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Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are in a sneaky-strange position after relinquishing their place as defending NBA champions.
They still have a core in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday that figures to keep Milwaukee in contention for several years. There's no major drama surrounding the team and no marquee free agent hitting the scene this summer. The Bucks have more stability than most of the recent ousted champions. In fact, I'd argue that you'd have to go back to the Kobe Bryant-era Los Angeles Lakers, Big Three Boston Celtics or early-dynasty San Antonio Spurs to find teams who gave up the title but still had promising outlooks.&nbsp;
Yet, the Bucks also seemed like they were playing from behind in most of the second round despite leading the series against the Boston Celtics multiple times. Their half-court offense was horrendous; Milwaukee averaged a putrid 81.9 points per 100 possessions on half-court plays, per Cleaning the Glass. Their defense was solid but solvable, as shown by the Grant Williams Game 7 extravaganza and Al Horford's explosion in Game 4.
How much failure can be atrributed to the loss of Middleton? How much can the Bucks stand pat as other Eastern Conference powers continue to make moves? How much will they weigh postseason failure against regular-season success and injuries?
These are the questions leadership will ask itself as Milwaukee approaches a murky offseason.
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The Bucks have their star trio locked down for the next two years (though Middleton holds a player option in 2023-24). However, they will have several smaller free agents to manage. Bobby Portis holds a $4.5 million player option, per Spotrac, and should command over twice that amount if he decides to hit the open market. Pat Connaughton ($5.3 million) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo ($1.8 million) also hold player options.&nbsp;
Wes Matthews, despite his low scoring numbers, was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wes-matthews-twoway-play-deserves-your-attention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most impactful Bucks in their playoff run</a>. His defense on Jayson Tatum in particular made the second round a slog for the Celtics' star, helping keep Milwaukee in contention. Matthews will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. At 35 years old, and with a limited offensive ceiling, he'll be an interesting player to watch this summer. I'm all for Milwaukee doing what they must to return Matthews, but will his age and injury history make them hesitant? If so, does another team pounce?
Serge Ibaka will also hit unrestricted free agency, and was not much of a factor in Milwaukee this season after being acquired at the 2022 trade deadline. Jevon Carter joins him and Matthews as an unrestricted free agent; his case might be more intriguing after he emerged as a rotation-caliber guard and shot the ball better than he ever has in his short career. Jordan Nwora and Lindell Wigginton will both be restricted free agents.
This free agency period ultimately forces Milwaukee to evaluate its supporting cast around the three stars. Giannis is the rudder for every decision the franchise makes for at least the next four years. Milwaukee has to reflect on which players best fit his strengths and needs, particularly on offense.
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Unfortunately, they won't have much free agent flexibility. The Bucks only have the $6.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception to go out and sign a complementary piece. They also hold a $1.5 million trade exception that has almost no functional value. So if they want to chase a player with more stature, they'll have to get creative with trades.
However, unlike many past champions, Milwaukee does still hold its first-round pick outright at No. 24 overall. The NBA Draft could be an easy way for them to add a rotation piece either by selection or with a trade. The franchise forfeited its second-round pick, however, in the fallout from the Bogdan Bogdanovic fiasco of the 2020 offseason.&nbsp;
Our Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babock currently projects the Bucks to select Blake Wesley in his most recent <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft.</a>&nbsp;A 6-foot-5 freshman guard from Notre Dame, Wesley brings an enticing mix of length, slashing, scoring potential and defensive upside.
Does a seven-game sample dictate how the Bucks approach this offseason? It feels unfair to the larger roster and the shooters who ultimately went cold in a pivotal Game 7. But Milwaukee's expectations are now to win in these seven-game series, and when the offense looked as bad as it did in Round 2, running it back seems illogical.
It's not a call for Mike Budenholzer's ousting or saying that any particular player is holding the team back. The Bucks instead have to take a long, hard look at what team they want to be and what current players fit into that mold. They're still very much title contenders, but this season was a reminder that contention doesn't get you very far in the NBA.
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MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 16 rebounds, and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks recovered after blowing a 16-point lead to beat the Chicago Bulls 93-86 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.
Jrue Holiday sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:03 left as part of an 8-0 run that gave the Bucks an 85-78 edge. The Bulls got the margin down to one but could never regain the lead, as Zach LaVine missed a potential tying 3-pointer from nearly 30 feet away with 29 seconds left.
The Bucks have won 17 of their last 18 meetings with the Bulls, including all five matchups this season. The Bulls&rsquo; lone victory during this stretch came in the 2020-21 regular-season finale when the Bucks rested all their starters.
Milwaukee kept that pattern going Sunday by holding Chicago to the lowest single-game point total of any Bucks opponent this season. But the Bucks also continued their habit of struggling in opening games of series.
The Bucks won last year&rsquo;s title despite dropping Game 1 in three of their four series. They had lost the opening game in five of their last six playoff series before Sunday, the exception coming when Khris Middleton hit a 3-pointer in the final second of overtime against the Miami Heat last season.
Brook Lopez scored 18 points, Holiday had 15, Khris Middleton had 11 and Bobby Portis added 10. Portis also had 12 rebounds.
Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, making their first playoff appearance in five years. LaVine had 18 points and 10 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
After the Bucks grabbed an early 32-16 lead and threatened to put this game out of reach early, the Bulls chipped away and finally pulled ahead by scoring 13 straight points late in the third quarter. Coby White scored the last five points of the run, including a 3-pointer that gave the Bulls their first lead at 67-64 with 3:11 left in the third.
White&rsquo;s layup made it 69-64, but the Bucks ended the third quarter with a 10-2 spurt to pull back ahead.
Vucevic&rsquo;s inside basket put Chicago back ahead 78-77 with 5:56 left. The Bucks regained the lead on Holiday&rsquo;s 3-pointer, which was just Milwaukee&rsquo;s second basket of the fourth quarter.
Lopez made it 83-78 with 4:34 left by converting a three-point play for his first points since the opening period. Holiday capped the 8-0 run by sinking a jumper with 3:58 remaining.
The Bulls cut the lead to 87-86 on Alex Caruso's layup with 1:36 left, but they wouldn&rsquo;t score again.
GOING BACK TO CHICAGO
With the two cities separated by only about 90 miles, the Bulls are heading back to Chicago after Game 1 before returning to Milwaukee for Wednesday&rsquo;s Game 2.
&ldquo;If we would have had to play Sunday-Tuesday, I think we would have definitely stayed here,&rdquo; Bulls coach Billy Donovan said before the game. &ldquo;But I think because we have two days, we have a chance to get home at a decent time, those guys can sleep in their own bed, practice tomorrow, practice Tuesday and then come back up.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Bulls: Caruso was in the starting lineup. Caruso had started just 18 of the 41 regular-season games he played. ... The Bulls were missing assistant coaches Chris Fleming and Damian Cotter, who had tested positive for COVID-19. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re still in protocols right now with the league,&rdquo; Donovan said before the game. Donovan added that &ldquo;they have never really been in a situation where either one of them has felt bad at all, so that&rsquo;s been a positive.&rdquo;
Bucks: Reserve guard George Hill (abdominal strain) and reserve forward Jordan Nwora (back soreness) were unavailable for Sunday's game. Hill also was held out of the Bucks&rsquo; regular-season finale. ... This is the Bucks&rsquo; sixth straight playoff appearance, which matches their second-longest such streak. They reached the postseason 12 straight times from 1980-91.
UP NEXT
Game 2 is Wednesday in Milwaukee.

Giannis Antetokounmpo battled foul trouble to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a Game 1 win over the Chicago Bulls.

Bucks bounce back after blowing big lead to beat Bulls 93-86

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Robert Covington scored a career-high 43 points and shot 11 of 18 from 3-point range to help the hot-shooting Los Angeles Clippers trounce the Milwaukee Bucks 153-119 on Friday night as each team rested its top players.
Amir Coffey also had a career high with 32 points for the Clippers, matching a career high with seven assists to go along with six rebounds.
The Clippers shot 60.9% from the floor and 23 of 43 from 3-point range.
Both teams had played Thursday night games that reached overtime, with the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-kevin-durant-1a0734f03a711826d4e4f725957d2ffe">Bucks winning 120-119 at Brooklyn</a> and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bulls-los-angeles-clippers-nba-sports-toronto-ca9d033a86ac4f1b8023931805da3b02">Clippers falling 135-130 at Chicago. </a> The only starter from those two games who played at all Friday was Clippers center Ivica Zubac.
Among the players sitting out Friday’s game were Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, and the Clippers’ Paul George, Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris.
This marked the first time the Clippers had reached the 150-point mark since a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/508223d5f769492eb688acc8607d06dd"> 150-125 triumph over the Washington Wizards on Dec. 1, 2019.</a>
Covington hadn’t had more than 21 points or five 3-point baskets in a game all season before Friday. The Clippers acquired the 6-foot-7 forward from Portland on Feb. 4.
Luke Kennard had 23 points, Terance Mann 18 and Isaiah Hartenstein 14 for the Clippers. Jordan Nwora scored 28, Bobby Portis had 25 and Jevon Carter 18 for the Bucks.
With so many notable players missing, neither team played much defense early on as both the Bucks and Clippers were shooting over 60% from the floor midway through the second quarter.
The Bucks couldn't keep up that pace, though they still shot 53.2%. But the Clippers never cooled off at all.
HONORING ANTETOKOUNMPO
The loudest ovation came during a first-quarter timeout when a <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1509711013280690185"> video on the Fiserv Forum scoreboard </a> showed Antetokounmpo’s career highlights and noted that he had become the Bucks’ all-time leading scorer. The crowd chanted “MVP! MVP!” for Antetokounmpo, whose 14,216 career points enabled him to overtake Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the franchise record.
TIP-INS
Clippers: This was the Clippers’ final regular-season road trip. They’re at home for their final four games. … Covington’s previous career high of 31 points came against the Clippers, as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 13, 2017. … This marked the first time these two teams had faced each other since the Bucks acquired Serge Ibaka from the Clippers as part of a four-team trade that included Rodney Hood going from Milwaukee to Los Angeles. 
Bucks: Antetokounmpo was out for the third time in the last seven games due to a sore right knee. Middleton was unavailable for the third time in six games because of a sore left wrist. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Holiday sprained his left ankle Thursday. … Carter made his first start since joining the Bucks last month. He made one start for Brooklyn earlier this season. ... The Bucks are now 20-2 when they shoot at least 50%,
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. The Hornets have won their last five matchups with the Clippers, including all three meetings this season.
Bucks: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-milwaukee-bucks-khris-middleton-dallas-2641cd2b28e92edc9a360c972ca937cb">The Bucks won 102-95 at Dallas</a> in their only previous meeting this season, though neither Antetokounmpo nor Mavericks guard Luka Doncic played in that game.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport

The Los Angeles Clippers trounced the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Robert Covington's career-high 43 points.

