Valiants

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
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Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ryukyu Golden Kings 96, Macau Black Bears 93
The Ryukyu Golden Kings extended their undefeated run in Group B of the East Asia Super League (EASL) with a thrilling 96-93 victory over the Macau Black Bears. Ryukyu showcased their resilience and ability to perform under pressure, surviving a late-game push from the Black Bears to secure the win.
Keve Aluma made a significant impact in his season debut, scoring 29 points and providing a crucial spark in the fourth quarter. Jack Cooley also played a pivotal role, contributing 24 points and grabbing 19 rebounds, demonstrating his dominance on both ends of the floor.
Macau fought valiantly, led by Damian Chong Qui, who scored 24 points, and William Artino, who secured 20 rebounds. Despite their efforts, they fell short as Ryukyu&rsquo;s defense held strong in the closing moments.
The game&rsquo;s turning point came when Ryukyu launched an 8-2 run late in the fourth quarter, ultimately keeping the Black Bears at bay. This victory keeps the Golden Kings at the top of Group B standings with a 2-0 record​
Hiroshima Dragonflies 88, Hong Kong Eastern 75
In the second matchup of the day, the Hiroshima Dragonflies cruised to a 88-75 victory over Hong Kong Eastern, earning their second consecutive win in the EASL. Hiroshima displayed a balanced offensive attack and tenacious defense, overwhelming Eastern from start to finish.
Kerry Blackshear Jr. led the Dragonflies with a stellar performance, scoring 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, solidifying his position as a standout player in the tournament.&nbsp;
Hiroshima's three-point shooting was particularly impressive, connecting on 9 shots from beyond the arc, while Hong Kong struggled significantly, managing only 4 successful three-pointers throughout the game.
Christopher McLaughlin was the bright spot for Eastern, scoring 24 points, but the team was unable to overcome the Dragonflies&rsquo; defensive pressure, which forced 14 turnovers​.
This commanding win keeps Hiroshima undefeated in the tournament, and they look poised to continue their success as the season progresses.
Both Ryukyu and Hiroshima have established themselves as frontrunners in the EASL, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the season. The Golden Kings will aim to maintain their momentum, while Eastern will seek to regroup and find their footing in the upcoming matches.

Both Ryukyu and Hiroshima have established themselves as frontrunners in the EASL for an exciting continuation of the season.

EASL Game Day #4 recap: Ryukyu Edges Macau; Hiroshima Soars Past Hong Kong

On Wednesday night, Jayson Tatum delivered a signature performance to steer the Boston Celtics past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120, in a titanic clash between the No. 1 seeds in each conference.
Tatum was magnificent, pouring in 12 of the Celtics&rsquo; 16 points in overtime en route to a season-high 45 points. He shot 13-of-26 from the field, 6-of-11 from three and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line as Boston remained unbeaten at home (18-0)
Jaylen Brown added 35 points and 11 rebounds for Boston, who played without starting center Kristaps Porzingis due to a right knee contusion.
This was the second-straight ovetime game between these two teams, following a 114-109 Wolves win in Minnesota on Nov. 6.
Entering this game, the 28-win Celtics were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference while the 26-win Timberwolves were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.&nbsp;
Karl-Anthony Towns had a valiant effort for an undermanned Wolves team that was playing on the second night of a road back-to-back following yesterday&rsquo;s win at the Orlando Magic. They were without Rudy Gobert (left hip soreness) and Mike Conley (rest).
Towns registered 25 points and 13 rebounds as he started at the 5 with Gobert&rsquo;s absence, but star teammate Anthony Edwards committed two crucial turnovers in OT.
Edwards had a decent 29-point game, but this was overshadowed by his two costly mistakes that flipped the momentum to Boston&rsquo;s favor.
Boston is now 29-8, which is the best record in the NBA. Minnesota drops to 26-11, with only a half-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder (25-11) and Denver Nuggets (26-12).&nbsp;

The Boston Celtics defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120, in a titanic clash between the two No. 1 seeds in each conference.

Jayson Tatum shines as Celtics outlast Wolves in clash of No. 1 seeds

SEATTLE (AP) &mdash; Throughout this historic season for Virginia Tech, coach Kenny Brooks has repeated the belief that Elizabeth Kitley is the best player for the Hokies, but Georgia Amoore is the most important.
It was proven again Saturday with Amoore carrying Virginia Tech to a level it&rsquo;s never reached before in program history.
Amoore scored a career-high 29 points and the top-seeded Hokies advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history with a 73-64 win over No. 4 seed Tennessee.
&ldquo;I just want to win. All we have to do is keep winning to get people to talk about us, so we&rsquo;ll keep trying to win,&rdquo; Amoore said.
The Hokies (30-4) won their 14th straight game overall and advanced to a matchup with No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Seattle 3 Regional final on Monday night. Ohio State topped UConn in the first semifinal, ending the Huskies&rsquo; streak of 14 straight Final Four appearances.
Amoore and the Hokies used a dominant stretch spanning the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third that built enough of a cushion to hold off Tennessee&rsquo;s valiant rally over the final 12 minutes.
Amoore attempted 19 3-pointers in the Hokies&rsquo; second-round win, but shot only 14 this time around.
&ldquo;She&rsquo;s only doing now what we see all the time. When the kids have to go out and guard her, they really tighten up their shoestrings because they know that there&rsquo;s something that can happen,&rdquo; Brooks said. &ldquo;But she&rsquo;s phenomenal. She&rsquo;s as good as anybody in the country, in my opinion. She&rsquo;s playing with the utmost confidence and she&rsquo;s been playing like this ever since we really started this stretch.&rdquo;
Kayana Traylor added 14 points and Kitley scored 12 points despite sitting a big chunk of the first half with foul trouble. The ACC Tournament champions had reached the Sweet 16 only once previously in school history and are now one win away from the Final Four.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just so happy that I landed at such an amazing spot where we did exactly what we wanted to,&rdquo; Kitley said. &ldquo;And it hasn&rsquo;t been easy and it&rsquo;s taken coach Brooks a few years, but what he&rsquo;s done with the program and the amount of time is incredible.&rdquo;
Jordan Horston led Tennessee (25-12) with 17 points. Rickea Jackson scored 15 and Jordan Walker added 12.
The Lady Vols reached the regional semifinals for the second straight season, but haven&rsquo;t been to the Elite Eight since 2016. And it was their offense that was so impressive in the first two rounds that disappeared against the Hokies.
&ldquo;I felt like we were locked in and focused before the game. We had good energy in warmup, so nothing with that. But we just were a little stagnant on the offensive end,&rdquo; Walker said.
The Lady Vols scored 95 points in their first-round win over Saint Louis and followed up with 94 in an impressive blowout of Toledo. But Tennessee relied too much on perimeter shots early on, to the point coach Kellie Harper yelled at her team &ldquo;who are we?&rdquo; after attempting their 12th 3-pointer of the first half.
Tennessee made just 3 of 17 attempts from beyond the arc against the Hokies after making 11 of 22 in the win over Toledo.
&ldquo;They did a good job with our first attack and we got really impatient,&rdquo; Harper said. &ldquo;I thought we were really stagnant offensively, and therefore we were settling. We took way too many threes for us in the first half.&rdquo;
The Hokies closed the first half with a flourish, scoring the final eight points to take a 35-22 lead at the break. Amoore started the second half with her fourth 3-pointer of the game and Kitley scored on the interior and quickly a five-point game ballooned to a 40-22 Virginia Tech lead.
Tennessee trimmed the deficit to nine by the end of the third quarter and its surge continued into the fourth quarter. The Lady Vols capped the 19-4 run with Jasmine Powell&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 6:05 left and pulled with 53-52.
But turnovers and fouls started to mount and for the Lady Vols and Virginia Tech pushed its lead back to 11 on Amoore&rsquo;s jumper with 2:10 remaining.
&ldquo;It was a challenge. I&rsquo;m glad we pulled away from it,&rdquo; Amoore said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re going to see with Ohio State with their press. Glad we got a little taste of it today. Now we know.&rdquo;

The Hokies (30-4) won their 14th straight game overall and advanced to a matchup with No. 3 seed Ohio State.

Virginia Tech keeps rolling in March Madness, tops Tennessee

College basketball is full of excitement and drama. While winning a national championship is the ultimate goal for every team, there have been many loaded squads that came up short.&nbsp;
While the teams on this list didn&rsquo;t win a title, they are still often mentioned among the best teams in the history of college basketball. Here are the best college-basketball teams that failed to win it all.&nbsp;
11. 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats
The 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats were coached by Adolph Rupp and their talented roster included future NBA stars Pat Riley and Louie Dampier. The Wildcats finished the season with a record of 27-2 and advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Texas Western Miners. In a game that would later be immortalized in the movie "Glory Road," the Miners upset the Wildcats, 72-65.
10. 2006-07 Ohio State Buckeyes
Led by future No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and longtime NBA point guard Mike Conley, the Buckeyes were hoping to win their second national championship in program history. Ohio State, traditionally a football school, finished the season 35-4 and ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. The Buckeyes advanced to the national championship game, where they faced a loaded Florida Gators squad that was led by future NBA All-Stars Joakim Noah and Al Horford.&nbsp;
In the national championship game, Oden avoided the foul trouble that had plagued him earlier in the tournament and put up a dominant 25 points and 12 rebounds. However, it wasn&rsquo;t enough, as the Gators defeated the Buckeyes 84-75 behind Horford's 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Four players from the Buckeyes' roster would go on to play in the NBA: Conley, Oden, Daequan Cook and Othello Hunter.
9. 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini
The 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini were a dominant force in college basketball. Coached by Bruce Weber and led by Dee Brown and Deron Williams, the Illini won their first 29 games of the season and finished with a 37-2 record.&nbsp;
Illinois advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the North Carolina Tar Heels (who were led by Raymond Felton, Sean May, Rashad McCants and Marvin Williams). Despite a valiant effort, the Illini fell just short, losing 75-70. Five of their players would go on to play in the NBA: Williams, Brown, Luther Head, Roger Powell and James Augustine.
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8. 2007-08 Memphis Tigers
Yes, John Calipari has back-to-back teams on this list. Coach Cal&rsquo;s 2007-08 Memphis Tigers were absolutely loaded and they were led by Derrick Rose, who would go on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey and Antonio Anderson were also key contributors who eventually had stints in the NBA.
The Tigers finished the season with a record of 38-2 and they advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Kansas Jayhawks. Despite a strong effort, the Tigers were unable to overcome the Jayhawks. Memphis missed a number of late free throws, which opened the door for Mario Chalmers to hit <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/march-madness-ranking-the-top11-ncaa-tournament-buzzerbeaters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in modern NCAA Tournament history</a> and force overtime. Kansas would go on to win, 75-68.
7. 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers
Led by head coach Bob Knight, the 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers finished the season with a record of 31-1 and advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the Kentucky Wildcats. Despite a strong effort, the Hoosiers were upset by the Wildcats, 92-90.&nbsp;
The Hoosiers would have eight players who would go on to play in the NBA: Scott May, Steve Green, Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner, John Laskowski, Bob Wilkerson, Tom Abernethy and Wayne Radford.
6. 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks
The 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks featured a pair of future NBA stars (Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz) and one of the best coaches in college-basketball history (Roy Williams). The Jayhawks finished the season with a record of 34-2 and advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the&nbsp; Arizona Wildcats.&nbsp;
Pierce put together a monster performance &mdash; 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 threes, 2 blocks and 2 steals on 69.2/60/100 shooting splits &mdash; but it wasn't enough to defeat Mike Bibby&rsquo;s Wildcats. The Jayhawks lost 85-82 in overtime. In addition to Pierce and LaFrentz, Kansas had four other players go on to the NBA: Scot Pollard, Billy Thomas, Jacque Vaughn and Ryan Robertson.
5. 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats
The 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats, coached by John Calipari, featured quite the collection of young, high-upside talent. Led by future NBA superstars Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker, the Wildcats finished the season with a perfect record of 38-0.
Kentucky advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the Wisconsin Badgers and were ultimately upset 71-64. In total, a whopping nine Wildcats would go on to play in the NBA: Towns, Booker, Trey Lyles, Willie Cauley-Stein, Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Tyler Ulis, Dakari Johnson and Alex Poythress.
4. 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas
The 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas, coached by John Thompson, were a powerhouse team that featured future NBA star Patrick Ewing. The Hoyas finished the season with a record of 35-3 and advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Villanova Wildcats.&nbsp;
In one of the biggest upsets in college-basketball history, the Wildcats defeated the Hoyas 66-64. In addition to Ewing, Georgetown had four other players who went on to play in the NBA: Reggie Williams, Bill Martin, David Wingate and Michael Jackson.
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3. 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines
The prior season, the Fab Five took college basketball by storm, with bald heads and baggy shorts. They started five true freshmen and had a great season, making it all the way to the national championship game, where they were handled by a veteran Duke squad that was led by Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, losing 71-51.
In the 1992-93 season, the Wolverines were widely regarded as the most talented team in the country and they were the favorites to win it all. Unfortunately, they fell short to North Carolina in the national championship game in one of the most memorable endings in sports history. Future No. 1 pick Chris Webber called a timeout that Michigan didn&rsquo;t have, as they lost 77-71. Michigan had five players who would later play in the NBA: Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Eric Riley (plus Rob Pelinka would go on to run the Los Angeles Lakers' front office).
2. 1982-83 Houston Cougars
Led by future Hall-of-Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, the 1982-83 Houston Cougars were known as "Phi Slama Jama" for their high-flying style of play. The Cougars were a dominant force on both ends of the court. They advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the N.C. State Wolfpack. Despite a 20-point lead in the second half, the Cougars were upset by the Wolfpack, 54-52. In addition to the superstar pairing of Olajuwon and Drexler, Houston also had two other players who would go on to play in the NBA: Michael Young and Larry Micheaux.
1. 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
The 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels are one of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time, despite not winning the national championship. Coached by Jerry Tarkanian, the Rebels had an incredible season, finishing with a record of 34-1.&nbsp;
Led by Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, the Rebels played an up-tempo style of basketball that was both thrilling and effective. In the Final Four, they lost a close game to the Duke Blue Devils, who would go on to win the national championship. Johnson, Augmon and Anthony would go on to thrive in the NBA, and two other Rebels would also make it to the league (Elmore Spencer and Eyric Gray).
Would you rank these teams differently? Who is missing from this list? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts now</a>!

