Brooklyn Nets

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Boston Celtics were not supposed to be here.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not after the night everything changed. Not after Jayson Tatum went down with a devastating Achilles tear in the second round against the New York Knicks. Not after watching their season unravel in real time, their title aspirations slipping away with each step he could no longer take.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They lost that series. More than that, they lost their centerpiece, their identity, and what many believed was their window.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a franchise that has built itself on championship expectations, anything short of contention feels like failure. In that moment, the Celtics were staring at a future filled with uncertainty, questions that stretched far beyond a single postseason exit. How do you recover from losing a player who defines everything you do? How do you rebuild belief when the foundation itself has been shaken?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet, months later, Boston finds itself back in the conversation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not as the overwhelming favorite. Not as the juggernaut they once looked like. But as something perhaps more dangerous. A team that has endured, adapted, and discovered layers of itself that may not have surfaced otherwise.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, with Tatum on the verge of returning, the question shifts from survival to possibility.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can the Celtics conquer the East once more?</span></p>
<h3><strong>A season that could have collapsed but did not</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The expectation after Tatum&rsquo;s injury was simple. Boston would fall back.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It made sense. Tatum is not just an All-NBA talent. He is the system&rsquo;s gravitational force, the player who bends defenses, dictates matchups, and gives structure to everything the Celtics do on both ends. His presence alone simplifies decisions for everyone else on the floor. His absence complicates everything.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remove that, and most teams crumble.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston did not.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, Joe Mazzulla and his group leaned into what they had built over the years. The principles stayed intact. The spacing remained deliberate. The ball continued to move. The identity did not disappear, it evolved into something more collective and less predictable.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ldquo;Mazzulla Ball&rdquo; lived on, not as a dependency on one star, but as a philosophy rooted in pace, decision-making, and trust. The Celtics doubled down on their spacing, leaned into quick reads, and emphasized shot quality over individual creation. In doing so, they forced opponents to guard actions rather than just players.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics became less predictable, more collective. They shifted from a top-heavy contender to a deep, resilient group that could win in different ways on different nights. Some nights it was their shooting. Other nights it was their defense. At times, it was simply their ability to execute late.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That shift did not just keep them afloat. It made them relevant again.</span></p>
<h3><strong>Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s ascent into superstardom</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the center of that transformation was Jaylen Brown.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are moments in every franchise&rsquo;s timeline when a player is asked to step into something bigger than themselves. Brown did not just answer that call, he redefined his ceiling.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This was not simply a case of increased usage. This was evolution. Brown operated with control, patience, and purpose. His scoring expanded across all three levels. He attacked the rim with force, punished mismatches in the midrange, and improved his decision-making when defenses collapsed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just as important, his playmaking took a noticeable leap. Brown became more comfortable reading help defenders, making the extra pass, and keeping the offense flowing. That growth allowed Boston to maintain its structure even without its primary initiator.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Night after night, he carried the offensive burden. He embraced the defensive responsibility. He became the tone-setter for a team that needed stability.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What stood out most was not the numbers, although they were impressive enough to warrant MVP and All-NBA conversations. It was the consistency. The Celtics did not have the luxury of off nights from their primary option, and Brown rarely gave them one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also embraced the leadership aspect of the role. In huddles, in late-game situations, and in moments of adversity, Brown&rsquo;s voice carried weight. That intangible shift matters just as much as any statistical leap.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In many ways, this season forced Boston to answer a long-standing question. Could Brown be the guy?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For stretches, he already has been.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The system holds, the depth emerges</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond Brown, Boston&rsquo;s ability to stay competitive came from its depth and continuity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derrick White became the connective tissue. His versatility allowed the Celtics to maintain structure on both ends. He defended across positions, facilitated the offense, and provided timely scoring without disrupting flow. White&rsquo;s ability to make the right play, regardless of role, made him indispensable.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser remained steady. Their shooting and floor spacing ensured that Boston&rsquo;s offensive identity did not collapse without Tatum. They played within their roles, understood their value, and delivered consistently.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then came the emergence of youth.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonz&aacute;lez brought energy, length, and a willingness to contribute. They were not expected to be difference-makers this early, yet they carved out meaningful roles through effort and adaptability. Their development added another layer to Boston&rsquo;s identity, one built on internal growth rather than external dependence.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the frontcourt, Neemias Queta and Luka Garza stepped into a difficult situation. Replacing the production and presence of departed veterans is never simple, but they provided size, rebounding, and interior presence when needed. They played with physicality and energy, which often set the tone early in games.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston also made a calculated move by bringing in Nikola Vučević. His skillset fit seamlessly into the system. A big who can space the floor, facilitate from the high post, and provide scoring in structured sets, Vučević gave the Celtics a different dimension offensively. His presence allowed Boston to maintain spacing while still having a reliable option inside.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All of it added up to something greater than expected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A team that, on paper, lost too much. A team that, in reality, found enough.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The cost of change and the value of continuity</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is important to acknowledge what Boston no longer has.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Veteran anchors like Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porziņģis are no longer part of the equation. Their absence removed a layer of experience, defense, and versatility that once defined Boston&rsquo;s championship aspirations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Holiday&rsquo;s point-of-attack defense, Horford&rsquo;s leadership and positional intelligence, and Porziņģis&rsquo; unique blend of size and shooting once gave Boston one of the most complete starting groups in the league.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a different context, those losses would have been crippling.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But this season reframed the Celtics&rsquo; identity. It forced them to rely less on established names and more on internal growth. It tested their system, their culture, and their ability to adapt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What remains is a group that understands how to play together, regardless of who is on the floor. There is a level of cohesion that comes from shared adversity, from navigating uncertainty together.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That may not show up in headlines, but it matters in the postseason, where execution and trust often decide outcomes.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The looming question at center</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the positives, there are still questions. The most pressing one lies in the frontcourt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Is Boston&rsquo;s center rotation enough to compete with the best in the East?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The conference still runs through teams with size, physicality, and interior dominance. Whether it is rebounding battles, rim protection, or half-court execution, the Celtics will be tested in ways they have not consistently faced during the regular season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Queta and Garza have provided effort and production, while Vučević adds skill and spacing. But playoff basketball is about matchups and margins.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Against elite frontcourts, every possession matters. Defensive breakdowns are magnified. Second-chance opportunities become backbreaking. The ability to protect the rim without overhelping on the perimeter becomes critical.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can they hold their ground against elite bigs? Can they protect the paint without compromising their perimeter defense? Can they rebound at a level that prevents second-chance opportunities?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These are not small questions. They are defining ones.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The return of Jayson Tatum</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And then there is Tatum.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Everything Boston has done this season has been without him. Everything they hope to accomplish moving forward depends on him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Returning from an Achilles injury is not just about availability. It is about trust. Trust in the body. Trust in movement. Trust in the ability to be the same player, or close enough to it, when it matters most.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There will be moments of adjustment. Timing will need to be rediscovered. Rhythm will need to be rebuilt. That is the natural process of returning from such an injury.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics do not need Tatum to be perfect immediately. They need him to be impactful. They need his presence, his scoring gravity, his defensive versatility, and his ability to elevate those around him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His return changes the geometry of the floor. It shifts defensive priorities. It creates space for Brown, for White, for everyone else who has carried the load in his absence.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it also introduces a new dynamic.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is no longer solely Tatum&rsquo;s team in the way it once was. Brown has grown. The system has evolved. Roles have been established. Confidence has been built across the roster.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The challenge is not just reintegration. It is balance.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can Tatum step back in without disrupting what has been built? Can the Celtics blend their pre-injury identity with the version that emerged in his absence? Can they find a rhythm where both Tatum and Brown operate at their best without sacrificing the collective flow?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If they can, Boston becomes something more than what it was before.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The psychological edge of survival</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One aspect that cannot be ignored is the psychological impact of what Boston has endured.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is a team that has already faced its breaking point. It has already experienced the loss of its best player and found a way to respond. That kind of experience builds a different level of confidence, one rooted in proof rather than belief.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When adversity hits in the playoffs, and it always does, the Celtics will not be navigating unfamiliar territory. They have already lived through it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That matters in close games. It matters in hostile environments. It matters when momentum swings and pressure builds.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Teams that have been tested often respond differently than those that have not. Boston falls firmly into the former category.</span></p>
<h3><strong>A different kind of contender</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics that could enter the playoffs are not the same team that started the season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are deeper in experience, even if younger in personnel. They are more adaptable, more resilient, and more aware of what it takes to win without relying on one player.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They have seen multiple versions of themselves. A team led by Brown. A team defined by its depth. A team built on system execution.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, they have the opportunity to add another version. One that includes Tatum.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That matters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Playoff runs are rarely linear. They demand adjustments, resilience, and the ability to respond to adversity. Boston has already faced its adversity. It has already been forced to adjust.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, it has the chance to combine that experience with elite talent.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That combination is dangerous.</span></p>
<h3><strong>Can they conquer the East?</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Eastern Conference remains competitive. There are teams with continuity, teams with star power, and teams with fewer question marks.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston is not the cleanest contender. There are uncertainties around Tatum&rsquo;s form, the center rotation, and how everything fits together at the highest level.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But there is also upside.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If Tatum returns close to his peak, if Brown sustains his level, and if the supporting cast continues to play within the system, the Celtics have a pathway.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not an easy one. Not a guaranteed one. But a real one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What makes this version of Boston intriguing is not just its talent. It is its story.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is a team that was supposed to fade. A team that lost its best player and kept going. A team that discovered its depth, redefined its identity, and stayed relevant when it had every reason not to.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, it stands at a different kind of crossroads.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The foundation is there. The momentum is real. The belief has been rebuilt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All that remains is the final piece.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jayson Tatum is coming back.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And with him, so are the Celtics&rsquo; biggest ambitions.</span></p>

With Jayson Tatum coming back, can the Celtics win the East once more?

With Tatum back, can Celtics conquer the East once more?

