Tag Archives: NBA

4-Time Champion Reveals Damning Info About Bulls Exec

The fans deserve an answer. Even if that answer is not the one they want to hear – and at this point, it seems clear it would not be – they should hear it from the proverbial horse’s mouth. In the Chicago Bulls‘ (11-18) case, the “horse” is vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas.

Charged with taking over a team that had just one playoff appearance in the previous five seasons.

He got them back into the postseason with a flurry of changes, moving all but two players.

Chicago’s quick ascension has been followed by an even quicker, steeper descent into a team others are waiting to pounce on in trades. To this point, the Bulls have been rumored to be hesitant to go the full “tank” route but are open to making some tweaks to the roster – at least that is what we have been told they think.


AKME in Hiding?

“I know that the media as a whole has asked to speak with management, and that has been declined” former Bulls big man Will Perdue said during ‘Bulls Postgame Live‘ on NBC Sports Chicago. “But at some point, I feel like that they have to respond to what’s going on.”

Perdue began his point by reciting comments Karnisovas made on media day about heightened expectations for this season relative to last year.

Karnisovas made it clear that he expected a step forward.

The Bulls have now lost four straight games and seven of their last nine outings. They have just two wins in the telling month of December. But Karnisovas has not spoken publicly since an October 4 appearance during a 129-125 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, something Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times points out goes against the Bulls boss’ stated ethos.

“My professional philosophy is knowing players,” Karnisovas said when he was hired reminds Cowley, “constant communication, roster balance, and deal-making creativity.”

Cowley went on to point out that general manager Marc Eversley has spoken even less.

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Bulls Exec

Anthony Davis’ Injury Puts Onus on 38-Year-Old LeBron James

Unfortunately, it almost felt inevitable. The way Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis was playing just felt unsustainable even for a player as talented as he is. But it isn’t a cold spell that is his undoing, it’s once again his body that seems to have betrayed the eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, and 2020 NBA champ.

Davis has been diagnosed with a right foot injury that will keep him sidelined for at least a month, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The injury comes amid the Lakers’ recent stretch of above-.500 basketball.

That doesn’t seem like much for the 16-time world champs but it is a far cry from where they were to begin the year. It also highlights just how significant of a loss this is as they now lean on LeBron James for the foreseeable future.

Los Angeles Lakers Receive Devastating Update on Anthony Davis

Davis Out Indefinitely

“Davis underwent an MRI on Saturday after leaving Friday night’s victory over the Denver Nuggets and was still undergoing more evaluation Sunday with a specialist,” report Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The 6-foot-11 big man had averaged 33.7 points on 73% true shooting over the six games prior to going down after just over 17 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Denver Nuggets.

L.A. has rallied from a 2-12 start to sit just 1.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament field.

“An extended absence for Davis could have a devastating impact on the Lakers’ postseason chances,” explain McMenamin and Wojnarowski.

Davis is tied with rookie Max Christie – who has just 118 qualifying minutes – for the highest net rating on the team at plus-10.2, per Cleaning The Glass. When he has been at center, something he resisted for years, the Lakers are outsourcing opponents by 1.5 points per 100 possessions, good enough to rank in the 64th percentile.

But when they have him at his preferred power forward position, they are plus-41.4 points per 100 possessions.

Put simply, they need him to sustain their current level of play.

Can LeBron Still Carry L.A.?

Wherever one may stand on the NBA’s all-time G.O.A.T. debate, we should all appreciate what James has been able to do. That he is still effective at this advanced stage of his career speaks volumes about his longevity.

Continue reading “Anthony Davis’ Injury Puts Onus on 37-Year-Old LeBron James” here!

Phoenix Suns Star Makes Bold Statement With Monster Performance

From out of the ashes, the Phoenix Suns arose like a, well, Phoenix – the mythical bird after which their city gets its name. Down 24 points to the (at the time) Western Conference-leading New Orleans Pelicans, it would have been easy for the Suns to pack it up and focus on their next tilt on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Instead, they got a monster performance from their best player, Devin Booker, who went off for 36 of his 58 points in the second half with 16 coming in the second quarter.

It’s a new season high and the second time this year (the fifth time in his career) that he has gone for at least 50 points in a game. Booker had 51 points in three quarters in a blowout of the Chicago Bulls on November 30.

He also has a 49-point effort against the Utah Jazz on November 18 under his belt.

Devin Booker Makes Bold Statement With Performance in Suns’ Win

Suns Needed This From Devin Booker

“I was just making shots,” Booker said per Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic. “I’ve been in a bit of a slump and just have to keep shooting. That’s what I live by. I was put in the right situations to make the right plays. I usually just want to make the right play every time, but once I get it going a little bit, shooting over a hand – it’s the right play.”

Booker is a three-time All-Star and an All-NBA selection last season. But he was averaging just 14 points on 37.9% true shooting over his previous four outings with a two-game absence sprinkled in.

Still, he is 10th in the NBA averaging a career-best 28 points per game on 58.5% true shooting.

But snapping his personal slump was not his only focus in his postgame presser. Booker acknowledged just how crucial the win was. This was Phoenix’s second straight win following a five-game slide.

“It’s important,” Booker said noting two prior losses to the Pels this season. “A potential matchup for the playoffs, and we understand that, so just want to come out and set the tone.”

Continue reading “Phoenix Suns Star Makes Bold Statement With Monster Performance” here!

Proposed Blockbuster Trade Sees Bulls Land R.J. Barrett

With each loss, anxiety mounts among the Chicago Bulls’ fan base. The team has dropped three games in a row and has gone 3-5 so far in what could be a season-defining month of December.

Increasingly at the center of those growing frustrations is Zach LaVine who, if he was not already, certainly assumed the mantle of the face of the franchise in signing a five-year, $215 million max extension this past offseason. Even if DeMar DeRozan has been the more consistent player, LaVine’s contract is the largest in history.

As it stands, the Bulls are considering the two-time All-Star “off-limits” in trade talks, per ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. But teams are continuing to monitor the deteriorating situation.

With that comes speculation and hypothetical trade scenarios including some involving LaVine.


Flight 8 to The Big Apple?

LaVine is averaging 21.8 points per game on 55.5% true shooting – both the lowest since his first season in Chicago –with 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists as he continues to work his way back from offseason knee surgery. He is still scoring but not in the ways we have become accustomed to seeing including averaging 3.9 free-throw attempts per game.

The last time he averaged fewer attempts at the charity stripe was in 2017. That was his final season with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Bulls.

His lack of explosion has been a common theme throughout this campaign.

Despite that, the 27-year-old would figure to be a hot commodity on the trade market if the Bulls made him available. That much is evidenced by the hypothetical package the Bulls would get in a deal proposed by Lee Escobedo of SB Nation’s Posting and Toasting.

Bulls Get:

Knicks Get:

  • Zach LaVine

“LaVine…has the game and the attitude to make MSG his home and duel with any superstar who comes in thinking otherwise.” Escobedo told colleague Kento Kato. “In the end, it would depend on the package, but he is someone for whom I would absolutely consider giving up a fair portion of our asset capital.”

Bulls Blockbuster Trade Bulls Blockbuster Trade

Bulls Star DeMar DeRozan Calls Out Team After Latest Performance

At some point, the Chicago Bulls (11-17) have to decide that enough is enough. Another loss — the Bulls’ third in a row with each of the last two coming against the New York Knicks — has left a dark cloud over the locker room.

Head coach Billy Donovan noted the “high character” of the players on the roster; one of the traits pushed as a benefit of roster continuity this past offseason.

After falling to the Knicks 128-120 in overtime on Wednesday, they were run off the floor in the second half of the second meeting getting outscored 27-16 in the fourth quarter alone ultimately falling 114-91. It was enough to elicit an expletive-punctuated answer from 13-year veteran forward DeMar DeRozan.

“We played like s***,” DeRozan said, per NBC Sports Chicago‘s Bulls insider K.C Johnson.”


DeRozan Rips Bulls’ Effort

The Bulls came out stronger in the second outing, leading the visiting Knicks 32-29 after the first quarter. They trailed 29-28 after the opening frame in the first meeting. But they lost the turnover battle 20-10 while also losing the battle on the glass 50-39 and getting outscored 14-0 in second-chance points.

A Knicks squad that has now won six games in a row scored 24 points off those giveaways to 10 points for Chicago.

“We didn’t have a sense of urgency,” DeRozan told reporters in the Bulls locker room postgame. “We didn’t do nothing. That goes back on us having to look in the mirror and start with each and every one of us. If you’re a competitor, you gotta play a full game.”

DeRozan finished the outing with 14 points, four assists (to four turnovers), four rebounds, and one steal. This is just the latest occurrence of DeRozan trying to be a guiding light for an embattled bunch that has looked more like the team we saw in the second half of last season rather than the first.

