According to league industry insiders, the Los Angeles Lakers are narrowing in on JJ Redick as their top candidate to take over as head coach. League sources stated that the Lakers are still in the process of interviewing potential head coaches. Furthermore, no decision has been made yet. However, all the signs point to Redick as their top pick right now. Over the past several weeks, league insiders said that the Lakers have given significant consideration to two candidates: Redick and James Borrego, the associate coach of the Pelicans.
Three weeks ago, Redick was the first candidate to meet with Lakers executives in person. Last week, Borrego had a second in-person interview with Lakers officials. Team sources say the organization was impressed with him during the process. Apparently, Lakers star Anthony Davis has some history with Borrego from his time in New Orleans. Davis and the prospective head coach have a “rapport.” Of course, JJ Redick is tight with LeBron James as the two host a basketball podcast together. Overall, these two names are leading the pack, but it looks like JJ may edge Borrego out.
The Celtics assistant Sam Cassell, the Heat assistant Chris Quinn, the Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, and the Nuggets coach David Adelman are among the other prospects the Lakers have interviewed. Redick, a media analyst, is providing color commentary for the NBA Finals, which begin in Boston on Thursday night. This has led many in the NBA to believe that an official hire would be made public following the series. Lakers officials are reportedly “infatuated” with Redick and his coaching potential, according to sources.
According to multiple sources briefed on the situation, legendary former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has developed into a highly regarded unofficial resource for the Lakers during the hiring process. His extensive familiarity with candidates, including Redick and others, gives him insight into the kind of culture the team is looking for, as well as the qualities of a possible staff around the next head coach. Overall, with no professional coaching experience under his belt, Redick looks like he will be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA finals are finally upon us. The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Boston Celtics on Thursday in what should be a fascinating series of basketball, featuring two teams that have had very different roads to the final. Through 82 games, the Boston Celtics ran through the league during the regular season, finishing with an impressive 64 wins under their belt. Dallas is a different story. The Mavs were a middling team with two superstars, but their fortunes changed with a fantastic trade deadline that brought in the likes of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. They finished the season with one of the best records after the All-Star break.
The two teams’ playoff journeys have also been vastly different. The Celtics cruised through the East to the Finals, facing overmatched competition. Add to the fact that several injuries of star players on the teams they were facing, like the Cavaliers and the Pacers, and you have a smooth run to the finals. On the other hand, the Mavericks have had a tough journey in the West, facing three 50-win teams in a row while dealing with several injuries of their own. The star-studded Finals matchup will feature several matchups and storylines. Kyrie is returning to Boston, and Porzingis is returning to Dallas. Will Jayson Tatum get his first title before Luka Doncic? The drama will undoubtedly be matched by the level of basketball that fans will be treated to. Who will come out on top? Let’s look at the matchups.
Kyrie Irving is returning to Boston after five years after his big move. Irving landed in Boston in 2017 after being traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he won a championship with LeBron James. He forced his way out of Boston in 2019. The Kyrie that was present then isn’t the same Kyrie that is in Dallas. He clearly wanted to venture out on his own and be the premier veteran on a team that could lead them to a championship. He was not up to the task in Boston or his next stop in Brooklyn, but this version of Kyrie seems to have learned from his mistakes and has stepped up as a leader. Nevertheless, Irving will not receive a warm welcome in Boston.
