Believe it or not, every single player in the NBA does. 

Over the past few years, NBA Twitter has become filled with fan accounts dedicated to literally every player and organization within the League. We’re talking hundreds upon hundreds of accounts fueled by one sole purpose: amplifying the success of their chosen player or franchise. 

Go ahead, go to the search bar and look up anyone from Stephen Curry to Xavier Tillman, put “Muse” at the end of their name, and you’re bound to find an account that’s posting about them on a daily basis—in some instances, several duke it out in reply threads for the “official” title. Aaron Wiggins, Josh Green, even G-League legend Andre Ingram all have accounts repping them with a passion. This shit is random, it’s weird, and it damn near doesn’t make any sense. All the while, they make memes, troll each other during matchups, are followed by All-Stars and rake in millions of impressions a week. 

The collection of Muse accounts has seen legal action, led to social media careers by account holders and shaped an entire era of sports social media, for better or worse. Some folks think they’re the “downfall of NBA Twitter”, some love the added entertainment to scroll through on a nightly basis and some are completely oblivious to the supposed reason for the existence of the accounts: the statistical performance of the individual players.

“In a modern masculinity sense, it’s very cute to know that these kids, these teenagers, these adults, what have you, they’re real people and they’re talking about who they miss and who they enjoy. And that type of beauty is lovely and that’s why I enjoy it and am still involved in it,” the account holder behind SpursMuse said. 

As accounts for the obscure 10th man on NBA rosters continued to arise this past season, we wanted to truly understand what a Muse account was. How do they get these vague yet specific advanced stats? Why are they beefing and cussing each other out? Is this a job? Do they get paid? Why does Mason Plumlee have a dedicated account posting about his nightly numbers? Where did this all come from? 

For the past few months, we’ve been searching for answers. We reached out to and spoke with various Muse accounts to figure out how they started an account and to dish on the inner workings of the Network. We got on the phone with the founders of StatMuse to see if they’re even behind this phenomenon that uses their visual likeness (more on that later). And we might have gotten some answers. 

Fan accounts on NBA Twitter are nothing new, but these Muse accounts are a different breed. Using StatMuse’s AI-powered sports statistic search engine, accounts fuel online discourse, banter and engagement plastered with cartoonish illustrations of players across the L. Any statistical feat that you could ever dream of gets posted on a nightly basis. 

For the past two and a half years, the Muse Network has turned X—formerly known as Twitter—into a hotbed for some of the most obscure online sports beefs in recent memory. All the accounts may be tied to the sports stats company StatMuse, but that doesn’t mean everyone sees eye to eye. At the end of the day, this is hoops. Shit’s competitive.

Each account holds an unyielding loyalty to their team or player. Airing out grievances is a weekly occurrence as new pages enter the fold almost daily. 

WiseMuse—short for James Wiseman—was going back and forth with an anime page in February when Marcus Morris Sr.’s account came flying in from the top rope to diss them for having an account dedicated to the Pistons center. The frequency of run-ins has coined its own definition, “Muse Beef.” 

Back in 2014, Eli Dawson and Adam Elmore saw a new angle in the shared landscape between sports, statistics and software. The two founded StatMuse, a media company that focused on creating digestible stats content with the help of AI.

“If you go back to 2014 when Adam wrote the first line of code, Siri was out but you didn’t have the explosion of AI that you have today,” Dawson says. “So our fundamental bet was that this is gonna be the decade that humans start talking to computers. And once humans start talking to computers, it should transform the media experience where you can have this interactive, dynamic storytelling where whatever’s on your mind, whatever you want to learn more about, you can really drive that experience and all you have to do is ask.”

A decade ago you couldn’t type “Highest career playoff FG% by a player with 20+ MPG (minimum 15 games)” into a search bar and immediately get the figures back for DeAndre Jordan, Dereck Lively II and Rudy Gobert. You’d have to count through the games or pray someone else had already asked the question. Now StatMuse does it for you. 

With boundless opportunities to explore statistical feats and anomalies, social media took it from there. 

The phenomenon started in late 2021 and early 2022 with accounts like WarriorsMuse—now at 98.1K followers—and MavsMuse—now at 46.4K—arriving on the scene. Others followed that fall. Then the Network’s spontaneous nature came to fruition. Making an account for a perennial All-Star is one thing; you’ve got an unending stream of data and playing time to your advantage. Building an entire account for a role player like Zeke Nnaji or JT Thor—which actually exists—is a little absurd. But it kept happening. 

“Once Stat Muse started getting a little bit more involved and started engaging with us a little bit more, I think it became something different,” says the SpursMuse account holder. (The SpursMuse account holder—and most of the other account holders quoted in this story—asked us not to print their actual names.) “But in the early stages, it was definitely just a rag-tag page. No structure, no organization. Just a social media account like any other guy would have.”

As followings grew and accounts piled up, StatMuse decided to finally embrace the army of individuals who were preaching their gospel. Retweets, quote tweets and follows served as an official stamp of support from the company. When nearly every team had a representative, they encouraged their followers to create even more accounts for the remaining players and teams.

“I remember one of the first weeks I started, the whole big thing with all the new Muse accounts was getting StatMuse to follow you. And once StatMuse followed you, you knew that you were legit,” the HeatMuse account holder says.

Currently, individuals in the Network can monetize their accounts through X’s ad revenue system. Smaller accounts typically walk away with anywhere from $15-$30 a month while larger pages are making around $80, the SpursMuse account holder estimates. Other accounts pull in a bit more by agreeing to sponsored content deals with small companies who are looking to reach their X audiences. 

At the end of June, StatMuse launched a complete redesign of its website. Currently the company is still exploring programs that will share economic ventures with the community, like splitting up the advertisement revenue made off the new site. For the account holders, that’ll be a lot better than the $500 vouchers they used to receive to spend at the company’s online merch store. 

With roughly 500 accounts spread across multiple professional sports leagues, the Muse Network varies in its approach to content. Some accounts post hard statistics, while others lean into the nuances of social media. 

“SpursMuse kind of took off because I had always had a tonal bit to my account that everything was useless. Everything was out of context, everything lacked a bigger picture. And that’s just part of the conversation with any online sports stat,” the SpursMuse account holder says. “I became kind of enamored with the bit of, how can I find the funniest stats that would leave out such an important piece of context?”

He points to his April 16 post as proof. 

“The reality is that LeBron James has a billion triple-doubles past 38. But Timmy D is the only one with two blocks,” he says. “So I love doing that, trying to find the little bit of context, erase it, then you have the bare bones stat because then it’s way more abstract. It’s a little bit more fun in that sense.”

Leaving out context on social media is a venture that MavsMuse recently realized may not be worth it. After reaching the NBA Finals, MavsMuse tweeted that Jason Kidd was the first person ever to reach the Finals as a player and coach for the same team. He forgot to mention that his findings were based after the ABA and NBA merger. 

His post was met with a Community Note from fellow users pointing out that the likes of Bill Russell, Al Attles, Pat Riley, KC Jones and several others had already been there, done that. 

This playful approach to NBA Twitter has faced a range of reactions throughout the Network’s tenure. Social media has always been an unforgiving place. One misstep or incorrect stat leads to the whole community being roped into the same bucket. At the same time, the freedom associated with joining the Network is enticing. For accounts like BrunsonMuse, operating within the space wasn’t even about the stats. 

In September of 2021, ObiMuse—an account about Obi Toppin—was created as a joke. The New Yorker behind the account had seen the recent uptick in accounts and decided to make a bet with his cousin. They’d both make a player account and whoever reached 1,000 followers first won. After a week and about 20 tweets, ObiMuse had cleared 1K. 

By the start of the 2022-23 season, the account had around 3,000 followers. By March, he’d lost interest in growing the following. A rebrand was needed and whispers of a potential Obi Toppin trade had begun to grow louder and louder. At the same time, Jalen Brunson had finally hit his stride after being traded to The Mecca. Within minutes ObiMuse was flipped to BrunsonMuse.

The account holder of BrunsonMuse says the growth of his account was tied to two factors; posting quality over quantity and the emergence of Jalen Brunson as a bonafide superstar. Brunson’s stellar 2023-24 season brought new heights of attention to his page, which now sits at over 14K followers. WolvesMuse has seen the same scenario, gaining nearly 7,000 followers this season after Anthony Edwards planted his stake in the League as its next superstar.

“Honestly, the accounts for each player and each team is really like a stock,” the account holder of BrunsonMuse says. “If Jalen has a hot week I’ll gain more followers than I did the week prior. If he has a slow week, likes all go down, all engagement goes down, following goes down, everything goes down. It’s really just a reflection of how talented the team or the player is that we represent.”

It takes a certain level of dedication to run an account like this; to track, defend and follow a singular player throughout an entire year. Only beat reporters see this much confrontation and obsessive analysis. So when we learned that it was high schoolers, college students and everyday dudes in their 20s running these accounts, everything clicked. Leave it to the next generation to spawn one of the most divisive social trends in sports. 

“They all bully me in the main chat,” the SpursMuse account holder says between laughs. “I get the most shit out of anybody. Everyone says I’m a geezer. Everyone says I watched Wilt’s 100-point game—like I get crap from everybody. And it’s funny, I’m not that old, I’m just so much older than half the chat.” (He’s in his mid-20s.) 

That’s right, there’s a group chat. Over a year and a half ago, a number of the OG accounts started the chat that now houses nearly all of the Network’s heavy hitters, currently sitting at around 70 members. The chat has become an extension of the Network’s potential, connecting fans from across the globe, with some account holders living in Germany, Australia and throughout Asia. 

Every account we spoke with enjoys the hell out of the experience, but the Network isn’t immune to the pitfalls of social media. “If one Muse account is bad or lacking, that’s a reflection on the entire community,” the HeatMuse account holder says. “That’s something that we really emphasize in our own chat.” 

StatMuse allows those they refer to as “good participants” to use their IP, like their hand-drawn images and incorporating the company’s handle into an account name. In turn, the accounts are expected to uphold StatMuse’s brand image. But that’s kind of hard when literally anyone can make an account with Muse at the end.

“I’ve always worried, selfishly, that we are all committing copyright infringement. At its core, aren’t we all doing that? All it would take is one account doing something that puts StatMuse’s likeness at risk and then StatMuse shuts everyone down,” the SpursMuse account holder says. “I wish more people understood that and the impact that it would have.” 

Not only are the accounts aware of the potential consequences—they’ve seen them firsthand in the form of a now-nonexistent account known as BrickMuse. 

The aforementioned account focused on meme-driven content and would pay to boost their posts with likes and reshares from bot accounts. For a period of time, they remained in the group chat, although several accounts we spoke with noted their disdain for the individual and how they promoted their page. During the 2023-24 regular season, the community had enough when the account began pedaling false narratives about certain players having disabilities. 

Account holders immediately reached out to the StatMuse admins in hopes of getting BrickMuse removed. Reportedly, the company did more than that. They went with the legal route and forced the individual to renounce his account in full alongside any connection to StatMuse. 

“At the end of the day, it’s our IP. So if someone starts becoming a brand negative, we can get them to quit using the illustrations,” Dawson says. “It’s pretty rare and at this point, the community has people that want to join because it is positive, they love talking about stats. I think it’s kind of a self-fulfilling community at this point.”

Yes, the Muse Network has seen the ugly face of social media on more than one occasion and there are plenty out there who look down on this young group of creators, but there’s still an eccentric beauty in the movement. 

It’s puzzling yet endearing. Its randomness is fascinating as new accounts continue to spawn. And the randomness and weirdness never seems to stop. We’ve got X accounts for Markieff Morris arguing with a Cam Reddish stan over who was a better Lakers role player—Morris or Talen Horton Tucker. And they’re using stats to back it up. You can’t make this shit up. 

Photos via StatMuse.

The post Extreme Fandom: Uncovering the Mystery Behind StatMuse and the Legion of Muse Accounts That Just Keep Appearing appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM 251 featuring Naz Reid is available now.

The name of the reigning Sixth Man of the Year represents more than just a name at this point. Naz Reid has become a greeting between Minnesota Timberwolves fans outside of home games. It’s turned into a consistent stream of car horns outside of Parkway Pizza in Northeast Minneapolis with the now famous “Honk If You Love Naz Reid” sign sitting right outside. It’s transformed the seats of the Target Center into a beach day with Naz Reid towels in late March. It’s seen hundreds of yard signs plastered with his face strewn about lawns across the greater Minneapolis area.

It’s the name of a Jeopardy contestant’s cat. It’s even become the first tattoo for everyone from 18-year-olds kids to 82-year-old grandmothers. Naz Reid has got a hold on the Timberwolves fan base and the greater NBA community. There’s no explanation, no broader details. This is the epitome of if you know, you know. And trust us, after this past season, everyone and their momma, and their mommas, knows about the rise of Naz Reid.

But at first, Naz didn’t think the ink was real.

After the Timberwolves took down the Denver Nuggets by 26 points in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals—featuring 14 points, 5 boards, 4 blocks and 4 threes from the man himself—two lifelong Wolves fans and artists at Beloved Studios in Roseville, MN, set the stage for the community’s latest outpouring of admiration.

At 12:29 a.m. on May 7th, tattoo artist JC Stroebel tweeted out, “Will tattoo ‘Naz Reid’ on anyone for $20. I’m dead serious.”

Hundreds of requests followed.

“It was crazy. I think the 82-year-old lady was the first person that I saw, and then the list just goes on, I think 200-plus,” Naz tells SLAM. “It was up to the point where I was at the barbershop one day and two kids came in [and] my name was their first tattoo. So, that was crazy to experience. Definitely super exciting. It’s something you obviously dream about as a kid, to have that type of fan base and that excitement around your name is huge.”

From the back of the tricep to the lower thigh just above the kneecap, that excitement is on permanent display in Times New Roman font. The feeling has been surreal, in Naz’s words.

His name has become celebrated among a small market fan base longing for a return to prominence. Yes, the Timberwolves have a bonafide superstar in Anthony Edwards, alongside All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert manning the paint. But it’s the 6-9 versatile New Jersey native with the bag of a guard that has completely won over the hearts and minds of Timberwolves fans. And it’s the reason he’s on this very cover.

Naz Reid is the unsung hero of Minnesota. His quiet confidence is on full display as soon as he walks into the gym we’ve rented out in Las Vegas for his first SLAM cover shoot. Summer League games are taking place just a few miles away, but Naz is suited in his midnight blue and white Timberwolves threads with contrasting “Reverse Grinch” Kobe 6s on his feet as we snap away flicks. He’s paying no mind to the record-setting 116-degree heat that awaits just outside. 

Reid is only the third-ever undrafted player to win the Sixth Man of the Year award—joining John Starks and Darrell Armstrong—and the first Timberwolves player to take home the honor. His 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 41 percent shooting from three weren’t just a bump across the board from years’ past. The 2023-24 season served as his arrival as a full-fledged force in the L.

“This is the craziest I’ve ever seen it, especially this past season with how far we made it in the Western Conference Finals,” Naz says of the culture in Minnesota. “It’s been crazy. We have posters everywhere, chalk on the ground everywhere. It’s super exciting. Definitely something that we’re looking forward to for years to come.”

If you were to truly dive into why the Timberwolves fan base has such a deep-rooted love affair with the stoic 25-year-old, the overwhelming answer would probably be the relatability of his journey. And definitely the way he moves with the rock.

It’s the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs and the Wolves are cruising with a 17-point lead over the Phoenix Suns. With 9:53 left in the fourth quarter, Naz snags a loose ball and sets out in transition. A duo of rapid in-and-out dribbles follow, keeping Eric Gordon from planting his back foot confidently. As Naz finishes the second move with the ball, he whips it wide over his right shoulder, high above Gordon’s head, into a fluid pro hop. Time stops for a moment, as he cradles it in his chest and Bradley Beal enters the scene to contest. Except this is Big Jelly we’re talking about. With ease and a calming finesse, Naz pulls his momentum to the left side of the basket and lays the ball onto the glass and through the net with a clean right-handed reverse.

These routine displays of basketball artistry have sent home crowds into a frenzy, but for those in Asbury Park, NJ, they’re reminiscent of the days Naz was cooking at Roselle Catholic and dropping highlight after highlight as an official member of the Jelly Fam.

“That’s just my go-to. I’ve been doing that for a long time, long time,” Naz says of his transition excellence. “I think Jersey guys are just shiftier than a lot of other people. We just come with a different type of swag and game to any move that we put into play. That’s just kind of how we roll. You think about all the guards that have been in the NBA or near the NBA. You’ve got Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Briscoe, Kyle Anderson; you’ve got a lot of guys who are shifty and move with a different type of swag. I think it’s just kind of how we roll and where we come from.”

Looking back on the days when high school phenoms were stitching a new era into the cultural fabric of hoops, Naz now appreciates the impact being surrounded by guys like Jahvon Quinerly, Atiba Taylor and Luther Muhammad had on his game. “Everything has definitely translated and taken off to what it was back then to where it is now,” Reid says.

Twenty-seven points, 6 rebounds and 7 threes against Dallas in mid-December. A 31-piece and 11 boards while shooting 75 percent from the field in an early April dub vs. the Lakers. Twenty-three points on 78 percent shooting from three in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

From Roselle Catholic to Minneapolis, Naz has blended a guard-like fluidity and pace with the size and skills of a stretch big. He punishes smaller mismatches in the low post with surgical footwork and hook shots while dusting slower opponents at the elbow. He cashes in corner threes before his defender even realizes he left the paint. And he thrives, absolutely thrives, in any position head coach Chris Finch puts him in.

“We’ve had lineups this past year where I was the 3. We’ve had big lineups, so that’s something that I’ve been working on and continuing to work on,” Naz says. “Time will tell, but I can probably transition to a 3, 4 or 5 in this League. So, I’m just going to keep working on it and keep expanding my role.”

In that role as first off the pine, Naz recorded the most consistent season of his career in ’23-24. Fourteen 20-plus point performances in the regular season behind a career-high shooting from deep. And his defensive instincts began to shine. With No. 11 on the floor, the Timberwolves recorded a League-best 107.9 defensive rating. The infamous Game 2 that spawned a litany of tattoos saw Naz enact a defensive masterclass. In the first half alone, he stuffed Jamal Murray twice, then rejected Nikola Jokic on a pair of shots.

Ahead of the ’23-24 season, Naz signed a three-year, $42 million extension with the Timberwolves. The deal was five years of tumultuous work in the making.

His illustrious rise from Jersey to LSU wasn’t met with the same amount of enthusiasm you might have expected when he set his sights on the NBA. After a lone season in Baton Rouge, the 6-9 forward went undrafted in 2019.

His 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds during that season were enough to receive SEC All-Freshman team honors, but the League wasn’t biting. Concerns around his draft workouts and size were highlighted.

“It just made me more hungry. It kind of rose, kind of changed to where I was the hunted, now I’m hunting at that point,” Naz tells SLAM. “In high school, I was a top recruit, five-star, McDonald’s All American, things like that, to where now I had to grind to be in a position where I had to compete against others who were at high levels, who were drafted and things of that nature. So [I was] putting myself in that perspective of just hunting.”

Over the past five seasons, Naz has hunted for more minutes, more shots, more defensive assignments and more responsibility. In every role he’s found himself in, he’s progressed. Dialing into the specifics matters—who he works out with, his daily routines, even what time he goes to sleep at night—all of his habits are predisposed to how things carry over into the next season. Consistency in his role, in his growth, “that’s just the key to the sauce, to be honest.”

As a result, the fame, the outpouring of love and the appreciation he’s received have reached yet another peak. From influencing an entire generation with how they lay the ball up as a 17-year-old to the cult following of his name in the League, Naz has been dealing with the many waves of notoriety for years.

“I treat it as second hand and whatever comes with me putting the work that I put in, I’m excited to have,” Naz says. “Obviously, I’m truly humbled to have all that. I think as anyone should at the professional level, take that along with the bumps and bruises. Just keep being you and playing your game.”

Standing in front of a blue seamless backdrop that lets the aurora green piping of his shorts pop, Naz holds the infamous “Naz Reid” towel outstretched across his back. That March 22 evening was his favorite from this past season. As 18,000 faithful unfurled the towels throughout the arena, Naz dropped 18 points en route to a 13-point win over the Cavaliers. “That moment was a moment where I had to really take it in,” he says. “I haven’t really explained how much I appreciated that moment and how much that really made me feel as far as excited and wanted and loved.”

So we asked him to expand on that appreciation, to speak directly to the fans. From Naz to the Timberwolves fan base, NAZ REID the cat and those who hold his name in ink, this is his message:

“I appreciate every single one of you guys. You guys have seen me come in and work since day one, since the two-way signing to where I am now to this point,” Naz says. “I think everybody knows how much work and dedication I put in and [the] aspirations that I put in to get to where I am now. It’s not going to stop now. This is only the beginning.”

Portraits by Erik Isakson. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Naz Reid Explains His Cult Following, Winning Sixth Man of the Year and Building a Newfound Culture in Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

This past June, France’s Victor  Wembanyama, was selected No. 1 overall in the NBA draft, a 7-4 unicorn (and recent SLAM cover subject) hailed as a franchise savior in San Antonio. Then in early July, Paris celebrated the 20th anniversary of Quai 54, an international rendezvous of hip-hop and basketball sponsored by Jordan Brand, with guest appearances by Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and Jayson Tatum. And Tony Parker, four-time NBA champion and lead facilitator during the Spurs’ era of dominance, will be the first Frenchman immortalized in the Naismith Hall of Fame by the time you’re reading this.

But the country’s roundball roots run deep. Real deep. Though it’s not a widely known fact, France is the birthplace of European basketball. 

On December 23, 1893, only two years after Dr. James Naismith tacked up a pair of peach baskets at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, MA, Naismith’s former student Melvin Rideout organized the first game outside of the US at 14Trévise, at the YMCA Paris which opened earlier that same year.

For the next century and change, hoops have been a year-round endeavor at 14Trévise, giving it the unique distinction as the “oldest surviving basketball court in the world.”

The gym is a carbon-copy replica of the Springfield Y, complete with an overhead wooden running track, two steel support pillars that run vertically down the middle of the court and iconic oak herringbone parquet floors. 

However, 14Trévise encompasses much more than basketball. A beacon of innovation at the time of its inauguration in 1893, the building brought together sports and intellectual and cultural activities, featuring a student hostel, theater, swimming pool, bowling alley, library and restaurant.

In 1993, for its 100th anniversary, 14Trévise was honored by the French Historical Monuments Administration for its “originality as a social, educational and sports complex,” thereby protecting its status as an original 19th century Y building.

From our perspective, any building with the legacy and lineage of 14Trévise not only deserves recognition, but restoration. And it’s finally happening. 

The Y is currently undergoing a $10 million overhaul to preserve the building’s architectural heritage and integrity while continuing its social mission to use sports and the arts for youth empowerment. 

In order to reopen for next summer’s Paris Games, 14Trévise closed its doors in early 2023 for 18 months of construction. Although the famous court will not host any official competitions, it will be a must-see destination on the Olympic map and all Olympic basketball games will be screened inside the gym for fans.

“Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee, was a supporter of the YMCA Paris from the start, and would be proud to see it renovated for the ’24 Games,” Christelle Bertho, architect and historian of the project, tells SLAM. “However, the gym will not become a museum. It will stay as vibrant as it has been since 1893—a much-used space for social, sports and cultural activities [that] will [also] host many special events.”

Hoopers from all over the world habitually stop in at the YMCA Paris to put up shots and travel back in time. Stephen Curry, Tyler Herro, Rudy Gobert, Boris Diaw and Nicolas Batum have all made pilgrimages to 14Trévise and left their marks on the place. And now, you can too, whether you travel to Paris or not. 

Remember those iconic oak herringbone parquet floors we mentioned earlier? Well, starting at €100 (approximately $100), any fan can “adopt” one of 2,024 gym floorboards—via adopteunelame.com—to have their names etched into hoops history and be featured on the donor board upon the Y’s reopening.

“Because there are so many basketball lovers all over the world, it was dear to us to offer an opportunity to get involved in our unique restoration project and share our passion and dedication for saving this historical gym,” Danuta Pieter, philanthropy advisor to YMCA Paris, tells SLAM. “We already have supporters of all ages and from all continents.”

Floorboards aside, all eyes will be on Wemby this season and Paris next summer. And when 14Trévise reopens its doors, France’s influence and imprint on basketball culture will continue to grow.

Word to Dr. Naismith!

Photos via Ludovic Marquier.

The post Ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the World’s Oldest Surviving Basketball Court is Being Fully Restored appeared first on SLAM.

The United States will enter the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in August as the second- ranked country in the world.

Yes, the second-ranked country.

For the first time in more than a decade, US men’s basketball slipped to No. 2 in the FIBA world rankings back in November. The top spot currently belongs to Spain, winners of the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket—the championship of Europe for men’s national teams—and the 2019 FIBA World Cup (a tournament in which the Americans finished seventh). The US does not send its A-team to events such as the FIBA AmeriCup, where it came in third last year after being knocked out by Argentina, but the results of those tournaments still impact the rankings. And while the squad put together for the Tokyo Olympics emerged victorious two summers ago, it lost to France during the preliminary round and only won by 5, 87-82, in a rematch in the Final. 

