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Posts tagged as “NBA”

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.

Complete picture of the 2nd Round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs

May 1, 2023

Now that the Warriors will advance to the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs we now have a complete pictures of the 2nd Round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. A number of games have already been played and here’s a roundup as of this date.

Western Conference

  • Los Angeles Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers dispatched the Grizzlies in 6 games and have been waiting for winner of the the Warriors-Kings series.
  • Denver Nuggets versus the Phoenix Suns. Nuggets already won game 1 in a convincing win against the Suns. It was Jamal Murray who carried the load for the Nuggets scoring 34 pts and 9 assists. MVP candidate Nikola Jovic contributed 24 points, 19 rebs and 5 assists.

    Game 2 will on Monday, at the Ball Arena, in Denver.

Eastern Conference

  • Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers. Game 1 will this Tuesday at the TD Garden. Joel Embiid is doubtful for game 1 against the Celtics 76ers.
  • Miami Heat versus New York Knicks. Miami Heat already took game 1 even though Jimmy Butler is nursing an ankle injury. Jimmy Butler lead the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

    Game 2 will be this Tuesday, at the Madison Square Garden, New York.

Golden State Warriors wins epic Game 7 against Sacramento Kings (120 – 100)

May 1, 2023

It was a game for the record books, as Golden State Warriors routs the Sacramento Kings in the Game 7 of the 1st round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

It was a close game early in the 3rd quarter until Steph Curry single-handedly carry the Warriors’ offensive load. Curry score a team-high of 50 points on a 52.6% shooting, this is the most scored in a Game 7 in NBA history. Steph is the first player in Warriors history to score 40-plus points in a Game 7. Curry also dished-out 6 assists and 8 rebounds.

Aside from Curry, Kevon Looney continued to be a force on boards as he grabbed a total 21 rebounds, 11 on the offensive end, with his 11 points and 4 assists. Looney’s rebounding helped the Warriors control the pace of the game.

Steph and the Warriors will now face the Lebron and Lakers in the 2nd round, Lakers dispatched the Grizzlies in just 6 games. Game 1 of the 2nd round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs will this Tuesday at San Francisco’s Chase Center.

Game Highlights

Lakers routs Grizzlies, advances to the 2nd round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs (125 – 85)

April 30, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers will advance to the 2nd round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs after dismantling a resilient Memphis Grizzlies. It was a block party for the Lakers with a team total of 15 blocks against Grizzlies’ 2 blocks.

Lakers leading scorer for the game is D’Angelo Russell scored a career playoff-high 31 points with five 3-pts made. LeBron James made 22 points and 6 assists, while Anthony Davis chipped in 16 points, 14 rebs with 5 blocks.

As for the Grizzlies, their top scorer for the game is the seldom used Santi Aldama scoring 16 points with two 3-points made. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane scored a combined 25 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. had 14 on a 25% shooting.

Lakers will face in the 2nd round of the 2023 NBA Playoff the winner of the Game 7 between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.


Celtics defeats Hawks moves on to the 2nd Round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs

April 28, 2023

The 1st round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs ended with a convincing victory for the Boston Celtics over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6.

The Celtics dominated the 2nd of the game after a close 1st half, leading by as much as 8 points with a little more than 2-mins in the game. The Hawks are lead by Trae Young who had 30 points and 10 assists but missed 12 of 13 shots over the final two quarters.

Dejounte Murray returned to the Hawks lineup after receiving a one-game suspension for bumping an official at the end of Atlanta’s Game 4 loss, only scored 14 pts, 11 assists and 7 rebs but was a -13 in the plus/minus column.

The Hawks tried to mount a comeback to force a game 7, but the Celtics were prepared to take on any run by Hawks.

Former-Hawks Horford hit a huge 3-pointer to keep the Atlanta at bay. Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum led the Celtics, contributing 32 and 30 points, respectively. Al Horford chipped 10 points, 12 rebounds two steals and three blocks.

The Celtics won 128 – 120 and advanced to the second round, where they will face the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers this Monday night at the TD Garden.

Atlanta Hawks upsets Miami Heat to secure East 7th seed

April 12, 2023

The Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks faced off in a thrilling play-in game on Tuesday night, with a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs on the line. The Hawks, led by their new coach Quin Snyder, who took over the team last February, showed their resilience and determination as they defeated the Miami Heat to secure a 116-105 victory.

