Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

On the new Warriors ‘death lineup’

Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle on the fun and games the Warriors are unleashing in the form of a new ‘death lineup’ edition:

The Golden State Warriors thrashed the visiting Denver Nuggets for the second straight game on Monday, and the debate erupted right on time. Are the Warriors on their way back? Is the Chase Center as rowdy as the Oracle? Will fans of Joel Embiid ever say something positive about Nikola Jokic? These are all direct questions, and perhaps someone has the time to respond. But there was another issue floating around, one that sparked a collective frenzy: What in the world are we meant to call Golden State’s new death lineup?

For the seven or eight of you not in the know, the (original) death lineup was not an influential 1980s anarcho-crust band but a name lovingly bestowed way back in the 2014-15 season on the genre-bending five-man unit of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green. Skilled playmakers, elite shooting, aggressive long-limbed defenders — this was essentially the platonic ideal of winning small-ball. Steve Kerr (nice guy, good-looking guy!) wisely leaned into this dangerous lineup during the playoffs, and it propelled the Golden State Warriors to their first championship in 40 years. The following season, the same lineup hammered the league nightly and won the most regular season games in NBA history and nothing bad happened after that. And of course, the next year the rich got richer and switched out solid New Republic subscriber Harrison Barnes for human inferno Kevin Durant. The death lineup became the megadeath lineup. And then Durant left. Iguodala was traded. Klay and Steph were injured. Draymond’s attention wandered. The death lineup, for all intents and purposes, was dead.

Hopefully, the league has recovered from its collective death lineup fatigue after a two-year hiatus, because the death lineup is back, thanks in large part to Jordan Poole’s progress and a timely extended hot streak. This is Warriors Dynasty basketball at its finest. That all-too-familiar barrage. It is quite lovely to watch in real time. A deficit turned into a rout in an alchemical blur, life-affirming orderly chaos. It is never boring to watch the life drain from the opposition’s eyes as they do a more-than-acceptable job up until the dam bursts.

Suns guard Devin Booker hurts hamstring in Game 2 loss to Pelicans

The Suns lost a playoff game last night, and have a Devin Booker injury to worry about. Via ESPN.com:

On Tuesday night, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker suffered a hamstring injury, and the New Orleans Pelicans stepped up all night and put had a tremendous finish to win 125-114 Game 2 and even the series at 1-1.

Booker scored 31 points in the first half, including seven 3-pointers. But he did not score in the third quarter, and he injured his right hamstring when contesting a Jaxson Hayes dunk in transition with 4:45 left in the period. He exited the game and headed straight to the locker room.

Marcus Smart wins 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of Year award

The NBA announced today that Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been chosen the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Smart wins his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, becoming the first guard to do it since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Smart is the Celtics’ second player to earn the award, following Kevin Garnett (2007-08).

A global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters gave Smart 257 points (37 first-place votes). Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns came in second with 202 points (22 first-place votes). Rudy Gobert, the Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, finished third with 136 points (12 first-place votes). For each first-place vote, players received five points, three points for each second-place vote, and one point for each third-place vote.

Smart, who started all 71 of his regular-season games in 2021-22, was seventh in the NBA in thefts per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119).

Smart, 28, tied for fourth in the NBA in loose ball recovery (75), and tied for tenth in both deflections (206) and charges drawn (16). In addition, he set a new career high for defensive rebounds per game (3.2).

The Celtics, led by Smart, topped the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5), as well as holding opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.3). (33.9). The Celtics’ excellent defense helped them earn a 51-31 record and the Eastern Conference’s second seed for the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

Smart has twice been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in his eight years in the league (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons). For the 2018-19 season, he also received the NBA Hustle Award. Smart averaged 12.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game this season.

Hawks center Clint Capela injures knee in play-in game vs. Cavs

Late second quarter in the Atlanta Hawks play-in tournament game in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, Hawks center Clint Capela fouled Cavs big-man Evan Mobley. The foul pulled Mobley in the direction of Capela, resulting in a fall that led to what the Hawks say is a right knee hyperextension.

Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Capela went down in pain and immediately grabbed his knee after fouling Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, with Mobley then falling on Capela’s knee. Capela was helped back to the Hawks’ locker room.”

Capela won’t return tonight.

The Hawks are already playing without John Collins, so this weakens their frontcourt even further.

Mid third quarter, the Cavs lead, 70-59.

The winner of this game will win a spot in the 2022 playoffs as the East’s No. 8 seed, and will face the Miami Heat in the first round.

Clippers will be without Paul George in tonight’s Play-in Tournament game against Pelicans

Already playing without Kawhi Leonard, who has been out all season, the Clippers will be without Paul George for their biggest game of the year tonight, per ESPN.com:

LA Clippers star Paul George has entered health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19 and will miss Friday night’s play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps.

With playoffs set to begin, Kevin Durant assumes Ben Simmons will remain inactive

With the NBA playoffs starting this weekend, there is no reason to expect that Ben Simmons will make his Brooklyn Nets debut anytime soon. Via ESPN.com:

As the speculation surrounding Ben Simmons’ potential debut for the Brooklyn Nets continues to be a talking point inside the NBA, Nets star Kevin Durant admitted Thursday that he is preparing as if Simmons won’t return as the Nets get ready for their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup with the Boston Celtics.

“I’m not expecting him to play,” Durant said after practice Thursday. “That’s easier for me. I’m not putting any pressure on Ben to come out there and hoop. So I’m not expecting him to do anything but just to get his body right and get healthy as fast as he can. So in my mind, I’m preparing as if we’re playing with the team we have.”

Simmons, who was acquired by the Nets just before the February trade deadline from the Philadelphia 76ers, has not played in an NBA game in almost a year after requesting a trade from the Sixers last season, citing mental health concerns. Simmons has been dealing with some back soreness since late February and has not been cleared to participate in a practice since coming to Brooklyn. Nets coach Steve Nash said Thursday that Simmons still isn’t doing any “basketball conditioning” and continues to do individual rehab work.

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown so excited for playoffs he’s had a bit of trouble sleeping

Here’s the Boston Herald on Jaylen Brown and the Celtics:

Jaylen Brown missed last season’s first-round loss to the Nets due to wrist surgery and it’s not hard to tell that the young Celtics star has some pent-up enthusiasm this time around for a Brooklyn rematch set to begin on Sunday in the Garden.

“You could tell (by the) smile on my face, right?” he said after Thursday’s practice.

“Yeah, it’s exciting. I’ve had a little bit of trouble sleeping. So I’m just trying to calm myself down,” he said. “I’m ready to go, I’m excited, it’s playoff time, it’s the best time of the year. This is what you work for. So ultimately, going out there and just breathing and being yourself is going to be key because I know it’s gonna be a lot of energy in the Garden, there’s gonna be a lot of energy in the arena. So sometimes the more calm, relaxed player is the one who gets the advantage. So just trying to stay balanced as much as possible, but I’m definitely excited.

And now for the hard part. How not for Brown and Jayson Tatum to get too caught up in the scoring derby that Kevin Durant and their former teammate, Kyrie Irving, are about to launch. The Nets are best in the league when it comes to isolation basketball. Indeed, Durant and Irving are two of the most gifted man-to-man scorers in the history of the game.

“It’s exciting. What more could you ask for?” said Brown.

Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley fined by NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley has been fined $30,000 for, per the NBA, “inappropriate statements during a media interview and on social media, including the egregious use of profanity,” it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

Beverley made his comments to the media during a postgame press conference and on a social media post following the Timberwolves’ 109-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on April 12 at Target Center.

Hornets forward Miles Bridges fined by NBA

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been fined $50,000 for, per the NBA, “throwing his mouthpiece into the spectator stands, which resulted in the mouthpiece striking a fan,” it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

The incident occurred after Bridges received two technical fouls and was ejected in Charlotte’s 132-103 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on April 13 at State Farm Arena.