Luka Dončić put up a historic triple-double in the Dallas Mavericks’ thrilling 126-121 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old recorded a career-high 60 points and a career-high 21 rebounds to go with 10 assists, helping the Mavericks come from nine points down with just 33 seconds of regulation time remaining.
It is the first time in NBA history that a player has reached that stat line.
“I’m tired as hell,” Dončić said after the game. “I need a recovery beer.”
In the past 20 seasons, all 13,884 NBA teams that have trailed by at least nine points with 35 seconds or fewer remaining have gone on to lose the game, according to ESPN.
However, in a dramatic final play, Dončić intentionally missed a free throw and then secured the rebound, before scoring the putback to tie the game and force overtime.
The Slovenian star scored 10 points in the final minute of regulation time and added seven more in overtime to pull off the most improbable of wins.
Dončić also joins James Harden as the only other player in NBA history to score a 60-point triple-double, and also becomes just the sixth player to record six or more 40-point triple-doubles after Oscar Robertson, Harden, Russell Westbrook, Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James.
“We just saw it on the screen right now,” Dončić said of his scoring feat. “We were watching NBA TV. I mean, it’s just incredible to be in those comparisons and just to be with those guys, at any stage. It’s amazing for me.”
Dončić’s 60 points also set a new franchise scoring record for Dallas, overtaking the 53 points scored by Dirk Nowitzki against Houston in 2004.
“Just with age, he has a birthday coming up here in the new year, I think he’s seen it all at the age of 23,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Dončić becoming a leader. “But just his competitiveness to win is at a very high level – and you saw that displayed tonight.
“Things weren’t going well. Give the Knicks credit, they were making a lot of threes that we didn’t think were possible. They were playing harder. We were down 10. We’ve been in this position earlier in the season, when you talk about giving up a lead or giving up a game like this.
“Just to be able to stay together and trust, Luka had a big part in that. He never was discouraged that the game was over. As you can see, he’s picking up full-court, we had a big jump ball. There’s a lot of things we’ve learned from our losses in close games like this.”
The Mavericks improve to 19-16 on the season and climb to sixth in the Western Conference, while the Knicks have now lost four straight to sit sixth in the East.
LAS VEGAS — Usually the G League Winter Showcase marks a beginning point for a big chunk of the NBA’s trade conversations. Even in our networked/texting/Zooming world, face time matters. Nearly every exec in the league spends at least a day here hobnobbing.
Front office members and staffers see each other at the two courts where the event is held, and perhaps at the bar at the end of a long day, too, since virtually everyone is in the same hotel. Relaxed without the prying eyes of fans around, they trade bits of information and crop up conversations. Next thing you know, there’s a three-team, eight-player deal on the table. It still takes the urgency of the trade deadline in February to actually get these conversations to the finish line, but this week is often the catalyst.
This year has felt … different. The overarching theme is that things seemed quieter than usual.
“Quiet” isn’t the same thing as “dead,” of course, and flickers of trade market life could be detected if one looked closely enough. Teams spent the week kicking the tires on Chicago’s situation. Phoenix’s exiled Jae Crowder remains a target for several contenders. Oh, and have you heard Atlanta’s John Collins is available?
Nonetheless, the cold math remains: It’s tough to have buyers without any sellers, and there just aren’t many sellers right now. That may change as we get closer to the trade deadline and more teams see their preseason hopes collide with the realities of their rosters. Right now, however, the potentially interesting sellers are either straddling .500 or, in a few cases, clinging resolutely to the delusion that they can get there. Instead of actual trade talks, we’re left speculating about guys who might, maybe, at some point, want to be traded. Fun times.
Instead, it was a different transaction that got everyone’s attention this week.
Four billion dollars? Now that got people talking. That was the valuation Mat Ishbia agreed to this week in purchasing a controlling stake of the Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
It’s one thing when the LA Clippers go for billions, but Phoenix? A growing but transplant-heavy market, with a tired arena and lots of pro and college sports competition? That’s news. In October, Forbes rated the Suns the 13th-most valuable NBA property, at a value of $2.7 billion. Ishbia went much higher than that.
The sale of the Suns and Mercury should have a big impact on NBA business in two areas. First of all, it could precipitate moves in other markets. The working presumption by many insiders is that we would see a raft of sales after the new collective bargaining agreement and next TV deal are finalized, since secure labor peace and a potential TV money bonanza would likely increase valuations. (As would expansion fees that might happen concurrently, but more on that below.)
However, economists who believe in efficient market theory would tell you this knowledge should already be baked into bidders’ valuations. The Suns’ sale seems to be a perfect example. At first glance, it seems like a wild overvaluation, but it makes a lot more sense if one is looking at the post-2026 market.
So the question becomes: What other owners might realize that they don’t need to wait and can cash out right away? Certainly, Portland comes to mind. There may be other reasons for Paul Allen’s estate to wait a while longer, but getting a price in the $3 billion to $4 billion range right now could easily trump them.
Similarly, Michael Jordan in Charlotte has been whispered about for ages as a potential seller. Though the Hornets haven’t exactly set the league afire, he bought the team for relative peanuts in 2010 (a reported net price of $175 million) and would make a mint on a sale, perhaps 10 times what he paid. New Orleans is another franchise that many insiders mention as a sale candidate, although the search for a local buyer could stymie a transaction. Those are the known knowns, in Rumsfeld-speak.
But what about the known unknowns? Are there other owners who weren’t really thinking about selling a week ago, but now might suddenly be tempted if they can get a number like $4 billion?
And whither the T’wolves? The bizarre multi-installment sale from Glen Taylor to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore is still creaking along toward its Dec. 31, 2023 completion date, but should anything go amiss, Taylor could seemingly make a lot more money from another buyer. Needless to say, if the new dudes so much as misplace a comma in a document, Taylor is massively incentivized to nuke the deal and start over. The valuation on that Timberwolves sale was $1.6 billion, so Taylor might make an extra billion if the team went back on the market! Fortunately, this is the Minnesota Timberwolves, so nothing crazy like that could possibly happen.
However, even that pales in comparison to the other important piece of the Suns’ sale news: what it means for expansion.
The chances of the NBA returning to Seattle keep growing. (Joe Nicholson / USA Today)
Basically, it makes it seem almost inevitable that we’ll have two new teams within the next half decade. (Not breaking any news here, but every single person I asked thinks those teams will be in Seattle and Las Vegas. My personal crusade for Bali and Kauai appears to have gained little traction.)
If you want to understand why the Phoenix sale is so important to this, do the math. The biggest obstacle to expanding from 30 teams to 32 is not a lack of available markets in which to sell tickets or pipe in local TV broadcasts. It’s because they dilute the national TV money.
The league’s national TV deal has become an increasingly large portion of teams’ budgets, and that amount is only expected to rise in the next TV deal. Adding two new franchises dilutes each one’s share of that piece by roughly 1/16, and does so in perpetuity. That would be fine if adding teams grew the TV pie proportionately, but it doesn’t, because the NBA already has more games than ESPN and TNT can possibly air. Sure, they might get slightly higher ratings in Seattle and Las Vegas than many other cities, but that’s a barely noticeable blip on a national level.
The only thing offsetting the loss of national TV money is the expansion fee, which is shared by the 30 current owners. That fee, alas, is only paid once, and not year after year, and thus needs to be many multiples of the lost annual TV revenue for the league’s owners to come out ahead — and thus, presumably, vote in favor of expansion. This is why some of my spies were pouring cold water on expansion speculation: The financial math wasn’t guaranteed to pencil out for the 30 owners.
