River Hawks

The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their dominant start to the 2024-25 NBA season with a commanding 136-117 victory over the Golden State Warriors Friday night at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.&nbsp;
Cleveland took control early, capitalizing on a 20-5 run in the first quarter. The Warriors struggled to keep pace with the high-energy Cavs, who showcased their depth and unselfish ball movement throughout the game.&nbsp;
The Cavaliers&rsquo; defense was a key factor in the victory. The Cavaliers held the Warriors to just 22 points in the first quarter and stifled Golden State&rsquo;s offensive flow for much of the game. They also did a great job limiting turnovers, giving the Warriors little chance to capitalize on fast breaks or second-chance opportunities. As the game wore on, the Cavaliers&rsquo; depth, energy, and size wore down the Warriors, who had no answer for Cleveland&rsquo;s balanced attack.
Darius Garland, one of Cleveland's standout performers, finished with 27 points and six assists, hitting six of his eleven 3-point attempts. His shooting helped stretch the Warriors' defense and created opportunities for his teammates. Evan Mobley also had a strong performance with 23 points, four rebounds, and excellent free-throw shooting (9-10), anchoring the defense and contributing in key moments.
While Golden State showed resilience with a strong second-half push, they were ultimately unable to recover from the large early deficit. Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists while Brandin Podziemski added 14 points along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. However, the lack of scoring support from superstar Stephen Curry, who was blitzed all game long to score just 12, hurt their chances to keep the game close.
With the win, the Cavaliers are sending a clear message to the rest of the league&mdash;they are serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland leads the league with the best record to remain perfect and the only undefeated team left. They have shown their ability to dominate both offensively and defensively. Their strong team play, led by Garland, Mobley, and star Donovan Mitchell, make them a formidable force in the East moving forward.
The Warriors, on the other hand, had their five-game win streak snapped and will need to regroup quickly going into their next game vs the West-leading Thunder. Despite their veteran leadership, they were no match for Cleveland&rsquo;s all-around performance.
The win extended the Cavs' undefeated streak to 10-0, <a href="https://x.com/basketbllnews/status/1855126069193683320">as they became the first team in NBA history to start a season with 10 straight wins and scoring at least 110 points in every game.</a>
Next up:
Cleveland - Saturday vs Brooklyn
Golden State - Monday at Oklahoma City

The Cavaliers extend their undefeated start to 10-0 with a dominant 136-117 win over the Warriors, showcasing their depth and defense.

Cavaliers drub Warriors to remain perfect at 10-0

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

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

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

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 top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season&mdash;no fluff, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Knicks 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Boston Celtics 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Milwaukee Bucks 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Philadelphia 76ers 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cleveland Cavaliers 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Pacers 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Orlando Magic 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Miami Heat 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Hawks 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Charlotte Hornets 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Detroit Pistons 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Toronto Raptors 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Bulls 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brooklyn Nets 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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Wizards 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.</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

In the NBA, every season tells a new story. While some players soar, others face setbacks&mdash;whether it's injuries, poor performance, or unfortunate circumstances that leave them struggling to make an impact. But basketball is also a game of redemption, and with every new season comes a chance for a comeback. This year, several NBA players who faced adversity last season or from the past few years are determined to remind the league of their talent and value. As the stage is set for the 2024 season, these players are primed for a revenge season as they are eager to bounce back and prove they still belong among the NBA's elite. Let&rsquo;s break down who these players are and why they&rsquo;re poised for a resurgence.
Lonzo Ball, Guard, Chicago Bulls
Out for the entirety of two and a half seasons or about three years worth of basketball with a knee injury, Ball&rsquo;s absence was sorely felt by the Bulls. The two-way playmaker had been evolving into an elite perimeter defender and three-point shooter before the setback. If healthy, he has the skills to transform the Bulls' fortunes as they try to contend again. They recently acquired young guard Josh Giddey and now the Bulls will have Ball&rsquo;s services back again. His ability to initiate the fast break and command the offense could be vital for a Bulls team hungry for playoff success.
Ben Simmons, Guard/Forward, Brooklyn Nets
Ben Simmons&rsquo; struggles have been highly publicized. Once regarded as an All-Star, his decline, marred by back injuries and confidence issues, has been drastic. But with a new season comes a chance for redemption. In Brooklyn, without the weight of high expectations and with a roster that&rsquo;s more role-player-centric, Simmons could thrive by doing what he does best: defense, playmaking, and transition offense. A rejuvenated Simmons can be a critical asset to the Nets&rsquo; success. It remains to be seen if Simmons can come back from the level he used to play at Philadelphia &ndash; using his uncanny combination of size and speed to terrorize opponents in transition &ndash; but being healthy is the first step of Simmons to show the world again what he is capable of.
Jordan Poole, Guard, Washington Wizards
After a breakout season in Golden State that culminated in a championship, Poole's form dipped over the last two years due to locker room tensions and inconsistency. Now with entering his second full season with the Wizards, Poole will have more freedom to dominate the ball and score now that Tyus Jones signed with the Suns. Poole will now be the Wizards&rsquo; lead guard and main playmaker and he&rsquo;s in a prime position to elevate his game as Washington&rsquo;s primary scoring option. This could lead to career-best numbers and renewed confidence for Poole as he aims to remind everyone of his career resurgence.
Gabe Vincent, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
After coming off basically an off year last year with the Lakers following a lingering injury on his leg/knee, Gabe Vincent&rsquo;s journey is one of perseverance. Now in his second season with Los Angeles after signing that free agent contract last year, Vincent has an opportunity to shine on a larger stage and be a role player that could help LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Vincent is known for his shooting and tough defense and he can provide valuable backcourt depth alongside established stars. If he continues to grow and adapt to his new role, he could be a pivotal piece for the Lakers in their title aspirations.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Which player do you think will bounce back and have a revenge season? 🤔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/HHA92LNyJ0">pic.twitter.com/HHA92LNyJ0</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1845849068238745680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>

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These players are primed for a revenge season as they are eager to bounce back and prove they still belong among the NBA's elite.

