The Damian Lillard saga was the dominant storyline of the 2023 NBA offseason. It took three months of back-and-forth drama before the Portland Trail Blazers struck blockbuster deal that sent Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade. A few days after the Lillard trade, the Boston Celtics took away some of … [Read more…]
Dennis Schroder came through in the clutch to lead Germany over Serbia in the gold medal game at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila, Philippines. Schroder, who had a game-high 28 points in the championship game, was spectacular throughout the tournament, averaging 19.1 points and 6.1 assists en route to winning the FIBA … [Read more…]
It’s disappointing that some of the world’s best players such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry won’t be participating in basketball’s biggest international tournament. But their absence shouldn’t take away from the excitement and immense anticipation of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Jokic, the face of Serbia’s national … [Read more…]
The United States senior men’s national team enters the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup with the weight of the world on its shoulder. Being the hunted is a familiar position for Team USA after being so dominant for nearly 20 years. But the rest of the world is catching up, and winning a gold medal … [Read more…]
The NBA summer league is the best teaser to what to expect from the incoming rookie class. As expected, the top lottery picks didn’t disappoint, while others have obvious weaknesses that need to be corrected. The Las Vegas summer league was the main event of the NBA offseason. All 30 teams, armed with their first-round … [Read more…]
They don’t call him Nikola Jokic “The Joker” for nothing. When a reporter covering the 2023 NBA Finals asked Jokic if he considers himself the best player in the world, he responded in classic Joker fashion. “I’m confused,” the Denver Nuggets superstar center replied. “It’s hard to say. Sometimes I am, sometimes I’m not. And … [Read more…]
The small ball era had a good run. The Denver Nuggets — led by 6-foot-11, 285-pound center Nikola Jokic — officially expired the small ball era with a brand of old-school basketball principles that rely mostly on size and strength over pace and space. The Nuggets plowed through the 2023 NBA playoffs, winning 16 of … [Read more…]
Jamal Murray had an opportunity to tie the score as time expired in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals, but his step-back 3-pointer against Jimmy Butler bounced off the rim. It was a shot Murray has made on multiple occasions. When he missed, he was more surprised than than disappointed. It shows the level … [Read more…]
Eventually, some team is going to break the streak. In the history of the NBA, when teams take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series, the likelihood of having a shot at winning the series is about as improbable as correctly choosing all six numbers in the lottery. It’s a 1 in 13,983,816 chance … [Read more…]
After making a crucial mid-range shot in the fourth quarter of his first NBA playoff game, an energized Austin Reaves jogged back on defense and screamed toward the L.A. Lakers bench saying, “I’m him! I’m him!” The meme-mable moment was one of the defining images of the 2023 NBA playoffs. It was extra special for … [Read more…]