R.P. Salao Articles - Page 88

To say that Kyle Kuzma underperformed in the playoffs this season is putting it mildly. The Los Angeles Lakers forward struggled mightily as LA fell in the first round. But speaking to reports after the Lakers’ playoff elimination, Kuzma chose to stay confident with what has been built this season, both as a team and […]

Damian Lillard has long been adamant that he has no plans of leaving the Portland Trail Blazers. But that isn’t stopping teams from eyeing him for their own roster. The Blazers star’s availability is now reportedly being closely followed by NBA teams, including ones in “top markets”, as speculation has loomed since their first-round exit. […]

DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard have a complicated history. As the centerpieces in the blockbuster trade between the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors, they’ll forever be intertwined in NBA lore. DeRozan went from competitor to fan as he witnessed Kawhi Leonard dominate his matchup against Luka Doncic on Friday night. The Spurs star didn’t […]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020-21 season is officially over. With the offseason looming, fans have been in a frenzy in trying to figure out what moves Rob Pelinka and the rest of the LA front office can make to make another run at a title next […]

As great as Chris Paul is at the game of basketball, he isn’t exactly the friendliest guy on the court. He showed exactly that throughout the first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Phoenix Suns guard is determined to get every edge he can get, finding motivation in anything he can take as a […]

Love him or hate him, Draymond Green is definitely an entertaining figure. The Golden State Warriors star has been in his fair share of drama, often because of his willingness to speak his mind at all times. This has come back to haunt the Warriors veteran in a big way, as Devin Booker led the […]

Luka Doncic is an absolute menace on the offensive side of the floor. The Dallas Mavericks superstar has given the Los Angeles fits on the defensive end, even the Clippers’ best defensive weapon in Kawhi Leonard. Leonard proved to be the better player in Game 6, but Doncic still ended up with a respectable 29 […]

The news of Terry Stotts’ firing as the Portland Trail Blazers just broke, but Damian Lillard has already named his preferred replacement – Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd. The Blazers star didn’t mince words as he personally admitted that the Lakers coach was his guy. This comes via report from Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes. […]

Luka Doncic has dropped four 40-point games on the Los Angeles Clippers throughout his young playoff career. The Dallas Mavericks franchise player got a taste of his own medicine in Game 6. Kawhi Leonard erupted for 45 points, trumping the Mavs star’ relatively pedestrian 29-point total for the evening. Doncic had a few choice words […]

The Brooklyn Nets handled the Boston Celtics in their first round matchup, winning handily at 4-1. But that one loss, fueled by an epic performance from Jayson Tatum, clearly impressed Kevin Durant. Durant spoke on the etcs show which was up on YouTube, reacting to his experience against the Celtics, particularly Jayson Tatum. “I’ve been in […]

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson sent a message to the franchise’s General Manager Rob Pelinka after their early playoff ouster. But this isn’t just a team’s icon venting frustration, as these two have a history. Magic called out the underperformance of several Lakers on the roster, one constructed specifically by Pelinka himself. LA was […]

The Brooklyn Nets are the NBA’s latest super team, but to most league circles, they feel more like villains. That has been a familiar narrative as superstars have joined forces in years past. We saw it when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. Kevin Durant’s move to the Golden […]

LeBron James can’t be happy about getting eliminated this early for the first time of his career. But the Los Angeles Lakers star had to give it up for Devin Booker. The Phoenix Star stepped up when his team needed him most. Despite holding a 3-2 series lead over the Lakers, nobody was counting out […]

If you’re a Phoenix Suns fan, anti-LeBron James, or despise the Los Angeles Lakers, you’re probably ecstatic at the stunning first round upset that just took place. But nobody on the planet wanted this more than Chris Paul. Chris Paul dealt with a shoulder injury that threatened his availability, but still managed to battle adversity […]

LeBron James has never looked more human than he has after getting ousted in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. Despite the huge setback, the Los Angeles Lakers frontman plans to come back stronger next season. But apparently not everyone thinks that he should suit up again. According to his former teammate Channing Frye […]

The Los Angeles Lakers just went from fighting for their playoff lives to answering questions on their future. The shifts spares nobody once your team gets ousted. Just ask Damian Lillard, who instantly drew fan speculation on his future with the Portland Trail Blazers. Being arguably the most popular franchise in the league, the Lakers […]

Damian Lillard has been the NBA’s poster child for staying loyal to a franchise. The Portland Trail Blazers star has spent all nine years of his career playing for one team. In this era of player empowerment, gone are the days when guys like Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tim Duncan would last two decades […]

The Los Angeles Lakers were just eliminated in six games by the Phoenix Suns. While that result comes as a shock to most NBA observers, probably nobody was more stunned than LeBron James himself. After the final buzzer sounded, fans took note of the Lakers star appearing to leave the playing court without dapping up […]

The Los Angeles Lakers battled back from a 29-point deficit to make things interesting in Game 6. They got as close as 10 points as LeBron James’ efforts were flanked by some of his Lakers teammates. But Kyle Kuzma clearly wasn’t one of those players. The Lakers forward failed to find James on a great […]

