Tag: Chicago Bulls

Kenny Atkinson likens Spencer Dinwiddie to a tailback

Kenny Atkinson has worked with Spencer Dinwiddie for a while, but he still doesn’t take the Brooklyn Nets point guard’s speed for granted.

Spencer Dinwiddie put the Nets on his back in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, leading Brooklyn to a 117-111 win to snap the team’s three-game losing streak, while also concluding the five-game road trip.

Most of Dinwiddie’s scoring was done at the free-throw line. He finished 14-for-15 from the charity stripe and went 5-for-11 from the floor (0-for-4 from three) to score 24 points.

Starting in place of the injured Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), the point guard was able to draw contact frequently against the Bulls — which is one of his strengths. Kenny Atkinson explained to reporters in Chicago why Dinwiddie can draw fouls at will:

He’s like a tailback. Sometimes you just keep pitching it to him and he just keeps going around and he keeps going. He keeps going. He’s gotta be one of the fastest guys in the league. He was outstanding. . . I thought he really played a complete game

Spencer Dinwiddie leads Nets past Bulls in final game of road trip

Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris came up big for the Brooklyn Nets in Saturday’s win over the Chicago Bulls.

After jumping out to a comfortable 30-19 first-quarter lead, the Brooklyn Nets started to slip against the Chicago Bulls, trailing 50-56 at the half. The Bulls still held a four-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to get past Spencer Dinwiddie and the Nets, who finished their road trip with a 117-111 win in Chicago.

Dinwiddie entered the fourth quarter with only four points to his name, but finished the night with 24 on 5 of 11 shooting, while knocking down 14 of his 15 free-throw attempts. The point guard started in place of the injured Kyrie Irving, who was out due to a right shoulder impingement.

Dinwiddie’s 20 fourth-quarter points are the most he’s ever scored in an individual quarter in his career. He also set the bar for most points scored by a Nets player in any quarter this season.

Joe Harris also exploded offensively, scoring 22 points on 8 of 15 shooting — though he wasn’t at his best from long-range, finishing 2-for-8.

Harris also dished out eight assists without turning the ball over once.

Each of the other three Nets starters finished in double-figures, as well. Taurean Prince had 13 points, Garrett Temple scored 12 and Jarrett Allen had 11. However, Prince and Temple weren’t consistent with their shots, finishing 4-for-13 and 4-for-12 from the floor, respectively.

Theo Pinson provided a lift off the bench with his 10-point performance (4-for-9 shooting).

DeAndre Jordan grabbed seven rebounds, eclipsing the 9,000 career rebounds mark in the process. Allen and Dzanan Musa each grabbed seven rebounds, as well. Jordan also blocked four shots.

Iman Shumpert made his Brooklyn Nets debut on Saturday. He scored five points on 2-for-4 shooting and had three rebounds in 12 minutes of action.

DeAndre Jordan grabs career rebound No. 9,000

DeAndre Jordan reached a major rebounding milestone in the Brooklyn Nets’ matchup with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

Throughout the course of his NBA career, DeAndre Jordan has developed into one of the league’s premier rebounders. Since 2013-14, Jordan’s rebounds per game average has been in the double-digits. He’s even averaged 10.5 boards per game throughout his first 10 contests in a Nets uniform, despite the fact he only averaged 22 minutes per game during the stretch.

On Saturday, while playing the Chicago Bulls, Jordan reached a major milestone in the rebounds category. With his fifth rebound on the night, Jordan reached the 9,000 rebounds mark.

Jordan is one of four active players with at least 9,000 rebounds. The others are Pau Gasol (11,305), Tyson Chandler (10,436) and Dwight Howard (9,579). (All totals entering play on Saturday.)

Jordan still ranks No. 52 all-time in total rebounds. Elton Brand is No. 51 with 9,040 and Johnny Green — a forward for the New York Knicks who started his career in 1959-60 — is No. 50 with 9,083.

RELATED: WATCH: Nic Claxton starts Nets fastbreak, finishes it emphatically

WATCH: Nic Claxton starts Nets fastbreak, finishes it emphatically

Nets rookie Nic Claxton did everything he could to provide Brooklyn with a lift in the first half against the Chicago Bulls.

After jumping out to an early lead over the Chicago Bulls, the Brooklyn Nets saw their lead slip away in the second quarter. Chicago eventually took a double-digit lead, but the Nets cut it to six points by the half.

Almost everyone made costly mistakes for Brooklyn in the first two quarters, leading to the deficit. However, there were some who provided the Nets with a lift, minimizing the gap to six points at halftime.

Among those who did well was Nic Claxton. He wasn’t originally part of Brooklyn’s regular rotations to start the season, but ever since DeAndre Jordan missed a game due to an ankle sprain, the Nets rookie has had his number called on multiple occasions.