You don’t have to look hard for proof that the game is growing around the world. The three finalists for the 2023 NBA MVP hailed from countries outside the United States—winner Joel Embiid (Cameroon) and runners-up Nikola Jokic (Serbia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)—as well as six of the top eight vote-getters. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) finished fifth, followed by Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) in seventh and Luka Doncic (Slovenia) in eighth. This marked the fifth straight season that a foreign-born player was crowned MVP, dating back to Antetokounmpo’s first triumph in 2019.

Most of those stars have confirmed that they intend to play in the upcoming World Cup, which will take place in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. This year’s event will be the second to feature 32 teams and the first to be hosted by multiple nations. It’s also the gateway to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, as seven countries will qualify based on their performances: two from the Americas, two from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia and one from Oceania.

For the US, the tournament will be far from a cakewalk, regardless of who lands on the team’s final roster. 

“There are quality players around the world—I think we’re starting to see that,” says Carlan Gay, deputy editor at The Sporting News and an announcer for international competitions. “Four of the five that finished at the top of the MVP voting aren’t American born—that just tells you that the world isn’t catching up, it has caught up.” 

“I think that we have this idea that, well, if it’s not American, it’s not as good,” says Jeff Taylor, an international basketball commentator since 1997. “I understood immediately watching the [1997] EuroBasket—watching a game between Poland and Germany—I was struck by how good they were.” 

Taylor has covered most of FIBA’s flagship events since then, observing firsthand how the level of talent has risen in other countries. “It’s grown exponentially,” he tells SLAM. “I think it was already good at the time, but I think there are different factors at work here [that have made it even better].”

For one, an increasing number of Europeans jumped to the NBA in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The success of guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker helped erase stigmas about foreign players—mainly, that they were too soft and not athletic enough to succeed in the States—and inspired others to follow in their footsteps.

Emerging talents overseas join top professional organizations as teenagers, where they are exposed to elite coaching and stiff competition that accelerates their development. Doncic signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid at the age of 13, and No. 1 NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama has been a pro since he was 15. Of course, those high-level prospects also join their respective national team programs early on, which facilitates even more growth.

“There’s more opportunity for development within your national team program [overseas],” says University of Alabama assistant coach Ryan Pannone, who has previously coached in the NBA, G League, China Germany, Slovakia and Israel. “And the pressure those guys are playing under and the pride for their national teams is really high. [For example], Luka was playing within the national team obviously from a very young age in Slovenia, and he was in the academy within Real Madrid in Spain. So he’s getting professional coaching seven days a week from coaches whose full-time jobs are to make sure he develops; and then in the summer, he’s in the national team system of Slovenia, where he’s playing in high-pressure-filled games.”

Basketball journeyman Scotty Hopson, who has played in 10 countries and suited up for the 2018 USA World Cup Qualifying Team, notes that the “athleticism level” has increased among international players. “Whenever I go to these countries and play against other teams and players, I feel like they always have a knowledge of basketball that’s pretty high level,” says Hopson. “And now you add the component that guys are starting to get more athletic, starting to understand how to take care of their bodies, how to train more.”

It’s important to mention that the FIBA game is different—harder, in a lot of ways. Quarters are 10 minutes long as opposed to 12. The court is smaller (91 feet-10 inches by 49 feet-2.5 inches, compared to the NBA’s 94 feet by 50 feet), and the three-point line is about a foot closer. There’s no defensive three seconds, and goaltending rules are modified: players are allowed to swat the ball off the cylinder as soon as it touches the rim.

All of these changes result in a distinct style of play: more strategic and methodical, less spaced. Teams value possessions more because there are fewer of them. On defense, it’s easier to pack the paint and provide help. Closeouts are faster—there’s not as much ground to cover—so coaches emphasize shooting and making quick reads. “The game internationally can be very physical, very tactical. And if you’re going to play it, you have to be very intelligent,” explains Taylor.

“The game in Europe is way harder than the game in the NBA,” Antetokounmpo said last September. “The talent obviously in the NBA is way higher, but the space [is better]—you have a lot of lanes to drive the ball, a lot of lanes to create. Over there it’s more intense.” 

During the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket last summer, Antetokounmpo had to work extremely hard for his points, as opponents clogged the middle and sent double or triple teams his way. “And in the past, this has helped me a lot, like when I came back from [the World Cup] in 2019,” he added. “That was the year we went to the bubble. The first couple of games, I felt like the court was huge.”

“Is it harder? Yes, because I think you really need to have quick thinking,” Jokic said about the international game after EuroBasket. “In the NBA, if you go by the guy, you can see the help is coming. In Europe, help is always there. So you need to think and play ahead.” That challenge helped Jokic evolve into the playmaker that he is today and made transitioning to the NBA much easier. Similarly, Doncic told SLAM in 2022: “I think from [Europe] comes my reading the game, all the passing skills.”

Thus, current and future NBA players can benefit tremendously from participating in FIBA events, especially given the intensity of those environments. Many of those players also assume bigger roles for their national teams, which allows them to showcase other parts of their games. Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, for example, shined as the number one option for Finland at the 2022 EuroBasket, averaging 27.9 points on 54 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent from three.

When he returned to the States for the 2022-23 NBA season, Jazz head coach Will Hardy encouraged Markkanen to play exactly as he had for Finland—confident, assertive, in more of a central role. And Markkanen had the best year of his NBA career, making his first All-Star team and winning the Most Improved Player award.

Says Coach Pannone, who was an assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022-23, “Obviously, Lauri Markkanen and the way that panned out doesn’t happen for every [NBA] team, but [FIBA events] certainly give you the chance to see one of your players in more of a star role—how they’re used, how they handle it, how successful they are. And you get that opportunity without it costing you games by trying to experiment with that throughout the NBA season.”

Markkanen will be with Finland again this summer for the World Cup. Other international players expected to compete include Antetokounmpo, Doncic, Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Sabonis, Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert (France), Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic), Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia), Franz Wagner (Germany), Josh Giddey (Australia), Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro), Jordan Clarkson (Philippines) and more. The US will likely enter the tournament as a significant favorite, but the depth of talent this year will once again make the road to the Naismith Trophy very difficult.

“Whether you’re from the United States or not, there’s going to be amazing competition here because the level of basketball in this World Cup, I think, will be unprecedented,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said during an episode of One Sports’ The Game.

Defending champions Spain should have another formidable roster, led by veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, MVP of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and Willy Hernangomez, MVP of the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. Australia, ranked third, should have Giddey and several other NBA players, including Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Matisse Thybulle, Josh Green and Jock Landale. The likely presence of Antetokounmpo, Doncic and Jokic ensures that Greece, Slovenia and Serbia will all be tough opponents. Canada could be stacked with household names: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, Lu Dort, Dillon Brooks and more. And then, of course, there’s France, a country that nearly toppled the United States in the Tokyo Olympics and should have a similar squad, plus the 7-4 phenom Wembanyama. 

The list of worthy competitors for the ’23 World Cup title goes on and on—each one composed of prideful players determined to reach the podium for their countries. 

“You can go down the list of guys who really take pride in putting on that [national team] jersey,” says Gay. “I don’t think it’s something that we truly understand in North America—how much passion there is for basketball outside of these borders and how much passion there is for performing on the world stage for your country—because of the NBA factor. I think kids around the world grow up not dreaming to be in the NBA but dreaming to play and win a World Cup and win an Olympic gold medal.”

“Representing your national team, it’s heavy,” said Antetokounmpo in September. “You represent your whole country.”

Asked about facing Antetokounmpo during the 2019 FIBA World Cup, then-United States head coach Gregg Popovich said this of international superstars: “When they play for their countries, we like to say that they become superheroes. They get together and, through their relationships and their views about their game, they just form a team that—they fall in love with each other. They enjoy playing with each other. And that goes across the board for everybody that’s in the tournament. A lot of them have grown up together, a lot of them have spent a lot of time playing together, and you can see that.”

“The biggest advantage I felt like [other countries] had was that those teams play together for years and years and years,” Hopson reiterates. He speaks from experience, having lost to a cohesive and well-coached Argentina squad during qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. “You’re going into a situation where you’re playing against guys who have probably been playing together since they were kids. They have an advantage with that because the chemistry is already built.” 

Combine that chemistry with the rising talent and the hunger of players to win for their countries and the US will certainly have its hands full trying to reclaim the World Cup title and the No. 1 FIBA ranking.

“The gap has closed, but also, the fear factor is gone,” Gay says. “No one’s afraid to play Team USA. In fact, they’re circling that date on the calendar to try to make history.”

SLAM 244 is also available in this exclusive Gold Metal Edition.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post International Superstars are Now Dominating the Game More Than Ever Before appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An opportunity, rather than a demotion.

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

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

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

And it’s easy to see why. 

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

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

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

Photos via Getty Images.

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

The only thing is, Atlanta has a STEEP asking price for Atlanta. An Eastern Conference executive reportedly told Heavy Sports that the Hawks want a “big-time return for Collins” and “something in that neighborhood” of what the Utah Jazz received when they traded their All-Star cornerstones, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, over the summer.

Gobert was traded to Minnesota for four first-round picks and one pick swap, while Mitchell was traded to Cleveland for three first-round picks and two pick swaps, Collin Sexton and All-Star candidate Lauri Markkanen.

Collins is averaging 13.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game during the 2022-23 campaign. His lower numbers can be attributed to a new role and adjusting to De’Andre Hunter and Dejounte Murray taking up more shots and opportunities to score. However, Collins was a major contributor to Atlanta making an Eastern Conference Finals run in 2021 and certainly has All-Star talent.

It’ll be interesting to see if any team will take a significant step forward and essentially give the farm away for Collins by the time the trade deadline ticks down. The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly the main team showing interest. The Nets reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Collins during the 2022 NBA Draft and are looking to add a star or “power-forward-like player” heading into the season’s stretch run.

Atlanta will look to build a consecutive win streak when they take on the Bucks on Wednesday.

The post REPORT: Atlanta Wants John Collins Trade Package Similar to What Utah Got for Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell appeared first on SLAM.

However, that hasn’t given free agent signee Austin River any reason to believe Minnesota is incapable of a run. The Timberwolves are still headlined by Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, Rudy Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns once he returns from his calf injury. With All-Star-level talent like that, Rivers believes “the dynamic will change” once they reel off “three or four” wins in a row.

Austin Rivers:
“We gotta go get wins. Then the energy will turn, I promise you. We win three or four in a row, the whole dynamic will change. I promise you. Just gotta stay with us, man. And we gotta stay with us, more importantly, than anybody else.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 2, 2023

He also believes that Minnesota has “more than enough here” with a “loaded roster” and “great coach” that can get Minnesota back to contending for the playoffs. The T-Wolves are likely looking at good fortunes coming once KAT returns and the team finds a winning rotation that can help make the most out of what Edwards, Towns, and Gobert do well as offensive threats.

Combine that with Russell running pick-and-rolls and being a contender to help close games out, and it’s possible Minnesota can go beyond just being the play-in contender they currently are.

Rivers:
“We have more than enough here. We have a loaded team, loaded roster, great coach. It’s one of those things that in the NBA, when it rains it pours sometimes, it really does. But perspective is everything. I think the main thing for us right now is keeping perspective.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 2, 2023

The post Austin Rivers: Minnesota’s ‘Dynamic Will Change’ With More Wins appeared first on SLAM.

Those abilities and the opposing defenses’ inability to keep him in front of them led to Williamson scoring 40 points for the first time during his three-year career. Furthermore, Williamson has a distinctive playstyle where he goes through or around defenders on his way to the rim with his incredible combination of size, strength, quickness, explosion, touch, and body control.

Simply put, Williamson is more likely to wear your ass out and break you down for 48 minutes than play like Kyrie Irving and finesse his way to the rim. Case in point, Williamson attempted 20 of his 21 shots in the paint, and only two came from outside of the restricted area. And that came against three-time Defensive Player of the Year and Timberwolves defensive anchor Rudy Gobert guarding the rim.

On Wednesday, all those unique qualities came together to help Williamson post a career-high 43 points on 14-21 shooting from the field, including 33 in the second half, as he showed off that he can close games out in high-pressure moments. He also went 14-19 from the free-throw line and contributed five assists to help New Orleans beat Minnesota 119-118.

“I’ve never seen anything like him. I’ve played with different types of players – scorers and guys who score in a variety of ways. But never someone who’s so paint-dominant,” teammate CJ McCollum said, per The Athletic. “Everything is predicated on drives to the paint. … the ability to make the right plays and be able to handle and move the way he does. The fluidity in his movements, but also the body control on the jumps. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that. I don’t think we will.”

Career night. Special moment for Z. (via @PelicansNBA) pic.twitter.com/NoG1XD6EmK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 29, 2022

Williamson’s playstyle has helped New Orleans (22-12) take the top spot in the Western Conference. It’s a developing spot that matters a great deal to Williamson. The one-time All-Star is focused on winning and knows fans and media will “remember winners.”

“People remember winners,” the 22-year-old Williamson said, per ESPN. “When you look at some of the greatest of all time, the first thing you go to is championships, what they did in big moments.

Williamson also added that teammate McCollum urged Williamson to take over in the fourth quarter. And the former Duke Blue Devil took that advice and ran with it as head coach Wille Green told the Pelicans to “get the ball to Z and get the f— out of the way,” according to McCollum. Williamson scored 14 points over the final three minutes of the game.

43 last night. Most points Zion has scored so far. pic.twitter.com/FyEYdlLKuQ

— SLAM Kicks (@SLAMKicks) December 29, 2022

He’s a relentless player that doesn’t take his foot off the pedal, especially when attacking the paint. Williamson doesn’t settle for jumpers; among his 422 shot attempts, 396 of them have been in the paint. That constant aggressiveness helped Williamson average 30.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game in December.

New Orleans can build on their West-leading schedule when they play the 76ers on Friday.

The post CJ McCollum Has ‘Never Seen Anything’ Quite Like Zion Williamson’s Career-High 43-Point Outing appeared first on SLAM.

For over half of his 9-year tenure in Utah, Gobert played alongside Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell. Led by Mitchell’s explosive offense and Gobert’s dominant defensive presence, the Jazz advanced to the postseason for five straight seasons, had the best record in the League in the 2020-21 season, and went 243-147.

While the Spida x Stifle Tower era officially ended in Utah, both parties s be content with their split and happy with their new aspirations.

The former Defensive Player of the Year has continued his dominance in the paint, averaging a double-double with 13.3 points, 11.9 rebounds (third in the League), and 1.3 blocks. On Thursday, Gobert’s post presence was felt in full force as he scored 16 points, ripped down 21 rebounds, and recorded two blocks.

Meanwhile, the Jazz jumped off to a hot start and now sit at 6th in the Western Conference with a 15-12 record. For an expected rebuild season, the Jazz surprised many.

“I’ve been very happy to see them having success,” Gobert said per MSN. “Most people kind of counted them out after trading me and Donovan, and Bojan, too, but there’s still a lot of talent on this team. You can tell that they’re having a lot of fun, and, also, when you don’t have a lot of expectations, you kind of play free. I think that’s what’s been happening for them. They play together; they play free, they play really hard. When you play that way with the level of talent they have, good things happen”.

The center is excited to see his former team winning, and he’s looking forward to stepping into Vivint Arena once again.

“I spent nine years of my life there and created a lot of memories, have a lot of very powerful relationships with people that I love and gave me a lot of love over the years,” Gobert told MacMahon. “It’s going to be weird to walk into the arena and go to the visitor’s locker room, but it’s going to be probably a lot of love and a lot of joy to come back.”

The post Rudy Gobert Says He’s ‘Very Happy’ for Utah’s Early Success appeared first on SLAM.

Of all the standout players in the G during November, Iowa Wolves star Luka Garza shined the brightest. A quick reminder what the 6-11 center did at the University of Iowa: 2020-21 consensus National Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-American, the only player in Big Ten history with at least 2,250 points and 900 rebounds. Garza graduated as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer and had his No. 55 jersey retired by the program. His list of accolades is seemingly never-ending—just scroll through his bio page here.

And yet…Garza was not a top NBA prospect. There were a lot of questions about how his old-school game would translate to the pros, and whether he was mobile and athletic enough to still be productive at the next level. Despite a remarkable college career, the Hawkeye legend fell all the way to the 52^nd pick in the 2021 Draft, where he was scooped up by the Detroit Pistons.

As a rookie, Garza played in 21 games for the G League’s Motor City Cruise, averaging 21.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. He was named to the G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He also appeared in 32 games for the Pistons, contributing 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest (17.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per 36 minutes).

Detroit moved on from Garza this past summer, and the 23-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was able to learn from All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert throughout training camp and preseason. Since then, Garza has spent much of his time with Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.

“That was one of the draws of coming here—being able to develop my game, but do it in a place that’s basically my second home,” Garza told reporters in mid-October. “I’m from DC, but now it feels like I’m from Iowa. I love it out there, so I’m super excited.”

Back in his “second home,” the big man averaged 27.3 points (second in the G League), 8.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists (first among centers) in November. His efficiency was ridiculous—he shot 67.6 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from behind the arc (on 4.1 attempts per game). Just look at the array of ways he scores in the highlight clip below: finishes out of the pick-and-roll, fade-away baseline jumpers, put-backs, three-pointers, floaters in the lane, crafty post moves—he does it all.

With Garza in the lineup, the Iowa Wolves went 6-1 in November; without him, they were 0-2. After Towns suffered a right calf strain a week ago, Garza was temporarily called up from Iowa to Minnesota. In December, our “G League Player to Watch” might just get an opportunity to prove himself on the big stage.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (NOVEMBER STATS)

Jaden Hardy, Guard, Texas Legends: 29 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 55 FG%, 48 3P%

Jay Huff, Forward, South Bay Lakers: 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 4.4 blocks, 68 FG%

Sharife Cooper, Guard, Cleveland Charge: 26.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 51 FG%, 45 3P%

Kenneth Lofton Jr, Forward, Memphis Hustle: 27.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 57 FG%

Mark Williams, Center, Greensboro Swarm: 23.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 63 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 15.1 points, 11.9 assists, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 18.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 53 FG%

Luka Samanic, Forward, Maine Celtics: 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 blocks, 53.7 FG%. 

NOVEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Alize Johnson, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

Dru Smith, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Saben Lee, Guard, Raptors 905 to Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors

Devon Dotson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Ibou Badji, Center, Wisconsin Herd to Portland Trail Blazers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Minnesota Timberwolves

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Jordan Hall, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

The post NBA G League Player to Watch: Luka Garza (November Edition) appeared first on SLAM.

The 25-year-old center posted a historic stat line against the Indiana Pacers after recording 31 points off 14-17 shooting and 29 rebounds, a League-best result for attacking the board this season. The Croatian also had three blocks on Sunday, and his execution defensively with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in and out of the starting lineup has inspired him to make his case as an elite defensive team candidate.

“Making the NBA All-Defensive team is something I’m really working towards,” Zubac said to AllClippers. “It’s one of my goals coming into the season, just being as best defensively as I can be— I want to show people that I’m capable of that, and for sure, that’s one of my goals.”

STATEMENT MADE pic.twitter.com/x7CxYlLkTu

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 28, 2022

As the last pick of the 2016 NBA draft, Zubac was doubted by scouts for what he contributes to the floor defensively. Now manning the middle for the Clippers, the team currently ranks second in defensive rating, while he ranks sixth in blocks and gives up the League-lowest field goal percentage when players try to challenge him at the rim.

Not bad for the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2016 draft. Zubac kept those notes, stating the previous doubters have opened up his motivation towards making the Clippers defense hold a fierce personality.

“Coming into the League, that was always one of the questions about me on the defensive end of the floor,” Zubac said. “Just proving people wrong and proving to myself that I can contribute to defense really means a lot to me. Helping my team be one of the best defenses in the league. It’s something we pride ourselves on here.”

.@ivicazubac came up clutch, scoring 14 of his 31 points in the first quarter.

@awscloud CourtVision Mascot Mode pic.twitter.com/cnqxNgja2T

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 28, 2022

Though this may just be a breakout week for Zubac, it’s pretty impressive to see the big man lead his team to the fifth-best record in the high-powered Western Conference, primarily through his defense and lack of two superstar wings. His specialty at that end may not be as enticing as a Rudy Gobert swat to the fifth stands or the vocal and scrappy difference-making of a Draymond Green, but Zubac has earned the ‘defensive anchor’ title in the Clippers locker room.

The post Ivica Zubac: ‘Making the NBA All-Defensive Team’ is His Season Goal appeared first on SLAM.

This past summer, they traded most of their future draft picks to get three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. They paired him with one of the most dominant offensive bigs in the NBA in, Karl Anthony-Towns.

More importantly, they have one of the brightest and freakishly athletic young talents in the League, Anthony Edwards. So how is this group not reaching the success everyone had deemed them to be atop of? D’Angelo Russell’s struggles may answer that.

whole squad ate tonight.

DLo – 30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL
KAT – 29 PTS / 12 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK
TP – 19 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST
Rudy – 15 PTS / 12 REB / 1 AST / 2 BLK
Ant – 10 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST pic.twitter.com/q0z2JWrr52

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

While basketball is team-oriented, Russell’s raw production has undoubtedly taken a dip. The Ohio State alum is averaging 14.4 points per game on 32.9 percent shooting from long distance. The only way to combat that kind of slow start through the first 14 games of the season; is to put in more work.

“[Russell was] Extremely locked in in his preparation coming into that game,” said head coach Chris Finch in an interview on KFAN Radio. “I’ve never had a player not benefit from extra work. D’Lo put the work in when he needed to, and it paid off for him and for us.”

0 was in his bag tonight

30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL pic.twitter.com/Q99BxNADKB

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

Russell had a much-needed 30-piece against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The narrow victory proved to Finch that the “little live 5-on-5 drills” he conducted in practice were starting to revive Russell’s shooting touch.

“Playing a little live 5-on-5 against coaches and against other players so he could feel a bit more of the rhythm of a game and how he wanted to play,” said Finch. “I told him when he was playing to be very aggressive, shoot it all the time. Just shoot yourself back into a rhythm.”

The 11 assists that night were also an encouraging factor in his performance. Russell’s facilitating, as always, helped Edwards make the cuts for his explosive slams, while Anthony-Towns, in pick-and-pop situations, knocked down the treys that led to victories.

Once everyone finds their game for the Wolves, the team will be a force in the Western Conference; there’s just too much talent not to believe it. For Minnesota to have their star point guard work his way out of the struggles can greatly inspire the rest of the group to find their rhythm.

The post D’Angelo Russell’s ‘Extra Work’ Results in Breakout Game appeared first on SLAM.

They were again led by great perimeter play, Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, and Collin Sexton kicked in 22 points from the bench. The Jazz was up by double digits early in the first half, but they blew the lead and had to rally after trailing for much of the third and fourth quarters. 

After a blistering shooting performance on Friday to take down the Los Angeles Lakers, the Jazz had to reach deeper to gut out last night’s win and complete the Los Angeles sweep. The Jazz turned over the ball a whopping 20 times in their victory, but they outscored the Clippers 26-17 in the fourth quarter. 

“Finding ways to win is fun,” Coach Will Hardy said following the game, per ESPN. “I’m very proud of the team to overcome 20 turnovers.” 

The Jazz is the second seed in the Western Conference despite most of the “experts” projecting them to be a bottom-tier team in the league. The Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell (Cavs) and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves) this summer and are supposed to be starting their rebuild. The draft assets the Jazz got in return: Lauri Markanen, Sexton, Malik Beasley, Walker Kessler, and Kelly Olynk said not so fast.

“I’m starting to get more comfortable in myself,” Sexton said after the game. “Just staying ready and being present throughout the game.” 

Sexton had the game-sealing dunk when the Jazz was up by 4 with 54 seconds left. Clarkson could be seen cheering from the bench. The Jazz has surpassed all expectations of what was projected to be a down year. Whether or not they can maintain this level of play remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Utah is a lot of f****ing fun. 

The Jazz plays the Lakers on Monday at 10:15 PM EST.    

The post As They Rebuild, the Utah Jazz Are Now 8-3 and A Lot of Fun to Watch appeared first on SLAM.

He is doing all this while shooting an improved 44.9 percent from the field and 36.9 from three.

While there is no doubt that Edwards has increased his output and has taken the necessary steps during the off-season to take “the leap” that he predicted for himself, the Wolves find themselves sitting at just .500 with a record of 4-4 in their first eight games. It is important to note that Minnesota did go out and strike a great deal with the Utah Jazz to trade for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

Last night versus the Suns’ Edwards went off for 24 points on 5-10 shooting from deep to go along with six rebounds. Gobert also chipped in with seven points and nine rebounds while shooting a surprising 0-1 from the field but going 7-7 from the free throw line.

However, of everything that Edwards has done this year, one thing that seems to be missing from his versatile scoring: his insane dunking. In the eight games in which Edwards has played, the rim-rattling young star has zero dunks.

“Everybody is in the paint,” Edwards said about having 0 dunks. “I’m only 6’4, 6’5; I can’t just jump over everybody, man. I ain’t as tall as Giannis. Everybody be asking me to dunk the ball like it’s all peaches and cream. I’ve got to get a good lane to dunk the ball.”

