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Mavericks

Several NBA stars have returned Monday night as they look to help their teams improve their standings in the current NBA season.
Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings
Monk returned to the Kings&rsquo; lineup after missing the past 7 games due to injury. He scored 14 points on 4/12 shooting from the field, however the Kings lost to the Thunder in a 109-130 blowout.
Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics
Porzingis made his Celtics debut Monday night against the Clippers after being sidelined for five months. Porzingis has successfully returned after undergoing a foot surgery in the offseason, scoring 16 points with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. He helped the Celtics secure a blowout victory over the visiting LA Clippers team, 126-94. Porzingis looked healthy and was efficient scoring from the field, going 6/12 in his field goals.
The Celtics will now have their complete lineup that won them the 2023 NBA title, and adding Porzingis back into their lineup only solidifies their chances of going back to back.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Morant made it back to the Grizzlies&rsquo; starting lineup successfully with a scintillating 22-point, 11-assist performance in just 23 minutes in Memphis&rsquo; win over Portland. Morant was explosive in his return, throwing down a thunderous slam and dishing an eye-popping behind the back pass for a Brandon Clarke easy bucket.
Morant now looks to lead the Grizzlies out of the middle pack in the Western Conference with a healthy showing moving forward.
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are targeting a return on Tuesday night in the Suns&rsquo; NBA Cup game against the Lakers, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
Durant and Beal have been out of Phoenix's lineup the last 5-6 games, as they went 1-5 in that stretch. When both were in the lineup, the Suns were a league-best 8-1.
Durant and Beal aim to provide the Suns the firepower that they lacked over the past games with defenses keying in on stopping Devin Booker only.
Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans
Murray is eyeing a return after a one-month absence on Wednesday night when the Pelicans face the Raptors. Murray intends to return and help the now West-bottom New Orleans team to compete once again atop the West. Murray fractured his hand on opening night against the Chicago Bulls.
Murray was acquired by the Pelicans in a trade for Dyson Daniels in the offseason to shore up their PG duties and have a closer as well as a playmaker around star Zion Williamson.

Several NBA stars have returned Monday night as they look to help their teams improve their standings in the current NBA season.

NBA roundup 11/26/24: NBA stars returning to help respective teams

The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their dominant start to the 2024-25 NBA season with a commanding 136-117 victory over the Golden State Warriors Friday night at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.&nbsp;
Cleveland took control early, capitalizing on a 20-5 run in the first quarter. The Warriors struggled to keep pace with the high-energy Cavs, who showcased their depth and unselfish ball movement throughout the game.&nbsp;
The Cavaliers&rsquo; defense was a key factor in the victory. The Cavaliers held the Warriors to just 22 points in the first quarter and stifled Golden State&rsquo;s offensive flow for much of the game. They also did a great job limiting turnovers, giving the Warriors little chance to capitalize on fast breaks or second-chance opportunities. As the game wore on, the Cavaliers&rsquo; depth, energy, and size wore down the Warriors, who had no answer for Cleveland&rsquo;s balanced attack.
Darius Garland, one of Cleveland's standout performers, finished with 27 points and six assists, hitting six of his eleven 3-point attempts. His shooting helped stretch the Warriors' defense and created opportunities for his teammates. Evan Mobley also had a strong performance with 23 points, four rebounds, and excellent free-throw shooting (9-10), anchoring the defense and contributing in key moments.
While Golden State showed resilience with a strong second-half push, they were ultimately unable to recover from the large early deficit. Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists while Brandin Podziemski added 14 points along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. However, the lack of scoring support from superstar Stephen Curry, who was blitzed all game long to score just 12, hurt their chances to keep the game close.
With the win, the Cavaliers are sending a clear message to the rest of the league&mdash;they are serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland leads the league with the best record to remain perfect and the only undefeated team left. They have shown their ability to dominate both offensively and defensively. Their strong team play, led by Garland, Mobley, and star Donovan Mitchell, make them a formidable force in the East moving forward.
The Warriors, on the other hand, had their five-game win streak snapped and will need to regroup quickly going into their next game vs the West-leading Thunder. Despite their veteran leadership, they were no match for Cleveland&rsquo;s all-around performance.
The win extended the Cavs' undefeated streak to 10-0, <a href="https://x.com/basketbllnews/status/1855126069193683320">as they became the first team in NBA history to start a season with 10 straight wins and scoring at least 110 points in every game.</a>
Next up:
Cleveland - Saturday vs Brooklyn
Golden State - Monday at Oklahoma City

The Cavaliers extend their undefeated start to 10-0 with a dominant 136-117 win over the Warriors, showcasing their depth and defense.

Cavaliers drub Warriors to remain perfect at 10-0

The New Orleans Pelicans have announced Dejounte Murray has injured his left hand and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
The point guard, who was acquired by New Orleans this offseason, suffered the injury during the Pelicans&rsquo; opening night win against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
According to Charania, tests have confirmed the injury to the former 1-time all-star. It was initially reported that the Pelicans &lsquo;feared&rsquo; that Murray might have injured his hand after experiencing discomfort in it in the second half. Now, those fears were deemed to be true and could be a setback for the Pelicans, who also missed star forward Zion Williamson due to illness.
ANALYSIS: This is a huge blow to the Pelicans in the tough and deep Western Conference. New Orleans brought Murray in to be the main playmaker for the team that features scorers like Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum and also be a closer for the team in clutch situations.
Murray had a very good game against the Bulls, tallying 14 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds with only 1 turnover. He commanded the game well against the Bulls, finding teammates on easy baskets. Murray also played tough defense as he aims to get back to his usual defensive self with the Pelicans.
Murray did not speak to reporters after the game, and McCollum hopes he&rsquo;s not out for too long.
According to ESPN stats, Murray became the third player in Pelicans history with 10 assists in his team debut, joining Elfrid Payton (2018) and Baron Davis (2002). Last season with the Hawks, he had just two games total with 10 assists and one or fewer turnovers.
The Pelicans go on a 4-game road trip in the West coast, beginning at Portland on Friday night.&nbsp;

The New Orleans Pelicans have announced Dejounte Murray has injured his left hand and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Pelicans lose Dejounte Murray in 1st game of season after fractured left hand

With just days left until the 2024-25 NBA season tips off, the Eastern Conference teams are settled, prepped, and ready for action. The offseason moves are done, rosters are set, and almost everyone&rsquo;s locked in for what&rsquo;s shaping up to be an intense race. From title contenders to dark horses, the East is packed with teams ready to make noise. So, let&rsquo;s dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season&mdash;no fluff, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Knicks The Knicks made significant moves this offseason, adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while retaining key pieces like Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. With depth, defense, and firepower, they look primed for a deep playoff run. After a 50-win season in 2023-24, they now have realistic championship aspirations and could be the biggest threat to the Celtics in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Boston Celtics The defending champions kept their core intact, extending Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. With Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday leading a formidable lineup, the Celtics are aiming to repeat as NBA champions. Despite concerns about Al Horford&rsquo;s age and frontcourt health, Boston remains the favorite heading into the 2024-25 season.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks didn&rsquo;t make major changes but added depth with Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Delon Wright. After an injury-plagued season from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Milwaukee looks to bounce back under returning head coach Doc Rivers. With questions surrounding Lillard&rsquo;s form and Middleton&rsquo;s durability, the Bucks remain playoff contenders, but how far they go will depend on health and chemistry.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Philadelphia 76ers The 76ers had a big offseason, adding Paul George, Andre Drummond, and Caleb Martin to support Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Maxey&rsquo;s rise as a star solidifies Philly&rsquo;s title hopes, and Embiid&rsquo;s MVP-level play is crucial for their success. With an improved supporting cast, the Sixers could be serious challengers in the East, but Embiid&rsquo;s health remains the key.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cleveland Cavaliers After a solid 48-win season, the Cavs focused on continuity by keeping their core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. New coach Kenny Atkinson brings fresh leadership, and Cleveland hopes to build on last season&rsquo;s playoff run. With a healthier roster and improved coaching, the Cavs could reach 50 wins and challenge the top teams in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Pacers The Pacers had a quiet offseason but retained Pascal Siakam and made a key addition in James Wiseman. Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s breakout season makes Indiana a team to watch, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on their deep playoff run. With improved chemistry and young talent, Indiana could surprise as a top-five team in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Orlando Magic The Magic are banking on internal growth, led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. After winning 47 games and making the playoffs last season, they added veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for shooting and leadership. With a young core developing, Orlando could win 50 games if they continue their upward trend and improve their perimeter shooting.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Miami Heat The Heat had a quiet offseason, adding Alec Burks while re-signing key players like Bam Adebayo. With Jimmy Butler&rsquo;s future uncertain and health concerns for both Butler and Tyler Herro, Miami could face challenges in a competitive Eastern Conference. However, Adebayo&rsquo;s All-NBA-level play will keep them in the playoff hunt.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Hawks The Hawks overhauled their roster after a disappointing 36-46 season, headlined by trading Dejounte Murray and acquiring the No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher. With Trae Young remaining the focal point, the Hawks are banking on Risacher&rsquo;s development and contributions from new additions like Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels. This team looks poised to contend for a Play-In spot but lacks the co-star power needed for a deep playoff run.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Charlotte Hornets The Hornets enter the season with fresh energy, thanks to the hiring of new coach Charles Lee and the re-signing of Miles Bridges. With LaMelo Ball back healthy and Brandon Miller continuing to impress after an All-Rookie season, Charlotte&rsquo;s young core could surprise many. If Ball stays on the floor and their youth develops quickly, the Hornets might find themselves contending for a Play-In spot and shaking off years of underachievement.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Detroit Pistons The Pistons are looking to turn the page on a tough 2023-24 season and have made moves to fast-track their rebuild. With Cade Cunningham healthy, new leadership under J.B. Bickerstaff, and rookie Ron Holland adding spark, Detroit could outperform expectations. If Cunningham returns to form and the team gels quickly, don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Pistons emerge as a dark horse in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Toronto Raptors The Raptors are in transition, keeping their young core of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley intact. After a poor finish to last season, Toronto is betting on Barnes&rsquo; continued growth and the addition of Davion Mitchell to improve their fortunes. While their ceiling might be a Play-In appearance, the Raptors are hoping their trio can take a big step forward.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Bulls The Bulls traded DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, adding Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith to the mix. Zach LaVine&rsquo;s injury history remains a concern, but the Bulls are counting on Coby White&rsquo;s emergence and the potential of lottery pick Matas Buzelis. Chicago is likely to be a competitive team some nights, but they may struggle to rise above the Play-In threshold.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brooklyn Nets The Nets are entering a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker. With a young roster led by Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas, Brooklyn&rsquo;s focus is on player development. Ben Simmons remains a question mark, but the team&rsquo;s recent moves set them up for future success with significant draft assets. A playoff berth seems unlikely as they look to position themselves for a high draft pick.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Wizards The Wizards continue their rebuild with the addition of Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick. With Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey joining the squad, Washington hopes to see growth from young talents like Bilal Coulibaly. However, they&rsquo;re still far from playoff contention and will likely be looking at another lottery-bound season.</li>
</ol>

Let's dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season.

