fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Day 3: Christmas Day Hoops!
Tags: LA Clippers, NBA, Celtics, Lakers, Basketball

MIA 111 v. 98 NO

The sniper that is Duncan Robinson showed the world how lethal he is. Here’s a comparison with some guys who are arguably the greatest shooters of all time.

Yea. That’s he’s that good!

The Pelicans seemed like a threat at the beginning of the game. BI and Zion fought valiantly throughout the game but their defense was just not there. Even with Jimmy Butler missing the whole second half the Heat took care of business behind Robinsons 23 and Dragics 17 points.

MIL 138 v. 99 GS

The Warriors might not make the playoffs. Yes, I said it. Sure they played the Nets and Bucks back to back so that’s why they lost. They play the Bulls and Pistons next which will tell us for sure if they are even in the hunt. They do not have an offense other than Curry and their defense is not that great.

Sure Giannis only scored 15 pts but did you see Middleton? Middleton is a beast who scored 31 pts on 10–15 shooting. We know Giannis is going to do his thing eventually, but with Middleton playing like this and the addition of Jrue Holiday to the lineup the Bucks are looking scary when Giannis regains his form.

BKN 123 v. 95 BOS

Yea, that happened the 7–11 show is for real. With KD and Kyrie dropping a combined 66 pts the Celtics were simply shot out of the gym. The Nets shot 53.9% from the field and 51.7% from 3 compared to the Celtics 37.8% and 29.6% respectively.

The problem for the Celtics is their offense. When Tatum or Brown is out of the game they are stuck. Until Kemba comes back this is going to be a problem that they will face. Celtics fans should not be too worried as they were not a full strength.

LAL 138 v. 115 DAL

The Lakers have a super team. Harrell and Schroder combined for 40 pts add this to 28 pts by AD and the 22 Pts by LeBron and you get a super team that is favorites to win the chip.

Until Porzingis returns Luka has to carry the Dallas offense. Tim Hardaway just does not cut it as the second option and loss of Seth Curry is becoming glaringly obvious. This is leaving Luka to run the whole offense by himself and decreasing his efficiency making him force shots.

LAC 121 v. 108 DEN

3 PT shooting was the difference in the end. Clippers shot 50% compared to the Nuggets 30% from 3. As expected the Clippers are a problem with 4 of their 5 starters scoring in double figures including 23 pts from PG they had a comfortable lead most of the game. Kawhi left the game with an injury as he took an elbow from Ibaka hopefully he is well to return soon.

Bubble Murray did make an appearance at the end of the game but the 18 points hole that they dug themselves into was just too much to overcome. Jokic was 1 rebound off a triple double with 24 pts and Murray scored 23 pts on 20 shots in the loss.
It’s very early.
By: Brandon Anderson
Tags: NBA, Future, Culture, Sports

It’s very early. Toronto had one poor quarter and got bit by a huge shooting night. Let’s see in a few weeks :)
NBA Christmas Day Games: Miami Heat — New Orleans Pelicans live — 25 December 2020 — Eurosport
Tags: NBA, NBA Draft, NBA Playoffs

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2020 in photos
By: Jeff Zidonis
Tags: Covid 19, NBA, 2020, Blm, Year In Review

Freelance writer interested in whiteness, identity/difference, love, sports, culture, politics, and the internet.
Lavar Ball’s 20-Year Investment Got All 3 of His Sons Into the NBA
By: Khadejah Jones
Tags: Lavar Ball, Success, NBA, Investing, Self

Lavar Ball’s 20-Year Investment Got All 3 of His Sons Into the NBA

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Lavar Ball finally did what everyone told him he couldn’t do. He got all three of his sons into the NBA. Two of which, were top 3 picks in the draft (the first brothers in history to do so). He also created his own brand called The Big Baller Brand years before his first son got drafted. His sons are the first basketball players to enter the NBA with their own signature shoes.

After that small history lesson, you’re probably wondering how. How in the world did this man do what he said he was going to do? Getting all three of your sons in the NBA with their own signature shoe is slim to none. Well, what if I told you Lavar knew how to invest.

Lavar once said in an interview that “most people don’t want to wait for that 20-year-investment to go all the way through”.

His youngest son is 19-years old while this oldest is 23. On average that’s about a 20-year-investment this man has spent on his children. Not just on training them in basketball, but he actually invested millions of dollars into his children whether it’d be training equipment, signature shoes, taking his sons overseas to play, etc.

So what does that tell you?

Be aggressively patient in whatever you do. Most people want to invest money in the stock market and once they start to see a little bit of money, they take it out. Instead, wait for that investment to roll all the way through.

Keep your eyes focused on the overall goal and don’t get caught up in the short peaks. So what are you waiting for?

Start investing in yourself now.
NBA Christmas Day Games
By: Salil Kanade
Tags: Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA, LeBron James, Lakers, Christmas Day

December 25th has always featured the marquee matchups and MVP battles. This year is no different. The NBA season opener; Lakers versus the Clippers was not as hyped as the previous year as the Clippers failed to show up in Game 7 of the West Semis just a few months ago. Despite winning the season opener and the Christmas Day game against their biggest rivals last year, they failed to even reach the west finals where LeBron, AD and the Lakers were waiting. However, with the Celtics and the Nuggets hosting the Bucks and the Kings respectively, they set the tone for the season in two nail biting thrillers, the latter going to overtime.

This Christmas, the stage is all set as the best players in the world are set to face each other in a highly anticipated non-fan format. The day kicks off with last year’s finalists, the Miami Heat taking on the Pelicans in their home opener. Zion aims to make a memorable Christmas Day debut with Jimmy Butler and the Heat trying to spoil the party. Later, the Bucks look to bounce back after their disappointing loss to the Celtics despite their big three of Giannis, Jrue Holiday and Middleton scoring 87 combined points. They take on the Thompson-less Warriors as Curry plans to show out. Kyrie’s return to Boston is going to be interesting as he has Kevin Durant with him this time around. Tatum and Brown continue to develop as budding talents. Furthermore, the 5 game slate features the most anticipated match-up as LeBron and the Lakers take on Luka Magic and the Mavericks. Luka gets to show out in front of his childhood idol as the favourite to win the MVP takes on the best player in the world. (Spoiler alert: Triple Double watch). The night caps off with the Nuggets going against the Clippers as the latter desire to bounce back and get revenge against the team that humiliated them in last season’s playoffs coming back from a 1–3 deficit.

Matchup of the night: Denver Nuggets v/s Los Angeles Clippers.

Best player matchup: LeBron v/s Luka.
NBA 2020-2021
By: Yuji Ogawa
Tags: NBA

NBA season has finally started. There are so many things that catch people’s attentions from the defending champion LA Lakers to returned former all star players such as Kevin Durant, John Wall. It is going to be super exciting to see how things are going.

Obviously, the most unpredictable factor is the novel corona virus. In fact, one game was already suspended since the Houston Rockets couldn’t have enough players on the court for COVID-19 related reasons. The same things will probably occur for the rest of the season. It was amazing that the NBA could handle the Playoffs in bubble in Florida. But stakes are now much higher, because they don’t confine players in one place this time.

Put safety concerns aside, what is always intriguing to me is rookies. I still remember when legends such as Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill and so on made their first appearance in a preseason match. We might find great young guns who are going to take over the league in a next decade. However, there are not enough information to know about rookies. Due to the pandemic, all rookies had lost opportunities to play on court. It means that they have only practiced by themselves for ten months. It is surely challenging for them to play basketball on the NBA level. It would take a long time to get rid of their lust and find a rhythm.

Injures are inevitable in every sports. It was the case to some veterans including Kevin Durant. After he ruptured his ACL, he had spent the entire last season for rehabilitation. So far, he seems to be the same as he was before. The Brooklyn Nets would be able to become a title-contender with a chemistry produced by KD and Kiely Irving.

Lastly, I’d like to mention LA Lakers. Although, they lost the opener to LA Clippers. There is a high possibility for them to achieve Back-to-Back. Surprisingly, the front office was so active and eager to make more progress during off season, they have successfully refreshed their roaster. It probably take a few months to figure out a way to play as a new team. But, given the talents that they have on the list, there is no reason to doubt their bright future. The good news is that Lebron James looks young enough to bring potential his fifth ring to the city at the end of this season.

I do think that sports is a great metaphor for life. There have been ups and downs in life. We often stumble, fall and then pull ourselves up. I see the same elements in NBA.

Peace
NBA Rumors: James Harden Adds Celtics to List of ‘Preferred Destinations
Tags: NBA, Sports, Startup, Rumors, James Harden

As the old saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

For disgruntled NBA superstar James Harden, one of the teams where the grass is greener… is now the Green Team.

As the former MVP tries to force his way out of Houston, he has reportedly added Boston to his list of “preferred destinations” according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Kelly Iko. The Trail Blazers are another recent addition to the list, which also includes some of the C’s biggest Eastern Conference rivals: the Nets, 76ers, Heat, and Bucks.

Just because Boston is now on Harden’s list doesn’t mean Celtics fans should expect a trade anytime soon, however. According to the report, “the viability of a possible deal with the Celtics or Trail Blazers is unclear at this time.”

While the Celtics have reportedly had exploratory talks with the Rockets about Harden, the 31-year-old comes with a heavy price tag in many ways: his contract, the cost to acquire him… and his off-the-court drama.

First, the contract: Harden still has two years and over $85 million left on his existing deal, plus a $47.3 million player option for the 2022–23 season. Then there’s the cost. Any potential package for the three-time scoring champ would include a treasure trove of assets, from established players like Jaylen Brown and Marcus to future first-round draft picks.

Finally, the off-the-court drama. Where do we even start? He’s currently quarantining for four days after attending a private party which allegedly took place at a strip club, violating the league’s health and safety protocols. He was fined $50,000 for his actions and the Rockets’ season-opener against the Thunder was postponed. And that’s not all. Harden also had a heated exchange with rookie Jae’Sean Tate at practice this week, throwing a ball in the rookie’s direction.

All of those aforementioned reasons make Harden ending up in Boston seem unlikely — but there’s no denying his talent. Harden is an eight-time All-Star who has averaged 33.7 points per game over the last three seasons.