Clippers rip Bucks 153-119 as both teams rest top players

Khris Middleton scored a season-high 44 points, Jrue Holiday had 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied to beat the short-handed Phoenix Suns 132-122 on Sunday.
Milwaukee outscored Phoenix 12-1 over the last three minutes to win in the Suns&rsquo; first visit since Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in a 105-98 Game 6 victory gave the Bucks their first NBA title in 50 years. In their only previous matchup this season, the Suns won 131-107 in Phoenix on Feb. 10.
The NBA-leading Suns were playing without their usual All-Star starting backcourt of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Booker missed his third straight game due to the NBA&rsquo;s health and safety protocols. Paul broke his right thumb Feb. 16.
Phoenix also was missing Cam Johnson, two days after he scored 38 points in a 115-114 victory over the New York Knicks. Johnson has a bruised right quadriceps.
The Bucks won their fourth straight as they completed arguably their toughest three-game stretch of the season. In each of those three games, they came from behind down the stretch.
Milwaukee beat Miami 120-119 on Wednesday night and Chicago 118-112 on Friday night. The Bucks erased a 14-point deficit in the final six minutes of the Heat game and trailed the Bulls by seven points at the start of the fourth quarter.
This time, the Bucks trailed by five in the final period and withstood the foul trouble of Antetokounmpo, who had 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes before fouling out with 1:12 left.
Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 30 points. Cam Payne had 23, Jae Crowder 19, Landry Shamet 17 and Mikal Bridges 14.
Serge Ibaka had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks. Jordan Nwora had 12 points and Grayson Allen added 10.
The Suns led 107-102 when Antetokounmpo went to the bench after picking up his fifth foul with 7:40 left.
But the Bucks outscored the Suns 18-11 in the four-plus minutes Antetokounmpo missed and owned a 120-118 lead when the two-time MVP returned to the floor with 3:23 remaining.
Crowder sank a 3-pointer to put the Suns back ahead with 3:13 left. Nwora missed a 3-point attempt on the Bucks&rsquo; next possession, but Antetokounmpo got the rebound and passed to Nwora, who hit a jumper to put Milwaukee back in front for good with 2:52 remaining.
The Bucks rolled from there. Middleton scored the game&rsquo;s final seven points, including a 3-pointer that gave the Bucks a double-digit edge with 21.6 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Suns: Phoenix coach Monty Williams has said on multiple occasions that the loss to the Bucks in the finals would make his team better. Williams said Sunday he mentioned that again to Antetokounmpo during the All-Star Game festivities. &ldquo;In any sport, when you lose like that, you have to really be honest with yourself as to why,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;If you were a boxer and you got clipped with a right cross, you know what I&rsquo;m saying, you&rsquo;re going to keep your left up. You&rsquo;re going to learn how to build your stamina to keep your left upright. Those are things that, anytime you fail in that particular platform, you just look at stuff that can make you better.&rdquo;
Bucks: Wesley Matthews didn&rsquo;t play due to a sore left hamstring. Matthews had hurt the hamstring Friday at Chicago. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re thinking and hoping it&rsquo;s day to day,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game. ... Serge Ibaka had his highest point and rebound totals since the Bucks acquired him Feb. 10. This was his ninth game with the Bucks.
UP NEXT
Suns: At Orlando on Tuesday night in the second of three straight road games. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-magic-phoenix-suns-nba-sports-chuma-okeke-4c2e192e2099bccf7d4127dd8d9a4cf6">The Suns beat the Magic 132-105</a> at home on Feb. 12.
Bucks: At Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-jrue-holiday-milwaukee-khris-middleton-381b172d47c3d90463191fedd383dc82">The Bucks defeated the Thunder 96-89</a> in Milwaukee on Nov. 19.

Khris Middleton scored a season-high 44 points, Jrue Holiday had 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Bucks rallied to win.

Khris Middleton scores 44 points, Bucks rally to beat Suns

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Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

Depending on who you ask, and where their allegiance lies, the primary reason the Milwaukee Bucks won last year&rsquo;s title is... let&rsquo;s say, different.
It could be Giannis Antetokounmpo shedding his half-court demons, adding the necessary counters to become unguardable. That idea has been explored <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/enough-no-bag-talk-giannis-antetokounmpo-put-the-nba-on-notice-finals-mvp-champion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in this space</a>.
Some (okay, many) point to injury luck. The Brooklyn Nets were famously without &mdash; or had hampered versions of &mdash; Kyrie Irving and James Harden by the end of their second-round bout. The Atlanta Hawks were without &mdash; or had hampered versions of &mdash; Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and De'Andre Hunter.&nbsp;
(This, of course, ignores the Bucks being down a starter who doubled as their second-best perimeter defender and Giannis playing on a knee that wasn&rsquo;t 100%, but whatever.)
I&rsquo;d offer this reason: the Bucks finally became scheme-versatile enough to last in the latter rounds. They spent the regular season taking a statistical step back in order to experiment. There was a shift to their offensive approach, going from a 5-out look to an alignment that consistently placed a player in the dunker spot. (<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Subscribe!</a>)
Defensively, they expanded their toolkit. Drop coverage remained their base, but switching became a larger part of their diet. It wasn&rsquo;t always great, but the fruits of that labor came during the postseason.
The Bucks are looking to repeat their result (a title) by repeating their process (scheme-shifting). The big change has come defensively, as they&rsquo;ve dialed up their pressure to a ridiculous degree.
BRINGING THE HEAT
We've seen the Bucks go from a "drop, drop, then drop some more" strategy to a drop-and-switch-when-necessary approach. They were the league's best defense when anchored by the former, and the latter saw them land in the back end of the top-10. Well, that and they eventually won a title. Minor detail.
While both tactics serve the same purpose &mdash; take away fruitful creases and keep the action in front &mdash; they're both conservative by nature. When executed smoothly, the Bucks are able to defend actions 2-on-2 and keep everyone else out of rotation.
That's what makes their next evolution fun. They're purposely sending two to the ball, forcing a third player into the fray and tasking the others to zone up behind them.
The Bucks are showing or blitzing on 15.4 picks per 100 possessions, the second-highest rate in the NBA per Second Spectrum. That figure is more than double the league average this year (roughly seven per 100), and more than triple&nbsp;their rate from last season (roughly 4.5).
Like any schematic shift, you have to have the personnel to successfully execute it. When healthy, the Bucks have the goods.
Jrue Holiday is one of the best on-ball defenders on the planet. Grayson Allen can hold his own on the ball. Khris Middleton is solid on-ball, but has long been a pest in the passing lanes. Giannis is one of the best weak-side helpers the league has ever seen. And starting center Bobby Portis is mobile and active enough to keep ball-handlers from turning the corner.
They can mix in other guys. Donte DiVincenzo (welcome back!) and Pat Connaughton can bother ball-handlers or rotate on time, on target. George Hill and Wes Matthews (also welcome back) can still cover ground. Youngsters like Jordan Nwora are learning the ropes, but the activity level is encouraging.
(There's a fun chicken-or-the-egg thing going on with the Bucks' new scheme. Did they plan on experimenting with this anyway, or did the absence of their drop anchor Brook Lopez [get well soon] force them to find a different solution?)
Add those elements together, and you have a defense that makes life incredibly tough on offenses. They're allowing 0.84 points per possession on trips that feature a blitzed (or hedged) ball-screen, the sixth-best in the NBA. If you account for volume &mdash; the five teams ahead in PPP allowed don't even approach half of the Bucks' blitz/show rate &mdash; nobody really compares.
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The Bucks are able to muck things up against high pick-and-rolls in the middle of the floor. They're somehow even better when teams empty a corner before their attack.
That's generally a difficult setup for defenses to navigate, especially against pull-up artists or versatile big scorers. It takes away a natural safety net of help, unless you're willing to pre-rotate.
Many teams can't pull it off. The Warriors can, headlined by one-man-zone master Draymond Green. The Bucks can do it too. Here's a quick example of what it looks like.
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As Scottie Barnes sets the screen, you can see Middleton walking towards the painted area. Fred VanVleet, dealing with pressure from Holiday and Sandro Mamukelashvili, has to execute a jump pass to get out of trouble.&nbsp;
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With Middleton roaming over to pick up Barnes, Nwora peels down to the corner. That leaves Matthews to "split the difference" between Gary Trent Jr. and OG Anunoby until Mamu can recover to Barnes, which would then allow Nwora and Middleton to regain their perimeter assignments.
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Surprise, surprise: the Bucks are allowing 0.87 PPP on possessions featuring an empty corner ball-screen, the second-stingiest mark in the NBA behind the Warriors (0.82 PPP). And when the Bucks hedge or trap those actions, that number drops&nbsp;to 0.77.
It's controlled chaos, really. Pressure the ball, pick up the immediate outlet and dare the ball-handler to make the skip necessary to beat you. The Bucks are middle-of-the-pack in turnover rate (14.0, 17th), but they've taken a step from where they were last season (12.8, 23rd).
There are still kinks to work out. With such an aggressive scheme, there's room for teams to beat it with good ball movement and slick off-ball counters.
Hit the roll man early enough, and you can get diced up &mdash; especially if that player processes the floor well. Flare or hammer screens against the defender tasked with splitting the difference can put the Bucks in a bind. So can random relocations.
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But as it stands, the Bucks are still a darn good defense. They're No. 7 in Defensive Rating with a better half-court unit &mdash; 92.7 points per 100 plays, per Cleaning The Glass &mdash; than they had last season (98.2 per 100). Even if you account for offense being down across the league this year, their half-court defense is about a point better than league average, compared to 1.3 points lower than league average last season.
The Bucks are looking like an even more versatile version of themselves. Provided they stay (some semblance of) healthy, they're primed for another title run.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Bucks' new aggressive defense.

