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Posts tagged as “NBA”

Here’s the list of Round 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft

June 28, 2025

I’m just gonna place this here, since there’s not much buzz for the second day/round of the 2025 NBA Draft, this of course for some unexpected trades like Phoenix wanting to get the 31st pick from Minnesota Timberwolves, which they use to pick Rasheer Fleming, a 6’8″ forward with a massive 7-foot-5 wingspan.

Second Round
31. Timberwolves draft Rasheer Fleming (St. Joseph’s) – Traded to Suns
32. Celtics draft Noah Penda (Le Mans Sarthe Basket) – Traded to Magic
33. Hornets draft Sion James (Duke)
34. Hornets draft Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton)
35. 76ers draft Johni Broome (Auburn)
36. Nets draft Adou Thiero (Arkansas) – Traded to Lakers (via Suns & Wolves)
37. Pistons draft Chaz Lanier (Tennessee)
38. Spurs draft Kam Jones (Marquette) – Traded to Pacers
39. Raptors draft Alijah Martin (Florida)
40. Wizards draft Micah Peavy (Georgetown) – Traded to Pelicans
41. Warriors draft Koby Brea (Kentucky) – Traded to Suns
42. Kings draft Maxime Raynaud (Stanford)
43. Wizards draft Jamir Watkins (Florida State)
44. Thunder draft Brooks Barnhizer (Northwestern)
45. Bulls draft Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane) – Traded to Wolves (via Lakers)
46. Magic draft Amari Williams (Kentucky) – Traded to Celtics
47. Bucks draft Bogoljub Marković (Mega Basket)
48. Grizzlies draft Javon Small (West Virginia)
49. Cavaliers draft Tyrese Proctor (Duke)
50. Knicks draft Kobe Sanders (Nevada) – Traded to Clippers
51. Clippers draft Mohamed Diawara (Cholet Basket) – Traded to Knicks
52. Suns draft Alex Toohey (Sydney Kings) – Traded to Warriors
53. Jazz draft John Tonje (Wisconsin)
54. Pacers draft Taelon Peter (Liberty)
55. Lakers draft Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra Hawks) – Traded to Bulls
56. Grizzlies draft Will Richard (Florida) – Traded to Warriors
57. Magic draft Max Shulga (VCU) – Traded to Celtics
58. Cavaliers draft Saliou Niang (Trento)
59. Rockets draft Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee) – Traded to Grizzlies (via Warriors & Suns)
* The 2025 second round pick for the Knicks was rescinded by the NBA.

You can check the full list of the Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft here.

Now that the 2025 NBA Draft is in the books, we can checkout the Rookies and the Sophomores in action in this year’s NBA 2K26 Summer League 2025 in Las Vegas this July 10th.

Full list of the Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg selected by Dallas at No. 1

June 26, 2025

NBA just concluded the 1st Round (day 1) of its annual draft. As expected, the Dallas Mavericks selected Duke’s Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick, he is the second youngest no. 1 pick, second only to Lebron James.

ESPN writes, “The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Flagg, who will not turn 19 until Dec. 21, arrived at Duke with immense expectations and lived up to the hype. He was a consensus All-American and won multiple national player of the year honors, including the Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, averaging 19.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals while leading the Blue Devils to a 35-4 record and a Final Four appearance.”

Here’s the full list of Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft;
First Round
1. Mavericks draft Cooper Flagg (Duke)
2. Spurs draft Dylan Harper (Rutgers)
3. 76ers draft VJ Edgecombe (Baylor)
4. Hornets draft Kon Knueppel (Duke)
5. Jazz draft Ace Bailey (Rutgers)
6. Wizards draft Tre Johnson (Texas)
7. Pelicans draft Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)
8. Nets draft Egor Demin (BYU)
9. Raptors draft Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina)
10. Rockets draft Khaman Maluach (Duke) – Traded to Suns
11. Trail Blazers draft Cedric Coward (Washington State) – Traded to Grizzlies
12. Bulls draft Noa Essengue (Ratiopharm Ulm)
13. Hawks draft Derik Queen (Maryland) – Traded to Pelicans
14. Spurs draft Carter Bryant (Arizona)
15. Thunder draft Thomas Sorber (Georgetown)
16. Grizzlies draft Yang Hansen (Qingdao) – Traded to Trail Blazers
17. Timberwolves draft Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija)
18. Wizards draft Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) – Traded to Jazz
19. Nets draft Nolan Traoré (Saint-Quentin BB)
20. Heat draft Kasparas Jakučionis (Illinois)
21. Jazz draft Will Riley (Illinois) – Traded to Wizards
22. Hawks draft Drake Powell (North Carolina) – Traded to Nets
23. Pelicans draft Asa Newell (Georgia) – Traded to Hawks
24. Thunder draft Nique Clifford (Colorado State) – Traded to Kings
25. Magic draft Jase Richardson (Michigan State)
26. Nets draft Ben Saraf (Ratiopharm Ulm)
27. Nets draft Danny Wolf (Michigan)
28. Celtics draft Hugo González (Real Madrid)
29. Suns draft Liam McNeeley (Connecticut) – Traded to Hornets
30. Clippers draft Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State)

