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Fox Sports
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
NBA Draft Lottery takeaways: Mavericks stun, Spurs have options, 76ers cash in
It was as stunning as it was wild and unpredictable all rolled into one. On Monday night in Chicago, Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks received an unimaginable gift from the basketball gods. A get-out-of-jail-free card. A second chance to right the ship after their decision to move on from Luka Dončić and trade him to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis, in what has already been determined an all-time swing-and-a-miss by Dallas for a variety of reasons. It is still surreal to say this: the Mavericks, with a 1.8% chance to come out with the No. 1 pick in the draft, won the lottery and made themselves hundreds of millions of dollars in the process because they now get to select Cooper Flagg. It marked the fourth-lowest percentage chance of reeling in the top pick since the draft lottery was implemented in 1985, when the Knicks won the No. 1 selection and Patrick Ewing. Everything surrounding the Mavericks organization was the definition of negativity. After Harrison made a trade that was collectively criticized, to say he " didn't quite know " how important Doncic was to the Dallas fan base made it far worse for the brass across the franchise. Well, here's a newsflash: the 18-year-old Flagg could mean as much as anybody to wear the Mavericks jersey. The 6-foot-9 forward can do it all on both ends of the floor, playing like a guard and impacting his teammates in a variety of ways, starting with his outstanding defensive skill set. His floor? In my mind, it's that he's just a very good NBA player. But the fact that Dallas won this lottery is utterly absurd. The Mavericks were staring at organizational hell and apathy from their fan base as a middling Western Conference team. Instead, the blend of Flagg with some star power gives this lineup some real possibilities: Before getting to four other takeaways from draft night, the Mavs winning the lottery also provides the latest example that there are really zero guarantees to tanking in the NBA, and that the league's worst teams haven't cashed in on lottery night. The Utah Jazz, who went 17-65, won't even be picking in the top three of this draft. In fact, it marked the third straight year that the Association's worst team will be selecting fifth on draft night. The Hornets and Wizards, who equaled the Jazz with a 14% chance to land the top selection, are picking fourth and sixth selectively. In this set-up, tanking is not rewarded like we see in the NFL. It certainly provides more thrills on lottery night, but for those franchises outside the top three who are starving to turn things around, it's a difficult pill to swallow. Here are four more takeaways from draft lottery night. The draft begins at No. 2 and the San Antonio Spurs have no shortage of options at their disposal. Think about the state of the organization: The Spurs collected their most wins since the 2018-19 season with Victor Wembanyama averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists with an NBA-leading 3.8 blocks per game. Had he not been shut down in February, he would have claimed defensive player of the year and we would have gotten to see Wemby with 2023 All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox more often. While Wemby's status for next season is up in the air due to blood clotting in his right shoulder, provided he is healthy, San Antonio has a great ceiling with Fox, Devin Vassell and this season's NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle. When it came up that San Antonio would be picking No. 2 overall, two years after selecting Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick, it really puts the Spurs in a position to either get the second-best player in this draft class or do something that carries value in this stacked class of high-level college talent: trade the pick. Would San Antonio want to draft Rutgers guard Dylan Harper and put him in a backcourt that already has several roles defined? What about 6-foot-10 Ace Bailey, who is a tremendous shooter and carries significant upside with his length, versatility and guard skills at his size? It feels like San Antonio, which did give up four first-round picks for Fox at the deadline but possesses six firsts in the next eight years, could trade out of No. 2, get more capital and move down a couple of slots to select Khaman Maluach from Duke or Derik Queen from Maryland. This pick is also ammo in the event San Antonio wants to explore acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee, after it was reported Monday that the Bucks superstar is open to moving teams . The ball is in Spurs general manager Brian Wright's court, in another critical decision for the organization's trajectory. There was a stroke of luck for Philadelphia sports fans on Monday night. The 76ers will have the third pick in the draft. With a top-six protected pick after the 2020 trade that sent Al Horford to the Thunder and brought Danny Green to Philadelphia, the Sixers are obviously a big winner from lottery night, as they get to keep the pick and it's the No. 3 selection. This team needs that pick. When 77% of your payroll is taken up by Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, you need a pick as valuable as the third slot in the draft. At the end of the day, Philadelphia needs Embiid and George to be healthy for them to get back on track after their offseason championship of last year did not translate when the ball was tipped. But, finding another wing or big man for the rotation should be the way they go if they keep the pick. I would not be surprised if we see either Kon Knueppel or Maluach from Duke go in this slot. The Jazz and Wizards are in a critical offseason for their future and will be selecting fifth and sixth in this draft. Utah and Washington, D.C. fans, I know you wanted to be the first pick in this draft, but this class has the talent to change your franchise. With a combined 10 first-rounders through 2032 for the Washington Wizards and multiple