samedi 30 avril 2016
Spurs outscore Thunder by 33 in record-breaking half
The San Antonio Spurs were unstoppable early in their Game 1 matchup on Saturday night, outscoring the Oklahoma City Thunder by 33 points in what turned into a record-breaking half for the franchise.
The Spurs were particularly dominant in the opening frame, tying a franchise playoff record for most points in a quarter (43) - more than the Thunder scored in the entire half (40).
San Antonio was red-hot from the field, making 29 of their 42 shot attempts, as they jumped out to a commanding 73-40 lead, marking the sixth-highest half time lead in playoff history, and the highest of this year's postseason.
LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs with 25 points and 20 points, respectively, combining for more points than the entire Thunder team.
After sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, San Antonio is well on the way to extending their undefeated postseason run.
Spurs outscore Thunder by 33 in record-breaking halfLeonard throws down on Singler after Westbrook's brick
3 key questions for Thunder-Spurs series
3 key questions for Thunder-Spurs series
nba
Leonard throws down on Singler after Westbrook's brick
1d ago
Melo undecided about playing for Team USA at Olympics
With his surgically repaired knee in question, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony remains undecided about representing his country at this Summer's Olympics in Rio.
"That's at the top of the sport, of any sport. I think if you have the opportunity to do it, and enjoy it, and take advantage of it, I think you should do it. (The Olympics are) the throne for sports as a whole," Anthony told The Vertical's Michael Lee. "I'm going to take a little more time to think about it. I'm not in a rush. NBA season is still going on, so I'm going to see how I feel physically. Am I ready to take on – I don't want to say burden, but – that load? If I'm ready, I'll do it. If not, my body won't lie to me."
Anthony has served on three Olympic teams throughout his career, winning back-to-back gold medals in 2008 and 2012. The nine-time All-Star was a vital part of Team USA's last Olympic run, averaging 16.3 points - good for second on the team.
Anthony isn't the only star player contemplating his return to the roster, as LeBron James has also yet to rule one way or the other. While Anthony says he won't base his decision solely on James' choice, he did admit that "it definitely would help."
Melo undecided about playing for Team USA at OlympicsNBA rules Walker was fouled on Wade's Game 6 block
Dwyane Wade's Game 6 takeover did not come without controversy.
Related: Wade ices Game 6 with block on Hornets' Walker
The league ruled in their Last Two Minute Report that officials should've called a foul on Wade's block on Kemba Walker in the dying seconds. Had the referees made the correct call, Walker would've gone to the line with the opportunity to make it a one possession game.
Surprisingly, head coach Steve Clifford had little issue with the officials, calling Game 6's referees "some of the best in the game."
NBA rules Walker was fouled on Wade's Game 6 blockvendredi 29 avril 2016
Trail Blazers beat Clippers in 6 games, advance to West semifinals vs. Warriors
Blazers, Hornets, Raptors looking to advance to 2nd round
Blazers, Hornets, Raptors looking to advance to 2nd round
nba
Trail Blazers beat Clippers in 6 games, advance to West semifinals vs. Warriors
16h ago
Watch: Wade nails 3 clutch baskets to force Game 7
Watch: Wade hits 1st trey in over 4 months, extends Heat lead
Watch: Wade hits 1st trey in over 4 months, extends Heat lead
nba
Watch: Wade nails 3 clutch baskets to force Game 7
32m ago
Watch: Ian Mahinmi throws down all over Jonas Valanciunas
George willing to play all 48 minutes in Game 6
George willing to play all 48 minutes in Game 6
nba
Watch: Ian Mahinmi throws down all over Jonas Valanciunas
1d ago
Watch: DeRozan cleans up garbage with nasty putback jam
DeMar DeRozan continued his recent hot streak early in Game 6 on Friday, soaring out of nowhere to hammer down a vicious putback dunk.
Toronto jumped out to an early lead, outscoring the Pacers 8-2 in the opening - 16-6 in the early minutes.
With a victory, the Raptors will win their first playoff series since 2001, and their first-ever seven-game playoff victory.
Watch: DeRozan cleans up garbage with nasty putback jamReport: Mavs would've asked DeAndre to shoot free throws underhanded
Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan's free-throw mechanics haven't done him a lot of favors over the years, with his career percentage at the charity stripe a putrid 41.4.
