February 9th 2003. How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days was the number one movie in the world. “All I Have” by Jennifer Lopez featuring LL Cool J was sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100. Kobe Bryant was on the cover of SLAM 66 wearing a jet black Lakers jersey with his three Larry O’Brien trophies. It was a cloudy night in Georgia but even then there were 24 extra stars in the Atlanta sky. On that night at Philips Arena, the NBA hosted its 52nd Annual NBA All-Star Game. 

It was a time before TikTok, NFTs, and NBA Twitter. It’s now 2023 and at times it feels like we’re living in some twisted up future, but at least the game of basketball is still good. 

By the time you’re reading this, the League will be getting ready to host the 72nd Annual All-Star Game in Salt Lake City and if we’re lucky, it’ll be a classic much like Atlanta’s game 20 years prior. Generally speaking, ‘03 is a year strongly etched into the memory of all within the culture. Baggy pants, bulky kicks, triple-layered headwear, spinning rims, Playstation 2… could it have all been so simple then? 

The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was one of the most stacked events of all time, both in star power and personality. Society was reaching a breaking point when individuality, charisma, and style were placed on a similar level as skill. The Western Conference All-Stars included Steve Francis, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Yao Ming as starters, with Shaquille O’neal, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Gary Payton, Stephon Marbury, and Peja Stojakovic coming off the bench. The West was helmed by then-Sacramento Kings head coach, Rick Adelman. Peja was an injury replacement for his teammate Chris Webber.

The Eastern Conference All-Stars included Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, and Ben Wallace as starters, with Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, Brad Miller, Jamal Mashburn, Antoine Walker, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas coming off the bench. Isiah Thomas, who coached the Indiana Pacers at the time, led the charge for the East.  

There are a lot of things you may have forgotten about the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. So, allow us to remind you. 

First off, the jerseys. It marked the first time since the ‘90s that the NBA designed and deployed All-Star Game jerseys. In the previous five years, players just wore their own jersey from their respective teams (All-Star Weekend in 1999 was canceled due to the lockout). And the jerseys were fresh as hell. The retro design recalled some of the late ‘80s All-Star Game jerseys, swapping out the short shorts for a baggier option. 

The main focus entering All-Star weekend was Michael Jordan, who was preparing to retire for a third and final time. He was a starter and an All-Star for the 14th time in his career, an accomplishment that didn’t come without its fair share of controversy. Allen Iverson and Vince Carter were both near at the peak of their popularity in 2003 and were voted as the starting backcourt for the Eastern Conference by the fans. Carter had missed a big chunk of games that season as a result of injury and there was a ton of pressure on him to give up his starting spot to Jordan. He resisted the notion for quite some time but he eventually relented and gave up his starting spot to his elder UNC alum just before gametime. The scrutiny turned ugly after a while, and the Atlanta crowd even booed Carter when he was being introduced before the game. 

For the record, Jordan was perfectly fine with coming off the bench. When asked about it during the game, Jordan said, “Vince surprised me. I told him as I told the rest of the players, I started 13 times, I didn’t need to start [a] 14th time. You know, they were adamant about getting me to start. Vince actually came to me right before we went out and said that he would love for me to take his spot. He’s very respectful. I think he took some undue punishment, all during this week about him being very honorable to the fans, and even at the end, when he gave it up, I really didn’t want him to back down from what he actually stood for and I’ve supported him in that sense. But he wanted me to take his spot and I thought it was very gracious of him and very respectful.”

Problem solved, Jordan started. 

Another wrinkle out of the gate was Jordan’s coach for the game, Isiah Thomas, who is arguably Jordan’s biggest rival and definitely his most prevalent foil. If Jordan had a nemesis, it was Zeke (or Jerry Krause). But Thomas had coached the Pacers to the best record in the East by the break, so he was his coach for the night. Infamously, there is a conspiracy that Isiah Thomas led a charge to freeze Jordan out of his first All-Star Game in 1985. Jordan was a rookie and finished the game with seven points on 22.2 percent shooting in a 140-129 loss. And now 18 years, two retirements, and 13 All-Star appearances later, Michael Jordan was the elder statesman in the All-Star Game, with Yao Ming as the lone rookie to participate in the game. 

Jordan, however, was aggressive but wasn’t hot right out of the gates. He started the game 0-7. He began the game only 10 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points in the All-Star game’s  history and the Atlanta crowd was hungry for him to break the record (a record that’s been snapped by the late-Kobe Bryant and LeBron James since then). Each missed attempt by Jordan was followed by hushed sighs of resignation by the crowd but the voracious outbreak when he finally made a jumper was well worth the wait. 

The first quarter was a relatively competitive defensive performance for both sides, the first quarter ended with the East leading 23-18 off the strength of a 13-0 run. Jordan never really got any hotter from the field, but he eventually broke the record and finished with 20 points on 9-27 (33.3 percent) shooting. 

The pace and level of play picked up considerably but the defensive effort faltered in the second quarter when the reserves checked in. The signature playground style of all-star ball had infiltrated every corner of the game and it was fun as hell. A sequence of lobs from Brad Miller to Vince Carter followed by Stephon Marbury to Shawn Marion early in the second quarter was especially electrifying. Shortly afterwards, Dirk Nowitzki went on a mini-heater in two minutes and scored all nine of his points for the night. All-Star games are interesting in that way. Basketball is improvisational like jazz and these are the best artists in the world. You never know when a player might go off onto a solo and strut his shit. 

Rick Adelman decided to indulge every hoops fan everywhere and played a lineup of Francis-Garnett-Duncan-Shaq-Yao. If any lineup with four seven-footers could work in a real game, I feel like this would be the one. Great mix of shooting, passing, mobility, length, and defense. They went on an 8-2 run in just over two minutes to secure a 55-52 lead heading into halftime. 

Halftime was a show in itself. The NBA had orchestrated a tribute for Michael Jordan that involved Mariah Carey coming out and singing in two different Jordan jerseys. She sang “Boy (I Need You)” while wearing a mini-dress styled to look like Jordan’s Bulls jersey. While they played a montage of Jordan highlights, Seinfeld clips, Gatorade commercials, SNL monologues, and Spike Lee poetics, Mariah Carey changed into a floor-length dress designed after Jordan’s Wizards jersey.

Mariah Carey gave chilling renditions of “My Saving Grace” and “Hero” at the center of a stage placed on the court. Jordan was moved to tears during the performance and Mariah Carey introduced Jordan to the crowd for an opportunity to address them. It took the standing ovation over a minute to calm down enough for Jordan to even get any real words out. When he could finally speak, he tearfully thanked the fans, his family, and expressed his gratitude for being able to pass the game along to the next generation. Much of the next generation was sharing the floor with him in this game and they’d determine how it would end. 

 If basketball is jazz, Tracy McGrady’s third quarter was like Miles Davis at his peak. He was cashing jumpers from all over the court and making daring forays to the cup, it was very clear why he was arguably the best scorer in the world at that moment. Iverson got it going as well with the pass-first Jason Kidd by his side in the backcourt to start the half rather than Michael Jordan. For the West, Kevin Garnett continued his impressive play on both ends of the floor. He hardly missed anything and remained a conduit of unbridled energy. Kobe got it going as well after pretty much sleepwalking through the first half.  

In the third, Shaq was throwing Jordan’s layup back to the three-point line. The crowd booed Shaq for hampering their hero but the East largely controlled the third quarter, eking out a 93-86 lead heading into the final frame. 

As usual the fourth quarter was more competitive than the rest of the game. Shaq dominated the reserve minutes but most of the Eastern Conference starters remained on the floor, even at the beginning of the quarter. Both of the Boston Celtics young guys, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, complained about the lack of playing time they received in the game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Cleveland Cavaliers did not publicly complain but he only played four minutes. Isiah Thomas met all complaints with a closed ear, “it’s my team” he commented.   

Michael Jordan is one of the clutchest players in NBA history, if not the most clutch. He had won games, and championships, with his elite shot making ability with the game on the line. With 10.1 seconds left and the game tied at 120 a piece, and a young Shawn Marion on him with overtime looming, Jordan posted up in complete isolation. He took a few dribbles in the midpost, then turned over his shoulder and shot his patented turnaround jumper. He missed. The crowd sighed as it clanged off the rim. Overtime, the sixth instance this happened in All-Star game history. 

And then it’d eventually go into double overtime—the first time in NBA All-Star game history. 

Isiah Thomas must have felt guilty about the lack of minutes allocated to his bench players (along with the starters probably being exhausted with the extra basketball time on this night) because he put in a few guys who hadn’t seen many minutes down the stretch to start double OT. The West quickly jumped out to a lead and never relinquished it again. Garnett dominated against the smaller East lineup, finishing with 37 points on 70.8 percent shooting. The West held on to win the game 155-145 despite Iverson’s best efforts. 

The game came to a close with the usual procession of handshakes, hugs, and high-fives, as the players rushed to get off to a night on the Atlanta streets. Peace to mankind, it was a beautiful time to be alive. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Here’s a Look Back at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta  appeared first on SLAM.

The New Orleans crowd chanted Jose Alvarado’s name as the game clock wound down to its waning seconds to finish the Pelicans’ 121-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Despite a big performance from Zion Williamson, Alvarado was the hero today, with a career-high 38 points off the bench, in only 26 minutes.

Alvarado was on fire. He hit eight three-pointers on 72.7 percent shooting from distance and 63.2 percent from the field. The crowd serenaded him as the Pelicans’ won their fourth consecutive game. They’re 8-2 in their last ten games. 

Before Sunday, Alvarado’s NBA career high was 23 points, and he had never scratched 30 points during his four-year tenure at Georgia Tech. None of that mattered at the end of the night, though. 

“My mindset was just, ‘Let’s win this game.’ Not necessarily, like, I’m going to come in and shoot. But I’m always in the mindset that when I’m open, knock this down. Don’t let them leave you open,” Alvarado said via The Athletic. “I just want to keep improving my game. I want to expand it, not just the jump shot. Just make the right play at all times.”

Before the season started, SLAM chopped it up with Alvarado about his mindset and where he wanted to take his game next. Alvarado said he was intent on expanding his offensive game while continuing to do all of the little things that earned him his rotation opportunity as an undrafted rookie in the first place. 

“Do something that makes you impact the day. Not just the game but the day,” Alvarado told SLAM of his mindset prior to the season. 

Alvarado isn’t just impacting games or single plays anymore; he’s affecting wins. The Pelicans are in second place in the Western Conference following this recent surge. 

“I always have believed in myself, obviously, but for me to do what I did made me feel so much excitement and belief,” Alvarado told SLAM. “It was like, Alright Jose, this ain’t no more if or what. This is you now. This is what it is now. It taught me that if I be me, everything else will take [care] of itself.”

I’d call 38 points and the dub; everything is taking care of itself. 

The post Jose Alvarado On His Mindset During Career-High 38 Points Outing: ‘Let’s Win This Game’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I told him tonight in the locker room that he was a monster. He carried us. He continued to make the right plays over and over again,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said, via The Athletic. “He was flying around on both ends of the floor … It’s just impressive. Impressive to see.”

The Pelicans were without Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the second and third leading scorer on the team. Williamson was expected to perform and he did just that, showing not only a return to form but a new peak of sustained excellence since he’s returned from his nagging knee injuries. 

“When you have players like BI and CJ out, you’ve got to pick up where they affect the game,” Williamson said. “I just want to thank Coach [Green] for trusting me to be myself, and the rest of the coaching staff and my teammates. If they don’t trust me, it may look a little different for me.”

His teammates showed that same level of trust in Williamson’s game. 

“He was a monster today. It was probably one of his best all-around games that I’ve seen,” said Pelicans forward Trey Murphy. “I’m super proud of him and the work that he’s put in. I know you guys criticize him a lot on his defense. Hopefully, he got more than a B+ today.”

Williamson’s defensive effort and conditioning have been called into question throughout his career but he exhibited the full repertoire on both ends last night, he was everywhere. He even had a key steal and bucket after a Toronto run that cut their lead from 31 to 11, to officially put the game away. 

Zion Williamson is a player always on the verge of improvement, it would be no surprise at all if he tops this showing the next time out. 

The post Zion Williamson’s ‘Monster’ Performance Lifts Pelicans to a Win Over Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

Last night in a contest against the Los Angeles Clippers, despite Simons scoring 34 points through three quarters and Portland holding an 18-point lead in the third, Simons and the rest of the Trail Blazers couldn’t hold on for the win. Simons finished the night with 37, but the Trail Blazers have lost seven of their last nine games and went 1-3 on a recent trip. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers)

He went 1-8 in the fourth quarter, but Clippers guard Norman Powell caught fire with 22 fourth-quarter points. Jerami Grant fouled out with 32 points with 4:32 remaining in the game, his team nursing a five point lead. Simons struggled down the stretch and his team was outscored 15-4 for the remainder of the game.

Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups thinks Simons could have performed better. 

“It was tough,” Billups said. “They took away Ant with Jerami out. You have a lot of guys out there that are not really used to having the ball.”

Billups maintains that Simons should have been more aggressive and demanded the ball down the stretch, something Simons would learn in time. 

“That’s something that me and Ant will talk about. That’s a part of his development,” Billups said. “Ant is 22-years -old. We know that he’s a phenomenal talent, already. But he’s still got a little growing to do. We can’t act like Ant is 32 and Dame. We can’t act like that. He still has some developing to do.”

Simons reiterated some of the same points. 

“Getting the ball and demanding that attention, I think that’s what I should have been doing,” Simons said. “Obviously, they were denying me the ball everywhere around the court, especially in the second half. There were moments that I didn’t realize I should go get it a couple of times. Obviously, it’s a learning experience.”

If Simons is to continue his career season and steady the ship missing its captain, he’ll have to be more aggressive. And he knows it. He’s learning it in real-time. 

The post Chauncy Billups: Anfernee Simons is Growing But He ‘Still Has Some Developing to Do’ appeared first on SLAM.

A lot of it is wishful thinking and outside perspective, hoping Turner’s deft shooting and interior defense would be a perfect fit for turning the Lakers season around, but mainly, it’s just noise. Noise that Turner isn’t paying attention to anymore. 

“Nothing changes,” Turner told The Athletic after Sunday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. ”Just go out there and focus on getting wins for this team. That’s just where my focus lies. You can’t pay attention to outside noise — doesn’t change anything, bro. All I can do is go out there and play my game.”

The Pacers won a nailbiter against the Lakers on Monday night at the buzzer due to a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Andrew Nembhard. It was Indiana’s 12th win of the season; only six teams have more wins than them at this point of the year. 

Turner is having one of the best seasons of his career. He is back at his natural position, a center, after last season’s trade of Domantas Sabonis, and he’s reaping the rewards. Despite Turner publicly stating how he could help a center-needy team like the Clippers on Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast earlier this season, the Pacers are off to a better start than the Clippers and Lakers.

He’s blocking shots, rebounding well, and making shots at a sizzling clip. He’s averaged 2.6 blocks per game, 18.0 points, and 8.5 rebounds, and he’s making 1.5 threes per game. Turner is shooting 54.4 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from three, and 82.9 percent from the free throw line.

“Just win games, bro,” Turner said between the loss to the Clippers and the win over the Lakers. “That’s really all I want to hang my hat on, is winning games, being a part of winning games. That’s the most important thing for me right now. Just help this franchise out, so what I can do.”

The Pacers are set to play the Kings on the road Wednesday night.

The post Myles Turner: ‘Nothing Changes’ Despite All the Trade Rumors Around Him appeared first on SLAM.

The Bucks started 9-0 out the gate but have gone 5-5 over their last ten contests. On Sunday, the good vibes came out after the Bucks held on for a wire-to-wire victory over the Mavericks, who lost their fourth consecutive contest. Allen finished the game with 25 points on 80 percent shooting. He also had five assists, two steals, and one block. 

“The hoop looked huge,” Allen said per ESPN.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Milwaukee Bucks (@bucks)

Giannis Antetokounmpo had his usual outstanding performance as well. He led all scorers with 30 points on 57.9 percent shooting, 11 rebounds, and four dimes. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was complimentary of how Antetokounmpo and Allen’s games complimented each other last night. 

“He was on fire,” Kidd said. “We gave him a lot of great looks, and he knocked them down. Giannis put pressure on the rim, and we just couldn’t get to their shooters.”

The Milwaukee Bucks shot 17/37 from behind the arc, matching their season-high mark for made three-pointers. Allen’s sizzling shot-making led this in the first half, but Antetokounmpo was ardent about ensuring the other parts of Allen’s game were also acknowledged. 

“He’s not just a good shooter,” Antetokounmpo said. “If you’re sleeping and you’re being lazy, he’s going to drive the ball, drive the close-out and go and dunk it. It just makes him dangerous. As much as they respect the 3, they’ve got to respect the drive also.”

Coming into the game, it was touted as a battle between two MVP candidates, Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. Despite spectacular performances from both, Allen completely stole the show, which may be enough to get Milwaukee’s season back on track. 

The post Grayson Allen’s Hot Shooting Starts Lifts Milwaukee Over Dallas appeared first on SLAM.

They now have the highest offensive rating in the League t. 

DeAaron Fox battled Ja Morant throughout the night, and he finished with a big 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals. He also made five three-pointers en route to victory. His backcourt mate and newcomer Kevin Huerter continued his impressive play and great shooting as well; he had 18 points on 60 percent shooting and 57.1 percent from the three-point land.

Domantas Sabonis filled the stat sheet with nine points, 13 boards, and eight dimes. The veteran Harrison Barnes also had 26 points. Malik Monk coolly knocked in two free throws to extend their lead with 3.9 seconds remaining in the game and permanently out of reach (amidst Morant’s heckling). 

Head coach Mike Brown’s new scheme has the Kings playing inspired basketball and has freed up the talented roster for balanced contributions from all over the roster. 

“We made a lot of mistakes down the stretch that could have cost us the game, but we found a way to win,” Brown said following the game. “Hopefully, we’ll learn from that.” 

This is the Kings’ first time winning seven straight games since 2004. Sacramento hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006, but if they continue at this rate, their winning streak might be enough to break their sustained absence. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sacramento Kings (@sacramentokings)

When Brown was asked how to keep the Kings head on straight following their recent successes, Brown said, “you just keep telling them the truth. There’s nothing tricky about it, you know?”

“You play well; you tell them you play well. When you don’t play well, you tell them we’re not playing well,” Brown said. “As long as you keep it real with them, all those guys in the locker are all competitive, and they want the truth. And they’ve responded to the truth. We’ll keep them grounded that way.”

The post Don’t Look Now: the Kings Have Quietly Won Seven Straight Games appeared first on SLAM.

However, after the addition of Jalen Brunson this past summer and the expected progression of key young pieces, the Knicks hoped to drastically improve from their non-playoff finish. The Knicks begin a five-game round trip out West on Tuesday, starting with a contest against the Utah Jazz.

According to Newsday’s Steve Popper, Julius Randle called a pivotal players-only meeting before the trip to “stress accountability” and make sure they can maximize their performance. 

The meeting was called by Julius Randle — players who spoke this morning stressed it was positive, bonding as a group.

— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) November 15, 2022

The meeting was held in Utah following their embarrassing 145-135 loss in Madison Square Garden to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon. Sunday’s game was amongst the leakiest, least inspired defensive performances by the Knicks all season; the Thunder had 122 points through three quarters.

This is especially disheartening because the Knicks had one of their best offensive games of the season, scoring a franchise-record 48 points in the first quarter. The Knicks are giving up 116.8 points per game this season, good for 25th in the NBA, with a 113.5 defensive rating, good for 24th. 

MASTERPIECE pic.twitter.com/8DAXD1FUpg

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 13, 2022

Players-only meetings have historically had mixed results, but the Knicks are desperate to find consistency sooner rather than later. Their first chance to see if their dinner will yield positive results will be Tuesday in Utah at 9:00 PM EST. 

The post Julius Randle Calls Players-Only Meeting to ‘Stress Accountability’ appeared first on SLAM.

MarJon picked up a new ritual recently that *may* have helped his game. pic.twitter.com/S3WOidJHJt

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 15, 2022

The 24th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft in this year’s draft finished with a career-high 20 points and eight rebounds on 7-9 shooting. Teammate and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was once in Beauchamp’s shoes as an uber-athletic rookie prospect, and he has advice for him: stay humble. 

“It reminds me a lot of how it used to be when I was younger,” Antetokounmpo said, per The Athletic. “When I was younger, I remember when I had some good stretches, and I heard you guys talk, or my teammates talk about me, I felt good about myself, and then I played terrible. I hope he can stay humble, and I’m going to try also my best not to talk about him in the media all the time because I know he’s gonna be on Twitter somewhere. So he’s going to go through his feed and see this. Marjon – stay humble, keep hooping, playing great. But at the end of the day, it’s not about now, tomorrow, whatever the case might be; it’s about being the best that he can be. And right now, he’s playing well.” 

Giannis sends it off to MarJon!!

Learn how @clovercommerce powers small businesses through every stage of business growth https://t.co/7hl0Cf8LbG pic.twitter.com/z1z2cp7nHq

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 15, 2022

Beauchamp was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult night for the Bucks in their 121-106 loss. The Bucks fell to 10-3, 1-3 in their last four games. It was their second consecutive loss and their second straight to the Hawks. The Bucks are now 1-2 in their season series against Atlanta.  

MarJon getting it done on both ends tonight.

20 PTS | 8 REB | 78% FG% | 3-4 3PM pic.twitter.com/tEDg2YdrHG

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 15, 2022

Beauchamp’s minutes and production have steadily risen over Milwaukee’s last few contests. He is now averaging 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds on 42.2 percent shooting from the field while playing 18.1 minutes per game. The Bucks have the opportunity to end their losing streak on Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Shares Advice For Marjon Beauchamp: ‘Stay Humble’ appeared first on SLAM.

In Friday’s loss to Boston, Porter only had seven points and four boards in 25 minutes on 30 percent shooting. Porter held himself accountable and apologized to his team, and pledged to be better on his next outing. In last night’s win over Chicago, MPJ made good on his pledge. He finished with 31 points on 68.8 percent from the field. He hit six of nine threes and was +23 in his 24 minutes. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Denver Nuggets (@nuggets)

“That, in and of itself, is maturity,” head coach Mike Malone said. “That, in and of itself, is ownership.”

Porter cashed jumpers from all over the court and engaged on both sides of the ball in the Nuggets’ dominant win. The Nuggets moved to 9-4 on the season, good for the second seed in the Western Conference as of today. 

When the Denver Post asked MPJ about accountability and self-growth, he said, “You gotta grow. You can’t always blame other people. Sometimes, you’re the common denominator, so I’m always trying to see what I can do to grow.”

Porter is averaging 18.0 points, and 6.4 rebounds per game through twelve games played this season. If his look in the mirror continues to reap these kinds of rewards, those stats will only improve. His next opportunity to continue his excellent play will be Wednesday night against the New York Knicks. 

The post Michael Porter Jr. Says ‘You Gotta Grow’ After Dropping Season-High 31 Points appeared first on SLAM.

Westbrook had 14 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds off the bench en route to the win. Westbrook’s time on the floor included a timely block in isolation defense on Durant near the end of the first quarter, and he forced a key Durant turnover in the fourth quarter.

