Category: Basketball

Basketball News

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Stephen Curry has no return target date, 'I'll do everything in my power to get back as soon as possible'

Golden State's offense survived without Stephen Curry in Game 1 — the Warriors were +1 after Curry left the game with a hamstring strain, thanks to a hot shooting night from Buddy Hield and Draymond Green knocking down four 3-pointers. That, however, is not sustainable — the Warriors' offense is 20 points per 100 possessions worse when he is off the floor in the playoffs.

Curry is officially out for Thursday night's Game 2 and will be re-evaluated in a week, meaning he will miss at least three games this series. Speaking to the media at shootaround Thursday, Curry said there is no target date for his return, he has never had a hamstring injury before so he doesn't know how long it will take to recover.

While Curry will be re-evaluated in a week, the average time missed for a Grade 1 hamstring strain is around 10 days, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes. That timeline would also have Curry missing Game 5 and returning for Game 6.

"This is new and from all that I'm learning about how quickly you can get back, there has to be a healing process," Curry said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. "It's just the way the body works. You can't accelerate more than what it's telling you."

Having stolen a game on the road, if Golden State can get this series to 2-2 when Curry might be able to return, that's a win. Golden State is going to have to do that with defense and some timely offense. The challenge is Anthony Edwards isn't going to start another game 0-of-10 and the Timberwolves are not going to score just 88 points again.

All Curry can do is watch this unfold and hope to return and put his Warriors over the top and back into the Western Conference Finals.

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What we learned as Warriors miss Steph Curry in Game 2 loss to Timberwolves

What we learned as Warriors miss Steph Curry in Game 2 loss to Timberwolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

MINNEAPOLIS – The Warriors’ first playoff game without Steph Curry since the 2018 Western Conference semifinals was too big of an obstacle to overcome, losing 117-93 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at the Target Center in Game 2 of Round 2. 

There was no way the Timberwolves were going to brick as many threes as they did to open the series. They missed their first 16 threes in the Warriors’ Game 1 win, and then made threes on their first two possessions of Game 2. The Warriors were outscored by 21 points from deep, going 9 of 32 overall compared to the Timberwolves going 16 of 37.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards looked like he had a horrible injury when he had to be helped off the court in the second quarter and couldn’t put any weight on his left leg. But Edwards somehow returned to begin the third quarter and was a plus-21, scoring 20 points and adding nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. 

Jimmy Butler, without Curry, put up 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and was a minus-4. Draymond Green picked up another technical foul and was a minus-3 with nine points on 3-of-10 shooting and 1 of 6 on threes, four rebounds and five assists. It was two bench players who provided a punch for Golden State.

Jonathan Kuminga tied his playoff career high of 18 points in 26 minutes off the bench. Trayce Jackson-Davis got up for multiple dunks, making all six of his shots for 15 points.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ tough Game 2 loss:

Slow Start For First Five

Through nine playoff games, the Warriors now have used five different starting lineups. Kerr decided to give the nod to rookie center Quinten Post, adding size and 3-point shooting to begin the game. A minute and a half later, Kerr was forced to call a timeout after an easy 8-0 run from the Timberwolves to begin the game.

The Warriors trailed 12-0 when Kerr made his first substitution, bringing Gary Payton II and Moses Moody in for Post and Buddy Hield. A Julius Randle free throw pushed the lead to 13-0. Finally, after missing their first eight shots, a Butler three snapped the Warriors’ scoring drought more than seven minutes into the game, making it 13-3.

After the first quarter, the Warriors trailed 29-15. They made six shots and had five turnovers that resulted in seven points for the Timberwolves, with the deficit being as much as 18 at one point. 

Post started Game 3 of the Warriors’ win last round and was a plus-7 in 27-plus minutes with just two points but 12 rebounds. He didn’t start the second half, and only played the first three minutes of the game. The starting five’s lone stint together was the first three-plus minutes of the night when they were outscored 13-0. 

This unit had only played five minutes together in the playoffs prior to Game 2, and had a lot of success in such a small sample. In 11 regular-season games, 42 minutes, they had a 34.2 net rating with a 124.4 offensive rating and 90.2 defensive rating.

Playing It Smart

Searching for any kind of help, Kerr used 11 players in the first quarter, giving minutes to Kuminga, Pat Spencer and Gui Santos. Within the first two minutes of the second quarter, that number grew to 13 as Kevin Knox came in and then Jackson-Davis. The Warriors were down 31-17 at the 10:18 mark of the second quarter when Jackson-Davis entered the game.

Every active, healthy Warriors player saw action in the first half when Braxton Key played the final 5.7 seconds. 

Part of the decision to use so many players certainly had to do with how much changes from Curry’s injury. The bigger picture was preserving Green and Butler. The two 35-year-olds barely had a break between Sunday’s Game 7 in Houston and Tuesday’s Game 1 in Minnesota. Butler, between those two games, played 86 minutes, and Green played nearly 75.