Had the big man followed through on his agreement to sign with the Dallas Mavericks last summer, the team would have tried to talk him into shooting his free throws underhanded, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
The idea of shooting "granny style" has recently come up regarding Detroit Pistons All-Star Andre Drummond. Head coach Stan Van Gundy recently said the strategy is "on the table" as a way to improve his league-worst 35.5 percentage, which was 7.5 points back of Jordan's 43.
In November, Jordan tied an NBA record originally set by Wilt Chamberlain with 22 missed free throws in a 15-point win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers used the Hack-a-Jordan blueprint by intentionally fouling the 27-year-old and sending him to the line in an attempt to cut into the Clippers' lead.
Los Angeles currently ranks last of the 16 teams in this year's postseason in free-throw percentage at 61.4, thanks in large part to Jordan's 37.4 percent mark.
During Game 4 against the Trail Blazers on Monday, Jordan missed the entire rim on back-to-back attempts at the Moda Center.
Report: Mavs would've asked DeAndre to shoot free throws underhandedNBA reacts to release of Drake's new album 'Views'
The basketball world was handed its first taste of Drake's new album "Views" on Friday and the Toronto-based artist has received plenty of support from the NBA community.
Views on repeat tonight!! 👌🏼
— Nik Stauskas (@NStauskas11) April 29, 2016
Drake be talkin that talk...
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) April 29, 2016
Should I go out on a limb and say Views is better than Lemonade lol
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) April 29, 2016
🔥🔥 Views 🔥🔥 http://pic.twitter.com/fHOwKEalwX
— Meyers Leonard (@MeyersLeonard11) April 29, 2016
This @Drake album got me ready to go to @parqsd this Sunday! 😎 Team on Deck ready to Go! 💯
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) April 29, 2016
The album cover has even inspired some creative spin-offs from the sports world. The Orlando Magic featured high-flyer Aaron Gordon leaping over the CN Tower, which given his performance at the All-Star dunk contest, could actually be a possibility.
#VIEWS with some 407 🙏 http://pic.twitter.com/8nb3FsA8uL
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) April 29, 2016
The Milwaukee Bucks, who will move to a new arena in 2018, also got in on the fun.
NBA reacts to release of Drake's new album 'Views'New Views (via @TheBigPellowski) http://pic.twitter.com/E59YvOo9ty
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 29, 2016
Watch: Thomas offers heated parting words for Schroder
Isaiah Thomas tells Schröder "we'll see you in the back". 😅 #Cornball / Nique followed w "that's cute"😅😅 http://pic.twitter.com/mrCCg2hcpA
— Kevin Troy (@ATYPIKALent) April 29, 2016
Isaiah Thomas and Dennis Schroder went toe-to-toe with one another the entire series, and the Boston Celtics' All-Star guard made sure to get the last word in before his side were eliminated by the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 on Thursday.
With the seconds counting down, Thomas was caught exchanging words with Schroder as he walked off the court.
The two were involved in several physical moments throughout the series. Thomas avoided suspension for smacking Schroder in the head with his arm in Game 3. Thomas claimed the hit was completely unintentional.
"I didn't mean to hit him in the head," Thomas said following the game. "So he got mad. He was talking. But it's playoff basketball. That's what it's about. I'm not going to back down from anybody and he knows that."
The pair would later be hit with technical fouls after pushing one another and Schroder received a Flagrant 1 for a hard foul on Thomas.
Watch: Thomas offers heated parting words for Schroderjeudi 28 avril 2016
Hawks defeat Celtics in 6 games, advance to East semifinals
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
nba
Hawks defeat Celtics in 6 games, advance to East semifinals
10h ago
Watch: Celtics' Thomas hits circus shot to cut Hawks' lead
Hawks defeat Celtics in 6 games, advance to East semifinals
Hawks defeat Celtics in 6 games, advance to East semifinals
nba
Watch: Celtics' Thomas hits circus shot to cut Hawks' lead
6m ago
Watch: Al Horford extends Hawks' lead with 3rd-quarter buzzer beater
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
nba
Watch: Al Horford extends Hawks' lead with 3rd-quarter buzzer beater
10h ago
Watch: Isaiah Thomas crosses over Dennis Schroder for easy layup
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
nba
Watch: Isaiah Thomas crosses over Dennis Schroder for easy layup
9h ago
Ranking the 5 biggest teammate feuds of the last 20 seasons
Sometimes, the biggest of rivalries aren't between opponents, but amid two players from the same team.
