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Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo Out For Game 4

April 28th, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Rory Maher

As expected, Bucks stars Damian Lillard (right Achilles) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (left calf) have been ruled out Sunday’s Game 4 in Indiana, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Both players had previously been listed as doubtful.

Lillard has been dealing with pain in his Achilles tendon for a few weeks. Although he said he was feeling much better entering the playoffs, he aggravated the injury in Friday’s Game 3, which Milwaukee lost in overtime.

Antetokounmpo has been sidelined since April 9 due to a left soleus strain, which is one of the muscles in the calf. The two-time MVP had another incredible regular season in 2023/24, averaging 30.4 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG and 1.1 BPG while shooting a career-high 61.1% from the field in 73 games (35.2 MPG), but has been injured in the playoffs for the second straight year.

As Nehm writes in a full story for The Athletic, the Bucks are approaching tonight’s Game 4 with a “next-man-up mentality.”

“I think for us, it’s our competitive nature,” wing Pat Connaughton said. “We believe we have a locker room of great players and we have guys that can have a ‘next-man-up mentality’ and can play. We have guys who have been situations and obviously delivered in the past, especially in the postseason. So making sure we lean on them.

“Just making sure that we don’t let those things mentally let us off the hook. It’s the playoffs. Everyone’s dealing with something, on our side, on their side, how do we fight through it? How do we find ways to win one game, win a battle? Overall, the series will be the war, but try to win a battle on Sunday and make sure we do it together and make sure we pick each other up with whatever it might be.”

Milwaukee currently trails the first-round series with Indiana 1-2.

Knicks’ Bogdanovic Has Wrist Injury, May Need Offseason Surgery

April 28th, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Rory Maher

Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic recently underwent an MRI on his sore left wrist, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the 35-year-old has ligament damage and may need surgery in the offseason.

Bogdanovic plans to play through the injury for the remainder of the playoffs, Scotto adds.

It’s unclear when the Croatian veteran initially sustained the wrist injury, but he has been wearing a wrap on it since April 7, a week before the regular season ended.

New York acquired Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Pistons at the February trade deadline in the deal that sent Quentin Grimes to Detroit.

It’s a tough blow for the Knicks, who are already shorthanded in the frontcourt with Julius Randle out due to season-ending shoulder surgery. Mitchell Robinson‘s left ankle sprain could keep him on the sidelines for Sunday’s Game 4 as well.

Bogdanovic put up big offensive numbers in starting roles with Indiana, Utah and Detroit over the past several seasons, but he hasn’t been as effective or efficient for New York. Through three playoff games in 2023/24, he’s averaging 8.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 16.7 MPG. While he has converted 40% of his three-point looks (6-of-15), he’s just 1-of-9 on twos (11.1%).

Bogdanovic’s $19MM salary for ’24/25 is only partially guaranteed for $2MM. He could be a free agent this summer if the Knicks release him before his contract becomes fully guaranteed.

The Knicks currently have a 2-1 lead in their first-round series with the 76ers.

Damian Lillard’s Status For Game 4 In Doubt With Achilles Strain

April 27th, 2024 at 11:53am CST by Tristan Tucker

As we wrote earlier on Saturday, the Bucks‘ injury issues are getting worse before they get better, as there is serious doubt Damian Lillard will be ready for Game 4 against the Pacers due to an Achilles strain, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Charania, who adds that Lillard is currently in a walking boot, notes in a separate tweet that the eight-time All-Star played through significant soreness in his Achilles tendon in recent weeks, which was aggravated in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

The Bucks are now facing the potential of being without both of their superstars – Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard – as they look to even the series at two games apiece.

Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 35.4% from three on 8.5 attempts per game in his first year with the Bucks.

In the first two games of the series against the Pacers, he scored a combined 69 points. Despite the injury, he played 44 minutes in Game 3 and recorded 28 points and eight assists.

The Pacers lead the series 2-1. The two teams square off again on Sunday, with the Pacers looking to take the series back to Milwaukee with a 3-1 series lead.

Amazon Prime Video Poised To Reach Deal For NBA Rights

April 26th, 2024 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has the framework of an agreement in place with Amazon Prime Video that will make the streaming giant one of the league’s primary homes beginning in 2025/26, reports Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.

According to Marchand, Prime Video is on track to secure the rights to “significant” regular season and postseason games, including possibly some conference finals. The expectation is that Amazon’s deal with the NBA will cover at least 10 years.

ESPN/ABC (Disney) also appears set to return as an NBA rights holder, according to Marchand, who says the NBA Finals are expected to remain on ABC through the next TV deal. Like Amazon’s deal, a new agreement between ESPN/ABC and the league will likely run for at least a decade beginning in ’25/26, Marchand adds.

As has been previously reported, after years of having deals in place with two major rights holders (ESPN/ABC and TNT Sports), the league is looking to expand to accommodate at least three media rights holders in these negotiations. So the fact that TNT Sports (Warner Bros. Discovery) doesn’t yet have a deal lined up doesn’t mean that the network won’t continue to broadcast the NBA beyond the 2024/25 season.

However, unless the NBA reaches deals with four separate partners – which is a possibility – TNT Sports may end up going head-to-head with NBC (and its streaming service Peacock) for the final package of games, per Marchand. Warner Bros. Discovery would have the right of first refusal, Marchand notes, but NBC could try to structure a deal in a way that would make its offer difficult to match.

As existing rights holders, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery had an exclusive negotiating window with the NBA this spring, but that window closed on Monday night, opening the door for the league to talk to Amazon, NBC, and other potential partners.

Although Amazon and ESPN/ABC have serious momentum toward deals with the NBA, there are still some details to work out, according to Marchand, who points out that the existing TV packages will have to be reduced slightly to make room for the incoming third partner. For example, in one scenario that has been discussed, ESPN’s per-season inventory would be cut back from about 100 games to 80ish, executives briefed on the talks tell The Athletic.

The NBA’s current nine-year, $24 billion media rights deal runs through the 2024/25 season, so there’s no urgency to complete the new agreement in the immediate future, but it sounds like it will likely be done sooner rather than later. Previous reports suggested the league would likely have a new media rights deal in place by this summer.

Mitchell Robinson Exits Game 3 With Ankle Sprain

April 25th, 2024 at 10:25pm CST by Tristan Tucker

10:25pm: Robinson was seen exiting Wells Fargo Center wearing a walking boot, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer (Twitter link).

10:02pm: Knicks center Mitchell Robinson exited Game 3 against the Sixers with a sprained left ankle, according to the team (Twitter link). Robinson had been listed as questionable to play in the game due to an ankle issue.

According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, Robinson looked hobbled throughout the game (Twitter link). Even though he was playing through an injury, losing Robinson is a huge deal for the Knicks with Joel Embiid on the other side of the court.

Robinson averaged 5.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 31 games this season. In the first two games of the series, he averaged 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. When he exited the game, Robinson had two points and seven boards. New York was a plus-seven in Robinson’s 12 minutes of play, but lost Game 3 by 11 points.

Isaiah Hartenstein, who drew the start, and Precious Achiuwa will likely see an increase in minutes if Robinson is unavailable. Hartenstein finished Game 3 with 14 points and five fouls, while Achiuwa had four points and three fouls.

By defeating the Knicks in Philadelphia, the Sixers earned their first win of the series, avoiding a 3-0 hole. The two teams will square off on Sunday for Game 4, and it’s unlikely Robinson will be ready to play much, if at all, in that game. Recovery times for ankle sprains differ wildly, so we’ll have to wait more to hear about his timeline. Robinson, who underwent ankle surgery in December, missed 51 regular season games in 2023/24.

Stephen Curry Named 2023/24 Clutch Player Of The Year

April 25th, 2024 at 6:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry has won the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season, according to an announcement from the league (Twitter link). The Clutch Player of the Year is defined as the player who “best comes through for his teammates in the clutch” during the regular season.

Curry beat out Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan for the honor. In his age-35 season, Curry averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 74 games while shooting 45.0% from the field and 40.8% from beyond the arc on 11.8 attempts per game.

According to Warriors PR, Curry ranked first in points (189), field goals (59) and three-pointers (32) in the clutch this season. Clutch time is defined by the league as the last five minutes of a game in which the score is within five points. He shot 45.7% on three-pointers in clutch scenarios this year and the Warriors went 24-24 in clutch games this season.

Curry received 45 of 99 possible first-place votes and tallied 298 points, with DeRozan finishing as a close runner-up (34 first-place votes; 272 points), per the NBA (Twitter link). Gilgeous-Alexander received 11 first-place votes and 160 points.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic each received first-place votes and rounded out the top six finishers. A total of 15 players showed up on at least one ballot, with Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum also earning one first-place vote apiece.