But even though the Celtics are among his “preferred destinations,” that doesn’t mean Danny Ainge would prefer to do everything it would take to bring Harden to Boston.
2020–21 NBA Regular Season Standings Predictions
By: Steve Cao
Tags: NBA, Predictions, Basketball

West:

Lakers Nuggets Clippers Mavericks Jazz Rockets (?) Warriors Pelicans

We will see what James Harden’s fate is, but the Rockets could be out of the playoffs if he is traded. If so, Portland will slide in.

The Pelicans will rely on Zion Williamson’s health, and the Nuggets will rely on Jamal Murray to keep up his bubble performance and MPJ to step up as a first-time starter.

East:

Bucks Celtics Raptors Heat Sixers Nets Wizards Pacers

After their bubble performances, Pascal Siakam and Victor Oladipo will need to return to form for their teams to remain competitive.

The Celtics rise as far as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will take them, and the Sixers get a modest boost from finally surrounding their young stars with proper role players.
Will Lamelo Ball Adjust To The Speed Of The NBA?
By: Jacob Bates
Tags: Rookie, NBA, Basketball, Big Baller Brand, Lamelo Ball

Will Lamelo Ball become a dominant figure in the NBA?

While Lamelo Ball was dropping some of the smoothest passes during the NBA Preseason, he struggled in his NBA debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Playing for just over 15 miuntes, and shooting 0–5 and 3 missed 3’s, it wasn’t the best “start” to an NBA career we have seen.

When you are the 3rd overall pick in the NBA draft, have played professional ball outside of the U.S., and have LaVar as a father, most people were expecting more out of you tonight.

While I enjoy watching how crazy LaVar can make the media and how he has constantly been under fire for so long, Lamelo is starting to feel the heat. During the NBA Preseason, we watched him make no look passes that were as smooth as butter. So what happened tonight?

Well we don’t necessarily know just yet. Was he just having an off day? Was he nervous to start in his first NBA game? Was he not feeling well? What was it?

If Lamelo Ball can start making passes like he was during the preseason, I have no doubt this will be a fantastic season for his rookie year. He might not be the top scorer, or earning any scoring awards, but he very well might earn some assist awards. As the season goes on, I am sure we will watch Lamelo transform into a better & better player. The way he is able to twist, move, and bend is very different than what a lot of NBA players are currently use to.

Lamelo just needs to keep his head down & focused and block out all of the noise that is around him. Over time we hope to see Lamelo progress into a starting NBA point guard, but until then you might want to keep your eyes on Lonzo, the first Ball brother to enter the NBA.

After his short stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Lonzo got traded to the Pelicans where he is starting to progress quicker & quicker as he adapts to the play style in the NBA and finds his own play station that works for him.

It will be interesting to come back at the end of the year & see how both Lonzo & Lamelo are doing in the NBA. I want to see them do well and succeed, and hopefully Gelo gets NBA game time soon.
2020-21 NBA Awards Predictions
By: Steve Cao
Tags: NBA, Predictions, Basketball

MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Runner-ups: Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis

Every MVP since 2000 has led his team to the 1 or 2 seed, with the exception being Russell Westbrook’s historical, stat padded triple-double season.

With that in mind, we are down to a handful of teams. In play for the top 2 seeds, the Western Conference has the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, and Mavericks while the Eastern Conference has the Bucks, Celtics, Raptors, and Heat.

Coming off a disappointing ending to this past season, Giannis comes into the season as hungry as ever to take his Bucks to the promise land. Luka’s odds fall off if the Mavericks aren’t a top-2 seed, and Anthony Davis’ case is hurt by playing with LeBron.
2020–21 All NBA Predictions
By: Steve Cao
Tags: NBA, Predictions, Basketball

People pay me to do their fantasy drafts
It is officially cold.
By: Almost A Writer
Tags: Dating Advice, Dating And Relationships, NBA, Basketball, Dating

It is officially cold. cold enough to make mistakes. cold enough to call up people who’s number you’ve long blocked. Now much like the NBA season, life is a game of chess. you move pieces to get better, to compete, and hopefully. win a championship or 10, and if you’re like me who’s obsessed with the queens gambit then you know tis the season for a cuddle buddy.

If the recent snow storm didn’t teach you anything, i hope it at least taught you to appreciate the little things in life like a roster for instance. Now every NBA roster has a starting 5. These are also known as your best players. There’s the coveted point guard who undoubtably is the face of the franchise, your best player and hopefully runner up for boyfriend material. Kinda like Lebron James.

Then there’s the shooting guard, this is someone who is a close second. He’s the guy you want to bring home to mom for Christmas, but alas he’s just not “the one.” He’s just as good as your PG and is always there when the franchise needs him but he is a tradable piece (hell they all are)

Of course you can’t forget your small forward. He’s the guy in the background: easily forgettable, doesn’t speak up much, but i’ll be damned — -cuz the man sure can play ball. kinda like a Kawahi Leonard.

Then there’s the power forward, he’s really just here for the party. Don’t get me wrong, of course he is good for the eyes, and ego and. he can give you 10P 10R 10A on a good night, just don’t pour all your eggs in his basket.

Last but certainly not least, we have our Center; the big man. Now some might tell you, “the bigs are dying out” and that rings true considering someone like Shaq couldn’t play in this era, but that’s why the game has gotten more interesting, especially when you have centers like the joker! who can get inside the paint, and also punish you from the wing. Lets not forget — the man is unselfish! you want that on your team always.

