#nikola-jokic

#nikola-jokic

It has been heavily implied in recent reports by Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski that longtime star of the Washington Wizards Bradley Beal will be traded soon.While he is undoubtably an All-Star caliber talent, there are some concerns regarding him as a trade asset.The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the main teams thrown around as potential suitors for the shooting guard.

Recently it was revealed that the former star duo of the Washington Wizards John Wall and Bradley Beal reunited to help benefit the Diggs All-Star Charity.A charity event hosted by the Diggs brothers of the NFL.This was revealed in a post made by the star point guard himself where he shared numerous slides featuring photos of him and his former teammate together again.

The Nuggets' Bruce Brown passes between the Wizards' Daniel Gafford and Corey Kispert in the first half Wednesday night at Capital One Arena.(Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) It looked for one half Wednesday night that the Washington Wizards might have found the antidote for their recent woes: an opponent sliding nearly as badly as they are.

Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors have a very promising opportunity to make up some ground in their Eastern Conference postseason chase.Now equipped with veteran guard Will Barton, Toronto is prepared to go on the attack against a potential play-in team.Barton's old team in the Washington Wizards are welcoming Toronto to town for a two-game set.

Even after all of their new additions, the Toronto Raptors remain one of the league's most frustrating teams to watch.One night they will beat their opponent into submission, and the next, they will look like they just rolled out of bed 15 minutes before tip-off.Thursday night's humiliation at the hands of the Washington Wizards underscored the fact that the Raptors are running out of time if they want to make a serious playoff run.

Celtics "Oh, make no mistake.The Nuggets would have throttled them."A 3-point heave's worth of thoughts on the Celtics ...



▪ Two weeks after their season ended with a Game 7 no-show, it remains a bummer that the Celtics couldn't overcome the Heat - but mostly themselves - to reach the NBA Finals.

Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior WriterJun 2, 2023, 05:00 PM ET

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ESPN.comNBA writer since 2010
Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
Author of two books




DENVER -- In late December, the Miami Heat started a long road trip at Ball Arena and Bam Adebayo had an excellent night at the office.

Feb 14, 2023



Brian WindhorstESPN Senior Writer

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ESPN.comNBA writer since 2010
Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
Author of two books




Brian Windhorst and a team of ESPN's Insiders sort out life and the news from in and around the NBA world, including the teams that have spent wildly to win, the buyout market already making noise and the New Orleans Pelicans working through their losing streak.

Feb 20, 2023



Kevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer

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Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series
Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers
Developed WARP rating and SCHOENE system





It's NBA All-Star Weekend, but not all the stars will shine equally.To highlight the best and worst performances all weekend long in Salt Lake City, we're grading the participants in every event from the Rising Stars on Friday through Sunday's All-Star Game.

Since falling in six games to the Lakers in the NBA Finals back in 2020, the Miami Heat have never been closer to winning it all than they are right now.While many wrote them off after they barely escaped the Bulls in the play-in tournament, Jimmy Butler has helped bring this team back from the brink and steamrolled the competition as an unlikely eighth seed.

Since the Chicago Bulls don't own any rights to a single pick in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft, we've had to get a little creative to invent new avenues to improve this summer.Whether that means being active in signing undrafted players, or trading back into the draft, the Bulls would be foolish to let the pass by without adding any new talent to the roster.

For Eric Gordon, Monday's setting was as familiar as the assignment.The 34-year-old guard practiced for the first time since being traded last week from Houston to the Clippers inside the same Playa Vista practice facility he'd called home during three seasons to start his NBA career, from 2008-11.It was the first opportunity to learn teammates' preferences and the Clippers' specific terminology.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Three years after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope won an NBA championship by witnessing the full range of what LeBron James could do, he is now one game closer to reaching another NBA Finals in part because of the heroics of his newest superstar teammate, Nikola Jokic.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

A wall of video cameras surrounded Nikola Jokic as reporters piled around the two-time MVP after the Nuggets finished their final practice before Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.All eyes were on him.And for Lakers coach Darvin Ham, that's a problem.

