Russell Westbrook deserved better. For 18 seasons, Westbrook never cheated the game. He played every game as if it was his last. And yet, he was heavily criticized by fans and the media.

Westbrook, 37, announced his retirement on social media in a video narrated by Oscar-winning actor Michael B. Jordan.

Westbrook may not have won an NBA championship ring, but he will be remembered as one of the most electric and inspirational players of our generation. At the end of the day, what defined his basketball career was his effort and energy. He played the game at 100 mph. Sometimes he played too fast.

His candle was always lit. He didn’t need to flip a switch because his switch was always on. He was a human power generator, pumping energy into an arena. He was highly entertaining. As a fan, that’s all we ask of our athletes. Compete at the highest level and provide moments of joy. Russ was a one-man show.

Was he flawed? Sure he was. Did he turn the ball over too many times? Sure he did. Did he take too many ill-advised shots? Sure he did.

But you cannot question his heart, his toughness, and his competitiveness.

Westbrook finished his NBA career as a two-time league scoring champion and led the league in assists three times. He was a nine-time All-Star, a two-time All-Star Game MVP, and the MVP in 2017. He retires as the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles. For someone who supposedly couldn’t shoot and was tagged as a ball hog, Westbrook scored 27,000 points and more than 10,000 assists, placing him in an extremely small historical group.

Russ was one of the most athletically gifted players to play in the NBA. He put together a historic 2016-17 season when he became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire season. He set a record with 42 triple-doubles, one more than Robertson’s old mark set in 1962.

During his MVP season in 2017, Westbrook averaged 31.6 points per game, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists. He carried the undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder into the playoffs as a sixth seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, a year after Kevin Durant left OKC to join the Golden State Warriors.

Durant had a complicated relationship with Westbrook, but the two patched things up and KD posted a touching tribute on social media following Westbrook’s retirement, highlighting his former OKC teammate’s leadership style and his impact on the court.

“He led by example, and once the lights were bright, he let everything out and experienced pure freedom,” Durant said. “It was inspiring as his teammate, and everywhere I went, I saw it inspire people from all walks of life. The crazy thing is, he didn’t say much, he just showed up.”

Westbrook definitely showed up and showed out. You might knock him down a few times, but he kept coming.

In a 2015 game against the Portland Blazers, Westbrook got kneed in the head by a teammate and fractured his cheekbone. He stayed in the game with a visible dent and finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Brodie had surgery and missed one game. In his next game, wearing a protective mask, he dropped 49 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and had 10 assists.

Westbrook had as many detractors as admirers. Westbrook joked that “Spalding” was his best friend. Westbrook rubbed people the wrong way with his abrasive personality. But what drove a lot of basketball pundits completely batty was Westbrook’s shot selection and recklessness.

In his short stint with the L.A. Lakers, he was reportedly called a “vampire” for sucking the life out of the team. He got blamed for everything that went wrong. Many Lakers fans pinned losses on him.

“If you don’t respect and admire Russell Westbrook, there’s something wrong with you,” Charles Barkley said. “I’ve never seen a player give maximum effort every single night.”

Here’s a question Lakers fans who dissed Russ: how can you hate on a guy who grew up idolizing the Lakers. He attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale. He went to UCLA and made two Final Four appearances. He represented L.A. He never forgot his L.A. roots. If he was such a bad guy, then why do all his teammates love him? You’d be hard-pressed to find a Westbrook teammate who didn’t like him.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves was one of countless Westbrook teammates who had nothing but love for him. Reaves, who was then a role player with the Lakers, recalled getting COVID during a road trip and was forced to isolate in a hotel room for a few days. Reaves said it was Westbrook who checked on him and asked him if he needed anything.

That was Russ. A good guy and a great teammate.

***

Since 1956, when the first NBA regular season MVP award was handed out, six most valuable players finished their careers without winning a championship and two are still in pursuit of that elusive chip.

Twelve of the 15 players with multiple MVPs led their teams to at least one NBA championship. The only three multiple MVP winners — Karl Malone, Steve Nash — don’t have a championship. Malone reached the NBA Finals twice, but lost each time to Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Nash never made it to the NBA Finals.

Here are the ringless NBA MVPs: Charles Barkley (1993), Malone (1997, 1999), Allen Iverson (2001), Steve Nash (2005, 2006), Derrick Rose (2011), Russell Westbrook (2017), James Harden (2018), Joel Embiid (2023).

Charles Barkley (1993 MVP)

Barkley is one of the most beloved sports figures of all-time. He had a big personality to match his big physical presence on the court. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984 and quickly became a fan favorite in Philly. After being traded to Phoenix in 1992, Barkley enjoyed his best season as he captured the 1993 MVP and led the high-powered Suns to the best record in the league and advanced to the NBA Finals. But Barkley’s Suns ended up losing to Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the ’93 Finals, and Barkley never got back to The Finals. He did manage to win two Olympic gold medals, and his career was validated by being selected to the 1992 Dream Team. The Round Mound of Rebound finished with more than 23,000 points and 12,000 rebounds. He was a unique player who wasn’t defined by one position. Barkley has said many times publicly that not winning a title shouldn’t and didn’t define his basketball career. Hard to argue with Sir Charles.

Karl Malone (1997, 1999 MVP)

The Mailman finished his career as the second-leading scorer in history (36,928). He made the All-NBA first team 11 times and made the All-Defensive team three times. He was named to the NBA’s top 50 greatest players list and widely regarded as one of the best power forwards. With the help of longtime teammate and fellow Hall of Famer John Stockton, The Mailman delivered two MVPs as a member of the Utah Jazz but couldn’t deliver a title to Salt Lake City. Malone led the Jazz to appearances in the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Both times his teams lost to Michael Jordan’s Bulls in six games. In 2003-04 Malone joined Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in L.A., hoping to make one final push for a ring. But it wasn’t meant to be, as Malone had an injury-plagued season and the Lakers went down to the Detroit Pistons in five games in The Finals.

Allen Iverson (2001 MVP)

Much like Westbrook, Iverson was a fearless competitor who played with reckless abandon. A.I. answered the call several times throughout his 13-year career, putting together an MVP season in 2001 and leading the Sixers to the NBA Finals. But Iverson ran into Goliath in the form of Shaq and the Lakers, and the Sixers were defeated in five games. That was the closest A.I. got to playing for a title. After stints in Detroit, Denver and Memphis (extremely short stint there), Iverson rejoined the Sixers but did not finish the season. He took his talents to Turkey, but that lasted about as long as A.I.’s career as a hip-hop artist. Iverson desperately wanted to finish his career in the NBA, but no team took the bait. Iverson will go down in history as a polarizing figure who gave us great highlights and one memorable soundbite. Yes, we’re talking about practice!

Steve Nash (2005, 2006 MVP)

Nash helped revolutionize the game with how he manipulated the pick-and-roll. Point guards today use the “Nash dribble” coming off picks. He reached the conference finals four times but fell short each time — three times with the Phoenix Suns and once with the Dallas Mavericks. He teamed up with Dirk Nowitzki to lead the Mavs to the 2003 Western Conference finals, losing to eventual champion San Antonio. He captured his first regular-season MVP in 2005, leading the Suns to the NBA’s best record. But the Spurs got in the way again, bouncing Nash and a loaded Suns squad that also featured Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, and Joe Johnson in five games. Nash won his second MVP award in 2006, but was eliminated by Dirk’s Mavs. MVP voters may have made a mistake by giving Nash the MVP in 2006. Nash probably didn’t deserve to win it over Kobe Bryant, who had one of the best statistical seasons and delivered the signature moment of the year when he scored 81 points against Toronto. Nash maxed out in Phoenix and was never able to recapture that magic he had with coach Mike D’Antoni.

Derrick Rose (2011 MVP)

Rose’s once promising career was derailed by injuries. D-Rose was bitten by the injury bug several times and was never the same. We’ll never know how good Rose could have been had he not gotten hurt. During his time in Chicago, Rose’s Bulls teams had a nice nucleus and were strong title contenders. One year after becoming the youngest MVP in league history, a devastating ACL injury in the 2012 playoffs dramatically cut down Rose’s game. Despite flashes of his old self, Rose never returned to his MVP form. He lost the burst that made him such a tough cover, and his jump shot never got good enough to keep defenses from sagging back. All the physical gifts that made him special were no longer there. Rose bounced around the league for the next eight years, playing in New York, Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit, and Memphis before retiring in 2024 at age 35.