The exact break-even point is a complex calculation based on projections of future TV revenues, future interest rates and investment returns, an estimate of the expansion fee and what economists call the discount rate for the time value of money, accounting for the fact you’d rather have your money today than 10 years from now.
Instead, let me make some grossly simplifying assumptions to walk you through the exercise. I have an economics degree and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. This should go great.
The last TV deal was $24 billion over nine years. Let’s say the next one is $75 billion over nine years, which some have estimated.
Now, for some math. (Sorry). Divide by 30 and you have each team’s share of that package ($2.5 billion). Divide that number by nine and you have each team’s annual share ($277 million). That share, in turn, is diluted 1/16 by expansion. The dilution, then, is worth about $17.3 million annually. If an owner’s financial mandarins end up with a 10 percent annual discount on future revenues (this is a quasi-reasonable ballpark), they will want the expansion fee to be at least 10 times the diluted revenue to justify a yes vote.
And that is why an expansion fee in the $4 billion to $5 billion range is so important. It’s so much easier to pencil out the owners coming out ahead than if the fee were, say, in the $3 billion to $3.5 billion range.
Which, in turn, is much easier to imagine happening if an existing franchise just sold for $4 billion. Most observers I spoke with see a Vegas team as being of similar or slightly greater value than Phoenix, and a Seattle team as being worth considerably more. Suppose, for argument’s sake, it was $4 billion for Vegas and $5 billion for Seattle. That’s an instant $300 million windfall for every owner … and a roughly 17x ratio to the diluted TV money.
Yes, my math here involves sweeping assumptions and simplifications. Nonetheless, let’s exit the financial weeds here and conclude with the big-picture takeaway from this exercise. If the expansion fees were $3 billion, it would seem like a close call for the league’s owners to approve it.
If it’s at $4 billion? It’s a no-brainer.
The Knicks’ punishment for tampering with Jalen Brunson was as tame, as expected. (Brad Penner / USA Today)
Some other thoughts from the Showcase:
That’ll show ‘em, huh?
The other hot topic in league circles was the collective eye roll at the NBA’s decision to penalize the Knicks a 2025 second-round pick for tampering in signing Jalen Brunson. As many have already noted, giving up a second-rounder to sign a max-level free agent is a trade every team in the league would make in a nanosecond. Once you’re dealing with All-Stars and max players, there is no amount of second-round picks the league could penalize a team to disincentivize them.
On the flip side, league personnel I talked to recognized the impossibility of the league’s situation. The underlying issue isn’t that the Knicks (or Sixers, for that matter) cheated the letter of the rule this summer, but that the current rules on free agency are virtually unenforceable. There is only one rule most execs really care about: Tampering with a player whose team is still playing games remains an absolutely uncrossable red line, one that should be punished with a decades-long banishment to a dank, windowless cell, containing only a bed made of carpet from the visiting locker room in Oracle Arena and a big screen TV showing games from the 1998-99 lockout year.
As for jumping the July 1 deadline on contacting free agents by a few hours (or days, or weeks) …. whatevs. There are rules written on paper about audits and commandeering phones and whatnot, but nobody wants to actually do that.
In reality, the league’s de facto policy is “just don’t embarrass us.” Which is hard to write about, because we’ve become part of the problem.
News flash: Teams have been jumping the gun on free agency for years and years and years. The news just didn’t get out nearly as fast in the past. It worked in 2012. It doesn’t in 2022.
You can see the problem: The league doesn’t want news leaking of complicated sign-and-trades mere seconds into the alleged start of free agency, nor does it want breathless coverage of back-and-forth free agent negotiations on June 26. Well, good luck with that. Unless every social media outlet simultaneously fails while cutthroat reporters throttle back to Andrea Bargnani-esque tameness, it’s virtually impossible to keep the genie bottled.
The Elam ending factored prominently in the Showcase, even if the word Elam was never mentioned.
The G League has used it in overtime all year to generally positive reviews, requiring teams to score eight points rather than playing for a specified amount of time. That change got a thumbs-up from NBA personnel I spoke to, with the consensus being that NBA overtimes are too long right now and deflate drama from the end of the fourth quarter. The target score also eliminated the chance of multiple overtimes and the crazy player minute situations they can engender. The G League staffers all love it, too.
However, using it for the entire fourth quarter generated opposite reactions. Playing a fourth quarter with a “target” of 25 points more than the leading team’s score, rather than a set time, created a host of new issues. For starters, coaches were left guessing on substitutions without a clock to indicate how long players had played (or rested).
This was particularly true in lower-scoring games, a couple of which became interminable as teams struggled to hit the target score. And this was in today’s more open, offensive era! Imagine my Grizzlies playing, say, Utah in 2016, and try to figure out how long they’d need to play for one team to get to 25.
Secondarily, the target score produced some interesting strategy of its own. If your opponent is three points away from the target score, do you foul to eliminate losing on a 3-pointer? Concede a layup to do the same? (I saw a couple of teams in this situation hug all the shooters and leave gaping holes down Main Street). What about in a one-point game? Would any ref dare call defensive three seconds?
For those reasons, the Elam ending seems much more likely to gain eventual NBA-wide adoption in overtime than in regulation. Regardless, kudos to the league for continuing to use the G League as a lab to experiment with improvements to the game.
The NBA released its newest slate of City Edition jerseys, the ones teams will wear for the 2022-23 season. These uniforms, from jersey to shorts, usually carry some kind of thematic tie to the franchise’s home city.
The Athletic spoke to Jesse Alvarez, Nike’s product director of men’s basketball, to get a sense of how some of the most notable City Edition jerseys were designed and the details fans should look for when watching their teams play.
I want to start with the Spurs jersey. Can you walk me through the design and the inspiration for it?
Photo courtesy of the NBA.
The Spurs, I think, as a lot of people remember, have one of the most iconic All Star Game uniforms that we’ve done, just in the world of jersey culture. So you can see some pretty clear nods to that in terms of just the color and the vibe. That was really the focus for that one, to be able to tie that in. You asked about some of the details: I think the belt buckle ‘SA’ and the Spur logos on the belt hook was just like a really nice way to round out and add a subtle detail to highlight the All Star uniform that they’ve been synonymous with.
So I recognize the coloring for that when I’m looking at those jerseys. The Pistons ones are green, a color I don’t associate usually with Pistons colors. What happened there?
Detroit has an amazing story. One of the things about that story is St. Cecilia. So St. Cecilia is really a place where players used to go run and play pickup basketball. And so that color, the green, is inspired by the actual St. Cecilia. That, coupled with the iconic details of the short patch, you’ll actually see like a stained glass or a grab that’s inspired by the stained glass that shows up at St. Cecilia, with a 313 logo at the center of it just as a way to weave those stories together. The mantra of St. Cecilia was ‘Where stars are made, not born.’ So it just really packages that story all together to bring that to life.
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Did you guys send people there to kind of look through the gym and just walk through it?
Yeah, so we actually partner with the team, and so the team was over there. They’re sending us pictures, you name it. Anything that we needed, we got to be able to really bring that to life. Like with any uniform, really, it starts with the team. They know their fan bases the best. And so that’s where all those points of inspiration are coming from.
Photo courtesy of the NBA.
For you, do you have a favorite jersey?