The Heat, who were the defending conference champions, struggled to contain the Hawks’ dynamic duo of Trae Young and Clint Capela. Young, who averaged 26.2 points and 10.2 assists per game in the regular season, scored 25 points and dished out 7 assists in the win. Capela, who is top 7 in rebounding with 11.0 per game, dominated the paint with 21 rebounds, two blocks and 4 points.

The Hawks also got contributions from their supporting cast, as Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 14 points, John Collins added 10 points and four rebounds, and Dejounte Murray chipped in with 18 points, 6 assists and five rebounds. The Hawks shot 46% from the field and 24.4% from three-point range, while holding the Heat to 42.9% and 32.4%, respectively.

The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler, who had 21 points, four rebounds and 9 assists. Bam Adebayo contributed with 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Tyler Herro scored 26 points and two steals. The Heat were missing Victor Oladipo, who only played for just 9 mins and made just one assist.

The Hawks will now face the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, starting on Saturday. The Heat will face the loser between the Toronto and Chicago game this Thursday.

Lakers beats Timberwolves (102 – 108) in OT to take West 7th Seed

April 12, 2023

Lakers survives Timberwolves in a thrilling Play-in tournament that went overtime. The win will give the Lakers the 7th seed in the Western conference. To keep their hopes alive to be the NBA Champions, LA Lakers will face the Memphis Grizzlies, who are the 2nd seed in the West in the 1st round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

Min. Timberwolves are without Rudy Gobert who was suspended for punching teammate Kyle Anderson during Minnesota’s regular-season finale against the NO Pelicans, while Jaden McDaniels is out indefinitely with a broken hand after punching a wall during the same gamae against the Pelicans.

On the Lakers win at NBA.Com – LAKERS OUTLAST WOLVES 108-102 IN OT, ADVANCE TO FACE MEMPHIS.

2023 NBA Playoffs and Play-In Schedule

April 11, 2023

Now that all the seeding are complete, we now have a clear view on what the 2023 NBA Playoffs and Play-In will be. Unlike the Eastern Conference, we did not get the final picture of the Western conference until the very last game is done.

Below is the full schedule of this year’s 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament;
Tuesday, April 11

  • Game 1 — Atlanta @ Miami | 7:30 ET (TNT)
  • Game 2 — Minnesota @ LA Lakers | 10 ET (TNT)

Wednesday, April 12

  • Game 3 — Chicago @ Toronto | 7 ET (ESPN)
  • Game 4 — Oklahoma City @ New Orleans | 9:30 ET (ESPN)

Friday, April 14

  • Game 5 — Winner of Game 3 @ Loser of Game 1 (TNT)
  • Game 6 — Winner of Game 4 @ Loser of Game 2 (ESPN)

The winner for Game 1 will be the East 7th Seed and will face Boston Celtics, at the same time, the winner of Game 2 will be West 7th seed and will play against the Memphis Grizzlies. Winner of Game 3 and Game 4 will still need to win against the loser of Game 1 and Game 2, this will decide who will be the 8th seed for East and West, respectively, the East 8th seed will face Milwaukee Bucks, while the West 8th seed with be against the Denver Nuggets.

As for the actual 2023 NBA Playoffs, below is the First Round Schedule for Game 1s

Saturday, April 15

  • Brooklyn @ Philadelphia | 1 ET (ESPN)
  • East #7 @ Boston | 3:30 ET (ESPN)
  • New York @ Cleveland | 6 ET (ESPN)
  • Golden State @ Sacramento | 8:30 (ABC)

Sunday, April 16

  • East #8 @ Milwaukee | TBD
  • West # 8 @ Denver | TBD
  • West #7 @ Memphis | TBD
  • LA Clippers @ Phoenix | TBD

Here are the key dates for the 2023 NBA Playoffs;

  • April 11-14: AT&T Play-In Tournament
  • April 15: NBA playoffs begin
  • May 1-2: NBA Conference Semifinals begin (possible move-up to April 29-30)
  • May 16-17: NBA Conference Finals begin (possible move-up to May 14-15)

2023 NBA Finals

  • June 1: NBA Finals 2023 Game 1
  • June 4: NBA Finals 2023 Game 2
  • June 7: NBA Finals 2023 Game 3
  • June 9: NBA Finals 2023 Game 4
  • June 12: NBA Finals 2023 Game 5 (if necessary)
  • June 15: NBA Finals 2023 Game 6 (if necessary)
  • June 18: NBA Finals 2023 Game 7 (if necessary)

Source: NBA 1, 2

Golden State Warriors beat OKC Thunder 136-125 behind Curry’s 34 points

April 5, 2023

After a slow start, Steph Curry and the Warriors just secured another win to keep them out of the Play-in tournament.