Jamal Shakespeare looks back on 11 all-time great college basketball teams that failed to win a championship.

Revisiting 11 loaded NCAA-basketball teams that failed to win it all

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has been an eyewitness to the unique, confusing development of Aleksej Pokusevski. On Monday night against the Boston Celtics, Daigneault reveled in the symbolism of a breakthrough performance:
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Mark Daigneault quote of the year: "(Poku) had Horford tonight, which, it's a great contrast. We obviously had Horford when Poku was a rookie. If you told me that two years later Poku would be playing 37 minutes and guarding Horford ... I would've checked to do a sobriety test."
&mdash; Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) <a href="https://twitter.com/joe_mussatto/status/1592357433833553920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
Pokusevski, still just 20 years old, has entered his third NBA season with an increasing chorus of impatient critics clamoring for consistent outings. He's long been viewed as the wacky-gadget prospect on a Thunder team nowhere near contention &mdash; the ultimate wild card on a roster that might as well throw wild cards out on the floor while it loses.&nbsp;
Something feels different this year. Pokusevski has started 8 of his 12 contests (he started 12 of 61 last season) and OKC is a respectable 6-8 with additional valiant losses to the Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. He's averaging career highs in points (9.9), rebounds (5.9) and blocks per game (1.7). After ranking as arguably the league's most inefficient offensive player over the last two years, Pokusevski's 54.2% True Shooting clip is pretty solid &mdash; and a massive career-best.
It isn't just about the exciting new numbers. Pokusevski has been a notoriously rough, early-season player as he adjusted to a steep learning curve. This year, he's overextending himself less and playing with more confidence and more comfort. That showed up in Monday's 126-122 loss to Boston, where Pokusevski accumulated 16 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.
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The swats stand out as significant developments. Pokusevski's current 3.4% block rate is double his career-high and in the 87th percentile among bigs, per Cleaning the Glass (and he's barely even a big!). That second rejection on Jayson Tatum is an improbable one coming at the last possible moment before moving into goaltending territory. Few players in basketball could pull it off.&nbsp;
Oklahoma City has been using Pokusevski frequently as a drop coverage defender. It allows him to be less of a physical chaser and more intimidating with his length in space. Against Boston, he contains Jaylen Brown's drive and blocks his shot, and later shuts down a rolling Al Horford's first attempt. Pokusevski is improved at dealing with contact. I wouldn't call him "good" at it yet, and he needs to be better about some of his second efforts after an initial block &mdash; but he's exhibited demonstrable progress.
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From the Nov. 11 contest against Toronto &mdash; look at some of these rotations and help blocks! Pokusevski can contain Fred VanVleet's drive, then adjust and recover all the way to the three-point line to block a Scottie Barnes three-point attempt. As long as the opponent isn't using a center as an offensive hub, OKC should feel confident that Pokusevski can hold down the fort as a lengthy, mobile nuisance in drop coverage.
Get this: According to PBP Stats, Pokusevski had 17 blocks at the rim in 61 games last season. He has 14 in 12 games so far this year.
On offense, he's starting to manifest some of the fantastical visions of a mobile, 7-foot shooter, and getting more active on the glass. Below are his 7 makes on 12 attempts from Monday:
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The Celtics were content to leave Pokusevski open in actions where he snuck out to the perimeter, and he made them pay twice on four attempts. Poku is up to a solid 37.5% clip on catch-and-shoot treys; he finished at 31.0% last season. He also radiated composed creativity with the ball in his hands on some other makes, and even followed up that missed floater attempt with a sweet putback dunk.&nbsp;
Approximately 40% of Pokusevski's shots are coming at the rim &mdash; again a career-high &mdash; and only 44% of those attempts have been assisted by a teammate. He's working for his own shot while still fitting into OKC's offense. Per PBP Stats, Poku had 48 putback points all last season. He's got 18 now and would surpass 48 less than halfway through this year.&nbsp;
Stability is driving the overall optimism surrounding Pokusevski's start. Yes, his track record of radical peaks and valleys mean we can't say he's arrived after just 12 games. But Pokusevski doesn't look like he's being forced into the Thunder lineup as a play-test. He's legitimately a positive two-way contributor for a pretty solid basketball team.
How many 20-year-olds can say that?

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Pokusevski racked up 16 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks against the Celtics on Monday.

Aleksej Pokusevski is putting the pieces together with the Thunder

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers opened the NBA season Tuesday night with a classic showdown of Eastern Conference strongholds.
Though the Celtics defended home court with a 126-117 win, most of the contest was a back-and-forth chess match led by dynamic duos. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 35 points in the victory, while James Harden also dropped 35 and Joel Embiid finished with 26.&nbsp;
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Opening night always sets a baseline for teams to build from, and yesterday's matchup gave us several answers &mdash; and some more questions &mdash; about these title contenders going forward. Here are five key takeaways from the clash:
1. The Celtics' bench made a statement.
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Tired: Malcolm Brogdon is gonna be nice for the C's this season Wired: Malcolm Brogdon might be sixth man of the year Inspired: Malcolm Brogdon is the greatest two-guard Boston has ever traded for <a href="https://t.co/gBvNRLTB0L">pic.twitter.com/gBvNRLTB0L</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1582788958316285952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Boston's move to get the franchise over the championship hump was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-malcolm-brogdon-qa-fit-boston-celtics-basketball-without-borders-africa-camp-egypt-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-danilo-gallinari-ime-udoka" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trading for dynamic driver Malcolm Brogdon</a>. When <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-offseason-news-boston-celtics-malcolm-brogdon-fit-brad-stevens-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I reacted to the addition this summer</a>, I stressed that an actualized Brogdon can change the topography of this offense from a unit that sometimes trudged upward into a downhill, attacking team.
After one game, Brogdon is achieving that mission. The combo guard was almost a guaranteed paint touch whenever he started with the ball. He finished with 16 points and shot 7-for-11 from the floor. Brogdon had a straight-line drive from the corner that stymied Harden and ended with an easy layup. He blew by De'Anthony Melton for another score, and also dug into his bag a bit against Tyrese Maxey (shown above). Brogdon shined in his role and inspired some tremendous optimism.
He wasn't alone. After not reaching an agreement on a contract extension in the offseason, Grant Williams balled out to the tune of 15 points on 5-for-5 shooting last night. He drilled three triples, including some difficult makes, and <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582755647078412288?s=20&amp;t=lYDew8R1c8uVL2leZPeEfQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues to improve off the bounce</a>.
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Noah Vonleh had six screen assists in just over 20 minutes last night &mdash; one less than Joel Embiid, who played over 37 minutes. 6.0 per game won&rsquo;t last, but for context, that would have ranked 2nd in the NBA last season.
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582808107973214210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Noah Vonleh might have been the biggest eyebrow-raiser for his screening prowess and physicality against Joel Embiid. The Massachusetts native helped free up Boston's playmakers, and on defense, put in an admirable effort against one of the best players in the world. Vonleh outplayed Blake Griffin in the contest, and appears to have locked down the backup center spot behind Al Horford. He wasn't perfect, but he played a valiant game that sets a solid foundation for the second unit.
2. James Harden is still a pick-and-roll maestro.
Amidst the rising crop of young guards and Harden's rocky road over the last two seasons, we (myself included) might have forgotten just how dominant he is as an orchestrator. The 33-year-old was in full control during the first half last night, and even as the game slipped away, he still showed just how hard it is to defend a player with his set of tools.&nbsp;
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This is a miss but here was a big challenge moment for Boston. They're going over on ball screens for Harden and playing the big in drop. But they can't give Harden or Embiid that type of space in front of them, so it takes a third guy (Smart) to help, opening up the weak corner <a href="https://t.co/VNvaV4Qx4d">pic.twitter.com/VNvaV4Qx4d</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582748404899532800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
When Harden used a ball-screen, the Celtics would send their guards over to cover a pull-up jumper and keep their screener defender in drop coverage. The challenge, particularly against Harden and Embiid, is that both of them have the touch to hit mid-range jumpers and floaters. It forces a third defender to "tag" Embiid emphatically so that the defending big man can keep them both in range. But as the above clip shows, that leaves a shooter open &mdash; and the Beard sees all.
Harden had a couple of passes like these that went unrewarded. He also hit Embiid for rolling baskets and knocked down a lefty floater with the space he received. It's still a mind-bending puzzle to solve a Harden pick-and-roll.

