Category: General NBA insight

General NBA insight

Desmond Bane scoring big for Grizzlies so far this season

Desmond Bane is putting up 24.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game for the Grizzlies this season. Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

The barrage started with one of those 3-pointers only the best shooters make look easy, the type of 3-pointer that helped introduce Desmond Bane to Memphis Grizzlies fans when he first arrived two years ago.

He curled around a Steven Adams screen, caught a pass from John Konchar, turned over his right shoulder to square his body to the basket, set his feet on the left wing, and drilled a shot from three feet beyond the arc.

Bane, as it turned out, was only beginning, and the implications of that go well beyond a Wednesday night in Portland during the opening weeks of the season.

There has been no more important development for these Grizzlies through eight games than Bane’s latest evolution. It’s how they beat Portland, and how they closed out their first West Coast road trip with a 2-2 record. It’s how they’ve survived their early spate of injuries and ailments, maybe even more than those extraordinary Ja Morant performances.

We knew to expect that from Morant. We didn’t know yet how much better his sidekick would be.

FULL ARTICLE

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issues statement on Kyrie Irving

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver today issued the following statement:

“Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material. While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize. I will be meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss this situation.”

Jalen Brunson makes debut for Knicks

Here’s the New York Post on the big Knicks off-season addition, Jalen Brunson:

Jalen Brunson’s first night as a Knick wasn’t perfect. It didn’t end in victory. It featured some key missed shots late in regulation and overtime that could’ve changed the final result and early foul trouble that factored into the Knicks’ poor first half.

But it also showed why team president Leon Rose and coach Tom Thibodeau went all-out to land him. He fits into what they are trying to build in a mentally strong, tough and determined team. He shook off a poor start and played his best basketball in the second half, keying the Knicks’ rally from 19 points down. He didn’t force shots and got the Knicks into their offense, creating transition opportunities when they were there. He made game-saving plays in the final seconds of regulation, setting up Cam Reddish for a game-tying 3-pointer with 3 seconds left, then drawing a charge on Ja Morant with 0.5 seconds to go. He finished with 15 points, nine assists and zero turnovers.

FULL ARTICLE

On the possible future of the Raptors beyond this season

Sports teams always need to think about what comes next, beyond the current season. As for the Raptors, here’s the Toronto Star:

A first-round playoff elimination for the second successive season is likely going to mean a lot of roster churn in the summer of 2023. That’s not pressure, that’s just expectations from the top; they set a high bar because mediocrity is not acceptable and while Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster are patient, they’re not that patient. They may never say it out loud but, privately, the second round in the standard.

They’re too good to go entirely in the tank for France’s teen phenom Victor Wembanyama — get that out of your heads right now — but a first-round failure is going to force some moves come summertime.

The second thing is this: They are going to give this team 20 or 25 or so games to find out what it is; no panic trades, no bold moves, no major rotation switches.

But, as one top official said, they might have all kinds of options to play with at February’s trade deadline. Big contracts, small contracts, young players, established players.

Might be an explosive time and team officials are already thinking about it.

FULL ARTICLE

Jordan Poole up for a contract extension with Warriors

Will Jordan Poole soon sign a Golden State Warriors contract extension? Via the Bay Area News Group:

The dust is settling after Draymond Green’s scuffle with Jordan Poole and focus is shifting toward an important deadline for Poole before Opening Night next Tuesday.

The Warriors and Poole have until Oct. 17, this Monday, to come to terms on a contract extension. If the two sides don’t come to an agreement, Poole will become a restricted free agent after this season…

Extensions this offseason for Miami’s Tyler Herro and New York’s RJ Barrett — both of whom extended off their rookie deals — set the precedent for Poole’s price.

Herro, a fellow sixth man, signed a four-year, $130 million deal (a contract that’s actually worth $120 million, plus incentives). The Knicks signed Barrett to a four-year, $120 million deal. Expect Poole’s contract to be in that range, closer to Herro’s deal.

It’s anyone’s guess how the recent Dray punch to Poole might affect Poole’s feelings on sticking around. But chances are, long-term contract money from a team that just won the championship and isn’t quite over the hill just yet matters a lot more than a solitary negative incident.

NBA promotes four referees to 2022-23 officiating staff

NBA G League referees Cheryl Flores, Robert Hussey, Matt Kallio and Dannica Mosher have been promoted to full-time NBA staff officials for the 2022-23 season, it was announced today by Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training.

“Cheryl, Robert, Matt and Dannica have demonstrated the ability and professionalism required to be a fulltime NBA officiating staff member,” said McCutchen. “We are excited for them to have reached this milestone in their careers.”

Flores and Mosher join Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Simone Jelks, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago, Jenna Schroeder and Danielle Scott to bring the total of female full-time officials to eight for the 2022-23 season.

The 2022-23 NBA regular season will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 18 with a doubleheader on TNT as the Philadelphia 76ers visit the reigning Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET) and the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers (10 p.m. ET).

2022-23 NBA regular season dates announced

The 77th NBA regular season, which comprises 82 games per team, will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, and conclude on Sunday, April 9, 2023.

All 30 teams will play on the final day of the regular season (Sunday, April 9).

The 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament will take place from Tuesday, April 11 – Friday, April 14, followed by the start of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on Saturday, April 15.

Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals is scheduled to be played on Thursday, June 1.

Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey to be retired throughout the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today that they will honor the life and legacy of 11-time NBA champion and civil rights pioneer Bill Russell by permanently retiring his uniform number, 6, throughout the league. The iconic Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be the first player to have his number retired across the NBA.