first-rounders for the Utah Jazz, the time is now for them to start drafting well and build this thing up. I would expect we see Texas one-and-done star Tre Johnson on the radar here, as well as Baylor product VJ Edgecombe, Knueppel, or even Carter Bryant out of Arizona. Will we see these teams go after bucket-getters or elect for the interior? Buckle up. To think that the Nets went 26-56 and are picking at No. 8 in the draft is nothing short of tough for Brooklyn. They also should be active during the offseason as the only team in the NBA with over $40 million in cap space, not to mention the player movement and the drama within this sport. With the eighth pick, Brooklyn could have the likes of Jeremiah Fears from Oklahoma, Jase Richardson from Michigan State or even Knueppel from Duke. We know one thing for certain: the Nets need offense after ranking 28th in the NBA in efficiency this past season and 26th in 3-point field goal percentage. If Knueppel is around, I could see them going his route or, if not, perhaps a ball-handling guard that they really like, whether that's Fears, Johnson or Kasparas Jakucionis. 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
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors' Draymond Green named 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist
Warriors' Draymond Green named 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Warriors forward Draymond Green is one of three finalists for the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Advertisement Green is vying for his second career DPOY honor. Atlanta Hawks wing Dyson Daniels and Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley join Green as DPOY finalists. The announcement was made on TNT's 'Inside the NBA' pregame show on Sunday, ahead of the Cavaliers' first-round playoff game against the Miami Heat. Green averaged 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while finishing with a 108.8 defensive rating in 68 games this season. But Daniels averaged an NBA-leading 3.0 steals in 76 games, establishing himself as a defensive game-changer. Mobley had his breakout season as the Cavs secured the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed. The fourth-year big man averaged 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals in 71 games. Advertisement Green is aching for a second DPOY Award and he recently spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole and Kerith Burke about what winning it again would mean to him. 'It would mean the world to me; you know I pride myself on the defensive end,' Green told Poole and Burke in late March. 'I think to be acknowledged as the best defender in this league is no small feat. It's something that, I never pride myself on winning awards, but they never hurt the ego and they don't hurt the pockets. But most importantly, even more so than that, I think all the hard work you put in to try and stay at an elite level, and to be recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year at 35, eight years after first doing it, it takes a lot of work and a lot of effort to have that type of longevity.' At 35, Green knows he faces an uphill battle against the NBA's younger talent, like Daniels and Mobley. 'To even be mentioned in that conversation, to me, is special,' Green told Poole and Burke. 'Obviously, I want to win it, but it's not something that's totally in my control … When I started to see my name pop up in the conversation, I was like, 'Wow, I really have a chance to do this.' Advertisement 'And I came into this season, for the last couple years I've been kind of priding myself on that. Like, 'I want to win another one. I want to win another one.' But obviously you have to have success as a team and just to find that success, put myself in the conversation. At worst, I want to make [All-Defensive First Team] and if I can put myself in the conversation to be DPOY, I think that would be crazier than winning the first one.' In addition to his one DPOY win, Green has seven top-10 finishes, and he's hoping that number doesn't climb to eight. Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
CBS News
13-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Timberwolves secure playoff spot with 116-105 win over Jazz behind 43 points from Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards had 18 of his 43 points in the third quarter to help the Minnesota Timberwolves pull away from the Utah Jazz for a 116-105 victory on Sunday to secure a spot in the playoffs and stay out of the play-in games. Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 18 rebounds and Donte DiVincenzo added 16 points for the Timberwolves (49-33), who guaranteed themselves a top-six finish in the Western Conference. Edwards initially faced a suspension for this game for a technical foul on Friday that would've given him an NBA -high 18 this season, but the league rescinded that penalty after a review. Edwards went 7 for 18 from deep to finish with an NBA-leading 320 made 3-pointers. Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points for the Jazz (17-65), who finished with the worst record in the NBA and the worst mark in franchise history by six games. Jazz: Finishing last in the league for the best position in the draft lottery was made easier with 10 players held out. Washington's buzzer-beating shot to win at Miami ensured Utah had the worst record to itself. Timberwolves: Their 17-4 record since the start of March is the third-best in the NBA behind Boston and Oklahoma City. Despite some rocky stretches and inexplicable losses, this team is fully healthy and confident entering the postseason. The Timberwolves were trailing when Nickeil Alexander-Walker stole a pass in the backcourt to start a fast break. A drop pass to Gobert for a two-hand dunk gave the Timberwolves a 50-49 lead in the closing seconds of the first half. Edwards beat Detroit's Malik Beasley, his former teammate, by one made 3-pointer. Beasley shot 41.6% and Edwards 39.5% for the season. Utah will have a 14% chance of drawing the first pick in the draft when the lottery is held on May 12. Minnesota's first playoff game will be on the road on Saturday or Sunday.
