Draymond Green has been penalized for his viral sideline antics in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The NBA fined the Warriors forward $50,000 for “making an inappropriate comment that questions the integrity of game officials,” per an announcement released Wednesday by the NBA’s president of league operations, Byron Spruell.
With just over 15 seconds remaining in the contest and the Warriors down by eight points, Green was seen mouthing something to his teammates as he stood along Golden State’s bench after fouling out of the game.
Professional lip readers on the internet speculated that he was saying something about the point spread, as Minnesota entered the contest as a 5.5-point favorite over Golden State.
Draymond Green reportedly mouthing “spread is 5.5” to teammates with 15 seconds left.
— Arena – The Sports Super App (@arenasportsapp) May 11, 2025
After the Warriors timeout, Jonathan Kuminga ended up knocking own a 22-foot 3-pointer to tighten the deficit to five points as they lost 102-97.
This isn’t the first time a player has done such an act toward officials, with Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert rubbing his fingers together in a money-sign gesture directed at refs during their second-round series against the Denver Nuggets last year.
Gobert was fined $75,000.
Green, likely acting out of frustration with his own performance, finished with two points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals in 29 minutes in the Game 3 loss.
His Warriors have lost three straight games and face elimination in a must-win Game 5 against the Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Minnesota. Green shouldn’t be worried about anything else but a win to force a Game 6 back in the Bay.
The Warriors are looking to become just the 14th team in NBA history, and the first since 2020, to overcome a three-games-to-one playoff series deficit as they face elimination in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Target Center.
After winning Game 1 on May 6, Golden State has lost three consecutive games, and returns to Minnesota for a win-or-go-home contest without superstar Steph Curry, who continues to be out with a left hamstring strain and could return for Game 6 on Sunday if the Warriors are able to pull off the road victory on Wednesday.
However, TNT analysts Dwight Howard, Jalen Rose and Charles Barkley all believe that Golden State stands no chance against Minnesota in Game 5.
“They’ve got about the same amount of chance as Boston does: Zero. It’s over with for both of them … Golden State is out,” Howard said Tuesday on “Inside The NBA.”
“I agree with you on the Warriors,” Rose added. “Anthony Edwards has shown me a level of dominance and killer instinct now that he can really shoot the 3-pointer and he’s getting his teammates involved and Julius Randle has been terrific in this series. I think Minnesota finds a way to close it out.”
“It is over for the Warriors [Wednesday] night,” Barkley chimed in.
Well, there you have it, Dub Nation. It’s over … right?
However, this wouldn’t be the first time the number zero has been associated with a Warriors playoff run.
This time, however, the Warriors must win without Curry, who famously pays close attention to what some NBA analysts state about his team’s chances and uses it as motivation on the court.
The stage, at this point in the playoffs, is much smaller than it was in the 2022 NBA Finals, but history does show that Golden State doesn’t mind being the underdog.
The Warriors had their star point guard’s back and pulled out a Game 1 victory in Minnesota but have failed to win another game without their best player as they face elimination in Game 5 down 3-1. Curry already has been ruled out of Wednesday’s contest and will be re-evaluated Saturday, one day before a potential Game 6 at Chase Center.
But Stephen A. Smith and the rest of the “First Take” crew think it’s already too late for Curry, who they believe won’t win another championship with the Warriors.
“It’s not because of Steph at all. Steph is still playing like an all-world player when he’s on the court,” Smith said Wednesday morning. “The brother’s spectacular. I think the second we really, really knew in our hearts that this was it was when they didn’t get Kevin Durant to come back. Remember, they were interested in acquiring Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant made it clear he didn’t want to go back. And because he didn’t want to go back, Jimmy Butler was the consolation prize.
“We’re looking at Jimmy Butler, we know what he can do. Jimmy Butler has no problem being Robin. But can you be Batman anymore? The answer is likely no. And then you look at Draymond Green. Draymond Green was my Defensive Player of the Year. Draymond Green is getting outplayed by Julius Randle in this series. So what choice do you have but to concede that this is it for the Golden State Warriors?”
