Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88) of Golden St.W. Most Valuable Player: James Harden (6'5''-SG-89) of Houston R. Most Improved Player: Victor Oladipo (6'4''-G-92) of Indiana P. Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams (6'1''-SG-86) of LA Clippers Rookie of the Year: Ben Simmons (6'10''-F-96) of Phi.76ers Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert (7'1''-C-92) of Utah Jazz Sportsmanship Award: Kemba Walker (6'1''-PG-90) of Charlotte H. NBA Cares Community Assist Award: Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88) of Golden St.W. Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year: Jamal Crawford (6'5''-G-80) of Minnesota T. Hustle Award: Amir Johnson (6'9''-F/C-87) of Phi.76ers Coach of the Year: Dwayne Casey of Toronto R.
Warriors Sweep Cavs for Third Title in Four Years - Jun 8, 2018
The Golden State Warriors were not perfect. They lost 24 games during the regular season. Rather than chase records, they endured injuries and bouts of complacency. Their path to the N.B.A. finals was more Appalachian Trail than autobahn. It took work, which might sound a little ridiculous given their lavish roster. But hours before his team's latest coronation was complete, Coach Steve Kerr reflected on the finals in 2015, back when the run started, back when it was fresh and new. 'It just seemed chaotic,' he said. 'Everything seemed so up and down. Now, it seems more businesslike. We're more poised.' Only the result was the same. For the third time in four seasons, and for the second year in a row, the Warriors are N.B.A. champions. They demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-85, on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena to complete a four-game sweep, thwarting every challenge that LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) - their most familiar, most gifted adversary - could muster. Stephen Curry (6'3''-PG-88, college: Davidson) led Golden State with 37 points, and Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88, college: Texas) added a triple-double: 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Durant was named M.V.P. of the finals for the second consecutive year. The Warriors, as they are known to do, found separation in the third quarter. Klay Thompson (6'7''-G-90, college: Washington St.) made a 3-pointer to push the lead to 17, and a sense of doom settled over the building. There were even some boos. The fourth quarter featured a muted celebration on the visiting bench. The Cavaliers emptied their bench with just over 4 minutes left. James fist-bumped several of the Warriors as he checked out of the game to a standing ovation. James finished with 23 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds in what could have been his final game with the Cavaliers. He can become a free agent this summer, and his future is uncertain. The Warriors were seriously challenged only once in the postseason - by the Houston Rockets, who took the Western Conference finals to their seven-game limit. The Rockets, who had the league's best record, even had home-court advantage for the final game of the series. But Chris Paul (6'0''-PG-85, college: Wake Forest), their point guard, was sidelined with an injury, and the Warriors advanced. On Friday, the Warriors showcased their firepower early and often. In the first quarter, three of their players made 3-pointers in a span of 43 seconds. The Cavaliers were never going to match that sort of versatility. The Warriors' All-Star collective has reshaped the league. Teams vying for championships need multiple stars. Not even a generational talent like James, operating at the peak of his powers, can do it alone. On Thursday, before the series was even over, James sat at a dais and spoke plainly about the gulf that separated the two teams in the finals. 'Obviously,' he said, 'from a talent perspective, if you're looking at Golden State from their top five best players to our top five players, you would say they're stacked better than us.' It was an obvious point - who would disagree? - but a candid one given that the Cavaliers were still alive. The odds of James's engineering a comeback, of course, were long. No team in N.B.A. postseason history had ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit. At that same news conference, James dwelled on everything that the Cavaliers had been through in the past year: off-season trades, midseason trades, a roster in near-constant flux. Cleveland needed two seven-game series just to reach the finals. 