2024-2025 NBA Eastern Conference Power Rankings: A new number one arises at the top

Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Summer League saw the sophomores dominate the games for their respective teams, showing their improvement from last season. Here are some players who stood out on the 2nd day of action in Las Vegas.
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Castle looked every bit of the point guard he was billing himself into after a strong first showing for the Spurs. Castle looked comfortable attacking in the pick-and-roll, making reads and playmaking. The rookie from UConn was putting defenders in jail, doing the rocker step to get by opponents, and dishing it out to corner guys. In the end, Castle put up 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists as the Spurs beat the Blazers.
Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
The No. 2 overall pick from last year&rsquo;s draft looked stronger than ever, benefiting from a Team USA Select Team just a week ago. Miller has been steadily improving his shot, decision-making, and playmaking, en route to scoring 23 points and 8 rebounds for the Hornets in their win vs the Knicks.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
Jaquez looked like he did not belong in the summer league, not because he was bad or struggled, but because he was too good to be playing in the tournament. Jaquez churned in 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists as the Heat won a nailbiter over the Celtics.
Cody Williams, Utah Jazz
The younger brother of OKC&rsquo;s Jalen Williams, Cody impressed in his Las Vegas Summer League debut with an efficient night of scoring from the field. In a win by the Jazz vs the Mavs, Williams scored 21 points on 9-15 FG and 3-6 from the field, making his case early as one of the best rookies in this draft class.

Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Summer League saw the sophomores dominate the games for their respective teams.

2024 NBA Summer League: Day 2 Standouts

2024 NBa Kia Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and his runner-up Chet Holmgren have been named to the All-Rookie First Team, the league announced on Monday night.
The San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; 1st overall phenomenon and the OKC Thunder&rsquo;s 2nd overall unicorn from a year ago lead a field that includes Charlotte&rsquo;s Brandon Miller (3rd overall), Miami Heat&rsquo;s Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18th overall), and Golden State Warriors&rsquo; Brandin Podziemski (19th overall).
Wembanyama and Holmgren got all 99 1st place votes to run away with their spots. Miller had a lone 1 2nd place vote to go along with 98 1st place votes while Jaquez and Podziemski got 89/10 and 64/33 respectively.
Making up the All-Rookie Second team were Dallas Mavericks&rsquo; Dereck Lively (26 1st and 67 2nd place votes), Houston Rockets&rsquo; Amen Thompson (10 1st place and 80 2nd place votes), Utah Jazz&rsquo;s Keyonte George (3 1st place and 71 2nd place votes), Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s Cason Wallace (2 1st place and 63 2nd place votes), and Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; GG Jackson (5 1st place and 33 2nd place votes).
Among the noticeable snubs from the 10-man rookie list that could have been awarded were the Portland Trailblazers&rsquo; Scoot Henderson (3rd overall), Detroit Pistons&rsquo; Ausar Thompson (5th overall pick), and Golden State Warriors&rsquo; Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th overall pick).
Check out the full results here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
2023-24 NBA All-Rookie First Team: ▪️ Chet Holmgren ▪️ Jaime Jaquez Jr. ▪️ Brandon Miller ▪️ Brandin Podziemski ▪️ Victor Wembanyama 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie Second Team: ▪️ Keyonte George ▪️ GG Jackson II ▪️ Dereck Lively II ▪️ Amen Thompson ▪️ Cason Wallace <a href="https://t.co/BqdDDu3oRv">pic.twitter.com/BqdDDu3oRv</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1792704102004339044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></blockquote>

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2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and his runner-up Chet Holmgren have been named to the All-Rookie First Team.

2024 NBA All-Rookie Teams: Wembanyama, Holmgren lead the way

San Antonio Spurs unicorn Victor Wembanyama has landed the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, the league announced Monday night.
Wembanyama, the 20-year-old French phenom, won the ROTY race in a landslide. He landed in all of the 99 of the 1st place votes (equivalent to 10 points) available to finish with a perfect 495 points. OKC&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren finished 2nd with 98 2nd place votes (equivalent to 5 points) and 1 3rd place votes (equivalent to 1 point) for 295 points while Charlotte&rsquo;s Brandon Miller was 3rd with 1 2nd place vote and 98 3rd place votes. Wembanyama becomes the first unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year since Karl-Anthony Towns in the 2015-16 season.
Wembanyama is the first player from France to win the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He is also the third player to earn the honor with the Spurs, joining David Robinson (1989-90) and Tim Duncan (1997-98).
The 7-foot-4 wunderkind led all rookies in points, rebounds, and blocks per game. He is the second rookie to lead all NBA players in blocks per game in a season, joining Manute Bol (1985-86).
Wembanyama became the first player to average at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in fewer than 30 minutes per game in a season. He is also the first player to have at least 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks, and 100 three-pointers made in a season.

Spurs unicorn Victor Wembanyama has landed the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, the league announced Monday night.

Victor Wembanyama lands 2023-2024 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award

On Sunday night, the NBA announced the finalists for its 2023-2024 NBA Awards. Each award featured three finalists from different teams that were eligible to win. These awards are expected to be handed out at some point during the playoffs.
Check out the full list here:
Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Most Improved Player&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Coby White, Chicago Bulls</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Rookie of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bobby Portis Jr., Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Coach of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Most Valuable Player
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LOOK: The complete list of 2023-24 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> awards finalists... 👀 Any thoughts? 🤔 (📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAPR</a>) <a href="https://t.co/Exx5nZAYft">pic.twitter.com/Exx5nZAYft</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782180951801626825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

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On Sunday night, the NBA announced the finalists for its 2023-2024 NBA Awards.

NBA announces finalists for 2023-2024 NBA Awards

Views are the author&rsquo;s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the website.
The 2023-2024 NBA season has wrapped up and the race for the league&rsquo;s annual awards has officially ended. Here&rsquo;s a look at my picks of the NBA's award winners.
Most Improved Player: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
(Runner-ups: Coby White, Jalen Johnson)
Notes: In the end, Tyrese Maxey takes the award with the amount of burden and responsibility in a Philadelphia team reeling from the loss of James Harden to become a true No. 2 option behind reigning MVP Joel Embiid. White improved a lot this year, increasing his averages both numbers and his shooting percentages. Johnson, like White, has also increased his usage and averages by a lot, featuring as the third option behind DeJounte Murray and Trae Young, or even as the second option without one of those two. A jumbo playmaking forward, Johnson showed improvements in his playmaking as well as his ability to score and had increased numbers in shooting as well. Ultimately, Maxey wins this award out because he was a guy who increased his usage and his role while playing most of the season without Embiid.
Sixth Man of the Year: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
(Runner-ups: Malik Monk, Bobby Portis)
Notes: Naz Reid has been the best player off the bench this season with the way he has been an offensive spark plug for the Timberwolves this season. He&rsquo;s had a phenomenal season, and he had to start and fill in for Karl-Anthony Towns when he went down while still being an efficient scorer as he is. If you factor in all the stuff for these awards, you could actually make a case for Monk, for Portis, maybe even guys like Norman Powell for the Clippers and Bogdan Bogdanovic for the Hawks. But with Minnesota going 56-26 and having the second most wins in franchise history &ndash; ultimately ending up atop the three best teams in the West, this gives a little bit of boost to Naz Reid due to his importance to the team.
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
(Runner-ups: Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis; Honorable mention: Bam Adebayo)
Notes: One of the hardest awards to figure out. Minnesota had the best defense in the league for a reason, and based on that Rudy Gobert would be a deserving winner of the award. When he&rsquo;s off the floor, the team does not perform defensively the way it does when Gobert is on the floor. This was hard because Wembanyama had a legitimate case, being the generational defender that he was. Davis also had a strong case with how he carried single-handedly the Lakers&rsquo; defense, while Adebayo had the immense burden of playing all the defensive schemes in Miami. Ultimately, it ended up with Gobert with the way he lifted a good defensive team to the best in the league, manning that paint and being that anchor that holds all of the pieces together.
All-Defensive Team:
1st Team - Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Herb Jones
2nd Team - Derrick White, Jalen Suggs, Jaden McDaniels, Alex Caruso, Jonathan Isaac
Notes: Starting this year, the NBA&rsquo;s All-NBA teams and defensive teams were positionless so I had to cheat a little bit here, putting 4 bigs in the 1st team. Gobert, Wembanyama, Davis, and Adebayo are no-brainers considering their defensive impact for each of their teams, while Jones takes the last spot in the 1st team for his ability to disrupt offenses as well as guarding each team&rsquo;s best player night in and night out for the Pelicans.&nbsp;
The second team features White (most blocks for a guard), Suggs and Isaac (best defensive players for the 4th best defense in the league, helping to lead the Magic back to the playoffs), McDaniels (best wing defender for the best defense in the league), and the perennial all-defense player Caruso who brings it in defensively every game.
Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
(Runner-up: Chet Holmgren)
Notes: Despite Holmgren having far and away the better team success, there&rsquo;s no denying Wembanyama&rsquo;s greatness in his rookie year. The French phenom has transcended the game both figuratively and on the eye test &ndash; he is simply a generational talent who is going to take over the league soon. Holmgren got off to a hot start in the first two months of the season but since January, Wembanyama has locked up the award for himself with out-of-the-world numbers for a rookie. He was dubbed as the best prospect since LeBron James and now he is well on his way to being one of the greatest of all time if he remains healthy after a historic rookie season.
All-Rookie Team:
1st Team - Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Jaime Jaquez Jr., GG Jackson
2nd Team - Ausar Thompson, Amen Thompson, Keyonte George, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis
Notes: There were several names to choose from here, and it felt hard to cut some of them here. Jordan Hawkins of the Pelicans has had a good start to the year when the team had all those injuries paving the way for him to play early into the season but has seen the bench since as NOLA got healthier and players came back; Cason Wallace had such a good shooting year off the bench for the No.1 seeded Thunder despite shooting being labeled by scouts as his biggest weakness coming into the NBA; Dereck Lively II being center that Luka Doncic needed and fit well with by catching all those lobs and helping the Mavs&rsquo; defense this season big time; No.2 overall pick Scoot Henderson had a good close to his rookie year.
All in all, these 10 rookies have felt like the best rookies in terms of production, opportunity, and narratives surrounding them. Of course, Wembanyama and Holmgren are automatic locks; Miller has been the best player in Charlotte without LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams; Jaquez is a vital piece off the bench for Erik Spoelstra&rsquo;s playoff-bound Heat team; and GG Jackson becoming a legit NBA scorer despite being the youngest player in the league to round out the first team.
The Thompson twins have just been defensive monsters ever since stepping foot in the league; George playing point guard at Utah has turned some heads and he has stepped up with the opportunity given to him; while Podziemski and Jackson-Davis have arguably been rotational pieces to the Warriors despite being rookies and has contributed a lot to them finding a way to fit in a complex team.
Coach of the Year: Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
(Runner-ups: Chris Finch, Jamahl Mosley)
Notes: There have been so many good coaches this season that have elevated their teams to good records, say Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets and Tom Thibodeau from the New York Knicks. But my Coach of the Year pick goes to Mark Daigneault of the OKC Thunder because this award tends to favor the expectations set for a team before the start of the season. The Thunder weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this good this season, but Daigneault catapulted them into one of the best teams not just in the West but the entire NBA. The evidence is written on the wall: No.1 in the West despite being the second youngest team in the league; having a top 5 ranking on both offense and defense and no.2 overall net rating. Finch and Mosley take the runner-up spots with the work they had to lift both the Timberwolves and the Magic to being top 4 seeds in their conferences as well as having top-rated defenses in the league.
Clutch Player of the Year: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
(Runner-ups: DeMar DeRozan, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
Notes: Another tough and close race, but ultimately it goes to Curry. Despite the Warriors&rsquo; so-so record, Curry had the most clutch time points, shot 50% from the field, and 46% from three in clutch time. Curry had the most threes than anyone in crunch time &ndash; being just the incredible clutch-time performer that he is &ndash; and always been.
All-NBA Team:
1st Team - Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum
2nd Team - Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James
3rd Team - Stephen Curry, Domantas Sabonis, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton
Notes: With Jalen Brunson carrying the Knicks to a second seed in the East playing without Julius Randle since January, it was incredibly hard to leave him off the 1st team. However, by the slightest of margins, I gave the nod to Tatum for being the best player on the best team in the league by a wide margin.
All the other picks were pretty explanatory, with the top 4 in the MVP race in Jokic, Doncic, SGA, and Giannis all expected to be first-teamers. The second team kind of got tougher besides Brunson, with legends Durant and James making the list because of the seasons they had leading their team as well as playing their most regular season game in years. Rounding out the second team were Edwards and Davis, two stars with the biggest impacts on their teams in the tough Western Conference.
The third team is actually a toss-up with a lot of good cases from the league all around, but ultimately I went with Curry, Sabonis, Leonard, Booker, and Haliburton.
Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&nbsp;
(Runners-up: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic; Honorable mention: Giannis Antetokounmpo)
Perhaps the closest race out of all the awards, all three players here are each deserving with their narratives and the numbers that support each of their cases. You can never go wrong picking one over the other, so it came down to personal opinion on who I thought had the strongest case this season. His case?
-Leading the second youngest team in the league to No.1 in the West
-3-1 series vs Denver
-3-1 series vs Dallas
-First player since Steph and MJ to average 30/5/5 in a season with 2+ steals
-Second in defensive net rating for guards
One could make the argument for Nikola Jokic being the best player in the world having better numbers than his two MVP seasons while Luka Doncic had one of the best seasons statistically in all facets of the game, but there&rsquo;s no denying SGA&rsquo;s strong case as well given the expectations for this young Thunder team.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is my MVP.

