Latest news with #DameTime
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
An 'overrated' Tyrese Haliburton is the NBA's most underrated superstar
As Cleveland Cavaliers fans showered Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton with "overrated" chants at the free-throw line midway through Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, Cavs star Donovan Mitchell attempted to quiet the crowd, as if he knew what the consequences could be. This tells us all we need to know about how the NBA feels about Haliburton. Though he was voted as "the league's most overrated player" by an anonymous panel of his peers, according to The Athletic, there is — and should be — real fear about what he is capable of doing to opponents, even the East's No. 1 seed. Advertisement True to form, Haliburton scored seven points in the final 84 seconds of Game 2, including a last-second, game-winning 3-pointer, to complete an improbable comeback and give his team a 2-0 lead in the series. "Now that that label's there, it's going to be every time we play somebody," Haliburton said in the aftermath of the chants. "Every time on the road it'll probably follow me until the next poll comes out, and we'll see if I'm No. 1 again, but for me I just control what I can, man, and, yeah, overrate that." It is important to note that only 13 respondents to The Athletic's player poll actually voted Haliburton "overrated." It could have been the entirety of the Milwaukee Bucks. As Indiana defeated the Bucks on its way to the inaugural NBA Cup championship game in 2023, Haliburton mocked Damian Lillard's "Dame Time" celebration. He piled on as the Pacers eliminated Milwaukee in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. Advertisement Lillard was a made man, a future Hall of Famer; Haliburton was not ... yet. Maybe the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets voted for Haliburton. They have also engaged in wars of words with Haliburton in recent seasons. While nobody has publicly explained exactly why a contingent of NBA players feels so negatively about Haliburton, Hall of Fame point guard Tim Hardaway Sr., whose son plays for the Detroit Pistons, may have offered the best explanation on the "Gil's Arena" podcast. "If I go back and put on my s*** and suit up, I wanna go f*** up Haliburton," he said. "I wanna go f*** him up. He talks so much s***. I wanna go back and bust his motherf***ing a**. ... He thinks he all that." Newsflash for Hardaway and his fellow haters: Haliburton might be all that. Quietly, at least in comparison to his personality, he is going about the business of scripting his own Hall of Fame legacy. Advertisement Through five seasons, Haliburton has averaged 17.5 points (on 48/39/86 shooting splits), 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 combined steals and blocks in 33 minutes a game. The list of players who have averaged an 18-4-9 over the course of their careers: Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, John Wall and Trae Young. And, believe it or not, Haliburton has been by far the most effective shooter of that bunch. Should the Pacers make a second straight surprise run to the conference finals, Haliburton would join Robertson, Johnson and Thomas (three of our Point Gods) as the only ones among them to make it that far in the playoffs on multiple occasions. Only Robertson and Johnson did it in their first five seasons. Haliburton has raised his game in the postseason, averaging an 18-6-11 — playoff numbers matched only by Magic. Granted, Haliburton is not on Magic's level, but there also is no comparing their supporting casts. Pascal Siakam is Haliburton's co-star. Everyone from Myles Turner to T.J. McConnell is a quality role player for the Pacers, but they are hardly Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and the Showtime Lakers. Advertisement We have to start wondering what Haliburton would be capable of on a more dynamic team. The Pacers might be one piece away from more serious contention. As is, they are on the verge of upsetting a 64-win team in the second round. The team they beat in last year's second round could be waiting for them in the conference finals, and from there? Who knows, especially given the injuries that are mounting. When Haliburton has been on the floor in these playoffs, the Pacers have scored 121.4 points per 100 possessions — better than the league's best offense this season and among the greatest offenses ever. They are even better in the clutch, scoring a ridiculous 1.58 points per possession in these playoffs. They were also among the most efficient crunch-time offenses in the regular season. Haliburton is the reason. He sees the floor as well as anyone not named Nikola Jokić. His scoring efficiency forces defenses to make a choice: defend him 1-on-1, where he can beat anyone off the dribble, or help, allowing his playmaking to flourish. The ability to excel at both is often what unlocks the final stage of stardom. Advertisement Haliburton has been targeted as a defender, and maybe that is another reason why some NBA players feel he is "overrated." He has also struggled for extended stretches of the past two regular seasons. After looking like an MVP candidate for the first few months of last season, his averages dipped significantly following a hamstring strain. Same goes for the start of this season, as he faced mental health struggles. It is probably no coincidence that those stretches sandwiched a disappointing individual effort at the Olympics and coincided with the vote for "the league's most overrated player." His performance ever since has taught us a different lesson: Tyrese Haliburton may be the NBA's most underrated superstar.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
