Latest news with #DiVincenzo
Fox Sports
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 NBA, WNBA picks; predictions: Back OKC to cover first half in Game 5
I'm back with my best bets for Wednesday night. On the NBA side, it looks like the Western Conference finals series is pretty much over. So I've got a couple wagers that I like for that game. And now that the WNBA is in full swing, I've found at least one spot that I think is worth a look. Check out what I'm on for Wednesday's matchups. Timberwolves @ Thunder The series went to Minnesota with the Thunder up 2-0, and it now returns to Oklahoma City for Game 5 with the Thunder up 3-1. One more win for the Thunder and they are through to the NBA Finals. The Wolves played their best game of the postseason in Game 3 when they routed OKC. In Game 4, the Thunder controlled from first tip to final horn, even though it was just a single-possession win for them. I think the Thunder wrap up the series tonight, and I have a couple wagers I like around that thought. Oklahoma City -4.5 first half I expect the Wolves to attempt to start fast, knowing that this could be their final game of the season. Anthony Edwards didn't play well in Game 4, so expect him to force the pace early and attempt to get the Wolves out of the gate quickly. So even though I love wagering on the first quarter, that's not what I'm doing for this one. Instead, I will take the Thunder to win the first half, after they weather the Wolves' early energy. Once the Thunder settle into the game, they will look to put Minnesota away by halftime. The quicker they are able to end the game, the better. I'm also fading the Wolves' backups who will play in that stretch between the end of the first quarter and the first six minutes of the second quarter. Role players, like Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who combined for 55 points in Game 4, will not play as well on the road. That same group scored 56 combined points in the first two games of the series. So Minnesota will get off to a fast start and then OKC will withstand the early energy and pull away in the second quarter when the Wolves' backups are in the game. PICK: Oklahoma City (-4.5 FH) to lead by more than 4.5 points at halftime Donte DiVincenzo Over/Under 9.5 points Fading role players on the road after a monster home-scoring output is one of my favorite playoff angles. DiVincenzo was fantastic in Game 4. He scored 21 points while making five of his eight 3-pointers. It was the most points that he's scored in the postseason. His previous high was 13, and he's only been above nine points in three of the Wolves' 14 postseason games. DiVincenzo is 10-for-43 from 3 on the road in the postseason, while shooting 16-for-41 from 3 at home. He's coming off back-to-back games at home where he made seven of his 10 3-point attempts. I do not expect that to continue on the road in Game 5 based on his splits and the nature of role players in the league. PICK: Donte DiVicenzo Under 9.5 points scored Indiana Fever @ Washington Mystics Kiki Iriafen Over/Under 11.5 points The Fever's interior defense has been an issue this season and, through four games, they've allowed the opposing bigs to score points. In their first game, Angel Reese scored 12 points for the Sky. The first game against the Dream saw Brittney Griner score 21 points and Brionna Jones add 19. The second game against the Dream was better, with Jones scoring 15 and Griner scoring just five. Against the Liberty on Saturday, Jonquel Jones scored 26 points, shooting nearly 65% from the field. Iriafen is averaging nearly 14 points per game through her first five WNBA games and is off a game with just four field goal attempts after getting up at least 10 shot attempts in the first four contests. She will have a higher output of shot attempts tonight against the Fever. PICK: Kiki Iriafen Over 11.5 points scored Geoff Schwartz is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He started at right tackle for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection his senior year. Follow him on Twitter @ GeoffSchwartz . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - May 22, 2025
DiVincenzo recorded nine points (3-14 FG, 3-12 3Pt), one rebound, two assists, one block and two steals over 30 minutes during Tuesday's 114-88 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
Fox Sports
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves - May 14, 2025
DiVincenzo supplied nine points (2-7 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, three assists and one steal across 26 minutes during Monday's 117-110 win over the Warriors in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
San Francisco Chronicle
09-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
How Steph Curry helped Donte DiVincenzo take off: ‘He's just launching'
Donte DiVincenzo's career shooting statistics trace a striking arc, starting with his one season as a member of the Golden State Warriors. DiVincenzo always was a good 3-point shooter, dating to his college days at Villanova. He posted solid numbers in his first four years in the NBA, topping out at 346 long-distance attempts and 37.9% accuracy with Milwaukee in 2020-21. The next season, with the Warriors, he hoisted 378 shots from deep and his efficiency jumped to 39.7%. Last season, in an expanded role with New York, DiVincenzo let fly a career-high 705 times and made 40.1%. This season, despite missing 20 games with Minnesota, he took 438 shots beyond the arc and hit nearly 40%. So how did DiVincenzo's stop in San Francisco shape his journey? He watched Stephen Curry up close, for starters. DiVincenzo returns to the Bay Area on Saturday, when the Warriors and Timberwolves meet in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The crowd no doubt will welcome him back: DiVincenzo quickly became a fan favorite at Chase Center, mostly because of his perpetual hustle. Curry will miss his second consecutive game as he recovers from a strained hamstring. But his influence will be evident, not only on his own team but also in the way DiVincenzo approaches his role with Minnesota. He's spoken occasionally in the past two years about how much he learned playing alongside Curry in 2022-23. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr offered a specific theory this week when asked about the Curry-DiVincenzo dynamic. 'I'm only half-joking when I say this: Donte learned to shoot every time he's open,' Kerr said of Curry's impact. 