Jedd Pagaduan Articles - Page 140

Ever since entering the league in 2014, Nerlens Noel has been one of the most solid shot-blockers in the NBA. His fast hands and mobility for his size make him a feared rim-protector that could help tons of contending teams. However, Noel has been buried deep in the Detroit Pistons bench this season behind Jalen […]

The careers of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have long been intertwined. James and Anthony were two of the most coveted prospects back in the 2003 NBA Draft, emerging as two of the best small forwards in league history not too long after entering the league. 19 years later, and they are now in a […]

Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs have endured a rough past few weeks. Johnson, in particular, had a stretch where he was shooting below 30 percent from the field while the Spurs lost 11 straight games for the first time in Gregg Popovich’s tenure as head coach. But over the past three games, something […]

Luka Doncic, after a night off during the Dallas Mavericks’ Saturday night drubbing at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, was back to his usual superstar exploits on Monday night. Doncic tallied 38 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Mavs to a 121-114 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. As is usually […]

The Atlanta Hawks have navigated a turbulent week – from Trae Young having reported issues with head coach Nate McMillan, to dealing with the absences of Dejounte Murray and John Collins. However, the Hawks entered their Monday night clash against the Memphis Grizzlies on a high after an exhilarating game-winner from rookie AJ Griffin. Alas, […]

The Washington Wizards, despite having some solid pieces in Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma, have now faltered to an 11-17 record, losing ground in the congested Eastern Conference standings. Entering their Monday night game against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets losers of six straight games, Beal’s recent hamstring injury hasn’t helped matters […]

Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat, despite a gritty 87-82 win over the Indiana Pacers, remain below .500 on the season. With a 13-15 record, the Heat are lumped with around six other teams in the quest for an automatic playoff berth instead of a trip to the play-in. Thus, the Heat will be plenty […]

Shooters shoot. However, for whichever reason, sometimes shots don’t fall as often as players would like. Such is the case for Tyrese Haliburton, who, after going 12-15 from the field and 7-8 from beyond the arc in a three-point loss to the shorthanded Brooklyn Nets, struggled mightily in the following game against the Miami Heat. […]

The Jae Crowder-Phoenix Suns trade saga appears to be nearing its conclusion. Three-and-D forwards are at a premium, making Crowder a coveted asset in the trade market. Of all the suitors, it seems as if the Milwaukee Bucks remain Crowder’s likeliest destination. However, the Bucks and Suns have been unable to find a suitable agreement […]

Last Friday, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks lost a heartbreaker to the Milwaukee Bucks. Not only did the Mavs relinquish a double-digit fourth quarter lead, they also faltered in the clutch, allowing a Brook Lopez easy bucket to give the Bucks the lead while settling for a contested Doncic stepback in an attempt to […]

Suffice to say, the New York Knicks’ acquisition of Cam Reddish hasn’t worked out as well as they had planned. Reddish, who was buried on the Atlanta Hawks bench, had hoped for a larger role after his move to the Big Apple. And to start the 2022-23 campaign, it appears as if the 6’8 wing […]

The Miami Dolphins are losing ground in the race for the AFC East. After winning five straight games, the Dolphins have now lost two straight, including a dispiriting 23-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that includes an uncharacteristically poor performance from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa only completed 10 of his 28 passes, perhaps still […]

Plenty believe that greatness knows no age. However, Father Time prevents the body from moving like it used to. Even Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest ever to touch a basketball, succumbed to its inevitability. But, at random moments – like an eclipse, perchance – greatness couldn’t help but seep through and scream towards others that […]

The New York Knicks entered their Sunday night battle against the Sacramento Kings winners of three straight games, with Julius Randle at the heart of everything they were doing offensively. Randle had scored 34 and 33 points, respectively, in two straight blowout wins against the Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets, playing at a level […]

John Wall faced immense career difficulties over the past few years. Wall first suffered a debilitating injury back in 2018 when he was diagnosed with a Haglund’s deformity and a chronic Achilles tendon injury in his left heel. To make matters worse, two months later, Wall then proceeded to rupture his Achilles after he slipped […]

He may not be there yet, but Damian Lillard appears primed to become the greatest player in Portland Trail Blazers franchise history. Drafted sixth overall in 2012 by the Blazers, Lillard has done nothing but scorch the nets since his arrival in the league, his shot and playmaking arsenal in full display every single night. […]

The Denver Nuggets may have been playing uneven basketball as of late despite their solid 15-10 record in the tough Western Conference, but Nikola Jokic has remained the unstoppable force he’s been over the past few years. In fact, Jokic has even reached new heights to begin the 2022-23 season that could put him well […]

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was on the ascent in 2020 and 2021. Coming off a stellar bubble playoff performance, Murray was having the best regular season of his career before he suffered an unfortunate ACL injury against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2021. The 6’3 guard proceeded to miss the entirety of […]

The Golden State Warriors may have begun the 2022-23 season with uneven performances uncharacteristic of the defending champions, but Stephen Curry remains on top of his game. In fact, one can argue that he’s playing the best basketball of his career at the moment. Through 23 games played, Curry is averaging 30.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, […]

