#” Durant said. “I started off 0-for-4 and then after every shot

[nba24highlights]

Book & KD combined for the most points by a duo in their first 5 games as Teammates since 1962-63!

[justsportsgalore]

HOUSTON -- James Harden made a 3-pointer to finish off the Golden State Warriors in overtime.

Eric Gordon helped the Rockets get to that point with the best playoff performance of his career.

Harden scored 41 points, and Houston outlasted the Warriors 126-121 on Saturday night to cut the deficit in the Western Conference semifinals to 2-1.

A layup by P.J. Tucker put Houston up by three with about 2 minutes left and the Warriors missed shots on their next two possessions. That set up the 3-pointer by Harden with 49 seconds left that made it 124-118.

Kevin Durant made three free throws after that, but Harden added a layup to stretch the lead. Stephen Curry, who dislocated a finger in Game 2, missed a wide-open layup and Harden grabbed the rebound to secure the victory.

Gordon added a playoff career-high 30 points with a playoff-best seven 3-pointers.

"It's all about bringing something to the table, offensively, defensively every single night to give yourself a chance to win," he said.

Durant said Gordon was "very important" to Houston's win.

"He kept them afloat for a while," he said.

The Rockets withstood a 46-point performance from Durant and late surge by the Warriors to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 is Monday night in Houston.

Harden led the team despite recovering from injuries to both eyes he sustained in Game 2 when he was hit in the face by Draymond Green. He said they didn't bother him on Saturday, but both eyes remained bloody red in spots.

"That's James. That's what he does," Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Curry finished with 17 points on 7-for-23 shooting after missing two layups in overtime. He wouldn't say if his injury was limiting him on Saturday night.

"I've just got to make those," he said. "If I'm out there playing, I've got to produce and it just didn't happen tonight."

Green added 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Houston was clinging to a one-point lead when Iguodala's 3-pointer put Golden State up 112-110 with 45 seconds remaining in the fourth. Harden made two free throws a few seconds after that to tie it and Durant missed a jump shot on the other end to give Houston a chance to win it in regulation.

Chris Paul was in the lane when Klay Thompson forced a jump ball. Harden got the ball but didn't have time to get a shot off before the buzzer.

The Warriors used a 15-2 run at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth to take a 94-93 lead with about 10 minutes remaining. Durant was unstoppable in that stretch, scoring all 10 of Golden State's points to start the fourth.

Tucker, Houston's defensive stopper who had been on the bench with four fouls, re-entered the game to try and help slow Durant down. Tucker was really unhappy while he sat on the bench and watched Durant singlehandedly give Golden State the lead.

Asked if he said something to D'Antoni about it to get back in the game he said: "Oh, I said something to all of them."

Durant cooled off after that, but Iguodala and Thompson both made 3-pointers soon after that and the Warriors remained up by a point with about 8 minutes left in the fourth.

The Rockets were up by nine at halftime, and Harden and Paul made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the third to push the lead to 72-61.

A 3-pointer by Curry cut Houston's lead to seven later in the period before Houston used an 8-2 spurt to extend it to 83-70 with about 3 minutes left in the quarter.

Houston had a 12-point lead after a dunk by Clint Capela with less than a minute left in the third. Golden State scored the last five points of the quarter, with a 3 from Green, to get within 91-84 entering the fourth.

Houston got out to a much better start on Saturday night after being outscored 57-39 in the opening quarter of the first two games and the Rockets only trailed by one entering the second.

They used a 33-point second quarter, powered by 13 points from Gordon, to take a 58-49 lead into halftime.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Durant passed Dwyane Wade for 10th place on the NBA's career playoff scoring list. ... Iguodala scored 16 points. ... Golden State made 14 of 33 3-pointers.

Rockets: Gordon has made at least three 3-pointers in all eight playoff games this year. ... Capela had with 13 points and 11 rebounds. ... Paul had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. ... Tucker led the team with 12 rebounds and had three assists, two blocks and seven points.

TUCKER'S VALUE

D'Antoni and Kerr as well as players from both teams raved about the job Tucker did.

"We say it all the time, Tuck doesn't do any of the glamorous stuff," Paul said. "All the stuff he does doesn't show up on the stat sheet ... but it's always nice for other people to see it and appreciate it."

[your-dietician]

The Bucks’ path to the NBA Finals — The Undefeated

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nba/the-bucks-path-to-the-nba-finals-the-undefeated/

The Bucks’ path to the NBA Finals — The Undefeated

There’s a well-known comment in Wisconsin when it comes to the hometown Milwaukee Bucks’ chances in a given playoff series: Bucks in six.

What started as a fool-hearted, yet enduring proclamation by then-Bucks guard Brandon Jennings ahead of a 2013 first-round series matchup with the “Big Three” Miami Heat – (“I’m sure everybody is writing us off but I see us winning the series in six,” Jennings said at that year’s Wisconsin Sports Awards) – morphed over the years into a rallying cry for a team that hasn’t made it to the NBA Finals in nearly half a century. Sometimes close, but never close enough.

But in the past eight years, starting just a few weeks after Jennings’ doomed prediction (the Heat swept the Bucks in 2013) with the drafting of a lanky kid out of Greece named Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have revamped, reconfigured, restarted and rebuilt themselves into an actual title contender that no longer lives on the fringes of the playoffs.

On Saturday night, after back-to-back years of underperforming in the postseason, the Bucks clinched the Eastern Conference title with a 118-107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, fittingly reaching their first NBA Finals since 1974 in six games.

And it was all without Antetokounmpo, who has been sidelined with a hyperextended left knee since the third quarter of Game 4. For a team that prides itself on playing as a complete unit, rather than a Gladys Knight & the Pips-style one-man show, the Bucks leaned heavily on their two other stars, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton. The duo combined for 59 points, 13 rebounds and 16 assists, with Middleton overcoming a poor first half (five points and five turnovers) to drop 23 points in the third quarter.

“Khris carried us there for a lot of it, just leaving his heart out there,” Holiday said. “Just kind of like if we’re going to go down, we’re going to go down on his shoulders. I’m riding with him, riding right into the Finals.”

Making it easier for the Bucks on Saturday was that Young, who bruised a bone in his foot during Game 3, was clearly still hobbled. The third-year guard declined to attack the paint and had his passing lanes clogged up, leading to him starting the first quarter with nearly as many turnovers and personal fouls (three) as minutes played (four). At one point, Young shook 7-foot center Brook Lopez for an open look from atop the key but uncharacteristically passed the ball away.

“I still have pain. It’s going to be like this for at least a couple more days, so I knew I wasn’t going to be able to feel 100%,” Young said after the game. “So I was going to go out and at least try and try to do it again.”

As the game wore on, Young became less timid, but aside from another breakout game from guard Cam Reddish (21 points, 6-of-7 on 3s), the Hawks weren’t enough for Milwaukee. While the Bucks were failed by poor shooting, lack of energy and hustle in the two games they lost in this series, those were their keys to victory on Saturday. The Bucks outgained the Hawks in 3-pointers (17-12) and rebounds (46-43) and committed one less turnover, the type of complete performance that is needed out of a championship winner.

“We needed everybody. I think that’s the best part about it. We needed something from everybody,” P.J. Tucker said. “Our bench was amazing all series, all playoffs, everybody on our team gave something.

“Giannis goes out, Bobby [Portis] has been great, everybody came in and fought hard the entire series. It just shows our team. It just shows the guts of our team.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo (left) and Khris Middleton (right) celebrate as Eastern Conference champions.

David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Before this season, this Bucks team wasn’t able to put it all together at just the right time.

As the team’s production began to rise during the 2017-18 season, when Antetokounmpo started to show flashes of the superstar he would soon become, so did their expectations. The Bucks finished the next two seasons with the best record in the league, but were dispatched from the playoffs early by two hungrier teams that went on to win the East.

They were then, fairly or not, labeled as a “regular-season” team, meaning they could be successful during the regular season, but once the playoffs hit, they didn’t have the mental toughness and/or strategy to be championship caliber.

It also didn’t help that Milwaukee ran into players who decided to go supernova during the playoffs. In 2019, Kawhi “Cyborg” Leonard, on one good leg, snatched the heart from the Bucks as the Toronto Raptors overcame a 2-0 deficit to run off four straight wins on their way to an NBA championship. Last season, inside the Walt Disney World bubble, Jimmy Butler willed the lower-seeded Miami Heat into a second-round upset of the Bucks ahead of their own run to the Finals. Even this postseason, the Bucks had to battle the offensive brilliance of Kevin Durant and Young, at least until the latter’s series-altering ankle injury in Game 3.

In the past, when the pressure reached a precipice, everyone from the coaches to players seemed to falter. Antetokounmpo and Coach Mike Budenholzer couldn’t figure out how to scale the “wall” defenses built. Middleton, while brilliant when he’s on (particularly against the Boston Celtics), would suddenly develop a case of the yips in pivotal postseason moments. Shots that would fall for role players wouldn’t fall anymore, no matter Budenholzer’s “let it fly” mantra.

“It’s adversity,” Pat Connaughton said of losing in the playoffs the past two years. “I would say it’s unfortunate, but you learn a lot from losing. You really look yourself in the mirror and there’s two ways you can go: You can hang your head about it or you can use that as motivation to get better and fix the problems that you have and continue to work every single day and understand that it’s a process.”

But this season and its playoffs were different. The Bucks were more flexible in everything from their roster construction to their offensive sets. Those who couldn’t step up in crunch time in the past were suddenly inheritors of the clutch gene.

“Every team has a different journey and every team has to go through different things,” Budenholzer said. “… I think just like every team in the league, when this group hasn’t been able to advance, hasn’t been able to continue, it’s hurt. It’s been hard. The offseason, the guys have put the work in, the players have put the work in. And I’m impressed with what they have done, really every year, but coming into this year.

“But there’s still work to be done.”

Budenholzer has been heavily criticized over the past two years for his failure to adjust in the playoffs. According to various reports, his job was on the line if the Bucks weren’t able to make tangible progress in the playoffs. But he has made the necessary changes to get his team to the Finals. And it was general manager Jon Horst who helped construct a roster that emphasized both 3-pointers (as he had in the past) but also toughness, both the physical and mental variety.

Portis, who signed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal in November, made all the difference in Game 5 (and had the Fiserv Forum crowd in a frenzy during the blowout in Game 2). Tucker, who was traded to the Bucks in March, played strong defense on Durant in the second round. Jeff Teague, who played for Atlanta for parts of eight seasons, made three 3s in Game 6. Bryn Forbes, who cooled off in the later rounds, outscored Butler in the first round. Connaughton grabbed offensive rebounds and hit timely 3s. Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo, the list goes on.

As for the Bucks’ Big Three of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Holiday (acquired in November from the New Orleans Pelicans), each had their mental breakdowns and struggles during both the past and these playoffs, but when the team needed them to help close out games, they showed up: Middleton’s game winner against Miami in the first round, Antetokounmpo in crunch-time minutes against Brooklyn in the second round, and Holiday in the last two games without Antetokounmpo.

The team that could start strong but never finish has finally vanquished that label. And it’s poetic that it was Middleton who led the Bucks to this Finals run.

Middleton has grown from an afterthought in the 2013 trade that shipped Jennings off to Detroit and brought Middleton, Brandon Knight and Viacheslav Kravtsov to the Bucks (Middleton was referred to as one of “two other players” at the time of the trade), to the certified closer on a team that is four wins from winning its first title since 1971.

As the Bucks tanked and rebuilt around Antetokounmpo at the beginning of last decade, Middleton was there for the rough days of sub-.500 records, missed playoffs and lottery picks. Through his game winner against Miami, his dual 38-point games against Brooklyn and Atlanta, and his second-half outburst on Saturday, Middleton sums up just how far these Bucks have come.

“Honestly, it’s been a long journey, but it’s been a great journey,” Middleton said after the game. “It’s been worth it. We put ourselves in position to be in the NBA Finals. After winning 15 games in our first year here and seven years not making the playoffs to the last two years thinking we had a chance and just didn’t do enough and now we’re here.

CC Sabathia on the pressure Black athletes face to play baseball ‘the white way’ Read now

Devin Booker’s dad pushed him to go farther, go further, go harder Read now

Olympian Michael Norman puts adversity behind him as he heads to Tokyo Read now

“This is what we’ve worked for.”

Martenzie is a writer for The Undefeated. His favorite cinematic moment is when Django said “Y’all want to see somethin?”

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[junker-town]

NBA playoff predictions: 1 big question about each Eastern Conference series

The SB Nation communities preview every first round series in the East.

