Wildcats

Following the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; shocking postseason exit, all eyes are now on Deandre Ayton's free agency.
After the Suns declined to sign Ayton to a five-year, rookie-scale max extension before the 2021-22 season, restricted free agency is now on the horizon for the athletic big man. During the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Ayton&rsquo;s agent Bill Duffy discussed Ayton's future on SiriusXM&rsquo;s NBA show.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re disappointed. We wanted a max contract,&rdquo; Duffy <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1527772160923619328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;He went out and was a solider the whole year, played well, improved his statistics. So, we&rsquo;re proud of him. A lot of guys handle things differently, but he was very mature about it. Things will work out for Deandre. He&rsquo;s a valuable player. There&rsquo;s other teams in the league as well. He&rsquo;s a restricted free agent, so we&rsquo;ll see how this process unfolds.&rdquo;
Ayton averaged 17.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 blocks on a career-high 65.6% True Shooting percentage during the 2021-22 campaign. Ayton was a key asset for the Suns on both ends of the court, especially around the basket as an easy lob threat and defensive anchor. Ayton has been a key piece for the Suns, but is he worth a max contract? Based on Duffy&rsquo;s comments earlier this week, it sounds like Ayton&rsquo;s camp won&rsquo;t settle for anything less than the max entering free agency.
From the Suns&rsquo; perspective, they saw improvement from the 2018 No. 1 overall pick this season before the team's disappointing postseason showing.
&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s shown that he&rsquo;s improved each year, helps us on both the defense and the offense,&rdquo; Suns owner Robert Sarver told <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a> recently about Ayton. &ldquo;I think offensively, you see this year he&rsquo;s taken another good step in terms of his touch and his ability to score around the basket. So, he&rsquo;s been a key part of what we&rsquo;re doing.&rdquo;
Taking all of this into consideration, what if Ayton's days in Phoenix are numbered? Here's a look at the most realistic sign-and-trade destinations for Ayton this summer.
Note: It's important to remember that sign-and-trade deals rarely return the same value as a traditional trade. The Suns have let it be known that they won't simply let an asset like Ayton walk for nothing. If Ayton&rsquo;s time in Phoenix is indeed over, the Suns won&rsquo;t be leaving the relationship empty-handed.
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones
San Antonio is one of the few teams this offseason with secured max-level cap space. All that needs to be done in order to chase Ayton is renounce the restricted rights to Lonnie Walker.
Being at the bottom of the NBA standings is new for the Spurs. After being one of the league's model organizations for over two decades, they have officially hit a playoff drought. San Antonio was hoping for some lottery luck, but now they have to try another plan to bring in a star.
San Antonio&rsquo;s dynamic young duo of Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson is so fun to watch, but the they need a third game-changer to take this rebuild back into playoff mode. Ayton would be an ideal solution, mainly because of his excellent two-way fit in the Spurs&rsquo; system. Dropping Ayton into the Spurs&rsquo; player-development program could make some in Phoenix worry about the long-term consequences of this deal.
For Phoenix, cooperating with a long-time rival would hurt. However, if the relationship between team and player becomes fractured, the Suns won&rsquo;t have much of a choice if he finds a max offer on the open market.
The Suns won&rsquo;t let Ayton leave Phoenix unless they receive strong assets in return. The Spurs can actually provide a solid package that helps in the short and long-term.
In this deal, Phoenix could land one of the most underrated big men in the Association as well as two young players who have shown flashes. The Jalen Smith experiment was a disaster for the Suns after taking him No. 10 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Vassell went one pick later. Phoenix can right that wrong while also obtaining an intriguing point guard to develop in Jones.
This feels like a win-win for both sides. San Antonio would have a new Big 3 in Ayton, Murray and Johnson, while the Suns could acquire their new starting center and two pieces to bolster the bench unit.
Charlotte Hornets
Hornets receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Terry Rozier, PJ Washington and draft compensation
There might not be a team with a more dire offseason need than the Hornets and their hole at center. Charlotte was one of my NBA League Pass teams this season due to their fun offensive pace, but the defense often bordered on disastrous. Montrezl Harrell and Mason Plumlee aren&rsquo;t going to cut it, so it&rsquo;s time for Charlotte to get aggressive.
Given Charlotte&rsquo;s roster, they would have to move some salaries around to make an Ayton chase realistic. Offloading Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s contract is going to be a tough task and they may even have to relinquish one of their top-15 picks to do so, but it would have to happen in order for them to pursue Ayton. Hayward is due $61.6 million over the next two seasons, and Charlotte simply can&rsquo;t afford to keep biting that bullet with restricted free agent Miles Bridges due for a payday and LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s own rookie-scale extension on the horizon. Trading away Hayward and Mason Plumlee would give the Hornets max space.
Landing Ayton is Charlotte's dream scenario. Not only would Ayton continue to get spoon-fed easy looks from an elite point guard, he would help stabilize the Hornets' defense to respectable levels. Thanks to his freakish athleticism, Ayton would be able to cover up a lot of holes around him defensively.
Phoenix would love to pull off a double sign-and-trade to nab Bridges, but that seems unlikely. Instead, this deal allows them to find their long-term answer at point guard post-Chris Paul. While Terry Rozier is a shot-chucker, he has improved as a playmaker in Charlotte. In the short-term, Rozier could step in as the Suns&rsquo; sixth man and provide the exact boost that they need in offensive guard creation. PJ Washington is an interesting add because he could slide right into the small-ball 5 role played previously by Dario Saric.
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Indiana Pacers
Pacers receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Myles Turner, Chris Duarte, TJ McConnell
What&rsquo;s the next step for Indiana? Long gone are Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert. Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield could be the next Pacers veterans to be shipped out via trade as Indiana fully embraces a rebuild attempt. It&rsquo;s been long overdue for the Pacers to pull the plug on the core that continued to stagnate once the postseason arrived.
A year later, Indiana&rsquo;s future looks much brighter with a talented, new-look core of Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson and whoever is selected at No. 6 overall.
Ayton couldn't ask for a better pick-and-roll partner than Haliburton. Already making magic happen with CP3, Ayton&rsquo;s rolling ability would help accentuate Haliburton&rsquo;s biggest strengths. Also, Ayton&rsquo;s defensive versatility would be a welcome arrival for a team that nosedived in that category last season.
For Indiana, the price would be hefty. Not only would this trade require a four-year max contract for Ayton, but the Pacers would likely need to ship out a key piece of their young core via sign-and-trade (such as Duarte).
This trade would be a huge win for Phoenix, but it also looks great for the Pacers. The Suns would have a starting center who adds floor-spacing equity and elite rim protection, a capable veteran backup point guard who can spell Paul at times, plus one of the most impactful rookie wings in the Association. Having to include Duarte could leave the Pacers apprehensive, but they are reportedly enamored with adding another explosive piece via the draft, as Jaden Ivey (Purdue), Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky) and Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) have all been linked to Indiana early in the pre-draft process.&nbsp;
Detroit Pistons
Pistons receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart, Cory Joseph and draft compensation
Another team that has considered making a run at Ayton this offseason is the Pistons, and they can create max space very easily: trading away Kelly Olynyk&rsquo;s contract.
The Pistons struck gold with Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey and they are helping usher in a new era in Detroit. Ayton&rsquo;s arrival would be the final piece to the puzzle for a team seemingly pushing their chips in on postseason play as early as 2023.
It would be best for Ayton to land with a capable lead guard who can feed him regularly. Already capable of tallying 20 and 10 most nights, Ayton would be set up for long-term success alongside Cunningham and Bey.
The question is, what would the Pistons need to send Phoenix&rsquo;s way in order for this sign-and-trade to go through? It&rsquo;s going to be a lot, and it would be a blockbuster-type transaction.
Blockbuster indeed, because Grant is now heading back to the Valley in this scenario. If the Suns and Pistons want to cooperate on a Ayton deal, I have to imagine one of Grant or Bey would have to be involved. Stewart is another enticing trade chip because he&rsquo;s shown the versatility to space the floor from three-point range. While he doesn't have the same touch as Ayton, Stewart brings nastiness and a tenacity on both ends of the court that Phoenix would absolutely love.
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Atlanta Hawks
Hawks receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic
No ifs, ands or buts about it, Trae Young would make Ayton an All-Star next season. What a fun inside-out duo this is to envision. While Atlanta is nowhere close to reaching the necessary cap space to absorb a massive Ayton deal on their own, a sign-and-trade becomes feasible with all of the talent that could fit into the Phoenix roster.
For the Hawks, Ayton represents another foundational building block to place alongside Young for the long-term. John Collins could be the guy, but he&rsquo;s been in trade rumors for the past year with no signs of those slowing down. Onyeka Okongwu could also grow into that role, but the Hawks signing Clint Capela to a long-term extension perhaps signals that they see him more as a piece to the puzzle rather than a true building block.
Ayton would arrive in Atlanta and instantly average around 23 points and 12 rebounds per game. On box-score fit alone, this would be the best landing spot for Ayton thanks to the greatness of Young.
If Phoenix had drafted Luka Doncic rather than Ayton at No. 1 overall in 2018, Phoenix may have considered adding Clint Capela to their frontcourt. Four years later, Capela being re-routed to Phoenix in an Ayton sign-and-trade is a plausible scenario to imagine. Capela would provide similar numbers to Ayton while requiring less of an offensive workload. Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic might vault to the top the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year leaderboards in the near future. Bogdanovic and Cameron Johnson leading the Suns&rsquo; second unit? That&rsquo;s a filthy thought.
***
None of these trades are perfect, but they do illustrate how challenging it will be for Phoenix to find a home for Ayton while also returning the value they'd love to get back for him. Ultimately, it may be in the Suns' best interest to re-sign Ayton this offseason and trade him at some point down the road when his value isn't so depressed.
Whatever happens, Ayton&rsquo;s name will continue to pop up in rumors throughout the spring and summer until the Suns and Ayton's camp find common ground at the negotiation table. This situation could become awkward and dragged out, which would surely kick the trade rumors into high gear. This isn't the last we'll hear about Ayton and the possibility of him changing teams.
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With Deandre Ayton's future in Phoenix becoming murky, it's time to examine potential destinations for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
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Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ethan Fuller sets the stage for the NBA's four Play-In exits approaching the offseason.

Summer plans for the Spurs, Hornets, Cavaliers and Clippers

In a dynamite defensive performance, the New Orleans Pelicans stifled the San Antonio Spurs, 113-103, advancing to the second round of the Play-In Tournament toward a matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. The final score indicates a close game, and while there were moments down the stretch after a Devin Vassell heater, the Pelicans largely controlled the game.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-how-the-pelicans-are-blending-their-big-three-together" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The trio of</a> Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas combined for 81 of New Orleans' points, all putting forth stellar performances.
Yet, if there was one takeaway (for me) from last night's game, it was that Herb Jones is HERE.
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HERB JONES <a href="https://t.co/JDJuaQLCDT">pic.twitter.com/JDJuaQLCDT</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1514421185051779074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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If you've followed the NBA season and come across the Pels for even a modicum of time while perusing NBA League Pass, you probably know about Jones, as he's done this all year. But he dominated in primetime, and Mark Jones' silky voice peppered the broadcast with varying intonations of "HERB JONES" as many different points of the night.
There are moments and games where it becomes recognized that a player is a star. Last night, Jones put his stamp on the national stage, emphatically punching his ticket as a defensive star. That's such a wild statement. A defensive star. It's not easy to cement yourself as a bucket-getter or primetime scorer, and it's that much harder to play defense with the ferocity, efficacy and splendor required to captivate an audience. Jones fits the bill and then some, and as a rookie, that's absurd.
(Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I unanimously voted Herb Jones to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the All-Defensive Second Team</a> about a month ago.)
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Jones took first time All-Star guard Dejounte Murray as his main assignment, and man, he had him in purgatory. Murray finished 5 of 19 from the field Wednesday night. Jones' hands were everywhere and on everything, reminiscent of a <a href="https://youtu.be/voTxE2U8aYc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Naruto montage</a>.
The opening possession of the game was indicative of what the night would be for Murray. It was akin to watching a world title fight open up, and the challenger unloads the first jab and immediately it's like "Oh, this is way different than I thought." And as the viewer, you quickly find out that this isn't a tune-up fight.
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This is one of my favorite things about Herb, and a part of what makes him a special defender. He uses his hands and his feet in tandem with regularity. It sounds minute, but it's a sizable difference. So much of defense is about consistency, and Jones embodies that.
His hands never come off of Murray; just enough to bother, but also possessing the deftness to not foul. Even with a pretty solid screen from Jakob Poeltl, Murray can't shake free. The Pels maintain their shell, and it's a turnover.
The Pels run a great deal of ICE coverage, forcing ball-handlers to the sidelines to prevent middle penetration. Valanciunas is a quality defender, but he has some limitations with his mobility. Plays like this allow New Orleans to stay solid and maintain a strong base. (I'm super interested to see how this plays out against a more dynamic offensive team in the Clippers, because it's much harder to play ICE against a team that can thrive on five-out lineups).
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Jaxson Hayes comes up with the double drags to ICE along with Jones, calls out the coverage and Murray catches him going downhill. While this isn't a perfect defensive possession from Herb, it's a reflection of the tools that allow him to supersede technique at times (he's an incredible technique defender, don't get it twisted). Even if he does take a wrong step, he has impeccable recovery skills and the ability to still contest what would otherwise be an easy finish at the rim against most defenders.
Run Jones through the ringer of screens and try to grease the context for an off-ball scorer? Not on Herb.
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Try to initiate the offense with a kick-ahead to one of the best downhill drivers in the game in Keldon Johnson? Not so fast. I am not a fan of the charge, but man, Jones makes me want to be. This is just a clean standing of ground, and I love it. It would be so easy to let that be a quick lay-in with a decent enough contest, but again, this is what separates Jones from the rest.
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Jones also emphatically closed the half, shutting down a sideline out-of-bounds play leading to a Johnson three-point attempt.
The block, the staredown. YES.
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Even in moments when Jones did get overly physical and was called for fouls, those are plays you live with. I'm not a huge believer in tone-setting; it can be cliche and attributed to non-basketball plays that really don't do much but stop the clock. (Although, what do I know? Glue Girl <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1514075112059727874?s=20&amp;t=su-bpBBT0mwo3mSQsH7Y-A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was a game-changer</a>.)
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That rotation to block Vassell is fantastic; the communication and vision stands out. That reconnection on Murray after the screen is all you can ask for, even if ideally a foul is not attached. Jones constantly made multiple Spurs players feel him.
Then, there are the "crown jewel" plays &mdash; the pinnacle defensive highlights that you watch in amusement and giggle because those things just shouldn't be able to happen on the court.
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Incredible performance.
There aren't enough words to describe what a fun and enjoyable defensive player and prospect Jones is. This isn't just a "rookie defenders" shouldn't be able to that type beat. This man is legitimately already one of the best defenders on planet earth regardless of age.
While the Pelicans still need to win against the Clippers on Friday night to secure another week or two of guaranteed basketball, Herb Jones' play should be cemented in your cerebrum moving forward.
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The Pelicans secured a matchup with the Clippers after beating the Spurs, and it was sparked by Herb Jones' defense.

