Basketball
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has a history of complaining to the refs, and apparently, Brian Windhorst has had enough.
On Wednesday (June 12), after Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the basketball journalist made an appearance on SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt.
After he was asked to respond to Dončić fouling out with four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Windy eviscerated the Slovenian superstar for his decision to not only draw a foul in that moment, but to also complain about the call.
His rant was so epic and so out of character for the usually subdued reporter, fans decided to make a meme out of it by setting the “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us” beats behind his vocals. Watch:
Here’s Windhorst’s full rant:
I thought it was perfect that Luka fell onto the ground there in an unacceptable position to put himself in with four minutes left with five fouls and then immediately looks at the bench and says, ‘You better bleeping challenge it,’ as if it’s the bench’s fault that he just made a terrible play. I’m standing here in the Mavericks’ tunnel. Over there is the Celtics’ tunnel. That’s where the winners are.
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If Luka’s ever gonna be a winner coming out of this tunnel here, he is gonna have to use what’s happened in this Finals as a learning experience. His defensive performance is unacceptable. He is a hole on the court. The Celtics are attacking him. They are ahead in this series because they have attacked him defensively; and you’ve got a situation here where Luka’s complaining about the officiating. They have begged him; they have talked with him; they have pleaded with him. He is costing his team because of how he treats the officials.
He’s a brilliant player, he does so many things well. They are here because of how he did. His performance in this game is unacceptable and the reason why the Mavericks are not gonna win. He’s got to get over this, and the fact that he came out after the game and blamed the officials showed me he’s nowhere close yet.
So maybe over the summer, somebody will get to him because nobody with the Mavericks or anybody else in his life has, and that’s where the Mavericks are at this point. They’re never gonna get to this tunnel with the trophy if he doesn’t improve those aspects of his game.
Luka — who’s only 25 years old and playing in the Finals for the first time — had 27 points, six boards and six dimes, but it wasn’t enough as his team is now starting down the barrel of a 3-0 deficit to the Boston Celtics.
No team in NBA history has yet to come back from being down three games to none in the playoffs.
Here’s a bonus fancam of Windy with 50’s “Many Men” as the soundtrack.
It’s a beautiful thing when NBA and Rap Twitter connect like this.
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Source: C. Morgan Engel / Getty / Minnesota Timberwolves
The Denver Nuggets blew a golden opportunity and are now thinking about Cancun after the Minnesota Timberwolves ended their title defense run.
It took a historic 20-point comeback from the Minnesota Timberwolves over the Denver Nuggets to punch their ticket into the Western Conference Finals to play the Dallas Mavericks.
The Timberwolves’ Game 7 victory at Ball Arena in Denver was the punctuation mark on a story that began last year in a local bar that ESPN highlighted in a story.
Per ESPN:
The Timberwolves had just lost to the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in April 2023, with Anthony Edwards’ potential game-tying 3 coming up empty as time expired in Game 5. Afterward, Edwards and a couple of teammates went to a cocktail lounge, Forget Me Not, in the Cherry Creek neighborhood, with their chartered flight back home not scheduled to leave until the next morning.
Of all of the gin joints in all of the towns in all of the world, Denver point guard Jamal Murray — fresh off a 35-point showing in the closeout game — just so happened to walk into the same bar as the Timberwolves.
And Edwards, a budding star yet to have the breakout postseason that has turned him into a bona fide superstar this spring, had a message to deliver to Murray.
“He was talking s—,” Edwards told ESPN as he walked down the ramp toward the team bus after his club’s 98-90 victory on Sunday. “He was telling Mike [Conley], ‘I’m sick of you, you can’t guard me,’ and all that.
“I told him, ‘We’ll be back. You’ll see us again when we’re fully loaded.’”
A Historic Night For The Timberwolves & Nuggets
Anthony Edwards’ words turned out to be prophetic.
He and his Timberwolves erased a 20-point third-quarter deficit, completing one of the largest comebacks in Game 7 history in the past 25 NBA postseasons.
The Nuggets also made history, becoming the first team in NBA history to lead by 15 points or more at halftime and lose a Game 7 playoff game. They also became the fifth consecutive defending NBA champions not even to sniff the conference finals.
