10:12 PM ET NEW ORLEANS — With the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in some danger with one star hurt and an ascendant Pelicans team giving them problems, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul delivered a signature series performance, including the best shooting game of his career to finish the close out. Riding his favorite play, Paul
Even though the recently eliminated Brooklyn Nets rarely looked like contenders, many still thought of them as one. Why was that idea so hard to let go of? In Game 2 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Brooklyn Nets demolished the Bucks 125-86, and I assure you the game was even more lopsided than
9:40 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN TORONTO — Someday, a team will come back from down 3-0 to win an NBA playoff series. But it won’t be the 2022 Toronto Raptors. After becoming the 14th team to extend a best-of-seven series to Game 6 after falling behind 3-0, the Raptors didn’t have enough to prolong this
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Last week on The Whiteboard, I began the annual exercise of examining the offensive style of each team using the same NBA offensive style charts I’ve been building for
10:11 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — The Bucks lost forward Khris Middleton to a sprained MCL and responded with three consecutive victories over the Chicago Bulls, advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs with a 116-100 win in Game 5 on Wednesday. The Bucks will play the Celtics in the second round;
Tyrese Maxey and Jordan Poole are two of the NBA playoffs’ emerging stars, plus Luka Doncic’s return throws the Mavericks into a mini-identity crisis. The NBA playoffs have a way of testing first-timers in a way nothing else really can. The difference in focus, intensity and execution between the regular season and postseason has arguably
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 17: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the first half of Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Footprint Center on April 17, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User
Chris Herring’s Blood in the Garden is a well-researched work that captures the tenacity of the 1990s Knicks in all its feral glory The New York Knicks of the 1990s continually found themselves intersecting with greatness. In the words of Chris Herring, whose debut book Blood In the Garden covers those teams, “They were a brute-force
12:45 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry dribbled through nearly the entire Denver Nuggets team before putting up the perfect tear-drop layup to put the Warriors up with 30 seconds left in the game Wednesday night. As he came down the court, he looked at the audience and clasped his hands under
MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 15: Head coach Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat look on against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at FTX Arena on January 15, 2022 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is
Chris Paul has had the worst luck in playoff games refereed by Scott Foster, and last night his luck did not change. The Chris Paul, Scott Foster playoff curse continues. Last night, Paul added another loss for playoff games he has been in that were refereed by Scott Foster. The New Orleans Pelicans beat the
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Of all the shocking trends we’ve seen so far in the first round of the playoffs (and there have been more than a few) the New Orleans Pelicans splitting
7:08 PM ET Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker is progressing on a return soon, possibly for Game 6 on Thursday or a potential Game 7 on Saturday in the franchise’s Western Conference first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN. Booker has made significant progress with his strained right hamstring in
The Milwaukee Bucks will look to close out their first round series with the Chicago Bulls with a Game 5 win on Wednesday, Apr. 27. The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to win back-to-back NBA titles. Their first road block of accomplishing that goal came in the form of their rivals, the Chicago Bulls. The Bucks
Apr 21, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) talks to fans during a gamne against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter during game one of the three round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports 11 best viral tweets from Timberwolves historic collapse
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – APRIL 26: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at FedExForum on April 26, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is
10:35 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN Chicago Bulls guards Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols) and Alex Caruso (concussion protocol) will both miss Game 5 on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls were hoping either player’s health would approve ahead of their win-or-go-home game in Milwaukee, but they downgraded both guards on their injury
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports The 2021-22 NBA regular season has come and gone, but who are the players that led each team in total dunks? And which teams had the most and the least amount of dunks? The NBA’s 75th Anniversary season featured 11,111 total dunks that occurred in 1,230 regular-season games. After counting down the
Ja Morant’s heroics led the Memphis Grizzlies to a huge Game 5 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. That caught the attention of LeBron James and NFL stars. The Memphis Grizzlies hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5, searching to take a pivotal 3-2 series lead. Things certainly looked bleak for Memphis, as they trailed 85-74
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 08: Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena on April 08, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the
The Chicago Bulls look to take a 2-1 series lead over the division rival Milwaukee Bucks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series on Friday night. After stealing Game 2 on the road, the Chicago Bulls are hoping to keep the positive momentum in their direction when they host the Central Division rival Milwaukee Bucks on Friday
10:20 PM ET MIAMI — The Heat were missing two of their starters yet hardly missed a beat in Tuesday’s 97-94 Game 5 win over the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the second round. With Kyle Lowry sidelined since late in the third quarter of Game 3 with a left hamstring strain and Jimmy Butler
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Last week on The Whiteboard, I began the annual exercise of examining the offensive style of each team using the same NBA offensive style charts I’ve been building for
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade is clearly supporting Jimmy Butler in the playoffs with a ringing endorsement of his 3-point shot. The Miami Heat are currently on a hot streak to open up the NBA Playoffs, boasting a 2-0 record over the Atlanta Hawks. Yet no player shines quite as brightly as Jimmy Butler, who
Game 5 of the Heat vs. Hawks NBA Playoffs series is on tap with Miami one victory away from advancing and Atlanta holding on for dear life. While Atlanta didn’t get the two victories they needed on their home floor, they got the one they needed to push things back to Miami. Now, Game 5
4:00 PM ET MIAMI — Heat star Jimmy Butler has been ruled out of Game 5 of Miami’s first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks because of right knee inflammation, the team announced on Tuesday afternoon about three hours before tipoff. Butler had been dominant in the series thus far, averaging 30.5 points on 54.3% shooting
When Charles Barkley called Kevin Durant a “bus rider” on NBA championship teams, Durant said it all with photos of Barkley’s own former teams. Criticism deserves context: only the greatest players in NBA history have the right to call out fellow players if their game is lacking. Though Charles Barkley is absolutely qualified to comment
Ja Morant trolled the Minnesota Timberwolves following the Memphis Grizzlies’ epic Game 3 comeback victory. The Minnesota Timberwolves had to be feeling well entering the fourth quarter, as they had a 98-percent chance of winning Game 3 of their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies. Instead, they were outscored by 25 points and lost 104-95
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 23: Patrick Beverley #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket while Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies defends in the second quarter of the game during Game Four of the Western Conference First Round at Target Center on April 23, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User
8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders The first round of the playoffs is barely a week old and has already packed in plenty of intrigue. The Boston Celtics became the first team to advance to the second round when they completed a sweep of the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. If the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks win