Darryn Peterson’s game is a lot more polished than you’re typical top-ranked high schooler. The No. 3 player in the Class of 2025 is a pure three-level scorer. Go check in with the adidas 3SSB, the dudes out at the NBPA Top 100 Camp and his teammates at Huntington Prep. They’ll tell you what’s good.

With offers from North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas and Baylor–just to name a few of the heavy hitters–there’s a reason that Peterson is widely regarded as one of the most heralded recruits in his class. 

But before he won Gold with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship and was dropping buckets in front of James Harden out in Italy this past June, Darryn Peterson’s connection to the game was fostered in the backyard of his home in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.  

Basketballs wrapped in plastic bags, cones strewn about, a basketball hoop anchored by liquid cement and a well-used agility ladder; Darryn Peterson and his pops would train for hours outside growing up. 

“That’s where it all started,” Darryn says. “The stuff he was saying started to make sense. Cause you know, you feel like your Dad is just gettin’ on you and stuff, you don’t always want to understand it. But after a while, I started understanding what he was saying. I started to see it in games and stuff.”

Darryn’s Dad, former Akron guard Darryl Peterson II, had been invested in helping his son realize his dreams since day one. And as a massive Kobe fan, Darryl shared the same meticulous search for ambidextrous perfection. For as long as he can remember, Darryn’s been laying the ball off the glass with his right and left while finishing through contact. Now, he’s in the gym three to four times a week, wadding through pools in defensive slides and running hills. 

“Focus has been the main thing for me since I was a youngin,” Darryn says on what he’s learned from his Dad. “When you find something that you wanna get good at, you gotta really buy in and you gotta sacrifice. That’s the main thing. You gotta sacrifice, hanging out with your friends and staying up all night playing the game. [There’s] certain things you gotta sacrifice if you wanna be great at something.” 

Great doesn’t even begin to put things into perspective. 

The 6’5 consensus five-star recruit plays the game with an effortless finesse. One dribble pull-ups in the midrange, bottoms. Tomahawks in transition are paired with the smoothest of size-ups. Hop steps through the lane, post fades and sidestep treys; no matter where he stands, the ball always seems to find the net. He’s been touted as the best scorer in the country, but that belief wasn’t always so widespread.

“The knock was, ‘he’s getting 30 against guys that aren’t really good,” Darryn says. 

In his sophomore year at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Peterson was posting 31 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 assists a night. But he yearned for something more. He wanted to be surrounded by and play against like-minded players who shared in his aspirations of the League. He wanted to be pushed. He wanted to play the best. So he transferred to Huntington Prep. 

“I just wanted to be able to go to a school where I was playing against competition and showcase that I was really like that. That was something I wanted to show, that I could go play against top guys,” Darryn tells SLAM. “I just wanted to play against people that were gonna make it hard for me every night.”

Despite dealing with a nagging injury throughout the season, Darryn proved that those 30 pieces weren’t reserved for his hometown, anybody in the US of A could get it. He dropped 31, 10 boards and seven assists against the Kentucky Christian Knights to open the season in November. Then he went head to head with Jalil Bethea and Archbishop Wood and hung another 31-point performance to go with four steals and three blocks. 

As Darryn poured it in from across the states, he was eyeing his final eight major Division 1 programs. But by the midst of the spring AAU circuit, he decided to open up his recruitment back up. In late April, he let everybody know that it was open season. 

While an influx of additional coaches began inquiring, Darryn was putting his game on international notice. After averaging 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game with the USAB Junior National Team in 2023, Darryn was lighting Italy up at the adidas Eurocamp. That first week of June overseas served as another measuring stick as the combo guard played alongside and against fellow five-star hoopers in his class and walked away from the week with first-team honors.

“Now I feel like I gotta outwork everybody. I felt like that already, but now I’m taking it to an extreme,” Darryn tells SLAM. “Every day, I’m playing like it’s my last every time I’m on the court. So just, how hard I’m going every day. I’m just tryna get ready for college and the NBA.” 

Now back on the grind of the summer circuit, Darryn says he’s been making the push towards playing at the point guard position after hearing from numerous NBA scouts and college coaches that “on-ball is probably where I could have the most success at playing in the NBA at the next level.” At 6’5 with an otherworldly athleticism that only just surfaced a few years ago–in his words– he’s been leaning on those same backyard drills with his pops as he brings the ball up court and initiates the offense more frequently. 

He’s not the only one who’s realized his potential as the orchestrator of the offense. Former Sixth Man of the Year and NBA Champion Jason Terry recognized it too. 

As the coach of his team out at Eurocamp, The Jet was giving Darryn as much reps at the point as possible. At times, he thought Darryn was being too passive as the five-star guard worked through the balance of setting others up while getting his. Just because he was running the point, didn’t mean he couldn’t be a scoring point guard, Terry told him.

When Darryn eventually makes his collegiate selection, that lucky program will be getting one of the hungriest workers in his class. With the scoring on lock and a growing bag as the facilitator, it’s the defensive side of the ball where Darryn knows he’ll make his mark. Put all three together and you’ve got a surefire lock for the League.

“I’d say just a great guy, on and off the court. I wanna see everybody eat,” Darryn tells SLAM. “There’s going to be nights where I probably won’t be the best player on the court. I’m willing to not get any points and do everything I can to win. That’s my type of guy. Off-court, I’m a scholar first. So, they won’t have to worry about that, and [I’m] just a winner. So that’s a big thing for me that we get a winner, a hard worker and somebody that’s willing to do anything to get better and win.” 

Portraits by Christian Quezada.

The post After Transferring to Huntington Prep, No. 3 Ranked Rising Senior Darryn Peterson Is Proving Why He’s The Smoothest Scorer in the Class of 2025 appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

There’s much more than what meets the eye when it comes to rising junior standout Deja Kelly. There are so many layers to the San Antonio native’s story. Each layer exposes even more greatness lying beneath the surface. You find a genuine heart that enjoys spreading wisdom and building out her women’s empowerment initiative in her community. And then there’s the killer competitiveness and top-notch IQ on the court. 

The men’s hoops program isn’t the only one enjoying a renaissance in Chapel Hill. The women’s squad is fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance for the first time in seven years and hungry for more. And yes, Deja Kelly is a major reason for it all.   

“Deja Kelly, on the court, she’s a competitor. She loves to win, she wants to win and I think that she makes other people better around her,” Kelly says when asked to describe herself. “I think that she is very goal-oriented on and off the court, and she just has a lot of values and [lives] by them every day. She just wants to win in life, on and off the court. She wants to be great; she will do whatever it takes to get there.”

A lot of thought goes into Kelly’s style of play, which is part of what makes her unique on the court. She makes sure to make time to expand on the small details that may not be the most fun to focus on during office hours but pay off in the long run, like keeping her ballhandling tight and working on her footwork and shot mechanics. The small things ultimately make the biggest differences and they have made Kelly the player she is.  

The former All-American acknowledges that although she may not always be the fastest or most athletic on the floor, her favorite part of the action is having the ability to hold off opposing teams with her versatility and high basketball IQ.

“It’s hard to guard me, the way I play. You know, people think that I should play against size—longer defenders, bigger defenders—but then I use that against them and I attack the hips,” she says. “Or if they try to put smaller defenders on me, I get them in foul trouble or just rise up over them into my pull-up.

“I always have a counter for what you’re trying to do or I’m very strategic on how I’m going to attack you—whether you’ve got a bigger person on me, whether you put a smaller person on me, whether you’re chopping me, whether you’re double-teaming, face guarding, anything like that. I think my IQ is so high that I figure out how to get around that and I still figure out how to score, still figure out how to get my team involved, or still figure out how to win. I think I use my IQ to my advantage. It’s hard to beat. It’s hard to guard.”

It’s not cockiness. It’s just pure swagger. The type of swagger she’s had since her early days holding a basketball. College recruitment had been on Kelly’s mind ever since fifth grade, when she began seriously pursuing hoops and started elevating her game to prepare for the next levels. Plenty of sacrifices needed to be made, which she was ready to take on at a young age with the wise counsel of her mother, Theresa Dunn, who offered a blueprint that would later make most of her wildest aspirations come to life.

“I started elevating my training [in] like fourth, fifth grade, so about that time was when I kind of started having to make a lot of sacrifices, you know, as a younger kid, just because I knew the goals that I had for myself,” Kelly recalls. “I knew that I really had love for the game because I was willing to sacrifice fun stuff. I knew that I wanted to be great one day and that was gonna take a lot of sacrifices, so I told my mom like this, These are my goals—McDonald’s All American, Jordan Brand All American, get my first college offer by eighth grade, be top 20 in my class in the country. Like, those are all my goals at such a young age and she sat me down and was like, OK, if you want to achieve all of these, you’re gonna have to sacrifice a lot, You’re gonna have to work harder than anybody else.”

Although Kelly was granted the opportunity to be mentored by influential people around the world of basketball (such as John Lucas and Jason Terry, whom she played for during her junior year of club basketball), her mom has always been the biggest of them all. 

She credits her mom for her work ethic, versatility, IQ and film study sessions, and for assisting in growing Kelly’s brand beyond the court.    

“My relationship with my mom is different,” Kelly says. “I think a lot of kids have their parents as coaches, trainers and things like that, but sometimes that messes with their off-the-court relationship. Like, she’s literally like my best friend. She’s my ride or die, my biggest supporter, my biggest critic, she’s everything in one. And to have that in a mom is so special, and that’s something you can’t take for granted. There’s not enough thank yous in the world that I can give her, but it’s amazing how much she cares [and] how much she just wants me to be great. And she will do anything that she can to help me do so. She’ll do anything she can to help me reach my goals. She’ll go make 100 phone calls if she has to.”

With her mother’s wisdom and extra push, Kelly is poised to lead UNC to a Final Four appearance and beyond. Not so out-of-reach for someone who has already spoken almost every one of her accomplishments into existence.

She earned First-Team All-ACC after ranking fourth in the conference in scoring this past season, averaging a team-best 16.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists, while also leading the ACC in free-throw percentage (85.8 percent). Showing that she’s able to tap into a new level when the lights are the brightest, Kelly averaged 22 points during her three NCAA Tournament games.

As she continues to elevate on the court and in front of the camera as a sports broadcaster for Sports Xtra, UNC’s weekly student-led sports show via its Hussman School of Journalism and Media, she hopes to build a legacy that cements her name among the many other greats who have stepped onto the hardwood at UNC.  

“Where I want to see myself in this game is just someone who was an inspiration. I think even now, getting little messages from these little girls that are playing, telling me that they watch every single one of my games and they want my jersey and [that] I’m an inspiration to them, like, that is what I’m doing it for, because I’m building for the next generation,” Kelly says. 

“I want them to just think of Deja Kelly as an inspiration and seeing [that] what I’m doing they can do, too. I want to make that known to everyone that’s watching me, that follows me, that likes watching me play. By the time I’m done playing, I think that’s truly special, just as a player, as a person, to know that you did your job, you left the next generation excited about what’s to come about their future because they see that you could do it and that you are going about it in a certain way that not a lot of people do.

“And the legacy I want to leave, I mean, it’s pretty much that people know me as Deja Kelly. I want to be tied with these banners. I want my number out there. I want people, when they hear Carolina Basketball, to tie me on with the Ivory Lattas, the Charlotte Smiths, Michael Jordans—I mean, like, that is Carolina Basketball. And I want people to know that I did everything I could. 

“I think that I’m on the right path to do so. So, that’s exciting, but I got to win a national championship. We’re so close.” 

Portraits by Amanda Rudd, action photo via Getty Images.

The post From a Sweet 16 Run to NIL Deals, UNC’s Deja Kelly is Already a Star in the Making 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.

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

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

54. 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: Lenny Wilkens

Record: 52-30

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

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

53. 1974-75 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Al Attles

Record: 48-34

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

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

52. 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

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

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

51. 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer

Record: 46-26

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

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

50. 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

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

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

49. 1973-74 Boston Celtics

Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Record: 56-26

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

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

48. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Coach: Rick Carlisle

Record: 57-25

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

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

47. 2005-06 Miami Heat

Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley

Record: 52-30

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

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

46. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Larry Brown

Record: 54-28

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

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

45. 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 37-13

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

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

44. 1994-95 Houston Rockets

Coach: Ruddy Tomjanovich

Record: 47-35

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

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

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

Photos via Getty Images.

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

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.

Isaiah Thomas was nothing short of AMAZING tonight. @isaiahthomas

42 points | 8 assists | 6 rebounds | 5 3PT pic.twitter.com/qBO1IelI0f

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 16, 2021

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Grand Rapids Gold added Shabazz Muhammad to the roster for the G League showcase against the Ignite on Sunday.

It’s the highly touted G League Ignite against the @NBAGrandRapids Superteam starring Lance Stephenson, Mario Chalmers, Nik Stauskas and the freshly signed Shabazz Mohammad — and coached by Jason Terry — here at the @nbagleague Showcase in Las Vegas. Let’s hoop … pic.twitter.com/QvHnPGNgyQ

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 20, 2021

The Utah Jazz’s former 2013 first-round draft pick (draft right traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 21st pick) is hoping the G League’s showcase event will spark an NBA comeback. It’s not the first time Muhammad has played in the showcase. In 2014, he was part of the All-Showcase team when the Wolves sent him to the NBA Development League to play with the Iowa Energy.

Shabazz last appeared on an NBA court in 2017-18, playing 43 games with Minnesota and the Milwaukee Bucks. Since then, he has played in the Chinese Basketball Association.

The post Shabazz Muhammad Signs With NBA G-League’s Grand Rapids Gold appeared first on SLAM.

The Denver Nuggets hired Terry as the head coach of their new G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Terry will take over as head coach of Grand Rapids after spending a full year as an assistant at his alma mater. Terry wanted to get on a path to becoming a head coach after an NBA career that included a championship with Mavs in 2011 and an NBA sixth-man of year award in 2009.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 19, 2021

Terry was also rumored to join the Dallas Mavericks’ coaching staff this summer. He elaborated on his coaching plans during a June 21 radio interview on The Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports.

“Don’t rule out me being on a bench here in the NBA. I also have aspired to give my 19 years of experience and knowledge to these young guys (at Arizona) and mentor these guys and show them the way. We’ll see what the cards hold but I’m enjoying my time at Arizona under the leadership of Tommy Lloyd and back at my alma mater, so I’m having fun doing what I do.”

Jason Terry’s won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in ’09 and won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. He also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks where he finished his career after the 2017-18 season.

The Grand Rapids will be changing its name from “Drive” to “Gold” and the team colors to a dark blue and yellow with their switch in NBA affiliation to the Denver Nuggets

The post Jason Terry Named New Head Coach of G League’s Grand Rapids Gold appeared first on SLAM.

.@KDTrey5 on the glass, @Dame_Lillard loading up at the arc. You gotta love it.

#USABMNT pic.twitter.com/gTY0f22gnU

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 8, 2021

After dealing with constant speculation of Portland’s coaching change, starting with his public endorsement of Jason Kidd, Lillard said this week that he’ll keep his thoughts on the direction of the team between himself and the franchise, via ESPN.

“Anything that I have to say, I’m going to say directly to [Blazers general manager] Neil [Olshey] and I’m going to address it directly with my team,” Lillard said after the third day of Team USA training camp in Las Vegas. “There’s really nothing else I have to say about it.”

Yahoo! Sports reported last month that the Blazers’ coaching search that landed Chauncey Billups and the possible inability to build a contending roster could lead to a Lillard trade request. Lillard didn’t deny the report, only regretting that his feelings were made public.

Portland received social media backlash over the hiring of Billups when details of a 1997 rape allegation resurfaced prior to him being named as head coach. Lillard’s criticism on social media because of his support during the search process caused tension between Lillard and the franchise’s fanbase.

Really? I was asked what coaches I like of the names I “heard” and I named them. Sorry I wasn’t aware of their history I didn’t read the news when I was 7/8yrs old. I don’t support Those things … but if this the route y’all wana come at me… say less https://t.co/N1GPkX3Ohd

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) June 26, 2021

When asked about his endorsement of Billups’ hire, Lillard claimed the process of making and vetting the decision was done by the team.

“In the past I’ve never stepped on anybody’s toes or demanded anything or told anybody what to do, and it was no different in this situation.” 

The Portland Trail Blazers recently hired Scott Brooks to Chauncey Billups’ staff.

The post Damian Lillard Says He’ll Keep His Thoughts On Future Between Himself, Team appeared first on SLAM.

Portland signed Chauncey Billups to a five-year contract on Sunday night.

Breaking: Chauncey Billups has reached an agreement on a five-year deal to become the head coach of the Trail Blazers, sources tell @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/r9C6JzHrU5

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 28, 2021

The conflicting reports of Lillard’s involvement in the coaching search along with concerns on building a contender may lead to Damian leaving according to Chris B. Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

“The enormous backlash from the Portland Trail Blazers’ process to hire a new coach and his concerns on whether a championship contender can be built have become factors that may push the franchise player—Damian Lillard—out the door, league sources tell Yahoo! Sports.”

Social media backlash has been mounting on the hire based on a sexual assault allegation made against Billups back in 1997. Billups denied it and was never charged criminally. A civil settlement was reached.

Some of the backlash fell back on Lillard, who answered critics on Twitter.

Really? I was asked what coaches I like of the names I “heard” and I named them. Sorry I wasn’t aware of their history I didn’t read the news when I was 7/8yrs old. I don’t support Those things … but if this the route y’all wana come at me… say less https://t.co/N1GPkX3Ohd

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) June 26, 2021

According to Haynes’s sources, the search was done by Neil Olshey, the president of basketball operations and none of the candidates interviewed were from suggestions from Lillard.

Lillard did endorse Jason Kidd for the job, but Kidd took his name out of consideration and eventually landed in Dallas last week.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on his podcast that Damian was a part of the hiring process.

“I was told that he sat in on the interview for Chauncey Billups. It was virtual… he joined the Zoom meeting, but it’s not a normal thing I think for players to sit in on that.”

The Trail Blazers are scheduled to announce Chauncey Billups in a press conference on Tuesday.

The post Damian Lillard and Blazers Reportedly At Odds Over Chauncey Billups Hire appeared first on SLAM.

Two of the top NBA insiders reported the proceedings at the start of the weekend. First, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Friday night that the Blazers put Billups at the top of their wish list.

Billups — the 2004 NBA Finals MVP — was offered the Trail Blazers job tonight and will be the new Portland coach. https://t.co/R05tXu0KLP

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2021

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the two sides had started their contract talks to reach a deal.

Billups will be replacing Terry Stotts, the Blazers coach since 2012 until the team parted ways with him after their first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Chauncey’s history with franchise superstar Damian Lillard, who reportedly went on record preferring either Billups and Jason Kidd along with Portland’s president of basketball operations, Neil Olshey most likely played a part throughout Portland’s search process.

The Blazers have made the playoffs in eight straight seasons, but have been eliminated in the first round four out of the last five, including this season.

Chauncey Billups played 17 seasons in the NBA before spending time as an NBA analyst with ESPN and Clippers games before joining Ty Lue’s staff with the Clippers. He’s a five-time NBA All-Star and the MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals with the Detroit Pistons.

The post Chauncey Billups Officially Becomes Portland Trail Blazers Coach appeared first on SLAM.

While franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard initially mentioned Jason Kidd as someone he’d like to play for, Kidd pulled his name out of consideration for the position. 

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Blazers have a new list of top candidates for the head job in Portland. Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, Univ. of South Carolina/USA women’s coach Dawn Staley, Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni and Spurs executive Brent Barry are expected to be among those who receive the most interest from the Blazers’ front office to fill the role. 

Charania would go on to report that Hammon, who this season became the first woman to serve as head coach in an NBA game, will also be interviewing for the Orlando Magic vacant head coaching job as well. 

According to Jabari Young of CNBC, Damian Lillard is expected to wait to see what the Blazers do this off-season before deciding his future with the team. In 2019, Lillard and the Blazers agreed to a four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension. While he will likely play a huge role in choosing Portland’s next coach, the Blazers need to keep Lillard happy. 

The post Becky Hammon, Chauncey Billups Among Top Candidates in Trail Blazers Coaching Search appeared first on SLAM.

In response to Lillard’s vote of confidence, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Kidd would withdraw his name from consideration for the job. Kidd had nothing but great things to say about the Blazers, but it’s not the job for him.

“Portland’s a first-class organization and will have great candidates for its head coaching job, but I’ve decided not to be one of them. Whoever they choose will have big shoes to fill from Terry [Stotts].”

According to Jabari Young of CNBC, Lillard is expected to wait to see what the Blazers do this off-season before deciding his future with the team. In 2019, Lillard and the Blazers agreed to a four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension. If Lillard ultimately ends up on another team next season, it will have to be through a trade.

The Trail Blazers recently fell to the Denver Nuggets in their opening playoff series, as Lillard looked like one of the best players in the league but didn’t always get the help he deserved from his teammates. 

The post The Latest From the Trail Blazers Coaching Search and Damian Lillard’s Future appeared first on SLAM.

After a fourth first-round playoff exit in five seasons, the Portland Trail Blazers and coach Terry Stotts mutually agreed to part ways on Friday, sources told ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2021

The mutual separation should not be much of a surprise. There were numerous reports that Stotts would be fired if the team did not make a deep playoff run. A bad slump in April with a record of 5-10 was the beginning of the end along with the lack of playoff success.

Blazers’ executive Neil Olshey weighed in on the final decision via ESPN.

“I have the utmost respect for Terry and what he has accomplished these past nine seasons,” president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision on both a personal and professional level but it’s in the best interest of the franchise to move in another direction.

“Terry will always hold a special place in the Trail Blazer family and the Portland community. We relied on the integrity, professionalism and consistency he brought to the job every day and we wish he and Jan nothing but the best.”

Stotts finished as the second-winningest coach in franchise history behind the late Dr. Jack Ramsey with a record of 402-318. He has eight consecutive playoff appearances which currently stands as the longest streak in the League.

Yahoo! Sports, insider Chris Haynes reports that Damian Lillard will be consulted on the immediate coaching search and Jason Kidd is his preference.

“Jason Kidd is the guy I want,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports on Friday night.

Source: Damian Lillard to have major input on the next head coach. Stotts was the only coach he’s played for in his nine seasons in the league. After the way the season ended, it was time for a change. https://t.co/opzDtX7LP3

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 5, 2021

Early candidates include Chauncey Billups, Jeff Van Gundy, Mike D’Antoni and Juwan Howard.

The post Terry Stotts’ Portland Trail Blazers Coaching Tenure Comes to An End appeared first on SLAM.

Due to the Knicks’ newfound success, they’re regaining their status as an attractive destination for players and at a perfect time too.

With the trade deadline (Mar. 25), less than a week away, New York is trying to resolve their point guard conundrum and find a lead playmaker.

While many have reported that Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier and Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo are high on the Knicks’ wish list, the nature of trade season often presents multiple options for teams looking to revamp their roster and that continues to be the case this season.

According to the New York Post’s Marc Berman, New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball is one such option, as the eldest Ball brother would not only end their search for a playmaking guard but has a mutual interest in joining the Knicks:

The Post has learned the Knicks, with plenty of cap room, would be heavily on Ball’s radar as a restricted free agent.

It’s no surprise Ball would consider the Knicks an attractive destination. His father, LaVar Ball, wanted the Knicks to find a way to draft his point-guard son, LaMelo, the favorite for Rookie of the Year who also wound up in a smallish market with Charlotte.

Ball is having a career season with the Pelicans in 2020-21, averaging 14.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. He’s improved his shooting to career-bests, hitting .385 percent of his three-pointers and holding a .562 true shooting percentage.

Currently on the final season of his rookie contract, Ball and the Pelicans failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension prior to the start of teh 2020-21 season.

As a result, he’ll be a restricted free agent this offseason.

The post Lonzo Ball, Knicks Have Mutual Interest in Trade appeared first on SLAM.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t still coaches who’ve racked up lengthy tenures at the helm of a single organization. Below we’ve tracked each team’s coaching gig, marking the year that each coach took the reins.

For the purposes of our head coaching list, we’ve excluded interim coaches that were in their position for less than a season, this includes coaches like Mike Miller and Jacque Vaughn, who took over for the Knicks and Nets respectively in 2019-20 but were never locked in for anything beyond that.

List of NBA Head Coaches

Head Coaching Vacancies

• Knicks (filled by Tom Thibodeau) – The Knicks promoted Mike Miller from within to coach the team on an interim basis after the firing of David Fizdale early in the 2019-20 campaign but did not commit to bringing him back.
• Nets (filled by Steve Nash) – While the team has temporarily employed Jacque Vaughn on an interim basis, they’ve been looking for an official head coach since Kenny Atkinson was fired in the middle of the 2019-20 season.
• Bulls (filled by Billy Donovan) – At the conclusion of the 2019-20 regular season, the Bulls parted ways with Jim Boylen.
• Pelicans (filled by Stan Van Gundy) – At the conclusion of the 2019-20 regular season, the Pels dismissed Alvin Gentry.
• Sixers (filled by Doc Rivers) – At the conclusion of their first-round series loss, the Sixers fired Brett Brown.
• Pacers (filled by Nate Bjorkgren) – At the conclusion of their first-round series loss, the Pacers dismissed Nate McMillan.
• Thunder (filled by Mark Daigneault) – At the conclusion of their first-round series loss, the Thunder parted ways with Billy Donovan.
• Rockets (filled by Stephen Silas) – At the conclusion of their second-round series loss, the Rockets revealed that Mike D’Antoni would not be extended.
• Clippers (filled by Ty Lue) – At the conclusion of their second-round series loss, the Clippers moved on from Doc Rivers.

Notable NBA Coaching Free Agents

Did I miss a candidate reportedly linked to a job opening? Find me on Twitter @AustinKent

The post List of NBA Head Coaching Vacancies, Candidates appeared first on SLAM.

In this SLAM series, veteran/retired players share some of the best, funniest and most unforgettable stories from their careers.

READ: Storytime with Monta Ellis

READ: Storytime with Quentin Richardson

—

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Tim Hardaway followed in the footsteps of great guards like Isiah Thomas and Maurice Cheeks and paved the way for guys like Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade. Hardaway’s game was one of the most entertaining the League has ever seen. With his explosive quickness and flashy handles, Tim broke a lot of ankles during his career.

After four years at the University of Texas at El Paso, where his killer crossover was nicknamed the “UTEP Two-Step,” Hardaway was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 14th overall pick in 1989. Along with teammates Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin, he formed “Run TMC,” the fast-paced, electrifying trio that had The Bay rocking. Hardaway made three consecutive All-Star teams from 1991-93 and two more as a member of the Miami Heat in 1997 and 1998. Over 13 years in the NBA, he averaged 17.7 points, 8.2 assists and 1.6 steals.

We caught up with Hardaway to talk about some of the greatest memories from his incredible basketball journey:

—

SLAM: Describe your greatest or proudest moment ever on a basketball court.

TH: Man, I have so many fond memories from grammar school, high school, college and the NBA. But I’m going to pick one and it was on the biggest stage of them all. We were on national TV. Game 7 against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Alonzo [Mourning] went out with four fouls, so he had to sit down. There was a timeout and nothing was said. Nothing was said. I’ve never seen [coach] Pat Riley—this was my first time seeing Pat Riley in a really, really serious atmosphere. Game 7. This was my first encounter with him in that particular environment. I saw that there was a hush and a blank on his face. I’m looking down. When my teammates saw [Pat’s] face, I’m looking at them like, Oh wow, everybody’s following his lead. Me, I’m thinking in my mind, Shit, I’ve been in this predicament many times in grammar school, high school, college, in playgrounds, pick-up games. I’ve been in this type of environment before. I was like, OK, now I can do what I want to do. This is my comfort zone. So I went out there, did what I needed to do, made shot after shot after shot and we were playing good defense. That was my comfort zone. I was back in my element, where I needed to be. I think that’s one of the biggest games and experiences I had in my lifetime. We went to the Eastern Conference Finals and lost to the Bulls, but we went there. And I played in front of my home city and my friends, family. It was just a lot of fun.

SLAM: Was Pat just speechless in that moment or was his silence intentional? What was your read on it?

TH: It was a TV timeout with, like, six minutes left to go in the third quarter. I really thought he was speechless, didn’t know which way he wanted to go, how he wanted to go, who he’d go to. I think that he always felt that because him and Zo had this kind of bond, now it was like: Who else am I going to go to? He didn’t understand, Zo was hurt most of that year. Isaac Austin always stepped up, PJ Brown always stepped up, Jamal Mashburn. We had people that’d come off the bench like Ed Pinckney, Mark Strickland. People just stepped up off the bench in Zo’s absence, so we never missed a beat. I think that he was searching, searching, searching and once the timeout was ending, there was nothing to be said. I was just like, Come on guys, let’s go. I got it. We’re gonna win this game. Don’t worry about it. I got it.

SLAM: What’s the best prank in the NBA that you ever witnessed?

TH: Best prank in the NBA was on me [laughs]. My first year. It was a preseason game. Golden State Warriors against the Utah Jazz at my alma mater, UTEP. This is my rookie year. I’m hype. I know what I need to do out there on the court, but I’m just ready to play. They said, Alright, Tim, lead us out of the tunnel. I ran out and before I knew it, I was already on the court and they were still in the locker room [laughs]. The Utah Jazz started laughing at me. The PA announcer said, Alright, it’s your Tim Hardaway Warriors. He helped me out a little bit. I stood up with my hands up like, Yeah, I’m back and I appreciate being back. And the crowd gave me a standing ovation. But it was embarrassing at first. I ran out there by myself and was like, Ain’t this a bleep. Until the PA announcer said that, I was really about to put my head down. I didn’t know what to do until he said that and then I was alright. That’s the biggest prank I’ve ever seen but I was in it so…

SLAM: Who was the funniest teammate you ever had?

TH: That’s a no-brainer. Tom Tolbert is the funniest teammate I ever had. He always looked at Seinfeld. He was a Chevy Chase guy. He always had jokes for you, one-liners for you. He always kept the team up. When the team was down, he always had a way to keep the team up and say something to help the team out, to get us loose.

SLAM: What’s an example of something he would say?

TH: [Coach] Don Nelson would say, You know, this is some bullshit, so and so or this and that or whatever. And Tom Tolbert would be like, OK, well since that’s over with, I might as well just go ahead and have a beer or I guess I’ll go to Las Vegas tonight and get drunk and gamble and I’ll see y’all in the morning at shoot-around. He’d just say something off-the-wall.

SLAM: Who’s the most competitive guy you ever played with?

TH: Are intense and competitive the same thing? If so, I’ll say Alonzo Mourning. By far Alonzo Mourning. Intense. Never wanted to lose. If he missed a jump hook in shoot-around or practice, he’d be like, Give me that ball back, give me that ball back. He had to make that jump hook the same way before Coach Pat [Riley] could talk. It was amazing. That’s how competitive he was. He wanted everything to be right. When he was out there, he wanted everything to be 100 percent right. He didn’t want any mistakes. Alright, let’s do it again, let’s do it again. I got to get it. Let’s do it again. Until he gets it right about two or three times and then he’s alright with it. He was very competitive on our team.

SLAM: Of all your ridiculous crossovers, which one is your favorite?

TH: Oh my god. There are a lot of them, man. I crossed a lot of folks over. Some of the things I did, I don’t even remember them. People tell me that I did this or that and I’m like, I don’t even know, I’m just out here hooping. I’ll say this and it’s just a tribute to him. I always wanted to go against my idol Isiah Thomas. I always wanted to play against him in a meaningful game. When I crossed him over in a game, I mean crossed him over, that felt really, really good. He went for it, he bit on it and I crossed over and I was all by myself and laid it up. I think we were in Oakland. I always wanted to play against him and always wanted to do my best in front of him, so probably that one.

SLAM: Describe the moment where you screamed “IN YO FACE!” at Charles Barkley.

TH: You know what happened? It was a preseason game at Cal. We had a rivalry with the Phoenix Suns. We always had great battles with them. It just started in the preseason. We were all healthy. Both teams were talking a lot of smack. I mean a lot of smack. Even before the game, people were getting into it. We were talking to them, they were talking to us. It was just a lot of shit-talking, basically. I just so happened to come down the lane at that particular time and I went up forcefully. Even though it was a preseason game, we wanted to show them that this year, We’re coming for y’all. It’s going to be different this year. We’re coming for y’all. I just went to the hole and laid it up on him, and-one. And I just wanted him to know that, “Hey, IN YO FACE!” And there’s going to be a lot more of that this season, too. That’s where that came from.

SLAM: Is that an expression you used often?

TH: That just came out of nowhere. Normally, I’d just be like, “And-one!” Or something like that. But when I said “in your face,” I just wanted to tell him that we’re coming for y’all this year.

SLAM: What’s your best Run TMC story?

TH: Let me see. The best Run TMC story I have—we were in the playoffs against San Antonio. And Coach Nelson got on Mitch and myself in a film session. He’s just like, Are y’all going to play some fucking defense? Y’all just let Rod Strickland and Willie Anderson or whoever just come in the game and kick our ass. You two got to play some defense. We’re not even gonna talk about offense, we know that your offense is gonna come. But defense, man. Y’all got to take some pride in defense.

So we started that day and we played 3-on-3 full court for about an hour and a half while Nellie and Gregg Popovich and the rest of the coaches were up in the concourse walking around and talking. We were down there playing and he came down and said, Hey, what are y’all doing? Y’all know we play tomorrow, right? He said, Let’s play a game of HORSE. We’re just going to use one ball. We shot the ball and he took it and was like, Alright, y’all leave. Y’all go.

But he got on Mitch and I and then that next game, Mitch, Chris Mullin and myself, we really took it to them. That was one of our best moments. We felt that we could beat anybody, anytime, anywhere. Right then and there, in a pressure situation where we needed the game, I think we graduated ourselves to that next level.

SLAM: Who’s the toughest guard you ever had to defend?

TH: I always say these two guys. They never get the recognition that they’re supposed to get. Never. I’m talking about Kevin Johnson and Rod Strickland. A lot of people don’t talk about those two guys but, man, they gave me some headaches on the court. I mean, some headaches. They played just like me. Rod didn’t have a jumpshot but when he was on, he’d make a couple here and there. And any time he went to the rim, it was a possible three-point play. Any time. That’s how much stuff he had. I loved playing against them. They rose my game up to a different level. I have to say those two. Kevin Johnson and Rod Strickland. They don’t get enough just due for what they were out there doing on the basketball court.

SLAM: Why do you think they’re so underrated?

TH: There were so many of us [guards]. You’re talking about Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, John Stockton was still there, myself, Terrell Brandon, Mark Price, Mookie Blaylock, Terry Porter. You had a lot of guys. Then you had new guys coming in like Steph Marbury, Kenny Anderson and those guys. There were a lot of people. We were always at the top but they were right there below us. A lot of people don’t talk about them but Rod Strickland and Kevin Johnson… oh my god.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via Getty.

The post STORYTIME: Tim Hardaway’s Run TMC Memories, Favorite Crossover appeared first on SLAM.

In this SLAM series, veteran/retired players share some of the best, funniest and most unforgettable stories from their careers.

—

Throughout an incredible basketball journey, guard Monta Ellis has broken records, put on legendary performances for historic teams, been a consistently unstoppable scorer, shared the court and gone head-to-head with future Hall of Famers and much, much more.

Ellis starred for the “We Believe” Warriors and reached the playoffs with every NBA franchise he suited up for (Golden State, Milwaukee, Dallas, Indiana). Over his 12 seasons in the League, he averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Monta dropped 40+ on nine different occasions, including a 48-point game against the Thunder in 2007—the same year he won the Most Improved Player award.

Here, Ellis tells the memorable stories from his career:

—

SLAM: Describe your greatest or proudest moment on a basketball court.

Monta Ellis: That’s tough because I have a couple. I know, for one, my biggest thing was breaking the record when I was in high school to become the No. 1 scorer in JPS (Jackson Public Schools) and then I became No. 2 all time [in the state of Mississippi]. But I would have to say, man, my first game-winner in the NBA against the New Jersey Nets. The game was tight. I forgot who shot that ball in the corner, I think it was Vince Carter, and we ended up getting the rebound. Baron got the rebound and we thought Don Nelson was going to call a timeout, but he didn’t. So Baron pushed the ball and I ran the wing and it was, like, a three-on-two. But he was more to the left side and J-Kidd had to [make the stop], so he had to play between me and Baron. He decided to stop Baron and Baron kicked me the ball, and I ended up shooting it and hitting the game-winner. That was the year that I won Most Improved. I would have to say that one right there.

SLAM: Is that a surreal experience? Growing up, I’m sure you acted out scenarios like that in the driveway. When it finally happens, does it live up to that hype? 

ME: Yeah, man. I had done it numerous times even in high school. But it’s different when you do it in front of 18-20,000 people. I was in the Bay Area. When I say those were the best fans I’ve ever been a part of, those were the best fans I’ve ever been a part of. For me to hit that shot in that building in front of those fans, it was crazy. That time went crazy. From then on, they embraced me. That was my moment right there.

SLAM: What’s your best “We Believe” Warriors story?

ME: The one that people really don’t talk about is, that year [2007], [head coach] Don Nelson even came out in the paper and wrote us off. He said we weren’t going to make the playoffs, and we might as well start getting ready for next year and seeing what we could get in the Draft and whatnot. We had a lot of veteran guys on the team, and me being a young guy and hungry, we took that to heart. We all came together as a team then. I think we ended up winning 18 of the last 22 or something like that to end up getting into the playoffs as the 8-seed. With that run that we made, it was crazy.

We didn’t like that [Don said that]. So we all came together as a team and we just went out there and played. Off the court, you weren’t going to see one without seeing the other 12 or 13 guys. We go to dinner. Whatever we did, we were always together. It carried over to the basketball court. When we were on the basketball court, no matter if the times got tough or anything, we were always able to stay together. We had heated moments. We had heated situations. But nobody ever got personal with it. Nobody ever took it to heart. Everybody was like, Alright, we’re just trying to get better. We saw that. We saw everybody getting better. We saw the team getting better. So we just stuck with it.

SLAM: Can you talk about that ensuing first-round series against Dallas, when you guys pulled off the upset?

ME: The thing was with that series, Don Nelson and Mark Cuban had a personal thing going on at the time. Don Nelson coached his ass off that game. He told us exactly what was going to happen. He told us every move that Dirk was going to make. He told us everything that Jason Terry was going to do. Everything. When we knew we had them was when we first came to Game 1 and they switched their lineup to try to match up with us. We knew we had them then. From there on, we just ran the table.

SLAM: Who was the funniest teammate you ever had?

ME: Baron Davis, by far. I’ll tell you this, when it comes to BD, don’t ever bet him to do anything. Don’t ever dare him to do anything. Don’t ever crank up an idea where you even think that it might cross his mind because he’ll do it [laughs].

SLAM: Is there one thing you remember specifically that someone dared him to do?

ME: One day, we had a [nationally televised] game. We were on a run and everybody was talking about us or whatever. He knew the camera was going to be on. They had him put this outfit on—a cowboy outfit—with the cowboy hat, the boots, the belt, everything. They bet him to do it. Like, I bet you won’t do this. They fixed the outfit up. It was crazy. I don’t know when in the world anybody would’ve worn it. BD wore it. 

SLAM: Who told him to wear it?

ME: Al [Harrington], Jack [Stephen Jackson], Matt [Barnes] and J-Rich. 

SLAM: How did people react to it? 

ME: We didn’t do nothing but laugh. We were like, Man, he’s crazy. It was one of those outfits. Like, man, ain’t nobody supposed to come out of the house like that. He did that for a televised game.

SLAM: What’s the best prank in the NBA you ever saw?

ME: When I came in, they just did the norm, like put popcorn in your car. One day, they got Ike Diogu. We got drafted the same time. I think J-Rich asked him to do something and he didn’t do it, so he came out of practice and they had taken his rims off his truck, and they put his car on top of his rims. He came outside and he just had his car on top of his rims [laughs]. Those are the only pranks I ever saw. I ain’t never seen anything beyond that. I’ve seen more of the popcorn than anything.

SLAM: What’s the most unique pregame ritual you ever saw in the League?

ME: Now young guys do a lot of crazy stuff. When I came around, the only person that we said that had a crazy ritual was Ray Allen. He used to run miles and then he’d come out 3-4 hours before [the game]. And then Kobe, too. But other than that, on my team, I ain’t never had a teammate do any crazy ritual.

SLAM: Did you have a specific ritual? 

ME: Nah, I mean, because sometimes I’d go out and warm up, sometimes I wouldn’t. And then we had an extra gym, a practice facility, when I was in Dallas—I never went on the court then. I worked out in the back and then just went out and played.

SLAM: Stephen Curry has talked about an encouraging call he got from you when he was struggling during his second year in the League. What do you remember about that?

ME: I know what you’re talking about. I had just got traded to Milwaukee. The fans were upset. Then they had this Chris Mullin night, where they retired the jersey or whatever, and they booed the owner. I think that kind of got to him because everybody was talking about me more than anything. A lot of people were saying they would’ve taken me over him. Being young, sometimes that’ll get to you. And I understood it. So I just called him and told him, Don’t worry about all of that, man. Just keep working hard. You’re in a great situation, it’s your team. There are going to be critics. You’re going to have people that are going to say what they’re going to want to say. Once you turn it around, I guarantee they are all going to be on your bandwagon. I just told him to keep working hard, man, and play basketball how he knows and stop overthinking it. Just play. As players, you get in that mode sometimes. I get that. 

SLAM: Who would you say is the toughest player you ever faced one-on-one, either in a game or in practice?

ME: I used to have some good one-on-ones in practice with BD and all of those guys. In a game, it was Kobe. Oh my goodness. He hit crazy tough shots. He was always on the attack. He was in kill mode. If he ever laid back, don’t ever get comfortable with it. It’s like, he’s just waiting his turn. If you say something crazy, if he feels any kind of excitement, he turns up. It was unbelievable to guard him.

SLAM: Was that kind of the rule—don’t talk to Kobe on the court because that’ll get him going?

ME: I mean, if you want to. You better be able to back it up.

SLAM: Do you remember any specific times you played against him? 

ME: Oh, man. 2011. Me and him were going back and forth. He had like 30 something. I had like 40 something or close to that. They ended up winning because he hit a clutch shot at the end. And he hit it on me. There were two or three, maybe four possessions where he came down and scored, I came down and scored, he came back down and scored, I came back down and scored. We were going back and forth like that, for like 4-5 minutes straight.

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Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via Getty.

The post STORYTIME: Monta Ellis Talks ‘We Believe’ Era, Playing vs Kobe + More appeared first on SLAM.

With March Madness canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ll be reliving some legendary tournament moments on the days when NCAA basketball would’ve been played. Enjoy.

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The Wildcats won the national chip in 1997. They came back from a 10 point deficit late in the game, forced overtime and won it by five. It was dramatic and entertaining and blah, blah, blah…

The important thing is that a few of them debuted the Nike Air Foamposite One. The Foams were made for Penny Hardaway but the Cats got ‘em first, leaving an extremely, extremely important footprint on the way to etching their names in the history of the NCAA.

“Eric Lautenbach came to our team,” Mike Bibby told us a few months ago. “It was the first year we were there and he came and sat everybody down and said, ‘I got a shoe that no one has seen yet. It’s not your team color.’ Back then you matched your shoe with your uniform. It’s not like nowadays where everybody wears a different color just to be different.

“‘It’s not going to match your uniform. It’s up to you guys if you guys want to wear it.’ I said, ‘Hell yeah, I’m wearing them.’ A few guys wore them. I think Jason Terry wore them, I think Quynn Tebbs wore them, a few guys that sat on the bench wore them. But that was it, really. He got a shoe that’s not our color, hasn’t come out, no one has seen it yet. ‘It’s up to you guys if you want to wear them.’ You know I wasn’t turning that down.”

The visionary Eric Avar, who would go on to work with Kobe Bryant on his signature line, led the charge on the first Foamposite. Its upper was made out of a hard plastic shell while carbon fiber sat below in the midsole. The sneaker was far ahead of its time.

“I wasn’t sure I was even going to show that sample to him,” Avar said about Penny. “We had other ideas we were presenting. But he leaned over, looked into the bag and said, ‘What is that?’ He reached in, grabbed it and he says, ‘This is my next shoe!’ I was like, ‘Okay! There’s the go-to-market strategy!’”

Maybe it was the perfect storm of the Cats being wild cool and Penny playing ball like a stampeding horde of wild horses. Or maybe the Foams would’ve taken off regardless of who was rocking them on the court. Whatever the reason is, the Foams were launched into basketball footwear lore, climbing to heights that nobody could’ve predicted.

The DMV, made up of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, is now synonymous with Foamposite silhouettes, like New York is known for wearing Air Force 1s. Foams have their own geography now.

When the cartographers eventually write it all down, that geography started out in 1997 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis when Bibby, Terry and the Cats broke everyone’s necks. 

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PREVIOUS MEMORY LANE STORIES:

Illinois’ Elite 8 Comeback vs. Arizona in 2005

Michigan State’s National Title in 2000

Florida Gulf Coast’s Incredible Run in 2013

Butler vs. Duke in the 2010 National Title Game

UCLA vs. Gonzaga in the 2006 Sweet 16

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Photo via Getty.

The post MEMORY LANE: Arizona Debuts the Nike Air Foamposite One in 1997 appeared first on SLAM.

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SLAM: What’s the best piece of advice you have for the next generation of players?

DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, I always try to see myself as a student of the game. It sounds silly, but never think that you’ve made it. Somebody else is working out in the gym. Always try to get better. Listen and learn. Watch your veterans. And just always, every summer, try to add something new to your game and never stay the same player. That’s how I always looked at it. I never wanted to be satisfied. I always wanted to be the best player I could be. It’s really all about hard work and putting the time in. To be consistently good for a long, long time takes a lot of work.

DWYANE WADE: The advice I give my son [Zaire] is, find out who you are and what it is you want to accomplish. Have somebody to look at as inspiration, but be your true self. Once you find out who your true self is, now the real work starts. Now the work that you got to put in, the advice that you need to take, the inspiration that you need to grab from—those are all the things that come with it. But I’ll say the biggest thing is, find out what’s your purpose. What’s the reason you’re playing this game for? Try to find that out. For me, it was different from someone next to me or someone on this side. For me, I played for different reasons than a lot of guys or vice versa. So find out what that is first and then you can get to the rest. 

[On his motivation]: For me, the way I grew up was my first motivation. Every little boy’s dream is to make sure that their mother can live an amazing life and they can buy their mom that big house. The way I grew up, it was about hopefully I can get my family out of the struggle—be the difference, be somebody that my mom and dad can be proud of. And then from there, it went to me in college having my son at 19 years old. Once I had Zaire, he became my sole purpose to really do something special, really do something different and be different than the people that I grew up around in a sense. Every step of the way, it’s just being different things or people or situations that motivated me a little bit more, a little different.

WALT “CLYDE” FRAZIER: The best piece of advice I can give is what my mother gave me, man. I remember when I first signed a big contract with the Knicks, everybody was telling me what kind of car I should drive, what I should do, wanted to borrow money, everything. I was so confused. I go to my mom, she says, ‘Son, just be yourself.’ Everywhere I go, I’m just being myself. So just be yourself, and from experience you’ll learn the nuances of what to do, how to play the game. Hopefully guys will have the opportunity that I had, to go to a team that has a Willis Reed, that has a [Dave] DeBusschere, a [Bill] Bradley, a Dick Barnett. All these guys had such a tremendous impact on me, man. I just followed their example. I didn’t really have to do anything. I just sat and I watched them. Barnett didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink. Today, I weigh almost the same because I used to watch him and how he extended his career 3-4 more years. Willis Reed—”The Captain”—how he had the most tenacious work ethic. Nobody ever outworked him. His professionalism off the court, how he dealt with the fans. So if you ever come to the Garden, you see me signing autographs, I’m laughing, I’m smiling. I learned all of that. And then I had a coach, Red Holzman, who also instilled that in me. The confidence and how to handle the city. Red was like a surrogate father to me. When I was driving the Rolls Royce and had all the suits, he would always say, ‘Clyde, you saving any money? Remember you got to save for a rainy day.’ I had all the best influences on the team. It was a blessing. I was in the right place at the right time and everything just fell in place for me.

GARY PAYTON: The only thing I can give them is, they have to respect those who came before them and who paved the way for them. A lot of these young guys don’t respect like a Dr. J or a Jerry West or guys like that because they’ve never seen them. They see LeBron, Kobe, Stephen Curry and they think their games are the ultimate games. None of them have seen Kareem. None of them have seen Wilt Chamberlain. So I tell them, man, if you go back and look at videos, the stuff that you’re doing, we were doing that early in the ’60s and ’70s. Just because you think that you’re young and y’all doing different stuff and it moves on, that doesn’t mean we weren’t 21 neither. So give respect to the OGs and pay homage. Every time I see a George Gervin or a Dr. J, or anybody who came before me and I watched coming up, I respect them. I get up and I go over there and I give them homage. Because it wouldn’t have started if I hadn’t been watching them. I just tell these young guys, they think that they know everything but they don’t. It’s all about the OGs that came before you.

And absolutely [they can learn something from watching their games]. And they can learn stuff about life: What [the OGs] went through before they were making big time money like that, because they weren’t making no money; what you should understand about struggling and about how to help other people and help your community. 

KOBE BRYANT: Be consistent. That’s the most important part. Be consistent with your work.

[On how he coaches his daughter’s AAU team]: I draw a lot from Phil [Jackson]. Phil’s coaching philosophies and my coaching philosophies were put into the Wizenard series [Kobe’s recently released book series]. It’s one where you don’t give directions so much as ask questions. You want to get players thinking on their own and figuring things out on their own. We don’t have sets. We don’t have plays. We have ideas. Within those ideas, the players are responsible themselves for figuring out what is the best idea to use at what time and why. When you have players that can think, particularly at a really early age, and you start teaching them that at 11, 12 years old, then when they get to 17, 18 years old—how are they going to be processing the game then? It’s really fun to watch them work through those ideas. 

ALLEN IVERSON: Play every game like it’s your last.

[On constructive criticism]: I wish I understood constructive criticism when I was younger, but I was just so young and stupid and didn’t know any better. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell these young guys. Like, Bro, there’s people out here that really love you and they are trying to tell you the right things. You have to listen to them. You have to. Because Allen Iverson was an asshole and didn’t listen until he got older and was like, Oh, OK, this is how life is supposed to be. I don’t want young dudes to not get the message before they take a bullet. That’s why I’m trying to preach.

STEPHON MARBURY: Try to absorb as much as you can absorb. Basically take everything in [from coaches and players] and apply what you think are the best things that fit for your game. Add it. And the things that don’t fit, don’t subtract it. Just leave it there because you grow as a player, and some of the things that people teach you over the course of time, you don’t get it right then and there but some information is so much more advanced that you’re just not ready at that time so you kind of throw it out the window. For me, what I did, I listened to everybody and tried to take something from everybody. Even the coaches. Even like Larry Brown. It’s so funny, I think about Larry Brown sometimes when I’m coaching [Marbury is head coach of the CBA’s Beijing Royal Fighters], about some of the things he used to say to me and I apply some of that stuff to my coaching method. Some of the things, things that I learned from different players, just adding a variety of different things to your game over the course of time and never deleting anything. It’s like a computer, right? It holds and stores all of the information. You just got to try to keep that database full and never delete anything, because you never know when you’re going to need it again.

I’m still learning the game and I played over 22 years. You learn so many different things, sometimes you learn things from your players, from watching certain things that they do on the court and how you can help them become better. Things that you thought you would’ve done it one way and then you see it can be done another way. The process of learning takes place every second. You are never fully downloaded, never 100% complete because the process is always in continuance.

JASON WILLIAMS: Just try to stay focused and keep improving every day. And don’t get too down on yourself if you’re not getting the minutes that you need.

[For point guards and passers specifically]: Passing was vital in my outlook of the game, but in today’s game, a guard has to get like 30 to be successful. But still, if you get on the right team—everybody can’t score, so…It’s got to be within. I think there’s a good passer and a willing passer. Those are different things. Steph Curry is a good passer, but he’s not looking to pass first or second, he’s trying to score. Whereas a willing passer is trying to pass, pass and then has to shoot it eventually because they’re not guarding him—that type of thing.

SLAM: How has the game evolved from when you first entered the NBA?

DIRK: The NBA when I first got there, every 4 or 5 was big and strong. They were rebounders and screen-setters. Then the NBA changed some of the rules—they brought in the back-down rule and put in the zone and the game changed. Now every big man has to be able to shoot—at least the 4s can all shoot threes now. The League has gotten smaller, faster, more skilled. Even some of the 5s now can pick-and-pop and stretch you to the three-point line. So it’s been amazing to watch the skill level, especially from the bigs, get so much better from when I first got in the League. 

J-WILL: I think it’s at an all-time high, if you ask me. I’m a huge fan of the NBA game, I like to see all of the offense and stuff like that. Defense is overrated to me, always has been. Defense don’t win championships to me, bro. It helps—don’t get me wrong. But somebody got to score to win, right? It’s whoever got the most points. 

I like the game where it is, but I think too many people want to score. [Not enough] people want to do the dirty job or really understand their roles when it comes to whatever it is on the team. Everybody wants to get buckets. But it’s exciting for a fan.

MARBURY: The physical play is not the same as it was when I was playing. Now you can’t really touch nobody. I played against guys like Derek Harper, obviously Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and those guys. Terry Cummings, Oakley, Patrick Ewing, those guys fouled differently. From us growing up playing against those guys—Charles Barkley, Olajuwon—you have a different understanding about the game and how it’s played. Now it’s completely different as far as the physical play.

Before, it’d be a fight and then guys would finish playing and go out after. Now it’s not like that. You got more guys hugging each other before the game. I’m not saying I’m opposed to it, it’s just, I don’t know how you can be my friend and be hugging and laughing and joking with me and we’re about to go play against each other. You might catch an elbow in the face and then after that, I don’t know how that works. That’s a little different for me. The era, it completely changed to like friends playing against friends. It wasn’t really like that—when Iverson and myself, whenever we got on the court to play against each other, it was a war. I think now it’s a little bit different. It’s not the same as it was back in the day. I don’t think you will ever see Michael Jordan going to shake Isaiah Thomas’ hand before the game, hugging and all of that. I don’t think those things were going on. When you grow up seeing that, that’s basically what you emulate. From guys doing their handshake and all of the things they do, the camaraderie things, it’s cool if that’s what’s going on and creating positive energy. But that wasn’t how it was when I was growing up and watching basketball.

I’m down with the era changing. I can flow with how things change and how things evolve. For me, it’s just different. That’s all. Now you can’t really touch nobody. I’m looking at today’s game and I’m like, What would we have averaged? … The game isn’t different as far as how you play basketball. It’s different in the rules and the rules allow you to play different. It’s more entertaining now.

SLAM: How do you envision the game continuing to change? Where does it go from here?

DIRK: That’s a good question because now we have Steph Curry pulling up from half-court and making every shot. I’m not really sure where this game is going to grow, if they’re going to put in a four-point shot or—I have no idea. But it’s been already amazing to see where guys are making shots from now and the athleticism. On Instagram and Twitter, you have videos from all these high school kids now jumping out of the gym and dunking. It’s hard to see where it can get even more athletic, more skilled, but I’m sure there are ways for it to grow even more. 

KOBE: I think it just goes the opposite [way]—it goes back to midrange. I’m just kind of sitting here waiting for all these statistical people to figure out how to make midrange sound appealing after all these years of making it sound not appealing. Because it’s coming. 

CLYDE: I think this is it. I don’t see any more changes that could happen. This is what it’s going to be now. When I came in, you always had to have a great center and a great backcourt man. Frazier, Reed. Monroe, Unseld. Jabbar, Robinson. West, Chamberlain. That was the essence of the game. You had to have that big guy and a guard to succeed. Michael came in and now Curry is taking it to a different level. So this is the evolution that I think you’re going to see now. Like a video game. Guys running and dunking and the threes and this is what the fans want. The fans want this basketball. To me, it’s more entertainment today. Early on, I was appalled with the traveling, the euro-step, the carrying of the ball, you can’t touch [players] anymore. All the different things that they’ve done to create scoring. People want to see high scoring and action and that’s what basketball is symbolic of. I don’t think that’s going to change now. This is what you’re going to see.

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Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos by Cameron Look, Jeffrey Salter, Atiba Jefferson and via Getty Images.

Additional reporting by Max Resetar and Tzvi Twersky.

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Head coach Rick Carlisle expects the two young stars to “take the reins” in Dallas.

Dallas will be heading into a season without future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki for the first time since 1997.

Per Mavs.com:

“It’s definitely going to have a different feel to it,” coach Rick Carlisle told Mavs.com on Wednesday. “That said, my understanding is the (American Airlines Center) court has a picture of (Nowitzki) on it, which is a great tribute.”

Carlisle spent the last 11 seasons coaching Nowitzki, and the native of Germany led the Mavs to their only NBA title in 2011. But Carlisle believes Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are ready to take the baton from Nowitzki and run with it.

“I think that it’s really important to always remember (Nowitzki’s) massive contributions to this franchise, to a championship, and to the kind of integrity that he brought to the club, both as a player and as someone in the community,” Carlisle said. “It’s a big change without him.

“But Luka and KP have got to take the reins from Dirk and Jason Kidd and Jason Terry and that group of franchise players. I know they’re excited to take on that challenge.”

Related Luka Doncic: ‘We’ll Make the Playoffs. We Must’

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Bibby’s been part of the Jordan Brand family ever since he got drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the second overall pick in the 1998 Draft. He was one of the League’s illest point guards during his 14-year career. He dashed around the court as a threat at the rim, an early adopter of the three-point shot and a composed floor general. He was the leader of the Kings during their title-contending runs in the early 2000s. He played ball without fear, always ready to step up in the clutch. He was the foundation of a team that played every game with an unstoppable intensity.

Bibby’s in-game accomplishments speak for themselves. He had averages of 15 points and 5 assists throughout his time with the Grizzlies, Kings, Hawks, Wizards, Heat and Knicks. Look a little deeper and you’ll see that all of the crazy moments in his career happened while he was wearing wild Air Jordan colorways. You’ll see that Bibby’s sneaker resume is A1.  

He played in the you-can’t-get-these Js. The joints that featured his name, his number or “TD,” which you’ll read about in a moment. His kicks weren’t getting released. Nah, his kicks were player exclusives.

The Jordan Brand player exclusive has been rare air ever since the jump. They are the special editions made specifically for a Jordan-sponsored athlete, decorated in team colors and adorned with at least one personal shout out. And ever since Bibby, Ray Allen, Michael Finley, Derek Anderson, Vin Baker and Eddie Jones started showing out in PEs, sneakerheads all over have been fiending for them.

But the PE has remained guarded, with the exception of leaked photos and on-court appearances. And the creation process of the PE has been even more difficult to find out about.

That’s why Bibby, a certified sneaker legend, is searching through his library of sneakers. He’s going to tell us how a Jordan Brand player exclusive gets made and let us check out a handful of Js that haven’t been properly introduced before.

He brings out versions from his time with the Kings and with the Hawks and with Team USA, while the majority of them stay in the back. It would take forever to go through them all and we don’t have that much time. There are a couple of pairs that he picks up and stares at. He can break into a story about any of them, at any moment. Or he can go into detail about hidden rooms at the Nike campus with Js stacked to the ceiling. Or he can chop it up about the early Team Js.

So we sit down with Mike Bibby, a Jordan OG, to talk. 

SLAM: How does a PE get created?

Mike Bibby: When I was playing, they would mail you, like, five, six shoes in different colorways. You’d pick two or three colors that you liked and they would get it done. They usually pick the shoe of what you’re going to wear and then they’ll send you the colorways of what you could pick from.

SLAM: How did you choose between having “Bibby” on some of them and “TD” on others?

MB: I didn’t really have a nickname so I just told them put my name and just put the TD. When they send it to you, it would either be “Bibby” on the side or “TD” on the tongue.

SLAM: And for the people that don’t know, what is TD?

MB: Oh, Team Dime? It’s just family members and friends that grew up together. Just a close-knit family.

SLAM: How involved were you in the design process?

MB: They would pick the shoes and the colors. You have, like, six, eight colors to choose from. Little things to switch here and there and you picked which ones you wanted and they were done.

SLAM: You were one of the first people to get Jordan Lows. How did that happen?

MB: I just always felt, like, can you make them in lows? And if you ask questions, it’s either yes or no. They said yes. I’d rather wear lowtops than hightops anyway. A lot of the Jordans were hightops or mids. I was more comfortable playing with lowtops.

SLAM: What was your first PE?

MB: It was probably the Masterpiece. That was probably the first shoe they made in the [Grizzlies] color.

SLAM: What’s going through your head as you hold those Masterpieces in your hand?

MB: I don’t even know how I found these… I found them in my closet one day. It’s the only pair I have. I think I have two Grizzlies shoes left and I’m going to hold on to these as long as I can.

SLAM: How involved were you in making these into a reality?

MB: They sent them to me. [Laughs] When I got them in the mail, that’s when I knew I had them. They made a pair of these and they made a pair of black/gray ones. They’re Jumpmans. Back then it was mostly Jumpmans that they put us in. Towards the later part of the years they started giving us more retros. But this is probably the first shoe they made specifically with my colors.

SLAM: Which of these PEs means the most to you?

MB: These [“Olympic” Air Jordan XII Lows] are probably the ones that I don’t have that many of. The “Olympic” colors. We were only there for a couple weeks trying to qualify for the Olympics. They made these and the XVIIs for me.

SLAM: What do you remember about MJ when you were a kid and his impact off the court?

MB: I was a little bit older then but every kid wanted a pair of Jordans. The best to ever play the game. Having a pair meant the most to any kid. Coming into the League and being asked to wear it coming out, I couldn’t turn it down. There was no way he was going to be turned down because you have unlimited Jordans. And I never had them.

SLAM: So how did you link up with Jordan Brand?

MB: We had the same agent back then, David Falk, and he asked me, “Would you want to wear Jordans?” I said, “Hell yeah.” It wasn’t even a question. It was over with. They had six of us, I think, when they first started. I remember walking past Foot Locker and being on one of those pictures. I was thankful for it.

SLAM: What else do you remember about that Foot Locker moment?

MB: It’s funny. I was 20 years old and I’m walking in the mall and it’s like, “There I am.” It’s just surreal.

SLAM: You had a lot of success really quickly. Was that your first, Yo, this is real moment?

MB: I think when I first met my agent, that was the first time. Because back then he was the biggest agent out and he had Michael Jordan and I knew stuff was about to get real when I met with him to be my agent. I didn’t meet with any other agent. I knew it was going to go uphill from there.

SLAM: With that in mind, when did you realize that MJ’s legacy was way bigger than basketball?

MB: I don’t know if I understood it when I was younger. You don’t get it until you look back on it now. But the stuff that he’s brought out and the way people go crazy for his shoes is crazy. And as a kid growing up, it’s the best sneaker out.

SLAM: What do you remember about the first time you met him?

MB: He was tough. [Laughs] I remember we were in a meeting, all the guys, Carmelo, CP, and all the other guys were at dinner. He went around the table and ripped everybody. I was just sitting there like, “Damn, what is he going to say about me?” It was fun just to be there, be in his presence, be around the best basketball player to ever play the game.

SLAM: What did he say about you?

MB: I don’t even remember. He said something about everybody. I was like, “Damn, he ain’t really say nothing bad about me.” I was the quiet one back then so I think I was okay.

SLAM: What about the feeling of seeing your name on a sneaker? How do you describe the feeling of seeing your name on a Jordan?

MB: I mean, it was good. [Laughs] People in the locker room would come over and check them out. That was a big thing, just seeing the different colors and knowing that these won’t be in stores. It’s different from nowadays. A lot of guys are wearing shoes that come out in stores. I don’t know if it’s marketing or what but that was the biggest thing—knowing that no one else would have these shoes that I’m wearing.

SLAM: A big trend these days is putting your favorite movie or musician on your sneakers. What type of artwork would you throw on a custom colorway?

MB: I definitely would’ve thrown Scooby-Doo on there and probably Madden. We’ve been playing Madden for over 20 years. We have a draft every year. So it’d be Madden and Scooby-Doo. Scooby-Doo is my favorite. I love Scooby-Doo.

SLAM: Not only are you a Jordan Brand OG, but you and your Arizona Wildcats teammates also wore the Pennys before Penny did. How did you guys get to debut the Foamposite One back in 1997?

MB:  Eric Lautenbach came to our team. It was the first year we were there and he came and sat everybody down and said, “I got a shoe that no one has seen yet. It’s not your team color.” Back then you matched your shoe with your uniform. It’s not like nowadays where everybody wears a different color just to be different.

“It’s not going to match your uniform. It’s up to you guys if you guys want to wear it.” I said, “Hell yeah, I’m wearing them.” A few guys wore them. I think Jason Terry wore them, I think Quynn Tebbs wore them, a few guys that sat on the bench wore them.

But that was it, really. He got a shoe that’s not our color, hasn’t come out, no one has seen it yet. “It’s up to you guys if you want to wear them.” You know I wasn’t turning that down.

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Photos by Steve Craft.

The post Mike Bibby’s OG Jordan Brand PEs are TOO FIRE appeared first on SLAM.

Olshey has held the position since 2010 and led the franchise to the postseason in eight of those seasons. This year was Portland’s most successful playoff run in nearly 20 years as the Blazers won a pair of series, just one year removed from a calamitous first-round sweep.

Olshey and the Blazers will have their work cut out for them keeping their core in tact while evading the luxury tax in 2019-20. Although the team’s star backcourt is locked down and they signed big man Jusuf Nurkic to a bargain contract last summer, they’ll have holes to fill in their playoff rotation.

Among the front office’s first orders of business this summer will be deciding what to do with pending restricted free agent Rodney Hood and unrestricted free agent Enes Kanter. While their hands may be tied with the latter, they could be forced into a difficult decision with the former.

The extension for Olshey comes just days after the organization re-committed to head coach Terry Stotts, yet another sign of stability at a time when things could have justifiably gone the other way.

STORY: Trail Blazers, Terry Stotts reach head coaching extension

In the months following franchise owner Paul Allen’s passing, Allen’s sister Jody Allen, the executor of his estate, has committed to the front office. The Athletic’s Jason Quick wrote about that dynamic and how Allen has empowered Olshey and company to maintain business as usual. This extension is proof of that.

The post Blazers To Extend GM Neil Olshey Through 2024 appeared first on SLAM.

Westbrook finished with 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists in the OKC Thunder’s 119-103 win against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, and dedicated the performance to his late friend Nipsey Hussle.

The historic statline was a nod to the slain rapper’s once-membership in the Rollin’ 60’s Neighborhood Crips gang.

Russ says Nip, who was shot and killed in L.A. over the weekend, served as an inspiration.

Per The Oklahoman:

“Twenty plus 20 plus 20,” Westbrook said in the TNT postgame with Jason Terry. “They know what that means. That’s for my bro.”

[Billy] Donovan said Westbrook came to him after the game and explained why he didn’t want to come out of the game.

“I knew that he had a close friend pass away; he had mentioned and explained that to me,” Donovan said. “I think for a few guys on our team, relationship-wise, it’s kind of hit them pretty hard the last couple of days talking to them. I think for Russell that was something that really meant a lot to him.”

On Tuesday, though, Westbrook packaged a dedication and a win into one.

“It’s huge,” Westbrook said, wearing a blue shirt with “Crenshaw” printed in white letters. “I’m not going to try to put it into words, but that’s who it’s for and I’ll leave it at that.”

Related Post Up: Russell Westbrook Pays Homage to Nipsey Hussle with 20/20/20 Line

The post ‘That’s for Nipsey’: Russell Westbrook Delivers 20-20-21 Performance appeared first on SLAM.

In his first game against the Clippers at Staples Center, Blake Griffin took his revenge.

Griffin dropped a game-high 44 points (on 23 shots) with 8 boards, 5 dimes and 3 steals as the Pistons handed the Clippers their second straight loss.

The former “Clipper for Life” refused to shake owner Steve Balmer’s hand after warming up—causing NBA twitter to erupt. But after the game, Griffin said that running straight to the locker room has always been part of his pregame routine.

Grizzlies 108 (19-23), Heat 112 (21-20)

Miami squandered a 13-point third quarter lead but was able to outlast the Grizz in crunch time.

Justise Winslow stepped up and had a game-high 26 points (on 16 shots) with 7 boards, 4 dimes and a +23 plus/minus.

Celtics 103 (25-17), Magic 105 (18-24)

Boston had a 12-point lead in the third quarter and watched it all slip away as the Magic outscored the Celtics by 13 in the second half.

Aaron Gordon had a game-high 28 points (on 14 shots) with 12 boards as Orlando snapped a four-game losing streak.

Thinking he should have gotten the final shot with a chance to win the game, Kyrie Irving called his teammates in the locker room, saying his young teammates don’t know what it takes to be a championship-level team.

Pelicans 106 (20-23), Wolves 110 (21-22)

Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 27 points and a career-high 27 boards and blocked Anthony Davis twice in crunch time as the Wolves picked up a win with potential playoff implications.

The win was the second of the Ryan Saunders era, and the Wolves are seemingly playing with new life and energy.

The Pelicans, on the other hand, continue to be dreadful on the road, where they’re just 5-17 on the season.

Spurs 112 (25-19), Thunder 112 (26-16)

OKC got their usual contributions from Russ, PG and Steven Adams, but it was Dennis Schroder and Adbel Nader who sparked the Thunder to victory.

Schroder scored all 19 points in the second half, and Nader shot 6-6 for 15 points.

It was a nice bounce-back win for OKC after losing three straight.

Russ made him #TOUCHEARTH (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/2q2JDjEp2c

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 13, 2019

Nuggets 93 (28-13), Suns 102 (11-33)

Not many people saw this coming. Phoenix, without Devin Booker, took down the No. 1 team in the West and led by as much as 18 in the third quarter.

Kelly Oubre tied a career-high with 26 points and added 11 rebounds off the bench.

Hornets 97 (19-22), Kings 104 (21-21)

Charlotte committed an uncharacteristic 20 TOs en route to their fifth loss in the last 6 games.

De’Aaron Fox led the way for Sacramento, finishing with 21 points, 7 boards, 4 dimes and 3 steals.

Bulls 102 (10-32), Jazz 110 (22-21)

A close game throughout, it wasn’t until mid-way through the fourth quarter that the Jazz were finally able to pull away.

Donovan Mitchell recorded his third straight 30-point game, finishing with a game-high 34 points and a +20 plus/minus.

The win was Quin Snyder’s 200th as head coach of the Jazz, and Kyle Korver passed Jason Terry for fourth all-time in made three-pointers.

Chicago has now lost seven straight.

The post Post Up: Blake Griffin Gets Revenge Against the Clippers 😤 appeared first on SLAM.

Luka Doncic did what he does best: get buckets in the clutch. The rookie scored seven of the Mavs’ last nine points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer that put Dallas up for good. He finished with 29 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.

Luka in the clutch. If you know, you know (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/gachCgmoyh

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Hawks 123 (13-29), 76ers 121 (27-16)

Atlanta pulled out the sneaky road win over the Embiid-less Sixers thanks to a last-second fadeaway jumper by John Collins (25 points, nine rebounds). Kevin Huerter also dropped a career-high 29 points for the Hawks.

John Collins fadeaway game-winner (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/5ygPb68nqR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Bucks 106 (29-12), Wizards 113 (18-25)

Washington’s Tom Satoransky registered a triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the home win over the Giannis-less Bucks. Bradley Beal added the scoring punch with 32 points.

TRIP-DUB ALERT

.@Satoransky finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, and became the first Czech player in NBA history to record a triple-double!#WizBucks | #DCFamily pic.twitter.com/P02pNbuF5s

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 12, 2019

Pacers 121 (28-14), Knicks 106 (10-32)

Indiana shot an impressive 52 percent from the field in a comfortable road win. Domantas Sabonis put in 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Pacers.

DOMAS!

( https://t.co/T6jmxBf6kX ) pic.twitter.com/Bf4WLDAEgN

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 12, 2019

Nets 105 (21-23), Raptors 122 (32-12)

Eight Toronto players hit double digits in scoring, led by Kawhi Leonard’s 20 points in 26 minutes. D’Angelo Russell had 24 points and nine assists for the Nets.

Savage playing bully ball. pic.twitter.com/JCc1rVSE9y

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 12, 2019

Cavaliers 113 (8-35), Rockets 141 (24-17)

James Harden put up a ridiculous triple-double of 43 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as he continues his MVP campaign. Harden shot 12-of-24 from the field including 8-of-16 from 3-point land.

With this 3-pointer, James Harden has now passed Kobe on the all-time 3PM list (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/PGDfzD5YNR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Lakers 95 (23-20), Jazz 113 (22-21)

Donovan Mitchell popped off on national television for 33 points and nine assists, including a nasty poster dunk in the second quarter. The LeBron-less Lakers never had a chance to lead, instead falling behind early as Utah grew its lead throughout the game.

THIS SPIDA AIN'T FRIENDLY (via @utahjazz) pic.twitter.com/Nb4PeKqRCw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Hornets 96 (19-22), Blazers 127 (26-17)

Portland scored 37 first-quarter points and never looked back. They were led by their backcourt of CJ McCollum (30 points) and Damian Lillard (20 points).

HALF COURT ALLEY-OOP FROM @DAME_LILLARD TO @JLAYMAN10 YES WE ARE YELLING pic.twitter.com/GABoCd06EC

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 12, 2019

Bulls 109 (10-32), Warriors 146 (28-14)

Steph Curry made history in the Warriors’ easy win as he moved into No. 3 all-time on the career made 3-pointers list, passing Jason Terry. He now only trails Reggie Miller and Ray Allen for the No. 1 spot.

Steph is now No. 3 all-time in made 3-pointers. Respect (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/mY3dw4N0Wb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

RELATED:
Luka Doncic Amazed By Comparisons to a Teenage LeBron James

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Steps Up in the Clutch, Leads Mavericks to Win ❄️ appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors’ All-Star broke out of his early-season slump on Monday night by exploding for 52 points in just 27 minutes, setting the NBA record for most threes in a game with 14.

Here’s how players around the League reacted to his absurd performance:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpiuu5Kljrm/?hl=en&taken-by=stephencurry30

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpitdpylM9I/?hl=en&taken-by=money23green

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpiuqzAjqDx/?hl=en&taken-by=easymoneysniper

What slump? #LivingClip pic.twitter.com/78RO109Q36

— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) October 30, 2018

CONGRATS @KlayThompson on setting that record!! #FlameThrower

— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 30, 2018

@KlayThompson u just gone steal my swag and hit 14threes… its the headband and beard for sure! CONGRATS BRO pic.twitter.com/6tZ4qM2K8P

— Javale PIERRE 3Xs McGee (@JaValeMcGee) October 30, 2018

Klay Thompson is the best shooter EVER! #YeahiSaidIt

— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) October 30, 2018

52 points in 26'?? Really Klay?
14/24 from 3. Nuts!!

— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) October 30, 2018

Wow

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) October 30, 2018

When you open twitter and see that Klay Thompson hit 14 threes pic.twitter.com/cTQT4rgd1y

— Nikola Vucevic (@NikolaVucevic) October 30, 2018

@StephenCurry30 and @KlayThompson you guys are ruining the game lol smh

— Zaza Pachulia (@zaza27) October 30, 2018

Omg….. klay

— Marcin Gortat (@MGortat) October 30, 2018

@KlayThompson hot as fish grease @NBA record halfway thru 3 14/24 3fg keep shootin #history

— Jason "The Jet" Terry (@jasonterry31) October 30, 2018

what a way to end that roadtrip. @KlayThompson was . Great win #DubNation! #ontothenextone ##NBAse

— Jonas Jerebko (@JonasJerebko) October 30, 2018

pic.twitter.com/XpBrW5Uxrn

— Cole Aldrich (@colea45) October 30, 2018

RELATED
‘I Was Due for a Big Night’: Klay Thompson Hits a Record 14 Threes

The post NBA Players React to Klay Thompson’s Record-Breaking Performance 🙌 appeared first on SLAM.

Appearing on ESPN‘s The Jump, Terry addressed some of these noteworthy moments from his career as part of a segment called, “What were you thinking?”

