Ashish Mathur Articles - Page 156

Memphis Grizzlies small forward Andre Iguodala says he has 2-3 years left in the NBA. Iguodala is owed $17.2 million this season, the final year of his contract. The 2015 Finals MVP isn’t expected to play a single game for the Grizzlies, who are rebuilding the franchise around point guard Ja Morant and big man […]

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the Chinese government requested the NBA to fire Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey after his tweet about China. Silver and the NBA said no. “We made clear that we were being asked to fire him, by the Chinese government, by the parties we dealt with, government and businesses,” Silver […]

While speaking to local reporters on Wednesday, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talked about how Jimmy Butler reminds him of LeBron James. James played for Spoelstra and the Heat for four seasons. Miami went to the Finals in all four years, winning two titles. Spoelstra says like LeBron, Butler only cares about one thing […]

Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers in NBA history and will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Like Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant, Anthony deserves a farewell tour since he’s given his blood, sweat and tears to the game of basketball. However, it doesn’t appear Anthony is going to go out like Wade […]

Neither Rudy Gay nor DeMar DeRozan are playing for the San Antonio Spurs against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, but head coach Gregg Popovich says both forwards are fine. Gay has been dealing with a hamstring issue, while DeRozan is out after bruising his chest versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Rudy Gay has been dealing […]

NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Reggie Miller has no doubt the Denver Nuggets are going to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference again. Miller, though, wants to know one thing: how do the Nuggets handle being the hunted instead of being the hunters? “My only problem with the Nuggets […]

Denver Nuggets power forward Paul Millsap thinks Michael Porter Jr. “can be a terror on the defensive end” for the team this season. All anyone talks about is Porter’s offensive skills since he’s a gifted scorer. Millsap, a defensive-minded guy, believes the youngster is going to make the Nuggets’ defense even more lethal this season. […]

Former NBA forward Matt Barnes believes the championship is the Los Angeles Clippers’ to lose this season. After signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George this summer, the Clippers are legitimate title contenders for the first time in franchise history. The Clippers won 48 games last season and took the Golden State Warriors to […]

The Philadelphia 76ers have exercised their third-year option on guard Zhaire Smith, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Smith is entering his second season with the Sixers. The #Sixers exercised the third-year option for Zhaire Smith, according to a league source. The option is for the 2020-2021 season. — Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October […]

Washington Wizards point guard John Wall is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season recovering from his Achilles injury. Wall, whose supermax contract kicks in this season, intends to use the 2019-20 campaign to see whether he can be a coach or not after his playing career is over. The All-Star guard will essentially be […]

Charlotte Hornets point guard Terry Rozier won’t play on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons due to left knee tendinitis. Fortunately, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, Rozier’s tendinitis is not of regular-season concern. The Hornets open the season on Oct. 23 against the Chicago Bulls at home. Terry Rozier sitting out tonight with […]

Former NBA coach and current TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy thinks the New York Knicks are actually headed in the “right direction.” After missing out on stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency this summer, the Knicks used their cap space on seven veterans, whom the franchise believes will teach the youngsters what […]

Sacramento Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield is looking to sign his rookie-scale extension as soon as possible. If Sacramento and Hield can’t agree to an extension by Oct. 21, Buddy would enter restricted free agency next summer if the franchise offers him a qualifying offer worth $6.5 million. A report from Yahoo Sports on Wednesday […]

Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons gave a thoughtful and smart response while speaking to reporters on Wednesday after Sixers practice about the development of his jumper. Simmons is aware his jump shooting isn’t one of his best skills, but says part of being a good player is working on weak parts of your game to […]

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and shooting guard Klay Thompson had a funny moment on Wednesday. While Kerr was talking to reporters, he said the Warriors don’t need Thompson, who was passing by the media scrum. The All-Star shooting guard yelled out “redshirt season” and Kerr continued the banter by saying Thompson needs […]

Victor Oladipo says the Indiana Pacers’ front office is not like other brain trusts in the NBA. Oladipo, who has been traded twice while being on a plane, says the Pacers’ brass knows players are “human beings” and are sensitive to a lot of things that other organizations gloss over. “They know we’re human beings,” […]

Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Harris isn’t stressing over potentially losing money over the China issue. Harris is looking at the big picture, saying he makes a lot of money to play a game and isn’t worried about players losing salary and endorsements deals as a result of a decline in revenue from China. Nets' […]

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe was able to do non-contact stuff in practice on Wednesday. Bledsoe is recovering from a small fracture in his rib. He’s expected to start the regular season on the sideline. Mike Budenholzer says Eric Bledsoe (rib injury) is progressing and was able to do non-contact stuff today at practice. […]

Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen has officially named Tomas Satoransky the team’s starting point guard over Kris Dunn. Satoransky has played better with the starters in preseason thus far and runs the offense more efficiently than Dunn, and Boylen believes this is what’s best for the Bulls: Boylen: “This is what’s best for our […]

Carmelo Anthony hasn’t played in an NBA game since November of last year. He lasted just 10 games with the Houston Rockets before the franchise exiled him and eventually traded him to the Chicago Bulls, who wound up waiving the future Hall of Famer. The 2019-20 NBA season starts next week, and Carmelo Anthony is […]

