Luka Dončić to Dennis Schroder: “Shoulda signed that contract, baby.”
Hall of Famer Reggie Miller calls out Luka’s defensive effort: “Look at Luka right here. It’s OK, Luka, to move your feet a little bit over and help out. What does he do? He just throws up his hands. This would be frustrating for me.”
[Highlight] Bill Kennedy after the review
[Ryan Russillo] on what an NBA executive thinks about Trae Young’s trade value: “He doesn’t defend. He doesn’t rebound. Guys hate playing with him.”
[Drew Hanlen] “It’s wild how loud some of the media gets when it affects Jokic… Now the 65-game rule is suddenly a problem because it impacts Jokic. The bias is crazy.”
[Highlight] VJ Edgecombe DRILLS the go-ahead 3 pointer!
[Post Game Thread] The Detroit Pistons (25-8) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (20-11), 128-106.
JJ Redick on the Lakers’ loss to the Pistons: “They’re a really good, physical basketball team[…]I think there’s probably a level of frustration when you’re turning the ball over and you feel like you’re getting fouled[…]you gotta play through it.”
LeBron James has played against 35.5% of all players in NBA history
Luka Doncic in December: 44.1% from the field, 28.9% from three (on 10 attempts per game), league-leading 5.2 TOs. He’s had 10 games this season with at least 10 missed shots and 5 turnovers, while no other player has had more than 5.
Luka Doncic in yet another blowout loss: 30/5/11 on 9-22 FG, 3-11 from 3PT and 9-13 FT with 8 turnovers and 3 fouls, -15
If SGA, Jokic, Giannis, Wemby, and Luka doesn’t meet 65 game requirements. Who do you think will win MVP?
[Charania] Just in: Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee and will miss at least four weeks. An immense sigh of relief as tests show the three-time NBA MVP’s knee ligaments are intact.
The Grizzlies’ GG Jackson raps the children’s book ‘Llama Llama Mad at Mama’
[Highlight] VJ Edgecombe with the game-winner in overtime, after hitting a big 3 with 1.7 seconds remaining in OT (with replays)
Derrick White tonight vs the Jazz: 27/7/6 with 7 BLOCKS!
Ja Morant drops 40-piece despite the loss versus 76ers: 40 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 16-22 FG
[Amick] The Mavericks initiated contact with the Golden State Warriors about Anthony Davis. Dallas has interest in Jonathan Kuminga, though the Warriors would have to include more to match contracts, such as the contract of Draymond Green, which they are staunchly opposed to.
[Highlight] Walter Clayton Jr poster dunk on Derrick White
Last Night Draymond Green became the active leader in technical fouls
[Post Game Thread] The Los Angeles Clippers (11-21) defeat the Sacramento Kings (8-25), 131-90 behind Kawhi Leonard’s 35p/5r/5a/3s on 58% FG as the Clippers extend their win streak to 5 in a row!
Kel’el Ware in December is shooting 54.8% (23⁄42) from three, the highest 3P% in the NBA in December (min. 15 3PA)
Derrick White is the first guard with 6+ assists and 6+ blocks in a game since…Derrick White in 2019
[Charania] Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey has sustained a left hamstring strain and will miss at least a few weeks, sources tell ESPN. Tough injury blow as Giddey has averaged 19.2 points, 9 assists and 8.9 rebounds.
[Post Game Thread] The Philadelphia 76ers (17-14) defeat the Memphis Grizzlies (15-18), 139-136 as VJ Edgecombe’s wins the game with his go-ahead 3-pointer!
[Highlight] LeBron leaves Duncan Robinson in the dust to hit the 3
Cade Cunningham in a win against the Lakers: 27 PTS, 5 REBS, 11 ASTS, 63.2% FG
The Clippers currently have the longest win streak right now now in the NBA
Joel Embiid over the last 5 games: 32.8 minutes played, 30.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 1.4 3PG, 48% FG (59.7% TS)!
[Post Game Thread] The Boston Celtics (20-12) defeat the Utah Jazz (12-20), 129-119 led by 27 points and 7 BLOCKS from Derrick White!
[Highlight] Tyrese Maxey hits a shot to beat the halftime buzzer
LeBron James turns 41 today. In 56 games at 40 years old, he averaged 23.9 PPG on 61% TS, 7.1 REB and 7.4 AST. His single-game highs were 42/17/13/3/3. Here’s how those averages and highs compare to all other 40+ year old HoFers in NBA history:
Joel Embiid in his last five games: 30.6⁄8.8⁄3.4 on 47.6% from the field with 1.4 blocks
Kevin Durant has been an elite defender this season. Opponents are shooting just 40.2% when guarded by him, 2nd best to Wemby (38.2%) among the 81 players to contest at least 250 shots. He also ranks in the 91st percentile in defensive EPM.
Austin Rivers wants NBA teams to quit trying to draft the ‘next Kevin Durant’: KD got 100,000 guys drafted because people thought in their delusional minds they’re getting another KD. He’s 1 of 1 type player. I’m tired of people see f*cking Thon Maker & they’re like ‘Kevin Durant!’ There’s only 1 KD
Cedric Coward despite the loss: 28⁄16 on 10⁄16 FG
[Highlights] Three instances in the 2nd half where Steph Curry gets fouled, makes the circus shot but does not get the continuation (with replays). He eventually gets a circut shot And-1 to go and points at his wife and kid.
[Highlight] Jalen Duren scores off the spin move in the paint over Luka Doncic, then intercepts Luka’s pass to LeBron and finds Marcus Sasser for the 3-pointer, giving the Pistons their largest lead of the night (with replays)
Luka Dončić leads the NBA in All-Star voting, has the top selling jersey and is the most viewed NBA player on social media this season
[Highlight] Keyonte George spins and hits the three. He’s got 23 points at halftime
[Mozzartsport] Jokic is out for a month
Lebron James in a blowout loss against the Pistons: 17 PTS on 6⁄17 FG, 2-5 FT, 4 REB, 4 AST, 5 TO, -16
Only a third of the way through their first season with TV rights, Prime has better leagu pass integration and streaming quality, than the NBA themselves
All the best Pistons players are 24 or younger
VJ Edgecombe Today: 25/6/4/4/1
J.B. Bickerstaff said in the postgame conference after the 128-106 W over the Lakers that playing soccer in UCLA campus helped his team, and there are plenty of similarities between the games (basketball and soccer)
In 6 games since Chris Finch complained to the refs at the start of the OKC/Minnesota game, SGA’s free throw rate has been just 0.35 (7.2 FTA on 20.7 FGA per game) compared to 0.50 before it. This rate would be tied for 12th among the 20 players to average 25 PPG this season.
VJ Edgecombe full postgame interview on the court, after hitting the game-winning 3 in overtime against the Memphis Grizzlies