in the early going. Enes Kanter (22 points, 14 rebounds) took advantage of Hassan Whiteside (knee) being out of the lineup. Jeff Hornacek got contributions from his entire roster, as all 13 Knicks to play made at least one field goal en route to a 60% team shooting day.

Rockets 118 (17-4), Pacers 97 (12-10)

Houston ends November with a 12-1 record in the month, with 11 of those wins coming by 14 or more points (the only holdout: a 117-113 W over the Cavaliers). Since Chris Paul came back from his knee injury, the Rockets have won six straight. They started slow against Indiana but outscored the Pacers by double digits in the second and third quarters to open up a big lead.

The Rockets’ entire starting lineup hit double figures, with James Harden putting up a casual near triple-double (29 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists) to just 1 turnover. At this point, Beard is looking like the MVP frontrunner as Houston sports the Western Conference’s top record. He has these mega-games on an almost nightly basis and, like LeBron, they’re starting to feel unremarkable in that “transcendent star” type of way.

Also, look at this ball movement and that first pass. Incredible:

The pass
The ball movement
The basket pic.twitter.com/YHj21Z3sTb

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 30, 2017

Timberwolves 120 (13-9), Pelicans 102 (11-10)

For the second night in a row, a star player was ejected for the first time in their career. Yesterday, it was LeBron and tonight, it was Anthony Davis. At the time AD was tossed, Minnesota led 46-43. The Timberwolves then outscored New Orleans 74-59 the rest of the way.

Minnesota won this game down low, outrebounding the Pelicans by 16 with both Karl-Anthony Towns and Taj Gibson putting up double-doubles. Andrew Wiggins led the scoring charge, dropping 28 points on an efficient 18 shots. He also had 5 dimes, which is nice to see from a guy struggling to diversify his offensive game. Oh, and an enormous block too.

“I’m sorry I’m not sorry,” – Andrew Wiggins (and Demi Lovato) pic.twitter.com/2HMSfSLsir

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 30, 2017

Jrue Holiday scored 27 to pace New Orleans, which also got 17 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists from DeMarcus Cousins. Scoring wasn’t the problem for the Pelicans tonight, it was their defense. Minnesota shot 58 percent from the field and had 30 assists.

Nets 109 (8-13), Mavericks 104 (5-17)

Down their top two point guards as well as Allen Crabbe and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson due to injury, the Nets have needed different guys to step up almost every night. In Dallas, it was DeMarre Carroll and Trevor Booker. Carroll — picked up this offseason in a salary dump from the Raptors — knocked down 4 threes while Booker, a free agent this summer, posted a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double and had some huge tip-outs down the stretch that turned into offensive boards.

After missing last game, @DeMarreCarroll1 bounced back and put up a team-high 22 points pic.twitter.com/sDjlMRSqdS

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 30, 2017

Brooklyn withstood a terrible free throw shooting day (14-of-25) to beat the Mavericks, mostly behind the play of guys like Carroll, Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris, all of whom were unceremoniously discarded by their previous teams.

Things are looking bleak for the Mavericks, who are just 3-10 at home and heading toward a sub-20 win season. Harrison Barnes scored 17 points to go with 8 rebounds and 6 assists while rookie forward Maxi Kleber scored a career-high 16.

Spurs 104 (14-7), Grizzlies 95 (7-13)

The Grizzlies, in their first game post-David Fizdale, hung around with the Spurs all night but LaMarcus Aldridge was too much. LMA scored 41 points on 17-for-24 shooting to take down depleted Memphis, which was led by Tyreke Evans‘ 22. Aldridge played so well that Gregg Popovich said nice things about him after the game.

Coach Pop on LaMarcus: “He’s been an All Star.” pic.twitter.com/j8qPyZ4EUs

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 30, 2017

Tony Parker added 10 points and 5 assists in his second game back from injury. That’s nine straight losses for the Grizzlies.

Warriors 127 (15-6), Lakers 123 (8-12) / OT

This was probably the most fun game of the whole 10-game slate. The Dubs took the lead early but the Lakers — behind 41 points from reserves Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle — surged back in the second quarter to go ahead at the half. L.A. and Golden State went back and forth down the stretch before Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s three-point play gave the Lakers a 109-106 edge.

