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76ers

The Oklahoma City Thunder has made NBA history this season, becoming the first team to open 7-0 with an average winning margin exceeding 10 points. This impressive start has been fueled by a groundbreaking defensive strategy: an innovative 5-guard lineup. This approach prioritizes speed, versatility, and relentless switching, allowing the team to disrupt opponents in ways that go against traditional defensive methods.
One key factor in OKC&rsquo;s early dominance has been their exceptional play in the fourth quarter. The Thunder are not just building leads; they&rsquo;re closing games in commanding fashion. Across their seven wins, they&rsquo;ve consistently outperformed their opponents in the final period. In several games, they&rsquo;ve maintained or extended leads in the fourth quarter with clutch defensive plays and quick scoring bursts. 
For instance, in a recent victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Thunder outscored their opponents by 21 points in the final quarter, sealing a 128-104 win. This ability to finish games has allowed OKC to consistently earn their double-digit margins of victory.
The defensive intensity ramps up at times in game, as the Thunder bring their unique 5-guard defensive setup into high gear, forcing turnovers and pushing the pace, leaving little room for opponents to make a comeback.
The foundation of OKC's success lies in their creative defensive scheme, where size is replaced with speed and agility. The 5-guard defense allows the Thunder to switch on nearly every play, minimizing mismatches that often arise from pick-and-rolls. Without traditional big men occupying the paint, the Thunder focus on positioning, quick rotations, and high basketball IQ. Alex Caruso, known for his defensive prowess, plays a key role as a perimeter stopper, using his length and quick hands to disrupt opposing offenses.&nbsp;
Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams also thrive in this system, as they both possess long wingspans and the ability to guard multiple positions. Williams is particularly effective at disrupting passing lanes and using his quickness to stay in front of ball handlers. Aaron Wiggins, another versatile guard, rounds out the lineup, providing both perimeter defense and additional length. Together, these four guards, along with the defensive-minded Lu Dort and superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, create a defensive wall that is difficult to penetrate, especially in transition.
OKC&rsquo;s defense isn&rsquo;t just about stopping opponents&mdash;it&rsquo;s about creating offense from their defensive stops. The Thunder are among the league leaders in fast-break points, capitalizing on turnovers to get out on the break before defenses can set. With players like Gilgeous-Alexander, Caruso, and Wallace leading the charge, the Thunder can push the ball upcourt quickly and attack before opposing teams can recover. This high-speed transition game has been a critical factor in their 10+ point average margin of victory, as they use turnovers and missed shots to fuel easy scoring opportunities.
The ability to turn defense into offense has allowed OKC to put pressure on opposing teams throughout the game, not just when the score is close. Their quick strikes in transition often lead to open 3-pointers or alley-oops, and their ball movement creates wide-open looks on the perimeter.
Furthermore, the Thunder&rsquo;s guards play with an aggressive edge that allows them to make up for any potential rebounding shortcomings, often by crashing the boards as a unit and using their length to block or alter shots.
Of course, one of the biggest reasons for the Thunder&rsquo;s impressive defense to start the season is because of Chet Holmgren. The second-year player has provided rim protection, currently averaging 3 a game. His quickness and high defensive IQ allow OKC to disrupt offensive schemes, as well as his well-timed rotations to close out on shooters and contest shots in the paint.
The Thunder&rsquo;s defensive scheme is only going to get stronger with the eventual return of Isaiah Hartenstein. Although he has yet to play this season due to an injury, Hartenstein&rsquo;s presence in the paint will give the Thunder another body at center, which adds vital depth to the team&rsquo;s frontcourt. His size, rebounding ability, and shot-blocking will provide a crucial safety net for the Thunder&rsquo;s defense. 
Once he is cleared to play, Hartenstein will be able to contribute both in the post and in helping to protect the rim, giving OKC more flexibility in how they approach matchups with larger lineups. His return will bolster an already strong defense and add another dimension to their overall game plan, with two-big lineups with Holmgren already being schemed upon.

The Thunder has made NBA history this season with their defense and this has been fueled by an innovative 5-guard defensive lineup.

