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Posts tagged as “NBA”

Damian Lillard traded to Milwaukee Bucks as part of a 3-team deal

September 28, 2023

After months of waiting, we finally know where “Former Blazer” is headed, since the Portland Trailblazer traded Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, as part of a 3-team trade also involving Phoenix and Portland. Bucks already release an official statement regarding the trade.

In the trade,
Bucks will received;

  • Damian Lillard

Trail Blazers will received;

  • Jrue Holiday
  • Deandre Ayton
  • Toumani Camara
  • 2029 unprotected 1st round pick (from MIL)
  • Unprotected MIL swap rights in 2028 and 2030

Suns will received;

  • Jusuf Nurkic
  • Grayson Allen
  • Nassir Little
  • Keon Johnson

The trade will surely make Bucks the favorite to win it all this year and will give Giannis Antetokounmpo that much needed help in the Playoffs, it also give Deandre Ayton a new home after being unhappy with the Suns for the past couple of years. As for the Suns, it will give them the much needed body and supporting cast for Durant and Booker to contend in the West.

Source: NBA

Adidas unveil first signature shoes of Anthony Edwards, the AE1

September 25, 2023

After unveiling the logo, Adidas just introduced the first signature shoes of Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards called the AE1. Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards, is one of the rising star in the NBA, and fresh off the FIBA World Cup 2023, the European Sports sportswear company has unveil Ant’s first signature shoes, which they aptly calling AE1. The shoe was unveiled on September 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Edwards’ hometown.

The AE1 is a performance basketball shoe that is designed to match Edwards’ playing style. The shoe features a lightweight and breathable knit upper with TPU overlays for added support. The AE1 is equipped with a BOOST cushioning system and directional herringbone blades throughout the tread to provide optimal performance on the court. The outsole features a herringbone traction pattern for optimal grip on the court.

The shoe itself boasts a unique grate-type/honeycomb design and will be available in Timberwolves-themed colorways, including a “Georgia Peach” colorway that pays homage to Edwards’ home state. The shoe also features Edwards’ signature logo, which is a combination of the letters “A” and “E” in a forward and backward motion.

The AE1 is scheduled to be released in December 2023. It is a highly anticipated shoe among basketball fans and sneakerheads alike, as Edwards is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. AE1 will retail for $120.

Team USA falls to Canada for the 3rd Place of the FIBA World Cup 2023

September 10, 2023

Canada made history at the FIBA World Cup 2023 by winning its first-ever medal at the tournament, defeating USA 127-118 in overtime in the third-place game on Sunday in Manila, Philippines.

As expected between two NBA laden team, it was a roller coaster game that had 14 lead changes, 12-0 scoring run by the Americans and 8-0 by the Canadians, and it was punctuated by Mikal Bridges at the end of the 4th qtr; he missed 2nd free-throw on purpose, got the rebound, then hits corner 3 with 0.6 seconds left to extend the game to over time. In the OT, the Canadians had other plans, since they outscored Team USA, 16 to 7 to secure the bronze medal.

The Canadians, who had never finished higher than sixth in the World Cup, protected a 2-point lead at the start of OT and outscored the Americans 7-16.

Dillon Brooks was the hero for Canada, scoring a game-high 39 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including 7-of-8 from the 3-point line. He also added four rebounds, five assists, a steals and a couple of blocks in a stellar performance.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was equally impressive, adding 31 points, twelve assists and six rebounds. He scored nine of Canada’s 16 points in overtime, including an assist to RJ Barrett for a a clutch 3-pointer that gave them a 115 – 124 lead with 0:23 secs left.

Canada also got contributions from Kelly Olynyk (11 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists), Luguentz Dort (11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists) and Dwight Powell (4 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists).

Team Highlights

USA, meanwhile, will go home without a medal for the FIBA World Cup 2023. Team USA has not won a medal in the World Cup since 2014, that featured a roster lead by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Anthony Davis.

Six players of Team USA had double digits points; Mikal Bridges with 19 pts, 9 rebs, 2 steals and 4 assists, Anthony Edwards led the team with 24 pts and 5 rebs, then there’s Austin Reaves who contributed 23 pts, 5 rebs, an assists and a steal, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Bobby Portis Jr. also made big contributions scoring 13 pts, 10 pts and 14 pts respectively.

Despite the loss, Team USA, already qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France and we can expect that the team will have totally different roster.

Here’s the latest bracket for the Semis of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

September 7, 2023
Here’s the latest bracket for the Semis of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

Now that Quarter-Finals (QF) is done and we have now have a clear picture on who will compete for the semifinals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and which is worth watching.

Team USA versus the Germans
The game will be this Friday, 8th of Sept at the MOA arena. Team USA advanced to the Semis after defeating ITALY in the most convincing manner (100 – 63). The Americans needed a strong win against the Italians after being handed by their only loss in the tournament by Lithuania. On the other side, Germany barely escape Latvia in the QF but remain to the one of the few undefeated team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner, who are both NBA veterans, are the top performers of the team on points, rebounds and assists.

For Team USA, their top performers are Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges and Tyrese Haliburton and we cannot disregard the fact anyone in the team can explode and carry team to the finals, just like what Mikal Bridges did against Italy in the QF, where in scored a team high of 24 points and 6 rebounds.

