NBA

Joel Embiid MVP Repeat In Danger Due To NBA Rest Rule

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Joel Embiid can miss no more than seven of the Sixers’ remaining 43 games in order to be eligible for MVP this season. Due to a spate of injuries, Embiid has played 29 of the Sixers’ 39 games this season. However, due to load management rules implemented in the offseason, Embiid needs to play in 65 games to be eligible for all major awards. This means that Embiid must play in at least 36 of the team’s remaining games to be eligible for the award he is currently the frontrunner for.

“The goal is to be ready for the playoffs. If I can’t meet the criteria of 65 games … as long as I’m ready to be dominant in that time in April, that’s all I care about,” Embii told reporters following the Sixers win over Houston on January 15. The 65-game rule was implemented as the NBA looked to curb the amount of big-game talent missing games due to “load management”. As part of continued efforts to tackle load management, the league recently released a report indicating that the practice did not actually lower the likelihood of long-term injuries.

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

Embiid In Line For All-Star Nod

Joel Embiid
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 16: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Wells Fargo Center on January 16, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James remained the top vote-getters in the final round of publicly released fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game. Giannis led overall, the only player to have surpassed four million votes at the time of writing. However, LeBron wasn’t too far behind at 3.93 million. The next closest player to four million is Embiid, who sits at 3.72 million voters.

Voting closes this weekend and the All-Star starters will be announced on January 25. If trends stay as they are, LeBron, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, and Steph Curry would start in the West. Meanwhile, Giannis, Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Trae Young would start in the East. The All-Star Game itself takes place on February 18 in Indianapolis.

Read More: Warriors Postpone Second Game In Wake Of Coach’s Death

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Warriors Assistant Coach Dies, Game Versus Utah Postponed

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The NBA has postponed a game between the Warriors and Jazz following the death of Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic. Milojevic, 46, suffered a heart attack in Salt Lake City on January 16 during a private team dinner and passed away the following day. Milojevic had served on Steve Kerr’s staff since 2021 and was well-regarded both within the NBA and abroad. Furthermore, at least one team interviewed Milojevic about their head coaching vacancy following the 2022/23 season.

Prior to coming to the NBA, Milojevic established himself as a proven winner in Eastern Europe. Additionally, his time coaching Serbian side Mega meant that he was closely involved with the early development of Nikola Jokic. “We are absolutely devastated by Dejan Milojević’s sudden passing. This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him. We grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa,” The Warriors wrote on social media.

Read More: WNBA Announces Warriors-Owned Bay Area Expansion Team

Steph Curry Pushes Warriors To Make Deadline Moves

The Warriors will step away from the game for the next few days to grieve their friend and colleague. However, with the trade deadline three weeks away, a number of questions are lingering for the organization. Steph Curry has openly expressed his desire for the Warriors to pursue some season-altering moves before the upcoming trade deadline. “We have a standard that’s pretty evident that, if things stay the same, that’s the definition of insanity, right? Keep doing the same thing expecting a different result? So, as players and what we can do, we have to control our effort, our focus, competitiveness, control the things that we can on the court. Like any NBA season, every organization has stuff that works itself out,” Curry said earlier in January.

The Warriors are 18-22, last in their division, and 1.5 games back from the playoffs. While Draymond Green returned to the team in their last outing, they also lost Chris Paul to a fractured hand. Paul is expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star Game, leaving the Warriors with limited options as how to right the listing ship.

Read More: Draymond Green Suspension Has Stephen A. Smith Speculating Whether The Warriors Will Move On From Veteran Star

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LaMelo Ball Returns To Hornets Lineup After Six Weeks

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LaMelo Ball is expected to appear in his first NBA game since November 26 when the Hornets face the Spurs on January 12. Ball was sidelined by a recurring right ankle injury. The same injury restricted him to 33 games last season. The Hornets have lost 17 of the 20 games that Ball has missed so far this season. In 15 games so far this season, Ball is averaging a career-best 24.7 points, along with 5.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists.

The Hornets are 8-27 this season, placing them third-worst in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have been the story of the Hornets, stymying any attempt at building off a season that saw them earn the second-overall pick in last year’s draft. Heading into the matchup against San Antonio, the Hornets are on a three-game losing streak. Furthermore, they have won just one of their last 15 games.