Butler was at 17 minutes going into halftime, and Green was at 15. The former finished at 34 minutes, and the latter played 29.

Calling On Kuminga 

Between badly needing points from someone and essentially having to give him a longer leash, this was a game meant for Kuminga. His first stint wasn’t pretty. Kuminga was out-hustled by Donte DiVincenzo for an offensive rebound, missed two free throws and had a bad pass that was a turnover from an unnecessary jump. 

The next time Kerr called his number, Kuminga was much better and was the Warriors’ leading scorer through the first half with 10 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting. Kerr rewarded him by starting Kuminga over Post to begin the second half, and he exploded for two big dunks in the first few minutes.

Kuminga made his first three shots of the second half, bringing him to 17 points on 8-of-8 shooting, before missing a turnaround jumper in the final two minutes of the third quarter. His perfect 8 of 8 start was followed by three misses to end his otherwise strong night. 

On a night that didn’t have a ton of positives, Kuminga’s play was at the top of the list for the Warriors. He was under control most of the time and used his athleticism to his advantage. With Curry out, the Warriors will need Kuminga’s ability to score.

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Edwards returns after injury scare in Warriors-Timberwolves Game 2

Edwards returns after injury scare in Warriors-Timberwolves Game 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal series with the Minnesota Timberwolves took another wild turn late in the second quarter of Game 2.

And for a moment, it appeared as if the Timberwolves were going to experience a major blow. 

With less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter on Thursday at Target Center, star Anthony Edwards went to the locker room after apparently suffering a left ankle injury. The 23-year-old was in pain, holding his ankle before leaving the court.  

During the halftime break, Edwards, who initially was listed as questionable to return, ran drills in preparation to return to action.

Before the injury, Edwards was struggling from the floor, having made just 2 of 7 field-goal attempts for seven points.

The Warriors, without star guard Steph Curry due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain, are looking to take a surprising 2-0 lead on the Timberwolves. 

With Edwards back on the floor, the odds certainly don’t favor Golden State, however.

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Injured Steph Curry calms down upset Draymond Green after Game 2 technical foul

Injured Steph Curry calms down upset Draymond Green after Game 2 technical foul originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry isn’t playing Thursday night at Target Center, but he still found a way to help the Warriors.

Early in the second quarter of the Western Conference semifinal Game 2 between the Warriors and the Timberwolves, Draymond Green picked up a dead-ball technical foul for hitting Naz Reid after a foul was called on the Minnesota big man.

Green was incredulous over the technical foul and was close to picking up another when Curry stepped in to calm down his longtime teammate.

Green now has five technical fouls during these playoffs, putting him two away from an automatic one-game suspension.

Per the Associated Press’ Josh Dubow, Green has far and away the most NBA playoff technical fouls since 2013.

With Curry out for at least two more games, the Warriors need Green to lead by example, and a big part of that is keeping his composure.

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How many NBA teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs?

How many NBA teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s must-win time for both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

The East’s top two teams each lost the first two games of their respective second-round series on their home courts, and they will now look to avoid facing a 3-0 deficit that no NBA team has managed to overcome.

The Cavs — the top-seeded team in the East after going 64-18, including 34-7 at home – dropped consecutive games to the Indiana Pacers, the latter on a buzzer-beating heartbreaker.

The Celtics – the East’s No. 2 seed and defending NBA champions – surrendered 20-point third-quarter leads in consecutive losses to the New York Knicks.

Many NBA teams have come back from a 2-0 series deficit – 34 to be exact — but all that managed to do so were victorious in Game 3.

As for the teams that lost Game 3 to go down 3-0, here’s a look at how they fared and why history shows it’s a must-win game for the Cavs and Celtics.

How many NBA teams have come back from being down 3-0 in the playoffs?

An NBA team has never come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series in the playoffs. Teams that opened a 3-0 series lead in an NBA postseason series have gone 159-0.

The Celtics nearly became the first NBA team to pull off the historic comeback just two seasons ago. After losing the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals to the No. 8 Miami Heat, No. 2-seeded Boston won the next three games before losing Game 7 at home.

As for other professional sports, the only Major League Baseball team to win a series after trailing 3-0 was the 2004 Boston Red Sox. Four National Hockey League teams have managed to do so: the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and the 2014 Los Angeles Kings.

How many teams have forced Game 6 after being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs?

