Was Wemby concentrating on something else here? Or was this deliberate?
This may be more innocuous than it appears on the surface, but some NBA fans definitely noticed it: After the incredible game between Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Milwaukee Bucks took down the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, it looks like Antetokounmpo tried to dap up Wemby.
But the Spurs rookie walked right by him and Giannis shook his head a bit, as if he was thinking, “… OK.”
Then, the footage shows Wembanyama talking to a referee, so he may have had that on his mind and may not have thought about post-game gestures.
Just how heated did the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Indiana Pacers game ball drama get?
Rewind it a sec, in case you didn’t hear about: After Giannis dropped 64 points on the Indiana Pacers, he wanted the game ball, but the Pacers wanted to give a ball to rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, and it turned into A WHOLE THING that included yelling in the tunnel.
What was said in that tunnel? It’s pretty delicious, assuming this is the real audio. You’ve got security yelling, Pacers players taunting and defending their ball, and Bucks players doing their best to get it.
It’s also pretty NSFW, so let’s do a WARNING: NSFW language ahead!
LEAKED Audio Of Pacers Refusing To Give Giannis Antetokounmpo The āGame Ballāš:
āYou want the ball? Youāre not getting that ballā
Then, Giannis gets heated at Tyrese Haliburton and yells at him: āGo get the f*cking ball! You need to go get itā pic.twitter.com/e9XAQzNZVl
That side came out on Wednesday night, after Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat took down the favored Milwaukee Bucks. Antetokounmpo was asked if this season was a failure and a clearly frustrated Giannis took a second before he delivered a thoughtful answer.
“There’s always steps to it, you know?” he said. “Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years were a failure? That’s what you’re telling me?”
“There’s no failure in sports,” he continued. “There’s good days, bad days. Some days you’re able to be successful, some days you’re not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. And that’s what sports is about.”
“Iām not as talented as Steph. Iām not as talented as KD. Iām [expletive] desperate.”
One would think that when you’ve had as much success as Giannis Antetokounmpo has, you’d appreciate it. A lot.
After all, he is an NBA champion and a two-time MVP. He’s also an NBA Finals MVP. Most players who come through the league won’t even experience a fraction of that sort of success. So when you join that sort of exclusive club, you’d think you’d show off that success whenever you can.
But Antetokounmpo doesn’t. He actually doesn’t display his trophies out in the open at all ā at least, that’s what he toldĀ The Athletic’sĀ Sam Amick in a new Q&A.
Amick asked AntetokounmpoĀ if he had physical objects in his house to remind him of his championship and his successes. As it turns out, he does. But he only displays his trophies in his office.
Why? Because he wants to keep himself desperate.
“I feel like sometimes looking at (accomplishments from the past) stops you from going out there and chasing and being desperate. Why Iām here is because Iām desperate. Iām not as talented as Steph. Iām not as talented as KD. Iām [expletive] desperate. Iām obsessed. Iām scared to lose what God has gave me and the life that Iāve provided for my kids and my brothers and for my mom, you know? Iām scared. So [expletive] work as hard as I can, because I donāt want to lose this [expletive]. And itās not gonna stop until Iām out of this league. “
That’s too real, man. What a quote.
That’s the thing about Antetokounmpo. Seeing where how far he’s come is so inspiring. But that’s not enough for him ā he continues to findĀ ways to drive himself and push for more success. It’s not necessarily about the successes as much as it is about the work for him.Ā He’s still got goals he wants to accomplish, as he explained in an interview with For The Win‘s Bryan Kalbrosky.
It doesn’t sound like that separation is going away anytime soon. And that should terrify the rest of the NBA.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name. It has been updated with the correct spelling. We regret the error.
Nikola Jokic’s defense just opened up the NBA MVP debate
There aren’t too many arguments you could make against Nikola Jokic for winning his 3rd MVP right now. At least, not when it comes to basketball.
The Nuggets center is averaging a triple-double with 11.9 rebounds, 10 assists and 24.7 points per game. He’s shooting 63% from the floor, 40% from 3-point range and 81% from the free-throw line. And those are just his counting stats ā we haven’t even talked about the advanced numbers that people hate so much yet.
But after this last week in the NBA, there is a case to be made against Jokic. And it revolves around his defense.
The Nuggets have been awful over the last week. Denver has lost four in a row to teams it has no business losing to ā the Spurs, the Raptors, the Bulls and the Nets. All fine teams, but they shouldn’t be dominating the Nuggets the way they all have.
At the center of it all has been Nikola Jokic. Teams have legitimately been going at him over and over and over again, forcing the big man to constantly defend. He’s been awful.
R/NBA user "Zhugo" has been posting compilations (like the one below) of Nikola Jokic getting abused defensively every game and then posting highlights for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Each of them getting millions of views on Reddit. He's successfully shifting/creating a narrative. pic.twitter.com/GNZBvPT4am
Look, supercuts of terrible defense from Jokic doesn’t necessarily represent Jokic’s defensive output constantly. There are metrics out there that say he’s actually a pretty good defender. And this doesn’t mean that he can’t be the MVP ā plenty of defensively-challenged greats have won it before.
