Rams

The word got out about the most recent Mal Mundy Hoops Fest Tour Statement Session.
Over 30 college coaches came down to South Side High in Youngsville, LA, to scout over 40 prospects on the last Sunday before school starts up. South Coast scout Chris Dodson was in the gym and came away impressed with a few players still looking for offers.
Most Impressive:&nbsp;I've got&nbsp;Jaylen Peters (Liberty) as the best player in the gym for long stretches, and it wasn't particularly close at times. The two-man game with&nbsp;Chris Birden (Newman) was clicking, but Peters was the player who made folks stop taking notes and just watch. It helps that it seemed the rest of the team started deferring to his leadership pretty quickly, and that the other teams seemed to want to avoid Peters. Yet he still erased mistakes, could correct actions on the fly, and made some impressive instinctual plays on pure athleticism.
You'll hear if Peters is on the court. A defensive leader, smart with instant energy; anyone recruiting on winning attitude alone should offer Peters immediately. He called plays for others and was a step ahead on both ends. Peters disrupted almost every action on defense and found ways to score without the ball on offense. Peters said his favorite part of the game is playing in transition because of all that can happen on a fast break.
&ldquo;When I&rsquo;m alone on the court, I like to work on tougher shots," Peters said. "I'm not the quickest with the ball so shooting, finishing over or through a defender is a big part of my game.&rdquo;
Self-aware and credited teammates without prompting, Peters says he is ready to run as senior, &ldquo;especially at Liberty where I have great guards who can find me at the rim.&rdquo; Social media is full of highlights. Now, I need to see a full game.
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Some highlights from AAU this summer <a href="https://t.co/gLXzsCkJV1">pic.twitter.com/gLXzsCkJV1</a>
&mdash; Jaylen Peters (@JaylenJaylen0) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaylenJaylen0/status/1686481786631569409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Most Overlooked:&nbsp;Clayton Blackledge (St. Louis Catholic) bossed in the first game, just a solid performance knowing the situation. Not going to get a lot of shots early and was the only available big man; no one else on team above 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6.
I talked to him about cardio afterwards. Somewhat stiff, he needs to take some yoga classes to get more speed and flexibility in the hips. Get him a new desk in class or stretching bands with a mat in the back for plyometrics. It would also help his second jump on the boards. He missed a few rebounds trying to reload and get balance. However, when he is fresh, there is some dominate tape.
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Big fella has been extremely efficient and effective today. Great opportunity for Clayton Blackledge! <a href="https://twitter.com/LHSBCANOW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LHSBCANOW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RecruitLouisiana?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RecruitLouisiana</a> <a href="https://t.co/EoOkflDDvP">pic.twitter.com/EoOkflDDvP</a>
&mdash; St. Louis Catholic Boys Basketball (@slchsboysbball) <a href="https://twitter.com/slchsboysbball/status/1673027017774710784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2023</a></blockquote>

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He moved opposing bigs completely out of the paint, then won the race back down the floor more than a few times. He held positions on offense, giving the perimeter-heavy roster room to work. Blackledge understands and enjoys the dirty work of basketball. He smiled after setting a solid screen, the same as he did after a short jumper.
Blackledge rolls to the rim well, with purpose. He sealed defenders with force and finished second chances on the first try with no trouble. He&rsquo;d be a winning culture staple in low D1 practice and could become a starter. He finished with both hands and hit a 14-footer after tossing something off the court. He wasn&rsquo;t fazed, just came back into focus for a pass and hit the shot in rhythm.
He had another pick and short-roll floater off glass that looked on purpose. If it was a fluke, the kid might have a career in poker if hoops doesn't work out. He talked more on defense when tired. No big man subs were available. but he was still doing work. He seemed to get a lot out of the run, but still wanted more when interviewed.
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Ok #130 - we 👀 you! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RecruitLouisiana?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RecruitLouisiana</a> <a href="https://t.co/RCbqi9nPt3">pic.twitter.com/RCbqi9nPt3</a>
&mdash; St. Louis Catholic Boys Basketball (@slchsboysbball) <a href="https://twitter.com/slchsboysbball/status/1672659460337147908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Notables Needing Longer Looks:
Jordan Comanche (Wossman) works back on defense. Helps cover mistakes and runs the floor. Beats his man to spots, gets space. Shot-form consistency seems off but making me a believer with every made shot. The jumper form fluctuates, but he hits the open shots. A contested floater was wildly off the mark. Need to see more, but there are plenty of reasons to be more curious about Comanche.
Chris Shiflett Jr. (Evangel) has hands slower than head, but the talent to catch up. Sees passes but sometimes telegraphs because he sees that play so early. Needs a bit more deception to pull off the flashy stuff at 5-foot-9 or it seems more like trying to force plays even in traffic. Talent is there though. Can finish crafty layups. Nice touch on high-arcing floaters.
Javon Johnson (Bossier)&nbsp;will go chest-to-chest with anyone. Gets downhill, tough handles with someone on the hip. Attacks lazy defense, gets to the rim, stays in rhythm. Seemed a solid shooter.&nbsp;
Jeremiah Lucas (Bonnabel)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Gavin Lucas (Bonnabel) are similar to Johnson in that both play like they are comfortable on concrete courts outside in the heat. Handles, passing vision, anticipation and can shoot. Bonnabel's two-guard tandem will be a pair to watch.

On Sunday, over 30 college coaches came to Youngsville, LA, to scout over 40 prospects. Chris Dodson shares his scouting report.

Statements Made: LA Hoops Fest Scouting Report

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) &mdash; The horn sounded and Miami coach Katie Meier turned to start jumping and hugging her staff as players and cheerleaders sprinted past for a meet-at-midcourt celebration. She soon made her way into the crowd to embrace players hollering with delight.
Soon she emerged through the other side to trade hugs and high-fives with a front-row section of Hurricanes fans.
An improbable and emotional ride to the program&rsquo;s first Elite Eight appearance in the women&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament was worth sharing with as many people as she could.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe it,&rdquo; Meier said afterward. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to act cool. This is awesome.&rdquo;
Jasmyne Roberts scored a career-high 26 points &mdash; including a stick-back for the go-ahead, three-point play with 38.8 seconds left &mdash; to help Miami overcome blowing a 21-point lead and beat Villanova 70-65 on Friday, pulling the program to within a win of the Final Four.
Miami had reached the Sweet 16 only once before, in 1992. Now the Hurricanes will play Sunday for the Greenville Region 2 title against third-seeded LSU.
The ninth-seeded Hurricanes (22-12) looked dominant in building a huge lead, wobbly in blowing it. But they hung on down the stretch after Villanova made its push back behind the latest big-scoring effort from Associated Press first-team All-American Maddy Siegrist.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t even explain the feeling really,&rdquo; guard Haley Cavinder said.
The celebration said plenty. While Meier made her way to the fans, Roberts stayed locked in a firm and emotional embrace with teammate Ja&rsquo;Leah Williams. The sophomore guard picked a perfect time to come through with a huge performance by making 10 of 16 shots and all six of her free throws while pulling down nine rebounds.
&ldquo;Cool Hand Luke is her new nickname. She doesn&rsquo;t even know that movie,&rdquo; Meier said, referencing the Paul Newman movie released more than three decades before Roberts&rsquo; birth.
Siegrist, the nation&rsquo;s scoring leader, had 31 points, 13 rebounds and five steals for fourth-seeded Villanova (30-7). It marked her third 30-point outing in as many tournament games, pushing her to the No. 2 single-season scoring total in Division I history.
Yet it wasn&rsquo;t enough down the stretch, with Siegrist coming up empty in a couple of key moments late. The first came when she posted up Destiny Harden inside, but a quality look on a turnaround hit the backboard before coming off the rim with her team down just 67-65.
Moments later, after a Miami free throw, Siegrist missed from the other side of the lane as Villanova had a chance to extend the game. Instead, Miami secured the rebound, and Roberts hit clinching free throws with 11.1 seconds left for a two-possession lead.
Miami originally appeared to be headed for a much easier finish.
The Hurricanes spent much of the first half using their athleticism and aggressiveness to take control, both in scoring off the dribble and attacking the glass. The Hurricanes led 46-33 by halftime then used a stunning 8-0 burst in the opening minute of the second half, ending when Harden scored on a drive through contact from Siegrist for a three-point play that pushed Miami to a 54-33 lead.
Villanova responded by throwing fullcourt pressure to get back into the game. The Wildcats scored 14 straight points to end the third quarter then took a 60-59 lead on Siegrist&rsquo;s free throws with 5:31 left to cap a 23-2 run, a stretch that had Roberts saying the Hurricanes &ldquo;did kind of lose our composure for a little bit.&rdquo;
That set up a tense finish with neither team leading by more than two until the final 30 seconds. Villanova took its last lead at 65-64 when Lucy Olsen banked in a drive with 49 seconds left before Roberts answered with the and-1.
&ldquo;My mistake,&rdquo; Villanova coach Denise Dillon said. &ldquo;We should have in the first half shown some more of the pressure, the press, but you think just a team that&rsquo;s quick like that can take advantage. But again, just waited a little too late to make that run.&rdquo;
Consider it the latest entry in a wild NCAA novel for the Hurricanes. They first rallied from 17 down to beat Oklahoma State. Then Harden hit the late shot to win at 1-seed Indiana and get them back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 31 years.
Now they have a chance to play for &mdash; and celebrate &mdash; a whole lot more.
SIEGRIST&rsquo;S FUTURE
An emotional Siegrist fought back tears during her postgame news conference, and offered a hint of finality when asked about plans that could include returning to school or pursuing the WNBA.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got to talk to my parents and stuff like that after,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;But I couldn&rsquo;t be more grateful for the opportunity to have played here. So many good people, and it&rsquo;s really about the people. Take the basketball part out of it, like the memories and the people are something that I&rsquo;m going to cherish forever.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Siegrist closed with 37 straight 20-point games, which the NCAA said is the longest streak by any men&rsquo;s or women&rsquo;s Division I player this century. ... Christina Dalce had 13 points, eight rebounds and five blocks to help Villanova do a better job of battling Miami inside after halftime. ... Harden had 15 points and nine rebounds for Miami, which took a 43-32 rebounding advantage. ... The Wildcats made just 2 of 16 3-pointers.&nbsp;

Miami had reached the Sweet 16 only once before, in 1992. Now the Hurricanes will play Sunday for the Greenville Region 2 title vs. LSU.

Miami women hold on, beat Villanova for first trip to Elite 8

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jamal Shead scored 16 points, including the winning basket as time ran out, and top-ranked Houston won its 11th straight game, escaping a second-half rally to beat Memphis 67-65 in the teams&rsquo; regular-season finale.
Shead beat the buzzer with his jumper from just inside the 3-point line. Nine seconds earlier, Memphis&rsquo; Kendric Davis drove to the basket and tied the game at 65. Houston chose not to call timeout, and Shead gave the Cougars (29-2, 17-1 American Athletic Conference) the win.
Tramon Mark matched Shead&rsquo;s 16 points, while Marcus Sasser finished with 13 for Houston.
Davis led Memphis (23-8, 13-5) with 26 points, while Chandler Lawson added 10.
NO. 5 PURDUE 76, ILLINOIS 71
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Newman scored 19 points, Zach Edey added 17 and Purdue held on to beat Illinois and become the first team to win the Big Ten title by three or more games since 2014.
Braden Smith added 15 points for the Boilermakers (26-5, 15-5), who led by 24 early in the second half before the Illini rallied.
Matthew Mayer led the Illini (20-11, 11-9) with 16 points, followed by Terrence Shannon Jr. with 13, Sencire Harris with 11 and Luke Goode with 10.
The Boilermakers shot 62% for a 47-26 lead at halftime, but cooled to 29% in the second half. Mayer tied the game at 67 with 1:17 to go, but Edey&rsquo;s layup gave Purdue a 69-67 edge.
NO. 15 INDIANA 75, MICHIGAN 73, OT
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Trayce Jackson-Davis had 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists in his final home game, and Indiana forced a steal on Michigan&rsquo;s final possession of overtime.
The Hoosiers (21-10, 12-8) clinched a double bye in Friday&rsquo;s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals by rebounding from their most lopsided home loss since 2017.
Hunter Dickinson had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Michigan (17-14, 11-9). Kobe Bufkin added 19 points and six rebounds, but the Wolverines wound up getting swept in the season series. It was the second straight overtime loss for Michigan.
Seniors Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Miller Kopp scored all six Indiana points in overtime.
PENN STATE 65, NO. 21 MARYLAND 64
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) &mdash; Camren Wynter made a layup with less than a second remaining to lift Penn State over Maryland.
Jalen Pickett scored 16 points, Andrew Funk had 14 and Myles Dread had 11 for the Nittany Lions (19-12, 10-10 Big Ten), who trailed by as many as 16 late in the first half.
Jahmir Young scored 14 of his 26 points in the second half for the Terps (20-11, 11-9), who entered the afternoon looking to earn the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament. Julian Reese had 12 points for the Terps, while Don Carey and Ian Martinez added 11 each.