The Bucks are reinventing themselves on defense again

Earlier this week, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/celtics-expected-to-listen-to-trade-talks-surrounding-dennis-schrder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania reported</a> that the Boston Celtics are expected to listen to trade discussions surrounding Dennis Schr&ouml;der.
It makes sense. Schr&ouml;der is entering the prime of his career and producing with the Celtics to the tune of 17.5 points, 4.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. He also signed a one-year contract in the offseason for just $5.89 million, and logic signals that he's intending to turn that into a much larger payday next summer.&nbsp;
Dealing Schr&ouml;der while his value is high before he could leave next offseason seems like proper asset management for Boston. And though I think Schr&ouml;der provides a unique flavor with his rim pressure and pure speed, I get the reality that, with the Celtics likely not on the path to title contention this season, there's a good chance Schr&ouml;der gets thrown into the trade carousel.&nbsp;
The questions to ask: What teams could use a potential one-season rental, and what would the Celtics want back? To answer these, let's quickly log Schr&ouml;der's primary skills shown this season.
The 28-year-old has shifted between a high-usage bench role and a starter for Boston as the team deals with injuries. Schr&ouml;der can get downhill with impressive burst when he wants to. Per Cleaning the Glass, he's making 64% of his at-rim attempts, in the 78th percentile at his position.
Schr&ouml;der has also canned an impressive 56% of his corner threes and been a better off-ball option than I initially anticipated. He still seems more comfortable on the ball, where he can dictate the pace and facilitate. Schr&ouml;der is hitting 33.6% of his overall threes this season, which is right at his career average. He's a streaky but capable long-range shooter who can also pull up in the mid-range with some success. Ultimately, the speed and finishing ability are his signature skills.
In this situation, Schr&ouml;der is one of the perfect acquisitions for a team needing that last piece to push for a title or get over the hump into the playoffs. But the Celtics are in this weird middle ground; they have plenty of intriguing young players and a first-year head coach, but also plenty of veterans who can support a win-now run... Except they aren't doing enough of the "winning now" part.&nbsp;
What does Boston want back in a trade in general? They could opt to add to their pool of prospects or find more experienced players to fill needs. I truly don't know the best route, so I've chosen a few of each. Below are five trades that make sense for the Celtics, the hypothetic partner and Schr&ouml;der himself.
<a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All are NBA Trade Machine-approved</a>.
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UTAH JAZZ
Celtics receive: Royce O'Neale, Jared Butler
Jazz receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der
In this scenario, the Celtics return a low-usage 3-and-D player, which fills a shooting need and takes pressure off of Ime Udoka to put too much responsibility on Aaron Nesmith. O'Neale would be an excellent fit in Udoka's switch-heavy defense as a 6-foot-6 wing, and he's currently knocking down over 40% of his three-pointers. Perhaps the Celtics can get an intriguing guard prospect like Butler out of this too since Utah won't be slotting him in the rotation this season.
For the Jazz, it's all about pushing for a title. They're on the cusp, and Schr&ouml;der could benefit from playing next to or behind Donovan Mitchell. He wouldn't need to be a defensive fulcrum, and could slot in as the primary facilitator off the bench. That would make life much easier for a currently struggling Jordan Clarkson.
ATLANTA HAWKS
Celtics receive: Cam Reddish, Gorgui Dieng, 2022 second-round pick
Hawks receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der, 2022 first-round pick (lottery-protected)
It's pretty ironic that the Hawks' search for a backup point guard could take things back to where they all began with Schr&ouml;der. Under a new regime, maybe it makes sense for Schr&ouml;der to try again. He'd instantly be second on the depth chart behind Trae Young. The Hawks are 24th in rim frequency and 18th in accuracy, so Schr&ouml;der can absolutely help collapse the defense.
It's been reported that the Hawks want to move Reddish in exchange for a first-round pick, and they can do so here. The Celtics can take a swing on a high-upside prospect who is only 22 in Reddish while maintaining a team option for the following season. They also get back Gorgui Dieng, who I've always been a personal fan of, to slot in as a sensible third big man.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
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Celtics receive: Pat Connaughton
Bucks receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der
The second George Hill era has not been as kind in Milwaukee. Hill, at age-35, is shooting just 32.4% from long range and has missed time due to injuries. With Donte DiVincenzo on his way back, Grayson Allen shooting the lights out and Jordan Nwora waiting for more minutes, Milwaukee has a plethora of sharpshooting guard/wing hybrids to work with. They can give one up in exchange for some added rim pressure off the bench.
Boston takes on Connaughton, who can operate as a mircowave scorer and cutter while fitting better with Marcus Smart should the two share the backcourt. Connaughton also graduated from St. John's Prep in Massachusetts, so you have some nice local ties there. He's making $5.3 million over the next two seasons.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Celtics receive: Garrett Temple, Naji Marshall, 2023 first-round pick (via Lakers)
Pelicans receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der
The Pelicans are reportedly going to be buyers this trade season, which is... something. But if that's true, Schr&ouml;der is a good bet for them as a team whose guard signings have largely underwhelmed (and who just lost Kira Lewis Jr. for the season due to a torn ACL). Schr&ouml;der could start for this team and be the downhill threat missing from the current rotation.
Naji Marshall still doesn't get nearly enough love from the Pelicans, so he hopefully would in Boston. The Celtics also add a likely late first-rounder in a draft that could be loaded, and acquire a rock-solid veteran in Temple. None of this severely impacts the all-powerful cap flexibility Brad Stevens is likely hoping to preserve.
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INDIANA PACERS
Celtics receive: Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday
Pacers receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der, Romeo Langford, Robert Williams III, Josh Richardson, 2022 first-round pick (top-10-protected)
Our Nekias Duncan labeled the Celtics as an intriguing fit in his piece on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/exploring-trade-destinations-for-domantas-sabonis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential destinations for Domantas Sabonis</a>. This is my best attempt at formulating a Sabonis trade without including Jaylen Brown. Boston would certainly love this; it gets a third star-caliber player and ball-moving center, plus a low-usage complementary wing I love in Holiday.
It's trickier to sell this for the Pacers. Part of the appeal is flipping Schr&ouml;der or Richardson for more prospect pieces. But neither of them comes with significant long-term cap hits, which is a plus. Should Indiana opt for the competitive pseudo-rebuild, both veterans are at least capable rotation pieces.
Romeo Langford is an awesome young player and an Indiana native, and Robert Williams (note: he cannot be traded until after Jan. 30) is another awesome young player on a steal of a contract. Maybe some additional draft capital gets this done.

With the Celtics reportedly expected to field offers for Dennis Schröder, where could the speedy point guard end up?

Examining potential trade destinations for Dennis Schröder

The Milwaukee Bucks haven&rsquo;t been quite themselves as they&rsquo;ve opened their NBA title defense.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has played in each of the Bucks&rsquo; first seven games, but many of his usual running mates have been missing. The impact of their absences was evident as the Bucks (3-4) dropped below .500 with a three-game homestand that included losses to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-milwaukee-bucks-khris-middleton-minnesota-379499248d2cfb2ac80671bb1e9e6713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minnesota</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-khris-middleton-milwaukee-milwaukee-bucks-fca8879272b9f2affa2f2f2b0fef9986" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Antonio</a> and Utah.
&ldquo;We are banged up, we&rsquo;re injured, but you&rsquo;ve got to go out and compete,&rdquo; coach Mike Budenholzer said after a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-milwaukee-utah-donovan-mitchell-5825aa2aa392d3fa4cb31015d4ad7593" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 107-95 loss to the Jazz </a> on Sunday. &ldquo;Nobody feels sorry for you. Nobody&rsquo;s going to worry about you. We&rsquo;ve got to keep playing, keep competing, keep growing and keep developing and hopefully get some of our guys back healthy.&rdquo;
Jrue Holiday has played in just two games and is dealing with a sprained left ankle. Brook Lopez hasn&rsquo;t played since a season-opening victory over the Brooklyn Nets due to a sore back. Donte DiVincenzo still hasn&rsquo;t made his season debut as he continues his recovery after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fl-state-wire-miami-heat-milwaukee-bucks-nba-sports-d97279345dd2dc6a919c9e9705f7f824" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tearing a ligament in his left ankle in a first-round playoff series.</a>
The Bucks also were missing two-time All-Star Khris Middleton on Sunday because of an illness unrelated to COVID-19 &mdash; Editor's Note: Middleton was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/khris-middleton-enters-nbas-health-and-safety-protocols" target="_blank" rel="noopener">placed into the NBA's health and safety protocols</a> on Tuesday. Reserve forward Rodney Hood left the game with a bruised right hand. Budenholzer said afterward that Holiday was trending in a good direction but he couldn&rsquo;t say whether the veteran guard would play Tuesday at Detroit.
Holiday was a first-team selection on the NBA All-Defensive Team last season. Lopez was a second-team selection in 2020. Without them on the floor, the Bucks&rsquo; defense hasn&rsquo;t been nearly as stifling as usual.
&ldquo;I know how good of a defender Jrue is,&rdquo; teammate Grayson Allen said after the Jazz game. &ldquo;As a guard, though, I kind of feel, or at least miss, Brook&rsquo;s presence most. Especially with him usually kind of holding down that back line underneath the basket, cleaning up any mistakes. A lot of the stuff on the pick-and-roll, he can drop back and defend, too. He takes a lot of pressure off of us guards. He&rsquo;s definitely missed.&rdquo;
Defense hasn&rsquo;t been the only issue. The Bucks have shot just 27.5% (36 of 131) from 3-point range during this three-game skid.
Although Milwaukee kept most of its core together after winning its first title since 1971, many of the other players on the roster are new.
The Bucks brought back George Hill, who last played for Milwaukee from 2018-20. They added Hood, Allen and forward Semi Ojeleye. They&rsquo;re expecting 2020 second-round draft pick Jordan Nwora to have a bigger role.
Those changes could cause Milwaukee to need time to develop chemistry, particularly since some of the newcomers are playing more minutes than expected because of injuries elsewhere on the roster.
It&rsquo;s worth noting that while the Bucks posted the NBA&rsquo;s best regular-season record in 2018-19 and 2019-20, last year&rsquo;s squad had an up-and-down regular season and was just 16-13 after a five-game skid in February.
Perhaps this year&rsquo;s team also will need time to reach peak form.
&ldquo;Nobody&rsquo;s going to feel sorry for us,&rdquo; said forward Bobby Portis, who played in only his second game Sunday after dealing with a strained left hamstring. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re the defending champions. Everyone&rsquo;s going to try and give us their best shot.&rdquo;

The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t been quite themselves as they’ve opened their NBA title defense.

Injuries cause reigning champion Bucks to struggle early

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks didn't let the celebration of the franchise's first NBA championship in half a century distract them as they opened their title defense.
In his first game since scoring 50 points in a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-nba-milwaukee-bucks-phoenix-suns-64e76fe1b9f0851dbcf46ad66d90d6de">title-clinching Game 6 NBA Finals victory</a> over the Phoenix Suns, Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Bucks to a 127-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;ve watched the NBA for a long time, this is not an easy night for the team that&rsquo;s set to receive their rings and have the banner,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very pleased. We&rsquo;ve been talking about the focus in training camp, the focus in practice. The guys have been good.&rdquo;
Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton each added 20 points to help the Bucks withstand the loss of Jrue Holiday, who sat out the second half with a bruised right heel after scoring 12 points. Budenholzer said MRI results on Holiday were encouraging.
Kevin Durant led the Nets with 32 points and 11 rebounds. Patty Mills scored 21 points and shot 7 of 7 from 3-point range. James Harden added 20 points.
"We weren't very good,&rdquo; Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said. &ldquo;If you're not playing at a high level against the champs, you're not going to win.&rdquo;
The Nets were missing star guard Kyrie Irving, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kyrie-irving-covid-vaccine-nets-dcd6d5c6d027934cf763dc167610ce58">who isn&rsquo;t with the team due to his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine.</a>
A New York mandate requires professional athletes on local teams to be vaccinated to practice or play in public venues. Rather than using Irving exclusively in road games, the Nets decided he wouldn&rsquo;t play or practice with them at all until he could be a full participant.
After receiving their rings and raising a banner to celebrate their first NBA championship since 1971, the Bucks defeated the team that nearly eliminated them in the second round of the playoffs.
Milwaukee rallied from a 2-0 deficit and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-milwaukee-bucks-nba-sports-7c1e79825d167e686b9c132c0c8634e0"> won Game 7 at Brooklyn in overtime </a> after Durant&rsquo;s foot barely crept across the 3-point arc in the final seconds of regulation, turning a potential series-winning 3-pointer into a game-tying 2-point basket.
The Bucks went on a 21-4 run in the first quarter to extend a 10-8 advantage to 31-12. They got the lead back up to 19 again in the second quarter and were ahead 66-59 at halftime. The lead never dropped below seven the rest of the way.
Milwaukee outrebounded Brooklyn 54-44 and took 21 more shots than the Nets.
&ldquo;We were climbing uphill all game,&rdquo; Durant said.
Milwaukee got 15 points from Jordan Nwora and 10 from Grayson Allen.
FANCY RINGS
<a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1450598672018944012">Milwaukee's championship rings </a> include the messages &ldquo;Fear The Deer&rdquo; and &ldquo;Bucks In 6.&rdquo; The latter slogan has served as a rallying cry among fans ever since former Bucks guard Brandon Jennings used those words while incorrectly predicting the outcome of Milwaukee's 2013 first-round series with the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat.
Jennings and former Bucks guard Michael Redd were both in the crowd.
The rings, designed by Jason of Beverly Hills, have 360 diamonds on the top to represent the Bucks' total wins under current ownership. There are 16 emerald-shape diamonds on each side, symbolizing their 16 playoff wins last season and their 16 division titles in franchise history.
&ldquo;My first thought as soon as it was handed to me is this is the biggest ring I've ever seen in life, and there's a lot of diamonds in it,&rdquo; Nwora said.
Herb Kohl, the 86-year-old former U.S. senator who owned the Bucks from 1985-2014, also got a ring and received a standing ovation when he was announced.

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TIP-INS
Nets: Mills had a brilliant Brooklyn debut after spending the last 10 seasons in San Antonio, but the Nets didn't get much else from their bench. Brooklyn's other reserves combined for just four points.
Bucks: Milwaukee was missing guard Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) and forwards Bobby Portis (hamstring) and Semi Ojeleye (calf). Budenholzer didn&rsquo;t have an estimate on when any of the three might make their season debut but said that Portis and Ojeleye will play before DiVincenzo, who tore a ligament in his left ankle during last season&rsquo;s playoffs.
UP NEXT
Nets: At Philadelphia on Friday.
Bucks: At Miami on Thursday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks received their championship rings and raised their banner before routing the Nets 127-104 in the opener.

