Category: Basketball

When the Dallas Mavericks start their second-round series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, they will be taking on the tough task of not only having to guard Chris Paul and Devin Booker but the challenge of finding a way to stop a versatile big man in Deandre Ayton.

In the first round against the Pelicans, Ayton averaged 20.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 70.0 percent shooting from the field. A good jump from his regular season when he posted 17.2 points and 10.2 boards per game.

As the Mavericks-Suns series rolls, Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd’s use of small-ball lineups might not be as valuable against Ayton, who is athletic enough to keep up with shooters like Maxi Kleber when Kidd deploys him as small-ball 5. The Suns also have lengthy and versatile defenders like Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Cam Johnson, who can chase the Mavericks’ marksman

“We have to adapt,” Kidd said per Sports Illustrated. “Our game plan against Utah is not going to work against the Suns. We’ve already changed that mindset because we’re not playing the Jazz.

Ayton will be tasked with taking advantage of the Mavs whenever he’s in a pick-and-roll situation with CP3, rim-running in transition, and bullying his matchup when he’s given the rock in the low post. Ayton is also a threat to score from deep, sinking 50 percent of his four three-point attempts so far in the playoffs.

“We understand their strength is midrange, but they hurt you with the 3 in transition, and they can hurt you in the paint with JaVale and Ayton. This isn’t Gobert or Whiteside. These guys can put the ball in the basket. So, our bigs are going to be tested.”

First-year point guard Jalen Suggs underwent medical surgery in order to fix a slight stress fracture in his right ankle, the Orlando Magic announced on Monday.

Per Magic, Suggs is expected to heal up, resume his basketball activities this offseason and fully rejoin the team in training camp for the 2022-2023 campaign.

Suggs, 20, was chosen as the fifth overall pick of last year’s draft out of Gonzaga University. With the rebuilding Orlando, he recorded a 48-game average of 11.8 points, 4.4 assists, 3.6 boards, 1.2 steals and 45 percent true shooting % in 27.2 minutes of play.

For the last two years Steph Curry was without playoff basketball. This year he is back in familiar territory and he enjoys himself.

Over the six playoff games so far the three-time NBA champion is averaging 27.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 31.2 minutes per game.

“I just missed everything about this, the atmosphere… the opportunity to play meaningful games that require everything,” Curry said after Game 1 win over the Grizzlies.

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Dean Wade continues to make some good progress in his road to full recovery. 

Per Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the big man has finally returned to doing on-court activities following a meniscus surgery. 

Wade suffered from a right knee meniscus tear in March and was ruled out for the rest of the 2021-2022 campaign. Via 51 games, he had an average of 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 19.2 minutes of action. 

Wade’s absence served as a huge blow on the Cavs’ frontcourt slate in late season, coming up short in advancing to the playoffs after failing to capitalize their two Play-in opportunities to secure a slot. 

The Cavs do have a $1.91 million team option on Wade for the next season. 

Ime Udoka didn’t like what he saw from his players in Game 1 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks (101-89). The head coach of the Boston Celtics opened up about what his team should change ahead of Game 2.

“The adjustment is obviously playing against their physicality,” Udoka told media afterwards. The Celtics scored just 89 points in the contest and had a poor shooting percentage from the field (33.3%, 28/84).

Boston now trails series 1-0 and will aim to even it in Game 2 on Tuesday. The series will then move to Milwaukee for Games 3 and 4.

The Golden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green, who was ejected in Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies after a questionable call, responds to his ejection: “I think tonight was probably a reputation thing.”

The Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in a Bucks 101-89 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Jrue Holiday posted 25 points and 10 rebounds and Bobby Portis added 15 points and 11 boards for the Bucks.

During the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo threw the ball off his own backboard and then threw it down for a huge dunk on a self alley-oop. After the game, Giannis spoke about his dunk vs. the Celtics:

The Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in a Bucks 101-89 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Jrue Holiday posted 25 points and 10 rebounds and Bobby Portis added 15 points and 11 boards for the Bucks.

On the other hand, Jayson Tatum scored 21 and Jaylen Brown had 12 points, but the two Boston stars combined to shoot 10 for 31 in the game. Al Horford added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics.

Following the game, the Celtics star Jayson Tatum talked about his fellow teammate Jaylen Brown’s rough night: “Nobody should hang their heads down. We in this together, all that matters is if you win or lose.”

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid won’t travel for Games 1 and 2 in Miami, but there’s optimism he could return as soon as either Game 3 or 4 in Philadelphia.

Embiid, who suffered a right orbital fracture and mild concussion in the team’s 132-97 series-clinching Game 6 win over the Raptors on Thursday night, needs to clear concussion protocols and see a doctor mid-week on his orbital fracture.

Philadelphia will face Miami in the second round, with Game 1 Monday night in South Florida. The top-seeded Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games.

LeBron James is getting a ton of blame for the Los Angeles Lakers’ failures this season, but forward Kent Bazemore is coming to his teammate’s defense … telling TMZ Sports LeBron did everything he could to help the Lakers win.

Bazemore was also asked if there’s still some appeal for him to return to the team, and he said there “for sure” is.

“What I’ll say is nothing ain’t much better than being a Laker, right?” Bazemore said. “So, getting to see Kob numbers on the wall every day I went to practice was good inspiration for me. … There’s nothing like it, man.”

This season, Bazemore played in 39 games and averaged merely 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 32.4 percent from the floor.