Russell Westbrook’s Teammates Swear by His Impact
December 14th, 2016 by Jon Hamm No comments »
Playing with a dominant one-man show like Russell Westbrook can be difficult for some. Such is life when dealing with an often-stubborn alpha male.
For example, Howard Beck wrote in July that Kevin Durant's departure to Golden State was largely due to frustrations with the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard.
But plenty of other players have managed to mesh and flourish with the NBA's most implosive and explosive star.
Current OKC guard Victor Oladipo shoots much more effectively when he's on the floor with Westbrook, according to stats collected from nbawowy.com. When paired with the Thunder All-Star, Oladipo hits over 50 percent of his shots and scores 1.22 points per possession. Those same numbers plummet to 35.8 percent and 0.87 points per possession with Westbrook on the bench.
Oklahoma City was without Oladipo for Tuesday night's 114-95 drubbing at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers. Westbrook "struggled" without his team's only real co-scorer, going 7-of-19 from ...
Dirk Nowitzki Comments on Potential Retirement Plan
December 14th, 2016 by Mike Chiari No comments »
Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is signed through the 2017-18 season, but he said Wednesday that playing out the rest of his contract is far from guaranteed.
According to AFP (h/t Yahoo.com), the German superstar told German magazine Sport Bild he would ideally like to end his career in 2018 but isn't ruling out retirement at the end of the current campaign.
"If things don't go so well and it hurts everywhere, it could be that 2017 will be the end," he said. "Actually, my plan is to complete the 20 years and play for Dallas until 2018. ... But just because I have signed a two-year contract doesn't automatically mean that I will play for two years. It could happen next year."
Per Spotrac, Nowitzki has a $25 million club option in his contract for 2017-18, which is something the Mavs would likely be compelled to pick up if he decides to continue playing.
This season ...
Draymond Joined 3 Other Active Players with at Least 15 Career Triple-Doubles
December 14th, 2016 by Daily Facts No comments »
Fact: Draymond Green notched his 15th career triple-double (12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists) in the Golden State Warriors' 113-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Green joined Russell Westbrook (49), LeBron James (45) and Rajon Rondo (29) as the only active players with at least 15 career triple-doubles.
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NBA Rumors: Buzz on NBA CBA Talks, Possible Stanley Johnson Trade and More
December 14th, 2016 by Jared Johnson No comments »
This Thursday is an important date for the 2016-17 NBA season. Not only is it the deadline for the league or its players to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement, but it also marks the first day teams can trade free agents they signed during the offseason.
Thus, discussion between squads regarding player movement should start to increase incrementally until the February 23 trade deadline.
First, we'll analyze a recent rumor regarding progress on the new collective bargaining agreement. Then we'll discuss two trade situations pertaining to one Eastern Conference youngster and one Western Conference superstar.
NBA CBA Talks
There's more going on right now in the NBA than just the games and discussions regarding player transactions.
The league and its players union have been trying to solidify a new collective bargaining agreement over the past several months. Thursday is the deadline to opt out of the current agreement, ...
NBA Scouts Are Debating Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen as the Next Kristaps Porzingis
December 14th, 2016 by Jonathan Wasserman No comments »
There aren't many big men who've created waves yet in the early 2017 NBA draft discussion. Arizona's Lauri Markkanen is one of the exceptions, though his skill set doesn't reflect a traditional big man's game.
"This kid is a stud," an NBA executive told Bleacher Report. "I've watched him over seven times—his skill level and soft touch from outside are things one can't teach. Get guys to have him lower so we can steal him."
A 7-footer whose shot selection more closely resembles a wing's than a power forward or center's, the Finnish freshman is executing moves that mirror New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis.
The NBA's scouting lens has picked up Markkanen's rare offensive versatility as well. After leading the U20 European Championships in scoring over the summer, Markkanen has carried that momentum to Arizona, where he's averaging 16.8 points and shooting a red-hot 47.7 percent from three.
The Porzingis comparison stems from Markkanen's ...
