Bobcats

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and the NBA-best Boston Celtics pulled away from the Sacramento Kings for a 122-104 victory on Friday night.
Jaylen Brown added 25 points and Derrick White had 16 for Boston (15-4), which won for the 11th time in 12 games. Al Horford finished with 13 points, and Tatum had eight rebounds.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 20 points. Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Davion Mitchell scored 13. The Kings have lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak.
In a matchup of two of the league&rsquo;s hottest teams in November, the Celtics opened a 16-point lead early in the second quarter before the Kings&rsquo; league-best offense got rolling just before halftime, closing to 64-62 at intermission.
From there, the game bogged down with numerous fouls and some sloppy and inconsistent offense for much of the third quarter before Boston took off on a 19-0 run that closed the quarter and extended into Sam Hauser&rsquo;s 3 at the start of the fourth.
Horford&rsquo;s 3 gave Boston a 25-point lead with just over five minutes to play.
TIP-INS
Kings: Coach Mike Brown and Fox were each whistled for a technical foul by referee Natalie Sago midway into the opening quarter. ... Were just 2 for 10 on 3-point attempts in the opening quarter and finished 9 of 36.
Celtics: Brown picked up a T from ref Eric Lewis late in the first quarter. Sago gave one to Grant Williams in the third. ... Opened a double-digit lead midway into the first and led 36-22 after one.
BENCH BOOST
With his team trailing by six and looking sluggish late in the third, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla brought in reserves Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet for their first playing time of the night. It seemed to spark the team and excited the crowd as the Celtics went on a 16-0 run to close the quarter, with Tatum scoring the last five points.
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSES
The game featured two of the league&rsquo;s highest scoring teams. Sacramento entered first with 120 points per game and Boston was just slightly behind, second at 119.7.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Celtics: Host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and the NBA-best Celtics pulled away from the Kings for a 122-104 victory on Friday night.