KD dropped 31 points, nine boards, and seven dimes in defeat. After the game, Durant praised his former teammate, particularly Brodie’s defensive effort.

“He’s just going to hack me the whole time. He’s been doing that shit since we were 18-19,” Durant said. “But more than anything, to see the role Russ is playing right now, he’s just affecting the game in so many different ways. 12 assists tonight, four turnovers, 14 points. He came in there and put his imprint on the game, so it’s fun playing against him regardless of what setting it is. It’s always been like that between us.” 

Russ and the Slim Reaper spent eight seasons playing together as the building blocks for the OKC Thunder. They were in contention for a championship for much of their stretch together, and in the six seasons since their breakup, they’ve both gone on to have even more success and add to their Hall of Fame careers. 

The Lakers snapped a five game losing skid with their win on Sunday night and moved to 3-10 on the season, the second-worst record in the Western Conference. The Nets were surging entering the game, but they now fall to 6-8 on the season. 

Both teams have a long break this week. The Lakers do not play again until Friday night against the Detroit Pistons. The Nets continue their road trip on Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. 

The post Kevin Durant Praises Russell Westbrook for Imposing His Will in New Role appeared first on SLAM.

Multiple reports came out last week suggesting that the Nets were hiring suspended Boston coach Ime Udoka as Nash’s replacement, but Nets GM Sean Marks denied all reports that Brooklyn was looking to hire the coach out of Boston. 

Vaughn has been with the Nets as an assistant coach since the 2016-2017 season. This is his second stint as interim head coach of the Nets; he filled in for 10 games in the 2019-2020 season, where he went 7-3. Before joining the Nets staff, Vaughn previously served as the head coach of the Magic for three seasons.

He is 67-163 in his career. The Nets and Knicks play Wednesday at 7:30 EST. 

The post Brooklyn Promotes Jacque Vaughn to Head Coach of the Nets appeared first on SLAM.

Despite the alarming losses and their incomplete defensive performances thus far, Steve Kerr isn’t pushing the panic button just yet.

“There are times in the NBA season when things can go off the rails a little bit,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “A big part of being a great team, being a solid organization, is just understanding how to work through that.”

Last season, the Warriors had a 2-9 slump that stretched from February to March, but they went on to win the championship a few months later. Things change quickly in the NBA. 

Draymond Green said a few days ago that the Warriors can’t fix all their problems right now, but they need to zero in on their biggest ones. At the moment, the biggest problem is the defense. The Warriors rank 25th in the NBA in points per shot allowed in transition and 23rd in field goal percentage allowed in transition, according to Second Spectrum tracking. Last season, they allowed the lowest field goal percentage in transition.

Golden State is also 24th in defensive rebounding after being sixth last year.

The Warriors Dynasty has had its fair share of ups and downs (mainly ups), but it is reasonable to surmise that they will bounce back and reclaim their excellence. 

“We just need to bring more of a sense of urgency,” Thompson said. “We had a long run last year, but 2022 is over. It’s time to kick into high gear and play that championship level of basketball that we’re used to. I fully expect us to do that.”

The Warriors, just like every other NBA team, will play tonight and get a chance to end their losing streak. 

The post Steve Kerr Believes the Warriors Will Bounce Back From 5-Game Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

They were again led by great perimeter play, Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, and Collin Sexton kicked in 22 points from the bench. The Jazz was up by double digits early in the first half, but they blew the lead and had to rally after trailing for much of the third and fourth quarters. 

After a blistering shooting performance on Friday to take down the Los Angeles Lakers, the Jazz had to reach deeper to gut out last night’s win and complete the Los Angeles sweep. The Jazz turned over the ball a whopping 20 times in their victory, but they outscored the Clippers 26-17 in the fourth quarter. 

“Finding ways to win is fun,” Coach Will Hardy said following the game, per ESPN. “I’m very proud of the team to overcome 20 turnovers.” 

The Jazz is the second seed in the Western Conference despite most of the “experts” projecting them to be a bottom-tier team in the league. The Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell (Cavs) and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves) this summer and are supposed to be starting their rebuild. The draft assets the Jazz got in return: Lauri Markanen, Sexton, Malik Beasley, Walker Kessler, and Kelly Olynk said not so fast.

“I’m starting to get more comfortable in myself,” Sexton said after the game. “Just staying ready and being present throughout the game.” 

Sexton had the game-sealing dunk when the Jazz was up by 4 with 54 seconds left. Clarkson could be seen cheering from the bench. The Jazz has surpassed all expectations of what was projected to be a down year. Whether or not they can maintain this level of play remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Utah is a lot of f****ing fun. 

The Jazz plays the Lakers on Monday at 10:15 PM EST.    

The post As They Rebuild, the Utah Jazz Are Now 8-3 and A Lot of Fun to Watch appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets, Irving, the NBA, and the NBPA have been dealing with the fallout of Irving’s insensitive social media activity. Both the Nets and Irving pledged to donate 500,000 dollars to anti-hate organizations earlier this week in an effort to heal the damage that was done.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released his official statement in response to Irving on Thursday. Silver stated that while he appreciated Irving’s donation to the anti-hate organization, he was “disappointed” in Irving’s lack of apology and that he will be “meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss this situation.” 

When pressed by reporters about his social media activity, Irving has had several conflicting statements and accounts on his intentions and on whatever power he believes he may hold. He has not backed down from much of the messaging of the movie. The Nets withheld Irving from media availability following his 4-point performance in Tuesday’s loss against the Chicago Bulls. 

In response to more questioning about the antisemitic movie on Thursday, Irving said he takes “responsibility for posting that” and acknowledged that “some things were questionable in there in, untrue.” He reminded reporters that he doesn’t “believe everything that everybody posts” and that he “didn’t mean to cause any harm.”

When asked if he was anti-semitic, Irving said he “respects all walks of life” while adding that he believes he “cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from.”

I take my responsibility for posting that,” Irving said per SNYNets.” Some things that were questionable in there untrue. Like I said the first time you guys asked me when I was sitting on that stage, I don’t believe everything that everybody posts. It’s a documentary. I take my responsibility.

Irving will likely be facing a good deal of media scrutiny over the next few weeks of the season for his comments. It is unclear if further punishment will be dealt out against Irving by either the NBA or the Brooklyn Nets. The clear message from the NBA is that they do not condone any promotion of hate speech.

The post Adam Silver Releases Statement On Kyrie Irving’s Recent Social Media Post appeared first on SLAM.

His energy and enthusiasm for the game seem to be revived, and the Lakers are playing inspired basketball. Lakers Coach Darvin Ham is intent on continuing with this formula for the foreseeable future. 

“Trust me, Russ had a hell of a night, man. In the last three games, he’s been phenomenal,” Ham said following the game. “One of my goals, selfishly, is to get him in the sixth man of the year conversation. And why not start now?”  

Darvin Ham said one of his goals is to get Russell Westbrook in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year

— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) November 3, 2022

In Wednesday’s win against the New Orleans Pelicans, Westbrook had 13 points, nine dimes, and eight boards on 60 percent shooting in only 25 minutes. He led another second-quarter run at the end of the quarter to give the Lakers a cushion heading into the half. He was nearly perfect, aside from his six turnovers. 

Westbrook is the all-time triple-double leader, an NBA MVP, an NBA 75 member, and one of the greatest players of all time. Westbrook putting his ego to the side and prioritizing the name in the front of his jersey rather than the back is indicative of the values Ham looks to instill in his team. 

“You have to know that the team comes first,” Ham said per the Athletic. “It sounds a little old school and cliche, but the name on the front of the jersey has to matter the most. It’s just a long season.” 

Westbrook has been receptive of the realignment and recently told the media that his move to the bench has been “beneficial for everybody.”

“My job is to find ways to continue to make the team better, whatever that is that night. Whether it’s assisting, rebounding, scoring, defending,” Westbrook told Spectrum Sportsnet. “I’m a person that prides myself on doing everything each and every night and I want to be able to have that trickle down effect on the guys that I’m on the floor with.”  

The Lakers have their first winning streak of the season and will get their first chance to continue their winning ways tomorrow against the Utah Jazz. 

The post Darvin Ham Wants to Get Russell Westbrook into ‘the Sixth Man Of The Year Conversation’ appeared first on SLAM.

After all, AI wasn’t just rocking bold fits in the tunnel, but everywhere and anywhere he went. 

“The thing that inspired me most about him was the way he had that swag,” says Vu. “What he wore, he introduced that fashion. When everyone was wearing suits to games, he was coming in with his street clothes and the armband and all that swag. He was probably my first basketball inspiration in the fashion realm and he was a killer on the court too. I always loved watching him play and the flashy [style]— huge inspo, watching him play inspired everything I’m doing today too.”

While Iverson brought that energy to his unwavering dedication to the game, Vu also saw his own Vietnamese parents embody that same level of dedication and sacrifice throughout his life. It’s one of the many inspirations behind Authmade’s latest collab with SLAM, the ‘So I Can Dream’ Collection.

The SLAM x AUTHMADE Collection is out now.

“Our collection with SLAM carries a lot of weight for me not only as a designer, but as a Vietnamese immigrant,” Vu says. “The collection engages with the ‘immigrant story’ and how our parents and grandparents, people that came before us, came to America for us to be able to dream. The tagline of the collection is ‘So I Can Dream.’ From the jobs they had to work, to the many sacrifices they gave to us so we can have a better life and to be able to do what we do today—whether you work in the creative industry or if you’re working as a journalist, whatever it is.”

The ‘So I Can Dream’ collection captures the essence of the game with a premium, luxury feel and streetwear vibe. Every piece is made with authentic ideals in mind and is all about self-expression: from the basketball paint splatter on the Paint long sleeve to the artwork printed on the Vintage Faded sweatpants, and the military-inspired patches and insignias featured on the Flight Work jacket.

The collection can be worn anywhere, too—whether that’s in the tunnel, courtside at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento or all around the streets of New York and beyond. 

Vu is a true storyteller and visionary at heart: he got into fashion in middle school and high school and still draws a lot of inspiration from some of the streetwear brands and sneakers he wore back then. With his brand Authmade, it’s all about being “authentic” to your roots and true to who you are. “I can’t create a brand and not be authentic to myself,” Vu says. “Our name is Authmade, [and] in my own personal style, I try to incorporate the streetwear I grew up on with modern day luxury touches and kinda merge the aesthetics of redefining the modern silhouette and kinda just having that blend into what we’re doing.”

Back in 2017, during a time when high fashion and streetwear were beginning to merge and grow more popular and accessible, licensed fashion NBA products were still limited. That’s when Vu and his team saw an opportunity at hand with the brand. 

“Coming from a smaller city like Sacramento, where there aren’t a lot of resources, opportunities, and platforms for fashion, I had to get really creative and strategic. With the NBA being the biggest platform in my hometown, the Sacramento Kings, I knew that I had to venture through sportswear as a gateway to the fashion industry,” Vu explained. “A lot of these other brands came and they had the platform. They had the opportunities to do their mainline and tell their story through that way. We had to be a little bit unconventional, being from a smaller city. I think creating sportswear for a team and going through the NBA to make my mark in the fashion industry was the one way I knew I could do it.”   

As Authmade continues to gain traction and work directly with the NBA, the final landing point is to continue building out their catalog into a core luxury mainline. The brand’s latest collaboration with SLAM is just the beginning.

“I’m incredibly grateful to SLAM for allowing me to share this story and be able to design a collection that speaks to everyone, not just immigrants,” Jason Vu said. “It doesn’t matter what race you are, or where you come from, we all connect through the values of family and everyone who came before us to help lay out our foundation.” 

The SLAM x Authmade ‘So I Can Dream’ Collection is available now. Shop here.

