Jimmy Butler said "I got to be ready to go" after the Heat's disappointment over a Game 1 blowout to the Lakers in the NBA Finals was exacerbated by injury woes. Veteran guard Goran Dragic sustained a reported plantar tear in his left foot Lance Lynn Jersey and is a doubt for the remainder of the series, while Bam Adebayo left the game with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter clutching his shoulder. All-Star Butler also turned his left ankle towards the end of the first half of the humbling 116-98 lo s in Orlando but insisted he will be good to go for Game 2 on Friday. " I'm a little bit sore. I'll be okay with some treatment. I'll get ready to go again," he said. "I think I got to be ready to go. So, we'll see how it feels tomorrow Orlando Cepeda Jersey , but I'm going to be fine." Dragic's injury occurred in the second quarter when attempting to drive Rajon Rondo and initially tried to carry on before heading for treatment and not returning. Head coach Erik Spoelstra did not have an update after the game and Butler said the Heat will rally around their team-mate but must be prepared to move forward in the series without him. Final: Lakers 116 - HEAT 98Butler 23 Pts, 2 Rebs, 5 Asts & 2 StlsNunn 18 Pts, 5 Rebs & 2 AstsHerro 14 Pts, 4 Rebs & 3 AstsCrowder 12 Pts, 2 Rebs & 2 Blks Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) " We'll just let him know that I and we are here for him. We know how much he wants to win, how much he wants to go to war and battle Miles Mikolas Jersey with us," Butler added. "Obviously we love him for that and we want him out there with us. But whatever the doctor tells him to do, that's what he's got to do. "I understand that he wants to go out there and compete and obviously we want him out there with us. But he's got to take care of himself first. " We have to be ready to go with or without Goran. We're still expecting to win. We still know that we can. We want that guy out there with us. He's a big part of what we're trying to do, but until we can have him back, we Dakota Hudson Jersey got to go out there and we got to fight even harder. "We got to try to cover up what he gives us and make up for it. We're capable of it. We have to be capable of it. Moving forward with or without Goran we better hurry up and tie it up 1-1." Spoelstra also said he was unsure if Adebayo's injury was the same one he sustained during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics or a fresh concern. Butler acknowledges more of the burden to score may fall on his Steve Carlton Jersey shoulders but said regardle s the team has to be tougher in defense. "I just take what the game gives me for the most part. I still have a lot of belief in all of my team-mates, I will continually play that way. But maybe so, maybe try to score a little bit more," Butler said. "We just got to be tougher. We got to put up more of a fight. I don't think we did that. And then it doesn't help whenever we don't make shots. "It's been that way all year long, whenever we start to mi s a couple shots, we don't do what we're supposed to do on the other end. "So, I think Jose Martinez Jersey we should always think about letting our defense, for sure our rebounding, start it off for us and then hopefully we start to make shots."

The NBA free agency frenzy is finally here. After months of speculation swirling around the biggest free agent targets and potential blockbuster trades, teams can finally start acting on their perfectly laid plans. Once the clock strikes 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, pandemonium kicks into high gear and The Sporting News has you covered with live reaction to every major move. Which teams struck oil and which struck out? Who overpaid to nail Luis Gonzalez Jersey down their top targets and who inked valuable contributors on team-friendly deals? Stay with us throughout the first day of NBA free agency for complete analysis. NBA FREE AGENCY: | NBA free agency 2022: Grading the latest signings, tradesRudy Gobert traded to the WolvesTrade details()Wolves receive: Rudy GobertJazz receive: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Ke sler, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, four first round picks (unprotected in 2023, 2025, 2027, and top 5 protected in 2029), first round pick swap in 2026 One of the biggest weakne ses on the Wolves has been Karl-Anthony Towns' mediocre defense at the center position. Jarred Vanderbilt solved some of those problems as a defensive ace playing next to Towns. The Wolves had a surisingly solid no. 13 defense during last year's regular season with that duo. Now, they get a turbocharged version of Vanderbilt in Gobert. The fit is going to be interesting. The Wolves will be huge, with the 6-foot-11 Rob Refsnyder Jersey Towns and 7-foot-1 Gobert playing next to each other. They should have the best rim protection in the league. For all of Gobert's warts, he's still an incredible defensive player. He and Towns could theoretically cover many of each other's weakne ses. This is a ma sive haul to give up for Gobert. The Wolves are making a bet that they'll stay a playoff team through 2029. Ask the Nets how that same bet is going for them. Nothing is for sure in the NBA, and the lack of protections on the first three of those picks could pay huge dividends down the line. The Jazz had to make a trade to break up the Gobert-Donovan Mitchell pairing, and they got great value back. Wolves Grade: B- Jazz Grade:A Malcolm Brogdon traded to the CelticsTrade details()Celtics receive: Malcolm BrogdonPacers receive: Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, 2023 first round pick The Celtics were mi sing playmaking and shooting in their title run. Too often, they were plagued by high turnover games. They've addre sed those i sues with Brogdon, a heady guard who has hit 38 percent of his 3's for his career. Brogdon has been an injury-prone player. His health is still a big question mark, and the Celtics are taking a risk there. But if he can stay on the court, he makes them the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference again. For the Pacers, Brogdon didn't fit Abraham Almonte Jersey their timeline. Adding a first round pick is a nice step forward in their rebuild. Nesmith is the former no. 14 pick in the 2020 draft. He has shown some promise in limited minutes. The rest of the players involved are salary filler. Celtics Grade: A Pacers Grade:B+ Kevin Huerter traded to the Kings for Justin Holiday and Maurice Harkle sTrade details()Hawks receive: Justin Holiday, Maurice Harkle s, 2024 first round pick (lottery-protected in 2024, top-12 protected in 2025, top-10 protected Bryce Jarvis Jersey in 2026. Then conveys into two second-rounders)Kings receive: Kevin Huerter Huerter is a great young shooter that is locked up on a reasonable four-year, $65 million contract. That the Kings had to give up so little to get him is a bit shocking. Holiday is a veteran 3-and-D wing on an expiring $6.3 million contract. Harkle s is another bench wing on a $4.6 million contract. This is kind of a puzzling move from the Hawks' side. Those contracts are both good pieces to use in a trade, so perhaps there is a bigger move coming for them down the line. They did drop slightly below the luxury tax with the trade. If that was the primary motivation, then it will be a very tough pill for Hawks fans to swallow. Kings Grade: A Hawks Grade:D Zach LaVine signs with the BullsContract details: 5 years, 215.2 million () There was speculation that LaVine would test the free agency market. Instead, the Bulls got the deal done on Day 2 of free agency by offering him the most that they po sibly could. This is a win for the Bulls. They had no way of replacing LaVine if he walked, and he's an All-Star in the prime of his career. It's fair to wonder what the team's ceiling is as of now, but they would have taken gigantic steps backwards without him. Grade: A Zion Williamson signs supermax extensionContract details: 5 years, up to $231 million () Williamson is easily a supermax talent. And amid all of the swirling about his desire to stay, it's nice to at least temporarily put those rumors to rest. But questions about his health make this deal tough to grade. The guarantees on Williamson's deal haven't leaked yet. That will determine how much of a win this is for the Pelicans. If there are performance incentives baked into the contract, Zack Greinke Jersey such as a clause for games played, then this is a great deal for the team. If not, then they're taking a pretty big gamble on a player that has only been available for 85 games through three years. This also takes the Pelicans somewhat out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. They were one of the teams best suited to throw a ma sive package at the Nets. Because of Wilmer Flores Jersey an obscure rule in the collective bargaining agreement, Williamson can't play on the same team as Ben Simmons. Teams are allowed only one designated rookie extension player, and Simmons and Williamson both meet that criteria. Grade: Incomplete Nikola Jokic signs supermax extensionContract details: 5 years, $264 million () This was a no-brainer for the Nuggets. Jokic, the reigning two-time MVP of the league, far exceeds any contract valuation that he could be paid by league rules. Grade: A Devin Booker extends with the SunsContract details: 4 years, $214 million () Another no-brainer for the Suns to extend Booker on a supermax contract. He's coming off a year where he finished fourth in MVP voting. This contract will have plenty of surplus value. Grade: A Ja Morant extends with the GrizzliesContract details: 5 years, $231 million () The Grizzlies wasted little time agreeing to a designated rookie max extension, giving Morant the most money po sible. He's coming off an All-NBA Second Team appearance and his future is very bright. Grade

