nba finals

Jimmy Butler Moons Bam Adebayo During Press Conference

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The Miami Heat tied up the NBA Finals on Sunday night with a 111-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were both key contributors in the victory, both scoring 21 points. Their stat lines were mirror images, with Butler adding 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Meanwhile, Adebayo contributed 4 rebounds and 9 assists. Furthermore, Adebayo was the last scorer of the game, sinking two free throws to put the up five with 45 seconds to go.

The NBA Finals continue in Miami on June 7, with both sides looking to take that all-important lead. However, Miami’s clutch win isn’t the only thing people are talking about in regard to Game 2. Turns out there’s a little bit of behind-the-scenes footage from the post-game press conference that’s going viral. Furthermore, the video shows a fun side to Butler and Adebayo’s off-court friendship. The pair have been teammates since 2019 when Butler joined the Heat. Adebayo was drafted by Miami in 2017. Additionally, they have both won Olympic medals with Team USA, just not together. Butler won his in 2016 and Adebayo took home gold in 2020.

Butler Moons Adebayo

The video, which appears to come from Butler’s Instagram and has since been widely shared, shows Butler backstage at the Game 2 press conference. Bam Adebayo can be seen on stage, addressing the media. Butler turns around and drops his pants before beginning to try and attract Adebayo’s attention. Someone can be heard trying to call Butler off but the Miami star persists. Adebayo finally notices, presumably getting a full view of Butler’s ass before returning to the press conference and asking a reporter to repeat their question.

It’s a fun and wholesome moment. but not wholly unexpected. Butler is a well-known prankster. Last month, it was reported that Butler had developed a love of country music from one notable prank. Attempting to prank his college teammates with Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take The Girl”, Butler ended up falling in love with the genre. Elsewhere, Butler’s infamous dreadlocks from preseason camp were also revealed to be a masterful troll from the NBA superstar. What do you think about Butler’s prank? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news and viral videos here at HotNewHipHop.

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Lil Wayne & His Son Sit Courtside At The NBA Finals

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Lil Wayne is an artist who loves sports. Over the years, he has made that love of sports quite clear. Although he may not be a fan of the two teams playing, he will always pop out at a game if it interests him. Overall, this is especially true during the NBA Finals. Regardless of who is playing, the NBA Finals always act as the perfect event to go to. This is especially true if you can get yourself some courtside tickets. Subsequently, you get to experience the intensity from the ground floor.

Last night, the Denver Nuggets hosted Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. As you can see in the tweet down below, Lil Wayne was sitting courtside at the game with his son, Kameron. Overall, they appeared to be having a good time, albeit a bit shy in front of those cameras. Either way, it was a great game for them to go to. While the Nuggets came back from an early hole, it was the Heat who were ultimately able to prevail. Now, the series is tied at 1 heading back to Miami.

Read More: Lil Wayne Shows His Support For Writers’ Strike By Treating Them To A Burger Truck

Lil Wayne & Kameron Carter

Heading into this series, the Denver Nuggets were seen as obvious favorites. In fact, it seemed as though they could have swept the series. Now, however, the Nuggets could be in a lot of trouble. The Heat are a team that knows how to win, and they will be looking to end this series as fast as possible. Although, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will be looking to overcome some adversity and come through with a bounce-back performance.

Hopefully, this series continues to provide some entertainment. Some were worried that this could be a very fast series. Although, a 7-game thriller is still very much on the table. Let us know who you think will win, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and information from around the NBA.

Read More: Lil Wayne, Offset, And Swae Lee Join Forces With Metro Boomin To “Annihilate” On New “Spider-Man” Soundtrack

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Shaquille O’Neal Gets Emotional Discussing Kobe Bryant

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Shaquille O’Neal got emotional during NBA TV’s broadcast ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. He was discussing the 23rd anniversary of the Lakers’ iconic 13-point fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. The late Kobe Bryant famously threw up an alley-oop to Shaq to punctuate the win.

“I’m happy that happened, but every time I see my young fella, he’s not with us anymore, kinda makes me sad,” Shaq said. “Shout out to his mom and dad, we talk all the time, his sisters. Of course it was a happy moment, but if I could trade that moment and have him sitting here with us or be able to text him and say, ‘Kob’ can you believe this happened 23 years ago?’ that would be better for me.”