Speaking on his squad’s herculean effort, Ant-Man told reporters, “It shows who we are. Once we really lock in on the defensive end, man, we’re a hell of a team to beat.”
Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is usually the butt of the jokes when they can’t clown Rudy Gobert, came up big for his team.
The team’s No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft kept his team in the game by scoring 23 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, and a blocked shot.
Kat was also effective when defending three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.
His head coach, Chris Finch, had glowing words about Towns. “I think you see how at peace and happy he is right now,” Finch said. “He had to trust that he was never going to be marginalized. All young players always think they can do it all by themselves, but in this league, nobody can.”
“I couldn’t be more happy and proud for him. Just because I think he’s faced a lot of unfair criticism when it comes to the postseason at times.”
Of course, the reactions to the Nuggets choking were on point. You can see those in the gallery below.
1. Brilliant tweet
2. Gotta love the Joker’s even in defeat
3. What is wrong with y’all? LOL
4. The accuracy
5. Ant-Man is a legend
6. Howling
8. Draymond was LOUD and WRONG
10. Man on a mission
11. LOL @ A-Rod
13.
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Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty / LeBron James / Bronny James
Bronny James’ name has yet to be called during the 2024 NBA Draft, but the chatter around LeBron James’ son, where he will land, and if the Lakers superstar will join the team that takes a chance on his seed is deafening.
Word around the NBA streets was that LeBron James was very gung-ho about playing alongside his son in the league, giving many teams the impression that if they draft Bronny, they could land LBJ in free agency.
According to reports, teams shouldn’t bet on that because Bron Bron has no desire to ditch the Los Angeles Lakers to hoop with his son.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that James is telling teams not named the Lakers who believe their chances to sign him in free agency will increase if they draft Bronny “No, as of right now,” regarding leaving Los Angeles.
Yahoo! Sports reports the “as of right now” in his statement leaves enough wiggle room for teams to continue to continue working on a situation that would pique his interest.
Interest in Bronny James increased following his strong showing at the NBA Draft, and some people believe he could be drafted in the second round.
LeBron James Did Express In The Past He Wanted To Play With Bronny In His Final Season
Regardless of the chatter around Bronny James, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the front runners to resign James, who has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, if they land a head coach LeBron James approves of and a third piece to compliment him and Anthony Davis.
LBJ’s new alleged stance on playing alongside his son starkly differs from his past comments.
He made his desire to play his final season as a teammate with Bronny, even saying he would sign with the team that drafts his son.
That changed after the Lakers were bounced out of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets, with James telling people hooping with Bronny was no longer a priority for him.
As for Bronny James, a conversation is happening now that he doesn’t deserve the attention he is receiving. Some people believe the spotlight is on him because he is the son of arguably the greatest professional hooper not named Michael Jordan.
ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins has been very loud on the matter.
Now, Bronny knows that carrying the James torch is the main topic of discussion, but the young hooper has made it clear he doesn’t want anything handed to him because he is the son of LeBron James and wants people to judge him on his skills and what he does on the court.
“Everything that follows my dad, people just try to link me with that and all the greatness he’s achieved and I haven’t done anything yet,” Bronny told reporters. “So there needs to be that divide between Bronny and LeBron. I just want to let people know that my name is Bronny James and not being identified as LeBron James’ son.”
We hear you Bronny.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Draymond Green is a believer in Bronny James
2. Interesting
3. Fair question
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It all comes down to this.
After a back-and-forth series between two of the NBA‘s most exciting teams, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets head to Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal.
Game 7 between the Timberwolves vs. Nuggets takes place tonight, Sunday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT live from Ball Arena in Denver. Last-minute tickets to watch the Timberwolves and Nuggets Game 7 matchup are still available on sites like Stubhub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek, with instant digital delivery.
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How to Watch Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 7 on TV
Watch to watch the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves game on TV? The NBA playoff game is airing live on TNT, which you can access on any basic cable package.
How to Watch Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 7 Online
Don’t have cable? You can watch the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves online through Max (formerly HBO Max), which is carrying a live feed of the NBA playoff game that you can stream here. Max subscribers can livestream the Timberwolves-Nuggets game online for free, using their TV, phone, tablet or computer. Not a subscriber? Get Max for just $9.99 here.
