The biggest names have been snapped up but there are still a host of stars across the NBA that could be on the move, with the Lakers hoping to land one of them.
Here is the latest free agency and trade news to know across the league!
WARRIORS LAND SHARPSHOOTER TO REPLACE KLAY
The Golden State Warriors may have lost Klay Thompson but they have found quite the replacement, landing sharpshooter Buddy Hield in free agency.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the news on Friday, with the Warriors acquiring Hield via sign-and-trade from the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that will involve five teams.
“The Warriors will send a 2031 second-round pick from Dallas, received in the Klay Thompson departure, back to Philadelphia in return, rerouting it as part of the five-team deal that also includes the Charlotte Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves,” Charania wrote.
Hield has reportedly signed a four-year deal with two years and $18 million guaranteed, with a $3 million partial guarantee in the third year and a player option in the fourth year, which is not guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Charania, meanwhile, reported that Hield chose the Warriors “because of the opportunity to win”, overlooking interest from the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers.
Ingles signs one-year deal with Wolves | 00:39
LAKERS TURN ATTENTION TO ANOTHER TARGET
Speaking of the Lakers, with Hield off to Golden State and Thompson headed to the Mavericks, they have set their sights on another high-end scorer to help bolster their lineup for next season.
Los Angeles is now trying to land free agent DeMar DeRozan, according to a report by The Athletic.
The LA native and USC product is a six-time All-Star and averaged 24 points per game last season for the Bulls.
His time in the Windy City is all but over, but the Lakers aren’t the only team interested in trying to add DeRozan’s services.
Both the Miami Herald and The Athletic reported that the Heat have an interest in bringing in the forward as well, with Miami viewed as the slight favourite to land DeRozan.
DeRozan, 34, has met with the Heat and discussed what his potential fit would be, and it appeared that there was a mutual interest between the two sides, according to the Miami Herald.
There may be some complications for the Heat to land DeRozan, with Miami likely having to facilitate a trade of a player who makes decent money to a team with cap space and thus allowing the room for Miami to pull off a sign and trade with the Bulls for DeRozan.
‘He looks old’ – Patty shouldn’t start?! | 02:43
If the Heat wanted to go the non-trade route, they would be able to sign him at the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception rate.
The Lakers, though, have said that they plan on being aggressive to update the roster.
“I think we’re gonna always be aggressive to try to make roster upgrades and will be relentless to continue to look at what we can do,” general manager Rob Pelinka said, according to The Athletic.
“This is the season of being mindful of all the different things we can approach to improve the roster. So we’re in the midst of that as we speak.
“That will continue in the coming days, and it often spills into Vegas, where all the GMs meet and gather, and other deals get done. But we’ll stay aggressive.”
In other news, it still sounds like the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to trade Brandon Ingram.
The Pelicans made a big all-in swing by landing Dejounte Murray but NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Friday that attempts to trade Ingram have “intensified in recent days”, citing league sources.
“Sources tell The Stein Line that on Ingram’s side, with the reality that the contract extension terms his camp had hoped for are not forthcoming from the Pelicans, there has likewise been exploration of trade options,” Stein added.
He went on to report that re-signing Trey Murphy III and adding to the frontcourt in the wake of Jonas Valanciunas’ departure to Washington are two other priorities for New Orleans this offseason along with the Ingram trade.
As for which teams could be in the hunt for Ingram, Stein wrote that the Sacramento Kings are said to have “explored the feasibility and fit of an Ingram pursuit”.
The Kings look to be very active in trade talks though, with Stein adding Sacramento has had similar discussions on Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, Washington’s Kyle Kuzma and Chicago’s DeRozan.
Crucially, Stein wrote that Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes are the pieces the Kings would look to package in such a trade — not Keegan Murray.
Klay Thompson set to join Dallas Mavs | 00:33
SIXERS LOOKING TO SIGN PAUL GEORGE’S FORMER CLIPPERS TEAMMATE
Elsewhere, Paul George may have a familiar face join him in Philadelphia.
The 76ers are considering signing George’s former Clippers teammate and Philadelphia native Marcus Morris Sr. as part of their roster re-tool, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Morris reportedly has a host of suitors, including the Pistons, Spurs, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Heat, Mavericks and Hornets.
George is headlining the 76ers’ acquisitions after agreeing to a four-year, $212 million max contract early in free agency, and Philadelphia is now looking for ways to improve on the margins.
Morris played alongside George for four seasons with the Clippers from 2019-23, and having a familiar face could help George’s transition.
The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that the former Kansas star would help provide some toughness, which seemed to be lacking during the 76ers’ first-round playoff loss to the Knicks this spring.
The Knicks ultimately seemed like the tougher team than the 76ers, consistently making critical plays in crunch time and rising to the occasion.
Ironically, the 76ers could have had Morris’ toughness last postseason but they traded him to the Spurs in the three-team trade that brought sharpshooter Buddy Hield to the City of Brotherly Love.
Why Thybulle is out and Delly is in | 03:40
The Spurs promptly waived the veteran and he joined the Cavaliers for their playoff push, which ended with a second-round loss to the eventual champion Celtics.
Morris averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds last season spanning his time with the 76ers and Cavaliers.
“The 6-foot-8, 218-pounder’s high basketball IQ, selfless play, and Philly toughness were on full display here,” the paper reported.
“He made the Sixers better not only with his play but with his leadership on and off the court.”
The 76ers have been one of the busier teams in the NBA during free agency, while they try to keep pace in the arms race that has engulfed the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia also retained wing Kelly Oubre and added veteran guard Eric Gordon and rebounding whiz Andre Drummond, while notably losing Tobias Harris to the Pistons.
The 76ers’ flurry of activity pushed them past the Knicks in 2024-25 title odds, with Philadelphia owning the fourth-best odds at FanDuel and second in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics.
The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft gets underway at 6am AEST on Friday morning and all eyes are on when Australian prospect Johnny Furphy has his name called.
ESPN ranked Furphy as its 18th overall ranked player in this year’s class but he isn’t expected to have to wait much longer in the second round, with the 19-year-old expected to be taken early.
Toronto, Utah and Milwaukee are the first three teams on the board and there is also the possibility another team could trade up to take Furphy, surprised that he is still available given the Kansas wing was projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick.
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Duke forward Kyle Filipowski was the only other surprise name to slide out of the first round, having also received an invite to the green room ahead of Thursday’s Barclays Center event.
While the invite is no guarantee a prospect will be selected, 23 of 25 players in the green room were selected in the opening round, with Furphy and Filipowski the only ones to miss out.
Phoenix was the only other team to work out Bronny ahead of the draft but the Suns traded back and selected Ryan Dunn at No.28, leaving the Lakers as the likely landing spot for the USC guard.
