Paolo Mariano Articles - Page 5

It has been days since Super Bowl LX ended, yet people are still talking about Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was even asked about it. Booker helped Team Stars win the title in the All-Star Game after beating Team Stripes, 47-21, at Intuit Dome in the final on Sunday. He contributed […]

Miami Heat guard Norman Powell completed another personal milestone after playing in his first-ever All-Star Game on Sunday. He suited up for Team World in the mini-tournament, losing both of their assignments in the round robin and failing to advance to the final. In two games, Powell, who has Jamaican heritage, went scoreless against Team […]

Ryan Weathers is slowly acclimatizing himself with the New York Yankees after the team acquired him from a trade with the Miami Marlins last month. Fortunately for him, the Yankees are not lacking in seasoned leaders. The Yankees received Weathers in exchange for Dillon Lewis, Brendan Jones, Dylan Jasso, and Juan Matheus. The deal sent […]

Now that the All-Star Game is over, Cade Cunningham will refocus his attention on helping the Detroit Pistons maintain their supremacy in the Eastern Conference. Cunningham helped Team Stars win the All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on Sunday after beating Team Stripes, 47-21, in the final of the mini-tournament. He collected 14 points, seven rebounds, […]

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards added another feather to his cap after being named All-Star Game MVP for the first time. He carried Team Stars to the title in the mini-tournament at Intuit Dome on Sunday. Edwards displayed his all-around talent, tallying 32 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in three games. Team Stars dominated […]

The New York Knicks were well-represented in this year’s All-Star Game, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns suiting up for Team Stripes and Team World, respectively. In the end, none of them won the trophy, as Team Stars conquered the mini-tournament. It was the young guns, including Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards and San Antonio Spurs’ […]

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has never uttered an opinion he didn’t like. Green is arguably the most outspoken player in the NBA, sometimes even to a fault, and he is unapologetic about it. But he is not just hot air. Many regard him as a smart dude. Green has a clear perspective on […]

A multitude of celebrities and personalities were on hand at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Sunday to witness the NBA All-Star Game. Among them was former president Barack Obama, who is widely known to be a basketball nut. Growing up in the Windy City, Obama watched Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls create a […]

They may be good friends now, but Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green surely had their heated battles in the past. In Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Green hit James in the groin area after getting tangled up. Later […]

For as dominant as Karl-Anthony Towns has been for the New York Knicks, the defining force in his life has never been measured in statistics. Before the world knew him as a star, with the postseason runs, lucrative contracts, and All-NBA nods, he was his mother’s son first. That identity, by Towns’ own admission, remains […]

Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe shone the brightest in the Rising Stars at Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday after carrying Team Vince to the title. For his strong performance in the mini-tournament, Edgecombe was the runaway winner as MVP. In two games, he tallied 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-7 from three-point […]

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe was the clear winner as MVP of this year’s Rising Stars at All-Star Weekend after leading Team Vince to the title at Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday. Edgecombe drained the game-winning free throws to lift Team Vince over Team Melo, 25-24, in a nail-biting affair. The first team […]

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen has been one of the pleasant surprises this season with his impressive all-around play. After a slow start, he has learned to adjust and become a consistent performer for the Pelicans. Queen was named as one of the participants in the Rising Stars at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. […]

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe helped Team Vince advance to the final of Rising Stars after they beat Team T-Mac, 41-36, at Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday. Team Vince was first to reach 40 points, with Edgecombe hitting the game-winning jumper, setting up a date with Team Melo for the title in the […]

Brotherly love was in the air in Los Angeles on Friday as San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper and Boston Celtics guard Ron Harper Jr. faced off in the Rising Stars at All-Star Weekend. Dylan suited up for Team Melo, coached by NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, while Ron played for Team Austin, a squad of […]

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, with his eyeglasses and serious facade, looked like he just led his team to another championship when he was interviewed at Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday. Antetokounmpo coached Team Giannis to victory in the All-Star Celebrity Game, 65-58, against Team Anthony. It was a competitive contest, with the […]

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson was one of the many players who trooped to Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday to watch the All-Star Celebrity Game between Team Giannis and Team Anthony. It is always nice to see players taking a breather from the NBA’s frenetic schedule and enjoying themselves by being spectators for […]

Somewhere between a nifty dime, a wildly airballed shot, and Giannis Anetokounmpo getting amped up, the All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday reminded everyone why the annual spectacle remains one of the midseason break’s purest joys. Antetokounmpo and his brothers, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Alex Antetokounmpo, and MLB star Mookie Betts, were tapped to coach Team Giannis […]

The San Antonio Spurs headed into the All-Star break with the third-best record in the league at 38-16. With Victor Wembanyama leading the way, the Spurs have been an absolute treat to watch. The 7-foot-4 center is all business when he is on the court, especially when he is up against a fellow superstar. But […]

At this point, the only way to stop San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is if a giraffe learns to play basketball. But even that would be a close fight. Wembanyama almost single-handedly destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, as the Spurs rolled to an easy win, 136-108. The two-time All-Star […]

Vanderbilt once again showed why it could be a big threat in the NCAA Tournament after notching an impressive win against Auburn, 84-76, at Neville Arena on Tuesday. The 19th-ranked Commodores, who played without Duke Miles and Frankie Collins, closed the first half on a 16-5 run. From there, they never relinquished the momentum despite […]

Not many gave TCU a chance against Iowa State on Tuesday. So, the Horned Frogs probably said: Croak on this. The unranked Horned Frogs scored a major upset over the 5th-ranked Cyclones, 62-55, at Schollmaier Arena despite having only an 18.6% win probability at tip-off, according to ESPN. After a tight affair in the first […]

The New York Knicks fell short against the Indiana Pacers in overtime, 137-134, at Madison Square Garden despite a gallant effort from Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks stormed back from an 11-point deficit in the extension to cut the lead to one, 135-134, after Brunson’s three-pointer with 5.6 seconds left. Quenton […]

It was an ugly win, but a big win nevertheless, as Purdue took down Nebraska, 80-77, in overtime at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday. The 13th-ranked Boilermakers almost blew a 22-point lead, as the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers went on a searing run in the second half, grabbing the driver’s seat, 77-75, with only 1:30 remaining in […]

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson may have fallen short of making it to his first-ever All-Star Game, but he continues to show that he is one of the league’s brightest young studs. Thompson helped the Rockets beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 10-295, at Toyota Center on Tuesday. They improved to 33-9, including 18-6 at home. […]

It is difficult for the Sacramento Kings to feel good these days as they have dropped 13 straight games after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans, 120-94, on Monday. The Kings have the worst record in the league at 12-43. At this point, unless they go on a miraculous run after the midseason break, they […]

Josh Hart has been a fan favorite since joining the New York Knicks in 2023. Many believe that his blue-collar style and hard-nosed approach are the perfect embodiments of the team. The Knicks struggled to find a rhythm when Hart was sidelined for the first few weeks of the campaign. He was recovering from a […]

Fans of the Indiana Pacers will have to wait to see Ivica Zubac make his debut, as he sat out their game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. The Pacers acquired Zubac, along with Kobe Brown, at the trade deadline via a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange […]

The Baltimore Ravens continue to retool their brain trust in the offseason following the hiring of Jesse Minter as head coach. Minter will be tasked with creating a new vision for the Ravens, who failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second time in five years after finishing with an 8-9 record. Minter’s coaching […]

If you haven’t been following the career of Carlos Alcaraz, you should. Alcaraz is arguably the biggest star in today’s tennis with his steady ascent to the top. Last month, the 22-year-old phenom claimed his first title in the Australian Open after beating Novak Djokovic in the final, becoming the youngest player to collect all […]

Lamar Wilkerson had himself a night on Monday, as he led Indiana past Oregon, 92-74, in front of another jam-packed crowd at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Wilkerson has been balling out in his senior season, to say the least. He buried Oregon with a season-high 41 points on 13-of-20 shooting, including 6-of-12 from beyond the […]

Fans of the Detroit Pistons will always have dreadful memories of the “Malice at the Palace.” There were sudden flashbacks on Monday, as the Pistons got into a bench-clearing brawl against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Fortunately, it did not escalate further, as cooler heads eventually prevailed. Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Moussa Diabate, and […]

Isaiah Joe has been given a bigger role by the Oklahoma City Thunder amid the extended absence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Joe showed anew that he is relishing the fine opportunity. While it is almost impossible to fill the shoes of Gilgeous-Alexander, Joe can definitely get buckets in different […]

Arizona tasted its first defeat of the season after collapsing against Kansas, 82-78, at Allen Fieldhouse on Monday. The top-ranked Wildcats were in control of the game until the Jayhawks, who played without NBA prospect Darryn Peterson due to flu-like symptoms, mounted a rally with 10 minutes left in the second half. Kansas grabbed the […]

This guy named LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers is pretty good at basketball. The Lakers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on Monday, looking to nab their fourth straight win. It was a tight battle in the first half, and James woke everybody up with a thunderous jam on the fast […]

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was back in a familiar place on Monday as the Atlanta Hawks visited the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Alexander-Walker played three seasons for the Timberwolves before signing with the Hawks in the offseason on a four-year deal worth $62 million in a sign-and-trade. NAW wanted to stay in Minnesota, but the team’s […]

The Detroit Pistons gutted out the win against the Charlotte Hornets, 110-104, at Spectrum Center on Monday, in a game that was marred by a bench-emptying brawl. Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart of the Pistons and Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges of the Hornets were all ejected in the third quarter for fighting. At first, […]

The Golden State Warriors are looking to end their three-game skid at Chase Center as they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. They, however, will have to try to do it without Stephen Curry, who is still out with a runner’s knee. The injury has been bothering Curry since it flared up during a workout […]

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is on a high right now after winning his first-ever championship in the NFL. He helped the Seahawks manhandle the New England Patriots, 29-13, in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday. Darnold was ecstatic with his teammates as they celebrated their hard-earned victory. He also became emotional as […]