Stand today in the headwaters of the Colorado River, high in the Rocky Mountains where its depth is measured in inches, and its hard to imagine this this? becomes an icon of the West that tens of millions know and love, a wonder in all its eventual crashing, dashing flow. Now, an exercise 25 years after the fact: Picture a gangly, 18-year-old with closely cropped hair wearing a stylishly baggy uniform and adidas (adidas!) sneakers, beginning the game on the bench as the Lakers host the Timberwolves. It'sNov. 3, 1996, a Sunday, and Kobe Bryant eventuallyenters the game. After a DNP in Los Angeles's opener two days earlier, Bryant's highly anticipatedNBA debut is measured in minutes, 6:22 to be exact, not points as the rookie goes scorele s, on Jeff Bagwell Jersey only oneFGA. His first official recorded stat: a turnover for traveling on just his second po se sion. This this? would become Kobe no last name nece sary. Lets take a beat. Rewind to nine months earlier, in February of 96 when Sam Smith wrote in The Sporting News: The Kevin Garnett effect continues as pro scouts crowded the recent Beach Ball Cla sic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., to get a look at Philadelphias Kobe Bryant, the 6-foot-6 son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, and 6-11 Jermaine ONeal of Columbia, S.C. TSN Archives: Early on, ONeal and Bryant, Bryant and O'Neal were attached at the hip in most coverage. Would the teensgo pro straight out of high school? Should they? After they Alex Bregman Jersey answered in the affirmative, TSN college basketball writer Mike DeCourcy noted: The simplest question to answer when a se sing the 1996 crop of basketball talent is: Who had the best recruiting year? Without a doubt, that would be the NBA. Kobe Bryant. Jermaine ONeal. Two of the top five players in high school. No one else did as well. One letter-writer (remember them?)joked onTSN's Voice of the Fan page: "NBA Nothing But Adolescents". After Kobes points-free first game 25 years ago, which mightve Hector Rondon Jersey at least in part been attributed to early wrist and hip injuries, he faded into relative obscurity by Lakers standards. Newly acquired Shaquille ONeal caused most of the buzz. A month into is pro career, Bryant had scored in double figurestwice. It would take until Jan. 3, exactly two months after his debut, for him to score more than 20. Just when you thought Kobe Bryant was banished to the bench for good, Shaun Powell wrote in The Sporting News, he returns and scores 21 points in 22 minutes for the Lakers against the Kings, punctuating his performance with a 360-degree dunk. In practice, teammates say, Kobe is the real deal. Maybe, but two weeks later, under the headline Stunted Growth, the Trail Blazers ONeal admitted in TSNs NBA Insider that if he had it to do over again he wouldnt jump directly to the NBA. Bryant? From that NBA Insider: The 6-6 Bryant is averaging 6.1 points and 13 minutes a game and is shooting 42 percent. He maintains he doesn't regret his decision, but he, too, has spent much of his season on the bench. One reason, according to a story in last weeks The New York Times Magazine, is because Bryant is preoccupied with being flashy. Kobe's showboating frustrates his teammates, coach Del Harris said. In the story, the coach also said Bryant is overprotected by his parents and representatives to the point where he doesn't have Blank Jersey a chance to develop. Lately, Harris has tried Bryant, a natural shooting guard, at the point, with mixed results. In his first game there last week, he walked the ball upcourt so slowly it resulted in a 10-second violation. Last weekend against the Pistons, Bryant scored 10 points in 14 first-half minutes. Suffice to say, it was going take a while to get to 25.0 ppg, his 20-year career average, let alone 33,643 points. But by late April, with the clock Houston Astros Jersey winding down on his first season, things were trending in the right direction. TSN Archives: TSNs NBA Insider again addre sed him with The Book on Kobe Bryant, which began, It hasnt exactly been a storybook season for high schooler-turned-rookie Kobe Bryant. The ending is turning out to be a happy one. The scouting report noted that despite wild swings in minutes, the demands of playing three positions and the spotlight that has come with being the youngest player (18) in league history, Bryant is playing at his highest level yet. In a little more than a year, Anthony Gose Jersey Bryant had gone from being scouted at a high school tournament in Myrtle Beach The day they tell me I have to start scouting junior high school kids, Im done, the Kings Jerry Reynolds said in TSN at the time to flashing the potential that hinted at what became a Hall of Fame career. Kobe can flat play, teammate Nick Van Exel said in The Sporting News. Anything he does Im not surprised about because I see him every day. Twenty-five years later, offered hindsight and the opportunity to see him every day acro s a two-decade career, we too arent surprised. It was much le s clear that Sunday in November 1996 in Los Angeles. Who knew how it would end up and then end. Senior editorial consultant Bob Hille has worked for or with Sporting News for more than 25 years.

The Lakers are making a change in their front office. Los Angeles is Mike Trout Jersey parting ways with director of player personnel Ryan West, according to report from The Athletic. Lakers front office news: The team has parted ways with director of player personnel Ryan West, sources told . The son of Jerry Albert Pujols Jersey West was first hired as a scout in 2009. Worked in Memphis before that. West credited for DAngelo Ru sell and Jordan Clarkson picks. Bill Oram (@billoram) West spent 10 years with the Lakers and is credited for drafting D Cody Allen Jersey 'Angelo Ru sell in 2015 andis the son of Clippers executive board member Jerry West. Los Angeles has had some major turnover as of late. It sent Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and three future first-round draft picks to the Pelicans in exchange for star forward Anthony Davis in June. President of basketball Matt Harvey Jersey operations Magic Johnson also resigned toward the end of 2018-19 and the team fired Luke Walton following the season. The Lakers succe sfully secured an elite talent to partner with LeBron James Jonathan Lucroy Jersey but struck out on Kawhi Leonard, who signed with the Clippers. The Clippers also traded a large sum of a sets to acquire Paul George from the Thunder, making them a championship contender. It's shaping up to be an interesting season in the Staples Center in 2019-20, and the Lakers are Trevor Cahill Jersey hoping to return to the playoff hunt for the first time in six years. They'll try to do that with a new head coach in Frank Vogel and general manager Rob Pelinka calling the shots. Related Articles

Dwyane Wade and his family are putting their money where their mouths are in support of the LGBT community. The retired NBA star took to Instagram toannounce a collaborationwiththe lifestyle brandYNGDNA. Both Wade and his wife, , promoted a new line of David Wright Jersey T-shirts intended tohelp, which is a"leading national organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ students." Fifty percent of the proceeds from T-shirt sales willgo to GLSEN, plus a $50,000 Jay Bruce Jersey donation from the Wade family. A post shared by (@dwyanewade) on Sep 13, 2019 at 11:20am PDT Wade closed the Wilmer Flores Jersey Instagram caption with the hashtag, "#wesupporteachotherwithpride." In April, Wade shared photos of his family at the Miami Pride parade while traveling on the road with the Heat in support of his 12-year-old son, Zion. Dwayne Wade and Gabby Union supporting young Zion at Miami Pride is so beautiful, I could cry. I Tug McGraw Jersey cant imagine having had this type of support as a kid (or even young adult). Amazing example of living in and showing unconditional love Lenny Dykstra Jersey Cmi Thomas (@CamiCruzThomas) The 17-year veteran also about the importance of standing alongsideZionin all that he does. "You have the support of your father, you have the support of your family every step of the way," Wade said to . The entire Wade family postedvariationsof the photo announcing the collaboration Juan Lagares Jersey ,with Zaire Wade captioning, "THE WADES STAND AS ONE." A post shared by (@zaire) on Sep 13, 2019 at 11:39am PDT The T-shirts read "Please Remain Inclusive & Dedicated 2 Equality."

