Saints

<div>Every February, LeBron James has been wondering why he didn't participate in the Slam Dunk Contest for more than two decades, one of the NBA's great what-ifs. Fans have debated the topic in barbershops, on sports radio, and across social media.</div>
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<div>Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson's recent interview with former <a href="https://bookmaker-ratings.ru/tip/sport-types/tip-nba-tips/">NBA </a>forward and 1992 dunk champion Cedric Ceballos has given new life to the conversation, even though some parts of the past need to be addressed.</div>
<div>Ceballos didn't just suggest that LeBron skipped the contest because he wasn't interested.</div>
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<div>He defined it as something deeper: the preservation of the brand.</div>
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<div>&ldquo;He had a chance his rookie year and he didn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; <a href="https://scoopb.com/2026/02/cedric-ceballos-talks-vince-carters-springs-anthony-edwards-rise-and-why-lebron-james-skipped-the-dunk-contest/">Ceballos told Robinson</a>. &ldquo;After that rookie year, anything after that would damage his credibility and his career. It&rsquo;s not really if he wins it &mdash; because he&rsquo;s supposed to win it &mdash; it&rsquo;s that if he loses it.&rdquo;</div>
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<div>According to Ceballos, the risk outweighed the reward. LeBron had already become too big, too famous, and too accustomed to dominating. Winning would be the standard operating procedure.</div>
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<div>Losing would be a headline that would follow him forever.</div>
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<div>To reinforce his point, Ceballos referenced LeBron's high school years.</div>
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&ldquo;He lost in the McDonald&rsquo;s All-American Game,&rdquo; Ceballos said, claiming that a then lesser-known Shannon Brown outshined LeBron in the dunk contest. &ldquo;Shannon Brown beat him, but he was a little bit not as famous as LeBron and they gave it to LeBron.&rdquo;
The story fits neatly into Ceballos&rsquo; narrative: LeBron experiencing early proof that even one loss could dent his aura.
The problem? It didn&rsquo;t quite happen that way.
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<h2 data-start="1601" data-end="1646">What Ceballos Was Really Arguing</h2>
Ceballos' fundamental basketball critique was evident, even though his memory was spotty. According to him, LeBron is a powerful power dunker - one of the best in live action - but not a specialist in dunk contests.
&ldquo;LeBron dunks on a lot of people,&rdquo; Ceballos implied, &ldquo;but trickery, suaveness &mdash; no.&rdquo;
<div>LeBron's remarkable abilities are attributed to his speed, strength, timing, and rim violence, not to his choreographed creativity. In the past, the Dunk Contest has awarded both flair and force equally.</div>
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<div>The basketball argument is fair. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter, and Zach LaVine were legends of the contest, blending athleticism and innovation.</div>
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<div>Windmills, free-throw line glides, props, timing, and theatrical moments all play significant roles.LeBron's game has always been about efficiency and dominance, not pre-planned artistry.</div>
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<h2>The McDonald&rsquo;s Contest Reality</h2>
Officially, LeBron James won the 2003 McDonald&rsquo;s All-American Slam Dunk Contest in Cleveland. The other finalists were Shannon Brown and J.R. Giddens.
However, the nuance matters.
Many recaps from that night noted that LeBron&rsquo;s dunks were solid but relatively basic &mdash; powerful, clean, but not jaw-dropping. Brown, on the other hand, pulled off one of the most impressive single dunks of the event but missed multiple attempts afterward, hurting his overall score.
LeBron benefitted from consistency, hometown energy, and others&rsquo; miscues.
So while Ceballos is wrong that LeBron &ldquo;lost,&rdquo; he&rsquo;s not wrong that the perception afterward was more complicated than a dominant victory.
Even as a teenager, LeBron was learning something crucial: when you&rsquo;re the most famous player in the building, expectations distort everything.
<h2 data-start="3213" data-end="3356">The Real Risk for Superstars</h2>
This is where Ceballos&rsquo; brand argument actually lines up with reality.
For a player like LeBron James, the Dunk Contest was always a high-risk, low-reward proposition.
If he won? Fans would shrug and say he was supposed to.
If he lost &mdash; especially to a smaller, less famous, more creative dunker like Nate Robinson, Gerald Green, or Zach LaVine &mdash; it would instantly become a meme, a punchline, a permanent footnote.
History backs this up. Dwight Howard&rsquo;s loss to Nate Robinson still gets referenced. Aaron Gordon losing twice despite incredible dunks became a running joke about being &ldquo;robbed.&rdquo; The contest doesn&rsquo;t forget.
And LeBron has essentially acknowledged this dynamic himself over the years.
He&rsquo;s said repeatedly that if he ever did the Dunk Contest, he&rsquo;d &ldquo;have to win&rdquo; &mdash; otherwise it wouldn&rsquo;t be worth it. That mindset alone shows how much pressure and perception factored into the decision.
<h2 data-start="4098" data-end="4298">LeBron&rsquo;s Own Explanation</h2>
Publicly, LeBron has always framed his absence in basketball terms rather than branding ones.
He&rsquo;s emphasized that his goals <a href="https://x.com/ScoopB/status/1668247108309118977">were championships</a>, MVPs, Defensive Player of the Year awards &mdash; not dunk trophies.
He&rsquo;s also consistently called himself an &ldquo;in-game dunker,&rdquo; explaining that he doesn&rsquo;t enjoy planning or practicing set-piece dunks. For him, dunking is about reacting in real time, attacking defenders, and finishing with force &mdash; not choreography.
That explanation fits his personality and play style perfectly.
But it doesn&rsquo;t exclude the brand reality either.
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<h2 data-start="5066" data-end="5370">So Was Ceballos Right?</h2>
Factually, no &mdash; LeBron didn&rsquo;t lose that high-school contest to Shannon Brown.
Conceptually? He was tapping into something very real.
From the moment LeBron entered the league as &ldquo;<a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/phil-handy-jordan-kobe-lebron-goat-debate">The Chosen One</a>,&rdquo; every appearance became a referendum on greatness. The Dunk Contest, meant to be fun and experimental, would&rsquo;ve placed him in a situation where creativity mattered more than dominance &mdash; and where a single off night could live forever online.
For a generational superstar with nothing to gain and everything to lose, skipping it made strategic sense.
In that light, LeBron&rsquo;s absence doesn&rsquo;t look like fear or lack of interest alone. It looks like a calculated understanding of modern sports culture, expectations, and reputation.
<h2 data-start="5481" data-end="5659">The Middle Ground</h2>
<div>LeBron James' Dunk Contest absence was not only framed as a branding decision by Cedric Ceballos, but also by an associate of James' <a href="https://landonbuford-com-488060.hostingersite.com/lakers-lebron-james-associate-reveals-real-reason-he-skipped-dunk-contest/">Rob MC in the Walklikeus room</a> a few years back.</div>
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<div>They said it did not fit LeBron's image at the time and pointed out that the contest was less exciting after the best players stopped participating in the early 2000s.</div>
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<div>He answered those who questioned LeBron's drive by citing his famous 3-1 Finals comeback, and also reminded everyone that many great players skipped the contest.</div>
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<div>LeBron stayed out of the Dunk Contest, not because he was scared, but because he thought it could hurt his reputation more than it could help, choosing his long-term legacy over a show, according to their comments.</div>
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Cedric Ceballos explains how branding, risk, and legacy factored into LeBron James's decision not to enter the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Ex-Laker Cedric Ceballos Weighs-In on Why LeBron Skipped the Dunk Contest

The NBA has officially announced the player pool for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Game, showcasing the league&rsquo;s top young talent as part of NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
The event, which is set for Friday, Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome, will feature a mini-tournament format pitting future stars against each other in front of a global audience.&nbsp;
The 28-player pool consists of the brightest NBA rookies, sophomores, and G League standouts who will be drafted into four teams to compete in the Rising Stars showcase. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches, while Austin Rivers will lead the G League squad.&nbsp;
Among the top young NBA talents included in the Rising Stars roster are:
<h3>Rookies</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn Nets)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Sophomores</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kel&rsquo;el Ware (Miami Heat)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)</li>
</ul>
<h3>NBA G League Players</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Yanic Konan Niederh&auml;user (San Diego Clippers)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Format &amp; Details</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Rising Stars event will feature a four-team mini-tournament, with three teams made up of NBA rookies and sophomores and one team of G League standouts.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The draft to assign players to each roster will be televised live, with each honorary coach selecting their squad.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The tournament&rsquo;s semifinal games are played to 40 points, with the championship game played to 25 points, providing a fast-paced display of elite young talent.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Game promises to be a highlight of NBA All-Star Weekend, spotlighting the next generation of star talent &ndash; from high-impact rookies like Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe to emerging sophomores and G League standouts ready to stake their claim on the big stage.