Now i would be remiss if i forgot to mention the 6th man. They don’t call him lemon pepper lou for nothing now do they? this is the guy who’s first off the bench and always ready to go. ya know why? because he’s got a chip on his shoulder and has something to prove to the coach. He’s your good ol “dependable” he can’t let you down — mostly because he never wants to let you down.

So as the winter gets to knuckle-numbing degrees, I hope you’ve made the appropriate trades necessary. who knows you might luck up and have a 1992 dream team on your roster. However, if you’re still deliberating — -have fun with it, after all the trade deadline is not until march 2021, and don’t be surprised if your 6th man becomes the point guard.
This season will be key for the Heat’s future.
By: Heatproud News
Tags: Miami Heat, NBA, Basketball, NBA Finals, NBA Playoffs

While the 2019–2020 NBA season came to an unfortunate and unforgettable close for our Miami Heat, Heat fans have good reason to look forward to the 2020–2021 NBA season. With the additions of Moe Harkless, and Precious Achiuwa making up for the losses of Derick Jones Jr., and Jae Crowder, this year’s team looks to be in line for yet another successful season.

While this team showed major resiliency, grit, and determination through the challenging road to the NBA Finals, they must prove yet again that they are not a one and done team. This year’s success will show other free agents that the Heat are true contenders who can win the East year in and year out.

With Jimmy Butler, Bam, Goran, Herro, and some of the best bench depth within the NBA, the Heat look primed to make another big splash next year in free agency to take this team to the next level with the hope of competing for championships for years to come.

Written By: Drew Rosen (@dr3wrosen on I.G)
Who is Precious Achiuwa?
By: Heatproud News
Tags: Miami Heat, Miami Beach, NBA, Basketball, Miami

With the 20th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat selected Precious Achiuwa, a physically imposing 6”9, 235lb, 21-year-old Forward from the University of Memphis. Precious had a stellar season under coach Penny Hardaway taking most of the frontcourt load after star center James Wiseman was banned three games into the season. Precious thrived under the added pressure, averaging an impressive 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds to go along with 1.9 blocks, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 assists.

During the pre-draft process, scouts tipped Precious to be one of the best defenders in the class. He was noted for having a high motor along with the perfect mentality for the game. Heat President Pat Riley believes he is the perfect fit for this current Heat roster, “He fits in perfectly with Spo’s system on defense. He can play four positions defensively; he gets out on the break.”

Achiuwa will likely play backup to Bam Adebayo but could feature in crunch time line-ups alongside the young All-Star when a defensive stop is needed. Precious is an incredibly agile and versatile defender who can stop elite players on and off the ball. His explosive athleticism will help Miami in much needed rebounding on both sides of the court. Precious has an outstanding 7”2 wingspan and a standing reach of 9”1 which will also add another layer of rim protection when Bam is not on the court or switched onto another player.

Precious has a very underrated offensive game to add to the Heat’s rotation. He showed flashes of expanding his range beyond the arc shooting a respectable 32% from three in his 31 games at Memphis. He also gives Miami another hard to stop lob threat and is very capable of becoming a good finisher around the paint, something he was slightly below average at in college shooting 61% around the rim. He also adds an impressive offensive rebounding game shown by his nearly 3.1 offensive rebounds per game in college. Rebounding was a major weakness for the Heat in the Finals matchup against the Lakers. This is something Precious’ game is built around. He is certain to clean the glass for the Heat.

Article Written by @d_criniti, Editor/Writer

Edited By: @thefirstabner, @heatproud

Find us on Instagram and Twitter.
What’s with these preseason rankings?
By: Naptown Sports Post
Tags: Indiana Pacers, Pacers, NBA, Basketball, Rankings

A new coach and system will not work immediately.

The Pacers shocked many in the NBA when they fired head coach Nate McMillan just days after handing him an extension. McMillan was a polarizing figure among Pacers fans with some pointing out his lack of offensive evolution, while others defended his handle of the locker room.

The fact of the matter is his teams never made it out of the first round. If you’re not moving forwards, you’re moving backwards. Pacers ownership agreed and McMillan was sent packing.

The Pacers decided a new, fresh voice was needed and after what felt like an eternity, they hired Raptors assistant Nate Bjorkgren.

Since day one, he has stressed the importance of modernizing this team into a Pace and Space offense. The Pacers ranked 20th in the association in possessions per game at 101.3, a far cry away from the leaders in Milwaukee at 107.2 (ESPN).

The Pacers also ranked 23rd in points per game at 109.4 and dead last in the league in three point attempts per game at 28 (ESPN).

In what has been a very small sample size, the Pacers this preseason have spread the floor out more and have made an intentional effort to shoot more threes. Over the three preseason games, they shot an average of 42 from beyond the arc. They also averaged four more shots per game than last year’s offense (Basketball Reference).

Another side effect of faster basketball is an increase in foul shots. The Pacers also ranked dead last in the league last year in free throws at about 19 per game (ESPN). This increased to 23 per game during the preseason.