James Harden (2018 MVP)

Harden came into his own when he arrived in Houston after leaving Oklahoma City. Harden went from a 17-point scorer to a 27-point scorer. He went from Sixth Man to MVP. His 2017-18 season was almost like a video game. He led the league in scoring (30.4) and was the runaway leader in free throw attempts and free throws made. No one draws fouls (or tricks referees) better than Harden. In fact, he does it so well, and so often, league officials changed the way they call games. He gets to the line 11 times a game. For an 87% free-throw shooter, that’s 10 points in the bank. Harden is so clever and crafty that he has referees completely fooled. Harden does have other skills aside from gimmicks and tricks. He has a dependable step-back jumper to create space for his 3-ball, and he had straight-line drives going to his strong hand. Once the NBA cracked down on non-basketball moves to bait referees into calling fouls, Harden’s numbers have significantly dipped.

Joel Embiid (2023 MVP)

Embiid, who had long lobbied for the award, earned his first NBA MVP trophy in 2023, beating out Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Embiid has been through the wringer in terms of working through various injuries, and his durability has been questioned. He pieced together a healthy season for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022-23 as he averaged 33.1 points to win his second straight scoring title, 10.2 rebounds and tied a career high with 4.2 assists per game. “It’s been a long time coming. A lot of hard work. I’ve been through a lot. I’m not just talking about basketball. I’m talking about my life. My story. Where I come from. How I got here and what it took for me to be here,” said the big man from Cameroon. He’s the second winner from Africa, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, the Nigerian who won for Houston in 1994.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

The first round of the 2026 NBA postseason wasn’t very kind to two recent champions and a future Hall of Famer.

The Denver Nuggets entered the Western Conference playoffs as the No. 3 seed and armed with arguably the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic. Denver lasted just six games and were eliminated by undermanned Minnesota for the second time in three years.

Since winning the NBA title in 2023, Jokic and the Nuggets are just 15-15 over the last three postseasons.

The Boston Celtics, boosted by the return of All-Star Jayson Tatum, entered the Eastern Conference playoffs with the fourth-best odds to win a championship. Boston took a 3-1 series lead against division rival Philadelphia, only to watch it evaporate and ended up being on the wrong side of history. The 76ers completed the dramatic playoff comeback, winning Game 7 in Boston.

When asked during his post-game press conference what was the turning point in the series, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pointed to the return of Joel Embiid.

“What changed in the series was Joel Embiid came back, and they’re a completely different team,” Mazzulla said of the Sixers center, who came back in Game 4 after missing almost a month after undergoing emergency appendectomy.

Philly was the 14th team to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the playoffs. Less than 24 hours after the Sixers’ win, the Detroit Pistons became the 15th team to overcome a 3-1 deficit. Thanks to the heroics of Cade Cunningham, top-seeded Detroit avoided losing to eighth-seeded Orlando with a convincing win at home in Game 7.

Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets weren’t considered championship contenders heading into the postseason, but they had a favorable matchup in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers, who was missing Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (rib).

But the Rockets found a way to turn an advantage into a disadvantage as the 2014 NBA MVP missed Game 1 with a knee injury he suffered in practice. Durant returned in Game 2 but suffered a sprained right ankle in the second half that ultimately forced him to miss the remainder of the series.

The Lakers jumped out to a 3-0 series lead. After a couple of hiccups in Game 4 and Game 5, L.A. closed out the series with a blowout win in Game 6.

Detroit rides MotorCade to reach conference semifinals

After Orlando took a 3-1 series lead, Cade Cunningham put his hard on and went to work.

The Pistons’ All-Star guard dropped 45 points (5-for-8 on 3-pointers) in Game 5 and followed it up with 32 points and 10 rebounds in the next game, forcing a Game 7.

In Game 7 in front of a fired up Detroit crowd that included Pistons legends like Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace, Cunningham calmly led the Pistons to a 116-94 win. His 32 points and 12 assists helped secure Detroit’s first playoff series victory in 18 years.

Cunningham became the second Piston to score 20-plus points and dish out 10-plus assists in a Game 7. The other Piston to pull it off was Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who was in the building to witness Cade’s brilliant performance under pressure.

“It’s an honor to be in the same sentence as a legend like IT,” Cunningham said. “I’m glad he was here. I’m glad he was able to watch … just being able to talk to him, pick his brain, and have his support. It’s amazing. I feel extremely lucky to have that.”

No joke: Jokic gets ‘punked’ in playoff loss to Timberwolves

When you’re a three-time NBA MVP, expectations are high and losing in the first round is not an acceptable result.

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, were eliminated in six games by the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team missing their best player (Anthony Edwards), starting guard (Donte DiVincenzo), and one of its top reserves (Ayo Dosunmu).

The Timberwolves had just eight players available for Game 6, but still managed to pull out a victory.

Denver’s early exit prompted some pundits like ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins, to call out Jokic for his poor postseason performance following another triple-double regular season in which he became the first player to lead the league in rebounds (12.9) and assists (10.7).

Perkins on ESPN’s “First Take” said the Joker got “punked” in the Minnesota series as Rudy Gobert made him look human. Jokic shot 44.6% from the field and 19.4% from 3-point range, both well below his season averages. Perkins added that Jokic’s recent play suggests he may be stuck with just one championship for his career.

“We were so ready to put this man above all-time greats because of certain numbers he was putting up in the regular season. He has one NBA championship. Matter of fact, I don’t think Jokic is going to win another NBA championship. He got exposed,” Perkins added. “So when we talk about top-five this and top-five that. We need to sit back and keep cool.”

Denver heads into the offseason with a lot of question marks, including the future of their all-world center. But according to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Nuggets plan to secure a long-term contract extension for Jokic, who is eligible for a $290 million max deal.

“The expectation on both sides is Nikola Jokic will be signing that when he’s eligible in July, and they’re gonna move forward,” Charania said on “Inside the NBA.”

He added: “But beyond that, there’s going to be real roster changes coming to Denver to identify how they can surround Nikola Jokic with the right pieces to get this team over the top.”

Houston, we have a KD problem

A fluke knee injury kept Kevin Durant out of Game 1 against the Lakers. He reportedly bumped knees with one of the team’s two-way players in practice as they both went for a loose ball. Durant returned in Game 2 but suffered a sprained right ankle in the second half that ultimately forced him to miss the remainder of the series.

The Rockets’ implosion started back in February. The infamous “KD files” — Durant’s alleged social media burner account slamming Rockets teammates — created a major, unresolved distraction.

During a stretch in which the Rockets lost seven of nine games entering the All-Star break, allegations surfaced that Durant criticized teammates — including sharp jabs at Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. — while using a burner account on X.

Durant is one of the best to ever pick up a basketball. Once he’s done with his career, he’ll be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. But his off-the-court drama isn’t helping clean up his image.

Durant never discussed the matter in any detail publicly, calling it “Twitter nonsense.” But it’s hard to imagine his most recent social media tiff didn’t impact the Rockets. Houston appeared disjointed, and the team actually played better when KD was in street clothes sitting on the bench.

Since his split with the Golden State Warriors, Durant has had some conspicuous stops in Brooklyn and Phoenix. Houston gave up a ton of assets to bring him in, but now they may be regretting the move.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Kevin Durant’s Instagram handle is @EasyMoneySniper. It’s an appropriate nickname for one of the greatest scorers in basketball.

Durant is one of the smoothest operators when it comes to putting the ball in the basket. He’s got every shot in the book. He makes things look easy money. His career 27.2 points-per-game average puts him in the top 10. He makes 39% of his 3-point shots and 50% of his shots from the field; mostly from his favorite spot on the court — the midrange. And he is a career 88% shooter from the free throw line.

Durant — who was traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a historic seven-team deal — moved into fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, jumping ahead of Michael Jordan. Only Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James are ahead of Durant.

OMFB pulled together a list of the most efficient scorers in modern NBA history, with the following stipulations: 1) a player must have a career points-per-game average of at least 20 (PPG); 2) minimum 400 games played; 3) above the line in field goal percentage (47%), 3-point shooting (35%), and free throws (80%). Note: Because the 3-point line wasn’t introduced in the league until 1979, players such as Jerry West and Oscar Robertson were not included on the list.

Kevin Durant
PPG: 27.2 FG pct: 50.3 3PT pct: 39.1 FT pct: 88.2
KD is listed at 6-10 but with a 7-5 wingspan. Because of his remarkable length and above-average ball-handling skills, he is able to shoot over any defender.

Stephen Curry
PPG: 24.8 FG pct: 47.1 3PT pct: 42.2 FT pct: 91.2
The four-time NBA champion and 3-point king is regarded by many as the greatest shooter in basketball. Steph is the all-time leader in 3-point makes, with an accuracy of 42%.

