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Washington Post
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
The Thunder play hard and play with physicality. But they won't lose by technical knockout
OKLAHOMA CITY — The worst display of bad behavior, at least in the NBA's eyes, exhibited by Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season happened on Jan. 12. Thunder teammate Alex Ducas made a 3-pointer with 2:55 left in a blowout win over Washington — the first points of his NBA career, a shot that happened right in front of the Oklahoma City bench. Gilgeous-Alexander jumped out of his seat in celebration and waved a towel. Problem was, the towel appeared to make contact with Washington's Jared Butler.
Associated Press
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
The Thunder play hard and play with physicality. But they won't lose by technical knockout
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The worst display of bad behavior, at least in the NBA's eyes, exhibited by Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season happened on Jan. 12. Thunder teammate Alex Ducas made a 3-pointer with 2:55 left in a blowout win over Washington — the first points of his NBA career, a shot that happened right in front of the Oklahoma City bench. Gilgeous-Alexander jumped out of his seat in celebration and waved a towel. Problem was, the towel appeared to make contact with Washington's Jared Butler. Oops. Technical foul. That less-than-egregious crime was the only technical foul called on Gilgeous-Alexander this season — and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Saturday that it wound up being rescinded, too. For a team that embraces physicality on defense, scores a ton of points on offense and isn't afraid to commit fouls — it is averaging 20.2 per game this season when including the playoffs, the fifth-highest rate in the NBA going into Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night — the Thunder simply do not cross the line. By the NBA's count, they have 18 technical fouls in the regular season and playoffs; that goes to 21 when adding in the NBA Cup championship game, which is considered an exhibition and doesn't go into the stats. 'First of all, I respect the officials. I think our team respects the officials,' Daigneault said. 'We understand that it's an imperfect job. It's not going to be perfect. They are trying to get it right. We really just try to focus on what we can control, not because of anything other than that's the best pathway to play your best and it's the best pathway to win. We have hopefully a culture of focusing on what we can control and blocking everything else out.' Of the 18 technical fouls on the Thunder in the regular season and playoffs, only nine were for interactions with referees. Gilgeous-Alexander almost didn't know how to react when he got the technical foul in Washington. In the first three years of his career, he got zero technicals. He had one in Year 4; it was eventually rescinded. By Gilgeous-Alexander's standards, he's been on a wave of misbehavior in the three years since. Gilgeous-Alexander has been hit with five technical fouls in the last three years — two in the 2022-23 regular season, two in last season's playoffs and then the towel wave that went awry this season. Over the last seven seasons, only Harrison Barnes and Jrue Holiday have played more minutes than Gilgeous-Alexander with fewer technicals. 'I was hotheaded as a kid,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'As I've grown, I've just understood that getting too high or getting too low, especially in competition, doesn't really help me, for sure. So, I try to be as even-keeled as possible.' The NBA said the Thunder have been called for three technicals in the playoffs, two by Isaiah Hartenstein and one by Chet Holmgren. Neither player had one during the regular season, and nobody on the Thunder had more than four. 'The way I see it, techs is points. I don't ever want to give a team points because I can't control my emotions,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'So, I control them. It's that simple to me.' ___ AP NBA:
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Player grades: Sixers battle, but fall short to Timberwolves at home
Player grades: Sixers battle, but fall short to Timberwolves at home PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers played host to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday continuing to play out the string. The Sixers are currently battling for lottery positioning while the Timberwolves are battling to get out of the play-in and earn a guaranteed playoff spot in the unforgiving Western Conference. The Sixers did their best to play spoiler on this night as they battled back from a double-digit deficit to take a lead in the third and fourth quarters. It was a terrific effort for Philadelphia when considering the circumstances, but the Wolves eventually earned a 114-109 win. Anthony Edwards had 37 points and was fantastic down the stretch for Minnesota. The Sixers received 28 points from Quentin Grimes, 16 points and eight assists from Jared Butler while Lonnie Walker IV added 18 points and five assists off the bench. Guerschon Yabusele had 19 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals while Adem Bona pulled down 10 rebounds. Here are the player grades following the loss: Jared Butler: A-minus Going up against a close friend in Mike Conley, Butler had some good moments. As always, he got the Sixers organized and got them into their sets on the offensive end and made some plays with his passing. He had a couple of nice moves to get into the paint with his own offense and he made some big buckets in the second half in order to get Philadelphia back into this one and eventually in front. He had an overall solid night against one of the better defenses he will face in the NBA. Quentin Grimes: A-minus It was a rare quiet night for Grimes. The Timberwolves are one of the top defensive teams in the league so it's always tough to score on them, and they paid a lot of attention to Grimes. Minnesota loaded up a lot against him and it limited Grimes' effectiveness which has been a tall task for many as of late. To his credit, he kept battling and eventually found a rhythm in the second half. He had a big stretch in the third and then drilled some tough triples in the fourth to keep the Sixers in the game. Justin Edwards: Incomplete It was a nice night for Edwards. The rookie is continuing to battle a bothersome left ankle issue while still dealing with the 'rookie wall' as he works his way through his maiden season in the NBA, but he played well against a tough Timberwolves team. He knocked down some tough shots offensively and had some good defensive moments. He was ruled out at halftime due to a rib contusion. Adem Bona: C-minus It was a foul-filled start for Bona. He picked up three in the first half alone and that limited both his time on the floor and his effectiveness when he did play as he didn't want to commit more fouls. Minnesota has some hulking, skilled big men so it used its advantage against him. He threw down a dunk in the second half to contribute offensively, but it was an overall tough night for him other than helping on the glass. Guerschon Yabusele: A-minus Yabusele was able to convert on his looks in the paint, but had his struggles from 3-point range. One has to believe that his right knee is continuing to bother him along with how many minutes he's played in the season. Either way, he had a fine night as he continues to be a constant for Philadelphia. A negative for Yabusele was the lack of size offered against Wolves big men Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid on the defensive end. However, offensively, he was tough to guard as he has a quick first step and can get to the basket. Overall, a mixed bag for him, but he did enough on offense to be a big help. Lonnie Walker IV: A The night for Walker started with him knocking down a couple of early 3s which is a good sign for him as he moves forward. He has such a quick first step and is able to get to the basket with ease. If he can add a 3-point shot to his arsenal, then he is going to be tough to stop for most defenders. He did some good things for Philadelphia on the offensive end as he was able to keep the scoreboard moving for a team that was missing plenty of key pieces in this one. Jalen Hood-Schifino: C-plus It wasn't a great night for Hood-Schifino. He had his struggles shooting the ball and was unable to get into the paint in this one. A big part of his game is his ability to put the ball on the floor and use his size, but he had his overall struggles in this one. There is still a lot to like about his game, but he needs a bounce back. Colin Castleton: C-plus The initial stint for Castleton was productive. He was efficient around the basket, helped on the glass, and made some plays with his passing. He still has a lot of work to do on the defensive end, but he has a nice offensive game. If he could add a 3-point shot, it would go a long way to him sticking in the league. Marcus Bagley: B-minus Signed to a second 10-day deal, Bagley received some early minutes in this one. He has an understanding of how to play so he has a chance to stick. Combine his IQ with his athleticism and there could be a future for him. He had some nice defensive plays in this one and was in the right spots on the offensive end to make an impact.
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jared Butler opens up on getting opportunity to play with Sixers
Jared Butler opens up on getting opportunity to play with Sixers PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers are in a position to let players who haven't had the opportunity to show their abilities have that chance at this stage of the season. Sitting at 23-51 and officially eliminated from playoff contention, the focus now is on development of young players and losing enough to be in position to keep their top 6 protected pick. Somebody like Jared Butler, for example, is getting the opportunity to showcase his skills at the point guard spot. As a Sixer, he's shooting 10.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 42.4% from the floor and 34.5% from deep in 20 games with 10 starts. After fighting to get into the league and not having guaranteed minutes, Butler is excited to have the opportunity to play on a regular basis for Philadelphia. "Yeah, it's been fantastic," Butler said on Saturday. "I don't think people underestimate, like, it's been four years, and it's like, my first time getting, like, straight up games where I know I'm going to play. Like, the fourth year? Somebody telling you just wait four years until you're gonna be able to play, get a real opportunity. It's a blessing, and I'm just glad I'm healthy and I'm able to play so I think it's good for my career." A big development for Butler as of late has been his 3-point shooting. Over his previous three games, he is shooting 11-for-18 from deep, including shooting 4-for-4 against the Miami Heat on Saturday. The fourth-year guard out of Baylor is continuing to put the work in so he can become that consistent 3-point shooter needed to be a rotational guard in the league. "The work has been consistent," Butler added. "It's mental. It's a combination of your body and, like, how your body's feeling and the shots you're shooting in the game, but nothing too preservative. I haven't done anything, but the mindset is look I gotta keep shooting or it's gonna be better and believing that I'm a good shooter." The Sixers will look to give Butler consistent rotation minutes in the final eight games of the season.