Curry helped lead the Warriors to the No. 10 seed and a play-in berth before they were eliminated by the Kings.

Potential Lottery Pick Tidjane Salaun Entering Draft

April 25th, 2024 at 9:10am CST by Dana Gauruder

Potential lottery pick Tidjane Salaun has submitted paperwork to the NBA office, making him eligible for the draft, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

The French forward is currently ranked No. 15 on ESPN’s Best Available list. His shooting ability has made him an intriguing prospect for NBA teams.

Salaun has made 75 three-pointers in his 54 games with Cholet Basket in the FIBA Champions League and Pro A. The 6’10” forward is also an 80% free throw shooter.

Overall, the 18-year-old is averaging 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 23 minutes per game.

“The NBA has always been a dream of mine, but recently it’s become a goal,” Salaun said. “It’s just the logical next step for me. I learned a lot of things on and off the court this season. I’m ready to make a big step now for the next level.”

Defensively, Salaun can cover a lot of ground and possesses a 7’2” wingspan.

“I am an energizer for my team,” Salaun said. “I always give 100% bringing a lot of intensity and hustle. There is a fire in me that pushes me to be my best on every play.”

Salaun’s ability to participate in pre-draft workouts could be delayed until late May or June since his team is in playoff contention, Givony notes. Salaun was not considered a top prospect until recent months. He was cut from the French junior national team as a 17-year old.

“I had to work and hustle for everything,” Salaun said. “A lot of people doubted me. Some people who didn’t trust me before, I want to make them pay.”

Wolves’ Naz Reid Named Sixth Man Of The Year

April 24th, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves big man Naz Reid has been named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023/24 season, the league announced on Wednesday evening (via Twitter).

A former undrafted free agent, Reid averaged 13.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 0.9 BPG on .477/.414/.736 shooting in 81 games this season (24.2 MPG).

Reid is the first player in Timberwolves franchise history to win the Sixth Man award, per a team press release.

The 24-year-old was a major reason why Minnesota didn’t skip a beat when Karl-Anthony Towns was sidelined with a knee injury late in the season. The Wolves went 14-6 without Towns and 56-26 overall, good for the No. 3 seed in the West.

The voting was remarkably close (Twitter link via the NBA). In fact, it was the smallest margin between first- and second-place finishers since the current voting format was implemented 21 years ago, according to the league (via Twitter).

Reid finished with 45 first-place votes, 39 second-place votes and 10 third-place votes for a total of 352 points. Runner-up Malik Monk had the exact same number of second- and third-place votes, but finished with two fewer first-place votes for 342 total points.

Kings guard Monk appeared in 72 games this season for Sacramento, all off the bench. He averaged 15.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 5.1 APG on .443/.350/.829 shooting in 26.0 MPG.

Bucks big man Bobby Portis, who finished third in Sixth Man voting last season, finished a distant third again in ’23/24, receiving 81 total points. He averaged 13.8 PPG and 7.4 RPG on .508/.407/.790 shooting without missing a game this season for Milwaukee (24.5 MPG).

Clippers wing Norman Powell (65 points) and Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (40 points) finished fourth and fifth in voting, respectively. No other player received more than three points.

Powell actually received the most third-place votes of any player, but fewer first- and second-place votes than Portis, which is why he finished behind Milwaukee’s forward/center.

Jose Alvarado, Russell Westbrook, T.J. McConnell, Jonathan Isaac, Jaime Jaquez, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bojan Bogdanovic all received at least one vote.

Sixers’ Maxey Named Most Improved Player

April 23rd, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award for the 2023/24 season, the league’s communications department tweets.

Maxey edged out Bulls guard Coby White for the award. Maxey received 51 of 99 first-place votes while recording 319 voting points. White had just 32 first-place votes, but showed up on more ballots (91) than Maxey (79) and compiled 305 points.

The third finalist, Rockets center Alperen Sengun, was a distant third with six first-place votes and 92 points.

Thunder forward Jalen Williams and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson finished fourth and fifth, respectively, according to the NBA, which revealed the full voting results on Twitter.

A total of 14 players appeared on at least one ballot, with Wizards forward Deni Avdija and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton each earning one first-place vote.