Of the 159 teams to face a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA playoffs, only 15 managed to force a Game 6:

  • 1947 BAA Semifinals: Washington Capitols trailed Chicago Stags 3-0, lost in six
  • 1949 BAA Finals: Washington Capitols trailed Minneapolis 3-0, lost in six
  • 1951 NBA Finals: New York trailed Rochester Royals 3-0, lost in seven
  • 1962 Western Division finals: Detroit trailed L.A. Lakers 3-0, lost in six
  • 1994 Western Conference semifinals: Denver trailed Utah 3-0, lost in seven
  • 1996 NBA Finals: Seattle trailed Chicago 3-0, lost in six
  • 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals: Philadelphia trailed Indiana 3-0, lost in six
  • 2003 Western Conference first round: Portland trailed Dallas 3-0, lost in seven
  • 2007 Eastern Conference semifinals: Chicago trailed Detroit 3-0, lost in six
  • 2010 Eastern Conference finals: Orlando trailed Boston 3-0, lost in six
  • 2013 Eastern Conference first round: Boston trailed New York 3-0, lost in six
  • 2013 Western Conference first round: Houston trailed Oklahoma City 3-0, lost in six
  • 2015 Eastern Conference first round: Milwaukee trailed Chicago 3-0, lost in six
  • 2022 Eastern Conference first round: Toronto trailed Philadelphia 3-0, lost in six
  • 2023 Eastern Conference Finals: Boston trailed Miami 3-0, lost in seven

How many teams have forced Game 7 after being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs?

Only four teams that went down 3-0 in an NBA playoff series forced a decisive Game 7:

  • 1951 New York Knicks: lost to the Rochester Royals in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
  • 1994 Denver Nuggets: lost to the Utah Jazz in Game 7 of the second round
  • 2003 Portland Trail Blazers: lost to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the first round
  • 2023 Boston Celtics: lost to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals

How many NBA teams have come back from being down 3-1 in the playoffs?

Only 13 teams in NBA playoff history have managed to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series. The most recent team to do so was the Denver Nuggets, who overcame 3-1 deficits in consecutive series during the 2020 playoffs, defeating the Utah Jazz in the first round and Los Angeles Clippers in the second round.    

The only team to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals to win the championship was the 2016 Cavaliers, who won three straight games to stun the Golden State Warriors.

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Knicks vs. Celtics notes: Mitchel Robinson most impactful Knick, Porzingis puts positive spin on losses

Two games, two 20-point Boston third quarter leads, two times the Celtics shot less than 25% after getting those leads, twice Boston turned the ball over an lot in the clutch, two games where in the clutch the Celtics played predictable — meaning: defendable — offense, and twice the Knicks showed resilience, twice New York got to the free throw line when it mattered, twice Mikal Bridges made a clutch defensive play, and twice the Knicks completed the comeback inside TD Garden.

With the Knicks up 2-0 as the series heads to Madison Square Garden, here are a couple of notes out of the Knicks vs. Celtics

Mitchell Robinson most impactful Knick

Through two games, Mitchel Robinson is a series-best +32. For comparison, Jalen Brunson is +1 through two games, while Mikal Bridges is -3.

When Robinson is on the court in the playoffs, the Knicks' defense is 17.6 points per 100 possessions better, giving up less than a point per possession — this is the vision the Knicks had for him and Karl-Anthony Towns when they traded for KAT right before the season. Recovery from Robinson's offseason ankle surgery put that vision on hold, but it has hit the Celtics full force.

Which led to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to call for a hack-a-Mitch plan late in Game 2 (as he had done at other points in the series), intentionally fouling the career 52.2% free throw shooter, trying to force New York to take him off the floor.

"He was a +19, all their starters were in the negative," Mazzulla said.

That strategy backfired in Game 2. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau left Mitchell on the court until his team was in the bonus the rest of the way, which came with 2:41 left in the game. At that point, Thibodeau swapped out Mitchell for OG Anunoby and let his offensive players foul hunt the rest of the way. Jalen Brunson won the game from the free-throw line (on a shooting foul).

"Actually, that makes me feel like a threat," Robinson said of the intentional fouling. "You want me out the game?... I'm just saying, you trying to get me out the game? Why y'all want me out the game?"

The other thing that has thrown the Celtics off is something Thibodeau envisioned since the KAT trade — a double-big lineup with the defensive-focused Robinson next to the offensive-focused Towns. It's similar to how Towns thrived last season in Minnesota, playing next to Rudy Gobert. The Knicks have a +17.8 net rating in the playoffs when both their bigs are on the court together. Mazzulla and the Celtics need to figure out how to handle this quickly. If they go down 0-3 in this series on Saturday, their season is all but over.

Porzingis says pressure of Celtics

Kristaps Porzingis has played just 27 minutes through two games in this series, slowed by a non-COVID upper respiratory issue that has been with him for a few months. His lack of presence on the court means Boston is not exploiting Towns' defense like they hoped, and one of their best scoring options is not impacting the game.

But it was Porzingis with the positive spin on Boston being down 0-2 in this series.

"In a way, it kinda takes all the pressure off of us," Porzingis said. "If you check the odds, maybe the Knicks are the favorites now to win. We were expected to win, so for us to be in this hole right now, with our backs against the wall, we have nothing to lose. We've got to go out there and leave it all out on the floor. It's still a lot of basketball left to play, and let's see where it goes."

Even with the Knicks up 2-0, our partner BetMGM has the series even — both teams are -110 to win the series — and the Celtics are -5.5 point favorites to take Game 3 in Madison Square Garden.

