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Nuggets Notes: Murray, Westbrook, Jokic, Braun

April 30th, 2025 at 10:11am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets signed Jamal Murray to a four-year, maximum-salary extension before the season. Murray’s offensive outburst on Tuesday showed why Denver felt compelled to make that move, despite the guard’s health issues — his 67 regular-season games were the most he’s played since the 2018/19 season. Murray poured in 43 points as Denver took a 3-2 lead in its series against the Clippers.

“Some of the shots he made tonight were absolutely ridiculous,” Denver interim coach David Adelman said, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. “He’s a special player, and tonight he showed up like the special player he has always been. I thought we did some things to get him loose. The guys screened better, and that gave him some space to work. We got him moving in space and got him on the move. He was born for this.”

We have more on the Nuggets:

  • Murray wasn’t exactly snubbed during the 2016 draft — he was the No. 7 overall pick. However, he has drawn extra motivation from matching up against Kris Dunn, the No. 5 pick in the same draft, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. Murray confirmed it’s “one hundred percent” accurate that he draws extra motivation from such matchups. “It’s not about making it personal. It’s just, you know, it goes for anybody. Not just (Dunn),”  he said. “But it’s just a competitive spirit. It’s like I said, I like the challenge, and I like to give a challenge, too.”
  • Russell Westbrook, returning from a foot injury, played an underrated role in the Game 5 win, Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes. After two games in which the reserves provided little production, Westbrook scored 21 points in 25 minutes and gave the team a much-needed energy boost. “He’s coming in hitting threes, playing defense, doing so many things on the court,” Murray said. “We are going to need more of that. I like when he’s being aggressive, and I am not the only one yelling at the crowd. It’s nice to have somebody else like that.”
  • Denver recorded a lopsided victory despite a 13-point night from Nikola Jokic. The attention the former MVP drew helped several other offensive players thrive, according to Luca Evans of the Denver Post. “Holding Joker to 13 points and losing the game is tough,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “But, that’s how he beats you. If you worry about him too much, other guys can beat you.”
  • James Harden has been held to a combined 26 points over the last two games with Christian Braun serving as the primary defender against the Clippers’ veteran guard, Tyler King of the Denver Gazette notes. “They’ve made their mind up they’re gonna try to take him out of the series after the first two or three games,” Lue said. “They’re doing a good job. I gotta do a better job of just finding ways to get him open to get him space. Probably more (isolation) because they’re blitzing so much to try to get him to his spots.”
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Stephen Curry Named 2024/25 Teammate Of The Year

April 28th, 2025 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors star Stephen Curry has been named the NBA’s Teammate of the Year for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today (via Twitter).

The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment to his team,” per the NBA.

The award isn’t voted on by media members. A panel of league executives select the 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, while current players vote on the winner. Players receive 10 points for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one point for fifth place.

Curry just narrowly won this season’s vote ahead of Rockets center Steven Adams.

Here are this season’s full voting results, according to the NBA, with the player’s point total noted in parentheses:

It’s the first Teammate of the Year award for Curry, though it’s the seventh time in a row that a point guard has earned the honor.

The award, which was introduced in ’12/13, had gone to either Mike Conley (2019 and 2024) or Jrue Holiday (2020, 2022, and 2023) in five of the past six seasons, with Damian Lillard claiming it in 2021.

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Clippers Notes: Harden, Intuit Dome, Bench, Game 4

April 27th, 2025 at 6:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

During a recent conversation with Marc J. Spears of Andscape about his resurgent 2024/25 season, 11-time All-Star Clippers guard James Harden expressed confidence in his hometown team’s ability to capture its first title this summer.

Before they have a chance to make a serious run at a championship, the Clippers will need to get out of the first round. L.A. is currently knotted with the No. 4 seed Denver, 2-2, in their ongoing first round series. Through four games, the 6’5″ superstar is averaging 21.3 PPG, 9.5 APG, 4.8 RPG and 1.3 BPG, with a shooting line of .453/.400/.833.

“I’m so comfortable in my world and what I supposed to be doing out there,” Harden said. “I think we got the team. We can play isolation basketball with two great ISO players. We got post game with Zu [Ivica Zubac] and ‘Whi [Kawhi Leonard]. Defensively, we’ve been really, really good all year. So, for me, it’s about just keeping my composure, just going out there and reading the game and doing what I am supposed to be doing.

“We got a chance to be the last team standing, which is easier said than done. But we focus on ourselves,” Harden added. “We are playing well right now.”

