NBA Atlantic

The Boston Celtics have started this year strong after wins against the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat.

Following Boston's 111-104 road win over Miami on Friday, Celtics star Jayson Tatum spoke with reporters about how he felt after his team fell to the Golden State Warriors in last season's NBA Finals.

Jayson Tatum: “Getting to the championship and losing was the worst feeling ever.”

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) October 22, 2022

The Celtics held a 2-1 series lead over the Warriors, who then proceeded to roll off three straight wins by an average of 11 points per game to close out the competition. Boston struggled offensively and averaged 93.7 points in its last three games.

Tatum shot just 36.7 percent for the series. He still averaged 21.5 points and led the C's with 7.0 assists per game, but the All-NBA First Teamer had a rough Finals overall.

Boston has started this year looking like a clear championship contender hungry for a title, though, thanks largely to Tatum, who has averaged 32 points over the first two games. Jaylen Brown is right behind him at 31.5 PPG.

On Friday, Tatum impressed on both ends (particularly in the second half) against Boston's Eastern Conference Finals opponent last year.

Jayson Tatum tonight:

— 29 PTS (18 in the 2nd half)
— 5 REBS (all in the 2nd half)
— 4 ASTS
— 1 STL
— 2 BLKS
— 10/22 FG pic.twitter.com/cOXbztuTS6

— JT Muse (@TatumMuse) October 22, 2022

Tatum's looking like a potential MVP candidate thus far, and the Celtics have the makings of an NBA powerhouse. They'll look to continue the good vibes Saturday evening at the Orlando Magic.

A duel went down in Brooklyn on Friday evening, and in the end, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets outlasted Pascal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors 109-105 in Barclays Center.

Irving led the Nets with 30 points, including a personal 7-0 run in an 1:07 span in the third quarter and 13 more points in the fourth.

Durant posted 27 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer to put the Nets up 105-102 with 56 seconds remaining in regulation. He also assisted on Royce O'Neale's three to put the Nets in front 108-104.

Those two led the Nets charge to overcome a fantastic outing from Siakam, who posted a 37-point triple-double. He shot 15-of-20 from the field in addition to compiling 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

This ultimately was an offensive masterclass at times, with Toronto and Brooklyn knocking down tough shots.

Such absurd shot making in this Nets-Raptors game. There's nothing you can do when KD and Kyrie have it going like that.....and then the big shot from Royce.

— Raheem Palmer (@iamrahstradamus) October 22, 2022

kd and kyrie have hit back to back ridiculous shots.

— Wosny Lambre (@BigWos) October 22, 2022

Irving was impressive after a rough opening night where he shot just 6-of-19 for 15 points in a 130-108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Kyrie with a bounce back game with a solid 30 piece

— Khai 🎧🎶 (@khaisview) October 22, 2022

Durant was big down the stretch after hitting the critical three and assisting on O'Neale's ensuing bucket:

https://twitter.com/Durantmuse/status/1583637773533126658

The star of the game was Siakam, though, and Twitter recognized his efforts.

Pascal Siakam has been the best player on a court that also includes Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

A reminder that a year ago at this time he was watching from the bench, still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and a month away from getting back to pre-injury form.

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 22, 2022

Siakam, much like Zion the other night, is just torching the Nets defense. He is 14-for-18 from the field and has 33 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Brooklyn's defense has no answer for him at all.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) October 22, 2022

Pascal Siakam is now one game away from tying Vince Carter for the Raptors franchise record in 30-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist games.

— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) October 22, 2022

Brooklyn starts doubling Siakam in the fourth quarter and it's dimes on dimes. No answer for him.

— Oren Weisfeld (@OrenWeisfeld) October 22, 2022

In the end, the Nets emerged victorious to enter the win column for the first time this season. They'll now take on the Memphis Grizzlies on the road Monday. Toronto will visit the Miami Heat Saturday.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid didn't play like his normal self in Thursday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, and there may be a reason for that.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters Friday that Embiid dealt with plantar fasciitis leading up to training camp, which impacted his normal training and conditioning program, per Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia:

"He had a little plantar fasciitis before the season started—before training camp—and that took him off his conditioning program. And so he's back on that. But listen, he's playing with the right intentions. He just didn't play well, and that's OK, too. That's going to happen. We've still got to win those games."

