Wall is playing his first year with the Clippers after joining the team as a free agent. He’s currently out after suffering an abdominal injury, but when he’s healthy, the five-time All-Star is averaging 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 30.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The Clippers (23-22) have legitimate title aspirations, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George leading the way. Wall was expected to come in and compete for the starting point guard role and has settled in as a strong sixth man who can start in spots. The Clippers have dealt with Leonard’s load management and are still building their chemistry as a team.

Adding frontcourt depth behind Ivica Zubac and Moses Brown could help the Clippers gain some ground in the Western Conference playoff standings. The trade deadline is Feb. 9, and it’ll be interesting to see what moves the Clippers will make their team better.

The Clippers are set to host the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.

The post REPORT: Clippers are Discussing a John Wall Trade for Frontcourt Depth appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard’s 33-point outing was his second 30-point game of the season, showing more and more that he’s getting his legs under him. According to ESPN, this was the third time in his career that he scored at least 30 points while shooting 75 percent from the field (9-12 shooting and 12-12 from the free-throw line).

“I’m gradually just getting my feet under me,” said Leonard, per ESPN. “I’m starting to play 35-plus minutes, able to get [out of] that minutes restriction where it cuts you in and out those games, playing five-minute segments, six-minute segments here and there. So, just a continuous thing. Just keep getting better, stay healthy and just see where we could go from here.”

Kawhi did it all in the @LAClippers win

33 PTS
9 REB
4 AST
4 STL
9/12 FGM
12/12 FTM pic.twitter.com/48FufDbVuU

— NBA (@NBA) January 11, 2023

Leonard logged 36 minutes, marking the ninth time he’s played 31 or more minutes in the last 10 games. The only time he didn’t was when he played 18 minutes during their 122-91 blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets. Leonard is still being held out of playing back-to-back games, indicating he’s frustrated with his minute restriction.

“If you’re basing it on minute restriction, it is frustrating,” Leonard said. “Because I’m not going in there jacking shots, so I’m trying to play team basketball. It was frustrating [with the restriction]. We were losing games. From a minute restriction, I’m not the only one either that was on it. Guys have been in and out the lineup all year, getting injured.

“So, just gotta stay the course and hope for the best. I’ve been in the league for a while, so just know if you keep just punching [and] punching, you eventually could knock down something.”

The Clippers will look to build a consecutive win streak when they play the Nuggets on Friday.

The post Kawhi Leonard on His Season-Best 33-Point Outing appeared first on SLAM.

Peaking at 29 minutes against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Leonard recorded 25 points off 10-12 shooting from the field, with nine rebounds and six assists. It was a stellar performance against the NBA’s best team, and the two-time Finals MVP admitted to wanting to give more playing time since the start of the new campaign.

“Sh-t, I’ve been trying to do it since the beginning of the year,” Leonard said. “It’s just about listening to the guys who study this.”

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Leonard refers to the injury that kept him sidelined for all of last season and 20 games this season. The partial tear of his right ACL, suffered against the Utah Jazz in the 2021 playoffs, has limited his form of being titled a top 5 player of the League, at least for now.

“It’s only my ninth game of the season, and that’s after a whole ACL year, just can’t rush it. I wish I could have played more.” Leonard said. “Twenty-eight minutes, 30 minutes is a lot of minutes still,” Leonard said. “Got to just do what I can and win these basketball games.”

The victories may stack just for Leonard’s presence on the floor, but last night was just his first 20-point night. The contribution of Paul George is what has blossomed the duo once more. He’s averaging 20 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and a three-point clip of 42.6 percent when Leonard is out on the floor with him.

George has had an MVP-caliber season thus far with or without Leonard in the lineup, and the seven-time All-Star admits that he sees improvement in Leonard’s game.

“Now he’s adjusted,” George said. “He’s found his rhythm, and you’ll see him more comfortable on the court.

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The pair showed a glimpse of what their dynamic scoring can do. While The Clippers look to keep their success, and Leonard’s game continues to evolve each game, even if it’s a limited time. The team can steadily find its confidence as a whole just in time for the second half of the season.

The post Kawhi Leonard Has Been Pushing to Play 30 Minutes ‘Since the Beginning of the Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

The 25-year-old center posted a historic stat line against the Indiana Pacers after recording 31 points off 14-17 shooting and 29 rebounds, a League-best result for attacking the board this season. The Croatian also had three blocks on Sunday, and his execution defensively with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in and out of the starting lineup has inspired him to make his case as an elite defensive team candidate.

“Making the NBA All-Defensive team is something I’m really working towards,” Zubac said to AllClippers. “It’s one of my goals coming into the season, just being as best defensively as I can be— I want to show people that I’m capable of that, and for sure, that’s one of my goals.”

STATEMENT MADE pic.twitter.com/x7CxYlLkTu

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 28, 2022

As the last pick of the 2016 NBA draft, Zubac was doubted by scouts for what he contributes to the floor defensively. Now manning the middle for the Clippers, the team currently ranks second in defensive rating, while he ranks sixth in blocks and gives up the League-lowest field goal percentage when players try to challenge him at the rim.

Not bad for the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2016 draft. Zubac kept those notes, stating the previous doubters have opened up his motivation towards making the Clippers defense hold a fierce personality.

“Coming into the League, that was always one of the questions about me on the defensive end of the floor,” Zubac said. “Just proving people wrong and proving to myself that I can contribute to defense really means a lot to me. Helping my team be one of the best defenses in the league. It’s something we pride ourselves on here.”

.@ivicazubac came up clutch, scoring 14 of his 31 points in the first quarter.

@awscloud CourtVision Mascot Mode pic.twitter.com/cnqxNgja2T

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 28, 2022

Though this may just be a breakout week for Zubac, it’s pretty impressive to see the big man lead his team to the fifth-best record in the high-powered Western Conference, primarily through his defense and lack of two superstar wings. His specialty at that end may not be as enticing as a Rudy Gobert swat to the fifth stands or the vocal and scrappy difference-making of a Draymond Green, but Zubac has earned the ‘defensive anchor’ title in the Clippers locker room.

The post Ivica Zubac: ‘Making the NBA All-Defensive Team’ is His Season Goal appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers originally listed Leonard as out for the Thursday night game, but his status was upgraded to questionable following their morning shootaround. Team doctors gave Leonard the green light to play for the first time since he first experienced knee stiffness on Oct. 25.

Leonard scored six points (2-8 shooting from the field), brought down five rebounds, and dished four assists in 25 minutes to help the Clippers outlast the Pistons 96-91. The two-time champ was also plus-26 on the floor. Leonard’s double-digit scoring streak ended at 177 straight regular-season games after he scored six points, the third-longest active streak behind LeBron James and Luka Doncic, per ESPN.

The last time the Klaw failed to break 10 points was Dec. 18, 2017, against the Clippers.

KAWHI. pic.twitter.com/5LOHxMNJIo

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 18, 2022

During his postgame remarks with reporters, Leonard didn’t detail the stiffness that kept him out of 12 straight games. However, the Klaw reiterated that his recovery from his torn ACL would be a “two-year process.”

“Like I said before, at the start of the season, it’s going to be a long journey,” Leonard said, per ESPN. “ACL recovery isn’t just one year. Everybody thinks that, but it’s a two-year process, so I know that, and I’m going to keep going and going through the process.”

When teammate Reggie Jackson (23 points, three rebounds, three assists) was asked about Leonard’s return, the veteran point guard said he tries to “remind him that he’s Kawhi Leonard” and that “he’s special. He’s one of the best ever to play his game.” Jackson also said that the Clippers have the “utmost confidence in” Leonard “no matter what the result was.”

Every time pic.twitter.com/Rr55Patmfv

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 18, 2022

Head coach Tyronn Lue said that his decision to start Leonard was due to not liking the process of bringing Leonard off the bench midway through the second quarter like the Clippers did his first two games. That initial game plan was designed to allow Leonard to close games out in the fourth quarter and to ensure he doesn’t sit too long between playing spurts.

“After I played those first two games, it was dead already,” Leonard said of his preference to start or come off the bench. “T-Lue wanted me to start the games and get us going in a flow. So, before I sat out [12 straight games], I knew I was gonna be starting.”

The Clippers will likely cautiously approach Leonard’s future availability after playing his first game in nearly a month. The next time they play will be when they host the Spurs on Saturday.

The post Kawhi Leonard Makes His Well-Awaited Return Against Pistons, Drops Six Points and Four Assists appeared first on SLAM.

The two sides have yet to come up with an agreement, but negotiations may have to pick up soon now that another team has entered the frame. The Lakers’ neighbors, the Los Angeles Clippers, have been rumored to be interested in acquiring Turner as well, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

Clippers big man Moses Brown is the only pure big man after Ivica Zubac on the Clippers’ roster, but head coach Ty Lue has only gone to him for eight games this season. Instead, Marcus Morris has been the go-to backup center for Zubac so far.

With no depth at the center position and not having the services of Kawhi Leonard for most of the early campaign, Los Angeles has still managed to hold on to a record of 8-6, which is good enough for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The team’s early woes are starting to show that losing Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason was huge.

Adding Turner to the mix will work wonders for the Clippers. The Pacers’ big man is averaging 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks a game. The move would immediately make this Los Angeles team one of the best defenses in the league when healthy, with Turner playing alongside the likes of Leonard and Paul George. Only time will tell if they are willing to pull the trigger on the pursuit.

Los Angeles will be in action tonight as they take on the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 P.M.

The post REPORT: Clippers Interested in Trading for Myles Turner appeared first on SLAM.

Coming to NBA arenas this fall, the return of the League’s most terrifying two-way players.

Kawhi and PG cover SLAM 240. https://t.co/aTFojIRsVL pic.twitter.com/NnTVfLdhve

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2022

Moving forward, Leonard is still set to miss his 10th consecutive game on Saturday versus the Brooklyn Nets, but he is undoubtedly making progress towards a return soon after participating in a 5-on-5 workout on Friday, according to LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue. 

“Not tomorrow,” Lue said of Leonard possibly returning on Saturday, per ESPN. “But it’s gonna take a few more (workout) opportunities to get that in. Then kind of reassess him to see how he’s feeling after we go to medical and just kind of see if we check all the boxes – He played 5-on-5 with some of our guys, some of the players, and some of the coaches. The first time he was able to get on the floor and play 5-on-5, and he looked pretty good. Still have a ways to go, but that was the first sign of positivity of him getting on the floor, playing 5-on-5.”

pic.twitter.com/TV2MFHiLhL

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 24, 2022

Without Leonard, Los Angeles is 6-4. Teammate Paul George has been leading the way for the team while averages of 25.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. With George holding it down, for now, fans are left wondering how lethal this squad can be when his co-star returns from injury. The Clippers currently sit as the sixth seed in the West.

The post Kawhi Leonard Progressing Towards Return After 5-on-5 Workout appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard has been participating in individual workouts, but there’s “really not a time frame” for the five-time All-Star to return to the lineup. Leonard played in two of the Clippers’ first three games this season and logged 21 minutes in each off the bench. Leonard felt stiffness in his surgically repaired right knee at a morning shootaround before the Clippers’ game against OKC on Oct. 25.

“He is progressing well,” Coach Ty Lue said, per ESPN. “We knew coming off an ACL; it wasn’t going to be a straight line. We talked about it before the season. The biggest thing is he’s progressing well. We are going to follow the lead of our medical staff, we got to be smart about the situation, but he is progressing — He is in a good place, he is progressing, and he is getting better, so that is the most important thing.”

Leonard tore his right ACL in Game 4 of the second round against Utah on June 14, 2021, and sat out last season to rehab the injury.

“There’s really not a time frame of when he is going to be back,” Lue said. “The biggest thing is just the testing that he has to go through with the medical and the slow progression of just getting better every single day. And so we’re just taking it day by day right now, not really a timetable.”

The post Kawhi Leonard ‘Progressing Well’ But Clippers Have No Timetable For Return appeared first on SLAM.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/S7WLKgkOv5

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 3, 2022

The Clippers weren’t the only team to get in trouble for doing so recently. The Oklahoma City Thunder ruled out Josh Giddey for their matchup with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday but later listed him as active only moments before the start of the game. Giddey played for 25 minutes to pick up a crucial 116-108 win, recording seven points and 10 assists.

On the season, Giddey is averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game for the Thunder.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/M4tZFzDVaW

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 3, 2022

The NBA is strict about its policies, especially regarding reporting players’ availability before tip-off. The Thunder failed to do so promptly, while the Pelicans ultimately didn’t list Diabate and Boston Jr. as active in the first place. Disciplinary action had to be taken, and the rest of the League was put on notice just in case they tried to do the same thing further down the line during the campaign.

The post NBA Fines Clippers and Thunder $25K For Violating League Policies appeared first on SLAM.

Instead of staying where he wasn’t wanted, Wall and the Rockets agreed to a buyout over the summer that allowed him to sign with the Clippers. When asked about the decision-making behind sitting out last year, Wall said he was “pissed as hell” and remarked that he was told that the Rockets were excited to have him in the fold.

“Pissed as hell. Pissed as hell. I wanted to play basketball. In my last meeting I had there, they were like, ‘Oh, you had a great year the year before. We can’t wait to have you back next year. Build on this, and try to keep helping young guys.'” Wall said, per The Athletic. “So I’m thinking I’ll play the same role I played the year before.”

Gotta love how John Wall played last night for LAC. This season is gonna be fun for him. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/a6Ke6ROBCx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 21, 2022

However, the writing was on the wall (no pun intended) when Coach Stephen Silas and GM Rafael Stone told him they were considering playing him “for like 10 minutes a game, and sometimes you won’t play at all.” They also told him, “you could just not play at all the whole year, and we’ll try to find a trade.”

Faced with those prospects, Wall said he “didn’t want to do that.”

“In August, I went back to check on my condo, and I was going back to Miami, where I’ll (stay) in the summer. So they were like,” Wall said. “‘Yo, the thing is, listen, we’ll bring you out for like 10 minutes a game, and sometimes you won’t play at all, or you can just not play at all the whole year, and we’ll try to find a trade.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not trying to play 10 minutes a game or not play some games.’ I didn’t want to do that.”

Since joining the Clippers, Wall has drawn rave reviews from The Fun Guy, and his joy at playing again has been noticed by SLAM 241 cover co-stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. He’s awarded their votes of confidence by averaging 16.0, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on 51.9 percent shooting from the field off the bench. The Clippers are 2-1 so far, with the team going 1-1 during Walls’ appearances.

John Wall doing the dougie. Good things are happening. (via @Farbod_E) pic.twitter.com/au7bUqoHLi

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 7, 2022

Wall directly credited PG-13 with luring him to the Clippers when he was asked about his decision to sign with the team. Wall said that the 2010 draft classmates “were talking about it the whole time.”

“Me and ‘P’ (Paul George) were talking about it the whole time,” Wall said. “We were trying to figure it out. I had two years left, and we were trying to wait until I had one year left and try to keep fighting.”

Adding another veteran All-Star with a lot left in the tank has helped raise the Clippers’ profile and their expectations for the 2022-23 season. The Clippers now have the kind of talent, leadership, and skill that puts them on the short list of championship contenders. Wall Star and the Clippers will take on the OKC Thunder (0-3) on Tuesday.

The post John Wall n Why He Signed with the Clippers Last Summer appeared first on SLAM.

The SLAM 240 cover star opened up about why coming off the bench was the correct choice. In a post-game interview with Ohm Youngmisuk, Leonard said the following;

“You gotta gradually play minutes in order to get the ACL strong,” Leonard said. “Once you start playing 38 minutes first game, it could easily weaken up, but I’m listening to the doctor with that. It’s a long season. We wanna get in the playoffs and want me to play in the playoffs.”

We must also remember that Leonard missed the entirety of last season with an ACL injury, which is no small feat to return from. Returning from an injury like that is not easy, and some players never return the same. Leonard also mentioned that the idea came about from looking at data and running simulations in practice subbing in and out of games.

The NBA season is still young, and if Leonard and the Clippers want to maximize their chances come playoff time, they need their stars healthy.

When asked by another reporter what it was like to come into the game in the middle of the second quarter, Leonard said he didn’t “think 15 minutes would be long” after waiting “82 games last year.”

“I waited 82 games last year, so I didn’t think 15 minutes would be long. This is how I started my career. Act like I was in foul trouble, and once I check in the second quarter, it’s time to play basketball.”

In just 21 minutes off the bench, Leonard played well. The Klaw dropped 14 points and seven rebounds on 6-12 shooting in the Clippers’ 103-97 season-opening win against their hometown rivals.

No timetable was revealed for how long Leonard plans to come off the bench instead of starting. However, we all know the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and if this is the strategy that guarantees a winning season plus a healthy Leonard come playoff time for the Clippers, plus the fact that it was a decision being considered by both team and player then why be in a rush to change it?

The post Kawhi Leonard Speaks On Decision to Come Off the Bench Versus Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

The two LA franchises have experienced a big bro-lil bro since the inception of the two rivals. The Lakers played the big brother role, winning nine titles since the Hallway Series began in 1983-84. However, the little brother Clippers have caught up in the last decade, becoming a perennial playoff contender while the Lakers floundered due to front-office shakiness and numerous coaching changes.

Since the 2013-14 season, the Clippers have dominated the series, 32-7, against their down-the-hall big bro. Beverley went 10-5 against the Lakers during his four-year tenure with the Lakers. When he was asked about what he remembered and cherished the most about the Hallway Series, Beverley said that he cherished “winning most of them.

When asked how those lessons can apply now that he’s a Laker, Beverley noted that the Lakers “have to stick with the gameplan.”

“The key is sticking to your gameplan, whatever that gameplan is,” Beverley said matter of factly. “Being on the other side is definitely gonna be fun tonight, for sure.”

