Tag: NBA

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves absolutely punking the Nuggets capped off an epic sports weekend

What. A. Weekend.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners. Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thank you so much for rocking with us. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time today. I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

I certainly did. This was legitimately one of the most entertaining weekends in sports I can remember.

  • The NBA had two epic Game 7s: The Knicks ran out of gas and bodies to play. The Nuggets ran out of championship mettle. While you were sleeping, Denver had one of the most epic collapses we’ve ever seen, blowing a 20-point lead on its home court to send the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.
  • The Panthers are rolling: Speaking of championship mettle, it feels like the Panthers might have something cooking here. Florida knocked off Boston to move on to the Conference Finals where they’ll see the Rangers, who have looked incredible this postseason. We’re about to get an amazing series, folks.
  • NASCAR had a brawl: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch got into an old-fashioned slobber knocker after the two got wrecked on Lap 2 of Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Series race. No, I can’t believe it either.
  • The Preakness happened: Sieze the Grey (9-1 odds) completely stole the show at the Preakness Stakes from Mystik Dan, who seemed so close to continuing that elusive Triple Crown journey that no horse has accomplished since Justify in 2018.
  • Xander Schauffele played the best major ever: It’s Schauffele’s first major win ever and, boy, did he grab it by the horns. His 21-under score held off Bryson DeChambeau, who might’ve had the best performance of his career at the tournament, too. All this happened and Scottie Scheffler getting arrested is still probably the lead story of the tourney.

What a weekend, folks. I was legitimately on the edge of my seat for all of it.

And they say the sports calendar dies after March Madness. TUH. I hope you didn’t miss out.

The rise of the Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) laughs after the game against the Denver Nuggets during game six of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center
Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve struggled to categorize yesterday’s Game 7 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves.

Yes, it feels like an epic collapse from the former champions. Denver had a 20-point lead in the 3rd quarter on its home floor in an elimination game with the best player in the world on its team. That’s a game you should win 12 times out of 10.

But, yo. The Timberwolves snatched that game from Denver’s hands. Minnesota never gave up. It fought until it made its epic 54-24 run to end Denver’s season and break Michael Malone. The Wolves took that win from the Nuggets just as much as Denver gave it away.

Minnesota hasn’t won anything yet, obviously — and I’m not saying it will! — but that’s what championship mettle looks like. This team just…isn’t supposed to have it. That’s what’s so confounding.

The Wolves haven’t made it beyond the first round of the playoffs since 2004. To go from that to making the Conference Finals is unfounded in the NBA. Usually there’s a process. We’re used to seeing teams take steps, as Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill writes here.

Not this one. Minnesota is here now and ready to win it all.

Drake has to be having the worst month ever

(CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)

Getting sonned by Kendrick Lamar is one thing. Blowing $565,000 on Tyson Fury is another. Drake is taking all sorts of Ls.

Prince Grimes has more here:

“Kendrick Lamar might have won his high-profile rap battle with Drake thanks to the timing of his release of meet the grahams, which completely stepped on Drake’s release of Family Matters mere hours earlier.

But some of the lyrics of that song are appearing to be just as true as they are searing.

After Lamar twice claimed Drake had a gambling addiction in the song, a $565,000 bet the Canadian rapper just lost on Sunday’s heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk didn’t help to prove Lamar wrong.”

Maybe Kendrick was right. Keep the family away. The Drake curse is back.

Quick hits: Poor Spike Lee … Reggie Miller hates NYK  … and more

— The Pacers are flexing on Spike Lee and the Knicks with this video of him being absolutely miserable after the loss. Here’s Andrew Joseph with more.

— Speaking of trolling the Knicks, Reggie Miller is in on the fun, too. Here’s Mary Clarke with more.

— Max Homa teasing Scottie Scheffler on getting arrested is hilarious. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— I still can’t get over this foul that ended the Thunder’s season. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Caitlin Clark’s first 3 WNBA games probably aren’t as bad as you think.

— Kelsey Plum’s reaction to this Kate Martin block is the best. Mitch Northam has more.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. Check back in tomorrow for more. Peace. We out.

-Sykes ✌️

NBA Twitter reacts to Timberwolves beating Nuggets in Game 7: ‘HISTORY’

Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to Minnesota’s incredible 20-point comeback win over the Nuggets in Game 7.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are heading to the Western Conference Finals after an incredible 20-point comeback win in Denver 98-90 against the Nuggets in Game 7.

Despite struggling with his shot, Anthony Edwards put up 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Wolves to a huge win in an elimination game.

Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the Timberwolves advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

Reggie Miller got the last laugh on the Knicks after Game 7 with ice-cold Instagram taunt

The Reggie Miller/Knicks beef is the absolute best.

It’s safe to say Reggie Miller came away with the win in this beef war with the New York Knicks.

Miller and the Knicks have had a long-standing rivalry dating back to the 1990s NBA playoffs and while New York fans made their presence known with some NSFW chants earlier in the second round, the current TNT announcer has certainly gotten the last laugh now. On Sunday, the Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers 130-109, missing out on the Conference Finals in a tough Game 7 loss. After the game, Miller took to Instagram to throw one final dig the Knicks way, referencing his moment with Josh Hart earlier in the series.

“When the series changed!!,” Miller said, alongside the famous picture of him and Hart from earlier in the series. “Jalen Brunson you are a true BALLER, been the best player in these playoffs, but you and your boys can all heal up together on some beautiful beaches in Cancun, please enjoy!!”

That’s certainly one way to keep the rivalry going into next season!

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Jalen Brunson had a 1-word answer to sum up his feelings on the Knicks losing Game 7

Oof, poor Jalen Brunson.

It’s probably really hard to feel this way after losing a Game 7 at home, but this season legitimately was successful for the New York Knicks. They had their best regular-season record in a decade-plus. Perhaps more importantly, they were on the verge of an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals despite a rash of injuries to several key players up and down the roster.

Jalen Brunson was one of those hurt players. He suffered a fractured hand during the Knicks’ 130-109 Game 7 defeat to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. When asked if he thought the Knicks’ season was a success, given all the adversity they overcame, Brunson kept it simple.

He was (understandably) NOT happy:

Brunson would clarify his thoughts, centering them around the Knicks’ failure to win a championship. Again, I get it:

Unless you win the last game of the year, it’ll always be hard to reflect on a sports season as a success. But I have a feeling Brunson will eventually feel differently about this year for the Knicks. And he should.

Trevon Brazile: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2003 | 6’9 | 7’3 WS | 220 LBS Team: Arkansas Agency: Daniel Hazan Best aggregate mock draft rank : 44 / Worst rank: NR 2023-24 stats: In 2023-24, Brazile averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 0.3 steals per game. He shot …

2003 | 6’9 | 7’3 WS | 220 LBS

Team: Arkansas

Agency: Daniel Hazan

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 44 / Worst rank: NR

2023-24 stats:

In 2023-24, Brazile averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 0.3 steals per game. He shot 55.0 percent from the field and 58.8 percent from the foul line.

Pelle Larsson: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2001 | 6’6 | 215 LBS Team: Arizona Agent: Daniel Poneman Best aggregate mock draft rank : 39 / Worst rank: NR 2023-24 stats: In 2023-24, Larsson averaged 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. He shot 51.9 …

2001 | 6’6 | 215 LBS

Team: Arizona

Agent: Daniel Poneman

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 39 / Worst rank: NR

2023-24 stats:

In 2023-24, Larsson averaged 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. He shot 51.9 percent from the field, 42.6 percent from three, and 75.0 percent from the foul line.

Woj believes Rockets could consider position fit in 2024 NBA draft

“Houston, at pick three… they have, I think, way more pieces in place than Atlanta and Washington,’ ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says of the Rockets.

In most cases, teams selecting high in the first-round order at an NBA draft are doing so because they had strong lottery odds following a dreadful season. But that’s not the case with the Houston Rockets in 2024, whose No. 3 pick is from the Brooklyn Nets.

With an established young core in place, the Rockets (41-41) may use different criteria than more desperate teams.

In his latest episode of The Woj Pod, ESPN league insider Adrian Wojnarowski says of the Rockets:

Houston, at [pick] three … they have, I think, way more pieces in place than Atlanta and Washington have. In Houston, you could make a case that you might look positionally, a little more.

Atlanta and Washington are at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

At 15-67, the Wizards had the NBA’s second-worst record. Given that, they seem likely to take whoever they view as the best prospect available, regardless of position — since it’s not as if many current players are likely  part of their longer-term blueprint, anyway.

The Hawks (36-46) could be a slightly different case, since they’re much closer in wins to the Rockets than the Wizards. However, with veteran guards Trae Young and Dejounte Murray in trade rumors for months, Atlanta might soon be headed into its own rebuild.

In that case, Atlanta would also likely select whichever prospect it views as having the most long-term upside. Because the pieces around that player are likely to change in any rebuilding scenario, it probably is not be worth weighting them heavily in draft decisions.

But in Houston, if general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are convinced of certain players on the current roster sticking around long term, it could make sense to consider that as part of the calculus. Another option may be to trade the No. 3 selection as part of a deal for a veteran player who clearly addresses a need with the team as it looks to make a 2025 playoff push.

Wojnarowski’s complete podcast can be listened to below.

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ESPN’s Givony expects several All-Stars in 2024 NBA draft class

“There are going to be several All-Stars in this [draft] group, and there are going to be a lot of high-quality NBA players,” says ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

Without an elite prospect like 2023 rookie Victor Wembanyama at the top, some fans and analysts are down on the NBA’s 2024 draft class. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony isn’t among them.

Givony, a staple of NBA draft coverage for years, just wrapped up his coverage of the league’s draft combine in Chicago.

In the latest episode of the The Woj Pod, which was hosted by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski from the combine, Givony said:

I like this draft a lot more than 2013. I think a lot of these players are going to be good. Are any going to be superstars? Probably not. But there are going to be several All-Stars in this group, and there are going to be a lot of high-quality NBA players.

When you’re drafting [top three], you want to get a franchise guy. Are any of these guys franchise players? Probably not, and that’s where people are a little bit down on this draft. Because you’re lacking that star power at the top that we typically expect. There’s not that one guy that we can latch onto, and center all of the attention on. But that’s what makes it interesting, to me. That’s what makes this draft fascinating.

The 2013 draft, which some have compared the 2024 class to, featured Anthony Bennett at No. 1 overall, Otto Porter Jr. at No. 3, Cody Zeller at No. 4 and Alex Len at No. 5 in the first round. All were relative busts for their draft slot.

Ultimately, the best selections in 2013 proved to be Giannis Antetokounmpo at No. 15 and Rudy Gobert at No. 27.

As Givony sees it, that doesn’t mean that a team picking No. 3 in the 2024 class — at the moment, it’s the Houston Rockets — will not find significant value there. Givony has French forwards Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, as well as Connecticut big man Donovan Clingan, as the current top three on his draft big board.

The complete Wojnarowski-Givony podcast can be heard below.

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ESPN’s Givony: Trading from No. 3 to No. 1 in NBA draft could be feasible

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony on the 2024 NBA draft: “It might not cost you that much, to move up from No. 3 to No. 1, as it would in a different year.”

As of now, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus No. 1 overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft.

But what if a team such as the Rockets, who currently hold the No. 3 pick, sees a clear top candidate at the end of their pre-draft scouting process? If that’s the case, based on the lack of a consensus, the price to trade up from could be more reasonable than in most years.

On The Woj Pod, which is hosted by ESPN league insider Adrian Wojnarowski, draft guru Jonathan Givony said:

It might not cost you that much, to move up from No. 3 to No. 1, as it would in a different year. That’s where the deal-making could really happen.

The full episode can be listened to below. French forwards Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher could be potential targets in any trading up scenario, as could Connecticut center Donovan Clingan.

Atlanta and Washington currently hold the No. 1 and No. 2 picks, respectively, making them the only teams ahead of Houston.

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Woj views Rockets as potential landing spot for Donovan Clingan, expects more interviews

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski expects UConn center Donovan Clingan to interview well with the Hawks, Wizards, and Rockets over the coming weeks.

Going by measurements, it was an encouraging 2024 NBA draft combine for 7-foot-2 Connecticut center Donovan Clingan.

The back-to-back NCAA national champion is a potential defensive anchor on the inside, yet he believes he will develop enough 3-point shooting to play with another big man — such as Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets. ESPN’s draft analyst Jonathan Givony compared Clingan’s upside to a potential cross between Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez.

At this point, the question seems to be whether Clingan will be on the board when the Rockets draft at No. 3 in the 2024 first round. On the latest episode of The Woj Pod, ESPN league insider Adrian Wojnarowski says of Clingan’s potential market:

There are elements to his game that you did not see at UConn that have been there. He has been someone that going back to his high school days, spent a lot of time behind the 3-point line and developing that game. …

His dominance for UConn, the improvement, the lateral quickness, his ability to recover and cover so much ground … you saw the NCAA Tournament. I mean, Illinois literally could not get anywhere near the basket with him on the floor.

As teams are meeting him, they know what the intel is on him. The kind of teammate he has been, the kind of leader he was, the kind of empathy he has for his teammates — that’s been known through his time at UConn. (Givony) just talked to teams today and yesterday who started to get to spend time with him, and anybody around him knew that was only going to enhance his stock.

I think he will only go to select teams and spend even more time in their organization. That’s only going to help his case at No. 1 (with Atlanta), No. 2 with Washington, or perhaps even No. 3 with the Rockets.

The complete episode can be viewed below. Beyond Clingan, other potential options for the Rockets at No. 3 (recent mock drafts) include Stephon Castle, a guard from UConn who was teammates with Clingan; Kentucky guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham; and French forwards Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher.

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