The Sixers fell to 0-2 with Thursday's 90-88 loss to the Bucks. Embiid finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and one block in about 36 minutes. He made 6-of-21 shots from the floor and 1-of-3 shots from deep in an uncharacteristic performance.

It's not necessarily surprising to hear Rivers mention that Embiid's offseason training was impacted due to injury. The veteran big man alluded to some hiccups in his conditioning following the team's final preseason game on Oct. 12.

"I'm feeling OK," Embiid said, per Levick. "I'm still working my way back. I've had an on-and-off summer as far as being able to really do stuff on the basketball court. But I've got four, five days to be ready, and I'll be ready."

In addition to plantar fasciitis, Embiid had to work his way back from surgery on his right thumb and a procedure on his left index finger in May. He also had to recover from a right orbital fracture and concussion suffered during the 2022 playoffs.

It's worth noting that Embiid had a solid game in Philadelphia's season-opening loss to the Boston Celtics, finishing with 26 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and one block in 37 minutes. He made 9-of-18 shots from the floor and 1-of-6 shots from deep.

Embiid will surely return to form as the season rolls on. He's coming off a 2021-22 campaign that saw him average 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks en route to an All-Star selection and second-place finish in MVP voting.

The Sixers will aim for their first win of the season on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs.

What is going on with Joel Embiid?

That was the question on the minds of NBA fans after the Philadelphia 76ers superstar center had another tough night in Thursday's 90-88 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, dropping Philly to 0-2 on the season.

Embiid struggled from the field, shooting 6-of-21 while scoring 15 points. He added 12 rebounds, three assists and four turnovers.

It's not the Embiid we've come to expect, especially in a brutal third quarter that saw him shoot 0-for-4, score zero points, have a shot blocked and turn the ball over three times.

Those struggles weren't lost on NBA Twitter:

Joel Embiid in the second half:

0 PTS
0-7 FG
3 TOV

@PointsBetUSA pic.twitter.com/g1pUATITma

— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 21, 2022

This #Sixers loss is on Joel Embiid

— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) October 21, 2022

Sixers aren't gonna sweat 50-50 game outcome, but bigger picture they need Embiid to be way better than he was in the first two games to get anywhere near where they want to be.

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) October 21, 2022

https://twitter.com/btoporek/status/1583262011672391680

Embiid doesn't seem to have the same level of pop/explosiveness that he's had the last couple of years yet? Been a bit off in these two games. A bit slow in ball-screen coverages, not quite as powerful as a leaper. Might be working his way into the season a bit?

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 21, 2022

it’s not even about him playing bad, the body language, the shot selection, the no effort, it’s like we are watching an entirely different player compared to the last 2 years

— Prez💊 ‘ (@PresidentEmbiid) October 21, 2022

Joel Embiid is playing one of the single worst quarters of his career, the offense has zero rhythm and the Sixers can't make a 3. The fans are booing. Still over a quarter left, but not an ideal start to the season for the Sixers.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) October 21, 2022

Joel Embiid looked better to close the second quarter, but he's having a rough time in the second half. Doesn't look right at all.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) October 21, 2022

This might be one of the worst quarters I’ve ever seen from Joel Embiid.

— Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) October 21, 2022

Booing Embiid in game 2. Philly fans are tough as a two dollar cheesesteak.

— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) October 21, 2022

Embiid is almost universally loved in Philly. If he's getting booed at a home, well, it's going bad.

He wasn't the only culprit in the loss. The Sixers shot 5-of-24 from three. The bench was outscored by Milwaukee's reserves 29-13. And Tobias Harris' head-scratching decision to help off Wesley Matthews on what turned out to be the game-winning three was hard to justify.

WESLEY MATTHEWS CLUTCH https://t.co/MrkKL3ylsq

— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 21, 2022

It all spoiled a superb night from James Harden, who looks like he's primed for a monster season after putting up 31 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, his second straight game exceeding 30 points.

