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Joel Embiid, the current Most Valuable Player of the NBA winner, and his Philadelphia 76ers squad looked poised to make their way to the Eastern Conference finals. However, after falling to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the series on Sunday (May 14), Joel Embiid is catching the wrath of NBA fans questioning his mettle.
Joel Embiid, 29, had a strong playoff run with the scoring heroics of James Harden aiding him when the points weren’t coming as easily for the big man. Even after suffering an injury, Embiid showed incredible grit in the paint and on the perimeter, proving why he won MVP honors this season.
That said, the Celtics, featuring the core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart, were heavy favorites heading into the Eastern Conference finals and proved why on Mother’s Day. Especially Tatum, who led all scorers with 51, followed by Brown, who poured in 25. In contrast, the 76ers’ leading scorer was Tobias Harris with 19, followed by Tyrese Maxey, who dropped 17, and Embiid with 15. Harden, who has been lights out for much of the series, scored 9.
In the postgame press conference, Embiid put himself and Harden above the team in his comments and seemingly took shots at his supporting core by saying they didn’t show up. In fairness, Embiid also put the blame on himself, especially as he gave wider context.
Given Embiid’s offensive output and the way the Celtics rolled over them in a win-or-go-home matchup, Embiid’s comments invited a barrage of criticism. Further, given the recent firings of NBA head coaches such as Monty Williams in Phoenix and Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee, many believe 76ers coach Doc Rivers could be on the chopping block next.
Make no mistake. Joel Embiid is an elite NBA big man and one heck of an all-around player. The 76ers just ran into a prepared, hungry, and focused Celtics team on their home floor. Still, many on Twitter aren’t as forgiving and the tweets prove it. We’ve got them listed below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Ja Morant is proving himself to be excellent at hustling backwards. The NBA superstar was recently spotted once again flashing a gun while appearing on an Instagram Live, and the NBA is aware of the situation while NBA Twitter is as pissed as anyone.
Previously, Ja Morant flashing a firearm on IG cost him an 8 game suspension and time away from the team. Well clearly, he didn’t take the message to heart.
There was Mr. Morant holding what seems to be a black pistol while on IG which started circulating on Saturday night (May 13). In the since-deleted video (but nothing is ever truly deleted on the Internets), Morant is seen in his friend Davonte Pack’s account holding a handgun while in the passenger seat of a car and singing along to a rap song. Also, the original IG Live had a viewership of just over 100 people.
Bruh…
There is no doubt that the high-flying point guard will be suspended for a significant number of games for the 2023-2023 NBA season. But for now, the Memphis Grizzlies have already suspended Morant from all team activities according to ESPN.
“We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information,” said NBA spokesperson Mike Bass in a statement Sunday (May 14).
Twitter has not been too kind to Morant considering this is his second offense of the same kind of incident. There have also been other off the count incidents that don’t place Morant in the best of lights like allegedly beating up a teen basketball player or beefing with workers in a sneaker store.
Check out reactions to Morant’s latest headass decision-making in the gallery.
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Anthony Davis is one of the most talented big men in the NBA but a cloud hangs over him regarding his durability given his past injuries. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley had a moment on Inside The NBA analyzing Game 5 of the Lakers-Warriors playoff series after Davis suffered a head injury which prompted the legendary big men to crack up on air.
Anthony Davis, 30, is having an exceptional playoff series for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are up 3-2 against the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors. On Wednesday (May 10), the Lakers were on the losing end on the Warriors’ home court with the final score reading 121-106.
In the waning moments of the game, Davis was accidentally hit in the head by Warriors center Kevon Looney while both were going for a rebound. The hit was apparently hard enough that Davis needed to be wheeled out of the Chase Center.
At the conclusion of the game, Inside The NBA analysts were recapping the game, and in one segment not seen on camera, a sheet of paper could be heard being crumbled while Ernie “E.J.” Johnson Jr. broke down the footage of the Davis injury.
As the cameras cut back to Kenny “The Jet” Smith inside the TNT studio, O’Neal, and Barkley attempted to stifle their laughter and lost all of their cool after it was revealed that Davis left the floor in a wheelchair.
