Assessing the NBA futures of Kidd, Giannis
Dan Patrick and the Danettes have a roundtable discussion regarding the potential landing spots for Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo amid trade rumors.
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A.J. Greer is making his Stanley Cup Final debut for the Florida Panthers in Game 3
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A.J. Greer is back in for the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night after missing the first two in the series against the Edmonton Oilers because of injury. Coach Paul Maurice confirmed Greer would return on Florida's fourth line. Jesper Boqvist comes out of the lineup to make room for Greer, who will be making his first career appearance in the final. 'It's definitely a dream come true, but I'm not really trying to focus on that,' Greer said after the team's morning skate. 'It's another game for me and I'm just trying to enjoy it, but I'm not trying to associate anything bigger than just my next shift, really.' Greer, 28, gutted through injury for part of this playoff run before exiting in the Eastern Conference final against Carolina when it was clear he wasn't healthy enough to stay in. Maurice lauded Greer for his lack of selfishness and an abundance of self-awareness to understand when the pain threshold was reached and do what's best for the team. 'Good on him for recognizing that,' Maurice said. 'We were fortunate that we were able to heal A.J. to a place that he's really confident in what he's doing. ... He's been such a positive part of what we do.' Greer almost wasn't here at all. A little over four years ago, he was languishing in the minors and almost giving up on his NHL dream. 'I was pretty much 24 hours away from just calling it, going to Europe and trying to just get a paycheck, trying to squeeze out every dollar that I can out of this sport and then live my life,' Greer said. 'Fortunately, things kind of bounced my way.' Greer was essentially a throw-in as part of a trade to the New Jersey Devils that got the New York Islanders Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac, who helped them reach the East final. Greer — who was a second-round pick of Colorado in 2015 and played 37 games for the Avalanche from 2016-18 — developed some confidence with the American Hockey League's Utica Comets and cracked the Devils' roster a few times. Agent Philippe Lecavalier challenged Greer over whether he wanted to be an AHL player or adapt his style to be a role player in the NHL. 'You could say I wanted to try to prove him wrong,' Greer said. 'I kind of just went day by day, got better mentally, physically and matured with my game. I understood if I wanted to ever play in the NHL again, the way I have to play and the things I have to do — and I got a chance, so I'm very grateful for that. It all led up to here.' At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, Greer has been a physical force for Florida as the Panthers try to repeat as champions. He is one of the newcomers, along with their leading scorer in the final, Nate Schmidt, and teammates are happy to have Greer back. 'He's a pain to play against,' Evan Rodrigues said. 'He's a guy that can change the momentum of a game. He's heavy on the forecheck. For the most part, I don't think you want to get hit by him. He's a really good presence for us. And he chips in offensively. He lays the body. Just overall a pain the neck to play against.' That came with time and trial and error as Greer learned how to have an impact with limited ice time. This spring brought his first taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and he has made the most of his nearly eight minutes a game. 'My game's grown, especially this year,' Greer said. 'My confidence has grown, and I'm ready to take on the biggest challenge that I've really faced in my career.'
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thunder's Jalen Williams reveals biggest issue in 4th quarter meltdown vs Pacers
The post Thunder's Jalen Williams reveals biggest issue in 4th quarter meltdown vs Pacers appeared first on ClutchPoints. OKLAHOMA CITY — After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addressed Tyrese Haliburton's game-winner in the Indiana Pacers' 111-110 win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams delivered his take on what went wrong. Advertisement The Thunder coughed up a 15-point lead amid a 12-3 Pacers run in their colossal fourth-quarter collapse. Williams identified Oklahoma City's most significant shortcomings. For Williams, the issues that hindered his team's fourth-quarter performance were reminiscent of when the Thunder surrendered a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of losing their series opener against the Denver Nuggets. 'We had a couple of defensive breakdowns that cost us, a couple of offensive rebounds that cost us, just little stuff down the stretch,' Williams said. 'I thought we had a really good offensive process. We got some good shots towards the end. But when shots aren't falling, you can't have defensive breakdowns like we did.' In a final frame where Jalen Williams and the Thunder were outscored 35-25 by the Pacers, the Thunder went 6-for-17, including 0-for-5 from deep in the fourth quarter. Indiana's six threes in the final frame catapulted their comeback. Advertisement After Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander came up empty on back-to-back Thunder possessions, Haliburton, with 11.3 seconds left, dribbled the ball up the floor before finding his spot from inside the three-point arc over Cason Wallace for the go-ahead bucket. Haliburton's game-winner topped his NBA Finals debut performance, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists while helping the Pacers steal Game 1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander downplays Tyrese Haliburton's 'crazy' shot Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton's game-winning shot. After Gilgeous-Alexander missed a shot that would have given the Thunder a three-point lead with less than 14 seconds left, Tyrese made him pay. In a game where the Pacers finished with a whopping 25 turnovers, they took care of the ball when it mattered most. Advertisement The Thunder failed to preserve a 15-point lead. After the loss, Gilgeous-Alexander took reporters through the motions of the Pacers' final possession toward the end of the fourth quarter. 'I don't know; it happened so fast,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'He got down going right, pulled up for the middy, and knocked down the shot. I don't know, it didn't feel like anything crazy. He just made a play with time winding down, made a good play.' In his NBA Finals debut, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 38 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals but will look to even the series in Game 2 on Sunday. Advertisement Related: 3 adjustments Thunder must make after NBA Finals Game 1 catastrophe vs. Pacers Related: Pacers-Thunder Game 1 hits record low in views for Finals
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thunder's unexpected Game 2 performer gets ‘huge' praise
The post Thunder's unexpected Game 2 performer gets 'huge' praise appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Oklahoma City Thunder have evened the NBA Finals at one game apiece with a dominant 123–107 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 at Paycom Center. Advertisement Just days after their heartbreaking collapse in the series opener, the Thunder came out with intensity and never looked back, delivering a statement win that reignited their title hopes. This time, they executed with poise and avoided the costly late-game errors that doomed them in Game 1, thanks in part to a surprising spark from Aaron Wiggins off the bench. Wiggins emerged as a game-changer, earning widespread praise for his energetic and efficient play. He poured in 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range, while adding four rebounds in just 21 minutes. His timely contributions helped maintain Oklahoma City's momentum and keep Indiana at bay. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault lauded Wiggins' impact during the post-game press conference. 'He was huge tonight. I give him a lot of credit,' (h/t Thunder reporter Michael Martin). 'He's been a huge part of our success this season. In the playoffs, his role has been very night-to-night, but he hangs in there. He was huge in that Game 4 in Denver.' Daigneault continued to emphasize Wiggins' importance, adding, 'He was massive tonight. Went in there with great confidence. Didn't go in until the second quarter and just dove right into the game. Great professionalism. Great readiness. A huge performance for us.' Wiggins' performance was a genuine surprise for the Thunder. Entering Game 2, he was averaging just 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists this postseason, while shooting 40.0% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc. Advertisement MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again led the charge, cementing his superstar status with a 34-point performance. It marked his second straight 30-point outing in the Finals after scoring 38 in the opener. While his brilliance set the tone, it was Wiggins' spark that gave the Thunder a new edge. With the series now tied and the Thunder finding their rhythm, the spotlight isn't just on Gilgeous-Alexander. Aaron Wiggins' breakout showing has given Oklahoma City a fresh spark heading into Game 3. Can the Thunder carry this momentum on the road, and will Wiggins continue to be the unexpected X-factor in the Finals? Related: Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops 'best fans' revelation that fuel Game 2 win Related: Thunder HC Mark Daigneault drops truth bomb on 'acquired taste' of playing Pacers