The 2023-2024 NBA season has wrapped up and the race for the league’s annual awards has officially ended.

OPINION: Picking the 2023-2024 NBA Awards winners

On Sunday night, Charlotte Hornets rookie Brandon Miller had the best performance of his young NBA career, scoring a career-high 35 points on 10-of-25 shooting from the field and 5-of-12 from three while grabbing 6 rebounds and blocking 2 shots.
Miller did it in a variety of ways, including stepbacks, floaters and drives to the rim. He hit 5 threes and showcased the three-level-scoring potential that helped him go No. 2 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
No. 2 Pick Brandon Miller dropped a career-high 35 PTS in Charlotte against the Pacers! <a href="https://t.co/WWhBGqHFf1">pic.twitter.com/WWhBGqHFf1</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1754346021788713293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a></blockquote>

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This outing served as a statement game for Miller, who has mostly been an afterthought in the Rookie-of-the-Year race since his fellow freshmen Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are having all-time rookie seasons. Miller has faced a lot of doubters, as people have been skeptical since the pick was made, with many citing No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson as the better overall prospect.
Over his last 10 games, the 6-foot-9 forward has been averaging 22.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, on 48% shooting from the field, 40% from three and 85% from the free-throw line. Miller is starting to figure it out and proving he belongs in the league.
The 21-year-old&rsquo;s career-night made him the first Hornets rookie since 1993 to have a 35+ point game, joining Alonzo Mourning and Rex Chapman as the only rookies to do so in Charlotte&rsquo;s franchise history.
With Miller averaging 28 points over his last four games, the No. 2 overall pick did something that turned heads. With nine minutes in the second quarter, Miller tallied his first field goal of the game with a driving layup over Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner. After scoring, Miller sprinted down the floor on the other end as TJ McConnell found Obi Toppin leaking out on a fastbreak. However, Toppin was not able to catch the ball, leading to the turnover. Despite that, Miller was clearly distraught at his teammates' lack of effort and was heard saying &ldquo;get the f*** back!&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Brandon Miller: "Get the fuck back!" 🗣️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsFly35?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsFly35</a> <a href="https://t.co/2QVlojAkpX">pic.twitter.com/2QVlojAkpX</a>
&mdash; /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) <a href="https://twitter.com/HornetsReddit/status/1754292522816290932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Even after scoring and making the layup, Miller was the first one back on defense ahead of the other Hornets players, who were jogging nonchalantly with just three minutes elapsed in the second quarter.
It sent a message to his teammates, coaching staff, organization and the whole city of Charlotte raring to see a competitive basketball team in their lifetimes: they now have a someone who cares and is willing to give everything night in and night out to win. And it came from their prized 21-year-old rookie.
This type of winning mentality separates the good players from the great players &mdash; the willingness to work hard, the ability to motivate himself and others to win, and being a leader who holds teammates accountable on their mistakes.
As Charlotte looks to build a winning team after being stuck in mediocrity, perhaps Miller is the cornerstone they've been looking for in recent years.

Charlotte Hornets No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller is turning heads with his recent play and attitude.

Brandon Miller looks like a franchise cornerstone for the Hornets

With the Western Conference All-Star starters set, let&rsquo;s look at the players who deserve a reserve slot for the West All-Star team this season. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/picking-the-nbas-eastern-conference-allstar-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our Eastern Conference All-Star reserve picks here</a>.
Guard: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry is a lock to make the team and the only question is: why isn&rsquo;t he starting? It took historic individual seasons from Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic and OKC&rsquo;s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to dislodge Curry from his usual starter spot at the All-Star game (the first time that's happened since 2014). As one of the legends of this generation and a face of the league for years running, Curry is still playing at a high level this season, averaging 27.5 points, 5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 41 games played.&nbsp;
Guard: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Like Jayson Tatum out East, Edwards is the best player on the best team in the West, which absolutely strengthens his All-Star case. Blossoming into a full-blown superstar this season, Edwards is averaging 26 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds. Even at only 22 years of age, Edwards has been leading his team to wins and the top seed in the Western Conference, earning a ton of respect from fans and the media. Those efforts won't go unnoticed as he earns his second All-Star nod.
Forward: Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have had the league&rsquo;s best record over the last 10 weeks and the reason is pretty simple: Kawhi Leonard is performing like his usual self. Leonard has played 41 of the Clippers' 45 games, which is huge considering the 6-foot-7 forward&rsquo;s injury history and past load management. In the past, Leonard has missed a lot of games in the regular season and playoffs, but that hasn't been the case this season. Leonard has been the Clippers' best player, averaging 23.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals a night. Whenever Leonard is playing well, the Clippers look like an elite squad.&nbsp;
Forward: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Arguably the Lakers&rsquo; best player this year, Anthony Davis has taken it upon himself to lead Los Angeles both on offense and defense. Despite playing out of his normal position, Davis is averaging 25 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 steals as a center. There is a direct correlation between Davis&rsquo; play and the Lakers' success this year. The Lakers would probably be even deeper down the standings if not for Davis and he's likely done enough to join Lakers teammate and All-Star captain LeBron James on the team.
Center: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Perhaps a controversial pick, Rudy Gobert is a worthy All-Star due to his production and the fact that he's helped lead the Wolves to the No. 1 seed in the West. Gobert is the anchor of the best defense in the entire league and is the main reason why Minnesota can effectively deploy a two-center lineup. Even though his 13.3 points per game don't jump off the page, Gobert is also averaging 12.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. The 7-foot-1 center is once again a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and leading his team to a ton of wins, which he has been doing since his Utah Jazz days. That is a testament to his value.
Wildcard: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
Last year, Fox made his first All-Star appearance. This year, he&rsquo;s been even better, upping his averages to 27.5 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds for the fifth-place Sacramento Kings. This is Fox&rsquo;s best scoring campaign of his career, just a season removed from winning the NBA&rsquo;s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award. A lot of the 6-foot-3 guard&rsquo;s success this season can be attributed to him shooting better from three (increasing his three-point percentage from 32.4% to 38.6%), which has allowed him to become a true three-level scoring threat. Using a lethal arsenal of mid-range jumpers and floaters, he has raised his game to the next level.
Wildcard: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker takes the West's last slot after some recent explosive performances. Booker has been on a stunning scoring tear as of late, which might help him secure a place on the team. Over the past week, the 6-foot-6 guard is averaging mind-boggling numbers of 42 points on 64% shooting from the field, including a 62-point outing and 52-point performance. This season, Booker has taken on more on-ball duties than ever before since Chris Paul is out of the picture and he's trying to fit alongside All-Star starter Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. This recent explosion reminded everyone that he can light up teams when he gets hot and look the part of an All-Star.
Snubs: Domantas Sabonis (Center, Sacramento Kings); Paul George (Forward, Los Angeles Clippers); Brandon Ingram (Forward, New Orleans Pelicans); Zion Williamson (Forward, New Orleans Pelicans); Alperen Sengun (Center, Houston Rockets); Lauri Markkanen&nbsp;(Forward, Utah Jazz)
The West is too deep. Even with Sabonis and George having stellar seasons and their teams in the upper half of the standings (the Clippers are fourth and the Kings are fifth), both still fail to crack the West&rsquo;s top 12. One can argue Sabonis and/or George over Gobert, but it's hard to give just one All-Star spot to the best team in the conference and two slots to teams below them. Both Sabonis and George could also get in through the wildcards, but Booker has been on another level recently and Fox and Sabonis are likely competing over the same spot.
The Pelicans&rsquo; Ingram and Williamson didn't get in as they don't have the stats compared to others on this list, with the Pelicans being one of the deepest teams in the league.&nbsp;
Sengun and Markkanen each have a case as a leading mnn on the next tier of West playoff teams, but the conference is filled with so much talent that even a career-best season may not warrant a spot.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/picking-the-nbas-eastern-conference-allstar-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our Eastern Conference All-Star reserve picks here</a>.