The post The SLAM x AUTHMADE ‘So I Can Dream’ Collection Pays Homage to Generational Sacrifices and the Spirit of the Game appeared first on SLAM.

He coached 161 games in total, going 94-67 with a 58.4 percent win percentage. Jacque Vaughn has reportedly been named interim head coach.

Nash’s tenure in Brooklyn featured a pair of playoff appearances but they never advanced further than the second round. The Nets were swept in the first round against the Boston Celtics last season. Since Kevin Durant’s return, the team has constantly been projected as title favorites but they repeatedly fell short of expectations. 

Nash’s time as head coach was filled with some difficult situations, including Kyrie Irving’s injuries and vaccination status, Ben Simmons’ on-court status, and a trade demand from James Harden, and most recently, Durant’s own reported trade demand this offseason. 

As the team looks to turn around their season and set themselves back on track for contention, their first opportunity to perform in the post-Nash era will be tonight against the Chicago Bulls. 

The post REPORT: Brooklyn Nets and Steve Nash Agree to Part Ways appeared first on SLAM.

This was his second consecutive game coming off the bench, and he once again looked like himself, with his usual mix of fire, passion, tenacity, and athleticism. Westbrook finished with 18 points, eight boards, and eight assists on 50 percent shooting from the field (and from three) in 32 minutes. He led a seminal 17-point spurt to give the Lakers the lead at the end of the third quarter, and the Lakers never looked back from there. No one was happier for him than Coach Darvin Ham. 

“I’m so happy, man,” Ham said, per The Athletic. “I can’t even imagine what that kid is going through. One of the biggest things about me getting this job was for him to get that respect that he deserved because a lot of what went on last year was not his fault. And everything, all of the blame, was placed on him.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers)

Westbrook was serenaded in cheers by the Lakers home crowd on their way to Ham’s first win as head coach. He called for them, and they answered, getting rowdy and raucous; they energized a decisive second-half run on both sides of the ball. The relationship between Lakers fans and Westbrook has been contentious up to this point, but Westbrook hasn’t let it take away his joy. He could be seen smiling, dancing, and celebrating all game long. 

“One thing I never will let happen is people outside of my family, [the] people that support me, take my joy,” Westbrook said via the Los Angeles Times. “Always have fun and embrace this game and embrace the gift I’ve been given to be able to go out and compete. And yes, winning makes you feel better about yourself. But when you’re losing, it’s not as much fun. Tonight was a night where we were able to have a chance.”

Whether or not this move to the bench will be a long-term move for Westbrook continues to be seen, but the first two instances have drawn better results than his earlier performances this season. His All-Star teammates, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, have commended his lack of ego and for his sacrifice. Westbrook is prepared for whatever comes his way. 

“Like I’ve mentioned since Day One, whatever is needed from me to help the team win, that’s what I’ll do,” Westbrook said.

The Lakers are now 1-5 on the season, and they’ll get their first chance to improve on that Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The post Darvin Ham Says He’s ‘Happy’ For Sixth Man Russell Westbrook Coming Off First Win appeared first on SLAM.

All four of these games were part of a season-opening homestand. The last of which came in a 98-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors. However, Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has a fix and a bit of perspective to help keep the Heat on track. 

“We’re just trying to figure it out. I mean, honestly, it’s four games in. I think we’re trying to figure it out. I know we said running it back, and I agree with that, but we still have different guys in different roles in different situations,” Lowry told The Miami Herald in Miami’s locker room following the loss. “So we have to figure it out how to all be on the same page.” 

Lowry is an NBA Champion and 36-years-old in his 17th NBA season, so he knows a lot about figuring it out. He’s averaging 10.8 points per game on 28.2 percent shooting from the field and 28.0 percent from three through four games this season. 

Lowry’s most significant adjustment has been his rise in playing next to Tyler Herro, who has been elevated to a starting position after his Sixth Man of the Year performance last season. Lowry is playing off-ball a lot more and has his lowest usage rate since his days in Memphis. 

“We got guys who can really play basketball. We’ve got guys who can really make plays, and we’ve just got to all find ways to mix and match, not take turns, but figure out how to play off each other a little bit better and play with each other a little bit better,” Lowry said. “Honestly, everybody has a different role this year; things are a little bit different, right? Tyler’s in the starting lineup, and Bam’s more aggressive. We’ve got different lineups with this, that and the other, and we’re just trying to figure it out right now.”

The Miami Heat will have plenty of time to set their season straight, and Lowry believes they have the talent to do so. 

The post Kyle Lowry Says 1-3 Miami Heat Are ‘Trying to Figure It Out’ appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons was frustrated with the officiating all night, but none vexed him more than his sixth and final foul, a touch foul when Simmons aggressively defended Ja Morant near halfcourt while Morant tried to waste time with 3:52 left in the game. 

Simmons and Coach Steve Nash were flabbergasted by the call. 

“I just saw the play,” Simmons said after the game. “It wasn’t a foul. [Orr] called it a foul, made a mistake, it is what it is … it’s really frustrating … it’s not a foul, but it was bullshit. It’s frustrating because it’s late game, fourth quarter, it’s a physical, close game. It’s the NBA. It’s not college. It’s not high school. Some people are going to get hit; some people bleed; it’s basketball.”

Ja Morant just explained how he baited Ben Simmons into a sixth foul by remembering something that happened during his rookie year. pic.twitter.com/lKgerareWm

— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) October 25, 2022

Morant believed he had something to do with Simmons’ getting called for the foul and explained how he baited him into being disqualified. 

“If y’all want to go dig up a play, I think my rookie year I was in Philly, and the same situation happened like that versus Ben in the first half. I went to look at Coach to get the play, and [Simmons] ran through the ball, got the steal, and went to dunk — I knew it at that moment. Once I seen him and I was rolling the ball, and I was at half [court], I looked at Coach, and I see him try to like ‘oh yeah.’ So I knew I had him. He was going to press up, and I was just going to force the ref to make the call.” 

Morant and Simmons were going at it all games, each receiving technicals in the first half. Morant finished with 38 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Simmons finished with seven points, eight dimes, and three boards. 

The post Ja Morant Takes Credit For Baiting Ben Simmons into Fouling Out appeared first on SLAM.

Williams is averaging 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game through three starts on 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 25.0 percent from three. His teammates and coaches have his back despite his struggles to get re-acclimated. 

“Stick with it,” Williams said per NBC Sports, after the team’s morning shootaround ahead of Boston’s trip to Chicago. “They (coaches and teammates) know, obviously, I want to play well, and I want them to play well, and they want to play well for themselves as well. But just can’t get too down when you don’t play well. Just reminding, that was what, game three? Of at least 82. Obviously, we want to play past 82. But that was game three of 82.” 

Williams will have plenty of chances to improve his play, and he’s using that fact to help give him perspective. 

“They kind of know already how I think about myself and my performances, so they really don’t have to say too much. I’ll ask them questions, of course, of what they think I can do better. But I already have answers and they just kind of assure that.”

The Bulls play the Celtics on Monday at 8 PM EST. 

The post ‘Stick With It’: How Patrick Williams Plans to Overcome Slow Start appeared first on SLAM.

“The first unit, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s better. I thought it was really good tonight. It’s just kind of — as we go through, like, these different units and guys playing with Rudy, it’s all a learning curve for us right now.”

The first unit had plenty of heroes; Anthony Edwards had 30 points on 13/19 shooting from the field and even found the time to kick in 11 boards. Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 15 recounts. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Their superior size advantage helped them outrebound the Thunder 54-42. 

The Wolves’ twin towers pairing was the initial allure of Minnesota’s off-season acquisitions. Their starting lineup figures to be on the level of anyone’s this season but Naz Reid off the bench was the final spark to secure the win for the Timberwolves. 

Reid finished with 14 points on 5-7 shooting, all in the fourth quarter. He was a big part of finally putting away the Thunder, playing well enough that FInch decided to keep him on the floor instead of re-inserting KAT and the stifle Tower

“I was going to try to bring Kat (Towns) and Rudy back at the same time and then try to finish the game there in the middle of the fourth,” Finch said. “And Nas was great, so we didn’t have to do that.”

Despite the win, the Timberwolves shot poorly from three, but the way they dominated the paint set the table for the win. The Wolves will have plenty of time to try and mesh their uncommon frontcourt pairing over the next 79 regular season games, but Sunday, the learning process wasn’t enough to distract from getting the win.

The post Chris Finch Says Timberwolves Are ‘Still A Work in Progress’ appeared first on SLAM.

Together, they’re expected to be a fearsome backcourt and a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. They didn’t disappoint in their Wednesday night regular season debut against the Houston Rockets. 

The Atlanta Hawks backcourt combined for 43 points and 24(!!) assists. Murray added five steals, while Young went 8/8 from the free-throw line. The Hawks won 117-107, and despite their excellent play, they have plenty of room to improve. Murray and Young shot a combined 2-14 from three and committed eight turnovers.

Still, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about where this team could go. 

Postgame, Murray said that although he and Young are the main attractions, their main goal as the starting backcourt is to “set the tone,” while reiterating that they’re focused on making the Hawks a better team moving forward.

“The Atlanta Hawks are not me and Trae, but we set the tone,” Murray said, per ESPN. “We’re gonna get better.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Atlanta Hawks (@atlhawks)

The effects of their playmaking could be seen as four Hawks players put up 20 or more points. John Collins finished with a game-high 24 points, and De’Andre Hunter kicked in another 22. But Murray also felt the rebuilding Rockets should not have been able to stick around as long as they did. 

“I feel like the game was too close,” Murray said before he rated his performance, “6 out of 10.” 

If what they were able to do Wednesday is any indication of where they’re going to take their games this season, a return to the Eastern Conference Finals and maybe beyond could be in the cards. Not many teams can boast two guards who can make plays and score at the level of Young and Murray. 

The post Dejounte Murray and Trae Young ‘Set the Tone’ During Atlanta’s Season-Opening Win Over Houston appeared first on SLAM.

After missing last season with a broken foot, Williamson joined a revamped Pelicans core to wipe out the Brooklyn Nets in a 130-108 blowout. Williamson scored 25 points and pulled down nine rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 30 minutes of action. The all-around performance gives fans a real sense of how dominant he was in his return. However, Williamson says he had just “a decent starter performance.”  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LeagueFits (@leaguefits)

After the game, Williamson said, “It’s a lot of room for improvement. I’m still learning my teammates. Now we get real in-game reps. I’m just excited to grow.”

Looking at Williamson’s stats from the last time he played, Williamson has reason to believe his outstanding performance was not on par with his standard performances. He went an efficient 11-22 from the floor, slightly down from his career 60.4 percent field goal shooting. His teammates and Coach Willie Green weren’t so rigid with their praise. 

Coach Willie Green said it was like Williamson “didn’t miss a beat.” Fellow All-Star teammate Brandon Ingram said he “picked up where he left off.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by New Orleans Pelicans (@pelicansnba)

Even his opponents were impressed with his seamless return to play.

“He looked healthy to me,” Kevin Durant said. “He looked good. Got up 22 shots, nine rebounds, 25 points. At this point, it’s just typical for him.”

Williamson has been dominant since the moment he stepped on an NBA floor. Everyone and we mean everyone, will be watching and waiting for his dominance to continue. 

The post Zion Williamson Calls First Game Back ‘a Decent Starter Performance’ appeared first on SLAM.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, here are seven takeaways from last night’s action.

Revenge SZN: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking even better

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a nightmare for teams on both sides of the ball for a few years now. They have three ECF trips under their belt and a recent appearance in the NBA Finals — they’re not supposed to still be getting better. After showing up to opening night rockin’ some pretty eye-catching fits, Brown and Tatum dropped a combined 70 points (dropping 35 points apiece) and solidified the dub over Philly.

