Bruno Manrique Articles - Page 99

Damian Lillard paid some respect to the Golden State Warriors after they bounced his Portland Trail Blazers from the playoffs in sweeping fashion. The Rip City star posted a team picture on Instagram, looking back to a long season that saw them overcome plenty of obstacles, but eventually running into a juggernaut in the playoffs: […]

Damian Lillard is proud of what the Portland Trail Blazers accomplished this season, despite going out of the playoffs by means of a sweep for the third straight year. The Blazers handed the Oklahoma City Thunder a gentlemen’s sweep, clawed their way to a Game 7 win against the Denver Nuggets and gave the Golden […]

Monday night’s overtime thriller brought home a ticket to the NBA Finals, as the Golden State Warriors once again came back from a 17-point deficit to stun the Portland Trail Blazers 119-117, wrapping up the sweep in four games. The defending champions had to crawl for this win, playing their starters heavy minutes in hopes […]

Denver Nuggets president Josh Kroenke is confident the incoming wave of free agents will look at his team as a potential landing spot this offseason. This comes at the heels of president of basketball operations Tim Connelly remaining with the organization after meeting with Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis regarding the same position. Kroenke reportedly […]

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is saddened by Magic Johnson’s decision to call him out on national television, as the former president of basketball operations went on ESPN’s “First Take” and accused his former partner for backstabbing him throughout their tenure together. During Monday’s press conference to introduce new head coach Frank Vogel, Pelinka […]

Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed disappointment after losing a double-overtime classic in Game 3, but noted this series was never expected to be a cakewalk. The Milwaukee Bucks star struggled, posting only 12 points on 5-of-16 shooting, and his poor shooting night and eight turnovers spelled a 2-1 series lead instead of a dominant 3-0 advantage to […]

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo knows he will have to do more than what he mustered in Game 3 to steal a game on the road in Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Toronto Raptors. Antetokounmpo is aware head coach Mike Budenholzer wants him to be more aggressive and keep the Raptors on their heels with […]

Magic Johnson believes LeBron James will bring a championship to the Los Angeles Lakers in due time, as he predicted with unequivocal belief upon making an appearance in ESPN’s First Take. “It’s gonna happen. It’s gonna happen,” said Johnson, who resigned from his post as president of basketball operations right before the regular season finale […]

Magic Johnson admitted he made a mistake upon letting starting center Brook Lopez walk only one season after acquiring him, according to ESPN’s Arash Markazi. Johnson traded for him as a result of a salary dump that shipped D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Lopez. The former Los Angeles […]

Magic Johnson uncovered all the smoke surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers, including the rumored packages he offered for New Orleans Pelicans talisman Anthony Davis prior to the trade deadline. The former president of basketball operations went on ESPN’s First Take and blamed Dell Demps for leaking the trade details — details that ultimate upset nearly […]

Former Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson stopped by ESPN’s First Take to “speak his truth” and share some thoughts about the team’s future. Among them was the players the Lakers should target going into free agency, as Magic quickly pointed to Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving as the top two players […]

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson was cognizant of the role envy in the front office while working alongside general manager Rob Pelinka. The former president of basketball operations told ESPN’s First Take that Pelinka was chasing after his job, even after he told the latter he would get him ready to take that position […]

Magic Johnson spilled the details of his short-lived tenure as president of the Los Angeles Lakers on the set of ESPN’s “First Take,” and among them was his intent to fire former coach Luke Walton to get a “better coach” instead: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was I wanted to fire Luke Walton,” […]

Magic Johnson has broken his silence after a month-plus away from the Los Angeles Lakers following his abrupt departure from his position as president of basketball operations. The Lakers legend went on ESPN’s First Take and pointed to general manager Rob Pelinka and his “betrayal” as the reason why he decided to leave his post […]

Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly will remain with the franchise, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Connelly had met with Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis on Friday to talk about the potential of filling the vacancy at the same position after the Wizards fired longtime president Ernie Grunfeld after 16 seasons with the team. While Leonsis […]

Recently-retired Miami Heat icon Dwyane Wade took the high road when a Boston Celtics fan took Paul Pierce’s side well after the latter was asked to compare their careers. The soon-to-be Hall of Famer praised Pierce for his long career and said he’d be one of many clapping when it’s his time to be inducted […]

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer had a hard time diagnosis what went wrong in a 118-112 double-overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors in Game 3, but a quick look at the stat sheet brought forth some concern. His star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, only got to the free throw line seven times in 45 minutes of […]

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders is expected to finalize a multi-year deal to remain with the franchise as the permanent man at the helm, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. UPDATE: An agreement with Saunders has been reached, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.  New president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was quick […]

Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton took the brunt of the blame for a double-overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, noting he, superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe must play better in order to get through this series: “We expect ourselves to play perfect in some […]

Kawhi Leonard persevered through a leg injury, despite having to trot out the most minutes of his career in a double-overtime showdown victory against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 3. The Toronto Raptors were determined to defend home court after going down 2-0 to the top-seeded team in the league — something that wouldn’t be […]

