Lakers

On Friday night in Cleveland, Caitlin Clark and Iowa defeated Paige Bueckers 71-69 to advance to the national title game against undefeated South Carolina &ndash; but not without some late-game drama.
With Iowa just leading by one 70-69 with 9 seconds left, UConn had possession for the final shot in the game. Out of the timeout, the Huskies tried to run a split action for Bueckers with Aaliyah Edwards screening and Nika Muhl passing the ball. As the screen was set with Bueckers veering back towards Muhl to receive the pass and get ready to shoot, Hawkeyes guard Gabbie Marshall fought over the screen by Edwards which ended up with the play getting called for an offensive foul for setting an illegal screen with just around 3 seconds left in the game.
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OFFENSIVE FOUL OR NOT? 🤔<a href="https://t.co/rxB7d3Lydk">pic.twitter.com/rxB7d3Lydk</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1776457695568216295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
It was a questionable foul call, to say the least &ndash; sparking a debate each with contrasting sides to tell.
It set the internet ablaze and everyone was talking about it. Notable NBA and WNBA stars each chimed in on X with their thoughts on the questionable call, citing how the players should decide the outcome of the game with their plays whether it be good or bad rather than laying it up for the referees to decide.
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NAAAAAHHHHHH!!! I ain&rsquo;t rolling with that call.
&mdash; LeBron James (@KingJames) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1776451983047856248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
To call that on a game deciding play is so wrong WOW
&mdash; Kelsey Plum (@Kelseyplum10) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kelseyplum10/status/1776452745492414682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote>

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SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt and ESPN Women&rsquo;s Basketball analyst Andraya Carter didn&rsquo;t agree with the call either.
&ldquo;I hated the call. You&rsquo;ve got to give Gabbie Marshall credit for trying to fight over the screen. That&rsquo;s what drew the refs&rsquo; attention in,&rdquo; Carter said on SportsCenter after the game. &ldquo;But to me, now that final play it&rsquo;s not about Iowa&rsquo;s defense. It&rsquo;s about the call the referee made. There was a slight lean, maybe Aaliyah Edwards&rsquo; elbow was slightly out. But to be honest the calls were even for both sides. There were missed calls for Iowa. There were missed contacts for UConn. To make that call at the very end of the game &ndash; to me, it took away the opportunity for players to make plays. &hellip; To be honest, that call sucked.&rdquo;
WNBA legends Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, who had their ESPN segment &lsquo;The Bird and Taurasi Show&rsquo; grace the Final Four, also shared their thoughts in real-time with UConn legend Breanna Stewart while commentating and watching the game live.
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3 uconn huskies react to the 'offensive foul' <a href="https://t.co/wFWCbVYTMG">pic.twitter.com/wFWCbVYTMG</a>
&mdash; jaiden (@steph_turkey) <a href="https://twitter.com/steph_turkey/status/1776454140962697606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;Oh my god,&rdquo; expressed a visibly disappointed Taurasi. &ldquo;Wow, what an unfortunate time to call an offensive foul. Just know how to ruin the game &ndash; oh my god that&rsquo;s terrible. It didn&rsquo;t even get her open &ndash; that&rsquo;s a tough play. We always talk about letting the players decide the game, especially in a benign call like that. It&rsquo;s just tough to end the game like that.&rdquo;
Legendary coach Geno Auriemma could not hide his disappointment as well in the post-game conference, saying UConn maybe should just get better at not setting illegal screens. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s probably an illegal screen call you could make on every single possession, and I just know there were three or four called on us &ndash; and I don&rsquo;t think any were called on them.&rdquo;
Clark and Final Four hero Hannah Stuelke &ndash; who played perhaps the best game of her life by scoring 23 points &ndash; thought their teammate Marshall did a good job of fighting over the screen, praising how she has been one of the nation&rsquo;s best defenders.
&ldquo;Gabbie is great in those situations. She always comes up with big plays, a block, or whatever,&rdquo; Stuelke said. &ldquo;You always see it time and time again, [Marshall] does not get enough credit for what she does,&rdquo; Clark added. &ldquo;She guards one of the best players in the country and it challenges her quite a bit. Paige had a great game but I thought Gabbie just played great defense on her. Even when Paige made some tough baskets, Gabbie just responded and kept going up there and guarded her.&rdquo;
Despite the tough loss, Bueckers took the high road and remained a positive attitude after what transpired late in the game.
"Players play and players decide the game. Everybody can make a big deal out of one single play but one single play doesn&rsquo;t win or lose a basketball game," Bueckers admitted. "... You can look at one play and say oh that killed us or that hurt us. We should have done a better job, I should have done a better job making sure didn&rsquo;t leave the game up to that."

Iowa defeated UConn 71-69 to advance to the national title game against undefeated South Carolina, but not without late-game drama.

Women's Final Four: Late phantom call mars Iowa-UConn ending

On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals to secure their second-straight championship.
Even with starters Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes injured, the Aces were able to close out the series thanks to a terrific performance from superstar A'ja Wilson, who finished with 24 points, 16 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal on 52.4% shooting from the field. Wilson earned the WNBA Finals MVP award after averaging 21.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 50% shooting throughout the series.
Several other Aces stepped up including Cayla George (11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 threes) and Alysha Clark (10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists on 57.1% shooting). Kelsey Plum struggled with her shot (making just 2-of-12 attempts from the field and missing all four of her three-pointers), but she found other ways to impact the game and finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal.
Courtney Vandersloot led the Liberty with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 threes and 1 steal, but it wasn't enough to lift New York to victory. The Aces deserve credit for shutting down Breanna Stewart, who had just 10 points while shooting 3-of-17 (17.6%) from the field and 0-of-3 from three-point range.
The Aces dominated all season, winning a WNBA-best 34 games during the regular season and losing just one game during their playoff run (to the Liberty in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals).&nbsp;
Las Vegas had the WNBA's top-ranked offense (scoring 113 points per 100 possessions) and top-ranked defense (allowing 97.7 points per 100 possessions) during the regular season. That continued during the postseason, as they led all teams in offensive rating (108.1 points per 100 possessions) and defensive rating (92.7 points per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
Las Vegas becomes the first WNBA team to win back-to-back championships in 21 years (when the Los Angeles Sparks accomplished the feat). The Aces, 2001-02 Sparks and 1997-2000 Houston Comets are the only teams in WNBA history to win consecutive titles.

The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals to secure their second-straight championship.

A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces win second-straight WNBA championship