<p>There are championship teams, and then there are dynasties. The Chicago Bulls of the 1990s were the latter, a franchise that didn&rsquo;t just win titles but fundamentally changed the way the world understood professional basketball. In a candid conversation with veteran sports journalist <a href="https://scoopb.com/2026/03/from-chicago-bulls-last-dance-dynasty-to-deans-list-the-resilience-of-jason-caffey/">Brandon &ldquo;Scoop B&rdquo; Robinson</a>, former Bulls forward Jason Caffey pulled back the curtain on what it was really like inside one of the greatest teams ever assembled, revealing the tensions, the relationships, and the moments that defined an era.</p>
<h2>The Jerry Krause Problem</h2>
<p>Every dynasty has its fault lines, and for the Bulls, much of the internal friction ran directly through general manager Jerry Krause. Caffey didn&rsquo;t mince words when Robinson asked about the tipping point between players and the front office.</p>
<p><em>&ldquo;When I came into the situation, the guys NEVER got along with Jerry Krause. He was just a shrewd businessman. God rest his soul, but Michael would sit there on the bus and call him &lsquo;the sloop.&rsquo;&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>What followed those bus rides painted a vivid picture of a locker-room culture shaped from the top down or, in this case, from the back of the bus. When Michael Jordan set the tone on Krause, the rest of the roster followed suit. Scottie Pippen, still simmering over a contract that underpaid one of the best players in the world, added his own fuel to the fire. The result was a front office that existed in a kind of cold war with its own players, a dysfunction that somehow coexisted with six championship banners.</p>
<p>It speaks to the complicated legacy of that Bulls run. Chemistry doesn&rsquo;t always mean harmony. Sometimes it means a shared adversary.</p>
<h2>Learning From a Silent Beast</h2>
<p>If Krause represented the tension within the Bulls organization, Dennis Rodman represented something entirely different, a quiet, relentless standard of professional excellence that left a permanent mark on everyone around him.</p>
<p>Robinson asked Caffey about the mental preparation required to play alongside Rodman&rsquo;s unique and electrifying personality. The answer was both surprising and deeply instructive.</p>
<p><em>&ldquo;Dennis was a great guy to learn up under. He didn&rsquo;t say three words the whole year but, one of the first guys at practice, he&rsquo;s gonna ride the elliptical an hour before practice. He&rsquo;s gonna practice the ENTIRE practice.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>Caffey, a young power forward trying to earn his place among legends, described practically having to beg Rodman to step off the floor so he could get reps with the first string. The image is remarkable, a future champion so consumed by preparation that his teammates had to negotiate for practice time. Rodman&rsquo;s silence wasn&rsquo;t disengagement. It was a focus.</p>
<p>Now 52, Caffey credits that experience directly for his continued commitment to physical fitness. The lessons absorbed from Rodman, Jordan, and Pippen didn&rsquo;t expire when the final buzzer sounded on the dynasty. They became a life philosophy.</p>
<h2>The Trade That Stung</h2>
<p>Perhaps no moment in Caffey&rsquo;s career carries more emotional weight than his 1998 trade to the Golden State Warriors, a move that arrived just before the Bulls pursued what would become their sixth and final championship of the decade.</p>
<p>What made the departure sting even more was what happened behind the scenes. Both Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman publicly advocated for Caffey to remain in Chicago, a gesture that clearly still resonates deeply with the veteran forward.</p>
<p><em>&ldquo;It was awesome that my teammates trusted me at that time and they wanted me on the team. For him to step up and speak on my behalf in a good manner really made me feel proud of myself.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>In a dynasty defined by Jordan&rsquo;s will and Krause&rsquo;s calculated maneuvering, having the greatest player in the world go to bat for you meant everything. For Jason Caffey, that loyalty is the championship he still carries with him.</p>

Jason Caffey reflects on his time with the Chicago Bulls, Jerry Krause, and the trade that prevented a third championship.

Jason Caffey on Bulls Dynasty & Costly Trade

<p>Some stories from the golden era of the NBA exist in that fascinating space between confirmed history and beloved lore,&nbsp; too detailed to be invented, too strange to be mundane. The tale of what happened in an elevator at the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York City sits squarely in that territory. It involves a teenager named <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/phil-handy-jordan-kobe-lebron-goat-debate">Kobe Bryant</a>, a 270-pound veteran named Jayson Williams, a near-brawl in an enclosed space, and the intervention of a man who would eventually become the 45th and 47th President of the United States.</p>
<p>The confined space of an elevator is the last place you want to be when a 270-pound professional athlete decides he has been disrespected enough. According to Williams's account, one he has told many times over the years with the kind of vivid detail that only a born storyteller can summon, that is exactly where things stood between him and a young Kobe Bryant during All-Star Weekend at Madison Square Garden.</p>
<p><strong>A Future President Steps Between Two Giants</strong></p>
<p>Williams reportedly swung at Bryant, and what started as a locker room tension between a veteran who felt disrespected and a teenager who refused to back down threatened to become something far worse. This is where the story takes its most improbable turn. Donald Trump, then a New York fixture and real estate mogul who had turned celebrity into its own kind of currency, did not step back. He stepped in.</p>
<p>Trump later confirmed the incident during an interview with Jake Paul, offering a characteristically direct account of what happened. "That was a long time ago. Yeah, well I was breaking up a fight, which sometimes is more dangerous than being in a fight," Trump said. "But I like Kobe. Kobe was having a hard time with somebody, and it worked out fine. But yeah, I broke it up,&nbsp; probably not a smart thing to do. Historically, it's never good to break up fights."</p>
<p>According to the account that has circulated since, Trump physically grabbed Williams and told Bryant to get out. The elevator doors opened. Kobe walked. A potential disaster for the NBA's rising star, a teenager still finding his footing in the league, was averted in one of the most unlikely moments in sports history.</p>
<p><em>"I was breaking up a fight, which sometimes is more dangerous than being in a fight... I like Kobe. Kobe was having a hard time with somebody, and it worked out fine." <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/14/sports/donald-trump-confirms-breaking-up-fight-involving-kobe-bryant/">said Donald Trump</a></em></p>
<h2><strong>Charles Oakley, the Witness Who Doesn't Quite Remember</strong></h2>
<p>Every great piece of basketball lore needs a credible voice to place it in context, and Charles Oakley, one of the toughest and most respected players of that era, provides exactly that, even if his account comes with a caveat. Oakley, speaking with Yahoo Sports, was measured: he doesn't personally recall being in the elevator that day, but he has absolutely heard the story, told by Williams himself, on multiple occasions to multiple people.</p>
<p>"He had told it to some people that I was around," <a href="https://scoopb.com/2026/03/exclusive-the-night-trump-saved-kobe-inside-the-1998-elevator-brawl-with-untold-accounts-from-jayson-williams-and-charles-oakley/">Oakley said to Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson</a>&nbsp;"Jayson, he liked to be a story. He's a storyteller. I told him, 'Jayson, I mean, you 55, 57. You probably told that story 50 times.'" When I spoke with Oakley separately, he echoed that sentiment. While he couldn't personally account for the specifics of the elevator incident, he was quick to note that Williams tells it with extraordinary conviction and color. "Jayson is an awesome storyteller who brings these moments to life with incredible detail," Oakley said. That endorsement, from a man who has no incentive to embellish, carries its own weight.</p>
<h2><strong>Jayson Williams and the Locker Room That Made History</strong></h2>
<p>Williams's connection to the 1998 All-Star Game runs deeper than one elevator encounter. He has vivid memories of walking into the locker room at Madison Square Garden and locking eyes with Larry Bird, who was coaching the Eastern Conference that weekend. The history between them stretched back to Williams's second game in the league, when Bird, still active and relentless, had torched him for 45 points while repeatedly demanding that the coach put the rookie back in so he could keep going.</p>
<p>"He just looked at me and said 'Your minutes are on the board'... And I said 'Thanks Coach' and he goes 'You f---n' rookie!' This is Larry Bird and he remembered that for 25 years!" Williams said. "He's one of the biggest and best smack talkers but he can back it up. All the time though!"</p>
<p>And then there was Michael Jordan, the loudest presence in a room full of legends. Williams describes Jordan's energy that day as laser-focused and entirely intentional: MJ was announcing to anyone who would listen that he wanted the ball every single possession. "He was coming in there letting us all know that he wasn't going to take the ball out because you know in the All-Star Game when you take the ball out you don't get it back," Williams explained. "He's MJ baby! He's the best who ever did it."</p>
<h2><strong>Why This Story Still Matters</strong></h2>
<p>The 1998 NBA All-Star Game produced a box score and a winner. But the stories that live from that weekend, a future president breaking up a fight in an elevator, Larry Bird's long memory for a rookie he once torched, Michael Jordan manufacturing motivation in real time, are the ones that remind you why the human element of professional basketball is as compelling as anything that happens between the lines.</p>
<p>Jayson Williams may have told the elevator story fifty times. But fifty tellings of a story this strange, this specific, and this perfectly placed at the intersection of basketball and American history is not repetition. It is preservation. And now it belongs to the record.</p>

A veteran who felt disrespected. A teenager who refused to back down. A future president who stepped into the middle of it. The story of one of the NBA's most surreal untold moments — set against the electric backdrop of Madison Square Garden in 1998.

Donald Trump Stopped Kobe Bryant–Jayson Williams Elevator Fight (1998 NBA All-Star)

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dallas Mavericks&rsquo; 2025-26 season has slid into turbulence as injuries to key pieces Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis continue to cloud the team&rsquo;s outlook, forcing lineup adjustments and reshaping their competitive goals.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Cooper Flagg exits with an ankle sprain: Star rookie and franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg exited Wednesday&rsquo;s 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets early after rolling his ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the contest with a sprained left ankle. Flagg had been dealing with a lingering ankle issue and was slowed multiple times in recent games before Wednesday&rsquo;s setback. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd acknowledged the team&rsquo;s ongoing injury struggles, noting Flagg&rsquo;s resilience but also the toll constant bumps and rolls have taken.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Anthony Davis sidelined again: Veteran All-Star Anthony Davis will miss significant time after sustaining ligament damage in his left hand, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania. Initially there was talk of surgery, but the Mavericks announced he will not have surgery, and instead resting and rehabbing the injury &ndash; a process expected to keep him out around six weeks. Davis has already battled multiple injuries this season, including a calf strain and groin issues, and his availability has been limited.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The timing of these injuries has been especially difficult for Dallas. With key frontcourt rotation pieces sidelined --- including Flagg&rsquo;s ankle and Davis&rsquo;s ongoing absences &ndash; the Mavericks have struggled for continuity and consistent production.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dallas has attempted to adapt in the short term, leaning on bench scoring and role players, but the loss of both Flagg and Davis simultaneously leaves a big hole on both ends of the floor. Flagg&rsquo;s scoring, playmaking and defensive versatility have been central to the team&rsquo;s identity, while Davis offers an elite rim presence and inside scoring when healthy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the Mavs face thorny decisions &ndash; whether to hold onto Davis and hope for a late-season push or explore potential trade scenarios that could reshape the roster around healthier, more consistent contributors.</span></p>

The Dallas Mavericks’ 2025-26 season has slid into turbulence as injuries to key pieces Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis happened.