You know, it’s funny, I was just telling someone it’s hard to have a favorite. Especially, they all feel like your kids. But I think, just right behind you, Chicago. I really like Chicago. I think how the municipal Y shows up in a number of different ways. And the symbology behind it, like uniting a city and how the Bulls at the center of the the Y on the side profile. I think this is a great representation of how a team is at the heart of a city. So Chicago is where I live.
I liked the color pattern on the Timberwolves one, but obviously it’s not something that’s associated with the Wolves. What is that about? What makes that unique?
One of the unique things about City Edition (jerseys) just in general, before I answer your question, is that with each story from an organization, they get to take it to wherever place they want to go. So Minnesota is known as being a creative hotspot for artists of all sorts. That (jersey) is a nod to some of the creative community. So one of the things that makes that uniform unique is that the pattern that you see in the uniform, it actually gets cut in a different way for every uniform. So every uniform is a unique one, just kind of as a way that each creative is unique in their own way. So that’s really how that story comes to life.
So you guys have like a big pattern of all these colors. Each swatch is different for each uniform?
Think about it more in in terms of when you think about how a uniform was made, each piece gets cut, so no two pieces are the same. So when they’re sewing those things together, every uniform is going to be slightly different, just like a fingerprint.
Photo courtesy of the NBA.
I know sometimes you guys collaborate not only with teams but with like certain individuals on creating the jerseys. Is there anyone notable here that helps you with the creation, with the ideation of some jerseys?
Yeah, Detroit’s a great example. Big Sean is the creative director with the Pistons, so he’s somebody who helped bring that to life. Right behind you, you have KITH with the New York Knicks. Those are those are the two teams that are top of mind. Just kind of highlight some of the names that also work with organizations to bring their city edition uniforms to life.
I was looking at the Hornets’. That’s the angriest hornet I’ve ever seen in my life.
It’s an aggressive hornet. Really cool story, I think, centered around the Mint. So one of the cool things — I’m not sure if you were able to take a look at it — but the pinstripes are actually a nod to the Mint. The Mint is, you know, the source of inspiration for that uniform. The gold lettering with the mint trim, just harkens back to the financial inspiration with the Mint being in Charlotte.
Heat City Edition jersey” width=”1022″ height=”1024″ /> Photo courtesy of the NBA.
And the last one, I heard you talking about the Heat jersey. Can you kind of walk me through that one, especially the rope on the side. That seems to be a really cool detail.
So if you’ve ever turned on a game for the Heat, you’ll see that there’s actual yellow rope that surround the cord. They use the yellow piping to be able to be inspired by that yellow rope that you will see during the game. Their concept is kind of their chapter two of their mashup that they introduced last year.
This year, they flipped the color to white and then they took different components from previous iconic elements of their identity and mash those up together to be able to have this customized look. So you’ll see elements of their Floridians, their white hot, vice versa. All those different kinds of stamps in time that have made up the Heat organization, all mashed up into one uniform.
NBArank is back for its 12th season counting down the best players in the league.
Where are MVP candidates such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic? What about rookies and young stars ready to take the leap into the upper tier of NBA players?
To get the final NBArank prediction, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players: LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry vs. Ja Morant, Luka vs. Jayson Tatum … and the list goes on.
We asked, “Which player will be better in 2022-23?” Voters had to predict what they expected from each player during the season.
We’ve already revealed players Nos. 100-26, Nos. 25-11 and a surprising Nos. 10-6. Today, our rankings conclude with the league’s top five superstars.
Note: ESPN’s NBArank panel, composed of over 200 reporters, editors, producers and analysts, were asked to rank players based on their predicted contributions — quality and quantity — for the 2022-23 season only.
Golden State Warriors | PG
2021 NBArank: 5
If a Finals MVP was the piece of hardware missing from Curry’s argument as one of the all-time greats, that’s now taken care of, as Steph led the Warriors to their fourth title in six years en route to earning the elusive accolade. Sources told ESPN that, heading into training camp, Curry is looking in shape and primed to pick up where he left off.
Why his ranking was unchanged
Curry is in the same position he was in at the start of last season. After averaging 25.5 points per game on 43.7% shooting, Curry by no means had a subpar season — he was an early contender for MVP — but an ankle injury did keep him off the floor for the last month of the regular season. In his absence, his teammates stepped up and kept the Warriors afloat to secure the West’s No. 3 seed. Perhaps that — in addition to the rise of the MVP contenders below — is the reason he’s in the same spot in our rankings.
One huge question for 2022-23
Can Steph and the Warriors do it again? Despite the strength of their All-Star core and supporting cast, their title hopes rest mainly on Curry’s shoulders. As stated above, Curry is said to be ready to start this season as he ended the last. And despite rising conversations about Curry’s age (he’ll turn 35 before the end of the regular season) and how big his remaining window is, his performance suggests he could continue to play at this level for the foreseeable future.
Why he could end the season No. 1
Based on Curry’s 2021-22 campaign, there’s no obvious reason to believe he couldn’t end this season as the No. 1-ranked player in the league. Barring an extended absence, Curry should be able to put together a strong, complete season that could see him win another championship and possibly more individual hardware.
— Kendra Andrews
Philadelphia 76ers | C
2021 NBArank: 7
After two straight narrow second-place finishes behind Jokic in MVP voting, Embiid is again a favorite to claim the award as the anchor of what should be one of the better teams in the league.
Why he rose three spots
Embiid was dominant last season, averaging 30.6 points per game to lead the league in scoring for the first time in his career — the first time a center led the league in scoring since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-2000 and the first time a center had averaged at least 30 points per game across an entire season since Moses Malone in 1981-82.
Embiid also averaged the fewest minutes of any player to win the scoring title with 33.8 per game, beating the 34.2 mark Curry set in both 2016 and 2021. He has become a complete player offensively, able to score at all three levels with ease, and is one of the league’s most imposing rim protectors.
One huge question for 2022-23
At this point in his career, the only question left for Embiid isn’t necessarily up to him: Can he make it through a postseason healthy?
To this point in his career, he has had one dose of bad injury luck after another, including a facial fracture and thumb sprain during Philadelphia’s playoff run in the spring. When Embiid is healthy and available, there might not be a more dominant player in the NBA today. After playing a career-high 68 games last season, Embiid is eyeing both a healthy regular season and playoffs this time around. If he does, the sky’s the limit.
Why he could end the season No. 1
After years of having to make up for the deficiencies of a flawed roster around him, this season is the first time Embiid will be surrounded by a team built to optimize his strengths. That will only increase Embiid’s chances of claiming that elusive MVP award and leading Philadelphia to the deep playoff run missing from his résumé.
If those things happen, he could vault to the top of this list.
— Tim Bontemps
Dallas Mavericks | PG
2021 NBArank: 4
After spending his offseason starring for the Slovenian national team, Doncic should report to training camp in game shape for the first time in a few years. When conditioning isn’t a concern, Doncic is one of the NBA’s most dominant forces.
Why he rose one spot
At 23, Doncic has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s in the top tier of superstars, a perennial All-NBA selection and an MVP candidate. He cemented that status last season, when he was the lone All-Star on a Dallas team that went to the West finals.
Despite a calf strain that sidelined him for the first three games of the first round, Doncic led Dallas in points, rebounds and assists 10 times during the playoffs — the most ever in a single postseason, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
He’s arguably the best offensive weapon in the NBA — a threat to win scoring and assists titles who picks apart defenses with a blend of power, skill and savvy. He’s also a ruthless competitor, as evidenced by his unforgettable Game 7 demolition of the top-seeded Suns, when he single-handedly matched Phoenix’s scoring total in the first half.
