Twitter savagely roasted Joel Embiid for simply asking a question about the NBA Finals

Joel Embiid knew exactly what he was doing

NBA fans are ruthless. They will never ever ever let you live down a bad tweet.

If anybody knows that, Joel Embiid knows that. The dude has basically been criminally online through his entire career.

That’s why it’s hard to believe he didn’t know exactly what he was doing when he tweeted in the middle of Game 3 of the NBA Finals about the Bucks simply handing the Celtics the NBA championship.

Everyone was just minding their business watching the game. Then, all of a sudden, this tweet from Embiid comes up out of nowhere.

“Did the bucks give them the championship?” he asked.

Basically, he’s asking if the Jrue Holiday trade is the thing that got the Celtics over the hump. As Robert Zeglinski points out here, Jrue Holiday’s stellar play results from the Celtics’ greatness and not necessarily an indictment on the Bucks. Most teams make that trade 10 times out of 10.

Also, it’s not like the Bucks traded Holiday to Boston. The Trail Blazers did! So maybe they should take the blame?

I guess Embiid thought this was a fair question to ask, so he did. Fans replied, but they sure didn’t get him any answers. Just snark.

 

Jrue Holiday’s Celtics resurgence is a celebration of what makes Boston great, not an indictment of the Bucks

The Bucks shouldn’t be blamed for trading Jrue Holiday.

After leaving the Milwaukee Bucks (and, shortly, the Portland Trail Blazers), Jrue Holiday has become a dream addition to the Boston Celtics. He’s one of the main reasons Boston is two wins away from its first NBA title since 2008. Full stop.

The veteran point guard’s on-ball pressure is a terrific asset to a Boston team with arguably the NBA’s finest perimeter defense. He’s also settled in nicely as an ancillary fifth scoring option who can make open shots when they come to him. Holiday has enough responsibility to thrive at what he does best without overexerting himself.

In Boston’s selfless environment, where everyone is celebrated and empowered, he fits like a glove.

While it can be tempting to lambast the Bucks for giving up on Holiday, they were never going to be able to offer him the same set-up. They needed someone with a different skill set in their backcourt to become a title contender again, namely someone like Damian Lillard.

Both statements can be and are true. Hindsight isn’t always 20-20.

Aside from Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury, the biggest reason the first-seeded Bucks fell short during the 2023 playoffs was their lack of a true secondary scoring option. Khris Middleton’s injuries took their toll, and a defense-first Milwaukee couldn’t muster up enough consistently dynamic offense in a first-round upset against the Miami Heat.

The Bucks became predictable, a team without any real threatening punch, and they exited the playoffs accordingly.

Getting a running mate for Antetokounmpo — someone who could take much of the scoring burden off his hands — was a must. Someone like Lillard, a player who can shoot and score from anywhere while thriving as a focal point of the opposition’s game plan. The Bucks could figure out their point-of-attack defense later. They had no choice — they had to.

(Note: They didn’t this season, but it’s still less of a long-term concern with a feeble offense.)

As good as Holiday was, he was miscast in Milwaukee. Even en route to the Bucks’ 2021 title, he was a defense-first player often asked to score too much, a guard who needed less attention from the other team to be effective on the offensive end. That is fine. Those have always been his limitations, but they hurt a team like the Bucks, who needed more firepower lately.

It most shows in Holiday shooting 40 percent from the field (28 percent from the 3-point line) in his last series with the Bucks — over a full 10 and 12 percentage points less, respectively, than he is now with the Celtics during this postseason. That is more a statement on the Celtics’ impeccable roster construction than it is on the Bucks for (rightfully) offloading a valuable piece of their last championship team.

Lest I forget, there’s a critical distinction here: The Bucks did NOT trade Holiday to the Celtics.

They didn’t willingly give him to a top Eastern Conference rival. They traded him to the Trail Blazers for Lillard, a player whose skill set they desperately needed much more. The Celtics, as prudent as they are, swooped in later to acquire Holiday from rebuilding Portland. There’s nothing the Bucks could’ve done to prevent that the moment they shipped Holiday off.

The Celtics are tremendous beneficiaries of Holiday’s surprising availability this offseason. The Bucks needed a dramatic change: an All-Star-caliber guard who could carry their team.