NBA Players Poised for a Comeback: Who Will Shine in 2024?

The Minnesota Lynx have stolen Game 1 vs the New York Liberty after a cardiac comeback win in overtime, 95-93, to draw first blood in the 2024 WNBA Finals.
After a dominant first half from New York, Minnesota stormed back behind a huge scoring surge in the 4th quarter to take the lead in the dying seconds of the game.
The Liberty led by 15 with 5 minutes left in the game before the Lynx unleashed their furious run. It was led by Courtney Williams, who sank back-to-back threes with under 2 minutes to go. One of them was a four-point play as Williams got fouled by Sabrina Ionescu to give Minnesota the go-ahead lead late.
Breanna Stewart had a chance to win it for the Liberty in regulation but she missed the free throw that could&rsquo;ve given New York the lead and the win, sending the game into OT.
In overtime, 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier showed her wares that she&rsquo;s not just a defensive player when she gave the Lynx the final lead for the final tally on a tough fadeaway jumper.
Stewart had a chance again to send the game to a 2nd overtime but she missed a point-blank layup at the buzzer.
Collier finished with 21 points on 10-16 shooting with 8 rebounds and 4 assists to lead Minnesota&rsquo;s comeback. Williams chipped in 23 points as the team&rsquo;s leading scorer while Kayla McBride added 22 markers.
Stewart and Ionescu, New York&rsquo;s two superstars, scored 18 and 19 points respectively but struggled from the field overall (6-21 and 8-26) as the Liberty lost home court advantage following Game 1&rsquo;s loss. Jonquel Jones spearheaded the Liberty with 24 points and 10 rebounds but it was not enough to stop the Lynx&rsquo;s comeback.
Game 2 will still be at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Monday, October 14 at 3:00 p.m.

Minnesota have stolen Game 1 vs New York after a cardiac comeback win in overtime, 95-93, in the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Lynx strike first in 2024 WNBA Finals after after thrilling comeback win

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

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

Which Olympic Basketball Stars Could Join the NBA?

The USA Men&rsquo;s National Basketball will face arguably their biggest threat in the Olympics in Team Canada on July 10 in Las Vegas. This Canadian team features a multitude of NBA talents, just like Team USA. Led by 2024 NBA MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 2023 NBA Champion Jamal Murray, Team Canada is poised to give Team USA all the headaches and possible roadblocks in its pursuit of gold.&nbsp;
With all things considered, here&rsquo;s what Team USA could do to stamp their dominance against their neighboring rivals up North and send a message to the rest of the world eager to challenge their throne.
Dump the ball to Joel Embiid and let him go to work
Perhaps the most dominant basketball player in the world right now, there&rsquo;s probably nobody who could guard Joel Embiid one-on-one today on God&rsquo;s green earth. A 7-foot-2 big man blessed with skill, size, finesse, and power, Embiid&rsquo;s complete game will be a main problem for Team Canada. Among the frontliners they could throw at Embiid are Dwight Powell, Kelly Olynyk, and Trey Lyles but none of them - on paper and quick eye test - are quick or strong enough to deter Embiid and his dominance. Embiid dominated some of the league&rsquo;s best defensive players, putting up 50 points on 4-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and scoring 70 points in phenom Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s head last season.
Team USA should quickly take advantage of this opportunity and run the offense through Embiid and make Team Canada send double teams at him. That&rsquo;s when advantages and opportunities will open up to the rest of the guys like LeBron cutting to the rim or Durant and Curry spotting up for wide-open threes. It could be a pick-your-poison type of game where Team Canada could let Embiid play one-on-one and destroy them inside the paint or double him and risk putting two on the ball creating opportunities for the rest of Team USA.
Get into lots of screening actions to create advantages and confuse the defense
Team Canada&rsquo;s biggest strength will be their on-ball perimeter defense. Among Dillon Brooks, Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, they will have long wings that could disrupt passing lanes and wreak havoc on the perimeter, creating easy baskets in transition. Canada&rsquo;s a relatively young team with most players in their athletic prime so they would definitely take advantage of their biggest strength and make it their main style of play.
To counter this, Team USA could involve their players in more screening actions to create advantages on offense and confuse Canada&rsquo;s defense. They should also incorporate slips and slides in those screens and in the pick and rolls for cutters and shooters to get open shots. By doing this, Team USA will negate Canada&rsquo;s biggest strength and create easy and quality looks against their vaunted perimeter defense.
Play defense
It&rsquo;s no secret that Team USA&rsquo;s core players are aging and nearing the end of their athletic peaks. Although being the superstar basketball players that they are and still being at the top of their offensive games, Team USA&rsquo;s defense will be suspect here and would probably be the main attacking point of their opponents. Jrue Holiday, Anthony Edwards, and Derrick White will have their work cut out for them in the perimeter right from the get-go as Team USA could be punished by a guard-heavy offensive team like Team Canada.&nbsp;
Team USA might outscore everyone, but you can make them work on the other side of the floor, and this could be Canada&rsquo;s main mindset coming into the game. Despite the top-end talent and superstar-level shot-making on offense, Team USA should put more effort on the defensive end of the floor if they want to win this game.