Topics included punching Michael Finley in the 2006 playoffs, being dunked on by LeBron James, and dapping up JR Smith in the middle of a play:

RELATED
Jason Terry: ‘What [Giannis] Does In The Paint I’ve Never Seen Other Than Wilt’

The post Jason Terry Explains What He Was Thinking When LeBron POSTERIZED Him appeared first on SLAM.

After the game, Giannis once again told reporters that LeBron is “the best player in the world. That simple.”

“I was talking to myself when I was taking a shower. And I was like, OK, what did I do wrong today guarding LeBron? Because he’s the first player ever to score 40 on me that easy.

“It’s hard; [LeBron’s] a guy that can drive the ball, shoot the ball, especially late in his career now he’s been shooting the ball amazing.

“He’s getting his teammates in the right spot. He’s the best player in the world. That simple.”

RELATED:
Jason Terry: ‘What [Giannis] Does In The Paint I’ve Never Seen Other Than Wilt’

The post Giannis: LeBron Is The First To Score 40 Points On Me ‘That Easy’ appeared first on SLAM.

“It takes a special skill set to pick up different pieces of everyone’s game,” Terry said. “He’s got the fadeaway now that’s kind of like Kobe. He shoots off one leg sometimes like Dirk. What he does in the paint I’ve never seen other than Wilt Chamberlain, being able to take on three guys and then just finish with a power dunk. What he’s going to add and what he’s working on now is the hesitation pull-up from 3, which is kind of like Tracy McGrady.”

The Greek Freak is averaging 27.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks this season.

RELATED
Giannis Antetokounmpo: ‘I Want To Work With Kobe This Summer’

The post Jason Terry: ‘What [Giannis] Does In The Paint I’ve Never Seen Other Than Wilt’ appeared first on SLAM.

Did … did Jason Terry just blow in Stephenson’s ear? pic.twitter.com/6cCAZbVqgI

— Brew Hoop (@brewhoop) March 6, 2018

Stephenson, however, claims that not only did Terry bite his most infamous stunt, but that he returned the favor.

Just filed my updated story for the @journalsentinel. While we wait for it to post, I asked Jason Terry and he says he did not blow in Lance Stephenson's ear in the second quarter. "I ain't gonna steal another man's move," Terry said. He openly admits to talking smack, though.

— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) March 6, 2018

Spoke with #Lance Stephenson briefly after the game. Said he blew in Jason Terry's ear because Terry blew in Stephenson's ear first. "I had to get him back." Stephenson said.

— Clifton Brown (@CliftonGBrown) March 6, 2018

Stephenson had the final laugh, as the Indiana Pacers held on to a 92-89 win against the visiting Milwaukee Bucks.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

During the second half, Lance Stephenson apparently intentionally tripped John Henson away from the play, but there was no foul called. Henson was understandably incensed during an ensuing break inand asked for a review that did not take place. …

Stephenson was involved in another notable play in the second quarter. Terry knocked down a corner three-pointer to tie the game at 26 and then proceeded to run up to Stephenson and apparently blow in his ear — a move Stephenson is known for dating back to the 2014 playoffs when he did that to LeBron James.

After the game, Terry denied blowing in Stephenson’s ear, saying he was just talking trash. “I ain’t gonna steal another man’s move,” Terry said.

The post Jason Terry Denies Blowing in Lance Stephenson’s Ear appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden put up 41 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, leading the Rockets to their 12th consecutive win. It’s Harden’s fifth 40-point game of the season. The Rockets needed all those points to keep the pesky Nuggets at arm’s length. Though the Nuggets trailed for all 48 minutes, they didn’t quit, cutting Houston’s lead to four with about three minutes left in the game before the Beard buried the dagger.

Harden unstoppable. (via @HoustonRockets) https://t.co/MOJqD7ozAt

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 26, 2018

Spurs 110 (36-25), Cavs 94 (35-24)

The Spurs snapped their four-game losing streak by taking control of this game in the second half. They outscored Cleveland 60-41 throughout the third and fourth quarters. They held the Cavs to 23 percent three-point shooting, connecting on nearly 50 percent of their triples. They overcame 11 ties and 15 lead changes behind 27 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and 22 points from Danny Green.

Danny Green scored 22 points in 22 minutes of play, including 5 3️⃣-pointers vs Cleveland #GoSpursGo #TarHeelTriple https://t.co/vXD34PnU7N

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 26, 2018

Hornets 114 (27-33), Pistons 98 (28-31)

The Hornets built a 32-point advantage in this game. Seven Hornets scored in double-digits, led by Dwight Howard‘s 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Pelicans 123 (33-26), Bucks 121 (33-26)

Jrue Holiday came up huge in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his 36 points in that frame. They needed an extra five minutes to decide this one and the Pels survived when Jason Terry‘s three-pointer was ruled to have come after the OT buzzer. Anthony Davis added 27 points and 13 rebounds in the win.

A season-high 36 pts from @Jrue_Holiday11 guides the #Pelicans to an 18 pt comeback and another OT win! #DoItBig https://t.co/X1doFetmVM

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 25, 2018

Wizards 109 (35-25), Sixers 94 (32-26)

The Wizards outscored the Sixers in the second quarter by 17 and they didn’t look back after that run. They held Philly to 36 percent shooting from the field and 27 percent shooting from distance. Washington also dished out 35 dimes on 43 buckets. Bradley Beal and Otto Porter combined for 47 points.

The post Post Up: James Harden Gets Buckets in Denver, Spurs Beat Down on Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

The top pick in the ’76 Draft and currently Rockets player development coach has been through it all. His personal struggles are well known and now, his goal in life is to try to make sure that those involved with the game don’t follow down the path that led him fighting an uphill battle for redemption. Comprised of various high school scouts, the NBA Top 100 selection committee jets throughout the country during the year looking for not just the elite but also the sleepers who have long term NBA potential and are still not getting the love they deserve.

Led by guys like Ricky Davis, Jason Terry, and Rajon Rondo, the high school campers were given some guidance on what to do (and what not to do) if they hope to have a successful career in the League. The NBA counselors keep it brutally real with the campers, regaling stories of struggles both in their personal lives and dealing with coaches on the court. Keeping the effort level right, lead guards such as Jason Terry, Will Bynum, and John Lucas III showed their leadership by bringing up the intensity during the games. The inspired play and super deep talent pool led to numbers that were widely dispersed across the board, but still served as a platform for a number of players to seriously rise their stock.

While the camp was loaded with rising seniors, there were a number of elite underclassmen who were invited to the camp. Here are a few of the ones who put on a show:

Matthew Hurt, 6-9 PF, Rochester John Marshall (MN), 2019

One of the most skilled forwards in his grade, Matthew Hurt is the epitome of today’s new age face-up forward. He showed range out to the NBA line, can take slower defenders off the bounce, and has the moves to post smaller defenders. The versatility that he offers on the offensive end is what makes him Minnesota’s top big man, as well as one of the very best nationally in the Class of 2019. With his brother Michael already playing for the Golden Gophers, many expect Matthew to follow his big bro’s footsteps and become a program changer for Richard Pitino.

Cassius Stanley, 6-5, PG/SG, Harvard Westlake (CA), 2019

While the aerial magic that Cassius Stanley brings to the table is well known, not many understand the improvements he’s made as a point guard. He’s learned how to play pick and roll basketball, showing off his explosive burst and making solid decisions with the ball in his hands. Add in the fact that he straight up put the clamps on people at either guard spot and you understand why Stanley was arguably the best guard at the Top 100 Camp.

Cole Anthony, 6-3, PG, Archbishop Molloy (NY), 2019 

It was clear that Cole Anthony came to Charlottesville with a chip on his shoulder and he definitely proved how deadly he could be as a scoring point guard. The explosive guard has a number of acrobatic takes to the rim, made great reads off of ball screens, and seemed hyped for any big matchup that was put in front of him. Finishing 7th in the camp in scoring and 4th in assists, it’s safe to say that Anthony cemented himself amongst the nation’s top lead guards, regardless of class.

Ashton Hagans, 6-4, PG, Oak Hill Academy (VA), 2019

As far as blowing up, not too many have exploded the way that Ashton Hagans has this spring. The 6-4 lead guard ran the show for Game Elite’s 17U on the adidas Gauntlet and killed. He didn’t light it up in the scoring column, but led the camp in both assists and steals. The big point guard controlled the tempo of the game, locked down on defense, and showed immense growth running a team since we first saw him over a year ago. Hagans is now regarded by some services as the top point guard in the Class of 2019 and literally has just about every elite program in the country fighting for his services.

Patrick McCaffery, 6-8, SF, Iowa City West (IA), 2019

Another new age forward, Patrick McCaffery is still flying a little under the radar because everyone assumes that he’s automatically going to play for his Pops at Iowa. While that is likely the case, he’s not as sexy of a prospect for recruiting analysts as the dude who just blew up and got four ACC offers. Regardless, he can straight up ball with the best of them. Having hit a late growth spurt, Patrick has the skills of a guard and the size of a forward. The deceptive athlete is remarkably agile, can shoot the lights out from deep, and is a threat to dunk on you in transition (as seen by his final play at camp). While Patrick definitely needs to get stronger, he’s got all of the makings of a five star prospect.

Tyrese Maxey, 6-3, PG/SG, South Garland HS (TX), 2019

A player who continually gets better, Maxey has stood out at every event that we’ve caught glimpse of him at (others being Pangos All-South and EYBL LA). The power guard is incredibly shifty, had a number of creative finishes at the rack, and locked down on the perimeter. Maxey is already a high priority of the entire Big 12 and is on the way to being the next McDonald’s All-American out of Dallas.

The post 2017 NBPA Top 100 Camp: Top Underclassmen Performers appeared first on SLAM.

Other kicks that caught our attention this weekend included C.J. Miles going old-school with the Nike Air Unlimited, Iman Shumpert in the Nike Air Penny IV, Jason Terry in the Reebok Kamikaze IV, Markieff Morris in the “Silver Surfer” Nike Air Foamposite Pro and Maurice Harkless in the Nike Kobe A.D. NXT.

Go grab yourself a cup of coffee and make sure you get caught up on all of this past weekend’s NBA Playoff sneaker action.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Playoff Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Unless, of course, you believe.

That’s what the Golden State Warriors did 10 years ago; it is who they were. It’s true. Just ask their leader, Jason Richardson.

“We had a lot of talent and a lot of guys with chips on their shoulders,” he says of the ’06-07 Warriors. “I thought I was underrated. People thought Baron Davis’ career was over. Monta Ellis felt underappreciated because he was a second-round pick. Stephen Jackson—the whole [Malice at the Palace] gave him a bad rep. Al Harrington was a player with the best days behind him. Matt Barnes was a journeyman. Coach Don Nelson—we just fed off his energy. Nobody else gave us a chance. We needed a coach like him to believe in us.”

Says Nelson, “Maybe it was that naivety that helped us.”

Golden State caught fire late that season to reach the playoffs. There, as a No. 8 seed, they eliminated the No. 1 Mavericks in six games. It was the first such upset in a best-of-seven NBA series. Inseparable from the triumph itself are the two quirks that powered the team.

The first was its mantra. As the Warriors surged, chants of “We Believe” grew increasingly prominent inside Oracle Arena; screaming fans wore We Believe T-shirts while holding We Believe signs. What else could one do, watching that mesmerizing jumble of players, but believe?

The slogan went hand-in-hand with the team’s style of play, best known as “Nellie Ball.” Everybody helped on defense, everybody rebounded, everybody ran, everybody shot with confidence. Size and traditional lineups were irrelevant—Don Nelson just played his best. This was a novel idea that is now widely embraced across the League, though it’s only executed perfectly in one place: Golden State.

Belief in the Warriors began on January 18, 2007, when Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington arrived from Indiana via trade.

“They came in with the notion that we could do this,” says center Adonal Foyle. The Warriors were just 19-20 at the time. “They brought a little bit of an edge to a team that was already forming. Stephen thought that he was a guard and a big man—that he could do anything—and he brought people along for the ride.”

Jackson was athletic enough to defend power forwards who couldn’t keep pace with him on the offensive end, a matchup problem that Nelson long dreamed of. “That’s what made our club go,” Nelson says. “We were all roughly the same size—6-6, 6-8—so we could switch everything on defense. Usually, you have to exclude the center from your rotations, but when you have a bunch of midgets the same size, you can rotate all five.”

Still, that season, no NBA team allowed more points than the Warriors. But it was not a plainly bad unit. Foyle and Andris Biedrins offered some muscle in the paint, and Barnes and Mickael Pietrus were solid wing defenders. The team forced the most turnovers in the NBA, sparking the League’s fastest, most trigger-happy offense. To some degree, awful defensive metrics were part of the plan.

“We stayed alive on defense,” Richardson says. “There was always help coming. The whole system needed the personnel we had, but it also needed the chemistry we had.”

Bingo.

What this team lacked in conventional defensive talent it made up for with rapport. In the NBA, where everybody gets very paid, it’s tough to field a dozen players—plus a coach—who have something to prove. But many Warriors stood at a crossroads in ’07, some still needing to validate large contracts, others hanging in the League by a thread. Meanwhile, the franchise itself had stalled since Nelson’s first stint there in the early ’90s. Trust can erode in such an environment, but something still-mystical triggered the opposite effect.

“It was the best locker room I’ve ever been in,” Harrington says. “Baron was a glue guy that a lot of people followed. When you add in me and Jack—Jack is crazy, I’m the rational one, yin and yang—it was a great group across the spectrum.”

Not every manager likes that variety. “Only Don Nelson could have coached that team,” Richardson says. “We were up in the clubs sometimes, but he didn’t care about a lot of things. He was a guy who could blend those personalities—Baron, Matt and Stephen had big personalities.”

Jackson had developed a negative image with the Pacers. “Indiana was all bad for Jack,” Harrington says. “When he got to Golden State, it was a breath of fresh air. The people loved him for being himself. He was like, ‘Shit, I can be Stephen Jackson!’ They allowed him to go out and go hard.”

Just as Jackson’s skills advanced Nelson’s scheme, his character strengthened team camaraderie. “On the road we’d hear obscene things about us being black or being thugs, because of Stephen or whoever else,” says Kelenna Azubuike, an undrafted rookie that season. “It fueled us. It made us mad. We took on a mentality, like, We’re all we got. They don’t wanna see us out there. By the time we reached the postseason to face the Mavs, we knew we’d beat them. There wasn’t a doubt in our minds.”

The Mavs were the reigning Western champs, and Dirk Nowitzki was the NBA MVP. He was surrounded by Jason Terry (still just 29), Devin Harris (an impressive third-year man) and Josh Howard (a breakout star). In the regular season, Dallas won a West-best 67 games. Then it drew a team ready to overachieve, led by a vengeful coach.

Nelson had spent six-plus seasons in Dallas before Avery Johnson replaced him in 2005. “Don had a money disagreement with Dallas,” J-Rich says. “This was payback. We all wanted to stick it to them.”

On top of that advantage, as Foyle explains, “The Mavericks were still using all of Don’s plays. So he wasn’t just saying, They’re gonna run this or that. He’s saying, This is the fifth play they’re going to run for Dirk, the sixth, the play call, the play set—how to defend and disrupt.”

Nelson can still recite the game plan: Stay small, stick Jackson on Dirk, make him drive, and be ready with a double-team.

It worked—the Warriors smoked Dallas in Game 1. Nowitzki shot just 4-16, while Davis poured in 33.

The Mavericks evened the score in Game 2. In Game 3, the Warriors unleashed a weapon far more powerful than anything Nelson could sketch on a sideline whiteboard.

“That game, going home and seeing the crowd—like, Wow,” Foyle says. He was drafted by Golden State in 1997 and had never before sniffed the postseason. “It was like being in the desert for 10 years and you finally saw water. It was just that guttural—people in the arena hours early, screaming of pure pleasure and desperation. They’d been waiting for one moment and they finally got it.”

Says Richardson, then the team’s longest-tenured star, “It was an adrenaline rush I couldn’t contain. I thought I was gonna be so nervous that we’d go lay an egg.”

The Warriors won Game 3 by 18. In Game 4, Jackson and Richardson helped erase a late deficit to go up 3-1. Dirk answered with 30 in a Game 5 win.

The series went back to Oakland, with the home team leading, 3-2.

“I kept waiting for Dallas to wake up,” Nelson says. “Game 6 was their chance. I told the team, Tonight is the night, we have to beat ’em. And we did. We destroyed them. I think we beat them by 20.”

The Warriors won Game 6 by 25. Jackson led the way with 33. Every shot fell and the crowd went ballistic, nervous energy giving way to mass delight.

Richardson’s last game as a Warrior came a couple weeks later, in Game 5 of the second round against Utah. The Jazz went big against Golden State that series, and though the Warriors competed—one loss in OT, another by 4 points—Utah beat ’em up pretty good.

In June, Richardson was traded to Charlotte. The move shook the Warriors’ core. “They shoulda kept J-Rich,” Harrington says. “What was the reason? Why not give him another year?”

The following summer, Golden State let Davis walk as a free agent. Nelson blames the front office for that departure; Harrington protests, “I never heard that Nellie fought for BD, I’ll say that.”

Whatever the case, Stephen Curry arrived a year later, in 2009. Somewhere along the line, these Warriors surpassed those Warriors, a sort of systems update.

“When Golden State goes small, they’re very similar to my teams,” says Nelson, who is now retired and resides in Maui. “But they’re better than any team I ever coached. I love watching them—I’m their biggest fan.”

Richardson remains in touch, too, though he now lives with his wife in her hometown of Boulder, CO. “I just turned 36,” he says. “I saw on Twitter the Warriors wished me Happy Birthday, the fans wished me Happy Birthday, saying, We Believe, all that stuff. It’s incredible.”

Foyle, who still lives in the Bay Area, hears the old mantra daily. “True Warriors fans define their authenticity by recognizing We Believe,” he says. “It was part of the team—seeing what happened over the years and believing that we could change it. We’d say it in the locker room and in the huddle: Believe.”

Leo Sepkowitz is a Senior Writer at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @LeoSepkowitz.

Photos via Getty Images

The post Don’t Stop Believing appeared first on SLAM.

He scheduled the toughest non-conference opponents possible to strengthen his teams for when it mattered most, the NCAA Tournament.

He pushed his players and shaped his guys into not only great basketball players, but great men.

This is the story of the 1997 national champion Arizona Wildcats, straight from the players on that team.

RELATED:
Young Kings: The story of the fly-as-hell 1997 Arizona Wildcats

***

On choosing the University of Arizona…

Mike Bibby: I wasn’t really thinking about college, but then when it came time to make a decision, Arizona was “Point Guard University.” You had Lute Olson, a Hall of Fame coach, and I wanted to play close to home and Arizona felt like the best place for me. Lute had put guys in the pros and my main goal was to get to be a pro and that was my best route to go.

Jason Terry: For me, being from the Northwest, having a great relationship with Michael Dickerson who was also on that team had and being a fan of Damon Stoudamire who was at the University of Arizona, I knew I had the opportunity to become a professional athlete. At the time, Arizona was known and still is known for producing great point guards, so following in those guy’s footsteps is something I wanted to do.

AJ Bramlett: I was from Albuquerque, NM, and my last two schools were either UNM or Arizona. When I chose Arizona and I chose it just because it’s Arizona. If Coach Olson comes to your house and offers you a scholarship, I mean, I wasn’t gonna turn that down. Arizona is Arizona. That speaks for itself.

Josh Pastner: I wrote a letter to every single Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA Division I and NAIA Division II schools, over 1,000 personal handwritten letters telling them I wanted to have a chance to come on the program. I wanted to go on to be able to go somewhere at a high level and just be there and just be a sponge. Really the only school to respond back to me really was Lute Olson and Arizona and he saw my letter and saw that I could work guys out on the floor and I could watch film with the guys. He thought it was a great idea. He knew I wanted to coach. That was my mission, to do all I could in my role to help anyway I could.

Miles Simon: Arizona already had my high school teammate Reggie Geary. He was two years older than me at Arizona. My final four schools were Florida, Oklahoma State, Syracuse and Arizona. I took a trip to Florida, came back home, decided it was too far away, told my high school coach, “Hey, I want to commit to Arizona.” I committed to Arizona sight unseen. I just knew I wanted to go there and wanted to play for Lute. If you look at our group, there were a lot of wins in high school and that was probably a big part of Lute’s recruiting strategy.

***

Beating UNC in the season opener with leader Miles Simon suspended…

Terry: Miles was our emotional and spiritual leader at the time and he went through his adversity, they called upon me to be the starter for about half the season, but winning that first game was big because it was a nationally televised game, it was our first game, and it was almost like a coming out party for us. To play against a program like North Carolina, who was a storied university. Great heritage, great history and they also had a great team, with Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Ed Cota, Shammond Williams. All those guys were blue chippers so to speak. To go in and play as well as we did, and to win the game, it gave us tremendous confidence early on, especially without Miles.

Bramlett: That gave us a ton of confidence. That was a big time game, our first game of the season. For us coming out with a win, we knew we could compete against those teams. It turns out we played North Carolina again to end their season.

Miles: They were probably in the top-three with that squad and we beat them with virtually a team hadn’t played a lot of college basketball. I’m not gonna say it was a blessing I was suspended, but it might’ve helped the team because it gave Jason Terry really time to come into his own.

Bibby: No one expected us to do what we did and we took care of business in the first game and that catapulted us.

***

Miles returns from suspension…

Miles: We go into league play and I come back and we struggle. I came off the bench the first couple games. Jason Terry went to Lute Olson and told him, “Hey, I should come off the bench and Miles should be the starter.” What kind of player would say that to their coach, thinking about the betterment of the team rather than himself? That kinda changed the whole course in the Pac-10.

Terry: My game was versatile. I knew I could start, but to come off the bench and have a major role, and to be able to perform in that role, I welcomed it. I welcomed the challenge. It was something I’d be willing to do for the sake of the team. So, I told him yes.

***

Is it the shoes?

Bibby: I remember the Nike guy came to our school and said, “I got this shoe that hasn’t come out yet and wanted to know if you guys wanted to wear it. It’s not your team color, but if you want to wear it, you guys can wear it.” I said, “I don’t care what color the shoe is I wanna wear it.” If no one has it, that was a big thing back then. If no one has the shoe and you have it, you’re big time. So my main thing was just to have a shoe that no one had.

Terry: Mike Bibby brought that swag to our team because when he came in, you know, you get the standard issue, team shoe, whatever that is from Nike and right away he was like, “Aw nah, I ain’t wearing these.” And he went immediately to the store by campus and he bought him a pair of, I think his first pair of shoes were Jordans actually. Mike Bibby was the spearhead of the shoe movement.

Miles: It was almost like a competition within our guys. Especially me, Bibby, Jason Terry to a degree of who was gonna come with the best shoes for that game. My whole college career I was trying to wear the best, most unique sneaker I could. [The Foamposites] didn’t match our uniforms because they were Orlando Magic colors. A side note to that…my one year I played in the NBA I played for the Magic, and Penny was my teammate and we talked about that. Penny just said, “Man, it was huge that you guys wore my shoe that Nike was debuting for me before I wore it and won the National Title.” It was like a huge preview of the shoe. He thought it was awesome.

Bramlett: We definitely had the fire kicks. They laced us, man.

Pastner: Oh man, we had the best. That’s a credit to Eric Lautenbach at Nike. Bibby debuted the Foamposite before Penny. He had Penny’s shoe before Penny had it. That was because of Eric Lautenbach from Nike. He hooked us up. He was really close with Coach Olson.

***

Coach Olson…

Terry: He’s gonna go down in the history as one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game and if you were a guard, you loved his system because we had all the freedom in the world. He was a player’s coach and he was also a father figure who would give you life lessons a long the way. He held you accountable and I think that’s why I’m the father and person I am today is because of these life lessons that he taught me in my time at Arizona.

Bibby: Lute had put guys in the pros and my main goal was to get to be a pro and that was my best route to go. I just thought I was blessed and that I got put in a good situation. I went to Arizona to play. I wanted to start and Lute gave me that opportunity. He’s a great coach. He’s a Hall of Famer, a legend.

Bramlett: Everyone’s relationship with Coach O is different. We all related to him on a different level. That was one of the strengths that he had. You’ll find different stories from different guys but I think the underlying theme of all of those stories is excellence and execution.

Miles: He is an all-time great. He made us a lot better. He pushed us to be great everyday in practice. He pushed us to compete. He’s the one that brought the whole group together to fulfill his vision. He left an imprint no matter what, just on helping raise young men, but to have that as his stamp on his career is awesome.

Pastner: I love Coach Olson. He gave me a shot and believed in me. He means so much to Arizona and the guys he coached. Man, he’s the best.

***

https://youtu.be/M7jA1dCV5Hc

What a Run…

Miles: My dad used to take me to Finals Fours, so it was always something that was important to me and I looked at that as the pinnacle. To be able to play in it and score 30 points and beat Kentucky, it’s almost like unimaginable, because it was such an amazing run, so fun to do it with great people. My coaches, my teammates and some of the best college basketball fans. Our team is the only one that’s won a National Title for the University of Arizona, one of the most prestigious basketball programs over the past 30-some odd years.

Bibby: I’m glad I was a part of it. The dream growing up is to win championships. My first year was special for me. It was a dream for me. Just going to Arizona, being a hometown kid and just fulfilling my dreams.

Bramlett: That’s the sweetest thing about our championship, honestly. Nobody can say anything. Nobody can say we had an easy path. Nobody can say this team, the best team lost. We beat the best team of the ear, record-wise in the Sweet 16. Then to go up against North Carolina, then Kentucky, it was just satisfying man. Just to know that was the type of the run we had, as underdogs.

Terry: It just puts us right there in a special category, man. To be able to call yourself a Champion and now I’ve won at every single level, high school, college and pro, it makes me speechless, but it gives me a sense of pride. It puts us in elite company.

Pastner: I consider this one of the greatest runs of all time. We’re the only team ever to beat three number 1-seeds in the history of the NCAA tournament. The number 1 seeds were the best of the best. Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, the best of the best. I just love that team. Love those guys. What a run. What a run. What a run.

***

Brotherhood…

Bramlett: We were always confident in each other. We felt 100 percent in any situation, down, up, anything we believed in each other and we fought for each other and even at the time it doesn’t really sink in, but the more and more the years pass by, the more and more special it seems.

Terry: We were fearless. One guy called us the Cardiac Cats after that run we had. All of our games we were trailing in the second half but we were able to withstand that and come away with victories when our backs were against the wall. We were together as a group. We did everything together. That played a huge part in the role of our chemistry. We could care less who was the leading scorer, it was all about the end result and that was winning.

Bibby: Chemistry was the biggest thing. Everybody got along. There were no rifs between anybody and everybody’s main goal on the team was to win. That overruled everything. I still talk to some of the guys. Down the line you see guys and you have memories and you always have friends for life.

Miles: The chemistry was almost instant. As the year went on we all became closer. We had each other’s back and we all got along really well. On the court, we were tough, resilient. That had a lot to do with our overall chemistry on and off the court. We had a special bond back then and still do to this day.

Pastner: Yeah, I mean I love those guys. Those are my best friends. All those guys are some of my best friends. That whole team man. Those are my best friends. I would do anything for those guys. When I see those guys I just want to hug em and give em big bear hugs. Those guys, I just love em. They’re brothers.

Photos courtesy of: Arizona Athletics, Allsport, Getty

The post An Oral History of the 1997 Arizona Wildcats appeared first on SLAM.

Jimmy Butler wore a tough pair of  Air Jordan XXXI PEs that had XI Low “Referee” vibes as the Bulls down the Pistons. In the loss, Marcus Morris once again hit the floor in the “Space Jam” Air Jordan XI Retros. Utah saw a battle of bigs as Rudy Gobert and the Jazz bested Kristaps Porzingis and the Knicks. On Gobert’s feet were a green/white pair of the Nike Air Max Audacity 2016 while Porzingis wore his familiar adidas Crazy Explosive PEs.

Make sure to check out the rest of Wednesday night’s NBA kicks and let us know which pair stood out to you the most in the comments below.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Orlando was outscored by 12 in the final quarter, blowing a five-point lead to start the period.

Kemba Walker had 22 and 7, while Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli scored 18 and points respectively off the bench.

Pacers 100 (36-35), Celtics 109 (46-26)

Boston was able to put the game effectively out of reach with a 39-point third quarter. Who else but Isaiah Thomas led the way with 25 points, 5 dimes, a few of these crowd-pleasing passes:

IT4 with in the back of his head. pic.twitter.com/FaDMuLxXoa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Pistons 95 (34-38), Bulls 117 (34-38)

With all the talk about Russ’ 6-6 shooting night, Jimmy Butler’s 6-6 was understandably overlooked. Buckets added 12 assists, 5 boards, 2 steals and 0 TOs.

Chicago cruised to victory, leading by as much as 25 points in the second half.

Sixers 97 (26-45), Thunder 122 (41-30)

OKC has been the NBA’s hottest team over the past two weeks, outscoring opponents by an average of 11.1 points per 100 possessions.

They’re 6-1 during that span. Russell Westbrook has shot the ball less and gotten more assists during over the past 14 days, and the team is clearly benefitting.

Russ became the only player in NBA history to triple-double without missing a field goal or free throw.

Russ' reaction to his record triple-double. pic.twitter.com/zcAB2srhqS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Hawks 100 (37-34), Wizards 104 (43-28)

Sloppy game, no doubt, with a combined 35 TOs and both sides struggling to shoot 40 percent. Hawks guard Dennis Schroder happened to account for 10 of the TOs himself.

Bradley Beal scored 8 of his team-high 28 points in the final six minutes of the fourth.

Bradley Beal got it done for the Wiz tonight. pic.twitter.com/MBaXFo1xfw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Cavs 113 (46-24), Nuggets 126 (34-37)

Denver’s defense has been sixth-worst in the L over the past two weeks, but the Nuggets’ offense alone has been keeping the team in games.

Tonight was just one of those nights where everything was clicking. Denver finished with 53.7/38.5/100 splits and committed just 6 TOs.

Nikola Jokic put up 16, 10 and 7 and took it straight to LeBron late in the third quarter.

The Joker backs down LeBron to the paint and scores. pic.twitter.com/LXE5C7FDO8

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Oddly enough, the Nuggets studio host thought it would be a good idea to heckle LeBron James live during the game.

It was an attempt at humor, sure, but to scream at Bron about LaVar Ball from a courtside seat was in bad taste.

A Nuggets' studio host heckled LeBron James live on air. pic.twitter.com/EjfPrCSIyy

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Bucks 116 (36-35), Kings 98 (27-44)

Giannis Antetokounmpo once again led the way with 32 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 0 TOs. Milwaukee is 8-2 in their last 10 and the No. 5 seed in the playoffs isn’t out of the question.

Giannis making life difficult for Skal Labissiere. pic.twitter.com/ViwJ11MMrB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Sacramento is allowing 113.5 points per 100 possessions over the past two weeks—second worst in the L. Jason Terry, known for keeping it 100, pointed out that Sacramento “defensively has zero resistance.”

Jason Terry keepin' it pic.twitter.com/XACZY0DmZH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

Knicks 101 (27-44), Jazz 108 (44-28)

The Rudy Gobert game. The 7-2 big man had the craziest stat line of the night, scoring a career-high 35 points (on 13-14 shooting) with 13 rebounds (11 offensive) and 4 blocks.

Don’t think he’s Utah’s most crucial player? Think again.

The Stifle Tower was EATING in the first half. pic.twitter.com/PI2wlkH6n6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 23, 2017

The post Post Up: Numbers Game appeared first on SLAM.

Washington grabbed their fifth win in the last six games behind impressive performances from John Wall (24p/7a) and Markieff Morris (23p/8r). As a team, the Wiz shot 53.8% from the field, while holding Charlotte to just 38.9%. Kemba was their top man with 21.

Spurs 112 (35-9), Nets 86 (9-35)

No Pau. No Tony. No Manu. No Kawhi. No problem for the Spurs. San Antonio cruised to their 35th win of the season, as seven players scored in double figures. Isaiah Whitehead led the Nets with 19 points off the bench.

Clippers 115 (30-16), Hawks 105 (26-19)

The Clips led by 18 at halftime, but Atlanta stayed with it, eventually cutting the deficit to 5 in the fourth quarter. But there was just too much Austin Rivers (27p) and Jamal Crawford (19p) to handle. Kent Bazemore dropped 25 for the Hawks.

Heat 105 (15-30), Warriors 102 (38-7)

In one of the games of the year, the Miami Heat handed the Golden State Warriors their 7th loss of the season. Dion Waiters scored 33 points for the second straight time and hit the game-winning three-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining:

.@dionwaiters3 FTW. pic.twitter.com/C2aVlN10GJ

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 24, 2017

Durant led Golden State with 27 points on 12/23 shooting, and had a highlight slam. Don’t look now, but Miami has won four in a row.

Kings 109 (17-27), Pistons 104 (21-25)

Boogie posted 22 points and 14 rebounds and the Kings snapped a five-game losing streak against Detroit. Ty Lawson provided a much-needed boost off the bench with 19 points and 6 assists on 7/11 shooting. For the Pistons, Reggie Jackson (18p/11a) and Andre Drummond (14p/12r) had double-doubles.

Bucks 127 (21-23), Rockets 114 (34-14)

The Greek Freak did it again. Giannis had 31 points on 11/17 from the field, including one ridiculous alley-oop from Jason Terry. Jabari Parker pitched in 28 as well. For Houston, Harden flirted with a triple-double (26p/12a/9r). The Milwaukee win snapped a five-game skid, while the Rockets have lost three of their last five.

Pelicans 124 (18-27), Cavaliers 122 (30-13)

This was a crazy one, to say the least. Kyrie Irving dropped 49 points. LeBron James had a triple-double (26p/12a/10r). Anthony Davis didn’t play. And the Pelicans still topped the Cavaliers. It was the Terrence Jones (36p/11r) and Jrue Holiday (33p/10a) show for New Orleans. Trailing by 20 at the half, Cleveland fought their way back, thanks in large part to Kyrie’s eruption:

How, @KyrieIrving?? pic.twitter.com/6kCd0Fs2ZS

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 24, 2017

But it still wasn’t enough to get the W. The Cavs have now lost back-to-back games.

Knicks 109 (20-26), Pacers 103 (22-22)

The Knicks were finally able to close out a tight game, beating the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. This one felt like it was going to be another New York heartbreaker, as Indiana erased a 17-point third quarter deficit and tied the game late. But Carmelo helped secure the W, scoring 26 points and hitting a big jumper with 23.4 seconds to break the tie. Paul George had 31 points in the loss. 

Thunder 97 (26-19), Jazz 95 (29-17)

Russell Westbrook did it all against the Jazz, notching his 22nd triple-double (38p/10a/10r) and hitting the game-winning jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining:

Russell. Westbrook. Game-winner. pic.twitter.com/82Bxg2AAh2

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 24, 2017

Russ also scored 11 of OKC’s final 13 points. His heroics helped halt a six-game winning streak for Utah.

The post Post Up: Heating Up appeared first on SLAM.

It was a tough loss in OT for the Cavs, who were torched for a career-high 41 points by Kawhi Leonard, as well as double-doubles from LaMarcus Aldridge and David Lee. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving dropped 29 points each, including this clutch bucket toward the end of regulation:

LeBron for the tie! pic.twitter.com/Sa6h7RirYy

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 22, 2017

Dejounte Murray stepped up n a big way for coach Popovich, scoring 14 points with six dimes, helping the Pau Gasol and Tony Parker-less Spurs pull off a significant W in Cleveland.

Jazz 109 (29-16), Pacers 100 (22-21)

George Hill and Gordon Hayward scored 30 and 27 points, respectively, as Utah cruised to their sixth straight victory. Thad Young, Jeff Teague, and Paul George scored 19 points apiece in the loss.

Rudy Gobert with 10 or more rebounds in 30 straight games only been done by 4 other players in 20 years #takenote

— David Locke (@DLocke09) January 22, 2017

Bulls 102 (22-23), Kings 99 (16-27)

It’s a shame for a neck-and-neck game to be decided by a phantom foul call, but here we are. With the game knotted up at 99, Dwyane Wade picked Garrett Temple’s pocket for a wide open look downcourt. Wade muffed the dunk, however, and was rewarded with a foul call on DeMarcus Cousins well after the fact. Take a look:

DeMarcus Cousins hit with a phantom foul call in a game-deciding possession…not exactly a shining moment for league officials. pic.twitter.com/KEK8QU5Jo7

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 22, 2017

Cousins dropped 42 points with 14 boards in an otherwise dominant showing, and Wade combined with Jimmy Butler for 53 points.

The bad call will overshadow Wade's two amazing steals in the last 30 seconds. He had Cousins perfectly sized up on that spinback.

— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) January 22, 2017

Nuggets 123 (18-24), Clippers 98 (29-16)

The Nuggets are reportedly shopping Jusuf Nurkic (12p, 5r), but he worked well with Nikola Jokic (19p, 10r) in this one. Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton scored 18 points each, as Denver now holds sole possession of the Western Conference eight-seed. Blake Griffin is close to returning, which will be a boon to the Clippers’ short-handed offense.

Kenneth Faried praised the crowd tonight. "I hope they realize we need them as much as they need us." #Nuggets

— Chris Dempsey (@chrisadempsey) January 22, 2017

Trail Blazers 127 (19-27), Celtics 123 (26-17)

C.J. McCollum and Isaiah Thomas went head-to-head at the TD Garden, as Thomas racked up 41 points on 14-28 shooting while McCollum dropped 35 points on 11-21 shooting. Terry Rozier ultimately helped Boston pull away with a 3-pointer at the end of regulation, but Meyers Leonard was the talk of Beantown; putting Jordan Mickey on a poster TWICE in the first half.

Meyers Leonard yammed on Jordan Mickey TWICE earlier tonight pic.twitter.com/qWSOa63mUN

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 22, 2017

Pistons 113 (21-24), Wizards 112 (23-20)

In a battle of the Morris brothers, Marcus scored 25 points with 11 boards, including the game-winning tip-in.

Marcus Morris FTW! pic.twitter.com/mDLUov6aOY

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 22, 2017

Markieff Morris scored 29 points with nine rebounds and John Wall added 19 point with 10 dimes. Following the game, Marcus addressed the apparent no-call in the game’s final possession.

