Curry's backward, half-court 3 plus other highlights, notes from NBA All-Star 2025 practice
In the Bay Area, they want more Stephen Curry doing Stephen Curry things. He obliged at the NBA All-Star 2025 practice Saturday at his former stomping grounds, Oracle Arena in Oakland
Backwards? One-handed? From halfcourt?Not a problem for @StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/B0ct5zjUAR
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2025
Here are some other highlights and notes from Saturday afternoon in Oakland.
• Kyrie Irving spoke about dealing with the drama in Dallas around the Luka Doncic trade and the fan backlash that followed.
"I mean, it's part of our business. I wouldn't necessarily call it noise. You know, this is what drives the engine of our business,' Irving said. 'And you know, it's the other side of our responsibility as artists or as athletes is being engaging. Sometimes when you're dealing with things in the public eye, it's not always going to be received the right way, or positively, by everybody, which is perfectly healthy and normal. But for me, it's just maintaining my focus on the main task at hand, my missions, my goals.'
Kyrie has been around long enough to get it — fans care way more about the transaction game than they do the actual games. That's reality, but it hits differently with players, who sometimes feel like pawns.
• LeBron James did not attend All-Star practice, which he did last year in Indiana as well. A year ago he flew in on Sunday, did pregame media obligations, played in the game, and got out of town — expect the same in the Bay Area.
• Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. talked about being an All-Star and playing with/against people he grew up idolizing.
"I just imagined being one of those superheroes on the court."Jaren Jackson Jr. used to pretend he was KD as a kid. Now, they're both at #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/FVKClkDNmy
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2025
• You want more Curry? Give the people what they want. Here, he talks about how Monta Ellis inspired his pregame warmup routine.
"The originator was Monta Ellis."Steph's pregame routine is steeped in Warriors history pic.twitter.com/c7KYQgKecu
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2025
• The Clippers' Norman Powell — in his 10th season at age 31 — currently sits as the second favorite to win the Most Improved Player award (trailing only Cade Cunningham, using the odds at BetMGM). He spoke about how this is as much or more about opportunity than him just improving his game.
"I think the most improved comes from just like the stats output, but I think opportunity has really allowed me to showcase my full game,' Powell said, saying this part of his game isn't new. 'And obviously the role is a lot bigger than last year and previous years, and I've been able to step into it, but I don't know. I think I'll probably be the oldest player to win most improved in the NBA since the award. So it'll be interesting.'
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USA Today
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HoopsHype ranks Sixers star Joel Embiid in top 79 players of all time
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Los Angeles Times
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Times of Troy: What's the best-case scenario for USC football this season?
Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where the college football offseason is now fully in the rearview mirror. USC opened its preseason camp last week, and already, my arms are a deep shade of red from failure to wear sunscreen at practice. We're back, baby. This is the time of year when anything is possible. (Except for me getting an even tan.) Now is the time to convince yourself of your team's unproven quarterback. Or buy into the hype about the rebuilt defensive line. Maybe you even start to come around on that coach you said you'd never trust again. There's plenty of time for us to get cynical in the next several weeks. But for this week, let's consider what a best-case scenario might look like for USC's season. Let's start here: I don't think it's crazy to convince yourself of a world where Lincoln Riley could lead USC to the College Football Playoff. I'm not suggesting that's the likely outcome. (In my actual opinion, it's not.) 