Patrick Beverley reflects on being part of the LA battles with the Clippers: “Winning most of them.” pic.twitter.com/Ck26pgpsuB

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 20, 2022

The Hallway Series resumes Thursday when the two Western Conference foes meet at Crypto.com Arena at 10 P.M. PT.

The post Patrick Beverley Reflects on the Hallway Series as a Clipper appeared first on SLAM.

Los Angeles Clippers have been considering the possibility of bringing Kawhi Leonard off the bench to start the season in order to manage his minutes, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 20, 2022

The temporary experiment could start as soon as Thursday when the Clippers start the season against their hallway rival Lakers. Before training camp, Clippers president Lawrence Frank said that the Clippers planned on taking a cautious approach while Leonard returned from a torn ACL he suffered during the 2021 playoffs.

Leonard has gone through a load management program since he suffered a quadriceps injury that robbed him of most of the 2017-2018 season.

Coming to NBA arenas this fall, the return of the League’s most terrifying two-way players.

Kawhi and PG cover SLAM 240. https://t.co/aTFojIRsVL pic.twitter.com/NnTVfLdhve

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2022

The last time Kawhi Leonard came off the bench, he was 21-years-old playing his second season in the NBA. Leonard was playing his first game after missing nearly a month of action due to quadriceps tendinitis. Leonard completed a rehab assignment with the Austin Toros, San Antonio’s G League affiliate. The two-time DPOY ended up starting the other 57 games he appeared in that season.

The post REPORT: Clippers ‘Considering’ Bringing Kawhi Leonard Off the Bench to Start the Year appeared first on SLAM.

The journey of an 82-game NBA season always has storylines and developing factors that can create a remarkable year. In Wall’s case, one of the highlights he expects from this upcoming season is his return to Washington, D.C.

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Wall was the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft for the Washington Wizards, and after nine years with the team, he is expecting a standing ovation when he crosses the country to play against his former squad.

“I never had the opportunity to be back to play in front of [Wizards] fans,” Wall said. “So, hopefully, I’ll get that big standing ovation that I think I deserve.”

Wall believes he’s a candidate for the ovation because of his five All-Star seasons with the Wizards and his leading the team to four consecutive playoff appearances from 2014-2018. Wizards fans saw Wall at his best during the 2017 playoffs when he averaged 27.2 points, 10.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He hit a game-winner in Game 6 of the Wizards’ second-round series against the Celtics, but Washington’s season ended after losing Game 7.

The 32-year-old hopes to play a full season since his ruptured Achilles in 2019 had kept him away from the game for nearly two years. If he does stay healthy, Wall can fulfill his wishes of playing Washington as an opponent for the first time on Dec. 10, a game that will feature deep emotion and gratitude from both sides. At the end of the day, it’ll be great to relive some of his favorite career moments in the city that first adopted him.

“My ultimate goal was trying to bring a championship there,” said Wall. “everything I gave to that city, from playing through my injuries, giving back to the community, it felt like a second home to me.”

Houston will play in Washington on Dec. 10.

The post John Wall Hopeful For A ‘Big Standing Ovation’ From Wizards Fans appeared first on SLAM.

Wall has had a rough go of it the past few years since he was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Houston Rockets back in 2020. However, Wall’s time with the Rockets was sadly cut short due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. On top of that, Wall had also been dealing with off-court losses after his mom passed away in 2019.

Fast forward to 2022, and Wall seems completely rejuvenated and back to making his signature behind-the-back finishes at the rim.

“You see somebody’s that happy, you know? Enjoying the game,” said Wall’s teammate Paul George in a postgame interview after the Clipper’s preseason game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. “When it’s taken away from you, and you don’t know where you’re going to go from there. You get an opportunity to come back to it, man; you appreciate it.”

On Sunday, Wall led the team in scoring with 20 points on 5-11 shooting from the field. Wall even dished out three assists and picked up one rebound in his 20 minutes of action. It’s been more than a year since we last saw the Wall Star, and it’s so great to see him back on an NBA court hooping with the best-of-the-best.

This seems like a great beginning to ana fantastic comeback story for Wall. By joining forces with NBA superstars George and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, we may also get a chance to see Wall in playoff games down the road too.

The regular-season is grueling, but so far, Wall “has been looking great.” according to Leonard. Only time will tell what is in store for these new-look Clippers; however, they are a team to pay close attention to.

The post Paul George on John Wall’s Joyful Return: ‘You See Somebody That’s Happy’ appeared first on SLAM.

The All-Star wing duo enter their fourth season together, and the championship expectations are higher than ever with The Klaw and PG-13 returning healthy after the Clippers acquired John Wall over the offseason. George was recently asked about any past wing tandem that he and Leonard could rely on as a potential blueprint.

“Yeah, look at the [Miami Heatle] wing-wing DWade [Dwyane Wade] and LeBron [James],” George said on Sunday, per ESPN. “I think it just comes down to — listen, Kawhi is the No. 1. And I am totally fine with that. I think I try to complement him with being able to take the load off of him.

“Everybody says, ‘Kawhi [and] you are 1 and 1, [or] 1A, 1B.’ I’ll publicly say, I’m the 2. Kawhi’s the 1; I’m the 2. So that part we nipped in the bud. Like there’s no ego when it comes to that.”

That dunk tho.

@KTLA | @Yg_Trece pic.twitter.com/0qYWeMyzfn

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 10, 2022

The 2022-23 campaign will be a pivotal season with the wing tandem looking to lead the Clippers to the franchise’s first Finals trip and fulfill their potential since they were acquired in 2019.

The Clippers will have their first chance to prove their championship contender status when they play the Lakers on Oct. 20. It’ll be George and Leonard’s first meaningful game together since Leonard tore the ACL in his right knee during Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on June 14, 2021.

“I mean, I missed a whole year missing basketball,” Leonard said. “I went down in one of the worst ways, in a playoff run. Just don’t wanna take anything for granted and just trying to live in that moment and bring a sense of energy for the team.”

“I’m young still,” Leonard, 31, added. “So any chance you get that taken away from you, and you don’t feel like you’re done — You just miss it, you know what I mean?”

George led LA to their first Conference Finals and carried the load in the regular season until he suffered an elbow injury that kept him out of action for three months. George came back late but missed the Clippers’ season-ending play-in loss to the New Orleans Pelicans due to COVID-19 protocols.

Kawhi slam!

@KTLA | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/j8gUoueEC9

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 10, 2022

On Sunday, Leonard described how he and George had grown together as leaders and in their dynamic as a duo, pointing out that they have developed a “genuine relationship” over the last four years.

“We’re both unselfish,” Leonard said. “My 12th year, his 13th year — we’ve been through this before, so I feel like just having those years under our belt and, obviously, like I said, we have a genuine relationship, and it just carries over [into how we lead].”

This offseason and in training camp, George and the Clippers have seen Leonard show joy during his return after spending the year recovering and strengthening his right knee. Leonard and George have played 104 regular-season and playoff games since 2019. After becoming “the man” on the roster while Leonard missed all of the last season, PG-13 said that he is perfectly fine with Leonard becoming the featured option of the offense.

“I believe in my talent and what I can do,” George said. “And I believe on any night of what I am capable of. But I feel my job is to make everybody better. That is what I try to do when I am on the floor, just make the game easy for everybody, whether it is creating or just being aggressive — and making reads off of that.

“I think we will go a long ways if everybody just knows their role and what we bring to the table. Everything else is easy; we just roll the ball out, and we get after it.”

The CLippers start their season against the Lakers on Oct. 20.

The post Paul George Has No Ego About His Role: ‘Kawhi Leonard is ‘the 1, I’m the 2’ appeared first on SLAM.

The main question the Clippers will face, besides health, will be what happens with Wall. The four-time All-Star will be playing for the first time since getting shut down in April 2021 due to a grade 2 hamstring injury. When Leonard was asked about the Clippers’ offseason acquisitions on Media Day, he spoke well of Wall, letting the world know that Wall has “been looking great” this summer.

“John, all I can really go back (to) is the two years I seen him against us in Houston, ” Leonard said. He was playing well — that’s the last time I probably seen him in person in a live-game action other than the practices here, but he’s been looking great so let’s put it all on the floor and see what we could do. Like I said, we got a lot of talent here, and I think we can make something happen.”

We back, #ClipperNation! pic.twitter.com/OAVM0SV2tp

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) September 27, 2022

When Wall was interviewed, he gave assembled reporters and fans a resounding message as training camp and preseason loom over the basketball world.

“Just let the world know — you’re gonna see a dog; that’s what you got when you signed me.”

Wall will have plenty of opportunity to prove he’s got that dog in him in his first games since Houston unceremoniously moved on from him and asked him to stay at home so they could focus on developing their young core of talent.

The post Kawhi Leonard: John Wall Has ‘Been Looking Great’ Through Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

Lawrence Frank says that Kawhi Leonard is cleared for 5-on-5. Says that he wants to do "everything" but organization is stressing the long game and a methodical approach.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) September 22, 2022

Frank added that Leonard wants to do “everything” to get back on the court, but the Clippers are committed to “stressing a methodical approach.” When Frank was asked about his expectations for Leonard and the Clippers, he reminded reporters that the team “was playing at a high level” before Leonard went down with his knee injury.

“All we have to do is go back two years ago to Kawhi’s injury against Utah,” Frank said. “And you know, Kawhi was playing the best basketball player in the world — our team was playing at a high level, and unfortunately for Kawhi and for the group, he got injured. So I think with that it just reinforces the urgency you have to approach every single day that nothing’s guaranteed; this League changes quickly. People forget quickly.”

…Our team was playing at a high level and, you know, unfortunately for Kawhi and for the group he got injured. So I think with that it just reinforces the urgency you have to approach every single day that nothing's guaranteed this league, changes quickly. People forget quickly

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) September 22, 2022

Although a Leonard return date is unknown, with the return of Paul George and the addition of John Wall, outside expectations are that the Clippers will be a significant threat to the Warriors repeating as champs for the first time since 2017-2018. Leonard was responsible for stopping the Heat Warriors from three-peating in 2014 and 2019, respectively.

When he was last healthy, Leonard averaged 30.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 11 postseason appearances. Without Leonard and George for most of the season, the Clippers went 42-40 and finished eighth in the Western Conference playoff race. They were denied a playoff appearance after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the play-in tournament.

The post Kawhi Leonard Wants to Do ‘Everything’ After Getting Cleared for 5-on-5 Action appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers All-Star hopped on a Twitch stream and announced he’ll play in the high-profile pro-am “one of these weekends.” George’s proclamation was later confirmed by Law Murray of The Athletic.

It would be PG13’s first Drew League appearance since 2014 and a great way to play competitive ball after only appearing in 31 games due to a UCL injury last season. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer is eager to get on the court after he was forced to miss the Clippers’ final Play-In game against the New Orleans Pelicans because of health and safety protocols.

When he did play, George averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game on 42.1 percent shooting from the floor and 35.4 percent from three last season.

James and DeRozan kicked off the NBA x Drew League action when LBJ dropped 42 points to help the MMV Cheaters secure a 104-102 victory over Black Pearl Elite on July 16.

On July 23, Young (22 points, seven assists, and seven steals) and Collins (16 points and 12 rebounds) didn’t disappoint for Black Pearl Elite in a 103-100 loss to Citi Team Blazers.

Thanks to the NBA coming to a deal with the Drew League, fans can now stream select Drew League games until the championship on Aug. 21. While he didn’t confirm an exact date, expect YG Trece to play in the Drew sometime soon.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Paul George to Play in Drew League For First Time Since 2014 appeared first on SLAM.

After CJ McCollum stole the headlines in the first play-in games scoring 32 points in their win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, it was Brandon Ingram who started the game on fire, scoring 16 of New Orleans’ 30 first-quarter points.

Brandon Ingram wasted no time getting it going in the #MetaQuestPlayIn, dropping 16 of the @PelicansNBA 30 points in Q1! #WBD

16 PTS (8/9 FGM) pic.twitter.com/JAHszGGw6L

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

After slowing down slightly in the second quarter, BI was huge in the third quarter when the Clippers took their biggest lead of the game at 75-62. Ingram then dropped in five of the Pelicans’ final 12 points to make the lead manageable going into the final frame at 84-74.

When Coach Willie Green gave his team his marching orders, Ingram responded and went outplayed great defense that helped spark an 11-0 run to even the game at 88 apiece.

“You’ve got to fight!”

Head Coach Willie Green’s message to the Pelicans heading into the 4th QTR pic.twitter.com/vSFjwXbJni

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 16, 2022

The Duke product finished with 30 points (14-21 shooting), six rebounds, and six assists. His final assist sealed the game faced with a frantic Clippers double team to Jonas Valanciunas under the basket as time was running out to send New Orleans to the playoffs.

THE PELS ARE HEADED TO THE PLAYOFFS.

BI: 30 PTS | 6 AST | 67% FGM
Larry Nance: 14 PTS | 16 REB
CJ: 19 PTS | 3 AST
Trey Murphy: 14 PTS | 67% 3PM

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/J0m1aA7Fin

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 16, 2022

After the game, Willie Green had a lot to say about the star of the game, calling him “The Truth.”

“Brandon Ingram is The Truth…He has been waiting for this moment…He’s all you want and more in a player and a person”@PelicansNBA Head Coach Willie Green had high praise for @B_Ingram13 after their #MetaQuestPlayIn win. #WBD pic.twitter.com/5Jf26UECqn

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

The Pelicans face the top-seeded Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

The post Pelicans Are In the Playoffs Thanks To A Big Night From Brandon Ingram appeared first on SLAM.

Clippers star Paul George has entered health and safety protocols and will miss tonight’s Play-in game vs. New Orleans, sources tell @TimBontemps and me.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2022

PG-13 will miss the Clippers contest against the Pelicans to determine who will face the Phoenix Suns as the eighth seed in the playoffs.

George posted 34 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a Play-In Tournament loss to the Timberwolves for the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. George averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.7 dimes per game on 42.1 percent shooting from the field.

The post Clippers Announce Paul George Out Against Pelicans Due to Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

The addition of the two has brought a new dynamic to a franchise known for its futility and recently for being soft after the infamous practice altercation between Jimmy Butler and his former teammates and the T-Wolves’ front office. Now, the Timberwolves have a new look to them, one of toughness and swag, refusing to lay down and be an easy win for any of their adversaries.

Their confidence and belief in each other led to the Timberwolves’ epic 109-104 comeback win against the Clippers to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2018. The combined 59-point effort from Edwards (30 points on 5-11 shooting from three-point territory) and D’Angelo Russell (29 points, five rebounds, six assists) helped the Timberwolves overcome a tough night from Karl-Anthony Towns who fouled out after playing just 24 minutes.

Ant is cheffin up.

(via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/prop8PW8Tl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 13, 2022

”The game had to go in a different direction,” coach Chris Finch said per NBA.com. ”That’s why you have a team because a lot of other people step up.”

The Timberwolves’ comeback effort started after a Reggie Jackson triple gave the Clippers a nine-point with just nine minutes to go in the second half. However, the T-Wolves responded with a 16-2 run, taking the lead it would never relinquish on a Russell pull-up three, followed by a tomahawk slam from Edwards that punctuated their gutsy effort.

THERE IT IS pic.twitter.com/epHTOH8dwF

— x – Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2022

As the Timberwolves relished their playoff-clinching performance, the always entertaining Edwards left the media and fans with a quote that won’t be forgotten due to his memorable performance and especially due to his part in helping to change the culture in Minnesota.

”I took what the game gave me. That’s what they gave me. They were scared to guard me, and I took advantage of that,” Edwards said.

The post Anthony Edwards On Epic Timberwolves Comeback: ‘They Were Scared to Guard Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA has implemented a play-in tournament to decide the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference. This gives the top ten teams in the East and West a chance to make it into the postseason. 

Each conference will have a short tournament that showcases the eighth through tenth seeds. In a single-game two round event, the seventh and eighth seeds can make the playoffs with one win. The ninth and tenth seeds need to win twice in order to advance to the playoffs. 

In the Western Conference, a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 7) and LA Clippers (No. 8) will take place on April 12 at 9:30 PM ET. 

The winner of this game will advance to the postseason while the loser will have one final shot to make it in against the winner of the game between the ninth and tenth seed.

Minnesota finished its 2021-22 campaign with a record of 46-36, earning the No. 7 seed in the West. After starting the season 11-15, the Wolves went 35-21 the rest of the way. 

The Timberwolves have been great on the offensive glass this season, which should be key for them in this matchup. However, they struggle to take care of the ball at times which could be detrimental. 

Since the All-Star break, Minnesota has been on fire. Since that mark, the Wolves have been a top-five team in the NBA when it comes to win percentage. 

The Clippers battled injuries all season, but still locked up the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed with a record of 42-40. Since getting Paul George back from injury, they’ve looked better and have won six of their last seven games. 

The Clips are a great 3-point shooting team, finishing top-three in that category this season. On the flip side, they struggle on the glass and were bottom ten during the regular season. 

The Clippers were a team that never gave up this season, overcoming numerous deficits and winning a ton of comeback games. 

In the four matchups this season between these teams, the Clippers won the season series 3-1. LA won the first three games of the year against Minnesota, but the Timberwolves won the most recent. All three of the Clippers’ wins came in November, while the Wolves won the most recent game in January. 

Since these teams haven’t played in several months, both rosters look different and they’re each playing at a different level. 

The player to watch in this matchup is George, who will determine the Clippers’ ceiling in the play-in tournament and the postseason in general. For the Timberwolves, their superstar trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards is one of the best in the NBA.

The post 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament: Minnesota Timberwolves Match Up With LA Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

Love seeing PG back healthy and hooping.

(via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/Asokqhz7Ff

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 30, 2022

After missing the last three months due to a torn UCL in his right elbow, George finished the Clippers’ comeback 121-115 win over the Jazz with 34 points, six assists, and four steals.

With the Clippers down 25-points in the third quarter, PG-13 exploded for 20 points in the frame on 5-7 shooting from the field, including 3-4 from beyond the arc, helping the Clippers erase the deficit with over eight minutes to go in the frame.

“It’s in the 90 percentile,” George said about how strong his elbow has gotten in rehab, per ESPN. “But it’s still part of the progression. The ligament will get stronger with the stress put on it — but I feel good. It’s no pain; there’s nothing of that sort.

“It’s more so just that muscle and my forearm getting stronger.”

George’s 34-point night was the most a player has missed after missing 40-plus games within one season, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. After Tuesday, George has more 30-point outings (7) than the rest of his Clippers teammates combined (6).

The Clippers’ win over the Jazz stopped a five-game losing streak and gave Coach Ty Lue a record fourth 24+ point comeback. The Clippers have had three since January, the previous record. Three of which came from 25 or more down. Ty Lue’s team has the most 24-plus-point comeback wins in one season with four. They previously set the record with three coming in January alone.

And George’s timing could not have been any better as he returned to stop the Clippers’ five-game losing streak. Now at the eighth spot in the Western Conference, George’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. This moment wouldn’t have come if PG-13 had elected to undergo surgery to repair his elbow. However, a doctor told George the damaged ligament could heal and “attach itself back to the bone” if he took some time off.

“It was actually cool because I got a ton of work with my left hand,” George said on air, “I became a better player through this process because I had to use my left hand a lot more. I think it will show as the season goes on with passing and finishing and ballhandling.

“I just did a ton of work to where I feel confident shooting 3s with my left. I don’t know if anyone will see that in a game.”

The Clippers (37-39) return to action when they face the Bulls on Thursday.

The post Paul George Drops 34 Points In Monster Comeback Vs. Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George has been upgraded to QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow against Utah.

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) March 28, 2022

PG13 has been out since December with a torn UCL in his right elbow. Youngmisuk and Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times also reported that George participated in 5-5 practices on Sunday and Monday.

Dish Dunk@Yg_Trece | @ivicazubac pic.twitter.com/lU1czVTkeL

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 28, 2022

George missed 43 games over the last three months, but the Clippers have fought to rank eighth in the Western Conference playoff seedings. With their spot locked in for the play-in tournament and with George returning as soon as Tuesday, the scrappy Clippers could be a threat to advance into playoffs against an equally plucky Minnesota Timberwolves team.

The Fresno State product averaged 24.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game before he was sidelined.

The post Paul George Upgraded to Questionable Ahead of Game Vs. Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard still appears to be a ways away from a return, but Clippers fans got some positive news about George on Thursday.

According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, George practiced with the Clippers for the first time since December, before he was ruled out with injury.

Youngmisuk spoke with Clippers’ head coach Tyronn Lue about George’s progress, and he had positive things to say about his rehab thus far.

“He is doing good,” Lue said. “He hasn’t felt any pain, so that is a positive thing. Just working on his conditioning and just making sure he can continue to go through the minimal contact without having any issue. So as of right now, it hasn’t been a problem.”

Since December, George has been injured with a torn ligament in his right elbow, playing most recently in the Clippers’ Dec. 22 matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Before the injury, George had played in 26 games for the Clippers this season and averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

While no specific timetable was given for George’s return, Lue told Youngmisuk that he hopes to get his injured players, including guard Norman Powell, who is out with a broken foot, back for at least one game before the playoffs.

George’s impact on the Clippers can’t be understated. Over his 12 seasons in the NBA, George has accumulated seven All-Star appearances, six All-NBA Team appearances, and four All-Defensive Team appearances.

The Clippers (36-38) have just eight games remaining this season and sit eighth in the Western Conference. The next game for Los Angeles will be a visit to Philadelphia on Friday to take on the 76ers (45-27).

The post REPORT: Paul George Practiced With Clippers for First Time Since December appeared first on SLAM.

Back in January, the Clippers had the second-largest comeback in NBA History when, after trailing by as much as 35 points, they managed to beat the Wizards by one. The win marked their third game this season that they’ve come back from being down 24 or more points.

After the game, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Lue says that Kawhi Leonard called him to ask: “So you just going to keep getting down 25, come back and win, huh?”

Youngmisuk used his story to describe the Clippers’ resilience this season, led by Lue as a head coach, and their ability to come back from massive deficits.

“I just want to prove to people that I can coach,” Lue told Youngmisuk.

And he has. With Leonard out due to an ACL tear, and Paul George having battled with an elbow injury, the Clippers are currently sitting eighth in the Western Conference with a record of 36-38.

With only a handful of games remaining this season, the Clippers have some work to do to remain in the playoffs, especially with five of their last eight games of the season coming against the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Kawhi Leonard Called Tyronn Lue After Clippers’ Historic Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

The newest Clippers acquisition, Norman Powell, suffered a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, according to the team announcement on Sunday. Even though Powell’s injury won’t require surgery, there is no timetable for his return at this time.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported the news.

The injury is a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, which the team says is non-surgical at the moment. The Clippers acquired Powell a week ago from the Portland Trail Blazers. https://t.co/suqIYAIRvM

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 13, 2022

The injury couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the Clippers or Powell. After coming over from the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that netted Robert Covington, Norman was on a hot streak averaging 21.0 points and 4.0 assists per game in three contests that included a 28-point explosion in his debut a week ago.

28 PTS | 56.3% FG | 50.0% 3FG @npowell2404 with the strong debut. pic.twitter.com/lgrIGtkMkH

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 7, 2022

Powell suffered his left foot injury on Thursday during the Clippers’ 112-105 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He sat out Saturday’s rematch that the Clippers won 99-97 with what the team initially called turf toe.

Before being ruled out of the game, Powell stated that his foot was ‘feeling better’ per ESPN.

“It’s doing a lot better,” Powell said at the team’s morning shootaround. “Better than it was after the game. Better than it was yesterday. Feeling better, walking better. Felt a little pain in it. All from the last game. Just going to see how it feels and go from there.”

With Kawhi Leonard presumably gone for the season and Paul George’s status still in the air, Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue will have to find offense from somewhere on the roster to fill in Powell’s production.

The Clippers have 24 games left in the season with a record of 26-31, currently a game and a half ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Lose Norman Powell ‘Indefinitely’ To A Broken Foot appeared first on SLAM.

“We know Kawhi’s probably not gonna come back,”

“I don’t know,” Lue said. “I’m not a doctor. But hope is stronger than fear. So I’m hoping that these two guys can come back. But you never know.”

Leonard has been held out all season to rehab a torn ACL suffered in Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round series on June 14. Serge Ibaka shared what he observed with Leonard’s process to return to the floor.

“I saw him a couple times. He [is] doing good, he [is] working so hard,” Ibaka said. “Every day, he’s in the gym. I know Kawhi. He loves this game, and he’s going to try to do [the] best he can to be back strong.

“He [is] working so hard. Actually, it is impressive to see the way he has been working. He’s getting stronger. I know he wants to come back, but it’s just a question of time.”

Ty Lue’s quote might bring closure to the ongoing questions of Leonard’s return. First, it was hopeful that he would be back by the playoff due to reports of how well rehab was going. A report that Yahoo! Sports’ Chris B. Haynes touched on during a Clippers game on TNT a few weeks ago.

Sources: My @NBAonTNT report on Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard now ahead of schedule in rehab from a torn ACL with a strong possibility of a return this season. pic.twitter.com/geyUX5Rgkv

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 7, 2022

After opting out of his contract, Leonard signed a four-year max extension with the Clippers this offseason. He averaged 24.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season.

The post Clippers HC Ty Lue Announces Kawhi Leonard Is Likely to Miss Season appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

Powell and Covington’s pure shooting prowess and defensive capabilities will aid Ty Lue’s undermanned Clippers roster with Paul George sidelined with a torn UCL and Kawhi Leonard’s rehab from a torn ACL. The 6’3 guard from UCLA is averaging a career second-best 18.7 points per game while shooting a scintillating 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.

At the same time, Covington’s three-and-D ability off the bench provides the eighth-seeded Clippers with another solid rotational player.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski later reported that the emergence of Anfernee Simons’ game in the absence of Damian Lillard had given the Blazers the confidence to move on from Powell’s long-term five-year $90 million deal, providing George and Leonard with a proven two-way bucket getter.

For Portland, the terms of the deal allow them to slip under the luxury tax bill and create a $6.5 million trade exception that is good for a whole year, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. In comparison, Los Angeles’ tax bill increases by approximately $19 million.

Both players dealt by Portland were brought in over the past two seasons, trading Trevor Ariza and two first-rounders to the Rockets for the 6-foot-9 Covington at the start of the 2020-21 season. The Blazers acquired Powell from the Toronto Raptors during last season’s trade deadline for Gary Trent Jr.

Alongside Dame and CJ McCollum, Powell has started out of position at the three despite being one of the Blazers’ most consistent offensive threats.

The post REPORT: Clippers Send Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow to Blazers for Norman Powell, Robert Covington appeared first on SLAM.

Despite not having the services of superstar Kawhi Leonard this season and losing Paul George in December to an elbow injury, they now stand at seventh place in the West with a 26-26 record. The team hasn’t closed the door on either player being shut down for the season and is looking for point guard help just in case.

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Clippers are in the market for a point guard in a trade with possibly six players being targets.

“If the Clippers dip below .500, it should come as no big surprise. But this isn’t a lost season without Leonard and George. Not at all. In fact, the Clippers found their identity on defense by examining their roster and trying to find out who will fit with their stars in the years to come.”

Despite all the good vibes on the court this season, no team is ever fully complete. Change is inevitable. And the next step for the Clippers is to find a new point guard.

While Reggie Jackson currently covers the position, the Clippers see him as more of a scorer. What they want by his side is a playmaker. Someone like Fred VanVleet or Kyle Lowry for Leonard in Toronto, or even George Hill was for a young PG-13 in Indiana. L.A. wants a point guard on that level, someone who can manage the game or provide a spark depending on the situation.

So, what kind of point guard can the Clippers reasonably obtain? Over the past few weeks, numerous reports have cited names like Jalen Brunson, Dennis Schröder, Kemba Walker, Goran Dragic, Spencer Dinwiddie, and John Wall as targets.”

The team plan’s on moving potential expiring contracts such as Serge Ibaka, Ivica Zubac (team option for 2022-23 season), or Nicolas Batum (player option for 2022-23)

The Los Angeles Clippers made team history by making Western Conference Finals last season before falling to the eventual conference champion, Phoenix Suns.

The post REPORT: The Clippers Make Multiple Players Available For Point Guard Help appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that George would be out longer than initially thought as he continues to recover from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Wojnarowski reports that the Los Angeles Clippers will continue to evaluate George over the coming weeks, with no firm timetable available for his return.

George has been out since Dec. 22, nearly an entire month now, but suffered the injury a few weeks prior in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 6, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. The Clippers have missed his presence, going 5-8 since George’s injury, giving them a record of 22-23, ninth-best in the west.

Before the injury, George had played in 26 games this season and was averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

The Clippers are now without both of their All-Stars, with Kawhi Leonard still recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the playoffs last year.

The post REPORT: Paul George to be Out Longer than Expected Due to Elbow Injury appeared first on SLAM.

When the Los Angeles Clippers initially announced the injury, the team hoped resting George for three to four weeks would help the 31-year-old guard recover.

“While the team’s initial announcement on Christmas Day stated George would be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks, the Clippers are operating under the possibility that George may not return this season, sources told B/R.”

With the possibility that both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard may not return this season, the Clippers are shaping into a surprising seller at the NBA’s trade deadline. More at @BR_NBA: https://t.co/IGZhFoYSA7

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) January 12, 2022

In 26 games this season, PG-13 was playing at a level that had some believing that he was in the MVP conversation averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He had thrived as the Clippers’ number one option while Kawhi Leonard continued his rehab on his surgically repaired knee.

The Clippers had high hopes to start the season during their seven-game winning streak that had them at the top spot early in the Western Conference playoff picture. Since George’s injury, the Clippers have fallen into the play-in tournament section of the standings at 21-21 behind the Los Angeles Lakers. 

With the Clippers without their best two-way player, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, and Terrence Mann will be counted on for the team to stay relevant in the Western Conference playoff race. The Clippers’ future plans depend on how well things go. If Los Angeles can move up in the standings, they can entertain options of bringing back Leonard and George in time for the postseason.

However, if the struggles continue, both stars could be shelved in plans for next season. The Clippers have Tuesday off before playing the Pelicans (15-26) on the road.

The post REPORT: Paul George May Miss the Rest Of the Season With Elbow Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: My @NBAonTNT report on Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard now ahead of schedule in rehab from a torn ACL with a strong possibility of a return this season. pic.twitter.com/geyUX5Rgkv

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 7, 2022

The news couldn’t come at a better time for Los Angeles, who is already missing Paul George for a few weeks with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his shooting elbow diagnosed in December. The Clippers are currently the eighth seed in the Westen Conference with a 19-20 record.

Leonard injured his ACL during the Western Conference semifinals series against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers called the injury a knee sprain during the team’s final eight playoff games before announcing the injury was more severe than initially thought and needed surgery. 

Clippers executive Jerry West was on the TK Podcast with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, beaming about the two-time Finals MVP.

“I have to say, I’ve never seen a harder working person in my life. If you look at him now, he looks great. Doing things that I didn’t expect he could do. But I’m not a doctor, and certainly don’t know what the ongoing problems for not being in tip-top shape, ready to play a much quicker and agile game are, but just watching him, my goodness, if you watch him walk around, you would never know that he had that operation.”

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals last season.

The post REPORT: Kawhi Leonard is Ahead of Schedule With Rehab on Knee appeared first on SLAM.

Afterward, Nets Coach Steve Nash criticized the team for not bringing enough energy and overlooking a depleted Clippers squad. On the other hand, Durant was much more colorful and abrasive with his language to get his point across.

“Like Coach said, we didn’t deserve to win this game. We came in here with a f–ked up attitude to start, thinking we were just gonna walk into a W,” Durant said. “Hopefully, a loss like this sit in your brain until tomorrow. … If you ain’t feeling like s–t after this game, you gotta look yourself in the mirror.”

“It’s natural when a team is missing so many players, they’ve been going through so much over there, and we relaxed,” Durant said. “You wouldn’t think you could lose an NBA game like this. Missing how many guys, playing guys up from the G-League. … They all made an impact, I felt, and we came in too chill.”

The Clippers were playing without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum, and six other players who were out with either injury or placed in health and safety protocols. Even Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was in protocols. With the loss, Brooklyn is now on a two-game losing streak.

Durant finished with 28 points on 11-24 shooting, nine rebounds, and three assists. James Harden had a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists.

On Monday night, the Nets (23-11) look to bounce back at home against Memphis (23-14).

The post Kevin Durant After Nets’ Loss to Clippers: ‘We Came in too Chill’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers have no clear timetable for George to return by, but the team hopes that resting the injury over the next month will help George recover. The injury initially occurred when PG13 sprained his elbow against the Trail Blazers in December. He missed five games over two weeks before returning against the Spurs on December 20.

George said that he wasn’t sure if the injury required maintenance, leading to missing games to manage the injury.

“It took some hits today, couple stingers,” he said per ESPN after the Clippers lost to the Spurs. “We’ll see how it feels tomorrow, not sure it will be sore or not.”

The team faces health issues with four players out to injury or virus protocols, including Kawhi Leonard. He hasn’t played this season while he continues to rehab from a knee injury. Isaiah Hartenstein is dealing with an ankle injury, and Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson are in health and safety protocol.

The Clippers are 17-15 and holding on to the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

The post Paul George Out Three to Four Weeks With Torn UCL appeared first on SLAM.

Clippers beat writer Law Murray of The Athletic reports that Ibaka has had a close contact test positive, which prompted the Clippers to test him, which came back negative. which the result came back negative
Ibaka would have been able to sit with his teammates during the game. However, Ibaka remains away from the Clippers while his teammates are in Utah due to COVID-19 protocols.

A source tells @TheAthletic that Serge Ibaka was a close contact yesterday and had to test right at gametime.

That is why he did not enter the bench area last night until later in the first quarter. Ibaka tested negative but is out for start of trip due to protocols.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 15, 2021

Since returning to the Clippers, after spending time in G League working on his conditioning, Ibaka’s minutes have decreased, seeing him fall out of the rotation behind Isaiah Hartenstein and Ivan Zubac.

Ibaka has subsequently received multiple DNPs. Clippers Coach Tyrone Lue was shuffling lineups. He’s shared his frustration by liking a tweet about being traded.

The Clippers are currently dealing with injuries to a string of their star players, including Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Nicolas Batum.

The post Serge Ibaka Enters Health and Safety Protocol appeared first on SLAM.

James has undergone eight tests, all of which came back negative after testing positive before the Lakers 117-92 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. James’ teammate, Anthony Davis, said James was asymptomatic and “feeling fine” postgame, according to YahooSports.

James missed Thursday’s practice and was required by health and safety protocols to remain isolated from the team until he returned two negative tests within 24-hours.

The NBA released a statement Thursday regarding James’ clearance from health and safety protocols that will enable him to enter the Lakers lineup for Friday’s game:

The League said in their statement that James was originally placed in the health and safety protocols after a series of tests delivered conflicting results, including an initial positive test that was collected on Monday. According to the League, the sample that produced the initial positive was re-run twice and returned one negative and one positive result on two different PCR instruments.

As a result, James underwent additional testing on Wednesday, with one test returning a negative result and a second test resulting in a “clinically inconclusive result.”

“Additional testing confirmed that he is not a positive case,” the NBA said.

