James Harden vs. double-teams: Who’s winning?
“After that game, I said never again will one player beat us,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told ESPN. “It definitely worked,” Malone said. “Will it work next time? We’ll see.” Since that game, Harden has been doubled earlier in possessions and more aggressively than perhaps any player ever over any extended stretch. The LA Clippers […]
Continue readingClips’ Paul George hints at tell-all of Indiana exit: ‘I’m not the one to boo’
INDIANAPOLIS — After getting booed each time he touched the ball Monday as if it were his first time back in Indiana, Paul George said he enjoys playing the role of the villain but that Pacers fans are taking their frustration out on the wrong person. “I’m not surprised,” George said of being booed despite […]
Continue reading‘We knew we could do it:’ Reliving the Raptors’ title run
Matt Devlin had called all those playoff moments, but never one like the end of Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers. “That happened right here,” the Raptors play-by-play man says, standing near the right corner where Kawhi Leonard put the Raptors into the Eastern Conference finals. “4.2 seconds on the clock, Kawhi turns the corner, […]
Continue readingLost stars, lack of leadership and fleeting hope for the Knicks
BY THE TIME David Fizdale met with his bosses after a 37-point loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, his trademark wood-grain glasses did little to hide the toll coaching the New York Knicks for the past 19 months had taken on him. His eyes looked weary. His beard had grown bushy and scraggly. The […]
Continue readingHow the LeBron-AD Lakers survived their first real test
After a loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers ripped off four straight wins by a combined 74 points against the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves. Those five teams are now a combined 63-54. This is a look back at key moments from those games, as the Lakers survived their […]
Continue readingThe Raptors have hit their first bump in the road after a winless week
There was one fairly notable group, however, who took issue with that assessment: the Raptors themselves. And even after the Raptors lost their third consecutive game Sunday night, falling 110-104 to the Philadelphia 76ers, that belief still remains. “I’m not sure what people estimated,” Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said. “I think that I knew before […]
Continue readingKawhi Leonard returns to Toronto, says Raptors’ ride to title was fun
TORONTO — Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard had flashbacks to the Toronto Raptors’ title run on his drive to Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday morning. The All-Star forward said his July decision to leave Toronto as a free agent after one season wasn’t easy when he considered the Raptors, Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. “Gave it big […]
Continue readingNBA trade tracker: Grades and details for every deal
There hasn’t been a single NBA trade in five months — when the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets swapped All-Star point guards Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul in a blockbuster deal. That could start to change now that we are entering trade season, with the restrictions on free agents beginning to expire. Look for […]
Continue readingNBA free agents: Team-by-team lists for 2020 and 2021
Nearly half the league hit free agency in 2019. Plenty of stars changed teams, including Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and Kemba Walker. The 2020 class won’t have the same star power or the same amount of cap space available, but 2021 will be absolutely loaded. Here’s our team-by-team look at all […]
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