Tatum scores 30; Celtics pull away from Kings, 122-104

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

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

With just 16 days to go until the academy's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/overtime-elite-announces-opening-schedule-will-take-on-mikey-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grand opening at its brand new arena in Atlanta</a> on Oct. 29, Overtime Elite has revealed <a href="https://www.overtimeelite.com/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its full schedule</a>, as well as the three rosters it will send out in its inaugural 2021-22 campaign.
(Editor's Note: Read our Spencer Davies' exclusive interview with Aaron Ryan and Brandon Williams, and an extensive profile on Overtime Elite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
The three coaches and their rosters, under the direction of Kevin Ollie, are as follows:
Coach Ryan Gomes: Dominick Barlow, Malik Bowman, Lewis Duarte, Jazian Gortman, Nathan Missia-Dio, Jean Montero, Alexandre Sarr, Jai Smith, Tudor Somacescu
Coach Tim Fanning: Izan Almansa, Matt Bewley, TJ Clark, De'Vontes Cobbs, Francis "LeBron" Lopez, Tyler Smith, Amen Thompson, Johned Walker, Kok Yat
Coach Dave Leitao: Ryan Bewley, Bryce Griggs, Jazhare Jackson, Jalen Lewis, Davion Mace, Emmanuel Maldonado, Jaylen Martin, Ausar Thompson, Bryson Warren
In addition to this, OTE announced that it added three players to its talent pool over the weekend:
"We added three talented athletes to our rosters over the weekend. We&rsquo;ve scouted and tracked these young men over the Fall, and as we worked our way through training camp for the last few weeks, and further evaluated needs, we decided that adding Davion, Johned and Lewis to our inaugural rosters would provide complimentary skills and depth to our league," said OTE head of basketball operations Brandon Williams.
"Davion Mace is a 6-foot-7 power forward from Cincinnati who played for Woodward High School. Davion brings a physical presence as a tough-nosed hybrid forward. He plays with a high motor, and tenacity as a defender and finisher around the paint.
"Johned Walker is a 5-10 guard originally from Puerto Rico that most recently lived in Miami attending Central Point Christian Academy. At the U16 Americas Championship in 2019, he averaged 12.8 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game in guiding Puerto Rico to a sixth place finish.
"Lewis Duarte is a 6-5 guard from the Dominican Republic, who moved to the states before high school. He most recently played for Victory Christian Center School in Charlotte. Duarte, a versatile wing with size, length and a good shooting touch, was starting to see his recruitment pick up from some top schools across the country. His cousin, Chris Duarte, currently plays for the Indiana Pacers."
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For more information on the OTE schedule and the league's structure, Williams answered the following via a press release Q&amp;A:
How did you start thinking about the schedule and how it would be set up?&nbsp;
"Health and performance was at the center of our scheduling concept. We want to maximize exposure to high-level talent whether individual players or teams, create the highest level showcase opportunities for scouting purposes, and give our athletes unique exposure to challenges like back-to-back game prep and execution, while reducing the stress on their bodies over the course of a season. With that in mind, we built a schedule made up of what we call league series competition within our three teams, prep challenges against external competition, simulated professional formatted games, takeovers, and playoffs to cap off our season."
How is this different from other prep high schools and colleges?&nbsp;
"Our schedule is dynamic, providing multiple ways for learning and preparing for competition - including games within our league, &ldquo;out of conference&rdquo; games with prep schools, and one of the biggest differences is that we get to explore pro-simulation games. This allows our athletes the opportunity to prepare in a real way for concepts that are critical to the next level both mentally and physically."
How long will the season last? How many games will you play?&nbsp;
"During the October 29-March 25 period, our players will partake in 37 competitive events made up of Prep Challenges, OTE League Series, Pro Sim Games, Takeovers and OTE Playoffs."
What do Pro-Sim games mean?&nbsp;
"For these simulated professional-style games, (Pro Sim) OTE players will be divided into 2 rosters with the format and structure modeled after the NBA. These games won&rsquo;t count towards league standings, but will be a key part of player development as we prepare them for the next level."
How will the OTE League Series be played?&nbsp;
"The OTE League Series amongst our three teams will be executed at a much faster pace. Each team will play a 20 minute game against each of the others, so every team plays two 20-minute games, 40 minutes of basketball per game night."
Will the Prep Challenges format differ from a regular high school or college game?&nbsp;