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If USC can afford to lose just one other game to maintain its playoff candidacy, as last year's field suggests, that means it must win at least three of these four games: Michigan and Iowa, at home, and Illinois and Nebraska, on the road. All four feel like coin flips, as of early August. Not only that, but USC also can't afford to blow any of its games against inferior conference opponents such as Purdue, Michigan State and Northwestern. That shouldn't be a problem. But, well … you never know. Even in a best-case scenario, it's reasonable to expect at least one loss in that crop of seven games. But if somehow USC emerged from its second Big Ten season with a 10-2 record, USC would probably punch its first ticket to the College Football Playoff. It's just that simple. Right? Well … not exactly. But we're staying optimistic here! Which, in this 10-win scenario, means first and foremost that USC's defense — and its defensive line in particular — will have taken a major step forward in Year 2 under D'Anton Lynn. Defensive end Kameryn Fountain and defensive tackle Devan Thompkins will have lived up to their preseason hype with All-Big Ten seasons, while Eric Gentry will lead the Big Ten in sacks before skyrocketing into the first round of the upcoming NFL draft. It's not that difficult to imagine, really. But that sort of leap on defense probably also means more suitors for Lynn in the offseason — either in the NFL or as a college head coach — which is a problem for another day. The best-case scenario for USC's offense, meanwhile, starts with a breakout season for quarterback Jayden Maiava, who, in this hypothetical, proves to be a much better fit for Riley's offense than Miller Moss was a year ago. 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Next week, we'll talk about what that could look like — and how low the Trojans could potentially go, if everything happens to go awry. The Heisman-winning quarterback and FOX analyst joined me to give his thoughts on USC, on behalf of Abbott's 'We Give Blood' drive, which encourages Big Ten fans to donate. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Question: What excites you about this USC roster? Where do you have questions? Leinart: What excites me is — there's always expectation at USC — but we're flying under the radar. I don't even think we're in the top 25 preseason, which is fine. We made strides on defense last year with Coach Lynn. I thought he was fantastic. We've gotten a lot of big dudes in the portal, which we need. We needed the size up front. I'm excited to see what Jayden does with a full year and a full offseason ahead of Year 2 in Lincoln's system. 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USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
NBA Power Rankings: Reflecting on offseason moves as 2025-26 season approaches
The calendar has flipped to August, which means the NBA has entered the driest part of the year. Teams head into vacation over the next two months as the offseason buzz has died down. Everybody's roster is mostly set, sans a few hiccups. The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2025-26 season as the NBA champions. They'll sit at the mountaintop while everybody else hopes to knock them out. It'll be another year where the West will be stacked. Meanwhile, the East remains top-heavy. To reflect on the offseason moves, Thunder Wire conducted a post-free agency NBA Power Rankings. Let's take a look at where all 30 teams land with the 2025-26 season set to kick off in a couple of months: 30. Utah Jazz Shedding veterans, the Jazz dug themselves further into their rebuild. It's about time, too. They've wasted too many seasons trying to be cute with how they lose. It looks like they finally picked a lane and will bottom out for the upcoming season. 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They've gone all out as a rebuild situation and have added plenty of young talent this offseason. They also acquired Michael Porter Jr., who could be a solid trade piece down the line. 26. Charlotte Hornets Despite never making the playoffs with LaMelo Ball, the Hornets continue to build around the All-Star player. Kon Knueppel highlighted their draft class. He looked promising as he led Charlotte to a Summer League championship. They added Collin Sexton in a trade. Charlotte has some nice names, but it's a wait-and-see approach with them. 25. Toronto Raptors The Raptors shocked the NBA world when they fired longtime decision-maker Masai Ujiri. A championship can only buy you so much time. Now, Toronto is in a weird spot. It has a lot of money tied up in a core of solid players but no real upside. Brandon Ingram was given a contract extension, but has yet to play for them. It's not a full-on rebuild, but the Raptors don't have the talent to make real playoff noise. 24. Phoenix Suns After a miserable stint, the Suns finally pulled the plug. They traded Kevin Durant after he was shopped at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, Bradley Beal was bought out. It's about time they gave up. The only saving grace was Devin Booker's new contract. Phoenix will see if Jalen Green has any upside left, but it will take a while to clean up the expensive mess it created years ago. 23. Portland Trail Blazers After being one of the league's worst teams for years, the Trail Blazers are ready to win. They had a hot second half of last season but were shy of the postseason. Nostalgia was the theme of Portland's offseason as it brought back Damian Lillard. He will miss next season with a torn Achilles, but the franchise icon will surely put butts in seats. They have a solid roster with players who could break out. It'll be an important year for Scoot Henderson. 