Co-analysts Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and three-time NBA champion Udonis Haslem agreed with Smith, acknowledging the end is near for Curry and the Warriors.
Smith added that while Golden State traded for Butler, which helped save its season, the core of Butler, 35, Green, 35 and Curry, 37, won’t be enough to overpower the growing youth in the West with teams such as the Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs.
We are witnessing that firsthand in the series between the Timberwolves and Warriors, although Curry has been a non-factor due to his injury.
“There’s too much resistance in the Western Conference for Golden State to overcome,” Smith said. “I think we’ve seen the last of Steph Curry as a champion in Golden State.”
While Curry still might have plenty in the tank, he knows his NBA clock is ticking. The sharpshooter revealed in March that a fifth ring is the “only thing” he’s still playing for. While the ESPN analysts’ words might leave a sour taste in Dub Nation’s mouth, Curry’s always been one to prove the doubters and naysayers wrong.
And one thing’s for certain: he won’t go out without a fight.
Steph Curry is inching closer toward a potential return in the NBA playoffs.
But will he have a chance to?
After Golden State ruled its superstar guard out for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Target Center, the team provided an official update on the status of Curry’s strained left hamstring.
“Curry, who has missed the last three games due to a strained hamstring, has been re-evaluated,” the team statement reads. “The re-evaluation indicated that Curry is making good progress in his recovery. He has been cleared to participate in light on-court workouts, including shooting drills. He will be re-evaluated again on Saturday.”
If the Warriors were to win Game 5 on Wednesday, they would force a Game 6 on Saturday at Chase Center, which could allow Curry to return as Golden State looks to erase a three-games-to-one series deficit.
Steph Curry is inching closer toward a potential return in the NBA playoffs.
But will he have a chance to?
After Golden State ruled its superstar guard out for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Target Center, the team provided an official update on the status of Curry’s strained left hamstring.
“Curry, who has missed the last three games due to a strained hamstring, has been re-evaluated,” the team statement reads. “The re-evaluation indicated that Curry is making good progress in his recovery. He has been cleared to participate in light on-court workouts, including shooting drills. He will be re-evaluated again on Saturday.”
If the Warriors, who trail the Timberwolves three games to one in the series, were to win Game 5 on Wednesday, they would force a Game 6 on Sunday at Chase Center, which could allow Curry to return as Golden State looks to complete its unlikely series comeback.
Curry suffered the hamstring injury in the second quarter of the Warriors’ Game 1 win on May 6 after scoring 13 points in 12 minutes. Golden State has lost three consecutive games and now faces elimination Wednesday in Minnesota.
Jackson, appearing on Wednesday’s edition of Fan Duel TV’s “Run It Back,” was asked if he’s received advice from a player on another team. He listed Butler as one of the three players he’s sought words of wisdom from, but the delivery left a lasting impression on his head — literally.
“When we played the Warriors, excuse my language, but he smacked the s–t out of my head after the game,” Jackson said. “He was like, ‘What’s up, young fella?’ And smacked me and told me a couple things.”
"Jimmy Butler smacked the s*** out my head after the game. He was like, 'What's up young fella?'" 😂
Butler’s Warriors and Jackson’s Grizzlies met in the first NBA play-in game between the Western Conference’s No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. Golden State outlasted Memphis 121-116 behind Butler’s 38 points.
Jackson received a DNP-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision) in the Grizzlies’ loss.
Memphis drafted Jackson in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. As a rookie, Jackson turned heads while appearing in 48 games (18 starts) and averaging 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 25.7 minutes.
After returning in late January from a foot injury that required surgery in Year 2, Jackson experienced a bit of a sophomore slump through 29 games. He averaged 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 15.8 minutes.
In addition to Butler, Jackson revealed Khris Middleton and Brandon Ingram as the other players who have given him helpful advice as he navigates his young NBA career.