The Eastern Conference playoffs feature three heavy favorites and five other teams looking to make a Cinderella run to the NBA Finals. The Philadelphia 76ers have the homecourt advantage throughout the conference playoffs by finishing with the No. 1 seed, but the Brooklyn Nets are looming as the betting favorite to win it all. The Milwaukee Bucks are also lurking as they enter the postseason with an improved roster following last year’s early exit in the bubble.

The Eastern Conference playoffs get underway on May 22 and will lead up to the start of the NBA Finals on July 8. As the first round kicks off, the conference features four exciting series with storylines galore from every perspective.

Now that the playoffs are finally here, we asked the SB Nation NBA communities to preview their team’s matchup by asking one big question about each series. The communities also gave their predictions on who will win the series, as did staffers Sabreena Merchant, Sydney Umeri, and Ricky O’Donnell.

No. 1 76ers vs. No. 8 Wizards: Predictions and preview

76ers 49-23 vs. Wizards 34-38

Offensive efficiency: 76ers 112.5 (13th) | Wizards 110.7 (17th)

Defensive efficiency: 76ers 107 (2nd) | Wizards 112.3 (20th)

Net rating: 76ers +5.5 (5th) | Wizards -1.6 (22nd)

Season series: 76ers 3-0. Philadelphia swept the season series.

The Sixers swept the season series 3-0, but all of those games took place before the Wizards saved their season starting in April. Given Washington’s current hot streak and mid-season additions (led by Daniel Gafford), do you think the Wizards can make this series competitive?

Steve Lipman of Liberty Ballers: The Philadelphia in me deeply wants to hedge my bets here just in case, but short of significant injury, I really don’t see a path for Washington to make this series competitive. Throughout the season, the Sixers have done a really good job of punishing teams that cannot match them, physically, and Washington is a much smaller team than Philly. Embiid, Simmons and Harris should be able to hunt mismatches on the court all throughout the series, and by doing so create enough advantages either at the rim or beyond the arc to rack up points on the shoddy Wizards defense.

I guess there’s a universe where Simmons, Thybulle and company simply cannot keep up with Beal and Westbrook’s offensive output, thus stealing a couple of games for the Wiz, but I think it’s unlikely. Davis Bertans is basically guaranteed to shoot 75% from 3 against the Sixers in round one after struggling mightily in the play-in games, you can write that in stone. But Davis can’t do it on his own. Ultimately, I just think the Sixers’ defense is too good to get victimized by this Washington team in a really meaningful way, and the Sixers’ personnel is tailor-made to take advantage of the Wizards’ poor defense. — @SteveJLipman

Albert Lee of Bullets Forever:

Ahead of the series, our Wizards community wrote:

The Wizards are not favorites in this series, and that’s fine, given how wild this season has been. So at the end of the day, the players should be very happy to make it to this far. While I expect Washington to lose this best-of-seven series, I also would like to see them win one game, And anything more would be a bonus.

Liberty Ballers: 76ers in 5.

Sydney Umeri: 76ers in 6.

Ricky O’Donnell: 76ers in 5.

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

No. 2 Nets vs. No. 7 Celtics: Predictions and preview

Nets 48-24 vs. Celtics 36-36

Offensive efficiency: Nets 117.3 (1st) | Celtics 113.1 (10th)

Defensive efficiency: Nets 113.1 (22nd) | Celtics 111.8 (13th)

Net rating: Nets +4.2 (7th) | Celtics +1.2 (13th)

Season series: Nets 3-0. Brooklyn swept the season series.

Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving played just eight games together. Can the Celtics put a scare into the Nets if it takes them time to gel?

Jeff Clark from Celtics Blog: Predicting what the Boston Celtics will do from game to game or even quarter by quarter is a fool’s errand. However, given that I am a foolish fan, I’ll give it a shot anyway. If this series is to play out in a similar way to how the season has gone, we’ll see the Celtics come out flat and lose the first three games and the entire fanbase will start wearing black and sharpening pitchforks. They will then go on an absolute tear, winning three straight games and getting up the hopes of every optimist fan. That will of course be followed up by a game 7 loss in which the team tries really hard but can’t hit a shot to save their lives and Brooklyn’s 9th man goes off for 27 points.

Seriously though, the variability of this team really is maddening. Blame injuries, COVID, the schedule, or inexperience if you like. The bottom line is that they haven’t been consistent all season long and missing Jaylen Brown isn’t going to help that at all. Perhaps Jayson Tatum can carry the team to a win or two but ultimately there’s too much talent on Brooklyn’s side. I’ll be optimistic and say Nets in 6. — @CelticsBlog

Chris Milholen of Nets Daily: The Nets ‘Big Three’ of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden played only eight games together and as we all know, what separates great teams from championship teams is common history and elite chemistry in the postseason.

All three players have stressed to us over the course of the final weeks of the season that the lack of common history isn’t a problem nor a concern since their talent will make up for it. Although the ‘Big Three’ played even less games with key role players on the team, I believe their talent will make up for that lack of common history in the first round.

I believe Brooklyn will prevail over Boston in five games (4-1). The Nets are approaching the postseason as “a new season” and due to finishing second in the East, Brooklyn has had an extended period of rest mixed in with practices that have been focused on solidifying chemistry in different groups and lineups of players. Like Brad Steven’s said on Tuesday, it’s hard to see this team losing, so I’ll be going with Nets in five games. — @CMilholenSB

Nets Daily: Nets in 5.

Celtics Blog: Nets in 6.

Sabreena Merchant: Nets in 4.

Ricky O’Donnell: Nets in 5.

Sydney Umeri: Nets in 6.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

No. 3 Bucks vs. No. 6 Heat: Predictions and preview

Bucks 46-26 vs. Heat 40-32

Offensive efficiency: Bucks 116.5 (5th) | Heat 110.6 (18th)

Defensive efficiency: Bucks 110.7 (9th) | Heat 110.7 (9th)

Net rating: Bucks +5.8 (4th) | Heat -0.1 (17th)

Season series: Bucks 2-1. The teams split a back-to-back on Dec. 29-30, and the Bucks won on May 15 in a game at the very end of the regular season.

The Heat shocked the NBA by upsetting the Bucks in the bubble in last year’s playoffs. Is Milwaukee better prepared for a matchup with Miami this year?

Kyle Carr of BrewHoop: Milwaukee’s offseason moves were a response to their dismal bubble performance and the need to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign the supermax and stay in Milwaukee. Trading Eric Bledsoe, who had another disappointing playoffs, was the biggest priority and Milwaukee found an upgrade in Jrue Holiday, who has brought the Bucks a two-way performance that’s been needed. The Bucks also added Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes to provide some offensive firepower and PJ Tucker midseason to help with their defense.

The Bucks have spent most of this season tweaking their tactics, namely adding a player to the “dunker spot” on offense and switching on defense. All of these changes, plus an improved performance from Giannis, should put Milwaukee in a better position to be prepared for Miami this year. There will be some nervy moments, but with the previously mentioned adjustments, complete focus on basketball (which they did not have last year in the bubble with COVID-19 and the shooting of Jacob Blake) and playing in front of fans in an increased capacity Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee will look to show that last year was just a mixture of poor performances and bad luck. — @KyleCoche

Diego Quezada from Hot Hot Hoops:

Here’s what our Heat community wrote ahead on the series:

The Miami Heat’s upset over the Milwaukee Bucks last year stands as perhaps the team’s biggest upset playoff victory — knocking off the No. 1 overall seed in just five games. And yes, Jimmy Butler was amazing. But aside from Butler’s greatness, Miami also pulled off the upset thanks to varied contributions from other players.

....

Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk are both no longer with Miami. Dragic has regressed, and it seems ambitious to expect he’ll deliver another superb playoff performance this year. How can the Heat recapture that same balanced attack? The Heat will need Butler and Bam Adebayo to play like All-NBA and All-Defensive Team players in this first-round playoff series. But to pull off another upset and embarrass the Bucks yet again, the other players need to contribute.

Brew Hoop: Bucks in 6.

Ricky O’Donnell: Bucks in 7.

Sabreena Merchant: Bucks in 6.

Sydney Umeri: Bucks in 5.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

No. 4 Knicks vs. No. 5 Hawks: Predictions and preview

Knicks 41-31 vs. Hawks 41-31

Offensive efficiency: Knicks 110.2 (22nd) | Hawks 112.1 (18th)

Defensive efficiency: Knicks 107.8 (4th) | Hawks 101.5 (11th)

Net rating: Knicks +2.4 (9th) | Hawks +2.2 (11th)

Season series: Knicks 3-0. New York swept the season series, including winning a classic overtime battle in late April.

Both of these teams blew past preseason expectations this year. Whose success feels more sustainable for playoff basketball?

Zach Hood of Peachtree Hoops: I think both teams are legitimately good as currently constructed. However, New York enjoyed extremely hot three-point shooting late in the season, and had a few guys post career or near career marks from deep. The Hawks battled injuries all season and finished with the same 41-31 record as the Knicks. It feels like Atlanta at its peak would be the better team if they could get everyone on the floor at the same time, something they really haven’t done for an extended period this season. De’Andre Hunter appears to be ready to go for the series, so they may be as close to full strength as they have been all season when the series tips off Sunday evening. If Atlanta can stay healthy, I think they are the team with the higher ceiling.

I’m going Hawks in 7. New York is certainly going to battle and nothing will be easy. It’s also tough to pick against them in their building in a Game 7, but that’s what I’m doing here. Ultimately, a great deal of respect is due to New York for the season they have put together, but if the Hawks can keep the three-point line under control defensively, I think they will take this series. — @ZHood_

Joe Flynn from Posting and Toasting: I would disagree with the idea that the Hawks blew past preseason expectations. I think most experts had them contending for a playoff spot in the East after all their offseason improvements, albeit at a lower seed. The Knicks, on the other hand, finished damn near 20 wins higher than their preseason Vegas line in a 72-game season. That’s almost unprecedented.

The Hawks are the more talented team across the board, and that usually wins out in the postseason. The Knicks are carrying around the millstone that is Elfrid Payton - the league’s worst starting PG - despite the fact that Tom Thibodeau has 3-4 superior guards on the bench. That didn’t hurt them too often in the regular season, but it’ll catch up with them now. — @ChinaJoeFlynn

Posting and Toasting: Hawks in 6.

Peachtree Hoops: Hawks in 7.

Sabreena Merchant: Knicks in 7.

Ricky O’Donnell: Knicks in 7.

Sydney Umeri: Hawks in 7.

[torentialtribute]

Curry and Green post triple-doubles as Golden State produce ANOTHER epic comeback victory

The Golden State Warriors sweat their way to fifth street Curry and Draymond Green in a 119-117 overtime win the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday evening.

Green had 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, and made a key 3-pointer in overtime. Curry has added 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He and Green became the first teammates to have triple doubles in the same play-off game.

The Warriors will encounter the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between Toronto and Milwaukee. The Bucks lead that series 2-1 with Game 4 on Tuesday evening in Canada .

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green celebrate during Golden State & # 39; s

<img id = "i-8e1546aa393f8c99" src = "https://i.dailymail.co. uk / 1s / 2019/05/21/07 / 13750228-7052391-image-a-1_1558420707281.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Stephen Curry and Draymond Green celebrate during Golden State & # 39; s victory over Portland win over Portland "

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green celebrate celebration during the Golden state victory in Portland

Green scored a crucial 3. <img id = "i-9f3d43aa6374667d" src = "https://dailym.ai/2G1UBof 05/21/07 / 13750224-7052391-image-a-6_1558 420780430.jpg "height =" 579 "width =" 306 "alt =" <img id = "i-9f3d43aa6374667d" src = "https://dailym.ai/2WYUH6q /13750224-7052391-image-a-6_1558420780430.jpg "height =" 579 "width =" 306 "alt =" It came from a new epic comeback from the Warriors pointer in overtime to a new epic comeback from Golden State close

The Warriors again knew a major deficit and came back from 17 down after erasing an 18-point deficit in Game 3 and to 17-point hole in Game 2

& # 39; We have been here before. We have seen everything, every experience you can imagine. We relied on that, & Curry said.

Playing without Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and DeMarcus Cousins, the Warriors became the first team to reach five consecutive finals since the Boston Celtics went to 10 in a row from 1957 -66.

Damian Lillard, playing with separate ribs, had 28 points and 12 assists for Portland. I missed the 3-point attempt. Meyers Leonard added a career-high 30 points along with 12 rebounds.