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; The Indiana Fever made the most of the first No. 1 draft pick in franchise history, selecting Aliyah Boston.
The South Carolina star had a stellar college career, leading the Gamecocks to a national championship her junior year and losing only nine games total. She was a three-time Associated Press All-American and also the Player of the Year as a junior.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really special, I&rsquo;m thankful to God for putting me in this position,&rdquo; said the 21-year-old Boston, from the U.S. Virgin Islands. &ldquo;Everyone in Indiana, they saw something in me, I&rsquo;m ready to get there and get to work.&rdquo;
The Fever had the worst record in the league last season, going 5-31.
&ldquo;Aliyah Boston will have an immediate impact on our franchise on and off the court,&rdquo; Fever GM Lin Dunn said. &rsquo;We are excited to pair her with Kelsey (Mitchell) and NaLyssa (Smith) as we reload the Indiana Fever. We are very impressed with Aliyah&rsquo;s post skills as well as her natural leadership skills. This a a great day for our franchise!&rdquo;
Boston, like many other players, have had to choose whether to return to college for a fifth season because of the extra year granted for the COVID-19 virus or turn pro. She decided to enter the WNBA draft, joining 111 other players to declare.
&ldquo;Everyone that has a COVID year has a tough choice,&rdquo; Boston said. &ldquo;You could be somewhere you know the system. ... It took a lot of thought.&rdquo;
She was one of three South Carolina players taken in the first round. Laeticia Amihere went eighth to Atlanta and Zia Cooke 10th to Los Angeles.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s amazing experience really, because this group of girls have been through life together,&rdquo; Amihere said. &ldquo;These four years haven&rsquo;t been only about basketball. Being able to be with them on one of our biggest nights is an amazing experience.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s the 10th time that three players from the same team were drafted in the opening round, and the first since Oregon had three in 2020.
Minnesota took Diamond Miller of Maryland with the No. 2 pick, and Dallas drafted Maddy Siegrist of Villanova with the third pick. Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, who was the WNBA&rsquo;s first president, sat with Siegrist.
The Wings also drafted UConn guard Lou Lopez Senechal two picks later. She had transferred to UConn after a stellar career at Fairfield.
&ldquo;It feels surreal, really didn&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d be here,&rdquo; Senechal said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve come a long way, gone through a lot of challenges.&rdquo;
Stephanie Soares of Iowa State went fourth to Washington. The Mystics quickly traded her to Dallas soon after selecting the 6-foot-7 center. Washington got back a future first- and second-round pick.
&ldquo;It was a very interesting feeling,&rdquo; Soares said. &ldquo;Pure excitement going to Washington, but now getting to go to Dallas. It&rsquo;s going to be a great next step to the journey.&rdquo;
Soares tore her ACL in January and will miss the upcoming WNBA season.
Stanford guard Haley Jones went sixth to Atlanta. Indiana&rsquo;s Grace Berger was drafted seventh by the Fever.
Seattle took Tennessee&rsquo;s Jordan Horston ninth. Dallas chose Maryland&rsquo;s Abby Meyers with the 11th pick. Meyers started her career at Princeton before finishing with the Terrapins.
Minnesota closed out the first round taking French center Maïa Hirsch.

Boston, a three-time AP All-American who also was the Player of the Year as a junior, will solidify the post for Indiana.

Aliyah Boston heads to Indiana Fever as No. 1 pick in 2023 WNBA Draft

If you have a minute and change to spare &mdash; and I'd assume so since you've opened this piece &mdash; I want you to watch this video. It's an assist compilation of Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray from Tuesday night's win over the Atlanta Dream. It includes 5 of her game-high 9 assists.
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The assists, in order:
<ul>
<li>A pick-and-roll with A'ja Wilson (MVP, by the way) in which Gray freezes Cheyenne Parker (Wilson's defender) with a hesi, forces a rotation from Naz HIllmon (#00) with her drive and waits out the secondary rotation from Rhyne Howard (#10, Rookie of the Year front-runner) before firing to Jackie Young</li>
<li>A full-court lead pass to Young after a singular dribble</li>
<li>An instantaneous feed to Wilson through a pair of defenders after a loose-ball scramble</li>
<li>A 20-plus-feet behind-the-back bounce pass (?????) to a cutting Kelsey Plum</li>
<li>A no-look feed to Young after a drive in transition</li>
</ul>
Highlight films are typically dangerous for narrative-driven minds. With just a few clips, you can present a chapter as a full-blown story. But I assure you that this isn't a doctored snippet; this is who Chelsea Gray, The W's #PointGawd, really is.
The numbers don't do her justice, though it's worth noting that she's averaging a career-high in assists this season (6.2 per game). Only three players &mdash; Courtney Vandersloot, Natasha Cloud and Sue Bird &mdash; are assisting more than Gray on a <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/players/traditional/?sort=AST&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2022&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;PerMode=PerPossession&amp;CF=GP*GE*15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per-possession basis</a>.
But to appreciate Gray's playmaking ability, you have to watch. Her cadence is different. The angles she spots for passes are almost unheard of for mere mortals; the angles she can create&nbsp;are more rare. There isn't a pass in the book she can't make; more importantly, there isn't a pass that she won't try.
If those descriptors sound familiar, it's because they've been used &mdash; reserved, even &mdash; for legends. Magic Johnson was and is the standard for that sort of creativity on the NBA side. Ticha Penicheiro &mdash; the league's all-time assist leader until Bird passed her in 2017 &mdash; certainly fits the bill for The W. You can see their inspiration shine through Gray's game.
"With Magic, it was everything he could do as a bigger point guard," Gray told Basketball News in a Zoom interview. "It was how he incorporated flashiness too. Being able to balance effectiveness with a little flash."
While Magic helped with broad strokes, you can thank Penicheiro's influence for Gray's affinity for no-look passes.
"With Ticha, her ability to <a href="https://youtu.be/REAzNuZM9Yw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">look at a completely different person</a> but pass it somewhere else always intrigued me," Gray said. "I used to look to the side and try to hit a pole [to practice]."
A throughline with Magic, Penicheiro and Gray is the ability to see plays develop before they happen. It's an obvious gift; it's easier to beat a defense if you're ahead of them conceptually. But there is an obvious drawback: It's a gift because only a few players can see the game that way.
What is genius if it isn't understood? It's likely a turnover in basketball.
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Like many great playmakers before her, Gray has to walk a tightrope between doing her thing and coloring inside the lines. It's also the responsibility of the coach to help find that balance. She certainly felt that during the early portion of her Los Angeles Sparks tenure.
"It's like, if [the passes] go through, they're good. If they didn't, it'd be so terrible; 'I don't know what she saw; I don't know what that was (laughs),'" Gray said. "But as my game progressed and I got a little smarter about when to make certain passes, there was more of a balance.
"There's always a balance of not taking away the player and their effectiveness, but reeling them in so they're within what you're trying to accomplish."
When watching a Gray pick-and-roll, or a no-look, or a transition touchdown, it's hard not to wonder how she makes decisions. Luckily, Gray was kind enough to not only answer that question broadly, but also talk through some of her assists from this season for further insight with Basketball News.