OKC Thunder’s defense powers historic 7-0 start

Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis are already one of the best big men in the league with the variety of skills they offer on the basketball court. Both bigs are considered top 5 in the position by being the best of the best defensively along with a deep offensive bag. However, if there was one hole in their games that both needed to fill up, it is their three-point shooting.&nbsp;
Both Adebayo and Davis have demonstrated their shooting forms and technical abilities, suggesting they could excel as 3-point shooters. However, neither has historically attempted threes as often as their talent might allow. Now, entering the 2024-25 season, both stars are increasing their 3-point volume as seen in the preseason, and this shift could be the key to elevating their teams to new heights.
Bam Adebayo&rsquo;s ability to impact a game is undeniable. He is one of the best defenders in the league, being known for his defensive versatility and ability to guard all five positions. Adebayo brings value to the Heat with his offensive playmaking from the center position, and over the years he has been the main engine of Miami&rsquo;s offense. But what he&rsquo;s rarely done is consistently shoot from deep. In the 2023-24 NBA season, Adebayo averaged just 0.6 3-point attempts per game, preferring to stick to his mid-range game and finish inside.
However, Adebayo&rsquo;s shooting took a noticeable step forward during the 2024 Olympics, where he averaged 1.5 attempts per game from beyond the arc for Team USA. His confidence seemed to soar after the tournament, and that momentum has carried into the 2024-25 preseason, where he&rsquo;s now taking 3.3 3-point attempts per game.
This increase in volume shows that Adebayo is ready to fully integrate the 3-point shot into his game, something he&rsquo;s always been capable of given his shooting form. With his smooth mechanics and growing confidence, Adebayo&rsquo;s expanded range could be the key to unlocking the Miami Heat&rsquo;s full offensive potential.
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BAM-ing it from downtown 🎯 Bam Adebayo has significantly upped his 3-point attempts from last season to this preseason 😲 2023-24 season ➡️ 0.6 2024 Paris Olympics ➡️ 1.5 2024-25 Preseason ➡️ 3.3 Stretch Bam incoming? 👀 (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/statmuse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@statmuse</a>) <a href="https://t.co/OxX6yP8v72">pic.twitter.com/OxX6yP8v72</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1846751205386780929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a>
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Similar to Adebayo, Anthony Davis has always had the ability to shoot from deep but hasn&rsquo;t consistently utilized it. Davis proved his 3-point prowess throughout the younger years of his career&mdash;but most notably during the 2019-20 season when he helped lead the Lakers to a championship by shooting 33% from beyond the arc. However, injuries and shifting roles have seen Davis shy away from shooting threes in recent seasons.
In the 2023-24 campaign, Davis averaged just 1.4 3-point attempts per game, a sharp drop from the 3.5 attempts he averaged during that 2020 title run. Like Adebayo, Davis has the form and touch to be a consistent 3-point threat but hasn&rsquo;t taken as many shots from deep as he&rsquo;s capable of.
For the Lakers, a healthy and confident Anthony Davis shooting more threes could be a game-changer. His ability to stretch the floor would open up the lane for LeBron James and the Lakers&rsquo; slashing guards, creating a more dynamic and less predictable offense. If Davis can regain his 3-point shooting form from his championship run, the Lakers will be far more difficult to defend.
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4 THREES FOR AD IN THE FIRST QUARTER 😱<a href="https://t.co/8PxKpnr4ZQ">pic.twitter.com/8PxKpnr4ZQ</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1847103115394535893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2024</a>
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<h3>Why Does Adebayo and Davis Increasing Their 3-Point Attempts Matter?</h3>
<ol>
<li> Floor Spacing and Offensive Flexibility Both Adebayo and Davis shooting more threes could radically improve their respective teams' floor spacing. For Miami, Adebayo&rsquo;s ability to pull opposing big men out to the perimeter will open up driving lanes for Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, giving the Heat more room to operate. For the Lakers, Davis stretching the defense would allow LeBron to work in a more open paint, while also freeing up shooters like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.</li>
<li> Deeper Pick-and-Pop Potential Adebayo and Davis could both become elite pick-and-pop players. Their ability to shoot from mid-range has already made them dangerous in these situations, but adding 3-point range would make them even more difficult to guard. Forcing defenders to decide between contesting their shot or stopping a drive could lead to easy points for their teams.</li>
<li> Defensive Dilemmas for Opponents With both big men capable of hitting threes, opposing defenses will be forced to make tough choices. Typically, teams like to sag off big men who are stationed at the perimeter, allowing them to pack the paint. However, if Adebayo and Davis can hit threes at a consistent rate, defenses will be stretched thin, making it harder to defend both the perimeter and the paint effectively.</li>
</ol>
It&rsquo;s important to note that neither Adebayo nor Davis are bad three point shooters. Both have had excellent shooting forms since early in their careers, but for various reasons&mdash;be it team strategy or personal preference&mdash;they haven&rsquo;t leaned heavily into their perimeter game and added it to their shot diets. Adebayo&rsquo;s shooting mechanics are smooth, and Davis has long been recognized for his soft touch from deep.
The difference now is volume and confidence. Both players have shown they can make threes, and now, with their respective teams needing more floor spacing and offensive versatility, the time is right for them to fully embrace their perimeter games.
While the increased 3-point attempts from Adebayo and Davis are promising, consistency here will be the major factor. Both players will need to prove that they can not only take more threes but also hit them at an efficient rate throughout the long NBA season. Shooting in the preseason or during international competition is one thing; doing so under the pressure of regular-season games and in the playoffs is another.
There&rsquo;s also the question of how this shift in offensive focus will affect their defensive roles. Both Adebayo and Davis are the anchors of their teams&rsquo; defenses, often patrolling the paint and protecting the rim. If they spend more time on the perimeter, it could pull them away from their defensive responsibilities, potentially impacting their teams on that end of the floor. They could also potentially exert more energy on offense when taking these types of shots, and could affect their games on the other end of the floor.
If Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis can fully integrate the 3-point shot into their games, the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers could be looking at major improvements in their offensive efficiency and flexibility. For Miami, Adebayo&rsquo;s ability to space the floor and create more room for Butler and Herro could make them a more dangerous and unpredictable team. For the Lakers, Davis hitting threes at a consistent rate would allow LeBron and the rest of the roster to play more freely and dynamically.
Both players have always had the skill to shoot from deep, but this season may finally be the year where they embrace it fully. And if they do, the Heat and Lakers could be poised for deep playoff runs, with their star big men leading the charge in this new era of positionless basketball.

Bam and AD are increasing their 3-point volume and this shift could be a key to elevating their teams to new heights.

Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis shooting more threes should elevate Heat, Lakers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard will be out indefinitely to start the brand new NBA season to continue rehabilitating his right knee, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.&nbsp;
Clippers head coach Ty Lue confirmed the development to Charania on Thursday night. According to the report, both the Clippers and Leonard are in the midst of a rehab process for the two-time NBA Finals MVP that is aimed at bringing sustainability for him on the court through the season.&nbsp;
ANALYSIS: Leonard notably did not play in Team USA&rsquo;s Olympic run in Paris due to the same knee issue and rehabilitation. Leonard already participated in Team USA&rsquo;s practices in Las Vegas but was pulled out of the lineup days before they were slated to fly to Abu Dhabi for Team USA&rsquo;s Basketball Showcase.
Now, the same injury and knee rehabilitation will force Leonard to be out for the foreseeable future in his mother club Clippers.&nbsp;
(Check out Kawhi's full injury history here over the years)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kawhi Leonard will begin his 14th NBA season sidelined indefinitely as he continues rehabbing from right knee inflammation, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a>. This is the same injury that forced Leonard to miss most of the 2024 playoffs, limiting him to just two games in the&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/ZwXOo8AgVM">pic.twitter.com/ZwXOo8AgVM</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1847074395766116577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The other LA ball club, which recently opened their new state-of-the-art arena Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, will ensure that Leonard will be in tip-top shape and ready to play at 100% as they enter a new era of Clippers basketball. Leonard&rsquo;s long term partner of 5 years Paul George left in the offseason to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Leonard to fend off the entirety of the LAC franchise by himself.
The 33-year-old Leonard did not play in any of the Clippers&rsquo; preseason games this year nor did he participate in any activity involving on-court contact during training camp.
In Leonard&rsquo;s absence, 34-year-old James Harden will try to carry the load for the Clippers alongside mainstays Ivica Zubac, Terrance Mann, and Norman Powell.&nbsp;
The Clippers open their NBA season on October 23 against the Phoenix Suns in what would be the first regular season game in their new home Intuit Dome.

Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard will be out indefinitely to start season to continue rehabilitating his right knee.

Kawhi Leonard suffers another setback, out indefinitely to start 2024-2025 NBA season

The New York Knicks survived the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA preseason games 115-110 Monday night at the Madison Square Garden in New York.&nbsp;
The game marked the first time the two teams faced each other following their blockbuster trade two weeks ago. Minnesota notably sent former franchise player and star Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a future 1st round pick.&nbsp;
The Knicks cruised to their third straight win in the preseason with Towns leading the way, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds in 29 minutes against his former team. Towns and close friend Anthony Edwards shared some cool and funny moments in the game, laughing and pointing at each other.&nbsp;
Edwards finished with 31 points with an impressive 8-13 shooting from three in Minnesota&rsquo;s loss. This was a strong effort for the young star following his productive summer playing for Team USA in the Olympics and he&rsquo;s off to a great start this season.
Randle was not yet able to make his debut for the Timberwolves in the preseason but he has been ramping up and will play in Minnesota&rsquo;s next game against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo on the other hand, continued his strong preseason play with 15 points and 7 assists. He has developed a nice chemistry with Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards and is one of the main reasons for Minnesota trading away their franchise cornerstone. DiVincenzo figures to be a rotation player for the Timberwolves from the get-go and should have some starter minutes in place of aging Mike Conley.&nbsp;

The New York Knicks survived the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA preseason games 115-110 Monday night.

