NBA: Doncic, Exum lead Mavs past LeBron, Lakers

LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic produced another dazzling performance as the Dallas Mavericks brought LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers back down to earth with a 127-125 victory on Tuesday.

Doncic rattled off his eighth straight 30-point game to finish with 33 points, 17 assists and six rebounds in a thrilling back-and-forth duel with the Lakers, who were playing their first game since winning the inaugural in-season tournament on Saturday.

An absorbing contest at Dallas's American Airlines Center home saw the lead change hands eight times, with the Lakers overturning a 15-point deficit with a huge third quarter to help open up a four-point lead early in the fourth.

But Dallas's Dante Exum took over with a superb display in the final period that saw him rattle in 17 points -- including five three-pointers -- to carry the Mavs to victory.

Exum finished with 26 points while Tim Hardaway Jr. added 32 points from the bench to support Doncic.

Anthony Davis led the Lakers scoring with 37 points from 15-of-21 shooting, with James adding 33.

Doncic stayed in the game despite rolling an ankle and suffering a bloodied lip in a physical battle between the two Western Conference rivals.

"I'm not going out in a game like this, no way," the Slovenian star said. "When you're playing against the best you want to stay on the court.

"This was an amazing team win. We've got so many guys out, everybody stepped up, everybody played hard."

- Green, Jokic tossed -

Doncic admitted he was flattered by talk of him potentially emerging as a contender for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award -- but insisted team success was more important than individual honors.

"Of course, who wouldn't want to be MVP of the league?" Doncic said. "But obviously first is the championship... that's what's first on my mind for sure."

The win saw the Mavericks improve to 15-8 for the season while the Lakers fell to 14-10 to remain sixth in the West.

In other games, Draymond Green could be facing more disciplinary action from the NBA after being ejected for the third time this season in the Golden State Warriors' 119-116 defeat to the Phoenix Suns.

Green, suspended for five games last month after grabbing Minnesota's Rudy Gobert in a choke hold, was tossed once again in the third quarter after wildly swinging an arm into the face of Phoenix player Jusuf Nurkic.

The game eventually ended in victory for the Suns, with Devin Booker scoring 32 points as the Warriors slid to a sixth straight defeat on the road.

There was also a high-profile ejection in Chicago, where Denver star Nikola Jokic was controversially tossed from the game in the second quarter of the Nuggets' 114-106 defeat of the Chicago Bulls.

Jokic was ejected after reacting angrily to a no-call with a member of the officiating crew.

In Boston, the Celtics recovered from a shaky start to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-113 and preserve their unbeaten home record.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points apiece while Kristaps Porzingis finished with 17 on a night when all five starters posted double-digit tallies.

But the Eastern Conference leaders were made to work hard for the win after trailing by 15 points in the first quarter following a slew of turnovers and some woeful shooting.

The Cavs led by 10 after the first period but the Celtics responded with a 38-point second period to cut the gap to one point at half-time.

In a game that had nine lead changes, the Celtics finally edged clear midway through the fourth quarter to close out victory.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland scoring with 29 points with Darius Garland finishing with 26.

"We got off to a slow start but we picked it up and some shots started to fall," Tatum said.

Agence France-Presse

LA Lakers ready to get back to business after historic NBA Cup win

LOS ANGELES -- The champagne was flowing after LeBron James and Anthony Davis inspired the Los Angeles Lakers to the first-ever NBA Cup crown, but the celebrations were short-lived with the season's main goal still ahead.

"We made history," James said after he and Davis led the Lakers in a dominant 123-109 victory over tournament darlings Indiana in the NBA's first in-season tournament on Saturday.

"Any time you're on the right side of history, you take it."

Davis spearheaded the Lakers' charge in the title game, scoring 41 points with 20 rebounds. James added 24 points and 11 rebounds and got the nod as Most Valuable Player of the tournament conceived to lend some excitement to the early stages of the long NBA regular season.

James, the league's all-time leading scorer, said the Lakers' 7-0 run through the competition that began with all 30 NBA teams drawn into six groups for round-robin play showed Los Angeles have the ingredients to make a strong push in the NBA championship playoffs.

However, he cautioned, it was far too soon to be talking about May and June and the chances of the Lakers adding to their 17 NBA championships -- tied with the Boston Celtics for the most ever.

"I think that's thinking too far down the road," James, himself owner of four championship rings, said. "We want to put it in perspective that it's still December.

