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Did you need to see Muggsy Bogues posting up childhood Steph Curry? After all, you probably did!
Mark Your Calendars!
Your early NBA Cup breakdown
Keep in mind the In-Season Event’s debut final yr? Bizarre courts that burned the retinas! Random nights within the common season while you have been informed these video games have been totally different! Gamers not fairly certain about working up the rating as they have been reminded level differential mattered! Then, we took the video games to Las Vegas, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers grew to become stars and the Lakers gained the Cup? Nicely, it’s again! And it has a brand new identify and sponsor.
The NBA introduced the East and West teams for the Emirates NBA Cup, which begins group play in-season on Nov. 12. The semifinals and NBA Cup championship can be performed on Dec. 14 and 17, respectively. I’ve received ideas on every group, together with a brilliant computer-generated scoring system to price every group’s toughness on a scale of 1-5 emojis (5 being the hardest). It’s the Group Measured Toughness, or GMT for brief. Reminder: The winner from every group strikes on to knockout rounds, as does a wild-card workforce from every convention.
West Group A: Timberwolves, Clippers, Kings, Rockets, Path Blazers. The power of this group relies on how wholesome the Clippers are early on and the way critical the Rockets are in constructing off final season. The Blazers are simply going to be meals for everyone right here. The Timberwolves and Kings are your two favorites.
GMT Rating: 💪💪💪 | Prediction: Minnesota outlasts Sacramento.
West Group B: Thunder, Suns, Lakers, Jazz, Spurs. The Lakers are the defending Cup champs, so we all know they’ll take this critically. The Thunder are simply the most effective workforce on this group, however that doesn’t imply they’ll outright be higher than the Suns beneath Mike Budenholzer immediately. The Jazz is likely to be aggressive, however this group’s power relies on how shortly the Spurs acclimate to successful.
GMT rating: 💀💀💀💀 | Prediction: OKC wins the group and Los Angeles takes the wild card.
The NBA at this time launched its full sport schedule and nationwide tv schedule for Group Play of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024. These video games can be performed on Tuesdays and Fridays from Nov. 12 -Dec. 3.
The NBA at this time launched its full sport schedule and nationwide tv schedule for Group Play of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024. These video games can be performed on Tuesdays and Fridays from Nov. 12 – Dec. 3.
🏀 Schedule by day/workforce: https://t.co/yDYpnkpsSK
🏀 Press launch:… pic.twitter.com/NuSvQpkurR
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 13, 2024
West Group C: Nuggets, Mavs, Pelicans, Warriors, Grizzlies. That is the demise group of your complete NBA Cup. All 5 groups are good. Every has top-tier expertise for stars. Any workforce might simply win this group, so the even enjoying discipline might imply a wild card doesn’t spring from it.
GMT rating: 😡😡😡😡😡 | Prediction: New Orleans surprises everyone.
East Group A: Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Nets, Hornets. I’ve received New York and Orlando as the 2 massive gamers from this group, just because I’m unsure how Philadelphia will deal with Joel Embiid’s minutes and video games within the first half of the season. Brooklyn and Charlotte are right here for straightforward victories for the others.
GMT rating: 😱😱😱 | Prediction: New York grabs the group.
East Group B: Bucks, Pacers, Warmth, Raptors, Pistons. Milwaukee and Indiana had massive success final season, and the presence of Toronto and Detroit ought to assist that proceed this season. Miami is the unknown right here, however it has to construct up extra credit score than it misplaced final yr. Indiana took this very critically a season in the past.
GMT rating: 🏋️🏋️🏋️ | Prediction: Indiana wins the group as Milwaukee will get the wild card.
East Group C: Celtics, Cavs, Bulls, Hawks, Wizards. I imagine this group is created to make sure Boston strikes on and has an important likelihood to compete for the NBA Cup. Cleveland can provide the Celtics somewhat run, however the three different groups probably gained’t make a noise right here.
GMT rating: 🤏🤏 | Prediction: Boston simply takes it.
The Newest From Shams
Extra key video games we all know to date
Zach broke down the NBA Cup group-play schedule above, and in Monday’s Bounce, we highlighted the Christmas Day schedule, which options Victor Wembanyama in New York, a Mavs-Wolves Western Convention finals rematch and extra. Per league sources, listed here are just a few extra noteworthy dates to recollect forward of the NBA’s official schedule launch this afternoon:
Opening night time Oct. 22 on TNT will characteristic Knicks-Celtics from Boston and Timberwolves-Lakers from Los Angeles.
The Clippers’ first regular-season sport at Intuit Dome is about for Oct. 23 towards the Suns.
Klay Thompson’s first return journey to the Bay Space can be Nov. 12 on TNT, when the Mavericks go to the Warriors at Chase Middle.
Celtics-Mavericks NBA Finals rematch dates are Jan. 25 (in Dallas) and Feb. 6 (in Boston).
Sorry, Sir Charles
The NBA didn’t break up with TNT
This week, Charles Barkley made some information by telling “The Le Batard Present with Stugotz” he gave up most likely $100 million in potential wage by deciding to stay with TNT Sports activities on a long-term dedication, as an alternative of looking for out new employment with NBA rights-holders after the 2024-25 season. It was vital to him that his work household at Turner maintained some job safety with him sticking round, an extremely beneficiant and admirable sentiment.