The NBA has officially announced the player pool for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Game.

NBA reveals 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Game roster ahead of All-Star Weekend

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft has been completed, and the second round will tip off on Thursday, June 26 (8 ET, ESPN) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This will be the second time in NBA history that the draft will be held over two days, following its introduction over a year ago.
Here are all the first-round selections courtesy of the NBA: (article to be updated with the second-round picks)
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/cooper-flagg">Cooper Flagg</a> (Duke) to the Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/dylan-harper">Dylan Harper</a> (Rutgers) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/vj-edgecombe">VJ Edgecombe</a> (Baylor) to the Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/kon-knueppel">Kon Knueppel</a> (Duke) to the Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/ace-bailey">Ace Bailey</a> (Rutgers) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/tre-johnson">Tre Johnson</a> (Texas) to the Washington Wizards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/jeremiah-fears">Jeremiah Fears</a> (Oklahoma) to the New Orleans Pelicans</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/egor-demin">Egor Demin</a> (BYU) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/collin-murray-boyles">Collin Murray-Boyles</a> (South Carolina) to the Toronto Raptors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/khaman-maluach">Khaman Maluach</a> (Duke) to the Houston Rockets &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/suns-rockets-trade-kevin-durant">Traded to Suns</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/cedric-coward">Cedric Coward</a> (Washington State) to the Portland Trail Blazers &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/memgrizz/status/1938089198935834700">Traded to Grizzlies</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/noa-essengue">Noa Essengue</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the Chicago Bulls</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/derik-queen">Derik Queen</a> (Maryland) to the Atlanta Hawks &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/derik-queen-nba-draft-trade-forward-center-maryland-new-orleans-pelicans-atlanta-hawks-first-round-draft-pick-13">Traded to Pelicans</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/carter-bryant">Carter Bryant</a> (Arizona) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/thomas-sorber">Thomas Sorber</a> (Georgetown) to the Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/hansen-yang">Yang Hansen</a> (Qingdao) to the Memphis Grizzlies &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/blazers/news/trail-blazers-acquire-draft-rights-to-yang-hansen">Traded to Trail Blazers</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/joan-beringer">Joan Beringer</a> (Cedevita Olimpija) to the Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/walter-clayton-jr">Walter Clayton Jr.</a> (Florida) to the Washington Wizards &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/utahjazz/status/1938070621159616606">Traded to Jazz</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore">Nolan Traor&eacute;</a> (Saint-Quentin BB) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/kasparas-jakucionis">Kasparas Jakučionis</a> (Illinois) to the Miami Heat</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/will-riley">Will Riley</a> (Illinois) to the Utah Jazz &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/1938082193785397462">Traded to Wizards</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/drake-powell">Drake Powell</a> (North Carolina) to the Atlanta Hawks &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/BrooklynNets/status/1938071333008482655">Traded to Nets</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/asa-newell">Asa Newell</a> (Georgia) to the New Orleans Pelicans &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-acquire-the-draft-rights-of-asa-newell-the-no-23-pick-in-the-2025-nba-draft">Traded to Hawks</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford">Nique Clifford</a> (Colorado State) to the Oklahoma City Thunder &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/kings/news/kings-acquire-draft-rights-to-nique-clifford">Traded to Kings</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/jase-richardson">Jase Richardson</a> (Michigan State) to the Orlando Magic</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/ben-saraf">Ben Saraf</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/danny-wolf">Danny Wolf</a> (Michigan) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/hugo-gonzalez">Hugo Gonz&aacute;lez</a> (Real Madrid) to the Boston Celtics</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/liam-mcneeley">Liam McNeeley</a> (Connecticut) to the Phoenix Suns &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/hornets/news/charlotte-hornets-agree-in-principle-to-acquire-the-draft-rights-to-liam-mcneeley">Traded to Hornets</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/yanic-konan-niederhauser">Yanic Konan Niederhauser</a> (Penn State) to the Los Angeles Clippers</li>
</ol>

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft has been completed, and the second round will tip off on Thursday, June 26, still in Brooklyn.

