After a regular season where multiple storylines bubbled under the surface and some were concluded, the 2021-22 playoffs are over – Golden State are your new champions! I will continue covering the NBA in depth alongside other sports with analysis, coverage and more. Until then, enjoy my most recent pieces and stay tuned for more updates as the offseason continues…

trade rumours, draft coverage and more analysis

August
Amid trade rumours, Miami’s Adebayo reaffirms desire to remain with Heat for his entire career

June-July
After agreeing reduced $68.6m deal, will 76ers and Harden hum along into true title contention?
Masterful or misguided? Beal and Lillard’s latest contract extensions predictably raise questions
NBA Draft: Orlando take Banchero with #1 pick, Holmgren to OKC and Smith Houston-bound
Pistons open up cap space and hint at big summer, after trading Jerami Grant to Portland
Staking his claim: Paolo Banchero believes he’s top player in this summer’s NBA draft
Atlanta, Chicago among reported suitors for Jazz’s Rudy Gobert as speculation returns

2021-22 playoffs

April-June
Stephen Curry – who else – the catalyst as Warriors earn gritty Game 4 road win
Draymond Green’s aggressive ‘attitude adjustment’ works wonders in Game 2
Conference Finals set after Celtics, Mavericks dominate their respective Game 7 duels
Relive the action: NBA Playoffs East Semi-finals – Bucks 110-107 Celtics, Game 5
Ja Morant listed as doubtful for rest of playoffs with right knee bone bruise
After his 23-point gamewinning display vs. Atlanta, is Victor Oladipo an x-factor in Miami?
Having fired James Borrego, Charlotte can’t afford to waste potential with his successor

---

timeless archives

Featured game reports
2021-22
Relive the action: NBA Playoffs East Semi-finals – Bucks 110-107 Celtics, Game 5
Warriors 96-82 Cavaliers: Thompson scores 17 points in 20 mins on long-awaited return
Nets 109-121 Bucks: Giannis drops 31 in return as Brooklyn’s slow start proves costly
Warriors 113-104 Grizzlies: Curry’s 46-point effort helps overwhelm pesky Memphis
Lakers 106-94 Magic: LeBron levitates as Orlando blasted into submission
Suns 107-110 Kings: Barnes’ dagger three ices game as Sacramento show their maturity
Hornets 129-140 Celtics: Tatum, Brown pivotal as Boston secure road win in overtime

2020-21
Bucks 106-98 Suns: Giannis’ iconic 50-piece carries Milwaukee to first title since 1971
Suns 120-114 Clippers: Booker brilliance helps hosts gladly snatch Game 1
Lakers 123-110 Suns: Anthony Davis sparkles as LA ease to important win
Warriors 117-113 Kings: Tyrese Haliburton shines, but Dubs edge frenetic finish
Wizards 110-107 Warriors: Bradley Beal’s spirited surge saves Wiz blushes
Bucks 127-109 Blazers: Giannis’ 47-point effort exposes Portland’s ever-present issues
Warriors 115-105 Clippers: Curry decisive as GSW erase 22-point deficit
Blazers 108-111 Bulls: White, LaVine key as visitors rally down 20 to win

2019-20
Heat 93-106 Lakers: LeBron key as LA ease to 17th franchise title
Heat 111-108 Lakers: Butler’s special showing forces a Game 6
Nuggets 80-78 Jazz: Jokic pivotal as Denver edge Utah in thrilling Game 7 finish

Q&A pieces, other features
Apr 22 – Storylines intensify as playoff permutations remain for multiple teams in final week
Mar 22 – Jokic again justifies the MVP chants with 35-point winning performance vs. Thunder
Mar 22 – NBA Q&A: Big questions answered, predictions made as season into business months
Joel Embiid’s masterful Milwaukee night reinforces his MVP credentials, with Harden to come
CJ McCollum to the Pelicans: This exit from Portland felt inevitable, but also long overdue
Haliburton’s surge shows SAC have decision to make — MEM must show star Morant some love
Naive or not, Kevin Durant’s visualisations of Kyrie Irving are echoed by many
Justified or not, Kristaps Porzingis’ afterthought concerns were a long time coming
Play-in tournament awaits: Stephen Curry continues to make the Warriors believe
All-Star break over, what now? NBA Q+A: Rookie watch, trade targets and surging Suns
LaMelo Ball isn’t surprised by his record-breaking numbers – you shouldn’t be either
Russell Westbrook’s trade request and tensions in Houston is no surprise
NBA free agency Q&A: Giannis’ future, potential movers and 2020-21 season
Jacob Blake, NBA protests and ongoing quest for social justice: What’s next?
Five burning questions, storylines to watch as NBA season returns tonight
LA Clippers view Q&A: Kobe’s legacy, Zion watch, Embiid-Simmons future and more

Looking towards the future
Oct. 2021: PHX licked Finals wounds, more work now — ORL’s rebuild begins, with a first-year HC
Aug. 2021: Necessary or excessive? Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan join Chicago
July 2021: Even after everything, 76ers’ high asking price for Ben Simmons isn’t a surprise
May 2021: Jaylen Brown’s season-ending wrist surgery amplifies his Celtics influence
Nov. 2020: Oklahoma City Thunder rightly building around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
May 2020: Carmelo Anthony – What does the future hold for the 10-time All-Star?
Apr. 2020: LaMelo Ball in DC? Assessing possible landing spots for star guard
Oct. 2019: Lonzo and Zion among an exciting core for new-look Pelicans

Time to retool
Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic deadline day trade a necessary gamble
Time ticking: Stan Van Gundy has work to do, as Pelicans players unhappy
76ers exec Marc Eversley agrees deal, becomes Chicago Bulls GM
Bulls fire GM Gar Forman, ending his 22-year run with franchise

Hard-earned deals
Jaylen Brown: Assessing his Celtics contract situation, what lies ahead
Raptors extend Pascal Siakam’s deal, agreeing $130m four-year max
Draymond Green’s $100m max contract extension a long time coming

2020: COVD-19 news
July 27: NBA commissioner Adam Silver cautiously optimistic about Orlando bubble restart
July 1: Player health concerns rise, positive COVID-19 tests and more ahead of resumption
June 3: NBA will resume 2019-20 season on July 31, 22 teams will feature to decide winner
May 11: 15-time All-Star, 4x NBA champ Shaquille O’Neal says league should ‘scrap the season’
May 8: Officials, staff worried about psychological effects of league return
May 3: NBA unwilling to separate players from families, should season resume
April 24: Celtics’ Brown speaks about COVID, impact on hometown Georgia
April 16: Gobert downplays rift with teammate Donovan Mitchell after Mitchell also tests positive
April 11: NBA teams encouraging league office to delay summer’s draft
April 4: League ‘angling’ to cancel 19-20 season, preparing multiple scenarios
March 26: NBA’s top-league executives to have salaries cut by 20%
March 12, 2020: NBA suspends season indefinitely, as Jazz’ Rudy Gobert contracts COVID