Read More: Donovan Mitchell Wants To Play With LeBron James At The Olympics

LaMelo Ball Sued By Big Baller Brand Co-Founder

However, injuries aren’t the only thing that Ball has had to contend with this season. In November 2023, Ball, along with PUMA, were named in a lawsuit. The Ball family were sued by Alan Foster, the co-founder of Big Baller Brand. Foster claims that he was integral to the early success of the Ball Family sneaker brand and lost out on millions of dollars when patriarch LaVar ousted Foster by creating a new BBB entity. Amongst his claims, Foster alleges to have been the mastermind, and trademark owner, for LaMelo’s first signature show, the MB1. Furthermore, Foster named PUMA in the suit. He stated that the MB.01 shoe the company developed for LaMelo infringed on his trademark.

“LaMelo was instrumental in creating his first signature shoe with Big Baller Brand. He was fully aware of the existence of the LaMelo Trademarks — he helped design them. He knew that his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was called the ‘MB1’ and that the name was protected by federal trademark. Yet, despite his knowledge of all of this, LaMelo willfully and deliberately chose to name the signature shoe he created and designed with PUMA the ‘MB1’ in violation of the LaMelo Trademarks,” Foster wrote in the suit. He is reportedly seeking $200 million in damages. Furthermore, Foster has previously sued, and been sued by, the Ball family.

Read More: LaMelo Ball Ruins A Perfectly Good Watch

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Donovan Mitchell Wants To Play With LeBron James At The Olympics

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After a historic night with the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell expressed a desire to link up with another team legend this summer. “I’d love to come back and play in the Olympics. This city is a very electric basketball city,” Mitchell said after scoring 45 points against the Nets in Paris. Mitchell, in his second season in Cleveland, is hoping to join LeBron as part of the Team USA men’s basketball team at the Olympics later this year. Team USA is looking to secure their fifth consecutive gold medal, having won every Olympic tournament since 2008.

Mitchell’s performance in Paris saw him score a season-high 45 points. He also became the only Cav since LeBron to have 45 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in a single game. “I think Donovan came out ready for the moment. We talked about beforehand how special this game was to be a part of, what it means for the NBA to select you to come over here and represent the league and the game of basketball on a worldwide stage, and I thought Donovan was phenomenal at giving the audience and us what they came to see and what we needed to go and win the game,” head coach Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

Read More: Indigenous Lacrosse Bid For 2028 Olympics Gets White House Support

Joel Embiid Declares For Team USA

The list of players declaring interest in playing for Team USA is continuing to grow. In October, Joel Embiid formally announced that he will be fighting for a place on the American Olympic basketball team. Embiid has been a major target of Team USA in the run-up to the Paris Games. However, the reigning NBA MVP had taken his time choosing between his dual nationalities of American and French. However, Embiid opted for Team USA after a meeting with executive director Grant Hill in Colorado this week.

Sources told ESPN that Embiid was inspired by the litany of former stars who have suited up for Team USA. Furthermore, Embiid wanted to win a gold medal in front of his son Arthur, who was born an American citizen in 2020. “It’s exciting for USA Basketball that Joel Embiid wants to represent the United States. Joel and I have had several conversations about his goals and I’m looking forward to continuing that dialogue knowing that one of those goals is to represent USA Basketball next summer in Paris,” Grant Hill said in a statement.

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion’s 2024 Olympics Pitch Includes Winged Horses And Some Creative Rebranding: Watch

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Ja Morant Provides Recovery Update

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Ja Morant posted an inspiring message to his fans as he continues to recover from season-ending shoulder surgery. “What you went thru has a purpose. So does your life. Focus on your life’s purpose and you will get thru this trying time,” Morant wrote alongside a picture of him giving a peace sign in a hospital bed. Moran’t surgery was reportedly successful and he can begin his recovery.

Morant was ruled out of the rest of the 2023/24 season after playing just nine games following a 25-game suspension. The team had gone 6-3, matching their win total in the 25 games they played without Morant. Morant’s injury only deepens the issues for the Grizzlies. At the start of the season, the team lost Steven Adams to season-ending surgery.

Read More: Lil Wayne Taps Ja Morant To Be The Next “Face Of The NBA”

Ja Morant Tells Grizzlies To “Keep Grinding”

Meanwhile, Morant told the team to “stay locked in and keep grinding” despite his injury. Morant’s words inspired the team to earn a gutsy win over the Mavericks in Morant’s first game on the sidelines. Morant was in attendance, watching from behind Memphis’ bench with his arm in a sling. However, Morant is expected to be ready to play at the start of the 2024/25 season. At the time of writing, the Grizzlies are 14-23 and are 13th in the Western Conference.