The post LeBron James Cleared From Health And Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

Up by nine in the midst of the fourth quarter, Curry exploded, draining three straight three’s in the Warriors 21-7 run over just five minutes, concluding with this insane shot.

In 2015-16 and 2018-19, Curry reached 100 threes in just 20 games, holding first, second, and third place for the accolade.

Curry’s audacity to do a step-back 3 against three defenders . (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/MDxUoL8qgp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 28, 2021

Tied with Kevin Durant as the League’s leading scorer (28.6 points), Curry finished with 33 points, five boards, six assists alongside a season-high six steals while shooting 7-13 from beyond the arc. Curry’s defensive effort was matched by the Warriors, who accumulated a season-high 19 steals in the game, forcing 25 total turnovers for 31 points.

Stephen Curry with a DIME DIME. Shooting ain’t the only thing he’s elite at. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/lgVKTrhFsw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 28, 2021

The Warriors’ eighth-straight win and 18-2 record is the second-best record to start a season since the 2015-16 Warriors, who began the season 20-0.

Even in hostile territory where the Warriors are the giant to knock off, Curry is cheered and celebrated for his greatness. The flowers are pouring down for the three-time champ as Curry erupted Staples Center with three after three.

However, Tuesday night may be the Warriors’ most significant challenge yet, as they face the team with the second-best record (17-3) in the League, the Phoenix Suns.

The post Stephen Curry Sets Record for Fastest Player to Reach 100 Threes, 19 Games appeared first on SLAM.

AEG owns not only owns venues like the Staples Center, LA Live, and the O2 Arena in London, they also boast majority ownership of sports teams like the LA Kings and the LA Galaxy.

“In the next few years, people will look back at this moment as the moment when crypto crossed the chasm into the mainstream,” Kris Marszalek, the chief executive of Crypto.com told the L.A Times.

“This is just such a brilliant move from the guys at AEG because the next decade belongs to crypto,” he said. “And this positions L.A. and this particular venue right at the center of it.”

The Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange and platform will reportedly pay up to $700 million over 20 years for the rights to rename the famous building. ESPN reported that the parties involved won’t be disclosing the financial terms of what’s reportedly the richest naming rights deal in sports history.

Founded in 2016, Crypto.com has signed sponsorship deals across the global sports landscape with Formula One, the UFC, Italy’s Serie A, Paris St-Germain, and the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, while also purchasing the Philadelphia 76ers‘ uniform sponsorship patch.

The Downtown Los Angeles arena, which holds up to 20,000 seats, has held the name of the Staples Center since its opening in 1999. During that two-decade tenure, the Lakers won six League titles. The venue has hosted many other significant events, including NBA All-Star games and NBA and WNBA Finals.

“Yeah, it’s tough, you know what I mean? Lakers fans and really sports fans in general obviously know that building as the Staples Center,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said per ESPN. “I understand the disappointment the fans will have. But that’s just the way of the world. This is the business we’re in. Almost universally around the country, there’s a business element to naming rights for the arenas. It’s really out of our control.”

Aside from sports, the arena also hosted 19 Grammy Award shows and culturally significant events like the memorials for Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Nipsey Hussle.

The new logo will be revealed during the Laker’s Christmas day match against the Brooklyn Nets.

The post Staples Center Undergoing Name Change to Crypto.com Arena appeared first on SLAM.

Feeling the urge to show up and show out in his hometown, DeRozan went on to score 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, while shooting 10 for 11 from the free-throw line. Zach LaVine added to the fire also, adding 29 points and 8 rebounds alongside Caruso’s 7 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assist,s and 3 steals in his first start as a Bull. Because of the thrilling performances put on display by Alex Caruso in his time as a Laker, it’s safe to say there will always be love sent his way from the city of LA.

The Chicago Bulls will face the Los Angeles Lakers (8-6) Monday at 9:30pm CT.

The post Chicago Bulls End LA Clippers Seven-Game Winning Streak appeared first on SLAM.

Following the Blazers’ 117-109 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Lillard claimed that officiating in the League has been “unacceptable” this season.

“I feel like the way the game is being officiated is unacceptable,” Lillard said via NBC Sports. ”I don’t want to go too deep into it so they make a big deal out of it, but the explanations, the s*** that’s getting missed, I mean, come on. I felt like coming in, the rule change wouldn’t affect me, because I don’t do the trick the referees, I don’t do the trick plays, and it’s just unacceptable. Then the explanations and the remarks in return when you tell them is just like [Lillard shrugs]. I don’t even have nothin’ else to say about it.”

It’s easy to see why Lillard appears to be frustrated with officiating when you look at the numbers: he’s averaging 20.0 points per game, his lowest mark since his rookie season, and shooting only 25.4 percent from three.

Lillard is also not shooting nearly as many free throws as he has in years past. So far this season, Lillard is averaging 3.3 free throws per game, the lowest mark of his career and a vast departure from the 7.2 attempts he averaged per game last season.

The tough start for Lillard has culminated into a tough start to the season for the Blazers, who are tied for 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 5-7.

The post Damian Lillard Says That Current Officiating is ‘Unacceptable’ appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George is playing at an MVP level this season.

26.7 PPG
8.3 RPG (career-high)
5.4 APG (career-high)
2.5 SPG (career-high)
46/36/86%

The Clippers have won 5 in a row. pic.twitter.com/pGtrBL6J4J

— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 10, 2021

After George put up a stat line of 24 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, Portland head coach Chauncey Billups agrees, according to Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports.

“He’s playing on an MVP level,” Billups said. “I think he knows the challenge he has ahead of him this year with no Kawhi for now. You just want a guy like that to put everybody on his back and say, ‘Let’s go, let’s give ourselves a chance.’ And he has done that every single night. He’s just a matchup nightmare, man. You can’t guard him with one guy. Now that his playmaking is better, he just puts you in some tough spots.”

Tough move. Tough finish.

@BallySportWest | @Yg_Trece pic.twitter.com/gkwVJoJgfg

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 10, 2021

George is riding high as he was recently named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday. He is ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring behind Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and DeMar DeRozan. He’s contributing defensively and ranks second in the NBA in steals per game with 2.5 while the Clippers rank third in the League in defensive rating at 101.7.

George averages 26.7 points on 45.8% shooting from the field, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.

The post Chauncey Billups Believes That Paul George Is playing At A MVP Plateau appeared first on SLAM.

Clippers rookie point guard Jason Preston had right foot surgery in Los Angeles today and is expected to miss a significant part of the season, sources tell ESPN. Preston was the 33rd pick in the July NBA Draft out of Ohio University.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 7, 2021

Preston injured his foot in a “workout prior to the team opening its training camp,” per ESPN. Preston impressed during Summer League with averages of 9 points and 4.8 assists a game. His passing and playmaking ability was enough to garner him a three-year contract with the Clippers, with two years guaranteed.

He was originally drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 33rd pick out of Ohio University before being traded to the Clippers. His final season raised eyebrows, where he averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season.

The Los Angeles Clippers start their regular season on the road October 21st against the Golden State Warriors.

The post REPORT: Clippers Rookie Jason Preston ‘Expected’ to Miss Part of Season After Foot Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard had surgery in July to repair his torn ACL, which is typically an 8-9 month recovery for NBA athletes. This meant that there was a good chance he would miss the entire regular season. 

According to Farbod Esnaashari of Sports Illustrated, Leonard is ahead of schedule in his ACL rehab he hasn’t been completely ruled out coming back in the upcoming season. With that in mind, the Clippers aren’t in a rush to bring him back.

During the 2020-21 regular season, Leonard was one of the best players in the NBA, averaging 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. 

The post Kawhi Leonard Continues to Stay Ahead of Rehab Schedule appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN, Frank restated the fact that Kawhi Leonard has to do “significant rehab” from his ACL injury and that “no one knows” the time frame when the Clippers franchise player will return or if he will play this season.

“I think at this point, it’s just no one knows when you’re dealing with a recovery from an ACL [injury], the time frame.”

“Even just to save you guys [from asking] throughout the year, is no one knows. You just attack it day by day. He has a very detailed plan with a great group, and we’ll just let his body and the doctors tell us when it’s the right time.”

Leonard had surgery to repair a partial tear in his right ACL on back in July and is “expected to be out for an extended period of time.” The injury occurred during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. He missed the final eight playoff games with what the team called a sprained right knee.

Head coach Ty Lue also weighed in on Leonard’s status, specifically when asked if he even “allows himself to think” that Leonard might return by the playoffs.

“I hope he comes back October 21st [for the opener],” he said, per ESPN. “But the reality is he’s not going to be ready then. We don’t want to force him or put any pressure on him. We want to make sure he’s rehabbing, doing everything he can to get back as soon as possible, and if that’s next season, that’s next season.”

“We don’t want to force him to come back too early. We want to make sure he’s 100% when he does come back.”

The Clippers’ offseason moves proves the patience being practiced with Leonard’s injury. In the offseason alone, they have signed frontcourt players like Isaiah Hartenstein, Harry Giles III, Nicolas Batum and Justise Winslow to potentially fill in the void left by Kawhi.

Leonard recently signed a four year max extension with the Clippers after opting out his contract to become a free agent. He averaged 24.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Provides Clarity on Kawhi Leonard’s Return appeared first on SLAM.

“I never could have imagined if I would play basketball for this long,” says Redick.

“Going into last season, I wanted it to be my last year, but I wasn’t sure how it would play out. I would like to describe last season as a seven mont exercise in coming face to face with my own athletic mortality.”

Redick, who last suited up for the Dallas Mavericks back in May, was selected 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in 2006 after a stellar collegiate career at Duke (he’s the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,769 points made).

He would then go on to play on six different NBA teams throughout his career, including stops with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers during his prime.

Redick has averaged 12.8 points per game throughout his career, but he was more revered for his 3-point shooting, landing in the top-15 of career 3-pointers (1,950) and just outside the top-15 in career 3-point percent (41.5).

Arguably his best season came in 2015-16 as a member of the Clippers, as he averaged 16.3 points per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 47.5 percent on 3-pointers while starting every game that season.

The post J.J. Redick Announces Retirement from NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Now that is all set to change as the Clippers held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning to kick off construction for their new arena in Inglewood, CA which is set to open during the 2024-25 season.

The arena—dubbed the Intuit Dome—is reportedly worth up to $1.8 billion, close to the same price that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer purchased the Clippers franchise for back in 2014.

“We needed to say, ‘We’re our own guys. We don’t play in the same place as the other guys. We’re going to have our own identity.” Ballmer said Friday morning.

The Intuit Dome will also hold up to 18,000 seats and will have a design feature called “The Wall” that will consist of 51 row designated fan section, along with a two-sided halo scoreboard.

Ballmer spent years going to different areas for inspiration, as he revealed to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

“There’s 30 teams in the league. There’s 29 others. And we got one that happens to be based in L.A. And we got our fans. We use our expression, ‘LA Our Way.’ And we’re building our own presence, identity. And if the other guys feel a little threatened — the other guys’ fans, I mean; the players are actually a little different deal — but if they feel a little threatened, that’s OK. It means we’re doing good.”

The state-of-the-art arena, approved by the Inglewood City Council back in the summer of 2020, is located just blocks away from the Los Angeles Chargers and Rams arena (SoFi Stadium).

The post Clippers, Steve Ballmer Unveil New $1.8 Billion Home Arena appeared first on SLAM.

Free agent C Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a training camp deal with the Clippers, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 12, 2021

The Clippers continue to search for depth at center. Serge Ibaka’s return date is still unknown due to back surgery that kept him out a portion of the regular season and all of the playoffs. Ivica Zubac missed some time with a sprained MCL in his knee.

Hartenstein played last season with the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers. He collected career-best numbers with 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16 games with Cleveland after being acquired at the trade deadline. But despite showing promise backing up Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers now are loaded at center. Facing the reality of no playing time, Hartenstein turned down his player option of $1.7 million for next season and opted for free agency.

The Clippers have 14 guaranteed contracts on the roster. Hartenstein will be battling Harry Giles III for the 15th spot on the roster on opening night.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Add Depth to Frontcourt By Signing Isaiah Hartenstein appeared first on SLAM.

Free agent C/F Harry Giles is signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Giles was the No. 20 pick in 2017 Draft and played for Portland last season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 7, 2021

Last season, Giles played with the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year minimum deal. In 38 games he averaged 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.2 minutes. Giles will try to make a Clippers squad hoping to stay in championship contention despite their superstar forward, Kawhi Leonard slated to miss a significant portion of the season with a partial ACL tear in his knee.

Giles will look for minutes behind veteran big men Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka at the center position if he can make the regular season roster. The team currently has 14 players on guaranteed contracts.

Giles joins fellow former Duke players Luke Kennard and recently signed Justise Winslow on the Clippers roster.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Sign Harry Giles III to Free Agent Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Millsap just finished up a four-year stint with the Denver Nuggets that saw his veteran presence help push the Nuggets to three straight playoff berths and a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2020.

While he may not be churning out the same numbers he was in his prime, the four-time All-Star would add significant value to any bench within the league. A consistent outside shooter with bursts of aggressiveness at 36-years-old, Millsap averaged 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game last season.

After losing bigs Jeff Green and Jarrett Allen (and potentially DeAndre Jordan, per Charania) in the span of just one year, the Nets have been linked Millsap for multiple weeks.

Chicago has been the next-most talked about destination for the 15-year vet, as the Bulls seek additional depth in the frontcourt behind star center Nikola Vucevic and second-year power forward Patrick Williams. Millsap’s efficiency (he boasted true shooting percentage of 56.5 percent last season) would pair nicely next to the Bulls’ splash signings this offseason: Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, both high-level playmakers.

The Los Angeles Clippers have also expressed interest in Millsap, per Charania.

The post Multiple Contenders Continue to Pursue Paul Millsap in Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

The 32-year-old averaged 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 46.4 percent from the field last season.

Free agent Nicolas Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 3, 2021

In the playoffs, Batum maintained similar averages in 29 minutes of action. That level of consistency led to the Clipper’s front office wanting him to return to their lineup.

“Nico is a terrific player, a selfless teammate and a consummate professional, who lifts us in a lot of different ways,” said Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, via NBA.com. “He fit in perfectly from the beginning, and we’re grateful he’s chosen to return.”

Batum recently finished up playing for the French National Team in the Tokyo Olympics, losing to the U.S. National Team in the Gold Medal game 87-82.

The post Nicolas Batum to Sign Two-Year Deal to Return to the Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Leonard will sign a four-year, $176.3 million max contract with the Clippers.

The contract for Leonard includes three guaranteed years, with the fourth year serving as a player option, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Nonetheless, Leonard’s status for next season remains unclear, as he could miss the entire season due to a torn ACL injury he suffered in the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers went on to win that series against the Jazz before being bounced from the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns, the eventual Western Conference Champion.

Prior the ACL injury, Leonard had a monster 2020-21 season, averaging 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game and continuing to demonstrate the dominance that’s made him a household name.

The post REPORT: Kawhi Leonard Signs Four-Year Deal with the Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

Terms of the agreement were not released.

Winslow has a real opportunity to impact the lineup with Kawhi Leonard out to start the season. When healthy – which is he now — he’s shown great flashes in Miami and Memphis.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 6, 2021

On paper, the Winslow signing looks very promising for the Clippers. He’s a very athletic wing defender, equipped with good ball-handling skills when healthy. Plus, he can be counted on as a secondary shot creator when he attacks the paint.

Winslow, who averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 22 games for the Grizzlies last season, also provides some of the attributes that Los Angeles will need with Leonard out, and there are some opportunities behind Paul George and Terance Mann for minutes at the start of the season.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Sign Justise Winslow To a Two-Year Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Clippers’ BJ Boston – the No. 51 pick in the 2021 NBA draft – is signing a two-year guaranteed rookie deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Clippers targeted the forward in the draft, paid to acquire the 51st pick and have a third-year team option on Boston.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 9, 2021

The 51st overall pick in the draft, Boston is signing a two-year guaranteed rookie deal with a third-year team option.

Spotrac’s Keith Smith reports that Boston is getting $2.5 million guaranteed in his deal with the Clippers, the most guaranteed money for a draft pick who was drafted in the 50-60 range and who didn’t spend time overseas.

The rook has also been in the lab with veteran guard Rajon Rondo, who was traded to the Clippers in March.

Clearly Los Angeles has high hopes for the 19-year-old.

Move Breakdown: @RajonRondo @BenSimmons25 @bboston_ Details – Downhill attack , Finding the gap & playing through contact getting to the rim for the finish!! Pay attention to the details of how each player protects the basketball #jushoop pic.twitter.com/R2dGvQSkqv

— Chris Johnson Hoops (@ChrisJHoops) August 6, 2021

Boston averaged 11.5 points 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a swipe in his lone season with the Kentucky Wildcats. The Kentucky guard has been added to the Clippers 2021 Summer League roster, with their first game tipping off against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.

The post Clippers Officially Acquire Brandon Boston Jr., Sign Him to Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

As the Clips took on Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks, Donovan Mitchell’s Utah Jazz and Devin Booker’s Phoenix Suns, Jackson improved every series, stepping up whenever his team needed him most.

Jackson’s playoff performance didn’t just make sure that the Clippers would want to re-sign him, but it allowed him to command a significant raise as well.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Jackson signed a two-year, $22 million deal to return to the Clippers, the maximum the team could pay him under current CBA rules.

Jackson made the minimum, $1.6 million, last season.

After averaging 10.7 points per game in the regular season, he averaged 17.8 points per game in the 2021 NBA Playoffs (while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from 3-point range), taking the challenge on both ends.

The post REPORT: Reggie Jackson Signs Two-Year, $22 Million Deal to Stay with Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

Even though Kawhi was injured, Paul George kept the team competed against the Phoenix Suns and blossomed as the number one scoring option. He had a playoff career-high 41 points in Game 5.

