Ashish Mathur Articles - Page 222

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star point forward Ben Simmons has been using meditation to get ready for games lately. The Sixers take on the Toronto Raptors in the second round of the playoffs. Simmons will most likely be guarded by Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard: One with the ball, one with his mind. Ben says he’s been […]

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens believes Milwaukee Bucks superstar swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo should win the MVP award this season. Antetokounmpo guided the Bucks to the best record in the NBA. The Bucks and Celtics face off in the second round of the playoffs. Game 1 is on Sunday: Stevens on whether Giannis is MVP: […]

Golden State Warriors superstar small forward Kevin Durant says Game 5 was a “perfect storm” for the Los Angeles Clippers, who won at Oracle Arena for the second time to extend the series to a Game 6. Durant says the Warriors came out too relaxed, and the Clippers took advantage of it by making shots […]

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers says the Clippers are trying to trap Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry whenever he gets the ball off a pick. Curry is the best shooter in NBA history. You give him any room to shoot and he’s going to knock it down at a high […]

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks says point guard D’Angelo Russell “knows how we feel about him.” Russell becomes a restricted free agent this summer. The lefty made his first All-Star team this season and led the Nets to the playoffs. As a restricted free agent, Russell can sign an offer sheet with another team […]

Oklahoma City Thunder veteran guard Raymond Felton says the criticism star point guard Russell Westbrook gets is “stupid” and he doesn’t like it one bit. Westbrook has been heavily criticized his entire career, but after what happened in the playoffs against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers, the noise around Westbrook has been even […]

Toronto Raptors big man Marc Gasol will be tasked with the challenge of guarding Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid in the second round of the playoffs. While Gasol will have the help of Serge Ibaka when he comes into the game, the Spaniard will be the primary defender on Embiid, who is one of […]

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers says the only difference between Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and small forward Kevin Durant getting hot is how the two stars get their baskets. Rivers says when Curry gets hot, the sharpshooter is usually getting his buckets through the Warriors’ offensive actions. Durant, meanwhile, can […]

New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin and superstar big man Anthony Davis are reportedly expected to meet next month to discuss Davis’ future, according to Scott Kushner of The Advocate. Davis requested a trade from the Pelicans before the February trade deadline. New Orleans opted not to trade him and […]

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe has always shown flashes of being an All-NBA defender, but he’s never been able to put it all together because of random mental lapses during a game. That changed this season under new Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer, who often puts Bledsoe on the opposing team’s best player. “It […]

Unlike last offseason, Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell says he already his 2019 summer schedule mapped out. After bursting onto the NBA scene last year as a rookie, Mitchell’s 2018 summer was a lot to handle for the youngster, who admits he didn’t approach it the right way. That won’t be the case this […]

The Chicago Bulls have reportedly asked the NBA to remove center Omer Asik’s contract from the team’s salary, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. Asik is battling arthritis and Chron’s disease. He was waived by the Bulls on October 21, 2018. The big man was scheduled to make $3.0 million in 2019-20. […]

While speaking to reporters on Thursday, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr got annoyed with power forward Draymond Green, who was blasting music, which made it hard for Kerr to hear the questions the reporters were asking him. Kerr asked someone to turn the music down, but he was then told that Green was […]

After losing Game 5 at home, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says “everything is on the table” pertaining to any rotation changes for Game 6 in Los Angeles. In Game 5, the Warriors had their normal starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut. Andre Iguodala, Kevon […]

Lauri Markkanen thinks the Chicago Bulls should have been a playoff team this season. The Bulls weren’t even close to making the postseason. They won just 22 games and finished in the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Markkanen missed the first 23 games of the season after suffering an injury during training camp. […]

Chicago Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen plans to work hard this summer to get his body ready for a longer season in 2019-20. Markkanen believes getting stronger will help him absorb more contact on his drives to the hoop and allow him to finish in heavy traffic: “I know everyone says they have to work […]

The Milwaukee Bucks will be without combo guard Malcolm Brogdon for Games 1 and 2 against the Boston Celtics. Brogdon suffered a minor plantar fascia tear in his right foot back on March 15: Malcolm Brogdon will be OUT for Games 1 and 2 vs the Celtics. Will be reassessed after that. — Matt Velazquez […]

Members of the Phoenix Suns will reportedly travel to Toronto on Friday to meet with Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Monty Williams, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Williams and the Sixers will take on the Toronto Raptors in the second round of the playoffs. Games 1 and 2 are in Toronto. Williams is reportedly the […]

Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Andre Roberson is on track to be ready for the start of training camp in September. Roberson didn’t play at all this season. While recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon he suffered in 2017-18, Roberson sustained two setbacks during the season which derailed his comeback: Andre Roberson says he’s “making […]

Utah Jazz small forward Jae Crowder plans on recruiting for the franchise this summer once free agency starts on July 1. The Jazz could have roughly $39 million in cap space this summer, although that number would decrease if Utah keeps big man Derrick Favors and the rights to point guard Ricky Rubio. Crowder says […]

