Wildcats

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; UConn is starting to finally get healthy.
The fourth-ranked Huskies welcomed back coach Geno Auriemma and star guard Azzi Fudd on Wednesday night in a 30-point rout of St. John&rsquo;s. The Huskies had to postpone a game a few days earlier against DePaul when they didn&rsquo;t have the seven healthy scholarship players required to play the contest.
It&rsquo;s been that kind of a year for UConn, which has only had two players play in all 16 games this season with the others missing at least a game with an injury, illness or travel problems.
They also have missed their Hall of Fame coach for four games due to an illness he&rsquo;s been dealing with for a month. He was back on the bench against St. John&rsquo;s after he had missed the Huskies&rsquo; previous two games because he wasn&rsquo;t feeling well. He also missed two games while sick last month. The 68-year-old coach is also grieving the death of his 91-year-old mother in early December.
&ldquo;Obviously, we really missed him,&rdquo; senior forward Dorka Juh&aacute;sz said of Auriemma. &ldquo;They did a great job while he was gone, but obviously having the whole coaching staff is amazing. It&rsquo;s good to see him smiling, laughing, and I think it was a good little rest for him, I hope he rested enough and he feels great. But I mean for us, we&rsquo;re just happy to have him back.&rdquo;
Associate head coach Chris Dailey, who has been filling in while Auriemma has been away, said that she didn&rsquo;t know for sure he was going to be back until he got on the bus for the trip to New York on Tuesday.
&ldquo;He said he was coming on the trip, that&rsquo;s when I knew,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I just wanted to make sure he was in a good place and he should come back and he was ready to come back. He assured me he was.&rdquo;
Fudd missed eight games after injuring her right knee against Notre Dame on Dec. 4. She was cleared to resume basketball activities two weeks ago and had gone through warmups a few times before playing Wednesday.
&ldquo;I had to go into the game and just remind myself to stay aggressive,&rdquo; said Fudd, who scored 14 points in 20 minutes in the 82-52 win. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been out for a while, so I felt like I did a good job of kind of shaking the rust off. But I know that my reaction time and all that will get better as we keep playing.&rdquo;
UConn was still missing Caroline Ducharme and Ayanna Patterson, who are in concussion protocol. Paige Bueckers (ACL tear) and freshman Ice Brady (dislocated patella) are out for the year.
&ldquo;I think once we get (Caroline Ducharme) back and Ayanna in the mix it&rsquo;s just going to add to what we&rsquo;re working towards,&rdquo; Dailey said. &ldquo;So I just think everybody&rsquo;s in a good place now.&rdquo;
The Huskies have a busy stretch coming up with six games over 14 days and having a full roster would make that a little easier.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve tried holy water. We&rsquo;ve tried sage burning. None of them seem to work,&rdquo; Dailey said after a win over Xavier last week. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just something we have to deal with. Whoever we have, we feel like we have enough.&rdquo;

The fourth-ranked Huskies welcomed back coach Geno Auriemma and star Azzi Fudd on Wednesday in a 30-point rout of St. John’s.

Fudd, Auriemma return as UConn finally gets healthy after rough stretch

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) &mdash; The Thunder have done it again.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Oklahoma City earned its second straight win over the Clippers, beating Los Angeles 118-110 on Thursday night.
Lu Dort scored 21 points and Aleksej Pokusevski added 15 for the Thunder, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-clippers-oklahoma-city-thunder-nba-sports-paul-george-610e743d4d1cffb1c4b7d3de66f33e2c">who beat the Clippers 108-94</a> on Tuesday.
It was a breakout game for Dort, who entered shooting 26% from the field for the season. He made 9 of 15 shots, while being the primary defender on Clippers All-Star Paul George.
&ldquo;For him, it&rsquo;s a good confidence blast,&rdquo; Gilgeous-Alexander said. &ldquo;I knew that would happen eventually. Lu works so hard, and when you work hard and you play as hard as he does, good things happen.&rdquo;
The Thunder shot 49.5% from the field.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to be able to guard point of attack,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re just lining us up one-on-one, and guys are able to get whatever they want.&rdquo;
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard missed both games against the Thunder while managing his previously injured right knee. George played on Thursday after sitting out on Tuesday with an illness and finished with 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting.
Norman Powell led the Clippers with 21 points. Reggie Jackson scored 18 and John Wall added 17 for Los Angeles, which lost its third straight.
The Thunder scored 31 points off 20 Clippers turnovers two days after scoring 23 points off 19 Los Angeles giveaways.
&ldquo;The live turnovers are killing us,&rdquo; Lue said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to just clean that up.&rdquo;
The Thunder led 30-12 in the first quarter, but the Clippers rallied and led 60-53 at halftime behind 12 points each from Wall and Jackson.
&ldquo;You know, that&rsquo;s a really good team," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "They&rsquo;re not going to lay down. And I thought we really came out with a sense of purpose and obviously threw the first punch. And it&rsquo;s a good lesson for us that a good team is not just going to accept that.&rdquo;
Gilgeous-Alexander committed his fourth foul with 4.6 seconds left in the second quarter, and he started the second half on the bench. The Thunder rallied without him and took a 71-70 lead before he returned midway through the third quarter. The Thunder led 89-87 heading into the fourth.
Wall's driving dunk at the start of the fourth quarter tied the game at 89, but the Thunder pulled away late. Pokusevski hit a 3-pointer, then less than a minute later, Tre Mann walked into a fast break 3-pointer that gave the Thunder a 116-104 with 2:55 remaining.
Oklahoma City did not attempt a free throw until 10:22 remained in the fourth quarter, but the Thunder went 7 for 8 from the line in the final period.
Daigneault didn't like the free throw situation, but he liked the way the game turned out.
&ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t particularly pleased with that, but we weathered it," he said. "And at the end of the day, it&rsquo;s not easy one way or the other. There&rsquo;s going to be things you have to deal with, things you have to overcome. And I just thought we played right through it tonight. It didn&rsquo;t distract us. And we just &mdash; we kept on it and obviously emerged. It was good.&rdquo;
GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER'S FREEBIES
Gilgeous-Alexander made both of his free throws on Thursday, leaving him one short of the Thunder record for consecutive made free throws to start a season.
The record holder? Not Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant. Not even George, a former Thunder star. It&rsquo;s Danilo Gallinari, who opened with 23 straight to start the 2019-20 season.
Gilgeous-Alexander has already passed the likes of Patrick Patterson (17 during the 2017-18 season) and Kevin Martin (16 during the 2012-2013 season). Corey Brewer made his first 17 after being traded to the Thunder in 2018.
TIP-INS
Clippers: F Marcus Morris sat out his second straight game for personal reasons. ... The Clippers shot 53.7%. ... Los Angeles made just 9 of 28 3-pointers.
Thunder: G Josh Giddey sat out with a sprained right ankle. ... Went 6 for 10 from 3-point range in the first quarter to take a 34-24 lead. They finished 17 for 38 on 3-pointers after going 4 for 30 in Tuesday's game.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Thunder: Visit the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
___
Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: <a href="twitter.com/CliffBruntAP">twitter.com/CliffBruntAP</a>

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Oklahoma City earned its second straight win over the Clippers.

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 24 as Thunder beat Clippers again

Season 2 of Athletes Unlimited Basketball is coming relatively soon — with new players.

Allisha Gray, NaLyssa Smith headline Athletes Unlimited new additions

NBA basketball in 2022 is centered around the ability to create advantages on offense and minimize advantages on defense. Players and teams can space the floor, collapse it and warp it at myriad levels with the freedom to drive &mdash; and dish and shake and cut &mdash; all over the place. It's part of the reason guys like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jokic-antetokounmpo-doncic-explain-why-europe-is-harder-than-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic think EuroBasket is a harder environment.</a>&nbsp;
The modern game all but requires NBA offenses to have at least one (and probably more than one) player on the court who can collapse an opposing defense with a 1-on-1 drive. Defenders who can snuff out those advantages, meanwhile, earn high esteem; just look at how players like Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Marcus Smart and Derrick White helped get their teams to the NBA Finals.&nbsp;
Guys rarely excel in both dimensions of the fire-and-ice combination, spark offense and freezing foes on defense. Sacramento Kings point guard Davion Mitchell was one of those rarities as a rookie:
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Two important avenues to player impact are advantage creation on offense and prevention on defense. Here are where players stacked up last season in these two on-ball measures: <a href="https://t.co/Jp5yVdWMnn">pic.twitter.com/Jp5yVdWMnn</a>
&mdash; SIS Hoops (@SIS_Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIS_Hoops/status/1570455340566646785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
Mitchell didn't make an All-Rookie team last season and feels somewhat lost in the crowd of an exciting 2021 draft class. But the former No. 9 overall pick, even at 24 years old, should be considered just as poised for a second-year surge as any of his competitors. He's smack-dab in the middle of the above graphic from SIS Hoops, sitting near dynamic two-way catalysts like Smart, White, Justin Holiday and Fred VanVleet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The Kings got shellacked last night, but Davion Mitchell really stood out early. Thought he bothered Trae a good deal in the first quarter, tracked him well off-ball and in screen navigation Got his shot off and was aggressive early. Good stretch for him <a href="https://t.co/JIv534iqcM">pic.twitter.com/JIv534iqcM</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1486687309076512768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Mitchell has earned the "Off Night" moniker for his hounding individual defense, and new Kings coach Mike Brown is already a witness.
"I can honestly say at this point in his career he is one of the best on-ball defenders I&rsquo;ve been around," Brown told <a href="https://theathletic.com/3625126/2022/09/26/sacramento-kings-season-preview/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anthony Slater of The Athletic</a>. "Some of the things I&rsquo;ve seen in the summertime remind me of a Gary Payton II type of on-ball defender.&rdquo;
The offensive end took a bit more time to flash. Mitchell averaged 11.5 points and 4.2 assists per game with a lackluster 48.9% True Shooting percentage in 2021-22, but those cumulative numbers don't tell the whole story.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
After the All-Star break, the rookie put up 14.1 points and 5.9 assists per game across 19 contests. Eleven were starts, in which he averaged 18.8 points and 9.3 assists per game. De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis dropped out of the season due to injuries after March 20, leaving Mitchell to run the show as the Kings trudged along, out of the playoff picture.&nbsp;
Those who stuck it out with Sacramento saw Mitchell settle in as an advantage-finder on the ball. Check out how his aggression increased post-All-Star, after the Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton and amidst injury struggles amongst their stars.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 15.5964%;">Category</td>
<td style="width: 13.5075%;">Pre-All-Star</td>
<td style="width: 14.291%;">Post-All-Star</td>
<td style="width: 18.0636%;">Post-ASB NBA Rank</td>
<td style="width: 19.6302%;">Post-ASB Rookie Rank</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 15.5964%;">Drives/Game</td>
<td style="width: 13.5075%;">8.7</td>
<td style="width: 14.291%;">12.1</td>
<td style="width: 18.0636%;">17th</td>
<td style="width: 19.6302%;">2nd</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 15.5964%;">FG% on Drives</td>
<td style="width: 13.5075%;">49.2%</td>
<td style="width: 14.291%;">52.0%</td>
<td style="width: 18.0636%;">35th</td>
<td style="width: 19.6302%;">4th</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 15.5964%;">AST% on Drives</td>
<td style="width: 13.5075%;">14.2%</td>
<td style="width: 14.291%;">16.1%</td>
<td style="width: 18.0636%;">5th</td>
<td style="width: 19.6302%;">1st</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 15.5964%;">TOV% on Drives</td>
<td style="width: 13.5075%;">6.0%</td>
<td style="width: 14.291%;">5.2%</td>
<td style="width: 18.0636%;">t-26th</td>
<td style="width: 19.6302%;">4th</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right to view full table on mobile. Stats courtesy of NBA Stats/Second Spectrum)
Mitchell already posted decent numbers as a driver early in the season, but with more on his plate without Haliburton and an intermittent Fox, he impressively boosted both his volume and efficiency.
As a passer, Mitchell formed an interesting tandem with Damian Jones... who is now a Laker. The two were the fourth-most frequent assist combo on the Kings last season. By spring, Jones was Mitchell's favorite target; he passed to the play-finishing center seven times per game.
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We see how Mitchell is growing past straight-line drives. He dipped into his bag of herky-jerky crossovers and hesitation moves a bit more, exploded off of those plays, and then, zipped passes into Jones for finishes. The second clip against the Los Angeles Clippers particularly impressed me. Mitchell probed and engaged Ivica Zubac long enough to create a window for Jones, saw Reggie Jackson was backing out of the paint to cover Trey Lyles, and then, hit Jones for the easy dunk.
Of course, Mitchell won't be syncing up with the 7-footer next season. He might have Neemias Queta as a big-bodied dunker, but Davion will most likely be in tandem with either Sabonis or Richaun Holmes at center. Mitchell still flashed potential for a promising connection with those two based on his rookie work.
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This trio of assists all came to Jones in the same April contest against the Suns. Mitchell hit him on a beautiful high-low feed in the first clip, and then broke two aggressive screen coverages later on. This type of success is exciting if you imagine Sabonis feasting as an interior hub, fed by Mitchell through aggressive defenses &mdash; or Holmes sealing down low and getting rewarded with a Davion dime.
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Domantas Sabonis talks about working with Davion Mitchell, the next level of his &amp; De'Aaron Fox's partnership, and Mike Brown. <a href="https://t.co/svedS5LtWL">pic.twitter.com/svedS5LtWL</a>
&mdash; Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattGeorgeSAC/status/1574517940048695296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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On the flip side, these bigs could also keep defenses from sending two at Mitchell &mdash; giving him more breathing room to create advantages. His mix of burst and patience allows him to explore more space, even in Steve Nash dribble-esque situations like these:
<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/9nmfkq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Mitchell slinks around the baseline and hits Harrison Barnes twice in this reel, once on a well-timed cut and another after drawing in Barnes' defender from the corner. These are two more examples of an NBA rookie maximizing his advantage and creating an advantageous setup for his teammate.
To truly unlock all of the driving and passing lanes, Mitchell needs to take a step forward as an efficient finisher and scorer.&nbsp;
Mark Schindler <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/davion-mitchell-is-finding-balance-and-thriving-on-the-margins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">checked in on Mitchell's scoring progress</a> for Basketball News last February, and I highly recommend the read since many of his observations still apply and are worth remembering as a starting point for this season. Since the article, Mitchell stayed in the ballpark as an overall shot-maker. He finished 60% of his shots at the rim on the season (about league average), but concluded as a 30.8% shooter from deep (not very good).&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
However, there's an intriguing silver lining in the weeds of his shooting splits.
Mitchell made only 40.0% of his pull-up shots all season and struggled mightily behind the arc (28.4%). But rookies typically struggle as individual pull-up scorers. This rookie, however, found a rhythm in the mid-range later on in the season.
According to Cleaning the Glass, a quarter of Mitchell's shots after the All-Star break came in the "long mid-range" area between 14 feet from the basket and the three-point arc. That put him in the 96th percentile for frequency at his position. Mitchell canned an impressive 47% of those shots (86th percentile), which were mostly pull-up attempts.&nbsp;
It's almost an old-school flashback to how teams used to generate mid-range looks. Mitchell often took screens at the elbow like these and, knowing the bigs would sag off because of his reputation as a shooter, he could easily settle into a more comfortable shot.
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Mitchell also can stop on a dime like a madman. That already helped him to change speed and direction when driving; it also means he needs less time to jack up a rhythm mid-range shot.&nbsp;
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No, this is not the most desirable shot from a game-planning perspective. But as dozens of players around the NBA can show, having a rhythm mid-range look is valuable and threatening. It also marks a starting point for long-range shooting potential, something Mitchell will obviously look to improve.
The former Baylor guard has past indicators of plus-shooting too. Mitchell built himself up to a 44.7% three-point clip in his final year of college. Per InStat Scouting, that included shooting 38% on pull-ups and 46% in catch-and-shoot situations. Sure, that was with a shorter arc, and Mitchell was probably due for some regression anyway. But let's not toss that year away as an outlier when he's still young and growing.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Davion Mitchell is getting in some work with Sacramento Kings assistant coach Doug Christie. <a href="https://t.co/rfZvTwilxi">pic.twitter.com/rfZvTwilxi</a>
&mdash; Cameron Salerno (@cameronsalerno1) <a href="https://twitter.com/cameronsalerno1/status/1574858190700748801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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We don't know how the Kings' rotation will shake out under Brown yet, but from reports I've read, it seems Mitchell will at least begin the year as a third guard behind Fox and trade acquisition Kevin Huerter. Kings assistant coach Doug Christie told Hunter Patterson of The Athletic&nbsp;that <a href="https://theathletic.com/3627997/2022/09/26/davion-mitchell-kings-offseason-trust/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his goal for Mitchell is to be Sixth Man of the Year.</a>&nbsp;
If Mitchell were to ride the bench all season, that award is absolutely within reach. But I think the second-year guard could certainly challenge for a starting spot. "Off Night" is too valuable to what the Kings are trying to build on defense, and his budding talent as a creator will only help Sacramento ignite its offense.
Don't forget about Mitchell in the sea of 2022-23 breakout candidates.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>Go look at this thread from Synergy's Todd Whitehead, who continues to be a data visualization artist:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tinkering with a 🚨new chart🚨 to show 1-on-1 tendencies. From 3 iso zones outside &ndash; is the player more likely to take a quick shot or drive right or left? In the post &ndash; are they more likely to turn over the left shoulder or the right? Some 2022 NCAA examples in the 🧵 <a href="https://t.co/8xf91Ng18V">pic.twitter.com/8xf91Ng18V</a>
&mdash; Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1575575231946596352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Nekias Duncan is back with division previews! In his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-atlantic-division-boston-celtics-brooklyn-nets-new-york-knicks-philadelphia-76ers-sixers-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breakdown of the Atlantic</a>, he gave us a gem on Marcus Smart's ball-screen impact last season that I will be using in a future article:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">The Celtics generated 0.992 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Smart-led ball-screen &mdash; a mark that ranked 22nd among 62 high-volume pick-and-roll players (min. 1,000 picks), and one that placed him ahead of names like Darius Garland (0.987), Damian Lillard (0.978) and Ja Morant (0.972). Those ball-screens were more dangerous when Smart set the pick (1.04 PPP), a top-10 mark in the NBA.</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Another neat set of visuals from Dom Samangy:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🧵 Analytics 🤝 Player Development 🧵 Showcasing this part of the game is one passion of mine &amp; is an area where I see there is still much room to grow in both application &amp; acceptance! So here&rsquo;s a thread on ways I visualize strengths &amp; weaknesses of a player&rsquo;s game ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/DEP9Amx7da">pic.twitter.com/DEP9Amx7da</a>
&mdash; Dom Samangy (@DSamangy) <a href="https://twitter.com/DSamangy/status/1572264237052952577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ethan Fuller breaks down how Davion Mitchell is creating advantages as a driver and passer to pair with his lockdown defense.

NBA Stats Notebook: Why Davion Mitchell could make a big step in Year 2

We're flipping our calendar at BasketballNews &mdash; but not before taking one look back at a memorable 2021.
Sports never cease to give us compelling storylines. Last year, they came from all places, from the pros in the U.S. and abroad, to college, to youth levels, and even off the basketball court. Below are some of our staff's best stories, arranged in several categories. Read the Best of BasketballNews 2021:
Best Features
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/gary-payton-ii_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-raptors-905-gary-payton-ii-on-growing-up-in-fathers-shadow-we-have-two-different-paths">Gary Payton II on growing up in father's shadow: 'We have two different paths'</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<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">Former NBA execs, Overtime Elite seek to revolutionize amateur-to-pro p</a><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">reparation</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-daniel-gafford-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-bradley-beal-tony-falce-arkansas-razorbacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Gafford, Wizards surging since trade: 'When I got here, it clicked automatically'</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pj-dozier-took-a-whirlwind-journey-to-the-denver-nuggets-starting-lineup">Two-way threat: PJ Dozier reflects on whirlwind path to Nuggets</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/g-league-finals-mvp-devin-cannady-remains-focus-bigger-goals">NBA G League Finals MVP Devin Cannady remains focused on bigger goals</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/theres-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around-for-frank-ntilikinas-failure">There&rsquo;s plenty of blame to go around for Frank Ntilikina&rsquo;s failure</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-vucevic-may-finally-get-credit-he-deserves-with-newlook-bulls">Nikola Vucevic may finally get credit he deserves with new-look Bulls</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/meet-juste-jocyte-15-year-old-phenom-and-professional-record-breaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meet Justė Jocytė: 15-year-old phenom and professional record-breaker</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks">Kristaps Porzingis' renewed confidence leading to resurgent season</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/scoot-henderson-aspirations-far-exceed-any-hype-we-can-give-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA G League star Scoot Henderson's aspirations far exceed the hype</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
Best Interviews and Q&amp;As
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Best Opinion
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Best of the NBA Draft
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
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Best Player Pieces
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BasketballNews highlights its best stories over the calendar 2021 year.

The Best of BasketballNews: 2021

The <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/matt-barnes-shared-what-led-to-his-infamous-ball-fake-at-kobe-bryant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
When talking about some of the most competitive and fearless players in the history of the NBA, Kobe Bryant&rsquo;s name is at the top of the list. Notorious for his &ldquo;Mamba Mentality,&rdquo; which means working hard and going above and beyond to accomplish your goals, Kobe built his illustrious Hall-of-Fame career and left a deep influence on countless other basketball players and fans.
Kobe made his career with his immaculate talent and skill as one of the best scorers the league has ever seen. But what really put him over the top and among the best players in history was that competitive spirit and will to get dirty, just like his idol Michael Jordan. Of course, that mentality placed him in some serious battles with various &ldquo;Kobe stoppers," especially in the playoffs. From Ruben Patterson, Doug Christie and Bruce Bowen, to Raja Bell, Ron Artest and Tony Allen, Kobe had to face and battle some of the toughest defenders the league has ever seen.
But in March 2010, there was a regular-season game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. These were two teams that had just played each other in the Finals the previous postseason, so tensions got high as Kobe got into it with Matt Barnes, another player known for his gritty style of play. That would give us an iconic moment: On an inbound play on the baseline, Barnes faked throwing ball in Kobe&rsquo;s face. The Black Mamba didn't budge, and instead, stared back at him cold-bloodedly.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"I knew he wasn't going to do s**t. Why should I flinch for?" - KOBE 11 years ago today, Matt Barnes found out Kobe Bryant doesn&rsquo;t flinch. <a href="https://t.co/aoxzj0NGio">pic.twitter.com/aoxzj0NGio</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1368548940568612866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

Stories about that moment have been told numerous times by Barnes and Kobe himself, and the two eventually teamed up in L.A. and became good friends. But recently, Barnes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU1VbZxBcJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined Gilbert Arenas on his podcast, "No Chill,"</a> and shared what provoked him to do the ball fake:
&ldquo;In the Orlando situation, I mean, anyone that plays Kobe knows he&rsquo;s dirty. Grabs you, elbows you, says sh**, does whatever. But they&rsquo;ll never call a foul on him," Barnes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU1VbZxBcJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "[He was] known for elbowing you in the sternum, known for just doing all kinds of crazy sh**, but that was part of that mental warfare that he liked to put on you. This motherf***er elbowed me in my sternum, hit me in the nuts, elbowed me in the chin. Like, I&rsquo;mma fight this dude because these punk-a** refs aren&rsquo;t calling nothing. So when the ball-fake sh** happened, it wasn&rsquo;t like I&rsquo;m gonna fake the ball in his face. Literally, my arms just did it by themselves. I wanted to slam that shi** in his face. So I faked it, and then it kind of became what it did.&rdquo;
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Kobe may have been a superstar, but he played like he was any other player on the team. He gave it his all on both sides of the floor and didn't shy away from locking up the other team&rsquo;s best players, all while frustrating them mentally and psychologically with his sneaky moves. The will to do the dirty stuff and use his superstar status to get away with extra physicality and sneaky plays made Kobe an absolute menace on the court. Knowing every trick in the book, mixed with his unbelievable skillset, allowed Bryant to be so successful and great.
And that is why his name will be forever remembered.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net <a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Matt Barnes joined Gilbert Arenas on his "No Chill" podcast to discuss one of the most memorable moments of Kobe's legacy.

Matt Barnes reveals what led to his infamous ball fake at Kobe Bryant

Earlier this week, we identified roster spot battles to watch through training camp this October here. And already a portion of my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/3-roster-spot-battles-to-watch-for-in-the-eastern-conference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eastern Conference list</a> has been upended by transactions, as the Brooklyn Nets promptly traded away Sekou Doumbouya almost immediately after I predicted that he would make the team. Long story short: Things happen quickly in training camp.&nbsp;
But still, we forge ahead, this time refocusing our analysis on the Western Conference. So as training camp approaches its close, let&rsquo;s identify the three most interesting roster-spot battles in the Western Conference.&nbsp;
Portland Trail Blazers
Entering training camp, the Trail Blazers signed three former lottery picks to training camp deals: Dennis Smith Jr., Marquese Chriss and Patrick Patterson. Portland only has 13 players signed, meaning that they technically have two spots to fill (and one of their two-way contracts are spoken for, too), but Portland general manager Neil Olshey usually enters seasons with fewer than 15 players. So, it&rsquo;s an understandable assumption that the Trail Blazers will probably only sign one of the three guys they inked to training camp deals.
Considering who was signed and who is already in place in Portland, none of the three are likely to get major minutes. Smith is best suited as a backup point guard, while Chriss and Patterson are power forwards. In my estimation, this decision comes down to needs. Considering that Robert Covington and Larry Nance Jr. are their only true 4s, the most pressing need is probably down low. So, if Portland is hell-bent on entering the season with no more than 14 guys on its roster, the team will probably choose between Chriss and Patterson. Patterson has more experience, and he shoots it better from deep (36.9% on three-point attempts in his career compared to just 28.9% for Chriss.) Neither makes or breaks Portland&rsquo;s season; but considering the Blazers are trying to build a contender and convince Damian Lillard that Portland is the place for him, Patterson is a better addition. If the Blazers decide to fill out their entire roster by signing a 15th player, Smith should get a long look. He is too skilled and athletic to not get another shot, and backing up a star like Lillard removes a lot of the pressure he&rsquo;s had on him throughout his career.
Prediction: Patterson makes the cut (and Smith signs a two-way contract).
Golden State Warriors
Golden State entered training camp with the maximum of 20 players on its roster, one of whom is on a two-way deal (Chris Chiozza) and three of whom are on training-camp deals (Jordan Bell, Avery Bradley and Langston Galloway.) Damion Lee, Mychal Mulder and Gary Payton Jr. are all signed to non-guaranteed deals, too. To summarize, the Warriors have lots of options &ndash; but Golden State will probably avoid making any zany moves. Instead, they will probably keep one of the three players signed to training-camp deals and cut the other two. As much as the veteran savvy of Bradley and Galloway could be alluring, Golden State doesn&rsquo;t need more veteran leadership &ndash; but they could use help backing up the power-forward position. Enter Bell, who returns to the Bay Area with a familiarity of head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors&rsquo; systems. Bell exited Golden State after playing his first two professional seasons there, and he had some maturity issues in his first go-round with the Warriors. But Bell sounded significantly more mature in a <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/jordan-bell-warriors-contract-reunites-two-desperate-parties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent interview with NBC Sports Bay Area</a>. Assuming he demonstrates that growth in practices and preseason games, Bell will probably be kept.
Prediction: Jordan Bell makes the cut.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers' roster battle is particularly interesting, as it features a former top-ranked high school prospect in Harry Giles. Giles is battling with Isaiah Hartenstein and Moses Wright for the Clippers&rsquo; final roster spot; both of the team's two-way contracts are used up (Jay Scrubb and Amir Coffey.) &nbsp;Two of the spots are also occupied by players who will miss a good chunk of the 2021-22 season to injuries (Kawhi Leonard and rookie Jason Preston), making the remaining roster spots all the more valuable.&nbsp;
In the Clippers&rsquo; first preseason game, Giles produced more than Hartenstein and Wright, posting 8 points and 12 rebounds in 16 minutes. In their second preseason game, Wright played slightly better than the other two, finishing with 7 points and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes. What the Clippers ultimately choose to do is anyone&rsquo;s guess, but I think that Giles&rsquo; potential is too much to pass on. He&rsquo;s still only 23 years old; and if he finds what made him special just a few short years ago, Giles could be significantly more valuable than what the salary of a 15th man will pay him.&nbsp;
Prediction: Giles makes the cut.&nbsp;
The NBA&rsquo;s 75th regular season kicks off in less than two weeks. Decisions will be made between now and then that will greatly impact the lives of several men. Ultimately, some will impact teams' seasons too, as a chunk of these end-of-the-bench guys will probably earn bigger roles as the season goes on.&nbsp;

Drew Maresca examines the three most interesting final roster spot situations in the West.

3 roster-spot battles to watch for in the Western Conference

We're now nearly a month into NBA free agency, and as expected, all of the big names are off the market. But the 2021 free-agency class was so large, that even weeks later, a number of quality pros remain available.
At this stage, your favorite squad isn't likely to sign a game-changer. But there are plug-and-play veterans and young castoffs who can provide value to any roster. Paul Millsap headlines the remaining best available players, and dozens of others are worth taking a peek at.
Below are some notable unsigned players for each of the three umbrella positional groups.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Guards</h2>
Wesley Matthews (UFA)
Matthews has now played for five teams in three seasons. The 34-year-old most recently suited up for the Lakers in 2020-21, averaging 4.8 points per game in a bench role. Matthews provides toughness on both ends as a 3-and-D veteran.
J.J. Redick (UFA)
Redick can still shoot it (37.1% from three last season) but has lost much of the explosiveness off the ball that made him such a threat throughout his career. The 37-year-old played for the Pelicans and Mavericks last season, and could help a team searching for an offensive spark. Redick has said that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jj-redick-to-bypass-training-camp-could-be-a-midseason-roster-addition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he will likely take his time</a>, skipping training camp and signing with a team in a few months.
Avery Bradley (UFA)
Bradley was traded from Miami to Houston at the March 25 trade deadline, but did shoot 42.1% from long range during his short stint with the Heat. The 30-year-old has been part of a number of successful teams, including the Lakers' championship squad in 2020. He'll be able to provide adequate shooting and defense wherever he lands.
Langston Galloway (UFA)
Galloway played a minor bench role for the Suns in their trip to the NBA Finals. The 29-year-old did what he was asked: he shot well from the perimeter (42.4%) and turned the ball over just 13 times in 480 minutes. He'll be a valuable and reliable reserve wherever he goes.
Frank Ntilikina (UFA)
The 2017 No. 8 overall pick never found his groove with the New York Knicks. Ntilikina's minutes were halved in his fourth season (just 9.8 per game) as he battled on the outside of Tom Thibodeau's rotation. He's still only 23 years old, though, and is an NBA-caliber perimeter defender. Ntilikina also made 23 of his 48 three-point attempts in 2020-21, a 47.9% clip albeit on a small sample size.
Others Include: Isaiah Thomas, E'Twaun Moore, Brad Wanamaker, Jordan McLaughlin, Dante Exum, Dennis Smith Jr., Tyler Johnson, Jeff Teague, Darren Collison
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Wings</h2>
James Ennis (UFA)
The journeyman wing has taken the court for seven franchises in his seven professional seasons. Ennis has made 36.0% of his threes in his career, but canned 43.3% of those looks with the Orlando Magic in 2020-21. He can operate as a mini microwave scorer, and floor-spacing wings will always have value in today's NBA.
Stanley Johnson (UFA)
Johnson worked his way to increased playing time with the Toronto Raptors last season, even starting 13 games for the team. It was a mixed bag &mdash; he shot just 37.8 percent from the field &mdash; but the former 2015 lottery pick had some bright moments, including a 35-point, 10-rebound effort in a May 13 loss to Chicago. Johnson has improve notably as a defender and may be one of the better free agent "flier" options.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (UFA)
If a team is looking for a defensive spark plug, they should start with Hollis-Jefferson. The 26-year-old can guard both forward spots and even some smaller bigs with his length and energy. Hollis-Jefferson has a rough offensive foundation, but he wouldn't need to be relied on as more than a finisher.
Others include: Denzel Valentine, Garrison Mathews, Paul Watson Jr., Gary Clark, Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson, Michael Beasley, Deividas Sirvydis
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Bigs</h2>
Paul Millsap (UFA)
Millsap has slowly regressed with age, and at 36 years old, is no longer the Swiss Army knife he has usually been on both ends. But he's still a versatile piece that teams can plug in at power forward or center while shooting the ball respectably. Millsap spent his last four seasons with the Denver Nuggets., and the <a href="Isaiah%20Thomas,%20E'Twaun%20Moore,%20Brad%20Wanamaker,%20Jordan%20McLaughlin,%20Dante%20Exum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Warriors and Nets have reportedly demonstrated recent interest</a>.
Jarred Vanderbilt (RFA)
Timberwolves fans were intrigued by Vanderbilt last season. The 22-year-old made 30 starts and generally battled on defense and on the glass. Vanderbilt also made 71.7% of his attempts around the rim, and still radiates potential.
LaMarcus Aldridge (UFA)
It appears that the veteran Aldridge, who retired just a few months ago due to a heart condition, has consulted with medical personnel and decided to attempt a return to the NBA (<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31959203/former-all-star-forward-lamarcus-aldridge-seriously-considering-return-nba-season-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>). Just based on the finesse center's face-up capabilities and ability to stretch the floor, he should draw plenty of suitors. He last played for the Nets.
Isaiah Hartenstein (UFA)
The Nuggets traded Hartenstein to the Cleveland Cavaliers at last spring's deadline. He seemed to find a groove in Cleveland, averaging 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Hartenstein is still only 23 and was a second-round pick in 2017.
DeMarcus Cousins (UFA)
Cousins fell out of the Clippers' playoff rotation because he simply wasn't up to par with the smaller, faster matchups he often faced. Injuries have drained the 30-year-old of his athleticism. But Cousins quietly became a knockdown, low-volume shooter (42.1% on 1.2 threes per game), and that could be a way to keep his NBA stock afloat.
Others include: Aron Baynes, Bismack Biyombo, Ed Davis, Harry Giles, T.J. Leaf, Patrick Patterson, D.J. Wilson, Ersan Ilyasova, Alen Smailagic, Luke Kornet, Tacko Fall

Paul Millsap headlines the list of remaining free agents.

Which notable NBA free agents are still unsigned?

As things currently stand, the Detroit Pistons will shell out their biggest player paycheck for 2021-22 to someone who isn't on the roster. The Portland Trail Blazers owe money to one player through 2024, even though he never played a game for the team. The Indiana Pacers are still paying Monta Ellis.
In the complex world of the NBA salary cap, "dead money" is one oft-forgotten consequence of buyouts and cuts around the league. These situations happen when a player is released with guaranteed money left on his contract. The team has to pay the rest of the salary, so they'll either foot the bill as the contract originally stated, or stretch the remaining salary over a longer period to make the payments more manageable per-year. These still count against the team's salary cap (<a href="https://www.slamonline.com/nba/cba-explained-the-stretch-provision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here's a good explainer</a>).
In many cases, the cap and financial impacts look insignificant on their own. But dead money can range from a nuisance to a handicap for franchises that often brush right up against salary-cap constraints.
When the league calendar flips in August, half of the NBA will be completely free of dead money, according to salary figures provided by <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotrac</a> and <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basketball Reference</a>. The Memphis Grizzlies, for example, had over $29 million tied to Gorgui Dieng and Dion Waiters through this past season.
However, half of the league remains tethered to players and cap holds. A browse though the books reveals some surprising names still on NBA payrolls.&nbsp;
Let's start with the Pistons, who are far and away the most hamstrung organization. They'll be paying Blake Griffin approximately $29.8 million next season, easily the highest dead-money total in the NBA. Unless the franchise makes a major splash in the offseason, that number shatters the $20 million owed to Detroit's highest-paid active player, Jerami Grant.&nbsp;
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Griffin isn't alone on the payroll. Former 2018 first-round pick Zhaire Smith is owed $1.068 million and change into the 2022-23 season. Then there's Dewayne Dedmon, who checks in as one of my favorite players in this unique circumstance.
The Pistons acquired Dedmon via trade from Atlanta last November and promptly waived the 31-year-old center. But they stretched the remainder of his three-year, $40 million deal&nbsp;way out. Detroit plans to pay Dedmon $2.87 million each year through the 2024-25 NBA season &mdash; without him ever suiting up for the Motor City.
Dedmon is one of two players who will assuredly get a paycheck from an NBA team without ever playing a game for them. The other is Andrew Nicholson, who has been out of the NBA since 2017. Still, the Portland Trail Blazers must pay him $2.84 million per year through the 2023-24 season. That means he'll still be cashing NBA paychecks seven years after his last game.
Most dead-contract situations are less complicated than Detroit's traffic jam. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the only other franchise with three players in dead-money territory. But the penalties are much less severe; Admiral Schofield will receive $300,000 next season, Patrick Patterson will make $737,066 next year, and Kyle Singler (inactive since 2018) will earn $999,200 per year through 2022-23.
Aside from Griffin, Nicolas Batum wields the largest single dead-cap hold. When the Charlotte Hornets waived him last November, they stretched the rest of his five-year, $120 million deal. The franchise owes Batum a bit over $9 million through 2022-23.
Including Batum, most of the biggest dead-cap condundrums stem from the lucrative 2016 free-agency period. It resulted in a ton of eye-popping deals for players, and even after things went south with the respective teams, they're still making money from that fateful July.
Batum, Joakim Noah (tied to the Knicks), Ryan Anderson (Heat) and Luol Deng (Lakers) are all making at least $5 million in 2021-22 because of contracts they signed in 2016.
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How are other contenders doing in the dead-money department? Ten of the 2021 playoff squads are free of dead-cap hits. The Golden State Warriors owe $666,667 to Shaun Livingston next season, while the Boston Celtics owe just under $1.2 million combined to Guerschon Yabusele and Demetrius Jackson.
The Milwaukee Bucks join the aforementioned three franchises with a notable chunk of dead money; they're giving up over $5 million to the duo of Jon Leuer and Larry Sanders. Five million dollars may not seem like a ton in the grand scheme of NBA money-spending. But during the quest for an NBA title, droplets of cap space matter as teams try to facilitate trades, make small additions and even avoid the luxury tax.
So next time you hear a buyout rumor, think about the potential dead-money impact. One case on the horizon could involve Kevin Love. According to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle, there is "growing sentiment around the league" that Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/warriors-flirting-with-the-idea-of-acquiring-kevin-love" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could reach a buyout agreement</a>.
Love still has over $60 million left on his contract over the next two seasons. As the Cavs eventually try to move from rebuilder to contender, do they want that kind of money on their books over the next two seasons? Or, if they waive and stretch Love, how would the stretched contract affect their cap standing over the next decade?
It's a tricky space to navigate, and only one of the many challenges on the plates of every NBA front office.

When a guaranteed-contract player is cut, their salary becomes dead money. Which teams have the most dead money on their books?

As NBA offseason nears, which teams are in the dead money doldrums?

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; The Los Angeles Clippers&rsquo; season began in an empty arena with cardboard cutouts, COVID-19 tests, and protocols for everything. It ended with the team reaching the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, even without injured superstar Kawhi Leonard.
A masked Leonard watched from the bench as the Clippers lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games on Wednesday night.
&ldquo;Man, we just had a group of guys that loved playing with each other. Everyone was on the same page,&rdquo; center Ivica Zubac said Thursday.
The Clippers overcame 0-2 deficits in the first two rounds to beat Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz. Leonard sprained his right knee in Game 4 against the Jazz and didn't play again.
Zubac also injured his knee and was forced to sit out the final two games against the Suns. The Clippers trailed that series 0-2 and 1-3 before closing to 3-2 and eventually running out of gas.
Through the injuries, Paul George kept the team rolling, producing a playoff career-high 41 points while facing elimination on the road in Game 5 against the Suns. He averaged nearly 41 minutes a game, and scored at least 20 points in all 19 playoff games, one of only four NBA players ever to do so.
&ldquo;We squeezed everything out of one another,&rdquo; George said, &ldquo;and I thought we got stronger and better as the season went on.&rdquo;
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The Clippers have the pieces in place to make an extended postseason run again next year. Their first order of business involves Leonard.
He has a player option worth $36 million for next season. If he declines the option, he&rsquo;ll become an unrestricted free agent and could sign a contract that would pay him more annually. Leonard convinced George to come to the Clippers in 2019 so they could play together and be close to their Southern California hometowns.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve both grown, myself and Kawhi together. We really enjoy being teammates, and we see what we can be,&rdquo; George said. "One of the commitments I made signing my contract was to show I&rsquo;m here for the long run and I&rsquo;m committed to this team. Hopefully that weighs on anybody&rsquo;s decision.&rdquo;
Serge Ibaka, whose season ended early due to back surgery, also has a player option worth $9.7 million.
Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson will each be unrestricted free agents. Amir Coffey is the team's only restricted free agent.
Jackson shone during the playoffs. He averaged 17.8 points while starting 17 of 19 postseason games, and shot 41% from 3-point range, which should set him up for a bigger payday. The Clippers must decide whether they're willing to pay more to retain the guard.
&ldquo;I can't predict the future, I have no idea what happens,&rdquo; Jackson said, &ldquo;but this city, this organization, this fan base is special. I&rsquo;ll forever be a Clipper. I&rsquo;m thankful for this opportunity.&rdquo;
Jackson and George are longtime friends, and George said, "I&rsquo;m definitely going to try my hardest to recruit.&rdquo;
Cousins turned back the clock, scoring 27 points in 25 combined minutes replacing Zubac in the last two games. After being released by Houston in February, the former All-Star signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Clippers and played 16 regular-season games. Five of his seven playoff games were against the Suns.
Marcus Morris led the Clippers with 26 points while playing 42 minutes &mdash; one more than George &mdash; despite a sore knee in the last game.
&ldquo;We know what we're capable of doing,&rdquo; Morris said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to see what the future holds.&rdquo;
The Clippers didn't go away without drama.
Patrick Beverley got ejected after shoving former Clipper Chris Paul in the back and knocking him down in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;Emotions got the best of me last night gang,&rdquo; Beverley tweeted Thursday in a message to Paul. &ldquo;My bad wasn't meant for you. Congrats on making it to the Finals. Best of Luck.&rdquo;

Kawhi Leonard has a player option worth $36 million for next season. If he declines the option, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent

Clippers await Kawhi Leonard's decision on contract option

Patrick Patterson opened up on the Los Angeles Clippers' loss to the Denver Nuggets in last season's playoffs, explaining what the team has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-one-on-one-patrick-patterson-los-angeles-clippers-tyronn-lue-paul-george-kawhi-leonard-demarcus-cousins-kentucky-wildcats-basketball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learned to Spencer Davies of BasketballNews.com.</a>
"[We learned] that we've got to be tougher and we've got to accept accountability," Patterson said in the Q&amp;A. "This season, I thought we've been doing a great job of matching teams' toughness, being physical, more often than not, punching the team first and attacking first and striking first rather than countering and trying to battle back.
"Guys accepting that if they're not playing well, if they do something wrong out there on the court, if we go into film, if we're back on the bench and a teammate [is] ripping you and talking to you about it, guys are more accepting and understanding to constructive criticism this year than last, and they're holding themselves accountable," he added. "So I would definitely say accountability [is the] difference from last year to this year. Learning what our mistakes were in the playoffs vs. Denver -- pretty much choking, needless to say -- and taking all that we did last year, bringing that energy, that focus and that hungriness into this season, and just trying to build off of that."
The Clippers enter the 2021 playoffs as the fourth seed with a 47-25 record. They'll face the Dallas Mavericks in a rematch from last year's first round. Patterson expects the same intensity as a year ago.
"Same thing as last year -- physicality, a whole bunch of trash-talking, a whole bunch of complaining to the refs about not getting calls, guys just hungry and aggressive, tough, back-and-forth. You already know Luka is going to be Luka [and] probably try to go out there and carry the team as much as possible, get up 20-plus shots, try to hit some incredible stepback threes and tough floaters and attack the paint to draw and kick to his teammates to his shots as well," he said.
"[Kristaps] Porzingis is healthy. He's looking good. He's still that physical force, a seven-footer who can put it on the floor, space the floor, get your bigs away from the basket, post-up, rebound, dunk -- he does everything. So that team is very solid. [Dwight] Powell is back. I don't think they had him last year, so you know what you're gonna get with him -- someone who's hungry, someone who's attacking the glass, rebounding, speed rolls, alley-oops, just playing tremendously hard every single night. We know Luka's the head of the snake on that team; they go as he goes. He's gonna try his best to win the game for them as much as possible, so we just have to take him out of the equation as best as we can, and offensively, guys [need to] just play the way that they know how to play."
Los Angeles and Dallas square off for Game 1 tomorrow at 4:30 P.M. ET.

The Clippers enter this year's playoffs as the fourth seed in the West.

Patrick Patterson explains what Clippers learned from 'choking' last postseason

Spencer Davies talks with Patrick Patterson about the Clippers' title aspirations, roles throughout his career and his love for Kentucky.

One-on-One: Patrick Patterson opens up as Clippers begin playoff run

A 6-foot-11, athletic and versatile big, Kai Jones of the Texas Longhorns has created quite a buzz and is widely being considered as a probable first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Most people would probably assume that a player rated that high would have been a hot commodity and courted by blue blood schools since he first stepped into high school. However, Jones&rsquo; story is not a typical one.
Let me tell you about what I&rsquo;ve learned about his story.
In 2017, Jones, then standing at 6-foot-9 and only weighing around 170 pounds, walked into Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium in his hometown of Nassau, Bahamas to compete at the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/q-and-a-chris-ebersole-senior-director-international-basketball-operations-basketball-without-borders-nba-draft-killian-hayes-deni-avdija-pascal-siakam">Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp</a>. This was the first time that Jones had played organized basketball, as he had only played pickup at playgrounds up to that point.
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He more than held his own in a field loaded with high major talent. Jones contributed to his Hawks team that won the camp, a squad that featured Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Addison Patterson (Oregon) and Francisco Farabello (TCU). Jones' play earned him a spot in the camp&rsquo;s All-Star game, where he was coached by former NBA players, Sasha Vujacic and Anderson Varejao.
Jones grew up as a track athlete in the Bahamas, where he focused primarily on long jumping. As he constantly grew, his body ultimately made a future in track and field untenable. Subsequently, Jones picked up a basketball for the first time at the age 15 years old.
&ldquo;I was a track athlete. I wanted to be a long jumper, then I had a growth spurt and grew to be about 6-6, then 6-7, then 6-9, 6-10, and now I&rsquo;m 6-11. So that major growth spurt was enough to say that I could do something major with this sport," recalled Jones in <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Kai-Jones-46050847/Videos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an interview with 24/7 Sports</a>. "I always had a passion for it and was a big fan of it and I just started working on my craft every day.&rdquo;
Having played basketball for less than a year -- and in the midst of a three inch growth spurt -- Jones found his calling during that BWB camp. With the advice from fellow Bahamian and No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Deandre Ayton, Jones decided to turn all of his efforts to the hardwood.
He came back to the United States, where he was for a period in his childhood, and settled in Orlando, Fla. to attend Orlando Christian Prep. There, he served in the role as the third man behind 5-star prospects Nassir Little (North Carolina) and C.J. Walker (Oregon/UCF) on the way to an FHSAA Class 3A state title. The following summer, Jones&rsquo; recruitment took off.
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At the 2018 NBA Global Camp in Treviso, Italy, he only averaged a pedestrian 6 points and 3 rebounds per game, but his physical tools and budding skill level was evident. College coaches agreed, as within two weeks of that camp, he received offers from the likes of Arizona, Louisville, Baylor, Oregon, Kansas, FSU -- and most importantly, Texas rolled in.
Jones had now grown to be 6-foot-10 and 185 pounds; he also added seven inches onto his vertical leap. Jones, now reclassified to the class of 2019, spent his post-graduate season in New Hampshire at Brewster Academy, playing alongside Terrence Clarke (Kentucky) and Jamal Mashburn Jr. (Minnesota). His recruitment wrapped up early into the season spanning only a month.
Jones took official visits to Florida State, Syracuse, Texas, and Baylor, eventually narrowing it down to FSU and the pair of Big 12 schools. Kai Jones committed to the Longhorns in October and subsequently signed in November.
The rest, is history.

Grant Aqui dives into the unique rise of Texas big man Kai Jones, a prospect ascending the 2021 NBA Draft board.

The unique rise of Kai Jones

&ldquo;The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.&rdquo;
- Mark Twain (<a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/562400/reports-mark-twains-quote-about-mark-twains-death-are-greatly-exaggerated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but not really</a>)
- Kim Jong Un
- The Toronto Raptors
Fresh off their first NBA title in franchise history, the Raptors lost their best player, Kawhi Leonard, to the Los Angeles Clippers. The natural thought was that the Raptors would fall off a bit; the more extreme conclusion was that -- with no clear path to contention and a roster headlined by a great-but-aging Kyle Lowry -- Masai Ujiri would sell veterans and opt for a soft reset.
So of course, the Raptors ran it back sans Kawhi and posted the second-best record in the NBA.&nbsp;
Lowry put together an All-NBA caliber season; Pascal Siakam fared well in his first year as No. 1 option, making his first All-Star and All-NBA team. Key role players like OG Anunoby and Norman Powell were given more responsibility and thrived. The Raptors&rsquo; lack of an elite half-court creator eventually bit them in the postseason, but not before a yearlong we-ain&rsquo;t-dead-yet campaign shut up some of their loudest critics.
Now, the fun part begins.
The Raptors are entering the offseason with three of their core pieces hitting the market. There&rsquo;s no real avenue to cap space regardless of what they decide in terms of renouncements; it also wouldn&rsquo;t make sense to go that route anyway. The Raptors will operate as an over-the-cap team and have a non-taxpayer mid-level exception (worth over $9 million) at their disposal. They&rsquo;ll obviously look to improve, but will walk the tightrope between adding talent and keeping cap space open for the offseason of 2021 in their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The always-informative Keith Smith has a more thorough breakdown of their cap situation, which you can find <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/nba/toronto-raptors-salary-cap-space-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s take a look at some guys they&rsquo;ll look to bring back as well as some targets that could help them come back stronger than ever.
Key In-House Decisions
Fred VanVleet: Bring Him Back
This will probably be the most interesting negotiation of the offseason. In a vacuum, bringing back VanVleet is a no brainer. He&rsquo;s already one of the better point guards in the NBA, an elite defender, good shooter and a fearless enough attacker to make hay as a secondary creator. That, combined with his age, makes him a prime candidate to get the bag. The issue is that there will be plenty of suitors willing to drive up the price, and that could conflict with the Raptors&rsquo; chase for Giannis next year. Still, VanVleet is good enough to where you do what you can to keep him, and make moves next offseason to clear space if it comes down to it.
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Serge Ibaka: Bring Him Back
Ibaka is quietly coming off of, at least statistically, his best season as a Raptor. He&rsquo;s settled in as a reliable pick-and-pop threat out to three-point range; he knocked down 38.5 percent of his triples this season, which isn&rsquo;t too far off from his career high (39.1 in 2016-17). The block numbers are down, but he remains a legitimate rim deterrent. A one-year balloon deal should be in order to keep this partnership going.
Marc Gasol*: Bring Him Back&nbsp;
Injuries and aging made Gasol look like a shell of himself last year. He really struggles to move laterally at this stage of his career, especially tough considering mobility has never been a strong suit of his. It could be annoying (putting it kindly) to watch Gasol pass up open shots, partly contributing to the Raptors&rsquo; half-court struggles.
Even with those limitations, Gasol is staunch around the rim. Despite passing up shots, he still drilled over 38 percent of his threes on nearly 3.5 attempts. His high-post passing helps open things up in the half-court. There&rsquo;s still utility for Gasol, even if his role should be a bit limited moving forward.
Of course, none of this matters if Gasol decides to head home to Barcelona to cap off his basketball career, which has been reported, though disputed at this point. If Gasol is game to stay in the NBA, the Raptors should bring him back at a reasonable number.
Free Agent Guards 
Mid-Tier Options: Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson is coming off of, by far, the most efficient season of his career. He gave the Jazz a much-needed scoring punch once he arrived, averaging 15.6 points with a 56.9 True Shooting percentage during the regular season. Both of those marks increased (16.7, 57.7) during Utah&rsquo;s first-round showdown with the Denver Nuggets.&nbsp;
Him trading out some of his frustrating long-twos for threes made him a more efficient option. He&rsquo;s an underwhelming defender to be kind about it, but the Raptors have the personnel to mask some of his limitations. This would mostly serve as the &ldquo;VanVleet got the bag elsewhere&rdquo; option, but there&rsquo;s a case to be made for bringing him in anyway to further strengthen the bench.
Bargains: D.J. Augustin
Augustin can fill the table-setter role while occasionally showcasing some underrated pick-and-roll craft. There&rsquo;s also a natural fit with him alongside the north-south dynamism of Powell; Augustin is a career 37.9 percent three-point shooter.
Free Agent Wings 
Mid-Tier Options: Justin Holiday
Holiday is more 3-and-Decent than 3-and-D, but he&rsquo;s coming off of the best shooting season of his career (40.5 percent from three-point range on 4.5 attempts) while being a credible option against 2s and 3s. He&rsquo;d be a natural fit for the Raptors&rsquo; transition attack. His off-ball randomness -- his ability to relocate around the perimeter or catch ball-watching defenders off guard with hard cuts -- also fits well within the motion ethos Toronto has in the half-court.
Bargains: Kent Bazemore
The idea of Bazemore -- an athletic, 3-and-D wing that can defend 1-through-3 -- is probably a little better than the reality. Still, he can knock down open shots, is an active mover off the ball, and competes defensively against both wing positions.&nbsp;
Free Agent Forwards 
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_14764151-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Mid-Tier Options: Danilo Gallinari&nbsp;
If Gallinari is serious about going the &ldquo;winning &gt; pay day&rdquo; route, the Raptors would be a pretty fun landing spot for him. He would immediately boost their shooting and half-court shot creation. He can get to the rack -- and the free-throw line -- on his own, but be able to play off of the dribble penetration of Lowry, Siakam and others would make life a lot easier for him. He&rsquo;s a fine defender, though there&rsquo;s enough excellence around him to cover for the limitations he does have.
Bargains: Patrick Patterson, Bruno Caboclo, Lance Thomas
LOL, just kidding on that first one. 
Caboclo is toolsy, has flashed a jumper and has some ball skills that make him a potential weapon against sloppy close-outs. The Raptors are obviously familiar with his upside since they were the ones that drafted him. His 2018-19 stint in Memphis (8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks in 23 minutes) should be enough evidence to take a flier at the vet minimum; heck, him not being Stanley Johnson should be enough of an argument, honestly.
Thomas has flown under the radar for years as a sneaky-solid forward defender that can knock down open threes. He&rsquo;s converted 38.5 percent of his triples over the past five seasons, though that comes on limited volume. He&rsquo;d be a solid get as a ninth man to get you through the regular season.
Free Agent Bigs
Mid-Tier Options: Aron Baynes
Factoring in money, it&rsquo;s hard to argue against Baynes being one of the most valuable centers in basketball last season. He did the usual grunt work: setting bone-crushing screens as a roller or handoff partner, protected the rim with superb positioning and boxed out well enough to help end possessions or grab the board himself. The new, somewhat surprising twist is that he became a legitimate three-point option (35.1 percent on 4.0 attempts per game).&nbsp;
Baynes doesn&rsquo;t bring the passing or the defensive know-how that Gasol does, but he&rsquo;d be a seamless fit as a big that could spring Lowry (or VanVleet) open with spine-busting picks. He was a more willing shooter than Gasol last year, and he has the brawn to approximate most of the value Gasol brings as a low-post defender.&nbsp;
Bargains: Harry Giles
Giles has a bit of an injury history, dating back to his high-school days. Multiple lower-body injuries have sapped some of his athleticism, and he&rsquo;s still a fluid, jumpy big who can feast in transition. The intrigue lies in his on-ball skill; he&rsquo;s quietly one of the better passing big men in the league already. There&rsquo;s some serious &ldquo;throw-it-to-him-in-the-high-post-and-let-him-do-stuff&rdquo; potential waiting to be untapped. This kind of bet is right in the Raptors&rsquo; wheelhouse.&nbsp;

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Raptors' own free-agent decisions and suggests some players that Toronto should target at each position.

2020 Free Agency Preview: Toronto Raptors

Entering this season, the Los Angeles Clippers were considered the favorites to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. They were deemed the winners of the offseason after signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George, while bringing back many of their key contributors from the year before. Then, they continued to improve with midseason acquisitions like Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson.
However, being stacked on paper didn&rsquo;t translate to postseason success for the Clippers, who were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. The Clippers were up 3-1 over the Nuggets and seemed poised to make the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history, but they ultimately lost Game 7, 104-89.
There were <a href="https://theathletic.com/1557316/2020/01/23/chemistry-setting-behind-the-scenes-of-kawhi-leonard-and-the-clippers-merging-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> throughout the season that the Clippers were struggling to develop chemistry and having some issues behind the scenes. While the players and coaches <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2872930-patrick-beverley-calls-rumors-of-clippers-chemistry-issues-fake-fake-fake-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot</a> <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-lou-williams-laughs-off-rumored-chemistry-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">down</a> those reports during the year, they seemed to confirm them after the Game 7 loss.
"We came up short. We did have championship expectations," Lou Williams said. "We had the talent to do it. We didn't have the chemistry to do it and it showed."
"Internally, we've always felt this isn't a championship-or-bust year for us," Paul George <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2909353-excuses-abound-after-clippers-historic-playoff-collapse-vs-nuggets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "We didn't have enough time together&hellip; Year one together, [our] first run together, of course we wanted to win this. But we&rsquo;ve been very optimistic about us being together and building something going down the road.&rdquo;
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers believes that the Nuggets&rsquo; continuity and chemistry gave them an advantage and helped them pull off this upset.
&ldquo;Honestly, you could just see the difference in the two teams. That team&rsquo;s been together. We haven&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Rivers <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2909353-excuses-abound-after-clippers-historic-playoff-collapse-vs-nuggets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;And you could see it as the games went on.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t even say we want to change our roster; we like what we got,&rdquo; George <a href="https://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/lou-williams-paul-george-point-to-clippers-chemistry-as-problem/563686" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been saying it all year - just chemistry, being together... The more we&rsquo;re together, the better we will be. It&rsquo;s year one. Year one. We&rsquo;ve got a lot to reflect on.&rdquo;
Where do the Clippers go from here?&nbsp;
While it&rsquo;s possible that Los Angeles just needs more time together, it remains to be seen what this team will look like next season. The Clippers currently have $109,039,053 in guaranteed salaries on their books for next year, and that number could be $116,737,394 (if JaMychal Green opts in and Joakim Noah&rsquo;s $2,692,991 salary for 2020-21 becomes guaranteed).
L.A. has several players hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason including Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris, Reggie Jackson and Patrick Patterson. Green&rsquo;s player option is worth $5,005,350 and he could also become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out.&nbsp;
Harrell won the NBA&rsquo;s Sixth Man of the Year award and he's helped his stock tremendously with his play over the last two years. After averaging 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 58 percent from the field, he's expected to generate a lot of interest from teams. In a free-agent class that&rsquo;s widely regarded as mediocre, the 26-year-old will be one of the top players available (especially <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-top-10-nba-free-agent-centers-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at his position</a>).
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/Harrell_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Morris should also be highly coveted. He started this season with the New York Knicks and played some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 threes (on 43.9 percent shooting). When the Knicks shopped him prior to the trade deadline, multiple contenders reportedly pursued him (including the Los Angeles Lakers) before he joined the Clippers. While his numbers came back down to Earth in L.A. (particularly his three-point shooting), he can help most teams with his toughness and two-way production.
The Clippers are <a href="https://theathletic.com/1636284/2020/02/26/analyzing-the-questions-the-clippers-will-face-in-the-2020-offseason/?source=shared-article">reportedly</a> interested in re-signing Harrell and Morris, but the team is over the cap even before agreeing to deals with either player. The NBA salary cap for the 2019-20 season was set at $109.1 million. Given how the pandemic has impacted the NBA&rsquo;s revenue (plus the early-season controversy with China), it&rsquo;s unclear how the NBA will adjust the 2020-21 salary cap. It could remain at $109.1 million next season, or it could even decrease a bit.
Steve Ballmer has been very aggressive since purchasing the franchise, so paying the luxury tax shouldn&rsquo;t be a concern. Still, keeping this team together won&rsquo;t be cheap. As HoopsHype <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2020/03/16/los-angeles-clippers-their-salary-cap-situation-right-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently noted</a>, if the Clippers decide to re-sign Harrell and Morris, their combined payroll and luxury-tax payment could be close to $200 million.&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s the problem for the Clippers: If they don&rsquo;t re-sign Harrell or Morris, it will be very difficult to find a replacement given their cap situation. If Harrell signs elsewhere, it&rsquo;s not like they can just go sign another free agent for the same amount they offered him. They have Harrell&rsquo;s Bird rights, so they&rsquo;re able to go over the cap to re-sign him. And they have Morris' non-Bird rights, meaning they can pay him 120 percent of his previous salary (so they can offer $18,000,000 annually). For any other free agents, the most that the Clippers have to offer is the mid-level exception since they are over the cap.
The Clippers will either have the standard MLE (which is worth approximately $9,755,000) or the taxpayer MLE (which is worth approximately $6,025,000), depending on what happens with Harrell and Morris. The players who would be available to the Clippers for either MLE likely wouldn&rsquo;t replicate Harrell or Morris&rsquo; production. L.A. would be searching for bargains and hoping that veteran would be willing to take a discount in order to compete for a championship and play in Los Angeles, but there would be a clear drop-off in talent from Harrell or Morris.
This is the same situation that the Cleveland Cavaliers <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/tristan-thompson-contract-82-million-cavaliers-cleveland/1f21eaapw3eho14uycqtctp96f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found themselves in</a> back in 2015 when they had championship expectations but very little cap flexibility. They had no cap space, so they focused on re-signing Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert among others because replacing those players through free agency was impossible. Basically, their options were to re-sign their own players using their Bird rights or let those key contributors walk and try to replace them with veteran-minimum players. Because they were trying to build a championship contender around LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, they re-signed their role players (even though it was very expensive) and the team ultimately hoisted the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy in 2016.
In addition to the Clippers&rsquo; cap restrictions, they have limited draft capital as well (which could make it tough for them to improve their roster through trades too). L.A. doesn&rsquo;t have a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft because they traded it to the Knicks for Morris. They have a 2021 first-rounder, but they can't trade it due to the Stepien Rule (which blocks teams from trading their first-round pick in consecutive years). In order to acquire George, the Clippers dealt five first-round picks (MIA's 2021 unprotected first, LAC's 2022 unprotected first, MIA's 2023 lottery-protected first, LAC's 2024 unprotected first and LAC's 2026 unprotected first) as well as the right for the Oklahoma City Thunder to swap first-round picks with them in 2023 and 2025.
When the Clippers decided to add George and Leonard, they went all-in on this current group of players. They sacrificed their future and long-term flexibility to build a star-studded team that could potentially win them their first championship in franchise history. They knew that this experiment would be expensive and restrict them going forward, but they decided to swing for the fences anyway. If the Clippers win their first-ever title, this will all be worth it.&nbsp;
But if the team continues to struggle and fails to live up to expectations, it could be very hard for the Clippers to dig their way out of this hole. What makes this even scarier for the Clippers is that Leonard and George only have one more guaranteed year on their contracts (and then they have player options for 2021-22).&nbsp;
Given the Clippers&rsquo; financial situation and draft capital, their best option is likely to re-sign their own free agents, run it back and hope that this current group does just need more time together to develop chemistry and realize its full potential.

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