The Warriors were up 114-113 in the extra period after Green missed the first of a few free throws. CJ McCollum & # 39; s jumper from the front gave Portland a brief lead, but Alfonzo McKinnie's basket gave Golden State the lead again and Green made the 3-pointer to push him to 119-115 with 39 seconds left

<img id = "i-8bbf496416b2marte" src = "https://dailym.ai/2EldSQs 7_1558420878192.jpg "height =" 426 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-8bbf496416b2ninge" src = "https://dailym.ai/2WYUH6q /13749750-7052391-image-a-7_1558420878192.jpg "height =" 426 "width =" 634 "alt =" Curry, leaving Damian Lillard to finish his shot, scored 37 points "Damian Lillard to finish his shot get, scored 37 points "

Curry, running away from Damian Lillard to take his chance, scored 37 points

<img id =" i-4e6507bfc45ca8e7 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2WV6KBv "height = "423" width = "634" alt = "<img id =" i-4e6507bfc45ca8e7 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2EpzWcO -a-8_1558420907173.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Curry and Co are now waiting for the winners of Milwaukee against Toronto

Curry and Co are now waiting for the winners of Milwaukee against Toronto

Lillard made a layout and Curry missed a sweater to give Portland the ball back. Faced with a stifling defense from both Green and Klay Thompson, Lillard was unable to shoot the ball but the ball went out of reach during the scramble. The Blazers got it back with 3.3 seconds, but Lillard & # 39; s last shot didn't fall.

For the third consecutive game, the Trail Blazers led by half. They extended the lead to 17 points in the third quarter, but the Warriors went on a 12-0 run to close within 95-90 at the start of the final period.

Green & # 39; s long baseline sweater delivered the Warriors a 108-106 lead with 3:30 left. Lillard & # 39; s 3-pointer put the Blazers back in front and Leonard dipped it to 111-108 with just under two minutes to go.

After Thompson & # 39; s 3-pointer reconnected, Curry and Lillard missed 3 seconds.

Lillard's layup bounced around the edge and out and the game went overtime.

Meyers Leonard put a sublime

<img id = "i-b1466a21b68fe6ab" src = "https://dailym.ai/2V7xoKx 21/07 / 13749762-7052391-image-a-9_1558421085360.jpg "height =" 442 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-b1466a21b68fe6ab" src = "https://i.dailymail.co .uk / 1s / 2019/05/21/07 / 13749762-7052391-image-a-9_1558421085360.jpg "height =" 442 "width =" 634 "alt =" Meyers Leonard set a great team for Portland with 30 points and 12 rebounds

Meyers Leonard set up a fantastic team for Portland with 30 points and 12 rebounds

Iguodala was out due to a sore left calf. The veteran swingman, who averages 10.1 points in the play-offs, was hurt in the bottom of the win on Saturday 3 off the field.

It was not known how long he would be, but the Warriors said an MRI Sunday was clear.

Golden State already missed Durant because of a sore right calf. It is unknown when the dual NBA Finals MVP will return.

Lillard separated his ribs in Game 2 but played through the pain. He reached 33 points in the first-round play-off series against Oklahoma City, hit a series-clinching 3-pointer in Game 5, but struggled against Golden State's defensive focus on him.

<img id = "i-4eb7d30cf1839d52" src = "https://dailym.ai/2EnBL9Z image-a-14_1558421209050.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Stephen won the battle for the Currys – his brother Seth congratulated him at the end "the Currys – his brother Seth congratulated him at the end"

Stephen won the battle for the Currys – his brother Seth congratulated him at the end

Portland, playing with urgency in an elimination game, pulled 30-28 in front in the first half of McCollum's lay-out and free-throw, but Curry on the other hand responded with a 3-way backward pointer.

Curry skipped a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds.

Portland advanced 59-50 after Leonard's back-to-back 3-pointers, who finished in the first half with five 3s, half to close Warriors in 69-65 at the break.

Portl and pushed the lead to 83-72 on the 3-Hand of McCollum. TIP INS

Warriors TIP INS TIP INS : Curry has made a 3-pointer in a play-off record of 106 games. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick was one of the fans in the competition and was a few seats lower than the Warriors bench. Per Elias Sports and the Warriors, Curry had made a series of 81 consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime in the postseason – before missing one with 9:25 in the game against the Blazers

Trail Blazers : Leonard, who didn't even play in the postseason games of Portland, had a play-off high of 16 points in Game 3. After scoring 25 in the first half, fans of the Fashion Center ventured

Former Oregon recipient, Keanon Lowe, received a standing ovation when introduced to the public in Fashion in the first quarter Center. Lowe, a coach at Portland & Parkrose High School, stopped a student who came to the school with a gun on Friday.

& # 39; I saw the look on his face, the look on his eyes, I looked at the gun, I realized it was a real gun and then my instincts just took over, & # 39; Lowe, 27, said about wrestling the gun away from the teenager. Lowe spoke with reporters before the match.

The suspect, 19-year-old Angel Granados-Diaz, previously pleaded not guilty

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[thetrumpdebacle]

The organizers of The Basketball Tournament, the $2 million winner-take-all pickup-style challenge entering its fifth iteration, did not know quite what to expect last year when they experimented with a radical change to crunch time: shutting off the game clock and playing until one team reaches a target score.

Some coaches and players worried the tournament was bastardizing hoops with a needless gimmick. Tournament higher-ups decided they would use the gambit only in 11 play-in games.

A year later, they are going all-in, implementing the so-called Elam Ending for all of the tournament’s 71 games starting on June 29 — including the $2 million championship game on Aug. 3 on ESPN. (All games will be shown live on ESPN networks.)

At the first dead ball under the 4:00 mark, the clock will go dark as officials add seven points to the score of the leading team. The first team to reach that score wins. If Team A leads Team B, 78-70, when the clock stops with 3:58 left, they play until one reaches 85.

“Fans loved it,” says Jonathan Mugar, founder and CEO of TBT. “There were instances in which they stood for the whole thing.”

Trailing teams didn’t have to resort to intentional fouling — the goal of the concept. It created its own version of buzzer-beaters, including Josh Selby, once a member of the Grizzlies, hitting a jumper to meet the target score and end the game:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzVxgyblR5o?wmode=transparent&w=854&h=480]

“It was pretty cool having that walk-off feeling,” says Sammy Zeglinski, who played at the University of Virginia from 2007 to 2012 — and in TBT last year.

(Note the giant board in the corner displaying the target score of 76.)

Even some old heads were sold.

“It was awesome,” says John Wallace, the former Syracuse star who coached the Paul Champions — featuring Earl Boykins! — in last season’s play-in segment. “It was different. It added intrigue.”

The Elam Ending is the brainchild of Nick Elam, a former middle school principal (and current professor at Ball State University) who got sick of NBA games ending in an endless torrent of intentional fouls. After toying with several methods of cleaning up crunch time, he landed on the simple alternative of a target score. Under Elam’s rules, trailing teams would use regular basketball — not hacking — to rally.

He settled on adding seven points at various trigger times — under 3:00 in his NBA proposal, and under 4:00 for TBT, which uses nine-minute quarters and a 30-second shot clock — because it represented a close points-per-minute match to what teams produce in typical game play. (Elam tried more complex methods of calculating a target score, including some that would vary from game to game, but concluded basic was better.)

“After seeing it in person,” Elam says, “I’m more confident this concept will live on in some way.”

Playing to a score appeals to the sport’s pickup roots. “The games gained way more excitement,” says Jake Lerner, a four-year player at Drexel University who coached in last year’s TBT. “It adds a streetball element. Any player would rather play pickup to 7 than a timed game.” (For what it’s worth: Lerner is not 100 percent behind the concept. As a coach, he missed the strategic clock-related machinations of crunch time — such as diagramming quick 2s and seeking 2-for-1s.)

Mark Cuban and Daryl Morey are among NBA luminaries excited to see Elam’s idea play out in games of consequence. “This idea would address the number one viewer issue I see in NBA games — the endless trips to the free throw line and timeouts at the end of games,” Morey, Houston’s GM, told ESPN.com last year.

The NBA knows start-and-stop crunch time can be hard to watch. The league reduced the number of timeouts during the 2017-18 season, and it has discussed more dramatic measures — including banning consecutive timeouts and letting teams pick free throw shooters if the opponent hacks them. The timeout reduction, combined with enforcing a 15-minute halftime, shaved four minutes from the average game this season, league officials said.

Zach talks to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report about LeBron’s 3-6 Finals record as well as his place in history (4:19), fun what-ifs (15:32), Golden State’s culture (55:55) and Kevin Durant weirdness (1:01:32).

KD isn’t fixated on MJ’s ring count like Kobe or LeBron. So what makes him tick? Zach Lowe examines the Warriors’ enigmatic superstar.

1 Related

But measures aimed strictly at speeding up the game don’t reduce the incentive of trailing teams to intentionally foul. Proposals to eradicate fouling — letting hacked teams pick their own foul shooters or simply take the ball out of bounds — would make it even harder for trailing teams to come back. (Elam’s research found that intentionally fouling almost never leads to comebacks.)

Elam hoped his proposal would do two things: make it a teensy bit easier for teams to overcome deficits and erase crunch-time hacking.

League officials, usually dubious of any quick fix to crunch time, were curious. “That is really interesting,” Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations told ESPN.com last year. The NBA tracked all 11 TBT play-in games. They have had internal spitballing sessions about what the NBA game would look like without an all-powerful clock — if teams took quarter breaks whenever one reached a certain threshold of points (25, 50, then 75), sources said. (This would eliminate heaves and other truncated possessions.)

Such ideas are too radical for use even in the G League, according to Evan Wasch, the league’s senior vice president of basketball strategy and analytics.

“[The Elam Ending] is in a bucket of things that are interesting and innovative but not near the top of our list in terms of testing in the G League or summer league,” Wasch says.

Skeptics worry it would eliminate true buzzer-beaters; two of the 11 play-in games a year ago ended on free throws. There is no overtime.

Mugar and Elam hope the excitement of one or both teams approaching the target score — and one team reaching it with a field goal — mimics the ecstasy of a buzzer-beater.

“You can feel the energy building,” says Matt Martucci, a play-by-play announcer who called several Elam Endings last year.

“It’s almost like you get a buzzer-beater in every game,” Lerner says.

Elam also argues that even a mundane walk-off event — a free throw — is more interesting than the two teams strolling around until time expires.

Multiple coaches in last year’s play-in action noticed teams with leads at first played tight, as if they were accustomed to having the clock on their side. As teams crept within one or two points of the target score with comfortable leads, some amped up their defense, gambling for steals and run-outs that would end games.

There are potential downsides beyond the fundamental strangeness of a clockless game. Elam’s concept creates a weird strategic inflection point at the moment the game transitions into the untimed phase. Most leading teams called timeout at the first opportunity after the 4:00 mark — locking the margin and target score, and ensuring they started the untimed part of the game with the ball. One team threw the ball off an opposing player’s leg as the clock crossed 4:00. (Elam has thought about kicking off the untimed phase with a jump ball to minimize this strategy.)

Get ready for Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and more top prospects.

�� Full NBA mock draft • Scouting the likely lottery picks • Top 100 rankings • Watch: Scouting videos • Rookie fantasy expectations • Draft assets for every team

In a game with a typical deficit — say, somewhere from six to 12 points — that might not bother anyone. Such games might end up more entertaining in the aggregate under Elam’s rules. One team entered the Elam phase down by 13 and immediately ripped off a 14-0 run that might have been less likely with a clock bearing down on them.

But how would manufacturing a dead ball look in a close, intense game? As Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers crescendoed over a furious stretch of uninterrupted play, would anyone have wanted either team stopping the action on purpose?

Teams with big leads might stall as the Elam cutoff approaches. Elam’s system introduces one high-leverage point at which it is smart to foul: when a team within one or two points of the target score is defending against a team three points below that score. (Foul to prevent a 3-point attempt and get the ball back with a chance to win.) Of course, some NBA teams intentionally foul when they are ahead by three late in games.

Some defenses trying to stop teams within one or two points of the target became so paranoid about fouling — and yielding game-ending free throws — that they softened to the point of complete ineffectiveness, coaches said.

Some referees said they were uncomfortable. Scorekeepers weren’t sure how to log plays without a clock. Anticipating how the Elam Ending might interact with legalized sports gambling is both fascinating and a little scary.

It’s unclear how much the Elam Ending juices comebacks. Only one team rallied to win. (Another trailing team took the lead, but it ended up losing.) The approximately four-minute Elam Ending lasted an average of almost 10 minutes in real time and featured six free throws — close to the NBA’s averages over the same length of game time, Wasch said.