However, after the Clippers lost to the Suns in Game 6, George expressed that “if” Leonard had been healthy the outcome for them could have been different.

“This series would be a lot different. Talk about one of the best players in the League being out, yet we were inches away from getting to the next round,” he said, per ESPN. “So, definitely it’s a ‘what if’ on this. Fact of the matter is we didn’t do enough to win, and that’s the reason we’re going home.”

Leonard has a player option that pays $36 million for next season. If he declines, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent and could go elsewhere.

With other teams are already rumored to be interested, George spoke on the partnership possibly continuing after Leonard convinced George to play together in 2019.

“We’ve both grown, myself and Kawhi together. We really enjoy being teammates, and we see what we can be,” George said via NBA.com. “One of the commitments I made signing my contract was to show I’m here for the long run and I’m committed to this team. Hopefully that weighs on anybody’s decision.”

Leonard is not the only player whose status is up in the air. Serge Ibaka has a player option worth $9.7 million. A back injury ended his season prematurely.

The Clippers have a list of unrestricted free agents to decide on as well. Nicolas Batum, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson will all be unrestricted free agents. The biggest name on the list is Reggie Jackson.

Jackson exploded on the scene in the playoffs, averaging 17.8 points shooting 41 percent from three-point range. His performance might have set him up for a big contract next season.

The NBA free agency period will begin August 2nd.

The post Clippers Face Offseason With A Big Contract Decision From Kawhi Leonard appeared first on SLAM.

Up-and-coming players such as Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Devin Booker, and Nikola Jokic have continued to shine brightly, thriving in what have been perceived to be less glamorous NBA markets, while the parity amongst teams provided the thrillingly unpredictable season that fans have been clamoring for.

On top of all that, as the league’s collection of stars continues to grow, the pantheon of current all-time greats does as well. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have been joined by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in recent years.

With that said, although today’s fans have a natural inclination to try to establish who the best player in the NBA is (perhaps due to what will be a never-ending ‘GOAT’ debate), what’s become clear is that the days when that was possible—if there even has been in the post-Michael Jordan era—is gone.

There’s no sole Wilt Chamberlain that’s performing athletic feats that lead to astronomical numbers that don’t look real on paper. There’s no, as previously mentioned, sole player reminiscent of a matured Jordan whose playmaking was as masterful as his aggressive play style was menacing.

These days are a lot like the ones is Jordan’s early years, where he, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Larry Bird could have been considered equal. Or like James’ early years, with he, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan vying for the title of best player in the world.

There’s no longer one king of the court, and perhaps there may not need to be.

Instead of one face of the NBA, there are now several players deserving of the title:

King James, commander of the 10th Legion (pointed Julius Caesar reference).

King KD, basketball savant (and renowned tweeter).

King Curry of the Bay, master archer (and golfer).

King Giannis the Humble, of Greece and Nigeria.

King Kawhi, the second cyborg on this list.

The five players with a right to claim the title as best player in the league due to the combination of their abilities, impact and accomplishments.

This coregency is routinely noted by fans that would rather rank players by tiers but the idea hasn’t gained enough traction among mainstream analysts and media. If it had, the mystifying debates about the best player in the league would have given way to discourse about how this quintet has succeeded in very different ways and the different groups of people each represent.

One last thing: the Hardens, Jokics and Westbrooks also deserve praise as recent MVPs. Their crowning—their coronation as kings—occurred during their award ceremony.

Without multiple championships or MVP awards (either in the Finals or regular season), they won’t be seen in the same light as the aforementioned players.

Even still, in an empire, there are multiple kings.

[Editor’s note: In this metaphor, one may still wind up wondering who the emperor—the king of kings—is (if anybody, it would likely be LeBron, who’s also known as “the Little Emperor” in China).]

The post State of the NBA: There’s No Longer, and No Need For, One King appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Atheltic’s Shams Charania, Leonard had successful surgery on his partially torn right ACL.

Leonard suffered the injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Utah Jazz. As a result of the injury, Leonard missed the rest of LA’s postseason run. The Clippers, led by a resurgent Paul George and a focused Reggie Jackson, would eventually lose the Western Conference Finals in six games to the Phoenix Suns.

In addition to questions about his health, The Klaw also has questions surrounding his contract status heading into next year with a $36 million player option with Clippers for the 2021-22 season. If Leonard chooses to decline his player option, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

In his 10th NBA season, Leonard had a great season for the Clippers, putting up 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and a career-high 5.2 assists per game.

The post Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Had Surgery on Partially Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

After this event in the fourth quarter of Game 6, Beverley was ejected. Following the matchup, he went to Twitter to apologize to Paul for his actions. 

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Beverley has been given a one-game suspension next season for his actions.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks would go on to report that not only is this one game Beverley will miss, but he will also miss out on the $98,765 that he would have been paid out for playing. This amount will be deducted from his 2021-22 paycheck.

Beverley’s suspension will served during the first 2021-22 regular-season game that he is eligible to play.

The post Clippers’ Patrick Beverley Suspended For First Game of Next Season appeared first on SLAM.

Following the game Wednesday night, George was honest, saying he never understood why he has always been criticized for his playoff performances.

“The narrative of me not being a postseason player or all that, I never understood it,” George said to media Wednesday night. “I’ve dealt with stuff as we all do. Makes me no different than the next man. But it is what it is. I came up short again.”

George had a great showing in the playoffs, even with co-star Kawhi Leonard missing a good portion of the playoffs. George averaged 26.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, including dropping a 41 point performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

George’s strong playoffs will be welcomed by Clippers fans, who will retain George through 2025 thanks to his four-year contract extension that kicks in next season. Leonard has a $36 million player option for next season that he has yet to accept or decline.

The post Paul George ‘Never Understood’ Playoff Criticism appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the Mavericks, and Heat plan to hard push to acquire Leonard this summer with his potential impending free agency looming. 

O’Connor also reported that Dallas is considered by some executives to be the most serious threat to land Kawhi because of Luka Doncic’s presence and the front office’s ability to create maximum cap space or work out a sign-and-trade.

Leonard tried to recruit Jimmy Butler to the Clippers before George was acquired in 2019, so Miami could be an attractive destination for him if he desired a pairing with Butler still. 

As with nearly every superstar, the Knicks are also expected to have interest in Leonard if he does become available. The list of teams who would take a shot at Leonard should be extremely long, but for now the Mavericks and Heat seem to make sense early on. 

The post Heat, Mavericks To Make Run At Kawhi Leonard appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 130, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 103

PHX wins series 4-2

With a chance at the NBA Finals on the line, Chris Paul led the Suns to a blowout Game 6 win over the Clippers. Paul dropped 41 points on 16-for-24 shooting and chipped in eight assists and three steals in arguably one of his greatest performances of all time. This will be Paul’s first-ever trip to the NBA Finals in his 16-year career. Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton both had strong outings as well. Booker scored 22 points and Ayton had 16 to go along with 17 rebounds.

CP3 taking over. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/1BkG2fKjc5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 1, 2021

The Clippers struggled to keep pace with the Suns all night, with the deficit eventually getting to 20 points by the time the fourth quarter came. Marcus Morris Sr. led the way for the Clippers, dropping 26 points and nine rebounds. Paul George had a mixed evening, scoring 21 points but doing so on 6-for-15 shooting from the field. One of the most notable events of the evening came from Patrick Beverley, who was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter for shoving Chris Paul.

The Suns will have to wait until the end of the Eastern Conference Finals matchup to determine whether they’ll face the Atlanta Hawks or the Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Post Up: The Phoenix Suns Are Headed to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

But Jackson’s great season was closer to not happening at all than some would think. In an extensive interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Jackson revealed he had seriously considered retirement prior to the season.

“I was ready to leave. I was ready to give up,” Jackson says. “I thought I was going to retire because I just couldn’t get healthy.

“It just started weighing on me,” Jackson says. “I just felt like maybe it wasn’t meant to be,”

And it’s a good thing Jackson choose to stick around because he’s been a huge asset for the Clippers this postseason. In 18 playoff games this year, Jackson is averaging 18.1 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three.

Jackson’s strong play has kept the Clippers alive in their Western Conference Finals series against the Phoenix Suns, despite Kawhi Leonard’s absence.

Currently, the Clippers trail the Suns 3-2 in the series but will have a chance to tie the series in Game 6 on Wednesday night.

The post Reggie Jackson Says He Was ‘Ready’ to Retire Before Season appeared first on SLAM.

Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker and his team haven’t been having the best of luck the past two games against the Los Angeles Clippers. Although the Suns were able to get star point guard Chris Paul back before things got ugly, it still wasn’t enough to hold the Clippers down to a 3-1 lead.

Facing elimination and a hostile Phoenix crowd, the Clippers went on a 20-5 run to start Game 5, finishing the game with a 116-102 win over Booker and the Suns. This despite the continued absence of an injured Kawhi Leonard, who has averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the Clippers this postseason.

“They came out, they punched us in the face to start the game.” Booker would say following the blowout loss.

Booker, after injuring his nose earlier in the series, put up 31 points in his best effort his last three games. CP3 added 22 points and 8 assists. Unfortunately for Phoenix, the team’s offensive support outside of their starting backcourt was lacking, with no other starter scoring more than 10 points.

An all-time performance from Paul George also tipped the scales in LA’s favor, with “Playoff P” putting up 41 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals on 15-20 shooting from the field.

The Clippers host the Suns in Game 6 on Wednesday, 6:00 pm (MST).

The post Devin Booker: Clippers ‘Punched Them In The Face’ in Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 116, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 102

The Clippers had their backs to the wall for Game 5 after dropping a winnable Game 4 on Saturday night, but Los Angeles kept hope alive for at least one more game. Paul George played a phenomenal game dropping a game-high 41 points to go along with 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals. However, the story of the night came from the Clippers bench in DeMarcus Cousins, who played just 11 minutes and provided 15 points, three assists, and two rebounds. The Clippers also got great games from Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris, both of whom eclipsed 20 points; Jackson with 23 and Morris with 22.

The Suns fell behind quickly on Monday night, falling into an early 10 point deficit in the first quarter, and despite a strong game from Devin Booker, who had a team-high 31 points, it wasn’t enough to erase the gap. Chris Paul had a better night shooting than he did on Saturday but still left something to be desired, scoring 22 points on a below-average 8-for-19 shooting. Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges only combined for 19 total points on the night.

The Clippers still have a lot of work to do, but will have the chance to even the series 3-3 at home in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: Clippers Live to Fight Another Day appeared first on SLAM.

In the history of the NBA conference finals, teams down 3-1 have only won the series seven percent of the time. While this doesn’t happen often, Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue has pulled off this feat before. 

In the 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers were coached by Lue and became the first team in NBA Finals history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit. 

While it’s going to be difficult, Lue is still optimistic that the Clippers came come back and win the series to advance to the NBA Finals. 

“We beat Utah and won four games in a row. So it’s very doable,” said Lue after Game 4. 

Game 5 will take place Monday evening, where the Clippers will once again be without Kawhi Leonard. 

The post Ty Lue Calls 3-1 Comeback ‘Very Doable’ appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down this matchup here.

No. 3 Bucks 113, No. 5 Hawks 102

MIL Leads Series 2-1

In a pivotal Game 3 matchup, the Milwaukee Bucks took the series lead over the Atlanta Hawks. It was a night in which Khris Middleton took control late, outscoring the Hawks by himself in the fourth quarter. He finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds, as the momentum has fully shifted in the Bucks’ favor.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 33 point of his own while Bobby Portis contributed 15 points off the bench. Trae Young went down with an ankle injury in the second half, but still finished with 35 points. Danillo Gallinari provided a bench spark for the Hawks with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Game 3 loss.

The post Post Up: Bucks Take Control of East appeared first on SLAM.

On Sunday evening, the team announced that Leonard would officially miss Game 5 as the series heads back to Phoenix. He’s recovering from an ACL injury that has turned LA’s postseason outlook upside down. 

Already in an uphill battle, the Clippers will look to chip away at their deficit without their best player, looking to pull off the rare 3-1 comeback. 

Paul George will look to continue to carry the team in Leonard’s absence, as he’s averaged 27.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game in the Western Conference Finals. 

The post Kawhi Leonard To Miss Game 5 Of Western Conference Finals appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 84, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 80

Suns lead the series 3-1

This game had some Los Angeles Clippers playoff flashbacks all over it. Remember the second half the deciding Game 6 that sent the Utah Jazz home? After falling behind double figures in the first half, the Clippers were led by Terance Mann and Reggie Jackson leading a massive comeback.

For a little while in this game, it looked like more of the same.

In the first half, the Clippers narrowly missed a playoff record in scoring futility with only 36 points. The players seemed to hit the Suns players more than jump shots.

Devin Booker and Paul George getting into it.

PG was given a tech. pic.twitter.com/kNCt1TO3dJ

— ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2021

Then in the second half, the Clippers abandoned their perimeter game that amounted to 22 shots from behind the arc to aggressive drives to the rim. By the end of the third quarter, Phoenix only had a three point lead going in to the last quarter.

To say fourth quarter scoring was scarce would be an understatement as both teams shot poorly combining for 29 points total. However in crunch time Chris Paul ran the high pick and roll offense to perfection and knocked down clutch free throws late to seal the win.

I SEE YOU, POINT GOD. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/QUPbstaOC2

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 27, 2021

Deandre Ayton had a monster game on the rebounding glass, finishing with 22 rebounds (9 offensive) to go with 19 points and 4 blocks. Devin Booker ditched his protective mask to score 25 points.

Paul George continued to fill the stat sheet with 16 rebounds and 6 assists to go along with 23 points. But like in Game 2, he struggled at crunch time missing free throws late. He shot 12-18 overall.

Game 5 is on Monday night on ESPN. It’s now win or go home for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post Post Up: Suns Take Control of Western Conference Finals Beating Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania, the Dallas Mavericks have agreements in place to hire Jason Kidd as head coach and Nico Harrison as general manager and president of basketball operations.

This will be Jason Kidd’s third time as head coach of an NBA franchise. Kidd coached the Brooklyn Net for one season in 2013-14 and the Milwaukee Bucks for four seasons from 2014-18, holding a career record of 183-190. Kidd has served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers for the past two seasons.

Nico Harrison will come to Dallas after serving as Nike’s vice president of basketball operations, a role he has had since 2015.

Both of these jobs became vacant after the former head coach Rick Carlisle and general manager Donnie Nelson left their positions following the Mavs’ first-round playoff exit to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post Dallas Mavericks Reportedly Hiring Jason Kidd, Nico Harrison appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 3 between Phoenix and LA here. 

No. 2 Suns 92, No. 4 Clippers 106

PHX Leads Series 2-1

The Clippers have been down 2-0 to start every series during this postseason run. After overcoming these deficits to this point, Game 3 against the Suns was crucial. Rather than falling into a 3-0 hole, Paul George was able to lead the Clippers to a victory, bringing the series back within reach. 

The final score is a bit deceiving. While the Clippers did end up winning by a wide margin, a late game push by Phoenix brought them within striking distance before LA pulled back away. The Suns had five players score in double figures, but none of which scored 20 points. George and Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 27 and 23 points respectively in the huge win. Game 4 will take place in Los Angeles on Saturday, where the Clippers will look to even the series. 

The post Post Up: Clippers Keep Series Alive In Win Over Suns appeared first on SLAM.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, veteran point guard Chris Paul plans to return to the Phoenix Suns starting five after missing the first two games of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers due to health and safety protocols.

Paul, who only missed two games in the regular season due to injury, has has faced his share of adversity in the playoffs; after injuring his shoulder against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, the floor general tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

BREAKING: Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul intends to make his return for Game 3 of WCF against the Los Angeles Clippers barring unforeseen setback, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/UgzGxX4aaZ

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 23, 2021

Fortunately for Phoenix fans, the Suns have been excellent even without Paul, jumping out to a 2-0 series lead against the Clippers — including a jaw-dropping buzzer-beating dunk by DeAndre Ayton to win Game 2.

One of the main reasons that the Suns have continued to win has been the excellent play of backup point guard Cameron Payne, who scored 29 points and 9 assists in Game 2 and is averaging 20.0 points and 9.0 assists per game in the series.

Nonetheless, the impact of Paul’s return will be immense.

The 36-year-old floor general has excelled in Phoenix surrounded by a young core.

Paul, averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds this season, has been even better in the playoffs with averages of 25.5 points, 10.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in the Suns’ semifinals sweep of the Denver Nuggets.

CHRIS PAUL WILL RETURN FOR GAME 3 (per @ChrisBHaynes) pic.twitter.com/pUNj3PJ26H

— Overtime (@overtime) June 23, 2021

Furthermore, Suns head coach Monty Williams noted that even though Paul has missed about a week of playing time and conditioning, it would be unlikely that Suns give him a minutes restriction. 

“ We don’t have the luxury of waiting on anybody right now. These games are so important. Every practice, every film session,” Williams said. “We certainly would see where he’s at when that time comes, but that’s hard to make that judgment just because COVID is so different. You have COVID and the playoffs, you know what I mean? It’s not COVID and the regular season.

“I’m sure if I tried to keep Chris out of the game, we’d have to square off and go toe-to-toe. So we’ll just make that assessment when the time comes,” he continued.

The post Chris Paul Set to Return for Suns in Game 3 After Clearing Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Tuesday’s matchup here. 

No. 2 Suns 104, No. 4 Clippers 103

PHX leads Series 2-0

For the third-straight series, the Clippers are down 2-0 early on. While they were able to overcome this deficit twice already in the postseason, things will be much tougher against the Suns, especially without Kawhi Leonard. In a back-and-forth game, the Suns ultimately won on a wild inbounds tip-in with less than a second remaining.