A recap of three games in top-25 men's action Sunday includes a game-winner from the top team in the country.

No. 1 Houston nips Memphis 67-65 for 11th straight win

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Boogie Ellis scored 27 of his career-high 31 points in the second half, leading a 27-6 run that put the Trojans ahead for good, and Southern California beat No. 8 UCLA 77-64 on Thursday night.
Three weeks ago, the Bruins eked out a 60-58 victory after blowing an 18-point lead in front of their home fans.
This time, UCLA led by 12 in the first half only to watch Ellis put on a show after he scored four points and went 0 for 5 from 3-point range in the first half.
Drew Peterson added 16 points for the Trojans (15-6, 7-3 Pac-12). They improved to 10-1 at home this season, having won 10 straight at Galen Center since dropping their season opener to Florida Gulf Coast.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 15 points and David Singleton and Tyger Campbell added 14 points each for the Bruins (17-4, 8-2).
NO. 1 PURDUE 75, MICHIGAN 70
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) &mdash; Zach Edey had 15 of his 19 points in the first half and Fletcher Loyer finished with 17 points to help Purdue hold off Michigan.
The Boilermakers (20-1, 9-1 Big Ten) had a 15-0 run to go ahead 41-28 lead in the first half after there were 10 lead changes and four ties, but they couldn&rsquo;t pull away.
Hunter Dickinson scored 21 points for Michigan. The Wolverines (11-9, 5-4) were without standout freshman Jett Howard, who missed the game with an ankle injury, and hung around until the final seconds.
Joey Baker made a 3-pointer &mdash; off the glass &mdash; with 5.9 seconds left to pull Michigan within three points, but Purdue&rsquo;s Brandon Newman sealed the victory with two free throws.
NO. 6 ARIZONA 63, WASHINGTON STATE 58
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) &mdash; Azuolas Tubelis had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Arizona beat Washington State.
Kerr Kriisa added 15 points to help Wildcats (18-3, 7-3 Pac-12) split the season series with the Cougars (9-13. 4-7).
Washington State beat a Top 5 team on the road for the first time when it upset the Wildcats 74-61 in Tucson this month. The Cougars ended Arizona&rsquo;s 28-game home winning streak with the biggest victory of Kyle Smith&rsquo;s coaching tenure.
Justin Powell and Mouhamed Gueye each scored 15 points for Washington State.
NO. 21 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 85, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 67
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Johnell Davis scored 25 points and Florida Atlantic won its school-record 19th straight game, beating Middle Tennessee.
The victory gave FAU (20-1, 9-0 Conference USA) only the second 20-win season in the program&rsquo;s Division I history and coach Dusty May his first 20-win season.
Eli Lawrence led Middle Tennessee (13-8, 6-3) with 17 points.

A recap of Thursday's action in men's college hoops includes a critical conference win by the Trojans over the No. 8 Bruins.

Boogie Ellis leads Southern Cal past No. 8 UCLA, 77-64

Springfield, Massachusetts has been offering glimpses into the future of basketball since James Naismith put some peach baskets on a YMCA wall in 1891. Every MLK weekend, the town gives us another in the form of the HoopHall Classic, where dozens of the best high-school players in the country descend on Blake Arena.
The HoopHall Classic is also one of three high-school showcases this season that was given the green light for NBA scouts to attend. It's a prime opportunity for the elite talents to separate themselves from the pack &mdash; or for less heralded names to put themselves on the map.
I checked into the arena at 10 a.m. and caught all eight contests. These standouts, among many others, caught my eye:
DeMatha Catholic (MD) 66, Bishop Loughlin (NY) 55
Mason So, Bishop Loughlin &mdash;&nbsp;So wasn't the leading scorer of the game or the team MVP, but he really impressed with the little things he did to help the Stags keep control. The UNC Greensboro commit finished with 14 points and operated as a secondary ball-handler and spaced the floor well.
So hit 2-of-5 three-point attempts, but his best play came when he initiated the offense, passed the ball away, snuck behind the Bishop Loughlin zone to the low block and got it back for an easy layup. The senior also hustled on the glass impressively for a 6-foot-2 guard and grabbed 7 total boards.
Mount St. Joseph's (MD) 54, North Laurel (KY) 48
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Mount St. Joseph wins by 6 over North Laurel! 😤 🏀 Mount St. Joseph - 54 North Laurel - 48 🏆 MVP - Tyonne Farrell 19 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 🏟️ - Hoophall Classic 2023 cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Spalding?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Spalding</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MSJ_Basketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSJ_Basketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/943lF8n6bW">pic.twitter.com/943lF8n6bW</a>
&mdash; Legit Sport Stats (@LegitSportStats) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegitSportStats/status/1614685273568288768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Tyonne Farrell, Mt. St. Joseph's &mdash;&nbsp;Farrell logged an awesome statement game in front of the college recruiters and NBA scouts: 19 points, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 4 rebounds. The forward (listed at 6-foot-6, though he seems taller) was a monster protecting the rim. Both squads talked trash back-and-forth throughout and Farrell's rejections made quite the statement.
"Scrappy game; they were talking a lot of smack," Farrell told Basketball News. "It was good to block shots and talk back."
He also nearly brought the hoop down with an emphatic designed alley-oop slam. But Farrell, a junior, was more than a rim-runner and cutter. He made 1-of-2 triples and was not afraid to power-drive from the perimeter. Farrell grew up playing guard but has grown and built out his frame. He lists Paul George and Jayson Tatum among his favorite pros to watch because of the way they can handle the ball and use their strength fluidly.
Farrell and Illinois-bound senior teammate Amani Hansberry teamed up for 5 assists apiece; each took turns dissecting North Laurel's zone from the middle of the half-court. Hansberry had a strong afternoon of his own with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.&nbsp;
"Me and Amani, we go well together because we both can pass," Farrell said. "So he'll catch the ball, I'll backdoor slip and he'll find me. And then, we'll set screens for each other, [and] we both can handle the ball pretty well for bigger people. So it's lovely playing with Amani. He's a great player."
Farrell didn't dive into his college situation, but he has publicly posted an offer from Rhode Island and said he's confident in the direction of his recruitment. He didn't even know NBA personnel could attend this year's Classic &mdash; but it added another boost of confidence when he learned afterwards.
"That makes me feel great; I didn't know that," he said with a laugh. "That's amazing... gotta get my name out there."
Reed Sheppard, North Laurel &mdash;&nbsp;Sheppard, a four-star senior bound for Kentucky, simply didn't have his shot falling (5-for-21 from the field, 3-for-14 from three-point range). But he still ended up with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals by impacting the game just about everywhere else. He played at a rapid pace that really worked in transition, but even his drive-and-kick passes occurred at blazing speeds. Sheppard follows in the footsteps on his father, Kentucky legend Jeff Sheppard, but the younger ballplayer looks more than capable of carving out his own path.
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Ss. John Neumann-Maria Goretti (PA) 55, Vashon (MO) 45
Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti &mdash;&nbsp;Alright, another smaller guard with a big day! Wright, a 6-foot junior, has already committed to Baylor and he posted 17 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals for Neumann-Goretti in the victory. He displayed some impressive passing reads and decision-making in the open floor. Wright didn't shoot all that well and did struggle in the half-court with some of the opposing size. But he's crafty and creative, and his 5-foot-10 teammate Khaafiq Myers helps form one of the most fun backcourts seen this weekend.
Simeon Career Academy (IL) 52, Archbishop Stepinac (NY) 39
Miles Rubin, Simeon &mdash;&nbsp;Rubin is a 6-foot-9, 3-star big man en route to Loyola Chicago. He finished with an efficient 17 points (8-for-10 from the field) plus 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, and was the beneficiary of some timely interior passing. His frontcourt partner and twin brother Wesley (7 assists) frequently caught the basketball around the elbow and threw it inside as Rubin cut to the basket.
The senior also added two blocks, one being an impressive help-defense rejection on 5-star guard Boogie Fland. Simeon tasked Rubin early with showing hard in pick-and-roll defense and it led to two fouls, so there's room to improve with his mobility on the perimeter. Still, Rubin was rock-solid inside and a safe bet as a decision-maker.
Also, I have to shout out Simeon guards Michael Ratliff and Rashard McKinnie. They took turns tracking Fland and neutralized his downhill speed and strength. Fland can get low and slide right by most defenders, but not these two.
AZ Compass Prep (AZ) 55, Oak Hill Academy (VA) 35
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Zayden High shot 100% from the field in AZ Compass&rsquo;s win over Oak Hill 55-35 🐉 <a href="https://t.co/oEPuA4L7hC">pic.twitter.com/oEPuA4L7hC</a>
&mdash; NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1614756786053218304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Zayden High, Compass Prep &mdash; &nbsp;Most of this high-caliber clash was pretty ugly, but High helped Compass Prep pull away late with some timely two-way moments. The 6-foot-10 power forward went a perfect 5-for-5 with 15 points, including a three, a one-dribble pull-up two and some interior scores. His one block was a monster rejection at the rim on Oak Hill big man Drayton Jones.
"I like to think of myself as a shot-blocker," High said postgame. "I'm really good at timing the ball before it goes to the rim. It's all about timing for me &mdash; timed it, blocked it, right point at the right time."
High took instruction from his coaches late in the game regarding screening angles on both sides of the ball. In his first year at AZ Compass Prep, the UNC-bound big man says he's learning a lot about the ins-and-outs of screening.
"Coming to AZ Compass, I've learned a lot about setting screens, shifting my hips and being able to re-screen," he said. "It's helped me out because I'm a pick-and-pop guy; I'm a pick-and-roll guy. So it's lethal to the defense."
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Paul VI Catholic (VA) 72, Roselle Catholic (NJ) 59
DeShawn Harris-Smith, Paul VI &mdash;&nbsp;The Maryland-bound senior absolutely rocked in a huge win for the Panthers. Harris-Smith compiled 23 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. He's quite strong for a wing listed at 6-foot-4 and used that strength to surge past defenders on his drives. Harris-Smith also showed some foresight as a vertical cutter and held his own defensively. He seems physically prepared and experienced enough to make the leap to college ball as a dynamic 4-star talent.
Simeon Wilcher, Roselle &mdash;&nbsp;Wilcher, with 21 points and 5 assists, was Roselle Catholic's scoring spark to keep this game competitive. The senior guard has all sorts of tricks in his bag, including one crab-dribble-type move that split two defenders and ended in a layup. Wilcher had a lot on his plate with 5-star teammate Mackenzie Mgbako struggling, so the 6 turnovers are understandable with the load he had to carry as a creator. He'll be the next top-notch guard to watch at North Carolina next season.&nbsp;
Prolific Prep (CA) 71, Westtown (PA) 33
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Top freshman Tyran Stokes and <a href="https://twitter.com/ProlificPrep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProlificPrep</a> lead Westtown 29-16 at halftime of their <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> matchup ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/tyran_stokes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tyran_stokes</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wds1Plac2V">pic.twitter.com/Wds1Plac2V</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCNext/status/1614787207159504899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Tyran Stokes, Prolific Prep &mdash;&nbsp;There was one moment late in the second half of Prolific Prep's blowout victory where Stokes caught his breath during a pause in action. A young fan exclaimed, "He's just a freshman!" from the bleachers and Stokes tossed a sly wink back.
"My game, I just come with a swag," Stokes told Basketball News. "My teammates come with it [too], so it's just a group thing."
Stokes will assuredly be among the top freshmen in the country whenever 2026 rankings drop, and he backed up his confidence with an easy 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. The 6-foot-7 wing threw down two alley-oop dunks from senior Aden Holloway and lobbed up one of his own to Zion Sensley.&nbsp;
Prolific Prep has several more experienced playmakers, so Stokes can get comfortable spacing the floor and cutting for the most part. He says his coaches and teammates have helped advance his overall processing speed as a cutter.
"[In] middle school it was a lot slower, but once I got to high school, it just became way faster. The game was faster, so I had to step my game up," he said.
Stokes already has swarms of colleges after him (just check his <a href="https://twitter.com/tyran_stokes/media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>), and HoopHall was a big test for his maturity under the eyes of college and pro scouts. He says his mother, Kee, is his biggest source of support and helps relieve some of the stress of his impending rise.
"Me and my mom, we just work as a team to block all the noise out," Stokes said. "People come at me, people come at her, and we just stick together and don't let nobody get to us."
Zion Sensley, Prolific Prep &mdash;&nbsp;Beyond throwing down that alley-oop from Stokes, Sensley earned his game's Most Valuable Player robe with with 18 points, canning 7-of-10 shots. He knocked down threes from the corner, ran the floor for layups and even added in some mid-range self-creation. Sensley has more game off the dribble than he got the chance to show in a dominant win, and his offensive versatility at 6-foot-8 is intriguing. He's a 4-star junior worth keeping an eye on.
Imhotep (PA) 62, Cardinal Hayes (NY) 59
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Justin Edwards puts the first points on the board for Imhotep. <a href="https://t.co/z6dhGBzqYJ">pic.twitter.com/z6dhGBzqYJ</a>
&mdash; Bella DiAmore (@belladiamore) <a href="https://twitter.com/belladiamore/status/1614805998539100160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Justin Edwards, Imhotep &mdash; Edwards made his case for the top billing in the 2023 high-school class with a dominant effort in a thrilling Sunday nightcap. The 6-foot-7 wing amassed 25 points, 12 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists.&nbsp;
The defense particularly impressed me. Edwards took on Ian Jackson (11 points, 4-of-10 from the field, 5 assists), one of the best juniors in the country, and stuck with him throughout the matchup. He sprawled out on the floor for one steal and used some quick-twitch hands to poach other passes and get running. Edwards includes a defensive emphasis whenever he tries to cultivate a well-rounded performance.
"When I have an all-around game, it's me locking in defensively and getting my teammates going, so that was just the main thing," he said postgame.
Of course, the scoring was pretty remarkable too &mdash; a combination of emphatic driving slams and lefty mid-range pull-ups. He even snuck in an impressive entry bounce pass that turned into a layup assist. If you want to call Edwards the best senior in the country, you'll get no complaints from me.
Steven Solano, Cardinal Hayes &mdash;&nbsp;Solano's final stat line (4 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks) might not pop off the page, but his impact far transcended the box score. The lanky 6-foot-11 center was an impactful rim protector even beyond his swats and consistently thwarted Imhotep with his length and timely rotations. He only got on the scoreboard twice, but one bucket was a nifty layup spinning out of the post, suggesting he has a bit more of a bag than we saw. Solano's a 3-star center with a host of high-major offers and he could be an underrated find wherever he ends up.