Serbia versus Canada
The game will this Friday, 8th of Sept 16:45 local time at the MOA Arena. Serbia took care of the business by eliminating Lithuania and bringing them back down from cloud 9, after defeating USA in the last game of the second round.

Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Milutinov are the top performer of Serbia. Bogdanovic is the top scorer in their game against Lithuania, chipping-in 21 pts with 4 rebs, while Nikola Milutinov is the towering presence in the middle and top rounder of the team.

For team Canada, we may very well call this Team B of NBA in FIBA, since 7 of the 12 players in the roster are playing in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player, leading in all stats; 25 pts/game, 7.2 rebs/game and 5 assists per game.

The winners for each game will face in the finals, while the two losing team will play for the 3rd place. Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is scheduled on Saturday, Sept 10th at the MOA Arena.

FIBA introduces LED Basketball court

July 25, 2023

Basketball fans may soon see a different kind of basketball court as FIBA introduced the first ever LED glass flooring, it premiered at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2023 in Madrid.

The LED glass court will feature full video floor that allows for interactive applications, as well as other benefits. For example, the court is much brighter than a traditional basketball court, which makes it easier for players to see the ball and the court markings. It can also feature player tracking to the video floor, display live stats and athletic achievements on the floor, providing fans with enhanced interaction and better engagement as well as an enhanced show staging with additional options for sponsorship and marketing.

Additionally, the court is also more durable than a traditional court, which means that it will last longer and require less maintenance.

FIBA already approved the used of LED Glass court developed by ASB GlassFloor for events it oversees and the one that they used in the 2021 Ruhr Games in Bochum and 3×3 basketball in Germany. NBA is already using On-Court Projection Mapping and may just be a matter of time before we see an LED Glass Basketball court.

Golf: Warriors Steph Curry make a hole-in-one at American Century Golf Championship

July 16, 2023

GSW Star Steph Curry already cemented himself as the Greatest Shooter in Basketball and it looks like being a shooter is not only in the basketball court but also in the golf course.

At the American Century Golf Championship, Steph Curry made a hole-in-one on the par-three seventh hole at the American Century Championship on Saturday. It bounced once on the green and into the hold for the 4-time NBA Champ and tournament leader, he sprinted down the 152-yard hole in excitement after the shot.

The day before, Steph also made a difficult putt shot where the ball curve rolls across the green as it curves to the hole.

Curry later revealed that this is his second hole-in-one.

Fellow NBA star Lebron James reacted to Curry’s amazing shot.

Curry’s hole in one made him the leader of the tournament and could take home this year’s American Century Golf Championship.

Kai Sotto finally played in the 2023 NBA Summer League

July 15, 2023

After receiving a DNP in the first 3 games, Kai Sotto finally played his first game in the NBA Summer League against the Portland Trail Blazers.

In his first game in the NBA Summer League, 7’3″ Kai Sotto made the most of his 13 mins play time by scoring 6 pts, 4 rebs, 1 assists and 3 blocks.

Sotto entered the game at the start of the 2nd qtr, replacing Robert Baker. Even though he did not score, Sotto was active on the defense blocking a Shaedon Sharpe layup and a couple of defensive rebounds. Kai Sotto made his first-ever basket on a putback with less than a minute to go in the 3rd.

In the 4th, he made a 14-foot jumper an assist from Quinndary Weatherspoon and a 2-foot dunk from a Tyger Campbell assists. An assists to Quinndary Weatherspoon then blocked a 6-foot hook shot by Rayan Rupert. Orlando Magic ended the Summer League with a 0 – 4 standing. Orlando still have a consolation game on Sunday against the Boston Celtics and hopefully Kai Sotto will have a much better outing than this one.

Another DNP for Kai Sotto in a loss to the Indian Pacers (108 – 85)

July 11, 2023

It was another disappointment for Filipino fans who went to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning, Manila time, to see Kai Sotto in action. Instead, the 7-foot-3 Hiroshima Dragonflies center was benched once more in a loss to the Pacers.

The Orlando coaching staff once again gave priority to contracted players and draft picks though at the 2:22 mark in the 2nd qtr, fans can be heared chanting “We Want Sotto!” The game was decided in the middle of the second qtr, where the Pacers are enjoying a 17-pt lead.

Kai Sotto will have 2 more games for his NBA Summer League debut; July 12th facing the New York Knicks and on July 13th against the Portland Trail Blazers. Sotto was also a DNP in the first game against the Detroit Pistons.

NBA announces that there will be an In-Season Tournament this 2023-24 season

July 10, 2023

NBA just announced that they will be an In-Season Tournament this season. The tournament is structured similar to the FIBA Tournament where there will be a group competition and knockout rounds. The In-Season Tournament will start on Friday, Nov. 3 in NBA team markets and the Semifinals (Thursday, Dec. 7) and Championship (Saturday, Dec. 9) will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“We are excited to introduce the NBA In-Season Tournament as an opportunity to further enhance and innovate around our season structure,” said Joe Dumars, NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. “With the addition of this new marquee event on the NBA calendar, we are focused on providing players and teams with another competition to win, engaging fans in a different way and driving further interest in the early portion of the regular-season schedule.”

