Giannis Antetokounmpo says the Bucks did not have a fear factor as they drew even in their playoff series against the Magic, but conceded there was an urgency about the team. The Bucks Don Larsen Jersey were shocked in Game 1 of the series when Nikola Vucevic's 35 points inspired the Magic to a 122-110 triumph in the NBA's Orlando bubble.Vucevic was a thorn in the Bucks' side again on Thursday, finishing with 32 points and 10 rebounds, but it was a quiet night from his Magic teammates as Milwaukee ran out with a 111-96 win. Antetokounmpo was typically influential and in scoring 28 points and picking up 20 rebounds he became just the second Bucks player after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to have C.C. Sabathia Jersey a 20-point, 20-rebound game in the playoffs. NBA PLAYOFFS: | | Giannis dropped 28 and tied a season Alex Rodriguez Jersey high with 20 rebounds. Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) The 25-year-old said defeat would not have been fatal to the Bucks, but recognized the team was extrafocused not to go two games down in the series. "There's an urgency. I'm not going to say there's a fear factorbeingdownbutyou know you have to be urgent," he said."I think the whole team was ready for this game. You've got to understand, you don't want to be down 2-0. We can still get back, but you don't want to put yourself in that position, especially early in the playoffs. We knew that Mickey Mantle Jersey we had to come out and just play hard, try to get a win, and as a team, we knew for us to get a win wegottaplay hard. We cannot talk about it; wegottaplay about it." Antetokounmpo added that a me sage from head coach Mike Budenholzer also elicited a response from the Bucks. "He told us if we want New York Yankees to win and if we want to go far and if we want to be us, we Aaron Hicks Jersey 've got to playdefense, and we didn't do that in the first game," Antetokounmpo said."I think everybody took that personally. Nobody liked that. Nobody wants to hear that he's not playing hard enough, so I think the whole team came out playing hard. Everybody was playing hard."

Are we collectively overlooking the Suns as the obvious favorite to win the NBA championship? Last year, they were a very good regular-season team that few picked to go to the Finals. They would have won the whole thing if not for some insane plays and the adamantium knee of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Theyve been even better this year, and theyre still not getting the respect they deserve. The Suns turned in a historic regular season, becoming the 25th team to win at least 64 games. Of that group, 18 went to the Finals and 14 won it all. They were even more impre sive when compared with their peers. As pointed out by ,they were the fifth Mike McGlinchey Jersey team to win their conference by eight or more games. All four of the others won a ring. MORE: The Suns have the individual talents to dominate tons of different aspects of the game. Need star power? They have two top-15 talents in Devin Booker and Chris Paul. On the defensive side of the ball, they have a potential Defensive Player of the Year in Mikal Bridges and a dominant rim protector in DeAndre Ayton. Their bench is Y.A. Tittle Jersey led by potential Sixth Man of the Year Cam Johnson. And pulling all the strings is the National Basketball Coaches A sociations pick for Coach of the Year, Monty Williams. The Suns havent done anything crazy or innovative to drill their way to 64 wins. Everything that theyve accomplished in the regular season has been the result of extremely high-level execution. Many other teams use the and that the Suns rely on, but nobody does it better. That precision has made the Suns unstoppable in close games. They finished the year as a top-four clutch team in NBA history, both in terms of win percentage and net rating. Paul is the teams tiger mom. He has demanded perfection during winning time. Adrian Colbert Jersey The Suns run a killer pick-and-roll down the stretch called Snap (its also called Spain or Stack by other teams, which Paul will signal for with a snap of his fingers. They have so many wrinkles out of it that its impo sible to stop. Once more with feeling!Same play, same result, different bucket.By my count, the Suns are 19 of 31 running Snap in the clutch this season. SIXTY ONE PERCENT. David (@theIVpointplay) Deebo Samuel Jersey If that pick-and-roll doesnt generate anything and Paul is forced into an isolation situation late in the clock, the Suns are still in great shape. He can get his midrange jumper off at any time, which he cans at a 55 percent clip. Only Nikola Jokic has shot it better this year. He will also kill teams with his rip-through move if they fall asleep guarding him. MORE: Paul isnt even the Suns best offensive player down the stretch. That honor belongs to Devin Booker, who should finish top five in MVP voting. Bookers been the best clutch scorer in the league, nailing 57 percent of his field goals, 41 percent of his 3s, and almost never turning the ball over. On the defensive side of the ball, Bridges is perhaps the best perimeter defender in the entire league. The synergy between Bridges and Ayton defensively has also been tremendous. Teams have not been able to run pick-and-rolls with those two guarding together. The road to the Conference Finals shouldnt be too bad for the Suns. Theyll play either the Jazz or the Mavericks in the second round. They Arik Armstead Jersey ve done very well in those matchups, posting a combined 6-1 record with a plus-39 point differential in the regular season. Luka Doncic will be the best player in the series if they play the Mavs, but his calf injury is a wild card that will make an upset even harder to pull off. The Grizzlies are going to be a much tougher test if those teams meet in the Western Conference Finals. The Suns were just 1-2 against the younger and more athletic team, including an April lo s when the Grizzlies were mi sing Ja Morant, Steven Adams, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. That might be their worst matchup of any team in the league. The East is going to be more of a wild card. The Suns swept the Nets and Sixers during the regular season but split their matchups against both the Celtics and Bucks. Either way, the Suns should be favored in every matchup in the playoffs. Theyll have home-court advantage for any potential Game 7s, and they have all of their plays down to a science. If they stay healthy, then it Patrick Willis Jersey s their ring to lose.

Oklahoma City's Ru sell Westbrook is garnering plenty of trade interest. The Heat and Tim McCarver Jersey Pistons have emerged as po sible suitors for the Thunder's star guard, but the Rockets are also in the picture now, according to a report from , which cites unidentified league sources. One Houston source described its chances of getting Westbrook a "long shot," but that doesn't mean it won't try to make things work. The Rockets would likely have to orchestrate a complicated multi-team deal to land Westbrook, but it could be worth it, as he has been succe sful playing alongside their star James Harden in the past. Westbrook and Harden were once both blo soming stars in Chase Utley Jersey Oklahoma City and madetheir NBA Finalsdebuts with the Thunder in 2012 alongside Kevin Durant but ultimately fell to LeBron James' Heat in five games. Neither has been back since. However, both players have made tremendous progre s in the past few years. Westbrook was named the league's MVP David Robertson Jersey in 2016-17and has averaged a triple-double for three consecutive seasons. Harden won MVP honors the following season and finished second in the voting three times. He averaged a staggering 36.1 points per game in 2018-19. Houston has been ambitious in its pursuit of top talent, and ESPN's Carlos Santana Jersey report states it might be able to acquire Westbrook without moving Chris Paul, who has three years and $125 million remaining on his contract. Westbrook has$171 million remaining on his current deal. Rockets general manager Daryl Moreyreportedly explored moving every player not namedPaul or Harden this offseason, including Clint Capela and Eric Gordon. Striking out on Jimmy Butler doesn't seem to have deterred Houston's Jimmy Foxx Jersey desire to improve. The Thunder traded Paul George to the Clippers in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five future first-round draft picks and are alreadyrumored to be discu sing where Westbrook could be dealt this summer. Oklahoma City couldbe in the beginning phases of a major rebuild while the Rockets are looking to rise to the top of the Western Conference now. If an agreement is reached, both sides could come out better for it. Mike Schmidt Jersey Related Articles