Both Edwards and Gobert are looking to take Minnesota to the “next level” and really make other NBA teams see them as a powerhouse within an already stacked Western Conference. The T-Wolves have a roster full of talent to make a real name for themselves in the West this year.

With Edwards stepping up, a defensive anchor in Gobert, a true point guard in D’Angelo Russell, and the leadership of Karl Anthony-Towns, the young wolf pack can potentially achieve their playoff goal. Adjustments will be made, and team chemistry will grow as the season progresses; just give them some time.

The post Anthony Edwards On Why He Has Zero Dunks: ‘ I Can’t Just Jump Over Everybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

“The first unit, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s better. I thought it was really good tonight. It’s just kind of — as we go through, like, these different units and guys playing with Rudy, it’s all a learning curve for us right now.”

The first unit had plenty of heroes; Anthony Edwards had 30 points on 13/19 shooting from the field and even found the time to kick in 11 boards. Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 15 recounts. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Their superior size advantage helped them outrebound the Thunder 54-42. 

The Wolves’ twin towers pairing was the initial allure of Minnesota’s off-season acquisitions. Their starting lineup figures to be on the level of anyone’s this season but Naz Reid off the bench was the final spark to secure the win for the Timberwolves. 

Reid finished with 14 points on 5-7 shooting, all in the fourth quarter. He was a big part of finally putting away the Thunder, playing well enough that FInch decided to keep him on the floor instead of re-inserting KAT and the stifle Tower

“I was going to try to bring Kat (Towns) and Rudy back at the same time and then try to finish the game there in the middle of the fourth,” Finch said. “And Nas was great, so we didn’t have to do that.”

Despite the win, the Timberwolves shot poorly from three, but the way they dominated the paint set the table for the win. The Wolves will have plenty of time to try and mesh their uncommon frontcourt pairing over the next 79 regular season games, but Sunday, the learning process wasn’t enough to distract from getting the win.

The post Chris Finch Says Timberwolves Are ‘Still A Work in Progress’ appeared first on SLAM.

The energy has truly shifted around the Association since the Golden State Warriors put the haters to sleep and won another NBA championship. This offseason, there was a sudden coaching change in Boston, a reported trade request in Brooklyn by Kevin Durant (that didn’t actually happen), and some major moves during free agency, from Donovan Mitchell teaming up with Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley on the Cavaliers to Jalen Brunson becoming a New York Knick. Then there’s the highly-anticipated return of Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons and SLAM 240 co-cover star Kawhi Leonard, who is sure to be a scary sight alongside Paul George now that they’re both healthy.

While we’ve dished out some bold takes in the past, this year’s preview might feature our boldest takes yet. Here’s the official 2022-23 SLAM Staff NBA Preview:

Anthony Holt, Slam Goods Apparel Designer

The Cavaliers will emerge as a top three seed in the East. 

With the blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers will claim the No. 3 seed. The championship experience of Kevin Love and Luke Walton will evolve Mitchell into the leader the franchise needs to make a playoff run. The Cavs will reach the second round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Celtics, who will face the Bucks in the ECF.

NBA Finals Matchup: Bucks vs Grizzlies

Deyscha “Sway” Smith, Associate Editor

Ben Simmons will make a case for winning Most Improved Player of the Year.

Before any of you mention me on Twitter or pop off in the comment section, hear this one out. We all know what happened last year, and by no means is Ben Simmons, a three-time NBA All-Star, any sort of “up and coming player.” But if this preseason showed us anything, it’s that Ben is actually back and playing basketball again. After averaging 15.9 points per game during his time in Philly, if he brings that same energy and presence (both literally and in terms of his defensive game) to the Nets this year, by technicality, it’s really only up from here in terms of his overall improvement.

Will he win MIP? Unlikely, but then again, just imagine if he actually did put himself in the running for the award.

PS: When I predicted the Celtics would make the ECF in our season preview last year, y’all called me real bold for that take back then. If Ben gets active and starts playing at that All-Star level again, just make sure your apology is as loud as the disrespect has been.

ECF Matchup: Celtics vs Nets

Joshua Tapia, Editorial Intern

Damian Lillard takes the Portland Trailblazers to a top 5 seed in the West while securing his first MVP. 

Damian Lillard will finish the season above 32 points a night with eight assists. If he disciplines himself defensively, Dame could become a reliable defender against the League’s best scorers.

Here’s my playoff prediction: Lillard will lead the Blazers past the No. 4 seed Mavericks in the first round, the Warriors in round 2, but get defeated in Game 6 against the Clippers.  

Adam Figman, Chief Content Officer

The Sixers are winning the championship.

Everything is coming together at the perfect time in Philly: James Harden is healthy and more motivated than ever, Joel Embiid has a better understanding of how to treat his body to make it last a full season plus playoffs, Tobias Harris is the perfect starter to play next to two stars, Tyrese Maxey is making a leap, and Daryl Morey is going to be aggressive adding role players throughout the season to put around this group in order to ensure the team has everything it needs come postseason time. The 76ers: 2023 Champs. 

Michael Harris, Editorial Intern

The Lakers will make the Western Conference Finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers will figure it out this season. Russell Westbrook will embrace his role off the bench, Anthony Davis will be healthy and be a top three candidate for MVP, while Patrick Beverley will bring the defense at the guard spot necessary to help the Lakers lock down shooters. The Lakers will also finish as the top three seed in the West and make it all the way to the WCF to face the Grizzlies.

NBA Finals Matchup: Heat vs Lakers

Ajayi Browne, Editorial Intern

The Dallas Mavericks will win the NBA Finals.

The Dallas Mavericks will reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 and Luka Doncic will average career-highs across the board while having his most efficient season on his way to winning MVP. The team’s new additions, Christian Wood and Javale McGee, will give this team what they were missing last year, while Tim Hardaway Jr’s return will be vital, too.

Theus McBee, Co-Host of No Pump Fakes

Anthony Edwards will make his first All-Star Game and the Minnesota Timberwolves will make it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in nearly 20 years. 

The conversation of Ant Man “possibly” being a part of the top five under 25 group will come to an end and we will finally give him his rightful title of “Best Shooting Guard in the NBA.”

Check out the latest episode of No Pump Fakes below:

Najee AR Fareed, Editorial Intern 

Trae Young will make First Team All-NBA, lead the League in assists and take the Hawks all the way to winning a championship. 

The Hawks had a down year last season but their defense should be bolstered by a resurgent Clint Capela, Dejounte Murray’s arrival, and the rise of Onyeka Okongwu. The offense? Ice Trae might hold it down on the offensive end, but the Hawks have much more than just him. Deandre Hunter is taking big steps and John Collins’ lesser offensive load, with the addition of Murray, should free up his game for lobs and catch-and-shoot threes.

The Hawks will win one this season. For 3 Stacks and Lemon Pepper Wings and Zone 6 and Old Nat and everything else we love.

Colby Cusano, Brand Partnerships and Analytics Intern

Zion Williamson will bring the New Orleans Pelicans from an No. 8 seed to a No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and take home the Most Improved Player Award. 

After a decent season that saw them squeeze into the playoffs, the Pelicans are ready to make another run and with a healthy Zion Williamson. They now contain one of the most talented trios in the League.

NBA Finals Matchup: Mavs vs Celtics

Delon George, Marketing Manager SLAMgoods

The Brooklyn Nets will win the title.  

Though a lot of politics surround the Nets’ Big 3, I believe they have a lot to prove individually and together as a team this season. With Kyrie Irving will playing full-time from the start of the season and Kevin Durant avoiding injuries, the Nets are bound to have momentum this year. 

Brooke Brennan, WSLAM Intern

Lonzo Ball will return mid-season and take control of the Bulls’ offense, pushing them to be a top four seed team in the East.

While injury plagued his 2021-2022 season, Lonzo’s return mid-way through this year could give the Bulls the point guard anchor they need to take control on offense. After losing in the first round to the Bucks last year, the Bulls proved that they can be a playoff team, but have to make those adjustments. Returning key players, rising young talent, and added veteran depth will help to develop this team unit.

As for Zo, I project he’ll make an All-Star team in the near future. 

Andrew “Pitt” Pitagorsky, VP of Brand Partnerships

RJ Barrett will win Defensive Player of the Year. 

RJ Barrett will become an NBA All-Star and win Defensive Player of the Year. Going into Year 4 of his young career, RJ will take the next step in his growth and make the leap to the All-Star player we all know he could become. With the help of the coaching staff, and a pure point guard in the lineup, RJ can focus more on the defensive side of his game, and be an elite defender of the League.

Andres Puerta, Social Media SLAMFTW 

The Miami Heat will win the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Miami Heat have a solid starting lineup. They are coming off a great season, with a solid performance in the playoffs from Jimmy Butler who showed what he can do in the playoffs. Tyler Herro showed out as the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. They have a competitive group of guys and it doesn’t matter who is on the court. With the Heat being one of the top teams in the East last year, this will be the year they win the Eastern Conference Finals.

Arvind Pitchai, VP of Social Media

Luka Doncic will average a triple double and win MVP. 

Here’s another Luka Doncic prediction: when he averages a triple-double this season, he’ll definitely win MVP. We all know about Luka’s scoring prowess and ability to see the floor, but he also can clean the glass at a high clip. Will this lead the Mavs to the Finals? Who knows but it’s going to be a fun season watching Luka regardless.

Marcus Allen, Social Graphic Designer

The Knicks will make the Eastern Conference Finals.

A big season from the New York Knicks is upon us as they will make the ECF in 2023. Future star, RJ Barrett will have the best season of his career with his new backcourt partner Jalen Brunson and ultimately earn Most Improved Player and or Defensive Player of the Year. Let’s get it.

Dave Schnur, President

The T-Wolves and the Cavs will go on a playoff run and make the Conference Finals.

Karl-Anthony Towns moving to the 4 full time will be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. He’ll hit a career high number of threes this season, Ant Edwards will make his first All-Star Team, Rudy Gobert is gonna Gobert and D-Lo will get his, too. The Cavs already have a great young core with Garland, Mobley and Allen. Adding a perennial All-Star SG like Spida that can stretch the floor and facilitate will bolster an already potent offense. Garland and Donovan may be the best backcourt in the East. 

Max Resetar, Editor 

Stephen Curry will break his own record of 402 threes in a season. 

The Dubs finally have everyone healthy. Every player on the roster has a clearly defined role and they each understand that their number one target on offense is No. 30, whether that means passing to him, screening for him, or getting the f— outta his way when the reign starts to rain. With a complete season of all the major hitters, their offense is gonna hum all the way to an easy 450 threes for the most recent Finals MVP. 

Celebrate the return of the NBA season, the 2022 WNBA champs and the future of the game with SLAM 240.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s 2022-23 NBA Preview: Crazy Bold Takes for this Season appeared first on SLAM.

Gobert recently told NBA.com’s Mark Medina what it has been like to mentor Wembanyama.

“It’s been great,” Gobert said. “I’ve known Victor since he was 13 years old. He’s a great kid. He’s very wise. Obviously, he has all the tools. But what makes him special is his mindset and his spirit. He’s passionate about the game. He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great. He’s putting all that together and working really hard to get to that level. It’s been really cool to watch him grow.” 

GET YOUR MAGS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. https://t.co/7XlmKrorQ1 pic.twitter.com/mRQyD0VAHP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 6, 2022

Wembanyama has been compared to Gobert, specifically with his ability to make a difference at the rim on the defensive end of the ball. On offense, however, Wembanyama is a completely different monster. Gobert understood this distinction and noted it very early on in Wembanyama’s development. 

“The first time I watched him play, we all knew he would be special. But the real question was how far and how special? These last few days, we can all agree that he’s going to be something unique. As soon as I got to speak with him and understand his mindset, I knew he would be great. He has all of the tools, but the mentality is the most important tool. He has that.” 

Gobert attended Metropolitans 92 and Wembanyama’s second exhibition game against the G League Ignite. Wembanyama finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks.

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA. This midrange fadeaway is absolutely ridiculous. (via @stevejones20) pic.twitter.com/ohxn4eMQY6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 6, 2022

After the contest, Gobert and the number one prospect in the world took some photos together. At 7’4, the 18-year -old Wembanyama towered over Gobert.

“It doesn’t happen a lot (smiles),” Gobert said about Wembanyama being taller than him. “It was great. I’m used to being the one looking from up above. It’s unusual for me, but it happens. I’ve seen Boban [Marjanovic] and Tacko [Fall] a few times. It makes me feel like a normal person.” 

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year knows what it takes to succeed in the League, and Wembanyama was blessed with all of it and maybe even a little bit more.

The post Rudy Gobert Believes Victor Wembanyama Will Be ‘Something Unique’ appeared first on SLAM.

Paris. Early September. Sunday morning. 

The speedlights are flashing nonstop inside a photo studio in the 11th district. Victor Wembanyama acts surprised. He is looking at a picture of himself with his arms stretched out holding a ball in both hands. A vision of the present and the future. Even he can’t believe what he sees. The 18-year-old recently measured 7-4 barefoot, and with an 8-foot wingspan—which would comfortably be the longest wingspan in the NBA right now.

After almost every shutter click, Wembanyama wants to see how he looks. The color. The attitude. The pose. Maybe he can do better. Let’s do it again. No vanity there. Just a desire to fully understand the process. He always wants to understand the process. At one point during the photo shoot, he starts to juggle three basketballs at once, effortlessly. It shouldn’t look so easy. 

“My dad [Félix] taught me when I was 7 [years old],” Victor says casually. Wembanyama smiles. He is having fun. “That photo shoot is really a nice experience,” he says. “Photography is an art,” he says, “and I’m also an artist.”

The force awakens. Victor Wembanyama is the latest SLAM 240 cover star.

Back in 2018, Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport had the same impression the very first time he saw Victor. “He was 14,’’ remembers Ndiaye, who also represents French NBA players like Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum. “Normally, I don’t watch players when they are that young. Even though I have known his parents for years—[Victor’s mom] Elodie [De Fautereau] was coaching my son when he was 5—they never talked to me about their son. That’s not who they are. I first heard about him when he was 12. I waited until he was 14 at a tournament in Créteil, [and] I saw an artist [in him]. He just played the game with ease—no-look pass, a creator, no pressure whatsoever, no position, three-pointers—he was everywhere. It was such a joy to watch.” 

Ndiaye had finally discovered what his associate Jérémy Medjana—thanks to his scouting network—knew for a long time: Victor Wembanyama is a once in a generation type of talent. “I asked Victor what type of player he wanted to be,” recalls Ndiaye. “He replied, ‘I want to be me, Victor Wembanyama.’ I loved it…It means he knows who he is. Victor likes life as much as he likes basketball. He likes to draw, he likes good food, he is cultured. That’s really important to me, you can’t only be focused on basketball—it’s unhealthy.” 

Mens sana in corpore sano.

Chances are, you have seen highlights of Victor Wembanyama. The battle with Chet Holmgren during the FIBA U19 World Cup gold medal game in 2019. The 2-on-2 with his friend Maxime Raynaud [now a sophomore at Stanford—Ed.], both 16 years old at the time, when they went toe to toe against Rudy Gobert and Real Madrid center Vincent Poirier. The fluid turnaround jumper, the handle, the stepbacks, the blocks, the dunks. You have likely seen plenty of clips circulating on social media in recent months. And so even though the clips are out there, and we’re less than nine months away from the NBA draft, Wembanyama remains a man of mystery. 

“I think I’m really a complex person, but people are gonna discover more and more about me through the years. But I like to keep the mystery alive. I don’t want to give too much of myself, that’s what makes things rare, you know? Exclusive.” 

His interviews are indeed a rarity. At 18, he has mastered the subtle art of filtering his answers if the question is too personal. A picture of Kobe dunking can be seen on his phone’s home screen. Mamba mentality, for sure. His parents shy away from the spotlight. His mom was a professional basketball player. She introduced him to the game. “She’s more like me,” Victor says. “We really look alike, and she’s kind of eccentric sometimes.”

His dad, Félix Wembanyama, was a former triple jumper. He taught Victor the proper running technique. “Dad gave me the passion for knowing subjects in depth,” he says, “being a real technician of sports, of whatever I do.” His sister Eve is also a professional basketball player, and his younger brother Oscar plays for the ASVEL U18 club team. But the list of athletes in the family doesn’t stop there. His grandfather, Michel De Fautereau, played in the ’60s in the French first division for Paris University Club. Grandpa was a rugged 6-7 dunking center. Last but not least, his grandma, Marie Christine, was also a baller. For years, she drove her husband to the game and picked him up after. The dedication for sports runs deep in Victor’s family. 

Wembanyama grew up not far from Paris, in a small town named Le Chesnay. Little Victor spent his early childhood following his mom around the gym with whichever youth basketball team she coached at the time. “I mean, I had the choice and I still have the choice to play or not play basketball, but basketball has always been around,” Wembanyama says. “I can’t avoid it in my family.” 

He was 7 when he started to play at Entente Le Chesnay Versailles. At 10, he entered the JSF Nanterre youth system. Nanterre became his home away from home. The foundation. Their coaches allowed Victor to be himself. 

“He was 13 years old, about 6-6, when he joined our U15 team. Very polite, smart kid,’’ recounts Bryan George, video assistant for the French National Team and ASVEL, and a former youth coach at Nanterre. “He adapted really quickly. Victor was never afraid to speak his mind and talk to adults. His first game with the U15, I put him in, and on his very first play, he ran corner to corner, he got the ball on the move, stopped on a dime in front of the three-point line and shot it. The fluidity, the confidence, the audacity. For a player his size, so tall, playing like a 2, I was like, Is he crazy? What the hell is he doing? And then the ball went in. A big swish. Everybody in the gym was smiling, you can tell people were thinking, Who is that guy? That monster? But in a good way. It was legendary. At that time, Victor was far from dominating—he was prone to mistakes, turnovers, bad plays, and yet one play was enough to make him a legend.” 

George talks about Victor doing magic with the ball while asserting his cockiness, his audacity, his vision, his will to break stereotypes and not be contained in the paint. Mature beyond his age, Victor was going to do it his way: playing the point, blocking shots, crossing over players and raining threes. The Wembanyama mentality. “I want to become the kind of player you have never seen,” Victor confidently proclaims. 

SLAM 240 is OUT NOW! Shop here.

In the summer of 2021, Bouna Ndiaye decided to send Wembanyama to the basketball academy of Holger Geschwindner, the mentor of Dirk Nowitzki. Geschwindner sees basketball as an art form, and it was all but written for Victor to learn new things from another artist. Wembanyama’s eyes light up while talking about his 10-day stay in Wurzburg, Germany. 

“At first, I thought I didn’t spend enough time with him to gain anything, but after a few days, I started thinking about it and I realized that it’s not about the moves he taught me. The way he shows it is really weird, but it’s not about doing exactly what he tells me, it’s more about gaining what you can gain from the philosophy of why he shoots like that, why his knees are like that, why his arms are on the side instead of being in the middle. It’s more about the whole body philosophy of how to shoot the ball, it’s more mental than anything, it’s about balance,” Victor recalls.

Master Holger “Yoda” Geschwindner had found the perfect padawan in Victor—a big Star Wars aficionado himself—humble enough to listen and understand. Impressed, the German coach called Ndiaye and just had one thing to say: “Victor doesn’t need any damn coach.” Holger also told his agent to stop the weightlifting and let Victor’s body mature in time. Victor was 17 and still growing. 

The NBA is excited but still has some doubts regarding Wembanyama. His body fascinates and at the same time worries The Association. They see the length, the speed, the coordination, the athleticism, the jumping ability, the agility, the talent and the shooting ability. But then there are the doubters and his alleged weaknesses. His thin frame—he weighs 215 pounds—is a common one you hear. Truth to be told, Wembanyama has had some minor injuries (fibula stress fractures, scapula contusion) in the past few years, the most recent one affecting his psoas muscle. But minor is the key word there. Victor and his team wanted to find the perfect way to strengthen his body. Ndiaye went to see orthopedic surgeon Tarek Souryal, the former head team physician for the Mavericks, for advice on how to best help Victor’s body get stronger and avoid injury. 

“You need to rest,” Ndiaye recalls Souryal telling him. “Go easy on the flights, the travel. Rest. That’s why we decided to leave ASVEL [the team owned by Tony Parker] this summer and pick up Levallois, who plays only one game a week. It [gives] Victor time to work on his core [with his physical trainer Guillaume Alquier] and build up his body before going to the NBA.”

This past summer, for the first time in his life, Victor went to the US to train in Dallas for six weeks with Melvin Sanders, a former NBA player who specializes in athlete movement and biomechanics. “Victor’s body has an ability to adapt really fast,” Sanders says. “His body changed a lot, he got stronger, he was moving better when he left…I have never seen a body like him, and I played basketball for a long time.”

In Dallas, Wembanyama also worked out at SMU’s campus with coach Tim Martin.

“He is a curious player,’’ says Martin. “He wants to know why you are doing that move, when you are going to do it, how to comprehend the techniques and be able to apply them during the game. His ability to process information is very unique. Victor has a beautiful basketball mind.” 

Victor feels the need, on purpose, to add that he ended up working out with Tyrese Maxey and Myles Turner, too. And rumor has it that he made quite an impression. 

Our shoot with Victor is just about three weeks before he is set to play in the United States for the very first time. It’s a highly-anticipated debut. The Frenchman of the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 and Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite team are set to headline a pair of preseason games in early October at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV. The stakes are high. 

“The whole NBA will be in the arena,’’ says one NBA executive. “They want to see the unicorn.” Another executive jokes, “Everybody is so ready to tank.” But there’s a grain of truth in this joke. Victor arrives in the US after already posting huge numbers with his new team. In his first friendly games with The Mets in September, Wembanyama went into Super Saiyan mode, scoring 34 points against the Turkish team Darussafaka and another 34 points just 48 hours later against the Israeli champ Hapoel Holon. He then went on to post 23 points, 10 boards and 3 blocks in his first Betclic Elite Game of the 2022-23 season.

“He just wants to be the best,” says one of his agents, Jérémy Medjana. “And yet he always plays with joy.”

“Those stats are scary,’’ adds Giovan Oniangue, a forward for the French team Pau Orthez. “They mean he plays freely in his head, the whole team gives him the ball—68 points in two games? Where is the limit? I’m really happy for him because there is nothing better than playing with confidence.”

“He is not a teenager,’’ says Alain Weisz, the Mets’ Director of Basketball Operations and former coach of the French national team. “A teenager is not like that, you have to reassure him, and Victor is the one reassuring you! I’ve seen Tony [Parker] and Dirk at the same age. I have never seen anything like him. He is so fast, so agile, so different. Victor edicts his own rules.”

The Metropolitans 92 are built around Wembanyama, a teenager. A first in France. A mix of young players, veterans and experienced but still young American players—among them former Boston Celtic Tremont Waters—make up the roster. The cherry on the cake is Vincent Collet, the French national head coach, also the coach of the Mets 92.  

“I came here specifically for this, to have the opportunity to have a team built around me,’’ says Wembanyama.

“It’s hard to empower young French basketball players in French basketball. I was always playing with players sometimes two or three years older than me growing up. So, I have never been the man. It’s my third year as a pro, it’s time to take my responsibilities.” 

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Portraits by Kevin Couliau.

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“I love playing the 5,” said Simmons. “I don’t mind.”

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Simmons has been one of the more controversial players in the League over the past year. In his six years with the Philadelphia 76ers, The three-time All-Star showed promise to be an elite two-way player. Defensively he had shown his capabilities, like in 2020 when he led the League in steals with 2.1 a game and a career defensive rating average of 105.3, better than LeBron James (103.8) and multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert (103.5).

The struggle for Simmons has been at the offensive end, especially in big moments. The Sixers formed the duo of Simmons and Joel Embiid in hopes of achieving multiple championships with their all-around talent. While Embiid has seemed to improve in every facet, Simmons was scrutinized for not taking jump shots and a lack of aggression at times.

With misses at the line and outside of 15 feet from the basket, teams like the 2019 Toronto Raptors and the 2021 Atlanta Hawks would figure out a way to take Simmons out of the equation. Though the series went to seven games in each series, Simmons looked out of sync offensively that he’d pass up open layups.

Fast forward to the 2022 trade deadline, Simmons was traded to the Nets, with Brooklyn hoping the transaction would lead to the Nets winning a championship with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. A back injury season kept him sidelined for the rest of the year and resulted in an early playoff exit for the Nets.

Doubts raised through the roof, but Coach Steve Nash managed to keep his core together and has even made promises to improvise the offense around Simmons, letting it be known that he doesn’t care if Simmons “ever shoots a jump shot.”

Simmons may have the defensive prowess to play the five, but the team looks to implement an offense that makes him valuable, even if that means he takes more shots from the perimeter.

The post Ben Simmons Doesn’t Mind Playing New Position: ‘I Love Playing the 5’ appeared first on SLAM.

Utah has been transparent in its desire to jumpstart a rebuild after trading All-Star cornerstones Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert over the summer. Through those trades, Utah acquired plenty of draft capital and some solid talent to build their talent around.

Olynyk averaged a career 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 36.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The veteran stretch-center will be focusing on fulfilling whatever role rookie Coach Will Hardy will assign him. When he was asked about Detroit trading him and Saban Lee to Utah, Olynyk said he was surprised and felt like the trade “came out of nowhere,” but he’s “excited to be a part of this out here.”

