Ashish Mathur Articles - Page 169

New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday is really impressed with Zion Williamson’s touch around the basket. Holiday and Williamson have been participating in voluntary workouts the last two days. The Pelicans’ floor general says Williamson’s ability to finish around the rim is really remarkable for someone as explosive as Zion is. “I think it’s […]

Jrue Holiday says the atmosphere inside the New Orleans Pelicans organization has been different and positive ever since David Griffin was hired as the new executive vice president of basketball operations. Griffin has done a phenomenal job with the Pelicans. He got a tremendous haul from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade, […]

In a hilarious video where he’s doing the One Chip Challenge eating the spicy Carolina Reaper Pepper chip, Sixers star big man Joel Embiid revealed he has lost around 25 pounds this summer. Embiid jokingly said he’s going to gain all his weight back after drinking the milk which was given to him to help […]

When he’s 40-years-old and done playing basketball, Houston Rockets star James Harden hopes to sit back, relax and think about all he has accomplished in his NBA career. Harden is hoping to add a NBA championship to his already fantastic résumé. The Rockets guard has accomplished all the individual stuff NBA players look for. Now, […]

James Harden has no plans on ever leaving the Houston Rockets and is confident he’ll win at least one title in Houston. Harden says he plans on retiring with the Rockets and will figure out a way to deliver a championship to Houston soon, via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report: “There’s other ways that I […]

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has said a few times he thinks James Harden is a better scorer than Chicago Bulls legend and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Harden has led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons and makes scoring 50 points look relatively easy. The Beard most likely appreciates Morey’s […]

While Houston Rockets star James Harden hasn’t won an NBA championship yet, he admits he gets frustrated when pundits say he doesn’t show up during the playoffs. Harden has played in 73 postseason games with the Rockets. He has averages of 28.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists, numbers that aren’t easy to put up. […]

To say Houston Rockets star James Harden is excited about reuniting with Russell Westbrook would be an understatement. With Harden and Westbrook in the fold, the Rockets are the only team in the NBA with two MVPs on the roster. Harden can’t wait to go to battle with Westbrook, especially once the playoffs start, via […]

Veteran small forward Luc Mbah a Moute will not be making the trip to Las Vegas for Houston Rockets minicamp after all, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Mbah a Moute was expected to join a group of veterans including Nick Young, Thabo Sefolosha and others. In a change of plans, Luc Mbah a […]

When the New York Knicks hired Derek Fisher as head coach back in 2014, everyone in New York thought he was going to be the guy to get the franchise over the hump and back to winning games. Unfortunately for Fisher and the Knicks, that never happened. Fisher went just 40-96 in 136 games with […]

Former NBA guard and current ESPN analyst Jalen Rose has Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird over Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant on his GOAT list. Rose’s list goes like this: Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal and Oscar Robertson: Larry Bird won […]

Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey says “there will be scenarios” where Derrick Rose and Reggie Jackson play together in 2019-20. Jackson is the Pistons’ starting point guard. Detroit signed Rose this offseason in free agency to a two-year deal. The former MVP is slated to be Jackson’s backup, but Dwane Casey thinks the two […]

Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey thinks how hard point guard Derrick Rose plays “will set the tone with the rest of our team.” Rose signed a two-year deal with the Pistons this summer in free agency. All signs point toward Rose backing up Reggie Jackson. “The guy’s been an MVP in our league. He […]

New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett says he wants to dunk on Dallas Mavericks power forward Kristaps Porzingis in the 2019-20 season. During Bleacher Report’s “Ask Me Anything,” Barrett was asked which player he’d most like to dunk on. The Knicks rookie didn’t hesitate and named the former Knicks star. RJ Barrett was asked in […]

Rookie small forward RJ Barrett says “it felt right” to be drafted by the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Draft. Barrett, who used to watch reruns of John Starks and Patrick Ewing as a kid, was selected by the Knicks with the third overall pick. Now, he is looking forward to playing in […]

Bobby Portis wants to be “Sixth Man of the Year” with the New York Knicks. Portis signed a two-year, $31 million deal with the Knicks this summer in free agency. He split time last season with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. The energetic Portis is looking forward to playing in The Big Apple and […]

Orlando Magic point guard Markelle Fultz has worked diligently in recent months under the careful supervision of at least two members of the franchise’s player-development staff, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Fultz is still recovering from Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. The Magic are unsure when the former No. 1 overall pick will play […]

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo will be among the celebrities who will take on competitive-eating legend Takeru Kobayashi in a cheeseburger-eating contest. The event will take place on Wednesday, according to Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel. Wednesday’s event, which begins at 11 a.m. and is being promoted by BurgerFi and Feeding South Florida, comes […]

Justise Winslow wants to play point guard for the Miami Heat next season and doesn’t see himself butting heads with Goran Dragic. Dragic played in only 36 games for the Heat last season due to a knee injury which required surgery, so Miami played Winslow at the point guard spot. The lefty averaged 12.6 points, […]

Miami Heat star small forward Jimmy Butler is already forming bonds and emerging as Miami’s leader, according to Shandel Richardson of The Athletic. The Heat acquired Butler from the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason in a sign-and-trade deal involving Josh Richardson. In the post-Dwyane Wade era, Miami president Pat Riley has found his new franchise player […]

Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox’s father is defending his son’s decision not to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. Fox withdrew from the FIBA World Cup to focus on the upcoming Kings season. Aaron Fox says Sacramento is Fox’s first responsibility since Team USA is not paying his son to play. […]

Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford says forward Aaron Gordon has been working very hard this offseason. When the Magic re-signed Gordon to a four-year, $80 million deal last summer, the franchise wanted the high-flyer to take the next step in his development and impact the game on both ends of the floor. Gordon heard […]

When Nikola Vucevic re-signed with the Orlando Magic this summer, he said he feels like he is just now entering his prime. Magic head coach Steve Clifford agrees with Vucevic and sees the All-Star big man having an even better 2019-20 campaign. Orlando re-signed Vucevic to a four-year, $100 million contract this offseason. “I just […]

Head coach Steve Clifford says the Orlando Magic “have to be able to score the ball better” moving forward if they want to be an elite team in the NBA. Orlando averaged 107.3 points per game last season, which was just 24th in the NBA. The Magic were a good defensive unit in 2018-19, though, […]

Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford says it’s important for the Magic to take advantage of their roster “continuity.” Orlando re-signed Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross and Michael Carter-Williams this offseason. The Magic also signed Al-Farouq Aminu in free agency, a veteran who has playoff experience under his belt. “I would say this, the offseason is […]

Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford sees “positional size” and “individual approach” as the Magic’s strengths. Clifford says the Magic are very versatile at every position, but more importantly, claims all the guys on the roster care about winning and approach the game the right way. “When I sat down after the season ended with […]

Orlando Magic swingman Evan Fournier says New York Knicks point guard Frank Ntilikina needs a “real opportunity” in the NBA after a strong showing in the FIBA World Cup. Ntilikina put up 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists for France, who won the bronze medal in China. Strong World Cup showing for Frank Ntilikina: […]

Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry has launched a golf clothing line with Under Armour. Curry, who loves to play golf in his spare time and is pretty good, also has a mini-golf show called “Holey Moley,” which premiered this summer in June. https://twitter.com/DefPenKicks/status/1173668805681147904?s=20 Last summer, Stephen Curry played in the Web.com Tour’s […]

The Orlando Magic exercised their fourth-year option on guard Markelle Fultz on Monday despite the former No. 1 overall pick not having played a game for the franchise yet. Fultz is still recovering from Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. The Magic acquired Fultz from the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2019 February trade deadline. The guard took to […]

After guiding the franchise to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2012, Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford is looking forward to seeing if his guys are ready to take the next step. Clifford says the Magic are a “very talented team that can accomplish some things” if they don’t skip steps. […]

The Orlando Magic have exercised their fourth-year team options on guard Markelle Fultz and big man Jonathan Isaac for the 2020-21 season, as well as their third-year option on center Mo Bamba, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Bamba and Isaac were always going to get picked up, but Fultz is notable given he […]

Houston Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon believes he’s just entering the prime years of his NBA career. The 30-year-old signed a four-year extension with the Rockets this offseason. While Gordon heard his name mentioned a few times in trade rumors this summer, he always expected to remain in Houston. “I know I’m valuable to this […]

A Team USA spokesman says USA Basketball is not angry with Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox. Fox withdrew from the FIBA World Cup to focus on the upcoming Kings season. Some panelists on ESPN wondered if Fox would ever garner consideration from Team USA again after his sudden withdrawal. It doesn’t look like that […]

Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley will be wearing No. 10 with the Jazz after wearing No. 11 with the Memphis Grizzlies for 12 years. Conley didn’t ask Jazz guard Dante Exum for No. 11 in Utah because he doesn’t want to wear that number ever again unless he plays for the Grizzlies once more. […]

First-year Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is aiming to build “impactful relationships” with all of his players in Memphis. Jenkins says the biggest thing he learned from working with Gregg Popovich and Mike Budenholzer is that strong, positive relationships are the key to building trust and ultimately winning games in the NBA. “To me, […]

Memphis Grizzlies first-year head coach Taylor Jenkins doesn’t want to put any pressure on rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke next season. Jenkins says his main goal with Morant and Clarke is for the two Grizzlies youngsters to come in and know what it means to work in the NBA on an everyday basis. “Biggest […]

It’s a new era of Memphis Grizzlies basketball, one which will be led by first-year head coach Taylor Jenkins. The slow paced offensive days are over for the Grizzles, as Jenkins says Memphis is “going to play fast” next season. “We’re going to play fast. Pace and space. Hopefully, put a lot of points on […]

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner thinks All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo “will be back a lot sooner than people think.” Oladipo is recovering from a ruptured quad tendon in his knee. The Pacers star suffered the injury on Jan. 23 against the Toronto Raptors. While speaking with @TheFrankIsola Pacers Center Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) was very optimistic […]

Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley says he tells his Jazz teammates all the time how good of a player Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. can be. The Grizzlies are building the franchise around Ja Morant and Jackson Jr. now that both Conley and Marc Gasol are gone. “I rant and rave about […]