Being up 3-1 is usually child’s play for a No. 2 seed. For Toronto, it means so much more. Since the Raptors’ rise to prominence in 2013, this is how every single playoff series for them has turned out. 2014: Lost to the fourth-seeded Nets team in seven games2015: Lost to the fifth-seeded Wizards in
3:26 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant acknowledged one of the hard truths about his team’s up-and-down season in the wake of a surprising 129-121 Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night — the group doesn’t show a consistent killer instinct when it needs one, and
PORTLAND, OR – APRIL 23: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after he hit a game winning three-pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder after Game Five Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2019 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees
HOUSTON, TX – APRIL 24 : James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets passes the ball against the Utah Jazz during Game Five of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or
10:13 PM ET The NBA informed teams Tuesday that 233 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2019 NBA draft, including 175 from the college ranks and a record 58 internationals. The deadline for underclassmen and international players to submit paperwork to the league office making themselves eligible for the draft was Sunday night.
3:32 PM ET NEW YORK — All Star guard D’Angelo Russell “definitely” hopes to return to the Brooklyn Nets next season but knows that, as a restricted free agent, much of what happens in the offseason will be beyond his control. “I definitely want to be here. But I also know it’s a business, too.
Wednesday’s FanDuel slate: 8 p.m. ET: Utah at Houston10:30 p.m. ET: LA Clippers at Golden State My favorite plays of the day can be found on the following slides in FanSided’s FanDuel daily picks. Each day in order to offer a variety of price points at each position, you can find two slides for each position–one
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 15: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles during a game against the Brooklyn Nets during Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 15, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 18: Tobias Harris #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts in the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets during game three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 18, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges
4:25 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — It’s a shot that will be replayed for years to come, one of the all-time postseason moments as Damian Lillard closed the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games from almost 40 feet out to give himself an even 50 points and berth in the second round. The official play-by-play
The Philadelphia 76ers made a statement, suffocating the Brooklyn Nets on defense in Game 5 and closing the series with a huge win. The 76ers scored 14 unanswered points to open the game, setting the stage for the beatdown that was to come. Brooklyn finished with 100 points but just 31 in the first half,
The NBA Draft process is in full swing with teams gearing up for workouts and the annual NBA Draft Combine. Last week, draftable seniors took the floor at the annual Portsmouth Invitational, and while the quality of the players that take part in Portsmouth has diminished over the years, that did not stop NBA executives
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – APRIL 21: Kyrie Irving #11, and Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics hi-five each other during Game Four of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers on April 21, 2019 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by
11:14 PM ET TORONTO — Raptors guard Kyle Lowry injured the ring finger on his right hand Tuesday night in Toronto’s 115-96 series-clinching win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of their first-round matchup. Lowry’s ring finger was struck by the ball in the second quarter. During the subsequent timeout, the Raptors’ medical staff
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 23: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers celebrates his three point basket against the Florida State Seminoles in the first half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Top point
7:00 AM ET IT’S SATURDAY, SEPT. 8, in Tyler, Texas, and it is officially “Jimmy Butler Day.” The chancellor of Tyler Junior College has just bestowed an honorary degree on its most famous alumnus, followed by the city council handing the key to the city to the Sixers swingman, an honor not even bestowed upon
When LeBron James missed out on the postseason for the first time in 14 years, he left a massively large hole in the proceedings. After all, James had dragged his squad to the NBA Finals in eight consecutive seasons, dating back to his inaugural season alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh down in Miami. Without
4:08 AM ET SALT LAKE CITY — “Determination over negativity” isn’t just a marketing slogan for Donovan Mitchell‘s Adidas signature shoe. It’s a mantra for the young Utah Jazz star. So Mitchell wasn’t thinking about how much he had struggled during this Western Conference playoff series when the fourth quarter of Game 4 began with
Before the first-round series between the Nets and 76ers began, the question of who Ben Simmons would guard had the potential to define a lot. As Jared Dubin pointed out, Simmons’ versatility has been unfurled a bit more since Tobias Harris was acquired in February. He has always spent time defending all five positions but
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 21: Sylvia Fowles #34 of the Minnesota Lynx handles the ball against the Los Angeles Sparks in Round One of the 2018 WNBA Playoffs on August 21, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this
At the end of a first quarter in which his MVP candidate failed to hit a field goal and Utah’s presumptive DPOY finally showed up with four blocks, Houston coach Mike D’Antoni was asked what his team needed to change about their shot selection. “Nothin.” Arrogant? Maybe a little. Correct? Absolutely. On cue, Gerald Green
9:57 PM ET DENVER — Nikola Jokic remembers feeling helpless on that April night in 2016. The Denver Nuggets center was a rookie facing Tim Duncan, who was in his 19th and final NBA season. Duncan scored a season-high 21 points and left an unforgettable impression on the young Jokic. “He could not move that
Which 2019 NBA Draft prospects helped themselves most at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this weekend? The 2019 NBA Draft season kicked off this past week with the 67th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. In the midst of underclassmen dominating headlines with their decisions whether or not to declare for the draft, a who’s who of college
When LeBron James missed out on the postseason for the first time in 14 years, he left a massively large hole in the proceedings. After all, James had dragged his squad to the NBA Finals in eight consecutive seasons, dating back to his inaugural season alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh down in Miami. Without
The NBA’s uniform aesthetic has been moving towards a trimmer fit. Jerseys are tighter, shorts are shorter, everything accentuates the frame underneath. But not Pascal Siakam. Like a time-traveler from 2003, his everything about his uniform hangs loosely, with enough extra fabric to smuggle Patrick McCaw onto the court without anyone noticing. Every drive he
After a slow start, the Raptors regained their focus defensively and closed the game in dominating fashion, blowing out Orlando and moving one step closer to advancing in their pursuit of a title. Things looked promising for the Magic early on in Sunday’s Game 4 in Orlando. Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon were hitting shots,
7:48 AM ET IN OKLAHOMA CITY’S locker room on April 5, Russell Westbrook took his usual place in front of a blank whiteboard for his postgame media availability. He had his new favorite postgame prop with him — a cup of ice water — and answered questions about the Thunder‘s much-needed win over the Detroit
Damian Lillard and company have answered every challenge from the Thunder, taking Game 4 and giving the Trail Blazers control of this series. The Thunder seemed to have stolen momentum in Game 3, getting a big night from Russell Westbrook and trolling Damian Lillard throughout their first win of the series. The Trail Blazers bounced
DENVER, CO – APRIL 16: Patty Mills (8) of the San Antonio Spurs defends Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets at mid court during the first half on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. The Denver Nuggets hosted the San Antonio Spurs during game two of their first round NBA playoffs series at the Pepsi Center.
The San Antonio Spurs were led by Derrick White’s 36 points to put the Denver Nuggets, the second-seeded team in the Western Conference, in a deep hole they might not climb out of. There was no dramatic comeback this time, no moment of redemption for the Nuggets. Denver needed late-game heroics to win Game 2