Round 2 will be this Thursday, June 26 (8 ET) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2025 NBA Champions

June 24, 2025

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated an undermanned Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. Pacers are without their star Tyrese Haliburton who suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in the opening quarter of Game 7.

Even though the Pacers kept the game close in the first three quarters, it was apparent that the absence of Haliburton affected the team. In the final period of the game the Pacers were unable to score for four and a half minutes, by the time they made their first basket, OKC was already enjoying a 20-point lead with 7:29 remaining in the game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead the team with 29 points, 5 rebounds and 12 assists, he’s also took home the Bill Russell trophy for winning the Finals MVP. Aside from winning both the Regular Season and Finals MVP awards, Shai is also this year’s Scoring Champion with 32.7 ppg. Before this season, the feat of winning the Regular Season MVP, Finals MVP, and scoring title in one season had only been achieved by four players in NBA history: Jordan (four times), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971, and Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.

Shai got a lot of help from Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren who scored 20 points and 18 points, respectively. Five OKC players scored double digits points the includes Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace who scored 10 points, apiece.

Breaking: Kevin Durant traded to Houston Rockets

June 23, 2025

NBA Superstar Kevin Durant has been traded to the Houston Rockets. The blockbuster trade will send guard Jalen Green, guard-forward Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 Draft and five future second-round picks to Phoenix.

Rockets get:

  • Kevin Durant

Suns get:

  • Jalen Green
  • Dillon Brooks
  • 2025 first-round pick (No. 10)
  • Five future second-round picks

Source: NBA

Pacers Blow Out Thunder to Force winner takes all Game 7

June 20, 2025

The Indiana Pacers routed the OKC Thunder to force a Game 7 in the 2025 NBA Finals. The Pacers had a slow start, being down 2–10, but then went on a 26–15 run to close the 1st quarter with a 28–25 lead. In the second quarter, the Pacers tightened their defense by limiting the Thunder to just 17 points while scoring 36. The quarter was punctuated by a Haliburton steal and a no-look pass to Siakam, who posterized Jalen Williams with a jam.

It was a total team effort for the Pacers, with six players scoring in double figures. Tyrese Haliburton, who was playing with a strained calf aggravated in Game 5, had 14 points and 5 assists. Obi Toppin scored a team-high 20 points, with 4-of-7 from the 3-point line off the bench. Despite having the tough assignment of guarding league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he was able to score 17 points and 4 assists. Pascal Siakam added 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The second half was no different from the first. The Pacers again limited OKC to just 18 points in the 3rd period while building a 30-point lead entering the 4th quarter. By the start of the 4th, OKC Head Coach Mark Daigneault took out most of his starting lineup. Even though they managed to score 31 points in the final period and limited the Pacers to just 18 points, the lead was too much for OKC to overcome.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with a modest 21 points, followed by Jalen Williams with 16 points, after scoring 40 points in Game 5.

Game Highlights

This will be the first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016, and it will be in Oklahoma City this Sunday. History will be on OKC’s side, as home teams are 15-4 in Finals Game 7s, but the last team to win a Game 7 was the visiting team.

Oklahoma City Thunder win Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals (120 – 109)

June 17, 2025

The OKC Thunder are one win away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy, as they easily defeated an undermanned Indiana Pacers (120-109). OKC built a comfortable 18-point lead in the first half (56-38), but the Pacers slowly chipped away at the lead to trail by just two points (95-93) with 8:30 left in the game. However, the Pacers were not able to take the lead, as the Thunder went on a 25-16 run.

Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 10 assists. OKC also got a lot of help from their bench players, with Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace adding 14 points and 11 points, respectively.

Tyrese Haliburton, who was playing with an ankle injury that he aggravated in the first quarter, was limited throughout the game. He failed to make a single field goal the whole game, with all of his 4 points coming from the free-throw line. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, while T.J. McConnell added 18 points and Aaron Nesmith had 14.

Game 6 will be in Indiana, and the Pacers will have one more chance to extend this to Game 7 and prevent OKC from celebrating on their home court.

Pacers takes Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals to take 2 – 1 lead (116 – 107)

June 13, 2025

The Pacers are two games away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien in Indiana. They defeated the OKC Thunder with big contributions from the bench players, particularly Bennedict Mathurin and T.J. McConnell.

Mathurin led the Pacers with 27 points, followed by Tyrese Haliburton, who was one rebound away from a triple-double with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists. Pascal Siakam added 21 points and 6 rebounds. But it was McConnell’s presence on the defensive end that made the difference; he scored 10 points and added 5 steals, an NBA Finals record.

It was a very close game, where the biggest lead by either team was just 9 points. But in the 4th quarter, the Indiana Pacers tightened their defense and limited Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to just 3 field goal attempts and OKC as a team to just 18 points against the 32 points by the Pacers.

Except for Cason Wallace, every OKC starter had double-digit points, led by Jalen Williams with 26 points and 6 rebounds, while the league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, scored 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Chet Holmgren added 20 points and 10 rebounds. But that same OKC team was limited by the Pacers’ defense to just 7 points in the last 5 minutes of the game.

Game 4 will still be at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, where OKC will try to even the series and prevent the Pacers from going up 3-1 in the NBA Finals.

New York Knicks Partways with Head Coach Tom Thibodeau

June 4, 2025

After concluding their best and deepest playoff run, the NY Knick fired their head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday. Their reasoning for this decision?

“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” said Knicks President Leon Rose. “We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

In an article on ESPN, Coach Tom Thibodeau has “a .579 career winning percentage, the highest by any coach without a Finals appearance in NBA history (minimum 300 games coached).”

Pascal Siakam bags the 2025 Eastern Conference Most Valuable Player

June 1, 2025

In the series, Siakam is averaging 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists with 1.3 steals and 2.5 blocks in the Eastern Conference Finals. His experience with the Raptors when they won the NBA Championship will be a big factor against a very young and talented OKC Thunder.

Indiana Pacers move on to the 2025 NBA Finals

June 1, 2025

The Indiana Pacers will advance to the NBA Finals as they defeat the NY Knicks to bag the 2025 Eastern Conference Champions. It was a close first half of the game, where the largest lead was just 6 points (33-39) by the Indiana Pacers.

Pascal Siakam, who was named 2025 Eastern Conference MVP, carried the scoring load for the Pacers in the first half, scoring a team-high 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists with a steal and 3 blocks. Tyrese Haliburton, who had just scored 7 points in the first half, added 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 13 assists. He also made 3 steals and a block.

As great as Siakam and Haliburton were, it was a total team effort for the Pacers. Seven Pacers scored in double digits, including seldom-used Thomas Bryant, who scored 11 points in just 13 minutes of playing time.

This will be the Pacers’ first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years. The last time they won the Eastern Conference Finals was in 2000, where they also defeated the NY Knicks in 6 games.

The Indiana Pacers will face the waiting OKC Thunder, with the league MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals will be this Thursday.

Oklahoma City Thunder routs Minnesota Timberwolves to advance to the 2025 NBA Finals (124 – 94)

May 29, 2025

The Oklahoma City Thunder will advance to the 2025 NBA Finals waiting for the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Pacers. The OKC took control of the game early and ended it in the first half where the Thunder build a 33-point lead at the half. The last time OKC went to the NBA Finals was in the 2011–12 season, with a young Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

Recently crowned league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead OKC with 34 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists in just 34 mins of playtime. Chet Holmgren added 22 points, 7 rebounds with 3 blocks. Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort added 19 points and 12 points, respectively. OKC need 4 more win to take home the Larry O’Brien trophy. The last time OKC went to the NBA Finals was in the 2011–12 season, with a young Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

Here are your 2024-25 All-NBA Team

May 25, 2025

NBA just announced the 1st, 2nd and 3rd All-NBA Team for 2024 – 2025 season.