In Game 2, Cameron Payne and DeAndre Ayton carried Phoenix to the victory. Payne finished with 29 points and nine assists filling in for Chris Paul and Ayton contributed 24 points and 14 boards. The Clippers struggled to get much offensive production out of anyone besides Paul George, who led the team with 26 points on 23 shots. Game 3 will take place in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The post Post Up: Suns Extend Series Lead Over Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM breaks down two anticipated playoff thrillers that may lead to conference finals this weekend:

No.1 Philadelphia 76ers 104, No.5 Atlanta Hawks 99

Series tied 3-3. Game 7 is Sunday on TNT.

If the 76ers had handled business the way they should have, this series would be over by now. Doc Rivers’ quotes went from virtually guaranteeing a Game 7 to this:

‘Win the game, be aggressive, play. … I think our guys are ready, but you never know.’

Hawks have come back from 18 and 26 points in Games 4 and 5 respectively

What will happen tonight? pic.twitter.com/b374bakl8p

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 18, 2021

What the Sixers gave their coach and frustrated fanbase was heart, grit and determination. They needed all three to survive Trae Young’s performance.

Young continued his historic run, quite literally shooting the lights out in the arena and finishing with 34 points and 12 assists. He’s had 20+ points and 7+ assists in 11 straight games, which has tied for the longest streak in NBA postseason history.

Trae literally shut the lights out in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/nOI6p5umWA

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 19, 2021

Still, despite his performance, it was not enough as the 76ers forced a Game 7 on Sunday.

How did Philadelphia win? Dominating the offensive rebounds (14) and hitting free throws down the stretch. That and a whole lot of Tyrese Maxey.

No.4 Los Angeles Clippers 131, No.1 Utah Jazz 119

Clippers win series 4-2. Game 1 vs. Phoenix Suns will be on ESPN on Sunday.

The questions leading into this matchup centered around the backcourt of both teams.

Number one: Would Michael Conley Jr. return to the lineup?

Number two: Would Donovan Mitchell be able to play?

While Conley Jr. has been dealing with a hamstring injury, Michell came out playing very well. He scored 16 points in the first quarter alone. Instead of standing out at the 3 point line, the “Spida” Man attacked the basket and gashed the interior defense.

Spida smooth with it (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/jk6BS4Fp2l

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

After struggling in Game 5, Mitchell finished with 39 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. This report sadly does not illustrate how hard he played.

Number three: Would Paul George continue his dominant play after three straight 30 point games?

Not until the second half. The Utah Jazz put together a game plan making sure that there was no sight of “Playoff P”. Then he got unleashed and finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

But they sure didn’t stop Terance “Mama, there goes that” Mann. This video summed up the Mann/Gobert matchup.

TERANCE IS A VERY BAD MANN. (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/6x8S3xQnUv

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

The Jazz decided to allow Gobert to match up with Mann to disastrous results. Terance helped the Clippers get back the game sparking a 17-0 run to help them take the lead in the fourth quarter. He finished with 39 points.

Before Mann’s explosion, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson was shooting lights out in the first half. He scored 17 straight points in the second quarter to get Utah a 20 point lead at halftime.

Automatic. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/Z3KY67LBup

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

So, how did the Clippers come back from 25 points down in the second half to win? They got into a zone from the 3 point line in the left corner exposing the newly crowned defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert, and Reggie Jackson joined Terance Mann in destroying any Jazz player in front of him. He finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals.

The Clippers outscored Utah 81-47 in the second half.

The post Post Up: Two Number One Seeds Battle to Continue Seasons On the Road appeared first on SLAM.

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers 106, No. 5 Atlanta Hawks 109

Atl leads 3-2

It looked like the 76ers had this game wrapped up early, taking a 26 point lead in the first half. But in the fourth quarter, the Hawks came roaring back to take a three-point win. Trae Young again led the Hawks in scoring, dropping 39 points, seven assists and three steals. The Hawks got good minutes from their bench, with Danilo Gallinari scoring 16 points and Lou Williams going for 15. John Collins had a 19 point, 11 rebound double-double, his second game in a row with a double-double.

The 76ers got monster games from Joel Embiid and Seth Curry. Embiid finished with 37 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, and Curry had 36 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. Unfortunately, Embiid and Curry were the only ones who made their presence known on offense. The duo were the only two 76ers players to score a field goal in the second half. No other player broke double-digit scoring; Ben Simmons and Furkan Korkmaz both got to eight points.

Now headed back to Atlanta, the 76ers will need to win this crucial Game 6 on Friday night to force a Game 7.

No. 1 Utah Jazz 111, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 119

LAC leads series 3-2

After news broke, concerns were plenty among Clippers fans that Kawhi Leonard would not be playing Wednesday night due to a knee injury. But Paul George would steal the highlights, sending the Clippers to a road game victory. George had a crazy night, going for a game-high 37 points and 16 rebounds while chipping in five assists and two blocks. Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. had strong evenings, with Morris going for 25 points and Jackson 22. As a team, the Clippers couldn’t miss, shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.

The Jazz had a tough night defensively, struggling to contain George, but Donovan Mitchell had a night to forget. While his 21 points don’t jump out at you, his 6-for19 shooting splits are an eyesore. Bojan Bogdanovic had a lights-out shooting night to keep the Jazz in the game, scoring a team-high 32 points on 9-for-17 shooting from three-point range. The Jazz really missed Mike Conley, Mitchell, and Jordan Clarkson split point guard duties with limited success to replicate Conley’s impact.

Utah will have the chance to even the series on the road in LA in Game 6 on Friday night.

The post Post Up: Underdogs Take the Lead appeared first on SLAM.

Despite only finishing with 17 points in the 103-100 loss (he averages 27.4 points per game in the 2021 NBA Playoffs), it appears that Embiid didn’t let a substandard performance bother him too much.

Especially after seeing his comedic reaction to Kawhi Leonard’s absolutely earth-scorching dunk in the Los Angeles Clippers’ blowout win over the Utah Jazz.

Joel Embiid reacted to Kawhi’s poster dunk in the middle of his post-game interview pic.twitter.com/SgdIBFRbHw

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 15, 2021

Embiid was originally asked a question about his knee injury, and was noting how even before Game 4 began, he felt off.

““From the beginning of the game, even before I went back to the locker room, I just felt like I didn’t have it tonight,” he said. 

Then, while continuing his answer, he peered up and saw Leonard’s dunk on a screen off-picture.

Kawhi received the ball at the top of the key, blown by Royce O’Neal, and viciously leaped up-and-into Derrick Favors, dunking it with authority.

Jazz star Donovan Mitchell’s face says it all.

Look at Donovan Mitchell’s face

: @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/svpOOKUzc7

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 15, 2021

“And of course you can kind of—Oh my god! See that dunk? See that Kawhi dunk? Man, wow. But you could see from the beginning of the game it was tough,” Embiid continued.

While Embiid’s reaction was a brief reprieve from what otherwise was one of the worst performances in his playoff career, the entire interview was a fascinating insight into how the big man evaluates his struggles.

You can be sure he’ll come ready for Game 5 with a similar energy to Leonard’s explosive dunk.

The post Joel Embiid Stops Press Conference While Reacting to Kawhi Leonard’s Poster appeared first on SLAM.

Headlining the All-Defensive 1st team were the two players in the running for Defensive Player of the Year—Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons. Simmons and Gobert were the only two players in the league to be unanimously voted to the 1st team. 

The 2020-21 NBA All-Defensive First Team:

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rudy Gobert
Draymond Green
Jrue Holiday
Ben Simmons pic.twitter.com/ZlflnyWlLR

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 14, 2021

This was Gobert’s fifth straight year on the All-NBA Defensive first team, and Simmon’s second.

Rounding out the top-five were Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (his fourth time on the first team), Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (his second) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (his third consecutive first team nomination).

The All-NBA Defensive teams are selected from a group of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the League — a first-team vote notches a player two “points,” while a second-team vote notches them one. Each voter chooses two guards, two forwards, and one center.

The Lakers had the league’s best defensive rating this season.

They have 0 All-Defense players. pic.twitter.com/NZQUa31ewg

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 14, 2021

The second team boasts Kawhi Leonard (his seventh overall selection), teammates Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle, and Heat duo Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. As is the case every year, there were some surprising omissions from the ten players selected. Perhaps most notably, there were no Lakers on either team, even as the Lakers finished with the best defensive team in the league (106.8). Specific players to just miss selection were Mikal Bridges (Bridges finished with 39 total points, 4 less than Leonard), Clint Capela, and Myles Turner.

The post NBA Announces Selections for All-NBA Defensive Teams appeared first on SLAM.

(#1) Philadelphia 76ers 100, (#5) Atlanta Hawks 103

Series tied 2-2

Things looked bleak for the Hawks early in Game 4, with star guard Trae Young struggling to score in the first half and their bench going 0-8 from the field, being outscored 20-10.

As a result, Atlanta found themselves in an 13-point hole.

Entering the second half 3-12 from the floor, Young eventually was able to flip the switch and erase the deficit, squeaking out a narrow three-point win in the end. Young finished his night with 25 points (on 8-26 shooting) and 18 assists, tied for the second-most in playoff history.

Continuing a strong semifinals series, Bogdan Bogdanovic tallied 22 points for the Hawks, who had double-double performances from both Clint Capela (12 points, 13 rebounds) and John Collins (14 points, 12 rebounds). It was a rough night of shooting for the entire Hawks team, with Atlanta shooting just 36.6 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from three but they willed themselves to a win nonetheless.

While losing a winnable playoff game is already bad enough for the Sixers, there are reasons to be even more upset for Philadelphia fans, as All-Star center Joel Embiid exited the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.

Embiid returned for the second half but struggled, going 0-for-12 from the field and ending the game with 17 points and 20 rebounds. However, the scoring of starters Seth Curry (17 points) and Tobias Harris (20 points) kept Philadelphia’s offense afloat.

The 76ers shot the ball much better than their opponents (43.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range) but their 12 turnovers (compared to just four for the Hawks) may have been the difference.

Game 5 is set for Wednesday night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on TNT.

(#1) Utah Jazz 104, (#4) Los Angeles Clippers 118

Series tied 2-2

In the first two games of the series, the Clippers looked overwhelmed by the Jazz. Four games into their matchup against their series against Utah, the Big Two of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George seem to have found their groove during back-to-back blowout wins.

Los Angeles bolted to a 17-point lead in the first quarter and maintained that gap for nearly the rest of the game. By the end of the contest, both The Klaw and Young Trece dropped 31 points, while veteran forward Marcus tacked on an additional 24 points.

Unfortunately, injuries were a talking point following the contests, with Leonard suffering a knee injury late in the Clippers’ victory.

With Donovan Mitchell going 9-26 from the field while facing LA’s stifling perimeter defenders, the Jazz struggled to be competitive in Game 4 despite Spida getting to the line a game-high 15 times to score 37 points. Fellow guard Jordan Clarkson had a tough shooting night, scoring eight points in 30 minutes on 3-for-12 from the field and 2-8 from deep.

Sharpshooter Joe Ingles was massively efficient for the Jazz though, scoring 19 points on 7-for-9 from the field, while Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 18 points.

The Jazz will have a chance to retake the series lead in Game 5, back home in Utah, on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: We’re All Tied Up appeared first on SLAM.

People think like, y’all gotta understand, it was five of us like 20 and under. So everybody is literally—we all at the starting point. We all right here. We at the starting point for the race of our careers. So everybody tryna get out the blocks, you feel me?“

In 2000, the Los Angeles Clippers made a landmark decision by drafting East St. Louis High School forward Darius Miles with the third overall pick in the draft. In a trend that had become increasingly popular after the success of players like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady, Miles became the highest-drafted high school player in NBA history.

Fifteen picks later, the Clippers would take DePaul wing Quentin Richardson, setting themselves up with a young and dynamic roster that also featured Lamar Odom (the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft) and former 13th overall pick Corey Maggette.

Once Elton Brand entered the fold, the Clippers looked to be a team on the rise, built for sustainable success.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, Los Angeles and the NBA, a front office led by the late Elgin Baylor opted to trade Miles and Odom before the young team could dig in and reach their full potential, prompting Richardson’s own early exit.

While the eventual addition of players like Sam Cassell and Chris Kaman allowed the Clippers to briefly regain their footing, it wouldn’t be until nearly 10 years after they lost the promising Miles and Richardson that they regained their footing.

Cognizant of the reputation that follows the franchise and the duo’s short-lived era with them, Q-Rich and D-Miles got up with us to look back. In an interview with SLAM, the lifelong friends discuss their time with the Clippers, the current NBA landscape, and how their time in the NBA transformed them off-the-court.

SLAM: What do you think about the less high-profile teams showing out—guys like Trae Young getting to show what they got on the national stage?

DM: I think it’s the generation change. It’s time for a new generation, you got a new generation of superstars. Like, people forget LeBron James is 36. He just went to the Finals for a decade! You gotta, you know—he got bout two-to-three more years left—so now we gotta see some more faces in those positions and that’s what we’re seeing in Trae Young and Devin Booker and all these other teams that’s in it.

I think it’s just the generation change. We’re in a new era.

SLAM: I just read something where Q-Rich was talking when y’all guys came into the league with the Clippers, y’all felt like y’all had to represent for the youth, to be that new generation. So do you see anything in any of these young guys that reminds you of yourselves in any way?

DM: Kinda all of ’em ’cause all of ’em are young. All of ’em young like us. We was the only ones; we were sort of the only ones. We was the only team that had five-to-six guys that’s under 21-years-old. You know what I’m saying? Like, this has never been done before. So we were the first of the era. But looking at the era now, you got guys that’s 23 and under and they All-Stars.

QR: Everywhere!

DM: [Laughing] They the top scorers in the league. They the top rebounders. Like these guys are young and it’s looking like us. So everybody look like they kiddish, you know? They celebrating. They play a lot. Like, everybody kinds look like us ’cause they a bunch of young guys.

QR: The two—the teams—I would agree with what D is sayin’ as far as across the league, it’s so many young players is just doing it big and killin’ and, like he said, being All-Stars and borderline superstars and superstars. But the team that I looked at and when I look at them and say man they kind of remind me of us as a young team—even though they had more success than us—I kind of look at the Memphis Grizzlies.

They got a real young core. It’s not like—even though there’s young guys sprinkled across—it’s not really a team. Maybe them and Sacramento. Sacramento a little bit too with their youth and the way they got a bunch of young guys that’s like—even though they haven’t yielded the total success—they have really exciting players and they play hard and they go out there and do their thing as young guys.

SLAM: Speaking of the Clippers still—y’all had [Corey] Maggette, [Elton] Brand—y’all had, you know, talented guys. What do you think contributed to you guys not being able to be a playoff team like the Hawks or the Grizzlies?

QR: Just us not staying together. Like, we didn’t keep the core together. We succeeded. What people don’t realize—they be like man, we got killed—that really ain’t the story. Like, when we got there they won 17 out of 82 before we got there. So our first year we won 31 games. Then our next year we won 39 games. We was two games out the playoffs our second year. Then our third year, I left. Lamar [Odom] left. They kind of blew up the whole team.

So we had success. It was on our way to success but we ain’t get a chance to really kind of stick together and get a good three—like a good four years—of it. I don’t think people realize really how that was. People think like, y’all gotta understand, it was five of us like 20 and under. So everybody is literally at the—we all at the starting point—we all right here. We at the starting point for the race of our careers. So everybody tryna get out the blocks, you feel me?

So it wasn’t like—as much as we was homies, all friends, all bros, and we grown and we still got those relationships—man those first 1-2 years were some of the most competitive years you would have ever saw because we didn’t all get to play. That’s why people used to see us get in in garbage time—whenever, it didn’t matter—it was time to do yo’ shit. You know what I’m sayin’? That was it, point blank because we didn’t know. We was all at the starting point, so we looking at—maybe D-Miles getting all the success right now—we all looking like, “man we want to play, we want to play.”

So we totally support him—you see it in the clips, any time he do anything, all us jumping up and down and vice versa. If any of us do anything, they all—we all—cheer for each other. But it was like, at that time, [Alvin] Gentry wasn’t playing us and I talked to Coach about this like once I played for him in the future and all of that and I know him. It was like, he wasn’t playing all of us.

He had made a decision that, “well, okay, if Q plays, Corey can’t play.”

“If Corey play, Q can’t play.”

You know what I’m saying? D-Miles is playing just because he was in that Sixth Man role and he can play damn near any position. But then Keyon [Dooling] might not play because J-Mac (Jeff McInnis) playing.

DM: Yeah, Earl Boykins played sometimes.

QR: So it was like when we got out there it didn’t matter how much time was left, it didn’t matter what was going on. We had to show our worth. So that’s why you saw what you saw.

You saw boys going out there going crazy hard, trying to dunk on people, D-Miles crossin’ people, Keyon “Smitty”-ing people, you seeing everybody’s specialty moves because that’s what you say:

“Aye when you get out there, do your special move.”

DM: Do your special move. Do what you do.

Like I said, people at it and look back on it and you gotta really dialogue it and see, we had success… We just got on a team that was at the bottom of the barrel. Like, you know what I’m saying? We won 15 extra games than what they did when they had veterans.

Because they had [Maurice] Traylor on this team. They had Lamar on this team. They had all these guys—these veteran guys on this team—and they came in brought basically a high school and college kids on this team and we win 15 more games than what they won last year. We add another eight games we won the previous [year] and we was two games out the playoffs.

So the next year, it was etched in stone that we were finna do it. Like the second year we put Elton in the All-Star Game, you know what I’m saying? We was comin’!

QR: Everybody got paid from that court too.

DM: Yeah. We was comin’ but we only played two years together but everybody thinks we played a whole decade or half a decade or something like that.