Not on Herb: Pelicans rookie Jones punches ticket as defensive star

In a game defined by its giants, being a big man has always carried a certain level of expectation.&nbsp;
And arguably no NBA franchise has this expectation looming more than the San Antonio Spurs.&nbsp;
From the early days of Artis Gilmore, to the "The Admiral" David Robinson's stint commanding the watchtower, to Tim Duncan&rsquo;s subtle dominance, to LaMarcus Aldridge&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defense-dash-lt6/?Season=2017-18&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*Aldridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surprisingly effective</a> repellent nature, the Spurs have always fielded an elite defensive big man.
And that makes Jakob Poeltl the perfect successor to this chain of iconic anchors.
This season, the human fly swatter is contesting shots at a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/hustle/?sort=CONTESTED_SHOTS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">higher rate</a> than anyone in the league, while also holding opponents to <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defense-dash-lt6/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*Poeltl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over eight percentage points</a> below their usual average.&nbsp;
Along with his eye-popping numbers, the sophisticated beauty of his game has been easy to admire year after year (even having said he was playing on one of the most <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/matissa/2022/02/05/why-jakob-poeltl-is-a-giant-bargain-for-the-spurs/?sh=1d90fdefeb12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">valuable</a> contracts in basketball).
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So, it was time to get inside the mind of one of the league&rsquo;s best defenders.
During training camp, Poeltl made it known that San Antonio's massive roster turnaround meant he needed to be more vocal, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. And considering <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/hidden-gems-jakob-poeltl-is-the-best-center-that-nobodys-talking-about/1acr9r7wz5mg913hug0jnr42sk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renowned analysts</a> are praising his communication skills, it&rsquo;s safe to say his mission has been accomplished.
&ldquo;First of all, [communication] is one of the biggest parts of being a big man in the NBA.&rdquo; Poeltl told BasketballNews.com in a phone interview. &ldquo;If you are not good at communicating, your guards are going to keep running into trouble over and over again.&rdquo;
Here is a perfect example of his articulation skills at work.
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Turning up the volume is recommended here; if you listen closely, you can hear Poeltl instructing nearby help defenders to &ldquo;stay&rdquo; back on their man because he&rsquo;s going to offer the necessary backline support himself. This forces Steven Adams to make the weak-side corner pass (an easier pass for the defense to close-out on), and ultimately, Poeltl's reassurance results in a missed shot.&nbsp;
Then, Poeltl dove a little deeper into specific coverages. Being the mad scientist he is, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich loves throwing a good ol&rsquo; zone at opposing offenses.
Listen to this next clip to hear Poeltl break down what&rsquo;s going through his mind in these situations.
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&ldquo;[It] comes down to a lot of communication as well," Poeltl said. "The offense is going to try and exploit weak spots. I&rsquo;m just constantly on the lookout for what they are possibly trying to set up. And telling those guys around me to move over, overload one side, whatever it might be.&rdquo;
Poeltl also emphasized the importance of ball-screen coverage in today&rsquo;s constantly evolving pick-and-roll ecosystem.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of pick-and-rolls in this league because it&rsquo;s so efficient and you're creating a lot of 2-on-1 situations," he said.
As the big man who has handled the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/roll-man/?SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TypeGrouping=defensive&amp;sort=POSS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth-most</a> ball-screens in the NBA, Poeltl knows his way around these spots.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really just trying to keep the offensive players guessing," he said. "And at the end of the day, play the percentages.&rdquo;
The next clip provides a prime example of what he&rsquo;s talking about:
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Poeltl intentionally sags off of Mike Conley because, while he&rsquo;s a good short mid-range shooter (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/695#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">45%</a>), he&rsquo;s a slightly better finisher (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/695#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">53%</a>). But even more important, by accounting for the roller, Jakob avoids Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s lob-finishing wrath (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/1310#tab-shooting_accuracy">77%</a>).
"Playing the percentages" became a recurring theme throughout this conversation, and Poeltl's appreciation of the mathematics of the game bears resemblance to another defensive tactician &mdash; Bill Russell.
Like Russell, Poeltl makes himself familiar with his opponent&rsquo;s moves and tendencies in order to lure them into their least efficient spots on the court.
&ldquo;I try to play [their] tendencies," Poeltl said. "I know which moves [they] like, which moves [they] might like a little less. I try to make [them] take lower percentage shots.&rdquo;
And his astuteness appears to be paying dividends, as Poeltl has held some of the best low-post bigs in the league to numbers below their usual outputs.
Poeltl Matchup Data (2021-22)
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 324px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 19.5822%; height: 54px;">
Player 
</td>
<td style="width: 25.718%; height: 54px;">
Partial Possessions*
</td>
<td style="width: 21.4783%; height: 54px;">
FG% vs. Poeltl*
</td>
<td style="width: 22.7776%; height: 54px;">
Season FG%*
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 19.5822%; height: 54px;">
Valanciunas&nbsp;
</td>
<td style="width: 25.718%; height: 54px;">
146.8
</td>
<td style="width: 21.4783%; height: 54px;">
52.9%
</td>
<td style="width: 22.7776%; height: 54px;">
54.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 19.5822%; height: 54px;">
Gobert
</td>
<td style="width: 25.718%; height: 54px;">
93.8
</td>
<td style="width: 21.4783%; height: 54px;">
54.5%
</td>
<td style="width: 22.7776%; height: 54px;">
71.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 19.5822%; height: 54px;">
Embiid
</td>
<td style="width: 25.718%; height: 54px;">
76.7
</td>
<td style="width: 21.4783%; height: 54px;">
42.9%
</td>
<td style="width: 22.7776%; height: 54px;">
49.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 19.5822%; height: 54px;">
Ayton
</td>
<td style="width: 25.718%; height: 54px;">
75.4
</td>
<td style="width: 21.4783%; height: 54px;">
46.7%
</td>
<td style="width: 22.7776%; height: 54px;">
63.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 19.5822%; height: 54px;">
Vucevic
</td>
<td style="width: 25.718%; height: 54px;">
74.7
</td>
<td style="width: 21.4783%; height: 54px;">
46.7%
</td>
<td style="width: 22.7776%; height: 54px;">
47.4%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Mobile users scroll right to view full table)
Poeltl's work against current MVP candidate Joel Embiid deserves further examination. Poeltl is holding Embiid to 42.9% from the floor on 35 shot attempts. But what&rsquo;s more, he&rsquo;s only allowed Embiid to take 6 free throws during the nearly 77 partial possessions he&rsquo;s spent on him. This is a far cry from the <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/embiijo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">17.4 free throw attempts</a> Embiid typically averages per 100 possessions.
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Poeltl does two things well while guarding Embiid:
<ol>
<li>He baits him into taking a bevy of mid-range jumpers (the least efficient shot in Embiid&rsquo;s illustrious shot profile).</li>
<li>He avoids getting handsy with Embiid and falling prey to his infamous <a href="https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann/status/816337297910153216?s=20&amp;t=IZbWympJN3SijK8xXTdMWw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rip-through</a> maneuver.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
And like Hakeem Olajuwon, Poeltl is a master at navigating the <a href="https://medium.com/the-basketball-dictionary/2-9-6fb93080023c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.9</a> position of the paint without getting called for a defensive three seconds. (Turn your volume up.)
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&ldquo;I think that has a lot to do with reputation as well, where just being around for a long time, you figure out these little things," Poeltl said. "I remember my first couple seasons in the NBA &mdash; first of all, I was a lot more paranoid to get called for defensive three seconds, and I probably actually was getting called on it a lot more as well. So, I think the biggest thing there that I had to figure out over the years is the timing of it. Like, being in the paint at the right moment when an offensive player &mdash; like a guard or somebody &mdash; is trying to attack. Not wasting those three seconds. Like, standing in there when there is nothing happening.
"Then, I have to go out [of the paint] to clear myself, and in that moment somebody starts driving, and then I&rsquo;m late for the rotation. So, again, it comes down to timing it well, [and] trying to read what the offense is trying to do.&rdquo;
In staying with the topic of great defenders, the best not only omit shots as they come, but also deter would-be trespassers from entering their hunting grounds entirely. Poeltl looks like he&rsquo;s trending towards no-fly-zone territory.
After peaking in January, his number of contests per game has gone downward &mdash; an indication that offensive players may have finally learned their lesson.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screen-shot-2022-04-08-at-11-03-22-am_lg.png" alt="" width="584" height="348" />
*Data Provided by NBA.com
Poeltl's presence on the interior is almost reminiscent to that of the Dark Knight in Gotham City. Both Batman and the Spurs' rim-protector serve as a cautionary symbol of what will happen when you cross the line.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if I&rsquo;d call myself a vigilante.&rdquo; Poeltl joked. &ldquo;I pretty much always try to make the paint look as crowded as possible. Try to discourage the other team from driving in there. At the end of the day, contesting a shot is good, but if I can make it look crowded in the first place and discourage them from coming in the paint, that&rsquo;s already a win in my book.&rdquo;
With shades of the various all-timers painted all over his game, is there a particular player that Poeltl has consciously modeled his game after?
&ldquo;Not really, to be honest," Poeltl said. "I always tried to feel the game out for myself. I always tried to find my own way.&rdquo;
Stating that he&rsquo;s just trying to find his way is an undersell.
In fact, Poeltl has more than found his own way. He&rsquo;s an elite shot-blocker, a vocal defensive quarterback and a serious contender for an All-Defensive Team nomination.&nbsp;
But most important of all, he&rsquo;s San Antonio&rsquo;s newest watchful protector &mdash; the franchise's next great defensive big man.
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Mat Issa goes one-on-one with Jakob Poeltl to discuss his defensive prowess and break down his film deterring the NBA's best.

Jakob Poeltl: The San Antonio Spurs' newest watchful protector

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Dejounte Murray could feel his annoyance building as San Antonio coaches repeatedly went back over video of the Spurs' blowout loss to New Orleans in the previous meeting between the two Western Conference play-in hopefuls.
Apparently, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the NBA's all-time leader in coaching victories, knows something about using bad memories to inspire better performances.
Murray had 15 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, Keldon Johnson punctuated his 21-point night with a breakaway dunk in the final seconds and the Spurs bolstered their postseason hopes with a 107-103 victory over the Pelicans on Saturday night.
&ldquo;Our two meetings today, I kind of was mad that we kept watching the film of that last game because they beat us really bad from tip all the way to the end of the game,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;We all took that personal.&rdquo;
The Pelicans nearly wiped out a 10-point deficit in the final 3:43 and had the ball, down 105-103, in the final seconds. But the Spurs sent multiple perimeter defenders at CJ McCollum, who opted to pass to Jose Alvarado on the left wing. Alvarado, an undrafted rookie who scored a career-high 23 points, missed his final shot for the lead from the 3-point line.
Jock Landale rebounded and got to the ball to Murray, who found Johnson with a long cross-court pass for the put-away basket in a victory that pulled San Antonio (30-44) one game behind New Orleans (31-43) for the final Western Conference play-in spot.
Pelicans first-year coach Willie Green said that although Alvarado had &ldquo;a good look&rdquo; at his last shot, the coaching in that situation could have been better.
"In hindsight, that's a situation where I probably need to take a timeout and get us organized," Green continued. &ldquo;That's an area where I probably have to get a little better.&rdquo;
Green also sensed the Spurs were playing with the emotion and purpose of a team seeking redemption.
&ldquo;They remembered what happened the last time we played them and you could see they came out with a different force,&rdquo; Green said, calling the Spurs' 16 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points &ldquo;the biggest factor&rdquo; in the game.
&ldquo;Normally teams don't rebound the ball like that against us,&rdquo; Green added. &ldquo;It sort of negates what we do well.&rdquo;
Josh Richardson scored 18 points for the Spurs, who trailed 92-90 with less than nine minutes to play before stringing together a pivotal 12-0 run during which Landale scored eight on a pair of 3s and a layup set up by Zach Collins' shot fake and pass from underneath the basket.
&ldquo;We kind of all understood what this game meant to our record and the chase with those guys,&rdquo; Landale said. &ldquo;There was a different level of intensity in the locker room and walking out on the court. ... It was just good to see it all come together down the stretch.&rdquo;
McCollum scored 32 and Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which led most of the first half. The Pelicans were up by as many as 12 when Larry Nance Jr., in his second game back from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, tipped in Devonte' Graham's missed 3 early in the second quarter to make it 34-22.
The Spurs controlled the rest of the quarter, however, thanks in large part to Richardson, who scored 11 of his points in a four-minute span in the middle of the period.
Richardson's three free throws after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt gave the Spurs a 50-46 lead with 4:30 left in the half.
New Orleans rallied to briefly take the lead when Herb Jones' forceful, fast-break two-handed jam and Alvarado's 3 made it 57-54. But Tre Jones' driving layup and Johnson's tip-in in the final seconds gave the Spurs a 58-57 halftime lead.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Jakob Poeltl and Jakob Primo each scored 12 points, while Landale and Collins each scored 10. ... Poeltl grabbed 11 rebounds. ... Made 22 of 25 free throws. ... Outrebounded New Orleans 49-42. ... Small forward Devin Vassell, who averages 11.9 points per game, was held out with a sore right Achilles tendon.
Pelicans: Brandon Ingram, who leads the Pelicans with 22.8 points per game, missed his 10th straight game with a sore hamstring after being listed as questionable coming in. ... Missed six of 19 free throws and missed 22 of 32 3-point shots. ... Pelicans forward Naji Marshall was called for a flagrant foul when his hand caught Collins in the face early in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit Houston on Monday night.
Pelicans: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in the last of three straight at home.

Dejounte Murray had a triple-double as the Spurs bolstered their postseason hopes with a 107-103 win over the Pelicans

Murray's triple-double lifts Spurs over Pelicans 107-103

I feel like I've learned a quarter of a million things this year as I've gotten deeper and deeper into basketball. Pace is critically important as a ball-handler, defense is way more complicated and complex than I grasped even last season, and development is about as linear and predictable as the stock market.
Add another detail to the list: We need to appreciate screening more! I keep coming back to this. It's an essential part of the game that tends to get overlooked and, in some ways, I've felt its impact more this season.
Sure, I've noticed a nice bone-crunching screen time and time again, the kind that makes you go, "How is that legal?!" Like, when Nikola Pekovic destroyed Brandon Knight simply for being Brandon Knight.
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This isn't the kind of screen we need to appreciate, but please don't tell Pek I said that!
Pick-and-roll has notably grown as an offensive staple and foundation over the last decade, but what's the first thing that you think of when someone says pick-and-roll? I don't mean to assume your thoughts, but I bet you probably thought about a ball-handler canning a pull-up three or getting downhill off the screen.
The action is all about creating an advantage, kickstarting the offense and either creating a shot directly or forcing the defense into rotation until a better opportunity presents itself. As the screen-and-roll has continued to dominate in relevance, something that seems to have gotten lost in the sauce is that the screening part is pretty darn important! It's a means of amplifying creation, exacerbating an advantage; the best screens are creating an even better advantage. In a way, the highest levels of screening could&nbsp;be viewed as a means of self-creation when factoring in other aspects.
Defenses have really adapted this season. Coverage versatility has become a must for the majority of teams, throwing some funk into the mix to make easy offense a bit harder. Teams are more comfortable blitzing ball-handlers &mdash; sending two to the ball against ball-screens &mdash; to try to negate the initial advantage and force secondary options to beat them.
The Minnesota Timberwolves built their defense on it (less recently), the Chicago Bulls routinely play with their 5-man high on screens and the Milwaukee Bucks have made it a near automatic response. It's hard to get by playing defense just being solid in one way because offenses are just that good.
Rudy Gobert, screen-assist royalty, is doing so much more as a roller than he gets credit for routinely. For starters, he sets hard screens. Defenders feel them and don't often get through them. While he doesn't necessarily roll fast, his downhill gravity is a key matchstick that ignites the Utah Jazz's offense.&nbsp;
More importantly, on top of that, he can make solid reads and decisions on the roll once he receives the ball.
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It's not perfect. Gobert can show some clunkiness if he has to put the ball on the deck, but he's threatening enough with his roll presence and capable enough of a decision-maker that defenses have to respect the process (don't ask about post-ups).
Gobert passes the threshold required of a screen-and-roll player, which has only risen over the past few years, and I feel, particularly, this season. If you can't make quality decisions off an action or finish the advantage efficiently yourself, that's a win for the defense. It's extremely hard to strictly be a finisher at the basket or a lob threat. You need more juice now! Even if you are capable of the decision-making, can you put the ball on the floor once or twice and craft an efficient look? More importantly, can you make the defense care?
We've hardly even gotten into the meat of the screening yet, but it's so important to point out just how difficult it is to be a big in the current NBA. There's often a train of thought along the lines of "screen-and-roll bigs grow on trees," and sure, it's reductive, but I guess not entirely incorrect. However, how many bigs can you just go pick up in the free-agency pool that can meet all the requirements? Being at least a neutral on both ends is extremely hard, especially as a starter!
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Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is one of the best screeners in the league, and shows his versatility and dynamic ability to loosen things offensively for both himself and others. While he's drawn ire from many a Chicago fan for his shooting inconsistency, this offense would not be what it is without Vucevic. We know he can score in a variety of ways, we know he can pass and we know he can screen. The way he blends the trio is what makes him a special offensive player and vital to the Bulls.
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While Vucevic doesn't screen Zach LaVine completely open for the action, watch how he tracks and moves with Jrue Holiday, toeing the line of legality. He screens initially and re-screens again before using his forward momentum and footwork to open himself on the roll.
So while LaVine isn't cleanly open &mdash; largely due to Holiday cheating the action and dodging the first screen from Javonte Green &mdash; Vucevic salvages space with screening. Holiday can't fully reconnect before LaVine starts his way downhill, occupying Serge Ibaka's attention before hitting Vucevic with the pocket pass; the Chicago big man then rumbles into a mesmerizing balletic hook shot. It's quick, Ibaka was already off-kilter and Vucevic takes advantage.
While you could reduce the possession down to a screen and a slow roll, so much more goes on in that space that makes it impressive.
Per Second Spectrum Tracking, Vucevic averages 1.58 seconds per touch, the third-lowest mark amongst players who receive 50 or more touches per game. He touches the ball often, but not for long. He gives the ball energy, adds zest to the possession and serves as a turnkey for the offense.
Send two to one of Chicago's All-NBA candidate guards, and Vucevic slips into space to quickly hit cutters as the defense adjusts to him.
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Or he'll throw in a timely slip when the drop defender is committed to the ball-handler, sure to use his arms to generate some contact with the defender, adding some slight oomph before flipping his hips into a lightning-quick touch shot or jumper. The quickness with which he gets his shots off along with the downhill threat of Chicago's drivers gives the defense headaches.
Speaking of slipping screens, look no further than John Collins!
Trae Young's threat as an elite pull-up shooter, terrifying downhill quickness and immaculate court vision are already a nightmare for defenses. Teams have to often sell out due to Young's advanced craft. Collins slips seemingly every ball-screen, and uses his own explosive downhill dynamism to put the low-man in a torture chamber.
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Rotations are extremely important to executing defense but, man, how do you stop someone like Collins coming down the lane full force even with a perfect rotation?
He creates sinkholes on the perimeter at times with even the mere thought of a slip, as a game has progressed. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, dear God please don't do it again.
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While this is largely a byproduct of bad defense and miscommunication, in the end it's happening because of Collins. Good defensive teams will try to find ways to neutralize the slip and more effectively handle the perimeter, but silencing the slip is easier said than done. Young needs but a sliver of space to be dangerous.
His verticality and touch are nutty. The ball skills have come along, and he's improved greatly on his passing reads.
Next up is one of my favorite possessions in basketball over the past year. Indiana Pacers rookie Terry Taylor screens Khris Middleton into the abyss and makes getting over a screen an absolute terror.&nbsp;
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Buddy Hield is a very good off-ball mover and one of the best shooters in basketball, but this shot is not clean without Taylor.
He screens Middleton just before Tyrese Haliburton passes the ball to Hield. He moves and re-screens with a flip of his hips, as Hield sets up Middleton to his right. He just stays active and makes Middleton work &mdash; which sounds simplistic, but that's the point... it's not. It's the continuous little efforts to open a half-foot of space that can make a significant difference acquiring said real estate.
Next up, the quintessential Jakob Poeltl possession!
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Dejounte Murray isn't a pull-up shooter like that, and the Orlando Magic know, so they go under the screen. But here's the nice subtlety &mdash; so does Jakob.
Like, of course he knows that teams don't go over on screens for Dejounte, but the quick flip and re-screen allows for the Murray snatch-back and an open lane. I can feel that thudding hip check through my laptop.
But we are not done yet folks!
Poeltl rolls and throws in some more trickery, sealing Mo Bamba with yet another "Is this legal?" (Jakob Poeltl, habitual line-stepper) screen. It's the Daniel Theis/Al Horford seal, but Jakob does it better, so it deserves a cooler name. (I'm not sure what, but think on it!)
Murray is a really nice player (an All-Star, of course), but without Poeltl there is no advantage being created here. He eases the burden of primary creation for Murray and amplifies the offense.
As good as Poeltl is as a dribble-handoff operator, there may not be a more explosive and fluid artist at the elbow and slot than Bam Adebayo.
Adebayo sprints into early offense DHO's with the Miami Heat's movement shooters.&nbsp;
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He's another non-stationary screener. He keeps his arms down to try and blur the lines of legality, making it harder to call a moving screen. I absolutely love it.
Try and sell out to stop the quick hitter? Well, Adebayo might have the most fluid hips and change-of-direction ability of any big in the NBA. He flips screens and thuds you for the audacity to try and cheat the action.
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If you're wondering why Miami had an open three even without Adebayo handling the ball &mdash; rewind, and look for the chaser who gets taken out along the way. He cracks back on off-ball defenders like a wide receiver excited to dole out punishment for a change.
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Ja Morant is one of the most punishing drivers in the NBA, with an absurd guile and vertical pop. His audacity is unfathomable.&nbsp;
While Steven Adams certainly has some drawbacks as an offensive player and limitations defensively, he's been a very nice fit for the Memphis Grizzlies. He paves wide open lanes for Morant in a way that few players can. Often when I watch the Grizz, I see Ja wide open in space, gunning towards the rim with a big on his heels and say to myself, "Where is the fifth defender?"
Well, Steven Adams might play a significant part in that!
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He just erases the defender from the picture with his frame.&nbsp;
More on those driving lanes &mdash; Adams will set interior screens on the roll as well, taking the rim-defender out of the picture, parting the sea in the paint for Morant and guiding to easy buckets at the rim.
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Don't forget about impromptu screens!
Oshae Brissett is a joy to watch, as he takes note of ball-watching defenders and sets up wide-open shots for teammates or generates an unwanted matchup for the defense.
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I don't quite know how to quantify screening, but it is&nbsp;something&nbsp;and it's so much more valuable and complex than it generally is made out to be. As the season winds down, take note and appreciate some of the really cool things happening both on and off the ball &mdash; the impact on play, and why it's happening.
I'm still learning more and more about the game each week, and that's awesome to me. Screening is a whole new world this season, and I can't wait until the next realization that opens my eyes even more about the game!
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As the NBA has continued to evolve on both ends, it's worth taking a minute to appreciate the art of screening, writes Mark Schindler.

An explanation of why we need to appreciate screening more

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast "Nothing But Bets" on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3rnooUvIsHtvykhPY9Ddt8?si=36d61d2c59a44523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a> or wherever you listen to podcasts. This season, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is up hundreds of dollars on PrizePicks.
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Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into Monday&rsquo;s best NBA betting action.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (-3)
Cleveland will remain without Darius Garland tonight, which will be a big-time blow against the resurgent Timberwolves. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley will make it difficult on Karl-Anthony Towns inside, but who will stop D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards on the perimeter? For that reason, we feel confident locking in a road victory for Minnesota.
Pick: Timberwolves -3
PrizePicks Power Play: Karl-Anthony Towns over 22 points, Anthony Edwards over 18.5 points, Evan Mobley over 15.5 points, Jarrett Allen over 10.5 rebounds
Miami Heat (-4) vs. Chicago Bulls
The DeMar DeRozan scoring barrage continues with his 30-plus point streak expanding. Will it be the case in Miami? We&rsquo;re betting it will, but can the Bulls pull off the upset as underdogs? That&rsquo;s where we go against that idea, because Miami is so well-coached and versatile on both ends of the court. The Heat make a statement in South Beach on Monday night.
Pick: Heat -4
PrizePicks Power Play: DeMar DeRozan over 29.5 points, Zach LaVine over 23.5 points, Bam Adebayo over 19.5 points, Jimmy Butler over 6.5 assists
Memphis Grizzlies (-8.5) vs. San Antonio Spurs
A fun battle between two ascending stars in Ja Morant and Dejounte Murray happens tonight in Memphis. Expect both to put up monster stat lines, but in the end we&rsquo;re rolling with the favorite here. The Grizzlies continue to be one of the Association&rsquo;s best stories of the season, and that train continues to roll against San Antonio.
Pick: Grizzlies -8.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Ja Morant over 30.5 points, Dejounte Murray over 21.5 points, Steven Adams over 12 rebounds, Jakob Poeltl over 8.5 rebounds
Milwaukee Bucks (-10.5) vs. Charlotte Hornets
Surprisingly enough, the Hornets have already defeated the Bucks twice this season. Will they make it three in a row tonight on the road in Milwaukee? Very doubtful, which is why betting on the Bucks is the smart play to do here. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee&rsquo;s high-powered attack will overwhelm Charlotte from the opening tip-off. Hammer the Bucks at -10.5.
Pick: Bucks -10.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Giannis Antetokounmpo over 31.5 points, LaMelo Ball over 20.5 points, Khris Middleton over 19.5 points, Miles Bridges over 6.5 rebounds
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Who are the best bets for tonight's NBA games? Which players should you target in daily fantasy? We've got you covered!

