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  • Nike NBA City Edition 2023-24: Every alternate jersey ranked from No. 30 to No. 1

    Nike NBA City Edition 2023-24: Every alternate jersey ranked from No. 30 to No. 1

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    The 2023-24 Nike NBA City Edition uniforms were unveiled last Thursday. NBA fans will be treated to another season where alternate uniforms, according to Nike, continue to “represent the stories, history and heritage that make each franchise unique.”

    The uniforms are now in their seventh season with the NBA, and they have been a big hit in the past. Home teams will wear the uniforms throughout the NBA In-Season Tournament, which tipped off last Friday and will run until Dec. 9.

    The big question: How does this year’s collection of uniforms look?


    The 30 Nike NBA City Edition jerseys for the 2023-24 season.

    The unveiling gave The Athletic’s team of Jason Jones, James Edwards III and Kelly Iko an opportunity to discuss the jerseys in depth. The trio conferred about all 30 City Edition jerseys and came up with its own power rankings. The writers ranked each team using a scoring system where 30 points were given to their favorite jersey, all the way to one point given to their least favorite. This explains the numbers in parentheses next to each writer’s name below.

    Which jersey was the collective favorite? Here are the rankings and the writers’ thoughts of each, starting from worst to first.

    (All images are courtesy of Nike and the NBA)


    The Wizards jersey pays homage to the 40 boundary stones of the original outline of the District of Columbia.

    Edwards (5 points): This makes me want a Mountain Dew Baja Blast from Taco Bell.

    Iko (2): Have you ever chewed, like, five Skittles at once and looked at it? This is that. Come on, y’all.

    Jones (1): There’s a lot going on here. Doesn’t really work for me.


    This jersey was made in collaboration with Brooklyn artist and designer Brian Donnelly, known professionally as KAWS.

    Jones (7): The artwork for “Nets” is supposed to give a graffiti vibe. I wish it would have leaned more into that, especially with this season occurring as hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary.

    Edwards (6): I’m all for trying to be creative and different; you take a risk when you do that. But the Nets took a risk, and they failed. Miserably.

    Iko (1): It’s actually fitting that this was inspired by KAWS’ “Tension,” because that’s exactly the type of headache I get from looking at this for too long. This is a bad jersey. It’s actually baffling because KAWS makes some really dope art.


    The triangle-shaped word mark is a reminder of the throwback design after the team moved from Minneapolis in the 1960s.

    Jones (10): A mash between the early and modern Lakers. Not a big fan of the triangular shape of “Los Angeles,” but I understand its ties to the early days of the Lakers in the city. What would have been wild would have been something lake-related. That would have stood out more than another black jersey.

    Iko (5): What’s going on in Los Angeles? I get it, Laker Nation rides hard for its team, but when I go to the store, I’m not thinking about the triangle offense. It could be worse though … like Brooklyn’s.

    Edwards (4): I don’t really care about the reasoning for the placement of “Los Angeles.” It looks bad. Horrific. It’s like someone went to JOANN Fabrics and tried to make a custom Lakers jersey but ended up not measuring the width of the jersey correctly. For such a historic franchise, I expected better.


    Memphis’ jersey prominently features the “MEM” logo that has been seen on the waistbands and collars of past uniforms.

    Iko (15): I once got lost on Beale Street trying to get to FedExForum in Memphis. These give me the same confused vibe. The font is a cool idea, but it wasn’t executed well enough. Back to the drawing board.

    Jones (3): The Grizzlies had my favorite City Edition jersey last season. Not so much this year. It’s basic. Doesn’t have the same personality as last season when the jersey screamed Memphis swagger.

    Edwards (2): Someone on social media said the Memphis jersey is a QR code to see the actual jersey, and I can’t stop laughing. Horrible.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    NBA City Edition 2022-23: Every alternate jersey ranked from 29(?) to 1


    Indiana’s jersey has a street-art look resembling the murals and signs throughout Indianapolis neighborhoods.

    Edwards (13): I don’t mind this, because it’s different without being too extra. The color combination is obscure, and while it doesn’t make any sense to me in terms of a connection to Indianapolis, it’s not an ugly jersey. Middle of the pack for me.

    Iko (6): There is way too much going on. These are a mess.

    Jones (2): When I think of Indiana, I don’t think vibrant, which is what this jersey is. I’ve been to Indianapolis plenty of times, but this just doesn’t connect with the city for me.


    Heat fans are all in on “Heat Culture,” which this jersey proudly acknowledges.