With the Western Conference All-Star starters set, let’s look at the players who deserve a reserve slot for the West All-Star team.

Picking the NBA's Western Conference All-Star reserves

The Charlotte Hornets spoiled Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; career night with a come-from-behind 128-125 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.
Towns scored a career-best 62 points, but the Hornets came through with a 36-18 fourth quarter to steal the game in the Wolves' den.
The 6-foot-11 big man surpassed his previous career-best of 60 points and set a new franchise record in the process. Towns put up 44 big points in the first half, which is the fourth-most points scored in a half in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98).
However, he only scored 4 points in the fourth quarter as the Hornets keyed in on him defensively while making tough shots of their own. Brandon Miller, Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges all contributed to the game-changing run in the fourth to give Charlotte just its 10th win of the season.
Despite the loss, Towns made history in several other categories:
<ul>
<li>Seventh player in NBA history with multiple 60-point games</li>
<li>First player in NBA history with 10+ two-point makes, 10+ three-point makes and 10+ free-throw makes in a single game</li>
<li>First center in NBA history with 60+ points and 10+ threes in a game&nbsp;</li>
<li>Most points in a loss since Devin Booker&rsquo;s 70-point game</li>
</ul>
Along with Joel Embiid&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/joel-embiid-erupts-for-70-points-to-beat-victor-wembanyama-spurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">historic 70-point night</a>, tonight was the first time in 45 years that two players scored 60 points or more on the same night (and the fourth such instance in NBA history).
Minnesota&rsquo;s loss drops their record to 30-13. Although they are still the No. 1 seed in the West, they are now in danger of relinquishing the top spot for the first time since November with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets right on their heels. Tomorrow, the Thunder play the Blazers while the Nuggets play the Pacers, and both teams have a chance to tie the Wolves atop the West.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored a career-best 62 points, but it wasn't enough to put away the Charlotte Hornets.

Hornets spoil Karl-Anthony Towns career-best 62 points, beat Wolves

Despite losing to the Milwaukee Bucks, 129-118, on Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors left the game with a silver lining: Their young guys outran and outhustled the contending Bucks, giving them a hard time all game long.&nbsp;
The Warriors even led 56-54 at the half, and it wasn't until the fourth quarter that the Bucks were able to pull away completely. Milwaukee used their veteran savvy in the fourth to defeat the youthful Warriors squad, who were playing without their captain and superstar Stephen Curry (rest).
Even though they came up short, the young guns showed they have the ability to compete against an elite team, which the Warriors can possibly build upon once Curry and Draymond Green return to the lineup. This showing also gives Golden State's front office a number of things to consider as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches.
With that said, let's break down how the Warriors' young core performed and how they nearly managed to upset the Bucks without their leading scorer.
First, the youthful Warriors ran the old Bucks off the floor. Without Curry, head coach Steve Kerr started rookie Brandin Podziemski at point guard. With Podz at helm, the Warriors pushed the pace. Save for some early sets for Klay Thompson, Golden State was up and running and tried to beat Milwaukee in transition all game long. Even slow-footed power forward Dario Saric was leading the break at some points, trying to turn up the tempo and outrun the Bucks.
If there was one possession that encapsulated what the Warriors tried to do, it was this one in the second quarter. Following a made basket by the Bucks, Jonathan Kuminga ran the length of the floor, beat Giannis Antetokounmpo and challenged Brook Lopez at the rim in the process to make a quick counter:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
I like the mindset here. Bucks' Achilles heel on defense this season has been in transition. Off of a made bucket, JK pushes the pace and lays the ball over Brook. <a href="https://t.co/PK8KkPUocJ">pic.twitter.com/PK8KkPUocJ</a>
&mdash; Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeVirayNBA/status/1746349742576312799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
Kuminga breezed through the entire Milwaukee defense and jumped in the air before Lopez could get there. The Dubs just ran and ran, putting pressure on the Bucks (the NBA's oldest team).
Secondly, the young Warriors played hard; they deserve credit for their effort and energy. Without their best player and the hub of their system, the Warriors leaned on their youth and athleticism to challenge the Bucks, who were coming off their biggest win of the season (drubbing the Boston Celtics).
It started with Podziemski, who was playing in his home state of Wisconsin. He had a great game, recording a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds on impressive 10-of-14 shooting.&nbsp;
The No. 19 overall selection was active off the bounce, blowing by opponents and squeezing his way through the defense. He was also brilliant off the catch, where he got a couple of baskets off of stampede runs to the rim:
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Interesting that the Bucks are actually hard hedging here w/ Portis as their 5. Puts them in rotation, Podz takes advantage w/ a face cut. <a href="https://t.co/QDTFb7q9XZ">pic.twitter.com/QDTFb7q9XZ</a>
&mdash; Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeVirayNBA/status/1746344669464916419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
The 20-year-old out of Santa Clara also exhibited uncanny can't-teach instincts. In one play in the fourth quarter, he knew exactly what fellow rookie Andre Jackson Jr. would do, intercepting his pass to get an easy transition dunk on the other end. Podziemski&rsquo;s feel as a rookie has been impressive and he fits nicely with the Warriors' core.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kcxguf?quality=highest" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
The Warriors&rsquo; other rookie, Trayce Jackson-Davis, also contributed by scoring 12 points in 18 minutes and making his presence felt inside for Golden State.
The No. 57 overall pick used his quick first bounce to freeze Bucks defenders on the floor and get easy baskets at the rim, scoring on plays like these:
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Also, Jackson-Davis has been developing chemistry with Thompson, and he's often the beneficiary of their pindown screens when two defenders blitz Thompson. In the previous game against the Chicago Balls, he had four easy buckets off of passes from Klay alone.
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The Klay-to-TJD tandem produced four easy baskets, including three dunks. <a href="https://t.co/Y8uUr7m1Gb">pic.twitter.com/Y8uUr7m1Gb</a>
&mdash; Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThompsonScribe/status/1746043482916217244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
In this instance, Klay and TJD had a nice give-and-go in a little two-man game for an easy bucket underneath.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Klay to TJD two-man game <a href="https://t.co/Ai3JItodo1">pic.twitter.com/Ai3JItodo1</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@Morval_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Morval_/status/1746710126709669943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The 6-foot-9 center/forward has been a much better play-finisher than starting center Kevon Looney. He uses his athleticism to factor in on offense and serves as a lob threat. The 23-year-old gives the Warriors a new outlook at the big position. While Green and Looney are screeners and their main priority is getting guys open, Jackson-Davis is someone who looks to score and put pressure at the rim.
Finally, Jonathan Kuminga is becoming more and more polished as a scorer. Although there are ways he can still improve (like his feel for Golden State&rsquo;s system), he&rsquo;s finally arrived as a dependable scorer.&nbsp;
Off the bounce, Kuminga uses his body and strength to shield the ball away from defenders and utilizes his quick first bounce to get to the rim first before his defender can challenge him up top. The third-year player from the G-League Ignite is explosive, and he never gives his defender a chance to react.
Kuminga has also added a developing three-point shot to his arsenal, which forces defenders to respect his shooting and opens up his game even more. 
The 21-year-old had arguably the best two-game stretch of his young career recently, scoring 24 points and 28 points in back-to-back games. This is the best he has played in his three years in the league, looking like a reliable scoring option who could get buckets at will.
Kuminga is looking more and more comfortable, and he has scored in double digits in his last 19 games.
***
The absence of Curry in this game unlocked the Warriors&rsquo; young guys and showed what they are capable of. The challenge now is whether Golden State's young core can continue producing at this level once Curry and Green are back. 
The youngsters' athleticism and energy could help Golden State as they try to right the ship. The Warriors currently have the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference, so Kerr might have to tinker a bit and cater to the strengths of his current personnel rather than trying to force them to fit in his system. 
Do the Warriors think the kids can help Curry and Co. compete for a title? Or was this just an audition for other teams and a way to improve the youngsters' trade value so they can be flipped for win-now pieces?&nbsp;
Regardless, the kids can clearly play given the right environment and opportunity.

The Warriors' youngsters nearly upset the Bucks, giving Golden State's front office something to consider prior to the trade deadline.