All-NBA First Team

  • Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić
  • Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell
  • Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum

All-NBA Second Team

  • New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson
  • Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry
  • Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards
  • Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
  • Cavaliers forward-center Evan Mobley

All-NBA Third Team

  • Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham
  • Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton
  • LA Clippers guard James Harden
  • Knicks center-forward Karl-Anthony Towns
  • Thunder guard-forward Jalen Williams

The 2024-25 All-NBA Team voting results are below. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

ICYMI: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player

May 25, 2025

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander basically bagged the MVP award when OKC defeated the Nuggets in the semis of the Western Conference Playoff.

From NBA.Com;

A seven-year veteran, Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA scoring title for the first time. He became the first player to lead the league in games with at least 20 points (75), 30 points (49), 40 points (13) and 50 points (four) in a season since James Harden in 2018-19.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s only regular-season game with fewer than 20 points was an 18-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 30, 2024. He scored at least 20 points in each of his final 72 games, the longest streak at any point in a single season since 1963-64 (when Wilt Chamberlain recorded an 80-game streak and Oscar Robertson had a 76-game streak).

The 6-foot-6 Gilgeous-Alexander shot 51.9% from the field, a career-high 37.5% from three-point range and 89.8% from the free throw line (sixth in the NBA). He made an NBA-leading 601 free throws and a personal-best 163 three-pointers, 68 more threes than his previous career high of 95, set last season.

Gilgeous-Alexander joined Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 32.0 points and 6.0 assists per game and shoot 50.0% or better from the field in a season. Jordan accomplished the feat twice, in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons.

OKC are currently 2-1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and are the favorites to come out of the West and to win the Larry O’Brien this year. You can view the complete voting results here.

Pacers shock Knicks in a 4th-quarter comeback to win Game 1 of the East Conference Finals (138-135)

May 22, 2025

If Boston had a choke job against the New York, then this time it was the NY Knick who had a choke job against the Indiana Pacers. The New York Knicks who are playing in their home floor and was leading by 17-points (111 – 94) with just 6:26 mins remaining in regulation then the Pacers went on a 31 to 14 run to tie the game at 125 to extend the game to over time.

Aaron Nesmith led the Pacers’ run in the 4th quarter, making 6 consecutive three-pointers and scoring 30 points, while Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists. Haliburton made a game-tying 23-foot step-back jump shot to beat the game clock and extend the game for another 5 minutes.

Jalen Brunson lead the Knicks with 43 points and 5 assists but committed 7 turn over, Karl-Anthony Towns added 35 points and 12 rebounds but missed two free-throw that could have given the Knicks a 5 point lead with 14.1 secs remaining in regulation.

Both team will be back at MSG this Saturday, May 24, 2025, for Game 2 of the East Conference Finals.

Pacers eliminate Cavs to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals (114 – 105)

May 15, 2025

The Indiana Pacers have once again showed us that they’re one of the top franchise in the Eastern Conference, by eliminating the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers with a final score of 114-105 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semi-final series. This will be the second consecutive year the Pacers have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, a feat they haven’t achieved in more than a decade.

Despite a strong start from the Cavaliers, the Pacers rallied from a 19-point deficit in the second quarter, took control in the third, and built a 12-point lead after halftime. Notably, the Pacers won all three games at Cleveland’s homecourt in the series.

Tyrese Haliburton led the charge for Indiana with 31 points, including five crucial three-pointers in the second quarter that sparked the Pacers’ comeback. Haliburton also grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 8 assists. Pascal Siakam contrrbuted a solid 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

Donovan Mitchell, playing through left ankle injury, led the Cavaliers with a game-high 35 points and 9 rebounds, while Evan Mobley added 24 points and 11 rebounds. However, the Cavaliers struggled with their shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, converting only 9 of their 35 three-point attempts. The Pacers’ defense tightened in the 3rd quater, limiting the Cavaliers’ to just 20 points against the Pacers’ 33 points.

The Pacers now await the winner of the other Eastern Conference semi-final matchup between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks.