For Elam, those are features, not bugs. He doesn’t want to tilt the odds too far in favor of comebacks. Teams should be rewarded for building leads. And if it takes time to play those four minutes, at least viewers get to watch normal basketball, Elam said.

Other unintended consequences might emerge as Elam’s idea gets a larger hearing. But that’s part of the fun: Whether you like the idea at first glance, you will get to see how it actually plays out on national TV, with lots of money at stake.

“On Aug. 3, someone is going to hit a shot for $2 million,” Mugar says. “That thought alone played a major role in the decision to implement it.”

via The Trump Debacle

[investmart007]

CLEVELAND | The Latest: Warriors up big, closing in on another title

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/W8ONGd

CLEVELAND | The Latest: Warriors up big, closing in on another title

 4 (all times local):

11:20 p.m.

Stephen Curry is up to 37 points and seven 3-pointers as the Warriors lead 102-76 with about 5 ½ minutes left in Game 4.

Kevin Durant has a triple-double and needs a strong finish to continue his streak of scoring 25 or more in every NBA Finals game he’s played. He’s done so in all 13 games.

The Warriors are poised to finish off the first NBA Finals sweep since San Antonio in 2007 — a romp that also came at the expense of LeBron James and Cleveland.

___

11 p.m.

With one last third-quarter onslaught, the Warriors are up big heading to what could be the last 12 minutes of the NBA season.

They lead Game 4 of the NBA Finals 86-65 as they try to sweep their way to a second straight championship and third in four years.

Golden State outscored Cleveland 25-13 in the third quarter, the period when the Warriors either turned around or blew open so many games during their run to the NBA Finals.

___

10:55 p.m.

Another big third quarter for the Warriors has them headed toward the title.

Golden State leads 81-63 with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the period. It’s the largest lead of the game.

Stephen Curry leads the way with 25 points and Kevin Durant has 18.

Meanwhile, LeBron James has picked up a fourth foul while the Cavaliers try to stay close enough to make a comeback a possibility.

___

10:40 p.m.

ESPN has released a statement on Hall of Famer Hubie Brown and his condition after he got hurt before Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Brown has been covering the series as an analyst on ESPN Radio.

The network says Brown “was injured when he bumped his knee on a table during pregame. He’s in good spirits and being treated by the medical staff on site. He hopes to return to the ESPN Radio booth if there is a Game 5.”

The Warriors aren’t cooperating on that front: They’re up 11 in the third quarter, as they try to sweep Cleveland for the title.

___

10:20 p.m.

Golden State is one half away from a second straight NBA championship.

The Warriors have a 61-52 lead over Cleveland at halftime of Game 4. Golden State led by 11 in the first quarter, fell behind midway through the second, and went into the locker room with momentum after Stephen Curry made a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the period.

Curry has bounced back from his struggles in Game 3 with 20 points, making four of the Warriors’ nine 3-pointers. Andre Iguodala has three off the bench.

Golden State is trying to celebrate on Cleveland’s home floor for the second time, having wrapped up its 2015 title at Quicken Loans Arena.

LeBron James has 16 points for Cleveland.

___

9:55 p.m.

Cleveland has battled back from an 11-point deficit to regain the lead in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

The Cavaliers went ahead 39-38 when LeBron James finished off a fast break with a basket midway through the second quarter. That gave him a game-high 13 points.

Golden State controlled the first quarter but the Cavaliers outscored the Warriors 14-4 to open the second.

Klay Thompson picked up a third foul for the Warriors and remained scoreless.:55 p.m.

___

9:40 p.m.

Stephen Curry had 12 points and the Golden State Warriors made six 3-pointers in taking a 34-25 lead after one quarter of Game 4.

Curry made two 3s after hitting only one in Game 3. He already had more points than in that 11-point outing.

Andre Iguodala also made a pair of 3-pointers after entering early when Klay Thompson went to the bench with two fouls.

Kevin Love scored nine points and LeBron James eight for the Cavaliers.

___

9:35 p.m.

Stephen Curry already has as many baskets in the first quarter of Game 4 as in all of Game 3.

Curry made his first three shots, including an off-balance 3-pointer when he was trying to draw a foul as he shot. His nine quick points sent the Warriors to a 13-3 lead.

He was only 3 for 16 in Game 3, including 1 for 10 behind the arc.

The Cavaliers surged back with eight straight points to cut it to two points midway through the period.

___

9:20 p.m.

ESPN Radio broadcaster and Basketball Hall of Famer Hubie Brown was injured shortly before Game 4 of the NBA Finals and was taken to a nearby hospital for an apparent knee injury.

The 84-year-old Brown was checked out by doctors in the arena, and will not be working the game as an analyst. There was no immediate word on the status or severity of his injury.

Brown is a two-time NBA coach of the year and two-time Emmy nominee who is working the finals for the 17th time as a radio and television analyst. His broadcasting career goes back to the 1980s, and he’s been with ABC and ESPN since 2004.

___

9:10 p.m.

Game 4 of the NBA Finals is underway and Cavaliers are in a bad situation, but Game 4s have been good for them lately.

Cleveland has won seven straight Game 4s, dating to last season.

That includes a victory over the Warriors last year in the NBA Finals, when the Cavaliers were in the same 3-0 deficit they face now.

The Cavs are facing elimination for the fourth time this postseason. They won Game 7 in the first round against Indiana, then Games 6 and 7 when trailing Boston 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals.

But Stephen Curry and the Warriors are off to fast start. Curry has six points and Golden State leads Cleveland 10-3.

___

8:15 p.m.

One game at a time may be a sports cliche.

It’s also the only way the Cavaliers can survive.

None of the previous 131 teams which have fallen into a 3-0 hole in the NBA playoffs has ever rallied to win a series. Some team may eventually could break the drought, but Cleveland’s chances appear remote against a Golden State team that hasn’t lost four straight since March 2013.

Still, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue was quick to point out that his team has already defied huge odds.

“No team has ever come back from 3-1 either, and we did it,” Lue said, referring to the Cavs’ comeback to stun the Warriors in the 2016 Finals. “So our main focus is tonight, our Game 4. Not winning four, but winning Game 4, so that’s all we’re going to focus on.”

Lue said he did not consult Indians manager Terry Francona, who guided the Boston Red Sox back from a 3-0 deficit to win the 2004 AL Championship series.

“I didn’t want to bother him,” Lue said of Francona, who attended Game 3. “He has a lot of things going on as well.”

___

7: 50 p.m.

Steve Kerr got asked a light-hearted question before Game 4 of the NBA Finals — and the Golden State coach loved it.

The question was basically this: Would you rather win an NBA championship on Friday night in Cleveland and hear booing from the Cavaliers’ home crowd, or finish off the series in Golden State before happy Warriors fans?

Kerr got a good laugh.

“They both sound awesome,” Kerr said.

___

5:40 p.m.

LeBron James, most definitely, does not want to get swept in the NBA Finals for a second time.

But if it happens, at least he’ll be in elite company.

Should Cleveland lose Game 4 of this series Friday night and get swept by Golden State, James would be the fifth player to actually be on the floor for a pair of 4-0 defeats in the NBA Finals. James was on the Cleveland team that lost 4-0 to San Antonio in 2007 as well.

The other four guys to be twice-swept? They’re not bad.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper all played in a pair of swept-out defeats in the finals with the Los Angeles Lakers. James Worthy was on both of those teams — 1983 and 1989 — but didn’t actually play in the first sweep because of injury.

So besides Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson and Cooper, the only other player to appear in two finals sweep losses was Wes Unseld — with the Bullets in 1971 and 1975.

Golden State could hand James his second sweep loss Friday night. The Warriors lead this year’s NBA Finals 3-0.

___

9:15 a.m.

If the Golden State Warriors win the NBA championship on Friday night, it’ll mark the earliest start to the offseason in more than three decades.

The last time the NBA Finals ended on or before June 8 was back in 1986, when the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games. Since then, the earliest any title series has ended was June 12.

That means the Warriors get two chances to bring on an early summer: If they lose Game 4, they’ll play host to Game 5 on June 11.

The NBA season started earlier than the previous norms this year, part of the league’s initiative to add days to the schedule in order to limit back-to-backs and help get players more rest during the 82-game regular season grind. These finals started May 31, just the second time since 1986 that Game 1 wasn’t played in June.

__

By Associated Press

___

[jodyedgarus]

The Warriors And Rockets Have Reinvented Modern NBA Defense. Yes, Defense.

HOUSTON — The NBA Finals are considered the crown jewel of the playoffs for obvious reasons, but it’d be hard to argue with anyone who views this vaunted Western Conference finals matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets as this year’s main event.

The Warriors have two of the best three players in the world in their starting five, have won titles in two of the last three seasons, and appear borderline annoyed having to face questions about whether they’re concerned to be starting a series without home-court advantage for the first time in their recent championship era. The Rockets won an NBA-best 65 regular-season games, have likely MVP James Harden and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul in their backcourt and possess a group of sweet-shooting teammates who stretch the floor as if it’s made of Play-Doh.

The offensive firepower — Golden State and Houston finished No. 1 and No. 2 in offensive efficiency, and virtually averaged the same number of points per 100 plays — guarantees we’ll hear plenty about how well these teams score. But because of that, something else about the Rockets and Warriors may fly beneath the radar: The NBA’s two best clubs are even further ahead of the curve on defense. In a league that’s more reliant than ever on the pick-and-roll offense, these two defenses are unmatched when it comes to their versatility and ability to switch assignments on the fly.

Houston defended a screen-and-roll by switching on 1,406 possession chances during the regular season, while Golden State orchestrated 1,075 switches of its own, according to data from Second Spectrum and NBA Advanced Stats. The teams — who more than doubled the switch totals compiled by 20 other teams — were outliers from the rest of the league: The Lakers were the only other club that broke 800 switches over the course of the 2017-18 season.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/rox.mp4

And it isn’t just that the Warriors and Rockets switch a lot. They also use the strategy to fuel their high-octane offenses. Houston forced 3.5 turnovers per 100 switches, while Golden State forced 2.4, the best rates in the league, according to Second Spectrum.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/warriors.mp4

That ability — to be able to have two similarly sized players trade off their defensive responsibilities quickly enough during a pick-and-roll to where the offense doesn’t gain an edge because of it — speaks to the length and versatility the Western Conference foes have. And it takes on added importance in a matchup like this, where the Warriors and Rockets often use an array of screens (albeit differently1) to unlock their most lethal shooters beyond the 3-point line.

“You have to cover more ground than ever before. It’s amazing: Sometimes I’ll turn on the classic sports channel and find Lakers-Celtics games from the 1980s — some of the best games ever — and the game is played in this tiny little radius. Now it’s way out on the perimeter,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “Every possession was, you dump it into the post, a double comes, and you might see six or eight threes taken in a game. But everything was different. The rules were different. The talent is different. Very few low-post players anymore. The league’s adapted. Coaches have adapted. Things are ever-changing. And you have to change along with that.”

Anyone who’s followed the Warriors’ dominance these past few years knows a huge chunk of that success stems from Golden State’s ability to go small and play Draymond Green — who may not even be an ideal height for a traditional small forward — at center. That alignment, with Andre Iguodala, gives the Warriors four long-limbed clones who are laterally quick enough and strong enough to cover almost anyone. Because of that defensive speed, Golden State has the luxury of being able to gamble a bit more on that end as it knows opposing offenses generally won’t be able to find mismatches, even if a switch has taken place.

“At the end of the day, It’s really just another way for us to cut off the other team’s options with our versatility,” said Green, the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who sometimes will call an audible — and move a teammate out of the way — before a screen even occurs to put himself in position to thwart a play.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/dray.mp4

Houston’s also made life difficult for opponents with its versatility on defense. By and large, the Rockets have been far more successful on defense than most would have guessed, jumping to sixth in defensive efficiency this season after ranking 21st and 18th in 2015-16 and 2016-17. Adding the sticky-handed Paul certainly factored into that improvement. But plugging free-agent signings Luc Mbah a Moute and P.J. Tucker into the lineup likely did even more for the team.

“Their ability to guard 1 through 5 makes it so much easier for us. That’s why we’re so much better on defense this year,” said Houston guard Eric Gordon of the duo, which sometimes shares the frontcourt despite neither man standing taller than 6-foot-8. (Nonetheless, the lineup pays dividends. Houston, trailing by 14 heading into the fourth at Portland in December, came back to win by seven while using Mbah a Moute and Tucker at the 4 and 5 the entire period.)

Mbah a Moute, in particular, has become a vital piece for Houston on defense. According to a defensive dashboard created by Nylon Calculus contributor Krishna Narsu, the wing’s versatility was highly unusual. This past season, he was one of just seven NBA players to spend at least 15 percent of his time on guarding each of the following positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward and power forward.