SLAM: Was there a feeling beforehand, like some of these guys aren’t gonna be here three or four years down the line?

QR and DM: Noo!

DM: It was a blindside because I was the first to leave. Like, during the summertime, I got traded. And that was a culture shock to everyone because they were looking like, “Oh, he’s the one on commercials, [that] they puttin’ on the billboard.”

The last person that’s probably going to get traded is D-Miles or Lamar. And D-Miles and Lamar was the two that was out of there that summer. You know what I’m saying? It was a culture shock for everybody. It threw us off. It showed us the business. Because once I got to Cleveland, I realized how good I actually had it.

‘Cause when I got to Cleveland it was like starting over all over again. They was a young team, they bringing these high school cats in, they doin’ all this stuff, but it wasn’t the same. We wasn’t a team environment. We used to be together every single day [with the Clippers]. Like six, seven of us. Like we together.

QR: Foreal.

DM: I’m talking Thanksgivings. Christmases. My mama cookin’ at the crib. Like we together all the time. On the road we eatin’ together: “What we finna do?” Go to the movies and eat.

SLAM: So you feel like it was a different vibe in Cleveland, like with the teammates?

DM: Yeah, it was ’cause I didn’t know them as well. Like I knew the guys. I knew DeSagana Diop. I knew Dajuan Wagner. I knew Ricky Davis. I knew a few of these guys but we wasn’t as close as I am with Q and Keyon and Corey. You know what I’m saying? Me and Q and Corey, we from the same state. We grew up, basically, with each other.

QR: AAU.

DM: Then addin’ Keyon onto it. Then, you know, we used to play against Elton and Lamar during AAU. Corey played with Elton. It was like a whole connection. We was already connected already.

But when I got to Cleveland, it was just, a different environment. It wasn’t the same. It wasn’t team-oriented. I was still team-oriented because I made sure every team I went to I took time out the year to go and go over all my teammates houses, or create an environment like that, because the best environment for teams is when you bond together.

You know what I’m saying? You build some type of trust. And I tried that with every other team but it wasn’t the same as I had with the Clippers.

SLAM: They say the relationships you build inside the facility are different than the ones you build outside of it.

D-Miles: And sometimes it be just one year. One year everybody the best of friends. We together this whole year, it’s like a whole bonding journey and then the next year we might not even talk to each other. You need that bond or that year to get the on and off-court chemistry. Like Q had it in Phoenix, you know?

SLAM: Q, how did you feel about that? Because it was one year but y’all won 62 games.

QR: 62-20. That was, I mean, I was just in the studio in Atlanta doing NBA TV the other day and Jim Jackson and we was talking about it then because Jim Jack got brought in later in the [2004-05] season.

But he was speaking on how our team was such a family environment and we just embraced him as a brother, it was like, seamless. Because that was like one of the most—probably the most—special years I had in the NBA as far as team success and it was because of the way we were from Day 1.

[Note: Prior to signing with the Suns, Steve Nash took a pay cut to make sure the Suns could sign Richardson in July 2014]

We signed and we got in town like mid to end of August when most teams get in town like sometime mid-September, some after Labor Day and all of that. We were all in town. The main pieces were all in town. Really not just the main pieces, we were all in town. Working out at the facility, playing pickup, getting to know each other like literally every day.

That’s when I got a relationship with Joe Johnson ’cause him and his boys, we all around the same age. We would get through working out, hooping, practicing, then we’ll all go—I’ll go to his house…be playing Madden, video games, whoopty-whoop whatever, just kickin’ it. Then we go out to eat. Steve, me, Amar’e [Stoudemire]. Everybody. It was like it became a thing.

Currently co-hosting the popular Knuckleheads podcast, Richardson and Miles have used the connections they’ve forged throughout their playing careers for more than just post-NBA opportunities, but the pair recognizes their status as members of the NBA fraternity and utilize it to grow their audience and guest list.

Q-Rich and D-Miles have become known for making their guests comfortable simply through being themselves and holding casual conversations. The sixth installment of their season will be entirely virtual, with high-profile names like Ray Allen, Donovan Mitchell, Dr. J, Jamal Mashburn, Chris Mullin and Bradley Beal set to join the show.

Even Miles’ former teammate, Dajuan Wagner, will be on the show.

“That’s our ‘Sucker Free’ episode,” Miles says. “I’m glad I got an opportunity to represent him and let people hear his story.”

The post Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson Talk Shop: The Clippers That Could Have Been appeared first on SLAM.

Just days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers—the 2020-21 NBA champions—were sent home in the first round, along with their opponent in the 2021 NBA Finals (the Miami Heat).

With the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Luka Dončić and Jayson Tatum—many of the league’s preeminent stars— are already on vacation, the NBA is seeing yet another year of statistical anomalies.

For first time since 2016, an Eastern Conference team could walk away with the Larry O’Brien Trophy and, amidst all of the potential outcomes, one stands above the rest; the NBA naming it’s first first-time champion since the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals.

There’s a 62 percent chance the league crowns a brand new league champ in June.

None of the eight teams still alive in the NBA playoffs have won a title since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984. pic.twitter.com/1XN3vYRcw3

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 7, 2021

As none of the remaining teams have won the title since the League expanded to 16 postseason teams in 1984, they combine for 384 seasons without a title.

Five of the eight remaining teams haven’t won a title in their franchise’s history; the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz all have the opportunity to chase their first franchise championship.

The Jazz, perhaps the closest of the group to winning an NBA championship, were handed back-to-back NBA Finals losses in 1997 and 1998. The Suns have lost both of their appearances as well, one in 1976 and the other in 1993.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks haven’t brought back the trophy since 1958, the Milwaukee Bucks since 1971 and the Philadelphia Sixers since 1983.

The post The NBA Could Crown a First-Time Champion Come July appeared first on SLAM.

While the roster construction has been at the head of the discussion, with many believing that the European sensation needs more talent around him to succeed, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t spared from the criticism either.

A well-respected head coach who is most known for leading Dallas to a NBA championship in the first year of the Miami Heat’s “Big Three” Era, Carlisle was asked if he believes he’s still the right coach to lead the organization after 10 seasons without winning a playoff series.

“That’s a question you’ll have to ask Mark (Cuban). I obviously do, but I’d text him and see what he has to say about it,” Carlisle said.

Turns out Carlisle has the full support of Mavericks Governor Mark Cuban, Tim MacMahon reports.

Mark Cuban tells ESPN that he will not consider a coaching change. “Let me tell you how I look at coaching. You don’t make a change to make a change. Unless you have someone that you know is much, much, much better, the grass is rarely greener on the other side.” https://t.co/Rmr1411xBl

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 6, 2021

“Let me tell you how I look at coaching,” Cuban said. “You don’t make a change to make a change. Unless you have someone that you know is much, much, much better, the grass is rarely greener on the other side.”

Carlisle (61), has been the Mavericks head coach since 2008, amassing a 513-448 record while winning a title over the Heat’s super-team in 2011. In his 13 seasons with the organization, Carlisle has led the Mavericks to nine playoff appearances.

However, Carlisle has not seen the same success since the championship, failing to advance past the first round in six postseason appearances, and missing the playoffs in the other four seasons.

This season ended in deja vu for Dallas, losing back-to-back opening rounds to the Clippers after facing the same fate in 2020 (although this series ended in seven games as opposed to six).

The Mavericks became just the fifth NBA team to lose a series in which they won both Games 1 and 2 on the road.

With Carlisle under contract for the next two seasons, the organization will turn to flipping the roster and surrounding Dončić with the adequate pieces to make a deep run.

The post Mark Cuban on Rick Carlisle: ‘You Don’t Make a Change to Make a Change’ appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM breaks down a historic NBA playoff first-round series:

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 104, No. 5 Dallas Mavericks 97

Series tied 3-3

This is the first-round series that will not end. The Dallas Mavericks are the odds on favorite to win this series on Sunday. Why? The Mavs are the road team. With the Clippers coming back to tie the series and force a Game 7, this is the first time in NBA playoff history that the road team has won the first six games without a loss.

The Los Angeles Clippers didn’t stop Luka Doncic in this game, but they made him work just enough as he finished with 29 points and 11 assists.

The story of this game was Kawhi Leonard. The two-time champion showed why he will always be in the conversation as one of the top five players in the NBA. This report does not do him justice.

He can score on the inside and dunk on you.

Vicious. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/AY7SeY35bV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 5, 2021

He can dance with anyone to set up the mid range.

Kawhi’s midrange game is lethal. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/a6DVdrzr0M

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 5, 2021

Then he can send you home with a step back 3 pointer. He gave Luka a taste of what he had been doing to his teammates all series long.

KAWHI IS DIALED IN. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/otiYjgIe6G

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 5, 2021

Kawhi Leonard finished with 45 points (18-25 shooting!) spurred on by five shots from long distance. He had a personal 11-0 run in the third quarter to get the Clippers back in the game and found time to fill out the stat sheet with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Easily one of the top five early performances of these playoffs.

Game 7 is on Sunday at 3:30 pm EST on ABC. Don’t miss it.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Puts On Clinic to Force Game 7 Sunday appeared first on SLAM.

In what have been two of the most discussed first-round matchups, Dallas Mavericks floor general Luka Doncic stole the spotlight in the final game of the evening thanks to his 42-point, 14-assist outing.

But was it enough to get past a Los Angeles Clippers team that had won two straight to even the series?

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers 129, No. 8 Washington Wizards 112

PHI wins series 4-1

The first of three teams to be bounced from the playoffs tonight, the Washington Wizards couldn’t hang with the Philadelphia 76ers even without Joel Embiid playing.

Sharpshooter Seth Curry exploded for a team-high 30 points and Defensive Player of the Year finalist Ben Simmons silenced his critics with 19 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, one steal and two blocks. Meanwhile, veteran forward Tobias Harris rounded off a nice first-round series with 28 points and six assists of his own.

Washington showed some promise at points over the five-game series but, ultimately, Philly had too much talent for the D.C.-based squad.

The Wizards got another good game from youngster Rui Hachimura, who had 21 points on 8-for-13 from the field. All-Star Bradley Beal capped off another spectacular season with a game-high 32 points, while Russell Westbrook chipped in 24 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

Nonetheless, Washington’s lack of depth proved to be costly down the stretch. The Wizards trailed by just two at halftime, but as the game got deeper, Washington’s starters began to lose steam, and Philadelphia pulled away.

No. 4 New York Knicks 89, No. 5 Atlanta Hawks 103

ATL wins series 4-1

The New York Knicks disappointed a packed Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night when they were the second team pf the day to be eliminated from the playoffs.

In what was a tough series for the big man, Knicks star forward Julius Randle had another disappointing outing for New York, putting up 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting, while also turning the ball over eight times.

Randle finished the playoffs averaging 18 points, 4.0 assists and 4.6 turnovers per game while shooting 29.8 percent from the field—a stark contrast from the 45.6 percent he shot from the floor in the regular season.

Reggie Bullock, who averaged 8.0 points on 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range, started the game off well. Bullock went for 12 points in the first quarter after nailing four shots from beyond the arc; but he was held scoreless for the rest of the game.

The star of the show, 22-year-old point guard Trae Young, put together another masterpiece with a game-high 36 points. Wednesday was the third time in the series where Young scored at least 30 points in the series, as the Knicks defense continued to be confounded by his craftiness.

Atlanta also received double-digit contributions from De’Andre Hunter (15), Clint Capela (14) and John Collins (13) in the points column, while holding the Knicks to 37.8 percent shooting from the field.

The Hawks will be moving to the second round of the NBA Playoffs, where they’ll take on the 76ers.

No. 1 Utah Jazz 126, No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies 110

UTA wins series 4-1

The third and final team to get booted from the playoffs was the Memphis Grizzlies.

Still, just as young guns Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks shined for the Grizzlies throughout the series, the duo was excellent yet again on Wednesday, with both scoring 27 points.

Brooks’ scoring output through the series was impressive, putting up 25.8 points per game on 51.5 percent shooting, and Morant paired that with his 30.5 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting. While Memphis’ season may be over, their young core is only just getting started.

Despite feeling ill coming into the game, Utah Jazz centerpiece Donovan Mitchell handled the Grizzlies with ease, dropping 30 points and dishing out 10 assists.

Defensive weapon Rudy Gobert may have had even more impact than Mitchell though, as the Steiffel Tower notched a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double while blocking three shots.

Despite moving on to the second round, the Jazz didn’t leave the court entirely happy, as starting guard Mike Conley left the game early due to injury. The All-Star’s status moving forward is unclear, but Utah will need him when they take on one of the Dallas Mavericks or Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals.

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 100, No. 5 Dallas Mavericks 105

DAL leads series 3-1

Playmaking extraordinaire Luka Doncic rewrote history books at the end of Wednesday night’s slate of games.

Doncic put up a blistering 42 points and 14 assists, scoring or assisting on 31 of the Mavericks 37 made field goals. The only other player to finish with double-digit scoring for Dallas was Tim Hardaway Jr., who had 20 points.

Fifth-year pro Dorian Finney-Smith was hugely impactful for Dallas on the defensive end, helping keep Kawhi Leonard (who shot 7-19 from the field) contained, while snatching the opponent five times and recording a block.

The Los Angeles Clippers, who had even the series at 2-2 following Game 4, kept the game within reach all night. They even cut the Mavs’ lead to one point with under one minute left.

But, in the end, they couldn’t stop Doncic enough to come out on top. Clippers forward Paul George finished with a team-high 23 points, while Leonard and Reggie Jackson (6-12 from 3-point range) each had 20 points.

LA just couldn’t get the buckets to fall on Wednesday night, shooting just 41.3 percent from the field as a team.

Game 6, which will be in Dallas, takes place on Friday, June 4.

The post Post Up: Three Teams Sent Packing appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down each of Sunday’s matchups below.

No. 5 Hawks 113, No. 4 Knicks 96

ATL Leads series 3-1

Trae Young’s early playoff legacy along with his infamous “I’ll see you in the A” boast continues to be one of the major storylines of the postseason as he wore the Knicks out with 27 points and 9 assists.

Count that! Trae’s cooking (via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/NP9NtDoWex

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 30, 2021

The story of the game was the difference in 3 point shooting. The Hawks shot 15-39 from beyond the arc while the Knicks shot a woeful 9-29.

Cash that. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/CbulEhumGb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 30, 2021

Ever since the series went down to the dirty south, so has the fortunes of Julius Randle. Chants of “overrated” rained down on him from the fans in the State Farm Arena.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 100, No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers 92

Series tied 2-2

If there ever was a series that illustrated the importance of avoiding injuries, this one is it. After struggling mightily for two games in back-to-back Phoenix losses because of his shoulder injury in Game 1, screams of “I’m back!” came from CP3 as he hurt the Lakers with his patented mid-range shot in Game 4.

Point God activities. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/n8ji0rKa0n

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 30, 2021

The Los Angeles Lakers lost Anthony Davis in the first half due to a groin strain. He did not return to the game.

Anthony Davis will not return for the Lakers in Game 4. The Suns are -280 live up 12 in the third quarter. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/vnxAZFb78L

— TSN EDGE (@TSN_Edge) May 30, 2021

With Chris Paul rounding into form and the Lakers already struggling to stop Deandre Ayton while Davis is even on the floor, the reigning champs are in trouble.

No. 2 Brooklyn Nets 141, No. 7 Boston Celtics 126

Nets lead series 3-1

Game 4 was almost a carbon copy of Game 3. This series has featured the best offensive skillsets of the playoffs being spearheaded by superstars. However, there were two differences.

Jayson Tatum will probably go down as one of the most gifted scorers in Boston Celtics history. While he didn’t score 50 points, that doesn’t take away from the fact he is destroying every Brooklyn player in front of him. Despite the loss, Tatum did finish with 40 points.

The Nets were led by Kevin Durant, who scored 42 points, and Kyrie Irving, who put in work by dropping 23 of his 39 points before halftime.

Along with the efforts of James Harden, who had 23 points, the Nets’ Big Three combined for a franchise playoff-best of 104 points, per NBA.com.

Kyrie is handling business. Already up to 23 in the first half. (via @BrooklynNets) pic.twitter.com/FbxgGPnyuX

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 31, 2021

Still, the story that has dominated headlines well into this morning is the NBA releasing a statement about fan conduct vowing to enforce it’s guidelines after a fan was arrested and banned from the TD Garden for life for throwing a bottle at Kyrie Irving.

Irving talked about it after last night’s game:

“It’s unfortunate that sports has come to a lot of this kind of crossroads. … Just underlying racism and just treating people like they’re in a human zoo.”

Kyrie Irving speaks out after a fan threw a water bottle at him in Boston. pic.twitter.com/IXfE8I0EE8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 31, 2021

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 106, No. 5 Dallas Mavericks 81

Series tied 2-2

The Los Angeles Clippers have woken up on the defensive end. Despite Luka Doncic doing the best he can while playing with a neck strain, he’s not getting the help Kawhi Leonard is getting from Paul George and company.

Leonard finished with 29 points, while George contributed 20.

The ball movement is pretty. (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/kJYo0YzQFC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 31, 2021

After shooting lights out from behind the 3 point line, Dallas has gone ice-cold shooting 5-30.

The post Post Up: Randle Gets “Overrated” Chants, Lakers Lose Davis, Nets are Hot, Clippers Win appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM has the breakdowns on each of the matchups below.

No. 5 Hawks 105 , No. 4 Knicks 94

ATL Leads series 2-1

Trae Young left Madison Square Garden boasting “I’ll see you in the A!”. Ice Trae sure backed up his boast he made in New York.

The Hawks went on a huge 22-5 run before halftime behind Young’s offensive brilliance.