Last summer, the 35-year-old inked a two-year, $70MM deal to stay with the Clippers. His comeback performance this season may have earned him a raise. Harden has a $36.3MM player option for 2025/26. If L.A. advances and Harden continues to thrive, he could make serious long-term bank.

There’s more out of L.A.:

  • The Clippers ultimately split their first two 2025 playoff games at their new arena, the Intuit Dome. Per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times, L.A. tried to keep an even keel following its 117-83 Game 3 win on Thursday. “We got to build off it,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of the Clippers’ victories in Games 2 and 3. “I liked what we did defensively. It’s still going to be a tough series. It ain’t over ’cause we had a blowout. It’s only one game. So, we got to be ready to come and validate that on Saturday.” Leonard notched a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double. Harden and shooting guard Norman Powell each chipped in 20 points apiece, while Zubac logged 19 points and nine boards.
  • A big component of the Clippers’ success has been their impressive bench depth, opines Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Forwards Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr.and guards Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ben Simmons have all made vital contributions to the team’s playoff push so far. L.A.’s bench outscored Denver’s 31-6 in the aforementioned Game 3 triumph. “Our bench has been good for us all year long,” Lue said. “I think just understanding the plays we’re trying to run and how we want to attack – we can’t waste possessions. The second unit is just trying to get caught up as far as understanding what we’re trying to do.”
  • The Clippers’ sunny series outlook suffered some late-game gloom on Saturday night, when a buzzer-beating Aaron Gordon dunk gave the Nuggets a 101-99 win and evened the series, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. The loss summoned flashbacks of another L.A. series against Denver, the 2020 West semifinals, which the Clippers had led 3-1. A spectacular unraveling yielded a shocking seven-game L.A. defeat. Murray also recalls the unexpected Deandre Ayton dunk in Game 2 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals that helped the Finals-bound Suns snag a late win, and the 2020 buzzer-beater then-Mavericks guard Luka Doncic nailed to draw Dallas even with L.A., 2-2, in a first round series.
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Pacific Notes: Leonard, Bol, Kings, Murray, Ellis

April 22nd, 2025 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Limited by injuries, veteran forward Kawhi Leonard appeared in just four playoff games for the Clippers from 2022-24 and wasn’t himself last spring, scoring just 24 total points in the two postseason appearances he was able to make. So it was a welcome sight to see a healthy Leonard in peak form on Monday in Denver, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

Leonard was dominant on both ends of the court, scoring 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and holding Nuggets players to five points on 2-of-12 shooting when he was the primary defender, per Shelburne. Led by their star forward, the Clippers pulled out a 105-102 win to even the series at one game apiece.

“I’m just happy that I’m able to move,” Leonard said after the game. “That’s what I’m taking pride in is just being healthy. I sat and watched these playoff games and series the past two years. So being able to be front-line out there, it just feels good for me no matter which way the game goes.”

While Leonard has faced criticism over the years due to a perception that he requires constant “load management,” teammate James Harden made it clear that Leonard has worked incredibly hard behind the scenes to get back to 100% and to turn in performances like Monday’s.

“It’s every single day. It’s the preparation. It’s like the treatment, it’s strengthening, you know what I mean, of body, it’s correctives and then it’s going on court and putting it all together,” Harden said. “Luck hasn’t been on his side or whatever case you might call it. But he loves to hoop. And as you see, when he’s on the court, he’s a killer. So I’m glad he’s in a good space right now.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

  • Suns forward Bol Bol played relatively well as a regular part of the rotation for about a month after the trade deadline, then logged just 29 total minutes across six outings in Phoenix’s final 16 games. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (YouTube link; Twitter video link), the decision to remove Bol from the rotation stemmed from an incident during a March 12 game vs. Houston. Former head coach Mike Budenholzer was “irate” over the fact that Bol made no effort to come to his teammate’s defense during an altercation between Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams, shooting layups away from the crowd as other players converged on the scrum (Twitter video link).
  • In a YouTube video and an Insider-only ESPN.com article, Bobby Marks of ESPN explores what’s on tap for the Kings this summer after a disappointing 2024/25 season that resulted in a change atop their front office. While much of the focus in Sacramento will be on Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine, who have earned a combined 11 All-Star nods, Marks points out that the team will also face decisions on Keegan Murray, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension, and Keon Ellis, who could be made a restricted free agent if his team option is declined.
  • Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee also considers the next steps for the Kings, noting that new general manager Scott Perry will have to “reestablish a sense of direction and trust” within the organization and will have to make several major decisions, starting with whether or not to retain head coach Doug Christie.
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Pacific Notes: Lakers, Van Gundy, Butler, Warriors, Durant

April 21st, 2025 at 9:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

If practice makes perfect, the Lakers should be in good shape for Game 2 of their first-round series against Minnesota. The Lakers had their best practice in months, coach JJ Redick said on Monday, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Los Angeles lost by 22 points on Saturday. The Lakers will look to even the series on Tuesday.

