Category: NBA Basketball

D’Antoni ends extension talks with Rockets

Brandon King

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni has cut off contract extension talks with the club and will coach out the final season of his deal. D’Antoni signed a four-year deal back in 2016; the upcoming 2019-20 season is a team option. Charlotte Carroll of Sports Illustrated reported recently that D’Antoni relayed to management that he wanted to coach three more years and that he felt “energized.” In his three seasons in Houston, D’Antoni has compiled a regular season record of 173-73.

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Durant likely out for Game 2

Brandon King

Kevin Durant has not played since injury his lower leg in game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets. He pulled up after running down county after hitting a jumper. The initial look was that is was more severe, along the lines of an Achilles injury, but a collective sigh of relief was breathed when it was revealed that it was merely a strain of his right calf. Durant was ruled out for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but he would travel with the club, giving…

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DeMarcus Cousins available for NBA Finals Game 1

Brandon King

According to The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania, Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins will be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Though Cousins will be available, Warriors head coach wasn’t bullish on him getting any run, as he was unsure if he’d play him, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Cousins had been out since Game 2 of the first round when he tore his quadriceps muscles chasing down a loose ball. The initial though was that Cousins was done for quite sometime, with…

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May 30, 2019 NBA Finals Preview

Brandon King

The NBA Finals tips off tonight in Toronto at 9:00 p.m. EST. The defending champion Golden State Warriors head into their fifth consecutive Finals, while this is the first ever appearance for the Toronto Raptors. The Warriors enter this game, and potentially the series without the service of both Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins. Durant suffered a strain calf in game 5 of the Western Conference semis against the Houston Rockets, while Cousins has been out since the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Today’s Game (all times EST)…

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David Griffin to meet with Anthony Davis

Brandon King

Anthony Davis is going to meet with newly hired executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin.  As it has been widely publicized, Davis publicly requested a trade back in January, which earned him a $50K fine, and the resulting fiasco that swept up both the Pelicans and Lakers,effectively torpedoing both ballclub’s season.  Griffin said last week that he was looking forward to meeting with Davis.saying ,”We’re very confident we have a compelling situation for him here, referring to the no.1 overall pick the team won in this year’s draft…

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Rockets putting out feelers on Capela and others trade market

Brandon King

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey is “showing an aggressive desire to improve roster” and that “all players and picks available.” While James Harden is likely all but untouchable, but the same may not hold true for Chris Paul as “even Chris Paul could be moved in the right deal.” Marc Stein of the New York Times reports that center Clint Capela “is among the players Houston has gauged the market for in recent days.” As Houston lacks cap flexibility, moving some of their more prominent…

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HBCU Alum named president of Basketball Africa League

Brandon King

The NBA announced Tuesday that Amadou Gallo Fall was named the president of the new Basketball Africa League (BAL).  Fall, a graduate if the University of the District of Columbia and a native of Senegal, has been with the NBA since 2010. He will begin immediately in his new role as president while concurrently helping in the hiring and transitioning of a new director of NBA Africa, which was his previous role.  “I am extremely excited about the opportunity. I am grateful for the trust that NBA commissioner Adam Silver…

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Kevin Durant out for Game 1 of NBA Finals, Cousins questionable

Brandon King

When Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off in Toronto, Kevin Durant will not be part of the proceedings. According to Nick Friedell of ESPN, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr decisively ended any speculation, stating: “KD’s not playing Game 1.” ESPN’s Rachel Nichols adds that the team has not even decided if he will travel to Toronto. Additionally Nichols reports that center DeMarcus Cousins’ status is now questionable. According to the New York Times’ Marc J. Spears, Cousins participated in non-starters scrimmage at Warriors practice but did not look…

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The misconception around Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors and why the mission is already completed

Brandon King

The latest round of hot take nation features nearly every sports outlet from Maine to California is discussing how the Golden State Warriors do not need Kevin Durant. It is understandable why they would “leap” to such a conclusion, the Warriors have an all-time record of 31-1 in games without KD that Stephen Curry has played and how the team resembles their 2016 incarnation ( which by the way, may have won 73 games but lost the NBA Finals) in terms of their play style, which many have deemed more…

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Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert hospitalized for stroke symptoms

Brandon King

According to the Detroit News’ Nolan Finley and Kim Kozlowski, Cleveland Cavaliers team owner Dan Gilbert was hospitalized today after experiencing the symptoms of a stroke. Per the National Stroke Association, a stroke occurs “when blood flow to an area of brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain such as memory and muscle control are lost.” A statement issued to the News by Quicken Loans,…

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