Larry Bird
PPG: 24.3 FG pct: 49.6 3PT pct: 37.6 FT pct: 88.6
Larry Legend won three consecutive MVPs from 1984-86 and arguably one of the 10 most influential players. The three-time NBA champ would be the ideal stretch-4 in the modern NBA.

Dirk Nowitzki
PPG: 20.7 FG pct: 47.1 3PT pct: 38.0 FT pct: 87.9
Dirk helped revolutionize the game by moving the traditional low-post game to the high post. The elbow was his operating room, and he carved up defenders with his signature one-legged fadeaway.

Kyrie Irving
PPG: 23.7 FG pct: 47.4 3PT pct: 39.4 FT pct: 88.8
Kyrie is one of most gifted scorers the game has ever seen. Armed with an insanely tight handle and creative mind, Kyrie is a spectacular bucket-getter who plays his best in the clutch.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
PPG: 25.0 FG pct: 50.8 3PT pct: 36.0 FT pct: 86.5
SGA won an MVP, NBA championship and NBA scoring title before the age of 27. As a 6-6 point guard, he is a physical mismatch against the vast majority of guards. He plays with remarkable consistency.

Karl-Anthony Towns
PPG: 23.0 FG pct: 52.1 3PT pct: 39.7 FT pct: 83.9
Big KAT proclaimed himself “the greatest big man shooter of all time.” Based on statistical evidence, Towns might be right. His career combination of volume and efficiency is unmatched.

Nikola Jokic
PPG: 22.2 FG pct: 56.1 3PT pct: 36.3 FT pct: 82.4
Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the secret to Joker’s efficient is that he doesn’t fight it. The big man from Serbian makes the game look easy because he doesn’t force things.

Zach LaVine
PPG: 20.8 FG pct: 47.0 3PT pct: 39.1 FT pct: 83.5
LaVine entered the league mainly known as a spectacular dunker, winning the NBA Slam Dunk contest twice. He became a prolific scorer after he was traded from Minnesota to Chicago.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Prior to being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant was asked about how the Brooklyn Nets were able to right the ship after a disastrous start. Durant had a simple explanation for the resurgence.

“What we did was simplify both ends of the basketball,” Durant said. “Shored up our roles individually. Coach shored up our roles, pretty much letting us know each day what he needs from us. I think that’s been a focus. It’s not like, man finally we got the noise out of our locker room and now we can play. We’ve always been locked in on basketball.”

The coach who shored up the Nets’ roles was Jacque Vaughn. It’s the same Jacque Vaughn who was viewed as a temporary solution until the team secured a deal for Ime Udoka. But the Band-Aid the Nets applied after Steve Nash was fired on Nov. 1 has become a permanent fix.

Vaughn has not only kept the Nets afloat amid this turbulent season, but he has managed to make them into a playoff contender by fixing a major weakness that dogged his predecessor — defense.

Through the first 17 games of the 2022-23 season, the Nets were averaging 111.6 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 37% from 3-point range. They had a record of 8-9 and were on the outside of the playoff race. For the next 17 games, the Nets averaged 117.2 points per game while shooting 53% from the field and 41% from 3-point. They won 14 of their next 17 games and soared into upper tier of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Nets were on a serious roll until Durant suffered an MCL sprain on Jan. 9. Before the injury, which sidelined Durant for at least four weeks, the four-time NBA scoring champ was enjoying the most efficient offensive season of his career. He was shooting 55% from the field and a league-best 93.4% from the free throw line.

Just when the Nets were beginning to turn it all around and make a push for one of the top four seeds in the East, Kyrie dropped a bombshell on Feb. 3 when he requested for a trade. Two days later, the Nets shipped Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and three draft picks.

The smoke from the Irving trade hadn’t cleared yet when the second bombshell dropped. The Nets and the Suns worked out a blockbuster deal, sending Durant to the Grand Canyon state for a package that included rising star Mikal Bridges, 3-and-D wing Cam Johnson, veteran forward Jae Crowder and four unprotected future first-round picks.

In less than a week, the Nets went from being title contenders to a team in rebuild. This latest challenge is nothing new for the 47-year-old Vaughn. He’s been able to steer the ship in the right direction in spite of rough waters the past four months since taking over for Nash. The Nets were able to secure the sixth spot in the East, earning a first-round date with No. 3 seed Philadelphia. Finishing in the top six was nearly implausible given all the off-court drama the Nets have endured for almost a full calendar year.

The implosion in Brooklyn started back in the summer when Durant demanded to be traded. The basketball world was turned upside down for a few weeks while the Nets entertained numerous offers for Durant. In the end, Nets general manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai couldn’t find a deal that would satisfy all sides and Durant remained a Net.

Following the KD drama, Kyrie Irving found himself in hot water when he shared a link on an antisemitic film on social media. Kyrie’s actions resulted in team-imposed suspension.

“My approach is the train is going to keep moving. And that train of playing hard, playing together, being a team, that’s going to continue. And it’s going to be up to me to get our group to incorporate everybody. But the train is gonna keep moving,” Vaughn told reporters.

Irving’s nearly four-year stint with the Nets ended on Feb. 6 after the franchise traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. Irving requested to be traded and the Nets honored that request by shipping him to a playoff contender in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks.

“My interactions with Kai have always been positive,” Vaughn said about Kyrie, one day after the All-Star guard was traded.

“I enjoyed coaching him. I want him to succeed. I’ll keep it that simple,” Vaughn added. “We’ve had some ups and downs I guess along the way. I’ve also seen the young man score 60 points. I’ve also seen him bring his kids into the locker room.

“I’ve also seen him grow as an individual and be a better teammate than when I first met him. So for me, I’m going to always look at the good in people and want the good in people. And I want him to succeed. He’s no longer with us, but I appreciate his time.”

Durant was also appreciative of his time with the Nets as he got emotional talking about his former squad during his introductory press conference in Phoenix.

“I built a family over there. They’re always going to be a part of my journey…I love those guys,” Durant said about the Nets organization, who stuck by him while he rehabbed his torn Achilles tendon.

“It was a lot of ups and downs, but I loved the grind. Everyone in Brooklyn loved the grind too, so I built a family over there,” he said. “They always gonna be a part of my journey. We didn’t accomplish what we wanted to accomplish as far as winning a championship, but I enjoyed the grind. Everybody there, we tried our hardest everyday regardless of what was going on in the media, what was going on with our teammates. Everybody who was in that gym, we grinded.”

Durant added: “So I love those guys. I get emotional talking about it because that was a special four years of my career coming off an Achilles. They helped me through a lot. It was terribly how some stuff went down, but at the end of the day I love the grind and we all loved the grind in Brooklyn. I wish them the best going forward, they got a bright future.”

Vaughn brings a calmness to the table. It’s a trait he’s always had dating back to his teenage years at Pasadena’s John Muir High School. When he was a freshman point guard for the Muir Mustangs, he would often be the calming influence on coach Rocky Moore’s overly animated bench. During one pivotal league game, a chaotic Muir sideline was trying to get the players’ attention when Vaughn put his hand up to tell his bench to chill. It was his way of saying: I got this. No need to panic.

In college, the 6-1 guard was the poised pointman for Roy Williams at Kansas University. He was a two-time GTE first-team Academic All-American was the Jayhawks’ all-time leader in assists when he left school and entered the NBA in 1997.

Vaughn ended his NBA career in 2009 after a three-year stint with the San Antonio Spurs. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave Vaughn his first post-NBA gig when he offered him an opportunity to hang around the Spurs and watch the coaches work.

After a failed three-year head coaching stint with the Orlando Magic, Vaughn was hired to be Kenny Atkinson’s top assistant in 2016. Vaughn was promoted to interim head coach in March 2020 following Atkinson’s midseason departure. Vaughn gave the Nets a preview of what he can do when he coached the Nets to a 7-3 finish and a playoff berth inside the Disney World bubble. But the Nets weren’t convinced that Vaughn was the right guy to lead a headstrong squad and Marks decided to bring in Nash despite a lack of coaching experience. Marks cited Nash’s ability to build relationships was the key to crafting a winning culture. It turns out that the key to crafting the franchise’s winning culture was one spot down the bench.

Vaughn’s calm demeanor and quiet leadership are exactly what the Nets needed to turn their season around. The Nets management showed their confidence in Vaughn by extending his contract through the 2026-27 season.

“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. “On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level while displaying tremendous instincts for the game. As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque. His character is impeccable, and there is not a better representative for our team and our borough. We are thrilled to have Jacque lead the Nets for years to come.”

Center Nic Claxton, a second-round draft pick in 2019, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries from the coaching change. Vaughn installed Claxton as the team’s No. 1 center to anchor the defense. Claxton rewarded Vaughn with the best season of his four-year career year, leading the NBA in field-goal percentage (70.6%) and third in blocked shots (2.5). Claxton, who should get votes on the all-defensive team, filled the three biggest needs for the Nets: a rim protector, screen-and-roller who can finish in the paint, and rebounder (9.2).

Brooklyn has improved its defensive rating from 118 to 106, and rebounding the ball has been a point of emphasis. Vaughn demanded they become better rebounders and has turned them into better defenders. Vaughn began including “box out data” in team film sessions to highlight missed assignments on rebounds. It held players accountable and helped improve the team’s deficiencies on the defensive end.

“The thing about Jacque is that he doesn’t want the camera. He’s not going to seek attention. He’s a quiet dude but he’s very contemplative,” Popovich told the Associated Press. “He thinks things through and he’ll have a sort a peace about him and he engenders respect. He doesn’t do anything unnecessarily. He’ll have standards, he’ll hold them accountable and he knows what he’s doing.”

Boston Celtics first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla and Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings are the front-runners to win NBA coach of the year. Vaughn should be added to that mix. He deserves his flowers for saving the Nets’ season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo battled Kevin Durant in the 2021 playoffs. (Photos by Getty Images)

Each year OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. OMFB Furious Five pays homage to the five styles of Chinese martial arts: snake, crane, monkey, praying mantis, and tiger.

The ranking system is based on one man’s opinion and does not follow or conform to any standard format, with more emphasis placed on how each player and their respective teams performed during the postseason. Stars are born during the regular season, but legends are made in the playoffs.

In 2020, OMFB Furious Five featured Luka Doncic (5), Anthony Davis (4), Giannis Antetokounmpo (3), and Kawhi Leonard (2), and LeBron James (1).

This year, there’s a major shakeup at the top of the OMFB rankings. Without further ado, here are the five best basketball players in the world.

5. NIKOLA JOKIC
Denver Nuggets, Center

When Nikola Jokic walks into a gym, he likely won’t get your full attention. His 6-11, 280-pound frame is the most impressive physical feature he displays. He won’t run past you or outjump you. He could easily be mistaken for one of the players in a YMCA Sunday league. But once Jokic steps on the court and displays his basketball skills, it’s pure magic (or pure Magic).

Jokic may be listed as a center but he might as well be a point guard the way he manipulates defenses. The Serbian big man can fill up a box score, averaging nearly a triple-double (20-10-7) during the 2019 and 2020 regular seasons. In the 2020 playoffs inside the Disney World bubble, Jokic averaged 24 points and 9.8 points while shooting 51 percent from the field. Jokic’s Nuggets advanced to the 2020 Western Conference finals where they were eliminated in five games by the eventual world champion L.A. Lakers.

Jokic raised his game to a whole new level in 2020-21, becoming the first center since Tim Duncan to win league MVP. He carried a hobbled Nuggets squad that lost standout point guard Jamal Murray to an ACL injury into the playoffs and advanced to the second round before being eliminated in four games by the Phoenix Suns.

Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers called Jokic the best passing big man ever. “He has a little bit of everybody,” Rivers said. “He has all the footwork and the moves of an [Hakeem] Olajuwon, the lanky and goofy, like goofy intelligence of Kevin McHale. Shoot, man, he’s just good. He’s the best passing big that I’ve seen, I think, ever. I know [Bill] Walton was one of [the best passing centers ever].” When names like Olajuwon, McHale and Walton are thrown around as a comparison, it puts Jokic in elite company.

4. LEBRON JAMES
Los Angeles Lakers, Forward

LeBron James has established an outrageously high standard for himself that 2021 — a season in which he averaged 25 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game — was considered a down year for The King. He still made the All-NBA team (second team) for a record 17th time and made his 17th All-Star game. But injuries denied LeBron’s L.A. Lakers a chance to repeat as champions.

The Lakers only had 71 days in between the end of the bubble season and the new season. The quick turnaround took its toll on the team as Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, and LeBron all missed several games due to injury. LeBron blamed the rash of injuries around the league to the condensed season.

“They all didn’t wanna listen to me about the start of the season,” James tweeted. “… I only wanted to protect the well being of the players which ultimately is the PRODUCT & BENEFIT of OUR GAME! These injuries isn’t just ‘PART OF THE GAME’. It’s the lack of PURE RIM REST rest before starting back up.” A right ankle sprain forced LeBron to miss 26 of the team’s last 30 games and cut LeBron’s regular season to 45 points — the shortest of his outstanding career. In the first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, the bad right ankle sapped much of LeBron’s explosion and the series completely flipped when Davis went down with a groin injury. 

The Lakers were eliminated in six games.  But 2021 wasn’t a complete loss for LeBron. His movie “Space Jam: A New Legacy” soared to No. 1 in the box office during its opening weekend, raking in an estimated $32 million and knocking off Marvel’s “Black Widow” from the top spot.

The film was a sequel to Michael Jordan’s 1996 “Space Jam” with a few different twists. After “New Legacy” was panned by film critics, LeBron celebrated the news of the big box-office success by sharing a report from Deadline on Twitter with a short message: “Hi, Haters!” with a smiling emoji. If y’all wondering if members of the Toon Squad are planning a move to L.A. to play with LeBron, keep dreaming. It ain’t happening.

3. LUKA DONCIC
Dallas Mavericks, Guard-Forward

Luka Doncic officially arrived as a bonafide superstar in 2020 when he gave us one of the memorable moments inside the Disney World bubble.

The Dallas Mavericks’ young superstar, playing on a badly sprained ankle, put up 43 points on the vaunted Los Angeles Clippers defense, including the dagger step-back 3-point shot at the buzzer to give the Mavericks a 135-133 win in Game 4 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series. After burying the game-winning jumper, Luka starred into the camera and spewed a primal scream so loud the bubble nearly burst.

It was a major statement from Slovenian sensation, who established himself as a first-team All-NBA performer with an outstanding 2021-22 season, averaging nearly a triple-double (27-8-8) and leading the Mavs to a second straight postseason appearance. The Mavs were eliminated in seven games by a familiar foe, the L.A. Clippers, but Luka did his absolutely best to almost singlehandedly keep the series close.

Doncic was spectacular, averaging 35 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists. He went head-to-head against defensive stud Kawhi Leonard and didn’t blink. Luka the superstar has arrived and he’s not going any time soon. “My goal is to win a championship,” said Doncic, who signed a five-year, $207 million extension during the offseason. Dallas owner Mark Cuban made sure Luka will be a Maverick for a long time.

“He is one of the toughest players that I have ever seen in this league, and that goes back 35, 36 years,” former Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of Doncic. “[Luka] is a great young player that is getting better each year. He has an irrepressible enthusiasm for the game, for his teammates, for winning. We’re so fortunate to have him. Now we have to get our roster healthy and get the right players around him.”

2. KEVIN DURANT
Brooklyn Nets, forward

Veteran forward P.J. Tucker has been assigned to Kevin Durant for many playoff battles. Tucker, one of the best on-ball defenders in the league, believes it is impossible to keep KD from getting his numbers.

“I don’t think you understand the magnitude of that question,” Tucker said. “Go out and guard the greatest player ever maybe and don’t foul him? Like, it’s gonna happen. I gotta be physical to be able to get into him. He’s going to score the ball. He’s gonna get 30 or whatever. I just got to try to make it as tough as possible. … I can try to wear him down, that hopefully in the fourth, he’ll not be as good. And that’s all you can do.”

There were legitimate doubts whether Durant would ever return to his superstar form. The ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals has historically been the most devastating injury for a basketball player. It cut down the careers of Isiah Thomas, Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups, and Kobe Bryant. The vast majority of NBA players who suffered an Achilles tear were never the same. But KD is bucking medical science and history.

After missing all of the 2019-20 season and playing only 35 of 72 games in 2021, Durant has regained his status as one of basketball’s greatest offensive weapons. Fluid and efficient going to the basket. Elevating over defenders for 3-pointers. Driving right, crossing over, pulling up for a mid-range jumper. The only thing that has changed for Durant is he now wears No. 7 instead of No. 35.

“It’s really hard to tell the difference,” Nets coach Steve Nash told the Washington Post about KD. “He’s not only executing at that level, but he’s able to play the minutes and able to sustain such a high level of efficiency. So it’s hard to say that he has any dip at this point. And his game has picked up as we go. He’s gotten more reps, more comfort, especially defensively and on the boards. … When you’re a player that hasn’t played for a long time and you’re a scorer like that, you’re going to focus on trying to get that back first. So he did that, and then he started to pick up the other parts of his game. So it’s very difficult to distinguish him now opposed to before the surgery.”

Nets guard Kyrie Irving, one of Durant’s closest friends, may have summed it up best. Irving said the game is so slow for KD, he’s able to play “effortlessly.” Everything looks easy. Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo summed it up best after KD dropped 49 points on the Bucks while playing all 48 minutes in Game 5 of the East semifinals. “He’s the best player in the world right now,” said Antetokounmpo. Easy Money Sniper is back!

And now, the No. 1 player in the world. Drum roll please . . .

1. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Milwaukee Bucks, Forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a special breed. First of all, he is built like a Greek god. His freakishly immense physical stature (6-11, 242 pounds) allows him to do things on the basketball court mere mortals could only dream about. His combination of size, speed, and power makes him nearly impossible to stop.

Now, combine those traits with an incredible determination to do whatever it takes to win puts Antetokounmpo in rarified air. Giannis put himself in the conversation among the all-time greats after his MVP performance in the 2021 NBA Finals as he averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in the series against the Phoenix Suns, while shooting 61.8% from the field. He made the signature moment in the series when he blocked Deandre Ayton’s dunk attempt with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter of Game 4 that ignited a late Bucks surge that allowed them to tie up the series at 2 apiece after being down in an 0-2 hole. Then, Giannis put a bow on his historic Finals performance with a 50-point game in the series clincher that gave Giannis his first NBA title and ended Milwaukee’s five-decade championship drought.

“It’s been a long journey,” the 26-year-old global superstar said. “I’ve done it all, man. I did anything that I could just to be on the court, just to be in this position. I’ve not played. I’ve come off the bench. When I was 18, I started on the team. I went to the front office and told them to send me to the G League. I’ve played point guard. I’ve only defended. Slashed from the corners and everything. In my fourth year, I was able to lead as a ball handler. I’ve done it all.”

All the skills Giannis tirelessly cultivated through the first 10 years of his professional basketball career in Europe and in the NBA paid off in the 2021 Finals as he produced one of the greatest performances in postseason history. “I had to do a little bit of everything. I had to defend, I had to rebound, I had to block. Did a little bit of everything,” said Giannis, who tied Bob Petit’s record for most points scored in series-clinching game in The Finals. Antetokounmpo joined Petit (50), Elgin Baylor (61), Michael Jordan (55), Rick Barry (55), Jerry West (53), and LeBron James (51) as the only players in history to score more than 50 points in the NBA Finals.

The performance illustrated Giannis’ greatness as a basketball player. He did most of his damage in the paint (converting 16 of 25 field goals), grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked five shots, and remarkably made 17 of his 19 free throws. The free throw shooting may have been the most impressive part of his historic game because the foul line has been his Kryptonite. “People told me I cannot make free throws,” Antetokounmpo said with a huge smile. “I made them when I’m supposed to make them.”

Giannis well aware he’s far from being a finished product. Sounds ridiculous to even suggest that a multiple MVP winner still has plenty of room for improvement. But that is the case with the Greek Freak, who is only scratching the surface of his prodigious talent. He credits Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer for motivating him to be the best. “Coach Bud believed in me. [He] told me in order for me to win, to be great, I have to trust my teammates,” Giannis said. “I have to make the right pass. I cannot be stubborn. I gotta trust the process. It was a three-year process, but we got it done.”

Giannis told NBA TV: “I always think that I can improve,” Giannis said. “That’s the one thing I have been doing, and I’m gonna keep doing it. There are going to be times that I’m not going to improve anymore. But as long as I keep working hard, keep believing in myself, I think I will keep getting better. I can tell you right off the top of my head five things I could do better,” he added. “I could shoot more threes, catch and shoot threes so I can help my teammates space the floor better. I could be able to play-make more. I could improve my handles. Make my handles more tight. There’s a lot of things I can improve.”

To hear an MVP talk about all the things he needs to improve on is very refreshing. Giannis strikes a good balance of high level of confidence and humility. He understands the standards have been reset for him because of what he’s accomplished so far in his young basketball career. But Giannis is all about the work. Now that he’s tasted winning, he wants more and he’ll do whatever it takes to stay on top. “I’ll keep going. I can’t stop,” he said. “That’s my personality. I’m not stopping.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Kevin Durant led Team USA to a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty Images)

If there were any doubts that Kevin Durant was back near the top of list of best basketball players in the world, they were all extinguished during the 2021 NBA playoffs and the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo.

Durant was nothing short of spectacular during the men’s basketball tournament at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The baller known as the Slim Reaper put USA Basketball on his back, leading Team USA to an 87-82 victory over France in the gold-medal game.

It was Team USA’s fourth straight Olympic gold medal and its 16th gold medal in 19 Olympics. Durant joined Carmelo Anthony as the only three-time gold medalists in Olympic basketball history. Durant also became USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer, passing Anthony. It could be argued that Durant is the best player to ever wear the Red, White, and Blue.

Throughout the Olympic tournament, Durant was the one constant positive force on a squad that was put together in a month. Head coach Gregg Popovich didn’t have his full complement of players up until the first game against France on July 25. Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Devin Booker flew into Tokyo just a couple of days after finishing a brutal six-game series in the NBA Finals. They barely had time to get to know their Olympic teammates, yet alone figure out Popovich’s game plan.

The Olympics started off on a bad note for the Americans, losing to France in the opener 83-76. It was the first loss by an American squad in the Olympics since 2004. The team went unbeaten under coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2008, 2012, and 2016 on their way to three straight golds.

“There are more great players all over the world. That’s pretty obvious,” Popovich said prior to the start of the Tokyo Games. “There are more and more foreign players in the NBA. Every year they go back and play for their home countries as they should. It makes the competition even greater. Makes it more challenging for everybody, including us. But that’s a wonderful thing. Obviously the international has grown, and people love it.”

Popovich added, “When you have an opportunity like this, you respect the people you’re playing and you play as hard and as well as you can. But there’s no doubting that are more and more great players every single year around the globe.”

Despite Team USA’s lack of size and lack of cohesion, Popovich had one ace card he could always pull out whenever he needed. The ace card wore No. 7 in red, white, and blue colors.

Durant was absolutely brilliant. He cruised through pool play, allowing the other guys like Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Zach LaVine to get their shine. But once the knockout round began, KD put on the Captain America suit and saved the day — saved the entire USA Basketball program, actually. Anything less than a gold medal would have been considered a monumental disappointment and major setback for the USA Basketball program, which enjoyed a remarkable 12-year run under Coach K but endured a few stumbles under Popovich.

The U.S. failed to medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and dropped two exhibition games heading into Tokyo.

“We went through some real adversity. We lost a game in the tournament. We lost two exhibition games. We had some unusual circumstances with COVID, guys playing in The Finals and coming in late. We just fought through everything,” Durant told NBC’s Maria Taylor after the U.S. completed the tournament with a 7-1 record.

“Two and half weeks again from our families. We’re basically in a bubble,” Durant said. “It was definitely different. I’m glad we finished the job.”

Whenever the U.S. fell behind in the knockout round, it was Durant who bailed them out. KD scored 29 points in the quarterfinals against Spain, the No. 2 ranked team in the workd and reigning world champs. KD scored 23 in the semifinals against Australia, the same squad that embarrassed the U.S. in Las Vegas. In the gold-medal game against France, Durant finished with a game-high 29 points. He made nine of 18 shots from the field and iced the game with two clutch free throws with 8.8 seconds left.

“France is a good team. They don’t quit. They play hard. They’re a big team,” Durant said of the silver medalists, which were led by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s defensive player of the year.

“They presented a nice challenge for us,” Durant said. “But we wanted them again. We wanted to play them again, just like we wanted to play Australia again.”

Gobert and a defensive-minded French national team didn’t make it easy for the U.S. The game was up for grabs until late in the fourth quarter when the Americans were able to cobble enough winning plays, with timely baskets from Durant and Lillard and hustle plays from Holiday and Draymond Green.

“It’s winning time. It’s one game. It’s win or go home. I gotta give it my all every second I’m out there,” Durant said. “I’ve prepared the right way. I just gotta go out there and trust that work.”