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Atlanta Hawks star Bogdan Bogdanovic makes bold claim on desired role

You love to hear about guys being all-in for the greater good of the team. In a league increasingly dependent upon team chemistry as on-court fit, the need for “glue guys” cannot be overstated. It helps when those players are as effective as Atlanta Hawks swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic is whenever he steps on the floor.

The Hawks eviscerated the Charlotte Hornets 125-106 in hostile territory to snap their two-game skid and notch their third win in eight tries in December.

Bogdanovic, drawing his first start of the season and the first since a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons last season on March 7, delivered as usual. He finished with 28 points and nine rebounds which set a new season high.

After the game, he got honest about being a starter versus coming off the bench.

Bogdan Bogdanovic sounds off on role with Atlanta Hawks

“Everybody likes to start right here,” Bogdanovic said per Lauren L. Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But I like to finish the games more. Honestly.”

That was definitely true last season when the 30-year-old swingman averaged 17 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 36 games as a reserve compared to a 12.5/3.8/2.7 line in his 27 appearances as a starter. Surprisingly, though, it has not really mattered either in his career as a whole.

Bogdanovic averages just 0.1 more points and 0.5 more assists when he starts opposed to coming in with the backups.

Head coach Nate McMillan was trying something different amid extenuating circumstances.

“I just wanted to add some know-how out there,” McMillan said of starting Bogdanovic over impressive rookie AJ Griffin. “With all the injuries, we’ve been playing our young guys, I’ve been bringing Bogi off the bench to try to keep some balance. The restriction was taken off for him and just felt like I needed to put some know-how out there in that starting lineup.”

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Hawks Bogdan Bogdanovic

Bulls Urged to Replace Lonzo Ball With $43M Former MVP

At this point, the focus of the Chicago Bulls season has – or at least should have – turned from contention to reflection in the wake of their third straight loss and sixth in the last eight games. The back-to-back losses to the New York Knicks brought both of those ideas together.

Knicks guard Derrick Rose returned to the floor for the first time in 15 games after being removed from the Knicks rotation in favor of second-year guard Miles “Deuce” McBride. He was met by a chorus of cheers from a United Center crowd with very little reason to cheer as the Bulls were trailing by 28 points with 3:31 to go when he entered.

“It was amazing,” Rose said per NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson. “I tried to hold it in. But always getting acknowledged like that, it means a lot. We did a lot here. I’m happy I was able to get in.”

Perhaps that was a signal to a front office that should be searching for answers.

Bulls Should Bring Rose Home

“Forget honoring him, maybe the Bulls should trade for him,” argues Jon Greenberg of The Athletic. “Rose is making $14 million so it wouldn’t be easy. But a source close to the team floated that idea Friday night…In truth, other teams probably have the same idea. He’ll play again this year.”

Rose was drafted first overall in the 2008 NBA Draft and helped lead the Bulls to seven straight postseason appearances and even became the youngest MVP in league history at 22 years old in just his third NBA season.

“It would be awesome to see it,” the Chicago native said of one day having his jersey retired by the Bulls, “but it’s years away from that right now,”.

The Bulls can go a step further in ensuring it happens on the best of terms.

Continue reading “Bulls Urged to Replace Lonzo Ball With $43M Former MVP” here!

Bulls Lonzo Ball

Triple Zeros: Drew Stevens – Talking Chicago Bulls

Triple Zeros

Drew Stevens of Bulls On Tap

Drew Stevens (@lookwhatdrewdid) of Bulls On Tap and WARR Media joined this episode of Triple Zeros to talk about all of the rumors surrounding the team. We get into Zach LaVine‘s free agency, what to do with Coby White and Nikola Vucevic, and whether or not the Bulls should go after Utah Jazz center, Rudy Gobert. Plus, hear what Drew would do if he had full control of the team this offseason including who he would target in free agency to help round out this roster.

Then, things zoom out to the playoffs as a whole. Drew talks about what surprised him the most this postseason. Hint: it was in the first round, but it was not the Bulls. We also talk about expectations for the NBA Finals ahead of Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors. Can Boston take advantage of homecourt to bounce back? Be sure to follow Drew on Twitter and read his work at Bulls On Tap and WARR Media.