Ethan Fuller recaps his standout stars from Sunday's HoopHall Classic games in Springfield, MA.

HoopHall Highlights: Top performances from Sunday's action

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Maddy Westbeld scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and No. 5 Notre Dame rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off Miami 66-63 on Thursday night.
Sonia Citron scored 13 and Olivia Miles finished with 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Notre Dame. Lauren Ebo had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Irish (11-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won five straight.
Destiny Harden had 12 points, nine rebounds for five steals for Miami (7-6, 0-2), which has dropped three straight. Haley Cavinder also scored 12 and Lashae Dwyer added 10 for the Hurricanes, who trailed by 13 early but took a three-point lead in the opening moments of the fourth quarter.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 76, TEXAS A&amp;M 34
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke had 14 points and South Carolina opened Southeastern Conference play with a victory over Texas A&amp;M.
Freshman reserve Talaysia Cooper had 15 points for the Gamecocks (13-0), and sophomore backup Sania Feagin scored 11 points. All-American Aliyah Boston finished with six points and five rebounds, playing just 19 minutes in the runaway win.
Sydney Bowles and Jada Malone each scored eight points for Texas A&amp;M (5-6). The injury-riddled Aggies had only eight players available.
MICHIGAN STATE 83, NO. 4 INDIANA 78
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) &mdash; Kamaria McDaniel had 24 points and Michigan State defeated previously unbeaten Indiana.
Matilda Ekh and Taiyier Parks each had 18 for the Spartans (9-5, 1-2), and DeeDee Hagemann had 15 points and eight assists.
Mackenzie Holmes had 32 points and 12 rebounds for the Hoosiers (12-1, 2-1 Big Ten), while Yarden Garzon added 17.
DUKE 72, NO. 6 NC STATE 58
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Celeste Taylor scored 23 points, including a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, and Duke beat NC State.
Elizabeth Balogun had 16 points as the Blue Devils (12-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) picked up the most significant victory in coach Kara Lawson&rsquo;s three seasons. Shayeann Day-Wilson and Kennedy Brown each scored 10 points.
Saniya Rivers had 17 points for NC State (11-2, 1-1), which had won seven straight games this season. Jakia Brown-Turner scored 12 points and Aziaha James had 10.
CLEMSON 64, NO. 7 VIRGINIA TECH 59
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Amari Robinson had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Clemson earned its first victory against a top-10 opponent since 2000.
Ruby Whitehorn scored 13 points for the Tigers (10-4, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), including three free throws in the final 20 seconds. Daisha Bradford had 12, and Hannah Hank finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Cayla King had 15 points and five 3-pointers in Virginia Tech&rsquo;s second loss in three games. Georgia Amoore scored 14 points for the Hokie (11-2, 1-2), and reigning ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley had 14 points and six rebounds.
NO. 9 LSU 69, NO. 24 ARKANSAS 45
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) &mdash; Angel Reese and Alexis Morris each scored 19 points to lead LSU past Arkansas in both teams&rsquo; SEC opener.
Reese, who finished with a double-double by grabbing 16 rebounds, was one of three Tigers (13-0) who had double-digit boards. Flau&rsquo;jae Johnson had 11, to go along with 10 points, and LaDazhia Williams had 15 rebounds.
Samara Spencer led the Razorbacks (13-3) as she scored a team-high 17 points on 7 of 15 shooting. The rest of the team went a combined 10 of 46 from the floor.
NO. 12 IOWA 83, PURDUE 68
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Caitlin Clark scored 24 points, McKenna Warnock added 19 and Iowa defeated Purdue.
Monika Czinano added 12 points to surpass 2,000 for her career, reaching that milestone for the Hawkeyes (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) one game after Clark did. Hannah Stuelke had 11 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.
Lasha Petree paced the Boilermakers (10-3, 1-2) with 22 points. Cassidy Hardin and Caitlyn Harper scored 10 apiece.
FLORIDA STATE 78, NO. 13 NORTH CAROLINA 71
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Makayla Timpson scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Ta&rsquo;Niya Latson had 12 of her 21 points in the third quarter and Florida State beat North Carolina.
Florida State (13-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) avenged last season&rsquo;s 64-49 loss to North Carolina that ended a six-game winning streak in the series.
Deja Kelly scored 20 points to lead North Carolina (9-3, 0-1) in its conference opener. Alyssa Ustby added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Kennedy Todd-Williams also had 16 points to go with eight rebounds. Eva Hodgson had 12 points and seven assists.
NO. 18 ARIZONA 84, ARIZONA STATE 66
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Esmery Martinez finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds to power Arizona&rsquo;s win in its Pac-12 Conference opener.
Martinez sank 9 of 14 shots from the floor to help the Wildcats (11-1) shoot 55.4% overall. It was her fourth double-double of the season. Shaina Pellington added 14 points, Cate Reese finished with 13 points and Jade Loville scored 12.
Tyi Skinner made 10 of 21 shots with five 3-pointers, scoring 26 for the Sun Devils (7-5). Treasure Hunt pitched in with 13 points and six rebounds. Meg Newman had 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds off the bench.
NO. 19 GONZAGA 77, PEPPERDINE 63
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Kaylynne Truong hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, both career highs, to lead Gonzaga to its sixth-straight win.
Yvonne Ejim added 17 points and Eliza Hollingsworth had 16 and both grabbed nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (13-2, 3-0 West Coast Conference). Brynna Maxwell scored 10.
Ally Stedman led Pepperdine (6-7, 1-2) with 16 points. Theresa Grace Mbanefo added 15 points and nine rebounds and Jane Nwaba had 14 points.

A recap of women's top-25 hoops action highlights a comeback effort by the fifth-ranked Irish.

No. 5 Notre Dame rallies in fourth to beat Miami 66-63

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) &mdash; Bobby Pettiford Jr. made a twisting reverse layup off a loose rebound with 0.2 seconds left in overtime to give No. 3 Kansas a 69-68 win over Wisconsin in a Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal on Thursday.
Pettiford&rsquo;s layup marked his only points of the game, capping a thriller that saw Wisconsin rally from 15 down early in the second half.
Jalen Wilson scored 29 points and had 14 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (6-0), and Kevin McCullar Jr. had 18 points and nine rebounds &mdash; and a 3 to force overtime.
Tyler Wahl led the Badgers (4-1) with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Most of his points came after half in what was at times a one-man comeback, including a spinning drive against a falling Wilson for a layup and a 68-67 lead with 21 seconds left.
Kansas will take on No. 22 Tennessee in the tournament title game on Friday.
NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA 89, PORTLAND 81
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Pete Nance scored 28 points, Caleb Love added 23 and North Carolina survived an unexpected test from Portland in the opening round of the Phil Knight Invitational.
The Tar Heels (5-0) needed a late 14-3 run to finally pull away from one of the tournament&rsquo;s host schools. Love carried them in the first half with 16 points and reached the 1,000-point mark in his career, becoming the 80th North Carolina player to reach that mark.&nbsp;
Nance picked up the slack after halftime with 20 points and matched his career high in scoring set last season when he was playing for Northwestern.
Moses Wood led Portland (4-3) with 21 points.
The Tar Heels will face Iowa State in a semifinal game Friday. Portland will play Villanova in a consolation game.
NO. 8 DUKE 54, OREGON STATE 51
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Kyle Filipowski had 19 points and 14 rebounds as Duke held off a challenge from Oregon State in the opening game of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
Ryan Young added 11 points and 15 rebounds off the bench and was the only other Blue Devils (5-1) player to score in double figures.
Jordan Pope led the Beavers (3-2) with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Dexter Akanno hit two 3-pointers and scored 11 points.
The Blue Devils will face Xavier in a PKL semifinal on Friday, while the Beavers will take on Florida.
NO. 6 GONZAGA 102, PORTLAND STATE 78
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Malachi Smith led six players in double figures with a season-high 23 points and No. 6 Gonzaga used a big first half to beat Portland State in the opening round of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
The Bulldogs (4-1) led by 27 in the first half, led 55-31 at halftime and withstood a sloppy second half.
Drew Timme scored 18 points and the only shot he missed was a dunk attempt midway through the second half. Rasir Bolton had 14 points and a career-high eight assists, while Julian Strawther, Anton Watson and Hunter Sallis all finished with 10. Gonzaga shot 60% for the game.
Jorell Saterfield led Portland State (2-3) with 21 points.
Gonzaga will face No. 24 Purdue in the semifinals Friday.
NO. 18 ALABAMA 81, NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE 70
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Freshman Brandon Miller scored 17 of his 24 points in the first half and Alabama pulled away to beat Michigan State in the opening round of the Phil Knight Invitational.
After a rather light schedule for the first couple of weeks, Alabama (5-0) passed its first test of the season against the short-handed Spartans (3-2).
Tyson Walker led Michigan State with 21 points and A.J. Hoggard added 18.
Alabama will face No. 20 UConn in the semifinals Friday. Michigan State will play face Oregon in&nbsp;
NO. 20 UCONN 83, OREGON 59
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Tristen Newton scored 23 points, leading UConn to a win over Oregon at the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
Jordan Hawkins scored 18 points, Adama Sanogo added 12 and Joey Calcaterra came off the bench to score 11 for the unbeaten Huskies (6-0).
Kel&rsquo;el Ware led the Ducks (2-3) with 18 points and nine rebounds off the bench. N&rsquo;faly Dante contributed 15 points.
NO. 22 TENNESSEE 73, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 66, OT
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) &mdash; Julian Phillips scored a season-high 25 points to help Tennessee hold off Southern California in overtime at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The first-year forward made 7 of 13 shots and 10 of 12 free throws to go with eight rebounds for the Volunteers (4-1), with four of those free throws coming in overtime.
Santiago Vescovi overcame a rough shooting game to hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:45 left in the extra period, while Zakai Zeigler went 4 for 4 at the line in the final 23.7 seconds left of overtime to seal the win.
Boogie Ellis scored 21 points in his second big output in as many days to lead the Trojans (4-2).
The Vols advanced to Friday&rsquo;s championship game to face No. 3 Kansas, which edged Wisconsin in overtime.
NO. 24 PURDUE 80, WEST VIRGINIA 68
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Zach Edey had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Purdue past West Virginia in the opening round of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.
Mason Gillis added 14 points for the Boilermakers (4-0), and Brandon Newman came off the bench to score eight points.
Erik Stevenson scored 17 points as the Mountaineers (3-1) lost for the first time this season. Joe Toussaint added 16 points off the bench.
The Boilermakers will face the No. 6 Gonzaga on Friday in the semifinals.