The USA Men’s National Basketball will face arguably their biggest threat in the Olympics in Team Canada on July 10 in Las Vegas.

USA vs CAN preview: 3 things Team USA could do to win exhibition game against Canada

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is done and dusted, and the second round will start today at 4 PM Eastern at ESPN&rsquo;s Seaport District Studios in New York. This will be the first time in NBA history that the draft will be separated into two days, with the first round being at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
Here are all the first-round selections courtesy of the NBA: (article to be updated with the second-round picks)
<ol>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/zaccharie-risacher">Zaccharie Risacher</a> (JL Bourg-en-Bresse) to the Atlanta Hawks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/alexandre-sarr">Alex Sarr</a> (Perth) to the Washington Wizards</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/reed-sheppard">Reed Sheppard</a> (Kentucky) to the Houston Rockets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/stephon-castle">Stephon Castle</a> (Connecticut) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/ron-holland">Ron Holland II</a> (G League Ignite) to the Detroit Pistons</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tidjane-salaun">Tidjane Salaun</a> (Cholet Basket) to the Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/donovan-clingan">Donovan Clingan</a> (Connecticut) to the Portland Trail Blazers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/rob-dillingham">Rob Dillingham</a> (Kentucky) to the San Antonio Spurs &mdash; traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/zach-edey">Zach Edey</a> (Purdue) to the Memphis Grizzlies</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/cody-williams">Cody Williams</a> (Colorado) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/matas-buzelis">Matas Buzelis</a> (G League Ignite) to the Chicago Bulls</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/nikola-topic">Nikola Topic</a> (KK Crvena Zvezda) to the Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/devin-carter">Devin Carter</a> (Providence) to the Sacramento Kings</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/carlton-carrington">Bub Carrington</a> (Pittsburgh) to the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; traded to Washington Wizards</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kelel-ware">Kel&rsquo;el Ware</a> (Indiana) to the Miami Heat</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jared-mccain">Jared McCain</a> (Duke) to the Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/dalton-knecht">Dalton Knecht</a> (Tennessee) to the Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tristan-da-silva">Tristan da Silva</a> (Colorado) to the Orlando Magic</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jakobe-walter">Ja&rsquo;Kobe Walter</a> (Baylor) to the Toronto Raptors&nbsp;</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jaylon-tyson">Jaylon Tyson</a> (Cal) to the Cleveland Cavaliers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/yves-missi">Yves Missi</a> (Baylor) to the New Orleans Pelicans</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/daron-holmes-ii">DaRon Holmes II</a> (Dayton) to the Phoenix Suns &mdash; traded to the Denver Nuggets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/aj-johnson">AJ Johnson</a> (Illawarra) to the Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kyshawn-george">Kyshawn George</a> (Miami) to the New York Knicks &mdash; traded to Washington Wizards</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/pacome-dadiet">Pacome Dadiet</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the New York Knicks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/dillon-jones">Dillon Jones</a> (Weber State) to the Washington Wizards &mdash; traded to Oklahoma City Thunder (via Knicks)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/terrence-shannon-jr">Terrence Shannon Jr.</a> (Illinois) to the Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/ryan-dunn">Ryan Dunn</a> (Virginia) to the Denver Nuggets &mdash; traded to the Phoenix Suns</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/isaiah-collier">Isaiah Collier</a> (USC) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/baylor-scheierman-2">Baylor Scheierman</a> (Creighton) to the Boston Celtics</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;
<ol start="31">
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jonathan-mogbo">Jonathan Mogbo</a> (San Francisco) to the Toronto Raptors</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kyle-filipowski">Kyle Filipowski</a> (Duke) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tyler-smith">Tyler Smith</a> (G League Ignite) to the Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tyler-kolek">Tyler Kolek</a> (Marquette) to the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; traded to the New York Knicks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/johnny-furphy">Johnny Furphy</a> (Kansas) to the San Antonio Spurs &mdash; traded to the Indiana Pacers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/juan-nunez">Juan Nunez</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the Indiana Pacers &mdash; traded to San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/bobi-klintman">Bobi Klintman</a> (Cairns) to the Minnesota Timberwolves &mdash; traded to the Detroit Pistons</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/ajay-mitchell">Ajay Mitchell</a> (UC Santa Barbara) to the New York Knicks &mdash; traded to Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jaylen-wells">Jaylen Wells</a> (Washington State) to the Memphis Grizzlies</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/oso-ighodaro">Oso Ighodaro</a> (Marquette) to the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; traded to the Phoenix Suns (via Knicks)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/adem-bona">Adem Bona</a> (UCLA) to the Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kj-simpson">KJ Simpson</a> (Colorado) to the Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/nikola-djurisic">Nikola Djurisic</a> (KK Mega Basket) to the Miami Heat &mdash; traded to the Atlanta Hawks (via Heat)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/pelle-larsson">Pelle Larsson</a> (Arizona) to the Houston Rockets &mdash; traded to the Miami Heat (via Rockets)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jamal-shead">Jamal Shead</a> (Houston) to the Sacramento Kings &mdash; traded to the Toronto Raptors</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/cam-christie">Cam Christie</a> (Minnesota) to the Los Angeles Clippers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/antonio-reeves">Antonio Reeves</a> (Kentucky) to the Orlando Magic &mdash; traded to the New Orleans Pelicans</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/harrison-ingram">Harrison Ingram</a> (North Carolina) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tristen-newton">Tristen Newton</a> (Connecticut) to the Indiana Pacers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/enrique-freeman">Enrique Freeman</a> (Akron) to the Indiana Pacers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/melvin-ajinca">Melvin Ajinca</a> (Saint-Quentin Basketball) to the New York Knicks &mdash; traded to the Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/quinten-post">Quinten Post</a> (Boston College) to the Golden State Warriors &mdash; traded to Thunder, then to Blazers, then to Warriors</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/cam-spencer">Cam Spencer</a> (Connecticut) to the Detroit Pistons &mdash; traded to the Memphis Grizzlies (via Timberwolves)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/anton-watson">Anton Watson</a> (Gonzaga) to the Boston Celtics</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/bronny-james">Bronny James</a> (USC) to the Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kevin-mccullar-jr">Kevin McCullar Jr.</a> (Kansas) to the Phoenix Suns &mdash; traded to the New York Knicks</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is done and dusted, and the second round will start today at 4 PM Eastern at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.

2024 NBA Draft: Full results

The Villanova reunion is now complete.
According to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New York Knicks are acquiring Nets forward Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets after the two New York basketball cities have agreed in principle on Tuesday night.
This move brings Bridges, a long-time Knicks target, to a team filled with former college teammates and close friends Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. The quartet won an NCAA National Championship with Villanova in 2018.
In exchange for Bridges, the Knicks are sending out Bojan Bogdanovic (who they got in last season&rsquo;s trade deadline), four unprotected picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), a 2025 protected Milwaukee first, a 2028 unprotected pick swap, and a 2025 second-round pick. New York will also receive a 2026 second-round pick from Brooklyn in this deal.
This is the first major move by the Knicks in the offseason as they await to resign free agents OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein. Anunoby and Hartenstein have been instrumental in New York&rsquo;s success in the playoffs and are set to receive their big paydays. However, with New York acquiring Bridges, resigning both guys appears to be a much trickier situation now.

The Knicks are acquiring Nets forward Mikal Bridges from the Nets after the two New York cities agreed in principle on Tuesday night.

Knicks acquire Mikal Bridges from Nets in blockbuster trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to sign Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson and make him the franchise&rsquo;s head coach, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Atkinson has been an assistant for the Warriors for over three years, winning a title with the team in 2022. He notably agreed to coach the Charlotte Hornets in 2023 but ultimately chose to remain with Golden State. Now, Atkinson will take over a Cavaliers team fresh from an Eastern Conference semifinals appearance and again take on the head coaching challenge.&nbsp;
Atkinson was the head coach of the resurgent Brooklyn Nets team that made the playoffs in 2019, coaching D&rsquo;Angelo Russell into an all-star season with young studs Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. In Cleveland, he will be reunited again with Allen while bringing his touted player development prowess with the franchise to unlock the potential of young star big man Evan Mobley.
Atkinson was one of the final two head coaches that the Cavaliers screened. The other one was James Borrego of the New Orleans Hornets. The Cavaliers valued Atkinson&rsquo;s player development program and envisioned Mobley going through it, helping with the final hiring decision.
With the head coaching vacancy done and sealed, Cleveland will now turn their attention to closing a deal for star guard Donovan Mitchell, as the two sides negotiate a full max extension deal to keep the all-star in the city.

The Cavaliers are set to sign Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson and make him the franchise’s head coach.

Cavaliers to sign Kenny Atkinson to be head coach

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

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

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

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. has been named the 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, the league announced Wednesday night.
Conley, 36, tightly won the race. The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award featured 10 players nominated across the league. This includes the Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; Mikal Bridges; New York Knicks&rsquo; Jalen Brunson; Indiana Pacers&rsquo; TJ McConnell; Cleveland Cavaliers&rsquo; Georges Niang; Boston Celtics&rsquo; Al Horford; New Orleans Pelicans; Larry Nance Jr.; Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s Jalen Williams; Denver Nuggets&rsquo; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope; Dallas Mavericks&rsquo; Dwight Powell; Sacramento Kings&rsquo; Harrison Barnes; and Orlando Magic&rsquo;s Markelle Fultz. Conley Jr. finished with a total of 1172 points with 51 1st place votes (equivalent to 10 points), 45 2nd place votes (seven points), 49 3rd place votes (five points), 23 4th place points (equivalent to three points), and 33 5th place votes (equivalent to one point).&nbsp;
Conley Jr. has now won the award for the second time, having previously earned the honor in the 2018-19 season.
The 36-year-old point guard was recognized as the player who was deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to the team.
Behind Conley&rsquo;s good play, the Timberwolves finished 3rd in the Western Conference with a 56-26 record this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. has been named the 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year.

Mike Conley Jr. secures 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has been named the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Coach of the Year, the league announced Sunday night.
Daigneault, 39, dominated the coach of the year race, including finalists Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic and Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Daigneault finished with a total of 473 points with 89 1st place votes (equivalent to five points), 9 2nd place votes (three points), and 1 3rd place votes (one point). Mosley came in distant second with 158 points while Finch came in at third with 105 total points.
Daigneault and the Thunder exceeded expectations this season after taking the team to the West&rsquo;s no.1 seed despite being the second youngest team in the league. Nobody expected the Thunder to be this good early already, and with that Daigneault rightfully deserves to win the award.
The 39-year-old coach becomes the second Thunder coach to win the award, joining Scott Brooks who won in 2009-2010. Under Daigneault, the Thunder went 57-25 in the regular season and tied for the best record in the Western Conference, earning the No. 1 playoff seed. Oklahoma City became the youngest team (weighted by playing time) to finish with the best record (or tied for the best) in its conference since 1970-71, the first NBA season with Eastern and Western conferences.
The Thunder, who were the 10-seed last season, made a 17-win improvement (40-42) to secure a playoff berth for the first time in four years.

OKC Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has been named the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Coach of the Year, the league announced.

OKC’s Mark Daigneault bags 2023-2024 Kia NBA Coach of the Year

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

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

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

After a dominant college career, Caitlin Clark is set to bring her act to the pro scene.
As expected, the Indiana Fever picked Clark as its no.1 overall selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft on Monday night at Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York.
Arguably the best women&rsquo;s college basketball player of all time, Clark will now head to the WNBA to the Fever to team up with last year&rsquo;s first overall selection Aliyah Boston. Clark and Boston will make up one of the league&rsquo;s most exciting young duos as they try to lead Indiana back to the playoffs.
Stanford University standout and 2021 WNCAA champion Cameron Brink went second overall to the Los Angeles Sparks while recently crowned 2024 WNCAA champion Kamila Cardoso from the University of South Carolina was taken by the Chicago Sky as the third overall pick.
Check out the complete recap of the draft below:
Round 1
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink, F, Stanford&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky (via Phoenix Mercury): Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angels Sparks (via Seattle Storm): Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings (via Chicago Sky): Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics: Aaliyah Edwards, F, UConn</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky (via Minnesota Lynx): Angel Reese, F, LSU</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Minnesota Lynx (via Atlanta Dream): Alissa Pili, F, Utah</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings: Carla Leite, G, France</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun: Le&iuml;la Lacan, G, France</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Liberty: Marquesha Davis, G, Ole Miss</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Dream (via Las Vegas Aces): Nyadiew Puoch, F, Australia</li>
</ol>
Round 2
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky (via Phoenix Mercury): Brynna Maxwell, G, Gonzaga</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seattle Storm: Nika M&uuml;hl, G, UConn</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Fever: Celeste Taylor, G, Ohio State</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Las Vegas Aces (via Los Angeles Sparks): Dyaisha Fair, G, Syracuse</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Liberty (via Chicago Sky): Esmery Martinez, F, Arizona</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Las Vegas Aces (via Washington Mystics): Kate Martin, G, Iowa</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun (via Minnesota Lynx): Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Dream: Isobel Borlase, G, Australia&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics (via Dallas Wings): Kaylynne Truong, G, Gonzaga&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun: Helena Pueyo, G, Arizona&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Liberty: Jessika Carter, C, Mississippi State</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Las Vegas Aces: Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech</li>
</ol>
Round 3
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Phoenix Mercury: Charisma Osborne, G, UCLA</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seattle Storm: Mackenzie Holmes, F, Indiana</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Fever: Leilani Correa, G, Florida</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angeles Sparks: Mackenzie Forbes, F, USC</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Phoenix Mercury (via Chicago Sky): Jaz Shelley, G, Nebraska&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics: Nastja Claessens, G, Belgium</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Minnesota Lynx: Kiki Jefferson, G, Louisville&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Dream: Matilde Villa, G, Italy</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings: Ashley Owusu, G, Penn State</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun: Abbey Hsu, G, Columbia&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Liberty: Kaitlyn Davis, F, USC</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Las Vegas Aces: Angel Jackson, C, Jackson State</li>
</ol>

After a dominant college career, Caitlin Clark is set to bring her act to the pro scene.

2024 WNBA Draft Recap: Caitlin Clark goes No.1 to the Indiana Fever

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

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

Joel Embiid masterful in return, 76ers beat West No.1 Thunder

For a player of Spencer Dinwiddie&rsquo;s caliber, the start of his stint with the Los Angeles Lakers didn't go according to plan. Through his first 16 games with Los Angeles, Dinwiddie struggled to make an impact offensively, averaging only 5 points on 35% shooting.
However, that's changed as of late. On Sunday night, the 6-foot-5 guard scored a Lakers career-high 26 points against the Indiana Pacers in a 150-145 win at the Crypto.com Arena.
Dinwiddie&rsquo;s scoring outburst came as he started the game for D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, who was ruled out with a non-COVID illness. Dinwiddie usually mans the second unit as a backup to Russell, handling the Lakers&rsquo; offense and providing spot-up-shooting alongside superstar LeBron James.
In Wednesday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Dinwiddie had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 threes, while shooting 57.1% from the field and 75% from three-point range. The Lakers have now won five-straight games, and Dinwiddie is looking more and more comfortable on his new team.
&ldquo;I think, in general, being in the league in 10 years &ndash; in my position being a second-round pick &ndash;&nbsp; having a variety of different roles, at any given time I&rsquo;d play anywhere from 1 through 15. Like, I&rsquo;ve really been a primary guy on the floor, all the way down to the towel-waving guy at the end of the bench that really wasn&rsquo;t gonna play &ndash; I&rsquo;ve played all of those,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said when asked about finding a role with the team. &ldquo;May it be sixth man, eighth man, second or third man &ndash; all that stuff.&rdquo;
The 6-foot-5 combo guard has had stops with different teams ever since being drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the second round in 2014. Dinwiddie had his best years with the Brooklyn Nets where he averaged a career-best season of 20.4 points per game. Dinwiddie then went to the Dallas Mavericks, forming a backcourt tandem with Luka Doncic, and then reunited with Brooklyn as a backup point guard.
Now, with Dinwiddie back in his home state of California and playing for the Lakers alongside James, Russell, superstar big man Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, he shared the key to fitting in with a star-studded cast like this as they fight for a playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about reading the room and understanding you&rsquo;re a part of something bigger,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s really it. Taking every day as it comes, knowing who&rsquo;s going to be out, and knowing that there&rsquo;s going to be spots to be aggressive &ndash; just try to settle to that moment and be consistent with my workout and my routine.&rdquo;

Recently, Spencer Dinwiddie has been looking more and more comfortable with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Spencer Dinwiddie getting more comfortable, finding his role on Lakers

Don&rsquo;t look now, but the Houston Rockets are back in the Western Conference playoff picture.&nbsp;
With the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves and their win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Rockets now sit just a half-game behind the 10th and last play-in spot in the Western Conference.
After looking to be nowhere near the play-in tournament range with just a 25-34 record, the Rockets have found a semblance of life again by winning 11 of their last 12 games, including rattling off a nine-game winning streak (and counting) to go above .500 on the season.
What makes the Rockets&rsquo; run even more impressive is they have done it even without young star center Alperen Sengun, who went down with a lower leg injury. Sengun has been leading the team in points (21.1), rebounds (9.3) and assists (5.0) for a young Rockets team that's hungry for some postseason action under first-year head coach Ime Udoka after rebuilding for the past four years.&nbsp;
In Sengun&rsquo;s absence, the Rockets have been rejuvenated with a different style of play. They are playing up and down the court, running and gunning and spacing the floor as coach Udoka is making the most out of the roster in without their playmaking hub.
Much of this can be credited to Jalen Green&rsquo;s increased level of play. Before the streak, Green was struggling with his shot all year long, only averaging 17.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists on just 40/31/80 shooting splits. Over his past 12 games, Green has amped up his level of play, significantly increasing his numbers by tallying 27.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, while shooting 49.6% from the field and 40.4% from three. And this has translated to wins for Houston.&nbsp;
In those 12 games, Green has been relentlessly attacking the rim and playing with pace. Green has also been shooting more threes, and he has been making them at a respectable mark to force defenders to respect his shot. This has allowed him to create opportunities in the paint as well as facilitating for his teammates.
Due to his efforts, Green was awarded a Western Conference Player of the Week award and he certainly hopes to keep this up for the Rockets as they continue to trend upward and eventually catch the Warriors.
Another thing that has been huge in Houston&rsquo;s hot stretch is unlocking Amen Thompson. The rookie out of Overtime Elite has struggled to start the season with a slew of injuries and a lack of playing time enough to contribute. This has hampered him and his ability to contribute.
However, when Sengun was injured, Thompson was inserted into the starting lineup and has shone since the streak has started. The 6&rsquo;7 guard/forward leads the Rockets in fastbreak opportunities, and uses his athletic abilities to get out on transition. He has also proven to be a good cutter when he is off the ball to get easy buckets underneath the basket. His athleticism also gives him an advantage in finishing off plays, particularly on dunks and layups.&nbsp;
On defense, Thompson is disruptive as a point-of-attack defender, using his length and size to bother opposing smaller point guards. Thompson uses his long limbs to swipe at the ball, creating deflections and steals that lead to easy transition baskets. At 6&rsquo;7, Thompson is also an excellent rebounder at his position and gives the Rockets plenty of chances to run and leak out.
Finally, the Rockets have scored more and seemingly increased their level of play. This might be directly in correlation with Sengun being out, with other guys like Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith and even their bench guys doing more scoring to compensate for Sengun&rsquo;s production. This collected effort has been the key to their resurgence this season, and the Rockets hope to sustain it for the final stretch of the season in which eight of their remaining 11 games are against playoff teams.

Don’t look now, but the Houston Rockets are back in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Surging Rockets inch closer to West Play-In Tournament spot

Josh Childress is a retired American basketball player who played three years at Stanford University, where he became an AP first-team All-American, consensus second-team All-American, the Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and Pac-10 Conference Tournament MVP as a junior in 2004.&nbsp;
He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, becoming the highest Stanford player to be drafted in the NBA. While Childress played in the NBA for the Hawks (2004-2008), Phoenix Suns (2010-2012), Brooklyn Nets (2012) and New Orleans Pelicans (2013), he made a name for himself overseas when he moved to Greece to play for Olympiacos from 2008 to 2010.&nbsp;
Childress had a fruitful career overseas, playing in leagues like the NBL (with the Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers) in Australia and the B-League (with the San-en Neo Phoenix) in Japan. Over the course of his 15-year basketball career, Childress averaged 9.1 points and earned a number of honors including All-NBL first team, NBL top scorer, All-Euroleague second team, Greek League top scorer, Greek League best defender and NBA All-Rookie second team.
Now, the 40-year-old Childress is an investor in the East Asian Super League, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/east-asia-super-league-set-to-have-its-biggest-event-yet-in-cebu">a rapidly growing league across East Asia.</a> During the EASL's Final Four in the Philippines, Childress spoke with BasketballNews&rsquo; Mon Anthony L. Valmoria to share what he is up to nowadays, his venture with the EASL, his fond NBA memories, his journey playing overseas and more.
You are an investor in the EASL. When did this happen?&nbsp;
Josh Childress: &ldquo;I started as an investor last year, last summer. I talked about seeing the opportunity [to] kind of &lsquo;bridge&rsquo; the gap between the countries in Asian basketball and it's a fantastic opportunity to do that. So EASL did a great job here in its first year and we hope to build on this moving forward.&rdquo;
Why invest in the EASL? Why do you think it will be a successful league?
Childress: &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s bringing together a bunch of different countries and leagues that have all increasingly gotten better and I think if you can find a way to connect Asian basketball across the board, it will be a fantastic league. A fantastic opportunity for fans, media and the players. So, I&rsquo;m hopeful that when this tournament &ndash; this Final Four &ndash; has more traction, you get more countries involved in the league and have some great basketball.&rdquo;
After your 15-year playing career, what are you up to these days?
Childress: &ldquo;I have an investment company. I run investments; we do real estate, we do sports properties, we do stuff like this (the EASL). We invest in a bunch of different things and I run it full-time &ndash; that&rsquo;s what keeps me busy these days.&rdquo;
Watching the EASL games and seeing how basketball is played over here, how would you describe the brand of basketball that's played on this side of the world?
Childress: &ldquo;It is very physical and very fast-paced. We&rsquo;ve seen really exciting games here and I think players here are playing for pride. There&rsquo;s obviously a nice prize &ndash; a cash prize &ndash; at the end of it. But at this point, it&rsquo;s just pride and making sure that you win and you&rsquo;re the champion of Asia. So I think [basketball here] is really exciting.&rdquo;
Let's talk about your experiences as an NBA player. What are your fondest memories from your playing days?
Childress: &ldquo;Most of your memories are around your teammates, you know? Around the locker room like how fun that was, those plane rides, just the camaraderie you have with your team &ndash; that&rsquo;s the thing that I missed the most about playing. The friendships and the teammates that you have over the years.&rdquo;
Speaking of your teammates, you played with a lot of teams in the NBA &ndash; who was your favorite teammate?&nbsp;
Childress: &ldquo;They were all my favorites (smiles). But I&rsquo;d say between Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia, Josh Smith, Joe [Johnson], Tyronn Lue, Mike Bibby &ndash; all those guys were great teammates. I&rsquo;m very thankful that I had the opportunity to play with them.&rdquo;
What is your best NBA memory?
Childress: &ldquo;Getting drafted. I mean, that&rsquo;s a dream come true. It&rsquo;s something that, as a kid, you always see on TV. So, that was an amazing experience.&rdquo;
When it comes to American NBA players deciding to play overseas, you were one of the pioneers. What were the pros and cons?
Childress: &ldquo;It was something that has been done before, but it was a great experience. I loved playing in Greece &ndash; the fans were amazing. I got the chance to experience European basketball, which was different. The pros and the cons are that it sets you up in a situation where you&rsquo;re playing a different style of basketball and having to figure out how to play there. But that was so much fun, you&rsquo;re in very hostile environments playing against teams that you never knew existed and having the chance to compete at a high level. So, I loved my time in Europe. In the EuroLeague, basketball was fantastic; in the Greek league, it was fantastic. So hopefully we can mirror that EuroLeague style format here with the EASL.&rdquo;
Other than monetary considerations, what would you advise fellow Americans about the decision to play overseas? What other factors do you think are crucial in choosing where to play?
Childress: &ldquo;I think the biggest thing is playing style &ndash; you know, going somewhere your style of play fits [in with] where you&rsquo;re going &ndash; or having the opportunity of playing a lot of minutes. I know some guys that are going to certain countries that may pay a little bit less, but they know they&rsquo;re going to play a lot, they&rsquo;re going to play their game. And that will lead them to those opportunities for success with bigger contracts and moving the following year. So, always make sure you go somewhere where you can be the best version of yourself and play at a high level.&rdquo;

Josh Childress shares what he's up to nowadays, his EASL investment, his NBA memories and his journey playing overseas.

Q&A: Josh Childress on NBA journey, EASL investment, overseas hoops

Over the years, there are more and more American basketball players looking for opportunities overseas. There are only about 450 guaranteed spots in the NBA, plus a few two-way spots per team. If one can&rsquo;t crack an NBA roster, players often turn to playing abroad or in the NBA G-League.
For many players, going overseas is a sensible choice. There are many leagues to choose from, including the EuroLeague in Europe, NBL in Australia and Chinese Basketball Association in China.&nbsp;
Some Americans have found solace in the East Asia Super League &ndash; a rapidly growing tournament that is considered to be the "champions league" of East Asian basketball.&nbsp;
Jameel Warney, who plays for the Seoul SK Knights, has found success in Korea. After playing four years at Stony Brook and going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Warney established himself as one of the best American imports of all-time in the Korean Basketball League (KBL). Ever since arriving in Korea in 2019, the 6-foot-8 forward/center has amassed three MVP awards, three All-KBL teams and a KBL title.
Although Warney was not able to find NBA success, he has been thriving in Korea. Warney recently opened up about some of the differences between playing overseas and back home in the USA.
&ldquo;Well, it&rsquo;s a lot different,&rdquo; Warney said to BasketballNews. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of spacing in American play, but even here [Korea] and in Europe, it's kind of team-based [basketball]. You can clog the paint up in this side of the world and there&rsquo;s a lot of great shooting here, especially their big men&hellip; It&rsquo;s a lot of different stuff between these two things [like America and Korea], but I mean I enjoy both of them a lot and I love being here for the last five years."
Jamil Wilson, who played for Oregon and Marquette from 2009 to 2014 but went undrafted in the NBA, echoed Warney&rsquo;s statements.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just completely two different styles of basketball,&rdquo; Wilson said. "You get that everywhere you go. When I played here [in the Philippines], there was a different style of basketball played in Korea, where I am now. When I played in Europe, whether be it in Italy, Israel, Russia or anywhere like that in the past, it&rsquo;s just a different experience depending on where you are and how they play. Some countries like to play up-tempo, and some like to be really tactical with sets and things. So it just kinda depends on where you are and with the organization and the coaching staff as well.&rdquo;
Wilson has had stints in a lot of leagues in Europe before landing with the Korean side Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters this year. Wilson says he has enjoyed the journey of playing overseas thus far.
&ldquo;I enjoy everything. Everywhere you go, it&rsquo;s a unique experience &ndash; culture and basketball itself &ndash; so I&rsquo;ve been enjoying my journey abroad and Korea&rsquo;s no different,&rdquo; Wilson said.
In choosing the place where they want to go and play next, however, Wilson shared a rather unique yet wholesome moment that he considers for himself and his career.
&ldquo;All of my decisions revolve around my son and spending time with him," Wilson said. "So whatever is time-flexible and allows me to spend the most time with him, that&rsquo;s probably what I&rsquo;ll do or where I go.&rdquo;
For Warney, it&rsquo;s all about the fans and the people in the organization. He mentioned the relationships he's built over the past few years he has been with the team.
&ldquo;The people, obviously,&rdquo; Warney said to BasketballNews when asked about considering where to play. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been with the same people for like the last five years. My head coach, he was the assistant for my first two years, but now he&rsquo;s the head coach and we have a great relationship. I&rsquo;ve been with (teammate) Yang Ming for five years and my translator also. So a lot of guys I&rsquo;m familiar with over the past couple of years.&rdquo;
Warney adds that he considers his long-time teammates and coaches as family: &ldquo;I think other people like being with different teams, it&rsquo;s like a one-year pitstop or maybe two then they go to a different team. [But] it&rsquo;s not like a business to me, I guess it&rsquo;s more of like a family/personal basis for me.&rdquo;
For DJ Stephens, he's drawn to certain leagues and teams with a solid fanbase. After a lengthy career in Europe, Stephens is now with the Chiba Jets in Japan and he appreciates the love that the Japanese fans show each and every game.
&ldquo;Some of the best fans I&rsquo;ve ever played for,&rdquo; Stephens told BasketballNews. &ldquo;They are real supportive in every game that we have and the arenas are sold out. Our fans buy merchandise with our names on it. You see towels being waved with players&rsquo; names on it. The fans are really loyal and supportive, so that&rsquo;s a big thing for a basketball player, to have a lot of support.&rdquo;
Some players spend several years in the NBA and experience some success, but then transition to overseas basketball (like the EASL) as they get older. Austin Daye, who won an NBA championship in 2014, can attest to this His main reason for coming to Asia to play basketball is to enjoy the game before he hangs it up and create memories with his teammates.
&ldquo;The decision to come here was pretty simple &ndash; I played with the same team last year. The drive of the coaching staff and the players, I know that they&rsquo;re looking to get to a championship. And as you get older, it&rsquo;s not so much about numbers and things like that. It&rsquo;s more about just having fun and trying to enjoy time as your career winds down &ndash; which mine is,&rdquo; Daye said.&nbsp;
Daye values winning more than anything, and he&rsquo;d be fine putting up lesser stats if he has an opportunity to win at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;Winding down and winning is something I would rather do than wind down just getting numbers and losing. So I chose to come here for this year because I want to try and win a championship," Daye said. "And next year, who knows? The same factors apply to me &ndash; just try to win, have a great time with teammates, and try to enjoy the experiences overseas.&rdquo;

A number of American players are competing in the EASL, which is considered the "champions league" of East Asian basketball.