'This,' James said, 'has been one of the most challenging seasons of my career.' It was appropriate that he had to face the Warriors at the very end, doing so for the fourth straight season. But this series had a different feel to it, which had a lot to do with one player who was absent: Kyrie Irving, the All-Star point guard whom the Cavaliers shipped to the Boston Celtics last summer after he demanded a trade. Irving had played a huge role for the Cavaliers in 2015-16, when they stunned the Warriors to win the franchise's only championship. Partly because of Irving's absence, and partly because of Durant's presence, this latest (and perhaps last) act of Warriors-Cavaliers did not provide much drama - not unless you count J.R. Smith (6'6''-G-85) dribbling the wrong way in the closing seconds of regulation in Game 1. The Cavaliers could have won. Instead, they lost in overtime. That the Cavaliers even managed to make the series competitive at junctures - they had opportunities in Game 3, but lost because Durant did a bunch of Durant things down the stretch - was due almost solely to James's extraterrestrial abilities. Over the four games, he averaged 34.0 points, 10.0 assists and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 52.7 percent from the field. He threw a pass to himself off the backboard for a dunk. He resisted the urge to transport Smith to a distant galaxy. He gave everyone what they had to come to see. But still, it was not enough - not against the Warriors, who found strength in numbers again. Courtesy of: nytimes.com
LeBron James's MVP performance guides team to All-Star win - Feb 19, 2018
LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) scored 10 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter as Team LeBron rallied to defeat Team Stephen 148-145 in the NBA all-star game on Sunday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. James added 10 rebounds and eight assists and led a feverish defensive stop on the final possession to preserve the victory and earn MVP honors. He is the league's All-Star Game MVP for a third time, joining Bob Petit (four), Kobe Bryant (four), Oscar Robertson (three), Michael Jordan (three) and Shaquille O'Neal (three) with three or more. Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88, college: Texas) added 19 points, Paul George (6'9''-G/F-90, college: Fresno St.) scored 16, Andre Drummond (6'10''-C-93, college: Connecticut) and Bradley Beal (6'5''-SG-93, college: Florida) had 14 each, Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke) 13, Anthony Davis (6'10''-C-93, college: Kentucky) 12 and Kemba Walker (6'1''-PG-90, college: Connecticut) 11 for Team LeBron. Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88, college: UCLA) contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Team LeBron. DeMar DeRozan (6'7''-F/G-89, college: USC) and Damian Lillard (6'3''-PG-90, college: Weber St.) led Team Stephen with 21 points each, while Joel Embiid scored 19, Karl-Anthony Towns (7'0''-F/C-95, college: Kentucky) had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Giannis Antetokounmpo (6'11''-G/F-94, agency: Octagon Europe) scored 16, Klay Thompson (6'7''-G-90, college: Washington St.) had 15, James Harden 12 and Curry 11. After DeRozan made 1 of 2 free throws to give Team Stephen a one-point lead with 40 seconds left, James scored on a drive to put his team ahead. After a turnover by Team Stephen, James fed Russell Westbrook for a layup and a 148-145 lead with 10 seconds left. A trapping defense by James and Durant prevented Curry and his team from getting off a shot on the final possession. "We got stops when we needed to, got some buckets, made some big plays down the stretch. It was good," Westbrook said on TNT after the game. "We wanted to win. We take pride, and we came out to win. It was fun and exciting to get to go against other guys from the same conference. It was fun." Durant's 3-pointer gave Team LeBron a one-point lead at the outset of the third quarter, but DeRozan and Embiid scored five points each as Team Stephen took a 90-83 lead. Team LeBron twice got within two points and once got within one point three times before Beal's 3-pointer gave James' club a 105-103 lead. The score was tied twice before Curry's 3-pointer gave his team a 112-109 lead after three quarters. Lillard scored seven points as Team Stephen built the lead to 133-120 midway through the fourth quarter. George's 3-pointer ended the run, he made another and James converted a three-point play as Team LeBron got within 136-133. Irving's basket got Team LeBron within a point and Westbrook twice made baskets that James' squad within one. Embiid scored on a layup before James hit a 3-pointer to even the score at 144 with 1:30 remaining. Courtesy of: theglobeandmail.com