Both team played little to no defence in the first half, OKC was able to score 79 points in the first two qtr, while the GSW scored 69 points. Warriors Coach Steve Keer have nothing but praises for OKC during the Postgame Interview.

In the second half, Golden State;’s defense improved by limiting the Thunder to just 27 points in the 3rd and 19 in the 4th qtr, while maintaining offense. Even thought the Warriors are without Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, who scored a team high of 34 points, with six 3-pointers, had a lot of help most notably from Jordan Poole, scoring 30 points, on a 42% field goal and making five 3-pointers, then there’s Moses Moody, who contributed 13 points from the bench, Draymond Green chipped-in 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and a pair of blocks and steals.

The win moves the Warrior in the 5th place, two place above the 7th place and out of the play-in tournament, and just 1 game ahead of the LA Clippers and Lakers, who are currently in the 6th and 7th place, respectively.

After scoring 21 points in the first half, OKC Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with 32 points, making only 11 points for the rest of the game. Rookie Jalen Williams added 19 points but the Thunder still lost their third game in a row and fourth out of five.

OKC will visit Utah for their last two games of the season, as they try to salvage their season to be in the play-in tournament.

Golden State Warriors will be at Sacramento on Friday night, which can be a preview in the 1st round of the playoffs between the 6th and 3rd seed of the Western Conference.

Steph Curry (34 PTS) & Jordan Poole (30 PTS) Combine For 64 Points

NBA announces the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023

April 3, 2023

NBA just named the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of (HoF) 2023, lead by Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade and Spurs head Coach Gregg Popovich.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will have three of the NBA’s all-time international greats; Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol, joining them are Dwyane Wade, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich. Also include in the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 are; former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano, the 1976 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team, former Purdue coach Gene Keady, former Texas A&M women’s coach Gary Blair, longtime coach at Division III Amherst David Hixon, and Gene Bess – who won 1,300 games as a junior college coach at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Most if not all of the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 are interconnected together; Tony Parker, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich all worked together for the San Antonio Spurts; Parker as a Player, while Becky Hammon is the assistant coach for Spurs Head coach Gregg Popovich. Under Head Coach Popovich, Tony Parker won four (4) the NBA Championship (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), it was in 2014 when Becky Hammon joined the Spurs as an assistant coach.

Also in 2014, where the Spurs faced and won against Dwyane Wade’ Miami Heat in just 5 games. Dwyane Wade won his first championship while with the Miami Heat against Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in 2006, coincidentally Dirk Nowitzki became an NBA champion against Miami Heat’s big three; Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Lebron James in 2011.

Paul Gasol, Spain’s longtime star won all two of his NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers playing alongside Kobe Bryant.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will receive their HoF jackets and rings on Aug. 11 in Uncasville, Connecticut, then the ceremony and their speeches will be on Aug. 12 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Source: NBA

Golden State Warriors defeat Pelicans to avoid play-in tournament (109 – 120)

March 29, 2023

In a Western Conference were every game is important, the Golden State Warrior just got another win to climbed up to the 6th place and out of the play-in tournament. They defeated the New Orleans Pelican (109 – 120) by rallying from 20-down.

It was a close game in the first quarter where both teams are just exchanging baskets, then in the 2nd qtr, the Pelicans were able to build a 20-point lead by the end of the 1st half (63-43). Five Pelican players have 2-digits points led by Brandon Ingram with 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, then Trey Murphy III who scored 21 points and CJ McCollum contributed 15 points. The lost snapped NO Pelicans five-game winning streak.

