When it comes to predicting the NBA playoffs, everyone and their mother seems to have a crystal ball handy.
But nobody's perfect.
Few get called out for the accuracy of their prognostications, and even fewer cop to their own results. Fortunately, there's an easy way to see who got what right—or, in this case, wrong—and it's called the internet.
Here's a look at 10 predictions, presented roughly in chronological order, that have since gone belly up, with explanations for what went wrong and what the prognosticator in question might've missed along the way.
Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers Lose to Los Angeles Clippers in Six Games
The Blazers will have plenty to prove in their first-round showdown with the Clippers. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum exceeded expectations by boosting the Blazers back into the postseason after a tumultuous summer. It'll be up to Portland's brilliant young backcourt to turn a surprising season into something more than a "happy to be here" playoff cameo.
Actual Result: Trail Blazers Beat Clippers in Six Games
Lillard and McCollum did, indeed, come alive against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Portland Trail Blazers' brilliant young backcourt combined to average 41.7 points over the course of those six games.
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That number ticked up to 46.8 points over the final four contests, and not just because three of those were played in Rip City. In Game 4, the Clippers lost Chris Paul to a broken finger, then saw Blake Griffin go down with a quad injury.
The latter's demise wasn't entirely a surprise. Griffin played just 35 games during the 2015-16 season on account of problems with that same quad and returned to action in April knowing it wasn't going to heal fully until the offseason.
But Paul's exit was the sort that even Nostradamus might've missed. With CP3 healthy and playing like an MVP, the Clippers could've slithered their way into a second-round matchup with the Golden State Warriors, after pummeling Portland by a combined 41 points in Games 1 and 2.
Without Paul and Griffin? L.A. hardly had a prayer and didn't win another game.
Prediction: Celtics Edge Hawks in Seven With Stout Defense
...I think Boston's offense stands a slightly better chance against Atlanta's defense than the Hawks' offense stands against the Celtics' defense. Unless Korver blows up or we get Playoff Teague (certainly possible!), I don't see the Hawks scoring enough to win four games. But this is a tight series, so I'll go Boston in seven.
Actual Result: Atlanta Scores Enough in Six-Game Victory
It turns out, Atlanta's offense did fare better against Boston's defense. The Hawks topped the 100-point mark four times, to the Celtics' three instances, during the six-game series.
Jeff Teague wasn't quite up to the playoff speed he's shown in recent seasons, averaging a sturdy 16.5 points and 6.0 assists, though his percentages (40.0 percent from the field, 23.8 percent from three) weren't particularly pretty.
Kyle Korver didn't exactly blow up either, at 12.2 points per game, but he was hot enough from three (45.0 percent) to open up the floor for a balanced Atlanta attack. All five Hawks starters averaged at least as many points as Korver, with Dennis Schroder and Mike Scott each chipping in more than nine per game off the bench.
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As always, Atlanta shared the ball to loosen Boston's scrappy defense. By the end of the series, the Hawks had logged 136 assists on 222 makes—61.3 percent, for those keeping score at home.
Prediction: "The Hawks Have A Better Shot At Stopping The Cavs This Time"
Statistically, though, the Hawks are hotter on the Cavaliers’ heels now than when the two clubs faced off last season. Going into Game 1 of their series a year ago, our Elo ratings — which estimate a team’s “form” at any given moment based on its wins, scoring margin and strength of schedule — considered Atlanta to be about 2.3 points per game worse than Cleveland. Now, Elo thinks the Hawks have sliced that difference down to about 1.3 points per game in the Cavs’ favor.
Actual Result: The Hawks Get Demolished by the Cavs...Again
Technically, the Atlanta Hawks did fare slightly better against the Cleveland Cavaliers this time around. After losing by a combined 53 points in four games to the Cavs during last year's Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks shaved that margin of defeat in the semifinals all the way down...to 50 points.
Atlanta's improved defense—with Thabo Sefolosha, Kent Bazemore and Paul Millsap on hand to check LeBron James—was no match for Cleveland's historic three-point onslaught.