(This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.) 
When you're making fancier reads, are any of those predetermined? What goes into your process?
Chelsea Gray: "It's a mixture of what the defense is doing, and my head.
"Sometimes I feel like the most 'complicated' way to get it there is the easiest way for me to get it there, or the quickest or most efficient. I was just having a conversation about a simple thing like a pick-and-pop. Me doing a bounce pass behind the back is the easiest, most efficient way to get it there, so my teammate has a wide-open shot rather than spinning in a circle to throw the pass.
"Sometimes, maybe I could do that, but [the behind-the-back bounce pass] is the most efficient way for me to do that to make sure my teammate has an easier read when they catch the ball."
With great playmakers, I'm always curious about their process, and what or who they're reading on the floor. When you're running a ball-screen, what are the kind of things you're looking for?
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Gray:&nbsp;"My initial read is seeing how my defender is guarding me. If they're playing off, that changes my angle going into the pick-and-roll. From there, I'm looking at my post player or whoever's setting the screen to see how their defender is guarding them &mdash; are they (the screener's defender) going to jump out?
"Some pick-and-rolls are defended differently based on who's setting the screen. Defenses might play it one way when Kiah Stokes is involved, but a different way if it's Dearica Hamby or A'ja Wilson. My teammates also do different things. Kiah, most of the time, is going to roll while the others may mix in pick-and-pops.
"All of that is going into my head when heading into a ball-screen. Then, it's like, 'If this happens, then this&nbsp;happens.' That's the repetitive nature of running so many pick-and-rolls throughout my career. When a defender does something, they're giving up something else. From there, it's about how to make the right decision as quickly as possible."
You mentioned how defensive coverages may differ based on who's screening for you. Who's the best screener on the Aces?
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Gray:&nbsp;"That's so hard. Honestly, it does depend on the coverage they're getting. Against Dallas (on Aug. 4), Teaira McCowan was hitting A'ja and wasn't letting her screen. But because of that, I was able to hit her on the roll off the back side. Kiah tries to head-hunt&nbsp;every single time (laughs), so the angle is different.
"It's hard to say who the best pick-and-roll player is. Like, Dearica Hamby will hit and just go, super quickly. So it'll look like, 'Whoa, what a great screen,' but really, there was a lot of indecision on the defensive end. She's able to get us both open because she creates some thought in their head like, 'Oh snap, I'm hit; what are we doing on our coverage?' It really depends."
With this pick-and-roll (video below), this ends up being a pass to Iliana Rupert. It looks like you're flowing out of HORNS. When you get the first screen, are you gauging what the big (NaLyssa Smith) is doing first?
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Gray:&nbsp;"Yeah, I'm seeing what this big is doing here. I see Emily Engstler sink in for the help because Destanni Henderson is hit with the screen. I know Iliana Rupert is going to be open on the pop; it's a simple HORNS action."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_28_26.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
I have two transition clips to share now. In the first one, you find Kelsey Plum trailing the play. She makes a move and gets the bucket; you get the assist on this one. In the second one, you hit a streaking Jackie Young. When you're making these full-court hit-aheads, which defender are you reading? What determines where you go with the ball?
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Gray:&nbsp;"As we cross half court, our angles have to be clear and concise. As we're running, we know one big will run down the floor while the other will trail the play. As the trailer, Dearica Hamby will either come set a drag screen, or I'll pass to her and she'll flow to the next side."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_17_40.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"So if you pause it when Kelsey catches the ball, I'm reading to see if A'ja's defender picked her up, and if Dearica's defender picked her up. Indiana is pretty much matched up; they did a solid job in transition defense.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_20_31.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"Personally, I don't know if I would've counted this as an assist. I just get it there for her to be able to make a move. After the initial catch, she has to make a good and solid move to get into the paint and finish.
"This second one, on the other hand, people are just flying down the court. Kiah Stokes actually gets Jackie open by the way she runs the floor. Kayla Thornton feels like, 'Oh shoot, [Kiah's] going; Teaira McCowan, help!' Meanwhile, Jackie is streaking down the court.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_00_52_35.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"I see all of that unfolding, and that's on top of them being concerned about A'ja filling in. Jackie's able to knock the shot down, right in the flow."
We have to talk about the falling pass to Kelsey Plum! You get a screen from Kiah Stokes. We have good defense from Brittney Sykes. When did you decide you're going to find the angle for the pass that way?
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Gray:&nbsp;"Really, I decided in the moment. I saw it afterwards and was like, 'I know I fell, but I had&nbsp;to fall to get it there.' I felt that it would've been a turnover or Brittney Sykes would've gotten her hand on it. The way&nbsp;I fell was a bit of a dramatic fall, but it was necessary.
"It took all of my power in order to get it there. The angle and the rate in which [Kelsey Plum] was cutting was all going into my thought process. So I was like, 'Alright, I have to fall or else it's not going to get there.' If I threw a straight bounce pass, the defender would've gotten it."
Alright, last one for the fancy passes. A&nbsp;behind-the-back pass&nbsp;on a baseline inbound?!
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Gray:&nbsp;"To me, it was simple. In the moment, I realized what I did, but I got excited because the play that we called &mdash; we hadn't scored on it yet.&nbsp;
"If you pause it here, Tiffany Mitchell is already beat:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_36_44.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"But I can't make a bounce pass there with Lexie Hull right there. There's no possible way. So the only way I feel that I can get it there is by going behind the back.
"If you keep going... right there:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_39_40.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"I would have to angle my body to be able to throw a chest pass. Hull might be able to get a hand on it, or Jackie [Young] won't be able to finish it. So if I look one way, it just takes half a step for Hull to come over, and I'm able to get the angle for Jackie.&nbsp;
"Honestly, a lot of times when I do the behind-the-back or a fancy pass, it's the quickest, most efficient way I feel it can get there. It's not like, 'Let me do this pass because it'll be on a highlight reel.' Sometimes I want to add a little no-look flair to it, and I probably could've gotten it there by looking at her. But the fanciness of the curve, or behind-the-back, or behind-the head &mdash; that's the quickest way for me to get it there without a turnover. Maybe that's just ridiculous (laughs)."
No, I don't think so at all! On the no-look front: When you're watching others, does it bother you when players fake it? Sometimes, it's obvious that a player will stare their teammate down before looking off and making it seem like a real no-look.
Gray: (Laughs) "Maybe that's their version of the way they want to do a no-look! I don't know, it doesn't bother me. As long as they get the assist, they should be fine with the way they're doing it."