“I always ask these guys what was it for them that got them over that hump,” Jackson said. “Because everyone has years where it’s kind of a slump year, whether it’s at this next level or college or high school. Just finding a way to get over that hump. All of them just told me the same thing. It’s about how many reps you get up.”
The 20-year-old certainly appreciates the advice from Butler, a 14-year pro, and it’ll be an interaction he likely won’t ever forget.
It is the first time since 2005 against Boston that the Pacers have won three road games in a play-off series [Getty Images]
The Indiana Pacers reached the NBA's Eastern Conference finals for the second year running by beating top seeds the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points and added eight assists as Indiana triumphed 114-105 to win the best-of-seven semi-final series 4-1.
"The winning team writes the script," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said.
"This was one of the best teams in the league. I'm sorry their season had to end like this. They had the perfect season, and we came along and were hot at the right time."
The Celtics claimed a clean sweep against the Pacers in last year's Eastern finals.
Cleveland, who topped the Eastern Conference, thrashed Miami 4-0 to book their place in the semi-finals.
However, they could not cope with the tempo of the Pacers and Donovan Mitchell, who led the Cavaliers with 35 points, said they had "let the city down".
"We just didn't get the job done. Nothing else needs to be said," added Mitchell.
"We let the city down. We let each other down. I believe in this team. That's what just sucks. We're a good team, but ultimately for three [home] games, we don't seem it."
Thunder on brink of Western Conference final
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets to move 3-2 ahead in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic grabbed 44 points and 15 rebounds, but he could not stop Oklahoma City from running out 112-105 winners in game five.
"This is a really disappointing loss," Denver interim coach David Adelman said.
"The guys in there should be disappointed. It's a heavy loss and we have to bounce back quickly to win game six and give ourselves a chance to come back. Have a game like this, but finish it."
Jalen Williams' three-pointer opened up a 106-103 lead with 1:18 remaining before Gilgeous-Alexander's three with 48 seconds to go extended the Thunder's advantage to six.
"What the great players do is they rise in the face of those challenges and adversities," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander.
"Despite the fact that the pressure was mounting and it got hotter in there, he got cooler and just kind of settled into it, made the right plays, let the game tell him what to do."
The Thunder can clinch the series on Friday (01:30 BST) in Denver.
May 13, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket beside Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) during the second half of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 112-105 on Tuesday night to go up 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Oklahoma City overcame a 44-point, 15-rebound night from Denver's Nikola Jokic. The Thunder can clinch the series on Thursday in Denver.
Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of 23 field goals and had seven assists. He led six Thunder players in double figures.
Jokic made 17 of 25 shots. Denver's Jamal Murray scored 28 points, but he made just 10 of 27 shots. No other Denver player scored more than 13 points.
Oklahoma City ran out to a 12-2 lead, and it looked like it might turn out like the Thunder's blowout victory in Game 2. Denver made one of its first nine shots, and that was a putback by Jokic.
Denver rallied and led by 11 in the second quarter, but Oklahoma City closed strong and trailed 56-54 at halftime. Jokic had 19 points and nine rebounds before the break.
Denver took control early in the third quarter. Murray scored 13 points in the period and Jokic added 12 to help the Nuggets take an 86-78 lead into the fourth.
Oklahoma City's Lu Dort, who scored three points in the first three quarters, hit three 3-pointers in a two-minute span to cut Denver's lead to 92-90 midway through the fourth.
Jokic hit a deep fadeaway 3-pointer to tie the game at 103 before Oklahoma City closed it out. Jalen Williams’ 3-pointer with 1:18 remaining gave the Thunder a 106-103 lead, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s three with 48 seconds to go pushed Oklahoma City's lead to six.
May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
A year ago, the Pacers were called "lucky." They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals by beating a Milwaukee team without Giannis Antetokounmpo and then a banged-up New York team (before falling to Boston).