The Boston fans will heckle Irving like they have heckled a few other players. There is a lot of bad blood there between Irving and the fans. It’s no wonder Irving rarely plays in Boston anymore. Kyrie infamously stepped on the Celtics logo as a sign of disrespect; he has flipped off fans and astonishingly tried to cleanse the Boston arena with sage. The Kyrie return is probably the top of the list for drama in the Finals. It is unlikely the noise affects Kyrie Irving in Boston, but if he struggles early, Boston’s fans will feed into it and take it up a notch. Also of note will be his ex-teammate’s reception to him. Let’s see how the dap-ups before game 1 go between Kyrie, Jayson, and Jaylen.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are considered two of the best closers in the NBA. We saw their proficiency against the Timberwolves in late-game situations. Their shot-making ability and clutch play are both a big factor in the Finals. Luka is his own beast whose okay performances still see him dropping 30-point triple-doubles. The variety of defenders he has seen in the playoffs has been challenging, and Boston possesses great defenders to throw at him. Nevertheless, Luka has gone off on just about any defender that’s ever guarded him. Kyrie, on the other hand, might be pushed to be more of a facilitator, with the likes of the Celtic’s Jrue Holiday and Derrick White hounding him. Kyrie will look to be aggressive if Boston forces the ball out of Doncic’s hands.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are as dynamic a duo as you have in the league. They both can fill it up and are good defenders. As a duo, they don’t complement each other at times, but their success in these playoffs is due to Tatum and the Brown’s offensive onslaught. The Mavericks have some range and versatile defenders to throw at them, but big numbers should be expected, no matter the matchups. This is the chance for Tatum and Brown to finally get over the hump and win an NBA title after years of falling short. When they are in attack mode, it’s something to behold but when they and their teammates continue to settle for 3-pointers, they get in trouble. Have they learned from their Finals failure against the Golden State Warriors two seasons ago? We will see.
Kristaps Porzingis is now expected to return in game one of the NBA Finals. After sustaining a non-contact calf injury during Game 4 of the first round against the Miami Heat, Porzingis has not appeared in a game since April 29. In that time, the Celtics defeated the Heat 4-1, went on to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1, and won the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the Indiana Pacers. Porzingis is the key that unlocked Boston’s powerhouse offense, which dominated the league. He is a knockdown 3-point shooter who can protect the rim like few players. He offers the Celtics a big advantage that can exploit mismatches and stretch the floor, which makes it much easier for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to attack.
Kristaps is also set to face his former team. His tenure with Luka Doncic and the Mavs was riddled with injury issues and a lack of chemistry between himself and Luka. The environment in Dallas will be particularly antagonistic towards the Latvian international. Dallas has some serious size with Daniel Gafford and rookie Dereck Lively II, but they will have to adjust to guarding Porzingis, who is a legit perimeter threat. His presence means Dallas will have to make some tough decisions defensively in the series. A big reason Dallas was so successful against the Wolves was because of the play of their bigs. Porzingis being healthy makes the 4 and 5 matchups something to keep an eye on.
Who Will Win The NBA Finals? Our Official Prediction
Indianapolis, IN – May 27: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, hugs forward Oshae Brissett after winning Game 4 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Our pick for the 2024 NBA champion is the Boston Celtics. They have been dominant like few teams have been in NBA history. The Dallas Mavericks are not a very deep team, and most of the responsibility will be shouldered by Luka and Kyrie. Boston will be able to rely on guys like Derrick White and Jrue Holiday to take the load off of their stars, and that will be the difference. Porzingis being healthy seals the deal. The Boston Celtics win the series in six hard-fought games, and Jayson Tatum takes home the Finals MVP Award.
Mase has thrown his hat in the ring of Caitlin Clark defenders, speaking out against the WNBA rookie sensation’s issues with receiving hard fouls from the opposition. Despite being the third-most fouled player in the league, the Indiana Fever rookie said in an interview with NBC News that aired on Monday, June 3, that she made an effort not to let the criticism get to her. When asked about the hard foul that has had everyone talking, she said, “I wasn’t expecting it. But I think it’s … just respond, come down, let the play do the talking. It is what it is. It’s a physical game, go make the free throw and then execute on offense.”
On a recent episode of the It Is What It Is,Mase defended Catilin Clark. He said on the podcast, “They are just playing down the significance of just female sports being portrayed the right way.” He continued, saying, “If you want branding dollars, then you have to be brand appropriate. You go further when your brand is clean enough to be marketed on different platforms. […]” He thinks the other players are purposefully being physical with her and that the treatment she has been receiving makes them seem like haters.
