Tag: Kawhi Leonard

Russell Westbrook scores 40 to lead epic Rockets rally at Clippers

Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 68 points as the Rockets (19-9) overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the host Clippers.

The Rockets went on 40-12 and 17-2 runs in the second half of Thursday’s wild game at Staples Center in Los Angeles, overcoming a 16-point deficit in the third quarter to defeat the host Clippers, 122-117 (box score).

Russell Westbrook led Houston with 40 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the first Rockets player not named James Harden to score 40 or more points in a game since Kevin Martin on Jan. 5, 2011.

Meanwhile, Harden had 28 points and 10 assists, with one of those dimes making him the franchise’s all-time assists leader.

Westbrook keyed the massive 40-12 run for the Rockets late in the third and early in the fourth quarters, in which Houston (19-9) turned a 77-61 deficit into a 101-89 lead with just over nine minutes left. Part of that run came with Harden on the bench and Westbrook leading the second unit.

Then, after the Clippers (21-9) responded with a 22-4 burst to go up 111-105, Harden took over down the stretch with 10 points in the final five minutes during a 17-2 Rockets run to secure the game.

Frontcourt starters P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela offered key defensive contributions, especially late. Tucker had 10 points, 12 rebounds and helped limit Kawhi Leonard in the fourth, while Capela posted 16 points (8-of-9 shooting), eight rebounds, four steals, and a game-high plus/minus figure of +27 in his 39 minutes.

Paul George led Los Angeles with 34 points, but Harden took on the assignment of the Clippers’ leading scorer in the final five minutes and held him in check as the Rockets took command with that 17-2 burst.

The Rockets, who have now won eight of their last 11 games overall, return to action Saturday night at Phoenix (11-16) for the second game of a four-game West Coast road trip.

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How to Watch Rockets vs. Clippers, NBA Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Rockets vs. Clippers Live Online.

The Western Conference is loaded with star power this season after a plethora of teams made offseason moves. Two of those franchises were the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. They clash in a key game on Thursday.

Rockets vs. Clippers

When: Thursday, December 19

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

The last game for the Houston Rockets was an emotional one, as they earned a dramatic 109-107 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. In a rematch of a game the Rockets protested earlier in the season due to a James Harden dunk that was not counted, the Rockets came back from a 25-point deficit to grab the win. Russell Westbrook led the Rockets with 31 points. It will be interesting to see how the emotions of that night impact the Rockets in their clash with the Clippers.

Los Angeles enjoyed a much less dramatic affair during its last game, as the Clippers collected a 120-99 win over the Phoenix Suns. Paul George scored 24 points for the Clippers, while Kawhi Leonard had 20 points. That balance between the two stars has been an impressive feature of this new-look Clippers team, as both stars have played without an ego. A strong bench has also provided them with plenty of support.

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No load management for LeBron James: ‘If I’m healthy, I play”

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James reiterated that he won’t sit games if he is healthy enough to play.

As LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers continue to barnstorm through opposing NBA arenas on a nightly basis, the inevitable questions that have followed LeBron for the last decade have come along with it even though he continues to redefine what players can do in Year 17 of their NBA careers. Does LeBron need to take some games off?

The answer, for basically LeBron’s entire career, has been no. And Year 17 is no different when it comes to the NBA’s topic du jour of “Load Management.”Although crosstown rival Kawhi Leonard is still sitting games out to manage a knee issue, James is steadfast that if he’s healthy, he will play. Not only because he wants to play, but because fo the responsibility he feels for young fans in visiting cities paying to see him.

Transcribed by Christian Rivas of Silver Screen and Roll

“If I’m healthy, I play … I mean, that should be the approach. Unless we’re getting late into the season, we’ve clinched and we can’t get any better — or any worse — I could benefit from that. But why wouldn’t I play if I’m healthy? It doesn’t make any sense to me, personally. I mean, I don’t know how many games I got left in my career. I don’t know how many kids that may show up to a game that are there to come see me play — and if I sit out, then what? That’s my obligation. My obligation is to play for my teammates and if I’m healthy, then I’m going to play. If coach sits me out, then I’m not healthy and it’s just simple.”

James has often mentioned the responsibility he feels to play, especially when he’s on the road in cities where he will only visit once per year. So far this season, that attitude is driving the Lakers to a 14-1 road record, with their one road loss coming at Staples Center against the Clippers.