Nekias Duncan talks to Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray to gain insight into her passing prowess.

Through Her Eyes: How Chelsea Gray sees what you can't

Since being drafted No. 5 overall by the Dallas Wings in 2019, no player has scored more points in the WNBA than Arike Ogunbowale (1,958). Kelsey Mitchell, a ridiculous bucket-getter for the Indiana Fever, ranks second in that time frame (1,727) &mdash; a 231-point gap despite playing four more games than Ogunbowale.
At her best, Ogunbowale is a terror for defenses. She's one of the quickest guards in the league, equipped with a shifty handle and a quick trigger that she can get off whenever she wants. For a prime example, look no further than her 37-point effort against the Phoenix Mercury earlier this season.
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The range of buckets is insane, frankly. Transition drives. Floaters. Fading jumpers.
But focus on the threes for a bit. Ogunbowale can drill spot-ups, contested or otherwise. She can flow and pull off movement. Self-created threes are another night at the office for her.
Ogunbowale has drilled 219 threes in her young career, only second to Mitchell (242) during this stretch. That three-point prowess adds a layer for defenses to think about. She can absolutely light it up when she gets going.&nbsp;
She can light it up off the court too.
Ogunbowale recently <a href="https://www.redbull.com/us-en/arike-ogunbowale-dallas-has-wiiings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partnered with Red Bull</a> to kick-start a program called "Dallas Has Wiiings."
(What a play on words, am I right?)
With the initiative, Ogunbowale and Red Bull are donating up to $50,000 to the Dallas Park and Recreation Department to go toward solar-powered lighting systems in Dallas. With every three-pointer Ogunbowale makes this season, $800 will be donated.
To celebrate the launch of the initiative, the Wings star took shots at a basket designed and built on a temporary court overlooking the Reunion Tower. Ogunbowale was tasked with knocking down 10 triples, each one turning on a light until the tower was completely lit.
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Ogunbowale recently spoke with BasketballNews.com to talk about the event, the initiative and her season to this point. (This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.)
I've only seen the social clip of the event, so I need honesty &mdash; did you go 10-for-10 on those threes to turn on the Reunion Tower lights?
Arike Ogunbowale: "I did not (laughs). I wish, but it was a lot. The depth perception &mdash; like, I'm looking at the freeway in the back. We were outside, so there was wind. The court was a little slanted, but we made it work. It looked good though! That's all that matters."
What was the inspiration behind the "Dallas Has Wiiings" initiative?
Ogunbowale: "I just wanted to do something for the community so I'm able to give back. My Dallas fans come from all over to watch me. They come to the games every night, support me on social media &mdash; all of that. I see all of that, so I wanted to find a way to support the community."
Where did this interest originally come from? Was court lighting an issue during your childhood?
Ogunbowale: "Yeah. Growing up, you play outside a lot. Well, I don't know about kids nowadays; now they're in the house on their iPads. But I&nbsp;used to be outside a lot with all the kids in my neighborhood, playing sports or just doing whatever.
"But the lights would go out, or there wouldn't be any lights. Or the street lights would come on and it'd be time to go inside. So we want there to be places that kids can play after-hours, where it's still safe and they're able to play the sports they love."
What has the response been from the Wings organization? Have teammates offered to help moving forard?
Ogunbowale: "Well, this specific event was a one-time thing. The only way they can help now is by passing me the ball so I can shoot more threes and donate some money (laughs). But overall, they think this initiative is a great idea. They've definitely supported me, and they'll keep feeding me, hopefully."
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If you're able to share, what's next for you in this journey?
Ogunbowale: "It shifts to the regular season for me, now. Every three-pointer I make, [Red Bull] donates money up to $50,000. So, the work I have to put in right now is knocking down threes so we can get to the $50K mark and donate all that money. At the end of the season, we'll see the courts and pinpoint what we want to do next. I'll make some visits in the offseason to see how and where everything's going. But right now, my job is to hit threes."
While we're on the subject of threes, you've never bombed away quite like this! You're <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/players/traditional/?sort=FG3A&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2022&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second in The W</a> in threes attempted (8.1) and fourth in makes (2.6) per game. Your three-point rate (percentage of total shots coming from three) is the highest of your career. Where is the bump coming from?
Ogunbowale: "I would say it starts with me practicing more threes over the offseason, and getting more comfortable with them. Some of it is dictated by defenses. They're packing the paint a lot, a lot of help-side &mdash; stuff like that.
"(I) wouldn't say it's settling &mdash; well, sometimes it's a settle &mdash; but those shots are open and available for me. I've been shooting them decently, though obviously I can get a lot better. But I think [the rise in three-point attempts] is a mix of that and our team's tactics."
Has head coach Vickie Johnson had to pull you aside and say something like, "Hey, we don't need&nbsp;this three" or do you have a total green light?
Ogunbowale: "She definitely coaches you! There are, obviously, shots that I shouldn't take sometimes. Just in the flow of the game, one or two shots where it's clear, 'That was a bad shot.' But it's never been, 'I don't want you to shoot threes.' She never discourages that. She knows that I'm going to try to make the best decision I can. But if it's a bad shot, it's a bad shot; it's not limited to threes."
On the flip side, roughly <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/o/ogunbar01w.html#shooting0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10% of your shots</a> are coming inside of 3 feet, and you haven't gotten to the free-throw line as much (career-low free throw rate) to start the season. How do you balance pulling up from deep or taking what the defense gives you, and putting pressure on the rim and getting to the line?
Ogunbowale: "I think I need to be a little more aggressive. Having the defense on its heels more, driving to the basket. I get a lot of eyes when I drive to the basket &mdash; like I said, I get a lot of help-side. But I have to learn how to navigate through that and figure out how to get to the line more. They're free shots! I definitely have to be more aggressive and get into the paint; I think 10% [of my shots coming at the rim] is too low."
When we <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/through-her-eyes-how-arike-ogunbowale-has-become-unguardable-dallas-wings-wnba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked in 2020</a>, you mentioned wanting to become more of a threat off the ball. With that in mind, how much have you enjoyed playing alongside *this* version of Marina Mabrey?
Ogunbowale: "She's been amazing.&nbsp;Her at the 1 is lethal; she can shoot it (career-high 42.6% from three on 4.9 attempts), so defenses have to respect that. That spreads the floor out more. They double her a lot too &mdash; trapping her to get the ball out of her hands. Playing with a playmaker and scorer like that is definitely fun."
I'm still trying to get a feel for the Wings. Sometimes you're a bigger group, while other times you'll downsize and have someone like Satou Sabally <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-satou-saballys-value-at-the-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start at the 5</a>. What would you say is the vision of this team?&nbsp;
Ogunbowale: "I would just say 'positionless.' We'll just go out with the best five players on the court, whether that includes a smaller post player, or a smaller forward or a bigger guard. Whatever it is, whatever fits, that's what we're going to go with.&nbsp;
"I don't think we've been stuck on roles &mdash; like you have to have a 5, you have to have a 4, you have to have a 3, a 2, a 1. Because really, Marina is a combo guard running the 1. And KT (Kayla Thornton) is really a 3 playing the 4. So really, it's whatever fits or helps our team win."
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Nekias Duncan sits down with Arike Ogunbowale to talk about her "Dallas Has Wiiings" initiative with Red Bull, as well her season.

