Category: Trade & Rumors Ireland

Hornets defeat Heat in Sunday’s matinee

 

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the visiting Miami Heat on Sunday by a score of 122-117 to win back-to-back matches for just the third time this season.

 

LaMelo Ball got off to another poor start, connecting on just one of his opening five field goals. At approximately 1:38 into the second quarter, he exited the field and entered the locker room while holding a towel in his hand, although he did begin the second half.

 

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Ball’s offensive difficulties were filled by Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier, who combined for 30 points (15 each) on 11 of 15 field goal attempts. Rozier made an impressive finish to the opening frame by pulling up from the logo and placing a shot just before the buzzer.

 

The Hornets, who had been down for most of the game, finally found their range in the third quarter, making 6/10 three-pointers. In the final 4 minutes of the third, Charlotte went on a 19-5 run to grab the lead, 91-86, and PJ Washington, who had 15 points in the period, assisted by hitting three straight deep shots. Rozier once more raised the crowd to their feet by scoring a buzzer-beating basket, this time directly in front of the Miami bench.

 

Midway through the fourth, a Rozier basket gave Charlotte a 12-point lead. However, a 6-0 Miami run dropped the lead to four, forcing Steve Clifford to use a timeout to stop the rapid fire.

 

Miami reduced the difference to two points, but it was as close as they would come. Rozier won a jump ball, which Plumlee collected and slammed hard to the basket for a lay-in. Then, on the next play, LaMelo sank a three to increase the margin to eight.

 

The Hornets will now play three games on the road, starting on Tuesday at 8 p.m. against the Milwaukee Bucks. EST.

 

Warriors’ Stephen Curry throws moutpice, ejected after Poolse misses shot

 

The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies squared off on Wednesday in the most recent installment of one of the NBA’s heated rivalries. Still, Stephen Curry was barred from the action for the final 74 seconds of the exciting triumph following one of the strangest ejections you’ll ever witness.

 

Klay Thompson dropped a mid-range jumper that would have increased the Warriors’ lead to two with 1:23 left in the fourth quarter. Things started to spiral out of control when Donte DiVincenzo seized the offensive board and swiftly passed it to Jordan Poole.

 

 

Poole made a fast 3-pointer while Curry yelled for the ball. He failed. Curry furiously threw his mouthpiece towards the spectators, seemingly upset with Poole. He was promptly dismissed from the game by the officials.

 

This was Curry’s third career expulsion, and the first two were notable for similar reasons. Curry threw his mouthpiece in both cases. One was in the 2016 NBA Finals versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ironically, the previous matchup in 2017 involved these very Grizzlies.

 

Steve Kerr, the coach, remarked following the game, “He knows he can’t make that mistake again.”

 

Fortunately for the Warriors, Curry’s absence did not result in a loss in the contest. Despite the Grizzlies’ two attempts to tie the game, the Warriors ultimately prevailed thanks to Poole’s spectacular layup from an in-bounds pass with 0.0 seconds left on the clock.

 

Poole expressed his displeasure with kicking Curry out of the game. On the source broadcast, he remarked, “There’s no reason he should be kicked out in the final three minutes of the game.” Regardless of the result, the officials will come under intense scrutiny for their choice to disqualify Curry because he is one of the best players in history. The audience wants to see players like Curry on the field instead of seeing them sent out for momentary outbursts of emotion in a nationally broadcast game between two Western Conference rivals.

 

Toronto Raptors reportedly unmoved by a recent huge trade offer for star player

 

The Raptors enter their game against the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Friday five games below.500 and outside the playoff picture. Despite dealing with injuries to some of their greatest players this season, the team’s 22-27 record is still significantly worse than they had wanted to be at this stage.

 

There is a perception among league players that Toronto should be sellers at the NBA trade deadline on February 9 since the team is sputtering along in a season that could end with an appearance in the lottery. The Toronto Raptors might receive a respectable return for key players like Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakim, Gary Trent Jr., and OG Anunoby because of their high value throughout the league.

 

 

However, recent reports have stated that the team’s asking price for a few players is relatively high, and a current impressive offer was revealed in a new report that did not sway the front office.

 

OG Anunoby is one player that has drawn a lot of attention in the NBA. Throughout his first six seasons in the league, the 25-year-old defensive ace has steadily improved, and evaluators think he still has a lot of potential untapped. That is also something that the Toronto Raptors are fully aware of, which is why they are seeking a high price for him in a deal.

