Purple Aces

Kevin Durant joined an exclusive list of NBA legends on Saturday night as he became one of 8 players to score 29,000 total career points or more, in the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; 114-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Suns&rsquo; superstar reached the mark in the 4th quarter of the game off a pass from Tyus Jones for a pull-up transition three.
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Kevin Durant surpasses 29,000 career points with this 3, becoming just the 8th player in NBA history to reach the mark! 👏 <a href="https://t.co/e6qT9O0Wo2">pic.twitter.com/e6qT9O0Wo2</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1850391347099783662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a>
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Durant, in turn, is now in elite company together with LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain.
Durant, a 14-time NBA All-Star, now has a total of 29,010 points after tallying 31 markers against the Mavericks. He has a career scoring average of 27.3 points per game in 1,064 games played over his 17-year NBA career.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,&rdquo; Durant said post-game about the accomplishment. &ldquo;Teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, coaches who drew up plays for me. I&rsquo;m glad to be able to do this in front of these guys and this crowd, but I have more to do.&rdquo;
Durant is now 10th on the all-time NBA scoring list, and with the way he&rsquo;s still scoring the ball, he will likely climb up more ladders in the scoring history list for the remainder of his career.
Other than Durant, LeBron James continued racking up NBA history by having his 8th triple-double after being 35 years or older when racked up 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Lakers&rsquo; 131-127 win over the Kings.
LeBron at one time had 14 straight for the Lakers in the 4th quarter, and scored 16 overall as he led LA&rsquo;s comeback from down 10 late in the 3rd quarter.&nbsp;
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A vintage LeBron game in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lakers</a> 3rd straight win: 👑 32 PTS (16 in 4th) 👑 14 REB 👑 10 AST 👑 4 3PM 👑 12-22 FGM <a href="https://t.co/kDAuPZ274b">pic.twitter.com/kDAuPZ274b</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1850409431126716669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Even at their age, KD and LeBron are at the peak of their games with each and every stellar outing they produce night after night.

Kevin Durant joined an exclusive list of NBA legends on Saturday night as he became one of 8 players to score 29,000 points.

Kevin Durant becomes 8th player in NBA history to score 29,000 points or more

The Los Angeles Lakers withstood a late run by the Minnesota Timberwolves to win their season opener, 110-103, on a historic Tuesday night at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA.
Anthony Davis had a dominant MVP-type performance, putting up 36 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. He made key plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor, scoring on 4-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and swallowing up a strong take by Donte DiVincenzo.
The Lakers built a 20-point lead in the first half only to see it cut down to single digits in the 3rd quarter. The Timberwolves came to as close as 4, 81-85, but Davis and LA pulled off enough baskets and stops to come away with the victory.
Davis became the first Laker to achieve a 35+ point, 15+ rebound in an LA season opener win since Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.&nbsp;
Anthony Edwards scored 27 for the Timberwolves in their losing effort but shot just 10/24 from the field. Minnesota played their first regular season game with Julius Randle (16 points) and DiVincenzo (10 points) after that blockbuster trade a few weeks ago that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks.
This was a night to remember in Los Angeles with lots of historic moments. Let&rsquo;s check out each of them here.
LeBron-Bronny the first-ever father-son duo in the NBA
The game featured a historic moment for LeBron James and his eldest son LeBron &ldquo;Bronny&rdquo; James Jr. as they became the first father-son pair in the history of the league to step on the court at the same time.
The wholesome moment happened with 4 minutes left in the second quarter as LeBron and Bronny checked in together in the game.
LeBron, who is in year 22 of his basketball career and will turn 40 years old this December, is the all-time leading scorer of the NBA with over 40,000 points. He always expressed his desire of playing together with his son in the NBA, and that dream became a reality today.
Bronny, the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is not expected to play heavy minutes for the Lakers and will likely spend most of the year in LA&rsquo;s G League team South Bay Lakers to continue his development.
Nonetheless, the precious moment was shared by the elder and younger James with their wife/mother Savannah, daughter/sister Zhuri, and several high-profile people in attendance to witness the history.
JJ Redick&rsquo;s first pro game (and win) as an NBA basketball coach
The Lakers&rsquo; win also allowed first-year head coach JJ Redick to win his coaching debut. Redick, a 15-year NBA veteran, did not have any basketball coaching experience at any level but was relatively active around the basketball scene. After a successful NBA career, the 6-foot-4 guard out of Duke was an analyst for ESPN and had his own production studio of podcasts to talk about the NBA before applying and getting accepted for the Lakers job.
Redick did a relatively good job in his first-ever regular season game, often coaching up the Lakers to emphasize their offensive rebounding and to limit their turnovers. Redick also expressed his desire for the Lakers to shoot a certain number of threes, and although LA just went 5-30 from deep, Redick liked what he saw as the Lakers played with pace and space.
Redick also coached with a veteran sense, drawing up unique and good set plays that drew national media attention on social media. Redick was often credited for the Lakers&rsquo; renewed sense of ball movement which could be a good sign for the team moving forward.
Lakers (finally) win a season opener with LeBron
Coming into the game, the Lakers were 0-6 over their last season-opening games in the LeBron James era. They weren&rsquo;t about to lose 7 straight times, as AD willed them victory.
Davis also mentioned this was the Lakers&rsquo; first win in any historic moment that involved LeBron, as he exchanged a laugh with reporters post-game.
&ldquo;We lose every time [LeBron] does something historic or cool, so we&rsquo;re just happy to win today and celebrate this moment,&rdquo; Davis said.
LeBron: longest tenured player of all time
After playing in this game, LeBron officially tied Vince Carter as the only players in NBA history to play 22 seasons. With the body of work he has and the ability to adapt to situations, LeBron could officially surpass Carter next season and claim another record by himself &ndash; alone &ndash; next season.&nbsp;

The Lakers withstood a late run by the Timberwolves to win their season opener on a historic Tuesday night at the Crypto.com Arena

Anthony Davis, Lakers withstand Timberwolves in historic night

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Rudy Gobert have agreed to a 3-year, $110 million extension, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.&nbsp;
The 4-time Defensive Player of the League has turned down his $46.6 million player option for 2025-26 and brings his total deal to around $153 million.
Gobert's deal includes a player option in 2027-28 and a trade kicker.
ANALYSIS: With this new extension, Gobert and Minnesota are locked long term as they continue to build their championship aspirations. Gobert has been the anchor and backbone of the Wolves&rsquo; defense over the past two years and he will continue to do so for years to come. He was one of the main reasons for the Timberwolves going 56-26 last year and defeating the defending champions Denver Nuggets in 7 games in the Western Conference semifinals.
Moreover, the underlying factor is Gobert taking a slight pay cut to accommodate the possible resigning of reigning 6th Man of the Year Naz Reid to an extension next season. This allows the Wolves to be as competitive as possible and keep all of their main guys together to contend for a championship.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Rudy Gobert have agreed to a 3-year, $110 million extension, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves agree to $110 million contract extension

The Boston Celtics raised their championship banner #18 with jubilation as they took down the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at the Boston Garden.
Members of the 2023-2024 title squad were each handed out their respective championship rings pregame. It is Boston&rsquo;s 18th NBA championship, making them the winningest franchise in league history.
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The 18th championship banner rises for the Boston Celtics ☘️👏🏽 (🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danield1214</a>) <a href="https://t.co/QQh7BguwJe">pic.twitter.com/QQh7BguwJe</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1848868309644808670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CHAMPS. ☘️💍 <a href="https://t.co/KNSqvK2gyR">pic.twitter.com/KNSqvK2gyR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1848869435718914206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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To celebrate their first title, Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics ran the visiting Knicks down the court all game, earning a resounding 132-109 win. Tatum had a monster game in just 30 minutes, finishing with 37 points on 14-18 FG and 8-11 from three with 10 assists and 4 rebounds.
The Celtics as a team tied an NBA record for three pointers made in a game with 29, along with the Milwaukee Bucks who did it in 2020. Boston fully embraced coach Joe Mazzulla&rsquo;s philosophies with 61 three-point attempts, and this same formula won them a title a year ago.
Boston got everybody to contribute with Derrick White&rsquo;s 24, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 23, and Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s 18 proved to be too much for the new-look New York team with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges playing their first official regular season games with the team.
The night was such a cool moment for Boston&rsquo;s sports fans as former Celtic legends Bob Cousy (who came out in a wheelchair), Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen all graced the game to see the 2024 championship banner go up next to the 17 others already in the rafters.
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FINAL SCORE: Knicks 109 - 132 Celtics Player of the Game: JAYSON TATUM 📊 37 PTS | 14-18 FG | 8-11 3PT | 10 AST | 4 REB The defending champs opened the season with a dominant home win, tying the franchise record for most threes in a game with 29 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/YVoypHD6HH">pic.twitter.com/YVoypHD6HH</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1848903456893112367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Boston Celtics raised their championship banner #18 with jubilation as they took down the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Jayson Tatum, Celtics celebrate Ring Night 2024 with resounding win over Knicks

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINES &ndash; One of the best things a basketball player can achieve is being able to play for the national team. Whether in the Olympics, FIBA World Cup, or even international club tournaments, the pride of representing one&rsquo;s country is a feeling that not everyone can be a part of.&nbsp;
To be able to don a country&rsquo;s colors with an entire nation behind you is only reserved for the best. Meralco Bolts&rsquo; head coach relishes that exact opportunity as his Meralco Bolts journey through in the East Asia Super League.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We carry the flag [Philippines] when we&rsquo;re competing here [EASL], and for that, we want to focus and give it our all,&rdquo; Trillo said.
The Philippines-based team just recently bowed out of the Philippine Basketball Association playoffs. They will now turn their heads to the international regional league and do their best to go deep. &ldquo;We really feel that we can win, with all the players that we have right now in AD (Allen Durham), DJ (Kennedy), and Ange (Kouame),&rdquo; Trillo added.
Meralco was in the EASL last year but only finished with a 1-4 record, but Trillo feels that setback last year is something they can capitalize on this year.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Our advantage is we were in this [EASL] tournament last year, so now we have a feel on how teams play. It&rsquo;s up to us how we should execute and I feel confident with this year&rsquo;s team.&rdquo;
The Bolts are in here to win it &ndash; that&rsquo;s the main goal according to Trillo &ndash; but initially, they want to secure first the semifinal spot and then go from there.
&ldquo;We want to get one in our next two games, or at least one of those,&rdquo; Trillo mentioned in reference to the Bolts&rsquo; next two games. They will play against the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Okinawa, Japan then back home against the Busan KCC Egis of Korea.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re aiming to have at least 4 wins in our group to be in the top 2 and make the semifinals, then we&rsquo;ll see what goes from there. Anything can happen in a Final Four scenario and we definitely want to be in there.&rdquo;

To be able to don a country’s colors with an entire nation behind you is something only reserved for the best.

EASL: Meralco Bolts coach Luigi Trillo relishes the opportunity to represent the country

PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINES &ndash; The Philippines&rsquo; San Miguel Beermen and Meralco Bolts will face the KT Suwon Sonicboom and the Macau Blackbears in the 2024-2025 East Asia Super League (EASL) season in the league&rsquo;s Tip-Off event today at the Mall of Asia Arena here.
This is the opening act of the tournament dubbed the Champions League in East Asia, with champion teams from each of the participating countries gunning for the crown of the best team in the region.
With that being said, let&rsquo;s dive into what to expect from the slate of games today.
How will the Beermen and the Bolts adapt to the international style of play?
Over the past few days, San Miguel and Meralco have been in the thick of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) playoffs as both teams are battling hard to get out of the quarterfinals. And now they would have to be up to the challenge of transitioning and adjusting their play when they meet international counterparts from Korea and Macau.
This seems like a tough task ahead for the Beermen and the Bolts as they have been accustomed to playing the Filipino brand of basketball for over a whole season, and the little turnaround time could present some issues along the way.
The Koreans have always been known to be shooters and ball movers, utilizing their speed and team chemistry to damage their opponents. The Black Bears employ a similar playstyle, offering a variety of their shots from three as well as relying on production from their imports.
Nevertheless, San Miguel and Meralco are two of the best teams the Philippines has to offer, so it will be a fun matchup regardless as they showcase their brand of basketball to the visitors.
San Miguel Beermen and KT Suwon Sonicboom: The three-point game
According to stats from EASL, the Beermen and the Sonicboom are both great three-point shooting teams. Throughout the Beermen&rsquo;s 2023-24 PBA Commissioner&rsquo;s Cup run, they hit 10.8 3&rsquo;s per game at a 34% clip. In contrast, KT hit 9.2 3&rsquo;s per game last season in the KBL, scoring 35.2% of their shots from deep.
San Miguel sharpshooter Marcio Lassiter, who became the PBA&rsquo;s all-time 3-point leader with 1,251 career 3-pointers on Sep. 15, will lead the way for the Beermen, while Heo Hoon, who averaged 3.6 threes in the KBL Finals last season, will do the same for Suwon.
This will be a very interesting thing to monitor as the Beermen have had to deal with the newly implemented 4-point line in the ongoing PBA season, and this has led to interesting results. Teams have been playing less zone over in the country&rsquo;s scene so we might see the Sonicboom play some tough 1-on-1 defense throughout the game.
Meralco Bolts and Macau Black Bears: Bounce back or good start?
After a tough EASL season last year, the Bolts aim to improve and increase their wins this EASL season. Meralco has also bowed out of the current PBA playoff season, and now they shift their focus onto their EASL campaign hoping for better results.&nbsp;
On the other hand, the Black Bears come into the 2024-2025 season as an expansion team and are looking to start good and hot. They will make their debut in the East Asian League full of hope and optimism but armed with lofty expectations.
According to EASL&rsquo;s scouting report, the Black Bears are equipped with a fast-paced and free-flowing offense. Macau also runs most of its sets through floor general Damian Chong Qui, who just at 5-foot-9, operates well off of ball screens but can also pop out and hit an open 3. Jenning Leung, a sharp-shooting 6-foot guard out of Canada&rsquo;s McGill University, makes up an elite Black Bears&rsquo; backcourt and together these two are for sure going to give the Bolts a lot of problems.

The Philippines’ San Miguel Beermen and Meralco Bolts will face the KT Suwon Sonicboom and the Macau Black Bears in the EASL.