    Iko (10): “Heat Culture” is one of those things that should be said and understood, not displayed on the front of a jersey. Miami has so many more things to offer as a city that could have been used with these jerseys. Missed opportunity.

    Jones (9): Nothing “Miami Vice”-related? No vibrant colors? A red-and-black jersey seems pretty simple. Adding “Heat Culture” is a nice touch, but when it comes to Miami, I prefer the “Vice” theme.

    Edwards (3): I don’t think saying “Heat Culture” is as corny as most people do, but a jersey that says “Heat Culture” … yeah, that’s corny.


    Denver’s jersey shows “5280” across the chest. A mile is 5,280 feet. Denver’s the “Mile-High City.” This one is pretty easy.

    Iko (14): This might have ranked higher if pickaxes were on the front and the mountains were on the back. They also could have done without the “5280” slapped across the middle. Three and four numbers on the front of a jersey is for AAU. Distracting.

    Jones (8): I’m still not sure how I feel about “5280” across the chest. I understand the significance, but how many numbers do you need on the front of a jersey? It takes away from the Denver skyline in the background.

    Edwards (1): Whoever came up with this jersey should be suspended (with pay, of course). I’m sorry. I like Denver as a city, and I love the Nuggets, but these are comically bad. Some players will have six numbers on the front of their jerseys when Denver wears them. Six.


    A black jersey with purple and highlighter-green accents gives a vibrant look for a New Orleans team representing a vibrant city.

    Edwards (12): Do these glow in the dark? If not, that’s disappointing.

    Iko (12): Somehow, some way, I blame (Pelicans writer) Will Guillory for these.

    Jones (4): The perfect jersey to wear around Halloween.


    Oklahoma City’s jersey aims to celebrate the city’s community art and appreciate the landscape of the Sooner State.

    Edwards (20): I like the color combinations, as well as the font of “OKC.” I’m a fan of these.

    Jones (5): This scheme matches the “Love’s” patch. Maybe that was intentional. The orange jumps out, but it’s pretty simple overall.

    Iko (4): This makes me think of McDonald’s. These are pretty blah, but they might look better framed.


    This jersey was designed in collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist Jonas Wood. “Clips” recreates the team’s word mark from the 1980s.

    Edwards (17): I wanted to knock it down some points for being so basic, but the ugliness of some other jerseys made it hard to penalize the Clippers for not trying.

    Iko (7): Did Marcus Morris make this as a parting gift? Morris averaged 12 points as a Clipper. This is that, but in jersey form: I came to work and I did the job that was asked of me.

    Jones (6): Nothing too fancy with this. No cool backstory or details in the description. Just a plain “Clips” jersey.


    “Chicago” printed vertically on the jersey, coupled with “Madhouse on Madison” on the jock tag is set to remind Bulls fans of the old Chicago Stadium days.

    Edwards (15): I ended up with them in the middle of the pack because I don’t like the placement of “Chicago.” It should be a little bit lower. That messed it all up for me.

    Jones (12): The intent is to be a nod to the old Chicago Stadium of the early 1990s. “Chicago” down the front of the jersey reminds me of the shooting shirts worn by a young Michael Jordan. It’s not the most imaginative, but it works.

    Iko (3): I understand the reference to Chicago Stadium from the ’90s, and I’m sure the locals really draw to the style, but I’ve never been a fan of the vertical lettering. It just makes for an awkward space in the middle.


    A collaboration with lifestyle brand Kith helps the Knicks celebrate the teams from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

    Jones (11): There’s a lot going on here. Pinstripes. Doubling up on “New York.” The black down the side. Just a lot.

    Iko (11): I feel like the Knicks have had a version of this every year for the last 10,000 years. It’s like the printer lagged out.

    Edwards (9): A drunk version of a Knicks jersey. That’s all I got.


    The Hawks use lowercase font and a “Lift as we fly” mantra to set the tone for this year’s City Edition jersey.

    Jones (15): Nothing will top the MLK jersey for me. I like the blue on this, but it’s pretty basic compared to some of the previous versions.

    Edwards (14): They’re fine. They’re middle of the pack to me, which might not say a lot because there are some absolutely horrendous City Edition jerseys.

    Iko (13): Maybe it’s the combination of the lowercase font on these and the peachy color that throws me off, but it just seems OK. There’s no story or anything that really speaks to me. It’s fine — nothing more, nothing less.


    The Spurs jersey pays homage to Hemisfair, the 1968 World’s Fair. It’s a retro look that values the heart of downtown San Antonio.

