Rams

The East Asia Super League (EASL) will feature two B.LEAGUE teams in its 2025 Final Four, as both the Ryukyu Golden Kings and the Hiroshima Dragonflies have clinched their spots in the prestigious tournament.
The Ryukyu Golden Kings were the first to secure their place, achieving an 82-74 victory over the New Taipei Kings on December 25, 2024. This win propelled Ryukyu to a 4-0 record in Group B, ensuring their advancement with two regular-season games remaining. Keve Aluma has been instrumental for the team, leading with an average of 27.5 points per game. Ryuichi Kishimoto earned Player of the Game honors against New Taipei, contributing 20 points, including six three-pointers.&nbsp;
Following suit, the Hiroshima Dragonflies clinched their Final Four berth with a commanding 94-63 win over the San Miguel Beermen on January 8, 2025. This victory improved Hiroshima's record to 4-1 in Group A. Kerry Blackshear Jr. narrowly missed a triple-double in the game, recording 12 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. The Dragonflies' balanced offense saw five players scoring in double figures, with Nick Mayo and Keijiro Mitani combining for 36 points.&nbsp;
The EASL Final Four 2025 is scheduled for March 7-9 at the Studio City Event Center in Macau. The champion will receive a $1 million prize, with $500,000 awarded to the runner-up and $250,000 for third place. This marks the first time two B.LEAGUE teams have reached the EASL Final Four simultaneously, highlighting the league's growing prominence in Asian basketball.&nbsp;
Both Ryukyu and Hiroshima have demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the season, and their upcoming participation in the Final Four is highly anticipated by fans and analysts alike.&nbsp;

The East Asia Super League (EASL) will feature two B.LEAGUE teams in its 2025 Final Four: Ryukyu and Hiroshima.

Ryukyu Golden Kings and Hiroshima Dragonflies Secure Spots in EASL Final Four 2025

After monitoring the NBA awards races all season, Nekias Duncan shares his final selections for DPOY, ROY, MIP, 6MOY and more.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award selections: DPOY, 6MOY, MIP, more