Popovich called this version of Team USA a “high-character” and “high-spirited” group that worked very hard and understood the challenge. Those are nice compliments, but high character and high spirit might earn yourself a bronze. Czech Republic guard Tomas Satoransky, who played against the U.S. in pool play, said the Americans’ biggest strength was “anyone can light it up.”

“They are the best team in the world,” Satoransky said. “I think the gap is getting smaller between USA Basketball and the rest of the world, but obviously they have the most skilled players.”

The gap may be closing between the U.S. and the rest of the world, but there is only one Kevin Durant and USA Basketball was sure glad he made the trip to Tokyo.

To say that USA Basketball had a rocky training camp heading into the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo would be an understatement. The senior men’s national team lost its first two exhibition games in Las Vegas, had three players enter the health and safety COVID protocols, and two players dropped out.

Even head coach Gregg Popovich got off on the wrong foot with the media as he was involved in a testy exchange with a reporter after Team USA fell to Australia 91-83.

Popovich and his staff, which includes Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and former Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, have a gigantic task ahead of them. The 2021 squad has only been together for two weeks and have played just four exhibition games, going 2-2. It has already undergone multiple roster changes after Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love both left camp.

Beal’s exit was COVID-related, while Love was due to an injury. San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson and Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee were added to the 12-man roster. In addition to those moves, the team will need to absorb Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Milwaukee Bucks teammates Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton as all three just finished playing in the NBA Finals. So, we won’t be able to see all 12 players together on the court until the team’s opening game on July 25 against France.

Then there’s the large shadow of Mike Krzyzewski. The legendary college basketball coach had a remarkable 10-year run as head coach of USA Basketball, winning three Olympic gold medals and two FIBA World Cup titles and finishing with an astounding 60-1 record. That’s quite a tough act to follow for Popovich, who has already lost five games since taking over USAB’s senior men’s squad in 2017.

Under Popovich, Team USA hasn’t won a significant international tournament and had a disappointing outing in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, failing to medal and finishing seventh.

Coach Pop has two holdovers from Krzyzewski’s 2016 gold medal team in Rio: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) and Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors).

He’ll lean on the former Warriors teammates to be the leaders of an inexperienced unit that has yet to forge an identity. Durant led Team USA in scoring (19.4) in Rio 2016, so he’ll be asked again to carry the load offensively and be the No. 1 option. Green is the ideal big man at the FIBA level. His versatility will be a huge asset, as well as his defensive acumen. Green and Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) will rotate at the center position, and could even see time together at certain points.

“We do have all the best players in the league, but these national teams have NBA players, too, who are now No. 1 options and they’re used to playing that role internationally,” Durant told Yahoo Sports.

Despite all its issues, the U.S. remains the favorite in Tokyo. But winning gold is no longer a foregone conclusion. The rest of the world has closed the gap and many international teams are not intimidated by the Stars and Stripes.

“There are more great players all over the world. That’s pretty obvious,” Popovich said. “There are more and more foreign players in the NBA. Every year they go back and play for their home countries as they should. It makes the competition even greater. Makes it more challenging for everybody, including us. But that’s a wonderful thing. Obviously the international has grown, and people love it.”

Team USA point guard Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) is well aware of the talent outside the U.S. He recently faced one of them in the 2021 NBA playoffs in Facundo Campazzo. The Argentine guard played a huge role in helping the Nuggets eliminate the Blazers in the NBA playoffs.

“These teams are experienced. They’ve spent a lot of time together,” Lillard said. “We are working at becoming a team, still getting our legs under us, getting in shape. We’re not just gonna come out, roll the ball out, and beat these teams. We gotta play the right way … compete. We gotta play to win and give ourselves our best chance. If we don’t, we can get beat.”

Here are six teams that could beat Team USA in Tokyo.

Australia
NBA veteran Joe Ingles wasn’t surprised when his Aussies defeated the U.S. in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. In fact, Ingles said Australia expected to win the game. The Aussies have every right to be confident because they have one of the most talented rosters in the Summer Games. Head coach Brian Goorjian has seven players with NBA experience, including Ingles (Utah Jazz), Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia 76ers), and Aron Baynes (Toronto Raptors). NBA fans know Mills as a role player with the Spurs, but whenever he puts on the Australian national colors he turns into Allen Iverson. Thybulle is a lockdown defender who can “shut off water” in a hurry. Most basketball fans are not familiar with Jock Landale, but they’ll know who he is after Tokyo. Landale, 25, is a well-rounded center armed with a 3-point shot. Landale, who currently plays for Melbourne United in the NBL, would like nothing more than prove to the basketball world that he deserves a shot at the NBA. After finishing fourth in the last two major international competitions, this might be the year the Aussies (ranked No. 3 in FIBA) finally take home a medal.

Spain
Reigning FIBA World Cup champions and No. 2 ranked team Spain possesses the best group of centers and pure point guards in the Olympics. Brothers Marc and Pau Gasol anchor a big Spanish frontcourt that could present plenty of problems for teams in Tokyo. Pau, 41, is playing in his fifth Olympics and would love to finish his decorated career on the national team with a gold medal around his neck. Marc, 36, will be participating in his third Olympics. He won silver in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Pau and Marc are not the only pair of brothers playing for Spain. Juancho Hernangomez (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Willy Hernangomez (New Orleans Pelicans) give Spain four quality big men who could wear teams down. Spain also has good depth at point guard with Ricky Rubio (Minnesota Timberwolves), Sergio Rodriguez, and Sergio Llull. All three are capable of running the show. It seems like Rubio has been around the international stage for decades, but he’s only 30 and still in the prime of his basketball life. Llull is one of the top players in the Euroleague and could easily run an NBA offense. At 36 years old, Rudy Fernandez no longer has the legs to attack the rim but he is still an excellent 3-point shooter.

Slovenia
Charles Barkley often refers to ordinary players as JAGs, which stands for Just A Guy. Luka Doncic might the only active player in the world, other than LeBron James, who could take a bunch of JAGs and win a major tournament. Doncic pulled off a stunner during the Olympic qualifying round when he put an entire nation on his back and carried it to its first trip to the Olympic Games. The 22-year-old Dallas Mavericks superstar dropped a triple-double (31 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) in the win over Lithuania, sending his home country of Slovenia to Tokyo. “I don’t care about the MVP,” Doncic said. “We won here. We’re going to the Olympics, the first time in our country. It’s amazing. I think every kid dreams about being in the Olympics. I did too. So, here we are. We fought really, really hard, and I think we deserve to be here.” Slovenia may not be a medal favorite, but anything is possible as long as Luka is on the court.

France
Les Bleus returns seven players from its bronze-medal team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. One of those returning players is three-time NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert. The 7-1 center powered the Utah Jazz to the best record in the NBA and a second-round appearance in the playoffs. Gobert anchors a French squad sprinkled with NBA talent: Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Evan Fournier (Boston Celtics), Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (Brooklyn Nets), Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks). With Gobert protecting the paint and Batum and Ntilikina smothering perimeter players, France will have one of the best defenses in the Olympics. The problem will come on the offensive end. Scoring could be an issue, especially if Fournier struggles from the field.

Argentina
Luis Scola is the last remaining member of the golden age of Argentina basketball. Scola won a gold medal with Argentina — a squad spearheaded by San Antonio Spurs superstar Manu Ginobili — in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Those glory days a long gone for both Argentina and Scola, but the 41-year-old power forward remains one of the craftiest low-post scorers in FIBA despite having logged thousands of minutes in his basketball career. Scola is surrounded by a talented group of Argentines, including feisty point guard Facundo Campazzo (Denver Nuggets) and 20-year-old sensation Leandro Bolmaro. Bolmaro starred on FC Barcelona in the Euroleague and his draft rights are owned by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Nigeria
Nigeria stunned the basketball world when it defeated the U.S. 90-87 in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. Then, the Nigerians dominated Argentina in the same Vegas tuneup event. The blowout against Argentina proved that the win over Team USA wasn’t a fluke. The Nigerians are for real and poised to make noise in Tokyo. Head coach Mike Brown — currently an assistant with the Golden State Warriors — is building a formidable program, utilizing the same principles that made the Warriors successful. They share the ball and have some 3-point snipers to space the floor. Three Miami Heat players are on the Nigerian roster: Precious Achiuwa, Chikezie “KZ” Okpala, Nnamdi Vincent. Guard Caleb Agada, who plays in the Israeli league, made a name for himself in Vegas as he lit up Team USA for 17 points. Agada will be on the Denver Nuggets summer league squad.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George team up in L.A. (Getty Images)

You know you’re big time when you can top an earthquake as the biggest news of the day. Just a little over two hours after a 7.1 magnitude quake rocked Southern California, Kawhi Leonard registered a major aftershock when he decided to come to the Los Angeles Clippers and brought another All-Star player with him.