O’Neal and Barkley, both in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, can be tough on NBA big men given the impact of their careers. However, some on Twitter found the reaction to Anthony Davis hitting the deck a bit offensive while others joined in on the ribbing. NBA sideline reporter Chris Haynes and Lakers head coach both reported that Davis appeared to be on the mend.
We’ve got reactions from all sides below.
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Photo: Getty
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The NBA Playoffs are in full swing and many of the games have been nail-biting thrillers, to say the least. The New York Knicks, one of the marquee teams of the NBA, were thought to be favorites in their series against the Miami Heat but now find themselves down 3-1 in their seven-game series on Monday (May 8).
The drama in the Eastern Conference NBA Playoffs has been high with the Boston Celtics tied 2-2 in their best-of-seven series with the Philadelphia 76ers and in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets locked in a 2-2 series against the Phoenix Suns. Also last night, the Los Angeles Lakers went up 3-1 in their series against the defending champions, Golden State Warriors.
The Heat, which upset the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, are continuing their winning ways on the back of the heroics of Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and Bam Adebayo. The Knicks, led by the talented duo of Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, are now scrambling from behind.
Last night in Miami, the Heat took down the Knicks 109-101 with Butler, back from an injury, scoring 27 points and dropping 10 assists and Adebayo pouring in 23 points and grabbing 13 boards. Brunson led all scorers with 32 points to go along with 11 assists and R.J. Barrett scored 24 points for the Knicks.
The Heat are down a man in their three-point specialist, Tyler Herro, who went down with a broken hand in the Bucks series. However, signs are pointing to the fact he may return but the Heat might not need him at this juncture. The series returns to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (May 10) as the Knicks hope to salvage their NBA championship hopes.
On Twitter, folks are reacting to the eighth-seeded Heat putting on a clinic against the Knicks. We’ve got those reactions below.
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Zendaya and Tom Holland took their romance to the NBA Playoffs on Thursday night to root for the Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA shared multiple looks of the couple inside San Francisco’s Chase Center on social media. Sitting on Celeb Row, the Euphoria star proudly repped her hometown team (she was, after all, born in Oakland, Calif.) in an all-black Warriors cap while her boyfriend donned a ’90s-style sweater emblazoned with the Land Rover logo.
The couple also interacted with some other famous folks taking in game 2 of the playoff series — namely 49ers players George Kittle, Sam Darnold and Christian McCaffrey, who playfully pretended to shoot Spidey webs out of their wrists toward Holland.
The Warriors eventually beat the Lakers by a score of 127-100, bringing the playoffs to a 1-1 tie. Meanwhile, the two Spider-Man: No Way Home costars also recently hit up Usher’s Las Vegas residency at the Dolby Live Theater inside the Park MGM for another high-profile date night just days after Zendaya made a surprise appearance on the second weekend of Coachella to perform her two collaborations with Labrinth.
The special occasion, which sent fans into an absolute tizzy across social media, marked the one-time Disney Channel star’s first public musical performance in at least seven years. (Her self-titled debut solo album was released back in 2013 under Hollywood Records and peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 at the time.)
Check out Zendaya and Tom taking in the NBA Playoffs together below.
Forget Steph Curry and LeBron James: BTS’s Suga is the NBA’s latest secret weapon.Suga will play ball with the Association, which this week unveiled the South Korean rapper, songwriter, and producer as an NBA Ambassador.In this sporty new role, Suga will be expected to “engage NBA fans around the world” through the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season and beyond, reads a statement from the league. “Music and basketball have been shared passions of mine since my youth, and it’s a dream to be named an NBA Ambassador,” says Suga in a statement. “I’m excited to formalize my relationship with the NBA, and I can’t wait to share some exciting collaborations I have planned with the league over the coming months.”