If they can replicate their shooting percentages from last year with this distribution of shots, their points per game jumps up to 116.7, good enough to be top five in the league last season.

Will it take some time to adjust? Of course. Is this roster built for this type of offense? Perfectly. Every starter outside of Sabonis can reliably shoot the three with volume. The bench will be bolstered by the Holiday brothers, who both shot over 39 percent from deep last year, Doug McDermott, who was fourth in the league in three point percentage of guys who took four or more per game, and Jeremy Lamb.

Make no mistake, this team is fast and this team can SHOOT. This is only the beginning.
NBA Daily Fantasy Analysis 23/12/2020
By: Jayden Desmond
Tags: NBA, Fantasy Sports, Sports, Basketball, DraftKings

Must plays

Luka Doncic ($10 k on DK)- Always has a huge ceiling when Porzingis doesn’t play. Add in what should be an up tempo game against the suns and its not crazy to project very close to a triple double. Its rare I note guys this expensive as must plays, but I have Luka there tonight.

Projected score- 64

Andre Drummond ($8k on DK)- Didn’t look right at the end of last season, so we get a bit of a discount on what he can be here. Looked great in the preseason, no Love tonight, meaning he should walk into 15+ boards. Hornets big men a big question mark against opposing centres too.

Projected score- 53

PJ Washington ($4.2K on DK)- Huge bargain play here. PJ has looked good in preseason and will play plenty of minutes. Good match up VS the Cavs too. Projected score- 30

Who Else To Look At:

Mason Plumlee ($3.7K on DK)- Very close to a must play for me. Near minimum salary and should play close to 30 minutes as the starting C. Projected score- 29

George Hill ($3.6K on DK)- Hill looks to be the starting SG for OKC, which means he should get around 30 minutes of playing time, more than enough to smash at this low salary.

Projected score- 26

Tobias Harris ($6.2K on DK)- Really safe play and good to have some exposure in what should be a high paced game V the wizards.

Projected score- 36

James Harden ($10.4K on DK)- High price and maybe questionable given his personal/team situation, but it’s still James Harden against a weak OKC team, with no Westbrook stealing his usage anymore. Expecting a big game. Projected score- 60

Lauri Markannen ($4.8K on DK)- Not really subscribing to him potentially losing his job/minutes to Pat Williams. Gets a good matchup her V Atlanta and can provide value at a fairly low salary. Projected score- 32

Shai Gilgeous Alexander ($7.5K on DK)- Hard not to have plenty of exposure this year to SGA as the main guy on this OKC team. Should put up numbers all season. Projected score- 46

Markelle Fultz ($5K on DK)- Big on Fultz this year and looks to have had a good preseason for the Magic. Like him at this salary.

Projected score- 32

Gordon Hayward ($6.6k on DK)- A finger injury looked to derail his start to the season, but he’s ready to go as the number 1 option for Charlotte! Don’t start him everywhere with the slight injury concern, but need to have some exposure with the upside.

Lu Dort ($3.8K), Dejounte Murray ($5.6K), Cam Reddish ($3.9k) and Maxi Kleber ($3.9K) are all options too

Our Team

Shai Gilgeous Alexander

George Hill

Gordon Hayward

Tobias Harris

Andre Drummond

Luka Doncic

PJ Washington

Mason Plumlee

Make sure to follow us on Twitter & let us know what you think of our analysis!
NBA Fantasy Basketball Cheat Sheet: 2020–21 Season
By: Heatproud News
Tags: Miami Heat, NBA, Fantasy Basketball, Basketball, Baloncesto

As the highly anticipated 2020–21 NBA season approaches, so do the ever-growing world of fantasy basketball. With this season sure to be one of the most unpredictable in recent history, this will give you the best chance at securing victory in your fantasy league.

As a Miami fan, it’s hard to not have a team stacked of Heat players, one of Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler should service your team as both stuff the stat sheet and shoot very efficiently whilst playing essentially every night, maximizing your team’s points in all categories

In the later stages of the draft, if healthy Goran Dragic is another sure thing as he looks set to continue where he left from last season.

Players including Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro will be rising in stock coming off last season, these players are a lot more streaky and may have off nights but can be an X-factor for your team if they continue their red-hot shooting form.

Aside from the obvious choices of Antetokounmpo and Doncic, there are many sleepers that will fall under the radar during draft season.

Players like De’Aaron Fox, Zach Lavine, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Ja Morant are perfect picks for this position as they will be carrying a large load on offense and will be consistent performers on a nightly basis as their teams will likely not be in playoff contention.

Role players that may be available towards the end of the draft like Robert Covington, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jordan Clarkson, and Seth Curry are always consistent and efficient players who can fill out the remainder of your bench spots.

Rookies are usually the hardest to pick as they usually go through shooting slumps and take time adjusting to the NBA, if you are willing to take a risk on a rookie I would recommend, Obi Toppin, Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton, and Isaac Okoro, all of these rookies are in nearly perfect scenarios and are bound to shine in teams that won’t be winning many games.