NBA DRAFT SECOND ROUND ORDER
31. Toronto (from Detroit via New York and LA Clippers)
32. Utah (from Washington via Detroit and Brooklyn)
33. Milwaukee (from Portland via Sacramento)
34. Portland (from Charlotte via Denver, Oklahoma City and New Orleans)
35. San Antonio
36. Indiana (from Toronto via Philadelphia, LA Clippers and Memphis)
37. Minnesota (from Memphis via Los Angeles Lakers, Washington and Oklahoma City)
38. New York (from Utah)
39. Memphis (from Brooklyn via Houston)
40. Portland (from Atlanta)
41. Philadelphia (from Chicago via Boston, San Antonio and New Orleans)
42. Charlotte (from Houston via Oklahoma City)
43. Miami
44. Houston (from Golden State via Atlanta)
45. Sacramento
46. LA Clippers (from Indiana via Memphis and Milwaukee)
47. Orlando
48. San Antonio (from Los Angeles Lakers via Memphis)
— Philadelphia (forfeited)
49. Indiana (from Cleveland)
50. Indiana (from New Orleans)
51. New York (from Phoenix via Washington)
52. Golden State (from Milwaukee via Indiana)
53. Detroit (from New York via Philadelphia and Charlotte)
54. Boston (from Dallas via Sacramento)
55. Los Angeles Lakers (from LA Clippers)
56. Phoenix (from Minnesota via Oklahoma City and Denver)
57. Memphis (from Oklahoma City via Houston and Atlanta)
— Phoenix (from Denver via Orlando; forfeited by Phoenix)
58. Dallas (from Boston via Charlotte)
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Before Alex Sarr and the Perth Wildcats travelled to Las Vegas to play the G-League Ignite in a pair of exhibition games, the towering Frenchman was on the radar of NBA scouts.
But being on their radar was one thing. Entrenching yourself as a top prospect with the potential of going first overall was another thing entirely — and that’s exactly what Sarr did.
Of course, it helped that those two games came against another highly-rated player in Ron Holland, who at that point was a leading contender in the conversation for the No. 1 pick.
For Sarr, it was a blessing, only putting more eyes on him as he put up a combined 43 points, 17 rebounds and 12 blocks in the two games.
For other players though, it could have just as easily been a curse and it would be understandable for an 18-year-old to falter under that kind of pressure.
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HUGE Furphy dunk gets scouts salivating | 00:26
But sometimes it is easy to forget Sarr was only 18 years old when he made his Wildcats debut.
Some of that obviously has to do with his 7-foot-1 frame. More of it though has to do with the maturity beyond his years; the self-awareness in the way he speaks and evaluates his game.
As impressive as Sarr the person is off the court, the potential of the player on it is obvious.
It is why Sarr went from being mocked at 19th overall to the Knicks by ESPN.com in June last year to fifth by the website in its first mock draft after the Frenchman’s standout showing in Vegas against Holland and G-League Ignite.
ESPN.com draft expert Jonathan Givony said on ‘NBA Today’ at the time that it was an “eye-opener” while one general manager told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears that “he’s got some s*** to his game”.
“You can look objectively at that game and say if those other two [Holland and Matas Buzelis] are supposed to be the top pick, Sarr was clearly dominant and right at, if not above their level, if we’re being honest,” another general manager said.
For Liam Santamaria, Sarr’s standout showing in Vegas was just further proof of why he was the top addition to the NBL’s Next Stars program in the first place.
“In that setting in an NBA style game with NBA spacing, Alex and his unique skillset was really able to shine so that was a fantastic launching pad and it stamped him as a genuine contender for the number one overall pick,” Santamaria, the general manager of Next Stars recruitment, told foxsports.com.au ahead of this week’s NBA Draft.
“Then over the course of the NBL season as he continued to develop his game he went on to showcase his ability to be productive even as a young, raw player with a whole lot of upside on a competitive team in a tough league.
“As a result, he’s been able to maintain that level of projection and now with just the draft a couple of days away he’s a chance to be, if not number one, selected pretty shortly thereafter.”
Alex Sarr visits the Empire State Building to celebrate 2024 NBA Draft. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)Source: Getty Images
At this stage, Sarr is projected to be selected at second overall by the Washington Wizards, although there is talk the Atlanta Hawks, who hold the No.1 pick, could also still take him.
If not, there have also been “rumblings” according to NBA insider Marc Stein that the San Antonio Spurs could trade up to partner Sarr with French phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Should Sarr be taken with the No.1 pick, he would become the first player from the Next Stars program to be recognised with that honour.
Even if he is selected second overall as is currently tipped, Sarr would still be the highest-drafted player to come out of the program.
Either way, he is expected to join LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, and Ousmane Dieng as players out of the program to be taken in the lottery, with eight in total drafted.
When the NBL first communicated to teams that Sarr had genuine interest in coming to the league as a Next Star there was “a high level of interest” according to Santamaria.
But it was the Perth Wildcats who got the first opportunity to pitch to Sarr and the highly-rated French prospect was so convinced by the presentation from coach John Rillie and general manager Danny Mills that he quickly decided he didn’t need to hear from another team.
Gaze: Bulls a ‘better fit’ for Giddey | 00:59
It also helped that the Wildcats had already built strong connections with Overtime Elite, where Sarr spent two years developing his game before heading to Perth, as well as his representation (WME).
The fact he had his parents living with him also helped make the transition much smoother, allowing Sarr to put all of his focus onto making the most of his opportunity in the NBL.
Which is a point that Mills stressed when speaking to foxsports.com.au from Brooklyn ahead of the draft.
As much as Sarr had already put both his name and the club’s name on the map with his performances in Vegas, nothing was guaranteed once he arrived back in Perth.
He had to earn his minutes like everyone else, and the 18-year-old did just that.
“They’ve got to come in here and earn it because it is a professional environment and I think that’s where Alex excelled,” Mills said.
“He bought into that. He didn’t come down being promised anything and earned everything he got with us, which ended up with him being a key part of our rotation in a really competitive team this year.”
Perth embraced Sarr. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
As was the case with the exhibition games against G-League Ignite, it didn’t take long for Sarr to prove he belonged, draining two clutch 3-pointers late in a Round 2 win against Adelaide.
It wasn’t just the fact Sarr made those shots but the fact four-time MVP Bryce Cotton trusted him to make them.
“I think it gave his teammates a lot of confidence,” Mills said.
“Like, ‘Wow, this kid’s obviously only 18, but he’s actually making shots in clutch moments and he’s not afraid to take them’.
Sarr finished the season averaging 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds while establishing himself as one of the league’s most elite rim protectors with 1.5 blocks per game.
The 18-year-old quickly emerged as a meaningful part of the rotation on a championship-calibre Perth roster and continued to generate interest from NBA scouts, with representatives from all 30 teams across the league making the trip to RAC Arena to watch him play.