“Hopefully, we can just right our wrongs,” guard Austin Reaves said. “We played bad, they shot the ball really well. They’re obviously a really good team that’s physical. We got to match that. Tomorrow it’ll be different story.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • How has Jeff Van Gundy impacted the Clippers as an assistant in his returning to coaching? He’s been a major reason why their defense was strong enough to make the postseason. “He loves us being aggressive, attacking the ball,” Clippers guard Kris Dunn told the Sporting News’ Stephen Noh. “We’re not playing back on our heels. We’re being the aggressor and trying to dictate the game.”
  • Jimmy Butler had a huge game as the Warriors grabbed a 1-0 series against the Rockets on Sunday night. Butler supplied 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. He scored six points in the last 1:43 to put the game away, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk notes. “He has that impact every game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the team’s blockbuster midseason addition. “He calms things down. He’s very confident. He’s very poised. He always believes we’re going to win. Jimmy is — he’s one of the best players in the league, and that’s what the best players in the league do. It’s not just about scoring or stats. It’s about settling the game down, having the presence and the nature to compete and win games like this.”
  • The Rockets, despite their strong regular season record, have been subpar in the half-court in 2024/25. The Warriors believe they can win the series by preventing Houston from getting easy baskets, Anthony Slater of ESPN writes. “But we’ve got to recognize that we don’t need to take chances in this series,” Kerr said. “We need to be clean with our execution in transition. We don’t need to dribble through traffic. We don’t need to throw lob passes to try to get a dunk. We’ve gotta be rock solid. If we’re rock solid, smart and tough, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
  • If the Suns deal Kevin Durant this offseason, which veteran players could they try to acquire in return? Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic takes a look at 10 potential targets.
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2025 NBA Draft Tiebreaker Results

April 21st, 2025 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Tiebreakers among teams with identical regular-season records were broken on Monday through random drawings to determine the order for this year’s draft prior to the lottery.

The results are as follows, according to a press release from the league (Twitter link):

  • Phoenix Suns (No. 9) over Portland Trail Blazers (No. 10)
    • The Suns will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Trail Blazers.
    • The Suns’ pick will be sent to the Rockets.
  • Dallas Mavericks (No. 11) over Chicago Bulls (No. 12)
    • The Mavericks will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Bulls.
  • Sacramento Kings (No. 13) over Atlanta Hawks (No. 14)
    • The Kings will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Hawks.
    • The Kings’ pick will be sent to the Hawks if it’s outside of the top 12.
    • The Hawks’ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
  • Memphis Grizzlies (No. 18) over Milwaukee Bucks (No. 19) over Golden State Warriors (No. 20)
    • The Grizzlies’ pick will be sent to the Wizards.
    • The Bucks’ pick will be sent to the Nets.
    • The Warriors’ pick will be sent to the Heat.
  • Los Angeles Lakers (No. 22) over Indiana Pacers (No. 23) over Los Angeles Clippers (No. 24) over Denver Nuggets (No. 25)
    • The Lakers’ pick will be sent to the Hawks.
    • The Clippers’ pick will be sent to the Thunder.
    • The Nuggets’ pick will be sent to the Magic.

While the tiebreaker winner will pick ahead of the loser(s) in the first round, that order will be flipped in the second round.

For instance, the Warriors’ second-round pick (traded to the Grizzlies) will be at No. 48, followed by the Bucks’ pick (traded to Detroit) at No. 49, and the Grizzlies (traded to New York) at No. 50 — that’s the opposite of their order in the first round.

For lottery teams that finished with identical records, the second-round order is still to be determined depending on the lottery results.

For example, if Phoenix’s first-round pick (traded to Houston) stays at No. 9 and the Blazers’ first-rounder stays at No. 10, Portland’s second-round pick (traded to Toronto) would be at No. 39 and Phoenix’s (traded to Washington) would be No. 40. But if the Trail Blazers win the No. 1 overall pick on lottery night, moving ahead of Phoenix in the first round, then the Suns’ second-round pick would be No. 39, while Portland’s would be No. 40.

