Category: Basketball

Jason Kidd On Luka’s Availability: ‘We’ll See How He Feels at Game Time’

Editor’s Note: According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Luka Dončić will miss Game 3 due to the calf strain he suffered in the Mavericks’ regular-season finale.

The Dallas faithful might have something to look forward to watching Thursday, and it’s not just Game 3 against the Utah Jazz. Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd said star Luka Dončić might be a game time decision, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that there’s ‘pessimism’ surrounding the possibility that Dončić ends up playing tonight. He was officially listed as ‘Questionable’ on the offical injury report after the Mavs said he was ‘Doubtful’ for the first two games due to a left calf strain. Dončić sustained this left calf strain against the San Antonio Spurs in the season finale.

Dallas will be playing in Vivint Arena in Utah for the first time in this series, an arena they went winless in the regular season, going 0-2. The Mavericks will hope that Luka will be able to suit up to try and win their first game in Vivint Arena this season, putting them up 2-1 on the Jazz. Tip-off is set for 9 PM EST.



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Kyrie Irving on Celtics Rekindled Success: ‘The Timing is Right’

Following a 107-114 defeat to the Celtics, Nets star Kyrie Irving shared his thoughts on Boston’s success this season:

“I’m not surprised at all. I think the timing is right. Their window is now for these young guys that are on this team that have matured. They’ve been through series together, they’ve been through seasons together, they’ve been through battles together, and I got a chance to experience some of that.”

Irving also praised the ‘difference’ he sees in the Celtics this year, primarily due to Coach Ime Udoka.

“But you’re just seeing there’s a difference in their verve, there’s a difference in the way they approach the game, and also they have a set offense and defense that they rely on — Ime has been a huge part of that,” Irving said.

Irving also credited longtime Celtics head coach turned executive Brad Stevens, calling him the man in the ‘President’s role’ that ‘has a lot to do with it.’

The Celtics are currently up 2-0 on Irving and the Nets, with the two squads set to clash for Game 3 in Barclays Center on Saturday.



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REPORT: Devin Booker Could Miss 2-3 Weeks Due to Hamstring Strain

Devin Booker will reportedly miss up to two or three weeks due to the Grade 1 hamstring strain he suffered during the third quarter of Game 2 against the Pelicans.

Booker exited late in the third frame after seemingly tweaking his right hamstring as he attempted to track down Jaxson Hayes in transition. D-Book scored 31 points in the first half of the Suns’ eventual 125-114 loss to the Pelicans, leaving the game without adding to that total.

Booker missed seven games in November after suffering a similar injury but on his left leg. The Suns are 8-6 in games that Booker has missed this season.

Heading into Game 3 in New Orleans, the Suns-Pelicans series is tied up at 1-1.



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Ben Simmons Set to Make Season Debut When He Plays Game 4

Ben Simmons is reportedly set to make his season debut on Monday when the Nets take on the Celtics for Game 4 in Brooklyn as long as his rehab remains on course, per Shams Charania.

Simmons hadn’t played since June 2021, when the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The LSU product hasn’t played due to a holdout with Sixers management, a battle with mental health, and a lower back injury he’s been dealing with since being traded from Philly at the trade deadline.

The good news follows reports that Simmons was cleared for contact after playing some 4-on-4 drills on Monday, which led to further reports that he was targeting Games 3 or 4 for his return to the Nets’ lineup.

When Simmons last played, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game during the 2020-21 campaign.



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Joel Embiid Sinks Raptors With Overtime Game-Winner

Joel Embiid has brought the Philadelphia 76ers to the brink of a second-round series appearance against the winner of the Miami-Atlanta first-round series after sinking the Toronto Raptors, 104-101, with a game-winning three in overtime.

Embiid’s dagger not only gave the Kansas alum his first career game-winner but it also gave the Sixers a commanding 3-0 lead over Toronto. The jobs not finished yet but with no team in League history ever coming back from a 3-0 deficit, it’s as close to being finished as you can get.

“That’s the best [shot of my career], but the job is not done,” Embiid said per CBS Sports. “We got one more, so we have to come back here in two days and try to beat them again.” 

The loss has to be incredibly deflating for a Raptors team that gave the Sixers as much trouble as possible. Their sense of urgency and intensity was evident as they built a 10-point going into halftime. However, when the best player on the court is wearing different colors, no lead is safe, especially in the NBA. Embiid showed precisely why he’s an MVP front-runner after scoring 18-points in the third quarter, bringing the Sixers to within one going into the final frame.

By the way, the 76ers never lead until overtime, which has to be even more challenging for Toronto to accept.

Embiid scored a game-high 33 points and added 13 rebounds, while James Harden and Tyrese Maxey scored 19 apiece. Harden added 10 assists as well. The Sixer’s balanced attack was punctuated by Tobias Harris’ 11 points, 12 rebound double-double.



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Mavericks List Luka Dončić As Questionable Ahead of Game 3 Against Utah

The Dallas Mavericks listed Luka Dončić as questionable ahead of Game 3 of their first-round series against the Utah Jazz.

Dončić missed the first two games of the series due to a calf injury he suffered during the Mavericks’ regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs. Although the Mavericks lost Game 1, 99-93, Jalen Brunson exploded for a career-high 41 points, and the Mavs knocked down a franchise-record 22 triples to take Game 2, 130-120, and in the process tied the series up 1-1.

With the series shifting to Utah for the next two games, the series’ momentum will go to whoever takes home-court advantage during Game 3. The news of Dončić possibly playing Game 3 on Wednesday bodes well for the Mavericks.

Dončić averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game this season. Dončić finished his last playoff run putting up 35.7 points, 7.9 boards, and 10.3 dimes.



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REPORT: Devin Booker ‘Unlikely’ to Play Games 3 and 4 Due to Injury

Devin Booker is reportedly ‘unlikely’ to play Games 3 and 4 of the Suns-Pelicans series due to the hamstring strain he suffered in Game 2.

According to League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Suns believe Booker’s injury is mild. The franchise won’t be ruling out their leading scorer for the remainder of their first-round series.

Booker dropped 31 points in one half on Tuesday before straining his hamstring, tracking down Jaxson Hayes in transition. The Suns lost 125-114 as the Pelicans stormed back to tie the series up 1-1 before the series shifted to New Orleans for the next two games.



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REPORT: Game 4 Return Set As ‘Realistic Target’ For Ben Simmons’ Return

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Game 4 of the Nets-Celtics first-round series has been set as Ben Simmons’ “realistic target” for returning to an NBA court.

If Simmons does indeed play next Monday, it will also be Simmons’ Nets debut and first game since the Philadephia 76ers Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in last year’s semifinals.

Simmons hasn’t played due to a holdout he had with Sixers management, a battle with mental health, and a lower back injury he’s been dealing with since being traded from Philly at the trade deadline. The announcement of Simmon’s impending return follows the news that he was cleared for contact after playing some 4-on-4 drills on Monday



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‘Different’ Jimmy Butler Drops 45 to Lead Miami to 115-105 Win

Jimmy Butler’s game has come a long way since he led the Heat to the 2020 NBA Finals against the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers. The image of him dead tired and leaning over a baseline barricade will perhaps be the signature image of Butler’s career whenever he decides to hang it up and call it a career.

Last season, the Heat could not recreate that magic from their Orlando Bubble and fell to the eventual champion Miluwake Bucks in a first-round sweep. The playoff failure led to the Miami office bringing in Kyle Lowry to relieve Butler of playmaking duties. That change led to the Heat earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after going 53-29 in the regular season.

Since he doesn’t have to be as ball-dominant as he was during the bubble, Butler has been able to focus more on getting buckets, which led to Butler being able to score 45 points in a 115-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks to grab a 2-0 lead as the first-round series shifts to Atlanta. A personal 7-0 run punctuated the primetime performance in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to increase Miami’s lead from three to 10 to cement the Heat’s win.

“I am a different player now than I was then,” Butler said per ESPN. “I just always want to play basketball the right way and do whatever it takes to help this team, this organization, win. That’s why they brought me here.”

Butler’s big-time outing arrived on the strength of some hot shooting. Butler finished the game shooting 15-25 from the field, 11-12 from the free-throw line, and hit 4-7 three-pointers as well. During the regular season, Butler shot 23.3 percent on triples; Jimmy G. Buckets is a career 32.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Erik Spoelstra, head coach of Miami, said that Butler’s shooting from outside reminded him of the exploits of franchise legends Dwyane Wade. Wade, James, and Butler are the only Heat players to finish a playoff game with 40-points three times.

“It actually is a good comparison because if you get in those pressure moments and the moments of truth, if you’re on the other side, would you ever want to just give Dwyane Wade an open 3? You would not,” Spoelstra said. “Because he’s a killer. He’s going to seize that moment. And Jimmy has a lot of those same qualities. You can say whatever the percentage is — throw those all out when it becomes about winning. He’ll find a way to kill you.”

The Heat-Hawks first-round series resumes on Friday in Atlanta.



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Warriors & Suns most expensive, Celtics-Nets on the rise

On the secondary market, the most expensive teams for the 2022 NBA playoffs are the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. The Warriors’ home secondary market average list price for the 1st round is $956, while the Suns’ average is $676. The Boston Celtics ($646), Brooklyn Nets ($624), and Miami Heat ($616) are the only other teams with average prices north of $600, and round out the top 5. 

Prices for the Celtics and Nets are also each up significantly since game one, with Celtics ticket prices rising 8% and Nets tickets rising 31%.

The reigning NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks highlights the teams at the bottom of the list. With an average price of $306, Bucks tickets for the 1st round are the third cheapest in the league. Other teams in the bottom five include the New Orleans Pelicans ($330), the Utah Jazz ($321), the Denver Nuggets ($302), and the Minnesota Timberwolves ($282).

With the Warriors home average driving up the overall series average, the most expensive series is unsurprisingly the Warriors vs Nuggets. That is only one of two opening round series with an average price above $600. 

The other series with an average list price of $600+ is the Celtics and Nets series, which is number two on the list with an average price of $636. Prices for the series are also on the rise, and have gone up 17% since game 1. If that trend continues, prices could surpass $700. 

The Suns vs Pelicans ($527) and Heat vs Hawks ($513) round out the top half of the list. 

Historically speaking, the Warriors and Suns both have the highest-priced 1st Round tickets for any season that did not have reduced capacity. Last year, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets both had average opening round prices above $1,000. This was due to having reduced capacity for their first two home games. The only other team in a non-reduced capacity year on the top 5 is the 2019 Brooklyn Nets, who had an average price of $674. 



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