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Despite the lackluster effort on the Cavs’ home floor Sunday afternoon, James insists that there is no time for panic. “I’m down 0-1 in the first round. I was down 3-1 in the Finals,” James said after the game. “I’m the last guy to ask about how you’re going to feel the next couple of days.” While Cleveland’s defense has been the glaring issue heading into the playoffs, the Cavs couldn’t seem to get going offensively either....

The Warriors topped the Trail Blazers 116-94 at Oracle Arena in the Western Conference finals Tuesday to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Here are three takeaways from Golden State’s strong start to the third round: Portland’s stars were duds Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum both need to show up to make this series competitive, but they were both cold in Game 1. The two combined to score 36 points on 11-of-31 shooting....

With Saturday’s 101-96 victory in Denver as San Antonio made its 22nd straight postseason appearance, the Spurs coach won his 1,413th game between the regular season and playoffs to become the winningest coach in NBA history. The win moved Popovich past Lenny Wilkens, who is in the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach. Don Nelson rounded out the top three with 1,410 victories, while Phil Jackson (1,384) and Pat Riley (1,381) rank fourth and fifth, respectively....

The time for unfettered optimism, wishful thinking, and daydreams that end with confetti falling and championship parades. “This is the year,” you tell yourself. Surely, everything will fall into place. Every free agent signing. Every draft pick. Every extension. Every coaching change. Everything! And so that’s the mentality Sporting News takes into the first weekly power rankings of the 2021-22 season. We’re putting on homer glasses with rosy shades for all 30 teams to spell out the best-case scenario, within reason — if not a little far-fetched!...

The San Antonio Spurs are potentially looking at a roster overhaul in the upcoming offseason and could have nearly $50 million in cap space. This makes them a viable landing spot for Kelly Oubre, who reportedly wants $20 million in annual salaries. Hence, it’s not surprising that the Spurs are in the race to sign Oubre. But it’s not just the Spurs organization that’s interested in the prospect of Kelly Oubre moving to San Antonio....

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA season has been suspended, giving many players extra free time while staying at home. Some players have decided to take their talents to streaming services like Twitch or Mixer. Shooting guard for the New Orleans Pelicans, Josh Hart, has been streaming a fair amount of Call of Duty on his Twitch channel, JHartShow. During one of his streams, Hart was unhappy with a play and responded with some destruction....

The LA Lakers, on the other hand, might not even be able to hand out new contracts considering the whirlwind of an offseason that they are having. They do have Joel Ayayi and Mac McClung, who are prospects to watch out for, with Austin Reaves also making a strong impression in the games so far. Match Details Fixture: New York Knicks vs LA Lakers | MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2021....

I was inspired to write this idea after the Kawhi for DeRozan trade. Both of them are note-worthy players from these two draft classes respectively. In my piece, it will be a comparison of these two classes based off of total number of All-Star appearances, total number of awards, and finally total number of championships. Looking back on any NBA player, these are usually the three categories we use to compare or rate players on the all-time list....

Four current players, three former players (two also performing duties in the front office), three head coaches, two general managers, one team co-owner and one legendary broadcaster will be in attendance in the hopes that their envelope is opened last. Wait, should we rank all 14 representatives based on no specific criteria at all? Yes, let’s do this. VECENIE: Latest NBA Draft prospect rankings Here’s our complete list, starting with the obvious top choice....

The 29-year-old Warriors forward told The Athletic earlier this month he thought he was the best defender ever. Green elaborated on that comment Wednesday during NBA Finals media day. “I think as a competitor, if you’re trying to do something meaningful, if you don’t have the mindset that you’re the best ever, you failed already,” Green told reporters. “That’s been my mindset since I can remember. That will be my mindset as long as I can remember anything — that I am the best ever at what I do....

With the remaining free agents, teams (contenders or rebuilding) can fill voids in their roster while they prepare for next season. Teams can pick up solid pieces and make their teams better. There are a few veterans that can come in and help a team succeed. Here are five high-impact veterans still available for the 2019-20 season. #5 J.R. Smith While some fans may remember J.R. Smith for his 2018 Finals blunder, he is a solid player....

This year’s “Big Three” — Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — is unlikely to all team up like the 2010 trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but the 2019 class might be the best since that historic group from nine years ago. Beyond those three, the likes of Kemba Walker and Jimmy Butler — arguably the NBA’s top free agent whose name doesn’t start with a K — also figure to make a big impact wherever they land....

ESPN reported it’s a one-year deal worth $4.8 million. Holiday, 30, already has someone to bond with on the team – his younger brother, Aaron, the Pacers’ point guard and a first-round pick last year. Older brother Jrue plays with the Pelicans. According to the Indianapolis Star, the 6-6 Holiday “had been of particular interest to the Pacers” when free agency opened. He’s a good wing defender who averaged 10....

There are “rumblings” Los Angeles would like to sign the 27-year-old to a deal this summer, according to a report from The Athletic, which cites unidentified league sources. But the big man hopes to remain with the Jazz and is grateful for his 8 1/2 seasons in Utah. “My journey has been amazing,” Favors said. “I’ve been through a lot. I’ve been through trade rumors and a step back in role....

Each of the 22 teams that were invited to resume the NBA season after four-plus months away from the court is scheduled to play eight seeding games before the playoffs begin in mid-August. That means the NBA had to pack up to six games per day over the span of a couple weeks — a beautiful sight for basketball fans. MORE: Watch select NBA games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)...

Nevertheless, many NBA teams are facing a tough schedule between now and April, and due to this, the prospect of injuries has increased. So, as NBA teams look to make a final push to make the 2019 playoffs, here are the latest injury updates regarding the NBA’s top stars. Aron Baynes - Left Foot Contusion - 2-3 Weeks Just weeks after returning from a left-hand injury that kept him out for nearly two months, Aron Baynes sustained an injury to his left foot....

Each of their three previous No. 1 selections ended up having an immediate impact on the fortunes of their franchise. First, Shaquille O’Neal in 1992. Then, lightning hit twice when they received the No. 1 overall pick in 1993 and selected Chris Webber, trading him straight away to Golden State for Anfernee Hardaway and picks. Finally, they selected the second greatest center in franchise history, Dwight Howard, in 2004....

Batum is nowhere near his prime and has, in fact, endured a tough couple of seasons with the Charlotte Hornets before getting waived last week. However, we’ve seen several players benefiting immensely from a change of scenery and that could be the case for the Frenchman as well. On paper, he’ll offer three-point shooting, defense, and positional versatility to the LA Clippers. NBA News Roundup: LA Clippers re-sign point guard Reggie Jackson As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the LA Clippers have re-signed backup point guard Reggie Jackson to a one-year deal....

We have already seen some blockbuster trades this summer, and the likes of Kevin Love, Steven Adams, and Bradley Beal are among the players that could still move ahead of the new season. So, with the potential for plenty to happen in the coming weeks, here is all the latest news and rumors you need to know for September 23rd. #1 Chris Paul appears determined to succeed in Oklahoma City Following two seasons with the Houston Rockets, Chris Paul was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the blockbuster trade for Paul George earlier this summer....

Spencer Dinwiddie has often found himself in rumored trades that send him out of the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a player more suited to win the franchise the 2020-21 NBA championship. He is also one of the most active NBA players on Twitter as he can always be found sharing his thoughts with his fans about various things happening around the globe. On this particular issue, he wasn’t too happy to say the very least!...