Knicks outlast Timberwolves in first meeting since blockbuster trade

The success of men&rsquo;s basketball in the 2024 Olympics has opened the eyes of many fans to the fact that there are great teams and players across the planet. While Team USA swept to the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/team-usa-defeat-hosts-france-to-claim-olympic-gold-medal">gold medal</a> with a win over France in the final, maybe you were impressed by some of the tournament&rsquo;s best non-NBA players and wondered whether they might end up in the American league.
<h2>Willy Hernangomez - Spain</h2>
&nbsp;
At 7-foot tall, this center is an imposing physical presence in the Spanish team. He broke through at Real Madrid and joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015 NBA draft before being traded to the New York Knicks. His time playing at Madison Square Garden appeared to start well and was Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month early in his career as he led rebounding for newcomers to the league. He ended his first season in the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Willy then bounced around a few American teams without realizing his obvious potential. In 2023, he signed a three-year deal with Spanish team FC Barcelona. He was recently reported to be dissatisfied with his role at Barcelona and will have been disappointed that the highly-rated Spanish team dropped out of the Olympics in the qualifying round. Will Willy return to the NBA at some point? After seven years in the American league, he stated that he was happy with the <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-197125-willy-hernangomez-havent-felt-this-much-support-in-all-my-years-in-nba.html">support he received</a> on his return to Spain, so it seems unlikely at the moment.&nbsp;
<h2>Bruno Caboclo - Brazil</h2>
This 28-year-old power forward from Brazil started his career with Pinheiros before joining the Toronto Raptors in the 2014 NBA draft. This selection is still best remembered for Fran Fraschilla saying that he was "two years away from being two years away" when reporting it. Bruno never quite made the breakthrough expected of him in the NBA and returned to Brazil, where he was more successful.
After moving around a few teams in different countries, he joined Partizan Belgrade of the Serbian League in 2023. He averaged 9.4 points over the 2023-24 season, which was ultimately unsuccessful for the team. Given his globe-trotting career to date, it would be easy to imagine Bruno being interested in a move back to the US, but the latest news reports suggest that he is <a href="https://www.nbamaniacs.com/en/nba-rumors/bruno-caboclo-receives-an-offer-from-israel/">considering an offer</a> from Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv. At the Olympics in Paris, his 33 points vs Japan was one of the top individual performances.
<h2>Wenyen Gabriel - South Sudan</h2>
Wenyen was born in Sudan but moved to the US as a youngster. His college basketball was played for the Kentucky Wildcats, and he was one of the country&rsquo;s most highly-ranked young players at one point. Despite this, he went undrafted in 2018 but then joined the Sacramento Kings to play in the Summer League. After briefly joining the Portland Trail Blazers, Wenyen moved to the New Orleans Pelicans followed by the Brooklyn Nets and other US teams.
He then went to Puerto Rico with the Vaqueros de Bayam&oacute;n and it was recently announced that he&rsquo;s signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv to play in the Euroleague and the Israeli Basketball Premier League. If you want to follow his career, you can now easily find online content for foreign basketball leagues and stream games. You might also want to check the current <a href="https://www.bodog.eu/sports/basketball">basketball odds</a> for leagues around the world. You&rsquo;ll see live betting odds as well as the numbers for upcoming games. Choose from options like moneyline, spread, and total bet when looking for games to bet on in the Euroleague and elsewhere.
<h2>Carlik Jones - South Sudan</h2>
Carlik was born in the US and grew up in Ohio, becoming one of the highest-rated college players while performing for the Radford Highlanders and then the Louisville Cardinals. He went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft but then joined the Dallas Mavericks to play in the NBA Summer League. After moving around a few teams, he was named as the NBA G League&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player in 2022 while playing for the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
The point guard played in China and was rumored to be moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv this season but surprised everyone by signing for Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Serbian league instead. Carlik revealed after the World Cup that he had some offers from the NBA but that the move to Serbia felt right and that Partizan appears to be the ideal team for him. At 26 years old, he might still have time to move back to the American league in the future.
<h2>Summary</h2>
At the moment none of the non-NBA players who performed well in the 2024 Olympics seems set to join the American basketball league. Yet, some of them have already played here before heading abroad to try their luck elsewhere, so it wouldn&rsquo;t be a major surprise to see one or more players from this list reaching the NBA at some point. &nbsp;

The success of men’s basketball in the 2024 Olympics has opened the eyes of many fans that there are a lot of great teams and players.

Which Olympic Basketball Stars Could Join the NBA?

Los Angeles Clippers big man Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension with the Clippers <a href="https://x.com/wojespn/status/1829657538603991192">according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.</a>
The Croatian center gets the maximum salary extension available for his three seasons and now is guaranteed four years and $70 million overall.
The 7&rsquo;0 Zubac averaged a career-high 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds for the Clippers &ndash; including 16.2 points in their Western Conference playoff series loss to the Mavericks.
After starting his NBA career with the Lakers, Zubac has played the last 6 seasons with the Clippers, being their starting center for the majority of his time there. Zubac has played 390 games with the team, starting 348 of them. He has career averages of 10 points and 8.4 rebounds with the Clippers and 11.7 and 9.2 rebounds overall for his career.
ANALYSIS: The 27-year-old Zubac figures out to be featured in a more prominent role on offense as he enters his prime years. With Paul George out, there will be more shots in the offense open for everyone else in the team to help out Kawhi Leonard. Zubac has developed a budding chemistry with James Harden last season and this could only improve further as they get in more reps playing with each other. Zubac has also shown flashes of a post-game &ndash; a vital part of his progression as a big man in the NBA with an ever developing offense rather than just being a rim-running center.
&nbsp;

Los Angeles Clippers big man Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year extension according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Ivica Zubac agrees to three-year extension with Clippers

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

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

With just over a month left before the destinies of franchises are altered when the 2024 NBA Draft happens on June 26-27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, teams are hard-pressed on whether or not to keep their picks or trade them for win-now pieces.
Here&rsquo;s all the buzz around the league so far in anticipation of the big day:
Rockets open to trading no.3 pick for Mikal Bridges
According to reports, the Houston Rockets would be open to trading their 2024 NBA no.3 selection for Brooklyn&rsquo;s Mikal Bridges. The Rockets have been in a resurgence after being bad for 4 years since James Harden left the team and are now looking for a win-now piece to add to their team.
Led by young stars Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green and fiery coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets finished just outside of the play-in tournament this season. Adding Bridges instead of the third pick in the draft would allow the Rockets to be aggressive in winning next season and then develop the pick for future use.
Pelicans defer this year&rsquo;s pick to Lakers, choose to swap 2025 1st
The New Orleans Pelicans will defer their pick this year to the Los Angeles Lakers to choose to swap the 2025 pick instead, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski. The move is seen to be made in anticipation of what&rsquo;s about to be a weaker draft compared to recent years. The 2025 one, on the other hand, figures to be one of the best and deepest in years.
The Pelicans will keep their 21st pick this year and let the Lakers keep the 17th pick. According to reports, LA is also shopping the pick around to find a player suited around stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Kings willing to part ways with 13th pick, Huerter, Barnes
As they prepare to retool this offseason around stars De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, the Sacramento Kings are reportedly willing to trade their 13th pick of this year; &lsquo;s draft along with Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter. Sacramento &ldquo;wants to seriously compete&rdquo; in Fox&rsquo;s and Sabonis&rsquo; prime years as they aggressively hunt for a win-now piece to pair with their two all-stars.

