NBA Says Kevin Durant Was Fouled on Final Possession of Warriors vs. Cavaliers
December 26th, 2016 by Rob Goldberg No comments »
The Cleveland Cavaliers earned an impressive win over the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, but it came with some controversy.
In a review of the officiating after the 109-108 Cavaliers victory, the NBA stated Richard Jefferson should have been called for a foul on Kevin Durant on the final play of the game. Durant fell over before attempting the would-be game-winning shot as time expired Sunday:
The review also stated LeBron James should have been called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim with 1:43 remaining.
Cleveland overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Warriors in a rematch of the last two NBA Finals. The game could have been a preview of a third championship battle between the two squads, which lead their respective conferences.
However, the result sparked debate as to what happened on the final play of the game.
"I fell, and I didn't fall on my own," Durant ...
George Karl Says NBA Has Issues with Performance-Enhancing Drugs
December 26th, 2016 by Rob Goldberg No comments »
Longtime NBA head coach George Karl has angered plenty of former players with his new book, and that is unlikely to stop with his most recently revealed accusations.
In Furious George, the 65-year-old alleged the NBA has a widespread problem with illegal substances, per Dan Feldman of NBC Sports:
I'm talking about performance-enhancing drugs—like steroids, human growth hormone, and so on. It's obvious some of our players are doping. How are some guys getting older—yet thinner and fitter? How are they recovering from injuries so fast? Why the hell are they going to Germany in the off-season? I doubt it’s for the sauerkraut.
More likely it's for the newest, hard-to-detect blood boosters and PEDs they have in Europe.
While noting the NBA has tougher drug testing than the NFL and MLB, Karl also said the league is often steps behind the "cheaters."
Kobe Bryant went to Germany for platelet-rich plasma therapy on his knee several times toward the ...
LeBron James’ Halloween Party Reportedly Featured Dummy of Stephen Curry
December 26th, 2016 by Joseph Zucker No comments »
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers had fun at the Golden State Warriors' expense during his Halloween party, and according to ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin, James singled out Stephen Curry in particular.
Writing after the Cavaliers' Christmas Day victory over the Warriors, McMenamin detailed the scene in October:
Back in October, at James' Halloween party that made headlines for its mock tombstones that memorialized the Warriors' lost 3-1 Finals lead, sources told ESPN.com there was even a dummy dressed up like Curry on the floor of the haunted house that guests had no choice but to walk over when they arrived to get to the party.
In October, Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy shared photos of two decorations alluding to Cleveland's NBA Finals victory over Golden State:
Although Cleveland defeated Golden State on Sunday, the Warriors will have an opportunity for revenge when the two teams meet Jan. 16 as well as a potential third straight ...
Greg Monroe Trade Rumors: Latest News, Speculation Surrounding Bucks Center
December 26th, 2016 by Adam Wells No comments »
With the Milwaukee Bucks struggling to make noise in the Eastern Conference, Greg Monroe's contract and salary could make him an attractive trade chip.
Continue for updates.
Bucks Continue to Shop Monroe
Monday, Dec. 26
Per Gery Woelfel of Woelfel's Press Box, the Bucks "are still looking" to find a trade partner for Monroe.
Monroe has become a valuable asset off the Bucks bench for head coach Jason Kidd. He ranks second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game, third with 9.3 points per game and third with 2.0 win shares, per Basketball-Reference.com.
Unfortunately for the Bucks, they continue to flounder and could be in need of roster changes to take a big step in the right direction. They currently sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, though their 14-14 record isn't inspiring a lot of confidence.
Milwaukee does rank ninth in the league in defensive efficiency and 13th in offensive efficiency, per Basketball-Reference.com, and has two ...
Best Potential 2016-17 NBA Trade Deadline Targets for Golden State Warriors
December 26th, 2016 by Zach Buckley No comments »
The Golden State Warriors bear no resemblance to the typical NBA trade deadline participant.
Nitpicking is required to fill out a needs list, and even then it isn't clear what the Warriors would part with to fill such voids. With draft debts owed through 2019 and a shortage of coveted prospects, there are no obvious, expendable trade chips.
But our hypothetical here isn't concerned with outgoing pieces. Rather, we're only identifying realistically obtainable players who would generate interest within the organization.
The list isn't long, which should be expected with the Dubs pacing everyone in winning percentage (.844) and net efficiency (plus-12.3 points per 100 possessions). But there are certain areas—frontcourt athleticism, backcourt depth, defensive versatility—where this club could help itself with the right roster fit.
Taking statistical stock of Golden State's current group and scanning the rumor mill for potentially available targets, these five players—presented in ascending order of prospective impact—rise above the rest ...
NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Greg Monroe, Cleveland Cavaliers and More
December 26th, 2016 by Andy Bailey No comments »
While most NBA fans nurse a day-after-Christmas turkey hangover, front offices appear to be working the phones as hard as ever, looking for potential trades to make their teams stronger.
Reports from around the league have given us a peek at some of those calls and given us some fresh new possibilities to wonder about.
The perpetually-in-the-rumor-mill Greg Monroe appears to still be there. The Cleveland Cavaliers, despite a hot start and recent win over the Golden State Warriors, could look to strengthen their roster. And the Philadelphia 76ers still need to find a landing spot for Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor.
Monroe Still Available?
Monroe seems to have settled nicely into a bench role with the Milwaukee Bucks. Among players who are qualified for the minutes leaderboard and averaging fewer than 20 per game, Monroe is second in box plus-minus, per Basketball-Reference.com.
He's averaging 17.4 points, 12.7 rebounds and a career-high 2.2 steals ...
Mike Sullivan, Penguins Agree on New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction
December 26th, 2016 by Tyler Conway No comments »
The Pittsburgh Penguins and coach Mike Sullivan agreed to a three-year contract extension Monday that will carry him through the 2019-20 season.
"Mike did the best coaching job in the NHL last season," Jim Rutherford, the Penguins' executive vice president and general manager, said in a statement. "He continues to be a terrific coach, and we are happy to give him a well-deserved extension."
Sullivan, hired midway through the 2015-16 season, guided the Penguins to a Stanley Cup crown and has posted a 55-24-10 record overall. Pittsburgh currently sits second in the Eastern Conference with 49 points.
Sullivan, 48, previously coached the Boston Bruins for two seasons more than a decade ago. He spent the next stretch of his career as a top assistant with various franchises, joining the Penguins last June as the head coach of their AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton franchise.
“What I like about coaching is that it’s not unlike being a schoolteacher,” Sullivan ...
Cavs’ Channing Frye Allegedly Edits His Own Wikipedia Page, Hypes His Game
December 26th, 2016 by Kyle Newport No comments »
Even though he's an NBA player and a member of the reigning league champions, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Channing Frye is just like the rest of us.
Allegedly, he even enjoys editing Wikipedia pages in his spare time.
On Sunday night, Cavs veteran Richard Jefferson posted a snap calling out the 33-year-old Frye for making some changes to his Wikipedia page:
Make sure to read that last line: "Channing Frye with the superior passing of lebron and kyrie has become an elite shooter and welcomes all people to 'Frye Island.'"
Yeah, that certainly seems like something someone would say themselves.
Nothing like having some fun with your teammates.
[Richard Jefferson]Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
Clippers vs. Lakers: Score and Twitter Reaction from Christmas Day 2016
December 26th, 2016 by Scott Polacek No comments »
The standings tell a different story, but the Los Angeles Lakers were kings of the city Sunday with a 111-102 victory over the Clippers.
The Lakers used a 34-16 advantage in the third quarter to spearhead the effort and staved off a charge in the fourth. The Lakers moved to 12-22 and snapped a four-game losing streak and stretch of 12 losses in 13 tries, while the Clippers dropped to 22-10.
The win also ended an 11-game losing streak for the Lakers in the intercity battle.
While the Lakers will take the win given their recent struggles, the Clippers were significantly undermanned. Chris Paul was ruled out before the game, and Blake Griffin is still out with a knee injury. Further, J.J. Redick was ruled out for the remainder of the contest in the second half with a sore hamstring.
Still, Redick tied for the game high with 22 points behind 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range. Jamal Crawford ...
J.J. Redick Injury: Clippers Guard Injures Hamstring vs. Lakers
December 26th, 2016 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick was removed from Sunday's contest against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a sore left hamstring, according to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register. It's unclear when he'll return to the court.
Redick is questionable to play against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, per Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders.
Before exiting, Redick scored 22 points and dished out three assists in 26 minutes of action. After the Lakers' 111-102 win, Redick said the injury was a "mild, day-to-day" thing and thought it was a cramp at first, per Rowan Kavner of the Clippers' official website.
Redick was limited to 35 appearances during the 2013-14 season because of a broken bone and torn ligament in his shooting hand, but he's been fairly healthy since then, despite battling back issues from time to time.
The sharpshooter missed just 12 games combined throughout the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, ...