Paolo Mariano Articles - Page 37

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the toast of the town after willing the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years. It was also quite poetic that he scored 50 points in the process. Which he celebrated by an even more poetic move of ordering 50 pieces of chicken nuggets. Giannis was the unanimous […]

For the second straight year, Jae Crowder failed to win an NBA ring. After falling short with the Miami Heat last season, he once again went home empty-handed with the Phoenix Suns this campaign. While he admitted that the defeat was painful, Crowder, who immediately walked off the floor after the final buzzer, said they […]

The NBA Finals defeat will continue to sting for the Phoenix Suns in the coming days, especially for young guys like Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton who tasted their most bitter loss in their young careers. The fact that they dropped four games to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks surely makes everything tougher to […]

LeBron James has always been drawn to greatness. Since his much-documented high school days, LeBron was always on the cusp of being one of the biggest cultural figures. Since stepping foot in the NBA, The King has only widened his reign. In recent years, LeBron has dipped his hands in other ventures. Most notably, of […]

At this point, Giannis Antetokounmpo can say anything he wants and it should be illegal to contradict him. Giannis finally fulfilled his mission to win an NBA title for the Milwaukee Bucks after they won four straight games over the Phoenix Suns. Not a few raised their eyebrows before the season after The Greek Freak […]

If there’s something strange in your neighborhood after losing in the NBA Finals, who you gonna call? LeBron James. Or at least according to NBA legend Magic Johnson. After the Phoenix Suns got axed by the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 on Tuesday, Magic made a bold suggestion for Chris Paul. He said if the […]

It’s difficult to be in Devin Booker’s shoes right now. The highly competitive guard of the Phoenix Suns just suffered his most painful loss after they bowed out of the NBA Finals in Game 6 on Tuesday. After winning the first two games convincingly, the Suns couldn’t stop the Milwaukee Bucks in the last four […]

From a lanky, unknown kid from Greece, who used to sell fake watches on the street, Giannis Antetokounmpo is now an NBA champion. It doesn’t get more poetic than that. Giannis’ competitiveness is understated. It could be recalled that in 2017, he asked Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant for a specific challenge. Kobe has […]

There are only two types of people in the world: Those who hate Jared Dudley and those who love Jared Dudley. The Los Angeles Lakers forward has been in the NBA for years now, finally taking home a championship last season. The Lakers have been out of contention since the first round after they got […]

Who said Brook Lopez was soft? The Milwaukee Bucks center made Phoenix Suns big man Deandre Ayton question his existence after dunking over him in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Midway through the third quarter, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday drove baseline, attracting the help defense of Ayton. Lopez made the perfect cut to the […]

Jrue Holiday had a stellar performance for the Milwaukee Bucks in their Game 5 win in the NBA Finals. So it was expected that he would churn in another hot start against the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 on Tuesday. Holiday is clearly one of the Bucks’ anchors and he needs to be special from […]

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant isn’t shy about making his feelings known on social media. He regularly posts his thoughts on Twitter, even though some could ruffle a few feathers. With the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns battling in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday, Morant singled out Khris Middleton in one […]

The games haven’t even begun but a bit of controversy has already been swirling ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Particularly, the cardboard beds in the Athletes’ Village. Images of the cardboard beds immediately went viral, as some observers pointed out it’s meant to dissuade intimate activities among athletes to avoid the possible spread of COVID-19 […]

Miami Heat president Pat Riley is looking forward to acquiring new guys in the 2021 NBA Draft. The only problem is the Heat don’t have any draft picks. Still, this hasn’t prevented Riley from hinting at getting more help for his All-Star pair of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Recently, he doubled down on making […]

Just in case you were too busy watching kittens on TikTok, the highly anticipated release of Space Jam: A New Legacy went down over the weekend. LeBron James, who grew up watching Michael Jordan and Looney Tunes, fulfilled his childhood dream. But while all the talk has been on LeBron’s starring role in a feature […]

It’s the proverbial calm before the storm for the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo and company are just a win away from capturing the NBA title for the first time in 50 years. To put it simply, the Suns are in trouble. They’re in a do-or-die situation on the road, with momentum […]

Former San Francisco 49ers star Richard Sherman is in hot water due to multiple charges after trying to break into the house of his in-laws after reportedly arguing with his wife, Ashley Sherman. On Thursday, a surveillance video of Sherman’s violent attempt was released, showing him repeatedly trying to force his way through the front […]

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is known for his counterpunches. But he’s quite adept at being on the offensive too. Especially when it comes to his good ol’ rival Conor McGregor. Mayweather, who’s not exactly known for his sympathetic sensibilities, made fun of McGregor after he suffered a nasty ankle injury against Dustin Poirier in UFC 264 […]

It was one of the more memorable images of the recent Copa America final: Lionel Messi and Neymar hugging it out on the pitch after Argentina scored a pulsating 1-nil victory over Brazil. Messi, who has come up empty numerous times in international competitions, finally won a championship for Argentina. And one of his rivals, […]

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James have had a cushy relationship in recent years. After their acrimonious battles in the NBA Finals, where things got pretty heated in several instances between the two superstars, they have grown fond of each other. Still, Curry couldn’t help but laugh after […]