"We like where we are right now but we want to continue to work our habits, continue to get healthy as well.

"But I think right now where we are in December, I would take it. I would take it, but I'm definitely not looking to May and June.

"There's too many steps that need to be taken still in order for our team to be who we want to be once the post-season starts."

With many of their early-season injury troubles behind them, the Lakers next turn their attention to a Tuesday regular-season clash with the Mavericks in Dallas.

It's the start of a three-game Texas swing that will also feature two games in San Antonio against the Spurs and their sensational rookie Victor Wembanyama.

James said their performance in the tournament, especially in quarter-finals against the Phoenix Suns and the rout of the New Orleans Pelicans in the semi-finals, showed the Lakers were getting where they need to be on the defensive end.

"Our defensive intensity, in order for us to win and win at the highest level, we have to defend," he said. "We've been doing that over the last few weeks."

The Pacers may find the pivot to the regular season jarring after their Cinderella run in the in-season tournament.

Despite their high-octane offense, keyed by guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers chances of emerging from the East to challenge for a franchise first NBA title have been largely dismissed.

But the young, hungry team knocked off the top two Eastern Conference outfits in Boston and Milwaukee in the NBA Cup knockout rounds, and Haliburton was gutted after the loss to the Lakers.

Got to move on 

"It's funny because it's like everybody says this has like the (collegiate) NCAA Tournament feel, but after a game like that you're sitting in the locker room going, most of us ain't graduating, we play on Monday," Haliburton said.

"It's definitely frustrating," added Haliburton, who said the Pacers will have to hit the reset button quickly.

"At the end of the day, it's just like the regular season. It's game 22, 23. Got to move on," he said.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said scheduling would be one thing the league looks at as it considers possible improvements to the new tournament in the future.

The biggest concern would likely be to provide some kind of scheduling certainty for teams that don't advance from group play, who then had to "essentially schedule games at the last minute."

Silver said the league would "take a little bit of a breather" before considering changes to the event from teams, players, the players' union and even fans.

"All suggestions welcome," he said.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Harden fined $100,000 over Sixers no-play threat

LOS ANGELES -- Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden has been fined $100,000 by the NBA after vowing never to play for the team under general manager Daryl Morey, the league said Tuesday.

The league said in a statement it had fined Harden for indicating he would "not perform the services called for under his player contract" unless he was traded to another team.

In scathing remarks made during an event in China earlier this month, Harden, who has requested a trade from the club, branded Sixers boss Morey "a liar".

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of," Harden said, before repeating the statement for emphasis.

Harden has said in subsequent media interviews that Morey had gone back on a promise to trade him quickly earlier in the off-season.

"I've been patient all summer," Harden said of his situation with the Sixers. "For me, it's just focus on what I can control and getting ready for this season."

The NBA said it had interviewed Harden as part of its investigation, and confirmed that the remarks "referenced Harden's belief that the 76ers would not accommodate his request to be traded".

The 33-year-old 10-time All-Star told the team in July that he wanted to be traded away from the franchise after joining from Brooklyn in February 2022.

Philadelphia hoped the addition of Harden last year would help the team finally challenge for an NBA championship.

However, the team led by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid have stalled in the playoffs in the last two seasons, exiting in the Eastern Conference semifinals on each occasion.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Harden vows not to play for 76ers under 'liar' GM

LOS ANGELES -- NBA star James Harden has said he will never play for the Philadelphia 76ers again while Daryl Morey remains the team's general manager.

In scathing comments which come with the 76ers and Harden locked in a contract standoff, the former NBA MVP said he could no longer be part of an organization that employed Morey.

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of," Harden said at an event in China for sponsors Adidas.

"Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of."

The incendiary remarks highlight the increasingly acrimonious nature of Harden's contract negotiations with the 76ers.

The 33-year-old 10-time All-Star reportedly told the team last month that he wanted to be traded away from the franchise after joining from Brooklyn in February 2022.

US media reported on Saturday that the 76ers had shut down discussions with Harden over a trade and were expecting him to report to a training camp in September.

The Athletic website, citing sources close to Harden, said the player has no intention of taking part in pre-season training camp.

Philadelphia hoped the addition of Harden last year would help the team finally challenge for an NBA championship.

