[Adam Friedland] “If David Stern were commissioner, Pablo Torre would be dead”
[Linn] The Clippers canceled practice today and just did film. Ty Lue said the decision was because certain players couldn’t practice, but he wouldn’t say who. “I can’t say anything. I don’t think I can say that.”
[All the Smoke Pod] SGA asked if Sam Presti would be at the sonogram for Bam Adebayo and A’ja Wilson baby one day: “Sam takes his job very seriously and whatever it takes to be great, he will do so if that’s what it takes, that’s what it takes”
Last night marked Steph Curry’s 94th 35 PT game after turning 30. That is now the most in NBA history, passing Michael Jordan’s 93.
Over the last 82 regular season games OKC has a 72-10 record
[Haynes] The Knicks, Heat, Warriors, Spurs, and Timberwolves have all expressed interest in acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis Antetokounmpo prefers to play on a team where he could “get some sun,” be in a “big market” and contend for a championship.
Shaquille O’Neal: “I would never be a one-and-done. I would actually take advantage of the educational system. Everybody always talks about money. But if you’re getting NIL money, why go to the NBA?”
[Highlight] The Timberwolves announcers are in shock, after Steph Curry was called for the foul, as Jaden McDaniels pulled Steph and threw him to the ground (with replays)
Steph hits insane full court shot in warmups
Wemby on finding out he had a blood clot: It was 5 minutes of total breakdown. Obviously crying and sadness. Basketball wasn’t my priority all of a sudden. It was just the whole motor all summer and I think it’s gonna be for the rest of my career
Isiah Thomas downplays the “evolution” of today’s players: “Imma push back on evolution. These guys didn’t grow a different limb, leg, or anything else. Only thing that is changed in basketball, is you shoot from further distance and you accept people missing more from further distance”
[SportsBall] The numbers behind the NBA’s biggest outlier, Victor Wembanyama
MPJ is averaging over 33 points on 50+% shooting from three in the month of December
[Highlight] Curry hits the 3 after double pump fake gets DiVincenzo and Gobert. Ant is impressed.
John Hollinger: “One of the things I’ve been told about this trade is that New Orleans didn’t even understand what it was trading. And that Atlanta had in its front office, because Atlanta had Bryson Graham in their front office who had just come from New Orleans.”
[SGA] on if breaking the 73-win record would mean anything to him: “Absolutely. Winning matters.”
[Charania] Cavaliers star Evan Mobley is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks with a left calf strain
Speaking with ESPN, Victor Wembanyama was asked who the NBA’s best player is: “Jokic is the best offensive player… I don’t think he’s the best player. It’s between Giannis & Shai. When I come back to the court, it will be me.”
[Highlight] Rudy Gobert crushes Quinten Post with 2 posters in the clutch minutes of the game
[Highlight] The Pistons play hard on defense and the home crowd appreciates it
18 year-old Cooper Flagg vs. 19 year-old Luka Doncic through 25 career games: Flagg 17.5/6/3 on 48/25/82 splits (55.5% TS), Doncic 18/7/4 on 42/37/80 splits (55.4% TS)
[Lowlight] Quinten Post was wide open on a 3 that would have given the Warriors the lead with a minute left to go, but instead he buffered with the game on the line and missed
Victor Wembanyama getting in some work ahead of game against OKC
[Highlight] Another angle of Steph’s insane shot from the tunnel 🔥🔥🔥
[Lowlight] Quinten Post left wide open from the corner, refuses to shoot the 3, takes it just as the contest arrives (with a replay)
Alternative angles of Steph Curry’s insane shot from the tunnel in pre-game warmups
[Sportsmediawatch] NBC is switching to standard doubleheaders of 8 and 10:30 PM ET for its remaining NBA games this month.
[Post Game Thread] The Minnesota Timberwolves (16-9) defeat the Golden State Warriors (13-13), 127-120.
Joel Embiid is done for the night: 39 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, +16, 32 MIN
Reporter : “Is (money) a motivating factor for you (in the NBA Cup)?” ; Wembanyama : “Poor Vic needs more money, right ? (…) Just stacking money hasn’t really been a goal of mine”
[Charania] San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama is likely to return for Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN. Final clearance will come after today’s practice for Wembanyama, who’s been sidelined since Nov. 14 due to a calf strain.
Stephen Curry despite the loss vs Minny: 39 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 32 min
In its 3-year history, tonight’s Cup semifinals will feature the highest win percentage among the four competing teams
[Highlight] Victor Wembanyama on whether prize money is a motivating factor in the NBA Cup: “Poor Vic needs more money, right? … Just stacking money hasn’t really been a goal of mine.”
Rudy Gobert in the fourth quarter against the Warriors: 12PTS, 6REB, 1AST, 1STL on 6⁄6 FG
[Highlight] Pistons announcer tells a funny story about Bill Bridges
[Highlight] Kat with the beautiful feed to Mikal for the easy bucket on one end. Bane does the same with Carter on the other
[Highlight] Steph Curry with the pump fake on Donte DiVincenzo, and then the pump fake on Rudy Gobert, and then scores the clutch 3 to cut the Timberwolves lead down to 1 (with a replay)
[Highlight] KAT drops a bounce-pass dime to Bridges for New York’s first points
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst in the house for the EuroLeague Serbian Derby between Partizan and Crvena Zvezda: “This has been on my basketball bucket list for a really long time…”
For a 2nd consecutive game, Jonathan Kuminga has been benched
[Highlight] Embiid hits the step back three to end the quarter
[Highlight] foul called on Kon Kneuppel’s game-tying 3 attempt overturned on review
[Haynes] “Giannis told me: ‘I can’t control what the front office is doing… If I’m with the Bucks, I’m with the Bucks. If the front office decides to do something else, I’ll worry about it then.’”
Tonight, the Pistons became the third team in NBA history to have 12 or more players score 7+ points
Which player would benefit the most from having himself as a partner?
[Highlight] Tyler Kolek steals the ball straight off an inbounds for back-to-back NY buckets
[Highlights] Kevin Love full highlights vs. Memphis Grizzlies tonight - 20 Points, 8 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Steal, and one low five to Will Hardy. 8⁄15 FG, 4⁄10 from 3, 3 PF, and a +/- of +6 in 20:23 minutes off the bench