Virgil Villanueva Articles - Page 73

Kevin Durant and Shaun Livingston came out of Game 4 banged up. However, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is confident that the two will be fine as they move forward. Per Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle, Durant has some elbow issues while Livingston has some undisclosed soreness after their Game 4 […]

After their Game 5 loss which put them down 3-2 in the series, Jimmy Butler of the Philadelphia 76ers spoke about the team’s mindset for the do-or-die Game 6. Per NBA TV, Butler emphasized the importance of team play come Game 6. For him, their collective individual efforts will lift the Sixers past the Toronto […]

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers has not been performing up to par and has received criticism for it. Head coach Brett Brown defended the big man by tagging the criticisms as ‘grossly unfair.’ After their embarrassing 125-89 Game 5 loss to the Toronto Raptors, Brown addressed the criticisms thrown at Embiid. For Brown, negative […]

Game 5 was a historic night for the Toronto Raptors, and a forgettable one for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Raptors forged their biggest playoff win while the Sixer suffered their second-worst postseason loss. Per ESPN Stats & Info, the Raptors’ 36-point victory, 125-89, is the biggest winning margin the playoff franchise history. The Sixers, meanwhile, […]

Ahead of the critical Game 5 of the Western Semifinals on Wednesday, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared how they intend to stop Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker who has been stellar on the offensive boards. For Kerr, the strategy is to find him early and box him out. “We have to find […]

After receiving a sharp elbow to the head, Toronto Raptors big man Serge Ibaka returned to the floor and threw down a Statue of Liberty dunk over James Ennis III of the Philadelphia 76ers. From the looks of it, Ibaka is doing just alright. ‼️ Serge Ibaka returns to Game 5 WITH AUTHORITY! ‼️ 📺: […]

Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie praised Kawhi Leonard — calling him the best two-way player in the game — but believes that he’s still not better than the legendary Kobe Bryant. Retweeting a video wherein analyst Max Kellerman claims that Leonard is now better than Bryant, Dinwiddie said: “And to any/all of the “be nice, […]

After their tough Game 4 loss to the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr described the Mike D’Antoni-led group as a team full of middle linebackers. In his postgame press conference, Kerr observed that while Houston is comprised of linebackers, his team is built like volleyball players. After Game 4 loss to […]

After tying his Western Conference semifinal series at two games apiece against the Golden State Warriors, James Harden of the Houston Rockets shared the team’s motto. Per NBA on TNT, Harden revealed that their battle cry is “keep fighting.” This is how they held their lead amid a Warriors comeback. "Our motto is keep fighting." […]

After a Game 4 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks put him in a 3-1 series hole, Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics spoke about the defensive plan of Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer. From Irving’s perspective, Budenholzer has made it difficult for them to score in the paint. In addition, he’s throwing different defenders who seemingly […]

After draining his dreaded stepback 3-pointer, Houston Rockets star guard James Harden inadvertently hit Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green on the head. https://twitter.com/Kyle__Boone/status/1125598378962903041 No foul was called on the play, but based on the slow-motion replay, it seemed that James Harden’s follow-through was a bit unnatural. Was he fishing for a foul like he […]

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer is encouraged after his team secured a 3-1 series lead over the Boston Celtics. However, he knows that there’s more to be done. Per Kelly Price of NBC26, Budenholzer — one of the leading candidates for NBA Coach of the Year — shared how impressed he is by his […]

With the series tied at two games apiece, the odds will be in the Denver Nuggets’ favor as Game 5 will take place on their home floor. But Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts sent out a gentle reminder to their foes. “We’ve won on the road in OKC and in Denver,” Stotts said […]

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts is confident that Enes Kanter will be alright during Ramadan. The Turkish center will be fasting throughout the month, but Stotts is not worried and cited that even Hakeem Olajuwon turned out fine even during the observation of the religious practice. “The only conversation I had was I […]

Milwaukee Bucks backup guard Pat Connaughton blocked Terry Rozier’s jump shot and was rewarded on the other end via a nifty pass which he finished with a dunk. In Game 4 of the Eastern Semifinals, Connaughton combined athleticism and perfect timing in blocking Rozier’s 3-point attempt. After the block, Sterling Brown had the presence of […]

For Kyrie Irving, the leader of the Boston Celtics, they’re evolving into one single unit. Per Jay King of The Athletic, Irving remained confident on his team’s ability to grow and mature. His comments come in as the Celtics are down 2-1 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Kyrie Irving on how smart the Celtics are as […]

One way to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers is to contain star guard Damian Lillard who has been having a great postseason so far. After their Game 4 victory, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were asked to share their thoughts on how to make it tough for Lillard to get his offensive game going. While […]

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone says he never doubted that his team would lose in the closing seconds of Game 4 against the Portland Trail Blazers, even using statistics to back up his claim. In his presser conference after their Game 4 victory, Malone pointed out that his team is 13-3 in close games […]

Taken on its own, Clint Capela’s two-handed block on Andre Iguodala in Game 3 was nothing short of a superhuman feat. But from the perspective of the Houston Rockets, the block was not just a great stop, it also boosted their morale. Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni tagged the block as ‘unbelievable,’ noting that the […]