Only days before LeBron James surpasses one of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 's NBA records, he equaled another of his Lakers predecessor's record-setting achievements.James was named an NBA All-Star for the 19th time Thursday, matching Abdul-Jabbar as the only 19-time All-Stars in the league's history.His no-doubt selection as a starter and captain follows what has been a superlative individual season for the 38-year-old Lakers forward: 29.9 points per game, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists.

Host Cathryn Naiker is joined by Louis Zatzman to cover the happenings in a wild NBA Finals.Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic have been incredible.Does Miami have enough shooting and creative defence to slow them down?And in Raptor-land, Fred VanVleet suitors are starting to emerge.The pair discuss what his future could look like.

The Toronto Raptors' head coaching search is moving at a glacial pace.Despite the fact they were eliminated far before the Milwaukee Bucks, the latter team has already interviewed a half-dozen candidates before deciding on former Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin.Of the many names that have been linked to the Raptors' vacancy in the last few months, one coach that seemed to have fallen out of the limelight following an initial wave of support is Jordi Fernandez.

The Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets are two franchises trending in two different directions right now.While Toronto looks to reboot its roster and try to compete with a new head coach, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets have made the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.Jokic remains one of the more improbable success stories in the NBA.

With the Toronto Raptors at home on their hypothetical couch eating chips and watching the postseason, fans have to live vicariously through the remaining collection of players if they want to see their championship dreams realized.Luckily for Raptors fans, Kyle Lowry is still alive and kicking.Lowry is not the player he once was, but he has clearly played a valuable part in helping the No. 8 seed Miami Heat put up an 11-3 record in the postseason as they inch ever so closer to the NBA Finals.

After a pre-deadline deal brought Mo Bamba to L.A. for Patrick Beverley, who joined the Lakers this offseason in a swap for Talen Horton-Tucker, hopes were high for the Harlem native with a 7'10 wingspan and solid shooting stroke to step in as the team's sorely needed second big.Instead, Bamba made it into just his seventh game with the team before suffering a high-ankle sprain that derailed the remainder of his season and postseason.

In the Miami Heat's Game 3 loss to the Denver Nuggets, missed shots by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo helped spring big nights by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.Down three in a closely played second quarter, Jimmy Butler cruised around a Kyle Lowry screen, got a step on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and went into a classic Butler move - a drop step followed by a two-footed floater.

The Miami Heat did what no other team has done this postseason and beat the Denver Nuggets at home in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night to even the series at one game apiece.Now, Miami has a chance to flip the series in its favor at home, where it is 6-2 in the playoffs.The Heat are underdogs in the series and in Game 3, but that's been the case for this team all postseason.

Is it possible for one game to feel both like a missed opportunity and a game you were lucky to even be in late?The Lakers trailed by 21 points in Tuesday's Game 1 defeat and looked like they were going to be run out of the building.And yet, LeBron James had a chance to tie the game late before his late (maybe ill-advised?)

Morning Sports Update "They call him 'Teapot' for a reason," Bruschi said of O'Brien.The Red Sox lost to the Guardians 5-2 on Wednesday night.Boston will conclude the series in Cleveland tonight at 7:10 p.m.In the NBA Finals, the Nuggets defeated the Heat 109-94 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead.

DENVER - Despite losing by double-digits in the opening bout of the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat left Ball Arena on Thursday night confident that they can rebound in time for Sunday's Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets."We probably want that game back," Caleb Martin said."But at this point, it is what it is.

DENVER - The Miami Heat went into Denver and got crushed in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, 104-93.Is this a sign of what's to come in Sunday's Game 2, or can the Heat find some answers against Nikola Jokic and company?Here's what we learned in Thursday's Game 1.The Nuggets are big, much bigger than the Heat
It only took a few minutes into Game 1 for the Nuggets to establish their brawn.