James and the Lakers have two games remaining on their current road trip, with Tuesday night in Indiana before a showdown against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the 23-3 Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

Report: Lakers offered Russell $100 million as back-up plan for Kawhi

The Los Angeles Lakers also pursued D’Angelo Russell in the offseason before settling on the role players that filled out their squad.

Considering how things are going for the Los Angeles Lakers right now, with a 22-3 record after 25 games, it’s hard to imagine any other reality being better than the one they are living in right now. But as it goes in the NBA, there were several sliding doors moments that could have changed the Lakers.

One of those sliding doors moments was Kawhi Leonard’s decision to join the L.A. Clippers after the Clippers traded for Paul George, deciding against joining the Lakers or staying with the Toronto Raptors. But until yesterday, we were unaware of the details on another potential moment that would have changed the complexion of the Lakers.

D’Angelo Russell was a serious back-up plan for the Lakers, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.

Russell only wanted serious bidders and, sources say, he had three: The Lakers — wouldn’t that have been quite the reunion? — nearing a potential $100 million offer but in limbo until Kawhi Leonard made his choice, the Wolves, up over $100 million but still needing to create cap room to get to his max, and the Warriors, offering the full max in a complicated sign-and-trade involving Durant.

Although Russell would have had an opportunity to play for the Lakers under a new regime and with two new star players, the checkered past involving Russell and the Lakers is likely a big reason why he decided to take the bigger check to go play with Golden State.

Had Russell waited, the Lakers team they currently have would look a lot different. Danny Green probably wouldn’t be on the team and LeBron James almost certainly wouldn’t be leading the NBA in assists. But considering the high level of basketball the Lakers are playing right now, it’s hard to imagine how things could have worked out any better for the.

There’s a very good reason why Kawhi Leonard’s Raptors ring has a middle finger emoji on it

Still funny, though.

No, this is not the Toronto Raptors throwing a bunch of shade at Kawhi Leonard for bolting the franchise he helped for one year and joining the Los Angeles Clippers.

But yes, there is a middle finger printed on Leonard’s 2018-19 championship ring that he received from the Raps on Wednesday night, in which die-hards in the North showed him nothing but class in his return.

So here’s the reason why that’s on there: it’s a reminder to Leonard to wear the ring on his middle finger. Simple! But Leonard, as you may know, is a self-proclaimed “fun guy.” So he described the emoji as an “Eff you” symbol:

It would be way funnier if it was the other reason, but alas.

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Raptors fans chanted MVP! at Kawhi Leonard in classy moment before his first game back

All class in Toronto upon Kawhi Leonard’s return.

Kawhi Leonard is making his first trip back to Toronto tonight since he led the Raptors to a NBA title last June.

And the fans were really happy to see him, which is pretty cool.

Leonard, of course, left town in the offseason to join the Los Angeles Clippers. But nobody can take his one year with the Raptors away from him as he led the city on a heck of a run last spring/summer that ended with a lot of parties after they beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Leonard got his championship ring before Wednesday’s tip and fans showed their love for him with MVP champs and signs saying thanks:

How awesome is that?

This was just as awesome:

And here’s the video tribute they played for him:

All class in Toronto.

The best NBA teams of the decade, ranked

The Basketball Gods spoiled us this decade.

Over the last decade the Basketball Gods have bestowed some glorious storylines upon us.

We saw three future MVPs on one team in Oklahoma City that never won an actual championship. We saw the Warriors break the 72-10 Bulls’ regular season win record. We saw LeBron James’ Miami Heat rip off one of the longest winning streaks in NBA history.

I haven’t even gotten to Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs drama or the James Harden’s Rockets. We’ve been blessed this decade, folks. We’ve seen dynasties rise and fall, we’ve seen one-off titles that will last forever, and we’ve seen failures we’ll never forget.

But which teams were the best of the decade? We’re ranking them all right here.

Honorable Mentions

2009-10 Lakers

(PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

It’s hard to keep a champion out of the top 10 on this list, but this feels right. These Lakers were a great team — they won 57 games and were a repeat champion. But they were a year older and a bit worse than the season before. They also came right before the league’s 3-point boom. Had they been around in the next era, it’s hard to tell if they would’ve had the same success.

2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

(DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)

The same thing goes for these Dallas Mavericks. They had an amazing title run and were legitimately one of the best stories of the decade. But, pound for pound, they only had a single All-Star in Dirk Nowitzki. It’s hard to compare them to other teams later in the decade.