Ultimately, losing to one of the NBA's best teams by two points in a back-and-forth, October showdown isn't the end of the world for the Sixers. After giving up 126 points to the Boston Celtics in the opener, the defense was far better, containing Giannis Antetokounmpo to the tune of 21 points.

But Embiid's struggles to start the season are a bigger concern. Yes, he's faced two of the best defensive teams in the NBA in the Celtics and Bucks. The season is young, and Embiid has been a force of nature the past two years. More than likely, he'll figure it out.

Still, his body language, effort and execution were all out of whack on Thursday. It's the sort of thing that will be discussed vigorously on more than a few sports-radio talk shows in Philadelphia tomorrow.

35V, an investment company launched by NBA superstar Kevin Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman, announced the acquisition of a Major League Pickleball expansion team Thursday.

"[Pickleball] was a small passion that's just gonna keep building," Durant said. "We're gonna be operating this ourselves, being tasked with building this brand from the ground up. It should be a fun project."

MLP, which was founded by Steven Kuhn and Mellie Price, wrapped up its first season last November with BLQK crowned as the inaugural champions. The league has started to gain serious momentum with several high-profile investors in recent months.

Other athletes who've invested in MLP include the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady, Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green and Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

The 35V expansion franchise will join the league in 2023.

"35V is committed to investing in the future of sports and emerging opportunities, and Major League Pickleball is a league we are incredibly excited about," Kleiman said. "We can't wait to build this team from the ground up as well as work to elevate the sport and the league to unprecedented heights. As an avid pickleball player and fan, the interest in the sport was a natural fit."

The group is also aiming to help the league improve its player relations, marketing, sponsorships and merchandise sales.

"Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman and 35V are going to be game-changing partners for Major League Pickleball," Kuhn said. "They not only bring passion for the game, but also unrivaled expertise to help us to continue to grow. We're especially excited about their plans to bring pickleball to underserved communities—something they have done with basketball for years."

MLP is planning an expansion to 16 teams in 2023 (up from 12) while also increasing its schedule to six events (up from three) with a prize pool over $2 million for players.

35V's other sports-based investments include ownership stakes in the MLS' Philadelphia Union and NWSL's NJ/NY Gotham.

Despite being one of the most successful NBA players of this generation, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is not content with anything but an NBA championship.

Speaking to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Embiid said not winning a championship feels "like you just frickin' wasted time."

Embiid has a unique perspective because he can directly impact the outcome of a game, meaning losses and wins can be more directly attributed to his play than that of most in the league. He has felt the toll of devastating playoff losses throughout his career.

One of the most indelible images from Embiid's career was his emotional reaction after Kawhi Leonard's four-bounce buzzer beater gave the Toronto Raptors a 92-90 win over the Sixers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Joel Embiid was emotional following the Game 7 loss in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/N5bPgKyhHz

— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2019

Few players in the NBA have more fire and passion than Embiid. He's embraced being the face of Philadelphia basketball, with often positive results for himself and the team.

A five-time All-Star, Embiid has finished second in MVP voting in each of the past two seasons. The Sixers have made the playoffs in each of the previous five seasons, but they have yet to advance past the second round.

Philadelphia's last appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals was during the 2000-01 season. The team defeated the Milwaukee Bucks to reach the NBA Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

No one will argue that Embiid's career has been a failure to this point, but the 28-year-old is still chasing the championship that has eluded the 76ers franchise for 39 years.

Ben Simmons took the court for the first time since the 2021 NBA playoffs on Wednesday, but it was mostly a night to forget for the three-time All-Star.

Simmons finished with four points before he fouled out in just 23 minutes in the Brooklyn Nets' 130-108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. He did add five assists and five rebounds but said the moment got the best of him in his return to the court.

"I think I was just too excited, honestly," he told reporters. "But it was just great to be out there."