Read More: Kobe Bryant’s Family Had This Request For Shaq Documentary

Shaq & Kobe Take On The Trail Blazers

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: The Los Angeles Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal (L) and Kobe Bryant (R) talk in the second quarter during their NBA game against the Portland Trail Blazers 15 April 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 105-100. AFP PHOTO/Lucy Nicholson (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020. Despite their success together n the court, Shaq and Kobe feuded for years while he was alive. The NBA legend admitted that he hadn’t spoken with Bryant for years after his passing. While breaking down into tears on air at the time, Shaq remarked, “With the loss of my father and my sister, that’s the only thing I wish — that I could just say something to them. Last time I talked to (Bryant) was when we were here (in the TNT studio) and I asked him to get 50 and he got 60. That’s the last time I spoke to him.”

Shaq Reflects On Kobe Bryant

As for the NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets are currently up 1-0 in the series. The Heat look to even things up tonight before heading back to Miami for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Read More: Jay Williams Delivers Wild NBA Finals Hot Take

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Drake Drops Insane Cash On NBA Finals Bet

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Drake has a massive contract with the crypto gambling site Stake. Overall, this is a company that has sponsored a lot of people, including creators who stream. They seem to have a whole lot of money, and they are not afraid to spend it. Although they may get criticism for being a gambling site, they are still going strong. Much of this has to do with Drizzy’s constant social media posts in which he shows off his massive sports bets. Although Drake has lost his fair share of bets, he has also won quite a few.

In the Instagram post down below, you can see that he bet on the NBA Finals. Here, we have two bets. Firstly, he opted to bet $250K on the Denver Nuggets beating the Miami Heat in five games. This would win him $850,000. Secondly, he bet $1 million on the Nuggets to win the series outright. This would only gain him $1.23 million as the odds are in the Nuggets’ favor. Overall, this is a series that the Denver Nuggets should win, especially with how they won Game 1.

Read More: NBA Finals: Nuggets Vs. Heat Schedule, TV Channel, Start Times

Drake Predicts The NBA Finals

If you watched last night, you would have seen a Nuggets team that truly dominated from start to finish. While the Heat came on strong in the fourth quarter, it was too little too late. The Nuggets are just a powerhouse of a team, and consequently, very few people have the Heat coming back. The Nuggets are undefeated at home in these playoffs, and that likely will not change. It’s sad, but ultimately true.

In our prediction, which you can read below, we said that the Nuggets would win this series in 5. Drake must be a HotNewHipHop reader. All jokes aside, this series is not going to be close, although we wish it was. Let us know what you thought of Game 1, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

Read More: NBA Finals 2023: Nuggets Vs. Heat Prediction

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Did J. Cole Help The Miami Heat Reach The NBA Finals?

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J. Cole Compares His 'Forest Hills Drive' Era to 'The Last Dance' Championship Run

Basketball fans are on the edge of their seats as Game 1 of the NBA Finals takes place tonight at 5:30 pm PST between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets.

But audiences may not know that J. Cole played a pivotal role in the Miami Heat advancing to the NBA Finals. While he’s mostly known as being a rapper, he’s also a hooper, and his love for the sport shines through in many different avenues. Plus, he’s incredibly plugged in!

Apparently, J. Cole was the one who linked Miami Heat player Caleb Martin with assistant coach Caron Butler. Martin was first cut by the Charlotte Hornets back in 2021. At the time, he began to run pick-up games with J. Cole, and apparently, Martin showed out. The Dreamville CEO proceeded to rave about him to Butler, which resulted in an opportunity for Martin to try out for the Miami Heat.

The tryout went so well that Martin landed a minimum contract for the 2021-2022 NBA season, eventually signing a three-year $20 million deal last year. Fast forward to today, Martin has made a huge difference in the success of the Miami Heat, including their advancement to the Finals. At just 27 years old, Martin was able to really showcase his talents with all eyes on him during Game 7 of the Heat versus Celtics series, beating out NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown.

While Jimmy Butler took home the MVP trophy for the Eastern Conference Finals, Martin was just one vote short after averaging 19 points per game and 60% shooting from the field during the exciting series.

Martin even opened up on how J. Cole was among the first individuals to call him after the Heat triumphed in Game 7 against the Celtics. He tells The Dan LeBatard Show:  “Cole called me right after the game. Everybody knows the story about Cole pretty much now, but Cole called me right after the game, and he was just so hyped jumping up and down.”

Martin also said he probably wouldn’t have gotten this far within J. Cole. “Honestly, the chances of me being here without [J. Cole] making a phone call and getting in touch with Caron, it would be pretty slim to none,” he states. “I definitely feel I wouldn’t be here for sure.”

The post Did J. Cole Help The Miami Heat Reach The NBA Finals? appeared first on The Source.

NBA Finals 2023: Nuggets Vs. Heat Prediction

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Tonight, the NBA Finals will begin in Denver, Colorado. Overall, it is set to be a matchup between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat. These two teams have taken many different routes to get to the NBA Finals. Firstly, you have the Denver Nuggets who were the best team in the West all season and secured the first seed. Secondly, you have the Heat, who were five minutes away from not even making it to the NBA Playoffs. As an eighth seed, they made the Finals, which is simply unfathomable.

Going into this series, there is a very obvious favorite, and for good reason. If these two teams were in the same conference, they would have played one another in the first round. Although, to completely write off the Heat would be a huge mistake. They boast the talents of Jimmy Butler, who has been phenomenal in the playoffs. According to ESPN, he has averaged 28.5 points per game in the postseason. Moreover, the team also has Bam Adebayo, Caleb Martin, and Duncan Robinson, who have all played their role extremely well.

That said, the Denver Nuggets have the man who should have won MVP this season, Nikola Jokic. As ESPN reports, Jokic is averaging a triple-double in the playoffs. Not to mention, players like Jamal Murray, Bruce Brown, and Michael Porter Jr. have all been lights out. Furthermore, you can’t forget to mention Aaron Gordon, who has kicked it up a notch this season. Overall, the Nuggets are just a complete team. They have systematically decimated all of their opponents, including the Lakers, who they beat in a sweep. One could make the argument that they are currently playing their best basketball of the entire season.

An NBA Finals To Remember 

Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat in 2023 NBA Finals
CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 08: The 2018 NBA Finals MVP trophy sits near the microphone before the press conference for Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108-85 to win the 2018 NBA Finals.

With all of this being said, the question remains: who is going to win it all? Ultimately, this is where the Miami Heat Cinderella run comes to an end. Sure, Jimmy Butler has carried the Heat, but if the Celtics series proved anything, it’s that they have glaring weaknesses that the Nuggets can exploit. Moreover, Jokic had Anthony Davis, Rudy Gobert, and Deandre Ayton in hell in the first three rounds. Simply put, there is no way Adebayo has any shot of stopping him. Jokic will feast in the paint all series long, all while kicking the ball out to shooters like MPJ and Murray. It could get ugly very fast if the Heat go cold from beyond the arc.

Overall, it seems as though this series is destined to be short. The Heat will win one game in Miami, but the Nuggets should be able to handle their business with ease. That said, the Nuggets will be taking home the Larry O’Brien trophy in five games, and they will do so on their home court. For Nikola Jokic, it will be career-defining. For Jimmy Butler, it will just be more bulletin board material for next year.

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J. Cole Called Caleb Martin And Was ‘So Hype’ After The Miami Heat Beat Boston To Advance To The NBA Finals

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During Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, TNT’s Allie LaForce relayed that J. Cole is responsible for Miami Heat breakout star Caleb Martin landing with the team in September 2021.

The Heat pummeled the Boston Celtics, 103-84, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conferences Finals on Monday, May 29, with Martin scoring 26 points and snagging 10 rebounds. Ahead of Miami clashing with the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals, Martin joined The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz to relish his moment in the sun.

“I’ve had a lot of people reach out, show a lot of love,” Martin said. “Obviously, my mom and my family. [J.] Cole called me right after the game. Everybody knows the story about Cole pretty much now, but Cole called me, and we were talking after the game. He was just so hype — jumping up and down.”

Le Batard then asked Martin whether it’s “legitimately 100 percent so that there’s no way that you’re on the Heat if not for J. Cole.”

“Honestly, I think the chances of me being here without him making the phone call and getting in touch with Caron, it’d be pretty slim to none,” Martin confirmed. “I feel like I definitely probably wouldn’t be here. For sure.”

During a press conference on May 31, Martin also shared that Cole had “called me before I got undressed after Game 7,” and the Dreamville rapper is “definitely gonna be at some games” during the Finals (as shared by Naveen Ganglani).

Martin first signed with the Charlotte Hornets as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada in 2019, but he was waived by the team in August 2021.

The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania broke the news in September 2021 that the 27-year-old had signed a two-way contract with the Heat, and Miami locked him up on a three-year extension last July. That contract has never looked better.