It is important to remember the main factor I keep in mind when picking my teams is consistency and efficient shooting, with players that are elite at both of these you are sure to be at the top of your league

Article Written by Dominic Criniti, @d_criniti, Writer/Editor
Day 1: The champs return and the 7–11 show hits the road.
Tags: Baketball, Nets, NBA, Lakers

Clippers 116 v. 109 Lakers

Most of Scoreboard looked similar last night. The differentiating factor was that Lebron and AD didn’t play as long and the Clippers had 10 steals compared to the Lakers 4. The Clippers simply tried harder in the regular season game.

After Lebron got his 4th ring and the Lakers got their 17th ring the Lakers seemed to lack the gas in the tank to win. On the bright side their new additions Schroder and Harrell had pretty good games scoring 14 and 17 respectively.

It was visible that there was confusion in the Clippers offense as they had 20 turn overs and Paul George started passing the ball to the ref. In the midst of the confusion though Paul George did score 33 on 72% shooting as he caught fire in the 3rd and Kawhi scored 26 on 38.5% shooting leading them to their first win of the season.

Nets 125 V. 99 GSW

The 7–11 show (yes, this is KD and Kyrie) and the Brooklyn nets ran the Warriors out of the gym last night.

The difference in last nights game was chemistry and rust. The Brooklyn Nets fit well together and are playing fluid basketball. Their star players started getting buckets from the get go without missing a beat. The same cannot be said for the Warriors as they lack chemistry and everyone seems to be confused on offense. Curry was rusty but Wiseman showed promising signs in the 4th quarter though this was garbage time.

KD seems to be back to his old self dropping 22 points on 44% shooting and Kyrie seems unstoppable with his 26 on 62.5 % shooting. Both of them didn’t even play the 4th quarter. Don’t forget about Levert who put up solid numbers and looks like a good third option making the Nets a scary sight in the East.
I had a hard time getting interested last night.
By: Brandon Anderson
Tags: NBA, Humor, Sports

I had a hard time getting interested last night. It felt too soon. Despite my 25k words previewing it lol
Here’s How to Listen to NBA Christmas Games for Free
Tags: Basketball, Christmas, NBA, Audio

After all the presents are opened on Christmas Day, the real gift is just beginning: NBA Christmas games!

This year’s NBA Christmas Day schedule includes heated matchups like Pelicans vs. Heat, Warriors vs. Bucks, and Clippers vs. Nuggets. But without question, the league has saved the night’s two hottest matchups for primetime — and you can listen to both for free on TuneIn, courtesy of ESPN Radio.

First, beginning at 5pm ET, Kyrie Irving makes his long-awaited return to Boston (minus their fans) when the Brooklyn Nets take on the Celtics. The game also marks the post-Achilles comeback of Kevin Durant as he looks to stop Boston’s young gun Jayson Tatum.

Then, at 8pm ET, two of the league’s most undisputed MVP contenders will don their NBA Christmas jerseys when Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks take on LeBron James and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Wherever you are when this year’s NBA Christmas Day double header goes down, TuneIn has you covered with free live coverage on ESPN Radio.

Can I listen to the NBA Christmas game on the radio?

Yes! You can listen to the Brooklyn Nets take on the Boston Celtics at 5pm ET and the Dallas Mavericks take on the Los Angeles Lakers for free with ESPN Radio on TuneIn.

Where can I hear the NBA Christmas Day games on radio?

Listen to the Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics at 5pm ET and the Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers live online with ESPN Radio on TuneIn.

Christmas Day Schedule

Listen live on our app or online.

Game 1

New Orleans Pelicans @ Miami Heat

12pm ET.

Game 2

Golden State Warriors @ Milwaukee Bucks

2:30pm ET.

Game 3

Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics

5pm ET.

Live on ESPN Radio

Game 4

Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers

8pm ET.

Live on ESPN Radio

Game 5

Los Angeles Clippers @ Denver Nuggets

10:30pm ET.
Behind The Game of Anthony Davis
By: Juwan Casuco
Tags: Anthony Davis, NBA, LeBron James, Sports, Basketball

TIPS TO APPLY IN GAME

· Survey for open spots in the paint to attack

· Attack top foot to give the defender a hard time to recover

· If the defender is in a squared defensive position with ample space between you and the defender, shoot the ball or fake it for an easy shot

· If the defender has not yet transitioned to a defensive position, use it to your advantage and slash off of him.

· Shield ball from help defense

· Get a lookout on little shuffle movements in defense and go in the defender to where he is going to draw foul

· Slow pace down when you encounter defenders who are in a ready position to avoid getting clamped by them.

· Time the closeout in the grace period where the ball is still on the shooter's hand and feet are off the ground

· Avoid going in the shooter when contesting a shot instead angle yourself away from the shooter.

· Use back of shoulder and forearm to back defender down
NBA 2020–21 Season Preview
By: The Slow Burn
Tags: NBA, Basketball, LeBron James

Playoff predictions, award winners and what to look for as we tip-off a new season!

MVP: LeBron James. This isn’t a controversial or “hot” take and one that could easily be wrong. Can Giannis win a third straight, or Dame finally sneak in? Maybe Joker or Durant has the year of their lives. That all could happen, but we know that LeBron is going to ball out. Fresh off an NBA championship, I think LeBron is going to be extremely motivated to stay atop the mountain. His team got better and I think that allows him to shoulder less responsibility while still dominating.