“I’m excited — I’m excited to be here, and I’m excited to be a part of this out here,” Olynyk said per the Salt Lake Tribune. “I love the people they have in the front office; I think they have a great direction and plan in place in where they want to get to and want to go and how to get there. I believe in them.”

Kelly Olynyk makes his Jazz intro pic.twitter.com/DYdeYZlMI4

— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) September 27, 2022

Because of Utah’s rebuilding aspirations, Olynyk compared this process to what he went through in Boston with Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, as that Boston team built an Eastern Conference titan after trading Franchise legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn.

“It’s crazy because when I got drafted by Boston, we were almost in the exact same situation with Danny that they’re in here right now. You have some older guys with experience, you have some young guys, you got a bunch of draft picks coming in for the next few years, and you’re just trying to get better every single day, whatever that is,” he said. “And in Boston, we had a young first-year coach in Brad [Stevens], and now we have a first-time, young head coach in Will [Hardy]. And I think it’s going to be great for us — everybody’s going to be pulling the rope in the same direction. And that’s how you move things.”

Olynyk also told reporters that he had come to appreciate Hardy and his coaching staff in the days he’s been around the team. He believes that Hardy has a “basketball mind” and is willing to “let guys play free” and allows players to “be themselves on the court.”

“Kelly is a really versatile player. He’s been around the NBA for a while, so he has a lot of just sort of corporate knowledge of how to play in the NBA,” Hardy said. “But he’s a really smart, skilled basketball player. He can play in a couple of different positions on the floor, and just provides us with a lot of intelligence.”

Above all, Olynyk is looking forward to one thing playing with the Jazz

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

The post Kelly Olynyk ‘Excited’ to Play in Utah After ‘Out of Nowhere’ Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The gritty Memphis Grizzlies awaited them in the playoffs as their first-round opponent. It seemed like the two teams were evenly matched after the first four games; however, the Grizzlies came through when it mattered to close out the series.

In that same postseason, the Timberwolves struggled to close out games. Notably, in Game 3 in their series versus the Grizzlies, Minnesota scored only 12 points in the final period when entering the quarter with a 16-point lead. Memphis would go on to win by nine points to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

To add insult to injury, with the series tied 2-2, the Timberwolves went into the fourth quarter of Game 5 with an 11-point lead. This time though, they lost by two. The Grizzlies would take a commanding 3-2 lead in the series, and the momentum carried over to Game 6, where they would seal the deal and eliminate Minnesota. Anthony Edwards used the playoff loss as motivation.

“I took it personal with myself on just being better, being able to hit those shots in the clutch,” said Edwards.

In fact, according to The Athletic, Edwards also put on 11 pounds of muscle during the offseason.

“I feel like I’m in better shape, more than anything,” said the 21-year-old.” That’s going to take everything to the next level.”

Fortunately for Minnesota, reinforcements are on the way. Recently acquired two-way star Rudy Gobert has joined the party. The French big man is eager to start the season with his new team and made that known on Media Day.

“I got a few days before I came here just to settle down, relax,” Gobert said on Media Day. “I think the excitement just takes over, and I’m just really, really excited about this new season – I’m lucky to be surrounded by a group of guys that can really accomplish anything. It’s about building the right habits and just keep learning, keep getting better every day. I think the sky’s the limit for this group.”

The four-time All-Star will be joining three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in the frontcourt, forming what is quite possibly the most formidable frontcourt duo in the league. Gobert believes that because of this, he can now show off his passing ability.

“I’ve always loved to play with another dominant big,” said Gobert. “I’ve always thought that I could pass.”

As for the other reinforcements, Minnesota is loaded. They will be welcoming the versatile Kyle Anderson, veteran guard Austin Rivers, sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and Eric Paschall. Who, of course, has yet to reach his peak. The future is indeed bright for the Timberwolves.

Minnesota will begin the season with a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct.19. 

The post Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert Looking to Take Minnesota ‘to the Next Level’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Detroit Pistons are finalizing a trade to acquire Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic for Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 22, 2022

Detroit’s move nets them a veteran scorer that can round out their lineup. Flipping Bogdanovic helps Utah get another center option, a potential point guard off the bench, and fast-tracks their rebuild. Utah has been busy in the trade market after their first-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

The early exit prompted Jazz CEO Danny Ainge to do some soul-searching, where he ultimately concluded that Utah would be better off trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and using the draft capital they acquired to start a rebuild.

Bogdanovic averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game on 45.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc.

The post REPORT: Bojan Bogdanovic Headed to Detroit for Kelly Olynk and Saben Lee appeared first on SLAM.

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams is undergoing arthroscopic procedure on his left knee and is expected to need 4-to-6 weeks for recovery, sources tell ESPN. Williams had meniscus surgery in March and played through the playoffs

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 20, 2022

Williams underwent knee surgery in March after suffering a regular-season-ending meniscus tear. He returned during the playoffs, missing seven games as Boston made a run to the NBA Finals, ultimately losing in six games to the Golden State Warriors and earning a runner-up finish.

Last season, Robert Williams III held opponents to 50.7% shooting at the rim per NBA Advanced Stats.

That ranked 4th among players to defend 200 shots, trailing Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Rudy Gobert. https://t.co/59T2uxwPfC

— Matt Williams (@StatsWilliams) September 20, 2022

Time Lord averaged 10.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game on 73.6 percent shooting from the field. During the playoffs, he averaged 7.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game on 67.9 percent shooting.

The post REPORT: Robert Williams Set to Miss 4-6 Weeks After Knee Surgery This Week appeared first on SLAM.

To achieve their vision – the Larry O’Brien trophy in Salt Lake – a rebuild was necessary. After moving Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, veterans Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, and Jordan Clarkson remain on Utah’s roster.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Jazz and Lakers are currently in ongoing trade talks for the sharp-shooting Bogdanovic.

“Those conversations continue to evolve, we’ve continued to be in touch with them directly and their representation,” Zanik said, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “Obviously, there’s been a lot of change this summer, so it’s natural for us to have those conversations.”

The 6’7″ forward averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and shot 38.7 percent from beyond the arc. In addition to the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks have expressed interest in Bogdanovic. If Bogdanovic is moved to the Lakers, it will be the second trade of the season between LA and Salt Lake. Earlier this summer, Utah gave up Patrick Beverley for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson. 

As the Jazz continue to prioritize and acquire young talent, it is no surprise that they have made Bogdanovic and their remaining vets available.

“We wanted to give the organization every opportunity to build the greatest base of flexibility, young players, and assets going forward to make really good decisions so that we could reach the ceiling that we want to get to,” Zanik said.

The new-look Jazz begins their 2022-23 season on Oct. 19 against the Denver Nuggets.

The post REPORT: Lakers and Jazz in Trade Talks to Acquire Bojan Bogdanovic appeared first on SLAM.

While the team was 19-7 when Danny Ainge took over, the Jazz had only won season playoff series over the past five seasons despite occasional regular season dominance. As the season progressed, Ainge realized that the Jazz “didn’t really believe in each other.”

The personal revelation led Ainge to ship off Gobert to Minnesota, Mitchell to Cleveland, O’Neale to Brooklyn, and Ingles to Portland; however, he never played for the Blazers due to a torn ACL.   

“What I saw during the season was a group of players that didn’t really believe in each other. Like the whole group,” Ainge said, per ESPN. “I think they liked each other even more than what was reported, but I’m not sure there was belief.”

Ainge was hoping the team would remedy their issues by the beginning of the postseason, but after a disappointing end to their season at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, despite Luka Doncic missing multiple games, Ainge knew it was time to begin their rebuild. 

“When we got to the playoffs, I thought, well, this team that has had some disappointing playoffs, so I thought maybe they’re just waiting for the playoffs. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but it was clear the team didn’t perform well in the playoffs again.”  

“Like I believe every one of these guys went into every game believing they were going to win, don’t get me wrong on that. I’m just saying when adversity hit, the resolve you could see in a team that has a true belief in having each other’s back or one another.”

Utah’s shift to a rebuild was expected after the Jazz dropped another first-round series. Ainge’s ambitious moves to trade Gobert and Mitchell results in Utah receiving a pevy of picks and young players. Utah begins its most challenging season yet against the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 19.

The post Danny Ainge: Utah Jazz ‘Didn’t Really Believe in Each Other’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves hit big this off-season, adding three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in a monumental trade with Utah. Now that the Wolves have added another star-caliber talent to their roster, championship expectations have never been higher. When asked his thoughts on the addition of Gobert and how they would co-exist, Towns replied:

“I think Rudy’s one of the best defensive players we’ve ever had in the NBA. He has the hardware to prove it.” He said, according to CBS Sports, “I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen. So putting us together gives us really a whole new spectrum of talent to use.”

KAT signed an extension in June to stay at the place he “calls home.” He went on to list all the sacrifices that he has made personally to help get the team to this point:

“I came into the NBA; I sacrificed everything I can, my body included trying to get us to the playoffs. I’ve sacrificed everything. I’ve sacrificed my life. I’ve sacrificed time with my mom. I’ve sacrificed public opinion of me. All for the betterment of my team, my teammates, their lives, and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Anthony Towns has previously stated that he wants to ‘build a legacy’ in Minnesota. With so many talented pieces and young superstar Anthony Edwards, his best friend, and former All-Star D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Towns can begin to cement that legacy, and the Wolves potentially could make a huge playoff run.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m One of the Best Offensive Players and Talents the NBA has Ever Seen’ appeared first on SLAM.

Utah required the three players after trading Mitchell to Cleveland for restricted free agent Sexton, Markkanen, and Agbaji eight days ago. Sexton reportedly agreed to a sign-and-trade deal to help the Cavs finish the trade negotiations; Sexton is locked in with Utah on a four-year deal worth $72 million.

“It was clear that in order to optimize our opportunity to create a team that could truly contend and establish sustained success, we needed to transition our roster,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said in a statement. “In trading Rudy (Gobert) and now Donovan, it was a rare opportunity to maximize our ability to get quality talent and picks to best position us moving forward. We have a plan in place to help us assemble the championship team our fans deserve. It will take time to craft our roster. We all understand the work ahead and are committed to our vision.”

GM Justin Zanik believes Sexton, Markkanen, and Agbaji are three “exciting young players.” The endorsement from Zanik could be a sign of good fortune for the three young stars that’ll play a pivotal role in Utah’s rebuilding effort.

Sexton averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on 45.0 percent shooting from the field in the 11 games he played last season before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair the torn meniscus he suffered in November. Markkanen averaged 14.8 points. 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 44.5 percent from the field goal.

“We believe that they fit the Jazz culture and hard-nosed, competitive brand of basketball we’ve built here in Utah,” Zanik said. “They give us versatility and athleticism on both ends of the floor as we grow toward the future. We look forward to our fans getting to know them.”

The Utah Jazz opens the 2022-23 season against the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 19.

The post Jazz CEO Danny Ainge on Offseason Moves: ‘We Needed to Transition Our Roster’ appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, Mike Scotto of Hoopshype reported that Indiana was prepared to offer Myles Turner and Buddy Hield for Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, and two first-round picks. The Pacers were also willing to take on Daniel Theis’ contract. Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johson were traded to the Utah Jazz last week for Patrick Beverley, who addresses the defensive and long-range shooting concerns many had about the Lakers.

However, according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Utah seems to be a “more likely” landing spot for Westbrook. During a recent podcast appearance, Buha reported that Indiana is offering up Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.

“As far as Westbrook’s trade market, I’ve heard Indiana and Utah are the two most likely destinations,” Buha said. “I think Utah is, from what I’ve been told, more likely than Indiana. There are several permutations there with Indiana where it could be Myles Turner and Buddy Hield together or one of the two.”

Although acquiring Hield and Turner would further alleviate the Lakers’ immediate need for shooting and versatile defenders, trade negotiations were reportedly described as “dead” earlier this summer, per Bob Kravitz. With training camp coming up, LA and Indiana could re-engage in trade talks. Hield averaged 15.6 points per game on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent from beyond the arc.

His ability to stretch the court and Turner’s shooting capabilities (33.3 percent shooting) could help Westbrook regain his efficiency at the rim and make his job easier as he surveys the hardwood for dunkers or shooters. Last season, Westbrook was the scapegoat for the Lakers’ failure to make the playoffs after averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field 29.8 from long-distance.

That said, Utah is headed for a rebuild after trading Rudy Gobert and making it clear that they are willing to part ways with All-Star guard Donovan Mithell this off-season. If Mitchell is traded, Utah will likely have draft capital and players that could be used to sweeten up the pot in a three-team deal packaged around Westbrook and Mitchell.

The Lakers are reportedly keen on helping to resurrect Westbrook’s career despite the swirling trade rumors. Newly hired Coach Darvin Ham told reporters he has a “wholehearted plan” to bring the best out of Brodie, while Westbrook reportedly had a phone call with LeBron James and Anthony Davis to smooth over their commitment to playing with each other on the Lakers.

The Lakers hope the hiring of Ham and the signing of younger, more athletic talent will help them return to the playoffs after a disastrous 2021-22 campaign full of injuries and drama surrounding their Big 3.

The post REPORT: Utah and Indiana Emerge as Trade Partners for Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett is finalizing a four-year rookie extension that could be worth up to $120 million, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + @WME_Sports told ESPN, complicating the franchise’s offseason trade pursuit of Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell. pic.twitter.com/6KkGm4ch8o

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 30, 2022

Barrett is the Knicks’ first draft to agree to a multi-year extension after his rookie deal since Charlie Ward in 1990, ending a remarkable 23-year drought for New York. The agreement also muddies the water of a possible trade to acquire Donovan Mitchell. Barrett’s new deal includes a poison pill provision that would force the Jazz and Knicks to switch up any trade package significantly.

At this point, New York is the primary suitor for Mitchell. Utah is set for a rebuild after moving Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves this summer. The former Duke star’s involvement in trade negotiations was why his extension deal took so long to be discussed.

Knicks president of basketball ops Leon Rose reportedly set a Monday night deadline with Utah to reach a Mitchell-Knicks trade agreement; otherwise, New York would commit to extending Barrett, according to Woj. Woj reported that Jazz-Knicks trade negotiations heated up on deal points that included Barrett in the package tightened over the weekend and into Monday.

However, there was still a divide on a Mitchell trade per Woj. Once the Knicks and Jazz exhausted their options on Monday, Rose and Barret’s agent, Bill Duffy, began to finalize the extension deal that players from the 2019 draft class were eligible to sign.

Barrett averaged 20 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent from downtown. Barrett is one of only five players to amass 3,000 points, 1,000 boards, and 200 made triples before his 22nd birthday, joining Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James in the exclusive club.

Barrett was the centerpiece of several negotiated trade packages between New York and Utah, but there were hurdles about the amount of unprotected first-round picks that would be included in the deal and whether or not Quentin Grimes would be involved in the agreement. Any deal that didn’t include Barrett would mean New York had to offer more future draft picks to sweeten the deal.

Once the Knicks were adamant about signing Barrett to an extension, reality set in that New York’s front office would have a much more difficult path in acquiring Mitchell. But that doesn’t mean New York and Utah have ruled out restarting negotiations at some point. Talks could begin before the start of training camp per Woj. Of the 179 players to have a poison pill provision in their contract, only one, Devin Harris, was traded.

In the case of a trade, the poison pill is computed with a formula that would put the Knicks’ outgoing salary for a Barrett trade at $10.9 million but require the incoming compensation for a team acquiring him to be $26.2 million. The restriction will be lifted next offseason, July 1. Because of this development, the Jazz and Knicks would need a third team with salary-cap space to redirect Evan Fournier’s $37 million contract.

The post REPORT: RJ Barrett ‘Finalizing’ Rookie Extension appeared first on SLAM.

One thing that the T-Wolves do know is that Edwards is a cornerstone and likely future face of the franchise. The third-year guard out Georgia has made himself a popular star not only for his high-flying playstyle but for his postgame quotes and affable personality off the court. This offseason alone, he’s already gone viral for his gunslinging with friends and was featured in a Sprite with Hawks star Trae Young.

However, Edwards isn’t just focused on having a great summer off the court. The Timberwolves star guard has reportedly looked like a “monster” over the summer.

Make or Miss Go 110 @theantedwards_ #DontFollowTheWave pic.twitter.com/TLKT3nxyzM

— GrassRoots (@GRSportsMedia) June 22, 2022

With the help of his brother, Bubba, his longtime trainer Justin Holland, player development coach Chris Hines, Edwards has been working on improving aspects of his game like his long distance shooting, defense, and taking another step in his evolution as a playmaker. Coach Chris Finch also wants Edwards to improve as closer and all-around player over the offseason too.

“I’ve been working on everything, man,” Edwards said per Jon Krawczynski. “Just getting better. I’m trying to take that leap this year and be the best player I can be. Trying to take my team as far as we can.”

With the addition of Gobert to the lineup, Minnesota’s guards will be playing with a premiere pick-and-roll player that is sublime at finishing dump offs and alley ops. The Wolves are thin at point guard. D’Angelo Russell and Jordan McLaughlin are the main floor generals, so Edwards will be tasked with not only being a walking bucket, but with making his teammates job of scoring easier off his passes.

Furthermore, Minnesota belives that Gobert can unlock another level of Ant-Man’s game as the one of the NBA’s best screeners, best rebounders, and an elite rim protector that won three DPOY’s (2018-2019, 2021). With Gobert’s screens forcing switches or freeing Edwards up for buckets, the Timberwolves, will see another level of elite play.

Defensively, the T-Wolves hope that Edwards and Jaden McDaniels can continue to evolve into elite defenders. The task will help Gobert who’s become the subject of criticsm for not being as stout defensively on switches as he is in the paint. If Edwards and McDaniels can eliminate the need for Gobert to guard speedy guards on the perimeter, Minnesota could have a stout defense capable of shutting down any NBA offense.

“I feel like after probably a year or two more I will understand everything I need to do in the summertime to be the best I can be,” Edwards said. “Right now, I’m figuring it out. It’s going pretty good.”

@theantedwards_ was feeling it in his playoff debut dropping 36 points to give the @Timberwolves the 1-0 series lead!

36 PTS | 6 AST | 2 BLK | 4 3PM

GAME 2: T-WOLVES/GRIZZLIES
Tues. 8:30pm/et on NBA TV#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/iyE4Jet5Fj

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

Last season, Edwards averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Ant-Man was a key cog in Minnesota winning 46 games and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Although the Wolves were eliminated in six games, the young team learned a lot about closing out games and being able to capitalize on cementing leads.

After a huge summer of fun and development, Minnesota and its fan will hope that Edwards, Towns, and Gobert can lead the Timberwolves to a new level of excellence.

“I feel like I’m working extremely hard, harder than I’ve ever worked before,” Edwards said. “I’m just happy with the results right now. I’m happy to see what it leads to on the court.”

The post Anthony Edwards on 2022-23 Season: ‘I’m Trying to Take That Leap This Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

Edwards has proven that his self-confidence is more than just words this offseason. T-Wolves beat writer Jon Krawczysnki reported that he’d been told that Ant-Man has looked like a “monster” during offseason workouts.

“I’ve had multiple people just say that he looks like a monster,” Jon Krawczynski said. “We will see what happens when the lights come on when training camp comes in, and the games get going. I have heard a lot of really rave reviews about how Ant is looking.”

Since the Wolves drafted Edwards no. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, he’s injected a high level of confidence and swag into the organization. Not only has he played at a high level as a two-way stud, but he’s become a media darling for his funny quotes and amusing stories. The reports of Edwards looking like a “monster” came as no surprise, the third-year guard out of Georgia has improved every year he’s been in the League.

Hearing this report should make Edwards and T-Wolves fan excited to see how he performs and helps Minnesota improve upon their first-round exit to the Memphis Grizzlies. After the addition of Rudy Gobert, the Wolves have a chance to be a dangerous team.

The post REPORT: Anthony Edwards Has Looked Like a ‘Monster’ Over the Summer appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: NBA’s 2022-23 Opening Night, Oct. 18 on TNT:

– 76ers at Celtics
– And as previously reported: Lakers at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

Shams Charania of The Athletic leaked the opening day and Christmas Day contests over the weekend. Some other key dates include the All-Star weekend that’ll be contested from February 17-19. The regular season will end on April 9, the Play-In tournament will take place from April 11-14, and the playoffs will start a day later on April 15.

The most noteworthy game will most likely be between the Grizzlies and the Warriors. The Warriors beat the Grizzlies on their way to winning their fourth championship since 2015. The two Western Conference foes have formed a fierce rivalry over the last two years after a pair of intense and physical playoff games and their recent second-round playoff series.

Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:

Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

The 2022-23 season will see the Warriors attempt to defend an NBA title for the first time in eight years. With their foundational core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green returning and their future stars like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole all returning, the Dubs will be loaded.

The Boston Celtics will look to run it back and return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Warriors in six games. There will be some exciting storylines coming out of Beantown as Boston looks to integrate Malcolm Brogdon into the lineup. It’ll also be interesting if the front office continues to pursue a Kevin Durant trade. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will also return as perhaps the top wing-duo in the League.

Don’t count out the Bucks, Heat, and 76ers either. The Heat are always a threat, the Bucks lost after suffering injuries at the most inopportune time, and the 76ers will have an entire season of James Harden x Joel Embiid to work with.

Another question that needs answers will be can the Phoenix Suns continue their dominant stretch and improve upon their 64-18 record from last year. Getting better after being the top seed in the playoffs is difficult, but Phoenix brings back their entire team and is still headlined by Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

It’ll be fun to see how Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz will fare after Jalen Brunson and Rudy Gobert left for New York and Utah, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves are throwing it back to yesteryear with a twin tower lineup featuring Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Not to mention how much better the Grizzlies will be after earning the second-best record in the NBA last season.

Last but not least, how will the LA teams play? The Lakers are coming off a tumultuous season but added a new head coach in Darvin Ham, who’s been trusted to improve a roster that still boasts LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. The Clippers are perhaps a more significant title threat with the return of Kawhi Leonard and the addition of former All-Star point guard John Wall to the lineup.

Below are the team schedules for each team by division and conference. The Eastern Conference is first followed by the West.

Team Schedules

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Central

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

Western Conference

Southwest

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

Northwest

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

Portland Trail Blazers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah Jazz

Pacific

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

The post NBA Releases 2022-23 Regular-Season Schedule appeared first on SLAM.

Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels had 52 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists against Bachero and Holmgren at The Crawsover in Seattle. The Seattle native and University of Washington alum returned home to put it down for his city in an impressive performance.

In a recent appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, Crawford was asked which player at the most recent Crawsover events (which also featured Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and John Collins on Sunday) stood out to him the most. His response? Jaden McDaniels.

“The one I think is least talked about is Jaden McDaniels,” Crawford said. “His offense is so good, but right now, he’s in a role where he’s playing defense to stay on the court. But once his offense is unlocked, you’re looking at somebody who’s so fluid, 6’9, can handle the ball, make plays, very smooth when he plays, doesn’t disrupt the offense with how he plays.”

He’s someone who, I think, is the one that doesn’t get talked about enough,” Crawford said. “But he’s gonna be a great, great player for years to come.”

We’ve always known he’s had the hops, but McDaniels showed off an improved jump shot and handle at The Crawsover, making him a must-watch player heading into his third NBA season.

The 21-year-old averaged 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 46.0 percent shooting from the field last season. McDaniels only shot 31.7 percent from three-point range in the regular season but saw that number jump to 50.0 percent in Minnesota’s hard-fought playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

If McDaniels could find some consistency with his jump shot, he could be set for a breakout season with the Timberwolves. With a young core of Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, along with the blockbuster acquisition of Rudy Gobert, McDaniels and the T-Wolves will have to prove last season’s playoff appearance was the first of many to come in Minnesota.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Jamal Crawford Believes Jaden McDaniels Will Be a ‘Great Player For Years to Come’ appeared first on SLAM.

The former Kentucky Wildcat has played for the T-Wolves since he was drafted first overall during the 2015 NBA Draft. Since then, he’s accomplished a lot, earning three All-Star selections, two All-NBA selections, and won Rookie of the Year in 2015. He’s also led Minnesota to the playoffs twice, although they haven’t been able to advance past the second round while KAT has been in a T-Wolves jersey.

“I call this place home,” Towns said. “I said that since I came in, I said that since Flip called me after the draft day and I was there, and everyone was at Target Center.”

“I said this was home, and I never intended to lie to y’all. I really felt that this place has been nothing but fabulous to me and my family and has made this journey so fun and this journey so worth it. I’m just very honored to be able to put that TImberwolves jersey on for many more years to come, and I’m honored that I get the chance to do it with these wonderful guys next to me. So the future of this team, this organization, is bright, and it’s time to shine.”

“I’ve said that since day one…I call this place home.”@KarlTowns talks his contract extension with the @Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/QlowmIaWkW

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 22, 2022

The future is bright for Minnesota behind the leadership of KAT, the emergence of Anthony Edwards, and the acquisition of Rudy Gobert via trade this summer. The Timberwolves will be looking to reverse some of the game’s trends as they employ a Twin-Towers lineup anchored by Towns and three-time DPOY Gobert. Towns believe that he and Gobert can make up for each other’s deficiencies, which is why they’ll be a playoff contender for seasons to come.

“I expect a lot of winning, for sure,” KAT said while smiling. “It’s just a lot of winning. Like I said, I’m not up here just blowing smoke, I really wanna try to bring a championship right here to Minnesota, and I think that Rudy adds a huge component to that. He’s gonna be a massive part of us being a championship team, and my job is to help him as much he’s gonna help me.”

“His strengths are my weaknesses, and his weaknesses are my strength, so we’re gonna be able to play off of each other.”

“I expect a lot of winning.”@KarlTowns on @rudygobert27 joining the team in Minnesota pic.twitter.com/71ZsyrPfzd

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 22, 2022

The Timberwolves (46-36) ended the season seventh in the West after the Play-In Tournament and lost in first round of the playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies in six games.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns on Signing His Extension: ‘I Call This Place Home’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz and Knicks have started talks in a deal that would bring Donovan Mitchell to New York, League Sources tell myself and @ShamsCharania – https://t.co/pT8m93pR5F

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 14, 2022

Although numerous teams are in conversation with the Jazz to trade for Mitchell, the Knicks have emerged as the favorite and focused destination since multiple reports were made saying Utah began exploring the possibility of moving Mitchell. The framework for the trade has been discussed within the last 24 hours.

The Knicks are the popular route due to the draft capital they own — eight future first-round picks — they could use in a blockbuster trade. New York could also attach young talent like Quentin Grimes, who the Jazz are reportedly keen on adding to their roster. Utah is reportedly focused on getting draft picks and cheap young players still on rookie deals.

Utah has already traded Rudy Gobert to Minnesota and Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn this summer and is reportedly making all of their vets available in trade talks.

The post REPORT: New York Emerges as Favorite to Acquire Donovan Mitchell appeared first on SLAM.

Russell is coming off a season where he averaged 18.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. As the third option behind KAT and Anthony Edwards, D-Lo had some memorable in the regular-season and scored 29 points during Minnesota’s Play-In tournament win over the Clippers.

“Hell yeah,” Russell said per The Athletic. “Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that.”

D’Angelo Russell when asked if he wants to finalize an extension before the 2022-23 season begins:

“Hell yeah… Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that.”https://t.co/4PWnkfv5qv

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 13, 2022

With Gobert in the fold, Russell will likely be able to keep his spot in the offensive hierarchy, but he will be asked to keep up his playmaking chops as the T-Wolves figure out how to best incorporate Gobert into their offense. In Utah, the Stifle Tower was best when he could rumble down the lane off pick-and-rolls and crush the ball on alley-oops or dump-off passes.

D-Lo will also need to keep Ant and KAT happy as the incumbent 1-2 punch Minnesota will rely on to bring them back to the playoffs next season.

If Russell and Minnesota cannot agree on a deal, the former All-Star guard said he wouldn’t have any hard feelings toward the T-Wolves’ front office. He says he likes the team he’s around, and although he doesn’t know how things will unfold, he knows that for now, he is needed in Minnesota to help the team unlock their next level towards earning their first title in franchise history.

“Those are things I can’t really control. I know my value, what I’m capable of, the position I’m being put in now, the players that we got around us, the sky’s the limit,” Russell said. “If we don’t go through with that, I know what position I’m in and if we do, I know what position I seem to be in. So we spend a lot of money. We’ll see how that works out.”

The post D’Angelo Russell on Signing Extension ‘Every Player Wants’ appeared first on SLAM.

Jazz general manager Justin Zanik told reporters in a recent interview, “Change is inevitable in the NBA…Things evolve in the NBA, so I couldn’t sit here and say anybody is [untouchable]…There’s no intent there [to trade Mitchell] at all.”

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2022

The trade development isn’t surprising in the aftermath of Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale being traded to the Timberwolves and Nets, respectively. After Quin Snyder abruptly resigned as head coach of the Jazz, the writing seemed to be on the wall that Utah would be going through an overhaul of the team. Through eight seasons under Snyder, the Jazz could never advance past the conference semifinals, and change was needed.

The first moves came with Gobert getting traded for four first-round picks, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Walker Kessler, and Jarred Vanderbilt. O’Neale was flipped for a 2023 draft pick around the same time. There was smoke but no fire about him being traded when it came to Mitchell.

That changed after Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reported that teams around the League asked about Mitchell’s availability. Utah reportedly declined to entertain any inquiries because they thought Utah thought franchises were trying to “pounce on a perceived opportunity” to acquire Mitchell.

The asking price appears to be steep, but in the wake of Utah’s recent Rudy Gobert blockbuster deal to Minnesota, the Jazz are no longer simply dismissing calls on Mitchell, sources said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2022

The trade market for Mitchell could be hefty for any team looking to acquire Mitchell. The Knicks have reportedly emerged as a prime target to trade for Spida. The Knicks already signed Jalen Brunson to a near-max deal; making a move to get Mitchell on the roster could be a coup for the Knicks and give them one of the best backcourt combinations in the NBA.

According to insider Marc Stein, the Knicks could make a trade centered around RJ Barrett. Playing for the Knicks is attractive for the Knicks as a hometown guy and his former coach, Johnnie Bryant, joined the Knicks coaching staff ahead of the 202-21 season.

It remains to be seen how quickly a trade can be made for Mitchell. The Knicks will likely receive some competition for Mitchell, so the speed of the transaction may happen as soon as it did for Gobert.

The post REPORT: Trading Price For Donovan Mitchell ‘Appears to Be Steep’ appeared first on SLAM.

The dispatch of Rudy Gobert to Minnesota has led to speculation around the future of All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, according to Tim Daniels of Bleacher Report.

However, Utah has come out expressing its unwillingness to trade Mitchell following the Gobert deal. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has also confirmed that Mitchell will not force anything.

“On Mitchell’s side, he’s going to stand pat,” Windhorst said. “He’s not going to force any action right now.”

Since 2016-17, the Utah Jazz has not been able to progress in the playoffs past the second round. They have already hired a new coach in Will Hardy and sent Gobert away in a pivotal deal bringing back four first-rounders (three that have no protections at all) and four new players.

The team wants to hold onto Mitchell and retool around the multi-time All-Star.

The post REPORT: Utah’s Donovan Mitchell to ‘Stand Pat’ Despite Trade Rumors appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Stifle Tower met Minnesota fans, players, and media during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. During the presser with T-Wolves reporters, Gobert was asked about his fit next to the Minnesota backcourt of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell.

“I think the spacing we can get for them with my screening, with my rim gravity when I roll to the basket, and my passing that I think I’ll be able to showcase even more this year. All those things, I think that will allow them to be even better, that coupled obviously with the spacing that KAT’s gonna provide and the way I think we’re gonna play, they’re gonna be able to get a lot more easy looks then they’ve been able to get in previous years.

“They haven’t been throwing a lot of lobs over the last few years, but I think now, we’re going to work on that, and it’s another weapon that I think is really hard to guard — that’s what’s gonna make us unique is that we’re gonna be able to have so many different weapons and so many different ways of playing together.”

Rudy Gobert on his fit with Anthony Edwards + D’Angelo Russell:

“I think the spacing we can get for them with my screening, with my rim gravity when I roll to the basket…

they haven’t been throwing a lot of lobs over the last few years, we are going to work on that” pic.twitter.com/M2CXwQP1jk

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 6, 2022

Gobert averaged 15.6 points, a career-high 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last season for the Jazz.

The post Rudy Gobert On His Fit With D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards appeared first on SLAM.

Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Jazz and Timberwolves have reportedly agreed on a trade to flip Gobert for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple first-round picks, per Woj.

The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The three-time DPOY averaged 15.6 points, a career-high 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last season for the Jazz.

The post REPORT: Rudy Gobert Headed to Minnesota Via Trade From Utah appeared first on SLAM.

Without further ado, here is the running NBA Trade Rumor Thread:

7/25:

Shams Charania from The Athletic reports that the Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Kings, Heat, Hawks and the Knicks have expressed interest in Donovan Mitchell.

Per Charania, the Jazz, Knicks and Paces are also reportedly interested in Russell Westbrook and draft capital from the Lakers.

The Boston Celtics have emerged as a potential suitor for Kevin Durant, reportedly offering up Jaylen Brown as the main piece in the initial trade proposal. However, according to The Athletic, that offer was reportedly rejected. Read more here:

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly offered Collin Sexton a three year contract in the range of $13.3 million per year for three seasons. Sexton is reportedly “dismayed” with the team’s current offer.

Sexton played 11 games this year before tearing his meniscus.

“Utah had asked about a package involving Mitchell Robinson, and at least 3 first-round picks and the Knicks declined to meet that asking price”@IanBegley with the latest on the Donovan Mitchell trade front, including the Jazz asking for Quentin Grimes in a deal pic.twitter.com/4m1x30mgY5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) July 15, 2022

REPORT: The Jazz-Knicks deal was “close” on Tuesday night, but the Knicks ended up declining.

The Jazz reportedly wanted Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, and 6 1st-round picks.

(via @tjonesonthenba) pic.twitter.com/KxUOdLfsZx

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 15, 2022

The Nets asked the TImberwolves for the farm after asking for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and four draft picks in order to acquire Kevin Durant.

REPORT: The Brooklyn Nets asked the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and 4 draft-picks in exchange for Kevin Durant.

The Timberwolves declined.

(via @chrisbhaynes, @VinceGoodwill) pic.twitter.com/EUdjmDXArD

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 7, 2022

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the Warriors are interested in acquiring Kevin Durant. KD won back-to-back titles in three years with the Dubs. Per multiple reports, the Nets have made it clear that their trading partner will have to give up the farm in order to complete the blockbuster trade. Those acquirements consist of an All-Star level player and multiple draft picks.

Marc J. Spears: Warriors ‘have interest’ in trading for Kevin Durant [report]https://t.co/5lar5wEukf pic.twitter.com/bXGN5CDgPk

— KNBR (@KNBR) July 3, 2022

League sources: For now, there are no plans by the Utah Jazz to trade star guard Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz are committed to building around him. The Jazz are not done in trade talks. Expect more activity

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 1, 2022

The Jazz and Timberwolves have reportedly agreed on a trade to flip Gobert for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple first-round picks, per Woj.

Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly shipped Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless, and a 2024 lottery-protected first-round pick per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

After KD’s blockbuster trade request was reportedly made official, it seems as though Kyrie Irving is most likely headed out of Brooklyn too. Irving is on the last year of his current deal and listed the Lakers, Clippers, Mavs, Knicks, Heat, and 76ers as his preferred trade destinations.

The latest on Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets from @wojespn.

Join us now on ESPN2 for our NBA Today Free Agency special as we break it all down. pic.twitter.com/dsRBjecW8S

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 30, 2022

BREAKING: Kevin Durant has reportedly requested a trade away from the Brooklyn Nets, per his agent Rich Kleiman to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant has targeted Phoenix and Miami as his preferred destinations, per Woj.

Durant requested a trade with the team today, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/BkNEHwkrc0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Jazz are reportedly trading Royce O’Neal to the Nets for a first-rounder .

Utah is trading Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn for a first-round pick, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

The Bulls are reportedly shopping Coby White, per Sam Amico of Hoopshype.

Bulls Remain Active In Trying To Trade Coby White https://t.co/QblzrfaVuW

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

Amico also reports that Julius Randle could be a name to watch on the trade market as the New York Knicks look to make it back to the playoffs next season.

Julius Randle is a name to watch on the trade market, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/Zd49mnz72R

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 30, 2022

The Wizards are reportedly exchanging Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Should Smith play one game for Denver, it’ll be the record-setting 13th team he’s played for in his career.

Washington is finalizing a trade to acquire Denver’s Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Knicks are sending Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks to the Pistons as well as some draft capital in order to free up $30 million in cap space to acquire Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Knicks are trading center Nerlens Noel and guard Alec Burks to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. The Knicks will unload $19M more in salary, clearing the way for cap space to try and sign free agent guard Jalen Brunson.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Houston Rockets have reportedly bought John Wall’s contract as of Monday night. The five-time All-Star and the Clippers are reportedly set to reach an agreement once free agency starts, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

ESPN story with @espn_macmahon on John Wall exiting the Houston Rockets with intentions to sign a free agent deal with the LA Clippers: https://t.co/IuLK7oFwP9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

After a successful postseason run, a key piece for Miami may not come back. PJ Tucker is rumored to take a better offer from the Philadelphia 76ers.

The possibility of Kyrie Irving departing from the Brooklyn Nets gains more momentum by the day, as he has been given permission to seek a sign and trade.

John Wall hasn’t played an NBA game for the Houston Rockets since April of 2021, he is willing to agree to a buyout if it comes down to it.

The San Antonio Spurs have been receiving calls about all-star point guard DeJounte Murray, teams that are included are the Knicks, Timberwolves, Wizards, and Hawks. Murray publicly reacted to the rumor on Twitter.

The Cleveland Cavaliers sacrifice pick 49 in exchange for Sasha Vezenkov, who has been a euro-league stash after being picked in the 2017 draft.

The Pistons traded away Jerami Grant for a 2025 first round pick that belongs to the Bucks, read more here:

The Hawks are looking to level up for Trae Young byfinding him a better co-star, read more here:

After not being offered an extension, DeAndre Ayton’s future with the Phoenix Suns looks to be in doubt. Read more here:

The Dallas Mavericks are going all in for Luka Doncic’s win now window by trading for Christian Wood, first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

JaMychal Green was sent from the Nuggets in exchange for the Thunder’s No. 30 pick in this upcoming draft, read more here:

The post The NBA Trade Rumor Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, owner Ryan Smith and CEO of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge have contacted Snyder about his future with Utah. Discussions have been in “good faith” with Snyder despite the uncertainty of the outlook for Utah. 

Snyder, who’s been with the team since the 2014-2015 season, has made the playoffs in six of his eight seasons but never made it past the second round. His teams never fell outside of the top 15 in defensive rating since he first took over, and he has never won less than 35 games in his eight seasons as head coach.

Snyder is under contract until the 2023-2024 season, with that final year being a coach option. 

Reports also say that the team is fine with Snyder coming back on his current contract, but nothing concrete on his long-term or immediate future. The team has also shown that they are preparing for potential earth-shattering roster changes that could change the team’s outlook, depending on the moves made by Utah’s front office that could determine if Snyder is to remain in Salt Lake City or seek a job elsewhere.

If Snyder were to leave, there would be only one head coaching vacancy left in the League to fill, with Charlotte Hornets. Snyder was linked previously to the Lakers’ job, but they opted to hire Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham instead. 

The Jazz is in flux; the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert situation remain unclear. Ownership has changed hands, and the front office leadership has changed in the last two years. This year, the team is set to be very deep in the luxury tax. Moving forward, the Utah Jazz will have a lot of choices to make, and they might be served to focus on improving the confidence Mitchell has in the team.

The post REPORT: Utah Jazz Coach Quin Snyder’s Future in Doubt appeared first on SLAM.

I know I am not usually @utahjazz breaking news guy, but a source close to situation has informed me that Rudy Gobert is at "him or me" point with Donovan Mitchell and will demand that one of them be traded in next few days. Doesn't feel they will win championship together.

— Sean O'Connell (@realOCsports) May 2, 2022

The reported rift between the two franchise cornerstones has been much maligned since Gobert and Mitchell became the NBA’s Patient Zero for COVID-19, causing the League to shut down for several months before the Orlando Bubble took place. Since then, the pair of All-Stars have publicly made sure to downplay any issues they may have had.

“My understanding is that conversation has yet to happen,” O’Connell said per KSL Podcast. “Maybe he and his agent are formulating a better strategy than a simple ultimatum, and that’s why we haven’t had anything. This is from a very trusted, hashtag, source for me, and it could be less than 100 percent complete information from what Rudy and his camp are actually planning on doing. Obviously, I’ll fully allow for that.”

Although the experimental 1-2 punch hasn’t yielded the result the Jazz want, Gobert seemingly isn’t ready to quit on the Jazz or continue to play with Mitchell, letting NBA Twitter know that the rumors were false.

Everyday has it’s own new “rumor”

— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) May 2, 2022

Gobert averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game during the regular season. His playstyle has come under fire for being unable to guard forwards and centers who can stretch the floor. He was endlessly teased for being the main defender being cooked when Terance Mann scored 39 points to eliminate the Jazz in Game 6 in the Clippers’ run to the conference finals last year.

Meanwhile, Mitchell finished the 2021-22 season, averaging 25.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 44.8 percent shooting from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc. As a volume scorer, Mitchell has tended to settle more for jumpers instead of exploding to the rim like he’s done in the past.

The post Rudy Gobert Denies Rumor That He’s Giving Utah ‘Him or Me’ Ultimatum appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 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.

The 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year is Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart! pic.twitter.com/kfwG9NcUae

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 18, 2022

Smart was a part of the No. 1 rated defense in the League during the regular season. Smart became the first guard to win DPOY since Gary Payton did so in 1995-1996. The former sixth overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft is the second Celtic to win the award, joining Kevin Garnett (2007-08) as the only Celtics in franchise history to do so.

Marcus Smart is the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in 1995-96.

He is the 2nd Celtics player to win the award, joining Kevin Garnett in 2007-08 (award began in 1982-83).

— Matt Williams (@StatsWilliams) April 18, 2022

Smart, Rudy Gobert, and Mikal Bridges were the finalists to win the DPOY.

The post Marcus Smart Becomes First Guard to Win Defensive Player of the Year Since Gary Payton appeared first on SLAM.

Bam Adebayo says he didn't know he wasn't a DPOY finalist until talking to media after practice. His response:

"Disrespectful… I can do anything those other guys can do."

Goes on to cite the lack of national TV games as a reason. pic.twitter.com/E8wzs3MrqD

— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) April 18, 2022

Adebayo seemed to have no idea he was snubbed until assembled media made him aware, per Wes Goldberg. Rudy Gobert, Mikal Bridges, and Marcus Smart earned the spots for DPOY finalists instead.

“Disrespectful,” Adebayo said about being overlooked for DPOY. “I feel like I can do anything that two out of the three can do. Besides, I mean, I can’t teach height. But they all three play on TV more than me. So I would expect that. They get more TV games, and they get more exposure. People like to talk about them more. Don’t nobody want to talk about us. So, it’s whatever at that point.”

Adebayo has also been the lynchpin of a Heat defense that finished the regular season fourth in defensive rating (108.4). Adebayo owns a defensive rating of 104.9. Adebayo finished the regular season averaging 7.6 defensive rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.

Coming into the season, the Suns had 34 nationally televised games scheduled. The Celtics had 32, the Jazz had 26, and the Heat had 22. Miami going 17-9 in the games he missed would also suggest that the Heat’s team defense was a major factor in Adebayo’s success within it.

No. 1 seed Miami will look to build a 2-0 lead when they take on No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.

The post Bam Adebayo On Defensive Player of the Year Snub: ‘Disrespectful — I Can Do Anything Those Other Guys Can Do’ appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Jazz has made a habit of blowing fourth-quarter leads throughout the season. When the Jazz suffered an ugly 111-107 loss to the Warriors, the meeting the Jazz held in the locker room of their practice facility set the tone for the playoff challenge that lies ahead.

“We got to sit together and just be honest with each other,” Gobert said about the meeting, per The Athletic. “It was the whole team. And for us, the bottom line was really the communication during the game. We’ve been playing well for three quarters; I mean, we’d be first in the league if the game ended after the third….”

“Obviously, the good teams step up in the fourth,” Gobert continued. “But still — we’re not a shitty team.”

Gobert said the players broke down some of their problems to continue communicating and staying connected on both ends of the court even when things aren’t going well. The Jazz also has work to do on maintaining positive body language and embracing the moment and opportunities they have during games. Above all, the Utah Jazz needs to stay on the same page.

Coach Quinn Snyder also summed up what he thought was the issue during a 19-minute monologue before the Jazz’s showdown with the Grizzlies. Snyder fought back at the notion of the Jazz blowing leads, although they have surrounded double-digit leads in 15 of their 32 losses, Snyder says the fact the Jazz have also won three out of the seven games where they blew a fourth-quarter lead needs to be apart of their narrative too.

“I think everyone felt like — we all felt like — we need to talk,” Gobert said. “We know, obviously, there’s always going to be teams and people in the media trying to divide us. We know, and we’ve seen it in the past.”

Besides hashing out their problems, the most positive note about the meeting was that the Jazz won their next game. The 121-115 victory boke the Grizzlies’ seven-game win streak, bumped Utah up to the fifth spot in the Western Conference playoff standings, and clinched their place in the playoffs. The win wasn’t perfect, the Jazz didn’t close out the Grizzles like they would have preferred, but they played hard enough to escape with a narrow dub.

“That’s what was great about it,” Gobert said. “I think a lot of teams have those (meetings). It’s man to man. It’s great. We all need that, whether it’s your wife or your teammates or your friends, sometimes. It’s great to just express yourself.”

The post Rudy Gobert on Players-Only Meeting: ‘We All Felt Like — We Need to Talk’ appeared first on SLAM.

Davis has played 39 games this season, missing more than a month of playing time due to a knee injury he suffered against the Timberwolves. He returned for 10 games before injuring his foot and missing another month and a half after injuring his foot against the Jazz.

The Kentucky product played 36 games during the 2020-2021 season after a short offseason following the Lakers’ 2020 title in the Orlando Bubble. AD reinjured his knee during the first round of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns.

“This is what I’ve learned about injuries: Last year, when I wasn’t playing, people were saying ‘AD’s giving up on his team. It’s the playoffs. AD has to play. He’s got to play.’ And when I went out there to play, got hurt again, they said, ‘Who was his trainer? Who let him play?’ Davis said per the LA Times.

“So, what the [expletive] do you want me to do? When I play, it’s a problem. It’s a problem when I don’t play. At the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for me and how my body feels. And we go from there. I’m not worried about who’s saying what or who thinks this about me because none of them have stepped on the floor and played. And the ones that did play, they should understand.

“These aren’t little ticky-tack injuries.”

The Brow has gotten the injury-prone label placed on him before arriving in LA. The past two seasons have added more proof to the viewpoint. However, the injuries were possibly more freak accidents. He stepped on the foot of Rudy Gobert while LeBron James accidentally knocked Jaden McDaniel into Davis’ leg.

With just four games left in the regular season, the Lakers (31-47) are two games behind the Spurs for the final spot in the play-in tournament. Davis has averaged 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game when he’s been healthy.

The post Anthony Davis on Injury Criticism: ‘These Aren’t Little Ticky-Tack Injuries’ appeared first on SLAM.

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

Suns star Chris Paul has suffered a right thumb avulsion fracture and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 21, 2022

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

The grandmother of Kevin Durant passed away this morning, Wanda Durant announces. Kevin Durant – named one of the 75 greatest players ever – will no longer attend 75th Anniversary team ceremony tonight at NBA All-Star Game as the family mourns loss.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2022

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

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

First Quarter:

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

“Why are you playing so much defense bro?”

This @StephenCurry30 and @Money23Green exchange pic.twitter.com/5V9Nz4TiLm

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 21, 2022

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

Throwback to last year’s Finals… Book and Giannis trading buckets at #NBAAllStar!

TNT & TBS pic.twitter.com/6iEs9nuxD2

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

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

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

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

Second Quarter:

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

#NBAAllStar record for threes in a half.
There’s nobody quite like Stephen Curry pic.twitter.com/dnKw86B04i

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 21, 2022

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

Darius Garland from the logo to hype up the Cleveland crowd! #NBAAllStar on TNT & TBS pic.twitter.com/WgjqAk1P5M

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

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

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

Third Quarter:

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

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

Stephen Curry is heat checking like no one ever has in an #NBAAllStar Game.

He’s got 13 threes.

Get to TNT & TBS now. pic.twitter.com/Fvj2Ep3fjB

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

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

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

Drive. Give it up. Relocate. Get it back.

Stephen Curry is playing his brand of basketball in the #NBAAllStar Game…

Oh, and he’s made 15 threes pic.twitter.com/FC6cQcdp0p

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

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

Final Quarter:

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

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

BRON. CALLED. GAME.

Listen to the conclusion of the 2022 All-Star Game on NBA Radio.

https://t.co/AYipQpw9t4
pic.twitter.com/ivRfKU2iI3

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 21, 2022

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

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

The post Team LeBron Wins the 2022 NBA All Star Game Behind Stephen Curry’s 50 appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz blew out the Rockets, 135-101, and the Stifle Tower contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, and had one block in 22 minutes before he was ejected in the fourth quarter.

“I was antsy. — I couldn’t wait to get back on the court and be a part of what our team is doing now,” Gobert said per NBA.com.

In the 14 games Gobert missed, he missed five games previously; the Jazz has gone 6-8 and entered their Monday night contest, riding a five-game win streak. With Gobert in the starting lineup, the Jazz has gone 23-8 thus far.

Gobert has averaged 15.9 points, 14.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game this year. His point and rebounding averages, as well as his free throw (69.0 percent) and field goal (71.1 percent) accuracy, are all career-high numbers.

The Jazz (36-21) play the Lakers (26-31) on Wednesday. Since Jan. 1, the Jazz has gone 10-12 and lost and traded veteran swingman Joe Ingles to a torn ACL while sitting at fourth place in the West after falling behind 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies. Utah will also look to improve its defense after falling out of the top five.

“Our energy is different. I feel like something happened within our team. In that slump that we had — it really sparked something. I feel like we’re a team that’s trying to accomplish something,” Gobert said.

The post Rudy Gobert Makes His Return From Multi-Game Absence appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ESPN Sources: Utah Jazz F Joe Ingles has suffered a season-ending torn left ACL. Ingles, 34, was found to have no other structural damage in his left knee.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2022

The 34-year-old forward got injured in the second quarter of a 126-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ingles fell to the hardwood after his knee buckled on a drive to the basket. The lefty from Australia was helped to the locker room, and the Jazz was reportedly concerned the injury was severe from the get-go.

“I feel bad for him,” Utah assistant head coach Alex Jensen, who was filling in for head coach Quin Snyder due to Snyder being in health and safety protocols, told ESPN. “Hopefully, it’s better than we all think.”

Before he suffered his season-ending injury, Ingles averaged 7.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Last season, Ingles was the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award given to Jordan Clarkson. The timing of the injury couldn’t be worse with Ingles entering free agency this coming summer.

The Jazz has had their fair share of injury woes, with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert missing 11 games combined. Utah is also dealing with players and coaches being in and out of the lineup due to health and safety protocols.

The Jazz (30-21) are fourth in the Western Conference after dropping five straight games and eight of their last 10 games. On Wednesday, Utah will look to get back on track against the Denver Nuggets (28-21).

The post REPORT: Joe Ingles Out For Season After Suffering Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

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

ARE YOU SERIOUS pic.twitter.com/Of17M37SMh

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 30, 2022

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

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

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

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

The post Onyeka Okongwu On Playing in All-Star Weekend: ‘I Should Get A Rising Stars Nod’ appeared first on SLAM.

Source: Jazz C Rudy Gobert is out tonight vs. Suns due to calf strain suffered late in last night’s loss to Warriors. The strain is considered mild and isn’t expected to sideline the All-NBA big man for an extended period. Jazz are also without Donovan Mitchell (concussion).

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 24, 2022

MacMahon reports that the strain is currently being considered mild and isn’t expected to sideline the three-time Defensive Player of the Year for an extended period of time.

Before Sunday’s game, Gobert had been dealing with soreness in his left ankle but was listed as available and decided to give it a go before exiting last night’s contest with a little over two minutes left in the game.

“We’re gonna be cautious. I felt something right away–not a tear, but–like a slow tear. I tried to play through it, but I knew I wasn’t moving right,” Gobert said of the injury after Utah’s loss.

The All-NBA center is posting 16.0 points, 15.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game for the Jazz this season.

The post REPORT: Rudy Gobert Out Against Suns with Calf Strain appeared first on SLAM.

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

This is the play where Donovan Mitchell was hurt last night, leading to him being in the concussion protocol and out for the Jazz’s game against the Rockets tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Eb2Fd3niyi

— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) January 19, 2022

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

The Jazz are entering Donovan Mitchell into concussion protocol, team says. Contact occurred in second quarter of loss to Lakers on Monday night.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 19, 2022

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

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

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

The post Donovan Mitchell Put in Concussion Protocol and Held Out Against Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

Update: On Tuesday, League commissioner Adam Silver announced in an interview with Malika Andrews that the NBA would not be pausing the season for the second season since the 2019-2020 season. Silver also said that the Omricon is ‘beyond dominate’ while constituting 90 percent of positive tests.

REPORT: Per League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA, and the players union have reached an agreement to lessen the quarantine period for COVID-positive players. Players that tested positive for COVID-19 can clear protocols after five days if their “CT values” are above 30.

If a team has three positive results, two replacement signings are required. For four or more positive tests, three replacement players will be required. Two-way players will reportedly also have no limit to the number of games they can appear in as well. If a team has 13 players available for a game they do not have to sign any players to a hardship exemption.

A game will only be postponed if a team doesn’t have at least eight players available to play. A tactic the NBA frequently utilized last year when officials postponed 31 games. The League has decided to postpone nine games in total.

Below is the list of players and coaches currently in the League’s health and safety protocols.

Atlanta Hawks (three players, head coach)

• Chris Clemons
• Gorgui Dieng
• Cameron Oliver
• Nate McMillan

Boston Celtics (one player) 

• Payton Pritchard

Charlotte Hornets (one player)

• Vernon Carey Jr.

Chicago Bulls (one player)

• Alex Caruso

Dallas Mavericks (two players, head coach)

• Jason Kidd
• Boban Marjanovic
• Kristaps Porzingis

Denver Nuggets (one player)

• Petr Cornelie

Detroit Pistons (one player)

• Frank Jackson

Houston Rockets (one players)

• Usman Garuba

Indiana Pacers (six players)

• Justin Anderson
• Goga Bitadze
• Torrey Craig
• Isaiah Jackson
• Caris LeVert
• TJ Warren

LA Clippers (three players)

• Luke Kennard
• Xavier Moon
• Ivica Zubac

Memphis Grizzlies (three players, head coach)

• Taylor Jenkins
• John Konchar
• De’Anthony Melton
• Xavier Tillman

Miami Heat (three players)

• Marcus Garrett
• Udonis Haslem
• Gabe Vincent

Milwaukee Bucks (four players, head coach)

• Grayson Allen
• Mike Budenholzer
• Pat Connaughton
• George Hill
• Jrue Holiday

New Orleans Pelicans (one player)

• Tomas Satorasnky

Oklahoma City Thunder (one player, head coach)

• Isaiah Roby
• Mark Daigneault

Orlando Magic (one player)

• Robin Lopez

Philadelphia 76ers (three players)

• Tyrese Maxey
• Paul Reed
• Jaden Springer

Phoenix Suns (two players)

• Abdel Nader
• Landry Shamet

Portland Trail Blazers

• Norman Powell

Sacramento Kings (one player)

• Richaun Holmes
• Chimezie Metu

San Antonio Spurs (five players)

• Keldon Johnson
• Doug McDermott
• Devin Vassell
• Derrick White
• Thaddeus Young

Toronto Raptors (one player)

• Yuta Watanabe

Utah Jazz (two players)

• Rudy Gobert
• Joe Ingless

Washington Wizards (four players)

• Anthony Gill
• Tremont Waters
• Brad Wanamaker

The post NBA Health and Safety Protocol Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

The Utah Jazz are hiring Danny Ainge as alternate governor and CEO, sources tell ESPN. Ainge will oversee basketball and Justin Zanik will remain GM.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2021

Smith hired Ainge after he stepped down as the Celtics’ president of basketball operations after last season. Ainge was the Celtics’ top basketball executive and helped build the first Big 3 of the modern NBA when he acquired Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to team up with Paul Pierce. Those additions helped the Celtics win a title in 2008 and led to him winning Executive of the Year the same year.

As CEO, he will be in charge of basketball operations for the Jazz and will be working closely with Utah general manager Justin Zanik.

“We have big aspirations for Smith Entertainment Group and the Utah Jazz. Danny is one of the best basketball minds in the world, and he’s also passionate about this state and our community,” Smith said in a statement. “We believe in adding the best talent to all facets of our organization and are lucky to have Danny’s acumen and experience.”

Ainge was reportedly a candidate for an executive position with Trail Blazers recently. Ainge replaces Dennis Lindsey, who helped build the Jazz into a championship contender after drafting Rudy Gobert, and Donovan Mitchell, who have morphed into All-Stars. Last summer, Lindsey moved into a consultant role after serving as executive vice president of basketball operations for nine seasons.

“Rarely do you get an opportunity to come into a franchise that is this close to being a special team. It’s a very unique opportunity.” Ainge told Tim McMahon of ESPN.

The post Danny Ainge Returns to the NBA as Jazz CEO and Governor appeared first on SLAM.

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy is on, and Mitchell quietly sings along to “Love All” in between takes. The lyrics seem to echo a truth that’s reflective of his own journey. 

Lotta fallin’ outs help me build foundation…

Now in his fifth year in the NBA, Mitchell is on a mission to do something that’s never been done before in the Beehive State—win the franchise’s first NBA title.

“It’s not like this is a regular occurrence here [in Utah],” Mitchell says of winning a ’chip. “This isn’t like the Lakers where they have [17] of them. This is us. The team, the organization has never won one. So, how meaningful would that be? If you look at three or four years ago, Kawhi went to Toronto [and] that was a truly special moment for the country, for the team, for the organization. That excitement, we want to be the last team standing for many different reasons but that’s a big one as well—to be able to bring the first one here in history.” 

SLAM 235 featuring Donovan Mitchell is available now!

That’s always been the mission for Don since the minute he arrived in Salt Lake City as the No. 13 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft after two years at Louisville. While Mitchell has been a lead catalyst for the franchise’s success over the years, he’s also learned that it’s all about the work that it takes to get there. 

“I came into the League as a surprise,” he says. “I tell people all the time, it’s one thing to get drafted, but [it’s another] to be able to do this on a year-to-year basis, day-to-day. I think [that] is definitely what sets guys over the top. That’s my goal every year—to come out being the same player who gets better each year and you know what to expect coming from me, and I think that’s definitely what I’ve learned from my rookie year—the work. You gotta stick to it, the work doesn’t stop because you had one good season or one good game.”

Although his rookie campaign started on a slower note, that “surprise” came eight games in—he had back-to-back 20-plus point performances against Portland and Toronto, and by December, he dropped 41 points against the Pelicans, becoming the first rookie to score 40-plus points in a game since Blake Griffin did it in 2011, while also setting the franchise rookie scoring record. Two months later, Spida—a nickname he earned as a kid by a teammate’s father because of his long arms—paid homage to Vince Carter’s iconic 360 windmill dunk and snagged the 2018 Dunk Contest title. By the end of the season, Mitchell had led all rookies in scoring with 20.5 points per game, was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and was a runner-up for Rookie of the Year. 

And yet, even with all of his early success, Mitchell told SLAM in 2018 that he could “care less” about whether or not he won the award. What he did care about was making a “playoff push.” The Jazz advanced to the playoffs that year, and rookie Don seemed ready for the moment, popping off with a 27-point performance in Game 1 against the Thunder, and another 28 points in Game 2—his combined 55 points were the most ever by a shooting guard in the first two postseason games of their career, a record that once belonged to Michael Jordan (53). The Jazz advanced all the way to the Western Conference semifinals, where they lost to Houston in five games. 

 Still, that was just the foundation, the first layer to the building blocks that Mitchell was establishing as a future All-Star and face of the franchise. Looking back on his first year, Mitchell does have a message for his younger self, though: 

“Slow down. I think just understanding the game and letting the game come to you,” he says when asked what he learned as a rookie. “You’re not always going to go get it every game, being able to kind of pace yourself for an 82-game season. I really don’t want to say much to my younger self because without those bumps in the road, without those mistakes, victories and success, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. Maybe if I learned some things earlier, I’d be better now, but I think for me, just being able to go through those mistakes, [going] through those things allows me to be the player I am today.”

This exclusive SLAM 235 cover featuring Spida is available only on SLAM Goods.

By his third year in the L, Mitchell’s game had only gotten better. He went from averaging 20.5 points as a rookie to having career-highs in nearly every category, including points (24.0), assists (4.3) and boards (4.4). His dunks had somehow gotten even more explosive, his layup package was more impressive and the behind-the-back dimes to teammate Rudy Gobert had become all too easy. 

Mitchell was named an All-Star for the first time in his career that season, and the Jazz ultimately embarked on a playoff run against Denver in the Orlando bubble. His numbers were astronomical. He broke Karl Malone’s previous franchise playoff scoring record by dropping 57 points in Game 1, which was also the third most points in playoff history. He followed that up with 51 points in Game 4. 

When he screamed, “I WANT THIS SH**!” that game, it was clear, especially then, that he truly did. After losing to the Nuggets in Game 7, an emotional Mitchell knew that yet another shortcoming was just the start to something great. 

“This is me scratching the surface,” he said after the game, per ESPN. “This ain’t the end. This is just the beginning.” 

Grab the top spot, like pardon my reach… 

The 2020-21 season marked new beginnings. Mitchell returned with a vengeance, averaging a career-high 26.4 points and 5.2 assists. He’d also added a deeper three-point shooting range to his bag, which—considering the fact that he was already equipped with absurd athleticism and elite playmaking abilities—made him that much more lethal. 

While an ankle sprain in April would force him to miss 16 games, the setback only led to a major comeback when he returned at the end of May, just in time for the playoffs. The Jazz, who had finished with a League-best record (52-20) for the first time in franchise history, as well as the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference, took out Memphis in the first round in five games. Playoff Don was on a different type of time and made a statement early in the second round, dropping 45 points in Game 1 against the Clippers, followed by back-to-back-to-back 30-plus point performances in the next three games. The momentum was there, but for another consecutive year, it wasn’t enough.

“I didn’t watch basketball until Game 6 of the Finals,” Mitchell admits when asked how he felt emotionally after the elimination. “It just didn’t sit right with me. I felt like we had the opportunity to make it to the Finals, and for me, that was the first time I’d ever done that. It allowed me to sit back and approach the game differently, my training—obviously I was hurt, so I had to rehab, too, but I had to approach my whole summer differently.”

During the offseason, Mitchell let out his frustrations in the weight room and in on-court drills with trainer Chris Brickley. Those sessions became his escape, and the loss only added to his motivation.

“It adds fuel to the fire, it adds an element of, OK, we got to the second round, now how do we get to the conference finals? How do we get past that? We lost Game 7 two years ago in the first round, like, finding ways to level up and get better each year. If you let it absorb you, it can deter you from what your goal is, so for me, it’s being able to let it fuel my fire, fuel our fire as a team and go out there and improve in each category that I need to for myself, and the team as well.”

This season is another opportunity to run it back and build on what the Jazz have accomplished over the past few years. It’s still early, but they’ve been off to a solid start so far. As of this writing, they’re 8-3 with a No. 2 standing in the West. What’ll set them apart, Mitchell says, is how they perform when it counts.  

“We’re a pretty good team, [but] we’ve got to perform when it’s time. That’s no secret, that’s the biggest thing. We’re a good regular season team and we’ve had success in the playoffs, but we haven’t had the ultimate success. We haven’t gotten past the second round. That’s pretty much what we’re looking at ourselves [for]. Obviously, the external stuff is what it is, but internally, whatever you hear—multiply that times 10 and that’s what I’m thinking. You know what I mean? 

“Of course, we want to be able to make it past the second round, conference finals and Finals. So for me, that’s where it’s at for us. We’ve got to be able to do things the way that’ll work and we can’t skip steps throughout the year. We got to continue to go through what we’ve been going through, take care of what we need to take care of and we got to be ready.”

Woke up one day and it was all on me

If it comes down, it’s gon’ fall on me…

As for his own goals, Mitchell’s mindset has stayed the same since day 1. While he’s projected to have even better numbers than he did last year (according to Basketball Reference), it’s still not about individual accolades for him. 

“Unfortunately, I didn’t win Rookie of the Year [in 2018] and I didn’t make All-NBA last year, although I feel I should have, [but] it is what it is. For me, it’s all about winning. Winning takes care of everything in this League—if you’re able to win, you’re able to be top in the West, top in the NBA, everything else takes care of itself…For myself, it’s understanding that it’s not about you or the individual stuff, because you could be an individual award winner and not win a championship. The goal is to win a championship.” 

With Dwyane Wade in his corner as the new co-owner of the Jazz, Mitchell has been able to learn from someone who has reached the heights he’s trying to get to. 

“He’s just passing the game down, passing the knowledge down, and I appreciate that,” Mitchell says of Wade. “It doesn’t have to always be that way, that’s not always the case with guys. I ask a thousand questions and he’s always ready to answer it. There’s certain times where it’s like, Nah, bro, you know the answer. You need that, there’s definitely times for that, no matter how old you get or how experienced you get. There’s always times where it’s like, Figure it out. I think that’s why I’m thankful for him because he’s always able to keep it real.”

While on a press tour for his new memoir, DWYANE, Wade recalls the first time he met Mitchell, when he was playing against him. “I think I was in Cleveland at the time, and he was guarding me. I got a chance to size him up and I was like, He’s little,” he says, later adding, “but he was so explosive.”

When asked what advice he’d give to Mitchell about reaching the next level, Wade says, “Losing, it hurts, but it helps at the same time. He’s been knocked out of the playoffs, he’s had injuries. He has things to get that chip on his shoulder, he has experience…But, make sure that your effort every day is championship quality effort. Make sure you carry yourself as a champion, so that when you become one, when you get that opportunity, it’s not foreign to you. You know how to act, you know how to do it, you know how to respond to it.” 

Just as Mitchell embraces Salt Lake, they’ve shown him love right back. His impact is everywhere, from the sea of No. 45 jerseys in the crowd at Vivint Smart Home Arena to the way that crowd goes insane when he pulls up from three and nails one in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve had greats play for this organization. You got Karl Malone, John Stockton, so many legends that have played for this team. For us, that motivation, being the first one to do it, I think is definitely in our heads when we’re out there and competing. But, more importantly, we want to do it for each other, our coaches, our staff. That’s something that’s great, that we have that as a group. We’re connected. We’re locked in as a group and we want to be able to give our fans a show and bring one to Utah.” 

These SLAM 235 metal editions are available now. Shop here.

Portraits Atiba Jefferson.

The post Man on a Mission: Donovan Mitchell is Focused on Bringing Utah Its First-Ever NBA Title appeared first on SLAM.

Gobert and Myles Turner got into it pic.twitter.com/M9Rkb6IwYz

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 12, 2021

It all started when Pacers center Myles Turner shoved Rudy Gobert in the back after a missed layup while screaming an expletive. Gobert responded by trying to drag him to the floor. Then the two started wrestling before being separated.

After the game, Turner blamed the scuffle on Gobert, knocking him down on a previous play via NBA.com.

“I had to stand up for myself in that situation,” Turner said. “I don’t think I did anything wrong. But that’s not for me to decide. We’ll talk to the League and see what happens from there.”

Rudy Gobert has his reflection on the incident via The Salt Lake Tribune.

“Guys need to stop acting like they’re going to do more and [just] play basketball,” Gobert said.

“And if they do want to do more, let’s do it outside the court and without security, and then we’ll figure it out. But on the court, ain’t nobody going to do s—. Let’s stop acting like we’re about that life. Most guys are not.

Donovan Mitchell, who yelled at the Pacers bench before getting ejected finished with 26 points, five rebounds, and four dimes, blamed the referees for allowing too much physical play early to build up frustrations on both sides.

“That whole thing could have been avoided — just draw the line early, as opposed to letting it build-up for the whole game,” Mitchell said.

The League has made no announcements of fines or suspensions yet.

The post Rudy Gobert and Myles Turner Reflect On Scuffle That Lead to 4 Ejections appeared first on SLAM.

The reigning NBA MVP went down after knocking knees with Jazz center Rudy Gobert with 1:54 remaining in the second quarter. Jokic warmed up to play in the second half, but Nuggets head coach shut him down for the night.

Malone then discussed what happened in warm ups and what transpired after the game:

“I went up to Nikola as he was warming up at half time and asked him ‘How does it feel?’ He said, ‘It feels a little weak,’ so I just shut him down,” said Malone when he met with the media postgame.

“He’s far too important for this team for us to risk him being out there if he’s not feeling confident about it,” Malone added.

Nuggets teammate Monte Morris reportedly said, per the Denver Post’s Mike Singer, that Jokic “said he think he’s fine.”

Per Monte Morris on Nikola Jokic: “He said he thinks he’s fine.”

— Mike Singer (@msinger) October 27, 2021

Jokic has a few days to rest the knee before the Nuggets play the Dallas Mavericks at home on Friday night.

The post Nuggets HC Michael Malone on Nikola Jokic’s Knee Injury: ‘I Don’t Think It’s Anything Too Too Serious’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Sixers have dominated the news cycle entertaining offers for Simmons, but with no deal. But with Tyrese Maxey added to the Simmons rumor mill, a split seems inevitable with each passing day. 

Danny Green had an appearance on Sports Illustrated’s “The Crossover” podcast and shared his take on what the Sixers would have to do to adjust in Simmons’ absence. Defensively he talked about how it would affect his role personally to Howard Beck.

On the Crossover: A very candid @DGreen_14 discusses his free agency, the NBA’s shrinking middle-class market, Philly’s title hopes and yes, Ben Simmons’ future.

Listen/subscribe: https://t.co/lhCvpA2us5 pic.twitter.com/YS1JW3oeJB

— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) August 31, 2021

“Defensively, I probably become the primary defender,” Green said. “Not that it’s an issue or a problem for me, but we have one less wing defender without [Ben]. Now it’s me and Matisse [Thybulle], not saying the other guys don’t play defense, but you talk about our main defenders, Ben was a big part of that and a part of our defense. 

Despite the offensive struggles in his game, Simmons checks a lot of boxes while on the floor, especially on the defensive end. Ben finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season behind Rudy Gobert. It is widely known around the NBA that Simmons is possibly the most versatile defender in the League with his ability to switch seamlessly and guard all five positions. The Sixers defense is vastly different without Simmons applying pressure and serving as the defensive leader, and that fact isn’t lost on Green. 

“No disrespect to Rudy Gobert, he had a great year, as always, and for the last three years, but we thought Ben was able to guard one through five and set the tone for us. But if he’s gone that changes a lot, not just offensive but defensively, as well for me. It depends on what we get back in return.”

So while the saga with Simmons plays itself out, the Sixers’ defensive end is where the team and Green knows he will be missed.  

The post Danny Green Discuss the Possibility of Sixers Playing Without Simmons appeared first on SLAM.

“I had to make this play for my team. And I did it.

Those were among Nicolas Batum’s first words after his incredible, game-saving block on Slovenia’s Klemen Prepelic in the final seconds of France’s semi-final matchup against Slovenia in the Olympics.

However, while Batum’s outstretched hand was the deciding factor in France’s 90-89 win, what garnered more press, was the end of Luka Doncic’s incredible streak of international wins and the injury he sustained in the process.

Before Slovenia’s matchup with France, the Doncic-led squad was 17-0 with him on the court and though the team lost, Doncic still dominated in multiple facets of the game; he dropped 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 18 assists — only the third triple-double in Olympic men’s basketball history.

“I don’t think we played great, but we were there,” Doncic said postgame. “We had the last chance, and we didn’t make it.”

While Slovenia will play Australia in a matchup for a bronze medal (the first medal for either country in basketball in their respective Olympic history), France moves on to face the United States in the gold medal game.

Team USA has been historically dominant in basketball but France has had the upper hand on the U.S recently (France has beaten them in both of their last two meetings, including their opening game at the Tokyo Olympics).

France is now 5-0 in the Olympics and has only been in the title game twice before — in 1948, and then in 2000.

Led by Batum, Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, the Frenchmen have a real shot at snagging gold in Tokyo.

The post France Defeats Doncic-led Slovenia to Reach Third Olympic Finals in Thriller appeared first on SLAM.

Paschall, who finished sixth in NBA Rookie of the Year voting in 2019-20 (above third overall pick R.J. Barrett), has career averages 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 23.5 minutes per game (on 49.7 percent shooting from the field).

For the Jazz, who have signed veteran forward Rudy Gay and re-signed All-Star guard Mike Conley while acquiring the rights to rookie guard Jared Butler in the 2021 NBA Draft, the addition of Paschall furthers the team’s efforts to be a formidable offensive team.

Already boasting one of the league preeminent perimeter talents in Donovan Mitchell and a bevy of excellent outside shooters, players like Paschall not only provides the second unit with useful offensive talent on the surface but another player that can create their own scoring opportunities when defenses tighten in the playoffs.

Paschall is also considered a respectable man-on-man defender, which likely appeals to Jazz head coach Quin Snyder and a front office that have built a daunting defense anchored by three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

The post Warriors Trade Eric Paschall to Jazz for Second-Round Pick appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz have pushed the luxury tax significantly keeping Conley on the roster, as both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have recently signed five-year extensions worth $368 million combined.

Amid the news, Conley took to Twitter excitedly announcing his return:

Conley’s past two seasons with Utah have been dampened by recurring hamstring issues, resulting in him sitting out of the Jazz’s entire Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Although injuries have been no stranger to the well-rounded veteran, he’s still been a key figure in Utah’s backcourt, tallying a stat line of 16.2 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 boards per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field (42.1 percent from three).

The new deal also allows Conley to be reunited with former Grizzlies teammate, Rudy Gay, who has signed a two-year deal with the Jazz.

The post REPORT: All-Star Mike Conley Agrees to 3-Year, $72.5M Contract with Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz traded veteran center Derrick Favors and a future first-round pick to the Thunder for a future second-round pick and cash considerations per reports by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The trade puts Utah $13M below the luxury tax. Will likely still be a tax team if Mike Conley Jr. is brought back but at a lesser financial penalty. https://t.co/9dB6xPLUK8

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 30, 2021

The move helps Utah financially getting them around $13 million below the luxury tax in efforts to re-sign their All-Star point guard Mike Conley. For Oklahoma City, it’s business as usual as they keep collecting first-round picks. They picked up two more future first-round picks in the 2021 Draft Thursday night by trading their No. 16 pick Alperen Sengun to the Houston Rockets. Prior to draft night and this Favors deal, the Thunder possessed a whopping 36 picks over the next seven years.

Always family

Thank you, @dfavors14 pic.twitter.com/qLrH5CHPtk

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) July 30, 2021

Favors re-signed as a free agent with Utah last offseason to backup Rudy Gobert after one season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He averaged 5.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.