Dallas Has Wiiings: How Arike Ogunbowale shoots the lights out and on

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
BRING ME LIBERTY, OR BRING ME DEATH (BY PICK-AND-ROLL)
Well, well, well. If it isn't the New York Liberty, fresh off a 2-20 season, getting off to a 3-0 start. Quibble over the early strength of schedule if you will, but it's fair to say this team looks different.
That different look starts with Sabrina Ionescu, a dynamic lead initiator that combines high-level pull-up shooting with I-see-everything court vision. There isn't a surefire way to slow her down. You can attempt pressing her, but she's pretty darn good at navigating her defender into screens.
If you get caught on a screen against Sabrina, you're practically dead.
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Just peep the patience from Ionescu on this possession. She's able to get a little separation from Danielle Robinson as she flies off the screen. From there, the hang dribble freezes Teaira McCowan (#15), and causes Victoria Vivians (#35) to rotate over. A timely cut from Sami Whitcomb (#32) puts Kelsey Mitchell (#0) in a tough spot, freeing the corner skip to Betnijah Laney (who's making an early case for MIP).
Ionescu leads the WNBA in pick-and-roll possessions (32) by a wide margin, per Synergy. She's generating north of 97 points per 100 pick-and-roll possessions (passes included), placing her in the 83rd percentile right now.
This is obviously early season stuff, but Ionescu is also the only player that ranks in the top-five in scoring (21.0) and assists (9.0), while also leading the WNBA in three-pointers made (10). It wouldn't be a total shock for any of those designations to hold throughout the season if she stays healthy.&nbsp;
She's that darn good.
TEAIRA MCCOWAN, DOING HER WORK EARLY
Send this clip to every big (wo)man camp in the country.
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There is no play-call here. No frills. This is Teaira McCowan busting it up the floor, knocking Kylee Shook back and setting up shop in a threatening post position.&nbsp;
She's able to put Shook on her right shoulder to create a wider window for the entry pass from Robinson. There is absolutely nothing Shook can do to prevent the pass, nor does she have the length to bother the shot.
It's textbook stuff, stuff that McCowan was doing at Mississippi State. It's what she did as a rookie; for the life of me, I still do not understand why she didn't get more playing time last season.&nbsp;
If you want a number, I'll present you with this one: per Synergy, McCowan leads the WNBA in points (15) off those deep middle seals. Liz Cambage is the only other player in double digits (10).&nbsp;
JAYSON TATUM HAS FULLY ARRIVED
23 points. 7-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from three. Three assists, one measly turnover.&nbsp;
That's a darn good game for a hired gun off the bench. A play-finishing wing that sprinkled in some transition dimes or something.&nbsp;
The fact that this is what Jayson Tatum did during the third quarter of Tuesday night's play-in game is absolutely absurd.
There's only so much you can do against Tatum now. As I <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1383148215181135879?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote last month</a>, he's rounding out the rough parts of his game. He's gotten more comfortable operating in the intermediate areas. He gets downhill more often, and with more purpose. You don't luck your way into 17 free throws.
The fun part of getting good at the average stuff is that it simply unlocks more of your great stuff. In a way, the hesi-and-drive to Tatum's left against Rui Hachimura ultimately helps him set up this stepback against Davis Bertans.
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50 points. Big win. Playoff spot secured. The Leap is happening right before our eyes, folks.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>We're working with a 30-minute sample right now, but the early returns for the A'ja Wilson-Liz Cambage combo have been positive (plus-6.4 net rating). A'ja took a three on Saturday and made it. Let's just say I'll be keeping tabs on that all season long.</li>
<li>I am just especially fascinated by how the Atlanta Dream plan to find minutes for Chennedy Carter, Courtney WIlliams, Aari McDonald, Odyssey Sims and&nbsp;Tiffany Hayes. They've shown some early willingness to go with three guards, but I am terrified of what the defense will look like.</li>
<li>Breanna Stewart (averaging 27 &amp; 12 through two) is the obvious draw for the Storm, but I'm intrigued by Ezi Magbegor. She got the start on Tuesday night against the Aces; her blend of size and skill provides a nice complement to Stewart's, well, everything.</li>
<li>A quick glance at the blocks per game leaderboard will highlight two members of the Phoenix Mercury: Brittney Griner (2.7, 2nd) and Brianna Turner (2.3). Unsurprisingly, among the teams that have played multiple games, none have allowed a lower field goal percentage than the Mercury.</li>
<li>The Sky outscored the Mystics by 19 points in the 25 minutes that Candace Parker was on the court. This might be as scary as we <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1356406720260677639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thought it would be</a>.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
Pick Your Poison
The Indiana Pacers absolutely molly whopped the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night. Among the many, many, many&nbsp;plays in which the Hornets looked unequipped to defend this team, this play caught my eye.
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I appreciate the misdirection to kick things off, with Justin Holiday kinda faking a connection with Doug McDermott before lifting above the break. McDermott does a great job of setting Terry Rozier up, and Domantas Sabonis finishes the job by sliding over a step to prevent Rozier from shooting the gap.
Watch Your Back(cut)
MOAR TATUM.
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It's all about playing against tendency here. Boston loves to run pindowns for Tatum to get him attacking on the move. Bradley Beal has positioned himself -- back to Marcus Smart, practically hugging Tatum -- to prepare for this screening action.
Tatum uses that so-called knowledge (and that positioning) against Beal, juking before darting to the basket for an easy lob.&nbsp;
Slotting Up
I talked about Ionescu's pick-and-roll proficiency a little bit earlier, but I like this set-up from the Liberty.
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We get a Pistol/21 look as Ionescu trots up the left side of the floor. Laney "ghosts" the screen before running off a flare from Shook. That action between Laney and Shook not only occupies their defenders; it also puts strain on the weak side since Ionescu is able to gain inside leverage on the drive.
The drive forces a rotation, which leaves Crystal Dangerfield (#2) splitting the difference. Whitcomb recognizes that dilemma and cuts inside, receiving a pass and getting an uncontested lay-up as a result.
Good stuff all around.
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or... well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mirin Fader</a> knocks this <a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader/status/1395020533872222223?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Drummond feature</a> out of the park.
<a href="https://twitter.com/Herring_NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Herring</a> brought the goods on <a href="https://twitter.com/Herring_NBA/status/1395032294059085826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Atlanta Hawks</a>, and what Trae Young means to them.
This was technically for last week, but I can't recommend <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVPina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Pina</a>'s <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVPina/status/1392115303698534404?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feature on Dejounte Murray</a> enough.
ESPN's <a href="https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/1394299631736172544?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">massive playoff guide</a> is well worth your time.
<a href="https://twitter.com/alexaphilippou" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexa Philippou</a> gave us the deets on <a href="https://twitter.com/alexaphilippou/status/1394408732725964800?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiffany Hayes' return</a>.

In Nekias Duncan's weekly notebook, he shares things that have caught his eye. He breaks down players, teams, plays and stats.

Roaming the Baseline: Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Teaira McCowan

One of the perks of covering the NBA is that you get to attend a ton of games, so you're bound to witness some wild moments firsthand. Our writers have been covering the league for many years, so we asked:
What's the craziest NBA moment that you've witnessed in-person?
Alex Kennedy: For me, it has to be Ray Allen's clutch three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. During the fourth quarter, my boss and I were sitting in the media area and figuring out our travel plans. If the Spurs won, the series was over and we'd fly home the next day; if the Heat won, we would need to stay in Miami for Game 7. With 28.2 seconds remaining, the Spurs went up by five and my boss, Steve Kyler, booked our flight home for the following day. He assumed the series was over! Shortly after, Chris Bosh grabs the rebound, Allen hits the shot and everyone was stunned. After the game, talking to Bosh, Allen and their teammates was a lot of fun; everyone immediately realized that they had just been part of something really special and historic. And, fortunately, we were able to reschedule our flight!
Spencer Davies: With the exception of seeing Kevin Durant nail a three over LeBron James to win his first championship (and subsequently repeating the shot over JR Smith in the following Finals), I would be lying if I didn&rsquo;t say LeBron&rsquo;s 2018 playoff run as a whole. There were two times -- Game 5 vs. the Indiana Pacers and Game 3 vs. the Toronto Raptors -- where The King nailed game-winners at the final buzzer. The first occasion, LeBron actually came up with the block on Victor Oladipo&rsquo;s layup and then&nbsp;knocked down the three out of the inbound (Indiana likely wins that series without it). With the second, LeBron ripped Toronto&rsquo;s soul right out of its heart with a full-court drive up the left side of the floor, threw up a 16-foot floater and banked it in as his body was going toward the baseline to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a commanding 3-0 lead. Just absolutely ridiculous moments to witness in person, especially having to withhold your thoughts being at the media table.
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Moke Hamilton: I'm so blessed to have covered seven NBA Finals and seen some truly incredible moments at Madison Square Garden, both as a young fan and a pro covering the league. Like in 2003, when Latrell Sprewell set the single-game record for most threes made without a miss (he shot 9-for-9). Years later, I saw the late, great Kobe Bryant score 61 and saw Carmelo Anthony top that by scoring 62. I covered Linsanity. And I saw some crazy things covering the Atlantic Division some years ago. But truth is, I think the craziest thing I ever saw was Ray Allen making &ldquo;the shot&rdquo; in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals; I had the good fortune of witnessing that piece of history live. I think what&rsquo;s more crazy about the shot itself was the amount of blunders the Spurs made in the final minute of that game. From missed free throws to blown coverages to failing to box out, the team that&rsquo;s always credited for its fundamentals couldn&rsquo;t close out a game they needed and they lost both Game 6 (and the ensuing Game 7) as a result. That outcome was crazy and it was only possible with Allen&rsquo;s shot, so I&rsquo;ve gotta go with that.
Imman Adan: Raptor fans booing Vince Carter&hellip; while he was still on the team. I&rsquo;ve been to many games that saw fans in the Scotia Bank Arena (formerly: Air Canada Centre) boo Vince Carter, but none like this. It was a cold autumn night, November 20, 2004, and the Toronto Raptors were in the midst of getting their derri&egrave;res flamb&eacute;ed by the San Antonio Spurs. A dejected Carter looked like he&rsquo;d rather be anywhere else than on the court when boos began to rain down. Eventually, head coach Sam Mitchell put Carter and fans out of their misery by benching him. This miraculously allowed sophomore Chris Bosh to lead a 19-point comeback, with the Raptors outscoring the Spurs 33-9 in the fourth quarter to win, 96-91. Now, this is far from the craziest NBA story, but it was a pivotal game in Raptors history -- a franchise-changing moment that signified a shift in leadership from Carter to Bosh.
Jonathan Concool: This is a tough one, but I&rsquo;m going to go with the November 20, 2010 game between the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks. This was Blake Griffin&rsquo;s rookie year and it was still early in the season, so no one really knew how good this Griffin kid was since he had just missed the previous year due to injury. Well, I&rsquo;d like to think this is the game when the whole world got to know Griffin. Griffin had two literal jaw-dropping dunks during this matchup with the Knicks. One of them, Griffin was on a fast break against Knicks forward Danilo Gallinari and he spun into a monster slam on Gallinari in the open court. The other (more famous) one is, of course, the Timofey Mozgov poster, which will live on for eternity. Being in the arena to witness those dunks was truly an unforgettable experience.
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Kelsea O'Brien: Norman Powell&rsquo;s <a href="https://youtu.be/uao0ZZ8r52s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game 5 dun</a>k against the Indiana Pacers in his rookie season. I was behind the basket when it happened. It was my birthday. It was electric -- a total tectonic, cultural shift for the Raptors (who went on to win the game).
Nekias Duncan: I went to a Heat-Bobcats (yes, Bobcats) game during the 2011-12 season. I was still early in my writer phrase, so this was simply a &ldquo;Hey, I want to watch the Heat&rdquo; experience. Anyway, with around three minutes left in that game, Chris Bosh ISO&rsquo;s at the top of the key. He pumps, drives, then <a href="https://youtu.be/l0yIQUUXJ8o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jams over DJ White</a> for an and-one. It was one of the best dunks I&rsquo;d ever seen in a live setting, and also terrifying because Bosh landed so awkwardly that I was sure he&rsquo;d broken a leg or torn his groin or something.
Chris Sheridan: The craziest moment I have ever seen came when Shaquille O'Neal attempted a foul shot. The ball hit the rim so hard that it actually bounced over the basket stanchion. I challenge anyone to try to replicate that happenstance, and I would love to see a video of it happening. I am unable to find the video, but I saw it with my own two eyes.
Ethan Fuller: Tacko Fall's&nbsp;preseason debut against the Charlotte Hornets was unlike any game atmosphere I have ever witnessed in person. The crowd was thundering when Brad Stevens motioned for Fall to jump in with nine minutes left. It's the loudest I have experienced TD Garden -- and it was a&nbsp;preseason&nbsp;game. Two guys were wearing taco suits! Truly a bizarre, awesome, mythical game to be at.