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The alliance goes both ways. Suga will also participate in several league initiatives that will be featured on both the NBA and Suga’s social channels. Among them, Suga will participate in promotional activities, and attend NBA games and events in Asia and the United States — which he has already done this season, including the Dallas Mavericks game at Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 12.Also, the NBA will “have a presence” throughout Suga’s D-Day Tour, which is currently winding its way around the U.S., in support of his debut solo album as Agust D.“We’re thrilled to join forces with Suga – a superstar musician, fashion icon, and passionate NBA fan,” comments NBA deputy commissioner and COO Mark Tatum. “We look forward to working with Suga to bring the same excitement he engenders from his global fanbase in support of our continued efforts to grow our brand.”Suga loves that game. Earlier in the week, he talked ball with Jimmy Fallon when he stopped by The Tonight Show. His stage name, he explained, is a contraction of “shooting guard.” And when asked if he could beat the other BTS lads in a game of one-on-one, he responded: “Are you kidding me?” Adding, “I don’t think any of the other members know the basketball rules.”The NBA has never been more popular with sports fans abroad, and the game itself had never been more “international.” When the 2022-23 season tipped off, franchise rosters included 120 international players from 40 countries, led by Canada (22) and Australia (10). When the regular season came to an end, international players led the league in points per game and rebounds, and internationals have won the Most Valuable Player award for each of the past five seasons.
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After over a decade of disgust, despair, and disappointment, New York Knicks fans are finally able to celebrate a winning team as last night (April 26) the New York Knickerbockers advanced to the second round of the NBA Playoffs for only the second time this century.
Last night (April 26), New Yorkers celebrated like the Knicks had officially won the NBA title after Jalen Brunson led the team to a 106-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers—in the process advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time in a decade. The surprising win comes in the same year that Knicks fans were upset that the team failed to land Donovan Mitchell due to their reluctance to include RJ Barrett in a trade package for the superstar guard and instead signed Jalen Brunson to a 4-year/$104 million contract.
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Fans and sports analysts clowned the move as Brunson was basically an unknown at the time living in the shadow of Luka Doncic. But not only did Brunson thrive in the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, he outplayed the Cavs superstar point guard, Donovan Mitchell for most of the first round. Speaking to ESPN, the Knicks point guard who fans now refer to as “HIM” knows just how special the moment is for the team and the city as his father, Rick Brunson, played a few seasons in the Garden himself.
“It’s a really cool experience knowing that my dad played here — he was on that team that got to the Finals,” Brunson said, referring to the 1998-99 team. “It’s special. The connection that me and my dad have, everything, all the full circle, it’s really special.”
While many Knick fans still feel RJ Barrett should’ve been shipped out for Donovan “Spider” Mitchell (especially after having the struggle year he had), the third year shooting guard finally found his footing in the playoffs and contributed to last night’s win with 21 points.
Now that the Knicks have made it out the first round they’ll be reigniting an old rivalry as the Miami Heat have pulled off a surprise of their own by eliminating the number 1 seed in the Milwaukee Bucks and punching their ticket to Madison Square Garden for a second round showdown this Sunday (April 30). While the team will no doubt be ready for Playoff Jimmy Butler and company, the team might be shorthanded as their All-Star Power Forward, Julius Randle re-injured the ankle that kept him off the floor in the final weeks of the NBA season.
Thibodeau said Randle will be reevaluated on Thursday. Randle was in the Knicks’ locker room icing his ankle after the win.
“It starts with holding each other accountable, from the coaching staff to the players,” Brunson said of the Knicks stepping up when a player goes down with an injury. “I think we all trust each other, most importantly, and we get to the point where we have situations like that and things aren’t going according to plan, and we find a way to tough it out and keep moving forward and try not to miss a beat.”
Prayers up for Julius Randle and the New York Knicks as they might need it with Playoff Jimmy looking like Jimmy Jordan out in Miami.
The Atlanta Hawks are still alive in the NBA Playoffs, and that will force fans planning to attend Janet Jackson’s concert in the city this week to wait a day to see the music star.
The Hawks rallied to beat the Boston Celtics 119-117 in Game 5 of their playoff matchup on Tuesday night, sending the series back to Atlanta for Game 6.
It means that State Farm Arena was double-booked for Thursday night. The casualty was Jackson’s concert, Live Nation said in a statement following the the team’s victory.
The concert was moved to Friday, and all tickets for Thursday’s show will be honored for Friday night. Refunds will be available at the point of purchase for those who are unable to change their plans.
State Farm Arena’s Twitter account posted this message late Tuesday: “SHOW UPDATE: Due to tonight’s @ATLHawks Game 5 win, we will host Game 6 on Thursday, moving Thursday’s Janet Jackson concert to Friday. If you have tickets to the original show date, they will be honored for Friday’s date.”