A recap of the standout games on Thanksgiving Thursday was highlighted by a thriller in the Bahamas.

Pettiford’s last-second layup saves No. 3 Kansas in Bahamas

FIBA EuroBasket is making a triumphant comeback this week after five years away from competition. Per ESPN, that's the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34457762/eurobasket-2022-scores-schedules-teams-news-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longest gap in the tournament since World War II</a>, so EuroBasket 2022 should turn out to be a remarkable celebration of basketball's growth across Europe.
A&nbsp;lot has changed in five years. Luka Doncic was the "chosen one" of European hoops in 2017 as an 18-year-old suiting up for Slovenia, Giannis Antetokounmpo had just won Most Improved Player with the Milwaukee Bucks and earned his first NBA All-Star appearance, and Nikola Jokic had yet to clear 30 minutes per game in an NBA season.
Today, the three international stars are among the faces of basketball in the NBA and around the world, and the trio will compete in EuroBasket 2022. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as the immese talent slated to participate. We've already gotten a peek of what the action could look like via the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers that have taken place over the past week.
EuroBasket features 24 teams in four groups, with action beginning on Thursday and culminating in a gold-medal showdown on Sept. 18. Here's a rundown of the must-see NBA players (as of last season), international stars and top prospects (under age 23) in each group.
(Note: If a player is listed as "questionable," it is because their playing status is uncertain. Not all EuroBasket rosters have been finalized, so several countries' teams may look slightly different. <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobasket/2022/news/roster-tracker-fiba-eurobasket-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here is a full roster tracker</a>.)
GROUP A: SPAIN, TURKEY, MONTENEGRO, GEORGIA, BELGIUM, BULGARIA
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Alperen Sengun against Serbia: 17 PTS | 13 REB | 2 AST | 2 BLK | 61 TS% Spearheaded the Turkey comeback in the third quarter 🔥<a href="https://t.co/faBFt2SQLe">pic.twitter.com/faBFt2SQLe</a>
&mdash; Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/JTGatlin/status/1563966082322468869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Juan Hernangomez (Spain), Willy Hernangomez (Spain), Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey), Cedi Osman (Turkey), Goga Bitadze (Georgia), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia)
Top International Players: Rudy Fernandez (Spain), Lorenzo Brown (Spain), Shane Larkin (Turkey), Bojan Dubljevic (Montenegro), Retin Obasohan (Belgium), Sasha Vezenkov (Bulgaria)
Notable Prospects: Usman Garuba (Spain), Vrenz Bleijenbergh (Belgium), Alperen Sengun (Turkey), Marko Simonovic (Montenegro)
Spain and Turkey might not have quite the Tier 1 star power of some other countries, but both squads are fun and deep. Fernandez and Brown are stalwarts who have starred on their respective European teams for years. Then for Turkey, Osman and Korkmaz are NBA rotation players boosted by an electric point guard in Larkin.
We'll hopefully get to see the pair of Houston Rockets sophomore talents as well. Sengun impressed with his flashes last season and has already created highlights with Turkey over the summer. Garuba was quieter as a rookie, but has experience on a large Spanish stage with his time playing for Real Madrid.&nbsp;
GROUP B: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, FRANCE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, LITHUANIA, SLOVENIA
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Luka Doncic drops 25 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST in win over Estonian National team 🔥😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/4khnb7BEr3">pic.twitter.com/4khnb7BEr3</a>
&mdash; MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationMffl/status/1562897679155204098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Evan Fournier (France), Rudy Gobert (France), Timoth&eacute; Luwawu-Cabarrot (France), Daniel Theis (Germany), Dennis Schr&ouml;der (Germany), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania), Ignas Brazdeikis (Lithuania), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Goran Dragic (Slovenia), Vlatko Cancar (Slovenia)
Top International Players:&nbsp;Dzanan Musa (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Elie Okobo (France), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Thomas Huertel (France), Vincent Poirier (France)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Th&eacute;o Maledon (France), Franz Wagner (Germany), Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania), Ziga Samar (Slovenia)
Yeah, this group is absolutely loaded. Five of the six rosters could potentially boast multiple players with 2021-22 NBA experience. Slovenia, led by Doncic and Dragic, is considered a favorite to win EuroBasket. But France has a loaded roster (though no Victor Wembanyama), too. They'll be worth checking out additonally because Okobo has been balling in Europe since leaving the NBA.
New York Knicks fans might want to circle Lithuania as the team to watch. They'll receive a nostalgia injection in the forms of Brazdeikis and Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and they'll get a glimpse of the future with Jokubaitis, the team's 2021 draft-and-stash guard. Franz Wagner is one of the best young talents in EuroBasket too, making Germany a team to monitor.
GROUP C: CROATIA, ESTONIA, GREAT BRITAIN, GREECE, ITALY, UKRAINE
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Giannis Antetokounmpo <a href="https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Giannis_An34</a> dropped 26pts 7rebs in the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fibawc</a> Qualifiers win for Greece. Watch all the games of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> Qualifiers on Courtside 1891 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAll</a> <a href="https://t.co/t7JNIYvGgG">pic.twitter.com/t7JNIYvGgG</a>
&mdash; Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) <a href="https://twitter.com/swishcultures_/status/1564222344067010561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia), Dario Saric (Croatia), Ivica Zubac (Croatia),&nbsp;Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Tyler Dorsey (Greece), Simone Fontecchio (Italy), Alex Len (Ukraine), Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine)
Top International Players: Mario Hezonja (Croatia), Sacha Killeya-Jones (Great Britain, questionable),&nbsp;Nick Calathes (Greece), Georgios Papagiannis (Greece, questionable), Kostas Papanikalou (Greece), Kostas Sloukas (Greece, questionable), Nicolo Melli (Italy)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Karlo Matkovic (Croatia), Roko Prkacin (Croatia),&nbsp;Issuf Sanon (Ukraine), Nico Mannion (Italy)
Three of the Antetokounbros (the above two, plus Kostas, who is questionable at this time) could assemble for their home country. Greece also has a handful of international stars who might play; their roster has yet to be finalized. Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 40 points in a World Cup Qualifiers loss against Nikola Jokic and Serbia, so it's safe to say he's firing on all cylinders.
Croatia, however, might be my pick for most intriguing team in the tournament. They have a trio of NBA players, plus a former top-five pick in Mario Hezonja. Prkacin has been on NBA Draft radars for several years now, and Matkovic just went No. 52 overall in the 2022 Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans. This is a fun mix of talent at different stages and platforms.
GROUP D: CZECH REPUBLIC, FINLAND, ISRAEL, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SERBIA
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They call him the MVP for a reason 🃏 Deadly in so many ways, Nikola Jokic was in top form for Serbia during World Cup Qualifying 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForSrbija?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForSrbija</a> 🇷🇸 <a href="https://t.co/1ZqvDPLQsi">pic.twitter.com/1ZqvDPLQsi</a>
&mdash; FIBA (@FIBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1564286832510226436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Vit Krejci (Czech Republic), Tomas Satoransky (Czech Republic, questionable), Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Nemanja Bjelica (Serbia, questionable),&nbsp;
Top International Players: Jan Vesely (Czech Republic), Vasilije Micic (Serbia, questionable), Nikola Milutinov (Serbia)
Notable Prospects: Deni Avdija (Israel), Yam Madar (Israel), Balsa Koprivica (Serbia, questionable)
Nikola Jokic instantly makes Serbia a frontrunner for the gold, but the nation could have several veterans backing him up in a potential deep run. Micic in particular should be on NBA fans' radars as a player who could immediately come over and produce in the league. The 28-year-old guard won two EuroLeague titles and was named MVP in 2021. Oklahoma City currently owns his draft rights, though he was mentioned frequently in offseason trade rumors.&nbsp;
Israel has a pair of notable young talents leading the way. Deni Avdija took a legitimate step forward in his second year with the Washington Wizards. Madar, meanwhile, has been playing overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect selected by the Boston Celtics in 2020.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic lead a stellar group of competitors in EuroBasket 2022.

FIBA EuroBasket 2022: Top teams, players and prospects to watch

Keep track of where the top 2022 undrafted free agents are headed after draft night.

2022 NBA UDFA Tracker: Latest news on undrafted free agents

If anyone forgot the Golden State Warriors were a top-five NBA defense this season, they certainly felt a statement of a reminder on Sunday.
The Warriors absolutely stonewalled the Boston Celtics for most of Game 2, winning 107-88 and giving up just 58 points in the latter three quarters. They forced 18 turnovers and used a 35-14 third quarter to squeeze the life out of the Celtics and even the NBA Finals at 1-1.
Those turnovers, and the ghastly third period, are certainly part of the story. But Boston also shot a hideous 15-for-43 inside the three-point line, making as many threes as twos in the loss. According to PBP Stats, that 34.9% clip was Boston's second-worst of the entire season (regular season and playoffs) and third-worst of the last five years. After three quarters, the Celtics were just 9-for-33 on two-pointers, which put them on pace for their worst rate in five seasons if not for some garbage time buckets.
Golden State made creating two-point chances a mind-bending puzzle, and the Celtics didn't come close to solving it last night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Boston was 6-31 on self-created 2s in Game 2 😳
&mdash; Anchorage Man (@SethPartnow) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethPartnow/status/1533790360857608192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Let's work from Seth Partnow's tweet. Boston scored just 6 points on unassisted twos, per PBP Stats, which is the lowest Celtics total in any regular or postseason game in the last five years. Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard each contribued an unassisted two-point basket. That's it.&nbsp;
The Celtics want to find mismatches, beat the Warriors off the dribble and either get to the rim or move the ball around to a shooter. Early on, Boston tried on a few occasions to target Kevon Looney. But Golden State's help defense was spectacular.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ltugsi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
In the first clip here, Jaylen Brown gets the 1-on-1 he wants against Looney and dusts him with a between-the-legs crossover before exploding to the basket. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green respond with two perfect rotations; Thompson meets Brown at the rim and Green cuts off any dump pass to Robert Williams III. Brown has a small window to kick out to Tatum and doesn't hit it, and the result is a bad contested miss.
The second play includes phenomenal defense from Andrew Wiggins, who negates any potential pass to Williams III before coming back to help on Tatum's drive. Green again rotates over to stop Williams III from a lob, and there are too many long arms in the way for Tatum to make the long corner pass to Brown. The result? A bad, contested miss.&nbsp;
That's part of what's so challenging for Boston. The Celtics can get the matchups they want, and they can beat said matchups, but Golden State is timing its help defense exquisitely and making them rethink what's available.
Tatum tried to get himself going in the post during the first quarter. He found perceived matchup advantages against Wiggins and Jordan Poole on these two plays.
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Not enough people realize that Wiggins is a strong dude. He's been able to battle guys in the post and win his fair share of matchups for most of his NBA career &mdash; even before arriving at Golden State. Don't be fooled by his leaner frame (which isn't even that lean anymore).&nbsp;
In both clips, the Warriors flank their post-up and face-up defenders with an army of watchful helpers. Looney teases in and out of the paint, and Green waits for Tatum to spin out before helping and stripping the Celtics superstar. All five Warriors are dancing at Wiggins in the second play, synchronized, as they anticipate him looking to take advantage of Poole. The result, once again, is a bad, contested miss without an ideal outlet.
Several Warriors stepped up with impressive individual moments to stop Celtics drives. Thompson made life difficult for Al Horford on multiple possessions; Horford finished just 1-for-4 on the night after his Game 1 explosion. Draymond Green wreaked havoc on Brown when the latter dared to drive on the All-Defensive Team member.&nbsp;
I'd like to additionally shout out Nemanja Bjelica. He wasn't perfect, but the former EuroLeague MVP had some real bright spots filling in for Andre Iguodala.
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Bjelica is a strong, 6-foot-10, 234-pound, 34-year-old forward. He's not as mobile as some of today's young do-it-all-defenders, but he's more well-equipped than a traditional big. He battled on these possessions against Tatum. Bjelica's primary objective was to play physical, get his hands and shoulders up in Tatum's driving space and impede the attack so that back-line help can arrive.
He did that. And though Payton Pritchard sauced him up a bit in the last clip, Bjelica still kept his feet moving and provided a large-enough contest to force a miss. It's these kinds of miniature moments from low-minute players in the spotlight that can quietly flip momentum.
The Celtics shot 49.1% on drives to the basket in the regular season. They're at 35.1% through two games of the NBA Finals. But there was one clip that provided some optimism for Boston moving forward:
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Brown is again trying to attack a Looney mismatch. The Warriors know it, and they have Thompson on Horford while Green cheats in off of Grant Williams to prepare to help. But with so much attention on Brown and the apparent mismatch, Horford is able to creep around behind Thompson and into the dunker spot, where he's perfectly positioned for a dump-off pass. Brown's able to hit him. and it results in a rare at-rim bucket.
It's these kinds of plays the Celtics need to create. They have two offensive hubs in Tatum and Brown who can draw an entire defense's attention (and honestly, Marcus Smart's developed some driving gravity too). Both players have proven they can make the required passes to cutters or shooters. Now, Boston needs to get creative with finding these windows and outlets.
The Warriors won't make it easy; they're long, strong and pretty disciplined across most of the rotation. But if Boston can apply pressure with its passes, that'll start getting the ball moving and eventually circle back to easier chances for its stars.
We'll see how the Celtics adjust in Game 3.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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The Warriors held the Celtics to their third-worst two-point percentage in the last five seasons.