Back-to-back #SPLASH by @StephenCurry30 (@NBCSAuthentic) pic.twitter.com/01tPnhDqxR

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 30, 2017

But, 10 seconds later, Kevin Durant (29 points) drilled a contested three to tie it up. Both sides missed potential game-winners before the defending champs took over in the extra period. Steph Curry (28 points) knocked down back-to-back threes to build a cushion and, despite some great shot-making from Brandon Ingram, it held up.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The post Post Up: In Overdrive appeared first on SLAM.

In one of the more stacked Draft classes in NBA history, the League announced today that 66 players have filed as early entry candidates into the 2012 NBA Draft.

These 49 players from US colleges have applied for early entry and have until June 18 to withdraw, but they no longer retain NCAA eligibility.

Erik Austin, Jackson CC (MI); Harrison Barnes, North Carolina; Will Barton, Memphis; Bradley Beal, Florida; J’Covan Brown, Texas; Dominic Cheek, Villanova; Jared Cunningham, Oregon State; Anthony Davis, Kentucky; Andre Drummond, Connecticut; Dominique Ferguson, Florida International; Justin Hamilton, LSU; Moe Harkless, St. John’s; John Henson, North Carolina; John Jenkins, Vanderbilt; Perry Jones III, Baylor; Terrence Jones, Kentucky; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky; Doron Lamb, Kentucky; Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut; Meyers Leonard, Illinois; Damian Lillard, Weber State; Kendall Marshall, North Carolina; Fab Melo, Syracuse; Khris Middleton, Texas A&M; Quincy Miller, Baylor; Tony Mitchell, Alabama; Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State; Reeves Nelson, UCLA/Zalgiris (Lithuania); Austin Rivers, Duke; Peter Roberson, Grambling State; Quincy Roberts, Grambling State; Thomas Robinson, Kansas; Terrence Ross, Washington; Avery Scharer, Shoreline CC (WA); Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State; Jonathon Simmons, Houston; Terrell Stoglin, Maryland; Gerardo Suero, Albany; Jared Sullinger, Ohio State; Raymond Taylor, Florida Atlantic; Marquis Teague, Kentucky; Joston Thomas, Hawaii; Hollis Thompson, Georgetown; Richard Townsend-Gant, Vancouver Island University; Dion Waiters, Syracuse; Maalik Wayns, Villanova; Royce White, Iowa State; D’Angelo Williams, Notre Dame de Namur (CA); Tony Wroten, Washington

These 17 international players have applied for early entry:

Furkan Aldemir, Galatasaray (Turkey); Jonas Bergstedt, Torrelodones (Spain); Evan Fournier, Poitiers (France); Josep Franch, Murcia (Spain); Maximilian Kleber, Oliver Baskets (Germany); Lahaou Konate, Evreux (France); Mindaugas Kupsas, Baltai Kaunas (Lithuania); Joffrey Lauvergne, Chalon (France); Abdoulaye Loum, Gravelines (France); Nika Metreveli, Sassari (Italy); Nemanja Nedovic, Crvena Zvezda (Serbia); Alen Omic, Zlatorog (Slovenia); Jakub Parzenski, PGB Basket (Poland); Sertac Sanli, Galatasaray (Turkey); Tomas Satoransky, Cajasol (Spain); Tornike Shengelia, Spirou (Belgium); Mathieu Wojciechowski, Gravelines (France)

The post NBA Draft 2012: Early Entry Candidates appeared first on SLAM.

Courtesy of our friends at Position Sports:

Here is a quick recap and a photo from Sunday’s games.

The day opened up with a great International match up between Chinese – Taipei and Puerto Rico. Hung Kang-Chiao lead Taipei  to victory with 22 points and 6 rebounds, leaving Taipei with an overall record of 1-2 for the weekend.

Brazil put up a great fight in their  73 – 62 win over Germany in the early evening game. Brazil was lead by outstanding guard Gustavo Scaglia who chipped in 19 points in the victory.