Warriors started their comeback in the 3rd qtr, scoring 29 points and holding the Pelicans to just 26 points. At the start of the 4th qtr, GSW where only down by 4-points (89-85) and the momentum was on their side as they overtake the Pelicans midway through the 4th qtr. At the last 2-min mark of the game, the Warriors was able to built a 12 point lead securing the win. The Golden State comeback was lead by Steph Curry who was flirting with a triple-double; 39 points with eight 3-pointers, 8 rebounds and 8assists, followed by Jordan Poole contributing 21 points, Klay Thompson scored 17, hitting five three-pointers. Draymond Green only scored 8 points but was a big factor in their comeback by dishing 13 assists, 6 reb and 2 steals in 33-minutes.

The win will help Golden State Warrior avoid being in the play-in tournament, which is a very dangerous position to be in.

The New Orleans Pelicans will visit Denver on Thursday night, while the Golden State Warriors will host the Spurs on Friday night, which is one of the remaining home game.

Michael Jordan’s Six NBA Championship Shoes are now on sale at Sotheby’s

March 8, 2023

Michael Jordan’s Six NBA Championship Shoes or popularly known as the “Dynasty Collection” are now on sale by Sotheby’s. The Dynasty Collection is composed of the six individual shoes worn and autographed by Michael Jordan on the night the Chicago Bulls captured each of the franchise’s six championships.

MJ’s six championship shoes consists of an “Infrared” Air Jordan 6 (1991), a “Charcoal” Air Jordan 7 (1992), a “Playoffs” Air Jordan 8 (1993), a “Bred” Air Jordan 11 (1996), a “Playoffs” Air Jordan 12 (1997) and a “Last Shot” Air Jordan 14 (1998). Truly the rarest collection of Air Jordans ever.

According to Mark Salzberg, chairman of the Certified Collectibles Group, the rarest collection of Air Jordans ever and “contemporary Ruby red slippers, only rarer.”

Sotheby’s is offering the Dynasty Collection via private sale and not in an auction, which means anyone could purchase the collection at any time upon the agreement between the seller and buyer. It is projected that figures could reach into the hundreds of millions.

You can read more about the “Dynasty Collection” in an article by Sotheby’s – The Dynasty Collection: The Complete Set of Michael Jordan’s ‘Air Jordan’ Six Championship Sneakers.

Source: Andscape

Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant in hot waters after flashing a gun in one of his IG live

March 5, 2023

Memphis Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant is in hot waters after flashing a gun on in one of his Instagram Live Video. In an article by ClutchPoints, Morant posted an IG live early Saturday morning, he and his friends appeared to be in a nightclub when he flashed on what appeared to be a gun. The video have been taken down and social media accounts of Ja Morant are now inaccessible to the public.

Morant through his agent Jim Tanner released a statement; “I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down,” it read. “I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”

NBA is also investigating the incident and released the following statement via NBA spokesman Mike Bass.

Morant’s team also released their own statement stating that Morant will miss two games; Sunday against the LA Clippers and/or Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers;

The IG video is just one of the current issue that Ja Morant is facing, including the Washington Post report detailing Morant’s involvement in punching and threatening a teenager. The other incident was a confrontation with a mall security guard in a parking lot, as well as the red laser pointer incident with members of the Pacers last February 5.

Golden State Warriors rally from 23-down to beat the Portland Trail Blazers

March 1, 2023

Golden State Warriors just won on what could be a start of a run by beating the Portland Trail Blazers, after being down by 23 points in the first half. Led by Jordan Poole’s 29 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Klay Thompson’s 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assist and a steal. The Warriors also survived a hot-start by Lillard, contributing 25 points and seven assists, after scoring a franchise record of 71 points in the previous game against the Rockets.

Warriors made their comeback in the 3rd quarter after holding the Blazers to just 17 points in the quarter and at the same time making 39-points. Their 3rd quarter run was energized by Jonathan Kuminga’s high-flying one-handed dunk from the middle lane.

Draymond Green returned from a two-game absence with a bruised right knee, Andrew Wiggins still out due to family issued, while Steph Curry is expected to return this Thursday, against the Clippers after working out with Santa Cruz Warriors in G League.

Six Warriors players scored in the double-digits and the team are 40% from the three-point line. Steve Keer said during the post game press conference “It just feels like we’re coming together. Like there’s some chemistry. Some energy that’s forming,” which is a good sign, since the team have bene struggling the whole season.