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Sir&rsquo;Jabari Rice scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and overtime, and No. 6 Texas held off Oklahoma 85-83 on Saturday.
Rice&rsquo;s fourth 3-pointer of the game gave Texas an 84-77 lead with 2:26 left in overtime.
Oklahoma, however, had a chance to tie or win when Texas&rsquo; Tyrese Hunter missed one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left. But Sam Godwin missed a shot from near the rim, and Texas extended its winning streak against Oklahoma to five games.
Marcus Carr added 17 points for Texas (21-6, 10-4 Big 12), and Timmy Allen had 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Grant Sherfield led Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11) with 18 points, including a 3-pointer that sent the game to overtime. Milos Uzan scored 15 for the Sooners.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 108, GEORGIA 59
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Miller scored 21 points, Nick Pringle had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Mark Sears made five 3-pointers in the first half to lead Alabama.
The Crimson Tide (23-4, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) rebounded from their first SEC loss by racing to a 54-25 halftime lead and a season scoring high. Alabama was coming off a 68-59 loss at No. 10 Tennessee on Wednesday night after rising to No. 1 for only the second time in program history and first in 20 years.&nbsp;
ustin Hill led Georgia (16-11, 6-8) with 17 points. Terry Roberts scored 11 and Braelen Bridges 10.
NO. 4 UCLA 78, CALIFORNIA 43
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 20 points and UCLA routed last-place California to improve to 15-0 at Pauley Pavilion this season and extend the nation&rsquo;s longest home winning streak to 23 games.
Amari Bailey added 16 points and nine rebounds for the first-place Bruins (23-4, 14-2 Pac-12), who clinched a first-round bye in next month&rsquo;s Pac-12 Tournament with their 11th win in a row over last-place Cal.
Kuany Kuany scored 14 points to lead the Golden Bears (3-24, 2-14), who dropped their 11th in a row. They fell to 0-3 against top-5 teams this season, having also lost a pair against No. 8 Arizona.
NO. 5 KANSAS 87, NO. 9 BAYLOR 71
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; DaJuan Harris scored all 14 of his points in the second half as Kansas stormed back from a double-digit halftime deficit.
The Jayhawks (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) outscored the Bears 55-26 in the second half. Jalen Wilson led Kansas with 21 points and 13 rebounds. KJ Adams added 17 points and Gradey Dick had 16.
The Jayhawks are tied with Texas for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.
Baylor (20-7, 9-5) got nearly all of its scoring from its three-guard combo of Adam Flagler (22 points) Keyonte George (20 points) and LJ Cryer (15 points).
NO. 7 VIRGINIA 57, NOTRE DAME 55
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark scored 15 points, including a pair of critical free throws with 22.6 seconds left, and became Virginia&rsquo;s career assist leader in the narrow win over Notre Dame.
With Notre Dame closing to 55-54, Clark converted both ends of a one-and-one. Trey Wertz made the front end of a one-and-one with 3.9 seconds left for the Fighting Irish, but missed the second after a timeout. The ball was tipped out to Dane Goodwin for a potential game-winning 3-pointer, but his shot bounced off the rim.
Armaan Franklin added 12 points and Reece Beekman had 11 for Virginia (21-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Nate Laszewski led Notre Dame (10-17, 2-14) with 18 points and Goodwin had 12.
NO. 8 ARIZONA 78, COLORADO 68
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Oumar Ballo had 18 points and 16 rebounds, Cedric Henderson Jr. added 15 points and Arizona dominated inside to beat Colorado.
The Wildcats (24-4, 13-4 Pac-12) opened with a rash of turnovers, falling into an early 12-point hole. Arizona righted itself quickly with a big run and slogged through a slowed-down second half by shutting down the Buffaloes.
Tristan da Silva had 18 points the Buffaloes (15-13, 7-10), who shot 38%.
KENTUCKY 66, NO. 10 TENNESSEE 54
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Cason Wallace and Oscar Tshiebwe each scored 16 points and Kentucky rushed to a big lead and beat Tennessee.
The Volunteers (20-7, 9-5 SEC) trailed by 20 points at halftime and lost in their first game since toppling No. 1 Alabama.
The Wildcats (18-9, 9-5) earned their first regular-season sweep of Tennessee since the 2011-12 season. Kentucky defeated the Volunteers 63-56 on Jan. 14 in Knoxville.
Wallace had totaled nine points in the Wildcats&rsquo; previous two games. Chris Livingston added 12 points and Jacob Toppin had 11.
NO. 12 KANSAS STATE 61, NO. 19 IOWA STATE 55
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell hit a 3-pointer from near midcourt with 2:42 remaining to help Kansas State over Iowa State.
Nowell finished with 20 points. Keyontae Johnson had 15 points for the Wildcats (20-7, 8-6 Big 12).
Aljaž Kunc led Iowa State (17-9, 8-6) with 15 points. Without their 3-point leader Caleb Grill in the lineup, the Cyclones worked inside the paint. They had 24 points inside and relied on a balanced scoring line led by Kunc.
NO. 13 GONZAGA 97, PEPPERDINE 88
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme scored 22 of his 34 points in the second half and Julian Strawther added 28 points to help Gonzaga extend its winning streak over the Waves to 45 games.
The Bulldogs (23-5, 12-2 West Coast Conference), who haven&rsquo;t lost to Pepperdine (9-10, 2-12) since Jan. 18, 2002 and have won 20 straight on the road against the Waves.
Timme moved past Bill Cartwright, who scored 2,116 points for San Francisco (1975-79), into eighth on the West Coast Conference&rsquo;s career scoring list with 2,117.
Houston Mallette led the Waves with 22 points. Jevon Porter and Maxwell Lewis added 20 points apiece.
NO. 14 INDIANA 71, ILLINOIS 68
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, Jalen Hood Schifino made two free throws with 30.7 seconds left, and Indiana rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to beat Illinois.
Hood-Schifino had 13 points for the Hoosiers (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten), who have won nine of 11 overall and 15 straight on their homecourt.
Matthew Mayer scored 24 to lead the Fighting Illini (17-9, 8-7), who were without injured leading scorer Terrence Shannon.
NO. 15 MIAMI 96, WAKE FOREST 87
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Isaiah Wong scored 27 points and Nijel Pack finished with 24 in Miami&rsquo;s win over Wake Forest.
Norchard Omier had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting while Jordan Miller added 14 points for the Hurricanes (22-5, 13-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their sixth straight and improved to 15-0 at home.
Tyree Appleby scored 15 points and Damari Monsanto and Cameron Hildreth had 14 each for the Demon Deacons (17-10, 9-7). Andrew Carr and Mathew Marsh finished with 12 points each.
NO. 16 XAVIER 82, DEPAUL 68
CINCINNATI (AP) &mdash; Jack Nunge had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Xavier bounced back from a pair of narrow losses to beat DePaul.
The Musketeers (20-7, 12-4 Big East) reached the 20-win mark for the 34th time in school history, 32 of which have come since the 1982-83 season. It was the 17th career double-double for Nunge, eighth this season. Adam Kunkel scored 16 points and tied a career-high with eight assists for Xavier.
Umoja Gibson had 17 points and De&rsquo;Sean Nelson 16 for DePaul (9-18, 3-13), which lost its eighth in a row.
NO. 17 ST. MARY&rsquo;S 71, BYU 65
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Logan Johnson scored 27 points and Aidan Mahaney delivered once again in the second half to lead Saint Mary&rsquo;s to its 15th win in 16 games.
Mahaney scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and Mitchell Saxen added 13. The Gaels (24-5, 13-1 West Coast Conference) won their 16th straight conference home game to maintain a one-game lead over Gonzaga in the standings.
Fousseyni Traore scored 16 points to lead the Cougars (16-14, 6-9). BYU has lost four straight and was swept in the season series by the Gaels.
NO. 18 CREIGHTON 77, ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 67
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Arthur Kaluma hit three straight 3-pointers down the stretch and Creighton overcame a second-half scoring drought to pull away from St. John&rsquo;s.
Creighton (18-9, 12-4) remained in a three-way tie for second place in the Big East after Providence and Xavier won earlier in the day. Marquette holds a one-game lead in the conference standings.
Ryan Nembhard scored 16 points for the Bluejays. Kaluma finished with 13 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12 as Creighton won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Joel Soriano led St. John&rsquo;s with 15 points and eight rebounds. David Jones added 14 points off the bench but the Red Storm (16-12, 6-11) were unable to get their third straight win.
NO. 20 UCONN 64, SETON HALL 55
STORRS, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn used a big second-half run to beat Seton Hall.
Andre Jackson had a career high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for UConn (20-7, 9-7 Big East).
Al-Amir Dawes and Tyrese Samuel each had 16 points for Seton Hall (16-12, 9-8), which trailed by 16 points with six minutes to play before a late run that fell short.
NO. 22 TCU 100, OKLAHOMA STATE 75
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) &mdash; Mike Miles Jr. had 15 points in his first game in three weeks, five other TCU players also scored in double figures, and the Horned Frogs snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Oklahoma State.
Emanuel Miller had 18 points to lead TCU (18-9, 7-7 Big 12), which shot a staggering season-high 68.4% (39 of 57) from the field. Damion Baugh had 16 points with 11 assists. Shahada Wells had 15 points, Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon 12 and Micah Peavy 10.
Bryce Thompson had 18 points and John-Michael White 15 for the Cowboys (16-11, 7-7).
NO. 24 PROVIDENCE 85, VILLANOVA 72
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Ed Croswell scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Providence earned its 20th victory of the season.
Bryce Hopkins added 19 points and 12 rebounds. Noah Locked finished with 16 points. Croswell connected on two late free throws to notch the 1,000th point of his career.
The Friars (20-7, 12-4 Big East) have recorded 20 or more wins in seven of coach Ed Cooley&rsquo;s 12 seasons. They improved to 15-0 at home, including 8-0 in conference play.
Eric Dixon had 18 points and eight rebounds and Justin Moore added 17 points for the Wildcats (13-14, 7-9)&nbsp;

A recap of Saturday's action in men's college basketball includes a full slate of top-25 teams in heavy competition.