22. Miami Heat It was a quiet offseason for the Heat. Looks like they're going to run it back with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Don't know how much upside that duo brings. Never mind, we do. Barring an unexpected breakout or trade, Miami will hover around 40 wins and likely be in the play-in range again. At least they got Norman Powell for basically free in a multi-team trade, though. 21. Chicago Bulls The Bulls are another NBA franchise allergic to rebuilding. Instead, they're content with being a competitive squad that squeezes into the postseason picture. Billy Donovan was given a new extension because he keeps the status quo. One of the bigger storylines left is how they resolve Josh Giddey's contract negotiations. Sounds like he won't receive the long-term extension he sought. Maybe he could take the qualifying offer and bet on himself. 20. Sacramento Kings The Kings had very little movement this offseason. Which is concerning, considering last year was a disappointment. They failed to make the playoffs despite making win-now moves like trading for Zach LaVine. Now, Sacramento is back in a weird spot where it could flirt with being in the postseason picture but doesn't have the talent to make serious noise. It's an all-too-familiar position for them as a directionless franchise. 19. San Antonio Spurs It's the start of a new era in San Antonio. For the first time this century, Gregg Popovich will no longer be the head coach. Instead, it's Mitch Johnson's job. After missing the final one-third of last season with blood clots, Victor Wembanyama has been cleared. The Spurs will go as far as he takes them. Still, Dylan Harper at No. 2 and Carter Bryant were nice additions from the draft. 18. Philadelphia 76ers The Sixers hope Joel Embiid and Paul George enjoy better health luck in their second season together. We all know Philly's story. If those two can stay relatively healthy, they should easily be in the postseason. If it's another year where injuries limit them, then expect to be at the bottom of the standings. At least No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe provides some excitement. 17. Dallas Mavericks A disastrous Doncic trade was somewhat redeemed thanks to lottery luck. The Mavericks were gifted another franchise player with the No. 1 pick. Cooper Flagg gave Dallas fans a reason to tune back in after a doomsday-esque last six months. He'll put butt in seats as the Mavericks will try to be competitive again with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving when he eventually returns from a torn ACL. 16. Indiana Pacers No other fanbase has experienced quite the juxtaposition of emotions like the Pacers. They went from being a win away from their first NBA championship to staring out into the distance with a bleak future. Tyrese Haliburton's torn Achilles has altered the franchise's course. Myles Turner's departure cemented that next year will be a gap year. Let's see how Haliburton returns, but there's no promise Indiana gets back to the spot it was this past June. 15. Milwaukee Bucks Drowning in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, the Bucks took one last swing. They made the shocking decision to sign Turner away from a division rival Pacers. To make room for the $108 million contract, they made the jaw-dropping decision to waive and stretch Lillard, who tore his Achilles in the playoffs. Oh boy. That type of decision will have massive ramifications later on. Milwaukee mortgaged its future for next year. Let's see if it pays off with Antetokounmpo. 14. Boston Celtics After Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in the playoffs, the Celtics have pivoted to next season being a gap year. They shed quality role players in Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford to bring down their expensive payroll. All of Boston's offseason moves indicate punting next season. Jaylen Brown will get a chance to be the top player for the first time in his career, but the depth behind him gets pretty thin, pretty quickly. 13. Memphis Grizzlies Not even the offseason could help the Grizzlies' injury curse. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey both underwent surgeries that jeopardize the start of their season. Availability has plummeted Memphis from being viewed as the next breakout team to a team that hit the soft reset button. Desmond Bane being traded to the Magic was the latest signal of that. 12. Detroit Pistons After enjoying their best season in years, the Pistons are banking on player development to take their next step. Duncan Robinson was their biggest offseason acquisition, but he'll be more of a role player. Instead, Detroit hopes players like Ausar Thompson and Jaden Ivey continue to ascend. They have a solid young core headlined by Cade Cunningham. 11. Orlando Magic Everybody loves what the Magic did this offseason. They've been a national media darling since they traded for Bane. He's exactly the type of player they need. Orlando has been a bottom-half offense for years now and the worst outside shooting team. Bane should fix some of that this upcoming season. The Magic are primed to take the next step in the East. 10. Atlanta Hawks Just like the Magic, the Hawks were also beloved for the offseason moves they made. Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were their biggest additions. Both have been winning role players on teams that went deep into the playoffs. They should also fit well with what Trae Young excels at. Atlanta has reloaded its roster around him again with nice pieces who complement him well. Let's see if they can finally put it together and escape play-in range. 9. Golden State Warriors At this point, the Warriors have sat out the offseason. After they finished hot with Jimmy Butler, they can convince themselves that injuries ruined their playoff ambitions. Instead, Golden State's handling of Jonathan Kuminga has taken headlines for the wrong reasons. Both sides refuse to budge. It's starting to look like he might take the qualifying offer and deal with one more frustrating season where his role is inconsistent. 8. Minnesota Timberwolves After two straight Western Conference Finals appearances, the Timberwolves spent the offseason keeping their team together. Both Julius Randle and Naz Reid received new deals. That wasn't always guaranteed, so it was pleasant news to Minnesota fans. They're content with how things are as Anthony Edwards has ascended into one of the NBA's best players. It's now about taking another step for him. 7. New York Knicks A laughable coaching search hurt the Knicks' image, but that shouldn't scare folks off from liking their offseason. They signed Mikal Bridges to a new contract and added Jordan Clarkson. Even with Mike Brown taking over as head coach, they have enough continuity to build off their Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Because of how weak the East is, New York will be a popular choice to make the NBA Finals. 6. Cleveland Cavaliers After another disappointing playoff trip, the Cavaliers will bank on continuity again. Their only real roster shakeup was trading for Lonzo Ball. He should replace some of the backup guard reps that Ty Jerome vacated when he left. Besides that, though, it's the same group. Not a bad idea to run back the same team that had 64 wins in the regular season, but the pressure is only mounting for a successful playoff run. 5. LA Clippers Aside from a few old people jokes, everybody loved what the Clippers have done. John Collins and Beal were their big offseason additions. Both perfectly slide in as starters for the veteran-heavy LA squad. Brook Lopez will also be one of the better backup centers. And then they went the nostalgic route by bringing back Chris Paul. The Clippers have several household names whose best years may be behind them, but they have rich depth that should field another competitive playoff team. 4. Los Angeles Lakers Now that the Lakers have an offseason to adjust, they made moves to complement LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Los Angeles wasn't afforded that opportunity when they traded for the latter in a blockbuster trade deadline deal this past February. Doncic showed his appreciation by getting in shape and then signing a four-year extension. He'll be the Lakers' superstar for the foreseeable future and carry the baton from James. 3. Houston Rockets Buried in the NBA Finals Game 7 hype, the Rockets had the biggest addition of the offseason. They acquired future Hall-of-Famer Durant from the Suns. Even at 36 years old, he's the perfect answer to all of Houston's problems. They lacked a top go-to scorer in the playoffs. He's about as textbook as it gets. The Rockets also double-downed on size when they added Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith. Most pundits have the Rockets as the second-best team in the West and it's easy to see why. 2. Denver Nuggets Pushing the Thunder the farthest, the Nuggets added around three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. They acquired Cam Johnson from the Nets as an upgrade from Porter Jr. He should add more defensively. The top-heavy squad also replenished its depth with Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. Denver made OKC look vulnerable with only six players it truly trusted in the playoffs. Now imagine what they can look like with some real bench pieces. As long as Jokic is healthy, they'll always be in the title conversations. 1. Oklahoma City Thunder Sitting at the top, the Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. They had one of the greatest seasons ever with a historic 68-14 regular-season record. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won about every award imaginable. From MVP to NBA Finals MVP. It only makes sense for OKC to run it back. It was busy this offseason by handing out extensions to Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. That trio should keep the Thunder as the title favorite for next season. Don't expect them to go away anytime soon and have a real shot at repeating as NBA champions if everything goes right.