We’ll publish the full lottery odds and pre-lottery draft order for 2025 later tonight.

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NBA Announces Finalists For 2024/25 Awards

April 20th, 2025 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic are the three finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award this season, the league announced on Sunday (Twitter link).

While all three players put up monster numbers, Gilgeous-Alexander is generally considered the favorite to win the award due in large part to the Thunder’s team success this season. Oklahoma City won a league-high 68 regular season games, compared to 50 for Jokic’s Nuggets and 48 for Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.

The finalists for each award represent the top three vote-getters. The winners will be announced at a later date.

Here’s a rundown of the finalists for the major NBA awards voted on by media members:

Coach of the Year

  • Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
  • J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
  • Ime Udoka (Rockets)

Rookie of the Year

Sixth Man of the Year

Defensive Player of the Year

Most Improved Player

Clutch Player of the Year

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Nuggets Notes: Westbrook, Porter, Murray, Jokic

April 20th, 2025 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook haunted his former team on Saturday, hitting a clutch three-pointer late in regulation and making several game-changing defensive plays to close out an overtime win over the Clippers, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Westbrook, who was traded and waived last summer after spending the past season and a half in L.A., delivered 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the series opener while playing nearly 35 minutes off the bench.

“Russ is Russ,” interim coach David Adelman said. “Defensively he was absolutely incredible. He was playing free safety out there. I thought a lot of the reasons why the (Clippers’ 20) turnovers happened, even if it wasn’t him forcing it, just the way he was roaming around and impacting the game, it was great for us. Then offensively, a couple of times I thought he attacked, maybe we could have pulled it out and executed, but that’s what Russ does. He’s going to play in attack mode. I don’t think he’s going to change after 17 years. If he sees somebody in front of him one-on-one, he’s going to attack, and he made an enormous three in the fourth.”

The Clippers employed a common strategy against Westbrook, giving him plenty of room to shoot from the outside and shutting down his drives to the basket. He was only 5-of-17 for the game, but 10 of his points came in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Westbrook didn’t want to comment on the Clippers’ approach to defending him, Shelburne adds, saying, “We can talk about that more when we take care of business.”

There’s more from Denver:

  • Westbrook’s expanded role came at the expense of Michael Porter Jr., who scored three points in a little more than 26 minutes and left the game for good early in the fourth quarter, per Luca Evans of The Denver Post. Adelman explained after the game that his closing lineup will always consist of the five “playing the best at that time,” which leads to questions about Porter’s role for the rest of the series. “I’m going to say it again, like I’ve said last week — if Mike comes out, and he plays, and he’s engaged defensively, he’s knocking down shots — Michael will be out there,” Adelman told reporters, “just like everybody else in that locker room.”
  • Jamal Murray was able to remain in Saturday’s game after a second quarter injury scare, Evans adds in a separate story. Murray landed awkwardly on his left leg while trying to defend a fast break and was unable to put much weight on it as he walked back to the bench. Although it seemed to affect him for the rest the game, the veteran guard still finished with 21 points and hit several key shots down the stretch.
  • Game 1 featured a slight controversy as Nikola Jokic tried to wrestle the ball away from Clippers lead assistant Jeff Van Gundy and trainer Jasen Powell during a late stoppage in play (Twitter video link), relays Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. L.A.’s coaching staff was considering a challenge, which wound up being unsuccessful. Durando recalls that Jokic had a similar incident involving Suns owner Mat Ishbia in the 2023 playoffs. “I didn’t see it. I didn’t see it. … (Jokic) did what he needed to do to try to get the ball in fast,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “But that’s smart. If a team has a chance to challenge, you want to get the ball in quickly. Tell our guys to do the same thing. But he is the best at it.”
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Pacific Notes: Butler, Booker, Clippers, Lakers

April 18th, 2025 at 5:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Although six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler has never won an NBA championship, he told Sam Amick of The Athletic this week that, as the playoffs get underway, he’s thinking more about getting a fifth title for two of his Warriors teammates than getting one for himself.

“Look, I’m not gonna say I’m not hungry, but I’m doing this for Steph (Curry),” Butler said. “I’m doing this for Dray (Draymond Green). I’m doing this for these guys. As much as I want to win a championship, I want Dray to win another one. I want Steph to win another one. I know I ain’t got mine yet, but they deserve it. They’ve been putting this city and this organization on their back for a very long time, and I’m glad that I can be here to try and do something special.”