EASL Tip-Off Preview: San Miguel, Meralco go up against neighboring Korea, Macau

The NBA is back.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual &lsquo;Day&rsquo; 1 getting underway, all 30 teams have resumed their daily basketball activities. Starting from the Media Day to each of their training camps, players are slowly ramping up as they work to get back in game shape.
For some of these familiar faces, however, a new season awaits them as they&rsquo;re looking for a fresh start in new environments and places. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these players and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook rocks new threads with Denver&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook starts a new season with the 2023 champions after his stint with the Clippers. Westbrook aims to bring the energy to a Nuggets squad losing another championship piece in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He slots in immediately as Denver&rsquo;s backup PG with the loss of Reggie Jackson, and the team could also use him to play with the starters and let Jamal Murray slide into the 2 spot. Westbrook will also be teaming up with fellow triple-double savant Nikola Jokic and it will be interesting to see two high-IQ players together on the court.
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New beginnings for <a href="https://twitter.com/russwest44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russwest44</a> 😈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wew6JRNNXm">pic.twitter.com/Wew6JRNNXm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1839352986826387752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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PG13 creates a big three with Embiid and Maxey
Perhaps the biggest signing in the offseason, George immediately slides in with the Sixers to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. At 34 years old, PG probably has a good 3 years left in his prime, but he could be in a perfect situation with Embiid and Maxey at their absolute peaks. George is in a position where he&rsquo;s not asked to shoulder much of the offensive load like he did most of the time in his career, and he can play to his strengths &mdash; a two-play wing player with some playmaking chops and be a secondary creator and scorer to Maxey and Embiid. George is also a very good three-point shooter on spot-up and catch-and-shoot attempts and should bode well for both Sixers superstars by spacing the floor for them. Overall an A+ signing by Sixers GM Daryl Morey, and now it all hinges on health as Philly tries to pull it up all together to finally make a Conference Finals in the Embiid era.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PG in Philly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmSInGKf5L">pic.twitter.com/jmSInGKf5L</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840916610644582775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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A new Philadelphia trio... 🔥 Maxey. Embiid. George.<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjlclZdnhx">pic.twitter.com/wjlclZdnhx</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840803293473230955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CP3 in San Antonio as Wemby&rsquo;s PG; Harrison Barnes being a veteran piece in a young Spurs team
Victor Wembanyama finally gets his premier PG in Chris Paul. After playing most of last year not having a legitimate table setter, Wemby, and the Spurs add one of the greatest to ever do it at the position. Even approaching 40 years old, Paul should have a lot left in his tank to try and develop as much as possible the young yet hungry Spurs. On the other hand, Barnes adds another veteran piece as San Antonio looks to improve and at least make the play-in this season.
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WEMBY x CP3 🔥 BIG smiles in San Antonio at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 😇 <a href="https://t.co/PbV71PCH0c">pic.twitter.com/PbV71PCH0c</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840815076485259469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Wemby &amp; CP3 enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rSdwmMIx1m">pic.twitter.com/rSdwmMIx1m</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840801831577895224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Caruso, Hartenstein add more defensive toughness to an already elite OKC squad
Imagine having to add two role players that star in their role to a team that just finished atop the conference a season ago, all without losing someone significant from that core. That&rsquo;s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder did by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein into their fold. The move stamped their status even further atop the West with rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting better over the year and still having MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just starting his prime. Caruso adds yet another defensive bull on the perimeter that already features fellow All-Defensive player Lu Dort, while Hartenstein brings versatility in the frontcourt to possibly play together with Holmgren. The Thunder are poised yet again to make a deep playoff run and it all starts with their offseason acquisitions and their fit into the team.&nbsp;
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Alex Caruso very complimentary of his new backcourt mate, SGA! 🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rdxt7r5dQu">pic.twitter.com/Rdxt7r5dQu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840867849797022103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay splashing and spacing the floor for Luka, Mavs
The other Splash brother brings his act to Dallas after spending his first 13 years with the franchise. Thompson immediately fills a need in Dallas to help space the floor and be a decoy for Luka Doncic as he makes plays on the court. At his age, Thompson won&rsquo;t be asked too much like he did in Golden State and this could be a rejuvenation for his career as he finds a new environment with the Mavericks.&nbsp;
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No. 31 from the Dallas Mavericks... Klay Thompson 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/e4M8lNtvQL">pic.twitter.com/e4M8lNtvQL</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840858008794120481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay Thompson... NEW BEGINNINGS 🫵<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/YX9CX1preR">pic.twitter.com/YX9CX1preR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840806814956265762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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DeMar DeRozan as the final piece to Sacramento&rsquo;s playoff success
DeRozan comes into the Kings&rsquo; lair as one of the most clutch players in the league, and he will play alongside a player of the same caliber in DeAaron Fox. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan&rsquo;s playstyle fits into the Kings&rsquo; offense with their motion offense built on three-point shooting with Domantas Sabonis as the hub, and it will be a good problem how coach Mike Brown integrates him to play a certain kind of way. The Kings are one of the up-and-coming teams in the West and adding a player like DeRozan gives them a different dimension to their offense.&nbsp;
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DeMar DeRozan looking good in his new threads 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/uPYTeKvUBE">pic.twitter.com/uPYTeKvUBE</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841107569399480506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New trio in Sacramento 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfnZMmz317">pic.twitter.com/HfnZMmz317</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841108008769630523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dejounte Murray, Tyus Jones to solve PG issues in NOLA, PHX
Two teams that have had PG issues last season have finally addressed it by signing two of the quality PGs in the league today: Murray to the Pelicans and Jones to the Suns. Murray slots in as the Pelicans&rsquo; main shot creator, playmaker, and closer. This has been a significant hole for the Pelicans last season, especially in the playoffs when no one other than CJ McCollum (who&rsquo;s getting old) and Brandon Ingram create shots and make plays. Murray immediately comes in and fills this gap and with a returning Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are coming into the season very optimistic about their playoff chances.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fresh start heading into Year 8 🤲<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/j3W5D0GFoM">pic.twitter.com/j3W5D0GFoM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840852492168675766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New threads for <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> new PG 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgIxpGqxkG">pic.twitter.com/kgIxpGqxkG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840807569150837091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jones on the other hand also fills the immediate need of a PG, someone who can make plays for others without turning the ball over. Jones has been one of the best if not the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league, and with how Phoenix&rsquo;s roster is constructed, this allows their super scoring big three Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to do their thing and focus on what they do best. Jones comes in to settle these guys down and put them in the best positions to succeed.&nbsp;
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson bring veteran savvy and immediate positional needs to Golden State
Some key veteran additions to the Warriors are Hield and Anderson as they continue to beef up their roster around superstar Stephen Curry. Hield will try to replace the production of Klay Thompson after his departure with his deadeye shooting and spacing the floor for Curry. Hield has also been a good off-ball mover and that should bode well for Golden State&rsquo;s offense. Anderson meanwhile, brings his big forward, almost a center playing style to the Warriors and should fit instantly like a Draymond Green clone. Anderson has the playmaking chops and the basketball IQ to seamlessly play in Kerr&rsquo;s system and is a player who seems to understand how to play with and off of the skillset of a player like Curry.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Welcome to The Bay, Buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruEDkg7ayU">pic.twitter.com/ruEDkg7ayU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840924339090100682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Prince-Trent-Wright trio come to Milwaukee to win
Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright have all signed up for a little under than what they were supposed to make and signed with the Bucks for a chance to contribute to a championship contender. All three are exactly what the Bucks need in their scheme of things as they&rsquo;re expected to bring shooting, spacing, and tough perimeter defenders. It&rsquo;s expected that Milwaukee&rsquo;s offense will revolve around superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard so there will be little expectations on these guys to do more and they can just focus on what they do best as role players in the league.

A new season awaits familiar faces in new places. Let’s take a look at them and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.