2025 NBA Draft: Full results

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Sir&rsquo;Jabari Rice scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and overtime, and No. 6 Texas held off Oklahoma 85-83 on Saturday.
Rice&rsquo;s fourth 3-pointer of the game gave Texas an 84-77 lead with 2:26 left in overtime.
Oklahoma, however, had a chance to tie or win when Texas&rsquo; Tyrese Hunter missed one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left. But Sam Godwin missed a shot from near the rim, and Texas extended its winning streak against Oklahoma to five games.
Marcus Carr added 17 points for Texas (21-6, 10-4 Big 12), and Timmy Allen had 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Grant Sherfield led Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11) with 18 points, including a 3-pointer that sent the game to overtime. Milos Uzan scored 15 for the Sooners.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 108, GEORGIA 59
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Miller scored 21 points, Nick Pringle had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Mark Sears made five 3-pointers in the first half to lead Alabama.
The Crimson Tide (23-4, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) rebounded from their first SEC loss by racing to a 54-25 halftime lead and a season scoring high. Alabama was coming off a 68-59 loss at No. 10 Tennessee on Wednesday night after rising to No. 1 for only the second time in program history and first in 20 years.&nbsp;
ustin Hill led Georgia (16-11, 6-8) with 17 points. Terry Roberts scored 11 and Braelen Bridges 10.
NO. 4 UCLA 78, CALIFORNIA 43
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 20 points and UCLA routed last-place California to improve to 15-0 at Pauley Pavilion this season and extend the nation&rsquo;s longest home winning streak to 23 games.
Amari Bailey added 16 points and nine rebounds for the first-place Bruins (23-4, 14-2 Pac-12), who clinched a first-round bye in next month&rsquo;s Pac-12 Tournament with their 11th win in a row over last-place Cal.
Kuany Kuany scored 14 points to lead the Golden Bears (3-24, 2-14), who dropped their 11th in a row. They fell to 0-3 against top-5 teams this season, having also lost a pair against No. 8 Arizona.
NO. 5 KANSAS 87, NO. 9 BAYLOR 71
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; DaJuan Harris scored all 14 of his points in the second half as Kansas stormed back from a double-digit halftime deficit.
The Jayhawks (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) outscored the Bears 55-26 in the second half. Jalen Wilson led Kansas with 21 points and 13 rebounds. KJ Adams added 17 points and Gradey Dick had 16.
The Jayhawks are tied with Texas for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.
Baylor (20-7, 9-5) got nearly all of its scoring from its three-guard combo of Adam Flagler (22 points) Keyonte George (20 points) and LJ Cryer (15 points).
NO. 7 VIRGINIA 57, NOTRE DAME 55
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark scored 15 points, including a pair of critical free throws with 22.6 seconds left, and became Virginia&rsquo;s career assist leader in the narrow win over Notre Dame.
With Notre Dame closing to 55-54, Clark converted both ends of a one-and-one. Trey Wertz made the front end of a one-and-one with 3.9 seconds left for the Fighting Irish, but missed the second after a timeout. The ball was tipped out to Dane Goodwin for a potential game-winning 3-pointer, but his shot bounced off the rim.
Armaan Franklin added 12 points and Reece Beekman had 11 for Virginia (21-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Nate Laszewski led Notre Dame (10-17, 2-14) with 18 points and Goodwin had 12.
NO. 8 ARIZONA 78, COLORADO 68
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Oumar Ballo had 18 points and 16 rebounds, Cedric Henderson Jr. added 15 points and Arizona dominated inside to beat Colorado.
The Wildcats (24-4, 13-4 Pac-12) opened with a rash of turnovers, falling into an early 12-point hole. Arizona righted itself quickly with a big run and slogged through a slowed-down second half by shutting down the Buffaloes.
Tristan da Silva had 18 points the Buffaloes (15-13, 7-10), who shot 38%.
KENTUCKY 66, NO. 10 TENNESSEE 54
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Cason Wallace and Oscar Tshiebwe each scored 16 points and Kentucky rushed to a big lead and beat Tennessee.
The Volunteers (20-7, 9-5 SEC) trailed by 20 points at halftime and lost in their first game since toppling No. 1 Alabama.
The Wildcats (18-9, 9-5) earned their first regular-season sweep of Tennessee since the 2011-12 season. Kentucky defeated the Volunteers 63-56 on Jan. 14 in Knoxville.
Wallace had totaled nine points in the Wildcats&rsquo; previous two games. Chris Livingston added 12 points and Jacob Toppin had 11.
NO. 12 KANSAS STATE 61, NO. 19 IOWA STATE 55
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell hit a 3-pointer from near midcourt with 2:42 remaining to help Kansas State over Iowa State.
Nowell finished with 20 points. Keyontae Johnson had 15 points for the Wildcats (20-7, 8-6 Big 12).
Aljaž Kunc led Iowa State (17-9, 8-6) with 15 points. Without their 3-point leader Caleb Grill in the lineup, the Cyclones worked inside the paint. They had 24 points inside and relied on a balanced scoring line led by Kunc.
NO. 13 GONZAGA 97, PEPPERDINE 88
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme scored 22 of his 34 points in the second half and Julian Strawther added 28 points to help Gonzaga extend its winning streak over the Waves to 45 games.
The Bulldogs (23-5, 12-2 West Coast Conference), who haven&rsquo;t lost to Pepperdine (9-10, 2-12) since Jan. 18, 2002 and have won 20 straight on the road against the Waves.
Timme moved past Bill Cartwright, who scored 2,116 points for San Francisco (1975-79), into eighth on the West Coast Conference&rsquo;s career scoring list with 2,117.
Houston Mallette led the Waves with 22 points. Jevon Porter and Maxwell Lewis added 20 points apiece.
NO. 14 INDIANA 71, ILLINOIS 68
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, Jalen Hood Schifino made two free throws with 30.7 seconds left, and Indiana rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to beat Illinois.
Hood-Schifino had 13 points for the Hoosiers (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten), who have won nine of 11 overall and 15 straight on their homecourt.
Matthew Mayer scored 24 to lead the Fighting Illini (17-9, 8-7), who were without injured leading scorer Terrence Shannon.
NO. 15 MIAMI 96, WAKE FOREST 87
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Isaiah Wong scored 27 points and Nijel Pack finished with 24 in Miami&rsquo;s win over Wake Forest.
Norchard Omier had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting while Jordan Miller added 14 points for the Hurricanes (22-5, 13-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their sixth straight and improved to 15-0 at home.
Tyree Appleby scored 15 points and Damari Monsanto and Cameron Hildreth had 14 each for the Demon Deacons (17-10, 9-7). Andrew Carr and Mathew Marsh finished with 12 points each.
NO. 16 XAVIER 82, DEPAUL 68
CINCINNATI (AP) &mdash; Jack Nunge had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Xavier bounced back from a pair of narrow losses to beat DePaul.
The Musketeers (20-7, 12-4 Big East) reached the 20-win mark for the 34th time in school history, 32 of which have come since the 1982-83 season. It was the 17th career double-double for Nunge, eighth this season. Adam Kunkel scored 16 points and tied a career-high with eight assists for Xavier.
Umoja Gibson had 17 points and De&rsquo;Sean Nelson 16 for DePaul (9-18, 3-13), which lost its eighth in a row.
NO. 17 ST. MARY&rsquo;S 71, BYU 65
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Logan Johnson scored 27 points and Aidan Mahaney delivered once again in the second half to lead Saint Mary&rsquo;s to its 15th win in 16 games.
Mahaney scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and Mitchell Saxen added 13. The Gaels (24-5, 13-1 West Coast Conference) won their 16th straight conference home game to maintain a one-game lead over Gonzaga in the standings.
Fousseyni Traore scored 16 points to lead the Cougars (16-14, 6-9). BYU has lost four straight and was swept in the season series by the Gaels.
NO. 18 CREIGHTON 77, ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 67
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Arthur Kaluma hit three straight 3-pointers down the stretch and Creighton overcame a second-half scoring drought to pull away from St. John&rsquo;s.
Creighton (18-9, 12-4) remained in a three-way tie for second place in the Big East after Providence and Xavier won earlier in the day. Marquette holds a one-game lead in the conference standings.
Ryan Nembhard scored 16 points for the Bluejays. Kaluma finished with 13 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12 as Creighton won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Joel Soriano led St. John&rsquo;s with 15 points and eight rebounds. David Jones added 14 points off the bench but the Red Storm (16-12, 6-11) were unable to get their third straight win.
NO. 20 UCONN 64, SETON HALL 55
STORRS, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn used a big second-half run to beat Seton Hall.
Andre Jackson had a career high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for UConn (20-7, 9-7 Big East).
Al-Amir Dawes and Tyrese Samuel each had 16 points for Seton Hall (16-12, 9-8), which trailed by 16 points with six minutes to play before a late run that fell short.
NO. 22 TCU 100, OKLAHOMA STATE 75
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) &mdash; Mike Miles Jr. had 15 points in his first game in three weeks, five other TCU players also scored in double figures, and the Horned Frogs snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Oklahoma State.
Emanuel Miller had 18 points to lead TCU (18-9, 7-7 Big 12), which shot a staggering season-high 68.4% (39 of 57) from the field. Damion Baugh had 16 points with 11 assists. Shahada Wells had 15 points, Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon 12 and Micah Peavy 10.
Bryce Thompson had 18 points and John-Michael White 15 for the Cowboys (16-11, 7-7).
NO. 24 PROVIDENCE 85, VILLANOVA 72
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Ed Croswell scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Providence earned its 20th victory of the season.
Bryce Hopkins added 19 points and 12 rebounds. Noah Locked finished with 16 points. Croswell connected on two late free throws to notch the 1,000th point of his career.
The Friars (20-7, 12-4 Big East) have recorded 20 or more wins in seven of coach Ed Cooley&rsquo;s 12 seasons. They improved to 15-0 at home, including 8-0 in conference play.
Eric Dixon had 18 points and eight rebounds and Justin Moore added 17 points for the Wildcats (13-14, 7-9)&nbsp;

A recap of Saturday's action in men's college basketball includes a full slate of top-25 teams in heavy competition.

