Latest news with #Harden
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Anthony Edwards can best improve his game
How Anthony Edwards can best improve his game | The Kevin O'Connor Show Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor is joined by Andrew Sharp to discuss the Timberwolves guard's performance in the Western Conference Finals and what he needs to work on this offseason. Hear the full conversation on 'The Kevin O'Connor Show' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript With Ant, to me that's like we saw him grow, but I think with him you call him like a a a new age James Harden like style with the shooting during the regular season and all that. Advertisement He also is sometimes with just the way he stands around. That's what would freak me out. Yeah, I mean that, that happened a little bit in last year's Western Conference Finals and it's happened a couple times in the playoffs where I'll be watching the Wolves and I'm like. What is the deal here? Is this like a feel out game? Like, are you gonna start attacking? Because good things happen when Ant forces his way into the lane and forces the defense to collapse. Like the Wolves were getting good offense out of that. And so that's what needs to be a point of. Emphasis going forward. It is actually OK to mix in some pull-up 14 footers here and there because going back to Harden, Harden had those shots completely programmed out of him, and that really hurt him come playoff time. Advertisement And so, and, 23 years old, plenty of time, but that's definitely an area I would look at going forward. This series is over, like Minnesota's not gonna have a 3-1 comeback against OKC and this offseason needs to take two things. Hey, I need to learn to enjoy playmaking. He he needs to get better as a passer. He needs to not get disengaged when he's not scoring. He needs to find satisfaction in passing, but almost more importantly, I think, embrace playing off ball. He doesn't take enough catch and shoot 3s. 105 on dribble jumper threes in game 40 for 1 on a heap. Only one catch and shoot 3 point attempt for a guy who's made 52.9% of his catch and shoot 3s in the playoffs. Advertisement So this guy who is in a The shooter doesn't get enough easy shots off the catch because he's not moving and relocating off ball, he's not getting himself in a position for those shots. And also, it's not just shooting. The last time he scored on a cut to the rim was game 3 against the Warriors. Oh, like, come on, you're, you're an all-world athlete, you can finish lobs, you can, you're so explosive on your first step with with or without the ball in your hands. Cut to the rim, man, like he's too good to, to not be doing that, and I think those are the two things he's really gonna take from this year's playoffs, like last year, he improved as a shooter.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Derik Queen on the one NBA move he'd like to ‘download'
Derik Queen on the one NBA move he'd like to 'download' | The Kevin O'Connor Show Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor sits down with the former Maryland center to discuss what skill he would most want to take from a current NBA star. Hear the full conversation on 'The Kevin O'Connor Show' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript You could download a move from any player, current or former and install it into your game immediately, what would that specific move be? Advertisement Let me see, I by that, by that James Harden moved the twin twin guard, OK, yeah, OK, prime Harden, being able to get to that shot. OK, so you've always liked Harden then. What did you like about James Harden's game growing up? He, he was so like he was so nice like he, uh. Houston, um, he was winning in Houston. Uh, people say he, he didn't have the guys in Houston. Well, he, he, he made it far every year. MVP average, averaged 40, um, and, and, and, uh, and, um, in one month he was, um, he was killing, yeah, like 60, 40, yeah, like the lowest he score was 27, like 8 straight games or something like that and then like. Advertisement Like he's like, I just like nice players. He was unstoppable at one point offensively. I mean, I think like people criticize him for, you know, some lows in the playoffs and not winning in the postseason, but like he pushed the Warriors to the brink, like the juggernaut Warriors with Kay. Like they went deep into the postseason. They challenged the Warriors more than anybody did. Yeah, he actually should have won it, but they missed like 22 stretch and then another Chris Paul got hurt. I mean, it's like sometimes it's just, you know, poor fortune for you in the postseason. It just happens.
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Wild LaMelo Ball Prediction Could Completely Shift Power in Western Conference
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The NBA is currently in the midst of the postseason, but the offseason is quickly approaching. Once it does, there is going to be an arms race for teams to alter rosters in the hopes of competing for a title next season. More NBA news: Rich Paul Breaks Silence on LeBron James Remaining With Lakers One team that could play a big role in how the offseason shakes out is the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte has missed the postseason nine straight years, but they have a few players who could be on the move this summer. The Hornets are led by star LaMelo Ball, but the team hasn't gone anywhere. This has many around the league thinking that Ball could be traded this summer if the right deal presents itself. Well, Chicago Bulls star guard Lonzo, LaMelo's brother, gave a wild prediction on his brother, predicting that he would be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. "I lowkey got Dylan Harper going to the Hornets. And I got Melo going to the Clips." 🎙️ Lonzo Ball on @TheWAEShow: "I lowkey got Dylan Harper going to the Hornets. And I got Melo going to the Clips." 🤨 — r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) May 16, 2025 If LaMelo were traded to the Clippers, it would completely change the structure of power in the Western Conference. LaMelo had a career year before injuries took over, as he averaged 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Los Angeles was the No. 5 seed in the West this year and entered the postseason as a sleeper team for the NBA Finals. While the Clippers did get eliminated in the first round, adding a talent like LaMelo could change it all. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 30: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts in the second quarter during their game against the Toronto Raptors at Spectrum Center on October 30, 2024 in Charlotte, North... CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 30: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts in the second quarter during their game against the Toronto Raptors at Spectrum Center on October 30, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More Photo byPutting LaMelo alongside James Harden and Kawhi Leonard would give the Clippers a legitimate star trio. The biggest obstacle would be figuring out how to play with Harden and LaMelo both needing the ball. But the Clippers could also allow Harden to walk this summer since he can enter free agency. There have already been reports about Harden opting out of his deal with the Clippers. Read more: James Harden Reportedly Expected to Opt Out of Clippers Contract It remains to be seen how Los Angeles will handle Harden, but many expect him to return to the team after a successful year. The Clippers have multiple routes that they can explore this summer, but Lonzo may know something with this prediction. More NBA news: Timberwolves' Jaden McDaniels Offers Blunt Reason For Hard Fouls on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Knicks Have Major Silver Lining Despite 2-0 Deficit to Pacers Warriors General Manager Seemingly Hints at Plan For Jonathan Kuminga's Future For more Hornets, Clippers, and general NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