    Iko (19): I didn’t expect the Spurs to go with the white base, but this will look really dope under the arena lights. Also, Ricky’s Tacos in San Antonio is the best place many have never heard of.

    Jones (14): Would I wear this one? Probably not … but I like it. It’s very San Antonio. It definitely fits the city.

    Edwards (10): The lettering is cool. That’s about it. This is too basic.


    The Warriors jersey embodies San Francisco and its history of cable cars. The “San Francisco” word mark goes uphill as cable cars would around the city.

    Iko (18): San Francisco is a unique city, from its transportation system to landscape. That matches the lettering of these jerseys. I’ve ridden through the streets for years, and each time, the hills surprise me. The black on the jersey also is really emboldened, if that makes sense.

    Jones (17): The more I look at it, the more I like it. The cable car design of the “San Francisco” lettering works. The simplicity of the design with hints of the cable car history makes this a nice alternate jersey.

    Edwards (11): The idea was cool, but the execution is meh to me. It’s an OK jersey with awkward lettering. Not the best, but not the worst.


    Toronto’s jersey features a gold background and bolts of electricity as pinstripes. “We the North” is above the jock tag.

    Iko (20): Sweet threads. I love the cultural melting pot Toronto is, and that is reflected in the making of this jersey. These will be a hit in the city.

    Jones (20): The gold and lightning accents make this one of the Raptors’ best jerseys. “We the North” also reminds everyone that Toronto truly is an international city.

    Edwards (7): I don’t like gold uniforms at all. Just a personal preference. I love Toronto, though. It’s my favorite North American city. However, hard pass on the jersey.


    Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Leon Bridges inspired the Mavericks jersey. Bridges, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, has his signature on the jock tag.

    Edwards (21): I want to first shout out Erykah Badu while we’re on the topic of Dallas and R&B. Legend. This jersey is one of the better ones simply because of the font, colors and simplicity. It’s clean, and it pops. Hard to not like this.

    Jones (13): Tapping into the R&B history of the region makes for a cool backstory. The jersey itself is pretty simple, but the details via the input of Leon Bridges are a nice discussion point.

    Iko (16): I was actually curious about how and where Dallas would draw inspiration prior to these coming out. Leon Bridges is awesome, especially tied with the city’s history of R&B (shout-out to Tevin Campbell). For some reason, I keep thinking about Michael Finley when I see these.


    The state known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” features blue water tones through most of the jersey with “Minnesota” across the chest in white.

    Iko (26): Loooove these. The way the white dissolves into the blue gives a chilling effect. My mind immediately jumps to rapper Lil Yachty: “Cold Like Minnesota.”

    Jones (19): This gives off calm and soothing vibes, perfect for the Land of 10,000 Lakes. If the Timberwolves ran back the Prince alternate versions every year, I’d be happy, but this is a nice bounceback after last season’s version.

    Edwards (8): I guess I’ll be Debbie Downer here. These are mid, at best. Everything is smooshed at the top — the change in color, the number, “Minnesota” and the sponsors. I don’t love how small “Minnesota” reads. These would be lower for me if it weren’t for some of the nastiness that we’ve already talked about.


    In addition to having “Buzz City” across the chest, this Hornets jersey celebrates Spectrum Arena, as well as the Charlotte Mint, the first U.S. branch mint.

    Iko (21): You can never go wrong with teal and blue, and I really like how they incorporated the hornet influence. I can almost see Baron Davis crossing someone over in these. Nice work.

    Jones (18): Charlotte’s colors are some of the best in the league. I’m digging the gold touch, too. Much better than last season’s edition.

    Edwards (16): I agree with Jason. The Hornets have some of the best colors in the league. Hard to mess that up. These are clean, not too much.


    The Celtics mesh their traditional green with a wood grain pattern, paying respect to the city’s long history of furniture making.

    Edwards (22): If you’re not going to be creative, then keep it clean. Boston did. For my Michigan people, this jersey looks like an ad for Vernors.

    Iko (17): Maybe I’m in the minority, but I actually like the blending of the white on the front with the wood grain texture on the sides.

    Jones (16): Who knew Boston had a history of furniture making? I sure didn’t. The wood coloring on the side is also a nod to peach baskets, the part of history I would expect.


    The Kings jersey gives flashbacks of the 1968 Cincinnati Royals. The various crowns above the jock tag add a nice touch.

