David Yapkowitz Articles - Page 63

The Toronto Raptors have been a middle of the pack team to start the 2023-24 NBA season with a record of 4-4. They chose to maintain course and keep their roster they have rather than blow it up and enter a rebuild. They have some solid young pieces and players on the team, but it’s […]

The USC Trojans landed a major recruiting win last year when JuJu Watkins, the consensus No. 1 player in the class of 2023 chose to stay home and suit up for the Trojans. So far, Watkins has been off to a strong start to her college career. This weekend, USC landed a few more top […]

The Portland Trail Blazers have been hit with injuries to their backcourt to start the season. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Malcolm Brogdon have all been sidelined due to various injuries. As a result, the Blazers converted two-way contract guard Skylar Mays to a standard contract. The Blazers made another roster move this weekend by […]

The UCLA Bruins began the 2023-24 season ranked among the top five teams in the country. With a loaded roster that features potential first round WNBA draft pick Charisma Osborne and former five-star recruit Lauren Betts, the Bruins have a team capable of making a deep NCAA Tournament run. UCLA got another key addition this […]

The Los Angeles Clippers have certainly been struggling since making the long-anticipated James Harden trade. They lost their first two games with Harden in the lineup in disappointing fashion and as of publication, they were facing a huge deficit against the Dallas Mavericks at the half. For a team that started the season with a […]

It was a whirlwind of uncertainty for San Antonio Spurs wing Julian Champagnie during his rookie season in the NBA. He began the 2022-23 year with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-way contract, but he was cut about halfway through the season. Just a few days later, the Spurs claimed his contract off waivers and […]

The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a disappointing loss to the Indiana Pacers during which they came from being down double digits early in the game to give themselves a chance only to blow it with late game mistakes. Giannis Antetokounmpo went off for 50+ points but it wasn’t enough. The Bucks were without Damian […]

The Houston Rockets have been a pleasant surprise to the 2023-24 NBA season. They are 4-3 to start the year. In comparison, they did not register their fourth win in the 2022-23 season until their 18th game of the year. The Rockets are set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans as their in-season tournament […]

The Utah Jazz haven’t had that great of a start to the 2023-24 NBA season. They are near the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference with a record of 2-7, only above the 1-6 Memphis Grizzlies. It’s supposed to be a rebuilding/retooling/revamping, whatever you want to call it, year for the Jazz though. […]

There hasn’t been much for the Memphis Grizzlies to smile about early in the 2023-24 NBA season. They were at one point the only team in the league without a win to start the season and it’s possible Taylor Jenkins could be on the hot seat. You really have to dig deep to find something […]

The 2023-24 NCAA season tipped-off this week and one of the more intriguing storylines in the Pac-12 Conference is the Cal Golden Bears. Last season, Cal was the absolute worst team in the conference with an overall record of 3-29 and a conference record of 2-18. They’re hoping to change their fortunes this year buoyed […]

The Chicago Bulls may be a disappointing team so far to start the 2023-24 NBA season, but one player who has certainly been making headlines is Alex Caruso. He’s been one of the lone bright spots for the Bulls so far and he’ll have no shortage of suitors when the NBA trade deadline arrives. The […]

The Detroit Pistons have been one of the worst teams in the NBA the past couple of seasons, but they have reason for optimism. They have one of the brightest young cores with high upside. Cade Cunningham has been off to a strong start to the year and Ausar Thompson is already setting rookie records. […]

The past couple of seasons, the New Orleans Pelicans have been hit with injury woes. It’s mostly centered around franchise star Zion Williamson who has only played more than 29 games in a season once in his career. This season, Williamson has been relatively healthy but the Pelicans have had multiple rotation players sidelined. What […]

Last season, Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler made a very late run for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award. Kessler was never a serious threat to win, but the fact that he put his name in the conversation was impressive in itself. Jazz fans were understandably expecting a big second season for Kessler, […]

After an entire offseason and preseason of speculation, the Philadelphia 76ers finally completed a James Harden trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. In return, the Sixers received Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Sr. and K.J. Martin. After a brief interlude due to a personal matter, Batum made his Sixers debut this week. He immediately […]

San Antonio Spurs rookie star Victor Wembanyama is set to make his debut at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Madison Square Garden is one of the original NBA arenas and one of the most recognizable. But ahead of the game, Wembanyama felt like the actual arena was a little bit lackluster. In […]

The Philadelphia 76ers are enjoying a breakout season from potential All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey this season. With James Harden having been traded, the Sixers were going to need additional punch at the guard positions. The Sixers might have gotten the free agent stealthe free agent steal of the offseason with Kelly Oubre Jr. also experiencing […]

The Detroit Pistons came into this season with renewed optimism largely in part due to their exciting young core. One of those players who figures to be a major part of the Pistons future is rookie wing Ausar Thompson. Thompson and his brother Amen became the first players from Overtime Elite to be selected in […]

The Texas Longhorns are looking towards another strong year as the 2023-24 NCAA regular season is set to tip-off this coming week. The Longhorns are coming off an impressive run to the Elite Eight last year. Texas is hoping to get key forward Dylan Disu back in the lineup from injury as soon as possible, […]

The Sacramento Kings are trying to build on last season’s momentum and prove that they’re for real and that it wasn’t a fluke. So far, the Kings have stumbled a bit out of the gates with a 2-3 record and have lost two games in a row. The Kings have been without All-Star guard De’Aaron […]

The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off the biggest move of the 2023-24 NBA season so far in acquiring All-Star shooting guard James Harden in a trade with Philadelphia 76ers. Harden is set to make his debut in a Clippers jersey on Monday when the team takes on the New York Knicks on the road. The […]

The Golden State Warriors are coming off their most thrilling win of the 2023-24 season off a Stephen Curry game-winning shot that almost wasn’t as Draymond Green’s potential offensive interference violation was determined to be legal. The Warriors next game is Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers but it’s possible that they will be short-handed. Warriors […]

The Boston Celtics organization have had no shortage of Hall of Fame players don their jersey. From Bill Russell to Larry Bird to Paul Pierce and many more in between, the Celtics have had some of the greatest players in NBA history to wear the Boston green. The Celtics’ current superstar iteration is Jayson Tatum, […]

Coming into the 2023-24 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns were supposed to be one of the league’s title contenders. With a star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the Suns have hopes of making a run to the NBA Finals. So far though, it’s been a rocky start to the year with […]

The Toronto Raptors come into Sunday’s clash against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs with a record of 2-4 so far to start the 2023-24 season. The Raptors decided to maintain the status quo rather than blow the team up. It’s been a mixed bag so far for the team but this is a […]

The New York Knicks certainly made one of the better moves of the 2022 offseason when they signed Jalen Brunson in free agency. Brunson had an All-Star caliber 2022-23 season even if he was not selected to the midseason showcase. With the 2023-24 season underway, it looks like Brunson has carried over his strong play […]

The Washington Wizards have not gotten off to the best start to the 2023-24 NBA season. They are 1-3 and as of publication, they were trailing the Miami Heat by 20+ points late in the third quarter. With the Wizards fully immersed in a rebuild, there are going to be growing pains. The Wizards did […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have started out the 2023-24 season as one of the best teams in the league with a 4-1 record. Health has always been the biggest issue with the team and so far they’ve been okay in that department since their preseason injury issues. This week, the Pelicans made an interesting roster […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have suffered their fair share of injury woes the past couple of seasons. They came into this season already without Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall. In the Pelicans most recent game against the Detroit Pistons, they played without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. But fans can breathe a […]

The 2023-24 NCAA season tips-off next week with several programs ready to highlight their top recruits. One of those programs is UCLA who is set to feature potential NBA lottery pick, freshman center Aday Mara. Mara had not yet been cleared by the NCAA and did not play in the Bruins’ exhibition game against Cal […]

Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren got his first look at Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic on Sunday. Jokic got the better of the matchup, finishing with 28 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and a 128-95 win. Holmgren didn’t do too bad himself though with 19 points and four rebounds. After the game though, […]

The biggest question the Golden State Warriors had coming into the 2023-24 season was what the starting lineup would look like. After acquiring Chris Paul in a trade with the Washington Wizards, the Warriors tabled their starting lineup discussions until it actually matter. A preseason injury to Draymond Green made that decision easier, but with […]

The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to build upon last season’s run to the playoffs. They held off the Oklahoma City Thunder in the play-in tournament to earn the eighth seed in the Western Conference before falling in five games to the Denver Nuggets. In order to do so, they’ll need continued development from promising young […]

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came into the 2023-24 NBA season as a legitimate MVP candidate. He finished last season top five in the MVP voting and depending on how this season goes, he could be a legit contender for the award. He went up against an elite defense in the defending champion Denver […]

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the top rising players in the NBA. He finished top five in the MVP voting last season and could potentially finish higher this season. He’s gotten off to a good start this season but had not yet encountered a team like the Denver Nuggets yet this […]

Philadelphia 76ers guard Patrick Beverley caused a little bit of controversy recently when he proclaimed that he isn’t scared of anyone on the Toronto Raptors roster. Beverley clarified that he meant no disrespect, but that the Raptors just didn’t have that toughness factor. The veteran guard certainly is not one to hold back, and sure […]

The Miami Heat came into Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves down Jimmy Butler and Kevin Love. Butler was ruled out by the Heat due to rest and Kevin Love was ruled out due to a shoulder injury he sustained agains the Boston Celtics the game before. While Butler will probably play on Monday in […]

Atlanta Dream All-Star guard Allisha Gray’s involvement with WnB Factory all started because Wing Stop was closed. Gray was hanging out with her brother AJ when he wanted Wing Stop but it was not to be as the popular chicken wings restaurant was closed. Luckily for them, a WnB Factory happened to be close by […]