However, the team led by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid have stalled in the playoffs in the last two seasons, exiting in the Eastern Conference semifinals on each occasion.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Jaylen Brown, Celtics agree record $304 million deal - reports

NEW YORK - Jaylen Brown will remain with the Boston Celtics after agreeing a record-breaking $304 million five-year contract extension, US media reports said on Tuesday.

If confirmed, the mammoth deal will be the richest contract in NBA history, eclipsing the $264 million extension inked by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic last year.

The 26-year-old Brown has been one of the mainstays of the Celtics' success in recent years, helping the team reach the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons.

Brown's new deal will ensure the two-time All Star remains in Boston until the end of the 2028-2029 season.

Brown had one year remaining on his existing deal with the Celtics, which will pay him $31.8 million for the 2023-2024 campaign.

Brown posted career-best figures of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 2022-2023, forming a potent offensive partnership with Jayson Tatum.

However, the Celtics' season ended in disappointment with the team losing at home to Miami in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals.

Agence France-Presse

Giannis undergoes surgery, FIBA World Cup in doubt

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has had surgery on his left knee, the team confirmed Wednesday, leaving the basketball star's participation for Greece in August's FIBA World Cup in doubt.

"He had a routine surgery on his left knee, and it went great," Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin said on Wednesday.

"Everything went as planned, and we expect him back ready to go in training camp," he added.

The Bucks are expected to begin their camp in early- to mid-September with the World Cup starting on August 25 and running until September 10.

The Athletic cited a league source as saying that Antetokounmpo's availability for Greece is "in question" after what it described as surgery to "clean up loose cartilage in his left knee."

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player suffered a back injury during game one of the Bucks's first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat and did not return until game four. The Bucks, the number one seed in the East, were upset in five by Miami in the best-of-seven series.

The World Cup will be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

Greece has been drawn in group C with the United States, New Zealand and Jordan.

Losing Antetokounmpo would be a huge blow to Greece's hopes in the tournament.

He was top scorer in last year's EuroBasket tournament, averaging 29.3 points although his team went out in the round-of-16 to the Czech Republic.

Antetokounmpo was part of the Greece team at the 2019 World Cup which failed to get out of the group stage.

The 28-year-old's older brother and Bucks' team-mate Thanasis, is also part of the Greece squad along with his younger brother Kostas, who plays for Greek club Panathinaikos.

Agence France-Presse

NBA Jazz trade with Hawks for big man Collins

NEW YORK, United States - The NBA's Utah Jazz obtained forward John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for swingman Rudy Gay and a future NBA Draft pick, according to multiple reports on Monday.

The deal, which cannot be completed until July 6 under league rules as a new free agency period looms, opens a $25.3 million trade exception, the largest in the NBA, for the Hawks, according to reports by ESPN and The Athletic.

Collins, a 25-year-old Utah native entering his seventh NBA campaign, averaged 13.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocked shots a game for Atlanta this past season.

With the Jazz, Collins will be on a frontline alongside Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen, last year's NBA Most Improved Player with a career-best 25.6 points a game, and All-Rookie center Walker Kessler, who averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots -- fourth-most in the NBA -- per game.

The Hawks have a year to use the trade exception, which could be used to help Atlanta keep free agents or chase available talent to add alongside All-Star guard Trae Young.

Gay, 36, is a 17-year NBA veteran who averaged 5.2 points and 2.9 rebounds a game in a reserve role for the Jazz last season.

Utah went 37-45 last season, three games behind Oklahoma City for the final Western Conference play-in berth.

Atlanta went 41-41 and grabbed the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs after a play-in triumph over Miami, but the Hawks were ousted by Boston in the opening round of the playoffs.

Agence France-Presse

NBA Suns land Beal in deal sending Paul to Wizards: reports

Three-time NBA All-Star guard Bradley Beal will join the Phoenix Suns in a trade that will send 38-year-old guard Chris Paul to Washington, according to multiple reports on Sunday.

ESPN and The Athletic said the deal would also include guard Landry Shamet, a handful of NBA Draft picks and multiple draft pick swaps, with final pick details yet to be settled.

Beal, who turns 30 on June 28, would join Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to revive the Suns' hopes of winning their first NBA title.

Beal has played his entire 11-year NBA career with the Wizards, averaging 22.1 points, 2.3 assists, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals a game.

The Wizards, 35-47 in each of the past two seasons, have made the playoffs five times since Beal arrived with the third overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft but never gone beyond the second round. They haven't won a playoff series since 2017.