Chuck’s not fallacious for any of that. However one thing he mentioned shortly after the information about Warner Bros. Discovery shedding out on matching the broadcasting rights (as Amazon and NBC take over) actually didn’t sit properly with me. As WBD appears into authorized motion to problem the NBA’s ruling on their plan to match the Amazon deal (which was their contractual proper to aim), Barkley threw out this quote in an interview:
“I wouldn’t need them to sue. The NBA clearly needed to interrupt up with us. I don’t need to be in a relationship the place I’ve to sue any person to be in it. That makes zero sense.
“If you need to sue any person to remain in a relationship, do you assume that could be a wholesome relationship?”
How a lot did Charles Barkley lose by returning to TNT?
“A minimal of $100 million. A minimal.”
Barkley explains why he selected to return to Turner Sports activities as a broadcasting free agent.
“The number-one factor for me is that my individuals at Turner get to maintain their jobs one other yr.” pic.twitter.com/lGLZgg4nFZ
— Dan Le Batard Present with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) August 13, 2024
I’d push again on this. The NBA didn’t clearly need to break up with TNT. I feel everyone extensively accepts “Contained in the NBA” is the most effective NBA product on the market, exterior of the video games. And it’s even higher than among the video games, truthfully. The mixture of Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and your complete crew is unmatched. It is likely to be the most effective present in all of sports activities.
Nonetheless, WBD had each alternative to barter a brand new cope with the NBA lengthy earlier than it was opened as much as Amazon and NBC. WBD CEO David Zaslav brazenly questioned if his firm really wanted NBA rights throughout negotiations. Then, he didn’t deliver an attractive deal to the NBA, resulting in the league looking for one other platform. Turner hoped they might simply match and maintain the rights, moderately than going to get a re-up with the NBA. It was a foul gamble. Barkley is an efficient teammate with that quote, however the firm dropped the ball.
WNBA Stretch Run
5 issues to trace as break ends
The Olympics are over, the U.S. girls gained the gold and we’re headed again to the 2024 WNBA season to complete issues out. Every workforce has roughly 15 video games left within the common season earlier than the playoffs start. The Aces (16-8) are eyeing the W’s first three-peat because the Houston Comets gained the league’s first 4 titles. The WNBA-best Liberty (21-4) are attempting to seize their first title.
And, in fact, we have now unimaginable particular person performances, particularly within the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese race for Rookie of the Yr. Listed here are my 5 greatest questions for the ultimate stretch of the common season:
Can the Liberty get to 34 wins? That’s the file the Aces set final season in going 34-6 on their strategy to their second straight title. New York is at the moment 21-4 with roughly 15 video games to play. It could must go a ridiculous 13-2 to match Vegas’ WNBA-best mark. With two video games left towards each the Storm and the Aces, that might be powerful to tug off.
The W returns this Thursday, However First…
Let’s recap the place we left off earlier than the break 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tRVL1hBOfx
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 13, 2024
Are the Aces going to go on a run? Las Vegas is at the moment fifth within the league, and we all know the Aces haven’t been solely wholesome with Chelsea Grey lacking so many video games. They gained 10 of their final 13 video games heading into the Olympic break. I’d count on them to make up some floor now.
Are the Lynx the sleeping giants? The Lynx (17-8, third in WNBA) have been my sleeper decide to win all of it in the beginning of the season. And, if A’ja Wilson wasn’t so dominant, Napheesa Collier would most likely be talked about lots for MVP. Perhaps Alanna Smith’s Olympic run additionally offers them a fair higher increase to complete robust.
Is A’ja Wilson going to blow away the scoring file? She’s working towards her third MVP award in 5 years, main the league in factors and rebounds. However Wilson is about to set the WNBA’s single-season scoring file. Diana Taurasi holds the present mark at 25.3 factors per sport, from again in 2006. Wilson is at the moment at 27.2 per sport. At this price, the 28-year-old may turn into the primary participant in WNBA historical past with 1,000 factors in a season.
How does the Rookie of the Yr race shake out? Over her final 11 video games, Angel Reese is averaging 15.2 factors and 13.9 rebounds per sport. Chicago is 6-5 in these video games. Over her final 12 video games, Caitlin Clark is averaging 18.8 factors, 10.8 assists and 6.9 rebounds with Indiana going 7-5. We now have ourselves a ROY race!
Sport of the Week: one other rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals is brewing 🙌
The #1 workforce within the standings the @nyliberty tackle the defending champs, @lvaces Saturday at 4pm/ET on CBS pic.twitter.com/7DHCCThL9y
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 14, 2024
The countdown is on… August fifteenth we’re BACK 🏀#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/nxHheYHzUR
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 13, 2024
Bounce Passes
David Aldridge ranked 30 offseasons. Listed here are Nos. 30 to 21, 20 to 11 and — sizzling off the presses — 10 to 1.
Most-clicked in Monday’s publication: Crew USA’s bench response to Steph Curry’s Golden Dagger to seal the boys’s fifth straight gold medal. Curry closed out France with 4 3s within the sport’s ultimate 2:47.
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(High photograph: Ethan Miller / Getty Photos )
