Erik Slater Articles - Page 19

The Denver Nuggets avoided disaster during Monday’s 130-129 road win over the Sacramento Kings. After jumping out to a 41-21 at the end of the first quarter, Sacramento outscored Denver 82-55 over the second and third quarters. However, trailing by 10 with four minutes remaining, the Nuggets would close on a 21-10 run to secure […]

Bill Belichick is hitting the recruiting trail as head coach of North Carolina, something Tom Brady said earlier this month that he could never envision him doing. On an appearance on FOX NFL Kickoff, Brady, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski poked fun at the idea of their former New England Patriots head coach recruiting teenagers. […]

The Brooklyn Nets committed to a tank when they traded Dennis Schroder. Their first game without the veteran floor general showed how ugly that could get. The Nets trailed by as much as 35 points during the first half of Monday’s 130-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jordi Fernadez’s squad looked frazzled and uninspired in […]

The Brooklyn Nets have a gaping hole at point guard after trading Dennis Schroder. However, the rebuilding squad quietly brought in another young guard who could see minutes during the latter half of the season. Brooklyn acquired two-way rookie Reece Beekman from the Golden State Warriors as part of the Schroder deal. The 6-foot-3 floor […]

It’s been nearly four years since the Brooklyn Nets fired Kenny Atkinson. He now has his eyes on a championship while leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA-best 22-4 record. Atkinson will return to Barclays Center as a head coach on Monday for the first time since his Nets tenure. Ahead of the matchup, he […]

The Charlotte Hornets will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at Spectrum Center. LaMelo Ball is on the team’s injury report and is listed as questionable due to a left calf strain. Here’s everything we know about Ball’s injury and playing status against the 76ers. *Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | […]

The 2025 NBA draft is viewed as one of the best in years, and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is widely regarded as the top prize. As is the case with all projected No. 1 picks, NBA scouts and executives will analyze the 17-year-old’s game from every angle ahead of June. So where do they think […]

Dennis Schroder was off to a career-best start for the Brooklyn Nets. With the rebuilding squad exceeding expectations during a presumed tanking season, the veteran point guard effectively played himself off the roster. Brooklyn finalized a trade sending Schroder to the Golden State Warriors for a pair of second-round picks. The move was an admission […]

NBA trade season is officially underway, and the Brooklyn Nets are at the center of the action. The rebuilding squad is finalizing a deal to send Dennis Schroder and a second-round pick to the Golden State Warriors for De’Anthony Melton and three second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. With that, we assess the deal […]

Ja Morant was playing mind games with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. Regardless of whether his mental gymnastics played a role, the result was a 135-119 win for the Memphis Grizzlies. Morant directed several taunts toward Jordi Fernandez throughout the win. After hitting a buzzer-beater at the end of the first half, the Grizzlies […]

The Brooklyn Nets lost their most recent two-way signing to a season-ending injury. Cui Yongxi will mist the rest of 2024-25 due to a torn ACL. He suffered the injury while playing for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, during Wednesday’s 120-100 loss to the Maine Celtics. Cui signed a two-way contract with […]

Bill Belichick shocked the football world with his decision to become the head coach at the University of North Carolina. After spending two decades building a dynasty with the New England Patriots in the NFL, the head coach will now navigate the world of the transfer portal, recruiting, and NIL. Former Alabama head coach Nick […]

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama flashed his one-of-a-kind skillset on the international stage this summer. After winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, he has made it his goal to play for the French national team “every summer.” “I don’t know the exact dates, but there’s always time to make it work with […]

The Buffalo Bills are nearing full strength entering a Week 15 marquee matchup with the Detroit Lions. After missing last week’s 44-42 upset loss to the Los Angeles Rams, wide receiver Keon Coleman (wrist) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) are expected to play against Detroit. “Keon Coleman, the standout receiver, really promising receiver, battled […]

The Miami Heat are contemplating their future ahead of this year’s trade deadline. After failing to reach an extension with Jimmy Butler this summer, the team is listening to trade offers for the star forward. Butler is in the final year of his contract with a player option for next season, allowing him to become […]

Shake Milton was an afterthought on the Brooklyn Nets roster entering this season. A sign-and-trade from the New York Knicks used to match salary in the Mikal Bridges blockbuster deal, the seven-year veteran appeared out of place on a team trending toward a youth movement. However, following Cam Thomas’s injury, Milton has cracked the Nets’ […]

The NBA trade deadline is less than two months away, and several Brooklyn Nets veterans are at the center of growing speculation. With the team exceeding expectations during a presumed tanking season, general manager Sean Marks is reportedly “open for business.” However, the Nets are blocking out the noise as rumors surface with trade season […]

Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams has been sidelined for the team’s last three games due to a left knee sprain. The 24-year-old has been working through a rehab process but does not have a timetable for his return. “Just been doing a lot of simple stuff right now. Not moving too much, but definitely making […]

The Brooklyn Nets are the center of trade speculation as this year’s deadline approaches. With the team exceeding expectations during a presumed tanking season, general manager Sean Marks will field offers for several players, most notably Cam Johnson. Johnson is having the best season of his career while stepping into an expanded role following Mikal […]

Many viewed the Los Angeles Clippers as perennial title contenders from 2012-2017. However, the team, led by Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, JJ Redick and Jamal Crawford, never reached the heights many anticipated. While they won over 50 games in five consecutive seasons, they failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs. […]

A special teams blunder was at the center of the Dallas Cowboys’ 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. With the game tied with two minutes remaining, the Cowboys blocked a punt in Bengals territory. However, the ball traveled past the line of scrimmage, after which Dallas cornerback Amani Oruwariye made a […]

NBA trade season is nearly upon us, and the Brooklyn Nets could be among the league’s most active teams. The Nets have received trade interest and “opened exploratory conversations” around veterans Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania. All three players have been at the center of trade speculation since […]

Dennis Schroder has fueled the Brooklyn Nets during their surprise start to 2024-25. Sunday was the latest example of his offensive brilliance elevating the rebuilding squad’s floor. Schroder posted 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting with 11 assists and zero turnovers during a 119-113 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He is the fifth player in Nets […]

The Brooklyn Nets haven’t gotten the production they expected from Nic Claxton to start 2024-25. After signing a contract just short of nine figures, the sixth-year center has struggled to make his normal impact while battling hamstring and back injuries. Claxton received an epidural injection in November for a lower back strain, which he initially […]

Many viewers would take positives from the Brooklyn Nets’ performance during Sunday’s 118-113 loss to a full-strength Milwaukee Bucks squad. Jordi Fernandez wasn’t one of them. “Our defense was atrocious,” Fernandez said candidly following the defeat. “And if our guys who wear a Brooklyn Nets jersey don’t play harder defense, they don’t have a place […]

The Brooklyn Nets haven’t been able to hang their hat on continuity early this season. Jordi Fernandez’s squad has battled injuries to numerous key contributors, including Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson. Brooklyn has used a different starting lineup in a franchise-record ten straight games, the longest such streak in the NBA […]

The Brooklyn Nets’ frontcourt is nearing full strength for the first time this season. After welcoming back Day’Ron Sharpe earlier this week, Dorian Finney-Smith will return to the lineup on Sunday vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. Finney-Smith has missed six of Brooklyn’s last seven games due to a left ankle sprain he initially sustained in early […]

The Brooklyn Nets are among the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. Jordi Fernandez’s squad ranks 26th in defensive rebounding percentage this season, a deficiency that has played a significant role in their 23rd-ranked defense. Brooklyn hopes Day’Ron Sharpe’s return from a hamstring injury could help mitigate those struggles. “Rebounding,” Fernandez replied when asked about […]

Cam Johnson is having the best season of his career with the new-look Brooklyn Nets. The 6-foot-8 sharpshooter has taken his three-point marksmanship to another level, shooting 43.1 percent on 7.6 attempts per game, both career-highs. He ranks fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage among 61 players attempting over six per game, trailing only […]

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is in the early stages of his rehab process for a hamstring strain. Speaking for the first time publicly since sustaining the injury, he said he’s progressing well but does not have a timetable for his return. “I’m doing good, getting better, just taking it day by day,” Thomas said. […]

Cam Thomas is no stranger to being overlooked throughout his basketball career. The Brooklyn Nets guard’s omission from ESPN’s Top 25 NBA players under 25 is the latest example of the polarizing discourse surrounding his game. Thomas offered a blunt response to not making the list. “If you look at the numbers and look at […]

The New Orleans Saints will make significant changes this offseason after a letdown 2024 campaign. However, a new general manager is not expected to be one of them. “The early belief among league insiders is that Mickey Loomis has a good chance to remain as Saints general manager,” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “That’s not 100%, […]

Kentucky basketball suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday, a 70-66 upset at Clemson. Following the shocking defeat, Wildcats head coach Mark Pope gave his players a reality check about the hostile environments they’ll face the rest of this season. “Well, it’s Kentucky, you know? It’s everyone’s Super Bowl,” Pope told reporters. “So […]

The Brooklyn Nets host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at Barclays Center. Ben Simmons, Cam Johnson, and Dorian Finney-Smith are all questionable on the team’s injury report. Johnson and Finney-Smith are dealing with left ankle sprains, while Simmons is tending to left knee soreness. Here’s everything we know about their injuries and playing statuses […]

Several NBA teams will be vying for the opportunity to draft Rutgers star Dylan Harper next June. His father, former Chicago Bulls guard Ron Harper, hopes the Utah Jazz will not be one of them. Harper replied to a Jazz fan on X and said that “a trade would happen” if the team selected his […]

Justin Tucker’s hall-of-fame career has taken a turn for the worse with the Baltimore Ravens this season. By the numbers, the seven-time Pro-Bowler has been among the NFL’s worst kickers. After Tucker missed two field goals and an extra point during Baltimore’s Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Bill Belichick offered his opinion on […]

The Chicago Bears are in the market for a head coach after firing Matt Eberflus. General manager Ryan Poles revealed to wide receiver DJ Moore what quality he’ll be looking for during the hiring process. “He just basically told me what had already got out in the media before he called me, but he was […]

The Brooklyn Nets weren’t set up for success during Monday’s 128-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Playing on the back end of a back-to-back while down six rotation players, including Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Ben Simmons, they faltered down the stretch against a Chicago squad on two days rest. Trailing by six […]

There weren’t many positives for the Brooklyn Nets during Monday’s 128-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls. However, the team’s lone bright spot in the season-worst defeat could loom large down the line. With the Nets down five rotation pieces, Dariq Whitehead saw his first extended action of 2024-25. The 2023 first-round pick scored a team-high […]