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Joel Embiid Claps Back After James Harden Claims Sixers “Kept Him On A Leash”

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Joel Embiid disagrees with James Harden’s claim that the Sixers kept the veteran “on a leash”. “I don’t think so. I think he did a lot of great things for us. But in my opinion, we gave him the ball every single possession, because he’s really good. He’s an amazing player. Obviously, being that great of a passer, I think we gave him the ball … we’d give him the ball every single possession to just go out and, you know, do his thing. And from there he had to make decisions as far as getting guys open or looking out for himself. But I thought he did a pretty good job of getting us into an offense and just passing the ball, getting guys open. That’s the reason why he won the assist title last year,” Embiid said after the Sixers’ win against the Raptors.

Furthermore, Embiid’s comments come as a result of Harden’s fiery introductory press conference with the Clippers. Harden said the Sixers kept him “on a leash” and didn’t respect his knowledge of the game. “I think the game and I’m a creator on the court. So if I got a voice to where I can, ‘Hey, Coach, I see this. What you think about this?’ Somebody that trusts me, that believes in me, that understands me. I’m not a system player. I am a system. You know what I mean?” Harden told reporters.

Read More: Joel Embiid Fined $35K For “Obscene” Celebration

Clippers Express Faith In Harden

Meanwhile, the Clippers have expressed full confidence in Harden being their missing piece. “James Harden should have been an All-Star last year. But he’s a 10-time All-Star. He has an elite skill set, and all he cares about is one thing. He wants to win a championship for the LA Clippers. And he wants to be part of something bigger than himself. He’s had all the individual awards. He’s about doing something really special,” said the team’s President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank.

The Clippers gave up a lot to acquire Harden, sending a monster package of depth players and first-round picks to the Sixers. If he can learn the system in time, Harden is expected to debut for the team in a game against the Knicks at MSG this weekend. The Clippers are coming off an overtime loss to the Lakers. Harden was present on the bench but did not suit up. However, head coach Ty Lue did state after the game that he would have liked to have been able to use Harden. The Clippers continue to struggle with early-season injuries, hampering their now-depleted depth.

Read More: Chris Broussard Uses Ableist Slur While Discussing James Harden Trade

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SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron Leads Lakers Past Clippers in Overtime

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LeBron Leads Lakers Past Clippers in Overtime

LeBron James showed that he is still LeBron James in a 120-115 overtime Los Angeles Lakers win over the Los Angeles Clippers. James had 35 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 42 minutes.

The thrilling game included an overhead alley-oop from Austin Reaves to James, thrilling the Lakers faithful. Reaves finished with 15 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Anthony Davis also added a double-double of 27 points and ten rebounds. He also threw in four blocks.

On the other end of the ball, the Clipper’s dynamic duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul Geroge added 38 points and 35 points, respectively. Russell Westbrook dropped 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

The victory for the Lakers was the first in the last twelve matchups.

You can see highlights from the game below.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron Leads Lakers Past Clippers in Overtime first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron Leads Lakers Past Clippers in Overtime appeared first on The Source.

Kawhi Leonard Credits WNBA With Adding New Technique To His Game

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Kawhi Leonard went out of his way to credit the WNBA with him teaching him a new technique to improve his game. During the Clippers’ season opener, Leonard was spotted employing the “step-through” on several occasions. The move involves using the pivot foot to step around the defender during a basket drive. It was popularized and perfected by athletes in the WNBA and Leonard was sure to mention that when asked. “A lot of WNBA players do it. I thought it was just a WNBA rule at first, but I realized that you could pick up that back foot,” Leonard said at the Clippers’ post-game presser.

The move has become a signature for the likes of DeWanna Bonner of the Connecticut Sun and A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. Leonard went 23-5-6 in the Clippers 123-111 win over the Blazers. The Clippers next play the Jazz later today.

Read More: Shaq Has Hilarious Reaction To Lil Wayne Kicking Him Off His Lakers Mt. Rushmore: Watch

Aces Win WNBA Title, First Repeat In 21 Years

The aforementioned Wilson made extensive use of the step-through during the recent WNBA Finals. The Aces secured their second WNBA title in as many seasons with a 70-69 Game 4 victory. After a double-digit loss in Game 3, the Aces bounced back to take a one-point win in front of a hostile and sold-out New York home crowd. A’ja Wilson had a game-high 24 points as injuries to key starters limited the Aces’ dominance but did not relegate them to silver scrapes. With the win, the Aces became the first team since the 2002 Los Angeles Sparks to win back-to-back titles. They were also the first defending champions to even make the Finals since the Sparks in 2017.