“He went from being a top-20 projected player at the start of the season to being the potentially number one pick as well as incorporating him into a winning NBL program, which is hard to do,” Mills said.
But beyond the numbers he put up, more valuable than anything else was the lessons Sarr learned playing in a league that tested his physicality.
“I think one of the questions for Alex in terms of his development in advance of going towards the NBA was his ability to play with and through a greater amount of physicality,” Santamaria said.
“So coming into a big strong league like ours was always going to be attractive to him and his camp. You combine that with the ability to play in a, yes it’s a physical league, but it’s also up-tempo.
“So all of that was very attractive for Alex.”
Sarr said as much himself, declaring the NBL is “no-brainer the best decision” for any young players who feel they are “ready for a professional game”.
Sarr impressed for the Wildcats. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“It’s a really physical league and you have to be ready for that,” he said at an exclusive pre-draft event with NBA legend Kenny Smith at The Edge in New York.
For both Santamaria and Mills though, one of the most impressive parts of Sarr’s season with the Wildcats was the way he used his length in open space to keep up with guards and wings, especially when you consider how much that lifts his defensive upside in the NBA.
“Where he has the potential to have an elite level of impact in the NBA is at the defensive end and his ability to rotate across and protect the rim,” Santamaria said.
“For me, most impressively, at that size he has a remarkable ability to be able to switch onto guards on the perimeter, slide his feet and stay in front.
“He had a couple of possessions where he showcased that against G-League Ignite against Ron Holland that captured a lot of people’s attention and I think that’s one of the skills that really separates him because at the NBA level they really like bigs to be able to switch and he can do that at a very high level.”
While Sarr’s success is obviously an achievement worth celebrating on an individual level, for someone like Santamaria and the entire NBL it is also yet another reminder of the league’s growth on the international stage.
‘This is no indictment on Josh’ | 06:21
The late Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams was one of the league’s greatest ambassadors, coining the now well-known phrase ‘this ain’t a cupcake league’ — although not everyone was convinced of that right away.
“But you are seeing it now, you are seeing the whole world take notice. You are seeing NBA teams down here more and more. You are seeing the Next Stars initiative take off and it has gone global. It has reached heights unknown and unseen before. This league is for real.”
Williams said the arrival of Ball was the “catalyst in all of it”.
Giddey, Dieng and now Sarr have followed suit, climbing up draft boards and helping lift the league’s international visibility in the process.
“It’s viewed right around the globe now as a proven pathway to the NBA,” Santamaria said.
“So if you’re a young elite NBA Draft prospect, the opportunity to come and play a season or so in the NBL on your way there is very attractive.
“We’ve seen a number of guys now, LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, Ousmane Dieng, this year with Alex Sarr and others use the platform to launch their NBA careers and the opportunity to come and play in a really high quality league that plays a style of basketball that’s somewhat similar to the NBA in terms of the tempo that it’s played at.”
Sarr made an early statement against G-League Ignite. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It is as much who you are playing against as how you are playing too, with the opportunity to come up against established NBA veterans like Matthew Dellavedova and Denzel Valentine.
“These are guys that are planning on and hoping to become NBA pros in the not too distant future, so coming into the NBA as part of the Next Stars program gives them the opportunity to practice that in advance,” Santamaria said.
“They’re going to be training against pros on a daily basis, learning pro habits off experienced players, developing their game in that type of environment and then getting out there in the bright lights of game night and developing their game in the competition against genuine pros.”
The likeliest outcome from Thursday’s draft is that Sarr will be a Washington Wizard. But Mills said the Frenchman will always be a Wildcat, having embraced the organisation, fans and city as a whole. The feeling is mutual too.
“I think people were starting to see what a special and, I guess, unique opportunity this was for them to watch him,” Mills said of the way Perth embraced the potential No.1 prospect.
“Obviously it’s an interesting situation bringing him down knowing he’s leaving after a year. It was never going to be second year, he was always going to be drafted and he was always going to the NBA.
“So for us, I think people started to realise, especially when the projections started putting him in a top two or three peak range that ‘Alright, this is something unique that may never happen again, hasn’t happened before and may never happen again. So we’ve got to take advantage of it’.
“I hope people, and I believe our fans do, appreciate the opportunity that they had to watch a young man like Alex develop under our Wildcats organisation and hopefully they’ll follow his NBA career and be lifelong Alex Sarr fans as I believe Alex Sarr will be a lifelong Wildcat.”
Caitlin Clark won’t be part of the United States women’s national team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and that decision predictably got immediately shredded on social media by the sports world.
Barstool founder Dave Portnoy unloaded on X, calling it, “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard” after multiple reports said the Indiana Fever rookie would not make the 12-player roster.
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“How dumb are these people?” Portnoy added. “Never complain about women salaries ever again. Make that team fly commercial. Unreal dumb.”
Portnoy further railed against the decision in a two-plus minute video rant.
“I’d rather watch grass grow, I’d rather watch paint dry. I’d rather watch dirt just be moved around because Caitlin Clark is not on the team,” he said.
“If she’s there, it’s appointment TV. You people, whoever did this, take your brain, put it in a museum and study it for how dumb you are.”
Colin Cowherd compared Clark to Christian Laettner, who was part of the 1992 Dream Team coming right out of college at Duke.
“Christian Laettner made the Dream Team. Caitlin Clark can’t make the women’s Olympic basketball team?” Cowherd, the Fox Sports host, wrote.
“What mostly pays for the Olympics — oh wait — revenue generated from broadcasting partners. As in TV. As in Caitlin is TV GOLD. Opportunity wasted.”
Justine Termine of Sirius XM pointed out how silly it is for a sport that is trying to grow to not have someone as popular as Clark.
“Even if she stinks, which she doesn’t, that’s horrible vision,” he posted.
Clark won’t be headed to the Olympics with Team USA. (Photo by Greg Fiume / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
US soccer legend Alexei Lalas had a rather blunt take on the decision.
“I don’t know enough about USA women’s Olympic basketball to know if Caitlin Clark’s omission is a snub. I do know that, right now, she would be the only reason I would remotely care about USA women’s Olympic basketball,” he wrote.
Michele Tafoya called it a “lost opportunity,” writing that it was a chance to not only grow the sport, but create interest. She went as far as to call the decision “detrimental” to the sport.
The news of Clark’s commission, which is not official yet, comes after her fantastic performance on Friday night.
She equalled a WNBA rookie record with seven 3-pointers for the Fever in front of the largest WNBA crowd in 17 years of 20,333 in Washington, D.C.
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who will coach Team USA this summer, reportedly wanted to go with a more veteran roster, according to reports.
Clark’s Olympic snub has generated plenty of critical reactions. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
She was critical during the pre-season of the WNBA’s heavy focus on Clark.