Here’s the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery Results

May 14, 2025

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery took place on Monday, May 12, 2025, and determined the draft order for the first 14 picks of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Here are the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery Results:
1. Dallas
2. San Antonio
3. Philadelphia
4. Charlotte
5. Utah
6. Washington
7. New Orleans
8. Brooklyn
9. Toronto
10. Houston
11. Portland
12. Chicago
13. Atlanta
14. San Antonio

The Mavs is expected to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg, who is also present at the NBA Draft Lottery.

If you want to know the full order, 1 – 59, of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery Results you can go here.

Timberwolves routs Warriors to even series (117 – 93)

May 10, 2025

After an embarrassing Game 1, the Timberwolves delivered a commanding performance, securing a decisive 117-93 victory over the Warriors. It was the opposite of Game 1, where the Wolves started out strong and ended the first quarter with a 14-point lead.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards went down with an ankle injury scare in the second quarter. However, much to the relief of Minnesota fans, Edwards returned after halftime and showed no signs of discomfort, finishing the game with a solid 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with an impressive 24 points and 11 assists, and grabbed 7 rebounds. The Timberwolves displayed a balanced offensive effort and a stifling defense that limited the Warriors.

Without Curry, the Warriors were searching for a way to generate points. Seldom-used Jonathan Kuminga led Golden State with 18 points off the bench. Jimmy Butler was a non-factor in the game even with his 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Warriors also used all 14 available players in the first half, a sign that Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr was looking for ways to offset the absence of their leading scorer.

Adding to the drama, Draymond Green received his fifth technical foul of the playoffs, putting him in danger of a suspension if he gets two more. Despite a brief moment in the third quarter when the Warriors cut the lead to seven, the Timberwolves responded by going on an 11-0 run to regain control and put the game away for good.

With the series now tied 1-1, the series will head to San Francisco for Game 3 on Saturday. The Timberwolves will try to regain their home-court advantage, while the Warriors will need to find solutions to compensate for Curry’s absence as the series continues.

Knicks Stun Celtics Again with 20-Point Comeback, Go Up 2-0 in the Series

May 8, 2025

The Knicks once again managed to stun the Celtics with another win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, erasing a 20-point deficit to secure a 91-90 victory at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

The Celtics controlled the first three quarters of the game. Entering the fourth quarter, Boston enjoyed a 14-point lead. In the first five minutes and thirty seconds of the fourth, both teams were just exchanging baskets until the 8:27 mark, when the Knicks went on a 21-6 run, shocking both the Boston team and the home crowd.

The Knicks’ fourth-quarter charge was led by Jalen Brunson, who scored 17 points, including 7 in the fourth quarter, and had 7 assists. Josh Hart scored a team-high 23 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns had another all-around game with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Mikal Bridges made an impact on both sides of the floor, scoring 14 points and dishing out 5 assists. On the defensive end, he grabbed 7 rebounds and 3 steals, including a crucial steal from Jayson Tatum that sealed the game for the Knicks.

As good as the Celtics were from the three-point line in the first round, Boston went cold from beyond the arc, making only 10 of their 40 three-point attempts. They only made 2 three-pointers in the fourth quarter and scored just 4 points in the last 5:05 of the game, while the Knicks scored 10 points in the same period. Overall, the Knicks limited the Celtics to just 17 points while scoring 30 points in the final period.

Boston’s leading scorers in the game were Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, each scoring 20 points. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum only managed to score 13 points, with his last 4 points being the final ones for Boston.

Here’s the final 6:35 of Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The series (Games 3 and 4) will now switch to MSG, with the New York Knicks holding a 2-0 lead.

Warriors steals Game 1 from Timberwolves while on the road (99 – 88)

May 7, 2025

The Golden State Warriors drew first blood in their playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, securing a hard-fought 99-88 victory on the Timberwolves’ home court in Game 1. However, the victory was overshadowed by an injury to their superstar guard, Stephen Curry.  

Curry went down with a left hamstring strain early in the second quarter and did not return to the game. Before his exit, Curry had scored 13 points in 13 minutes, looking sharp and setting the tone for the Warriors’ offense. The incident occurred after he hit a floater, following which he was seen grabbing at the back of his left leg. He immediately signaled to the bench and headed to the locker room.  

Despite losing their “best player”, the Warriors rallied and displayed their championship pedigree. After a close game in the 1st quarter, they managed build a 13 points lead to end the first half. Thanks to the hot shooting of Draymond Green, Buddy Hield and hustle plays of Jimmy Butler, the Warriors are able to create a 20-point separation to end the 3rd qtr.