The All-Decade list

10. 2017-18 Houston Rockets

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Okay, okay. I get it. The Rockets can’t get over the hump, James Harden’s playoff struggles, blah blah blah. Yes, we know. But the Rockets were the only team in the West that could even challenge the Kevin Durant-era Warriors. No, they never won, but neither did anyone else when they were fully healthy. They had an MVP, won 65 games and pushed the best roster ever to seven games. No one else can say that.

9. 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

(Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

This team was by far the best in the league that season. Their 9.1 net rating was tops in the league, they had four future Hall of Famers and a bunch of scrappy role players that moved the ball and defended at a top notch level. This is the team that shaped Kawhi Leonard into the player he is now. Speaking of which…

8. 2011-12 Miami Heat

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

I’m totally afraid that I’m underrating this Miami Heat team. Though they weren’t at the peak of their powers just yet, they were still spectacular in a lockout shortened season where they won 46 of 66 games. Their season culminated in a dominant 4-1 Finals win over a Thunder team that they’d never see in the postseason again.

7. 2015-16 Golden State Warriors

(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

This team could’ve very easily been closer to the top. They won a league record 73 games, had the longest winning streak to start a season ever (24), and had a UNANIMOUS MVP on their team. Yet, they also could’ve missed it completely after blowing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. They were the NBA’s biggest success and failure of the decade, all at once.

6. 2018-19 Toronto Raptors

(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

These Raptors reaped the benefits from those 2014 Spurs. They essentially took Leonard on loan and rode him all the way to a title. They’re are the only team to win a playoff series against the Durant-led Warriors — even if they weren’t healthy. That’s a big achievement in itself.

5. 2014-15 Golden State Warriors

(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

You can say what you want about this Warriors team — sure, they beat an injured Cavaliers team and they had a bit of luck on their way to a title. Most champions do. The bottom line is they won 67 games with a league MVP in Stephen Curry and a spectacular defense. They were incredible.

4. 2017-18 Golden State Warriors

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

It’s hard to go back-to-back in this era of NBA basketball where stars are bouncing all over the place and the balance of the league is forever shifting. These Warriors were able to do it behind the brilliance of Curry and Durant once again — even with seeds of discord being sewn in the team.

3. 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

This team is so hard to rank. They were a soap opera. These Cavaliers fired a coach with a 30-11 record midseason, subtweeted each other, and still felt failure of the Finals loss from the season before. But they made up for it with the most epic comeback in league history. You know — 3-1 deficit, unanimous MVP and all that good stuff.

2. 2012-13 Miami Heat

(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

This team’s 27 game winning streak on their way to 66 wins on the season is the second longest streak in NBA history. Only the 1971-72 Lakers’ 33-game streak is longer. They had LeBron James at the peak of his powers — that alone makes them one of the best teams in league history.

1. 2016-17 Golden State Warriors

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

This is quite simply the greatest collection of basketball talent we’ve ever seen – outside of an All-Star team – headed by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant at their best. They rode that to a 67-win season and a 16-1 record in the playoffs, matching the unstoppable 2001 Lakers’ playoff run.

You can see all of our NBA coverage here.

The highest paid NBA players of 2019-20

The top 20 highest paid players in the NBA all make at least $30 million.

It’s a great time to be a professional basketball player. If you were thinking of putting your kid in sports soon, definitely have them pick up a basketball.

We knew the league’s salary cap was blowing up a while ago, but I’m not sure anybody imagined it being like this. The NBA is flush with cash right now. The 20 highest paid players in the NBA will all make at least $30 million this season.

It’s not just the LeBron Jameses and Kevin Durants of the world either — there are legitimate non-All-Star players who are jumping into the NBA’s top tax bracket.

You can see the full salaries at HoopsHype.

20. Paul Millsap — $30,000,000

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

19. Khris Middleton — $30,603,448

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

18. Kyrie Irving — $31,742,000

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

17. Mike Conley — $32,511,623

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

16. Gordon Hayward — $32,700,690

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

T-11. Tobias Harris — $32,742,000

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

T-11. Jimmy Butler — $32,742,000

(Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports)

T-11. Kawhi Leonard — $32,742,000

(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

T-11. Kemba Walker — $32,742,000

(AP Photo/Sarah Stier)

T-11. Klay Thompson — $32,742,000

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

10. Paul George — $33,005,556

(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

9. Kyle Lowry — $33,296,296

(Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports)