No. 6 Texas needs OT at home to hold off Oklahoma 85-83

Draymond Green was not having a good NBA Finals by his standards. His play had seemingly fallen off a vertigo-inducing cliff, averaging just 4.3 points on 23.1% shooting in his first four games. As such, his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show,"&nbsp;which Green records after each and every one of his performances, quickly became a storyline and drew ire from fans, media and former players &mdash; all of whom labeled the show a distraction.
"The NBA Finals, and when you're playing for a championship, it really is about your mental toughness and your mental focus, and being able to totally 100% concentrate on your opponent," said Isiah Thomas after Green's 2-point outing in Game 2. "Right now, he has lost focus in terms of concentrating on beating the opponent. He&rsquo;s not talking about Jaylen Brown, he&rsquo;s not talking about [Jayson] Tatum, he&rsquo;s not talking about Marcus Smart. He&rsquo;s talking about podcasts and he's talking about Cedric Maxwell and the fans. Concentration needs to come back on the Boston Celtics players who you're playing against on the floor."
Green quickly put all of that to rest in Monday's Game 5, a bounce-back performance in which he posted 8 points on 3-of-6 shooting, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. His efforts were instrumental in Golden State capturing the 3-2 series advantage against Boston, and the Warriors now have the opportunity to close things out tonight in Game 6.
Golden State held Boston to just an 80.0 offensive rating in the halfcourt in Game 5. Green, of course, played a massive part in that as the raucous quarterback of Golden State's swarming defense. With him on the floor, Boston scored at a minuscule rate of 83 points per 100 possessions; off it, the Celtics' offensive rating rose to an astounding 122.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;
"His defensive force the past two games has just been devastating," Steve Kerr said on the Bay Area radio station <a href="https://twitter.com/957thegame/status/1536863045065945089">95.7 The Game</a>.
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Challenging Draymond at the rim, or really anywhere on the floor, was a fool's errand. Boston shot just 11.1% when Green was the nearest defender in Game 5 &mdash; a full 37.9% drop from the 49% the Celtics shot against Golden State's other defenders.
His help rotations were simply vintage, 2.9-ing with perfection and refraining from rotating over too early (a problem earlier in the series) as the last line of rim defense, also known as the "low man." He did an excellent job using his low base to dislodge probing offensive players while keeping his hands raised high and straight to maintain legal verticality.
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Golden State's coverage on Jaylen Brown in Game 5 may very well have swayed the series in their favor. Up to that point, Brown had been having an outstanding Finals, averaging 22.3 points on 44% shooting through the first four games. The Warriors opted to send Brown left at all costs and shaded him away from his preferred right-handed driving lanes. Green was every bit a key part of that strategy.
In the first clip, he takes the assignment head-on and sends Brown left, and Boston's star wing fumbles the ball while placed in an uncomfortable situation. In the second clip, it's Stephen Curry who is shading (or "weaking") Brown to his left after the switch, and when Brown attempts to cross back to his right, Draymond is in his path to delete the driving lane down the middle. A pull-up 15-footer with very little rhythm is a result the Warriors will certainly live with.
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But maybe more importantly, Green matched his defensive intensity with production on the offensive end. For the first time all series, Draymond appeared genuinely interested in actually scoring at the basket and was noticeably more aggressive with the ball in hand. Green galloped to the rim when Derrick White pressed him tightly at halfcourt (which, huh?). Earlier in the game, Green and Klay Thompson connected on a near-telepathic read that only the seasoned Warriors could display, with Green faking the dribble-handoff to Thompson and rocketing toward the basket for the dunk when Boston overplayed the action.
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Boston's defense on Curry has been a major storyline in the Finals. They've mostly elected to run a shallow drop coverage against Curry, a measure of faith in Marcus Smart and Derrick White's screen-navigation abilities. But it's also a safeguard against putting Green in advantageous situations as a short roller who can pick apart defenses by making the opportune pass when given the 4-on-3 advantage after Steph is blitzed.&nbsp;
Here, we get an example of what that looks like. Brown tries to neutralize Golden State's side pick-and-roll with ICE coverage, and when Curry dribbles down the sideline, Brown and center Robert Williams III attempt to trap Curry and pin him there. A flashy behind-the-back pass finds Draymond, who heaves a crosscourt dime to Andrew Wiggins when Smart comes over to tag the roll. Though Wiggins misses the shot, this was a great look and one of Green's 10 potential assists on the evening.
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Warrior fans should be encouraged by how reenergized Draymond looked in the open floor. Golden State had a pretty abysmal showing by their standards in transition, scoring just 12 fastbreak points on Boston's 18 turnovers. Green was responsible for 4 of those points, showcasing his impressive court vision on hit-ahead passes while also taking the ball up full court as a true blue point-forward before spraying dimes.
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"He got us going early with his pressure and his heart and getting up and down the floor," Klay Thompson said after the 104-94 victory.
"Draymond is the heart and soul of this team."
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Matt Brooks breaks down Draymond Green's film following his terrific bounce-back performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Draymond Green's return to form couldn't come at a better time

Similar to when we discussed <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-draft-combine-takeaways-from-anthro-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anthro testing</a>, the NBA Draft Combine provides opportunities for both fans and scouts alike to overreact. Some around the league put lots of stock into agility and strength testing, while others do not. The eye of the beholder takes each test into account in his or her own way.&nbsp;
Our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock, weighs in: &ldquo;I can't say I put a ton of stock into the physical testing, but I certainly look at them. I'm usually not too surprised at the results, as I think a decently experienced scout can generally judge a player's athleticism relatively well by watching them play in person. However, seeing results like Kennedy Chandler jumping an impressive 41.5 inches on his max vertical and Patrick Baldwin Jr. jumping a Combine-worst 26.5 inches does sway my opinion of them some.&rdquo;
Here are a few of my takeaways from agility testing:
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, Baylor
Kendall Brown leaped to a 41-inch max vertical in Chicago. This explosiveness, paired with being 6-foot, 7.5 inches and 201 pounds, gives insight into the physical athlete he really is. While there are concerns about some of Brown&rsquo;s perimeter skills, his athleticism and ability to impact the game on both ends will translate. He&rsquo;ll be a coveted player in next month&rsquo;s draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>, Tennessee
Although only measuring in at 5-foot, 11.5 inches without shoes, Kennedy Chandler posted the highest vertical leap of the day at 41.5 inches. Scouts and media alike were impressed with the athleticism, as he makes a strong case for himself as a first-round pick.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jalen-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Williams</a>, Santa Clara
After registering tremendous numbers in the anthro testing, Jalen Williams then posted a 39-inch max vertical, giving real promise to how he'll fit on an NBA floor. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but his shooting, offensive skill set and obvious athleticism may lead to a rise in his draft value.&nbsp;
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Terquavion Smith, NC State
It&rsquo;s been a solid week of measurements for Terquavion Smith as he continues to consider whether he'll stay in the 2022 NBA Draft. After measuring in at 6-foot, 2.25 inches without shoes, he then posted a 10.63 lane agility time and a 38.5-inch max vertical. He&rsquo;s twitchy and explosive, and has a chance to be a reliable guard in the NBA regardless of when he declares.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/david-roddy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Roddy</a>, Colorado State
Roddy is 6-foot-6 in his shoes, 260 pounds, has a 6-foot, 11.5-inch wingspan and registers a 35.5-inch max vertical. Not only would these be strong at an NFL Combine, they were in a solid tier in Chicago as well. Roddy has a real chance to be a first-round pick next month and has helped himself this week.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/patrick-baldwin-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrick Baldwin Jr.</a>, UW-Milwaukee
Baldwin Jr. recorded a 23.5-inch standing vert and 26.5-inch max vert. The 26.5-inch mark is the fourth-lowest number at the Combine since 2011, ahead of only Dakari Johnson, Dedric Lawson and Nikola Vucevic. While he shows incredible potential as a shooter at the NBA level, these numbers will likely be taken into heavy consideration around the league.
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Derek Murray highlights key observations from the agility testing portion of the 2022 NBA Draft Combine.