NBA also announced the groupings for the In-Season Tournament, there will be 3 Group for each conference that will have 5 teams for each groupings. NBA said that groupings are randomly drawn within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2022-23 regular season.

Eastern Conference

  • East A: Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
  • East B: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets
  • East C: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic

Western Conference

  • West A: Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers
  • West B: Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
  • West C: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs

In the “Group Play“, each team will play four designated Group Play games – one game against each opponent in its group, with two games at home and two on the road – on “Tournament Nights,” which will take place every Tuesday and Friday from Nov. 3-28 (with the exception of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7, when no games will be played).

The two teams with the best record in their respective groups will advance the the “Knockout Rounds” with the addition of two wild cards (the team from each conference with the best record in Group Play games that finished second in its group). The Knockout Rounds will consist of single-elimination games in the Quarterfinals (played in NBA team markets on Monday, Dec. 4 and Tuesday, Dec. 5) and Semifinals and Championship (played in Las Vegas on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9, respectively). The Knockout teams will compete for a prize pool and the new In-Season Tournament trophy, the NBA Cup.

Below is the In-Season Tournament prize pool will be allocated to the players on the teams that participate in the Knockout Rounds as follows:

  • Players on winning team of Championship: $500,000 each
  • Players on losing team of Championship: $200,000 each
  • Players on losing team of Semifinals: $100,000 each
  • Players on losing team of Quarterfinals: $50,000 each

At the end of the In-Season Tournament, there will be the Most Valuable Player of the In-Season Tournament and the All-Tournament Team. Selection will be based on the players’ performance in both Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.

The In-Season Tournament will count toward the regular-season standings except the Championship. Each team will continue to play 82 regular-season games in the 2023-24 season, including those games that are part of Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.

Here’s the video that NBA released explaining the In-Season Tournament;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT1Vk286308

Kai Sotto is a DNP in the Magic – Piston Game at the NBA Summer League

July 9, 2023

Filipino fans need to wait a bit longer for them to see Kai Sotto for his NBA Summer League debut, since he was a DNP “did not play – coach’s decision” in the Magic – Piston Game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, Manila time.

Sotto is suiting up for the Orlando Magic but did not play against the Detroit Pistons, who fielded Ausar Thompson, a top 5 draft pick, with 2nd year Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey, as well as a former GSW Top 2 Pick James Wiseman.

Kai Sotto and the Orlando Magics have 3 more games for the NBA Summer League; on July 10th against the Indiana Pacers; July 12th facing the New York Knicks and on July 13th against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Kobe Bryant to be featured on the cover of NBA 2K24

July 9, 2023

Laker Legend and NBA HoF Kobe Bryant will be featured on the cover of two editions of NBA 2K24; NBA 2K24: Kobe Bryant Edition and NBA 2K24: Black Mamba Edition. This is not the first time that Kobe Bryant graced the cover of NBA2k, he was the cover athlete for NBA 2K10, NBA 2K17 (Legend Edition) and NBA 2K21 (Mamba Forever Edition).

Cover of NBA 2K24: Kobe Bryant Edition

Cover of NBA 2K24: Black Mamba Edition

Kobe Bryant is a 5-time NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Bryant also led the NBA in scoring twice, and ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring. He was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. Bryant’s name is often included in the GOAT debate with Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lebron James.

Both copies of the game are now available for pre-order and will be release September 8, 2023. NBA 2K24: Kobe Bryant Edition will retail for $69.99, while the NBA 2K24: Black Mamba Edition is priced at $99.99.

Source: NBA

Nike’s Jordan Brand releases Zion 3 with focus on containment, court feel and impact protection

July 3, 2023

Nike’s Jordan brand just released the 3rd signature shoes for Pelicans’ star Zion Williamson. The company said that the new shoes was designed specifically for Zion Williamson’s playing style with emphasis on containment, court feel and impact protection.

The Zion 3 will be available in 3 colorway; Sanctuary colorway; Fresh Paint ; Mud, Sweat and Tears; and an exclusive ‘black and white’ colorway that will be available in December 2023.

Jordan Brand design is rooted in equal parts motion and emotion. Each player in the Jordan Brand signature lineup embodies a different playing style that evokes a certain feeling in those who watch it. The Zion 3 was built for Zion Williamson’s playing style — a blitz of strength and speed — by supporting him in three specific ways: containment, court feel and impact protection.

The midsole cushioning is designed to help absorb the forces of Zion’s explosive game. The midsole is comprised of Formula 23 foam with a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for responsive cushioning. A drop-in midsole supports comfort and stability. The stack height is the lowest yet on a Zion signature shoe. This gives players cushion where they need it, but also helps them feel in control of their ground movements, like a tight spin off the low block.

The rubber herringbone traction pattern helps enable quickness and control as well, while the iconic “Z” icon, which has been consistent on Zion’s signature line, comes to life via a raised TPU material and helps with lateral containment.

The Zion 3 “Sanctuary” colorway will be first releases exclusively in North America in September, while the “Mud, Sweat and Tears” colorway launches globally in October on jordan.com and at select retailers. The SRP for the new Zion 3 will be $140 USD.