Paul, still chasing his first NBA title, joins a club that collected its only league crown in 1978.

The 12-time NBA All-Star guard is a five-time season assists leader, most recently in 2021-22, and six-time NBA steals leader but has found only futility in a title quest during stops at New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston, Oklahoma City and for the past three seasons in Phoenix.

Over 18 NBA campaigns, Paul has averaged 17.9 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals a game.

The Suns had missed the NBA playoffs for 10 seasons in a row until Paul's arrival but reached the 2021 NBA Finals, losing to Milwaukee, and the second round each of the past two seasons, falling first to Dallas and this year to eventual NBA champion Denver.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Heat ready for another shot at Nuggets

DENVER -- Miami are confident they can turn up the Heat against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

The Nuggets dominated in a 104-93 game-one triumph in the best-of-seven series on Thursday, when Miami's chances were doomed by their inability to connect on shots -- including a 33.3% success rate from three-point range.

Max Strus was 0-for-10 from the field, Caleb Martin 1-of-7 and Duncan Robinson 1-of-6.

But Heat talisman Jimmy Butler -- himself held to 13 points -- said he has a simple message for those teammates, who have played a key role in making Miami the second eighth-seeded team ever to reach an NBA Finals.

"Stay aggressive, because you've been the reason that we have won so many games before," Butler said Saturday as the team practiced in Denver in preparation for Sunday's game.

"You are going to be the reason that we win games now. and that's never going to change."

The Heat collectively agreed -- in the immediate aftermath of Thursday's defeat and after studying game video -- that they had plenty of good opportunities in game one.

"We did see some things that we liked and we got some great looks, myself included," Strus said. "We've got to knock those down, and we've got great shooters on our team, and we will knock those down."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said it wouldn't take much to open the floodgates.

"In terms of the shooters, that's pretty simple," Spoelstra said. "Let it fly. Ignite.

"Once they see two go down, it could be three, it could turn into six just like that," he added with a snap of his fingers. "As long as we are getting those clean looks, that's what matters."

Butler said there are other adjustments to be made after a game in which the Heat got to the free-throw line just twice -- a record low for an NBA playoff game.

"I think I've got to be more aggressive putting pressure on the rim," he said. "I think that makes everybody's job a lot easier."

And Butler said there was no sense of panic in a Heat team that saw a 3-0 lead against Boston evaporate before Miami finished off the Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals.

"We're OK, we really are," he said. "We are very calm. We are very collected. We have so much confidence, still.

"It's not going anywhere. We're going to believe in one another, always, no matter what, home or away -- And we're still going to get four (wins)."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: LeBron, Lakers ready to tackle 'monster' Jokic

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to overcome the formidable challenge posed by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets as the Western Conference playoff finals get under way on Tuesday.

After struggling through the regular season, the Lakers are within four wins of returning to the NBA Finals after ousting the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Friday.

Now James and Lakers defensive star Anthony Davis are plotting an ambush of the top-seeded Nuggets in game one of their best-of-seven Western Conference finals series on Tuesday.

The showdown is a rematch of the Lakers-Nuggets 2020 playoff series in the NBA's Covid-19 bubble in Orlando, when the Lakers won 4-1 before going on to win their 16th championship.

Since then, however, Denver has matured significantly, with Jokic winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2021 and 2022 as part of a team that also includes the talented Jamal Murray.

James said Monday he has no doubt that the 2023 version of the Nuggets will be a stiffer proposition.

"They're a better team," James said when asked to compare Denver with the team beaten in Florida three years ago.

"Obviously, they're more experienced. Every game, every postseason, every matchup allows you to continue to grow as a franchise, as a team, and they've done that.

"So, we come in with the utmost respect for this team that we're challenged against and playing against, so look forward to the matchup."

Denver and the Lakers squared their meetings in the regular season at two games apiece, with the Nuggets winning their most recent encounter on January 9.

Drawing firm conclusions from those results, however, is largely meaningless as the Lakers overhauled their roster in the mid-season trade window and James and Davis did not feature in the most recent January game.

Davis said the Lakers planned to pore over footage of the 2020 series in an attempt to design a game plan capable of nullifying Jokic and the Denver line-up.

"I think the biggest key will be making the ball find the guys we want it to find, just play off of that," Davis said.

While the Lakers have been red-hot through the playoffs, with Davis rediscovering his best form at the perfect time, James says he is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his team-mates.

"They've been the No. 1 team in the West for a reason," said James.

"They've played exceptional basketball all year. And we're going in with the utmost respect for their ballclub. They're very well coached and obviously we know the dynamic of what Joker [Jokic] brings to the game and also Jamal Murray, being back fully healthy. And the rest of those guys.

Jokic goes into Tuesday's series-opener in blistering form, averaging a triple-double of 34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the series win over Phoenix.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham described Jokic as "that monster in the Rocky Mountains that's waiting on us."

"You're talking about a two-time MVP, with a well-balanced squad, hungry, great synergy, great chemistry, great ability, athleticism, shooting, all of the above," Ham said.

"So, we're going to have our work cut out for us, but they gotta guard us too, so we're going to do our due diligence as we always do and be prepared for Game 1."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Unheralded Walker sparks Lakers rally as Warriors wobble

MIAMI -- Unheralded bench player Lonnie Walker led a fourth-quarter rally as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors to leave the NBA champions on the brink of elimination from the playoffs on Monday.

The 24-year-old Walker erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points as the Lakers completed a dramatic 104-101 victory to put them one win away from clinching the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.

Walker, who has struggled to establish himself since joining the Lakers on a one-year contract last year after battling a series of injuries, was mobbed by LeBron James and other Lakers teammates after the victory.

James, who scored 27 points in the victory, said he had urged Walker before the game to be ready to help out.

"I've been telling him 'Lonnie you stay ready. We're going to need you at some point'," James said.

"For him to be as young as he is, to have that professionalism, to come out and stay ready when his number was called -- we don't win this game without Lonnie Walker tonight, that's for sure."

Walker said he had been primed to make a contribution.

"It means the world to me, truly," Walker said.

"By the grace of god I was given an opportunity to play. Night-in, night-out I've been going to the gym, everyone's been telling me to stay ready -- Bron, coach, all of them. So when the call came I was locked in the entire time."

The Lakers will take a 3-1 series lead to San Francisco for game five on Wednesday with the Warriors needing to win to keep the series alive.

For long periods of Monday's game it looked as if the champions were poised to square the series.

Stephen Curry finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in a dazzling playmaking performance that helped Golden State take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.

But the introduction of Walker changed the game, with the unlikely hero scoring 15 points as the Lakers outscored their opponents 27-17 in the final frame to clinch victory.

- 'A resilient bunch' -

"We're just a resilient bunch," James said. "They hit us with haymaker after haymaker after haymaker, trying to get us to fall.

"We just stayed in the fight. It's a 48-minute game, a 12-round boxing match. And we stayed in it for 12 rounds and were able to pull through."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr paid tribute to Walker's fourth-quarter performance.

"I don't know whether he scored all their points in the fourth quarter but it felt like it," Kerr said. "He made a huge impact.

"A lot of times that's what the playoffs are about. A close game and somebody comes in who you don't expect to make an impact. The fourth was about Walker."

Agence France-Presse

LeBron's son Bronny James commits to play at USC

LOS ANGELES -- Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of NBA superstar LeBron James, announced Saturday he has committed to play at the University of Southern California.

In an Instagram posting, Bronny James displayed a photo of himself in the USC locker room with the caption "Fight On #committed."

The talented teen is ranked among the top US high school prospects and considered one of the top point guards in the nation.

He capped a stellar senior campaign at Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles with 15 points in an all-star game of top college candidates, sinking five 3-pointers.

His famous father -- the NBA's all-time leading scorer as well as a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player -- has said he will join for whatever NBA team Bronny James plays on just for the chance to play alongside his son.

Teen star James could be eligible for the NBA Draft after one season for the Trojans, who are expected to have a strong squad next season.

Some analysts have already marked James as a likely top-10 selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Bronny James would turn 20 in October of 2024, the same month that the 2024-25 NBA campaign will start. His father would turn 40 in December of 2024.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Embiid makes his improbable MVP dream come true

NEW YORK—Joel Embiid played volleyball and football as a child growing up in Cameroon, never turning to basketball until age 15. Now he's the NBA's Most Valuable Player.

The 29-year-old power forward reflected on his improbable journey when he spoke Wednesday after practice for the Philadelphia 76ers as they prepared to face the Boston Celtics in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

"Probably the probability of someone like me, starting playing basketball at 15, to get the chance to be the MVP of the league is I'd say probably negative zero," Embiid said.

"But improbable doesn't mean impossible and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to as long as you believe in it and you keep working hard, anything can happen."

For Embiid, it happened after he switched sports as a child and was seen by Cameroonian NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute, who helped him move to the United States at age 16 to boost his dreams of playing in the NBA.

After a youth career and a season at the University of Kansas, Embiid was the third overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft by the 76ers.

Embiid stepped up his game as the years went along, having been an NBA All-Star since 2018 and winning the league scoring crown last season and this season with career highs of 30.6 points in 2021-22 and 33.1 points a game in 2022-2023.

This year, he claimed the MVP award, defeating the past two MVPs, Denver's Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo.

"Feels good obviously," Embiid said. "That's something that I dreamt of and I've always wanted."

No MVP has then led his club to an NBA playoff crown since Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors in 2015.

Embiid hopes to end that drought despite suffering a sprained right knee and missing the opener of the best-of-seven series against Boston.

While he feels healthy after some rest following a first-round triumph, Embiid says doctors will largely dictate when he returns.

"I'm going to listen to those guys and see what they have to say, the doctors," Embiid said.

"Obviously I want to play. Everybody knows me. I just love being on the court. If I've got the green light then we're going to go ahead."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: 'Psychotic' Butler driving Heat in playoffs

LOS ANGELES—Three years after leading the Miami Heat to the brink of an NBA championship, Jimmy Butler is once more inspiring his team on an epic playoff journey.

The 33-year-old NBA star produced the latest in a series of jaw-dropping performances on Wednesday to send the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks crashing out of the postseason in the first round.

Butler's 42-point masterpiece in Milwaukee was the sort of inspirational display that has earned him multiple nicknames over the years that reflect his unerring knack of delivering under pressure, from "Playoff Jimmy" to "Jimmy Buckets."

On Wednesday night, Butler forced overtime with a sensational alley-oop, draining an acrobatic two-pointer while falling backward in mid-air under pressure from two Bucks players.

"The game plan was simple: Get the ball to Buckets and let him do what he do," was how teammate Gabe Vincent described Butler's tying shot.

Incredibly, Butler's game-winning performance came just two days after another of his logic-defying displays, a 56-point gem in game four.

In the five playoff games against Milwaukee, Butler averaged 37.2 points, with 4.8 assists and six rebounds.

Butler, who endured homelessness as a teenager before eventually being drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2011, is the figurehead of a Miami team that has proven fearless in adversity.

Their last two wins over Milwaukee were earned after overturning double-digit leads late in the game.

"We're a resilient group. We stick together through everything," Butler said on Wednesday.

"We're a good group of basketball players and we're out there having fun playing basketball the right way. Good things happen when you do that.

"We just play hard. We know what we're capable of. We don't listen to the outside noise. We're going to do what we do, learn from our mistakes and get better."

'DESPERATE, MANIACAL, PSYCHOTIC'

Asked to explain his own incredible run of form, Butler reflected: "I'm just in a groove, in a rhythm. I've been shooting the ball an incredible amount in this series, but I feel like they're shots I can make – and my teammates keep telling me: 'Shoot the ball, shoot the ball.'

"When push comes to shove, I always remember why I do what I do. For my kids, for my family, for my guys. I know if I'm doing things the right way they have to follow suit."

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra meanwhile says Butler is the personification of the Heat's team culture.

"I've said it many times -- he is us and we are him," Spoelstra said after Wednesday's win.

"I just respect him so much being such a unique, world-class, elite competitor. A lot of guys play the game of basketball in this league. He competes to win. And that's a different language.

"He's desperate, and urgent, and maniacal, and sometimes psychotic, about the will to try to win. He'll make everybody in the building feel it.

"And that's why he is us and we are him. We needed every bit of every play that he made tonight."

Butler's indomitable spirit has been a recurring feature of his NBA career.

In the NBA Finals in 2020, Butler went head-to-head with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in a do-or-die game five that ended with a 111-108 victory.

The enduring image of that encounter was an exhausted Butler, doubled up on the side of the court near the end of a game in which he played almost the entire 48 minutes, finishing with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

"I left it all out there on the court," said Butler, who would ultimately see his hopes of a championship end in a 4-2 series defeat to the Lakers.