Another 3-1 deficit,another triumphant series win. The Nuggets controlled the second half of Tuesday night's Game7 against the Clippers and cruised to a 104-89 victory, punching their ticket tothe 2020 Western Conference finals. Denver became the first team to crawl out of a 3-1 hole twice in one postseason after previously eliminating the Jazz in the same fashion. Nuggets stars Jamal Murray (40 points, 15-of-26 shooting Bobby Cox Jersey ) and Nikola Jokic (16 points, 22 rebounds, 13 a sists) were the two best players on the floor in Game 7 by far, as they completely outplayed the duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (24 points, 10-of-38 shooting combined). Los Angeles shot just 37.8 percent from the field as a team and was outscored 50-33 in the second half. I just think Denver beat us all around. Im in the place if giving Denver more credit, Doc Rivers said. Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) Sporting News provided live updates from Game 7 between the Nuggets and Clippers. Check out all the highlights Julio Teheran Jersey you mi sed right here. Nuggets vs. Clippers scoreGame 7Q1Q2Q3Q4ScoreNuggets24302822104Clippers2432181589Nuggets vs. Clippers updates, highlights from Game 7 (All times Eastern) Final: Nuggets 104, Clippers 89 11:35p.m. Down 3-1 against the Jazz. Advance. Down 3-1 against the Clippers. Advance. A spectacular playoff run by the Nuggets continues. 11:30p.m. Jamal Murray pouring salt in the wound. This thing is over. The Nuggets are up by 20 points.Pure domination. STOP IT Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) 11:20p.m. After JaMychal Green mi ses short on a corner 3-pointer, the Clippers are now 0-of-10 from the field to start the fourth quarter. Just no flow offensively. 11:10 p.m. The Nuggets kick Deion Sanders Jersey off the final frame with a 7-0 run and the lead has ballooned to 15 points. The Clippers are in SERIOUS trouble with 8:47 left on the clock. Range extender Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) End of third quarter: Nuggets 82, Clippers 74 11 p.m. The Nuggets just sliced up the Clippers' defense in the third. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic have been the best players on the floor. Only 12 minutes left. How will Los Angeles respond? 6 triples in the third already! Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) 10:50p.m. Uh oh. It kind of feels like it's happening again. Jokic Harris Denver extends their lead in the 3rd QTR! NBA TV (@NBATV) 10:40p.m. Is it happening again? A quick 8-0 run gives the Nuggets a one-point lead early in the third quarter. The Clippers better be careful here... Halftime: Clippers 56, Nuggets 54 10:20p.m. Someone call the fire department because Jamal Murray is about to burn down the entire arena. The Nuggets guard has 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting in 23 minutes. Murray pull-up trey! 50 54WIN or GO HOME GAME 7 on ESPN NBA (@NBA) 10:10 p.m. Doc Rivers Orlando Cepeda Jersey can't be happy with the foul trouble for the Clippers. That's now three fouls on Paul George and Ivica Zubac and two fouls onMarcus Morris. 10 p.m. The Clippers' offense is cooking here in the second quarter. Los Angeles caps off a 14-5 run with an easy Montrezl Harrell dunk, forcing Nuggets coach Mike Malone to call a timeout. John Smoltz Jersey 6MOY to 6MOY | LA Clippers (@LAClippers) 9:55p.m. Landry Shamet appeared to suffer an ankle injury in the first quarter. He hit a 3-pointer before committing a foul to stop play, giving him a chance to head back to the locker room. The Clippers say he is available to return. . is a gamer. LA Clippers (@LAClippers) End of first quarter: Clippers 24, Nuggets 24 9:45 p.m. The Murray-Jokic pick-and-roll is a thing of beauty. Murray behind-the-back to Jokic! 22 19WIN or GO HOME GAME 7 on ESPN NBA (@NBA) 9:35p.m. Jerami Grant and Ivica Zubaceach have two fouls halfway through the first quarter. Both Grant and Zubachave been key pieces in their rotations. 9:20 p.m. And here we go. Patrick Beverley scores the first points of Game 7. 8:55p.m. The starting lineups for Game 7... Nuggets: Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Jerami Grant, Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic Clippers: Patrick Beverley, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac 8:40 p.m. Here's a "Fun Guy" ready to shoot some Chipper Jones Jersey hoops. Kawhi Leonard prepares for / WIN or GO HOME GAME 7 at 9:00pm/et on ESPN! Winner advances to the Western Conference Finals! NBA (@NBA)

Defense wins championships, right? Fittingly, the Akiem Hicks Jersey two teams set to meet in the 2022 NBA Finals are the Celtics and Warriors, owners of the No. 1 and No. 2 rated defenses in the 2021-22 NBA season, respectively. That said, there is only one Defensive Player of the Year of the 2021-22 season, and he doubles as the heart and soul of the Celtics franchise. When Marcus Smart takes the floor for Game 1 of the Finals, it will mark just the 10th time that the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year plays in the Finals in the year in which he won the award, which was first handed out in 1983. And while the Celtics' defense is a sum of multiple parts, the Warriors' stellar guard play ups the ante for Smart defensively, as he's sure to spend plenty of time matched up with Western Conference Finals MVP Stephen Curry. MORE: Smart has never been one to back down from a challenge and in certain one-on-one situations this series, he'll be tasked with one of the NBA's toughest: chase and limit the greatest shooter of all time. What can history tell us about the impact of the Defensive Player of the Year in the Finals? From Michael Cooper in 1987 to Draymond Green in 2017, look back at how the NBA's best defenders impacted the pursuit of a title. MORE: Defensive Players of the Year in the NBA Finals (NBAE via Getty Images) 1987 NBA Finals: Michael Cooper, Lakers With the Lakers advancing to the 1987 NBA Finals to face the Celtics, Cooper's challenge was to attempt to make life difficult for Larry Bird. The well-documented gamesmanship between Adam Shaheen Jersey Bird and Cooper includes Bird's offensive repertoire during his summer vacation and Bird admitting that during offseason workouts, he imagined Cooper guarding him. For the series, Bird averaged 24.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.5 a sists on .445/.500/.921 shooting splits, but Cooper and the Lakers won the championship in six games. 1990 NBA Finals: Dennis Rodman, Pistons Rodman was extremely limited by an ankle injury in the 1990 NBA Finals, mi sing Game 3 of the series and playing just one minute in Game 4. In the series-clinching Game 5, however, Rodman returned to play 30 minutes off the bench and recorded two blocks. It's no coincidence that Detroit held Portland to a series-low 90 points upon Rodman's return. (NBAE via Getty Images) 1994 NBA Finals: Hakeem Olajuwon, Rockets After Olajuwon was named Defensive Player of the Riley Ridley Jersey Year and MVP of the 1993-94 season, only Patrick Ewing and the Knicks stood in the way of The Dream's first title. With two of the NBA's all-time great centers clashing in a seven-game series, Olajuwon did his part to help limit Ewing to 18.9 points per game on 36.3 percent shooting for the series. The result? A Rockets series win. (NBAE via Getty Images) 1996 NBA Finals: Gary Payton, SuperSonics Michael Jordan might say he had no problems with The Glove, but the numbers suggest he had some difficulty. As the Bulls got out to a 3-0 series lead over the Sonics, Payton was not used as the primary defender on Jordan. Ahead of Game 4, head coach George Karl made the switch and the Sonics clawed back into the series before losing in six games. As for the numbers, Jordan averaged 31.0 points on 46.0 percent shooting in Games 1 through 3 and averaged 23.7 points on 36.7 shooting in Games 4 through 6. It seems like Payton had an impact. 2001 NBA Finals: Dikembe Mutombo, 76ers In Cordarrelle Patterson Jersey the rare instance of an award-winner being traded midseason, Mutombo won the award for his work with the Hawks and the 76ers, who used him to fuel a run to the Finals. His reward? A matchup with league MVP Shaquille O'Neal. There wasn't much that Mutombo or the Sixers could do to slow down Shaq, who won Finals MVP honors with averages of 33.0 points and 15.8 rebounds on 57.3 percent shooting in the series. 2005 NBA Finals: Ben Devin Hester Jersey Wallace, Pistons Wallace gave up a few inches but in 2005, it was his duty to slow down Spurs leading scorer Tim Duncan. In a series that saw very little scoring altogether, Duncan's averages of 20.6 points and 14.1 rebounds led the Spurs to a title in seven games. Duncan's numbers were Finals MVP-worthy, but he did shoot just 41.9 percent from the field. Quite the dip from his career playoff average of 50.1 percent. 2008 NBA Finals: Kevin Garnett, Celtics The first player in Celtics history to win Defensive Player of the Year, Garnett earned the honor for his skills quarterbacking Boston's defense, just as much as he earned it for his post defense and rim protection. Garnett, who averaged 18.2 points and 13.0 rebounds for the series, spent some time matched up with Pau Gasol, who was the Lakers' second-leading scorer in the series with just 14.7 points per game. With Garnett leading the defense, Boston clinched the series with a resounding 39-point win in Game 6. 2009 NBA Finals: Dwight Howard, Magic Howard anchored Orlando's defense en route to winning his first of three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. In the Finals, Howard was tasked with being the backline of the Magic's defense and he averaged 4.0 blocks per game in the role, including a Finals record nine blocks in Game 4 Sherrick McManis Jersey . However, it wasn't enough as the Lakers convincingly won the series in five games. 2017 NBA Finals: Draymond Green, Warriors As the defensive anchor on arguably the greatest team of all time, Green's role was pretty critical to team succe s. In the Finals, Green served as the rover that made sure all things were in order defensively and was another body that Golden State could use to try to limit LeBron James, though he did average a triple-double in the series. Green's defensive presence is one of a number of reasons that the Warriors would win this series in five games.

