As we prepare for the NBA conference finals to begin on Sunday, between the four teams most expected to make it this far, one team was served some devastating news on Friday. That would be the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be without Serge Ibaka, likely for the rest of the playoffs. While Ibaka has not produced on the offensive end as most thought he would this postseason — he averaged 15 points and just under nine rebounds per game in the
For the second straight year, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff push has been derailed by a season-ending injury. Last year it was All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, who went down in the first round with a knee injury as a result of a collision with Houston guard Patrick Beverley. This year it is forward Serge Ibaka, who suffered a left calf injury in the third quarter of Thursday’s clincher over the Los Angeles Clippers. Ibaka underwent an MRI on Friday that confirmed a left
Typically, there is an amazing tweet to talk about. However, this may be the exception to the rule. The folks at Bleacher Report took it upon themselves to put together an animated NBA adaptation of the hit HBO show, Game of Thrones. The ease with which the characters of the show—which is based on George R.R. Martin’s A Sword of Ice and Fire books—can be replaced with NBA teams and athletes is uncanny. The Miami Heat, being the two-time reigning champions are
Realistically, the Brooklyn Nets don’t have room for Kevin Garnett next season. Garnett had by far the worst statistical season of his career in 2013-2014, capped off by a two-point, eight-rebound performance in Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to Miami that eliminated Brooklyn. Garnett scored 24 points total in the five games against the Heat and is a sad shell of his former self on the floor. Garnett is scheduled to make $12 million next season in the final year of his contract and is considering
When the Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry last summer, Mikhail Prokhorov said, “Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets.” Neither Garnett, Pierce nor Prokhorov was smiling after the Miami Heat eliminated Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference semifinals in five games. “The only reason we came to Brooklyn was to win another ring,” Garnett said. In retrospect, Brooklyn took a gamble that didn’t pay off. The Nets gave up a king’s ransom to acquire Garnett and Pierce to
The 2014 NBA Playoffs continued on Thursday, May 15 with a pair of elimination games. By the end of the night, two teams advanced and the Conference Finals were set. The Indiana Pacers will host the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. Out west, the San Antonio Spurs will have the home court advantage against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action. [Read more…]
While all but two other high-profile NBA draft prospects run drills in Chicago for the 2014 NBA Draft Combine, Kansas Jayhawks freshman phenom Andrew Wiggins has found his own way of creating buzz heading into this year’s draft. The internet. Doing standard fitness drills for P3 Applied Sports Science, Wiggins vertical leap results were quite impressive. A photo, posted to Instagram, has since drawn all sorts of reactions on the social media sphere. [Read more…]
The NBA doubled down Thursday on the controversial ending of Game 5 of Clippers-Thunder, fining coach Doc Rivers $25,000 for blasting the officials afterward. The fine was announced by NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn and came one day after the league came to defense of the officiating crew, whose replay ruling left most fans baffled by their decision. [Read more…]