basketball

Ben Simmons Offers Positive Update On His Nagging Back Injury

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Ben Simmons was one of the most scrutinized players in the entire NBA last season. Fans were upset that he wouldn’t play with the Philadelphia 76ers, and they were even more upset when he wasn’t able to make his way to the court while playing for the Nets.

Simmons was suffering from back issues, and after getting surgery five months ago, he is now back on the court and practicing with his teammates. Just a couple of days ago, Simmons could be seen shooting threes, and for the most part, he has been doing very well alongside his Nets teammates.

Yesterday, Simmons provided his fans with a very solid update that should make them excited for the start of the season. As you can see in this report from Kristian Winfield, Simmons believes his back is doing just fine, and that he is actually surprised by how well it has held up since the start of training camp.

“I was surprised today, I got a block. I blocked David Duke. I was shocked,” Simmons said.

This is obviously a good sign for the Nets and hopefully, it means Simmons will play in the first game of the season. If not, then there are going to be droves of Nets fans who will be livid at Simmons, and even the front office for putting up with it all.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the NBA.

LeBron James Snubs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar On All-Time Lakers Starting 5 List

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Throughout the decades, numerous amazing players have suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers. In terms of history, they probably have the greatest set of players in the history of the NBA, and if you are a fan of the team, you have lived through some amazing eras of Lakers basketball.

When you throw LeBron into the mix, it is almost impossible to make a Lakers all-time starting five without offending some people. There are too many good players to choose from, and if you leave someone off of the list, you know that there are some Lakers fans who will come after you.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

According to reporter Peter Dewey, LeBron found this out the hard way as he recently gave his pick for the Lakers’ starting five. As you will see, he left Kareem off of this list, although it seemingly has nothing to do with Abdul-Jabbar’s recent criticisms of LeBron.

“All-time starting five for the Lakers?” James said. “I’m going Magic [Johnson] at 1, Jerry West at the 2, Kobe [Bryant] at the 3, myself at the 4 and Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) at the 5. I mean Shaq is so dominant, man. I mean, I love Kareem too. I can’t even front on that, but Shaq’s so dominant, we need a big cuz I’m playing the 4, so we need a big. A.D. already put himself in the Top 5? Well put A.D. in, take me out.”

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

It is hard to bet against LeBron’s starting five, but the exclusion of Kareem might draw some angry cries from the purple and gold fanbase.

Let us know your all-time Lakers starting five, in the comments below.

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LeBron James’ Favorite Player Growing Up May Surprise You

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LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are back at training camp where they are looking to improve upon their disastrous campaign from last season. As we have already reported, all of the Lakers’ players seem to be in good spirits, and they even engaged in a three-point contest which is certainly going to improve everyone’s percentages over the long haul.

It has also been a good time for LeBron and his teammates to talk to the media. They have a lot to discuss right now, and fans of the team want to know what the team’s headspace is right now, especially when you consider all of the dramatic trade rumors from the recent offseason.

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Luckily for LeBron, he got to experience some lighthearted media sessions. For example, in the clip below, you can see James doing a rapid-fire interview with some fluffy questions. In fact, one of those questions was “who was your favorite player growing up.”

Many fans would expect LeBron to say the name of a basketball player here. Michael Jordan would certainly come to mind for a lot of fans but in the end, LeBron went in a completely different direction. Instead, he said baseball superstar Ken Griffey Jr., who was a dominant force in his era.

You can’t blame LeBron for going off the board, especially since MJ is played out at as an answer. You have to give LeBron props for being different.

Dwyane Wade’s NBA On TNT Replacement May Have Just Been Found

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Dwyane Wade has been a staple of the NBA on TNT broadcasts ever since retiring from the NBA back in 2019. Wade would participate in the Tuesday broadcasts which featured the likes of Shaq, as well as Candace Parker. He was a popular member of the broadcast team, but now, he will be moving on to other endeavors.

It was revealed recently that Wade wants to focus on his businesses, as well as his ownership stake in the Utah Jazz. With that being said, it can be easy to see why Wade would want to leave TNT, even if it was something he ultimately enjoyed doing.

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Ever since announcing his departure from the broadcast group, TNT has been looking for a replacement. There are plenty of retired players who could fill this role, but now, it appears as though TNT has found its man.

According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the man in question is none other than Jamal Crawford. Crawford is a player who was incredibly respected around the league and he still gets a ton of compliments from his peers. He was a bucket in the league, and if you watch TNT, then you would know that Crawford has already worked with them in the past.

Crawford has yet to be officially announced as Wade’s replacement, although it is shaping up to be his job for the taking.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the NBA.

Stephen A. Smith Delivers Harsh Words To Kevin Durant

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Stephen A. Smith has been a staunch critic of Kevin Durant over the past few years. With that being said, there is a lot to critique KD over. This is especially true when you consider how KD tried to hold the Nets hostage this past summer. Durant requested a trade from the team that never actually came to fruition. He lost his battle with team owner Joe Tsai, and Smith has had a lot of fun with his criticisms of the situation.

Durant got to speak on Monday during the Nets’ media day. KD was asked plenty of questions about his commitment to the Nets, especially in light of his previous trade request. Durant was quite defensive when answering the question, and he even claimed that his play on the court speaks for itself and that his commitment cannot be questioned.

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Stephen A. certainly doesn’t see it that way, and he let his feelings be known during yesterday’s episode of First Take. As you can see in the clip down below, Smith accused KD of wanting to run from the grind, while also saying that this is KD’s team and it is his responsibility to make it work.

“Essentially you were ready to cut and run. That’s your team. … When your that dude and you don’t like the way things are, you’ve got some influence to change it!” Smith said.

Let us know what you think of Smith’s take, in the comments section down below.