Five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi was reportedly invited, along with Phoenix Mercury teammate Brittney Griner.
Olympic veterans such as Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray will also be on the team.
Clark’s absence, though, is the major story.
“I don’t know how you leave the country without her,” four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie told The Sporting News in April.
Team USA’s decision-makers apparently found a way.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
The Dallas Mavericks have taken a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round series after a 101-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at American Airlines Center on Saturday.
The victory moves Australian duo Dante Exum and Josh Green one step closer to the second round of the playoffs, where they would likely face fellow countryman Josh Giddey and the No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Dirty Embiid foul has Knicks seeing red | 01:07
The Clippers took a 23-18 lead after the first quarter, having made Luka Doncic work had for his points early as the Slovenian superstar went 1-for-4 to go with a pair of turnovers.
However, Doncic and the Mavericks started to get going in the second, outscoring the Clippers 36-18 to open up a 54-41 buffer heading into halftime.
The defence though from Dallas was particularly impressive, holding Los Angeles to 41 per cent from the field while racking up six steals and five blocks to spark fastbreak opportunities on the other end.
Green was a big part of that energy on the defensive end, hustling for three defensive rebounds and a steal in the win to go with eight points.
Green went crashing to the ground early in the second quarter after a foul from Russell Westbrook, which was later called a Flagrant-1, as the Clippers guard tried to block the Australian’s lay-in after a Doncic steal.
Westbrook appeared to tell sections of the Mavericks crowd to “f*** off” and was later ejected from the game in the fourth quarter for picking up two technical fouls, first for wrapping up Doncic and then pushing PJ Washington.
It ended a rough night for Westbrook, who went 0-for-7 from the field, making just one free throw to finish with one point, three rebounds, one assist, a steal, two blocks and a pair of turnovers.
Exum, meanwhile, didn’t have much of an impact but had a nice lob pass early in the game to set up Derrick Lively Jr., who had 13 points off the bench.
Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 43 points in the win while Norman Powell had a tied team-high 21 points off the bench for the Clippers.
Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard had nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two turnovers, later admitting post-game that his right knee “just didn’t respond the way” he had hoped”.
“We’re going to get it right,” he added, having entered Game 3 questionable with right knee inflammation.
Under-manned Heat shock Celtics | 00:33
PACERS LEAD SERIES AFTER OVERTIME THRILLER
Earlier, Tyrese Haliburton drove for the game-winning basket as the Indiana Pacers held off a late Milwaukee charge to beat the Bucks 121-118 in overtime on Friday and take a 2-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series.
Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to help the Pacers withstand a 42-point performance from Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made another trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in overtime.
With 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Haliburton took an inbounds pass and split the Bucks defence as he drove for a one-handed floater.
Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, playing through a sprained right ankle, was unable to work another three-point miracle as time expired.
Tyrese Haliburton celebrates after beating the Milwaukee Bucks 121-119 in overtime. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“I just knew I was shooting the ball,” Haliburton told broadcaster ESPN.
“I told everybody, just give me the ball, let’s go win the game.”
The Pacers escaped with the win in a game they led by 19 points in the first quarter and by 17 in the third.
With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, the Bucks couldn’t match Indiana’s early pace.
But Damian Lillard shook off an early injury scare that had him limping off briefly in the first quarter to score 19 of his 28 points in the second half to help the Bucks claw back.
They took the lead for the first time on Lillard’s three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the lead changing hands six times in the fourth as they battled to overtime.
“Every possession is so valuable,” Haliburton said.
“You’ve got to dig in. The game’s never over.” Myles Turner scored 29 points for the Pacers, who will try to stretch their lead when they host game four on Monday.
The Los Angeles Clippers have suffered an injury setback, with guard Russell Westbrook set for a stint on the sidelines after fracturing his hand in their 140-115 blowout win over the Washington Wizards.
Westbrook, whose move to the bench helped the Clippers reverse an early losing skid after the trade for James Harden, appeared to injury his hard while defending Jordan Poole in the second quarter.
The Clippers were still easily able to breeze past Washington without Westrbook as their superstar trio of Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George all topped 20 points in the win.
Kyle Kuzma, meanwhile, led the way for the Wizards — who have now lost 14 games in a row — with 32 points.
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Curry leads Warriors road victory | 00:58
CELTICS CONTINUE DOMINANT CHARGE
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics, fueled by 32 points from Jayson Tatum and 21 three-pointers, withstood a 37-point triple-double from Luka Doncic to beat the Dallas Mavericks 138-110 on Friday and push their NBA winning streak to 10 games.
Tatum took awhile to warm up, missing all four of his shots in the first quarter, but the All-Star forward scored 16 in the third quarter as the Celtics seized control.
Down by seven at halftime, the Mavs pulled within two points midway through the third.
But Jaylen Brown and Tatum connected on back-to-back three-pointers and the Celtics pulled relentlessly away.
Brown scored 25 points and Kristaps Porzingis, who carried the early offensive load, added 24 as seven Boston players scored in double figures.
They simply overwhelmed the Mavs, despite Doncic’s 12th triple-double of the season. Doncic added 12 rebounds and 11 assists and Kyrie Irving scored 19 points despite connecting on just nine of 23 shot attempts.
“In simple terms, we have a really good team,” Tatum said after the league-leading Celtics became the first team this season to win 10 straight.
“Every night is going to look a little bit different. As long as we continue to build good habits and win, it’s all going to work itself out.”
Lebron takes control in Lakers’ comeback | 01:41
WARRIORS TOO GOOD DESPITE TRAVEL NIGHTMARE
The Golden State Warriors shook off a travel nightmare to push their road winning streak to eight games with a 120-105 victory over the Raptors in Toronto.
Stephen Curry scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 24 for the Warriors, who found themselves delayed six hours at the airport after their victory over the New York Knicks on Friday.
Trailing by three at halftime, the Warriors pulled away after the break. Klay Thompson, back in the starting lineup, scored all 14 of his points in the second half.
“Fantastic win,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who had taken his team to task after watching them sleepwalk through the opening minutes.
“Last night was brutal — that’s the worst travel circumstances I’ve ever been involved in in the NBA,” Kerr added.
“I think we got in bed at eight o’clock this morning. The guys slept during the day, woke up and came to the game. So it was pretty rough. But I’m proud of the group for the way they competed, like I said after that slow start — which was understandable — we really locked in and did a good job.”
R.J. Barrett led Toronto’s scoring with 23 points. All-Star Scottie Barnes had 10 points and six rebounds before departing late in the first half with a left hand injury.
CAVS, SIXERS CLAIM IMPORTANT WINS
Cleveland guard Darius Garland drilled eight three-pointers, including six in an 18-point second quarter, to fuel the short-handed Cavaliers in a 110-100 victory over the Pistons in Detroit.
With Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert sidelined with injuries, Garland scored a game-high 29 points. Evan Mobley added 22 points and 17 rebounds for the Cavs, who led by 26 early in the fourth quarter.
That lead dwindled to just seven points before the Cavs sealed it at the free-throw line.
Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and handed out 10 assists for the Pistons, who endured their 50th defeat of the season.
In Philadelphia, Tobias Harris scored 31 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and Tyree Maxey added 33 points to propel the 76ers to a 121-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
It was a much-needed win for the 76ers, who are trying to keep themselves in playoff position as they await the hoped-for return of reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, who had surgery in February on his injured left knee.
The plague of referees getting upset and ruining NBA games has continued with Devin Booker ejected early in Phoenix’s 116-100 win over Detroit.
Booker received two quick technical fouls causing him to play just 5:24 of the match.
The first was for arguing with officials over a foul call, but the second appeared to come just from giving a thumbs up to the crowd.
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Suns coach Frank Vogel called it “freaking ridiculous” and “unprecedented”.
“Total BS to take a star player out of the game. I’ve seen worse than what he did on a nightly basis,” he said.
Meanwhile without LeBron James, the Lakers downed the Jazz 138-22 – and given the King’s absence, setting a record not seen since Shaq and Kobe wasn’t exactly expected.
But Anthony Davis (37 points, 15 rebounds) and Rui Hachimura (36 points) became the first Lakers pair to score 35 points each since the legendary pairing.
James sat out the second game of a back-to-back with an ankle injury cited by the team.
INJURIES CATCH UP TO REELING KNICKS
It started early in the first quarter, the “MVP” chants for Jalen Brunson.
Paolo Banchero, an All-Star playing in his home arena, turned to the loudest section and said, not subtly, “Shut up.”
In those beginning moments, Banchero and the Magic could do nothing to stop them. Brunson was fantastic with 20 of his 33 points in the opening quarter. He was crossing over and changing direction, draining shots and doing whatever he pleased while sporting one of his determined game faces.
An All-Star playing like a superstar.
The problem, which was predictable given the Knicks’ injury predicament, was Brunson had no help.
None.
And it quickly caught up to the reeling Knicks in Wednesday’s 118-100 loss to the Magic, their season-high fourth straight defeat heading into the All-Star break.
Magic retire Shaquille O’Neal’s number | 00:42
“We didn’t withstand,” Tom Thibodeau said.
The Knicks were missing six of their top eight players, with an injury report longer than a Disney World line on Memorial Day. Donte DiVincenzo (sore hamstring) and Bojan Bogdanovic (sore calf) became the latest to join.
The circumstances left Alec Burks as the starting point guard and the Knicks’ best offensive player after Brunson. It wasn’t a winning formula.
After Brunson’s early explosion lifted the Knicks to a 12-point lead, the bench — featuring Taj Gibson and Jacob Toppin — was a disaster. It was outscored by 20 points in about a six-minute stretch of the second quarter. The Knicks (33-22) never recovered.
“Yeah, you know, today was a rough one,” said Josh Hart, who scored just four points on 2 of 8 shooting. “I think it was just bodies are tired. … So we’re not going to put too much weight on these losses. You put any team out there in the league say, all right, take away four starters or six rotation guys, they’re going to struggle.”
Outside of Brunson, who was understandably hounded by the Magic, the Knicks shot just 38 percent. Orlando begged the other Knicks to score and nobody stepped up.
Precious Achiuwa was the lone other positive with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Burks, the new acquisition but old face from the Pistons, again shot miserably (5-for-16). He went 6-for-24 in his two games before the break.
The Knicks were outscored by 28 points in his 30 minutes Wednesday.
Thibodeau even waved the white flag early by removing Brunson for good with 8:21 left.
Banchero scored 36 points and ultimately shut up the Knicks fans invading the Kia Center.
The Magic (30-25) have won all three of their matchups this season against the Knicks, who are welcoming the All-Star break like Winnie the Pooh greets honey.
Warriors denied in bold move for LeBron | 01:03
“You’re 50-some games into your season, so we’ll have 27 left after [Wednesday’s] game,” Thibodeau said. “The guys who have played, you get nicked up along the way, so I think it’s a welcome break from that standpoint. You get a chance to recharge, for everyone to recharge, and you’re headed down the stretch after.
“We have to hit the ground running. I’m proud of what our guys have done thus far to be able to withstand all the things that we’ve gone through from the heavy road schedule at the beginning, trades, injuries. But we’ve still got a long way to go and we’ve got to make sure we’re ready for what’s coming.”
The assumption is the eight-day rest will at least bring back DiVincenzo, Bogdanovic and Isaiah Hartenstein. The recovery timelines of Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson are more dicey and unpredictable.
Derrick White scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 20 to spark the NBA-best Boston Celtics over Brooklyn 136-86, the fifth-largest blowout win in club history.
The Celtics won their sixth consecutive game, with Payton Pritchard adding 28 points off the bench.
Boston, which had beaten Indiana 155-104 in November, became only the third club in NBA history with multiple 50-point or better wins in a season, joining Milwaukee in 1978-79 and Sacramento in 1992-93.
Kristaps Porzingis scored all 15 of his points in the first half as the Celtics seized a 68-32 half-time lead and boosted the league’s top record to 43-12.
“It’s a good treat going into All-Star break, winning this big,” Boston forward Sam Hauser said.
“It has been a good season so far. Get some time to rest up, get our minds and bodies right. Definitely still some areas to get better at.” It was also coach Joe Mazzulla’s 100th career triumph over two seasons guiding the Celtics.
“It’s something to be proud of, to be grateful for, just a testament to the people you have around you,” Mazzulla said.
Thunder dismantle Magic in epic display | 01:13
Also stretching their win streak to six games were the Dallas Mavericks, who ripped visiting San Antonio 116-93.
Kyrie Irving had 34 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic added 27 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Mavs.
Victor Wembanyama had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs. The Cleveland Cavaliers, powered by Donovan Mitchell’s 30 points, won for the 17th time in 19 games, rallying from 17 points down to edge visiting Chicago 108-105 despite Coby White’s 32 points for the Bulls.
“That’s a playoff-type basketball game. We physically gutted it out,” Mitchell said.
“They got going. They got hot from three(-point range). Coby White made some tough shots. For us to lock in in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter, it was big time.”
The Cavs, who first led 80 seconds into the fourth quarter, stayed six games behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.
“We’re a tough group,” Mitchell said. “At the end of the day we’ve got to go out there and prove it.”
Former Toronto star Pascal Siakam made a triumphant Canadian return with Indiana, scoring 23 points while Tyler Haliburton added 21 to power the Pacers over the Raptors 127-125.