    Edwards (26): I’m going to sound like a hypocrite here, because the lettering doesn’t bug me nearly as much as the “Chicago” on the Bulls uniform, even though it’s just as high up the jersey. I think it’s because of the different colors. It breaks it up a little bit. These colors go together well. It’s sleek and clean.

    Jones (22): I’d be in favor of the Kings rocking this full-time. We need something that connects the Kings to their history with Oscar Robertson, and this jersey works.

    Iko (8): This is another one that James and Jason probably like, but I just can’t bring myself to it. Maybe it’s the width of the “Kings” stripes, but there’s a lot going on for me. I do like the colors, though.


    Celebrating Milwaukee’s Deer District is the theme with this year’s Bucks City Edition jersey. Milwaukee went with a blue and cream colorway.

    Jones (25): Another winner for the Bucks in the City Editions. The blue pops, and the cream “wave” is a nice touch. I’m just glad they didn’t go for a black jersey.

    Edwards (23): I like the colors, especially the cream design across the middle and down the side.

    Iko (9): I’m definitely in the minority with these. I love the historical connection to water used here, but really … using the arch as an ode to Fiserv Forum? Didn’t the arena open, like, five years ago? Not a fan.


    The Trail Blazers pay homage to the late Dr. Jack Ramsay, who coached the team to its only NBA title in 1977. Ramsay was known for wearing plaid in Portland.

    Jones (24): The plaid in honor of Dr. Jack Ramsay makes this a winner. It’s subtle, but it’s a great look. The Blazers kept it simple, but the history is in the details.

    Iko (23): Black is always a good default, and the Blazers did well with these. You don’t have to go for a home run all the time: A simple base hit will suffice.

    Edwards (18): Hard to hate it, easy not to love it. The plaid inside the lettering is a nice touch, visually and in terms of the backstory.


    With “City of Brotherly Love” across the chest, the Sixers jersey is inspired by the Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia’s famous farmer’s market.

    Edwards (25): I’m a sucker for navy blue, red and white. Those three colors go together so well for me. I also really like the font on the front. Two thumbs up.

    Iko (22): It’s always hilarious hearing Philly associated with love, having spent quite a bit of time at 76ers games. But, really smooth color transition here, and the lettering is neat.

    Jones (21): Navy blue was a good play for the red and white. The Reading Terminal Market lettering also is a great addition. I’m always going to like seeing “City of Brotherly Love” on a jersey.


    The Rockets chose to honor the University of Houston’s Phi Slama Jama and Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, two hometown heroes, with their jerseys.

    Edwards (27): I like the connection to Phi Slama Jama. It looks classy. It’s not over the top.

    Iko (24): If you’re not from the city, you probably won’t get the cross reference between the University of Houston and the old Rockets teams, but this is a classic blend. This will sell like hotcakes at the Galleria.

    Jones (23): Phi Slama Jama gets some love with this design. Had to look up the shooting shirts worn by the University of Houston during Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon’s college days to truly appreciate the design. Going with “H-Town” across the chest is a nice touch.


    Designed to resemble a suit of armor, the Magic jersey is Navy with silver outlining and incorporates the franchise’s star in place of the A in “Orlando” across the chest.

    Iko (30): My favorite. T-Mac. Penny. Shaq. Türkoğlu. All Magic legends, just like this jersey. It’s nostalgic. It’s smooth. It’s fire. This is how you do it. Take notes, Brooklyn.

    Jones (28): Going navy blue with the chain-link stripes feels like a modern version of the early Magic jerseys — which I like. The star for the “A” in Orlando is placed perfectly and will look good on the court.

    Edwards (19): I agree with the fellas. A modern twist on a ’90s basketball kid’s favorite jersey. Good job, Orlando.


    Cleveland’s jersey, from the font to word mark to patterns, shows love to its thriving performing arts center, considered the largest outside of New York.

    Iko (27): These are really dope. There’s intricate detail around the edges, and using the gold to highlight Cleveland’s theater scene is exactly the type of historical tidbit we never hear about. Awesome stuff.

    Jones (26): These jerseys work best when I learn something new. I had no idea of Cleveland’s connection to theater until learning about this jersey design. Cleveland has the largest performing arts center outside of New York? Wow. It’s simple, but the details make this one nice.

    Edwards (24): I didn’t know that either, Jason. Shout-out to the Cavs. It’s basic, but it’s done well. Good story. Definitely a top City Edition jersey.


    Utah’s jersey gives flashbacks of the jerseys from the late 1990s and early 2000s. It features the familiar mountain range across the chest.