Both were attacking from every part of the floor. Having two dynamic players like Brown and Tatum gives the Celtics a good chance to get back to the Finals and maybe even win it this time. 

Ring Night: The Warriors may be poised to make another championship run

On ring night, the Warriors look good. Damn good. Stephen Curry is still just as good as he’s always been, and the Warriors’ weapons all kept them afloat and out of reach. The Dubs had their trademark explosive third quarter, and signature contributions from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Curry, and Andrew Wiggins on offense guided them to a win. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney anchored a strong defensive performance. Their young core (Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga) came in off the bench and provided valuable minutes. Sheesh, the Warriors are deep. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SLAM (@slam)

The Beard drops a 30-piece on Opening Night

James Harden has been a picture of perfect health for the majority of his NBA career, but during his tenure with the Nets, and leading into his tenure with the Sixers, Harden was dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that sapped away a lot of his explosiveness and his ability to change speeds that made him so difficult to contain during his days in Houston. Houston Harden showed up in Boston last night for Philadelphia.

He finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 64.2 percent shooting from the field and 12/12 shooting from the line. Some may say vintage Harden; we say he’s back. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LeagueFits (@leaguefits)

LeBron James speaks on Lakers’ Shooting Troubles:

The Los Angeles Lakers Big 3 finished with 77 of 109 points as the remainder of the team struggled to score all game with their limited spacing. Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis also shot a combined 4-16 from three, while the Lakers as a whole shot 10-40. After the game, The King was quick to recognize this deficiency in the Lakers’ offense, citing a lack of “lasers.”

Moving forward, the Lakers need better shooting performances if they do not want to repeat their fate from last season. 

Honoring No. 7: Jaylen Brown Speaks on Bill Russell’s Legacy

The legendary Bill Russell, and 11-time NBA Champion (twice as a head coach of the Celtics), passed away this past summer. The Boston Celtics legend had his No. 6 retired around the League, and every team is wearing a “6” patch on their jersey to honor him. The Celtics took each step, however, intent on honoring their greatest player. Jaylen Brown took a few moments to commemorate Bill Russell before the game, honoring him as a player, a father, a leader, and a man. 

Coaching Debuts of Mazzulla and Ham:

Darvin Ham and Joe Mazzulla both made their head coaching debuts on opening night. Mazzulla won his first game, and Ham lost his. Mazzulla is an interim head coach, for now, following Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics.

Near the end of their contest against the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy joked that Mazzulla now has the best winning percentage in NBA history. This is true and looks to remain true, at least through his next game. Ham, on the other hand, has the tall task of coaching a veteran Lakers team back to promise. There are some positive takeaways to be had from the team’s performance but look for tweaks in the next few games as they look to find their footing. 

FREE BG 

October 18th marked the beginning of the NBA season, but it was also Britney Griner’s 32nd birthday. Stephen Curry took some time to bring awareness to her wrongful incarceration in Russia during his direct address to the fans in attendance as well as the fans watching on TV at home. The fight for Griner’s freedom continues to be a major point of emphasis as the season begins. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WSLAM (@wslam)

The post 7 Takeaways From Opening Night appeared first on SLAM.

When the Lakers were set to play their preseason finale, multiple reports said Ham intended to bring Westbrook off the bench against the Sacramento Kings. Westbrook has started every NBA game he has played since his rookie year. 

In what later became a 47-point loss, Brodie only played 5 minutes off the bench. He strained his hamstring early on and never returned. After the Lakers suffered an opening day 123-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors a few days later, Westbrook told reporters that he “absolutely” attributed this injury to his temporary bench role. 

“I’ve been doing the same thing for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose — That’s something I just wasn’t accustomed to,” Westbrook said after their regular season debut 123-109 loss against the Golden State Warriors. 

Westbrook has played in 1,022 career games and has started 1,005 of them. A bench role later this season is not off the table with improved depth at the point guard after the additions of Patrick Beverly, Dennis Schröder, and the return Kendrick Nunn.

However, in last night’s game, Westbrook showed flashes of why the Lakers traded for him in the first place. In 31 minutes, Westbrook had 19 points and 11 rebounds on 58 percent shooting. He kicked in three assists and a steal as well. 

Both his coach and his teammate, Anthony Davis, maintain the game against Sacramento was just an experiment and an exploration of their options. When asked about his decision to start Westbrook on opening night, Ham was complimentary of Russell Westbrook. 

“You want to start the game off the right way in terms of your energy and being in attack mode, and no one better than him,” Ham said, who spoke to reporters before Westbrook did after the game. “I mean, it’s what we have, and we got some key guys hurt. It’s Game 1; give them a chance to go out and compete at the highest level. I thought he was solid. I thought he was solid. A couple possessions I wish I can get back, but overall, I thought he was solid.”

AD stated he didn’t think Westbrook’s realignment to the bench was ever intended to be a real option. Despite the loss, the Lakers Big 3 looked more fluid in their offensive execution, and they thought so too. 

“I think we played well,” Davis said. “We wanted to come out, and everybody be aggressive.”

LeBron James added, “I thought we all just kind of played free. And it resulted in all three of us pretty much being efficient from the floor.”

If the Lakers are to right the ship, Westbrook must be healthy and play well. He’s sending the message that he does that best from the starting five.

The post Russell Westbrook Believes Coming Off the Bench ‘Absolutely’ Caused Hamstring Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Everyone knew it was a big game, even the scalpers. The cheapest tickets available were going for $700. Chi decided he’d watch the game at a karaoke bar instead in the neighboring Koreatown, surrounded by people who looked just like him. And together, they all witnessed one of their own, Jeremy Lin, an undrafted Asian American point guard that went from Harvard to the NBA, drop 38 points on the Lakers in an electric 92-85 victory. 

“Looking back at that experience, I don’t think I would have traded it for actually being at the Garden, if I’m being totally honest with you,” Chi says over the phone. “I [was] surrounded by people who look like me, maybe a little older. Jeremy played out of his mind the whole game so we had two hours of people just losing it. People are crying, they’re running around, they’re screaming.  It’s unbelievable.I’m doing all of these things too, but I’m like what is this? Is this a cathartic reaction to seeing [someone] break the stereotypes we all deal with?”

A decade later, things have now come full circle for Chi, who is the director of 38 At The Garden that captures Lin’s incredible run in 2012 while playing on the Knicks. The film is a Mr. Fahrenheit and GTG Entertainment production and was spearheaded by GTG Entertainment Group’s founder Samir Hernandez, who produced the documentary alongside Academy-Award winner Travon Free. 

38 At The Garden, which premiered on HBO this October, was inspired by that night Chi spent watching Lin take over at the Garden, but the idea for the film didn’t come into fruition until eight years later after a conversation he had with Free in late 2020. 

“We were talking about impossible moments. An impossible moment is when society at large assigns to a group of people that you can’t do something and someone just comes out of nowhere and just shatters that to pieces. We were talking about that in the context of Obama,” Chi tells SLAM. “That is the biggest impossible moment any of us have lived through. Travon is a producer. And a director. We were just talking about stories. And I was like, the only other moment that has felt like Obama to me, and I’m Asian, was Linsanity. This is why the movie was called 38 At The Garden. The two most magical nights of my life: the first was the night Barack Obama was elected president. The second was the night Jeremy Lin dropped 38 at the Garden.” 

Chi admits that he dealt with his own doubts about the film. He was initially unsure if this was a story that anyone cared to hear during a time when there was so much anti-Asian hate and violence going on around the country, and the world.

“The first thing I did was doubt it,” Chi says. “I was like, ‘That was eight years ago. Nobody cares what Asian people think in this country. We’re invisible.’ So I thought about it for a couple weeks. I hate that that was my first reaction but that’s my trained instinct in me as an Asian person. This was 2020 and anti-Asian violence was starting to creep up.”

“We spent a little time going back and forth about whether it was possible or what that looked like,” Free adds. “[Chi] sat with it for a little while and then he came back to me like, ‘Okay, I made a deck.’ That’s when I knew he couldn’t let it go. I’m glad he didn’t. It ended up being such a fun movie to make. But also just an important movie to make.” 

While the movie does spotlight the personal triumph of Jeremy Lin’s transcendent basketball journey, and features interviews from Lin himself, as well as former teammates, journalists and comedians, the movie is about much more than just basketball. 

“There’s a way to explain this film without any basketball whatsoever. It’s this: part 1 is about stereotypes. Part 2 is about what happens when someone shatters those stereotypes on the world stage. And part 3 is about today, what happens when those stereotypes have been weaponized,” Chi says. “And when they’re weaponized, they turn into anti-Asian violence. That’s a very easy film to understand once you say it out loud. Once we got to that conversation, a lot of things clicked.”

“Being able to have this POV and take this from then to now, it’s the perfect moment to tell this story and this zeitgeist as opposed to leaning into more divisiveness, we are able to bring people together,” Hernandez says. 

It was important to Chi, Free, and Hernandez to spotlight Lin’s experience as an Asian American to further explain the significant impact his story has had on so many people around the world. 

“People don’t realize that sports and politics have always been married in this country. Sports and politics have always been married in the world. It’s hard to separate the idea that the political nature of our lives stops outside the gate of the stadium when so much of who we are is what makes great athlete stories important,” Free explains. 

With so many emotional layers jam-packed into the film, fans of the game can expect so much more than a highlight reel of Lin’s time on the Knicks. It’s a story meant to inspire, and resonate with everyone, especially those who have had to battle against stereotypes and doubt.

“It’s bigger than a basketball movie and ultimately, it’s not really about basketball. And that’s kinda where we left it,” says Free.   

Photos via Getty Images.

The post ‘38 at the Garden’ Tells the Powerful Story of Jeremy Lin and How He Not Only Transcended the Game, but Inspired the World appeared first on SLAM.

Brown has evolved several times throughout his career, from rookie to dynamic emerging star to explosive scorer. The Boston Celtics haven’t been a stranger to deep playoff runs throughout Brown’s tenure, and this past season, they finally broke through and made the NBA Finals. Despite this accomplishment, the Celtics came up short, and Brown refused to rest on his laurels.

tfw it’s gameday pic.twitter.com/vb7uRSEJpv

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 18, 2022

This offseason, Brown decided to test himself in new ways. One way he pushed himself over the summer was by using underwater training to help him make another leap during the 2022-23 season. 

“I pushed myself to the limit this summer. I’ve done things that I never thought I could do,” Brown said to NBC sports. “I wasn’t a great swimmer. I was an average swimmer. And you would probably think I was born in the water if you saw me now.” 

The idea to go underwater for his physical development was born after Brown came across a video of big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton training in the water. His physical therapist immediately put Brown in contact with Hamilton’s training facility.

“In a word way, it kind of found me. All [last] season, I’d been telling myself this upcoming [offseason], I wanted to try something different. I want to get more in the water. I’m kind of muscular, tight, so if I get a little bit more fluid, I think that it can improve my game and also improve my cardio, all that,” Brown said. 

Jaylen takes it coast to coast pic.twitter.com/ChfHhBI2WH

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 15, 2022

Amidst trade rumors, the water became a safe space for Brown. He recruited Luca Padua to assist him with his underwater weight training and swimming regiments. All of the practice was supposed to build to a surfing expedition, but with the season on the horizon, Brown has put that off until next offseason. 

For now, Jaylen Brown is looking for his work from this prior season to pay off in the form of a championship. The Boston Celtics kick off the NBA season starting tonight at 7:30 EST against the Philadelphia 76ers. 

The post Jaylen Brown: ‘Pushed Myself to the Limit’ Over the Summer With Underwater Workouts appeared first on SLAM.

The Wichita State product is tied for being the longest-tenured Raptor with his All-star teammate, Pascal Siakam. Despite the Raptors roster being home to a deep pool of 6’8 plus multitalented and highly switchable wings, VanVleet is barely 6’0, but he fits right in with them.