No. 6 Texas needs OT at home to hold off Oklahoma 85-83

NBA and FIBA&rsquo;s Global Basketball Development and Community Outreach Program will be Held Aug. 7-10 in Canberra in Partnership with Basketball Australia.
12th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp Will Bring Together Over 60 of the top High-School Age Boys and Girls from more than 15 Countries Across Asia-Pacific.
NEW YORK AND CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, Aug. 4, 2022 &ndash; The National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Basketball Australia (BA) today announced over 60 of the top boys and girls from more than 15 countries across Asia-Pacific will travel to Canberra, Australia for the 12th Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp from Sunday, Aug. 7 &ndash; Wednesday, Aug. 10 at NBA Global Academy, the league&rsquo;s elite basketball training center at BA&rsquo;s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.
BWB Asia 2022 will mark the first time the NBA and FIBA&rsquo;s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Asia-Pacific since 2019 in Japan and the first in Australia since 2016 in Melbourne. &nbsp;The camp will bring together the top male and female players ages 18 and under from throughout Asia-Pacific to compete alongside their peers from across the region and learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players and coaches.
The campers will be coached by NBA players Jarrett Allen (2022 NBA All-Star for the Cleveland Cavaliers; U.S.), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks; Australia), Cameron Johnson (Phoenix Suns; U.S.) and Coby White (Chicago Bulls; U.S.). &nbsp;NBA assistant coaches Damian Cotter (Bulls; Australia), David Akinyooye (Oklahoma City Thunder; U.S.) and Eric Glass (Miami Heat; U.S.); New York Knicks international scout and Serbia Men&rsquo;s National Team assistant coach Adam Tatalovich (U.S.); former WNBA players Kristi Harrower (Australia) and Annie La Fleur (Australia); and former Australia Women&rsquo;s National Team player Jenni Screen (Australia) will also serve as BWB Asia coaches.
Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) will serve as camp director, while Dan Shimensky (Denver Nuggets; U.S.) will serve as the camp&rsquo;s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions. &nbsp;A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the BWB Asia 2022 MVP, Defensive MVP, Three-Point Champion and the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.
A record 41 former BWB campers were among the record 121 international players on 2021-22 NBA opening-night rosters, including 2022 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member and NBA Global Academy graduate Josh Giddey (Thunder; Australia; BWB Asia 2018 and BWB Global 2020), Green (BWB Global 2018) and 2020 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016).
The NBA and FIBA have hosted 64 BWB camps in 30 countries since the program&rsquo;s launch in 2001. &nbsp;BWB has reached more than 3,800 participants from 133 countries and territories, with 105 former campers having advanced to the NBA or WNBA.
BWB Asia 2022 will be supported by Nike, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
Fans in Australia can follow the NBA at NBA.com/Australia and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and follow BWB using the hashtag #BWBAsia.
The following is a complete list of players participating in BWB Asia 2022 (rosters subject to change):
GIRLS ROSTER
<table width="399">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="198">
First Name
</td>
<td width="201">
Last Name
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Opal
</td>
<td width="201">
Bird
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Layla
</td>
<td width="201">
Cameron
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Holly
</td>
<td width="201">
Griffiths
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Lulu
</td>
<td width="201">
Laditan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Ruby
</td>
<td width="201">
Vlahov
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Shomira
</td>
<td width="201">
Bidaye
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Kavya
</td>
<td width="201">
Singla
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Angelica Jennifer
</td>
<td width="201">
Candra
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Deewell Windy Dido
</td>
<td width="201">
Gosal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Vanissa Renata
</td>
<td width="201">
Siregar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Reina
</td>
<td width="201">
Fukuo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Honoka
</td>
<td width="201">
Morioka
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Chinami
</td>
<td width="201">
Yokoyama
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Anna
</td>
<td width="201">
Kochura
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Waimanu
</td>
<td width="201">
Clarken
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Maia Riley
</td>
<td width="201">
Jones
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Lilly
</td>
<td width="201">
Taulelei
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Quinn Kacey
</td>
<td width="201">
Dela Rosa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Dianne Camille
</td>
<td width="201">
Nolasco
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Kayla
</td>
<td width="201">
Lim
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Seo
</td>
<td width="201">
Jinyeong
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Sooin
</td>
<td width="201">
Kim
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Siriwimon
</td>
<td width="201">
Damrongchai
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Priscilla Langkilde
</td>
<td width="201">
Jensen
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
BOYS ROSTER
<table width="397">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Lachlan
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;">Brewer</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Carlin
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Briggs
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Joshua
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Dent
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Joshua
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Hughes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Joshua
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Ibukunoluwa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
James
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
O&rsquo;Donnell
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Kye
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Savage
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Roman
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Siulepa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Rocco
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Zikarsky
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Soy
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Pisey
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Junjie Barry
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Wang
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Yijiong &ldquo;Joe&rdquo;
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Zhang
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Xian-Wei
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Lin
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Arthur Vadel
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Krisma Putra
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Mohamad
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Amini
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Sarem
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Jafari
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Akira
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Jacobs
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Yuto
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Kawashima
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Taiga
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Okada
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Hayato
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Wakugawa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Adil
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Kuantayev
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Daniil
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Severgin
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Rayan
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Hachem
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Azbayar
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Altangerel
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Kaia
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Berridge
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Dontae
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Nance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
William
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Passi
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Kalid
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Petzer
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
William
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Shortt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
L.A. John
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Andres
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Jared
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Bahay
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Caelum Emmanuel
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Harris
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Seungwoo
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Kim
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Chan You
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Ko
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Gwanwoo
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Lee
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Vladimir
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Bespalov
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Artyom
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Malikov
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Dinh Quang
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Duong
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Jarrett Allen, Josh Green, Cam Johnson and Coby White will coach over 60 of the top high-school age girls and boys from 15+ nations.