The stunning announcement shifted the balance of power in the NBA. All of a sudden, the Clippers — long considered the JV team at Staples Center — became the favorites to win the 2019-20 NBA title and it evaporated dreams of a Lakers superteam. In the end, Kawhi wasn’t really interested in joining forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He was more interested in creating his own dynamic duo across the hallway.

Sacramento may be the capital of California, but Los Angeles is now the epicenter of the basketball universe.

For a guy known around the league for being quiet, Kawhi sure knows how to communicate what he wants. Kawhi looked around the landscape to see who’d be interested in joining him in L.A. He reportedly tried Kevin Durant, but he was already set for Brooklyn. There were reports he tried to lure Kyrie Irving but Kyrie also had his sights set on Brooklyn. That’s when he turned his attention to another former Southern California native, Paul George. Kawhi laid the groundwork by talking to George about joining forces. Once PG13 was onboard, Kawhi then told the Clippers what he wanted. His message was: make it happen and I’m coming. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, coach Doc Rivers and general manager Lawrence Frank went to work, and with the help of legend Jerry West acting as yoda, the Clippers got a deal done with Oklahoma City to bring George to L.A. Once PG13 was in the Clipper fold, Kawhi said “no” to the Lakers and Toronto Raptors.

This is now the new NBA. Two stars surrounded by good role players.

When Durant decided to leave Golden State and take his talents to Brooklyn, the superteam era officially came to an end. And this is a good thing for the league because the Warriors simply had a significant competitive advantage during Durant’s three years in the Bay Area. They had arguably four of the top 15 players in the league all in the primes. It just wasn’t fair.

Now that the Warriors are down to three studs (two for now until Klay Thompson returns from his ACL injury), teams feel like they have a shot.

Kawhi saw what Durant went through in Golden State. He saw all the scrutiny KD endured for joining a superteam and he wasn’t about to walk into that same fire. Kawhi already earned two NBA championship rings and wasn’t interested in being handed a third.

The move may not have been popular in Laker Land but it definitely made it a lot more interesting for the NBA and basketball fans. The league is wide open.

The Clippers may be heavy favorites according to Las Vegas oddmakers but there are bunch of teams led by terrific tandems right behind them, all with legitimate shots at winning a championship. OneManFastbreak breaks down the best duos in the NBA:

Kawhi Leonard + Paul George (L.A. Clippers) – Kawhi and PG are considered the best two-way players in the NBA. Add pit bull guard Patrick Beverley to the mix and the Clippers may possess the most impenetrable defense in basketball.

LeBron James + Anthony Davis (L.A. Lakers) – Last we checked, LeBron is still pretty good. He’s coming off one of his worst seasons due to injury, but statistically LeBron is still a top-15 player when healthy. The same can be said about AD. When he’s healthy, Davis is arguably the best big man in the basketball and capable of producing astronomical numbers.

Steph Curry + Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) – The Splash Brothers have taken a bit of a hit recently due to injuries and tons of mileage from playing in five straight NBA Finals. But we’re not ready to count out the Splash Brothers.

James Harden + Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets) – When Woj broke the story that Westbrook would be traded from OKC to Houston for Chris Paul and draft picks, a lot of basketball pundits immediately dismissed the Harden-Westbrook collabo as a desperate move by the Rockets. Talking heads are completely missing one important factor: friendship. Harden and Westbrook are very good friends off the court, so they will find a way to make it work on the court.

Damian Lillard + C.J. McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) – One NBA executive said Lillard and McCollum are so good they can carry three dudes from the YMCA into the playoffs. Lillard and McCollum could have been in the Finals if Jusuf Nurkic didn’t break his leg.

Ben Simmons + Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – Simmons and Embiid are the Eastern Conference version of LeBron and AD. The Sixers came within a Kawhi Hail Mary bounce in Game 7 from reaching the conference finals. If Simmons adds a jumper and Embiid gets in better shape, Philly could reach the Finals for the first time since the Allen Iverson era.

Mike Conley + Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz) – The Jazz upgraded at point guard with the acquisition of Mike Conley from Memphis. The veteran gives budding superstar Donovan Mitchell a runningmate who can run the team, score if needed and defend his position.

Jamal Murray + Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – Jokic had a breakout season in 2019 as he established himself as one of the best centers in the Association. The 7-footer is a walking triple-double and the Nuggets run their offense through him. The Nuggets believe in Murray after signing him to a $170 million contract.

Kyrie Irving + Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – This dynamic duo should be higher strictly on star power. Because of Durant’s devastating Achilles injury, NBA fans will have to wait a year. Kyrie will have to shoulder the load until KD returns.

Kevin Durant left Game 5 of the NBA Finals with an Achilles injury. (Getty Images)

Bob Myers was in tears when he delivered the grim news about Kevin Durant.

The Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations confirmed that Durant sustained an Achilles tendon injury in the first half of Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals and most likely won’t be able to play basketball for the next nine months. Durant’s early exit put a dark cloud on what turned out to be an amazing finish, as the Warriors rallied behind Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to pull out a gut-wrenching 106-105 victory to stave off elimination. But the Warriors win felt like a loss.

Durant’s injury affected everyone in the building, including the Toronto players. “Some of the guys on our bench were really shook up,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “Some of [our] guys said he tore something.”

Myers said Durant was cleared by the team’s medical staff to play Game 5, saying it was a collaborative decision and they felt good about the decision. He said he didn’t think there was anybody to blame, but later said if you have to blame anyone the finger should be pointed at him.

“I don’t believe there’s anybody to blame, but I understand this world,” Myers said. “If you have to, you can blame me. I run our basketball operations department.”

Myers should take most of the heat for the decision to play Durant, along with the Warriors medical team and head coach Steve Kerr, who said 90 minutes before game time there were no minutes restrictions for Durant. For about 12 minutes, KD looked real good. He drained his first three shots from behind the 3-point arc and even got into a little trash talk with Toronto guard Fred VanVleet.

It all came to an abrupt end early in the second quarter when KD tried to make a simple move against Serge Ibaka on the right wing and pulled up lame. He immediately grabbed the back of his right leg where the Achilles is located. Everyone who has suffered an Achilles tear knows that look. Durant’s season is over and his future now in jeopardy as he heads into free agency.

Myers, feeling the need to defend his medical staff, emphasized that the experts who have been monitoring Durant for the past month are “good people.” But no matter how Myers can put a spin on this decision, it was the wrong one. Myers and the entire Warriors organization failed Durant.

“He just wants to play basketball,” Myers said. “He just wants to play basketball with his teammates and compete.”

“The people that questioned whether he wanted to get back to this team were wrong,” Myers said. “He’s one of the most misunderstood people. He’s a good teammate, he’s a good person. It’s not fair. … I’m lucky to know him.”

Myers’ affection for Durant appears genuine. No one is doubting that he deeply cares for his players. But fact of the matter is KD should not have been cleared to play. The injury was far worse than what the Warriors were letting on. He should have sat out the entire Finals. And Durant’s not the only one who should be sitting out. Klay Thompson is also risking major injury by playing through his hamstring injury, and Kevon Looney can barely get up and down the court without wincing in pain. He shouldn’t be playing either.

Durant put his health on the line, and no one should ever question his heart and how much he cares about winning. But sometimes you have to save players from themselves, and the Warriors organization failed him miserably. Someone should have stepped in and stopped KD from himself.

Live to fight another day. That should have been the approach.

Durant faces a long road to recovery. Depending on when he’ll opt for surgery, the whole healing process could take up to nine points (eight if he pushes his rehab). That means he could potentially miss almost the entire 2019-20 season. The timing couldn’t have been worse because Durant becomes a free agent this offseason. He is looking for a huge payday and this setback could dramatically affect his next contract. Will teams still offer him the max? We shall see.

Achilles injuries crushes basketball careers. Kobe Bryant was never the same after tearing his Achilles. Cousins is struggling to regain his All-Star form after tearing his Achilles. Other NBA stars who suffered the same injury – Isiah Thomas, Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups – had their careers cut short.

A dejected Durant took to social media to show support for his teammates after their victory in Game 5. “I’m hurting deep in the soul right now I can’t lie,” Durant wrote. “But seeing my brother get this win was like taking a shot of tequila, I got new life. #dubs”

Kevin Durant got the best of LeBron James in two straight NBA Finals. (Getty Images)

Each year OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. Let’s call it the “OMFB Furious Five.” It’s all about paying homage to the five styles of Chinese martial arts: snake, crane, monkey, praying mantis, and tiger.