From gambling debts to leaked videos, some of the NBA's biggest beefs have stemmed from the most bizarre reasons.
Here are the five biggest teammate feuds of the last 20 seasons:
5. James Harden and Dwight Howard
The rocky relationship between Harden and Howard was recently referred to as "cordially bad," and even that may be putting things lightly. The duo reportedly maneuvered to have the other traded back in 2014, creating a bitterness between the two that has never faded.
4. Nick Young and D'Angelo Russell
If a franchise-low in wins wasn't bad enough, the Los Angeles Lakers' 2015-16 campaign managed to get even worse after a leaked video created a late-season beef between Nick Young and D'Angelo Russell. Russell later apologized for the incident, but Young had difficulty forgiving the Lakers rookie, as he immediately left the team for an extended period of time.
3. Tony Allen and O.J. Mayo
A gambling debt reportedly led to one of the worst altercations between teammates of the modern era. Things quickly got heated between O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen back in 2011 after Mayo refused to pay Allen for a lost bet, causing a fight to break out on the team plane.
2. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant
Three straight championships wasn't enough to prevent the bad blood between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal from heating up. Things got so intense that the Lakers were ultimately forced to choose between the two, as Los Angeles ultimately opted to ship Shaq to South Beach during the summer of 2004.
1. Gilbert Arenas and Jarvaris Crittenton
By far the most extreme of them all, the friction between Arenas and Crittenton got so intense that it led to an altercation involving firearms in the Washington Wizards locker room. Unsurprisingly, Arenas and Crittenton were both handed suspensions that lasted for the remainder of the season.
Ranking the 5 biggest teammate feuds of the last 20 seasonsJonas Jerebko sends Dennis Schroder's shot flying
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
Hawks, Celtics alone on playoff stage in close out game
nba
Jonas Jerebko sends Dennis Schroder's shot flying
9h ago
Melo: Thibodeau would've come to Knicks if offered job
Carmelo Anthony said Wednesday that new Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau would have taken the same job with the New York Knicks if it had been offered to him.
"I'm pretty sure he wanted to come (to New York)," Anthony told ESPN's Ian Begley. "He waited a while to see if there was going be an opportunity. It didn't happen. I'm pretty sure if he would've gotten offered the job, he would have took it with no regret. He would have jumped on it."
Thibodeau is known to be close with Anthony from their time together with USA Basketball. The highly regarded 58-year-old coach recently signed a reported five-year, $40-million deal with the Timberwolves after taking a year away from the NBA. He was fired by the Chicago Bulls in 2015.
Related: Carmelo reportedly prefers Thibodeau to coach Knicks
The Knicks, meanwhile, continue to show slow movement in deciding on their next head coach. The team reportedly interviewed David Blatt this week, while speculation also swirls around Luke Walton or retaining interim bench boss Kurt Rambis.
Anthony said Thursday he wants to be included in the discussion of who the next coach will be, but added he hasn't spoken to team president Phil Jackson about the matter.
"Not yet, I mean we've talked briefly, but not yet," Anthony said on The Dan Patrick Show. The franchise forward, who turns 32 next month, also stressed he wants to retire as a Knick.
"That's my goal," he said, adding Jackson's triangle offense is not something that deserves to be maligned in the modern-day NBA.
Melo: Thibodeau would've come to Knicks if offered jobCarmelo Anthony says on the Dan Patrick Show that he doesn't think the triangle is overrated & he can teach the basics of it in an hour.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 28, 2016
mercredi 27 avril 2016
Curry-less Warriors blitz Rockets, take series in 5 games
Watch: Rockets miss all 4 shots on single possession
Watch: Rockets miss all 4 shots on single possession
nba
Curry-less Warriors blitz Rockets, take series in 5 games
35m ago
Watch: Walker's game-saving block gives Hornets series lead
Bosh signals desire to return; Heat say he's out indefinitely
Bosh signals desire to return; Heat say he's out indefinitely
nba
Watch: Walker's game-saving block gives Hornets series lead
5h ago
Handful of Clippers fans show up for 1st quarter of Game 5
Maybe it was the slightly earlier-than-usual start time. Maybe it was the fact that Blake Griffin and Chris Paul have both been shelved for the remainder of the postseason, and not much hope remains.