"Prep Challenges will be played as 40-minute games where three external teams will compete against our three OTE teams over two days." 
With only three teams, how will standings work?&nbsp;
"In our OTE League Series, winning a 20-minute game counts as two points towards the league standings and teams can win up to four points each night. For Prep Challenges, winning these games count as one point towards the league standings. We will also have &ldquo;Takeovers&rdquo; - think marquee individual showcases, dunk contests, 3-point shootouts, etc. Winning a takeover will count as two points towards your team's league standings. All competition crescendos with our inaugural OTE Playoffs to determine the Season 1 champion."
How did you determine the rosters?&nbsp;
"Our Basketball Operations team, inclusive of scouting, coaching and strategy, collaborated through the recruiting, signing, then in-camp evaluations of each player. Over the weeks of training camp the group studied the effectiveness of combinations of players, along with the rhythm and chemistry they demonstrated to create three equally competitive teams."
How did you make sure all the teams were evenly distributed?&nbsp;
"As we constantly drilled on key attributes and skills, measurables, performance data and other factors, we created buckets (or pods) of comparable players - as closely as reasonably possible. Throughout camp, we created drills and competitions that allowed us to draw from each of these pods, assembling teams for our evaluation. Before final team selections, our coaches had the opportunity to test combinations and analyze matchups to provide more certainty that the teams were reasonably balanced."
How will each team be coached?&nbsp;
"Each of our three teams will have a head coach, and Coach Ollie will oversee the development of all three as the overall head coach. Dave Leitao, who spent 37 years in college coaching, was a head coach twice at DePaul, and is the former ACC coach of the year at Virginia will lead one team. Ryan Gomes who played 8 years in the NBA, coached in the G-League and is highly-respected in basketball circles will coach one team, and Tim Fanning, who spent the past 5 years as an assistant for the Euroleague powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv will lead the third team."
What were the challenges in setting this up?&nbsp;
"There are always challenges when you&rsquo;re doing something that&rsquo;s never been done before, especially on an accelerated timeline. We simultaneously had to recruit some of the best young players in the world to a program without history, to a culture that hadn&rsquo;t been established, to play with teammates they couldn&rsquo;t see. We continued to pursue talent first, but tried to build with an idea toward roster balance from the outset. All players want to play in games of consequence, so as we assembled what we anticipated would be extraordinary talent, and we wanted the highest level programs to face off with our talented groups. Because this came together into the fall, there were many schools that were fully committed and we couldn&rsquo;t find a date that worked. However, with broad options throughout the country, we found the right game opportunities that will be fun, energizing, and keep our players motivated to compete both at home and on the road."
Will this always be the style for the schedule or will it evolve into something else?&nbsp;
"Right now, we&rsquo;re focusing on our first season and developing our players for the next level. The great thing about what we are doing is the freedom we have to explore and try things. We will evolve as we establish what works well and what doesn&rsquo;t and will continue to provide the experience that the Gen Z elite athlete requires to prepare for his future. Our plan is to keep our athletes and their well-being at core of all considerations, that will lead our decision-making and any adjustments."
In this first year, what was the main goal for the schedule?&nbsp;
"The main goal was to create a schedule that allowed our players to compete at a high level, inside and outside of OTE. The best players want to play against the best players, and we sought them out. We wanted the best opportunities for our athletes to showcase their abilities with and against each other showing the growth and maturity that will be happening every day in practice, skill development, and performance training. We wanted to give them a robust schedule, inclusive of travel, back-to-backs, late nights, afternoons, all factors to professional play. We wanted to do this, while also being mindful and cautious as to rest and recovery. Creating a schedule where they are not underexposed, but also not overused, so finding the appropriate middle ground was our intent."
In the league, will teams change or remain the same?&nbsp;
"These three teams have been solidified for the season. However, we are prepared to make adjustments during the season. Ultimately competitive balance will be best for the development of our players and league."
Will all of the players travel to each game?&nbsp;
"Yes. All three teams will make the away game trips."