There was a great match up in the afternoon game between USA West and USA East. Omar Calhoun carried the East with 24 points in their 122 -114 victory. Seven of the East players ended the game in double digits including Braxton Ogbueze (22) and Cameron Biedscheid (16). Aaron Gordon shined for USA West tallying 30 points and 7 rebounds.

A very competitive match up in the championship game between USA Midwest and Canada. Archie Goodwin once again put on a spectacular performance in the victory over Canada, leading his team with 23 points. Up two at half, Canada lead by Anthony Bennett (20) and Andrew Wiggins (18) could not hold off their lead in their 94-99 defeat against the stellar Midwest team.

All Tournament Team – International:
Chen Ying-Chun, Chinese-Taipei
Maximilian Kleber, Germany
Henrique Coelho, Brazil
Will Martinez, Puerto Rico
Anthony Bennett, Canada
Andrew Wiggins, Canada (MVP)

All Tournament Team – USA:
Omar Calhoun, USA East
Tony Parker, USA Midwest
Cameron Biedscheid, USA East
Aaron Gordon, USA West
Archie Goodwin, USA Midwest
Jabari Parker, USA Midwest (MVP)

Third Round Results:
Chinese-Taipei  def. Puerto Rico 81-75
Brazil def. Germany 73-62
USA East  def. USA West 122-114
USA Midwest def. Canada 99-94

The post NIKE Global Challenge Day Three Recap appeared first on SLAM.

From our friends at Position Sports:

The NIKE Global Challenge tips off for the 5th year on Friday, August 5th at Liberty High School in Hillsboro, OR. This three-day event showcases the top talents from across the world, as they compete in an eight team, twelve game tournament.

This tournament is the last series of the NIKE Elite Youth Basketball events, which have also included positional skills academies hosted by NBA stars Deron Williams, Amar’e Stoudamire, Kevin Durant and LeBron James. The top 30 US players were selected from these camps to participate in this year’s NIKE Global Challenge.

The American teams will be divided regionally into 3 elite teams; they will face the top U19 International players from Brazil, Canada, Chinese-Taipei, Germany and Puerto Rico.

Past Global Challenge alumni have included this years number one draft pick Kyrie Irving (2010), Washington Wizards star John Wall (2010), and Canadian superstar Tristan Thompson (2009). This years talents will include:

United States – West: Dominic Artis, LJ Rose, Rasheed Sulaimon, Matt Jones, Danuel House, Aaron Gordon, Brandon Ashley, Grant Jerrett, Julius Randle, Landen Lucas. East: Braxton Ogbueze, James Robinson, Cameron Biedscheid, Omar Calhoun, Ricardo Ledo, Jerami Grant, Brice Johnson, Nerlens Noel, Chris Obekpa. Midwest: Terry Rozier, Marcus Paige, Archie Goodwin, JP Tokoto, Garry Harris, Jabari Parker, Alex Poythress, Jarnell Stokes, Daniel Ochefu, Tony Parker

Brazil – Henrique Coelho, Luis Otavio Vieira, Gustavo Scaglia, Olintho Pereira, Luiz Henrique S dos Santos, Gemerson Barbosa, Cristiano Felicio, Lucas Mariano, Leonardo Meindl, Leonardo Demetrio

Canada – Kevin Zabo, Tyler Ennis, Nazareth Long, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Dyshawn Pierre, Negus Webster-Chan, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Isaiah Watkins, Tanveer Bhullar, Sim Bhullar, Olivier Hanlan

Taipei – Chien Chao-Yi, Li Chia-Ching, Lee Te-Wei, Yu Chun-An, Fan Shih-En, Chen Ying-Chun, Hu Long-Mao, Cheng Tieh, Chien Wei-Ju, Hung Kang-Chiao, Lin Chih-Wei

Germany – Martin Bogdanov, Maximilian Kleber, Maodo Lo, Jonathan Maier, Maurice Pluskota, Thomas Reuter, Malik Müller, Kenneth Ogbe, Sid-Marlon Theis, Johannes Richter

Puerto Rico – Carmelo Betancourt, Miguel Cartagena, Will Martinez, Rasham Suarez, Eliel Gonzalez, Eimer Velez, Wilangel Corps Rodriguez, Dejuan Marrero, Giancarlo Santiago, Chris Ortiz, Luis Flores

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