Bucks begin title defense with 127-104 victory over Nets

Lonzo Ball looks good in Chicago. Kemba Walker has always looked good at Madison Square Garden.
One game into their preseasons, the Bulls and New York Knicks have to like what they see from their new backcourts.
Ball made a 3-pointer for Chicago's first basket and the Bulls kept rolling from there to a 131-95 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Walker also had the first basket for the Knicks in their 125-104 victory over Indiana, making it a happy homecoming for the point guard who grew up in the Bronx.
&ldquo;Just to see that New York across my chest, being from here, it&rsquo;s like a dream come true,&rdquo; Walker said in his postgame interview on the court.
Walker signed with the Knicks over the summer for a chance to play 41 games in the arena where he memorably led Connecticut to the Big East tournament title in 2011.
Evan Fournier, his teammate last season in Boston, is also a new Knick and they started together in the backcourt. Both finished with 12 points, delivering the improved scoring they hope to get after riding their defense to a surprising playoff berth last season.
The Bulls are hoping to get there this season after bringing in Ball from New Orleans, DeMar DeRozan from San Antonio and Alex Caruso from the Los Angeles Lakers.
With Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic already in place, the Bulls have the potential to make a leap up the Eastern Conference standings.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Forget the coffee... watch this video! Every single dunk from last night's W: <a href="https://t.co/88uxB3Ix9H">pic.twitter.com/88uxB3Ix9H</a>
&mdash; Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) <a href="https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1445735602842972165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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LaVine scored 25 points, Vucevic had 10 points and nine rebounds, and the Bulls outscored the Cavaliers by 45 points while they were on the floor. DeRozan added 13 points, Caruso had 10 points and 10 assists, and Ball finished with eight points, five rebounds and five assists.
KNICKS 125, PACERS 104
Julius Randle had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks, while RJ Barrett scored 17 points.
Taj Gibson scored 14 and Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin each came off the bench for 10 as the Knicks surpassed 100 points in three quarters.
Rookie Chris Duarte scored 15 points for the Pacers in their first game under new coach Rick Carlisle. Justin Holiday added 13, while Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell each had 10.
BULLS 131, CAVALIERS 95
Troy Brown Jr. and Javonte Green also scored 13 points in Chicago. Matt Thomas had 11 and Alize Johnson finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.
Collin Sexton scored 14 points and former Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen had 13 for the Cavaliers.
Evan Mobley, the No. 3 pick in the draft, had 10 points and eight rebounds. Ricky Rubio, acquired by the Cavs in the offseason, had 10 points, six assists and five rebounds.
ROCKETS 125, WIZARDS 119
Kevin Porter Jr. had 25 points, including five 3-pointers, and five assists in Houston.
Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in July&rsquo;s draft, finished with 12 points and six rebounds but shot just 4 of 14 from the field and 0 for 6 from behind the arc.
Bradley Beal had 18 points to lead six Washington players in double figures. Aaron Holiday had 15 points, Spencer Dinwiddie &mdash; acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a five-team trade on Aug. 6 &mdash; finished with 14 points and five assists and Corey Kispert added 12 points. Kyle Kuzma scored 11 points and Daniel Gafford 10.
GRIZZLIES 87, BUCKS 77 (3 quarters)
Ja Morant had 27 points, six rebounds and four assists through three quarters to lead Memphis.
Morant was 11-of-18 shooting and threw down high-flying dunks in the first and third quarters before a fire alarm went off in his home arena at the end of the third quarter. Fans were evacuated and the teams were sent to their locker rooms. The game would eventually be called.
De&rsquo;Anthony Melton scored 14 points and Steven Adams had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies.
Jordan Nwora led Milwaukee with 16 points and Grayson Allen scored 13.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Jrue Holiday &mdash; all major contributors to Milwaukee&rsquo;s NBA title run this summer &mdash; did not play for the Bucks.

One game into their preseasons, the Bulls and Knicks have to like what they see from their new backcourts.

NBA Preseason: Strong debuts for new backcourts in New York & Chicago

NBA players understand the importance of having an adequate basketball court better than most. It&rsquo;s obviously a fundamental part of their well-being.
But basketball courts are about more than a basket. There&rsquo;s pride in best aspects of your local court, as well as in the idiosyncrasies. But certain aspects are absolutely necessary, and Luka Doncic is one player that is intimately familiar with this fact.&nbsp;
According to an <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/going-home-with-luka-doncic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with Marc Stein</a>, Doncic&rsquo;s local court in the Bežigrad district of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana &mdash; where Doncic began playing at age 7 &mdash; lacked lights, and Slovenia can &ldquo;get dark early.&rdquo;
So Doncic, now an adult, has ensured that this will no longer be a problem for hoopers at the court in Savsko naselje sports park. He was part of a recent effort to update the basketball court, which is located a short walk from the apartment in which he grew up. In partnership with 2K Sports&rsquo; philanthropy arm, 2K Foundation, Doncic refurbished the court. In addition to the sufficient lighting, it received a new paint job (Dallas Mavericks blue) and now features Doncic&rsquo;s Jordan brand logo.
Doncic was present for the court&rsquo;s unveiling, which was done on a recent Saturday afternoon featuring ribbon-cutting, 3-on-3 games, full-court scrimmages and skills challenges for kids.
&ldquo;Now the kids can play longer,&rdquo; <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/going-home-with-luka-doncic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doncic said</a>, referring to the benefit derived from the new lights.&nbsp;
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The idea of donating time and money to the improvement of local basketball courts is incredibly noble, but Doncic is far from the first NBA player to do so. Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell unveiled new basketball courts this July in Dobbs Ferry, New York, where his grandmother worked; seven-time All-Star Grant Hill also oversaw the refurbishment of basketball courts in Durham, North Carolina and Detroit, Michigan in 2019; and in 2013, 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony spearheaded the refurbishment of basketball courts in his hometown of Red Hook, Brooklyn among others.&nbsp;
After signing a $207 million extension this summer with the Mavericks, Doncic will probably update more courts in the future than just the one in Savsko naselje sports park; and if the recent philanthropy of other NBA players like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving is an indication, Doncic will probably do more than just provide basketball courts, too.

Doncic gave back to the community he grew up in by upgrading local courts in the Bežigrad district of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.

Luka Doncic helps refurbish basketball court in hometown

As NBA Summer League gets into a groove, viewers should notice some players quickly outclass the environment.
Experienced sophomores and third-year players often "graduate" summer league early. You'll know these players when you see them -- simply playing with pace and awareness well beyond the rest of the players on the court.
On Monday, some of these players popped up with monstrous performances. As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-studs-and-five-duds-from-the-first-day-of-summer-league-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we wrote yesterday</a>, we've collected five "studs" and five "duds" and noted our observations from their individual games. Once again: this is not meant for drawing long-term conclusions. Rather, it sets a baseline for a prospect's strengths and weaknesses upon entering this next step up in competition.&nbsp;
On to the players:
STUDS
Immanuel Quickley, guard, New York Knicks
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
32 for IQ 🔥 Immanuel Quickley drops 32 PTS and 8 AST to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyknicks</a> to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win in Las Vegas! <a href="https://t.co/THXE64GJjX">pic.twitter.com/THXE64GJjX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424825144225173513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 8 assists, 2 steals 11-for-21 FG, 4-for-12 3PT
Quickley piqued my curiosity on Sunday when the Knicks rolled him out at point guard. He did a much better job navigating the pick-and-roll on Monday, being more decisive with his passes and drives. The second-year guard attacked the basket and demonstrated an immaculate floater. His eight assists also came against just one turnover; he now has 16 assists and only four giveaways through two games. Quickley's offensive command was eye-popping, even when the jump shot didn't fall.
Trey Murphy III, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Sizzling at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> 🔥 No. 17 pick Trey Murphy drops 26 PTS with 6 3PM in his <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> debut! <a href="https://t.co/kId4rXieF2">pic.twitter.com/kId4rXieF2</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424839063115374593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 9-for-15 FG, 6-for-9 3PT
Murphy laid down the best summer-league debut from any rookie so far. He splashed threes facing up and off the catch, making open and contested looks. On the defensive end, he rotated properly and remained engaged, living up to the 3-and-D archetype that he projects into as a prospect.
But then Murphy did more. He consistently ran the floor in transition and served as a lob threat and finisher. He was unafraid to put the ball on the deck, and hit a cutting Kira Lewis Jr. on one particularly nice bounce pass. Honestly, there was very little to dislike, and Murphy's high bar makes him a prospect to watch over the coming days.
Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
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Yeah, Tyrese Maxey wasn&rsquo;t doing this last year. Very promising development to see him seeking out his own perimeter shots. He&rsquo;s already up to 19 points in the half. <a href="https://t.co/V6xHdLEQuB">pic.twitter.com/V6xHdLEQuB</a>
&mdash; Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) <a href="https://twitter.com/Harrison_Grimm/status/1424836194681163777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 8-for-15 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Maxey absolutely owned the Mavericks on drives. The 6-foot-2 guard slashed to the rim quickly and frequently for easy buckets. It shouldn't come as a surprise; Maxey has been burning defenders his entire basketball life.&nbsp;
The second-year Sixer also set the tone on the defensive end with on-ball pressure. Most notably, he looked confident attempting three-pointers, which is one key swing skill in his development. I'd also like to shout out teammate Isaiah Joe, who is not in this list, but who played a fantastic game of his own next to Maxey.
Desmond Bane, guard, Memphis Grizzlies
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Desmond Bane (<a href="https://twitter.com/DBane0625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBane0625</a>) scores 32 PTS to fuel the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> to the win at the MGM Resorts <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> League 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/5JSkJ2H7Dg">pic.twitter.com/5JSkJ2H7Dg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424876608729538562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 10-for-19 FG, 6-for-8 3PT
To put it bluntly: Bane has very clearly outgrown NBA Summer League. After making the All-Rookie Second Team in 2020-21, the scoring guard owned his first game of the tournament. Bane drilled six long-range looks, and his form is as crisp as ever.&nbsp;
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said during the broadcast that he wanted to get Bane more reps as the primary playmaker. The 23-year-old ran the offense seamlessly and tossed some clean passes to the corners for open shooters. Bane's statement game was a plain reminder that he is a rotation staple for Memphis.
Jalen Suggs, guard, Orlando Magic
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Jalen Suggs said 🖐🚫 <a href="https://t.co/nTh83IUAUA">pic.twitter.com/nTh83IUAUA</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1424916922479497219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 9-for-22 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Suggs' defense was the story of the game in Orlando's 91-89 OT win over Golden State. The rookie point guard came up with a number of big-time blocks down the stretch, including a two-on-one stop that essentially forced overtime. Suggs hounded his matchups and played above his size, frequently seen on the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.
Offensively, it was a mixed bag. The efficiency numbers don't look great, but Suggs was able to get to his spots in the mid-range and navigate some pick-and-roll opportunities. This was a question mark for him pre-draft, so it's good to see a somewhat promising start as a lead guard. Suggs also battled for quite a few rebounds and pushed the ball in transition.
Other notable performers: Jordan Nwora (Bucks), Jay Scrubb (Clippers), Obi Toppin (Knicks), Jaylen Nowell (Timberwolves), Devin Vassell (Spurs), Davion Mitchell (Kings)
DUDS
Santi Aldama, forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Box Score Stats: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1-for-7 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
We're a long way from Baltimore. Aldama was one of the surprise picks of draft night when Memphis selected him No. 30 overall. Aldama was chosen partially because of his complete dominance at Loyola Maryland. Making the leap from mid-major college hoops to the NBA is no easy task. Aldama didn't get a whole ton of touches in the early going and really struggled against stronger opponents.
James Bouknight, guard, Charlotte Hornets
Box Score Stats: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4-for-11 FG, 1-for-5 3PT
The Hornets' lottery pick had to match up against Davion Mitchell on the second night of a back-to-back. So it's understandable that Bouknight struggled against one of the toughest defenders in NBA Summer League. He couldn't get shots to fall, and often tried to take Mitchell in isolation instead of calling for screens and running off of actions. Bouknight finished with five turnovers; the Hornets ended with a ghastly 22.
The shooting guard did have some nice moments, particularly on tough finishes at the rim. But overall, it was a down night from a scoring perspective -- even Bouknight's lone three-point make was after an odd hesitation.&nbsp;
Cole Anthony, guard, Orlando Magic
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-9 FG, 1-for-4 3PT
Viewers saw Orlando's first attempts at a three-guard lineup with Anthony, Jalen Suggs and R.J. Hampton. Anthony appeared to really struggle with the inconsistent responsibilites. He spent a good portion of the game running the offense, but danced around and didn't seem to find a rhythm. Then, he looked uncomfortable in catch-and-shoot situations. These lineups will obviously have a learning curve for all of the young Magic guards.&nbsp;
Jonathan Kuminga, forward, Golden State Warriors
Box Score Stats: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-for-16 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
The glimpses looked really&nbsp;good from Kuminga. He can thread passes to cutters. He can power through defenders to the rim. He can ignite a fast break by jumping a passing lane.
Unfortunately, those flashes were few and far between for the seventh overall pick. Kuminga typically steamrolled down the lane, tossing up a shot at the rim that either missed wildly or drew a forgiving whistle. He bricked each of his four three-point attempts and was never really a threat to make plays from the perimeter. Guards often breezed by him in defensive switches.
If Kuminga can be less predictable with his moves, he'll become a threatening offensive weapon. He has the tools; it's about learning how to use them.
Keon Johnson, guard, Los Angeles Clippers
Box Score Stats: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-for-16 FG, 0-for-5 3PT
Johnson's efficiency ultimately doomed him in his summer-league debut. The bouncy guard certainly displayed his athleticism on fast breaks, but ultimately missed a bunch of jumpers and took a couple of awkward shots. He was active and quick on defense, but did also get burned multiple times on backdoor cuts. Overall, this was by no means a concerning result from Johnson -- just a reminder that his offensive polish is generally a work in progress.
By the end of Tuesday, we'll have second samples to evaluate for nearly every player in summer league. I'll be excited to see who finds their groove and who learns from their debut game.