Thunder vs. Trail Blazers: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2016 Regular Season
December 14th, 2016 by Scott Polacek No comments »
The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled during the early portion of the 2016-17 campaign after reaching the second round of the playoffs last season, but they looked the part of a contender on Tuesday at the Moda Center with a convincing 114-95 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Portland snapped a four-game losing streak and moved to 13-14 with the win, while Oklahoma City dropped to 15-10 after winning seven of eight coming into Tuesday's game.
The Trail Blazers thrived with a balanced offensive attack, as six different players scored in double figures. Mason Plumlee led the way with 18 points, while Damian Lillard just missed a double-double with 17 points and nine assists. C.J. McCollum and Maurice Harkless each scored 15, and Evan Turner led the effort off the bench with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
Lillard joined some impressive company, as the Trail Blazers noted:
The team as a whole shot 53.8 ...
Chicago Bulls Fail Litmus Test and Other Tuesday NBA Takeaways
December 13th, 2016 by Adam Fromal No comments »
This was the Chicago Bulls' big chance to prove their legitimacy.
Playing in front of a packed United Center eager to cheer their team on to victory against former head coach Tom Thibodeau—and a national television audience—they had the chance to move to 14-10 against a weak opponent. The Minnesota Timberwolves are young and brimming over with upside, but their porous defense and unpolished offense have made winning a difficult proposition.
The 99-94 Bulls loss had the opposite effect, especially because they blew a 21-point lead in the first half and allowed the 'Wolves to complete the NBA's largest comeback of 2016-17, per ESPN's broadcast.
Yes, the squad that has spent the opening salvo of this campaign falling apart in the third quarter used that period as a springboard to success against a veteran-laden outfit.
This could be the beginning of a surge for the Timberpups. Karl-Anthony Towns (16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists) ...
Timberwolves vs. Bulls: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2016 Regular Season
December 13th, 2016 by Scott Polacek No comments »
Tom Thibodeau won plenty of games at the United Center as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, but he earned a victory on the other side Tuesday.
Thibodeau's Minnesota Timberwolves came into Chicago and beat the Bulls, 99-94, after falling behind by 21 points in the first half. Minnesota ended a four-game losing streak and moved to 7-18 on the season, while Chicago dropped to 13-11 with its first loss in three games.
It was Thibodeau's first contest against his old team after he went 255-139 with Chicago from 2010 to 2015, and all five of his starters scored in double figures. Zach LaVine led the way with 24 points, while Andrew Wiggins chipped in 23 points and nine rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns struggled from the field at 6-of-21 but still finished with a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Ricky Rubio dished out 10 assists, and Gorgui Dieng scored 16 points and ...
Derrick Rose Injury: Updates on Knicks Star’s Back and Return
December 13th, 2016 by Tim Daniels No comments »
New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose was forced to exit Tuesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns with back spasms.
Continue for updates.
Rose Ruled Out for Remainder of Matchup vs. Suns
Tuesday, Dec. 13
Knicks PR announced Rose would not return in the third quarter.
Rose Has Played Well in Debut Season With Bulls
Although Rose hasn't been able to turn back the clock all the way to his MVP days, which are likely a thing of the past, he's showed signs of a resurgence since the blockbuster offseason trade that landed him with the Knicks after eight years with the Chicago Bulls.
Of course, his career in the Windy City started with a meteoric rise that landed him among the NBA's elite. An extensive list of injuries brought an abrupt end to his early peak, however, as he lost some of the explosive playmaking ability that previously made him special.
He's managed to avoid any ...
OKC Thunder vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Live Score, Highlights and Reaction
December 13th, 2016 by Andy Bailey No comments »
Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers (13-14) cruised to a 114-95 victory over Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder (15-10), Tuesday night at the Moda Center.
Mason Plumlee led the Blazers in scoring, dropping 18 points to go along with his seven rebounds and two assists. Lillard added 17 points and nine assists.
OKC, meanwhile, got 20 points on 19 shots, six assists and six rebounds from Westbrook, but little else beyond that. Steven Adams and Jerami Grant were the only others in double-figures, scoring 14 and 11, respectively.
The Thunder will get their shot at revenge against the Blazers at home on February 5.
Check out NBA.com for the box score.Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com