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3. Boston has a defensive game plan for Joel Embiid.
It took some work for Embiid to get his 26 points. The all-world center shot 8-for-12 inside the arc, but it was some of the shots he didn't take, plus his six turnovers, that told more of the story.
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Boston sent a double-team at Embiid whenever he was posting up in an empty corner. It began with the opening play (more on that later) but also included more tactical moments. Here, Tatum is the man to come double. Brogdon gets to stay guarding the outlet pass &mdash; an easy job because Harden barely moves off the ball. Tatum also waits until Embiid turns into a move on the baseline; that makes life easier for Brown and Marcus Smart, because those passes to the weak side become incredibly difficult.
Vonleh wears the first bump from Embiid and he has nowhere to go, leading to a turnover. The Celtics definitely built their game plan around Embiid's isolations, but they didn't let him frazzle their own spacing. That discipline over a full game is something interim head coach Joe Mazzulla can hang his hat on.
4. Philadelphia has to fix its offensive flow &mdash; and its transition defense.
However, these plays weren't just about Boston's defense. The Sixers had several seriously concerning moments with their offensive tempo. I'll defer to Nekias Duncan, who dissected two plays in detail that summed up the frustrations:
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🚨OPENING NIGHT 4x4🚨 We&rsquo;re digging into Sixers-Celtics, folks. -Philly&rsquo;s process -I don&rsquo;t &ldquo;Get&rdquo; it -A fun Boston progression -Noah Vonleh: Super Screener 🗣️SOUND ON <a href="https://t.co/ScBChP0eQP">pic.twitter.com/ScBChP0eQP</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1582767859444613120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Meanwhile, the most cringeworthy team stat for Philly was their 24-2 deficit on fast break points. I mean, they hemorrhaged transition buckets. Boston averaged 169.2 points per 100 transition plays; per Cleaning the Glass, that would have&nbsp;led the NBA by 35 points&nbsp;last season.
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Here are three Tatum transition scores that were a product of low effort from Harden specifically. I understand that transition play is naturally tilted toward offenses, and that the take foul is gone from the NBA. Still, there has to be a better fight in some of these instances.
5. Jayson Tatum may have fully arrived.
Speaking of Tatum, we have to highlight the best performance of the night. The 24-year-old superstar was a monster last night on both sides of the floor. He made 13 of 20 field goals, ranging from pushing the pace in transition to some unreal, contested makes &mdash; all while seeming perfectly in control. He was one of the most successful individual defenders against Harden and also made timely off-ball adjustments within Boston's scheme.&nbsp;
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So the game starts to turn here. Jayson Tatum recognizes that Tucker wants to stay with him and Embiid is playing super conservative, so he screens both. That effectively makes this a PnR with no Philly big defender. Harden helps off the strong side and Horford makes the 3 <a href="https://t.co/hZIirZNak0">pic.twitter.com/hZIirZNak0</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582771740413161473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Even plays like this that won't show up on the box score were driven by Tatum. He showed such a full command of the offense, yet this didn't feel like a game where he was overly ball-dominant. Tatum has typically started seasons slowly, so this type of first-game outburst already has Celtics fans elated.

The Celtics were clicking on both sides of the basketball in their 126-117 win against the 76ers on opening night.

5 things we learned from Celtics vs. 76ers on NBA opening night

The Boston Celtics entered the 2022 NBA Finals with zero games of championship-stage experience on their active roster. Between Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Kevon Looney, the Golden State Warriors had made 123 game appearances combined.
First-year head coach Ime Udoka never appeared in the NBA Finals as a player, and made it there for 12 games as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. Steve Kerr had already spearheaded 21 Finals games and three titles as Golden State's head coach, in addition to his 27 games as a player.
Boston looked like a deer in the headlights during its three consecutive losses in part because it had never been here before. Pushing one of the great dynasties in basketball history to six games may not have been the desired achievement, but it's still a notable one. And getting to Game 6 of the NBA Finals after sitting 11th in the East standings as late as January? Count me as somebody who was a doubter.
More importantly: This playoff run is neon, flashing proof that this Celtics core, headlined by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, is capable of winning a championship. All the chatter about their viability as a duo, Marcus Smart's status as point guard, Udoka's capability as a coach and so on, is now unequivocally just chatter.
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Obviously, the franchise shouldn't be satisfied with a loss. Of course it can tweak the roster and players can improve their individual skills. But Boston found an identity in the regular season, tested it against some of the toughest teams in the league and proved it can propel this team to basketball's ultimate stage.
"Nobody even had us being here, let alone in the playoffs,&rdquo; Celtics guard Marcus Smart said postgame following the Finals defeat. &ldquo;It definitely is tough. But it&rsquo;s definitely one of those things we&rsquo;ve been through hell to get here, and you take that. You know what I&rsquo;m saying? We&rsquo;ve got to use that.&rdquo;
Those dejected by the final outcome will point to Tatum's dismal Game 6 performance, in which he scored 13 points, shot 6-for-18 from the floor and coughed up five turnovers. They'll roll out his 100 total giveaways in these playoffs, the most by any player ever in a single postseason run. And they'll be right that his handle and decision-making fell short against one of the league's best defenses.
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Jayson Tatum had 13 assists last night - the most ever in an NBA Finals debut. Here's what stood out to me about them (thread) ⬇️⬇️⬇️ Early on Golden State is really watching driving/rolling lanes. Draymond is sitting on the low block which means Smart can get open. AST 1 <a href="https://t.co/sCSnNwUxuj">pic.twitter.com/sCSnNwUxuj</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1532766760277098500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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What about his 13 assists (the most ever in a Finals debut) against two turnovers in Game 1 though? Or his 6.2 assists per game in the postseason? Tatum had to lead Boston through 24 playoff games, including two seven-game series, to set that undesirable and meaningless total turnover record. He became the first Celtic to crack the All-NBA First Team since Kevin Garnett in 2007-08 and the second to do it since Larry Bird in 1987-88. There's no more debate over Tatum's playmaking ability or his star power.
Brown similarly struggled with turnovers in Games 5 and 6, posting five in each contest with some painful moments late where he simply lost a handle on the ball. But he also did his best to carry the scoring load with 34 points in the last defeat. Brown ended up shooting 51.0% on drives to the basket with an 11.7% assist rate and 7.8% turnover rate in the Finals &mdash; all great clips.&nbsp;
If you're still doubting Brown's ability to improve on the ball, just <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/appreciating-how-far-jaylen-brown-has-come" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read Mark Schindler's retrospective</a> on the star's polish versus his lone college season. Which two-man Celtics pairing had the highest plus-minus per 100 possessions in the regular season? Brown and Tatum, through all the ups and downs, at plus-14.3. They were also third on the team (plus-4.3 per 100 possessions) in the postseason. The discussion over this duo's long-term cohesion is settled by the numbers and by its achievements this season.
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Here's that gorgeous Marcus Smart touch pass in slow motion. The spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination needed to make this pass is ridiculous. What a spectacular player/decision-maker he is. <a href="https://t.co/vVI2HDKHCK">pic.twitter.com/vVI2HDKHCK</a>
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1537820480622714886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Smart set a career-high in assists per game (5.9) for the third consecutive season and maintained that rate throughout the playoffs. In Game 6, while some folks still somehow questioned his merit as a floor general, Smart dished out 9 assists. He actually ranked eighth among all potseason players in passes per game, and while that doesn't shield him or the Celtics from criticism about their offense, he certainly moves the ball.
I have questions about how the Celtics used Smart in the Finals &mdash; why they didn't post him up more often, and why they kept him off the ball when Tatum and Brown were struggling (both of them). But we're well past wondering about Smart's "true point guard" acumen and using him as the go-to piece in trade machines. Smart is a keeper because he's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/marcus-smarts-versatile-playmaking-has-proven-vital-to-the-celtics-offensive-resurgence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a core part of Boston's&nbsp;offense</a>, nevermind also being the first guard in over 25 years to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Then, we get to some pivotal contributions from other players that underscore Brad Stevens' <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brad-stevens-deserves-massive-credit-for-the-celtics-success" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slam dunk of a first year as president of basketball operations</a>. Al Horford obviously headlines the success. I thought he was no longer a starter at the beginning of the season; instead, the longtime, familiar veteran was everything Boston needed in a low-usage big and so much more, and he battled in all 24 playoff games at 36 years old.&nbsp;
Robert Williams III had the healthiest regular season of his career and reinforced his status as one of the most fearsome shot-blockers in basketball. He was visibly struggling with mobility in the Finals, but fighting valiantly, considering he played the series on an injured, swollen knee. Grant Williams didn't impact the Finals in the same way as his regular season, but he was instrumental in series wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. Derrick White fit right in as a defensive cornerstone who gave Stephen Curry &mdash; one of the sport's transcendent offensive weapons &mdash; all he could on screens and on the ball.&nbsp;
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Udoka certainly won't, but he should gloat about this defense. In one year at the helm, he overhauled Boston's entire scheme, made mid-season adjustments, took on new players and molded a unit that ranked first in regular-season Defensive Rating (106.9) and second in the playoffs (107.6). It frequently kept Boston in games and series as the offensive output waxed and waned.&nbsp;
Now, Udoka and Stevens have a full offseason to further their vision after proving it will work in their first year together. They don't have many available pathways to move, though.
The Celtics only have the No. 53 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign players outright. They do, however, have several trade exceptions, headlined by a $17.1 million TPE from dealing Evan Fournier.
The entire main rotation is under contract for next season (Horford's deal is non-guaranteed, but there are already indications <a href="https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/05/al-horford-increases-salary-guarantee-by-5-million-for-next-season-after-celtics-clinch-nba-finals-spot.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston will guarantee it)</a>.&nbsp;Nik Stauskas and Malik Fitts have non-guaranteed contracts. Matt Ryan and Brodric Thomas are restricted free agents, and Boston holds team options on Juwan Morgan and Sam Hauser. They might all be on the outs this summer.
Stevens has room to merely fine-tune the roster ahead of the 2022-23 season. Fortunately, that's all he needs to do.&nbsp;
For several years, Boston wondered if the Celtics would be able to break down the door of the NBA Finals after falling in the conference finals three times in five years. This core proved it can reach the pinnacle without any requisite experience.
So yes, a loss in the Finals always stings. But the way the Celtics arrived there, and even the way they lost, should provide their fan base with hope.
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The Celtics lost in the NBA Finals, but by getting there, they showed they have the core of a title contender.

Celtics' season a successful proof of concept despite NBA Finals loss

As has been the case all season long, the Phoenix Suns added another double-digit victory to their resume by defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 110-99 in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs.
Many moments stood out, as the Valley once was ignited by Suns playoff basketball returning for the second straight postseason.
Devin Booker&rsquo;s early dominance led into Defensive Player of the Year-type moments from Mikal Bridges. Chris Paul later had a virtuoso fourth quarter performance, which included 19 final-period points, to propel Phoenix away from a late Pelicans push.
However, we can't forget about the defensive performance we all witnessed from 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton. Once again, Ayton&rsquo;s play stepped up when the stakes raised. Finishing with 21 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks on 10 of 15 shooting, Ayton's two-way prowess on display was nothing short of fantastic. Sure, Jonas Valanciunas gobbled up an absurd 25 rebounds, but Ayton won the first round of a back-and-forth, big-man battle.
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Ayton looked the part of a monster, literally taking over possessions around the rim with the ferocity that made many fall in love with him during his lone collegiate season at the University of Arizona. The playoff version of Ayton continues to be a resource that pays big-time dividends for the Suns on both ends of the court.
&ldquo;Yeah, it was fun,&rdquo; Ayton said of his defensive performance postgame. &ldquo;Just being that coordinator, telling my guys where the screen is coming from. I like sliding my feet. Just being out there causing havoc, especially in the pick-and-rolls we&rsquo;re in. It was fun, and just protecting the rim as well. Making sure I protect the rim, do my best. Just get back and put a body on Valanciunas.&rdquo;
Ayton&rsquo;s defensive versatility was not only showcased with elite rim-protection ability, but also in being a special athlete to contain guards easily on pick-and-roll opportunities. According to ESPN Stats &amp; Info, the Pelicans shot a paltry 2 of 20 (10%) Ayton was the primary defender. When Ayton has these moments defensively, it&rsquo;s fair to wonder how high his two-way ceiling truly is.
&ldquo;I thought the ability to guard smaller guys and force tough shots, I think there was a couple where he was guarding a smaller guy, and they tried to get to the basket and he sent it out of bounds. That allowed for us to set our defense,&rdquo; Suns head coach Monty Williams said of Ayton after Phoenix&rsquo;s Game 1 victory.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a weapon for us. When you&rsquo;re in a late clock situation, you put a 7-foot athletic guy on the ball and trust him not to foul and force a tough shot, you&rsquo;ll take it every time.&rdquo;
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DA is throwing a Game 1 block party. <a href="https://t.co/g40IEs04sq">pic.twitter.com/g40IEs04sq</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/BALLYSPORTSAZ/status/1515886084697337857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ayton's defensive clinic on Easter Sunday brought back an immediate reminder as to why he&rsquo;s more than deserving of a hefty payday this summer. This version of Ayton changes everything for the Suns&rsquo; long-term window, one where this level of team success can carry for years to come.
Take a gander at how Ayton defended certain Pelicans on Sunday, per <a href="http://stats.nba.com">NBA.com</a>'s matchup data:
<ul>
<li>Jonas Valanciunas: 4 of 14 FGA (28.6%)</li>
<li>CJ McCollum: 0 of 7 FGA (0.0%)</li>
<li>Brandon Ingram: 1 of 6 FGA (16.7%)</li>
</ul>
Effectively taking New Orleans&rsquo; three best players out of rhythm when they were matched up with him, Ayton&rsquo;s locked-in mindset helped ignite an incredible first-half performance on the defensive end, allowing only 34 points by halftime.
&ldquo;It was supposed to be 5 blocks, but he just protected our paint, man. We tell him that every day,&rdquo; Devin Booker said postgame. &ldquo;If somebody gets beat, you rotate. We have to his back when Valanciunas is in offensive-rebounding position and those other guys are crashing. We&rsquo;re telling him sell out and stop the ball.&rdquo;
It was apparent throughout Phoenix&rsquo;s Game 1 win over New Orleans that this will be a very short series. Although the Pelicans are a scrappy, resilient group &mdash; which showed through once more with their valiant third-quarter comeback &mdash; the Suns are simply a few tiers above them.
And when the weapon in Ayton is fully loaded as an All-Defense-level rim-protector, the possibilities are truly endless for how the Suns can pull off victories.
This version of Deandre Ayton is one you don&rsquo;t hesitate paying rookie-scale max-level money to. As he showed during Game 1, &lsquo;Playoff Ayton&rsquo; is a truly different experience.
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Deandre Ayton once again raised his play when the stakes got higher. The Suns have a postseason "weapon" on their hands.