Unsurprisingly, the Rockets struggled in his absence in the middle of the campaign, enduring a season-long five-game losing streak. Houston’s 101.2 defensive rating with Mbah a Moute on the court this season would rank best in the league on a team scale, while their 105.4 rating without him would have had them just slightly above average, at No. 12.

Above all else, Mbah a Moute and Tucker carry so much importance because they make Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni — one of the game’s brightest offensive minds who was never really known for switching with his defenses — more comfortable utilizing this style of play.

“To even have a chance against a team like Golden State, you have to make a point of not being put into rotations. They’ll kill you that way. So I’m just happy we have a roster full of guys to where it makes sense to be able to switch the way we do,” he said.

To be sure: Neither team is reinventing the wheel with this strategy on defense, even if they are using it far more than everyone else. On some level, this is no different than what the LeBron-era Miami Heat did when they rode small ball to a championship in 2012. (In fact, Kerr would be the first to tell you that he really never envisioned Green playing the rim-protection role he currently fills when he first took the Warriors’ job. “We didn’t know Draymond was Draymond yet,” he told me.) Beyond that, it wouldn’t be fair to gloss over how unbelievably dominant these teams are on offense, given how big a role their scoring plays.

Yet there are reasons to think that creative, well-timed switches will heavily factor into this series as the chess match of hunting for what they perceive to be mismatches unfolds.

The Warriors have made no secret of the fact that they like to post up Kevin Durant if and when they can spot him being guarded by Paul following a screen.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/durant.mp4

Meanwhile, Harden and the Rockets are even less shy about attacking Curry — they’ll often run multiple pick-and-rolls until they can get him on an island for a 1-on-1 matchup. In fact, they used this tactic six times in a seven-possession span during the final four minutes of the last meeting between the clubs in January.

“We’re just gonna watch film and find ways to attack them offensively,” Harden told me when I asked specifically about those sequences. “We’ll take our shots, play unselfishly. Pretty simple.”

Curry thinks this will mean isolating him the same way this series. “I hope it’s every single play,” he told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “When you look at the Hamptons Five lineup that’s out there, I would probably do the same exact thing if I was coaching against me. You’ve got Klay, Andre, Draymond and KD out there. I embrace those opportunity to get stops and to make it tough in those iso situations and just do my job.”

A likely MVP seeking out a former MVP for a 1-on-1 matchup, for the right to play in the Finals. A pretty cool outcome, all because of how these juggernauts force and handle switches.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-warriors-and-rockets-have-reinvented-modern-nba-defense-yes-defense/

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/lebron-james-lands-kevin-durant-nba-stars-serena-williams-back/

LeBron James lands Kevin Durant for NBA All-Stars and Serena Williams back

While there was plenty of fanfare on the idea of the NBA televising the NBA's first ever All-Star draft, they had to wait until after a conference call on Thursday to find out who would land on Team LeBron James and Team Stephen Curry. LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA’s first All-Star draft. Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA’s top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.

TEAM LEBRON

LeBron James • Kevin Durant • Anthony Davis • Kyrie Irving • DeMarcus Cousins • Russell Westbrook • Kristaps Porzingis • LaMarcus Aldridge • John Wall • Bradley Beal • Kevin Love • Victor Oladipo

TEAM STEPHEN

Steph Curry •Giannis Antetokounmpo •James Harden •DeMar DeRozan •Joel Embiid • Klay Thompson • Draymond Green • Karl-Anthony Towns • Jimmy Butler • Damian Lillard • Al Horford • Kyle Lowry The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled. James was among those who said fans should have watched the proceedings and his decision to draft Irving could have made for a must-see moment. The point guard asked out of Cleveland last summer, and the Cavaliers traded him to conference rival Boston. “Kyrie was available on the draft board; he’s one of the best point guards we have in our league,” James said. “It was an easy choice for me.” James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn’t use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format. James had the No. 1 pick as a result of earning the most votes in fan balloting, while Curry had the first pick in the reserve round after the starters were selected. He passed on Russell Westbrook, the NBA MVP who instead ended up on Team LeBron. The league is hoping that trying something new will bring back some old-school intensity that has been absent from the last two games, when the West nearly scored 200 points. James also took the New Orleans duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. His other reserves are Cleveland teammate Kevin Love, Washington guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Indiana’s Victor Oladipo and Kristaps Porzingis of New York. After taking starters Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto, Curry rounded out his roster with Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Minnesota’s Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Portland’s Damian Lillard, and Boston’s Al Horford. The league was widely criticized for not televising the draft, a decision that was made to protect players from any embarrassment over being chosen last. “The fans should have been a part of this for sure and everybody who loves the game,” James said, “but it’s the first year, and I think it’s going to be pretty cool going into the future.” Team LeBron has all five players in the game who have won All-Star Game MVP awards: James (2006, 2008), Westbrook (2015, 2016), Davis (2017), Durant (2012) and Irving (2014). Serena Williams is returning to tournament play for the first time since giving birth in September. Williams was among the entries released Wednesday for the BNP Paribas Open, which runs March 5-18 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It will be the two-time champion’s first tournament in 14 months, since winning the 2017 Australian Open. She lost an exhibition to Jelena Ostapenko in the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 30. Williams reached the Australian Open semifinals in 2015 and the finals in 2016 after returning to the California event she had boycotted for years because of racial comments from the stands. Top-ranked Simona Halep, defending champion Elena Vesnina, and former winners Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki are set to play. Also entered is Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza, U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens, Karolina Pliskova, and Americans Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe. On the men’s side, defending champion Roger Federer will go for his sixth tournament title. Novak Djokovic also has won five times and is entered along with Rafael Nadal, Grigor Dimitrov, Juan Martin del Potro and Stan Wawrinka. Marin Cilic appeared hesitant as he stepped to the baseline to begin his Australian Open semifinal match on Thursday. Before hitting the first serve of the match, he bounced the ball more than two dozen times.

Cilic’s fidgeting presaged a poor start. He quickly fell behind after he finally put the ball in play; his opponent, Kyle Edmund, won three of the first four points to earn two immediate break opportunities.

But after the initial scare, the sixth-seeded Cilic found his groove. He hammered three consecutive service winners and never looked back, beating Edmund, 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-2, in 2 hours 18 minutes.

Edmund failed to generate any further break point opportunities in the match, while Cilic broke serve four times. Cilic dominated with his first serve, winning 90 percent of those points on his way to becoming the first Croat, man or woman, to reach an Australian Open singles final. It will be the third major final for Cilic, who won his lone Grand Slam title at the United States Open in 2014.

His opponent on Sunday will be second-seeded Roger Federer or unseeded Hyeon Chung. They were scheduled to play Friday evening in the other semifinal. With his run in Melbourne, Cilic will reach a career-high No. 3 in the rankings on Monday.

That will put him behind only Rafael Nadal and Federer. He has maintained a fairly low profile while other top players, like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, have been sidelined by injuries for long periods.

“Having more attention or not, I don’t mind,” Cilic said in an interview after Thursday’s match. “I’m still doing the same things. Still, I have to be focused with my own team to get better every single day, to do the things I need to.”

The 49th-ranked Edmund, like the 58th-ranked Chung, was unseeded in the draw. Though his path opened up somewhat when eighth-seeded Jack Sock lost in the first round, Edmund’s route to the semifinals was more difficult. He took out several more experienced foes, including last year’s United States Open runner-up, Kevin Anderson, in the first round and third-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals.

Edmund’s run delighted the British tennis community, which has been downtrodden by Murray’s recent injury woes. But he appeared to run out of steam early in the semifinal and struggled occasionally with his movement. Edmund took an off-court medical timeout for several minutes after the first set.

In his on-court interview after the match, Cilic said that he first noticed that Edmund’s movement was limited midway through the third set as his opponent let some shots go past him.

“I was seeing that with his movement he was a little bit restricted, so I just tried to move the ball around,” Cilic said.

Edmund was reluctant to disclose any details of an injury after the match; the BBC reported that it was a hip issue.

Cilic also benefited from an opponent’s maladies when the top-seeded Nadal retired two games into the fifth set of their quarterfinal match on Tuesday. Cilic has had no such struggles.

“I feel really good,” he said in his on-court interview. “Today was just a little bit different intensity than in the match with Rafa. In that match, I lifted my game a lot, and the energy was really good on the court. I think over all I’m feeling really good, thanks to my fitness coach, thanks to my guys. They are making me work hard.”

That good health should give Cilic a much better chance of winning than in his previous major final. Bothered by deep blisters in his foot during last year’s Wimbledon final, Cilic fell meekly to Federer, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, in 1:41, at one point weeping into his towel in frustration.

Cilic spent the two days between that semifinal and the final with “a lot of needles” in his foot trying to drain the blisters, ultimately to no avail.

“Straight after the semis there, I had difficulties with my blisters, and I didn’t know how it was going to be,” he said. “I was hoping it was going to be really good, but it wasn’t, in the end.”

The rest of the year was mixed. Cilic lost in the third round of the United States Open, and was 0-3 in round-robin play at the World Tour Finals in London.

Now, only two Grand Slam events removed from his Wimbledon disappointment, Cilic has a chance to rectify what he called “a lost opportunity.” After winning the United States Open with Goran Ivanisevic as his coach and reaching the Wimbledon final with Jonas Bjorkman, Cilic is working this year with Ivan Cinkus, a fellow Croat with whom he said he shared a seamless connection.

“The communication is really on a good level, and you can see that straightaway on the results,” Cilic said.

That clarity has transferred to his own game, which he is deploying with purpose and pragmatism.

“I’m just understanding myself better, what I’m doing well on the court, and that if I keep doing that, I keep getting better at it,” Cilic said. “Obviously we’re all unique players, having a unique style of play. For me, when I’m playing the great tennis that I can play, it’s on a high level. I can compete with the best guys in the world. For me, that’s the understanding I’m pushing toward.

“The big challenge is to keep that consistently throughout the season, as the best guys do.”

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[torentialtribute]

Golden State 114-111 Portland: Steph Curry scores 37 points as Warriors storm from behind

These Golden State Warriors have long been able to score in fantastic, overwhelming gusts. At eight o'clock home at the Portland Trail Blazers home with four and a half minutes to go, they needed every last burst, perfect pass, rolling layout and dunk.

& # 39; Our experience has paid off for us tonight with a bunch of guys who just don't quit, & said Draymond Green, who was right in the middle.

Stephen Curry scored 37 points when Golden State defeated Portland and took a 2-0 lead in the final Curry scored 37 points when Golden State defeated Portland and a 2-0 lead took in the final "

Stephen Curry scored 37 points when Golden State defeated Portland. Take a 2-0 lead in the final

<img id = "i-28804a677a2d0520" src = "https://dailym.ai/2EfxxkL" height = "911" width = "634" alt = "Draymond Green was influential while the Warriors fought from behind to take victory" class = "blkBorder img-share"

Draymond Green was influential when the Warriors fought from behind to seize the victory The Warriors fought back from behind to seize the victory

<img id = "i-255a4bbc0ce71901" src = "https://dailym.ai/2WK4YDm "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Klay Thompson celebrates victory on Thursday evening, leading them to the series "

<img id =" i-255a4bbc0ce71901 "src =" https: //i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/17/07/13607888-7040005-image-a-3_1558074578146.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Klay Thompson celebrates the victory Thursday night, leading the series "class =" blkBorder img-

Stephen Curry scored 37 points and the Warriors

recovered from a 15-point halftime deficit before closing Portland in the final ball possession for a victory of 114-111 on Thursday-evening and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference final.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr

Counter Terry Stotts of the Trail Blazers considered it a & # 39; missed opportunity & # 39; on the road.

] CJ McCollum missed a driver with 32 seconds left and Green scored the other end for the Warriors, giving Portland a last chance to go with 12.3 seconds.

& # 39; They stole it, but they earned it on the piece, & # 39; said McCollum.

Curry gets the acclaim after playing the leading role in Warriors latest success after playing an important role in the last success of Warriors

Curry brings out the acclaim after playing an important role in the latest success of Warriors

<img id = "i-801d80672361f874" src = "https://dailym.ai/2uS4u1n 1s / 2019/05/17/07 / 13607900-7040005-image-a-5_1558074624965.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-801d80672361f874" src = "https: / /i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/17/07/13607900-7040005-image-a-5_1558074624965.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i -801d80672361f874 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2WVdRKt "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Curry on the attack as the Trail Blazers were unable to hold their advantage late on

Seth Curry, Steph's little brother, scored 16 points and placed 16 points Portland on a 3-pointer with 1:03 left before Kevon Looney & dunk on the other side put Golden State back on top at 112-111

Seth tried to distract his brother & # 39; # 39; at the free throw line, or so went the story of Steph, who gave Seth a & # 39; plague & # 39; mentioned in the defense.

