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Tar Heels

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

Four of the top superstars in women&rsquo;s college basketball are set to face off on the biggest stage.
Angel Reese and the defending-champion LSU Tigers will go up against leading National Player of the Year candidate Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York. 
Then, Paige Bueckers and the Connecticut Huskies will face off against top-ranked freshman JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark set for rematch in the Elite Eight
Reese and LSU are trying to defend the title that they won last year against Clark and Iowa. LSU has had a fairly dominant tournament this year, winning their previous three games by double-digits. Reese was named the Most Outstanding Player of last year's NCAA Tournament.
Clark, who became the NCAA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer this season, will try to lead Iowa to the Final Four and avenge last year's loss against LSU. Like the Tigers, the Hawkeyes have dominated their opponents in this year&rsquo;s tournament run, beating each team by 10 or more points.
This star-studded matchup will surely be fiery considering the stakes and a little bit of history between these teams. Reese and Clark had some words for each other last year and have developed a rivalry.
JuJu Watkins, Paige Bueckers vie for Final Four spot&nbsp;
Reese vs. Clark isn't the only star-studded matchup on tonight's game. Watkins vs. Bueckers will also be must-see TV. Watkins is making waves in March Madness as a freshman, while Bueckers is determined to prove she's still one of the best players in the nation.
Watkins, the sensational first-year player from USC, will try to lead the Trojans further into the Big Dance after just recently surviving a scare against the Baylor Bears in the Sweet Sixteen. Watkins has been the nation&rsquo;s second-leading scorer, averaging over 27 points a game behind only the prolific Clark, but she will have her hands full against a UConn team that's led by legendary coach Geno Auriemma.
On the other hand, Bueckers and UConn aim to reclaim the glory that has evaded them for the past few seasons. Despite winning the NCAA Player of the Year award as a freshman and reaching the championship game that year, Bueckers has been plagued with knee injuries over her last two seasons. Now, she's hoping to show the world what she&rsquo;s capable of again on the biggest stage.
All eyes will be on Watkins and Bueckers as they face each other for the first time and try to lead their respective teams to Cleveland for the Final Four.

Elite 8 Preview: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers vs. JuJu Watkins

Soon, the world will know about the East Asia Super League.
The rapidly growing league across East Asia is set to have its biggest event yet: the EASL Final Four happening March 8-10 in Cebu, Philippines.
Dubbed the "Champions League" of East Asian basketball, the EASL combines the best clubs from the top leagues in East Asia with elite production value. The teams in the Final Four are Korea&rsquo;s Seoul SK Knights and Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters, Taiwan&rsquo;s New Taipei Kings, and Japan&rsquo;s Chiba Jets. The Red Boosters come in as the defending champions following their win over their Korean neighbors, SK Knights, in last year&rsquo;s inaugural championship in Japan.&nbsp;
EASL&rsquo;s vision is to become one of the world&rsquo;s top professional basketball leagues. At the same time, EASL aims to elevate the sport of basketball across the East Asia region.&nbsp;
But what makes the league different is the style of play and the brand of basketball each team employs. While leagues like the NBA lean on athleticism, teams in the EASL use a lot of running and transition as well as relying on spacing.
&ldquo;Our play style is fast, and pretty open court. We use dynamic guards a lot and rely on spacing,&rdquo; New Taipei Kings&rsquo; Joseph Lin told BasketballNews in the opening press conference of the league&rsquo;s Final Four tournament. 
The 6-foot-1 Lin, the brother of former NBA player and champion Jeremy Lin, will attempt to bring the title to Taiwan as they go up against the Chiba Jets in the semifinals.
Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters&rsquo; Filipino import Rhenz Abando echoed the younger Lin&rsquo;s sentiments as he came home to play in front of Filipino fans in Cebu: &ldquo;[Our play style] is also the same with Taipei, we are also fast and have a lot of ball movement and spacing.&rdquo;
Going up against Abando and the Red Boosters are the SK Knights in a rematch of last year&rsquo;s finals matchup. Star player Oh Jae Hyun reflects the opinions of the basketball played in the EASL.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Our team&rsquo;s main strength is fast-paced basketball, which requires rebounding and pressing the defense so we can force turnovers and push it on the other side,&rdquo; Hyun added.
Aside from Lin, a number former NBA players have played in the EASL including <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/east-asia-super-league-inside-a-basketball-startup-with-a-unique-vision">Lance Stephenson (Liaoning Flying Leopards), Shabazz Muhammad (Shenzhen Leopards), KJ McDaniels (TNT KaTropa), Jared Sullinger (Shenzhen Aviators), Jameel Warney (Seoul SK Knights) and Domantas Motiejunas (Shandong Golden Stars).</a> Austin Daye, a 2014 NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, is a teammate to Lin on New Taipei.
With the league&rsquo;s Final Four event aiming to have massive success in the Philippines, EASL CEO Henry Kerins is optimistic that the EASL will grow even more and increase the number of teams soon.
&ldquo;Our ambition is to expand from eight teams to 16 teams and that will include new geographies and new clubs,&rdquo; Kerins shared. &ldquo;Obviously, there&rsquo;s a huge amount of development and expansion for us to do and that&rsquo;s where the top basketball talent is right now &ndash; Asia.&rdquo;
Kerins further noted that this is only the start for EASL as it looks to increase its global market and viewership in the coming months and years.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Our focus right now is developing and expanding that and deepening both our penetration on the media partnerships. This is the beginning, and in 2025 you&rsquo;re going to see a much more mature and aggressive strategy for expanding that," Kerins said. "We will be expanding our presence and that will lead to more clubs participating &ndash; so hold for that in terms of our announcements but that&rsquo;s our vision and plan going forward.&rdquo;

Soon, the world will know about the East Asia Super League, which is about to hold its Final Four in the Philippines.

East Asia Super League set to have its biggest event yet in Cebu

As Klay Thompson comes off a flare screen from Kevon Looney, rookie Brandin Podziemski delivers a bounce pass at the block to Jonathan Kuminga to run their patented split-action. Podziemski sets another screen at the wing and Kuminga delivers a pass right on the money to a curling Thompson. He sets his feet, lets one defender chasing him fly by and shoots a three right over the help defender.
Splash. Nothing but the bottom of the net, just like the old days. The Warriors are comfortably up after the third quarter against the Utah Jazz after Thompson hits his third-straight three and score his 35th point as he came off the bench for the first time since 2012. Although the Jazz had a big fourth quarter to keep the game close, the Warriors eked out with a win to continue playing their best basketball of the season.
The Warriors are fun again, so it seems.
After a tumultuous season filled with ups and downs, the Dubs are 8-2 over their last 10 games right before the All-Star break and preparing for another playoff push with their aging dynastic core.
What makes their run so special is the fact that they rediscovered a winning formula despite making zero moves at the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 8. Rumors were swirling, but they decided to stick with this group for the rest of the season &ndash; and possibly for seasons to come.
&ldquo;We did win a championship, in case people forgot, a year and a half ago,&rdquo; said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr when asked if he believes this isn't the last dance for the Warriors' Big Three. &ldquo;I believe in my guys, I love those guys, and we're going to keep fighting."&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"We did win a championship, in case people forgot, a year and a half ago...I believe in my guys, I love those guys, and we're going to keep fighting." - Steve Kerr when asked if he still believes this season is not a "Last Dance" for the Warriors' Big 3 (via <a href="https://twitter.com/WillardAndDibs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WillardAndDibs</a>). <a href="https://t.co/0x1cmOmyqf">pic.twitter.com/0x1cmOmyqf</a>
&mdash; 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) <a href="https://twitter.com/957thegame/status/1747438806557712848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
Despite a seemingly lost season, the Warriors took a gamble by choosing to stand pat and stick with the core that won them a title two seasons ago, while trusting this new set of role players to fill in the gaps.&nbsp;
The championship core from two years ago is still intact. Steph Curry is still an all-world talent and offensive force even at 35 years old. Draymond Green is back to his usual self. Since returning from his suspension, Green&rsquo;s aggressiveness on offense and ever-reliant ability on defense have energized the team.&nbsp;
Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney started the season with bad slumps, but are slowly getting back into their groove, while Gary Payton II continues to work his way back to being 100% healthy. Thompson has struggled as of late, but he can still be lethal scoring in spurts with just his mere shooting prowess.
The young guys are coming into their own as contributors and finding their identity within the team. Podziemski has been a revelation, serving as a connector on offense and earning Steve Kerr&rsquo;s trust to start games and play with the closing lineup over Thompson. Kuminga is developing into a capable scoring option, which gives the Warriors another dimension.
Lately, the Warriors look like themselves again. Their in-game swagger is back and the vibes are immaculate. These are the Warriors of old, winning while having fun.
Given their recent success, they are confident that they still have at least one more run in them.
&ldquo;This is a story that&rsquo;s still kind of unfolding, and it&rsquo;s important that we see it all the way through until it&rsquo;s proven that we can&rsquo;t win,&rdquo; Curry said in <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/2/12/24070258/golden-state-warriors-steph-curry-steve-kerr-draymond-green-klay-thompson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an interview with The Ringer&rsquo;s Logan Murdock.</a>
The Warriors are determined to win, and they want to do it their way. And perhaps that&rsquo;s the point.
This team was built from the ground up, with a collective effort from a group of players who were drafted and developed by the franchise. After all, it was the &ldquo;Strength in Numbers&rdquo; mantra that started it all, and it's only fitting to end their journey the same way they started: with a team that was built the right way.
The Warriors have won four championships in the last decade by using this formula, and they believe this same approach will lead them to another Larry O'Brien trophy. After doing it all these years, Thompson believes that they have what it takes to succeed once again by trusting their process.
&ldquo;You see Steph Curry, you see Draymond Green, you see our playoff record when we are together,&rdquo; Thompson proclaimed. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll always believe.&rdquo;

The Warriors are 8-2 over their last 10 games and preparing for another playoff push with their aging dynastic core.

Strength in numbers: The Golden State Warriors' way

The NBA today announced Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for the month of December.&nbsp;
Antetokounmpo is being recognized for his efforts throughout Season of Giving &ndash; an annual five-week celebration beginning in mid-November that runs through December when NBA teams and players give back by supporting and uplifting youth, families, and organizations in their communities. Antetokounmpo will receive the David Robinson trophy and the NBA will donate $10,000 to the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation.&nbsp;
Throughout December, Antetokounmpo hosted special events to give back to Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin. On December 14, he hosted 100 youth from the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee for a special movie night and holiday shopping experience. Antetokounmpo provided transportation, food and beverages and rented two movie theaters for a screening of the film &ldquo;Wonka." After the movie, each child received a gift card to Target to spend on gifts for themselves and family members. Antetokounmpo spent time shopping with the children and helping them pick gifts for their loved ones. He also helped to provide basic clothing, winter accessories and other household items for the youth. More than 90% of the children from the Boys &amp; Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee qualify for free or reduced lunch, furthering Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s passion to provide a special experience that many kids could not typically afford. On December 16, Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks hosted seven youth from Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, with three families coming from Greece to meet him. As part of the experience, the youth signed one-day team contracts with the team, watched practice and met Antetokounmpo prior to the game.&nbsp; He signed jerseys, shoes and basketballs for all the kids from Make-A-Wish.
Also in December, Antetokounmpo and his family hosted their third annual Christmas event, where the family hosted 300 Milwaukee foster families for a night of holiday cheer and celebrations. Children in foster care were able to enjoy an evening of balloon artists, face painting, dance parties and other games and crafts. Each child received a photo with Santa and the Milwaukee Bucks mascot, Bango.&nbsp; The foster parents were also able to visit a holiday gift shop to pick out toys and clothes for the children.&nbsp; Volunteers helped wrap presents so each family could go home with wrapped gifts to put under their Christmas tree.&nbsp;
In addition to Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s Season efforts throughout December, he tipped off Season of Giving with his family by spending Thanksgiving Day serving dinner to 86 men living in shelter at Guest House Milwaukee. The family paid for a catered meal and served dinner to the residents. Antetokounmpo also ensured each resident received new blankets and socks, which are critical necessities for individuals in shelter as they face winter in Wisconsin. In October, Antetokounmpo hosted The Big Give Back, a diaper and fundraising drive for the Milwaukee Diaper Mission. The Big Give Back raised over $180,000 and provided more than 10,000 diaper donations.
&ldquo;I am fortunate to be in a position where I can give back to the communities that have raised me,&rdquo; said Antetokounmpo. &ldquo;Building my legacy on the court has been fun these past 10 years, but being able to take the next step in my career and build a legacy of giving back with my family is what has been truly rewarding.&rdquo;
Antetokounmpo will be recognized in-arena as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner during pre-game of the Jan. 27 Pelicans-Bucks game. Bucks General Manager Jon Horst and Bucks and Fiserv Forum President Peter Feigin will present him with the David Robinson trophy.
The NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award honors Bob Lanier, an NBA League Office executive and NBA Cares Ambassador for more than 30 years. He had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity.&nbsp;
Each monthly winner receives the David Robinson trophy and the NBA makes a donation to the charity or foundation of the player&rsquo;s choice.&nbsp;

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for the month of December.

Giannis Antetokounmpo wins Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for December

This article was originally published on Jan. 16, 2021.
We&rsquo;ve all been here before.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s a random Wednesday. Full slate of games, hard to keep track of everything. Maybe you&rsquo;re peeping an ESPN matchup. Perhaps you&rsquo;re watching your favorite team on the local channel if you&rsquo;re in the market, or you&rsquo;re streaming it LEGALLY ON NBA LEAGUE PASS BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO IT. WINK.&nbsp;
But anyway, you&rsquo;re watching a game. You&rsquo;re roaming Twitter. And then a tweet catches your eye: PLAYER X HAS DUNKED ON LEBRON JAMES.
Your brow raises. You see a few tweets from your online pals big-upping the play. You&rsquo;re really interested now. You click on the video from a Big Social Media Account. And this is the dunk:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/brr.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The excitement drops a little bit. That&rsquo;s a nice dunk from Wendell Carter Jr. LeBron James is underneath the basket, and there&rsquo;s a challenge. But something doesn&rsquo;t feel right about it.&nbsp;
Then you see a different angle of the Dunk Heard &lsquo;Round The World.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/wendell-w-lebron-in-the-area.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
You feel betrayed. LeBron didn&rsquo;t get dunked on; LeBron&rsquo;s arm got dunked on as he jumps out of the darn play! This isn&rsquo;t <a href="https://youtu.be/xtOUpybXmzo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scottie Pippen on Patrick Ewing</a> or <a href="https://youtu.be/6kBWO82HUa4?t=28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vince Carter on Alonzo Mourning</a>! I can yell at these clouds if I want to!
If you&rsquo;re anything like me, you&rsquo;re tired of being misled. If I hear or read that a player got baptized, I want to see some Holy Water coming out of the rim after the aerial duel. And if you are like me, this is the piece for you. This is the guide of all guides, breaking down the different types of dunks. A universal standard of slams, if you will, so we can finally get on the same page about poster dunks.
A brief note before digging in. I am using a tier system so it&rsquo;s easier to separate the types of dunks. Like many things in life, the scale can slide on a case-by-case basis. For example, breakaway dunks are generally uncontested, which makes them the lowest tier of dunk for me. However, a breakaway dunk from 360-enthusiast Zach LaVine is different -- and much cooler -- than the two-handed flushes we see from Jimmy Butler. Each dunk is still its own thing.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: Alley-oops can fall under virtually all of these categories, with the obvious exception of put-backs.
TIER 10: BREAKAWAYS
Break-away dunks are pretty self-explanatory. There&rsquo;s a long rebound after a miss. A player leaks out early, and gets a dunk with no resistance. They&rsquo;re pretty basic with a few exceptions. LaVine, Paul George or Glenn Robinson III may bust out a 360 or windmill on occasion. LeBron has made the one-handed tomahawk a staple of his repertoire.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lebron-tomahawk.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
It&rsquo;s basic, but it&rsquo;s so darn cool. Power, a little bit of flair, the hang time. All that good stuff.
TIER 9: TIP SLAMS
I like the timing, positioning and coordination it takes to pull off a putback slam. The lower-level ones are uncontested, but can be rated higher depending on the work a player puts in before the ball comes off the rim. Take this multiple-effort possession from Larry Nance Jr. as an example:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/larry-nance-jr-putback.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 8: BUSINESS DECISIONS
The OG: Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal
Also popularized by: LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Zion Williamson
This is for the power dunkers. Whether it&rsquo;s in transition, flowing off of a broken play or rumbling down the lane after a high-ball screen, it&rsquo;s hilarious to watch players actively decide, &ldquo;Nope, I don&rsquo;t get paid enough for this.&rdquo; Take this play from the 2016-17 season, featuring Blake Griffin:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/willy-hernangomez-business-decision.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The key actor here is Willy Hernangomez (No. 14). He is watching this snug pick-and-roll all the way through. His man, noted three-point marksman DeAndre Jordan, is chilling above the break. Not only can Hernangomez make the rotation to cut off Griffin at the rim, he should make that rotation because Jordan is not a threat at all. Instead, he begins to load up, quickly realizes that Griffin will put him in the gulag, and decides against challenging the shot.
Hilarious sequence.
TIER 7: FLY-BYS
This is where having a discerning eye is important. When you think about it, this kind of dunk -- and the praise that these types of dunk typically generate -- is about deception.
A defender jumps across a player to make it look like he&rsquo;s legitimately challenging the dunk. There&rsquo;s no real threat of a block or swipe. The dunk happens because, again, there&rsquo;s no real threat to it otherwise. And somehow both players end up looking good. The dunker gets &ldquo;poster&rdquo; equity they don&rsquo;t deserve; the defender gets a slight pat on the back for giving effort instead of making a business decision.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/hhh.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
It&rsquo;s all a darn farce. A cool-looking farce at times, but a farce nonetheless.&nbsp;
TIER 6: SELF-LOBS
We&rsquo;ve reached the coolest of the non-contact dunks. It doesn&rsquo;t get much better than throwing the ball to yourself for a slam, man. Look at Jamal Murray getting himself out of trouble.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/jamal-murray-self-lob.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 5: &ldquo;IN THE VICINITY&rdquo; SLAMS (Also known as ITVs)
Folks, the rubber is starting to reach the road. The ITVs involve actual attempts at a contest and/or a little contact, a step up from the Fly-bys. This is where I&rsquo;d say the Wendell-on-LeBron dunk falls, though I wouldn&rsquo;t be mad at anyone that would classify it as a Fly-by. A better example would be this slam from Matisse Thybulle last season.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/mfff.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
There&rsquo;s an attempt at a challenge, but Thybulle still gets the better of Mason Plumlee. But Plumlee doesn&rsquo;t get dunked on. There isn&rsquo;t enough contact to call it a poster of the highest order.&nbsp;
This is also where failed chasedown blocks come in. With guys flying in from behind, the dunk-on element just isn&rsquo;t there most of the time. Take the famous Kobe-on-LeBron dunk from the 2011 All-Star game.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/kobe-on-lebron.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 4: PUTBACK POSTERS
I&rsquo;ve always gone back and forth with myself about where to place these types of dunks. On one hand, the blindsided nature of it makes it a bit unfair to defenders. You can&rsquo;t defend against what you can&rsquo;t see. However, there&rsquo;s enough contact at play, and a player Mossin&rsquo; a dude and flushing it down is generally some high level stuff.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/gerald-green-putback-poster.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Yes, that is the #BASED and #RARE Gerald Green in a Celtics uni. And yeah that&rsquo;s Mason Plumlee again. Sorry, man.
TIER 3: DUNK-ONS/CHARGE CRUSHERS
We&rsquo;ve reached the portion of the program where dudes are getting legitimately yammed on, but there are a couple of factors that keep it from ranking higher.
First, the level of contest still matters. A lot of these dunks feature dudes sliding over in an attempt to take a charge (hence the alternative name). The higher level posters feature someone trying to actually block the dunk. Sure, a charge and blocked dunk are functionally the same in terms of the result the defense wants -- taking away two points -- but we&rsquo;re talking about highlights here.&nbsp;
Secondly, and I admit we&rsquo;re splitting hairs a bit, size also matters. The first dunk I thought of was Nuggets-era J.R Smith yamming it over Gary Neal:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/jrs.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Objectively a good dunk, but Gary Neal is ground bound and short. You have to dock some points there. I&rsquo;m sorry. The famous DeAndre Jordan-on-Brandon Knight flush, while iconic, also falls in this category.
The higher end of this would be another classic involving the Spurs: LeBron dunking on Tim Duncan.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lebron-on-tim-duncan.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
That&rsquo;s more like it.
TIER 2: THE THROW-IN
THE OG: Blake Griffin
ALSO POPULARIZED BY: Derrick Jones Jr.
DUNK TRUTHERS DON&rsquo;T READ THIS!
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Dunk Truthers are stupid poopyheads.&nbsp;
Yes, we&rsquo;re well aware that dunks that involve the rim being grabbed -- or at least touched -- are more pure, whatever the heck that means. But you look at Blake Griffin embarrassing the life out of Timofey Mozgov and tell me it isn&rsquo;t one of greatest athletic feats you&rsquo;ve ever seen.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/blake-over-mozgov.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Derrick Jones Jr. has some gnarly ones in his bag as well, highlighted by this lob he converted against the Raptors that still doesn&rsquo;t make much sense to me.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/hyyy.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 1: THE PURE POSTER
Pippen on Ewing. Carter on &lsquo;Zo. <a href="https://youtu.be/tYpwjB0IzoU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baron Davis on Andrei Kirilenko</a>. Michael Jordan on, well, name almost any big man you can think of that played in the '90s.&nbsp;
We can go more modern, like Larry Nance Jr. doing this to pre-DPOY-candidate Brook Lopez:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lrrr.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Another hidden gem: young DeMar DeRozan throwing the hammer down over Rudy Gobert:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/derozan-on-gobert.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The constant for these dunks: full-on, body-to-body contact with a legitimate attempt for a contest. You&rsquo;ll know it when you see it.
BONUS TIER: THE VINCE CARTER
Yeah, this is still the best dunk I&rsquo;ve ever seen.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/vince-carter-dunk-of-death.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
You clear a seven footer, you get your own dunk tier. Those are the rules.

Nekias Duncan has put together the guide of all guides, breaking down the different types of dunks and rating them on a tier system.

The Dunk-tionary: The official guide to ranking dunks

This article was initially published on BasketballNews on October, 29, 2020.
I take pride in my defense. I&rsquo;ve always enjoyed guarding the best scorer on the other team. I look forward to it. When I&rsquo;m assigned one of those match-ups, I know it&rsquo;s gonna be a fun night.
In my 13 years as an NBA player, I guarded many perennial All-Stars and future Hall-of-Famers. I&rsquo;m talking about the best of the best. I tried to contain them and get under their skin. I'd constantly poke my hands in to try to get a pick or at least throw off their rhythm. If I could get scorers to think and worry about my hands, that was a win for me. But for these guys, it was basically impossible. They were always locked in.
What is it like to guard these superstars? In part one, I shared <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-corey-brewer-guarding-stars-lebron-james-giannis-antetokounmpo-james-harden-kevin-durant-stephen-curry-damian-lillard-russell-westbrook-kawhi-leonard-carmelo-anthony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my experiences defending current elite scorers</a>. Today, I&rsquo;ll break down some of the retired legends that I matched up against:
Kobe Bryant
You never forget the first time you played against Kobe Bryant. For me, it was in my rookie year in Minnesota and he dropped 30 on us. When he stepped on the court, just his swag, his whole demeanor, made me feel like, &ldquo;Damn, this is Kobe Bryant!&rdquo;&nbsp;
Kobe was a nightmare to guard. Seriously. He knew what he wanted to do, and I couldn't make him do anything different. It was like the game was a script to him; it was really a Hollywood script, and he was going to put me in his movie. I can&rsquo;t explain it any other way except that I was in Kobe&rsquo;s movie. When I was in the mid-post with him, he knew what he was about to do. It was: &ldquo;I'm gonna fake left and then fade over my right shoulder,&rdquo; or, &ldquo;I'm gonna pump-fake you, make you foul me and get the and-one,&rdquo; or &ldquo;I&rsquo;m gonna pump fake and go dunk on your head.&rdquo; He had a plan and he executed it. He was amazing, man. Unbelievable. Kobe would make so many difficult shots and I&rsquo;d just be amazed.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/brewer_kobe_2_lg.jpg" alt="" width="796" height="AUTO" />
He was a no-nonsense killer, and that's why I'm glad I got to play him in the playoffs a couple of times. Just to see him in that environment, playing at that level and being the way he is on the basketball court, that's why everybody respects him so much. He was that good, and he was really a student of the game. That's why he played for 20 years. He worked his tail off, and he was that good for so long because he was such a hard worker in all the nuances and technical aspects of the game. He was everything. He was relentless and steadfast in his plan: from his footwork to his bank shots to getting fouled--everything he did, I knew he had thought about it, worked on it and watched film on it. He loved the game. That's why Kobe Bryant was Kobe Bryant. Rest in Peace.
Dirk Nowitzki
I actually used to get to guard Dirk a lot. Dirk's tough, man -- the one-leggers! He's a "footer" meaning he's at least 7 feet tall, so I'm not gonna block his shot, and I'm not gonna speed him up no matter what. Like Kobe, he had a plan and I just hoped I could try to do something that made him get out of a rhythm. When I guarded Dirk, I just tried to deny him in his favorite spots or front the post. I just tried to be a little 6-9 pest. It felt like the only thing I could do guarding Dirk was be a nuisance because when he got the ball, it was over. He might miss, but he was typically going to get the shots he wanted. If I could just force him to shoot 12 inches away from where he most wanted to go, I did my job.&nbsp;
Dirk is one of the best scorers I've seen in the NBA. Ever. I played with him in 2011, when he had that incredible postseason and got us a Championship ring when we defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. It didn&rsquo;t matter who they put out there, he wasn't going to be stopped during our run to the championship.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/brewer_dirk_1-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Dirk is for sure the reason we have all these stretch-fours now. The trail three, that was his bread and butter! At the time, bigs used to run back into the paint, but Dirk Nowitzki trailed in, stopped at the three-point line and let it fly -- and it would splash. Dirk was a bad boy, man.&nbsp;
While we all revel in how he shot the ball, it was the tireless work he put into his craft that made him that kind of shooter. He worked on the one-leg jumper so much. It wasn&rsquo;t just some random move he would do sometimes; he worked on it a lot, and that's why he made so many and why it became his go-to. He changed the game and evolved the big man position we all see now.&nbsp;
Dwyane Wade
I hated guarding D-Wade because his pump fake was just unbelievable. He was so athletic. Going to the rim, he&rsquo;d dunk on people. Then he'd go and just stop on a dime, pump fake, then draw a foul. I knew his plan so I'd try not to foul him, but that&rsquo;s when he had me right where he wanted--not as aggressive as I normally am. He was just tough with the way he approached the game, the way he played the game and how good he was at getting to the basket and finishing.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/brewer_wade_1-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
And, seriously, Dwyane Wade's pump fake has to be up there as one of the greatest ever. I hated that pump fake. My goal there was just to stay down and make him shoot a jump shot over me. I feel like if I did that, I did my job -- which, a lot of times, it still wasn't good enough. But hey, I did my job; I'd rather him pump fake, shoot a jump shot and make it than him pump fake and draw a foul or dunk on me or my teammate -- because his dunks would always get his team and the crowd going. My job wasn't to stop scorers like him, it was to get them to take shots they were less likely to make than they otherwise would if I didn't do my job. Fouling was the worst thing I could do--most scorers shoot free throws well.&nbsp;
Gilbert Arenas
If Gilbert Arenas didn&rsquo;t get hurt, we&rsquo;d be talking about him on a different level. I feel like people don't realize how good he was and how well he played during his prime. When he got that big contract, he deserved it. He just got hurt and had bad luck. That's all you can say. But he was a tough guard with the way he could shoot it.&nbsp;
I wanted him to pass. I would try to send him to my help and get the ball out of his hands because when he had that ball in his hands, he could get going. They didn't call him "Hibachi" for nothing! When he got going, he got going. He heated up fast when his confidence soared.
Gilbert Arenas was actually one of the first dudes to be coming off the pick-and-roll and pull it from deep. He used to pull from deep, and he had the ball on a string; when he went to the basket, that was his thing. Gilbert was tough, and I feel like if he didn't get hurt, we're talking about him in a different sense. But I have to show him love because he was that good.
Tracy McGrady
I caught T-Mac toward the end of his time with the Houston Rockets. T-Mac was tough. I remember the first time I played T-Mac, he'd catch it and he'd jab step. He'd jab me off, and it was a thing of beauty. I&rsquo;d be thinking, &ldquo;What is he gonna do? Is he gonna pull up? Is he gonna try to get by me?&rdquo; His jab step was one of the best ever. I wish I could&rsquo;ve faced off against T-Mac more.
Check out Corey&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-corey-brewer-guarding-stars-lebron-james-giannis-antetokounmpo-james-harden-kevin-durant-stephen-curry-damian-lillard-russell-westbrook-kawhi-leonard-carmelo-anthony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article breaking down what it&rsquo;s like to guard current superstars</a> such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo and more.

Corey Brewer details his experiences defending the legends of the past in the NBA.

Guarding Legends: Corey Brewer on defending Kobe, D-Wade, Dirk, more

The New Orleans Pelicans' 2-0 start ran into a Steph Curry Flurry and it was a scary Halloween Eve for the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s fans.
The Golden State Warriors ran out 130-102 winners of their third road game in four days. Sure, Steph went supernova for a stretch to finish with 42 points but it was the shots that did not go in that determined the game.&nbsp;
Rebounding is becoming a problem for the Pelicans. They were outdone 64-39 versus the Warriors, and New Orleans has allowed 37 offensive rebounds in the last two games, both at home. The Knicks had 16 offensive rebounds, the Pelicans just 4. Two nights later, Golden State got an extra 21 possessions to find Curry roaming the perimeter. It almost became painful to watch how incapable the Pelicans were of stopping the inevitable. Curry had not played in New Orleans in years and this was just another example of witnessing greatness.
On Monday, it did not help that Brandon Ingram was out nursing an injury, Herb Jones (2 rebounds) got in foul trouble early, Jonas Valanciunas (6 rebounds) was attacked relentlessly, and the team was still being cautions with Larry Nance Jr.&rsquo;s minutes.
&ldquo;In the second half, it just got away from us," Pelicans head coach Willie Green said. "Curry hit some big shots. Their second unit ... they came in and made plays. And the biggest thing for us improvement-wise is the rebounding. It killed us. But they&rsquo;re an experienced team, and they get you scrambling on the perimeter. Shots go up and we&rsquo;re just not in a position to rebound, and that&rsquo;s an area we have to be better.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s tough to "play better" when four key contributors are on the bench. Matt Ryan, Kaiser Gates and Kira Lewis Jr. finished with a combined 4 rebounds in 50 minutes. They focus on other priorities beyond crashing the glass, yet are usually on the court together. Something has to give to change the trend.
Zion Williamson&rsquo;s analysis was spot on, saying: &ldquo;They had a great third quarter, and we didn't play too well. I didn't look at the numbers, but, from the eye test, they dominated us on the boards.&rdquo;
The stat sheet agrees. With Ingram out, C.J. McCollum (6 rebounds) hoisted a team-high 21 shots to get just 19 points. Williamson (5 rebounds) had 19 points on 15 shots. However, no one on the home team had more than 6 rebounds because when the leading men missed tough shots, the Warriors finished possessions far too easily. After the loss, I asked Coach Green if he thought this was more of a tactical problem or just a lack of effort and execution.
&ldquo;It is a little bit of both. It is definitely an area we need to improve upon. We have to rebound the ball,&rdquo; Green stressed. &ldquo;Our defense is solid. We can get stops but when you give teams second and third chances, it gets kind of demoralizing.&rdquo;
Steve Kerr&rsquo;s game plan to corral Williamson and win possessions took a toll, though Green thought the Warriors got away with a few friendly no-calls.
&ldquo;[The Warriors] were physical on him. He didn&rsquo;t get some of the calls that I thought he should have gotten," Green said. "He played a solid game but give those guys credit, they swarmed him. And, in the second half, we just didn&rsquo;t knock down shots, but he did make the right plays.&rdquo;
Williamson seemed close to disgusted with the performance in his postgame press conference. The Warriors just got so many more chances to make the right play that there was no other outcome possible.
The Pelicans were on the wrong end of a near-30-point loss. It happens to every NBA team once a season. New Orleans needs a new gameplan to get those extra possessions to ensure it&rsquo;s their last time on the losing end of a blowout.

The New Orleans Pelicans' 2-0 start ran into a Steph Curry Flurry and it was a scary Halloween Eve at the Smoothie King Center.

Pelicans' one big problem exposed in loss to Warriors

Blake Stern previews the NBA's Central Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and burning question entering the year.

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

Paying customers and plenty of media members have loudly expressed their frustrations with how the New Orleans Pelicans have handled the injuries and updates regarding Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, to the point of calling the organization outright liars.
Sure, there were frustrations with injuries derailing the season, but the messaging did not come from a place of dishonesty. It came from the type of misunderstandings and miscommunications that can ravage any type of relationship.
The obvious friction within the team the last few seasons were publicly expressed through curt answers and solemn body language on gamedays. Executive vice president David Griffin even admitted last July that the Pelicans &ldquo;did a really bad job organizationally" in handling some situations, especially after Williamson&rsquo;s viral pregame dunk and vague comments to the media. It took a summer of reconciliation, but the most pressing relationship issues have been resolved. Everyone understands how to speak each other&rsquo;s basketball love language and approach expectations for the coming season.
It all started with listening sessions this summer, which were a reason Williamson stuck around town for the offseason. But go back and listen to how Williamson and Ingram talk about basketball in press conferences over the years. Examining how they speak about the game explains a lot in how they&rsquo;ve approached their careers thus far.
Ingram has been using the term "professional" and "basketball" while talking like a hardwood scientist since his rookie season. It would not be surprising for B.I. to break down film at 4 a.m., making calls to wake sleepy-eyed teammates. Specifically, Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Josh Hart have shared on record how Ingram&rsquo;s film studies helped their game. Even when Ingram was out with an injury, the deep film sessions to help his teammates improve remained part of his routine. His methodical game reflects his intense devotion to his craft, though Ingram&rsquo;s personality comes off as a bit more laid back.
Williamson &ldquo;just loves hooping&rdquo; by his admission this Monday and in past interviews. Both are highly talented and naturally gifted and, as one source put it, &ldquo;They both love the game, but show it in different ways. The game has loved them back in different ways.&rdquo; Organizationally, there have been some growing pains as perhaps some things got taken for granted along the way for a franchise shaping a new identity.
That&rsquo;s starting to change and it is a two-way street. This team knows it was in first place last December and Williamson&rsquo;s renewed commitment has been the theme of the offseason with those I&rsquo;ve spoken with.
"This was the first summer where we&rsquo;ve seen Zion take his profession seriously like that and invest in it off the court on his own in a way that, I think, is meaningful," Griffin revealed during media day.
This is a reassuring development considering the past four years. Now, Zion still loves to hoop. There is no doubt. No one shows up on an outdoor court in New Orleans to work up a mid-summer sweat with some high-school kids without loving to hoop. Roll a ball out on a court and a smiling Williamson is like an overeager puppy. At least Alvin Gentry got that right in Zion&rsquo;s rookie season.
However, Williamson has not had a healthy relationship with NBA basketball the last few years. The NBA Draft is a crap shoot and New Orleans was not exactly a prime location. The new front office had a few growing pains earlier than expect as a result. NBA HQ added some bumps and bruises to the process as well. The national-TV-heavy schedule as a rookie and through the COVID bubble was unwarranted, unnecessary attention; it was just premature pressure on someone who couldn't legally buy a drink.
Attention before production paired with injury setbacks put pressure on every strained relationship, which partly factored into the Pelicans parting ways with coaches Gentry and Stan Van Gundy after just a year each with Williamson on the roster. Zion even went to rehab in Oregon away from the team, returning to the bench just weeks before the team&rsquo;s playoff run.
Publicly and privately, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;all water under the bridge&rdquo; between the locker room and front office. Aaron Nelson is still with the team, but in an advisory role that&rsquo;s far more hands-off on the day-to-day. Newly-hired Amy Atmore, the team's physical/performance therapist and director of rehabilitation, has already made the players comfortable with the revamped staff and new "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" process. There are a few more full-time staffers to welcome into the group but by all accounts, head coach Willie Green has righted the ship culturally in the locker room. The leadership hierarchies and trust circle bonds are very strong and have been unanimously agreed upon.
In contrast to Williamson&rsquo;s on-court hooper mentality paired with a dozen endorsement deals, Ingram loves professional basketball and has been able to operate as an under-the-radar, one-time All-Star. This approach leads to multi-generational wealth that secures family futures. Ingram did not sign a contract extension this summer because "they handing a lot of people big money, [and] I&rsquo;m trying to get some big money&rdquo; next summer.
Ingram smiled while delivering that media-day-gold statement, but Zion was refusing to flash a grin for anyone to start training camp. This isn&rsquo;t just hooping anymore. This is serious, professional basketball and it would be a disservice to his talents and teammates to not approach this season as the opportunity of a lifetime. It&rsquo;s also a chance to win back all the fans and provide a return on the team&rsquo;s investment. Williamson loves to be loved. Ingram, especially after the FIBA experience, is after All-NBA respect before negotiating a contract extension.
The revamped player performance and medical staff changes were a direct result of the front office listening to player feedback. Williamson, who just signed a max-level extension, can see that.
"The Pelicans have put in a lot of things this offseason&hellip;" Williamson said. "I think what the Pelicans have done is add good structure and we'll see as the season goes&hellip; being on the same page with the personal trainers, really locking into every aspect of my body.''
Williamson also listened to feedback from the front office and the team&rsquo;s veterans. He got the message from CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr., who played through injuries last season, to set an example.
"I think [the changes] should help us," McCollum said. &ldquo;A lot of it is on us and how we prepare. Your staff can only do so much."
Off the court, Williamson&rsquo;s larger-than-life, crowd-pleasing ways mesh well with Ingram&rsquo;s reserved, low-key-funny, musically-inclined chill. Now, the Pelicans need them to make it work on the court when the stakes are highest. Like any relationship seemingly stuck running in place, huge consequences are resting on the next decision.
&ldquo;If this team can&rsquo;t take that next step, we need to know that as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Griffin stated straightforwardly at media day.
It&rsquo;s tough to hear for a young team, but at least the tough love is understood as coming from a place of caring about what&rsquo;s best for everyone.
Former NBA vet and Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon said he felt players have returned with a bitter taste in their mouths after the way last season ended and expects them to come into camp highly motivated to show their true potential. Griffin, who is passing off some of the medical-team-oversight responsibilities to Langdon, feels this group is &ldquo;really optimistic."
"We have pieces that can be really dynamic and win together," Griffin said. "They haven&rsquo;t done a lot of it and they know they have something to prove."
Williamson definitely has something to prove and has new motivations in life to live up to his potential. The expecting father with no more viable professional excuses or blame to be placed on youth ''wanted change."
"If I want change, I have to do something different so I sat down with the Pelicans and came up with a great plan," Zion said.
All public signs from the front office, All-Stars and those speaking behind the scenes point to a mended, healthy relationship between all parties as reason for future optimism. Reports of mutiny or group dissension are downright wrong according to what I&rsquo;ve been hearing. Hot takes to insinuate the franchise operates from behind a smoke screen miss the mark at best and at times show the worst of biases from people who wouldn&rsquo;t know which coach or player had a family sitting next to them in the arena.
There were no ultimatums. It was a remodel, not a revolt. The front office took feedback from their players and ran with it. That&rsquo;s a positive relationship. It&rsquo;s boring for offseason news but has long-term benefits for the team and it&rsquo;s fans.
"If we would have controlled the narrative, it would have made (the media&rsquo;s) jobs a lot more boring, but it would have put [Williamson[ in a better position to succeed," Griffin said last summer. "I feel like to a huge degree, I failed him in that sense."
The Pelicans and Williamson are now in a position to succeed with a clear narrative: Win and show the world their true capabilities. Williamson, who trained to be &ldquo;un-guardable&rdquo; this offseason, switched vocabulary halfway through the press conference with an admission that he is &ldquo;a basketball player."
"I simply want to win and impact the game. I train to impact the game from all areas&hellip; Griff, Trajan and Swin [Cash], those three have been really helpful," Williamson added. "They've supported me, they've had my back and we all got the same goal in mind, which I think is what family is about &ndash; people having your back no matter what and wanting the best for each other.&rdquo;
Williamson went further, going out of the way to declare his loyalty to New Orleans.
&ldquo;This is home for me. This is where I want to be&hellip;" he said. "If something were to happen to me where basketball wasn&rsquo;t there or my life is changed, who would be there for me? Realistically, who would be there for me? I had to come to that realization that when it comes to them, the family, and the city, it&rsquo;s always good so I focus on that.&rdquo;
Frankly, if that doesn&rsquo;t hit you right in the feels as a fan of the Pelicans, it might be time to re-examine your engagement with basketball and this team. Either way the franchise is moving forward with stronger relationships just as their championship window is truly opening. A great start to the season might even feel like a second honeymoon for fans with an open mind and little bit of hope for the future.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

The New Orleans Pelicans are all on the same page and could be poised for a big season, writes Christopher Dodson.

Pelicans better understand love languages of All-Star relationships

SlamBall co-founder Mason Gordon spoke to Alex Kennedy about the sport's return, the new season on ESPN and much more.

The return of SlamBall: Co-founder Mason Gordon discusses new season

Throughout NBA history, there have been plenty of supremely talented teams. However, only a select few managed to string together multiple championships, revolutionize how the game is played and dominate to the point that they defined their era.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s extremely difficult to create a dynasty, but these six teams earned that distinction.
Boston Celtics (1957-1969)
While it&rsquo;s difficult for today&rsquo;s NBA fans to fathom, the Boston Celtics managed to win 11 championships in just 13 seasons. Celtics head coach and general manager Red Auerbach pulled off a draft-day trade in 1956 that changed the franchise forever, with Boston acquiring No. 2 overall pick Bill Russell in exchange for Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley. Russell would become one of the most dominant defenders and rebounders of all-time, and when paired with Bob Cousy, John Havlicek and Sam Jones among others, the Celtics became an unstoppable force.&nbsp;
Today, winning three-straight championships is considered an astonishing feat, yet these Celtics managed to win eight consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966 &ndash; a record that is virtually impossible to break. While it was certainly a very different era of basketball, Boston deserves a ton of credit for revolutionizing the game and sustaining that level of dominance for more than a decade.
Los Angeles Lakers (1980s)
The 1980s belonged to the "Showtime" Lakers, a dynamic and star-studded team led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Under head coach Pat Riley's leadership, the Lakers thrilled fans with their fast-paced style of play. From 1980 through 1991, the Lakers won five championships and made nine NBA Finals appearances.
Magic&rsquo;s unparalleled playmaking abilities and Kareem&rsquo;s automatic skyhook made these Lakers nearly unstoppable on the court. The Lakers&rsquo; rivalry with the Celtics (and Magic Johnson&rsquo;s personal rivalry with Larry Bird) added another layer of excitement to the NBA, culminating in memorable NBA Finals matchups and moving NBA playoff games to live broadcasts rather than being on tape delay.&nbsp;HBO&rsquo;s show &ldquo;Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty&rdquo; has introduced the Showtime era to a new generation of fans.&nbsp;
Chicago Bulls (1991-1998)
On June 19, 1984, the Chicago Bulls selected Michael Jordan with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. It didn&rsquo;t take long for Jordan to make his mark on the league, as he won Rookie of the Year and became a household name. Jordan was the lynchpin of the Bulls&rsquo; dynasty and became the biggest sports star that the world had ever seen. Coached by Phil Jackson, MJ and Scottie Pippen led the Bulls to six championships in eight years, thanks to two different three-peats. In the 1995-1996 season, the Bulls amassed a record-setting 72 wins, solidifying their status as one of the greatest teams in NBA history (although the record would later be broken by another team featured on this list).&nbsp;
These Bulls teams captured the imagination of fans worldwide. The Bulls&rsquo; dynasty and Team USA's "Dream Team" (which featured Jordan and Pippen alongside other NBA superstars like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley) deserve a lot of credit for making basketball popular across the globe. Just as &ldquo;Winning Time&rdquo; is bringing the Showtime Lakers back into the spotlight, ESPN&rsquo;s docuseries &ldquo;The Last Dance&rdquo; became a huge hit and showcased Jordan&rsquo;s dominance and popularity to younger fans who never got a chance to watch him play live.
San Antonio Spurs (1999-2014)
The San Antonio Spurs, guided by the steady hand of coach Gregg Popovich, enjoyed an extended period of excellence. By now, you&rsquo;re probably realizing that dynasties tend to start when a team drafts a special player. For the Spurs, that player was Tim Duncan, who is often regarded as the greatest power forward in NBA history. While Duncan wasn&rsquo;t a flashy player, he was incredibly consistent and capable of taking over games offensively and defensively.&nbsp;
Duncan and Popovich captured five NBA championships between 1999 and 2014. They managed to win across different eras, first with David Robinson, Avery Johnson and Sean Elliot, then with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Bruce Bowen, and later with Kawhi Leonard, Parker and Ginobili among others. The Spurs' success was built on fundamentals, exceptional team chemistry and a selfless approach to the game. Their sustained success over more than a decade solidified them as a modern NBA dynasty.&nbsp;
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Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002)
The Lakers of the early 2000s were an unstoppable force, combining the dominant inside presence of Shaquille O'Neal and the scoring prowess of Kobe Bryant. Coached by the legendary Phil Jackson, this superstar tandem led Los Angeles to three consecutive NBA championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Teams had to pick their poison against these Lakers, as Shaq and Kobe were nearly impossible to defend one-on-one. Shaq dominated with his imposing size and physicality in the paint, while Kobe made teams pay with his unmatched scoring ability and constantly evolving skill-set. Together, they formed one of the most formidable duos in NBA history, complementing each other's strengths on the court (while often butting heads off the court). Who knows how many more championships the Lakers would have won if Shaq and Kobe managed to get along and make things work in L.A.&nbsp;
Golden State Warriors (2014-2022)
The Golden State Warriors' dynasty has been a breathtaking display of offensive brilliance and finesse. Led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the Warriors revolutionized the game with their three-point shooting, fast-paced style of play and small-ball lineups. Head coach Steve Kerr, who won five championships as a player with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs dynasties, helped the Warriors capture four NBA championships in eight years (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022).&nbsp;
The Warriors won 73 games in 2016, breaking the previous record set by the Bulls. And as if this team wasn&rsquo;t already scary enough, Golden State signed Kevin Durant and became even more unstoppable. Even after Durant left in 2019, the Warriors managed to win another championship, beating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals last year. The Warriors revolutionized the modern NBA, and their dynastic run may not even be over. After all, Curry, Thompson, Green and Kerr are still around and the team recently added veterans Chris Paul, Cory Joseph and Dario Saric in hopes of chasing a fifth ring.

Alex Kennedy looks back on six of the most unstoppable dynasties throughout NBA history.

Exploring the most dominant dynasties throughout NBA history

DETROIT (AP) &mdash; For much of the spring, finding an NBA coaching job was the last thing Monty Williams cared about.
After being fired by the Phoenix Suns following their elimination from the postseason, Williams had talked to a few teams when his family got some upsetting news &mdash; his wife, Lisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Williams was introduced Tuesday as the new coach of the Detroit Pistons, and he discussed his wife&rsquo;s health in an attempt to help others.
&ldquo;The reason that I bring it up is to not talk about my family, but to make it more of an emphasis that women need early detection testing. We had genetic testing done and then scan after scan after scan and then we found it early, and that may have saved my wife&rsquo;s life.
&ldquo;It can save others.&rdquo;
Williams had been in contact with Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, but dropped out of contention for the Detroit job when his wife was diagnosed.
&ldquo;As we navigated all of that, I was talking to Troy and telling him man, I couldn&rsquo;t, you know, right now because I gotta take care of my family,&rdquo; he said.
Williams, whose first wife, Ingrid, died in a car crash in 2016, was ready to take at least one season off to spend more time with his wife and kids. He&rsquo;s also helping his son Elijah &mdash; a top recruiting target for schools across the country &mdash; deal with that aspect of his life.
&ldquo;After we got the good news about Lisa, I was with my kid at a tryout when I got a text from Troy out of the blue,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I thought everything was totally off the table, but things went quickly after that.&rdquo;
Williams flew to Los Angeles to meet with owner Tom Gores.
&ldquo;I had met with Troy for about five days at my house, and I told him we had a critical responsibility to get this right for our players,&rdquo; Gores said. &ldquo;They have literally trusted us and they are even holding their own practices. I wouldn&rsquo;t say it was a yelling match, but we talked about how it was important to deliver for those young men.&rdquo;
Williams coached New Orleans from 2010-15, going 173-221 and losing twice in the first round of the playoffs.
Things were different in Phoenix. Taking over a team that had gone 19-63 in 2018-19, Williams led the Suns to a 34-39 record in the pandemic-affected 2019-20 season, then 51-21 and a berth in the NBA Finals in the compressed 2020-21 schedule. They lost in six games to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Phoenix went 64-18 and finished as the West&rsquo;s top seed in 2021-22. Williams was named Coach of the Year, but the Suns were knocked out in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks.
This season, they slipped to 45-37 and another second-round loss, this time to the championship-bound Denver Nuggets.
Now he&rsquo;s going to have to restart that process in Detroit.
The Pistons had the worst record in the league at 17-65 but were unlucky in the draft lottery, getting the fifth pick. They&rsquo;ve gone seven years without a winning season and haven&rsquo;t won a playoff game since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals.
Detroit has a promising young core in Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, but Cunningham missed most of last season with a stress fracture.
&ldquo;You can see the talent of this group and you see the size, but what I&rsquo;m really impressed by is the people,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;When I talk to them, they look me in the eye, which is impressive. When I text them, they get right back to me. There&rsquo;s a hunger and a desire there.&rdquo;

Williams was introduced Tuesday as the new coach of the Pistons, and he discussed his wife’s health in an attempt to help others.

Wife’s cancer almost prevented Monty Williams from taking Pistons job

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted his 32-point night with a go-ahead baseline jumper and four clutch free throws in the final 29 seconds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-118 on Wednesday night to remain alive in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
Josh Giddey had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, the only Western Conference team still playing with a losing record.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been battle tested. We&rsquo;ve played in a lot of close games all year, for the past couple of years,&rdquo; Gilgeous-Alexander said. &ldquo;Even when the season wasn&rsquo;t going our way, we played in a lot of close games and we have good habits and we know what gets it done down the stretch.&rdquo;
The loss eliminated the ninth-seeded Pelicans, while 10th seed Oklahoma City advanced to play at Minnesota on Friday night for the right to enter the NBA playoffs as an eighth seed and meet No. 1 Denver.
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The future is NOW as OKC gets a big Play-In win ⚡️ SGA: 32 PTS, 5 REB, 3 STL Josh Giddey: 31 PTS, 10 AST, 9 REB Lu Dort: 27 PTS, 5 REB, 8/14 FG <a href="https://t.co/eeE36ieujZ">pic.twitter.com/eeE36ieujZ</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1646370167511826434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Brandon Ingram scored 20 of his 30 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to give the Pelicans a slim chance to come back.
But after Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws, Herbert Jones threw away an inbound pass, virtually sealing New Orleans&rsquo; fate.
Lu Dort scored 27 for the Thunder, including a pair of free throws with 6.2 seconds left.
Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 18 rebounds for New Orleans, but checked out with 4:26 after apparently hurting his right foot. He returned only briefly in the final minute.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points, Jones had 20 and CJ McCollum 14 for the Pelicans, who a season ago went 2-0 in play-in games as a ninth seed to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
This time New Orleans, which was at the top of the Western Conference standings in December, was left to wonder what might have been had Zion Williamson not gone out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury on Jan. 2.
New Orleans led 69-62 early in the third quarter before the Thunder surged in front with a 13-2 run capped by Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s driving layup as he was fouled.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 in the period and Giddey added 12, including his third 3 of the game to give Oklahoma City a 95-85 lead.
But New Orleans quickly tightened the game back up early in the fourth with a 7-0 run that included reserve guard Josh Richardson&rsquo;s 3 that pulled the Pelicans to 98-96.
The Pelicans went back in front when Richardson&rsquo;s steal and breakaway dunk made it 101-100, but as the Thunder came back up the court, Richardson was called for a foul after knocking Giddey to the floor near midcourt. Giddey angrily came to his feet and started angrily toward Richardson. Teammates held both at bay while officials called for a video review and determined that Richardson had committed a flagrant foul.
Giddey made one of two free throws to tie it and set the stage for an intense finish.
Dort, who averaged 13.7 points during the regular season, scored 14 in the first quarter. But the Pelicans surged in front late in the first half when Murphy hit a pair of 3s to help New Orleans go into halftime with a 63-57 lead.
Ingram appeared to turn his left ankle when he stepped on a foot late in the second quarter. He did not check out of the game, however, and played most of the second half.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s seven first-half points were his lowest in any first half this season. His 17 points in the third quarter marked the 40th time he scored at least 10 in a third quarter this season. ... Oklahoma City outscored New Orleans 21-11 in points off turnovers. The Pelicans committed 11 turnovers, the Thunder seven.
Pelicans: Played without prominent frontcourt reserve Larry Nance Jr., who had been questionable since injuring his left ankle on Sunday in a loss at Minnesota to close the regular season. ... Outrebounded the Thunder 48-38. ... Williamson, who missed his 46th straight game as he continues his recovery from a Jan. 2 right hamstring injury, took part in warmups and finished up with a windmill dunk.

The Thunder beat the Pelicans 123-118 on Wednesday night to remain alive in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder past Pelicans in play-in

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; This story would never have been told if Udonis Haslem&rsquo;s mother hadn&rsquo;t moved from Miami to Jacksonville. Or if his stepbrother hadn&rsquo;t been so smart about an airball. Or if Atlanta signed him in 2002. Or if San Antonio did in 2003.
Any of those things happen differently, it all changes. He probably wouldn&rsquo;t be with the Miami Heat right now. Maybe never.
Haslem, the NBA&rsquo;s oldest active player at 42 and a three-time champion, is in the final days with his hometown team. He&rsquo;s the third player to spend a two-decade career with one franchise, joining Dallas&rsquo; Dirk Nowitzki and the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; Kobe Bryant.
&ldquo;All I&rsquo;ve ever tried to do is take care of my people, take care of my city,&rdquo; Haslem said. &ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s why I can sit down with the mayor and commissioners, or I can sit down with people in the &rsquo;hood, and be comfortable either way. It&rsquo;s because of the sacrifices that I&rsquo;ve made for this city.&rdquo;
Heat President Pat Riley is more succinct.
&ldquo;Udonis is Miami,&rdquo; Riley said.
Haslem was on the NBA&rsquo;s All-Rookie team in 2003-04. He never was an All-Star, never All-NBA, never even a player of the week out of 438 possible chances. The last time he averaged double figures for a season was 2009.
But ask anyone with the Heat, and they insist Haslem &mdash; the team captain who&rsquo;ll have his No. 40 jersey retired next season &mdash; has been vital for two decades.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the poster child of a guy who was average, supposedly, and yet he became great,&rdquo; said Chet Kammerer, who has spent 27 years in Miami&rsquo;s player personnel department. &ldquo;And how did he do that? Hard work. Great spirit. Great attitude. Never &lsquo;can&rsquo;t do this,&rsquo; never &lsquo;can&rsquo;t do that.&rsquo; And the success that we&rsquo;ve had, he&rsquo;s had more of a major contribution over the whole 20 years than people know.&rdquo;
Take the night Miami won its first NBA title in Dallas in 2006. Haslem played with a separated shoulder. He had to guard Nowitzki, the Mavericks&rsquo; best player. Nowitzki didn&rsquo;t have a field goal in the fourth quarter; Miami won 95-92, Haslem had 17 points, 10 rebounds and a good cry afterward.
&ldquo;The champagne got me,&rdquo; he said. Everyone knows otherwise; they were tears.
Other players got headlines that night; Dwyane Wade was Finals MVP, Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal won his fourth ring. But without Haslem, there would be no title.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s always had tremendous courage,&rdquo; Riley said. &ldquo;Whatever endeavor, he rises to another level. And you need that. He was for real. He was that kind of man, someone who has tremendous pride being from Miami.&rdquo;
Many Miami kids grow up with football dreams. Haslem was one of them. But when his mother took a job in Jacksonville when he was 9, focus began shifting to basketball. (&ldquo;Football isn&rsquo;t as big there,&rdquo; Haslem said.) When he was around 12, Haslem was on the court with his older stepbrother, Sam Wooten. Haslem shot an airball. Wooten caught the ball and scored.
&ldquo;Nice pass,&rdquo; Wooten said, genuinely. He, and that moment, had tremendous impact on Haslem; Wooten died in 1999 from cancer and Haslem has a &ldquo;R.I.P. Sam&rdquo; tattoo on his neck to pay tribute to his mentor.
Haslem had backboard-breaking dunks as a high school freshman, starred at Miami High, then starred at Florida but struggled with weight and NBA teams passed on drafting him in 2002. Atlanta brought him in for a camp that summer, but signed Ira Newble to its last roster spot instead.
So Haslem played in France, dropping the extra weight by eating only turkey sandwiches. The next summer, he was offered a one-year contract by the Spurs.
&ldquo;We couldn&rsquo;t lose him,&rdquo; Kammerer said.
The Heat offered two years. Haslem signed. He never left. He had multiple chances, often for more money. But he stayed and will remain with the organization in a to-be-determined role; Haslem wants a chance to join the ownership group.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s monumentally important for our organization and our locker room,&rdquo; Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. &ldquo;He embodies everything that we believe in. And he has a way, because of the respect level, that he&rsquo;s able to influence and mentor literally every player in the locker room.&rdquo;
There are many stories of Haslem&rsquo;s toughness. He&rsquo;d dislocate fingers in practice and pop them back in like nothing happened. People still talk about his hard foul on Indiana&rsquo;s Tyler Hansbrough in the 2012 playoffs, after the Pacers caused him to get eight stitches the game before and Hansbrough had just sent Wade flying. He often is the one giving impassioned locker-room speeches at halftime, even before Spoelstra gets a chance. The wall outside Miami&rsquo;s locker room is now a tribute to Haslem moments.
He&rsquo;s not Miami&rsquo;s best player. It could be argued nobody has meant more.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s nobody else like him,&rdquo; Spoelstra said.

Udonis Haslem — the Heat's captain who’ll have his No. 40 jersey retired next season — has been vital for two decades.

Udonis Haslem, Miami Heat reflect on rare 20-year NBA career

Isaac Mourier is the director of performance nutrition and sports science at Impact Basketball, one of the most prestigious independent training organizations for elite pro basketball players. He's spent time as a consultant for the Sacramento Kings and as a nutritionist for Georgia athletics, and he played pro basketball in Germany.
So while Mourier cannot speak for everyone in the NBA, his next statement carries weight:
"I've never met a player that doesn't want to play," Mourier told Basketball News. "Never, in my career as a player, as a practitioner, have I ever met a player that does not want to play. So that's a myth."
The NBA's perceived "load management crisis" has only sparked louder outrage this season from fans, some media and even former players. Charles Barkley has <a href="https://awfulannouncing.com/nba/charles-barkley-load-management-steel-mill-first-take.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called the trend</a> "disrespectful to the game."&nbsp;Kendrick Perkins has <a href="https://fadeawayworld.net/kendrick-perkins-rips-load-management-its-starting-to-get-beyond-disrespectful" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labeled the mental toughness of today's players</a> as "softer than funeral music." While these two are certainly controversial voices at the very least, they are significant influences in the sport's discourse.
Barkley and Perkins, among many others, are also warping the true hows and whys of load management.&nbsp;
Today's NBA game is more physically taxing than ever, and among those in the league, it's barely a debate.&nbsp;
"I was part of the physical era, where you could hand-check and grind, post up and all that," Mike Conley told <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/load-management-draymond-green-warriors-kevon-looney-technology-mike-conley-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox Sports in January.</a> "We were a physical team. It&rsquo;s who we were. That was taxing in a whole other way. You played through injuries, but it was more bumps and bruises because you were being physically assaulted.
"Now it&rsquo;s like, imagine running as fast as you can for 48 minutes and having to do that every night. There are more possessions, more opportunities to get these non-contact injuries. Guys are having more calf strains, more hamstrings and stuff like that. We weren&rsquo;t getting those as much (before)."
Kevon Looney backs Conley up in <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/load-management-draymond-green-warriors-kevon-looney-technology-mike-conley-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that article</a>, and Mourier supports them both. He says that the "physicality" of the old-school, post-centric game is much different from today's fast pace that wears out the body with more muscle contractions.
"What may look less physically taxing to the eye, in terms of less bumps and bruises and people getting knocked over &mdash; I think you're actually having the opposite effect on the body, where these distances covered, the speed at which they're covered and the changes of directions are far more taxing on the body," Mourier said.
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Today, teams can quantify those stresses. Mourier explains that players often jump on force plates and see how their power generated will change with fatigue throughout a season. Hormones and proteins found in blood testing can signal muscle damage or inflammation. Teams use GPS tracking and camera systems to monitor players' wear and tear even in practices. The data paints a collective picture of an athlete's overall load during the season.
Importantly, this data isn't hidden by doctors &mdash; it typically is part of an ongoing conversation throughout the year. Building trust between players and medical staffers is crucial to injury management. That way, players can trust the data and doctors can respect the athlete's motivations.
"There's a number of data points that you will track until it gets to the point where we have to stop," Mourier said. "It's not like, 'Hey, we've just noticed something and you're not gonna play tonight.' It will be something that's been in the works &mdash; overall wellness scores, looking at that force plate data &mdash; it will be a trend, which is happening over time, and it's got to a point where it's like, 'Okay, we really have to do this.'
"It's not taken lightly because, ultimately, everybody's job there is to make sure that people can play every night."
Fans often want to ask: Who's in control? And the difficult answer is that the power dynamics change in different organizations.
Mourier says that superstars' voices will naturally have more influence, but that college staffs have more control over player rest than NBA teams. Others in the NBA have observed that teams do hold serious decision-making power.
"I do know on occasion that it&rsquo;s not the player&rsquo;s choice [to rest]," New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. told Basketball News.
"On the whole, I think people are on the same page, especially when it comes to our [Impact Basketball] guys on [NBA] teams," Mourier said. "I've never come across someone saying, 'They made me sit down; I wanted to play and I couldn't.'"
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_20114521.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="444" />
Seth Partnow works for StatsBomb and writes for The Athletic, and was formerly the Milwaukee Bucks' director of basketball research, working adjacent to the sports scientists within the organization. He said in his general experience, trust in both data and relationships is a huge part of reaching decisions to rest.&nbsp;
"I think that the impetus for resting overwhelmingly comes from the medical and front-office side," Partnow told Basketball News. "I think that part of the increased comfort players have with revealing that information is maybe an increased willingness to take that advice."
Partnow explained that teams often boil down decision-making for rest to a "risk versus reward" scale. Does Player X need to play this specific game for the sake of the team, and is it worth the risk of a potential injury that could threaten playoff availability?&nbsp;
"We're going to be judged on how well we do in the playoffs," Partnow said. "And more of a bigger factor than a regular-season win or two is, 'Are my good players able to play?'"
That balance does not include the weight of the fan experience &mdash; a valid criticism within the conversation. Mourier, originally from England, remembers attending his first NBA game in person between the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards and being disappointed when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade didn't suit up. NBA tickets can be a significant investment for fans and families; understandably, they would be bummed when a star rests.
But "risk vs. reward" applies to the league's approach too, as evidenced by its lack of action on anything surrounding load management. Others, including <a href="https://theathletic.com/4272209/2023/03/03/load-management-nba-injuries/?source=user_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a recent conversation between The Athletic's staff members</a>, have clamored for more transparency around injuries as at least a starting point.
&ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t a new issue. There&rsquo;s nothing particularly happening this season that we haven&rsquo;t seen happening over the last several seasons," Adam Silver <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/25/sports/sunday-basketball-notes/?p1=BGSearch_Overlay_Results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in February</a>. "I understand it from a fan standpoint that if you are particularly buying tickets to a particular game and that player isn&rsquo;t playing. I don&rsquo;t have a good answer for that other than this is a deep league with incredible competition."
One motivator gaining traction is the idea of minimum-games-played requirements for season awards. Shams Charania has reported that <a href="https://theathletic.com/4302514/2023/03/13/the-bounce-lakers-cba-games-played-minimum-shams/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">both the league and the National Basketball Players Association like the idea</a>. But many do not, including Mourier.
"I think that opens up a pretty dangerous can of worms, because if you have somebody that's really not in a position where they're ready to play &mdash; we have to start looking at them as humans as opposed to just athletes," Mourier said. "If they're in a position where they are really not ready to play, they're feeling sore or there's an injury, and they're creeping up on that cut-off for games and they're about to play, and it's gonna mean that they're not going to get home, they can't put food on the table for their family or can't support the the different needs that they have, then we have a human issue."
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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr explains his position of protecting his players on the second night of a back-to-back, empathizes with the fans who are affected by load management and shares how a 72-game NBA season would be equally as rewarding as it&rsquo;d be safe. <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/osTyhqxNyd">pic.twitter.com/osTyhqxNyd</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1616581456658108416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Another common suggestion is to simply shorten the schedule, be it to 70 games, 65 games or whatever makes sense. It would lighten the workload for players and possibly address some of the concerns about the value of the regular season along the way. But Silver didn't seem excited.
&ldquo;If we thought it made sense to reduce the number of games, we would. But there&rsquo;s no data right now that suggests, as I said, based on some prior experiments or even as we look at the data over the course of the season and when players get injured, it isn&rsquo;t... You would think that it would be the case that injuries would increase as the season goes on, and that&rsquo;s not necessarily it either," Silver said.
Partnow echoes Silver's stance as a reason for the league shrugging its shoulders. There just isn't hard proof that the change wouldn't lead to an obvious loss of revenue from dropping 200-plus contests.
"Measuring how that sort of loss of &mdash; I don't know, if you want to call it loss of trust &mdash; might longer-term affect the per-game revenue, that's tough math to do, but I think that's the concern," Partnow added.
And even if the league did shrink the schedule, games are not the only way athletes are physically taxed during the year.
&ldquo;I think the biggest thing [fans don't notice] would just be trying to manage injuries and inflammation while traveling via airplane," Nance Jr. said. "That always seems to exacerbate most problems.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Fans can&rsquo;t imagine playing 82 games in different cities all across the country and the physical toll it takes on your body, even without injuries," added NBA veteran Etan Thomas. "It&rsquo;s difficult for most fans to really understand.&rdquo;
Mourier says that pros need at least 48-to-72 hours between high-level competition for their bodies to replenish with proper nutrients. That's not consistently happening under the current schedule, and travel doesn't help.
"All of the factors which are not directly related to after the ball is thrown up at the tip-off &mdash; so sleep, travel, all of that other stuff &mdash; how can we influence those things to put the players in a more favorable spot to be able to go and perform every night? I think that's where we start," Mourier suggested.
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Load management is the best strategy NBA teams have to contain injuries, but it isn't stopping them from happening. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263354" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Studies are showing</a> that NBA players get hurt more than ever. Partnow warns not to assume rest every time a star is out briefly; many of the smaller cases are still legitimate injuries.&nbsp;
The findings hint at a scarier truth: What if the NBA can't do anything about it? As <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27125793/these-kids-ticking-bombs-threat-youth-basketball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Baxter Holmes uncovered</a>, AAU and youth sports are taking major tolls on players' bodies before they even reach the pro level. Current pros are torn on if the grind of year-round youth basketball was worth it.
"I agree that kids are being overworked at a young age,&rdquo; <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2019/11/08/does-aau-lead-to-load-management-in-nba-kids-are-being-overworked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic told HoopsHype in 2019</a>. &ldquo;Parents push kids too hard to succeed and hire all these fake basketball coaches who don&rsquo;t teach them how to play the game the right way. Kids have to have fun first while they play, and not [have someone] make it a business for them right away."
The NBA doesn't supervise the entirety of American youth hoops, which means it can't stop one of the root problems.
"Yes, absolutely [it's worrisome]," Partnow said. "I mean, on some level, it's not just that youth sports are out of our control. Youth sports are out of control."
So, NBA teams and players have more data than ever to manage a sport that is more physcially demanding than ever. But the league doesn't have the data to comfortably make a big change, and the frustration only grows.
At what point does the NBA stop waiting for numeric proof to force change, and take the risk for the sake of its players and fans?
"That's a political question. I don't know," Partnow said. "The longer [load management] becomes front and center of the conversation, the shorter that timespan is. But if something intervening happens that takes the focus off, and now we're talking about this other thing, then it loses salience and it kind of subsides...
"It seems like this [conversation] has been pretty continuous for the last couple months, which is probably the longest I can remember it being sort of a constant."

Ethan Fuller talks to figures around basketball to understand why load management happens and what can be done about it.

Here's the reality of the NBA's perceived 'load management crisis'

Everyone&rsquo;s heard of UConn. All these other guys? They&rsquo;ll need name tags at the Final Four.
When they travel to Houston next week to play for the national title, Florida Atlantic, San Diego State and Miami will be making their first appearances at college basketball&rsquo;s grand finale, the first time since 1970 that three first-timers all showed up in the same year.
If the unfamiliar names &mdash; to say nothing of the seedings &mdash; are any indication, fans might look back on 2022-23 as the season when true parity finally sunk down deep into the bones of America&rsquo;s favorite basketball tournament and turned March Madness into a total free-for-all, all the way to the last weekend.
There will be no No. 1 seed at the Final Four for the first time since 2011. Instead, there will be a 9 seed in Florida Atlantic, a pair of 5 seeds in SDSU and Miami, and a 4 seed in UConn. The combined seed total of the four teams is 23, the second-highest total since the seeding began in 1979. This marks the first time that not a single top-3 seed made it.
The matchups for Saturday: San Diego State against FAU, in a not-so-classic 5-vs-9 matchup. (San Diego State, a 57-56 winner over Creighton on Sunday, is a 1.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.) Who saw that coming?&nbsp;
In the later game, it&rsquo;s the Hurricanes as 5 1/2-point underdogs against UConn, which is the prohibitive favorite, at minus-135, to bring a fifth national title home.
If UConn does win, it will join Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas as the fourth school to win the championship under three or more coaches. Dan Hurley would join Jim Calhoun and Kevin Ollie in the winner&rsquo;s circle for the Huskies.
In the past, some of the upheaval in the brackets could have been pinned on the single-elimination format and the tournament selection committee, which sometimes overvalues its top seeds &mdash; this year, that included first-round loser Purdue and seven-loss defending-champion Kansas &mdash; while clearly underrating others.
No team got undervalued more than UConn (29-8), which had 25 wins coming in, a No. 8 standing in the NET rankings &mdash; which looks at quality wins among other factors &mdash; and the still-developing potential of junior Adama Sanogo, who has averaged 20 points and just a touch under 10 rebounds in four tournament games.
But all the other factors upending college sports &mdash; namely, NIL deals and the transfer portal &mdash; played a role here, too.
Heading into the Elite Eight, Miami coach Jim Larra&ntilde;aga &mdash; who brought George Mason to the Final Four as an 11 seed 17 years ago &mdash; said the portal was the basketball equivalent of speed dating. Worked for him. The third- and fourth-leading scorers for the Hurricanes (29-7), Nijel Pack and Norchad Omier, both came to The U from the portal.
Also down in South Florida, FAU got three key players, including 7-foot-1 Russian center Vladislav Goldin, from elsewhere. All moved to the campus in Boca Raton after less-than-successful stays at big-conference schools. No one was quite sure how coach Dusty May would blend all these new faces from different places. Turns out, he did pretty well. At 35-3, nobody has more wins this season than the Owls.
&ldquo;We already had a good chemistry last year, and the pieces that we added just complemented everything we had going on,&rdquo; said Bryan Greenlee, in his second year at FAU after coming over from Minnesota.
A longtime power in the Mountain West Conference, San Diego State was 30-2 and projected for a No. 1 seed in 2020 when the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three years later, the Aztecs (31-6) are two wins away from the title. Their top two scorers, Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell, are &mdash; you guessed it &mdash; products of the transfer portal, though coach Brian Dutcher brought them in as much for defense as scoring. SDSU made it this far behind a defense that held top-seeded Alabama to 32% shooting in the Sweet 16 and held Creighton to 11% from 3-point range in Sunday&rsquo;s win.
Asked what to expect from the Aztecs in Houston next week, Dutcher said, &ldquo;I would think pretty good defense, to start with.&rdquo;

This year in the men's NCAA Tournament, it's the first time since 1970 that three first-timers all showed up in the Final Four.

Final Four newcomers: Grab your name tag at the door

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) &mdash; Knocking No. 1 seed Houston out of the NCAA Tournament made Jim Larra&ntilde;aga feel like dancing.
Much to his players&rsquo; delight, the 73-year-old Miami coach busted moves straight out of the disco era in the locker room Friday night to celebrate an 89-75 Sweet 16 victory that left the tournament without a No. 1 seed among its final eight teams for the first time since seeding began in 1979.
Larra&ntilde;aga is known to dance in the locker room after his biggest wins, and this one in the Big Dance surely qualified.
&ldquo;We were all hyped up,&rdquo; Jordan Miller said. &ldquo;We love when Coach L dances. That&rsquo;s probably the best celebration we could look forward to.&rdquo;
Nijel Pack and Miami (28-7) hit shots from near and far against the stingiest defense in the country as the Hurricanes became only the fifth team this season to score at least 70 points against Houston (33-4).
&ldquo;We just wanted it really bad,&rdquo; Miller said. &ldquo;We came into this game as the underdogs. We had a lead throughout the whole game. I wouldn&rsquo;t say a comfortable lead, but a lead, and we just didn&rsquo;t want to let up.&rdquo;
The fifth-seeded Hurricanes made their second straight Elite Eight and will play second-seeded Texas in the Midwest Region final. Larra&ntilde;aga is seeking his first Final Four with Miami and second overall &mdash; he took George Mason there as an 11 seed in 2006.
About 30 minutes before Houston&rsquo;s loss, top overall seed Alabama fell to San Diego State in Louisville, Kentucky. Fellow No. 1 seeds Purdue and Kansas lost during the tournament&rsquo;s first weekend.
The Cougars simply couldn&rsquo;t stop a multifaceted Miami offense led by Pack&rsquo;s 3-point shooting. He had season highs of seven 3-pointers on 10 attempts and 26 points.
Isaiah Wong&rsquo;s mid-range game helped get the &rsquo;Canes out to a fast start, and he finished with 20 points. Miller hurt the Cougars with his penetration and had 13 points, and Norchad Omier was his usual rugged self under the basket while recording his 16th double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
&ldquo;We emphasized moving the ball and finding the open man, and the guys did such a fantastic job from start to finish,&rdquo; Larra&ntilde;aga said. &ldquo;We only ended up with six turnovers. So that&rsquo;s the name of the game. And we tied them in rebounding. A great performance by our guys.&rdquo;
It was Pack who hit big shot after big shot, some from near the logo. He was comfortable inside T-Mobile Arena, where he played five games during his two seasons at nearby Kansas State.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a blessing to be back in this arena for sure,&rdquo; Pack said. &ldquo;My teammates found me early and kept me going. They instilled confidence in me from the jump ball. They kept feeding me and telling me to shoot the ball, and I shot it with a lot of confidence, and they were able to go in.&rdquo;
Houston was in the Sweet 16 for a fourth straight time, had won 15 of its last 16 games and had the season-long goal of playing in next week&rsquo;s Final Four in its home city.
&ldquo;Unfortunately, one off-night and you go home in this tournament,&rdquo; Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson said. &ldquo;We just never could get a foothold. We kept climbing, and we&rsquo;d get ahead of them, and then we just couldn&rsquo;t put stops together.&rdquo;
Miami used a 16-5 run spanning the halves to go up by double digits, with Omier&rsquo;s three-point play and Miller&rsquo;s short bank-in with the left hand making it 47-36 and prompting Sampson to call timeout less than two minutes into the second half.
Houston battled back to make it a two-point game, but then Pack made three 3s and Miller and Wooga Poplar hit one each to fuel a 16-2 run that put the Canes ahead 70-53. The lead grew to as much as 17 points, and Houston never got closer than 11 the rest of the way.
Walker led the Cougars with 16 points. Jamal Shead added 15 and All-American Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark had 14 apiece for the Cougars, who shot just 37% overall and 29% from distance.
&ldquo;It was an amazing run,&rdquo; Sasser said. &ldquo;Came up short, but the time that we got to spend throughout these months, I couldn&rsquo;t have asked for nothing better.&rdquo;
Houston &mdash; which came into the game as a 7.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook &mdash; found itself behind at half for the second straight game after the Hurricanes played their sharpest half of the tournament.
Miami turned the ball over just once the first 20 minutes, converted Miami&rsquo;s six turnovers into 15 points and shot 6 of 14 from distance against the second-best 3-point defense in the country.
Pack made four of them, and all were timely. His first three gave Miami leads and his fourth broke a 31-all tie.
&ldquo;The Pack kid, some of the shots he made were shots you hope he takes,&rdquo; Sampson said. &ldquo;The problem was he made them. Some of those were Howitzers.&rdquo;
Oh, about that dance Larra&ntilde;aga did. He said it was to the Commodores&rsquo; 1985 song &ldquo;Nightshift.&rdquo;
Miller gave his coach&rsquo;s moves a grade of A.
&ldquo;Not an A-plus &mdash; it was a little stiff,&rdquo; Miller said. &ldquo;But he&rsquo;s still very mobile for his age.&rdquo;
BIG DAY FOR THE U
The Hurricanes reached the regional final just a few hours after Miami&rsquo;s ninth-seeded women&rsquo;s team hung on to beat Villanova and advance to the Elite Eight for the first time. Miami and UConn are the only schools with teams remaining in both tournaments.

Jim Larrañaga is seeking his first Final Four with Miami and second overall — he took George Mason there as an 11 seed in 2006.

Miami beats No. 1 seed Houston; all four top NCAA seeds out

March Madness is quickly approaching! Here is everything you need to know, including some key games to watch and who&rsquo;s on the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament:
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-68 h2 Component-p-0-2-59">CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS</h2>
All eyes will be on the conference tournaments this week:
&mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://theacc.com/sports/2018/1/12/2017-18-new-york-life-acc-tournament.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The ACC Tournament is March 7-11</a>&nbsp;in Greensboro, North Carolina.
&mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://admin.big12sports.com/tournaments/?id=1041" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Big 12 Tournament is March 8-11</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, Missouri.
&mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://bigten.org/sports/2022/10/20/2023MBBT.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Big Ten Tournament is March 8-12</a>&nbsp;in Chicago.
&mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.bigeast.com/tournaments/?id=146" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Big East Tournament is March 8-11</a>&nbsp;in New York.
&mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://pac-12.com/mens-basketball-tournament-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Pac-12 Tournament is March 8-11</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas.
&mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.bridgestonearena.com/events/detail/2023-sec-mens-basketball-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The SEC Tournament is March 8-12</a>&nbsp;in Nashville, Tennessee.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-68 h2 Component-p-0-2-59">MARCH MADNESS</h2>
Selection Sunday is March 12, when&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bracket matchups will be set</a>&nbsp;for the First Four and first- and second-round&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2023-02-21/2023-march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-schedule-dates-times" target="_blank" rel="noopener">games that stretch from Florida to California</a>.
Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City (East Region), Las Vegas (West), Kansas City, Missouri (Midwest), and Louisville, Kentucky (South).
Where is the Final Four? In Houston, on April 1, with the championship game on April 3.
Basketball aficionados, take note:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kansas-city-march-madness-264616d053a2dc26ccf1f59999c0ea5b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The women&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;will hold its Final Four in Dallas, a four-hour drive from Houston.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-68 h2 Component-p-0-2-59">BETTING GUIDE</h2>
Who&rsquo;s going to win the national championship? With the regular season over, the betting favorites as of this week to reach the Final Four are Houston, Alabama, Kansas and Purdue, according to&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/ncaab?tab=final-four" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FanDuel Sportsbook</a>. That matches the top teams in&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2023-02-18/division-i-mens-basketball-committee-reveals-top-16-seeds-three-weeks-selection" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the NCAA&rsquo;s initial seed watch</a>. UCLA is in the mix near the top in&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;too.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-68 h2 Component-p-0-2-59">WHO&rsquo;S IN</h2>
These teams are already going dancing after landing their league&rsquo;s automatic bid:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/kennesaw-state-liberty-asun-atlantic-sun-conference-5b09f7866f7c962b6240905cfb971449" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennesaw State</a>&nbsp;(26-8, Atlantic Sun),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/campbell-unc-asheville-big-south-conference-a41680d93065815045140d736d2929dc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNC Asheville</a>&nbsp;(27-7, Big South),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-ziggy-reid-javon-bennett-tanner-thomas-nico-galette-c22c114822b241c1990b7f789466574f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fairleigh Dickinson</a>&nbsp;(19-14, Northeast),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/mvc-championship-drake-bradley-0cafbe568b4c18386c99944f407b2f1d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drake</a>&nbsp;(27-7, Missouri Valley),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/chattanooga-furman-southern-conference-socon-f73c63056db9426a1cd7728db9cf86c7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Furman</a>&nbsp;(27-7, Southern),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/sun-belt-south-alabama-louisiana-tournament-ncaa-560ca5dfbffdf02126b1aa254f5e50d1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisiana-Lafayette</a>&nbsp;(26-7, Sun Belt),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/southeast-missouri-state-tennessee-tech-ovc-a1c488e92b79f977e42cb9a431f90c30" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southeast Missouri State</a>&nbsp;(19-16, Ohio Valley),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/gonzaga-saint-marys-west-coast-conference-ncaa-tournament-8309d967f68424b76b6eb8d40e35babc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gonzaga</a>&nbsp;(28-5, West Coast),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/charleston-unc-wilmington-a5a96b049c0254c4e02e13b104f2583f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">College of Charleston</a>&nbsp;(31-3, Colonial Athletic Association),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-state-oral-roberts-d72cdca23a50685e2b63eca07e7f8ed9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oral Roberts</a>&nbsp;(30-4, Summit League),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/northwestern-state-texas-am-corpus-christi-b6bda8e49d4f699d690bbb8b318980dc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi</a>&nbsp;(23-10, Southland),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/northern-arizona-montana-state-big-sky-conference-c956fc0ad669863a5b90839c4b29f6d6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana State</a>&nbsp;(25-9, Big Sky),&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/northern-kentucky-cleveland-state-75d8750c09d58ac260f2ab8469945170" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northern Kentucky</a>&nbsp;(22-12, Horizon League) and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/lafayette-colgate-a865298447d891db81c6243f7f85902b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colgate</a>&nbsp;(26-8, Patriot League).
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-68 h2 Component-p-0-2-59">BUBBLE WATCH</h2>
Arizona State (22-12, 11-9 Pac-12):&nbsp;The Sun Devils could have strengthened their NCAA Tournament hopes by beating Arizona for a second time this season. Arizona State failed in that bid, losing to their rival 78-59 in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, but still should be in good shape after beating Southern California in the tournament quarterfinals.
Oklahoma State (18-15, 8-10 Big 12): The Cowboys&rsquo; NCAA Tournament chances looked good not that long ago. Closing the season with six losses in eight games, including to No. 7 Texas in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals, may dash their hopes.
Clemson (23-10, 14-6 ACC): The Tigers tied for third in the ACC regular season but will be sweating out Selection Sunday during a down year in the ACC. Clemson missed out on a big resume-booster by losing by 20 to No. 13 Virginia in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
Providence (21-11, 13-7 Big East):&nbsp;The Friars closed the season with three straight losses, which will lead to some tense moments on Selection Sunday. A close loss to No. 11 UConn after a huge rally in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals, along with a solid resume, could nudge them into the bracket.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-68 h2 Component-p-0-2-59">GAMES TO WATCH</h2>
Florida Atlantic (30-3) vs. UAB (25-8), Conference USA championship, Saturday, 8:30 p.m. Eastern (CBSSN):&nbsp;Every team riding the NCAA Tournament bubble will be rooting for the Owls, who could slip into the dance as an at-large team if they lose to the Blazers in the finals. They would much rather FAU take the automatic berth and free up another spot for them.
Ohio State (16-18) vs. No. 5 Purdue (27-5), Saturday, 1 p.m. Eastern (CBS): The Buckeyes have been the biggest surprise of any conference tournament, but every team on the bubble will be pulling for the Boilermakers to knock them out. With two more wins, Ohio State would be swiping another bid from a potential at-large team.

Here's everything to know about March Madness, including games to watch, who’s on the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday and more.

March Madness 2023: Last chances arrive for bubble teams

Now in his eighth season with the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner is easily the team&rsquo;s longest-tenured player. In fact, no other Pacer on the current roster has been in town longer than four seasons.
Turner arrived in Indiana as a wide-eyed teenager who was selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. In the years that followed, Turner would watch as the team continually changed around him. He has played for four different head coaches &mdash; Frank Vogel, Nate McMillan, Nate Bjorkgren and Rick Carlisle &mdash; and witnessed a ton of roster turnover. But despite Turner&rsquo;s name surfacing in trade rumors annually, he has been the one constant in Indiana.
As a rookie, Turner suited up alongside stars like Paul George and Monta Ellis. During his sophomore campaign, he called Al Jefferson, Thaddeus Young, Jeff Teague and Lance Stephenson teammates. The following year, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanovic and Darren Collison joined the squad. Turner has also played with veterans such as Tyreke Evans, Ty Lawson, Rodney Stuckey, Caris LeVert, Doug McDermott, T.J. Warren and C.J. Miles over the years.
However, one could argue that no teammate has had a greater impact on Turner&rsquo;s game than his current star running mate: Tyrese Haliburton.
When the Pacers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-interview-tyrese-haliburton-indiana-pacers-chad-buchanan-bennedict-mathurin-myles-turner-sacramento-kings-domantas-sabonis-trade-drew-hanlen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings</a> prior to last year&rsquo;s trade deadline, Turner was ecstatic. He was a fan of Haliburton&rsquo;s game and potential, and couldn&rsquo;t wait to team up with the pass-first point guard. Unfortunately, Turner wasn&rsquo;t able to play alongside Haliburton in the second half of last season due to a stress reaction in his foot.
This year, the Pacers&rsquo; one-two punch of Haliburton and Turner has been on full display, and they have become one of the most productive pick-and-roll duos in the NBA.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
pretty.😍 Tyrese Haliburton to Myles Turner for two. <a href="https://t.co/TupiSM909t">pic.twitter.com/TupiSM909t</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1629656051175026688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Turner has set 814 picks for Haliburton, which is the third-most of any pick-and-roll duo in the league, per Second Spectrum. The only tandems who have run the pick-and-roll more are Philadelphia&rsquo;s James Harden and Joel Embiid (893 picks) and Phoenix&rsquo;s Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton (897). Possessions featuring a Haliburton-Turner pick-and-roll have generated 1.063 points per possession &mdash; the fifth-best PPP of the 24 duos with at least 500 picks.
&ldquo;This has been a wonderful opportunity for Myles to play with a playmaking guard of Tyrese&rsquo;s caliber,&rdquo; Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told Basketball News. &ldquo;A couple weeks ago, we checked and they were top-five or top-six in the league as a successful pick-and-roll connection, and that&rsquo;s pretty amazing. Myles is getting all different kinds of stuff &mdash; he&rsquo;s getting rolls for dunks, he's getting a little bit of mid-range, he's getting good looks for threes and he's getting some late passes underneath for dunks as well.
"I just love the force that he&rsquo;s playing with. Tyrese has had a wonderful impact on Myles and certainly the rest of the team, but the connection those two guys have has been special.&rdquo;
The partnership has been mutually beneficial. Turner gets easy looks from an elite floor general who ranks second among all players in assists per game (10.2) and assist percentage (46.9%), while Haliburton gets a unique big-man partner who can score inside (62.8% on twos) and out (40.3% on threes). It&rsquo;s no coincidence that both players are having career years.&nbsp;
Turner is averaging career-highs in points (18.2), rebounds (8.0), field-goal percentage (54.9%), three-point percentage (40.3%) and made threes (1.7), while also contributing 2.3 blocks, 1.4 deflections and 0.6 steals per game. Turner's dominance shows up in his analytics too, as he's posting personal bests in win shares per 48 minutes (.157), Box Plus/Minus (+2.6), True Shooting percentage (65.8%), Player Efficiency Rating (20.6) and total rebound rate (14.7%).
&ldquo;Myles has blossomed this year. We've seen the relationship with him and Ty; they're one of the best pick-and-roll [duos] in the league right now,&rdquo; Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said recently. &ldquo;This is the beginning of a nice core &mdash; no, a great core.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Haliburton <a href="bit.ly/3AyPKHC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became a first-time All-Star</a> after averaging career-highs in points (20.1), assists (10.1) and threes (2.8), while also contributing 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest. Haliburton is also posting personal bests in advanced stats like assist percentage (46.9%), PER (23.0), VORP (3.8), BPM (+6.9) and WS/48 (.189).
&ldquo;It was unfortunate that I didn&rsquo;t get a chance to play with him last year and really start to develop that synergy, but I think we&rsquo;ve really picked it up quickly,&rdquo; Turner told Basketball News. &ldquo;Ty is someone who&rsquo;s easy to play with. Obviously, he sees the floor well. And as the season has progressed, we&rsquo;ve done a better job of communicating with each other. It&rsquo;s been a fun experience.&rdquo;
Despite the fact that they&rsquo;ve only played 44 games together, they have developed a strong connection and can often anticipate each other&rsquo;s next move.
&ldquo;I think I know what he&rsquo;s going to do before he does it in a sense,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think that just comes with playing with him.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
this sequence.🔥 a huge block by Myles Turner followed by a huge dunk by Tyrese Haliburton.👀 <a href="https://t.co/4MpAf4Kp0B">pic.twitter.com/4MpAf4Kp0B</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1630770909442191360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;We just needed time together, that&rsquo;s all,&rdquo; Haliburton told Basketball News. &ldquo;I feel like I&rsquo;ve had pretty good chemistry with my bigs throughout my NBA career, and I knew that playing with Myles wasn&rsquo;t going to be any different. He brings a different dynamic than what I&rsquo;m used to, with his ability to space the floor. And he&rsquo;s the best shot-blocker that I&rsquo;ve ever played with, so that gives me confidence on the defensive end to be able to take more risks and get into the ball a little bit more.
"I think it&rsquo;s a mutual relationship where he&rsquo;s got my back and I&rsquo;ve got his.&rdquo;
Not too long ago, Turner&rsquo;s days in Indiana seemed numbered. After all, the team traded away nearly all of its veterans last season (including Sabonis, LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb), and Turner&rsquo;s name continued to pop up in trade rumors. However, since Turner is only 26 years old, the Pacers&rsquo; brass felt that he could be on a similar timeline as Haliburton, who is 23.
It certainly seems that the Pacers are building around this duo, especially after Turner was given a two-year, $60 million extension in January.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad that we got it done. I think it was a win-win for both sides,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think I have a good relationship with (Pacers owner) Herb Simon, and I think he has a big belief in what I&rsquo;m capable of as well. I&rsquo;m glad that we were able to come to terms on an agreement. Behind the scenes, for me personally, I was open to the idea of free agency, but I also wanted to at least give Indy a fair chance, and both sides came to an agreement.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m comfortable. I&rsquo;m where I want to be. I&rsquo;m growing with a young team that&rsquo;s hungry. I think we&rsquo;re just trying to get better and better every day, and that&rsquo;s the main goal of this whole thing. I have a lot of belief in this city, a lot of belief in this program and a lot of belief in the guys in this locker room, so that was a big initial factor in me wanting to stay here.&rdquo;
Since Turner was a popular trade candidate, many fans of other teams got excited about the possibility of him joining their favorite squad. When Turner inked his extension with the Pacers, some of these fans reacted negatively &mdash; upset that he was no longer on the market.&nbsp;
&ldquo;What fans don&rsquo;t realize is that this is a business, and both sides have to do what&rsquo;s best for them,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Sometimes it doesn&rsquo;t work out where you&rsquo;re able to stay with the same team, but I&rsquo;ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be with the same team for my entire career. That&rsquo;s not something that happens a lot, and I never take that for granted. That was obviously something that went into my decision as well. For the casual fan, they have to realize that while basketball may be a fun game, the business aspect of it will always reign supreme.&rdquo;
As Turner mentioned, not many players stay with one NBA team for the entirety of their career. He admits that retiring in Indiana would mean a lot to him.
&ldquo;Yeah, obviously, it&rsquo;s something that would be very special,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Like I always talk about, the business of basketball always reigns supreme, but my loyalty is with the organization that drafted me and the city that took me in, and hopefully it&rsquo;s able to stay that way for years to come.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Turner has been a part of many different iterations of Pacers basketball. Now, looking at the current pieces around him, he&rsquo;s excited about the team&rsquo;s promising future.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve seen the growth in a lot of our young guys throughout the entire year,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;The best thing for them was getting a chance to play early. For <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-indiana-pacers-rookie-andrew-nembhard-rick-carlisle-tj-mcconnell-gonzaga-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drew [Nembhard]</a>, Ben [Mathurin] and those guys, playing heavy minutes early was big for their development, and not every rookie has a chance to do that. The fact that they&rsquo;re getting battle-tested so early is going to bode well for them.
"I&rsquo;ve just enjoyed the overall spirit and fight of this team. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of guys who clock in and work hard day in and day out, and they&rsquo;re coming in here and getting a chance to compete after working their whole life to get here.&rdquo;
While playing alongside Haliburton has certainly helped Turner, the big man does deserve a lot of credit for the leap he has taken this season. He&rsquo;s put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to maximize his potential and make the most of his opportunity.
&ldquo;I attribute [my career year] to patience and obviously the hard work I put in over the offseason to prepare for these moments,&rdquo; Turner explained. &ldquo;I also attribute it to just the years that I&rsquo;ve been in the league, where I&rsquo;ve been able to play out on the perimeter at the 4 position and now I&rsquo;m able to play my natural position (the 5).
"I&rsquo;m thankful that I was able to just stick it out those years that I was here and see what the other side of basketball was like, outside of just getting what you want when you want it. I think I waited my turn and, obviously, I&rsquo;m thriving now, and I&rsquo;m only hoping to get better from here.&rdquo;
Nekias Duncan contributed to this article.

Alex Kennedy catches up with Pacers big man Myles Turner to discuss his extension, playing with Tyrese Haliburton and more.