nba

Jayson Tatum on Donte tearing his Achilles: “I was definitely like sick to my stomach yesterday seeing him go down. I know exactly how he’s feeling, I know exactly what he has to go through. He has me in his corner, whether he gonna like it or not. So I’ll definitely reach out to him soon”

LeBron on the refs: “I’m more pissed off about them kicking Adou out. That was uncalled for and it made no sense. Think that’s his first time he’s ever been thrown out of a game in his life. I don’t think that was warranted. Give him two techs, the kid just got in the game, that was ridiculous”.

[Chiang] Pat Riley on the Miami Heat: “I’m not going to retire. I’m not going to resign … I’m not going to apologize for being a play-in team. I’m not going to change. I’m not going to try to lose. I’m not going to tank.“

James Williams ejected Ayton for his arm slipping on Sengun’s back. Ejected Holiday for boxing out. And ejected Thiero for standing around. He called 4 lane violations this game. And missed a very obvious nut shot kick. This is the same “James” that Devin Booker called out.

James Williams (Ref) is having a out of control playoffs

[Amick] A frontrunner has emerged among the draft reform options: expanding the lottery to 18 teams while giving the bottom 10 teams an equal 8 percent chance at the No. 1 pick. Teams will meet Tuesday to continue discussions on the NBA’s next step toward lottery reform.

[Highlight] A “WE WANT BOSTON!” chant just broke out in Philadelphia

Lebron James just had one of the worst games of his career in a loss to the Rockets

[The Athletic] When Wembanyama was not given clearance by the director of the league’s concussion program, in compliance with the NBA concussion policy, he requested an examination by an independent neurologist… but the NBA determined Wembanyama was not ready to return for Game 3.

Ayton: “I was just trying to brace the contact with Sengun and, you know, we both sweaty guys. I just slipped off his shoulder and my elbow hit him right there above his shoulders. It look crazy on camera, but I’m not no guy who who’s a dirty player or plays like that… my first ejection.”

Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles through his first 4 playoff games: 17 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.5 apg on 68.4% true shooting. Also leads all players in the playoffs in FG% at 65.9%

Wembanyama on him being “unhappy” with how concussion protocol played out: “I won’t get into the details. I don’t want it to become a distraction. Ask me again after the season. But all the doctors, especially on the Spurs, they were great.”

Up by 26, Joe Mazzulla went right up to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown after the timeout and was coaching them up

[Highlight] Tempers flare as Castle puts the ball in Avdija’s chest after an and-one

The Process: They’ve seen every variation of the Celtics roster, and lost to every version.

Victor Wembanyama as he returns from concussion and the Spurs complete a 17-point comeback against the Blazers: 27 PTS, 11 REB, 7 BLK, 4 STL, 3 AST on ⁹⁄₁₇ FG, ¹⁄₄ 3P, ⁸⁄₈ FT, +28 in 34min

[Post Game Thread] The Houston Rockets (1-3) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (3-1), 115-96, to avoid the 1st round sweep.

[Chiang] Heat president Pat Riley says he would not consider trading Bam Adebayo: “I want to build this around Bam.”

Anthony Edwards in games 3 and 4, which the Timberwolves won by 15 points per game, averaged 11-4-1 on 30-27-100 shooting splits and just 21 minutes per game. Can they close out this series against the Nuggets without him?

ESPN using the OKC logo for the Toronto Raptors

[Post Game Thread] The Boston Celtics (3-1) defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (1-3), 128-96. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 32/5/4!

[Highlight] Kevin Durant laughing and having fun on the bench as the rockets blow out the Lakers

[Charania] 76ers star Joel Embiid will return tonight in Game 4 against the Celtics over two weeks after surgery for appendicitis.

[Highlight] Sengun takes an elbow to the noggin from Deandre Ayton, who is ejected after review

[Charania] Houston’s Kevin Durant is expected to miss Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Durant has a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would sideline him 2 to 3 weeks in season. He’s had around-the-clock treatment to play but has not been cleared by doctors.

[Post Game Thread] The San Antonio Spurs (3-1) completethe 17-point comeback and defeat the Portland Trail Blazers (1-3) to take a commanding series lead, 114-93.

[Highlight] The Boston Celtics bench absolutely erupts in the 1st quarter, outscoring the entire Sixers team and ending with a buzzer-beating shot by Payton Pritchard.

[Highlight] Wemby gets his 7th block of the night on Avdija and gets fouled on the other end by Avdija as he checks out for the night.

[Charania] Just in: Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has sustained a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee and is expected to miss multiple weeks, sources tell ESPN. Results showed Edwards avoided any ligament damage, but he will now miss time.

[Charania] San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama has cleared concussion protocol and will play in Game 4 against the Portland Trail Blazers (3:30 pm ET on ESPN)

Jayson Tatum checks out in the win @Philadelphia: 30/7/11 on ⁸⁄₁₆ FG

[Post Game Thread] The Toronto Raptors (1-2) defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1), 93-89 to tie the series 2-2

Raptors shot 32% and beat the Cavaliers 93-89

Ever since Jazz traded away Gobert, he won four playoff series. Meanwhile Mitchell won only two

Scoot Henderson with a disastrous game 4 performance: 0/0/2 on 0/7 shooting in 27 minutes, -22

The Toronto Raptors are the first team to shoot below 32 percent and win a playoff game since the Boston Celtics in 1969

[Amick] The noise surrounding the Knicks’ Mike Brown won’t die down unless they reach the NBA Finals, and even that might not be good enough for the first-year New York coach to be safe.

[Highlight] Colin Murray-Boyles rises up for the thunderous put-back slam.

[Highlight] Jayson Tatum shakes his head after drilling his 3rd 4th quarter three. In the second half alone, he had 25 points on ⁷⁄₉ from the field and ⁵⁄₆ from three.

The Spurs outscored the Blazers 73-35 in the second half

David McMenamin says Kevin Durant’s teammates have no clue what’s going on about his injury, raising questions about whether KD is rehabbing away from the team and whether his teammates have been checking on him

In the absence of the Lakers duo star guards, Luke Kennard has stepped up to average 21.3 points on 71% TS while shooting 52.9% from behind the arc against the Rockets so far

[Highlight] The Celtics fans chant again “WE WANT BOSTON” in Philadelphia, and again during a free throw by Jayson Tatum.

[Highlight] The San Antonio Spurs defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-93 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. The Spurs become the first team in NBA playoff history to trail by 15+ points at halftime and win the game by 15+ points.

Sources close to Charania say Nikola Jokić was able to locate his underwear in the locker room after earlier reports this morning claimed it had been stolen.

Payton “Pee-Pee” Pritchard with new playoff career high off the bench as Boston secured the road victory: 35 MIN | 32 PTS | 12-21 FG | 6-12 3PT

Cavs - Raptors was an amazingly reffed game

[Highlight] The Boston Celtics defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 128-96 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. Boston sets a franchise playoff record with 24 3-pointers tonight (²⁴⁄₅₃).