Overtime Elite has shared its three team rosters, revealed their schedule and answered questions regarding the league's structure.

Overtime Elite announces 2021-22 schedule, three rosters

As NBA Summer League gets into a groove, viewers should notice some players quickly outclass the environment.
Experienced sophomores and third-year players often "graduate" summer league early. You'll know these players when you see them -- simply playing with pace and awareness well beyond the rest of the players on the court.
On Monday, some of these players popped up with monstrous performances. As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-studs-and-five-duds-from-the-first-day-of-summer-league-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we wrote yesterday</a>, we've collected five "studs" and five "duds" and noted our observations from their individual games. Once again: this is not meant for drawing long-term conclusions. Rather, it sets a baseline for a prospect's strengths and weaknesses upon entering this next step up in competition.&nbsp;
On to the players:
STUDS
Immanuel Quickley, guard, New York Knicks
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32 for IQ 🔥 Immanuel Quickley drops 32 PTS and 8 AST to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyknicks</a> to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win in Las Vegas! <a href="https://t.co/THXE64GJjX">pic.twitter.com/THXE64GJjX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424825144225173513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 8 assists, 2 steals 11-for-21 FG, 4-for-12 3PT
Quickley piqued my curiosity on Sunday when the Knicks rolled him out at point guard. He did a much better job navigating the pick-and-roll on Monday, being more decisive with his passes and drives. The second-year guard attacked the basket and demonstrated an immaculate floater. His eight assists also came against just one turnover; he now has 16 assists and only four giveaways through two games. Quickley's offensive command was eye-popping, even when the jump shot didn't fall.
Trey Murphy III, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
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Sizzling at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> 🔥 No. 17 pick Trey Murphy drops 26 PTS with 6 3PM in his <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> debut! <a href="https://t.co/kId4rXieF2">pic.twitter.com/kId4rXieF2</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424839063115374593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 9-for-15 FG, 6-for-9 3PT
Murphy laid down the best summer-league debut from any rookie so far. He splashed threes facing up and off the catch, making open and contested looks. On the defensive end, he rotated properly and remained engaged, living up to the 3-and-D archetype that he projects into as a prospect.
But then Murphy did more. He consistently ran the floor in transition and served as a lob threat and finisher. He was unafraid to put the ball on the deck, and hit a cutting Kira Lewis Jr. on one particularly nice bounce pass. Honestly, there was very little to dislike, and Murphy's high bar makes him a prospect to watch over the coming days.
Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
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Yeah, Tyrese Maxey wasn&rsquo;t doing this last year. Very promising development to see him seeking out his own perimeter shots. He&rsquo;s already up to 19 points in the half. <a href="https://t.co/V6xHdLEQuB">pic.twitter.com/V6xHdLEQuB</a>
&mdash; Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) <a href="https://twitter.com/Harrison_Grimm/status/1424836194681163777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 8-for-15 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Maxey absolutely owned the Mavericks on drives. The 6-foot-2 guard slashed to the rim quickly and frequently for easy buckets. It shouldn't come as a surprise; Maxey has been burning defenders his entire basketball life.&nbsp;
The second-year Sixer also set the tone on the defensive end with on-ball pressure. Most notably, he looked confident attempting three-pointers, which is one key swing skill in his development. I'd also like to shout out teammate Isaiah Joe, who is not in this list, but who played a fantastic game of his own next to Maxey.
Desmond Bane, guard, Memphis Grizzlies
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Desmond Bane (<a href="https://twitter.com/DBane0625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBane0625</a>) scores 32 PTS to fuel the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> to the win at the MGM Resorts <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> League 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/5JSkJ2H7Dg">pic.twitter.com/5JSkJ2H7Dg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424876608729538562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 10-for-19 FG, 6-for-8 3PT
To put it bluntly: Bane has very clearly outgrown NBA Summer League. After making the All-Rookie Second Team in 2020-21, the scoring guard owned his first game of the tournament. Bane drilled six long-range looks, and his form is as crisp as ever.&nbsp;