Deandre Ayton's locked-in defense a 'weapon' Suns happily deploy

The second day of the 2022 NCAA tournament featured some slugfests, some blowouts, as well as a First Four team surviving another day. The Round of 32 is now completely locked-in, and we&rsquo;ll also take a peek at the must-watch matchups for Saturday.&nbsp;
UPSET ALERT&nbsp;
West Region: 11-seed Notre Dame defeats 6-seed Alabama 78-64
Alabama in recent seasons has had a strong program, with a number of players in the conversation for the NBA draft. This year the Crimson Tide&rsquo;s season has been a bit of a roller coaster, including a major win over arguably the best team in college basketball, Gonzaga, but also key SEC and non-conference losses that show in their 19-13 record coming into this game. Notre Dame had their fair share of ups and downs as well, but came into this first round matchup with momentum off their First Four double-OT win against Rutgers. The upset potential was apparent, and the Fighting Irish delivered behind a huge game from Cormac Ryan. The junior guard finished with a season-high 29 points, well above his 9.2 PPG average. Ryan has been coming on strong for the Irish with 20 and 16 points in their last two games respectively. Thanks to the efforts of Ryan and impressive freshman wing Blake Wesley &mdash; he scored 18 &mdash; Notre Dame moved on to play third-seeded Texas Tech in the second round.
Midwest Region: 11-seed Iowa State defeats 6-seed LSU 59-54
These were two teams with similar records that had similar patterns to their seasons &mdash; they both started the year with 12 game winning streaks that went through Christmas. However, playing in two of the best conferences in the country in the SEC and Big 12, both teams took their lumps through the remainder of the season. Although Iowa State took an 11-point lead around the 7-minute mark in the second half, LSU made an 11-1 run that brought the game within one point with under two minutes remaining. Iowa State pulled out the low scoring win with Tyrese Hunter being the team's major difference maker, dropping 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc. The freshman guard&rsquo;s clutch shooting clinic included two late threes that helped Iowa State pull away from the Tigers at the end. Hunter&rsquo;s 5 steals also led a stingy Cyclones defense that recorded 15 total. Iowa State&rsquo;s victory means they advance to the second round to take on third-seeded Wisconsin on Sunday.
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BEST GAMES OF THE DAY
Midwest Region
No. 10 seed Miami defeats No. 7 seed USC 68-66
This matchup was tightly contested throughout the first 15 minutes, until Miami began to break the game open and took a 13-point lead with three minutes remaining in the first half. USC&rsquo;s offense grew stagnant, and the Hurricanes took advantage with a 31-20 lead at halftime. However, the Trojans came fighting back to begin the second half with two threes and a fast break layup from Isaiah Mobley (he finished with 11 points) to bring them within one. From this point it was a back and forth battle that favored Miami, yet USC would manage a big basket to keep it close &mdash; USC was down by seven points with 45 seconds left in the game. A Doug Peterson three, a Miami out-of-bounds call, and then another Peterson three brought the Trojans back within one, with 25.3 seconds left in the game.
After free throws from both teams, it was tied at 66 in the final moments. Charlie Moore drove to the lane and attempted a contested layup, which earned him a foul call. Moore stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws to seal the game. A halfcourt heave at the buzzer almost fell for Doug Peterson &mdash; he ended the game with a valiant effort of 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Miami&rsquo;s Isaiah Wong led the Hurricanes with 22 points while dealing with foul trouble and Moore followed with 16 points. Miami will see second-seeded Auburn in the second round.&nbsp;
South Region
No. 4 seed Illinois defeats No. 13 seed Chattanooga 54-53
Illinois only led this game for 25 seconds, but it was the most important time to do so. Chattanooga jumped on Illinois early, with a 14-3 lead in the first five minutes. The Mocs had control over most of the first half, but a Fighting Illini run at the end of period brought the score to 33-29.&nbsp;
The second half started much like the first with Chattanooga playing good basketball and giving themselves an 11-point cushion, but a very resilient Illinois team fought back again and kept the game within one or two possessions over the course of the closing minutes. After some questionable possessions by Chattanooga, Illinois took its first lead of the game on a Kofi Cockburn putback with 47 seconds remaining. The Mocs received a trip to the line on the next possession and two free throws were knocked down by SOCON Player of the Year Malachi Smith (who finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds), which gave his team the lead.
On the following possession Alfonso Plummer was fouled and hit two free throws for the Illini to take the lead back. On the final possession, the Mocs gave the ball to Smith who had two looks to take home the win &mdash; he was blocked on a left hand drive, then shot a last second midrange jumper that went just a tad long. Cockburn finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Plummer provided 15 points of his own. Illinois avoided the upset and will face fifth-seeded Houston on Sunday.
West Region
No. 7 seed MSU defeats No. 10 seed Davidson 74-73
An up-and-down season for Michigan State had some experts predicting Davidson would come away with this game. However, an impressive 27 points on 9-12 from the floor by Joey Hauser was the big difference.
An interesting storyline revolved around Davidson&rsquo;s transfer starting point guard, Foster Loyer &mdash; he's a Michigan native who made the move down to play with the Wildcats after three seasons of limited production for the Spartans. This proved to be a good move for Loyer, as he&rsquo;s been the leading scorer and assist man for Davidson with 16.1 points and 3.3 assists per game this season. The motivation was there for Davidson, and the team played with a confidence that showed each time the team came up with an answer to Michigan State&rsquo;s attempts to pull away.
Davidson took a five-point lead with under seven minutes to go, but with some big buckets by Hauser, heady play by AJ Hoggard (14 points) and a three from Gabe Brown (12 points), the Spartans made a 10-0 run to take a five-point lead of their own with under four minutes left. Michigan State had an eight point lead with one minute remaining, but a late push by the Wildcats with some great clock management, clutch baskets and pressure defense that led to a bad MSU turnover brought the game back in reach. However, in the end, Michigan State was able to close it out with two Tyson Walker free throws. Michigan State will take on second-seeded Duke in the round of 32.
No. 3 seed Wisconsin beats No. 14 seed Colgate 67-60
Colgate is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, and came into this game on a 15-game winning streak. The Patriot League champs made sure Wisconsin knew this one wouldn&rsquo;t be easy. However, this would be the Raiders&rsquo;s biggest test, as the Badgers won the Big Ten regular season championship and have a projected lottery pick in Johnny Davis.
Colgate found success scoring the ball from inside before unleashing their long-range prowess. Senior Nelly Cummings for Colgate finished the game with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists &mdash; he gave the Badgers trouble on all three levels. Cummings even locked the game at 28-all with a baseline reverse layup at the buzzer to go into halftime.
But the stars shine bright on the big stage and, after a slow start, Johnny Davis got going in the second half. Davis finished with 25 points on 8 for 20 shooting from the floor and added 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Tyler Wahl followed Davis with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals of his own. The Raiders played a strong game but wore down as the battle-tested Badgers showed up down the stretch. Wisconsin has a date with 11th-seeded Iowa State in the next round.
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OTHER FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Midwest Region
2-seed Auburn defeats 15-seed Jacksonville State 80-61
East Region
3-seed Purdue defeats 14-seed Yale 78-56
6-seed Texas defeats 11-seed Virginia Tech 81-73
South Region
No. 1 seed Arizona defeats No. 16 seed Wright State 87-70
No. 2 seed Villanova defeats No. 15 seed Delaware 80-60
No. 5 seed Houston defeats No. 12 seed UAB 82-68
No. 7 seed Ohio State defeats No. 10 seed Loyola Chicago 54-41
No. 9 seed TCU defeats No. 8 seed Seton Hall 69-42
West Region
No. 2 seed Duke defeats 15-seed Cal State Fullerton 78-61
No. 3 seed Texas Tech defeats 14-seed Montana State 97-62
MUST-WATCH SECOND-ROUND GAMES ON DAY 3
No. 1 seed Gonzaga vs. No. 9 seed Memphis - 9:40 PM EST
A highly anticipated second round matchup of two potential top-10 picks in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Duren.&nbsp;
No. 1 seed Baylor vs. 8-seed North Carolina - 12:10 PM EST
Baylor is missing two key pieces due to injury, &mdash;LJ Cryer and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua &mdash;&nbsp;while UNC is playing some of its best basketball of the season. Caleb Love is worth keeping an eye on.
No. 4 seed UCLA vs. 5-seed Saint Mary&rsquo;s - 7:10 PM EST
The Bruins are hoping to get back to the Final Four while Saint Mary&rsquo;s wants to prove the WCC isn&rsquo;t just run by Gonzaga. This could be a battle.
No. 7 seed Murray State vs. No. 15 seed Saint Peter&rsquo;s 7:45 PM EST
Does Saint Peter&rsquo;s have more magic for a Sweet 16 birth? Or will Murray State's toughness win out?
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Blake Hairston takes us through the upsets and thrillers of Day 2 of the NCAA DI men's basketball tournament, plus a preview of Day 3.

March Madness: Recapping Day 2 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament

One of the rarest Kobe Bryant cards in existence recently sold for $2 million, setting an all-time record for a Kobe card and placing it among the most-expensive basketball cards of all-time.
The card was a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Emerald Kobe Bryant, and the deal was brokered by PWCC Marketplace. Why did this rare card command a record price?
The Emerald variations of the Precious Metal Gems issue are highly coveted, as there are only 10 of each issue in existence. While the Kobe card is numbered 004-of-100, there are only nine other Emerald versions (as the remaining 90 cards are the Red version and they aren't worth as much).
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/kobe2_lg.png" alt="" width="750" height="589" />
The card also holds historic significance because it changed the way that manufacturers approached &ldquo;insert&rdquo; cards that offer alternatives to the base player cards that are commonly found in packs.
&ldquo;This is arguably Kobe&rsquo;s best card in existence,&rdquo; said Jesse Craig, the Director of Business Development at PWCC. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s more desirable than even a Kobe Bryant rookie card or a Kobe Bryant autograph. The grade on this is also the highest that exists, with only one other BGS 8.5 in the world.
"These Precious Metal Gems variants are arguably the most desired insert card in the entire world. These set the tone for the insert market going forward. It&rsquo;s just incredibly difficult to find them in any condition, and because of their delicate nature, to find one in such good condition is incredibly rare."
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Interestingly, in 2012, a Precious Metal Gems Emerald Kobe that was <a href="https://www.beckett.com/news/rare-kobe-bryant-card-commands-crazy-cash-on-ebay-but-will-it-be-paid-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numbered 008-of-100 sold for $37,665 on eBay</a>. This card likely wasn't graded, but it's crazy to see how much the price has increased over the last decade (especially considering cards where the serial number and jersey number match are typically worth more).&nbsp;
&ldquo;This price is driven both by the quality of card and by the reverence for Kobe Bryant," Craig added. "We&rsquo;re now a few years removed from his tragic passing and people are starting to reflect on what he meant to the game and the culture of the sport.
"Simply put, he&rsquo;s easily in the discussion for one of the greatest players of all-time and has a devoted following across the globe. His assets are likely to continue to see a rise in demand as people continue to seek a way to own a part of history and connect with one of the greatest players we&rsquo;ve ever seen play the game.&rdquo;

One of the rarest Kobe Bryant cards sold for $2 million, setting an all-time record for a Kobe card. Why did it command a record price?

