Category: Basketball

Edgecombe shows knack for doing ‘whatever it takes' on 1st career game-winner  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VJ Edgecombe didn’t pause.

For rookies — and for anyone — it’s natural to stop and stare as a crunch-time shot is launched. But the Sixers’ 20-year-old guard saw De’Anthony Melton block Tyrese Maxey’s jumper and reacted first. As is his habit, he knew where to be and was determined to get there. 

The result was a first career NBA game-winner, a put-back layup with 0.9 seconds on the clock. Despite blowing a 24-point lead Thursday night to the Warriors, the high-drama Sixers sit at 12-9. 

Edgecombe’s vital rebound was no fluke. He’s grabbed 1.9 offensive rebounds per game — second among rookies to 7-foot-1 Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner — and has at least one offensive board in 16 of his 18 games. 

“I’m athletic,” he said. “Just try to use my athleticism. The shot goes up, people tend to relax. I’m a victim of it. So I know the opportunity is going to present itself for me to grab the board. And like I said, I can jump, so I just try to jump before them, to be honest.”

Maxey sat to Edgecombe’s left at the postgame press conference podium. Instead of being grateful after Edgecombe’s put-back and celebrating a presumed win, he chased down Melton and blocked his layup attempt on the other end at the buzzer. 

THIS SEQUENCE!

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“Rese probably ran a 4.2 (40-yard dash) or something,” Edgecombe said with a smile. 

Maxey enjoyed swatting his good friend and former teammate, who returned Thursday from a torn ACL. 

“Honestly, I just didn’t want him to call me in a couple minutes saying he beat us,” Maxey said of Melton. “I’m just happy to see him out there. He was at my house for two, three hours yesterday just chopping it up and talking about life. … I told him I’d give him one jump shot because he was struggling early. I gave him one middie in the third. But I’m just happy that out he was out there, man. It was good to see him. I told him he can’t guard me, so it’s all good.”

While Maxey continued to be a scorching scorer, posting 35 points, Edgecombe’s final box score stats were not sparkling. He chipped in 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals, but he committed five turnovers and only played 24 minutes in his third game since returning from a left calf injury.

None of his previous mistakes ever seem to matter in the final moments. 

“He’s had some of these games where he just hasn’t done much, and then down the stretch he’ll hit a big three, get a big rebound,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. ”I just thought, ‘Let’s go back with him and maybe he’ll make a play.’ He’s got a nose for the ball and he’s got a nose for what’s going on out there. Even though he’s a rookie, he can make those plays.”

The Sixers had their game-winning chance because Edgecombe stole Pat Spencer’s inbounds pass and called timeout with 8.2 seconds left. 

“Just watching basketball, to be honest,” Edgecombe said of his defensive instincts. “I knew how much time they had to inbound the ball and I knew they had no timeouts left. He had to throw the ball somewhere and everyone was just contesting that one little spot. I just dove on the ball. 

“It’s more just reading their eyes because people tend to telegraph their passes a lot. So just trying to read their eyes and make a quick play on the ball.”

Edgecombe has shined late in many of the Sixers’ ultra-tight early-season contests. 

He’s played 54 minutes in “clutch” situations, which the NBA defines as the final five minutes of games within five points. Edgecombe has shot 10 for 13 from the field and 4 for 6 from three-point range, pulled down 11 rebounds and dished out seven assists. 

“I just want to win,” he said. “Whatever it takes for me to do that, I’ll do it. I don’t care about (anything) else. 

“If they need me to make a shot, I’m going to make the shot. If they need me to grab a rebound, I’ll grab the rebound. Get a steal, get a stop … I’ll do it. Whatever it takes to win, because winning feels great and losing (doesn’t).” 

Ex-Warrior Jamal Crawford details Steph Curry's work ethic with classic story originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen Curry is 37 years old and still playing like one of the NBA’s best.And according to Jamal Crawford, the reason behind Curry’s sustained greatness is simple: relentless discipline.

During an appearance on “Dubs Talk” with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill and Monte Poole, Crawford didn’t hesitate when asked what keeps a guard like Curry playing at a high level for so long.