DPOY: Giannis Antetokounmpo: I had a tough time with this. I think there’s a really good chance Anthony Davis wins this award and it will not surprise me. However, I think the Bucks will be the best or second best defensive team in the league and Giannis the league’s best rim defender. Milwaukee added Holiday, one of the NBA’s best defenders and I think he will elevate both Giannis and the Bucks.

Coach of the Year: Doc Rivers. So many good options here and it’s hard not to pick Denver, Portland or either of the LA guys. I think Doc is coming into a Philly team that is a few adjustments and effort away from a top four seed in the East. With that in mind, could Steve Nash sneak in? Probably not because of the talent on his team. This will be one of the most fun award races to watch and should change through out the year.

Sixth Man of the Year: Caris Levert but I’m not super confident on this. Sixth man is a hard one to predict because we’re not sure how a lot of these new teams will look. Lou Williams has a legit shot at another sixth man award but so does Montrezl Harrell. There’s a lot of buzz about Jordan Clarkson in Utah which would be exciting and fun for the Jazz and Clarkson.

League Pass Teams: Phoenix, Washington, Atlanta.

Eastern Conference Standings:

Milwaukee Bucks Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Miami Heat Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors Washington Wizards Indiana Pacers

This was HARD. Toronto is 6th?? How? Atlanta should feel good about its chances of making the playoffs but I couldn’t see them jumping these other teams.

Western Conference Standings:

Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Clippers Denver Nuggets Portland Trail Blazers Utah Jazz Dallas Mavericks Phoenix Houston? New Orleans

*This was a little easier than the East but still a lot of questions heading into the season. I really want Phoenix and New Orleans in the playoffs.
Agreed, not sure why people continue to overlook this team.
By: Brandon Anderson
Tags: NBA, Basketball, Future, Sports

Agreed, not sure why people continue to overlook this team. They’ll miss Gasol and Ibaka — you don’t just lose those two, Kawhi, and Danny and not drop off at all — but the organization is so strong that they should be really good again anyway.
Cord-Cutting NBA Fans vs. Sinclair Broadcasting #FBarryFaber
By: Martin Ogawa
Tags: Hulu, NBA, Fubo Tv, Sinclair, Youtube Tv

As the NBA 2020–21 Season begins this week, NBA Cord-Cutting fans with Hulu, YouTube TV, fubo TV, Philo TV, Sling, Dish and others will be cursing at their screens unable to watch the opening night of their NBA Team. The agreements with Sinclair Broadcast Groups’ (NASDAQ: SBGI) Regional Sports Networks have terminated and it does not appear Barry Faber, its controversial President, Distribution and Network Licensing and Broadcasting will be negotiating these agreements anytime soon.

Barry M. Faber, Sinclair Broadcasting Group

In November 2020, Sinclair wrote down the value as an impairment loss of its regional sports network by $4.23 Billion and announced an agreement with Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY) for a partnership to integrate sports betting into the live regional sports network to be re-branded as Bally’s Sports Network. Sinclair also says it will be offering standalone products in 2021. Although until that time, streaming customers will not be able to watch their home team games and they may be pressured to return to AT&T or Comcast Xfinity that have licenses with Sinclair. Eve NBA League Pass subscribers due to the NBA blackout rules will not be able to watch their home games live.

Here’s a list of NBA Teams affected and as technology-savvy cord-cutting early adopters search for unconventional alternative streaming options, maybe the opening night of the NBA 2021 should be more about Sinclair and Barry Faber #FBarryFaber.

Atlanta Hawks — Fox Sports South/Fox Sports Southeast

Brooklyn Nets — YES Network

Charlotte Hornets — Fox Sports Southeast

Cleveland Cavaliers — Fox Sports Ohio

Dallas Mavericks — Fox Sports Southwest

Detroit Pistons — Fox Sports Detroit

Los Angeles Clippers — Fox Sports Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West

Los Angeles Lakers — Spectrum SportsNet

Memphis Grizzlies — Fox Sports Southeast

Miami Heat — Fox Sports Sun

Milwaukee Bucks — Fox Sports Wisconsin

Minnesota Timberwolves — Fox Sports North

Orlando Magic — Fox Sports Florida

Phoenix Suns — Fox Sports Arizona

San Antonio Spurs — Fox Sports Southwest
EXCELLENCE IS NOT JUDGED BY BLACK SKIN COLOUR
Tags: NBA, Basketball, Michael Jordan

The world is full of different and amazing, unknown creatures. It has diversified countries with more cultures, religions, caste, creed, races, fauna and flora, taste and preferences, climatical condition, seasons, natural resources and others. skin colour changes are depended on many factors so whether you have white skin or black skin colour is really doesn’t matter. Michael Jeffrey Jordan a famous American professional basketball, popularly known as MJ. and also the owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

NEVER ASHAMED OF BLACK SKIN COLOUR

Nobody in this world is foolish or inept. Each one will have a kind of talent. each skin colour whether it is white or black skin colour, religion, size shape maters. Some people would have identified during their schooling time, some will during college days. But there are many cases, who have not yet introspected themselves. Talent is not backed with some physical appearance, status or parentage. It is how you continuously work for things with passion and dedication. It is not material that how you look and what skin colour you have, what material is how you showcase your inner built passion to the world. Hence, work on your likes, overcome your dislikes and enjoy your path of the journey and reach your destination.