Doors for Jackson’s show Friday will open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7:45 p.m.
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Source: Ezra Shaw / Getty / Stephen Curry
Unlike his teammate Draymond Green, Stephen Curry rarely makes a mistake on the court, until yesterday.
The best shooter in basketball, Stephen Curry, almost cost his Golden State Warriors the game, and they could have been down 3-1 heading back to Sacramento after making an egregious blunder.
With just 40 seconds left in the game, the Kings trapped Curry leaving him nowhere to go or pass the ball. So generally, in that situation, you will call a timeout, and that’s what he did.
But there was one issue, the Warriors didn’t have any timeouts left after head coach Steve Kerr lost the team’s final timeout in an unsuccessful challenge that even Draymond Green told him not to do.
“I didn’t realize when we lost the challenge that we didn’t have any timeouts left,” Curry said. Like a true leader, Steve Kerr took the blame for the moment, protecting his all-star player.
Curry still owned up to his mistake, adding, “[Coach] took the blame for it, but I ain’t going to lie: I thought it was the smartest play in the world. I looked at the bench, and everybody was shaking their head. It was an unfortunate situation.”
The Kings took advantage of what many call Steph’s “Chris Webber moment,” referencing retired hooper calling a timeout his team did not have during the 1993 National Championship game costing the Michigan Wolverines the chip.
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With a technical free throw and a three-pointer from the NBA’s most clutch player, De’Aron Fox, the Kings were only down one in a game that at one point looked like a sure win for the Warriors.
The Warriors did survive after Harrison Barnes missed a go-ahead three-pointer.
NBA Twitter Came With The Jokes
As you can imagine, NBA Twitter had plenty of reactions to Curry’s brain lapse and Harrison Barnes’s potential game-winning brick.
You can see those in the gallery below.
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Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty
1. Accurate
2. Very true
7. Y’all aint right
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Source: Steph Chambers / Getty / Draymond Green
The NBA sent a strong message to Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors.
In a move that really shouldn’t have surprised anyone, the NBA and Adam Silver said, “aight man, we have seen enough,” and hit Draymond Green with a one-game suspension.
The league’s decision came after Draymond Green decided to A-Town stomp Domantas Sabonis after the Kings’ forward/center grabbed his leg. In a statement, the NBA said, “The suspension was based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts.”
Speaking with ESPN, NBA Executive VP Joe Dumars further broke down the league’s decision. “Here’s what it came down to: Excessive and over-the-top actions, conduct detrimental, and a repeat offender. That’s what separates this where you end up with a suspension.”
Green will serve his suspension on Thursday in a pivotal game 3 for the Golden State Warriors, who are down 2-0 heading back to the Chase Center.
The incident occurred with 7:03 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Kings’ 114-106 Game 2 victory. While Sabonis was down on the floor in visible pain, Green was egging on the crowd as the referees deliberated before making their decision.
Sabonis got a technical foul, and Green a flagrant foul 2, an automatic ejection. Sabonis suffered a bruised sternum and is questionable for Game 3, the Kings said on Tuesday night.
Green has been hit with six flagrant fouls and 27 technical fouls in 147 career playoff games. He was famously suspended in the 2015 NBA Finals after hitting his buddy LeBron James in the groin.
That suspension, many believe, tilted the momentum in favor of the Cavaliers, but in the same breath, Draymond did come back, and the Cavs still handled business.
Damian Lillard & More React To Draymond Green’s Suspension
Anyway, the reactions and hot takes are pouring in. Damian Lillard put on his cape yesterday for his NBA brethren and continued his defense of Green.
In a retweet of the news, he dropped an smh emoji, and in response to a fan, he said, “A suspension is crazy.”
The Inside The NBA crew also had thoughts. Charles Barkley said he was surprised but was more “bothered” that the focus is on the incident and not “the fact that the Sacramento Kings are just kicking their ass.”
It’s looking like this could be the end of the Warriors’ dynasty if they can’t find a way to win without Draymond Green in game 3.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty
1. LOL, exactly
2. Well, you don’t make those decisions Skip
3. Of course Jay Williams doesn’t agree
4. No shock the Warriors are “livid”
6. Exactly