An 'overrated' Tyrese Haliburton is the NBA's most underrated superstar
As Cleveland Cavaliers fans showered Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton with "overrated" chants at the free-throw line midway through Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, Cavs star Donovan Mitchell attempted to quiet the crowd, as if he knew what the consequences could be. This tells us all we need to know about how the NBA feels about Haliburton. Though he was voted as "the league's most overrated player" by an anonymous panel of his peers, according to The Athletic, there is — and should be — real fear about what he is capable of doing to opponents, even the East's No. 1 seed. True to form, Haliburton scored seven points in the final 84 seconds of Game 2, including a last-second, game-winning 3-pointer, to complete an improbable comeback and give his team a 2-0 lead in the series. "Now that that label's there, it's going to be every time we play somebody," Haliburton said in the aftermath of the chants. "Every time on the road it'll probably follow me until the next poll comes out, and we'll see if I'm No. 1 again, but for me I just control what I can, man, and, yeah, overrate that." Overrate THAT — Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) April 30, 2025 It is important to note that only 13 respondents to The Athletic's player poll actually voted Haliburton "overrated." It could have been the entirety of the Milwaukee Bucks. As Indiana defeated the Bucks on its way to the inaugural NBA Cup championship game in 2023, Haliburton mocked Damian Lillard's "Dame Time" celebration. He piled on as the Pacers eliminated Milwaukee in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. Lillard was a made man, a future Hall of Famer; Haliburton was not ... yet. Maybe the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets voted for Haliburton. They have also engaged in wars of words with Haliburton in recent seasons. While nobody has publicly explained exactly why a contingent of NBA players feels so negatively about Haliburton, Hall of Fame point guard Tim Hardaway Sr., whose son plays for the Detroit Pistons, may have offered the best explanation on the "Gil's Arena" podcast. "If I go back and put on my s*** and suit up, I wanna go f*** up Haliburton," he said. "I wanna go f*** him up. He talks so much s***. I wanna go back and bust his motherf***ing a**. ... He thinks he all that." Newsflash for Hardaway and his fellow haters: Haliburton might be all that. Quietly, at least in comparison to his personality, he is going about the business of scripting his own Hall of Fame legacy. Through five seasons, Haliburton has averaged 17.5 points (on 48/39/86 shooting splits), 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 combined steals and blocks in 33 minutes a game. The list of players who have averaged an 18-4-9 over the course of their careers: Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, John Wall and Trae Young. And, believe it or not, Haliburton has been by far the most effective shooter of that bunch. Should the Pacers make a second straight surprise run to the conference finals, Haliburton would join Robertson, Johnson and Thomas (three of our Point Gods) as the only ones among them to make it that far in the playoffs on multiple occasions. Only Robertson and Johnson did it in their first five seasons. Haliburton has raised his game in the postseason, averaging an 18-6-11 — playoff numbers matched only by Magic. Granted, Haliburton is not on Magic's level, but there also is no comparing their supporting casts. Pascal Siakam is Haliburton's co-star. Everyone from Myles Turner to T.J. McConnell is a quality role player for the Pacers, but they are hardly Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and the Showtime Lakers. We have to start wondering what Haliburton would be capable of on a more dynamic team. The Pacers might be one piece away from more serious contention. As is, they are on the verge of upsetting a 64-win team in the second round. The team they beat in last year's second round could be waiting for them in the conference finals, and from there? Who knows, especially given the injuries that are mounting. When Haliburton has been on the floor in these playoffs, the Pacers have scored 121.4 points per 100 possessions — better than the league's best offense this season and among the greatest offenses ever. They are even better in the clutch, scoring a ridiculous 1.58 points per possession in these playoffs. They were also among the most efficient crunch-time offenses in the regular season. Haliburton is the reason. Tyrese Haliburton is 10-for-11 (91%) when taking a shot to tie or take the lead in the final 90 seconds of the 4th quarter or overtime this are all 10 of his makes: — Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 7, 2025 He sees the floor as well as anyone not named Nikola Jokić. His scoring efficiency forces defenses to make a choice: defend him 1-on-1, where he can beat anyone off the dribble, or help, allowing his playmaking to flourish. The ability to excel at both is often what unlocks the final stage of stardom. Haliburton has been targeted as a defender, and maybe that is another reason why some NBA players feel he is "overrated." He has also struggled for extended stretches of the past two regular seasons. After looking like an MVP candidate for the first few months of last season, his averages dipped significantly following a hamstring strain. Same goes for the start of this season, as he faced mental health struggles. It is probably no coincidence that those stretches sandwiched a disappointing individual effort at the Olympics and coincided with the vote for "the league's most overrated player." His performance ever since has taught us a different lesson: Tyrese Haliburton may be the NBA's most underrated superstar.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA playoffs: Pacers take 2-0 lead in Damian Lillard's Bucks return as bad blood spills over
