Category: Basketball

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Report: Morant, Hield issued warnings for ‘inappropriate' gestures

Report: Morant, Hield issued warnings for ‘inappropriate' gestures originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA concluded its investigation of the viral antics at the end of the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.

After the league reportedly looked into Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Warriors guard Buddy Hield appearing to use finger gun gestures toward each other in the final seconds of Golden State’s 134-125 win, the NBA deemed the actions were not intended to be violent in nature, but were inappropriate and issued warnings to both players and their respective teams, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources.

Things got chippy between the two teams with 20 seconds remaining in the game, as both Morant and Hield were issued double-technical fouls after the Warriors guard appeared to make the gesture first.

Morant previously was suspended twice for flashing a gun on Instagram live videos in 2023, with the first being an eight-game suspension for having a gun at a Denver nightclub. The second video happened over the summer, when he flashed what appeared to be a gun in a car and had to serve a 25-game suspension.

And while the NBA doesn’t believe the gestures were violent in nature, it still took action in the form of warnings.

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Why Kerr believes Steph earns fewer foul calls than other NBA stars

Why Kerr believes Steph earns fewer foul calls than other NBA stars originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has a theory about why superstar Steph Curry doesn’t receive the same amount of foul calls as other NBA stars.

In speaking to 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Wednesday, Kerr detailed how he believes Curry’s style of play is hard to officiate for league refs.

“Trust me, it does not, because I’ve been trying that for 10 years,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley about Curry pleading for foul calls not being a successful tactic. “It has not helped at all. I just think Steph is a very different player than all the other stars in the league. He’s the only star who plays off the ball as much as he does. 

“And he’s the only guy who faces the kind of face-guarding – we call it top-locking defense – and I think what happens sometimes is the officials just aren’t used to making that call, where he’s being held and grabbed away from the basket; to me, those should be automatic fouls.”

Curry has averaged 3.9 free-throw attempts throughout his 16-year career and 4.0 over 63 games during the 2024-25 NBA season. 

As Kerr – and Dub Nation – know all too well, Curry doesn’t get the same whistles as the league’s other top names.

For example, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a leading candidate for his first NBA MVP award, has averaged 8.1 free throws over 72 games; and that’s not even his highest figure, as he averaged 9.8 in 2022-23. Similarly, Los Angeles Clippers star and known charity-stripe connoisseur James Harden is averaging 7.3 this season, but that’s low compared to his 11.8 in 2019-2020.

Kerr has done years of complaining on Curry’s behalf. But the coach just doesn’t believe the refs give Curry the same credit they do other stars because of his unique, off-ball style.

“The league makes a point of talking about freedom of movement, but let’s face it, most of the league plays pick-and-roll,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley. “And so they’re used to calling pick-and-roll fouls and seeing that kind of action. 

“I don’t think our officials are as used to seeing off-ball stuff; honestly, that’s my biggest complaint when I’m talking to the refs or send clips to the league; it’s almost always about off-ball holding of Steph because that’s supposed to be a foul.”

Defenders often hold onto Curry’s jersey and body for dear life when guarding the four-time NBA champion on the perimeter. But perhaps officiating crews are focused on other things.

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Cincinnati meets UCF in CBC

The Bearcats are 8-14 against Big 12 opponents and 11-1 in non-conference play. Cincinnati scores 70.9 points and has outscored opponents by 5.3 points per game. The Knights are 8-14 in Big 12 play.

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New Warriors face legit NBA playoff audition against new Lakers

New Warriors face legit NBA playoff audition against new Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The last time Stephen Curry saw the Los Angeles Lakers, he jacked up 35 shots. Not because he wanted to but because he justifiably felt his scoring gave the Warriors their best chance of winning. His solo errand ended in defeat.           

The first time Curry faced the Lakers this season, on Christmas Day, he scored 38 points, 13 in the final three minutes, including a game-tying 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left. Six seconds later, Lakers guard Austin Reaves slashed in for the game-winning layup.