Sanctuary colorway
Mud, Sweat and Tears colorway
Fresh Paint colorway
Black and White colorway

Chris Paul traded to Golden State Warriors for Jordan Poole and Draft Picks

June 24, 2023

After being traded to the Washington Wizard for Bradley Beal, Chris Paul is yet again part of another trade with the Golden State Warriors, that will send Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins and two draft picks to the Wizards.

This was reported by ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Warriors receive:

  • Chris Paul

Wizards receive:

  • Jordan Poole
  • Ryan Rollins
  • 2030 first-round pick (protected)
  • 2027 second-round pick

Stylistically, Paul plays a slower kind of basketball, which is different style from the the “fast pace and spaced the floor” that the Warriors are playing. Also, it does not address the “size” factor that the GSW need in order to content in the West, specially with now NBA Champs Denver Nuggets.

If Golden State does keep Chris Paul for the season, they will have at least 3 months to retool and fit Paul into their system or the Warriors to adapt to CP3’s kind of the basketball.

Source: NBA

Complete 2023 NBA Draft Results

June 24, 2023

NBA just concluded the 77th edition of NBA draft last Thursday, June 22, 2023, held in Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. As projected the top 3 are Victor Wembanyama was drafted first, then Brandon Miller followed by Scoot Henderson, they’re drafted by San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.

Here’s the complete draft results;

First Round

  1. Spurs draft Victor Wembanyama (Metropolitans 92)

  2. Hornets draft Brandon Miller (Alabama)

  3. Blazers draft Scoot Henderson (G League Ignite)

  4. Rockets draft Amen Thompson (Overtime Elite)

  5. Pistons draft Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite)

  6. Magic draft Anthony Black (Arkansas)

  7. Pacers draft Bilal Coulibaly (Metropolitans 92) – Traded to Wizards

  8. Wizards draft Jarace Walker (Houston) – Traded to Pacers

  9. Jazz draft Taylor Hendricks (UCF)

  10. Mavericks draft Cason Wallace (Kentucky) – Traded to Thunder

  11. Magic draft Jett Howard (Michigan)

  12. Thunder draft Dereck Lively II (Duke) – Traded to Mavericks

  13. Raptors draft Gradey Dick (Kansas)

  14. Pelicans draft Jordan Hawkins (Connecticut)

  15. Hawks draft Kobe Bufkin (Michigan)

  16. Jazz draft Keyonte George (Baylor)

  17. Lakers draft Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana)

  18. Heat draft Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA)

  19. Warriors draft Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara)

  20. Rockets draft Cam Whitmore (Villanova)

  21. Nets draft Noah Clowney (Alabama)

  22. Nets draft Dariq Whitehead (Duke)

  23. Blazers draft Kris Murray (Iowa)

  24. Kings draft Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Marquette) – Traded to Mavericks

  25. Grizzlies draft Marcus Sasser (Houston) – Traded to Pistons

  26. Pacers draft Ben Sheppard (Belmont)

  27. Hornets draft Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas)

  28. Jazz draft Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State)

  29. Pacers draft Julian Strawther (Gonzaga) – Traded to Nuggets

  30. LA Clippers draft Kobe Brown (Missouri)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeXPv4cvBko

Second Round

  1. Pistons draft James Nnaji (FC Barcelona) – Reportedly traded to Hornets (via Celtics)

  2. Pacers draft Jalen Pickett (Penn State)– Traded to Nuggets

  3. Spurs draft Leonard Miller (G League Ignite) – Traded to Timberwolves

  4. Hornets draft Colby Jones (Xavier) – Reportedly traded to Kings

  5. Celtics draft Julian Phillips (Tennessee) – Traded to Bulls (via Wizards)

  6. Magic draft Andre Jackson Jr. (Connecticut) – Traded to Bucks

  7. Thunder draft Hunter Tyson (Clemson) – Traded to Nuggets

  8. Kings draft Jordan Walsh (Arkansas) – Traded to Celtics

  9. Hornets draft Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State) – Traded to Hawks (via Celtics)

  10. Nuggets draft Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine) – Traded to Lakers (via Pacers)

  11. Hornets draft Amari Bailey (UCLA)

  12. Wizards draft Tristan Vukcevic (Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade)

  13. Blazers draft Rayan Rupert (NZ Breakers)

  14. Spurs draft Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite)

  15. Grizzlies draft Gregory Jackson II (South Carolina)

  16. Hawks draft Seth Lundy (Penn State)

  17. Lakers draft Mojave King (G League Ignite) – Traded to Pacers

  18. Clippers draft Jordan Miller (Miami)

  19. Cavaliers draft Emoni Bates (Eastern Michigan)

  20. Thunder draft Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State)

  21. Nets draft Jalen Wilson (Kansas)

  22. Suns draft Toumani Camara (Dayton)

  23. Timberwolves draft Jaylen Clark (UCLA)

  24. Kings draft Jalen Slawson (Furman)

  25. Pacers draft Isaiah Wong (Miami)

  26. Grizzlies draft Tarik Biberovic (Fenerbahce Beko)

  27. Wizards draft Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) – Traded to Warriors

  28. Bucks draft Chris Livingston (Kentucky)

Those that did not get drafted will be considered as undrafted players when teams sign them up.

Washington Superstar Bradley Beal headed to Phoenix Suns

June 19, 2023

Just barely into the offseason and just 3 days before the NBA Draft, we now have a blockbuster trade that will bring Wizard Superstar Bradley Beal going to Phoenix Suns, with guard Jordan Goodwin. Suns in turn will send Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks and pick swaps to Wizards.

The deal became possible after Beal waived his “no-trade” clause in his contract. This was reported by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal will take a few of days to be finalized.

The trade will form another Durant-lead “Super team” with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, with Deandre Ayton as the Suns top players. The trade will definitely affect the depth of the team which was diminished when the Suns traded for Durant last season.

Source: NBA

NBA suspends Ja Morant for 25 games

June 17, 2023

NBA just announced that Ja Morant will be suspended for 25 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league. NBA added that Morant will “be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities including preseason games.”

“Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Friday. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.”

Here’s the official statement from NBA;

Last month, Morant was spotted with what seemed to be a gun on a friend’s Instagram page, which sparked the most recent NBA probe. In preparation for the NBA punishment, the Grizzlies had previously suspended Morant from team activities. Ja Morant on his part release a statement regarding his suspension;

At the same time, National Basketball Players Association find the suspension “excessive” with NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio’s statement on the suspension of Morant.

The Memphis Grizzlies also released their own statement, saying “We respect the league’s decision to suspend Ja Morant following this latest episode. Our standards as a league and team are clear, and we expect that all team personnel will adhere to them.”

It’s unclear how the suspension will affect the first 25 games of the Grizzlies, even though the team showed that they can hold on their own even without their star player.

Denver Nuggets are the 2023 NBA Champions, franchise’s first in the 47 years in the league

June 13, 2023

The Denver Nuggets just bagged their first NBA Championship after defeating the Miami Heat in a one of the lowest scoring game in the series (94-89).

In the first half, Miami was poised to take the series back home until Nikola Jokic carried the Nuggets with with 28 points and 16 rebounds. Jokic also took home the Bill Russell trophy as the NBA Finals MVP, which carry more weight than the 2021 and 2022 Regular Season MVP trophies.

Nuggets outlast the Heat in a game that’s more favorable to the style of Miami Heat, a low scoring, physical and close game, no team lead more than 2 points in the last 2 minutes of the game. It was in the closing minutes that made the difference; Bruce Brown got an offensive rebound and tip-in to give the Nuggets, then Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope capitalize on a Heat turnover and made two free throws each that sealed the title for Denver.

This is the first time in the franchise’s 47 years in the league and if they keep the core players, we may see the Nuggets making a deep run in every year, lead by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Denver Nuggets win Game 4 of the NBA Finals and One away to be the NBA Champions

June 10, 2023

Denver Nuggets are just one win away to be the NBA Champions as they defeat the resilient Miami Heat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

We can call Game 4 as the Aaron Gordon Game, as he lead the Nuggets in scoring with 27 points with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Miami was able to limit Jokic to “just” 23 points, made 3 three-point shots, with 4 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds to help build a 13 point lead against the Heat entering the 4th quarter. Jokic got in foul trouble, committing his 5th foul when the Nuggets are up by 5 point and still 8:42 remaining in the game. Even though Jamal Murray was limited to just 15 point, he helped setup his teammates by dishing out 12 assists. Aside from Gordon, Bruce Brown was also a big factor off the bench, scoring 25 points with 4 rebs. Nuggets as a team shot 50% from the three-point line making 14 of their 28 shots.

Miami Heat are once again 1 – 3 in the NBA Finals and even with the odds against the team, Heat Leader Jimmy Butler is still positive that they can go back to Miami to at least have a chance to extend the series to a game 7. “Now we’re in a must-win situation, every single game — which we’re capable of.. It’s not impossible.” ,” Butler said in his postgame interview.

Miami Heat Head coach Erik Spoelstra echoed the same sentiments;

We have an incredibly competitive group. We’ve done everything the hard way and that’s the way it’s going to have to be done right now — again. And all we’re going to focus on is getting this thing back to the 305. Get this thing back to Miami. And things can shift very quickly.

Game 5 will be back Denver, Tuesday evening, where Jokic and Murray with the rest of the team have chance to end the series and celebrate in front of their home crowd.

Miami Heat evens series via late run in the 4th Quarter (111- 108)

June 5, 2023

The Miami Heat evens up the series from a come from behind run against the Denver Nuggets, the team also overcome a 41-point game by Nikola Jokic, who also grabbed 11 rebounds. Miami Heat manage to comeback from a 15-pt deficit in the first half and hang-on to a 3-pts lead in the closing seconds of the game. Miami also made 48% of their 3-points shot and in contrast to game 1, the team shot 18 out of 20 from the free-throw line.

Both Butler and Adebayo scored 21 points apiece while Gabe Vincent lead the Heat in scoring with 23 points, on a 4 of 6 from beyond the three-point line. Miami also got a big lift from Duncan Robinson, who scored all of his 10-points in the 4th, and Max Strus with 14 points. Aside from the free-throw. three points made also made the different in game 2, since Miami 17 of their 35 three points.

Denver on the other hand got a monster 41-points game from Nikola Jokic but only 4 assists, he is also -11 in the plus/minus column. It’s not just Jokic, Kentavious Caldwell Pope (-14), Michael Porter Jr. (-15) and Jamal Murray (-2) are also negative in the plus/minus.