& # 39; This was like the coolest experience I think I have ever played against him. You talk about the stage, he was great tonight, & said Stephen Curry.

& # 39; For my parents, I know we have talked about it throughout the series, these last two games are probably nerve-racking for them. It worked perfectly tonight. He played well and we won. & # 39;

Stephen Curry shot 11 for 22 and made all 11 of his free throws – three with 2:01 left – to place his third consecutive 30-point execution while Splash's brother Klay Thompson needed a half to get on to warm up and scored 13 of his 24 points in the third period of 39 points of the Warriors.

It was reminiscent of those old runs in the third quarter that defined this group.

<img id = "i-a5d3820ab18a9b3f" src = "https://dailym.ai/2Ed2whg 07 / 13607882-7040005-image-a-6_1558074652264.jpg "height =" 761 "width =" 634 "alt =" Draymond Green Draymond Green

Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green Draymond Green

Draymond Green Drawn in the second half of the Warriors fought back

Kevon Looney is on top of the Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard on the field

Kevon Looney is on top of the Trail Blazers- guard Damian Lillard on the field

McCollum scored 22 points for Portland and Lillard overcame a slow start to Add 23 points and 10 points

We # 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday night in Portland.

& # 39; We played a much better game on both sides of the floor tonight. We have to include that in Game Three, & # 39; Stotts said.

& # 39; It is a missed opportunity, not a question. We had the chance to get one here. & # 39;

Green made a nice bounce through the paint to cut off Iguodala for a dunk with 3:06 left to make it 108-105, when Green assisted on a layout by Looney next possession.

& # 39; Draymond has always been a play-off, & # 39; said Thompson. & # 39; … If he goes, we go. He was great tonight.

<img id = "i-ab487a4d9d986d90" src = "https://dailym.ai/2WPfSHK -17_1558074782408.jpg "height =" 422 "width =" 634 "alt =" An open mouth Draymond Green launches a shot towards the hoop during Game Two

An open mouth Draymond Green launches a shot to the ring during Game Two

Green had 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocked shots playing with dirty problems. His seven consecutive play-offs with at least 10 rebounds are a career high.

& # 39; We have been here before, & # 39; said Green. & # 39; If you are on a run as we are now, you have seen everything.

The Warriors missed Kevin Durant for a third consecutive game because of

Curry scored Golden State & # 39; s first eight points of the third to get his team back in 69-58, then Thompson two straight 3's and hit.

The Blazers had built a 65-50 rest time lead, capitalizing on 10 Warriors converting for 18 points.

Then two of the top tours in the Western Conference went to an entertaining last two quarters. The game was 89 at the start of the fourth.

The Warriors already passed James Harden and Chris Paul in the final round – now McCollum and Lillard stand in the way of a fifth direct trip to the NBA Finals

Curry releases with Andre Iguodala under pressure from Brother Seth (right) and others

Curry is delivered to Andre Iguodala under pressure from brother Seth (right) and others

Stephen Curry defends against his brother Stephen Seth during Game Two on Thursday evening "

Stephen Curry defends against his younger brother Seth during Game Two on Thursday night

Portland showed that it made adjustments from Game One and brought it to both ends from the opening tip after the Blazers regularly Curry wide had left open at the edge of the pick-and-roll and scored 36 points, while matching his postseason high with nine 3-pointers

& # 39; We must bring the same to LILLARD HOME

LILLARD HOME

Lillard is not ready to think about whether this was his last game at Oracle Arena, just a short walk from where he grew up in Oakland. The Warriors are moving to the new Chase Center in San Francisco next season

The Blazers want to return to the Bay Area next week for a Game Five.

& # 39; I doubt that this will be the team for the last time. We plan to be back here, & Lillard said.

DURANT UPDATE

Durant will miss at least three and four games that must be re-examined by doctors. another week

Durant was re-evaluated on Thursday and is not yet ready for work on the job – a necessary step before the twice reigning NBA Final MVP can return to game action

TIP -INS

Trail Blazers: Seth Curry stole the ball from big brother Steph in the second quarter. They are the first brothers to ever meet in a final conference. The blowers are 1-10 all the time against Golden State in the playoffs.

Warriors: The Warriors are 31-4 in the postseason when Curry scores 30 or more points. … Golden State shot 3 of 13 from deep in the first half and 9 for 29 overall on 3s. … The Warriors are 15-4 in Game Two of the post season series that dates from the 2015 title run.

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[nbafunnymeme]

Clint Capela says Houston Rockets 'better' than Golden State Warriors

HOUSTON — Superstar guard James Harden called the Houston Rockets’ 116-108 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night important “for our swag,” which was soaring after the Rockets claimed the regular-season series over the defending NBA champions.

“We’re confident because we know if we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, we’re going to beat them,” Rockets center Clint Capela told ESPN. “We’ve got to keep playing. We know that they’re going to come back if we have the lead, and we’ve just got to keep that mindset. Sometimes I feel like, in the past, we were all dragging down after mistakes. But today, we were ready. I think that if we’re doing what we’re supposed to do on defense — all the switches, the weak side — and keep playing our offense by keeping that mentality all game long, we have the weapons to beat them.

“We are better than them.”

The Houston Rockets clinched the season series against the Golden State Warriors. But the postseason hasn’t started yet, and the Warriors still lead the Rockets for home court.

Next month features the most severe schedule disadvantage of the season. How much did the schedule affect teams in December, and who should be on alert in January?

1 Related

Houston won two of three meetings with Golden State this season. The Rockets rallied from a 17-point deficit for a road win in the season opener despite Chris Paul playing on a bruised knee that sidelined him for the next month. Golden State won in Houston on Jan. 4 in a game in which Warriors star Kevin Durant and MVP front-runner Harden sat out because of injuries. The Rockets withstood a Warriors rally from a 17-point deficit, with the lead changing six times in the fourth quarter, to claim a tiebreaker that Houston hopes to make relevant.

“Mentally, now we have a chance to go after the No. 1 seed,” Rockets sixth man Eric Gordon said. “Because if it’s a tie at the end of the year, we have that edge. That’s why we all thought it was very important to win. Now that we’re healthy, I think that we’re going to get back to a big winning streak and get back to doing what we need to do, like we did earlier in the year.”

The Rockets (32-12) are 3.5 games behind the Warriors (37-10) for first place in the Western Conference standings and the league’s best overall record.

“That’s what we’re rooting for,” said Harden, who had 22 points and eight assists in his second game back from a strained hamstring. “It’s not going to be easy. Every single game, we’re going to have to take it for ourselves and not relax. It’s not about who we’re playing. It’s about us and each and every game getting better.”

The Warriors viewed Saturday’s game much differently, with several players dismissing its importance and saying the Rockets are not a concern.

“No,” Durant responded when asked if it mattered. “The season starts over when you’re in the playoffs anyway, so it doesn’t matter. You’re going to have to get through these teams to get to where you want to go. You have to play at home and on the road, so it really doesn’t matter. We just want to be playing good basketball when it comes down to that point.”

Clint Capela and the Rockets won two of three meetings with the Warriors this season and sit 3.5 games behind Golden State for first place in the West. Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports

Warriors forward Draymond Green also played down the narrative that the Rockets had won a significant game Saturday.

“It’s game 40-what? Seven, eight?” Green asked during the media scrum. “Who we play on Tuesday? We just got to get ready for [New York]. Home court will take care of itself down the road.”

Gordon said the Rockets want to see the Warriors again in the playoffs, essentially an acknowledgement that a team must go through Golden State to get out of the West. And Gordon believes the Rockets would have a legitimate shot of ending the Warriors’ reign.

“We really do have that chance,” Gordon said. “Offensively, we’re just as good as them, no question. Defensively, they’re a championship team. They’re consistent, whether they win or lose. Us, we still have peaks and valleys. We just can’t have those. That’s why we’ve got to play well the next game, because we just have to sustain the same effort.”

The Warriors had dominated the Rockets the previous three seasons, winning 10 of 11 regular-season games between the teams and twice dismissing the Rockets in five-game playoff series. Houston general manager Daryl Morey has made no secret about his obsession with making up ground on Golden State, whose only postseason-series loss in the past three seasons was to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals. Morey is on record that he had the Warriors in mind during an offseason renovation that included a blockbuster trade for Paul and signing rugged role players Luc Mbah a Moute and PJ Tucker, who all played prominent roles in Saturday night’s win.

Morey posted a tweet after Saturday’s game, playing off his remark last month that his team is “obsessed” with beating the Warriors.

The Rockets are 17-0 when Harden, Paul and Capela play together, and Houston will finally have its full rotation available for Monday’s game against the Miami Heat, with wings Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green returning from two-game suspensions.

“We’re definitely the best in the league with everybody healthy,” Capela told ESPN after scoring 18 and recording a career-high four steals. “We’ve definitely got a chance to get that 1-seed back. The thing is, of course, we’re excited because it’s the Warriors, but Monday is an important game, too. If we lose and the [Warriors] win their game, what was the point? The next game, every single time, is going to be the key to go get the No. 1, first seed.”

Added Harden, who hit a dagger stepback 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining: “We’re confident. We’re just a confident group, especially with everybody healthy. We get Trevor and Gerald back, and then we’ve got a strong rotation where we’re very versatile. Obviously, [the Warriors are] a championship-caliber team for the past four years or whatnot. That’s what we’re trying to build our way up to.”

Paul, who pushed for a trade to Houston with hopes of finally getting past the second round of the playoffs in his 13th NBA season, emphasized the importance of the Rockets taking a short-term view after such an emotional victory. He dismissed a question about a potential playoff series against the Warriors.

“That’s a long time from now,” Paul said after his performance of 33 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. “I’m trying to worry about Miami on Monday.”

D’Antoni also warned of the Rockets getting ahead of themselves, but he also said Houston had proven that this is “not the same old team.”

“You watch us play, and we’ve got a lot of stuff out there, but they’re still the champions,” D’Antoni said. “I was telling [the Rockets] during a timeout, ‘You’ve got to knock ’em out. It’s like a heavyweight fight. You don’t win on TKOs. You’ve got to knock ’em out.’ Tonight, we did, but that’s tonight. They’re missing [Andre] Iguodala, and they’ll be a different team when playoff time comes, but we have to be a different. At least we know that it’s within our locker room, a lot of this stuff that we can do.

“We’ve proven that we have something there. Now it’s up to us to do something.”

ESPN’s Chris Haynes contributed to this report.

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[junker-town]

Oklahoma City sucks in crunch time. How worried should Thunder fans be?

OKC’s new Big 3 needs time to jell before fans can freak out over a few lost games.

No team this summer added more talent on paper to its roster than the Oklahoma City Thunder. A team carried by Russell Westbrook alone last season secured Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, creating one of the most prized three-man offensive attacks in the league.

But the Thunder haven’t performed like a team that boasts the reigning MVP and two perennial All-Stars. While Oklahoma City has morphed into one of the NBA’s top defenses, they are struggling to put it all together in crunch time.

The Thunder are 4-7 through their first 11 games and have devolved from one of the league’s best crunch-time teams to an awful one, only averaging seven points per game in clutch moments -- defined as a five-point game within the final five minutes of regulation and overtime. As a result, they are winless in the six games that have been decided down the stretch.

OKC’s problems won’t last. It’s early and they have talent. Wherever there is talent, for the most part, there is success over time. But let’s dig into a few reasons why the Thunders are struggling in the clutch early on.

Their defense absolutely collapses

Oklahoma City boasts the league’s second-best defense overall this season, holding opponents to just 97.6 points per 100 possessions. Often times, they turn that defense into offense.

Great defense by Grant and Adams leads to the Westbrook jumper on the other end! Three-point game! http://pic.twitter.com/jpKIPYu6zK

— Thunder Radar (@thunder_radar) November 6, 2017

But in crunch time, that defense gets reduced to shambles. As a matter of fact, no team is quite as bad as Oklahoma City.

The Thunder allow a mind-blowing 162 points per 100 possessions in the clutch with no improvement to their offensive output down the stretch. For reference, most teams hover between 92 and 117 points per 100 possessions in the clutch. The Knicks — surprisingly the best crunch-time defense in the league — have a defensive rating of 76.9 in these situation. The Cavaliers, coming in at second-worst, allow 126 points per 100 clutch possessions.

The Thunder are at 162. One hundred and sixty-two!