 

At least one team reportedly offered three first-round selections for Anunoby, according to NBA writer Bruce Arthur for the Toronto Star on Monday. Still, because he wasn’t traded, it’s clear it wasn’t enough compensation for the Raptors to part with the player, who still has two years left on his deal.

 

In contrast, the Utah Jazz acquired five future first-round picks from the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a historic trade for three-time All-Star and standout defender Rudy Gobert in the summer. The Englishman’s career in the league has not yet resulted in All-Star recognition.

 

Given that OG Anunoby won’t become a free agent until 2025 and that the Toronto Raptors won’t sell him for anything less than what the Jazz received for Gobert, it is evident that the Raptors believe they have leverage in any potential transaction.

 

Miami Heat unwilling to offer Martin for a deal with Suns for Jae Crowder

 

All season long, Jae Crowder has refused to take the court for the Phoenix Suns. He asked for a trade over the summer and has patiently waited for it to happen. The unfortunate thing for Crowder is that Phoenix has not been in any hurry to comply with his request. He has squandered the better part of a season, sitting about and doing nothing. It might be time for his fantasy to come true now that the trade deadline is in two weeks.

 

 

There will be a lot of clubs interested in Crowder’s services. He is a three-and-D role-playing PF who can lift any team making a run for the playoffs and blend in. When Miami Heat acquired him at the 2020 trade deadline, Heat Nation saw that. He started the game alongside Bam Adebayo and thrived in the Heat’s system.

 

On his way to an NBA Finals trip, he made big shots and contributed to spreading the floor. He accepted nearly every defensive matchup that was requested. Crowder blended in seamlessly and was crucial to the team’s success in the playoff bubble. Since the PF’s original desire for a trade, Pat Riley and the Heat brass have been associated with him.

 

Riley knows precisely what a player like him provides because he has been in this situation before. The interest is unquestionably there, as it has always been. The price Phoenix is asking for is the issue.

 

In exchange for Jae Crowder, the Phoenix Suns are looking for two of the following three things:

 

• First-round selection

• A great young athlete

A strong rotational player

 

That is undoubtedly too much to expect in exchange for a player’s services who still need to set foot on an NBA court this season. Crowder for Caleb Martin is one reported trade. If Martin is on the table, the Suns would be thrilled to make a deal like that, which would almost certainly ensure that Crowder signs with us. Miami, though, is not interested in that.

 

It makes it reasonable that Phoenix would need Martin’s assistance. He is comparable to Crowder because their stats this year with Martin compared to Crowder’s playing last season are practically equal. Martin scores 9.9 points a game, pulls 4.7 rebounds and makes 38% of his three-point attempts. Crowder recorded 9.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG in the 2021–2022 season.

 

I mentioned in an article I wrote a few weeks ago that Phoenix had made the Heat a “standing offer.”

 

Raptors flip the script on upstart kings, a big convincing win

 

The Toronto Raptors have practiced less hard this season in years.

 

Almost every free day has been packed this season with some scheduled workouts. They’ve tried almost everything to get out of this sprawling ghetto. They attempted something different on Tuesday. The Raptors gathered for a “closed-door” film session to review the video before heading on a seven-game, 13-day West Coast road trip. It wasn’t a film of any of Toronto’s constant defensive blunders this season. Instead, the Raptors reflected on what made them so remarkable last season.

 

 

Following the meeting, Thaddeus Young observed, “It demonstrated we were always in prepared, focus-mode, effort mode, and always willing to make the next play.” We must resume doing that, she said.

 

The Raptors defeated the Sacramento Kings 113-95 on Wednesday night by returning to their defensive-first identity. They did this by shutting down the league’s most potent attack.

 

Toronto looked connected on defense on Wednesday. They were producing plays that were lacking during the season, which must be exasperating for the organization’s decision-makers.

 

To start the second half, Scottie Barnes pickpocketed Harrison Barnes, which caused Pascal Siakam to soar for a changeover bucket at the opposite end. The Raptors went on a 20-4 run because the defense consistently produced tremendous attacking opportunities for Toronto. The third quarter saw Siakam score 14 of his team-high 26 points.