Familiar faces in new places: NBA players’ new home to start the season

Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry has long established himself as the greatest shooter in the history of the game. With his numerous three-point shooting records along with his three-point makes that still stretch to date, Curry is the undisputed GOAT shooter. 
However, Curry is more than just a shooter, as evidenced with the several accolades he has amassed over his colorful career. Curry has 4 NBA titles, 1 Finals MVP, 2 season MVPs, and countless all-NBA and all-star teams. This summer, Curry completed perhaps the last award he has yet to get in his illustrious career &ndash; an Olympic Gold Medal. Steph and Team USA made history when they went to Paris and captured the nation&rsquo;s 5th straight gold.
It did not come easy, though. Despite being favored in their games, the Americans were tested multiple times throughout the tournament. The toughest one came in the medal rounds when Team USA faced Serbia in the semifinals and hosted France in the gold medal game. For both of those games, it was Curry who came through the most, carrying the Americans behind his back. Against Serbia, Steph scored 36 points, making 9 threes in the game as Team USA eked out a tough 95-91 comeback win. In the gold medal game, Curry cemented his legacy and created a memorable moment that would be remembered for generations to come.
Steph hit 4 three-pointers to end the game in front of a stunned French crowd at the Bercy Arena in Paris, then proceeded to hit his signature &lsquo;night night&rsquo; celebration after hitting the last of the 4 threes over the outstretched arms of Nico Batum and Evan Fournier. This left the world in awe of Curry&rsquo;s brilliance and ability to come up big in clutch situations.&nbsp;
One of those people who marveled at Steph&rsquo;s greatness is former NBA player CJ Miles. In an interview with <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/nba-veteran-cj-miles-reacts-to-team-usa-olympics-gold">RG.org&rsquo;s Alex Kennedy</a>, Miles mentioned Curry&rsquo;s performance as wild and Stephortless. Miles even went further as to say Curry&rsquo;s place being one of the all-time greats and one of the greatest of all-time and not just being the greatest shooter of all time.
&ldquo;Steph just continues to solidify who is the greatest shooter of all time [and] what&rsquo;s crazy is as he continues to make that gap even bigger, he places himself in the realm of best players ever,&rdquo; Miles said. &ldquo;I think players see him that way, but the narrative is never that when we talk about him.&rdquo;
Miles also praised the longevity of LeBron James in his exclusive interview with Kennedy. He says James&rsquo; ability to stay in shape speaks to the power of his mind. James, who is approaching 40 years old this year later in December and going onto his 22nd season in the NBA, was named the FIBA Olympic MVP after providing the all-around brilliance game by game for Team USA. &ldquo;As far as LeBron goes, [his longevity] is incredible. I think it just really speaks to the power of his mind,&rdquo; Miles said. &ldquo;We as people have a fascination with youth and we get bored with greatness because there is nothing left to figure out. I know I am getting 25, 8, and 8 from him [every game], and that&rsquo;s not exciting from a fan standpoint; they want entertainment, which is full of unpredictability.&rdquo;
Finally, Miles shared his thoughts on Team USA&rsquo;s LA2028 Olympic team, which could be without the three greatest players of this generation &ndash; Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.
&ldquo;As far as the future, Team USA is in great hands. Ant [Edwards], [Tyrese] Haliburton, [Jayson] Tatum. And the guys on this team playing small roles like [Devin] Booker and Bam [Adebayo] are capable of doing incredible things also,&rdquo; Miles explained.
&ldquo;And there are guys who will rise up in the next couple of years who are more than capable of being handed the keys.&rdquo;

Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has long established himself as the game's GOAT shooter. However, he is more than that.

Steph not just the GOAT shooter but one of the greatest players ever, says CJ Miles

France gave everything they could in front of the home crowd in Paris and they delivered after overcoming reigning world champions Germany, 73-69, at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France for the 2024 Paris Olympics.&nbsp;
France once again fed off the energy from the loud crowd in Paris to eke out a win against a favored opponent for the second straight game. France notably defeated Canada who were filled with legit NBA talent from top to bottom in the quarterfinals, and now they beat the reigning world champions in Germany.&nbsp;
France started strong yet again with Guerschon Yabusele starting over Rudy Gobert. Yabusele provided the physicality inside to power through Germany&rsquo;s frontline en route to scoring 17 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Isaia Cordinier, who also stepped up in the knockout rounds for France, backed him up with 16 points of his own
French phenom Victor Wembanyama struggled for a second straight game offensively with just 11 points on 4/17 shooting but he did have 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks.
Dennis Schroder once again led the world champs&rsquo; attack with 18 points but he shot just 6/18 from the field and missed one crucial free throw at the end that would have cut the lead to just one. Franz Wagner, who was the Germans&rsquo; leading scorer against Canada with 26 points, only scored 10 points against a tough and tall French frontline.
France will now await the winner of the USA-Serbia matchup for their opponents in the gold medal match.

France gave everything they could in front of the home crowd in Paris and they delivered after overcoming Germany, 73-69.

France overcomes Germany to enter Olympic gold medal game

Reigning World champion Germany and hosts France will square off once again but this time in a bigger stage as the heavyweight matchup draws another chapter in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.&nbsp;
The Germans and the French have faced each other in the group stage over at Group B where Germany won handily, 85-71. NBA duo Franz Wagner and Dennis Schroder led the way for Germany as they stifled a France team eager to play in front of their home fans in Lille. The Germans punished the French on both ends of the floor in that game, capitalizing on misses and converting on easy transition points in the fastbreak.&nbsp;
That led to Germany finishing first in the group and facing Greece in the quarterfinals, winning 76-63. France ended up taking second in the group and matched up against a tougher Canada side with an NBA-laden roster. However, with the help of an active and energetic crowd in Paris, France rode the momentum to upset the Canadians 82-73 and set up a rematch against Germany.
This French crowd may just be the difference for France in this rematch vs Germany.&nbsp;
Key storylines to watch out for
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s bounce back game</li>
</ul>
Victor Wembanyama played an ugly game vs Canada with his usual standards, only having 7 points on just 2/10 FG and 0/6 from three. Wemby struggled to find his offense all game long, missing mostly on wide open shots that he usually makes. He did, however, make a crucial defensive play with under 3 minutes to go by blocking a shot which eventually turned into an Evan Fournier dagger from 40 ft to push France&rsquo;s lead to 10. That is usually where Wembanyama&rsquo;s excellence is ramified &ndash; on the defensive end of the floor. Much is to be said for the highly-touted French phenom, but he absolutely cannot play like he did against Canada if France wants to win vs the reigning world champions. That said, it can be expected Wemby bounces back big-time one way or another.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s minutes</li>
</ul>
In a bold move, France head coach Vincent Collet opted to bring the NBA center off the bench for better matchups against Canada &ndash; and it worked superbly well. Guerschon Yabusele started in Gobert&rsquo;s place and eventually earned the player of the game honors with 22 points. Yabusele was the driving force of France&rsquo;s attack as he attacked the paint with his aggressiveness. His added scoring punch compared to Gobert&rsquo;s playing style helped France get the lead early and never relinquished it until the end.
Against Germany, it will be interesting to see how Gobert acclimates himself and makes himself usable. The Germans have a strong frontline that fits well with each other alongside Franz Wagner and Schroder&rsquo;s relentless attacking of the rim. Perhaps Gobert will make himself valuable on the defensive side of the floor as France will need all the help they can get on defense with Germany&rsquo;s incredible offense.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Germany against Paris, France, and the world</li>
</ul>
Despite being the reigning world champions, pressure will be on against Germany to perform on the biggest stage in front of a hostile crowd in Paris. The French will have the crowd on their side and it could be the difference in a game like this. This would be Germany&rsquo;s first-ever Olympic semifinal appearance in the nation&rsquo;s history, so it will be interesting to see if they can hold off the pressure and perform with the highest stakes. They will need every bit of Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroder, and the rest of the world champion-winning roster to stave off a tough challenge from Victor Wembanyama and France, who are also looking to enter the gold medal match as hosts in these Olympics.&nbsp;