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Atlanta Hawks leader Trae Young are two of the most electrifying young stars in the NBA today. But aside from that, they have another thing in common: They were both not included on the final roster of Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. While Young was named to the […]

Giannis Antetokounmpo went all The Incredible Hulk in the dying moments of Game 4 on Wednesday, helping the Milwaukee Bucks escaped a close one against the Phoenix Suns. But while The Incredible Hulk is cool, a more appropriate comparison for Giannis might be LeBron James, especially after he made a crucial block against Deandre Ayton […]

The NBA Finals hasn’t been in lacking in stellar individual performances. In Game 4 on Wednesday, Khris Middleton and Devin Booker both showed up to the match with one thing in mind: Get buckets. Middleton and Booker had a memorable scoring duel as the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns battled back and forth, with the […]

If there’s one guy who’s probably going to have a hard time sleeping tonight, it’s Chris Paul. The Phoenix Suns blew a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, allowing the Milwaukee Bucks to steal Game 4 on Wednesday, 109-103. To do away with hyperbole, Paul was bad. The veteran floor general only finished with 1o […]

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker continues to book himself—lame pun intended—into the NBA annals. After struggling mightily in their Game 3 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals, Booker woke up on Wednesday with vengeance in his mind. He exploded for 42 points in Game 4 on 17-of-28 shooting from the field. Because […]

Only three things are certain in life: Death, taxes, and NBA players getting linked to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. With the free agency frenzy fast approaching, more names are being thrown around as possible acquisitions of the Lakers to provide more help (haters trigger!) for LeBron James. Some are quite bogus, some […]

Jake Paul boldly proclaimed who Conor McGregor badly needs: Jake Paul. After McGregor suffered an unfortunate ankle injury against Dustin Poirier in UFC 264, Paul put The Notorious on blast, spewing NSFW remarks. Cover your ears, kids (via MMA Junkie). “I think the funny thing about this journey is I’ve predicted everything that’s happened thus […]

It has been a whirlwind week for LeBron James ahead of the much-anticipated world premiere of Space Jam: A New Legacy. Now that it’s over, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar can finally step back, breathe, and reflect on his latest accomplishment. Only a handful of athletes can claim that they starred in a blockbuster movie, […]

It’s pretty safe to assume that Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Dak Prescott is raring to get back on the field. He saw his last campaign cut short by a serious ankle injury, which needed two surgeries. Various reports have indicated that Prescott, who signed a huge contract extension last March, has been doing better than […]

Much has been said about the offseason plans of the Golden State Warriors. So, we’ll say more. It became apparent this season that the Warriors need extra scoring. While Stephen Curry showed his MVP form with otherworldly bucket-getting binges, the team still couldn’t get far. This offseason, finding more firepower might be one of the […]

Remember when many got worried for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo after suffering a knee injury against the Atlanta Hawks? Yeah, that sounds funny now. Except if you’re a fan of the Phoenix Suns. Giannis has been having a historic run in his first NBA Finals stint, finishing with at least 40 points and 10 […]

Team USA bounced back in convincing fashion after blowing out Argentina, 108-80 in their exhibition match on Tuesday, avoiding what could’ve been an embarrassing 0-3 hole. After back-to-back losses to Nigeria and Australia, Team USA was eager to silence the critics, and Gregg Popovich and his wards did it right from the onset. They erected […]

It’s widely known that Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have developed a close relationship. They’re the BFFs on the Miami Heat. They’ve found kindred spirits in each other with their same competitiveness, edge, and tough background growing up. Even in the offseason, they do things together. And of course, nothing says South Beach than a […]

Magic Johnson will forever be one of the greatest players in NBA history. His place in league lore will always be celebrated and respected. The same, however, couldn’t be said when it comes to Magic’s social media presence. Case in point: His recent Twitter post showing him hanging out with Brooklyn Nets star James Harden […]

Another exhibition game, another shocking loss for Team USA. For the second straight time, Kevin Durant and company dropped a tuneup contest, losing to Australia, 91-83 on Monday. While it wasn’t as surprising compared to the defeat to Nigeria last Saturday, it still doesn’t bode well for Team USA to struggle against lower-ranked teams heading […]

After a stirring run to the NBA Finals last season, the Miami Heat were sent crashing back to South Beach in this year’s NBA Playoffs. They got swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and are now left looking for answers in the offseason. The Heat are expected to make major moves to […]

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is sure making the most out of his extended rest. Quite rightfully so. After back-to-back grueling seasons, The King is welcoming the time off, arguably his longest one since his rookie year. LeBron is enjoying his relaxation time in Puerto Rico, hanging out with local rapper Bad Bunny, as […]

It wasn’t the brightest of days for the Phoenix Suns on Sunday as they dropped Game 3 against the Milwaukee Bucks. With star guard Devin Booker struggling to hit his shots, the Suns absorbed a 120-100 blowout defeat to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. While the loss was painful, Suns coach Monty Williams could find […]

Team USA forward Jayson Tatum could be replaying in his head the images of their shocking defeat to Nigeria in their exhibition game last Saturday. It’s only Team USA’s third defeat since 1992 so it was a huge reality check for coach Gregg Popovich and his boys ahead of their stint in the Tokyo Olympics. […]