T teams are hard-pressed on whether or not to keep their picks or trade them for win-now pieces. Here’s all the buzz in the league.

2024 NBA Draft Buzz: The latest movements around the league leading up to the draft

The Minnesota Timberwolves officially became the first team to punch a ticket to the second round after sweeping the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, Day 9 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Wolves displayed incredible effort on both ends of the floor to outplay the Suns on four straight games and ended up sweeping them at their home floor. The Knicks and the Pacers both built up 3-1 leads vs their opponents dealing with injuries. The Clippers on one end tied their series with the Mavericks going into Game 5 back in LA.
Check out the recap here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FINAL SCORE THREAD 🧵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 4 🏀 NYK 97 - 92 PHI | Knicks lead series 3-1 Jalen Brunson 📊 47 PTS | 18-34 FG | 10 AST | 4 REB OG Anunoby 📊 16 PTS | 8-16 FG | 14 REB | 3 BLK Josh Hart 📊 4 PTS | 17 REB | 5 AST | 3 BLK<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYorkForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYorkForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/f5SuhCP6vL">pic.twitter.com/f5SuhCP6vL</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784767331614564642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 4 🏀 NYK 97 - 92 PHI | Series tied 2-2 Paul George 📊 33 PTS | 11-19 FG | 8 AST | 6 REB | 4 STL James Harden 📊 33 PTS | 12-17 FG | 4-5 3P | 7 AST | 6 REB<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClipperNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClipperNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/Yhof6EPvUm">pic.twitter.com/Yhof6EPvUm</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784774254783012898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 4 🏀 MIL 113 - 126 IND | Pacers lead series 3-1 Myles Turner 📊 29 PTS | 10-17 FG | 4 AST | 9 REB | 3 BLK Tyrese Haliburton 📊 24 PTS | 8-16 FG | 4 AST | 4 REB<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoomBaby?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoomBaby</a> <a href="https://t.co/t867sCvcTb">pic.twitter.com/t867sCvcTb</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784787991321522435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 4 🏀 PHX 116 - 122 MIN | Wolves lead series 4-0 Anthony Edwards 📊 40 PTS | 13-23 FG | 7-13 3P | 9 REB | 6 AST | 2 BLK Karl-Anthony Towns 📊 28 PTS | 11-17 FG | 4-6 3P | 10 REB Minnesota will advance to the Western Conference Semifinals 🐺 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WolvesBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WolvesBack</a> <a href="https://t.co/2BC1zhf7iS">pic.twitter.com/2BC1zhf7iS</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784825628962979960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a>
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The Minnesota Timberwolves officially became the first team to punch a ticket to the second round after sweeping the Phoenix Suns.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 9 Recap: Timberwolves sweep Suns; Knicks, Pacers build commanding leads

Day 4 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs saw the away teams finally win on the road. The Indiana Pacers and the Dallas Mavericks took care of business to steal one vs the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers to tie their respective series at 1-1. The Minnesota Timberwolves, on the other hand, were able to protect their home court going into Phoenix with a big game 2 win.&nbsp;
Check out the recap here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FINAL SCORE THREAD 🧵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 2 🏀 PHX 93-105 MIN | Timberwolves lead series 2-0 Jaden McDaniels 📊 25 PTS | 10-17 FG | 50% 3P | 8 REB Rudy Gobert 📊 18 PTS | 6-8 FG | 9 REB | 3 STL Devin Booker 📊 20 PTS | 6-13 FG | 5 AST | 2 STL <a href="https://t.co/nLcHGP7DZ0">pic.twitter.com/nLcHGP7DZ0</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782962951852560439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 2 🏀 IND 125 - 108 MIL | Series tied 1-1 Pascal Siakam 📊 37 PTS | 16-23 FG | 11 REB | 7 AST Damian Lillard 📊 34 PTS | 10-21 FG | 6-13 3P | 5 AST <a href="https://t.co/W0UvJVs9QY">pic.twitter.com/W0UvJVs9QY</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782972290839539749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 2 🏀 LAC 93 - 96 DAL | Series tied 1-1 Luka Dončić 📊 32 PTS | 11-26 FG | 9 AST | 6 REB Kyrie Irving 📊 23 PTS | 4-8 3P | 6 REB | 3 STL James Harden 📊 22 PTS | 6-14 FG | 8 AST | 6 REB <a href="https://t.co/3FjwAz9ixB">pic.twitter.com/3FjwAz9ixB</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782997352363823243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a>
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Day 4 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs saw the away teams finally win on the road.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 4 Recap: Indiana, Dallas inflict damage to Milwaukee, LA