One huge question for 2022-23
How far can Doncic lead a team that doesn’t feature another All-Star? Dallas’ roster was dealt a significant blow when Jalen Brunson, the Mavs’ second-best player last season, bolted for New York in free agency. Mavs management is confident that Brunson’s scoring void can be filled by Tim Hardaway Jr.’s return from injury and Christian Wood’s arrival via trade.
But in a league loaded with star duos, Doncic carries as big of a burden as anyone. Doncic has led the league in usage rate the past two seasons, a trend that’s likely to continue into 2022-23.
Why he could end the season No. 1
Doncic has finished fourth, sixth and fifth in MVP voting the past three seasons, respectively. This could be the season that Doncic climbs to the top of the ballots, especially if he gets off to a strong start and Dallas claims a top-four spot in the competitive West.
The Mavs went 32-12 — a 60-win pace — with Doncic in uniform after he returned from a three-week absence to heal his sprained ankle and work on his conditioning.
— Tim MacMahon
Denver Nuggets | C
2021 NBArank: 6
Despite Jokic averaging 31.0 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists, the Nuggets were no match for Golden State in the first round. But with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. expected back this season, Denver hopes to be back in contention, led by its two-time reigning MVP.
Why he rose four spots
How did Jokic follow up an MVP season? He got better. Jokic became just the 13th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVP awards and did so with a historic campaign. He’s the first player to average 25 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists in a season and the first to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage.
Jokic beat out Embiid for MVP by recording the highest PER (32.8) in a season in NBA history. Jokic collected 19 triple-doubles — most by a center since Wilt Chamberlain — and led Denver to one more win than the previous season despite missing Murray and Porter Jr.
One huge question for 2022-23
The Nuggets are whole again, but can Jokic and a new-look roster recapture the form that helped Denver reach the West finals in the 2020 bubble? Murray missed all of last season due to a torn ACL, and Porter Jr. was out since early November due to back surgery.
The Nuggets welcome both back but also went through some changes in the offseason, namely adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown and trading Monte Morris to the Washington Wizards to clear playing time for emerging second-year point guard Bones Hyland.
Why he could end the season No. 1
If he was able to put together a historic season without Murray and Porter Jr., what can he do with them back on the court? Jokic was double-teamed 191 times on post-ups last season, the most in the league. With a full complement of contributors around him, Jokic won’t face the same type of defensive attention.
While his scoring might dip, assists and other categories could increase this season. And if he can three-peat as MVP, Jokic would pull off what only Larry Bird, Chamberlain and Bill Russell have accomplished — that sounds like a recipe to become the No. 1 player in the league.
— Ohm Youngmisuk
Milwaukee Bucks | PF
2021 NBArank: 2
As Antetokounmpo enters his age-28 season, his list of accolades already makes him one of the most decorated winners in league history. So the question remains how he will add to that list. Can he win a third NBA MVP? The Bucks will be among the favorites to win another NBA championship, but can Antetokounmpo secure another Finals MVP? The expectations are high each season, but Antetokounmpo usually finds a way to exceed them.
Why he rose one spot
From the pure consistency and the reliable dominance each night from Antetokounmpo, his claim on the status as best player in the world has only been strengthened in the past year. Arguably no player in the league can match his impact on both ends of the floor.
To follow up winning his first Finals MVP, Antetokounmpo challenged for the scoring title, averaging 29.9 points (third in the NBA), while grabbing 11.6 rebounds, dishing out 5.8 assists with 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Even though Milwaukee was without its second best player, Khris Middleton, during their second-round playoff series against Boston, the Bucks extended the series to seven games on the will of Antetokounmpo, who averaged 31.7 points, 14.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists in the postseason.
One huge question for 2022-23
What new skill will Antetokounmpo bring to the table? After each offseason, Antetokounmpo emerges with a new skill in his arsenal. Over the years, he has refined his vision as a passer, has improved an outside jumper that keeps defenses guessing and has become more unstoppable attacking the paint and in the post. Is it possible for Antetokounmpo to get even better?
Who are the top players to watch at FIBA EuroBasket 2022?
The action begins Thursday in the Czech Republic, Italy, Georgia and Germany — an 18-day tournament culminating with the final stage in Berlin, and some of the NBA’s top superstars are hoping to lead their countries to the title.
Most notably, the winners of the past four MVPs and a young phenom poised to win a few of his own will be in action: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. The Dallas Mavericks guard led Slovenia to the title in 2017 — can he do it again?
The star power doesn’t end there, with a host of NBA players taking part, including All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Domantas Sabonis and one player who moonlights as a movie star.
Who will shine brightest in the battle for European hoops supremacy? NBA Insiders Jonathan Givony and Kevin Pelton are breaking down their 25 picks — draft style.
Watch every EuroBasket 2022 game live on ESPN+
1. Nikola Jokic, Serbia
It’s not an easy choice picking between Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic, but in the end I gave the nod to the two-time reigning NBA MVP whose fit in the FIBA game is a little cleaner than Antetokounmpo, who also has a better supporting cast.
Jokic was phenomenal in Serbia’s two FIBA World Cup qualifiers last week, including an overtime win against Antetokounmpo and Greece, during which Jokic posted 29 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. He has being used similarly with Serbia as with the Denver Nuggets, equally devastating operating with his back to the basket, in dribble handoffs and as a pick-and-roll finisher. Jokic has been playing with strong intensity defensively while representing his home country.
— Givony
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece
From one back-to-back MVP to another, Antetokounmpo’s ongoing quest to translate his individual brilliance to Greek national team success continues in EuroBasket. Greece finished fifth in the event in 2015 but hasn’t broken through since Antetokounmpo emerged as arguably the world’s best player.
The matchup with Serbia and Jokic in World Cup qualifying last month was emblematic of Antetokounmpo’s plight. He had 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting, along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, yet Greece still fell 100-94 in overtime. No wonder people might believe implausibly dominant pretend Antetokounmpo box scores.
— Pelton
3. Luka Doncic, Slovenia
I gave serious thought to taking Doncic No. 1, so picking him here was somewhat of a no-brainer after averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game last season with the Dallas Mavericks. Despite being 23, Doncic has considerable experience in tournaments of this nature, winning the last iteration of EuroBasket in 2017 at age 18 and leading Slovenia to a fourth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics last summer.
As a 6-foot-7 point guard and pick-and-roll maestro who can make any pass and is a threat to pull up from anywhere, Doncic could be the most impactful player in this tournament, even though his conditioning isn’t trending in the best direction.
— Givony
4. Rudy Gobert, France
There’s a slight drop-off from the tier of MVP candidates to Gobert, merely a perennial All-NBA pick on one of the top EuroBasket contenders. Gobert helped France to the gold-medal game in Tokyo last year, nearly averaging a double-double (12.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG) while supplying his typically dominant rim protection.
As compared to Gobert’s time with the Utah Jazz prior to this summer’s trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves, France has done a better job of making opponents pay for switching smaller defenders on Gobert in the paint.
— Pelton
5. Franz Wagner, Germany
Coming off an outstanding debut campaign, which netted him a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie team, Wagner has displayed an even higher level to his game, evolving into a featured role on the German national team this summer. He was outstanding in a pair of blowout wins in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers last week, including a 19-point performance in a blowout win over Doncic and Slovenia.