Some of the league's best sophomores showed out at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

5 studs and duds from the second day of NBA Summer League

The NBA released some key numbers to remember ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft:
The 2021 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, July 29 at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABC&nbsp;will televise the&nbsp;first round of the NBA Draft&nbsp;for the first time, and ESPN will air both rounds.&nbsp;
Twenty draft prospects are scheduled to attend and have their once-in-a-lifetime experience on the biggest stage.&nbsp;&nbsp;NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum will announce the selections for the first and second rounds, respectively.&nbsp;
Here is a by-the-numbers look at this year&rsquo;s NBA Draft:&nbsp;
History &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;Since the NBA Draft Lottery began in 1985,&nbsp;four&nbsp;first overall picks have won an NBA championship with the team that drafted them: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs; first pick in 1987), Tim Duncan (Spurs; first pick in 1997), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers; first pick in 2003) and Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers; first pick in 2011).&nbsp;James won an NBA championship in his second stint with Cleveland. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6 &ndash;&nbsp;Since the two-round format was adopted in 1989, Kentucky holds the record for the university with the most picks in an NBA Draft &ndash;&nbsp;six&nbsp;each in 2012 and 2015. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Barclays Center will host the NBA Draft for the&nbsp;eighth&nbsp;time.&nbsp;It last hosted the event in 2019 prior to the pandemic. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 &ndash;&nbsp;A college freshman has been the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in each of the last&nbsp;11&nbsp;years. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15 &ndash;&nbsp;This marks the&nbsp;15th&nbsp;consecutive year that Adam Silver will announce draft selections as either deputy commissioner (seven years) or commissioner (eight years including 2021). &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1947 &ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft will be held in July for the first time since&nbsp;1947, the year of the inaugural draft.
Prospects &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &ndash;&nbsp;In 2020-21, USC forward-center Evan Mobley became the&nbsp;first&nbsp;player to win the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards in the same season. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 &ndash;&nbsp;Florida State forward Scottie Barnes, NBA G League Ignite guard Jalen Green and Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs have won&nbsp;three&nbsp;gold medals together with USA Basketball in international play: 2019 FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup, 2018 FIBA U-17 Basketball World Cup and 2017 FIBA U-16 Americas Championship. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;Four&nbsp;2021 NBA Draft prospects were teammates on the Montverde (Fla.) Academy team that went 25-0 during the 2019-20 high school season: Scottie Barnes, Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham, Arkansas guard Moses Moody and North Carolina center Day'Ron Sharpe.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.6 &ndash;&nbsp;Adelaide 36ers guard Josh Giddey (Australia) led Australia&rsquo;s National Basketball League in assists with&nbsp;7.6&nbsp;per game in the 2020-21 season. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 &ndash;&nbsp;Besiktas forward Alperen Sengun (Turkey), the 2020-21 Turkish League MVP, turned&nbsp;19&nbsp;on July 25. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;48 &ndash;&nbsp;Tennessee guard&nbsp;Keon Johnson set the NBA Combine record with a max vertical jump of&nbsp;48&nbsp;inches.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;75 &ndash;&nbsp;Last season, Cade&nbsp;Cunningham became Oklahoma State&rsquo;s first consensus All-America First Team selection in&nbsp;75&nbsp;years.
Teams &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2 &ndash;&nbsp;The Houston Rockets franchise is set to select&nbsp;second&nbsp;overall in the NBA Draft for the first time in 51 years.&nbsp;In 1970, the then San Diego Rockets selected five-time NBA All-Star Rudy Tomjanovich with the No. 2 pick. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 &ndash;&nbsp;The Oklahoma City Thunder has&nbsp;three&nbsp;picks in both the first round (Nos. 6, 16 and 18 overall) and the second round (Nos. 34, 36 and 55 overall). &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;The Toronto Raptors are poised to pick&nbsp;fourth&nbsp;overall in the NBA Draft for the first time since selecting newly elected Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Bosh at that spot in 2003. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7 &ndash;&nbsp;The Golden State Warriors&rsquo; first pick in the NBA Draft is at No.&nbsp;7&nbsp;overall, a spot where they have selected five-time NBA All-Star Chris Mullin (1985), two-time Kia NBA MVP Stephen Curry (2009) and NBA champion Harrison Barnes (2012) during the NBA Draft Lottery era. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49 &ndash;&nbsp;The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to pick third overall in the NBA Draft for the first time in&nbsp;49&nbsp;years. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;51 &ndash;&nbsp;The Detroit Pistons are poised&nbsp;to make the first pick in&nbsp;the NBA Draft for the first time in&nbsp;51&nbsp;years.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1970, the Pistons used the top pick to select eight-time NBA All-Star Bob Lanier, a longtime ambassador for the NBA Cares program.&nbsp;
Family Ties &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.2 &ndash;&nbsp;Auburn guard&nbsp;Sharife Cooper&rsquo;s&nbsp;sister, Te&rsquo;a Cooper, is currently averaging&nbsp;9.2&nbsp;points per game with the Los Angeles Sparks in her second WNBA season.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10 &ndash;&nbsp;Michigan forward Franz Wagner (Germany) and his brother, Orlando Magic forward-center Moritz Wagner, were both All-Big&nbsp;Ten&nbsp;Team selections with the Wolverines.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12 &ndash;&nbsp;Houston guard&nbsp;Quentin Grimes&rsquo;&nbsp;brother, NHL veteran Tyler Myers, was selected&nbsp;12th&nbsp;overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33 &ndash;&nbsp;Boise State&nbsp;forward&nbsp;Derrick Alston Jr.&rsquo;s father, Derrick Sr., was the&nbsp;33rd&nbsp;overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft and played three seasons in the league.&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1984 &ndash;&nbsp;Tennessee guard Jaden Springer is the son of Gary Springer, who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the&nbsp;1984&nbsp;NBA Draft. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1992 &ndash;&nbsp;Loyola Maryland forward&nbsp;Santi&nbsp;Aldama (Spain)&nbsp;is the son of Santiago&nbsp;Aldama&nbsp;Ales&oacute;n, who was a&nbsp;member of the Spanish National Team that competed against the Dream Team at the&nbsp;1992&nbsp;Barcelona Olympics.&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2015 &ndash;&nbsp;Gonzaga guard&nbsp;Joel&nbsp;Ayayi (France)&nbsp;is the brother of&nbsp;Valeriane&nbsp;Ayayi&nbsp;Vukosavljevic, who played in the WNBA in&nbsp;2015.&nbsp;
Global Game &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &ndash;&nbsp;Australia&rsquo;s Josh Giddey is poised to become the&nbsp;first&nbsp;NBA Academy graduate to be drafted into the NBA.&nbsp;Giddey attended NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;If NBA G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga is drafted in the top&nbsp;six, he would be the highest-drafted player from the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Dikembe Mutombo was drafted fourth overall in 1991. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9 &ndash;&nbsp;Last year, a record&nbsp;nine&nbsp;players from or with ties to Nigeria were drafted: Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu, Aaron Nesmith, Precious Achiuwa, Zeke Nnaji, Udoka Azubuike, Desmond Bane, Daniel Oturu and Jordan Nwora. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 &ndash;&nbsp;Thirteen&nbsp;international players have been selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft, most recently Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) in 2018. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;27 &ndash;&nbsp;A record&nbsp;27&nbsp;international players were selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, including a record 15 in the first round and a record-tying 12 in the second round. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;68 &ndash; Sixty-eight&nbsp;former Basketball Without Borders campers have been drafted into the NBA.&nbsp;This year&rsquo;s class features a number of potential draftees with BWB experience, including Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi (France; BWB Europe 2017), Western Kentucky forward-center Charles Bassey (Nigeria; BWB Global 2017 &amp; 2018), Paris Basket guard Juhann Begarin (France; BWB Europe 2019; BWB Global 2020), Zalgiris Kaunas guard Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania; BWB Europe 2017), Adelaide 36ers guard Josh Giddey (Australia; BWB Asia 2018; BWB Global 2020), Texas forward-center Kai Jones (Bahamas; BWB Americas 2017), Seton Hall forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia; BWB Global 2017), KK Mega Basket forward-center Filip Petrusev (Serbia; BWB Europe 2017; BWB Global 2018), Alabama guard Josh Primo (Canada; BWB Global 2020) and Oostende forward Amar Sylla (Senegal; BWB Africa 2018; BWB Global 2019). &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;215/25 &ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft will reach fans live in&nbsp;215&nbsp;countries and territories in&nbsp;25&nbsp;languages on their televisions, computers, mobile devices and tablets. &nbsp; NBA G League &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;Four&nbsp;former five-star high school prospects who helped lead NBA G League Ignite to the 2021 NBA G League Playoffs are entered in the&nbsp;NBA Draft:&nbsp;Jalen&nbsp;Green, Jonathan&nbsp;Kuminga, guard&nbsp;Daishen Nix and forward Isaiah Todd.&nbsp;&nbsp; &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24 &ndash;&nbsp;Twenty-four&nbsp;of the 60 players who were selected in the 2020 NBA Draft played in the NBA G League during the 2020-21 season, including five first-round selections. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49 &ndash;&nbsp;Daishen&nbsp;Nix&nbsp;has a chance to join Carlos Boozer, Mario Chalmers and Trajan Langdon as NBA players who grew up in the&nbsp;49th&nbsp;state &ndash; Alaska.&nbsp; &nbsp; ESPN &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft will air on both ABC and ESPN for the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time ever. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Five&nbsp;virtual technology cameras will be used for the telecast. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;ABC and ESPN&rsquo;s on-air talent will feature&nbsp;12&nbsp;reporters. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 &ndash;&nbsp;ESPN will present the NBA Draft for the&nbsp;19th&nbsp;consecutive year. &nbsp; NBA TV &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 &ndash;&nbsp;NBA TV&rsquo;s NBA Draft night coverage will include&nbsp;four&nbsp;former first-round picks: Rex Chapman, No. 8 in 1988; Brian Shaw, No. 24 in 1988; Jim Jackson, No. 4 in 1992; and Brendan Haywood, No. 20 in 2001. &nbsp; Partners &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;38&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Wilson was last used as the official basketball of the NBA&nbsp;38&nbsp;years ago.&nbsp;Last seen on the court in the 1983 NBA Finals, Wilson basketballs will adorn the green room at the NBA Draft and will join the latest draft class on the court for the 2021-22 season. &middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;75&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;The NBA Draft Cap from New Era features the commemorative NBA&nbsp;75th&nbsp;Anniversary Season logo and marks the first league-licensed product to carry the logo.