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a state of dilemma right now.&nbsp;
As Philadelphia enters Game 2 in their best-of-7 series against the New York Knicks on the road at the Madison Square Garden, it has them wondering for adjustments and key plays with hopes of tying the series.
Although Nick Nurse&rsquo;s defensive scheme on the Knicks&rsquo; Jalen Brunson, his buddy Josh Hart happened and knocked down three crucial three-pointers in the 4th quarter of Game 1 to bury the Sixers. Brunson was held to 22 points on 8-26 shooting, but Hart had 22 points himself as well.
That&rsquo;s bad news for the Sixers. The Knicks star point guard have been playing at an all-NBA level this season thus far and it is clear that the game plan is to send guys at Brunson for him to see bodies and make him work for his points. However, when someone else has a performance as big as Hart&rsquo;s in Game 1, that would be difficult for the Sixers to overcome.
On offense, Tyrese Maxey shouldered most of the offensive load in the 4th quarter after reigning MVP Joel Embiid injured his knee in the first half. Embiid came to play in the second half, but was visibly not his usual self physically, missing his patented midrange jumpers and some layups around the basket. He ended up finishing the game with 29 points but shot an abysmal 8-22 from the field. Maxey himself scored 33 points but played a game-high 43 minutes for the game. This is something the Sixers should monitor because as young and spry as he is, Maxey is essential for them down the stretch especially if this extends down the line.
How could the Sixers bounce back? Heading into tonight&rsquo;s Game 2 and moving forward into the series, here are some of the things the Sixers could do to steal one on the road and possibly win the series.
Play Buddy Hield more
The Sixers&rsquo; midseason acquisition only played for 10 minutes and did not score at all. That is uncharacteristic for someone you brought in for this exact reason: to have more weapons around Embiid in the playoffs. Although a defensive liability at times, Hield&rsquo;s gravity as a shooter and threat from the outside is more than enough to compensate for those.&nbsp;
Hield is a proven knockdown shooter who can only help space the floor for Embiid when he&rsquo;s in the middle of the floor. If given the opportunity and he hits his shots, the paint will open up even more which will give Embiid and Maxey more room to operate.
&ldquo;Buddy [Hield] didn&rsquo;t get much of a chance last game,&rdquo; Nurse said on Sunday. &ldquo;He did have a couple of plays there. He didn&rsquo;t play good. It&rsquo;s a game where you can&rsquo;t extend minutes when a guy has three or four mistakes, but I do say this he&rsquo;ll be a factor in the series. He could have just as easily made that wide-open 3, and then hit another one the next time down the floor like he does, but he didn&rsquo;t. We kind of gave him this chance to impact it and we had to get back to somebody else, but he&rsquo;ll be a factor.&rdquo;
Involve Tobias Harris on more offensive actions and build up his confidence
As it stands right now, Tobias Harris&rsquo; confidence has looked to be cooked and nowhere to be found. He has been playing out of sorts over the past few games, oftentimes getting lost in translation within the flow of the Sixers offense at times. With Embiid demanding the ball and the attention most of the time and Maxey setting the offense up, this leaves Harris with little to no opportunities to have any sort of offensive rhythm.
Harris is also not the role player specialist like Kelly Oubre who brings defensive toughness, hits the occasional threes, and provides the timely cuts, or Nic Batum&rsquo;s lockdown one-on-one defense coupled with his three-point marksmanship. Harris is someone you make plays for to set him up. He has shown that capability over his career, being the third option on offense. Harris&rsquo; skill set allows him to attack off the catch, hit some catch-and-shoot threes here and there, and run some pick-and-rolls with certain guys.
If the Sixers want to have a chance to bounce back in Game 2, Harris should be more involved on offense no matter how Nick Nurse and his staff would do it. A 30-million-dollar player like Harris can&rsquo;t just camp in the corner or wings ball-watching and watch the ball come to him, he should be utilized in a way his strengths as a player can help the Sixers.
Bench production is a must
In Game 1, the Sixers only had 5 bench points. That can&rsquo;t happen again. Even though they are down two key rotation players in DeAnthony Melton and Robert Covington, both the coaching staff and the players themselves need to do a better job involving players on offense and stepping up to the plate. This is the playoffs and everyone has to contribute something. 
After scoring 20 points against Miami, Batum only had 3 points in Game 1. Hield wasn&rsquo;t even able to score a point. Backup big Paul Reed has to be more aggressive especially now that Embiid is not 100%. Cam Payne has to hit one or two shots when he comes in, just to change the complexion of the game a little bit. Maybe Nick Nurse could reach a bit deeper into his bag of tricks and activate someone like Ricky Council for an energy boost after the rookie played a good stretch to end the season. 
The bench has to help the starters at some point in the series. But it has to start in Game 2 &ndash; because it takes everyone to win a playoff basketball game.
&nbsp;

How could the Sixers bounce back? Here are some of the things the Sixers could do to steal one on the road and win the series.

2024 NBA Playoffs: 3 adjustments for Sixers to bounce back vs Knicks

Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs has been completed and the home teams continued winning by taking care of homecourt. The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Oklahoma City Thunder all did their job and secured the first win of their respective series.
Check out the recap here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FINAL SCORE THREAD 🧵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 1 🏀 MIA 94 - 114 BOS | Celtics lead series 1-0 Jayson Tatum 📊 23 PTS | 10 REB | 10 AST | 2 STL Derrick White 📊 20 PTS | 60% FG | 4-8 3PT | 4 AST Bam Adebayo 📊 24 PTS | 10-18 FG | 6 REB<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DifferentHere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DifferentHere</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wy5b3sKsDW">pic.twitter.com/Wy5b3sKsDW</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782197750601576488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 1 🏀 DAL 97 - 109 LAC | Clippers lead series 1-0 James Harden 📊 28 PTS | 6-11 3PT | 8 AST | 2 BLK Luka Doncic 📊 33 PTS | 13 REB | 6 AST Kyrie Irving 📊 31 PTS | 10-18 FG | 7 REB | 2 STL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClipperNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClipperNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/1bs0x3wcj5">pic.twitter.com/1bs0x3wcj5</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782197753990549967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 1 🏀 IND 94 - 109 MIL | Bucks lead series 1-0 Damian Lillard 📊 35 PTS | 11-24 FG | 6-11 3PT | 6 REB Pascal Siakam 📊 36 PTS | 15-25 FG | 13 REB | 2 BLK <a href="https://t.co/KxCqaoiQlv">pic.twitter.com/KxCqaoiQlv</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782291172595278231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 1 🏀 NOP 92 - 94 OKC | Thunder leads series 1-0 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 📊 28 PTS | 11-24 FG | 6 REB | 4 AST Jonas Valanciunas 📊 13 PTS | 5-9 FG | 20 REB <a href="https://t.co/OOrQLCrw6P">pic.twitter.com/OOrQLCrw6P</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782295516644364708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a>
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Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs has been completed and the home teams continued winning by taking care of homecourt.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 2 Recap: Home teams continue winning ways