Trae’s really all about creating on offense. 14pts and 10ast in the first half. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/e8r52l4uZz

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

Atlanta never looked back. What Trae got started in the first half, Bogdan Bogdanovic continued in the second half.

Lefty wraparound pass >>> (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/EFsWilKSE6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

Despite an impressive 30-point performance from Knicks’ Derrick Rose, the Hawks went on the defeat the Knicks, 105-94. Young finished with 21 points, while Bogdanović had 15.

No. 7 Celtics 125, No. 2 Nets 119

Nets lead series 2-1

The Brooklyn Nets showed how dangerous an offensive team they are in the first three minutes of this game. The Nets ran off to a 19-4 lead before Boston answered back—thanks to a performance by Jayson Tatum, who went on one of his patented offensive explosions in the first half, scoring 21 points to give Boston an improbable halftime lead.

Too good, JT. (via @celtics) pic.twitter.com/EIAwht3NyT

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

The Nets really missed Jeff Green as Tatum got the switches he wanted and outlasted Kevin Durant and James Harden with a playoff career-high 50 points.

No. 4 Clippers 118, No. 5 Mavs 108

Mavs lead series 2-1

The Los Angeles Clippers cannot stop Luka Doncic, who just keeps exposing them with defensive switches.

Every shot Luka takes like this feels like it’s going in. (via @dallasmavs) pic.twitter.com/XxxqJb1g80

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

The Dallas Mavericks started the game 8-0. Then they extended the lead to 30-11 and the route was on. When Luka sat down, the Clippers answered with a 14-4 run. From then on, it was a dogfight.

Luka Doncic finished with 44 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Kawhi Leonard matched him with 36 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

What was the difference in the game? Leonard got support from Paul George. Kristaps Porzingis on the other hand disappeared.

The one thing that everyone will remember from this game is the introduction of the term “physical taunt”.

Terrence Mann ran at Willie Cauley-Stein after he appeared to get shoved.

A tech was called on the Mavs for a “physical taunt.” pic.twitter.com/F2qNLlRhZp

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 29, 2021

The post Post Up: Trae Sees the Knicks, Tatum Scores 50 and Kawhi Outduels Luka appeared first on SLAM.

That 15 seasons playoff drought tied the Los Angeles Clippers (’77-91) for the all-time NBA record.

The Sacramento Kings will miss the playoffs for a 15th straight season.

It’s tied for the longest streak in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/PSHlW6hUL5

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 14, 2021

The Clippers’ nightmare run started in 1976-77, when they were known as the Buffalo Braves. It continued through 1978-84 as the San Diego Clippers and didn’t end until the 1991-92 season after they moved to Los Angeles.

The Kings haven’t had a single winning record in over a decade. Their last playoff appearance came in 2006 when the team was the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Their roster included players like Ron Artest, Mike Bibby, Brad Miller, Peja Stojaković and Bonzi Wells. They ended up losing the series, 4-2, against the San Antonio Spurs.

This season, the Kings have dealt with a handful of challenges, as injuries and COVID-19 protocols forced players to the sidelines for long periods. Buddy Hield was the only player who missed fewer than nine games this season on the roster.

Still, despite the unfortunate record-breaking news, forward Louis King pushed through and dropped a career-high 27 points coming off the bench in Friday’s back-to-back loss to the Grizzlies.

Lou King's got 25 and counting … pic.twitter.com/8JIwcEGn7x

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) May 15, 2021

The Sacramento Kings close out their season on Sunday against the Utah Jazz, who handed them one of the worst home defeat in franchise history in April, 154-105.

The post Kings Tie NBA Record for Missing Playoffs—Louis King Still Posts Career-High Numbers appeared first on SLAM.

So, when the Los Angeles Clippers decided to sign Ferrell to a two-year contract, it was easy to see what appealed to a team full of players with chips on their shoulders.

[Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ferrell’s deal is non-guaranteed for the 2021-22 season]

Ferrell is now playing on his fifth team after going undrafted in 2016 but has only been able to suit up for more than 10 games with two franchises in his short career: the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks.

Of course, given these two teams’ experiences with point guards Isaiah Thomas and J.J. Barea, respectively, there’s no question of why they were able to feel comfortable with a point guard of Ferrell’s stature playing heavy minutes. However, with the limitations provided by his physical profile, it’s been an uphill battle for the Indianapolis native

Playing in a bit role for the Clippers, Ferrell has averaged 4.7 points and 3.3 assists in 9.7 minutes per game (17.4 points and 12.4 assists per 36 minutes) while shooting .500 percent from 3-point range.

With starting guard Patrick Beverley out indefinitely due to a fractured left hand, expect Ferrell to continue to get minutes in the former’s absence. Especially with the age and injury history of backup guard Rajon Rondo, whom the Clippers acquired for shortly before the trade deadline.

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Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will be re-evaluated next week with right foot soreness.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 20, 2021

Leonard missed four straight games last week mostly due to his foot injury, only to return for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Leonard finished with a near triple-double, filling the box score with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists in only 23 minutes.

Clippers coach weighed on how the superstar will be handled through this situation leading to the postseason next month, via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

“He wants to get out there,” Lue said. “But right now, it’s not the smartest thing to do with him feeling it and trying to manage it for the most part for a while now. We just got to be smart about it. Sometimes you got to protect the player from themselves, and right now that is what we are doing.”

With Leonard sidelined, the Clippers are missing three starters with various injuries. Point guard Patrick Beverley will be out indefinitely after breaking a fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand on April 8. Center Serge Ibaka has been out 20 games with back problems. Los Angeles filled those gaps by bringing in Rajon Rondo in a trade from Atlanta and signing DeMarcus Cousins on consecutive 10-day contracts.

Leonard has season averages of 25.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game this season, however, he has missed time because of various injuries and NBA’s health and safety protocols.

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Cousins was signed to a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers last week, and head coach Ty Lue has hinted that Cousins will remain on the roster when the contract expires.

“We look forward for him to continue on, he was big for us,” Lue told media on Wednesday. “His playing, just knowing the game and IQ, to be able to shoot it, to post up, and bring physicality is great for our team.”

Cousins played in 25 games this year for the Houston Rockets before being cut. He averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and started in 11 games.

Cousins has played in three games since being signed to a 10-day contract by the Clippers. In those three games, Cousins has 9.7 minutes, 6.0 points, and 3.0 rebounds per game.

The Clippers are 39-18 this season and are third in the Western Conference. In the three games that Cousins have played, the Clippers are 3-0.

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The Los Angeles Clippers plan to sign center DeMarcus Cousins, pending clearance of NBA health and safety protocols, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2021

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the deal could be a 10-day contract but a decision isn’t expected until next week.

Free agent center DeMarcus Cousins and the Clippers are discussing a 10-day contract, but no decision is expected until next week, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 31, 2021

Cousins is one of the League’s most popular players, and despite having dealt with injuries, still plays with physicality and strength. He has a technically-sound post-up game, passing ability and shooting touch that extends well beyond the 3-point range, and has managed to post decent numbers.

This season, Cousins was averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 20.2 minutes per game—albeit on a worrisome .511 true shooting percentage—before being released by a Houston Rockets team that desired to play smaller. Notably, in 11 starts, Cousins averaged 13.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, while posting a .547 true shooting percentage.

Further details about the four-time All-Star’s potential deal will be provided as they come.

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Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports adds that Drummond will listen to the pitches from the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Charlotte Hornets as he decides on his playing future.

While the Knicks and Hornets will be able to give Drummond the highest-paying contract, the Lakers and Clippers are legitimate Finals contenders that could entice Drummond to sign with them in hopes of securing a title.

It’s worth noting that Drummond, born in New York, is quite familiar with the New England area having been raised in Connecticut. In addition to Drummond is known to be close friends with Lakers star Anthony Davis and to view potential teammate LeBron James as the best player of all-time.

Per an official press release from Cleveland, Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff would compliment Drummond’s professionality and camaraderie despite not playing since Feb. 12, as well as his ability to keep the team afloat with a high level of play.

A four-time rebounding champion and two-time All-Star, Drummond has averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists. 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season but shot a career-low .474 percent from the field thanks to a subpar shooting percentage of .519 inside of the restricted area and .437 in the paint (non-restricted area), per NBA.com.

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Williams, a three-time Sixth Man of the Year, has averaged 12.1 points and 3.4 assists per game this season, shooting .378 percent from 3-point range. With the Hawks’ trouble generating consistent offense from the perimeter without Young, Williams helps alleviate responsibilities while improving the productivity of the second unit offense.

The Clippers are also sure to be thrilled with their addition, as the Rondo is a two-time champion praised for his leadership, intelligence, experience and toughness. Rondo has averaged career-lows of 3.9 points and 3.5 assists per game this season, shooting .400 percent from the field and .378 percent from 3-point range.

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Among the trade pieces they have, none are as attractive on the market as 13-year veteran George Hill, as Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reports that the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers have all expressed interest in Hill.

34-years-old, Hill’s his leadership, experience and on-court production are well worth his contract and the “draft compensation” Oklahoma City will request in a trade package. As a result, it’s not surprising that the teams who reportedly have interest in Hill’s services are NBA Finals contenders.

A playmaking veteran guard, Hill’s all-around ability allows him to fit like a glove for many teams, making an immediate impact.

Hill was one of the Milwaukee Bucks’ best bench pieces last season, finishing fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. This season, as a starter with the Thunder, he’s been just as good with averages of 11.8 points per game while shooting .386 percent from deep. 

It’s worth noting that Hill is still recovering from thumb surgery but recently got his cast removed as he enters the final stages of his rehab. 

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After being drafted with the first overall pick in the 1958 NBA Draft, Baylor’s sensational athleticism and dynamism made him a must-watch performer in an era where there were often only live spectators. As a result, and due to Baylor’s career being short by injury, Baylor has become one of the most underrated superstars despite being considered a trailblazer for the sport.

Baylor played 14 years for the Lakers franchise during his entire career, being named to 11 All-Star Games, 10 All-NBA teams and led the Lakers to eight NBA Finals appearances. The 1959 Rookie of the Year (and 1959 All-Star Game MVP), “Rabbit” received a ring for the Lakers’ championship in 1972 although he retired nine games of the season.

During his historic career, he managed to average 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Having spent 22 years with the Los Angeles Clippers franchise as the vice president of basketball operations, the Clippers family and Jerry West (Baylor’s former teammate) both released statements after his loss:

“He was one of the most gifted and special players this game will ever see and he has never gotten his just due for what he accomplished on the court… he cared for me like a father would a son,” West would write.

“I loved him like a brother.”

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Ball, who has been heavily to the New York Knicks in recent weeks, is averaging a career-high 14.2 points per game this season, while adding 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

As noted by Stein, the idea that the Clippers need to upgrade their playmaking in the backcourt has been explored extensively.

Patrick Beverly and Reggie Jackson, the team’s primary point guards, are defensive-minded players with specialist roles on offense. Where Jackson takes .455 percent of his shots from 3-point range, Beverley sees .657 coming from behind-the-arc. However, the issue comes in where they are as facilitators, which is far below the level of most starting point guards.

That’s where Ball comes is, as the fourth-year pro has been heralded for his basketball IQ and passing ability since his days at Chino Hills.

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However, while the King retained his crown, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo earned All-Star Game MVP honors and winning The Kobe Bryant Trophy (the official name for the All-Star Game MVP Award).

Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, had a perfect outing during the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. The Greek Freak shot a record 16-16 from the field (including 3-3 from 3-point range) and dominating the interior on his way to 35 points and the first perfect shooting night in the All-Star Game’s 70-year history.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, Antetokounmpo’s teammate on the LeBron James-led All-Star team, also had a terrific night as he lit up Team Durant from behind the arc with 8-16 shooting from deep. Portland Trail Blazers leader Damian Lillard would match Curry’s output from beyond the arc, going 8-16 from long-distance himself and scoring 32 points to Curry’s 28.

Though Antetokounmpo may have been the most dominant player on Sunday night, Lillard had the two biggest shots of the night.

The first? A 3-point bomb from beyond halfcourt.

The second? A 3-point shot from just past halfcourt to seal the victory for Team LeBron.

Phoenix Suns veteran point guard Chris Paul, who dished out 16 assists, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown (who scored 22 points in 26 minutes) and Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (who knocked down five 3-pointers) also played well for Team LeBron.

Meanwhile, James would only play 12 minutes, tallying four points and four assists.

For Team Durant, who would play without one-third of the Brooklyn Nets’ superstar trio, Nets guard Kyrie Irving delivered the best performance with 24 points and 12 assists.

Irving made it look easy as he carved up defenses on his way to the rim, teammates James Harden and Bradley Beal couldn’t be stopped from beyond the arc, knocking down 13 combined 3-pointers. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum would join Irving, Harden and Beal as the only players on Team Durant to score at least 20 points.

Following their victory, spirits were high for the winning team and the mutual respect was flowing.

James shouted out MVP-winner Antetokounmpo (prompting the Greek Freak to applaud James’ roster-building skills), called his on-court pairing with Curry “well overdue” and continued to display his fondness for Lillard.

Antetokounmpo, in a lighthearted mood, would say that he and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic need their own show.

Antetokounmpo would also speak on winning the Kobe Bryant MVP award, saying that “having an award named after Kobe Bryant in my house is a great feeling… I know he would be happy.”

As part of the 2021 NBA All-Star Game’s charity efforts, Team LeBron earned a grand total $1.25 million for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund while Team Durant earned $500,000 for the United Negro College Fund.

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LeBron, who finished with the highest vote count among fans, got the first pick in the draft and selected Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Team LeBron’s starting lineup for the game will consist of himself, Antetokounmpo, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic; all five of whom are or have been considered MVP candidates this season.

Meanwhile, Team LeBron’s bench will feature Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

Durant, opting for chemistry, selected Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving with his first pick in the draft.

Team Durant’s starting lineup will feature Irving, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

However, Durant won’t be playing in this season’s All-Star Game, as he’s currently recovering from a left hamstring injury. This circumstance will only fuel the perception, even from the Greek Freak, that Team LeBron is the overwhelming favorite to win.

Durant got the first pick of the reserves in the draft, and with that, he took another Nets teammate in James Harden (LeBron’s first reserve selection was Lillard).

The remainder of Durant’s reserves will be composed of Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (who replaced injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic.

The two members of the Jazz, Mitchell and Gobert, were the last two players taken in the draft (with Gobert being the final selection).

This became the source of some playful quips by LeBron.

Team Durant has the more inexperienced roster of the two teams, with Williamson, LaVine and Randle all playing in their first All-Star Games and Mitchell, Vucevic, Booker and Tatum playing in their second. with Durant unable to play, Harden is the player with the most All-Star Games under his belt, with this being his ninth appearance.

Team LeBron has only Brown playing in his first All-Star Game, and Sabonis, Gobert and Doncic are playing in their second. LeBron also has the most experienced non-captain in Paul, who is playing in his 11th All-Star Game.

In total, Team LeBron has a combined 66 All-Star appearances on their roster compared to Team Durant’s 39 total appearances.

The NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, March 7, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be broadcast on TNT, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

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These 14 reserves will join the starters (10 in total) that were named last week — a list headlined by team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant (of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, respectively).

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul leads the way in All-Star appearances among this group, playing in his 11^th All-Star Game this year. Paul is only one of three players in this year’s event with at least 10 All-Star appearances, the other two being LeBron and Durant.

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden has the next highest mark among the reserves. The Beard is playing his ninth All-Star game but his first representing the Eastern Conference thanks his well-publicized trade from the Houston Rockets.

Harden is one of three Nets in the All-Star Game alongside starters Durant and Irving.

Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis is an All-Star for not just the eighth time in his career but the eighth time in a row. Davis has been an All-Star every season of his career, with the only exception being his rookie season in 2012-13.

Another veteran of the All-Star Game, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, makes his return to the All-Star Game for the seventh time after missing last year’s festivities.

Right behind him, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard finds himself in his sixth All-Star Game.

Dame Dolla has the highest scoring average of the All-Star reserves, averaging 29.6 points per game, the fourth-highest number in the league. Lillard will also participate in the All-Star 3-Point Contest.

On the flip side, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is averaging just 15.7 points per game but is making his third All-Star Game because of his excellent playmaking – 7.9 assists per game – and defense for the Sixers.

Nikola Vucevic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will all be making their second appearances.

Four players from the reserves will be playing in their first-ever All-Star Games. Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown and Zion Williamson will make their first All-Star appearances.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, widely considered to be the two best players in the league, will be the two captains of the All-Star Game after receiving the most total fan votes.

James and Durant will draft their teams from the All-Star player pool on Mar. 4.

LeBron will be playing in his 17th All-Star Game, the most among all active players and only two shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record of 19 All-Star selections.

Durant is the only other starter with at least 10 All-Star selections, with this year being his 11th appearance. Furthermore, the Nets are the only team with two players starting in the All-Star Game, with Durant being joined by Kyrie Irving. Irving, who’s having the best season of his career, is making his seventh appearance.

Receiving his seventh All-Star nod is Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who’s averaging 30.2 points per game on .426 percent shooting from 3-point range from 3-point range in what’s been a comeback season for the two-time NBA MVP.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard both will be playing in their fifth All-Star Game, with at least one of the two present in the All-Star Game every season since 2015-16.

The NBA’s leading scorer with 32.7 points per game, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, will make his third All-Star appearance. Beal’s selection is particularly notable given that he was universally seen as an All-Star snub last season.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, averaging 29.8 points per game, will also start in the All-Star Game for his fourth appearance.

Embiid’s rival for the title of the best center in the NBA, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, will be making his third All-Star Game appearance and his first as a starter.

However, the starter with the least All-Star experience is fellow Euro sensation Luka Doncic, who’s making his second appearance (in just his third year in the NBA). Doncic will now have started both All-Star Games he has taken place in.

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