Warriors will host the Clippers on Thursday night, while the Blazers will face New Orleans this Wednesday evening to complete their road-home back-to-back.

Jordan Brand announces Jayson Tatum’s First Signature Shoe – the Tatum 1

February 21, 2023

Jordan Brand just announced the first signature shoes of Boston forward Jason Tatum – the Tatum 1. In their official announcement, the Tatum 1 is the lightest performance shoe in Jordan Brand’s performance line this season.

The Tatum 1 is built out of a lightweight, strong TPU frame, the shoe is wrapped by a ground-contact foam that also acts as an integrated traction pattern, with minimal rubber on the toe and ball of the foot for Tatum’s predominantly forefoot game. This detail allowed designers to cut back on the weight of the shoe while also providing tight court feel. A large, uncaged Zoom Air bag in the forefoot helps provide high energy return without sacrificing court feel. The mesh knit upper is strong yet lightweight, while the collar is padded for ankle support.

The Zoo Colorway Zoom Air Sole
The Zoo Colorway TPU frame
The Zoo Colorway Mesh Finish
The Zoo Colorway
The St. Louis Colorway
The Pink Lemonade Colorway
The Barbershop Colorway

The shoe will also include as an apparel collection; hoodies and tees for men, women and kids, inspired by the Zoo and Barbershop colorways of the Tatum 1. The Tatum 1 will be available at Nike.com and at select Jordan retailers for $120, this 7th of April in full family sizing.

Jason Tatum wore the Tatum 1s at the 2023 NBA All Star Games, he was later named the 2023 Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP and scored a new All-Star record 55 points.

Source: Nike

Team Giannis wins the 2023 NBA All Star Game led by Jayson Tatum’s 55 points

February 20, 2023

It looks like Lebron will now be 5-1 in the 2023 NBA All Star when chosen as a team captain, since Team Giannis just handed Lebron his first L, since NBA change the format in 2018. It was not Giannis who led the game but instead it was Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics as he scores All-Star record 55 points and taking home the 2023 Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP trophy. The previous All-Star record was by Anthony Davis after scoring 52 points in 2017.

It was not all Tatum, since teammate Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell contributed as well, contributing 26 points and 40 points respectively. On Team Lebron, Joel Embid, Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown are the biggest contributors. Embid and Irving both scored 32 points, while Brown had 35 points.

Checkout the game highlights of the top scorer of this years 2023 NBA All Star Game;

Jayson Tatum – 55 Points

Damian Lillard – 26 points

Donovan Mitchel – 40 points

Joel Embid – 32 Points

Kyrie Irving – 32 points

Jaylen Brown – 35 Points

Because of injury, team captains of each team have to leave the game early; Lebron James for his right hand contusion and just played for 14 minutes, while Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his sprained right wrist and played for just 20 seconds before leaving the game.

It’s unclear if NBA will still use the “playground style” next year but not knowing who will be in the team sure made the game much more exciting. The 2024 NBA All Star will be in Indianapolis.

Result of the 2023 NBA All Star Draft

February 20, 2023

Literally hours before the 2023 NBA All Star Game, Team Caption Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo drafted their players from the pool of players, first it was for the reserves then the starters.

Giannis Antetokounmpo got the privileges to choose the #1 draft and decided to take Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, then his teammate Jrue Holiday. Lebron on the other hand drafted Anthony Edwards first followed by Jaylen Brown. The player to be drafted was Lauri Markkanen, Jazz and played for Team Giannis.

To provide more drama, NBA decided adopt a playground style for the game and make the NBA All Star Draft just before the actual All Star Game.

Here is the draft result for each team;

TEAM LEBRON

** In order

Reserves

  • Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
  • Jaylen Brown, Celtics
  • Paul George, Clippers
  • Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
  • Julius Randle, Knicks
  • De’Aaron Fox, Kings
  • Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies

Starters

  • Joel Embiid, 76ers
  • Kyrie Irving, Mavericks
  • Luka Doncic, Mavericks
  • Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

TEAM GIANNIS

** In order

Reserves

  • Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
  • Jrue Holiday, Bucks
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
  • DeMar DeRozan, Bulls
  • Pascal Siakam, Raptors
  • Bam Adebayo, Heat
  • Domantas Sabonis, Kings

Starters

  • Jayson Tatum, Celtics
  • Ja Morant, Grizzlies
  • Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
  • Lauri Markkanen, Jazz

Damian Lillard takes home the 2023 NBA 3-Point Contest

February 19, 2023

In a contest of accuracy and coordination, Portland Superstar Damian Lillard proves why he is considered as one of the dangerous sniper in the league by taking home the 2023 NBA 3-Point Contest. This was his 3rd appearance in the 3-Point Contest but his first time winning it.