The 2021 NBA Draft: By the Numbers

The Milwaukee Bucks earned the right to be called NBA champions.&nbsp;
Giannis Antetokounmpo could&rsquo;ve spurned the organization that drafted him for greener pastures as the national pundits were begging him to do last fall, but he instead stuck with it and signed a super-max contract before the 2020-21 season began. For the first time in what seems like a while, loyalty has been rewarded with gold.&nbsp;
"I just I couldn't leave. There was a job that had to be finished," Giannis said after the Bucks' title win. "The Bubble did not pay us justice. Give credit to the Miami Heat. They played great. But they did not pay us justice. Everybody was feeling homesick. We are a family-oriented team and we wanted to see our families.
"But coming back, I was like, 'This is my city. They trust me. They believe in me. They believe in us.' Even when we lost, the city was still -- went outside and [supported us]. You know, obviously, I wanted to get the job done. But that's my stubborn side. It's easy to go somewhere and go win a championship with somebody else. It's easy. I could go to a super-team and just do my part and win a championship.
"But this is the hard way to do it and this is the way to do it and we did it. F***ing did it. We did it, man."
Milwaukee&rsquo;s franchise face chose to work harder, honing in on his craft as he let Bucks general manager Jon Horst make the appropriate tweaks to the roster in the offseason prior to Giannis signing the dotted line. Horst boldly acquired Jrue Holiday as a part of a massive four-team deal that sent Eric Bledsoe and a boatload of future draft capital to the New Orleans Pelicans and George Hill to the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as Milwaukee&rsquo;s No. 24 overall pick in 2020 (which became R.J. Hampton).&nbsp;
Horst nearly added Bogdan Bogdanovic to the mix as well via trade, except the NBA nixed that effort when it was learned that talks were being had prior to the moratorium period. Still, the Bucks were able to bring in Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes (and ironically, Finals opponent Torrey Craig) to bolster the bench bunch, and PJ Tucker and Jeff Teague joined the fray late in the season for a playoff run.&nbsp;
The point is: Milwaukee wasn&rsquo;t resting on its laurels with Giannis&rsquo; commitment hanging in the balance, and the front office&rsquo;s sense of urgency was felt in a major way. Looking back, both parties have to feel great about how the offseason was handled, especially with so many rumors linking Giannis to different teams and head coach Mike Budenholzer&rsquo;s job potentially being in jeopardy. Vibes surrounding the team, at least on the outside looking in, were pretty negative.
"What Jon Horst has done to put together a team, he's the greatest GM in the league," Budenholzer said. "I'm a little bit biased, but to be his partner, for him to go out and get Jrue Holiday, to have the guts to make that [trade], to recruit guys, to get P.J. Tucker midseason, Bobby Portis in the offseason. Stick with Khris [Middleton], Giannis and Brook [Lopez] and Pat [Connaughton] and these guys, and you go up and down the roster. Jon has done an amazing job.
"Ownership, Marc Lasry, Wes Edens, Jamie Dinan, Mike Fascitelli, they give us what we need. We keep pushing. We try to get better as coaches, players, and here we are [celebrating]. It's special."
Fast forward to now, with a Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy to show for withstanding those bumps in the road, and those concerns have vanished. This is a group that weathered a number of storms in multiple ways, so it shouldn&rsquo;t come as a surprise that the Bucks&rsquo; identity in this 2020-21 postseason was built on resilience and mental toughness.&nbsp;
"As a whole, we used a lot of our failures as experience. We've been in a lot of situations our past years here," Middleton said. "At the beginning of the year, we had a new team, a lot of new rotation guys, different guys step into the starting lineup and we knew it was going to be challenging, but we all said it was going to be worth it to learn and find out how to adjust and figure out what we needed to do in-game to win. We knew it wasn't always going to be pretty, we knew we were going to have to win different styles of ballgames, but that's the type of team you want to be, to throw different guys out there, different lineups out there, because you can't win the same way at this level."
"It took time. You could see it," Tucker added. "Everything kind of got -- Coach has to play it the right way. It's got to flow. And mind you, we didn't have Donte [DiVincenzo]. We're missing a big piece. Donte would have been huge for this series, especially a big series. But all that mattered. Even throughout the process, me, I got hurt early and being out. It was a lot of obstacles throughout the season. So it wasn't just like, Oh, we can win it. It's like, Oh, we got a really good team, we got a strong team, we got a chance. But I think honestly, after the Brooklyn series, it was like, All right, we here now. Ain't no need -- we here, we got to go for it. This is it, fellas; this is it. So everybody bought in.&nbsp;
Aside from a payback thrashing of the Miami Heat in the first round, Milwaukee&rsquo;s back was against the wall in every series the team played in. There were 0-2 deficits and inconsistencies in performances. Donte DiVincenzo was lost three games into the playoffs. There was even a nearly-devastating knee injury to Giannis in the Eastern Conference Finals when the outcome was far from determined. Though there were so many instances when the Bucks could&rsquo;ve thrown in the towel, they refused to.
"We were down 0-2 against Brooklyn and came together as a group within our film session and talked it out. We all wanted to be on the same page and realized how we needed to play and what we needed to do. It was the same thing in this series," Middleton said. "We never got down, we're still playing, we still have a chance. That's the way we felt, no matter if we were down in the game or the series, it didn't matter. We knew each time we took the court we had a chance to win. And we have everybody in the locker room and organization that believes and that is never going to give up until it's completely over. That's who you want to play with, guys who are going to fight to the end."
"It's incredible. It's a testament to the team," Lopez said. "I'm a team guy. I've always been a team guy. And so you know, like I was saying earlier, it's something that all our guys deserve, and to see them persevere, we went 0-2 against Brooklyn, 0-1 against Atlanta and 0-2 to open the series against the Suns, and to see our guys fight back and make adjustments and keep that belief in one another, that's special and not something you get with everything team. I've seen that through my 13 years in the league that this team is absolutely one of a kind and I am just fortunate and pleased to be part of that."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Giannis persevered through his knee setback, ensuring he did everything in his power to ready himself for the Finals after the Game 4 injury occured in Atlanta nine days beforehand. The Finals opener definitely showed that the Greek Freak wasn&rsquo;t 100%; it didn&rsquo;t stop him from progressing with each night, and Giannis imposed his will in every game from there on out.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s almost like the injury slowed things down for him mentally, and he was able to process the game more naturally as a result. He was at his best when off the ball and used as a screener in the halfcourt, and when coming full speed like a locomotive in transition. Giannis understood when the time was right to use his size on the block and didn&rsquo;t force the issue quite as much as he did in previous series. His decisiveness was arguably the best we&rsquo;ve seen since he&rsquo;s been in the league, quickly swinging the ball without bogged-down possessions and spraying it around to his teammates on drives to the rim. And if he ever received the ball in the vicinity of the rim, it was curtains for anybody that tried to stop him.
That&rsquo;s just the offense. As a help defender, Giannis wasn&rsquo;t outdone by a single soul. He didn&rsquo;t shy away from crunch time, making his biggest impacts when the lights shone the brightest. Instinctually, he was superb, racking up deflections and starting Milwaukee&rsquo;s fastbreaks on the regular. He bodied up Deandre Ayton inside, and challenged Devin Booker and Chris Paul on switches when needed. That goes without mentioning how he erased a plethora of shots at their apex and hustled back on transition defense with every possession the Suns had numbers. All-around, he was just magnificent, and it was a 120% effort from somebody who wasn't 100%.
"I think he embraces us being great defensively. Giannis does, the whole team," Budenholzer said. "When we get stops and get out and run and get Giannis in space, get our team in space, I think he's special. He was able to put his stamp on the game in the third quarter and flip the score. And then some big plays in the fourth quarter -- big plays, big blocks. It's hard to keep finding words for Giannis."
Giannis' journey throughout the playoffs culminated with an iconic showing in the Game 6 series finale, a 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-block signature performance to send Milwaukee to the promised land and earn himself the Finals MVP award. The Greek Freak joined Shaquille O'Neal as the only other player in NBA history to record three 40-point, 10-rebound games in a Finals series.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Giannis EXPLODES for 33 of his 50 points in the 2nd half of Game 6, fueling the <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bucks</a> Taco Bell Comeback en route to their first NBA Championship in 50 years! 50 PTS 14 REB 5 BLK 17-19 FTM <a href="https://t.co/qDbk0nHWeb">pic.twitter.com/qDbk0nHWeb</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1417721768287080448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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"I don't know how many words you need to use beyond 50 points in a close out game in an NBA Finals. Pretty much sums it all up," Lopez said. "It's so indicative of who Giannis is as a player, as a person. He had to -- he has that mindset always to just take care of business and he's been our leader throughout my time. To have him as a focal point of everything we do and the way he goes about it, it's just contagious with the whole team, and he's so impressive night-in and night-out.&nbsp;
"This is stuff you don't want to take for granted. But that's Giannis. That's what he does, and it's just, I mean, completely aTwe-inspiring. His performance tonight, this whole series, this whole year, there's no words for that. You've just got to look at the numbers."
Khris Middleton had some mind-bogglingly off nights, as did Holiday, but there was never a question of what kind of effort they&rsquo;d bring on the defensive side of the ball. And the thing is, they&rsquo;d always bounce back in some way, shape or fashion. (Care to discuss the shots down the stretch in Game 7 in Brooklyn? Or the last two games of the East Finals without Giannis?)
For Middleton, he showed up when it counted most with the team in desperation mode. He was an excellent facilitator and pull-up magician, unafraid to take shots with a high degree of difficulty. There was an inherent clutch factor about his handy work as well, always seeming to come up huge in money time. As a lead handler and savant in the pick-and-roll, when Middleton turned the corner, it forced the opposition to make a swift choice to contest or stick with the roller -- oftentimes a lose-lose situation.
Yes, Holiday had head-scratching issues with finishing his layups, but he had plenty of gems as a pull-up three-baller and on-point dime man. There were just night-and-day occasions; you could tell the games he was &ldquo;on&rdquo; and the ones where he was way off. In spite of that, however, Holiday entirely flipped the momentum of the Finals with his defense on Chris Paul.&nbsp;
CP3 was a man possessed in Game 1 and Game 2, having his way with Milwaukee&rsquo;s bigs out on the perimeter and then adjusting to the extra attention that followed by involving his teammates. It didn&rsquo;t last long. Holiday started to pick up Paul from 94 feet starting in Game 2, and from that point on, everything changed. The former started to notice fatigue settling in, as he himself was exhausted. Holiday had Paul out of sorts, with the 36-year-old struggling with shot selection and offensive rhythm. Had it not been for that increased intensity, who knows where these Finals could&rsquo;ve gone?
"I think when it comes down to it, man, I guess I don't really even care what people think about my game. I think it's about the team. We have a great team," Holiday said. "How they put it together, we have two superstars who carried us this whole playoff series and the whole playoffs. We got great role players. We got the energy. We got Bobby. We got shooters. It's a great puzzle. I think every piece in that puzzle has contributed so much -- from Jordan Nwora to Giannis Antetokounmpo. So, it's been a heck of a journey."
We&rsquo;d be remiss to not mention the top to bottom contributions this team had on this run. Tucker injected the Bucks with grit and hustle, never backing down from a challenge no matter who it was. Pat Connaughton sunk a ton of critical threes, chased down 50-50 balls and rebounded his heart out. Bobby Portis fed off the Fiserv Forum&rsquo;s energy and channeled it into incredible, momentum-shifting production on the offensive glass and from long distance (and stepped up again in a huge way in Game 6). Brook Lopez had his role change with different matchups, but utilized his perimeter shooting and rim protection when the squad needed it; let&rsquo;s not forget the turn-the-clock-back post performance he had in Game 5 of the East Finals, either. Bryn Forbes played the role of a human torch in the Miami series. Just about everybody who was in the rotation, at some point of the postseason, contributed to this Finals victory.
"That's just the character of the team that we have. You know, it's the group of guys that make up the Milwaukee Bucks and not just the players but the coaches, the management, the ownership," Connaughton said. "At the end of the day, the guys that have been here for three years, we've had a taste of it, of what it looks like in the regular season, Brook and I's first year where he got a look at what it was like to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and take a lead, but some of the adversity from a four or five [game] losing [streak] we had in regular season to losing some games, the character of the team never wavered. We came together stronger and had each other's backs more and that's what makes up a championship-caliber roster and team and that's what wins you a championship.
"That is what made us better is just the character of the guys, the characters of guys like Brook, the characters of guys like P.J. and Bobby and guys that they don't really care what it looks like on the stats sheet. They just want to make winning plays. They want to be out playing and putting ourselves in the best position to win."
With a microscope on him, the oft-criticized Budenholzer showed a willingness to adapt and experiment throughout the season at the expense of a record. In the playoffs, he rode his best players and played them heavy minutes. Albeit sometimes at the last minute or in do-or-die time, there were adjustments made -- rotationally and schematically. For that, despite outcries to the contrary, Coach Bud deserves his own share of credit as well, in addition to his entire staff that's been by his side from day one.
There were countless amount of questions asked of the Bucks during the Finals about 2019, the furthest the franchise got in the postseason when it reached the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors. They were the ones who were up 2-0 and in the driver&rsquo;s seat before losing the eventual title-winners.&nbsp;
Giannis learned from that experience. Middleton learned from that experience. Budenholzer did, too, which is why those were the three with the strongest embrace when the buzzer sounded on Tuesday night.
"It's special for me to get the opportunity to coach those two guys," Budenholzer said. "The leadership they have shown since day one, from having breakfast together, you can see their desire to be great and their desire to push this organization to where we are tonight. To embrace those guys, and I love them. I love the players, I love the roster, I love the team. I'm incredibly fortunate to be where I am and just to be a small part of what's happening."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"There is nobody in this world I'd rather do this journey with than that guy." - Giannis on Khris Middleton<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAFinals</a> presented by YouTube TV <a href="https://t.co/5cMBAZlX4p">pic.twitter.com/5cMBAZlX4p</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1417730585678733317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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"I love Khris to death, man. I love him to death, man. It's crazy," Giannis said. "He doesn't realize how much he pushes me to be great. He pushes me to be great. I had people push me to be great and be persistent and just be dominant and just keep coming and keep working hard. He's one of those guys. You know, there was nobody in this world that I would rather do this journey with than that guy. He's been here since the beginning. He's been since the day since we were fighting for some minutes. He was yelling to me when I was 18. He was yelling to me to pass the ball and everything. We were fighting on the court when we were kids, and now we're on this stage doing it together.
"We have to enjoy this moment. We have to share this moment. Maybe we might not have another moment like this. Who knows, we can't predict the future. But we have to live in the moment, enjoy this moment. I hope Khris enjoys it with his family. And he played amazing throughout the whole playoffs, man. He led us when I was down. He gave me a chance to come back. But once we're done enjoying this, we got to get back to work. We got to do it again. That's how me and Khris operate."
"We formed a bond, a brotherhood since that first year we've been together. We struggled. We struggled together. But we both saw in each other there was no give-up," Middleton said. "It was all motivation to be better and not be embarrassed. Year after year we challenged each other to be better. Challenged each other to be better leaders, better teammates... It was all worth it for sure. Us challenging each other to be better, me being stubborn in some ways. But the thing I like, he challenged us all. I think we challenged him in certain ways to help us, but for the main part, he challenged us every day to be leaders, to fight through adversity, to change our games a little bit. It's all worth it."
In 2021, the Bucks reversed their role, and because of that, they are the last team standing.
NBA champions.