The Cavs hit 50.7 percent of their 38 long-range looks per game, bolstered by an NBA-record 25-trey barrage in Game 2.
That uptick didn't come out of left field. The Cavaliers racked up the second-most three-point makes in the league during the regular season and knocked down 14.3 per game during a first-round sweep over the Detroit Pistons.
And, unlike the 2015 playoffs, Cleveland came into its rematch with Atlanta sporting a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in the starting lineup, as well as Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson off the bench.
Prediction: Hawks and Hornets Meet in Eastern Conference Finals
The East is a jumble, and if Cleveland trips, the race opens. I am pegging the Hawks and Hornets to make deep runs, for similar reasons. They are supremely well-coached, they shoot the three (Atlanta ranks sixth in three-point makes, Charlotte fourth) and they have played well in the second half of the season (Atlanta has won 17 of its last 24, Charlotte 25 of 34). Maybe it doesn’t help that they also get along, but it can’t hurt.
Actual Result: Charlotte Out in Round 1, Atlanta Out in Round 2
The Cavaliers didn't trip during the Eastern Conference playoffs, in part because they weren't tested.
Not by the Hawks, whose sturdy 37.3 percent shooting from three against Cleveland didn't do much to narrow that gap. And certainly not by the Charlotte Hornets, who shot a subpar 30.8 percent from deep in their first-round defeat to the Miami Heat.
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To the Hornets' credit, they valiantly fought their way from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 series lead against Miami. In the end, though, Kemba Walker and company ran out of gas, while Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic and the more experienced Heat rose to the occasion in Games 6 and 7. All the good chemistry in the world couldn't push Charlotte over the hump, nor could it overcome the gulf in talent between Cleveland and Atlanta.
So, instead of a busted bracket in the East, the NBA wound up with the top two seeds (Cleveland and the Toronto Raptors) facing off in the conference finals once again.
...nothing matters more than the strategic clash between the two head coaches. On one end, we have the legendary Gregg Popovich—arguably the greatest coach in the sport's history. Squaring off against him is Billy Donovan, finishing up his rookie year without making too many late-game adjustments (see: Brooks, Scott for reference on what this looks like).
On paper, this is a blowout. But if Donovan has a few tricks up his sleeve that he's been saving until the postseason...
Actual Result: Thunder Over Spurs in Six
Donovan had some tricks up his sleeve, after all. The biggest one, both figuratively and literally, was the combination of Steven Adams and Enes Kanter. Those two, seldom used together during the regular season, smashed the San Antonio Spurs' aging front line with their superior size, strength and youthful energy.
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Together, they helped the Oklahoma City Thunder recover from a 32-point pounding in Game 1.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook had plenty to do with the shift in fortunes, too. Between that dynamic duo and the team's maturing supporting cast, OKC turned the tables on a historically great team and set itself up for a seismic showdown with the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
Prediction: San Antonio Shuts Down Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is so much better than Tony Parker right now that it's a little scary. But San Antonio's team defense is monstrous, and between Kawhi [Leonard], Tim Duncan, Danny Green and the rest, Westbrook will be well-contained. I mean, he's still RUSSELL WESTBROOK. He'll drop your jaw a dozen times. But despite the Parker mismatch, the Spurs will find ways to limit his efficiency as much as possible.
Actual Result: Westbrook Bullies Spurs
Westbrook dominated Parker, as predicted, almost across the board.
And, in two instances (i.e., Games 1 and 4), the Spurs managed to bottle up Westbrook as a scorer. He put up a total of 28 points on 10-of-37 shooting between those two outings.
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But even in those games, San Antonio couldn't contain Westbrook. He tallied nine assists in Game 1 and dropped 15 more in Game 4.
All told, Oklahoma City's superstar guard flew over, around and through every defender San Antonio tossed his way. He shot poorly (37.6 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three) and turned the ball over (4.5 times per game), but his full body of work—see the graph above—suggests anything but a successful containment effort by the Spurs.