Mase Gives His Two Cents on the Caitlin Clark Situation
Mase continued to say, “Not that you should be helping her, but you definitely shouldn’t be trying to hurt her. It shouldn’t be over-aggression towards Caitlin, because it comes across as hating.” The Caitlin Clark discourse is continuing to heat up. Everyone is commenting on the harsh treatment during her debut WNBA season. Mase sees the social media clips and the outrage machine that is perpetually churning and has come to the conclusion that there is something unfair going on with Caitlin Clark. Overall, to the world outside of diehard WNBA fans, the treatment does, in fact, seem a tad unfair.
Caitlin Clark has been a major factor in the WNBA having this moment of popularity. Let’s hope the discourse that has been at times, toxic can calm down enough to enjoy some basketball. The WNBA is a rough league. There is a level of physicality in the league that you don’t see in the NBA. For that reason, some of these fouls may be shocking to new viewers. But people that have watched and covered the league will let you know these types of hard fouls are pretty common, and so is the treatment of star rookies. Overall, Mase thinks the fouls aren’t a good look for the vets of the WNBA. We will see if anything changes with how Caitlin Clark is received.
Pat McAfee has been a controversial figure over at ESPN. Overall, everyone knows that he doesn’t fit the typical ESPN mold. Instead, he is a loud former NFL punter who used to run with the boys over at Barstool. Shows like First Take, Get Up! and NFL Live have real journalists on their programs. However, McAfee is all about the frat boy commentary. Having said that, it should come as no surprise that he thought he was making a good point by calling Caitlin Clark a “White B*tch” on live TV.
Of course, the context here is that he was speaking from the perspective of the rest of the WNBA. His comments are already crass, but when you realize the context, his comments are even worse. Ultimately, McAfee is not the guy to be speaking on race relations and how the intersectionality of women’s basketball. Having said all of that, he is smart enough to know that his comments yesterday required an apology.
On his show today, McAfee revealed that he reached out to Clark and the Indiana Fever. He noted that he apologized for his comments and that the team told him it was “all good.” From there, McAfee said that Clark apparently appreciated his reach out. Although it was ambiguous as to whether or not they spoke directly. It is a tepid response from the Fever, however, given what was said and the ensuing discourse, it’s not surprising. It’s clear Clark just wants to play basketball and move on.
Let us know how you felt about this situation, in the comments section down below. Do you feel as though McAfee was doing too much in this instance? Would you have been as forgiving if you were in Caitlin Clark and these comments were made about yourself? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Bob Costas is a legendary sports broadcaster who has seen a lot throughout his time on the air. Overall, he has covered pretty well every single major sport. Furthermore, he has covered amateur sports at the Olympic. He is a legend of the industry, so it should come as no surprise that his opinion is sought after. This is especially true whenever there is a hot button issue going on in the sports world. As it stands, the WNBA and the recent incident between Chennedy Carter and Caitlin Clark is all anyone wants to talk about.
Consequently, Costas was on CNN Monday night where he offered up his thoughts on what has been going down in the league. In the video down below, you can see that Costas compared the Clark and Carter incident to what happened between Angel Reese and Alyssa Thomas. For those who may have missed it, Reese was thrown to the ground by Thomas, and it led to an ejection. However, National media didn’t seem to care about the story. Instead, they focused on the Clark debacle.
In the eyes of Costas, this showcases a double-standard in the media. He believes since the Thomas and Reese incident contained to black players, the media didn’t care. However, once they saw a black player get into it with a white player, they had a narrative to capitalize on. “The reason why that doesn’t spark as much conversation isn’t just that Caitlin Clark is a bigger star than Alyssa Thomas,” Costas said. “It’s because it’s a Black on Black incident and you don’t have that dynamic that people can comment on, yes, but also exaggerate and make the entire story sometimes.”
Let us know what you think of this take from Bob Costas, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with his take that the incident wasn’t reported on because of the race of the players? What do you think of the recent discourse surrounding the WNBA right now? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
LeBron James is currently on a nice vacation from the grind of the NBA Season. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the NBA Finals will begin. This year’s finals are between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics. Overall, it is a Finals that not many people saw coming. Although the Celtics were certainly expected to go far, no one really thought the Dallas Mavericks would have what it takes to win. After all, they didn’t even make the postseason back in 2023.