Poor chemistry shows up most during money time

It’s rare that a newly formed group of stars clicks right away. It took time for Kevin Durant to mesh with the Warriors last season, just like it took time for LeBron James to work with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, then Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in Cleveland.

The Thunder are no different. George had been the end-all, be-all for years in Indiana until his time in the East ended. Up until Kristaps Porzingis’s emergence in New York, Carmelo Anthony was the Knicks. Russell Westbrook is coming off of the most bonkers individual season in NBA history, one in which he was used to taking every big shot.

Each member of OKC’s Big 3 are used to doing things on their own, especially down the stretch. Now, something has to change.

For starters, Westbrook has to get used to having reliable shooters at his side:

Here, Russ is on one of his signature coast-to-coast drives but fails to see a wide open Anthony on the wing. (He could have hit George, too, but Gary Harris was trailing the play.)

It’s easy to forgive Westbrook in transition. That’s his bread and butter. Plays where he misses open shooters in halfcourt sets are harder to stomach.

Like here, where Melo — a reliable catch-and-shooter — is open and expecting a pass at the top of the key:

And here, again, where Melo is even more wide open on the wing, but Westbrook unsuccessfully attacks to defenders in the paint:

This translates into the fourth quarter

If anything happens uniformly across all games in crunch time, it’s that player awareness and intensity skyrockets. Nobody wants to lose a close game, and because of that, they’ll compete harder, especially on the defensive end and for loose balls.

For that reason, teams with bad habits see those habits come to the forefront when it matters most. A team that can’t grab rebounds is going to get crushed on the offensive glass late in the fourth. Teams that can’t hit free throws will miss them when it matters. And a team like Oklahoma City that relies too heavily on isolation and pick-and-roll offense will continue to rely on it, even to a fault.

Isolations account for 12.2 percent of Thunder possessions; that’s more than any other team in the NBA not named the Houston Rockets. But Oklahoma City only scores 0.87 points per iso possession.

That’s not enough of a conversion rate to keep going back to it in the fourth quarter, no matter how talented the players are. And just like Westbrook missed his open teammates earlier in the game, he missed them in the fourth quarter, too:

Even when the Thunder aren’t running a traditional isolation, their pick-and-roll game can be just as stagnant. OKC’s pick-and-roll ball-handler and screener account for nearly a quarter of its offense. With Westbrook in charge, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

... until the game is on the line and everyone is playing their best defense. That’s when the Thunder offense becomes a one-man show, much like it was when Durant was still in town.

But if Westbrook is going to pass, his co-stars need to hit shots

In OKC’s 0-6 start in games that go to clutch time, Russell Westbrook is shooting 55 percent. That means more times than not, he’s good for a basket.

The same can’t be said for Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, the two players who were brought to the Thunder in part to alleviate some of the burden on Westbrook down the stretch.

Melo is shooting an awful 28.4 percent in crunch time, and if it couldn’t get any worse, George is shooting 25 percent and only 16.7 percent on threes.

While PG-13 might not be the best shooter for buzzer beaters, he made 47.6 percent of his shots in crunch time with Indiana last season, including a third of his three-point attempts. Anthony, too, shot a better percentage from the field and downtown in crunch time last season. This could merely be an early trend that dies as the season goes on.

It’s way too early to jump to conclusions about Oklahoma City. They’re still one of the NBA’s most talented teams and will be in the thick of the playoff hunt when April, May and June roll around.

But the Thunder don’t look like a cohesive unit, rather, a trio of hoopers trying to figure it out on the fly. Part of it is to blame on the shortened training camp and preseason that moved the NBA season start date up to Oct. 17. But some of it is coaching, and another part is the Thunder defense late in games.

Anthony said he and George want to fit in with Russ as best they can, and standing wide open on the perimeter while Westbrook makes the defense contract is the best way they can do that. Now, it’s up to Westbrook to trust his teammates and hit the open man after splicing the defense.

Carmelo Anthony on how he encourages Russ after a down game: "We came here for you." http://pic.twitter.com/6zmB0rtYdh

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) October 26, 2017

“We came here for [Russell Westbrook]. We came here because we believe in what you can do and what you can bring to the game. We don’t want you to stop doing that,” he said via The Norman Transcript’s Fred Katz. “We want you to be that player, we want you to be that person, and we’ll fit in. We’ll do a great job of fitting in around him, and I think he’s taken that advice.”

But that process does take time, especially for two players used to controlling the ball.

Ideally, and most likely, these things will shape up when January rolls around. But if Oklahoma City is still struggling as months go by, there may be some bigger questions that need answers before the trade deadline.

[powerranks]

Power Rankings, Week 7

I’m back, I have a few hours to kill since I get a late start at work tomorrow. I really am gonna try to be consistent, but Beshoy, Anthony, Dyl, and anyone who I’ve ever forgotten that has contributed to these can attest to how strangely long it takes. Anyways, the NFL is weird this year. Are the fucking Eagles the best team in the league? How weird is that to think about? There’s so much parity and we don’t know shit about most teams on a week to week basis, making fantasy all that much harder. It seems a new random player explodes for a shitload of points every week, players who weren’t previously consistent are all of a sudden consistent but we still don’t fully trust them because of their reputations (examples: Agholor, Hogan, Alex Smith). Five years ago, you had an extremely firm grasp on who was good and who wasn’t, and this year nobody has any idea. Not even....

Anthony

1. Scott’s Balls 12-4-16 (Anthony “all your players could die spontaneously, and whoever you play’s players will fumble one time then all die spontaneously” Mendola) (7-0) (LW: 1)

It’s just getting ridiculous. The only thing that’s cool for us is that two of the last three weeks, you’ve looked shockingly vulnerable. Last week you really only won because Amari Cooper turned into 2007 Randy Moss and because Bailey got hurt. I think some of the consistents on your team are strangely slowing down, even if it’s just slightly. Hunt has been 10 a week for quite some time now instead of the 30 point a game guy he was earlier in the year. Cam has looked absolutely awful for two straight weeks (even though he got 21 two weeks ago, you KNOW he didnt play anywhere near deserving that amount of points), Hogan is quite clearly touchdown dependent, you know you can’t trust cooper yet, and Ingram is at the very least losing some carries to Kamara. I’m not suggesting your team is bad, let’s just face the fact that you can’t possibly be as confident in your team as you were three weeks ago. I still think you win this week, because you yet again catch another break since this happens to be the fucking week you play...

Jack

2. Fournette About It (Jack “your team looks like this is a 4 man league” Cleek) (5-2) (LW: 2)

This is like if the Warriors and the Cavaliers played each other and Durant and Curry just decided to take the day off. It’s a damn shame that your ACTUAL two best players and the #2 kicker aren’t playing against that fucking piece of shit. But wow, if I were to bet on anyone winning the league right now, it’d be this team. You have absolutely zero holes. Nobody can even touch your RBs, even without Zeke. Brown-Diggs is the best duo of receivers anyone has, and I’m kicking myself for dropping Wentz. Dude is a fucking stud. This is by far and away the best team in the league, were it not for two close losses Anthony would be the clear second fiddle. Anthony literally agreed with this.

The “6 of us were within 9 points of each other this weekend and honestly I am real close to not assigning numbers and just writing shit about each team” Tier

fuck it, im making more tiers within the tier just to make it even more frustrating for myself

The “playing a slumping Chris and tony back to back really masks/is going to mask how much our teams are bad” Tier + beshoy

3. Scott’s Penis (David “I have never been less scared of a 4-3 team” Chinchilla) (LW: 4)

The only reason I’m here is because of upside? I’m currently texting Beshoy and he said I was a poor man’s Anthony and Jack. I think I’m more of a homeless man’s Anthony (not Jack, Jack is better) I have three (in theory) good RB’s, a good (can he keep it up?) QB, and serviceable but wildly under-performing WR’s. Other than two weeks where my team took a total shit, my team’s actually been pretty decent? It’s insane that that’s enough to put me at 3. It all comes with the caveat of the tier though, I’m smack dab in the middle of the least tough part of my schedule (No offense Scott/Chris/Tony this week). Probably gonna lose to Tony now for talking shit tbh. But hey, I have two straight weeks over 100 and that’s something to be proud of considering that nobody fucking scores in this league. 

Also pictured: Me, after trading AP for the number one Fantasy QB

4. Green Evans and Kam (Beshoy “I can’t stress how much I hate your team name because it’s an Alex team name” Halim) (3-4) (LW: 6)

Second unluckiest loser last week behind Scott imo but you have an argument to be first. So many things had to go wrong. But honestly, look at your starting lineup! It’s SO much better than I think you or anyone perceives it to be. Gordon-Kamara would start for pretty much any team outside of Jack, Anthony, and maybe me. AJ Green and Evans will combine for 35+ far more frequently than they combine for less than 20. ASJ is apparently Hunter Henry from last year. Your QB and flex spots are the only things that aren’t great, which is a huge bummer considering you should have Aaron Rodgers on your team. If you can stream properly and just figure out someone who can get you 8 a week in the flex, this team is WAY better than I thought it was until I looked into it. The way you sulk IRL made me think your team sucked but it really doesn’t.

5. 420 Blountz (Alex “I have never been less scared of a 5-2 team” Ahn) (5-2) (LW:10)

I mean...Beshoy was downright disrespectful for making you 10 but I also totally get his argument. Your team hasn’t played bad but like...this is a boom or bust team that thinks 95 is a boom. (my team is the same way tbh) Again, I wanna stress that your team hasn’t played that bad but you just went through the really soft part of your schedule (again no offense Tony/Chris/Scott) and the teams coming up are slightly tougher outs. You have better WR’s, but the difference between my team and yours here is that you have no RB’s. I don’t trust Jones yet, Blount has been meh for three straight weeks, Marshawn is honestly awful, and don’t @ me about literally any of your other rbs lol. I consider RB’s more consistent than WR’s and my RB’s are better than yours and that’s the difference here. But really we kinda have the exact same team, idk man someone just gift wrap the trophy to Jack or Anthony already it’s wild I can’t find consistently good things to say about the god damn 5th ranked team in my ranks.

Also pictured: Alex after getting Aaron Jones for the Matt Ryan regression year

The “this might be flipped if Gordon scored on one of his 4 chances from the 1 or if Elliott had made that FG” Tier

6. Anthony’s Golden Taint (Dylan “Legally change your name to Dyl already” Jessop) (4-3) (LW:5)

Jordan Reed’s creamy, chunky nut and Elliott reverse nutting into his own body saved your life Monday night. Let’s be real, you got super lucky. Anyways, I can’t really tell you where you’re good outside of Cousins and your WR’s. Your RB’s are wildly inconsistent (I really think Gilislee is droppable, and CJ is losing touches on a bad offense). You’re in bye week hell, but is it weird that I don’t think you got that much worse because of it? Nelson has to still figure it out with Hundley and Murray hasn’t been phenomenal anyways. Not having Engram REALLY hurts this team, which is honestly all I have to type to show how much you depend on a few dudes. 

7. Mixon It Up (Alec “Trading to make his team worse since 2kforever” Bernstein) (2-5) (LW:3)

I told Beshoy last week that I’d rank you super high as long as the points kept coming. I unfortunately was too busy to write rankings during your good weeks, but don’t think I didn’t notice the really nice run you had for about 4 weeks. Losing OBJ was a bummer, but giving Beshoy AJ Green and Kamara for peanuts was a really bad move. Fantasy Football is a stars game, not a depth game. Depth is nice, but who cares if your bench players do well if your starters aren’t being maximized? Green and Kamara would both start on your team RIGHT FUCKIN NOW. Obviously the trade would look a lot better if Rodgers hadn’t gotten hurt, but even with good Davante I think you lost the trade by a long shot. Martin has been slightly worse than Kamara, and nobody’s ever taking good Davante over AJ Green. I like your RB’s, I like your tight end, and I like Wilson as much as the next guy, but imagine the same team with AJ Green...

The 

Tier

8. Scott’s Jizz (Scott “I am so sorry” Felgenhauer) (3-4) (LW:7)

You were so close. You were supposed to be the chosen one. But Anthony called in another favor to the league office and injured Dan Bailey. Either way though, your team isn’t scary even a little bit, but it has some sort of retard strength. It’s like a poor man’s version of Dylan’s team, Good QB, good receivers. Unfortunately, there is zero semblance of a flex and your RB’s are somehow worse than his. I’ve doubted you most of the year, and you usually pull out a win after I doubt you, but I can’t have faith in a team starting Powell and James White on a weekly basis. I just can’t. You need to trade Kelce or Ertz and make sure you get a RB back somehow. 