Having turned 21 earlier this week, Wagner isn’t anywhere near his peak but continues to make impressive strides physically and is showing noticeably higher confidence as a ball handler and pull-up shooter. Wagner is already an elite cutter, off-ball defender and passer who does myriad little things that impact winning.
— Givony
6. Dario Saric, Croatia
Although Saric is undoubtedly not the best player remaining at this point, he’s the most interesting to me because of his comeback from an ACL tear suffered in the 2021 NBA Finals. That injury sidelined Saric for all of 2021-22 as his Suns posted the league’s best record before being upset by Doncic and the Mavericks in the conference semifinals.
Phoenix suffered in part from difficulty matching up with Dallas’ small frontcourts, and Saric could help change that if he’s back to the versatile backup 5 role he played for the Suns before his injury.
— Pelton
7. Domantas Sabonis, Lithuania
Sabonis has never hesitated to heed the call from Lithuania — he will play in his 10th FIBA event since 2012, despite being 26 years old. Lithuania has arguably the strongest frontcourt in EuroBasket with Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas providing serious muscle in the paint, and quite a bit of offense will flow through Sabonis and his outstanding passing ability. Lithuania went 9-0 in August in exhibition and FIBA qualifying play, raising considerable hope for a gold-medal run behind its NBA frontcourt stalwarts.
— Givony
8. Bojan Bogdanovic, Croatia
Will Bogdanovic still be a member of the Jazz by the conclusion of EuroBasket? As Utah pivots into a rebuild after trading Gobert, and perhaps eventually co-star Donovan Mitchell, Bogdanovic looms as an obvious candidate for a deal to a contender. At 33, Bogdanovic is heading into the final season of a reasonable contract that pays him $19-plus million. He fits just about anywhere, and while Bogdanovic’s value is well established ahead of EuroBasket, a strong showing could be useful to teams hoping to win the news conference as well as a trade.
— Pelton
9. Lauri Markkanen, Finland
Markkanen, coming off a strong season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, takes his game to an entirely different level when he puts on a Finland jersey. He scored 129 points in 158 minutes in five exhibition and qualifying games — all wins — to help Finland earn a berth in next summer’s World Cup.
Markkanen plays more as a stretch-5 than as a small forward like he does in Cleveland, which opens up his game significantly. In a wide-open group, Finland has hopes to advance to the quarterfinals of a FIBA event for the first time since 1967.
— Givony
10. Evan Fournier, France
Like Bogdanovic, Fournier heads to EuroBasket after dealing with trade rumors this summer. In Fournier’s case, he could head the opposite direction as part of a New York Knicks deal for Mitchell, though New York extending wing RJ Barrett complicates the possibility of a trade. After an underwhelming first season with the Knicks as part of a four-year, $73 million contract signed last summer, Fournier could help rebuild his value during EuroBasket.
— Pelton
11. Jonas Valanciunas, Lithuania
No player in basketball has proven more committed to his national team than Valanciunas, who has represented Lithuania in a remarkable 16 FIBA events dating back to 2007, when he was 15 years old. Valanciunas continues to improve, posting career-high scoring and assist numbers for the New Orleans Pelicans while even incorporating a semi-reliable 3-point shot (hitting 35% of 2 attempts per game) to his arsenal.
He has been a rock inside the paint for Lithuania this summer, posting gaudy scoring and rebounding numbers (85 points and 55 rebounds in 136 minutes) on impressive efficiency. Lithuania hasn’t medaled in a FIBA event since 2015.
— Givony
12. Jusuf Nurkic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
When we last saw Nurkic stateside, he was helping the Portland Trail Blazers win their final four games before the All-Star break after trading starters Robert Covington, CJ McCollum and Norman Powell. Nurkic averaged 21.5 points per game and 14.0 rebounds per game during that stretch but was shut down after the break because of plantar fasciitis. Nurkic has shown no ill effects in World Cup qualifying, posting 21 points and nine boards in a double-overtime win against France on Saturday.
— Pelton
13. Vasilije Micic, Serbia
Micic is currently the best non-NBA player in European basketball, a two-time EuroLeague champion and Final Four MVP who led the league in scoring this past season. He’s an NBA-caliber player who simply hasn’t been able to come to terms with the teams holding his rights — most recently the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are on a different timetable than the late-blooming 28-year-old.
With Micic’s NBA window rapidly closing, this tournament provides a platform against the world’s best players, something that has eluded him; Serbia did not qualify for the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Injuries have hampered Micic through much of his career, and he might not be at 100% health at EuroBasket because of an ankle sprain he suffered last week.
— Givony
14. Dennis Schroder, Germany
Still unsigned as an NBA free agent, Schroder has seen his reputation take a hit since finishing second in Sixth Man Award voting in 2019-20 with the Thunder. Schroder has played for three teams in the past two seasons, finishing last season with the lottery-bound Houston Rockets.
A strong effort in EuroBasket could boost Schroder’s chances of finding a landing spot before training camp. He averaged 20.3 PPG in four World Cup qualifiers, albeit on just 34% shooting.
— Pelton
15. Alperen Sengun, Turkey
Sengun had a productive rookie season with Houston — and he is arguably the most skilled post player at this tournament besides Jokic — but has struggled to find chemistry with a star-studded Turkish roster. The team has lost four consecutive exhibition and FIBA qualifying games leading into EuroBasket, as defense has been a consistent issue, especially with Sengun anchoring the paint.
Despite its poor play in preparation games, Turkey will lean on three NBA players — Cedi Osman and Furkan Korkmaz the others — as it eyes a run to the quarterfinals, something the country has done just once in a FIBA tournament since 2009.
— Givony
16. Simone Fontecchio, Italy
After dealing Gobert, the Jazz made Fontecchio their only addition in free agency, signing the Italian guard to a two-year contract worth more than $6 million. Fontecchio was an effective role player in EuroLeague, most recently with Baskonia, but becomes more of a scorer with the Italian national team.
He averaged 19.3 PPG in last year’s Olympics and will need to carry more of the load with Danilo Gallinari sidelined by a meniscus injury suffered in World Cup qualifying.
— Pelton
17. Guerschon Yabusele, France
Selected 16th in the 2016 NBA draft, Yabusele underperformed for the Boston Celtics, playing just 547 minutes before being waived. He has since turned his career around, becoming arguably the best offensive player in the EuroLeague for Real Madrid: a 40% 3-point shooter who is also nearly unstoppable in the paint.
Yabusele has garnered significant NBA interest but elected to stay in Spain, but at 26 years old, he likely won’t stop getting offers considering how versatile he is offensively. A strong showing at EuroBasket could accelerate interest around the league, providing an excellent platform for him against NBA-level competition.
— Givony
18. Deni Avdija, Israel
A role player with the Washington Wizards, averaging 8.4 PPG off the bench last season, Avdija gets more of a chance to show his shot creation ability playing for Israel. He had 25 points in an exhibition last month against Auburn. Since returning from an illness that sidelined him for two World Cup qualifiers, Avdija hasn’t been as effective, totaling 21 points on 7-of-21 shooting in two games.
— Pelton
19. Cedi Osman, Turkey
Osman, 27, has been a consistent stalwart for Turkey from a very young age, as he’s participating in his 12th FIBA event since 2011. He’s coming off his best season in the NBA with the Cavs, scoring efficiently while providing energy and passing versatility. Osman is asked to shoulder a bigger role for Turkey than he does in the NBA, which has led to some impressive scoring exploits this summer. His ability to emerge as a two-way force will play a major role in Turkey’s success at this event.