The post REPORT: Jazz Trade Derrick Favors and First-round Draft Pick to OKC appeared first on SLAM.

NBA Champion Jrue Holiday led the U.S. with 18 points, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter. While that effort helped give Team USA a 74-67 lead with 3:41 left in the game, it wasn’t enough as France went on a 16-2 run to close out the game.

France was led by Evan Fournier‘s 28 points, while Rudy Gobert scored 14 and Nando de Colo had 13.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant struggled, shooting 4-of-12 from the field and finishing with only 10 points. Bam Adebayo had 12 points and Damian Lillard had 11. 

This loss does not eliminate the U.S. from a chance at the gold medal, but they can’t afford any more losses. The Americans finish out their Group A competition against Iran on Wednesday and the Czech Republic on Saturday. If they win both games, the U.S. qualifies for the quarterfinals. However, one more loss and the Americans will need to finish in the top eight of this 12-team tournament.

The post Post Up: Team USA Loses to France in Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM breaks down two anticipated playoff thrillers that may lead to conference finals this weekend:

No.1 Philadelphia 76ers 104, No.5 Atlanta Hawks 99

Series tied 3-3. Game 7 is Sunday on TNT.

If the 76ers had handled business the way they should have, this series would be over by now. Doc Rivers’ quotes went from virtually guaranteeing a Game 7 to this:

‘Win the game, be aggressive, play. … I think our guys are ready, but you never know.’

Hawks have come back from 18 and 26 points in Games 4 and 5 respectively

What will happen tonight? pic.twitter.com/b374bakl8p

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 18, 2021

What the Sixers gave their coach and frustrated fanbase was heart, grit and determination. They needed all three to survive Trae Young’s performance.

Young continued his historic run, quite literally shooting the lights out in the arena and finishing with 34 points and 12 assists. He’s had 20+ points and 7+ assists in 11 straight games, which has tied for the longest streak in NBA postseason history.

Trae literally shut the lights out in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/nOI6p5umWA

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 19, 2021

Still, despite his performance, it was not enough as the 76ers forced a Game 7 on Sunday.

How did Philadelphia win? Dominating the offensive rebounds (14) and hitting free throws down the stretch. That and a whole lot of Tyrese Maxey.

No.4 Los Angeles Clippers 131, No.1 Utah Jazz 119

Clippers win series 4-2. Game 1 vs. Phoenix Suns will be on ESPN on Sunday.

The questions leading into this matchup centered around the backcourt of both teams.

Number one: Would Michael Conley Jr. return to the lineup?

Number two: Would Donovan Mitchell be able to play?

While Conley Jr. has been dealing with a hamstring injury, Michell came out playing very well. He scored 16 points in the first quarter alone. Instead of standing out at the 3 point line, the “Spida” Man attacked the basket and gashed the interior defense.

Spida smooth with it (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/jk6BS4Fp2l

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

After struggling in Game 5, Mitchell finished with 39 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. This report sadly does not illustrate how hard he played.

Number three: Would Paul George continue his dominant play after three straight 30 point games?

Not until the second half. The Utah Jazz put together a game plan making sure that there was no sight of “Playoff P”. Then he got unleashed and finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

But they sure didn’t stop Terance “Mama, there goes that” Mann. This video summed up the Mann/Gobert matchup.

TERANCE IS A VERY BAD MANN. (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/6x8S3xQnUv

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

The Jazz decided to allow Gobert to match up with Mann to disastrous results. Terance helped the Clippers get back the game sparking a 17-0 run to help them take the lead in the fourth quarter. He finished with 39 points.

Before Mann’s explosion, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson was shooting lights out in the first half. He scored 17 straight points in the second quarter to get Utah a 20 point lead at halftime.

Automatic. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/Z3KY67LBup

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

So, how did the Clippers come back from 25 points down in the second half to win? They got into a zone from the 3 point line in the left corner exposing the newly crowned defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert, and Reggie Jackson joined Terance Mann in destroying any Jazz player in front of him. He finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals.

The Clippers outscored Utah 81-47 in the second half.

The post Post Up: Two Number One Seeds Battle to Continue Seasons On the Road appeared first on SLAM.

In what’s become one of the most arduous processes, with so much talent at every position and only 15 spots to fill, debates have raged about players thought to have been snubbed. Nonetheless, most would be hard pressed not to agree with the honorees.

All-NBA First Team

The 2020-21 All-NBA First Team:

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Stephen Curry
Luka Dončić
Nikola Jokić
Kawhi Leonard pic.twitter.com/WYSz2le2Be

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2021

The recently crowned Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (99 votes); Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (100 votes); and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (98 votes) dominated the 2020-21 All-NBA First Team voting.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard rounded out the top five players on the All-NBA First Team.

All-NBA Second Team

The 2020-21 All-NBA Second Team:

Joel Embiid
LeBron James
Damian Lillard
Chris Paul
Julius Randle pic.twitter.com/t5iZu1MahA

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2021

With his second team selection, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James added to his record for most All-NBA Team selections with 17, including: 13 First Team selections (also a record), three Second Team selections and one Third Team selection. Friend and Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul collected his 10th All-NBA Team selection, which ranks second among active players behind LeBron.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle—the 2020-21 Most Improved Player—rounded out the Second Team.

All-NBA Third Team

The 2020-21 All-NBA Third Team:

Bradley Beal
Jimmy Butler
Paul George
Rudy Gobert
Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/s4aEK3ivcs

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2021

With his selection, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal made his first All-NBA team after battling Curry for the NBA’s 2020-21 scoring title. Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George made his All-NBA sixth team while three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler each notched their fourth selections.

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving made his third All-NBA team.

The All-NBA teams were voted in by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center for each team.

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Headlining the All-Defensive 1st team were the two players in the running for Defensive Player of the Year—Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons. Simmons and Gobert were the only two players in the league to be unanimously voted to the 1st team. 

The 2020-21 NBA All-Defensive First Team:

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rudy Gobert
Draymond Green
Jrue Holiday
Ben Simmons pic.twitter.com/ZlflnyWlLR

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 14, 2021

This was Gobert’s fifth straight year on the All-NBA Defensive first team, and Simmon’s second.

Rounding out the top-five were Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (his fourth time on the first team), Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (his second) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (his third consecutive first team nomination).

The All-NBA Defensive teams are selected from a group of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the League — a first-team vote notches a player two “points,” while a second-team vote notches them one. Each voter chooses two guards, two forwards, and one center.

The Lakers had the league’s best defensive rating this season.

They have 0 All-Defense players. pic.twitter.com/NZQUa31ewg

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 14, 2021

The second team boasts Kawhi Leonard (his seventh overall selection), teammates Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle, and Heat duo Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. As is the case every year, there were some surprising omissions from the ten players selected. Perhaps most notably, there were no Lakers on either team, even as the Lakers finished with the best defensive team in the league (106.8). Specific players to just miss selection were Mikal Bridges (Bridges finished with 39 total points, 4 less than Leonard), Clint Capela, and Myles Turner.

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Gobert, the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, was announced Wednesday as the 2020-21 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. This marks the third time that Gobert has won the award in the past four years.

Rudy Gobert is the 2020-21 DPOY

He’s only the 4th player in NBA history to win the award three times. pic.twitter.com/4HUFDKaFun

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 10, 2021

Gobert received 84 of the 100 first place votes and finished with 464 total points. A distant second was Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons, who finished with 15 first place votes and 287 total points. 

Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo also received votes.

For Gobert, this is a historic accomplishment. Gobert is only the fourth player in NBA history to win the award three times, joining Dwight Howard (3), Ben Wallace (4), and Dikembe Mutomubo (4), the latter two of whom are Hall of Famers. 

Gobert is one of the best shot-blocking big men and one of the most athletic as well, blessed with elite explosiveness and lateral agility.

The Frenchman led the league in defensive rebounds per game (10.1) and total defensive rebounds (720). He also led the league in total blocked shots (190) and ranked second in the league in defensive win shares, which accounts for a player’s defensive impact on his team’s chances of victory.

These numbers helped the Jazz finish third overall in defensive rating in the league (107.5) and first in record (52-20).

Players with 3+ DPOY trophies:

Dikembe Mutombo
Ben Wallace
Dwight Howard
Rudy Gobert pic.twitter.com/oB9MWaR9v6

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 10, 2021

“It’s unbelievable,” Gobert said of winning the award three times. “When I started basketball as I kid, if somebody would have told me that I was going to be Defensive Player of the Year, I would have never believed them, let alone three times.”

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Donovan Mitchell, known among the NBA fans and fraternity as “Spida”, went off in Tuesday night’s Western Conference semifinals matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers.

In what would be a 112-109 win for Mitchell’s Utah Jazz in Game 1, Spida’s 16-point third quarter lifted the Jazz over the Clippers, as he finished the game with a game-high 45 points, five assists and three rebounds.

I guess you can say NOBODY had an answer for what Donovan was bringing to the table.

While Spida’s performance drove Utah on Tuesday, the superhero in disguise was none other than defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert, whose game-winning block on a Marcus Morris 3-point attempt sealed a victory for the Jazz.

The good news didn’t stop at Utah’s nail-biter win, as the victory secured the Jazz’s 60th win (including preseason games) of the season, announcing the 60 scholarships they will be funding for students in underrepresented groups.

The Jazz will host the Clippers on Thursday night at 10 PM ET.

The post Donovan Mitchell Goes Off in Game 1 as Jazz Dispatch Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies’ electric second-year point guard, has dazzled fans with his superb playmaking, delicate floaters, and furious, seemingly earth-shattering dunks thus far in the playoffs.

Ja Morant first career playoffs:

30.2 PPG
8.2 APG
48.7 FG%

That’s the highest ever PPG by a Grizzly in a single playoffs. pic.twitter.com/ctVPOOPO3Q

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 3, 2021

Morant impressed in the play-in tournament, leading the Grizzlies to wins against the Spurs and the Warriors. However, in the Grizzlies’ first-round series against the top-seeded Jazz, Morant took his game to a whole new level.

Despite the Grizzlies losing in five games, Ja Morant averaged a staggering 30.2 points (on 48.7 percent shooting) and 8.2 assists per game—the 30.2 points being the highest ever averaged by a Memphis player since the franchise was created.

In total, Morant scored 151 points and accounted for 51 assists— the first player in NBA history to accumulate 150+ points and 40+ assists throughout their first five playoff appearances, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Even though the Grizzlies weren’t able to overcome the combination of Donovan Mitchell’s explosive offense and Rudy Gobert’s stifling defense, Morant remained confident after the deciding Game 5 loss and noted that the Grizzlies are far from finished.

Per Grizzlies broadcast host KJ Wright, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins noted that after the game, Morant’s first words to the team in the locker room were that of unity and conviction.

“We will be back,” he said.

The post Grizzlies Star Guard Ja Morant Dazzles in Playoff Debut appeared first on SLAM.

In what have been two of the most discussed first-round matchups, Dallas Mavericks floor general Luka Doncic stole the spotlight in the final game of the evening thanks to his 42-point, 14-assist outing.

But was it enough to get past a Los Angeles Clippers team that had won two straight to even the series?

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers 129, No. 8 Washington Wizards 112

PHI wins series 4-1

The first of three teams to be bounced from the playoffs tonight, the Washington Wizards couldn’t hang with the Philadelphia 76ers even without Joel Embiid playing.

Sharpshooter Seth Curry exploded for a team-high 30 points and Defensive Player of the Year finalist Ben Simmons silenced his critics with 19 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, one steal and two blocks. Meanwhile, veteran forward Tobias Harris rounded off a nice first-round series with 28 points and six assists of his own.

Washington showed some promise at points over the five-game series but, ultimately, Philly had too much talent for the D.C.-based squad.

The Wizards got another good game from youngster Rui Hachimura, who had 21 points on 8-for-13 from the field. All-Star Bradley Beal capped off another spectacular season with a game-high 32 points, while Russell Westbrook chipped in 24 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

Nonetheless, Washington’s lack of depth proved to be costly down the stretch. The Wizards trailed by just two at halftime, but as the game got deeper, Washington’s starters began to lose steam, and Philadelphia pulled away.

No. 4 New York Knicks 89, No. 5 Atlanta Hawks 103

ATL wins series 4-1

The New York Knicks disappointed a packed Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night when they were the second team pf the day to be eliminated from the playoffs.

In what was a tough series for the big man, Knicks star forward Julius Randle had another disappointing outing for New York, putting up 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting, while also turning the ball over eight times.

Randle finished the playoffs averaging 18 points, 4.0 assists and 4.6 turnovers per game while shooting 29.8 percent from the field—a stark contrast from the 45.6 percent he shot from the floor in the regular season.

Reggie Bullock, who averaged 8.0 points on 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range, started the game off well. Bullock went for 12 points in the first quarter after nailing four shots from beyond the arc; but he was held scoreless for the rest of the game.

The star of the show, 22-year-old point guard Trae Young, put together another masterpiece with a game-high 36 points. Wednesday was the third time in the series where Young scored at least 30 points in the series, as the Knicks defense continued to be confounded by his craftiness.

Atlanta also received double-digit contributions from De’Andre Hunter (15), Clint Capela (14) and John Collins (13) in the points column, while holding the Knicks to 37.8 percent shooting from the field.

The Hawks will be moving to the second round of the NBA Playoffs, where they’ll take on the 76ers.

No. 1 Utah Jazz 126, No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies 110

UTA wins series 4-1

The third and final team to get booted from the playoffs was the Memphis Grizzlies.

Still, just as young guns Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks shined for the Grizzlies throughout the series, the duo was excellent yet again on Wednesday, with both scoring 27 points.

Brooks’ scoring output through the series was impressive, putting up 25.8 points per game on 51.5 percent shooting, and Morant paired that with his 30.5 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting. While Memphis’ season may be over, their young core is only just getting started.

Despite feeling ill coming into the game, Utah Jazz centerpiece Donovan Mitchell handled the Grizzlies with ease, dropping 30 points and dishing out 10 assists.

Defensive weapon Rudy Gobert may have had even more impact than Mitchell though, as the Steiffel Tower notched a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double while blocking three shots.

Despite moving on to the second round, the Jazz didn’t leave the court entirely happy, as starting guard Mike Conley left the game early due to injury. The All-Star’s status moving forward is unclear, but Utah will need him when they take on one of the Dallas Mavericks or Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals.

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 100, No. 5 Dallas Mavericks 105

DAL leads series 3-1

Playmaking extraordinaire Luka Doncic rewrote history books at the end of Wednesday night’s slate of games.

Doncic put up a blistering 42 points and 14 assists, scoring or assisting on 31 of the Mavericks 37 made field goals. The only other player to finish with double-digit scoring for Dallas was Tim Hardaway Jr., who had 20 points.

Fifth-year pro Dorian Finney-Smith was hugely impactful for Dallas on the defensive end, helping keep Kawhi Leonard (who shot 7-19 from the field) contained, while snatching the opponent five times and recording a block.

The Los Angeles Clippers, who had even the series at 2-2 following Game 4, kept the game within reach all night. They even cut the Mavs’ lead to one point with under one minute left.

But, in the end, they couldn’t stop Doncic enough to come out on top. Clippers forward Paul George finished with a team-high 23 points, while Leonard and Reggie Jackson (6-12 from 3-point range) each had 20 points.

LA just couldn’t get the buckets to fall on Wednesday night, shooting just 41.3 percent from the field as a team.

Game 6, which will be in Dallas, takes place on Friday, June 4.

The post Post Up: Three Teams Sent Packing appeared first on SLAM.

The Washington Wizards, just one loss away from elimination, were set to fight the 76ers to stay in the playoffs. Following that matchup, the Memphis Grizzlies looked to even the series with the Utah Jazz.

(#1) Philadelphia 76ers 114, (#8) Washington Wizards 122

76ers lead 3-1

The Washington Wizards needed a win Monday night to avoid being the second team sent home from the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Thanks to breakout games from frontcourt studs Daniel Gafford and Rui Hachimura, the Wizards were able to best the 76ers.

Gafford, who made his first start for the Wizards, managed to put up 12 points and block five shots while Hachimura had a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double. Bradley Beal led the Wizards in scoring, dropping 27 points on 9-23 shooting from the field.

On the other side, Philadelphia losing their first postseason game wasn’t optimal, of course. However, the real cause for concern lies with All-NBA center Joel Embiid.

In the first quarter, the four-time All-Star fell awkwardly on his knee, causing him to miss the rest of the game. While the 76ers may not need Embiid to close out the Wizards, Philadelphia may only go as far as Embiid can take them on the rest of their postseason journey.

The positives on the court for the 76ers took the form of Tobias Harris, who had a 21-point outing, and rookie Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 15 points off the bench.

(#1) Utah Jazz 120, (#8) Memphis Grizzlies 113

Jazz lead 3-1

The Memphis Grizzlies couldn’t replicate the underdog success of their fellow eight-seed Wizards on Monday, but they did keep the Utah Jazz within reach all night.

Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell looked healthy and dangerous, racking up a game-high 30 points and dishing out eight assists. Freshly minted Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson chipped in 24 points, and Defensive Player of the Year finalist Rudy Gobert had 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

The Grizzlies managed to have three players finish with at least 20 points in Ja Morant (23), Jaren Jackson Jr. (21) and Dillon Brooks (21). Memphis had a late surge in the fourth quarter, cutting the Jazz lead to just two with five minutes left to play, thanks largely to a 15-point fourth quarter from De’Anthony Melton.

The post Post Up: Eight Seed Excitement appeared first on SLAM.

SHOWTIME JA. (via @memgrizz) pic.twitter.com/geI6einfoE

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2021

At one point in the 2nd quarter, Morant attempted to defy gravity single-handedly but was no match for Rudy Gobert’s timely block. Do you think that stopped the former ROY? Nah. It was clear that Ja was on his Grizzly.

“I’m not afraid,” Morant says, per ESPN. “I mean, that’s his job: to protect the rim. My job when I’m attacking the rim is to go finish. Obviously, he got a good block, but as you seen, I was right back inside the paint.”

LOOK AT THIS pic.twitter.com/c4TkVEDShz

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) May 27, 2021

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Morant managed to drop double-digit points in every quarter of Game 2, bringing the Grizzlies back from a 20-point deficit in the third to a 2-point Jazz lead. Morant was 15-of-26 from the floor and 15-of 20 from the free-throw line.

His spectacular 47-point performance is the most in NBA playoff history by a player 21-years of age or younger, as well as a franchise record for the playoffs. The only other players to drop 40 in the postseason include previous LeBron James (45), Magic Johnson, Tracy McGrady, and Luka Doncic.

Morant has also placed himself on the list of greats who scored the most points in their first two career playoff games.

Ja is making history pic.twitter.com/y35OJH5BDF

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 27, 2021

“Honestly, it’s not that surprising,” Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell says, per ESPN. “He’s a gamer. He goes out there and competes…Tonight, he was aggressive from the jump. At a young age, for him to be able to have that is definitely special. That’s something that I respect about him and about his game. He doesn’t quit.”

Although Morant finished with 47 pts, 7 dimes, and 4 rebounds, he still wasn’t satisfied with how the night ended. The Grizzlies were outscored by the Jazz in a 141-129 Game 2 loss tying the match-up 1-1.

“We lost,” Morant says, per ESPN. “Obviously it wasn’t enough.”

The Game 3 faceoff will take place on Saturday, with the Grizzlies having a home advantage.

The post Ja Morant Makes Franchise History in 47-Point Game 2 Performance appeared first on SLAM.

The evening started with the Washington Wizards looking to even the series against the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks attempting to do the same against the Atalanta Hawks. The evening game was another one vs. eight seed game, with the Utah Jazz taking on the Memphis Grizzlies.

No 1. Philadelphia 76ers 120, No. 8 Washington Wizards 95

The Wizards looked out of their depth Wednesday night, with the D.C. squad trailing by double-digits almost the entire game. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons each finished with 22 points, and Tobias Harris added another 19 points.

Embiid getting wild after the and-one (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/j6Dgb8cBEa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2021

No Wizards player finished with more than 11 points except Bradley Beal, who had a game-high 33 points.

Smooth. (via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/zdxamYksgL

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2021

While the Wizards being down 2-0 in the series is bad enough, the injury to Russell Westbrook could be cause for more concern. Westbrook left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury, and if he’s unavailable for the next two games, that might be a wrap for the WIzards. An altercation between Westbrook and a fan stole headlines when Westbrook confronted a fan who dumped popcorn on him.

Lakers’ LeBron James weighed in as well:

By the way WE AS THE PLAYERS wanna see who threw that popcorn on Russ while he was leaving the game tonight with a injury!! There’s cameras all over arenas so there’s no excuse! Cause if the was on the other . #ProtectOurPlayers

— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 27, 2021

No 4. New York Knicks 101, No. 5 Atlanta Hawks 92

The most exciting game of the evening belonged to the Eastern Conference’s four vs. five seed matchup. The Knicks struggled in the first half containing Trae Young and entered halftime down trailing 57-44. But the Knicks’ offense came alive in the second half, and the defense held the Hawks to under 20 points in both quarters, which eventually gave them the late third quarter.

It was a big night for Derrick Rose off the bench, scoring a team-high 26 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists. Four other Knicks also went double-digit in the scoring column, including Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, Reggie Bullock and Alec Burks.

I love playoff basketball. (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/P6kJpNtGfh

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2021

Still, Trae Young had another big night for Atlanta, dropping 30 points and seven assists.

That's NASTY, Trae. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/Mo9qBFcXru

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2021

No. 1 Utah Jazz 141, No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies 129

Offense was easy to come by in the final game of Wednesday night, with a reinvigorated Jazz team dropping 141 points to defeat Memphis. Three players put up more than 20 points for Utah, including Donovan Mitchell (25), Mike Conley (20) and Rudy Gobert (21). Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in an additional 18 points, and Mr. Sixth Man of the Year, Jordan Clarkson, added 16.

Sensation Ja Morant kept the Grizzlies in the game nearly single-handily at points, finishing with 47 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. Dillon Brooks and Jonas Valanciunas both had solid scoring nights, finishing with 23 and 18 points, respectively. Bench scoring was an issue for the Grizzlies, as only 14 points came from their bench all night, and seven of them came from De’Anthony Melton alone.

SHOWTIME JA. (via @memgrizz) pic.twitter.com/geI6einfoE

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2021

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If the first two days of playoff action are any indication of what we can expect the rest of the way, basketball fans across the world are in for a treat. We’ve broken down each of the Sunday’s matchups below.

No. 1 Sixers 125, No. 8 Wizards 118

PHI leads series 1-0

After slipping into the playoffs with a successful play-in tournament, the Washington Wizards were set to face a tough task against the top seed in the Eastern Conference in the Philadelphia 76ers. The game was close through the first half before the Sixers took control in the third quarter.

Bradley Beal led the way for the Wizards with 33 points while Tobias Harris dropped a playoff career-high with 37 points. Meanwhile, Ben Simmons produced 15 rebounds and 15 assists and Joel Embiid scored 30 points. The Sixers played great team basketball and overcame shooting just .312 from deep in the win.

No. 2 Suns 99, No. 7 Lakers 90

PHX leads series 1-0

In a highly emotional game, we saw Chris Paul and LeBron James both take hard falls in Game 1 of this series. While both appear to be good to go moving forward, fans from both teams had to temporarily hold their breath.

Devin Booker carried the Suns offensively in his playoff debut, scoring 34 points to go along with eight assists and seven rebounds. DeAndre Ayton, who is set to earn an extension this summer, proved his worth as well as he produced 21 points and 16 rebounds. The Lakers’ superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis had a tough game, combining for just 31 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

No. 4 Knicks 105, No. 5 Hawks 107

ATL leads series 1-0

In perhaps the most even matchup on paper of the day, the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks took things down to the wire. In a game between two teams who haven’t been to the playoffs recently, things looked to be headed to overtime before Trae Young silenced the crowd with a game-winning bucket.

Young finished with 32 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to lead the way for the Hawks. To help him out, Bogdan Bogdanovic caught fire late in the game, scoring 18 points on the night, including four made threes. Surprisingly for the Knicks, Alec Burks led the team in scoring with 27 points alongside Derrick Rose off the bench who produced 17 points. Their best player in Julius Randle struggled offensively, finishing with just 15 points on 6-for-23 from the floor.

No. 1 Jazz 109, No. 8 Grizzlies 112

MEM leads series 1-0

The Memphis Grizzlies came into this series as a major underdog, but took full advantage of the Jazz in Game 1 as they were without Donovan Mitchell. While Utah jumped out to an early first quarter lead, Memphis took absolute control in the second and third quarters. Things got close late in the fourth quarter on a huge Jazz run, but Ja Morant’s clutch buckets down the stretch saved the Grizzlies.

Dillon Brooks was the star of the game, finishing with 31 points on the night, 29 of which came through the first three quarters of play. Ja Morant had a fairly quiet night until the fourth, notching 26 points while Jonas Valanciunas had a 15 point, 13 rebound double-double. In the absence of Mitchell, the Jazz couldn’t get the offense going early enough, as Bojan Bogdanovic led the team in scoring with 29 points, 19 of which came in the fourth quarter. Rudy Gobert fouled out for the first time all season while Mike Conley contributed 22 points and 11 assists.