“I grabbed him, put my hand on his shoulder and got him back because he blocked my shot the play before that,” Marcus Morris said of Markieff. “I knew that was him (standing there). You can’t make that call at the end of the game.”

Hornets 112 (23-21), Nets 105 (9-34)

The Nets weren’t able to capitalize on the momentum of their 143-114 win over the Pelicans, coming back down to earth in Saturday’s loss against Charlotte. Now on his second 10-day contract, Quincy Acy continued to show he belongs, netting 14 points with four boards. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led Charlotte’s scoring, netting 17 points with 14 rebounds, while Nic Batum and Kemba Walker added 16 points each.

Hawks 110 (26-18), 76ers 93 (15-27)

Despite early highlights from T.J. McConnell and Nik Stauskas, the Joel Embiid-less 76ers were outgunned by Paul Millsap (22p, 10r) and the Hawks. After the game, Dwight Howard took an opportunity to predict the outcome of tomorrow’s game between the Falcons/Packers.

Dwight Howard gives his Superbowl prediction pic.twitter.com/pddqFWKuni

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 22, 2017

Suns 107 (14-29), Knicks 105 (19-26)

The Knicks have reached their nadir, getting outclassed by the Suns at MSG. Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe scored 26 and 23 points, respectively, and former Knick Tyson Chandler dominated the paint with 16 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony’s attempt at a game-winning trey rolled in and out, however, resulting in the latest of the Knicks’ recent frustrating losses. Chatter of a potential Carmelo Anthony trade will continue around the league, particular after his recent interview with Newsday:

“I think it will be more on the front office,” Anthony said. “I have the power, but still I would talk to them. We would be in communication if they feel like they want to go in a different direction, they want to start rebuilding for the future. If they tell me they want to scrap this whole thing, yeah, I have to consider it.”

Heat 109 (14-30), Bucks 97 (20-23)

Dion Waiters matched his previous career-high with 33 points and Goran Dragic added 25, handing Milwaukee their fifth-straight loss. The Bucks held a closed-door meeting after their loss to the Magic on Friday, resulting in Jabari Parker being held out of the starting lineup Saturday.

Jabari Parker said he spoke up in team meeting for first time and "was getting thrashed." But said at least he gave his perspective.

— cfgardner (@cf_gardner) January 21, 2017

Jason Kidd’s squad will look to turn things around against the Rockets on Monday.

Rockets 119 (34-13), Grizzlies 95 (26-20)

James Harden had plenty of help from his supporting cast Saturday, as Sam Dekker dropped 30 points on 12-19 shooting and Eric Gordon added 21. Marc Gasol scored a game-high 32 points but Mike Conley went shot just 35% from the field in the loss. Memphis will have plenty of time off before their match-up with Toronto on Wednesday.

Corey Brewer dunks right over Vince Carter on the fast break. #rockets50 pic.twitter.com/0VAZOy0xLI

— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 22, 2017

The post Post Up: Controversy in Chicago appeared first on SLAM.

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The post The SLAM Podcast Episode 30: SLAM 204 With Editor-In-Chief Adam Figman appeared first on SLAM.

VC is followed by Manu Ginobili, Jason Terry, Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki as the oldest players in the NBA this season.

These old men: Carter, near 40, leads NBA's elder statesmen (from @AP) https://t.co/UknHqcbc2Y

— Brian Mahoney (@briancmahoney) November 30, 2016

These vets have learned to compensate for their vastly reduced athleticism.

Per the AP:

“That’s how I was able to stay around this long, is just, I learned the game,” Carter said. “Not being able to play. Everybody can play basketball, but learning the ins and outs of the game is what has kept me around.”

 

Carter acknowledges tiring of the endless “play the right way” mantra preached at Chapel Hill, but now he lives it. He can’t just jump over players like he did to Frederic Weis in the 2000 Olympics , though he quickly earned the trust of first-time coach David Fizdale, who had Carter on the floor defending 21-year-old Andrew Wiggins to spark the Grizzlies’ comeback victory over Minnesota in their season opener.

 

And how many more (seasons) after this? […] “I don’t know yet,” he said. “I’m still flying. It’s not time yet.”

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The post Vince Carter: ‘I’m Still Flying’ appeared first on SLAM.

Tyronn Lue and Smith chatted about his actions during and after the Cavs’ loss in Milwaukee.

Lue talked to J.R. Smith about his 'embarrassing moment'; J.R. said he pleaded ignorance to avoid being 'boring' https://t.co/lveS8hbeBo

— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) November 30, 2016

Lue also chided J.R. about wearing a ski mask during his postgame interview.

Per the NEOMG:

“Me and J.R. talked about it,” Lue said after practice Thursday, which followed what was Cleveland’s worst loss of the season, a 118-101 downer in Milwaukee. “We’re just going to move forward. We had a discussion about it, he felt embarrassed about it, it was an embarrassing play. We talked about it. We’re moving on.”

 

Even more bizarre, after the game Smith said “I didn’t even know I was in the game. My bad.” […] On Thursday, Lue said “I talked to him about that also. There’s no need for that. Just address the media in the right way, move on.”

 

Smith, who met with the team’s beat reporters after receiving treatment Thursday, explained: “I said it more in a joking manner because you can see what happened, obviously I wasn’t paying attention. For me to just sit there and tell you I wasn’t paying attention makes it plain and boring somewhat, especially when you’re asking a question you already know the answer to,” Smith said. “But at the same time, I still have to give that boring answer, for whatever reason.”

Related
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The post Tyronn Lue Spoke to J.R. Smith About His ‘Embarrassing Play’ appeared first on SLAM.

Check it above.

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Smith, who allowed a dunk by dapping up Bucks guard Jason Terry instead of playing defense, claims that he didn’t even know he was in the game (a 118-101 road loss for the Cavs.)

Ladies and gentlemen, J.R. Smith pic.twitter.com/SXFjZv8z6A

— Jason Lloyd (@JasonLloydABJ) November 30, 2016

J.R. Smith's "alter ego" likes ski masks pic.twitter.com/qt3uQiUk1g

— Jason Lloyd (@JasonLloydABJ) November 30, 2016

J.R. is mired in an ugly shooting slump, hitting just 3 of 29 shot attempts in the last three games (including 3-for-24 from three-point land.)

Per the Akron Beacon Journal:

Smith obviously knew he screwed up and didn’t want to talk about it. Fine. But he somehow managed to bring even more attention to an already attention-worthy gaffe. The video is better than anything I can write about it.

 

Why was he wearing a ski mask? Good question. […] J.R. Smith folks, a national treasure.

 

Tyronn Lue hadn’t seen the play yet, but didn’t seem nearly as amused by it. It’s the type of play and reaction Smith would get crushed for on a losing team, but since the Cavs are winning, it’s dismissed as J.R. being J.R.

Related
WATCH: Jason Terry Distracts J.R. Smith Mid-Play

The post J.R. Smith Wears Ski Mask During Postgame Interview appeared first on SLAM.

In the defining win of Brooklyn’s 2016-17 season, the Nets snapped an eight-game skid with a double-overtime win. Chris Paul posted a triple-double for L.A., but 26-year-old Sean Kilpatrick stole the show at the Barclays Center; tallying a career-high 38 points with 14 boards. Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford hit clutch shots to prolong the game, but Kilpatrick’s 3-point play at the end of double-OT sealed the W for Brooklyn. Doc Rivers watched the final quarter from the locker room, having been ejected in the first overtime period.

Doc Rivers may have been mad here. Hard to tell. pic.twitter.com/qefaBO7Gpz

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 30, 2016

Bucks 118 (8-8), Cavaliers 101 (13-3)

Where to even start with tonight’s game? The defending NBA champs entered Milwaukee as -330 favorites only to be dismantled by Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. LeBron James scored 22 points but committed seven turnovers, while Kevin Love notched a double-double on just 3-of-10 shooting. Cleveland’s bench (eight reserves all scoring in single-digits) wasn’t able to bail out a pedestrian effort from the starting five.

34 points, 12 boards, five dimes, five steals, and a pair of blocks in @Bucks' 118-101 win over Cleveland. Have a night, @Giannis_An34! pic.twitter.com/a5nhVUAHN0

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2016

On top of the Greek Freak’s monstrous stat line, the Bucks received a memorable highlight from Jason Terry, who (incomprehensibly) was able to distract J.R. Smith mid-play and cause an open look for Tony Snell. The win is a momentum boost for Jason Kidd’s squad, who have now won three of their last four.

https://vine.co/v/5UeaMQlmQmB

Magic 95 (7-11), Spurs 83 (14-4)

All of Gregg Popovich’s regulars played, but the sub-.500 Magic were able to pull off an upset on the road. Nikola Vucevic double-doubled and Serge Ibaka contributed a stellar line (18 points, seven boards, two assists with two dimes). The win is encouraging, but Orlando’s offense is still a work in progress. D.J. Augustin and Elfrid Payton are an underwhelming tandem at the 1, while former #5 pick Mario Hezonja has yet to earn a rotation role.

After committing a season-high 18 turnovers against Orlando, the Spurs will look to regroup tomorrow night against the Mavericks.

Pelicans 105 (7-12), Lakers 88 (9-10)

The Lakers were dealt a substantial blow early on when Nick Young departed with an Achilles’ tendon strain. Swaggy P collided with Pels guard Tim Frazier and had to be escorted off the court. L.A.’s remaining offensive weapons shot just 5-of-30 from downtime, taking a lopsided loss to Anthony Davis (41 points, 16 boards, four steals, two blocks) and the Pelicans. AD has exceeded 30 points in 10 of his last 12 games, doing his best to keep NOLA relevant within the Western Conference playoff picture.

Anthony Davis has his 3rd game with 40+ Pts and 15+ Reb this season.

The rest of the NBA has zero. pic.twitter.com/Bp7okV5LDa

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 30, 2016

Pistons 112 (9-10), Hornets 89 (10-8)

The Hornets have played four games in the last five days, and it showed in tonight’s match-up with Detroit. Tobias Harris tallied 24 points in the winning effort, while Marcus Morris and KCP scored 18 each. Kemba Walker was on his game (23 points, four dimes), but Frank Kaminsky and Nicolas Batum shot a combined 4-of-22 from the field…yikes. Charlotte will receive a much-needed day off before facing Dallas on Friday.

Jazz 120 (11-8), Rockets 101 (11-7)

They’re still missing Derrick Favors, but the Jazz are a drastically improved team with Gordon Hayward (31 points, 12-13 FT) and George Hill (+17 Plus Minus) on the floor. Rudy Gobert was in peak form (double-double with three blocks), stifling any chance of a Houston W. James Harden (26 points on 8-of-23 shooting) and the Rockets will next face Golden State on Thursday.

The post Post Up: Upset Alert appeared first on SLAM.

Well, this isn’t one of J.R. Smith’s finer moments. Jason Terry offered bait to J.R.- extending a warm hug to an old friend- and tricked J.R. into his leaving his man wide open. Tony Snell capitalized on the moment with a wide open look. As you might expect, Twitter is having a field day with this low-light:

https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/803784344741494784

https://twitter.com/HotNewHipHop/status/803784785416114176

Jet the vet. #OwnTheFuture https://t.co/kEjfyAwrwz

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 30, 2016

The post WATCH: Jason Terry Distracts J.R. Smith Mid-Play appeared first on SLAM.

But for that Arizona group, as with many college basketball champions, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. They accomplished something that no other team in the history of college basketball had ever done before or since, and they were defined as much by how they were assembled, how they came together as a team and how they defied the odds.

Heading into the ’96-97 season, the Arizona program had big shoes to fill. They’d lost four upperclassmen from the previous season, including the team’s leading scorer, big man Joseph Blair. Transfer Ben Davis, the team’s second leading scorer and leading rebounder, was gone, too. Point guard Reggie Geary, a former high school teammate of Simon, had led the team in assists, blocks and steals—he and Davis were First-Team All-Pac 10 players. In the ’96 Draft, thought by some to be the best class ever, Blair went 35th overall to the Sonics, Davis went 43rd to the Suns and Geary went 56th to the Cavs.

The Wildcats were a young, inexperienced team from the start. But Olson’s strategy of recruiting solid team players who’d won a lot of games in high school would prove successful. He added Bibby, a McDonald’s All-American fresh off a state title, to the combo of Simon (junior team captain) and sophomore Jason Terry—both of whom also won state titles in high school.

When Bibby arrived on campus, he oozed confidence and brought a fearless demeanor to the locker room that was instantly contagious.

“Mike Bibby brought that swag to our team because when he came in, he got the standard issued team shoe and right away he was like, ‘Ahh, nah. I ain’t wearin’ these,’” remembers Terry of his introduction to the brash freshman. “He immediately went to the store on campus and bought a pair of Jordans. Then everybody followed and wanted the hottest shoe out. Mike Bibby spearheaded that shoe movement.”

Arizona began the season with two-year starter and co-captain Simon on academic suspension, and its first opponent was the highly ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. Without Miles, the Wildcats beat UNC, 83-74.

“The win against North Carolina was a big win,” Bibby recalls. “They had Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Ed Cota and Shammond Williams. Coming in, we just wanted to do good and no one expected us to beat North Carolina, but we took care of business in that first game and that catapulted us all.”

“It was just crazy,” adds then-sophomore AJ Bramlett. “The dynamics, when Miles came back, obviously there was an adjustment period. Mike [Dickerson] had to change his game a little bit, and Miles re-establishing himself with the team—that’s when we went on a little bit of a rocky ride through the Pac-10. We lost a lot of games in the Pac-10, but the conference was rough.”

Miles’ return also meant taking time away from Terry. “I knew someone had to sacrifice and I knew my game was versatile,” JET says now. “I knew I could start, but I welcomed the challenge to come off the bench. Lute told me my minutes wouldn’t go down, so when he asked if it was something I was willing to do for the sake of the team, I told him yes.”

The unsung hero of the 1997 championship team was a walk-on freshman named Josh Pastner. After graduating high school, Pastner wrote over 1,000 hand-written letters to college coaches of all levels to say he could help their program by watching film with players and working them out. Only one wrote back: Olson.

As Bramlett explains, “Josh would open the gym at midnight or 1:30 in the morning. He was willing to do anything we needed to do to improve. He was always our positive, emotional leader. He believed in us from day one and when we were struggling, he picked us up. He was dedicated to our squad and was learning from Coach Olson. That was the start of his coaching career.”

Pastner, of course, later became an assistant at Arizona before getting a head coaching job at Memphis. He’s now the head coach at Georgia Tech. “We were playing pickup ball late at night and I brought the guys together and said, We’re going to win the National Championship this year,” says Pastner. “We had all these great players and I really believed we’d win the Championship. I was a walk-on. I had no clue—I just believed it.”

Despite having a super talented roster that season, Arizona would finish with just an 11-7 conference record, good for fifth place in a stacked Pac-10. UCLA, Stanford, USC and Cal all finished with a better record than the Wildcats in conference play. (Save for USC, all of the aforementioned teams made it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament that season.)

The ’Cats entered the 1997 NCAA Tournament as a 4-seed in a tough Southeast region. Their first game would be against 13-seed South Alabama, where they escaped with just an 8-point victory, 65-57. In the round of 32, they’d face the 12-seed College of Charleston, a school that came in riding a 23-game winning streak. Led by senior Anthony Johnson, who would go on to play 15 seasons in the NBA, the Cougars had just upset the Gary Williams-coached Maryland Terrapins.

Simon stepped up, dropping 20 points, while Bibby added 18 and Arizona narrowly escaped an upset, winning 73-69. With that victory, Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 to face the No. 1 overall seed, Kansas. The Jayhawks had only lost one game all season, to Missouri, and had a roster littered with future NBA players, including All-American Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Jacque Vaughn and Scot Pollard.

Against Kansas, Arizona’s stars shined. Bibby poured in 21, Dickerson had 20, Simon finished with 17 and Bramlett added 12 points and 12 boards en route to an 85-82 upset that shocked the college basketball world, sending the Wildcats to an Elite Eight matchup with Providence.

The 10-seed Friars, despite having future NBAers Austin Croshere and God Shammgod, were considered a Cinderella story after beating No. 2-seed Duke. Providence pushed Arizona to overtime, but without an answer for Simon (30 points) or anyone else (five other ’Cats scored in double figures), the clock struck midnight. All of a sudden, these unexpected Wildcats had reached the Final Four. There, they were met with a rematch of the season opener against the No. 1 seed from the East: North Carolina.

UNC had its same chock-full-of-talent team. They’d just spanked legendary coach Denny Crum’s No. 6-seed Louisville Cardinals by 23 in the Elite Eight, and the Tar Heels were led by one of the greatest coaches ever in Dean Smith.

Carolina studs Carter and Jamison combined for 37 points, but even that performance couldn’t overcome a poor shooting night by the rest of the team, as Bibby and Simon again led the ’Cats to victory, 66-58, knocking off their second No. 1 seed in the tourney to advance to the title game.

Their opponent? Another No. 1- seed. This time, the defending champion Kentucky Wildcats, coached by Rick Pitino. Heading into the Championship game, there was a ton of buzz around Arizona’s run, but Kentucky was still the favorite, looking to repeat. UK had won it all the year before with Antoine Walker, Tony Delk and Walter McCarty. Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach in his own right, was one game away from his second ring behind the likes of future NBA talent Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, Scott Padgett, Nazr Mohammed and Jamaal Magloire.

Prior to 1997, the last five NCAA champions had been No. 1 seeds, and Kentucky looked poised to take it again, rolling into the title game with a 35-4 overall record. No one had given them much of a test in the Tournament, either.

The title game between Kentucky and Arizona, played on March 31, 1997 in Indianapolis, lived up to its epic expectations. It was 18-lead-changes-in-the-game type good. Two teams peaking at the same time in the biggest game of the players’ lives. A heavyweight fight to crown a champion.

After 40 minutes of battling, the teams were square at 74. In the overtime period, Arizona outscored Kentucky 10-5. Curiously, all 10 of the Wildcats’ points came on free throws. Simon had a huge title game, again dropping 30 points, and was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

The cutting of the nets at the National Championship capped off Arizona’s incredible NCAA Tournament run, which included wins over three powerhouse teams stacked with future pros.

With a rare chemistry, toughness, fearlessness and resilience, Coach Olson’s team embraced the role of the underdog during that ’97 Tournament, becoming the only team in NCAA history to beat three No. 1 seeds en route to a chip.

“One guy called us the Cardiac ’Cats because we were always trailing in the second half,” Terry says of the ’97 title team. “But we were able to withstand that and come away with victories when our backs were against the wall. We were together as a group. We’re brothers.”

“Our chemistry was the biggest thing,” Bibby says. “Everybody got along. There were no riffs. Everybody’s goal on the team was to win. That overruled everything. We got hot at the right time and everyone complemented each other so well on the court.”

In the post-game press conference after the final game, Olson said, “I’m very proud of the toughness of this group that no one thought should be here, no one thought could do it. Three No. 1 seeds went down. This is one tough, young group of ’Cats.”

Says Pastner, “I love those guys. Those guys are my best friends. That whole team, I just love those guys. I would do anything for them.”

“It was so special to do it for Lute Olson. It solidified his legacy, because he’s an all-time great,” says Simon. “It’s still unimaginable because it was such an amazing run. It was so much fun to do it with great people, coaches, teammates and some of the best college basketball fans. For how much of an underdog we were the whole tournament, it’s amazing and we take so much pride in it.”

—

Photos courtesy of: Arizona Athletics, Allsport

The post Young Kings appeared first on SLAM.

But not to worry, the All-Star and Olympic gold medalist wasn’t the slightest bit fazed by The Jet’s comments.

Per SiriusXM NBA Radio:

“I honestly don’t even know what that means. Whatever Jason wants to call me… I’ll be a B-Side player on my way to compete for championships. It’s okay with me. I don’t even know what that means, man…And Kawhi Leonard a B-Side Player? He was a Finals MVP. One of the best two-way players in the game.”

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The post Klay Thompson Not Fazed By Jason Terry’s ‘B-Side Player’ Designation appeared first on SLAM.

In 29 minutes of play, Harden dropped 16 points and dished out 10 dimes to lead the Rockets to a 131-94 win. “I was just trying to make the right passes,” Harden told ESPN after the game. “I wasn’t trying to make the highlight plays. My teammates did a good job of cutting and knocking down shots. We’re trying to get familiar with each other and I’m sure we will.”

Peep the highlights above.

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The post WATCH: James Harden Goes For 16 and 10 Against Shanghai Sharks appeared first on SLAM.

Terry gives the nod to former teammate James Harden.

Terry claims that Thompson—a two-way stud—is rendered ineffective if his jumper isn’t falling.

Per SiriusXM NBA Radio (via Def Pen):

“He’s not leading s***,” Terry said of Klay Thompson. “If he doesn’t make shots, how effective is he? Go watch Klay Thompson vs. James Harden from last year and see what James did to him. Every time James got by him, you know who was there? Draymond Green or Andrew Bogut.

 

“Let’s see what happens this time around”.

 

Terry confidently believes his former teammate in Houston, James Harden, is the league’s best shooting guard. He favors Harden due to his all-around game, and clarified that Klay Thompson is still a good player despite not being at Harden’s level. […] “I’m not a Klay Thompson hater”, Terry clarified, praising his shooting and his family. “It’s just when you put him up against James Harden, there’s no comparison.”

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The post Jason Terry: James Harden is Better Than Klay Thompson appeared first on SLAM.

Terry says he respects Walton for being up-front with him.

Per SiriusXM NBA Radio (via Lakers Nation):

“I called my good friend Luke [Walton],” Terry said. “I told him if he needed any help- veteran leadership, in that capacity, with an ability to coach at the end of my deal, then that was something I would be looking forward to. He utterly declined, and I respect him for that.”

The 38-year-old guard landed in Milwaukee, and wants to provide the young Bucks with veteran leadership.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

Terry believes his 17 years in the NBA will translate into a mentoring role with the young Bucks seeking a bounce-back season in 2016-’17.

 

“I think it’s very important,” Terry said in an interview after signing a one-year deal to rejoin former Dallas Mavericks teammate Jason Kidd, entering his third season as the Bucks coach. […] If you look at all playoff and championship teams, they have solid veteran guys to steer the ship. There are going to be times during the season when the coach’s voice, some of the young guys get tired of hearing it. That’s when the veteran leadership steps in and says, ‘No, we’re not going to go away from the ship. We’re going to continue to follow the right direction.’”

 

It will help that Terry and Kidd have such a close relationship. They played together on the 2011 Mavericks team that won the NBA championship, and Terry was on the Nets roster in Brooklyn during Kidd’s first year as a pro coach in 2013-’14. […] “I just knew if I had an opportunity to either play again for him or coach with him, I would take it,” Terry said.

The post Jason Terry Says the Lakers Turned Him Down appeared first on SLAM.

Terry, 38, spent the past two seasons in Houston.

And a link to the latest on the Milwaukee @Bucks' pursuit of veteran sharpshooter @jasonterry31 –> https://t.co/kkPsu8k1wp

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 19, 2016

The Bucks would be looking to Terry to provide leadership to their young roster.

Per ESPN:

Terry is a former NBA Sixth Man Award winner (2009) who won an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2010-11 season alongside Bucks coach Jason Kidd, then the Mavericks’ starting point guard.

 

Selected No. 10 overall in the 1999 draft, Terry has played for ‎five teams in his 17 seasons — Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, Brooklyn and Houston — and ranks third all time in the NBA in 3-pointers made, behind only Ray Allen and Reggie Miller.

The post Report: Jason Terry Close to a Deal With Milwaukee appeared first on SLAM.

While on Jason Terry’s new SiriusXM NBA Radio show, The Runway, Harden said “there’s no answer” as to why he wasn’t named one of the top-15 players this season.

“It wasn’t a good year. I guess the media is looking at it like the Rockets are coming off the Western Conference finals and they’re fighting for the 8th seed. Well, we’re still in the Playoffs.”

 

[…]

 

“Those numbers are… I don’t even know who’s doing those numbers. And that’s an issue right there. That’s extra motivation for me to come back and be a better basketball player overall.”

Indeed, the Rockets were one of the biggest disappointments in the League, starting the season 5-10 and barely squeaking into the postseason.

Despite all the negative press surrounding the team, Harden put together perhaps the best individual offensive season of any player. Playing all 82 games, The Beard averaged 29 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists—numbers which haven’t been matched since LeBron James in 2010.

Harden said he’s not sweating the slight by the media, though. He’ll be using it as motivation this summer as he prepares for next season.

The post James Harden on All-NBA Snub: ‘That’s Extra Motivation’ appeared first on SLAM.

OFFICIAL: #Rockets name Mike D’Antoni as Head Coach.

Press Release » https://t.co/qTOQRroHBI pic.twitter.com/RtD5HJvH47

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) June 1, 2016

MDA gets a deal roughly $15 mil. https://t.co/KucsokRNPp

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) June 2, 2016

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander took exception to criticism of the hiring.

Harden also addressed the recruitment of Kevin Durant, the top free agent this summer.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

“I’m excited,” Harden said on Sirius XM on Wednesday. “I’m excited about the opportunity. I’ve been hearing great things about him, what he brings to our team. Obviously, our assistant coaches (Jeff Bzdelik and Roy Rogers) as well. A new beginning and I’m excited about the opportunity.

 

“I’m excited about what D’Antoni brings to our team. Bzdelik is a great defensive-minded coach coming from Memphis who is going to help our defensive schemes. Then the players we’re going to get, it’s set up as a great season for our team next year.”

 

Harden was ninth in the MVP voting this season after finishing as the runner-up in 2014-15. He was not on any of the All NBA teams, prompting (Jason) Terry to read Harden’s statistics and calling Harden’s exclusion “a travesty.” Harden averaged 29 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season. […] “That’s something I’ve been thinking about,” Harden said. “It wasn’t a good year. I guess the media was looking at it like the Rockets are coming off the Western Conference Finals and fighting for the eighth seed. We’re still in the playoffs. With all the things that happened this year, all the negativity, we still had an opportunity to make the playoffs. That’s extra motivation for me to come back and be a better basketball player overall. I’m not down on myself. I know what I bring to the table. That’s another reason why I’m more excited about what we have next year as far as coaching plans and players we have coming in. More motivation for me. I want to get back in the gym, better myself and everything will work itself out.”

The post James Harden Excited to Play for Mike D’Antoni appeared first on SLAM.

The big guy appears to be on his way out of Houston—Dwight says he approached team management about having a bigger role in the offense this season, and was quickly shot down.

.@jasonterry31 confirms Rockets players knew Daryl Morey told Dwight Howard he wouldn't be as involved this season.https://t.co/8cXFLa7Qta

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 19, 2016

Howard vows to no longer let frustration get in the way of his game.

Per ESPN:

The 32-year-old center has seen his public image and reputation sour in the back half of his 12-year career. Now, with an opportunity to opt out of the $23.2 million final year of his contract with the Houston Rockets looming on July 1, he says he is looking to turn the page.

 

You mentioned your season in Houston didn’t end the way you wanted. You have also admitted you were “disinterested” during parts of the year. Why was that?

 

Howard: “There were times I was disinterested because of situations that happened behind the scenes that really hurt me. It left me thinking, ‘This is not what I signed up for.'”

 

What specifically are you referring to?

 

Howard: “I felt like my role was being reduced. I went to [Rockets general manager] Daryl [Morey] and said, ‘I want to be more involved.’ Daryl said, ‘No, we don’t want you to be.’ My response was, ‘Why not? Why am I here?’ It was shocking to me that it came from him instead of our coach. So I said to him, ‘No disrespect to what you do, but you’ve never played the game. I’ve been in this game a long time. I know what it takes to be effective.'”

The post Dwight Howard Asked Houston’s GM: ‘Why Am I Here?’ appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum says the Dubs get the benefit of the doubt from the refs when they set “illegal screens”, which he argues they do quite often.

Are Warriors setting illegal screens? Terry Stotts smiled. "There's a little movement. I think Andrew (Bogut) would admit that," Stotts said

— Jason Quick (@jwquick) May 4, 2016

Golden State won 110-99 Tuesday night, and they’re taking a 2-0 series lead to Portland for Game 3 Saturday night.

Per CSNNW:

“They set a lot of illegal screens,’’ Blazers guard CJ McCollum said Tuesday at the team’s shootaround at The Olympic Club. “They are moving and stuff. That’s the respect you get when you are champions, you get a lot more respect from the referees. You have to figure out a way to get around those screens and make it difficult.’’

 

McCollum was the primary defender against Thompson, who scored 37 points for the Warriors in their 118-106 Game 1 victory. […] After Game 1, Portland coach Terry Stotts said he would likely change his game plan, and one of the areas he would first evaluate was the team’s defense on Thompson.

 

McCollum said part of the battle in guarding Thompson is fighting through the repeated screens and pin downs set to free up Thompson. McCollum said he counted 16 pin downs in Game 1. [-…] “Overall, I did a decent job,’’ McCollum said. “I felt like all his shots were contested — they weren’t all well contested — but he was guarded on all of his shots. But I felt like he was too comfortable. He did whatever he wanted to do,’’ McCollum said. “I have to be there on the catch and make him do some different things.’’

Related
Draymond Green: ‘I Don’t Think I Set Illegal Screens’

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Klay Thompson splashed in seven three-pointers, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 114-81 romp Wednesday night, and thus completing a gentleman’s sweep of the Houston Rockets.

Dwight Howard had eight points on 3-for-13 shooting and 21 rebounds in Game 5, and is likely headed elsewhere this summer.

Per the AP:

“None of us can do it alone,” Thompson insisted hours earlier. […] He sure got things started, scoring 27 points with seven 3-pointers as the Warriors rolled into the second round of the playoffs without their injured superstar, thoroughly embarrassing the Houston Rockets 114-81 on Wednesday night in Game 5.

 

Draymond Green added 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors, who will face the winner of the Clippers-Trail Blazers series. Portland leads 3-2. […] “Everybody, they think Steph (Curry) goes down and the entire series changes. But we thought otherwise,” Green said.

 

James Harden scored 25 of Houston’s 37 first-half points on the way to 35 points, but the Rockets had no chance with a one-man show against the deep defending champions. […] “The season, from the beginning, wasn’t going our way. Just had too many distractions,” Harden said. “It’s just been like a bumpy road this entire season.”

The post WATCH: Klay Thompson and the Warriors Eliminate Houston appeared first on SLAM.

The veteran guard took it a step further, joking that he’ll get the Larry O’Brien Trophy tattooed on his body should the Rockets improbably win the title this year.

Jet Terry guarantees Rockets win. "I'm guaranteeing it. If i don't, then what? It's a loss. I believe in my group. we can get a win here."

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 26, 2016

Jason Terry: "That's going to be a long flight for them to come back … to Houston."

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 26, 2016

The defending champs will be without MVP Stephen Curry, who is expected to miss at least two weeks with a knee sprain.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

“They’re going to make runs,” Rockets guard James Harden said. “It’s the crazy ones. That third quarter last game was pretty crazy. Just limit it. Bounce back from their runs and make our own runs. If we can just do that and limit our turnovers and giving them extra opportunities, we’ll put ourselves in a really good position to win the game.” […] The Rockets, who trail the series 3-1, have not shown an ability to handle the Warriors at their best. The Rockets got their one win last season, in Game 4, when they dominated early. They got their win this season, in Game 3 last week, when they rushed to a 17-point lead and held on. In Oracle Arena, however, the Warriors have floored the Rockets when they got on a roll the Rockets did not have the fortitude or discipline to slow until the games were blowouts.

 

Stunned by their collapse Sunday, the Rockets seemed to have rebuilt their confidence. They would have to win three games against a team that has not lost consecutive games all season and would have to win as often in Oracle as 41 visiting teams did combined this season. But the Rockets chose to view Sunday’s first half as an indication of what is possible, as opposed to lamenting what happened in the second half.

 

“We have a great opportunity in front of us to do something special,” center Dwight Howard said. “The series is not over with. That’s why it’s a seven-game series. We understand that. We’re in a position we have to fight for our lives. I think we’re going to come together, do whatever we have to do to get this win.”

The post Jason Terry Guarantees Houston Will Beat Warriors in Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

Harden lit up the Timberwolves for 34 points, while Howard added 19 points and eight rebounds.

Houston came into the tilt in ninth place in the Western Conference Playoff chase.

Per the AP:

Harden made 12 of 21 shots in three quarters, Trevor Ariza scored 21 points and the Rockets made 15 of 30 3-pointers. […] Houston (40-41) entered the game in ninth place in the Western Conference and could have been eliminated with a loss and a win by the Utah Jazz over Dallas.

 

“It was important for us,” Harden said. “This is our playoff opportunity. We want to come out this entire game and just put the pressure on from the beginning of the game. We got out to a big jump and just rode that wave the whole game.”

 

The Mavericks beat the Jazz later on Monday night. If the Rockets beat the Kings at home on Wednesday in the season finale, they will be in the playoffs. […] “See you in Golden State,” Rockets veteran Jason Terry said as he left Target Center, referring to a potential 1-8 matchup with the Warriors.

The post WATCH: James Harden Drops 34 Points on Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

A season-high 35 points from Nikola Vucevic and a couple of throw downs courtesy of Aaron Gordon (11 points, 11 rebounds) carried the Orlando Magic to victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

Ish Smith led the 76ers with 22 points, and Nerlens Noel added a 16-point, 11-board double-double in the loss. Although, those two guys did connect for a cool play at one point…

Wizards 109 (22-34), Pelicans 89 (22-34)

John Wall finished with 16 points, 11 assists and 12 boards to lead the Washington Wizards past the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Check the footage up top…

The Wiz led by as many as 23 points and scored 50 in the paint, as opposed to only 30 from the Pels. Marcin Gortat added in a 21-point, 11-board double-double in the win, as Washington held Anthony Davis to a mere 9 points just days after he dropped 59.

Kings 114 (24-31), Nuggets 110 (22-35)

This one came down to the wire, as the final score suggests, despite the Kings leading by 17 earlier in the game. DeMarcus Cousins finished with 39 points and 9 rebounds, and Rudy Gay added a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double in the win. Eight of the Nuggets finished in double-figures during this Tuesday night game, including 18 points from Dunk Contest participant Will Barton…but that wasn’t enough to stop Cousins and the Kings.

Jazz 117 (28-28), Rockets 114 (28-29) OT

James Harden’s 42 points on the road Tuesday night were not enough to take a win away from the Utah Jazz. Gordon Hayward dropped 28 points for his home team’s overtime win against the visiting Houston Rockets. The Jazz led by as many as 11 during the game, but as the fourth quarter winded down, Jason Terry hit a three-pointer to tie things up and eventually take the game to OT. But the Jazz took care of business in that extra period to move into the eighth spot (half a game ahead of the Rockets, actually) in the Western Conference standings.

Trail Blazers 112 (30-27), Nets 104 (15-42)

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum both scored 34 points to carry their Portland Trail Blazers to victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets. A 36-point, 10-rebound double-double from Brook Lopez wasn’t enough to quiet Portland, who is now on a nice six game winning streak.

The post Post Up: Wall Star appeared first on SLAM.

Bickerstaff says his team (27-28) is “broken”.

Jason Terry was even more unguarded, accusing the Rockets of a total lack of chemistry.

Jason Terry walks through the media room on way to the locker room. "No chemistry with that group. F****** horrible." #CSNBlazers #ripcity

— Eric Ringering (@ringering45) February 11, 2016

Per the Houston Chronicle:

They fell to 27-28 and to ninth in the Western Conference, closer to the bottom four teams than the top four that they had once assumed would include them. Save a few misleading stretches on Wednesday, they had spent the night bouncing from disinterested to disillusioned, playing like strangers or worse. […] When they were through, the Rockets could no longer cling to the memory of what they once were or expected to be. They faced what they had become with center Dwight Howard and guard James Harden meeting with Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff and general manager Daryl Morey long into the night.

 

Morey would not comment about those talks, but Bickerstaff had already summed what had become of his team. […] “We’re broken,” Bickerstaff said he told his players in an unusually long session after the game. “Right now, we’re a broken team. We all can use this break to figure out how we’re going to impact change. If we don’t want to impact change, we need to be made aware of that, too, and we’ll go in a different direction. We can’t continue to go out and play this way. It’s easy to see. It’s a fragmented bunch. You can’t win that way.”

 

“If you look at it, the chemistry is not like you would like it,” Terry said. “Hopefully, the break will be what we need to away from each other. I’ve seen worse. […] Genuinely, do we like to play with each other? That’s as simple as I can get it. If you can’t get five guys on the court at one time to function as a unit, you’re not going to have success.”

The post J.B. Bickerstaff Says the Rockets are a ‘Broken Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

Head coach Terry Stotts mistakenly left McCollum on the inactive list prior to the game, and by the time he noticed, it was too late.

The Clippers pushed for McCollum to suit up …

I believe the Clippers fought the Blazers correction and won. As a result, CJ McCollum, Portland's second leading scorer, can not play

— Jason Quick (@jwquick) January 7, 2016

… but didn’t seem too broken up after getting the W …

CJ McCollum and Doc Rivers postgame pic.twitter.com/kUE2bCtgbD

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) January 7, 2016

From the team website:

Trail Blazers starting guard CJ McCollum due to what the team is calling a “clerical error” was left off the active list for Wednesday night’s 109-98 loss to the Clippers. Each team is responsible to list the 13 of their 15 players who will be active for the upcoming game roughly 60 minutes before the game is schedule to start. The list is usually delivered by a designated member of the basketball staff, which is hand delivered to each coach, who then signs off on the list for that particular game.

 

But somehow, McCollum was left off the active list in place of rookie Luis Montero. Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts signed off on the roster after which it was delivered to the official scorer, with Clippers head coach Doc Rivers doing the same for his team. Once the list is signed by both coaches, as was the case Wednesday night, the active list is set. The Trail Blazers public relations staff sent out a notification pregame that there was a “error” made to the active list and that McCollum would be available to play, though evidently that would not be the case. […] “Every game we fill out an active-inactive list,” explained Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. “CJ was mistakenly put inactive instead of Luis. I signed the paper without really noticing it but it’s my fault for not looking at it.”