Associated Press
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Timberwolves secure playoff spot with 116-105 win over Jazz behind 43 points from Anthony Edwards
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 18 of his 43 points in the third quarter to help the Minnesota Timberwolves pull away from the Utah Jazz for a 116-105 victory on Sunday to secure a spot in the playoffs and stay out of the play-in games. Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 18 rebounds and Donte DiVincenzo added 16 points for the Timberwolves (49-33), who guaranteed themselves a top-six finish in the Western Conference. Edwards initially faced a suspension for this game for a technical foul on Friday that would've given him an NBA -high 18 this season, but the league rescinded that penalty after a review. Edwards went 7 for 18 from deep to finish with an NBA-leading 320 made 3-pointers. Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points for the Jazz (17-65), who finished with the worst record in the NBA and the worst mark in franchise history by six games. Takeaways Jazz: Finishing last in the league for the best position in the draft lottery was made easier with 10 players held out. Washington's buzzer-beating shot to win at Miami ensured Utah had the worst record to itself. Timberwolves: Their 17-4 record since the start of March is the third-best in the NBA behind Boston and Oklahoma City. Despite some rocky stretches and inexplicable losses, this team is fully healthy and confident entering the postseason. Key moment The Timberwolves were trailing when Nickeil Alexander-Walker stole a pass in the backcourt to start a fast break. A drop pass to Gobert for a two-hand dunk gave the Timberwolves a 50-49 lead in the closing seconds of the first half. Key stat Edwards beat Detroit's Malik Beasley, his former teammate, by one made 3-pointer. Beasley shot 41.6% and Edwards 39.5% for the season. Up next Utah will have a 14% chance of drawing the first pick in the draft when the lottery is held on May 12. Minnesota's first playoff game will be on the road on Saturday or Sunday. ___ AP NBA:
Reuters
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Nuggets begin post-Malone era trying not to fall apart vs. Kings
April 10 - Following Tuesday's stunning removal of head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, the Denver Nuggets are on the road Wednesday to face the Sacramento Kings with interim coach David Adelman overseeing the final three games of their regular season. A four-game losing streak dropped Denver (47-32) into a six-team tangle of Western Conference teams vying to either land home-court advantage in the upcoming playoffs or avoid the play-in round. The Nuggets began their earth-shattering Tuesday 1 1/2 games behind the third-place Los Angeles Lakers, pending the Lakers' matchup with NBA-leading Oklahoma City. Denver sat a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota and Memphis. Denver is the second team in the West's playoff muddle to fire its coach down the stretch. Memphis, one of the Nuggets' final two regular-season opponents, relieved Taylor Jenkins of his duties March 28. Malone's dismissal comes just two years removed from Denver appearing in and winning its only NBA Finals. His 471 wins with the Nuggets are the most in franchise history. Adelman, a Nuggets assistant since 2017, is taking on his first head-coaching duties since leading Lincoln High School in Portland, Ore., to a city championship in 2011. "This decision was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully," Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, said in a statement. "We do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver." The pursuit of playoff positioning down the stretch already faced uncertainty for the Nuggets, with Jamal Murray sidelined until at least the start of the playoffs with a hamstring injury. Denver was without Murray for all four losses in its ongoing skid. Christian Braun scored 30 points in a 125-120 loss to Indiana on Sunday. Braun stressed his role in the Nuggets finding their footing to avoid the play-in. "The locker room knows," Braun said. "It's on me to make sure we're ready before we run out, that we're ready when we step on the court, and that throughout the game, somebody's got to be talking to them." Amid the team's turmoil, center Nikola Jokic is pursuing the fourth Most Valuable Player award of his career, which would match LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain. Jokic is also on pace to join Oscar Robertson and current Denver teammate Russell Westbrook as the only players to average a triple-double in a season. Jokic is posting 30.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game following a recent stretch that includes a 61-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist effort vs. Minnesota; and 41 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists vs. Indiana. Sacramento (39-40) looks to contain Jokic and continue Denver's disarray Wednesday, while also aiming to solidify its place in the play-in. The Kings lead Dallas by a game for ninth place through Monday after they rallied in the second half to beat the playoff-bound Detroit Pistons, 127-117. The comeback from a 10-point halftime deficit gave the Kings a 3-3 finish to their final road trip of the season, all three wins coming in a row. Zach LaVine heads into Wednesday's game having scored 80 combined points over the Kings' last two, including a season-high 43 against Detroit. "When he gets a heater going, it's a different type of heater," Sacramento coach Doug Christie said of LaVine. "You just want him to touch the ball every time." When the Kings last saw the Nuggets on Jan. 23, Sacramento had not yet acquired LaVine. The three-team deal in February that sent De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio and brought LaVine in from Chicago, reuniting him in the backcourt with DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is coming off a 37-point performance on Monday. Sacramento faces its own backcourt uncertainty after losing Malik Monk early in the win at Detroit. Monk was ruled out of Wednesday's game due to left calf soreness, and ESPN reported he will be re-evaluated in two weeks because of the calf strain.