The Memphis John Carlson Jersey Grizzlies hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night, but things didn't exactly go to plan at tip-off. NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial) As both teams hit the court for the game, there was one problem Michal Kempny Jersey both teams were rocking their home white jerseys. Soooooo both teams are wearing white jerseys...brb gotta make a jersey change Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) Jonas Siegenthaler Jersey As the teams' equipment managers scrambled, there was a slight delay to the game as the Grizzlies had to head back to the locker room to change into their customary blue road uniforms. When Nike took over as the league's official jersey manufacturer ahead of the 2017-18 season, it did away with the traditional home and away jerseys which always saw the Brooks Orpik Jersey home team rocking a white uniform NHL Washington Capitals Jersey and the road team wearing colored jerseys, now giving teams up to four different uniforms to pick from. The jersey mix-up is becoming an annual tradition in Oklahoma City. Last season in a game against the Atlanta Hawks, the Thunder played in their orange uniforms and the Hawks in their red uniforms, causing some confusion through Braden Holtby Jersey the first half. At the break, the Thunder swapped out their unis to their whites for the second half.

As LeBron James took the podium for his postgame pre s conference, after the Lakers lost to the Clippers 119-115, the result of the game was almost inconsequential. Given that this was his first media availability, since clearing the NBA's health and safety protocols early after it was ruled that his positive test in Sacramento Ray-Ray Armstrong Jersey was a false positive, there wereno prizes for gue sing what the first few questions were going to be about. James was placed into the league's health and safety Christian Kirksey Jersey protocols prior to the team's game against the Kings on Tuesday (ET). However, after thefalse positive,he returned multiple negative testswhich led to him being cleared from the protocols. "Pretty confused, frustrated, angry with not being able to do anything." regarding the past few days. LeBron James JC Tretter Jersey on being positive he never had a positive test Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) Calling it that a player gets put into isolation the moment they return a positive test, even if it's a false positive, James believed the . That false positive test forced James to mi s the team's game against the Kings. So, instead of playing his fourth straight game, Olivier Vernon Jersey which would have been a season-high, he mi sed the 12th game of a po sible 23 (now 24). "It's been a very challenging year to start," about beingconsistentlyin-and-out of the line-up. He added that he felt he was getting into before the Kings game. NBALeaguePa s: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market Kareem Hunt Jersey games (7-day free trial) Coming to the Clippers matchup, playing his first game since Sunday against Detroit, James' rust showed. Although he stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 11 rebounds, six a sists and two steals, heshot 9-of-23 from the field including 2-of-8 from beyond the arc and turned the ball over thrice in 37 minutes of action. Hes had a tough few days, theres no other way to put it," . "I commend him for playing a really good Morgan Burnett Jersey basketball game. He didnt shoot it well, but he was great." With the lo s, the Lakers slip back to .500 with a 12-12 record while the Clippers snapped their three-game skid and climbed above .500 to a 12-11 record.

When you hear the name Rich Paul, it's easy to make the direct connection to LeBron James. Paul hasknown the Lakers star since 2002, and hehas served as James' agent since 2012 when he started Klutch Sports Group. Butover the past decade, Paul has established himself as much more than just the guy who negotiates James'next max contract. The 39-year-old continues to add marquee clients and climb Morgan Cox Jersey upthe list of the most powerful agents in sports. Oh, and he isn't afraid to wield that power. While serving asAnthony Davis' agent during the 2018-19season, Paul publicly declared that Davis had no interest in re-signing with the Pelicans and wanted to compete for a championship. The midseason trade request , but Paul's client ultimately got everything he wanted, winning a title with the Lakers in 2020. That kind of bold approachhas frustrated thosein NBA circles, but it has undoubtedly made Paul popular among a certain segment Michael Pierce Jersey of players. Here's a closer look at his top clients and how much money they will earnnext season. MORE: Rich Paul's top 10 clients by 2021-22 salary (Full listavailable at ) PlayerTeamSalaryJohn WallRockets$44.3 millionLeBron JamesLakers$41.1 millionAnthony DavisLakers$35.3 millionBen Simmons76ers$33.0 millionDraymond GreenWarriors$24.0 millionZach LaVineBulls$19.5 millionLonzo BallBulls$18.6 millionEric BledsoeClippers$18.1 millionGary Trent Jr.Raptors$16.0 millionDejounte MurraySpurs$15.4 millionWhere does Rich Paul rank among top sports agents? (Full listavailable at ) AgentSportCommi sionsContractsScott BorasBaseball$161.1 million$3.2 billionJonathan BarnettSoccer$142.3 million$1.4 billionJorge MendesSoccer$104 million$1 billionMino RaiolaSoccer$84.7 million$847.7 millionJeff SchwartzBasketball$73 million$1.8 billionCasey CloseBaseball$63.6 million$1.3 billionJoel Jonathan Ogden Jersey WolfeBaseball$52.4 million$1 billionDavid MulughetaFootball$46.7 million$1.6 billionRich PaulBasketball$46 million$1.3 billionSam and Seth LevinsonBaseball$45.8 million$917 millionWhy isRich Paul a source of controversy? TNT analyst Charles Barkley discu sed the trade rumors surrounding 76ers star Ben Simmons, one of Paul's clients, and likely spoke for a lot of people when he voiced his frustrations with how Klutch operates. "You know how that group works. They try to trade their players to where they want to. ...They do it the way they Marlon Humphrey Jersey want to," Barkley said. "Anthony Davis, they had better deals from Boston forAnthony Davis, and I think maybe even New York, and they're like, 'No, he'sgonna go to LAand play with LeBron Patrick Onwuasor Jersey . He's not gonna play.'They just bulliedthe league. "And at some point, a team or the league got to stand up to say , 'Wait a minute,I paid your guy. You can't bully me to trade him and I'm taking some trash back.'So, I'm hoping somebody in the Sixers organization got some stones." MORE: Unlike previous situations involving James and Davis, Paul doesn't have a ton of leverage on his side this Justin Tucker Jersey time around. Simmons may not want to , but the Sixers could tell him that he must show up in order to get paid. A holdout would be ugly, but Paul could push for that option if he is set on forcing Philadelphia to make a move. If Paul figures out a way to get Simmons to his desired destination under these circumstances, it would be one of the more impre sive feats of his career and it would undoubtedly anger his most ardent critics.

Baseballs back as the MLB lockout comes to an end, Kevin Durant has the best response to Philly booing Ben Simmons and Steph Ryan Tannehill Jersey Currys a star on and off the court. For a rundown of those stories and more, check out The Sporting News Warren Moon Jersey 7,a podcast that brings you the sevenbiggest sports stories in sevenminutes at Jurrell Casey Jersey 7 a.m. ET every weekday. Building on the award-winning journalism of The Sporting News, youll get all you need to know in one handy, bite- Jeffery Simmons Jersey sized podcast hosted by Demetria Obilor. The Sporting News 7 is a unique take on the days biggest talking points in sports, and Adoree' Jackson Jersey you can find iton,or wherever you get your podcasts. Here are the seven stories you'll hear about on Friday, March 11, 2022: MLB: NFL: NBA: NBA: , NCAAB: Georgia fires Tom Crean, Juwan Howard returns but Adam Humphries Jersey and NHL: SOCCER:

The coach's challenge is a relatively new addition to the NBA's rulebook, so the proce s can be confusing for basketball fans who haven't seen it play out. Don't worry we're here to help. Ahead of the 2019-20 season, the NBA introduced the coach's challenge on a one-year trial basis. The league then approved the coach's challenge on a full-time basis before the 2020-21 campaign. The NBA has made some minor tweaks to the coach's challenge in recent years, but David Moore Jersey the basics of the system have remained consistent. MORE: How the NBA coach's challenge works () Each team has one challenge available per game. The NBA doesn't reward coaches for succe Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey sful challenges unlike the NFL and MLB. It's one-and-done, regardle s of the result.In order to initiate a challenge, a coach must call a timeout and then ask for a replay review prior to the start of a free throw attempt, change of po se sion or jump ball. During games, you may see the standard spinning motion with an index finger used as a signal from coaches to trigger a review as well as flashinglights at the scorer's table.If a challenge is succe sful, the team keeps its timeout. If the call on the floor stands, that timeout is gone.A coachcan challenge these types of plays:Personal foul calls made against his teamOut-of-bounds callsGoaltending/basket interference callsA key point: coaches can't challenge non-calls. That means a coach isonly able Russell Wilson Jersey to force a review of a foul called on the floor that hebelieves is not a foul. A coach can't challenge a callthat was mi sed in order to change it to NFL Seattle Seahawks Jersey a foul. However, other reviewable i sues can be covered as part of the challenge (foul called on correct player, continuation, out-of-bounds, etc.).The on-court crew chief makes the final decisions on foul call reviews. The replay center referee makes the final decisions on all other reviews.Here is the wording that matters most on challenges: "clear and conclusive visual evidence" is required in order to overturn a call on the floor.A note on out-of-bounds calls . . . The NBA's board of governors before the start of the 2021-22 season. Reviews of out-of- Rashaad Penny Jersey bounds calls in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime are now triggered by a coach's challenge rather than referees. Monty McCutchen, the NBA's vice president of referee development and training, told Sports Illustrated's Howard Beck that the constant reviewing was "taking away from the joy of the game itself." "We had several games last year that had anextensive amount of time to play the last two minutes, and that drove this idea that we want to find the balance of getting the calls right while still injecting flow, still injecting the ability to play the game in real time,"McCutchen said. What is the succe s rate for challenges in the NBA? () 2020-21 regular seasonTypeTotalSucce sfulUnsucce sfulOverturn rateCalled foul58627431246.8%Out-of-bounds53332062.3%Goaltending/basket interference94544.4%Overall64831133748.0%2021 L.J. Collier Jersey NBA PlayoffsTypeTotalSucce sfulUnsucce sfulOverturn rateCalled foul45103522.2%Out-of-bounds32166.7%Goaltending/basket interference0000.0%Overall48123625.0%

Hosting the defending champions on Monday night, the Celtics were riding a three-game losing streak but they did have something elsegoing for them - Jayson Tatum's recent Cody Latimer Jersey hot stretch. The 6-foot-8 forward erupted for a season-high 42 points, 16 of which came in the final quarter as he iced the game and led Boston to the 117-102 win. Of the remaining 31 points, he scored 21in the middle two quarters whenBoston took control of the game by Darius Slayton Jersey . NBALeaguePa s: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial) Tatum's points tally was a game-high and his impact was displayed by his plus-minus of +21 in 38 minutes of action. Along with his 42, he also recorded five rebounds, four a sists and three steals. This is the eighth 40- Markus Golden Jersey point game of his career, tying him with Tom Heinsohn for the Jayson Tatum tonight:42 PTS16-25 FG7-13 3PIts his 8th 40-point game tying Paul Pierce for the most ever by a Celtic before turning 24. StatMuse (@statmuse) En route to 42, Tatum knocked down seven 3-pointers which is also a season-high and just one shy of his career-high. Efficiency has got to be the most pleasing takeawayfrom this game for Tatum, the Celtics and their fans. In a season, where the All-Star is shooting career-lows from the Julian Love Jersey field (42.3 percent) and beyond the arc (33.9 percent), he scored 42 on 64.0 percent shooting from the field and 53.8 percent from 3-point range (7-of-13). A huge reason NFL New York Giants Jersey for his efficiency in this game washis shot selection. Take a look at how few mid-range shots Tatum attempted while going a spectacular . This explosion against the defending champions is part of Tatum's red-hot December, where he leads the league in total points, with . Trae Young, the player ranked second behind Tatum, trails by 39 points having playedone game le s. During this stretch, the Celtics wing has recorded three 30-point games (at Lakers, at Trail Blazers, at Jazz). For the season, he has recorded 11 Aldrick Rosas Jersey 30-point games which is (as ofMonday, Dec. 13) with the Young and Kevin Durant.