Don&rsquo;t look now, but here come the Oklahoma City Thunder.
They might get overlooked for their age, but make no mistake: these young Thunder are for real.
Since the 1970-1971 season, the Thunder are the youngest team to finish with the best record in their conference, with a weighted average age of 23.92. This was one of the best surprises of the season after they finished just the 10th seed last year, and this incredible jump left people impressed by their feat.
Throughout the season, OKC finished:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">2nd in Net Rating: +7.3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">3rd in Offensive Rating: 118.3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">4th in Defensive Rating 111.0</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in 3P%: 38.9%</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in steals: 8.5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in blocks: 6.6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in Turnovers Forced: 15.7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in Contested FG: 47.4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in Points off Turnovers: 20.5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1st in Bench 3P%: 40.3%</li>
</ul>
These are phenomenal numbers for a team as young as them and the level of maturity and discipline within their youth is off the charts.
The Thunder are led by their young superstar and MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous Alexander, averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists at age 25; has 50+ games of 30 points or more, leading the second youngest team in the league atop the West. Gilgeous-Alexander is also the only Thunder player ever to average back-to-back 30-point seasons, an impressive feat for a franchise that once had Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden on one team.
Jalen Williams has ascended to a star in just his sophomore season, being a true No.2 option behind SGA&rsquo;s MVP act. Williams has all you want for an ideal &lsquo;Robin&rsquo;: three-level scoring, playmaking chops, and tenacious defense &ndash; the 23-year-old just exudes two-way level all-star potential. And he&rsquo;s insanely clutch too, with the Thunder trusting him having the ball on his hands a lot of times in the 4th quarter and he has more often than not delivered for them.
Chet Holmgren has had one of the most impressive rookie seasons in recent memory, and if not for a superhuman year by Victor Wembanyama, Holmgren would have been clearly the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award. The 7-foot-1 beanpole has lifted the Thunder to newer heights this season by improving their defense and being the final piece to complete the puzzle. Last season OKC struggled without a legitimate big man who could protect the rim. With Holmgren in the fold, it has been an entirely different story for the team. What&rsquo;s more, is that Holmgren can space the floor and knock down threes when needed and it is something the Thunder have that makes them even more dangerous and hard to guard.
OKC is a team built on insane chemistry, which goes to show the bond these guys play with each other. This has translated to joy and confidence on the court led to them playing high-level basketball, and each win and loss they faced throughout the regular season has only strengthened them as a group. This has helped them battle through adversity and they hope they could bring it in during the playoffs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
2024 Thunder regular season basketball was a MOVIE ⛈️ 🎥 🍿 Playoffs are next and <a href="https://twitter.com/NickAGallo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NickAGallo</a> WITH THE BARK 👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThunderUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThunderUp</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/okcthunder?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@okcthunder</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BallySports</a> 📺 <a href="https://t.co/dpSlNKjAVK">pic.twitter.com/dpSlNKjAVK</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsOK/status/1779625975438864881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2024</a>
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When the dust settled, it was clear to everyone: the Thunder had one of the best seasons they&rsquo;ve had in years. They secured the No.1 overall seed in the West for the first time since 2012, the year when they went all the way to the NBA Finals. And they certainly hope they can replicate that this year with this group.
&ldquo;We have to go do it now. We are 0-0 entering the playoffs,&rdquo; head coach Mark Daigneault stressed what happened in the regular season doesn&rsquo;t matter now.
Teams might think that going through them might be an easy task, but the Thunder are going to be ready for battle. For a team that&rsquo;s &lsquo;overachieved&rsquo; during the regular season, they are out to prove they are not to be messed with and they intend to go on a deep playoff run.

They might get overlooked for their age, but make no mistake: these young Thunder are for real.

Despite their youth, the Thunder are ready to take on the challenge of the playoffs