Being a Knicks fan is bad enough when you just consider the poor brand of basketball that Max Muncy Jersey New York has provided in recent seasons. But now even animated movies are taking cheap shots at the Knicks. Disney's "Soul"was released on Christmas Day and has received rave reviews. The sports fans who've seen it may have noticed one particular scene that involves the Knicks, though, and let's just say it's not kind to New York City's oldest NBA team. Here's the scene: I cant escape the Hard Knicks Life!Look at this clip from the movie Soul that came out today which Im watching with Manny Machado Jersey the kids.F**K. It Tony Gonsolin Jersey s a Hard Knicks Life (@HardKnicksLife) "Check this out. I have been me sing with this team for decades," says one particular soul in "The Great Beyond" before throwing something at a basketball player. The scene shifts quickly to real life where an animated Knicks player gets stuffed by the rim on a dunk. "And the Knicks lose another one," says an unseen announcer as the Knicks player falls to the ground. MORE: It's certainly not hard to pick on Kenta Maeda Jersey the Knicks. They've finished below .500 and mi sed the playoffs in each of the last seven full seasons, and their last NBA title came in 1973. That's something that "Soul"screenwriterKemp Powersknows very well. He wrote on Twitter that he's a lifelong Knicks fan and that it was he who made sure to get the Knicks bashing into the film. For all those asking, YES. I am responsible for that Max Scherzer Jersey Knicks joke in . Im a diehard, lifelong Knicks fan. Despite their enormous payroll, the last time they won a championship was 1973. The year I was BORN. I think I earned the right to make that joke. Kemp Powers (@Powerkeni) At least Powers made the Knicks a winning joke, since they're not doing a whole lot of Tommy Lasorda Jersey simply winning of late.

We now have a better grasp of how the NBA wants toliven up its regular season. The highlights, as expected, areashorter schedule, an in-season tournament, play-in games for the final two playoff berths in each conferenceand reseeding the final four teams in the playoffs. Shams Charania of The Athletic laid outsome specifics in a pair of tweets Friday night, and The A sociated Pre s'Tim Reynolds followed up with a. The plan needs to be approved by team owners and Jake Odorizzi Jersey the players. Sources: NBA has sent teams the proposal for 2021-22 season changes:- 78-game regular season- In-season tournament ($1M per player, $1.5M coaches pool for champion)- Play-in tourneys for 7-8 playoff seeds- Final 4 reseed in playoffs based on regular season records Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) MORE: The in-season tournament is the most complicated of the proposed changes: Sources: NBA's in-season tournament format proposal: All 30 teams involved from late Nov. to mid-Dec.:- Divisional games (4 home, 4 away) for group stage- 6 divisional stage winners, plus 2 wildcards for knockout- Quarterfinals at home market; semifinals/Finals at neutral site Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) It's worth taking time to examine one aspect of the competition. The NBA is modeling it on European soccer leagues'in-season domestic tournaments, although Mitch Garver Jersey the NBA's version would be conducted over a much more compre sed time period. The AP's Reynolds reports the 2021 tournament, as of this moment,would run 25days (Nov. 24 through Dec. 18). The group stage (which will count as regular-season games) would be the busiest part,witheight games in 18 days (Nov. Miguel Sano Jersey 24 through Dec. 11). For comparison, the Lakers played nine games from Nov. 25 though Dec. 11 this year. England's FA Cup and Carabao Cup are conducted over multiple months and scheduled aroundPremier League and UEFA (Champions League and Europa League) play. The NBA, though, should already know that those competitions don'tcommand nearly the same respect from clubs as the Premier League season or the Champions League. The domestic cup winners qualify for the second-tier UEFA Europa League. With le s at stake, clubs large and smallusematches in those competitions to rest first-teamers and give young players experience. One glaring example: Premier League leader Liverpool's 5-5 draw vs. Arsenal in the Carabao Cup'sRound of 16 on Oct. 30.Reds stalwarts Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, some of whom were nursing minor ailments, all took DNPs with the club in the middle of a run of five matches in 14 days, a stretch bookended by matches in theChampions League.Five of the team's starters that night have yet to appear in a Premier League match this season. Liverpool advanced on Phil Hughes Jersey penalty kicks, but then encountered a ticklishsituation this week in the quarterfinals: It was scheduled to face Aston Villa one night before its FIFA Club World Cup semifinal match in Qatar. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called up the club'sunder-23sfor the domestic match Tuesday, andthat outfit lost 5-0. The varsity, minus an ill van Dijk, beat Mexican side Monterrey Zach Duke Jersey 2-1 on Wednesday in the Middle East. The Reds will play Brazilian side Flamengo for the title Saturday. Liverpool'smidweek experience was unusual, but even if it wasn'tfacing that dilemma, the domestic cup still wouldhave been a lower priority. Add the fact that this clubhas a chance to winthe Premier League,repeat as Champions League winner and claim theClub World Cup in the same season, and the focus becomes even clearer. That mindset helps to get us to the main point here:It'snot unreasonable to expect some NBA teams tolean on backupsand two-way players in at least a fewgroup stage games, even if they count in the standings. It isn'tdifficult to imaginesome franchisesstaying committed to load management in November and December, especially ones that expectto make deep playoff runs. Would the league pre sure teams not to do that as it tries to keep the inaugural eventrelevant? Would someplayers push back and insist on playing, given that there'sa seven-figure prize at stake? Will the league have to increase the prize money to incentivize participation? Those questions won'tbe answered right away, because a lot still has to happen for the in-season tournament to become a reality, but they will need to be addre sed. The answers could help to determine Rod Carew Jersey whether all teamsbuy into the league's attempt to giveits regular season a boost.