Toronto is going to be ultra-hyped for this, and the Raptors will make it a series. Toronto went 2-1 vs. Cleveland during the regular season and the Lowry-Kyrie pairing must be a source of concern for the Cavaliers. Irving tries on defense, but he doesn't have the nose for stopping physical, aggressive guards like K-Low. I think Lowry gets the better of Irving here.
Actual Result: Kyrie Squeaks By Lowry
Kyle Lowry's peaks outpaced Kyrie Irving's, but so did his valleys. Lowry's brilliant efforts for the Toronto Raptors in Games 4 (35 points, five assists) and 6 (35 points, three assists) couldn't erase his substandard showings in Games 1, 2 and 5.
Irving, on the other hand, was a steady stream of production by comparison. He scored at least 23 points in all six games except for one—Game 3, in which he managed a mere 13 points on 3-of-19 from the field.
Overall, Irving scored more points, dished out more assists, earned more free throws, snagged more steals and shot more efficiently from the floor than his opposite in Toronto.
Irving, though, wasn't necessarily responsible for Lowry's inconsistency. The Raptors' All-Star point guard had already been struggling to string together strong performances. He did so just once through the first two rounds of the playoffs—between Games 5 and 7 against the Miami Heat during the conference semifinals, when he poured in 25, 36 and 35 points, respectively, on Toronto's behalf.
Prediction: OKC Outlasts Golden State in a Seven-Game Conference Finals
On the other side of the country, as I predicted on last week’s Hang Time Podcast, I think the Oklahoma City Thunder will win in seven games. I know, my Twitter mentions are going to go crazy, but the Thunder are white hot right now, and Westbrook and Durant are playing at the peak of their powers. Every year, some team gets hot in the postseason. And right now it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Actual Result: Warriors Survive Thunder in Seven
So close. So, so, so close.
The Thunder had a trip to the Finals well within their grasp. They owned a 3-1 series lead after inflicting the Warriors with their first back-to-back losses of the entire season. Durant and Westbrook were as dynamic as ever. Golden State had no answer for the towering powers of Steven Adams, Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter.
But OKC, in all of its emergent brilliance defensively, couldn't hold down Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson forever. In Game 5, the Splash Brothers combined for 58 points. Game 6, Thompson almost single-handedly shot the Dubs out of a fourth-quarter hole on the way to his 41 points and playoff-record 11 threes, with Curry providing 31 points in support.
Come Game 7, it was Curry's time to shine, with 36 points, eight assists and seven three-pointers, none more dramatic than this rainbow over Adams:
All the while, the "Choke-lahoma City" moniker that plagued the Thunder throughout the 2015-16 campaign came back to bite them in a big way.
Durant and Westbrook combined for 10 turnovers in Game 5 and eight more during Game 6, with the two of them shooting 20-of-58 from the field. Durant was efficient in Game 7 (10-of-19 for 27 points), but not enough so to overcome Westbrook's 7-of-21 shooting night—not to mention the 17-of-49 effort put forth by the rest of OKC's rotation.
Cleveland is hobbled, and Irving and Co. are too weak on the defensive end to stop Golden State's eight-deep attack. Look for the Warriors to help bettors get one step closer to cashing in on those four-game props.
Prediction: Warriors 116, Cavaliers 96
Actual Result: Cleveland Rocks Golden State
Whatever setback the Cavaliers may (or may not) have suffered from Kevin Love's absence was smothered by a more energetic, more focused all-around effort.
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Cleveland looked nothing like the slow, lazy and confused claque that surrendered 107 points per game through the first two contests of the Finals. The Cavs were on point from the get-go, flying around the floor to contest shots and impose their physical will against the Warriors.
The result? Cleveland gave up just 90 to Golden State on 42.1 percent shooting.
Irving, in particular, was spectacular. He poured in 30 points and eight assists on one end and helped hold Stephen Curry to 13 shots and six assists on the other.