The Nets were among the most disappointing teams in the league last season as what was once a Big Three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden derailed. The latter was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Durant dealt with injury concerns and Irving missed significant time because he remained unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Simmons came over in the Harden trade and never played last season. However, the possibility that he could rediscover the form he once showed in Philadelphia as someone who can swing games with his passing and defense elevates Brooklyn's ceiling as it attempts to bounce back in 2022-23.

Yet some of the same concerns were on display Wednesday, as he missed both of his free throws, took just three shots and didn't attempt a three-pointer.

Durant's offensive brilliance on the way to 32 points was the only reason it wasn't an even bigger margin of defeat, while Irving was an ugly 6-of-19 from the field.

Simmons wasn't the only one returning to the court after missing the 2021-22 season, although things went much better for Zion Williamson on the other side. He posted 25 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists, giving Pelicans fans plenty of reason for optimism.

After all, New Orleans emerged from the play-in tournament and challenged the top-seeded Phoenix Suns without him last season. Now it has its own Big Three with Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum that could threaten the best teams in the Western Conference.

The Nets will need Simmons to reach his potential if they are going to be a playoff factor in the East, and he will have the opportunity to prove the first game was an outlier when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

The Brooklyn Nets opened their 2022-23 season on Wednesday night with a 130-108 blowout loss against the New Orleans Pelicans, but Kyrie Irving didn't mind the team facing some early adversity.

Kyrie Irving: "I'm upset that we lost, but I'm also glad that we got tested tonight by a great team." pic.twitter.com/DMDVnwfgyG

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 20, 2022

I'm upset that we lost, but I'm also glad that we got tested tonight by a great team, because we need these. It's not time to put our heads down or anything like that, but we have to show a strong resolve and show strong faces and not be swayed so much by our home crowd getting antsy. Because we were definitely very antsy.

Of course, Irving's tough night from the field (6-of-19 for 15 points, along with five assists and two turnovers) didn't help. Neither did Ben Simmons fouling out early in the fourth quarter after attempting just three shots and scoring four points in 23 minutes of action.

"I think I was just too excited," Simmons told reporters about his performance, the first time he's played a regular-season game since the 2020-21 season.

"But it was just great to be out there, as a first game, obviously, you wanna win, but we know the reasons we lost. [There were] multiple reasons we lost, and those are things we can fix. We know that's not us as a team. I think there were a lot of jitters out there early on. But it was good to get that one out of the way."

Ben Simmons breaks down his first regular season game with the Brooklyn Nets. pic.twitter.com/y2SEPGwPhp

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 20, 2022

Of Brooklyn's big three, only Kevin Durant (32 points) looked like a star. That stood in stark contrast to the New Orleans' trio of Zion Williamson (25 points, nine rebounds, four steals, three assists), Brandon Ingram (28 points, seven boards, five assists) and CJ McCollum (21 points, six assists, three steals).

"Just one of those games where you just don't do the small things well, at all," Durant said after the loss. "Thirty-six to four, second-chance points. You're never gonna win like that."

Kevin Durant reacts to the Nets' lack of second chance points during the season opener vs. New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/cZON9ToV0S

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 20, 2022

In the grand scheme of an NBA season, one loss in an 82-game schedule doesn't matter much. A Nets team learning how to play with Simmons, in particular, would be wise to keep that perspective.

How you lose, however, can create poor habits and become a trend. The Nets sounded after the game as though they were aware of those potential pitfalls and would prioritize the necessary adjustments to avoid them going forward.

Given the tumultuous offseason surrounding the team and the futures of Durant and Irving, however, things could become very complicated, very quickly, if the Nets don't figure it out.

The Brooklyn Nets opened their season with a 130-108 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans that notably featured the team debut of Ben Simmons, who fouled out in 23 minutes after posting four points, five rebounds and five assists.

After the game, Nets guard Kyrie Irving told reporters that "fouling out is not an option" for Simmons due to his value to the team.

Kyrie Irving on Ben Simmons fouling out: "As we told him in the locker room, he's a valuable piece for us and we need him out there. And fouling out is not an option. Playing aggressive is something that we want him to do, but we also want to play smart." #Nets #NBA

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 20, 2022

Simmons, a three-time All-Star, played his first game with the Nets since being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers in February. He did not play for Brooklyn last year due to a herniated disk in his back.