The 2023 NBA Finals tip off in Denver on Thursday, June 1. The entire series will air on ABC.

Watch Martin’s full Le Batard interview above.

NBA Finals: Nuggets Vs. Heat Schedule, TV Channel, Start Times

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After a long and hard-fought season, the NBA Finals are finally upon us. Overall, this Finals will take place in Denver and Miami. The Heat and Nuggets won their respective conferences, and it is clear that they are deserving. Although the Heat were barely an eighth seed, they made it through the conference. Moreover, the Nuggets dominated the Western Conference all year, and deserve to be where they are. Nikola Jokic is an absolute monster, and we can’t wait to see him against Jimmy Butler.

Furthermore, it seems like the Nuggets are very obvious favorites. On one hand, you have a one seed. The other, you have an eighth seed. Had these two teams been in the same conference, they would have played each other in the first round. However, strange things took place, and here they are, ready to fight for an NBA title. If you are a Heat fan, you cannot help but be very excited about what the team has accomplished.

The NBA Finals Are Here

NBA Finals
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat shoots over Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter of the game at Miami-Dade Arena on February 13, 2023 in Miami, Florida. . (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Now that the Finals are here, let us bring you the schedule and start times for these games. Firstly, if you are watching these matches on TV, then you will want to tune into ABC. Secondly, Game 1 is set to go down on Thursday, June 1st. From there, Game 2 is on the 4th, Game 3 is on the 7th, and Game 4 is on the 9th. If Games 5, 6, and 7 are needed, they will take place on the 12th, 15th, and 18th. Games 2 and 7 are the only ones that will be played at 8 PM EST. All of the others will begin at 8:30 PM EST.

Lastly, the Nuggets have home court advantage. This means Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 will take place in Colorado. The others will go down in Miami. No matter what, it seems like we are going to get a very fun series. Let us know who you think will win, in the comments section below.

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A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie And Myke Towers Name-Drop Basically Every NBA Star On Their New ‘MVP’ Remix

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The NBA Finals are around the corner, but A Boogie With Da Hoodie has already cast his ballot for this year’s breakout player. On the remix for his song “MVP,” the rapper runs a lyrical drill using the name of the league’s biggest stars.

The track produced by GoodJobLarry, MD$, and Ruuben originally featured G-Eazy. However, this go around, the Bronx native drafts Puerto Rican recording artist Myke Towers to trade off bars.

Boogie sets the play as he raps on the first verse, “Bright lights like we at the Garden / On P, don’t get me startеd / Whole team walk in, we thе party / If I can’t make the play, I’ma lob it / If you jump, that’s right on your head / Had to put ’em to sleep, go to bed / I’m a star, dropped fifty and left / From the logo like I’m Steph.”

Towers doesn’t drop the ball when it is his turn, spitting, “I’m ballin’ young like Tatum / So many trophies, I gotta make room / Playoff mode, you gotta stay tuned / I’m a head coach when I make moves / I’m The Joker like Jokić / Easy money like KD / Big brands gotta pay me.”

Listen to the track above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

SOURCE SPORTS: Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets Sweep Lakers to Reach First NBA Finals

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Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets Sweep Lakers to Reach First NBA Finals

The Denver Nuggets have swept the Los Angeles Lakers and will make their first trip to the NBA Finals. In the series-clinching win, Nikola Jokic dropped 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, netting him the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP Award.

Aiding the win was Jamal Murray, who had 25 points, pushing the team past a massive 31-point effort from LeBron James and a 15-point deficit, refusing to go back to Denver for a Game 5.

During the game, Jokic notched his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, pushing him past Wilt Chamberlain for the most triple-doubles in a single postseason.

“I think that’s why playoffs are so nice and so interesting, because you don’t care about how tired you are,” Jokic said. “You don’t care about minutes, fouls, shots, percentage. You just want to win a game. Some plays today we weren’t playing good defense sometimes, (but) you can win it in every kind of possible way.”

In a tight game, the Lakers couldn’t tie the game up for overtime as stingy defense from Murray and Aaron Gordon on James in the closing moments stopped a possession.

“For that game to go down to the wire and for the ball to be in LeBron James’ hands, those seconds were an eternity,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “When the buzzer went off, it was almost surreal for a second. Couldn’t be more proud of this group.”

The Nuggets now wait on the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals, where Jimmy Butler and the Miami HEAT are up 3-0 on the Boston Celtics.

Game highlights are below.

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