“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”

“This is a momentous honor reserved for one of the greatest champions to ever play the game,” said NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio. “Bill’s actions on and off the court throughout the course of his life helped to shape generations of players for the better and for that, we are forever grateful. We are proud to continue the celebration of his life and legacy alongside the league.”

In addition to retiring Russell’s number, the NBA will pay tribute to the Boston Celtics’ legend throughout the 2022-23 season. All NBA players will wear a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys, and every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table. The Celtics, for whom Russell played his entire career and coached, will have a separate and unique recognition for him on their uniforms, to be announced soon.

Russell’s jersey number, which he wore for his entire 13-season career from 1956-69, will not be issued again by any NBA team to any player. Players who currently wear No. 6 will be grandfathered.

Regarded as the ultimate winner and model teammate, Russell transformed the game with his dominant defense and graceful athleticism at the center position. He won a record 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons, which followed back-to-back national championships at the University of San Francisco (1955 and 1956) and a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team (1956). Russell, who led Boston to eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959-66, was so synonymous with success that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was named for him in 2009.

His myriad accomplishments included five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, 12 NBA All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA Team honors. Russell was named to all four NBA anniversary teams (25th, 35th, 50th and 75th) and inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. A four-time NBA rebounding champion, he ranks second in league history in total rebounds (21,620) and rebounds per game (22.5) in the regular season. The Celtics retired his No. 6 jersey in 1972.

Russell’s impact on the NBA extended far beyond his playing achievements. In 1966, he was hired by the Celtics as the first Black head coach in the history of the NBA and major U.S. professional sports. As a player-head coach, he guided Boston to back-to-back NBA championships in 1968 and 1969.

During and after his extraordinary basketball career, Russell passionately advocated for the values of equality, respect and inclusion. He marched for civil rights with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and was steadfast in his belief that all people should be treated with dignity. Russell was awarded the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his athletic feats and lifelong commitment to social justice.

NBA legend Bill Russell passes away at age 88

BOSTON CELTICS TEAM STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF BILL RUSSELL

To be the greatest champion in your sport, to revolutionize the way the game is played, and to be a societal leader all at once seems unthinkable, but that is who Bill Russell was.

Bill was a champion unlike any other in the history of team sports – an 11-time NBA champion, including winning eight consecutive titles, a five-time MVP, an Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s first Black head coach.

Bill Russell‘s DNA is woven through every element of the Celtics organization, from the relentless pursuit of excellence, to the celebration of team rewards over individual glory, to a commitment to social justice and civil rights off the court.

Our thoughts are with his family as we mourn his passing and celebrate his enormous legacy in basketball, Boston, and beyond.

STATEMENT FROM WYC GROUSBECK, STEVE PAGLIUCA AND THE BOSTON CELTICS OWNERSHIP GROUP

Bill embodied character and commitment and he was truly one of the finest people to ever live. He will be remembered forever and deservedly so.

STATEMENT FROM NBA COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER

“Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports. The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics – including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards – only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society.

“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league. At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.

“For nearly 35 years since Bill completed his trailblazing career as the league’s first Black head coach, we were fortunate to see him at every major NBA event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP.

“I cherished my friendship with Bill and was thrilled when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I often called him basketball’s Babe Ruth for how he transcended time. Bill was the ultimate winner and consummate teammate, and his influence on the NBA will be felt forever. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jeannine, his family and his many friends.”

——————

Per ESPN.com, “a five-time MVP and 12-time All-Star, Russell was an uncanny shot blocker who revolutionized NBA defensive concepts. He finished with 21,620 career rebounds — an average of 22.5 per game — and led the league in rebounding four times. He had 51 rebounds in one game and 49 in two others and posted 12 straight seasons with 1,000 or more rebounds. Russell also averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 assists per game over his career.”

Gary Payton II wins 2021-22 NBA season Bob Lanier Community Assist Award

The NBA today announced it will rename the Season-long NBA Cares Community Assist Award in honor of late Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA Global Ambassador, Bob Lanier, for his dedication to teaching NBA values and making a positive impact on communities across the globe.

And the first winner of the new Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for the 2021-22 season is Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II.

Payton was selected by fans during a 12-day public voting period and by an NBA executive panel for his sustained community outreach in support of youth in the Bay Area over the course of the season.

PER THE NBA:

Payton II has prioritized engaging with and giving back to his community, particularly through initiatives related to youth with learning disabilities and those dealing with hardship. This season, he founded the GPII Foundation, a nonprofit that acts as a conduit for Dyslexia-awareness, an educational disability he has dealt with throughout his life. The foundation provides funding for educators to become certified in early intervention services and support for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, including early screening, detection and certified assessment for youth and young adults.

Payton’s own personal struggle with dyslexia, and his passion and efforts to uplift young people impacted, led to the Warriors expanding their Read to Achieve program to specifically include students with learning disabilities. He also led attended a rally at San Francisco City Hall in support of universal screening for risk of dyslexia via Senate Bill 237 and hosted his first-ever Reading Rally with Decoding Dyslexia for students affected by learning disabilities. Additionally, Payton participated in the Warriors’ Black History Month celebrations and 75th Anniversary Live, Learn or Play Center dedication, among other events. He was awarded the January monthly NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente.

Lanier, a League Office executive and NBA Global Ambassador for more than 30 years, had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity. An author and humanitarian, Lanier was the recipient of many distinguished awards throughout his lifetime, including the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award for his significant contributions to civil and human rights and the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award as a player. The legacy he built will continue to live on through the seasonlong Community Assist Award recognition, which honors the next generation of players’ commitment to positively impacting their community throughout the NBA season.