Reporting Articles - Page 246

With just 10 games left in the NBA regular season, the Portland Trail Blazers are sitting at 19-53 – just three games out of the Western Conference cellar. It’s been a difficult year for Blazers fans. While most adjusted their expectations accordingly and looked to internal development, due to injuries, the season proved to be […]

The Brooklyn Nets are battling the injury bug as they close out a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. Already down Cam Johnson (left big toe sprain) and Dennis Smith Jr. (right hip synovitis) for Monday’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors, the team ruled out Cam Thomas due to lower back tightness before pulling out a 96-88 win. […]

Once again, the Dana White-run promotion is making good on its promise to ferret out those who would cheat in their anti-doping program. And this time, it has its sights set on a rising featherweight contender. Khusein Askhabov failed a test sample that revealed the presence of prohibited substances, and now he finds himself suspended […]

The New England Patriots fell short in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes in the first week of NFL free agency, but Robert Kraft said the reason they didn’t get him wasn’t because they failed to offer enough money. Rather, Kraft said there were other factors that prevented Ridley from signing with the Patriots. “There was one […]

Due to cap restraints, the Denver Broncos were forced to be relatively quiet this offseason. That means no splash signings of superstar players. To get in more comfortable cap standing, the Broncos did a bit of “spring cleaning” with their roster and released players with heavy cap hits. This included Denver parting ways with Russell […]

Nothing has been typical about Tom Aspinall’s reign as the UFC interim heavyweight champion. He was thrust into the spotlight after Jon Jones suffered an injury that resulted in the cancellation of his initially planned title fight and Aspinall took advantage of it with his first-round stoppage win against Sergei Pavlovich. However, this joy has […]

Before the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies matchup, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were ruled out as they nursed minor injuries. Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. were also questionable but did end up playing. Despite being down two starters, the Nuggets were able to blow out the Grizzlies, 128-103. In fact, the Nuggets had […]

The Dallas Mavericks earned a 115-105 victory over the Utah Jazz to begin their five game road trip. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led Dallas once again, as Luka scored 29 points and Kyrie added 27. Doncic recorded a triple-double as well, finishing the game with 12 rebounds and 13 assists. Luka became one of […]

Without generational talent Victor Wembanyama and facing a team that had just beaten them by 25 points, the San Antonio Spurs shocked a Phoenix Suns team that’s playing for playoff seeding down the stretch of the NBA regular season. Give the credit to payback as a reason for the 104-102 stunner. “We got blown out […]

The Philadelphia 76ers, already dealing with several injuries to key players, now have to keep an eye out for Buddy Hield’s ankle in the coming days. The sharpshooter got hurt in the final minutes of the Sixers’ loss to the Sacramento Kings, potentially adding another name to their injury report. Hield limped off the court, […]

The Philadelphia 76ers (39-33) wrapped up their last West Coast trip of the season by taking on the Sacramento Kings (42-29). The Sixers played like a team that was ready to get back home and lost 108-96. Let’s break down the 76ers’ road trip finale. 76ers player notes: Tyrese Maxey: 29 points, 3 rebounds, 2 […]

The Brooklyn Nets bet on upside when they selected Noah Clowney with the 21st pick in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-10 prospect out of Alabama flashed his versatile skill set for the Crimson Tide during his lone college season. With the Nets play-in hopes all but dead, Clowney has received expanded minutes in the last […]

The New York Knicks have been rebranded as the Nova Knicks this season. The new-look squad has emerged as an Eastern Conference contender, led by star point guard Jalen Brunson and supporting wings Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. However, a lone Wildcat has not enjoyed the same team success across the river in Mikal Bridges. […]

The initial, frantic wave of March Madness opening weekend usually produces at least one Cinderella team that surprises the nation. This year’s edition of the NCAA Tournament would be considered a dud if judged by those standards though. The Sweet 16 is mostly Blue Blood programs and Power Five members but that is a good […]

Phoenix Suns guard Isaiah Thomas is yet to play more than two minutes in his first 10-day contract period with the team. Suns coach Frank Vogel was asked by AZCentral.com’s Duane Rankin what Thomas has done to this point in his contract. “Pickup games he’s played in, he’s looked really good,” said the 2020 NBA […]

The Chicago Bulls have been fortunate to have a veteran guy like DeMar DeRozan lead the team this year. He can keep his cool in pressure situations and he has won a lot of games for the Bulls in clutch situations this season. Chicago also has a lot of young players on the team, however. […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been banged up all season long and after dealing with 14 games in 25 days, it’s starting to take its toll. The Cavs have continually asked players to step up and play beyond their limit and Cleveland is sorely missing the punch they get from Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus and Dean […]

LeBron James’ status for the Los Angeles Lakers matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks is up in the air due to a lingering left ankle injury. The Lakers listed LeBron as doubtful for the first stop on the six-game road trip. LeBron played 38 minutes in the high-octane win over the Indiana Pacers […]

The Chicago Bulls have seen a lot of their younger, less prominent players step up and grow a lot this season as the team has dealt with a lot of injuries. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are the two Bulls that have gotten the most attention for their breakout seasons, but a lot of guys […]

Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continue to be the two favorites for the NBA’s MVP award with very little separation. Around this time last week, it was the Oklahoma City Thunder that led the Western Conference, resulting in Gilgeous-Alexander finding himself ranked at the very top of the NBA MVP rankings. Now, it is Jokic’s […]

Very rarely is an NBA team presented with a get-out-of-jail-free card. The Houston Rockets may have offered the Brooklyn Nets just that at the trade deadline. Nets general Manager Sean Marks went all-in in 2021, sending all of Brooklyn’s draft capital to Houston to pair James Harden with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. All three […]

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks’ trade deadline acquisitions have been positive for the most part. Daniel Gafford has added another much-needed post presence, while PJ Washington’s versatility has benefitted both the Mavs’ offense and defense. Washington, however, has struggled from beyond the arc with the Mavs. For his career, Washington has shot over 35 percent […]

Robert Saleh is aware that this season can not go down the same path his previous three as New York Jets coach did. In particular, the Jets can’t disappoint in the manner they did in 2023 when Super Bowl dreams crashed and burned for a myriad of reasons in another 7-10 finish. Now 18-33 since […]

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are preparing for a five game road trip as the NBA playoffs draw near. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have continued to lead the team, while players such as Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II have stepped up as well. One player who is not receiving as much attention but […]

The Boston Celtics are on a historic tear, and star Jayson Tatum wants NBA MVP voters to recognize that. Or, at the very least, he wishes the criteria for the award was more clear. At 57-14 overall, the Celtics have clinched the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference and already tied their win total […]

Wild things happen over the final month of the NBA regular season. Obviously, injuries play a big role in how the standings shape up in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. But another underlying factor that everyone always tends to overlook are teams that begin playing their best basketball over the last few weeks of […]

In their first time seeing James Harden since the trade, the Philadelphia 76ers came into his new house and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in a huge road win where they never trailed. Tyrese Maxey (24 points, six assists on 9-17 shooting), Tobias Harris (24 points on 11-19 shooting) and Cam Payne (23 points on […]

Following a relatively quiet period in NFL free agency, Jerod Mayo is pleading New England Patriots fans to be patient. Mayo, who’s entering his first season as the Patriots head coach, attempted to quell any concerns that fans might have as the team’s yet to make a splashy addition after going 4-13 in 2023. “For […]

Robert Saleh knows exactly what the New York Jets will be missing since Bryce Huff departed as a free agent for the Philadelphia Eagles. In fact, the Jets coach provided an eye-opening comparison of what the talented edge rusher brings to a team. “Elite, elite pass rusher. Closes games,” Saleh said Monday at the NFL […]

After dropping 150 points on the Indiana Pacers — the most for the franchise since 1987 — the Los Angeles Lakers will fly eastward for a critical six-game road trip at their highest point of the season. The Lakers have won three games in a row — two offensive explosions (vs. the Atlanta Hawks and […]

The San Antonio Spurs just lost by 25 points to the same Phoenix Suns team they’ll play again Monday. They’ll potentially be without their best player in trying to knock off a squad that’s going for its fourth straight win and eighth in the last eleven games. Still, the Spurs, whose legendary head coach all […]

After a pair of drama-filled meetings out in the Bay Area earlier this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves had one goal in mind on Sunday night. That goal: complete the season series sweep against the Golden State Warriors.  The Dubs started out strong. Leveraging their speed and quickness defensively into numerous Wolves turnovers, it appeared an […]

Every fan of basketball grimaced after seeing how Brandon Ingram collapsed in a fall during a road game against the Orlando Magic. No wand at Disney could wave away the feeling of doom immediately engulfing everyone slightly interested in the fate of these New Orleans Pelicans. The franchise got good news following an MRI, but […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, but the franchise has been playing things close to the vest. This upstart squad does not need any attention from the national media nor does it need to provide any rivals with bulletin board material. The social media team handles the […]

It was an exciting night for the Miami Heat Sunday as they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in dominant fashion, 121-84, after suffering a blowout loss of their own last Friday to the New Orleans Pelicans. Each performance was drastically different as it could have been jarring for any fan to watch as Heat head coach […]

The New Orleans Pelicans wasted no time in taking care of the Detroit Pistons to close out a 3-1 road trip. The team lost Brandon Ingram (knee) to a freak fall and only got four points out of Zion Williamson, but still they head back to the Smoothie King Center well clear of the NBA […]

When the San Antonio Spurs beat the Phoenix Suns in consecutive road games to end October and start November, they stood at 3-2 after Victor Wembanyama had exploded for 38 points in a coming out party of sorts. Five months later, in the middle of another mini two-game series against the Suns, the now 15-56 […]

Not only did the Philadelphia 76ers defeat the Los Angeles Clippers on the road but they didn’t even allow one of the NBA’s best offensive squads to lead at any point in the game. It was a brilliant win for the Sixers, who were in jeopardy of going winless in their four-game road trip. The […]

The Detroit Pistons were forced to take on the New Orleans Pelicans in a 114-101 beatdown without franchise point guard Cade Cunningham. After going through an early pregame shootaround, Cunningham was ruled out due to left knee injury management he’s been dealing with for months. Head coach Monty Williams confirmed the medical team decided he […]