Warriors' youth giving management something to ponder before deadline

With Thursday's heartbreaking 122-128 overtime loss against the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons' losing streak reached&nbsp;28-consecutive games &mdash; tying the record for the longest losing spell in NBA history.
The Pistons are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost 28-straight games across two seasons (2014-15 to 2015-16). Detroit now holds the longest single-season losing streak of all-time.
The Pistons had their chances late in the game, even sending the game to overtime, but could not close out the Celtics. This was Boston's 22nd-straight win at home, where they are undefeated this season.
Cade Cunningham led another spirited effort for Detroit, putting up 31 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds, but he just could not will his team to victory. This comes after a herculean performance just two nights earlier against the Brooklyn Nets, when he had 41 points on 71% shooting.&nbsp;
Kristaps Porzingis helped the Celtics avoid disaster by tallying 35 points on 13-of-21 from the field and 8 boards, including a late dunk in transition to seal the game.&nbsp;
The Pistons will have another chance to put an end to this historic losing streak and try to evade NBA infamy when they face the Toronto Raptors at home on Saturday night.&nbsp;
Pelicans 112, Jazz 105
Zion Williamson had a near triple-double, while Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum each added 20-plus points as New Orleans snapped a two-game skid at the Smoothie King Center against Utah.&nbsp;
Williamson scored 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 8 assists for the Pelicans as they improved to 18-14. Collin Sexton had 26 points, while Lauri Markkanen added 24 for the Jazz.
Pacers 120, Bulls 104
 The Indiana Pacers defeated the Chicago Bulls on the road, and Tyrese Haliburton became just the second NBA player since 1985 to register 20 points and 20 assists with zero turnovers in a game (joining Chris Paul, who did it in 2016).
Haliburton was backstopped by Myles Turner, who contributed 24 points. Bennedict Mathurin added 19 points off the bench.
Patrick Williams had 22 for a recently streaking Chicago Bulls squad, who had won nine of their last 13 games entering this contest.&nbsp;
Timberwolves 118, Mavericks 110
Anthony Edwards dropped a season-high 44 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. Edwards shot 12-of-23 from the field, with 6 threes and 14 free throws, keeping the Wolves atop the West at 23-7.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way for the Mavs with 32 points off the bench on the second night of a back-to-back after a frustrating loss last night to the Cleveland Cavaliers.&nbsp;

Detroit's losing streak reached 28-consecutive games on Thursday — tying the record for the longest losing spell in NBA history.

Pistons drop 28th straight, tying NBA record for longest losing streak

This article was originally published on Jan. 16, 2021.
We&rsquo;ve all been here before.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s a random Wednesday. Full slate of games, hard to keep track of everything. Maybe you&rsquo;re peeping an ESPN matchup. Perhaps you&rsquo;re watching your favorite team on the local channel if you&rsquo;re in the market, or you&rsquo;re streaming it LEGALLY ON NBA LEAGUE PASS BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO IT. WINK.&nbsp;
But anyway, you&rsquo;re watching a game. You&rsquo;re roaming Twitter. And then a tweet catches your eye: PLAYER X HAS DUNKED ON LEBRON JAMES.
Your brow raises. You see a few tweets from your online pals big-upping the play. You&rsquo;re really interested now. You click on the video from a Big Social Media Account. And this is the dunk:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/brr.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The excitement drops a little bit. That&rsquo;s a nice dunk from Wendell Carter Jr. LeBron James is underneath the basket, and there&rsquo;s a challenge. But something doesn&rsquo;t feel right about it.&nbsp;
Then you see a different angle of the Dunk Heard &lsquo;Round The World.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/wendell-w-lebron-in-the-area.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
You feel betrayed. LeBron didn&rsquo;t get dunked on; LeBron&rsquo;s arm got dunked on as he jumps out of the darn play! This isn&rsquo;t <a href="https://youtu.be/xtOUpybXmzo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scottie Pippen on Patrick Ewing</a> or <a href="https://youtu.be/6kBWO82HUa4?t=28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vince Carter on Alonzo Mourning</a>! I can yell at these clouds if I want to!
If you&rsquo;re anything like me, you&rsquo;re tired of being misled. If I hear or read that a player got baptized, I want to see some Holy Water coming out of the rim after the aerial duel. And if you are like me, this is the piece for you. This is the guide of all guides, breaking down the different types of dunks. A universal standard of slams, if you will, so we can finally get on the same page about poster dunks.
A brief note before digging in. I am using a tier system so it&rsquo;s easier to separate the types of dunks. Like many things in life, the scale can slide on a case-by-case basis. For example, breakaway dunks are generally uncontested, which makes them the lowest tier of dunk for me. However, a breakaway dunk from 360-enthusiast Zach LaVine is different -- and much cooler -- than the two-handed flushes we see from Jimmy Butler. Each dunk is still its own thing.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: Alley-oops can fall under virtually all of these categories, with the obvious exception of put-backs.
TIER 10: BREAKAWAYS
Break-away dunks are pretty self-explanatory. There&rsquo;s a long rebound after a miss. A player leaks out early, and gets a dunk with no resistance. They&rsquo;re pretty basic with a few exceptions. LaVine, Paul George or Glenn Robinson III may bust out a 360 or windmill on occasion. LeBron has made the one-handed tomahawk a staple of his repertoire.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lebron-tomahawk.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
It&rsquo;s basic, but it&rsquo;s so darn cool. Power, a little bit of flair, the hang time. All that good stuff.
TIER 9: TIP SLAMS
I like the timing, positioning and coordination it takes to pull off a putback slam. The lower-level ones are uncontested, but can be rated higher depending on the work a player puts in before the ball comes off the rim. Take this multiple-effort possession from Larry Nance Jr. as an example:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/larry-nance-jr-putback.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 8: BUSINESS DECISIONS
The OG: Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal
Also popularized by: LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Zion Williamson
This is for the power dunkers. Whether it&rsquo;s in transition, flowing off of a broken play or rumbling down the lane after a high-ball screen, it&rsquo;s hilarious to watch players actively decide, &ldquo;Nope, I don&rsquo;t get paid enough for this.&rdquo; Take this play from the 2016-17 season, featuring Blake Griffin:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/willy-hernangomez-business-decision.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The key actor here is Willy Hernangomez (No. 14). He is watching this snug pick-and-roll all the way through. His man, noted three-point marksman DeAndre Jordan, is chilling above the break. Not only can Hernangomez make the rotation to cut off Griffin at the rim, he should make that rotation because Jordan is not a threat at all. Instead, he begins to load up, quickly realizes that Griffin will put him in the gulag, and decides against challenging the shot.
Hilarious sequence.
TIER 7: FLY-BYS
This is where having a discerning eye is important. When you think about it, this kind of dunk -- and the praise that these types of dunk typically generate -- is about deception.
A defender jumps across a player to make it look like he&rsquo;s legitimately challenging the dunk. There&rsquo;s no real threat of a block or swipe. The dunk happens because, again, there&rsquo;s no real threat to it otherwise. And somehow both players end up looking good. The dunker gets &ldquo;poster&rdquo; equity they don&rsquo;t deserve; the defender gets a slight pat on the back for giving effort instead of making a business decision.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/hhh.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
It&rsquo;s all a darn farce. A cool-looking farce at times, but a farce nonetheless.&nbsp;
TIER 6: SELF-LOBS
We&rsquo;ve reached the coolest of the non-contact dunks. It doesn&rsquo;t get much better than throwing the ball to yourself for a slam, man. Look at Jamal Murray getting himself out of trouble.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/jamal-murray-self-lob.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 5: &ldquo;IN THE VICINITY&rdquo; SLAMS (Also known as ITVs)
Folks, the rubber is starting to reach the road. The ITVs involve actual attempts at a contest and/or a little contact, a step up from the Fly-bys. This is where I&rsquo;d say the Wendell-on-LeBron dunk falls, though I wouldn&rsquo;t be mad at anyone that would classify it as a Fly-by. A better example would be this slam from Matisse Thybulle last season.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/mfff.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
There&rsquo;s an attempt at a challenge, but Thybulle still gets the better of Mason Plumlee. But Plumlee doesn&rsquo;t get dunked on. There isn&rsquo;t enough contact to call it a poster of the highest order.&nbsp;
This is also where failed chasedown blocks come in. With guys flying in from behind, the dunk-on element just isn&rsquo;t there most of the time. Take the famous Kobe-on-LeBron dunk from the 2011 All-Star game.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/kobe-on-lebron.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 4: PUTBACK POSTERS
I&rsquo;ve always gone back and forth with myself about where to place these types of dunks. On one hand, the blindsided nature of it makes it a bit unfair to defenders. You can&rsquo;t defend against what you can&rsquo;t see. However, there&rsquo;s enough contact at play, and a player Mossin&rsquo; a dude and flushing it down is generally some high level stuff.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/gerald-green-putback-poster.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Yes, that is the #BASED and #RARE Gerald Green in a Celtics uni. And yeah that&rsquo;s Mason Plumlee again. Sorry, man.
TIER 3: DUNK-ONS/CHARGE CRUSHERS
We&rsquo;ve reached the portion of the program where dudes are getting legitimately yammed on, but there are a couple of factors that keep it from ranking higher.
First, the level of contest still matters. A lot of these dunks feature dudes sliding over in an attempt to take a charge (hence the alternative name). The higher level posters feature someone trying to actually block the dunk. Sure, a charge and blocked dunk are functionally the same in terms of the result the defense wants -- taking away two points -- but we&rsquo;re talking about highlights here.&nbsp;
Secondly, and I admit we&rsquo;re splitting hairs a bit, size also matters. The first dunk I thought of was Nuggets-era J.R Smith yamming it over Gary Neal:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/jrs.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Objectively a good dunk, but Gary Neal is ground bound and short. You have to dock some points there. I&rsquo;m sorry. The famous DeAndre Jordan-on-Brandon Knight flush, while iconic, also falls in this category.
The higher end of this would be another classic involving the Spurs: LeBron dunking on Tim Duncan.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lebron-on-tim-duncan.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
That&rsquo;s more like it.
TIER 2: THE THROW-IN
THE OG: Blake Griffin
ALSO POPULARIZED BY: Derrick Jones Jr.
DUNK TRUTHERS DON&rsquo;T READ THIS!
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Dunk Truthers are stupid poopyheads.&nbsp;
Yes, we&rsquo;re well aware that dunks that involve the rim being grabbed -- or at least touched -- are more pure, whatever the heck that means. But you look at Blake Griffin embarrassing the life out of Timofey Mozgov and tell me it isn&rsquo;t one of greatest athletic feats you&rsquo;ve ever seen.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/blake-over-mozgov.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Derrick Jones Jr. has some gnarly ones in his bag as well, highlighted by this lob he converted against the Raptors that still doesn&rsquo;t make much sense to me.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/hyyy.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 1: THE PURE POSTER
Pippen on Ewing. Carter on &lsquo;Zo. <a href="https://youtu.be/tYpwjB0IzoU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baron Davis on Andrei Kirilenko</a>. Michael Jordan on, well, name almost any big man you can think of that played in the '90s.&nbsp;
We can go more modern, like Larry Nance Jr. doing this to pre-DPOY-candidate Brook Lopez:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lrrr.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Another hidden gem: young DeMar DeRozan throwing the hammer down over Rudy Gobert:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/derozan-on-gobert.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The constant for these dunks: full-on, body-to-body contact with a legitimate attempt for a contest. You&rsquo;ll know it when you see it.
BONUS TIER: THE VINCE CARTER
Yeah, this is still the best dunk I&rsquo;ve ever seen.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/vince-carter-dunk-of-death.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
You clear a seven footer, you get your own dunk tier. Those are the rules.