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said during the broadcast that he wanted to get Bane more reps as the primary playmaker. The 23-year-old ran the offense seamlessly and tossed some clean passes to the corners for open shooters. Bane's statement game was a plain reminder that he is a rotation staple for Memphis.
Jalen Suggs, guard, Orlando Magic
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Jalen Suggs said 🖐🚫 <a href="https://t.co/nTh83IUAUA">pic.twitter.com/nTh83IUAUA</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1424916922479497219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 9-for-22 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Suggs' defense was the story of the game in Orlando's 91-89 OT win over Golden State. The rookie point guard came up with a number of big-time blocks down the stretch, including a two-on-one stop that essentially forced overtime. Suggs hounded his matchups and played above his size, frequently seen on the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.
Offensively, it was a mixed bag. The efficiency numbers don't look great, but Suggs was able to get to his spots in the mid-range and navigate some pick-and-roll opportunities. This was a question mark for him pre-draft, so it's good to see a somewhat promising start as a lead guard. Suggs also battled for quite a few rebounds and pushed the ball in transition.
Other notable performers: Jordan Nwora (Bucks), Jay Scrubb (Clippers), Obi Toppin (Knicks), Jaylen Nowell (Timberwolves), Devin Vassell (Spurs), Davion Mitchell (Kings)
DUDS
Santi Aldama, forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Box Score Stats: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1-for-7 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
We're a long way from Baltimore. Aldama was one of the surprise picks of draft night when Memphis selected him No. 30 overall. Aldama was chosen partially because of his complete dominance at Loyola Maryland. Making the leap from mid-major college hoops to the NBA is no easy task. Aldama didn't get a whole ton of touches in the early going and really struggled against stronger opponents.
James Bouknight, guard, Charlotte Hornets
Box Score Stats: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4-for-11 FG, 1-for-5 3PT
The Hornets' lottery pick had to match up against Davion Mitchell on the second night of a back-to-back. So it's understandable that Bouknight struggled against one of the toughest defenders in NBA Summer League. He couldn't get shots to fall, and often tried to take Mitchell in isolation instead of calling for screens and running off of actions. Bouknight finished with five turnovers; the Hornets ended with a ghastly 22.
The shooting guard did have some nice moments, particularly on tough finishes at the rim. But overall, it was a down night from a scoring perspective -- even Bouknight's lone three-point make was after an odd hesitation.&nbsp;
Cole Anthony, guard, Orlando Magic
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-9 FG, 1-for-4 3PT
Viewers saw Orlando's first attempts at a three-guard lineup with Anthony, Jalen Suggs and R.J. Hampton. Anthony appeared to really struggle with the inconsistent responsibilites. He spent a good portion of the game running the offense, but danced around and didn't seem to find a rhythm. Then, he looked uncomfortable in catch-and-shoot situations. These lineups will obviously have a learning curve for all of the young Magic guards.&nbsp;
Jonathan Kuminga, forward, Golden State Warriors
Box Score Stats: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-for-16 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
The glimpses looked really&nbsp;good from Kuminga. He can thread passes to cutters. He can power through defenders to the rim. He can ignite a fast break by jumping a passing lane.
Unfortunately, those flashes were few and far between for the seventh overall pick. Kuminga typically steamrolled down the lane, tossing up a shot at the rim that either missed wildly or drew a forgiving whistle. He bricked each of his four three-point attempts and was never really a threat to make plays from the perimeter. Guards often breezed by him in defensive switches.
If Kuminga can be less predictable with his moves, he'll become a threatening offensive weapon. He has the tools; it's about learning how to use them.
Keon Johnson, guard, Los Angeles Clippers
Box Score Stats: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-for-16 FG, 0-for-5 3PT
Johnson's efficiency ultimately doomed him in his summer-league debut. The bouncy guard certainly displayed his athleticism on fast breaks, but ultimately missed a bunch of jumpers and took a couple of awkward shots. He was active and quick on defense, but did also get burned multiple times on backdoor cuts. Overall, this was by no means a concerning result from Johnson -- just a reminder that his offensive polish is generally a work in progress.
By the end of Tuesday, we'll have second samples to evaluate for nearly every player in summer league. I'll be excited to see who finds their groove and who learns from their debut game.