Also, is the pressure off Boston? If they lose this series — then head into an offseason where many around the league expect the Celtics to trade away a key rotation player or two because of the NBA second luxury tax apron and its team building restrictions — hard questions will be asked. Championship teams only get so many bites at the apple, the pressure is on Boston to take advantage of theirs, not assume they will be back in this position next year.

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Parsons calls out Draymond for ‘little harsh' criticism of Brooks

Parsons calls out Draymond for ‘little harsh' criticism of Brooks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

In the NBA world, there’s plenty of criticism to go around. 

Retired forward Chandler Parsons believes Warriors star Draymond Green is wrong for his criticism of Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, who refused to shake Golden State’s hands after Game 7 on Sunday at Toyota Center. 

Parsons, Brooks’ teammate for two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, pointed out an irony in Green’s message.

“The message is fine. It’s just the messenger is a little interesting here, coming from Draymond Green, who has probably been suspended and fined more than anybody,” Parsons said to host Michelle Beadle and former NBA player Lou Williams on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” on Thursday morning.

“It’s OK not to like someone; just say that you don’t like him.” 

As his former teammate, Parsons pushed back on Green’s idea that the league’s players unanimously don’t respect Brooks.

“’No one respects him’ is a little aggressive, a little harsh,” Parsons added. “There’s people that respect him. I had him in Memphis. He’s actually an awesome dude. 

“He’s just gone a little sideways, but that’s who he is. That’s how he’s found his calling in the NBA.”

Friction between Green and Brooks dates back three-plus years, when the two faced off against one another in a heated series between the Warriors and the Grizzlies in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals.

As Williams indicated, the impression players give on the floor isn’t always reflected behind the scenes. The retired guard, who has experienced it himself, knows Brooks has a distinct demeanor off the court. 

“I like Dillon as well. He’s been nothing but respectful towards me the times that I’ve competed against him, even with some of the antics,” Williams said. 

“He would do some of those things, and behind the scenes, he would tell you, ‘Bro, I love your game. I respect you. I grew up watching you’. That’s why it’s important to have that optic in that situation.” 

Considering the beef between Green and Brooks, however, mutual respect between the two is just a pipe dream at this point.

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Jimmer Fredette talks new USA Basketball role, retirement, Olympic 3×3 change he'd like to see

Jimmer Fredette announced both his retirement from basketball and his new role in the sport — USA Basketball men’s 3x3 national team managing director — last month.

Fredette recently discussed both moves as he ventures into the administrative side of the sport.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity:

OlympicTalk: When did you know you were ready to retire?

Fredette: My original plan was play the Paris Olympics, hopefully medal, and then be able to ride off into the sunset, right? Of course, what happened — getting injured right in the beginning of the Olympics and not being able to compete the full time — was definitely difficult. I had a long rehab ahead of me. I knew it was going to be an eight-, nine-month rehab. As I was going through it, I wasn't playing basketball, but I was just kind of preparing to kind of get back into shape.

As I thought about it, I was like, man, I kind of don't love the grind anymore. I don't love being out there and trying to work out and be in the gym every single day like I had been. For me, that was a big sign, because I loved that throughout my career. That was my favorite part was the grind of it, was the practicing, was the getting better. That's what made me the player that I was. So when I had that type of feeling, I was like, I don't want to force it, it's probably a good sign. Then decided to make it official. It just felt like the right time. Now being home with the three kids, and being the dad and doing all those things has been really rewarding.

OlympicTalk: If you could change one thing about Olympic 3x3 basketball, what would it be?

Fredette: I would have, in our case of what happened in Paris, if someone does get injured, that you would be able to sub a guy in so that they could still have four players. That's one of the biggest things that we've talked about, just because it's such a difficult and unfair advantage to have four versus three players when you're going through the Olympic process.

I get it completely (why they don't have it). There's costs involved. There's stuff that goes on, but a general FIBA 3x3 event is only two days, and you only play five games if you win it. You can play with three guys and get away with it.

Whereas the Olympics, you're playing seven days and 10 games (if you get to the final). It's just a way longer period. It's a way different time frame than we normally do, so if someone does go down with a rolled ankle or whatever happens, I feel like you should be able to have at least one person that's an alternate that can sub in, and then that's it, just one time, and then it's over with.

OlympicTalk: Would you like to see a U.S. Olympic Trials type event for 3x3?

Fredette: It's fun to watch trials, right? People like to get familiar with the players before the Olympics. I think we can do some type of form of that, but it's a little interesting. With 3x3, you're not just going through and being like, all right, I'm going to pick this guy, this guy, this guy, and they're just going to come together, and then I pick the team, and then it's over.

These guys are going to be playing a lot for the next three to four years. It'd be fun to have, maybe, a tournament or a trials or something like that, where you could see the collection of players together that we would be able to at least showcase — this is who is in the pool. These are the guys that have been playing for the last two to three years that care about the sport, that have gotten better. They're playing professionally, and now you get to see them and know who they are. It wouldn't be like the final pick or anything like that for me, because it would be a whole long process, right?

From that perspective, you can have a bad tournament, but still be on the team, because you have had a whole body of work. But I think it would be fun to be able to do that in a capacity where the USA would be able to see it.

OlympicTalk: For the first two Olympics in 3x3, eligibility rules made it difficult for NBA players to participate — they needed to have competed in 3x3 events outside of the Olympics. Would you like to see those rules relaxed to make it more accommodating for NBA players?

Fredette: I think it would be great for the sport somewhat. But I also do love the fact that it's (currently) kind of like a true Olympic story, where these guys are going through for years, and some of them have had other jobs, or do other things or play in other leagues, and then they play 3x3 as well professionally.

It's fun to see guys that have been homegrown, that have been doing 3x3 for so long, to be able to get rewarded and play in the Olympics at the end.

I think it would be good from a marketing standpoint. Obviously, if you had some of the top NBA players that aren't on the 5x5 team, maybe come and play 3x3. From a branding perspective, obviously, people would watch and be aware of that. But I do like the idea of guys that are kind of homegrown and playing professionally being able to get their shine as well.

OlympicTalk: The 3x3 World Cup is next month. Are you selecting that team so early in your USA Basketball tenure, and if so, how is that looking?

Fredette: For sure, I'll still pick that team, but our USA Basketball player pool is pretty small right now. That was intentional, because we had myself and all of my team were kind of playing through the Olympics, and that's who they kind of put their money into, and all that stuff.

There were other guys playing, obviously, but not necessarily through USA Basketball. So coming into 2025 we knew we were going to have a little bit of a smaller pool, but we still have a really good team that's out there playing in Team Miami on the FIBA World Tour, which is the team I played for. One of the guys, Dylan Travis, was on the Olympic team. He's still playing on that team. Then some other guys that were alternates and have been playing professionally for a while. So we have some really good guys to play at the World Cup and to build.

My opportunity is to now try to find more guys as we move forward for the next several years. These guys that are playing now will continue to be in that mix, obviously, and be able to help us as we push forward and then integrating some new players and some new talent. So by the 2026 World Cup, and all the things that we have coming up, we'll be able to have more players in our pool.

NBL HoopsFest Press Conference With Carmelo Anthony And Kenny Smith
Carmelo Anthony to join NBC Sports, Peacock’s NBA coverage as studio analyst
The newly-minted Hall of Fame inductee will be one of the voices welcoming the NBA back to NBC in October 2025.

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Paul Pierce makes good on Celtics promise, walks 15 miles to FOX studios

Paul Pierce makes good on Celtics promise, walks 15 miles to FOX studios originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Paul Pierce is a man of his word.

The Boston Celtics legend was so confident his former team would win Game 2 of its Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night that he vowed to walk to the FOX Sports 1 studios in Los Angeles from his house if the C’s lost. It would be a 15-mile walk.

Unfortunately for Pierce, the Celtics blew another 20-point lead and lost 91-90 to the Knicks, putting the defending champs in an 0-2 series hole.

Pierce reacted after the game by posting a picture of his route to work on X. And then he got up early Thursday morning to begin the long journey to the FOX studios.

Plenty of fans, and even his former Celtics teammate Kevin Garnett, stopped to interact with Pierce during his walk.

Pierce eventually arrived at FOX, making good on his promise. It took him around seven hours to complete the trip.

Plenty of people make wild promises/bets involving sports teams and don’t make good on them. Pierce deserves credit for actually following through. A 15-mile walk is not easy for anyone.

Lots of Knicks fans, including movie star Ben Stiller, appreciated what Pierce did. “Paul pierce good to his word 🙌,” Stiller wrote on X.

The Celtics will be back in action Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET when they face the Knicks in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. It remains to be seen whether Pierce will make another promise ahead of this weekend’s matchup.

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Why ESPN analyst is confident Warriors won't beat Timberwolves without Steph

Why ESPN analyst is confident Warriors won't beat Timberwolves without Steph originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Former NBA player Danny Green doesn’t believe the Warriors have a chance to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals without Steph Curry.

Despite winning Game 1 of the series after Curry sustained a left hamstring strain in the first half, Green is skeptical Golden State can win three more games sans its superstar leader.

“I don’t think there’s much [they can do],” Green told ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Chiney Ogwumike Thursday on “NBA Today.” “Sorry, without Steph, there isn’t much they can do. It sucks to see Steph out right now. Jimmy [Butler] is a great player and he can turn it up a notch, but this Minnesota team aren’t slouches either. You saw what they did against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“When [Anthony Edwards] is playing…I don’t see them shooting that poorly again. They’re going to shoot better. And for Golden State to win a game, one of the three [until Curry’s possible return], they have to play extremely well. All hands on deck from Pat Spencer to Jonathan Kuminga to anybody else who comes off that bench, they have to score. Everyone needs to give a huge boost, and I just don’t see that happening.”

Without Curry, Golden State’s offense becomes far less potent, and the Timberwolves will attempt to exploit this wherever they can, forcing everyone besides Butler to make contested shots.

Still, Minnesota has offensive woes of its own, and there’s no telling how the team will shoot against Golden State’s strong defensive front. After Curry’s injury in Game 1, the Timberwolves had plenty of opportunities to get back into the game but couldn’t do so. For the Warriors to prevail, younger role players like Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski must step up and make clutch shots.

All eyes will be on the Warriors as they attempt to leave Target Center with a 2-0 series lead. Don’t expect the Timberwolves to make it easy for them, but based on Game 1’s slugfest, Game 2 is shaping up to be another low-scoring, defensive-minded affair.

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Sacramento Kings 2024-2025 fantasy basketball season recap: Sabonis shines despite changes

While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.

In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.

Two years removed from ending their playoff drought, Sacramento moved on from the head coach and star point guard that led them there. With a new general manager and coach, the Kings will look for a fresh start.

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies
2024-2025 NBA Team Season Recap Hub
The Rotoworld Basketball crew breaks down each team’s season and an early look at what to expect from a fantasy perspective going into the 2025-2026 campaign.

Sacramento Kings 2024-25 Season Recap

Record: 40-42 (9th, West, lost in play-in)

Offensive Rating: 115.9 (7th)

Defensive Rating: 115.3 (22nd)

Net Rating: 0.6 (15th)

Pace: 98.91 (19th)

2024 Draft Picks: 3.8% chance at a top-four pick, 42

For the second straight season, Sacramento’s season ended in the play-in tournament. However, the team that suited up looked a little different. Head coach Mike Brown, who helped the Kings end their playoff drought, was fired in December after a 13-18 start. He was replaced by Doug Christie, who was given a long-term contract by new general manager Scott Perry, who replaced Monte McNair. Of course, before firing McNair after the season, they allowed him to trade De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs.

With the coach, GM and franchise player that ended Sacramento’s playoff drought all gone, a new regime still has plenty of pieces to work with. They have a 3.8 percent chance of leaping into the top-four of the draft lottery and retaining their top-12 protected first-round pick. They acquired Zach LaVine in the deal that sent Fox to San Antonio, which gave them a team that was talented enough to make the play-in tournament, where they lost to Dallas in the 9-10 matchup. The expectations were certainly much higher after they signed DeMar DeRozan over the summer, but things just didn’t work out that way.

Fantasy Standout: Domantas Sabonis

Once again, Sabonis was the best fantasy option in Sacramento. He averaged 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 34.7 minutes per game across his 70 appearances. He provided second-round value in nine-cat leagues, which he has only done twice in his career. His assists dipped, but the rebounds were a new career high for one of the best rebounders in the league, and he led the league in boards for a third straight season.

There aren’t too many players that can match Sabonis’ combination of points, rebounds, assists and field goal percentage, and the ones that do are also among the elite players in fantasy basketball. At 29 years old, Sabonis’ game should age well, so he still has many years of fantasy dominance ahead of him. Sacramento will need to make this team a contender to keep Sabonis happy, but regardless of what happens with the team, Sabonis will continue to be a dominant force in the fantasy landscape for years to come.

Fantasy Revelation: Malik Monk

Monk had arguably the best season of his career, though his production was inconsistent. He had stretches of elite numbers, but he also really struggled at times. Across his 65 appearances, Monk averaged 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.1 three-pointers per game. The points, rebounds and assists were all the best marks of his career, which led to the first top-100 finish of his career.

Monk had a few stretches where he was one of the most productive players in the league, but he also struggled after Sacramento traded away De’Aaron Fox, which was surprising. He averaged 15.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and five assists with Zach LaVine in the lineup, and he shot just 41.9 percent from the floor during those games. Monk showcased brilliant production in the middle of the season, which provided optimism to what he could be moving forward. Though we were expecting his numbers to improve even more with the ball in his hands more after Fox’s departure, he was still producing at a higher level than he ever had previously. Hopefully a healthy offseason will be what he needs to put together a full season of high-level numbers.

Fantasy Disappointment: Jonas Valanciunas

It’s difficult to be disappointed when you don’t really have any expectations, but Valanciunas best fits the bill for the Kings. He started off the season with Washington, where he signed over the summer. He was dealt to Sacramento at the deadline and made 32 appearances for them, including nine starts. He averaged 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in just 16.9 minutes per game.

Valanciunas had a Yahoo ADP of 89.4, but the only time he produced to that level was when Domantas Sabonis was sidelined for a few games in March. I wasn’t optimistic about Valanciunas this season, but he was supposed to be the starting center in Washington, with rookie Alexandre Sarr playing power forward. Valanciunas was a part-time starter with the Wizards and played a minimal role for the Kings. He’s past his days of being a significant contributor in fantasy basketball, aside from being a decent source of rebounds when he gets the chance to start.

Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads 

DeMar DeRozan

DeRozan signed with Sacramento last summer and played in 77 games in his first season with the Kings. He averaged 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 triples in 35.9 minutes per game. DeRozan will be 36 years old at the start of next season, so there are certainly questions about how much longer he will keep playing. However, he had another strong season, even if his production dipped slightly, and he scored 33 points in their play-in loss to Dallas.

DeRozan still has two seasons left on his contract with Sacramento, and he should at least play that out before making any career decisions. He has played at least 36 minutes per game and made at least 74 appearances in each of his last four seasons. Hopefully that trend will continue next season.

Zach LaVine

LaVine’s time with the Bulls finally came to an end ahead of February’s trade deadline. He made 32 appearances for Sacramento and averaged 22.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.2 threes per game. He was the main piece that the Kings got back when they moved De’Aaron Fox, and while it took him a few games to get comfortable with his new team, LaVine had some excellent performances for Sacramento.

On the wrong side of 30, LaVine is still an elite athlete, but he continues to get better as a scorer, which should help him stay effective as he continues to age. The fit in Sacramento is clunky without a true point guard, but they have multiple players that are effective playmakers. LaVine is one of them, and he should have the ball in his hands a ton next season.

Keegan Murray

Year three was a disappointing one for Murray, who saw his role on offense decrease. He averaged 12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and two triples in 34.3 minutes per game across his 76 appearances. Murray played well as a rookie and made improvements in year two, but the addition of DeMar DeRozan resulted in fewer opportunities for Murray to grow.

He’ll be 25 at the start of next season, so there is still time for him to improve, but even if he doesn’t take drastic strides, he’ll still be a solid NBA player for a very long time. Unfortunately, with the way the roster is currently constructed, Murray may end up as a low-priority option once again. We’ll see what changes are made this summer, but the odds of Murray having a bounce back season are low.

Keon Ellis

Ellis didn’t see his role increase as much as we hoped, but he still saw his minutes and production take a step forward this season. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.9 threes in 24.4 minutes per game. He ended the 2023-24 season playing incredibly well as a starter, but he didn’t keep the job entering this season. He saw a few starts throughout the year, but he didn’t become a full-time starter again until the final few weeks of the season. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.9 blocks and two triples per game across his 28 starts.

Assuming he continues to start next season, Ellis has the upside to be an excellent late-round pick. The defensive production is incredible, and he’s able to space the floor without needing the ball in his hands a lot, which will allow him to fit well next to LaVine, DeRozan and Sabonis. Coach Doug Christie seems to really like Ellis, so it will depend on what moves the team makes this summer.

Jake LaRavia

LaRavia was dealt to the Kings at the deadline and suited up 19 times for them, averaging 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 triples in 19.3 minutes per game. Now, he’s set to enter unrestricted free agency. The former Grizzly saw his role decrease with the Kings, even though he had less competition for minutes; the starters in Sacramento played more minutes than the starters in Memphis. If LaRavia returns, he’ll be a young depth piece for them, but he likely won’t play enough to contribute in fantasy basketball. The best path to fantasy relevance for him will be with a new team.

Trey Lyles

Once again, Lyles was a solid depth piece for the Kings. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 threes in 19.6 minutes per game. He has spent the last four seasons with Sacramento but could opt for a new home this summer. If he returns, he’ll continue to play a significant reserve role for them, though with Sabonis in front of him, that doesn’t lead to much production. Regardless of where Lyles ends up, he’ll only be relevant as a streaming option when the starter in front of him is injured.

Devin Carter

The rookie’s debut was delayed by offseason shoulder surgery, and he didn’t suit up until January. He played 36 games, but he was never able to establish a rhythm. He averaged just 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 11 minutes per game. Carter was excellent during his junior season at Providence, which led to him being drafted in the lottery. He also dominated during his five G League appearances, where he averaged 26.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks and 3.8 threes per game. He should play a larger role in year two after a healthy offseason.

Restricted Free Agents: Markelle Fultz, Isaiah Crawford, Mason Jones

Unrestricted Free Agents: Trey Lyles, Jake LaRavia, Doug McDermott, Jae Crowder

Team Option: Keon Ellis, Isaac Jones

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Is Game 3 vs. Celtics a must-win for Knicks? Shaq, Barkley make the argument

Is Game 3 vs. Celtics a must-win for Knicks? Shaq, Barkley make the argument originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New York Knicks shocked the basketball world by winning the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinals series versus the Boston Celtics on the road.

Despite trailing by 20-plus points in both games, the Knicks made stellar second-half runs and outplayed the Celtics late.

And if NBA history is any indication, the Knicks are in a very good spot as the action shifts to Madison Square Garden in New York for the next two games.

But the job isn’t finished for the Knicks. They can’t give the Celtics an opening. That’s the message two Hall of Famers — Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley — conveyed on TNT’s postgame show after Celtics-Knicks Game 2 on Wednesday night.

“They’re up 2-0. Now, for the Knicks, don’t get comfortable. It’s a must-win for Boston, but it’s also a must-win for the Knicks,” O’Neal said. “If you want to put serious pressure on the champs, Game 3 is a must for the Knicks.”

Barkley agreed with O’Neal, and he used his own experiences as a player for the Phoenix Suns to explain why.

“He is 100 percent correct,” Barkley said. “I’m one of the few people in the world who have been in this situation twice. We played the Lakers (in 1993) when we were the No. 1 seed in the West and we lost the first two games at home in a best-of-5 series. I remember telling the guys, ‘All we have to do is get the first one, because then the pressure switches back to them.’ You gotta win the third one, because then the pressure switches.

“When we won the first two games in Houston (in the 1995 conference semifinals), I remember telling the guys, ‘We cannot go back to Houston tied 2-2. We’ve got to win Game 3.’

“This is gonna sound stupid — Game 3 is a must-win for the Knicks. Boston has a better team, they’ve been up 20 (in each game). But I’m telling you, I’ve been in that situation twice, you gotta win that third game. I still thought we were gonna win the series when we lost Game 3 (to Houston), but it actually flips the mental picture.”

The first series Barkley referenced was the Phoenix Suns losing the first two games at home in the first round to the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns won the next three games to take the series, and they ultimately lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1993 NBA Finals.

Barkley was on the other side of the equation in 1995 when his Suns beat the Rockets in Houston twice to begin the conference semis. The Rockets rebounded with a Game 3 win in Phoenix and later prevailed in Game 7.

Playing at home should be an advantage for the Knicks, but the Celtics have proven they can win important games on the road. And their 33-8 road record this season was the second-best in league history.

The Celtics won both games at MSG during the regular season and haven’t lost in that building since the 2022-23 campaign.

Even though Game 3 is not actually a must-win for the Knicks, they would be best served having a do-or-die mentality Saturday afternoon. They cannot afford to let their foot off the gas. That would be a dangerous game to play against a team as talented and as experienced as the Celtics.

The Knicks have some recent experience blowing a 2-0 series lead, as well. They won the first two games of their second-round series versus the Indiana Pacers last season and lost in Game 7 at home.

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Texas regents approve basketball coach Sean Miller’s 6-year, $32 million contract

The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved Longhorns basketball coach Sean Miller's six-year, $32 million guaranteed contract on Thursday, as the school tries to boost a program that struggled in its first year in the Southeastern Conference. Texas will pay Miller about double that of his predecessor Rodney Terry. Terry still had three years left on a five-year contract that paid him about $3 million per year when he was dismissed in March.

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Cora weighs in on C's struggles, difficulty of repeating as champions

Cora weighs in on C's struggles, difficulty of repeating as champions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Before the Celtics, the Red Sox were the last Boston team to embark on a quest to repeat as champions. After a historic 2018 World Series run, they came crashing back to earth in 2019 and failed to reach the postseason.

The 2019 Red Sox won only 84 games — 24 fewer than the previous season — despite running it back with largely the same roster. Although the 2024-25 Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after another stellar regular season, they’re learning just how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles.

On Wednesday, the Celtics blew a 20-point lead at home for the second straight game in their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks. They’re suddenly in a 2-0 hole a the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 3.

With the devastating Game 2 loss fresh on everyone’s mind Thursday morning, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked about the challenge of repeating as champs.

“I thought about it yesterday when I was going home. It’s very difficult,” Cora said. “I still remember in the cage — I go back to the story, and guys talking about their at-bats. ‘I need my at-bats to get what I wanted.’ Right around there, I think Ozzie Albies signed a contract in ’19. And they were talking about, ‘Oh, this and that — I need to do this to make this.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, shoot, it’s a different mindset.’

“I didn’t want to believe it, you know? I was very outspoken, like, ‘We’re gonna do that again the same way, and it’s gonna happen.’ Although, we switched the lineup. We put (Andrew Benintendi) to lead off and Mookie (Betts) hit second, and tried to make some changes. It didn’t work. But it’s hard, man. It’s hard.

“In that sport, too, just facing the same guys over and over and over again. And you faced it last year. It’s a longer year for some of those guys, too. The Olympics and Team USA. It’s not easy, it’s not easy.”

Fifteen teams in MLB history have come back from 2-0 in a best-of-seven playoff series. It has happened in the NBA 34 times, including 12 series in the last nine postseasons. The 2017 Celtics accomplished the feat in the first round against the Chicago Bulls.

“In the NBA, it can happen,” Cora added. “I don’t want to be an analyst, but I sound like one. They’ve been up 20 twice. So, have they played well? Yeah. They haven’t finished games. So it’s a league of adjustments, and I expect them to do that.”

The Knicks have led for only 12 minutes total in the first two games of the series. The difference is that they have thrived in crunch time while the Celtics have crumbled.

As Celtics star Jaylen Brown emphasized after the Game 2 loss, Boston will need to channel resiliency and toughness to join the exclusive group of teams to dig out of a 2-0 hole. No NBA team has ever come back from being down 3-0.

The Celtics’ must-win Game 3 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday in New York. Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live.