However, Kyrie Irving has upped his game to a whole new level. He has hit a career resurgence, and fans have loved every second of it. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic continues to be one of the best players in the entire league. They are a dynamic duo that has started to be compared to the iconic pair of LeBron and Kyrie. These two won a title together in 2016 and fans are always reminiscing on their accomplishments. In fact, during the most recent episode of Mind The Game with JJ Redick, LeBron was asked to speak on Kyrie’s recent success.
As you will see in the clip above, LeBron is admittedly a bit jealous. Overall, he is extremely happy to see Kyrie succeed. He believes the point guard has grown a lot as a player and that it makes him proud. On the other side of that equation, he is a bit jealous and upset that he is no longer a duo with Kyrie. Clearly, LeBron understands just how talented Ky is and how he is instrumental in the Mavericks’ success. Having said that, we know who James will be rooting for come Thursday.
Be sure to let us know what you think of the LeBron James and Kyrie Irving duo, in the comments section below. Do you believe this is one of the best duos in the history of the NBA? Do you think they could have won more titles together had they both stayed in Cleveland? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Stephen A Smith found himself in the midst of a pretty large controversy on Monday. Overall, it all had to do with the discourse surrounding Caitlin Clark and Chennedy Carter. During his conversation with Shannon Sharpe and Monica McNutt, Smith made it seem as though the WNBA players were jealous of Clark. This led to a significant conversation on race and how intersectionality plays within the WNBA. After all, black queer women make up a large percentage of the WNBA, and they have been helping to build the league long before Clark came into the picture.
Smith took offense later in the segment when McNutt rightfully noted that Smith could have been talking about the WNBA three years ago. This led to a huge fallout, with Smith going on his podcast and claiming he made McNutt’s career. Today, cooler heads ultimately prevailed as McNutt was back on First Take. In fact, Chiney Ogwumike was there as well. As for Smith, he clarified his remarks on Caitlin Clark and explained exactly how he feels about the situation.
In his eyes, Clark deserves the acclaim she has received. However, he does feel like because she is white, she has been given more grace than some of her peers. For instance, when Angel Reese gets fouled, there isn’t as much outrage. He notes that black athletes across the globe have had to fight harder to get what they deserve, and that will not change as long as white people continue to be given the upper hand. Today’s conversation was certainly more productive than yesterday’s. Moving forward, fans are hopeful that the discourse around the league will center around competition, and the high level at which all of the league’s athletes are playing.
Let us know what you think of this take from Stephen A. Smith, in the comments section down below. What do you make of the discourse when it comes to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese? Do you feel as though it has gotten out of hand? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
In a heated conversation on Monday’s First Take, Monica McNutt and Stephen A. Smith discussed how the WNBA has been covered by the media. Before long, the media’s general coverage of the sport had shifted. This discussion was sparked by Saturday’s much-talked-about Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever game, in which Sky player Chennedy Carter committed a hard foul on Caitlin Clark that almost crossed the line into dirty play. McNutt expressed her dissatisfaction with the way the WNBA has been covered this season, pointing out that because of Clark’s fame, media outlets who haven’t previously covered the league are suddenly becoming interested.
In a swift reply, Stephen A. said that First Take had “more coverage than anyone” of the sport. In response, McNutt attacked First Take, claiming that Smith and the program “could have been doing this three years ago” before Clark increased the sport’s appeal. Stephen A. Smith did not take the dig well. He has since gone in on Monica McNutt, saying that she owes him all of her success as well as all the other women that appear on First Take. Last night on Shannon Sharpe’s late-night podcast, McNutt clarified her position.