The Warriors will enter the first round as the No. 7 seed, but they’re the solid betting favorites against the No. 2 Rockets, whose top players have far less postseason experience than Golden State’s stars. Given Curry’s and Green’s four championships – along with his own two NBA Finals appearances – Butler believes the Warriors’ veterans have a “target on their back” this spring, which he’s just fine with.

“I love having a target on my back,” Butler told Amick. “I think I’ve had it the last couple of years over in the East, and (the Warriors) are gonna always have it, until 30 (Curry) and 23 (Green) are gone out this motherf—er. They’re always gonna be the squad to beat. Everybody always fears them. Everybody always knows that they’re not out of any game, out of any series, and I love to be a part of it. I ain’t scared of nobody. You know me. I’m not scared of nobody. I know what I’m capable of.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

  • In the wake of reports stating that the Suns have no interest in trading Devin Booker, team owner Mat Ishbia reiterated that stance in his end-of-season media session, referring to the veteran guard as Phoenix’s “franchise player,” as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (Twitter video link). “I speak with him and we’re very aligned on what we want to do and what we’re gonna do,” Ishbia said. “And his mission and my mission are very similar: Let’s bring a championship to Phoenix. And he understands the vision.”
  • Following the offseason departure of Paul George, oddsmakers projected the Clippers to finish last in the Pacific and finish below .500 this season. Instead, the club won 50 games and claimed a top-five seed in a competitive Western Conference. “I think our group has been playing with a chip on its shoulders all year because of that (outside skepticism),” head coach Tyronn Lue said this week, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “We just found ways to win. We just found ways to win. No matter whose night it was, we just kind of featured that guy, played hard defensively and competed and we played together. … Being counted out and staying the course and playing with that chip on your shoulder all year long.”
  • How did the Lakers take a significant step forward on defense in the second half despite having traded away longtime anchor Anthony Davis? Ramona Shelburne of ESPN digs into that question, exploring how the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, the return of Jarred Vanderbilt, J.J. Redick‘s scheme, and improved communication have all factored into the team’s success on that end of the floor.
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L.A. Notes: Reaves, Lakers’ Title Chances, Kawhi, Zubac

April 17th, 2025 at 5:34pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Lakers and head coach JJ Redick made good on their preseason comments about keeping Austin Reaves involved in the offense, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times notes. The end result paid off, with Reaves becoming a contender for Most Improved Player after averaging career highs of 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.7% on three-pointers.

As Woike writes, Reaves was included in a gathering with LeBron James and Luka Doncic in March, planting him within the team’s big three.

“Them being able to accept that challenge of figuring something out on the fly in the middle of a season — we challenged all three of those guys on that,” Redick said. “And Austin’s great to coach, awesome to coach. And, he’s accepted every challenge and exceeded any sort of baseline level of response that we could expect from him.”

We have more from Los Angeles:

  • The Lakers acquired a generational star at the deadline and posted their first 50-win season since the 2019/20 championship. But is that enough to make them a legitimate title contender this year? Mark Medina of RG writes that the Lakers’ window is open and that Reaves is a huge part of that. Additionally, the Lakers have rebuilt their depth and their three stars are playing well together, which should give the team “justified confidence” in winning it all, according to Medina.
  • Injuries have hampered Kawhi Leonard‘s time with the Clippers, but he looks good ahead of the team’s first-round series against Denver. According to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register, both the organization and Leonard trusted each other to get back to this point and win 50 games. “Giving [training staff president] Maggie Bryant a chance to show him some different things and different ways to be a hundred percent at the end of the season and do things a different way [was beneficial],” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “So her, along with Kawhi’s group, did a good job. The biggest thing is just trusting.” As Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes, Leonard has maintained his love for basketball through the injuries. “I love the game. I love the game and I have a passion for it still. I love to compete out there. So, that’s pretty much what drives me back,” Leonard said.
  • Clippers center Ivica Zubac is enjoying the best season of his career and is riding the momentum into a series-long matchup with Nikola Jokic, Carr writes in another piece. “He understands the game, the game has slowed down a lot for him to where he understands who he’s playing against and who he’s guarding and so he’s effective on both ends of the ball,” teammate James Harden said of Zubac. “You know, for guys like me my job is just trying to make it easy for him … to get him touches. But he’s worked his butt off.” In March and April, the big man averaged 19.9 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per night.
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