This is the first home game for the Nuggets since March 30, and Nuggets coach Michael Malone blame it on effort when asked about the game in the post game interview;

Games 3 and 4 will be in Miami and where injured Heat guard Tyler Herro is expected to make a return.

Miami Heat advances to the NBA Finals after defeating Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference

May 30, 2023

Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat will go to the NBA Finals after routing the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference. The Heat closeout the series after Boston even the series by winning 3 games in a row after losing the first 3 games to Miami. It was a historic game for both team; Miami Heat trying to avoid to be the first team to lose a series after being up 3 – 0 and become the first 8th seed to defeat a 1st seed in order to advance to the NBA Finals; while Boston is trying to complete their historic run to be the first NBA team to overcome a 0 – 3 deficit in the NBA Postseason.

Boston leading scorer Jason Tatum was a non-factor in Game 7, after twisting his ankle on the very first play of the game and limping through 42 minutes. Tatum scored 14 points with 11 rebounds, while Jalen Brown had 19-pts, 8 rebs and 5 assists and Derrick White, the hero of Game 6, was the second leading scorer for the Celtics with his 18-points.

Miami Heat lead by Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin with a combine 54 pts, Butler also have 7 rebs, 6 assists and steals, while Martin added 10 rebounds and made 4 of 6 three-pointers. Miami also received a big contribution from Bam Adebayo scoring 12 pots, 10 rebs and 1 block; Gabe Vincent scoring 10-points, Duncan Robinson adding 10-points. As a team Miami Heat made 50% of the three-points, while Boston, just like in Game 8 just make 21.4% of their three-points.

Aside from being a Conference Champs, Jimmy Butler was named East Conference MVP, who have been the leader of the team the whole season;

Miami Heat will face the Denver Nuggets who have been waiting for the winner of the series after sweeping the LA Lakers in the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals.

Game 1 of the NBA finals will this 1st of June in Denver.

Boston Celtics forces Games 7 on White’s buzzer-beater tip-in (104-103)

May 28, 2023

The Boston Celtics are on the verge of making NBA history as they force a “winner-take-all” Game 7 against the Miami Heat after losing the first 3 games of the series.

Miami Heat are just 3 seconds away from their second trip to the NBA finals in 4 years, after Jimmy Butler made all 3 of his free-throw, but Derrick White had other plans instead as he beat the buzzer with a putback to force a Game 7 in the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference finals. Derrick White only scored 11 points on a 4 of 10, where 3 shots are from beyond the arc and his last and only field goal in the paint is the most important one. Jason Tatum once again lead the Boston Celtics, scoring 31 points with 12 rebs and 2 blocks. Jalen Brown has 26 points and Marcus Smart, whose shot is the one that White tipped-in, scored 21 points but -10 in the plus/minus department.

Despite the pressure that the team will face in Boston, Jimmy Butler is still confident that they will close the series in Boston. “We’ve got to go on the road and do something special.. “But we’ve got a special group.” Butler said in his postgame interview. Butler lead the Heat in scoring 24 points with 11 rebs and 8 assists, followed by Calen Martin’s 21 points, with 4 from the three-point line, and 15 rebs. Gabe Vincent, Bam Adebayo and Max Strus were also a big help in the game by scoring 15 pts, 11 pts and 10 points, respectively.

This was a game that Heat should have won, since Boston shot only 20% from beyond the arc, compare to the 46% from Miami. Game 7 will be in Boston, which could be a replay of last year’s East Conference Finals or we would be watching a totally different movie.

Boston Celtics routs Miami Heat to extend series to Game 6 (110 – 97)

May 27, 2023

In another shooting clinic, the Boston Celtics easily dispatch the Miami Heat at home to further extend the series to game 6 and putting more pressure to Jimmy Butler and company to close the series in Miami.

Four Boston players scored more than 20-pts with at least 1 three-points made. Derrick White lead the Celtics with 24-pts, making 6 of 8 three-points shot. Jason Tatum once again made sure that his teammates are in the game by dishing a team-high 11 assists, he also scored 21 pts and 8 rebs. Smart and Brown also chipped-in scoring 23 points and 21 points, respectively. As good as their offense, it was their defense that won the game for Boston. As a team the Boston Celtics made 13 steals, 37 rebounds and 4 blocks with just 9 turnover.

Jimmy Butler in his postgame interview said “We’re always going to stay positive, knowing that we can and we will win the series… We just have to close it out at home.” Butler scored 14 points with 5 rebs and 5 assist but was -24 in the plus/minus column. Miami’s leading scorer is Duncan Robinson with 18 points and 9 assists. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and eight rebounds but -15 in the plus/minus. Caleb Martin finished with 14 points, while Gabe Vincent sat out of the game due to an ankle injury.

Boston Celtics are two wins away in becoming the first NBA team to come back from a 0-3 deficit. Game 6 of Eastern Conference Finals will be at Miami this Saturday evening at the Kaseya Center.

Boston Celtics avoids sweeps as they defeat Miami Heat 116-99

May 24, 2023

The Boston Celtics lead by Jason Tatum to defeat the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

It was a close game in the first 3qtrs but the Celtics blew the game wide-open in the final quarte to gain a 17 points lead which made sure that they will return to Boston for another chance to extend the series.