The NBA playoffs continue Tuesday with three Game 2s, including the Lakers' return to action against the Timberwolves after a stunning Game 1 loss at home. Check out Yahoo Sports' predictions for each first-round series, in addition to Kevin O'Connor's ranking of the top 40 players in the NBA postseason. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Here are the results and key takeaways from Tuesday's games: Pacers 123, Bucks 115 An already heated series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers intensified Tuesday. But Damian Lillard's return wasn't enough for a Milwaukee win as the Pacers held off a late Bucks rally for a 123-115 victory. The Bucks mounted a 13-0 fourth-quarter rally to cut a 115-100 Pacers lead to two points. But the Pacers regained their composure to hold on for the win despite 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists from Giannis Antetokounmpo. The series now shifts to Milwaukee with the Pacers holding a 2-0 lead. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Lillard not limited, but struggles from the field Lillard returned to the Bucks lineup Tuesday for the first time since March 18 because of deep-vein thrombosis in his right calf. He started and didn't take his first break until 2:20 remaining in the first quarter en route to playing a full starter's allotment of 37 minutes. He scored 11 first-half points but struggled after halftime and finished the game with 14 on 4-of-13 shooting. The Pacers, meanwhile, jumped out to a 31-16 lead. This was on top of a 19-point win in Game 1 in which Indiana led by as many as 28 points. Each Pacers starter scored in double figures as Indiana shot 48.9% from the field and 44.4% (16-of-36) from 3. Milwaukee's offense improved after a 98-point effort in Game 1, but not nearly enough to keep pace with Indiana's efficient attack. Coach Doc Rivers needs to find some adjustments in Milwaukee to avoid a 3-0 hole. Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) fight for a rebound during the first half Tuesday in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) These teams don't like each other From Halibruton's Dame Time celebration in 2023 to Game Ball-gate days later to the Pacers upsetting the Bucks last postseason, there's plenty of bad blood between these two division rivals. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement It's spilled over aplenty in the first two games of the series. Lillard mixed it up in Game 1 while in street clothes in a heated back-and-forth with Haliburton that prompted Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. to get involved. Damian Lillard to Haliburton: 'Keep talking. I'll drop a diss track on your ass.' 😭 — NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 19, 2025 On Tuesday, Lillard hit his first bucket of the series in the first quarter in his first action in more than a month. Haliburton swiftly responded with a 3-pointer in Lillard's face and had some words for the Bucks guard on his way back down the court. Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton exchanging buckets and words 👀 🍿 — Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 22, 2025 Minutes later, Trent threw Siakam to the floor during a fight for a rebound. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Siakam popped back up and made a beeline for Trent before players and an official intervened. A brief scuffle ensued, and Trent and Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin were hit with technical fouls. Bucks and Pacers get a little heated on this play Gary Trent Jr. and Bennedict Mathurin were given technical fouls after a review (via @TSN_Sports) — Dime (@DimeUPROXX) April 22, 2025 The series wasn't five quarters old, and players were already at each other's throats. Then, in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee's Kevin Porter Jr. grabbed the foot of Indiana's Thomas Bryant as Bryant ran down the floor, drawing a flagrant foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kevin Porter trying to be sneaky — mm (@muhtacinm) April 23, 2025 Then, with 1:22 remaining, Lillard and Haliburton exchanged words one more time — and not likely the last. HALI & DAME EXCHANGE WORDS AS PACERS TAKE 2-0 LEAD 🍿 INDY SPOILS DAME'S RETURN 😬 — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 23, 2025 With at least two games remaining in the series, there's plenty of potential for things to further boil over. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night (8 p.m. ET | ESPNU, NBATV) in Milwaukee. Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99 Ja Morant declared after the Thunder's 131-80 pasting in Game 1 that 'We will never play that bad again.' One game later, he is so far correct, but not nearly as much as Memphis needed in another double-digit Thunder win. Shai Gilegous-Alexander had 27 points, Jalen Williams had 24 points and Chet Holmgren had 20 points (plus 11 rebounds and five blocks) in another runaway OKC win. The best that can be said for Memphis is they prevented it from being worse. Grizzlies exit Paycom Center with dignity somewhat intact Tuesday's game looked like it was heading toward another historic beatdown, with OKC up by 23 in the second quarter, but the Grizzlies managed to look like a real playoff team in the third, which they won 27-20. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement It's really not a great sign that we're talking about how the Grizzlies finally looked competitive after seven quarters of basketball, but there's not much that can be said about a team facing the Thunder. When OKC is playing its signature defense, harassing the competition at all three levels and committing seven turnovers total on offense, it is borderline mathematically impossible to beat them. The Grizzlies showed life, and then the Thunder opened the fourth quarter on a 14-2 run to snuff it out. Maybe the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Clippers will do better next round. Alex Caruso remains a menace The Thunder's trade for the veteran guard last offseason felt something like a hat on a hat, but it's pretty apparent the Thunder believe you can never have too many standout defenders. Caruso lived up to that billing Tuesday, smothering every perimeter threat that came near him. The Thunder outscored the Grizzlies by 18 points with him on the floor, the best of any player in Game 2. Alex Caruso first half highlights this man has zero chill — Steph Noh (@StephNoh) April 23, 2025 With 13 points off the bench, plus four rebounds and three assists, Caruso was the kind of two-way asset every playoff team needs. Of course, the Thunder are full of those. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday night (9:30 p.m. ET | TNT) in Memphis. Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85 Going off the box score, it was a runaway 94-85 win Tuesday night for the Los Angeles Lakers. And yet, they still have plenty to work on. The host Lakers took Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves — thanks to a near triple-double from Luka Dončić — to even the first-round series as it heads to the Twin Cities. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday at the Target Center at 9:30 p.m. ET. Dončić shot 9-of-20 from the floor but hit all 11 of his free throws and added 12 rebounds and nine assists. Vibes were definitely off for Lakers (and Timberwolves) The Lakers took a double-digit lead in the first quarter and maintained a lead of at least nine points for the rest of the game, but it was paradoxically a frustrating game, one that left head coach JJ Redick cursing his team out in the third quarter as the Timberwolves tried to make it a game. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The Lakers once again got very little from their bench — Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent supplied all the non-starter production with 13 total points — but it didn't matter Tuesday because Minnesota shot so poorly. Los Angeles overwhelmed Minnesota on defense, with LeBron James leading a renewed effort at the point of attack and on the 3-point line. And on offense, James and Luka Dončić combined for 52 points, 23 rebounds and 16 assists. The Lakers got the matchups they wanted, most notably Dončić against Rudy Gobert on the perimeter, but their strategy eventually encountered diminishing returns as the Timberwolves adjusted and shook off some foul trouble. Fortunately, LeBron James can paper over a lot of mistakes. LEBRON BIG STEAL & BUCKET LATE IN THE 4TH 👑 — NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2025 The game was anything but beautiful It was overall an ugly game, with the two teams combining to go 11-of-54 from 3-point range with 46 fouls (and 45 free-throw attempts). Minnesota had multiple chances to make L.A. really sweat in the fourth quarter, but its only consistent player of the night was Julius Randle, who scored 27 points. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley, Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker combined to go 5-of-26 from the field. Even Anthony Edwards was a bit off, scoring 25 points on 10-of-22 shooting. Neither coach seemed happy with his team during the contest, but the Lakers at least got the win. The question now is if L.A. can find a more free-flowing game in front of a hostile crowd in Minnesota.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA playoffs: Pacers take 2-0 lead in Damian Lillard's Bucks return as bad blood spills over
The NBA playoffs continue Tuesday with three Game 2s, including the Lakers' return to action against the Timberwolves after a stunning Game 1 loss at home. Check out Yahoo Sports' predictions for each first-round series, in addition to Kevin O'Connor's ranking of the top 40 players in the NBA postseason. Here are the results and key takeaways from Tuesday's games: Pacers 123, Bucks 115 An already heated series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers intensified Tuesday. But Damian Lillard's return wasn't enough for a Milwaukee win as the Pacers held off a late Bucks rally for a 123-115 victory. The Bucks mounted a 13-0 fourth-quarter rally to cut a 115-100 Pacers lead to two points. But the Pacers regained their composure to hold on for the win despite 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists from Giannis Antetokounmpo. The series now shifts to Milwaukee with the Pacers holding a 2-0 lead. Lillard not limited, but struggles from the field Lillard returned to the Bucks lineup Tuesday for the first time since March 18 because of deep-vein thrombosis in his right calf. He started and didn't take his first break until 2:20 remaining in the first quarter en route to playing a full starter's allotment of 37 minutes. He scored 11 first-half points but struggled after halftime and finished the game with 14 on 4-of-13 shooting. The Pacers, meanwhile, jumped out to a 31-16 lead. This was on top of a 19-point win in Game 1 in which Indiana led by as many as 28 points. Each Pacers starter scored in double figures as Indiana shot 48.9% from the field and 44.4% (16-of-36) from 3. Milwaukee's offense improved after a 98-point effort in Game 1, but not nearly enough to keep pace with Indiana's efficient attack. Coach Doc Rivers needs to find some adjustments in Milwaukee to avoid a 3-0 hole. Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) fight for a rebound during the first half Tuesday in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) These teams don't like each other From Halibruton's Dame Time celebration in 2023 to Game Ball-gate days later to the Pacers upsetting the Bucks last postseason, there's plenty of bad blood between these two division rivals. It's spilled over aplenty in the first two games of the series. Lillard mixed it up in Game 1 while in street clothes in a heated back-and-forth with Haliburton that prompted Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. to get involved. Damian Lillard to Haliburton: 'Keep talking. I'll drop a diss track on your ass.' 😭 — NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 19, 2025 On Tuesday, Lillard hit his first bucket of the series in the first quarter in his first action in more than a month. Haliburton swiftly responded with a 3-pointer in Lillard's face and had some words for the Bucks guard on his way back down the court. Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton exchanging buckets and words 👀 🍿 — Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 22, 2025 Minutes later, Trent threw Siakam to the floor during a fight for a rebound. Siakam popped back up and made a beeline for Trent before players and an official intervened. A brief scuffle ensued, and Trent and Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin were hit with technical fouls. Bucks and Pacers get a little heated on this play Gary Trent Jr. and Bennedict Mathurin were given technical fouls after a review (via @TSN_Sports) — Dime (@DimeUPROXX) April 22, 2025 The series wasn't five quarters old, and players were already at each other's throats. Then, in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee's Kevin Porter Jr. grabbed the foot of Indiana's Thomas Bryant as Bryant ran down the floor, drawing a flagrant foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kevin Porter trying to be sneaky — mm (@muhtacinm) April 23, 2025 Then, with 1:22 remaining, Lillard and Haliburton exchanged words one more time — and not likely the last. HALI & DAME EXCHANGE WORDS AS PACERS TAKE 2-0 LEAD 🍿 INDY SPOILS DAME'S RETURN 😬 — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 23, 2025 With at least two games remaining in the series, there's plenty of potential for things to further boil over. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night (8 p.m. ET | ESPNU, NBATV) in Milwaukee. Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99 Ja Morant declared after the Thunder's 131-80 pasting in Game 1 that 'We will never play that bad again.' One game later, he is so far correct, but not nearly as much as Memphis needed in another double-digit Thunder win. Shai Gilegous-Alexander had 27 points, Jalen Williams had 24 points and Chet Holmgren had 20 points (plus 11 rebounds and five blocks) in another runaway OKC win. The best that can be said for Memphis is they prevented it from being worse. Grizzlies exit Paycom Center with dignity somewhat intact Tuesday's game looked like it was heading toward another historic beatdown, with OKC up by 23 in the second quarter, but the Grizzlies managed to look like a real playoff team in the third, which they won 27-20. It's really not a great sign that we're talking about how the Grizzlies finally looked competitive after seven quarters of basketball, but there's not much that can be said about a team facing the Thunder. When OKC is playing its signature defense, harassing the competition at all three levels and committing seven turnovers total on offense, it is borderline mathematically impossible to beat them. The Grizzlies showed life, and then the Thunder opened the fourth quarter on a 14-2 run to snuff it out. Maybe the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Clippers will do better next round. Alex Caruso remains a menace The Thunder's trade for the veteran guard last offseason felt something like a hat on a hat, but it's pretty apparent the Thunder believe you can never have too many standout defenders. Caruso lived up to that billing Tuesday, smothering every perimeter threat that came near him. The Thunder outscored the Grizzlies by 18 points with him on the floor, the best of any player in Game 2. Alex Caruso first half highlights this man has zero chill — Steph Noh (@StephNoh) April 23, 2025 With 13 points off the bench, plus four rebounds and three assists, Caruso was the kind of two-way asset every playoff team needs. Of course, the Thunder are full of those. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday night (9:30 p.m. ET | TNT) in Memphis. Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85 Going off the box score, it was a runaway 94-85 win Tuesday night for the Los Angeles Lakers. And yet, they still have plenty to work on. The host Lakers took Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves — thanks to a near triple-double from Luka Dončić — to even the first-round series as it heads to the Twin Cities. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday at the Target Center at 9:30 p.m. ET. Dončić shot 9-of-20 from the floor but hit all 11 of his free throws and added 12 rebounds and nine assists. Vibes were definitely off for Lakers (and Timberwolves) The Lakers took a double-digit lead in the first quarter and maintained a lead of at least nine points for the rest of the game, but it was paradoxically a frustrating game, one that left head coach JJ Redick cursing his team out in the third quarter as the Timberwolves tried to make it a game. The Lakers once again got very little from their bench — Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent supplied all the non-starter production with 13 total points — but it didn't matter Tuesday because Minnesota shot so poorly. Los Angeles overwhelmed Minnesota on defense, with LeBron James leading a renewed effort at the point of attack and on the 3-point line. And on offense, James and Luka Dončić combined for 52 points, 23 rebounds and 16 assists. The Lakers got the matchups they wanted, most notably Dončić against Rudy Gobert on the perimeter, but their strategy eventually encountered diminishing returns as the Timberwolves adjusted and shook off some foul trouble. Fortunately, LeBron James can paper over a lot of mistakes. LEBRON BIG STEAL & BUCKET LATE IN THE 4TH 👑 — NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2025 The game was anything but beautiful It was overall an ugly game, with the two teams combining to go 11-of-54 from 3-point range with 46 fouls (and 45 free-throw attempts). Minnesota had multiple chances to make L.A. really sweat in the fourth quarter, but its only consistent player of the night was Julius Randle, who scored 27 points. Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley, Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker combined to go 5-of-26 from the field. Even Anthony Edwards was a bit off, scoring 25 points on 10-of-22 shooting. Neither coach seemed happy with his team during the contest, but the Lakers at least got the win. The question now is if L.A. can find a more free-flowing game in front of a hostile crowd in Minnesota.
Indianapolis Star
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
'You hate to see that happen': Pacers send love to Damian Lillard after heartbreaking injury
MILWAUKEE -- Point guards Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard have been jawing back and forth throughout the Pacers' series with the Bucks and things have been a little testy on the court between them since Haliburton used Lillard's Dame Time celebration in the Pacers' win over the Bucks in the In-Season Tournament semifinals in December of 2023. However, Haliburton and the Pacers in general were still crushed to see Lillard go down in the first quarter of Sunday's Game 4 with a lower left leg injury feared to be an Achilles tendon tear that would not only end his season but cost him much of next season. Lillard had to be helped off the floor and did not return and he was seen after the game in the event level hallways of Fiserv Forum on crutches and a walking boot on his left foot. Haliburton, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle and center Myles Turner each began their respective press conferences after the Pacers' 129-103 win by showing respect and admiration for Lillard. It was especially crushing news after Lillard returned from deep vein thrombosis -- a condition in which blood clots form in veins -- earlier this series after he missed a month of action. "Before any questions I just want to send my thoughts and prayers to Dame," Haliburton said. "What you see between us is competing. You hate to see that happen, especially to a guy who has gone through a lot and has given it his all to come out and play after scary health issues. It's well-documented the love I have for that guy. You hate to see that happen to anybody. I wish him the best." Turner hasn't gone through as much of a direct back-and-forth with Lillard as they play different positions, but Turner said he still has a lot of admiration for Lillard. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "I want to give my love and respect to Damian Lillard," Turner said. "I think it's a tragic thing that happened. This time of the year, I think everybody gets so caught up in all the antics and the playoff rivalry and all that type of stuff. At the end of the day, this league's a brotherhood, man. There's only 450 of us. He's always been one of my favorite competitors since I've been in this league. I know he has a rough road ahead. I just personally wanted to send that out there, just thoughts and prayers. You just never want to see anything like that happen no matter how competitive these playoffs get." Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has had to coach against Lillard more than either Haliburton or Turner have had to play against him as Carlisle's Mavericks had to go head-to-head frequently in the Western Conference before Carlisle came to Indiana in 2021 and Lillard was traded to the Bucks before the 2023-24 season. Lillard is a nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA pick and the fourth leading 3-point shooter in NBA history. Carlisle has called him a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and key part of the evolution of the game. "I have such great respect for him competing all those years in the West and then the last couple of years," Carlisle said. "It's just very solemn news. Thoughts and prayers."