As for the disparity in depth, the Dubs still dominated bench scoring, 33-15. The problem for Golden State stems from the starters, who were outmatched by their Cleveland counterparts for the second time in this series.
Prediction: Stephen Curry Will Redeem Himself From Poor 2015 Finals
Tony Dejak/Associated Press
From SB Nation's Bram Kincheloe (via colleague Nate Parham):
Honestly, there's a reason Stephen Curry didn't win Finals MVP last season. He did not play to the pinnacle of his abilities, and voters were stuck between giving the award to LeBron James (who had obviously been the series' best player), or giving it to the man most responsible for trying to stop LeBron, Iguodala. I think Curry remembers his (semi) no-show, and explodes onto the stage. Especially considering he has shown some more razzle dazzle as his knee heals.
Actual Result: Curry's Been Worse
Last year, Stephen Curry's slow start to the 2015 NBA Finals still amounted to 24.0 points and 6.3 assists through the first three games. This year, he's looked much more like little brother Seth than the guy who became the league's first-ever unanimous MVP.
Through three games, Curry's accounted for 16.0 points and 4.3 assists in 30.5 minutes per contest. His percentages have been subpar by his standards, but are better than the ones he posted to start last year's championship series.
The biggest difference? Curry isn't getting up shots as frequently as he usually does. After launching a career-high 20.2 field goals per game during the regular season and 19.5 through the Western Conference playoffs, he's chucked it up just 13.0 times a night against Cleveland.
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There's still plenty of time for Curry to get cooking in this series. Chances are, he'll do just that at least once before the Larry O'Brien Trophy is lifted.
So far, though, the Cavaliers have bottled up the game's most popular player more effectively than any team has in recent memory.
Evan Mobley, Darius Garland Out with Ankle, Thumb Injuries for Cavaliers vs. Bulls
Dec 31, 2022
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 15: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2022 Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers stars Evan Mobley and Darius Garland have been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls, per cleveland.com's Chris Fedor.
Mobley is dealing with soreness in his right ankle, and Garland suffered a sprained right thumb in Thursday's loss to the Indiana Pacers. Garland has been receiving treatment on his thumb, per Fedor.
Mobley entered Saturday having appeared in all 36 games for the Cavs this season. However, he suffered a sprained right ankle during training camp practice on Oct. 1 and missed some time.
The 21-year-old is in the midst of a solid season after an impressive rookie year that saw him finish second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes.
Mobley averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks in 69 games last season while shooting 50.8 percent from the floor. So far this season, he's averaging 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 55.7 percent from the floor.
The 2021 third overall pick was a huge reason why the Cavaliers finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record and were on the verge of making the postseason for the first time since 2018.
When the USC product is sidelined, veteran Kevin Love and Cedi Osman see more playing time.
As for Garland, he missed time earlier in the season after suffering an eye injury on Oct. 19 that knocked him out of the team's next five games. He also missed a Nov. 4 win over the Detroit Pistons with a left knee sprain.
The 22-year-old is equally as important to Cleveland's success. Through 30 games, he's averaging 21.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists while shooting 45.0 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from deep.
With Garland sidelined, Caris LeVert and Raul Neto figure to see more playing time alongside Donovan Mitchell. According to Fedor, LeVert will be in the starting lineup for Saturday's matchup alongside Mitchell, Love, Jarrett Allen and Lamar Stevens.
The Cavaliers are 22-14 this season, fourth place in the Eastern Conference. They'll need Mobley and Garland to remain healthy, especially following the addition of Donovan Mitchell, who should help them contend for a playoff spot.
Lakers' LeBron James on 47-Point Game vs. Hawks: Scoring 30 'Hasn't Worked'
Dec 31, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 30: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after shooting a three-point basket against Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on December 30, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Amid the Los Angeles Lakers' struggles this season, superstar forward LeBron James knew he had to take matters into his own hands, leading to a 47-point effort in a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, James suggested that he had to take his offensive production to the next level in order to get the Lakers back on track, saying: "I've been scoring 30 and it hasn't worked, so ... try 40. And we got a win. It's math."