James Harden Expected to Opt Out of Clippers Contract: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After letting nine-time All-Star forward Paul George walk in free agency last summer, the L.A. Clippers shocked the world, enjoying a surprisingly robust 2024-25 season. The Clippers notched a 50-32 record and secured the Western Conference's No. 5 seed, ultimately falling in seven games to the Denver Nuggets in a hard-fought first round playoff series battle. It's about as positive a finish as the team could have reasonably expected, given how questionable things were looking heading into the year. Six-time All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard missed the start of the regular season with a lingering knee injury. Even when he did return to the fold in January, he looked a bit shaky. More L.A. Clippers News: Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Reacts to Return Following Severe Injury By the final month or so of the season, however, Leonard started to resemble his 2019 Finals MVP-era self, giving fans hope the team could make a playoff run. But the big three reasons the Clippers managed to win 50 games this past season stemmed from three other players: promoted shooting guard Norman Powell — who made a serious case for Comeback Player of the Year honors — starting center Ivica Zubac, and point guard James Harden. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets passes the ball against James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers during the first quarter in Game Six of the Western Conference First... INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets passes the ball against James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers during the first quarter in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome on May 01, 2025 in Inglewood, California. More Photo byHarden, in particular, looked better than he had in years during the regular season, now fully in command of the club's offense. Across 79 regular season bouts, the 11-time All-Star averaged 22.8 points on .410/.352/.874 shooting splits, 8.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds a night. The 6-foot-5 Arizona State product regular play has likely earned him a raise, although his erratic performance in the playoffs (par for the course for Harden) could temper just how lucrative that raise winds up being. Harden has a $36.3 million player option in 2025-26. In a new preview piece for the Clippers' offseason, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron unpacks what could be a major summer of change. Gozlan also recently hosted The Athletic's Clippers beat reporter, Law Murray, on his official podcast. On the pod, Gozlan and Murray revealed what the anticipated fate of Harden would be this summer. "As discussed on the podcast, Harden is expected to decline his player option and command some type of raise," writes Gozlan. "The Clippers probably want to align his contract with Kawhi Leonard's." More L.A. Clippers News: Ben Simmons Signing With Clippers Following Nets Buyout Leonard inked a three-year, $149.5 million contract extension with the Clippers during the 2023-24 season. The deal will expire after 2026-27, when Leonard will be 35. Harden will be 37 that season. "One structure that could make sense is a two-year deal in the $80 million range, maybe $90 million at the highest range," Gozlan opines. "A two-year, $80 million deal could start as low as $38.5 million on the first season." Harden once again struggled to score consistently in the postseason. He had an 11-point night (on 3-of-9 shooting) in a 131-115 Game 5 defeat. In a 120-101 closeout Game 7 loss to Denver, Harden scored just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field, although he did manage to dish out 13 assists and grab five rebounds. "Harden is already 36 years old [he's actually 35, but will be 36 before the 2025-26 season starts], so under the CBA, he cannot sign more than a three-year deal with other teams. However, 35 and 36-year-olds with Bird rights can still sign for up to four years with their previous teams. This opens up the possibility of both sides going three or four years, but any salaries beyond the second year are unlikely to be fully guaranteed." More L.A. Clippers News: Paul George Holds No 'Ill Will' Towards Fans After Treatment in Return to Los Angeles Kevin Durant, James Harden Lead All-Star Cast for NBA Docuseries Clippers 'Embarrassed' After Game 7 Meltdown vs Nuggets For the latest Clippers and NBA news, be sure to check out Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tahaad Pettiford Has Unexpected Answer For Best Player in NBA Question
The NBA is awaiting the next wave of stars as the 2025 NBA Draft is coming up in late June. Already, the Dallas Mavericks shocked the world when they were awarded the No. 1 overall pick. The San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers follow Dallas, as the worst three teams last season all fell out of the top three. Advertisement Some of the top players in college hoops were asked on who the best player in the NBA is as they prepare to enter the same stage. Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford revealed a shocking answer to the best player in the NBA currently, saying that James Harden is his No. 1 because "he's unstoppable." Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0).© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Expected answers from Florida Gators' Walter Clayton Jr., Duke Blue Devils and likely No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, and Rutgers' Ace Bailey all said Nikola Jokic was the best player in the NBA, while Bailey said that to him it's Kevin Durant. Harden is an interesting one for Pettiford to make, but maybe has something to do with the fact that they are both left-handed shooters. Advertisement To further this point, Pettiford and Harden in college shared incredibly similar shooting stats. Harden edges out Pettiford expectedly, but only by one percent in 3-point percentage (37.6% to 36.6%), while Pettiford gets the five percent edge on the free-throw line (80.4% to 75.5%). Since entering the NBA in 2009, the No. 3 overall pick has been named an NBA All Star 11 times, earning one MVP, seven All-NBA selections, and a three-time scoring champion. While it may be a stretch to currently call him the best player in the NBA, he is certainly one of the most prolific scorers. After losing to the Nuggets in seven games in the first round, Harden looks ahead to next year, and who knows, maybe Pettiford will get drafted and play alongside his 'best player in the NBA.' Related: NBA Makes Major Johni Broome Announcement Related: Chad Baker-Mazara Sends Strong 3-Word Message to Auburn After Transferring to USC