4 NBA players to coach at Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Australia

In case you&rsquo;ve been overly consumed by the NBA, college basketball, or the WNBA off-season, now would be a great time to remind y&rsquo;all that the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers are going on.
And in case you didn&rsquo;t know, the host countries for the 2023 World Cup are Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines &mdash; more on that later.
The last World Cup was right before the 2019-20 season, but feels so long ago because this whole COVID thing hadn&rsquo;t yet clapped us up. If you remember, the 2020 Olympics took place in 2021 &mdash; as in, last year. Yeah, I know, the international stuff can get confusing, but I&rsquo;m here to help you. Trust me.
Now, perhaps quietly to some, international play quickly resumed this past November with the first window of 2023 World Cup qualifying, which we&rsquo;ll recap shortly.
You have four sets of qualifying regions: Africa, Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Europe. There are six windows played over a 15-month span (starting from this past November), where the competing squads normally would participate in two games per window. COVID had other ideas &mdash; more on that later.
Currently, each region has groups of four, and the top three in each group will advance to round two following the June/July window. This current round of qualifying is between Nov. 20-30, Feb. 21-March 1, and June 27-July 5, after which we&rsquo;ll enter round two. Round two also occurs over three windows: August 22-30, Nov. 7-15, and Feb. 20-28, then those who will have qualified will enter group drawing next March, and we&rsquo;ll see them compete between August 25-September 10 &mdash; the World Cup.
Now, let&rsquo;s lay out all the things you should probably know and, if you see a number in parenthesis next to a team that&rsquo;s listed, that&rsquo;s their current world ranking, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/rankingmen">according to FIBA</a>. So if you feel like your people are being misrepresented, leave me alone and take that up with them. (Unless &hellip; unless you mean, you know, actual greater good/societal misrepresentation, then &hellip; let&rsquo;s talk, because me, too.)
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African Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Angola, Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia
As they did in 2019, Africa will get five of the final 32 World Cup spots. Though they&rsquo;re hoping for a better result, because none of them advanced past&nbsp;group play. The Groups are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Nigeria (22), Mali (72), Cape Verde (74), Uganda (78),</li>
<li>Group B: Tunisia (28), Cameroon (64), South Sudan (82), Rwanda (84)</li>
<li>Group C: Angola (31), Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire (40), Central African Rep. (75), Guinea (99)</li>
<li>Group D: Senegal (34), Egypt (59), Congo DR (81), Kenya (103)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Africa has a slightly different format. Groups A and C each played three games from Nov. 26-28, the biggest perhaps being Cape Verde&rsquo;s 79-71 upset over Nigeria, which helped move their ranking from No. 100 to No. 74 in the world. Thus, Groups A and C will return in the summer window. Nigeria and Mali are 2-1 and lead Group A, and Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire went 3-0 in November, sitting atop Group C. Groups B and D begin qualifying on Feb. 25 at Dakar Arena in Senegal, which will be three straight days of games through the 27th.
Tunisia&rsquo;s To Lose?: Tunisia went 10-2 in their World Cup qualifying for the 2019 tournament, and is expected to have similar production in group play here. Tunisia won the 2021 AfroBasket this past September, led by tournament MVP Makrem Romdhane, and All-Tournament guard Omar Abada. There&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/african-qualifiers/news/the-african-champions-are-ready-to-soar-in-dakar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also a chance star center Salah Mejri suits up for Tunisia</a>. The 7-foot-2 former Dallas Maverick <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/teams/tunisia/2019.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">led Tunisia with 16.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game</a> in their second ever World Cup appearance three years ago.
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The Biggest What If: Tunisia plays Cameroon on Feb. 25. Cameroon is one of the many wild cards worth keeping tabs on. They still haven&rsquo;t been able to piece together the dream frontcourt of Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who hasn&rsquo;t played since the NBA bubble. <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/2/7/14539418/joel-embiid-named-cameroon-preliminary-roster-fiba-afrobasket-2017-luc-mbah-a-moute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embiid came close in 2017</a>, but ultimately didn&rsquo;t play. Obviously, NBA players rarely can compete in these qualifying windows because of, well, them being in the NBA. But if Cameroon could do well enough and qualify, who knows if that&rsquo;ll be enough to lure Embiid and Siakam into international play.
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American Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Argentina (silver medalist), Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USA, and Venezuela.
The Americas will, again, send seven to the World Cup late next year. The Americas have the standard format across the board, so this window will mark two games for each club. The groups are:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Argentina (7), Venezuela (17), Panama (50), Paraguay (77)</li>
<li>Group B: Brazil (15), Uruguay (41), Colombia (67), Chile (68)</li>
<li>Group C: Canada (18), Dominican Republic (20), U.S. Virgin Islands (54), Bahamas (62)</li>
<li>Group D: U.S.A. (1), Puerto Rico (19), Mexico (24), Cuba (65)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, Canada, Dominican Republic and Mexico are all 2-0. U.S.A. and Puerto Rico are the only 1-1 teams in the Americas, and will play each other on Tuesday in Washington D.C. Notably, for Team U.S.A., Jim Boylen coached the club in the November window, in which they held off Cuba 95-90, then lost to Mexico in Chihuahua City, 97-88. Although Cuba is 0-2, their star, Jaisel Rivero, is good enough to steal them a game. Rivero put 34 (13-18 shooting) with 9 rebounds and 3 threes on Team USA in their narrow loss. Rivero currently competes with Liga ACB and EuroCup&rsquo;s Valencia Basket in Spain, where he averages 11.1 points (second on team) and 4.9 rebounds (third on team) across all competitions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
21 points for <a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isaiahthomas</a> last night, including 4 made threes, none bigger than this dagger. 👀 Team USA defeated Cuba 95-90 to start 2023 World Cup Qualifiers. They face Mexico tonight. 📹: <a href="https://t.co/nNQDfvcF82">https://t.co/nNQDfvcF82</a> (via FIBA) <a href="https://t.co/dhAUAUVHLy">pic.twitter.com/dhAUAUVHLy</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1465437069073858560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a>
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</blockquote>
Uncle Iso Joe: Among <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/game/0407/Mexico-USA#|tab=boxscore">the notables who suited up for Team USA in November</a> were Isaiah Thomas, Luke Kornet, Chasson Randle, Haywood Highsmith and Shaquille Harrison, among many other current and former NBA players. Seven-time All-Star and 40-year-old Joe Johnson, who famously was a Boston Celtic briefly earlier this season, is <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/news/nba-experience-leads-revamped-united-states-roster-for-second-window-of-2023-fiba-world-cup-americas-qualifiers">confirmed to be suiting up with Team USA</a> in this February window. Brian Bowen II is the only player returning from the November window. Other Team U.S.A. members include current G Leaguers Jordan Bell, David Stockton, Langston Galloway and Justin Wright-Foreman, among others.
La Nueva Era de Baloncesto: Both Mexico and Puerto Rico announced new head coaches shortly before the November window. Mexico&rsquo;s led by long-time NBA assistant Kaleb Caneles, while Puerto Rico hired Nelson Colon, who is a three-time champion and Coach of the Year in Baloncesto Superior Nacional, Puerto Rico&rsquo;s top pro basketball league. Former long-time NBA guard Carlos Arroyo was also appointed the <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/news/puerto-rico-appoints-carlos-arroyo-as-its-male-national-team-general-manager#:~:text=Americas-,Puerto%20Rico%20appoints%20Carlos%20Arroyo%20as%20its%20male%20National%20Team,of%20the%20men's%20national%20team.">Puerto Rican National Team&rsquo;s General Manager last June</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Both Puerto Rico and Mexico starting this cycle with new coaches, too: <a href="https://t.co/PCDaPmNumy">https://t.co/PCDaPmNumy</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1465151054278967302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Asia-Oceania Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Australia (finished fourth), China, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, South Korea and the Philippines.
The hosts &ndash; Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia &ndash; typically automatically qualify for the World Cup. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171213161459/http:/www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2017/12/13/1767946/learning-2019-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indonesia&rsquo;s qualification is more provisional</a> due to their lack of international success. Japan and the Philippines are automatically in, but they&rsquo;re all scheduled to participate in World Cup qualifiers anyway.
In the 2019 World Cup, Asia/Oceania sent eight teams over, which they&rsquo;ll do again in 2023. Here are the groups:
<ul>
<li>Group A: New Zealand (27), South Korea (30), Philippines (33), India (80)</li>
<li>Group B: Australia (3), China (29), Japan (37), Chinese Taipei (66)</li>
<li>Group C: Jordan (39), Lebanon (55), Indonesia (91), Saudi Arabia (79)</li>
<li>Group D: Iran (23),&nbsp;Kazakhstan (70), Syria (85), Bahrain (104)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Due to travel restrictions (COVID), <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/asian-qualifiers/news/update-to-the-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-asian-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several games had to be canceled</a>, so while the format was originally the same as the Americas, it came with some modifications. No one in Group A has played yet, so they&rsquo;ll each play four games to compensate, all of which will take place between Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. In Group B, only China and Japan were able to play, and China smacked them twice, 79-63, and 106-73. Australia and Chinese Taipei are each scheduled to play three times between Feb. 25 and Feb. 28. Japan will play twice in this window, once against each of them, and China will return for four games in the third window to end round one.
Medal Momentum: This will mark the first we see of Australia since finally winning their first medal at the 2020 Olympics (that were played in 2021). Australia had lost the bronze medal game in the 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2016 Olympics before finally medaling in their fifth attempt. In their history, they&rsquo;ve never had a better World Cup finish than in 2019, where they lost in &hellip; another bronze medal game. Perhaps Australia is really turning a corner now. &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🥉 HISTORY MADE 🥉 The Boomers have done it- Australia have secured their first ever men&rsquo;s basketball Olympic medal! The bronze is coming home! 💚💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/ngxiYRwHdk">pic.twitter.com/ngxiYRwHdk</a>
&mdash; Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballAus/status/1423988352987013120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a>
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</blockquote>
European Region&nbsp;
2019 WC qualifiers: Czech Republic, France (bronze medalist), Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Spain (gold medalist), Turkey.
Europe is the largest region of basketball playing powers here, so their rules are slightly different. Instead of four groups, there are eight. As a result, they&rsquo;ll get 12 World Cup bids.
Here are the groups:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Serbia (6), Latvia (26), Belgium (36), Slovakia (63)</li>
<li>Group B: Greece (10), Turkey (16), Great Britain (44), Belarus (48)</li>
<li>Group C: Slovenia (4), Croatia (21), Finland (35), Sweden (51)</li>
<li>Group D: Germany (11), Poland (13), Israel (42), Estonia (49)</li>
<li>Group E: France (5), Montenegro (25), Hungary (43), Portugal (58)</li>
<li>Group F: Lithuania (8), Czech Republic (12), Bosnia (45), Bulgaria (53)</li>
<li>Group G: Spain (2), Ukraine (32), Georgia (38), North Macedonia (52)</li>
<li>Group H: Italy (9), Russia (14), Netherlands (47), Iceland (46)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Everyone here was able to play two games in November. Your 2-0 teams are as follows: Belgium, Slovenia, Israel, France, Lithuania, Bosnia, Spain and Russia. Your 0-2 teams are Netherlands, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Portugal, Poland, Croatia and Slovakia. Czech Republic was a story from the 2019 World Cup. They shockingly punched above their weight and reached the quarterfinals. Czech Republic, led by Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky, finished sixth, one spot above Team U.S.A. But, so far, they haven&rsquo;t won a game in 2023 qualifying. Czech Republic lost to Bosnia 97-90 and Lithuania 74-66. They should have a breakthrough against Bulgaria on the 24th, but it&rsquo;ll be difficult to set themselves up for a repeat of 2019, which was their first World Cup bid.
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The State of Spain: After winning the 2019 World Cup with an incredibly stacked team, including tournament MVP Ricky Rubio, captain Rudy Fern&aacute;ndez, Marc Gasol and Willy Hernang&oacute;mez, Spain was knocked out of the Olympic quarterfinals by the United States. Their Olympic team featured many of their same heavy-hitters, including even Pau Gasol, who retired in October and is now a member of the International Olympic Committee. Like the United States, many of the players you&rsquo;d expect to see on their World Cup roster <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/team/Spain#|tab=roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely won&rsquo;t participate much until then</a>. Even so, expect them to continue reigning as one of the top teams in the world. We could talk about the age factor around this time next year, perhaps.
The Sleeping Giant: Slovenia famously jumped 12 spots after their debut Olympic performance, largely led by Luka Dončić, accompanied by standout pro teammates Mike Tobey, Zoran (Goran&rsquo;s brother) Dragić,&nbsp;and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlatko_%C4%8Can%C4%8Dar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vlatko Čančar</a>. Slovenia finished fourth, losing to Australia in the bronze medal game. They didn&rsquo;t qualify for the 2019 World Cup, but did win the 2017 EuroBasket, in which Goran won MVP and Luka, at 18 years old, was named to the All-Tournament team. (Anthony Randolph played for the Slovenian team, then. Who knew?!?) Dragić and Tobey are <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/team/Slovenia#|tab=roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed on the roster for this window</a>. Look for them to continue raising hell in qualifiers, and if Dončić suits up, in the World Cup, too.
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For even more World Cup info and complete schedules, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go here</a>.
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Bryan Fonseca gives an overview of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Things to monitor as FIBA World Cup’s next qualifying window arrives