Best Bets: BasketballNews' picks and fantasy advice for 2/28/22

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast "Nothing But Bets" on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3rnooUvIsHtvykhPY9Ddt8?si=36d61d2c59a44523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a> or wherever you listen to podcasts. This season, "Nothing But Bets" is 55% against the spread, plus we're up hundreds of dollars on PrizePicks.
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For this fun Monday slate, which picks and trends are the best to wager on? Let&rsquo;s break it all down as you lock in bets and lineup cards:
Washington Wizards (-4) vs. Detroit Pistons
This feels like the perfect opportunity for the underdog to make this one closer than expected throughout. Washington is without Bradley Beal, plus Kristaps Porzingis isn&rsquo;t making his debut just yet. No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham has been such fun to watch this season, and he&rsquo;s why I believe the Pistons cover the 4-point spread.
Pick: Pistons +4
PrizePicks Power Play: Cade Cunningham over 15.5 points, Saddiq Bey over 16.5 points, Kyle Kuzma over 21.5 points, Thomas Bryant over 5.5 rebounds
New York Knicks (-10) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
All season long on "Nothing But Bets," we&rsquo;ve been tailing the Thunder as double-digit underdogs. More often than not, it&rsquo;s been a very sound strategy to deploy. It&rsquo;s time to hammer the Thunder against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, mainly in large part to New York&rsquo;s inconsistencies. Josh Giddey and the young Thunder keep cashing for the plus bettors.
Pick: Thunder +10
PrizePicks Power Play: Julius Randle over 23.5 points, Darius Bazley over 14.5 points, Josh Giddey over 6.5 assists, Evan Fournier over 2.5 rebounds
Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings (-2.5)
Sacramento has found their winning ways recently, thanks in large part to the blockbuster trade for Domantas Sabonis. The results between Sabonis and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox have been fantastic thus far. In Brooklyn against a Nets team without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, we&rsquo;re betting on the Kings to keep stacking up victories.
Pick: Kings -2.5
PrizePicks Power Play: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox over 22.5 points, Domantas Sabonis over 11.5 rebounds, Patty Mills over 14.5 points, Seth Curry over 14.5 points
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Milwaukee Bucks (-11.5) vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Portland looks completely different after this year&rsquo;s trade deadline. Heading on the road to play the defending champions is a bad outcome waiting to happen. Milwaukee easily handles business against the newly tanking Trail Blazers.
Pick: Bucks -11.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Khris Middleton over 23.5 points, Anfernee Simons over 21.5 points, Jusuf Nurkic over 11.5 rebounds, Jrue Holiday over 8.5 assists
Chicago Bulls (-3.5) vs. San Antonio Spurs
The DeMar DeRozan revenge game, and we&rsquo;re happy to take advantage of the low spread across the board. Chicago has been outstanding this season as favorites, plus DeRozan&rsquo;s scoring will be too much for his former team. We feel confident locking in Chicago because of DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.
Pick: -3.5
PrizePicks Power Play: DeMar DeRozan over 31.5 points, Dejounte Murray over 22.5 points, Nikola Vucevic over 13 rebounds, Jakob Poetl over 8 rebounds
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors (-3.5)
Toronto continues to be one of the best stories in the NBA this season. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet have been arguably playing at near-All-NBA levels, plus their young core continues to take significant strides forward. The Pelicans have been more consistently lately, but it&rsquo;s hard to envision a scenario where they stop the Raptors&rsquo; momentum.
Pick: Raptors -3.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Brandon Ingram over 21.5 points, Pascal Siakam over 21.5 points, Fred VanVleet over 19.5 points, CJ McCollum over 19.5 points
Utah Jazz (-15) vs. Houston Rockets
A huge spread for this game, but it&rsquo;s definitely worthy of the large line. Utah on all accounts hold significant advantages across the board compared to Houston. Donovan Mitchell will easily be able to have his way with the Rockets, so this feels like one of the best bets of the night for Monday&rsquo;s slate.
Pick: Jazz -15
PrizePicks Power Play: Donovan Mitchell over 24.5 points, Kevin Porter Jr. over 14.5 points, Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate over 11.5 points, Bojan Bogdanovic over 2.5 threes
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Denver Nuggets (-11.5) vs. Orlando Magic
Nikola Jokic is playing at an outrageously high level right now, even better than last season&rsquo;s jaw-dropping MVP campaign. Jokic is carrying a Nuggets team without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., further solidifiing his status among the NBA&rsquo;s elite. Denver could be a sleeper team in the playoffs, especially once Murray returns. Against the Magic, I believe Jokic and the Nuggets easily cover the 11.5-point spread.
Pick: Nuggets -11.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Nikola Jokic over 24.5 points, Will Barton over 15.5 points, Jalen Suggs over 13.5 points, Mo Bamba over 6.5 rebounds
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors (-6)
It&rsquo;s never a wise strategy to bet against Stephen Curry and the Warriors. On Monday, it&rsquo;s no different when they play against the Clippers in Los Angeles. Not only are the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (potentially <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ty-lue-kawhi-leonard-is-probably-not-gonna-come-back-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for the rest of the season</a>), one of their new additions in Norman Powell is already dealing with an injury as well. Wagering on the Warriors here feels like the best move.
Pick: Warriors -6
PrizePicks Power Play: Stephen Curry over 22.5 points, Reggie Jackson over 18.5 points, Klay Thompson over 18.5 points, Ivica Zubac over 7.5 rebounds
Make sure to <a href="https://app.prizepicks.com/sign-up?invite_code=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out PrizePicks</a> and use the promo code NEWS when you sign up, and they'll instantly match your deposit up to $100! Also, make sure to listen to "Nothing But Bets" for daily betting analysis on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3rnooUvIsHtvykhPY9Ddt8?si=36d61d2c59a44523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a> or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Who are the best bets for tonight's NBA games? Which players should you target in daily-fantasy? We've got you covered!

Best Bets: BasketballNews' NBA Picks and Fantasy Advice for 2/14/22

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Dejounte Murray tied his career highs with 32 points and 15 assists to go with 10 rebounds for his 11th triple-double this season, Keldon Johnson scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 136-121 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
The Spurs shot 24% on 33 3-point attempts in Wednesday&rsquo;s loss at Cleveland, but they got off to a sizzling start. The were 8 for 9 to take a 43-29 lead at the end of the first quarter. San Antonio tied a season high with 18 3-pointers.
Murray was there the whole way, going 11 of 18 from the field, including 8 of 9 on 3-pointers, and leading a relentless defensive attack on the perimeter that held the Hawks, who entered second in the NBA on 3s, to 29.3% beyond the arc.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the thing in this league," Murray said. &ldquo;You make shots, you miss shots, and I think tonight we made shots, but we also kept our composure and matured. From the first quarter to the fourth quarter, we didn&rsquo;t let up. We knew we couldn&rsquo;t let up against a scoring team like Atlanta. That&rsquo;s really what it was tonight."
Bogdan Bogdanovic had 23 points in a reserve role and Trae Young, the league&rsquo;s third-leading scorer, finished with 16 for Atlanta. The Hawks had won eight of nine at State Farm Arena but began the game 10th in the Eastern Conference.
&ldquo;Just flat," Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand where that came from. As we&rsquo;ve talked about the last couple of days, with the position we&rsquo;re in and the urgency we need to play with, we were just flat.
&ldquo;They outworked us. They played harder than us. They executed better than us, and it happened for 48 minutes. This is a surprise."
The Spurs, who began the night 13th in the West, had dropped 13 of 18, but this game was hardly in doubt as they pushed the lead to 26 at the 9:16 mark of the third on Murray&rsquo;s jumper. A 14-3 run by Atlanta trimmed the lead to 12 late in the third, but San Antonio wasn&rsquo;t further threatened, going up by 23 on Devin Vassell&rsquo;s dunk with 7:47 remaining.
Murray punctuated the fourth by tying his career high in points with a steal and a dunk that made it a 24-point lead with 4:10 to go. He left the game with the rest of the starters at that point.
&ldquo;Special, that&rsquo;s all I can say is special," Vassell said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s who I look up to. He texted me before the game. That&rsquo;s my guy. That&rsquo;s my dog for life. To see him and he helps all of us go. So when we see him getting out and getting steals and just being Dejounte, it fires all of us up. He&rsquo;s special. That&rsquo;s all I can say."
Murray&rsquo;s 3 made it 21-11 for the game&rsquo;s first double-digit lead. From there, Johnson and Vassell hit 3s and Jakob Poeltl a pair of free throws to put the Spurs up 34-17 with 4:49 left in the first.
Atlanta pulled within six midway through the second, but quickly gave back the momentum and trailed by 17 again on Zach Collins&rsquo; 3. The Spurs, up by as many as 18 in the first half, led 73-56 at intermission.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Murray set the Spurs&rsquo; franchise mark for career triple-doubles with 15, breaking a tie with David Robinson. ... Vassell started after Derrick White was traded to Boston on Thursday and finished with 20 points. ... Poeltl hit from halfcourt for his first 3-pointer of the season to beat the second-quarter buzzer. ... G Tomas Satoransky, acquired from Portland in a three-team trade this week, will join the team in New Orleans on Saturday. ... G Josh Richardson and swingman Romeo Langford, acquired in the deal with the Celtics, are expected to join the team in Chicago on Monday. ... San Antonio traded for G Goran Dragic in a deal that sent F Thaddeus Young to Toronto, but he is expected to be bought out. Dragic has played only five games this season after not cracking Raptors coach Nick Nurse&rsquo;s rotation. ... The Spurs have three first-round picks heading into this year&rsquo;s draft.
Hawks: Young notched his NBA-leading 13th 30-point, 10-assist game in Tuesday&rsquo;s blowout win over Indiana. Since the NBA-ABA merger, only James Harden and Russell Westbrook in 2016-17 have accumulated more 30-point, 10-assist games before the All-Star break.
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STANDING PAT
The Hawks made no moves at the trade deadline. That McMillan fine.
&ldquo;If nothing makes sense and you feel comfortable with what you have, which we do, you stay put, which is what we did,&rdquo; McMillan said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s good to be able to move on from the trade deadline. We know that we&rsquo;re going to be the group that finishes this season together and we can focus on that.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Spurs: At New Orleans on Saturday.
Hawks: At Boston on Sunday.
&nbsp;

Dejounte Murray and the Spurs cruised to victory against the Atlanta Hawks.

Murray has 11th triple-double, Spurs roll past Hawks 136-121

Brad Stevens woke up on Thursday morning and took care of business.&nbsp;
How often does that happen with the Celtics? Up until the past three weeks, Boston had been trademarked as the team who played wildly up and down to its competition, blowing leads left and right all while failing to establish an identity. And in recent years, the franchise was spearheaded by a Danny Ainge-led front office known for either adrenaline-inducing blockbusters or crickets from the transaction log.
Something is different. The Celtics have shredded an easy February schedule like they're supposed to. And new president of basketball operations Brad Stevens made exactly the moves he needed to make at this trade deadline &mdash; no more, no less. From an outsider's perspective, Boston had to check off three boxes on Thursday:
<ul>
<li>Find value for Dennis Schr&ouml;der before his contract expires (and replace him if he is traded)</li>
<li>Get under the luxury tax</li>
<li>Acquire a viable third center</li>
</ul>
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Stevens accomplished all three and even created more flexibility. When our staff went through gut-reaction winners and losers of the deadline on our live show, all of us counted the Celtics as winners. They still have five available roster spots, so the moves aren't finished. On Friday morning at his media availability, Stevens clearly outlined his personal goals with the deals:
"I thought all year that what we really needed to continue to focus on were adding guys that really know how to play, that make the right basketball decisions, and really have a great self-awareness to do what they do best and accentuate our best players."
It starts with Derrick White. The 27-year-old combo guard replaces Schr&ouml;der on the depth chart but could not be a more different player. Brad Stevens gave a glowing review of White, who has apparently been on his radar going back to his time with the USA Select Team:
"We've thought for years that Derrick was a really good fit with our best players," Stevens said. He is an excellent defender. He just makes the right play on offense, over and over and over. He's a guy that only cares about winning [and] that will do all of the little things, as you can see in some of his stats defensively with regard to willingness to put his body on the line, activity, shot challenges, all of those things. And on offense, just by making simple plays&nbsp;and doesn't need to do anything [or] be on the highlights to really impact winning... We felt really fortunate to be able to get a guy like that on a long contract that we think is, again, a perfect fit for our best players."
That covers the bases. White is averaging 5.6 assists per game this season with a 25.2% assist rate; the latter ranks in the 82nd percentile at his position, per Cleaning the Glass. His assist-to-usage rate of 1.12 is in the 76th percentile. For comparison, Schr&ouml;der had an&nbsp;assist-to-usage rate of 0.93 (12th percentile). And these numbers come as White frequently shared the floor with lead guard Dejounte Murray.
White's assist-to-pass ratio of 14.5% ranks eighth in the entire NBA.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
If Derrick White is doing this for the Celtics... 😮&zwj;💨 <a href="https://t.co/fZsrffM9ig">pic.twitter.com/fZsrffM9ig</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1492162183039533059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