Mavericks hit hard by injuries to Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis

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<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x14ctfv x13sv91t x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xerhiuh x1pn3fxy x10zy8in xm9bcq3 x1n2onr6 x1vjfegm x1k4qllp x1mzt3pk x13faqbe x11jlvup xpmdkuv xrmkrer x12z03op x9wyiwl x13fuv20 x18b5jzi x1q0q8m5 x1t7ytsu x12lizq0 x1nrdd72 x1ybe9c6 xx487zo xaymx6s x1lu5o8o x1ou5ly4 xofb2d2" role="presentation">
<div class="html-div xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1gslohp x14z9mp x12nagc x1lziwak x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5" dir="auto">Lenny Wilkens, a genuine pioneer whose impact extended beyond the court, was recently recognized and praised by the basketball world. Basketball Hall of Famer and current head of the Dallas Mavericks Jason Kidd conveyed a profound respect and personal connection. Kidd recently spoke with<a href="https://r.org/2025/11/13/doc-rivers-jason-kidd-reflect-on-lenny-wilkens-impact-on-basketball-after-passing/"> R.Org</a>, and stressed the importance of Wilkens' achievements and the legacy he leaves behind.</div>
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<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x6ikm8r x10wlt62">
<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x14ctfv x13sv91t x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xerhiuh x1pn3fxy x10zy8in xm9bcq3 x1n2onr6 x1vjfegm x1k4qllp x1mzt3pk x13faqbe x11jlvup xpmdkuv xrmkrer x12z03op x9wyiwl x13fuv20 x18b5jzi x1q0q8m5 x1t7ytsu x12lizq0 x1nrdd72 x1ybe9c6 xx487zo xaymx6s x1lu5o8o x1ou5ly4 xofb2d2" role="presentation">
<div class="html-div xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1gslohp x14z9mp x12nagc x1lziwak x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5" dir="auto">&ldquo;Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wilkens family,&rdquo; Kidd began, acknowledging the loss felt throughout the basketball community. &ldquo;When you talk about a pioneer, a legend &mdash; someone who&rsquo;s in the Hall of Fame three times &mdash; that says everything.&rdquo;</div>
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<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x6ikm8r x10wlt62">
<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x14ctfv x13sv91t x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xerhiuh x1pn3fxy x10zy8in xm9bcq3 x1n2onr6 x1vjfegm x1k4qllp x1mzt3pk x13faqbe x11jlvup xpmdkuv xrmkrer x12z03op x9wyiwl x13fuv20 x18b5jzi x1q0q8m5 x1t7ytsu x12lizq0 x1nrdd72 x1ybe9c6 xx487zo xaymx6s x1lu5o8o x1ou5ly4 xofb2d2" role="presentation">
<div class="html-div xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1gslohp x14z9mp x12nagc x1lziwak x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5" dir="auto">Wilkens had an amazing career. Despite his success as an NBA player, he also built a remarkable coaching career that earned him recognition in both fields. Kidd cited Wilkens' unique time as a player-coach in Seattle as crucial in leading the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/lenny-wilkens-leaves-basketball-better-than-than-the-way-he-found-it-in-hall-of-fame-life">Supersonics to their sole NBA title</a> and enduringly impacting Seattle's sports legacy.</div>
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<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x6ikm8r x10wlt62">
<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x14ctfv x13sv91t x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xerhiuh x1pn3fxy x10zy8in xm9bcq3 x1n2onr6 x1vjfegm x1k4qllp x1mzt3pk x13faqbe x11jlvup xpmdkuv xrmkrer x12z03op x9wyiwl x13fuv20 x18b5jzi x1q0q8m5 x1t7ytsu x12lizq0 x1nrdd72 x1ybe9c6 xx487zo xaymx6s x1lu5o8o x1ou5ly4 xofb2d2" role="presentation">
<div class="html-div xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1gslohp x14z9mp x12nagc x1lziwak x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5" dir="auto">&ldquo;He was a player-coach in Seattle and helped bring the city a championship,&rdquo; Kidd said, highlighting the rarity and significance of that accomplishment. But beyond the trophies and titles, Wilkens&rsquo; influence was deeply personal for Kidd and many others who came through Providence College. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been a role model for all of us coming out of Providence &mdash; just a true winner who&rsquo;ll be dearly missed,&rdquo; Kidd added.</div>
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<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x6ikm8r x10wlt62">
<div class="html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x14ctfv x13sv91t x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xerhiuh x1pn3fxy x10zy8in xm9bcq3 x1n2onr6 x1vjfegm x1k4qllp x1mzt3pk x13faqbe x11jlvup xpmdkuv xrmkrer x12z03op x9wyiwl x13fuv20 x18b5jzi x1q0q8m5 x1t7ytsu x12lizq0 x1nrdd72 x1ybe9c6 xx487zo xaymx6s x1lu5o8o x1ou5ly4 xofb2d2" role="presentation">
<div class="html-div xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1gslohp x14z9mp x12nagc x1lziwak x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5" dir="auto">Jason Kidd regards Wilkens' legacy as more than just accolades; it is an embodiment of leadership, perseverance, and humility. Wilkens was one of Providence's most recognizable basketball players, setting a precedent for his successors and inspiring generations with his dedication both on and off the court. Although Wilkens' passing is the end of an era, his story will still resonate, particularly for those who, like Kidd, share the Providence connection and pass on the lessons of a man who transformed what it means to be a champion.</div>
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Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, pays tribute to Lenny Wilkens, celebrating his Hall of Fame legacy and impact as a player-coach and role model.

Jason Kidd Honors Lenny Wilkens' Legacy

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In what looks like a revitalized stretch of form, Russell Westbrook has strung together consecutive standout performances &ndash; and in the process has officially become the all-time rebound leader among guards in NBA history. For a career that&rsquo;s often defined by triple-doubles and explosive scoring, this rebounding milestone arrives as yet another testament to his versatility.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Westbrook has pulled down more rebounds than any other guard in NBA history, putting him ahead of legendary guard Jason Kidd and others in the category.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over his last two appearances, Westbrook showed flashes of the dynamism that defined his prime. Westbrook had 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Nuggets, then followed it up with a triple-double vs the Warriors (23 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Westbrook&rsquo;s improved efficiency, stronger rebounding presence and better decision-making has helped the Kings immensely this season.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This uptick is notable given the context. At age 37 (soon to turn 38), and after moving between several teams in recent years, many had projected Westbrook&rsquo;s output to decline. But these recent games suggest the veteran guard still has steps and instincts that can impact the game beyond scoring.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From a historical perspective, ranking as the top rebounder among all guards is significant. Guards are seldom celebrated for rebounding totals, so for Westbrook to carve that niche underscores his will, athleticism and longevity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It adds an important dimension to his legacy. While his scoring, assists and triple-doubles have been forever etched, this rebounding title reinforces his all-around influence on the game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Becoming the all-time rebounding guard leader is a milestone befitting Westbrook&rsquo;s career arc. If this recent surge is more than a flash, it might signal a final chapter of meaningful production from one of the NBA&rsquo;s most dynamic guards.</span></p>

In what looks like a revitalized stretch of form, Russell Westbrook has strung together consecutive standout performances.

Russell Westbrook reignites play, becomes all-time rebounding guard leader

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<div>Angel Reese: I post pictures of myself in a bathing suit but, multiple times people have made AI pictures of me naked. My family members are sending it to me, uncles are like, &lsquo;Are you naked on Instagram ? It sucks to see that and it&rsquo;s really hard that I have to go through that</div>
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<div>Interviewer: So when you were talking about being sexualized, a lot of people we like, &lsquo;Well, she asked for it.&nbsp;</div>
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<div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQHRqOnDVui/?igsh=ZHUzNHA1NzFxM3Mz">Angel Reese: I don&rsquo;t get what that means. I&rsquo;m a beautiful woman. I&rsquo;ve been posting pictures in my bikini. I have a wonderful body and I work hard for it. And if I want to post a picture in my bikini I should be able to without being sexualized.&nbsp;</a></div>
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQHRqOnDVui/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Adrian Ewings (@aj.ewings)</a></p>
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<div>I reposted this video clip along with commentary from Adrian Ewing and was surprised to see some of the comments in my comment section&nbsp;</div>
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<div>Seeing grown men justify why Angel Reese somehow deserves to be sexualized is depressing to see. But it wasn&rsquo;t just these cats in my comment section, people in the media like Jason Whitlock (who never misses an opportunity to bash Black People for his MAGA audience) and David Portnoy, founder of barstool, doubled down on his hatred for Angel Reese.&nbsp;</div>
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<div>I showed these my daughters volleyball carpool and this is what they had to say,&nbsp;</div>
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<div>Imani&nbsp;</div>
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<div>&ldquo;Who said anything about Onlyfans ? Why would he jump to that ? She just did something that no other athlete has done before. Why do they care so much about her ? Why does it matter so much to them ? She is just living her life. So they don&rsquo;t want her (or any other WNBA player) so they chastise them for their Pay Us What You Owe us stance, but then they don&rsquo;t want them to earn money through any marketing opportunities or any other way either ? She comes out with her own shoes they mad. She breaks record on the court they mad. She says she doesn&rsquo;t want to talk to the media they mad. She criticizes her organization they mad. Why don&rsquo;t they both mind their business and let her live her life&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
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<div>Baby Sierra&nbsp;</div>
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<div>So where are all the men standing up for her ? I saw Shaq said something one time awhile ago but that&rsquo;s it ? Just you and Shaq ? Nobody else says anything ? Well I&rsquo;m glad you said something. Thank you for standing up for us&nbsp;</div>
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<div>Addy</div>
<div>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really weird that they are so focused on her. &nbsp;Don&rsquo;t they have any other topics to talk about ? Why are they so fixated and infatuated with her ? Do they focus this much on any other WNBA player not named Caitlin Clark ? It&rsquo;s just weird how much they are locked in on Angel Reese&nbsp;</div>
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<div>All valid points made by the Carpool&nbsp;</div>
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<div>To David Portnoy I ask:&nbsp;</div>
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<div>What could this 23 year old young woman possibly have done to make you this upset with her ? So much so that you say you &ldquo;hate&rdquo; her ? You can&rsquo;t be still bent out of shape because she beat yall great white hope Caitlin Clark back in college so what is it ? Is it just a natural jealous and hatred of Black Women not needing your approval or consent to live their lives ? Or the fact that she has brilliantly taken the Caitlin Clark Mob&rsquo;s hatred toward her and transformed it into 7 figure earnings for herself and her brand ?&nbsp;</div>
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<div>Angel Reese just made history as the first professional athlete ever to walk at the Victoria Secret&rsquo;s Fashion Show. That means no other athlete in the history of athletes has ever done this before and as Rep Jasmine Crockett said,&nbsp;</div>
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<div>&ldquo;The only people that are crying are the mediocre white boys that have been beaten out by people that historically have had to work so much harder,&rdquo;</div>
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<div>Unfortunately, it&rsquo;s not just mediocre white boys who are doing the bashing. Almost all of the comments I showed earlier from my Instagram comments section were by Black Men. Not just people like Jason Whitlock whose schtick is bashing the Black Community so he can continue to get pats on the top of his head from a MAGA audience that can then point to him and say,&nbsp;</div>
<div>&ldquo;See I&rsquo;m not racist, here&rsquo;s a Black Man saying this&rdquo; But regular everyday Black Men who actually justified Angel another Black Woman being sexualized.&nbsp;</div>
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<div dir="ltr">A few days ago, Angel Reese responded to a viral post that put her side-by-side with Sid. She called the comparison rude and completely out of line.&nbsp;</div>
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<div dir="ltr">People keep asking me why I post about Angel Reese so much ? Well, I&rsquo;ll tell you why. Ever since she beat Caitlin Clark in college, there has been an onslaught of criticism hurled her way. She became the villain. Public enemy number one (to a certain specific demographic) And as a Black Man, whenever I see what sometimes seems like the entire basketball world bashing a young Black Woman, I&rsquo;m suppose to come to her defense.&nbsp;</div>
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<div dir="ltr">People don&rsquo;t understand that young Black Girls see the criticism that Angel Reese receives and understand how it is a microcosm of life. This is how they are treated in their schools and how they will be treated as they grow up in this society. They will be judged more heavily, and criticized more heavily, and a higher expectation and standard will be placed on them than their white counterparts&nbsp;ie Stephen A. Smith ridiculing Rep Jasmine Crockett but having no issues with Trump&rsquo;s presentation.&nbsp;</div>
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<div dir="ltr">So when my daughters and her teammate in our carpool tell me, &ldquo;Thank you for standing up for us&rdquo; I know, I&rsquo;m doing what I&rsquo;m supposed to be doing.&nbsp;</div>
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<div>&ldquo;The most disrespected person in America is the Black Woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman."</div>
<div><span style="color: #020518; font-family: Google Sans, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;~Malcolm X</span></div>
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Angel Reese Doesn’t “Deserve” To Be Sexualized. No Woman Does.