The Lakers mi sed out on Kawhi Leonard in free agency, but they will still face sky-high expectations coming into the 2019-20 season. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis running the show, the Lakers are a serious title contender. It won't be Philadelphia Eagles Jersey an easy road ahead, though, as Western Conference teams like the Clippers, Jazz, Nuggets and Rockets are also hoping to earn a trip to the 2019 NBA Finals. NBA SCHEDULE RELEASE: The road to the playoffs begins in Los Angeles where the Lakers will be the "road" team against the Clippers at Staples Center on Opening Night (Oct. 22). Lakers fans can check out thefull 82-game schedule below. Lakers schedule for 2019-20 season (All times Eastern) DateOpponentTimeTV channelOct. 22at Clippers10:30 p.m.TNTOct. 25vs. Jazz10:30 p.m.ESPNOct. 27vs. Hornets9:30 p.m.Oct. 29vs. Grizzlies10:30 p.m.NBA TVNov. 1at Mavericks9:30 p.m.ESPNNov. 3at Spurs7 p.m.Nov. 5at Bulls8 p.m.NBA TVNov. 8vs. Heat10:30 p.m.Nov. 10vs. Raptors9:30 p.m.Nov. 12at Suns9 p.m.Nov. 13vs. Warriors10 p.m.ESPNNov. 15vs. Kings10:30 p.m Tommy McDonald Jersey .Nov. 17vs. Hawks9:30 p.m.Nov. 19vs. Thunder10:30 p.m.NBA TVNov. 22at Thunder8 p.m.Nov. 23at Grizzlies8 p.m.Nov. 25at Spurs8:30 p.m.Nov. 27at Pelicans9:30 p.m.ESPNNov. 29vs. Wizards10:30 p.m.NBA TVDec. 1vs. Mavericks4 p.m.Dec. 3at Nuggets9 p.m.Dec. 4at Jazz9 p.m.NBA TVDec. 6at Trail Blazers10:30 p.m.ESPNDec. 8vs. Timberwolves9:30 p.m.Dec. 11at Magic7 p.m.Dec. 13at Heat8 p.m.ESPNDec. 15at Hawks6 p.m.Dec. 17at Pacers7 p.m.NBA TVDec. 19at Bucks8 p.m.TNTDec. 22vs. Nuggets9:30 Nick Foles Jersey p.m.NBA TVDec. 25vs. Clippers8 p.m.ABC/ESPNDec. 28at Trail Blazers10 p.m.Dec. 29vs. Mavericks9:30 p.m.Jan. 1vs. Suns10:30 p.m.Jan. 3vs. Pelicans10:30 p.m.ESPNJan. 5vs. Pistons10 p.m.Jan. 7vs. Knicks10:30 p.m.NBA TVJan. 10at Mavericks8:30 p.m.Jan. 11at Thunder8 p.m.Jan. 13vs Paul Worrilow Jersey . Cavaliers10:30 p.m.Jan. 15vs. Magic10:30 p.m.Jan. 18at Rockets8:30 p.m.ABCJan. 20at Celtics7:30 p.m.TNTJan. 22at Knicks7:30 p.m.Jan. 23at Nets8 p.m.TNTJan. 25at 76ers8:30 p.m.ABCJan. 28vs. Clippers10 p.m.TNTJan. 31vs. Trail Blazers10:30 p.m.ESPNFeb. 1at Kings10 p.m.Feb. 4vs. Spurs10:30 p.m.Feb. 6vs. Rockets10:30 p.m.TNTFeb. 8at Warriors8:30 p.m.ABCFeb. 10vs. Suns10:30 p.m.NBA TVFeb. 12at Nuggets10 p.m.ESPNFeb. 21vs. Grizzlies10:30 p.m.Feb. 23vs. Celtics3:30 p.m.ABCFeb. 25vs. Pelicans10 p.m.Feb Zach Ertz Jersey . 27at Warriors10:30 p.m.TNTFeb. 29at Grizzlies8 p.m.March 1at Pelicans8 p.m.ESPNMarch 3vs. 76ers10 p.m.March 6vs. Bucks10:30 p.m.ESPNMarch 8at Clippers3:30 p.m.ABCMarch 10vs. Nets10:30 p.m.March 12vs. Rockets10:30 p.m.TNTMarch 15vs. Nuggets9 p.m.ESPNMarch 16at Jazz9 p.m.March 18vs. Jazz10 p.m.ESPNMarch 21at Hornets7 p.m.March 22at Pistons6 p.m.March 24at Raptors7:30 p.m.TNTMarch 26at Cavaliers7 p.m.March 28at Wizards8 p.m.March 30at Timberwolves8 p.m.April 1vs. Pacers10:30 p.m.April 4at Kings10 p.m.April 5vs. Thunder9:30 p.m.NBA TVApril 7vs. Bulls10:30 p.m.April 9vs. Warriors10:30 p.m.TNTApril 12vs. Timberwolves9:30 p.m.NBA TVApril 14vs. Kings10:30 p Josh Sweat Jersey .m.April 15at Suns10 p.m.

Loud andloquacious,Charles Barkley never holds back. He has no filter, proudly expre sing his views on TNT, even if no one else agrees with him. It's what makes him a great NBA commentator and why Inside The NBA is a must-watch at all times. Given Barkley's ability to pontificate, it should come as no surprise that the Hall of Famer hasa simple explanation for Philadelphia's whopping 35-point blowout lo s in Game 5 to the Miami Heat on Brent Seabrook Jersey Tuesday Joel Embiid was upset about not winning the MVP. Embiid finished second in MVP voting, losing out to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who won the award for the second consecutive year. The Sixers superstar big man definitely had a case to win but Jokic had a historically phenomenal season for the Nuggets, keeping the team afloat in a tough Western Conference without his running mates of Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray. According to Barkley, losing to Jokic was the reason Embiid played so poorly against the Heat. "When you're mad about something, it can work both ways. It's working the wrong way for Joel Embiid tonight."Chuck sounds off on Embiid's first half performance in Game 5. NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) "Joel Embiid is so distracted, in my opinion, by this MVP thing," Barkley said at halftime of Game 5. "He's not there tonight. He's got 6 points but he's not being aggre sive, he's throwing the ball away - I mean like, I wonder on that team who's going to go, 'Hey man, you're the MVP. We know you're the MVP. Now go out there and prove it.' But Ernie, when you are mad about something it can work Tony Esposito Jersey both ways. And it's working the wrong way for Joel Embiid tonight. He is so distracted." MORE: After just scoring just six points in the first half, Embiid finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds in 33 minutes of action. Embiid only took 12 shots, going 7-of-12 from the field and only got to the free-throw line three times. During the regular season, Embiid averaged 11.8 free-throw attempts a game and before Game 5, he was averaging 10.3 free-throw attempts a game in the postseason. Embiid was also a minus-29 in Game 5, which, according to ESPN Stats & Info, is the worst plus-minus of his postseason career. So did Barkley have a point? Was Embiid in his feelings about not winning the MVP to put up an all-time stinker of a game? Embiid talks about his health and not winning MVP In his postgame pre s conference, Embiid stated that he believed he had a locked-in mentality heading into Game 5 but that his body simply wasn't cooperating. "Coming in, I had the right mindset," Embiid said. "There's a lot going on, and sometimes your body won't allow you to be yourself. In those moments, you just got to keep pushing and hope for the best. At this point, it's all about being there and keep pushing." As he alluded to, Embiid is battered and bruised. He's nursing a thumb injury and Nathan Noel Jersey is still recovering from a right orbital fracture and concu sion that kept him out of the first two games of the series. To make matters worse, Embiid got accidentally hit in the face in the first half by Heat center Dewayne Dedmon and seemed to be in a considerable amount of pain. Embiid however, downplayed his health and any injuries he may be dealing with. For Embiid, he has to play because he knows a narrative will be created if he doesn't. "This is a lose-lose situation for me," Embiid said. "If I dont play, Ill probably get called soft. If I play and I play bad, theyll probably come up with a bunch of stuff like, hes just not good enough. The media's narrative about him was a key talking point for Embiid. When asked about his thoughts about Jokic winning the MVP over him, Embiid spoke at length about not winning, the voting proce s for the award and how he's now just focused on winning an NBA championship. "This is something I knew weeks ago, even probably two weeks before the season ended, after those games against Denver and Milwaukee, and when ESPN's Tim Bontemps did his straw poll or whatever. I just knew it wasn't going to happen. "Obviously, Marian Hossa Jersey congrats to Nikola, he deserved it, he had an amazing season. There's no right or wrong, there were a lot of candidates. It could have gone either way. Giannis Antetokounmpo or Devin Booker, being on the best team in the league. So I gue s every year it's all about whatever you guys decided, whatever fits the narrative as far as who's going to win. "I go back to what I heard on a podcast. The Ringer's Bill Simmons basically saying, it sounded like he had a grudge against Rockets rookie Jalen Green. Saying 'F Jalen Green.' If you're going to allow these types of people to vote on these awards, that's not fair Michael Jordan Jersey . "What if Jalen Green was in position to earn a supermax contract , or I don't know, an All-Star appearance? You've got someone sounding like that and has a lot of power, he can sway a lot of other media members. I don't think it's fair. I don't think it's okay. "That's really the only thing I'll say about NBA awards. I'm not mad. The last two years in a row I've put myself in that position, it didn't happen. It's almost like at this point, it's whatever. Whatever happens, happens. "Last year I campaigned about it, this year I answered questions when I was asked, and the next, you know, few years before I retire it's almost like, I don't know what I have to do to win it. To me, it's just whatever. "But it's really time to really put all my energy into the bigger picture, which is to win the whole thing." So was Embiid actually upset about not winning the MVP? Clearly, Embiid has some thoughts about not winning the MVP. But overall, it doesn't sound like Embiid not winning factored into his atrocious performance against the Heat in Game 5. He was just banged up and that simply factored into how he played. "I wasn't aggre sive tonight," Embiid said. "I just got to have that mentality for four quarters. I like our chances to come back here." 76ers vs. Heat schedule, TV Adam Boqvist Jersey channels Here is the complete schedule for the second-round series between the 76ers and Heat. DateGameTime (ET) / ResultTV channelMay 2Game 1Heat 106, 76ers 92May 4Game 2Heat 119, 76ers 103May 6Game 376ers 99, Heat 79May 8Game 476ers 116, Heat 108May 10Game 5Heat 120, Sixers 85May 12Game 67:00 p.m. ETESPNMay 15Game 7*TBDTBD *if nece sary