Whatever the reason, Los Angeles Clippers fans didn't exactly show out for Game 5 of their first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Midway through the first quarter, Staples Center was still half-empty.
Late arriving crowd at Staples Center for the early 7pm start. https://t.co/WFdA60U8R4 http://pic.twitter.com/lvQvP48F88
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 28, 2016
I can't quite get over this. NBA playoffs, game 5. Look at this entire section behind Clippers bench! http://pic.twitter.com/rOmEteE94F
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) April 28, 2016
The late-arriving (or no-showing) fans didn't miss much. The ugly first frame ended in an 18-18 tie, with the two teams combining to shoot 33 percent from the field.
Handful of Clippers fans show up for 1st quarter of Game 5Watch: Wade blows by 5 Hornets before throwing down
Dwyane Wade was almost single-handedly keeping the Miami Heat close in the first half of Game 5 against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
After Charlotte started to pull away with a big run in the second quarter, Wade woke up his teammates - and the crowd at American Airlines Arena - with this turbo-boost, coast-to-coast driving dunk, in which he blew past all five Hornets before hitting Marvin Williams with the facial.
The reaction from the Heat bench said it all.
Watch: Wade blows by 5 Hornets before throwing downWatch: Doc Rivers brought to tears in pregame press conference
Clippers' Rivers, Green listed as probable starters for Game 5
Clippers' Rivers, Green listed as probable starters for Game 5
nba
Watch: Doc Rivers brought to tears in pregame press conference
1d ago
Mavericks' Anderson assessed Flagrant 2 for elbowing Westbrook
The season may be over for the Dallas Mavericks but that hasn't prevented rookie Justin Anderson from escaping punishment from the league.
Anderson was assessed a Flagrant 2 by the NBA for his elbow to the face of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook at the end of Game 5.
Westbrook was on the court with two other Mavericks players trying to wrestle a loose ball when Anderson jumped in and caught the Thunder All-Star in the side of the head with an elbow.
Westbrook had drawn the ire of the Mavericks throughout the series with his pregame dance antics. Anderson and Dallas teammate Charlie Villanueva attempted to get in the way of Westbrook and Cameron Payne's routine during Game 1, resulting in Westbrook pushing both players.
Mavericks' Anderson assessed Flagrant 2 for elbowing WestbrookCharlie Villanueva tried to get in the way of Russell Westbrook and Cameron Payne's pregame routine: http://pic.twitter.com/7zhvasINPP
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) April 19, 2016
Jeanie Buss says Jackson isn't coming back to Lakers
According to Los Angeles Lakers president Jeanie Buss, any involvement of Phil Jackson with the Forum blue and gold will be limited to his singing cameo in Kobe Bryant's farewell Nike commercial.
Buss again tried to quell rumors this week that her fiance would return to the organization before his current contract with the New York Knicks runs out. She added that full control of the Lakers' personnel decisions rest with her brother and team vice-president, Jim, as well as general manager Mitch Kupchak.
"When Phil was available, I would have liked to have seen (him return to the Lakers)," Buss told FOX Sports' Jay Mohr. "Before he took (the Knicks job), I asked my siblings if it would be possible for Phil to play a role with the Lakers because it would make me better at my job. It would be somebody that I would enjoy having an opportunity to work with, the man I'm engaged to. That wasn't in the cards.
"My brother made it clear that he and Mitch didn't need another voice in the front office."
Buss said the recent decision to part ways with coach Byron Scott belonged to her brother and Kupchak, who has served as Lakers GM since 2000.
"I didn't have anything to do with the hiring of Byron or the firing," she said. "They just didn't want to move forward with him. I'm not the type of person to meddle in their decision process."