“This one’s sweeter. It just is. It’s harder to do,” head coach Becky Hammon said after the game. “This is what it’s all about, to have your name etched in history right now with other teams. We never gave up, and this is a moment that we need to celebrate. This is a moment that not a lot of people get a chance to do it, and for us to do it shorthanded, it is truly amazing. It just makes winning that much better,” Wilson, who was named Finals MVP, added.

Read More: Usher Invites Las Vegas Aces To Residency Show After Missing Championship Parade

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Clippers “Pause” James Harden Trade Push, May Revisit Talks Later

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The Clippers are reportedly turning their attention to the start of the NBA season instead of continuing to go after James Harden. At least, that’s what sources have told ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I’m told that, with the start of the season now, at least for the foreseeable future, the Clippers are stepping back from these trade talks about James Harden. They are essentially pausing them. They have talked with Philadelphia for months about a trade, they’ve made their best offer for Harden. And they are now gonna start their season and see what this team looks like with a healthy Kawhi Leonard, a healthy Paul George,” Woj said.

However, the Clippers may return to the table later in the year, Woj noted. “Now, the Clippers may revisit this at some point. But they know they’re the only bidder for James Harden, they’re the only team that’s made a serious offer. They don’t wanna bid against themselves, and again, while they may revisit this later in the season, I think the Sixers have to wonder: Have we already gotten the best offer we’re gonna get for James Harden? Especially as the games start to peel off the calendar, if you’re the Clippers, why offer more when there’s fewer and fewer games that James Harden can play for you?”

Read More: Usher Invites Las Vegas Aces To Residency Show After Missing Championship Parade

Clippers Open Season With Win

Meanwhile, the Clippers showed the league that didn’t need James Harden to be successful. The team opened their season against the new-look Blazers, beating Portland 123-111. Kawhi and PG3 combined for 50 points, with Kawhi going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. Ivica Zubac also put up 20 points in the win. The Clippers are seen as an outside contender in the West this year, if Kawhi and George can stay healthy.

However, it was a sluggish start for the new era of the Blazers. Scoot Henderson, their #3 pick in this year’s draft, dropped 11 points in his NBA debut. Meanwhile, the newly acquired Deandre Ayton picked up 12 rebounds. However, the team’s scoring output was led by Malcolm Brogdon off the bench. The former Celtic put up 20 points in 23 minutes.

Read More: James Harden To Miss First Two Sixers Games Of The Season

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Clippers Still Working Hard To Trade For Harden

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The LA Clippers are still working hard to find a deal that would allow them to trade for James Harden. That detail may explain why Harden is yet to be the disruptive presence many believed he would be during training camp. “League sources say Harden also is taking part because he remains hopeful that a trade to the Clippers is still in the works and believes, for now, that it would be wise to not be a distraction. And the Clippers, league sources say, are going to great lengths to make it happen. League sources say the Clippers have been talking to several teams about ways to move pick swaps for additional draft capital with the intention of bolstering their offer and getting a deal done,” Sam Amick and Shams Charania reported for The Athletic.

Furthermore, the report shed some light on what sort of compensation the Sixers are looking for from the Clippers. The Sixers reportedly rejected an unprotected first, a pick swap, and salary compensation for Harden. Instead, the current counter-offer appears to be Terance Mann and multiple firsts. This would explain why the Clippers were looking to involve a third team. Mann had 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season.

Read More: Joel Embiid Declares For Team USA Ahead Of 2024 Olympics

Clippers Refocus On Harden After Missing Out On Holiday

The resurgence of interest from the Clippers reportedly comes after the team missed out on trading for Jrue Holiday. The Portland Trail Blazers traded Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics for two first-round picks, Robert Williams III, and Malcolm Brogdon. The first-round picks are the Warriors’ 2024 pick and the Celtics’ 2029 pick, which is unprotected. Williams III was the 27th overall pick in 2018 and had 8.3 rebounds a game last season. Meanwhile, Brogdon was drafted in 2016 and traded to the Celtics in 2022. He had 14.9 points per game last season. Holiday, who had 19.3 points and 7.4 assists last season, will likely become the Celtics’ starting point guard in place of Derrick White.

