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And just like that, the New York Knicks Cinderella story comes to an end as the injury plagued team was routed by a red-hot Indiana Pacers team in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon (May 19).
As ESPN, reports, the Indiana Pacers set a playoff mark with their hot shooting in the first half of the game and though they cooled off in the second half they still ended the game with a 67.1% field goal percentage which is the highest ever recorded in an NBA playoff game. Fittingly, the Knicks superstar point guard, Jalen Brunson suffered a season ending injury in the second half of the game when he fractured his hand and was pulled from the game as the Knicks saw their playoff dreams slip away at the hands of a fully healthy Pacers squad.
Per ESPN:
It was the greatest shooting half in a playoff game on record, beating the 74% the San Antonio Spurs shot during the 2014 NBA Finals in a performance that left some thinking that was one of the finest displays of offensive basketball ever. And the Pacers beat it.
The Knicks made a push in the third quarter, thanks largely to a series of 3-pointers from DiVincenzo (37 points). He ended up with nine treys for the game, setting a Knicks playoff record. Those 3s and some rare defensive stops cut the Pacers’ lead from 22 points down to seven and had the Knicks fans thinking they might see something to remember after all.
Had the Knicks even somehow pulled off a miracle on 34th street and won the game, they’d certainly be swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals without their floor general in Jalen Brunson who was struggling with his game before fracturing his hand on a play in the 3rd quarter.
It was already a tough day for Brunson, who was just 6-of-17 shooting for 17 points before exiting.
“It’s a part of the game and, like I said, this group, we didn’t make excuses for anything,” Brunson said. “And so if things happen, we go forward with what we had. Obviously we wanted everyone healthy.”
Unfortunately for the Knicks, health was in short order this season as every one of their starters had been sidelined by the time Game 7 rolled around. With four bench players in the starting lineup and Jalen Brunson leading the charge, many considered it a miracle that the Knicks lasted as long as they did in the playoffs.
This is probably the first time that the Knicks got eliminated from the playoffs and New York fans were still happy and grateful with how the season turned out.
Respect.
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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.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Vanessa Bryant and Nike have put together a special capsule collection to honor her late daughter Gianna’s 18th birthday. The collaboration […]
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NBA All-Star center Joel Embiid revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, which is the reason for his recent eye trouble.
On Thursday night (April 25), Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid finally cleared up the speculation concerning his eyesight at a post-game press conference, informing the media that he’s suffering from Bell’s palsy. Bell’s palsy is a form of facial paralysis that causes sudden muscular weakness on one side of the face, making the eye on that side hard to close. Embiid said that he’d started dealing with the effects before the Sixers’ play-in tournament game with the Miami Heat at the outset of this year’s playoffs.
“I think it started a day or two before the Miami game [in the play-in tournament], and I had bad migraines and thought it was nothing,” Embiid said after the Sixers’ win over the New York Knicks. “It’s pretty annoying, you know, with the left side of my face, my mouth and my eye. So yeah, it’s been tough. But I’m not a quitter, so gotta keep fighting. But yeah, it’s unfortunate. That’s the way I look at it. But it’s not an excuse. Gotta keep pushing.” He also said that he was informed that the condition could last weeks or months.
He also spoke about how the condition is yet another addition to the list of ailments that he’s endured throughout his playing career, including a knee injury he’s still recovering from after surgery in February. “It is unfortunate,” he began. “Every single year, you start asking yourself questions like, ‘Why?’ Every single year it’s … very annoying. Yeah. Maybe it’s just meant to be. Just gotta take it as it is. But the one thing I’m not going to do is give up no matter what happens.”
The news comes after Embiid put up a historical 50 points on fewer than 20 shot attempts, making 19 of 21 free throws and five three-pointers, all playoff records for the 30-year-old. The effort gained Philadelphia their first victory in the first-round series against the surging second-seeded Knicks, who they’ll play against at home on Sunday (April 29) as the Knicks hold a two games to one lead.
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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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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.
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The 2024 NBA playoffs are here and one of the most anticipated matchups pit the Los Angeles Lakers against the Denver Nuggets. The Western Conference series has no shortage of star power, with Nikola Jokic and last season’s NBA champs Nuggets facing off against LeBron James and the always-powerful Lakers.
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L.A. Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets Playoff Games: Date, Time
The Lakers and Nuggets open the best-of-7 series tonight, Saturday, April 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT from Ball Arena in Denver.
Last-minute tickets to watch the Lakers vs. Nuggets 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 Lakers vs. Nuggets on TV
If you want to watch the Lakers vs. Nuggets on TV, tonight’s game is airing live on ABC. You can watch the Western Conference playoff game on TV through your local ABC affiliate.
How to Watch Lakers vs. Nuggets Online Free
Want to watch the Lakers vs. Nuggets 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 without cable.