NBA Dunk Contest 2018: Donovan Mitchell edges Larry Nance, Dennis Smith for title - Feb 18, 2018
Donovan Mitchell (6'3''-G-96, college: Louisville) wasn't supposed to be in the 2018 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He was the replacement for Aaron Gordon (6'9''-PF-95, college: Arizona) due to injury. The Jazz rookie, however, came prepared to show everybody that he should have been involved in the contest from the start. Everybody knows about his in-game dunk ability, but what about in a contest setting? Mitchell didn't disappoint. He started off with an incredible dunk that he threw off a second backboard and completed with a windmill. It actually felt even harder than it was intended, because it hit the rim on the way down. Decent start. Then, in an homage to former Jazz player Darrell Griffith, Mitchell dunked over three people, including comedian Kevin Hart, and cocked back for a powerful slam. Mitchell's third dunk was arguably his most difficult of the night. He threw it off the backboard and then caught it at its lowest point. He proceeded to bring the ball all the way back with so much power it felt like the rim was going to come off. Finally, Mitchell capped off the evening with another homage. This time to Vince Carter. It's the famous reverse 360 windmill dunk. It didn't have quite the height or power to it, but the dunk was great all the same. Mitchell wins the contest as a rookie. Impressive against a field of dunkers that brought out their best stuff. Larry Nance Jr. (6'8''-F-93, college: Wyoming) Jr. had a great double-tap dunk that Mitchell was forced to top with the Carter homage. In the first round, Dennis Smith Jr. (6'3''-G-97, college: N.Carolina St.) Jr. brought out a sick reverse dunk between his legs where he switched to his off hand. Mitchell had to top that too. In the end, though, it was Mitchell who came out on top. Congrats to him! Courtesy of: cbssports.com
NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest 2018: Devin Booker survives Klay Thompson for the win - Feb 18, 2018
Suns wing Devin Booker (6'6''-SG-96, college: Kentucky) was the savior of the 2018 NBA Three-Point Contest. In an event that saw some really poor shooting, Booker stood out from the rest. His 19 points in the first round tied Klay Thompson (6'7''-G-90, college: Washington St.) for the lead. Nobody managed to break 20 points the entire first round, and that continued all the way up until Booker came alive. He started off strong, and finished even better. Booker's dropped a commanding 28 points in the second round, which saved what had so far been a dull event. Thompson had a chance to tie him, and got close with 25, but Booker walked away champion. Booker winning the Three-Point Contest is actually great for the NBA. Obviously it's cool when stars win events like these, but young guys don't always get the chance to show off during All-Star Weekend. These All-Star Saturday Night events are the perfect opportunity for young guys and players who don't usually get the spotlight to perform on a big stage. At 21 years old, Booker has a 70-point game to show for in his young career and has had a phenomenal 2017-18 season. This win is another accolade for him. Courtesy of: cbssports.com
2 Kings lead World past US 155-124 in Rising Stars game - Feb 17, 2018
Buddy Hield (6'4''-G-93, college: Oklahoma) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (6'6''-G/F-92) got the All-Star weekend off to a running start in the World's latest victory over the NBA's young Americans. Hield scored 29 points with five 3-pointers, and his Sacramento Kings teammate won the MVP award with 26 points and seven 3-pointers in the World team's 155-124 victory over the U.S. team in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night. The annual showcase of the NBA's top rookies and second-year players again served as the opening to the three-day All-Star festivities, which are being held in Los Angeles for the record sixth time. But