The argument brought up by McNutt’s objections is intriguing. Given Clark’s celebrity status, how many talk programs across several networks, including First Take, have exaggerated the event between Chennedy Carter and Caitlin Clark beyond its true significance? In an interview with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson for the Nightcap podcast, McNutt expanded on her views on the subject, stating that she thinks the media has made it seem “unfair” that most WNBA players are against Clark. She said, “I think what I was frustrated with in our conversation earlier is that we can hold more than one truth. The idea of some players being jealous (of Clark)? Yes, that probably exists. But I think since Caitlin’s debut, there has been a large and loud push that it’s Caitlin versus the (WNBA). And that is unfair.”
Monica continued, “I mean, would you be jealous of someone who got a $28 million shoe deal before they ever stepped foot in the pros? I just need all of us to do a better job holding room for multiple truths. The prevailing idea that it is the WNBA versus Caitlin and that these women don’t understand the power of the eyeball she’s brought to the league. That’s just unfair.” Monica just wants the discussion to be less black and white and to look at the entire picture instead of just one lens. Overall, Monica McNutt continues to be right. We will see if Stephen A. has a rebuttal.
Kobe Bryant is a legend of the game of basketball who is beloved by many. Overall, he won five NBA titles and he is considered one of the best to ever play the game. Unfortunately, Kobe and his daughter Gianna passed away in a horrific helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. It was one of the biggest tragedies in the history of sports, and fans still cannot believe Kobe is gone. To this day, tributes are always being made for him and his daughter, while players continue to further his legacy.
Unfortunately, some out there believe it is appropriate to make light of his passing. For instance, according to TMZ, a man in China wore a highly offensive costume to a recent comic book convention. In the clip below, you can see the man wearing what appears to be a helicopter that has been dismantled and on fire. Meanwhile, he is wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey and even has a Kobe mask on. It’s all very disgusting, and no one at the event seemed to care.
Meanwhile, fans on social media were not taking so lightly to all of this. There were numerous calls for such a person to be banned from the event. Others also deemed it a simple case of disrespect. However, from what we know, this person was able to wear their costume and was never called out for it in person. Needless to say, fans love Kobe, and any such disrespect will never be tolerated.
Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Why do you think some people believe that it would be okay to wear a costume like this? Were you offended by the costume and if not, what would be the reasoning? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will be sure to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and their exploits.
According to Angel Reese, there are other factors at play in the WNBA’s recent surge in popularity than Caitlin Clark. “I think so many people are watching women’s basketball right now,” the Chicago Sky star told WGN News after practice Monday. She continued, “It all started from the national championship game, and I’ve been dealing with this for two years now, and understand that, yeah, negative things have probably been said about me. But honestly, I’ll take that because look where women’s basketball is.” The 22-year-old Reese claimed that more and more individuals “you never would think would be talking about women’s basketball” are becoming aware of the league.
Angel Reese explains that it isn’t just a singular individual driving the popularity the WNBA is receiving “People are pulling up to games. We’ve got celebrities coming to games [and] sold-out arenas just because of one single game,” she said. Rapper Latto notably showed up to support Angel Reese, and she received love from Megan Thee Stallion. The forward declared that if it means the WNBA will keep expanding, she is willing to take on the role of the villain. Overall, Angel Reese wants to make it clear that the players before her and her rookie class are the reason the WNBA is having a moment. While Clark is a big reason, she isn’t the sole reason.
Many took what Angel said and left out the part where she talked about everyone contributing, like Robert Griffin III. The analyst then corrected himself when shown the full clip. Angel Reese spoke about the impact that she will have down the line, affirming that she believes it’s a collective effort to grow the game. She said, “I know I’ll go down in history. I’ll look back in 20 years and be like, ‘Yeah, the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person. It’s because of me, too.’ And I want you to realize that.” She continued, “Like, it’s just not ’cause of one person. A lot of us have done so much for this game.”
Angel Reese and other players are being targeted for not ushering in a red carpet for Caitlin Clark. The discourse around Clark is getting into murky territory where pundits who never covered the WNBA are acting as if they are authorities. Overall, Angel Reese is right. Caitlin Clark is a big reason for the surge in popularity, but so are Angel Reese Cameron Brink, and a number of other rookies. Not to mention the superstars that have been dominating the league like Aja Wilson.
