Jakob Poeltl. The 27-year-old Austrian big man is averaging 11.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game on 62.4 FG% for a rebuilding San Antonio Spurs ball club primed to battle other strugglers in hopes they get the number one draft pick this coming summer. Should they sell high while they have a chance before the deadline, or hold off with bigger plans in mind?
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It’s NBA trade season, so speculation is predictably in full flow as teams – whether championship contenders, pretenders or rebuilding teams – are all involved between now and the Feb. 9 deadline. Will any team satisfy Toronto’s big expectations in an OG Anunoby trade? What about Bojan Bogdanovic in Detroit, or the silence coming from the Suns about wantaway wing Jae Crowder? Read about all of that and more, with some free agent chatter to finish. Continue reading
Kyrie Irving recorded a 15-point fourth quarter, as the surging Brooklyn Nets produced a big defensive second-half to snatch a gritty away win over an Atlanta side without star guard Trae Young. However, they had a heart-in-mouth moment at the buzzer after his backcourt partner Dejounte Murray’s contested three attempt could’ve sealed an impressive comeback win. Continue reading
More than a third of the way through the NBA regular season, title contenders and tanking teams have largely been identified. As for the cluster of teams flickering in the middle, the race to February’s All-Star break will decide where their future lies. I spoke to NBA expert Jack Brown for another Q&A, featuring Chicago’s issues, best Victor Wembanyama landing spots and more.
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Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring for the fifth consecutive game, while his backcourt partner Darius Garland supplemented the charge with 17 points and eight assists en route to a comfortable double-digit victory against the unpredictable Utah Jazz – where Mitchell played 384 games over five seasons after being drafted #13 by the franchise in 2017. Continue reading
Overnight, Cam Reddish watched from the bench as his current ball club and the one who drafted him four years prior went head-to-head at the Garden. The 23-year-old addressed speculation he’s asked for a trade, as reports suggest New York are shopping him for interested suitors – less than a year after acquiring him. So, what’s happening to the former 10th pick?
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Per Marc Stein, Indiana Pacers’ center Myles Turner is leaving BDA Sports after a two-year stint with the agency and mooted to join CAA Sports for representation. Players changing agents isn’t always noteworthy news, but in this case for the 26-year-old on an expiring deal who always finds himself in trade speculation, this change suggests bigger dominos will soon fall. Continue reading
Luka Doncic continued his excellent start to the campaign with a 42-point triple-double helping Dallas eventually overwhelm Portland with a 117-112 victory on Saturday night. With one of the highest usage rates in NBA history, and considering the conundrum which his Mavericks team still haven’t yet solved surrounding the supporting cast, Jason Kidd’s public concerns make sense for a 23-year-old they don’t want to burnout before it matters most in the postseason. Continue reading
After recording an encouraging 4-2 start to the season, the newlook Minnesota Timberwolves have lost five of their last six games and face a tricky road schedule – starting in Memphis against Ja Morant and co on Friday night. So, are critics overreacting to their worrying tendencies, or will things worsen for a side in transition after a blockbuster offseason trade?
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There are a few caveats involved, but the big story surrounds Golden State and how they’ve lost all six of their opening road games – the first time since 1997-98. The first defending champions to start with such a stat in league history, their 3-7 record is particularly grim but head coach Steve Kerr believes they’ll weather this surprising early storm as they have done in the past. Continue reading
Luka Doncic produced a 41-point triple-double and only got stronger after a few sequences didn’t go his way in the final minutes of the fourth quarter – turning creator with successive behind-the-back assists for Tim Hardaway Jr and Maxi Kleber as the Dallas Mavericks raced away in overtime, leaving the Brooklyn Nets with a 1-4 record to start the regular season. Continue reading
Fresh from their comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend, Damian Lillard and a masterful Anfernee Simons display helped Portland (4-0) maintain their unbeaten start to the new campaign. As for Denver, the manner of this latest defeat against a Western Conference rival reinforces the belief this term is all about patience as things settle into rhythm. Continue reading
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