“Ja’s always going to be positive. He’s one of our brothers, and we love him to death. He’s a big part of this thing, whether he’s playing or not,” Desmond Bane told ESPN after the win over Dallas. “Everyone just feels for Ja. I mean, they know how much work he’s been putting in this season, obviously what he’s done since he’s come back just within the last couple of weeks. But these guys really care for each other and they really care for Ja, and obviously they know how much he cares for them and how he showed so much support even when he was out the first 25 games,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said.

Read More: Ja Morant Trolled Pelicans With New Orleans Dance, Not Gun Celebration

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SOURCE SPORTS: NBA Eyeing to Make 2024 Draft a Two-Night Event

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2023 NBA Draft Was Most-Watched Ever

The NBA Draft will look different in 2024. According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA is finalizing plans to make the draft a two-night event.

The new format would split the first and second rounds of the draft into consecutive nights on June 26 and 27. Final approval must be made from the National Basketball Players Association.

The reason for the change would be an additional look at programming for television rights and allowing more time for team transactions.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: NBA Eyeing to Make 2024 Draft a Two-Night Event first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: NBA Eyeing to Make 2024 Draft a Two-Night Event appeared first on The Source.

Giannis Antetokounmpo & LeBron James Top 3 Million All-Star Votes

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James were the only players to surpass three million votes during the second update on All-Star voting. Giannis remains the overall top vote-getter with over 3.4 million. Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum, who will likely join Giannis as Eastern Conference starters, both came within 100,000 voters of 3 million. In the West, the next highest voting tally after Lebron belonged to Nikola Jokic with close to 2.8 million.

Very little changed between the first and second vote reveals. However, Trae Young did move ahead of Damian Lillard to take control of the second backcourt starting spot in the East. At the time of writing, he would start alongside Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury. The next voting update will occur on January 20, with All-Star starters named on January 25.

Read More: Steph Curry Pushes Warriors To Make Moves At Trade Deadline

Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls Victor Wembanyama “Special”

Meanwhile, amid the All-Star voting, Giannis gave high praise for French rookie Victor Wembanyama following their first matchup against one another. “He’s special. He’s going to be an extremely good player. He plays the right way. He plays to win. I’ve never seen anything like him,” Giannis said after the Bucks’ 125-121 win. After Wembanyama blocked Giannis at the rim in the final minute of the game, the French star was able to set up a potential game-tying three. However, Tre Jones’ shot from the corner fell short. Wembanyama finished the game with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

As for Wembanyama himself, the praise from Giannis held extra weight as the Greek star was one of the players he watched the most growing up. “It’s always extra motivation, and I know I’m a competitor. So I want to go at everyone and be the bad guy on the court. So it was a great matchup. I’m trying to gain knowledge from as many great players as there are. Giannis is one of the players I’ve watched the most. The way he uses his body, he makes 100% of what he can do with his body. That’s something I look up to and I still look up to. It’s a player I know pretty well,” Wembanyama said.

Read More: Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Can’t Stop Thinking About Losing To The Pacers, Even During Sex

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Steph Curry Pushes Warriors To Make Moves At Trade Deadline

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Steph Curry has openly expressed his desire for the Warriors to pursue some season-altering moves before the upcoming trade deadline. “We have a standard that’s pretty evident that, if things stay the same, that’s the definition of insanity, right? Keep doing the same thing expecting a different result? So, as players and what we can do, we have to control our effort, our focus, competitiveness, control the things that we can on the court. Like any NBA season, every organization has stuff that works itself out, you can’t allow yourself to get distracted by that because, whether you’re top of the standings or the bottom, there’s always rumors swirling, there’s always conversations,” Curry said.

The Warriors are 17-20 and have just one win in their last four games. They currently sit 12th in the Western Conference, 1.5 games back from the Play-In Tournament. While they are expected to add Draymond Green back into the lineup next week, they must also play without Chris Paul until at least after the All-Star break.

Read More: Draymond Green Suspension Has Stephen A. Smith Speculating Whether The Warriors Will Move On From Veteran Star

Charles Barkley Warns Draymond Green Amid Warriors Return

Meanwhile, Charles Barkley has praised Draymond Green, but warned the veteran star to keep himself out of trouble. “It’s great to have Draymond back, great to have him back. He’s a very good player, he’s good for the NBA. I hope he gets rid of the antics because he’s a very good player and a good dude, but like I said, he’s got to stop putting himself in bad situations,” Barkley told TMZ.