Draymond Green had a strong all-around game with 18 points (including four three-pointers), 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Buddy Hield led the Warriors in scoring with 24 points and also pulled down 8 rebounds. Jimmy Butler was close to a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr provided an update after the game, stating that Curry is considered day-to-day with the hamstring strain and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury. However, Kerr also indicated that the team is “definitely game-planning for him to not be available on Thursday” for Game 2, acknowledging that it’s “hard to imagine that he would play Thursday” with a hamstring issue.  

The Warriors’ ability to secure this road win despite Curry’s injury provides them with a significant advantage as the series progresses. It buys them some time and reduces the pressure to rush Curry back onto the court before he is fully healthy. However, the extent of Curry’s injury and the potential duration of his absence will be a major topic as the Western Conference semifinals continue.  

For the Timberwolves, dropping Game 1 at home while the Warriors missing the services of Curry is a missed opportunity. It will be a hard Game 2, even though there’s a chance that Curry will be sidelined for a game or two.

Timberwolves will need to make significant adjustments and find ways to generate more consistent offense, especially after a slow start where they missed all 15 of their first-half three-point attempts. Anthony Edwards, though late in the game, eventually found his rhythm in the second half, finishing with 23 points, but the team’s shooting slumped cost them the game.

Naz Reid had 19 points and Julius Randle added 16 points for the Wolves, who finished 5 for 29 from behind the arc and trailed by 23 points late in the third. While Rudy Gobert, the hero of Game 4 against the Lakers, just scored 9 points and 11 rebounds.

Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday in Minnesota, and all eyes will be on the Warriors as fans awaits the update regarding Stephen Curry’s status and how both teams adapt their strategies accordingly.

Gregg Popovich steps down as San Antonio Spurs Head Coach

May 4, 2025

San Antonio Spurs just announced that Gregg Popovich will be stepping down as the head coach for the team and will transition to team president. The announcement ends Popovich’s three-decade run with the Spurs that “saw him lead the team to five NBA championships, become the league’s all-time wins leader and earn induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.”

According to the NBA official website:

Popovich’s career ends with a record of 1,422-869, which does include the 77 games — 32 wins and 45 losses — that were coached by Johnson this season. He also won 170 playoff games with the Spurs, the most by any coach with any one team and the third-most overall behind only Phil Jackson’s 229 and Pat Riley’s 171.

“The best there ever was,” Spurs great Manu Ginobili said last year of Popovich.

Popovich was a three-time NBA Coach of the Year, led the U.S. to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and coached six Hall of Famers in San Antonio — Ginobili, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Dominique Wilkins and Pau Gasol. He went up against 170 different coaches during his time in the NBA and there have been 303 coaching changes made in the league, including interim moves, during the Popovich era.

Popovich, 76, missed all but five games this season after suffering a stroke at the team’s arena on November 2nd. He hasn’t been seen publicly since, although he expressed hope of returning to coaching before the season’s end

Mitch Johnson will now be the Spurs Head Coach permanently, as he was the acting head coach of the team during Gregg Popovich’s absence.

Denver Nuggets routs LA Clippers to advance to the semis of the 2025 NBA Playoffs (120 – 101)

May 4, 2025

Just barely a month after firing their head coach, Mike Malone and “essentially” letting go of their GM, Calvin Booth, the Denver Nuggets are advancing to the semis of the 2025 NBA Playoffs (120 – 101) and will face the OKC Thunders, who swept their series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Nuggets defeated a healthy Clippers that includes a resurging Kawhi Leonard, a conditioned James Harden and improved Ivica Zubac. In their last outing, Leonard scored a team high 22 points and 5 rebounds, Harden only scored 7 points with 5 rebounds and 13 assists, but both player did not impact the game as people are expecting from the two superstars.

It was a close game until the last 3 minutes, where the Nuggets was able to build an 11-point lead to end the first half (47 – 58). In the 3rd, the Nuggets went on a 17 to nothing run, to create a 25 point lead with 7:30 still remaining in the quarter and basically ran away with the game.

Aaron Gordon lead Denver with 22 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, followed by Christian Braun, who added 22 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Aside from his production, Braun also provided the much needed defence against Harden. Denver’s best player Nikola Jokic was flirting with a triple-double game with his scored 16 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists, and basically sat-put the whole 4th quarter.

