Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Thunder are the first team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 24-point deficit in back-to-back games.
For a three-minute stretch at the beginning of the third quarter, it looked like Oklahoma City’s fate against the Grizzlies was already decided.
Down 89-65 with 7:10 left in the frame, the Thunder caught fire, closing out the quarter by outscoring Memphis 28-11 to cut the deficit to 100-93 heading into the fourth.
Like they did Monday against the Bulls, the Thunder took back the lead in the final frame, a Dennis Schroder jumper with just over eight minutes to play.
Chris Paul put OKC out in front 122-120 with a minute left to play and it was Schroder on Wednesday night that iced the win, making all four of his free-throw attempts down the stretch.
Per Elias Sports Bureau, the Thunder are the first team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 24-point deficit in back-to-back games. They are the second team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 20-point deficit in back-to-back games, joining the Pacers on Jan. 11 and Jan. 13, 2010.
Per @EliasSports, the @OKCThunder are the 1st team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 24-point deficit in back-to-back games.
They are the 2nd team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 20-point deficit in back-to-back games, joining the Pacers on Jan. 11 and Jan. 13, 2010. pic.twitter.com/kioU3T8Gmi
After the game, Billy Donovan gave his team credit for grinding it out despite a tough first half.
“We got a lot of contributions from a lot of different guys. Certainly, the bench was a major factor in us being able to put ourselves in a position to get back in the game. I thought we closed the game well. I thought we got good shots and did some good things down the stretch.”
Oklahoma City’s bench outscored the Grizzlies’ 52-49, with 31 of those bench points for OKC coming from Schroder.
Five other players for the Thunder were in double-digits, Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both had 20, Chris Paul scored 18, and Steven Adams and Nerlens Noel added 13 and 10 respectively.
With the win, Oklahoma City improves to 13-14 on the year and 9-5 at home.
The Thunder are back in action on Friday when they host the Phoenix Suns.
HoopsHype ranks the five players who have popped up the most in trade rumors over the past week, including Kevin Love and Chris Paul.
As of Dec. 15, 123 players became eligible for trade that previously couldn’t be dealt. Because of that many expect activity on the trade market to finally start to pick up after a long dry spell.
Various big-name players have been bandied about over recent days, and though a huge deal may not seem imminent, one could spring up on us at any time.
Below, HoopsHype ranks the five players who have popped up the most in rumors on the site’s Trade page over the past week.
Of course, he doesn’t control whether he gets dealt or not, and considering how well he’s playing and where the Knicks sit in the standings (13th in the East with a 7-21 record), odds are, if New York receives a worthy offer, the big man will be traded.
The latest on Morris’ trade market came courtesy of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, who had this exchange during a recent TV special:
“‘[The Clippers] thought they had Marcus Morris in July,’ said Wojnarowski. ‘That’s a player they had great interest with, that they saw who would fit with Paul George and with Kawhi Leonard. So, to see them revisit that is certainly plausible.’ Lowe added: ‘I would expect that package to be out there.'”
Morris is averaging a career-high 18.8 points this season, to go with 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 triples on fiery 43.1/47.7/86.1 shooting splits. He’d be a great addition to any contender.
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
4. CHRIS PAUL
Heading into the season, many expected Chris Paul, a veteran All-Star on an Oklahoma City Thunder team in Year-1 of a full rebuild, to get traded. And although that could still happen, it’s looking less and less likely the more information we receive on the matter.
The primary culprit for that is Paul’s enormous contract, which will pay him $41.4 million next year, in his age-35 season, and $44.2 million the year after, in his age-36 campaign. Simply put: That’s way too much money to be paying a diminutive floor general with a history of injury troubles, no matter how well he’s playing right now.
It’ll take a desperate team in a small market to even consider making a run at Paul, and even then, it probably won’t happen until his contract becomes an expiring deal. And that’s only if Paul is still producing at a high level, which may not be the case at that point in his career.
Paul is averaging 16.2 points, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season.
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
3. D’ANGELO RUSSELL
Another floor general who came into the season with a lot of trade buzz surrounding his name, D’Angelo Russell also seems likely to stay put through the season, at least if recent reports are to be believed.
Woj says he thinks it's more likely Golden State will wait until the summer to look at trading D'Angelo Russell rather than doing so in-season. Says it doesn't make much sense for Golden State to canvas the league in-season.