The Miami Heat host the New York Knicks tonight with a 3-2 lead and a chance to end the series and advance to the Eastern Conference finals.Here are three burning questions that could determine the Game 6 outcome.Will "Playoff Jimmy" return?Late in the fourth quarter, Miami Heat down six with under two minutes left to play, Jimmy Butler with the ball in his hands saw an opportunity to take advantage of a Knicks weakness.

The Heat came out scorching with Bam, Jimmy, and Gabe all doing work, but the Nuggets were right behind them as they'd tie the game up almost immediately.The Heat showcased good ball movement and was patient in looking for high-percentage looks.This allowed them to build a quick lead on a 10-0 run.The Nuggets weren't going anywhere, but hot shooting from Strus and 10-day contract player, Bouyea, and Gabe Vincent kept the Heat in the driver's seat.

The Lakers may have shown some of their adjustments in the second half of Game 1 against the Nuggets, but more of them are going to come before Game 2. The Lakers showed their hand in some regards by having Rui Hachimura on Nikola Jokic, a move that nearly helped them steal the game.It was a move that seemed to catch the Nuggets off-guard, though they certainly don't seem like a team that is worried about the fact they nearly had an all-time gaffe in the second half.

Despite 40 points from Anthony Davis, the Lakers couldn't stop the Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets from holding on for a 132-126 win in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference finals on Tuesday night at Ball Arena in Denver.Los Angeles Times veteran photographers Robert Gauthier and Wally Skalij captured many of the game's biggest moments from their sideline vantage points.

When the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Denver Nuggets in the 2020 Western Conference Finals, the team's plan to stop Nikola Jokic was basically "turn Dwight Howard into a Batman villain."Or, for a slightly more accurate metaphor given Jokic's "Joker" nickname, they asked Dwight Howard to become both the hero Los Angeles deserved, and the one it needed right then.

LeBron James extended his record streak on Wednesday by being named to the All-NBA Third Team, marking the 19th straight season he was named to one of the teams.It is the fifth time in his Lakers tenure he has been named to an All-NBA.Joining LeBron on the Third Team was De'Aaron Fox, Domanatas Sabonis, Damian Lillard and Julius Randle.

Boston Celtics beat reporter Jay King took down Joel Embiid's recent swipe at Nikola Jokic regarding how defensive analytics don't match the eye test in a tweet on the morning of March 27.Embiid made the comments to Shams Charania in a piece for The Athletic (subscription required)."You can talk about analytics all you want," Embiid said.

Hallelujah, they're finally paying attention.After years of inexplicably being ignored by voters for the NBA's All-Defensive team, O.G. Anunoby - one of the most effective, dogged, and versatile defenders in the league - was finally selected for the league's All-Defensive second team.Anunoby started the year on a defensive tear, right from opening night, when he grabbed three steals; that set the tone for his season, where he ended up with a league-high 128 thefts and led the league in steals per game (1.91), too.

These playoffs have been unbelievable.Only a day after Steph Curry drops 50 in a Game-7 win, Nikola Jokic and James Harden go bananas in their own wins.There's been so much good basketball.Who've you all got in the Finals?I had Milwaukee beating Denver, so, you know.Warriors-Lakers is going to be an unbelievable amount of fun.

The Toronto Raptors have started to look around the league for top candidates to replace Nick Nurse as the team's head coach.While names like Kenny Atkinson and Becky Hammon raised some collective eyebrows, one name that could steal the job away is Sacramento Kings assistant head coach Jordi Fernandez.

Just when it looked like Toronto Raptors star OG Anunoby was finally going to start getting the respect he deserves from the larger NBA media as a whole, he has once again dipped back into the realm of perpetual anonymity.This comes at a time when his defense has been as good as ever.While Anunoby, once a trade chip, has long been underrated due to the fact he doesn't excel in the traditional counting box score stats that voters love so much, the fact that he came into this week leading the league in steals per game is a terrific arrow to have in his quiver.