Siakam’s jumper gave Indiana a 126-123 lead with 25 seconds to play. Jakob Poeltl hit two free throws for the Raptors but Indiana’s Isaiah Jackson added a free throw and Toronto’s R.J. Barrett missed a tying jumper attempt at the buzzer.
Scottie Barnes had game-highs of 29 points and 12 rebounds in a losing cause. At Philadelphia, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro each scored 23 points and Adebayo added a game-high 14 rebounds for Miami in a 109-104 victory.
Tyrese Maxey, who led the 76ers with 30 points, sank a jumper and two free throws in the final minute to lift the Sixers within 107-104, but Adebayo sank two free throws to seal the Heat triumph.
The NBA trade deadline has passed and while no Australians are on the move, there were some key calls made by their respective teams that could have a flow-on effect.
From Josh Giddey’s post-season minutes at OKC to Jock Landale’s future in Houston and a crushing injury blow for Dyson Daniels — the latest edition of Australians in the NBA covers it all. Plus, which Australian is enjoying a career-best run of form?
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Silly Simmons shove escalates quickly | 01:03
JOSH GIDDEY (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Giddey opened up last week about how this season had been his most challenging in the NBA — and it is only going to get tougher for the Australian from this point.
With an eye towards the playoffs, the Thunder have a big call to make as to how they address Giddey’s glaring shortcomings as a shooter and on defence.
Giddey’s role as the primary playmaker was a relatively seamless fit in his first two seasons at Oklahoma City but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rapid rise to superstardom and Jalen Williams’ growth has seen the ball taken out of the Australian’s hands more often in his third year.
Add in the emergence of Chet Holmgren in his rookie season and Giddey has quickly found himself relegated to the fourth option, if that, and it is not a role his game is built for.
For instance, the 21-year-old has gone from assisting on 43.0 and 38.1 per cent of OKC’s points in his first two seasons in the league to 29.9 per cent in the 2023-24 season.
In turn, it has seen Giddey become more of an off-ball option for the Thunder, something he isn’t suited for given his inconsistent outside shooting.
Giddey’s best game of the season, a 24-point effort against Toronto in double overtime, showed what he is capable of when hitting a few 3-pointers while also attacking the paint with more decisiveness and finishing through contact.
Now, the expectation isn’t that Giddey will be putting up 24 points or even double figures on a consistent basis.
It has been a tough run for Giddey. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
He just needs to improve his outside shooting to a respectable rate while his rebounding in particular is another area Giddey could really be of value to a Thunder team that has often been dominated on the glass this season.
At this rate though, Giddey’s strengths as a playmaker no longer marry up with the once prominent role he had in OKC’s offence and his minutes could only dwindle further as opposition defences target his weaknesses even more in the playoffs.
That is where the addition of former Hornets veteran Gordon Hayward could come in handy as he offers a similar skillset to Giddey with better shooting.
Hayward could either solidify himself as a starting option with Giddey running the second unit or, at minimum, may be a closing option with much-needed experience to help OKC in the post-season.
All of this is not to say Giddey is suddenly a bad player. He is still a very talented playmaker who is just being asked to do the one thing he has never been that good at.
GIDDEY’S SHOOTING THIS SEASON IN NUMBERS
In the paint
Field goals made: 58
FG attempted: 151
FG%: 38.4
Mid-range
Field goals made: 20
FG attempted: 38
FG%: 52.6
Left corner 3
Field goals made: 17
FG attempted: 41
FG%: 41.5
Right corner 3
Field goals made: 5
FG attempted: 21
FG%: 23.8
Corner 3
Field goals made: 22
FG attempted: 62
FG%: 35.5
Put him in a team of shooters that needs one primary facilitator to pass the ball around and Giddey would start looking like the record-breaking rookie that put the NBA on notice.
Giddey scored 11 points against Dallas last week, a number which looks solid on paper but isn’t that great considering he went 3-for-9 from deep despite being left wide-open by the Mavericks defence. s
The fact he continually took those shots that were given to him is a good thing in the sense that it shows his confidence isn’t wavering while passing open looks isn’t exactly what you want to be doing anyway.
Giddey just isn’t shooting efficiently enough at the moment to make teams play for that strategy, while his finishing at the rim lately has also been a point of concern.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault did not seem too worried post-game though, telling reporters the team had also tried a number of different tactics to combat the strategy which has been employed by a number of teams to neutralise OKC’s halfcourt offence.
“We’ve seen it all year, so it’s nothing new for us,” Daigneault said.
“We want to have a diversity of attacks against it, which includes the cutting and includes using him as a screener depending on who the five is. We thought that was effective today. “And then he’s got to shoot with confidence when he has the open shots. (The game plan) was effective today for a number of reasons outside of just him … we’ve attacked it well in the past, so we’ve got to keep learning from it and growing.”
Star teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who teams have been able to double more while leaving Giddey open, pointed towards the Australian’s big game against the Raptors as proof to not overreact too much to his recent struggles.
“He had some open looks,” Gilgeous Alexander said. “Missed some, made some. That’s the game of basketball. They go in, sometimes they don’t.
“Josh was left open against Toronto, (he) played his balls off.”
BEN SIMMONS (Brooklyn Nets)
After missing one game with a knee contusion after an awkward fall earlier this month, Simmons has been able to largely stay healthy for the Nets as he slowly works his way back from a lengthy layoff.
The 27-year-old is still on a minutes restriction and it is unclear when exactly that will be lifted but even in limited playing time Simmons is showing signs of growth.
Simmons was more aggressive as a scorer against San Antonio, setting the tone early even if it led to a turnover as he attacked the rim on a play with 8:30 left in the opening quarter.
Spotting Victor Wembanyama outside of the paint, Simmons instinctively drove towards the basket for the finish but was called for a travel.
While the result wasn’t there the process certainly was and the Australian was rewarded later in the second quarter as a cutting Simmons went right to the basket off a Mikal Bridges pass.
That was just the start of a season-high night for Simmons, who had 13 points, five assists, three steals, two blocks and three rebounds in the 123-103 win.
Ben Simmons is starting to look more comfortable. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It was just a glimpse of the well-rounded player Simmons can be and it is not like he needs to be piling on the points anyway given this Nets roster isn’t short of outside shooting options.
You only have to look at Simmons’ scoreless game against the Sixers, where he did not attempt a single shot and yet was impactful on both ends of the floor in a 136-121 victory.
Simmons is finally starting to look like his old, confident self after missing a significant period of time at the start of the season due to a nerve impingement in his lower back.
Erik Slater, a reporter from Clutch Points and host of Bleav in Nets, had told foxsports.com.au ahead of this season that the summer surgery Simmons underwent — a microdiscectomy — was partly to blame for his lack of progress last year.
“There was a study done by the National Library of Medicine that broke down outcomes for NBA players who have had the surgery and basically what it found was that players in the first season post-surgery typically saw a decrease in player efficiency rating, minutes played and in other metrics but in the second post-operative season they typically returned to their average level of play,” he said at the time.