The issue with Russell and the Golden State Warriors is that when the Warriors are fully operational, he’d be the third-best guard on his own team while earning an enormous salary over the next four seasons. That would be a poor distribution of resources by Golden State, particularly when Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson get healthy.
Of course, Curry isn’t set to return until at least February while Thompson might not return at all until 2020-21, so the Warriors really don’t have a need to move Russell until next summer, where they can trade him for a player who would give them a more well-balanced roster.
Regardless, there are a few point-guard needy teams out there right now, and if one gets desperate enough for more scoring in their backcourt, we could see a deal before February’s trade deadline.
Russell is averaging 21.5 points and 6.2 assists in 2019-20.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
2. ANDRE IGUODALA
Former Warrior Andre Iguodala, unlike the two aforementioned point guards, is a player who looks likely be traded this season. Iguodala has yet to suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies, who are keeping him away from the team while they figure out what they’re going to do with the 2015 Finals MVP.
According to reports over the past week, coming from multiple reputable outlets, the teams that have interest in Iguodala include the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets, the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets.
The problem is, all of those teams are capped out, and Iguodala is owed $17.2 million this season, meaning both sides are going to have to get the salary swaps just right to make a deal work. In all likelihood, the contenders chasing Iguodala and the swingman himself are probably hoping the Grizzlies agree to a fair buyout with the almost-36-year-old, so that they’re able to sign him to recruit him, sign him to a team-friendly contract and not lose assets in a trade.
At the same time, the Grizzlies have little motivation to do that, so expect Iguodala ultimately to get traded over the next month and a half.
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
1. KEVIN LOVE
One of the likeliest trade candidates this season is Kevin Love, who hasn’t gone as far as to demand a trade, but made it clear – publicly – that if one does happen, he wouldn’t mind.
It’s obvious why Love is such a bandied-about trade prospect: He’s 31, playing on a team mostly full of up-and-coming players who are nowhere near ready to compete for even a playoff spot, let alone a title. That plus his huge contract make his future with the Cleveland Cavaliers look pretty murky.
There has been some back-and-forth over the past week on whether the Cavs will be able to land a first-round pick in exchange for Love, or whether they’ll have to give one up in order for someone to be willing to take his massive deal, but ESPN’s Zach Lowe thinks they’ll be able to pick up a coveted asset while mentioning the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns as potential suitors.
For what it’s worth, Love has no idea how this saga will end, telling The Athletic:
“Could I see [getting traded]? I could see … I just don’t … What’s going to happen with us this summer? Or at the trade deadline? I just don’t know. It’s just tough because, and I’m not a religious guy by any means, but the old saying ‘You want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.’ Listen, obviously it’s a tough go right now. We’ve got (six) wins. But in some ways, the grass isn’t always greener. You just don’t know how the shit is going to shake out. Ever. In anything.”
Love might not be sure, but all signs point to him getting dealt prior to February.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
After over a month of the college basketball season, we are starting to get a better picture of what the 2020 NBA Draft will look like.
After over a month of the college basketball season, we are starting to get a better picture of what the 2020 NBA draft will look like.
For example, Georgia Bulldogs freshman Anthony Edwards is beginning to separate himself as a near-consensus No. 1 overall pick. On the other side of the coin, though, several of the projected top selections (LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, Cole Anthony and RJ Hampton) will miss extended time due to either injury or suspension.
In order to get a better read of the bigger picture, we collected opinions from the top experts and analysts that cover the draft. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic as well as USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.
Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry, Xavier Tillman in top-45 of The Athletic's NBA Draft Big Board https://t.co/LFrVsMcvZD
One of the most interesting takeaways is that the Michigan State Spartans have three players (Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry and Xavier Tillman) all trending up.
After making the Final Four in last year’s March Madness, the program was expected to take another leap forward for their 2019-20 campaign.
Despite three losses in their first 10 games, the Spartans still rank No. 15 overall this season. This can be attributed to the fact Michigan State currently has the third-best offense in college basketball, per KenPom.com.
They also have three of the most improved players since our last aggregate mock draft. The full list, and more on each of the MSU players moving up draft boards, is included below.
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 17 spots in our rankings.
Despite already being 21 years old, the 6-foot-1 guard currently has a first-round grade from ESPN as well as Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports.
Winston has been one of the best distributors since he began at MSU. 67.1 percent of all field goals for the Spartans have been assisted, which is the sixth-most among all teams so far this season. His career assist rate (44.1 percent) ranks No. 1 overall among all college players who have played at least 50 games since 2009-10, via Sports-Reference.
With 7 assists today vs Rutgers, Cassius Winston now has the 2nd-most career assists (770) in Big Ten History, passing Illinois’ Bruce Douglas.
Winston is now just 46 assists behind Mateen Cleaves for the conference career record (816). pic.twitter.com/BLzMQGjpzx
During his freshman season, he had the second-best assist rate (46.7 percent) in the NCAA. Then as a sophomore, his assist rate (43.5 percent) trailed only Trae Young for the best in college basketball. Last season, his assist mark (44.8 percent) ranked third-best and behind only Ja Morant among all who played for teams that made the tournament.
But he has also shown strength as one of the more accurate shooters in the NCAA.
Winston was 75-for-151 (49.7 percent) from beyond the arc in 2017-18. That helped him join the exclusive 50-40-90 club for field-goal percentage, three-point percentage and free-throw percentage. Even as a sophomore then, the guard was one of the few to have a membership with at least two three-point attempts per game.
There is some enough NBA readiness to show he can contribute right away for a winning team.
Aaron Henry, Wing
AMD Rank: 33
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 26 spots in our rankings.
Henry was of the players who helped himself the most during the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Then a freshman, he put up 20 points with 6 rebounds and 6 assists during a victory over LSU.
While he has not yet taken the leap some expected as a sophomore, draft experts still have confidence in him as a prospect. His highest ranking right now comes from Jonathan Wasserman, who has him at No. 28 overall (via Bleacher Report):
“The eye test on Henry looks more convincing than the numbers. He isn’t a high-level creator, which limits him in Michigan State’s offense. But the 6’6″ guard is hitting open shots, capitalizing on driving lanes and making impact defensive plays. This late, teams will overlook Henry’s production for his fit.”
Perhaps the best news for the wing is that there is room for improvement. However, there have also been moments that show what Henry is capable of accomplishing at the next level.
This season, for example, the sophomore has been one of the most effective shooters off the catch. He is averaging 1.78 points per possession on catch-and-shoot attempts in a set offense, per Synergy Sports, which ranks in the 98th percentile.
Henry is also shooting 72.7 percent at the rim, which is an especially solid rate for a wing. Overall, he looks like someone capable of being a 3-and-D player in an NBA rotation.
Xavier Tillman, Big
AMD Rank: 50
Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 13 spots in our rankings.
Michigan State has always been a team that plays better with Tillman on the court. Last season, for example, the big actually had the third-best box plus-minus in the NCAA — trailing only Zion Williamson and Brandon Clarke.
Jeremy Woo recently helped contextualize what professional teams may like about the 6-foot-8 junior (via SI.com):
“Tillman specializes in doing the dirty work and has been a largely unheralded yet invaluable piece of the Spartans’ success dating back to last season. He’s not particularly tall for a center but has a chance to be a quality rotational big in the pros with what he adds defensively and on the glass. Tillman has worked on extending his shooting range, and if he ends up being able to shoot the three, he’ll have a fairly strong window of opportunity as a role player. A lot of the things he does as a screener and defender don’t show up in the box score, and while he’ll never be more than a fourth or fifth offensive option, he might be able to thrive in that capacity.”
His best trait so far this season has been his ability to cut to the basket. He is shooting 15-for-17 (88.2 percent) on these attempts, per Synergy.
But he has also added value on the offensive glass and as a rim protector for Michigan State. His willingness and ability to make the most of time on the floor makes him a draftable professional prospect.
After a near silent few months of trade rumors, rumblings league-wide are beginning to pick up. We have the latest stirrings for you here.
TRADE SZN STIRRING: You know trade season is about to pick up when Woj is getting his own half-hour ESPN specials to discuss the latest rumblings in the Association. Among the rumors discussed by Woj and Zach Lowe:
LET THE TRADES BEGIN: Yesterday, 123 players had their trade restrictions – stemming from them signing new contracts this past summer – lifted.Here is every single guy who can now be traded.
YESTERDAY IN THE ASSOCIATION: One team continues to roll while another continues to do the opposite of that.
🔥 The Lakers defeated the Hawks 101-96 to improve to 24-3 on the year. It wasn’t their most impressive victory, but the fact they refuse to lose on the road this season is insane in its own right. LeBron James finished the contest with 32 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists while Anthony Davis had 27 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks.
😲 The Pelicans lost their 12th game in a row on Sunday, falling 130-119 to the Orlando Magic… at home.Head coach Alvin Gentry’s job appears to be safe for now, but if the losing continues, it would be easy to foresee first-year GM David Griffin bringing in his own guy to lead New Orleans. Markelle Fultzthrew down this nifty dunk in that same game.
(NOT) HOT SEAT: The Bulls have been an abject disaster this season relative to expectations, placing a lot of heat on head coach Jim Boylen’s job security. Regardless, Chicago general managerJim Paxson publicly endorsed his head coach on Saturday anyway.
A RETURN APPROACHING:Jusuf Nurkic says he’s 60 percent complete with rehab, and was seen doing more physical activity at practice recently. Portland, 10-16, desperately needs their big man to get healthy as soon as possible.
SWINGMAN RETURNS: Wilson Chandler made his return for the Nets yesterday after missing the first 25 games of the season due to testing positive for a banned substance. He played 19 minutes and scored seven points in a 109-89 Brooklyn victory over the Sixers.
ATTEMPTED COMEBACK: Six-time All-Star Amare Stoudemire has left the Chinese CBA and returned to South Floridain hopes of making an NBA return.
FASCINATING JOURNEY: St. Thomas More is an all-boy boarding school with an enrollment of 125, located in Connecticut. Why are we telling you that?Because that tiny school somehow produced three NBA players, all of whom play on the Golden State Warriors this season. Crazy.
CLUTCH LIKE DADDY: LeBron James Jr., in a nationally televised game against his father’s alma mater, with his father in attendance,hit a game-winning layup and was named MVP of the contest over the weekend. It would be really cool if we got to see both James men in the NBA at the same time one day.
The Golden State Warriors were easily the most dominant NBA team in the 2010s decade. What teams followed them? Our full rankings included.
The end of the decade is upon us, which a good time to look at the teams that thrived and those that took a nosedive over the 2010s.
For clarity, the period examined begins with the 2010-11 NBA season and ends Dec. 12, 2019, rather than bridging games that were played in the second half of 2009-10. Remember, the 2011-12 season was limited to 66 games due to a players’ strike.
30. Sacramento Kings
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Kings have been consistent … as in consistently under .500. The last time the franchise had a winning season was 2005-06. It will be interesting to see if they can get over the .500 mark this go-round. The Kings are currently flirting with .500 but still under.
Previewing Saturday’s Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Washington Wizards (7-16) and Memphis Grizzlies (8-17) square off at FedExForum in Memphis at 8 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Wizards-Grizzlies odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.
Wizards at Grizzlies: Key injuries
Wizards: PG Isaiah Thomas (calf) and SG Isaac Bonga (head) are both question marks, while PF Moritz Wagner (ankle) is out.
Grizzlies: SG Grayson Allen (ankle), PF Brandon Clarke (oblique) and PG Ja Morant (back) are each listed as questionable.
Wizards at Grizzlies: 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 9:50 a.m. ET.
The WIZARDS (-115) are worth a look as slight favorites on the road, as the Grizzlies (-105) are playing the second end of a back-to-back set and they’re likely to have tired legs.
The WIZARDS(-1.5, -105) are a solid 7-5 on the road this season. They’re also a well rested side, and they’re 3-0-1 ATS in the past four when working on three or more days of rest.
The Grizzlies (+1.5, -115) are just 5-16 ATS in the past 21 when playing in the second end of a back-to-back, while going 2-5 ATS in the past seven overall at home.
Take the OVER 234.5 (-115) with or without Thomas’ involvement for the Wizards. The Under is 5-2 in the past seven for Memphis, still, the Grizzlies are unlikely to play strong defense while working on no rest. Tired legs lead to lazy defense.
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.
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This clutch dunk in the final minute was ridiculous.
Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant threw down one of the dunks of the year on Wednesday night against the Suns, which doubled as one of the most athletic fourth-quarter daggers you’ll ever see.
With the Grizzlies leading 109-105 on the road in the final minute, Morant pulled 6-foot-10 Suns center Aron Baynes out to the 3-point line, then flashed past the big man with a crossover move. Baynes tried to recover and contest the shot, but Morant took flight and threw down a right-handed dunk over Baynes’ outstretched arm as he was falling away from the basket. The bucket put the Grizzlies up by 6 with 43.4 seconds left to play, and they held on to win the game.
👀 Ja Morant with the cross and nasty poster dunk on Baynes!
The Golden State Warriors got a taste of why Ja Morant is considered a favorite to win Rookie of the Year.
After beating the Chicago Bulls in the final chapter of a five-game road trip, the Golden State Warriors had a chance to start their first winning streak in 2019 with the Memphis Grizzlies coming to town. The Grizzlies lost nine of their last 10 before heading to San Francisco, while the Warriors were getting healthy for the first time in 2019— everything seemed to be lining up in Golden State’s favor.
The Grizzlies had a different plan— to shoot the three-pointer, and the Warriors couldn’t stop them. The Grizzlies cashed 15 threes on a whopping 40 attempts from beyond the arc. Seven different Memphis players knocked down three-pointer’s, including both of the Grizzlies bigs, Jaren Jackson and Jonas Valanciunas.
The Warriors could never match the Grizzlies shooting effort, only shooting 38 percent from the field, but where Golden State got hurt was turning the basketball over. The Warriors couldn’t get out of their own way, ending the night with 17 turnovers.
Golden State tried to scrap back into the game, cutting the Grizzlies lead to single digits in the final minutes. However, a stellar fourth quarter by Ja Morant sealed the Memphis 110-102 win.
Battle for Rookie of the Year
The days of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph traveling to the Bay Area for a playoff matchup against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are gone. Instead, the Grizzlies-Warriors matchup headlined a pair of rookies. Both Morant and Eric Paschall are Rookie of the Year contenders and went toe-to-toe Monday night.
Although there was hype, it was a one-person show with the Memphis rookie landing the knockout punch. Morant dropped 25 points with seven assists, while Paschall had a disappointing performance, only tallying five points and two rebounds.
Morant’s best moment of the night came on a flashy dribbling clinic that left Alec Burks looking in a different direction. Paschall will get another crack at Morant when the Warriors head to Memphis on January 12.
After missing the past 21-games, second-year guard, Jacob Evans returned to the floor for Golden State, giving the Warriors their most substantial bench since the opening week of the season. Evans only totaled 11-minutes, adding two points, one rebound, and one assist. Evans will slowly be worked back into Steve Kerr’s rotation as he continues to get his feet under him in his sophomore NBA season.
Draymond Green Season High
Draymond Green tied his 2019 season-high in scoring with 16 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, a positive sign for the Warriors All-Star. Green was aggressive on the offensive side, which has turned into a rare occasion for the former Defensive Player of the Year. If the Warriors want to hang in games, while Curry and Thompson are out, they need Green to be active offensively.
With the 2019-20 season looking like a developmental year for Golden State, Green should push to work on his offensive game before next season when the Splash Brothers return healthy.
The Grizzlies will get their Rookie of the Year candidate, Ja Morant back from injury just in time to face the Golden State Warriors.
In 2019, the Golden State Warriors have had 24-attempts at victory, yet have only registered five wins. One of those five wins came against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies, similarly to Golden State, are struggling in 2019 with a 6-16 record. Still, there is faith in Memphis because of their stellar rookie, Ja Morant.
Morant’s the perennial favorite to win Rookie of the Year, averaging 18.6 points and 6.4 assists per game. Morant has four-games of scoring 25-points or more for Memphis this season, with one 30-point game.
The only hitch in Morant’s impressive debut season has been a sore back injury that’s taken him out of the past couple of games. The Murray State product looks to be back healthy just in time for the Grizzlies trip to Chase Center in San Francisco.
After going through shootaround, Memphis head coach told reporters in Golden State that Morant would return to the starting lineup after missing the previous four games.
Ja Morant went through shootaround and is a full go tonight against the Warriors, Taylor Jenkins says
Morant will get to square up with the Warriors own Rookie of the Year candidate, Eric Paschall. The tandem of Paschall and Morant lead all rookies in several categories, including points per game.
The last time the two met, Paschall and Golden State left Memphis with a 114-95 win. Morant dropped 20-points to Paschall’s 17, but the Warriors rookie was more efficient, shooting 46.7 percent from the field to Morant’s 35 percent.
When the 2019-20 season is over, and the Rookie of the Year is crowned, both Paschall and Morant will be in the conversation for the honor.