Another way to livestream the Lakers vs. Nuggets online free is through Fubo, which offers a seven-day free trial for its streaming service. Fubo lets you watch the Lakers vs. Nuggets playoff game online on ABC from your phone, tablet, laptop or TV. Fubo also includes free DVR so you can record the game to watch an LA vs. Denver game replay on-demand.
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.
Lakers vs. Nuggets Odds, Predictions, Favorites
The Nuggets are looking to become back-to-back NBA champs after taking home the title last year, and Denver is the odds-on favorite to win the series over the Lakers. Denver also swept L.A. in the Western Conference finals last year.
Still, this is a resilient L.A. team that hopes to continue the Lakers dynasty. Aside from last year’s lopsided loss, the Lakers have won seven of the eight playoff series between them and Denver. Los Angeles also leads the all-time series 138-91.
Livestream the Lakers vs. Nuggets online free on ABC through Fubo here.
NBA superfan Lil Wayne makes a surprise cameo in a new Chris Rock-narrated ad for the 2024 NBA playoffs. The one-minute spot that dropped a day before the play-in tournament round kicked off is premised on the notion that most A-list NBA players don’t even think the playoffs are “a thing.”
It opens with a reporter asking Jayson Tatum if “playoff Jayson” is a thing, with the Celtics forward dropping his head and saying, “nah,” as an on-screen headline reads: “Tatum denies ‘Playoff Jayson’ is a thing” in the spot titled “Playoff Mode.”
“Playoff Jayson is not a thing,” he says sternly at a fake press conference. “Okay, Tatum, we all know it’s a thing,” Rock interjects in his patented clipped delivery over a shot of Tatum throwing down a monster dunk. “Just ask Playoff Spida,” Rock says as Cavs shooting guard Donovan “Spida” Mitchell drops his head and denies it’s a thing.
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Similarly, Rock gets a “not a thing” from Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Bucks guard Damian Lillard, Nuggets Center Nikola Jokić and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who denies the playoffs’ existence while doing pull-ups with a ridiculously heavy weight vest. Lillard is so annoyed at Rock’s suggestion that it’s time to finally see “Playoff Giannis [Antetokounmpo] play with Playoff Dame,” that Lillard angrily rips off the “Playoff” tag slapped up over his locker.
“Not a thing,” Lillard says.
And finally, Rock goes to the man who would know the best if it is playoff season: Lil Wayne. “Playoff Tunechi knows it’s a thing,” the comedian says over a shot of glasses-wearing Weezy concentrating really hard at a claw machine game. “It’s game time!” Wayne says as he tries, and fails, to grab an NBA player plushy from the machine. The camera then swings to a front-row shot of some celebs taking in a playoff game, including chef Guy Fieri and Puerto Rican superstar Anuel AA.
But when Rock says “even Chuck’s playoff jokes are funnier,” NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal shuts that down quickly, as he scribbles a mustache and glasses on a headshot of fellow hall of famer and broadcaster Charles Barkley. “No they are not,” Shaq says pointedly.
The playoffs, a real thing, continue on Friday (April 19) with Chicago vs. Miami at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and Sacramento vs. New Orleans at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT, with the first round of the playoffs scheduled to kick off on Saturday (April 20).
Watch the NBA commerical below.
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Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty / Jontay Porter
Jontay Porter f***ed around and found out. The now-former two-way player for the Toronto Raptors gambled his money and his NBA career away.
NBA.com dropped the news yesterday that Jontay Porter, brother of Denver Nuggets superstar Michael Porter Jr., has been slapped with a lifetime ban for violating the league’s gaming rules.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came down with the hammer on Porter after the league wrapped its investigation and discovering he “disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games,” the website reports.
Per NBA.com:
The league’s investigation found that prior to the Raptors’ March 20 game, Porter disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor. Another individual with whom Porter associated and knew to be an NBA bettor subsequently placed an $80,000 parlay proposition bet with an online sports book, to win $1.1 million, wagering that Porter would underperform in the March 20 game.
The league’s investigation also found that Porter limited his own game participation to influence the outcome of one or more bets on his performance in at least one Raptors game. In the March 20 game, Porter played only three minutes, claiming that he felt ill. Due to the unusual betting activity and actions of the player, the $80,000 proposition bet was frozen and not paid out.
Jontay Porter Bet On Himself & Lost Big Time
The bets Porter made that involved his performance in the Raptors’ March 20 game were brought to the league’s attention by licensed sports betting operators and an organization that monitors legal betting markets.
Bruh
The website notes that Porter placed 13 bets from January through March 2024 while traveling with the Raptors and Raptors 905, the Raptors’ G-League affiliate. None of the bets were made on games he played in.
Adam Silver Issues A Statement
“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment. While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players. Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”
Welp.
Of course, social media has been lighting Porter’s a** up. There are also some wild takes, which you can see in the gallery below.
3. One way ticket out of here
4. L M A O
5. Hoooowwwllliiinnnggg