How the Warriors stymied Celtics' two-point creation in NBA Finals Game 2

Here&rsquo;s a bit of trivia for you: Which rookie from this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-they-are-all-special-a-guide-to-the-best-rookies-of-the-2021-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stacked</a> 2021 NBA Draft class has played the most minutes in the Conference Finals?
Considering most of the top rookies didn't advance very far, surely the answer has to be the Golden State Warriors' heralded No. 7 overall pick, Jonathan Kuminga &mdash; the same player who earlier this postseason was <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-jonathan-kuminga-vows-learn-despite-historic-nba-playoff-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the youngest rookie to start a playoff game since 1971</a>, right?&nbsp;
Wrong!
The answer, with an impactful 64 minutes played over the course of five games, is none other than Golden State&rsquo;s other rookie: the No. 14 overall pick Moses Moody.
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Our story begins in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, where a 104-76 score prompted both the Golden State and Dallas coaches to empty their benches for the home stretch of the blowout series opener.
In response, Reggie Miller on the call proclaimed: &ldquo;I have a sneaky feeling. I think these minutes are going to be important for [Nemanja] Bjelica and Kuminga because, at some point, those two guys are going to have to play significant minutes in this series.&rdquo;
Unbeknownst to him, he made a glaring omission in his statement; the player who really needed these repetitions was Moody. And during that seemingly meaningless stretch, Moody flashed two features that would prove useful to Golden State later in the series &mdash; his play-finishing and defensive versatility.
Play-Finishing&nbsp;
Nowadays, NBA offenses are so prolific that even the most venerable defenses can&rsquo;t eliminate every piece on the board. This leads to teams having to strategically <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-playoffs-and-the-art-of-concessions-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concede</a> certain shots in order to hone-in on the player(s) they deem the most dangerous (see the Milwaukee Bucks' defense vs. the Boston Celtics in Round 2).
When you&rsquo;re going up against the Warriors, the Splash Trio receives the highest priority, and these standards lead to open looks for the group&rsquo;s least esoteric marksman.
As of this moment, Moody falls under this designation. And to his credit, he did an excellent job of burning the Mavericks for their negligence in defending him, draining 50% of his triples (albeit in a miniature sample size).
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Cutting and movement rule the day in Golden State's perpetual motion offensive system. Moody got the memo, and he did a great job of knowing when it was appropriate to shag back and maintain his spacing on the perimeter, and when it was time to fill the lane and shake the Golden Gate bridge with a <a href="https://streamable.com/k3xuy0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seismic eruption</a> at the rim.
Defensive Versatility&nbsp;
As Seth Partnow noted in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/seth-partnow-qa-a-sitdown-with-the-author-of-the-midrange-theory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent book</a>, "The Midrange Theory," versatility is the key to playoff success &mdash; the ol' Carlos Boozer and Robert Horry paradigm.
This maxim reigns especially true in defense, where we&rsquo;ve already seen multiple playoff runs abbreviated due to a lack of scheme versatility. (I hope the folks in Utah are doing well on this fine Friday afternoon.)
Moody was far from the anchor out there, but the Warriors&rsquo; defense stayed afloat during his minutes, partially because of his ability to wear multiple hats on that end of the floor.
We&rsquo;ll start with his off-ball work and this snag-tastic reception:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Moses Moody legit Odell Beckham-ed this ball. <a href="https://t.co/tC54YzUzhG">pic.twitter.com/tC54YzUzhG</a>
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1530189122886897664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Along with that reception, Moody deflected two additional passes in that very same quarter, prompting Warriors writer Marcus Thompson to cite Moody&rsquo;s contributions as an <a href="https://theathletic.com/3332392/2022/05/25/warriors-mavericks-young-game-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">integral part of the team&rsquo;s Game 4 comeback</a>.
Despite only authoring 2 steals the entire series, spurts like the one he demonstrated in Game 4 leave room for potential growth into a future defensive playmaker.
Moody also did surprisingly well navigating the <a href="https://medium.com/the-basketball-dictionary/2-9-6fb93080023c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.9 spot</a> as a low-man. He was well attuned to his positioning, consistently swaying in and out of the paint to avoid garnering a three-second call, while also timing his re-entries in a manner that enabled him to wall off forays at the rim when the moment presented itself.&nbsp;
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Lastly, Moody even showed some chops as a man defender. On <a href="https://streamable.com/b6cjoa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this play</a>, he manages to stay attached to Jalen Brunson amid Jordan Poole&rsquo;s hedge endeavor, and then mirrors his movements before hindering his attempt at the rim.
Moody&rsquo;s point-of-attack prowess is more apparent when you understand the amount of leeway he was granted within the Warriors&rsquo; scheme. In my <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2022/05/western-conference-finals-can-the-golden-state-warriors-continue-to-slow-luka-doncic-and-the-dallas-mavericks/">recent article</a> on this series, I looked into how Golden State has specific principles for Luka Doncic ball screens. Well, Moody was one of the few players given the green light to switch onto him immediately.
He was also empowered by Steve Kerr to captain the ship of the Warriors' revered Box-and-1 alignment a few times during the third quarter of Game 3. And Moody even got the chance to moonlight as the team&rsquo;s defensive coordinator, <a href="https://streamable.com/a8geaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling for a zone formation on defense</a> at one point in Game 4. (For the Warriors, you can tell it's a zone when the signal-caller executes a <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2022/5/21/23133463/warriors-mavericks-game-2-steph-curry-kevon-looney-luka-doncic-film-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised double fist</a>).
To conclude our tale, let&rsquo;s take a gander at Moody&rsquo;s best two-way sequence of the series, where he blocks Doncic and then proceeds to commandeer free-throw attempts at the other end of the floor. A perfect encapsulation of his imprint on this series.
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Nice.
In a class as talent-laden and promising as the 2021 draft pool, who would have guessed that the player picked last in the lottery would be the last rookie standing.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Mat Issa gives props to Moses Moody for his finishing and defensive contributions to the Warriors when his number was called upon.

Moses Moody: The last rookie standing in the 2022 NBA Playoffs

Everyone has seen the stat:&nbsp;The Memphis Grizzlies are 20-5 without Ja Morant.
It doesn't make sense... unless it does.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Are we gonna have a discussion about the fact that many of these beatdowns have happened without Ja Morant? Is there a discussion to be had?
&mdash; Peter Edmiston (@peteredmiston) <a href="https://twitter.com/peteredmiston/status/1524591756901294086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The discussion is not about whether the Grizzlies are better without Ja Morant. They aren't.
They are different, and different in ways that give Memphis rightful hope that it has a puncher's chance at winning this series against the Golden State Warriors.
The Grizzlies have outplayed the Warriors for the majority of the series. Golden State is up 3-2 due to its experience closing out games versus <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-the-grizzlies-overcome-their-youth-against-experienced-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the youth of Memphis</a>. Game 4's ending is evidence that Memphis needs Morant, as the team could not create baskets down the stretch to stave off the Warriors' comeback.&nbsp;
So, without their superstar, how can the Grizzlies complete a 3-1 comeback? What's the formula?
Let's dig in.
DEFENSIVE INTENSITY AND FOCUS
The formula for Memphis in the regular season was defense leading to quick offense. The Grizzlies thrived on creating chaos and led the league in points off turnovers and fast-break points.&nbsp;
In Round 2, Memphis currently leads the NBA with 20.8 points off turnovers per contest. They are fourth in Defensive Rating (108.0), first in steals per game (10.6) and second in blocks per game (6.0). Another indicator of defensive intensity is a team's amount of deflections, a stat in which the Grizzlies lead the NBA with 16.0 per game in the second round as well.
In two games without Morant, Memphis has held the Warriors to an average of 98.0 points and forcing 19.0 turnovers per contest while amassing 32 total deflections during that span. Even more wild is the team's 94.7 DRTG without Morant in this series, holding the Warriors to a 49.1% Effective Field Goal percentage.&nbsp;
In the first two possessions of Game 5, the Grizzlies got exactly what they wanted from the Warriors &mdash; an Andrew Wiggins three and a Draymond Green three. Memphis is clearly forcing someone other than the Splash Brothers to try and beat them. In fact, the first five shots by the Warriors were by players not named Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson, and Curry did not take his first shot until there was 4:43 left in the first quarter.
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At this point in the game, Jordan Poole had been struggling with his shot. Since Kevon Looney isn't much of an offensive threat, Steven Adams plays drop coverage and allows De'Anthony Melton plenty of space to navigate the screen. Dillon Brooks face-guards Curry while Jaren Jackson Jr. is in help position due to the non-shooting threat of Green. Melton is a plus-defender off the bench. and his wingspan creats havoc for opponents, as Poole experienced on this possession.
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Memphis has made it quite clear that its game plan is to funnel the Warriors into the paint. When Green is playing on the perimeter, it allows Adams to cut off the backdoor plays, forcing Thompson into a baseline jumper rather than a layup while having the step on Tyus Jones.
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Jackson blitzes Curry on the screen, forcing Curry to get off the ball making a soft pass to a rolling Nemanja Bjelica. Jones gambles by leaving Thompson and gets the steal, but its the positioning of Desmond Bane and Adams that matters.
Again, Adams is 15 feet away from Green while Bane vacates Wiggins in the corner. Both are in help, and Memphis will either live with a Wiggins three or recover and rotate if the ball were kicked to Green on the perimeter.
In the two games without Morant, the Grizzlies have made life incredibly difficult for Curry, Thompson and Poole.
<ul>
<li>Curry: 14-of-35 (40.0%) and 6-of-22 from deep (31.8%)</li>
<li>Thompson: 13-of-32 (40.6%) and 3 of 3 from deep (23.1%)</li>
<li>Poole: 5-of-18 (27.8%) and 1 of 6 from deep (16.7%)</li>
</ul>
Meanwhile, Poole and Green have combined for 15 turnovers alone during the two games and 37 in the series. Green has more than doubled his total turnovers from the first round against the Denver Nuggets.
Memphis must continue creating chaos on defense and scoring off turnovers in order to have a chance without Morant.
JAREN JACKSON JR. 
Simply put, the Warriors do not roster a player who can guard Jaren Jackson Jr. when he is not settling for perimeter shots. It has been an interesting case study when it comes to the offense of JJJ with and without Morant.
The strength of Ja is getting downhill and attacking the rim; therefore, Jackson must not be occupying that space. JJJ floats around the perimeter for catch-and-shoot opportunities way too often when Morant is on the floor. So it makes sense that Jackson shoots 3.7% better when Morant is not playing, because he gets to the rim more often.&nbsp;
A contributing factor to the team's Game 4 loss was Memphis failing to get the ball to JJJ down the stretch, as he shot just four times in the final eight minutes. Jackson has to be the featured guy for this team to have any hope of advancing.&nbsp;
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Mismatch.
Just call it what it is for the Warriors attempting to guard him. Memphis obviously drew this up to look for Jackson early on a post-up on the young and undersized Jonathan Kuminga. A key to featuring a player is getting him looks early. Look for the Grizzlies to do much of the same in Game 6 (and potential Game 7).
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Thompson has certainly lost a step and is not the perimeter lockdown defender he once was; the 7-foot Jackson is able to get by Thompson on the perimeter, forcing a Klay foul to prevent an easy bucket. As long as JJJ does not resort to only going left when he is headed downhill, he can put immense pressure on the Warriors' defense.
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Memphis has run this action multiple times for both Jackson and Bane, and should continue to do so. When Jaren has it going from deep, it is a massive game-changer for the Grizzlies in any game. Memphis needs a repeat performance from Game 5 Jaren.
AUXILIARY OPTIONS
Bane has been dealing with a bulging disc in his back. The Warriors have obviously game-planned to render Brandon Clarke ineffective on the offensive glass. Melton is still a wild card, and Brooks has been a hot mess.
In order for the Grizzlies to survive and advance, Bane has to be lethal, Clarke needs to be active on the glass, Melton has to show up and Brooks needs to play within himself. In Game 5, those things happened for the most part.&nbsp;
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This should tell you that Bane is closer to 100%. In the previous meetings, he was mostly limited to spot-up shooting. His ability to put the ball on the floor and turn the corner is crucial for Memphis' offense.
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Clarke got loose in Game 5. After four games of focused boxing out on BC, the Warriors allowed him to make a massive impact on the offensive glass. Clarke was the biggest X-factor in the first round for Memphis, and will need the same level impact going forward.
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Melton can be very hit or miss offensively. If he hits his first shot, watch out, because he is about to go on a binge. If he misses the first few, his minutes get cut rather quickly. Melton is a player who thrives off chaos on the defensive end, constantly deflecting balls, blocking shots and racking up steals. His ability to defend off the bench is key for the Grizzlies.
Its a long shot, but the Memphis Grizzlies are capable of coming back from a 3-1 deficit &mdash; even without their superstar. Can the Grizzlies stay locked in and play exceptional basketball for two more games?
Obviously, many things have to go right &mdash; but they did in Game 5.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Justin Lewis highlights what led to the Grizzlies' win in Game 5 over the Warriors and explains why Memphis can still take this series.