And Claxton continues to take advantage of the opportunities he’s been given.

Going into the half, Claxton had six points to his name on 3-for-5 shooting (0-for-3 from three). The rookie also had two rebounds in his 10 minutes — one of which led to this emphatic slam:

Kyrie Irving ruled out against Bulls

The Brooklyn Nets will have to find a way to take care of the Chicago Bulls without Kyrie Irving.

The Brooklyn Nets will be without both of their superstar signees from the summer on Saturday. Kevin Durant being sidelined isn’t a new development, but this is the first regular season game Kyrie Irving will sit out at a member of the Nets.

Irving has been dealing with a right shoulder impingement. He was first ruled questionable against the Nuggets on Thursday, but wound up playing. Irving was once again ruled questionable after the loss in Denver and has officially been ruled out against the Chicago Bulls by the team.

Although it’s not ideal for the Nets to play a game without their best player — especially while in the middle of a three-game losing streak — Brooklyn should still be able to take care of business against the 4-8 Bulls. Even though the Nets’ record isn’t much better (4-7), Chicago is much more prone to make mistakes, being such a young team.

But, if Brooklyn drops this game — even without Irving — Kenny Atkinson and his staff need to reexamine a few things.

Nets-Bulls odds: Chicago given home edge

Previewing Saturday’s Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The Brooklyn Nets (4-7) visit the Chicago Bulls (4-8) Saturday at the United Center for a 6 p.m. ET start. We analyze the Nets-Bulls odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Nets at Bulls: Key injuries

Nets

  • PG Kyrie Irving (shoulder) questionable
  • SG Caris LeVert (thumb) out

Bulls

  • SF Otto Porter Jr. (foot) out
  • PF Cristiano Felicio (wrist) out

Nets at Bulls: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Bulls 115, Nets 112

Moneyline (ML)

The -139 line for the BULLS is not terrible given the uncertainty of Irving’s shoulder.

Can Chicago keep up with Brooklyn’s pace? The answer is yes and becomes a resounding yes depending on how Irving looks. Brooklyn cannot stop anyone defensively (119.5 points per game allowed) and has lost three straight games.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Bulls to win outright returns a profit of $7.19.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The slightly better play for this game is taking the BULLS with the -2.5 points at -106 odds. A Chicago cover here (win by three or more points) returns a greater profit of $9.43.

Chicago is 3-2 at home against the spread, but is 4.7 points off the projections due to an early 108-84 blowout home loss against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 26. Since that game, Chicago has been above projections at home.

Over/Under (O/U)

Lean slightly to the UNDER 231.5 (-125). Watch the numbers here as it will all depend on the status of Irving. That being said, Chicago plays a little more stout on defense and can limit possessions somewhat. It could be enough to keep this game just under 230.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’ NBA betting record: 35-23

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Kyrie Irving questionable against Bulls

Kyrie Irving’s right shoulder continues to be a problem. It may sideline him against the Bulls on Saturday.

The Nets may be without Kyrie Irving on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Brooklyn has ruled him questionable with a right shoulder impingement again.

Irving was also ruled questionable for the Nets on Wednesday before they faced the Denver Nuggets on Thursday due to the same injury.

Although they’re in need of a win, having lost three straight, the Nets should have a much easier time in their final contest of the five-game road trip than they did in any of the previous four. Despite the fact they’ve spent an extended period of time away from home, the Nets just faced four challenging Western Conference teams, three of which are in the top-five in the standings (Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz). Whereas, the Bulls are 4-8 and at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to start the year.

Though the Nets don’t have a much better record (4-7), the Bulls are in a much different position this season. Chicago trying to build for the future, while Brooklyn is working to get multiple new players on the same page.

Warriors on pace for worst drop in winning percentage in NBA history

After their first twelve games of the 2019-20 season, the once-mighty Golden State Warriors currently have the worst record in the league.

After their first 12 games of the 2019-20 season, the once-mighty Golden State Warriors currently have the worst record in the league.

Their roster has been absolutely decimated, mostly due to injuries to their two franchise cornerstones Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. But their wild offseason also included the departures of two former NBA Finals MVP in both Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala. Golden State hardly resembles the team that won the Western Conference five years in a row.

While the offense has struggled without these players, it has been especially bad on the other end of the court. Their defensive rating (117.2) ranks as the worst in the league. Overall, their winning percentage (.167) is a far cry from their mark in 2018-19 (.695).

According to our research, that would be the largest year-over-year negative difference in NBA history. This pace would be worse than the Cleveland Cavaliers after they first lost LeBron James in 2010-11 and the Chicago Bulls after Michael Jordan retired for the second time.