8. Blake Griffin — $34,449,964

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

7. Kevin Durant — $37,199,000

(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

6. LeBron James — $37,436,858

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

T-4. John Wall  — $38,199,000

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

T-4. James Harden  — $38,199,000

(AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

T-2. Chris Paul — $38,506,482

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

T-2. Russell Westbrook — $38,506,482

(AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

1. Stephen Curry — $40,231,758

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Updated championship odds have Lakers, Clippers as 3-1 favorites

The oddsmakers still believe the NBA championship will belong to Los Angeles in June of 2020.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost for the first time in 11 games on Sunday but despite no longer having sole possession of the NBA’s best record, the oddsmakers still believe they have as great of a chance as anybody in the league to win the championship. Well, except for their Staples Center counterparts, the Los Angeles Clippers.

BetOnline released their updated odds for the month of December and after November saw the Clippers as the favorites ahead of the Lakers, December’s odds have them neck and neck to win the title at 3-1. Behind them are the Milwaukee Bucks at 9-2, who are tied with the Lakers for the best record in the league.

The Lakers expressed their goal yesterday to not lose multiple games in a row this season after Sunday’s home loss to Dallas. While that might be a difficult task for the Lakers, or any team this season, it’s the type of aspiration that championship teams have.

While we still have to wait a few weeks for the next Lakers-Clippers showdown on Christmas Day, the way both teams are playing makes an All-L.A. Western Conference Final even more likely.

The Clippers’ flex on the Mavericks showed us exactly what they could be

This defense is straight up unfair.

We’ve been telling you all season long about how the Clippers aren’t even close to being a finished product and that’s still mostly true.

But the havoc they wreaked against the Mavericks in Tuesday’s 114-99 win gave the rest of the league a glimpse at how scary they can be when they lock in.

Going into the game the Mavericks were scoring 117.4 points per 100 possessions. The Clippers held them to just 93.4 points per 100 — a full 24 points under their regular mark.

They took the most efficient offense in NBA history and tore it to shreds like it was child’s play. Luka Doncic might be the NBA’s best offensive player to this point and they made him look like a rookie again. And the scariest part of all is that they actually made it look easy.

Here’s how they did it

The key to neutralizing the Mavericks’ offensive attack is taking out their fulcrum in Doncic. He leads the league in touches with 98.6 per game. Whatever the Mavericks do runs through him.

The Clippers took that away by pressing him hard in the full court when he brought the ball up the floor. Even once he crossed half court, they kept the pressure on.

Just look at how far back Beverley is playing him. He’s not worried about what’s on the back end — just staying in front of the ball.

That’s not a normal coverage. It takes a lot to pressure the ball like this throughout a game. We don’t normally see teams employ this game after game because it wears guards down defensively, but the Clippers have the defensive depth to pull this out whenever they want.

What they really wanted to do was force the ball out of Doncic’s hands. When the Mavs tried to initiate screen and rolls, their bigs didn’t switch or drop back in coverage. Instead, the Clippers showed two and had the big men step up to force Doncic to get rid of it. Someone else had to make a play.

Even when Doncic didn’t have the ball, the Clippers still kept the pressure up and just threw everything out of wack.

The Mavs have good offensive players surrounding Doncic, but they’re not used to making plays themselves. The Clippers exploited that and forced them into 20 turnovers — Doncic had seven of them himself.

The Clippers’ ability to press is unfair

Watching them defend is like watching a game of NBA 2k. Someone is just perpetually mashing the steal button and not paying for their gambles. They’re always on the ball yet always somehow in the right passing lane.

This is a luxury most teams can’t afford. Playing an ultra aggressive style is hard. Not only because a defense can get burned for gambling, but it also takes a ton of energy to do it right.

The Clippers have the bodies to get it done. Beverley, George and Harkless all guarded Doncic when he had the ball for at least two minutes, per NBA.com’s stats tool.

“It’s good, you know, me pressuring the ball, Rodney [McGruder] pressuring the ball, of course, Kawhi guarding somebody so they turn their back,” Patrick Beverley said after the game. “PG is able to play that corner back type of defense and we get a lot of steals that lead to early offense.”

Beverley is absolutely right and it’s maddening. They shouldn’t be able to move like this.

The Clippers aren’t going to play this way for 82 games. It takes entirely too much energy and it’s impossible for bodies to fly around like this without risking injury.

But the fact that they have this type of defense in their bag is the scariest thing ever for NBA offenses. The rest of the league best beware.