    Edwards (29): The Karl Malone/John Stockton-era jerseys are some of my favorites of all time, and this is a great tweak of those. Give me any purple on a jersey. These aren’t as good as the Jazz uniforms from the ’90s — those are some of the best ever — but they are nice.

    Iko (28): Can the Jazz keep these forever? These are perfect. It’s not too much mountain for Utah fans, I don’t think, and the purple rocks.

    Jones (27): I’d take these over what the Jazz normally wear. The purple is perfect. The skyline works in paying homage to the best teams that played in Utah. I move that the Jazz stick with these jerseys.


    The jersey draws from the energy of the “Bad Boys” era. The jersey also honors Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly with a “CD2” logo above the jock tag, his signature below it.

    Jones (30): One of the worst things from the late 1980s/early ’90s was that the Bad Boy Pistons didn’t play in black uniforms. Alternate jerseys weren’t the thing back then, but if they were, these would have been perfect. And how would anyone not like the crossbones here? The uniform captures the essence of the era perfectly.

    Edwards (30): These are clean. The connection to the “Bad Boys” era makes sense. It’s different from what the Pistons have done in the past. Well done. Very well done.

    Iko (25): I’d think Bill Laimbeer would rock these passionately. Everything about these screams Detroit Pistons basketball from back in the day — tough as nails, sleek and dark.


    Phoenix’s jersey reflects the city’s Hispanic culture, and the “El Valle” logo across the chest celebrates lowrider culture.

    Iko (29): It takes real talent to make purple and pink go together. These are the jerseys that make people smile. Well done.

    Jones (29): I love foreign languages on jerseys; the Suns hit a home run with this design. I also love the acknowledgement of lowrider culture. The design puts me in a custom ’64 Impala on a sunny day that’s bouncing down the street on switches.

    Edwards (28): Purple is my favorite color. I also like pink and teal. So, yeah, I’d be first in line to grab this if I were a Suns fan. Also, like Jason, I’m a fan of foreign languages on a jersey.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    NBA lineup changes: Who’s the same? Who’s different? Are rotations here to stay?

    (Illustration: Sam Richardson / The Athletic; photos courtesy of Nike and the NBA)

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    The New York Times

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  • Mike Lupica: In a brutal New York sports season, the Nets might end up being the most interesting team in town

    Mike Lupica: In a brutal New York sports season, the Nets might end up being the most interesting team in town

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    You know how the sports year has gone around here since the basketball season ended last spring. The Yankees and Mets didn’t make the playoffs, Buck Showalter barely made it to the Mets’ last game, the Yankees didn’t actually get interesting again until the other day, when Brian Cashman didn’t just play the part of a profane and professional victim, and made you think, for the first time, that he doesn’t have a job for life if the Yankees aren’t a real contender again in 2004.

    The Giants? They’re in the midst of one of the great freefalls in their history, like it’s the ’70s all over again, to the point where you wonder if they might win another game before next season. Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong for just about everybody involved, the general manager, the coach, the quarterback, the shine coming off all of them at record speed.

    The Jets? They still have a shot, though it looks like more of a longshot every time they try to move the chains, to make the playoffs. But if the Raiders do to them on Sunday night what they did to the Giants last Sunday afternoon, then you can stick a great big fork in the Jets, too, as Jets fans start pondering what kind of future they really have if it’s built around a 40-something quarterback coming off an Achilles injury.

    We no longer care that the Jets are going to win the Jersey state football championship. But now that it is basketball season again, it is very much worth talking about whether it’s going to be the Knicks or the Nets winning the city basketball title.

    That is good basketball talk right there, even about whether the Nets could end up being better than the Knicks this season if they can ever stay healthy. That means even after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and everybody, seemingly, except Julius Erving last season; whether the Nets might turn into the most interesting team in town. Nobody would have thought that could be possible this close to the immediate rebuild after Durant and Irving were gone, and Sean Marks, who runs the show at Barclays Center, had to admit in front of his own fans and in front of the world that the big shot he took with not just Durant and Irving but James Harden, as well, had gone bust.

    But guess what? The Nets are suddenly young and deep, with talent at all of their rotation spots. On top of that, they are fun to watch again now that they are no longer the drama kings of the National Basketball Association. You want to start someplace, start here:

    Raise a hand, at least if you’re not a Nets fan, if you know that the leading scorer in basketball New York right now, either side of the river, is a 22-year old kid from LSU named Cam Thomas. That is, however, exactly what Thomas was through the first eight games his team has played, 26.9 a game, until he rolled his ankle the other night and it was announced that he was going to have to miss two weeks just when he was running this hot.