In the post game interview, “In playoffs we know that everybody needs to step up, offensively, defensively, whatever, energy-wise. And everybody who plays needs to contribute something,” Jokic giving Braun his flowers, “It was special today the guys did that.”

Denver will be facing a well rested OKC Thunder, this Tuesday, May 6th at the Paycom Center, OKC.

San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year

April 30, 2025

Castle beat Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher and Memphis’s Jaylen Wells by a huge margin.

Stephon Castle is the 4th overall pick of the San Antonio, last year Spur’s Victor Wembanyama took home the ROY award.

Here’s the official announcement by for this year’s Rookie of the Year Award.

You can also read NBA’s official statement here.

Warriors push the Rockets to the brink of elimination in a thrilling Game 4 (109 – 106)

April 29, 2025

The Chase Center was raucous as the Golden State Warriors narrowly defeated the Houston Rockets 109-106 in a thrilling Game 4 of the NBA playoffs’ opening round, pushing Houston to the brink of elimination.

It was a close game where the biggest lead was just 12 points in the first quarter by the Warriors, but this lead was immediately erased by the Rockets in the second quarter. Houston even managed to build a 7-point lead before the end of the first half.

The Warriors were forced to sit Draymond Green in the first half due to foul trouble, but he was pivotal on the defensive end, including the last play against Sengun with 6 seconds remaining. Green finished with 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists, but his presence was more impactful than the numbers on the stat sheet suggest.

After a slow start, Steph Curry primarily played as a decoy for the majority of the game and added 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Jimmy Butler, back from his hip injury sustained in Game 2, led the Warriors with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. He scored 14 of his 27 points in the final frame, including the Warriors’ last 7 points.

Brandin Podziemski made a significant contribution for the Warriors, scoring 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. He was also a major presence on the defensive end down the stretch, blocking Fred VanVleet’s floater with 2 minutes remaining that could have given the Rockets the lead.

Houston’s leading scorer was Alperen Sengun with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Fred VanVleet followed up his Game 2 performance with 25 points and 6 assists. Jalen Green was a non-factor, continuing a trend from Game 3, with just 8 points, 3 rebounds, and one assist. This is a stark contrast to Game 2, where Green was the Rockets’ leading scorer with 38 points and 6 assists.

The Rockets will look to extend the series as they head back home, while the Warriors will try to close it out on Wednesday, April 30th.

Warriors steal Game 1 in Houston, Curry and Butler Combine for 56 Points (95 – 85)

April 21, 2025

The Golden State Warriors drew first blood in their Western Conference Playoffs series against the Houston Rockets, securing a hard-fought 95-85 victory in Game 1 at the Toyota Center on Sunday night. Led by stellar performances from Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III, the seventh-seeded Warriors upset the second-seeded Rockets, seizing crucial home-court advantage in the process.

Curry, who uncharacteristically struggled in a recent regular-season loss to Houston, was back to his dazzling best. He poured in a game-high 31 points on an efficient 12-of-19 shooting, including five three-pointers, while also grabbing six rebounds. Butler, in his playoff debut for the Warriors after a mid-season trade, provided invaluable support with 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Brandin Podziemski made big plays down the line and was the 3rd leading scorer for the Warriors with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.

The Warriors built a commanding 23-point lead in the third quarter, and appears to be running away with the game. However, the young and resilient Rockets fought their way back, lead by Alperen Sengun, who led Houston with 26 points and nine rebounds. A floater by Amen Thompson cut the Warriors’ lead to a mere three points (76-73) with just 6:33 remaining in the game.

But just when the Toyota Center crowd sensed a potential comeback, Curry responded with a timely three-pointer, to extending the Warriors’ lead back to 82-75. Clutch plays from Curry, Butler and Podziemski in the closing minutes kept the Rockets at bay.

This victory marks the 100th career playoff win for Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who now ties Larry Brown for sixth-most playoff wins in league history.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be this Wednesday night in Houston. The Houston Rockets will try to even the series before going to Golden State, while the Warriors will aim to take a commanding 2-0 lead before going back home.

Mavs routs Kings behind hot shooting from Klay Thompson (120 – 106)

April 17, 2025

Kings are the favorite to win this contest but 4-time champs Klay Thompson had other things in mind, as he helped the Mavs advance to the play-in tournament earning a shot at the 8th spot of the West Playoffs. They will face Memphis Grizzlies Friday night.