2022 NBA Draft Combine: Takeaways from agility testing

West Lafayette, IN&nbsp; -&nbsp; In a game that came down to the final shot of regulation, No. 6 Purdue beat No. 16 Ohio State by a score of 81-78. Jaden Ivey led all players with 21 points, including the game winning triple with six seconds left on the clock. E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham both scored 20 points for the Buckeyes.
The Boilermakers (18-3, 7-3 B1G) have cemented themselves as real contenders this season. Led by potential top-five pick Ivey, as well as a frontcourt of Zach Edey and Trevion Williams, they often have the best player on the floor at multiple positions. Ivey leads the team in points at 16.6 per game on 43.8% shooting from deep.
Ohio State (13-5, 6-3 B1G) have a key win against Duke, but haven&rsquo;t been able to close out the top competition with consistency &mdash; losing to Xavier, Florida, as well as twice to Wisconsin. They are led by junior Liddell, as he continues to make his case for the 2022 NBA draft. He is averaging 19.6 points and 7.8 rebounds, leading his team in both categories.&nbsp;
The first half started with the teams trading buckets and leads until the 11:20 mark, then Ivey and Edey started cooking. The Boilermakers would go on a 10-2 run late in the period and connect on 8 of their last 13 attempts from the field. Purdue senior Sasha Stefanovich led all players in scoring at the break with 11, as the home team took a 39-30 lead into the break.
Purdue started the second on a tear with eight unanswered points, extending the lead to 47-30. At 52-32 it looked out of hand, but Cedric Russell, Eugene Brown III and Liddell kept the fight going for Ohio State, cutting the deficit back to 63-54.
At 1:45, the Buckeyes cut the lead to 76-70 and had momentum. Ivey travelled on the ensuing possession and Liddell capitalized by capping a 7-0 run &mdash; making it 76-72 which forced a timeout.&nbsp;
Ivey would miss a three pointer the next trip down, but Mason Gillis came down with a huge offensive rebound. Two free throws followed. Liddell answered with another triple at 0:33 to make it 78-75. The visitors stole the inbounds pass, then Liddell connected once again to tie the game, 78-78.
Ivey would hit an incredible, off-balance triple to win the game with under a second remaining. A truly wild finish that saw Purdue win 81-78.
Edey posted 20 points and 3 rebounds. Williams ended with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Brown III and Russell both scored 9 points for the Buckeyes.
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UPCOMING
Ohio State hosts Iowa on Thursday
Purdue travels to Minnesota on Tuesday
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In a game that came down to the final shot of regulation, No. 6 Purdue beat No. 16 Ohio State by a score of 81-78.

Ivey hits walkoff, No. 6 Purdue survives No. 16 Ohio State 81-78

BOSTON (AP) — Basketball Hall of Famer Sam Jones, the Boston Celtics' “Mr. Clutch” whose sharp shooting fueled the league's longest dynasty and earned him 10 NBA titles — second only to teammate Bill Russell — has died, the team said. He was 88.
Jones died Thursday night in Florida, where he had been hospitalized in failing health, Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said. 
“Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history," the team said in a statement. 
“His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, ‘The Shooter,’” the Celtics said. “The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports.”
The Celtics paused for a moment of silence before Friday afternoon’s game against the Phoenix Suns, showing a video tribute on the screen hanging among the championship banners above the parquet floor at the TD Garden. His No. 24, which was retired by the Celtics in 1969 while he was a still an active player, also was displayed on the monitor in the hushed arena before a still photo of him in a suit and the words “Sam Jones 1933-2021.”
“Another one of my dear friends lost,” Celtics broadcaster Cedric Maxwell wrote on Twitter. “Well, the banks are open in heaven this #NYE.”
Often providing the offense while Russell locked things down at the other end, Jones averaged 17.7 points per game over 12 seasons. The number went up in the postseason, when he averaged 18.9 points and was usually the No. 1 option for the game's final shot for the teams that won 10 titles from 1959-69.
“We never flew first class in my 12 years of playing basketball,” Jones told The Associated Press this fall <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ahmaud-arbery-nba-sports-boxing-race-and-ethnicity-316cc3269afbcaf80a42c31ef6661ebe">in an interview for the league's 75th anniversary</a>. “But we always won NBA championships.”
In 1964, Jones was a member of the NBA's first starting lineup to include five Black players, joining Russell, Tom “Satch” Sanders, K.C. Jones and Willie Naulls. Although coach Red Auerbach maintained he was thinking only of his best chance to win, the lineup broke with an unwritten rule that pressured teams to have at least on white player on the floor. 
Sam Jones, a North Carolina native who served two years in the Army before returning to college, told the AP that the NBA of the 1960s was little different than the segregated South where he grew up and went to school.
“I’m fighting for the freedom of everybody here in the United States. And when I come back, I still got to fight for my freedom,” Jones said. "Something is wrong with that, and has always been and is happening even today.” 
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Jones will be remembered as “one of the most prolific champions in all of professional sports.”
“His selfless style, clutch performances and signature bank shot were hallmarks of an incredible career," Silver said. "Sam was a beloved teammate and respected competitor who played the game with dignity and class. We mourn the passing of a basketball giant and send our deepest condolences to Sam’s family and the Celtics organization.”
Born in Wilmington, Jones attended North Carolina Central, a Division II, historically Black university in Durham. Auerbach first heard of Jones when he went to North Carolina to scout the national champion Tar Heels and was told that the best player in the state was actually at Central playing for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon. 
Auerbach selected Jones in the first round of the 1957 draft, eighth overall, despite never seeing him play.
“Russell and I are the most successful players in winning championships in the NBA. Yet he never saw us play a game because they had no scouts,” Jones told the AP. “The coaches called other coaches to see how other players were playing. They took their word for it.” 
Jones led the Celtics in scoring five times — including the 1963 champions, when he was one of eight future Hall of Famers on the roster. When he retired in 1969 at the age of 36, Jones held 11 Celtics records and was the only player in franchise history to score more than 50 points in a game.
“You look at the championships and what he did, it’s obviously a big loss for the community here," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said before Friday's game.
Using a bank shot that was unconventional even then, Jones came to be known as “Mr. Clutch” after a series of game-winners, including a buzzer-beater to clinch the 1962 Eastern Conference finals. He hit an off-balance, wrong-footed jumper to win Game 4 of the ‘69 Finals; instead of heading to Los Angeles trailing 3-1, the Celtics tied the series against the Lakers at two games apiece and went on to win in seven.
Jones retired after that title, having won his 10 championships in 12 seasons. A five-time All-Star, he was was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Jones was named to the NBA's 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams. His death comes a year after teammate Tommy Heinsohn and 13 months following the death of K.C. Jones. 
___
AP freelancer Doug Alden contributed to this story.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NBA hall-of-famer and Celtics legend Sam Jones has passed away at the age of 88 years-old.

Hall of Famer Sam Jones, winner of 10 NBA titles, dies at 88

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Zed Key scored a career-high 20 points and Ohio State held top-ranked Duke scoreless for the final four-and-a-half minutes, completing a rally from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Blue Devils 71-66 on Tuesday night.
E.J. Liddell hit two free throws with 1:06 remaining to give the Buckeyes (5-2) their first lead since early in the first half, and his jumper made it 69-66 with 16 seconds left. Duke freshman star Paolo Banchero missed a tying 3-pointer, and Cedric Russell got the rebound and closed it out at the free-throw line. Ohio State fans stormed the court as time expired.
The Blue Devils (7-1) claimed the top spot in this week&rsquo;s AP Top 25 poll &mdash; a stay that could be brief &mdash; after beating then-No. 1 Gonzaga in Las Vegas. Ohio State improved to 2-1 against ranked foes this year with its fourth straight game decided in the final minutes.
Liddell finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for Ohio State, which beat the No. 1 team in the country for the second straight time on its home court. The Buckeyes knocked off Michigan State 80-64 on Jan. 7, 2018.
Wendell Moore Jr. led the Blue Devils with 17 points and Banchero finished with 14.
Duke led by 13 points at halftime and extended that advantage to 49-34 early in the second half. Moore&rsquo;s layup with 5:19 remaining made it 65-57, and Trevor Keels made a free throw with 4:29 left.
The Blue Devils didn&rsquo;t score again, missing their last six shots as Ohio State closed the game with a 12-0 run. Duke endured a 1-for-14 stretch earlier in the half, allowing the Buckeyes to draw closer.
Ohio State took an early 13-7 lead but Duke responded with a 13-2 run. The Blue Devils shot 52.9% in the first half.
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BIG PICTURE
Duke: Moore and Banchero, Duke&rsquo;s leading scorers coming in, were solid, shooting a combined 11 for 29, but they came up empty when it mattered most.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes had 12 turnovers and shot 50% (11 of 22) at the free-throw line, areas they will have to clean up before beginning Big Ten play this weekend.
UP NEXT
Duke: Hosts South Carolina State on Dec. 14.
Ohio State: At Penn State on Sunday.