This article is part of a two-part series preview for the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs.
With the 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs starting, all eyes will be on all teams competing for the championship as fans and players look on for a taste of postseason action. As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges. In this article, we take a closer look at the biggest question facing each Western Conference team heading into the playoffs, from injuries and roster changes to key matchups and strategic decisions.
<h3>Oklahoma City Thunder - How far can their youth and inexperience take them in the playoffs?</h3>
The Thunder got away through the regular season with historic from MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous Alexander, an impressive rookie season by Chet Holmgren, a star sophomore leap by Jalen Williams, and a coaching masterclass in a genius coach Mark Daigneault.
However, the playoffs as we know it is a different beast &ndash; will Mark Daigneault be able to sustain the good coaching he has done with his team throughout this regular season?
How much of this youth and inexperience be a factor for them to advance deeper in the playoffs; will they be able to use it to their advantage? Or will it be a hindrance against other experienced teams when they face each other in these tight situations? Most of the time, these situations require patience and discipline &ndash; teams with playoff experience have shown over time and have done it time and time again on their way to a deep playoff run.
<h3>Denver Nuggets - Can they go back to back?</h3>
There&rsquo;s really no other question for a team like the Nuggets at the peak of their powers: Can they win back-to-back titles? There has not been a back-to-back champion in the NBA for the past 5 years, with the last one coming in 2017 and 2018 when the Warriors won it all.
Like Boston, it is a title or bust status with Denver as of now. They have been fairly healthy throughout the regular season, have a mostly intact roster that won it all last year, and have the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic in his absolute prime. Denver this year has again all the necessary pieces to win &ndash; the right amount of shooters, defensive guys, scoring in the paint &ndash; which are all the makings of a championship team.
A couple of questionable factors though would be how much of an impact the loss of Bruce Brown would have in these playoffs. Brown was arguably the 5th, or 4th best player in their championship run last year &ndash; maybe even the 3rd in some games. He was essential on offense and defense, guarding the opponent&rsquo;s best perimeter threats while providing off-ball scoring and cuts that fit perfectly with Jokic.
Second, they&rsquo;ll be facing championship-caliber teams with hunger and drive to defeat them, and all have been competitive with the Nuggets this season. The Lakers, although the Nuggets swept them last year in the Western Conference Finals, still have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they won&rsquo;t take that lightly &ndash; likely coming back with a vengeance.
The Suns have won the season series with the Nuggets 2-1 and they pose a threat to the Nuggets with their formula of having three elite shotmakers that can explode anytime &ndash; which the Nuggets may not cover all at the same time.&nbsp; The Wolves, who perhaps have the best lineup suited to defeat them, are lurking in the same bracket waiting to pounce on them at sight.&nbsp;
These are all challenges a defending champion must go through to achieve a rare feat because the playoffs are supposed to be hard.
<h3>Minnesota Timberwolves -&nbsp; Will they finally break through after years of heartbreak?</h3>
This has already been a win of a season for the Timberwolves, achieving their second most wins in franchise history (56) since 2004 when they won 58 wins and reached the conference finals.
However, this has not stopped them from wanting more, and the wolfpack is not satisfied nor contented with just this achievement &ndash; they want more.
Minnesota wanting to go win that first playoff series like a hungry pack of wolves has been evident since trading for 3-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Although they fell short last season due to untimely injuries to key players, the Wolves ran it back and have proven their little experiment with two bigs in star Karl Anthony Towns and Gobert would work.&nbsp;
Led by their resurgent young superstar Anthony Edwards equipped with the best defense in the league, Minnesota certainly hopes this team would be the one &ndash; the one to end the longest playoff series win droughts in the league for quite some time now.
<h3>Los Angeles Clippers - Will they be able to meet the expectations this time around?</h3>
The Clippers trading for James Harden signaled one thing for the franchise: They are going all in with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and surrounding them with all the help they can get. They are far from a perfect team, but the Clippers want to have the best possible results this season before transferring to their new arena next year.
The Clippers have only appeared in the conference finals once in the Leonard-George era after being plagued by several injuries during their different playoff runs. Due to that, people haven&rsquo;t been able to see what the team is capable of when their two stars are fully healthy in a playoff run.
However, this year might just be their year. Their core of Harden, George, and Leonard have been mostly healthy all season long. The front office has also surrounded them with complementary pieces to help them win. LA now has usable bigs in Zubac, Plumlee, and Theis; they have Terrance Mann as their designated stopper; Norman Powell being the sixth man off the bench microwave scorer; a 3-and-D wing in Amir Coffe; and Russell Westbrook as the spark plug that gives them the boost and the energy off the bench.
After being just the &lsquo;second team in LA&rsquo; and &lsquo;that other team in LA&rsquo; for years, the Clippers aim to prove the doubters wrong and change the perception that surrounds the team as they pivot into a new era of Clippers basketball.&nbsp;
<h3>Dallas Mavericks - Will Luka finally fulfill the promise he has been showing so far in his career?</h3>
Throughout his young NBA career, Luka Doncic has had one of the best starts since LeBron James statistically. He has been in constant range of breaking or matching LeBron&rsquo;s records in points scored, triple-doubles, assists, and rebounds. However, this has not always translated into wins with Doncic just appearing in just one conference finals in the first six years of his career. But that might change this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;
This year, the Mavericks have put up arguably the best roster on paper that Luka has had in his career &ndash; arguably even better than the 2022 team that made the conference finals.
Alongside Doncic&rsquo;s MVP act is a true partner in crime in Kyrie Irving; shot-blocking and rim-rolling vertical threats in Daniel Gafford and Lively; rugged forwards that can shoot in PJ Washington, Dante Exum, Josh Green, and Derrick Jones; a microwave off-the-bench scorer in Tim Hardaway Jr; and veteran bigs that have been in Dallas for quite some time now and you can count on in always with Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell.
Can Luka finally overcome the Clippers? This season was one for the books with an MVP caliber and worthy year by averaging close to 34 points a game with 9 rebounds and 9 assists per game. Doncic has taken his game to another level in the regular season &ndash; this time, can he take his playoff game to another level as well?
All great young players have to go through someone as the stepping stone to reach newer heights &ndash; and Luka has lost to this Kawhi Leonard and Paul George-led Clippers team twice already in his career in the playoffs.
LeBron had to go through the Celtics, Jordan had to go through the Pistons. Could it be Luka&rsquo;s turn to get through this Clippers team that has tormented him for two playoff series?
<h3>Phoenix Suns - Will this new formula take them over the top?</h3>
The Suns have experienced substantial playoff success over the past three years by having a Finals appearance and reaching the conference semifinals twice. However, those groups fell short, with the feeling of something lacking or something missing that could take them over the top.
So lo and behold, Phoenix scrapped it and took a different approach this season &ndash; ditching the point guard spot and getting a rugged and physical big that could set screens and not demand the ball much on offense.
In its place came through as the Suns traded for Bradley Beal &ndash; going with a new formula by having three shot creators and shotmakers on the floor at the same time &ndash; pairing him with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. They also traded away former no.1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkic, a wide-bodied center whose job is to set screens, rebound, and get their three creators open in the lane or for jump shots.
They added an elite shooter in Grayson Allen to space the floor alongside those three, or sometimes Royce O&rsquo;Neale comes in for more defense against the opposing perimeter threats.
The Suns&rsquo; new approach and formula to the game make it incredibly hard to defend because you have to have three elite defenders to contain those three shot-creators, who can explode and get buckets at any point in the game. Although their defense is still suspect at times, the main point of this lineup is not to outscore &ndash; but to out-create teams and have a variety of options to dissect and defeat defenses.
If this new strategy works and could take the Suns to the promised land in these playoffs remains to be seen.
<h3>Los Angeles Lakers - Will they have enough this time around?</h3>
Despite a strong run to the Western Conference Finals as a 7th seed, the Lakers fell short last year vs the Nuggets after being swept 4-0. Throughout the season, the Nuggets&rsquo; dominance of the purple and gold continued, and now they have lost eight straight games against this Denver team.&nbsp;
However, there is optimism that the Lakers will turn it around and have a different result vs the Nuggets. Superstar LeBron James, even at 39 years old, looks to prove that he still has something left in the tank. Although they got outplayed and outcoached last in that series by the Nuggets, James can make those adjustments being the cerebral and high IQ player that he is.
James is perhaps one of the best if not the best tactically sound players of all time, so it would make sense &ndash; if they were to defeat Denver, he needs to be able to outsmart Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets this time around. Superstar tandem Anthony Davis will also be vital to the series having to defend the &lsquo;Joker&rsquo; and producing buckets himself.
The Lakers will also feature some new bench pieces this year that could be difference makers in the series Taurean Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Gabe Vincent, all of whom could defend and hit those spot-up threes if needed.
Then there&rsquo;s a hungry D&rsquo;Angelo Russell who had a bad series vs Denver last year raring to bounce back along with an always-solid Austin Reaves to be the stabilizer.
<h3>Pelicans - How will they fare without Zion Williamson?</h3>
The New Orleans Pelicans start and end with their young star Zion Williamson. After going out with what is to be believed a left hamstring strain, everything now hinges on his health.&nbsp;
The Pelicans obviously need him no matter what and whether or not he&rsquo;s healthy for their first-round series vs the Thunder will likely be the answer if they win it or not.
We&rsquo;ve seen what Williamson is capable of doing, scoring 40 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in his first taste of postseason action in their play-in game vs the Lakers. The burly forward bullied the Lakers&rsquo; defense and he showed his once generational type of body and scoring prowess come together after finally being healthy for a full season in his five years in the NBA.
New Orleans has fallen short a lot of times in the playoffs, either failing to make it or to win a series, and it is clear that Zion is the difference that separates them from winning or losing a playoff series.

s eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges.

2024 Western Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question heading into the playoffs

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

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

OPINION: Picking the 2023-2024 NBA Awards winners

Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez is expected to be hired as the next head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Fernandez, 41, will take over a rebuilding Nets squad that finished the 2023-2024 season with a 32-50 record, 11th in the East. He will replace interim head coach Kevin Ollie, who was appointed in the middle of the season after Brooklyn fired Jacque Vaughn.
Fernandez will continue to be part of Mike Brown&rsquo;s staff in Sacramento as they prepare for the 2024 Play-In Tournament for a spot in the 2024 Playoffs.
The Barcelona, Spain native has been one of the leading candidates for the position as one of the fast-rising young coaches in the league. He led the Canadian National team last summer in the FIBA World Cup 2023 to a bronze medal finish &ndash; the country&rsquo;s highest-ever in the tournament.&nbsp;
Starting next season, Fernandez will now handle the Nets featuring their young talent in Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Ben Simmons, and Cameron Johnson as they trek the second year of the post-Big Three era of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.

Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez is expected to be hired as the next head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.