— Givony
20. Goran Dragic, Slovenia
Dragic retired from international basketball after leading Slovenia to the 2017 EuroBasket title as MVP, but he has returned to the national team this summer to support Doncic. In four World Cup qualifiers, Dragic has averaged 16.8 PPG while making more than 60% of his 2s, far better than the 47% he shot inside the arc last season in the NBA.
— Pelton
21. Ivica Zubac, Croatia
Fresh off a three-year, $33 million extension with the LA Clippers, Zubac will play in his first major international FIBA event since the U-19 World Cup in 2015. In 2021-22, Zubac started 78 games and posted career highs in every major category, proving to be a consistent inside two-way presence for a Clippers team that has NBA title ambitions next season.
— Givony
22. Juancho Hernangomez, Spain
Hernangomez, who portrayed Bo Cruz in Netflix’s “Hustle,” has taken a back seat to brother Willy in the two World Cup qualifiers he has played thus far, averaging just 6.0 PPG. Hernangomez will hope to use a strong EuroBasket showing as a springboard to a breakthrough campaign after signing with the Toronto Raptors as a free agent this summer.
— Pelton
23. Shane Larkin, Turkey
Larkin, the No. 18 pick in the 2013 NBA draft, didn’t make enough shots to stick in the NBA through two separate stints but has turned himself into arguably the best American player in Europe over the past few seasons. He has won back-to-back EuroLeague titles while converting 41% of his 3-pointers on significant volume.
Turning 30 in October, and standing 5-foot-11, Larkin’s NBA window might have closed, but he’s still capable of playing a role on the right team as a prolific scoring backup. In the meantime, he has received a Turkish passport, allowing him to play in his first FIBA tournament.
— Givony
24. Jan Vesely, Czech Republic
It has been eight years since Vesely wrapped up an underwhelming, three-year career with the Wizards as a lottery pick. Back in Europe, Vesely has established himself as a strong contributor in the paint, winning EuroLeague MVP in 2019. EuroBasket allows us to check in on both Vesely and fellow former Wizard Tomas Satoransky, who signed with FC Barcelona this summer after six NBA seasons.
— Pelton
25. Tyler Dorsey, Greece
Dorsey, the No. 41 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, headed to Europe after two inefficient seasons in the NBA. He has evolved quite a bit since then, becoming one of the best scorers in the EuroLeague and improving as a playmaker and defender. Dorsey will play an essential role for Greece, relieving pressure from Antetokounmpo with his shot-making ability.
Dorsey surprised many by betting on himself in turning down huge financial offers in the EuroLeague to sign a two-way contract with the Mavericks but has looked like a potentially excellent complement for Doncic.
— Givony
Other players to watch:
The EuroBasket talent level doesn’t end at 25, as we excluded quite a few players who are either in the NBA or are NBA- caliber, such as Willy Hernangomez (Spain), Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey), Mike Tobey (Slovenia), Nick Calathes (Greece), Kostas Sloukas (Greece), Usman Garuba (Spain), Sasha Vezenkov (Bulgaria), Elie Okobo (France), Goga Bitadze (Georgia), Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania), Georgios Papagiannis (Greece), Sertac Sanli (Turkey), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia) and Yam Madar (Israel).
NBA teams will be out in droves scouting this event.
The Memphis Grizzlies are in line to be part of the NBA’s Christmas Day slate of games for the first time.
Ja Morant and the Grizzlies will face Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the rest of the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Dec. 25 in San Francisco, a source with knowledge of the league’s scheduling plans told The Associated Press.
The Grizzlies were one of two current NBA franchises yet to have a game on Dec. 25. The Charlotte Hornets are now the only club still waiting for its first Christmas schedule invite.
The rest of the Christmas schedule will have Philadelphia facing New York, Milwaukee meeting Boston, the Los Angeles Lakers playing against Dallas and Phoenix going up against two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
The Athletic was first to report on the full Christmas Day lineup of games. The NBA is expected to release the season’s full schedule later this week. The season opens Oct. 18. Training camps open in late September.
If the Lakers’ LeBron James — the all-time Christmas scoring leader, who enters the season 1,325 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most in NBA history — appears in that Dec. 25 game against the Mavericks, it’ll be his 17th time playing on the holiday. That would break a tie with Lakers great Kobe Bryant for the most ever.
Golden State and Memphis met in the second round of last season’s playoffs, as did Milwaukee and Boston.
This will mark the fifth consecutive year that Christmas — again, barring a late change — does not feature a rematch of the NBA Finals. Golden State topped Boston for last season’s championship; there hasn’t been a Finals rematch on Dec. 25 since the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers played in the 2017-18 season, on their way to a fourth consecutive meeting in the title series.
Noticeably absent from the Christmas schedule: Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. Durant told the Nets in June that he wants a trade elsewhere, reiterating that request earlier this month.
Dallas will host a Christmas game for the second time. The first was in 2011, after the Mavericks topped the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals the previous season. James and the Heat spoiled that season opener for the Mavericks, winning 105-94.
The Lakers will be playing on Christmas for the 24th consecutive year, by far the longest stretch in the league. Golden State will make its 10th consecutive Christmas appearance, Boston its seventh in a row and Milwaukee its fifth straight on Dec. 25.
New York is playing on Christmas for the 55th time, extending its record.
Of the eight teams that made the conference semifinals last season, seven appear on this year’s Christmas schedule. The exception is Miami, the No. 1 seed in the East last season, which fell to Boston in seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.
With Memphis now getting a Dec. 25 game, the longest Christmas droughts besides Charlotte’s belong to Sacramento (last Christmas game in 2003), Indiana (2004), Detroit (2005) and Orlando (2011).
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
LAS VEGAS — If there are hard feelings between the Mavericks and the Knicks over Jalen Brunson, Mark Cuban did a good job of hiding any animosity.
The Dallas owner had only positive things to say on Friday about the point guard who has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal to join the Knicks.
“Jalen earned the right to do that,” Cuban told The Post from the NBA summer league at the Thomas and Mack Center. “NBA teams always say, well, it’s a business when you trade somebody or whatever, and it’s a business. He earned the right to make a decision as a free agent. So he made the choice. More power to him. I wish him nothing but the best.
“Jalen is a great basketball player. That’s why we wanted to keep him. The Knicks will love him; the city will love him. The thing about Jalen, you give him a task and tell him where to improve his game, he’ll work his ass off to do it. You guys got a good one.”
Brunson, 25, developed into a difference-maker with the Mavericks after getting selected in the second round in 2018. He helped Dallas reach the Western Conference final this year after a breakout postseason performance saw him average 21.6 points in 18 playoff games.
When asked about reports of potential tampering by the Knicks, Cuban smiled.
“That’s up to the NBA, that’s not my job” the owner said.
The Knicks hired Brunson’s father, Rick, to join coach Tom Thibodeau’s staff, and team president Leon Rose’s son, Sam, is Brunson’s agent.
Cuban also didn’t have a problem with Knicks executives William Wesley and Allan Houston, along with forward Julius Randle, attending an opening-round playoff game between the Mavericks and Jazz, which drew headlines at the time.
“Oh, I don’t care. They can buy tickets,” Cuban said. “Being at a playoff game doesn’t change anything.”
Two other members of the Mavericks, coach Jason Kidd and former Knick Reggie Bullock, also discussed Brunson’s departure on Friday.
“We can’t replace Brunson. He’s a great player,” Kidd said on ESPN. “I’m happy for him and his family, signing a deal in New York. It’s well deserved. We wanted him back, but he picked New York.”