Nekias Duncan has put together the guide of all guides, breaking down the different types of dunks and rating them on a tier system.

The Dunk-tionary: The official guide to ranking dunks

The New Orleans Pelicans' 2-0 start ran into a Steph Curry Flurry and it was a scary Halloween Eve for the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s fans.
The Golden State Warriors ran out 130-102 winners of their third road game in four days. Sure, Steph went supernova for a stretch to finish with 42 points but it was the shots that did not go in that determined the game.&nbsp;
Rebounding is becoming a problem for the Pelicans. They were outdone 64-39 versus the Warriors, and New Orleans has allowed 37 offensive rebounds in the last two games, both at home. The Knicks had 16 offensive rebounds, the Pelicans just 4. Two nights later, Golden State got an extra 21 possessions to find Curry roaming the perimeter. It almost became painful to watch how incapable the Pelicans were of stopping the inevitable. Curry had not played in New Orleans in years and this was just another example of witnessing greatness.
On Monday, it did not help that Brandon Ingram was out nursing an injury, Herb Jones (2 rebounds) got in foul trouble early, Jonas Valanciunas (6 rebounds) was attacked relentlessly, and the team was still being cautions with Larry Nance Jr.&rsquo;s minutes.
&ldquo;In the second half, it just got away from us," Pelicans head coach Willie Green said. "Curry hit some big shots. Their second unit ... they came in and made plays. And the biggest thing for us improvement-wise is the rebounding. It killed us. But they&rsquo;re an experienced team, and they get you scrambling on the perimeter. Shots go up and we&rsquo;re just not in a position to rebound, and that&rsquo;s an area we have to be better.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s tough to "play better" when four key contributors are on the bench. Matt Ryan, Kaiser Gates and Kira Lewis Jr. finished with a combined 4 rebounds in 50 minutes. They focus on other priorities beyond crashing the glass, yet are usually on the court together. Something has to give to change the trend.
Zion Williamson&rsquo;s analysis was spot on, saying: &ldquo;They had a great third quarter, and we didn't play too well. I didn't look at the numbers, but, from the eye test, they dominated us on the boards.&rdquo;
The stat sheet agrees. With Ingram out, C.J. McCollum (6 rebounds) hoisted a team-high 21 shots to get just 19 points. Williamson (5 rebounds) had 19 points on 15 shots. However, no one on the home team had more than 6 rebounds because when the leading men missed tough shots, the Warriors finished possessions far too easily. After the loss, I asked Coach Green if he thought this was more of a tactical problem or just a lack of effort and execution.
&ldquo;It is a little bit of both. It is definitely an area we need to improve upon. We have to rebound the ball,&rdquo; Green stressed. &ldquo;Our defense is solid. We can get stops but when you give teams second and third chances, it gets kind of demoralizing.&rdquo;
Steve Kerr&rsquo;s game plan to corral Williamson and win possessions took a toll, though Green thought the Warriors got away with a few friendly no-calls.
&ldquo;[The Warriors] were physical on him. He didn&rsquo;t get some of the calls that I thought he should have gotten," Green said. "He played a solid game but give those guys credit, they swarmed him. And, in the second half, we just didn&rsquo;t knock down shots, but he did make the right plays.&rdquo;
Williamson seemed close to disgusted with the performance in his postgame press conference. The Warriors just got so many more chances to make the right play that there was no other outcome possible.
The Pelicans were on the wrong end of a near-30-point loss. It happens to every NBA team once a season. New Orleans needs a new gameplan to get those extra possessions to ensure it&rsquo;s their last time on the losing end of a blowout.

The New Orleans Pelicans' 2-0 start ran into a Steph Curry Flurry and it was a scary Halloween Eve at the Smoothie King Center.

Pelicans' one big problem exposed in loss to Warriors

Watching from the hallway,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1717370045167198267" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1717370045167198267&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1698516889209000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jZoBngDtk4kH95MIfVfP8">&ldquo;Happy with it, not satisfied with it&rdquo;,</a>&nbsp;was overheard as the New Orleans Pelicans marched away from the FedEx Forum with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The divisional rivals were both missing key pieces but Zion Williamson finished off the hosts with 12-straight points to close out the Game 1 win. New Orleans head coach Willie Green admitted there were some frustrating moments but &ldquo;it is easier to teach off of a win than a loss.&rdquo;
The postgame locker room message ended with Coach&rsquo;s understated, &ldquo;81 more to go.&rdquo; Everything wasn't going to come together all at once for a team trying to shed unflattering narratives from the last few seasons.
&ldquo;The biggest discussion that we'll have is it&rsquo;s going to be hard," Green said. "We should expect that night-in and night-out. The NBA is going to be hard, and teams aren't going to let us just come down and execute. We have to be the team that's more forceful, and we did that tonight.&rdquo;
Memphis might have been missing Stephen Adams and Ja Morant, but New Orleans has dealt with those issues for years. No one shows mercy in the NBA and the Pelicans' Big Three did their job. C.J. McCollum poured in 24 points, Zion added 23, and Brandon Ingram&rsquo;s 19 points made 66 points from the team&rsquo;s stars. It took Williamson a while to get going, scoring only 7 first-half points on two made shots, but the highlight dunk at the end of the second quarter might&rsquo;ve awakened a monster season.
&ldquo;It helped,&rdquo; Williamson admitted, &ldquo;For me, I think it's going to be a few games, just getting that in-game flow back. No matter how much I train, workout, play pickup, it&rsquo;s nothing like a real NBA game. [I] give Jaren [Jackson Jr.] his respect. I think it actually worked out for me, just playing against the Defensive Player of the Year in the first game and just kind of feeling out how he&rsquo;s going to jump for shots, how certain teams will try to guard me. The second half was more so just kind of feeling the game.&rdquo;
Ingram needed 18 shots to notch 19 points but McCollum was &ldquo;elite,&rdquo; according to Green. McCollum felt Williamson &ldquo;settled in and got more comfortable as the game went on. Kind of felt out the defense and obviously how they were, how they were calling the game, and you got to get more aggressive. We did a better job of getting the ball in spots where he&rsquo;d be successful, and he finished plays and did what he does.&rdquo;
&ldquo;A couple of times we got ahead of ourselves to turn the ball over and things of that nature," added McCollum. "I just have to make sure I keep us settled, but I can score the ball. I can get to certain spots, and I'll continue to develop and get better as we play together more. I think that'll be helpful for all of us, the spacing, play calling, when to make the pass and when to cut. All of those things we'll continue to get better at, but I like the steps that we made from Sept. 28 to now."
There are still a lot of wrinkles to work out with this roster. Overlooked addition turned Twitter-trending star enjoying his first postgame podium Matt Ryan shared, &ldquo;There really hasn't been much time to get acclimated with everybody off the court. I flew in Monday morning to New Orleans and tonight is Wednesday, so I've been with the team for... this is like the third day I've been with the team. They kind of knew who I was. Everybody at this point knows what I'm looking to do out there, and again I just got to thank the front office and coaches for giving me this chance.&rdquo;
I asked Coach Green if there was anything they could take away from Opening Night that had long-term value. He replied, &ldquo;The biggest clarity that we have is that we want to be a mentally tough team. We did that tonight. Coming on their floor and carving out a win with different lineups. Throwing zones at them, switching one through five... all the things that we've been working on in practice. It was great to see us come to somebody's home floor and have toughness, execution and communication and to do it with joy.&rdquo;
There are always frustrations during the NBA's first 10-game feeling-out process. Next up is Josh Hart&rsquo;s return with the New York Knicks. A 2-0 start while showing the same resiliency would go a long way in the effort to win back skeptical fans.
&ldquo;Look at the teams that win the championship; they&rsquo;re consistent with the small things on a day-to-day basis," Williamson said, echoing Green. "So, if we can get to a championship level, with the small things, I think we got a good chance.&rdquo;

The New Orleans Pelicans marched away from the FedEx Forum with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Pelicans play through frustrations in opening-night win vs. Grizzlies

Earlier this summer, the Golden State Warriors turned heads when they acquired Chris Paul from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a 2023 first-round pick, 2027 second-round pick and cash considerations.&nbsp;
After averaging 13.9 points, 8.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds last season, the 38-year-old Paul is looking to add a championship to his resume and prove that he can still produce at a high level.&nbsp;
This might be the most unique role of Paul's 19-year career. Not only do the Warriors already have a Hall-of-Fame-caliber backcourt with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, Draymond Green regularly handles floor-general duties. This means the Point God will have to adapt.
Given Golden State's personnel, many have considered the possibility of Paul coming off the bench, including Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Back in August, Kerr said Paul's role is something that would be decided during training camp.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think that&rsquo;ll be a case where you get three weeks of training camp before that first game," Kerr said, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38136099/steve-kerr-warriors-adding-chris-paul-look-all-kinds-starter-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Tim Bontemps</a>. "We&rsquo;ll just look at all kinds of different combinations.&nbsp;The main thing is we know all those guys are going to play a lot of minutes. 
"But the luxury of having Chris Paul to add to this group that we've been lucky enough to have for a decade [is] pretty remarkable. He is one of the great competitors in the game. He's one of the great point guards of all-time. I think he's a great addition for us, because of his ability to control games, control tempo, take care of the ball."
When Paul was asked about potentially coming off the bench, he seemed irritated and asked the reporter his own question: &ldquo;You coaching?&rdquo;&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Chris Paul responds to potentially coming off the Warriors&rsquo; bench: <a href="https://t.co/FbDd0SGqLm">pic.twitter.com/FbDd0SGqLm</a>
&mdash; Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1678234187982327809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The 12-time All-Star has never been a reserve. Counting the regular season and playoffs, Paul has played in 1,363 NBA games and he's started every single one. Paul&rsquo;s hesitation may be enough to prevent the Warriors from bringing him off the bench to start the season. Regardless, inserting Paul into the starting lineup could prove beneficial if done correctly. 
Yes, Paul will have to adjust and learn how to play alongside Golden State's other starters. However, he has shown that he's willing to make sacrifices and give someone else the keys to the offense. During his stint with the Houston Rockets, Paul shared play-making duties with James Harden. While Paul and Harden were unsuccessful in their quest for a title (thanks in large part to the Warriors), Paul proved he could be effective in that role &ndash; splitting creation duties and playing off-ball at times.
However, Paul's best days are clearly behind him, and it's possible that the Warriors will ask him to accept a sixth-man role. Some legends have a difficult time transitioning to a lesser role as they get older, while others are fine with coming off the bench. Last season, there was a lot of discussion surrounding Russell Westbrook's role with the Los Angeles Lakers, and the future Hall-of-Famer ultimately came off the bench in 49 of his 52 games with the Lakers before getting traded in February.
Paul has a history of accelerating the development of his young teammates, and Golden State's second unit features a number of talented prospects who could benefit from his tutelage (including Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski). 
With all this in mind, it will be interesting to see how Kerr and his staff decide to utilize Paul entering opening night and whether he remains in that role for the entirety of the season.