We asked our BasketballNews.com staff to share the craziest NBA moment they witnessed firsthand.

Roundtable: What's the craziest NBA moment you've witnessed in person?

With the NBA six days into May and games winding down, the postseason is right around the corner. Teams are jockeying for position, and the competition is tightening up as we hit the home stretch in the Association.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Who is your dark-horse team to watch entering the playoffs?
Nekias Duncan: I think it&rsquo;s Miami, almost by default. As uneven as their season has been &mdash; due to injuries, COVID or otherwise &mdash; it&rsquo;s still hard to discount the type of playoff pedigree they have. Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo is a big three nobody in the East wants to deal with.
Spencer Davies: The team that nobody believes can do it, and that&rsquo;s the current top seed in the Western Conference: the Utah Jazz. Although I like the Los Angeles Clippers to come out of the West, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot to slow these Jazz down from deep. Their playing style, similar to the Phoenix Suns, is half-court-based, something fit for the postseason environment when execution matters the most. You&rsquo;ve got a number of All-Star talents such as Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert; however, Utah features a plethora of players that star in their roles -- Bojan Bogdanovic with his three-point barrages, Royce O&rsquo;Neale defending with a purpose, Jordan Clarkson being a microwave off the bench, Joe Ingles looking to consistently make the right play and even Georges Niang and Derrick Favors producing when their names are called.
Chris Sheridan: The dark-horse team to watch going into the playoffs is the Atlanta Hawks, because they have needed an entire season to achieve some chemistry. They are a nifty mix of young and old, and Nate McMillan has them peaking at the right time. Their size will be a problem for every single team in the East.
Alex Kennedy: All season, the Miami Heat have dealt with injuries and COVID absences, so this team is much better than their record indicates. We just saw this same group shock everyone last year when they became the first No. 5 seed to advance to the NBA Finals. They have a terrific coach (Erik Spoelstra), multiple stars (Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler), solid depth and a terrific culture. James Posey <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/basketball-news-james-posey-as-long-as-pat-riley-is-in-the-picture-the-miami-heat-have-a-shot-nba-championship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently wrote about why you can never count out the Heat</a>, and I agree with the three-time NBA champion.
Kelsea O'Brien: Remember that guy at the beginning of the season who bet $10,000 on the Wizards winning the Finals (which would result in a $5 MILLION payout)? He&rsquo;s not looking so silly anymore.
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Imman Adan: Oddly enough, I&rsquo;m picking a team that might not even make the playoffs, but what they&rsquo;re doing right now is hard to ignore. The Washington Wizards have won 13 of their last 17 games. At the time of this writing, over their last 10 games, they have the second-best offensive rating in the league (120.1), while also boasting the league&rsquo;s fourth-best net rating (8.3). The Wizards have been fantastic on both sides of the ball, playing their best basketball of the year heading into the play-in tournament. With Bradley Beal&rsquo;s scoring tear and point-GOAT Russell Westbrook activated, they are not a team anyone should want to see come playoff time.
Ethan Fuller: A lot of people crossed Denver off their contender lists when Jamal Murray tore his ACL. That is a brutal loss, but I sort of think people are sleeping on the rest of this roster. Nikola Jokic is the MVP frontrunner right now, and Michael Porter Jr. has quietly become a menacing three-level scorer. They'll need him and the rest of an extremely deep supporting cast to replace what Murray did last postseason. The Nuggets are a year removed from a Western Conference Finals appearance, and I fully expect them to make serious noise again.
Jonathan Concool: The Denver Nuggets. Since losing Jamal Murray, the Nuggets have won six of their last seven (and 10 of 12), and Michael Porter Jr. has been playing the best basketball of his young career over the past few games. We all know what we are going to get from MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, but Denver has a real supporting cast behind the Joker, so don&rsquo;t overlook the Nuggets just because Murray is lost for the season. They can still make some noise this postseason.
Yasmin Duale: My dark-horse team come playoff time is the Golden State Warriors. It feels weird to say, but if we end up seeing Steph Curry face off against the LeBron-led Lakers in the play-in tournament, I can&rsquo;t really say with certainty who&rsquo;d come out on the other side. All it&rsquo;d take is one possessed performance from the greatest shooter of all-time to usher in some chaos.&nbsp;
Jannelle Moore: My dark-horse playoff team to watch is Boston. Yeah, they have underachieved this season, but you can&rsquo;t underrate their experience and don&rsquo;t count out the possibility that they'll gain momentum as the season closes.

Who is the dark-horse team to watch entering the NBA Playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Who is the dark-horse team to watch entering the playoffs?