Bullock, who enjoyed a strong season with the Knicks in 2020-21 but wasn’t brought back, had similar positive things to say about Brunson.
He did offer an interesting thought on him joining the Knicks, though.
“That’s his problem, that’s him,” Bullock, who is close with Randle and Thibodeau, told The Post. He later said: “He’ll do great. Great off-the-court guy. … Great point guard, works hard, he’s going to lead them into the right direction.”
Cuban declined to say if the Mavericks considered upping their offer to Brunson. ESPN had reported they were only willing to offer him a five-year deal in the ballpark of the four-year, $85 million deal Raptors guard Fred VanVleet signed in 2020. Brunson declined a four-year, $55.5 million contract from Dallas after the trade deadline, and now he is a Knick.
“I’m happy for him. It’s not like he was just some guy, well, he was just a player, he got his money,” Cuban said. “He’s a good guy, man. He’s got a heart of gold. There’s nothing not to like.”
The Dallas Mavericks have been anticipating Jalen Brunson’s likely departure for weeks, multiple league sources tell The Athletic, and it’s now seen as a certainty that the 25-year-old guard will sign with the New York Knicks when free agency opens on Thursday.
While the team entered the offseason believing Brunson preferred a return to Dallas, it’s understood that what New York can offer — a lucrative contract, more opportunity and family ties — has been an influential factor for Brunson’s impending decision.
So far, it’s unclear to what extent money will factor into Brunson’s decision — ESPN reported that Dallas would have offered less money annually than the four-year, $100-plus million offer New York is preparing — versus the other competing factors, such as Brunson’s father Rick joining the Knicks’ coaching staff and several other close ties Brunson has to the New York organization. But the Mavericks’ players and executives have understood the increasing likelihood of Brunson’s departure as an unrestricted free agent in past weeks. (Last Thursday, Marc Stein had the offseason’s first substantial report on the possibility.) Within the Mavericks’ organization, conversations have shifted from re-signing Brunson to replacing his production, as well as the possibility of a sign-and-trade deal involving Brunson that could at least prevent Dallas from losing him for nothing.
Like the Mavericks, Brunson may also have entered this offseason believing he would return to Dallas, sources say, and it’s unclear when and why those feelings shifted. If there was one uncomfortable aspect of his past season, in which Brunson otherwise enjoyed breakout success as the Mavericks’ second option, it was the team’s decision to withhold an offer of an extension before the season — and then, once again, during it. It’s unclear whether Brunson would have actually signed the four-year, $55.5 million deal, the most Dallas was eligible to offer him during the year. While Rick Brunson told ESPN in April that his son would have been willing to sign it in January, there was substantial belief around the league that, at that point, Brunson had already played himself into more lucrative territory. In any case, the extension was never formally offered.
Brunson’s official departure from the Mavericks would be seen as a blow, even if it has recently been anticipated. When the Mavericks’ season ended in the Western Conference finals last month, the team’s general manager Nico Harrison said re-signing Brunson was the team’s main priority. In the closing months of the season, Dallas embraced its ability to rotate three playmaking guards, something which fueled the team’s deeper-than-anticipated postseason run. It would be surprising for the team not to replicate that approach next season, which would necessitate Brunson’s replacement in some manner.
As it stands, Dallas will enter next season with a roster that is about $7 million over the luxury-tax threshold, making them a tax-paying team for the first time since the 2010-11 NBA season. That has been the main argument for retaining Brunson at any cost, even if it would have vaulted the Mavericks well beyond the taxed penalty they would currently pay if the roster remains the same.
Still, Dallas is anticipated to remain above the luxury-tax line this offseason with further moves expected. It’s become clear, however, that the future they’re preparing for is one without Brunson in it.
The Dallas Mavericks are acquiring center/power forward Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets in exchange for the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NBA draft and four players with expiring contracts, sources told ESPN.
Dallas will send Boban Marjanovic, Marquese Chriss, Trey Burke and Sterling Brown to Houston, sources said, creating roster flexibility and adding a productive big man.
Sources said Houston was motivated to move Wood because the Rockets want to open up playing time for 2021 first-rounder Alperen Sengun and likely the No. 3 overall pick. The Rockets pounced on the opportunity to acquire a first-round selection without taking on any long-term salary.
Wood, 26, averaged 19.1 points and 9.9 rebounds during his two seasons with the Rockets. He is due to make $14.3 million for the 2022-23 season, the final year of his contract.
Upgrading at center was one of the Mavs’ primary goals entering the offseason in the wake of their run to the Western Conference finals.
The Rockets now have the Nos. 3, 17 and 26 picks in the June 23 draft.
The NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors should be superb.
These teams are balanced. The Celtics finished the regular season first leaguewide in defensive efficiency. The Warriors finished second. And yet each team possesses explosive offensive firepower, with Jayson Tatum leading the way for Boston and Stephen Curry pacing Golden State.
The Warriors and Celtics split their two regular-season matchups, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. On Dec. 17 in Boston, the Warriors defeated the Celtics 111-107, but Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Al Horford and Grant Williams did not play that night. On March 16 in San Francisco, the Celtics beat the Warriors 110-88 in a game the Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins missed.
So how will the finals play out?
To answer that question, The Athletic has turned to three experts: a scout, a coach and a team executive. We granted each of them anonymity because their respective teams did not give them permission to comment publicly on this series.
(Editor’s note: Their assessments have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)
Scout’s outlook: “I’m picking Boston. They had a very rough road, a very competitive road to get here: Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami, all very good teams, even the Nets. The Nets could’ve easily won a couple of games or even three games in that series. So all that stuff about (the Celtics’) lack of experience and not having been to the finals — I wouldn’t throw it out the window, but they won two Game 7s, and one of those on the other guys’ court. So they certainly have stood up to the moment.
“Size will be an issue in the Celtics’ favor. Kevon Looney was exceptional in the prior series for the Warriors and at times was the best player for them. I think Boston can certainly neutralize that, whether it’s Al Horford or Robert Williams III or even Grant Williams or even Daniel Theis. So I think the Celtics’ size is going to be a problem for the Warriors.
“I don’t think Klay Thompson is quite back yet. I would say he’s shown more than flashes (of his old self, pre-injuries), but he is not the Klay Thompson of three years ago. I just think there’s something (missing), whether it’s athleticism or he’s getting a little older. I mean, he’s still a very good player. In terms of his superstardom, it’s a little less. I think that’s a factor.
“Curry, obviously, is a fantastic player. On the other hand, the other team’s got the Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart.
“Injuries will play a factor. I think Boston’s bench is better. Otto Porter Jr.’s been in and out for the Warriors. Gary Payton II’s supposed to come back, but he hasn’t played in a while. How effective will he be? …
“Golden State’s got the home-court advantage, so you’ve got to give them that. That is an edge, especially when you get to Game 7. But in its prior series, Boston won three games in Miami. I just think the Celtics have got confidence. Their stars have shown they rise to the occasion.
“Jordan Poole? We’ll see. Is he going to rise to the occasion at this moment? I’m not totally convinced. …
“I think it should be a very good series. I thought Phoenix was going to get there. I think the best team came out of the East and probably the second-best team came out of the West. …
“Size will be a big factor. Boston, starting with Williams and Horford, it’s like the Celtics are massive. I just don’t think Looney’s going to have the same kind of impact against those guys. Against Dallas … he could almost be dominant. But Boston is a whole different story. …
“Ever since January and they got it together, the Celtics have probably been the best team in the league. To win two Game 7s against really good teams, that’s massive confidence-wise. I didn’t even mention Jayson Tatum. If you compare the two stars from each team — Tatum and Curry, (Jaylen) Brown and Thompson — I think I almost give the edge to Boston because I don’t think Thompson is quite back there yet.