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You can also watch the Timberwolves vs. Nuggets on TNT without cable through one of Sling TV‘s streaming packages, currently discounted to $30 (regularly $40 a month). There are three package plans to choose from: Orange, Blue and Orange + Blue with every option including the TNT channel .
How to Stream Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 7 Online Free
Want to stream the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves game online for free? You can find a live TNT feed on DirecTV Stream, a streaming service that lets you watch live TV through the Internet. What’s more: DirecTV Stream has a 5-day free trial that you can use to watch Game 7 online free.
The Timberwolves forced a Game 7 after a decisive 45-point victory Thursday over the reigning NBA champ Nuggets (who beat LeBron James and Lakers in the previous round). The Wolves will be relying on star Anthony Edwards tonight in one last attempt to oust Nikola Jokic and Nuggets and advance to the Conference Finals.
With an upcoming album titled Hit Me Hard and Soft, you’d think that Billie Eilish would favor contact sports over basketball. Regardless, the pop star spent one of the last days before her third studio LP arrives enjoying a game of hoops at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (May 14), sitting courtside amongst several other stars.
The pop star was present at Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs to watch the New York Knicks face off against the Indiana Pacers, rocking a plaid shirt, shorts and cap combo in a front-row seat next to Jennifer Hudson. The “Spotlight” vocalist’s rumored partner, rapper Common, sat on Hudson’s other side.
Also in attendance were stars such as Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Billy Crystal and Nicholas Braun. The game ended with the Knicks taking a 3-2 series lead over the Pacers, winning 121-91.
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The event comes just two days ahead of the release of Hit Me Hard and Soft, a 10-track set produced by Eilish’s brother and frequent collaborator, Finneas. While in New York, the “What Was I Made For?” artist will hold an album listening party at Barclays Center in Brooklyn Wednesday (May 15) before doing the same in Los Angeles the next day.
For those who couldn’t snag free tickets to either event, Eilish will also release a listening experience for Hit Me Hard and Soft across AMC Theatres with Dolby Atmos offerings in the U.S. The showings will only be available for two days starting May 16, and tickets will cost $5.
Aside from a couple sneak peeks here and there — including a snippet of the song “Birds of a Feather” in a newly shared teaser for Netflix’s Heartstopper — the nine-time Grammy winner has largely kept details about her new project on lock leading up to its release on Friday (May 17). She told fans from the jump that she wouldn’t be releasing any singles ahead of time, noting in her initial album announcement, “i wanna give it to you all at once.”
“I feel like this album is me,” she told Rolling Stone in April. “It’s not a character. It feels like the When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? version of me. It feels like my youth and who I was as a kid.”
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Corey Williams, also known in the New York streetball ranks as “Homicide,” made his mark as a professional player overseas after fulfilling a promise to finish college ahead of his career. Williams, who had been battling colon cancer after a stage 4 diagnosis, passed away from the disease and several key figures on X are honoring the hoops legend.
Corey Williams was born August 3, 1977, and attended Rice High School in Harlem. While he didn’t receive any scholarship offers coming out of high school, Williams was invited to play at MCC–Penn Valley Community College, a junior college in Kansas City, Mo. Williams helped the team win the NJCAA Division II men’s basketball championship as a freshman and he made the JUCO first-team All-American as a sophomore.
Transferring to Alabama State University, a Division I school, Williams completed his criminal justice degree in 2000 as he promised to his mother. From there, Williams went undrafted and found growing fame in New York’s competitive streetball scene where he earned his Homicide nickname.
Through sheer will, Williams rose through the ranks of several basketball leagues such as the International Basketball Association and the United States Basketball League along with stints with the Harlem Globetrotters and playing briefly in the Dominican Republic. He also had stints in Brazil and Sweden
While Williams never made an official NBA roster, several teams added him to their summer and training camp rosters including the Denver Nuggets and the Toronto Raptors. He then joined the NBA Development League’s Dakota Wizards and helped the team win the 2006-07 D-League championship.
Much of Williams’ success came during his time playing in Australia’s National Basketball League and he was named the league MVP in 2010 while also making the All-NBL First Team. After his playing days were over, Williams worked as a commentator for the NBL then joined Fox Sports as a broadcaster in 2017.
