One of the most intriguing elements of the NBA playoffs is what the spotlight reveals about certain players – especially those who weren’t expected to be in the spotlight at all. We expect established superstars such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant to welcome the pressure of the postseason and elevate their play. That is part of the reason they are among the game’s best players. It is also not that surprising to see very good players such as Stephen Curry and
(This is another in a series of 30 guest columns that will run in October, when optimism reigns supreme across the NBA. The theme will be “Five Reasons to Feel Positive About … ” We encourage you to follow the authors on Twitter and visit their sites. – CS) The Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the league’s most talked-about teams last season, and it seemed that they were destined to meet with the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. It
With the NBA season over, Oklahoma City Thunder players had their final say about everything, from Kevin Durant’s obsession with basketball, to James Harden’s state of mind about his future with the team. Full audios are available below, plus news on Dwyane Wade, draft picks and more. Royce Young has the exit interview of the following players: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Nick Collison, Nazr Mohammed. Scott Brooks teaches his team how to be classy. John Reid believes the Hornets will match
MIAMI — How in the world does a team win when it makes just 20 percent of its outside shots? The Miami Heat were 8-of-40 on jumpers during Game 3 of the NBA Finals … and they won. The prime reason the Heat were able to sneak away with the victory was because they attacked the paint, attacked the paint and attacked the paint some more. With one of the best driving forces of all time on their side in LeBron James, along
Well, if that wasn’t a perfect game, I don’t know what is. And it wasn’t just Serge Ibaka going 11-for-11 from the field. It was Kevin Durant scoring 18 of his 36 points for the Thunder down the stretch, it was the Thunder looking wiser than their years by answering every San Antonio basket in the fourth quarter with one of their own, it was Oklahoma City’s bigs exposing a gaping hole in the Spurs’ defensive capabilities down low. It was a
In the biggest game of the season for the Boston Celtics, the Big Four took a back seat to the Other One. All of the attention in Boston rightfully goes to Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. They are the only four players remaining from the team’s last championship in 2008 and comprise perhaps the best quartet in the NBA. They are the reason the Celtics are still in the title hunt when most felt their window of
Two years ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder were the upstarts who gave the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers a serious run for their money in a first-round series that lasted six tough games. The Lakers emerged primarily on the strength of their veteran core and extensive postseason experience, while the Thunder went through growing pains that all young teams have. This time, the Thunder – two years wiser and perhaps still not at their ceiling – are the favorites, while