Despite missing Ja Morant, the Grizzlies can still defeat the Warriors

Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones each scored 21 points and the Memphis Grizzlies routed the Golden State Warriors 134-95 on Wednesday night to avoid elimination and force a sixth game in the Western Conference semifinal.
Dillon Brooks added 12 points for Memphis. Ziaire Williams and Brandon Clarke had 11 apiece and De&rsquo;Anthony Melton 10. Steven Adams had 13 rebounds, six offensive.
The Grizzlies never trailed, turning in their best performance of this series to pull to 3-2 even with All-Star guard Ja Morant sitting out his second straight game because of a bone bruise in his right knee. They improved to 4-11 when facing elimination.
Memphis scored 77 points in the first half, the most in franchise postseason history. The Grizzlies pushed their lead to 55 in the third quarter, threatening the three biggest postseason blowouts in NBA history. Their 52-point lead after three tied for the largest in a playoff game in the past 70 years.
When Memphis fans chanted &ldquo;Whoop That Trick! Whoop That Trick!&rdquo; early in the fourth, Stephen Curry laughed on the court laughing while Draymond Green swung a towel in unison with the crowd.
Game 6 is Friday night in San Francisco, where the Warriors have won five straight playoff games and their last seven overall.&nbsp;
Klay Thompson led Golden State with 19 points, Jonathan Kuminga added 17, Curry had 14 and Damion Lee and Moses Moody each had 10.
The Warriors lost for the first time with assistant Mike Brown filling in for coach Steve Kerr, who missed his second straight game since testing positive for COVID before Game 4.
The Grizzlies got back to doing the things that helped the post the second-best record during the regular season. They outrebounded Golden State and dominated on the offensive boards. They forced plenty of turnovers and got their best production from the bench of this series.
Golden State, thanks to Poole coming off the bench, had outscored Memphis&rsquo; reserves each of the first four games. Facing elimination, the Grizzlies had a 28-8 edge through the first two quarters and finished with a 52-35 margin.
Memphis led 38-28 at the end of the first quarter and continued a 24-8 run into the second quarter to go up 53-36t. They finished the second on a 20-4 run, including 14 straight, to outscore Golden State 39-22 for a 77-50 lead at halftime.
Then the Grizzlies opened the third quarter outscoring Golden State 20-6, prompting fans to start chanting &ldquo;Whoop That Trick.&rdquo; Memphis just pushing, outscoring Golden State 42-17 in the third for a 119-67 lead going into the fourth.
Brown benched most of his starters by 3:44 of the third, and Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins followed to start the fourth resting up for a flight to California and Game 6.
TIP-INS
Warriors: The 77 points allowed in the first half matched the most allowed all season. They also gave up 77 on Jan. 13 at Milwaukee. ... The Warriors also fell to 12-4 in Game 5s since 2015. ... Nemanja Bjelica started the third quarter in place of Jonathan Kuminga. Bjelica had played only four minutes in this series. ... Otto Porter Jr. played 12 minutes before being sidelined by a sore right foot.
Grizzlies: They matched their most first-half points, also scoring 77 against New Orleans on March 8. They did it by outscoring Golden State 24-5 on second-chance points with a 18-4 edge on the offensive boards.
POSTSEASON BLOWOUTS
The Bucks also led Philadelphia by 52 (124-72) on March 30, 1970. Denver beat New Orleans by 58 on April 27, 2009, matching the margin Minneapolis beat St. Louis on March 19, 1956. Golden State beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 56 on April 21, 1973.
GRIZZLIES&rsquo; D
Memphis scored 25 points off turnovers in the first half &mdash; most by any team in the 1st half over the last 25 postseasons. The Warriors had been averaging 19 turnovers a game in this series and had 14 by halftime and finished with 20.
BROWN&rsquo;S FIRST LOSS
Brown, the next coach of the Sacramento Kings, had been 12-0 coaching the Warriors in the postseason, winning 11 straight in the 2017 playoffs. He also won Game 4 when the Warriors took the lead for the first time with 45.7 seconds left to pull out a win for a 3-1 series lead.&nbsp;

Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones each scored 21 points and the Grizzlies routed the Warriors 134-95.

Grizzlies rout Warriors to avoid elimination, force Game 6

Andrew Wiggins scored 25 points, Jordan Poole added 22 and the Golden State Warriors held off the Sacramento Kings 109-90 on Sunday night.
Nemanja Bjelica had season highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds to go with his six assists in the Warriors&rsquo; second straight win &mdash; something they hadn&rsquo;t done since early March.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re playing for seeding at this point and we really want to get as high as we can in the standings,&rdquo; Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care how we got here, we got here. We&rsquo;ve had all kinds of injuries and adversity. Our guys have stuck together and competed, and here we are.&rdquo;
Harrison Barnes had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings, who were eliminated from playoff contention for an NBA-record 16th consecutive season.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been here the last two years and I can tell you in my opinion things are headed the right way,&rdquo; Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s some work to be done but everybody here is willing to put in the hours and put in the work and find a way to get the monkey off the back.&rdquo;
Sacramento lost all four games against Golden State this season.
One day after coming back from a 21-point deficit to beat the Utah Jazz and clinch a playoff spot, the Warriors nearly went the opposite way, letting a big lead slip away. Sacramento trailed by as much as 26 but got within 93-86 late in the fourth quarter following Damian Jones&rsquo; short jumper.
Draymond Green found Gary Payton Jr. cutting along the baseline for a layup and Wiggins followed with a 3-pointer for the Warriors. After Jones scored for the Kings, Green fed Jonathan Kuminga for a dunk and Wiggins hit another jumper.
Kuminga finished with 17 points as the Warriors won their 50th game of the season.
&ldquo;It was a huge weekend for us just getting back to playing our brand of basketball,&rdquo; said Green, who picked up his 14th technical this season. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s great to be back where we are. Now we have to continue to build and try to roll into these playoffs.&rdquo;
The Warriors, already without Stephen Curry for the remainder of the regular season because of a left foot sprain, were also missing Klay Thompson, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala. Those three were held out because of the back-to-back.
Green, who has been nursing a lower back injury, convinced the coaching staff ti let him play in both games.
&ldquo;I need reps,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;I felt good. They gave me the option to play so I took the option.&rdquo;
HONORING SHOOTING VICTIMS
Before the game, the Kings held a moment of silence was held for victims of the mass shooting that occurred early Sunday morning three blocks away from the Golden 1 Center. Six people died and 12 were wounded. Police have said at least two shooters were involved.
Kerr and Gentry both called for stricter gun control regulations.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so, so sorry for the victims and their families,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just time. It&rsquo;s time for us to do something about it instead of have another moment of silence and then send thoughts and prayers.&rdquo;
Gentry called the shooting &ldquo;an incredible tragedy.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s unfortunate that something like that can still happen nowadays in an environment where everybody is really out having fun, just trying to have fun and have a good time,&rdquo; Gentry said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a sad day. I hope this is not something that our city is remembered for because it&rsquo;s a great place with a lot of great people that live here.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State has won 50 or more games in eight of the last 10 seasons.
Kings: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox (right hand) and Domantas Sabonis (right knee contusion) did not play.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host the Lakers on Thursday.
Kings: Host the Pelicans on Tuesday for the final home game of the season.

Andrew Wiggins scored 25 points, Jordan Poole added 22 and the Warriors held off the Kings to eliminate them from playoff contention.

Warriors win second straight, beat struggling Kings 109-90

Now that the smoke has cleared following one of the most eventful NBA trade deadlines in league history, which teams are best positioned to make a championship run this season?
Not only were there several blockbuster trades prior to today's deadline, there were also a number of contenders who made moves that may have altered the NBA landscape.
The Brooklyn Nets entered Thursday as the favorites to win it all this season (at +400, or an implied 20% chance of hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy). However, following today's blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, the Nets' odds <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped to +500</a> (or an implied 16.7% chance).
After being viewed as the championship favorite all season long, Brooklyn now has the same title odds as the Phoenix Suns (+500) and Golden State Warriors (+500).
At the moment, there is no clear-cut favorite to win this year's title, with oddsmakers giving the Nets, Suns and Warriors each an implied 16.7% chance of winning the championship.
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&ldquo;The Nets odds weren&rsquo;t severely hurt, as they added some top talent in the deal," <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OddsChecker</a> spokesman Kyle Newman said. "Ben Simmons brings elite defense and playmaking and Seth Curry is an elite three-point shooter. Adding the two of them mitigates the loss of Harden some."
The 76ers were the big winners today, as their odds jumped from +1600 (or an implied 5.9% chance of winning the title) to +550 (or an implied 15.4% chance). <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oddsmakers</a> essentially believe that the deal triples the 76ers' chances of winning it all, and Philadelphia now has the fourth-best championship odds.
"Meanwhile, the 76ers just traded somebody who wasn&rsquo;t playing for them along with two role players to add one of the league&rsquo;s best scorers. They couldn&rsquo;t have imagined a better scenario, and oddsmakers are taking notice," Newman said.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Team&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Odds before trade&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Odds after trade&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Brooklyn Nets&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+400, 20% chance
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Philadelphia 76ers&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+1600, 5.9% chance
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+550, 15.4% chance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Golden State Warriors
</td>
<td>
+460, 17.9% chance
</td>
<td>
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Phoenix Suns
</td>
<td>
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
<td>
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
While the Warriors had a quiet deadline, the Suns were also active, trading for Torrey Craig and Aaron Holiday this afternoon. Phoenix only had to part ways with Jalen Smith and a future second-round pick too. Even though the Suns weren't able to land Eric Gordon or Thaddeus Young (as they had hoped), these were still two impressive win-now moves.
The Nets are currently 29-25, which is the eighth-best record in the Eastern Conference (and they have lost nine-straight games). The Sixers are 32-22, which puts them in the East's fifth seed. The Suns (44-10) and Warriors (41-14) are the top two seeds in the Western Conference.

Following one of the most eventful trade deadlines in NBA history, oddsmakers don't see a clear-cut championship favorite.

