Ashish Mathur Articles - Page 154

Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen is as old school as they come. Boylen, who is entering his first full season as the leader of the Bulls, has installed a time clock at the Advocate Center so players can punch in to work every day. Via Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic: And three days before […]

Miami Heat star small forward Jimmy Butler won’t play in the team’s season opener on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Heat say Butler is out for personal reasons. Head coach Erik Spoelstra says everything is fine with Jimmy, which is great news for Miami all things considered: Jimmy Butler is OUT tonight for personal […]

Whenever Rajon Rondo returns from his calf injury — and it could be on Friday against the Utah Jazz — Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel envisions Rondo being a 25-30 minute rotation player who can quarterback the offense. Vogel sees Rondo running the offense with Anthony Davis when LeBron James is on the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers will once again be without small forward Kyle Kuzma when they host the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on Friday. Kuzma is still recovering from a left foot stress reaction: #Lakers Kyle Kuzma has officially been ruled OUT for Friday’s game against the #Jazz — Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) October 23, 2019 […]

Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid admits he watches the Sixers’ 2019 playoffs Game 7 loss to the Toronto Raptors all the time. Raptors star Kawhi Leonard hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer over Embiid, sending Toronto to the Eastern Conference Finals and ending the Sixers’ season. "I still think about it. I […]

LaMarcus Aldridge’s $24 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs for the 2020-21 season has been fully guaranteed, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times. Aldridge signed a two-year, $50 million deal with the Spurs in October of 2017. He previously had only $7 million guaranteed for next season. LaMarcus Aldridge's $24 million […]

When the Milwaukee Bucks face the Houston Rockets on Thursday, Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe will most likely be guarding Rockets superstar James Harden. The Bucks defeated the Rockets last season in Houston, with Bledsoe playing terrific defense on Harden. Bledsoe, a rugged defender, says he’s ready to guard The Beard again: “I’m up for […]

NBA Hall of Famer and TNT personality Charles Barkley says Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is a better player than Los Angeles Lakers swingman LeBron James at the moment. James struggled on Tuesday against the Clippers. The Lakers star finished with just 18 points in 36 minutes while shooting 7-of-19 from the field. LeBron […]

Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas says he’s “happy” to have Derrick Rose in Detroit. Rose, like Thomas, is a Chicago native and plays a gritty style of basketball. Thomas, who won two championships with the Pistons and is arguably the greatest player in franchise history, says the city of Detroit is going to “love” the […]

The Toronto Raptors got their championship rings on Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, and it looks like almost all of Canada was watching. The Raptors’ home opener was the most-watched regular season game ever in Canada with 2.6 million total viewers. It was the first ring ceremony in Raptors franchise history: The Raptors home […]

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has seen enough of LeBron James playing the point guard position for the Los Angeles Lakers, and it’s only been one game. At a TNT press event in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Barkley said the Lakers have to take LeBron off the point guard spot and play at a […]

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has never been one to mince words, and that trend continued on Wednesday at a TNT press event in Los Angeles. O’Neal, one of the personalities on TNT’s NBA coverage, says all the other networks’ NBA coverage is “terrible.” Shaquille O’Neal, at a TNT press event in LA, on […]

Although he recently went through a full practice, Washington Wizards point guard Isaiah Thomas won’t play in the team’s season opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Thomas, who signed a one-year deal with the Wizards this summer in free agency, is recovering from left thumb surgery. He underwent successful surgery to repair a rupture […]

Houston Rockets star point guard Russell Westbrook is dealing with dislocated fingers in his right hand. Westbrook, who looked rusty in the preseason since he wasn’t able to run or play 5-on-5 in the summer due to two offseason surgeries, will play in the Rockets’ season opener on Thursday at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. […]

There was a potential trade this week that ultimately fell through involving the Houston Rockets and an unknown team, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko reports Houston didn’t initiate the trade talks: In other words, Houston isn’t being aggressive on that front, at least before the season starts. From conversations with the front […]

The Detroit Pistons will start the season without star power forward Blake Griffin, who will be out until early November because of lingering issues with his knee and a sore hamstring. Pistons head coach Dwane Casey told reporters on Wednesday the team is being “conservative” with Griffin. “We’re being very conservative with him and his […]

Chinese state television did not air the NBA’s opening night games on Tuesday, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The league’s streaming partner, Tencent, reduced its schedule and was showing just the Los Angeles Lakers-LA Clippers game. CCTV has customarily shown the league’s opening night games but has pulled all NBA broadcasts in the wake of Houston […]

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers doesn’t think the franchise “could’ve picked two better people” than Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to add to the roster. The Clippers signed Leonard in free agency and acquired George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a blockbuster trade. Doc Rivers on Kawhi Leonard and Pail George: “I […]

Andre Iguodala is considered a “virtual lock” to sign with the Golden State Warriors next summer, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times. The Warriors traded Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason in order to acquire D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Iguodala won’t play a single game […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri got MVP chants on Tuesday from the Toronto faithful as he accepted his championship ring. Masai Ujiri gets MVP chants as he accepts his Raptors championship ring. pic.twitter.com/pD474qDn5W — Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 22, 2019 Masai Ujiri made the bold move to trade fan favorite DeMar DeRozan to the […]

Family played a big part in Kyrie Irving’s decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency this summer. Irving grew up a Nets fan while living in New Jersey. The Nets open their 2019-20 season on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home. It will be on the one-year anniversary of Irving’s grandfather’s […]

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade has joined WarnerMedia where he will appear on TNT’s coverage of the NBA. Wade makes his debut on Tuesday. Dwyane Wade has joined WarnerMedia where he will appear on TNT's coverage of the NBA and Turner Sports'/CBS Sports coverage of the Final Four. He will also work as a creative […]

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson has once again reiterated Brooklyn isn’t expecting superstar small forward Kevin Durant to play this season. Durant is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Game 5 of the 2019 Finals. Kenny Atkinson on @JoeandEvan discussing if Kevin Durant will play at all this season: “As of […]

Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal doesn’t spend his money on material things anymore. Beal, who has earned roughly $117 million over his NBA career, says buying jewelry and cars “gets old.” “It gets old eventually,” Beal told Jabari Young of CNBC. “All the jewelry, all the cars; that s— gets old. Use it for […]

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is joining the chorus of people who believe New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson has to lose weight. Williamson underwent surgery on Monday to repair a torn lateral meniscus and will miss six-to-eight weeks. Williamson weighs approximately 285 pounds. "I don't think he can play at that weight" Chuck […]

NBA Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal is picking LeBron James and Anthony Davis as the NBA’s top duo. O’Neal is taking LeBron and AD over Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and James Harden and Russell Westbrook. .@SHAQ gives his top duo in the league 👀 pic.twitter.com/4srCGjANlr — NBA on TNT […]

Eric Bledsoe will start for the Milwaukee Bucks in their season opener against the Houston Rockets. Bledsoe was expected to begin the regular season on the sideline due to a small fracture in his rib, but the Bucks point guard recovered in time to take the starting spot against Houston. Bud confirmed Eric Bledsoe is […]

For the Chicago Bulls to make the playoffs this season, Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine will have to play like All-Stars. LaVine and Markkanen are the two best players on the Bulls. Markkanen says the next step for him and LaVine is being more consistent. “We’ve been on the same team and practiced the whole […]

Houston Rockets superstar guard James Harden was up to his usual tricks in the preseason. The Beard led the NBA in scoring and assists in the preseason, putting up 40 and 39 points in the final two games for the Rockets. Harden, however, says his scoring outbursts in exhibition games don’t matter. “That’s preseason,” Harden […]

Jimmy Butler loves what he has seen so far from his teammates on the Miami Heat. Butler, one of the fiercest competitors in the game, says the Heat’s roster has “some dogs.” “We’ve got some dogs,” Butler said, via Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. “We’ve got some guys that have something to prove every […]

Chris Bosh is picking Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis to win the MVP award this season. Davis is entering his first season with the Lakers. Bosh, who played four years with LeBron James on the Miami Heat, believes Davis is going to wreck havoc on both ends of the floor for the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers begin their 60th season on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Star LeBron James narrated a chilling hype video which also paid tribute to rapper Nipsey Hussle. https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1186718898143391744 With LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the charge, the Lakers have a legitimate chance to win it all season. […]

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wants to clarify one thing about shooting guard Klay Thompson. When Kerr said Thompson is “unlikely” to play this season for the Warriors, he wasn’t ruling the All-Star guard out. He was just saying that the typical rehab timeline for an ACL injury has Thompson missing the season, […]

Superstar small forward Kevin Durant has come away very impressed by the Brooklyn Nets organization without even playing a single game for them. Durant, who is likely going to miss the entire 2019-20 season recovering from his Achilles tear, says the Nets have “all their s**t in order” and carry a “championship mindset” with them: […]

Now that his contract situation has been taken care of, Sacramento Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield has one goal and that is to help the club make the playoffs this season. The Kings haven’t been to the postseason since 2006. “I was just trying to plead my case with them, but that’s done now,” Hield […]

Everyone knows Derrick Rose and former Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau have a very strong relationship. When the Utah Jazz waived Rose after acquiring him from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, the former MVP was on the open market for weeks and no team showed interest in signing him. That’s when Thibodeau, who was […]

Detroit Pistons All-Star power forward Blake Griffin and point guard Derrick Rose have known each other for years. Griffin and Rose played against each other on the AAU circuit when they were in middle school and high school. Both guys were the No. 1 overall pick in their respective draft classes and have gone through […]

When the Los Angeles Lakers hired Jason Kidd to be one of head coach Frank Vogel’s assistants, many people began to speculate that Kidd would eventually take Vogel’s job if the team got off to a slow start this season. Because Lakers superstar LeBron James has a previous relationship with Kidd, there was this narrative […]

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul believes the 2019-20 NBA season is starting at the perfect time since the China controversy has dominated headlines the past few weeks. After Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey voiced support on Twitter for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, the NBA’s relationship with China is as tense as […]