41 years old LeBron James checks out: 27 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL
Masai Ujiri on fans’ feelings moving on from the Luka trade and building around Cooper Flagg: “In Africa we say when kings go, kings come. And a king went, and we have a little prince here that we’re gonna turn into a king.”
[Post Game Thread] The Detroit Pistons (1-0) defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1), 111-101.
[Charania] The NBA has fined Boston’s Jaylen Brown $50,000 for his comments criticizing the referees after Game 7 and series loss in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.
[Injury] The OKC Thunder bench reacts to Jarred Vanderbilt’s hand injury:
LeBron postgame when asked about Lakers offensive issues - “Where are the offensive issues coming from? We have a guy that averaged 37 a game… There’s the issues right there”
[Highlight] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander misses a shot while attempting to draw a foul, and Deandre Ayton with a nice pass to LeBron James for the fastbreak dunk (with replays).
12 early points for LeBron.
[Post Game Thread] The Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (0-1), 108-90 behind 24 points for Chet Holmgren.
Jared “sold high” McCain off the bench against the Lakers in game 1: 12 points, 4⁄7 FG, 4⁄5 3PT
Austin Reaves despite the Loss against the Thunder: 8 PTS | 3⁄16 FGS | 0/5 3PTS | 2⁄2 FTS | 4 TOS | 24% TS
Chris Finch on Wemby’s 12 blocks: “at least 4 of them were goaltending…it’s a little alarming that none of them were called…he’s 7’6” and there’s no heightened [ref] awareness that these blocks could be goaltends…You know the value of 8 points in an NBA game? That’s also 33% of his blocks”
[Charania] Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has sustained a full dislocation of his right pinky finger in a gruesome injury tonight, sources tell ESPN.
LeBron James has more playoff wins this season without Luka Doncic (4) than Michael Jordan had without Scottie Pippin (1) his entire career.
[Highlight] LeBron James grabs his first rebound of the game and scores the putback layup while being surrounded by 4 Thunder players in the paint. He also lets them know.
Austin Rivers responds to Draymond Green
Knicks fans harass Sixers fan minding his business after game 1
NBC structuring the broadcasts like this is genuine ragebait
Jaden McDaniels on attacking the rim when Wemby is on the floor - “You just gotta act like he’s not there. I mean, he’s gonna get blocks. He’s the tallest person in the world.”
[Highlight] Marcus Smart realizes that if he touches the ball, it is a backcourt violation, so he lets Shai Gilgoues-Alexander dive for it and then grabs the ball too, forcing a jump ball (with a replay).
Smart wins the jump ball
Masai Ujiri: “You’ve got Wembanyama, Luka, Shai, Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic all for the next 7-15 years. Okay, now you have to convince me that I have to beat all those guys. You gotta come with something in your pocket, okay? …and in his pocket he had Cooper Flagg.”
[Mizell] Nick Nurse away from Sixers Tuesday to attend brother’s funeral services. Steve Nurse, 62, died last Wednesday, the day before Game 6 of the Sixers’ first-round series win over the Boston Celtics.
Chet Holmgren with a big game 1 performance: 24 PTS, 12 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK
[Highlight] Ausar Thompson with a chasedown block on Keon Ellis
[Highlights] LeBron James intercepts the pass by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and finishes with the fastbreak dunk. Thunder’s timeout. And then LeBron James with the layup off a lob pass by Marcus Smart. With replays. 16 points for LeBron in the 1st half.
Update on the Sixers fan from yesterday: thankfully he’s okay and seems to be taking the whole thing in jest. Still, as a Knicks fan, we need to weed out these clout-hungry pests from our fanbase.
[Barker] Kelly Oubre when asked how tough it is guarding Jalen Brunson - “I dont know. I just know he has a big head.”
[Highlight] Jared McCain hits back to back threes to extend the Thunder’s lead to 19
[Highlight] Tobias Harris crosses James Harden and scores a big floater in crunch time
[Highlight] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores the tough And-1 on Jaxson Hayes (with replays).
You can see JJ Redick’s live reaction, saying “NO!”
The Los Angeles Lakers have now been out scored by the OKC Thunder by 135 points in 5 games this season
Marcus on JJ saying they’ve sucked against the Thunder:
“JJ’s been nice. We were ass”
Josh Hart responding to Kelly Oubre’s comments on Jalen Brunson’s big head - “It’s well documented”
[Injury] Jarred Vanderbilt is in extreme pain after jamming his pinky finger against the side of the backboard while attempting to block the alley-oop dunk by Chet Holmgren (with replays).
Irony of Lebron James career
[Highlight] Daniss Jenkins grabs the loose ball and goes coast-to-coast for the dunk to seal the victory. Detroit takes Game 1 with a 111-101 victory over Cleveland, their first playoff win over the Cavaliers since Game 2 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, having lost 12 straight to Cleveland.
Austin Reaves at half: 4/2/4, 3 Turnovers, 25% TS
Anthony Edwards on Mike Conley: “Mike Conley was an All-Star in the NBA. I think people forget about that. Once upon a time, he was one of the best point guards in the league. I always tell him that you used to be one of my favorite players. When I played 2-K, I played with you.”
Chet Holmgren checks out as both teams empty the bench in a decisive Game 1 victory: 24/12/1 w/1 steal | 3 blocks
Since becoming Head Coach of the Toronto Raptors, Darko Rajaković has run an initiative where he donates $33 for every assist recorded by the team.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 18 points in Game 1 of the western conference semi-finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. The last time he scored under 20 points was almost 1 year ago.
[Amick] Tom Thibodeau is open to returning to the Chicago Bulls as their head coach
[McMenamin] Vanderbilt needed stitches postgame because the bone in his dislocated pinkie finger broke skin
Isaiah Hartenstein in 5 playoff games so far: 10.4⁄8.4⁄2.4 on 80.3% TS
[Highlight] Jared McCain hits back-to-back 3-pointers in the 4th quarter for the Thunder. They lead by 17 late in Game 1.
Donovan Mitchell adding to the officiating complaints in the playoffs postgame- “A friend of mine got fined for talking about fl*p…I feel like that’s what I gotta do at this point. I’m trying to get to the bucket…I’m just not getting the calls. I don’t know why. I don’t fl*p maybe that’s why”
[Highlight] Cade Cunningham with a third consecutive assist to Jalen Duren, for a 3rd consecutive dunk in the clutch (with replays)
[Highlight] SGA beats the incoming double and finishes with the scoop at the rim
Christian Braun on the Nuggets’ first-round loss:
“I just think I’m the leader of this team. I’m the vocal leader of this team. I didn’t play well enough as an individual, and I didn’t have this team ready enough to play in a tough series.”