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Playoff seeding came down to the wire, with a play-in tournament deciding the final two seeds in each respective conference. In a season where things seem wide open, nearly every series should be competitive.

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

1 Utah Jazz (52-20)
8 Memphis Grizzlies (38-34)

The Memphis Grizzlies, although finishing the regular season with the ninth-best record in the West, won two games in the play-in tournament to capture the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. After beating the San Antonio Spurs, the Grizzlies beat Steph Curry and the Warriors in overtime on Friday night to secure this spot.

Now, Memphis will take on the Utah Jazz, who finished the season with the best record in the League. Ja Morant is the clear player to watch for the Grizzlies in this series, as the rising star will make his playoff debut. For the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert will look to show exactly why they both signed massive contracts last offseason. In the regular season, Utah won all three matchups against the Grizzlies and will look to continue that trend in the postseason.

2 Phoenix Suns (51-21)
7 Los Angeles Lakers (42-30)

After a season full of injuries, the Lakers fell in the standings late in the year and were ultimately part of the play-in tournament. In an absolutely exceptional game, the Lakers beat Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors to claim the seventh seed in the Western Conference and a series with the Phoenix Suns. On the back of a LeBron James’ game-winning three, both he and Anthony Davis will look to defend their title.

In three matchups this season, the Suns got the best of the Lakers, winning the season series 2-1. However, the Lakers were without one or both of James and Davis in all three games. Although Phoenix was excellent in the regular season, they’re going to face one of the most talented No. 7 seeds we’ve seen in the last decade or more. With veteran point guard and a future Hall of Famer at the helm, an overall young Suns team will need him to help navigate the playoff waters. One key storyline to watch will be Devin Booker and his first ever playoff appearance.

3 Denver Nuggets (47-25)
6 Portland Trail Blazers (42-30)

Unlike last season, there was a pretty significant drop-off between the top and bottom halves of the Western Conference playoff race. Although just a few seeds apart, the Nuggets finished the shortened regular season five games ahead of the Trail Blazers. Although they lost their starting point guard in Jamal Murray late in the season, Denver finished the season as strong as anyone could have expected.

The Nuggets won the regular season series against Portland 2-1, proving to be the better team. With that in mind, both teams will look a bit different in this series. Denver made a significant move at the deadline acquiring Aaron Gordon, while the Blazers made a splash bringing in Norman Powell. Nonetheless, the question for the Nuggets will be where their ceiling is without Murray. Although they’ve got the projected NBA MVP in Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr. will need to continue his dominance to keep their offense alive.

4 LA Clippers (47-25)
5 Dallas Mavericks (42-30)

In one of the most anticipated matchups of the first round, the Mavericks will take on the Clippers for the second-straight season. The only first round rematch in Western Conference year-over-year, Dallas will hope for a different result this time around. This is yet another series in which the seeding is close, but five games separate the two teams.

After being knocked out in the first round by the Clippers last season, Dallas took the regular season series 2-1 during the 2020-21 season. This included hem coming out swinging in 51-point win early in season after their first matchup since the 2020 playoffs. In their last playoff series, Kristaps Porzingis missed the final three games of the series due to a knee injury and will likely be the X-factor of the entire series this time around. If he can stay healthy and contribute on both ends of the floor, him and Luka Doncic have a real chance at a first-round upset.

The post 2021 NBA Playoff Matchups: Western Conference appeared first on SLAM.

MVP FINALISTS:

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The MVP race will be a tight one, with three very deserving finalists. Stephen Curry ended the season as the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 32 points per game this year while shooting 42.1 percent from three-point range on over 12 attempts per game.

Nikola Jokic, the favorite for the award, played in every game this season and averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. Joel Embiid had an incredible season and is averaging 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.

DPOY FINALISTS:

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Defensive Player of the Year may be less of a mystery, with Rudy Gobert, who is averaging 13.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, is the runaway favorite. Ben Simmons, who is averaging 7.2 boards and 1.6 steals per game, and Draymond Green (7.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals) both had excellent seasons on the defensive end as well.

SIXTH MAN FINALISTS:

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The sixth man of the year will come down to a pair of Utah Jazz players, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles, and Derrick Rose. Clarkson has been a scoring machine all year, averaging 18.4 points per game.

As for his teammate, Ingles has a well-rounded case and is averaging 12.1 points, 4.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. Rose has been no slouch either, with his time with the Knicks proving crucial to their success and averaging 14.7 points per game to boot.

ROY FINALISTS:

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Rookie of the Year is down to three young guards. Anthony Edwards put up gaudy scoring numbers all season, averaging 19.3 points per game, while LaMelo Ball’s 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game for a near playoff team is hard to ignore. Tyrese Haliburton is a distant third in this race, but he had a very respectable rookie season for Sacramento.

MOST IMPROVED FINALISTS:

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The Most Improved Player Award is another one where little debate is needed. Julius Randle has had an unbelievable season for the Knicks, going for more than 24.1 points per game on the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference while being named an All-Star.

The two other finalists are one current Denver Nugget, Michael Porter Jr., and one former Nugget, Jerami Grant. Porter Jr. took a huge step in his second season, averaging 19 points per game while shooting 44.5 percent from three-point range. Grant went from averaging no more than 14 points per game at any point in his career to averaging 22.3 points per game.

COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:

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Quin Snyder and Monty Williams will both have excellent cases, leading their teams to first and second in the Western Conference, respectively. Tom Thibodeau has a great case himself, taking a Knicks team that finished 12th in the Eastern Conference last year and pushing them to fourth in his first season.

The post NBA Announces Finalists for End of Season Awards appeared first on SLAM.

While missing 22 of Indiana’s 69 games is likely the factor in his being left out of current consideration for defensive awards and accolades, Turner will get a consolation prize in winning the NBA’s blocked shot title over Rudy Gobert. 

The NBA announced that Turner will be recognized for the title even though he did not play in the required 70 percent of the games that are typically needed for someone to qualify as a statistical leader. For the record, Turner averaged 3.4 blocks per game in 47 games while Utah Jazz center, Rudy Gobert averaged 2.7 blocks per game in 71 games.

Here’s how it happened:

“By the NBA’s rule, Turner would have needed to appear in 51 games to qualify for the award, so he fell four games short. But if Turner had played in those four additional games to reach the minimum and didn’t even block a single shot, his average would have still been 3.1 per game—still well ahead of Gobert’s.“

There is a rule exception that gave Turner the title. For players that fall short of the game’s threshold, the NBA will figure out the number of additional games they would have needed to play to reach it. Since Turner fell four games short of 51 to automatically qualify, the League placed in four games of zero blocks. Then it divided his total number of blocks (159) by 51 instead of 47. Therefore, Turner averages 3.1 blocks per game, which is still more than Gobert’s 2.7 blocks—making him the regular-season blocks champion.

The rule exception has been around for years, which allows a player to be recognized as a stat champion if, quote, “the player would have led the league in the category had he played the required number of games with his current category total.”

This is the second time in the last three seasons that Turner has won the title.

The post Myles Turner Wins Blocked-Shot Title Over Rudy Gobert Per NBA Rule appeared first on SLAM.

While Ben Simmons has given his case quite a few times this season, the most recent guard to speak out is Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks. 

“I should be the defensive player of the year”

Holiday is an excellent two-way player. While he’s a real threat on offense, the way he sets himself apart is on the defensive end of the floor. Always tasked with defending the opposing team’s best guard, he’s a bulldog and makes life difficult for them. 

This is one of the main reasons the Bucks were so high on him when they traded away a major package to acquire him last offseason. Milwaukee is one of the best teams in the NBA yet again this season, but will especially feel Holiday’s presence in the playoffs as he raises their ceiling. 

The post Jrue Holiday: ‘I Should Be The Defensive Player of the Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

Below you can see pictures of the plane after it struck a flock of birds, causing the engine failure. The Jazz would land safely back in Salt Lake City following the hair-raising spectacle, per TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott.

Many Jazz players tweeted after the incident, including Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson, Royce O’Neale and Mike Conley, with Abbot noting that that Jazz players were “rattled” by the chain of events.

The Jazz will still face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Mar. 31, as Utah looks to improve upon their league-best 35-11 record.

The post Utah Jazz Flight Makes Emergency Landing Following Takeoff appeared first on SLAM.

LeBron, who finished with the highest vote count among fans, got the first pick in the draft and selected Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Team LeBron’s starting lineup for the game will consist of himself, Antetokounmpo, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic; all five of whom are or have been considered MVP candidates this season.

Meanwhile, Team LeBron’s bench will feature Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

Durant, opting for chemistry, selected Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving with his first pick in the draft.

Team Durant’s starting lineup will feature Irving, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

However, Durant won’t be playing in this season’s All-Star Game, as he’s currently recovering from a left hamstring injury. This circumstance will only fuel the perception, even from the Greek Freak, that Team LeBron is the overwhelming favorite to win.

Durant got the first pick of the reserves in the draft, and with that, he took another Nets teammate in James Harden (LeBron’s first reserve selection was Lillard).

The remainder of Durant’s reserves will be composed of Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (who replaced injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic.

The two members of the Jazz, Mitchell and Gobert, were the last two players taken in the draft (with Gobert being the final selection).

This became the source of some playful quips by LeBron.

Team Durant has the more inexperienced roster of the two teams, with Williamson, LaVine and Randle all playing in their first All-Star Games and Mitchell, Vucevic, Booker and Tatum playing in their second. with Durant unable to play, Harden is the player with the most All-Star Games under his belt, with this being his ninth appearance.

Team LeBron has only Brown playing in his first All-Star Game, and Sabonis, Gobert and Doncic are playing in their second. LeBron also has the most experienced non-captain in Paul, who is playing in his 11th All-Star Game.

In total, Team LeBron has a combined 66 All-Star appearances on their roster compared to Team Durant’s 39 total appearances.

The NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, March 7, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be broadcast on TNT, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

The post LeBron James, Kevin Durant Select Their Squads For 2021 NBA All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

Incensed for being assessed a technical on two separate plays, Mitchell would suggest that referees consistently make bad calls against the Jazz during his postgame presser. Though giving credit to Philadelphia for their performance, the All-Star believes that the game was “taken” from Utah.

Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps:

” We competed. But it’s tough. It’s tough to go out there and see how we fight and compete, and to have a game like that taken from us,”

“Now, I’m never ever one to blame a ref, to blame an official — I can say I could have done more — but this is getting out of hand. There have been games like this that we’ve won; there have been games like this that we’ve lost. But this whole refereeing stuff. … We’re nice, we don’t complain, like, we don’t get frustrated, we fight through things, and the fact that we continually get … screwed, in a way, by this. You know?

The Jazz, led by Mitchell, controlled the majority of the game, until late in the fourth quarter when MVP candidate Joel Embid tied the game with a clutch 3-pointer to force overtime.

In the overtime period, the Jazz would prove no match for the Sixers. Eventually, an increasingly led to more frustration from Utah and Mitchell’s untimely ejection.

Mitchell did his part while on the court as he scored 33 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assist. Still after the game for Mitchell, it was all about his frustrations towards the refs.

“We won this game, in my personal opinion. You know?” Mitchell continued.

All-Star center Rudy Gobert was also critical of the officiating:

“Our guys are not able to get calls everybody else in the f—ing league gets,” Gobert said. “We know we are the Utah Jazz, and maybe some people don’t want to see us go as far as we can go, but it’s disappointing.

“Three times in a row, Mike Conley is going to the rim, and they’re grabbing him right in front of the officials, and there’s no calls. And on the other end, there are calls that are invisible that are being made.”

Both Gobert and Mitchell who picked up 5 fouls in the game, were also referring to how this is an on-going problem and not the first time the refs dictated the outcome of their game.

“I think it’s disrespectful, to be honest, to the game of basketball and to our team, and hopefully, they’re going to watch the game when they get home,” Gobert added.

“But it’s very disappointing to be disrespected like that. … It’s not just one play, because we all make mistakes. I have a lot of respect for the officials. It’s a tough job. I think they try their best, but it was too obvious tonight. They can’t make it that obvious. We’re going to watch film and do all that and keep getting better, but we deserve more respect as a team and as human beings for all the work we put in.”

The Jazz will head into the All-Star break and have almost a week off. They finished the first-half of the season with No.1 seed in the Western Conference and best record across the league.

The post Jazz Stars Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert Sound Off on Officiating After OT Loss appeared first on SLAM.

With how good they’ve been, there doesn’t appear to be any buzz around the League for either of their stars to be in the MVP race. In an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Clarkson expressed his opinion that both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell should be in the conversation for MVP. 

“Donovan, Rudy, both of these guys are impact players and superstars. I don’t see why they wouldn’t be in the conversation.”

Gobert and Mitchell have been exceptional. When it comes to anchoring their defense, Gobert has once again been the key driver for their success on that end of the floor. At this point in the season, he’s averaging 2.8 blocks per game to go along with 14.2 points and 13.2 rebounds per contest. 

Mitchell is unstoppable on the offensive end of the floor. He’s averaging 24.4 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting .380 from deep on 8.6 attempts per contest. The Jazz have an offensive rating of 117.0 this season, good for third in the league, behind Mitchell as their primary scorer. 

While there are many superstars who deserve to be in the MVP race, perhaps Clarkson has a point about Mitchell and Gobert. Historically, the NBA Most Valuable Player has been on one of the better teams in the league that season. With the highest net rating in the league as well as the best record, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell deserve more credit. 

The post Jordan Clarkson Thinks Rudy Gobert And Donovan Mitchell Deserve More Recognition appeared first on SLAM.

Covington, a former 4-year standout at Tennessee State, is currently the League’s only alum from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The NBA will be honoring HBCUs at the All-Star event, having pledged more than $2.5 million in resources towards supporting HBCU’s and raising awareness (per ESPN).

The NBA and NBPA will also highlight the important history and influence of HBCUs at All-Star, including special musical performances and content from alumni and current students during the event.

Blazers forward Robert Covington is expected to take part in the Skills Challenge next Sunday before the NBA’s All-Star Game in Atlanta, a source told @TheUndefeated. The ex-Tennessee State star is the only #HBCU player left in the #NBA. The NBA is also honoring HBCUs at All-Star

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 28, 2021

Covington is a 2017-18 NBA All-Defensive first-team selection and won Most Valuable Player in the 2014 G-League All-Star Game (then known as the D-League). He is currently averaging 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Blazers in a starting role.

The post HBCU Alum Robert Covington to Take Participate In All-Star Skills Challenge appeared first on SLAM.

These 14 reserves will join the starters (10 in total) that were named last week — a list headlined by team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant (of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, respectively).

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul leads the way in All-Star appearances among this group, playing in his 11^th All-Star Game this year. Paul is only one of three players in this year’s event with at least 10 All-Star appearances, the other two being LeBron and Durant.

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden has the next highest mark among the reserves. The Beard is playing his ninth All-Star game but his first representing the Eastern Conference thanks his well-publicized trade from the Houston Rockets.

Harden is one of three Nets in the All-Star Game alongside starters Durant and Irving.

Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis is an All-Star for not just the eighth time in his career but the eighth time in a row. Davis has been an All-Star every season of his career, with the only exception being his rookie season in 2012-13.

Another veteran of the All-Star Game, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, makes his return to the All-Star Game for the seventh time after missing last year’s festivities.

Right behind him, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard finds himself in his sixth All-Star Game.

Dame Dolla has the highest scoring average of the All-Star reserves, averaging 29.6 points per game, the fourth-highest number in the league. Lillard will also participate in the All-Star 3-Point Contest.

On the flip side, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is averaging just 15.7 points per game but is making his third All-Star Game because of his excellent playmaking – 7.9 assists per game – and defense for the Sixers.

Nikola Vucevic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will all be making their second appearances.

Four players from the reserves will be playing in their first-ever All-Star Games. Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown and Zion Williamson will make their first All-Star appearances.

The post NBA Announces 2021 All-Star Game Reserves appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award along with his MVP honors. While he certainly will be considered to win it for a second-straight season, he’s got plenty of competition. For four straight seasons, a forward or center has won the award, and it looks like that trend will likely continue.

While we’re only a third of the way through the 2020-21 season, we broke down our top five Defensive Player of the Year candidates.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 106.7 DRTG

While he doesn’t have the same numbers as some of the other players that will likely get consideration for this award, Antetokounmpo is the most versatile of any and is able to guard as many positions as anyone else in the NBA. Looking to win in back-to-back seasons, he will have several other bigs to prove himself against.

The Bucks haven’t been as good defensively as they have in past seasons, but Antetokounmpo should be able to do something about that as the season progresses. If the Bucks end up having one of the league’s top defenses, he will have a great chance to win this award yet again.

Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

1.8 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 106.2 DRTG

Davis just missed the cut when it came to winning the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He finished second when it came to voting, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This season, things are different, as Davis has led the Lakers to the top defense in all of basketball. If they continue to shut teams down the way they have with him as their defensive anchor, Davis could once again be a finalist.

Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)

1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 107.7 DRTG

Embiid is not only playing at an MVP level on offense but also has dominated on defense this season. Among some of his individual performances thus far include a game with five steals, which has helped him reach a career-high in steals per game.

His defensive intensity has rubbed off on his teammate as well. To this point in the season, the Sixers have been a top-three defense in the NBA.

Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)

2.7 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 102.5 DRTG

Before missing out on this award last season, Gobert won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in back-to-back seasons.

This season, the Jazz have been right around the top-five in the NBA defensively with the help of Gobert. With his height and length, he’s one of the best rim protectors in the last decade and has helped Utah climb to the best record in the league.

Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers)

3.5 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 106.7 DRTG

From a pure numbers perspective, Turner has been the best defender in the league so far this season. He’s averaging career highs in both steals and blocks.

He’s notched two games with eight blocks this season, as well as seven games with five or more blocked shots. Turner leads the league in blocks by a wide margin, while also contesting shots and making it difficult on offenses all over the court.

The post NBA Award Watch: 2021 Defensive Player of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

When it was all said and done, the Jazz finished on top with a 134-123 win. After the game, Simmons spoke to the media, saying he felt disrespected that Gobert guarded him. 

“I felt like it was a bit disrespectful putting him on me, but it is what it is.”

As good of a defender as Gobert is, with two NBA Defensive Player of the Year nods, he’s better on the interior. Simmons thinks that Gobert picking him up on the perimeter isn’t a smart move. 

Perhaps he’s right, as Simmons dropped a career-high 42 points on the Jazz, including 12 assists and 9 rebounds. On the season, he’s averaging 15.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. 

The post Ben Simmons Felt Disrespected By Rudy Gobert Guarding Him appeared first on SLAM.

Perhaps what’s been most important for the Jazz is their continuity and chemistry this season. In a unique year, where things feel very different, this team has looked as fluid as any in the league. Perhaps that’s the advantage of having a similar core over the past couple of seasons while the rest of the league has mostly assembled brand new rosters.

Over this 19 game stretch, Utah has been near the top of the league in quite a few categories. For starters, their defense has been as good or better as it’s ever been, with a league-leading 105.6 defensive rating over this stretch. They are also ranked top-five in the League in blocks (5.8 blocks per contest).

Offensively, the Jazz have played with the eighth-slowest pace in the league, working through their half-court offense and generating quality shots while posting the second-best offensive rating of any team. They’ve attempted the most three-pointers in the league over this stretch and, finally, they’ve taken care of the glass, dominating in that category with 48.5 rebounds per game, which is best in the league over these 19 games.

With Rudy Gobert once again playing as one of the best defenders in the NBA along with Donovan Mitchell torching opposing defenses, Utah has been extremely efficient on both ends of the floor. Not only do the Jazz have a well-rounded starting lineup, but they also have an excellent bench that is headlined by NBA Sixth Man of the Year Candidate, Jordan Clarkson.

The post How The Utah Jazz Have Put Together 18 Wins In 19 Games appeared first on SLAM.

Impressively, the Jazz now sit atop the Western Conference with the best record in the entire NBA at 14-4, having won ten straight games. This comes on the shoulders of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, who have shown to be worth the massive contracts they signed this offseason.

After their most recent win, Rudy Gobert spoke to the media about the success that Utah has seen recently.

“I really think that’s probably the first time since I’ve been here that I’ve seen that much focus from every single one in this locker room. I really feel like we’re playing for something bigger, and that we are on a mission.”

Gobert and the Jazz certainly look like they’re on a mission. Offensively, they’re the second-best three-point shooting team in the entire league at .397, which is a huge advantage in the modern NBA. On the defensive end, they’ve looked just as good, posting the third-best defensive rating in the League. Additionally, Utah is one of the best rebounding teams as well.

These things are a recipe for success the way that basketball is played today. Gobert tweeted that the Jazz are only getting started, which shows clearly on the court with the amount of effort and hustle this team plays with. While the Los Angeles Lakers are still the favorite out West, the Utah Jazz are looking to change that narrative.

The post Rudy Gobert on Utah’s 10th Straight Win: ‘We Are On A Mission’ appeared first on SLAM.

Gobert, a defensive stalwart for one of the NBA’s strongest teams, signed a five-year, $205 million contract extension with the Jazz two weeks ago. O’Neal, revered as a dominant two-way player in his heyday, apparently took issue with the amount of money that Gobert received from the Jazz and then took aim at the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Appearing on the All Things Covered podcast last Wednesday, O’Neal was hardly covert when insulting Gobert, saying that “you can average 11 points in the NBA… [and] get $200 million.” Gobert has career averages of 11.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while O’Neal has career averages of 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.

Shaq then made a post on Instagram, comparing the two in a hypothetical head-to-head.

Although initially commenting on the Instagram post, saying “I guess we’ll never know,” Gobert then opted to take the high road in the back-and-forth with the 48-year-old O’Neal.

“There is no beef,” writes Gobert on Twitter. “If people want to keep speaking negatively about me or keep disrespecting what I do, it’s on them and all that does is show who they are. I will always be happy for my brother beating the odds. And I’m going to keep beating the odds.”

This isn’t Shaq’s first time ruffling the feathers of a current feather, as he’s also insulted centers JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard on multiple occasions in highly-publicized disputes. It likely won’t be the last either, considering his outspoken nature and an ego that may be as big as his 7’1,” 300-plus pound frame.

However, when looking at Shaq’s career NBA earnings ($286.3 million), one can see where his frustration lies. Unfortunately for the Big Diesel, like many other former NBA superstars, his career started too early for him to capitalize on a player-driven league with lucrative TV contracts.

The post Rudy Gobert Takes The High Road After Shaquille O’Neal Criticism appeared first on SLAM.

Rudy Gobert has looked effective to this point, fresh off of inking his new contract extension, whereas his front court partner, Derrick Favors, has struggled out of the gates.

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

Mike Conley	19.3p, 6.3r, 5.0a
Rudy Gobert	16.7p, 14.3r, 2.7a
Jordan Clarkson	18.0p, 4.7r, 1.0a
Bojan Bogdanovic	15.7p, 5.3r, 1.3a
Royce O’Neale	4.7p, 8.7r, 0.3a
Miye Oni	1.5p, 0.5r, 0.5a
Juwan Morgan	0.0p, 0.5r, 0.0a
Donovan Mitchell	20.3p, 2.3r, 5.0a
Joe Ingles	9.3p, 3.7r, 3.3a
Georges Niang	0.0p, 1.0r, 0.0a
Derrick Favors	7.0p, 5.3r, 1.7a
Shaquille Harrison	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• Will Rudy Gobert prove to be worth his new contract? This was the third largest in NBA history and the most expensive for any big man.
• How effective can Mike Conley be? He wasn’t his best last season but will certainly have the opportunity to raise the ceiling of this Jazz team in the upcoming season.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Utah Jazz: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Gobert and the Jazz agreed to a five-year, $205 million contract extension this weekend, just slightly less than the full supermax, making him the highest-paid center in NBA history.

Gobert’s contract is the third-largest in league history, period, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards.

Shortly after signing the extension, Gobert went to Twitter to express his emotions.

I’m here to stay, and I’m here to WIN a Championship. I am here to win with my brothers, I’m here to win with coach Q and I’m here to win with you, Utah. Let’s get it.”

Gobert is one of the best bigs in the entire NBA, especially defensively. Over the course of his career, he’s earned three All-NBA Team selections, two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and one nod as an NBA All-Star. Last season, Gobert averaged 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest in Utah.

The post Jazz Ink Rudy Gobert to Largest Center Contract in NBA History appeared first on SLAM.

According to Porter Larsen of ESPN, Gobert and his camp are looking for a supermax contract, similar to what Giannis Antetokounmpo just got in Milwaukee. He’s eligible to do so as Defensive Player of the Year recipient.

Larsen says that Utah, in contrast is looking to sign Gobert to something more in the ballpark of the standard maximum extension. The difference is that a supermax extension would start at 35% of the salary cap as opposed to a standard max for a player of his service which would be 30%.

Gobert and the Jazz have until the start of the season on Tuesday to come to a supermax extension agreement. If they don’t put pen to paper before then, they’ll be limited to standard extension options.

Gobert is one of the premier centers in the NBA, especially defensively. He’s a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a one-time NBA All-Star. Last season with the Jazz, Gobert averaged 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest.

The post Rudy Gobert Looking For Supermax Contract in His Extension appeared first on SLAM.