this show was headlined by two shooting stars from the upstate rivals of the hometown Lakers and Clippers, with Hield and Bogdanovic combining to hit 12 of the World's 23 3-pointers. The World has won this All-Star showcase four consecutive times. "You know, it was (an) All-Star Game, so it wasn't like a really competitive game," Hield said. "But the World has been getting better. I'm proud to see a lot of guys around the world from France, Australia, you have (Joel) Embiid from Cameroon. Everybody is showing progress, and the world is showing progress catching up to American basketball. This shows how hard we've been working and how dedicated we are to this game." Indeed, the 10-man American team struggled to keep up with the 10-man team representing everywhere else, from Canada to Croatia to Cameroon. Eight of the World's 10 players hit double figures, including 21 from Denver's Jamal Murray (6'6''-F/G-97, college: Kentucky), the Canadian MVP of this game last season with 36 points. Boston's Jaylen Brown (6'7''-F-96, college: California) led the U.S. with 35 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma (6'9''-F-95, college: Utah), the hometown Lakers' promising rookie, added 20. Philadelphia's Ben Simmons also was sharp in his rookie debut in the game, with the Aussie No. 1 pick contributing 11 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and four steals while catalyzing the World's offense. His 76ers teammate, Croatia's Dario Saric (6'10''-PF-94, agency: BeoBasket), also hit four 3-pointers. Hield, who is from the Bahamas, will be sorry to see the end of his eligibility for this game, in which he scored 28 points last season in New Orleans as a rookie with the Pelicans. The sweet-shooting Kings guard hit five 3-pointers. Bogdanovic, from Serbia, was even better from long range, going 7 for 13 on 3-pointers and even adding six assists to earn MVP honors. "I approach every single game the same way," Bogdanovic said. "Try to compete to be the best version of myself that day, and it just happened tonight. You never know when it's going to happen." Both Kings guards excelled against their Sacramento teammate, De'Aaron Fox (6'4''-G-97, college: Kentucky),, who scored four points for the U.S. "I told him I would score on him," Bogdanovic said. "I should (have) bet as well, but we didn't bet, so I didn't get some extra money." The biggest cheers at Staples Center went to Lakers youngsters Kuzma and Brandon Ingram (6'9''-SF-97, college: Duke) on the U.S. team. The fans also roared for Lonzo Ball, who was selected for the U.S. roster but unable to play due to his lingering knee injury. Ingram, who scored eight points, and Kuzma were both playing in their third game in three nights, including a loss at Minnesota on Thursday night. But they are the struggling marquee franchise's only representatives at the latest All-Star weekend in its hometown. The 16-time NBA champion Lakers (23-34), who also had Larry Nance Jr. in the dunk contest before trading him to Cleveland, are likely to miss the playoffs for a team-record fifth consecutive season. "It was a good pickup game," Ingram said. "Guys got to go out there and hit a few shots and have fun. Got a couple dunks at the end. It was just good for the fans." Embiid provided the third quarter's best highlight with a nimble spin move into a ferocious dunk while the World padded its lead out to 32 points in the third and 39 in the fourth. Embiid only played nine minutes, but also hit a 3-pointer. The final seconds devolved into an uncontested dunk contest, and the Americans finally had a few highlights. Brown and Atlanta's John Collins both threw down ferocious , acrobatic slams . Utah's Donovan Mitchell (6'3''-G-96, college: Louisville) and Dallas' Dennis Smith Jr. (6'3''-G-97, college: N.Carolina St.) Jr. also warmed up for their participation in Saturday's dunk contest with a couple of nasty slams in the first half. Courtesy of: abcnews.com
NBA All-Star Game Participants 2018 - Feb 16, 2018
3-Point Contest Bradley Beal (6'5''-SG-93) of Washington Wizards Devin Booker (6'6''-SG-96) of Phoenix Suns Wayne Ellington (6'4''-G-87) of Miami Heat Paul George (6'9''-G/F-90) of Oklahoma City Thunder Eric Gordon (6'4''-G-88) of Houston Rockets Tobias Harris (6'9''-F-92) of Los Angeles Clippers Kyle Lowry (6'0''-PG-86) of Toronto Raptors Klay Thompson (6'7''-G-90) of Golden State Warriors
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