Spoelstra meanwhile said Butler should be an example to every young player entering the NBA.

"Every young player coming into this league should study footage of Jimmy Butler, a definition of a two-way player competing on both ends," Spoelstra said at the time. "His will to win is remarkable."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves

LOS ANGELES -- The Denver Nuggets, fueled by a Nikola Jokic triple-double, beat Minnesota 120-111 on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold on their NBA Western Conference playoff series.

Jokic scored 20 points with 11 rebounds and 12 assists, and when he was limited by foul trouble in the third quarter his teammates kept the pressure on.

Michael Porter Jr scored 25 points to lead six Nuggets players in double figures and Denver's reserves out-scored the Timberwolves bench 29-10.

They kept the Timberwolves at bay despite a sparkling 36 points from Anthony Edwards, whose three-pointer early in the third pulled Minnesota within three points.

They were down by five with less than five minutes remaining, but couldn't break through.

Jokic, who led the league with 29 triple-doubles in the regular season, said he knows they'll be even more determined on Sunday to prevent a sweep on their home floor.

"We know they're going to go even more aggressive in two days," Jokic said. "So we just need to keep our composure and we know what to expect."

Agence France-Presse

Celtics' Brogdon voted NBA's Sixth Man of Year

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Thursday as the league's top reserve.

Brogdon, who was acquired in the offseason by the Eastern Conference champion Celtics, received 60 out of 100 first-place votes to edge New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley in voting for the award.

"This is such an honor," Brogdon said in an interview with broadcaster TNT as the award was announced. "It's definitely been a transition for me, coming from Indiana to Boston.

"But I'm with a great organization, I have great teammates, a great coaching staff."

Brogdon became the second player to win both Sixth Man of the Year and Rookie of the Year, joining Mike Miller with that distinction. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2017.

Before he was acquired by the Celtics Brogdon had started every game he played over the previous four seasons with the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.

This season he came off the bench in all 67 games he played, but said that playing behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown "proven All-Stars and soon-to-be All-NBA guys, it's been a good fit for me."

Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game to help Boston finish the regular season with the second-best record in the league behind the Bucks.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Morant likely to be game-time decision for Grizzlies

LOS ANGELES — Memphis guard Ja Morant has bruised his already-injured right hand and his status for Wednesday's NBA playoff contest will be a "game-time decision," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Tuesday.

An MRI exam showed the soft-tissue injury was aggravated by Morant late in the fourth quarter of the Grizzlies' 128-112 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Sunday's opener of their first-round best-of-seven series.

"Symptoms are slightly improving from the other night," Jenkins said. "He's going to be a game-time decision."

Morant, whose hand was already taped after being injured the week before, leaped into the air driving to the basket against Lakers big man Anthony Davis and after their collision fell awkwardly, injuring his hand.

Morant rose, grabbed his hand and ran off the court to the locker room.

Morant dribbled and took some shots with his right hand during a Tuesday workout, but the practice offered no clear answers on Morant's availability for the rematch with the Lakers.

"He's progressing," Jenkins said. "He is dribbling and shooting as much as he can.

"He has got some pain he's dealing with, so it's kind of a tolerance thing. He has got some stiffness in his hand that he's kind of slowly getting through."

Morant said after the game that his ability to play in game two was "in jeopardy" with Jenkins saying x-rays were negative but Morant was in pain.

Morant scored 18 points against the Lakers before his early exit.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Maxey stars as Sixers take 2-0 lead over Nets

LOS ANGELES -- Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 96-84 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series on Monday.

With Brooklyn double-teaming Sixers star Joel Embiid throughout, it was left to Maxey to do the damage for Philadelphia with a shooting clinic that leaves Doc Rivers' team two wins away from a series victory.

Maxey's 33-point haul from 13-of-23 shooting included six from three-point range as Brooklyn finally succumbed after making a bright start that saw them lead by 10 points in the second quarter.

But Brooklyn were left ruing their inability to make the most of their first-half dominance against a sluggish-looking Sixers, who nevertheless restricted the Nets to just a five-point advantage as the teams went in for half-time at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center.

Philadelphia's adjustments paid dividends in the third and fourth quarters, with the Sixers outscoring Brooklyn 24-14 in the third before wrapping up victory in the fourth.

"They did a few different things defensively tonight, but we were prepared," said Maxey, paying tribute to Embiid's decisive contribution despite being closely marked throughout by Brooklyn.

