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I have to applaud the rookies of the 2022 NBA Draft because, by this time on the NBA's calendar, we typically see first-year players fall off as the regular season comes to a close. We're also typically not seeing rookies still steal the show on nights when some of the league's biggest stars are playing. But in a single night this week, we got Jalen Williams knocking down a game-winner to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder on pace to make the play-in round in the West. We also got Keegan Murray breaking the all-time rookie 3-point record, in the same game that earned the Sacramento Kings a playoff berth for the first time in 16 years.  Elsewhere, we're seeing rookies earning their first 30-point performance and ruining opposing teams' chances of making the playoffs, looking at you Mark Williams and the Charlotte Hornets. Part of it is due to the play-in round creating more meaningful basketball tow...

The NBA 's MVP discussion is always a little contentious. That's the nature of debate aimed at separating the best of the best. But this season, the top candidates, even more than normal, are virtually inseparable.  Nikola Jokic. Joel Embiid. Giannis Antetokounmpo.  With a few weeks left to play -- and with the qualification that this is a close enough race to swing on a few Game s, notably the Philly-Denver matchup on March 27 and the Philly-Milwaukee Game on April 2 -- that would be my personal finishing order. That said, I'm not a voter, and this isn't how I see the vote actually playing out. If I had to wager at bet, at this moment, I would put my money on Embiid.  Embiid's case is stout: Runner-up the last two years. The league's leading scorer and the anchor of a top-six defense. Currently in the middle of a 10- Game scoring run that has only been matched twice this century. He has...

The Denver Nuggets are still the heavy favorites to be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but their cruise through the regular season has hit some rough water. On Sunday, their furious late comeback attempt against the Brooklyn Nets fell short, as they dropped their third consecutive Game , which equals their longest losing streak of the season.  While they certainly aren't at panic stations, it does appear that some frustration is building. Michael Porter Jr., who finished with 23 points, three rebounds and four assists on 9-of-13 from the field, didn't play in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Nets until the final 23 seconds, and took a jab at head coach Michael Malone after the game.  "[Malone] sat me the whole fourth and put me in with 20 seconds left, I think," Porter said. "So, I mean it's impossible to catch a rhythm then." Malone was asked directly what went into ...

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant will be away from the team for at least the next two Game s, the Grizzlies announced on Saturday. The decision came shortly after it was revealed that the NBA is investigating a post that was circulating on social media on Saturday in which Morant is seen appearing to brandish a gun at a club. Prior to their matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said that there is "not a definitive timeline" for Morant's return, reiterating that his All-Star point guard will be out for a minimum of two games. "The focus right now is that Ja's taken on the responsibility to really get the help he needs to get into a better place, generally speaking, but also on the flip side, to be in a better place to embrace the responsibilities and expectations as a member of this team," Jenkins said. "That's what we...

Initially, Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell said he was "not worried" about his sprained right ankle, an injury he sustained in the first quarter of the Lakers' first game after the All-Star break. A week later, Russell is still sidelined because of it, and he won't return on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, either.  Russell, who has missed three straight Game s and only logged nine minutes against the Golden State Warriors last Wednesday, told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that he'll miss his fourth straight Game on Friday. Asked if he could come back when the Lakers face the Warriors again on Sunday, Russell said, "We'll see once we get through Friday." The Lakers are 30-33 and coming off a 123-117 win against an Oklahoma City Thunder team that was missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. LeBron James didn't play in that game because he's dealing with a ...

Whether you enjoyed All-Star weekend (Jayson Tatum, Mac McClung ) or not (Paul George, Mike Malone ), it's time to transition back to in-game dunks, hard fouls, instant replays and something we haven't seen on the NBA hardwood in about a week -- defense. With the playoffs starting in early April, the next six weeks will determine which teams are going to get an early start on the 2023-24 season and which ones are all-in on the playoffs. The trade deadline (and fallout from it) provided a bounty of storylines, especially in the Western Conference after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joined the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks, and the enigmatic Russell Westbrook both "left" and "joined" Los Angeles. And, don't worry, we're not leaving the Eastern Conference out of the party. The top three teams, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers will combine for five game...

When the Brooklyn Nets shipped out both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ahead of the trade deadline last week, it left Ben Simmons looking like Will Smith in the series finale of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Just a man alone in an empty room with no one or nothing else around him. Here's a visual to jog your memory: Fresh Prince Room GIFfrom Fresh Prince GIFs It was an end to the superteam era in Brooklyn that lasted a very drama-filled one-and-a-half years. An era whose descent began when James Harden requested a trade from the Nets during the 2022 trade deadline, which resulted in Simmons being sent from the Philadelphia 76ers to Brooklyn. Simmons, who similarly wanted out of Philly like Harden wanted to leave Brooklyn, was expected to get a fresh start with the Nets, but that, too, could come to an end soon.  The two-time All-Defensive player has shown little signs of the All-Star caliber player he was with th...

When Kyrie Irving shared an antisemitic documentary on his social media platforms earlier in the season, he initially refused to apologize. After several media sessions in which he did not back down, he was eventually suspended by the Brooklyn Nets. At that point, he relented and shared an apology post on Instagram. He served his suspension, returned to the Nets, and with time, the ordeal fell out of the spotlight. But Irving made news last week when he asked the Nets to trade him following a breakdown in contract extension talks. He was ultimately dealt to the Dallas Mavericks, and in the process, The Athletic's Sam Amick noticed something peculiar: Irving's apology post was no longer up on Instagram. It is not clear when Irving deleted the post, but as of this writing, it is not available on his Instagram page. Irving addressed the media Tuesday when he was introduced as a member of the Mavericks, a...

Ever since returning from his early- season suspension, Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving had been in the headlines for all the right reasons: impressive individual performances, another All-Star Game selection and, before Kevin Durant was injured, helping lead a 12- Game winning streak that is still the longest by any team this season .  All of that changed in recent days ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline, as Irving demanded a trade from the Nets due to disagreements about a potential contract extension. Per Chris Haynes, the relationship between the two parties is now so broken that Irving would not accept a max deal from the Nets at this point, and the team will keep him sidelined until the front office can figure out a deal. Irving sat out Saturday night's game against the Wizards with "calf soreness." But what if the Nets can't find a move? The potential issue for both Irving and the N...