Reigning World champion Germany and hosts France will square off once again but this time in a bigger stage.

Paris 2024 semifinals preview: Hosts France take on World champs Germany

Behind a raucous crowd at the Bercy Arena in Paris, Hosts France played a great game to grab a huge win over Canada, 82-73, and book a spot in the semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.&nbsp;
The French fed off the high intensity and energy inside the Bercy Arena to deny the Canadians, who coming to the game, were in huge favorites. Canada did not lose a single game in pool play despite being in the so-called &lsquo;Group of Death&rsquo;. They were flawless and were looking to claim the hosts as their next victim on their way to pursue a gold medal, however, France had other plans in mind.&nbsp;
To counter Canada&rsquo;s speed and strength with their guards, France and head coach Vincent Collet opted to start Guerschon Yabusele at the 4 alongside French phenom Victor Wembanyama at the 5 instead of Rudy Gobert. This was an effort to have a faster lineup, and it paid dividends for France. Yabusele feasted on a smaller Canadian frontline, leading the team in scoring with 22 points. He pounded the ball inside and was aggressive looking for his shot, providing the extra scoring punch France needed. Matthias Lessort also did the same thing off the bench as he scored 14 points of his own off of similar actions like Yabusele.
Wembanyama struggled to find his offense as he finished just 2/10 from the field good for 10 points, but he provided perhaps the biggest play of the game when he blocked a shot in the 4th quarter as Canada was mounting their comeback. Wembanyama&rsquo;s block effectively sealed the deal for France before Evan Fournier knocked in a deep three to strike the dagger into the Canadians&rsquo; hearts.
NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again led Team Canada with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists however teammate Jamal Murray struggled yet again with just 7 points on 3/13 shooting.&nbsp;
Canada went down early up to as much as 20 points in the first half after a barrage of highlight plays and crowd-hyping moments inside the Bercy Arena. It was as loud as its ever been with the home team playing, and it became the energy that France needed to take the win vs Canada.
The Canadians attempted to make one last push for a comeback in the 4th when RJ Barrett hit a huge three to come within 6 points, 61-55. However, that was the closest the Canadians could go in the 4th as France kept hitting shots to keep Canada away.
Up next for France is a rematch between reigning FIBA World Champions Germany in the semifinals for a slot in the gold medal game. France lost to Germany in the group stage to finish 2nd in the group, so they should be eager to win the game as payback.

Behind a raucous crowd at the Bercy Arena in Paris, Hosts France played a great game to grab a huge win over Canada, 82-73.

Hosts France cruise to a resounding win over Canada

Reigning World Champions Germany showed what they&rsquo;re made of after beating host team France, 85-71, to take Group B&rsquo;s top spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics basketball tournament in Lille, France.&nbsp;
Germany showed France why they won the FIBA World Cup last year and became world champions in a masterclass performance. The Germans outplayed the French in virtually every facet of the game, including rebounds, assists, steals, points off turnovers, and points in the paint.&nbsp;
Germany erected a lead as high as 24 points, 57-33, as they poured it on in the third. Rising NBA star Franz Wagner had a huge highlight when he slammed over three French defenders, drawing ohs and ahs from the crowd and his teammates alike. France had no answers to Germany&rsquo;s attack with point guard Dennis Schroder surgically operating France&rsquo;s vaunted twin tower defense Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert.
France found some life in the 4th quarter behind unsung bench hero Isaia Cordinier scoring 10 huge points, including crowd-hyping dunks and show-stopping hustle plays. The French cut the lead to just 10 points until Schroder and Isaac Bonga settled things down for Germany to take the victory.&nbsp;
Wagner and Schroder were incredible for the World Champions, both scoring 26 points to lead the Germans&rsquo; attack. Meanwhile, French phenom Wembanyama once again led the team with 14 points and 12 rebounds, however, he had crucial turnovers that led to momentum-shifting plays for Germany.&nbsp;
With the win, Germany will end up 1st in Group B while France finishes second. Germany will now face Greece in the quarterfinals while France will draw Canada in another heavyweight matchup for the hosts.

Reigning World Champions Germany showed what they’re made of after beating host team France to take Group B’s top spot.