 

Domantas Sabonis struggled against Toronto’s overly aggressive defense, unlike so many other players this season, misplacing the ball a career-high nine times on Wednesday night. Midway in the third quarter, when a Siakam step-back jumper gave the Raptors a 20-point advantage, Fred VanVleet twice stripped Siakam in the paint while jarring the ball loose with his unwelcome hands.

 

With seven straight points to start the fourth quarter and 17 points for the night, Precious Achiuwa shut the door on the Kings. With two minutes left in regulation, the Kings replaced their starters after VanVleet had stripped De’Aaron Fox late in the fourth quarter. Siakam then sealed the victory with a basket.

 

When Toronto’s offense went nearly four minutes without scoring in the first quarter, the defense kept the Raptors in the game. Barnes eventually broke the skid by slamming a floater out of balance into the drive. After that, Fred VanVleet made a pair of difficult jumpers to keep Toronto within striking distance.

 

The Raptors’ second unit gave the starters eight critical minutes in the second quarter, much like it did against the Knicks on Sunday. Chris Boucher made a crucial rotation to start the game by slipping into the paint to block Chimezie Metu massively. Following that, he made two three-pointers to start the second quarter. He closed the quarter with 14 of his 16 points when Barnes found him in the paint on a no-look left-handed dish out of a pick-and-roll.

 

In contrast, Toronto’s Barnes excelled as the team’s starting point guard in the first half, giving VanVleet more time to recover. The sophomore, who had trouble handling the ball early in the season before the Raptors moved him to a more prominent center position, has made significant progress. There is a perfect likelihood that Barnes’ point guard role will expand as the season goes on because changes are probably coming, and Toronto’s two guards are the most likely trade prospects.

 

Warrior’s suffer tough Andrew Wiggins a late scratch against Grizzlies

 

The Golden State Warriors lost a starter just a few hours before their thrilling matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. Due to a non-COVID sickness, forward Andrew Wiggins, who had only recently made a comeback, was forced to leave the game.

 

It’s to be hoped that Wiggins is suffering from a minor illness rather than the one he had a few weeks ago. After missing 11 straight games due to an adductor strain, Wiggins was given the all-clear to play again on December 28. Unfortunately, he was struck by an illness that caused him to miss a record-breaking four straight games. We should all hope that won’t occur this time.

 

 

Considering how chilly Wiggins has been since rejoining the lineup, the Dubs won’t be too much affected by his absence. The 2022 All-Star starter has only averaged 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in seven games since returning to the squad. He has also shot just 34.0% from the field, 22.7% on three-pointers, and 56.3% from the line. Even still, the Warriors will miss Wiggins’ defense against Ja Morant, the Grizzlies’ outstanding point guard, at the point of attack.

 

Although the Warriors occasionally get weird and put Draymond Green on him, Wiggins would have likely been the primary assignment on Morant. Now, a large portion of that responsibility will probably fall on Klay Thompson, who is, thankfully, playing his best defense since making a comeback to the court a year ago.

 

James Wiseman is anticipated to return to action, while Wiggins will join Andre Iguodala as an injured player for the Dubs.

 

Heat big man Bam Adebayo show his emotion and slams all-star voting

 

In just a month away, NBA All-Star Weekend in Utah, Salt Lake City for the 2022–23 season is set.

 

Voters will need help navigating the 24 combined player rosters for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star Games, which include 12 players from each conference.

 

With only three frontcourt starting spots available, one of the top players in the East, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, and Joel Embiid, won’t start the All-Star game. The Western Conference experiences the same problem in the backcourt but to a lesser extent. There is a scenario in which Luka Doncic, another MVP contender in his own right, and Stephen Curry—who leads the West in voting despite missing most of the season due to injury—do not receive the starting nod over Ja Morant.

 

 

Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat is a guy who should be given All-Star consideration but couldn’t even make the top 10 frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference. Here are his remarks on fan voting, as provided by Miami Herald reporter Anthony Chiang.

 

Adebayo remarked, “I’ll leave fan vote to fan voting.” Certain men have no business being on that list—however, it’s fan voting. It would be best if you accepted that since the situation is what it is. I’m currently in a position where it depends on the Eastern coaches.”

 

Adebayo’s remarks highlight a marketing challenge for the brand and its fan base in addition to addressing the drawbacks of fan voting.