In their Game 4 win over the Trail Blazers, the backcourt trio of Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and Gary Harris scored the majority of the Denver Nuggets’ points in the fourth quarter. Specifically, Murray, Barton and Harris scored 17 points in the last five minutes of their Game 4 victory over the Blazers. As a […]

After getting the road win in Game 4, Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone praised his team for its toughness. Malone pointed out Jamal Murray’s exceptional performance from the free throw line. He also praised his team’s competitive spirit and toughness, especially after their heartbreaking loss in Game 3 that went to four overtimes. “Jamal […]

After their Game 4 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry compared Kawhi Leonard’s dominance to a former teammate of his — Yao Ming. In Game 4, Leonard scored a game-high 39 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from downtown. He also snagged 14 rebounds and had five assists. […]

Game 4 of the Eastern Semis will be held in TD Garden on Monday, and Boston Celtics star guard Kyrie Irving vows better communication amongst his teammates. Per Jay King of The Athletic, Irving shared that apart from a loud Boston crowd, there will be lots of talking between him and the Celtics squad. “It’ll […]

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reflected on their Game 2 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He noted his team’s struggles but also singled out Torrey Craig as the unsung hero of the game. Per NBA TV, Malone believes that his team didn’t have the presence of mind to drive to the hoop knowing […]

After their Game 2 loss, Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic tagged it as a ‘weird’ game, noting that the Portland Trail Blazers weren’t in the A-game all night. Per Ben Golliver of the Washington Post, Wednesday night was a ‘weird’ game and a weird day for Jokic. “It was a weird game for us. They […]

If you were tuned in to Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals duel between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets, you might have noticed that head coach Terry Stotts was wearing a red bow tie. It was a rather unusual look. But after the game, he explained the noble reason on why […]

In the final minute of Game 2 between the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers, a scuffle ensued after Enes Kanter apparently bumped Torrey Craig to the ground. Nikola Jokic and Kanter were battling for the rebound. Jokic obviously pushed Kanter to gain the advantage and the latter collided with Craig who fell to […]

Josh Okogie’s rise to fame was when he blocked James Harden’s dreaded step back 3-pointer. Now, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard shared some tips on how to defend the unstoppable move. In an appearance on NBA TV, the 20-year-old shared that to stop Harden’s step back, you have to be ready for it. This means that […]

Denver Nuggets forward Torrey Craig suffered a nasal contusion after receiving an elbow to the face followed by landing on the leg on his teammate on the way down. Per Katy Winge of Altitude TV, Craig — who suffered the injury in the first minute second quarter of Game 2 — is questionable to return. […]

Kevin McHale — who was part of the Boston Celtics dynasty in the 80s — believes that the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers have the potential to be the NBA’s next dynasty. Based on his experience and observation, dynasties last for four or five years at most. Given this, the Golden State Warriors, […]

For NBA legend Kevin McHale, the Denver Nuggets’ series win over the San Antonio Spurs validates the Mike Malone-led squad. For him, the Nuggets play basketball the right way. Per Sean Keeler of the Denver Post, McHale pointed out that the rise of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic has turned the Nuggets into basketball team […]

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors leads the league in fouls in the 2019 playoffs. Per Ben Golliver of the Washington Post, Curry has committed a total of 31 fouls this postseason. In their last two games against the Houston Rockets, Curry committed a total of 10 fouls — five each game. However, despite […]

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green received his fourth technical foul in the playoffs. According to the rules, a player will be automatically suspended for one game once he reaches seven technicals. Green’s status will be critical as the Warriors go deep into the playoffs. As a critical component of the team’s dynasty, a game […]

Milwaukee Bucks swingman Khris Middleton had a big night in their Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics to tie the series at one game apiece. Head coach Mike Budenholzer commended his performance, noting that his 3-pointers were a result of individual and team efforts. Middleton finished with 28 points which included seven 3-pointers out […]

After their Game 2 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics star guard Kyrie Irving remained positive and embraced his leadership role. Irving was not fazed by his awful night where he finished with just nine points on 22 percent shooting. For him, this is part of what he signed up for. Kyrie Irving, the […]

Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving was a no-show in their Game 2 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, he tallied the second-lowest scoring night in his playoff career. In their 123-102 loss, Irving had nine points on 22.2 percent (4-of-18) shooting from the field and 20 percent from downtown. Per Ben Golliver, his lowest […]

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks did a shimmy reminiscent of Stephen Curry after draining a three-pointer. Peep the clip posted by Bleacher Report. Antetokounmpo hit his second three-pointer for the game and felt the shooter’s touch run thru his body. Giannis hit the Steph shimmy 😂 pic.twitter.com/sQLV4CB4kD — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 1, 2019 […]

Gerald Henderson, who’s known for his stint with the Charlotte Hornets (then called Bobcats), has announced his retirement and opens up about his battle with injuries. Per Closeup360, Henderson announced that he’s hanging up his jerseys and sneakers for good after eight years in the NBA. He said that this is not the original plan, […]

Eric Bledsoe of the Milwaukee Bucks met Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics up top with a block in Game 2 of their second-round matchup. Bledsoe perfectly timed his jump to swat Irving layup attempt off a lob from Al Horford. That’s a great block by Eric Bledsoe 💪 pic.twitter.com/2vSrPtNxpG — Dime (@DimeUPROXX) May 1, […]