Spencer Davies looks back on the Bucks' NBA title run and the hardships the team went through from top to bottom to get there.

Battle-tested Bucks find redemption from past with NBA championship gold

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo moved into second place on Milwaukee’s career scoring list and helped the Bucks deliver the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers their fourth straight loss.
Antetokounmpo had 24 points and the Bucks beat the 76ers for the second time in three days, 132-94 on Saturday. Playing without All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the 76ers matched their lowest point total and suffered their most-lopsided defeat of the season.
Embiid didn’t play due to a sore right shoulder. Simmons missed a fourth straight game because of an unspecified illness.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1386064278021578753">Khris Middleton found Antetokounmpo for a dunk early in the third quarter</a> that enabled the reigning two-time MVP to overtake Glenn Robinson and become the Bucks' second-leading career scorer. Antetokounmpo increased his career total to 12,023.

<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robingl01.html">Robinson scored 12,010 points for the Bucks from 1994-2002. </a> The Bucks’ leading scorer is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/abdulka01.html">who had 14,211 points while playing for Milwaukee from 1969-75 </a> and went on to finish his career with an <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/alltime-leaders/">NBA-record 38,387 points.</a>
“It's a great compliment,” Antetokounmpo said. “I've got to keep working hard. It's a marathon. It's not a sprint. So I've got to keep working hard, keep believing in myself, keep polishing my skills, keep having great teammates that I love to be playing (with), a great coaching staff. It's good. It's a lot of hard work that paid off, but I've got to keep moving forward.”
Antetokounmpo also had 14 rebounds and seven assists despite playing just 24 minutes. He sat out the entire fourth quarter with most of the other Bucks starters.
Philadelphia (39-21) dropped a full game behind the Brooklyn Nets (40-20) in the <a href="https://www.nba.com/standings">Eastern Conference standings.</a> Milwaukee (37-22) is third in the East, 2 1/2 games behind Brooklyn and 1 1/2 back of Philadelphia. 
“I’m not concerned about our overall health,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. “I’m just concerned about the amount of games we’re missing.”
Rivers added that “we’ve got to get rhythm with all of our guys playing,” 
Bobby Portis added 17 points for the Bucks. Bryn Forbes and Jordan Nwora scored 13 each. Jrue Holiday had 12. Donte DiVincenzo and Pat Connaughton added 11 apiece.
Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey scored 15 points each to lead the 76ers. Dwight Howard had 12 points and 12 rebounds but also picked up his 15th technical foul. Howard's next technical foul will result in a one-game suspension.
“There's not another player on the floor in my opinion that would have gotten a tech for the same thing Dwight did,” Rivers said. “Not one player would have gotten that tech. But it just happened to be Dwight Howard, and he gets techs.”
Milwaukee took the lead for good less than three minutes into the game. 
Philadelphia’s Seth Curry scored seven points during a 10-0 run that cut Milwaukee’s lead to 55-54 in the third quarter. The Bucks wasted no time regaining control, as Antetokounmpo had eight points and two assists during a 15-0 spurt that put Milwaukee ahead 75-57.
The Bucks poured it on from there.
Milwaukee swept the regular-season series with the 76ers, who haven’t been at full strength for any of these matchups.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-houston-milwaukee-bucks-torrey-craig-jrue-holiday-33082e6b0db7b7a865ead9064a78e5eb">Milwaukee won 109-105 in overtime </a> at Philadelphia on March 17 when the 76ers were missing Embiid due to a bruised left knee. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-bobby-portis-milwaukee-bucks-khris-middleton-philadelphia-76ers-8d86e9289484006cdc99ed59a89f02ae#:~:text=MILWAUKEE%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Giannis%20Antetokounmpo,the%20Eastern%20Conference's%20top%20teams.">The Bucks won 124-117 at Milwaukee on Thursday</a> with Simmons out.
TIP-INS
76ers: Reserves Furkan Korkmaz (right ankle sprain) and Paul Reed (health and safety protocols) also were unavailable Saturday. ... Rivers, a former Marquette star, said he had dinner with new Marquette coach Shaka Smart on Friday. Marquette and the Bucks both play their home games at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum. During his introductory press conference at Marquette, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-basketball-wisconsin-coronavirus-pandemic-texas-longhorns-mens-basketball-972b7ad63710f78f34b9a35797ed031c">Smart called Rivers one of his mentors. </a>
Bucks: Milwaukee got 76 points from its reserves. That represents the Bucks' highest single-game bench scoring total since Dec. 15, 1989, when reserves scored 79 points against Sacramento. ... Milwaukee breezed without getting much from Middleton, who scored just four points in 20 minutes. He shot 0 for 6 from the floor.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Oklahoma City on Monday as they try to avoid their first five-game skid since December 2017. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-furkan-korkmaz-joel-embiid-darius-bazley-oklahoma-city-7062c6b372bb39e7c64cd5e4c732b843">The 76ers won 117-93 at Oklahoma City</a> on April 10.
Bucks: Visit Atlanta on Sunday as they begin a four-game trip. 
___
Follow Steve Megargee at https://twitter.com/stevemegargee
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Giannis Antetokounmpo moved into second place on Milwaukee’s career scoring list and helped the Bucks beat the 76ers on Saturday.