'He was a little gun shy, honestly, when we got him. Just a little bit. I don't think he fully let loose. And meeting Steph and seeing his mentality … 'I thought after he left us and went to the Knicks, and now here (with Minnesota), he's just launching. And I think he should, he's a hell of a shooter and his 3s are momentum shots. I think he did learn that from Steph.' DiVincenzo came to the Warriors seeking to re-establish his value in the NBA. He was injured early in the 2021 playoffs, during Milwaukee's championship run, and then got traded to Sacramento in February 2022. The Kings surprised him by not extending a qualifying offer, prompting DiVincenzo to sign a two-year, $9.23 million contract with the Warriors, including a player option for the second year. As he hoped, DiVincenzo's one season with Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green reminded teams he can really play. DiVincenzo boosted his shooting numbers, showed off his all-around game and helped Golden State advance to the conference semifinals against the Lakers. Along the way, DiVincenzo connected with Curry in a meaningful way. 'We talked a lot,' DiVincenzo said this week. 'Not just about the craft of shooting but his mindset, his approach every single day. I took that more than all the little shooting tips. 'What he does shooting-wise you can't emulate. Just taking his day-to-day mindset and approach, applying it and working on my skills. … 'Steph has no secrets, but it's his focus level and attention to detail, taking care of his body and what he puts in his body, his routine, just everything. I learned a lot from him off the court during that year, and it applied on the court for sure.' The Warriors liked DiVincenzo, but they knew his production pushed him out of their price range. He declined his player option in June 2023, as expected, and signed a four-year contract with the Knicks worth nearly $47 million (after seeking guidance from Curry). DiVincenzo relentlessly launched shots with the Knicks, as Kerr put it, and became a central piece in the October 2024 deal bringing Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. DiVincenzo and Julius Randle went to Minnesota, where they teamed with Anthony Edwards to spark a late-season surge. Now, after eliminating the Lakers in five games, the Timberwolves find themselves tied 1-1 with the Warriors – and in a favorable position given Curry's absence. DiVincenzo struggled from 3-point land in Minnesota's first-round series, making only 6 of 31. He also went 1-for-7 in Game 1 against the Warriors. But he seemed to rediscover his touch Thursday night (3 of 8 from deep), as the T-wolves rolled to victory. His impact stretches beyond outside shooting, much as it did with the Warriors. 'Donte's off-ball IQ is very high,' Minnesota head coach Chris Finch. 'We're not quite as movement-based as Golden State, but you still need high-IQ guys who can play without the ball in their hands, and that's where Donte fits really well with us.' Curry has enjoyed his former teammate's rise to new heights with the Knicks and Timberwolves. 'It's been amazing to watch … to see him be part of playoff teams two years in a row,' Curry said. 'There's a reason he's in the rotation and a valuable resource for both those teams. He's a great player, a champ from what he did in college, and he's elevated his game.' DiVincenzo and Curry both talked about how much they were looking forward to competing against each other in this series. That lasted barely more than one quarter, until Curry came up limping in the first half of Game 1 on Tuesday night. This matchup still sparked a wave of Warriors-related questions for DiVincenzo earlier in the week. He reflected fondly on his season in San Francisco, which rejuvenated his career. And he also formed a lasting bond with Curry. 'He's the most normal person,' DiVincenzo said. 'I've been asked this many times: What did you learn? Honestly, it was just how to go about life. All the attention and praise he gets, you would never know Steph Curry is Steph Curry being around him. 'You're just hanging out with him, and you can talk about anything in life. He's relatable, because he's not the 6-9 freak athlete. He knows what he went through with his ankle injuries. He knows the normal side.'
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
LeBron James opens up about 'first knee injury' of his life and also hints at retirement
The Los Angeles Lakers ' season wrapped up with a disappointment. And the small losses aside, the biggest regret for the team's loyalists is the fact that another season just went by where LeBron James' prime has gone to waste as he had to move aside after sustaining a knee injury. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now LeBron suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee from his collision with DiVincenzo in Game 5, and during a recent appearance on a podcast, he revealed he hinted at his retirement. In fact, as per some rumours, James may become a free agent this summer, but retirement is also a possibility. The star has spoken extensively about this decision in recent offseasons, and it appears that the end of his career is approaching. LeBron James details first knee injury of his life, which made him miss the Met Gala This season, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, and many experts believe that the next season might even be his final. It's no secret that James' 2025 season was cut short due to a knee injury, which even made him skip the Met Gala. On the latest episode of the 'Mind the Game' podcast with Steve Nash, LeBron revealed something surprising. King James, as he's fondly known as admitted that this is the first knee injury of his life! "In my 22-year career, this is my first knee injury. I've had regular tendonitis, patella, all that stuff, but this is the first time I have had a sustained knee injury where you gotta get off your feet. You gotta be shelved for a minute," he said. He further explained, "I knew when the impact happened between me and DiVincenzo, my knee locked up. That's why I stayed on the ground. If the knee would release a little bit, but I knew right then and there with the pain that I had never felt before.. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now . My knee bent inward, and that's the MCL injury I picked up. The doc told me that it would take four to six weeks. I have four to six weeks now." "Even if we won Game 5, I would have missed 6 and 7, and even further. I have some time now to get it right and get back to full strength," he added. LeBron disclosed that he was prepared to wait until Friday for an MRI after sustaining the injury on Wednesday, but the pain he experienced upon waking on Thursday made him move up the imaging appointment. LeBron also mentioned retirement during the podcast and shared that he would make this decision with his family after the Lakers' final game of the season. "I haven't had the conversation with the family yet as far as me going forward or whatever the case may be," the 40-year-old said during Thursday's episode of Mind the Game with Steve Nash (35:25 mark). "But we'll see what happens."