Will Chris Paul start next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson or will Paul have to come off the bench for the first time in his career?

Breaking down the new-look Warriors: Will Chris Paul start?

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is entering Year 21 in the NBA, becoming just the sixth player in league history to play 21 seasons &ndash; joining Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Willis and Robert Parish. Carter currently holds the record for most seasons played with 22. 
With James still performing at an unprecedented level for someone his age, coupled with recent reports of his desire to still play several more years and his public goal of playing with his McDonald's All-American son, Bronny James, he certainly seems like a lock to tie, if not break, Carter&rsquo;s record.&nbsp;
James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s all-time scoring record earlier this year in February, adding a major accolade to his G.O.A.T. argument. With the seasons-played record in sight, let&rsquo;s take a look at how &ldquo;The King&rdquo; has accumulated arguably the greatest legacy in NBA history over the last two decades.
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted the kid from Akron with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. James was the talk of the country at the time, being dubbed "The Chosen One&rdquo; and dawning the cover of Sports Illustrated at just 18 years old. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, basketball fans waited in anticipation to see if James could possibly live up to the expectations.
The young phenom did not waste any time. Debuting against the Sacramento Kings, James would go on to score 25 points while adding 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals. The King would not slow down, averaging 20.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds in his first NBA season.
LeBron would spend the next six seasons in Cleveland, winning back-to-back MVP awards in his last two seasons with the team, while reaching the playoffs five times and the NBA Finals once in 2007. With no championship after seven seasons with the Cavs, the two-time MVP became a free agent in the summer of 2010 and infamously decided to &ldquo;take his talents to South Beach,&rdquo; joining forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form the &ldquo;Big Three&rdquo; on the Miami Heat.&nbsp;
The decision by James, which happened to be made on live television on an ESPN special dubbed &ldquo;The Decision," sparked outrage amongst Cavaliers fans. Videos spread online of fans burning the once-hometown-hero&rsquo;s jersey, rooting for his failure in Miami. While James was used to feeling pressure, this was different; James was receiving backlash from a fanbase that once loved him, and a growing population of people were actively rooting against him. This brewing tension had fans waiting in anticipation, this time to see if LeBron could overcome the weight of the world once again.&nbsp;
In LeBron&rsquo;s quest to do the impossible again, a trip to Cleveland brought The King back to the scene of his crime in a game against the Cavaliers in December of 2010. The fans in then-named Quicken Loans Arena brought their all that night, booing LeBron from the moment he was introduced and whenever he touched the ball on offense. However, this just seemed to add more fuel to the fire for James, as he went on to score 38 points en route to a 118-90 blowout of his former team.&nbsp;
This marked a new era for James, and he would embrace his role as the &ldquo;villain&rdquo; of the NBA. Fan perception was one thing, but with James&rsquo; new team came a new energy. Now, he was a proven veteran and he was coming into his own as a player, adapting this almost meticulous style and pace of play alongside his new All-Star-caliber teammates in Wade and Bosh. James would go on to win back-to-back MVP awards again in 2012 and 2013, and the trio would prove to be a problem for the league, with the Heat even going on a 27-game win streak in 2013. During his time in Miami, James would evolve as a player, bulking up and playing more minutes down low at power forward and even center.
The bonafide &ldquo;super-team&rdquo; would spend four seasons together, reaching the NBA Finals in all four. Winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013, with LeBron winning Finals MVP of both, the stars' decision to team-up was a success and ushered in a new era of player movement and empowerment.
The kid from Akron would then shock the world in the summer of 2014, with James departing the Heat and returning home to rejoin the Cavaliers. The two-time champion had some unfinished business and was determined to bring a championship to his city.&nbsp;
LeBron brought his adapted and seasoned style to his former team. His impact extended into the front office, as he now had significantly more say in roster decisions. He wasted little time and used his newfound influence to encourage the Cavs to trade their No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Andrew Wiggins, for a proven star: Kevin Love. Suddenly, James was part of another Big Three, this time with rising star Kyrie Irving and Love.
In Year 1 of LeBron&rsquo;s return home, he led the Cavs back to the NBA Finals, where they faced off against the Golden State Warriors, led by league MVP Stephen Curry. While LeBron led Cleveland to a 2-1 series lead over Golden State, Irving and Love both went down with injuries. This proved to be too much for LeBron to handle, and the Warriors would defeat the Cavaliers in six games. James failed in his mission, but the wait would prove to be worthwhile the following season.
The 2016 season would see a rematch of the Cavaliers and Warriors in the NBA Finals. Curry was coming off of his second-straight MVP award &ndash; becoming the first unanimous MVP in history &ndash; and the Warriors achieved an NBA-record 73 wins that season. The odds were stacked against LeBron and the Cavs, and it only got worse when the Warriors took a 3-1 series lead. Teams in the NBA Finals were 0-32 when facing a 3-1 series deficit. Once again, LeBron was trying to do the impossible.&nbsp;
Once again, The King responded.&nbsp;
Dropping 41 points in both Game 5 and Game 6, James led the way in tying the series at 3-3. In Game 7, the Cavaliers would go on the road and defeat the Warriors, becoming the first team in NBA history to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy after falling behind 3-1. This was a storybook ending, and James became emotional during his postgame interview, shouting, &ldquo;Cleveland! This is for you!&rdquo;&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"CLEVELAND, THIS IS FOR YOU!" That line still sends chills down our spine as LeBron James and the Cavs overcame a 3-1 deficit to claim their first ever NBA championship on this day in 2016 👑🏆<a href="https://t.co/WzMtg5kj5Z">pic.twitter.com/WzMtg5kj5Z</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1670774843518664705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The three-time champion would spend two more seasons in Cleveland, reaching the NBA Finals both seasons, where the Cavs would ultimately lose to the Kevin-Durant-led Warriors. When James decided to leave Cleveland in 2018, his second departure was well-received, with fans thanking him for bringing a championship to their city. The next chapter of James' career would take place in Los Angeles with arguably the most storied franchise in the NBA, the Lakers.
James&rsquo; first year under the bright lights of Los Angeles was less than ideal, as injuries plagued the roster and the Lakers' young core didn't seem ready to compete at a high level. That would quickly be forgotten, as the Lakers would trade three of those core players (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart) and the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for superstar Anthony Davis, whom LeBron asked the organization to acquire.&nbsp;
That trade would kick off the LeBron-AD era in Los Angeles. The duo would win a championship in their first year together in 2020, with James adding a fourth championship and Finals MVP to his resume. The team has had some misfortune since, as they haven't been back to the Finals and they even missed the play-in tournament in 2022. While injuries have bothered LeBron in recent years, the four-time MVP has yet to slow down, leading the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals last season. While the Lakers were ultimately swept by the eventual-champion Denver Nuggets, their postseason run was impressive.
Now, we arrive at the present day. As James enters his 21st NBA season, he has 19 All-NBA selections, 19 All-Star selections, 10 NBA Finals appearances, four championships, four Finals MVPs and four regular-season MVPs. After surpassing expectation after expectation throughout his career, LeBron will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer when he walks away from the game. However, he's not done playing just yet, as he hopes to play with his son and win at least one more championship before he retires.
LeBron&rsquo;s current contract has a player option for next season, so this could potentially be his final year with the Lakers (if he decides to opt out next summer). With LeBron still performing at a superstar level and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-teams-are-under-the-most-pressure-entering-202324-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facing pressure to lead his team to a title</a>, all eyes will be on The King yet again this season.

As LeBron James becomes just the sixth player in NBA history to play 21 seasons, Jack Maguire looks back on his legendary career.