The ranking system is based on one man’s opinion and does not follow or conform to any other format, with more emphasis placed on how each player did in the postseason. Last year’s OMFB Furious Five included James Harden (5), Russell Westbrook (4), Kevin Durant (3), Stephen Curry (2), and LeBron James (1).

The debate on who is top gun was settled after the Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers.

OneManFastBreak.net rates the five best players in the Association:

5. RUSSELL WESTBROOK
Oklahoma City Thunder, Guard

Nobody plays with more raw emotion than Westbrook. Even though his exuberance leads to mistakes, it is the reason why he’s such a difficult cover. “Everybody thinks he should be a traditional point guard like a [John] Stockton or a Mo Cheeks (former Thunder assistant coach),” Durant said during the 2011 NBA Finals. “There’s a lot of people that cannot be like Russ, either. We need him to play the way he plays.” Westbrook’s impact on the court can’t be measured by mere statistics. He is the emotional leader of the Thunder, and his absence definitely altered the entire playoff picture. With him in the lineup, OKC is a championship contender. Without him, the Thunder won’t make it past the second round. Westbrook enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2014-15 as he won his first scoring title (28.1) while carrying the Thunder on his broad shoulders when Durant missed most of the season with a foot injury. Westbrook may not be the prototypical point guard, but what he brings to the table are speed, power and ferocity the league has never seen before at the guard position. In 2014, TNT analyst Kenny Smith said Westbrook will win MVP. That finally came to fruition in 2017 when Westbrook won his first MVP after becoming the first player in history to average a triple-double in a season since the great Oscar Robertson.

4. STEPHEN CURRY
Golden State Warriors, Guard

The 3-point shot has become an integral part of the game over the last decade. More and more teams are building their game plans around them. The Warriors built their championship foundation on the 3-point shooting skills of Wardell Stephen Curry. Golden State selected the son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 draft. Six years later, Curry is the MVP of the NBA. He also ended the 40-year title drought in the Bay Area. Basketball legend Jerry West believes Curry is a transcendent player who “is going to change what we see in players coming into this league.” “All those little kids would want to look like him [and] play like him,” West said. “He doesn’t have a big body, he’s not the most incredible athlete we have, and he plays the game with finesse. We see a lot of players in this league that are big, strong guys that play with force. To me, so far, finesse has won out over force. It’s a game I like to watch. I love to watch him play.” Curry was the top vote-getter in the NBA All-Star Game and his highlights are viral hits on YouTube. Not bad for a guy who was thought of as an undersized shooting guard from tiny Davidson College in North Carolina. Curry is obliterating every 3-point shot record in the league. He is far and away the game’s deadliest long-range shooter, and holds the record for most 3-point field goals made in a season. But what sets him apart from other great shooters is his ability to handle the ball. “Steph Curry is a great shooter. We have never seen anybody on that level,” Curry’s former coach Mark Jackson said. “Steve Nash played at a high level, a two-time MVP and an incredible shooter — this is a different level. Reggie Miller, incredible shooter. Chris Mullin, incredible shooter. Guys I played with, Dale Ellis, Dell Curry, incredible shooters. But they didn’t have the total package. They aren’t coming off a trap and lifting from 30. This guy just has no limits.”

3. JAMES HARDEN
Houston Rockets, Guard

Can you imagine OKC now had it kept Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant? The Harden-to-Houston deal remains one of the most absurd moves in league history. The Thunder haven’t reached the NBA Finals since the trade, while Harden has risen to MVP status. Harden reminded OKC what they’re missing when he put on a memorable performance on Feb. 20, 2013 against his former team. It was a game that’ll convince you that Harden, now out of the shadows of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, is one of the best players in the world. With his Rockets down by 14 with under five minutes left, Harden decided to take the game over. He single-handedly rallied the Rockets, dropping a career-high 46 points in a 122-119 victory that had the Toyota Center buzzing — and the rest of the league for that matter — buzzing. Harden made 14 of 19 shots from the field and made seven of his eight 3-point attempts. It didn’t matter who OKC put on Harden, he just kept scoring. The signature play of the evening came at the two-minute mark of the final quarter when Harden faced Ibaka on the wing, gave him one crossover dribble, four between-the-legs dribbles, then stepped backed for a long 3-pointer over the best shot-blocker in the NBA to tie the score at 111. During the 2014-15 season, Harden led the Rockets to Western Conference finals where they fell to eventual champ Golden State. Harden reached a major milestone in his basketball career when he was named the 2017-18 regular season MVP after leading the Rockets to the best record in the NBA. Harden and the Rockets lost in Game 7 to Steph, KD and the Warriors in a hard-fought seven-game series in the Western Conference finals.

2. LEBRON JAMES
Cleveland Cavaliers, Forward

“I’m LeBron James, and I ain’t got no worries!” This was LeBron’s message to his detractors after leading the Heat to another championship in 2013. Three years later, James still has no worries after pulling off the unthinkable: He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA championship and ended the 52-year championship drought in the city of Cleveland. James was sensational during the 2016 NBA Finals. He averaged a Finals best 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks. He made The Block in the final minute of Game 7 at Oakland’s Oracle Arena when he chased down Andre Iguodala and prevented what could have been the dagger layup that might have ended the Cavs’ championship hopes. Instead, with one super-human rejection, he lifted the Cleveland curse and set up Kyrie Irving’s game-winning 3-pointer that will be forever be known in northeast Ohio as The Shot. LeBron’s 2016 Finals performance was a stark contrast to his infamous “shrinking” in an embarrassing 4-2 series loss to Dallas in the 2011 Finals.

James said the Mavs series humbled him and he learned an important lesson. It made him make some significant changes on and off the court, including adding a post-up game with the help of Hakeem Olajuwon. LeBron reduced the amount of 3-point attempts and made a concerted effort to take the ball to the basket. He put together one of the most dominant and efficient regular seasons in league history, and earned his fourth MVP award. LeBron and Co. authored a historic 27-game winning streak and finished with a league-best 66 wins. He raised his level of play during the postseason and the signature moment came in Game 7 of the 2013 Finals when he drained a mid-range jumper from the wing with 27 seconds left to put the Heat up by four. For the series he averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. James will always have his critics because of the way he left Cleveland the first time. But now he’s back in Ohio. He fulfilled his promise by bringing a championship to The Land, cementing his basketball legacy and silencing his critics. For someone who will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play the game, LeBron has endured a ton of criticism. He has risen to the challenge, proving to the whole world that he is fit to be king.

And now, the No. 1 player in the world. Drum roll please . . .

1. KEVIN DURANT
Golden State Warriors, Forward

Kevin Durant makes the Golden State Warriors the most explosive team in the NBA.

If you want to know what makes Durant such a special talent, just watch his MVP speech from 2014. What he said during his emotional address spoke volumes about his character. He thanked all his coaches and teammates, and then he honored his mom. KD is not one of the best players on the planet. He’s one of the best human beings you will ever meet. Durant has already accomplished a lot in his career. He’s a four-time NBA scoring champ, five-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year in 2008 and was named MVP in 2014. He also took home gold medals at the 2010 FIBA World Cup, 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Several teams during the London Olympics paid Durant the highest compliment when they played a box-and-one defense on the 6-10 scoring machine. Remember, Team USA had LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry on the roster, but it was Durant who received the most attention from the opposition. It is hard to believe Durant could go up another notch in terms of his game, but he did. He added more layers to his already impressive arsenal, and improved statistically across the board. Durant hasn’t shot below 50 percent from the field since 2012. He has a career scoring average of 27 points per game and he’s nearly a 90 percent shooter from the free throw line. After playing in just 27 games in the 2015-15 season because of a foot injury, KD has returned to form the following season and he’s only getting stronger with each passing game. Durant made the most important decision of his pro career when he left OKC and joined the Warriors, creating basketball’s version of Murderers’ Row. The addition of KD has made the Warriors unbeatable. The Dubs blitzed through the 2016-17 playoffs with record-setting 16-1 mark and followed that with a 16-5 postseason run that culminated in a sweep of LeBron’s Cavs in The Finals. Durant won his second straight Finals MVP award after averaging 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and shooting 52 percent from the field. If there any doubts as to who is now the best player in the world, Durant answered them emphatically with a 43-point performance in Game 3 on the road that pretty much sealed the fate of the Cavs and locked up the Dubs’ third NBA title in four years.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

(Photos by Getty Images)