Full highlights of the 2023 NBA 3-Point Contest;

It was a close contest in the final round but Lillard made two “Starry” shots, each is worth and each of those baskets gave him three points in the decisive round, which helped him defeat Hield 26-25. Lillard won the game with his final shot from the corner, a two-point money shot.

Lillard is currently 31% at the 3-pt line this season and will also play in the 2023 NBA All Star Game on Sunday.

Embiid, Markkanen and Morant named as All-Star Starters replacements for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game

February 11, 2023

Here are some good news and bad news, well I guess that will depend on the player you’re rooting for. Good news for fans of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, since all three All Star will move-up to be starters replacing injured and starters Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left superior tib/fib sprain), Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (right knee MCL sprain) and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (strained right hamstring), which is a bad new for the fans of the said injured players.

At the sametime, 3 new All Star Reserves was named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as injury replacements for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game namely; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.

NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. MT at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

The NBA All-Star Draft will take place hours before the game where Captains for each team will choose from the player pool to complete their team roster. For this year’s All Star Games Lebron James, of the LA Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks are named as the Team Captains.

Below are the complete list of player pool including the Injured/Will Not Play, as well as the replacements;

  • Bam Adebayo (Miami)
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) – Starter and Team Captain
  • Jaylen Brown (Boston)
  • Stephen Curry (Golden State) – Starter, Injured and will not play
  • DeMar DeRozan (Chicago)
  • Luka Dončić (Dallas)
  • Kevin Durant (Phoenix) – Starter, Injured and will not play
  • Anthony Edwards (Minnesota) – Injury Replacement
  • Joel Embiid (Philadelphia) – Starter Replacement
  • De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento) – Injury Replacement
  • Paul George (LA Clippers)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)
  • Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana)
  • Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee)
  • Kyrie Irving (Dallas) – Starter
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis)
  • LeBron James (L.A. Lakers) – Starter and Team Captain
  • Nikola Jokić (Denver) – Starter
  • Damian Lillard (Portland)
  • Lauri Markkanen (Utah) – Starter Replacement
  • Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland) – Starter
  • Ja Morant (Memphis) – Starter Replacement
  • Julius Randle (New York)
  • Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento)
  • Pascal Siakam (Toronto) – Injury Replacement
  • Jayson Tatum (Boston) – Starter
  • Zion Williamson (New Orleans) – Starter, Injured and will not play

Source: NBA

Nets to trade Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns

February 9, 2023

In a blockbuster trade, the Brooklyn Nets will ship Superstar Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, this was first reported by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski. In the trade, Suns will send Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round unprotected picks (2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029) and a 2028 pick swap to Brooklyn. The Nets on the otherhand will send Kevin Durant and TJ Warren and the 2028 pick swap to Suns.

New Phoenix Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia pushed to get a deal done on the eve of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Durant, 34, still have three years and $153 million left on his contract, originally requested to be traded last Summer but Nets where unable to find any suitors. Last week, this Allstar teammate Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, and a clear sign that Durant will be the next star to leave the Brooklyn franchise.

Source: ESPN

Lebron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as NBA All-Time Scoring Leader

February 8, 2023

Laker’s Lebron James just broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA scoring record Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a 14-foot fadeaway jumper late in the third quarter, when James scored his 38,388th career points and breaking Abdul-Jabbar’s record that remained unbroken since April 5, 1984.

James ended the game with 38 points, 7 rebs and 3 steals, and a loss to the 11th seed Oklahoma Thunders.

James’ “NBA All-Time Scoring” record another ammo for his fans in the never-ending GOAT debate.

These are the 2023 NBA All-Star Starters

January 27, 2023

NBA just announced the 2023 NBA All-Star Starters for the NBA All-Star Game this 19th Feb. in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lebron James, of the LA Lakers and the leading vote-getter, will be one of the team captain and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Eastern Conference voting leader, will be the team captain of the opposing team. This will be Lebron’s 19th All Star appearance and the 7th for Giannis.