Washington Wizards point guard Isaiah Thomas is getting close to participating in contact drills in practice, according to head coach Scott Brooks. Thomas is recovering from left thumb surgery. He underwent successful surgery to repair a rupture of the radial collateral ligament of his left thumb after hurting his thumb during routine workouts before training […]

Kyrie Irving will play in the Brooklyn Nets’ final preseason game on Friday against the Toronto Raptors. Irving suffered a facial fracture after taking an elbow to the head in a scrimmage and re-aggravated the injury in China against the Los Angeles Lakers. As a result, Irving has only played one minute as a member […]

Boston Celtics small forward Jaylen Brown is eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension with Boston. If he doesn’t sign a deal before Oct. 21, Brown will become a restricted free agent next summer. Brown, a key player for the Celtics, says his contract situation is “not something that’s keeping me up at night.” “Everybody says […]

During his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, current Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Harris counted Kendrick Perkins’ winnings for him on the team plane when the Cavs gambled. Perkins would win a lot of money on the team flights and he had Harris serve as his accountant. Via Adams Wells of Bleacher Report: Given […]

New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale says he will play rookie RJ Barrett at point guard sometimes this season. Barrett had the ball in his hands a lot at Duke last year. The lefty is comfortable playing the point-forward spot and Fizdale is looking forward to using his prized youngster in different roles. “Absolutely. […]

ESPN published a story this week about sleep deprivation within the NBA. Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens says it’s something that’s just part of the life of an athlete. Players often get into a city around 1 a.m. By the time they get into their hotel rooms, it’s already around two in the morning. […]

Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry knows his role on the team is going to change since superstar Kawhi Leonard is gone. Lowry, who signed a one-year extension with the Raptors, says he’s aware he’s “got to be a lot more of a scorer” with Leonard out in Los Angeles now. “I’ve got to be […]

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel makes it seem like small forward Kyle Kuzma won’t be ready for the season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers. Kuzma continues to recover from a stress injury in his lower left leg. He is currently doing non-contact stuff at practice. This was Frank Vogel on Kyle Kuzma […]

Detroit Pistons All-Star power forward Blake Griffin won’t play in the team’s final two preseason games. Griffin won’t play on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a hamstring ailment. The high-flyer didn’t travel with the Pistons, who will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in their preseason finale. Blake Griffin (hamstring) won't play […]

Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox is expected to be ready for the regular season opener despite dealing with a sore lower back. Fox won’t play on Wednesday when the Kings take on Melbourne United in an exhibition game. Kings PG De'Aaron Fox (sore lower back) is expected to be out for Wednesday's preseason game […]

Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler is the new franchise player in South Beach in the post-Dwyane Wade era. The Heat are hoping Butler can lead Miami to a championship soon. Butler, a four-time All-Star, signed a four-year, $140.8 million contract with the Heat in July as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia […]

Dallas Mavericks power forward Kristaps Porzingis is confident his jump shot will start to fall soon as the Mavs inch closer to the start of the regular season. In three preseason games with the Mavs, Porzingis is shooting 34.6 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from beyond the arc. The 7-footer, who missed all […]

Los Angeles Lakers superstar big man Anthony Davis says he plans to play on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors. Davis says “everything is fine” with his thumb. The MRI on the right thumb of Davis came back negative. #Lakers forward Anthony Davis says the “plan” is for him to play tomorrow vs. #Warriors — […]

The Golden State Warriors will treat their preseason finale on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers like a regular season game, as All-Stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell are scheduled to play 30 to 35 minutes. Warriors tentative plan is to play Friday’s preseason finale at home vs Lakers as a dress rehearsal […]

Anthony Davis played in the Los Angeles Lakers’ Tuesday scrimmage despite suffering a thumb injury in China. The MRI on the right thumb of Davis came back negative. Anthony Davis is on the practice floor today. They just finished a scrimmage. #Lakers — Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) October 15, 2019 Looks like AD testing thumb pic.twitter.com/H6uldhrDjB […]

Houston Rockets star shooting guard James Harden is taking his leadership skills to another level this season. According to Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic, Harden has been acting like another assistant coach in Rockets practices, making sure everyone is on the same page and running the plays correctly. Harden is like another assistant coach on […]

Houston Rockets star Russell Westbrook is one of the few point guards in the NBA who has the luxury of posting up other guards because of his height and upper body strength. Westbrook is able to use his stature to post-up little guards and either score, draw a foul or collapse the paint and kick […]

The Detroit Pistons are exploring trades which would allow them to keep both Christian Wood and Joe Johnson, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Wood’s contract becomes guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster, while Johnson would receive a $1.4 million guarantee if he’s still on the Pistons once the regular […]

New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale is unsure who will be his starting point guard on opening night. Dennis Smith Jr. and Elfrid Payton are battling for the starting job. Fizdale on PG battle: "The biggest thing is, is he guarding his position? Is he pushing the pace? Is he getting us organized. Those […]