After NBA trade deadline, oddsmakers see no clear-cut title favorite

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Klay Thompson is right back to knocking down timely shots that help decide games and playing stingy defense on the other end.
Thompson hit the biggest shot yet of his 2 1/2-year injury comeback, smoothly sinking a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to send the Golden State Warriors to a 110-106 victory over Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night.
&ldquo;It felt amazing, it really did. I missed that feeling,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;It felt absolutely amazing.&rdquo;
Irving wasn't done and made a 3 of his own moments later and scored 32 points while hearing boos from the Bay Area crowd directed at the unvaccinated Nets star.
Thompson finished with 16 points. Stephen Curry hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:09 left and five free throws over the final 1:44 to score 19 points as Irving kept delivering on the other end without the injured Kevin Durant and James Harden.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s important for Klay to feel those big moments. It&rsquo;s been 2 &frac12; years,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said.
Andrew Wiggins contributed 24 points and eight rebounds as the Warriors made key late stops, including Irving's missed reverse layup try with a minute left. Jordan Poole added 17 points and six assists off the bench.
Brooklyn's Patty Mills connected on three clutch 3-pointers in the final 9:46, tying the game at 96 with 4:42 remaining and finishing with 24 points.
After Wiggins missed a 3 with 30 seconds left, Mills converted two free throws after a foul.
Harden was a late scratch for the Nets with a strained right hand that flared up Friday shooting and lifting weights.
Irving gets to play in road games only given New York&rsquo;s vaccination requirement but was booed loudly by the Bay Area crowd during pregame introductions. With San Francisco&rsquo;s vaccination mandate for large indoor events, he should have been the lone unvaccinated person allowed inside Chase Center.
Curry went 6 for 10 from deep during Thursday's 124-115 victory over Minnesota after going 3 for 23 on 3s his previous two games. He was 3 of 10 from long range Saturday and added eight assists and seven rebounds.
Curry missed his first three 3s and had just two points after one quarter, when the Warriors got 14 points from Wiggins on 6-of-9 shooting to go ahead 31-20. Curry was 1 for 7 in the first half. He hit his first 3 21 seconds into the third as the Warriors went on a 20-9 run to go ahead 74-56 at the 5:51 mark.
Durant didn&rsquo;t make the trip as the 2017 and '18 NBA Finals MVP with Golden State nurses a left knee injury. Brooklyn won 134-117 at Chase Center on Feb. 13 last year in Durant's return.
Golden State was down to 10 players with injuries and rookie Moses Moody's assignment to the G League Santa Cruz Warriors but did enough to wrap up an impressive seven-game homestand at 6-1.
Still, the Warriors so appreciate Thompson's on-court presence again.
&ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m figuring out how to play well with these guys and vice versa,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to simulate that when you&rsquo;re on the sideline watching.&rdquo;
KYRIE FACTOR
Having Irving for only road games hasn't been that tough for coach Steve Nash to navigate given how many injuries Brooklyn has had.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great having him back. We&rsquo;ve had so many injuries and interruptions this year, availability issues, to add a player his caliber, even if it&rsquo;s just on the road has been much needed and been great for our group," Nash said. "Fortunately, the reality of the last 18 months for us is that we&rsquo;ve never had an extended run of health. So to have a player that plays on the road and at home is not that different than what we face week to week anyway.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: Mills, who starred at nearby Saint Mary's College, began 0 for 5 before settling in. ... G/F Joe Harris is working back from left ankle surgery that has been a frustrating process. &ldquo;I'm hopeful that it will be resolved soon but again that's outside of my education,&rdquo; Nash said. ... Nash loves being back in the Bay Area, where he previously worked as a player development consultant with the Warriors. &ldquo;When I was here I wasn&rsquo;t planning on being a head coach,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So when I was here I was just trying to be a resource for everyone.&rdquo;
Warriors: Kevon Looney grabbed 15 rebounds. ... Andre Iguodala missed his fourth straight game managing a left hip injury and won't return during the upcoming two-game road trip through Texas as Kerr had initially hoped but perhaps for Thursday's home game with Sacramento. He will stay home to rehab as the team travels. ... F Nemanja Bjelica missed the game with back spasms.
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UP NEXT
Nets: At Phoenix on Tuesday night having won their last trip to the desert 128-124 on Feb. 16 last year but lost 113-107 to the Suns at home on Nov. 27.
Warriors: At Houston on Monday night having won five straight against the Rockets and two in a row on the road in the series.

Klay Thompson smoothly sank a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to send the Warriors to a 110-106 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Klay Thompson, Warriors beat Kyrie Irving, Nets 110-106

Here on <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>, we will be diving further into NBA betting content this season. Last week, we unveiled our newest podcast, "Nothing But Bets," which is a daily betting show hosted by yours truly. Along with Nothing But Bets, I will be writing out my picks and props each day alongside the audio format.
<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/22vmOuw7ZUS8V9c2Uy54Fx?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into my picks on the six-game Sunday slate. All odds are provided by DraftKings:
Brooklyn Nets (-9.5) vs. Charlotte Hornets
This is going to vie a very entertaining matchup where a lot of points are produced. However, when it comes to picking the game, I&rsquo;m rolling with Brooklyn thanks to them having the two best players on the court in Kevin Durant and James Harden. LaMelo Ball and the Hornets could keep this closer than expected, which makes me hesitate on rolling with Nets -9.5 here. However, I love the straight-up moneyline bet at -450. If you wanted to juice the odds up a little higher to -170, here&rsquo;s a same-game parlay that seems very likely to hit: Nets moneyline, Durant 20+ points, Harden 20+ points. I love the Nets here, but not enough to lock in a total cover.
New York Knicks (-12) vs. Orlando Magic
It&rsquo;s a small sample size thus far, but Orlando looks well on its way to hitting the under on their projected win total this season. Thanks to having so much youth within their rotation, Orlando has fully embraced a massive rebuild attempt. When the Knicks played the Magic in Orlando a few days ago, it was a blowout win for New York. I envision the same thing happening again, but still, 12 points is a lot to cover. The moneyline bet on the Knicks is -850, so there&rsquo;s not a lot of winnings off of it. However, if you throw in a same-game parlay betting on another great outing from Evan Fournier, it boosts it up in a massive manner to +235. In a three-leg parlay on DraftKings, here&rsquo;s what would need to happen in order to cash: Knicks moneyline, Fournier 20+ points, Fournier 2+ three-pointers. I like those odds, especially with the hot start Fournier has gotten off to.
Houston Rockets vs. Boston Celtics (-5.5)
I have a feeling this spread will rise a little bit before tip-off, because this feels too low for Boston. Although the Celtics have struggled, they still hold a massive advantage against a Rockets team filled to the brim with unproven young talent. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should have monster games, one where I feel confident enough laying the points here at -5.5 on DraftKings. An easy same-game prop that could boost your odds revolves around Tatum scoring 20+ points with the Celtics covering the 5.5-point spread makes this a +115 wager. I like the chances of that cashing. Boston isn&rsquo;t getting enough love here, especially against the lowly Rockets.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Philadelphia 76ers (-7.5)
This is going to be a rout, folks. Even if Joel Embiid doesn&rsquo;t play, who is questionable with a knee injury, Philadelphia should still roll and easily cover the 7.5-point spread against the Thunder. OKC is a fun team to watch thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and so much young talent, but they are completely outmatched here on their home floor versus the Sixers. I love the possibility of Philadelphia covering the spread here, which will be one of my best bets during Sunday&rsquo;s slate. If Embiid plays, expect this one to be over by halftime. If Embiid sits this one out, Andre Drummond should fill in admirably and keep the ship from sinking against OKC.
Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors (-3)
If there&rsquo;s one player in the NBA who&rsquo;s the very early MVP favorite, it&rsquo;s Stephen Curry. So far in two games, Curry is averaging a career-high 33.0 points per game while hitting on 47.6% of his three-point attempts. I expect the Curry show to keep rolling with emphasis, especially against Sacramento. Even though the Kings have impressed early on, I don&rsquo;t see them matching up well with Golden State. Admittedly, I think I was too low on the Warriors entering the regular season. Once Klay Thompson is back, Golden State looks poised to enter back into the Western Conference&rsquo;s elite tier. An underrated pickup for the Warriors has been Nemanja Bjelica. You&rsquo;ll be hard-pressed to find a better Warriors big man option than Bjelica thanks to his floor-spacing and playmaking acumen. An enticing same-game parlay to roll with tonight revolves around an outstanding performance from Curry, on top of a Warriors victory: Golden State moneyline, Curry 30+ points, Curry 5+ three-pointers. At +125 odds, that&rsquo;s far too enticing to pass up on with how Curry has opened the 2021-22 campaign.
Los Angeles Lakers (-5) vs. Memphis Grizzlies
The Lakers look out of sorts right now, while the Grizzlies look to be a team taking a jump in the West. I had a hard time picking this game, but I&rsquo;m going to roll with the Lakers finding a rhythm and pulling off the W. I&rsquo;m not comfortable enough to go with L.A. to cover the 5-point spread, but the moneyline at -200 will suffice. Another same-game parlay involving both sides really stood out to me at +330 odds: Lakers moneyline, LeBron James 20+ points, Ja Morant 20+ points, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton 12+ points, LeBron 2+ three-pointers, Melton 2+ three-pointers. It&rsquo;s a six-leg parlay &mdash; a little more extensive &mdash; but I like the odds of this cashing. Los Angeles relies on LeBron to actually be a good three-point shooter at this juncture, especially with the lack of spacing within L.A.&rsquo;s starting lineup. Meanwhile, Melton has been one of my favorite players to watch in the opening week of NBA action. Melton is taking a jump, averaging 21.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists while shooting 57.1% on three-pointers. The backcourt duo of Morant and Melton is so fun to watch in Memphis. Look out for a deeper dive on Melton from me later this week on <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>.
So, to recap, here&rsquo;s my picks for Sunday&rsquo;s NBA action: Nets ML, Knicks ML, Celtics -5.5, 76ers -7.5, Warriors ML, Lakers ML. Let&rsquo;s see how it ends up by the end of the night.

Alongside our newest podcast on BasketballNews.com, Nothing But Bets, our daily picks will be posted each day.

Nothing But Bets: NBA Projections for 10/24/21

Just two days into the 2021-22 season, the NBA is already off and running. We've had a wild double-overtime finish at Madison Square Garden, a comeback thriller in Charlotte and we're seeing familiar faces in new places. (People have wasted no time in firing off their hot takes, too.) And there are still four teams who will make their season debut on Thursday evening too.
With our Evan Sidery debuting his <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Nothing But Bets" podcast</a> on the Basketball News Podcast Network, we decided to have some fun by predicting how some franchises will fare record-wise in the upcoming campaign, primarily using <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DraftKings' preseason NBA win totals</a>.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which team will hit its &ldquo;Over&rdquo; win total? 
Alex Kennedy: Last season, the Phoenix Suns finished with the second-best record in the NBA and went on an NBA Finals run despite relying heavily on their young core as well as incoming veterans (Chris Paul and Jae Crowder). This season, those young players should benefit greatly from that postseason experience, and the group should have improved chemistry thanks to their continuity. The Suns are bringing back largely the same roster, with a few excellent offseason additions such as JaVale McGee and Landry Shamet. Both role players fill a need for Phoenix and add to the Suns&rsquo; already impressive depth. Despite all of this, Phoenix enters this season with a projected win total of 51.5, meaning oddsmakers expect them to regress since they won 51 games last season while playing 10 fewer games (since the NBA had a 72-game season). I&rsquo;m hitting the over on the Suns.
Nekias Duncan: Sign me up for the Minnesota Timberwolves' over (34.5). The mind-meld between Karl-Anthony Towns and head coach Chris Finch seems like a perfect match. Anthony Edwards, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley should provide plenty of scoring support. Add in the fact that they're playing defense more aggressively, which fits their personnel much better than it did last season, and I'm ready to call my shot with the Wolves as a play-in team.
Spencer Davies: I think I've got to pick the Washington Wizards at 34.5. If you've been following along on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keepin-it-94/id1545629382" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keepin' It 94</a>, you'd have heard how much I loved their offseason. Not only did they address defensive areas of need, they also brought in a brand new head coach in Wes Unseld Jr. to have a clean slate going into 2021-22. Bradley Beal is still Bradley Beal, and he'll have some of the weight off his shoulders as a faciliator with Spencer Dinwiddie in the fold. I truly believe that Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can alter the attitude of that team from a defensive/hustle standpoint. And let's not forget Montrezl Harrell is going to play with a ridiculously large chip on his shoulder. Daniel Gafford just got paid and continues to grow too. This team won 34 games last season with less time; do we really think they've regressed? Not this guy.
Ethan Fuller: I'm extremely in on the Toronto Raptors to surpass a win total that most sites predict will be in the mid-30s (36.5 <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on DraftKings</a>). This is a playoff-caliber team with a certified star in Pascal Siakam, and when he returns from injury, Toronto has one of the most versatile defensive lineups in the entire league. OG Anunoby is everyone's favorite Most Improved Player candidate, Fred VanVleet continues to be underrated and Scottie Barnes should help open up the floor as a passer.
Jannelle Moore: It's early, but I'm inclined to believe that the Golden State Warriors will surprise folks and hit their over win total (48.5). Their defense is solid, and they have made acquisitions in the offseason such as Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica who seem to mesh well offensively in the areas of shooting and spacing. Jordan Poole is emerging as another perimeter threat too. After the season-opener and how they were able to withstand the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; runs &mdash; and finding a way to win despite an off night from Steph Curry &mdash; I'm getting &ldquo;Strength In Numbers&rdquo; vibes from this squad.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Washington Wizards. Depending on which book you&rsquo;re looking at, most people see them winning somewhere between 30 and 33 games &mdash; 34.5 on DK &mdash; and I think they have a chance to be much better than that. If Bradley Beal is healthy, he&rsquo;ll suddenly find himself surrounded by a capable cast of players, with those coming over from Los Angeles boasting championship experience. There&rsquo;s a decent amount of optimism that Washington may have gotten its hands on some players, and I&rsquo;m with it.
Evan Sidery: Even without Jamal Murray, I think this Denver Nuggets team has the chance to rack up 50-plus wins this season. They showcased on Wednesday night against Phoenix when Nikola Jokic gets hot and their role players make shots that they can beat anybody. Coming into the season, Denver&rsquo;s <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over-under was 46.5</a>. I'm hammering the over here.
Blake Hairston: After the preseason this may not be a surprise, but the Chicago Bulls. Caesars has them at 43.5 wins and DraftKings has them at 42.5, but if all falls right, a team with good talent and players with a bit of a chip on their shoulders could reach 45-to-48 wins in the Eastern Conference.
Alexander Cohen: If the Minnesota Timberwolves build on their solid play under Chris Finch, they will easily surpass their 35-game line &mdash; in spite of the turmoil in the front office. The Wolves were 7-25 before Finch coached, and they're 16-25 since he took the helm. There's no reason to expect they won't build off that. Their young core should continue to grow and find consistency, and Patrick Beverley is an underrated veteran addition to ensure that.
Mark Gunnels: I think the Toronto Raptors will win over 35 games this year. I know Kyle Lowry is gone, but I believe this allows guys like Malachi Flynn and Fred VanVleet to spread their wings. Also, look for OG Anunoby to be a serious MIP candidate.