Anchor | Apple | Spotify

Heavy on Bulls

Last Word on Pro Football

Soaring Down South

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Triple Zeros: ‘It Comes with the Territory’

Triple Zeros

‘It Comes with the Territory’

In this episode of Triple Zeros, Josh talks about appreciating what we’ve seen in the NBA Conference Finals and suggests some blockbuster trades he KNOWS  won’t happen (but would still love to see). He also talks about players reacting to criticism in the wake of Paul George’s comments and performance in the postseason.

He then goes over the NFL fining the  Washington Football Team $10 million after an investigation into the organization, other teams getting penalized for violating rules on OTAs, and more!

Anchor | Apple

Chicago Bulls tied to top-tier talent in rumors once again

The Latest from ‘Soaring Down South’

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Triple Zeros. This is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. his is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. his is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. Triple Zeros

2021 NBA Awards Predictions: From AD to KD

The 2021 NBA season tipped off on Tuesday with a pair of intriguing matchups. With the rest of the league having tipped off Wednesday, it gives us a chance to make some predictions about who will win the NBA awards in 2021.

The Brooklyn Nets took the Golden State Warriors to the woodshed in the first game and the Los Angeles Clippers repeated their performance from last season’s opener and downed the Los Angeles Lakers who were receiving their championship rings.

Of course, we won’t have any idea how the season will play out. But having a little more vested interest never hurt anyone. And we’re going to cover them all. MVP, DPOY, Comeback Player, they’re all here.

Predicting 2021 NBA Award Winners

Most Valuable Player

Anthony Davis – PF – Los Angeles Lakers

Starting with a bang, it will admittedly be tough for Anthony Davis to win the most prestigious of individual NBA awards with one LeBron James as a teammate. After all, James finished second in the voting himself last season. Is there a path to Davis not only usurping him but also Giannis Antetokounmpo and any other contender? Put simply, yes.

Davis, who had 18/7/2 in the opener, came in sixth in MVP voting last season. He was sixth in scoring, fourth in rebounds, fifth in steals, and first in blocks all on a per-game basis. We saw him continue his strong play in the finals, ranking third in scoring, second in boards, third in steals, and again leading the way in blocks. Most of those stats trailed James.

The quick turnaround, in combination with James being another year older (and some media hype), could lead to such a changing of the guard. James played just 28 minutes in the opener; Davis 31. They were basically even last season, so the slide for LeBron could be Davis’ gain. Adding to the difficulty is the incredible efficiency of James. But, with the new league rules on resting, James could sit when L.A. faces teams against whom he could pad his stats. That’s where Davis swoops in.

Defensive Player of the Year

Bam Adebayo – C/F – Miami Heat

Part of a player winning one of the NBA awards is them getting on the radar of voters in advance, often in the previous season. Bam Adebayo fits this to a T. He saw his points per game output nearly double, going from 8.9 to 15.9 PPG. He also saw increases in his rebounding, assist, and blocking stats all coinciding with his increase in minutes from the previous campaign.

Adebayo, who has been dubbed a “point-center”, was 11th in Defensive Real Plus-Minus, per ESPN, but he was second among power forwards. That’s ahead of everyone who finished ahead of him in DPOY voting except for Giannis. Among the finalists for DPOY last season, he ranked sixth in steals and fifth in blocks. But his presence on the floor dropped opponents’ offensive rating two full points.

Antetoukounmpo, the reigning DPOY, is the biggest threat to Adebayo’s triumph. But the year we’re predicting for Davis will have him in this discussion as well. The thought here is Adebayo took advantage of the added attention of the bubble and is on enough short-lists to be a finalist. Another leap in production like he had last season will go a long way to making this happen.

Rookie of the Year

LaMelo Ball – G – Charlotte Hornets

We’re not going to overthink this. Yes, Anthony Edwards was the first-overall pick. And yes, James Wiseman did land in one of the best situations in the NBA. But it’s LaMelo Ball, despite the poor opener, who has the best chance at winning Rookie of the Year. This is a marriage of a player being high-profile and having a clear path to the kind of opportunity that makes this Ball’s award to lose.

The last four ROTY winners have either been point guards by trade or functioned as the primary ball-handler for their club. Going back to 2010, only three non-point guard or primary facilitators have won the award. So the path lies in the job description. Edwards will still have to contend with the 2015-16 ROTY, Karl-Anthony Towns, and D’Angelo Russell for shots. Wiseman, in addition to playing a position that has won the award just twice since 1990.