Angel Reese Doesn’t “Deserve” To Be Sexualized. No Woman Does

<p>Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season. She has spent the majority of the season injured and going through a tumultuous rehab process coupled with failed attempts to return. She hasn't played since July 15 .&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clark, the 2024 No. 1 pick, had been limited to 13 games this season when she suffered a right groin injury in the final minute of the Fever's win over the Connecticut Sun.</p>
<p>Caitlin Clark announced on social media&nbsp;Thursday night&hellip;</p>
<p>"I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season," Clark posted. "I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn't a big enough word to describe how I am feeling."</p>
<p>&ldquo;This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good. The way the fans continued to show up for me, and for the Fever, brought me so much joy and important perspective. I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year. Now it&rsquo;s time to close out the season and claim our spot in the playoffs.&rdquo;</p>
<p>This brought a swift reaction from many of the Caitlin Clark mob.</p>
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<p>Here are the facts that not surprisingly, only actual WNBA fans will acknowledge, it would&rsquo;ve been very foolish for Caitlin Clark to risk further injury. In fact, if the Indiana Fever elected to treat Caitlin Clark with the same level of medical malpractice that the Indiana Pacers did with Tyrese Haliburton, and she came back and played and injured herself worst like Tyrese Haliburton did, and would have to miss the entire season next year like Tyrese Haliburton will, that would&rsquo;ve been even more of a catastrophe&hellip;&hellip;as it is for Tyrese Haliburton.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Of course CC wants to play, just as Tyrese Haliburton wanted to play in the NBA finals but it&rsquo;s not up to them. Any player is going to want to play that&rsquo;s the way Athletes are wired no matter what age or level. If you ask a middle school basketball player if they wanted to try a play in a big game even though they&rsquo;re injured nine times out of 10 they&rsquo;re going to say yes. It&rsquo;s ingrained in athletes to throw caution to the side, and sacrifice your body and health for the good of the team.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On the walls of many high school weight rooms, coaches love to put quotes like,</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Pain Is Weakness Leaving Your Body&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Or&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pain You Feel Today Will Be The Strength You Feel Tomorrow&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Or&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;You Either Quit Or You Keep Going. They Both Hurt&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Or&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;That which does not kill us will only make us stronger&rdquo;</p>
<p>(Attributed to 2Pac or Nietzche whichever will drive home the gladiator, ignore your body and sacrifice for the team message)&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s such a ridiculous argument that people make when they say Tyrese Haliburton said he wanted to play or RG III said he wanted to play or Jayson Tatum or Kevin Durant said he wanted to play. Of course they are going to want to play. That&rsquo;s what athletes have been programmed to do.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But in every case, the medical team should have never cleared any of them to play. They are the doctors, the trainers, the medical professionals and they didn&rsquo;t do their job and they should all be held accountable just as when any profession doesn&rsquo;t do their job and catastrophe happens because of their negligence.</p>
<p>If someone goes to a doctor, and tells the doctor that they don&rsquo;t like taking medicine, and the doctor signs off on them not taking the medicine, and the person dies as a result of it, would it be ok because the patient said they didn&rsquo;t like taking medicine ? No. It&rsquo;s the doctor&rsquo;s job to give their medical, professional, diagnosis and recommendation, what they went to years of medical school and are being paid to do. Only in sports do people say, &ldquo;The athlete wanted to play&rdquo; &nbsp;It&rsquo;s your job to say, &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t matter what you want, you are not cleared to play&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Caitlin Clark came back in July and played in that game against the Connitcuit Sun, and re injured herself, it appeared as though they were trying to get her back for the big game against the NY Liberty, and you had all star wknd coming up, and they had the TV ratings to be concerned about. But she didn&rsquo;t look right even before she re injured herself.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But real Caitlin Clark fans should be relieved that the Fever &nbsp;aren&rsquo;t risking her long term health for a short sighted goal of the current playoff position. Especially when even if they did somehow squeak into the playoffs would be facing one of the best if not the best teams in the WNBA, the Minnesota Lynx and, let&rsquo;s be honest&hellip;&hellip;their chances of making it past them are slim to none. Maybe even less than that&nbsp;</p>
<p>Caitlin Clark fans should breathe a sigh of relief that the Indiana Fever aren&rsquo;t electing to treat their franchise player as dispensable. We have seen that script before with RG3 and it ruined his entire career.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>However, the Caitlin Clark mob doesn&rsquo;t care about her actual health or about her as a person. If they did they would&rsquo;ve listened to her multiple pleas with them to not use her to promote racism, hate, or bigotry. But just like her health, her opinion doesn&rsquo;t matter to them. Their only concern and desire is to be able to weaponize her as the symbol of white grievance, white supremacy, the great white hope, as the white damsel in distress who needs protection from all of the Black WNBA players who want to harm her because they hate her so much and are jealous of her. Now, they can&rsquo;t run with any of those narratives anymore. At least not until next season.&nbsp;</p>
<div>And for media people like Dick Vitale, Christine Brennan, Frank Isola, and Jason Whitlock, there&nbsp;will be no fouls to inflate into morality plays or on-court moments to twist into evidence of persecution, so they will have to find new narratives to promote&hellip;..</div>
<div>Or they will completely ignore a sure to be exciting WNBA playoffs with multitudes of ultra talented players altogether. Pay close attention to which one they choose.</div>

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season.

The Caitlin Clark mob is upset they can no longer weaponize her this season

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a four-year, $90 million contract extension with forward P.J. Washington, locking in a key two-way starter through the 2029&ndash;30 season, his agency confirmed. The agreement was first reported by ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Washington, 27, is entering the final season of his current deal ($14.1 million in 2025&ndash;26). Because he signed an extension, he cannot be traded for the remainder of this season under NBA rules.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Acquired at the 2024 trade deadline, Washington quickly became a fixture around Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving with switchable defense and catch-and-shoot spacing. Last season he averaged 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 57 games for Dallas, helping stabilize the forward rotation after the Mavs&rsquo; 2024 run to the NBA Finals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">ANALYSIS: This move ensures continuity at the wing position for Dallas, as it retains a starter-level forward who defends up and down lineups and fits cleanly to their system.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The deal ($22.5M average annual value) keeps another core salary on the books through the decade, giving Dallas stability but tightening future flexibility.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Expect Jason Kidd to keep leveraging Washington in switch-heavy groups with Dereck Lively II and (when small) Anthony Davis alongside incoming no.1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, while Dallas continues to hunt margins around its star guard with shooting and size on the wing.</span></p>

The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a four-year, $90 million contract extension with forward P.J. Washington.

Mavericks re-sign P.J. Washington to four-year, $90 million extension

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to resign and lock in center Daniel Gafford with a three-year contract extension, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The deal reportedly is worth approximately $54-60 million, keeping him under team control through the 2028&ndash;29 season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last season, Gafford posted career highs &ndash; averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game &ndash; until an MCL injury in February sidelined him for 21 games. ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania reports that Dallas was clear-eyed: they wanted to reward his impact and ensure continuity in their frontcourt without limiting future trade flexibility .</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gafford has stood out as one of the league's most efficient big men &ndash; boasting a career field goal percentage near 71%, the best since his 2019 debut. His consistent rim-finishing and altered shot-blocking presence provided stability when Dereck Lively II and mid-season acquisition Anthony Davis dealt with injuries.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">ANALYSIS: The extension aligns with Dallas's broader strategy of having a defensive team under Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd. Amid a deep frontcourt that now includes Davis, Lively, and presumed No. 1 overall pick in this year&rsquo;s draft Cooper Flagg, Gafford&rsquo;s deal preserves roster balance and cap flexibility. Mavericks insiders note this structured contract keeps him trade‑eligible, offering potential future maneuvering room.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Retaining Gafford solidifies the Mavericks&rsquo; interior rotation with a reliable defender and lob-threat, and it gives them one of the best frontcourt depths in the league. His presence ensures cohesion and allows smoother integration of incoming talent like Flagg, which is why roster continuation is key. Finally, Dallas secured a core component without hampering future options or trade value with this strategic flexibility move.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gafford&rsquo;s re-signing signals the Mavericks&rsquo; commitment to building around their existing nucleus while maintaining flexibility for growth in the coming years.</span></p>

The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to resign and lock in center Daniel Gafford with a three-year contract extension.

Daniel Gafford to resign with Mavericks on new 3-year deal

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2025 NBA Finals have been a back-and-forth chess match between two young, hungry teams. And with the series tied at 1-1 heading into Game 3, it was Indiana's turn to punch back &ndash; this time led by a new name under the spotlight.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In each Finals game so far, an unexpected hero has emerged. In Game 1, Lu Dort and Obi Toppin each hit five threes in a jaw-dropping display. In Game 2, it was Aaron Wiggins who erupted off the bench for Oklahoma City. Game 3, however, belonged to Bennedict Mathurin.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are our takeaways from Game 3&rsquo;s electric finish:</span></p>
<p><strong>The Bennedict Mathurin Game</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every Finals series features a breakout game &ndash; the kind of moment that lives forever in a player&rsquo;s career highlight reel. Game 3 was that for Bennedict Mathurin. The second-year guard played with fearless aggression, attacking mismatches and knocking down big shots in rhythm.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mathurin poured in a playoff career-high 27 points on 9‑for‑12 shooting in just 22 minutes off the bench &ndash; the first 25+ point performance by a Finals reserve since Jason Terry in 2011, providing the kind of offensive spark that shifted the energy of the game. His slashing, transition pace, and ability to finish through contact gave Oklahoma City&rsquo;s defense fits.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What made it even more impressive was the stage. In a chance to go up at home, Mathurin didn&rsquo;t blink. He embraced the moment &ndash; and owned it.</span></p>
<p><strong>Turnovers tilt the game</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Turnovers have been a recurring theme throughout these Finals. Game 1 saw the Pacers lose control with sloppy passes. In Game 2, they cleaned that up &ndash; and it was OKC who capitalized. But in Game 3, the Thunder once again found themselves sabotaged by their own mistakes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oklahoma City committed 17 turnovers &ndash; matching their season high &ndash; leading to easy runouts and momentum-shifting plays for the Pacers. Indiana turned those giveaways into, which made a huge difference in a tightly contested game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a young team built on pace and rhythm, turnovers are especially costly. They don't just stop your offense &ndash; they fuel the opponent&rsquo;s.</span></p>
<p><strong>Indiana&rsquo;s bench strikes again</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Pacers' bench has been a massive factor in this series, and Game 3 only reinforced that. Led by Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, and Obi Toppin, Indiana&rsquo;s second unit outplayed OKC&rsquo;s reserves for the second time in three games.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McConnell controlled tempo, picked his spots, and brought his usual scrappy defensive presence. Toppin continued to provide floor spacing and timely cuts. The Pacers&rsquo; bench finished with 49 points, outscoring the Thunder&rsquo;s second unit and shifting the game&rsquo;s momentum every time they checked in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Indiana, this kind of depth has been a differentiator all postseason &ndash; and it&rsquo;s showing up again on the biggest stage.</span></p>
<p><strong>Pacers tweak defensive coverage on SGA</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the most critical adjustments Indiana made in Game 3 was its defensive coverage on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder star had dominated the first two games by manipulating pick-and-roll coverages with surgical precision. But Indiana threw him a different look this time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ldquo;They were higher tonight in the pick and rolls. They were above the screens,&rdquo; SGA noted after the game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That higher positioning took away some of his downhill driving lanes and forced him into tougher midrange pull-ups. While Shai still found ways to impact the game, scoring 24 points, the defensive tweak clearly disrupted his rhythm early and helped Indiana build momentum.</span></p>
<p><strong>Final thoughts</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game 3 proved once again that no moment is too big for these young Pacers. Between the bench depth, defensive adjustments, and Mathurin&rsquo;s coming-out party, Indiana has seized a 2-1 lead in the series, and the upper hand heading into Game 4, still in Indianapolis.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Oklahoma City, it&rsquo;s back to the drawing board. The Thunder will need to take better care of the ball and find new counters for Indiana&rsquo;s evolving game plan if they want to tie things up again.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With each game rewriting the narrative, this Finals continues to deliver &ndash; and Game 4 is already shaping up to be another classic.</span></p>

Bennedict Mathurin scored 27 off the bench and turnovers doomed OKC in a 116–107 Game 3 Pacers win. Indiana leads series 2–1.