Extremely rare Kobe Bryant card sells for a whopping $2 million

As the league continues to morph into an inferior product of what we saw last month, primarily due to COVID, we can&rsquo;t ignore the impact of injuries as well. Without rehashing that brutally long inactive list, if you&rsquo;ve been paying attention, you just know it&rsquo;s rough out here.&nbsp;
While the Miami Heat, sans Caleb Martin, have luckily evaded COVID thus far (knock on wood, everyone), they&rsquo;ve missed Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro with injuries, often playing without all three of them this month. P.J. Tucker is now out as well, and Markieff Morris still hasn&rsquo;t played since Nikola Jokić tried to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNMh2MRQIs4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marcus Cor Von his ass</a>.
But even before all that, the Heat entered the season with 12 healthy, fully-contracted players. That's excluding their pair of two-way slots, Victor Oladipo, who is recovering from <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31433979/miami-heat-victor-oladipo-season-ending-surgery-right-quadriceps-tendon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quad surgery</a> (again) and the O.G. Udonis Haslem, who obviously won&rsquo;t be playing a ton.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Good news, Miami: Victor Oladipo traveled with the Heat to Cleveland. Here's some footage of some shootaround stuff he did. <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z0cmExXOsd">pic.twitter.com/Z0cmExXOsd</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1470430451982548999?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

The open roster spot? Well, their CEO Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Cruise Line, wants no parts of that luxury tax during this pandemic. Rightfully so, since it isn't exactly cruise season right now.
This is admittedly a long-winded way to get to my point, but it still needed to be laid bare so we can&nbsp; understand and appreciate what the Heat have done this season despite all this wear and tear (which really goes back to the 2019-20 season, that&rsquo;s for another piece). And not only the team, <a href="https://twitter.com/BradyHawk305/status/1473490041603346435">specifically the guy helping pull the strings</a>, a man who is affectionately <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=QB1%20%40MiamiHEAT&amp;src=typed_query">referred to as QB1</a>.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s no need to overcomplicate this any further: Kyle Lowry makes your team better.&nbsp;
Morris hasn&rsquo;t played since Nov. 8; Butler since Nov. 27 (save for a 25-minute cameo on Dec. 6); Adebayo since Nov. 29, and Herro missed three games in mid-December on top of Nov. 27 and 29.&nbsp;
Even with Erik Spoelstra as your conductor, playing musical chairs could feel like trying to beat Allyson Felix in a 100-meter sprint. And the Heat just experienced this last season, which is why they went through that 7-14 start before going 33-18 until the playoffs.&nbsp;
The difference? It starts with Lowry; it has to.&nbsp;
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First of all, producing without much of your playoff rotation is a pain in the ass for anyone.
Secondly, while Lowry&rsquo;s 13.7 points and 8.3 assists &ndash; along with 4.7 rebounds per game &ndash; have come on just 42/33/83 shooting splits, it's upticked to 16.0 points and 9.4 assists on 44/35/78 splits (3.8 free throw attempts per game instead of 1.9 previously) since Nov. 27, a 13-game stretch.&nbsp;
As much as some people would like more 20-point games out of him, that&rsquo;s not where Lowry needs to be at his best. The definition of point guard is convoluted in the modern-day, but old-school floor generals were taught to make their teammates better, first and foremost. As the game has grown more perimeter-centric and positionless, and with smaller guards being more ball-dominant, it&rsquo;s more common to see guys accumulating 22 points and 5 assists at the position instead of what Lowry&rsquo;s box scores look like.&nbsp;
Go look at the <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_per_game.html#per_game_stats::pts_per_g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-25 NBA scorers from this season</a> &mdash; more than half of them are guards, and almost 10 of them play point guard. <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2012_per_game.html#per_game_stats::pts_per_g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ten years ago</a> was much more forward-heavy, and only five of the top-25 (top-30, actually) ran the point. <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2002_per_game.html#per_game_stats::pts_per_g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twenty years ago</a>? Just three point guards were in the top-25 in scoring, and two of them averaged at least 8 assists per game. This isn&rsquo;t to say this is good or bad for the position, but it&rsquo;s changed, and it&rsquo;s probably why Lowry&rsquo;s contributions have been underappreciated.&nbsp;
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Now, that whole thing about making your teammates better...
Firstly, Lowry&rsquo;s had 10 or more assists 10 times just this season, a feat previous Heat starter Goran Dragić didn&rsquo;t achieve with the Heat until Jan. 27, 2017, nearly two years after being traded there. Dragić more closely resembles what we refer to as the modern-day point guard by comparison. But the need for a Lowry-type in the starting lineup for Miami's roster construction is probably why Dragić came off the bench in his last two years; Butler was the de facto floor general next to Adebayo, one of the best passing bigs in the league.&nbsp;
Secondly, and more importantly, the role players people were scared about suddenly look like competent guys who Spo might occasionally plug in to distort a specific foe or playoff series.
<ul>
<li>Max Strus, who our Spencer Davies <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-max-strus-on-heats-nextman-up-mentality-building-confidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke with last week</a>, is up to 10.3 points per game on 46/40/73 shooting this season, and 13.8 points on 48/41/83 shooting since Nov. 27.</li>
<li>Gabe Vincent a.k.a. Fred VanVleet Lite (mad lite, though) &mdash; he&rsquo;s at 12.8 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 46/40/74 since Nov. 27.</li>
<li>Before COVID sidelined him after a Dec. 8 breakout game, Caleb Martin was in a six-game stretch averaging 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 57/52/71.</li>
<li>Veteran big man Dewayne Dedmon&rsquo;s up to 11.5 points and 8.3 rebounds over his last six while going 65% from the field and 5 of 8 from three.</li>
</ul>
And even the mainstays like Adebayo, Butle and Tucker &ndash; and Herro, in particular &ndash; have seen offensive advancements with Lowry on the floor. With Butler and Adebayo missing games, Herro has an outside shot at All-Star Weekend if he remains around 20.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 44/39/86 shooting. (The backcourt will be tough to crack in the Eastern Conference, but with all these variants and variables, who knows?)
Heading into Thursday night, Lowry is behind Butler and tied with Tucker for second in team VORP (0.7), second in Win Shares at 2.6, first in Defensive Win Shares at 1.2 and is just sixth in usage rating at 19.9%.&nbsp;
But forget that. Just watch, and you&rsquo;ll know. This isn&rsquo;t to say Lowry&rsquo;s an All-Star, that he&rsquo;s "Chris Paul whatever.0," or that he&rsquo;s Steve Nash reincarnated or Rod Strickland's illegitimate son.
Just watch the games. He&rsquo;s been an impactful floor general so far, and he hasn&rsquo;t even hit that many of his shots yet. They&rsquo;re starting to fall now, and presumably, it'll get easier when reinforcements arrive.
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Bryan Fonseca writes on how Kyle Lowry has been the Heat's floor general since major injuries hit the team.

Kyle Lowry's overlooked, old-school ways leading undermanned Heat

The NBA has already experienced the serious impacts of COVID-19. After a three-month stoppage during the 2019-20 season, the NBA had to finish the playoffs in a bubble environment in Orlando. Throughout the 2020-21 regular season, games were held with limited or no fans in attendance. Now, it seems that the NBA has run into a COVID-related obstacle once again.
A new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, is beginning to spread just in time for the holidays. With daily testing in the sports world, most notably the NFL and NBA, we are seeing the number of cases rise and it feels like a new player is ruled out every hour. Some teams (such as the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers) have had their roster decimated recently. More than 95% of NBA players are reportedly fully vaccinated and some have also received the booster shot, but the breakthrough cases are adding up.
Around the NBA, rotations have been ravaged. Stars are on the sidelines. In some cases, coaches are unable to lead their team. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. The number of cases is rising daily &mdash; in the NBA and NFL &mdash; and now there is a serious discussion to be had on what to do next.
Will games continue to go on as usual or is it time to temporarily pull the plug on the regular-season schedule? With Christmas next week and players about to be around their families, breakthrough cases will likely spike to even higher levels than what we&rsquo;re seeing now.
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It&rsquo;s entirely possible NBA commissioner Adam Silver will decide to let teams fight through the next week-plus, allowing big-rating games on Christmas Day and New Year's Day to go on as scheduled. However, at that point, it could be time to take a mini break and reset the schedule to prevent any further on-court damage. Many recognizable players are on the sidelines, which hurts the product anyway. This week alone, the following stars are unable to play basketball because they entered the health-and-safety protocols: Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, LaMelo Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook.
The Sacramento Kings are worried about a roster-wide outbreak and they're fearing that their upcoming games will have to be postponed. Multiple players on the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls are sidelined as well.
Teams are being forced to play with only eight available players, which is the minimum allowed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We just saw Kevin Durant have to play almost the entire game (including overtime) in a win against the Toronto Raptors because much of their team was sidelined due to the health-and-safety protocols. Charlotte has continued to play on despite missing many of their notable pieces due to COVID-19 as well.
Now, the Lakers are trying to rebound from a slow start to the season, but they are without Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, Malik Monk and Avery Bradley. Los Angeles just signed Isaiah Thomas, who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/isaiah-thomas-dominates-in-nba-g-league-debut-scoring-42-points" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went off in his G League debut on Wednesday</a>, since their backcourt depth has been ravaged by the coronavirus.
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During the peak of the pandemic, we saw the NBA continue to push through even when many teams suffered from COVID-related issues. While all of the recent cases may be shocking to fans, the league has acknowledged that a COVID spike was to be expected from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.
Welcome to the new normal for the NBA &mdash; and the entire sports world &mdash; during a worldwide pandemic. With new variants continuing to pop up, this will continue to be a situation to monitor within the NBA, let alone society as a whole.
On Wednesday, <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1471239858467262467" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1471240000217960462" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski</a> reported that the NBA and NBPA have discussed modified protocols to combat the spread of COVID-19. The two sides have already agreed to start testing vaccinated players without booster shots, but they are still negotiating whether there will be further testing and more restrictive protocols with cases now rising league-wide.
The holiday season is a peak time of interest for the Association, but it&rsquo;s fair to wonder if now is the time for the league office to pause the season in order to prevent more players and teams from being impacted by COVID-19.

As COVID-19 continues to impact rosters, the NBA has a huge decision to make regarding their regular-season calendar.

With COVID-19 ravaging rosters, is it time for the NBA to step in?

