Category: Basketball

NBA Announces Bucks-Hawks Set to Play 2 Games in Abu Dubai Next Year

The NBA announced on Tuesday that the Bucks and Hawks will play two preseason games in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 6 and Oct. 8. The two games will be the first time the League hosts games in the United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Gulf.

The exhibition has been billed as The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022.

The Abu Dhabi games are months in the making, with the deputy commisioner Mark Tatum and NBA announcing last November that it signed a deal with the Department of Culture and Tourism that guranteed the League would play two preseason games to mark the Associations first trip to the Arabian Gulf.

Another part of the deal is laucnhing a youth basketball league, the Jr. NBA Abu Dhani League, for up to 450 boys and girls from schools Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi is a vibrant multicultural hub with a demonstrated track record of hosting world-class sporting events,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said at the time.

The NBA has confirmed plans for the Warriors and Wizards to play games in Saitama, Japan for preseason games on Sept. 30 and Oct. 2. The slate of games will be the first games for the NBA outside of North America since Jan. 24, 2020 when Milwaukee and Charlotte met in Paris for a regular-season game about six weeks before the global pandemic started.

The NBA also held events in India, Japan, and China, in addition to another regular-season contest in Mexico City. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA Global Games had be paused temporarily. The series gave fans in international markets a chance to see what goes on in the League on a nightly basis.

The last time the NBA traveled overseas for preseason contests was October 2019, when Sacramento and Indiana played twice in Mumbai, Houston and Toronto played twice in Saitama and the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn played a pair of games in China.

Teams going overseas for preseason games are typically allowed to open training camp a few days before the rest of the League with most teams expecting to start camp on Sept. 26. That means opening night should be on Oct. 18 assuming the League’s calender stays as per usual.



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Klay Thompson On Fans Booing Dillon Brooks: ‘They Will Let You Hear It’

Klay Thompson was candid with his response to a question about Warriors fans booing Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks during Game 4.

Brooks has been caught in the fire after his Flagrant 2 foul resulted in fan-favorite Gary Payton II suffering a fractured elbow that will keep him out of action for three weeks. Since then, he’s gone on public record stating he would “take the play back if he could” while also responding to Steve Kerrs comments that he “broke the code” when his hard foul led to a player being injured.

In his first game back since being suspended for the Flagrant 2, Brooks shot 5/19 from the floor during the Grizzlies’ 101-98 loss to the Warriors. The Warriors fans serenaded him with boos and jeers every time Brooks touched the ball.

During his postgame press conference, Thompson reveled in the energy and showed love to the Warriors fanbase.

“I mean, our fans are passionate. They will let you hear it if you have wronged them. So, good job Dub Nation,” Thompson said when asked about the reception Brooks received from the Warriors’ fanbase , per Sports Illustrated.

The Warriors and their fans have until Wednesday to enjoy the win and Brooks’ tough performance. With the Warriors just one game away from playing in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2019, Game 5 will be one to remember.



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‘Nobody Said It’s Going to Be Easy’

A 34-point and 18 rebounds performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t enough to overcome the Celtics and the sublime scoring of Al Horford and Jayson Tatum, who combined to score 60 points off eight three-pointers.

The Celtics-Bucks are quickly becoming a fun and intense series as the two Eastern Conference foes share stare-downs and plenty of trash talk during a semifinal playoff series that’s been lauded for its physicality.

Game 4 left its rugged signature with a couple of plays, one each from The Greek Freak and Horford. Antetokounmpo’s third-quarter poster woke Horford up and set the tone for a momentum-shifting second half for the C’s, poking the proverbial bear into posting a vintage performance that forced the semifinal series into a 2-2 tie.

Horford got his revenge on the two-time MVP, yamming one hammer so viciously that Horford was given a technical foul after accidentally elbowing Antetokounmpo in the face as he celebrated from sideline to sideline. The big-time play was the impetus to the Celtics going on a 10-0 that helped them outscore the Bucks 68-54 and led to the two-time national champ outscoring Antetokoumpo 19-17.

“Nobody said it’s going to be easy,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about how the series feels like on both ends of the floor. “At the end of the day, we know what the deal is now. We gotta go to Boston. We gotta play good basketball.”

“But now with how (my) body feels and what we feel in our mind and all that — who really cares. Nobody really cares; we know what the deal is; we gotta keep going there. Boston plays good basketball, play together, have fun, enjoy the game.”

Heading into a pivotal Game 5 back in Beantown, Milwaukee and Boston will be looking to make some adjustments that will give them an edge. In a series as competitive and entertaining as this series, just the slightest mistake could be the difference between going home or playing the Eastern Conference finals against the winner of the Miami-Philadelphia semifinal.



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Al Horford On His Vintage Performance: ‘Something Switched With Me’

Al Horford turned back the clock on Monday to help guide the Celtics to a 116-108 win over the Bucks to tie the Boston-Milwaukee series up at two games apiece heading.

The former Florida Gator poured in 30 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, along with guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 points, 18 rebounds, five assists). Jayson Tatum (30 points, 13 rebounds, five assists) matched Horford’s offensive output. Horford’s herculean effort seemed to begin after Antekounmpo stared him down after putting him on a poster, activating a mode that even Horford’s sister, Anna recognized instantly.

“I don’t really know what he said to me, but the way he was looking at me and the way he was going about it really didn’t sit well with me,” Horford said per ESPN. “At that point, I think just something switched with me in the game.”

Boston relied on their drive and kick game to wear out the Bucks as they forced Milwaukee to scramble on defense while they chased Boston’s shooters around the perimeter. For the night, the Bucks knocked down 14-37 three-pointers, with Horford and Tatum combining to hit eight of them. Horford also made sure he got his get-back against Antetkounmpo, throwing down a hammer on The Greek Freak early in the fourth quarter.