It didn’t take long for Toronto Raptors basketball ambassador Drake to try and get into Giannis Antetokounmpo’s head, as the rapper took the crucial task of trash-talking the Milwaukee Bucks star in the fourth quarter of a closely-contested Game 3. Drake talking trash to Giannis. 😂🤣 https://t.co/CCyXRX2R1b — Dime (@DimeUPROXX) May 20, 2019 Just a […]

The Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green packed a punch on Saturday night. The Dubs continued their dominance in road arenas in the playoffs, extending their streak to 22 straight series winning at least one game on the road after a 110-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The defending champions are now up 3-0 […]

The Los Angeles Lakers will be keeping a close eye on Utah Jazz big man Derrick Favors, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Favors will be one of the many offseason targets for a franchise that has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons. Favors’ $16.9 million contract for 2019-20 is non-guaranteed until July […]

Despite a deep interest in acquiring New Orleans Pelicans talisman Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers will be targeting other succulent options in the offseason, chief among them being Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News. Beal is a highly sought-after talent who is coming off his best season in […]

Kevin Durant might be absent from the court during the last three games after suffering a strained calf injury in the third quarter of Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals, yet the Golden State Warriors leading scorer is still present in mind. According to Draymond Green, it was Durant’s outside perception that ultimately pepped-talked […]

Draymond Green is full aware the Golden State Warriors will need Kevin Durant to reach their goal of a third straight title, but he also noted how his team now has a tighter margin for error without him on the floor. Durant suffered a strained calf in the closing minutes of the third quarter of […]

New Orleans Pelicans owner Gayle Benson reportedly has no intentions of trading her talisman Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. According to ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, the owner gave specific instructions to former general manager Dell Demps, who once refused to take calls from Lakers GM Rob Pelinka during the trade deadline, before ultimately entertaining […]

Despite the optics, Draymond Green is not buying into the narrative that the Golden State Warriors are a better team without Kevin Durant. The Warriors have won three straight games and a pivotal fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets without Durant, but that short sample isn’t enough for Green to bite on that spin. “That’s idiotic,” […]

Kevon Looney had plenty of admiration for Draymond Green’s performance throughout Game 2, as the latter showed his mettle at both ends of the floor in a 114-11 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. The Golden State Warriors engine spearheaded the team’s comeback in the third quarter and battled through foul trouble in […]

Houston Rockets owner Tillman Fertitta said head coach Mike D’Antoni would return to coach the team next season, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Despite being eliminated from the playoffs for the second straight time by the Golden State Warriors, and the fourth time in the last five years, Fertitta will stick with […]

Klay Thompson is cold as ice. Yet there was more frosty content in his icy veins after the Golden State Warriors escaped with a 114-111 win in Game 2, when asked if he had a front row seat to the interactions between his backcourt teammate Stephen Curry and his brother Seth. Carlos Ramirez of Telemundo […]

Draymond Green has been the catalyst he was expected to be for the Golden State Warriors this postseason, and no effort was more visible than his master class on defense in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Enough to call himself the best defender of all time. Perhaps so: “The best ever defender?” Green […]

Andre Iguodala lauded his teammate Draymond Green for his defensive genius in a very atypical way. The Golden State Warriors swingman called Green the Carmelo Anthony of defense. According to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, this isn’t as bad as it sounds. “Iguodala was drawing parallels between Anthony’s offense and Green’s defense,” wrote Thompson. […]

The endless mind games between siblings Seth Curry and Stephen Curry were on full display during the Golden State Warriors’ Game 2 win at Oracle Arena. The Portland Trail Blazers guard knocked down a clutch 3-pointer right in front of his brother and picked his pocket from behind, but his greatest attempt to get in […]

Thursday’s Game 2 was bound to be a disappointing night for the Golden State Warriors, who quickly saw themselves trailing the Portland Trail Blazers 65-50 at halftime and in need of answers. The Dubs got those answers in the next two quarters and pulled off a 114-111 win to defend their home court advantage and […]

Kevin Durant will be re-evaluated in a week and is not yet ready to resume on-court work following a mild calf sprain suffered in Game 5 of the Golden State Warriors’ series against the Houston Rockets, according to the team. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reportedly earlier Thursday that Durant wasn’t close to returning, and the Warriors […]

Despite being very pleased with Malcolm Brogdon’s Game 1 efforts, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer does not anticipate putting him back in the starting lineup for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews. Brogdon shined in 27 minutes off the bench on Wednesday’s 108-100 victory over the Bucks, putting […]

LA Clippers point man Patrick Beverley is among the names swirling around the Chicago Bulls’ front office as they look to upgrade at point guard, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The Chicago native is a capable 3-and-D point guard with a strong emphasis in the D department, as he has proven to be […]

Danny Green struggled to have the impact a player of his caliber should have as a utility man for the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks. The 3-and-D specialist put up only six points and six rebounds, taking only five shots despite being part of an eight-man rotation employed by coach Nick […]