Doing it two years in a row isn't lucky — the Pacers are for real.
Cleveland came out in Game 5 Tuesday night playing with a sense of desperation and effort not seen from them often in this series — their backs were against the wall down 3-1, and the Cavaliers played like it, racing out to a 19-point second quarter lead.
However, sustaining that proved too much, especially with Darius Garland trying to play through turf toe and Donovan Mitchell battling injuries as well. Once again, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers exposed the questionable switching defense of the Cavaliers, Haliburton hunted a slowed Garland, and Indiana found its rhythm. Cleveland could not get a stop when it needed it.
That wasn't just Game 5 — Indiana has played with more energy and pace all series. The Pacers grabbed the rebounds, got to the loose balls and just outworked the Cavaliers. And, when it mattered, they hit the big shots. They did it again on Tuesday.
The result was a 114-105 Indiana win that gives them the series, 4-1.
The Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals again and will face the winner of the Knicks vs. Celtics series, which New York leads 3-1 (and Boston will be without their leader Jayson Tatum).
"We're not done. We still have a ways to go," Haliburton said.
Haliburton turned the game around with his scoring and shot creation, finishing with 31 points and eight assists.
Haliburton had LeBron James sticking up for him after a player survey named him the most overrated player in the league.
Hali fkn hooping!!!! Where the lames who said he was overrated??!! Quiet as hell. That boy NICE and even more someone everyone would love to play with! @mindthegamepod
Also deserving credit in this series is Myles Turner, who got labeled by some as a 3-point shooting big who was soft inside, but he has played with more force and physicality over the past couple of years. In this series, going up against Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, he was the best big on the floor most nights.
Cleveland has some hard questions to answer.
"We didn't get to the level we wanted to get to," Coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We're not pleased with that and we're not celebrating the season."
Injuries certainly were a part of the problem for Cleveland, this was a banged up team. However, the issues ran deeper than that. The Cavaliers executed poorly all series under pressure.
More concerning, Cleveland got outworked. Down 2-1 in the series, the Cavs no-showed in Game 4. This team lacked playoff grit.
Not Donovan Mitchell, who gutted his way to 35 points but shot just 8-of-25. Evan Mobley scored 24 on 8-of-12 shooting with 11 rebounds. But the bench players that carried them this season, De'Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome, had a rough series. So did Allen. And Max Strus was 0-of-9 shooting in Game 5.
With the Celtics not having Jayson Tatum next season, and the Bucks potentially trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, look for the Cavaliers to make tweaks around the edges but run back their 64-win team and bet on better playoff health next season. There are reasons to be hopeful.
Just know Indiana will be back next season with its core, too, and that team is for real.
A masterpiece 39-point performance from Jalen Brunson and well-rounded help from the Knicks’ other starters propelled the team to its strongest performance of the Eastern Conference semifinals. After the Knicks took a 3-1 series lead with a 121-113 win against the Boston Celtics, New York has a golden opportunity to close the series out in Boston.
The top storyline for the series is Jayson Tatum, who is out with a ruptured right achilles tendon that he suffered late in Monday night’s game. The injury required surgery on Tuesday. The absence of Tatum is a massive blow to Boston. As we saw in Game 4, Tatum can be dominant. He had 42 points, nailing several off-the-dribble three-pointers. Tatum also initiates a lot of Boston’s offensive attack. On defense, he guards multiple positions.
Still, the Celtics had a top-three record in the NBA for a reason. The team has quality players across the roster, and a win won’t be easy for the Knicks. For much of the series, the Celtics have been able to stymie New York’s offense with a heavy switching defensive strategy. But Game 4 was a step in the right direction for the Knicks' offense.
Brunson was phenomenal, hitting a plethora of difficult shots off the dribble. He was the steadying force throughout the game that the Knicks could always go to. New York’s other starters deserve credit, too. Karl-Anthony Towns was efficient with 23 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Mikal Bridges was automatic from mid-range with 23 points and OG Anunoby awoke from a scoring slumber with 20 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the three-point line.