 

Sports media marketing is much simpler today than it was ten years ago when digital media first emerged on the scene. There are still ways for the 25-year-old star to make it, as fan voting is only part of the be-all and end-all for All-Star contenders. Only 50% of the votes for All-Star starters come from fan voting, and once the starters have been decided, the coaches choose the reserves.

 

Although there are a number of frontcourt players in the East who (probably) shouldn’t be ahead of Adebayo, like Kyle Kuzma, Nic Claxton, Paolo Banchero, and Julius Randle, who are all having excellent seasons,

 

That is not meant as a criticism of those players. Banchero is having a historically smooth rookie season, possibly the best since LeBron James, and is the undisputed frontrunner for rookie of the year. Kuzma is averaging 22-8-4 and could be a top-tier trade contender for any team needing a starting power forward (I). Claxton is having a phenomenal breakout year for a Brooklyn Nets team that has surged up the Eastern Conference standings after their disastrous start under former head coach Steve Nash.

 

That is not meant as a criticism of those players.

 

For a Brooklyn Nets team that has risen to the Eastern Conference standings despite their disastrous start under former head coach Steve Nash, Claxton is having a stunning breakout year.

 

Banchero is the overwhelming choice for rookie of the year thanks to his historically strong rookie campaign, which is the finest since LeBron James.

 

For any group searching for a starting power forward (I can think of one! ), Kuzma, who is averaging 22-8-4, might be a top-tier trade target.

 

Compared to his 2020–21 season, when he was selected as an All-Star and made the All–NBA team, Randle is undoubtedly enjoying a better season.

 

Miami would be destroyed without Adebayo, another guy having a tremendous statistical season—possibly the best of his career. He is shooting 54.0 percent from the field and 79.8 percent from the free-throw line, averaging a career-high 21.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, considerably exceeding his 15.9 points in 2019–20 when he made his first All-Star game.

 

According to Cleaning The Glass, Miami performs 9.9 points better per 100 possessions with Adebayo on the court as opposed to without him in non-garbage time scenarios. This number falls within the 93rd percentile of all bigs. The conversation around back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid has become much more interesting due to Adebayo’s statistical achievements.

 

From the standpoint of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, they are the two largest media markets in the US, with the former having the most devoted following in the entire league. Popular candidates, such as Austin Reaves, or well-known figures, such as Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, will get a lot of votes, whether or not they deserve it.

 

However, concerns will be raised if up-and-coming artists with fan bases in much smaller locations (such as Sacramento, Indiana) are outvoting Adebayo by two, three, or even four times.

 

Fair enough, the Heat’s social media crew tried desperately to get the word out about him and Tyler Herro. However, it didn’t influence enough of the fan base, which has occasionally been highly critical of Adebayo’s playing, or other people to vote for either of them. The Heat doesn’t play a less visually pleasing type of basketball, they keep all the drama that fuels the fire within, and they aren’t the most well-liked franchise nationwide.

 

Adebayo, however, is the straw that stirs the water for Miami, a top-6 seed with a record of 27-22. Above all, he has been the main factor in convincing basketball and Heat supporters to watch games every night. He is gradually but indeed, becoming the face of the franchise thanks to his continued aggression, playmaking, and unmatched in-space defense against every type of player.

 

Miami has dominated the national spotlight, and correctly so, because of Jimmy Butler. He is a tremendous talent who has supported Miami in crucial situations. Due to injuries, Butler has been sidelined 15 of Miami’s 49 games, but many other stars league-wide have also missed time, so it’s not all that shocking.

 

This team’s MVP for the season has been Adebayo, one of the NBA’s most underappreciated stars. He isn’t necessarily wrong when he claims that certain players shouldn’t be on the list. That’s also not a criticism towards the players that received votes for the top 10. Although it’s a popularity contest, and it’s not the end of the world if he doesn’t get in the top 10 of fan voting, there is cause for concern over the number of votes he received.

 

Since I’m leading the NBA in paint points and am a contributing factor in our success, I’ll be [upset] if they tell me someone else performed better than me this season, Adebayo remarked. “So, for me, fan voting is just fan voting. I’ll leave it alone. However, I feel more deserving of inclusion when coaches are casting their votes.

 

Warriors’ James Wiseman (ankle) possible rerturn in game against Grizzlies

 

James Wiseman contributed a rebounding and intense eight minutes of defense in the Golden State Warrior’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Christmas Day one month ago. He might have another chance on Wednesday night to take on the Grizzlies dynasty.