The hatred between the Bulls and Pistons teams of the early 1990sis still strong, and Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas remainright at the center of the rivalry. Exclusive interviews from ESPN's documentary series "" recently brought the Hall of Fame feud back into the spotlight. It's clearJordan and the Bulls didn't respecthow the "Bad Boy" Pistons approached the game, and that animosityextended well beyond the floor. In fact, one of the biggest controversies from that era didn't even involve NBA competition. Thomas' omi sion from the 1992 "Dream Team" Olympic roster frustrates the two-time NBA champion to this day, and there has been plenty of speculation about Jordan's role in the decision. Purely based on merit, Thomas deserved to play with that legendary groupin Barcelona. Did Jordan shut down Thomas' dream of winning a gold medal? Or were there other factors involved? MORE: Why Michael Jordan may have kept Isiah Thomas off Sandy Koufax Jersey the 'Dream Team' Before the Bulls became a dynasty, they struggled to advance past the Pistons, losing to Detroit in the 1988, 1989 and 1990 playoffs before finally breaking through in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals. Chicago swept its way to the NBA Finals, closing out the series with a 115-94 victory in Game 4. With 7.9 seconds left remaining in regulation, Pistons players walked off the floor right past the Bulls' bench without the customary hand shakes. Cameras followed Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Mark Aguirre as they headed toward the locker room before the final buzzer sounded. After getting swept in the ECF, the Pistons refused to shake hands with the Ross Stripling Jersey Bulls SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) During his interview for "The Last Dance," Thomas expre sed regret and conceded he should have congratulated the Bulls. Jordan wasn't buying the explanation. "Whatever Thomas says now, you know it wasn't his true feelings then," Jordan said in the documentary. "You know, there's time enough to think about, or the reaction of the public that's changed his perspective. You can show me anything you want. There's no way you can convince me that he wasn't an ahole." Thomas told ESPN's Mike Greenberg and Jalen Rose on A. J. Pollock Jersey "Get Up" that it "personally hurt" him to be left off the "Dream Team," and hediscu sed the potential impact of his infamous walk-off. "The only thing that's mi sing from my resume is not being on the 'Dream Team,'" Thomas said."When the 'Dream Team' was selected, and I wasn't a part of it, there was a lot of controversy around it. And I still don't know who did it or why they say I didn't make it. I know the criteria for selection of making the team, I had fit all the criteria. And that's a big hole in my resume. That is the biggest hole in my resume. That is the only place and that's the only thing on my resume that I did not succeed at. ... "I tried to do everything correctly, and I thought I should have made that 'Dream Team.' However, I wasn't a part of it. That hurt me, and looking back, if I'm not a part Joc Pederson Jersey of the 'Dream Team' because of a lapse in emotion in terms of not shaking someone's hand, if that's the reason why I didn't make the 'Dream Team,' then I am more disappointed today than I was back then when I wasn't selected." MORE: But should Michael Jordan receive all the blame? While Jordan is oftenviewed as the primary culprit, Thomas acknowledges other members of the "Dream Team" spoke more openly about his po sible inclusion. "Honestly, I've never heard Jordan really say that he didn't want me on the 'Dream Team,'" Thomas told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. "Now I've heard people say that for him, but I've never heard it come out of his mouth. The only two people I've really heard say anything is Scottie Pippenand Karl Malone." It's po sible Jordan spoke with someone privately about Thomas' status, but the larger i sue may have been the overall uneasine s about what Thomas' presence would mean for team chemistry. As Thomas noted, he wasn't seen favorably in the eyes ofPippenand Malone, and Magic Johnson lateradmitted in his bookhe wasIt's not like Larry Bird was going to bat for Thomas, either, after the ugly battles between the Celtics and Pistons in Kenta Maeda Jersey the1980s. Rod Thorn, a longtime NBA executive who drafted Jordan in 1984 and was part of theUSA BasketballMen's National Team Selection Committee, that Jordan had noinvolvement in the constructionthe "Dream Team" roster. "There was never anything in my conversation with Jordan that had to do with Isiah Thomas, period," Thorn said. "He said, 'I'll do it.' Everybody else said they would do it, most of them right away. ... Isiah's name never came up during that conversation. And he never backtracked and said he didn't want to do it from that time on, to those of us in the NBA office. "Now, if that in fact happened, then it happened with somebody else. Because when I talked to him, he ended up saying he would definitely do it." This is likely not a black-and-white i sue, but rather one with shades of gray. From a basketball perspective, did a player likeChristian Laettner deserve a spot over Thomas? Of course not but basketball wasnot the only consideration. MORE: 1992 USA "Dream Team" roster, statsPlayerPoints per gameRebounds per gameA sists per gameCharles Barkley18.04.12.4Larry Bird8.43.81.8Clyde Drexler10.53.03.6Patrick Ewing9.55.30.4Magic Johnson8.02.35.5Michael Justin Turner Jersey Jordan14.92.44.8Christian Laettner4.82.50.4Karl Malone13.05.31.1Chris Mullin12.91.63.6Scottie Pippen9.02.15.9David Robinson9.04.10.9John Stockton2.80.32.0

Can beef be reheated? In October, Kyrie Irving made waves by seemingly throwing some shade at saying that playing alongside Durant is the Landry Shamet Jersey first time in his career that he's felt that a teammate can knock down a game-winning shot. Irving's quote on the show: "One thing Ive always been comfortable with is I felt like I was the best option on every team I played for down the stretch,"Irving said. "This is the first time in my career where I could look down and be like, That mother fer can make that shot too, and hed probably do it a lot easier.' You know what I mean? I feel like OK, well, its not really so much deferring. Because, in past situations, if I didn't take the last shot, I felt guilty." MORE: This, of course, kind of flies in the face of former Avery Bradley Jersey Irving teammate LeBron James, alongside whom Irving played with the Cavaliers between 2014 and 2017. James, of course, is known as one of, if not the greatest, basketball stars of all time.They, of course, also won a championship. LeBron broke his silence on Monday, revealing that he had indeed heard Irving's words and wanted to make Paul George Jersey sure of the context surrounding the quotes before admitting he felt a bit upset from them: LeBron shares his thoughts on Kyries comments about him finally playing alongside someone who he trusts to make clutch shots. (via ) Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) "I was a little like, 'Damn.' Once I got the whole transcript, I was Rodney McGruder Jersey like, 'Damn,'" James said. "I wasn't like, 'Aw, you trippin', I've hit game-winning shots my whole life. I was not like that. I was like, 'Damn.' "You (Richard Jefferson) were there for a couple seasons, I played with him for three seasons. The whole time while I was there, I only wanted to see him be the MVP of our league. I only cared about his succe s. And it just didn't align, Tobias Harris Jersey it just didn't align.We were able to win a championship that's the craziest thing. We were still able to win a championship and we could never align. But I only cared about his well-being bothon and off the floor and it kind of hurt me a little bit." In the 2016 NBA Finals, James scored 208 points to Irving's 190, and both teammates exploded for 40 points each in Game 5, the first time that had been done in NBA Finals history. Irving was traded to Boston after the 2017 season, fueling rumors that the relationship between he and James had soured. Irving recently said he doesn't want his words With the Lakers still a favorite to at least visit the NBA Finals, a potential showdown with the Nets Jerome Robinson Jersey who are expecting Kevin Durant at full capacity this season would be the very definition of "THIS LEAGUE." Hopefully it'll come to be(ef).