Both statements are true, and the former isn’t an indictment of Milwaukee.

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Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski both paired with recent MVPs in new CBS Sports mock draft

CBS Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, and Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski got paired with some all-time new teammates.

CBS Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, and writer Cameron Salerno paired former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] with some of the best teammates in the sport.

McCain went first out of the two, the 16th overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in the projection. A 41.4% 3-point shooter with three 30-point performances as a freshman, Salerno said the Sacramento native is arguably the best marksman in the class.

“McCain projects as more of an off-ball guard at the next level, but his strong rebounding skills make him equipped to thrive at the next level,” Salerno wrote.

The projection, should it come true, puts McCain on the same team as 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid.

Filipowski, his All-American teammate from last year, would also play with a former MVP. Salerno slotted the 7-footer in as the 23rd pick to the Milwaukee Bucks alongside two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

With 2.8 assists last season, the former Blue Devil’s ability to facilitate from the inside-out makes him an enticing option.

“Filipowski is probably the most skilled player offensively his size in this class,” Salerno wrote. “(He) is more of a four than a five at the next level, but his archetype is what NBA teams are looking for.”

The NBA draft gets underway on June 26.

Former Duke basketball star Jared McCain reportedly works out with Milwaukee Bucks

The one-year star for the Blue Devils adds to his list of suitors with the NBA draft just two weeks away.

[autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] continues to add to his list of potential suitors with the NBA draft just two weeks away.

According to a Monday social media post from sports writer Gery Woelfel, the Milwaukee Bucks worked out with McCain in advance of the selections.

A 41.4% 3-point shooter who averaged 14.3 points per game with the Blue Devils, a potential union with the Bucks would pair him with two Hall of Fame talents. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and point guard Damian Lillard, who joined Milwaukee last season after a long stint in Portland, helped the Bucks to a 49-33 record and the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference last season. However, an Antetokounmpo injury near the end of the season derailed their playoff effort in the first round.

Obviously, multiple Hall of Fame teammates help any rookie, but McCain’s skillset as a secondary creator and perimeter nightmare would excel around the two. Lillard can operate as a primary ballhandler while an additional 40% threat from deep would open up the inside for Antetokounmpo.

However, the Bucks have the 23rd pick in the draft, which is usually below the range McCain is expected to be taken. Most mock drafts have him between 12th and 20th.

The NBA draft begins on June 26.

Markieff Morris says Nets would’ve won 2021 title if Kyrie Irving was healthy

Dallas Mavericks forward Markieff Morris says that the Brooklyn Nets would have won the 2020-21 NBA title if Kyrie Irving was healthy.

The Brooklyn Nets are likely one of the few teams that NBA fans think about when it comes to the thought of what could have been. For example, during the 2020-21 season, Brooklyn was considered one of the contenders for the championship with the pairing of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving until things went awry.

“If (Milwaukee Bucks superstar) Giannis (Antetokounmpo) ain’t put his foot under [Irving], they would’ve had a championship,” Dallas Mavericks forward Markieff Morris said of the Nets during their second-round playoffs series against the Bucks, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. The play that Morris, who was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers at the team, is referring to happened in Game 3 of the series when Irving went up for a layup only to land on the foot of Milwaukee’s Antetokounmpo.

Brooklyn was leading the series 2-0 heading into the game and the Nets were hanging with the Bucks in Game 3 until things changed with Irving’s injury. Brooklyn still took Milwaukee to seven games in the series, but lost Game 7 in overtime despite the fact that Durant hit a clutch shot with seconds remaining to force the game into overtime while infamously having a foot on the three-point line.

“Milwaukee would still be without a championship,” Morris explained. “I know so. They were going to get swept. They know that. You can ask anybody on their team.” Jeff Teague, a member of the Bucks that year, later admitted on a podcast in the beginning of May that if Irving did not get hurt that the Nets would have won that series.

While every postseason in the NBA comes down to unpredictable aspects such as injury luck, it’s clear that Brooklyn’s biggest what-if moment was what that series could have been if Irving did not hurt his ankle. That was the last that Nets fans knew of a title-contending team as Harden was traded at the following season’s trade deadline and Irving and Durant were traded away the season after that.

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Report: Warriors showing interest in Malik Beasley

Malik Beasley buried 224 3-pointers with the Bucks during the 2023-24 campaign.

While the Western Conference finals are underway in the NBA playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are already preparing for the offseason. After being eliminated from the play-in tournament, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Steve Kerr and the Warriors have questions to answer, starting with how they will handle free agency.

In the early stages of the offseason, the Warriors are reportedly showing interest in a sharpshooting soon-to-be free agent. According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Warriors are showing an early interest in Milwaukee Bucks wing Malik Beasley. Along with the Warriors, the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are showing interest in Beasley, per Iko.

Via @KellyIko on X:

https://x.com/KellyIko/status/1792950368441159880

During the 2023-24 campaign, Beasley drilled 224 3-pointers with the Bucks, ranking 11th for made 3-pointers in the NBA. During his only season with the Bucks, the Florida State product average 11.3 points on 44.3% shooting from the floor to go along with 3.7 boards and 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes per contest.

Beasley has played seven seasons in the NBA, with stops in Denver, Minnesota, Utah, Los Angeles and Milwaukee. The 27-year-old guard has averaged 38.5% from beyond the arc on 5.9 3-point attempts per game over his career.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X

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Rockets interested in Malik Beasley as free agent, The Athletic reports

Malik Beasley shot 41.3% on 3-pointers with the Bucks last season, and that makes him a potential free agency target for the Rockets, The Athletic reports.

Led by head coach Ime Udoka, the Houston Rockets clearly emphasized shooting more 3-pointers coming out of the All-Star break. In 28 games, Houston’s average total of 39.6 attempts per game ranked second to only Boston, which owns the league’s best record.

Yet, Houston ranked just No. 21 in 3-point accuracy (35.4%) over that same period. In March, that figure jumped to No. 9 (37.5%).

During that month, the combination of both 3-point volume and accuracy played a key role in Houston’s 13-2 record and an 11-game winning streak. Third-year guard Jalen Green came very close to earning Western Conference Player of the Month honors.

So, when the Rockets combined both 3-point volume and accuracy, the wins came in bunches. The question is whether they can sustain that formula over a longer period, and if additions from outside the organization could bolster that push.

The Rockets have already said they expect to operate above the NBA’s salary cap this offseason, but they will have their non-taxpayer mid-level exception (NT-MLE) to potentially use on free agents. That NT-MLE allows teams to offer a starting salary in the range of $13 million annually, even if they’re above the cap.

So, who could be a target? The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports:

Houston has identified floor spacing and shooting as an area of need this offseason privately and publicly and have an interest in veteran sharpshooter Malik Beasley, league sources said. Beasley, who is also attracting early interest from Orlando and Golden State, spent the past season in Milwaukee, starting 77 games and shooting 41.3% from 3-point distance.

A 6-foot-4 guard, Beasley is a career 38.5% shooter from 3-point range. Milwaukee will likely want to keep the 27-year-old, but the Bucks have an expensive roster featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.

Thus, it’s plausible they could be outbid by a team such as Houston. As usual, free agency talks can officially begin on June 30.

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Where are Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski in the newest Bleacher Report NBA mock draft?

Bleacher Report shared an updated NBA mock draft on Tuesday, and Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski both appeared in the selections.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman released an updated NBA mock draft on Tuesday, and he included former Duke basketball players Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski in the opening round.

McCain, who shot better than 40% from the 3-point line as a freshman, keeps watching his stock rise due to his shooting and offensive creation. Fans called for him in the lottery after he went crazy during a 3-point shooting drill at the NBA Draft Combine last week. Wasserman paired him with the Portland Trail Blazers with the 14th pick and praised how repeatable the Blue Devil’s shooting form looked.

“Shotmaking has and will always be what powers his offense and value,” Wasserman wrote. “But McCain’s effectiveness this year in ball-screen situations, using change of speed, footwork, crafty finishing and vision, point to more on-ball upside with his creativity and feel.”

Filipowski, the Second Team All-American, went 23rd to the Milwaukee Bucks. The 7-footer averaged more than 16 points and eight rebounds as a sophomore, but his 2.8 assists and near-35% 3-point shooting make him an enticing option in the modern game.

“Shooting range, post skill, improved finishing and passing and defensive mobility create versatility that should lock Filipowski into the late-lottery/mid-first round,” Wasserman wrote.

The Bleacher Report scout thinks Filipowski won’t be a lead option at the NBA level, but he sees the former Duke star succeeding as a stretch four or a center.

The NBA Draft gets underway on June 26.

Former Wisconsin forward works out with Milwaukee Bucks

Former Wisconsin forward works out with Milwaukee Bucks

Former Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl worked out with the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, according to a note from the Journal Sentinel’s Jeff Potrykus.

The five-year veteran exhausted his final year of eligibility in 2023-24. He is now working to start his professional basketball career, while also graduating from Wisconsin.

Related: Wisconsin basketball 2024-25 starting lineup and rotation with latest transfer addition

Wahl’s decorated career with the Badgers finished with 162 games played, 1,350 total points, 800 rebounds, 271 assists and 166 steals. His final per-game averages: 26.2 minutes, 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals on 47.7% shooting.

The forward played a key role in Wisconsin’s Big Ten regular season titles in 2019-20 and 2021-22. Postseason success did not follow, but he was an integral part of Wisconsin’s on-court success over the last half-decade.

Despite the stellar college career, Wahl is not projected to be selected in the upcoming NBA draft. An overseas career is likely, though workouts like the one with the Bucks could give clarity to what’s possible.

Former Wisconsin Ethan Happ has a similar game to that of Wahl. Happ has played professionally overseas since leaving college in 2019. All indications are Wahl will follow that path.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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1 NBA MVP trend shows how much the league has grown worldwide

The NBA is more of a global game than ever.

The seeds were planted long ago, but we’re finally seeing the full fruits of ex-NBA commissioner David Stern’s labor. The league presents more of a global game than ever, and that fact has now spilled out onto the court in the coolest possible way.

On Wednesday night, after Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic won his third MVP award in four seasons, there was a lot of thoughtful reflection about what his latest achievement meant. But beyond the extremely exclusive club that Jokic is now a part of, his newest MVP win is so much bigger than him. Why? The Serbian is a non-American player who is helping to establish a bona fide international dominance alongside some of the finest talents in the league.

Jokic’s third MVP continues the longest streak (six years) of non-American players to win the prestigious award in league history. This is the reality that Jokic (2021, 2022, 2024), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (2023), and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019, 2020) have given us.

And that is … just wild to think about:

Sure, there were plenty of standout international players around the league over the last 40 years. You had your Hakeem Olajuwon’s, Dirk Nowitzki’s, and Pau Gasol’s as stars. And there were, of course, other countless standout difference-makers and role players whose impact can’t be forgotten.

But before the last six years, I don’t think there’s ever been as clear-cut of a case that most of the top players in the premier men’s basketball league on this blue marble in space aren’t, in fact, American.

Seriously. Let’s think about this.

If I ranked the current best players in the NBA, it would probably go like this, and it’d actually take a little while before we got to someone from the United States!

  1. Nikola Jokic (Serbia)
  2. Joel Embiid (Cameroon)
  3. Luka Doncic (Slovenia)
  4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada)
  5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)
  6. Jayson Tatum (United States)

Dearest readers, the first five players on that list are a First-Team All-NBA-caliber group in any average year. And only one of them (Embiid) is in their 30s. There’s still so much great basketball to be played among them.

This is all a fantastic development for the NBA, which continues to expand its reach worldwide. I can’t help but think about children elsewhere in the world staying up to watch stars like Jokic, Embiid, and Antetokounmpo dominate at the top of the sport and wondering, “Hey, that could be me one day!” That in itself is planting another seed. It is the game growing naturally, with kids potentially getting awesome new role models who paved the way to their hopeful dreams.

To be clear, at this point in time, most of the best players in the league after the tippy-top still come from the United States. It’s not all that close, either.

But this is still a dramatic shift from where the league even was in the early aughts. When I see stats like this about recent MVP winners all being from elsewhere in the world, it makes me so excited for the future, decades from now, when the world will have potentially really caught up to the U.S., and we will see more players from other walks of life rising to well-earned NBA superstardom.

Then we’ll really have a global game.