Zed Key scored a career-high 20 points and Ohio State upset No. 1 Duke, 71-66, on Tuesday night.

Ohio State upsets No. 1 Duke in final minutes, 71-66

The <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/charles-barkley-on-winning-the-mvp-over-michael-jordan-no-1-he-didnt-deserve-it-michael-should-know-better/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The 1992-93 season was Charles Barkley&lsquo;s year. The Philadelphia 76ers traded him to Phoenix, and Sir Charles finally felt like he had a team he could lead to the NBA title. A lot of people think he became a better player with the Suns, but Barkley himself disagrees. He actually feels he was a worse player in Phoenix compared to Philly.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t elevate anything. I was a much better player in Philly," Barkley <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/07/27/charles-barkley-talks-team-usa-winning-mvp-michael-jordan/5381584001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in an interview with USA Today Sports this past July</a>. "What elevated me was Dan Majerle and Kevin Johnson. My numbers were not nearly as good as they were before. I had five or six better years in Philly, but we didn&rsquo;t have great teams. But when they gave me Dan Majerle and Kevin Johnson, I was like, &lsquo;I can take on anybody now.&rsquo;&rdquo;
And he did. Coached by the late, great Paul Westphal, Barkley led Majerle, Johnson, Richard Dumas, Danny Ainge, Tom Chambers, Cedric Ceballos, Oliver Miller and Co. to a Western Conference-best 62-20 record. From the moment he got there, Barkley knew they needed to be great because Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls would be waiting for them in the Finals. Majerle credits Chuck for making the team believe they had a chance against the Bulls, and the main reason for that was simple &ndash; Chuck believed he was better than MJ.
&ldquo;I got everybody together at the beginning of the season. I said, &lsquo;Guys, we&rsquo;re going to play the Bulls for the championship. We&rsquo;re going to win the West because I&rsquo;m the best player in the world,'" Barkley <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/07/27/charles-barkley-talks-team-usa-winning-mvp-michael-jordan/5381584001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "'Michael Jordan is great, but he has more help than me. But I&rsquo;m the best player in the world and I got you guys. We&rsquo;re going to go to the Finals and we&rsquo;ll see what happens.&rsquo;&rdquo;
The Suns got off to a decent start, winning 5 out of their first 7 games &ndash; then the Bulls came to town. Barkley knew Jordan would use every opportunity to plant the seed of doubt into their heads. This may have been a November game, but it mattered for what would happen in June. The Bulls won by 17, and Barkley wasn&rsquo;t happy.
&ldquo;I remember the Bulls came to Phoenix and they smoked us," Barkley <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/07/27/charles-barkley-talks-team-usa-winning-mvp-michael-jordan/5381584001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a>. "I remember going crazy after the game and saying, &lsquo;Guys, that&rsquo;s the team we&rsquo;re going to play in the [expletive] Finals. I know that [expletive] Michael Jordan. He sent me a message, &lsquo;You better bring more next time.&rsquo; I remember that night in the locker room. I was throwing stuff. I said,, &lsquo;Guys, I told ya&rsquo;ll we were going to play that team in the Finals and ya&rsquo;ll are out here messing around. We&rsquo;re not even on their level yet.&rsquo; Then, we went on a 12-game winning streak after that. Then, we became the great team that we were.&rdquo;
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At the end of the regular season that year, the Suns were the best team in the NBA with 62 wins. Barkley averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He may have had &ldquo;five or six better years in Philly,&rdquo; but he never took as many shots as he did that year. With 18.1 attempts per game, Barkley let everyone on the team know that he could take responsibility when the lights shone the brightest. Barkley's performance that year earned him the regular-season MVP, and that didn&rsquo;t sit well with Jordan.
But the Suns forward didn&rsquo;t care.
"No. 1, he didn&rsquo;t deserve it. We had the best record in the NBA. Michael should know better," Barkley <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/07/27/charles-barkley-talks-team-usa-winning-mvp-michael-jordan/5381584001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "There were years he was the best player in the NBA, probably three years before he won MVP, but the Bulls team was no good. The MVP has always gone to the best player on the team with the best record. It has nothing to do with best player."
Barkley was right about the Finals &ndash; MJ and the Bulls were waiting for them there. The Bulls won 4-2 and completed their first three-peat. Did it happen because MJ was better than Barkley, or because he had more help? That's for fans to decide.
But with the way he played that season, it&rsquo;s no surprise Sir Charles was full of confidence.
He was the MVP.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net <a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Charles Barkley opened up on a number of topics with USA Today this past July, including his 1992-93 MVP season and Suns' tenure.

Charles Barkley talks winning 1992-93 NBA MVP over Michael Jordan

The GOAT argument has heated up in recent years, with a growing contingent claiming LeBron James over the incumbent greatest of all-time, Michael Jordan. But no matter if it&rsquo;s Jordan, James, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, championships are a prerequisite.
Of course, team success is predicated on talent, and in basketball, one player impacts outcomes more so than in football or baseball. Still, the idea that the best player ever should inevitably be a decorated champion is oversimplified.&nbsp;
Ultimately, I posit that great players can achieve only so much on their own. A great supporting cast is also necessary. And if you examine the GOAT list, it becomes clear that great supporting casts are also a prerequisite. And with that being said, let&rsquo;s identify the best supporting casts of all time.
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5. Boston Celtics, 1980-1988
Key role players: Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell, M.L. Carr, Danny Ainge, Nate &ldquo;Tiny&rdquo; Archibald, Dennis Johnson
Championships: 3 (1980-81, 1983-84, 1985-86)
These teams saw some turnover, but the core remained mostly intact throughout the '80s &ndash; Bird, McHale, Parish and Archibald or Johnson. The 1983-84 and 1985-86 iterations had five players average 30 or more minutes per game, and all three championship teams featured five players averaging double figures in points per game. They were incredibly role-oriented and players were intimately familiar with those roles. But ultimately, the main case for the Celtics is that they boasted three of the 50 greatest players ever for their entire run in the '80s.
Side note: Despite having a reputation for being banged up, Bird missed very few games in his prime, making it incredibly difficult to examine how the Celtics fared in his absence. In fact, between the 1980-81 and 1985-86 seasons, Bird missed only five regular-season games. While that&rsquo;s clearly a ridiculously small sample size, the Celtics were 5-0 in those games without Bird. It&rsquo;s not enough to make the case that the Celtics&rsquo; supporting cast achieved anything significant in his absence, but it&rsquo;s something.
4. Miami Heat, 2012-2016
Key role players: Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller
Championships: 2 (2011-12, 2012-13)
The Heat were a surprisingly deep team. All we really remember is the Big Three and Ray Allen&rsquo;s clutch three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. But there was far more depth in Miami than we care to remember. Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, Chris Anderson and Norris Cole all played big roles for the Heat. While there was a high degree of turnover in Miami in the 2010s, the key contributors were mostly the same. And they utilized lots of players; the 2011-12 team played 12 guys for 13 or more minutes per game, and the 2012-13 squad did so with 11 players.&nbsp;
But clearly nothing was more important for Miami than the Big Three. James was obviously the team&rsquo;s engine, but Wade and Bosh were crucial to Miami&rsquo;s success. Wade averaged more than 21 points per game in both championship seasons, whereas Bosh averaged slightly less than 20 points per game while taking on significantly more defensive responsibilities than in Toronto. Wade and Bosh combined to make the best one-two punch of any of the supporting casts on this list, making their inclusion here obvious.&nbsp;
3. Golden State Warriors, 2014-2018
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Key-role players: Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Ande Iguodala, Shaun Livingston
Championships: 3 (2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18)
This team is the hardest to write about, mainly because calling Durant a role player feels like it's backwards. Durant has half as many MVP awards as Curry and more scoring championships. But the premise of the article is that the great teams have supporting casts and that great supporting casts support starts &ndash; and Curry is that star. He was in Golden State for their first championship without Durant, and he remains there following Durant&rsquo;s departure. In total, Golden State won three championships in a relatively short amount of time, and in the one year which they did not win the championship, they set a new single-season NBA win record (73).&nbsp;
But however you view this team, it accomplished a great deal &ndash; and it was not predicated on one star. On the contrary, the Warriors spread the wealth. The 2017-18 Warriors, for example, averaged 113.5 points per game, 73 of which came from Curry, Durant and Thompson. And everyone on this team felt like part of the supporting cast at times. Further, 14 players averaged 13 or more minutes per game &ndash; which is more than any other team on this list.&nbsp;
2. Chicago Bulls, 1995-1998
Key role players: Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley
Championships: 3 (1995-1996, 1996-1997, 1997-1998 &mdash; six in total, but the teams and supporting casts are distinctly different, separated by Jordan&rsquo;s retirement)
Eras make a difference. And the 1990s Bulls, featuring Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, were just flat-out better than every other team in the NBA in the 1990s. Want proof? The Bulls were one of only five teams with two starters in the All-Star games in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Oh, and their second All-Star, Pippen, was second runner-up for MVP in 1993-94, leading the Bulls to the third-best record in the Eastern Conference in 1993-94 without Jordan. Ironically, Pippen was probably the most equipped to go head-to-head with Jordan.
Jordan, Pippen and Rodman brought unmatched defensive versatility, and Jordan and Pippen were unstoppable, thanks to an unprecedented combination of size and skill. Add in a 6-foot-6 point guard (Harper), a big, ultra-skilled wing (Kukoc) and a dead-eye shooter (Kerr), and it was just too much for teams in the 90s to handle. Bottom line: Jordan was obviously unstoppable. But one player can&rsquo;t do everything on his own, and the fact that this team is still arguably the best team ever more than 30 years since they were dismantled speaks to just how great their supporting cast really was.
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1) Los Angeles Lakers 1979-1988
Key role players: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Byron Scott, James Worthy, Mychal Cooper, A.C. Green and Mychal Thompson.
Championships: 5 (1979-80, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88)
The Showtime Lakers are about as unique a team as you&rsquo;ll come across in basketball history. Their most important player was unquestionably their point guard, Magic Johnson, evidenced by his leading the Lakers to a championship as a rookie while filling in as center in a decisive game. Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer and arguably, at his peak, the best player ever. James Worthy is also an all-time great, having been named a member of the NBA at 50&rsquo;s top 50 players of all time.&nbsp;
But nothing speaks to the team&rsquo;s versatility more than this &ndash; Byron Scott led the Lakers in scoring in 1987-88 (21.7 points per game) despite the presence and health of Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar and Worthy.&nbsp;
Great players are clearly the building blocks on which great teams are built. But great supporting casts are a necessary part of all dynasties, too. Without them, teams run out of gas and get out-maneuvered by complicated defensive schemes. At the end of the day, you need both &ndash; and sometimes more &ndash; to win championships in the NBA.