Germany takes down France in heavyweight matchup to claim Group B

The USA Men&rsquo;s National Basketball will face arguably their biggest threat in the Olympics in Team Canada on July 10 in Las Vegas. This Canadian team features a multitude of NBA talents, just like Team USA. Led by 2024 NBA MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 2023 NBA Champion Jamal Murray, Team Canada is poised to give Team USA all the headaches and possible roadblocks in its pursuit of gold.&nbsp;
With all things considered, here&rsquo;s what Team USA could do to stamp their dominance against their neighboring rivals up North and send a message to the rest of the world eager to challenge their throne.
Dump the ball to Joel Embiid and let him go to work
Perhaps the most dominant basketball player in the world right now, there&rsquo;s probably nobody who could guard Joel Embiid one-on-one today on God&rsquo;s green earth. A 7-foot-2 big man blessed with skill, size, finesse, and power, Embiid&rsquo;s complete game will be a main problem for Team Canada. Among the frontliners they could throw at Embiid are Dwight Powell, Kelly Olynyk, and Trey Lyles but none of them - on paper and quick eye test - are quick or strong enough to deter Embiid and his dominance. Embiid dominated some of the league&rsquo;s best defensive players, putting up 50 points on 4-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and scoring 70 points in phenom Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s head last season.
Team USA should quickly take advantage of this opportunity and run the offense through Embiid and make Team Canada send double teams at him. That&rsquo;s when advantages and opportunities will open up to the rest of the guys like LeBron cutting to the rim or Durant and Curry spotting up for wide-open threes. It could be a pick-your-poison type of game where Team Canada could let Embiid play one-on-one and destroy them inside the paint or double him and risk putting two on the ball creating opportunities for the rest of Team USA.
Get into lots of screening actions to create advantages and confuse the defense
Team Canada&rsquo;s biggest strength will be their on-ball perimeter defense. Among Dillon Brooks, Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, they will have long wings that could disrupt passing lanes and wreak havoc on the perimeter, creating easy baskets in transition. Canada&rsquo;s a relatively young team with most players in their athletic prime so they would definitely take advantage of their biggest strength and make it their main style of play.
To counter this, Team USA could involve their players in more screening actions to create advantages on offense and confuse Canada&rsquo;s defense. They should also incorporate slips and slides in those screens and in the pick and rolls for cutters and shooters to get open shots. By doing this, Team USA will negate Canada&rsquo;s biggest strength and create easy and quality looks against their vaunted perimeter defense.
Play defense
It&rsquo;s no secret that Team USA&rsquo;s core players are aging and nearing the end of their athletic peaks. Although being the superstar basketball players that they are and still being at the top of their offensive games, Team USA&rsquo;s defense will be suspect here and would probably be the main attacking point of their opponents. Jrue Holiday, Anthony Edwards, and Derrick White will have their work cut out for them in the perimeter right from the get-go as Team USA could be punished by a guard-heavy offensive team like Team Canada.&nbsp;
Team USA might outscore everyone, but you can make them work on the other side of the floor, and this could be Canada&rsquo;s main mindset coming into the game. Despite the top-end talent and superstar-level shot-making on offense, Team USA should put more effort on the defensive end of the floor if they want to win this game.

The USA Men’s National Basketball will face arguably their biggest threat in the Olympics in Team Canada on July 10 in Las Vegas.

USA vs CAN preview: 3 things Team USA could do to win exhibition game against Canada

To strengthen their defense, France Men&rsquo;s Basketball team head coach Vincent Collet has revealed the 12 men to go and get gold on home soil in arguably the most competitive Olympics of all time.
Bannered by NBA Rookie of the Year and phenom Victor Wembanyama and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, Collet has emphasized defense as the team&rsquo;s main identity coming into the Games.&nbsp;
France notably disappointed last year in their FIBA World Cup campaign after not even getting out of the initial group stages. Despite being one of the favorites to win it all, France was booted out early in the competition after losing to the likes of Canada and Latvia.
This time, Les Bleus brings in a solid 12-man lineup that aims to be on top of the world&rsquo;s basketball stage.
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🚨 S&Eacute;LECTION OFFICIELLE POUR PARIS 2024 D&eacute;couvrez nos basketteurs en 5x5 et en 3x3 qui participeront aux Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024 🏀 <a href="https://t.co/e7q6WcsySP">pic.twitter.com/e7q6WcsySP</a>
&mdash; Equipe France (@EquipeFRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/EquipeFRA/status/1810283594511720540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2024</a>
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Joining Wembanyama and Gobert are French national team veterans Nicolas Batum, Nando De Colo, Frank Ntilikina, Guerschon Yabusele, and Isaia Cordinier.&nbsp;
As he looks to build the team of defense and share the ball, Collet has tapped young guards Andrew Albicy and Matthew Strazel. Collet also added one of the best Euroleague players this season in Matthias Lessort and Wembanyama&rsquo;s former teammate and the 7th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Bilal Coulibaly.&nbsp;
France&rsquo;s early adversaries in the Games are Germany, Japan, and Brazil in Group B.

To strengthen their defense, France head coach Vincent Collet has revealed the 12 men to go and get gold on home soil.

France unveils Paris 2024 Men’s Basketball roster

The 2024 NBA Free Agency underway. Here's everything you need to know about the makings and the moves around the NBA.

2024 NBA Free Agency Tracker: All the signings and deals in the offseason

The Boston Celtics made quick work of the Indiana Pacers to book a ticket to the NBA Finals while the Minnesota Timberwolves lived to fight for another day on Days 37 and 38 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Although the Celtics swept the Pacers, it did not come easy with 3 of the 4 games with Indiana leading in the 4th quarter before Boston displayed their superior experience in clutch playoff situations that willed them to victory.
The Pacers also missed young star Tyrese Haliburton in action during the series&rsquo; last two games with a left sore hamstring.
Jaylen Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after averaging 29.3 points on 54 percent shooting in the 4-game sweep.
Over at the West, the Timberwolves finally won a game over the Mavericks impressively. After leading most of the time in the first three games, particularly in the 4th quarter, the Mavericks proved to be the better team in the clutch led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
However, this time around, star guard Anthony Edwards also showed his clutch genes, hitting a long two-pointer that gave Minnesota a 5-point lead with 38 seconds left.&nbsp;
Co-star Karl-Anthony Towns was also huge, tallying 20 points in the second half including two huge threes in the 4th that kept the Mavs at bay.
Game 5 will be back in Minnesota on Thursday night.
Check out our recap here:
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Jaylen Brown and the Celtics rally late to close out Pacers for 4-0 sweep in ECF 📊 29 PTS | 11-22 FG | 4-8 3P | 6 REB | 3 STL Other top performers 🏀 J. Tatum 📊 26 PTS | 11-26 FG | 13 REB | 8 AST J. Holiday 📊 17 PTS | 7-13 FG | 9 REB D. White 📊 16 PTS | 7-14 FG | 4 REB | 4&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/ac3Guvm8JK">pic.twitter.com/ac3Guvm8JK</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1795305706868117613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jaylen Brown is the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals MVP 🏆 📊 29.8 PTS | 5 REB | 3.0 AST | 2.0 STL | 51.7% FG | 37.0% 3P | 65.5% FT <a href="https://t.co/HyYgT9kr2s">pic.twitter.com/HyYgT9kr2s</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1795300367842132223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2024</a></blockquote>