 

“Although we caught the error, we thought we caught it in time, apparently we did not,” said Stotts. “CJ was ruled inactive and that was that.” […] “I went out to warmup, before we were able to do starting lineups Coach Stotts just made me aware that something happened with the inactive/active list,” said McCollum. “That was it… It’s unfortunate but it’s over with. Just moving on to the next game.”

The post CJ McCollum Had to Sit Out vs Clippers Due to a ‘Clerical Error’ appeared first on SLAM.

Harden angrily pointed out the fan, who was booted out of the gym and told to stay away from all NBA games for a whole year.

Harden scored 22 of his game-high 30 points after halftime.

Per the Deseret News:

“Some guy was lasering me,” Harden explained. “I saw it the first time. I thought it was just a picture being taken, so I went up to the foul line again and it happened again. The referee caught it before I did.”

 

The game eventually resumed after the brief break, and Harden missed his second free throw. That was one of the few things he did wrong during a critical juncture when the three-time All-Star took over in the third quarter.

 

Harden, the recipient of much scorn from Jazz fans, led all scorers with 30 points on 9-of-25 shooting as Houston snapped a four-game losing streak. […] “He was aggressive,” Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We recognized a certain play that was working for us, so we went back to that play. He and Jason Terry in the pick-and-roll, you have two guys who are capable of scoring. They provided a mismatch if they (the Jazz) decided to switch it.”

The post Jazz Fan Banned for a Year After Pointing Laser at James Harden (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

DeMarcus Cousins led the way for the Kings with 26 points and 12 rebounds in the 107-97 win; James Harden scored a game-high 33 points for Houston.

In a strange incident, Boogie’s manager Andrew Rogers was booted out of the arena after making contact with Jason Terry following a Ben McLemore jam.

Per the Sac Bee:

“I’ve got a crazy team, and I’m kind of crazy,” George Karl said. […] Karl was commenting on some decisions his players make on the court, but there was plenty of crazy to go around Tuesday as the Kings defeated the Houston Rockets, 107-97, at Sleep Train Arena.

 

Perhaps the Kings embracing their label as the NBA’s reality TV show will be the team’s rallying point. […] “There’s some type of saying,” said Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. “A team usually matches the coach.”

 

Cousins ran to that end of the court when he saw what was happening (with Rogers and Terry), and security was ready to defuse the situation. […] “My biggest thing is, I didn’t want the situation to escalate too far,” he said. “It just shows I’ve got some ride or dies,” Cousins said.

The post Rudy Gay Posterizes Patrick Beverley (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Harden bounced back from a rough outing against the Brooklyn Nets, in which he only put up 10 points.

The Beard also added nine rebounds and seven assists.

.@JHarden13 goes for 42 points and 5 threes to lead the Rockets to a 109-103 win over the Wizards. pic.twitter.com/dOVQqxNeIu

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 10, 2015

Per the AP:

The night before, Harden managed only 10 points in a loss at Brooklyn. […] “Great players rise to the occasion,” said veteran teammate Jason Terry, who scored seven fourth-quarter points. “(Tuesday) was probably one of his worst games he’s ever played to date and so for him it was all about coming out tonight, being aggressive and getting off to a great start.”

 

Harden had 19 by halftime, then scored 16 alone in the third quarter to help the Rockets weather the Wizards’ strongest period. […] “You’ve got passive turnovers and you’ve got aggressive turnovers where you’re trying to create and we just make mistakes,” said Harden, who also had seven turnovers on Tuesday. “I would rather live with the aggressive turnovers than passive and being soft.”

 

Corey Brewer added 15 points and Patrick Beverley had 14 to help Houston to its fourth win in five games and sixth out of eight. […] John Wall had 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds for Washington, which trailed by as many as 15 in the first half and has lost six of its last seven at home.

The post James Harden Drops 42 Points on the Wizards (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

“James was never like, the handsome guy. He was always like the Black Swan of the bunch. Definitely not the best-dressed,” Valencia says. “All the kids used to make fun of him. He wasn’t fat, but he was a bit on the chubby side. Not athletic at all. But everyone knew him. He wasn’t the most popular, but everyone knew who he was.”

“Sometimes his braids would be half-done, and the other half not, with the ’fro. We were in L.A., so that’s how it was,” remembers Lorenzo “Zo” McCloud, another childhood friend. Zo, a year younger than the other two, eventually followed Harden and Valencia to a small local travel team, the L.A. City Wildcats, and then to Artesia High School. Bonded by the game of basketball, the three became inseparable. They’d spend the night at each other’s houses and talk about making it to the NBA. They shared long car rides listening to Jadakiss. James’ mother, Monja Willis, would cook for them after school, or Zo’s mom would buy them McDonald’s between practices.

“Everywhere we’d go,” Harden says, “we’d just want to hoop.”

In junior high, Harden camped out in the corner and shot three-pointers, almost exclusively. But to the surprise of his boys, he made Artesia’s varsity team as a 6-foot, 150-pound freshman. “Me and a couple other guys were the nice-looking kids. We’d play games with a headband on—we were the flashier players,” says Valencia, who eventually joined his best friend on varsity as a junior. “But James had a more poised game. He never got sped up, he always stayed at his pace.”

Harden seasoned his game on the summer circuit. After showing up at ABCD Camp before his junior year in 2005 a fish out of water, uncomfortable at first with the me-first style of play that often clogs things up at such HS All-Star summer camps, he got acclimated and he got busy. “The year he came back from ABCD Camp, he came back a whole ’nother player in the summer,” says McCloud. “He came back like a whole ’nother dude. That’s when I noticed like, Damn, he’s on another level.”

His averages hovering around 19 points, 8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, Harden led Artesia to back-to-back California state titles in his junior and senior years. In between, he earned a rep on the summer circuit. An ABCD All-Star, Harden also piloted his Pump-N-Run Elite AAU team to the 2006 Las Vegas adidas Super 64 championship, leveling competition like Michael Beasley’s DC Assault and Kevin Love’s Southern California All-Stars along the way.

A two-year stop at Arizona State, a trip to the Finals with OKC and one blockbuster trade later, Harden is the leading man on a team that finished second in the vaunted Western Conference last season. His beard has its own Twitter account. And he can scream “Swag!” at 3 a.m. out the passenger side of an SUV with tinted windows in Hollywood because fuck it, life is good.

About an hour before a mostly meaningless mid-October home pre-season game against the Pelicans, some 30 rabid Rockets fans have assembled near where the home team’s locker room lets out to the court, hoping to get some attention from their favorite superstar. When he appears, Harden signs autographs for as many of them as he can reach. One kid wearing his No. 13 jersey even takes a shoe off his foot and hangs it over the railing—without hesitation, Harden scribbles his insignia and tosses it back.

When Harden’s fans are satisfied, he begins his pre-game shooting routine. Right away, he seems a little upset. Upset, as in, he’s shooting about 75 percent instead of 100. Even so, it’s a dazzling display—a kind of “Around the World” utopia. He floats from one side of the court to the other, stopping to hoist five or six shots from each of a half-dozen spots. When he gets to the left side of the floor, Harden breaks the monotony with some creativity, planting off his right foot, jumping back, dropping the ball between his legs and flicking a floater up from the baseline off one foot. Swish. His incredibly acute dexterity even when it looks so damn awkward conjures thoughts of Dirk Nowitzki. But the way he rocks the ball back and forth, toying with defenders, it almost makes you want to utter Rafer Alston’s name, too. All that, plus he’s left-handed with prototypical shooting guard size (6-5, 220) and he’s averaged 10 free throws (aka 10 free points) per game over the last three seasons, too.

On this night, about a week before the real games begin, Harden coasts to 20 points against NOLA, watching much of the fourth quarter of Houston’s blowout win from the bench. During one timeout, he tosses t-shirts into the crowd. Later, he jumps out of his seat to break out his signature cooking dance after Jason Terry drains a three.

The next day, Harden is on the set of an adidas TV commercial shoot at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center at nearby University of St. Thomas, a Catholic school in the NAIA. The tiny campus is sleepy, save for the flurry of commotion in the gym, where bits of Drake and Future’s “Jumpman” boom out loudly each time a production assistant hurls open the metal doors. Harden didn’t make today’s playlist, but he may as well have. He mentions the #WATTBA collaborators along with Meek Mill, J. Cole and Nipsey Hussle as the most-played music in his iTunes.

As more than a dozen extras bomb threes and crack jokes during a break from filming, Harden walks from the basketball court through a narrow hallway at the south end of the gym and into a racquetball court that’s being used as a makeshift green room. Valencia gives a nod from his seat in a barber’s chair, where he’s getting a quick shape-up. Troy Payne, another longtime friend, leans against the wall next to Rob Pelinka, Harden’s agent (who also reps Kobe Bryant, among others). Aside from a small woven basket with a few snacks, two folding chairs and a clothes rack draped in more adidas gear, it’s empty. So when Harden speaks, his voice echoes through the room. He’s wearing an all-white pair of adidas Crazylight Boost 2015s, white compression tights down to his calves and a white and silver hoodie with t-shirt length cutoff sleeves. He slides his chair back a few feet, sits down and leans forward. He’s shuffling three different iPhones in his hands. If he’s overly fidgety, there’s good reason. Harden is eager, in his own words, to “get that bad taste out of my mouth from last year.”

“I feel like this year we can really win a Championship, and I’m not just talkin’,” he says of this year’s Rockets squad. “Last year, we had some really good pieces, we had a couple injuries that slowed us down. But we basically brought the same team back and added Ty Lawson, who’s another playmaker, which we struggled with in the postseason. That right there gives us more versatility, gives us better opportunities, better efficiency on offense, which is gonna help our defense out. We’ve got more depth off the bench. So we’re fully loaded. We just gotta stay healthy—that’s the main key.”

Multiple times per game during Houston home games, Dwight Howard’s voice bellows throughout the arena in a team video on the Jumbotron: “I don’t think we all came together just to make the Western Conference finals.” At every turn, it’s clear that Harden and the Rockets aren’t satisfied with the way last season ended—with their superstar guard dribbling the ball off his foot and out of bounds in a fatal Game 5 loss of the Western finals against the Warriors. After carrying the Howard-less Rockets deeper than anyone expected them to go, Harden had a total of 12 turnovers that night, and Houston was eliminated.

Looking back, Harden shrugs it off. “It’s over. We lost in the Finals and I didn’t dwell on that,” Harden says, referencing his 2012 Finals appearance with the Oklahoma City Thunder. “Then the next year I’m here in Houston. So I can’t worry about that. I had to worry about my new role and things that I had to. The summer right after you lose, it hurts. But then it’s time for you to get better and get ready for next year.

“A lot of people didn’t think we’d make it to the Western Conference finals, right? We’re not worried about what other people say or where we’re projected,” Harden continues, as he kicks off his shoes and begins unfurling his socks. “We’re not worried about that. That’s just people talking on what they think that’s gonna happen. But for us, we’re worried how can we get better and reach our potential.”

Last season, Harden posted 27.4 points, 7 assists and 5.7 rebounds a night, and he managed to maintain his efficiency despite being one of the highest usage players in the League. In 2014-15, he was the only player in the NBA to post an offensive rating over 115 and use at least 30 percent of his team’s possessions. In the last decade, LeBron and KD are the only other players to have accomplished that feat. And through the first two weeks of the 2015-16 season, Harden was already averaging career-highs in points (29.7), rebounds (5.9) and unsurprisingly, minutes (39.4, tops in the entire League). He hung 43 and 46 on the Kings and Clippers in back-to-back Rockets wins in November. Of course, for a team that won 56 games last year, no one’s getting excited until June. All offseason long, Harden asked for one thing from his teammates.

“Toughness,” says Lawson, the speedy PG whom Houston brought in to help Harden see more time off the ball in 2015-16. “We don’t want to get punked. On the offensive end or the defensive end. Just on the basketball court, period. You’ve got to be tough when you’re playing this game, when you’re down in the Finals or the Playoffs. You’ve got to be mentally tough to get through it, that’s what he’s tried to instill in everybody.”

It’s not difficult to trace the genesis of Harden’s mental toughness. When you grow up in Compton, CA, there’s only one place to really earn your stripes on the basketball court—the famed Drew League. Founded in 1973, the South Central L.A. league is the West Coast’s answer to Rucker Park (though at present, it almost inarguably has surpassed the Harlem park in cache). The first time Harden played there, he was, in Drew League terms, just a kid. To veterans of L.A.’s best summer league, he was nothing more than an anonymous high schooler.

“I was impressed with him, but to be honest with you, I wasn’t like, Wow, this is a can’t-miss guy!” says Dino Smiley, Director and Commissioner of the Drew League for 30 years. “I’ve seen them all come through the L.A. area, from Baron Davis to Paul Pierce. He didn’t have that ‘it’ factor then.”

Even after he starred at ASU and went No. 3 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft to Oklahoma City, Harden was afforded no special treatment at the Drew. That all changed during the 2011 lockout, when the NBA’s absence led to legendary exhibition showdowns across the country. The best was a surprise matchup between Harden and Bryant, the player he idolized growing up, at a packed-out Colonel Leon H. Washington Park. The crowd was so out of control, police helicopters began to hover above the gym. Here was Kobe in his prime, in East L.A., looking for a game. Harden stepped up and gave him 47 (or 44, depending on who you ask). Kobe went for 45 and the game-winner, but suddenly Harden had solidified his star status. A few months later, the lockout settled, he helped OKC beat the Lakers in a second-round Playoff series en route to the NBA Finals.

“I honestly feel that the Drew League has played a part of his style of play,” says Smiley. “Because the Drew League is a very physical league. It’s not dirty, but it’s just—you have to earn it. When guys step on the floor, they’re not in awe of James, or anything. They wanna go at him. And I think he takes that same attitude on the floor. His eyes didn’t get big when he first ran into LeBron and all these guys. He just wanted to go at them.”

More than anywhere else, basketball-wise, Harden is at home in the Drew League. There are no analytics, no trolls complaining about his penchant for drawing fouls. It’s put up or shut up. Get buckets or get booed. Just the way he likes it.

“That’s how I grew up. We’re basically in the hood. You have to prove yourself then,” says Harden, who won his first Drew League title this summer, outdueling Klay Thompson’s team in the first round of the playoffs, then leading LAUNFD past Nick Young and DeMar DeRozan in the finals on a game-winning three as Kevin Durant, Paul Pierce and Iggy Azalea sat courtside. “I’m not worried about having to prove myself because that’s how I grew up. For me, it’s just going out there and doing what I do. That’s how I was raised. That’s one of the reasons I still play in the Drew League, even though it’s my seventh year in the NBA. Because I will never forget where I came from and how I was raised to play the game. I always had to fight for what I got, I’ve always had to go get what I wanted. That’s gonna stay with me ’til I’m done with the game.

“It’s like the same mentality we have, though,” says McCloud. “When we didn’t have nothing to now. I think that’s why he’s still prospering. He didn’t change. He don’t change. His mentality is a hard worker, and it’s still there. Nothing’s changed with that.”

Beyond the fact that Harden is a cold killer between the lines, he’s also became a part of the League’s culture itself. It was Harden who convinced KD to play at the Drew in 2013. And these days, of the Drew League’s NBA regulars, Harden is by far the most celebrated. Smiley says even as a pro, before 2011 he would get recognized by the local cats, but generally James could “walk in the door by himself.”

That summer, Harden was still able to hit up his normal neighborhood spots, like Roscoe’s, and not get mobbed. This summer? It was bedlam every time he was in the zip code. “It was like a show in Vegas, man,” he says.

Harden has taken to his new stratosphere of celebrity with zest in spite of the burden it brings with it. “At first, he didn’t have paparazzi, it was just people coming up for pictures and things, but now he’s got paparazzi,” says Valencia with a laugh. “You know you made it, you doing something big, if the paparazzi is following you.”

When Harden travels internationally, hundreds of fans wait at his arrival gate. While on vacation in Australia this summer, one dude wound up stalking him for an entire afternoon, tailing Harden in a taxi everywhere he went. Then again, as Zo points out, “You can’t hide the beard.”

Perhaps the only thing harder to hide than Harden’s facial hair is his confidence. Does he think he should have won MVP last year over Stephen Curry? Yes. Does he think he’s the best player in the NBA? Yes. He’s repeated these things over and over. Like Kanye, or Donald Trump—whose private plane Harden once insisted on taking a selfie in front of for motivation—Harden refuses to bite his tongue, even if he knows the media is fishing for juicy headlines.

“It’s always been who I am. I’m not shy at all. Speaking my mind, being who I am, wearing what I want to wear, just being very confident in myself,” Harden maintains. “If you’re not confident in yourself, you’re not going to get anywhere in life.”

—

Abe Schwadron is the Managing Editor at numberFire and a former Senior Editor at SLAM.

Follow him on Twitter @abe_squad.

The post James Harden: Catch the Wave appeared first on SLAM.

Huddled in a backroom with bags of ice covering his right shoulder, knees and shins, Kobe doesn’t celebrate the victory with his teammates. As he will do for the remainder of the games he plays, Kobe immediately starts rehabbing, a necessity if he hopes to make it through his 20th NBA season injury free. While the rest of the team cracks jokes and partakes in minor hazing of Russell, Bryant sits in silence in an unseen room cut off from his teammates. After the rest of the locker room clears out, Kobe holds court with the media and once he’s done, Bryant doesn’t ride back to the hotel on the team bus. Instead he gets chauffeured from the stadium in a waiting SUV.

It’s an interesting dynamic. For 19 seasons, Kobe has been the face of the Lakers franchise, but with pieces like Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson on the roster, it’s only a matter of time before the Lakers move on from the Kobe Era and begin anew with an exciting—or at least, intriguing—young core.

Whether head coach Byron Scott realizes this remains to be seen. Late last week, Scott came out and told reporters that his patience for guys like Russell and Randle will soon wear thin if they don’t start performing better and playing harder. “It’s going to take those guys some time,” he told the OC Register. “Like I said, I just got to continue to be patient. But like I told them, I’m not going to be patient for long. I expect guys to get it on both ends of the floor in a relatively quick manner.”

Scott followed that up by saying that he is not worried about the 37-year-old Bryant, who is shooting a career low 32 percent from the field and has looked every bit a player who is in his 20th season. “It’s not a challenge to get Kobe right,” he said. “The challenge is to get the young guys right. I’m not worried about him. He’s the last thing I’m worried about on our team.”

Friday, Scott backed up his threats by playing Russell just 23 minutes and yanking him for Lou Williams after a turnover. Despite the limited minutes, Russell scored 16 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. At 19 years old, the SLAM Rookie Diarist has a long way to go, but the absolute worst thing Los Angeles can do is not let him play through the inevitable growing pains.

Meanwhile Kobe, who showed flashes of his old self but by and large struggled against a putrid Brooklyn team, took a team-high 16 shots in 31 minutes and finished with 18 points. When his shots weren’t falling in the first half, Bryant’s body language was terrible and there seemed to be a real disconnect between KB24 and the young players on the court—one that looked even more obvious in the locker room following the game. Reports of Kobe working with the young guys off-court have surfaced, but Bryant has been surly during the Lakers’ lean years and his influence will be something to keep an eye on as the season moves forward and the losses pile up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e10ITKu0Vhg

Whether Scott truly believes that the best route for the Lakers is to not let his young players work through mistakes and put them on a short leash, or is merely feeding into the front office narrative is unknown. But at 1-5 with the season only getting tougher, there has to be a point where either Scott or the front office realize that running Kobe out there for 30 minutes a night and letting him jack up shots while the young guns look on from the bench is only going to hurt the team in the long run.

Bryant has all but guaranteed that this will be his last season. Unfortunately, he’s not going to go out with a championship. But he can help set up the Lakers for more rings if he graciously steps aside, cuts down his minutes and serves as more of a mentor. During the game against the Nets, Bryant’s longtime teammate Metta World Peace served as a coach on the floor during his minutes. Giving guys pointers and leading team huddles, the vet looked more like a player-coach and is much more impactful in this role than someone who LA looks at to carry the team. Hopefully for the Lakers sake, Kobe will follow suit.

Down the hall in the Nets locker room, the situation is much more dire. Feeling like a home game at Staples Center, Barclays Center was (unsurprisingly) overrun with purple and gold as Laker fans poured in for what was likely Kobe Bryant’s last game in Brooklyn. The Nets currently sit at 0-6 and based on the overwhelming pro-Lakers crowd at the Barclays Center on Friday, the team has a fan base that is either 1) non-existent or 2) does not care. Per ESPN, the Nets draw the 25th-most (worst?) fans at 16,013 per game, and are even more unappealing on the road, as they draw just 15,925 per game, good for 28th in the League.

The front office certainly hasn’t done much to drum up excitement. Not only is the team bad, they are incredibly boring. The Nets have as bleak a future as any team in professional sports. In 2012 and 2013, the Nets made two disastrous trades that all but ruined any hopes of winning in the near future. In 2012, the Nets traded their first-round pick (which wound up being used on Damian Lillard) to the Blazers for Gerald Wallace. In 2013 Principal Owner Mikhail Prokhorov went all-in by making a draft day trade that sent Wallace and the Nets 2014, 2016 and 2018 picks to Boston in exchange for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and DJ White.

At the time, Prokhorov said, “Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets.” Since then, the basketball gods have done nothing but shit on the downtown Brooklyn Barclays Center.

If the losses continue to pile up, the Nets’ pick could very well end up being No. 1 in the 2016 Draft and the Celtics will finally get the payoff they’ve been waiting for since the breakup of Garnett, Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. In 2017, the Celtics have the right to swap picks with the Nets in the first round and in 2018 the Celtics own the Nets pick. Brooklyn also gave up ownership of its second round picks in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Nets fans are now stuck with a lineup that includes Brook Lopez, Thad Young, Jarrett Jack, Joe Johnson and no assets to trade or pieces to attract big free agents.

As cheers of “Kobe! Kobe!” rang down from the Barclays crowd and Bryant made his way off the court waving to adoring fans, the Nets looked despondent as they made their way to the locker room. The exit perfectly summed up the dramatically different directions the two franchises are heading. The Lakers rebuild is much more tolerable by fans since it is being masked by the Kobe farewell tour and the exciting pieces they have to look forward to. The Nets, on the other hand, have no hope, no future, no picks and no fans.

Thanks to Kobe, the Lakers are still an in-demand ticket as they compete with the popular Clippers for dominance in LA. The Nets, however, seemed destined to play little brother to the Knicks for as long as the two teams remain in New York City.

—

Peter Walsh is an Editorial Assistant at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @Peter_M_Walsh. Photo via Getty Images.

The post Polar Opposites appeared first on SLAM.

Free agent forward Chuck Hayes will not be signing with the Rockets as expected, his agent Calvin Andrews tells Yahoo pic.twitter.com/ClMbFJZyZm

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) August 27, 2015

Hayes, 32, averaged 4.4 points and 5.8 rebounds with the Rockets during his first six seasons in the NBA.

The partially-guaranteed pact was for $1.5 million.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

“I think when we came up with the agreement, after that point, they had some other activity, the Ty Lawson trade, the Jason Terry signing,” Hayes agent Calvin Andrews said. “That put Chuck in a precarious situation. The result of that squeezed him out of the equation.

 

“They had some cap stuff they were concerned with. We didn’t get into a lot of details. It’s a tough situation. It’s very disappointing. This is the business. These things happen. […] I commend them for telling us now as opposed to dragging us through camp. We’ll explore if there are other teams interested. He wants to continue to play. There’s multiple teams that want him to join his staff, including the Rockets, if that’s what he wants to do. He wants to continue to play.”

 

“They (Rockets) know and appreciate his game more than anyone,” Andrews said in July. “It’s a great time to come back home.” […] The Rockets officially signed Jason Terry last week and now will turn their attention to signing rookie Montrezl Harrell.

The post Rockets Back Out of Chuck Hayes Signing appeared first on SLAM.

Jason Terry has decided to re-sign with the Houston Rockets on a 1-year deal, league sources tell RealGM. New Orleans made strong push.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 19, 2015

The soon-to-be 38-year-old guard is set to ink a $1.5 million deal to return for his 17th season.

Terry appeared in 77 games for the Rockets in 2014-15.

Per RealGM:

The New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz also had strong dialogue to sign Terry with his agent, Byron Irvin. Ultimately, the opportunity to win and cohesive recruitment from Rockets players and coaches pushed Terry to return. Terry has played an immense role in the Rockets’ locker room, becoming an integral role player in the 2015 postseason alongside James Harden in the backcourt.

 

Terry averaged 21.3 minutes per game in 77 appearances last season with the Rockets and started all 17 playoff games. The Rockets acquired Terry during the 2014 offseason from the Sacramento Kings.

The post Jason Terry to Re-Sign With the Houston Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

The All-Star Game brought out those guys and names like Jason Terry, Justin Dentmon, Spencer Hawes and Epke Udoh, too. Check out the highlights from the game above, from our friends at Ballislife.

The post Zach LaVine, Isaiah Thomas, Jamal Crawford Show Out at Seattle Pro-Am All-Star Game (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Terry also has an offer on the table from the Rockets, but he reportedly considers it “insufficient.” New Orleans can offer The Jet about $600,000 more by using its biannual exception of $2.1 million.

More from Fox 26 in Houston:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the representatives for free agent guard Jason Terry have received an offer from the New Orleans Pelicans.

 

Sources with knowledge of his situation said Terry has an offer from the Rockets to return to Houston, but he considers the offer insufficient.

The post Jason Terry Considering Leaving Rockets For Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

The Rockets have agreed to terms with free agent center Chuck Hayes on a one-year veteran's minimum deal, sources told Yahoo Sports.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 30, 2015

Hayes, 32, appeared in 29 games for the Toronto Raptors last season.

The big fella spent the first six years of his NBA career in H-Town, averaging 4.4 points and 5.8 rebounds with the Rocktes.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

Hayes will receive a partial guarantee on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract worth roughly $1.5 million. Talks had been ongoing for several weeks, but the Rockets and Hayes had agreed that he would return to the team soon after the team created roster space with the deal for guard Ty Lawson.

 

Hayes’ agent, Calvin Andrews, said last week that Hayes was close to returning to the Rockets, saying then than an agreement was imminent. […] “They know and appreciate his game more than anyone,” Andrews said then. “It’s a great time to come back home.”

 

Hayes has not yet signed, but the Rockets will look to sign him before they can sign rookie Montrezl Harrell, if they are to use any of their remaining mid-level exception money on Harrell. The Rockets also have made an offer to guard Jason Terry, who is considering his options, and would also have to sign Terry before Harrell.

The post Chuck Hayes Re-Joins the Houston Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

Matthews, 28, is coming off a season-ending Achilles tear but the Sacramento Kings were more than willing to meet his financial demands this summer.

No dice, however: Matthews has chosen to relocate from Portland to Texas on a four-year deal—the dollar amount reportedly won’t be known until DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge are off the free agency board.

Wes Matthews has agreed in principle with the Mavericks on a four-year deal, per source. Turned down huge offer from Sacramento.

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 3, 2015

Wes Matthews Update: Sacramento offer to free-agent swingman is actually four-year deal at $16 million annually for total of $64 million

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 3, 2015

Per NBA.com:

The move is a major deal for a player coming off a torn Achilles’ injury that ended his season with the Trail Blazers before the start of last season’s playoffs. The agreement gives the Mavericks a boost as they hope to sign free agent center DeAndre Jordan away from the Los Angeles Clippers.

 

The Kings, who have been pilloried around the league for missteps in management over the past year, traded rising second-year guard Nik Stauskas, their first-round pick a year ago, along with Jason Thompson and Carl Landry, to the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday in order to open up huge cap room to make offers to free agents. But Sacramento lost out on free agent Monta Ellis earlier Thursday when he agreed to a multi-year deal with the Pacers. They reportedly offered Matthews a four-year deal worth $64 million.

 

Matthews, one of the league’s premier two-way guards, was on line to get a huge payday anyway this summer when he tore his Achilles in early March. At the time of his injury, he was fourth in the league in 3-pointers, and had already become Portland’s all-time leading 3-point scorer, passing Terry Porter. While LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard made All-Star teams, Matthews — nicknamed “Iron Man”– was viewed by many as the heart of the Blazers’ team. The 28-year-old Matthews is a career 39 percent three-point shooter.

The post Wesley Matthews Turns Down $64 Million from Kings and Commits to Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky

I’m taking Towns first, and I’m not thinking twice about it. He’s got great size, elite athleticism and a phenomenal shooting touch (peep the the free-throw percentages!!). He’s also got a self-confidence that will work well as a pro. Pair Karl up with my man Andrew Wiggins and just hope Flip doesn’t mess things up.—Ben Osborne

https://youtu.be/n4WxG1gIFI4

2. L.A. Lakers: Jahlil Okafor, Duke

Control the boards, control the game. The forceful front-court combo of Okafor and a healthy Julius Randle creates a big core L.A. can build a future around and begin restoring Purple & Gold dominance.—Terrence Watson

3. Philadelphia 76ers: D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State

Russell’s three-point shooting and playmaking ability make him an easy choice for the Sixers. He gives the worst offensive team in the League an ideal floor spacer and distributor for its big man duo of Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid.—Brett Weisband

https://youtu.be/m-TYodrciy0

4. New York Knicks: Emmanuel Mudiay, Guangdong Southern Tigers (China)

If the Knicks are serious about winning now, their best option is to trade the pick for a veteran big man. But for mock draft’s sake, New York takes the Draft’s most interesting man at No. 4. It’s a point guard’s league and after losing out on the No.1 pick at the lottery to top off a year’s worth of bad luck, the Knicks finally get the pendulum swinging in their favor with a big, strong PG who will get minutes right away. Questions will arise as to whether Mudiay is a fit for the Triangle, but with a roster in desperate need of good players the front office has to worry about talent over fit with this pick. This is the franchise’s most important night in nearly two decades and Mudiay will either be the KONY or set the organization back another few years. No pressure, kid.—Peter Walsh

https://youtu.be/TGinR7SIk4M

5. Orlando Magic: Kristaps Porzingis, Baloncesto Sevilla (ACB)

Orlando has focused so much on defense over the last few years that it desperately needs someone who can be a game-changer on offense. Porzingis is an insanely skilled big man who can step in immediately and provide a huge offensive spark with his dynamic inside-out game.—Bill DiFilippo

6. Sacramento Kings: Justise Winslow, Duke

Not exactly positive if Justise is the best fit for the Kings considering they’ve already got a few guards they’re hoping to develop—Stauskus, McLemore—but this looks like unquestionably the best talent remaining on the board, so it seems wise to snatch the Duke product here and hope he meshes well with Sacramento’s (actually kind of promising?) clusterfuck of up-and-comers.—Adam Figman

https://youtu.be/3pnyJ7NLNMU

7. Denver Nuggets: Mario Hezonja, Barcelona (ACB)

Given who’s left on the board, this pick, it would seem, would come down to Hezona and Willie Cauley-Stein. Hezonja, a 6-8 Croatian wing, is the better fit for the Nuggets, who already have the gigantic Jusuf Nurkic manning the middle. Hezonja can shoot and put the ball on the floor, and he’s also athletic. He could be the player the Nuggets thought they were getting when they traded for Danilo Gallinari.—Yaron Weitzman

8. Detroit Pistons: Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky

The Pistons acquired Ersan Ilyasova from the Milwaukee Bucks, signaling that Greg Monroe’s days in Motown are done. This move gives the Pistons a forward who can stretch the defense offensively. Detroit may entertain suitors for the pick with the thought that its two biggest needs coming into next season are small forward and an offensive minded guard off the bench. Sticking at the No. 8 spot, the logical selection is Cauley-Stein. His ability to protect the rim and flexibility to guard all five positions are proven NBA assets. He can also contribute on the glass. With Illyasova and WCS in fold, Detroit continues to mold into a Playoff contender.—Leigh Klein

9. Charlotte Hornets: Stanley Johnson, Arizona

On a roster stacked with power forwards but bereft of perimeter firepower, Johnson would be a good fit in Charlotte. Equipped with an NBA body (6-6, 225 pounds), high motor and explosive athleticism, Johnson can be Charlotte’s ace defender, finish above the rim in transition, and space the floor with an underrated shooting stroke (Johnson shot 44 percent on jumpers last season). Most importantly, the four-time state high school champion will engender a competitive culture that will help accelerate the growth of Charlotte’s young core.—Eldon Khorshidi

10. Miami Heat: Kelly Oubre, Kansas

Oubre is a great fit for the Heat on the wing with good size, length and athleticism. He slides in well next to Whiteside, Bosh and a declining Wade, and could turn into a lockdown defender while stretching defenses with the three as soon as this season.—Dan Hanna

11. Indiana Pacers: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

The Pacers roster has tons of holes that need to be filled, and Kaminsky is the most skilled and versatile big left on the board who can make the most immediate impact. Cameron Payne and Trey Lyles were also heavily considered, but Kaminsky’s inside-out ability can help boost the Pacers’ front-court depth and take a little pressure off Paul George when they share the court.—Danny Hazan

12. Utah Jazz: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

The Jazz have nice young core in the frontcourt, but are still figuring out who will play alongside Gordon Heyward on the wing. Dekker has good size and can defend multiple positions. Sam may not be great at anything but is good at a lot of things. A jack of all trades is exactly what the Jazz needs next to Gordon.—Christian Mordi

https://youtu.be/AU8D42jh_OQ

13. Phoenix Suns: Cameron Payne, Murray State

The Suns have gone through a major overhaul with their guards over the last year. Now they have some stability with Eric Bledsoe and the best available player in the Draft, Payne.—Russell Simon

https://youtu.be/B4XbB_qvNB8

14. OKC Thunder: Bobby Portis, Arkansas

Last month at the Draft Combine in Chicago, Portis told reporters, “18, 19 years from now, when you look at this Draft, they’re going to say that Bobby Portis was the best player in this Draft.” Whether or not you agree, you’ve gotta love the confidence. Portis averaged 17.5 points, 8.9 boards and 1.4 blocks (he also shot 53.6 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from deep) during his sophomore season at Arkansas—and he could end up being the 6-11 glue guy OKC thought they found in Perry Jones three years ago.—Eli Schwadron

https://youtu.be/9eIEmJqyQyA

15. Atlanta Hawks: Myles Turner, Texas

Seeing as how it was Tristan Thompson, a long, rebound-hogging former Texas Longhorn, who exposed the Atlanta Hawks’ frontcourt weaknesses in the East finals, it only makes sense that they would go after a long, rebound-hogging former Texas Longhorn for help in the paint.—DeMarco Williams

16. Boston Celtics: Kevon Looney, UCLA

The Celtics’ future at the power forward position remains uncertain with Brandon Bass a free agent and Jared Sullinger nearing the end of his rookie contract. Sully was also called out by GM Danny Ainge for being out of shape, so who knows if he’ll want to stay in green. Looney address the Celts’ PF needs while adding tremendous rebounding ability on both sides of the floor, which the undersized team desperately needs.—Michael Reiner

https://youtu.be/cwji24aGuG0

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Devin Booker, Kentucky

Touted by many as the best shooter in the class, analysts have already begun drawing up Klay Thompson comparisons. Having shot 41.1 percent from behind the arc last season for the Kentucky Wildcats in a platoon system that presumably made it tougher for bench players to get into a rhythm, Booker can provide the Bucks with much needed help at the 2-guard position.—Franklyn Calle

https://youtu.be/umg129WdoC8

18. Houston Rockets: Tyus Jones, Duke

Final Four Most Outstanding Player. NCAA Champion. Stone-cold killer on the court. That’s Jones’ curriculum vitae in just one year at Duke, which is enough to warrant serious consideration for the No. 18 spot held by the Rockets, who basically had to turn to the “point guard by committee” strategy when Patrick Beverley went down.—Maurice Bobb

19. Washington Wizards: Trey Lyles, Kentucky

Ernie Grunfeld should sprint to the podium with this pick. Lyles is smooth and athletic despite a huge 6-10, 241-pound frame. His stats from one season at UK aren’t eye-popping, but that’s a product of playing with six other pros. Oh, and he’s 19 years old. John Wall: Meet your stretch-4 of the future.—Abe Schwadron

https://youtu.be/UkAy_dzJuI0

20. Toronto Raptors: Montrezl Harrell, Louisville

Harrell’s motor is without question. He’s active, aggressive and athletic with a pride for defense and filling the lanes. He provides a lot of intangibles the Raptors lack.—Duane Watson

21. Dallas Mavericks: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona

The Mavericks lacked defense in many areas last season, especially on the perimeter. With Cuban still in “win-now” mode during Dirk Nowitzki’s final years, Dallas drafting Hollis-Jefferson would give the team a player with an NBA-ready build and wingspan. He has the lateral quickness to guard multiple positions, and could add depth behind Chandler Parsons.—Jay Wallis

22. Chicago Bulls: Jerian Grant, Notre Dame

Forget that the Grant lineage is part of the Bulls’ Championship history. Grant is an NBA-ready playmaker who ran the nation’s best offense last season. He’s a high-character guy who can play both guard positions.—Ryne Nelson

https://youtu.be/wsz04csIVhc

23. Portland Trail Blazers: RJ Hunter, Georgia State

Hunter is a knockdown shooter. He plays with aggression and could easily step in and bolster an already strong Portland bench with touch and playmaking ability.—Max Resetar

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Terry Rozier, Louisville

Rozier is a point guard who can create for himself and others. He would fill a need for the Cavaliers in the backcourt behind Kyrie Irving while also being able to play alongside a guard like Matthew Dellavedova in the second unit. The fact that he’s a hometown kid from Cleveland doesn’t hurt either.—Brendan Bowers

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Rashad Vaughn, UNLV

Vaughn declared for the Draft after just one underwhelming season that was cut short by a meniscus tear in February, but the UNLV product can shoot the lights out and looked spry in the Combine. He drained threes at a 38 percent clip last year, and the Grizzlies desperately need shooters. They land one of the Draft’s youngest prospects with a high ceiling and scorer’s instinct.—Steven Goldstein

26. San Antonio Spurs: Delon Wright, Utah

With Tony Parker on the decline, and Cory Joseph likely headed out in free agency, the Spurs may look to add a solid back-up guard who can contribute on both ends. Delon Wright has great size for a PG (6-5) and with an improved perimeter game, can definitely play alongside Parker or Patty Mills. And let’s face it, an unselfish, fantastic passer who dictates the pace and defends at a high level just sounds like a Spur.—Alex Squadron

27. L.A. Lakers: Chris McCullough, Syracuse

Drafting McCullough creates a young big-man rotation the Lakers can build around and makes Jordan Hill (and his contract) more expendable than Jason Statham. He brings a needed defensive presence (2.1 bpg at ‘Cuse) and won’t have to log major minutes right away behind Julius Randle, so no need to worry (too much) about him re-injuring his ACL.—TW

28. Boston Celtics: Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse

Christmas could be a steal at No. 28 for the Celtics. An established center who has banged with the best in the ACC, RC could definitely fill the Celtic’s void in the front court. Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller have the ability to run the floor reasonably well, but don’t provide much shot blocking and altering—specifically where Christmas could help the green.—MR

29. Brooklyn Nets: Jarell Martin, LSU

The Nets really need some young talent, and would do well to snag Martin here. He’d be a jolt of energy for an uninspiring bench or, perhaps, a ready-made replacement for free agent Thaddeus Young. Realistically, though, acquiring anybody under 36 would be a triumph for Brooklyn.—Leo Sepkowitz

30. Golden State Warriors: Justin Anderson, Virginia

There isn’t much the 2015 NBA Champion Warriors desperately need, but Anderson will touch-up the roster in those spots that could use a level up. As a 6-6 forward off-the-bench who can drain from long range and provide a defensive edge, the former UVA Cavalier will fit in quite nicely with Dub Nation’s squad.—Habeeba Husain

The post 2015 NBA Mock Draft appeared first on SLAM.