For the first time since 2010, the NBA Finals are back in Boston. The Celtics' storied history includes 22 trips to the NBA Finals, 17 of which ended with an NBA title. Over the franchise's 75-year history, some of the greatest players to ever play the game suited up in the green and white, contributing to their record-tying 17 titles. Alongside the 17 NBA championship banners that hang at TD Garden are the numbers or name of 24 legends that made their Roger Maris Jersey mark in the history of the Celtics franchise. MORE: Most recently, Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett was immortalized in Celtics' lore when his jersey was raised to the rafters in March of 2022. However brief it may have seemed, Garnett made his mark in Boston, winning Defensive Player of the Year of the 2007-08 season, making him the first player in franchise history to win the honor. Not long after Garnett was crowned as the league's best defender did he help the Miles Mikolas Jersey Celtics win the 2008 NBA championship, the most recent title in franchise history. As the Celtics look to add another championship banner to the rafters in 2022, look back at the list of historic figures that have received the ultimate honor of having their number hang from the rafters in Boston. MORE: Boston Celtics retired numbers (Getty Images) Here is the complete list of every number retired by the Boston Celtics. No.NameSeasons00Robert Parish1980-19941Walter Brown*1946-19642Red Auerbach**1950-20063Dennis Johnson1983-19905Kevin Garnett2007-20136Bill Ru sell1956-196910Jo Jo White1969-197914Bob Cousy1950-196315Tom Heinsohn1956-196516Tom "Satch" Sanders1960-197317John Havlicek1962-197818Dave Cowens1970- Keith Hernandez Jersey 198019Don Nelson1965-197621Bill Sharman1950-196122Ed Macauley1950-195623Frank Ramsey1954-196424Sam Jones1957-196925K.C. Jones1959-196731Cedric Maxwell1978-198532Kevin McHale1980-199333Larry Bird1979-199234Paul Pierce1998-201335Reggie Lewis1987-1993LOSCY***Jim Loscutoff1955-1964Other notable Celtics with jerseyretired No. 6 Bill Ru sell,won an NBA-record 11 NBA championships and is the namesake of the NBA Finals MVP trophy No. 31 Cedric Maxwell,1981 NBA Finals MVP and current radio analyst for the Celtics No. 33 Larry Bird,three-time NBA champion and the namesake of the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy No. 34 Paul Pierce,the most recent Celtic to win NBA Finals MVP, doing so during the team's 2008 NBA title run *Brown is the founder and the first owner of the Boston Celtics Andrew Miller Jersey franchise **No. 2 "signifies that Auerbach is second only to Walter Brown as the most significant person in the history of the Boston Celtics organization" ***Loscutoff wore No. 18 but asked that his number not be retired Brett Cecil Jersey so that a future player could wear it. No. 18 would later be retired for Cowens. Why did Kevin Garnett wear No. 5 with the Celtics? When Garnett joined the Celtics prior to the 2007-08 season, he switched from No. 21 to No. 5. Although the Hall of Famer wore No. 21 during his first 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, that number was already retired in Boston for Bill Sharman. Garnett wore No. 5 for six seasons with the Celtics before switching to No. 2 following his trade to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013. How many championship rings does Kevin Garnett have? Garnett won the 2008 NBA championship with the Celtics. During Boston's run to the title, Garnett averaged 20.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in 26 games Lou Brock Jersey throughout the 2008 playoffs. That was Garnett's only championship. He led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2010 where they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.

The NBA offseason has not officially begun until rumors start flying about the Knicks bringing a star to Madison Square Garden. Well, here we Denzel Ward Jersey go! New York could be interested in a deal for Rockets guard Ru sell Westbrook if Houston decides to put him on the trade block. : Something else to keep an eye on: some agents who represent top point guard free agents believe the Knicks would poke around on a potentialRu sell Westbrooktrade if Houston makes him available. It's worth noting that Westbrook, per sources, saw New York as a welcome landing spot last summer when Oklahoma City was talking to teams about potential trades. MORE: There is a lotof uncertainty surrounding the Rockets after they parted ways with coach Mike D'Antoni following a second-round flameout against the Lakers. Houston's failure to reach the NBA Finals while in win-now mode and its current financial situation could force the front office to consider all of their options, including Terrance Mitchell Jersey a Westbrook trade. Just take a look at the contracts of Westbrook, James Harden and Eric Gordon. Yikes. SeasonHardenWestbrookGordon2020-21$41.3M$41. Rashard Higgins Jersey 4M$16.9M2021-22$44.3M$44.2M$18.2M2022-23$47.4M*$47.1M*$19.6M *Player option The Knicks appear willing to take on a large contract, as they have also been , who is set to make more than $80 million over the next two seasons. New York could entice Houston with draft picks because the Rockets don't hold a slot in the 2020 NBA Draft, and theyowefuture first Christian Kirksey Jersey -round selections(2024 and 2026) to the Thunder as part of last year's Westbrook trade in addition tofuture pick swaps (2021 and 2025). Sure, both sides could figure out a deal, but here's the thing: Why would the Knicks or Rockets want to do this? Westbrook will turn 32 years old in November, so he doesn't fit the timelinesofRJ Barrett (20) and Mitchell Robinson (22). He can still be an impactful player, but Westbrookis a non-shooter and would eat up po se sions that should go toward developing the Knicks' youngsters. On top of that, New York shouldn't be seeking outcontracts that will serve as roadblocks in their rebuild. As for the Rockets, Phillip Gaines Jersey unle s they are simply desperate to get rid of Westbrook, it seems unlikely they would send him to NYC. Perhaps they could snag role players and/ordraft picks, but if the Knicks are taking on Westbrook's money, they may not be willing to offer many valuable a sets and they may want one attached to Westbrook coming their way. Chad Thomas Jersey It's hard to envision a scenario in which such a transaction significantly boosts Houston's title chances. (Whether the Rockets are prepared to consider the po sibility of rebuilding themselves is a different question.) Anything involving the Knicks will attract attention because, well, they're the Knicks, but this just sounds like another item on a long list of hypotheticals.

The Spurs have re-signed forward Rudy Gay, the team announced Monday. Per team policy, no terms of the new contract were disclosed, but previously that Allen Robinson Jersey the deal would be for two years and $32 million. Gay, who'll turn 33 next month, is one of two players in the NBA with LeBron James who has at least 15,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, 1,000 steals and 500 blocks since he was drafted in 2006. The 13- Charles Leno Jersey year veteran appeared in 69 games last season for the Spurs and averaged 13.7 points witha career-high 6.8 reboundsand 2.6 a sists in 26.7 minutes while shooting a career-best .504 (376-for-746) from the floor and a career-best .402 (74-184) from 3-point range. Tarik Cohen Jersey The new contract marks the third time the unrestricted free agent has signed with the Spurs after originally joining San Antonio on July 2017 and re-signing last year on a Jim McMahon Jersey reported one-year, $10 million deal. In 126 total games over two seasons with the Spurs, Gay has averaged 12.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 a sists in 24.4 minutes while shooting .490 from the floor and .368 from beyond the Devin Hester Jersey arc. He holds career averages of 17.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 a sists and 1.26 steals in 34.0 minutes. Gay was drafted by the Rockets in the first round (eighth overall) in 2016 but was traded to the Grizzlies before his rookie season. NFL Chicago Bears Jersey He played for the Grizzlies, Raptors and Kings before first signing with the Spurs. Related Articles