The Clippers will be without one of their top frontcourt players for the rest of the 2021 NBA playoffs Tyson Ross Jersey . Los Angeles announced Friday that Serge Ibaka underwent back surgery and will mi s the remainder of the postseason. Ibaka sat out 30 straight regular-season games with back i sues before returning for the Clippers' final two contests. He played in Travis Wood Jersey Games 1 and 2 of the team's first-round series against the Mavericks but was sidelined forthe next seven playoff games before the Clippers officially shut him down. MORE: "There is nothing I would love more than being on the court helping my brothers and trying to win a championship for#ClipperNation," Ibaka wrote in an Instagram post."It's been a very tough season,I worked very Kirk Gibson Jersey hard to be back in time for the Playoffs but sometimes injuries get in the way and health has to be a priority. "I appreciate all the love and support from everyone and now I have my Victor Martinez Jersey mindset on supporting my team and getting healthy and ready for next season." After signing a two-year, $19 million contractwith the Clippers in free agency last year, Ibaka stepped into LA's starting lineup and averaged 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. The 31-year-old was expected to be a key part of Tyronn Lue'srotation because of his ability to stretch the floor on offense while providing size Lance Parrish Jersey and rim protection on the defensive end., he dealt with back pain all season long, limiting his playing time and effectivene Niko Goodrum Jersey s. Ibaka could return to the Clippers next season if he picks up his $9.7 million player option for the 2021-22 season, or he could jump back into free agency this summer.

"The Last Dance" concluded with Episodes 9 and 10 on Sunday, providing a Blake Snell Jersey satisfying end to a captivating look at the Bulls' final championship season together. Oh, and it introduced some excellent memeable content in the form of this Pacers fan screaming "Godd you, Bulls," among other indignities that start with the letter F: Indiana Pacers fan blonde lady screaming at Bulls "God d**n you!! Ade (@rawnaleeda) MORE: The woman appeared in Episode 9 of "The Last Dance," which focused on the seven-game series between the Bulls Clayton Richard Jersey and Pacers in the 1998 Eastern Conference finals. Obviously, this was at an Indiana home game. She quickly became one of the biggest talking points on social media Sunday, with some people calling her the "OG Karen." She is, in reality, a woman who desperately wanted her Pacers to beat the Bulls and who was justifiably tired of their run of dominance in the NBA. That said, some of the content people created from her 10 seconds of airtime sure is funny. But Allen Craig Jersey before we get into that: Garrett Richards Jersey No, that woman is not Nashville news anchor Tracy Kornet, mother of current Bulls player Luke Kornet (although she does look similar to the screaming Pacers fan). Did you see me on the ! Tracy Kornet (@WSMVTracyKornet) . , mother of Bulls center Luke Kornet, tells she is NOT the Pacers fan in episode 9.But her phone is blowing up because of the uncanny resemblance. Scott Agne s (@ Ha-Seong Kim Jersey ScottAgne s) Now. On to the content: Social media reacts to screaming Pacers fan the OG Karen Jim Hill (@HamptonsfiveSZN) Screaming Pacers lady walked so Screaming Heat lady could run Lauren Comitor (@laurencomitor) Cant get out of my head that screaming pacers lady looks like Kirsten Dunst yelhsa leinad (@XxAshes2Ashes) When they won Franchy Cordero Jersey 't let you into Gelsons without a mask Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) Screaming Pacers lady walked so Screaming Heat lady could run Lauren Comitor (@laurencomitor) Would pay a premium for footage of a still cam on this lady at Pacers playoff games from the 90s. Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic)

The year 2020 has gotten humanity as a Blank Jersey whole a lot more comfortable with facemasks. But Kawhi Leonard wasn't just wearing any facemask Wednesday night. Leonard had mi sed the Clippers' prior two games after colliding with teammate Serge Ibaka and suffering a mouth laceration that required eight stitches. In his return against the Trail Blazers, Leonard wore a mask on his whole face in order to prevent damage from any further contact. "S, it's hard to breathe in that Martin Maldonado Jersey mask," Leonard ."They started calling me Leatherface and stuff." Masked Kawhi has the Clippers rolling! LA is on a 9-0 run in the 1st QTR. NBA TV (@NBATV) MORE: The mask didn't slow Leonard down. He dropped 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting to lead Los Angeles (4-1) to a 128-105 win over Portland (2-2). Leonard added seven a sists and three steals in the victory. Leonard's not the first NBA player to break out the transparent face mask. Richard Hamilton wore one for much of his career. Kyrie Irving had a mask phase not too long in the past. It remains the NBA's Homer Bailey Jersey best defense strategy following mouth or nose injuries. Despite it not being an unprecedented occurrence Bo Jackson Jersey , such masks normally bring out lots of jokes on social media. Leonard's mask was no exception. Kawhi said his Clippers teammates called him Leatherface with his mask He also joked that Serge is on the trading block after elbowing him in the face NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) Kawhis mask is like whats left over when you cut out masks for COVID Clipperholics (@ClipperholicsFS) Bro this the most kawhi mask of all time I am CRYING Tommy Willie Wilson Jersey Whyte (@Twhyte96) Kawhi got the hannibal lecter mask on. Adam Auslund (@followAdamA) Kawhi Leonard cant do his infamous laugh, or say What it do, baby? in this mask. Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) If Kawhi was a mask...this is it deevo (@DevinChavanne) me: I want a Rip Hamilton maskmom: we have a Rip Hamilton mask at homethe Rip Hamilton mask at home: Chris Owings Jersey SB Nation (@SBNation) grit (@GRITknox) I would absolutely believe Kawhi made this himself CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) I know Kawhi teammates roasted tf out of him about that mask Composed King (@_malikw019)

An encouraging season has come to an end for the Raptors. The Raptors to have a winning record this season, but their strong play down the stretch saw them finish 48-34, securing them the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Fred VanVleet earned the Bobby Doerr Jersey first All-Star selection of his career. Scottie Barnes was named Rookie of the Year. It remains to be seen if Pascal Siakam will receive the second All-NBA selection of his career, but . While the Raptors weren't able to make it out of the first round in the playoffs, they joined a shortlist of teams to force a Game 6 after falling behind 3-0 in a series. What's next for the Raptors following their lo s to the 76ers? Here's where they stand heading into the offseason. All salaries are from . NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial) Raptors free agents The Raptors could look mostly the same next season, but they do have two rotational players entering free agency as both Chris Boucher and Thaddeus Young are Christian Vazquez Jersey in the final seasons of their contracts. Boucher joined the Raptors in 2018 and signed a two-year, $13.5 million extension in 2020. The Raptors acquired Young from the Spurs at this season's trade deadline. Additionally, Yuta Watanabe, Justin Champagnie and David Johnson will be restricted free agents while Isaac Bonga will be an unrestricted free agent. The only Raptor with a player option in their contract for the 2022-23 season isSviatoslav Mykhailiuk. Raptors free agents 2022 offseasonUnrestricted free agentsRestricted free agentsPlayer optionsChris BoucherYuta WatanabeSviatoslav MykhailiukThaddeus YoungJustin ChampagnieIsaac BongaDavid JohnsonRaptors salary cap, future contracts,roster Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. Pedro Martinez Jersey , Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa are each under contract for at least one more season. VanVleet ($22.8 million) and Trent ($18.6 million) both have a player option in their contract for the 2023-24 season. Raptors salariesPlayer2022-232023-242024-252025-26Pascal Siakam$35.5 million$37.9 millionUFA-Fred VanVleet$21.3 million$22.8 million (PO)UFA-OG Anunoby$17.4 million$18.6 million$19.9 million (PO)UFAGary Trent Jr.$17.3 million$18.6 million (PO)UFA-Scottie Barnes$7.6 million$8.0 million (TO)$10.1 million (TO)RFAKhem Birch$6.7 million$7.0 millionUFA-Precious Achiuwa$2.8 million$4.4 million (TO)RFA-Malachi Flynn$2.1 million$3.9 million (TO)RFA-Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk$1.9 million (PO)UFA--Dalano Banton$1.6 million (NG)RFA--Armoni Brooks$1.8 million (NG)RFA-- PO = Player option TO = Team Option NG = Non-guaranteed RFA = Restricted free agency UFA = Unrestricted free agency Raptors 2022 NBA Draft picks The Raptors included a protected 2022 first-round pick in their deal with the Spurs that brought them Young at the trade deadline. Since it wasprotected 1-14 in 2022 and the Raptors , it will be conveyed this summer Joe Kelly Jersey , meaning Toronto will not have its pick in the first round. The Raptors acquired a second-round pick (via Pistons) from the Spurs in the same trade. The Warriors own Toronto's second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, so the Raptors will have only one second-round pick. NBA Getty Images One burning questionWhat does the future hold for Scottie Barnes? The Raptors aren't short on talent, but nobody's future is as bright as Barnes'. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Barnes shattered expectations this season Luis Tiant Jersey . He led all rookies in minutes while averaging 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 a sists per game. He got better as the season wore on, setting his career-high in points (31), rebounds (17) and a sists (10) in games following the All-Star break. Brandon Workman Jersey Barnes also put his defensive potential on full display. He graded out as the and played a key role on a Raptors team that ranked in the top-10 in defensive efficiency. He's proven to be a perfect fit in Nick Nurse's aggre sive defensive scheme. Barnes caught the attention of with his two-way play this season. Unfortunately, Barnes' first postseason was impacted by an ankle injury that he suffered in Game 1 against the 76ers. He was able to return and played in Games 4, 5 and 6, so it shouldn't limit him much in the offseason as he looks to build on his promising rookie campaign.

A local television reporter failed to recognize Jordan Clarkson in his home city. The reporter was interviewing Clarkson for KUTV inSalt Lake City. Sheasked the 29-year-old guard if he attended any Jazz games last season.Clarkson respondedas Devin Mesoraco Jersey if he were an avid fan. A Salt Lake City news reporter didn't realize that she was interviewing Tucker Barnhart Jersey Jordan Clarkson until later.Her: 'Did you go to any Jazz games?'Clarkson: 'Yeah, a lot.' (: ) theScore (@theScore) The reporter, Hayley Crombleholme, also asked Clarkson to spell out his name but still didn't make the connection. She said afterward she Jesse Winker Jersey was "highlyembarra sed" by the interaction. Had him spell his name and everything . Im only mildly (okay highly) embarra sed Hayley Crombleholme (@HayleyHolme) MORE: Although Crombleholme was taunted on social media platforms, Clarkson added a humorous touch to try to move the encounter away from mainstream attention. haha Lets GO JAZZ! Cant wait to get started!!! Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) OFFSEASON GRADES: | Clarkson's Raisel Iglesias Jersey teammateJoe Ingles offered his own reaction to the interview. Clarkson responded with more light humor to keep the reporter from receiving backlash. yeah a lotIm dyinggggggggg Joe Ingles (@Joeingles7) just happy i spelled my name right Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) Clarkson has Nick Senzel Jersey played for the Lakers, Cavaliers and Jazz in his NBA career. Since joining Utah in the 2019-20 season, he has averaged 17.3points per game. He was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year last season after averaging 18.4 points in 68 games (one start). MORE: If he can help the Jazz push through to Scott Schebler Jersey the NBA Finals, he may never go unrecognized again in Salt Lake City.

Lakers star Dwight Howard believes the return of the NBA would be an unwelcome distraction from the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. The league is still negotiating the details Jonny Venters Jersey of a 2020 restart over three months after the coronavirus pandemic forced the season to be suspended. There are said to be plans to resume the regular season from July 30 on a modified schedule, although a handful of players reportedly expre sed concerns about injury risks during a conference call this week. On the same call involving 80 players on Friday, Nets point guard Kyrie Irving reportedlyled calls for basketball not Peter Fairbanks Jersey to return while protests against racial injustice and police brutality continue acro s the United States. MORE: Anti-racism demonstrations have been held acro s the world following the death of George Floyd. Renewed protests have occurred in Atlanta afterRayshard Brooks was shot and killed by police at a drive-through on Friday, an incident that led to the resignation of the city's police chief. On Sunday, eight-time All-Star Howard i sued a statement via his agent to CNN in which he made it clear he would give up the chance to win a first NBA Championship for "the unity of my people." Dwight Howard statement, provided by his agent, Brent Honeywell Jersey to CNN: Jill Martin (@ByJillMartin) Howard's statement in full: "I agree with Kyrie. Basketball, or entertainment period, isn't needed at this moment, and will only be a distraction.Sure it might not distract us players, but we have resources at hand the majority of our community don't have.And the smallest distraction for them can start a trickle-down effect that may never stop. Especially Corey Dickerson Jersey with the way the climate is now.I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship. But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship, that's just to sic beautiful to pa s up.What better time than now for us to be focusing on our families. This is a rare opportunity that, I believe, we as a community should be taking full advantage of.When have we ever had this amount of time to sit and be with Anthony Banda Jersey our families. This is where our Unity starts. At home! With Family!!European Colonisation stripped us of our rich history, and we have yet to sit down and figure us out. The le s distractions, the more we can put into action into rediscovering ourselves.Nations come out of families. Black/African American is not a Nation or Nationality. It's time Our Families Ryan Yarbrough Jersey became their own Nations. No Basketball till we get things resolved." The Lakers held the top spot in the Western Conference standings before the league's suspension at49-14.

The Golden State Warriors are one win away from returning to the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years. After a brief two-year hiatus from the Finals stage, the Warriors dynasty has proven it was never truly overthrown, on the brink of sweeping the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Mike Minor Jersey While the core group of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are still the key components of the dynasty, the Warriors have some new pieces in place who are making a major impact in this deep postseason run. Players like Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney have stepped up in a big way, but it's worth explicitly highlighting the two-way impact of Andrew Wiggins in this series as Luka Doncic's primary defender. MORE: Wiggins has done a tremendous job making life difficult for Doncic something that feels funny to type when speaking on a player who is averaging 34.0 points per game in the Conference Finals and has reached the 40-point mark in back-to-back games. But as we've seen in the past looking at Warriors' 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala when you can prevent an unstoppable player from having their gaudy numbers turn into wins, it's fair to be considered as a job well done. Without Wiggins' fingerprints all over this series, the Conference Finals could look Brett Martin Jersey significantly different. How did Wiggins end up on Golden State in the first place? It all started with the sign-and-trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets. Take a look at the deal that has the Warriors on the doorstep of getting back to the NBA Finals. Why did Kevin Durant leave the Warriors? Durant has previously said he made his decision to leave the Warriors because it was time for something new. "I felt like it was time for a change. I wanted to play for a new team,"."Simply put, I just did it. I didn't really think about what I was leaving behind or what we accomplished. I put that up on the shelf already. When it was time to make a decision on my future, I just thought solely about me." that, despite feeling accepted by the Warriors, he know he would never really be "one of those guys." "Steph Curry, obviously drafted there. Andre Iguodala, won the first Finals, first championship. Klay Thompson, drafted there. Draymond Green, drafted there," Durant said. "And the rest of the guys kind of rehabilitated their careers there. So me? S, how you going to rehabilitate me? What you going to teach me? How can you alter anything in my basketball life? I got an MVP already. I got scoring titles. "As time went on, I started to realize I'm just different from the rest of the guys. It's not a bad thing. Just my circumstances and how I came up in the league. And on top of that, the media always looked at it like KD and the Warriors. So it's like nobody could give a full acceptance of me there." On top of that, Durant has admitted , among other details as well, D'Angelo Ru sell for Andrew Wiggins trade When Durant decided the Nets were going to be his next destination, the two sides were able to agree on a sign-and-trade that was mutually beneficial. The Warriors sent Durant and a top-20 protected 2020 first-round pick (which was never conveyed) to the Nets in exchange for one-time All-Star D'Angelo Ru sell and role players Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham. There were immediate questions as to how the Warriors would make a three-guard backcourt between Curry Ariel Jurado Jersey , Thompson and Ru sell work, but Ru sell was traded before there was even a chance to find an answer. Ru sell never took the floor with Thompson who mi sed the entire 2019-20 season rehabbing an ACL injury and he only played four games with Curry, who mi sed most of the season with a wrist injury. After 33 games, the Warriors sent Ru sell, Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 first-round pick (which became Jonathan Kuminga at pick No. 7) and a 2021 second-round pick. Andrew Wiggins' impact on Warriors Foto: Getty Images Wiggins' two-way impact this postseason cannot be overstated. The first-time All-Star was really starting to plateau toward the back end of the season but he elevated his game as soon as the Warriors hit the NBA Playoffs stage. In the first round against the Nuggets, he only averaged 14.0 points but he Joe Palumbo Jersey knocked down 53.8 percent of his 3-pointers, making Denver's defense pay every time it helped off of him. In the second round against the Grizzlies, Wiggins was a wild card on defense as the Warriors used his versatility to guard everyone from Ja Morant to Jaren Jackson Jr. to Dillon Brooks. His impact is shining the brightest in the Western Conference Finals, where Wiggins has been tasked with the near-impo sible challenge of containing Doncic. The Canadian forward has done a great job of making Doncic work for every bucket, even if he has gone for back-to-back 40-point games. When you see the matchup data that shows Doncic has still scored 52 points while shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from 3 with Wiggins as the primary defender, it would be easy to a sume Wiggins doesn't deserve the Adrian Sampson Jersey credit he has received. But as I mentioned in the intro, it has a similar feel to Iguodala winning Finals MVP in 2015 for "containing" LeBron James to averages of 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 a sists per game in that series. With players as great as James and Doncic, you aren't going to stop them from posting monster averages. The best you can do is try and keep them in check and hope it's enough to prevent those averages from turning into wins. Wiggins has done exactly that as the Warriors sit with a comfortable 3-0 lead in the Conference Finals, large in part to his efforts on the defensive end. After his strong showing in Game 3 where he continued to play energetic defense while also tallying 27 points, 11 rebounds and one poster dunk on Doncic, Curry heaped praise on Wiggins' fit with the Warriors' core. "I've said it since the time that the trade happened that was the idea that (Wiggins) could Cole Hamels Jersey impact the game defensively with his athleticism," . "...We've been preaching that since he joined the team two years ago and it's amazing to see it under the bright lights. You don't know how guys are going to respond when you're asked to do what we're asking him to do in the playoffs," Curry continued. "We had the highest hopes and he's stepping up. And that's only because of his approach, his attitude and him just being a gamer. What we're asking him to do is guard the best guy on the other side, make it difficult on him. "Be aggre sive offensively and take what you see. What he's doing rebounding the ball has been awesome. Even just his comfort level to put pre sure on the rim we don't have that much vertical threat. He can pr

The Mavericks reserves have garnered quite a reputation during the 2022 NBA Playoffs. While Spencer Dinwiddie's scoring and Maxi Kleber's shooting have impacted happenings on the floor, it's been the off-court actions of players deeper in the rotation that has resulted in the NBA levying multiple fines on the Mavericks franchise. MORE: , the Mavericks have been fined three times for "violating league rules Neil Walker Jersey regarding team bench decorum," with their most recent fine of $100,000 bringing the fine total up to $175,000. Why has the NBA continued to discipline the Mavericks for their bench decorum? Take a look into Dallas' costly actions on the sideline. Mavericks' bench decorum, explained: Why the NBA has levied fines upon Dallas franchise (Getty Images) If you tune into any Mavericks playoff game, you'll see multiple bench players standing e sentially at all times. While players standing on the sidelines is extremely common especially during the playoffs the NBA's fines come as a result of the Mavericks cro sing the line, both literally and figuratively. No exaggeration: Mark Cuban is inches from the floor David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) When the league first fined the Mavericks $25,000 during the Western Conference Semifinals, the official statement said that "on multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff Kyle Barraclough Jersey stood away from Dallas' team bench and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during action." Following Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the Mavs were again fined, only this time it was $50,000 for a repeat offense of bench decorum violations, with the description of Game 7 infractions matching those from Game 2 earlier in the series. The following was released by the NBA. NBA Communications (@NBAPR) The fines have not discouraged the Mavericks, who have continued the antics during the Western Conference Finals. After Game 2 of the series, the franchise drew a $100,000 fine "for continuing to violate league rules regarding bench decorum." The following has been released by the NBA. NBA Communications (@NBAPR) Per league rules, players must remain seated while the ball is in play unle s they are spontaneously reacting to a notable play or getting up to check in at the scorer's table. In addition to it being a safety i sue, players standing can be a distraction to the opposition. In Game 2, inactive Mavericks two-way wing Theo Pinson, who was wearing the same color as the Warriors, baited Stephen Curry into committing a turnover by pa sing the ball to Dallas' bench. The Pinson play drew the ire of Warriors Lewis Brinson Jersey head coach Steve Kerr, who is one of a few individuals that have addre sed Dallas' bench decorum in the series. What has been said about the Mavericks' bench?Steve Kerr While Kerr was peeved by the activity that resulted in a turnover, he said he "loved the energy that they show," crediting them for being so connected as a unit, adding that it only becomes a problem when you interfere with the game. Steve Kerr said only time he took i sue w/Mavs Miami Marlins Jersey bench was on Steph Curry turnover w/Theo Pinson in white standing next to where a GSW player would be. Kerr praised DAL bench for great energy & team chemistry. Mavs were fined 100k today for 3rd violation John Dickinson (@JDJohnDickinson) Jason Kidd After the franchise was docked $100,000, Kidd maintained that not much would change, adding that the bench can find a positive in knowing the money is going to charity. Kidd on the latest fine: Its the leagues decision to fine. But were not going to sit. Were going to cheer. He said the positive the bench players can take away the positive their the fine goes to charity. Brad Townsend (@townbrad) Mark Cuban In response to the latest fine, the Mavericks owner shared a series of sarcastic tweets, one of which included a video of the Nets bench dancing and another that showed a video of Draymond Green disputing a call. Pedigree Mark Cuban (@mcuban) Our bench is out of control ! Mark Cuban (@mcuban) Theo Pinson Like Cuban, Pinson took to Twitter to share a photo of he and his teammates cheering from the bench, along with photos from the Eastern Conference Finals that depict members of both the Celtics and Heat encroaching the court from the bench. Its a crime to support your teammates Theo pinson (@tpinsonn) Make it make sense Theo pinson (@tpinsonn) Who is on the Mavericks bench? Outside of Dallas' rotational players, there are a number of players in the second unit that have made their presence felt with their connectivity, as described by Christian Yelich Jersey Kerr. Sterling Brown, the younger brother of Shannon, Brown can be spotted wearing his No. 0 jersey over his warm-up pants. Marquese Chri s,a top 10 pick in 2016, Chri s landed in Dallas after spending part of last season with Golden State. Trey Burke,a top 10 pick in 2013, Burke rejoined the Mavs as a replacement player in the bubble. He's in the third season of his second stint with Dallas. Josh Green, a first-rounder in 2021, the Australian is in his second season with the Mavericks. Tim Hardaway Jr., normally a rotation player, Hardaway has been sidelined since undergoing foot surgery in February. Boban Marjanovic, the league's tallest player, the 7-foot-3 Marjanovic is in his third year with the Mavericks. Theo Pinson, a culture-changer that is on a two-way contract, making him J. T. Realmuto Jersey ineligible for playoff action. Moses Wright, the former ACC Player of the Year is arookie that fills Dallas' other two-way slot.

Mo Speights found himself David Dahl Jersey in a bit of hot water on Twitter after taking a shot at LeBron James following the Lakers star's latest NBA Finals championship. Speights on Tuesday tweeted "Just the me senger..." accompanied by a side-by-side image of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan with the caption, "Back then, we used to celebrate threepeats. Now kids are out there celebrating four titles in 10 tries and call it greatne s." Mo Speights, part of the 2015 and 2016 Warriors, taking shots at LeBron James? ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) MORE: Not too long after, Speights backtracked on his Jonathan Lucroy Jersey original tweets, saying he meant no disrespect to James, who has played in nine of the last 10 NBA Finals (his first Finals berth came in 2007). He also earned his fourth NBA Finals MVP with his latest championship over the Heat. "No shots to Chris Iannetta Jersey Bron he is one of the best players to ever touch the court... I have my own opinion though so i don't really care what the next person have to say."- Mo Speights went private on Twitter and i sued these follow up tweets Blank Jersey about LeBron James. ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) Speights has since changed his Twitter account to private. Speights' tweet is humorous on several accounts, not least of which is that he joined the league in 2008, six years after Bryant's threepeat (2000-02) and 10 years after Jordan's second threepeat (1996-98). Moreover: Speights is only a one-time NBA champion. He was a part of the Warriors' 2014-15 team that beat James' Chris Rusin Jersey Cavaliers 4-2 in the Finals (a series in which he played three games and averaged 5.3 minutes, 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game). He was also on the Warriors' 2015-16 team that gave up a 3-1 Finals lead to James' Cavs. In that series, he played four games, averaged 4.6 minutes, 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. He also took the last shot of the series: Mo Speights 2016 Finals Highlights Malik (@Cyynicall) Any way you look at it, it was a dumb tweet by Speights that came Tyler Anderson Jersey back to bite him in the butt.

Ben Simmons typically makes sure his presence is felt on the defensive end of the floor, and that was certainly the case Friday night. In the 76ers' 127-111 win over the Hawks, Simmons hounded Trae Young, who scored28 points and dished out eight a sists but had to work for Roenis Elias Jersey everything. That part didn't come as a shock, though. Simmons will likely be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate throughouthis career, and he may even win the award one day. MORE: The surprise was how Philadelphia featured Simmonsin their half-court offense for an extended stretch and built a lead Atlanta could not overcome. After Simmons scored just four points in the first half, Sixers coach Doc Rivers emphasized the importance of getting him going, especiallyin the post. "We just thought he pa sed up too many opportunities, in the fast break, in the post," Rivers said after Game 3 ( )."So we told him we're going to come out and feature him on the Andrew Stevenson Jersey post, and be aggre sive, with the pa s first." It was easy to understand why Rivers wanted to see more of Simmons in the post. The 76ers got multiple clean looks in the first half when Simmons operated with his back to the basket and Philly ran off-ball actions. Austen Williams Jersey . tendencies. | Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) They grow up so fast. | Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) That continued in the third quarter with Simmons finding open teammates all over the court. His height (6-11) and elite pa sing abilityallowed him to survey the floor and pick the perfect target. Those traits also give the Sixers more room forcreativity, such as using Seth Curry as a screener for Joel Embiid, leading to an easy alley-oop. . doing things. Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) That's a baaaaaad Eric Thames Jersey man. Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) Simmons also hunted forhis own scoring opportunities, a welcome sight considering he had just 21 total points throughfirst two games of the series. "Ialways think when you start him out pa sing in the post, then he gets aggre sive in the game," ."He was great for us. It's exactly what we need, with his pace and power, it was great." The Au sie Oop. Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) Oh, Gallinari is not the answer! This has been a great quarter from him and maddening Javy Guerra Jersey because it is like, why can't this be the norm? Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) The increased level of aggre sion was a major reason why the 76ers won the third quarter34-19. Simmons totaled11points and three a sists in that frame. He finishedwith 18 points, seven a sists and four rebounds in 34 minutes. Some of the criticism surrounding Simmons' willingne s to shoot can be overstated and ignores his impact in other areas. He doesn Tanner Rainey Jersey 't need to suddenly start firing up 25 field goal attempts per game. However, if Philadelphia wants to make it through the Eastern Conference semifinals (and beyond), it will need the version of Simmons who doesn't justlinger alongthe baseline in the dunker spot. Pushing him into the post more often is a good place to start.

There will be a decent amount of star power on the Lakers and Nets this season. In total, the two teams enter the 2021-22season with 13 players who have been named an All-Star at least once in their NBA careers. The Lakers have a combined 57 All-Star selections on their roster, which to bethe most in NBA history. The Nets, meanwhile, have a combined 44 All-Star selections, putting them behind only these Lakersand the 2010-11 Celtics (56) on the all-time list. NBA POWER RANKINGS: Since a number of theplayers on the Lakers and Nets are no longer All-Stars, we decided to holda fantasy draft featuring the prime versions of those13 players. Where did three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard land? What about 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony? Which one of James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Ru sell Westbrook wasfirst off the board? Let's find out.. Mookie Wilson Jersey . Draft order Scott Rafferty () got the No. 1 pick, and Kyle Irving () got the No. 2 pick. We did a snake draft, so the order flipped after each round. While Marcus Stroman Jersey there are 13 All-Stars on the Lakers and Nets, you'll notice that 14 players were selected. The extra pick was added in order to havean equalnumber of players oneach roster. The fantasy general manager who received the last pick in the draft was allowed to select any playercurrently on the Lakers or Nets. Draft results 1. LeBron James, Lakers (Team Rafferty) 2. Kevin Durant, Nets (Team Irving) 3. Ru sell Westbrook, Lakers(Team Irving) 4. James Harden, Nets (Team Rafferty) 5. Anthony Davis, Lakers (Team Rafferty) 6. Dwight Howard, Lakers (Team Irving) 7. Carmelo Anthony, Lakers (Team Irving) 8. Kyrie Irving, Nets (Team Rafferty) 9. Blake Griffin, Nets (Team Rafferty) 10. Rajon Rondo, Lakers (Team Irving) 11. LaMarcus Aldridge, Nets (Team Irving) 12. Paul Millsap, Nets (Team Rafferty) 13. DeAndre Jordan, Lakers (Team Rafferty) 14. Patty Mills, Nets (Team Irving) Team Rafferty PG: Kyrie Irving SG: James Harden SF: LeBron James PF: Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap C: Anthony Davis, DeAndre Jordan What's not to like about this team? Leading the charge is LeBron James, a man whosecareer is worthy of . Sharing the backcourt with him is Kyrie Irving and James Harden. That's a lot of mouths to feed, but Irving and Jameswere basically unstoppable as teammates in Cleveland,and Harden has plenty of experience playing with other stars. Not only did he start his career on the same team as Ru sell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, but the Nets were with Harden, Durant and Irving on the court together last season. Plus, the three of them are basketball geniuses. I'm pretty confident that theycould make Brandon Nimmo Jersey it work. At center, I went with Anthony Davis instead of Dwight Howard. Dominant as peak Howard was defensively this is your reminder that Dikembe Mutomboand Ben Wallace are the only players in NBA history with more Defensive Player of the Year trophies I like the versatility Davis brings on both ends of the court. Offensively, he gives me another capable shooter and a dynamic lob threat next to Irving, Harden and James. Defensively Matt Harvey Jersey , he's a rim protector who has the mobility to also defend the perimeter. Let's just hope Davis is cool with being a full-time center. Next to Davis in the frontcourt isBlake Griffin. I probably don't need to remind you what peak Blake Griffin looked like, but... INCREDIBLE! One of the best in-game dunkers of all-time? Sit back and enjoy Blake Griffin's top dunks! NBA UK (@NBAUK) Something tells me Harden and James would have a lot of fun running pick-and-rolls with Griffin. Off the bench are Paul Millsap and DeAndre Jordan, a duo with two All-Defensive First Team selections and one All-Defensive Second Team selectionto their names. The last thing I needed was more playmaking, so theytie everything together nicely for Team Rafferty. Good luck stopping this team. Rafferty Team Irving PG:Rajon Rondo, Patty Mills SG: Ru sell Westbrook SF: Kevin Durant PF:Carmelo Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge C: Dwight Howard At a quick glance, it might look like Team Rafferty would run away with this one,but don't countmy squadout. With the No. 2 pick, Kevin Durant was the obvious selection as one of the most talented scorers in NBA history, but the No. 3 pick is where things got difficult. There's a strong case to be made that I should've gone with James Harden, but Durant provides enough scoring. Adding a multi-faceted talent with the heart of a lion in Ru sell Westbrook, I e sentially made the same decision Oklahoma City's front office had to make back in 2012. OKC didn't win a championship with Durant and Westbrook as the franchise cornerstones, but the Thunderwere aperformance away from makinga second NBA Finals appearance and, po sibly, an NBA title. With my next selection, I elected to shore up my frontcourt with the best defender in this group in Dwight Howard, a three-time Defensive Francisco Lindor Jersey Player of the Year and five-time rebounding champion. I Robert Gsellman Jersey don't thinkAD wants anything to do with prime Dwight. In need of some shooting, I could have gone with Kyrie Irving, butI couldn't pa s up on CarmeloAnthony, who averaged over 20 points per game for the first 14 years of his career.Imagine trying to defend prime KD and prime Melo on the same team.Good luck. To round out my starting five, I elected to take Rajon Rondo, who would have a field day feeding the two aforementioned bucket-getters, as well as having Howard as a lob threat. Don't forget that Rondo was also a four-time All-Defensive Team member(twoFirst Team selections)and a steals champion during his prime. He could lock up Irving. After that, LaMarcus Aldridge seemed like a no-brainer over Paul Millsap and DeAndre Jordan. I also had the wild-card pick, soI added some much-needed shooting to my backcourt in scoring guard Patty Mills. Even if Team Rafferty looks likethe favourite on paper, I like how we match up on the court. Irving

For the 22nd time in their illustrious franchise history, the Celtics will host an NBA Finals game. Game 3 of the Finals matchup featuring the Reggie McClain Jersey Golden State Warriors will tip off on Wednesday from the TD Garden in Boston. In the postseason, the Celtics are just 5-4 at home as homecourt advantage hasn't really been a deciding factor for Boston throughout their run to the Finals. But for the Celtics, those lo ses at home and the overall experience they gained in the postseason Robinson Cano Jersey has prepared them for the challenge of the Finals. "We've been tested well in the playoffs," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said before Game 2 on Sunday. "I think we respond well, and whether our backs are against the wall or coming out, we've played extremely well on the road. So all those things are signs of growth. Honestly, we have a 'don't care' mentality about it: whatever happens, happens. Whatever the situation is, we are going to try Mallex Smith Jersey to play the same, and whether we are up one or down one, or up one with a chance to go up two, I think the same mentality that we keep shows growth and progre s overall with our team." What channel is Warriors vs. Celtics on?Date:Wednesday, June 8TV channel:ABCLive streaming:| Watch ESPN Game 3 of the NBA Finals will air on ABC. Viewers can also stream Game 3 on Watch ESPN or Sling TV. Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA Finals game live on SLING TV. With the SLING Orange Sports Extra Ryon Healy Jersey package, get $10 off your first month now with acce s to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. NBA Finals games on ABC are simulcast on ESPN3, which is included with SLING Orange, available for $35 per month including $25 the first month for new subscribers. MORE: Warriors vs. Celtics start time and locationDate:Wednesday, June 8Time:9 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. PTWhere: TD Garden in Boston, Ma sachusetts Game 3 of the NBA Alex Colome Jersey Finals will tip off around 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 8. The game will be played at the TD Garden in Boston. Warriors vs. Celtics schedule, resultsDateGameTime (ET) / ResultsTV channelJune 2Game 1Celtics 120, Warriors 108ABCJune 5Game 2Warriors 107, Celtics 88ABCJune 8Game 39p Jake Fraley Jersey .m.ABCJune 10Game 49p.m.ABCJune 13Game 5*9p.m.ABCJune 16Game 6*9p.m.ABCJune 19Game 7*8p.m.ABC *If nece sary

We've found the secret to the Lakers' succe s, and it unsurprisingly directs back to LeBron James. James scored a season-high 40 points in Tuesday's 118-109 victory over the Pelicans, outshining fellow All-Stars Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram as well as exciting rookie Brandon Guyer Jersey Zion Williamson. James establishing himself as the best player on the floor in a marquee game is not an uncommon occurrence: This is Year 17 of the LeBron experience, after all. MORE: James' latest scoring explosion did continue Matt Davidson Jersey what has been an unexpected statistical trend, however. , the Lakers do not lose a major improvement from 2018-19, when the in which James reached that threshold. LeBron James scoring outputRecord30-plus points18-020-30 points20-6Fewer than 20 points5-5Overall43-11* *Los Angeles is 1-1 when James is inactive. James' individual point totals in those 18 games: 30 (twice), 31 (five times), 32 (five times), Robin Ventura Jersey 33 (twice), 35, 36, 39 and 40, for an average of 32.8 points per game. He has averaged 9.7 a sists and 7.8 rebounds for good measure, and shot better than 47 percent from the field in all of those contests. Bo Jackson Jersey LeBron season-high 40 ' 40 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST leads the to their 6th straight W. NBA (@NBA) The Lakers have racked up wins against basement-dwellers over that stretch, but they also defeated the Jazz, Nuggets and Rockets, three of the top Preston Tucker Jersey five teams in the current Western Conference standings. On the other side of the spectrum, Los Angeles has been vulnerable during James' off nights. The Lakers are 5-5 . He has still contributed to the offense by averaging 12.9 a sists over those 10 games, but his efficiency drops dramatically, especially Bobby Jenks Jersey from 3-point range (12 of 47 shooting, or 25.5 percent). So what does this tell us? In order to win the NBA championship, Lakers coach Frank Vogel simply needs to employ a new strategy. Tell LeBron to score 30 points in every game. Boom, done.

To the surprise of no one, Klay Thompson has been ruled out for a return Clint Frazier Jersey to the NBA this season. The Warriors sharpshooter tore his ACL during Game 6 of the NBA Finals last June, the game in which the Raptors clinched their first championship. "Klay was expecting this,"Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters Thursday (). "It's been a very frustrating year for Klay, but I think he's almost out of the woods. He's a couple months away from this Yogi Berra Jersey season ending and moving towards a summer of preparing for the next season with his teammates. I think that's a much better place for him to be emotionally." This has been a frustrating season for Golden State. Kevin Durant left in the offseason to team up with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. Stephen Curry played four games before being sidelined with a hand injury and hasn't returned, though once the injury is fully healed. The current Warriors team isn't close to the team that made five consecutiveFinals appearances and won three titles. It hasthe worst record in the league (12-44). MORE: As hard as it has been for the Warriors on the court, it has been just as hard for Thompson on the sidelines. "I've really felt bad for him," Kerr said. "Klay loves to play basketball so much. He loves this gameand it Derek Jeter Jersey means so much to him. In some ways he's kind of been lost without it. He's been so anxious Dellin Betances Jersey to be out there on the floor helping his teammates. He sees all these young guys, he sees our struggles, he wants to be out there, but it's been a long haul." Steve Kerr said its still po sible Klay Thompson competes in Olympics. He hasnt seen Klay sprinting/jumping yet, but he will increasingly do more on the floor, behind the scenes, in upcoming weeks, as season nears an end. Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) The light at the end of the Mariano Rivera Jersey tunnel isn't too far away for Thompson. Kerr said it's po sible Thompson could play in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The hobbled "Splash Brother" has been open about wanting to represent his country again after helping lead Team USA to gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, especially with Kerr serving as an a sistant to GreggPopovich. "It's not off the table," Kerr said. "It's still a po sibility. We Miguel Andujar Jersey haven't really discu sed it. I think the Olympic team meets in July, so it's still quite a ways away. But it's really not anything we're discu sing at this point. It's still a po sibility. . . . Obviously his health is the No. 1 concern, and so we'll kind of cro s that bridge when we come to it."

Kyrie Irving will be a strong locker room presence for the Nets, according to Joe Harris. Harris and Irving were teammates with the Cavaliers and will be reunited once again after the star announced he was heading to Brooklyn this summer Domingo Santana Jersey . . is home. Roc Nation Sports (@RocNationSports) Irving will be joining the Nets after a rough stint in Boston, where he was reportedly unhappy and had i sues with teammates as well as the coaching staff. Harris, however, defended Irving during a recent interview Kyrie, hes got a big personality, Harris said. Hes one of these guys thats misunderstood. The way that hes construed Matt Garza Jersey in the media is probably going to paint him in a light that is not nece sarily true. Id say you could ask a lot of people that played with him and theyd all say that hes a great teammate and a good guy to be around. Harris said he enjoyed his time playing with Irving and was looking forward to sharing the court with him again. None of us are perfect all the time, Harris said. Were all going to have ups and downs throughout Manny Pina Jersey the course of the season. For him, unfortunately, hes just in one of these scenarios where theres so much more attention on him and people are paying much more attention to when he does have an off day. I have Jonathan Villar Jersey off days all the time, too, but nobody really cares when I have an off day. People care when Kyrie does. Irving averaged 23.8 points and 6.9 a sists for the Celtics last season. He has Jim Gantner Jersey made six All-Star teams during his eight-year career and won a championship with Cleveland in 2015-16. Hes one of these guys where hes very much must-see, Harris said. We all know the talent, but I got to see it for a year and a half every day. He really Hernan Perez Jersey is that talented. Hes a top-10 talent. The Nets also added star Kevin Durant and center DeAndre Jordan this offseason. They sent D'Angelo Ru sell to the Warriors in a sign-and-trade, as well. Harris poured in a career-high 13.7 points per game and shot 47.4% from 3-point range for Brooklyn in 2018-19. Related Articles