“I should mention Andrew Wiggins. He could be an X-factor. He’s been a real plus, and the Warriors need him to be really good. I don’t think they have a chance unless he’s really, really good. They just don’t have enough. I mean, they can’t really count on Poole. They’re not going to count on Looney. Thompson’s going to give them a lot. But they need Andrew Wiggins to be major, and I don’t think they have a shot unless he does perform at a very, very high level.
“I just think Boston’s got more depth, more size and has risen to the moment, and they’re going to continue to do that.”
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, as well as Draymond Green (not pictured here), are going for their fourth NBA championship together. (Kelley L Cox / USA Today)
Coach’s outlook: “I think Boston’s going to find a way, I really do. They were my pick from the beginning.
“I still think that Golden State is a machine. They’re just locked into each other. And they’re so unselfish. And they know their offense so well. Everybody that plays buys into the offense. And they generate open shots and make tough shots. Their offense is dynamic. The way they give themselves up and cut and move without the basketball, it’s fun to watch.
“Boston’s defense is going to be good enough to be able to limit the easy buckets that Golden State generates. That’s what I’m considering. That’s the key to me. I think Boston will be able to take those points off the scoreboard. So when you say, ‘Curry and Thompson get eight points on back cuts a game. They get the pin-in. They get the lob dunk.’ OK, they do get all that. But they get it on inferior defensive teams. And my rationale for picking Boston is they’re going to be more disciplined than to allow that to happen.
“It’s all predicated on health. Is Robert Williams playing? What’s Marcus Smart’s ankle like? I think everybody has issues, right? Is Gary Payton II coming back? Does that help (Golden State)? Gary Payton coming back takes minutes away from who?
“Boston can play big with Robert Williams, maybe Horford. They can play small with Grant Williams. They can switch a lot. They’re physical. What would be interesting to me is how the officials call the series. Do they allow Boston to be physical and slow down Golden State with their bodies holding, hitting, bumping, impeding the progress? Or do they say, ‘We’re not allowing that. We’re calling this series a certain way?’ Not game to game, but basically the entire series — how are they going to officiate the series? You used to hear the term ‘freedom of movement.’ That, for Steph Curry, is so important. Will Marcus Smart and (the Celtics’) defenders on the perimeter be holding and impeding Curry’s progress? …
“It depends (a) how healthy both teams are and (b) how the officials are calling the series. A lot of stuff was going on in the Eastern Conference finals, all the charges and the flops. And those same officials are going to be officiating the finals. You’ll see Scott Foster and James Capers, all the same guys. But you’ve got to navigate through all the flops and the phony bullshit. Some of them are fouls. But the good players — the smart players — put you in a box a little bit and say, ‘I’m going to make you blow your whistle because I’m falling.’ But that series was about charges, flopping and putting bodies on each other. I don’t know what happens when you start doing that in Golden State, against Golden State.
“If you allow Golden State to play with freedom of movement, if you allow them to play their offensive game, there’s nobody that can beat them. If you say, ‘Marcus Smart, you’re going to be allowed to put your body on a guy or get up into Klay Thompson and disrupt him with your body and reach and poke the ball two or three times a game,’ then we’re playing Boston Celtics-style basketball. … Boston’s beating every team that tries to play with physicality. What’s going to prevail: the physicality of Boston or the shooting of Golden State?”
Marcus Smart (center), the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, plays with physicality — if officials permit that style of play, that is. (David Butler II / USA Today)
Executive’s outlook: “(The Celtics) fucked around the whole time (in their run to the finals). Like, with the injuries that were in the East, Boston is the best team. They lose Game 5 at home to Milwaukee (in the second round), which you can’t do. They lose Game 6 at home to a damaged Miami team (in the East finals). But their talent level (is elite) — Tatum and Brown … and their depth one through seven, which is basically all (Celtics coach Ime Udoka) is playing. They’ve done a great job in terms of shortening the bench, and they were the best seven guys in the East. The best team won. Did they mess around more than you would hope they would? Probably. But they’re the best team at this point with what everyone else was facing with injuries. … They’ve been the best team in the East for four months now.
“(But) the Warriors have home-court advantage, which I think will be a big deal. Obviously, the crowd is different than it was at Oracle (Arena), but it’s still very, very good. And they seem to hit their stride defensively almost more than offensively in these playoffs. And then you add in Steph, Klay — who’s not quite the same Klay, but he’s more than enough. And then they’ll put (Wiggins) on Tatum, I imagine. My big question is, will they start Klay on Brown, or will they have Draymond (Green) on one of the two big guys and move Wiggins to the other one? My guess is that they’ll start Klay on Brown and let Draymond do his rover-safety-the-best-in-basketball-that-he-is thing. But I just think with their ability to create shots the way they do is going to stress the Celtics defense in a way they haven’t been (stressed). And Rob Williams, I think, gets mitigated a little bit. The Warriors don’t rely on a bunch of stuff at the rim, or the stuff they get off the rim is off of distraction, essentially, around their split (screen) games and their transition 3s. I just think it’ll be too much. I just think the Warriors are better. I think it’s close. But if Tatum and Brown raise one more level, this (prediction) is gonna look stupid. But yeah, I’m gonna tell you Warriors in seven.”
“I think Boston, for the league, is a better defensive team overall. But I’m not sure they have the weaponry to guard Golden State. I think we’ll find out. I think in this series, Golden State’s defense will be a little bit better.
“Boston will attack (Poole on defense) the minute he gets on the floor. I actually don’t think Dallas attacked him enough. Part of that is just how Luka (Dončić) plays. But (the Warriors) have to go out of their way to protect him, and it’s why as that series went on, his minutes went down, quite frankly. He is a bull’s-eye. He is an absolute target.”
“The (Celtics) showed (resilience), where (after) every game they lost, the next night (they responded). I think Tatum’s averaging 32 a night (after a loss). It’s not, ‘Yeah, they have to play out of their minds to win,’ but if they play their best basketball for seven games, Boston is going to be hard to beat. Smart is so good, but what makes him great — that chip on that shoulder and his fearlessness — is what can lead to those five straight (ill-advised) shots (at the end of Game 7 against Miami), or those halves where Tatum and Brown shoot seven times total. If he reins it in just a little bit and they play through Brown and Tatum at a higher level, and the Warriors can’t guard them both to the level they think they can, that’ll be the difference-maker. Obviously, whatever team makes more shots certainly plays in here. But no, I think mostly it’s about Tatum and Brown raising to the level of (showing) that they’re two of the top-10 players in the league and they play like it for the majority of seven games. That will be the biggest difference if they were to win.”
“I don’t think (the Warriors’ better NBA Finals experience will be a big factor). (The Celtics) played in multiple Eastern Conference finals. They obviously won in a tough place to play on the road in Game 7; they beat the Bucks in Game 7. They’ve had their lumps in conference finals, (but) I don’t think that comes into play here. Time will tell, but these guys are battle-tested (despite) not being in the finals (before now).”
Scout’s pick: Boston in six Coach’s pick: Boston in six Executive’s pick: Warriors in seven Majority pick: Boston
(Top photo of Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum: Matthew J. Lee / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)