The Unlucky Bottom Bois

9. Hammer (Tony “I still think he’ll be back somehow” Mendola) (1-6) (LW:9)

It’s just been the year from hell, Tony. You’ve outscored most of us this year but you can’t seem to catch a break. Your team isn’t bad, it just has consistently underperformed. Brady is good, Freeman is good, Jarvis Landry will be better with Matt Moore, but Hilton is good when Luck is in, and Luck may not play. McCaffrey has underwhelmed. Fitz is only good with Palmer, not Stanton. Tight end is a mess on this team. I think you’re more than capable of winning most of your games from here on out, but it may not be enough. I hope it does turn around, you cheering out at the bar is one of the more fun things to watch. Just start doing it next week. 

10. Smallerwood (Chris “Matt Bryant was a microcosm like Beshoy said” Gatzow) (1-6) (LW:9)

Much like Tony, this team is good it just underperforms almost every week. Brees-Howard-Julio-Baldwin is a KILLER top 4. Delanie Walker is a great TE. Only Brees and Howard have lived up to their name. The falcons are singlehandedly killing Julio, I really don’t get why he’s not doing better than he is. The Matt Ryan regression tour bus has apparently picked up Julio. Baldwin is historically a second half player, so he could turn around, but it may all be too late. It doesn’t help that you have no flex. Coleman should be startable weekly, but there’s nobody else serviceable here. I hope Montgomery comes back and outperforms Jones for your sake. I really thought your team was the best team before the season and after Week 1, it’s just been the worst possible scenario.

PICKS

Hammer (Tony) over Scott’s Penis (David)[upset special on my own dam self bb]

Scott’s Balls 12-4-16 (Anthony) over Fournette About It (Jack)

Smallerwood (Chris) over Scott’s Jizz (Scott)

Anthony’s Golden Taint (Dyl) over Mixon It Up (Alec)

Green Evans and Ham (Shoy) over 420 Blountz (Alex)

Last Week: 3-2

Season: not even sure anymore

[wavenetinfo]

As a fresh NBA champions cap sat a tad off-kilter on his head, Kevin Durant embraced mother Wanda. Then he moved across the podium and hugged Stephen Curry before accepting his shiny MVP trophy, holding out his arms and hoisting it for everyone to see.

From the Bay all the way to OKC.

Durant capped his spectacular first season with the Warriors by bringing home that coveted NBA championship he joined Golden State last July so determined to get, scoring 39 points in a fast-and-furious, Finals-clinching 129-120 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 on Monday night.

“You can talk about whatever you want to talk about, but nobody comes in and cares about the game or loves the game as much as I do or works as hard as do I at the basketball game. You can talk about whatever happens on the outside, but inside those lines, I come to bring it every day,” Durant said. “I work hard, I believe in myself, I believe in the game, I respect the game, I love the game, and I knew at some point in my life that it will come around for me.”

Stephen Curry added 34 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as Golden State closed out its second title in three years after squandering a 3-1 lead a year ago. That stung ever since, and even Durant understood, because he gave up the same lead to the Warriors a round earlier with Oklahoma City.

James, who in 2012 with Miami beat the Thunder in Durant’s only other Finals, wound up with 41 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.

“I left everything on the floor every game,” James said after averaging a triple-double in his eighth Finals.

Kyrie Irving followed up his 40-point gem in Game 4 with 26 points but shot 9 for 22.

This time, King James gave way to KD, who was the NBA Finals MVP 10 years after being picked second in the NBA draft behind Greg Oden.

Durant drove left, right and down the middle, knocked down 3-pointers, dished and dunked. He hit a 17-foot fadeaway over James early in the fourth quarter, then assisted on a 3-pointer by Andre Iguodala the next time down as the Warriors pulled away.

Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP, came up big again with his 2017 postseason-best 20 points off the bench in a testy, tightly called finale to this trilogy Finals that everyone had stamped on the calendar from the moment Durant departed Oklahoma City to join Curry and Co. last July.

The Warriors won in 2015 before the Cavs made their historic comeback last year. Then it was Golden State’s time again, with Durant as the prized addition.

Sure, the Warriors missed becoming the first undefeated champion, but 16-1 still gave Golden State the best winning percentage of any title team at .941.

Durant shot 14 for 20 and Curry — the two-time reigning MVP who took a backseat as the new big star got acclimated — finished off a brilliant postseason. Not to mention a healthy one after his 2016 injuries.

Green stayed on the court in a game that featured three technicals on one play 3:08 before halftime. David West fought for the ball with Irving, then they got tangled up and Tristan Thompson entered the fray and he and West went at each other face-to-face. West, Thompson and J.R. Smith received techs after a replay review.

Green had sat out this very game a year ago, suspended because of flagrant foul point accumulation after he swiped at James’ groin in Game 4. He had 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the clincher.

“I had a letdown last year,” Green said. “If KD was the consolation prize to lose, thanks for that loss, and we’re champs this year.”

With a much-improved bench led by Iguodala, JaVale McGee, Shaun Livingston and West, that “Strength In Numbers” slogan that has become such a staple the past two seasons shined all season long, from Durant’s 19-game absence late in the regular season with a left knee injury to assistant coach Mike Brown stepping in for 11 postseason games to lead the way while Steve Kerr was ailing.

Golden State used a 28-4 second-quarter run to take charge — just after it appeared Durant should have been called for a third foul on a basket by James — and got to celebrate right at home in Oakland surrounded by a deafening home crowd waving yellow rally towels and holding up phones to shoot video and photos as the final minute of the clock ticked away.

The Warriors became the first Bay Area team to capture a championship at home since the A’s finished the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1974 World Series.

A year ago, these Warriors fell short after a record-setting season that included a 24-0 start and 73 victories at the end to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls‘ wins mark.

Then they got Durant, who after the buzzer sounded did a little shake with Curry on the court before they slapped hands several times.

Two playful superstars who found a way to coexist through all the questions and constant scrutiny, together and smiling as champions.

“I’m happy for him,” Curry said. “You’ve got to call Kevin Durant a champ now.”

———

More AP NBA: http://ift.tt/2ohSzYC

13 June 2017 | 4:18 am

Source : ABC News

>>>Click Here To View Original Press Release>>>

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); June 13, 2017 at 10:48AM

[jodyedgarus]

Why Denver’s Gary Harris Could Be The Next Kawhi Leonard

DENVER — Kawhi Leonard is indispensable to the San Antonio Spurs — or at least that’s how he’s now perceived. His mysterious injury not only threatens to snap the Spurs’ two-decade-long playoff streak, but there’s a chance it could also derail the club’s future by driving Leonard away.

If there’s an irony in how monumentally important Leonard is to the Spurs’ chances now, though, it’s that he was still relatively anonymous to the casual basketball fan just four years ago, despite performing at a fairly high level on one of the league’s best teams at that time. It wasn’t until June 2014, when Leonard earned NBA Finals MVP honors, that he began drawing broader attention en route to becoming a bona fide star, one whose health could shift the tenor of a conference finals series.

Now, another player — Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris — quietly appears to be on a similar trajectory. From afar, nothing Harris does seems truly spectacular. But zoom in just a little, watch a handful of Denver’s games, and you’ll see elements of Harris’s consistent, well-rounded skill set start to stand out. Just the way Leonard’s once did.

“When I got here, there were questions about whether Gary Harris was an NBA player,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told me, a reference to Harris’s rookie season, in which he shot just over 30 percent from the field.1 The thought seems comical now, as Harris is serving as both Denver’s best on-ball defender and its leading scorer.

For a while, Harris was far stronger on the defensive side of the ball, where it’s harder for the average fan to notice excellence. A solid scorer, by contrast, handles the ball more and gets his name called while the camera pans to his face every time he finds the bottom of the basket. Forcing a missed shot or denying your man the ball on the other end, however, usually isn’t enough to garner that same attention. So that may partially explain why the 23-year-old Harris flies under the radar.

At 6 foot 4, he doesn’t force teams to alter entire offensive schemes the way that the 6-foot-7 Leonard, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, can. Yet Harris constantly seems to find ways to disrupt the league’s best wing players.

Harris ranks ninth in the NBA in deflections per game — the same ranking Leonard held last season — hounding volume scorers as they come around screens and illustrating nearly perfect timing as he swats down directly on the ball just as a player is lifting up to launch his shot attempt. Harris’s quick hands and defensive persistence are pretty much the only things that prevent the Nuggets, who surrender more layups than anyone except Orlando, from having the worst defense in basketball. With Harris on the court, Denver surrenders 107.4 points per 100 possessions, which would tie for 20th among the league’s 30 teams. With Harris on the bench, the Nuggets allow 110.6 points per 100 possessions, a rate that would tie for dead last.

It’s incredibly difficult to draw the types of defensive assignments that Harris typically gets without committing a lot of fouls. But just like Leonard did in his fourth season, Harris has collected more steals than fouls so far this year, a feat that only elite defensive shooting guards and small forwards generally manage.

Harris could be named an All-NBA defender in the coming years without changing much about his game. But to achieve true stardom, he will likely need two things: More scoring — he’s still pretty limited in creating looks for himself — and more wins for the Nuggets.

“If we make the playoffs, a lot more people are going to see and know who the hell Gary Harris is,” said Malone, whose team is locked in a crowded playoff race. “It’s funny: Last year, Nikola Jokic wasn’t going to be a part of All-Star Weekend. Then he puts up 40 points at Madison Square Garden and gets a phone call from the NBA the very next day. ‘Hey, we want you to be part of All-Star Weekend!’ So, we know Nikola and how special he is. And I think the same is true of Gary.”

Harris has shown true scoring progress every year since his dismal rookie campaign. The former Michigan State star has gone from 3, to 12, to 15 and now 18 points per game; he has become one of the league’s best offensive threats in transition; and he’s on track to shoot 40 percent from the 3-point line for a second straight year. He moves incredibly well without the ball and has perhaps the team’s best on-court chemistry with Jokic, the face of the Nuggets and one of the league’s most skilled young big men.2

Harris’s development on offense bears similarities to Leonard’s rise. Through their first four seasons, their numbers looked identical — 12.2 points and 2.1 assists on 47 percent shooting and 37 percent from 3 for Harris3; 12.3 points and 1.8 assists on 50 percent shooting overall and 37 percent from 3 for Leonard.

Perhaps even more important: The two men play with an unusually quiet, workmanlike approach, and they are among the most consistent players in the NBA on a night-to-night basis. “He just puts his head down and goes about his business. He doesn’t talk about it much — he just goes out and does it, and we’re fine with that,” says Denver guard Will Barton, whose locker is next to Harris’s. (Harris’s noticeably quiet disposition, along with the Nuggets’ struggles to really break through on TV with local fans,4 undoubtedly contributes to why Harris isn’t better known around the league yet.)

In Harris’s case, one could argue that his consistency on both ends has him on the cusp of joining the elite. Using effective field-goal percentage, a stat that accounts for 3-pointers by looking at the number of points generated per field-goal attempt rather than just shots made per attempt, the chart below illustrates how often the league’s starting shooting guards and small forwards have good shooting nights compared to bad ones. Unsurprisingly, Kevin Durant and LeBron James are at the very top of that list. Leonard rates fifth. And right behind him is Harris at No. 6.

Of course, none of this is to say that Harris will continue ascending the way Leonard has during his fifth and sixth seasons, when he went from scoring 16.5 points a contest to 25.5 points while managing to become more efficient despite a heavier offensive load. Without Harris becoming more of a one-on-one threat, which Kawhi has become stellar at in relatively short order, it’s more sensible to compare his offense to Golden State’s Klay Thompson or Washington’s Otto Porter, who play better off the ball than with it.

Should Harris develop a more aggressive brand of offense, though, there’s reason to think he could find success with it. While he’s not built like Leonard — one of the NBA’s strongest players, and just one of four NBA wing players last season to record more and-1s than he had shots blocked — Harris is far stronger than he looks and doesn’t shy away from contact. The former All-American high school football player is one of three guards, after James and Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, who shoots 70 percent at the rim — elite company for strength around the basket.

Malone said Harris has been diligent every summer about taking direction from coaches and staff each offseason to continue improving. But Harris told me it was simpler than that for him. “Really, I just want go out there to play and have fun,” he said. “It’s not about me going out and saying, ‘I’ve got to go out and be better than I was last year.’ If you put in the work, it’s going to show itself.”

And if Harris continues to improve and show his work to this extent, it may be only a matter of time until just about every basketball fan knows who he is.

Senior writer Neil Paine contributed to research for this story.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-denvers-gary-harris-could-be-the-next-kawhi-leonard/