According to reports, Williams was receiving colon cancer treatment as recently as two weeks before his passing. He is survived by two daughters, Bella and Gabi.
Currently on X, Williams’ nickname “Homicide” began trending. We’ve got reactions under the trending topic listed below.
Corey “Homicide” Williams was 46.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Rich Graessle / Getty
Looks like Fat Joe and 50 Cent have a bromance going on that wasn’t even fathomable in 2005 as the two former foes-turned-homies continue to enjoy each other’s company at some high-profile sporting events.
Their latest boys night out came at the “Mecca” of basketball, Madison Square Garden. This past Monday (May 6), Joe and 50 took in Game 1 of the Knicks playoff game against the Indiana Pacers alongside some other high-profile celebrities such as Tracy Morgan, Mekai Curtis and others. Gleefully celebrating another Knicks comeback victory, Fat Joe and 50 Cent were seen celebrating on the sidelines as their hometown team continued to defy expectations and collect W’s in the NBA’s elimination tournament.
We have to say we love how far these two have come since their bitter feud back in the mid-2000s. From dropping diss records to publicly taking shots at each other during awards shows, it seemed like these two men were bound to put hands on each other at some point.
Heck, even Tony Yayo said that G-Unit’s realest beef in the street was with Fat Joe’s Terror Squad as Yayo was kicking it with Fat Joe’s righthand man, Pistol Pete. That’s saying something.
Fast forward a few years and Fat Joe and 50 Cent were able to bury the hatchet at a tribute performance for Chris Lighty (RIP) at the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2012. Though they didn’t immediately begin hanging out following the end of the feud, as of late the two men have been spotted rolling together at a few events and even performing at concerts together to show how much they’ve grown in recent years as men and businessmen.
You gotta love it.
If the New York Knicks somehow pull off a miracle and bring a championship to the Big Apple for the first time in decades, these two might have to do a joint concert together to celebrate the achievement and invite the likes of Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, The Lox and other living rappers from Hip-Hop’s golden era.
Don’t expect to see Ja Rule though. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think of 50 Cent and Fat Joe’s seemingly tight relationship these days? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty / LeBron James
LeBron James continues to make sure life after basketball is very prosperous.
Variety exclusively reports that Vice TV has picked up a new unscripted basketball series produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s athlete storytelling brand, Uninterrupted.
The website reports that the series will be called Uninterrupted: The Real Stories of Basketball and will “explore iconic moments, players, and stories from inside basketball.”
In a statement, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer said, “As a lifelong student of the game and all of its iconic history and culture, I’m excited about this series that relives some of basketball’s biggest moments and the stories behind them for a whole new generation to experience.”
James’ best friend and business partner, Maverick Carter and Chief Executive Officer of The SpringHill Company, adds, “At the SpringHill Company, we are always looking to take our storytelling to the next level, and ‘Uninterrupted: Real Stories of Basketball’ allows us to do just that. This project offers us a chance to shine a light on the real, unfiltered, hoop stories, giving athletes a platform to share their voices and empower through content.”
Per Variety, the series will focus on stories from pro basketball Hall-of-Famers, getting firsthand accounts from the likes of Jason Kidd, Bill Laimbeer, Gary Payton, Bill Walton, Shawn Kemp, Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin, Detlef Schrempf and Spud Webb.
All The Smoke podcast co-host and former NBA hooper turned analyst Matt Barnes will be the series narrator.
LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Phillip Byron, Bryan Terry, Joe Townley, and Michael Yudin serve as executive producers on the series.
Dan Levin will serve as showrunner and director on the series coming June 4.
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The NBA playoffs are underway and all eyes are on the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers series, which feature Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and many of the league’s next generation of stars.
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The second-seed Knicks took the first game of this best-of-7 series, with a comeback 111-104 win over the weekend. Here’s what to know about Game 2 and how to watch the Eastern Conference playoff series online.
Knicks vs. 76ers Playoff Games: Date, Time
Game 2 of the Knicks vs. 76ers takes place tonight, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT live from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
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Last-minute tickets to watch the Knicks vs. 76ers in person are still available on sites like Stubhub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek. BONUS: use our promo codes BB2024 to save $20 at VividSeats.com and discount code BILLBOARD10 to save $10 at SeatGeek.com.
