Charles Barkley explains why Jokić has the edge over Wemby to start the season:
“We just take [Nikola Jokić] for granted, he is the best basketball player in the world.”
x3 MVP Nikola Jokic drops 55/11/6 in a dominant performance against the Clippers showing why he is the best in the world
[Highlight] Devin Booker makes a young fans day after diving out of bounds
[Ty Lue] on Jokic’s big night: “Our gameplan was to make him score… I didn’t think he would score 55.”
[Post Game Thread] The Denver Nuggets (9-2) defeat the Los Angeles Clippers (3-8) behind Nikola Jokic’s 55/12/6 on 91% TS, 130-116.
[Post Game Thread] The Golden State Warriors (7-6) defeat the San Antonio Spurs (8-3), 125-120 led forward by a Steph Curry 44 point performance
[Charania] Just in: Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal has a fracture in his hip and will undergo season-ending surgery, sources tell ESPN.
Cooper Flagg leaves the game with a shoulder injury
The Thunder are dominating the Lakers 70-38 at Halftime… SGA with 18/4/5 on 60% FG and Luka with 11/5/4 on 30% FG
Jokic in his last 10 games: 30/13/11 on 73/51/87 splits (82.0% TS)
[Highlight] Jokic with the soft touch for 52
Jalen Suggs is wearing a headband around his neck
[Charania] Lakers’ LeBron James was assigned to the franchise’s NBA G League affiliate, South Bay, today and will participate in his first full practice of the season, including 5-on-5 play, as he works toward a debut.
Chandler Parsons: “Kids aren’t going to All-Star Weekend to watch Josh Giddey play basketball”. Michelle Beadle: “I bet one kid is. It’s in LA”.
Luka Doncic checks out against the Thunder: 19/7/7 on 7⁄20 FG and 1⁄7 3PT, 4 turnovers, -31
[Highlight] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander crosses up Rui Hachimura then stops and smoothly hits him with a step-through scoop
[Front Office Sports] EXCLUSIVE: ESPN is ordering several on-air talents to cut ties to Papaya Gaming, sources tell FOS. ESPN told Dan Orlovsky, Kendrick Perkins, and Laura Rutledge to end their promotion of the controversial solitaire app. Mina Kimes already publicly bailed this past weekend.
[Vardon] There is league-wide speculation that, following the firing of Nico Harrison, both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving could be the next ones out the door.
[Highlight] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ends the 3rd quarter with a behind-the-back dime to Isaiah Joe for three. SGA finishes the 3rd quarter with 30/5/9 on 68% TS
[Highlight] Wemby blocks Draymond’s 3 from INSIDE THE PAINT
Nico Harrison on his resume: “I’m gonna say this without being arrogant. I was an executive at a Fortune 200 company. I had budgets bigger than the NBA budget that I was in control of. So yeah, I think I was a risk…… But I was outside the box. But I think sometimes outside the box is good.”
[Post Game Thread] A very injured Detroit Pistons (10-2) defeat the Chicago Bulls (6-5), 124-113, behind 28/12/6 + 5 stocks on 11⁄13 shooting from Paul Reed (without nearly any of their normal rotation)
[Highlight] Cason Wallace POSTERS Marcus Smart off the no-look bounce pass from Jaylin Williams
Nikola Jokic outscored the Clippers starting lineup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just sat out his 7th fourth quarter this season. That’s over 50% of the Thunder’s games. He also leads the NBA in clutch points by 21.
Stephen Curry in the win over SAS: 46/5/5 on 13-25 in 35 minutes
[MacMahon] There is concern about Anthony Davis suffering a potentially catastrophic injury if the calf strain is not completely healed, as happened with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
[Stein] It’s believed the Mavericks will work with Davis’ camp over the next two-plus months as they decide whether to pursue an in-season trade. Dumont and Rich Paul are expected to work in concert to some degree on next steps.
[Highlight] A Fan Runs On The Court And Jukes The Security Guard Before Getting Caught
Doug Christie after 133-100 loss to Atlanta Hawks: “I was embarrassed. I wish I could’ve put on the jersey. At 55 I coulda showed you better than that. At least imma use all 6 fouls, and I can’t move, but imma foul the sh#t outta somebody”
SGA vs. Luka last 10 games head to head (including playoffs): SGA 33/7/7 on 53/50/85 splits (63.1% TS), +38. Luka 24/9/7 on 44/37/74 splits (56.0% TS), -12.
[Post Game Thread] The Oklahoma City Thunder (12-1) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (8-4), 121-92. SGA with 30/9/5 on the second night of a B2B in 3 quarters.
[MacMahon] Sources: Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont has requested medical data indicating that Anthony Davis is not at risk of aggravating his left calf strain before giving a green light for the 10-time All-Star big man to return. Davis will miss his seventh straight game tonight.
Nikola Jokic season averages after 55 point performance: 29/13/11 on 67% shooting and 41.7% from three
Alex Caruso hustled for a steal and nailed a three-pointer on the other end.
Tim Legler cannot stand the box score change on the ESPN’s homepage
Shai Mvp Gilgeous-Alexander has sat down (7) 4th quarters in (13) games this season
In just the last 4 nights, the Thunder have held Ja Morant to 11 points on 3-18 shooting, Stephen Curry to 11 on 4-13, Luka Doncic to 19 on 7-20, and Austin Reaves to 13 on 4-12.
[Stein] After the firing of Nico Harrison, Dallas is optimistic about reintegrating Dirk Nowitzki into their organization. Michael Finley, who was a member of Harrison’s front office team who voiced the strongest opposition to the Luka Dončić trade, will share GM duties with Matt Riccardi.
Luka Doncic on Nico Harrison: “Dallas, fans, players, always have a special place in my heart. I thought I was going to stay there forever but I didn’t. They’ll always be a special place for me. Always I can call it home. Right now, I’m focused on the Lakers, trying to move on.”
New Mavs interim GM is Michael Finley. Also known as the person who took Doncic’s beer from his hand after winning the Conference Finals.
[Highlight] Luka Doncic unsuccessfully foul baiting against the OKC Thunder
The Detroit Pistons Have Started 10-2 For The First Time Since the 2005-06 Season, the same year they achieved the NBA’s best overall record
Zach Lowe believes the LA Clippers could acquire Anthony Davis in a trade built around John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, one of Brook Lopez or Derrick Jones Jr, and “at least one pick”: “I’m prepping Dallas fans, I don’t know if you’re getting 3 unprotected firsts plus this pu pu platter of players.”
KD don’t have time for scrubs
[Luka Doncic] on if he could see himself playing for the Mavs again: “Right now I’m just focused on the Lakers. No further comments.”
Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Dёmin on adjusting to living in New York: “I paid my rent which was not easy. It was frustrating. Coming from Utah to NYC and paying rent it’s pretty hard. Mentally, it wasn’t the easiest thing.”
Paul Reed tonight in the shorthanded win vs the Bulls: 28 PTS (11-13 FG, 2-2 3PT), 13 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL, 1 BLK, +26 in 31 MIN. He also held Vucevic held to 6 points on 3-10 shooting