Giannis moves to No. 2 on Bucks' all-time scoring list in win over 76ers

Amadou Gallo Fall wanted to make one thing especially clear on the phone Thursday as he discussed the new Basketball Africa League: this is not going to be a feeder league for the NBA. It could eventually be a competitor to the Euroleague and the Chinese Basketball Association for Americans looking to play overseas.
&ldquo;We already have [six] national champions and six other teams that got through a 30-team qualifying tournament. From the jump, that&rsquo;s where we are,&rdquo; Fall, the president of the BAL, told BasketballNews.com via WhatsApp from Johannesburg, South Africa. &ldquo;The BAL is not looking to be a stepping stone.&rdquo;
There are currently 17 African Players on NBA rosters. Precious Achiuwa (Miami Heat) and Udoka Azubuike (Utah Jazz) were among eight 2020 draftees from or with at least one parent from Nigeria, including Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers), Onyeka Okongwu (Atlanta Hawks), Zeke Nnaji (Denver Nuggets), Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies via Boston), Daniel Oturu (Los Angeles Clippers via New York and Minnesota) and Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks).
&ldquo;We want as many players as possible to go to the NBA, but then to come back and play at home. Africa has stable leagues where players are not trying to get out,&rdquo; Fall said.
The BAL will begin play Sunday, May 16 at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, with 12 teams from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda.
One of those teams is all but certain to produce an NBA-caliber player, but the existing Africa-to-American pipeline that produced All-Stars Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam, along with dozens of others, will remain in place. What&rsquo;s different is that many retired NBA players are now part of the African domestic league and national team infrastructure, including Luol Deng (head coach and president of the national federation in South Sudan).
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Fall worked in the NBA league office after a stint with the Dallas Mavericks as Director of Player Personnel and Vice President of International Affairs. Prior to being named BAL President, Fall was Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Africa, where he worked with local federations, corporations, NGOs and other key stakeholders to grow the game of basketball across the continent.
This is his crowning achievement, and he repeatedly stressed that BAL is aiming to be one of the world&rsquo;s top destination leagues.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m confident that we will increase exponentially, and we will attract talent from around the world. They will want to come to Africa,&rdquo; Fall said. &ldquo;This is about building the ecosystem, not about growing the players so that they can play somewhere else.&rdquo;
Jonathan Kuminga of the G League Ignite is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and should be an NBA lottery pick next season. Baylor's Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua of Cameroon, Iona's Nelly Junior Joseph of Nigeria and Washington State's Efe Abogibi of Nigeria, are notable African players in college basketball.
Each team is permitted to have two players from a different African country. Also, they can have two "import" players, which will open opportunities for American players who typically try to find work in Europe or China if they are not quite NBA-ready.
Dikembe Mutombo, Manute Bol, Hakeem Olajuwon and Steve Nash (born in South Africa) are among the greatest NBA players of all time from the continent, and more will be coming from Africa. What&rsquo;ll be different from now on is that African players will have a league to return to should they choose to.
Nigeria (24) and Senegal (12) have produced the most NBA players. Former New York Knick Charles Smith has close ties to the federation in Cape Verde, and Tacko Fall of the Boston Celtics has been one of the league&rsquo;s most popular players over the past two seasons.
What is the next African hotspot?
&ldquo;Tunisia has to be talked about,&rdquo; Fall said, also mentioning Senegal, Mali, South Sudan and Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). &ldquo;They are the reigning Afrobasket champion and have a very strong federation and player development.
The man would know.
Fall has a whole continent of basketball players under his wing now, along with a pro league that, if successful, will draw players in from around the world.&nbsp;

Chris Sheridan speaks with BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall about the goals of the new league and African basketball.

Basketball Africa League could be Euroleague, China alternative

The Dominican Republic is a place that is mostly known as a hotbed for talent on the baseball diamond, and not the hardwood. However, its basketball talent pedigree, although not as credible as some of the other countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, and lineage of players is still impressive.
Current NBA players such as Al Horford and Karl-Anthony Towns (whose mother was Dominican) -- and former NBA players like Francisco Garcia, Felipe Lopez and Charlie Villanueva, along with others -- are among the top talents the nation has produced. As we head into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, I recently took a deep dive into Chris Duarte of the Oregon Ducks, who will likely be the next player of Dominican descent to play in the NBA.
Hailing from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, then attending high school in Troy, New York and junior college in Niceville, Fla., and now the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Ore., Chris Duarte has not had the typical path of most NBA prospects.
To start, Duarte originally played baseball, and more specifically was a pitcher who threw 90-mile-per-hour fastballs. Of course, being a baseball player by trade is not atypical where he's from. Duarte didn&rsquo;t actually start taking basketball seriously until he was 13 years old, as he sought to emulate his older brother, Michael, whom he noticed had taken a liking to the sport. Despite a late introduction to the game, Chris's talent was apparent even in the early stages of his development.
Once he turned his focus exclusively to hoops, Duarte spent his adolescence dominating his peers in local tournaments, eventually progressing to larger and larger stages. Fortunately for all of the basketball world, Duarte&rsquo;s family moved to New York, in large part because they sought to help cultivate his basketball skills and abilities.&nbsp;
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Duarte attended Redemption Christian Academy in Troy for his junior and senior years of high school. He helped lead Redemption to an 8-8 record his junior year and 5-7 record his senior year, while playing a fairly rigorous national schedule featuring teams like Brewster Academy and Victory Rock Prep. On the grassroots scene, Duarte competed in the Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) with the NY Lightning. He played a feature role in his lone AAU season with the club, playing alongside mid-to-high major talents like Aundre Hyatt (LSU), Nathan Mensah (San Diego State) and Isaac Kante (Hofstra). Over 18 games, Duarte posted 9.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in just under 23 minutes per contest.&nbsp;
Upon his graduation from Redemption Christian Academy, Duarte was selected to play in the Jordan Brand&rsquo;s New York Regional Game. Separate from the more well-known and more prestigious All-American games that most people are familiar with, the regional game still featured a bounty of high-major talents, with guys like Jordan Nwora (Louisville), Collin Gillespie (Villanova), Darryl Morsell (Maryland), and Jose Alvarado (Georgia Tech). Duarte registered 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists for the &ldquo;City&rdquo; team in a 170-162 loss to the &ldquo;Suburban&rdquo; team.&nbsp;
A month after the Jordan Brand game, Duarte committed to Western Kentucky and joined Rick Stansbury&rsquo;s inaugural recruiting class. He enrolled there in June 2017, but never played a minute for the Hilltoppers. (The crown jewel of that recruiting class, Mitchell Robinson, also did not suit up for WKU).
Duarte failed to qualify academically and was faced with two options: sit out a full-year and try to gain eligibility for the 2018-2019 season, or play at the junior college level, where he could hit the floor right away. Duarte opted for the latter, joining well-known JUCO powerhouse Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla.
At Northwest Florida, Duarte played a crucial role for head coach Steve DeMeo&rsquo;s Raiders in the 2017-18 season. Coming off the bench for all but one game, Duarte registered 12.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per contest, playing next to future Illinois Illini guard Andres Feliz. The NWF Raiders made it to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA National Championship, where they were upset by the No. 10 seed College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles, 107-93. For his efforts on the season, Duarte was named First-Team All-Panhandle Conference.
Six games into his sophomore season, Duarte signed his letter of intent to play for the Oregon Ducks under Dana Altman. That year, Duarte was the unquestioned leader of the NWF team, starting all 33 games and leading the team in scoring at 19.3 points per game. With the help of fellow March Madness star Javion Hamlet (North Texas), the Raiders registered a 28-5 regular-season record and a No. 1 overall seed in the 2018-19 edition of the NJCAA National Championship bracket. Northwest Florida State again fell in the Elite Eight, to Ranger College (TX), 66-63. Duarte was named the NJCAA National Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American. 
&ldquo;Chris is everything a coach wants in a student-athlete," DeMeo, now an assistant coach at St. John&rsquo;s, said of Duarte on the team website. "He is a great student, great person and a very special basketball player. Chris has really set the bar high here at Northwest Florida for all of our future Raiders, and I look forward to watching him grow and develop at Oregon and even beyond college.&rdquo;
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In his first season with Oregon, Duarte immediately settled into a role as the wingman to four-year starter and All-American Payton Pritchard, who is now with the Boston Celtics. Duarte was the second leading scorer, averaging 12.9 points per game while starting all the games he appeared in for the Ducks. He registered three 20-point games on the season, including a 30-point, 11-rebound, and 8-steal eruption in a home win v.s USC.
For most of the final month of that regular season, Duarte battled through a right hand injury, and it was apparent, as his effectiveness dwindled. His points average dipped to 6.2, his field goal percentage plummeted to 30.2% and his three-point percentage slipped to 13.6%. However, his toughness and resilience remained evident consistently. He finally succumbed to his injury, undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger on his shooting hand on Feb. 27, 2020. Altman ruled him out for the Pac-12 Tournament before COVID wiped out the entirety of the NCAA postseason. The pandemic cancellation was especially hard on the Ducks, as they finished 24-7, were the regular-season conference champions and seemed poised to be a potential threat in the big dance.&nbsp;
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Duarte entered this current season with the spotlight more firmly on him, as he was the Ducks leading returning scorer. He was tasked with being the nucleus of a team, featuring four transfers in Eugene Omoruyi (Rutgers), LJ Figueroa (St. John&rsquo;s), Eric Williams Jr. (Duquesne), and Amauri Hardy (UNLV). To further complicate team chemistry, Will Richardson -- the longest-tenured Duck in the rotation -- underwent thumb surgery prior to Oregon&rsquo;s first game in December against Missouri.
Despite the challenges, Duarte was nothing short of sensational coming out of the gates, as he shouldered a massive scoring load while still excelling on the defensive end. He posted averages of 18.4 points, 2.5 steals and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 45.6% from three-point range. Oregon started the season with a 9-2 record, peaking at No. 17 in the polls in that time frame. The Duarte-led Ducks stormed through Pac-12 conference play, finishing 14-4 and narrowly capturing the regular-season conference title over USC.
Duarte finished the regular season with a strong average of 19.2 points per game, while shooting 52% from three-point range over his last five games.
&ldquo;The first time that I saw Chris Duarte was his junior year at Oregon. I thought he was a solid player. I noted that he had good size for a wing, played hard, was super competitive, and he could really shoot the ball," added Matt Babcock, BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst. "My evaluation of him was certainly positive, but I can&rsquo;t say that I was overly confident that he was going to be a sure-fire NBA player.
"However, fast-forward to this season, and Duarte has played on such a high level all season long and has subsequently changed the narrative for me. I watched him play in person in early January this year, and he was incredible. From there, I watched film on him keenly, and I must say that I was left thoroughly impressed with him as a player. I expect some to be critical of his age, as he is older for a draft prospect, but I think he&rsquo;s worthy of being a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, regardless of his age.&rdquo;
Granted a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament for their regular season performance, the Ducks demolished Arizona State in the quarterfinals by 18 points. In the semifinal game against Oregon State, the team got a nightmarish wake-up call, as the Beavers won by 11 in a wire-to-wire victory that was never in doubt. But this would not be the last we saw of Duarte and the Ducks.
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Altman&rsquo;s squad entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed, slated to play the No. 10 seed VCU Rams in the first round. Last weekend, over a year after he missed out on his first opportunity at a March Madness debut, Duarte was set to take the biggest stage in a matchup against another NBA prospect in Na&rsquo;Shon &ldquo;Bones&rdquo; Highland. His debut, however, would be delayed another 48 hours, as the Ducks&rsquo; first-round matchup was deemed a "no contest," as a COVID breakout ensued within the Rams&rsquo; locker room. The Ducks automatically advanced to the next round of the tournament.
In the second round, the Ducks headed towards a clash with Iowa and consensus All-American Luka Garza. In that game, Duarte wasted no time in making his presence felt, as he scored 23 points and dished out 7 assists against the Hawkeyes. Oregon ultimately ran away with the game, as the team ended the first half strongly and dominated Iowa in the second half.&nbsp;
Sunday night, Chris Duarte and the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans, a conference foe they are very familiar with -- and the team they barely edged out for the Pac-12 regular-season title. Another interesting element of this matchup is USC's star freshman, Evan Mobley, a likely top draft pick this summer. This should be a star-studded matchup, and we'll see if Chris Duarte can continue to elevate his stock and perhaps convince the general public to join Matt Babcock in considering him as a worthy first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Grant Aqui details the unique journey of Chris Duarte to college basketball's biggest stage and blossoming into an NBA Draft prospect.

From the Dominican Republic to The Big Dance, Chris Duarte continues to climb

This year, there were 107 international players from 41 countries on opening-night rosters for the 2020-21 NBA season.