Green himself said he was done with “antics” as he prepared to return to the Warriors after his 12-game suspension. “I’ve cost my team enough. I’ve cost this organization enough,” Green said Tuesday. After three-and-a-half weeks of therapy, Green acknowledged that has been able to see where he went wrong. “It was very easy to open myself up [to therapy] from a personal standpoint because I needed to gather myself, to recenter myself and to recalibrate. It’s hard to see things when you’re just in it, it’s hard to see what’s necessary to see,” Green said.

Read More: Charles Barkley Roasts The Warriors While Interviewing Their Former GM

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Charles Barkley Reacts To Draymond Green Return

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Charles Barkley has praised Draymond Green, but warned the veteran star to keep himself out of trouble. “It’s great to have Draymond back, great to have him back. He’s a very good player, he’s good for the NBA. I hope he gets rid of the antics because he’s a very good player and a good dude, but like I said, he’s got to stop putting himself in bad situations,” Barkley told TMZ.

Green himself said he was done with “antics” as he prepared to return to the Warriors after his 12-game suspension. “I’ve cost my team enough. I’ve cost this organization enough,” Green said Tuesday. After three-and-a-half weeks of therapy, Green acknowledged that has been able to see where he went wrong. “It was very easy to open myself up [to therapy] from a personal standpoint because I needed to gather myself, to recenter myself and to recalibrate. It’s hard to see things when you’re just in it, it’s hard to see what’s necessary to see,” Green said.

Read More: Charles Barkley Roasts The Warriors While Interviewing Their Former GM

Warriors Hoping That Draymond Green Has Changed

However, it’s not just Barkley who is hoping that Green keeps himself out of trouble. The Warriors are hoping that Green will keep his nose clean after being suspended twice in the first month-and-a-half of the season. “I’m just open-minded. He’s still obviously a huge part of this thing and a huge part of our leadership. He is going to reassume that mantle. But he needs the awareness that comes with what he’s just gone through and what he has put the team through, as well,” head coach Steve Kerr said. However, he also noted that Green was now operating under a “no buts” system of accountability.

Additionally, despite his return, Green revealed that retirement was a very possibility for him. “I told him, ‘Adam this is too much for me,’” Green said on his podcast, referring to Commissioner Adam Silver. However, he said that Silver talked him out of what the commissioner called a “rash decision”. Furthermore, Green praised Silver for his leadership. “[I’m] thankful for playing in a league with a commissioner like Adam who’s more about helping you than hurting you,” Green said.

Read More: Charles Barkley Presses Adam Silver About Domestic Violence In The NBA On National TV

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Victor Wembanyama Records First Professional Triple-Double

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Victor Wembanyama had his first profession al triple-double Wednesday night, putting 16/12/10 against the ailing Detroit Pistons. Furthermore, the 21 minutes and 2 seconds Wembanyama needed to complete the feat made it the second-fastest triple-double of the shot clock era. The 22-point win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Spurs and moved them to 6-30 on the season. Meanwhile, the Pistons fell to 3-35 and extended their current losing streak to six games.

“Doing it in a win is everything, of course. I didn’t know it was the second fastest in NBA history. It matters to me. I’m not the type to talk for nothing. This is the kind of statement we want to make as a team, and this is type of statement I want to make as a player,” Wembanyama said after the game.

Read More: Victor Wembanyama Reveals His Favorite Off-Court Hobby

Giannis Calls Victor Wembanyama “Special”

As Wembanyana’s magical rookie season continues, more and more players around the league are starting to take notice of his potential. Giannis Antetokounmpo had high praise for Victor Wembanyama following his first game against the rookie French phenom. “He’s special. He’s going to be an extremely good player. He plays the right way. He plays to win. I’ve never seen anything like him,” Giannis said after the Bucks’ 125-121 win. After Wembanyama blocked Giannis at the rim in the final minute of the game, the French star was able to set up a potential game-tying three. However, Tre Jones’ shot from the corner fell short. Wembanyama finished the game with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

As for Wembanyama himself, the praise from Giannis held extra weight as the Greek star was one of the players he watched the most growing up. “It’s always extra motivation, and I know I’m a competitor. So I want to go at everyone and be the bad guy on the court. So it was a great matchup. I’m trying to gain knowledge from as many great players as there are. Giannis is one of the players I’ve watched the most. The way he uses his body, he makes 100% of what he can do with his body. That’s something I look up to and I still look up to. It’s a player I know pretty well,” Wembanyama said.

Read More: Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Can’t Stop Thinking About Losing To The Pacers, Even During Sex

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