Thunder-Pacers Game 3 takeaways: Bennedict Mathurin breaks out

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves is shaping up to be a defining moment in the series. With the Thunder up 2-1, the stakes are sky-high: a win would give Oklahoma City a commanding 3-1 lead and the chance to close out the series at home in Game 5. A Timberwolves victory, however, would tie the series and tilt momentum squarely in Minnesota&rsquo;s favor heading back to Oklahoma City. For both teams, Game 4 is a must-win, not just to improve their series odds but to psychologically establish control.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Thunder have already demonstrated their potential dominance, capturing Games 1 and 2 behind strong defensive play and the leadership of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But their 42-point Game 3 loss &ndash; the franchise&rsquo;s worst in playoff history &ndash; shattered that narrative and gave Minnesota a jolt of confidence. Although it did not necessarily expose weaknesses that had been masked in earlier games, the Thunder are back in the drawing board.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minnesota, meanwhile, needed that Game 3 win not just to stay alive in the series but to prove to themselves that they could crack Oklahoma City&rsquo;s defensive shell. Anthony Edwards&rsquo; explosive performance and a more balanced offensive attack were central to their blowout victory. The Timberwolves now face the challenge of sustaining that energy and focus, particularly in a pressure-filled Game 4 where every possession could shift the series balance.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The Thunder's adjustments:</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Rekindling energy and intensity</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps the most glaring issue in Game 3 was Oklahoma City&rsquo;s lack of energy from the opening tip. The Thunder were outscored 34-14 in the first quarter, and the deficit ballooned quickly. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted postgame that the team simply didn&rsquo;t match Minnesota&rsquo;s intensity. That kind of mental and physical lapse is especially surprising for a young, energetic team known for playing with urgency.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Thunder have typically prided themselves on their fast starts and emotional edge, with their crowd feeding off their hustle. To correct this, Daigneault may need to emphasize establishing their pace and transition offense early in Game 4. Perhaps a quick substitution pattern or a motivational shift in pregame preparation could help reignite that spark. If they come out flat again, Minnesota is likely to capitalize with another early run.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not just about emotion &ndash; focus matters as well. The Thunder committed costly early turnovers and allowed second-chance points, putting themselves in a hole they could never climb out of. The best adjustment may simply be a mindset shift: play like your back is against the wall, because in a Western Conference Finals, it always is. How Oklahoma City starts Game 4 will set the tone for the rest of the series.</span></p>
<p><strong>Containing Minnesota's role players</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were expected to be focal points, Oklahoma City was undone in Game 3 by Minnesota&rsquo;s role players. Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 15 points, including aggressive attacks to the rim and timely threes; while others like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker provided scoring bursts and defensive energy. The Thunder defense, which was so stifling in Games 1 and 2, was repeatedly caught off guard by Minnesota&rsquo;s bench guys.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This speaks to a deeper issue: defensive rotations and scouting. The Thunder&rsquo;s game plan had revolved around containing stars, but it left openings for corner threes and off-ball cuts that the Wolves&rsquo; bench exploited. Oklahoma City needs to tighten its weak side help defense and better communicate on switches. Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace will be vital in applying consistent pressure without over-helping.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One way to limit role players is to reduce their rhythm opportunities. That means rebounding better to end possessions, pushing the pace to limit halfcourt sets, and closing out with discipline. If OKC can neutralize Minnesota&rsquo;s bench and force Edwards and Randle to shoulder a heavier load, it could wear down the Wolves&rsquo; stars by the fourth quarter, a strategy that worked in Game 1 and 2.</span></p>
<p><strong>Improving perimeter shooting</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense lives and dies by its ability to stretch the floor. In Game 3, they shot just 31.8% from beyond the arc &ndash; a drastic drop from their efficiency in Games 1 and 2. Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe struggled to find clean looks, and the Wolves' perimeter defense closed out effectively. Without reliable spacing, Gilgeous-Alexander found it harder to penetrate and create.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Part of the problem was the Thunder&rsquo;s shot selection. Forced into late-clock attempts and contested threes, the ball movement that had fueled earlier wins stagnated. To fix this, OKC needs to reestablish its rhythm offense &ndash; using drives to kick out for open looks, and involving secondary playmakers and other bench guys like Aaron Wiggins to diversify the attack.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hitting threes doesn&rsquo;t just boost the scoreboard &ndash; it changes the geometry of the court. If the Thunder regain their shooting stroke, it will pull Minnesota&rsquo;s defenders out of the paint and re-open driving lanes for SGA and Williams. A return to form from deep could be the single biggest factor in tilting Game 4 in Oklahoma City&rsquo;s favor.</span></p>
<h3><strong>The Wolves&rsquo; strategies:</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Sustaining Anthony Edwards' Momentum</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anthony Edwards looked every bit the franchise superstar in Game 3, tallying 30 points in 30 minutes and setting the tone from the jump. His ability to attack in transition, create off the dribble, and knock down tough perimeter shots overwhelmed a Thunder defense that had kept him in check in some ways. But maintaining that level is the challenge.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edwards has shown a tendency in past series to oscillate between brilliance and passivity. Minnesota needs him to be aggressive from the start of Game 4, particularly if OKC makes early adjustments to double or trap him. His decision-making, when to attack and when to pass, will dictate how the Thunder rotate defensively and could open up looks for teammates.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The other piece is Edwards&rsquo; defense. He played with renewed intensity in Game 3, helping disrupt OKC&rsquo;s ball movement and forcing turnovers that led to easy buckets. If he can continue to influence the game on both ends, he&rsquo;ll force Daigneault into tough matchup decisions. For the Timberwolves to even the series, they need their superstar to be the best player on the floor.</span></p>
<p><strong>Consistency from Randle and McDaniels</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Julius Randle gave Minnesota a much-needed offensive anchor in Game 3, finishing with 24 points and providing a physical counter to Chet Holmgren inside. His post-ups, face-up jumpers, and second-chance finishes is a powerful layer to the Wolves&rsquo; attack. It was a bounce back game after Randle&rsquo;s abysmal Game 2 performance, and consistency remains the key as we go deeper into the series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Randle needs to continue exploiting mismatches &ndash; especially when the Thunder switch or play smaller lineups. If he can draw fouls and get to the line, it slows the pace and allows Minnesota to control tempo. Moreover, his ability to make quick reads as a passer will be crucial if OKC sends double-teams or crowds the paint.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McDaniels, meanwhile, doesn&rsquo;t need to score 20 points to be effective, but his timely threes and cutting lanes open up the floor. His primary value has come on defense, particularly in his effort to contain Gilgeous-Alexander. If he can provide his usual 10-12, 15 points while locking down one of OKC&rsquo;s stars, he becomes an x-factor that Oklahoma City has to account for every minute he&rsquo;s on the floor.</span></p>
<p><strong>Bench production</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The unsung hero in Minnesota&rsquo;s Game 3 romp was the bench unit. Terrence Shannon Jr. gave the Wolves a jolt with his confident scoring, while veteran Mike Conley played with the bench and helped steady the second unit. That depth allowed head coach Chris Finch to rest his starters earlier, preserving legs for what promises to be a grueling Game 4.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Timberwolves&rsquo; bench not only scored, but also brought energy and defensive intensity. They helped build on the lead rather than merely maintain it&mdash;a luxury most teams don&rsquo;t have this deep into the playoffs. If players like Shannon, Reid, DiVincenzo, and Alexander-Walker continue producing, Minnesota can survive short lulls from their stars without losing ground.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What&rsquo;s more, the Wolves&rsquo; bench success forces OKC to go deeper into its rotation, potentially exposing weaknesses. The ability to trust non-starters with meaningful minutes is often the difference between a championship and a playoff exit. Minnesota&rsquo;s bench has a chance to turn this series around if they replicate their Game 3 performance.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game 4 will test both teams' resolve, adaptability, and poise under pressure. The Thunder are eager to erase the sting of a 40-point loss and reestablish dominance. The Timberwolves are riding high but know they can&rsquo;t afford a letdown. Whoever best applies these adjustments and wins the intangible battles &ndash; energy, focus, composure &ndash; will walk off the court with the series edge and momentum heading into Game 5.</span></p>

Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals is pivotal as the Thunder and the Wolves battle for control.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Timberwolves aim to take control