The Knicks will need that offensive diversity to win. Brunson can lead the way, but finding other sources for offensive creation is crucial. Bridges found success from mid-range in the fourth quarter, attacking Celtics big men Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet in drop coverage. He made five mid-range pull-up attempts in the final frame.
The offensive glass also ended up being a swing factor. The Knicks had 13 offensive rebounds and took 13 more shots than Boston. Mitchell Robinson had five offensive rebounds in 25 minutes. Keeping Robinson on the floor has led to extra shot opportunities.
Defensive moves
Tatum’s injury adds even more responsibility to Jaylen Brown. The Celtics’ other all-star is averaging 20.5 points but is shooting just 37.7 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from beyond the arc in the series.
Throughout the second round, Tatum constantly sought out Brunson and Towns on switches and has attacked or found the open man. It worked as Tatum knocked down 12 three-pointers and had 64 points in the last two contests. Now, Brown will have even more opportunities to attack, but he doesn’t create the same havoc shooting and making plays as Tatum.
Something to monitor will be how Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla tinkers with the starting lineup. Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard could start in a smaller, three-guard alignment with Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. Or do the Celtics go to Porzingis or Kornet in a jumbo starting big combination with Al Horford?
Either way, that should put less pressure on Brunson and Towns defensively. Still, the Knicks will have to focus on containing the outside shot and defensive rebounding. White, specifically, was a nuisance with six threes on Monday night. The Celtics lead all teams in the second round in three-point attempts per 100 possessions. If Boston catches fire from three, it can make up for Tatum’s absence.
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant, left, enjoys a moment with teammate Julius Randle during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on March 22, 2016. (Kelvin Kuo / Associated Press)
Julius Randle had just scored 31 points, his career-high in the playoffs.
He was a game removed from his first postseason triple-double.
After his team's Game 4 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, Randle was asked about how he's been able to finally shake his reputation as a player who fades during the playoffs. Much of the credit, Randle said, belongs to someone he last played with nine years ago: Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
“I’ve battled through a lot in my career, to be honest. I mean, my first game in my career I broke my leg. I’ve been through a lot," Randle said. "I had a great mentor in Kobe that didn’t necessarily let me pout or get down on myself. His thing was always, ‘All right, what’s next? How can you get better? How can you improve?’ So I always just kind of took that mentality with me."
Randle — who also credited his mother, Carolyn Kyles, for raising him "to be a hard worker and not feel sorry for myself" — has spoken before about Bryant's influence on him. The Lakers selected him at No. 7 overall in the 2014 draft, and he spent four seasons in Los Angeles, with the first two the final seasons of Bryant's Hall of Fame career.
In an essay published by The Players' Tribune in 2021, Randle recounted a life-changing encounter with Bryant early in the 2015-16 season. The Lakers had just arrived in Randle's hometown of Dallas late at night, with a day off before a game against the Mavericks.
Just before arriving at the hotel, Randle said, Bryant asked him what his plans were for the rest of the night. Randle responded that he was going to "have a night" with some family and friends.
"And Kobe, he just cuts me off," Randle wrote. "He’s like, 'Nah. We’re going to the gym.'"
And that's exactly what they did.
Timberwolves teammates Julius Randle, left, and Anthony Edwards talk during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 5 at Wells Fargo Center. (Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images)
"I mean, that right there, it’s just the power of Kobe," he wrote. "If anyone else in the world had said that to me, in that moment, I might have hit ’em with an eye roll and went on with my business. But when Mamba is telling you that it’s a change of plans, and you’re coming with him to the gym tonight? You don’t ask questions. You just do as you’re told. ...
"It was him trying to use the situation to teach me a lesson. The lesson being: To get to the next level in this league, you can’t be putting in that next level of work only some of the time. Has to be all of the time. No such thing as sacrifice without sacrifice."
Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020. About a month later, Randle had arranged for a Detroit gym to be open for his now-routine, Mamba-inspired late-night workout. When he got there, Randle wrote, the man who opened the doors for him said: “It’s good to see you. Guys don’t really show up here to work out anymore. Matter of fact, the last guy to come in this late to shoot — man, that must have been years ago. It was Kobe.”
Randle said just hearing Bryant's name in that moment "gave me chills."
"It was just one of those moments," Randle wrote. "One of those moments that stays with you. One of those moments that forces you to take a second, and feel humble about how connected everything is."
Randle was a three-time All-Star for the Knicks but didn't play particularly well in two postseason appearances during the team's three playoff series. He didn't play last spring after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in April.
Just before the start of training camp last fall, Randle was traded to Minnesota in a deal that sent fan favorite Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. After getting off to a shaky start with his new team, Randle missed the month of February because of a groin injury.
Since his return, however, Randle and the Timberwolves have found their groove, going 17-4 down the stretch. While it's no surprise that young superstar Anthony Edwards has led the team in the playoffs (27 points, eight rebounds, five points per game), Randle's emergence as a postseason force is welcome news for Timberwolves fans. He averaged 22.6 points during Minnesota's five-game series win over the Lakers and is averaging 24.3 points in four games against Golden State.
Randle says that the Timberwolves' young superstar reminds him a lot of Bryant.
“The mentality is very similar," Randle told Andscape in October. "No hesitation. Ant gets right to it. He’s special. Physically, he’s gifted. Skill-wise, he’s gifted. Dude is different. There aren’t many players like him.
“Now I’m seeing his leadership, that he is charismatic, and his energy. He makes everybody believe. He’s special.”
And that's one of the reasons why with him and Edwards at the helm, the Timberwolves are only a win away from a repeat trip to the Western Conference finals.
It was a long road, but the Sacramento Kings — particularly ownership — seems to understand this team was just not that good.
Said ownership was not happy with how things started last season, the team was 13-18 and losing a lot of close games, so coach Mike Brown was fired and replaced by organizational favorite Doug Christie. How that we t down left a bad taste in the mouth of De'Aaron Fox, who asked for a trade, a complex deal that brought back Zach LaVine to provide some scoring. The result of all that? A core of DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and LaVine, coached by Christie, which went 12-15 after the All-Star break and could not get out of the play-in. That led to GM Monte Morris being shown the door and Scott Perry being brought back from the Knicks to turn things around.
The focus in the California capital shifts now to what sort of dealing we could see from the Kings' new regime. There has been no shortage of rumbles, since the hiring of Scott Perry as general manager, that Sacramento is expected to gauge the trade market for veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan, 35, is still an efficient bucket getter, especially from the mid-range. He averaged 22.2 points and 4.4 assists per game last season. DeRozan will make $24.8 million next season and $25.7 million in the 2026-27 season, at which point he becomes a free agent.
The Kings may find the market for DeRozan limited, he is seen more as a floor raiser than a piece to add for a deep playoff run. While he can score points, he prefers to work in isolation and doesn't shoot many 3-pointers, which means he's not a natural fit on a lot of rosters. He's also a minus defender.
For his part, DeRozan sounded like a guy resigned to the idea he might be on the move when speaking to the media after the end of the Kings' season.
"You don't have many opportunities left to give yourself a chance to compete in the playoffs. That's all you kind of want at this stage of your career..." DeRozan said. "I'm not trying to play another five, six years. You've only got so many years. That window closes quick."
The 6-foot-7 forward started 34 of 38 games for the Tigers last season, averaging 12.3 points and 3.0 rebounds while earning All-SEC third-team honors. The Tigers lost 79-73 to eventual national champion Florida in the national semifinals, with Baker-Mazara scoring 18 points.
The UNC athletic department said Miller died Sunday in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. No cause of death was given. An athletic department spokesman said Miller was in hospice care and dealing with medical issues for some time.