Of course, another injury has only delayed Simmons’ growth but the Australian told Brian Lewis of The New York Post after the Spurs game that he is “feeling better” now.
“It’s one of those things where it’s just up and down each day. But I’m just staying with it. The storm doesn’t last forever,” Simmons said.
“You know, I’m gonna get back to where I was. So just staying on it. And you know, each day is a day to get better.”
ABSURD game winner from clutch Curry! | 00:43
DYSON DANIELS (New Orleans Pelicans)
Unfortunately for Daniels, the Pelicans’ first-round pick is set for a stint on the sidelines after it was announced on Tuesday he had been diagnosed with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
New Orleans did not provide a timeline for his return to play, stating the team would evaluate treatment options for the Australian.
While Daniels’ offensive game remains a work in progress the Pelicans will miss his elite defence, which was continuing to see him earn consistent minutes as part of their rotation.
You only had to look at Daniels’ recent showing against the Los Angeles Clippers for proof of it as the young Bendigo product put on a defensive masterclass, recording four steals and two blocks.
The first came on Kawhi Leonard as the sneaky Australian picked his pocket, taking it straight to the rim to lay it home for the score.
Daniels then blocked a Russell Westbrook shot before recovering to force another miss from the Clippers point guard and getting the defensive rebound.
Dyson Daniels is now sidelined with injury. Harry How/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
A disruptive Daniels later stayed with and then blocked Norman Powell before active hands from the Australian saw him pick up another steal, this time on James Harden to spark a fast-break opportunity for New Orleans.
An anticipatory Daniels then pounced on a pass from Westbrook as he attempted to keep the ball in, taking it to the rim for the dunk.
Both Daniels and teammate Herb Jones were praised by coach Willie Green for their defensive impact in the statement win over the Western Conference heavyweights.
“Those guys were dominant defensively and that’s what they’re capable of doing,” Green said.
“Dys and Herb switching screens, physical, blocking shots, igniting our break. Two young perimeter players that can defensively pretty much guard anybody in the league in my opinion.”
“Dyson had four steals, that’s tough and two blocks — that’s six stops right there. That’s pretty impressive, I can’t lie,” added Trey Murphy III.
Daniels had 10 points in that win over the Clippers and also had a handy pair of 3-pointers to go with a block and steal in the Pelicans’ most recent 139-122 loss to the Lakers.
JOSH GREEN (Dallas Mavericks)
Consistency.
It has been hard to come by at times for Josh Green and for a number of reasons, be it injury-related or more a matter of drifting in and out of the starting team.
But Green has been enjoying the best statistical stretch of his career as of late, averaging 17.0 points while shooting 50.8 per cent from deep in his first five games to open February.
“It’s great that Josh is playing at a high level,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told reporters ahead of Dallas’ game against Washington.
“Just understanding that he’s a young player, his career has just started. Again, the work he has put in this summer and with his national team, you can see he’s comfortable. I think the big part, not just with Josh, is our health.
“If we can stay healthy you’ll have a chance to become consistent with minutes and play. You’re going to make or miss shots but I think the big thing with Josh is if he can stay healthy, you can see that he’s getting better.
Josh Green is enjoying one of the best stretches of his career. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He’s young, he’s starting to feel more comfortable bringing the ball up, which we’ve asked him to do. He’s picking up full court, which we’ve asked him to do and I think he’s really enjoying his role right now.”
The improvement of Green’s outside shooting has been particularly important in helping space out Dallas’ offence, leaving Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to handle the ball more and in turn create open looks for the Australian and his teammates as defences lock in on the superstar pair.
Green has proven himself particularly lethal shooting corner 3s, leading the NBA with 21 in his past 15 games while shooting a league-high 47.7 per cent from the area in that period.
And when Green isn’t shooting he is moving off the ball like he did against the Wizards, initially handing the ball off to Irving before cutting towards the basket for a ferocious dunk.
DANTE EXUM (Dallas Mavericks)
It has been a frustrating few months for Exum, who had forced his way into a starting role with the Mavericks after an impressive stretch only to have his momentum derailed by injury.
Exum, who battled injuries throughout his career before a stint in Europe, missed time in early January with a heel injury and has now been sidelined for eight straight games with a right knee issue.
Exum had a stellar December, averaging 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 53.3 per cent from downtown before being restricted to just 12 minutes due to injury in a 127-90 loss to the Jazz.
The Australian later returned after just over three weeks and lasted only two more games before again going down, this time with the knee injury.
Dante Exum is out injured. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
JOCK LANDALE (Houston Rockets)
It looks increasingly likely that Landale will be on the lookout for a new NBA team next year after the Rockets traded for Memphis Grizzlies big man Steven Adams.
Landale was already going to be battling for minutes behind Alperen Sengun when he first arrived at Houston but an ankle injury and concussion saw the Australian dealt an early setback as he struggled when on the court and fell further down the team’s big-man rotation.
The 28-year-old saw just seven minutes in Houston’s 111-90 loss to the Timberwolves and didn’t get on the court in the Rockets’ 132-129 defeat to the Pacers.
Now, having only been guaranteed one season of his four-year $32 million contract he signed with Houston in free agency last summer, Landale’s future at the franchise is in the air.
The Rockets didn’t get traded before Friday’s deadline and that makes sense given his $8 million, non-guaranteed contract could be used as a salary filler in an offseason trade.
Landale spoke to the Houston Chronicle earlier in the week about the possibility of being traded and said it was something he had learned to block out, putting all his focus into factors he can control. The Australian also touched on his injury-interrupted start to the season, telling the Chronicle he came to the organisation on “half an ankle”.
Jock Landale had an injury-interrupted start to the season. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“My ankle was completely (messed up) when I first got here,” Landale said.
“I wasn’t in a good spot health-wise to go out and compete. My biggest asset is how hard I play and moving around the court and getting on the boards. My body couldn’t keep up with the level of play I was used to playing.
“Around game 20, we really figured out my rehab process, and I got to a point I was healthy and could be back to the Jock Landale the Houston Rockets had signed. That kind of created an identity at that point. It’s been tough to crack back into the rotation since then. I definitely feel I’m ready to go.”
JOE INGLES (Orlando Magic)
No change after the deadline for Ingles, who will be the same valuable veteran presence off the bench for the Magic as they continue to push for a playoff berth.
Orlando was tipped to be one of the more active teams at the deadline but didn’t make a single move to its roster, which in a way isn’t that surprising given the team needed to weigh up the benefits of any potential move with the threat it posed to the squad’s strong chemistry.
Ingles is clearly one of those players who has contributed to the positive vibes at the Magic this season if you go off Paolo Banchero’s recent comments on JJ Redick’s ‘The Old Man and the Three’ podcast.