If it wasn’t clear just yet, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis has officially been ruled out from returning in Game 6 against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers continue to play hobbled, as Alex Caruso joins AD on the sidelines. Caruso still remains questionable to return. Anthony Davis (groin) will not return tonight. pic.twitter.com/2OHImaUXWN — […]

Stephen Curry is conspicuously absent from the 2021 NBA Playoffs. But the Golden State Warriors star has had a couple of his peers carry the long-range shooting torch. Devin Booker put up his best offering to the three-point shooting GOAT, making all six of his triples in rapid succession. The Suns star did it all […]

Anthony Davis was questionable to play for the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6. Despite clearly being far from 100 percent healthy, AD chose to suit up with their backs against the wall. But unfortunately, AD hurt his groin just five minutes into Game 6. Check out the sad scene below as AD was forced […]

Years ago, future Hall-of-Famer Carmelo Anthony was nearly out of the league. Now in his age-37 season, he’s still hitting clutch playoff buckets for the Portland Trail Blazers. He isn’t afraid to talk a little trash at the young pups he’s facing, either. Check out the Blazers star getting heated after nailing a crucial And-1 […]

This piece is about Trae Young. But let’s start this off with every Atlanta Hawks fan’s favorite topic – Luka Doncic. Imagine if we lived in a world where Luka Doncic never existed. No Luka Magic. No heir apparent to Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. No Slovenian pretty boy charming referees. In this reality, the Atlanta […]

Julius Randle was the big man on campus for the New York Knicks all throughout this resurgent season. The rise of Randle felt emblematic of the same shocking turnaround of the Knicks franchise itself. The Knicks forward went from afterthought to sudden All-Star, just like New York went from being an annual cellar-dweller to one […]

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is the first true superstar to garner some GOAT discussions since LeBron James entered the league in 2003. His latest achievement will definitely keep that buzz going, as he joins Michael Jordan in an exclusive 2-man club. The Mavs frontman has averaged a stunning 32.8 points per game through his […]

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has taken the sports world by storm after her stance on post-match press conferences. The Japanese national has withdrawn herself from the French Open amid her refusal to speak to reporters, citing her mental health. Osaka was candid in her message that she posted on her social media platforms, revealing the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers are headed towards their most important game of the season. The status of Anthony Davis for that game remains uncertain, but that hasn’t stopped the big man from speaking out ahead of the pivotal showdown. The Lakers All-Star implored his LA side not to get fazed by the huge moment. They’re […]

Orlando Magic sharpshooter Terrence Ross may not be playing in the NBA playoffs, but things haven’t been as peaceful as simply going fishing. The 9-year NBA veteran detailed the shocking story of exactly how his limited-edition Lamborghini Urus was taken for a joyride and eventually crashed on the side of a building. While that did […]

The Utah Jazz put on an outright demolition job on the Memphis Grizzlies to advance to the second round. But it wasn’t without cost, as Mike Conley Jr. tweaked his lingering hamstring injury. The Jazz won by a final margin of 126-110, but the game was actually much less competitive than that. Utah led by […]

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks got the hard-fought win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6. But judging by his answers during the postgame press conference, you’d think they lost in a blowout. Doncic dropped 42 points on the Clippers, his fourth time eclipsing the 40-point plateau against LA. But the Mavs wunderkind […]

The Los Angeles Clippers had a chance to tie Game 5 with just 8.8 seconds left in regulation. But instead of utilizing the remaining clock to get the best shot available, Kawhi Leonard put up a contested heave with over four seconds remaining. Leonard ended up double-clutching on a corner triple that got nothing but […]

Bradley Beal has stayed extremely loyal to the Washington Wizards despite several bumps in the road. But while he’s kept his head down for years, he gave a worrisome non-answer after being asked about his future in D.C. After their Game 5 elimination game loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Wizards star was asked if […]

The Washington Wizards had a pretty topsy-turvy season. After being 17-32 and looking like a surefire lottery team, they were able to turn things around and salvage a postseason berth. Bradley Beal led the NBA in scoring for most of the year, but the wins didn’t come with the offense from the Wizards star. But […]

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has had a colorful relationship with LeBron James over the years. The two have battled on the biggest stage countless time, often being matched up to defend one another given their similar front-court roles. The two had faced off just recently as well, with Green’s Warriors nearly toppling the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers have their backs against the wall and are a solitary game away from being sent home. With everything on the line, their sidelined superstar Anthony Davis is doing everything he can do get on the court. The Lakers big man detailed his experience in trying to play through the pain of […]

The Los Angeles Lakers-Phoenix Suns series had this sense of inevitability from the very beginning. The prevailing thought was that no matter how feisty Chris Paul plays, no matter how ready for the moment Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton are, you just couldn’t shake the feeling that LeBron James was going to put his imprint […]

The news is dropping hard and fast for the Boston Celtics. Danny Ainge has announced his intention to step down from his role as team president, opening the door for Brad Stevens to become the man making the decisions. Within the hour of the news breaking, there already appear to be candidates in line to […]

James Wiseman may be the biggest guy on the Golden State Warriors’ roster, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a rookie. Wiseman’s most important rookie duty for the team was safeguarding their beloved poker set. If you follow the Warriors, you know how seriously they take their poker games. Klay Thompson admitted to […]