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for April 8, 2021.
Just Do It
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&ldquo;Bro, just ask for a buyout man&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/gSyrFuxvwo">pic.twitter.com/gSyrFuxvwo</a>
&mdash; Esfandiar | Darth Es (@JustEsBaraheni) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustEsBaraheni/status/1379570284336910338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This is just the first tweet in a series of tweets feeling bad for Marc Gasol.
Carry On
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Paul Pierce gets fired and all hell breaks loose at ESPN <a href="https://t.co/DzcEBLvDMk">pic.twitter.com/DzcEBLvDMk</a>
&mdash; Duncan Smith (@DuncanSmithNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DuncanSmithNBA/status/1379539679108870154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This is also the first tweet of multiple tweets featuring Kendrick Perkins.
S.O.S
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buy the sacramento kings kimberly <a href="https://t.co/7L0qAMgRiw">https://t.co/7L0qAMgRiw</a>
&mdash; haley o'shaughnessy (@HaleyOSomething) <a href="https://twitter.com/HaleyOSomething/status/1379504675779710977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Sacramento Kings franchise is valued at $1.8B, and she could make them all wear Skims instead of compression shorts. I have ideas, Kim.
Come Back Baby
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Marc sitting at the back breaks my heart....😫💔💔😫 <a href="https://t.co/QbS8PdVrwO">https://t.co/QbS8PdVrwO</a>
&mdash; Juli (@julijays) <a href="https://twitter.com/julijays/status/1379623753626320896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Look at him. Dejected, alone, contemplating his future while his teammates laugh in the distance, completely oblivious to his pain. Come back to Toronto, come back to Memphis, come back to anywhere you are appreciated, King.
Umm...Sure?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Steph Curry with a 41 piece wing dinner Teriyaki style with the W tonight...he continues to save Steve Kerr! Carry on...
&mdash; Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/KendrickPerkins/status/1379655205759893506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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There is so much to unpack here. First, how can anyone eat exactly 41 wings. Second, why would you get them teriyaki style? Third, Steve Kerr is...okay yeah this one is all facts. Carry on!
MVP
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Joel Embiid with more points (35) than minutes (33) tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MVP</a>
&mdash; Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonGowton/status/1379616918009741313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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He&rsquo;s back like he never left. Or he left and somehow got even better.
See a tweet that should be featured in our next Tweets of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for April 8, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Packing and Unpacking

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for March 5, 2021.
Rattlin&rsquo; Bog
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/CJMcCollum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CJMcCollum</a>'s charge dance, but as a Sea Shanty remix. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RipCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RipCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/38ki9kabTt">pic.twitter.com/38ki9kabTt</a>
&mdash; Brandon Goldner (@GoldnerPDX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldnerPDX/status/1367372651958652934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This gives me an idea. Can someone please do the same with the Chris Duhon travel dance? In the meantime, I will just keep watching this on repeat.
And All That Jazz
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewProfiIePic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewProfiIePic</a> <a href="https://t.co/g5hgMQbUWa">pic.twitter.com/g5hgMQbUWa</a>
&mdash; Scam Allardyce (@Nigerianscamsss) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nigerianscamsss/status/1367649074233671682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Welp. This is awkward. I highly doubt Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell have ever been picked last in gym class. Now they know how the rest of us feel.
Can&rsquo;t Unsee It
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
payton pritchard was the main character of every afternoon of my life from ages 4 to 14 <a href="https://t.co/kGy3poyDOC">pic.twitter.com/kGy3poyDOC</a>
&mdash; Sean Woodley (@woodleysean) <a href="https://twitter.com/woodleysean/status/1367656630339395584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Why is this so accurate, and why was every main character from every cartoon so awful?
Me Too, You Aren&rsquo;t Special
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celtics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celtics</a> are interested in trading for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pistons?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pistons</a> Jerami Grant? Well, in my twenties, I was interested in Halle Berry. I'll just leave it at that. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AintHappening?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AintHappening</a>
&mdash; Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) <a href="https://twitter.com/detnewsRodBeard/status/1367502173186240534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The more shocking news would be that there are any teams not interested in Jerami Grant after this season and last. Get in line, Danny Ainge.
Pull The Trigger
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Giannis Antetokounmpo for Norman Powell. Who says no besides the Raptors???
&mdash; Chris Walder (@WalderSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/WalderSports/status/1367643368206069763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The only way to stop Norman Powell is to acquire him. Seems like a fair trade to me.
The Future
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Holy shit. This shot by Jayson Tatum. "smh" <a href="https://t.co/7hDaSLjCpU">pic.twitter.com/7hDaSLjCpU</a>
&mdash; Efrain Ramos (@efraincarmelo) <a href="https://twitter.com/efraincarmelo/status/1367662173170892801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It pains me to admit how good he is, though Paul Watson Jr. did lock him up in the half-court earlier in the game. Ugh.
See a tweet that should be featured in Monday's Tweets of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for March 5, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Trade Ideas and Fancy Footwork

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for February 15, 2021.
Knickerbockers Knockin&rsquo; Boots
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Thibs is ready to go <a href="https://t.co/BaSZe35KKh">pic.twitter.com/BaSZe35KKh</a>
&mdash; Grant Goldberg (@GrantGoldberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantGoldberg/status/1361039443466072067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It&rsquo;s not a visual that anyone needed, but it has the Knicks sitting in 7th place in the East, so&hellip;.maybe?
Air Melo
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
CRAVADA DO CARMELO 💪💪<a href="https://t.co/OiZNCWTmjf">pic.twitter.com/OiZNCWTmjf</a>
&mdash; Blazers Brasil #RipCity 🇧🇷 (@BlazersBrasil) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlazersBrasil/status/1361122865949642752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Portland reviving Carmelo Anthony, and his hang time, at nearly 37 years old should really go down in the history books.
Is This Your King?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Nothing makes a fanbase turn on their team like being down to the Wizards at halftime
&mdash; 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) <a href="https://twitter.com/Three_Cone/status/1361033221270601729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Boston Celtics lost by 13 to the Washington Wizards last night, and their fans have blamed everyone from Jayson Tatum and his 6 points, to Brad Stevens and his coaching abilities, to Danny Ainge for hoarding draft picks.
Why You So Obsessed With Me?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Awww baby baby we belong together!!! <a href="https://t.co/crhurA1XE1">https://t.co/crhurA1XE1</a>
&mdash; Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MariahCarey/status/1361029213877399552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Mariah Carey finding this without being tagged or having any ties to San Antonio makes me wonder how much time she spends on NBA Twitter, and if she would like to join the Basketball News fantasy league next year. Also, I hope Keldon Johnson saw this and it made his entire life, NBA career be damned.
We Are Going To Start A Dialogue
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
*cough* Breanna *cough* *cough* Stewart *cough* WNBA *cough* Finals *COUGH* *COUGH* MVP!!!! <a href="https://t.co/kGQWMKUhoY">https://t.co/kGQWMKUhoY</a>
&mdash; Diamond DeShields (@diamonddoesit1) <a href="https://twitter.com/diamonddoesit1/status/1361134977539309570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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No one is discrediting what Kevin Durant is doing after such a terrible injury, but Breanna Stewart suffered the same injury, returned to the WNBA, won the Finals AND won MVP -- less than a year-and-a-half after getting injured. If we are going to start showing respect and admiration for women in sports, we should probably start by not forgetting them completely.
Can I Get An Amen?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
This is awesome stuff from Anthony Edwards <a href="https://t.co/l0EtBejT6k">pic.twitter.com/l0EtBejT6k</a>
&mdash; Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenStinar/status/1361176662495420417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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In the words of RuPaul Andre Charles, "&lsquo;If you can&rsquo;t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?&rdquo; Edwards recently stated that the TImberwolves know how to compete, but haven&rsquo;t yet <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-naz-reid-showing-strides-flashes-learning-young-minnesota-timberwolves-karl-anthony-towns-ryan-saunders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learned how to win</a>. His approach to making sure his teammates believe in themselves the way he believes in them could be the spark they need to take it to the next level.
An Elephant Never Forgets
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
how it started vs. how it ended, starring jonas valanciunas: <a href="https://t.co/2gIdEIjVwm">pic.twitter.com/2gIdEIjVwm</a>
&mdash; Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) <a href="https://twitter.com/mollyhannahm/status/1361186581189656576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Jonas Valanciunas waiting patiently in the shadows for a revenge dunk on Chimezie Metu and actually doing the deed at Cory Joseph's expense is the level of long-con petty that I aspire to, though I would never look nearly as cool or composed.
See a tweet that should be featured in tomorrow's Tweet of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for Feb. 15, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Whole Lotta Love (and Revenge)