Six Boston players have scored in double-digits lead by Tatum scoring 34 points making 4 three-points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists; Brown’s 17-points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and Derrick White with his 16-points, with 3 of 7 from the beyond the three-point line.

As a team the Miami Heat just shot 8 of 32 (25%) from the three-point line and just 18 assists, compare to Celtics’ 28 ast.

Miami’s leading scorer Jimmy Butler said “We’ve got to play like our backs are against the wall. But I think all year long, we’ve been better when we’ve had to do things the hard way.”

The series will now shift back to Boston where the Celtics will have another chance to extend the series.

Denver Nuggets sweeps the LA Lakers to advance to the 2023 NBA Finals

May 23, 2023

The Denver Nuggets will advance to the 2023 NBA Finals as they sweep the Los Angeles Lakers and overcome a 40-pts game by Lebron James.

The Lakers which lead most of the 1st half and lead as much as 15 points before the Denver Nuggest put the clamp down on the Lakers to limit them to only 19 points in the 3rd qtr while scoring 39 points to take over the game.

Lebron James who played all but 4.3 seconds of the game at the end of the first half. James was flirting with a triple-double 21 points in the first quarter, finishing with 40 points, 10 rebs and 9 assists. Lebron James had the change to put the game to OT but was stopped by Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray as he drive to the basket in the closing seconds of the game.

Anthony Davis also sensational with his 21 points, 14 rebs, 1 steal and 3 blocks but did not get any help from the rest of the team aside from the 17 points from Austin Reaves.

Lebron James had nothing but praises to the Nuggets.

“Me and AD were just talking in the locker room (and) we came to the consensus this is one of the best teams, if not the best team, we’ve played together for all four years…Just well-orchestrated, well put together. They have scoring. They have shooting. They have playmaking. They have smarts. They have length. They have depth. And one thing about their team, when you have a guy like Jokic, who as big as he is but also as cerebral as he is, you can’t really make many mistakes versus a guy like that.”

Here is Lebron James full postgame interview.

Nikola Jokic lead the Nuggets with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs; Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, include the 3 blocks and 1 steal he made on the defensive end. Jamal Murray scored 25 points and 5 assists, helping Jokic overcome James’ 31-point first half and a 15-point halftime deficit.

This will be Denver Nuggets’ first trip to the NBA finals and first time sweeping a playoff series. Unless Boston Celtics made a miracolous run to win the next 4 games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Denver will host Miami Heat to open the NBA Finals, starting June 1.

Heat routs Celtics to take 3 – 0 series lead in the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals

May 22, 2023

Miami Heat are one win way to return to the NBA Finals. As team, Miami Heat demolished Boston Celtics with a barage of 3-points by making 19 of 35, a whopping 54.3% from beyond the arc, and 56.8% from the field.

The Heat have 6 players scoring in double-digits lead by Gabe Vincent scoring 29 points, on a 6 of 9 from the three-point line. Jimmy Butler, Miami’s best player, just scored 16 points with 8 rebounds and 6 assists but had a very big impact in the game. Second leading scorer of the game is Duncan Robinson made 5 of 7 three-points, scoring 22 points. Robinson became the leading 3-pointer of the Heat, with 825 three-pointers made in franchise history.

On the Boston side, the team had one of their worst shooting game with just 11 three-pointers made on 42 attempts and they shot 39.8% from the field. Jason Tatum, their leading scorer, only had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and no other player scored more than 12 points. In the postgame interview, Boston Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla admitted that the loss was on him for his failure to prepare the team for their biggest game of the season.

Mazzulla said “I just didn’t have them ready to play.. I have to get them in a better place to be ready to play, and that’s on me.” You can watch the full video of his postgame interview below;

Just like the Lakers, Celtics are in a similar position, down 0 – 3 and if they want to extend the series, Game 4 in Miami is a must win for them this Tuesday evening.

Denver Nuggets takes 3-0 lead over the LA Lakers in the WCF

May 21, 2023

Denver Nuggets are 1-win away for their first NBA Finals appearance after defeating the LA Laker in the game 3 of the Western Conference finals. This is the first home lost of the Lakers in the post-season. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA playoff history but Lebron James remain optimistic in his postgame interview.

For second straight games, Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 37 points, 7 rebs and 6 assists, followed Nikola Jokic scoring 24 points with 8 assists but was plague by foul trouble in the game. the Nuggets due received a lot of help from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who finished with 17 points, scoring 12 points in the second half, while Michael Porter Jr. chipped-in 14 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high of 6 assists.

Anthony Davis scored 28 points and 18 rebounds for the Lakers but was -12 in the plus/minus column, while James made 23 points with 12 assists and Austin Reaves added 23 points and 7 rebounds but they could not counter Nuggets balanced offence in the clutch. Five Nuggets players are in double figures which includes Bruce Brown’s 15 pts with 5 rebounds and 5 assists; Michael Porter Jr. with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Game 4 will still be in LA which is a must for Lakers so they can extend the series to Game 5.