“Doing exactly what he’s doing,” Crawford said. “Shape has no age.”

Crawford knows that better than most. The former guard played in the NBA until he was 42, suiting up for nine teams — including the Warriors during the 2008-09 season — and becoming one of the most respected veterans in the league. He won three Sixth Man of the Year awards, made his name as a legendary ballhandler and, in 2019, became the oldest player in NBA history to score 50-plus points in a game when he dropped 51 for the Phoenix Suns at age 39.

So, when he looks at Curry, he recognizes the work behind the results.

Crawford recalled last year’s NBA All-Star Game, when most players had long hit recovery mode. But not Steph.

“Steph went and did a weight-room workout after an All-Star Game,” Crawford explained. “That kind of consistency, that kind of discipline, is why he is who he is.”

Now in his 17th NBA season after being drafted No. 7 overall in 2009, Curry continues to set the standard for veterans who refuse to slow down.

But Crawford said playing deep into your career isn’t luck — it’s commitment.

“It’s a lifestyle change,” Crawford noted. “You start changing your diet, you start stretching, even if you’re sore, you start foam rolling — ice tub. But you get in a routine.”

That’s why watching Curry continue to evolve and dominate year after year doesn’t surprise him.

“I’m sure Steph has his routine,” Crawford said. “He has the best team around him. And he’s very intentional … Not a lot of wasted motion. He knows how to scale it back, when to ramp it up. He’s in tune and the ultimate professional.”

Coming from someone who defied time for two decades, that’s as high a compliment as Curry can get.

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LeBron James' incredible run of 1,297 regular-season NBA games scoring 10 or more points ended as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 123-120.

James, 40, scored eight points against the Raptors and handed out 11 assists, including the pass for Rui Hachimura to score the buzzer-beating game-winner.

"Just playing the game the right way," said James, who is in his unprecedented 23rd season.

"Always make the right play. That's how I was taught the game."

James last failed to score in double digits in January 2007, breaking Michael Jordan's previous record by 431 games.

James struggled with his shot for much of the night, connecting on just four of 17 and missing all five of his three-point attempts.

With the NBA's leading scorer Luka Doncic absent for personal reasons, Austin Reaves delivered a double-double of 44 points and 10 assists for the Lakers.

In March, James became the first player to score 50,000 points in NBA regular season and play-off matches.

NEW YORK (AP) — Lauri Markkanen scored 30 points, Keyonte George had 29 and the Utah Jazz used a huge fourth quarter to beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-110 on Thursday night.

The Jazz outscored the Nets 42-20 in the final quarter after trailing by 15 points in the first half. Markkanen and George nearly outscored the Nets by themselves, combining for 18 points.

Kyle Filipowski had 15 points and Walter Clayton Jr. added 13 off the bench for Utah, which shot 14 for 22 (63.6%) in the fourth.

Noah Clowney scored 29 points and Ziaire Williams had 23 off the bench for Nets, who had their two-game winning streak snapped.

With the game tied at 98 with 6:29 remaining, George hit consecutive 3-pointers. Williams answered with a three that made it 104-101.

On the ensuing possession, Tyrese Martin turned the ball over after stepping out of bounds and Bryce Sensabaugh was fouled on a three-point attempt and made two free throws to extend the lead 106-101.

Filipowski then connected on another three-pointer and Markkanen followed with one of his own after Clowney’s layup with 3:39 to play to make it 112-103.

The Nets rested leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. for injury management in the second game of a back-to-back. Porter, who is averaging 25.3 points, scored 33 and had 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s win at Chicago.

Up next

Jazz: Remain in New York to play the Knicks on Friday.

Nets: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

Of course.

Stuck between trying to extend his record streak of 1,297 consecutive games with 10 or more points or passing to an open Rui Hachimura to take the potential winning shot, LeBron James made the right play.

Because that’s what he’s done for 23 years in the NBA.

James’ assist on Hachimura’s buzzer-beating three-pointer punctuated the Lakers’ dramatic 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.

After the Lakers (16-5) forced a miss by Brandon Ingram with 22.9 seconds left, Austin Reaves heard Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic calling for a double team. Scottie Barnes rushed to guard Reaves near the sideline and the Lakers guard sent a left-handed bounce pass to James near the top of the arc. James, with eight points on labored four-for-17 shooting, took one dribble and fired it to Hachimura in the corner.

“I just make the right play,” James said. “That's all that matters. Win, lose or draw, make the right play.”

James’ 11 assists and Reaves’ 44 points and 10 assists helped the Lakers overcome the absence of Luka Doncic, who missed the game because of personal reasons. The NBA’s leading scorer and his fiancee are expecting their second child. Coach JJ Redick said the team hopes to get Doncic “back soon, but don’t have a pinpointed day yet.”

Without the team’s primary offensive engine, center Deandre Ayton chipped in 17 points and Jake LaRavia scored 14 off the bench. Two-way guard Nick Smith Jr. delivered 12 points in 14 minutes off the bench as the Lakers dug deep into their roster ahead of another game in Boston on Friday.

James last scored in single digits on Jan. 5, 2007 when Milwaukee held him to eight points on three-for-13 shooting in 43 minutes. But Cleveland still won that game 95-86 as James dished nine assists.

Read more:'A lot of slices of pizza left': Where the Lakers stand after 20 games

At 40, James has continued to rely on his playmaking, averaging 7.8 assists in six games since missing the first 14 because of sciatica. James acknowledged he still is finding his rhythm offensively.

He faded into the background of the Lakers' blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday, when he barely extended the streak by scoring four of his 10 points in the fourth quarter. He came out aggressively against the Raptors with nine shots by halftime.

But he scored only four points. He missed his first six shots, some even missing the rim.

Behind 22 third-quarter points from Reaves, the Lakers were clinging to a two-point lead entering the fourth. James was “acutely aware” of how many points he had as the game progressed, Redick said. With only six points in the first three quarters, James opened the fourth with two quick three-point attempts. Neither was close to going in.

The first Lakers points in the fourth quarter came from Smith. Of course, he was assisted by James.

Throughout his celebrated career, James often has been criticized for his passing. In big moments, critics questioned whether he could be the true face of the NBA if he was passing on winning opportunities to create open looks for his teammates. If he passed, he was ridiculed for not stepping up. If he shot and missed, he was torn down for it.

James, the career scoring leader who ranks fourth in assists, still remembers “everything [that] has been negatively said” about his game. Any insinuation that he wouldn’t always choose the right play sticks with him the most.

“That aspect was always like the most, one of the most foolish things I've ever heard as far as making the right pass, making the right play,” James said. “We are in the business of winning basketball games. My whole life I've just played the game that way. I was taught the game that way and I've won at every single level I've played at by playing the game that way. So there was no reason for me to ever change once I got to this level.”

James’ unselfish play rubbed off on teammates who worked to earn his trust.

“When you got someone like that, everybody's gotta fall in line,” said Reaves, who is averaging 41 points in four games without Doncic this season. “If you don't fall in line with someone like that, then you look crazy.”

The Lakers made it look perfect. Hachimura, who scored 12 points, sprinted down the sideline after his first winning buzzer-beater. Reaves jumped on his back. James yelled toward the Lakers bench with outstretched arms. Redick relished the look of pure joy on James’ face.

The superstar took no time to mourn the streak that he never truly tried to build. When asked for his feelings about the end of a run that was set to turn 19 years old next month, James looked almost puzzled at the question.

“None,” James said. “We won.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Observations after Sixers blow 24-point lead but Edgecombe makes game-winning put-back   originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Exactly one month after blowing a 24-point lead to the Bulls, the Sixers did the same Thursday night vs. the Warriors. 

This time around, they still escaped with a win, earning a 99-98 victory at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

De’Anthony Melton blocked Tyrese Maxey’s jumper on the Sixers’ final possession, but VJ Edgecombe leaped for a game-winning put-back layup with 0.9 seconds to go. 

The Warriors then chucked the ball ahead and Melton appeared like he’d have a clean chance, but Maxey hustled back and snuffed his lay-in attempt to seal the game. 

Maxey led all scorers with 35 points.

The 12-9 Sixers were down Paul George (left knee injury recovery), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).

Oubre will be re-evaluated next week, according to a team official. The 29-year-old wing said pregame that he’s been making progress, doing whatever the Sixers’ medical staff instructs and taking a “day-by-day” approach. 

Golden State was without Stephen Curry (left quadriceps contusion) and Jimmy Butler (left knee soreness). Draymond Green exited at halftime because of a right foot injury. 

The Sixers will fly to Milwaukee and play the Bucks on Friday night. Here are observations on their win over the Warriors:

Lid on the Warriors’ rim 

Joel Embiid faced up against Al Horford on the game’s first possession and knocked down a jumper. Horford followed with a three-pointer, which was the last long-range success the Warriors had for a long time.

For much of the first quarter, there was a lid on the Golden State rim. 

The Warriors started 2 for 21 from the field and 1 for 13 from three-point range. They managed a mere 10 points in the first quarter. The Sixers played sound defense, but many of those misses came on open and wide-open shots. 

Meanwhile, Maxey had a swell time on the other end against his friend Melton, who returned from a torn ACL to make his season debut. Maxey hit a baseline floater, and-one layup and mid-range jumper on his former backcourt mate. He also nailed a step-back three against another former Sixer, sinking a deep jumper over Buddy Hield to put the Sixers up 21-5. 

Nothing free for Golden State in first half

The Warriors made a 10-0 run early in the second quarter with Maxey on the bench. Edgecombe snapped it with a tightly guarded, off-balance three late in the shot clock. 

The Sixers’ lack of fouls helped them maintain a comfortable lead. Golden State took no free throws in the first half.

The team has made significant improvement in that area this season. Entering Thursday, the Sixers ranked 11th in the NBA in defensive free throw rate, per Cleaning the Glass. They were 20th last season. The Sixers haven’t forced turnovers as often, but the decrease in free points conceded has helped the team at least be a middle-of-the-pack defense so far.

Two Maxey mid-range buckets built the Sixers’ lead back to 20 points. Jared McCain’s corner three with 3.1 seconds to go in the second quarter got a generous bounce through the hole and gave the Sixers a 56-34 advantage. 

Sixers collapse but still pull it out  

After the Warriors scored the first six points of the third quarter, Maxey canned a trio of triples in quick succession.

That sure didn’t spell the end of the contest.

The Sixers had many sloppy possessions against the Warriors’ zone defense in the third quarter. Maxey committed three turnovers in the period and Edgecombe had two. Melton scored a driving layup on Golden State’s final play of the third to cut the Sixers’ lead to 80-66.

By the middle of the fourth quarter, the Sixers were in serious danger of losing their lead.

Edgecombe missed a three and Hield then leaked out for a fast-break layup on his Bahamian teammate. McCain turned the ball over twice in a row against Golden State’s ball pressure. In general, the Sixers’ offense looked rushed and uncertain. Jumpers by Quinten Post and Melton sliced the Warriors’ deficit to 84-81.

Adem Bona checked in for his first action of the night and converted a put-back layup on his first play. Embiid logged 25 minutes and didn’t appear in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors began to drain all the jump shots they’d bricked in the early going. Post drilled another three and Gui Santos cut free for a layup that lifted Golden State to a 93-92 edge.

Pat Spencer made it 98-94 with a long-range jumper. Quentin Grimes then scored an and-one layup and the Sixers finally managed an important stop. Melton drove into the lane, got stopped in his tracks by Bona, and traveled. On the ensuing possession, Bona drew a foul … and missed both his free throws.

Melton missed a layup in traffic, but the Warriors retained possession thanks to a successful challenge that showed the rebound last touched Edgecombe on its way out of bounds.

The final seconds were full of more chaos. Edgecombe wound up stealing a Spencer inbounds pass and calling timeout with 8.2 seconds on the clock. The rookie had one more clutch play in store.