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Player grades: Sixers fall to Heat, eliminated from playoff contention
Player grades: Sixers fall to Heat, eliminated from playoff contention PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers played host to the Miami Heat on Saturday continuing to play out the string in the 2024-25 season. Once again missing so many players and facing a Heat team needing a win to solidify their play-in tournament positioning, it was another predictable result for the Sixers. The Heat used their size and physicality in order to wear the Sixers down late to walk away with a 118-95 win. Tyler Herro led Miami with 30 points and seven assists. The loss is Philadelphia's seventh straight and it also officially eliminated the Sixers from playoff contention as they will miss the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season. Quentin Grimes had 15 points and four rebounds for the Sixers while Jared Butler had 19 points and 10 assists. Ricky Council IV had 13 points, four assists, and six rebounds, Adem Bona had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Justin Edwards added 17. Here are the player grades following the loss: Jared Butler: A It was a solid offensive night for Butler. He started with a couple of triples and was able to run the two-man game with Bona in the half-court. There is a lot to like about Butler's game as this team's point guard due to his cerebral game and his understanding of how to run things. He was able to find seams in the defense and had a good back-and-forth battle with Heat guard, and former college teammate at Baylor, Davion Mitchell. Overall, he was efficient on the offensive end and was able to get his teammates involved as well. He had a terrific night. Quentin Grimes: C-plus Grimes was fantastic to start the night as he knocked down his first three triples including drawing a foul on one of his makes. He was aggressive with his offense—which is something the Sixers desperately need—and was able to convert to get the scoreboard moving for Philadelphia. After his hot start, he wasn't able to do much as Miami began to tighten up its defense and force others to beat them. Grimes still has a long way to go before he can take on the responsibility he has had recently. He turned the ball over a bit too much in this one. Justin Edwards: B-minus The Heat seemed to pay a lot of attention to Edwards in this one. He faced a lot of defensive pressure when he had the ball, but to his credit, he found a way to be effective. He knocked down an early triple and was able to get into the teeth of Miami's defense. He also made plays with his passing as he got teammates involved. As always, these reps he's getting are going to be super important for him as time moves on. Guerschon Yabusele: D The Dancing Bear had a tough time with Heat rookie Kel'el Ware who stands at 7-feet tall. There were a handful of times when Ware would just reach over Yabusele for easy offensive rebounds and the Heat didn't have much trouble converting in the paint. He wasn't able to do much on the offensive end either as he struggled with his free throws and was unable to get going in terms of his field goal shooting either. Adem Bona: A The night for Bona started with him throwing down a lob in the pick-and-roll game with Butler. His constant movement and activity seemed to bother the Heat at times in this one and he deserves a lot of credit for being able to make things happen for Philadelphia. He was in the paint on both ends and deterred a lot of Miami's drivers. As with Edwards, these reps he continues to get will help him take steps forward as player. Ricky Council IV: B The night for Council started off nicely. While he continues to struggle with his 3-point shot, he was able to get into the paint and draw attention from the Heat defense and make things happen. He was aggressive off the dribble and getting downhill which is what the Sixers have been begging for more of from him. However, he wasn't able to repeat his success after halftime as the Heat locked in on him. Lonnie Walker IV: B Getting back on the court after a concussion, Walker knocked down a triple immediately in his initial stint. He moved well on the perimeter on the defensive end and was able to make things happen by moving his feet well. His aggressiveness on the offensive end was a big help to the second unit in this one. Jalen Hood-Schifino: C The initial stint for Hood-Schifino wasn't great. Returning from an illness, he had a bad turnover on an inbounds pass and wasn't able to get anything going on the offensive end. He did knock down a pull-up jumper after halftime and made some plays with his passing. Marcus Bagley: C-plus In his initial stint, Bagley finished a slam and was helpful on the glass which is what the Sixers are looking for from their perimeter players. They need help rebounding and that's where the guards and wings have to step in and help in that regard. Phillip Wheeler: Incomplete Wheeler didn't get a look until late in this one and wasn't able to do much in his minutes. He did grab a rebound, however.