The Beard plans to work on his “entire game” during the offseason.

Harden is confident that a healthy Rockets squad could challenge for the NBA title next season.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

He said he “definitely” would like to see the Rockets add another playmaker to take some of that responsibility out of his hands. […] “That’s one of the conversations me and Daryl are going to have (and) the coaches,” Harden said. “That’s one of the pieces to add, but that’s later conversations. We’ll be all right. We’re very confident in the group we have. This summer we have to work hard and be ready for next year.”

 

He called keeping the Rockets’ nucleus together “very important” and spoke of the benefits of growing together. […] “If we get Pat (Beverley) and D-Mo (Donatas Motiejunas) back healthy, we’re a really good team, a really deep team,” Harden said.

 

“Jet (Jason Terry), Trevor (Ariza), Josh (Smith), Brew (Corey Brewer), this was all their first years here. We didn’t really have any chemistry. It was all going off basketball instincts, kind of going out there playing. Once we get a feel for each other, a real feel for each other, the game will be a lot easier. […] We’re pretty good with what we have, maybe add a piece or so. But we made it this far with a couple of our guys injured and banged up. Put those guys together and we’ll be a lot better.”

The post James Harden Wants the Rockets to Add a Playmaker This Summer appeared first on SLAM.

Shoulda added up to a nice game, right?

Not so much. Golden State jumped on Houston early (30-18 after one quarter) and never relented. The game was out of Houston’s reach by halftime (62-37), and the Warriors won the third and fourth quarters for good measure, too.

Naturally, lots of the damage was done by Steph Curry. He hit a sweet fadeaway to knot the game at 7-7 in the opening minutes, and only grew stronger from there. In all, the MVP dropped 40 points on 12-of-19 shooting (!), including 9-10 free throws (!!) and 7-9 threes (!!!!!!!!!!!). He also handed out 7 assists and snatched 5 rebounds in 35 minutes.

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green each added 17, and Andrew Bogut posted 12 and 12. This looked roughly like a No. 1 seed vs. a No. 2384 seed. The West was really tough this year, and, now just one win away from the title, the Warriors have made it look like a joke.

So, yeah. Not exactly a sharp showing from Houston. James Harden hit just 3 of his 16 shots (though he made 10-11 free throws to finish with 17). Dwight Howard was aggressive early on the glass, but his 14 and 17 proved fruitless in the loss. Josh Smith added 16, but guys like Jason Terry (4), Trevor Ariza (7) and Terrence Jones (6) didn’t deliver. In fairness, it’s pretty tough to beat the 67-win Warriors when you rely on dudes like Jason Terry (no disrespect to the JET!).

The Warrriors were the best team in the NBA all season long, and seem (somehow) to be peaking in the postseason. Curry is unstoppable, Thompson can hit any shot on the floor and the supporting cast shows up every night. They’re simply a tremendous team. Meanwhile, now down 3-0, Houston’s road to success looks something like this: Game 4 home win, steal Game 5, Game 6 home win, ride momentum into a Game 7 win. Best of luck.

The series just might wrap up on Monday night.

The post Post Up: MVP Takes Game 3 appeared first on SLAM.

The MVP proceeded to torch Houston to the tune of 34 points in the Golden State Warriors’ 110-106 victory to open up the Western Conference Finals.

Four other Warriors scored in double-figures in the series opener.

Per the SF Chronicle:

The Warriors didn’t panic when they fell behind by 16 points in the second quarter. They didn’t panic when they nearly blew an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead, either. The simply rose to the occasion of their deepest playoff run since 1976 and found a way to sneak away with a 110-106 Game 1 victory over the Rockets in front of the 129th consecutive sellout crowd at Oracle Arena.

 

After going up 108-97 on a Stephen Curry layup with 2:01 remaining, the Warriors allowed Houston to reel off the game’s next nine points — trimming its deficit to 108-106 on a Trevor Ariza three-pointer with 14.6 seconds left. Curry made two free throws with 11.8 seconds to play for some breathing room. James Harden’s three-point shot and Jason Terry’s ensuing putback attempt each missed in the final 4.2 seconds. […] “We stayed with them,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “There’s a reason these two teams are here in the conference finals: a lot of talent and a lot of competitive desire. I thought the level of competition may have exceeded the level of execution, but that’s playoff basketball. It’s physical, it’s hard to get open shots at times, and you have to play through all that, and I thought both teams really competed hard.”

 

Harrison Barnes scored 14 points, his seventh straight game in double figures, and Draymond Green filled the stat sheet with 13 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists as the Warriors had their best runs with 6-foot-7 Green playing center. […] “Draymond is one of the best defensive players in the league, because he can guard low-post guys and perimeter guys,” Kerr said. “He can switch onto James Harden, and he can guard Dwight Howard. That doesn’t mean he’s always going to get a stop, but he’s always going to put up a fight, and he’s got a chance. The way he competes, it’s kind of nice to have him out on the floor.”

The post Stephen Curry Drops 34 Points on Houston in Game 1 Win (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

It’s going to take some time to digest what just happened to the Los Angeles Clippers. We can start with the developments begged by immediacy. Chris Paul won’t reach the conference finals for the 10th time in 10 seasons. Blake Griffin will once again be forced to wait a notch below the definitive top tier of superstardom. Austin Rivers might now be legally owned by James Harden.

Then come the uncomfortable personnel questions that have sprung up sooner than expected. Was that DeAndre Jordan’s last game as a Clipper? Is there a market to rebuild one of the League’s most barren benches? Does this core need to invest in another plus defender to truly break out of the saturated West?

And in time, we’ll have historical perspective. Because Chris Paul’s championship window may stay open for another seven years, and DeAndre Jordan may stay in Los Angeles and learn how to shoot free throws, and Doc Rivers may add the requisite role players when the cap jumps next summer. The franchise may recover from blowing a 3-1 series lead and a 19-point third-quarter lead in Game 6, and it may not.

But guessing how the latest sad chapter reads in the Clippers’ library of errors is not what this Game 7 is about. This is about a team that spent much of the year plagued by volatility, was ravaged by injuries down the stretch and touted some of the League’s most intensely unlikable players. And how that team is somehow just one round from the Finals. For every disastrous collapse lives an inspired comeback, and while the Clippers certainly threw this series away, the Rockets also snatched it back.

Every aspect of the Houston Rockets was in tune and on point Sunday. There was a palpable urgency to their game, while the Clippers reacted possession after possession like they were still confounded by their freefall. The Rockets’ defense was smothering: James Harden confidently guarded Paul (and at times even Griffin) on the perimeter, and the NBA’s third-ranked 3-point shooting team was dragged down to a 25 percent clip from behind the arc. The offense, meanwhile, ran the pick and roll with aplomb, freed up shooters around the perimeter and, once Harden was able to get into the paint, forced Jordan to leave his feet too often.

Harden had 12 points in the first quarter and 31 for the game, and his 7-for-20 shooting was masked by 15 made free throws. Trevor Ariza made six threes. Dwight Howard pulled down 15 rebounds. Newly elected Mayor of Houston Josh Smith shot 6-for-10, and Pablo Prigioni put up a game-best plus-minus of +20. Jason Terry was perhaps the only Rocket to struggle offensively, but he visibly flustered CP3 throughout the afternoon. This game wasn’t as close as the score suggests. The Rockets lead by 17 after three quarters and dominated most of the fourth before the Clippers tore off a short-lived 13-3 run.

It’s easy to count the Rockets out as they prepare for one of the best regular season teams we’ve seen in a long time, and it was natural to be rooting for the entertainment value of a Clippers-Warriors conference finals. But teams don’t make 19-point Game 6 comebacks on the road to go out with a whimper afterward. The Rockets are looking comfortable and confident, and while they can’t afford any stretches of inconsistency against Steph Curry and copmany, a few performances like Sunday’s shouldn’t be out of the question either.

The post Post Up: No Problems, Houston appeared first on SLAM.

Doc Rivers: "We gave this one away. There's no doubt about that."

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) May 15, 2015

With James Harden a mere “cheerleader” on the bench, his teammates (most notably Josh Smith, Corey Brewer, and Jason Terry most) mounted a furious 19-point comeback and earned a 119-107 win.

With history on the Rockets’ side …

Since '83-84, home teams are 43-8 in Game 7s that occur in the 2nd round or later. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ycORLprAGb

— NBA.com (@NBAcom) May 15, 2015

… The series concludes Sunday in H-Town.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

With the Clippers almost popping the champagne on their way to their first trip to the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets rolled through a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback, their largest of the season to shock the Clippers,119-107, and send the series back to Houston for Game 7 on Sunday. […] The comeback from a 19-point deficit was the Rockets’ largest in the post-season since the 1995 NBA Finals when the Rockets came back from down 20. Their 13-point hole heading into the fourth quarter was the largest they had ever escaped in a playoff game.

 

“We all just want to win, because we understand how important this season and this time is to us,” said Dwight Howard, who had 20 points and 21 rebounds, the first 20-20 game in an elimination game since Shawn Kemp in 1997. “What happened 20 years ago was great for the city and great for that team, but we have to make our own history. This is a great time to do it. […] We won’t quit. You know, we had every opportunity to tuck our tails and to sulk in defeat, but instead we rallied around each other. We continued to believe, and that’s why we got the win.”

 

As the Rockets took off, the Clippers crumbled. They missed 15-consecutive fourth-quarter shots, many coming at the rim or on rushed, but open jumpers. They made just 4 of 22 shots in the fourth quarter with Chris Paul tacking on a 3 at the buzzer as the teams headed to the locker rooms. […] “They outplayed us in every sense of the word down the stretch,” Blake Griffin said. “We took our foot off the gas, stopped defending, a lot of things. Got to be better. You could tell we kind of got stunned, and we didn’t respond well.”

The post Rockets’ Amazing Rally Forces Game 7 vs Clippers (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

It was a tie game when Kyrie Irving hobbled off to the locker room. LeBron James was off to a 2-7 start; Derrick Rose was feeling it; a tangible energy was swelling throughout the United Center.

Irving never returned. The Bulls lost by 21. It was a deflating end to a season that saw the Bulls passionately respond to misfortune time and time again. It was almost certainly a stunning end to the Tom Thibodeau era. And it was the loudest way possible to beg a series of uncomfortable questions for a core that has seen its window slowly shrink since 2011.

“In order to be a great team and a championship-caliber team, you have to be a little more consistent than we have been,” Pau Gasol said after the game. “We have to mature and take this opportunity to grow as a team. Digest the pain of losing and being eliminated tonight, take it all in, work this summer and get ready for the next run.”

Who will be at the helm of that next run remains to be seen. The relationship between Thibodeau and Bulls management seemingly reached a public nadir every week during the winter, and reports circulated during these playoffs that Thibodeau would be ousted from Chicago no matter how far his team advanced. Thibs seems to be a natural fit to replace Monty Williams and continue to grow Anthony Davis (!), but he refused to look forward during a somber press conference Wednesday.

“Until they tell me I’m not, I expect to be here. That’s the way I approach it,” Thibodeau said. “When you’re a pro, it’s easy to get sidetracked. If you want find an excuse, you can. If you want to make good, you can. There’s always a lot of adversity. It’s in the way you look at things. Being mentally tough through adversity is huge. You have to look at it as an opportunity to grow.”

Adversity came when Nikola Mirotic was called for a flagrant foul after clotheslining Iman Shumpert midway through the second quarter. Shumpert responded by scoring six consecutive points, including a layup and a 3 over Mirotic, and the Bulls quickly lost composure. Shumpert finished with a vengeful 11 points and six boards in the quarter, while the Bulls fell down 14 at halftime.

Then came what had to be one of the ugliest halves of basketball ever put together by a team facing elimination. The Bulls had six total points in a 12-minute span, allowed eight fourth-quarter points to Matthew Dellavedova and looked absolutely lifeless on both ends of the floor as their season came to a slow-burning, unceremonious finish. Rose and Jimmy Butler were the only two Bulls to finish with double-digit scoring, and they shot a combined 15-38.

And yes, LeBron James did play in this game. Not particularly well. James finished just 7-23 and turned the ball over nine times. But with Irving ailing and The King diminished, the Cavs took a commanding lead and controlled the game’s tempo with Shumpert, Dellavedova, Tristan Thmpson and JR Smith. The Cavaliers continued their excellence on the glass, almost doubling the Bulls’ rebounding total, and the team’s volatile 3-point shooting came on strong at the right time to the tune of a 44.4 percent clip.

Despite one of the most erratic and, at times, concerning playoff series of his career, LeBron James ultimately owns the two plays that swung the Eastern Conference semis: the buzzer-beating jumper in Game 4 and the leaping block on Rose’s potential game-tying layup in Game 5.

“Throughout the playoffs, I have never seen a shadow of doubt or fear on anyone’s face. I have to give LeBron a lot of credit,” David Blatt said. “He is a true leader here.

“The key thing in it all was we never made any excuses. Kevin was hurt, Kyrie was hurt, but we just went about our job on how we could win the game.”

Despite its anticlimactic finish, this series provided us with a cadre of great moments. Rose’s game winner offered a brief flash of redemption after three years of pain and patience. James’ game winner offered redemption after a 9-for-29 stinker. And save for the 2007 Game 5 against the Pistons and the 2012 Game 6 in Boston, LeBron’s 38/12/6/3/3 Game 5 performance may have been his best playoff outing to date.

The Hawks and Wizards will continue to slug it out, while Irving rests and James readies. Despite countless unforseen circumstances, the Cavs are hitting their stride and looking awfully confident right as it matters most.

— Steven Goldstein

Rockets 119, Clippers 107 (Series tied 3-3)

It was over. With 4 minutes left in the third quarter, the Clippers lead 87-68, and they were in complete control. They played with a relentless energy, locking down James Harden on defense and relying on Chris Paul and Blake Griffin as a rabid Staples Center crowd cheered them on and heckled Dwight Howard every time he touched the ball.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were dominating. Paul had 22 points and 11 assists at this point in the third quarter, and he looked more mobile than he had at any point in the series, as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury. Griffin was even more impressive, running in transition, hitting midrange shot after midrange shot, and pulling off stuff that would be hard to do in a game of Horse.

Then, just as the Staples Center crowd started to look ahead to the Western Conference Finals, the Clippers melted down . In an implosion for the ages, Los Angeles got outscored 40 to 15 in the 4th quarter and somehow lost by double digits. The Rockets went on a 33-10 run that included a 24-2 run in which the Clippers didn’t hit a field goal for half of the quarter.

“We were trying to run the clock out and we stopped playing,” a stunned Doc Rivers said postgame. “What could have went wrong went wrong.”

Everything went right for Houston in the 4th, and they got key contributions from some unlikely players. Josh Smith (19 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds) just went insane, scoring 16 points in the quarter and somehow hitting three three-pointers. Corey Brewer (19 points 2 assists, 10 rebounds) also went off in the 4th, getting out in transition for dunks and forcing several turnovers. He had 15 of his 19 points in the quarter. Jason Terry (7 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds) had a vintage Jason Terry performance, trolling the crowd after hitting the ultimate dagger three to stretch the lead to 119-104 toward the end of the game. The Rockets just moved the ball beautifully in the 4th quarter, and they got open looks from both three point range (they hit 6 three’s in the quarter) and near the basket.

“That group just went out there and they just scrambled, they fought and they played their tails off on defense,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. “They had a great sense about them that they were going to accomplish something.”

That group did not include James Harden. The MVP candidate sat on the bench for the entire quarter except for one two-second stretch at the end of the game. Harden (23 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds) may have lead the Rockets in points, but the numbers lie in this case. Harden was an atrocious 5-20 from the field, and JJ Redick did a great job harassing him along the perimeter and preventing him from getting open looks. Harden never could get in rhythm, and the ball stopped whenever he jab stepped and step backed into contested jumpers.

“I was thinking about putting him back in, but those guys earned the right to finish the game,” Kevin McHale said.

The Rockets also got a huge performance from Dwight Howard (20 points, 1 assist 20 rebounds), who was just a force on the boards. He was feisty all night, shoving Blake Griffin in the first quarter, flagrantly fouling him in the third and picking up a tech. But when he kept his composure he excelled, coming up with big rebounds and skying for alley oops.

For the Clippers their historic collapse means that big games from both Blake Griffin (28 points, 2 assist, 8 rebounds) and Chris Paul (31 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds) went for naught. Matt Barnes (9 points, 1 assist, 10 rebounds) also contributed a solid all around game. JJ Redick (15 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds) had a good defensive game on Harden but missed several open jumpers that could have stretched the lead even more in the third quarter. While all these players played well, the fact that things were humming along so nicely for the Clippers through the first three quarters just makes what happened in the fourth quarter even more shocking.

“We took our foot off the gas, stopped defending, a lot of things,” said Blake Griffin.

Now the series will shift back to Houston, where Game 7 will be played on Sunday. The Rockets could be only the ninth team ever to make it back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series. Meanwhile the Clippers are looking to make it to the Western Conference Final for the first time ever. Whatever happens on Sunday, yesterday’s epic choke could become a defining moment in Clipper history if they lose in Houston. The stakes couldn’t get higher for the Clippers and the Rockets, but we’ll have to wait until Sunday to see how it all plays out.

— Russell Simon

The post Post Up: Clutch Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Rockets to the 1-1 series tie.

Dwight Howard was also in fine form, finishing with 24 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

Trailing the Clippers by 13 in the second half on Wednesday, the Rockets had shown few signs of the turnaround that would come. But they made a lineup change, sat James Harden and put together a second-half comeback that took them past the Clippers 115-109 to even their first round series at 1-1 heading to Friday’s Game 3. […] “The bottom line is this series in nor for the weak of heart,” Rockets guard Jason Terry said. “The tougher team will win. Tonight, we came out in the second half a much tougher team. The first game and the first half of this game, they were the tougher team and so when you put this Rockets uniform on, you better come in here ready to fight.”

 

The Rockets went to a small lineup, with Trevor Ariza playing the power forward to provide spacing and a jolt of scoring along with more active front defense on Blake Griffin to turn the game around. The Rockets went from a 13-point second-half deficit to a 12-point lead with four minutes left, then made just enough free throws to hold on. […] “We had to just change things up on Blake Griffin,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of Griffin’s 26-point first half. “He was just backing us down, making shots. We were again too passive, just letting him have his way with us. We were trying to trap him, but couldn’t get there in time. When we went small, we were able to front him. (Ariza) did a nice job and Dwight (Howard) did a nice job putting a body on him, not letting him be quite as free as he was in the first half.”

 

“We had them on the ropes,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said as he left the interview room podium. “We had them on the ropes.” […] “It’s always tough, especially having four fouls in the third quarter, but my teammates did a really good job of fighting and battling and keeping the game really close,” Harden said. “That allowed me in that fourth quarter to just go out there and just do what I’ve got to do. I knew my team was battling extremely hard and basically it was up to me to go out there and push us forward. They kept it a close game and they were battling. I sat out the entire third quarter so by the end of the third quarter, I was well rested.”

The post James Harden Leads Rockets to Game 2 Win vs Clippers (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

From Mark Berman of FOX Houston via Twitter:

James Harden on Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni: "The grandpas have done a great job."

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) May 1, 2015

Both Prigioni (3.4 ppg, 2.4 apg) and Terry (7.8 ppg, 2.2 apg) have been playing over 20 minutes per game so far this postseason.

The post James Harden on Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni: ‘The Grandpas Have Done a Great Job’ appeared first on SLAM.

HOU’s Terry fined $5,000 for violating anti-flopping rule during GM 2 of 1st round playoff series vs. DAL. See at http://t.co/IFG063Fa45

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) April 22, 2015

The Rockets now hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the first round battle, with the series shifting to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.

Per the AP:

Houston guard Jason Terry was fined $5,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules during Game 2 of the Rockets’ first-round series against Dallas.

 

The incident occurred in the third quarter of Rockets’ 111-99 home victory.

The post Jason Terry Fined $5K for Flop in Game 2 (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle glued the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent to the pine for all but 34 seconds of the second half, and the moody floor general left the arena without speaking to reporters.

With Rondo on the floor for a total of 37 minutes during the series, Houston has outscored Dallas by 36 points during that span.

Per the Dallas Morning News and ESPN:

After the game, he walked briskly to the bus, leaving behind a trail of reporters and declining comment. […] Earlier in the game, after being substituted for five minutes into the first quarter, Rondo sat away from the team huddle during a timeout, as teammate Richard Jefferson kneeled in front of him and spoke to him.

 

Coach Rick Carlisle was asked about Rondo’s effort in Game 2. […] “You can ask him that question,” Carlisle said. “All I know, right now, is that we need everybody at their competitive best. This isn’t about one guy who did or didn’t play. This is about everybody pulling in the same direction for the organization.”

 

Rondo certainly didn’t come close to his competitive best during the nine minutes, 55 seconds that he wasn’t on the bench during Game 2. […] A little more than four minutes into the game, Rondo nonchalantly walked the ball up the floor, getting whistled for an absolutely ridiculous eight-second backcourt violation with the Rockets not even applying pressure. He was pulled for J.J. Barea 40 seconds later — after Rondo wandered aimlessly on defense to let Jason Terry hit a wide-open 3 — and Carlisle didn’t call for Rondo again until 5:30 remained in the second quarter.

Related: Rajon Rondo Suspended After Yelling at Rick Carlisle (VIDEO)

The post Rajon Rondo Benched in the Second Half of Game 2 vs Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

PP didn’t limit his criticisms to the Nets, though, also calling out Wizards teammates John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter—or at least, suggesting that he has yet to be 100 percent convinced that they have the work ethic and motivation it takes to be superstars in the League.

That Pierce would be open and honest in the later stages of his career is perhaps not surprising, but to openly take a dump on another active player is certainly a little jarring. Read the full article here, and some of the juicier quotes from Pierce below:

“I’m much happier,” he said. “It was a tough situation (in Brooklyn) last year. Horrible, really.

 

“It was just the guys’ attitudes there. It wasn’t like we were surrounded by a bunch of young guys. They were vets who didn’t want to play and didn’t want to practice. I was looking around saying, ‘What’s this?’ Kevin (Garnett) and I had to pick them up every day in practice.

 

“If me and Kevin weren’t there, that team would have folded up. That team would have packed it in. We kept them going each and every day.”

 

The player that puzzled him the most, said Pierce, was point guard Deron Williams.

 

“Before I got there, I looked at Deron as an MVP candidate,” Pierce said. “But I felt once we got there, that’s not what he wanted to be. He just didn’t want that.

 

“I think a lot of the pressure got to him sometimes. This was his first time in the national spotlight. The media in Utah is not the same as the media in New York, so that can wear on some people. I think it really affected him.”

 

Pierce said veteran Joe Johnson was an affable professional but also a reluctant leader.

 

“Joe is quiet,” Pierce noted. “He doesn’t want much attention. He doesn’t say much.

 

“There’s a lot of secondary guys on that team. KG and I went there looking at them as the main guys who would push us, because we were advancing in years. But we ended up doing all the pushing.”

 

Brooklyn gave up its 2014 pick (which the Celtics used to draft James Young) and unprotected picks in 2016 and 2018 to acquire Pierce, Garnett and Jason Terry. They believed they were poised to be championship contenders, but posted an underwhelming 44-38 record and were bounced by the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs.

 

When the season ended, they declined to sign Pierce to a new deal and let him walk as a free agent.

 

“I would have stayed in Brooklyn because of Kevin,” Pierce said. “I told him, ‘I don’t really like this situation but I would never leave you if you want me to stay.’ But they decided not to re-sign me so I never had to make a choice. I would never have left Kevin like that.”

 

Garnett was traded in February to Minnesota, where he will eventually assume a front-office role as a part-owner.

 

“He’s happy,” Pierce said. “I’m glad he waived his no-trade clause. I told him, ‘They don’t appreciate you in Brooklyn, man.’ They didn’t even use him right.

 

“He’s where he’s supposed to be. He IS Minnesota. He never sold his house there.”

The post Paul Pierce Calls Deron Williams and Joe Johnson ‘Vets Who Didn’t Want to Play and Didn’t Want to Practice’ appeared first on SLAM.

Harden reached the 40-point mark for the tenth time this season, scoring a game-high 41 points and put the game away in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets have won three in a row as they gear up for the postseason.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

With a tweak to the offense and a defense suddenly matching up with Harden one-on-one, the Rockets’ star barely blinked from the brightness of the green light flashing before him before he went to work. Harden scored 10-consecutive fourth-quarter Rockets points, building just enough of a cushion for the Rockets to hold off the Thunder, 115-112, in Chesapeake Energy Arena. […] “Nine times out of 10, he’s going to make a move and get a good shot off if it’s one-on-one,” Rockets guard Jason Terry said. “He’s the best in the game that we have right now playing one-on-one. We like our chances.”

 

With the Thunder within two and more than five minutes remaining, he scored or set up the final six Rockets field goals of the game, on his way to 41 points, his league-high 10th game with at least 40. […] “We tried running some stuff, see if we couldn’t get a switch with a guy James would (prefer),” head coach Kevin McHale said. “James feels pretty comfortable with anybody. We got the match up we wanted and kind of flattened it out and let James go to work.”

 

Finally, the Rockets could not get the switch, with Westbrook staying on Harden after a (Corey) Brewer screen. Unable to shake Westbrook, Harden moved to 18 feet and then nailed his jumper over him for an eight-point lead with 1:25 left. […] “That’s my job,” Harden said. “That’s what I to do. I have to go out there and take the big shots. My teammates did a great job that entire game of just making shots, getting to the rim and being in attack mode, being aggressive. And in that 4th quarter I have to make big shots.”

The post James Harden Wins Duel vs Russell Westbrook (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

When it comes to that particular Arizona team, most people remember the legendary white hair of the now iconic hoops coach Lute Olson or the stud Miles Simon or freshman phenom Mike Bibby and his now famous Nike Foamposites.

But I’d like to share some more context around what led to the make up of the team, the incredible teams they beat on the way to the title, and the season as a whole, as they would go on what is quite possibly the greatest NCAA Tournament run of all time.

Heading into the 1996-97 season, the Arizona program had tough shoes to fill. They would be losing four upperclassmen, including big man Joseph Blair who led the team in scoring, an oft-forgotten transfer by the name of Ben Davis who left Kansas for Florida, then Florida for Arizona and became the team’s second leading scorer and leading rebounder. Point guard Reggie Geary was also a force, as he led the team in assists, blocks and steals, leading to a First-Team All-Pac 10 selection, along with Davis. There was also a senior by the name of Corey Williams who had some nice contributions as well.

In the 1996 Draft, thought to be possibly the best ever, Blair was selected 35th overall by the Sonics, Davis went 43rd to the Suns and Geary 56th to the Cavs. All would have pretty short NBA careers, but played a lot of overseas ball, as did Corey Williams who would go on to play 12 years of pro ball all over the world.

The 1997 Wildcats would be a young team, with incoming freshman Bibby, sophomore Terry and juniors Miles Simon and Michael Dickerson as their leaders. The team was up and down throughout the season, but they never lost more than two games in a row and finished with a 19-9 regular-season record. They did, however, finish with a mediocre 11-7 record in conference play. Good for fifth in the Pac-10. Dickerson would be the only Wildcat selected to the All-Pac 10 team, with Bibby being named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.

The Cats would head into the 1997 NCAA Tournament as a 4-seed in a pretty tough Southeast region, behind No. 1 seed Kansas (Roy Williams), No. 2 seed Duke (Coach K) and No. 3 Georgia (Tubby Smith).

Their first game would be against the 13-seed South Alabama, where they escaped with just an 8-point victory, by a score of 65-57.

In their second game, the round of 32, Arizona would face the 12-seed College of Charleston, led by Senior Thaddeus Delaney, who was the Atlantic Sun player of the year. The Cougars had a 27-2 record coming into the game and were riding a 23-game winning streak. Their point guard was junior Anthony Johnson, who would go on to play 15 seasons in the NBA after being selected 39th overall by the Kings in the 1997 NBA Draft. The Cougars had just upset the 5-seed Maryland Terrapins, coached by Gary Williams and now had their sights set on Arizona.

In that game, Simon dropped 20 points and Bibby added 18, as Arizona knocked off the Cougars by just 4 points.

By beating Charleston, it would set up a Sweet Sixteen rematch between Arizona and the team that knocked them out of last year’s Tournament, the No. 1 overall seed, Kansas. The Jayhawks were the powerhouse of the Tournament. They had only lost one game all season and that was just a two-point loss, 96-94, to Missouri over a month before the Tournament. The Jayhawks consisted of future NBA players in All-American Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Jacque Vaughn and Scot Pollard.

Against Kansas, Arizona would get a very balanced game out of their stars with Bibby dropping 21, Dickerson 20, Simon 17 and sophomore center AJ Bramlett adding 12 points and 12 boards, en route to a 85-82 upset that shocked the college basketball world, sending the Wildcats to the Elite Eight.

Their Elite Eight matchup would be against the 10-seed Providence Friars who consisted of future NBA players, big man Austin Croshere and God Shammgod, along with Sebastian Telfair’s brother/Stephon Marbury’s cousin Jamel Thomas. The Friars were an underdog, Cinderella team that had beaten No. 2 seed Duke to advance to the Sweet Sixteen and then knocked off the 14-seed Chattanooga to reach the Elite 8 where they would face Lute Olson’s squad.

It would prove to be a great match up and a high-scoring affair that went to overtime, but Arizona would prevail 96-92, behind Mile Simon’s 30-point game and five other Wildcats scoring in double figures. Arizona would now move to the Final Four, to play the No. 1 seed from the East, North Carolina.

North Carolina had some great talent with Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Shammond Williams and Ed Cota. Their team was stacked. They were led by one of the greatest coaches ever, Dean Smith and had just spanked legendary coach Denny Crum’s 6-seed Lousiville Cardinals by 23, 97-74, in the Elite Eight.

Tar Heel studs Carter and Jamison combined for 15-32 shooting totaling 37 points, while Williams, Cota, Serge Zwikker and Ademola Okulaia combined to shoot 8-42, a terrible 19 percent from the field, totaling just 19 points.

They couldn’t overcome the poor shooting night, as Bibby and Simon again led the Cats to victory, 66-58, knocking off their second No. 1 seed in the tourney to advance to the title game, where they would play their third 1-seeded opponent, and defending Champion Kentucky Wildcats, coached by Rick Pitino, who had just beat No. 1 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers 78-69 to get to the final game.

Heading into the Championship game, there was a ton of buzz around Arizona’s run, but Kentucky was still the favorite, looking to repeat, as they had won it all the year before with Antoine Walker, Tony Delk and Walter McCarty. Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, would try to get his second ring behind the likes of future NBA talent Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, Scott Padgett, Nazr Mohammed and Jamaal Magloire.

Prior to 1997, the last five NCAA Champions had been No. 1 seeds, and Kentucky looked poised to take it again, rolling to the title game with a 35-4 overall record with no one giving them too hard of a test along the way.

The title game between Kentucky and Arizona—a battle of Wildcats, played on March 31, 1997 in Indianapolis—was a great game. Two great teams, peaking at the same time, in the biggest games of the players’ lives. There were 18 lead changes in the game, which turned out to be a great fight to crown a champion.

Arizona led 42-41 at the half and the game went back and forth for all 40 minutes and ended tied 74-74 at the end of regulation.

In overtime, Arizona outscored Kentucky 10-5, with all 10 of their points coming from free throws. Simon had a huge title game, dropping 30 points and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. The championship game capped off an incredible Tournament run, beating some super talented teams, including three No. 1 seeds stacked with future pros.

In the post-game press conference, Olson said, “What a great game. What a great effort from both teams. I’m very proud of the toughness of this group that no one thought should be here, no one thought could do it. Three No. 1 seeds went down. This is one tough, young group of Cats!”

The 1997 Arizona Wildcats finished the season with a 25-9 record, but their journey—in this writer’s opinion—goes down as the greatest NCAA Tournament run of all time. They are still the only team to beat three No. 1 seeds in an NCAA Tournament.

The nucleus of the team, Miles Simon, Mike Bibby, Michael Dickerson, AJ Bramlett and Jason Terry all returned to repeat the next year but were upset, ironically as a 1-seed in the Elite Eight of the 1998 Tourney by Utah, who eventually lost in the title game to Kentucky. All five players would go on to be drafted in 1998 or 1999.

The post A Wild Ride appeared first on SLAM.

Harden and the big fella spoke about their respective roles, and Howard (who missed more than two months with a gimpy right knee) told his All-Star teammate to keep playing at his MVP-caliber level.

Back together. pic.twitter.com/2GGXOqMMSC

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 25, 2015

Harden is the NBA’s second-leading scorer (27.2 ppg) and plans to keep firing away.

Per USA Today:

“He said, ‘I’ll be returning soon, but I don’t want you to change your game,” Harden said Tuesday. “He said, ‘I don’t want you to do anything different. Just go out there and do what you do, and do it at a high level every single night.’ He said, ‘I’ll adjust to you,’ and that right there gave me confidence to just play, and play my game and not worry about anything else. Once you hear that from your other leader, then you know you can just go out there and play the way that I’ve been playing. […] I definitely needed to hear that, and he told it to me. So right there that gave me all the confidence in the world, not to try to force it to get him into a rhythm or try to do anything forceful. I can just play my game. Him telling me that just gave me the green light to just go out there and just be the James Harden that I’ve been being all season.”

 

“I knew he was going to come back soon, so we had to have a meeting about what was going on — what he needed from me, what I needed from him,” Harden continued. “JET (Jason Terry) is one of the leaders also. He has won championships (2011 with the Dallas Mavericks). He has that experience. I always listen to him, and get feedback from him. That was probably one of the best meetings that I’ve had, just knowing that my big guy has confidence in me. We’ll go out there and try to compete as a team together.”

 

The most surprising part, at least on the surface, is that their defense has been so dominant without Howard (they’re fourth in point allowed per 100 possessions at 103.5 after finishing just 12th last season). Still, Harden — true to their agreed-upon form — will be the one driving this welcome-back wagon. […] “I’m excited to have him back,” Harden said of Howard, who is averaging 16.3 points, 11 rebounds and 1.4 blocks this season. “He’s definitely a key part of our team and where we want to go. I think while he was out, we were just trying to stay above water and try to just maintain, try to give other guys an opportunity to play. And we’ve done that, so just to get him back would be great for us for these last 12 games so we can get some chemistry and some camaraderie going into the postseason.”

The post James Harden Won’t Change His Game With Dwight Howard Back in Lineup appeared first on SLAM.

There’s been a lot of talk recently about Rajon Rondo, mostly stemming from his confrontation with Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle. One report last week suggested Rondo was “extremely unlikely” to re-sign in Dallas (he’s a free agent at the end of this season). But in a Q+A with Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports, Rondo says he’s open to re-signing with the Mavs. In fact, he says “I love it here.” In general, he feels misunderstood. You should read the whole interview here, but check out the pertinent quotes below—with special shouts to Rondo’s practice playlist choices:

Q: What do you think about the perception that you want to depart from Dallas?

 

Rondo: “First of all, I’m misunderstood in general. I don’t mind because I’m very quiet and I stay to myself. People are going to say what they want to say. I don’t talk, so I don’t know why they would say that. I don’t think I play as if I don’t want to be here. I give it all when I’m out there on the court.

 

“I’m always in communication trying to learn and get better and learn what’s better for the team. All I care about is winning. I made a lot of sacrifices, I believe, coming here. I try to give up the ball and move without the ball a lot more. It’s hard to adjust. But for the sake of the team to win that’s what I’m trying to.”

 

Q: So you are open-minded to re-signing with Dallas?

 

Rondo: “Why would I not be? There are a lot of things that I really love. Even the practices, we listen to music, my type of music. It’s the little things. Say we are going to California, we will play Too $hort and West Coast music. If we are going to Houston we might play chop and screw, Bun B or something like that. If we are going to New Orleans we might play Lil Wayne at practice, during shooting 30 minutes before practice. It’s a cool way they run it. We get our work in.

 

“It’s a player’s organization. Players first, from our plane, the way we travel. I don’t take that for granted. We eat good. We stay at the best hotels. Of course, it’s the NBA. But this organization has the best. They have PlayStation in the lockers. I don’t play games, but it’s nice to know I got a PlayStation. TVs in your own locker. I heard about it – [Brandon Bass] and J-Terry [Jason Terry] told me – but seeing it and experiencing it.

 

“I love it here. I don’t dislike anything. I’m not uncomfortable. Of course, the system is different, but I’ve been here for two months. It’s going to take time. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”

The post Rajon Rondo Open to Re-Signing With Mavs, Says ‘I’m Misunderstood in General’ appeared first on SLAM.