Making the performance even more impressive is the fact that LeBron pulled it off on his 38th birthday.
Friday's win was a huge one for L.A. since it had lost five of its previous six games while Anthony Davis has been on the shelf with a foot injury.
The Lakers improved to 15-21 with the victory, leaving them in 13th place in the Western Conference, three games out of the final postseason play-in spot.
Los Angeles has a chance to be a playoff contender if AD can get healthy and James can continue playing at the level he showcased Friday, but it won't be easy for the 38-year-old veteran to continue pouring in 40 points per night.
LeBron has been his usual spectacular self when healthy and in the lineup this season, though, averaging 28.5 points. 8.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists, in addition to shooting 50.6 percent from the field.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham called James "nothing short of phenomenal" and "amazing" for what he did against the Hawks, especially when considering how long he has been performing at an elite level.
Per McMenamin, the 18 years and 278 days between LeBron's first and most-recent 40-point efforts in an NBA game surpassed the record previously held by the legendary Michael Jordan.
James playing as well as he is at 38 is almost unprecedented in the annals of NBA history, but it is essentially a necessity in order for the Lakers to have any hope of making the playoffs.
A trade to shake up the supporting cast ahead of the deadline could get the Lakers closer to contention, but even then, LeBron and Davis will undoubtedly be the key to how far L.A. goes this season.
Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson Wow NBA Twitter in Dynamic Battle as Pelicans Beat 76ers
Dec 31, 2022
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives against Philadelphia 76ers forward P.J. Tucker and forward Tobias Harris (12) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
In a clash of titans, it was Zion Williamson left standing at the expense of Joel Embiid.
The New Orleans Pelicans superstar went off for 36 points and five rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, leading his team to a 127-116 win.
Embiid didn't exactly roll over without a fight. The superstar center had a vintage performance of his own, putting up 37 points and eight rebounds while trying to will his team to a tough road victory.
But the one-two punch of Williamson and CJ McCollum (42 points, career- and franchise-high 11 threes) was too much to overcome.
McCollum was shooting fireballs from beyond the arc all night long:
PJ Tucker is guarding Zion like a bag of bricks sitting in the middle of train tracks. Probably not going to derail it, but let’s just see what happens.
It was an incredibly impressive offensive showing from the Pelicans (23-12), especially without Brandon Ingram available because of a toe injury.
For the Sixers (20-14), meanwhile, it was a second straight loss after an impressive eight-game winning streak.
The good news for the Sixers was that star guard Tyrese Maxey returned after a lengthy layoff. The bad news was that he struggled in his return, coming off the bench to post just nine points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field in 19 minutes. Some rust was to be expected, however, after missing over a month.
It didn't help that James Harden had a particularly odd game, offering up a 20-point, 10-assist double-double but also adding seven turnovers on the evening, and he only attempted eight shots from the field.
It may not have mattered had he played better. This night clearly belonged to Zion's bulldozing drives into the lane and McCollum's sniper-scope precision. Had the Sixers played a perfect game, maybe they could have overcome that duo's offensive fireworks.
But they didn't play a perfect game, and they left New Orleans with a loss.
LeBron James' 'Masterful' Dominance Has NBA Twitter Hyped as Lakers Beat Hawks
Dec 31, 2022
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 30: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 1, 2022 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
LeBron James celebrated his 38th birthday with 47 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 130-121 road win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
The ageless 20-year NBA veteran made 18 of 27 field goals and 4 of 6 three-pointers despite starting the game 1 of 5. He notably scored half of his team's 32 fourth quarter points, including 10 in the final four minutes.
Much like Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, James was a human highlight reel in Atlanta.
As Lakers reporter Mike Trudell noted, only 11 NBA players have played 20 or more NBA seasons. James also happened to be playing his third game in four nights.
And yet that didn't stop James from posting one of the best individual performances of the season from any NBA player. A host of people offered their praise postgame, including Kevin Durant, Magic Johnson and Pau Gasol.