Eastern Conference starters

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks/ Captain)
  • Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
  • Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
  • Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
  • Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)

Western Conference starters

  • LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers/ Captain)
  • Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
  • Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
  • Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
  • Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)

Giannis and James will both choose the players for their respective team on the night of the game, a twist that the NBA announced last Wednesday and it is similar on how you play basketball in parks and pickup games.

The Starters — three frontcourt players and two guards from each conference — are chosen based on a combination of three different votes: fan balloting counted for 50%, media balloting was worth 25% and voting by the NBA’s players made up the final 25%.

Source: NBA

Golden State Warriors survives Memphis Grizzlies even after Curry ejection (122 – 120)

January 26, 2023

Golden State Warriors survived the Memphis Grizzlies even after Steph Curry ejection for throwing his mouth piece with 1:14 remaining in the game. Steph appeared to be frustrated after Jordan Poole missing a 30-footer with more than 10 seconds left in the shot clock. Jordan Poole did made it up for making the winning shot with 2.6 seconds left in the game.

It was a thrilling game between the rivals that could potentially meet in the 1st round of the Playoffs. Aside from their starters, Warriors received a lot of help their young guns most notably Jonathan Kuminga who contributed 13-pts, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block.

Warriors next game with be against Toronto Raptors at home, while the Memphis Grizzlies will be on the road against Minnesota Timberwolves.

Source: NBA

Dallas Mavericks unveil Dirk Nowitzki statue before their Christmas game against the Lakers

December 26, 2022

Before their games against the LA Laker, Dallas Mavericks unveil the 24-foot statue Dirk Nowitzki in his signature one-leg fadeaway. Nowitzki is the only NBA player to spend all 21 seasons with the same franchise. Aside from his statue, a street have been named after him, the Nowitzki Way and his jersey number 41 was retired, which can now be see up in the rafters.

In an article on Mavs.com, the Mavericks star shared;

“I’m so glad it’s finally here and we got to see it,” Nowitzki said. “It was emotional when the thing went up. I felt like the sun was just perfect today that it’s shining right on it.

“I’m so happy that my family is here to witness it (and) my parents are alive to see it. So it was a very, very cool day and I enjoyed it.”

In his 21 years with the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki became its all time leader in scoring (31,560) and rebounds (11,489) and blocks (1281). He also lead the franchise to their first championship (2011) against the Miami Heat, lead by a prime Lebron, Bosh and Wade.

Source: mavs.com

Ja Morant unveils his signature shoes with Nike the “Nike Ja 1”

December 26, 2022

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant just unveil his long awaited signature shoes, the Nike Ja 1. This announcement will make Morant the 23rd player in NBA history to receive his own signature sneaker with Nike.

Morant wore his new shoes during their game against the Golden State Warriors but prior to that, he did an unboxing video which he posted on his twitter account. The Nike Ja 1 will be available globally by April 2023 and no price have been announced as of this posting.

NBA unveil redesigned individual awards trophies and named after NBA Legends

December 14, 2022

NBA will rename its 6 annual regular-season individual awards after NBA Legends with redesigned trophies. The awards will be presented to the end-of-season Kia Performance Award winners.

The league made the announcement Tuesday, headlined by The Michael Jordan Trophy, which will be awarded to the NBA Most Valuable Player. Michael Jordan, considered the Greatest Of All Time, is a 5-time MVP during his 15 year, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have won more MVP trophies. Michael Jordan also earned six NBA championships, six NBA Finals MVP Awards, 11 All-NBA Team selections, 14 NBA All-Star selections, three NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards, 10 scoring titles, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, an NBA Rookie of the Year Award and selections to the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year will received The Jerry West Trophy, the award will honor the NBA player who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch. The Jerry West Trophy is aptly named, since West’s nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his extraordinary shooting during clutch time.

The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy will be given to the Defensive Player of the Year. Hakeem Olajuwon is NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots and ranks ninth in steals, he is a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. Add this to his 2x NBA champion, 12x NBA All-Star appearance, league MVP, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 12x All-NBA Team selection. Olajuwon is also a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to celebrate the league’s best defensive player each year,” said Olajuwon. “Great basketball teams are defined by their ability to defend, with every great team connected by an elite defensive anchor.”