1. Getting his jersey retired on the TNT stage. 

This is the best moment in the history of the show—and it’s not even close. Back in the day, when Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson were both on the show, Kenny was the only one who did not have his jersey hanging from the rafters. When TNT commentator Reggie Miller had his jersey retired by Indiana, Ernie Johnson took it upon himself to hang up a Tracy McGrady Jersey with “Smith” written on the back, so Kenny could finally feel what it was like to have his number retired. Kenny knew what was coming, and hanging the jersey up next to a pink bra was really a classy move by the TNT team.

2. Mocking Chris Webber’s infamous timeout. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awg19u8Jk8o

Kenny takes a lot of abuse, but this was proof that he can dish it out, too. Chris Webber was playing with fire when he mocked Kenny’s run to the big board, and Kenny got the last laugh.

3. Getting Charles to admit he gets his eyebrows done. 

When Charles did color commentary things got absurd in the TNT studio. Chris Webber goes crazy with the chapstick and Kenny spends five minutes dissecting every error and ridiculous comment Chuck made during the broadcast.

4. Getting into the Christmas spirit with Shaq.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgX_4rLzJWw

Kenny retied at around 170 pounds and Shaq weighs roughly 320, so there might have been some flopping here. Nevertheless, you don’t mess around with Kenny’s run to the big board.

5. Getting punked on his way to the board. 

A moment so random that you just have to tip your cap to the TNT team. You can hear producers and people in the studio howling with laughter, but Kenny plays through it like a champ.

6. Getting run over by Ernie.

After the video of Kobe Bryant jumping over the Aston Martin went viral, Kenny responded with a video of his own, but it didn’t work out well for him. This video had Kobe hysterically laughing immediately after a playoff game, and Kenny’s cries of “It was Ernie, it was Ernie!” really take this to the next level.

7. Beating Jason Terry in a shootout. 

Yes, they both technically are nicknamed JET, but after Kenny beat Jason Terry in a shootout on the show, he earned the right to keep his nickname.

8. Not running through the tape. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV-1sTG6d-0

No one will ever really know who won the 2013 TNT Race.

9. Giving Charles Barkley a champagne bath. 

After winning an Emmy in 2012, Kenny gave Chuck his only champagne bath ever. The minute he said “Kenny, I swear to God,” you knew something great was going to happen.

10. Calling the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest. 

This didn’t take place in the studio, but it might just be his most iconic moment. Vince Carter sealed the 2000 NBA Dunk Contest with this mind-blowing between-the-legs dunk, and Kenny reacted completely appropriately. “IT’S OVER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!”

The post Kenny Smith’s Top 10 Moments on Inside The NBA (VIDEOS) appeared first on SLAM.

Even though three Cavaliers players finished with double-doubles, George Hill (15 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) notched his first career triple-double and took over down the stretch to put Indiana into the eighth seed and the Nets out of the playoffs. In the final quarter, Hill knocked down five total free throws that each time extended Indiana’s lead right as the Cavs were making a push. The Pacers point guard got plenty of help from his teammates as Rodney Stuckey (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) was a huge spark off the bench. The Cavs, who were without Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, only managed to shoot 35.9 percent from the field—their second lowest percentage of the season. J.R. Smith (21 points, 4 assists), Kevin Love (17 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals), Iman Shumpert (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Matthew Dellavedova (14 points, 10 rebounds) all reached double figures but all shot below 50 percent from the field. With Paul George’s return right around the corner and his team building momentum into the eighth seed, things are looking up for last season’s top seed in the East. (Could there be another Pacers-Hawks first round matchup?)

76ers 89 (13-45), Wizards 81 (33-26)

The Wizards season continues to spiral out of control with another loss, this time to the scrappy 76ers, who won their first game since the departure of Michael Carter-Williams. Nerlens Noel (14 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals) had one of his best overall games of the season and did a exceptional job leading his team down the stretch. He exemplifies the scrappiness and grittiness Philadelphia has started to established as the season has moved along. Robert Covington (13 points, 6 rebounds) continued to be a consistent force on the offensive end while Jason Richardson (12 points, 5 assists) still some bounce to his step. Philly started the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run and led the rest of the way. Nothing has seemed to go right for the Beal-less Wizards of late, as they have lost six in a row and 11 of their last 13. John Wall (21 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds) put up decent numbers but has missed 20 of his last 23 3-point attempts. Otto Porter (19 points) filled in well for Paul Pierce but struggled to find his shot. And as a team, Washington only managed to shoot 32.3 percent from the field and 4-17 (23.5 percent) from deep. The Wizards are still fifth in the East only because the Lakers took down Milwaukee Friday night. Don’t be surprised if the Bucks pass the Wiz soon enough.

Hawks 95 (46-12), Magic 88 (19-41)

The Hawks used strong play coming out of the locker room to inch closer to their 50th win of the season. Atlanta started out the game on a 19-3 run and used a 10-2 run early in the third quarter to create space against the Magic. Even though he may be the one starter that wasn’t an All-Star, DeMarre Carroll (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals) has matured and evolved this season, truly becoming the epitome of a glue guy. Whatever type of hustle play his team needs on either side of the court, the former Mizzou Tiger will sacrifice his body to get the job done. While Carroll scrapped for his statistics, Paul Millsap (20 points) led the team in scoring and Al Horford (17 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals) earned another double-double. Horford, though, couldn’t keep Nikola Vucevic (21 points, 15 rebounds) from having another 20-15 night. If he ever finds a way to get on a decent team and put up the kind of numbers he does with Orlando, he will certainly be an All-Star. The Hawks used the long ball time and time again to extend the lead, shooting 14-31 (45.2 percent) on treys.

Celtics 106 (23-33), Hornets 98 (23-33)

After Marvin Williams (6 points, 3 rebounds) made a layup with 3:27 left in the third quarter, the Hornets led by a commanding margin, 73-57. Mo Williams (31 points, 7 rebounds, 6-13 on 3-pointers) was hitting everything from deep and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12 points, 11 rebounds) had established himself on the boards early and often. However, the Celtics second unit then took this game over. Newcomers Isaiah Thomas (season-high 28 points, 7 assists) and Jonas Jerebko (16 points, 10 rebounds), along with relative newcomer Jae Crowder (14 points, 6 rebounds) all led the way in the game’s final 15 minutes when Boston went on a 49-25 blitz. These three combined to score 40 of these 49 points, really showing promise for what this team could be with time. All five Hornets starters reached double-digits, but the bench really struggled to give them anything offensively. Don’t look now but there are currently five teams (Pacers, Nets, Hornets, Celtics, Pistons) that all have legitimate chances to make the playoffs.

Knicks 121 (11-46), Pistons 115 (23-35) 2OT

Since the Pistons traded away Josh Smith, they have turned into a team with a legitimate chance to sneak into the playoffs. However, they aren’t going to grab the eighth seed by blowing an 18-point lead and losing in double-overtime to the lowly Knicks. Andrea Bargnani (25 points, 12 rebounds) has suddenly come to live since Carmelo Anthony decided to shut it down for the season. Shane Larkin (16 points, 3 assists), though, came through with a huge play for New York that sealed the win. After Anthony Tolliver (6 points, 5 rebounds) drilled a 3-pointer with 1:17 to go in the second overtime, the Knicks only led 112-111. Larkin then went on to convert a three-point play to extend the lead to two possessions and made 4-4 free throws in the final 22 seconds to give the Knicks their 11th win of the season. The Pistons frontline still looks so much stronger without J-Smoove getting in the way. Andre Drummond (21 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Greg Monroe (28 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks) both had monster double-doubles. However, Bargnani’s ability to stretch the floor bothered these two big men as the game moved along. Detroit also missed Drummond’s interior presence when he fouled out less than a minute into the second overtime.

Warriors 113 (45-11), Raptors 89 (37-21)

The Warriors may have been tripped up by the Cavs in their Thursday night loss, but they got right back on track Friday and reminded the nation they are still the team to beat in the West. Klay Thompson (25 points, 5-8 on 3-pointers) and Stephen Curry (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) fired away in helping the Warriors torch the Raptors and make a joke out of Toronto’s backcourt. Draymond Green (27 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) also contributed in a big way, shutting down all of the Raptors’ struggling wingmen. Kyle Lowry (4 points, 1-7 from the field) had been vocal about his struggles on the court. Well, they continued and DeMar DeRozan (14 points, 4-16 from the field) wasn’t much better. Without these two Raptors clicking, Toronto never had a chance in their wire-to-wire loss and trailed 94-53 towards the end of the third quarter. This team lacks any sort of presence at the small forward position, which puts a huge burden on Lowry and DeRozan. And with Terrence Ross (18 points) being one of the most inconsistent players in the League, the foundation for the East’s two seed seems to be as shaky as ever. For the Warriors, they better be ready to bring this type of explosion if they get matched up with the Thunder in the playoffs.

Bulls 96 (37-22), Timberwolves 89 (13-44)

As the Bulls have seemingly been doing for the past three seasons, they picked up a close win despite multiple players out due to injury. Without Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol or Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler (28 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) showed why he is an All-Star and potential building block for this Chicago franchise. He has become one of the best two-way players in the NBA and has established a consistent shot he never showed prior to this season. Butler played well with crafty veteran Joakim Noah (11 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists) who has started to get in a groove since Gasol became ill. These two had crucial back-to-back buckets in the final few minutes of the game. They had room to operate due to Mike Dunleavy’s (21 points, 8 rebounds, 5-8 on 3-pointers) hot shooting from deep. When Dunleavy or Mirotic (8 points) can find their touch on any given night, it really helps Butler create and Noah work from the elbows. With Garnett resting, Kevin Martin (18 points, 5 rebounds), Ricky Rubio (15 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds) and Andrew Wiggins (14 points, 4 rebounds) led the team in scoring. Their downfall came from behind the arc, as Minnesota shot 2-14 (14.3 percent) from deep. Chicago has now won seven of its past nine games and is getting closer to surpassing Toronto for the second seed in the East.

Rockets 102 (40-18), Nets 98 (23-33)

Even with James Harden (15 points, 12 assists, 4-15 from the field) struggling most of the night, the Rockets sneaked by the Nets thanks to Terrence Jones (26 points, 12 rebounds, 11-16 from the field) having a season-best performance. The power forward has missed nearly three months earlier in the season because of a nerve inflammation in his left leg. This is the best he has looked in 11 games since returning from this injury. Even with Jones leading the way Friday night, Harden still made the tiebreaking free throw with 43 seconds to go and then went on to nail a jumper to give Houston the 98-95 lead. Jason Terry (5 points) and Jones made their free throws the rest of the way for the victory. Mason Plumlee (15 points, 2 blocks) and Deron Williams (15 points, 5 rebounds) led the Nets in scoring while Brook Lopez (12 points, 12 rebounds) picked up a double-double. Rookie Markel Brown (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) started his third straight game and looked good for his third straight game. With the type of inconsistency Brooklyn has seen from its backcourt this season, it has to be nice to see such a promising guard bring consistency to the two-guard position.

Clippers 97 (38-21), Grizzlies 79 (41-16)

At times this season, the Clippers have been soft defensively and lacked a strong mental game when the going gets tough. Friday night was the complete opposite as they remained poised and showed a sturdy defense against Memphis’ burly frontcourt. Chris Paul (19 points, 13 assists) shut down Mike Conley (4 points, 2 assists, 2-11 from the field) all night and forced him into having one of his worst performances of his career. DeAndre Jordan (15 points, 22 rebounds, 3 blocks) protected the interior and was a major reason the Grizzlies only managed to shoot 37.9 percent from the field. The big man entered this game averaging 16.1 points and 16.7 rebounds in February. Without Blake Griffin, Paul and Jordan will need to carry the load night in and night out if they want to move up the standings in the West. Without Conley’s production, Memphis had no chance against Los Angeles. There is a reason the lefty was considered by many as an All-Star snub—the Grizzlies offense doesn’t function without their star point guard involved.

Pelicans 104 (31-27), Heat 102 (25-32)

No Anthony Davis? No problem for these surging Pelicans, who have now won four straight. Alexis Ajinca (24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 9-10 from the field, 21 minutes) not only stepped up in place of Davis but became New Orleans’ go-to guy down the stretch. The 7-foot reserve has a soft touch around the rim and never rushes his shot. The Pelicans ran back-to-back plays specifically for Ajinca with a minute left to go as they trailed 102-100. After those two plays, New Orleans led 104-102, which would be the game’s final score. Even though Eric Gordon (20 points, 8 assists, 4-6 on 3-pointers) and Tyreke Evans (19 points, 11 assists) came through in big ways without Davis while Goran Dragic (20 points, 5 assists) turned this game into a layup drill and Henry Walker (16 points, 4-9 on 3-pointers) fired away from anywhere and everywhere beyond the 3-point arc, the story Friday night has to be Mr. Ajinca. If he can find a way to bring this type of production once Davis comes back, a frontcourt rotation of Davis, Omer Asik (5 points, 10 rebounds) and Ajinca could cause havoc late in the season.

Jazz 104 (22-35), Nuggets 82 (20-38)

The boos came out in full force at the Pepsi Center as the Nuggets lacked any type of effort against the Jazz. Derrick Favors (21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Rudy Gobert (10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks) can be the future frontcourt for the Jazz, as they already have good chemistry and a stout defensive presence. They balance each other well and have more room to grow with the departure of Enes Kanter. Whenever Trey Burke (19 points, 8-12 from the field) can make more than he misses, the Jazz have a much higher likelihood of staying in games. The young guard just needs to find some sort of consistency in his shooting. For Denver, there aren’t many silver linings to be found as their season is turning for the worst. Ty Lawson (8 points, 6 assists, 2-6 from the field) has lost his energy while Jusuf Nurkic remains sidelined. Will Barton (22 points, 8-15 from the field, 30 minutes) reached the 20-point plateau, but his points were insignificant in the blowout loss. The seat keeps getting hotter and hotter for Brian Shaw.

Spurs 107 (35-23), Kings 96 (20-36)

The Spurs snapped their four-game losing streak thanks to a dominating fourth quarter. San Antonio outscored Sacramento 27-18 in the final 12 minutes and received 20 of these points from Tony Parker (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Tim Duncan (12 points, 6 rebounds) and Manu Ginobili (16 points, 6-10 from the field). As we have all seen time and time again, when these three are clicking late in games, there are very few coaches or teams that know how to stop them. The addition and rise of Kawhi Leonard (17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks) makes it that much harder. Without DeMarcus Cousins, guards Ben McLemore (21 points) and Ray McCallum (20 points) both reached the 20-point plateau but got there in different ways. McLemore made 10 free throws while McCallum made 10 field goals on the night. The Kings only attempted four three-pointers on the night, making one of them. Sacramento is now 2-11 without Boogie this season.

Lakers 101 (16-41), Bucks 93 (32-26)

Wayne Ellington (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) finished this game in a much different way he started. Through the first three quarter, the shooting specialist had missed all six of his shot attempts. Then, as if a switch went off in his head, Ellington went off and scored all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter when his Lakers poured on 36 points to only 21 for the Bucks. Jordan Clarkson (16 points, 5 assists) led the Lakers in scoring and has now scored 38 total points the past two games. Ersan Ilyasova (17 points, 12 rebounds) earned a double-double while Giannis Antetokounmpo (13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) added 13 points. In his second game with the team, Michael Carter-Williams (8 points, 4 assists, 4 turnovers) still looks like he will need some time to adjust to Kidd’s system. With Carlos Boozer (10 points, 6 rebounds) back in the starting lineup, the Lakers have now won three games in a row for the first time since December 12-14. They will host the Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back Saturday night.

Blazers 115 (38-19), Thunder 112 (32-27)

This was a extremely entertaining, national-televised game featuring two playoff teams battling back and forth for a full 48 minutes. Even though the Blazers came back from a 15-point deficit thanks to a strong double-double from LaMarcus Aldridge (29 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists) and a pair of big 3-pointers from Wes Matthews (8 points, 3 steals) and Arron Afflalo (18 points, 2-3 on 3-pointers), Russell Westbrook (40 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) still stole the show with his third consecutive triple-double. In just the past two games, the electric point guard has 79 points, 27 rebounds and 22 assists. That is simply absurd. What is even crazier is the fact that his team lost both of those games…but that is the wild Western Conference for you. Mitch McGary (20 points, 9 rebounds) also came alive again after a handful of quiet performances. Damian Lillard (29 points, 5 assists) didn’t have his usual fourth-quarter takeover, but he played well in doing his best to match what Westbrook brought to the game. This win speaks a lot to the Blazers’ poised attitude and ability to sustain punch after punch without being knocked out. If they want to have another run in the playoffs this year, they’ll need to be able to do just that when the postseason arrives.

The post Post Up: Russ Goes Off In Loss appeared first on SLAM.

But which states can lay claim to being the first home to the best three-point shooters throughout all of NBA/ABA history? That’s to say, on the whole, what states have produced the most accurate (and most errant) bombers in each league?

On the surface, California—native state for the likes of Korver, Thompson, Reggie Miller and Tracy Murray—would seem like a top contender here. But Cali has also produced long-range bricklayers like Russell Westbrook and Antoine Wright, who drag down the overall three-point percentage produced by all its native NBA players. So, California actually ranks No. 12.

The most sharpshooting states are mostly in the rural north, where there’s not much else to do but spend endless hours arcing away in an empty gym, perfecting the game’s bedrock skill. It also helps if you’re, like, your state’s only NBA player.

First thing’s first: New Hampshire? No. 1?

Yes. It’s true. The Granite State rocks this metric on the burly, flamethrowin’ shoulders of Matt Bonner, forward for the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and the third-most likely team to win the 2015 West Conference crown. To this day the Red Rocket is the one and only NBA player NH has ever produced. Some say this is cheating. But the fact Concord isn’t a blacktop mecca isn’t New Hampshire’s fault.

We get into multiple NBA native son territory with most other states. It should be noted some of the game’s great shooters moved a lot in childhood. Steve Kerr, for instance, was born in Lebanon. So although he high schooled in California, he doesn’t help boost that state’s numbers. And because Trajan Langdon just had to be born in California before moving to Alaska early on, Alaska drops a couple of spots. Likewise, Steph Curry’s Akron birth and Charlotte upbringing means North Carolina’s loss, but Ohio’s gain.

With that out of the way, let’s proceed. Below are the two most accurate three-point shooters born in each state. Keep in mind:

– Only players with a career minimum of 200 three-point field goals made are included.

– Top two players ranked by who has the higher percentage, to a tenth of a percentage point (not shown)

– All info, current through February 17, 2015, is from basketball-reference.com and Evin Demirel’s sports blog.

Alabama

Wesley Person 42% (1150 of 2754)

Chuck Person 36% (1220 of 3370)

Alaska

Mario Chalmers 36% (628 of 1723)

(No qualifying No. 2 player. No other Alaskan-born player at all, really.)

Arizona

Sean Elliott 38% (589 of 1572)

Jerryd Bayless 35% (300 of 845)

Arkansas

Mike Conley 38% (630 of 1677)

Derek Fisher 37% (1248 of 3341)

California

Jason Kapono 43% (457 of 1054)

Kyle Korver 43% (1669 of 3857)

Colorado

Chauncey Billups 39% (1830 of 4725)

Darrick Martin 34% (350 of 1030)

Connecticut

Scott Burrell 37% (339 of 909)

Ryan Gomes 35% (334 of 956)

Delaware

Stephen Graham 31% (53 of 172)

Joey Graham 30% (54 of 180)

DC

Tim Legler 43% (260 of 603)

Roger Mason 38% (595 of 1549)

Florida

James Jones 40% (668 of 1676)

Mitch Richmond 39% (1326 of 3417)

Georgia

Dale Ellis 40% (1719 of 4266)

Jodie Meeks 37% (599 of 1616)

Hawaii

Cedric Ceballos 31% (235 of 760)

(No qualifying No. 2 player)

Idaho

Luke Ridnour 35% (576 of 1644)

Illinois

Steve Novak 43% (564 of 1301)

Anthony Parker 40% (596 of 1474)

Indiana

Courtney Lee 39% (1825 of 4033)

Scott Skiles 38% (524 of 1381)

Iowa

Matt Bullard 38% (599 of 1561)

Kirk Hinrich 38% (1134 of 3023)

(Harrison Barnes shares No. 2 spot in percentage, but has fewer makes)

Kansas

Maurice Evans 36% (426 of 1172)

Earl Watson 32% (502 of 1555)

Kentucky

Allan Houston 40% (1305 of 3247)

Darel Carrier 38% (398 of 1055)

Louisiana

Eldridge Recasner 41% (239 of 584)

Rashard Lewis 39% (1787 of 4625)

Maine

N/A

(Jeff Turner, with 73 makes on 34%, is only Maine-born NBA player)

Maryland

Dennis Scott 40% (2962 of 7111)

Danny Ferry 39% (677 of 1724)

Massachusetts

Dana Barros 41% (1090 of 2652)

Vinny Del Negro 36% (243 of 677)

Michigan

BJ Armstrong 43% (436 of 1026)

Glen Rice 40% (1559 of 3896)

Minnesota

Brad Lohaus 36% (392 of 1086)

Devean George 34% (427 of 1246)

Mississippi

Mo Williams 38% (998 of 2611)

Lindsey Hunter 36% (1075 of 2984)

Missouri

Bradley Beal 41% (304 of 751)

Brandon Rush 40% (411 of 1018)

Montana

N/A

(Adam Morrison, with 124 makes on 33% shooting, is closest)

Nebraska

Fred Hoiberg 40% (373 of 941)

Nevada

Pat Garrity 40% (631 of 1587)

CJ Watson 38% (400 of 1045)

New Hampshire

Matt Bonner 41% (773 of 1870)

New Jersey

Troy Murphy 39% (613 of 1578)

Mike Bibby 38% (1577 of 3999)

New Mexico

N/A

(Andre Roberson, with 16 makes on 23% shooting, is closest)

New York

Danny Green 42% (550 of 1326)

Brent Barry 41% (1395 of 3442)

North Carolina

Hubert Davis 44% (725 of 1651)

Anthony Morrow 42% (611 of 1450)

North Dakota

N/A

Ohio

Stephen Curry 43% (1066 of 2462)

Eric Piatkowski 40% (2044 of 4711)

Oklahoma

Mark Price 40% (976 of 2428)

Brent Price 39% (363 of 938)

Oregon

Kyle Singler 38% (240 of 633)

Danny Ainge 38% (1002 of 2651)

Pennsylvania

Wayne Ellington 39% (322 of 834)

Matt Carroll 38% (344 of 896)

Rhode Island

N/A

(Joe Hassett, who made 194 on 34% shooting, comes closest)

South Carolina

Michael Dickerson 40% (288 of 712)

(Dickerson will likely be soon surpassed by Milwaukee Buck Khris Middleton)

Pete Chilcutt 38% (188 of 494)

South Dakota

Mike Miller 41% (1558 of 3821)

Jon Sundvold 39% (226 of 576)

Tennessee

JJ Redick 40% (789 of 1990)

Shawne Williams 35% (271 of 786)

Texas

Daniel Gibson 41% (578 of 1419)

Wesley Matthews 40% (887 of 2221)

Utah

Byron Scott 37% (775 of 2093)

Tom Chambers 31% (227 of 740)

Virginia

Dell Curry 40% (1235 of 3098)

Cory Alexander 35% (507 of 1508)

Washington

John Stockton 38% (845 of 2203)

Martell Webster 38% (785 of 2045)

West Virginia

OJ Mayo 38% (778 of 2059)

Jason Williams 36% (957 of 2673)

Wisconsin

Terry Porter 39% (1297 of 336)

Caron Butler 36% (706 of 2052)

OK, enough of the nerdilization. Forget the metrics for sec. In your opinion, who’s the best pure shooter, the most talented shooter, the one with the sweetest stroke—that your state has ever produced?

The post American Snipers appeared first on SLAM.

Paced by the NBA’s leading scorer in James Harden (27.2 points per game), the Rockets currently own a 29-14 record which is good for the No. 5 seed out West. The arrival of Brewer, combined with the signing of free agent of Josh Smith, has gone a long way to adding much-needed depth to GM Daryl Morey’s roster. We caught up with the eight-year pro from Florida to talk about his transition in Houston, and how he plans to help the Rockets go deep in the postseason.

SLAM: Last month, you were involved in a three-team trade that sent you from Minnesota to Houston. How did you find out you were being traded to the Rockets?

Corey Brewer: I first started hearing rumors for about a month that I might get traded to either Cleveland or Houston. But I didn’t really think about it because I’d been traded before. Then it finally happened. We were supposed to play Boston, but while I was getting ready for the game I found out I got traded. I wasn’t shocked because I knew they were trying to move me, I knew they were trying to get more time for the younger guys in Minnesota. So I didn’t necessarily mind being traded, so long as I went to a contender. But lucky for me, I ended up landing in Houston.

SLAM: During your first 17 games in Houston, you’re coming off the bench averaging 11.5 points in 24 minutes to go along with two assists and two rebounds. You’re also a key part of a reserve nucleus that includes Josh Smith and Jason Terry. Can you talk about your relationship with those two guys in particular?

CB: We have a good relationship, me, Josh and JET [Terry]. I played with JET in Dallas when I was younger, and I actually learned how to come off the bench from him. I used watch what he did. Then when I went to Denver, I tried to take what he used to do, the mindset—come in, be aggressive, and just play your game—when I was coming off the bench there. So it’s great being back with him, and Josh is great too. It’s a great situation for him coming to play with us, just because there’s no pressure and we can all just come in and play our game. With us coming off the bench, I feel like we bring a lot to the team. We all can score, we all pass, we all play together, and I think we make our bench really good.

SLAM: What does that mean exactly, to learn how to come off the bench? What are some of the things Terry taught you as far as that role is concerned in the League?

CB: You have to have the mindset and understanding of what you bring to the team. I know what I bring to this team—I have to come off the bench and get transition baskets. I have to try to pick up the pace, become more consistent knocking down open threes. I’ve had some good games, but I need to be more consistent. So that’s my goal, when Playoffs get here I got to be able to knock down the open shots for us to be most effective. With those guys on the court, then with James and Dwight out there, there’s a lot of open shots. My mentality is go out there and help the team any way I can when I come off the bench. You can kinda see what’s going on when you come off the bench; if you need to pick up the pace, slow it down, do different things. It’s fun coming off the bench when you’re on a good team because you have a chance to help the team win every night.

SLAM: Kevin McHale is a coach you’ve played for before in Minnesota and he just went out and traded for you. What does that mean when a guy who knows you like that wants you on his team?

CB: Me and Coach McHale have a great relationship. It meant a lot to me for him to trade for me. He actually told me he’d been trying to trade for me for a couple years. But McHale drafted me as the general manager when I was with Minnesota. It was tough when he left because he was my guy. Then they brought in David Kahn and I wasn’t a David Kahn guy so I knew I was about to be out of there the first time [Laughs]. But Mac’s great, and he knows how I play and I understand his system, so that’s why I think I fit in pretty well here.

SLAM: What has it been like to be dropped into the playoff mix in this very challenging Western Conference?

CB: This is what it’s all about, man. I feel like when you play basketball, it’s all about trying to win a championship. I feel like we have a lot of pieces over here in Houston, we have a chance to contend. So for me, to go from not having a chance to get into the playoffs—zero percent—to trying to play for a top-four seed and home court advantage, it’s crazy.

SLAM: How good is James Harden playing right now? And how important is it to have a big like Howard come playoff time?

CB: James is playing great, he’s probably the best scorer in the NBA right now. If not, he’s top-three for sure. When you play with him, he’s so explosive you get so much easy stuff. It makes the game easy. And Dwight, he’s so dominant. You can be more aggressive defensively knowing that he’s behind you. He’s so big and so talented, it means a lot knowing he’s behind you to block shots.

SLAM: You’re known as a guy who brings a defensive presence to the perimeter. Growing up, who are some of the perimeter defenders you looked up to or watched in the League?

CB: I was a huge Scottie Pippen fan. I used to also love Clyde Drexler—”The Glide” was the man. But then when I got older, I watched a lot of film on Michael Cooper. People used to tell me I played like Michael Cooper. But growing up, I was a big Scottie Pippen fan.

SLAM: How about this Florida movement in the NBA these days, you guys are everywhere. Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Chandler Parsons, Bradley Beal…

CB: That’s Coach Donovan and his system, it translates to the NBA. And we also have Mo Speights who’s having an amazing year, David Lee, Matt Bonner just won a championship, Mike Miller’s with the Cavs. There’s a lot of Gators, I just feel like the system really translaes.

SLAM: How are things going with the Corey Brewer Foundation, any events coming up in Houston to keep an eye on?

CB: Yeah most definitely in the summer. We’re just starting planning for those. Our goal is always the same, to find a cure for Diabetes. It’s something that means a lot to me and my family and I am looking to do more things in Houston community now that I’m here. It’s all about trying to find a cure and making sure people get checked out, it’s really important.

For more on the Corey Brewer Foundation and how you can help fight Diabetes: coreybrewer.com/foundation.

Brendan Bowers is an NBA writer who covers the Cavaliers and the NBA in Cleveland for SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @BowersCLE. Image via Getty.

The post Q+A: Corey Brewer appeared first on SLAM.

We caught up with Jadakiss at his Westchester studio to talk about those Reebok spots, hooping with other rappers and plenty more.

SLAM: What’s your personal basketball history like? Did you play in school when you were younger?

Jadakiss: Yeah, I played little league, high school, AAU, PAL—all of the above. Point guard, like a distributor. I really didn’t start scoring until I got out of high school, then I started shooting. I was always pass-first.

SLAM: You must’ve been decent if you were playing AAU.

Jadakiss: I mean, I was slow. I was good, though, considering the competition. I was short and slow, but I had good court vision, good handle—I know how to run the team.

SLAM: Did you have dreams to go pro?

Jadakiss: Nah, pro was a little far-fetched. My lifetime dream was to play for Syracuse, for the Orange. Until about 10th grade, until I knew it was over. I still wanted to go there academically and walk on.

SLAM: At what point did you become conscious of the hip-hop/basketball crossover?

Jadakiss: You know, after we were signed by Bad Boy, we were able to start meeting professional athletes and all of that. You see how much rappers wanted to be athletes and how much athletes with they were rappers. It’s a crazy, crazy thing. I’ve got Double-A—Alan Anderson of the Nets—hitting me right now. He said he needs some music before the game. I’ll show you the text: ‘I need them bars. Yo, Kiss—I need them bars, man!’ I said, ‘Double-A, I got you. I got you.’

SLAM: Did you have any interactions with NBA players early in your career that stand out to you?

Jadakiss: From the first initial jumpoff, it was Jalen [Rose] and [Chris] Webber. They embraced us, showed us wild love. AI, of course. And then Melo—I stayed watching Melo because he went to Syracuse and won the Chip for me [Kiss is a huge ‘Cuse fan.—Ed.], so once I was able to meet him, we just linked up like fam. Jason Terry, he just called me a little while ago, ‘Come to the game in Philly next week.’ Just to see how much they rap off the court and how much they love music is a major thing for me. They always got the iPod—they need music at all times in the locker room, in the crib, in the hotel, in the party bus. They’re just big music heads. That’s a good thing. Shaq bought 10,000 copies of my first or second album. Then he was on Tha Basement with Big Tigger and told people, ‘Go get Jadakiss’ album.’ That’s like priceless to have them in your corner like that.

SLAM: You starred in those iconic Reebok commercials with Allen Iverson. What do you remember from that experience?

Jadakiss: Oh yeah, that was great. Steve Stoute put a lot of them together. The good people over at Reebok called me—it wasn’t too watered down. Shout out to Trackmasters, they did the tracks. [Reebok] really let me do my thing. They told me about the sneaker, about the technology of the sneaker, and the rest was just my knowledge of AI. That was a good thing. We did two of them. The A5 and the A6.

SLAM: At that point AI was on top of the world.

Jadakiss: His whole swag was just: they loved him on the court, they loved him off the court. AI was like the hood legend that made it. He brought a lot of the hood to the NBA, just with the way he looked, with his tattoos, him being short, him having that killer crossover. That attracted a lot of could’ve-been-negative stuff, but it was just him. He made the people from where we’re from feel like you could make it. He was short, he had braids, he had tats, and he was bustin’ ass. All the other short dudes with braids and tats, that gave them a boost of energy. That opened the floodgates for the dribbling, shooting point guard.

SLAM: And now the League is filled with them.

Jadakiss: Mmhmm, you almost need that now.

SLAM: Do you have memories of hanging with AI?

Jadakiss: I’ve seen him spend about $20,000 to $30,000 at the pool area at—what’s next to the Fontainebleau? That hotel used to have a hoop court, and we were playing against Brian McKnight and them. Chuck was just cool. Drinking his Coronas or his Don P, just chill. Real down to Earth. He had his whole childhood crew with him—his uncles, his mans, everybody.

SLAM: Did you ever go to the Fridays outside of Philly that he used to bring everyone to?

Jadakiss: Yeah, I went to one of them Fridays after a game. Philly is like one of my second home, anyways. For me to just chill with him at that Fridays after the game, and see him turn it into a club—wild girls. It was crazy. He did that anywhere. I invited him up here to the games we had in the summer and he caused mass confusion. Came with a couple of Bentleys and his boys. Everybody just ran off the court and ran to where he was at. That’s probably just normal everywhere he go.

SLAM: Have you played ball with any rappers that are particularly good?

Jadakiss: Mase used to be nice. Cam’ron was good. Chris Brown is nice. J. Cole is nice. Wale got game. R. Kelly got game. The Game got game. Trey Songz can play, too. I don’t get in as many celebrity games as I’d like to. Now that All-Star Weekend is gonna be in New York this year, I wanna get in the celebrity game this year, the big one that Kevin Hart’s been getting the MVP in the past two years. Let me get in there and get MVP.

Adam Figman is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @afigman.

photo by Olu Waseye

The post Q+A: Jadakiss appeared first on SLAM.

The Hornets jumped out to an early 25-16 lead after the first quarter thanks to a balanced scoring attack and solid defense. However, Kevin Love (27 points, 5 rebounds) and the LeBron-less Cavs picked up the pace in the third quarter when they outscored Charlotte 32-18. Kyrie Irving (23 points, 8-27 from the field) hoisted a lot of shots but made some key buckets in the second half that helped his team grab the win. With Anderson Varejao done for the season, Tristan Thompson (14 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks) played 42 big and efficient minutes, which he’ll need to do many times this season. For the Hornets, this was yet another game shooting below 50 percent from the field…this time below 40 percent (36.8 percent). With still no Lance Stephenson or Al Jefferson, Hornets guard Kemba Walker (10 points, 5 assists, 4-16 from the field) tried to carry the offensive load but ended up forcing many shots. Charlotta also had twice as many turnovers (14) as Cleveland (7).

Nets 100 (16-16), Magic 98 (13-23)

After Deron Williams (16 points, 7 assists) nailed a 3-pointer right before the end of the third quarter, the Nets led 86-60 and seemed to be well on their way to their third straight victory and back to .500. However, thanks to guards Elfrid Payton (16 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 steals) and Ben Gordon (14 points) scoring all but 11 of the team’s 37 fourth quarter points, the Magic almost made a dramatic comeback down the stretch. The Nets perimeter defense seemed to have disappeared. Evan Fournier (12 points, 4 assists), though, missed a potentially game-tying trey with 23.9 seconds remaining, and Joe Johnson (14 points) calmly hit a pair of free throws to close this one out. Mason Plumlee (18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks) almost picked up another double-double, giving more reason to keep him in the starting lineup. The Nets somehow pulled out the win even though they had twice as many turnovers (22) as the Magic (11).

Mavericks 119 (24-10), Celtics 101 (11-19)

For the first time since he entered the NBA in 2006, the Boston Celtics saw Rajon Rondo (season-high 29 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 12-19 from the field, 5-7 on 3-pointers) in blue rather than green. And the point guard reminded them of the player he once was, performing at the highest level when the lights are shining brightest. Rondo is just one of those athletes that needs a little motivation to play to the best of his ability. This can get frustrating during the middle of the season when he may seem to play uninterested at times. However, when he takes over a game like this when it means a lot to him or his team, he’s almost completely forgiven. After scoring a career-high 15 points in the first quarter, Rondo receiving plenty of help from his arsenal of options as Monta Ellis (22 points, 5 rebounds), Dirk Nowitzki (17 points) and Chandler Parsons (13 points, 7 rebounds) all helped expand this lead and get it to garbage time by the fourth quarter. Tyson Chandler (8 points, 16 rebounds) continued to gobbled up rebounds and helped the Mavericks outrebound Boston 52-38. Avery Bradley (22 points) and the Celtics frontline held their own but didn’t get much help from the bench. Defense has definitely been an issue for Boston before and after the Rondo trade.

Pistons 97 (9-23), Knicks 81 (5-30)

Just like that, the Pistons rid themselves of Josh Smith and have now won four games in a row. Even though he was statistically one of the team’s best scoring options, he simply did not mesh with this unit. Brandon Jennings (29 points, 4-8 on 3-pointers) and Andre Drummond (7 points, 20 rebounds) each played their roles, as they provide a nice balance in the starting unit—which includes a revitalized Greg Monroe (12 points, 10 rebounds). And with Jodie Meeks (15 points, 3-7 on 3-pointers) finally healthy, the Pistons have a strong spark plug in their second unit. There’s not much new to say about these reeling Knicks. They now have two 10-game losing streaks this seasons, and with coach Derek Fisher saying it might be time for Carmelo Anthony (knee) to call it quits this season, they might have another one before the season ends. J.R. Smith (22 points, 5 assists, 3 steals) shot his way to the 20-point plateau and Cole Aldrich (11 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) has found a bit of a groove of late, but there aren’t many other silver linings in this one. New York shot 35.2 percent from the field while the Pistons shot 50.0 percent. The Knicks are certainly reeling right now.

Pelicans 111 (17-16), Rockets 83 (22-10)

MVP-candidate Anthony Davis (7 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks) had one of his least impactful games of the season, statistically speaking. However, his presence can definitely be felt even when he isn’t putting up monster numbers, as he finished with a game-high +26 on the night. Ryan Anderson (22 points, 3-6 on 3-pointers) and Tyreke Evans (21 points, 10-15 from the field) poured it in before the benches were cleared in the final quarter. These two have been a huge part in getting the Pelicans back above .500 and closer to the eighth seed in the West. The Rockets, who fell out of the four spot in the West, could not find their offense Friday night. Out of the 12 players that stepped onto the court, Dwight Howard (12 points, 5 rebounds), Donatas Motiejunas (10 points, 6 rebounds) and Nick Johnson (6 points) were the only Rockets to shoot above 50 percent from the field. Josh Smith (8 points, 4-11 from the field) had as many points as he did fouls (4) and turnovers (4) collectively and missed the two 3-pointers he jacked up. To be fair, his teammates weren’t shooting the ball much better as James Harden (11 points, 5 turnovers), Trevor Ariza (2 points, 21 minutes) and Jason Terry (7 points) combined to shoot 2-13 (15.4 percent) from deep.