 

James Wiseman is expected to play in tomorrow’s Warriors vs. Memphis game. He has missed the last 11 games due to an ankle injury. Anthony Slater claims that Andre Iguodala has been released.

 

 

Even though the squad didn’t engage in a scrimmage on Tuesday, Wiseman participated in practice. After Jonathan Kuminga and JaMychal Green made their comebacks last week, he’s on track to give the Warriors practically a full-strength lineup for the rematch against Memphis.

 

Wiseman has been out for under a month after spending a month with Santa Cruz in the G League. He was playing approximately eight minutes per game when he wasn’t out, but more in routs, scoring a career-high 30 points against the Brooklyn Nets. Since his return, Wiseman improved as a rebounder and rim protector, but as has frequently happened in his three-year career, his development was hampered by injuries.

 

Wiseman has always looked a lot better when he has been able to get regular playing time, whether it is in the NBA or the G League. This is a straightforward analysis. To truly understand NBA basketball, he needs six monotonous weeks where he plays only 10-15 minutes every game.

 

Golden State needs more big men to give Draymond Green and Kevon Looney more time to recover and keep Anthony Lamb from becoming a one-trick pony. Although the Grizzlies shoot close to the basket more than virtually any other team, Wiseman was influential in the first game versus Memphis at discouraging players down low (33.9 attempts per game within five feet of the hoop). He should be allowed to prove his mettle against this club while defending the rim and forcing Steven Adams to work a little harder for his expected rebounds.

 

Wiseman might finally be a member of a successful Warriors squad if he can maintain his competent play. Or, at the very least, he could demonstrate enough by the trade deadline in two weeks that he is not a concern.

 

Heats overcome 14-point deficit to beat Celtics 98-95 Adebayo drops 30

 

The Heat overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat the Boston Celtics 98-95 on Tuesday night behind the performance of Bam Adebayo, who finished with 30 points, including the jump shot and 15 rebounds that gave Miami the lead for good with 20.4 seconds left.

 

For the Heat, Victor Oladipo scored 12 points; Max Strus scored 13 points; Haywood Highsmith had 15 points and ten rebounds.

 

The Heat, who drew the regular-season series with the Celtics 2-2, were helped by a 15-0 rally in the fourth quarter.

 

Jayson Tatum ended with 31 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists for the Celtics. Robert Williams III added 11 points, and Derrick White finished with 23.

 

 

With just over a second left, Tyler Herro intercepted a cross-court pass from Jayson Tatum, preventing Boston from tying or taking the lead.

 

Miami led by three after Highsmith’s free throw with 0.6 seconds remaining. Payton Pritchard’s immediate 30-footer missed as time ran out after Boston called time.

 

Williams scored an alley-oop slam with 8:47 remaining as Boston led 87-77. The Heat scored the following 15 points while the Celtics missed their next ten attempts, but Tatum’s three-point play with 2:19 remaining ended both of those runs and brought Boston within 92-90.

 

In addition to Malcolm Brogdon, who was absent due to personal reasons, Boston was without three potential starters in Al Horford (lower back stiffness), Jaylen Brown (right adductor), and Marcus Smart (right ankle).

 

Jimmy Butler missed the game for Miami because of a strained lower back.

 

By halftime, Tatum had scored 21, and the Celtics finished the half on an 11-0 run to grab a 58-50 lead. With 6:57 left in the second, Gabe Vincent’s 3-pointer gave Miami a 44-39 lead. However, the Heat missed 14 of their next 16 shots to conclude the half, with their only two baskets coming on layups.

 

In the second half, Boston’s lead would increase to 13, but Miami fought back.

 

Celtics: Tatum is third in the NBA in first-half scoring this year with an average of 15.3 points, only behind Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic. Boston lost on the second night of back-to-backs this season, dropping to 7-1. As of Tuesday, the only NBA team without a loss in those circumstances was the Celtics.

 

Heat: Butler had a season-long streak of 11 straight games played. Miami (27-22) is five games above.500, a season-high. For the Heat, Kyle Lowry had eight assists and five rebounds. Miami only committed eight turnovers, and Boston scored six points. The Heat scored 17 points due to the Celtics’ 17 errors.