So, we&rsquo;re 19 games in and the Los Angeles Lakers will enter play on Nov. 24 below .500 
Who had that in the office pool?
By virtue of a 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, the Lakers will celebrate Thanksgiving Day as one of the Western Conference&rsquo;s non-winning teams, and you&rsquo;ve gotta kinda wonder not when they&rsquo;ll get it together, but if.
LeBron James was missing in action and Anthony Davis was under the weather, but the Lakers were noticeably missing the necessary pep in their step, as they fell behind New York by 25 points in the first half on Tuesday. They battled back valiantly in the game&rsquo;s second, but simply didn&rsquo;t have enough to overcome a determined Knicks team.
&ldquo;They jumped out, made some shots, we weren&rsquo;t playing hard enough. Simple,&rdquo; Russell Westbrook said after the contest.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When we decided to play harder, you saw a significant difference.&rdquo;
One can only wonder what on earth the Lakers are waiting for.
A team full of proud veterans, thus far, the Lakers have been anything but inspiring. They enter play on Nov. 24 at 9-10 and ranking 28th in the league in points allowed (113.1), 24th in Net Rating (-3.5) and 20th in Defensive Rating (108.9).
Said differently: the Lakers are not good.&nbsp;
Head coach Frank Vogel is obviously still trying to figure out his rotation and help the team form an identity, but that&rsquo;s something every coach grapples with. And in the Western Conference, every game counts. The Lakers learned that the hard way last year.
If there is a silver lining in the Lakers&rsquo; 1-3 road trip &mdash; which will conclude on Wednesday night &mdash; it&rsquo;s that Westbrook himself has at least shown that he can in fact be productive under Vogel.
From an individual standpoint, he&rsquo;s put together one of his better five-game stretches of the season and will be coming off of a 31-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist triple-double against the Knicks. He shot 10-for-18 from the field, including 3-for-6 from three-point territory. In his last five games, Westbrook is averaging 22.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.4 steals on 46% shooting.
If nothing else, the Lakers at least hope that it represents a light at the end of the tunnel, because any chance of a championship this season starts and ends with Westbrook, LeBron and AD all figuring out how to be productive alongside one another. We know that Davis and LeBron are an awesome tandem. Westbrook&rsquo;s addition has long been the question mark.
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Thus far, James has missed 11 of the team&rsquo;s 19 games, limiting him and Westbrook&rsquo;s on-court opportunities together, but the point guard does believe that he is at least developing some chemistry with Davis.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a process for everybody, including myself,&rdquo; Westbrook said after the Knicks loss.&nbsp;
"The pace, the speed. As the season goes along, I tell the guys, for me, my pace picks up 'cause I just want to keep going and going. And for the guys in the locker room, it&rsquo;s my job to be able to read them as well and make the game easier for them as I&rsquo;m playing.&rdquo;
As far as his synergy with Davis specifically, the duo had an opportunity to play off of one another more than they have with LeBron in the lineup. That partnership seems especially important since, in theory, Westbrook&rsquo;s presence should allow James to play off the ball more as a means of conservation. Obviously, though, Westbrook and Davis need to prove that they can flourish together.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lot better,&rdquo; Westbrook said of his ability to play off of Davis.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re figuring out how teams are guarding both of us when me and him are in the pick-and-roll, and figuring out how to make the game easier for him, as well as he&rsquo;s doing for me.&rdquo;
Against New York, Davis was 7-for-17 from the field, ending the night with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. He was limited by his illness, but did play a role in the Lakers rallying and nearly pulling off what seemed to be an insurmountable comeback.
With the loss, the Lakers dropped to just 4-7 in the 11 contests James has missed this season. And with only three returning players from last season&rsquo;s team, the Lakers can&rsquo;t really afford to continue to tinker with their lineups in the name of &ldquo;figuring things out.&rdquo;
The real quandary for the Lakers is the fact that time is not necessarily on their side. The Western Conference is being paced by the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns, but there are at least 12 teams that have legitimate hopes of earning one of the eighth playoff seeds. As usual, the fight for the higher playoff seeds will be intense and competitive.&nbsp;
Recall that last season, the Lakers finished up 42-30 &mdash; the same record as both the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers. However, by virtue of losing the tiebreaker, Los Angeles ended up with the No. 7 seed. As a result, they had to go to the play-in and ended up drawing the Suns in the first round. One could reasonably argue that if health had been on their side, the Lakers could&rsquo;ve come out on top against Phoenix. But they didn&rsquo;t.&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s more important is this: had the Lakers won just one more game and ended the season at 43-29, they would&rsquo;ve been the No. 5 seed and played the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round.&nbsp;
Though no walkover, a first-round series with the Clippers would&rsquo;ve been much more preferable than their date with the Suns. The lesson learned from last season for Vogel and his club is that every single game counts.&nbsp;
So yes, it&rsquo;s a process, but the Lakers need to view every loss as a missed opportunity to avoid the lower seeds. With nearly 25% of the season complete, Vogel&rsquo;s team should start resembling a conference contender with an identity, not one still trying to figure out who it is.
Every game counts. And at this point, in Los Angeles, that might start to qualify as bad news for the new look Lakers.

At 9-10, the Lakers trail the field out West. Will they be able to make up ground and earn a top seed by playoff time? Clock's ticking.

Unfortunately for the urgency-lacking Lakers, every game counts

Quite indecisive, he&rsquo;d often commit a cardinal sin.&nbsp;
Ever the defensive unit, he&rsquo;d streak up the floor off of a turnover, ball in hand. Teammates flanking.
Quite indecisive, he was. He&rsquo;d take flight before figuring out what came next.
Feed Joakim Noah for the flush? Kick it out to Kyle Korver for the three? Finish it myself?
The court was Derrick Rose&rsquo;s oyster. Why think when you can fly?
Zion Williamson gives us those same feels.
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Even as Rose has enjoyed quite the renaissance, we can only look back at who he was and wonder what may have been. The youngest MVP in league history, after suffering a fair share of early-career injuries, Rose has valiantly scratched and clawed his way back toward the top of the NBA&rsquo;s relevancy mountain.&nbsp;
Still, he remains this generation&rsquo;s finest example of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-derrick-rose-a-future-halloffamer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what could&rsquo;ve been</a>.
All the talent in the world can&rsquo;t save you if your body isn&rsquo;t on your side. Health is the universal equalizer; it makes superheroes mere mortals, and grounds the ability to defy gravity.
Indeed, NBA history is littered with examples of players whose promise was undercut by their mortality. Aside from Rose and the obvious additions of Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway, we can cite Greg Oden and Brandon Roy. Yao Ming.
As a basketball-viewing public, our hope is that those with the promise to become all-time greats have that opportunity. And within the class of those we call greats, there are plenty of others who have shaken off their early bouts with injuries and put them so far behind that you can&rsquo;t even see them in a rearview mirror.
Nobody remembers that Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid each missed what should&rsquo;ve been their rookie seasons. Ditto for Blake Griffin. Many others were able to overcome early trips to the infirmary and become all-world performers. The hope for the New Orleans Pelicans is that this will eventually be true for Zion.
So yeah, while he can fly, as Williamson enters his third year, we are still yet to find out whether he can do something much more important &mdash; stay healthy.
Missing all but 24 games in his rookie year, Zion put up jaw-dropping numbers in his sophomore season.&nbsp;
He played in 61 of the Pelicans&rsquo; 72 games and became the first player in NBA history to score as many as 27 points per contest while shooting at least 60% from the field (he made 61.1% of his shots). Additional on-ball repetitions helped him dish out 3.7 assists per game to go along with 7.2 rebounds, and all things considered, for a 20-year-old, those numbers are downright terrifying. It&rsquo;s scary to ponder about just how dominant Zion could be.
As a pro player, Zion is able to bend opposing defenses to his will, but it&rsquo;s his blinding combination of size, athleticism and agility that allow him to be who he is.
It&rsquo;s no secret that, on the developmental curve, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-big-men-take-more-time-to-develop-in-the-nba-than-guards-and-wings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">big men tend to take a little longer to reach their peaks</a>. Teenagers often find themselves going from playing against other teens in college to being pounded on by grown men 10 years their senior in the league. The neophyte&rsquo;s challenge is to take his body&rsquo;s development seriously and chisel himself. He needs to harden his body and become conditioned to the rigors of an 82-game season, plus the playoffs on top of that.
To this point, New York&rsquo;s Mitchell Robinson <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-been-three-years-and-mitchell-robinson-still-has-a-lot-to-prove" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has had similar issues with nagging injuries and missing games</a>. Robinson has responded by putting on 60 pounds of muscle since being drafted in 2018.
Now, it&rsquo;s Zion&rsquo;s turn to rid himself of the injury bug.
In many instances, as players' bodies adapt, they break. Just &mdash; as was the case in Zion&rsquo;s situation &mdash; not literally.
On Sept. 27, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin revealed that Williamson had undergone surgery to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot.
The recent news comes two years after Zion previously underwent surgery to repair a torn right meniscus just prior to New Orleans beginning regular-season competition in Oct. 2019.
And that surgical procedure came less than 10 months after Williamson famously suffered a Grade 1 right knee sprain after&nbsp;breaking his shoe in the opening minute of Duke&rsquo;s Feb. 2019 contest against North Carolina.
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Two years ago today, Zion broke his shoe 🤯 📽️: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPN</a> <a href="https://t.co/FnnmGXKB0b">pic.twitter.com/FnnmGXKB0b</a>
&mdash; FanDuel (@FanDuel) <a href="https://twitter.com/FanDuel/status/1363133809693102080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote>

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And before then? Zion had some injury issues, as well.
While not uncommon for a growing player with his size and weight, one of the benefits of landing in a professional setting is access to world-class trainers and facilities. No matter how much promise a player has, they&rsquo;ll only go as far as their body allows them. That&rsquo;s why the Pelicans have done all they can to protect a player with such potential.
So, despite those facts, Griffin&rsquo;s revelation on Sept. 27 was quite noteworthy. Still, the Pels' EVP was optimistic that Williamson would be ready for the team&rsquo;s season opener, so it was easy enough to consider Zion&rsquo;s latest procedure as just another blip on the radar.
Until today.
On Thursday, Griffin provided an update on Williamson. According to NOLA's executive vice president, doctors have reviewed scans on Williamson&rsquo;s foot and have cleared him for the &ldquo;next step&rdquo; in his rehabilitation. Still, there is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/zion-williamson-to-be-reevaluated-in-two-weeks-due-to-foot-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no &ldquo;fixed timeline&rdquo; for his return</a>, with Williamson scheduled to be reevaluated in approximately two weeks.
Said differently, Zion will now certainly begin yet another season on the shelf. He will miss at least the first five games of the 2021-22 season, and considering how cautious the Pelicans have been with him, the team will likely want him to get at least a few practices under his belt before returning to game action.&nbsp;
Those practice sessions will help with his timing and conditioning, both of which will need some work.
As we collectively sit back and wonder whether the likes of Trae Young, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett will take the next step in their respective careers, we have the same question about Zion.
Unfortunately for him, though, the hurdle he hasn&rsquo;t yet cleared is far more important than his ability to defy gravity or break defenses. Right now, the more pertinent question is whether he can stay healthy long enough for him to have the opportunity to fulfill his mighty potential.
For most of the NBA&rsquo;s superstars, the leap forward into superstardom happens during their third season. Zion, perhaps appropriately, cleared that hurdle earlier than most.&nbsp;
Clearly, though, there&rsquo;s still some work to be done.&nbsp;
And as he enters his third season in New Orleans with yet another ailment keeping him on the shelf, it&rsquo;s time we, at the very least, begin to get a tad bit concerned.

As Zion Williamson begins yet another season on the shelf, it's fair to wonder whether he'll be able to become an ironman in the NBA.