Some of the league's best sophomores showed out at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

5 studs and duds from the second day of NBA Summer League

MONTVALE, N.J. &ndash; When tossing $40 down the legalized gambling sinkhole (or not), this columnist decided to channel one of ABC commentator Jeff Van Gundy&rsquo;s most prescient thoughts from back in the day.
&ldquo;How about we only pay players if they win?&rdquo; Van Gundy proposed, half-seriously and half tongue-in-cheek back when he was in his second season coaching the New York Knicks. &ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t win, you don&rsquo;t get paid.&rdquo;
Van Gundy had a thing for players who are driven to succeed, along with a distaste for players who were more about money than they were about grit. It was something taught to him by his one-time mentor, Pat Riley, and it&rsquo;s something Van Gundy passed along to his assistants, including Tom Thibodeau and Steve Clifford.
Right now in the NBA playoffs, nobody quite matches Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers when it comes to &ldquo;championship-or-bust&rdquo; mode. Embiid had his &ldquo;worst&rdquo; game of the Philadelphia-Atlanta series last night with 27 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in the 76ers&rsquo; 127-111 victory over the Hawks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. With Finals MVP odds of 8-1, a wager of $10 was placed. If it hits, the one-and-a-half tanks of gasoline will be pumped courtesy of William Hill in appreciation of the coaching job Doc Rivers has done.
But the thought here is that the Sixers will not win the NBA Finals because they are not the best team. Heck, they are not even the best team in the East if the Brooklyn Nets are at full strength. But with James Harden&rsquo;s hamstring being a monumental question mark, it is an open question as to whether they will be able to get past the Sixers in the next round (if they both get there). The Nets still have to get past the Milwaukee Bucks, which is no longer a lock even though it seems a likelihood.
From my perspective, the Utah Jazz are the team to beat, and Donovan Mitchell is the most likely Finals MVP. But Mitchell&rsquo;s odds are only +320, which would barely cover the cost of the toll on the Mario Cuomo Bridge that many New Yorkers must cross if they choose to wager at <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/americas-new-sports-gambling-hotspot-is-a-starbucks-in-new-jersey">the nearby intersection of the New York/New Jersey border</a>. (Gambling is not yet legal in New York, but the framework of the legalization law has already been passed by the state legislature in Albany.)
So if the Jazz MVP is not Mitchell, who are the most likely candidates from Utah? Who&rsquo;s the best bet?
There are several, and Ruby Gobert was the most obvious choice and carrying odds of 25-1 (+2500). So $10 went on him, $10 went on Joe Ingles at 150-1 (+15000), and another $10 went on Jordan Clarkson at 150-1 (+15000). If any of them hit, a certain Toyota Camry getting new front-control arms and brake pads might just get a repaint. The rest will go into a 529 college savings account, and the origins of those tuition funds will be kept in the dark for two years until he makes his decision on college.
The legalized U.S. gambling industry continues to grow, and the exact amount of money being wagered is an industry secret. Bookies are still in business because they will give credit to those who cannot get it elsewhere, and offshores continue to accept American dollars despite efforts by the federal Justice Department (and the big U.S. sportsbooks) to make them off-limits.
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Sports gambling stocks are down from their historic highs of a couple months ago, but are still doing well. Flutter Entertainment, parent company of FanDuel, closed Friday on the London Stock Exchange at $98.54, up nearly 45% over the past year &ndash; perhaps in part because Charles Barkley &nbsp;dropped $100,000 on the Portland Trail Blazers to win the championship (if he followed through with what he said on TV).
Penn National Gaming, which holds a 36% interest in Barstool Sports, closed Friday at $83.84 and is up nearly 183% in the past 52 weeks, and DraftKings closed Friday at $53.14 on the NASDAQ exchange, leaving it up 44.09% in the past 12 months.
Anyone who invested in these companies when the pandemic began and held the stock is sitting pretty financially right now, and legions of gambling companies continue to buy up NBA television advertising slots, while also striking deals with just about anybody they can imagine doing business with. One new deal pairs DraftKings and Boost Mobile, making it easier for Boost Costumers to gamble on live events as they watch them. If this runs counter to the idea of promoting responsible gambling, you would not be alone in wondering whether this is a good thing for America.
But then again, it is a free country, and those who remember to limit themselves to what they can afford can still have fun with it.
At FanDuel Sportsbook, the current favorite for Finals MVP is Kevin Durant at +165 (wager $100 to win $165), followed by Mitchell at +350, Kawhi Leonard at +900, Devin Booker and Embiid at +1000, and Chris Paul, Harden, Kyrie Irving and Giannis Antetokounmpo all at +1800. The only other players at FanDuel with odds of lower than 100-1 are Gobert (+4800), Trae Young (+5500), Paul George (+7000) and Mike Conley and Bogdan Bogdanovic (+9500).
DraftKings&rsquo; Finals MVP odds were down Saturday morning, while PointsBet.com and BetMGM had Durant at the +180 favorite.
Curiously, Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns was +2800 at PointsBet, +3500 at BetMGM and a whopping +25000 at FanDuel.
Different sportsbooks give different odds, but Ayton being worth nearly 10 times as much at FanDuel as he was at PoinstBet was one of the biggest differentials seen in the legalized U.S. market over the past 37 months as that industry has grown. (Ayton had 10 points and 15 rebounds and was a plus-18 in the Suns&rsquo; victory Friday over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, putting Phoenix up 3-0 in the West Semifinals.)
Some Nuggets appear uninterested in and/or incapable of winning, and it was curious that Coach Michael Malone went with basically the same rotation in Game 3 after indicating he planned to shake up the lineup following the non-effort he saw in Game 2 at Phoenix.
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No team has ever come all the way back from an 0-3 deficit to win an NBA playoff series, and if you believe the Nuggets will be the first, you can get that for a price of +2200 at DraftKings, although we would advise purchasing savings bonds instead.
We still have a long way to go before the NBA Finals are decided, and a win by Milwaukee on Sunday or Atlanta on Monday will change a few minds about what will happen in the East.
But the Nets and Sixers have shown that when they are at or close to their best, they are the better team. Same with the Suns and Jazz in the West.
It comes down to a will to win, and the Van Gundy rule may be the best advice you can heed if you put your funds at risk. Try to remember that they build big hotels in Las Vegas for a reason, and it is not easy to make a living at sports gambling. But also remember that there are folks who are doing it, and those winners have a few things in common with Van Gundy: They are patient, intelligent and astute.

Chris Sheridan breaks down the latest Finals MVP odds and explains the reasoning behind some of his recent bets.