Holiday’s time in Portland only lasted a couple of days, although that was to be expected. Holiday was one of the pieces that moved around the league during the Damian Lillard trade. However, the Blazers made it clear that Holiday was still on the trade block as the team was happy with its complement of young guards. Now he will continue his journey in Boston as part of a Celtics team that has built themselves into a serious Eastern Conference favorite. Earlier in the offseason, the Celtics dealt with the Washington Wizards for a new starting center in Kristaps Porziņģis.

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Kawhi Leonard Injury Details Revealed

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Kawhi Leonard had 69 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists through the first two games of the Suns-Clippers series. He had put the team on his back in the absence of co-star Paul George and had helped the Clippers stun the Suns in Game 1. If the Clippers were going to top the Suns, Leonard was going to be the most vital piece in that effort.

However, Leonard was sidelined towards the end of Game 2 and ruled out of Games 3-5 with a knee injury. There had been reports, and hopes, that he would be able to return to the series. However, these reports only ever went as high as a 50/50 chance that he would play. He was officially ruled out of the series-ending Game 5, with the Clippers losing 136-130. However, further details have now been revealed about Leonard’s injury.

Kawhi Leonard Out Indefinitely With Torn Meniscus

According to sources who spoke with The Athletic, Leonard has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee. That will shut down the Clippers star for most, if not all, of the offseason and could even extend into the 2023-24 season. Leonard played 52 this season as he dealt with a handful of nagging, small-scale injuries. However, he is quickly gaining a reputation as a GOAT-level player…when he’s healthy. Kawhi has missed a total of 160 games during his stint with the Clippers. In comparison, he has played in 187. ESPN‘s Stephen A. Smith has already declared that this latest injury should be the end of Leonard’s time with the Clippers.

However, Leonard’s injury all but guarantees he will play for the Clippers next season. 2023-24 is a player option year for Leonard, meaning that he had the right to opt-out and pursue free agency if he wished. However, the market for the veteran forward will be much smaller now that he’s publicly dealing with such a severe injury. Barring a contract extension, Leonard would be a free agent at the end of next season. Furthermore, the Clippers can’t cut Leonard because his contract his fully guaranteed. That means LA is on the hook for nearly $49 million (cutting Leonard also imposes a cap hit of $45 million). However, it remains to be seen what the recovery timetable looks like for Leonard.

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Shaq Reveals Why He Isn’t Sold On The Clippers

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Over the years, Shaq has been one of the most critical voices on Inside The NBA. The TNT broadcast has always been known for being hilarious. However, when it comes to serious commentary on today’s game, Shaq and Charles Barkley are hyper-critical. Moreover, sometimes it feels like they are being straight-up unfair to certain teams and players. One would just have to watch Barkley talk about Kevin Durant to understand what we mean. Not to mention, Shaq’s recent comments about Rui Hachimura are an indictment of his knowledge of the game.

That said, one area in which O’Neal has been largely correct is none other than the Los Angeles Clippers. Overall, the Clippers are trying to win a championship with their dynamic duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Unfortunately, injuries have prevented them from getting that done. Furthermore, they just brought in Russell Westbrook, and since his acquisition, the Clippers have lost three-straight games. This is not good at all, and there is this sense that the Clippers will not be able to make a deep playoff run. As it turns out, Shaq is one of the pundits feeling that way.

Shaq Talks Clippers

In the clip above, Shaq can be heard explaining what it will take for the Clippers to go far. Overall, he thinks it will all hinge on George and Leonard. He needs to see more from them, otherwise, they are likely to be a first or second-round out. “When you’re the one-two punch..you have to play extraordinary, you have to play magnificent, and you have to play legendary,” Shaq said. As far as Shaq hot takes are concerned, this one is actually pretty fair and reasonable.

The Clippers were a team constructed to win a championship. Leonard hand-picked George to be his teammate, however, it hasn’t gone as planned. This could be one of their last chances to get a title together, and if they don’t do it, then the experiment will be considered a colossal failure. Give us your thoughts on the Clippers’ title chances, down below. Also, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

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Russell Westbrook Signs With Clippers, NBA Twitter Reacts

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Russell Westbrook has not had a particularly great couple of years. His issues truly started when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. Overall, it was clear that his style of play was incompatible with that of LeBron James. Subsequently, the Lakers had to have Russ come off the bench so that he and LeBron would not be in each other’s way. Regardless, things did not change much for the Lakers who continued to hover around 13th in the Western Conference. For many, it was clear that Russ needed a change of scenery.

During the trade deadline, the Lakers were making all sorts of phone calls involving Russ. Eventually, they were able to land a deal with the Utah Jazz. From there, it was revealed that the Jazz would buy out Russ’ deal. This would then make Russ a free agent who could go wherever he pleases. In the end, he did just that as earlier this morning, it was announced that he would be joining the Los Angeles Clippers.

Russell Westbrook To Clips

As you can imagine, there was a lot of fanfare around this decision. Westbrook is a high-profile player who demands attention. Consequently, fans were very interested in where he would eventually go. Now, Russ will get to play with the likes of Kawhi Leonard. Additionally, he will reunite with his former teammate on the Thunder, Paul George. Overall, this is going to be very fun to watch. Moreover, there is now this sense that the Clippers are title contenders. However, NBA Twitter might have something else to say about that, as Russ is already the subject of endless memes.

In the various tweets down below, you can find some memes that are both for and against Russ joining the Clippers. Many believe that Russ will actually enhance certain players such as Ivica Zubac. Others aren’t so sure as Russ has never truly worked out for any of his former teams. Regardless, the Clippers have their point guard, and they are confident that they can make a deep title run with Westbrook at the helm.

NBA Twitter Comments

Paul George Recruits Russell Westbrook To Clippers

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Paul George has begun recruiting Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Clippers. Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz, where he is expected to reach an agreement on a buyout of his deal. Prior to the deadline, the Clippers traded away Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, and John Wall in exchange for Mason Plumlee, Eric Gordon, and Bones Hyland. The move gave them zero point guards back in exchange for two. George brought up Westbrook when asked by reporters if the team needs to add another point guard.

“I mean if there’s somebody out there — Russell [Westbrook] — if it makes sense and, obviously it goes with our team, we’re all for it,” Paul George said, earlier this week. “We need a point guard. But in the same, I think we’re good as well. If nothing happened, I think we got enough in this locker room to be able to make it work. But it would definitely improve our team if we had that traditional point guard to kind of get us in things and make the game easy. So hopefully Russell sees this and, we figure something out.”

Paul George’s Message For Russell Westbrook

“I just think, we, in particular, we got enough shooting to surround Russ where Russ can be Russ,” George continued. “I think the floor will be open for him, spacing will be there for him. I’m a big believer in and fan of what Russ’s work is, you know, having one of my best seasons in my career alongside of him. I’ve seen what he can do, night in, night out and I think he’s still got a lot of game there. I’m biased, you know, when it comes to Russ and I really think he can improve the team. He’s such a big talent. He rebounds, he finds guys, he makes the game easy for everyone and, I mean, I think he’ll come and he’ll mesh. I think he’ll come and he’ll mesh and, and he’ll figure out how we play and he’ll adjust to it.”

Paul George and the Clippers are currently 31-28, leaving them in sixth place in the Western Conference standings. If he joins the Clippers, Westbrook will be coming off of a tumultuous stretch with the Lakers. However, he still averaged 18.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 7.4 rebounds last season.

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Drake Hilariously Roasts The Clippers After Being Called A “Fan”

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Drake is someone who can typically be found sitting courtside at Raptors games. He is the ambassador of the franchise and he was there for their massive championship win back in 2019. Overall, he loves the Raptors with all his heart and he will always have that adoration for them.

This season, the Raptors have had it rough. They started decently but at this point, some feel like they should just tank. Although they were great three years ago, many of their best players are gone. For some, it might just be time to tank for Victor Wembanyama.

Drake performs onstage during “Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert” at State Farm Arena on December 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)

Drake & The Clippers

Last night, Drake was courtside for his team’s loss against the Los Angeles Clippers. Of course, that Clippers team has a couple of players who were on the Raptors championship roster. Those two players are none other than Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell.

Following the game, Drake and Powell shared a hug and some kind words. Subsequently, the Clippers posted about it on their Instagram page with the caption “Kawhi and Norm with a fan.” Never the one to let a joke pass him by, Drake hit back at the Clippers, saying “win a ring.”

If you are the Clippers, that diss is going to have to sting. In the entire history of the franchise, they have yet to win an NBA title. This is especially bad since the Raptors are a young franchise and were still able to win before them. However, if anyone has a better chance of winning a title right now, it would have to be the Los Angeles Clippers.

Drake is a funny guy, and you have to applaud the quick retort toward the Clippers. Unfortunately, the social media strategist is the one who will have to deal with the consequences.

Stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from around the sports world.

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