Revisiting LeBron James' legendary NBA career as he enters Year 21

The NBA today released its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/schedule?cal=all&amp;pd=false" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/schedule?cal%3Dall%26pd%3Dfalse&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UKMdLdmCgRuwOVnoqJhZk">complete game schedule</a>&nbsp;and broadcast schedules for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc=TNT&amp;cal=all&amp;pd=false" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc%3DTNT%26cal%3Dall%26pd%3Dfalse&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0dl47ggg01xhI9Slh8akFg">TNT</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc=ESPN&amp;cal=all&amp;pd=false" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc%3DESPN%26cal%3Dall%26pd%3Dfalse&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Zq8KLI6FwgBYxw8RssYGU">ESPN</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc=ABC&amp;cal=all&amp;pd=false" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc%3DABC%26cal%3Dall%26pd%3Dfalse&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0XDRAL9gESfsLL555jZVej">ABC</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc=NBA%20TV&amp;cal=all&amp;pd=false" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/schedule?bc%3DNBA%2520TV%26cal%3Dall%26pd%3Dfalse&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3u39ptiXTP6ec6QWyexVit">NBA TV</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/08/2023-24-ESPN-Radio-Schedule.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/08/2023-24-ESPN-Radio-Schedule.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3uOxPbew4nRhWTgpaioXEZ">ESPN Radio</a> for the 2023-24 regular season. The day-by-day and team-by-team schedules are available at <a href="https://www.nba.com/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/schedule&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1kVm4DNQD4gQCT4klGOgI7">NBA.com/schedule</a>.
The 78th NBA regular season will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, and conclude on Sunday, April 14, 2024. The 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament will take place from Tuesday, April 16 &ndash; Friday, April 19, followed by the start of the 2024 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel on Saturday, April 20.&nbsp; Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV is set for Thursday, June 6.&nbsp;
The regular-season schedule includes defined dates and opponents for 80 of each team&rsquo;s 82 games, along with two games designated as TBD dates and opponents.&nbsp; Those two games for each team, to be played the week of Dec. 4, will be determined based on the results of Group Play games in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.&nbsp; The Group Play game schedule (Nov. 3-28)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-announces-group-play-schedule-for-inaugural-inseason-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/news/2023-nba-in-season-tournament-schedule&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Wy3gv1TGdjjW8ITK3MXNW">was announced</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 15.&nbsp;
Kia NBA Tip-Off 2023
The first five days of the 2023-24 NBA regular season (Oct. 24-28) will feature 10 national television games as part of Kia NBA Tip-Off 2023, with two doubleheaders each on TNT and ESPN and one on NBA TV.&nbsp; Those games will showcase 14 different teams, three rematches from the 2023 NBA Playoffs and rosters that currently include 17 NBA All-Star selections from last season and seven recipients of the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award.&nbsp;
The regular season will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 24 with a doubleheader on TNT, marking Warner Bros. Discovery Sports&rsquo; 40th&nbsp;consecutive year of NBA coverage.&nbsp; In the first game, the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets will receive their championship rings before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of last season&rsquo;s Western Conference Finals (7:30 p.m. ET).&nbsp; In the second game, the Phoenix Suns will visit the Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET) as three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal of Phoenix and 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of Golden State make regular-season debuts with new teams and Paul faces the team for whom he played the previous three seasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;
ESPN will tip off its 22nd&nbsp;straight season of NBA telecasts on Wednesday, Oct. 25 with a doubleheader, which begins with the Boston Celtics visiting the New York Knicks (7 p.m. ET) in a matchup of teams that reached the Eastern Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Semifinals, respectively, last season.&nbsp; The San Antonio Spurs will host the Dallas Mavericks in the second game (9:30 p.m. ET), marking the NBA regular-season debut of 2023 first overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio.&nbsp;
On Thursday, Oct. 26, intraconference rivalries will highlight TNT&rsquo;s doubleheader as the Milwaukee Bucks host the Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Suns take on the Lakers in Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET).&nbsp; ESPN&rsquo;s doubleheader on Friday, Oct. 27 will have the Miami Heat meeting the Celtics in Boston (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Warriors visiting the Sacramento Kings (10 p.m. ET) &ndash; rematches from seven-game playoff series in last season&rsquo;s Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference First Round, respectively.
NBA TV will begin its live game coverage of the new season on Saturday, Oct. 28 as the Knicks visit the New Orleans Pelicans (7 p.m. ET) and the Suns host the Utah Jazz (10 p.m. ET).
Christmas Day
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Monday, Dec. 25) for the 16th year in a row, with ABC or ESPN televising each matchup.&nbsp; The 76th&nbsp;edition of the NBA on Christmas Day will tip off on ESPN as the Bucks face the Knicks in New York (noon ET).
The next two games will air on both ABC and ESPN.&nbsp; The two most recent recipients of the Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy will go head-to-head when the 2022 NBA champion Warriors visit the 2023 NBA champion Nuggets (2:30 p.m. ET).&nbsp; Next, the Lakers will host the Celtics (5 p.m. ET) as the longtime rivals meet on Christmas Day for the first time in 15 years.&nbsp;
The Christmas Day schedule will conclude with two more games on ESPN, with the 76ers taking on the Heat in Miami (8 p.m. ET) and the Mavericks playing the Suns in Phoenix (10:30 p.m. ET).
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
On Monday, Jan. 15, the NBA family will celebrate one of its most important traditions by honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.&nbsp;
The celebration will include four nationally televised games.&nbsp; In a TNT doubleheader, the Atlanta Hawks will face the Spurs (3:30 p.m. ET) and the Grizzlies will meet the Warriors (6 p.m. ET) as Atlanta and Memphis continue their traditions of hosting games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.&nbsp; NBA TV will also air two games: Houston Rockets at 76ers (1 p.m. ET) and Oklahoma City Thunder at Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET).&nbsp;
NBA Rivals Week
Classic and budding rivalries between teams and players will take center stage for the second annual NBA Rivals Week in January.&nbsp; Rivalries will be the focus of all 11 nationally televised games across four networks (TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV) over five days from Tuesday, Jan. 23 &ndash; Saturday, Jan. 27.&nbsp;
NBA Rivals Week will culminate with an ABC tripleheader on Jan. 27, including 2023 Conference Semifinals rematches between the Heat and Knicks in New York (3 p.m. ET) and the Lakers and Warriors in San Francisco (8:30 p.m. ET).&nbsp; In between those two games, reigning Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid and the 76ers will visit two-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets (5:30 p.m. ET) in a matchup of centers who have been the top two finishers in MVP voting in each of the last three seasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The complete game and broadcast schedule for NBA Rivals Week is available&nbsp;<a href="https://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/08/2023-24-NBA-Rivals-Week-Schedule.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/08/2023-24-NBA-Rivals-Week-Schedule.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw34hW93kiZuMlb7GIJyI3uH">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Election Day
For the second consecutive season, no NBA games have been scheduled for Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 7) as the league will continue to encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and participate in the civic process.&nbsp; As part of this initiative, the NBA will share important resources from voting organizations and highlight the civic engagement work of teams in their markets.
Final Day of Regular Season
All 30 teams will play on the final day of the regular season (Sunday, April 14).&nbsp; In an effort to maximize competitive fairness, the seven games between Eastern Conference teams will begin at 1 p.m. ET, and the seven games between Western Conference teams and the one cross-conference game will start at 3:30 p.m. ET.&nbsp;&nbsp;ESPN will televise a doubleheader, with the matchups to be determined at a later date.
NBA Global Games
NBA TV will televise both Global Games on the 2023-24 regular-season schedule.&nbsp; As previously announced, the Hawks will meet the Orlando Magic in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/news/hawks-magic-mexico-city-game-on-nov-9" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/news/hawks-magic-mexico-city-game-on-nov-9&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3b23BLw0qM8P4gkW7YsOFM">The NBA Mexico City Game 2023</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City (9:30 p.m. ET), and the Brooklyn Nets will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nets-cavaliers-regular-season-game-paris-2024" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/news/nets-cavaliers-regular-season-game-paris-2024&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495539000&amp;usg=AOvVaw03nCIevQ5K0lMxDJpqcSdX">The NBA Paris Game 2024</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Accor Arena in Paris (2 p.m. ET).
NBA In-Season Tournament
NBA-In-Season Tournament Group Play games for all 30 teams will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays in November, with TNT, ESPN and NBA TV&nbsp;<a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/08/NBA-In-Season-Tournament-National-TV-Schedule-as-of-8-15-23.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/08/NBA-In-Season-Tournament-National-TV-Schedule-as-of-8-15-23.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495540000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hCducKp9wMT86T8Fxi6kF">combining to televise 16 games</a>.&nbsp; Eight teams will advance to the Knockout Rounds, which consist of single-elimination games in the Quarterfinals (Monday, Dec. 4 and Tuesday, Dec. 5), Semifinals (Thursday, Dec. 7) and Championship (Saturday, Dec. 9).&nbsp; The national broadcast schedule for the Knockout Rounds will be announced at a later date.&nbsp;&nbsp;
More National Television Matchups
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">2023 NBA Finals rematches between the Nuggets and Heat will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29 in Denver on TNT (10 p.m. ET) and on Wednesday, March 13 in Miami on ESPN (7:30 p.m. ET). </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The top two picks in the 2023 NBA Draft &ndash; No. 1 pick Wembanyama of the Spurs and No. 2 pick Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets &ndash; are scheduled to meet for the first time in the regular season when San Antonio hosts Charlotte on Friday, Jan. 12 on ESPN (10 p.m. ET). </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Also on Jan. 12, ESPN will present the first nationally televised matchup between twin brothers and NBA rookies Amen Thompson of the Rockets and Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons &ndash; the fourth and fifth picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, respectively &ndash; when Houston visits Detroit (7:30 p.m. ET). </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Three-time NBA Hustle Award recipient and 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart of the Grizzlies, who played the previous nine seasons with the Celtics, will play his first game in Boston as a visitor on Sunday, Feb. 4 on ESPN (6 p.m. ET).&nbsp;&nbsp; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The first national television matchup between the top two picks in the 2022 NBA Draft &ndash; No. 1 pick and 2022-23 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero of the Magic and No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren of the Thunder &ndash; is set for Tuesday, Feb. 13 in Orlando on TNT (7:30 p.m. ET).&nbsp; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Leading into NBA All-Star 2024, TNT will feature a single game on Thursday, Feb. 15, with the Bucks visiting the Grizzlies (8:30 p.m. ET).&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Additional Schedule Highlights
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">All 30 teams are scheduled to make at least one appearance on TNT or ESPN in the 2023-24 regular season.&nbsp;The NBA on TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV will present flexible scheduling throughout the regular season to provide the most compelling matchups to a national audience. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The team average for back-to-backs involving travel between games has been reduced to a record-low 9.0.&nbsp; The previous low was 9.6 last season. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Primetime weeknight doubleheaders across TNT (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and ESPN (Wednesdays and Fridays) will again be played at 7:30 p.m. ET/10 p.m. ET except for one instance during the first week of the season. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">ABC will televise 16 games as part of its two weekend series,NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC(which tips off with the Jan. 27 tripleheader during NBA Rivals Week) and&nbsp;NBA Sunday Showcase&nbsp;(which begins with Celtics at Heat on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. ET). </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">NBA TV will featureCenter Courtthroughout the season, the network&rsquo;s marquee night of programming, which incorporates enhanced viewing options into an originally produced telecast.&nbsp; In the season debut of the franchise, the Warriors will visit the Pelicans on Monday, Oct. 30 (8 p.m. ET).&nbsp;&nbsp; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">ESPN Radio will broadcast 25 games in the regular season, including Nuggets-Lakers on opening night, Knicks-Bucks and Nuggets-Warriors on Christmas Day, and Hawks-Spurs on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">NBA League Pass will offer live, out-of-market games all season through the NBA App, NBA.com, connected televisions and TV providers.&nbsp; Fans can unlock direct access to stream matchups featuring their favorite teams and players with NBA League Pass (blackout restrictions apply).&nbsp; For more information, visit<a href="https://nba.com/leaguepass" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nba.com/leaguepass&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692389495540000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Q2AbUj62xoWwlMkvv_tP5">NBA.com/leaguepass</a>. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The regular season will feature 39 games that will air in primetime in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as part of &ldquo;NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23.&rdquo;&nbsp; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The 2024 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV and the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals will be exclusively televised by ABC and ESPN/ABC, respectively.&nbsp; TNT will exclusively televise the 2024 Western Conference Finals and the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">NBA games and programming are available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages.</li>
</ul>

The NBA released the complete schedule for the 2023-24 regular season.