"At half-time we figured out what we were going to do. But hats off to Joel -– to be so dominant when you're trapped every single play, and you still make the right basketball play –- that's big-time."

Embiid finished with 20 points and 19 rebounds while laying on seven assists as Maxey and Tobias Harris (20 points) shouldered the offensive responsibilities.

"He trusts in me, and he trusts in Tobias to make the big shots tonight and that's what we did," Maxey said of Embiid's selfless performance.

Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers meanwhile admitted his team had been lucky to face only a five point deficit heading into half-time.

"I thought we wasted the whole first half," Rivers said. "We were fortunate. At half-time they could have been up more, with the way we played. We're a better team than the way we played in the first half.

"But this is what the playoffs are all about -- it's gonna test your trust. This was an early test for us, and we came through it."

Cameron Johnson led the Brooklyn scoring with 28 points while Mikal Bridges finished with 21 and Spencer Dinwiddie 12.

Game three in the series takes place in Brooklyn on Thursday.

Agence France-Presse

Bridges hit with 30-game suspension for domestic violence: NBA

NEW YORK, United States - Former Charlotte Hornets starter Miles Bridges was given a 30-game suspension by the NBA on Friday following a 2022 domestic violence incident involving the mother of his children.

The NBA said in a statement however that Bridges, who is a restricted free agent, would miss only 10 games if he eventually signs with a new club.

The 25-year-old missed the entirety of the 2022-2023 season following the incident, a factor that prompted the NBA to deem that 20 games of Bridges' suspension have already been served.

Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in November last year following the incident in Los Angeles.

The NBA issued its suspension on Friday after conducting its own investigation which included speaking to multiple witnesses. The league also sought consultations with domestic violence experts to provide guidance.

"The 30-game suspension is based on all facts and circumstances of this matter and considers the conduct and its result, as well as the outcome of the criminal matter, among other factors," the NBA said.

Agence France-Presse 

NBA: Kyrie Irving, Mavericks edge Kings to tie for 10th in West

Kyrie Irving hit three late 3-pointers and teamed with Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. for 84 points Wednesday night, helping the host Dallas Mavericks move into a tie for 10th place in the Western Conference with a 123-119 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Irving finished with a game-high 31 points, Doncic 29 and Hardaway 24 for the Mavericks (38-42), who snapped a three-game losing streak. Dallas caught the Oklahoma City Thunder (38-42) for the West’s last play-in spot with just two games remaining.

“It’s not over until it’s over,” Irving said. “We’ve just got to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep maintaining the poise and mentality and the results will come.

“We don’t control our own destiny but we can control our effort out here right now.”

Four clubs advance to the play-in mini-tournament to determine the final two teams that join the top six finishers in each conference.

The Thunder, who own the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage, close out the season at the Utah Jazz and at home against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Mavericks conclude with home games against the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs.

De’Aaron Fox had a team-high 28 points and Domantas Sabonis a 19-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double for the Kings (48-32). Sacramento failed to pick up a game on the Memphis Grizzlies (50-30), a loser at New Orleans, in their duel for the No. 2 seeding in the West.

The Grizzlies have road games against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Thunder remaining on the schedule. The Kings will host the Golden State Warriors before visiting the Denver Nuggets.

After the Mavericks used two 3-pointers apiece from Doncic, Irving and Hardaway in the third quarter to erase a 13-point deficit, the clubs entered the fourth period tied. The teams traded leads 10 times before Irving hit consecutive 2- and 3-point hoops for a 111-107 advantage with 6:10 to go.

The imported star then almost singlehandedly held off the Kings down the stretch, hitting two more threes and a free throw, helping Dallas go up by as many as nine in the final minute.

Irving shot 6-for-10 from 3-point range, Hardaway 5-for-8 and Doncic 3-for-11 as the Mavericks beat the Kings at their own game, making 20 of their 44 3-point attempts (45.5 percent). The visitors went just 12-for-37 (32.4 percent).

Irving also found time for a team-high eight assists.

Doncic completed a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds, while Christian Wood and Josh Green chipped in with 14 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench.

Harrison Barnes (16 points), Kevin Huerter (14), Malik Monk (13) and Keegan Murray (11) also scored in double figures for the Kings, who split games on a trip that began Tuesday night with a win at New Orleans.

-reuters