In fact, VanVleet leads the brigade of titans on both offense and defense. He’s determined to get the best out of himself and his teammates. 

“Those are my two secrets. I try to lead by example. And when that doesn’t work, I cuss,” Fred VanVleet said on Monday. 

VanVleet has set a tremendous veteran example for his teammates. Last season, VanVleet averaged 20.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds en route to his first All-Star game selection. He made the second most three-pointers per game after Stephen Curry. 

“He sets (the tone) just because that’s his nature. He competes to win. That’s just who he is. He doesn’t know much better. You guys come to practice tomorrow, and we’ll be playing games that are being scored, and he’ll be out there fighting,” Coach Nick Nurse said about VanVleet’s competitive fire. 

“It’s just kind of my job to make sure we get through a good practice,” VanVleet said. “And when we don’t, I blame myself. I’ve got a pretty good track record.” 

The Raptors made the playoffs last season, and if they look to do better than their first-round appearance, VanVleet will have a lot to do with it. VanVleet may be their smallest player, but he’s their most prominent voice and so much more.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Nick Nurse on ‘the Tone’ Fred VanVleet Sets as the Leader of the Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN story on Portland Trail Blazers F Nassir Little agreeing on a $28M extension https://t.co/hr50OUce6I

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 17, 2022

Little has slowly seen his minutes grow over his first three seasons in the League.

The Blazers are a squad with a heavy veteran presence, and following injuries to key rotational players, Little finally got his chance to showcase his skills in the 2021-2022 season. His minutes jumped from 13.3 minutes per game to 25.9 minutes per game. Little’s counting stats grew as well. He went from 4.6 to 9.8 points per game, 2.7 to 5.6 rebounds per game, last season he passed out a career-best 1.3 assists per game. 

His fully guaranteed extension is coming after Little suffered a season-ending shoulder injury he sustained during a strong stretch of play in January 2022. Little averaged 13.1 points and 7.5 rebounds on 45.4 percent shooting, including 40 percent on three-pointers, for the month. Portland was 7-5 in the stretch.

Damian Lillard’s longtime backcourt running mate, CJ McCollum, is no longer in Portland and the roster of players Portland has built around their All-NBA guard seems to be getting younger. A new era of Trail Blazers’ hoops is beginning this season and Nassir Little is expected to be a part of it through 2027. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post REPORT: Nassir Little Locked in with Portland After Signing Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The root of the problem stems from injury and his COVID-19 vaccination status as the world opened back up from lockdown. In his three campaigns for the Nets, Irving has averaged 27.1 points per game, 6.0 assists per game, and 4.7 rebounds per game, but he’s only played 103 out of a possible 246 games. 

After tense deliberation with Nets management this summer, Irving opted into the final year of his contract and is set to possibly play his last season in Brooklyn. Due to Irving’s mysterious nature and unpredictable availability, rumors have been building for quite some time that Irving is prepared to retire after this upcoming season.

However, Irving put those rumors to rest on Monday after ESPN’s Mark Friedell asked how much longer he’d like to play. 

“I’m never going to stop playing. You hear me? Get that — I am never going to stop playing. This is not even a debate. It’s not a consideration,” Irving said. 

Irving will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and is free to play wherever he wants, but it appears retirement is not an option, at least not for the foreseeable future. Irving and KD are looking to improve on a disappointing 2021-2022 season, and that’s where Irving’s focus will remain, not with his post-playing career.

The Brooklyn Nets season begins on October 19 at 7:30 PM against the New Orleans Pelicans.   

Photo via Getty Images.

The post Kyrie Irving Refutes All Retirement Rumors: ‘I’m Never Going to Stop Playing’ appeared first on SLAM.

“Definitely not a good feeling that I’ll never forget,” Tatum said per Sports Illustrated.

He shot 36.7 percent from the field in the Finals, down from 45.3 percent in the regular-season. The 2021-2022 NBA season was an eight-month slog for Boston, and after a rocky start, they almost came out on top. Tatum was exhausted toward the end of their run. Tatum went from averaging 35.9 minutes a night during the regular-season to playing 41.0 per game during the playoffs.

The physical tool he took manifested into a fractured wrist that forced Tatum to tape his wrist during games and a soft cast off the court, only taking it off when there were cameras around. When the Finals concluded with a Game 6 loss to the Warriors, Tatum went ghost for nearly two weeks, according to his trainer Drew Hanlen.

“I was exhausted. Didn’t feel like talking to anybody. Didn’t feel like being bothered. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never been in that situation but losing a championship was fucking miserable,” Tatum said on why he didn’t hit up Hanlen for two weeks after the Game 6 loss. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Drew Hanlen (@drewhanlen)

After the two-week sabbatical, Tatum went to work on improving his game.

Per Hanlen, Tatum was “intense’ during workout sessions and “became obsessed with winning.” Hanlen said he didn’t lose a one-on-one game all summer and famously barked at his teammates when they fell 0-2 during a five-on-five session. After winning their third game of the session, Tatum and his teammates went undefeated for the rest of the day.

weekend work pic.twitter.com/Ov23iLkMgd

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 9, 2022

He also wanted to improve his burst while attacking the rim to create contact and put more pressure on defenders. He was only fouled on 9.8 of his total drives. He adjusted his posture, embracing a lower base on his face-up. He tried to find ways to combat fatigue by changing his diet and increasing his conditioning drills. He shot hundreds of floaters.

He picked the mind of frequent workout partner and future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant. Tatum studied Durant’s ability to protect the ball, mainly how Durant uses his hips and shoulders to shield the ball from defenders and can protect it when he attacks the rim. Durant also gave Tatum advice on his hesitation dribble and side-step jumper.

“I’m still young enough where I feel like I can learn from a lot of guys,” Tatum said. “And he’s one of the best to ever do it.” 

Despite his expected increased role, Tatum seems to be looking forward to the opportunity to improve on the Celtics’ dee 2022 playoff run in this upcoming season, and this time, he hopes he can take the lessons he learned this summer with him. 

The post How Jayson Tatum Attacked the Offseason Following Boston’s Finals Loss appeared first on SLAM.

Gobert recently told NBA.com’s Mark Medina what it has been like to mentor Wembanyama.

“It’s been great,” Gobert said. “I’ve known Victor since he was 13 years old. He’s a great kid. He’s very wise. Obviously, he has all the tools. But what makes him special is his mindset and his spirit. He’s passionate about the game. He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great. He’s putting all that together and working really hard to get to that level. It’s been really cool to watch him grow.” 

GET YOUR MAGS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. https://t.co/7XlmKrorQ1 pic.twitter.com/mRQyD0VAHP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 6, 2022

Wembanyama has been compared to Gobert, specifically with his ability to make a difference at the rim on the defensive end of the ball. On offense, however, Wembanyama is a completely different monster. Gobert understood this distinction and noted it very early on in Wembanyama’s development. 

“The first time I watched him play, we all knew he would be special. But the real question was how far and how special? These last few days, we can all agree that he’s going to be something unique. As soon as I got to speak with him and understand his mindset, I knew he would be great. He has all of the tools, but the mentality is the most important tool. He has that.” 

Gobert attended Metropolitans 92 and Wembanyama’s second exhibition game against the G League Ignite. Wembanyama finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks.

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA. This midrange fadeaway is absolutely ridiculous. (via @stevejones20) pic.twitter.com/ohxn4eMQY6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 6, 2022

After the contest, Gobert and the number one prospect in the world took some photos together. At 7’4, the 18-year -old Wembanyama towered over Gobert.

“It doesn’t happen a lot (smiles),” Gobert said about Wembanyama being taller than him. “It was great. I’m used to being the one looking from up above. It’s unusual for me, but it happens. I’ve seen Boban [Marjanovic] and Tacko [Fall] a few times. It makes me feel like a normal person.” 

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year knows what it takes to succeed in the League, and Wembanyama was blessed with all of it and maybe even a little bit more.

The post Rudy Gobert Believes Victor Wembanyama Will Be ‘Something Unique’ appeared first on SLAM.

On an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Howard admits that he wants to continue playing, but did consider retirement at some point.

“I wanna play, but at the same time there’s no teams that really wanna allow me to play. That’s how I’ve been feeling from the last situation with the Lakers. I felt like I did enough to help them win a championship to really deserve a spot on the team and a chance to start and get big minutes, and it didn’t happen.

So after that I was like, ‘Man, I don’t wanna have to bust my ass for another whole summer, train three-a-days, go on a crazy diet, do all this s–t and then get back to a team and sit on the bench or not get to really help somebody win.’ … And it’s been like, ‘Damn, do I wanna just call it quits and do some other stuff or go back at it and show people I still got it.'”

Howard’s resume speaks for itself, from being an eight-time NBA All-Star to a three-time Defensive Player of the Year throughout his career. However, he has not averaged over 20 minutes a contest since his 2018-19 campaign in Washington, where he appeared in nine games.

After winning a title with the Lakers in 2020 as a backup center, Howard is currently an unsigned, unrestricted free agent. In the twilight of his career, the eight-time All-NBA player is looking for one last, real chance. 

The post Dwight Howard Explains Why He’s Considered Retiring appeared first on SLAM.

Now, nearly 20 years later, one of the greatest the game has ever seen is just as impressed by the future of the game in Wembanyama. While many have used the term “unicorn” to describe versatile and exceptional talents, James suggests Wembanyama is something entirely else.

“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien. I’ve never seen, no one has ever seen, anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor,” James recently said when asked if he was able to Wembanyama play. 

Victor Wembanyama’s team, Metropolitan 92, traveled to play the G-League Ignite in an exhibition game in Las Vegas this week. On Tuesday, Wembanyama dueled it out against another highly-touted prospect, Scoot Henderson and put on an electric performance, dropping 37 points and blocking five shots.

It was Wembanyama’s first game on American soil and, for many, their first time witnessing Wembanyama’s diverse skill set and physical tools. 

“His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot stepback jumpers out of the post, stepback threes, catch and shoot threes, block shots… He’s for sure a generational talent,” James added. “Hopefully he continues to go on and stay healthy. That’s what is most important for him personally.” 

Wembanyama already has his sights set on putting the world on notice, telling SLAM in his exclusive cover story that he wants to “become the kind of player you have never seen.”

Having already caught the attention of the King, it’s clear that the 7-4 French cheat code is already on his way. 

For James, it was business as usual against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday—he finished with 23 points, three boards and four dimes in 17 minutes of preseason action. After the game, James also took a moment during the presser to appreciate Wembanyama’s joy for the game, and to contrast his experience as a high school phenom with Wembanyama’s growing stardom. 

“You can tell he loves the game,” James said. “He was smiling a lot while playing the game last night. It was the two best players in the draft, they both did their thing. He’s a big time player. And Scoot is a big time player as well.” 

“For me, what I went through… I thank God I didn’t have social media. That’s all I can say. I can’t imagine how it would have been different or what would have transpired with me with social media but I’m happy I didn’t have social media and I’m happy I am from a small town like Akron, Ohio. It kept me in the bunker and it kept me locked in on the task at hand. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen year, eighteen year old kid. It made me lock in.”   

The standout from Le Chesnay, France will soon find himself joining the Association at the 2023 NBA Draft. To learn more about Wembanyama and his journey, get your copy of SLAM 240 here.

The post LeBron James Praises French Standout Victor Wembanyama, Calls Him a ‘Generational Talent’ appeared first on SLAM.

Ben Simmons might’ve played for a different team, the Philadelphia Sixers, the last time he suited up in a game 470 days prior, but after a season-long trade request and subsequent back injury, Simmons is back for the Brooklyn Nets. He faced off against his former squad in the first preseason game, scoring six points, grabbed four boards, dishing out five dimes and a steal in 19 minutes. 