The elephant in the room that remains, however, is Jim Buss' promise two years ago to step aside and hand the reins of the team back to his sister if the Lakers aren't a contender by 2017-18. Unless they can land top-tier free agents such as Kevin Durant this summer or L.A. native Russell Westbrook next, that appears quite likely.
Buss has had to fight off reports of her longtime partner returning to the Lakers in the past, and the 70-year-old Jackson has three years left on his contract with the Knicks.
"He's in New York, he's not coming back here," she told FOX. "I've empowered Jimmy and Mitch everything they need to be successful to create their version, their vision of Lakers basketball, and we have to allow them that time to show us what that vision is."
Jeanie Buss says Jackson isn't coming back to LakersReport: Blatt met with Knicks about head coaching job
Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt reportedly met with New York Knicks president Phil Jackson on Monday regarding the team's head coaching vacancy, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
The 56-year-old Blatt led the Cavaliers to The Finals last year and boasts a lifetime record of 83-40 in the NBA, along with a sparkling record internationally. He also played basketball with Knicks general manager Steve Mills.
Blatt was dismissed in January and hastily replaced by his former assistant Tyronn Lue in a highly publicized fallout. Reports emerged that the players no longer respected Blatt, that he kowtowed to LeBron James, and that he occasionally drew up plays for players who weren't even in the game.
Report: Blatt met with Knicks about head coaching jobBatum will 'most likely' play in Game 5
Things are really starting to look up for the Charlotte Hornets.
Having fallen down 0-2 to the Miami Heat, the Hornets clawed back to even the series on their home court, and now have a pivotal player returning to the fold.
After sustaining what looked to be a season-ending ankle injury earlier in the series, Hornets swingman Nic Batum was able to go through shootaround on Wednesday and will most likely suit up for Game 5.
Reports suggested Batum would be out for the remainder of the first round, but the Frenchman promised to do everything within his power to return as quickly as possible.
Nevertheless, even in his absence for Games 3 and 4, the shorthanded Hornets were able to rally. Without Batum in the lineup, they opted to put out as much size on the floor as possible, which allowed them to ride a decided advantage in the paint for back-to-back victories.
Batum averaged 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and two assists in the first two games of the series.
Batum will 'most likely' play in Game 5How the Pacers' all-bench lineup cost them Game 5
In the social media age of bite-size vines and soundbites, the Toronto Raptors' stunning fourth-quarter rally past the Indiana Pacers in Tuesday's Game 5 will likely be reduced to a Solomon Hill 3-pointer that came a fraction of a second too late, a thunderous Norman Powell dunk, and a couple of trolls from Raptors ambassador Drake.
The truth is that the Raptors had no business being in the series-turning game after playing some of their worst basketball of the season through the first 36 minutes, but were let up off the mat by the puzzling decision from Pacers head coach Frank Vogel to ride a lineup painfully lacking playoff quality talent.
Given Indiana's inability to score consistently, going even a second without Paul George, Monta Ellis, or George Hill on the court seems ludicrous, and yet it's something the Pacers have leaned on far too often over the last couple weeks.
Entering play Tuesday, a lineup featuring Rodney Stuckey, Ty Lawson, C.J. Miles, Solomon Hill, and Myles Turner had a minus-30.2 net rating in 14 postseason minutes together, while the same unit anchored by veteran Ian Mahinmi rather than rookie Turner was minus-10.6 in 15 minutes of shared time.
The latter lineup is the one that did Vogel and the Pacers in Tuesday night in Toronto, as in the 6:55 of Game 5 action the Stuckey-Lawson-Miles-Hill-Mahinmi unit logged, the Pacers were outscored 19-1.
"I chose to trust those guys," Vogel said postgame after admitting that he considered shying away from that lineup after they were outscored 13-1 in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the second quarter. They rewarded his misguided trust by being shutout 6-0 in the opening 3:24 of the final frame.
"Those guys have been good for us," Vogel added. "They had a tough stretch there."
In Vogel's defense, the Pacers not only got away with units devoid of George, Ellis, and George Hill during the regular season, but actually thrived.
In fact, the team's 11th-most used regular season lineup was the Stuckey-Lawson-Miles-(Solomon) Hill-Turner combination, and it pounded opponents to the tune of a plus-27.5 net rating. The Mahinmi unit was even better, albeit in a far smaller sample size (only seven minutes played).
As mentioned after the Raptors' Game 1 loss, however, with rotations tightening and star players logging considerably more minutes come playoff time, the postseason is when depth is much less valuable, and top-tier talent often wins the day.
With that in mind, it's not surprising that the same aforementioned Pacers lineups have struggled during this first-round series, and downright mind-boggling that Vogel continues to turn to them.
As the Pacers head back home facing elimination, the Lawson-Stuckey-Miles-Hill-Mahinmi combo now ranks as the worst of 27 lineups used by 2016 playoff teams for at least 20 minutes, with a horrendous net rating of minus-45.9. It's also Indiana's fourth-most used lineup through five games.
A lineup that incompetent has no business logging a second together during the playoffs, let alone nearly seven minutes in Game 5 of an even series that their team was on the cusp of taking control over.
Paul George said there's another level his team's reserves have to take it to after refusing to throw the second unit under the bus. Unfortunately, the quality necessary to reach that level is lacking in those players, and they were once again put in a position they never should have found themselves in.
There were plenty of moments that got the raucous Air Canada Centre on its feet down the stretch on Tuesday, and enough memorable highlights to fill a timeline, but Toronto wouldn't have been in position to steal the game had it not been for those seven minutes at the beginning of the second and fourth quarters.
Should their season come to an end against a Raptors team they had on the ropes, those seven minutes will haunt Vogel and the Pacers fans all summer.
How the Pacers' all-bench lineup cost them Game 5mardi 26 avril 2016
Watch: Solomon Hill nails would-be game-tying 3 just after final buzzer
Watch: Norman Powell steals, goes coast to coast for massive dunk
Watch: Norman Powell steals, goes coast to coast for massive dunk
nba
Watch: Solomon Hill nails would-be game-tying 3 just after final buzzer
1h ago
Is this the end of the line for the current Clippers core?
When the Los Angeles Clippers swung a trade for Chris Paul - with a bit of help from David Stern and the NBA front office - on Dec. 14, 2011, it seemed to portend sunshine and rainbows for the longtime sad-sack franchise.
The ascendant Clippers were pairing Paul's otherworldly vision and passing with an explosive, wildly talented power forward in Blake Griffin, then coming off one of the great rookie seasons in modern NBA history. Beside Griffin they had DeAndre Jordan, an enormous and athletic young center who promised to be every bit the alley-oop finisher Tyson Chandler had been alongside Paul in New Orleans.
It was on that day the famed "Lob City" moniker was born. It was on that day the L.A. basketball paradigm shifted; no longer would the Clippers play little brother to the Lakers. On that day, a contender was born.
In theory, anyway.
Fast-forward five years, and the Clippers still, somehow, have never even tasted the conference finals. In the past five seasons, they've won 40 (prorated to 50), 56, 57, 56, and 53 games. In that time, only the Spurs and Thunder have won more. The Clippers have finished no lower than fifth in the West in any of those seasons. They've had a top-six offense in each, and twice finished No. 1. That would typically read like a successful half-decade for any franchise, let alone one that hadn't cracked the 50-win plateau in its 41 prior seasons.
And yet, one can't help but feel the team has dramatically underperformed its potential, with just three playoff series wins to show for its ostensible window of contention.
There's no definitive road map that can be traced back to show where things went off course, or why the Clippers haven't approached their destination. Maybe they rode with Vinny Del Negro for too long. Maybe they never prioritized depth enough. Maybe Doc Rivers never should've split coaching and general manager duties. Maybe the chemistry just wasn't right. Or maybe it was all just bad timing: the pitfall of trying to build a champion in an era abutted by dynastic juggernauts in San Antonio and Golden State, with the loaded Thunder and always-pesky Grizzlies lurking in between.
Whatever the case, the Clippers have still had their opportunities - if not to go all the way, then at least to do more.
In the second round in 2014, they blew a 13-point lead in the final four minutes of Game 5 against the Thunder - when a win would've given them a 3-2 series lead, with a closeout game at home. Last year, they gave themselves a 3-1 series cushion (and 19-point Game 6 lead) in the second round over a quasi-dysfunctional, banged-up Rockets team playing two 37-year-olds at point guard. The Rockets somehow beat them in seven.