Champaign, IL&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; In a game that went down the to wire, the Illinois Fighting Illini (14-5, 7-2 Big Ten) held on to a narrow, last-second victory over the Michigan State Spartans (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten) without star center Kofi Cockburn, 56-55. Holding onto the win, No. 24 Illinois moved into first place in the Big Ten.
Illinois&rsquo; Trent Frazier led all players with 16 points in the contest, while Marcus Bingham Jr. led the way for the 10th-ranked Spartans with 13 points.&nbsp;
In a fairly lopsided first half, Illinois took a 34-20 lead into the break. Frazier displayed his tough shot-making ability early on and posted 10 points in the first period on 4 of 7 shooting. Freshman Luke Goode had a good first half as well with 6 points. Gabe Brown and Bingham led the Spartans in scoring at half with 5 points each.
Illinois extended its lead in the second half to 15 points, and up until roughly the 5:30 mark, looked completely in control to close it out. During the final five minutes of play, the Spartans&rsquo; defense was up to the task and made the necessary stops. On the other end, Malik Hall and Joey Hauser brought Michigan State back within two points at 56-54. Hall then missed the front end of a pair of free throws, which all but sealed the deal.&nbsp;
Brown finished with 10 points and 3 rebounds. Hall scored 7 points and secured 7 rebounds. Alfonso Plummer played a key role in the win, posting 11 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds for the home team.
No. 24 Illinois held onto the win, and as a result, moved into first place in the Big Ten.
Coming into Tuesday's game, the No. 10 Spartans&nbsp; had won 10 of their last 11 games, including a statement last weekend at Wisconsin. Senior forward Gabe Brown leads Michigan State in scoring at 13.6 points per game. Freshman Spartan wing Max Christie is averaging 10.5 points per contest and is a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.&nbsp;
Cockburn, a junior big man, leads the No. 24 Fighting Illini in points and rebounds, but without him, they lack a physical force on the inside. Neither he nor point guard Andre Curbelo played in this one; however, the Illini were still able to sneak out with the victory.
UPCOMING
Illinois will visit Northwestern on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;
Michigan State will host Michigan in a rivalry matchup on Saturday.&nbsp;
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!&nbsp;

In a game that went down the to wire, the Fighting Illini held on to a last-second victory over MSU without star center Kofi Cockburn.

No. 24 Illinois edges No. 10 Michigan State 56-55 to go atop Big Ten

Following the Los Angeles Lakers' 111-104 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1484058675173998593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provided an update</a> on head coach Frank Vogel's status.
The Lakers "will not be making a personnel move at this juncture and Frank Vogel will travel with the team tomorrow to coach in Orlando on Friday," <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1484058675173998593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sources told Haynes</a>.
Earlier this week, Sam Amick and Bill Oram of The Athletic <a href="https://theathletic.com/3076449/2022/01/18/sources-lakers-coach-frank-vogels-job-in-serious-jeopardy-despite-jazz-win/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Vogel is on the hot seat and "being evaluated on a game-to-game basis." According to the report, he "narrowly avoided being fired" after the Lakers' 37-point loss to the Denver Nuggets and he "was coaching for his job" when the team faced the Utah Jazz on Monday. Los Angeles ultimately beat the Jazz, 101-95.
The Lakers have put Vogel in a really difficult spot &mdash; undermining him, adding extra pressure and creating a potential distraction. This is no way to treat a head coach who just helped you win a championship in October of 2020. While the Lakers extended Vogel's contract over the offseason, they <a href="https://theathletic.com/3076449/2022/01/18/sources-lakers-coach-frank-vogels-job-in-serious-jeopardy-despite-jazz-win/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> only added one year to his deal just so he wouldn't be a lame-duck coach this season.
Not only do these leaks make Vogel's job harder, they could also complicate the Lakers' next coaching search (whenever that may be). Coaches talk and stick together, and members of the NBA's Coaching Association probably aren't thrilled about how the Lakers are going about this. When it comes time to find Vogel's replacement, certain candidates may be concerned about how he was treated.
Vogel has a 116-72 record since taking over as the Lakers' head coach, and he's 420-363 throughout his coaching career. This season, Los Angeles has underwhelmed, sitting at 22-23 (which puts them in the Western Conference's eighth seed). The Lakers have the NBA's 15th-best defense (allowing 107.4 points per 100 possessions) and 22nd-best offense (scoring 106.6 points per 100 possessions).
However, there's plenty of blame to go around in Los Angeles. Some of their veteran players have struggled &mdash; most notably Russell Westbrook. And the front office made <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-hard-to-look-at-the-lakers-struggles-and-not-wonder-what-if" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a number of questionable decisions</a> last offseason, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-lakers-botched-alex-carusos-free-agency-and-lost-a-key-piece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moving on from key pieces</a> and trading for Westbrook's massive contract (rather than <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/demar-derozan-says-he-nearly-joined-lakers-thought-it-was-done-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquiring DeMar DeRozan</a> in a sign-and-trade, dealing for Buddy Hield or standing pat).
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On Wednesday, Westbrook was benched in the final minutes of the Lakers' loss to Indiana. According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33106148/los-angeles-lakers-star-russell-westbrook-benched-late-loss-coach-frank-vogel-had-green-light-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dave McMenamin of ESPN</a>, this idea had been discussed over the last week-and-a-half, and the front office gave Vogel the green-light to sit the nine-time All-Star. "You got to do what you got to do," management told Vogel. After Westbrook struggled on both ends, Vogel decided to sub in Malik Monk (who has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/malik-monks-offensive-versatility-is-helping-fuel-the-lakers-resurgence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">been a bright spot for Los Angeles</a>).&nbsp;
It's not surprising when an NBA head coach is thrown under the bus and used as a scapegoat. When a team fails to live up to expectations, the coach is almost always the first to be replaced. But this instance feels particularly egregious, especially considering Vogel&nbsp;helped the Lakers win their 17th championship not too long ago.
Former Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough recently called out the Lakers' decision-makers for how they've handled this situation.
"If the Lakers want to fire Frank Vogel, they should fire Frank Vogel," McDonough <a href="https://twitter.com/McDNBA/status/1483624486825914371" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. "NBA head coaches are paid well, with the trade-off being that &lsquo;longevity&rsquo; usually isn&rsquo;t part of the deal. But what the Lakers absolutely should not do is put out there that Vogel is coaching &lsquo;game-to-game' or [leak] that there are &lsquo;no current plans&rsquo; to replace him. That&rsquo;s not fair to Frank, who won a trophy with the Lakers just 15 months ago and is one of the most respected guys in the NBA. Letting him twist in the wind undermines his authority while also damaging the franchise&rsquo;s reputation."