Kings’ Jordi Fernandez emerges as top candidate for Brooklyn Nets head coaching job

There has been a level of dominance the Boston Celtics have had this season that not a lot of teams in the history of the league have reached or come close to. The team&rsquo;s mixture of star power, depth, and chemistry within the tight-knit group of guys has been the source of power for the historically dominant regular season team.&nbsp;
In their March 17 game vs Washington, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford combined to destroy the Wizards, 130-104. Bench player Sam Hauser, who started the game, led the team in scoring with 30 points built on 10 three-point shots.&nbsp;
Then on their next game, in came Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis, who then annihilated the Detroit Pistons 119-94 on the second night of a back-to-back. Another bench player, Payton Pritchard starred with 23 points and 7 assists as the Celtics earned yet another win.&nbsp;
This speaks to their depth as a team as well as the adaptability of each player to play with either of their core six guys with relative ease and without skipping a beat. The Celtics are a machine that keeps going with pieces and parts that are versatile enough to keep their brand of basketball going no matter who you sub in or slot onto the floor whenever someone is out.
With their dominant regular season coming down to a close, one question awaits the rest of the league as the playoffs arrive.&nbsp;
Who is stopping the Boston Celtics?&nbsp;
The guys in green have been far away the best team in the league by a wide margin, racing past ahead of all the other teams.
The Celtics just speedrun through everything, especially in the East, where they were far away the best team and are just cherry-picking to wait and see whoever will finish second behind them. The only disappointment thus far was not winning the In-Season Tournament title, which probably wasn&rsquo;t the championship they wanted to win anyway.
They have the league&rsquo;s best record at 64-18 and they never lost more than two straight throughout the year. They blew out three teams by 50 or more points and they have only lost four games at the Boston Garden, and have only just lost to an Eastern Conference team at home for over a year &ndash; since March of 2023. The only team to win two and claim the season series over Boston are the defending champions Denver Nuggets, which makes sense considering they&rsquo;re the team all teams in the NBA are chasing after.
The Celtics will be the only team that will finish in double-digits in plus/minus efficiency (+11.3) and they rank 1st in offensive rating (120.4) and 5th in defensive rating (110.5) in the entire league. This level of dominance in the regular season makes it one of the most impressive ones in recent NBA history.
The Boston Celtics might go all the way this year and take that coveted 18th championship title, but what makes them so good?
'The Jays' superstar duo: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown&nbsp;
The Celtics start and end with their star forward duo. They would not be near where they are right now without these two. The way they complement each other and play off of each other has been spectacular, and their chemistry has been built since 2016-2017 when Boston drafted both guys back to back with the no.3 pick. With the Celtics having two dynamic two-way guys in Tatum and Brown, they have the foundation to allow them to surround the team with guys that complement their skills, which president Brad Stevens and coach Joe Mazzulla have done an incredible job of doing so over the past couple years.
Roster construction
After trading away mainstays Marcus Smart, Robert Williams, and Grant Williams this season, Brad Stevens built the roster with some awesome replacements in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
Porzingis just fits the Celtics&rsquo; scheme so much as he gives them a stretch big that can space the floor for their 5-out offense. On defense, his towering 7&rsquo;3 frame can alter and block shots. Porzingis is also the perfect Al Horford replacement who has been key to the lineups the Celtics run in the previous years. Although Horford is now 37 and is nearing the end of his career, he's still bringing that veteran leadership and the floor spacing to give the Celtics more options on offense.
Holiday&rsquo;s transition into the team has been seamless, filling in the place of Smart. A 2022 champion with the Milwaukee Bucks, Holiday brought the championship mindset along with his trademark defensive versatility and a plug-and-play offensive repertoire that has elevated the Celtics&rsquo; play all season long.&nbsp;
Around Tatum and Brown and their new acquisitions Porzingis and Holiday, the ever-consistent Derrick White and the ageless Al Horford come into place to complete their starting five and their fearsome six-man lineup. Solid bench pieces led by Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser provide quality backup minutes to ensure Boston does not lose a single step whenever their mainstays rest during the games. Depending on the matchup, big men Xavier Tillman and Luke Kornet will see some minutes and both have proven they can play the style of basketball the Celtics need to win. Overall, this team is arguably the best the Celtics have in years, and they have all the makings to have a deep playoff run.
However, Boston knows the job is not done yet and the real test is at hand. No matter how good they have been in the first six months of the year, it all comes down to how they will perform and execute in the season&rsquo;s final three months when it matters the most. And they certainly hope they can reach the pinnacle again and this time, come out on top in June.
To further strengthen that point, it isn&rsquo;t a guarantee to win all the time, especially in the playoffs. Although it is an indication of good habits built throughout the season, the playoffs are a different beast. According to NBA.com, only five teams in the last 20 years had the best record winning the title that season. The last best-record champions were the 2016-17 Warriors as teams deal with a variety of challenges throughout the postseason.&nbsp;
As the road to the 18th banner looms close, the Celtics have themselves as their biggest obstacle &ndash; only they can stop themselves from achieving their full potential.&nbsp;

As the road to the 18th banner looms close, the Celtics have themselves as their biggest obstacle.

Who’s stopping Boston? Dissecting the Celtics’ juggernaut after their dominant season

Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid made a successful return to the court from his injury to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 109-105, on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Philadelphia.
The league&rsquo;s reigning MVP scored 24 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists in 29 minutes of play in his first game back since January 30, missing the last 27 games for the Sixers.
Embiid was actually listed out 12 hours before the game after reports surfaced he might play at home vs the Thunder. He was upgraded to questionable and a game-time decision a few hours later. It was only then 90 minutes before tipoff that it was announced he was going to play.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just happy we got through and we got the win,&rdquo; said a visibly gassed Embiid after the game. &ldquo;Usually when I get hurt, I just move on to the next one. This one was a little &ndash; it took a toll mentally. You know, I just wanna come back [asap] and I think we got a chance even if I&rsquo;m not in the level I&rsquo;m at &ndash; and I&rsquo;m only gonna get better. But, this one was probably the hardest by far &ndash; especially mentally.&rdquo;
Embiid looked spry and ready to go by being aggressive early in the game, but it was clear he was still not in game shape conditioning-wise after some short front-rim misses on his jumpers. His minutes ended up getting managed all game long with Coach Nick Nurse playing him in spurts to help him regain his MVP form.
Embiid was mainly played alongside probably the Sixers&rsquo; best lineup in Kyle Lowry (Maxey could be in this place but was injured for this game), Buddy Hield, Tobias Harris, and Nicolas Batum and had his best stretch with those four alongside him. The Sixers ran different actions including their patented two-man game as well as dribble handoffs and pick-and-pop jumpers for either the normal or inverted screening actions.
Even up against a Thunder team missing MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and star tandem Jalen Williams, the Sixers had a hard time putting away the top team in the West. It wasn&rsquo;t until the 4th quarter when the Sixers took the momentum and eventually the lead with huge efforts from Kyle Lowry and Kelly Oubre Jr.&nbsp;
However, none of it was bigger than Embiid&rsquo;s two sequences with under a minute to go in the 4th quarter. He sank two free throws after grabbing an offensive rebound off Harris&rsquo; miss and then forced a turnover on Josh Giddey &ndash; stealing the ball and making another two free throws after getting fouled on the drive to throw the game out of OKC&rsquo;s reach.
With the win, the Sixers move to 41-35, placing 8th in the Eastern Conference. They are one and a half-game back of the Heat for 7th place and just two games behind the Pacers for the 6th spot.&nbsp;
Philadelphia is trying to make a late push out of the play-in tournament with Embiid back in the fold with six games left in their regular season. They will have upcoming big games against Miami (which they will face in their next game) and Orlando while facing non-playoff teams Memphis, Detroit, San Antonio, and Brooklyn in the other four.&nbsp;

Joel Embiid made a successful return to the court from his injury to help the Sixers beat the Thunder, 109-105.