Which team will hit its “over” win total? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team will hit its 'Over' win total?

The 2021 NBA offseason featured plenty of surprises and quite a bit of player movement. While there has been plenty of discussion about the stars who changed teams, there were also many talented players who ended up signing for the veteran&rsquo;s minimum.
These are the kind of low-risk, high-reward moves that could end up being some of the biggest steals of the offseason. Some of these players will inevitably outperform their contract and become a huge bargain for their respective teams.&nbsp;
For example, when the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship in 2019-20, their roster featured quite a few minimum-contract contributors including Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Markieff Morris, Talen Horton-Tucker and Jared Dudley.&nbsp;
In the NBA, the veteran's minimum varies from player to player depending on their years of experience. For example, a rookie who signs a minimum deal will earn $925,258 this season. A second-year player on the minimum will earn $1,489,065. By the time a player has played 10 or more years in the NBA, their minimum contract is worth $2,641,691.
So while all of the players listed in this piece signed for the veteran minimum, they won&rsquo;t receive the same paychecks. However, their cap hit will be the same. <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/08/nba-minimum-salaries-for-2021-22.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luke Adams from Hoops Rumors explains</a>:
&ldquo;Because the NBA doesn&rsquo;t want teams to avoid signing veteran players in favor of cheaper, younger players, the league reimburses clubs who sign veterans with three or more years of experience to one-year, minimum salary contracts. Those deals will only count against the cap &ndash; and against a team&rsquo;s bank balance &ndash; for $1,669,178, the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience.&rdquo;
So while Andre Iguodala will earn $2,641,691 this season, he&rsquo;ll only cost the Golden State Warriors $1,669,178, and the NBA will make up the difference.
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Across the board, minimum salaries increased by 3% over last year&rsquo;s numbers. Here&rsquo;s a look at some notable players who signed for the minimum:
Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat: After earning $21,000,000 last season with the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets, Oladipo will make $2,389,641 this season with the Miami Heat. A significant quad injury impacted his stock entering free agency, which is why this two-time All-Star is on a minimum deal just three years after making an All-NBA team. Last year, Oladipo averaged 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.6 threes and 1.3 steals in 29 total games with the Rockets and Pacers. If healthy, Oladipo could end up being a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/victor-oladipo-minimum-deal-may-become-nba-offseason-biggest-steal-miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key contributor for Miami</a>.
Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers: Last season, Drummond averaged 14.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in 46 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. The 28-year-old was earning $27,957,238 with the Cavs, but then he agreed to a buyout and joined the Lakers. He hoped to win a title alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co., but Los Angeles was eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. Now, he&rsquo;ll serve as Joel Embiid&rsquo;s backup on the 76ers while earning $2,401,537.
Blake Griffin, Brooklyn Nets: Like Drummond, Griffin was bought out halfway through the 2020-21 season. With $75 million remaining on his contract, Griffin reportedly agreed to leave $13.3 million on the table in order to exit his deal with the Detroit Pistons and hit unrestricted free agency. Shortly after, he joined the Brooklyn Nets in pursuit of a ring. Still, he went from earning $32,670,565 last year to $2,641,691 during the upcoming campaign.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15822822_lg.jpg" alt="" width="524" height="403" />
Otto Porter Jr., Golden State Warriors: Porter received larger offers during free agency, but he decided to join the Warriors on a $2,389,641 salary (after earning $28,489,239 last season with the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic). He should fit perfectly alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and then he&rsquo;ll hit free agency again next offseason. Last year, the 28-year-old averaged 9.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 threes in 28 games.
Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors: After spending five years with the Warriors (from 2013-14 to 2018-19), Iguodala joined the Miami Heat for a two-year stint. Now, he&rsquo;s returning to Golden State on a one-year deal. Last season, he averaged 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 21.3 minutes per game, while also serving as a strong veteran leader in the locker room. After earning $15,000,000 last season, he&rsquo;ll make $2,641,691 in 2021-22.
DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Lakers: Last season, Jordan earned $10,375,678 from the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.9 minutes per game. Recently, the Nets traded Jordan and four second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Sekou Doumbouya and Jahlil Okafor. Shortly after, the Pistons bought out Jordan, and he signed a one-year, $2,641,691 deal.
Other Notable Minimum-Contract Players:&nbsp;
Carmelo Anthony, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)
Enes Kanter, Boston Celtics ($2,641,691)
Paul Millsap, Brooklyn Nets ($2,641,691)
Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)
Cody Zeller, Portland Trail Blazers ($2,389,641)
Malik Monk, Los Angeles Lakers ($1,789,256)
Nemanja Bjelica, Golden State Warriors ($2,089,448)
Rajon Rondo, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)
Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)

Alex Kennedy highlights key players who signed for the veteran's minimum this offseason after being on lucrative deals previously.

Examining minimum-contract bargains from 2021 NBA offseason

When you&rsquo;re an NBA lottery pick, chances are you likely aren&rsquo;t going to be told to wait your turn. There&rsquo;s a reason you were chosen in the draft as high as you were, as most teams that missed out on the playoffs would bring you in to address an immediate need and bolster their roster.
Oddly enough for Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, they&rsquo;re exceptions to the rule.&nbsp;
Taken at No. 7 and No. 14 overall (respectively) by the Golden State Warriors, who had an extra first-round pick thanks to the Andrew Wiggins-D&rsquo;Angelo Russell trade, the two rookies will probably not play a significant role from the jump in the Bay Area. It&rsquo;s not only because they might not be ready quite yet, but also because of the free agents that Bob Myers&rsquo; front office acquired.
The Warriors added Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica to the mix, and will welcome Andre Iguodala back for the first time since the team last appeared in the NBA Finals. And while those three were 2021 summer signings, we can&rsquo;t forget that Klay Thompson is set to return to action following back-to-back devastating injuries. This is a group that will be right back in the playoff picture if all goes according to plan.
So where does that leave the lottery guys? Unlike a good portion of their draft classmates, Moody and Kuminga probably won&rsquo;t consistently be in Steve Kerr&rsquo;s rotation this year. Golden State&rsquo;s vets will groom them into pro&rsquo;s pros because that&rsquo;s what this franchise does; however, expecting them to contribute to a win-now situation this quickly in a limited, fluid role would be a difficult ask.
With that being said, it doesn&rsquo;t mean we can&rsquo;t be excited about what they can become with the proper development, and NBA Summer League gave us some glimpses of the lottery duo working together.
"I feel like we had a pretty good 1-2 punch going on,&rdquo; Moody told reporters after his first game in Vegas. &ldquo;That's my guy.&rdquo;
Warriors summer league head coach Kris Weems also helms the team&rsquo;s G League affiliate Santa Cruz and actually coached against Kuminga when he was with the Ignite. Between seeing that talent and seeing Moody dominate as Arkansas&rsquo; best player, Weems recognizes both are confident in their abilities.
"I like them playing together. I think they already have a trust level coming in as [first-round lottery] draft picks,&rdquo; Weems said. &ldquo;They've been counted on with their previous teams. Now, I need them to play on and off the ball.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I was telling them in the locker room, I said, 'Look, as a role player and somebody trying to figure out their spot next to Steph [Curry], Klay [Thompson], [Draymond Green], whoever it is &mdash; you're not gonna have the ball.' So just understand what it means to play 0.5, you have to make a decision in half a second. But then, also be ready to shoot, be ready to pass, be ready to take threes and make a play for somebody."
Weems further explained how he could help Moody and Kuminga find a balance between wanting to contribute and win, and understanding it&rsquo;ll take time to nail down a niche for each player.
"The message is always: you can't do it by yourself,&rdquo; Weems said. &ldquo;As long as you share the ball with your teammates on the offensive end... everybody runs and plays and screens and cuts harder when they get a chance to touch the ball. So just keep that in mind and stay connected on offense. &nbsp;And then defensively, that's trust. That's communication, that's knowing that your brother's gonna be there for you; then, finishing those possessions with rebounds, and then the transition from defense to offense is something that our young guys are gonna figure out really quickly. That's what makes the Warriors a really good team.&rdquo;
"I mean we're competitors, so anytime you step between those lines, winning is the main focus,&rdquo; Moody said. &ldquo;Development is another thing that's on your mind, but it's all about winning."
The pair of rooks ended up making quite the mark. Among rookies in summer league scoring, Kuminga (17.3 points per game) and Moody (17.0) finished seventh and eighth, respectively. The way they went about getting those opportunities? Totally different.
&ldquo;He does what he needs to do, gets to the cup, finishes around the rim,&rdquo; Moody said of Kuminga. &ldquo;And I'm gonna knock down those shots. So we play well off each other."
In a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-summer-league-player-impressed-you-the-most" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent BasketballNews.com roundtable</a>, I had to pick Kuminga as my standout in Vegas:
Though there were a number of young players who looked ready for the big stage, it&rsquo;s hard not to salivate over what Jonathan Kuminga can become. With the right development and a perfect situation among champions in Golden State, it&rsquo;s looking like he&rsquo;ll be a force to be reckoned with down the line. The jump shot is inconsistent and he comes off as a little overaggressive and reckless right now &mdash; particularly when running the floor &mdash; but the dribble moves he put on in isolation situations were eye-popping, as were his speed and strength when he finished at the rim. The 18-year-old forward has plenty of upside to be excited about. It just may take a little time before he puts it all together, and that&rsquo;s okay.
Looking at Moody, he&rsquo;s got a quick trigger. His catch-and-shoot prowess and understanding of the need to push the ball up the floor are going to perfectly fit the Golden State mold. In five games of summer league action, he shot just a hair under 39% from beyond the arc. He has potential of getting into that in-between area and pulling up as well.&nbsp;
Defensively, the InStat metrics look outstanding. Moody only allowed 0.6 points per possession each guarding against pick-and-roll handlers and shooters on the catch. Though there were only six isolations he defended, he allowed just one point in those scenarios, too.
Weems was short and sweet when discussing Kuminga&rsquo;s defensive abilities, relaying that he likes the 6-foot-8, 220-pounder matched up &ldquo;pretty much against anybody.&rdquo; As for Moody, Weems went into a little more detail.
&ldquo;I think the game is moving fast for him,&rdquo; Weems said after the team&rsquo;s second summer league contest. &ldquo;And it's not that he's not capable, but the guys are just bigger, stronger, faster, so you have to be thinking the game a little bit faster, and I think he can do that. He's a smart player, he'll figure things out. The more important thing is where's the physicality on the glass, using your length in the passing lanes and we've gotta finish possessions."
Making the transition to the pros differs for every rookie. How quickly guys pick concepts up while adjusting to the pace and spacing, and the schedule in general, depends on the situation. Kuminga might be ahead of the curve in terms of the off-floor aspect due to his experience with the Ignite, whereas Moody understands that it&rsquo;ll be a change of pace.
&ldquo;It's really just me trying to prepare &mdash; get in those actions, get in those game-time, late-game situations &mdash; so I know what to do when it's time, when it's really there...That's what the summer league is about. Preparing, getting in the atmosphere to really be who you need to be when the season starts.&rdquo;
Believe it or not, training camp is right around the corner. Moody and Kuminga assuredly will be learning from the best when that time comes.

Spencer Davies dives into the Warriors' two lottery picks and how Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will learn from the best.

Rick