In theory, the ball should stick less with White and Marcus Smart in the backcourt, and White is more than capable of running an offense when Smart and/or Jayson Tatum isn't on the floor. In the below clips, he's making reads in split seconds. It's easy to picture Robert Williams or Al Horford as Jakob Poeltl, or Grant Williams/Jaylen Brown shooting these corner attempts.
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White isn't going to wow you with a highlight reel pass. But whether it's turning a good shot to a great shot, applying pressure with his cuts or pushing the transition pace, he brings several skills that Boston hasn't nailed down consistently.
Many Celtics fans were immediately concerned by White's 31.4% three-point clip. It's reasonable, and he likely won't ever be an elite marksman or pull-up dagger machine. But there's a bit more to unpack on the efficiency front.&nbsp;
White is making 22% of his corner threes this season. That is... extremely bad, and also 26 percentage points lower from 2020-21. He's making 34% of his threes above the break, which is slightly above league-average. White is making 32.3% of his catch-and-shoot three-pointers, per NBA Stats, when he's typically been in the 38-39% range in recent seasons. Brad Stevens said on Friday he thinks White is a better shooter than the base numbers suggest. I'm inclined to agree.&nbsp;
These aren't even White's key selling points. Flip to the defensive side of the ball and he'll show you why many now think the Celtics could boast the stingiest unit in the NBA. Nekias Duncan lauded White as one of the best point-of-attack players in the league on our show yesterday, and I'd take him at his word. White has a fantastic blend of speed and strength at 6-foot-4 and can mirror drives from the NBA's toughest guards. Here's one clip of him smothering Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
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White's block rate is in the 97th percentile at his position. It has been there, or higher, in each of the last four seasons. I truly fear for opposing backcourts if he and Marcus Smart share the floor.
The Celtics gave up Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 2022 lightly-protected first-round pick and the right to swap first-rounders in 2028 in exchange for White. That's quite a package for a player who is either a solid complementary starter or a really great bench piece. Stevens himself acknowledged that giving up first-round picks is an inherent risk. But it's the type of move that signals to Tatum and Brown that they're worth building around.&nbsp;
With minutes left on the clock, Boston snuck in another deal with the Rockets. Stevens sent Enes Freedom, Bruno Fernando and Schr&ouml;der to Houston for Daniel Theis. With White in the fold, there was no need to keep Schr&ouml;der even in the short term, and the Celtics also moved two centers who should not play in the rotation to bring back a very capable depth big.
Theis returns after less than a calendar year away from Boston. The 29-year-old started 21 of 26 games with the Rockets and averaged 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He's a stalwart interior finisher; per Basketball Reference, Theis has made at least 71% of his shots within three feet of the basket in every year of his NBA career. He's not the stretch big man his three-point volume suggests, but Theis can at least make around one per game in theory.
Theis also isn't an event-creator on defense. He's a bruiser who can come off the bench and be a more viable switcher than Freedom or Fernando ever were. Ime Udoka should at least feel more comfortable deploying Theis in the rotation so Robert Williams III and Al Horford are not overextended.
"Rob and Al are our guys and they're playing great, but if you miss any time with those two guys, you can plug Theis in and it'll be a seamless transition," Stevens said.
So in two trades, the Celtics have upgraded their secondary guard spot and their bench center spot at the risk of missing out in the draft. With the help of a third trade from earlier in the morning, they also gave themselves extra time for moves via the buyout market.
Boston dealt PJ Dozier, Bol Bol, a second-round pick and cash considerations to Orlando for a conditional second-round pick. The goal was clearly to get under the luxury tax, and per <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotrac</a>, Boston did that.
Between the three moves, the Celtics have a whopping five open roster spots to fill. The needs are glaring: shooting and wing depth. That's especially compounded after trading Richardson.
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<a href="https://theathletic.com/3124166/2022/02/10/celtics-trade-deadline-roundtable-brad-stevens-bets-big-on-derrick-white/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's&nbsp;Jared Weiss</a> wrote that he's "gotten the impression" the Celtics will at least take a look at Gary Harris on the buyout market. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-gary-harris-likely-on-the-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a> listed Boston as a potential landing spot for Harris. If the three-point clip stays up, Harris would make a lot of sense as a plug-and-play shooting guard.
With so many lopsided deals around the league in terms of roster size, Boston should have options. Maybe Orlando also buys out Terrence Ross. Perhaps the Lakers waive Kent Bazemore or the Clippers let go of recently-acquired Rodney Hood?
The G League is also loaded with potential fits. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Boston is already signing Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet to rest-of-season contracts from the Maine Celtics. Hauser's signature skill is shooting and Kornet can stretch the floor as well.
Stevens was vague at his press conference, saying he wanted players with "skill." The Celtics have five opportunities (including Hauser and Kornet) to find such players. Udoka has another tough choice to make, too &mdash; should he break up the current buzzsaw starting lineup and insert White, or bring a starting-caliber guard beginning a four-year, $73 million contract extension off the bench?
For all the angst about Schr&ouml;der's tendency to stop the ball, he was also a much-needed driving threat. White gets to the rim at a level around league-average, but he's not the blazing downhill driver Schr&ouml;der is. Will that affect how the ball is able to move, especially if the Celtics don't have enough shooters on the perimeter?
Clearly these deals don't end the questions. For now, though, fans should feel confident that Brad Stevens was clear and deliberate with his trade deadline moves. Derrick White and Daniel Theis appear to be the complementary talents Boston should be seeking to bolster a lineup hunting postseason contention.
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Ethan Fuller shows how the additions of Derrick White and Daniel Theis fit into the current rotation for the Boston Celtics.

Evaluating the Celtics' trade deadline additions and next steps

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-suns-remain-redhot-bucks-continue-to-climb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Denver Nuggets are red-hot, thanks primarily to the MVP-caliber play of Nikola Jokic, while the Brooklyn Nets have gone ice-cold, losing 11 of their past 17 games.&nbsp;
1. Phoenix Suns (40-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 1&nbsp;
With their victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, the Suns became the first team in the league to reach the 40-win plateau. In the process, they guaranteed themselves the Western Conference's best record going into the All-Star break, which means head coach Monty Williams will coach the West in Cleveland later this month. And <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/are-the-suns-somehow-flying-under-the-radar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as valuable as soon-to-be All-Stars such as Chris Paul and Devin Booker have been</a> this year, Phoenix has received surprisingly solid contributions from mid-season signing Bismack Biyombo, who is averaging 14.1 points and 10.4 rebounds over the Suns' last seven games. Phoenix is undefeated, a perfect 12-0, in the 12 games Biyombo has appeared in this season.&nbsp;
2. Golden State Warriors (38-13) &harr;️ Last Week: 2 
Steph Curry had been ice cold (at least by his standards) over the first 15 games the Warriors played in January and the first three quarters of Golden State's game vs. the Houston Rockets on Monday night. But in the final frame, Steph played like Steph, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Warriors to their sixth consecutive win. "We've seen Steph do that a million times," head coach Steve Kerr said after the game. "It was bound to happen even though it's been a couple of weeks or whatever. Not surprising, but fun to see him shake free and have a game like he did." &nbsp; 3. Memphis Grizzlies (35-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
Ja Morant poured in 37 points and Desmond Bane scored a career-high 34, but it wasn't enough to knock off the Philadelphia 76ers on the road Monday night. Remarkably, it was the seventh straight game with at least 30 points for Morant. That's the longest such streak in Grizzlies franchise history. During this seven-game span, Ja is averaging 35.4 points (while shooting over 50%), 7.3 assists, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 three-pointers.&nbsp;
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> got the win in OT while Tyrese Maxey &amp; Ja Morant both dropped 30+points in their duel!<a href="https://twitter.com/JaMorant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaMorant</a>: 37 PTS, 5 REB, AST<a href="https://twitter.com/TyreseMaxey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TyreseMaxey</a>: 33 PTS, 8 AST, 4 BLK <a href="https://t.co/Fcgh05taaI">pic.twitter.com/Fcgh05taaI</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1488512620630061060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>

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4. Philadelphia 76ers (31-19) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
With MVP-contender Joel Embiid resting&nbsp; Monday night vs. Memphis, the Sixers needed Andre Drummond and the rest of the squad to step up. And that's just what they got. Drummond racked up 16 points and 23 rebounds, Tobias Harris scored 31 and Tyrese Maxey pumped in a season-high with 33 points to go along with 8 assists, 4 blocks and 3 assists in the impressive overtime win over the Grizzlies.
5. Miami Heat (32-19) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
Miami was extremely shorthanded in its loss to the Boston Celtics on Monday, forced to play without Jimmy Butler (toe), P.J. Tucker (knee) and point guard Kyle Lowry (personal). The Heat, who still have five contests left on their arduous six-game road trip, plays in Toronto on Tuesday, the second night of a back-to-back. &nbsp;
6. Chicago Bulls (31-18) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The NBA announced last week that DeMar DeRozan will be a starter in this year's All-Star game. It's the first time a Bull has been a starter since 2017, and will mark DeRozan's fifth appearance as an All-Star. On the season, he's averaging 26.4 points per game (his highest scoring average since 2016-17) and is the only player in the league averaging over 25.0 points while making less than one three-pointer per contest.
7. Denver Nuggets (28-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 12
The Nuggets are rolling right now. They've won five consecutive contests (tied for their longest winning streak this season), including starting their current six-game road trip with four straight victories. During this five-game streak, Nikola Jokic is somehow averaging a triple-double (27.0 points, 12.4 rebounds and 10.0 assists) despite logging fewer than 33 minutes a night.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (31-20) ⬇️ Last Week: 6
The Cavs were embarrassed Sunday in Detroit and were missing Darius Garland due to a sore lower back on Monday, but Brandon Goodwin stepped in and stepped up, finishing with a career-high 21 points in a win over the Pelicans. Cleveland trailed by 10 points in the final frame, but came back to secure a much-needed victory over New Orleans.&nbsp;
9. Milwaukee Bucks (31-21) ⬇️ Last Week: 5
The Bucks lost 2 of the 3 games they played last week, and their only victory was a home win over the struggling New York Knicks. Sunday's loss to the Nuggets in Milwaukee was particularly disheartening, as Denver humiliated the home team 136-100. The Bucks will look to get back on track Tuesday in Minnesota.&nbsp;
10. Dallas Mavericks (29-22) &harr;️ Last Week: 10
The Mavs had won 3 of 4 (and 7 of 9) before suffering a disappointing loss to the Magic in Orlando on Sunday. The defeat can't be pinned on Luka Doncic, who stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. It was the 43rd triple-double of his career, moving him into a tie for 10th-most triple-doubles in NBA history, which is incredible considering the kid is just 22 years old.&nbsp;
11. Utah Jazz (30-21) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
The Jazz, who have lost 9 of their last 11 games, received devastating news Monday. The team confirmed that Joe Ingles will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season (and a chunk of the 2022-23 season) after an MRI revealed he tore the ACL in his left knee. Ingles, who was the runner-up to teammate Jordan Clarkson for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award last season, is in the final year of a $13 million contract.&nbsp;
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12. Brooklyn Nets (29-20) ⬇️ Last Week: 11
The Nets have lost four games in a row, and things don't get any easier moving forward; they have four games left on their West Coast road swing, which resumes Tuesday night in Phoenix. In the 17 games they've played dating back to Dec. 30, Brooklyn is just 6-11. That's the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference, behind only the Magic and Indiana Pacers.&nbsp;
13. Charlotte Hornets (28-23) &harr;️ Last Week: 13
The Hornets are 2-3 over their past five games, and even in their wins, they have been porous defensively. The Hornets allowed their opponents to score at least 113 points in each of those five contests.&nbsp;
14. Toronto Raptors (25-23) ⬇️ Last Week: 17
The Raps have registered two extremely impressive victories over the past few days. On Saturday, they outlasted the Heat in an epic three-overtime slugfest in Miami, and then beat the red-hot Hawks in Atlanta on Monday night.&nbsp;
15. Boston Celtics (27-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 16
The C's took advantage of a banged-up Heat team Monday, beating Miami by 30 points. It was Boston's fourth victory in their last five games. Jaylen Brown is averaging 29.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 made treys over his last four contests. &nbsp;
16. Atlanta Hawks (24-26) ⬆️ Last Week: 20
Playing without Trae Young, who was sidelined by a right shoulder contusion he suffered on Sunday, the Hawks had their seven-game winning streak snapped Monday night. Delon Wright was inserted into the starting lineup but struggled, shooting just 1 of 7 en route to 4 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 14
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back on track. KAT - 31 pts. / 11 reb. / 10 ast. / 2 stl. Jaden - 22 pts. / 2 reb. / 4 ast. Ant - 15 pts. / 3 reb. / 4 ast. / 1 stl. J-Mac - 12 pts. / 1 reb. / 4 ast. / 4 stl. Jaylen - 10 pts. / 1 reb. / 5 ast. TP - 10 pts. / 7 reb. / 1 ast. / 2 stl. <a href="https://t.co/YP46pW4vjL">pic.twitter.com/YP46pW4vjL</a>
&mdash; Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1488003858261413890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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After losing back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday (at Golden State and Phoenix), Karl-Anthony Towns got the Wolves back on track Sunday, erupting for 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists (vs. just a single turnover) and 2 steals in the Timberwolves 20-point victory over the Jazz. It was KAT's second career triple-double. Jaden McDaniels also chipped in 22 points (on perfect 9 of 9 shooting), 4 assists and 3 treys in 27 minutes off the bench.&nbsp;
18. Los Angeles Lakers (24-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 15
It was reported over the weekend that LeBron James underwent an MRI that revealed general swelling in his knee. James has missed each of the Lakers' past three contests due to the injury and is expected to miss more. With L.A. having lost each of the three games LeBron sat out last week, it will be very interesting to see if the team can stay around .500.&nbsp;
19. Los Angeles Clippers (26-27) ⬆️ Last Week: 21 
On Monday, the Clippers wrapped an eight-game road swing with a loss to the Pacers in Indiana; however, the Clippers went a respectable 4-4 on the trip. They now return home to host the Lakers and Bucks later this week before embarking on another three-game road trip.
20. Washington Wizards (23-26) ⬇️ Last Week: 18
The Wizards are riding a five-game losing streak and are staring down the barrel of a brutal back-to-back. They have to play the Bucks in Milwaukee on Tuesday and the surging Sixers in Philly on Wednesday. Oh, and the Wiz will be without their best player, Bradley Beal, who is nursing a sprained left wrist.
21. New York Knicks (24-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
On Monday, the Knicks snapped a three-game losing skid by beating the Sacramento Kings in MSG. Quentin Grimes chipped in 14 points off the bench in the victory and played very well on the defensive end. The rookie is averaging more than 24 minutes a night over New York's last four games, as he has secured a spot in coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation due to his impressive, all-around skill set.&nbsp;
22. Portland Trail Blazers (21-30)&nbsp;&harr;️ Last Week: 22
Larry Nance Jr. has been sidelined since Jan. 6 due to right knee inflammation, but head coach Chauncey Billups told reporters over the weekend that Nance "is progressing every day" and "getting better." However, Billups said there is still no firm timeline for Nance's return.&nbsp;
23. New Orleans Pelicans (18-32)&nbsp;&harr;️ Last Week: 23
Brandon Ingram has been sidelined five straight games due to a right ankle sprain, and the Pelicans have lost each of the last four contests he's missed. There is a possibility he returns to action Tuesday night when New Orleans travels to Detroit.&nbsp;
24. San Antonio Spurs (19-32) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
Despite playing without Derrick White (rest), Dejounte Murray (left knee contusion) and Jakob Poeltl (low back soreness) Sunday in Phoenix, the Spurs hung tough with the Suns. In fact, they had a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter before Phoenix sprinted past them at the finish. Murray has been playing at an incredibly high level this month, averaging 22.9 points, 10.1 assists and 9.4 rebounds over his previous 10 games.&nbsp;
25. Indiana Pacers (19-33) ⬇️ Last Week: 24
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Isaiah Jackson had 26 points and 10 rebounds in his first NBA start. It's so easy for him to be productive just by embracing rolling hard and playing above the rim. Important to note that he made a three too <a href="https://t.co/HOqDJ77DL7">pic.twitter.com/HOqDJ77DL7</a>
&mdash; Wilko (@wilkomcv) <a href="https://twitter.com/wilkomcv/status/1488372533673951235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Domantas Sabonis entered the COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Monday afternoon. However, the Pacers were still able to beat the Clippers that night, thanks mainly to a breakout performance from rookie Isaiah Jackson. With Goga Bitadze (foot) and Oshae Brissett (right ankle soreness) also sidelined, Jackson made his first career start and responded with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.
26. Sacramento Kings (18-34)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Kings have lost seven in a row, and Monday's loss to the Knicks in New York was their 12th straight defeat on the road. It's been two months since their last road victory, which came on Dec. 1. De'Aaron Fox (sore left ankle) has missed each of Sacramento's last four games, but head coach Alvin Gentry said Monday that Fox is "feeling much better" and is "not concerned" about the injury being a long-term issue.&nbsp;
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-34)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 29
Thunder fans got some bad news over the weekend when it was announced that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who suffered a right ankle sprain Friday against the Pacers, will be out at least through the All-Star Break.&nbsp;
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28. Detroit Pistons (12-37) &harr;️ Last Week: 28
Cade Cunningham missed all 10 of his field-goal attempts and was scoreless in the first half of Sunday's game vs. the Cavs. However, Cunningham put the Pistons on his back after halftime, scoring 19 points over the final two quarters to lead Detroit to an impressive victory over Cleveland. He finished the win with 10 rebounds, 10 assists (vs. just 2 turnovers) and 3 steals.
29. Orlando Magic (11-40) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
The Magic have won 3 of their last 4, with two of their most impressive victories of the season coming on successive Sundays (wins over the Bulls and Mavs). Franz Wagner poured in 18 points to help beat Dallas, including the clutch layup in the final minute. Over his last five games, Wagner is averaging 19.2 points and 4.0 assists while shooting a scorching 61.3% from the floor, 41.7% from downtown and 93.8% from the free-throw line
30. Houston Rockets (14-36) ⬇️ Last Week: 27
Christian Wood did his part, tallying 24 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block on Monday vs. Warriors, but it wasn't enough to knock off Golden State. The Rockets' loss to the Warriors was Houston's fourth consecutive defeat and their 11th in a row at home.
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Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Nuggets and 76ers on the come up, Nets sliding