Maxey, who is expected to sign a maximum-salary contract this offseason as a restricted free agent, ranked 11th in the NBA in points per game (+5.6 PPG from last season) and 20th in assists per game (+2.7 APG from last season). The first-time All-Star also made a career-high 212 three-pointers, up from 160 last season.

Maxey recorded three games of 50 or more points, tied for the most in the NBA. Those were the first 50-point games of his four-year career.

Maxey is the first member of the Sixers to win the award since Dana Barros was the leading vote-getter for the 1994/95 season.

Sixers To File Grievance Over Officating

April 23rd, 2024 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

4:26pm: The league acknowledged in its last two-minute report that Brunson and Josh Hart both fouled Maxey during the last-minute scramble. It also indicated Nurse should have been granted a timeout on the inbounds play, Bontemps tweets.

7:26am: Following their Game 2 loss to the Knicks in New York on Monday, the Sixers intend to file a grievance with the NBA over the officiating, a team spokesperson told Tim Bontemps of ESPN and Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.

According to Neubeck, the 76ers’ list of concerns will include (but won’t necessarily be limited to) the following:

Two calls in the last two-minute report from Game 1 went against the Sixers.
The Sixers have been the most disadvantaged team in the NBA this season based on last two-minute reports, with a report compiled in early April indicating that 22 missed calls benefited their opponents and 11 benefited them, the worst such ratio in the league.
The Knicks included detailed referee information in their game notes for the first two games of the series (Twitter link), which Bontemps describes as “unusual.”
The Sixers believe they should have been awarded a timeout at multiple points during a key inbounds play and possession late in Monday’s loss (Twitter video link). They also believe Tyrese Maxey was fouled during the play, with Jalen Brunson grabbing his jersey.

That inbounds play occurred with 27 seconds left in the game and the Sixers holding a two-point lead. Head coach Nick Nurse appeared to briefly signal for a timeout just before Kyle Lowry inbounded the ball to Maxey, who was held by Brunson. Maxey fell to the floor with the ball as Nurse attempted to call timeout again, but the Sixers lost possession before a timeout could be granted, leading to a Donte DiVincenzo go-ahead three-pointer.

“Well, the first thing is obviously they score,” Nurse said in describing the sequence after the game. “We take a look at getting it in quick. We don’t get it in quick. I call timeout. Referee looked right at me. Ignored me. Went into Tyrese, I called timeout again. Then the melee started.

“I guess I got to run out onto the floor or do something to make sure and get his attention, but I needed a timeout there to advance it. Would’ve been good. But, couldn’t get it.”

Joel Embiid was even more blunt in expressing his displeasure with the officiating.

“Everybody was trying to call a timeout on the floor,” Embiid said, per Bontemps. “Me included. Coach on the sideline. But they didn’t give it to us. But, forget about the timeout. There’s a bunch of fouls. That’s f—ing unacceptable. …That’s on the frigging referees. I hate to put the game on them. But I am sure the two-minute report is going to come out and we are going to see what happened. … We fought for 47 minutes and whatever 20 seconds. For that to happen … that’s not OK.”

The Sixers weren’t the only team with complaints about the officiating after a tough Monday loss. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes, the Lakers also had gripes to share after losing to Denver 101-99 on a Jamal Murray buzzer beater.

Los Angeles was upset that a Michael Porter Jr. foul on D’Angelo Russell in the third quarter, which would have led to a pair of free throws, was overturned because the contact was deemed “marginal” (Twitter video link). Russell later tweeted, “That’s a foul we all saw it on national television.”

“D-Lo clearly gets hit in the face on a drive,” LeBron James said. “What the f–k do we have a replay center for if it’s going to go [like that]? It doesn’t make sense to me. … It bothers me. … And then I just saw what happened with the Sixers-Knicks game too. Like, what are we doing?”

As Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets, the Sixers’ grievance isn’t a formal protest of Game 2, so it won’t affect the outcome of Monday’s contest. It’s presumably just an attempt at gamesmanship on behalf of the 76ers, who will be looking to regain an edge in the series as the teams head to Philadelphia for Game 3.

For what it’s worth, Embiid remains very confident in his team’s ability to pull out the series despite facing a 2-0 deficit.

“We’re good,” Embiid told reporters on Monday, according to Bontemps. “We’re going to win this series. “We are going to win this. We know what we got to fix. We did a better job today, so we are going to fix it. We are the better team. We are going to keep fighting.”