BasketballNews.com asked each of our staff members to predict who will win the 2020 NBA Finals: the Los Angeles Lakers or Miami Heat? Here&rsquo;s what they had to say:
James Posey: &ldquo;I never want to go against a LeBron-James-led team, but I think it will be a very challenging series for him. The reason? Miami has the bodies to guard LeBron and they have a few players who can wear him down. And I think the matchup between Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis is going to be big. In Bam, you got a young bull who isn&rsquo;t afraid and he&rsquo;s really talented. That&rsquo;s a scary combination. With the Heat&rsquo;s system and culture, nobody is afraid of this Lakers team, they&rsquo;re going to play hard and they&rsquo;re going to put pressure on this Lakers team. To win this series, LeBron will have to play at his maximum level every game, especially if AD doesn&rsquo;t step up. I&rsquo;m taking the Heat and I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;ll go to 7. -- Heat in 6
Etan Thomas: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard not to root for the Miami Heat and they shouldn&rsquo;t be counted out, even though they are being labeled as tremendous underdogs to win the Finals against the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers. But defying odds is exactly what the Heat have been doing the entire playoffs. Nobody outside of the Heat&rsquo;s locker room picked them to beat two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, many pointed to that series as Exhibit A of the NBA not possessing the &lsquo;competitive balance&rsquo; of the NHL - basically saying that you know who is going to win most of the series in advance. However, nobody told the Heat this. They were also underdogs going into the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics before scratching them off the list in a 4-2 series. 
"Jimmy Butler, who previous teams labeled a 'cancer to the locker room,' has emerged as a leader with a will to win and will take on the task of going head-to-head with LeBron James. Bam Adebayo has been a budding star, whose absence from the All-NBA team left many scratching their head, has been nothing short of spectacular the entire playoffs - from recording arguably one of the greatest blocks in NBA history against Jayson Tatum, to playing point center for extended stretches, to his brilliant 32-point performance in the closing game against the Celtics. His head-to-head matchup with Anthony Davis will be much anticipated. Finally, Tyler Herro has wowed the NBA world with his scoring arsenal, showing why he earned the nickname &ldquo;Bucket&rdquo; (regardless of what Paul Pierce thinks). Throw in Goran Dragic and Duncan Robinson and the Heat&rsquo;s ability to feed the hot hand (no matter who it is) - even if it means the usual top scorers aren&rsquo;t the ones getting the shots - coupled with their relentless defense and excellent conditioning, they are a dangerous opponent for the Lakers. Still, if I were a betting man (which I am not), I would have to say Lakers in 7, but don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Heat (David) gives the Lakers (Goliath) quite a few stones to the face throughout this NBA Finals.&rdquo; -- Lakers in 7
Alex Kennedy: &ldquo;This should be a very close series, which is why I&rsquo;m predicting that it will go to seven games. This series will likely be closer than many fans would expect; the Lakers are favorites, but the Heat are playing their best basketball at the perfect time and absolutely expect to take home the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy. Miami is the deeper team, but Los Angeles has more star power. At the end of the day, this comes down to championship experience, in my opinion. The Lakers have six players who have won a championship (including three players who have multiple rings), so this NBA Finals stage is nothing new to them. For the Heat, Andre Iguodala and Udonis Haslem are the only champions on their team (and Haslem is out of the rotation). Even several Heat players have admitted in interviews this week that this is all new to them. I could absolutely see this series going either way; I&rsquo;m going with Los Angeles (but I don't feel very good about it).&rdquo; -- Lakers in 7
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/scout-report-final-prediction-v2_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Chris Sheridan: &ldquo;I am picking the Heat in six games because although the two best players belong to the Lakers, the Heat remind me a whole lot of the Golden State Warriors two years ago (minus the playoff experience), and that team that swept LeBron James and the Cavaliers before he left Cleveland. They have seven or eight terrific players, including two All-Stars and a point guard, Goran Dragic, who has been waiting his whole life for this opportunity. I expect coach Erik Spoelstra to try to get into LeBron's head in some way, perhaps Hack-a-Bron. The bubble will be a factor because the Heat's young players do not have to face a hostile crowd. And Miami has three players, Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder, who are good defenders and who have had success against LeBron in the past." -- Heat in 6
Kelsea O&rsquo;Brien: &ldquo;The Heat may be the only team to face the Lakers without feeling even slightly intimidated. They are the perfect size matchup, a factor that the Lakers haven&rsquo;t encountered&nbsp; yet. Miami&rsquo;s impenetrable zone defence will work for everyone not named LeBron James, but trying to double-team the #WashedKing very rarely proves successful. Though the Heat possess the speed and youth, and have a slight advantage when it comes to the depth of their bench, the Lakers have the experience, the veteranship, and two of the greatest players in the world on their side.&rdquo; -- Lakers in 6
Spencer Davies: &ldquo;The hype around the 2020 NBA Finals is kind of a double-edged sword if you think about it. On one hand, we&rsquo;ll never know whether &ldquo;the nightlife&rdquo; of Los Angeles or Miami is more detrimental to the road team. On the other hand, nobody is going to be traveling from East Coast to West Coast, or vice-versa, meaning we should get each player&rsquo;s best basketball. Miami has been one of the most fun bunches to watch all season. In the bubble, Erik Spoelstra and Co. have turned it up to 11. It&rsquo;s been a treat to see Bam Adebayo emerge as an elite modern big man on both ends of the floor, just as it has been to witness Tyler Herro accomplish feats that no Heat rookie has achieved since Dwyane Wade. We can&rsquo;t forget about the consistency of Jae Crowder, the sharp-shooting of Duncan Robinson and the veteran savvy of Andre Iguodala, who will appear in his sixth-straight Finals. Oh yeah, then there&rsquo;s Jimmy Butler: the head of the snake, the aggressor, the defensive pest and, of course, the closer. But to me, this L.A. squad is a team of destiny. If you look at everything that has gone down in this horrific year, LeBron James has held every one of his teammates together and is speaking this championship run into existence as a leader. If there was an MVP award for specifically the postseason, Anthony Davis would have it in the bag. Somehow this late into the playoffs, the Lakers&rsquo; chemistry is still growing -- look at the impact Rajon Rondo and Alex Caruso have made off the bench and in closing minutes. 
"The battle of the bigs between Davis and Adebayo should be a treat and live up to the hype. After years and years of missing out on the spectacle, I&rsquo;m itching to see Butler in his Finals debut, especially against LeBron. The Lakers have been as sound as ever in their defensive rotations. Miami loves to run the dribble hand-offs through Adebayo to Robinson and Herro as its primary action, but the quick decision-making of both makes it tough to guard when you don&rsquo;t know whether they&rsquo;re shooting off the rip or pump-faking and going to the basket. If the Heat can play the long game and stick around, they&rsquo;re a danger to deal with in clutch situations. That&rsquo;s a big if, though, especially if they&rsquo;re not hitting threes at a high clip. Being back in the Finals for the first time in a decade, the Heat will be hard-pressed to get in LeBron and the Lakers&rsquo; way of achieving their goal, but that won&rsquo;t come easily.&rdquo; -- Lakers in 6
Nekias Duncan: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to ignore the 'team of destiny'-type cliche talk that would be easy to fall into. The Heat are just a darned good team with weapons that can give the Lakers fits. The Heat just eliminated the Bucks and Celtics in back-to-back rounds, two elite defenses that could throw off the timing of Miami&rsquo;s halfcourt goodness. The Lakers have an elite defense in their own right, but it&rsquo;s fair to argue that they don&rsquo;t have the perimeter defenders the Bucks or Celtics had.&rdquo; -- Heat in 6

Who will win the 2020 NBA Finals: the Miami Heat or Los Angeles Lakers? BasketballNews.com's staff shares their predictions.