Those were the Warriors of another era. Or so it seems. The arrival of Jimmy Butler III has added dimension and altered their outlook. Golden State, 0-3 against LA this season, has an opportunity to validate its resurgence Thursday, when they face the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

“Completely different team,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters Tuesday night in Memphis. “Jimmy saved our season. The trade saved our season.”

Curry has averaged 31.8 points over his last 10 regular-season games against LA, and the Warriors won only three of those games. Butler during that time was with the Miami Heat. He’s a Warrior now, and Curry has his most complete offensive sidekick since June 2019.

Acquiring Butler not only pumped life into a fading season, but it also instilled within Curry a renewed faith in the team. And, therefore, his mission.

“He has a presence about him,” Curry said of Butler after the Warriors’ 134-125 win over the Grizzlies. “He’s always under control, making the right play, [exploiting] advantages when he gets in the paint, getting to the line, finishing at the rim. … He just always makes the right play.

“And when I’m off the court, he’s lifting the level of guys around him. He’s a gamer.”

Butler fills many of the gaps that previously had the Warriors handcuffed to mediocrity. They’ve gone from climbing on Curry’s back and hoping it would be enough to succeed to hitching themselves to both stars and believing they’re supposed to win.

“That’s why the trade makes so much sense for us, and why the results have been there ever since,” Curry said. “It’s a great tandem in terms of two different styles.”

Golden State’s collective certitude was visible Tuesday in Memphis. The Warriors built a 17-point lead in the first quarter, lost all of it by the third quarter – before coming back, surviving 10 fourth-quarter lead changes, and closing out the win with a 13-3 run over the final 2:24.

Butler scored six of those 13 points, all on free throws. Curry accounted for two points, also on free throws. The only field goals were a tip-in by Brandin Podziemski and a corner 3-ball by Moses Moody that put the Grizzlies to sleep.

“The roster makes sense,” Kerr said, citing Butler as the missing piece. “We’ve got guys who are competitive and tough and smart. As Steph talked about, he wanted to play meaningful basketball again. He’s getting to do that. We’re all getting to do that, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Those field goals by Podziemski and Moody were consequential and, perhaps offered a glimpse of what is possible in games to come, beginning Thursday night in LA. The win at Memphis served as an audition for the high-stakes expectations for Podziemski and Moody and the under-25 members of the Warriors.

This was two teams with their hearts on display, dueling for NBA playoff positioning, with a frenzied pace and consistent intensity. Curry was at his best, scoring 52 points, but this game sought to answer another question:

Who, besides Draymond Green (a triple-double) and Butler (27 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals), would ensure Curry’s brilliance would be rewarded?

Podziemski and Moody provided an answer. Unproductive on offense most of the night, they made gigantic plays over the final 71 seconds. They showed up at winning time.

“We love playing meaningful games,” Curry said. “Coach said it before the game, that this is a meaningful game. All the rest of them down the regular season are going to be like this. So, for us to be able to step up the way we did [was a] total team effort.

“But I like me and Jimmy leading it.”

Curry and Green would not have been able to will Golden State’s youngsters into and through the postseason. The kids are still struggling in their efforts to trying to decipher the code that maximizes Curry.

Green knows it. Butler solved it in in two weeks. Are those two enough against premier competition? Can the youngsters, with the guidance of the vets, provide adequate support?

The outcome against the Lakers, revived with Luka Doncić joining forces with LeBron James, should provide a hint.

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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Bub Carrington, Tristan Vukcevic shine for Wizards

While some other lottery-bound teams have not been transparent about how they'll handle their rosters the rest of the season, there have been few secrets in the nation's capital. It's been established that the team's younger players will get all the minutes they can handle, give or take a few if some of the Wizards' vets are available. But fantasy managers know they'll see the youngster playing rotation minutes. As a result, some players have begun to provide tangible fantasy value during the stretch run.

Washington's win over Sacramento was spearheaded by some of the team's younger options, including PG/SG Bub Carrington (14%), C Tristan Vukcevic (9%) and SG AJ Johnson (2%). Carrington and Johnson scored 19 points apiece and provided solid overall stat lines, while Vukcevic chipped in with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one block and two three-pointers off the bench.

Carrington, who has been close to a top-75 player over the past week, supplemented his 19 points with two rebounds, seven assists and five three-pointers, with the five triples matching his season-high. Johnson added two rebounds, six asists, one steal and two three-pointers to his 19 points before fouling out. Carrington has been the most valuable of the three, and one can also throw Justin Champagnie (13 percent rostered, Yahoo!) into the mix. But all will continue to have their chances to produce, and the Wizards play games on Thursday and Sunday to end Week 22.

Let's look at a few other low-rostered standouts from Wednesday's slate:

SF/PF Tari Eason (47%), Houston Rockets

The Rockets played Wednesday's game against the Jazz without Fred VanVleet, who sat out due to soreness in the same ankle he injured earlier this season. That opened up a spot in the lineup for Eason, who finished the blowout win over Utah with a solid line of 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks and one three-pointer in 24 minutes. Also of note was Dillon Brooks picking up his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension. Even if VanVleet can play in Friday's game against the Thunder, Eason may stay in the starting lineup due to Brooks' suspension.

PG/SG Isaiah Collier (26%), Utah Jazz

Sure, the Jazz were beaten by a 143-105 final score. But that should not take away from Collier's stat line, which was one of the best of his rookie campaign. The first-round pick shot 7-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from the foul line, scoring 22 points with five rebounds, 10 assists, one block, two three-pointers and zero turnovers. The ride hasn't always been smooth, but Collier has done enough to hold onto the starting point guard role since late-January, while 2023 first-round pick Keyonte George continues to come off the bench.

PG Jose Alvarado (18%), New Orleans Pelicans

Alvarado's fantasy value over the past two weeks hasn't been much to write home about, as he's been a 12th-round player in eight-cat formats. However, with CJ McCollum done for the season, there's reason to roll the dice on "Grand Theft Alvarado." And he rewarded deep-league managers on Wednesday, finishing the Pelicans' loss to the Clippers with 17 points, two rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 27 minutes. A 0-of-5 night from three isn't good, but Alvarado was 7-of-11 from two.

PG/SG Davion Mitchell (15%) and SG Pelle Larsson (9%), Miami Heat

Mitchell gave the Heat good minutes off the bench in their 21-point win over Boston, tallying 13 points, four rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three three-pointers in 34 minutes. He has been a top 100 player over the past two weeks. As for Larsson, he made his third consecutive start, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers in 30 minutes. The second-round pick out of Arizona has scored in double figures in three straight games and should have added value as long as Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson remain out.

SG/SF Tim Hardaway Jr. (8%), Detroit Pistons

Before Sunday's loss to the Timberwolves, Hardaway had not scored 20 points or more in consecutive games this season. He's now met or exceeded that number in three straight, most recently finishing Wednesday's loss to the Thunder with 23 points, three rebounds, three assists and five three-pointers. Hardaway's lackluster defensive stats make him a tough sell in most fantasy leagues. Still, his ceiling has been raised due to the continued absence of Cade Cunningham, and Tobias Harris exiting Wednesday's game with a case of Achilles tendinopathy.

C DeAndre Jordan (2%), Denver Nuggets

None of the Nuggets' usual starters were available for Wednesday's game, resulting in multiple players not usually in the rotation logging significant minutes. Jordan was one of those replacements, and he finished the loss to the Spurs with 10 points, 17 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot in 36 minutes. Streaming him paid dividends for the few who took the plunge, especially if they needed rebounding production. Also, Jalen Pickett (zero percent) recorded his first triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and three three-pointers. Neither Pickett nor Jordan is worth holding onto, as the Nuggets should be much closer to full strength when they visit the Warriors on Saturday.

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Watch Anthony Davis hit game-winner for Mavericks on night he drops 34 and 15 on Hawks

NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks

Apr 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts in front of Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"We go as he goes. He's obviously our best player," Dallas' Klay Thompson said of Anthony Davis, via the AP.

Wednesday, that best player had his best game since joining the Mavericks — including hitting the game-winner against the Hawks.

"A shot that I've been shooting for a long time," Davis said of the game-winner. "It's a shot I'm very confident in."

The Mavericks are now 4-1 in the games Davis has played. Davis has started to look more comfortable in each of those games, and on Wednesday Davis dropped 34 points on Atlanta, the most Davis has scored as a Maverick.

With the win, the Mavericks move 1.5 games ahead of the slumping Kings for the No. 9 seed in the West (meaning Dallas would host the first-round play-in game). Dallas is 2.5 games up on No. 11 seed Phoenix, which is facing its own challenges with Kevin Durant out.

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Kawhi Leonard leads Clippers to a dominant win over the Pelicans amid playoff push

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives past Pelicans forward Keion Brooks Jr. Wednesday at the Intuit Dome.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives past Pelicans forward Keion Brooks Jr. during a win Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome. (William Liang / Associated Press)

The teams the Clippers are chasing for a top-six spot in the Western Conference standings keep winning and that means the Clippers have to continue their pursuit of wins until the final seedings are decided.

His team understands “what’s at stake” and “what’s at risk,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said, and that has kept his group on high alert as it seeks to avoid the NBA’s play-in tournament by earning a top-six seed.

As it stands, even after the Clippersdefeated the depleted New Orleans Pelicans 114-98 on Wednesday night at the Inuit Dome, the Clippers remain a play-in team.

The Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies all have identical 44-32 records, all of them a half-game behind the fifth-seeded Golden State Warriors. If the season ended today, the Timberwolves would get the No. 6 seed, the Clippers the No. 7 seed and the Grizzlies the No. 8 seed based on tiebreakers.

“Everyone is paying attention to the standings,” guard James Harden said. “But I think we control our own destiny, you know what I mean? So, we just want to be playing well, no matter who we’re playing against. Obviously, it’s going to work out how it’s going to work out. But for us it’s just playing well and controlling what we can control.”

With six regular-season games left, Lue said the Clippers want to play their best, hunt for a top-six position and stay healthy.

“Health is important,” Lue said. “But like you said, trying to get the top-six seed is very important as well, because you don’t want to go into the play-in game because in one or two games anything can happen. So that’s been our focus and our mindset and I give our guys credit. They’ve been doing a good job with that.”

The Clippers stayed in contention for a top-six seed because they had a balanced attack with six players scoring in double figures, led by strong performances from Kawhi Leonard and Harden.

Leonard was efficient, scoring 28 points, shooting 11 for 18 from the field and three for five from three-point range.

Read more:Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell lead Clippers to win over Magic

Harden had a double-double with 21 points and 10 assists. He was was seven for 14 from the field and had three blocks. After going one for five from three-point range, Harden has made 404 three-pointers as a Clipper, pushing him past Eric Gordon for sole possession of 10th place on the all-time list.

Ivica Zubac had 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 16 points off the bench.

The Clippers won for the ninth time in 10 games but it wasn’t easy at times.

New Orleans just shut down Zion Williamson (bone bruise in his back) and CJ McCollum (bone bruise in his right foot), and other players missed the game too. But the Pelicans didn’t just roll over, forcing the Clippers to stay alert.

It took a three-pointer from Bogdanovic, an offensive rebound and put-back along with two free throws from Zubac, and a three pointer from Leonard for the Clippers to open a 20-point lead late in the fourth quarter.

“I think we’re playing the right way,” said Zubac, whom the Clippers are promoting for defensive player of the year, including handing out T-shirts. “We’re building our team defensively. Just the level of how everyone is on a string, everyone is playing together, covering each other on defense. It’s been a higher level than it was earlier in the year. So, everyone has the right mindset. Everybody is focused on us getting wins.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Knicks run out of gas in second half, fall to Cavaliers, 124-105

The Knicks saw a 34-point second-half swing doom them in their 124-105 loss to the Cavaliers in Cleveland.

The loss broke a streak of 71 consecutive wins when they were up by 15-plus points in a game.

Here are the takeaways...

-The last time these two teams met, the Cavaliers took it to New York in the form of a 142-105 beatdown back in February. It was a different story on Wednesday but ultimately the same result.

The Knicks, coming off the second of a back-to-back, were ready to shoot from the jump, as their first nine field goals (that also came on nine assists) helped them climb to a strong 11-point lead midway through the opening period. They took advantage of sloppy possessions from the Cavs, scoring 10 of their 34 first-quarter points on four turnovers.

Coming off a game-high 27 points against the Sixers on Tuesday, winger OG Anunoby set the team’s torrid first-half pace with contributions as a scorer and facilitator. At the half, Anunoby led all scorers with 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and a team-high five assists.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who missed Tuesday's game with knee soreness, dropped seven points but pulled down seven boards on Wednesday. Josh Hart helped Anunoby in the scoring department, posting 12 points on 5 of 11 shooting (2-for-6 from three) to go along with two rebounds and two assists.

-The Knicks enjoyed a double-digit lead for most of the first half, but the Cavaliers made a late push in the second quarter to cut the Knicks' lead to 60-53 at halftime. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 11 points, while De'Andre Hunter scored 10 points off the bench.

-The second half didn't start off great for the Knicks. Anunoby picked up his fourth foul early on and had to sit, and the Cavs took advantage by taking the lead with seven minutes remaining in the third on the back of Mitchell, who scored nine points in the frame. A 7-0 run for New York was fueled by a Precious Achiuwa steal that resulted in a clear-path foul, but Cleveland answered with an 8-0 run of its own to take a 91-85 lead heading into the fourth.

-The Knicks' defense began to fade as the fourth quarter went on, as Cleveland would get to the basket with extra passes with ease and open threes were aplenty. The Cleveland bigs took it to the Knicks, cutting to the basket and getting offensive rebounds. New York was out-rebounded 44-39, and turned the ball over 14 times to Cleveland's 13.

Anunoby scored just four points in the second half after his hot start.

Towns (25), Hart (19), Mikal Bridges (8) and Delon Wright (7) rounded out the scoring for the Knicks' starters. Achiuwa (13) led the scoring for the bench. Landry Shamet, after making six threes on Tuesday, hit just one in his five-point performance.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks (48-28) enjoy a few days off before they travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks for a 3 p.m. tip on Saturday.

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Maryland’s Buzz Williams confident in school’s commitment as he takes over basketball program

Whatever misgivings Kevin Willard may have had about coaching basketball at Maryland, Buzz Williams' arrival shows the job is still pretty enticing. In Williams, the Terrapins hired an experienced replacement who has had some success in highly competitive leagues. “Relative to what I thought was important on the commitment going forward, on what is needed to be successful at the highest level, there was never any question from (Maryland) on the commitment for us, me, the staff, NIL, the players, the resources,” Williams said.

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76ers' Joel Embiid will 'undergo arthroscopic surgery next week to address his left knee'

Joel Embiid had said earlier this season his troublesome left knee might require another surgery and a "lengthy recovery" process. He was not wrong.

Embiid is set to "undergo arthroscopic surgery next week to address his left knee," the 76ers announced Wednesday.

This is the same knee Embiid had meniscus surgery on in early 2024. After that, he pushed to return for last season's playoffs. While he averaged 33 points and 10.8 rebounds a game, Embiid was not his dominant self, shot 44.4%, and both he and the 76ers were bounced in the first round by the Knicks.

Embiid won gold playing for USA Basketball in the Paris Olympics, but his knee was never right this season and he played only 19 games for the Sixers. With Embiid having a setback every time he tried to ramp up and play more, the 76ers shut him down for the season back on February 28. Even with this surgery, it is likely this is a chronic condition that will limit how much Embiid can play during the regular season in the future.

Just before this season, Embiid signed a three-year, $192.9 million contract extension with Philadelphia, which kicks in next season and is fully guaranteed.

After a massively disappointing season in Philadelphia that will see them miss even the play-in, there will be calls for change. However, the max contracts for Embiid and Paul George are two of the most untradable ones in the league, and the 76ers are not going to trade Tyrese Maxey. While Philadelphia has some hard questions to answer about who to bring back next season — the Sixers want to re-sign Kelly Oubre, Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele but likely can't afford all three and staying under the second apron of the luxury tax — they are largely going to run it back next season and hope for better health and a bounce-back year.

One where Embiid plays far more than 19 games.

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Freshman Jeremiah Fears declares for NBA draft after one standout season at Oklahoma

Jeremiah Fears has declared for the NBA draft after one standout season at Oklahoma.

Fears made the announcement on a social media post Wednesday. The 6-foot-4 guard is projected by many to be a lottery pick. He averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season and helped the Sooners reach the NCAA Tournament.

“This year has been an incredible journey, and I am grateful for all the love and support I have received from the OU fan base!” he said in a statement on social media. “I want to express my gratitude to coach (Porter) Moser and the entire coaching staff, who believed in me and allowed me to showcase my abilities at the University of Oklahoma.”

The previous high-profile freshman at Oklahoma, Trae Young, has kept in contact with Fears. Young was the No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft and was an All-Star for the Atlanta Hawks this season.

“Jeremiah is going to be a really good player,” Young said in January. “I mean, being one of the highest recruits that we’ve got at OU in a while, I’ve been keeping up.”

Fears had plenty of big games that boosted his stock. He scored 26 points against Arizona. He hit a 30-footer, drew a foul and completed a four-point play late that pushed the Sooners to an 87-86 win over Michigan in the Jumpman Invitational. He scored 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting and made four 3-pointers in a loss to No. 2 Florida.

He scored 29 points in an Southeastern Conference Tournament win over Georgia. In a loss to Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament, he scored 20 points and kept the Sooners in the game.

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NBA investigating Ja Morant doing finger gun motions at Warriors bench

The NBA is investigating Ja Morant — who has been suspended multiple times by the NBA for waiving a gun on social media — for using a gun gesture toward the Golden State bench and in celebration of 3-pointers during the Grizzlies' loss to the Warriors Tuesday night, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Morant made the gun gesture multiple times during the game, usually aimed at the nearest defender, and in celebration of one of his five 3-pointers. Late in the game when the Warriors were in complete control, Golden State's Buddy Hield mocked Morant by making the gun gesture back at him. Morant saw that and made the gesture back toward the Warriors bench, with some trash talk involved.

Morant and Hield were given technical fouls for the exchange, and the league is also investigating Hield, according to the report.

Morant has used this celebration before on 3-pointers, and he is not the only player to use a gun gesture or something similar to celebrate a 3. The NBA has no rule explicitly banning a gesture, but it has fined players for things such as a throat-slashing gesture or the big balls celebration.

Because of Morant's history, the gun gesture takes on a different significance. Morant was suspended for eight games near the end of the 2022-23 season after he showed off a gun on Instagram Live while at a strip club in Colorado. Morant told NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the time he had learned his lesson, however, that summer Morant was seen again on Instagram Live with a gun while riding in a friend's car. This time, the league suspended Morant 25 games at the start of the 2023-24 season.

If the NBA cracks down on gun gestures, it cannot just go after Morant, other players have used that celebration as well. The NBA also would be following in the footsteps of the NFL, which cracked down on finger gun celebrations (players have been fined).