How to Watch Knicks vs. 76ers on TV
Want to watch the Knicks vs. 76ers on TV? Tonight’s game is airing live on TNT so you can watch the Sixers-Knicks game on TV with any basic cable package.
How to Watch Knicks vs. 76ers Online
Want to watch the Knicks vs. 76ers online without cable? Use DirecTV Stream, a live TV streaming service that carries TNT as part of its offerings. The site has a five-day free trial that you can use right now to livestream the Knicks vs. 76ers online free. Watch the basketball game from your phone, tablet, laptop or smart TV. Cancel at anytime.
Sling is another live TV streamer that carries TNT as part of its channel lineup. TNT is available in all of Sling’s packages, including Sling Orange, which starts at just $40/month. Your subscription to Sling gets you 30+ live TV channels including TNT, so you can watch the Knicks vs. 76ers online without cable. You also get free DVR so you can record the playoff games and watch a Sixers-Knicks replay on-demand later.
Another way to stream the Knicks vs. 76ers playoff games online is through Max (formerly HBO Max). In addition to its library of movies, TV shows and specials, Max now offers live sports streaming, including basketball on TNT. Sign up for Max for just $9.99/month here.
Knicks vs. 76ers Predictions, Odds
The Knicks are the odds-on favorite for this Eastern Conference playoff series, though the 76ers will be a formidable opponent. While they are the seventh seed, the Sixers have not lost a first-round playoff series since the 2019-2020 season.
The second-seeded Knicks, meantime, had their best season since 2012-2013 and are riding a wave of momentum. Both the Knicks and Sixers made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals last year before falling to the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, respectively.
Watch the Knicks vs. 76ers playoff games online free through DirecTV Stream here.
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The NBA playoffs are here, and while the Lakers and Nuggets dominate the Western Conference conversation, one of the most-anticipated Eastern Conference matchups pit the number-one seed Boston Celtics versus the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. The Heat made it into the playoffs after surviving the NBA Play-In Tournament, while the Celtics were one of the top teams in the league throughout the entire season.
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Want to watch the Heat vs. Celtics on TV and online? Here’s what you need to know.
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Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Playoff Games: Date, Time
The Heat and Celtics kick off their Eastern Conference playoff series today, Sunday, April 21 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT from TD Garden in Boston.
Last-minute tickets to watch the Celtics vs. Heats in person are still available on sites like Stubhub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek. All three sites guarantee that your tickets will be delivered digitally in time for the game or your money back. BONUS: use promo code BILLBOARD10 to save $10 off your purchase at SeatGeek.com.
How to Watch Heat vs. Celtics on TV
If you want to watch the Heat vs. Celtics on TV, today’s game is airing live on ABC. You can watch the Eastern Conference playoff game on TV through your local ABC affiliate.
How to Watch Heat vs. Celtics Online Free
Want to watch the Heat vs. Celtics playoff game online without cable? Get this five-day free trial to DirecTV Stream, which includes a live ABC feed as part of its channel offerings. DirecTV Stream is one of the best streaming services for live sports and one of the easiest ways to stream live TV and sports without cable.
DirecTV Stream lets you watch the Heat vs. Celtics on TV, on your phone, tablet or laptop. Cancel before your free trial is up to avoid being charged.
Another way to livestream the Heat vs. Celtics online free? Use Fubo TV. Fubo also includes ABC as part of its streaming service, and the site is offering a seven-day free trial that you can use to watch the Celtics-Heat game online for free. Fubo’s free trial includes free DVR so you can record the basketball game to watch a Heat-Celtics replay on-demand later.
You can also sign up for NBA League Pass to stream out-of-market NBA playoff games as well as have 24/7 access to highlights, replays, live stats and more.
Heat vs. Celtics Predictions, Odds
The Celtics are favored to win this first-round playoff series, having been one of the most dominant teams in the NBA this year. However, Miami defeated Boston in last year’s Eastern Conference finals, taking it 4-3 in the best-of-seven series. The Celtics will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s performance, as it takes on a motivated Miami team.
Watch the Heat vs. Celtics playoff games online free through FuboTV or DirecTV Stream here.