Frank Vogel is reportedly on the hot seat and coaching game-to-game, just 15 months after helping the Lakers win a championship.

The Lakers have put Frank Vogel in a very difficult position

It's hard to maintain your place in the Sour Rankings.
Most teams come and go throughout the season, making spot appearances as they experience a slump or stumble into your run-of-the-mill NBA drama. The New York Knicks are making their first appearance in the Sour Rankings this week, but time will tell if the current underachievement is a blip or a theme.
The true stalwarts, however, are trapped in severe on-court disappointment and off-court turmoil. Our top (or bottom, depending on your point of view) squad holds down the fort for a third consecutive week. That's not an easy feat, and it's not exactly the recognition the franchise wants 14 games into the season.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher. Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst power rankings. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well-under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will all be considered.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Some teams value wins this season and paths to a title, while others are looking down the road at long-term pieces. Let's get going:
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;Four teams broke free this week. The Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns are riding serious hot streaks, and have gone a combined 13-2 over the last two weeks. The Pistons may be losing, but Cade Cunningham's 20-point outing against the Rockets and 2021 No. 2 pick Jalen Green should inspire some confidence.
The Hornets also jumped back out after a thrilling 106-102 win against the Golden State Warriors. That alone is a feather in the cap for such a young team.
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10. Milwaukee Bucks (6-8)
Honestly, I don't know how to feel about placing Milwaukee in here. Bucks fans shouldn't be panicking; the team is still working its way through injuries to Brook Lopez and George Hill, as well as Khris Middleton's COVID-related absence and Donte DiVincenzo's long-term injury. But Milwaukee is under .500 and has struggled to generate positive momentum in the early season. The Bucks wield an 18th-ranked offense and 22nd-ranked defense. It's just been a slog to start.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Boston Celtics (6-7)
The Celtics have rather quietly locked down with the league's third-best defensive rating (102.3, per Cleaning the Glass) over the past two weeks. That comes without Jaylen Brown for most of the stretch, and also some missed time between Al Horford and Josh Richardson. The streaky shooting and general offensive inconsistencies are still confounding. But Ime Udoka has overhauled the defense in his first year as head coach, and things seem to be clicking into place relatively early.&nbsp;
(Last week: 3)
8. Houston Rockets (1-12)
Houston remains in about the same place as the past two weeks: a very bad basketball team with some, but not enough (yet) flashes of promise. The Rockets have lost 11 in a row, and it's tough to think about how the agreement to sit John Wall is costing the young players some on-court stability from a veteran.
Alperen Sengun has been a bright spot off the bench. He's 6-of-14 from three-point range to start the year, and recently had a 10-point, 10-rebound, 4-assist performance in Sunday's loss to Phoenix.
(Last week: 9)
7. New York Knicks (7-6)
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/knicks-to-begin-an-important-three-game-home-stand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tommy Beer has aptly summed up</a> the complete derailment of New York's defense and starting lineup. In general, the team's shooters have hit a massive dry spell. The Knicks are hitting 26.8% of their corner threes. RJ Barrett is 7-for-32 from long range in his last six games. Evan Fournier is 8-for-35 since the start of the month. There's reason to believe in positive regression, but that only takes the Knicks so far with a below-average defense.
(Last week: Unranked)
6. Los Angeles Lakers (8-6)
Anthony Davis <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/anthony-davis-rips-76-lakers-a-championship-team-not-us-right-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kept things pretty real</a> after a 107-83 loss to the Timberwolves last Friday:
&ldquo;We gotta decide who we want to be. A championship team? That's not us right now,&rdquo; Davis said.
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AD ... to AD! 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/eSKsNJDv1x">pic.twitter.com/eSKsNJDv1x</a>
&mdash; Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1459987246044512259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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L.A. did go 3-1 last week, narrowly beating the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Davis himself put up 34 points and 15 rebounds in the most recent victory over San Antonio. We'll see if his words and actions generate some meaningful change over the next week; the Lakers still have a bottom-five offense over the past two weeks.
(Last week: 6)
5. Sacramento Kings (5-8)
We have our first report of a coaching job in jeopardy! <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-losing-streak-could-have-luke-walton-on-hot-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic reports</a> that Luke Walton could be on the hot seat if the Kings keep adding to their four-game losing streak. In fairness, the current skid includes defeats of five points or less to the Pacers, Suns and Thunder. Sacramento has two very winnable games against the Pistons and Timberwolves coming up. At least for Walton's future, those matchups are becoming inflection points in the season.
(Last week: Unranked)
4. Memphis Grizzlies (6-7)
This might be the greatest free-fall of any NBA team right now. Last week, Memphis lost to the Hornets and Pelicans by 10 and the Suns by 25. Over the last two weeks, the Grizzlies are one of three NBA teams in the bottom-10 of both offensive and defensive ratings (you'll see the other two shortly). Opponents are shooting a league-high 41.3% from deep against the Grizzlies and 51.2% from the corners (?!?!) on the season.
Memphis is also second in transition frequency, but 24th in points per transition play. The team gives up the most points per play in the halfcourt among all its peers. The more I research, the worse it gets...
(Last week: Unranked)
3. Atlanta Hawks (5-9)
We arrive at the worst defensive team in the NBA over the last two weeks, and it just lost one of its better defenders in De'Andre Hunter for two months due to wrist surgery. The Hawks are giving up 118.2 points per 100 possessions since November began, which is far and away the worst mark in the NBA. They also force the fewest turnovers per game.
A 42-point barrage from Trae Young helped Atlanta finally end its six-game losing streak on Sunday against the Bucks.
(Last week: 5)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-8)
Remember that eye-popping Timberwolves defense? Me neither; Minnesota is 27th in defensive rating over the last two weeks. The Wolves randomly crushed the Lakers, but are 1-7 in their past eight games.
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From Wolves/Clippers Saturday night: KAT walks back on defense before Edwards takes a pull-up three 😳<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBATwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBATwitter</a> <a href="https://t.co/2Miy3dGO3P">pic.twitter.com/2Miy3dGO3P</a>
&mdash; 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣&rsquo; 𝙉𝘽𝘼 🗣️ (@_Talkin_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1460266347217174530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Amazingly, they not only get to the line at the third-worst rate in the league, but also give up the most free throws per 100 shots in the entire league. Malik Beasley has a horrendous 43.2% True Shooting percentage. Things are bad. But at least Minnesota got the front office drama out of the way before the season, unlike our No. 1 team.
(Last week: 4)
1. New Orleans Pelicans (2-12)
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report wrote last week that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pelicans-exec-david-griffin-on-hot-seat-after-slow-start-altercation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Griffin is on the hot seat in New Orleans</a>, and that the Pelicans president of basketball operations got into an altercation with former head coach Alvin Gentry. Zion Williamson is still without a timetable on his injury recovery pathway. The Pelicans are one of the worst teams in the NBA, and are demonstrating little in the way of prospect promise.
And that, folks, is how you lock up the No. 1 spot in the Sour Rankings for a third straight week!
(Last week: 1)

Ethan Fuller re-racks the Sour Rankings, with teams like the Knicks and Grizzlies floundering.