The Wilt Chamberlain Trophy will be awarded to the Rookie of the Year. Wilt Chamberlain considered as one of the greatest player in NBA history and it started in his rookie years. Wilt Chamberlain averaged 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds in 46.4 minutes per game in his first year with the Philadelphia Warriors, taking home both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. His career highlights include two NBA championships, 13 NBA All-Star selections, four league MVPs, 10 All-NBA Team selections, an NBA Finals MVP and inclusion on the league’s 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

The Sixth Man of the Year will receive The John Havlicek Trophy. You need to have an old school NBA fan to know John Havlicek, he came off the bench for the first seven seasons of his career and during that time, we was a 4x All-Star in four of those seasons. He won eight NBA championships, 13 NBA All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA Team selections, an NBA Finals MVP, 8x NBA All-Defensive Team selections. John Havlicek is included in the league’s 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

The George Mikan Trophy will be awarded to the league’s Most Improved Player of the Year. Mikan is a 5x NBA champion in seven seasons, four NBA All-Star selections, an NBA All-Star Game MVP, six selections to the All-NBA Team and inclusion on the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

This is not the first time that the NBA named their awards to former players, during the 2021 – 2022 NBA season, the Social Justice Champion Award will received the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy; NBA Western and Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Players will received the Magic Johnson and the Larry Bird trophy, respectively; the Kobe Kobe Bryant trophy will be awarded to the All-Star Game MVP.

Golden State Warriors unveils Women’s suffrage-themed new City Edition Jersey

November 12, 2022

To commemorate “Women’s Empowerment Month,” Golden State Warriors unveil their Women’s suffrage-themed new City Edition Jersey. The new City Edition Jersey was designed by Allison Hueman, an Oakland-based artist and muralist, she already collaborated with Stephen Curry’s on a sneaker line – Curry Flow 8s thru his “Feel Good Flow” project.

Together with the launching of new City Edition Jersey, the Golden State Warriors and Rakuten will be donating $25,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation. Warriors’ new City Edition Jersey is available at https://shop.warriors.com/ for $149.99.

Watch Golden State Warriors’ NBA Championship 2021-22 Ring Ceremony 💍

October 19, 2022
Watch Golden State Warriors’ NBA Championship 2021-22 Ring Ceremony 💍
Image: @Warriors

The ceremony started with the team owners and GM talking about the organization in general and them Klay Thompson introduced Steph Curry who appears to be surprised by Thompson’s move before a video montage played on the big screen.

GSW first championship banner for Chase Center and I’m sure will not be the last under Steph Curry era.

Watch: Official Trailer of HBO’s 38 At The Garden

October 3, 2022
Watch: Official Trailer of HBO’s 38 At The Garden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSU2j8FJi_M

38 At The Garden chronicles the extraordinary ascendance of point guard Jeremy Lin during his landmark 2012 season with the New York Knicks. Lin, an undrafted Harvard graduate, shocked fans, stunned his teammates and galvanized Asians around the world when he scored 38 points at Madison Square Garden against the Los Angeles Lakers, solidifying Lin’s hot streak and the “Linsanity” craze.

A decade later, Lin’s stature as a groundbreaking, cultural icon stands in stark relief to the recent hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. 38 At The Garden recognizes a pivotal moment in time for Lin and celebrates a phenomenon that was bigger than basketball for the world.

The HBO Original documentary short premieres Tuesday, October 11 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ jersey from 1998 NBA Finals fetch for $10.1 million at auction house Sotheby’

September 17, 2022

The jersey worn by Michael Jordan in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $10.091 million with auction house Sotheby’s. The 1998 NBA season have been dubbed as the “Last Dance” season for Jordan that ended with the Chicago Bulls capturing their 6th championship over the Utah Jazz.

The $10.091 million price tag is the most ever paid for an item of sports memorabilia, surpassing the $9.28 million paid in May for late soccer legend Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey from the 1986 World Cup.

Kobe Bryant’s jersey during his 1996-97 rookie season was the previous holder for the most expensive NBA (jersey) memorabilia, paid in May 2021 for $3.69 million.

Source: ESPN