Thunder 109 (17-17), Wizards 102 (22-10)

The Thunder have had their ups and downs this season, dealing with Kevin Durant (34 points, 8 rebounds, 12-18 from the field) and Russell Westbrook (22 points, 6 assists) being in and out of lineups with injuries. Friday night, though, a healthy OKC team picked up a quality win against a healthy Washington team. Durant and Westbrook led the way with scoring and attacking of the rim, as they each shot 6-7 on free throws. Big men Serge Ibaka (13 points, 6 rebounds) and Nick Collison (10 points, 5 rebounds, 16 minutes) each reached double figures. John Wall (14 points, 12 assists) had yet another points-assists double-double while fellow backcourt mate Bradley Beal (21 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) reached the 20-point plateau. The Wizards’ struggles came in trying to find someone to guard Durant. Paul Pierce (12 points) has certainly lost a step while Nene (12 points, 1 rebound) and Kris Humphries (8 points, 7 rebounds) couldn’t keep up with the reigning MVP, and Durant took advantage with one of his best games of the year. With a game against the Golden State Warriors Monday night, OKC could earn another statement win while making it above .500 for the first time all season.

Pacers 94 (13-21), Bucks 91 (17-17)

C.J. Miles (22 points, 6-9 on 3-pointers) and Roy Hibbert (18 points, 7 rebounds) led the way for the Pacers in a back-and-forth game that featured neither team holding a double-digit lead at any point. Brandon Knight (20 points, 7 assists, 4 steals) reached the 20-point plateau for the 16th time this season as Zaza Pachulia (12 points, 14 rebounds) and John Henson (14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks) each notched a double-double. This game had a very odd ending as a Lavoy Allen (6 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) jump shot with 6:11 remaining was honestly a key shot from this quarter. After Allen made this jumper, neither team would score for almost four straight minutes before Hibbert sank two free throws. Rodney Stuckey (11 points, 4 assists) and Solomon Hill (7 points, 5 rebounds) made their free throws down the stretch to grab the gritty win.

Suns 112 (19-16), 76ers 96 (4-27)

Nothing surprising in this one as the Suns bounced back from their overtime loss to the Thunder against the lowly Sixers. After Philadelphia held an early 10-5 lead, Phoenix went on a quick 23-13 run and held a five-point lead after the first 12 minutes. The Sixers, though, fought in the second quarter behind strong play from Tony Wroten (28 points, 4-9 on 3-pointers) and Henry Sims (16 points), who combined to have 27 points in the first half. Going into the second half, the 76ers actually led 59-57. Goran Dragic (10 points, 10 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (17 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds) then started to pick up the pace while Markieff Morris (21 points, 2 steals) and Gerald Green (21 points) drilled some 3-pointers. The Suns ended up easily pulling away in the second half. Alex Len (0 points, 5 rebounds, 6 blocks) didn’t do much offensively but ended the game with six blocks.

Hawks 98 (24-8), Jazz 92 (11-22)

With a win over the Jazz thanks to another strong defensive performance from the entire team, the Atlanta Hawks now hold the best record in the Eastern Conference. Jeff Teague (26 points, 8 assists, 3 steals) ran the offense to perfection and Paul Millsap (15 points, 11 rebounds) picked up another double-double as no one specific player had that outstanding of a defensive game. But as a team, they locked down and held the Jazz to 37.2 percent shooting from the field. Gordon Hayward (18 points) led the Jazz in scoring but didn’t get much help from his teammates. Coach Mike Budenholzer really has something special going on right now and has his team buying into a system. They will face a tough test on the second night of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday night.

Warriors 126 (22-10), Raptors 105 (24-9)

On the night Draymond Green (16 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) picked up his first career triple-double, I think it has become evident just how special Green is for these Warriors. He came to this team as a raw athlete out of Michigan State with plenty of flaws. He still has nothing close to a finely-crafted game, but he offers the Warriors a piece that most championship-aspiring teams need. He has the grit, fight and versatility that works perfectly alongside Stephen Curry (32 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds, 5-11 on 3-pointers) and Klay Thompson (20 points, 4-6 on 3-pointers). Curry had some phenomenal plays in this one, including a monstrous dunk over Lowry. The Warriors’ star point guard has clearly put his name in the discussion for MVP. And with Andrew Bogut still sidelined, Green has started playing more in the interior and banging with the opposing bigs. He’s a major reason the undersized Warriors won the rebound battle 45-37. The Raptors, who were led by guards Kyle Lowry (22 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds), Lou Williams (20 points) and Greivis Vasquez (25 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds), just couldn’t slow down this Golden State team that posted 40 points after the first 12 minutes. The turning point of this game came after halftime when Golden State sprinted out to a 23-5 run to start the third quarter and never looked back.

Grizzlies 109 (24-8), Lakers 106 (10-23)

The Grizzlies were on the verge of going to overtime for the fifth time in the past 11 games, thanks to a Lakers team that wouldn’t give up. Kobe Bryant (15 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) had a balanced game while Ed Davis (20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Jeremy Lin (20 points, 5 assists) led the team in scoring. Davis, though, missed a free throw with 2.8 seconds left that would have tied the game. The Grizzlies were led by (no surprise here) Mike Conley (19 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) and Marc Gasol (18 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks). With no Zach Randolph for the time being, these two have to come up big late in games. Beno Udrih (16 points, 6-8 from the field, 15 minutes) provided valuable minutes off the bench and made the most of his time on the court. With the win, Memphis still holds a one-game lead over Dallas in the Southwest Division.

The post Post Up: Gold Rush appeared first on SLAM.

In their home win over the Denver Nuggets last night, the Charlotte Hornets built up their biggest lead of the season. Behind the stellar performances from Kemba Walker (18 points and 9 assists) and Al Jefferson (22 points and 7 rebounds), Buzz City was able to put together a 30-point advantage by the time the third quarter rolled around.

They never trailed Ty Lawson’s (18 points and 4 assists) squad once. A below-average Eastern Conference team isn’t one that you usually see manhandling a Western Conference team, but in the case of last night’s match-up in the Time Warner Cable Arena, Cody Zeller and the Hornets gave it their all to extend their winning streak to three.

Bulls 129 (18-9), Raptors 120 (22-7)

Another streak was spoiled this week, as the Chicago Bulls gave the Toronto Raptors a loss. After missing two games, Derrick Rose returned and led Chi-town with 29 points. Fifteen of those points came in the final period, a quarter in which the Bulls scored a franchise-record 49 points. Not too shabby, D-Rose. The 2011 MVP got help from six other Bulls in double-figures, including Mr. Jimmy Butler who recorded 27 points and 11 rebounds. For the Raptors, Kyle Lowry scored a game-high 34 points, with 18 coming in the fourth.

Rockets 110 (20-7), Trail Blazers 95 (22-7)

When you score 19 points in the first quarter and nail 31 by halftime, you know you’re having an amazing offensive night. Ay James Harden, I’m nodding at you.

Harden finished with a season-high and near career-high 44 points in the Rockets’ pounding of the Trail Blazers, putting an end to Portland’s five-game winning streak.

Corey Brewer scored 12 in his Rockets debut, and Dwight Howard added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jason Terry hit his 2,000th career 3-pointer, which makes him third all time in the NBA. Good going, Rockets. Ya’ll had a heck of a night.

The story was different for the Blazers, clearly. They played without main man LaMarcus Aldridge who sat out due to an illness. The rest of the squad simply couldn’t make up for the missed offense, especially with an on-fire Harden as the opponent.

Jazz 97 (9-20), Grizzlies 91 (21-7)

In a stunning turn of events, the Utah Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies on the road last night. Or maybe, it’s not so stunning. The Grizz played without Zach Randolph and Tony Allen and lost the previous two games. So was this game just following the recent trend? Whatever the case, the Jazz celebrated last night. Rudy Gobert recorded a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with four of five Utah starters’ double-figure performances. But Gobert did have a low point on the night, and that—to absolutely everyone else’s pleasure—was this vintage Vince Carter dunk:

Slightly bummed VC didn’t “crank it up” after that poster, but…it’s fine.

The Jazz scored the final 8 points of the first half and went on a nifty 13-5 run in the fourth quarter to put the home team away behind Alec Burks’ season-high 23 points.

Hawks 105 (20-7), Mavericks 102 (20-9)

So the Hawks are on a four-game winning streak, they won 13 of their last 14, and they’re one game behind Toronto for the top seed in the East. Ahem, this deserves an #ATLshawty.

In the win last night, Dennis Schröder put up a career high 22 points to lead all players. All four of the other Hawks’ starters also scored in double-figures to take care of the Mavs on the road. Atlanta actually led by 24 in the third quarter, but the Mavs won the fourth 39-23, with plays like this:

The late effort wasn’t enough, as the Hawks were the team that walked away with the W.

Spurs 125 (18-11), Clippers 118 (19-9)

A lot was happening for the Spurs last night. 1) Tony Parker not only returned after missing the last five games, but he scored a game-high 26 points. 2) Tim Duncan had a double-double on the night—21 points and 12 rebounds—which raised him above Reggie Miller for No. 17 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. (Congrats, Timmy!) 3) This. This beautiful shot chart. 

The @Spurs score a season-high 72 points in the first half v. LAC on 30/40 shooting! They assisted on 20 of 30 FGM pic.twitter.com/tFNsWKjXWp — NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) December 23, 2014

4) This. This beautiful pass.

5) They won the game and snapped a four-game losing streak.

And just to keep with (what I think is sort of becoming) a tradition of posting a funny Vine week to week, here you go:

Warriors 128 (23-3), Kings 108 (12-16)

The lead the Warriors built off a 19-2 run in the last four minutes of the first quarter never went away. The run gave the home team a 16-point advantage heading into the second quarter. It extended to a 25-point lead and eventually ended up getting the Dubs a 20-point win. Klay Thompson led all scorers with 25 points, Stephen Curry added 12 points and 11 boards, and Festus Ezeli had a career-high 15 points for the Warriors. Golden State’s bench (welcome back, David Lee!) played superb as well, contributing 62 points. DeMarcus Cousins finished with 22 points in the Kings’ sixth loss in seven games.

The post Post Up: Nearly A Career Night appeared first on SLAM.

The Hornets only have five wins on the year, but two of them have now been attained thanks to a Kemba Walker (11 points, 4 assists, 4-15 from the field) game-winning shot. Walker’s teammates need to be thankful he nailed this lefty layup as they almost squandered yet another double-digit lead. Things continue to be frustrating for Carmelo Anthony (32 points, 7 rebounds, 11-22 from the field) and the Knicks, with this loss coming after they fell just short of the Cavs 90-87 at home to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Friday night, Melo didn’t receive much help from any of his teammates but also took twice as many shots as the Knicks player with the second most shot attempts on the team. Walker had help from Lance Stephenson (16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists), Al Jefferson (16 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Gerald Henderson (22 points, 8-10 from the field). With the win, the Hornets have broken their 10-game losing streak and will have a nice break before playing the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Thunder 103 (6-13), 76ers 91 (1-18)

Unfortunately for the Sixers, their winning streak (1) didn’t last as long as their losing streak (18) to start the season. The now healthy Oklahoma City Thunder will need some time to discover their rhythm and chemistry again. It might be the lowly Sixers, but a wire-to-wire victory will help the Thunder start to get its groove back. It seems as though this team could find it quicker than any other roster in the NBA, but it will still take time. Friday night, even though Kevin Durant (10 points, 6 rebounds, 3-11 from the field) struggled, Russell Westbrook (27 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds) took care of business while Serge Ibaka (19 points, 3 blocks) and Jeremy Lamb (15 points, 3-3 on 3-pointers) shot a combined 11-15 (73.3 percent) from the field. The Sixers did have six players in double figures, led by Robert Covington (21 points, 6 rebounds) and Michael Carter-Williams (16 points, 14 assists, 3 steals). However, they only managed to shoot 38.1 percent from the field, while OKC shot 49.3 percent.

Wizards 119 (13-5), Nuggets 89 (9-10)

The Wizards have been playing some of the best basketball in the league the past few weeks, and a huge reason for that has to be John Wall (9 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds). He has been one of, if not the best facilitator in the game and has even been cut short of a couple triple-doubles because he’s been sitting out of fourth quarters in blowout victories. With the DeRozan-less Raptors struggling a bit without their All-Star shooting guard, it might not be long before there’s a new top team in the East. Wall might not have reached double-figures in this one, but all four of the other starters reached double-digits in scoring, led by Kris Humphries (20 points, 7-11 from the field). Nene (8 points, 8 rebounds) returned after missing five games due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He hasn’t been getting much national attention, but Rasual Butler (16 points, 3 steals, +26) has quietly become an effective punch off the bench for the Wizards. In the past five games, the veteran forward is averaging 16.2 points while shooting 11-21 (52.4 percent) from downtown. The Nuggets, down by 34 points at one point in this game, lacked any sort of offensive chemistry on the night. Ty Lawson (14 points, 10 assists, 3-10 from the field) notched a double-double but shot poorly while Wilson Chandler (20 points, 5 rebounds) was the only Nuggets player who scored more than 20 points.

Celtics 113 (6-11), Lakers 96 (5-15)

Just a handful of seasons ago, this would have been a marque matchup. Friday night, it featured two teams trying to climb out of the bottom of their respective conference. The Celtics won this one thanks to their strong play coming out of the locker room. Boston combined to outscore L.A. 63-44 in the first and third quarter. Tyler Zeller (career-high 24 points, 14 rebounds) had a career night almost solely thanks to the absurdly efficient play from Rajon Rondo (12 points, 16 assists, 8 rebounds). The star guard only had one turnover to his 16 assists and had a glimmering +40 on the night. The other three starters reached double figures as their team shot 51.1 percent from the field and 8-20 (40 percent) on 3-pointers. Kobe Bryant (22 points) led the Lakers in scoring but had the worst plus-minus (-29) on the team. There are still so many plays on offense that stall when Kobe takes the possession for himself. Robert Sacre (1-10 from the field) had one of the worst shooting performances of his career.

Hawks 98 (12-6), Nets 75 (8-10)

Don’t look now, but Atlanta has strung together five straight wins and looks very good. The Hawks showed strong defense in this one, holding the Nets to only 31 points by halftime. And in the second quarter of this one, DeMarre Carroll (18 points, 6 rebounds) poured in 14 of his team-high 18 points in helping Atlanta outscore Brooklyn 36-13. Jeff Teague’s (14 points, 5 assists) Hawks cruised to a win in the second half and retain their three seed in the East. Brook Lopez (20 points, 7 rebounds) had a decent game but there wasn’t much else to look at for this offense. As Joe Johnson (12 points, 6 rebounds) worried about earlier in the season, the Nets still aren’t passing very much and only had 16 assists against the Hawks. When your point guard in Deron Williams (8 points) can only manage to have two assists in 23 minutes, that is an issue. And shooting 37.5 percent from the field doesn’t help the cause, either. The Nets will try to bounce back Sunday when they host the Nuggets.

Cavaliers 105 (11-7), Raptors 91 (15-5)

A lot has changed since the Raptors came back from an 18-point deficit and caused Lebron James (24 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds) to call his Cavaliers team “a very fragile team.” Now they look like a freight train blowing by the competition. Winners of six straight, the Cavs got a big boost from Tristan Thompson (season-high 21 points, season-high 14 rebounds) off the bench. The power forward had endless energy as the only bench player who did much on the night. There was no need for more bench play, though, due to James’ big night and Kevin Love (15 points, 13 rebounds, 3-8 on 3-pointers) racking up another double-double. As flowing and comfortable this offense is starting to look, it’s scary to think they are only 18 games in this season with their brand new head coach and revamped roster. Toronto’s Amir Johnson (27 points, 7 rebounds, 11-15 from the field) had his best game since returning from injury while Kyle Lowry (22 points, 9 assists) played his role. This team clearly misses DeRozan (groin), especially when replacement in Greivis Vasquez (4 points, 2-11 from the field) fails to have much of any positive impact.

Spurs 107 (15-4), Grizzlies 101 (14-5)

The Big Fundamental decided to mess around in this one. Tim Duncan (14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) notched a triple-double in a close six-point win against the Grizzles, even though Memphis never led in this one. The Spurs took down the Southwest Division-leading Grizzlies with balanced play as everyone who played scored and nine players had at least six points. It might get old saying this almost every game of every season, but the Spurs just know how to play team ball in the most effective way. The Grizzlies had three players reaching 20 points—Mike Conley (23 points, 10 assists), Marc Gasol (28 points, 12 assists) and Tayshaun Prince (20 points, 8-11 from the field, 4-4 on 3-pointers). But when Vince Carter’s (0 points, 15 minutes) scoring struggles continued and Tony Allen (4 points) is only productive on one side of the court, it is going to be difficult to take down the defending champions. The Spurs really seemed to set the tone early in building a 25-14 lead after the first 12 minutes. Memphis cut into the lead at times, but San Antonio always seemed to have a response.

Rockets 114 (15-4), Timberwolves 112 (4-14) OT

You might not have expected this to be one of the two overtime games on the night, and the way the Rockets claimed the victory came as a surprise as well. James Harden (38 points, 6 assists) went off in this game, really getting anything he wanted driving to the lane. However, after he picked up his sixth and final foul with 1:20 remaining in overtime, rookie Nick Johnson (6 points, career-high 22 minutes) replaced the All-Star shooting guard. Up to this point in the season, the former Arizona Wildcat had just started receiving some playing time late in November. Friday night, he took advantage of Harden fouling out by driving to the right, going into Zach LaVine’s (17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) body and banking in a tough layup to give his Rockets the victory. Jason Terry (19 points, 6 assists) had to be have been proud of his fellow Wildcat. Even though they lost in this one, the Timberwolves had absurd balance as seven of nine players who went on the court reached double-digits. Shabazz Muhammad (20 points) had another scoring performance while Thaddeus Young (19 points,5 rebounds) made some big shots late in this one. This game featured two contrasting styles in basketball. Houston hoisted 32 treys while Minnesota only attempted 10. And down low, the Timberwolves outscored the Rockets 66-40 in the paint.

Suns 118 (12-8), Mavericks 106 (15-6)

Goran Dragic (28 points, 13 assists, 1 turnover, 10-15 from the field) and the Suns got a quality win in Dallas, snapping the Mavs’ five-game winning streak and showing off their strong shooting from deep. Dragic reminded fans Friday night why he created so much buzz for his play last season. He controlled the Suns offense and picked apart the Dallas perimeter defense, which has struggled at times this year. Phoenix’s point guard also received a boost from Markieff Morris (22 points, 10 rebounds), who had a big run in the third quarter in which he scored eight of 10 points for the Suns. But the biggest run of the game came right off the bat when the Suns poured in 40 points in the first quarter, building a 13-point lead. They shot a blistering 70 percent from the field during these 12 minutes, showing great energy from all five players on the court. Monta Ellis (33 points, 14-22 from the field) notched yet another 30-point performance, really coming into his own this season. Even with this type of performance, the Mavs need more from Dirk Nowitzki (10 points, 4 rebound, 2-10 from the field), who had a very uncharacteristic shooting night. The most glaring disparity in this one came behind the 3-point line. While the Suns shot 13-26 from deep, the Mavs only managed to make four of their 19 trey attempts.

Bucks 109 (11-10), Heat 85 (9-10)

This Bucks team is so young, long and simply fun to watch. They easily handled a veteran and struggling Heat squad by remaining active on both ends of the floor and running their offense through Kendall Marshall’s (20 points, 7-8 on 3-pointers) post-up game. Yes, there has been a Kendall Marshall sighting. After failing to score double-digits in any of Milwaukee’s first 20 games, he exploded for 20 in this one, making a lot of his baskets backing down his defender. Dwyane Wade (28 points, 8 assists) even had to take a taste of his own medicine on a few of Marshall’s plays. Giannis Antekounmpo (14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks) had the play of the game, hammering one right over Chris Bosh (21 points, 6 rebounds). The Heat defense did not look good in any way Friday night. They allowed the Bucks to shoot 56.5 percent from the field and only pulled down 20 rebounds to the Bucks’ 45 rebounds. (And yes, by only grabbing 20 rebounds, the Heat set a franchise-low for a regular season game.) While the Bucks continue to straddle a .500 record, Miami has now lost three in a row and six of their last 10.

Magic 98 (8-14), Jazz 93 (5-15)

Tobias Harris (22 points, 7 rebounds) and Victor Oladipo (20 points, 6 assists) led the way for the Magic as they held off a Jazz team that almost came back from a 17-point deficit. But late in this one, Oladipo was too quick for the Jazz guards while the Magic’s spacing gave the second-year guard room to work. Losers of eight in a row, Utah continues its season of growth. Derrick Favors (21 points, 13 rebounds) had a commanding double-double and Trey Burke (13 points, 11 assists) notched one as well. Gordon Hayward (9 points, 4-11 from the field), though, had an off-night, which has started to become a theme. Of the top Jazz players, they can never seem to all be on their game on the same night. This will simply come with time and playing together.

Kings 102 (10-9), Pacers 101 (7-13) OT

The Kings avoided falling below .500 for the first time since their season opener because of strong play from Rudy Gay (27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Carl Landry (14 points, 7 rebounds). With DeMarcus Cousins (viral infection) still sidelined, Landry has done an effective job stepping into some big shoes and helping fill Cousins’ role to the best of his ability. And in this one, he came through in a major way by banking in a putback game-winner with 0.8 left on the clock. Before Landry calmly knocked this one down, it looked as if C.J. Watson (14 points) was going to play the role of hero as he made his own bank shot to give the Pacers a 101-100 lead with 1:03 left in overtime. But they couldn’t close this one out for their eighth victory of the season. The Pacers will now play the Hawks Monday and the Kings will look to build off their close victory against the Magic on Saturday night.

The post Post Up: Kemba at the Buzzer (Again) appeared first on SLAM.

It was all smiles when Brandblack’s Global Ambassador and two-time Sixth Man of the Year award recipient entered the building to greet fans, pose for pictures and sign autographs. “It was exciting to know that this was possible,” Crawford said.

But the release of his second shoe just adds to the excitement that the 34-year-old Seattle-bred hooper is having in his 15th season in the League. On November 24, he passed Dale Ellis on the top-10 list of all-time for three-pointers made (Crawford needs 37 to pass Peja Stojavokic), and his 16 ppg make him a candidate to win back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year awards and his third overall (no player in NBA history has won the award three times—Ed.). Oh yeah, and despite a rocky start earlier this season, the Clippers have found their groove and have won nine out of their last 11 games.

SLAM caught up with Crawford to talk the J. Crossover 2, four-pointers, season accomplishments and more.

SLAM: You’re the master of the four-point play. What are thoughts about the idea floating around of the NBA possibly implementing a four-point shot?

Jamal Crawford: I’ve been hearing about that and I don’t know. I mean, I’m sure the game has to continue to grow and that would probably be the limit. I would never [want the NBA] to add a five-point shot, per se. A four-point shot is realistic because you can get fouled on a three-pointer, make a free throw and it’s worth four points. We’ll see how the game continues to grow.

SLAM: Would you be in favor of it?

JC: I wouldn’t be against it, so, yeah, I guess I’d be in favor of that.

SLAM: Your role is to come off the bench, but this season you’ve started a couple games. What’s that experience been like?

JC: It’s different. You just have to have a different mentality. I think when you’re starting, you can be a little more patient and don’t have to rush so much; when you’re coming off the bench, you have to make something happen almost immediately. It’s not immediately you scoring, just making something positive happen.

SLAM: Do you prefer starting or being a sixth man?

JC: It depends on the team. I think on this team, it’s perfect for me to come off the bench. I obviously always have Blake [Griffin] or Chris [Paul] or myself on the floor at all times. You know, we’re the three leading scorers, and I think with that, it gives our team balance. I think if you look at all the really good teams from [Manu] Ginobili with the Spurs to James Harden with OKC and Jason Terry with Dallas, any of those guys could’ve started but it would’ve weakened their team. I think the big picture just helps the team more.

SLAM: Is another Sixth Man of the Year Award on your list of achievements to accomplish this season?

JC: If it happens, it happens. I’m not really into that. I never played for awards—or acknowledgments, I guess. You’re as good as your peers think you are, you know. So for me, if it happens, that means we’re winning and I’m having a pretty good season.

SLAM: One thing you’ve never accomplished is being an All-Star. Is that on your radar this season?

JC: I told (Brandblack founder) David [Raysse] by the way, I’m better than I’ve ever been in the last two years [laughs]. It’d be cool, but I think when guys like—most people’s favorite player—I’m their favorite player. Which is cool to me because they all tell me that. Some of the biggest names in the game have said they wanted to workout with me or just pick my brain on different things, so I think that’s more important than people selecting me for the All-Star Game.

SLAM: Recently, you just passed Dale Ellis on the all-time three-pointers made list. Does that list mean something to you?

JC: Yeah, because that wasn’t something that I, you know, was trying to shoot for—no pun intended. That wasn’t something I was really thinking about. I was at a game in Seattle when Dale played there and had 9 three-pointers. And he did an interview on the court right after the game. I was actually sitting in the crowd listening to his interview. That wasn’t something on my list, but to think about all the great shooters—because I don’t really consider myself a shooter—but to think of some of the guys I passed like Dale Ellis, Kobe [Bryant] or Steve Nash; those guys are prolific shooters and I don’t consider myself as such, but a prolific scorer, so I guess it comes with the territory.

SLAM: Are you looking at passing Peja Stojakovic and other guys on that list?

JC: Nah. I want to get stuck in the moment. I just want to play and then let things fall as they may. I don’t want to say I’m shooting for this, this or that. That’s when you can kind of get in your own way.

SLAM: In the first six games of the season, the team went 3-3. You guys are now 13-5. What was it that sparked you guys to turn it completely around?

JC: I think people didn’t realize that I missed a month and a half last year, JJ Redick missed half the season and Chris [Paul] missed a month and a half. So in the retrospect, we had the same team, but it was a little bit different because everybody wasn’t healthy at the same time. Now we have everybody healthy so we’re working out the kinks. And I think going on that road trip was the best thing going for us at the time, because we leaned on each other and it was us against everybody else.

SLAM: The same core group of guys are still on the squad with some new additions that were acquired in the offseason. What’s the chemistry like on the floor?

JC: The chemistry is great. There’s always room to get better and room to grow. But for the most part, if Blake [Griffin] sets a pick, I know where he’s going; if DeAndre [Jordan] gives me a look, I know where he’s going; if Chris [Paul] looks at me a certain way, I know what he wants to get done, so our chemistry is great, and it’s continuing to grow every day.

SLAM: Who do you see as the top-three point guards in the NBA right now?

JC: Oooh! Top three? Well, Chris [Paul] has to be up there. Steph Curry—he’s playing well. I couldn’t nail it to three, honestly, because you got Kyrie [Irving], Derrick Rose, [Rajon] Rondo—you got a lot of guys. But, man, I’m not really sure I can do five. There’s some really good point guards. Chris is the only one I know for sure.

SLAM: A few days ago, you tweeted that Monta Ellis was one of the most underrated players in the League. Why’s that?

JC: I think sometimes people get so caught up in the hype that there’s something good right in front of you, but we’re always thinking what’s next? This guy or that guy because most people see that, but Monta is one of the most underrated players for sure.

SLAM: Anyone else you think is underrated in the NBA?

JC: Me [laughs]. Um, Monta is underrated. I think he jumps out at me immediately because our pasts are somewhat the same. We’re guys who can score and guys who can play in the box. Like, ‘cause everybody in the NBA is good, but there are some guys who are underrated players that just don’t get the hype. Al Jefferson should’ve been an All-Star by now, especially in the East, you know what I mean?

SLAM: Dejounte Murray, a Seattle kid who’s playing his senior season at your HS Alma Mater, and played with you in the Seattle Pro-Am this past summer has been compared to similar version younger of you. Thoughts on that?

JC: That’s my little bro and I can see that on and off the court by how loyal he is. You can see that for sure, and he’s a sponge. He wants to get better and better and he’s never satisfied. His game is so smooth. Sometimes I sit down on YouTube and watch his highlights and how he plays because he’s a great player and he’s going to be even better.

SLAM: Speaking of the Seattle guys who have came out like yourself, Nate Robinson, Brandon Roy and guys coming up like Dejounte—what’s it like for people to know that Seattle produces top basketball prospects?

JC: I think that Washington, in general, was a football state. So to see us get attention now for basketball, it’s crazy. Now, like you could look at Seattle and it has just as many per capita to any city in the country in the NBA. I think that says a lot about our city. You know, we’re a tight-knit group and everybody hangs together. If I’m having an event, I know Spencer [Hawes], Brandon and Nate are coming and vice versa. That’s how we support each other.

SLAM: Congratulations on the launch of your newest sneaker. Seems like it was just yesterday the news about you inking a deal with Brandblack was announced.

JC: It went so fast, man. It was so exciting to even know that that was possible. A new company and at that time, me being in my 14th season, being a sixth man and for me to have my own shoe, I’ve never heard of that. It was really cool and I think the partnership just continues to grow.

SLAM: How has the last year been with the brand?

JC: It’s been good. We’re both learning each other, so it’s not like it’s a different company and you’ve been with them for 10 years. Every day we’re learning from each other. We always kick around ideas and how we can make something fresher. They run something past me and I run some past them. It’s always like we have the same vision so it’s fun.

SLAM: Now the J. Crossover 2 features a lower cut that’s sleek with woven material. Is that something you wanted when your second sneaker was in the works?

JC: I think that most kids are wearing low tops. We wanted to make them a little bit lower than the ones we did in the past. I still feel comfortable wearing high-top shoes, but I understand the consumer and people want to almost go lower. So I’m down to go a little lower and I think it needs the best of both worlds because it’s low but not too low.

SLAM: What’s it like to work with someone like David Raysse who has designed for players like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill and Jerry Stackhouse?

JC: That’s unbelievable and humbling to me because I watched every one of those guys you named growing up. I’m such a big fan of basketball. Watching [Jerry] Stackhouse, Grant [Hill], watching Kobe [Bryant] and T-Mac. Actually, I stayed with T-Mac eight years ago when I was working out with him. So it’s very, very humbling and I’m blessed to be in this position.

The post Q+A: Jamal Crawford appeared first on SLAM.

Coming off a double-overtime loss to the Mavericks, the Bulls were looking to rebound against a lowly Hornets squad. That’s exactly what they did, as Chicago’s frontcourt of Pau Gasol (19 points, 15 rebounds) and Joakim Noah (14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists) dominated inside. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler each added 15 points and 5 dimes while Nikola Mirotic chipped in with 11 points and 12 boards. Kirk Hinrich, who committed an all too costly end-of-game foul on Monta Ellis in Tuesday night’s loss to Dallas, redeemed himself with pivotal three-pointers down the stretch.

Charlotte did have its moments. Cody Zeller (12 points, 8 rebounds) threw down a ridiculous facial on Pau Gasol that has Slamadamonth written all over it. Later in the game, Kemba Walker (23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) hit Mirotic with one of the quickest crossovers I’ve ever seen, effectively rearranging Mirotic’s ankles and sinking the subsequent three-pointer. Born Ready had a nice game, too—he dropped 20, 8 and 4 on 9-18 shooting. Al Jefferson scored below his average but was still productive with 13 to go along with 7 boards.

Wizards (12-5) 111, Lakers (5-14) 95

Kobe went full Mamba mode in the first quarter of this one, scoring 15 of his 20 first half points in the opening period. But Washington decided to place Paul Pierce on Bryant in the second half, which proved to be a valuable plan as Bryant missed all seven of his field-goal attempts in the second half. John Wall was a blur with the ball, per usual, driving and kicking and running the break with ease en route to 17 points and 15 assists. His buddy Brad Beal shot the ball tremendously, finishing with 27 and 7. Marcin Gortat continued to run the pick and roll beautifully alongside Wall, as the Polish Hammer posted 21 and 11. Pierce (14 points, 5 rebounds) and Rasual Butler (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) provided much-needed production from the small forward position. The Truth injured his big toe in the third quarter and is now listed day-to-day.

Kobe eventually went on to score 29 on 8-22 shooting. The story for Los Angeles was no different than any other loss this season; Bryant shot the ball—a lot—and for the most part got no help from teammates. Jeremy Lin put up another donut scoring-wise on 0-10 from the field. Nick Young dropped 21 points including five threes, but no one besides Swaggy P could figure it out offensively as the Lakers dropped their 14th game of the season.

Celtics (5-11) 109, Pistons (3-16) 102

Jeff Green dropped 32 points and 5 rebounds as the Celtics handed Detroit its 10th loss in a row. The Pistons fought back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to send the game to overtime but couldn’t finish the job despite a monster night from Andre Drummond, which consisted of 27 points, 14 boards, 5 blocks and 4 steals. Jared Sullinger put up 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals, while Kelly Olynyk was solid with 20 points, 7 boards and 2 steals of his own. Brandon Jennings went 0-11 from the field, scoring just a single point yet dishing out 12 assists. Josh Smith went for 12 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Nets (8-9) 95, Spurs (13-5) 93

Danny Green (20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) hit six three-pointers including the game-tying longball with 2.4 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. But the Nets regained control in overtime to beat the defending champions and earn their eighth win of the season. Mirza Teletovic led the way for BK with 26 points and 15 rebounds, but the play of Brook Lopez, Deron Williams and Bokan Bogdanovic were also crucial in the rare victory over San Antonio. The Spurs came out of the gate looking sloppy and out of sync against the Nets, who were without Kevin Garnett (by the way, have we seen the last of Duncan vs KG?). Tony Parker played limited minutes coming off an injury and struggled to find his shot. Kawhi Leonard shot just 4-16 from the field, managing 12 points and 13 boards. Manu Ginobili had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists but missed a potential game-winning three in overtime.

Hawks (11-6) 112, Heat (9-9) 102

Atlanta shot 54 percent from the field against the Heat to come up with its sixth win in seven games. Jeff Teague is having a career year and had another stellar outing last night; the sixth-year point guard finished with 27 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals in 34 minutes. Paul Millsap (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), Kyle Korver (18 points, 6 rebounds) and Dennis Schroder (16 points off the bench) all contributed mightily for the surging Hawks. The Heat are headed in the opposite direction, now losers of six of eight at home and 9-9 on the year. Erik Spoelstra inserted Josh McRoberts into the starting lineup in an attempt to shake things up a bit, but to no avail. A combined 74 points from Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers weren’t enough to dismantle Teague, Millsap and company.

Rockets (14-4) 105, Grizzlies (15-3) 96

In one of the night’s juicier matchups between two legitimate Western Conference contenders, James Harden (21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) got the best of Memphis’ stingy defense to propel Howard-less Houston to victory. Trevor Ariza came up big with 16 points, 7 assists and 3 steals, Jason Terry had himself a throwback game with 16 points, 6 assists and 4 steals, and rookie Tarik Black had a double-double in his hometown. Mike Conley was the high scorer for the Grizz with 15, as Z-Bo and Marc Gasol were invisible on offense, combining for just 16 on the night.

Mavericks (15-5) 107, Bucks (10-10) 105

Dirk who?

The 7-footer was given the night off against Milwaukee, but it was no issue for Dallas as Monta Ellis came up clutch for the second night in a row. After scoring 5 points in 4 seconds to send Tuesday night’s battle with Chicago to overtime—an eventual W for the Mavs—Ellis came up with more magic against the Bucks, hitting a game-winning, spin-move, fallaway jumper at the buzzer. That bucket was the icing on the cake for Monta’s 23-point, 7-assist, 3-steal performance, but his teammates got it done, as well. Tyson Chandler is quietly having one of his best years ever and kept up his play with 18 points and 20 rebounds; Chandler Parsons added 14 points and 8 boards. Brandon Knight has been the Bucks’ MVP and posted another terrific statline with 25 points, 6 boards and 5 assists. Meanwhile, Khris Middleton had 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals off the bench.

Sixers (1-17) 85, Timberwolves (4-13) 77

Rejoice, Philly. Your team is still really, really, really freaking awful, but at least you won’t go down in the record books. Michael Carter-Williams bordered on a triple double with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals as the Sixers finally broke out of their 17-game slump, depression, abomination—whatever you wanna call it. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and KJ McDaniels each pitched in with 12 points and 9 rebounds and Robert Covington added 19.

For Minnesota, it’s a tough L to swallow. Gorgui Dieng put up big numbers with 15 points and 16 boards and Mo Williams posted 14 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds, but the time was simply right for Philly to get a win. The Sixers will host OKC on Friday—anyone smell a two-game win streak? Um, yeah, I’ll go ahead and say with certainty that it won’t happen now that KD and Russ are both back…

Raptors (15-4) 123, Jazz (5-14) 104

DeMar DeRozan’s injury is concerning for the Raptors to say the least, but after a small sample size of games without their star player, it looks as if Toronto might be able to weather the storm the rest of the season thanks to its well-rounded, high-powered offense. One thing is clear: Kyle Lowry is going to be shooting a lot more than normal. Last night, he went 13-22 from the field for a season-high 39 points, while Greivis Vasquez stepped up for 18/5/4 and Lou Williams provided 17 off the bench. Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter were forces in the paint, with 19/6/5 and 19/9 respectively for Utah in the loss. Trey Burke dropped 15 points and 5 dimes.

Clippers (13-5) 114, Magic (7-14) 86

This one was a blowout from start to finish—the Clips obliterated the injury ridden Magic thanks to Lob City’s trusty duo of Chris Paul (19 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds) and Blake Griffin (21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists). Blake and CP3 sat out the entire fourth quarter, which tells you about as much as you need to know. JJ Redick, DeAndre Jordan and Matt Barnes all played significant roles in L.A.’s 13th win of the season, while Tobias Harris (16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals) was Orlando’s only real factor.

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