In recent weeks, the Los Angeles Rams lost two of their most important offensive pieces in quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Thus, the Rams needed someone to step up to become a bright spot in an otherwise dreary season, and they were able to get it from Baker Mayfield of all places, […]

The Denver Nuggets entered their Thursday night game against division rivals Portland Trail Blazers losers of their past three games, causing frustrations to mount within the locker room. As is usually the case in matchups between the Nuggets and Blazers, the two were locked in yet another dogfight, with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic doing […]

Only five seasons after being drafted first overall, Baker Mayfield has seen his stock dip considerably, culminating in his eventual midseason release from the Carolina Panthers. The Los Angeles Rams took a chance on him nonetheless, given the injury to QB1 Matthew Stafford, and Mayfield delivered in a huge way, pulling off crunch-time heroics out […]

The Los Angeles Rams haven’t been able to muster a season worthy of a title defense. Entering their Thursday night game against the streaking Las Vegas Raiders, the Rams have only mustered a 3-9 record, one of the worst records in the entire league. To make matters worse, the Rams lost QB1 Matthew Stafford to […]

The Las Vegas Raiders are on the rise over the past few weeks after winning their past three games to try and salvage what had been a lost season to that point. It may be unlikely, but the Raiders remain on the fringes of making the postseason, making every game from this point forward a […]

The Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs are two of the worst teams today, clearly in rebuild mode despite being two of the most consistent playoff teams over the past few decades or so. Nonetheless, player development is of utmost priority, with young stars such as Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and Keldon Johnson, among others, […]

If there’s anything Filipinos are most known for in the international sports scene, it’s their undying love for basketball (despite their national team’s uneven results) and their stellar performances in boxing over the years. It’s not that often that those two intersect, but when they do, it’s a sight to behold. Just ask Manny Pacquiao […]

Sometimes, it’s difficult to forget that free agency goes beyond what team a certain player suits up for the following season. Free agency can separate relationships and friendships built over years of conscious effort. Such is the case between Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts after the latter spurned the Boston Red Sox in free agency […]

The San Diego Padres had their most successful season since 1998, when they lost the World Series, in 2022, when they won 89 games and went all the way to the NLCS, where they lost to the streaking Philadelphia Phillies. The Padres can’t help but push their chips into the table, as they sent away […]

A thorn was removed in the hearts of everyone in the basketball community after it was announced on Thursday morning that Brittney Griner, after being detained in Russia since February 17, was released in a prisoner swap, ending what was surely a harrowing experience for the Phoenix Mercury center. While there are some contrasting voices, […]

A huge specter loomed over the 2022 WNBA season after Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia seemed to have no resolution in sight. Griner is not only one of the most decorated players in the WNBA, she is also universally beloved among the basketball community. Thus, Griner’s detainment and later conviction became tough to bear for […]

Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved plenty of accolades in his illustrious career, but one trophy has eluded him ever so heartbreakingly: a World Cup trophy. While Portugal may have gone through to the quarterfinals of this year’s World Cup after a thorough 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland, the road to the final eight hasn’t been the easiest, […]

It may have taken over nine months, but WNBA star Brittney Griner is back in American soil. On Thursday morning, it was announced that Griner, who was detained by Russian authorities back on February 17 due to vape cartridges in her luggage, has been released in a prisoner swap, ending what had been an emotional […]

Whenever fans think about big market teams, a few immediately come to mind. The New York Yankees. The Boston Red Sox. The Los Angeles Dodgers. But the San Diego Padres, historically a small-market team, are now spending cash like there’s no tomorrow, their latest splurge being an 11-year, $280 million agreement with former Red Sox […]

Giannis Antetokounmpo is unquestionably one of the best players in the NBA today. A two-time MVP and a Finals MVP, Antetokounmpo continues to lift the Milwaukee Bucks on his shoulders, his latest masterclass a 35-point, six-board, seven-dime performance in a 126-113 win over the Sacramento Kings. However, Antetokounmpo is not content with just being an […]

If there’s anything Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and the Phoenix Suns want to forget, it’s the embarrassing Game 7 loss they suffered at the hands of Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks during the second round of last year’s playoffs. However, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of the Boston Celtics don’t want anyone […]

The Memphis Grizzlies remain one of the deepest teams in the NBA. Nonetheless, depth isn’t nearly as important as starpower. While the Grizzlies have an elite talent in young superstar Ja Morant, they need plenty of other star-caliber talent to surround their uber-athletic floor general. The return of Jaren Jackson Jr. helped for sure, but […]

Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic entered their Wednesday night clash against the Los Angeles Clippers losers of nine of their past 10 games. In fact, their last win, a 108-107 triumph over the Chicago Bulls, came off a Jalen Suggs game-winner, making that an improbably exhilarating win. And with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George […]

There are only a handful of players in NBA history that make you wonder whether they’re human or not. Gravity is an inevitable force and yet some make it seem like defying it is a regular, effortless endeavor. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is one of those players, and he was back to showing off […]

With around 10 minutes to go in the second quarter, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was back to his usual exploits in the paint. However, as is the case with rampaging beasts in the paint, the opposition usually has to concede an easy layup due to Williamson’s strength and leaping ability or foul him […]