It was a hot shooting night for Thompson, shooting 8-of-11 from the field, making 5 three-points in seven shots. Klay Thompson scored 23 points and 5 rebounds, while Anthony Davis lead the team with 27 points and 9 rebounds. Even without Kyrie Irving, Dallas got a lot of help from the team with P.J. Washington and Brandon Williams scoring 17 points, apiece, while Dante Exum added 11 points and 6 assists.

Kings kept the game close in the 1st quarter but in the Mavs broke the game open in the 2nd quarter with Klay leading the way. DeMar DeRozan lead the Kings with 33 points and 7 rebounds, followed by Zach LaVine with 20 points and 9 assists. Domantas Sabonis had another double-double game with 11 points and 13 rebounds, with 5 assists and 2 blocks.

The Dallas Mavericks will go to Memphis Friday night to secure the 8th seed in the 1st Round of the West Playoffs and face the OKC Thunders.

Warriors out hustles the Grizzlies to secure the 7th Seed in the West Playoffs (121 – 116)

April 16, 2025

The Golden State Warriors have secured the 7th seed in the Western Conference Playoffs with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies (121-116). Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry led the Warriors with a combined score of 75 points. Stephen Curry scored 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Jimmy Butler added 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Beyond the stat sheet, Butler brought grit and hustle to the game, an aspect the Warriors were missing before they traded for him.

The Warriors were able to build a 20-point lead early in the game and appeared to be on their way to an easy win, but the Grizzlies managed to cut the lead to just 3 points by the end of the 3rd quarter, even taking a 1-point lead at the start of the 4th quarter.

Curry managed to make two consecutive three-pointers with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game. Even after a couple of turnovers by the Warriors, the Grizzlies were unable to capitalize and take the lead with less than 3 minutes to play.

The Warriors took over the game after Curry made all four of his final free throws, giving Golden State a 5-point lead to end the game.

Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 30 points, shooting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Ja Morant, who twisted his ankle early in the game, added 22 points, and Jaren Jackson Jr. also added 18 points and 6 rebounds.

The Golden State Warriors will not get their much-needed rest and will face the Houston Rockets in the 1st Round of the Western Conference Playoffs this Sunday, April 20th. The Grizzlies will have another chance to advance to the playoffs by playing against the winner between the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings.

NBA Play-in Tournament now Set

April 14, 2025

Now that the regular season is over, we now have the complete picture for this year’s NBA Play-in Tournament.

EAST

  • Game 1 – Orlando Magic (7) versus Atlanta Hawks (8)
  • Game 2 – Chicago Bulls (9) versus Miami Heat (10)

The winner in Game 1 will be the 7th seed and will face the Boston Celtics. The losing team will face the winner of Game 2 to play for the 8th seed and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1st round of the Playoffs.

WEST

  • Game 1 – Golden State Warriors (7) versus Memphis Grizzlies (8)
  • Game 2 – Sacramento Kings (9) versus Dallas Mavericks (10)

The winner in Game 1 will be the 7th seed and will face the Houston Rockets, while the losing team will face the winner of Game 2 to play for the 8th seed and will face the Oklahoma Thunders in the 1st round of the Playoffs.

The NBA Play-in tournament starts this Wednesday, April 16th.

Clippers win over Warriors to secured the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs (124 – 119)

April 14, 2025

It was playoff basketball between two teams who are trying to stay out of the Play-in tournament. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard lead the Clippers to secure the win and locked-in for the fifth seed in the Western Conference, facing the Denver Nuggets in the first round of Western Conference playoffs.

Harden and Leonard each scored 39 points and 33 points, respectively. Ivica Zubac added 22 points and 17 rebounds. The game went down to over time after Ivica Zubac made an alley oop from a Kris Dunn assists. In OT, it was all James Harden and Kawhi Leonard scoring a total of 13 points, a consecutive three-points and a drive by Harden, Kawhi split his free throw with just 6 seconds in OT and Harden cap the game by making both of his free throws.

The Warriors still have a chance to tie the game but Buddy Hield misses the 27-foot three point jumper. They will play the Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-in tournament for the 7th seed this Tuesday night. A lost will mean that the Warriors will play the winner between Kings and the Mavericks for the 8th seed on Friday night.