Masterful 47 I just watched, Lebron James. Masterful…GGz
James and the Lakers will now visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday evening before returning home for a stretch of seven of nine games in L.A.
Lakers' Anthony Davis Trending in the Right Direction for Return From Foot Injury
Dec 31, 2022
Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis, left, shoots over Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey and center Jalen Duren during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham offered some good news to reporters Friday regarding eight-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis, who has been out indefinitely since Dec. 16 with a stress reaction in his right foot.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin relayed the quotes.
Darvin Ham, two weeks after Anthony Davis suffered the stress injury in his right foot, says “the biggest thing is, his pain has just about dissipated” and says Davis is trending in the right direction when it comes to approaching a ramp up to return to the court.
Those are welcoming comments for a Lakers team that's gone just 3-7 without Davis this year. L.A. is also struggling this year with a 14-21 record that has the team sitting third-last in the 15-team Western Conference.
Davis also spoke with a few reporters regarding his foot injury.
Anthony Davis told a small group of us reporters he has a bone spur in his foot that could have been there as far back as his Kentucky days. He also has a stress reaction. The good news is, there’s already been healing on the stress reaction and he is hopeful about the recovery https://t.co/wOT0q9gXym
Simply put, the Lakers need Davis back to have a decent shot at making the playoffs after missing out on the postseason last year. He was playing at an All-NBA First Team form prior to the injury with 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
Davis got hurt in the first quarter of his team's 126-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 16 after landing awkwardly during a layup attempt. He played 16 minutes in the first half but did not return after halftime.
The most recent news follows an encouraging Dec. 23 report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who noted that Davis' pain had decreased and that the team was holding out hope he would avoid a procedure.
ESPN Sources: The pain has subsided in past several days in Anthony Davis' foot and he's expected to rest it for another 7-to-10 days and have it re-evaluated and see if he can return to play. For now, there's hope that a procedure can be avoided. https://t.co/4B2RXiAZTV
It's unclear when Davis will return, but he's clearly trending in the right direction, which is all the Lakers could ask for after he was initially marked as being out indefinitely.
NBA Rumors: Hawks' Nate McMillan Has Considered Resigning After Trae Young Drama
Dec 30, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 27: Head coach Nate McMillan of the Atlanta Hawks looks on in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 27, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Atlanta Hawks head coach Nate McMillan has "strongly considered resigning from his position" amid a tumultuous and disappointing season that has reportedly included tension with star guard Trae Young.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the news Friday after speaking with anonymous league sources, though he added that a resignation from McMillan does not appear to be "imminent."
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin swiftly denied Charania's report during an appearance on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta.
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin on @DukesandBell929 this afternoon called this story “trash journalism… This is made up stuff. I am literally calling Shams out. It is just hack journalism. Hack.” https://t.co/rYIHvpHgTY
Earlier this month, Charania and Sam Amick detailed a "miscommunication" regarding a missed Dec. 2 shootaround by Young.
At the time, McMillan "asked [Young] whether he would participate in shootaround, receive treatment during walk-through and play in the game against the Nuggets."
Young, however, wanted to make a decision later in the day after receiving treatment on his shoulder. McMillan then gave him the option of either coming off the bench or not showing up against the Denver Nuggets. Young chose to not play.
McMillan took over for Lloyd Pierce during the 2020-21 season after Atlanta got off to a 14-20 start. He turned the team around and guided the Hawks to a 27-11 finish. Atlanta excelled in the playoffs as well, upsetting the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014-15.
However, the Hawks have been a middling team ever since. They went 43-39 last year and quickly bowed out of the playoffs to the Miami Heat in the first round. This season's team is just 17-18 despite adding star guard Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs via a trade.
Young has struggled, shooting only 31.6 percent from three-point range. John Collins, who once appeared to be a franchise cornerstone, has been the subject of numerous trade rumors. Atlanta has the No. 21 net rating in the league at minus-1.0, per NBA.com, and the team has lost eight of its last 12.