“I’m grateful just to be able to step on that floor,” Simmons said, per ESPN. “Step on an NBA floor again. I had a lot of fun out there.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brooklyn Nets (@brooklynnets)

Out on the west coast, Kawhi Leonard made his well-awaited return after suffering a torn ACL during the 2021 NBA playoffs against the Utah Jazz. The two-time Finals MVP picked up right where he left off, scoring 11 points and collecting four rebounds with two steals against the Portland Trailblazers in only 16 minutes.

“It was great,” Leonard said. “Just being able to put all that hard work that I did throughout the, 14, 16 months, just able to put it to test and playing against NBA talent, it was good.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LA Clippers (@laclippers)

And then there’s SLAM 230 cover star Jamal Murray, who has been missing from action since he tore his ACL during the 2021 regular season. He gave optimists a lot of reasons to feel vindicated for their faith that he would return better than ever in his first game back, finishing with 10 points on 4-7 from the field in only 15 minutes. 

We’ve said it before, but let it be known now that’s he back: it’s Jamal Murray’s time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Denver Nuggets (@nuggets)

With the NBA regular season right around the corner, these three superstars are joining (or re-joining) teams with championship aspirations and contention expectations. It’s been too many days too long and the game is better with them on the court. 

The post Ben Simmons, Jamal Murray and Kawhi Leonard Make Their NBA Return appeared first on SLAM.

After Friday’s practice, when asked how much he wanted to play in this year’s preseason competition, James replied, “More than I played last year,” per NBA.com. 

The Los Angeles Lakers lost all six of their preseason games last year, while LeBron only played in 3 of them for a combined 73 minutes. A rough start in the preseason gave way to a difficult and injury-riddled 2021-2022 campaign for the Lakers. After only playing in 56 games last season and dealing with nagging injuries throughout, James made some adjustments to his off-season training regimen and his diet—even picking up pickle ball.

“Being Black and understanding how heart rate and blood-pressure things run in my family, living a healthy lifestyle is very important,” James said, per NBA.com. “It’s not only to myself. But it’s about showing that to the kids and people all around. If that can translate to the game, cool. But it’s more about life.”

LeBron James expects to play more preseason games this season than he did last season (2).

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 30, 2022

New Lakers head coach Darvin Ham says the team will decide “in the next few days” whether LBJ plays in more than three exhibitions. “We don’t want to go crazy,” Ham said. “But we also want it to be enough where we can establish a rhythm, so he can be in game mode with a good rhythm going into the regular season.” 

It will be important for the new-look Lakers roster to hit the ground running when the season starts and James is hoping to be in his best state to go running with them. “It doesn’t matter how long you’ve played this game. The day you think you can stop learning is the day you start going backwards,” James said. “I’m always trying to figure out ways I can get better and learn from a new coach, new teammates and life in general. Every day is a learning experience for me. I love it.”

The Los Angeles Lakers play the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.

Photo via Getty Images.

The post LeBron James Plans on Playing in ‘More’ Preseason Games Than He Did Last Year appeared first on SLAM.

Despite all that Harden has been able to accomplish over the first thirteen seasons of his career, critics often call his conditioning into question. This has been amplified by lingering hamstring injuries that affected his mobility during his short stint with Brooklyn and the beginning of his time in Philadelphia.  

When asked about his “terrific shape” as he entered this year’s training camp in a Media Day interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, the Beard said, “I’ve always said that if my conditioning can be level with my skill set, my IQ, and the work I put in, it’s MVP.” 

Harden believes that he will return to MVP form for this upcoming season because of his lack of severe injuries in years past.

“A hamstring is nothing to play with; you know what I mean?” Harden said. “Fortunately for me, I’ve never had a serious injury throughout my time, in life in general. The last two summers with the pandemic, it was all recovery. All rehabbing and doing those other things. Now I get a full summer where I can actually play pickup. Working out individually and actually playing pickup and playing basketball are two totally different things.” 

Although Harden has only won one MVP, he was the first runner-up on three different occasions and finished third in MVP voting as recently as 2020. During Harden’s nine seasons as a member of the Houston Rockets, he averaged 29.6 points per game, 7.7 assists per game, and 6.0 rebounds per game.

If Harden can integrate that production into Philly’s mix of talent, including fellow MVP runner-up Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and PJ Tucker, Philadelphia will be a formidable contender during the 2022-2023 campaign.

The post James Harden is in ‘Terrific Shape’ and Believes He’s Back In MVP Form appeared first on SLAM.

His imminent return alongside Jamal Murray and back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic has made the Nuggets a threat to win the 2023 NBA Championship. However, Nuggets Coach Mike Malone still thinks Porter Jr. has room to improve. 

“I think if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse,” Malone said. “I really feel that way. You never say the same, any of us. So for Michael, yes, he’s dealt with the injuries but understanding that for him, it’s a discipline within his offensive spacing. Get to the corner. Getting to the corner is not stopping above the break. He’s not a good; he’s a great corner three-point shooter. Well, have the discipline to get there every time.” 

Porter has averaged 14.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game over his four-year career. In his most productive season as a professional, the 2020-2021 campaign, Porter Jr averaged 19 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game on 54.2 percent shooting from the field and 44.5 percent shooting from the three-point line. 

Malone says the former lottery pick must also work on his off-ball awareness.

“Moving without the ball and spacing off the ball. He has the tendency, sometimes, to gravitate to the ball. Trust me, man, the ball is gonna find you. That’s the way we play.” 

Despite playing in 125 of 309 possible regular season games in his four-year career, MPJ earned a five-year contract extension last summer. The Nuggets will look for him to take another jump after he competed in only nine games last season before being sidelined by injury. 

The post Coach Mike Malone Hoping to See More ‘Discipline’ From Michael Porter Jr. appeared first on SLAM.

The off-season spelled uncertainty for Westbrook’s future with the team but trade talks stalled. Tensions rose all summer as the friction between championship expectations and the Lakers’ small championship window played out for everyone to see. New coach, new teammates, new system, new season, same Russ. Westbrook is still ready to do what he has always done: his job. 

“I don’t need to,” Westbrook told ESPN about feeling wanted by the Lakers. “I just need to do my job; whether I’m wanted or not doesn’t really matter. I think the most important thing is that I show up for work and I do the job like I’ve always done it: be professional and go out and play my ass off and compete.” 

Westbrook is the all-time triple-double king with 194 triple-doubles. He had 10 last season en route to averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. While this may be a career year for any other player, it was nearly disastrous for Russ and the Lakers as they missed the playoffs. Despite Westbrook playing 78 games, the trio of Westbrook-LeBron-Davis only played 21 total games together. After only 21 games, Westbrook is still optimistic about where they can go as a big 3. 

“There’s so much optimism on how we can be great, how AD, LeBron, myself– can be unstoppable in my opinion,” Russell Westbrook says. 

Russ knows better than anyone that his first season with the Lakers was not what anyone had in mind. It was hardly the dream to be booed by Lakers fans in his hometown arena in front of his friends and family in the crowd. But Westbrooks owns that too.

“I’m going to make mistakes. I’m [occasionally] not going to have good games. There will be times and stretches when I don’t play well. I’ve owned that, and there were times last year I could’ve played better, and I own that part of it. Moving into this year, I feel even more prepared than I was in years past. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. That right there will get me past any struggles that come my way.”  

Westbrook will have the reinvent himself with a new head coach after former boss Frank Vogel was fired shortly after the season ended, and Darvin Ham was named his successor. Westbrook had a summer full of conversations with Ham about building “connection” and “trust” and finding a way for the former MVP to impact winning on their team. Westbrook is ready for whatever. 

“I’m all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win,” Westbrook says. “I’m prepared for whatever comes my way.” 

After a season that went anything but according to plan, being prepared for whatever is possibly the best thing Russell Westbrook can do.  

The post Russell Westbrook is ‘All-in’ for Second Season with the Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

The former No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft had not played in an NBA game since June 20, 2021, when the Philadelphia 76ers lost Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks, 103-96. Following the tough loss, Simmons agreed that he should’ve “punched” the dunk opportunity he had while being guarded by Trae Young.

He also believes that he was thrown under the bus by Coach Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid and spoke about his former teammates’ desire to see him over the offseason in Los Angeles, explicitly saying that they had a chance to see him all summer but no one took advantage of the opportunity.

“It came to a point when after that series getting — the people you’re supposed to getting support from, comfort from, and I wasn’t getting that either. So, It was taking a toll on me, it killed me, like fuck, no energy from anything, I was in a dark place,” Simmons said to JJ Redick, his former teammate and host of the Old Man and the Three Podcast.

“First thing for me, I got to identify — I got to get right. It’s not a physical thing. It’s mentally. And I think that to acknowledge that was a big step for me. Okay, I need to address this. I need help in these areas. Being able to do that has gotten me to where I am now. I’m in a great place, and I feel comfortable talking about it now. Those were some dark days for me. And especially because it was all public which is crazy.”

The tension between Simmons and Philly ultimately broke down to a months-long separation and suspension that led to Philly eventually trading Simmons to Brooklyn at the trade deadline. Although Simmons found a new home in Brooklyn, he still loves the City of Brotherly Love. 

“Philly is obviously a sports city. My experience playing there was incredible.” Simmons said on an appearance on his former teammate, JJ Redick’s, podcast. “For the most part, it was incredible. I had a great time. The fans were unbelievable. I still have an apartment there, so I do own some real estate in Philadelphia still. So I feel like I’m part of Philly still.”

Simmons averaged 15.9 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, 7.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game during his time in Philly. He also made four All-Star teams, earned an All-NBA and two All-Defensive team nods, and led the NBA in steals in 2020. The two-way dynamo also took some time to speak with JJ Redick about his transition to Brooklyn.

“Being in Brooklyn now, it’s completely different,” Simmons said. It’s a different experience for me. I value that time I spent in Philly. I was able to learn and grow in that city. And I got friends for life there. My brother lives there. I got family there. Philly’s great. I think people have a thought that I hate it.” 

Simmons also spoke out about the continuous narrative around his jump shot. The former LSU Tiger chooses to focus on the fact that he’s guarding the opponent’s best play instead of the fact that his jumper isn’t as big of a tool in his bag as others want it to be.

“After a while, It’s just so repetitive,” Simmons said. You’re hearing it all the time from everybody. F***ing hell. Get off my case. I do other stuff, too, like I’m guarding the best player! I don’t think people respect that enough. what I am bringing to the court because there’s a lot of shit I’m bringing to the court! And for me, I just want to win.”

Simmons has the chance to open a new chapter in his career as he starts to gear up to play alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of his Brooklyn Nets teammates.

The post Ben Simmons Speaks On His ‘Incredible’ Time Playing With the 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

The Fayetteville-bred guard returns home after previous stops in Dallas, New York, Detroit, and Portland.

After Smith’s lone season at NC State, he had a brilliant rookie season for the Mavericks, posting averages of 15.2 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and 3.8 rebounds per game on 39.5 percent shooting from the field. After being traded in his second season for Kristaps Porzingis and dealing with a chorus of injuries, Smith has bounced around the League quite a bit but has found a new home, back home. 

Dennis Smith Jr has averaged 10.7 points per game, 4.2 assists per game, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for his career. Smith is well known around the basketball world for his nuclear athleticism. His high school mixtapes and hoop stories have achieved near cult status.

He started four of the 37 games he played for the Portland Trailblazers last season, and he joins the Charlotte Hornets backcourt alongside All-Star Lamelo Ball, Terry Rozier, James Bouknight, and Cody Martin. 

The post Dennis Smith Jr. Signs One-Year Deal With the Charlotte Hornets appeared first on SLAM.