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Oklahoma City Thunder didn&rsquo;t just win a Game 7 &ndash; they passed a rite of passage.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was gritty, and it was emotional. It was everything that defines a turning point. On Sunday afternoon, inside a frenzied arena where the air was thick with tension, the Thunder outlasted the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. The final buzzer didn&rsquo;t just signal the end of the series, but it marked the beginning of something bigger &ndash; something real.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a team that&rsquo;s been slowly building in the shadows, amassing assets, developing talent, and waiting for its window, this series was more than just a playoff checkpoint. It was the moment where potential finally collided with performance under pressure. This win was necessary &ndash; an experience that fast-forwards a young team&rsquo;s growth in ways no regular-season run or early-round playoff series ever could.</span></p>
<p><strong>Battle-tested by the one of the best</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oklahoma City didn&rsquo;t just beat anyone. They beat the team that has made it before and won it all. The Denver Nuggets came in with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, the NBA&rsquo;s three-time MVP, and a team that knows exactly what it takes to climb the mountain and hoist the Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy. Jokic had carved up defenses all season and into the playoffs and Jamal Murray returned to his playoff form. This team was poised to win the deciding game with all their experience in their belt, and yet the Thunder were the ones left standing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And they did it by growing up before our eyes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played like the NBA&rsquo;s MVP all season, but this series demanded more. In Game 7, he wasn&rsquo;t just a scorer &ndash; he was a leader, a closer, a composed floor general in a storm. Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace all played beyond their years, taking hits, absorbing the moment, and coming back with even more fire.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s no manual for winning a Game 7. There&rsquo;s no shortcut for the intensity that builds in every possession. Even SGA admitted to being nervous after the game going into his first ever Game 7. To play in one is one thing. To </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">perform</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in one is another. To win? That takes something different. It takes nerve. And Oklahoma City just proved they&rsquo;ve got it.</span></p>
<p><strong>A crucible that creates champions</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This wasn&rsquo;t just about the win. It was about the journey &ndash; about facing adversity and coming through on the other side with a new identity. For most of this roster, this was their first taste of a Game 7, and it was nothing short of a trial by fire.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s a type of emotional resilience that only emerges in these moments. The game slows down and speeds up at the same time. Every cut, every rotation, every decision matters. One mistake can send you home. One stop can etch your name in franchise history.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s in these crucibles that bonds are formed. These are the games players remember in the offseason, in practice, in the next series when the legs are tired and the confidence wavers. You learn who can be trusted in the foxhole. You learn how far you can push yourself &ndash; and each other.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OKC will carry this Game 7 win for years. This is a foundational building block for a future contender.</span></p>
<p><strong>Timberwolves await: The next test</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course, the road doesn&rsquo;t get any easier. Next up are the battle-hardened Minnesota Timberwolves &ndash; another team on the rise, but one that has already been to the Western Conference Finals and is hungry for more.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anthony Edwards is a force of nature. His rise mirrors that of SGA in many ways &ndash; two young stars trying to grab the torch and never let go. The Wolves have size, depth, and defensive versatility that will challenge OKC in ways even Denver didn&rsquo;t. Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels form a frontcourt wall that will test Holmgren&rsquo;s poise and toughness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the Thunder come in with something new: belief forged in battle.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They now know what it takes to win under duress. They&rsquo;ve felt the pressure of the moment and responded with poise. That experience matters. It travels. And as much as Minnesota presents matchup capabilities, OKC presents a different kind of threat &ndash; a team that&rsquo;s fearless, well-coached, and now, proven under fire.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">SGA vs Anthony Edwards is the kind of series that could define this generation of NBA stars. Two leaders, two teams, two destinies intersecting on the playoff stage.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For years, Oklahoma City was a patient rebuild. The Russell Westbrook-Paul George era to the Chris Paul chapters came and went, but through it all, Sam Presti stayed the course. He stockpiled picks, gambled on high-upside players, and trusted in internal growth. Many wondered when &ndash; or if &ndash; it would all come together.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game 7 was the answer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This isn&rsquo;t just a feel-good story anymore. This is real. This is sustainable. The Thunder are here, and they&rsquo;re not backing down from anyone &ndash; not even the moment.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So as the Western Conference Finals loom, one thing is clear: The Thunder have arrived. Not just as a team with promise, but as a team with proof.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And once you get that first taste of victory under playoff fire, it changes you. It elevates your standard. It fuels your hunger. And if you&rsquo;re Oklahoma City, it marks the start of something even bigger.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because sometimes, the only way forward&hellip; is through the fire.</span></p>

The Thunder defeat the Nuggets in Game 7, marking a defining moment in their rise. How OKC's gritty win fuels their playoff growth?

Thunder’s Game 7 triumph over Nuggets signals arrival of a contender

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2025 Western Conference Semifinals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets have lived up to the hype, with the series knotted at 2-2. As the teams prepare for a crucial Game 5 in Oklahoma City, both squads face pressing questions and necessary adjustments to gain the upper hand. With a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line, every possession, coaching decision, and hustle play will matter more than ever.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">-- -- --</span></p>
<p><strong>Thunder's path to regaining control</strong></p>
<p><strong>Assert themselves on the boards</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Thunder&rsquo;s lack of consistent rebounding has emerged as one of their most glaring weaknesses in this series. Despite boasting athletic bigs and switchable wings, they&rsquo;ve repeatedly been outmuscled on the glass by Denver&rsquo;s physical frontcourt led by Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets have often out-rebounded the Thunder, securing offensive boards that led to multiple second-chance scoring opportunities. Those extra possessions have proven costly for OKC in close games.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Part of the issue stems from the Thunder often playing smaller lineups, which prioritize speed and switchability over size and physicality. While that identity served them well in the regular season, playoff basketball demands toughness in the paint. Oklahoma City will need to play more of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to go up against Jokic and Gordon, and commit more to boxing out and crashing the boards. Their guards must also help secure long rebounds and quickly push the ball in transition, turning defensive stops into offensive chances.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To win Game 5 and take control of the series, the Thunder cannot afford to give the Nuggets repeated second opportunities. Rebounding isn&rsquo;t just about size, it&rsquo;s about desire, positioning, and timing. If OKC can neutralize Denver&rsquo;s rebounding edge and limit their putback chances, it could be a decisive swing factor on their home floor.</span></p>
<p><strong>Rediscover offensive fluidity</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oklahoma City has struggled to find its usual offensive rhythm over the past two games. The Thunder's offense is built on movement, ball-sharing, and improvisation &ndash; playing freely with joy and confidence. But as the series has worn on and the physicality has ramped up, OKC has looked more rigid and hesitant, settling for tough isolation plays instead of generating quality looks through movement.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Games 3 and 4, Denver&rsquo;s defense disrupted OKC&rsquo;s pace by pressing up on ball-handlers and switching effectively on screens. The Thunder have sometimes become overly reliant on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bail them out in late-clock situations. While SGA is an elite shot-creator, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense thrives most when all five players are involved. Getting back to their roots &ndash; cutting off the ball, pushing in transition, and trusting each other&rsquo;s instincts &ndash; can unlock the offensive flow that&rsquo;s been missing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reclaiming that offensive identity also means trusting players like Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe to take open shots and make quick decisions. Jalen Williams, who has flashed brilliance at times, must stay aggressive and attack mismatches. If the Thunder return to playing free and fearless, as they did in their Game 2 blowout win, they&rsquo;ll be much harder to guard and far more dangerous heading into a pivotal Game 5.</span></p>
<p><strong>MVP-caliber performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While SGA has delivered solid numbers throughout the series, Oklahoma City needs a transcendent Game 5 performance from their MVP candidate. Through four games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 28.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists &ndash; but his impact hasn&rsquo;t always translated to late-game success. Denver has thrown multiple defenders at him, forcing tough midrange shots and limiting his trips to the free-throw line. For OKC to thrive, SGA must assert himself early and often, controlling the tempo and creating high-quality looks for both himself and his teammates.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is the kind of moment where MVPs rise above the game plan. Whether it's hunting mismatches, collapsing the defense to kick out to shooters, or making timely defensive plays, SGA has the tools to take over. In Game 2, his 33-point performance was a reminder of what he&rsquo;s capable of when he&rsquo;s in attack mode and dictating the pace. The Thunder need that version of Shai to show up again in Game 5.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s also about leadership. This young Thunder team looks to SGA not just for scoring, but for composure and direction in critical moments. With the home crowd behind him and the series on the line, this is his opportunity to put a stamp on his MVP-caliber season and carry his team one step closer to a conference finals berth.</span></p>
<p><strong>Nuggets' strategies to steal Game 5</strong></p>
<p><strong>Elevate Nikola Jokic&rsquo;s impact</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nikola Jokic has not been his usual dominant self across all four games. While he&rsquo;s still managed to put up triple-doubles and impact the game in subtle ways, the Thunder have made him work harder than usual with their quick double teams and constant help defense. In Game 4, Jokic finished with 22 points on just 9-of-22 shooting&mdash;a rare inefficient night for the two-time MVP. For the Nuggets to win on the road, Jokic must return to the ultra-efficient playmaker and scorer who lifts everyone around him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One adjustment could be to get Jokic more touches at the elbow and the top of the key, where he can orchestrate Denver&rsquo;s offense without dealing with immediate post pressure. From those areas, he can see the floor better and exploit mismatches or cutters. Additionally, running more two-man actions with Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon could help relieve pressure and force OKC to defend multiple threats simultaneously.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jokic&rsquo;s presence alone bends defenses, but when he&rsquo;s assertive and efficient, it unlocks the Nuggets&rsquo; full offensive potential. Denver will need their franchise cornerstone to set the tone with physicality, precision, and poise in the hostile OKC environment of Game 5.</span></p>
<p><strong>Improved Three-Point shooting</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Nuggets&rsquo; offensive success often correlates with their outside shooting. In the games where they&rsquo;ve played, Denver pulled away with convincing wins. But when the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, their offense has looked sluggish and overly reliant on Jokic or Murray to create something late in the shot clock. Getting back to crisp ball movement and creating open looks from the perimeter is a priority heading into Game 5.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun must convert the clean looks they&rsquo;re getting. Porter, in particular, has the shooting gravity to stretch OKC&rsquo;s defense and create spacing for Jokic&rsquo;s interior play. Even Aaron Gordon&rsquo;s willingness to take open threes can help Denver keep defenders honest. Making threes forces OKC to chase and rotate, which opens up driving lanes and cutting opportunities that Denver thrives on.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Expect head coach David Adelman to emphasize early ball reversals and inside-out play to generate quality three-point chances. If Denver shoots well from deep, it could swing momentum and silence the Paycom Center crowd in what promises to be a raucous Game 5 environment.</span></p>
<p><strong>Boost bench production</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In tight playoff matchups, bench production often makes the difference. For Denver, the second unit has been a mixed bag this series. They have a particularly shallow bench led by Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson, and the Nuggets need consistent contributions from both of them to keep pace with OKC&rsquo;s energetic rotations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The key is maintaining offensive rhythm and defensive intensity when Jokic sits. Braun&rsquo;s ability to defend, rebound, and finish in transition adds a valuable spark. Westbrook&rsquo;s experience and steady playmaking can provide structure when Murray rests. And Watson&rsquo;s length and athleticism make him a disruptive presence on both ends. Each of them must be ready to seize the moment in what could be the turning point of the series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adelman might also consider tightening his rotation or staggering starters more effectively to ensure a balance of scoring and defense. With so much on the line, every possession from the bench unit carries weight. If Denver&rsquo;s reserves can sustain leads &ndash; or even swing momentum &ndash; it could give them the edge they need to take Game 5 on the road.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">-- -- --</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Game 5 approaches, the series hangs in the balance. Both teams have demonstrated resilience and adaptability, but only one can emerge with a crucial win to take control. The adjustments made and executed in this game will likely determine who advances and who faces an offseason of questions. In a battle between the Thunder and the Nuggets, Game 5 promises to be a war of wills, strategy, and superstar moments.</span></p>

With the 2025 NBA Playoffs series tied 2-2, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets prepare for a pivotal Game 5.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Nuggets look to seize series