The good news is their eerie similarities thus far to the San Antonio Spurs in 1996-97. Much like the Warriors who added an All-Star (D’Angelo Russell) in the offseason and have started 2-10, the Spurs signed a former All-Star in Dominique Wilkins before the season began and started 2-13. San Antonio received just six games from David Robinson due to an injury while Golden State lost Curry after only four appearances.

The Spurs finished the season 20-62 and ended up with a lottery pick that was used to draft Tim Duncan. Once he returned from injury and played alongside Duncan, they went on to win two titles together following their rough speed bump in 1997. If Golden State gets a high lottery pick to add alongside Curry and Thompson, perhaps a similar fate is coming to the Bay Area.

For context: This is not the first time that the Warriors have experienced an incredibly poor change in their year-over-year performance. They made the NBA Finals in 1964 behind 36.9 points per game from Wilt Chamberlain, who was traded the following season. Later the year, the team then finished with the worst record in the league.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report

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NBA Rumors: Sam Presti a candidate in potential Knicks front office overhaul?

Could Sam Presti be a potential candidate for the Knicks if James Dolan decide to make changes in New York’s front office?

Rumors about trades and deals have been swirling around the Oklahoma City Thunder for months, ever since General Manager Sam Presti negotiated deals to send away OKC’s top two stars in Paul George and Russell Westbrook.

It seems no one has been immune to gossip. As it turns out, neither is Presti.

There’s a lot to unpack, but first, as difficult as a rebuild in Oklahoma City could be, at least the Thunder aren’t the New York Knicks.

The saga of James Dolan and David Fizdale continued this week, thanks in part to the Knicks’ 120-102 blowout loss to Chicago. Although they recovered nicely with a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, Fizdale is still considered to be on the hot seat, especially following the team’s previous loss to the Bulls—one in which rookie Coby White outscored the entire Knicks team by himself in the fourth quarter of the contest.

Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News believes that if Dolan moves to fire Fizdale during the regular season, it could also jeopardize the status of those in the front office. Should a scenario unfold where team president Steve Mills or GM Scott Perry be out of a job, one of the names reportedly being tossed around is Presti.

“There is already speculation around the league about potential front office replacements, with two names surfacing most often: Toronto president Masai Ujiri and Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti. Presti (meanwhile) sprouted from the Spurs tree and has served as the Thunder’s GM since 2007. He drafted Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden but has been hamstrung by running a team in one the league’s smallest markets. After 12 years in OKC, it’s easy to envision him being tempted by New York.”

Right now, that’s certainly a lot of speculation. Fizdale, Mills, and Perry are all still employed and other names as potential candidates would likely come up should there be an opening in New York.

But it wouldn’t be completely unreasonable for the Knicks to make a run at Presti, should the opportunity present itself.

How to Watch Milwaukee Bucks, NBA Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch the Milwaukee Bucks Live Online this season.

All Giannis, all the time. That’s what life is like in Milwaukee these days as the Bucks have become a must-see attraction in not just the NBA, but the world of sports. That’s how big of an impact the “Greek Freak” has had since his emergence as the top player in the league. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player carried his team to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. This season, the Bucks are looking to take it one step further by bringing a championship back to the Cream City for the first time since 1971. 

Watch the Milwaukee Bucks 2019-20 Season

Next game: vs. Chicago Bulls, Nov. 14, 8:00 p.m. ET 

Local TV affiliate for the season: FOX Sports Wisconsin

Streaming option for the season: fuboTV (watch for free)

It doesn’t appear as if the league has found a way to stop Giannis yet. After dominating the regular season in 2018-19, the 24-year-old superstar has picked up right where left off. He is among the top five in the league in both scoring and rebounding through the first 10 games of the season. His extraordinary exploits have led to the Bucks once again being considered among the favorites in the East. 

While Giannis will certainly get most of the attention, the Bucks wouldn’t be in the position that they are without a great supporting cast. Milwaukee’s four other starters also average double-digits in scoring, led by forward Khris Middleton, who has emerged as a very valuable asset by Giannis’ side. Throw in the likes of Eric Bledsoe and Brook Lopez, along with veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver off the bench and there’s no reason not to expect the Bucks to be contending for a title come the spring. 

Bucks November 2019 Schedule

All Times ET

Thu. Nov. 14 vs. Bulls, 8:00 PM

Sat. Nov. 16 @ Pacers, 7:00 PM

Mon. Nov. 18 @ Bulls, 8:00 PM

Wed. Nov. 20 @ Hawks, 7:30 PM

Thu. Nov. 21 vs. Trail Blazers, 8:00 PM

Sat. Nov. 23 vs. Pistons, 8:30 PM

Mon. Nov. 25 vs. Jazz, 8:00 PM

Wed. Nov. 27 vs. Hawks, 8:00 PM

Fri. Nov. 29 @ Cavaliers, 7:30 PM

Sat. Nov. 30 vs. Bobcats 8:00 PM

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