This year’s MVP race ā for the second season in a row ā will require voters to split hairs. Things like head-to-head matchups, defensive play, and even the player’s individual history will come into play.
Unfortunately for Jokic and Nuggets fans, the center just gave voters a lot to think about.
The MVP conversation in the NBA always gets a little heated every year, but this year things are feeling extra spicy.
That’s mostly because of ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins. The former NBA player had a lot to say about Nikola Jokic over the last few weeks.
For example, Perkins said Jokic is padding his stats and pointed to that as why his numbers are so gaudy as if they still don’t contribute to winning. Jokic had some fun with that one, though.
One thing that wasn’t so fun, though, was when Kendrick Perkins seemed to allude to Jokic being the front-runner for a potential 3rd straight MVP trophy because he’s white. He got into a full-blown argument with JJ Reddick on First Take behind this one.
This was his argument in a nutshell.
āWhen it comes down to guys winning MVP since 1990, itās only three guys that won the MVP that wasnāt top 10 in scoringā¦Steve Nash, Jokic and Dirk Nowitzki. What do those guys have in common?ā
Perkins also argued that 80% of the NBA’s MVP voters are white, but it turns out that’s actually incorrect, too.
I hope Kendrick Perkins apologizes for implying that there's racial bias in NBA MVP voting based on the misinformation he claimed as "facts" yesterday. First Take correcting him publicly is a good step, but the damage done is irreversible at this point. pic.twitter.com/3gV3aGjgRg
He also made fun of him onĀ Inside the NBAĀ for it and it was hilarious. Shaq said he would vote for Giannis Antetkounmpo for MVP. Barkley came back immediately by saying “you’re only doing that because he’s Black.” And then everyone just lost it.
The best part of this was Jamal Crawford begging for Ernie Johnson to come in and save the crew. Meanwhile, Ernie needed some saving, too. It was that funny.
Look, there’s a conversation about race and the NBA that can definitely be had ā just as there is with virtually everything else in America. No one can plausibly deny that.
But this one doesn’t really feel like it’s it. If Nikola Jokic wins his 3rd MVP this season, it’s because he’s been a statistical anomaly ā not because he’s white. He deserves credit for that.
If that credit comes in the form of another MVP? So be it.
Draymond Green’s claim is completely baseless and he needs to let it go
Welcome to Layup Lines, our basketball newsletter where weāll prep you for a tip-off of tonightās action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe hereĀ to get itĀ delivered to your inbox every afternoon
Howdy, folks. Welcome back to Layup Lines. It’s Sykes, once again, ushering you into another weekend of basketball.Ā Before we get into that, though, let’s talk about Draymond Green.
European NBA players have been in quite the spotlight this week.
First, it was Kendrick Perkins asserting that Nikola Jokic was about to win his 3rd consecutive MVP trophy because he’s white and not because he’s currently averaging a 25-point triple-double on the best team in the West. Sure, Perk. That’s so unserious it’s not even worth touching.
But then, Draymond Green followed up with this gem in a conversation with Gilbert Arenas. On his podcast, Green asserted that European NBA players aren’t getting the same pressure to win championships as US players are.
“I feel like over the years, European players have not caught the same flak of winning a championship as US players and I don’t understand that.”Ā
Hilariously enough, Stephen A. Smith said he agreed with Green despite him actually creating the list himself. Then he explained his rationale behind it. And, honestly, it’s all just completely ridiculous.
Our memories are so short, man.
Right now, at this very moment, you have Nikola Jokic detractors saying he doesn’t deserve a third MVP trophy despite his performance this season because he hasn’t won a title yet. Perkins is at the top of that list.
So, no, Draymond. Sorry, Stephen A. It’s not true that European players don’t face the same expectations. They absolutely do ā maybe even more so considering the stereotypes being a European player came with once upon a time.
When it comes down to it, though, we should hope that these players don’tĀ receive the treatment players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan did when it comes to winning championships. The way they were treated was unfair to them. It’s not some rite of passage for all-time greats ā it’s really just abuse. And it’s stupid. Those conversations bring absolutely nothing to the game at all.
The fact that things might not be as bad as they once were for the league’s new superstars is a great thing. We should celebrate that instead of clamoring for more of the same.
That’s what progress looks like.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Warriors didn’t pay any attention to Russell Westbrook on Thursday night when they played the Clippers. They kind of just…let him be. And that worked to perfection, my colleague Charles Curtis writes.
“But the Golden State Warriors took their defense of Westbrook to an entirely new level on Thursday night. Draymond Green and Co. left Westbrook SO WIDE OPEN. Iām not talking three feet here. They clogged the paint and dared him to shoot.
And on the night, he went an abysmal 3-for-12, including 0-for-5 from distance. Bleh. The clips from that game are amazing, though ā itās as if the Dubs are playing 5-on-4 basketball here!”
The Warriors legitimately dared Westbrook to shoot and he couldn’t. This is what it’s going to look like if the Clippers make the playoffs. Best of luck, man. They’re going to need it.
Suns (-3.5, -160) vs. Bulls (+140), O/U 222.5, 8 PM ET
(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
You know, normally in this situation I would write about the previous matchups and how these two have fared against one another in the past. Today? Nah. Scrap all that. The Suns have Kevin Durant. Take them -3.5 and don’t look back.
By now, we all know what it is when it comes to Skip Bayless. The dude will say just about anything as long as it gets people watching his show, which includes trashing his own co-workers.
You’ve probably seen the clip floating around the internet over the last day. It’s Antetkounmpo throwing a playful and unserious jab at Kevin Durant, who was set to make his debut for the Phoenix Suns soon after the recording.
Giannis said “how about we work out together sometime so I can teach you how to carry your own team.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo takes a shot at Kevin Durant. š¤£
It was absolutely hilarious and very clearly a joke. The dude even praised Durant immediately after as part of the bit.
That didn’t stop talking head types like Bayless and his co-host, Shannon Sharpe, from clipping the comment and digging in on it without any context.
Here’s the thing, though. Antetkounmpo was actually on the show to promote the Charles Antetkounmpo Family Foundation ā a charity created in the name of Giannis’ late father. So, clearly, it meant a lot for him to be on the show. The jokes were really just a bonus.
So when Antetkounmpo was getting ripped for making a few jokes, Minhaj wasn’t having it. He addressed it on the very next show.
Minhaj essentially pointed out why Bayless and folks like him are the worst part of the media.
“That’s the vexxing thing I hate about being part of the media. It’s this [explective] clickbait, Instagram Reels, TikTok media grift. If I just snip out the right amount, oh baby, I can ride the wave…And the [explitive] part is, Skip is perpetuating the very reason why professional athletes don’t go on these shows. They’ve created a dynamic where you’ve got to go full Darth Maul in order to be an athlete that does media. ”Ā
Minhaj has a point here. Athletes who do make media appearances have to be careful with their words, or else they’ll be parsed like Giannis’ jokes above and used as fodder for the next day’s media cycle. That’s why, whenever athletes do speak, it tends to be so bland.
But if you’re an athlete whoĀ doesĀ do media, you’ve got to have the most scorching hot take for anyone to pay attention to you. Kendrick Perkins, for example, argued on Wednesday that part of the reason Nikola Jokic might be the NBA’s current favorite for MVP is that he’s white ā not because he’s the best player on the top seed in the West while averaging a 25-point triple-double.
So, yeah, Minhaj definitely has a point. But he also issued a challenge to Skip Bayless.
“I think … if Skip really cares about the athlete and the sport, then I think if he’s going to benefit off the grift then he should make a donation to the Charles Antetkounmpo family foundation. You’ve got to cleanse those pockets, baby.”Ā
Sounds good to me. Pay up, Skip. It’s the least you could do after making such a mockery of what should’ve just been a fun highlight of the NBA season.
These are the true NBA title contenders you need to worry about
Well, folks. We’re finally here. It’s the final countdown. The NBA has hit the last stretch of games before it’s playoff time.
The doldrums on the way to the All-Star break are gone. No more talking about how to fix the game ā all that is done.Ā This is when teams begin to ramp up. They start to experiment with some of their best lineups that they’ve pocketed all season long and really start to shape their individual identities for the playoffs.
But everyone in the league isn’t a contender, though. Most teams don’t actually have a shot at winning a title this season. Only a handful can actually claim to be in that conversation.
By my estimation, there are 8 of them. Let’s dive into all of them and talk about what we should be watching for as the season winds down.
I hate to admit it, but the All-Star game needs saving, man. Again. This year’s game just didn’t have the vibe that is required to make the game, well, good.
Instead, the players just hot-dogged it up and down the court. They were just out there getting cardio. It’s cool to see all the star power on the court, but it’s not as fun when they’re not actually trying. The fans notice that ā that’s why they tuned the game out.
So, with that being said, the For The Win NBA team here is dedicated to fixing it. We’re going to solve the problem that is the All-Star game.
How does one fix this game? By getting the players to play a bit harder. We figured out the perfect way to do it ā by only picking players who are going to play hard.
It’s genius, y’all.
Myself, Bryan Kalbrosky, Prince Grimes and Cory Woodroof put together a serpentine draft to select 12 players total with 3 going to each of us. The only goal for each person’s 3-man squad was to put together a team that would not only win, but also give the maximum effort on the court for our star-studded exhibition.
Below, you’ll see all of our individual picks and why we picked them. The crux of it all is this: We know these dudes are bringing it. And they’ll have a bit of fun, too. Because that’s just how they are.
With that being said, here let’s get into the results.