Wednesday did not go well for Simmons, although most of the rest of the Nets struggled as well. Irving shot just 6-of-19, while Day'Ron Sharpe went 1-of-8 from the field. Brooklyn hit just 10-of-33 three-pointers.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans' offense exploded thanks to Brandon Ingram (28 points) and Zion Williamson (25). New Orleans jumped out to a 32-14 first-quarter lead and also dropped 40 points in the third quarter.

Simmons and the Nets will look to get in the win column when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

New York Knicks forward Cam Reddish didn't receive much playing time after he was acquired in a midseason trade with the Atlanta Hawks last year. But in the 2022-23 season-opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, Reddish proved that all he needed was a chance.

The 23-year-old came off the bench to score 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting while adding five rebounds and three steals, but the Knicks went on to lose 115-112 in overtime at FedEx Forum on Wednesday night. It was Reddish who forced the extra period with a three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation.

Reddish's 22 points and 28 minutes of action were both his highest totals in a Knicks uniform. He appeared in 15 games for New York last season and averaged 6.1 points in 14.4 minutes before his season came to an end prematurely because of a shoulder injury.

Fans on social media liked what they saw from Reddish with many pushing for him to become a bigger part of the rotation going forward.

Cam Reddish was worth the first round pick.

— Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 (@Kazeem) October 20, 2022

Emergency zoom call later tonight for myself and the other 9 people still holding Cam Reddish stock.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 20, 2022

CAM REDDISH SENDS IT TO OT 💥

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/NoUxYPXXY1

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 20, 2022

Cam Reddish!

— andre (@andre) October 20, 2022

CAM REDDISH REVENGE GAME because I'm watching this from StateFarm Arena

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) October 20, 2022

Thibs gonna have a hard time not play reddish if he keeps playing like this.

— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) October 20, 2022

The Cam Reddish agenda is back. @kylemaggio

— Colb (@___Colb___) October 20, 2022

CAM REDDISH REVENGE GAME AND JALEN BRUNSON GAME SAVING CHARGE GAME

— Jalen & Jacoby (@JalenandJacoby) October 20, 2022

CAM REDDISH. CLUTCH.

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 20, 2022

death by cam reddish is not the way i was supposed to perish

— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) October 20, 2022

All my precious cam reddish slander pic.twitter.com/WMyDSa4wq0

— yc (@yc) October 20, 2022

Cam Reddish is ballin out on ESPN right now .. FYI ...

— Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) October 20, 2022

CAM REDDISH HIVE IS THRIVING

— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) October 20, 2022

The Cam Reddish Game

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) October 20, 2022

Cam Reddish we always knew this

— 73-9 and THEY LIED (@CuffsTheLegend) October 20, 2022

Cam Reddish Hive tap in 😂

— Daily Knicks (@DailyKnicksFS) October 20, 2022

Two words…. CAM…. REDDISH!

— Julito McCullum aka LITO (@IamJulito) October 20, 2022

World wide Wes gave the order this year “ no more Reddish disrespect “

— Robert Randolph (@robertrandolph) October 20, 2022

I can't believe Thibs spent the last 8 months pretending Cam Reddish didn't exist, then ran a play for him on Opening Night

— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) October 20, 2022

Cam Reddish tired of the slander

— Parrish Mitchell (@pmidnight16) October 20, 2022

Everyone apologize to Cam Reddish right now.

— Hana 🏀 (@HanaHoops) October 20, 2022

They better start printing Cam Reddish jerseys TONIGHT

— The Knicks Wall (@TheKnicksWall) October 20, 2022

Knicks fans who have been clamoring for more playing time for Reddish got exactly what they were hoping for on Wednesday. The Duke product proved that he can be a reliable player on both ends of the floor, something that is crucial for a Tom Thibodeau-coached team.

It appears that Reddish has proved himself worthy of more opportunities going forward, and he will have another chance to showcase his skills when the Knicks host the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on Friday.