Denver Nuggets defeats LA Lakers to take 2 – 0 lead in the Western Conference Finals

May 19, 2023

Denver Nuggets just took a 2 – 0 lead over the Lakers after defeating the LA Lakers in game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

Nuggets got the win behind Jamal Murray’s explosion by scoring 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic was not as impactful in game 2 as he is in the opener even though he just registered another triple-double, scoring 23 points with 17 rebounds and dished 12 assists, his 7th triple-double in the post season and 4th straight.

The Lakers are not panicking even though they’re down 0 – 2, and James even said this in his postgame interview – “This is not the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first team to four wins.”

In the game, Lebron James was flirting with triple-double, scoring 22 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds, he was also 0 – 6 from beyond in the three-point line in the game and just 1 – 19 in the fourth quarter this postseason. Collectively, James and Reaves both scored 22 for Los Angeles, while Anthony Davis scored just 18 points after scoring 40 pts in game 1.

Game 3 of the WCF will be this Saturday at the crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers are still undefeated this post season.

Here’s the complete 2023 NBA Draft Results

May 17, 2023

The 2023 NBA Draft just concluded with San Antonio Spurs emerging as the winner to draft Frenchman Victor Wembanyama in the coming 2023 NBA Draft this 22nd of June 2023 in Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York.

Below are the results from NBA Draft Lottery 2023;

First Round: Picks 1-30

  1. San Antonio
  2. Charlotte
  3. Portland
  4. Houston
  5. Detroit
  6. Orlando
  7. Indiana
  8. Washington
  9. Utah
  10. Dallas
  11. Orlando (from Chicago)
  12. Oklahoma City
  13. Toronto
  14. New Orleans
  15. Atlanta
  16. Utah (from Minnesota)
  17. Los Angeles Lakers
  18. Miami
  19. Golden State
  20. Houston (from LA Clippers)
  21. Brooklyn (from Phoenix)
  22. Brooklyn
  23. Portland (from New York)
  24. Sacramento
  25. Memphis
  26. Indiana (from Cleveland)
  27. Charlotte (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City)
  28. Utah (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn)
  29. Indiana (from Boston)
  30. LA Clippers (from Milwaukee via Houston)

Second Round: Picks 31-58

  1. Detroit
  2. Indiana (from Houston)
  3. San Antonio
  4. Charlotte (from Charlotte via Philadelphia and Atlanta)
  5. Boston (from Portland via Atlanta, LA Clippers, Detroit, and Cleveland)
  6. Orlando
  7. Oklahoma City (from Washington via New Orleans)
  8. Sacramento (from Indiana)
  9. Charlotte (from Utah via New York)
  10. Denver (from Dallas via Oklahoma City)
  11. Charlotte (from Oklahoma City via New York and Boston)
  12. Washington (from Chicago via Los Angeles Lakers and Washington)
  13. Portland (from Atlanta)
  14. San Antonio (from Toronto)
  15. Memphis (from Minnesota)
  16. Atlanta (from New Orleans)
  17. Los Angeles Lakers
  18. LA Clippers
  19. Cleveland (from Golden State via Utah and New Orleans)
  20. Oklahoma City (from Miami via Boston, Memphis, and Dallas)
  21. Brooklyn
  22. Phoenix
  23. Minnesota (from New York via Charlotte)
  24. Sacramento
  25. Indiana (from Cleveland via Milwaukee and Detroit)
  26. Memphis

    27. — Chicago (from Denver via Cleveland; forfeited by Chicago)
    — Philadelphia (forfeited)

  27. Washington (from Boston via Charlotte)
  28. Milwaukee

Winning the #1 overall pick doesn’t assure that a franchise will be able to pick the best player in the class but it does help in knowing that a team can pick the player that they want.

Lakers takes series lead 3 – 1, behind 4th Qtr Career Game from Lonnie Walker IV

May 9, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers are in full control of the series putting the Golden State Warriors on the brink of elimination and spoiling Curry’s triple-double, this is his third career in the postseason.

It was a close game even in the closing minutes and despite a monster game from Anthony Davis and Lebron James, the LA Lakers needed a career 4th qtr game from Lonnie Walker IV, who took control of the 4th qtr. The Warriors did not have any answer to Walker’s drives and jumpers, he even made a 3-pts at one point in the 4th. Walker scored all his 15 points in the 4th quarter, he also made grabbed 3 rebs and dished 2 assists.

Anthony Davis contributed scored 23 pts, 15 rebs and 3 steals. Lebron chipped in 27 points, 9 rebs and 6 assists but was -8 in the plus/minus column. James did made 2 crucial free throws that gave the Lakers a 3 point lead with just 1 mins 19 seconds remaining in the game.

On the Golden State side, it was just Curry against the whole Lakers roster, after scoring 31 pts, 10 rebs and 14 assists, and the second leading scorer for the Warriors is Andrew Wiggins who scored 17 points but was limited to just 4 rebs and 2 for 6 from beyond the arc. Klay Thompson, the hero of game 2, is also a non-factor in the game and only scored 9 points with 5 rebs even though he played for the 41 minutes.

With this win the Lakers will just need to win 1 game in order to advance to the Conference Finals while the Warriors needs to defeat the Lakers 3 games in a row and the series in game 7.

Game 5 will be this Wednesday night at the Chase Center, San Francisco.