to read the full article check out https://shouts.site/your-excellence-is-not-judged-by-black-skin-colour/
Passo adiante
By: Juan Grings
Tags: Jamal Murray, NBA, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Donovan Mitchell

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What Makes an NBA Head Coach?
By: William Chon
Tags: NBA, Sports, Basketball, Data Visualization, Data Science

Above, we see the career progression of our 30 NBA coaches for the upcoming season. Every square represents a year in their career, starting from when they turn 18. There is so much information we can learn just from the graph above — here are the top eight findings that I discovered by putting the visualization together:

1. Almost all NBA coaches played college ball

28 out of the 30 head coaches played college ball at some point in their career. Although this is an overwhelming majority of coaches, it’s not a requirement. Two coaches — Taylor Jenkins of the Memphis Grizzlies as well as Mark Daigneault of OKC did not play basketball in college. Both of these coaches are amongst the youngest, and have only been in their coaching stint for a short time.

2. Most were assistant NBA coaches

Only 5 out of the 30 coaches were never NBA assistant coaches at any point in their careers. If you don’t want to go down the route of being an assistant NBA coach, it seems like you really only have two options:
Un inicio diferente, pero intrigante.
By: Patricio Hegewisch
Tags: NBA, Sports, Deportes, Opening Day, Pato Dato

Sports Columnist and Basketball coach • All about the WNBA • NBA • NFL • Twitter: THEcoach_Pat
Ranking the Top 30 NBA Power Forwards
By: Lou Pastor
Tags: Nba Players, NBA, Nba Basketball, Basketball, Basketball Analysis

Prompt: List out NBA Power Forwards in order for who you would want on your team to optimize your chances of winning a title today, regardless of your salary cap situation.

Key: Player Name Team (2018–2019 Win Shares, 2018–2019 Box Plus/Minus), (2019–2020 Win Shares, 2019–2020 Box Plus/Minus)
OKC is the one West team that has no chance. They’re just not gonna be competitive in any way.
By: Brandon Anderson
Tags: NBA, Future, Culture, Sports

OKC is the one West team that has no chance. They’re just not gonna be competitive in any way.
Ranking the Top 30 NBA Centers
By: Lou Pastor
Tags: Nba Players, Nba Rankings, NBA, Basketball, Basketball Analysis

Prompt: List out NBA Centers in order for who you would want on your team to optimize your chances of winning a title today, regardless of your salary cap situation.

Key: Player Name Team (2018–2019 Win Shares, 2018–2019 Box Plus/Minus), (2019–2020 Win Shares, 2019–2020 Box Plus/Minus)
An Uncertain Future
By: Joey Handel
Tags: NBA, Sports, Basketball, Los Angeles Clippers, Nba Preview

The Clippers extended Paul George, but their championship aspirations remain in the hands of Kawhi Leonard.

With Giannis signing his supermax extension with the Bucks, the Los Angeles Clippers are now the team holding its breath on whether or not their superstar re-signs in the wake of a disappointing early playoff exit. It’s a little more complicated, as Kawhi has a player option next offseason. He could very well choose to opt-in and remain with the Clippers for one more year and then have Clippers fans dealing with the same stress in the offseason after. He could also potentially opt out just to sign a long-term extension. One way or the other, the Clippers’ short-term championship hopes live or die with Leonard’s decision to remain with the team.

With all that being said, I would be pretty surprised if Leonard ends up leaving the Clippers. Kawhi came to the Clippers for a reason. He could have stayed in Toronto if he wanted to build off of the Raptors’ title and continue to contend in the East. He could have gone to the Lakers if he wanted to take the Kevin Durant route and get easy rings. But instead, he went to the Clippers and got his own championship-caliber team with Paul George and an assortment of talented role players. The Clippers’ stunning second round exit probably doesn’t change this calculus, especially if they can bounce back next year. I don’t think one disappointing year will convince Kawhi that he can’t achieve long-term success with the Clippers, but two in a row could make him reconsider.

On top of all this, the Clippers’ future if Kawhi leaves became significantly less bleak recently: Paul George signed an extension that keeps him in Los Angeles through 2025. To be clear, the Clippers would still be in a very tough spot if Kawhi leaves. They just wouldn’t be completely unwatchable if Paul George was leading the team. Now, it’s very possible that Paul George demands a trade if things go south in LA given his, uh, history. However, the Clippers would probably be able to get a solid return for a player of George’s caliber under contract for as long as he is. Given the amount of draft picks they gave up for him, they’ll sure need it.

If Kawhi Leonard leaves and the Clippers remain without a championship, this will probably be looked at as one of the biggest whiffs in NBA history. The Clippers are trying to win a title, and they won’t be able to do that if their best player is Paul George (or whoever they get in return if they are forced to trade him). However, they can’t effectively rebuild because their entire future (draft picks or swaps through 2026) belongs to Oklahoma City. As I said earlier, I’m skeptical that Kawhi would leave the Clippers given that he made the decision to come home and also made the decision to not form a super team with the Lakers. However, if the Clippers have a second straight disappointing year and he does end up leaving, it may be time to begin asking if the Clippers truly are a cursed franchise.