Ingles may be the oldest player on the roster at 36 years old but he still knows how to relate to the squad’s young and emerging talent, including Banchero, who said the Australian “takes the cake” as one of the team’s most sarcastic personalities.
Banchero recalled the first time he ever met Ingles at Summer League, just after the Boomers veteran had signed with the Magic in free agency.
“He was talking s*** before we even put our shoes on,” Banchero said.
“It was just us two that showed up that day coincidentally… me and him were going to shoot together… so it was just him talking s***, how he was going to outshoot me. And I was like, ‘Okay, it’s gonna be this kind of workout’.”
Just one glimpse into how Ingles and this young Magic core have seemingly become a match made in heaven, with the Australian’s playmaking and decision-making proving a key asset to help run the second unit.
DUOP REATH (Portland Trail Blazers)
The Blazers are another team that didn’t do much at the deadline, acquiring backup forward Dalano Banton from the Boston Celtics for a protected second-round pick.
Otherwise, they are standing pat as they look to build towards the future with a mix of youth and experience.
Reath has been an underrated find for Portland this season, earning his NBA debut after Robert Williams III underwent season-ending knee surgery and later thrust into an even more prominent role after Deandre Ayton went down.
Even with Ayton now healthy Reath has maintained a solid role off the bench for the Blazers, proving an effective finisher at the rim which when combined with his threat as an outside shooter makes him a versatile scoring option in the frontcourt.
Duop Reath and fellow Australian Josh Giddey. Joshua Gateley/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Reath credited Portland’s coaching staff for simplifying his role in his rookie season.
“I think it’s just staying ready,” Reath said.
“Just keep on working and just being prepared but then again, the coaches have been helping me too letting me know what my role is and being very clear what they want from me. That makes it very easy.”
Reath missed Portland’s last game with a knee injury but the nature of it is unknown at this point.
MATISSE THYBULLE (Portland Trail Blazers)
Thybulle shaped as a potential trade target for a few contending teams, with the Milwaukee Bucks making a lot of sense given their need for a defensive stopper of his quality.
But no trade eventuated and there was no real reporting of note ahead of the deadline that seemed to suggest the Blazers were receiving calls about Thybulle, whose improved 3-point shooting this season has helped add to his repertoire.
Thybulle’s outside shooting has been a bit streaky lately but it hasn’t stopped him from regularly seeing more than 20 minutes on the floor for Portland, averaging 4.7 points and 1.3 steals while shooting 34.0 per cent from downtown last month.
PATTY MILLS (Atlanta Hawks)
After initially struggling to see any playing time in Atlanta Mills has started to get more minutes for the Hawks, averaging nine minutes in three games this month.
A potential Dejounte Murray trade could have opened up even more opportunities for Mills but instead Atlanta opted to keep him at the deadline, meaning the guard-heavy Hawks won’t have many more minutes to offer Mills at this point.
Mills has a $6.8 million expiring contract and could fit into any offseason deals for salary-matching purposes.
The frustration from Wizards fans was made clear in Thursday’s (all times AEDT) 114-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers when they savagely booed one of their own – Jordan Poole.
Poole had a game to forget on Thursday, going scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting from the field and fouling out in 24 minutes.
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It was made worse when he missed a tough fadeaway shot down the stretch of the fourth quarter with the Wizards down four, leading to vocal boos around Capital One Arena.
Poole’s struggles for the Wizards since being traded from Golden State last off-season have in many ways personified the team’s issues. Going into Thursday’s game, Poole has averaged 16.2 points per game – down from 20.4 last season – on 40 per cent shooting from the field.
Washington, meanwhile, fell to 9-41 after the loss to the Cavaliers to continue their woes.
Donovan Mitchell poured in a game-high 40 points for Cleveland and Evan Mobley added 22 points and eight boards as JB Bickerstaff’s side won its seventh in a row to consolidate the East’s second seed.
ELSEWHERE …
The Golden State Warriors blew past the Philadelphia 76ers 127-104 at Wells Fargo Centre as Nick Nurse’s team navigates a tough stretch without superstar centre Joel Embiid.
It marked a third-straight loss for Philadelphia (30-20), who’s now at risk of dropping into the play-in zone, while Golden State (23-25) crept closer to .500, now a game behind Utah in the West’s 10th seed and final play-in spot.
The result came despite Steph Curry being held to just nine points in 24 minutes as starters for both teams were used sparingly in the second half, such was the one-sided result.
Curry might’ve been unlucky to not have at least three more points though.
In the first quarter, the Warriors sharpshooter hit a huge stepback three, however the play was overturned after the Sixers successfully challenged the call – with an offensive foul called on Curry for kicking out his leg.
Fair to say basketball fans on social media, like Curry, were surprised the call was overturned.
Wes Unseld Jr. was replaced as head coach of the NBA’s struggling Washington Wizards on Friday (all times AEDT) with assistant coach Brian Keefe taking charge for the rest of the season.
Unseld was moved to a front office advisory role but Wizards president Michael Winger said the 7-36 club needed to make a switch after losing five games in a row and nine of its past 10 starts.
“After several thoughtful conversations with Wes, we determined together that a change was needed for the benefit of the team,” Winger said.
“His vast basketball experience will be an asset to the front office as we progress toward our long-term goals.”
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The Wizards have fired Wes Unseld Jr. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Unseld’s final game as coach was a 118-107 home loss to Minnesota on Thursday while Keefe’s debut comes Friday when the Utah Jazz visit Washington.
Unseld is the 48-year-old son of former NBA Most Valuable Player and Washington legend Wes Unseld Sr., a Hall of Fame centre who sparked the team to its’ only NBA title in 1978 – when they were known as the Bullets – and later served as a head coach, general manager and vice president.
Unseld Jr. went 77-130 in two and a half seasons coaching the Wizards since taking over in July 2021.
“I am grateful to have served as head coach of the Washington Wizards,” Unseld Jr. said. “I look forward to this new opportunity to work toward our organisation’s continued progress.”
The Wizards, with the second-worst record in the NBA this season, missed the playoffs after going 35-47 in each of Unseld Jr.’s two seasons in charge. They haven’t had a winning season since 2017-18 and have not advanced beyond the second round of the NBA playoffs since 1979.
Rivers close to being Bucks head coach | 00:35
Keefe began his NBA career as a video coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs, helping the team’s 2007 title run before becoming an assistant coach at Oklahoma City.
He also served as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets before joining the Wizards’ staff last July.
The Wizards said they will undertake a comprehensive search for a new head coach in the off-season.
It marks the second change in the NBA coaching ranks this week after the 31-13 Milwaukee Bucks, who sit second in the Eastern Conference, made the surprising move to part ways with Adrian Griffin, replacing him with Doc Rivers.