Drew Maresca takes a look at some of the best supporting casts around NBA GOAT candidates.

Which NBA teams had the best supporting casts of all time?

The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award is often one of the most confusing additions to a player's legacy.
Logically, it doesn't make much sense to apply so much weight to an award tied a tiny seven-game sample size at most. But Finals MVP recognizes the ability to elevate one's game to new heights while on the greatest basketball stage in the world. It's a touchstone for the series, and that season, and its place in the history of the NBA.&nbsp;
But the small sample also allows some players to make a surprising mark on a Finals. These five award-winners may not have been the odds-on favorite entering the showdown, but they all took command in high-stakes moments and became X-factors for their respective franchises. Though these are the most "unlikely" Finals MVP winners, all of them deserve praise for contributing to success.
Magic Johnson, 1980 Los Angeles Lakers
When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was ruled out for Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals with an ankle injury, the Lakers had to turn to one rookie point guard from Michigan State to bring home the title. Magic Johnson was less than a year removed from being selected first overall, but was already blazing his trail as a basketball legend.&nbsp;
In that pivotal Game 6, Johnson put up 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals -- as the team's center -- in a 123-107 championship-clinching win over the Philadelphia 76ers. At age 20, he is still the youngest Finals MVP winner in league history and the only rookie to receive the award. Johnson's star would only continue to rise; he took home three Finals MVP trophies in his illustrious career.
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Jerry West, 1969 Los Angeles Lakers
Only one player has ever won Finals MVP as the leader of a losing franchise. Ironically, it came in the first year of the award, and even as trophy namesake Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics won in seven games. But it's tough to go against West's unreal series, in which he averaged 37.9 points (without a three-point line!), 7.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game.
West scored 53 points in the Lakers' Game 1 victory and 42 points in the 108-106 Game 7 loss. He beat out John Havlicek, who put up 28.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game for Boston, to win the award. I'd bet against seeing another losing MVP winner for now, unless they can put up the same gaudy numbers as West.
Cedric Maxwell, 1981 Boston Celtics
Maxwell is the lone winner before 2000 to not be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. During his 11-year career, the small forward made an impact as a dynamic scorer and rebounder, but never made an All-Star team or averaged over 20 points per game.&nbsp;
But Maxwell did capitalize on a sluggish Finals between the Celtics and Houston Rockets. As a 25-year-old, he put up a team-high 17.7 points to go with 9.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were all on the roster, but all three were still growing into their roles as a Big Three. Maxwell carried the torch in advance while helping hold Houston to just 38% shooting as a team during the series.
Andre Iguodala, 2015 Golden State Warriors
During the 2014-15 regular season, Iguodala was no more than a serviceable bench piece for the Warriors, averaging just 7.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. But he transformed in the Finals, putting up 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists while helping the Warriors begin their dynasty with the 2015 championship.
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6 YEARS AGO, The Golden State Warriors won the title &amp; Andre Iguodala took home Finals MVP!<a href="https://t.co/LjXLhg1HOa">pic.twitter.com/LjXLhg1HOa</a>
&mdash; Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) <a href="https://twitter.com/FadeawayWorld/status/1405140602744836109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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There's skepticism around this award, as Warriors superstar Stephen Curry also dropped 26.0 points, 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game in the series. But Iguodala was the front man for defending LeBron James, and led a Warriors fortress that kept the Cavaliers from surpassing 100 points in any game. Both Curry and Iguodala deserve praise for delivering Oakland a title.&nbsp;
Wes Unseld, 1978 Washington Bullets
Of all the awards handed out, this one stumps me. Unseld was no-doubt an amazing NBA player, a well-deserved Hall-of-Famer and a key piece for the Bullets. But the power forward won Finals MVP in 1978 while averaging just 9.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Scoring isn't the only way to impact the game, but Unseld was seventh on his team in that category, and others such as Elvin Hayes and Bob Dandridge consistently stepped up in the seven-game series win over the Seattle SuperSonics.
In fairness to Unseld, he is one of the supreme connectors in league history. Unseld's play often transcended the box score, which was especially limited back in the 1970s, and his defense against Jack Sikma and the SuperSonics was notable. It's just such an outlier from other MVP-caliber performances. Hayes and Dandridge each shouldered the scoring load and pushed Washington ahead in some gritty contests.

Throughout NBA history, some surprising names have left their mark and won the Finals MVP award, writes Ethan Fuller.

Who were the most unlikely Finals MVP winners in NBA history?