Channeling Jeff Van Gundy while making NBA Finals MVP wagers

Ever since Adam Silver published an <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwixxc3cm4DuAhUOq1kKHcCVCHsQFjAAegQIBhAC&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2014%2F11%2F14%2Fopinion%2Fnba-commissioner-adam-silver-legalize-sports-betting.html&amp;usg=AOvVaw16flQ2nso2RpoA_-DTVnAL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">op-ed column in the New York Times in 2014</a> calling for the legalization of sports gambling, the NBA has been at the forefront of making sports gambling a mainstream activity &ndash; which it has become in about half of the United States.
This is why Charles Barkley is making picks on TNT every Thursday night, why local broadcasts in many markets are cluttered with sports gambling site commercials and why the odds on any particular game are posted on any popular websites prior to tip-off.
In the year of the pandemic, sports gambling was one of the few major growth industries in America. Much of the money that people used to spend on gasoline, game tickets, commuting costs and restaurant meals was not put into savings accounts, but rather was wagered on all sorts of professional sports.
Sports gambling was illegal in every state except Nevada and Delaware until the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on May 14, 2018. Since then, states have been allowed to set their own rules, and sports gambling is now legal in 26 states along with the District of Columbia.
NBA basketball accounted for a large percentage of those wagers, and the amount of things you can wager on is dependent upon where you live. The biggest states -- New York, California and Texas -- have not passed sports gambling legislation, and thus are no-fly zones for the sportsbooks competing for all of the gambling money that is out there.
But more and more states are legalizing the industry, most recently in Michigan, Louisiana and Tennessee, where pro sports teams have been quick to partner up with sports gambling companies.
What follows is a primer on what can be wagered on in the NBA on a daily and season-long basis.
Point Spread: The books set this line with the goal of having half of the money wagered on each of the two teams, thus allowing the book to make money through its cut of the total amount wager (the percentage varies state by state and company by company). Tonight, for example, the Portland Trail Blazers are 5-point favorites over the Golden State Warriors. If Portland wins by 6 or more, Blazers bettors win. If Golden State wins or loses by 4 or less, Warriors bettors win. If the game ends up being decided by 5 points, all money is refunded.
Over/Under: This is the total amount of points scored by both teams. For Portland-Golden State, the number is 233 &frac12;. So if the final score is 120-113, that adds up to 233 &ndash; meaning the &ldquo;under&rdquo; hit. If it ends 120-114, then the &ldquo;over&rdquo; has hit. On Saturday night, of the six games that were played, the &ldquo;under&rdquo; hit in four of them. On Friday, the &ldquo;under&rdquo; hit in 9 of 10 games.
Futures: These types of bets concern a team or a player&rsquo;s long-term prospects. For example, even though the Orlando Magic are near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, the odds of them finishing in first place are currently +6000, also known as 60-1. The odds of Steve Clifford&rsquo;s team winning the title are 150-1. (The favorite is the Los Angeles Lakers at +230, meaning a $100 wager would return $230).
Among player futures, these are usually tied to postseason awards. Luka Doncic is currently the favorite at 4-1, followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo at +450 (or 9/2). Trae Young&rsquo;s odds have dropped from 50-1 to 25-1 in the past two days. James Wiseman (+250) is the favorite for Rookie of the Year, followed by Anthony Edwards (+350). Christian Wood of the Houston Rockets is a heavy favorite for Most Improved Player at +240, followed by Michael Porter Jr. at +800. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the preseason favorite.
Experienced gamblers in states where the practice is legal often like to bet quarter-by-quarter and half-by-half, charting different teams&rsquo; tendencies (i.e. early in the season, the Knicks were getting clobbered every second half). So called &ldquo;sharp&rdquo; bettors -- who are monitored by the books because they have a high rate of success -- have an infinite number of determining factors in making their wagers, including the tendencies of some referee crews to call more fouls (thus awarding more free throws) than other officiating crews.
Gambling is a slippery slope and is not for everyone, but making small bets in states where it is legal is a way to make each game a little more exciting. But it is not for everyone, and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj90K-Qm4DuAhVRU98KHR1hCmMQFjAAegQIARAE&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamblersanonymous.org%2Fga%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw20hyjhMqlj3PI8PBgVUt6A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gamblers Anonymous</a> is always there for people who believe their wagering has gotten out of control.

Chris Sheridan explains how bettors can gamble on the NBA and the types of wagers that can be made.

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