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every NBA season comes with its fair share of surprises, and the 2024-25 campaign has been no different. While championship contenders and superstars have dominated headlines, several teams have quietly &mdash; or loudly &mdash; rewritten their narratives in spectacular fashion. These aren&rsquo;t just flukes or hot streaks. These are teams that have made a leap, exceeded expectations, and found themselves in playoff positioning when few thought they&rsquo;d be here, or surpassing their previous season&rsquo;s accomplishments.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s through masterful coaching, player development, savvy roster moves, or simply finding the right chemistry at the right time, these are the teams that have all proven that projections and preseason power rankings don&rsquo;t always tell the full story. Here's a closer look at how these franchises flipped the script and are now among the best feel-good stories of the season.</span></p>
<p><strong>Detroit Pistons</strong><strong><br /></strong><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previous season&rsquo;s record: 17-65</span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This season&rsquo;s record: 44-38, 6th in the East</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps no team has made a bigger leap &mdash; or captured the league&rsquo;s heart &mdash; more than the Detroit Pistons. Just a year removed from a miserable 17-win season, the Pistons have pulled off one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent NBA memory. They are now sixth in the Eastern Conference, and have set a playoff date against the third-seeded New York Knicks.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much of that credit goes to newly hired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who brought immediate structure, accountability, and belief into a young locker room. But the star of the show has been Cade Cunningham. After an injury-riddled season last year, Cunningham has blossomed into a true franchise player this year &mdash; a dual-threat scorer and facilitator who commands the game at his own pace. His decision-making has improved drastically, and he's showing why he was the No. 1 overall pick. Cunningham is here, and he&rsquo;s gunning for that star/superstar status.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Surrounding Cunningham, players like Jaden Ivey (even though he was injured) and Ausar Thompson have also taken noticeable steps forward, while big man Jalen Duren has anchored the middle with toughness and poise beyond his years. Detroit has also had key free agent signings that brought veteran presence in the locker room in Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris. They have also picked up vet PG Dennis Schroder in a trade to help Cunningham with the ball-handling duties. Everything that Detroit has done was in order to come back and see this moment &ndash; to be back in the playoffs. It&rsquo;s not just that Detroit is winning &mdash; it&rsquo;s how they&rsquo;re doing it: through defense, selflessness, and maturity. They&rsquo;ve gone from laughingstock to legitimate in over a season, and it has been incredibly fun to watch.</span></p>
<p><strong>Houston Rockets</strong><strong><br /></strong><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previous season&rsquo;s record: 22-60</span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This season&rsquo;s record: 52-30, 2nd in the West</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After four long and grueling seasons of rebuilding, the Houston Rockets are back &mdash; and better than ever. They&rsquo;ve clinched 50 wins for the first time since the James Harden era and have soared into the second seed in the loaded Western Conference. This transformation didn&rsquo;t happen overnight, but every move the Rockets made over the last four years has culminated in a roster that&rsquo;s deep, versatile, and hungry.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It started with the front office, who made smart picks in the draft: Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green in 2021, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason in 2022, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore in 2023, and Reed Sheppard in 2024. The result? A blend of high-upside talent that&rsquo;s matured quickly under the right guidance. And that guidance came in the form of Ime Udoka &mdash; the tough, defense-first head coach who has instilled discipline and identity from day one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Rockets also balanced their youth with veteran leadership. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks were crucial free-agent signings, and the trade for Steven Adams added much-needed size and experience in the paint. Sengun has quietly become one of the most skilled bigs in the league, averaging near triple-double numbers with his passing and post play. Meanwhile, Jalen Green&rsquo;s shot selection and efficiency have improved, making him a more consistent offensive threat.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Everything is clicking in Houston, and the best part? They&rsquo;re still only scratching the surface. It&rsquo;s officially liftoff time in Houston, Texas.</span></p>
<p><strong>Cleveland Cavaliers</strong><strong><br /></strong><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previous season&rsquo;s record: 51-31</span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This season&rsquo;s record: 64-18, 1st in the East</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It might sound strange to include a 50-win team in a list of surprises, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have surpassed what many expected from them &mdash; and in a completely new way. After losing to the Celtics in the second round last season, many believed Cleveland had plateaued, stuck in a tier below the East&rsquo;s elite. But the arrival of head coach Kenny Atkinson changed everything.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Atkinson brought more than just X&rsquo;s and O&rsquo;s to Cleveland &mdash; he brought vision. His innovative offensive schemes breathed new life into the team, particularly Evan Mobley. The former third overall pick has emerged as a true two-way force this year, expanding his offensive bag while remaining a defensive anchor. Mobley has become more comfortable operating as a playmaker, setting high screens, making short-roll reads, and even spacing the floor.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Donovan Mitchell remains the alpha, capable of carrying the offense during clutch moments. But with Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen playing supporting roles to perfection &mdash; and the perfect role players giving them a punch off the bench &mdash; the Cavaliers are deeper and more dangerous than ever. This is their best season since LeBron left, and it feels like they&rsquo;ve finally found a sustainable identity. They're not just winning games; they&rsquo;re playing like a team that believes it can win the East.</span></p>
<p><strong>Los Angeles Clippers</strong><strong><br /></strong><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previous season&rsquo;s record: 44-38</span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This season&rsquo;s record: 50-32, 5th in the West</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">No team entered the season with lower public expectations relative to their talent than the Los Angeles Clippers especially after Paul George left in free agency. The assumption was that LA&rsquo;s championship window had finally slammed shut. But instead of folding, the Clippers responded with a defiant, gritty, and unified season that caught the league off guard.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kawhi Leonard returned healthy and dominant, looking like the MVP-caliber player of old. His midrange game has been clinical, and he&rsquo;s elevated his play on both ends as the postseason approaches. But perhaps the most shocking resurgence came from James Harden, who has turned back the clock and delivered one of his most efficient seasons in years. Harden has assumed full command of the offense, orchestrating everything with poise and flair while re-establishing himself as a top-tier guard in the league that could possibly fetch an All-NBA plum.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The supporting cast has been outstanding. Ivica Zubac has taken a huge leap, anchoring the Clippers&rsquo; defense and finishing strong around the rim. He&rsquo;s firmly in the Most Improved Player conversation. Norman Powell has been a revelation in an expanded role, consistently providing scoring and hustle. The &ldquo;addition by subtraction&rdquo; idea has rung true &mdash; with more touches and opportunities, Powell has been better than ever.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And of course, credit must go to Tyronn Lue, who has maximized every piece of this roster and turned what many assumed would be a rebuilding year into a redemption tour. The Clippers became this gritty and rugged defensive team that no one wants to meet in the playoffs. They might be underdogs, but they&rsquo;ve built something real.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These four teams &mdash; Detroit, Houston, Cleveland, and Los Angeles &mdash; entered the season with vastly different narratives. But they all share a common thread: they weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this good. Whether through internal growth, roster management, or coaching brilliance, each franchise has exceeded expectations in its own way.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The playoffs will be the true test, but what these teams have already accomplished is worth celebrating. In a league where dynasties often dominate headlines, it's stories like these that keep the NBA fresh, unpredictable, and thrilling year after year.</span></p>

Discover how the Pistons, Rockets, Cavaliers, and Clippers have surpassed this season's expectations and rewrote their narratives.

Teams that have exceeded expectations this season

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a heartfelt ceremony at Barclays Center on January 25, 2025, the Brooklyn Nets honored Vince Carter by retiring his iconic No. 15 jersey. This tribute, held during halftime of the Nets' game against the Miami Heat, marks the seventh jersey retirement in the franchise's history.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Carter, visibly moved during the ceremony, reflected on his tenure with the Nets from 2004 to 2009. During this period, he earned three All-Star selections and became the third-leading scorer in the franchise's NBA history. He expressed deep gratitude, stating, "This is truly something my family and I will cherish forever."&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The event was graced by Carter's family, former teammates, ex-coach Lawrence Frank, team president Rod Thorn, and fellow Nets legends Julius Erving, Bill Melchionni, and Buck Williams. A poignant video tribute narrated by Erving, along with messages from Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, added to the evening's significance.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Carter's No. 15 now joins the esteemed ranks of Nets' retired numbers, including Dražen Petrović (#3), Jason Kidd (#5), John Williamson (#23), Bill Melchionni (#25), Julius Erving (#32), and Buck Williams (#52).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This honor underscores Carter's lasting impact on the Nets and the broader basketball community, celebrating a career that inspired many and left an indelible mark on the sport.&nbsp;</span></p>

On January 25 2025 at the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets honored Vince Carter by retiring his iconic No. 15 jersey.

Brooklyn Nets retire Vince Carter’s no.15 jersey

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chris Paul etched his name further into NBA history on Sunday, surpassing Jason Kidd for second place on the all-time assists leaderboard during the San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The historic assist came on a sideline out of bounds play for a Victor Wembanyama three-pointer, showcasing the connection between the veteran point guard and the Spurs&rsquo; emerging superstar.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paul finished the game with 10 assists to surpass Kidd&rsquo;s 12,091 career dimes, bringing his total to 12,092. He now trails only John Stockton, whose record of 15,806 remains untouchable as of the moment.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">POINT GOD 😤<br /><br />With this assist, Chris Paul has officially moved up to second all-time in assists, passing Jason Kidd. 👏🏽<a href="https://t.co/VCb3cN3qCG">pic.twitter.com/VCb3cN3qCG</a></p>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1865929941445197892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yeah, it is wild,&rdquo; Paul said of the milestone after Friday&rsquo;s loss to Sacramento. &ldquo;I mean, five years ago I had seen that number and it&rsquo;s like, &lsquo;Man, you going to play long enough to do that?&rsquo; Seriously.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ldquo;I mean, I remember being a rookie, I said that before, looking up in Utah, seeing John Stockton, all-time steals and assist leader. So, yeah, it is kind of crazy. I mean, I&rsquo;m grateful for the opportunity to still continue to play.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paul, a 20-year NBA veteran, has been pivotal in mentoring the Spurs&rsquo; youthful roster as they continue to benefit from his steady leadership as he further cements his legacy being one of the game&rsquo;s greatest playmakers.</span></p>

Chris Paul passes Jason Kidd to claim second on the NBA's all-time assists leaderboard, cementing his legacy in the Spurs' victory.

