The 76ers star said he hopes his team doesn’t blow its 3-1 lead to Brooklyn, like the Warriors did in the 2016 NBA Finals. “It was really important because you wanted to get this one and go home,” Embiid said in his postgame address. “It feels great to be up 3-1, so we definitely don’t want to be in a situation like the Warriors two years ago.” Embiid proceeded to burst into laughter....
Bovada has released a whole helping of other props as they relate to the first round of the NBA’s postseason. Check them out below. MORE: NBA live odds page Odds to win 2016 NBA Championship Golden State Warriors 2/3 San Antonio Spurs 15/4 Cleveland Cavaliers 4/1 Oklahoma City Thunder 10/1 Los Angeles Clippers 28/1 Toronto Raptors 33/1 Boston Celtics 66/1 Atlanta Hawks 75/1 Miami Heat 75/1 Charlotte Hornets 150/1 Portland Trail Blazers 150/1 Detroit Pistons 200/1 Indiana Pacers 200/1 Dallas Mavericks 250/1 Houston Rockets 300/1 Memphis Grizzlies 500/1 Odds to win the Eastern Conference Cleveland Cavaliers 5/13 Toronto Raptors 5/1 Atlanta Hawks 14/1 Boston Celtics 14/1 Miami Heat 14/1 Charlotte Hornets 33/1 Detroit Pistons 50/1 Indiana Pacers 66/1 Odds to win the Western Conference Golden State Warriors 1/2 San Antonio Spurs 9/4 Oklahoma City Thunder 8/1 Los Angeles Clippers 16/1 Portland Trail Blazers 75/1 Dallas Mavericks 125/1 Houston Rockets 125/1 Memphis Grizzlies 200/1...
The true breaking point around the NBA comes just about now. The Celtics, Mavs and Timberwolves have played the most games in the league, at 43, while the Sixers have played the fewest at 38. Nine of the league’s 30 teams have played exactly 41 games. NBA DRAFT 2018: Who tops SN’s latest prospect rankings? So we’re calling this the NBA’s midpoint, and a fine time to size up what we’ve seen so far, as well as to look ahead to the biggest question teams are facing in the second half....
It has been seven years since Westbrook and Harden wore the same uniform, a series-deciding Game 5 loss to the Heat in the NBA Finals when the duo each scored 19 points. Harden’s contribution came from the bench — as it often did that season — and he soon moved to Houston to become the main man, a distinction he will be expected to keep despite Westbrook’s arrival this offseason....
As Trail Blazers TV analyst Lamar Hurd said during the broadcast, “Not this year.” That no-call served as the perfect example of foul-hunting that the NBA is hoping to eliminate. The league changed its rules ahead of the 2021-22 season in order to discourage offensive players from making “overt, abrupt or abnormal non-basketball moves.” Essentially, NBA referees will no longer reward offensive players who launch themselves into defenders. But how will they know when to blow the whistle?...
The Brooklyn Nets currently have 13 guaranteed spots. With a potential trade or buyout situation lining up for De’Andre Jordan, the Nets might have a few more roster spots open up. NBA Rumors: How does Stanley Johnson help the Brooklyn Nets lineup? Stanley Johnson played 61 games last season with the Toronto Raptors. Coming off the bench, in 16.5 minutes of game time he averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 assists and 2....
The NBA has released its schedule for the first three days of the 2020-21 season. Opening Night features Kevin Durant going up against his former team and a battle for Los Angeles between the Clippers and reigning champion Lakers. There will be five games spread out across Christmas Day for maximum basketball consumption, so make sure you get some sleep the night before. MORE: NBA’s Zion Williamson obsession draws critics over Christmas Day game...
We wanted to know what could be taken away from the most valuable players out there this summer, the top picks from June’s draft. While the caveat of Summer League is always one of caution — it’s a small sample size, only vaguely resembles NBA-caliber basketball and shooting percentages will be decidedly low — we checked in with an NBA assistant coach and a scout for what they saw from this year’s Top 10 picks....
The NBA annual summer extravaganza, which will feature all 30 franchises plus the Croatian and Chinese national teams, gets underway on Friday in its traditional home in Nevada, and there are plenty of story lines worthy of attention. Chief among them is that Zion Williamson will make his debut in a New Orleans Pelicans jersey just two weeks after being selected with the number one overall pick. RJ Barrett, the third overall pick and Williamson’s former teammate at Duke, will come up against the number one overall pick on Friday night when the New York Knicks take on the Pelicans....
Williamson’s debut was cut short when the rookie did not play in the second half after taking knee-to-knee contact, according to the team. An ESPN report noted the Pelicans “do not expect it to be a lingering issue.” But there was still plenty for fans, admirers and #NBATwitter to talk about. First, there was Williamson’s appearance. Then came reactions to his impressive plays including a steal from Kevin Knox that led to one of his trademark dunks....
In return, Philadelphia will send something of a complicated package of two selections. The first pick going to Boston is the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. The second, according to Derek Bodner, will be one of either the 2018 Lakers first-round pick, or the 2019 Kings first-round pick. If the Lakers pick falls between No. 2 and No. 5, the pick will transfer to the Celtics. If it is either the No....
The Knicks had the Wisconsin big man in for dinner and a workout late last week and came away impressed. While there has been speculation that the Knicks would like to trade down in order to take Kaminsky, they haven’t found a willing partner for a deal. MORE: Greatest NBA Draft Ever? You decide | T.J. Ford’s rise, fall(s) and rise again Kaminsky would not have gone to New York unless the interest from the Knicks was real....
It’s worth mentioning that, every year, we have a more complete picture of the way players measure prior to the combine. Due to the proliferation of youth events such as Nike Basketball Academy and Nike Hoop Summit — as well as the carefully curated database meticulously kept by DraftExpress — a wide majority of the players attending the combine have publicly available measurements. VECENIE: Latest NBA Draft prospect rankings...
The prospects will participate in interviews with NBA teams and five-on-five games, plus shooting, strength and agility drills and measurement testing. NBA MOCK DRAFT: Who will Magic select with No. 1 pick? Who holds the records for the highest vertical leap and longest wingspan in NBA Draft Combine history? Check out the full lists below: NBA Draft Combine: Highest vertical leap Last year, Trail Blazers guard Keon Johnson, who was selected with the No....
Before diving into the rankings, here are a couple of principles that shape my board. First, it’s fit agnostic. Fit is obviously something that matters when it comes to an individual team’s board. Phoenix is more likely to select Ja Morant than Cleveland is thanks to the presence of Collin Sexton. It’s simply impossible to take into account fit as a factor in this type of exercise. It’s also likely that where a player ends up will shape what he becomes and force a re-evaluation on these rankings....
The Timberwolves’ first prize in the 2020 draft lottery is basically a $160 pot, depending on whether Grandpa Joe pays on time. The drafts of 2013, 2006, 2001 and 1989 will, in the coming years, have some serious competition on the list of all-time worst vintages for pro basketball prospects. It will take an extraordinary scouting team to find the rare jewels available to be selected on Oct. 16 as part of the NBA Draft class of 2020....
Nevertheless, just months later, Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers he has since struggled to find a permanent home. Injuries have also taken their toll on Thomas, as the 30-year-old has played less than 50 times since leaving Boston. Despite only recently returning to full-fitness, Thomas has already been pulled from the Nugget’s rotation, and he looks likely to exit the team this summer. As it stands, Thomas’ future prospects in the NBA don’t look bright, although here we will look at three reasons why Boston should offer the point guard a lifeline....
The King eventually chose to move to the Lakers for the next chapter in his life, while the likes of PG-13, CP3 and the Slim Reaper stayed on with the Thunder, the Rockets and the Warriors respectively on max deals. However, KD’s ability to take a $5 million haircut on his wages annually allowed the Warriors to sign Cousins to the taxpayers’ mid-level exception of $5.3 million following other teams’ aversion to handling the injured superstar a max contract of his desired length....
That means the free agent market is shrinking every day. General managers looking to fill out their rosters need to move quickly. NBA FREE AGENCY 2019: Follow SN’s live rumors tracker Which free agents are still on the board? Here’s a breakdown of the top players at each position searching for landing spots. NBA free agency: Available point guards NBA free agency: Available shooting guards NBA free agency: Available forwards NBA free agency: Available centers
NBA Free Agency 2020: Christian Wood a suitable option at center for New Orleans Pelicans The Athletic’s Danny Leroux mentioned Christian Wood as a potential NBA free agency target for the New Orleans Pelicans while suggesting moves that they should consider. Leroux explained: NBA Free Agency 2020: Examining Christian Wood’s fit with New Orleans Pelicans A move for Christian Wood makes sense for several reasons. He may have played as power forward initially, but Wood really shined for the Detroit Pistons after moving to the center spot following Andre Drummond’s departure....