Houston Rockets star James Harden believes “the sky’s the limit” for Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Harden and the Rockets defeated Mitchell and the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs in five games, and it was a struggle for Mitchell. The Jazz’s leading scorer averaged 21.4 points in the series, but shot […]

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone is treating Thursday’s Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs like a Game 7. The Nuggets are up 3-2 on the Spurs and can close out the series in San Antonio on Thursday. Denver won Game 4 in San Antonio after losing Game 3. A focused Michael Malone at […]

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly sending a big contingent to Philadelphia on Thursday for Monty Williams’ second interview for the head coaching job, according to Bill Oram and Sam Amick of The Athletic. Williams is currently game planning for the Toronto Raptors, the Sixers’ second-round opponent in the playoffs: The Lakers are sending a […]

Toronto Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard has the best winning percentage in NBA history, according to Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype. Leonard has played in 467 regular season games with the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors. He’s won 352 and lost 115, which is good for a winning percentage of 75.4. Among top players who have […]

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard’s buzzer-beater against the Oklahoma City Thunder is a “good shot” for Lillard and Warriors star Stephen Curry. Lillard and Curry are the only players in the league who can shoot those long 3-pointers and make them at a high rate. […]

Boston Celtics small forward Marcus Morris wishes his twin brother Markieff Morris didn’t sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the Washington Wizards traded Markieff to the New Orleans Pelicans, the swingman was waived by New Orleans and signed with the Thunder for the rest of the season. In the Thunder’s first round loss to […]

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly made it known to coaching candidates they are planning to improve the roster this summer via free agency rather than trades, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The Lakers will have around $38 million to spend in free agency this summer. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi […]

The Orlando Magic’s season didn’t end the way the team wanted it to, but All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic is looking at the positives. The Magic made the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They stole Game 1 in Toronto against the Raptors, but lost four-straight after that. Vucevic, who becomes an unrestricted free […]

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni says starting center Clint Capela is feeling a lot better than he was in Game 4 and won’t have any minutes restrictions in Game 5 at home. Capela has been dealing with a virus. Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni says center Clint Capela feels “a lot better.” Does not have […]

Despite his team being up 3-1 and having Game 5 at home, Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni says the series with the Utah Jazz is “nowhere near over.” The Rockets lost Game 4 in Utah, a contest in which D’Antoni said Houston didn’t play with the “appropriate fear.” Game 5 is on Wednesday, and […]

Brooklyn Nets veteran small forward DeMarre Carroll says the franchise will need to “put out the whole red carpet” to compete with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this summer. The Nets, Knicks and Lakers will all have cap space to sign superstar free agents this summer. Kevin Durant, Kyrie […]

A Western Conference executive wouldn’t be surprised if Golden State Warriors big man DeMarcus Cousins is the Los Angeles Lakers’ or New York Knicks’ “consolation prize” in free agency this summer, according to Ken Berger of Bleacher Report. The exec says teams who don’t get a big fish this summer like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, […]

An anonymous Western Conference executive believes Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins’ Achilles and quad injury may cost him up to $150 million, according to Ken Berger of Bleacher Report. Before he tore his Achilles last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Cousins was averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds. He was well on his […]

Luke Walton’s attorney, Mark Baute, has issued a new statement regarding the sexual assault lawsuit that the Sacramento Kings coach is currently facing. Walton’s accuser, Kelli Tennant, and her lawyer Garo Mardirossian held a press conference on Tuesday. Tennant revealed more details about the alleged incident which she claimed took place in 2014. “These claims […]

Utah Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio knows that no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs. The Jazz are currently down 3-0 to the Houston Rockets. Game 5 is on Wednesday in Houston and the Rockets are heavy favorites to win. Rubio says the Jazz have heart […]

The Dwyane Wade era with the Miami Heat is officially over, which means Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and Bam Adebayo are the new franchise cornerstones in South Beach. The three youngsters are motivated to get the Heat back to the promised land. While some around the league believe Miami is going to be in rebuild […]

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was working out at the team’s facility when he saw ESPN’s First Take discussing a rumor which claimed he’s upset with the franchise. To get ahead of the rumor, James posted the following video on his Instagram story, denying that he has any rift with the Lakers: The 2018-19 […]

Damon Jones says Magic Johnson’s resignation left Los Angeles Lakers star small forward LeBron James frustrated. Johnson stepped down from his president role during an impromptu press conference with reporters. No one inside the Lakers organization saw the move coming. Jones claims James was stymied by Johnson’s resignation because the plan they put together was […]

Damon Jones believes Los Angeles Lakers superstar small forward LeBron James is going to come back with a vengeance next season. James missed the playoffs this season for the first time since his second year in the NBA during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jones says LeBron is getting rest this summer, but […]