This year, thanks to the Warriors' and Spurs' historically great seasons, for once nobody gave the Clippers much chance of doing any real playoff damage. That is, until their projected second-round opponent lost its best player - and the reigning league MVP - for at least two weeks. It was about as big an opening as the Clippers could've asked for. And in true Clippers fashion, it closed within hours.
The team announced Tuesday that Griffin will miss the rest of the postseason due to a lingering quad injury, while Paul will miss at least a month after fracturing his hand. Without those two, they likely aren't getting past the Trail Blazers - with whom they're now tied 2-2 in Round 1 - let alone the Curry-less Warriors in Round 2.
Where does this leave the current iteration of the Clippers? For all the talent on the roster, it's clear that something isn't quite right. As good as they've looked at times, they've appeared equally discombobulated and disinterested at others. For a team that boasts some of the league's most exciting players, they've been oddly joyless; whiny, dour, and resigned.
Paul's ornery, demanding nature reportedly nearly drove Jordan out of town last summer. Griffin just closed the book on a miserable season, marred by injuries and an ugly incident involving a team staffer that left him with a suspension and a broken hand. Both will be free agents next summer.
You'd hate to see the Clippers overreact to a run of hard luck by unnecessarily blowing up their nucleus. But as the Thunder showed last year in firing Scott Brooks, such extenuating circumstances can often provide the impetus for a team to electroshock itself out of stasis.
"We're right on the borderline," Doc Rivers said before the season began. "I have no problem saying that. I'm a believer that teams can get stale. After a while, you don't win. It just doesn't work. We're right at the edge. We just have to accept it."
Those words would prove awfully prophetic in the months that followed. The question now is: Are the Clippers still on the edge, or have they officially toppled over it? How many chances is too many?
The answers should come in short order.
Is this the end of the line for the current Clippers core?Watch: Norman Powell steals, goes coast to coast for massive dunk
This is how rookie swingman Norman Powell capped a 17-2 Toronto Raptors run that brought them level with the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 on Tuesday night.
Powell anticipated Monta Ellis' pass to Paul George perfectly, then went the length of the court, and, knowing the Air Canada Centre crowd was in need of a big lift, took off from a mile away.
He almost lost the ball in midair, but the result proved well worth it.
Watch: Norman Powell steals, goes coast to coast for massive dunkDoc Rivers dismisses notion of 'Clippers curse' following Griffin, Paul injuries
The Los Angeles Clippers were handed a golden opportunity on Monday after it was announced that Steph Curry would be sidelined at least two weeks with an MCL sprain. Los Angeles immediately looked like plausible candidates to reach their first Conference Finals in franchise history with their likely second-round opponent missing their best player.
Less than 36 hours later, and the Clippers look more likely to get bounced in the first round following the season-ending injuries of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, prompting many to question whether the team is in fact cursed.
Head coach Doc Rivers quickly dismissed the notion on Tuesday, claiming that his team is not cursed, they've just faced bad luck.
"Is it the Billy Goat? I don't know what it is. Babe Ruth never played for us," Doc Rivers told ESPN's Arash Markazi. "We didn't trade him. There's no jinx there. I don't know. It's bum's luck three years in a row. What can you do? All you can do is keep going. This one was worse than all of them by far basketball-wise. Socially, you can make the case the the other one was. I get down for like five minutes and I was last night but you wake up in the morning and you feel like we're going to find a way and it's my job to get them to feel like I feel and if we do that I think we'll have a fighting chance."
Doc Rivers dismisses notion of 'Clippers curse' following Griffin, Paul injuriesClippers' Griffin out for remainder of postseason with quad injury
Doc Rivers: Griffin '50-50' to play in Game 5
Doc Rivers: Griffin '50-50' to play in Game 5
nba
Clippers' Griffin out for remainder of postseason with quad injury
15h ago
Broken hand to sideline Paul for remainder of playoffs
Can Clippers survive first round without Chris Paul?
Can Clippers survive first round without Chris Paul?
nba
Broken hand to sideline Paul for remainder of playoffs
5h ago
Kings officially unveil logo rebrand
The Sacramento Kings will have a new face going forward.
The old Kings crown will be replaced with a series of designs featuring the crown, lions, and basketballs in a new purple, white, and silver design.
From the press release:
The new primary emblem is inspired by the Kings classic logo. It is reimagined to reflect the civic and franchise pride that has lasted and grown for a generation. Now, with a clean, modern look - a reshaped crown, refined basketball and new typeface that puts Sacramento front and center - the new identity draws from the team's ambitious beginnings and reminds our region and the world that Sacramento is undergoing a transformation.
The new court design will be revealed Wednesday.
Kings officially unveil logo rebrandReport: Warriors' Kerr to be named NBA Coach of the Year
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Report: Warriors' Kerr to be named NBA Coach of the Year
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lundi 25 avril 2016
Doc Rivers: Clippers' Griffin has '50-50' chance to play in Game 5
Game 4, the series lead, and All-Star point guard Chris Paul may not have been all the Los Angeles Clippers lost in Portland on Monday.
Blake Griffin also suffered a left quad injury in the loss, and head coach Doc Rivers didn't sound overly optimistic about the big man's status going forward.
"It doesn't look great for him, either," Rivers said after saying the same about Paul only moments earlier, before adding that Griffin's chances of playing in Wednesday's Game 5 are "50-50."
Rivers said that Griffin, who will be evaluated on Tuesday, told him that he felt something when he planted his left leg at one point in the game. Making matters even more concerning is that Griffin suffered a partially torn tendon in his left quad earlier this season.
Griffin returned to the game after briefly heading to the locker room, but spent the final 5:48 on the bench after looking visibly worse for wear on the court.
Griffin finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes of action.
Doc Rivers: Clippers' Griffin has '50-50' chance to play in Game 5Chris Paul leaves Game 4 with apparent wrist injury
Kings' reported new logo to feature purple, silver, white color scheme
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Chris Paul leaves Game 4 with apparent wrist injury
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Paul throws tantrum as he leaves court injured
Kings' reported new logo to feature purple, silver, white color scheme
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Paul throws tantrum as he leaves court injured
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Durant on Mark Cuban: 'He's an idiot'
Thunder's Durant, Westbrook fined for Game 4 actions
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Thunder take down Mavs in 5 games, advance to face Spurs
Villanueva creeps on Westbrook during Game 5 pregame
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Watch: Hornets' Lin drops a Jordan shrug after hitting trey against Heat
Jeremy Lin must figure imitating one's boss is the sincerest form of flattery because after hitting a three in Game 4 against the Miami Heat on Monday, the Charlotte Hornets guard looked right at owner Michael Jordan and gave him the shrug.
The shrug, of course, became legendary in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals when Jordan scored 35 points in the first half. After burying his sixth 3-pointer, Jordan looked over at Magic Johnson, broadcasting the game for NBC, and shrugged in bemusement.
For the record, Lin scored 21 points in Monday's Game 4 win over the Heat. The series is now tied at two games apiece.
Watch: Hornets' Lin drops a Jordan shrug after hitting trey against HeatNowitzki passes Pippen on NBA's all-time playoff scoring list
In what may be the final game of the season for his Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki found himself moving up the NBA's all-time playoff scoring list once again.
Having already leaped Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor this postseason, the 37-year-old sharpshooting big man's fourth point of Game 5 on Monday evening against the Oklahoma City Thunder was enough to take 14th place on the list from legendary Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen.
NBA's All-Time Playoff Scoring List
| Rank | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Karl Malone | 4761 |
| 8 | Jerry West | 4457 |
| 9 | Larry Bird | 3897 |
| 10 | Tony Parker | 3820 |
| 11 | John Havlicek | 3776 |
| 12 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 3755 |
| 13 | Magic Johnson | 3701 |
| 14 | Dirk Nowitzki | 3643 |
| 15 | Scottie Pippen | 3642 |
| 16 | Elgin Baylor | 3623 |
| 17 | Wilt Chamberlain | 3607 |
(courtesy: Basketball-Reference.com)
Nowitzki passes Pippen on NBA's all-time playoff scoring list
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