“We all understood the importance of this game,” Horford said. “We felt at the end of Game 3 we were in position to win the game, and we didn’t. I was just really locked in. I understood the moment, what we needed to do as a group. I really just did whatever it took tonight. It was one of those type of nights.

Both Boston and Milwaukee will be making their adjustments heading into a pivotal Game 5, shifting back to Milwaukee on Wednesday. The series has undoubtedly lived up to and might have exceeded expectations, and after this intense series is over, a new Eastern Conference rivalry has been born.



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James Wiseman Explains Mindset Amid Rehabbing Process

Golden State Warriors Center and former second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman, recently explained his mindset while rehabbing from a meniscus tear that has kept him out all year:

“I just stay strong, of course, like I have some hard times — just me being a competitor like I want to obviously be out there playing with my teammates. Just keeping an even-keeled head, just making sure I reassure myself that I’m young, I’m 21-years-old, so I got a long career ahead of me. So, like it’s really just taking it one day at a time, just keep working. That’s really it.”

Wiseman was attempting to suit up for the Warriors back in March after a three-game stint with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League; however, the franchise decided to shut him down to protect his long-term outlook. Coach Steve Kerr said it was a ‘very simple’ decision, adding that they are protecting Wiseman’s future.

Wiseman averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field last year in his rookie season. He will be watching his squad take on the Memphis Grizzlies Monday night for Game 4, currently up 2-1 in the series.



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Celtics Announce Robert Williams (Knee Soreness) is Out

Robert Williams III will reportedly miss Game 5 due to knee soreness, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN.

Williams has already missed two playoff games while recovering from midseason knee surgery.

Time Lord averages 6.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during Boston’s ’22 playoff run. Those numbers are slightly down from the 10.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game he averaged during the regular season.

The Celtics-Bucks series is tied up (2-2) going into Game 5.



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Jimmy Butler Says the Heat Need to ‘Get Back to Being a Defensive-Minded Team’

After dropping two-straight to the 76ers on the road, Jimmy Butler says the Heat need to focus on getting back to what got them here in the first place, valuing being a defense-first team.

“A lot of it comes to us making shots,” Butler said. “We make shots; we tend to play defense. When we don’t, we don’t. We’ve got to get back to being a defensive-minded team, and then our offense comes to us second.”

While his 40 points, six assists, two steals, and two blocks helped keep Miami alive, James Harden carved up their defense late with a 16-point fourth-quarter performance that stripped away any hope of getting a stop.

As a team that averaged 110 points per game in the regular season, putting up just 79 points in their Game 3 loss to Philly was a shock for a team that’s capitalized on turning turnovers and defensive pressure into offense all season long.

“I think every shot that we shoot, we think is going in. And we’re going to take the same shots next game, and they’re gonna fall because that’s the way we’ve been playing all year long,” Butler said.

The Heat will face off against the 76ers at home for Game 5 on Tuesday before traveling back to Philly for Game 6 on Thursday.



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James Harden Snaps Streak of 15 Games with Fewer Than 25 Points (31)

James Harden was back to his bucket-getting self in the 76er’s Game 4 win over the Miami Heat 116-108, dropping 31 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds while shooting 6-for-10 from three. Before catching fire, Harden hadn’t eclipsed more than 25 points in his last 15 games, his longest streak since the 2011-12 season.

The eight-time All-Star’s 16-point fourth quarter propelled the Sixers to a tied series in which he’s averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.2 dimes per game. His 31-point performance marked his 45th playoff game with 30+ points, becoming just the 12th player in the League’s history to record that many games.

With Joel Embiid making steady progress back out on the court since Game 3, the Sixers will be riding their momentum into Game Five in Miami on Tuesday.



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Dillon Brooks Addresses Steve Kerr: ‘I Don’t Even Know What That Means”

Dillon Brooks has responded to the Warriors and Coach Steve Kerr’s comments claiming that he “broke the code” after his Flagrant 2 foul on Gary Payton II resulted in the Warriors guard fracturing his left elbow, an injury that will reportedly keep him out for three weeks.

“I don’t even know what that means in the playoffs. I did not even understand what he meant by that,” Brooks said.

The 26-year-old later followed up by saying he would “take the playback if he could.”

Brooks will be back in the Grizzlies lineup for Game 4 against the Warriors, while Ja Morant remains doubtful to play while he deals with some knee soreness that he experienced in Game 3.

The Grizzlies look to tie the series up 2-2 on Monday.



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REPORT: WNBA Commissioner Looking to Add Two Expansion Teams

The weeks leading up to the 2021-22 WNBA season were filled with shocking roster moves as 12 teams made their cuts down to 144 players as former high-profile draft picks were waived due to the league’s current cap structure.

Per the Seattle Times, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert plans to address the increasing number of talented players vying for rosters each May by adding two expansion teams over the next few years.

“I don’t think it’s about rosters per team,” Engelbert said. “It’s about more opportunities to play for more players to play.”

Over the past few weeks, the stars of the W have been sharing their thoughts and ideas on how the League can adapt to the growing pool of talent. Amidst the roster shuffling last week, Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart shared her perspective on the obstacle that the hard cap creates for front offices across the league, suggesting teams keep rookie contract players on the roster by way of being a practice player.

Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike mirrored Stewart’s ideas of exploration while expressing her concerns surrounding the roster moves. The two-time All-Star suggested the W implement a developmental league similar to the NBA’s G League.

“In no circumstance should we have a league when high draft picks aren’t on a roster,” Ogwumike said.

In the background, cities and investors have been plotting and strategizing for the opportunity to cast a bid like four-time All-Star Alana Beard, who’s leading the city of Oakland’s bid for expansion.



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