Civil Rights attorney Lee Merritt discusses the power and influence the NBA has, and can continue to have &mdash; if the NBA continues using its platform, voices and resources to fight for justice.&nbsp;
Lee Merritt is one of the attorneys for Ahmaud Arbery&rsquo;s family &mdash; a 25-year-old black man who was murdered while on a run near Brunswick, in Glynn County, Georgia. A verdict of life imprisonment was just announced in the case, in which three men were convicted of murdering Arbery. While Lee Merritt is definitely relieved about the verdict, we discuss the long road ahead to achieve justice and equality for all. Merritt is running for attorney general in Texas and I would love to see the NBA duplicate what the WNBA did, when they threw their support behind Raphael Warnock, an Atlanta-area pastor who was running as a Democrat at the time for (and would eventually win) one of Georgia&rsquo;s seats in the U.S. Senate.&nbsp;
This was a great discussion.
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Etan Thomas: So this time last year, I interviewed a group of WNBA players, [including] Renee Montgomery and Elizabeth Williams, who both played for the Atlanta Dream at the time, [as well as] Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, Angel McCoughtry &mdash; and Eric Garner's daughter, Emerald. And <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wnba-nba-kelly-loeffler-atlanta-dream-renee-montgomery-elizabeth-williams-swin-cash-etan-thomas-activism-black-lives-matter-activist-movement-vote-warnock-shirts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we discussed what the WNBA did to galvanize support for Raphael Warnock, and ultimately get him in office and Kelly Loeffler out of office</a>. And it was really amazing. Because for one, Raphael Warnock was polling at 9% before the WNBA got involved. And he won &mdash; in Georgia, of all places.&nbsp;
So I want to see how we can galvanize the NBA to duplicate that with you, as you're running for attorney general in the state of Texas. So that's why I reached out to you to have this interview with you. I've been following you for a long time and I'm a big fan of the work that you do. And so, I'm going to send this interview to the NBA, to the <a href="https://www.thesocialchangefund.org">NBA Social Change Fund</a>.
Which, for those that aren't familiar, it was birthed out of the Bubble season. After the NBA players went on strike, after Jacob Blake was shot multiple times in broad daylight, in front of his children. The NBA Social Change Fund was formed by Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, and is aimed to support critical issues in the black community.
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So that's why after speaking to Allisa Charles-Findley, who is Botham Jean's sister &mdash; and I actually interviewed her for my new book, &ldquo;<a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/police-brutality-and-white-supremacy-the-fight-against-american-traditions/">Police Brutality and White Supremacy: The Fight Against American Traditions.</a>&rdquo;
She was one of the people I interviewed, along with Atatiana Jefferson's family, who I know that you work with as well &mdash; so we came up with the idea of conducting this interview with you, to try to galvanize that support from the NBA. Some people are like, "Alright, you usually do basketball stuff. Why are you interviewing a politician right now?" But that's the reason why. So thank you for taking this time.
Lee Merritt: "Sure, I really appreciate that. During most of my career, I've enjoyed the support of the National Basketball Association. I can recall in 2017, a young man named <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2018/08/29/jordan-edwards-made-the-case-against-roy-oliver-unlike-any-murder-trial-dallas-had-ever-seen/">Jordan Edwards </a>was slain in Balch Springs, Texas.&nbsp;
"It was in the middle of the NBA playoffs &mdash; and Steve Kerr, who had suffered family tragedy as well, identified with that family, reached out, invited them to the playoff games [and] got his brothers to take their mind off of it for a bit.
"I actually used to coach basketball myself. I was a coach down at South Atlanta High School. I coached Derrick Favors, I coached against Cousins and Walls* when they were high school students. And I enjoy a relationship with them today, continuing to give back to the community of Atlanta.
"And yeah, the names that you mentioned that you work with, Chris Paul has supported the work and the families I represent. Dwyane Wade and his wife, Gabrielle Union, [have] been major, major supporters over the course of my career.
"And, just as I transition away from representing one family at a time and start talking about representing larger groups of people and going towards policies, I certainly think the NBA can play a major role &mdash; in not only the success of the campaign, but championing some of those issues that we're fighting for on a case-by-case basis, and taking it to one of the biggest states in the country and really impacting national policy."
Etan: So, let me ask you to review some of the cases that you've worked with before, and the people that you've represented. We could start off with Ahmaud Arbery.
Merritt: "Sure. I came to represent the Ahmaud Arbery family before the video was released of his brutal slaying in South Georgia. Many [...] will recall that he was a South Georgia jogger. On February 23, 2020, he was targeted by three white men who have now been each <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/jury-reaches-verdict-ahmaud-arbery-death-case/story?id=81353504">convicted of murder</a>, and are facing life sentences in the state of Georgia, as well as federal hate crime charges.
"I've also represented... Unfortunately, the list of families that I've represented is quite extensive. I represent over 67 families who have suffered misuse of force, that lost a loved one, as a result of the deadliest police culture in the world. Some of the names that your viewers may have heard of.
"You mentioned [...] <a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article236198028.html">Atatiana Jefferson</a>.&nbsp;
"Of course, that case is ongoing. <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/death-innocent-man-timeline-wrong-apartment-murder-trial/story?id=65938727">Botham Jean</a>, who was an accountant eating a bowl of ice cream in his own apartment complex.&nbsp;
"<a href="https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-illinois-police-shooting-guard-20181112-story.html">Jemel Roberson</a> was a security guard in Chicago. Had just stopped a mass shooting, and was shot in the back by a police officer who must have mistook him for a gunman.&nbsp;
"<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/us/california-attorney-general-sean-monterrosa-shooting/index.html">Sean Monterrosa</a> in California.
"But the bulk of my work has been in Texas. I represent <a href="https://foxsanantonio.com/news/local/damian-daniels-family-responds-to-no-indictment-for-deputy-that-killed-him">Damian Daniels</a>, a veteran shot to death in his home.&nbsp;
"<a href="https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Family-of-woman-killed-by-Baytown-officer-13872709.php">Pamela Turner</a> in the Houston area.&nbsp;
"And like I said, we could probably spend the rest of this podcast going through the list of names."
Etan: Wow! So now you're running for attorney general in Texas. And for those that don't know, what exactly are the responsibilities of an attorney general?
Merritt: "The attorney general of Texas, and an attorney general in any state, is the legal voice for the people. They're supposed to serve as the spokesperson for what justice is in a municipality. And so we've seen it, in cases like Breonna Taylor, where we had a really bad attorney general interfere with accountability in that case, in the form of Daniel Cameron. We've seen the opposite end of that spectrum with Keith Ellison and the work that he's done in Minnesota. Prosecuting the officers responsible for the death of George Floyd and, most recently, Daunte Wright.
"But even beyond the criminal justice aspect, the attorney general&rsquo;s office, particularly in the state of Texas, impacts virtually every aspect of Texas life. So property taxes, school protection. And we've heard a lot recently in the news about the CRT [Critical Race Theory] scam, where they're trying to erase entire portions of our history in the name of not getting anyone upset.
"From the border crisis, to really economic empowerment in our schools. There's so many businesses that are attempting to get off the ground, but don't have access to the kind of governmental loans and support that our white counterparts do.
"All of those things run through the attorney general's office. It's a very, very influential office. More or less the second-in-command in the state of Texas."
Etan: Now, Ken Paxton, [is] who you would be running against, and who is the current attorney general &mdash; and has been since 2015. I want to talk about the stark differences between the two of you, because it's really night and day.
But I want to start off with this, because the Jan. 6 insurrection [anniversary] is upon us. And you know, I'm looking at him, looking at the footage, and I see him at a rally right before the insurrection, almost like leading the charge. Explain to me, let's start off with there, about the stark differences between you and Ken Paxton.
Merritt: "Well, there is a clear contrast. You know, Texas was in the national news because of [its] unique voter suppression laws. They passed some laws that would make it more difficult for the black and brown people in the state, people with disabilities and marginalized communities to vote.
"It was so upsetting that certain members of the Texas legislature left the state and went to DC &mdash; refused to participate in that session in order to fight for voting rights. Now, I was present with them. I thought that was a fight worth standing with people for, providing both legal advice and strategies, working with the labor community and others to take on voting issues in Texas.
"By contrast, the last sort of infamous trip of the attorney general, the current attorney general, to our nation's capital was on Jan. 6. And we don't know exactly what he did there, because he has not participated in an ongoing investigation in terms of his potential criminal liability for helping to incite a riot.
"But he was very publicly on camera, encouraging the soon-to-be riders and insurrectionists that the election was stolen, that they had a responsibility to fight. And he invoked the name of Texas when he did it. He said, "You all should fight, because Texans fight." And he laid out that he had fought to overturn the results of the free and fair election. And yeah, that's our top legal position in the state, advocating for the overthrow of our government."
---------------
We then went on to discuss particular differences between him and Ken Paxton such as his position on education, police reform, border, gun training before owning a gun, and we cleared up the misconceptions on CRT, being anti-police vs. anti-police brutality, Second Amendment rights, etc.
---------------
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Etan: So let's go to the NBA, and how important it is for the NBA to continue to promote, to continue to use their platforms, to be able to &mdash; I mean, this is the thing. It's important to do that part. But now we have to take it a step further.
And I think the NBA has been doing a great job of promoting, raising awareness. You saw it all especially during the Bubble season, after the entire country was promoting and demonstrating and protesting what happened with George Floyd, what happened with Breonna Taylor [and] Ahmaud Arbery.
You saw John Wall and Bradley Beal here in D.C. leading protests. You saw all the Ball brothers, you saw Russell Westbrook in L.A. You saw Jaylen Brown and Enes Kanter Freedom too, in Boston &mdash; of course everything that LeBron was always doing.
But now it's like, it needs to be a step further, like the next step. And I think that you, with what you are trying to implement in Texas as the attorney general, is that next step. Because you have to be able to have someone in place that's on the right side of wanting to be able to create something that functions properly. So just talk about that, how this is like the next step that should happen. Along with [...] raising awareness and protesting and everything like that.
Merritt: "Yeah. I can recall, we were in the middle of the NBA playoffs when Jacob Blake was repeatedly shot in his back by a Milwaukee police officer. And I was watching the game, and Chris Paul had just gone off, sort of a historic performance.
"And <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxcNbbyg0ZI">they interviewed him</a> right after the game. And they said, 'You know, Chris, you were playing...' I think he was playing his old team, the Houston Rockets. He was with the Oklahoma City Thunder [...], where Derrick Favors is currently.
"And they said, 'Tell us about this performance against your old team. You had a chance to really show them that you still got it.' And he said, 'Yeah, I don't really care about that. That's cool. And that's what I'm paid to do. But a law enforcement officer in my community has just shot someone in their back several times. He was unarmed and nonviolent. Let's talk about that.'
"I think it's on the players to stand up like Chris Paul did, and like you said, like people have done, in a systemic way across the National Basketball Association &mdash; where the pundits and the media might tell you, 'Could you just shut up and dribble.' We've heard that refrain before.
"It's important for the players to say, "No, actually I won't. This is my community. What's going on in our community, it's urgent. It's a crisis. It's not something that we want to put off for a later conversation or for the offseason. But where it happens, I'm going to stand up to it. And I will get involved in elections. And I will use my resources and time and attention to shine a light on these issues that must be addressed."
Etan: You know, it's interesting. In my book, &ldquo;<a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/we-matter-athletes-and-activism/">We Matter: Athletes and Activism</a>&rdquo; I interviewed Jahvaris Fulton, who is Trayvon Martin's brother. And in the interview, he told me how &mdash; and when he said this, it kind of threw me,&nbsp; because I didn't expect him to say it &mdash; he said that if it weren't for NBA players and celebrities and everybody like that, talking about his brother, he didn't think that anybody would know his name. And I was like, "Wow, that's kind of strong. Why do you say that?"
So then he explained to me how, when Trayvon Martin was first killed, his family was trying to get the local news people to cover it and they didn't want to cover it. They said, "Okay, another young black man was killed. That's not newsworthy."
And I was like, "That's what they told you?" He said, "Yeah," he was like, "We don't have no evidence. We don't have no video of it. Just your word saying that he [was] killed, that's not newsworthy." And he gave a shout-out to Roland Martin and some of the black news people, who were covering it. But he said, "But no local news people wanted to cover it."
So then he said, "But then, LeBron James started talking about it. And Dwyane Wade started talking about it. And then the entire Miami Heat team posed in the hoodies." So then he said, "So then you had everybody like, 'Okay, what is this that LeBron James is discussing? And why is Dwyane Wade feeling so passionate about this, and talking about his kids, and about this case?' Then everybody started to gravitate towards it and cover it and everything like that."
But he said [...] before, they couldn't get anybody to cover it. And that's just... It's unfortunate that it is that way, because people should have a regard for human life anyway, without an athlete having to speak about it. However, the athlete speaking about it is what drew the attention &mdash; and that just shows where athletes have to continue to do that, continue to use your voice and your platform to be able to speak to these causes.
And also to take it a step further by having laws being changed, and people who are in positions to fight for laws being changed, like [you are]. You know what I mean? And running for attorney general &mdash; [who] are in positions to actually implement some things so these things don't just continue to keep happening.
Merritt: "Yeah. I can remember in 2016, we saw two high-profile officer-involved shootings back-to-back, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. It was the same weekend, and it was almost like a dark cloud being hanged over impacted communities. And if you and I saw each other on the street, we would make eye contact and say, 'You know, man, this is becoming too much.'
"Dallas had a protest &mdash; I was living in Dallas at the time. And they had a protest downtown, where we marched and we discussed what happened, and started to talk about organizing police reform. And at the end of that protest, a vigilante named Micah Xavier Johnson, targeted law enforcement officers and shot five police officers and a couple of civilians as well. And you could imagine the national outcry about Black Lives Matter, and how they put law enforcement lives at risk.
"And everyone began to ignore the fact that people were there for protesting peacefully about police violence &mdash; that was back-to-back and overwhelming. And while it was a tragedy for our entire community that law enforcement officers were targeted by Mr. Johnson, there was also an ongoing crisis in our community, that was the reason that all those people had gathered and made targets of themselves.
"And it was Dwyane Wade. LeBron was still, I think, in 2016, with the Miami Heat. So it was Wade and LeBron who came forward at the ESPY Awards that weekend and re-centered the conversation. And said, 'That's terrible what happened in Dallas, and we back the blue. We stand for the law enforcement officers.'
&ldquo;But understand that our community is also under attack. And it's two sides of the same coin. We don't tolerate violence directed at law enforcement officers. And we cannot continue to tolerate violence directed at our community.
And it saved the national conversation so that we could get back to what had brought us all there in the first place. And so, yeah, members of the NBA have the opportunity, in [the] state of Texas, but [also] throughout the country, the voices of the NBA are critically important to that."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/violalogo1_lg.png" alt="" width="666" height="333" />