Chelsea Gray was named WNBA Finals MVP after averaging 18.3 points per game and six assists per game on 58 percent shooting from the field and 45 percent shooting from three in four games against the Connecticut Sun.

The Aces already won a regular-season title this season after beating the Chicago Sky for the Commissioner’s Cup, and the Point God was MVP of that game as well. This season is a crowning achievement for Gray after she was controversially snubbed from the WNBA All-Star teams this July. However, Gray couldn’t care less at this point. 

“They can keep that All-Star and that First-Team,” Gray said defiantly. “I got the ring. Know what I’m saying?”

Gray finished Game 4 with a game-high 20 points in the Aces’ 78-71 closeout victory to put a cap on a truly historic postseason. Over ten playoff appearances, the former Duke Blue Devil averaged 21.7 points per game and seven assists per game on  72.7 percent true shooting on 14.4 field goal attempts per game. The Point God scored or assisted on 379 LVA points, the most in WNBA playoff history. Gray shot 54.4 percent from deep and 65.5 percent from inside the arc. 

Gray was expected to bring a championship pedigree to the Aces’ roster; this is her second championship after winning a title with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016.

“I couldn’t have done it without my team. They have been amazing,” Gray said. “I have worked so hard just to be here and hold up the trophy. This is great, but that team trophy is what I’ve been working for.” 

Gray and two-time MVP A’ja Wilson form an imposing duo and have a deep team behind them; more championships in the future would surprise no one. A’ja Wilson said after the clinching win,

“When you got a point guard like Chelsea Gray,” Wilson said triumphantly. “I ain’t worried about a damn thing!”

Gray is signed with the Aces for two additional seasons. 

The post Chelsea Gray: ‘They Can Keep’ All-Star and First-Team Selections After Winning A Championship and Finals MVP appeared first on SLAM.

Unfortunately for Doncic, the Slovenian national team was eliminated from Eurobasket by Poland in the quarterfinals. Luka Legend finished the game with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists against seven turnovers on 33 percent shooting before fouling out with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter. Doncic was coming off three consecutive 30-point games before the loss.

“Today, I played terribly,” Doncic said. “I let my team down. I let the whole country who was supporting us down. And that’s on me. I got to look back at this game and be better.”

Despite his fantastic play throughout group play and in the knockout stages, Doncic has been dealing with injuries throughout the tournament, specifically in his back during the match with Poland. He does not consider that to be a viable excuse, though.

“I don’t know, probably not 100% (health-wise),” Doncic said. “I received [an] injection in the third quarter. I was dealing with a lot of this EuroBasket. But that’s not the reason, you know.” 

Slovenia was down by 21 points by halftime against Poland, but they rallied in the third quarter to cut the deficit to one point before losing 90-87. Doncic fouled out with three minutes remaining in the game, with Slovenia only down four points. Vlatko Cancar of the Denver Nuggets and Bulls guard Goran Dragic each helped Doncic pick up the slack with 21 and 17 points, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to lift Slovenia over Poland. 

Media Day for the Dallas Mavericks is only 11 days away (Sept. 26), and training camp begins the following day. The Mavericks begin the season against the Sun on Oct. 19.

The post Luka Doncic: ‘I Let My Team Down’ After Slovenia Falls Short to Poland in Eurobasket Quarterfinals appeared first on SLAM.

After she retired from her playing career, she joined the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff and the renowned Gregg Popovich coaching tree. She spent five seasons in the Spurs system before deciding to leave the NBA for the W in December 2021, becoming the highest-paid coach in WNBA history as a result. 

Hammon was rumored to be up for multiple vacant head coaching positions in the NBA before taking a job with the Aces. If Hammon had been hired, she’d have been the first female head coach in the history of the NBA. She led the 2015 Spurs Summer League Team to a Summer League title as head coach.

In her first season as the head coach of the Aces, Hammon won the 2022 Coach of the Year, Jackie Young won Most Improved Player, A’ja Wilson won her second League MVP, Kelsey Plum won All-Star MVP on her way to a career-year, and the Aces made their triumphant return to the Finals.

Lindsay Schnell of USA Today asked Hammon if she thinks “everyone in the NBA feels dumb for not hiring you?”

“I’m used to people not picking me; I don’t know if you’re aware. I just do me.” Hammon says, despite all her success.

Even up 2-0 in the Finals, Coach Hammon knows the job is not finished, and she has more work to do.

“I don’t see any banners. I don’t see any balloons. I’m sure as hell happy I ain’t see that confetti again because we ain’t win nothing yet.” Hammon said.

Game 3 of the WNBA Finals is scheduled for September 15 at 9:00 PM EST.  

The post Becky Hammon On Being Snubbed For NBA Jobs: ‘I Just Do Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

The investigation found that Robert Sarver was guilty of many offenses, including sexual harassment, racial prejudice, unequal treatment of female employees, and verbal abuse.

The NBA said Sarver “engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.”

The NBA found that Sarver “engaged in demeaning and harsh treatment of employees, including by yelling and cursing at them.”

The independent investigation from the NBA also revealed that Sarver was guilty of saying the N-Word “on at least five occasions” when recounting the statements of others. 

Most of the Phoenix Suns employees under investigation for engaging in workplace misconduct over the last 18-years were no longer employed by the Suns organization by the beginning of the NBA’s independent investigation. The terms of Sarver’s suspension dictate that he is barred from being present at any NBA or WNBA facility and that he may not attend or participate in any NBA or WNBA event or activity. 

The Phoenix Suns released a press release last October before the investigation into their workplace practices to deny any allegations of workplace misconduct by anyone in the Phoenix Suns front office.

The investigation was based on information gathered from 320 individual interviews and over 80,000 documents. Sarver’s suspension is the latest in the NBA’s effort to hold owners accountable for their actions. 

The post NBA Suspends Suns and Mercury Owner Robert Sarver For One Year appeared first on SLAM.

While the team was 19-7 when Danny Ainge took over, the Jazz had only won season playoff series over the past five seasons despite occasional regular season dominance. As the season progressed, Ainge realized that the Jazz “didn’t really believe in each other.”

The personal revelation led Ainge to ship off Gobert to Minnesota, Mitchell to Cleveland, O’Neale to Brooklyn, and Ingles to Portland; however, he never played for the Blazers due to a torn ACL.   

“What I saw during the season was a group of players that didn’t really believe in each other. Like the whole group,” Ainge said, per ESPN. “I think they liked each other even more than what was reported, but I’m not sure there was belief.”

Ainge was hoping the team would remedy their issues by the beginning of the postseason, but after a disappointing end to their season at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, despite Luka Doncic missing multiple games, Ainge knew it was time to begin their rebuild. 

“When we got to the playoffs, I thought, well, this team that has had some disappointing playoffs, so I thought maybe they’re just waiting for the playoffs. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but it was clear the team didn’t perform well in the playoffs again.”  

“Like I believe every one of these guys went into every game believing they were going to win, don’t get me wrong on that. I’m just saying when adversity hit, the resolve you could see in a team that has a true belief in having each other’s back or one another.”

Utah’s shift to a rebuild was expected after the Jazz dropped another first-round series. Ainge’s ambitious moves to trade Gobert and Mitchell results in Utah receiving a pevy of picks and young players. Utah begins its most challenging season yet against the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 19.

The post Danny Ainge: Utah Jazz ‘Didn’t Really Believe in Each Other’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Sun has been in the WNBA Finals as recently as 2019, but they lost in the semifinals the past two summers. In fact, with 36 franchise playoff wins, the Connecticut Sun has the most playoff wins of any WNBA franchise without a championship. The Sun has a history of being knocked down, but more importantly, they also have a legacy of getting back up.

Last week the Connecticut Sun faced elimination in back-to-back games, down 2-1 against the reigning champion Chicago Sky. DeWanna Bonner asked Coach Curt Miller if she could hold a players-only meeting after Connecticut couldn’t win Game 3 despite playing their signature “messy” style of play. The Sun may have mucked up the lane and made life miserable for Chicago, but the Sun had an equally tough time on offense, shooting a dismal 39 percent at the rim.

As the lone champion on the roster, Bonner said she saw a Sun team holding on to some nervousness that made them play tight. She saw that the Sun was playing not to lose and not to make mistakes. The meeting reportedly “rekindled an air of levity and belief that saved Connecticut’s season.”

“DB is a champion,” teammate Natasha Hiedeman said of Bonner. “She’s been there. She knows what it takes. Her speeches have been on point lately, so we’ve been feeding off of that — She’s leading the way, and we’re following.”

Following their meeting, they defeated the Sky in Game 4 in a 104-80 drubbing. They then capitalized on their confidence from their Game 4 win and clinched their path to the WNBA Finals after unleashing a game-sealing 18-0 run to win Game 5, 72-63.

The Sun won after refusing to back down when Kahleah Copper got into Bonner’s face after Bonner knocked down a potential and-1 layup.

“I just sat everybody down, I said, ‘Come on, this is not us,'” Bonner said per ESPN. “‘Let’s just play like whatever happens happens. They kicked our ass anyways, so why not just play?'”

“We weren’t ourselves the first couple games of the [semifinals]. As a matter of fact, the whole playoffs, I felt like we just weren’t ourselves.”

The Finals are now underway, and despite losing Game 1 on Sunday, the Sun know they can do anything as long as they stay together and communicate. A task that isn’t difficult for a veteran core headlined by Bonner and 2021 MVP winner Jonquel Jones. With Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones, and Courtney Williams on the court, the Sun has a lineup that knows how to utilize their teamwork and camaraderie.

“I don’t even know if we found that confidence at all in the playoffs until we won that Game 4,” Bonner said. “And then it was like, ‘All right, let’s go,’ This is how we want to play. We want to have fun. We can’t have fun if we’re playing uptight.'”

Bonner is averaging 12.7 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 3.8 assists per game in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST.

The post DeWanna Bonner Details Playoff-Defining Player-Only Meeting That Led to Connecticut’s Finals Appearance appeared first on SLAM.

Over her 15-year playing career as the floor general for the Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx, she made eight WNBA Finals and won four WNBA championships. Whalen is also a five-time All-Star and five-time All-WNBA selection, as well as a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist with USA Basketball.

She averaged 11.5 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, 4.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game over her career, retiring with the fourth most assists in WNBA history. 

“I carried a chip on my shoulder all the time because people thought it can’t be done in Minnesota,” Whalen said, per SI. “I loved to prove people wrong, and that’s how I played.”

Fellow legends Charles Barkley and Dawn Staley were selected as Whalen’s presenters. Both doubled as her favorite basketball players and hugely influenced her game.

“Charles, you were my first favorite basketball player growing up. I was going to be a 6’2, 6’3 power forward with a great turnaround jumper and a rebounding machine, that was until I stopped growing at 5’8,” Whalen said. But plans change a little bit. Thank you for giving inspiration to a young girl from Hutchinson, Minnesota.”

She also honored Dawn Staley and noted that she’d followed a path Staley blazed years prior, going from being a WNBA point guard to head coach of a powerhouse college program. Staley won her second national championship in April, while Whalen is looking to guide Minnesota to national prominence in the Big 10.

Whalen made sure she exalted her parents for instilling a work ethic and dedication in her. Her father, Neil, was her first coach, and the lessons he passed on to her have been integral to her development as a player and a coach throughout her athletic career.

Whalen also thanked her husband, Ben Greve, for supporting her and sticking beside her throughout the rigors of being a women’s professional basketball player.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WNBA (@wnba)

In an enshrinement speech that primarily reflected on the past, Whalen ended by looking to the future—she even reminded her players at Minnesota that the’d have practice the following week. With Whalen’s work ethic, it would be no surprise if she finds herself back at Springfield for another induction in years to come.

The post WNBA Legend Lindsay Whalen Honored at Naismith Hall of Fame appeared first on SLAM.