There is nowhere to go but up for Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors, as they were taken behind the woodshed by the Washington Wizards in the first of two road games before a long West Coast road trip against some very impressive opponents.Both the VanVleet haters and supporters found ammunition for their respective arguments in this game.

It's no secret that Wes Unseld Jr has not been productive as a head coach.Most fans of the Washington Wizards would even say that it's the understatement of the year.The only award that will be anywhere close to Unseld Jr this season.There were good reasons for hiring back when they named him the franchise's latest head coach back in 2021.

The Toronto Raptors have been begging OG Anunoby to get back on track after a very rough stretch on both ends and nonstop trade rumors, and he has responded by playing like an All-NBA defender that is trying to finish the season with a trophy he can put up in his mantle piece.While Nikola Jokic did go 10-13 from the field in the Denver Nuggets' tough road loss against Toronto, the box score doesn't necessarily do justice to the performance that the 6-7 Anunoby did on arguably the best player in the game today.

The Toronto Raptors played one of their best games last night, the offense looked extremely cohesive, the defense faltered at some points but it clamped down at the right time to ensure Toronto went home with a win.Huge nights from Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby spearheaded Toronto's statement win.To begin the game Toronto came out swinging like the underdog in a title fight, their onslaught on Denver was kicked off with Jakob Poetl fighting on the offensive glass, going at Nikola Jokic and really setting the tone.

The Toronto Raptors had a perfect opportunity to take home a very impressive road win against the Denver Nuggets, but some very poor officiating managed to rob them of that golden opportunity.The team appeared to spiral out of control after that loss.Toronto lost consecutive tough games against both Los Angeles-based teams, one of which was due to some questionable refereeing that got Fred VanVleet hot under the collar and the other of which came as a result of some laughable bench play from Toronto.

The NBA might have itself a problem.Sunday night, following a woefully boring All-Star Game devoid of defense in any real shape or form, league officials kept landing on a word to describe what had transpired earlier in the night."Embarrassing."All-Star weekend, one of the NBA's marquee showcases alongside Christmas Day and the playoffs, was once again an emotionless mess - the best players in the NBA allowing one another to either score on unchecked layups and dunks or comically long jumpers while the crowd largely shrugged.

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers met for the 571st time -- the most between any two teams in NBA history -- but Saturday's game was one of a kind.Despite a 15-point third-quarter deficit, the Celtics went on to defeat the 76ers 110-107 courtesy of Jayson Tatum's game-winning 3-pointer.Editor's Picks


Tatum finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists.

The Toronto Raptors will face off against the Denver Nuggets for the first time this season and it will most likely be a tough matchup.Denver sits at an NBA best 45-19 behind the spectacular play of MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic and Toronto will look to pull an upset tonight.The biggest headache for Toronto tonight will undoubtedly be defending Nikola Jokic, he is a tough guy to scheme doubles against because he sees the entire floor so well and he will probably get the ball to any man who is open for that split second on the double.

The Toronto Raptors are going to be faced with a very daunting West Coast swing.On top of the fact that the 32-33 team will have to take on both LA teams in their building, they will face off against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets twice in four games.The Raptors could go into eighth place in the conference, which would allow them the benefit of losing one of the play-in games and still staying alive, if they end up performing well on this trip.

Former Boston Celtics big man Kendrick Perkins, now a talking head for ESPN, has gotten himself into the headlines for his aggression towards NBA MVP voters for giving Nikola Jokic the past two MVP awards - and getting a strong emotional response back from JJ Redick -, and he's now taking aim at George Karl on Twitter for disagreeing with his assessment of "truth."

Midway through the first quarter on Feb. 28 against the Chicago Bulls, Gary Trent jr.entered the game.He had started for most of his career to that point as a Toronto Raptor -- 123 of 140 games.But with Jakob Poeltl in town and winning his minutes by the second-largest margin in the league, behind only Nikola Jokic, something had to give in the starting lineup.