Etan Thomas is joined by Lee Merritt on "The Rematch" to discuss social justice and the NBA's role in societal change.

Lee Merritt: The NBA could impact public policy and elections

&ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is here to go over another fun slate in the NBA for Monday&rsquo;s action. This season, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is carrying a 160-125-3 record (56.1%). It&rsquo;s time to build upon some strong post-Thanksgiving momentum moving forward. Make sure to listen to &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; every single day on whatever your preferred streaming platform is!
As always, our odds are provided by TwinSpires Sportsbook and over/under power play prop bets are provided by PrizePicks.
It&rsquo;s hammering time!
<iframe src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=BNI5317814365" width="100%" height="200" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Philadelphia 76ers (-13.5) vs. Orlando Magic
Joel Embiid is finally back for Philadelphia, and he should be licking his chops for this matchup against Orlando. Also, Tyrese Maxey&rsquo;s emergence now gives the Sixers another reliable piece to the puzzle alongside Embiid. Even with the massive 13.5-point spread, I love Philadelphia in this spot to cover. Embiid should dominate inside, and Maxey and Tobias Harris hold advantages on the perimeter as well. Hammer Philadelphia and this fun power play prop bet on PrizePicks: Embiid over 23.5 points, Maxey over 16.5 points, Wendell Carter Jr. over 9 rebounds.
Miami Heat (-3.5) vs. Denver Nuggets
It&rsquo;s unfortunate we won&rsquo;t get the full experience of a potentially great battle due to injuries, which have run rampant on both sides. In South Beach, I&rsquo;m hammering Miami to win and cover the 3.5-point spread. Despite Nikola Jokic's return, Bam Adebayo should feast inside; plus, Miami&rsquo;s depth is just lightyears ahead of Denver. Tail me on Heat -3.5 and the following power play on PrizePicks: Adebayo over 19.5 points, Duncan Robinson over 11.5 points, Monte Morris over 4 assists.
Chicago Bulls (-4.5) vs. Charlotte Hornets
I&rsquo;m very much looking forward to this matchup tonight in the Windy City. The Hornets are one of my favorite teams to watch, plus I&rsquo;ve been investing stock all season long in Chicago. In this one, I&rsquo;m leaning toward the Bulls here because of their well-balanced attack on both sides of the court. If Charlotte is able to break through the Bulls&rsquo; defense, this could change. However, I have a hard time envisioning that scenario happening consistently, so let&rsquo;s ride with Bulls -4.5 and the following power play on PrizePicks: DeMar DeRozan over 24.5 points, Miles Bridges over 17.5 points, LaMelo Ball over 8 assists.
Minnesota Timberwolves (-2.5) vs. Indiana Pacers
I absolutely love Minnesota in this spot. Indiana is on the second night of a back-to-back, plus the Timberwolves&rsquo; scorers hold a serious advantage here. Expect Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards to put on a show, as the well-rested Timberwolves easily cover the 2.5-point spread and cruise to a big victory tonight over the Pacers. On PrizePicks, here&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m locking in for my power play: Towns over 21.5 points, Edwards over 21.5 points, Caris LeVert over 16.5 points, Domantas Sabonis over 15.5 points.
Houston Rockets (-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
It&rsquo;s incredible at this point how we keep making serious coin on Oklahoma City covering as the underdog. Why go away from it at this point, especially against the Rockets? Hammer the Thunder to cover and win outright on the road in Houston. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander propels OKC to another solid outing, which ends in an impressive victory in the Lone Star state. On PrizePicks, tail me on this fun power play: Gilgeous-Alexander over 19.5 points, Christian Wood over 18.5 points, Luguentz Dort over 16.5 points, Kevin Porter Jr. over 15.5 points.
Dallas Mavericks (-6.5) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
This is another spot here where I love the home team, thanks in large part to its dynamic inside-out duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. (Be on the lookout tomorrow for my longform feature with Porzingis on BasketballNews.com, who sat down for 10 minutes with yours truly recently on a variety of topics.) In the meantime, hammer Dallas to win and cover the 6.5-point spread. Even though Evan Mobley is back for Cleveland, it won&rsquo;t be enough against Luka&rsquo;s Mavericks. On PrizePicks, let&rsquo;s lock in this power play: Doncic over 25.5 points, Porzingis over 18.5 points, Darius Garland over 17.5 points, Mobley over 12.5 points.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Washington Wizards (-3)
This is a rare spot for San Antonio to be in because I&rsquo;m actually betting on the Spurs to cover and win outright at home tonight. Dejounte Murray continues to blossom before our eyes in the Spurs&rsquo; system, which definitely clears up any long-term confusion about his spot in their organization. Murray&rsquo;s all-around brilliance helps lead the Spurs to an impressive victory against the resurgent Wizards. On PrizePicks, this is a very realistic power play that could fall our way: Bradley Beal over 24 points, Jakob Poetl over 9.5 rebounds, Murray over 7.5 rebounds, Spencer Dinwiddie over 1.5 threes.
Utah Jazz (-7.5) vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Utah has had some disappointing moments, like when the team lost at home to the lowly Pelicans. But more often than not, they are very reliable from a gambling point of view. We&rsquo;re not going off our stance of tailing Utah, which happens again tonight at home against Portland. Until Damian Lillard finds any sort of consistency, it&rsquo;s hard to trust Portland right now. Rudy Gobert will also be a menace in the paint on drive attempts for the Trail Blazers. Lock in Utah -7.5, plus the following prop bet on PrizePicks: Lillard over 24.5 points, Donovan Mitchell over 23.5 points, CJ McCollum over 20.5 points, Bojan Bogdanovic over 2.5 threes.
Los Angeles Clippers (-7) vs. New Orleans Pelicans
It&rsquo;s never wise to bet on a team like New Orleans, especially with how the Pelicans have played so far this season. In Los Angeles, we are hammering with emphasis the Clippers to cover the 7-point spread as one of my best bets of Monday&rsquo;s slate. Paul George should feast against the Pelicans, plus Los Angeles&rsquo; depth is simply too much for a team like New Orleans. No question, I&rsquo;m hammering the Clippers -7 and the following power play no PrizePicks: George over 24.5 points, Brandon Ingram over 19.5 points, Jonas Valanciunas over 10.5 rebounds.
Recapping our picks against the spread for &ldquo;Nothing But Bets,&rdquo; here&rsquo;s what is being lock in for Monday&rsquo;s slate: Sixers -13.5, Heat -3.5, Bulls -4.5, Timberwolves -2.5, Thunder +2, Mavericks -6.5, Spurs +3, Jazz -7.5, Clippers -7.
All users that deposit and use the promo code NEWS on Prize Picks will receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100! <a href="https://app.prizepicks.com/sign-up?invite_code=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up here</a>.

Alongside our "Nothing But Bets" podcast on BasketballNews.com, our daily picks will be posted each day.

Nothing But Bets: NBA Projections for 11/29/21

The career arc of John Wall has made yet another turn. After being traded to the Houston Rockets last offseason for Russell Westbrook, Wall is now set to join his third team in as many seasons. According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania, Wall and the Rockets&rsquo; front office have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/john-wall-houston-rockets-mutually-agree-to-work-out-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed upon him being active in training camp, but sitting out games as they try to move him</a>. It's the logical next step in a massive tear-down rebuild, which was put into motion with the James Harden blockbuster eight months ago to this day.
Wall was the salary-filler needed to move Westbrook &mdash; who was a part of another star backcourt combination that didn&rsquo;t work out alongside Harden &mdash; but the former has also has served a pivotal role to the current version of Houston&rsquo;s roster. As the veteran on a tanking team, Wall embraced his leadership role to its full extent, being a guiding voice for young prospects. Wall averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals last season in Houston.
However, following unfortunate injury luck related to a torn Achilles tendon, Wall simply doesn&rsquo;t look the same as he did in his prime years being the face of the Washington Wizards franchise. For years, Wall was the most electric point guard in the Association thanks to his quickness and explosiveness towards the basket. At 31 years old, Wall's performances have taken a dip from an average efficiency mark to an abysmal one. Wall shot a career-low 40.4%, including a 50.3% True Shooting percentage clip &mdash; the worst since his rookie campaign in 2010-11.
Wall just doesn&rsquo;t fit the timeline for the Rockets, who are ready to embrace their youth movement head-on. No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green headlines an enticing core of prospects in Houston. Alongside Green, Kevin Porter Jr. will help <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">form an entertaining backcourt</a> filled to the brim with hot creation ability. Rookies Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba will join Jae'Sean Tate to make up a promising trio of bigs. First-year swingman Josh Christopher and Kenyon Martin Jr. also add their fun mix to the wing rotation.&nbsp;
Wall will still be around the team until a deal happens (if that ever comes to pass with the negative value associated with his remaining $91.7 million through 2022-23). Being a valuable mentor for Green and Porter will only be a positive for Houston&rsquo;s long-term outcome, and learning from a dynamic point guard like Wall certainly helps the future outlook for not only Green, but also Porter.
This could become a new trend for players on good terms with their organizations, only when it&rsquo;s apparently obvious a deal is best for both sides. Kevin Love&rsquo;s situation in Cleveland could be the next Wall-like story to surface in the NBA rumor mill soon enough.
But who would be interested in taking on Wall&rsquo;s contract? Houston would have to surrender some draft capital, being the immediate &ldquo;losers&rdquo; of the trade. When canvassing the landscape, very few fits bubble to the surface. However, there&rsquo;s a small possibility for the following three organizations.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Any time a player with a bad contract becomes available, Oklahoma City is No. 1 on any potential destination. The Thunder are not being shy about their intentions over the next few years &mdash; stockpile as many draft picks as possible to take swings on high upside prospects to build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Acquiring Wall would be an interesting move for a Thunder team who just invested heavy draft capital in the backcourt (Josh Giddey, Tre Mann), but we can never rule them out in a scenario like this. If Houston offers any future draft compensation to general manager Sam Presti, he would bite.
Wall would form a fun backcourt alongside SGA while also serving in the mentor role he just exited in Houston. If Wall were to rebuild his value for a year with the Thunder, Presti would be able to potentially receive some positive value in return next offseason.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: John Wall, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Derrick Favors, Isaiah Roby or Gabriel Deck
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Dallas has been in the market for a point guard. Whether it be Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry or Spencer Dinwiddie, the Mavs have sniffed around adding another ball-handler who could take pressure off Luka Doncic. Wall isn&rsquo;t the perfect fit next to Dallas&rsquo; young phenom &mdash; who&rsquo;s an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mvp-odds-analyzing-the-top-5-candidates-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MVP favorite entering his fourth season</a> &mdash; but they could make it work. Wall allows Doncic to play more off-ball, and the veteran can cut to the basket and attack off signature Luka dimes.
In order to make the salaries work, Kristaps Porzingis would be heading to Houston or another team who gets involved. Porzingis hasn&rsquo;t been the No. 2 option Dallas had hoped for when they went all-in on him a few years ago. This would certainly be one way to shake things up entirely for the Mavs. A potential starting lineup of Doncic, Wall, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell with Reggie Bullock as the sixth man is a fun thought.
Dallas Mavericks receive: John Wall, Usman Garuba or Alperen Sengun, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Brown, Willie Cauley-Stein
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
This is where it gets super wacky in terms of hypothetical Wall trades. Currently, Wall&rsquo;s fit with the Spurs makes no sense. However, what about a convoluted four-team trade featuring the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns as well?
Here&rsquo;s the entire framework of a crazy four-teamer I spitballed in my head:
Houston Rockets receive: Ben Simmons, Isaiah Joe, Daquan Jeffries
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Jakob Poetl, Al-Farouq Aminu, multiple future first-round picks
Phoenix Suns receive: Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks
San Antonio Spurs receive: John Wall, Dario Saric, Jalen Smith, Paul Reed
That&rsquo;s the only way I could ever fathom Wall entering San Antonio&rsquo;s odd attempt of trying to thread the needle with competing and tanking simultaneously. With a young combination of guards spearheading their core, the Spurs are on pace to be a top-five team in lottery odds at the end of next season. Also, Simmons landing in Houston to lead its young core is a somewhat unrealistic, insane thought to have as well.
As you can see, there will likely not be many takers on Wall. It will be very interesting to see how this all unfolds for Wall and the Rockets.
Are we looking at an imminent deal for Wall, or one that lasts all the way until the NBA trade deadline in February?