Terry Rozier and especially Devonte Graham won’t just go away so Melo will have some competition for stats. But as the undisputed face of the franchise, he should be given every opportunity to be “the guy”. Barring an implosion the likes of which only his staunchest detractors will have foreseen, Ball will prove his mettle as the best Ball brother and Rookie of the Year.

Most Improved Player

Michael Porter Jr – F – Denver Nuggets

Talent-wise, this shouldn’t even be a possibility. Michael Porter Jr. is one of those genetic freaks teams covet in today’s NBA: a wing player with big size and guard skills. Porter was forced to miss what would have been his rookie season in 2018 with a back injury that had many wondering about his longevity. Critics even went so far as to bring up his family medical history.

Porter appeared in 55 games, starting eight, in 2019. He averaged a crisp 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in just over 16 minutes per game while slashing .509/.422/.833 from the field. He got a bump in playing time in the postseason and saw his output rise accordingly. Porter averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 boards in just over 23 minutes per.

Another year under his belt, along with assuming a starting role in the lineup, have Porter poised to deliver on all the promise he showed in high school (he was injured in college too). The previous three winners saw jumps in their scoring output of around five or six points. That’s just one part of the puzzle for Porter, but it’s one he’s good at and a leap he’s capable of making.

Sixth Man of the Year

Derrick Rose – G – Detroit Pistons

After Los Angeles Clippers won Sixth Man of the Year in back to back years, it’s a rumored Clippers target that could walk away with the hardware this coming season. Derrick Rose has seen his career go through the full gambit of NBA awards. From Rookie of the Year to youngest MVP in league history and now, possibly, the top reserve. Rose averaged 18-plus points per game for the third time in four years coming off the bench for the Detroit Pistons last year.

He came in seventh in the 6MOTY voting last season, but there were plenty of shakeups that make a jump from seventh to first more plausible. First, Dennis Schroder and Christian Wood, two players that finished ahead of Rose in voting last season, are moving into starting roles this season. Montrezl Harrell moves to a slightly lesser role with the Lakers who also have a better bench situation, making his path tougher.

If those things stand, Rose is competing with Williams, George Hill, and Goran Dragic for the honor. He was already fourth among the finalists in scoring while tying for the lead in assists and steals last season. At this point, a move to the Clippers might be the only thing that can help make this a reality because there isn’t much more he can do for a bad Detroit Pistons team.

Comeback Player of the Year

Kevin Durant – F – Brooklyn Nets

The NBA hasn’t handed out this comeback player awards in quite some time; 1985-86 to be exact (shouts to Marques Johnson). But were they to reinstate it this year, Kevin Durant would have to top their list. He missed all of 2019-20 recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in the 2018-19 NBA Finals. But if what we witnessed in the opener is just a precursor then KD is back.

In his first NBA game action in 18 months, Durant had 22 points on 43 percent shooting and 50 percent from deep. He also had five boards, three assets, three steals, and a block. 13 players averaged at least 22/5/3 last year but not one of them averaged more than 1.8 steals per game. It’s highly unlikely, but if KD keeps it up he will be the first player since Alvin Robertson in 1990-91 to average three takeaways per contest.

If you want to harp on the overall efficiency, fine. But again, 18 months away. Durant could make a case for MVP this season if he keeps up the defensive efforts. We could also see a Finals run for the Nets in an Eastern Conference where last year’s champ was a fifth-seed. At the very least, he will remind everyone just why they call him the Easy Money Sniper.

Coach of the Year

Monty Williams – HC – Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns were just 34-39 last season, their first under Monty Williams. But that marked a 15-game improvement in the win column. They also went undefeated in the bubble but missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. Phoenix was first in field goal percentage, first in free throw percentage, third in points per game, and fifth three-point percentage.

Nick Nurse was the 2019-20 Coach of the Year largely on the strength of losing a top-five player in the NBA and still guiding the Toronto Raptors to a two-seed and going seven games with Boston in the second round. Phoenix will probably need to make the playoffs to avoid this conversation going the other direction but several factors are playing into Williams’ hands.

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t going to be the fifth-seed this time around and likely won’t make the playoffs. That’s one less team for Phoenix to contend with, though the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans will surely have something to say about it. As are the Houston Rockets (pending any James Harden trade) and possibly the San Antonio Spurs. But Williams will have Chris Paul on the floor. If he is able to do what he did for OKC last season, this will be an award for him just as much as it will be Williams