We should be worried about Zion Williamson’s ability to stay healthy

It&rsquo;s amazing how one&rsquo;s entire career &mdash; one's entire legacy &mdash; can often be defined by being on the wrong side of fate.
How differently would we have thought of LeBron James if Ray Allen hadn&rsquo;t made that three-pointer?
Would we have completely overlooked Kobe Bryant&rsquo;s 6-for-24 performance against the Boston Celtics if Metta World Peace didn&rsquo;t make the biggest shot of his life?
What would have become of James Harden&rsquo;s legacy if Kevin Durant&rsquo;s big toe didn&rsquo;t get the last laugh? Would Brooklyn have won the Eastern Conference? Could they have defeated the Phoenix Suns?
It&rsquo;s all moot now, but those thoughts help one realize how razor-thin the line between winning and losing can be.
United in purpose they are, but of Irving, Durant and Harden, it is only the Beard who endeavors to get his name off of the &ldquo;Charles Barkley&rdquo; list. From Karl Malone to Allen Iverson and Patrick Ewing to Damian Lillard, it&rsquo;s obvious that more goes into winning a championship than desire and talent.
Harden knows that all too well.&nbsp;
So yes, while they are united in purpose, they are each divided by their motivations to take their talents to Brooklyn in the first place.
For Irving, it was about coming home and finding happiness. For Durant, it was about building an empire to go along with an already-mighty legacy.&nbsp;
For Harden... it&rsquo;s about validation.
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<a href="https://t.co/PoWiUvpp8a">pic.twitter.com/PoWiUvpp8a</a>
&mdash; James Harden (@JHarden13) <a href="https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1442334234765524993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Since his Oklahoma City Thunder were slapped aside in 2012 by a LeBron possessed by his mission, Harden has been valiantly trying to get back to the NBA Finals. But just like Durant&rsquo;s left foot, Chris Paul&rsquo;s hamstring had other ideas. So did a number of failed partnerships along the way.&nbsp;
A great player in his own right, for the entirety of his basketball career, Harden has been one of the unfortunate few who was just never good enough at the right moment. He&rsquo;s fallen short more times than he&rsquo;d care to remember and, ultimately, has been squeezed between the margins as a number of his peers came out on the other side.
Between Durant and Irving, the two have three championship rings and more than twice as many Finals appearances. Best believe &mdash; that realization keeps Harden up at night.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very important,&rdquo; Harden responded, matter-of-factly when asked about his desire to win a championship in Brooklyn.
&ldquo;As a competitor &mdash;&nbsp; I feel like as one of the best players in the league &mdash; that&rsquo;s what you train in the summer for. That&rsquo;s what you go through the tough times and grinds for, the difficult days for.&rdquo;&nbsp;
And, alas, he vowed to keep fighting.
&ldquo;I fell short a few times, but that doesn&rsquo;t stop me and it won&rsquo;t stop me,&rdquo; Harden said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I train every single day with that mindset to be able to compete at the highest level and to be the last team standing... For me, I just want to go out there and make my teammates better [and] try to be the best player on the floor every single night...&rdquo;
While he has mostly succeeded in that quest, Harden, unfortunately, has been the best player on the floor most nights &mdash; just not those in April and May.&nbsp;
An ugly divorce with the Houston Rockets saw him eventually land in Brooklyn in January, but he would only play eight games with Irving and Durant before the playoffs began. And once they did, he and Irving couldn&rsquo;t stay on the floor.
Harden valiantly played his way back into game shape and was remarkably effective for a player dealing with his ailment. Maybe, just maybe, if Durant&rsquo;s foot found its way behind the line, Harden could&rsquo;ve found his stride in the conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks.
It turns out, that inch made all the difference.
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About three months later, feeling like it was the first day of school, Harden was confident and upbeat, yet satisfyingly realistic about where the Nets find themselves as they prepare for the challenges that await.
&ldquo;I think my job is to make sure that throughout the course of the year, we&rsquo;re all on the same page &mdash; obviously there&rsquo;s gonna be some ups and some downs and some tough times or whatever the case&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; but as long as we all have the same goal and that same sacrifice, it starts [Tuesday] in training camp... kinda instill that in the guys&rsquo; minds that we&rsquo;re doing this together, and to the end.&rdquo;
And together, they&rsquo;ll hope that the end is further than where it ended up being last season.
There&rsquo;s no question that the Nets will enter the season as the most-talked about team in the East, just like they were last year. But what Brooklyn discovered &mdash; and what Harden has long known &mdash; is that it doesn&rsquo;t guarantee you&rsquo;ll be the last team standing when it&rsquo;s all said and done.
Back in 2014, the San Antonio Spurs made good on their revenge tour. The year prior, a couple of missed free throws from Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard left the door open for Chris Bosh to snag one of the biggest offensive rebounds in NBA history. When the Spurs began the 2013-14 season with hopes of exorcising those demons, Danny Green admitted to having nightmares about the one that got away.
They made good. Now, it&rsquo;s Brooklyn&rsquo;s turn to attempt to do the same.
Patty Mills, one of the newest Nets, happened to be on the Spurs for that two-year stretch. Although he can&rsquo;t share in the pain that the club has felt since falling short against Milwaukee, he can certainly advise as to how to channel it.
Part of the reason the offseason is so long for the NBA&rsquo;s players is because there&rsquo;s no game tomorrow. It&rsquo;s the beauty of the chase for the ring. No matter what happens on Monday or Tuesday, there&rsquo;s always a game on Wednesday. There&rsquo;s always an opponent to scout, film to dissect or a game plan to discuss. When one game ends, emotionally, players have been trained to move on immediately, because a new challenge is on the horizon.
But those months between one&rsquo;s season ending and training camp convening?&nbsp;
Those days are long and dark.&nbsp;
On Media Day, as Harden reflected on the previous chapter in Brooklyn, he looked ahead with renewed energy and cautious optimism.
Squeezed between the margins for far too long, his personal quest for basketball immorality begins anew.&nbsp;
This time, he hopes, he can crawl toward the light &mdash; and better, wiser and more humble, that he can help his team come out on the other side.

For James Harden, the long offseason has ended. With training camp convening, another opportunity to earn immortality awaits.

In Brooklyn, the quest for validation still motivates James Harden

The Phoenix Suns head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks tonight in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The Bucks stole Game 5 in Phoenix, defeating the Suns 123-119. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, scoring 32 points. DraftKings Sportsbook currently has Milwaukee as huge -425 favorites to win the NBA Finals. On the flip side, Phoenix sits at +330 to win it all.
Can the Suns force a Game 7? Let&rsquo;s take a look at who has the edge in Game 6 and find out <a href="https://betql.co/nba/odds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BetQL&rsquo;s NBA best bets</a> for this NBA Finals matchup.&nbsp;
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Game Preview
Phoenix Suns at Milwaukee Bucks (-5, 222)
After it looked like Phoenix was going to run away with the series, Giannis and Co. have gone to work. Milwaukee now sits one game away from winning it all at home. Oddsmakers liked what they saw from the Bucks in Game 5 and have made Milwaukee a five-point home favorite in tonight's matchup. The books have also set the total to 222 for this game.
The Suns came out hot in Game 5, but just when it looked like they were about to run away with the game, the Bucks answered with a barrage of buckets, led by their trio of Giannis, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton.
Antetokounmpo was his usual monster-self with 32 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Middleton came up big with clutch shots throughout the second half, pouring in 29 points.
But, the X-Factor for Milwaukee in the vital game was Jrue Holiday.&nbsp;
Holiday&rsquo;s defense has been solid all series, but his offense was nowhere to be found. That all changed in Game 5, as he shot 50% from the field, 60% from three and scored 27 points to go along with 13 assists. Holiday also made the play of the game when he stole the ball from Devin Booker in the final minute of the contest and threw an alley-oop to the Greek Freak to essentially seal the game.
On the other side of the ball, the Suns will need valiant efforts from their Big Three if they want to bring the series back to Phoenix. For what it's worth, Booker has held up his share of the bargain, scoring over 40 points in back-to-back games. But the Suns go as Chris Paul goes, which means he&rsquo;ll need to be more aggressive to start the game tonight. CP3 had a huge fourth quarter in Game 5, so he&rsquo;ll need to carry that momentum into tonight&rsquo;s outing if Phoenix wants to steal this game on the road.
A big X-Factor on Phoenix&rsquo;s side to watch tonight is Deandre Ayton. Foul trouble and inconsistency has derailed Ayton&rsquo;s first Finals appearance. It'll be vital for the big man to be aggressive on both sides of the floor, and we wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised to see Phoenix try to get him the ball early to get him going.
Both teams shot lights out in Game 5, especially from deep, as the Suns hit 68.4% of their threes while the Bucks connected on 50% of their looks from deep. We envision some shooting regression in tonight&rsquo;s game, coupled with the fact that Phoenix will play with more intensity, that makes us lean toward the under.
The public is on the Suns tonight at a slight rate, with 59% of the tickets on Phoenix. Bettors are also liking the over, with 55% of gamblers hitting the over 222.
Phoenix is the best road team in the NBA, as they are 30-16 straight up. On the flip side, Scott Foster is reffing tonight, which has usually spelled doom for Paul in the past. Since 2014, when Foster is a referee, Paul's playoff teams have gone 1-12 straight up and 1-12 against the spread, per @Bet_Labs.
Even though that is a tough stat to get over, we have Phoenix as live dogs tonight, meaning we think they win straight up. This series is too good to not go seven games, so we will gladly grab the five points in this situation.
Leans: Suns +5 and Under 222
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BetQL Model Predictions &amp; Picks
BetQL&rsquo;s NBA model has run 10,000 simulations of this game to provide insight on how the game will pan out, and after all those simulations, the model likes the Suns +5. Currently, the point spread of this game sits at +/- 5 with the Bucks as home favorites. BetQL&rsquo;s model would have made Phoenix a 3.5-point underdog tonight, meaning there is big betting value on them at +5. Keep reading below to get picks from the experts at BetQL.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Against the Spread Pick:
<a href="https://betql.co/nba/sharp-picks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BetQL&rsquo;s NBA model</a> is leaning towards the Suns with a 2-star rating on the game, and projects the final score to be Suns 109.5, Bucks 113. As for the expert bettors, they are also backing the Suns, but be sure to check back with BetQL to see the most updated odds, lines and spreads for this game before tip.
Over/Under Pick:
The over/under for this game is set at 222 points. The BetQL model recommends taking the over for this game, and has a 1-star play on the current number.
Prop Bet Spotlight
The BetQL computer model has identified a 5-star prop that we like for tonight&rsquo;s matchup in Devin Booker OVER 4.5 assists. He is averaging 3.8 assists per game in this series and has gone over this number two times already in the NBA Finals.
Pick: We are backing the model and taking Booker to go over his assists mark tonight.
As a Basketball News reader, you can get access to BetQL for 30% off when you use the code BBN30, <a href="https://betql.co/nba/sharp-picks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out BetQL</a> and win the rest of your bets for the playoffs!

Will the Milwaukee Bucks clinch the 2021 NBA Finals on Tuesday? Or will the Phoenix Suns force a Game 7 on their home floor?

Everything you need to know ahead of Bucks-Suns NBA Finals Game 6

The Denver Nuggets' season came to an ignominious end with Jamal Murray looking on from the bench and newly crowned league MVP Nikola Jokic watching from the locker room.
The Phoenix Suns completed their second-round sweep with a 125-118 win Sunday night in Denver, holding off an inspired effort by the Nuggets following Jokic's stunning third-quarter ejection.
Long have the Nuggets chafed at the lack of respect and calls that Jokic gets, particularly this season as the 7-foot Serbian blossomed into the NBA's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-nikola-jokic-kobe-bryant-europe-nba-403d6cca735519dfd230e6b61675222e">runaway best player</a>.
Frustration boiled over 48 hours after Jokic humbly accepted the Maurice Podoloff Trophy that he dedicated to his teammates, coaches, trainers, front office and family.
Infuriated at no whistle for the contact on his one-handed runner that bounced off the rim with the Nuggets down seven late in the third quarter, Jokic gestured at the official before racing to Cameron Payne, whom he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-jokic-ejected-from-game-4-for-excessive-contact-with-cam-payne" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swatted across the face as he took a hard swipe at the ball</a>.
That led Suns star Devin Booker to confront the Nuggets' 7-foot big man, leading to a double technical. After the two were separated, the crew reviewed the play at midcourt as Jokic retreated to the bench.
&ldquo;I thought honestly, they&rsquo;re not going to eject me," said Jokic, who hadn't even been assessed a Flagrant 1 foul in 345 games and who isn't known as a dirty player.
Jokic apologized to Payne before he was escorted through the tunnel.
To players across the league, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTraeYoung/status/1404253358928666627?s=20">the Joker's bewildering ejection was a joke</a>.
&ldquo;A Flagrant 2? Wow.&rdquo; tweeted Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies chimed in, &ldquo;playoffs. elimination game. give him a flagrant 1 and play ball man.&rdquo;
Crew chief David Guthrie explained afterward that &ldquo;the wind-up, the impact, the follow-through, the unnecessary and excessive contact above the shoulders into the face&rdquo; met the criteria for a Flagrant 2.
The Nuggets played valiantly without Jokic but couldn't extend the series.
&ldquo;I wish we could have played them at full strength,&rdquo; said Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
A year after leading the Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals in the Walt Disney World bubble in Florida, Jokic steered his team through a trying season marked by a rash of injuries, most notably to fellow star Murray, who tore his left ACL in April.
They also lost Monte Morris, P.J. Dozier and Will Barton III down the stretch.
Amid all those injuries &mdash; not to mention a jampacked season where virtually everyone got some rest along the way &mdash; Jokic was a rare everyday player, a big man who logged big minutes. He&rsquo;s the only player to start all his team&rsquo;s regular-season games in the last two seasons, being on the floor for tip-off all 145 times.
Despite that ever-changing cast around him, Jokic guided Denver to the No. 3 playoff seed in the West. Behind Jokic, the Nuggets went 13-5 after Murray tore his ACL on April 12 and he led Denver past Portland in the first round of the playoffs.
And his numbers against the Blazers? Historic. He averaged 33 points and 10.5 rebounds on 53% shooting from the field, 43% from 3-point range and 92% from the free throw line &mdash; making him the first player in NBA history to average 30 points and 10 rebounds with the lofty benchmarks of 50% from the field, 40% from 3 and 90% from the foul line in a playoff series.
Michael Porter Jr.'s breakout season took an unfortunate turn when he tweaked his surgically repaired back in the second-round opener at Phoenix, and that proved one injury too many for Denver.
With their second scoring option at less than full strength, even Jokic's best wasn't good enough.
On the night he celebrated his MVP award, Jokic joined Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players with 30 points, 20 boards and 10 assists in an NBA playoff game. Yet, he apologized to his teammates for not doing more in Denver's 116-102 loss.
&ldquo;He was beating himself up because he's striving for perfection and he knows with the injuries that we have and the quality of opponent that we're facing that he needs to be phenomenal for us to have a chance,&rdquo; Malone said before Game 4.
Jokic had 22 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes before his ejection Sunday night.
&ldquo;Tough loss, tough way to go out,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;I was thinking about this today, after we&rsquo;d gotten Aaron Gordon, we went into L.A. and played the Clippers on April 1st and we beat them. At that point in time, I really felt we had a chance to win it all this year, I really did.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Denver's season came to an end with Jamal Murray looking on from the bench and MVP Nikola Jokic watching from the locker room.

Malone on Nuggets' injury-riddled year: 'I really felt we had a chance to win it all'

Ja Morant has arrived, and on the heels of a valiant 47-point effort, his upstart Memphis Grizzles have given us all the reason in the world to believe that they&rsquo;re a team on the rise.
Of course, the entire Western Conference is paying attention to what the Grizzlies are doing, but perhaps the team that needs to consider how Memphis will impact their immediate future most is the one that the Grizzlies dispatched en route to punching their ticket to the NBA&rsquo;s version of the big dance.
My, how the mighty have fallen.
Morant sent Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s team home for the summer before putting Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors on ice. And based on what we&rsquo;ve seen from both he and Luka Doncic, it stands to reason that we&rsquo;ll be watching those two 20-somethings make noise in the postseason for many years to come.
So what exactly does that mean for Golden State?
It&rsquo;s not absurd to believe that &mdash; despite what Draymond Green tells you &mdash; that the franchise&rsquo;s best days are behind it.
Whatever Bob Myers is being paid, he deserves a raise, because things aren&rsquo;t getting any easier out West. And despite having some tools at his disposal, getting Golden State back toward the top of the Western Conference won&rsquo;t be an easy feat, not with the team's three core players advancing in age and its supporting cast becoming less talented over the years.
It&rsquo;s crazy to think that Curry will be 34 years old by the time 2022 NBA Playoffs begin, and &mdash; who would&rsquo;ve guessed it? &mdash; by that time, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson will each be 32 years old. It&rsquo;s easy to overlook their advanced ages (they&rsquo;re &ldquo;advanced&rdquo; at least in terms of basketball years) because each of the three began their careers relatively late &mdash; Curry and Thompson, both of whom spent three years in college, were both 21-year-old rookies. Green, who played four years at Michigan State, didn&rsquo;t make his NBA debut until he was 22.
By the time they started winning, they were more-or-less in their mid-20s and that was six whole years ago. It&rsquo;ll be at least seven by the time we see them in the postseason again.
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Time sure flies, because it certainly doesn&rsquo;t seem like it&rsquo;s been five years since the Dubs won 73 games in 2016 or three years since they won a championship. Thompson&rsquo;s unfortunate ACL injury during the 2019 NBA Finals left everyone believing that the team would be back once he returned. But then he suffered another catastrophic injury (a torn Achilles tendon), which caused him to miss two full seasons in a row. And although Kevin Durant&rsquo;s recovery from a torn Achilles provides hope for a full recovery, by the time we see Thompson suit up in a playoff game again, it will have been about three calendar years.
Boy oh boy, 2018 was a long time ago.
Since the Warriors hoisted the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy that last time, its back-to-back NBA Finals MVP dumped the Golden Gate Bridge for Brooklyn. Gone are the likes of Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, JaVale McGee and David West. Aside from the trio, Kevon Looney is the only other championship player who remains with the team. And even he could opt for free agency this summer and take his talents elsewhere.
Under our noses, the Warriors&rsquo; championship team has systematically been replaced by newer, younger, less experienced pieces.
When Morant and his Grizzlies sent the Warriors home for good, the team&rsquo;s game plan was obvious &mdash; force anyone not named &ldquo;Curry&rdquo; to beat them. It worked (for Memphis).
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_16125642_lg.jpg" alt="" width="718" height="479" />
So in it all, we&rsquo;re forced to come to terms with a second-consecutive postseason without the electrifying Steph Curry and without his Warriors. As has become a theme over the past couple years, we will collectively look toward next year to see if they can take back the throne out West. But all things considered, that would seem to be not only a far-fetched assumption, but an irresponsible one.
Since the Warriors won their first championship with their core in 2015, the Western Conference hasn&rsquo;t exactly become any less competitive or any less talented. Morant. Doncic. LeBron James&rsquo; relocation to Los Angeles. Anthony Davis. Chris Paul&rsquo;s Suns. The becoming of Devin Booker. Donovan Mitchell&rsquo;s rising. Nikola Jokic becoming the MVP. Kawhi and PG&rsquo;s Clippers. Holy cow, look at New Orleans.
And Curry and Thompson are older than Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
In short, the Warriors have their work cut out for them. If nothing else, the Boston Celtics have taught us that a collection of talent is only as good as its ability to coexist. As Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown attempt to lead Team Green back to the heights of the East, they weren&rsquo;t able to get it done with Kyrie Irving, Terry Rozier, Al Horford, Marcus Morris and Gordon Hayward.
Translation: nothing is promised. The Oklahoma City Thunder can tell you that, twice over.
On the bright side? Golden State has some tools in its toolbox. Wisely (and perhaps clairvoyantly), Myers has refrained from sending out first-round picks in pursuit of talent. That discipline led to James Wiseman and will also yield two more lottery picks this summer &mdash; the Warriors own their own pick and will land the Minnesota Timberwolves&rsquo; first-round pick in this year&rsquo;s draft if it falls outside of the top-three. If the Wolves&rsquo; pick ends up top-three, it becomes unprotected for the Warriors in 2022. Thus, a very valuable trade chip.
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Perhaps ironically, the only trade the Dubs have recently made that cost them a first-round pick was the one they executed to get rid of Iguodala, once considered the fourth member of the &ldquo;Core Four.&rdquo; He was sent to Memphis along with the Warriors&rsquo; (top-four protected) 2024 first-round pick.
In other words, in the form of Wiseman, Andrew Wiggins, its own 2021 first-round pick and the pick due from the Timberwolves, Golden State is a rarity in the NBA &mdash; a team with both young and contending-level veteran talent that also has draft capital that it can use to build out its rotation.
But make no mistake about it: Build they must, because a core featuring three players who will all be at least 32 years old when the 2022 NBA Playoffs begin should never be considered a shoe-in.
Father Time, after all, remains undefeated. Even in San Francisco.

When the 2022 NBA Playoffs begin, Steph Curry will be 34 years old, while Draymond Green and Klay Thompson will be 32.

Dynastic demise: Warriors have far to go to become contender again

It just slipped away.
In the end, the Los Angeles Clippers couldn&rsquo;t keep up their end of the bargain.
Alone, Paul George stood in the corner. Doubled-over, he clenched his shorts as he probably wondered how his team had gotten to this point. Trailing by 15 points in a Game 7, could the Clippers muster the necessary resilience to pull out a win?
This was soon answered by George himself.
Kawhi Leonard missed a stepback three-pointer over Nikola Jokic, and when Patrick Beverley corralled the long rebound, the Clippers &mdash; just as Doc Rivers had taught them &mdash; whipped the ball around until it landed in George&rsquo;s open arms.
Gary Harris lunged to disrupt, but George got off a clean look.
What happened next was a surprise to everyone.
The shot clanged off the side of the backboard &mdash; never even getting close enough to the rim to say hello. For all intents and purposes, the 2019-20 Clippers died right then and there.
Do you believe in reincarnation?
It appears that Paul George does.
Not shying away from the role he played in last season&rsquo;s disappointment, George started the 2020-21 campaign attempting to keep last season a distant memory. As he&rsquo;s learned firsthand, however, it&rsquo;s not about how you start, it&rsquo;s about how you finish, and to this point, he&rsquo;s done a pretty good job of that.
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The Clippers enter play on April 21 having flown under the radar. The Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns have grabbed much of the attention, while the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are expected to reassert their dominance once LeBron James and Anthony Davis return to the lineup.
Meanwhile, George has quietly proven capable of carrying the Clippers on his shoulders. Since last season, he's improved in a number of areas, but his offense deserves specific kudos. He's scoring 23.8 points per game this season compared to 21.5 last season and is currently boasting the highest true shooting percentage of his career &mdash; 61.5%. Similarly, he's shooting career-highs both from the field (48.3%) and three-point territory (43.2%). That's something we've rarely been able to say about a soon-to-be 31-year-old player in his 11th season.
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What's been most inspiring about George&rsquo;s play is his ability to carry these Clippers in the absence of Leonard, who has missed 14 contests through games played as of April 21.
Specifically, in games played without Leonard in the past month, George has admirably led the club. After going just 1-2 in the first three contests that Leonard sat out in which George played, the Clippers are 4-1 in their last five such contests. The only loss came at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, who happen to be the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top team.
In the Clippers&rsquo; last seven games &mdash; two of which we played with Leonard &mdash; George is averaging 32.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals. He&rsquo;s shooting 54.2% from the field and 47.5% from three-point territory.
The truth about George, though, is this: for someone who&rsquo;s been as good as he has for so long, his regular-season accomplishments won&rsquo;t get him anything he doesn&rsquo;t already have. Similar to Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul, we've gotten used to their displays of greatness, at least in the regular season. Success in the postseason, or a lack thereof, is what separates the good players from the greats.
An All-NBA talent and a player who is respected by his peers as one of the most gifted in the game, those who see the George glass as half-empty will refrain from giving him his just due until he is able to put a team on his back and carry them at least as far as he was able to carry the Indiana Pacers many moons ago. With the memory of last season&rsquo;s playoff failure still fresh, that's especially true of George's Los Angeles incarnation.
Performances like the one he turned in on Wednesday night&rsquo;s 113-112 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; a contest in which he converted the game-winning free throws &mdash; will work to that end. But everyone, including George himself, knows that the games &mdash; at least from a legacy standpoint &mdash; won&rsquo;t truly matter until the postseason begins.
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Once upon a time, George was able to stand toe-to-toe with LeBron James. It seems so long ago that his upstart Pacers valiantly battled the Miami Heat for supremacy in the Eastern Conference.
Now, as fate would have it, George sees James still standing in his way. And the coach who pushed him toward the throne, Frank Vogel, is flanking the King.
Unlike last season, there doesn't appear to be much noise around the Clippers. Somehow, despite being an arguably more talented bunch, they've gotten less attention than last year.
Nonetheless, for George, an opportunity at redemption awaits.
&ldquo;PG&rsquo;s cool as a fan,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1384750353145503744?s=20">DeMarcus Cousins said</a> of his teammate on Wednesday night.
&ldquo;[He&rsquo;s] one of the most talented players I&rsquo;ve ever seen lace them up. We gotta stop the PG slander. It just won&rsquo;t be accepted around me&hellip; [He&rsquo;s] one of the most gifted players in this league...&rdquo;
Of that, we&rsquo;ve all been reminded.

Paul George has quietly put together one of the best seasons of his career, and he's leading the Clippers back toward the top out West.

Manhattanville Valiants