When canvassing the NBA landscape, does any team make sense for John Wall? Evan Sidery looks at possible landing spots.

Examining potential trade destinations for John Wall

For the first time in decades, the San Antonio Spurs are in a spot to do the unthinkable within their organizational history: Tank.
Missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons, which has never happened in the franchise&rsquo;s 54 years in the NBA, San Antonio has the opportunity to hit the full reset button during the 2021-22 campaign.
After LaMarcus Aldridge was bought out midseason, and with DeMar DeRozan hitting unrestricted free agency with a very slim chance of re-signing, San Antonio&rsquo;s roster is filled to the brim with young players. Add in veterans Patty Mills and Rudy Gay hitting the open market, and there&rsquo;s a real chance that 27-year-old combo guard Derrick White will be the Spurs&rsquo; oldest player throughout next season. So in an absolutely loaded Western Conference where potentially 11 or 12 teams have realistic shots of making the playoffs, San Antonio would be wise to embrace the tank completely.
The cupboard is not completely barren in The Alamo, though.
White and Dejounte Murray are great complements to one another in the backcourt, both averaging over 15 points per game last season. Keldon Johnson is beginning to emerge as an underrated two-way wing, and his confidence will only grow after being on Team USA in the Olympics. Devin Vassell, San Antonio&rsquo;s No. 11 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has the potential to become another two-way wing with high-end potential flanking Johnson.
Jakob Poeltl, who was acquired alongside DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard trade, is a throwback big who can anchor a defense. Bouncy wing Lonnie Walker and stretch big Luka Samanic are other young prospects off the Spurs' bench who could emerge with more playing time and bigger roles next season.m
Altogether, that&rsquo;s an impressive collection of talent with the ability to grow together under Gregg Popovich, and it also doesn&rsquo;t include the Spurs&rsquo; upcoming No. 12 pick in Thursday&rsquo;s draft.
&ldquo;I wouldn't say [there&rsquo;s] pressure. You just want to go out there and compete,&rdquo; White&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com's Spencer Davies in an interview this past May</a> about the changing of the guard. &ldquo;You're aware of the history and all that, but just going out there, competing, playing the game you love. San Antonio fans are great, so you want to do well for them... I mean, basketball as a whole is changing, so you kinda have to change with the times, and we're no different. So it's just exciting that this is the way that basketball is going. It's been entertaining and it's fun to play.
&ldquo;I'm just blessed to be a part of this organization. You kinda see the day-to-day, what goes into it. Just their great history, going back from '99 to where we are now. So I'm thankful to be a part of this organization and learning from Coach Pop, probably the greatest coach of all-time. So, it's been great.&rdquo;
Shown in the advanced metrics as well, there&rsquo;s promise in the long-term for San Antonio. The Murray, White and Johnson trio a.k.a. "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 29 Boys</a>" &mdash; arguably the three most important pieces of the next great Spurs team &mdash; carried a positive net rating (+0.5 in 532 minutes) on the court last season. With that foundation in place for multiple years, all that&rsquo;s missing for the Spurs is a true star. Murray, White and Johnson are solid starters, but not ones that will wow you, nor can you build an entire organizational plan around.
Five-star recruit Chet Holmgren, who committed to Gonzaga, is the odds-on favorite to become the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Let&rsquo;s say Holmgren lands in San Antonio, inserting his tantalizing modern two-way ability for a big man alongside Murray, White and Johnson. The trajectory would completely change for an organization that seems to be stuck in no man&rsquo;s land at the moment.
The smart play for the Spurs is to finally go in the direction they&rsquo;ve avoided throughout their history. It&rsquo;s a tough pill to swallow, but it needs to be done. Gregg Popovich is 72 years old and wants to field an immediate contender, but there needs to be a realistic outlook on where the roster currently sits.
Over the last 30-plus years, the Spurs landed the No. 1 pick twice. Those prospects were David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997). Championships soon followed once those foundational moves occurred in San Antonio.
Entering a crucial rebuilding season for their young core, San Antonio must realize the next Robinson or Duncan is needed to vault the organization back to where it belongs as a consistent playoff threat and NBA Finals contender.

For the first time in a long time, the Spurs could hit the reset button. Evan Sidery explains why that would be a wise move.

As vets depart, the time has come for the Spurs to embrace a rebuild

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; The Houston Rockets say that guard Sterling Brown was assaulted by unknown individuals after the team arrived in Miami late Sunday night, suffering cuts to his face.
Brown was not playing Monday against the Heat, though the team said that was because of a recent knee injury that has kept him out for a total of five games and not the altercation.
&ldquo;Last night, Sterling Brown was the victim of an assault,&rdquo; the Rockets announced in a statement issued Monday evening. &ldquo;He had no prior knowledge of or interaction with the assailants. He suffered facial lacerations but will make a full recovery.&rdquo;
The team did not divulge any other details. It was not immediately known if any incident reports were filed with police.
Brown sued officials in Milwaukee after getting taken to the ground, shocked with a Taser and arrested during an encounter surrounding a parking violation with police in 2018, contending in that lawsuit that police used excessive force and targeted him because he is Black.
Brown illegally parked in a disabled spot outside a store and was talking with a group of officers while waiting for his citation when the situation escalated. He did not immediately remove his hands from his pockets, as ordered, and officers used a stun gun. Brown and the city agreed on a settlement where he would receive $750,000 plus an admission from the city that his civil rights were violated was agreed to last November.
Brown was among a small group of NBA players invited to the Vatican last fall to speak with Pope Francis, who hailed them as &ldquo;champions&rdquo; for social justice. Brown told the pope about what he and the Milwaukee Bucks went through in the NBA&rsquo;s restart bubble &mdash; particularly when they decided to sit out a playoff game against Orlando in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Rockets coach Stephen Silas said he spoke with Brown on Monday and was relieved that he would be fine.
&ldquo;Heart-wrenching. Rips your heart out,&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s one of your guys, someone on your team that you care about, someone that you&rsquo;re with every day. As far as how I&rsquo;m feeling and how the team is feeling, we&rsquo;re all just thankful, No. 1, that he&rsquo;s going to be OK &mdash; and also down about what happened.&rdquo;
Brown is averaging a career-best 8.2 points this season, his fourth in the NBA and first with the Rockets. He spent his first three NBA seasons with Milwaukee.

The Rockets say that Sterling Brown was assaulted by unknown individuals in Miami late Sunday night, suffering cuts to his face.

Rockets say Sterling Brown was attacked, injured in Miami

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for April 15, 2021.
Air Luka
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LukaLogo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LukaLogo</a> <a href="https://t.co/eRY0JlSwNl">pic.twitter.com/eRY0JlSwNl</a>
&mdash; Patrik &copy; (@PatrikEngineer) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrikEngineer/status/1382558141234225153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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If it works, it works. Unfortunately for the Memphis Grizzlies, it did, in fact, work.
I&rsquo;m Lovin&rsquo; It
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I thought mcdonalds just made a fancy new nuggies box but it actually turns into a basketball hoop for the dip?!?! put me in coach <a href="https://t.co/0e79ilrYM1">pic.twitter.com/0e79ilrYM1</a>
&mdash; The Karaage Kid (@thedavetamayo) <a href="https://twitter.com/thedavetamayo/status/1382489455869751299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Today, I will go to McDonald&rsquo;s and order 20 nuggets to see if this is true. It will be tough, but I&rsquo;m doing it for you guys.
San Antonio Sprouts
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I accidentally called them the sprouts instead of the spurs and wow wouldn&rsquo;t that be cute tho?
&mdash; m (@maljane) <a href="https://twitter.com/maljane/status/1382492468483080194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Being that this is the youngest team Gregg Popovich has ever coached during his time with the Spurs, the Sprouts is actually a very fitting nickname.
Bigger Than Basketball
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It&rsquo;s not every day you get to meet the basketball pro you play on NBA 2K, but <a href="https://twitter.com/Klow7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KLow7</a> made it happen for our patients yesterday with a virtual visit on a telepresence robot that he controlled from his end. Jakobe &amp; his family were so excited to get to chat with the <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Raptors</a> guard! <a href="https://t.co/M3rN3jC8uF">pic.twitter.com/M3rN3jC8uF</a>
&mdash; Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital (@AllChildrens) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllChildrens/status/1382061093867110401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Kyle Lowry may have missed the last two games for rest, but his time off was impactful in a completely different way. We are thinking of you and rooting for you, Jakobe! (Just like you root for Kyle).
Baby On Boards
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My son is 24 days old and has already grown out of several 3 month outfits. That NBA rookie deal is going to be sweet.
&mdash; Matt Shantz (@m_shantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/m_shantz/status/1382337526547943431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Congratulations to Matt and his wife on the birth of their son, Tobias. May his first step be a euro.
Support System
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Find someone who loves you as much as THJ after Luka game winners <a href="https://t.co/aVbt6o7RDf">pic.twitter.com/aVbt6o7RDf</a>
&mdash; Brian (@pdx_mavs) <a href="https://twitter.com/pdx_mavs/status/1382553028125888524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Getting in on the ground floor of a player destined for superstardom is a surefire way to ensure you never get traded. Genius.
The Laugh&trade;
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Kawhi Leonard enjoying himself on the bench 🤣<a href="https://t.co/IJsd51qMQx">pic.twitter.com/IJsd51qMQx</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1382502472124551171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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We need to know what made Kawhi Leonard break character and laugh hysterically. Especially when you pay attention to Rondo, PG, and Boogie on the second (or third, fourth, 57th) watch and realize that they are not laughing nearly as hard as Leonard, or even at all. I demand answers.

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Laughing Out Loud

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Behind the scenes of NBA Countdown: Chemistry and striking a balance

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry&rsquo;s tireless work off the basketball court campaigning for social justice, supporting women&rsquo;s causes and even interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci about the coronavirus pandemic is drawing acclaim from civil rights leaders.
The NAACP has given him its Jackie Robinson Sports Award. And, for the first time, the nation&rsquo;s oldest civil rights organization is recognizing more than one person by honoring the WNBA Players Association.
&ldquo;This award is truly a humbling and honoring experience. It kind of came by surprise in terms of when you do things in the community and speak on things you believe, it&rsquo;s about the collective effort, not just myself but everybody who is around me in terms of accountability to change,&rdquo; Curry said in remarks provided to The Associated Press by a team spokesman. Curry was unavailable for a formal interview while resting a tailbone injury suffered Wednesday night in Houston.
&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t really do it for the acknowledgment, it&rsquo;s more so about the work that you&rsquo;re doing, that this is a great opportunity to continue to speak on things that are important and honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson and what he stood for and the change he was able to create and the barriers he was able to break and to continue these conversations,&rdquo; Curry added. &ldquo;So I&rsquo;m appreciative of the acknowledgment, the honor and if it gives more inspiration and energy to keep changing things in terms of what needs to happen for the Black community across the country then I&rsquo;m all about it.&rdquo;
The 33-year-old Curry, Golden State&rsquo;s two-time NBA MVP, held a YouTube question-and-answer forum with Fauci last March near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
&ldquo;I would borrow a Maya Angelou quote to describe Steph and his leadership: &lsquo;I&rsquo;ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,&rsquo;&rdquo; Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in an email.
&ldquo;Steph has certainly made people in the Bay Area and all over the world feel joy. His commitment to social activism and support of women are another part of the fabric that makes up the person that he is. I&rsquo;m honored to know him for what he does both on and off the court,&rdquo; Myers added. &ldquo;And a much deserved congratulations to the women of the WNBA who continue to fearlessly pursue what is right.&rdquo;
The Jackie Robinson award &mdash; named for the late Dodgers great who broke baseball&rsquo;s racial barrier &mdash; recognizes athletes for their success as well as their commitment to social justice, civil rights and their communities.
&ldquo;He has a strong platform and he utilizes it to the best of his ability,&rdquo; said Curry&rsquo;s teammate, Kelly Oubre Jr. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a great individual.&rdquo;
The WNBA players have been applauded for their activism in a unified movement that has featured kneeling for the national anthem, messages supporting Black Lives Matter and protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake in August by following the Bucks&rsquo; lead in not playing.
&ldquo;I am so proud of the WNBA players for this well-deserved recognition of their continued activism and advocacy for social justice and equality,&rdquo; WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement provided to the AP. &ldquo;Their platforms are bigger than basketball, and they are amazing role models for the next generation of athletes and leaders. The WNBA Social Justice Council continues their important work and you can definitely &lsquo;Count&rsquo; on more to come from the players.&rdquo;
WNBA players also notably called out former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a Republican and former co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, for her criticism of the league&rsquo;s social justice efforts.
Curry, too, applauded the women for their efforts.
&ldquo;The acknowledgement of the WNBA and what they&rsquo;ve stood for and how they&rsquo;ve used their platform to be bold and courageous and speak for change at every opportunity, that acknowledgement is very much deserved,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;They are game-changers and leaders in terms of using their collective voice and impact on and off the court, so a shoutout to them and all that they&rsquo;ve done and are continuing to do in terms of leadership and using their voice.&rdquo;
Some WNBA players sported T-shirts reading &ldquo;Vote Warnock&rdquo; in support of Atlanta pastor Raphael Warnock, a Democrat who defeated Loeffler in a runoff race in January. Warnock became Georgia&rsquo;s first African American senator.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, outspoken on many issues himself, admires the WNBA players for their activism.
&ldquo;I love what the WNBA players have done. They&rsquo;ve really taken the lead with creativity and unity in a lot of important causes, political causes but social injustice issues,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve made their voices heard. They&rsquo;ve done it very creatively and powerfully.&rdquo;
The awards are to be presented during next week&rsquo;s NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience.
LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Jim Brown, The Harlem Globetrotters, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Sugar Ray Leonard, Eddie Robinson are among prior recipients.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports