Xavier Tillman Sr. had a huge smile on his face as he got his championship ring
It’s been official for a while, but now he has the ring to prove it.
Michigan State basketball legend Xavier Tillman Sr. is an NBA champion, an honor he earned with the Boston Celtics when they dismantled the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals in June. On Tuesday night, he received his ring on opening night as Boston celebrated the title and raised a championship banner to the rafters.
You can watch him get the ring below with a huge, well-deserved smile on his face:
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The truth behind chasing rings is not everyone can do it.
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J.R. Smith was a guest on an episode of the No Chill with Gilbert Arenas podcast that aired this week. Arenas and fellow host Josiah Johnson sparked an interesting conversation with Smith about the money vs. rings debate.
Here’s what Smith had to say about Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal, who have remained loyal to the teams that drafted them — teams that could offer them more money — rather than forcing their way onto teams better suited to contend for championships.
“I love Dame. I love his game. I respect him for doing what he’s doing. But at the same time, it’s like, you’re just going to rot in Portland bro? Like, you are unbelievable. …
“Brad! You nice! I’m not about to rot in D.C. Like, it’s a nice place. The city is nice, but…my career. I’m trying to win bro.”
However, when Johnson chimed in with the $250 million price tag on Beal’s recent contract extension, Smith had to re-think what he was saying. And the truth is, all of us would.
It’s cute to think we’d all sacrifice a few tens of millions of dollars for the sake of winning, but none of us can definitively say we’d do that unless we were faced with that decision. Just because you team up with other star players doesn’t mean you automatically win a championship — just ask the former Nets trio from a year ago that’s now all but split.
The truth is, jumping teams to chase rings isn’t a real thing for max players in their primes who aren’t named LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Chasing rings is only something role players or players in decline do. Outside of them, only the elite of the elite can actually pull it off, because only those players swing the fortunes of a team so drastically to make it worth the risk. And if that’s what they want to do, good for them.
As for the others, you can’t blame them for not wanting to sacrifice the goodwill (and massive paydays) they’ve built in one city for something that isn’t guaranteed anyway. I’m not necessarily saying chasing bags is the way to go, but KD to Golden State was a sure thing. LeBron to Miami was a sure thing.
Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard bolting for teams that don’t already have one of those top five players only sounds good in theory. They wouldn’t be automatic champions. So the alternative is trying to build something where they are, which is kind of admirable. And if it doesn’t work out, they can still chase the ring somewhere else when their prime is over.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
I’m sure Jimmy Butler would have loved for Beal or Lillard to join him Miami next season, but since they’re both content with staying put, he’ll have to continue shouldering a giant load.
Preparing for that, Butler hit the gym with renowned skills coach Chris Brickley. And after the video hit the Twitter streets, all anyone could talk about was Butler’s hair because, well, let’s just say it’s a lot longer than when we last saw him. The internet had jokes about his new locs, as our guy Sykes wrote:
“No, youâre not tripping. Jimmyâs hair didnât grow a whole 12 inches in the span of just a couple of months since we last saw him. That hair is, in fact, not his own hair.
He went and got some extensions. Why? Who knows. But he got them. Thereâs a whole video showing the process.
Itâs like magic, yâall. This caught so many people off guard. But the jokes? The jokes were absolutely incredible.”
Seattle Storm (+135) at Connecticut Sun (-3.5, -108), O/U 158.5, 7 PM ET
I’m rolling with the Sun in this one against the spread. They’re riding a three-game winning streak and have a 2-0 record against the Storm this season, winning those games by an average of nine points.
The NBA is the rare league where one player can dramatically shift the title expectations of an entire franchise in a single offseason. It doesn’t often happen as fast with the new players entering via draft, but the hope is that they expedite the process. Which is why the lottery is so important.
Whether Paolo Banchero or Jaden Ivey, or any of the other top picks can be that player remains to be seen. But it’s never too early to take a look at championship odds to see what the oddsmakers think.
Here’s a look at where each team stands after the draft, with odds from Tipico Sportsbook.
2022-23 NBA Championship Odds
Below are the teams that have seen their odds change from just a week ago after the NBA Finals, most of which are minimal and not likely reflections of the draft. For example, the Spurs’ odds actually grew longer despite three first-round picks, all of which received a grade of A- or better in For The Win’s draft tracker. That movement is likely more a reaction to Dejounte Murray trade rumors than anything.
Warriors odds grew from +480
Nets odds grew from +650
Clippers odds shortened from +700
Bucks odds shortened from +750
Cavs odds shortened from +10000
Spurs odds grew from +20000
Pacers odds grew from +30000
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).
NBA draft rumors are spreading like wildfire but you don’t need to panic
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What’s good, family. It’s your boy Sykes here for another edition of Layup Lines. Let’s talk about the NBA draft for a second.
Yerboi is definitely anti-draft out here, but I can’t lie â this is still one of the most fun times of the year. It’s cool to see these kids dreams being actualized in just a major way. They go from high school and college phenoms to literal professional millionaires in a matter of seconds.
But with all that comes the big mess that is the NBA draft news cycle. And, whew buddy, is it ever messy this year.
That’s NBA draft season for you. There are lots of rumors swirling around. Some are undoubtedly true. Some are just smokescreens from teams looking to posture and make deals with other teams. It’s all just how the game works.
And in the middle of it all is, well, all of us.
There are thousands of rumors going around at this time within the league. Only, maybe, 2% of that actually is substantial enough to get reported out. That 2% is taken and regurgitated over and over and over again in our media cycle.
It’s all confusing. Some of it’s real but most of it isn’t and it’s really hard to discern what will actually go down when the time comes.
So here’s what you do: Sit down, crack open your beverage of choice and just let the rumors be what they are: Rumors. The only things that matter during these times are the things that actually happen.
Instead of just worrying about scuttlebutt from some random Eastern Conference scout that they heard from a trainer who heard it from the assistant GM of your favorite team, just read our latest mock from Bryan Kalbrosky.
That should get you to Thursday pretty safely.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors had SO much fun at their parade. The Steph Curry “night night” jokes, Klay Thompson stumbling everywhere, Draymond Green cussing folks out. Just classic Warriors stuff, man. You love to see it â unless, you know, you’re a Celtics fan.
Our Andy Nesbitt â who actually happens to be a Celtics fan â gathered up the best images from the parade. He perfectly captured the vibe of the parade with this piece.
The Aces are far and away the best team in the WNBA so far this year. They’ve got, at least, 3 players in the running for MVP between A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young this year with Wilson slowly pulling away and they’re winners of four straight games.
You can never count Candace Parker’s Chicago Sky, though. And Kahleah Copper is coming off a dazzling performance against the Fever â albeit in a loss. For tonight, the Sky are at home and they’re still really good. Even if they don’t win, they won’t get blown out. I’m taking Chicago +8.5.
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It only took an 11-game losing streak and a steep drop from first to eighth place in the Eastern Conference, but the Brooklyn Nets no longer hold the best title odds on Tipico Sportsbook.
At +550, the Nets have fallen into a tie for the third shortest odds, still a testament to what people believe they’re capable of at full strength. But they’ve been overtaken by the Phoenix Suns +425 as the title favorites. The Golden State Warriors have the second best odds at +480, and the Milwaukee Bucks are tied with the Nets.
Tipico NBA Title Odds (Feb. 16)
Phoenix Suns +425
Golden State Warriors +480
Milwaukee Buck +550
Brooklyn Nets +550
Philadelphia 76ers +700
Miami Heat +1000
Deposit $10 or more, get $100 in instant bet credits at Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Place your legal, online sports bets at Tipico. Letâs make this interesting. Bet now!
The Nets snapped their losing streak Monday night with the help of two of their acquisitions in the Harden deal, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. Curry scored a team-high 23 points and Drummond had 11 points and nine rebounds against the Sacramento Kings to win a game Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons all missed.
Simmons, the third acquisition in the deal, is expected to raise Brooklyn’s defensive potential once he finally returns to play, but their title hopes still fall on the health of Durant. There is no timeline for his return from an MCL sprain.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).
The Los Angeles Lakers won title No. 17 one year ago today in the Orlando bubble.
The Los Angeles Lakers became NBA champions for the 17th time in franchise history one year ago on this date.
In a season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA resumed play in what became known as the Orlando bubble. The Lakers made it out of the Western Conference and faced the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
After Jimmy Butler’s heroic 35-point triple-double in Game 5 helped Miami force a Game 6, the Lakers stormed back to ensure there was no Game 7.
In the title clincher, LeBron James produced a triple-double, going for 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists while his star partner, Anthony Davis, went for 19 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Rajon Rondo, who is back with the team, delivered 19 points, four rebounds and four assists off the bench.
Carmelo Anthony hopes to add a ring with the Los Angeles Lakers to his extensive list of accomplishments.
At 37 years old, Carmelo Anthony has just about accomplished nearly everything an NBA player of his caliber can do.
Anthony has made 10 All-Star appearances, six All-NBA team nods, the NBA scoring champion in 2013 and more.
The 18-year veteran certainly has the stacked resume to be a Hall of Famer when he calls it a career, but, first, he still has one more goal he wants to cross off his list.
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up Anthony on a one-year deal during the free agency period, and L.A. has a clear role for the longtime veteran: be a complementary shooter alongside LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis.
If Anthony can supply that, he could play a pivotal role in helping the Lakers win the franchise’s 18th championship, which is exactly what he wants to do, via Kyle Goon of the Southern California News Group:
Carmelo Anthony on chasing an elusive championship: "This is the one thing I'm missing. This is the one thing that keeps me up at night, that motivates me because I don't have it."
Last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Anthony shot a career-high 40.9 percent from 3-point range on 4.7 attempts. The mileage on his legs could be a concern as the season progresses, but he showed he still has game left in the tank.
Los Angeles also has wings and forwards like Trevor Ariza and Kent Bazemore who can alleviate the need to play Anthony since the 37-year-old forward isn’t as mobile on defense as before.
LeBron James finally became an NBA champion on this day nine years ago.
LeBron James has four NBA titles under his belt after winning one last season with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Orlando bubble.
His first trophy came on this day nine years ago with the Miami Heat.
Prior to the 2012 NBA Finals, James had lost the finals the year prior to the Dallas Mavericks and in 2007 when his Cleveland Cavaliers took on the San Antonio Spurs.
But in 2012, the elusive ring finally came James’ way as the Heat faced the Oklahoma City Thunder, headlined by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden during the early stages of their career.
The series went just five games as Oklahoma City’s inexperience caught up to the squad, and James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh proved to be too much to overcome.
Miami won Game 5, 121-106, and, of course, James led the way for the Heat.
James scored 26 points to go with 13 assists, 11 rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 44 minutes. He shot 9-of-19 overall and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Mike Miller gave Miami a massive outing off the bench. The 3-point specialist poured in 23 points to lead all reserves as he made 7-of-8 shots from the perimeter.
Check out James’ post-game speech:
(June 21, 2012) âItâs about damn timeâ LeBron won his first NBA title. đ
âŞď¸NBA Champion âŞď¸Finals MVP âŞď¸MVP of the league âŞď¸All NBA 1st team âŞď¸All Def 1st team#WITNESSpic.twitter.com/8Gn6mpA4Py
LeBron James became an NBA champion for the second straight season eight years ago today.
The coronavirus pandemic forced delays to the regular season. During this time in a normal 82-game campaign, the playoffs would come to a close after the NBA Finals.
On this day eight years ago, the 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs went to Game 7.
No team won two in a row this series in a back-and-forth affair. Both sides stole games on the road to force a win-or-go-home scenario in the final game of the series.
The Heat hosted the Spurs, and the game got off to a slow start on the scoring end. Miami led San Antonio 18-16 after the opening quarter.
The game stayed close until the fourth quarter when the pace slowed down again, and Miami’s defense locked down San Antonio’s offense.
Miami outscored San Antonio 23-17 in the fourth quarter to secure the win. The championship marked Miami’s second in franchise history as they had won the title a year prior.
The same applied to LeBron James. It was also his second championship, and his performance definitely shined.
James led all scorers with 37 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals in 45 minutes. He shot 12-of-23 overall and 5-of-10 from 3-point range, including the dagger:
"I'm LeBron James from Akron, Ohio, from the inner city. I'm not even supposed to be here…I'm blessed."
8 YEARS AGO TODAY, LeBron did this to the Spurs in GM7 of the 2013 NBA Finals:
From Skip Bayless’ criticisms of the shot, calling it ‘desperate’, to Charles Barkley and Stephen A. Smith debating it, James’ clutch bucket is the talk of the town.
But looking ahead, James’ 3-pointer secured the Lakers’ spot in the playoffs, locking them in as the seventh seed with a first-round matchup against Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns.
As the defending champions, the focus of Los Angeles is if they can overcome the odds as the seventh seed. If L.A. moves past Phoenix, they’d have to play either the third-seeded Denver Nuggets or the sixth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers.
If they advance to the Western Conference Finals, a matchup against the first-seeded Utah Jazz or the fourth-seeded L.A. Clippers is likely.
Assuming L.A. comes out on top from the West, there’s a good chance the Brooklyn Nets, headlined by James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, would be their opposition.
On the latest episode of ESPN’s “Get Up!”, Barkley brought up the topic that if James leads the Lakers to another title, with a multitude of tough opponents to face, James should have more consideration as the GOAT.
Smith balked at Barkley, saying he’d use the first seven-to-eight years of James’ career against him.
Though James’ early stages of his career weren’t fruitful in terms of winning titles, he elevated the potential of a Cleveland Cavaliers roster that severely lacked talent.
In the 2006-07 season when James led Cleveland to the NBA Finals, he averaged 25.1 points per game throughout the entire playoffs. The next best Cavalier, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, averaged 12.6 points.
The San Antonio Spurs, who swept Cleveland 4-0, had Tim Duncan (21.7 points), Tony Parker (19.9 points), Manu Ginobili (19.9 points) and Michael Finley (15.1 points) leading the way, so it wasn’t James’ inability to play that cost him some titles.