One week from now, we will know who is playing in the NBA Finals. It appears it will be the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, but we should have learned by now to never count out the resilience of the Los Angeles Clippers.&nbsp;
And the Atlanta Hawks? Just ask anyone from Philadelphia or New York whether that team should be underestimated.
This is somewhat uncharted territory for Adam Silver and the NBA, who have grown accustomed (along with all of us) to having all eyes glued to LeBron James or Steph Curry at this point of the season.
Also, our NBA body clocks are saying &ldquo;draft, draft, draft.&rdquo; But due to the pandemic, we've all had to readjust to this slightly different schedule. So the end of the Finals are still quite a ways down the road, the draft and free agency are going to happen at the end of the July and beginning of August, respectively. The Olympics are looking like a walkover for a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-to-join-team-usa-james-harden-to-withdraw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loaded Team USA</a>... but we have seen that movie before, and the ending is not always a certainty. FIBA competition usually takes care of that.
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No matter which two teams make the Finals, though, it will be the first time in a long time (or ever) that the Bucks, Clippers, Suns and/or Hawks got that far.
So let&rsquo;s refresh everyone&rsquo;s memory. Or, let&rsquo;s fill in the younger generation on what folks in the four finalists' cities have endured over the years.
PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns are one victory away from making the championship round for the first time since 1993, back when Charles Barkley was playing against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. It was the summer before Jordan decided he wanted to change professions and become a Major League baseball player.&nbsp;
The Bulls won Game 1 and Game 2 in that 1993 series, and battled in a classic Game 3 that went three overtimes before the Suns won and chopped the series lead down to 2-1. Chicago won Game 4 at home, but the Suns took Game 5 in Chicago (the format was 2-3-2 at the time) and the series returned to Phoenix for Game 6 on June 20. The Bulls were going for a three-peat under Phil Jackson with a roster that included Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant and John Paxson. Barkley was flanked by Dan Majerle, Tom Chambers, Kevin Johnson, Cedric Ceballos and Danny Ainge.
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Barkley and Jordan were friendly, but the edge in competitive streak was in favor of Jordan. Back then, fraternization on off days was common, and Barkley and Jordan were fewer than two years removed from being teammates on the original Dream Team. The way the story has been told, Jordan took Barkley out to Majerle&rsquo;s bar on the night of June 19 after everyone traveled, and the drinks flowed freely... except the drink of choice for Jordan was water.
Then, on the night of June 20, the Bulls were ahead by eight entering the fourth quarter, but then went cold. In the first 6:09 of the fourth, the Bulls didn&rsquo;t score. They committed three shot-clock violations in that span, and Phoenix was ahead 98-96 with 14 seconds left. But the Bulls had the ball, and Grant found John Paxson open at the three-point line for a shot that Paxson drilled. Prior to that, all nine of the Bulls&rsquo; fourth-quarter points had been scored by Jordan. Phoenix had the final possession, but Barkley rolled to the basket off the inbounds play and Phoenix did not get the ball to him. Instead, Kevin Johnson attempted a runner from the lane just before the final buzzer, and Grant blocked it. Game over. Bulls 99, Suns 98. And Phoenix has not hosted an NBA Finals game since.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS 
The Bucks are up 2-1 on the Hawks now after Khris Middleton was Mr. Everything last night in Atlanta except for being Mr. Airball, an award that will be retired in honor of Giannis Antetokounmpo for what he has been doing from the free-throw line the past few seasons, but especially this postseason. These teams will be back at it Tuesday night, and hopefully the referees will be briefed, too, on allowing a player shooting a three-point shot to have enough space to land without turning an ankle because an official was too close. Are there enough ace bandages in "The A" to wrap Trae Young tightly enough to give the Hawks a chance to even this series? Or is Milwaukee advancing to the Finals as a fait accompli currently maneuvering speed bumps?
Whatever the case, the Bucks are favored for good reason, and if they make it to the Finals, it&rsquo;ll be the first time it's happened for that franchise since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s sky hook was a lethal weapon. That was back in 1974, before Kareem decided he did not like living in Milwaukee following a 4-3 loss to the Celtics in the Finals and forced a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, a maneuver for which he was never forgiven in the city where Mike Budenholzer now calls the shots. The Bucks last won a title in 1971, and have not been back since despite being led at different times by Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Giannis, Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon, among others.
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They dropped four straight in the Conference Finals three years ago against the Toronto Raptors, and they went out in seven games in 2001 against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. All of the sports glory in the state of Wisconsin since then has belonged to Aaron Rodgers and Frank Kaminsky, and all those years of losing have been drowned out by beer, cheese, frozen custard, bratwurst and beer. The last time the Bucks won, the team was a member of the Western Conference and the Brewers were still adapting to the American League following the franchise&rsquo;s move from Seattle, where they were known as the Pilots. Al McGuire and Marquette provided a couple years of glory, but aside from the accomplishments of the Packers, there has not been much to celebrate.
But losing is never permanent unless your favorite team is the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Bucks are halfway to breaking through the organization's three-and-a-half decades of frustration. So stay tuned.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 
Ahead of a win or go home scenario in Monday's Game 5, Kawhi Leonard is once again unable able to play, and could be more seriously hurt than the franchise has let on. There are reports out there that he needs knee surgery and is upset with the Clippers' medical staff; one would think the league office would order the Clippers to provide some clarity on this matter, since Leonard is a pretty good basketball player whose health is a determining factor in whether Steve Ballmer&rsquo;s team has a snowball&rsquo;s chance in hell of being championship material.
The Clippers have never been to the Finals, before or since relocating to California from Buffalo, spending 1978-1984 in San Diego. They blew 3-1 leads in the conference semifinals in 2020 (to Denver) and 2015 (to Houston), and went out in six games against Oklahoma City in 2014. There is only so much that Paul George can do without his fellow superstar teammate, and if Leonard is truly done and legitimately unhappy in L.A., the offseason unrestricted-free-agency market just got a heck of a lot more interesting.
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Before they were the Clippers, they were the Buffalo Braves and joined the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1970 along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. Their Hall-of-Famers included Bob McAdoo and Ernie DeGregorio, and in one of the most interesting pieces of NBA cameo trivia, they had Moses Malone for a grand total of two games before trading him to Houston for a pair of first-round picks.
In 1975, the franchise made it to the conference semifinals, but were defeated by the Washington Bullets. Since then, the Clippers have a franchise history that everyone in the NBA outside of Minnesota can laugh at. Except Clippers fans, of course. And those poor folks deserve either our pity or our sympathy. But to Clippers fans and Timberwolves fans, we can only say: &ldquo;The Cubs eventually won, okay?&rdquo; Perhaps that will help.&nbsp;
ATLANTA HAWKS 
Dominique Wilkins was a heck of a hooper and had one of the greatest nicknames in the history of professional sports: &ldquo;The Human Highlight Film.&rdquo; But he never appeared in a single NBA Finals game, and his only championship came with Panathinaikos in 1996 when the &ldquo;Greens&rdquo; won the Euroleague championship.
The Hawks franchise has not won a title since 1958 when they were based in St. Louis, and they reached the Finals in 1960 and 1961 only to lose to the Boston Celtics. The closest they came since then was 2015, when they reached the Conference Finals but were swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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The Hawks are closer now than they have ever been, but when your entire team gets outscored by a single player in a single quarter (Khris Middleton had 20 points to the Hawks&rsquo; 17 in the fourth last night), you really have to dig deep for resiliency &ndash; although we would not put anything past Trae Young at this point. At the very least, the Hawks have two games remaining. In the first round, they bounced back from a Game 2 loss in New York and won the next three. Atlanta was down 2-1 against the Sixers last round and gutted out that series in seven games, winning three times on the road. The team has a terrific mix of young and old, and Nate McMillan has worked wonders with these guys.
A victory in Game 4 would turn this into a best-of-3, and we already know that hostile arenas do not faze them. Middleton had the hot hand in Game 3, and who is to say that Bogdan Bogdanovic or Kevin Huerter or Danilo Gallinari cannot be that type of player for Atlanta sometime in the coming week? Count the Hawks out at your own peril. Knicks fans and Sixers fans will tell you not to take them lightly.
We've got a big week ahead of us. Let&rsquo;s hope it brings more good stories than bad.
But the only thing we know for sure is that one of these four franchises will eventually end a very long drought.&nbsp;

Chris Sheridan refreshes everyone's memory and fills in the younger crowd on what folks in the four final teams' cities have endured over the years.

Sheridan: A history lesson is in order as the NBA Finals draw near

James Posey talks to T.J. Ford about his upbringing, the 2003 NBA Draft, getting traded, how a tough season Indiana strengthened their bond and more.