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FINAL GAME RECAP ⏪ Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves kept the series alive as they got the bounce back 105-100 W against the Mavericks 🔥 📊 29 PTS | 11-25 FG | 5-8 FT | 10 REB | 9 AST Other top performers 🏀 K. Towns 📊 25 PTS | 9-13 FG | 4-5 3P | 5 REB R. Gobert 📊 13&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/G3S7RgVEmo">pic.twitter.com/G3S7RgVEmo</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1795715945073459516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Celtics made quick work of the Pacers to book a ticket to the NBA Finals while the Timberwolves lived to fight for another day.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 37 and 38 Recap: Boston sweeps Indiana, Minnesota lives another day

Luka Doncic played hero for the Dallas Mavericks as he hit a stepback three-pointer over Rudy Gobert to lift them over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Day 34 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The 2024 NBA MVP finalist asked for a switch in the game&rsquo;s last possession against the 2024 NBA DPOY and then buried the three right on his face to give the Mavs a 1-point lead with three seconds left.
The Wolves had a last crack with Anthony Edwards drawing two defenders to him. He passed it to Naz Reid who missed a good look to end the game.
Dallas has now won both road games and now leads 2-0 over the Wolves as the series shifts to Dallas this time for Game 3.
Check out our recap here:
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Luka Dončić hit the game-winner &amp; recorded a triple-double to lead the Mavs to a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference finals vs. MIN 😤 📊 32 PTS, 10-23 FG, 5-11 3PT, 7-7 FT, 13 AST, 10 AST Other top performers 🏀 K. Irving 📊 20 PTS, 7-16 FG, 4-7 3PT, 6 AST, 4 REB D.&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/rYqA2zYodo">pic.twitter.com/rYqA2zYodo</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1794214720557428977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Luka Doncic played hero as he hit a stepback three-pointer over Rudy Gobert to lift them over the Timberwolves on Friday night.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 34 Recap: Luka saves Dallas

The Minnesota Timberwolves delivered their first win at home in the series vs the Denver Nuggets on Day 26 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Thursday night to force a Game 7 back in Denver on Sunday.
The Timberwolves utterly dominated the Nuggets, leading by 50 points at most, before finishing with a 45-point victory. This after an uninspiring Game 5 loss in Denver, with people thinking the Nuggets would finish them off this Game 6. But not today, at least.
Two best words in sports. Game 7.
Check out our recap here:
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FINAL SCORE RECAP ⏪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Round 2 | Game 6 🏀 DEN 70 &mdash; 115 MIN | Series tied 3-3 A. Edwards 📊 27 PTS | 8-17 FG | 4-9 3P | 4 REB | 4 AST | 3 STL J. McDaniels 📊 21 PTS | 8-10 FG | 3-5 3P | 4 REB | 2 BLK K. Towns 📊 10 PTS | 4-10 FG | 13 REB | 4 AST R. Gobert 📊 8 PTS&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/OdbmDZyftU">pic.twitter.com/OdbmDZyftU</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1791318571727077703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Minnesota Timberwolves delivered their first win at home in the series vs the Denver Nuggets on Day 26 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 27 Recap: Minnesota force Game 7

The New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets claimed pivotal Game 5 wins to take control of the series and be one win away from the Conference Finals on Day 25 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Tuesday night.
The Knicks protected home court despite missing OG Anunoby to blow out the Pacers. They leaned on their shooting and fast-paced game to outwork the Pacers at home.
The Nuggets have now won three straight games after falling behind 0-2 with two disappointing losses at home. Nikola Jokic had a statement MVP performance against the DPOY Rudy Gobert to move one win away from returning to the Western Conference Finals.
Check out our recap here:
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FINAL SCORE THREAD 🧵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Round 2 | Game 5 🏀 91 IND &mdash; 121 NYK | Knicks lead series 3-2 J. Brunson 📊 44 PTS | 18-35 FG | 7 AST | 4 REB J. Hart 📊 18 PTS | 7-16 FG | 11 REB A. Burks 📊 18 PTS | 6-11 FG | 5-8 3P | 5 REB<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYorkForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYorkForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/MOHMShviq5">pic.twitter.com/MOHMShviq5</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1790613955398004976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Round 2 | Game 5 🏀 MIN 97 &mdash; 112 DEN | Nuggets lead series 3-2 N. Jokić 📊 40 PTS | 15-22 FG | 2-3 3P | 13 AST | 7 REB | 3 STL A. Gordon 📊 18 PTS | 7-14 FG | 10 REB | 5 AST J. Murray 📊 16 PTS | 7-14 FG | 4 AST K. Caldwell-Pope 📊 16 PTS | 6-8 FG | 4-5 3P | 5&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/CVZBFOP83q">pic.twitter.com/CVZBFOP83q</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1790613959915233414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Knicks and the Nuggets claimed pivotal Game 5 wins to take control of the series on Day 25 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Gage