Zion Williamson’s Latest Update Will Excite Pelicans Fans

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Zion Williamson is a player who has experienced some conditioning issues over the years. Last year, Williamson sat out the entire season with a foot injury, and with no outlet for physical activity, Zion’s weight ballooned to the point where some were reporting that he was 330 pounds.

This was very bad news for the New Orleans Pelicans, who were in desperate need of Zion’s services. Thankfully, Zion has been taking his conditioning seriously, and he seems to be in great shape right now.

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Throughout the last few days, Zion has been looking slim yet muscular. He is working extremely hard to get back into game shape, and while speaking to reporters during media day, he offered an update that should excite Pelicans fans.

“I feel like I’m at my best right now... Moving faster, jumping higher. I feel great,” Zion explained. There have been plenty of videos online that support these comments, as Zion continues to show off his dunking ability, while looking like the strongest man in the entire NBA.

The Pelicans are a team that made the playoffs last year and they made it difficult on the Phoenix Suns in the first round. With Zion on the roster, the Pelicans are poised for a massive season, and they could very well be a future contender in the Western Conference.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the NBA.

Russell Westbrook Divulges On Relationship With Patrick Beverley

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Russell Westbrook is looking to bounce back this season after having one of the worst campaigns of his life last year. Westbrook is a player who has always been known for giving it his all, and fans were concerned over his poor play last year.

In addition to all of this, Westbrook now has to play with Patrick Beverley, who used to be his nemesis. These two went at it quite a bit and they had some bad things to say about each other in the media. With that being said, reporters have been curious about whether or not Russ feels like he has had to compromise who he is.

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Russ was very adamant that things are fine between him and Beverley. As you can see in the tweet down below, Westbrook claimed to be an easygoing guy who has never held a grudge, especially not when it’s related to battling on the court.

“[There was] no process,” Westbrook said. “I’m an easygoing guy. I don’t hold grudges against anybody—life is too short. We’ve been blessed with too many opportunities and platforms to walk around and hold grudges. I just continue to move forward. Obviously, when I’m on the court, I don’t have any friends other than that basketball and the people that’s on my team, so I compete. Other than that, off the floor, I’m just a normal guy that likes to have fun.”

This should be good news for the Lakers, who will need everyone to be getting along if they want this season to work out. After last year, any improvement will be a massive improvement.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, & Russell Westbrook Compete In 3-Point Contest

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If you are a Lakers fan, then you are aware of the fact that this team is not very good when it comes to three-point shooting. They have very few players who can actually hit threes at a consistent clip, and it was a huge reason for their downfall last year. In the offseason, they did not address this need, and now, it is up to the current roster to improve.

Yesterday, training camp began for every single team in the NBA, and the Lakers took full advantage of this. The team’s big three consisting of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook are all looking to make big moves this year, and they decided to work on their shooting during practice.

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

As you can see in the clip below, LeBron, AD, and Russ all participated in a three-point shooting competition. It was a great way for the three stars to improve their game, and while we don’t know who won this competition, it was probably LeBron given just how bad Russ and AD were from beyond the arc last season.

This is a good bonding exercise for the Lakers, who are in desperate need of improvement this year. If they keep these practice habits up, perhaps they can surprise some people once the season starts.

Shaq Explains Why He Won’t Comment On Ime Udoka Scandal

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Ime Udoka’s cheating scandal has rocked the Boston Celtics. This season, the team will be without its head coach, and there is no doubt that the players are concerned about the future.

When it comes to Udoka’s actions, there are plenty of analysts looking to weigh in on what Udoka may or may not have done. As it turns out, Shaq will not be participating in this conversation. While Shaq is typically very opinionated when it comes to the world of basketball, there are some things he would just rather sit out.

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While speaking on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Lakers legend noted that he has made some horrible mistakes in his previous relationships and that he cannot pass judgment onto Udoka.

“I am going to step down from this conversation,” Shaq said. “I was a serial cheater. It would be crazy and blasphemous for me to get up here and say, ‘Boom, boom, bam.’ I can’t do that. I know these guys personally. I know they’re going through a lot because I went through a lot.”

Brett Hemmings/Getty Images for TLA

It’s refreshing to see Shaq be so honest about this, as he could have taken the easy road and roasted the Celtics coach. Either way, this is a story with many moving parts, so stay tuned to HNHH for updates.

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Matt Barnes Clarifies Why He Backtracked On Ime Udoka Remarks

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At this point, every single NBA fan is aware of Ime Udoka and his extra-marital relationship with a member of the Celtics staff. Udoka cheated on Nia Long with this woman, and now, he will be suspended for the next year. Udoka could face plenty of other penalties, and it is not looking good for his career.

Many analysts have weighed in on this news, including Matt Barnes. Initially, Barnes thought the suspension was a bit much, however, he ultimately retracted his statement, noting that this is a very ugly situation.

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“I clearly have to say, last night, without knowing all the facts, I spoke on Ime Udoka’s defense and after finding out the facts after I spoke, I erased what I posted because this situation in Boston is deep,” he said. “It’s messy. It’s a hundred times uglier than any of us thought and that’s why I erased what I said. […] Some things happened that I can’t condone, I can’t back and it’s not my place to tell you what happened. If it ends up coming out, it ends up coming out. But that was the reason why I erased my post last night.”

Recently, Barnes went on VladTV where he got to speak on the Udoka situation and why he ultimately backtracked. As you will see down below, Barnes found out who within the organization Udoka slept with, which ultimately gave him a new perspective on this whole ordeal. Of course, Barnes did not give any information, however, it’s clear that this is a story that could get uglier within the coming months.

Stay tuned to HNHH as we will continue to bring you the latest news and updates pertaining to the Udoka situation.