NBA Sour Rankings: Knicks, Grizzlies, Pelicans spiraling

Entering play on the final day of the NBA&rsquo;s 2020-21 season, remarkably, none of the eight playoff matchups were set and only one team &mdash; the Philadelphia 76ers &mdash; definitively knew their seed.
All 30 teams played and just one of the 15 contests scheduled for the final day of the season wouldn't have a direct impact on the playoffs. If the league&rsquo;s intention with the play-in tournament was to preserve interest in the regular season, it&rsquo;s probably safe to say that was accomplished.
That doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean that the play-in tournament will be here to stay, though. During the 2019-20 season, not all teams played the same amount of games. In the 2020-21 season, playing 10 fewer games meant that teams had less of an opportunity to separate themselves from the pack. The play-in tournaments were implemented to give lower-seeded teams an opportunity to make up ground and sneak into the postseason.
When the league announced the play-in format for the 2020-21 season, the release specifically stated that it was <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-announces-structure-and-format-for-2020-21-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only approved for this season</a>. At a minimum, the league appears to have reserved the right to do away with it completely or make some tweaks.
While one or two changes might be a good idea, there are some obvious pros, and the league would be wise to consider them when deciding whether to make the play-in tourney a one-and-done or a permanent feature.
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More teams tried until the very end
In recent years, tanking became a serious problem in the NBA. The league took the heavy-handed approach of tinkering with the lottery odds as a result. That change was brought forth by the commissioner&rsquo;s office and its want to disincentivize losing.
The play-in tournament, while a different means, accomplishes the same goal. Both the New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls finished 11th in their conferences, narrowly missing out on the 10th seed by just two games. At 19-33 on April 10, the Washington Wizards&rsquo; prospects of qualifying for the postseason seemed bleak, but they managed to go 15-5 over their final 20 games and finished the season as the East's eighth-seeded team.
In years past, a team that was 14 games under .500 may have mailed it in, but knowing that they &ldquo;only&rdquo; needed to attain the 10th seed to have an opportunity for the postseason may have given Washington the wherewithal to keep trying... Other teams did, too.
Teams tried until the very end. That made every contest feel meaningful and, overall, made for a positive viewing experience for the fans. That should always be the league&rsquo;s top priority.
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The end of the season was quite suspenseful
Could the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers avoid the dubious fate of having to &ldquo;earn&rdquo; their spot in the postseason? Would the New York Knicks crush all expectations and earn a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference? Was Russell Westbrook going to get a crack at Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in the first round?
There were tons of questions heading into the final day of the regular season, and if preserving suspense was one of the league&rsquo;s goals in conceiving the play-in tournament, it&rsquo;s safe to say the mission was accomplished.
During the final week of the season, media and fans alike were able to consider various potential playoff matchups -- many of which never came to fruition, and some of which weren&rsquo;t solidified until all games had been played. The end result was a March Madness-type feeling by which interested parties had to scoreboard watch during that final week.
&ldquo;Who won today? What seed are they now? Who will they play in the first round?&rdquo;
May Madness, it was.
&ldquo;April Madness&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t have the same ring to it, but let&rsquo;s hope it becomes the norm.
A mulligan for the snakebitten
Imagine your boss told you that you had to work two extra hours each week for the same pay. You wouldn&rsquo;t be happy about that, would you? Neither would I. That&rsquo;s basically what the teams that are participating in the play-in tournament are being told. Four teams will each play one extra game, while four teams will play two.&nbsp;It would make sense if many aren't thrilled.
But what if there was a team that lost its star player due to injury and found itself out of the playoff race? What if that team went on a late run and ended up ninth or 10th? Wanting to put the best teams forward in the playoffs, shouldn&rsquo;t the league want to give a team in that situation the opportunity to earn its way into the postseason?
For what it&rsquo;s worth, by virtue of the structure of the tournament, the ninth- or 10th-seeded team can only jump to eighth, and in order to do that, they would have to win two games in a row against two of the teams directly ahead of them in the standings. That&rsquo;s no easy task.
If a No. 10 seed were able to pull that off, that team could probably make the case that it is in fact the better team over the two it defeated. And if it managed to score the two wins, that team will have earned its way into the postseason.
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More meaningful games
In recent years, more and more teams have seemed to believe that the regular season doesn&rsquo;t count. Players being routinely &ldquo;load managed&rdquo; speaks to that fact.
If nothing else, the play-in tournament ensures that there will be six more high-intensity, super-competitive games per season &mdash; a plus for the viewing public, as well as for a team that wants to be sharp heading into the postseason.
And if the number of games played during the season becomes a concern for the teams participating in the play-in, the league could always consider playing one or two fewer preseason games. Or not. But if the choice came down to it, most viewers would advocate for that without hesitation.
---
Nothing is perfect, not even the decision to have a play-in tournament. But based on what we saw in the final weeks of the 2020-21 regular season, there are some obvious pros to making what was approved as a single-season experiment into a permanent fixture.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-case-against-the-current-iteration-of-the-nbas-playin-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out Alex Kennedy's article where he makes the case against the current iteration of the NBA Play-In Tournament and argues that significant changes must be made if it's here to stay.</a>

Should the NBA's Playoff Play-In Tournament be implemented on a permanent basis? There are some arguments as to why it should.

Here to stay? The undeniable pros of the NBA’s Play-In Tournament

Ethan Fuller gauges which NBA teams should be zeroing in on Cade Cunningham.

NBA Sour Rankings: Cade-O-Meter 2.0

Ethan Fuller evaluates the NBA landscape at the quarter mark of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Back to the rumor mill

Ethan Fuller breaks down the NBA hierarchy and analyzes some way-to-early Cade Cunningham fits.