All is certainly not lost, especially with more than half of the season remaining and the team sporting one of the league's most talented backcourts in Young and Murray.
But the latest report raises more concern regarding possible trouble behind the scenes as the Hawks search for the winning formula that propelled them to the Eastern Conference Finals just two years ago.
Patrick Beverley Shades Chris Paul for Failing to Make WCF During Clippers Tenure
Dec 30, 2022
Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022, in Phoenix. Phoenix Suns won .(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley went on comedian and actor Kevin Hart's Cold As Balls show and spoke on a number of topics. Along the way, he got in a shot at one of his NBA rivals, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul.
The lead-in to the remark began when Hart asked Beverley about a moment when he was on the 2021-22 Minnesota Timberwolves in which he and the rest of his teammates joyously celebrated a play-in tournament win (and playoff berth clinching) over the Los Angeles Clippers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blY6ClBCscs
Beverley gave some context behind that moment and pointed out that Paul used to play on the Clips.
"Chris Paul was on the Clippers," Beverley said. "Then he left and I came on the Clippers. The only crew the Clippers went to the Western Conference Finals; the only time. They didn't go there with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Lob City. They went there with me."
In fairness, Paul was a star on the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, while Beverley was a complementary piece to a star core of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George during the aforementioned 2020-21 campaign. He averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per game in those playoffs.
Still, Beverley was part of a rotation that did something no other Clippers team had done in the franchise's five-decade history.
However, after the season, Beverley was traded to the Timberwolves, who later gave him a one-year, $13 million extension. Beverley said the Clippers weren't willing to show him the money, adding fuel to the fire.
"For them to come and you know [say] we're only looking for you to get $5 or $6 million, I felt like was the ultimate spit in my face when I literally just changed this whole organization around and we just went to the Western Conference Finals," Beverley told Hart. "I didn't think I got the fair end of the stick."
Beverley is back in Los Angeles but with the Lakers, and he's served as the team's starting point guard. His club recently played the Suns, and Beverley hit Paul with the "too small" taunt after a layup. Paul got the last laugh, though, after the Suns won 130-104.
Kevin Durant Calls Out NBA Twitter for Still 'Crying' About Him Joining Warriors
Dec 30, 2022
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 28: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball to the basket during the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on December 28, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant fired back Friday at NBA fans on Twitter who remain critical of his decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
A conversation regarding Durant leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Dubs derived from a discussion between former NBA player Evan Turner and Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala. Turner called the Warriors' dynasty "lame as f--k" and labeled it as "unfair" when KD signed with Golden State:
In response to a Twitter user who agreed with Turner's take, Durant lamented people "crying for seven years" about the fact that he signed with the Warriors:
Yo it’s crazy how people say I’m defensive when these guys been crying for 7 years about it…
Durant developed into one of the NBA's biggest stars with the Thunder franchise, and he came close to knocking off the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, but fell just short.
The LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers went on to beat the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, which prompted them to consider a big move.
That came in the form of signing Durant, who spent three seasons with the Warriors and led them to the NBA Finals each time. The Dubs won championships over the Cavs in each of Durant's first two seasons, and he was named NBA Finals MVP each time.
Durant suffered a torn Achilles in the 2019 Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors and ended up signing with the Nets in free agency, thus signaling the end of the Warriors dynasty until they returned last year and won with Stephen Curry leading the way.
KD has often been criticized for his "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach due to the belief that it threw the NBA's balance of power out of whack.
In fairness to Durant, however, the concept of superteams started well before he signed with the Warriors. The prime examples were the Boston Celtics adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to a roster that already included Paul Pierce, and the Miami Heat adding both LeBron and Chris Bosh to go with Dwyane Wade.
Even the Cavs did it before the Warriors by signing James and acquiring Kevin Love while already having Kyrie Irving on the roster.
Although Durant's time in Golden State was brief, it was dominant, and it will seemingly always be a point of contention among fans.
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