Chris Paul Surpasses Jason Kidd, Climbs to Second on All-Time Assists List

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With just days left until the 2024-25 NBA season tips off, the Eastern Conference teams are settled, prepped, and ready for action. The offseason moves are done, rosters are set, and almost everyone&rsquo;s locked in for what&rsquo;s shaping up to be an intense race. From title contenders to dark horses, the East is packed with teams ready to make noise. So, let&rsquo;s dive into the </span><strong>top 15 teams in the East</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as we gear up for this brand-new season&mdash;no fluff, just what you need to know.</span></p>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>New York Knicks</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Knicks made significant moves this offseason, adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while retaining key pieces like Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. With depth, defense, and firepower, they look primed for a deep playoff run. After a 50-win season in 2023-24, they now have realistic championship aspirations and could be the biggest threat to the Celtics in the East.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Boston Celtics</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The defending champions kept their core intact, extending Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. With Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday leading a formidable lineup, the Celtics are aiming to repeat as NBA champions. Despite concerns about Al Horford&rsquo;s age and frontcourt health, Boston remains the favorite heading into the 2024-25 season.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Milwaukee Bucks</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bucks didn&rsquo;t make major changes but added depth with Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Delon Wright. After an injury-plagued season from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Milwaukee looks to bounce back under returning head coach Doc Rivers. With questions surrounding Lillard&rsquo;s form and Middleton&rsquo;s durability, the Bucks remain playoff contenders, but how far they go will depend on health and chemistry.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Philadelphia 76ers</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 76ers had a big offseason, adding Paul George, Andre Drummond, and Caleb Martin to support Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Maxey&rsquo;s rise as a star solidifies Philly&rsquo;s title hopes, and Embiid&rsquo;s MVP-level play is crucial for their success. With an improved supporting cast, the Sixers could be serious challengers in the East, but Embiid&rsquo;s health remains the key.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Cleveland Cavaliers</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a solid 48-win season, the Cavs focused on continuity by keeping their core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. New coach Kenny Atkinson brings fresh leadership, and Cleveland hopes to build on last season&rsquo;s playoff run. With a healthier roster and improved coaching, the Cavs could reach 50 wins and challenge the top teams in the East.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Indiana Pacers</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Pacers had a quiet offseason but retained Pascal Siakam and made a key addition in James Wiseman. Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s breakout season makes Indiana a team to watch, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on their deep playoff run. With improved chemistry and young talent, Indiana could surprise as a top-five team in the East.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Orlando Magic</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Magic are banking on internal growth, led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. After winning 47 games and making the playoffs last season, they added veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for shooting and leadership. With a young core developing, Orlando could win 50 games if they continue their upward trend and improve their perimeter shooting.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Miami Heat</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Heat had a quiet offseason, adding Alec Burks while re-signing key players like Bam Adebayo. With Jimmy Butler&rsquo;s future uncertain and health concerns for both Butler and Tyler Herro, Miami could face challenges in a competitive Eastern Conference. However, Adebayo&rsquo;s All-NBA-level play will keep them in the playoff hunt.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Atlanta Hawks</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Hawks overhauled their roster after a disappointing 36-46 season, headlined by trading Dejounte Murray and acquiring the No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher. With Trae Young remaining the focal point, the Hawks are banking on Risacher&rsquo;s development and contributions from new additions like Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels. This team looks poised to contend for a Play-In spot but lacks the co-star power needed for a deep playoff run.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Charlotte Hornets</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Hornets enter the season with fresh energy, thanks to the hiring of new coach Charles Lee and the re-signing of Miles Bridges. With LaMelo Ball back healthy and Brandon Miller continuing to impress after an All-Rookie season, Charlotte&rsquo;s young core could surprise many. If Ball stays on the floor and their youth develops quickly, the Hornets might find themselves contending for a Play-In spot and shaking off years of underachievement.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Detroit Pistons</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Pistons are looking to turn the page on a tough 2023-24 season and have made moves to fast-track their rebuild. With Cade Cunningham healthy, new leadership under J.B. Bickerstaff, and rookie Ron Holland adding spark, Detroit could outperform expectations. If Cunningham returns to form and the team gels quickly, don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Pistons emerge as a dark horse in the East.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Toronto Raptors</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Raptors are in transition, keeping their young core of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley intact. After a poor finish to last season, Toronto is betting on Barnes&rsquo; continued growth and the addition of Davion Mitchell to improve their fortunes. While their ceiling might be a Play-In appearance, the Raptors are hoping their trio can take a big step forward.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Chicago Bulls</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bulls traded DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, adding Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith to the mix. Zach LaVine&rsquo;s injury history remains a concern, but the Bulls are counting on Coby White&rsquo;s emergence and the potential of lottery pick Matas Buzelis. Chicago is likely to be a competitive team some nights, but they may struggle to rise above the Play-In threshold.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Brooklyn Nets</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Nets are entering a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker. With a young roster led by Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas, Brooklyn&rsquo;s focus is on player development. Ben Simmons remains a question mark, but the team&rsquo;s recent moves set them up for future success with significant draft assets. A playoff berth seems unlikely as they look to position themselves for a high draft pick.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Washington Wizards</strong><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Wizards continue their rebuild with the addition of Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick. With Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey joining the squad, Washington hopes to see growth from young talents like Bilal Coulibaly. However, they&rsquo;re still far from playoff contention and will likely be looking at another lottery-bound season.</span></li>
</ol>

Let's dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season.

2024-2025 NBA Eastern Conference Power Rankings: A new number one arises at the top

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets played two games in the Middle East for the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 and here are some key observations from both teams after their first two preseason games.</span></p>
<p><strong>Celtics vs Nuggets: Battle of the Champs</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a matchup between the past two NBA champions, the Celtics (2024 winners) prevailed twice over the Nuggets (2023 winners). The first one was a thriller, 107-103, while the second one was a blowout, 130-104.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite it still being the preseason, the Celtics showed their ability to win in both kinds of games, whether it was close or blowout. They proved their caliber against a fellow NBA champion that was hypothetically a matchup to watch out for, especially with the two teams being from different conferences.</span></p>
<p><strong>The Celtics are really, really good &ndash; they did not miss a beat</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics are back and are looking more dangerous than ever &ndash; at least from what they&rsquo;ve shown in these two games. They are really, really good and they mean business this year. This seems impossible after coming off a championship, but the Celtics appear to be hungrier for a chip than they&rsquo;ve ever been and they&rsquo;re looking to prove everyone wrong after a somewhat question-mark season last year, with all the injuries their opponents have endured. The Celtics ought to prove that the championship win was not a fluke, and this starts in the preseason by showing their usual dominant selves.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><strong>No championship hangover for these Celtics</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics mean business, and when I say business, that&rsquo;s Jaylen Brown gesturing a too-small sign on Jamal Murray after scoring a tough bucket inside over him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jaylen Brown is back better than ever, and after that intense underwater basketball workouts and at just 28 years old, the Finals MVP is firmly in his prime and should play his best basketball ahead of him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jayson Tatum comes in with an edge after the Olympics run where he did not play twice, and gunning for the Finals MVP he did not win.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are Boston&rsquo;s ever-reliable do-it-all guys and they&rsquo;re gonna do everything that&rsquo;s asked of them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The whole Boston core, with big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, along with crucial bench pieces Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser, just appear to be ready for this title defense.</span></p>
<p><strong>Mazzulla ball is in full effect &ndash; even if it&rsquo;s just the preseason</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Celtics under Joe Mazzulla make it to a point to shoot as many open threes as they could, and in Game 1 vs the Nuggets, they shot a whopping 61 attempts, making 20 of them; and in Game 2, shot 47 attempts with 18 makes &ndash; a respectable 38 percent clip.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This style of play has brought them a championship and should be rightfully used as such until teams find a way to counter Boston&rsquo;s offense. This is the kind of game that Mazzulla wants to play for the Celtics and they have the roster and the men to do it &ndash; a loaded roster of shooters and floor spacers.</span></p>
<p><strong>The Celtics still have room for improvement &ndash; and that&rsquo;s scary</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ldquo;Defensively, just got to be a little more tighter on that end,&rdquo; Derrick White said post-game. &ldquo;With some of our communication and the things that we&rsquo;re doing, and I think that comes with time. Offensively, just continue to make the right read and make the right play.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This should be bad news for the rest of the NBA as the defending champions themselves feel they still have something to fix and improve as the season goes on &ndash; a never-ending learning and lessons that can only be taught through game experiences.</span></p>
<p><strong>Nikola Jokic is still really good</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This should be another MVP type of season is on the horizon for the 3-time MVP as he has shown no signs of slowing down and is getting even better and smarter with each game that he plays.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In two games vs Boston, the Joker averaged over 20 points and 8 rebounds in just a little over 18 minutes of playing time. The Celtics haven&rsquo;t found a solution against Jokic inside and that resonates with the entire NBA as well.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jokic&rsquo;s MVP campaign this season could come from him having to carry this roster more with some key departures from the team. He will have more responsibility on the offensive end and Jokic should just be dominant and assert himself to lead Denver to the upper echelon of the West.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><strong>Life after Bruce Brown and KCP for Denver</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Nuggets have now lost two key figures in their championship run in back-to-back offseasons, and if this is any indication, the past champs that lost their key role players struggled in the seasons to come. Brown and KCP&rsquo;s skillset should be replaceable but their chemistry with the team especially with MVP Jokic has been vital and Denver could take a step back on that end without those two.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following their departures, the Nuggets have yet to replace them and will rely on young Christian Braun to replicate their success, or from a veteran like Vlatko Cancar who just recently returned from injury.</span></p>
<p><strong>Denver&rsquo;s bench is suspect</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Denver has no one off the bench who is legitimately an offensive threat or someone who can create his shot, so Michael Malone should probably stagger Jokic and Murray&rsquo;s minutes more, and lean on Michael Porter Jr for more offensive creation. This was exposed against the Celtics as the Nuggets struggled to have some offensive flow within their second units. Westbrook looked to be the answer for that problem but with his age he could not be tasked alone anymore to carry the offensive load for the bench.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unless Denver makes a big FA signing or a splash before the trade deadline, expect their bench to struggle at times and they could be relying on their starters more often than not to supply all the scoring.</span></p>
<p><strong>Westbrook&rsquo;s role</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Newcomer Russell Westbrook has looked good at times for Denver in these two games. He was pushing the pace, driving and drawing the defense, and kicking it out to shooters which was a good sign for Denver as he figured out to be their backup point guard behind Jamal Murray, or even play alongside him at times to slot Murray at the 2. Westbrook at this point of his career does not need to do much on the offensive end, especially with an all-timer like Jokic in his prime. He could just provide energy off the bench for quality minutes and should be a big piece in Denver&rsquo;s rotation.</span></p>
<p><strong>Jamal Murray&rsquo;s health</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps the biggest factor out of them all, Jamal Murray&rsquo;s health is the biggest concern for Denver and should be their main priority heading into the season. Murray did not look right in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Canada&rsquo;s Olympic run, and he was not able to find his groove yet in two games vs Boston.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With teams scheming against Jokic every single night, Murray has to come in and set the tone for the Nuggets as their primary secondary option and draw the defense away from the MVP.</span></p>

Here are some key observations from both the Celtics and the Nuggets after their first two preseason games.

NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024: 10 key observations from Nuggets-Celtics back-to-back games

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first move of the NBA offseason is here.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Friday afternoon, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Chicago Bulls are trading guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for guard Josh Giddey in a one-on-one swap.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A two-time All-NBA Defensive selection, Caruso now goes to a team that just recently fell short in the Western Conference semifinals in six games. As one of the most coveted role-players in the league, Caruso could fit right into the Thunder&rsquo;s schemes with their five-out offense and guys who can pass, dribble, and shoot. Aside from being a demon defensive player, Caruso also shot 41% from three last season, fitting perfectly the 3-and-D bill.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caruso also provides the Thunder with another primary defender alongside Lu Dort and Cason Wallace, which practically makes the Thunder one of the best (if not the best) perimeter defenses in the league.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reportedly, Chicago was offered by several teams before the trade deadline passed multiple picks for Caruso but the team was adamant to keep him for the Bulls to contend and make the playoffs. But with his impending contract extension this offseason, Chicago negotiated with OKC about a potential player of need in Giddey.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 21-year-old from Australia who was the 6th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft was often benched in the Thunder&rsquo;s series against Dallas as he was exposed for his suspect shooting from outside the arc. Although the Thunder viewed him as one of the building blocks for the future, their sudden rise atop the West has them speeding up their rebuild and making this win-now move for a veteran in his prime that also fit the needs of the team.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite his stagnant shooting, Giddey is an impressive playmaker and at 6-foot-9 is one of the most intriguing PGs that could possibly pan out once he&rsquo;s given the reigns to a team and the ball in his hands.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This could very well work in Giddey&rsquo;s way in Chicago as the move likely implies that the Bulls are ready to move on from Lonzo Ball, who&rsquo;s been out for about three years now due to injury.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This move also signals Chicago breaking up their roster as stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan the ones to be moved next as the franchise enters into a full rebuild.</span></p>

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Chicago Bulls are trading guard Alex Caruso to the OKC Thunder for guard Josh Giddey.