    The Nets’ record sat at a modest 4-5 after getting boxed around by the Celtics in Boston Friday night. Nobody is saying that they are going to end up with a higher seed than the Knicks come playoff time, or that they could be the city team even getting one of the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference. Still: When you watch them play, when they are pushing the ball and Thomas and Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie and Nic Claxton (when healthy) are sharing it, it’s hard not to see the possibilities, especially as well coached as they are by Jacque Vaughn.

    Even Ben Simmons has shown signs of life this season, managing to score five baskets in a game twice and being in double figures in rebounds (high of 15) in five of his team’s first eight games.

    Think back to what we all thought had become of the Nets when Durant was on his way to Phoenix and Irving was on his way to Dallas and that experiment has ultimately failed the way Durant-Irving-Harden had failed in the end after it felt like the three of them had been together for about three games total. Then look at where they are right now, with all these young guys getting after it the way they are. It sometimes seems that it has taken Marks about half-a-season to do what it has taken Leon Rose years to do at the Garden.

    The Nets are never going to be the big game in New York, just because the Knicks are always going to be that. The Knicks are coming off a season during which Jalen Brunson became a star, and Knick fans will always wonder how Knicks vs. Heat would have played out in the end of Brunson had any help at all in Game 6, when he scored 41 points, which was more than Julius Randle and RJ Barrett and Josh Hart combined.

    You see how good they can look when Randle still looks like an All-Star. We are told now that Randle started the season hurt, and there is no reason to think that he wasn’t, just off the numbers he was putting up early. But there is also no reason at this time, and this far into his Knicks career, to believe Randle will ever stop being this consistently inconsistent.

    And Barrett? There is still no way of knowing just exactly where his ceiling is, no matter how many times we want to give him the game ball when he looks as great as he did against the Spurs the other night at the Garden.

    Somehow, after everything that happened to the Nets and with the Nets a year ago, it is the Nets who seem like the deeper team of the two right now. Marks tried it the modern NBA way, you bet, with big stars, and the Nets came up short, even if it happened the way it did one Game 7 night against the Bucks because Durant’s sneaker was about a couple of inches too long. Now Marks tries things differently on his side of the river.

    We don’t get the first Knicks vs. Nets game of the season until Dec. 20, at Barclays. If both our teams stay reasonably healthy, and remain where they are in the middle of the pack in the conference, that will be something else to talk about, a game to watch in what we very much need to be season to watch in basketball New York.

    If not, we might need the Rangers carrying us all the way to baseball this time.

    BELICHICK AND BRADY BY THE NUMBERS, CASHMAN OWES AN APOLOGY & JETS DIDN’T HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN …

    OK, here are your fun football facts for today from my pal John Labombarda of the Elias Sports Bureau (they know everything):

    Bill Belichick’s won-loss record when Tom Brady has been his quarterback in regular season games — 219-64.

    Belichick’s record without Brady, first in Cleveland and now New England — 81-95.

    Brady’s regular season record without Belichick — 32-18.

    Belichick’s postseason record with Brady — 30-11.

    His postseason record, Cleveland and New England, without Brady — 1-2.

    Brady’s postseason record in Tampa Bay after he left the Patriots — 5-2.

    Now obviously they needed each other over all those years with the Patriots, they were as formidable a coach/quarterback team as their sport has ever seen.

    And, to be fair, it was Belichick who saw enough in Brady to give him the ball, and a chance, in the first place.

    But you have to say, all in, that Touchdown Tom doesn’t miss the hoodie guy nearly as much as the hoodie guy misses him.

    Right?

    My friend Barry Stanton points out that the Texans sure have done better taking C.J. Stroud with the second overall pick than the Jets did with Mrs. Wilson’s son, Zach.

    Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti was in a rock-and-hard place with Jim Harbaugh — and his merry prankster of a sign stealer — even before Petitti suspended Harbaugh from coaching Michigan’s last three regular season games.

    But in the end, and no matter how many high-powered lawyers Michigan sends after him, Petitti had the high ground here.

    And, I’m sorry, if you believe that Harbaugh had no idea what this guy Connor Stalions was doing on his tour of Big Ten stadiums, you believe that Brian Cashman’s Yankees really were victims of life’s circumstances, as opposed to a series of wrong-headed decisions.

    Speaking of which?

    Cashman did a significant disservice to himself, and to the Yankees, with that hour-long meltdown in front of the media in Arizona the other day.

    And if he couldn’t see his way to apologizing afterward, the owner of the team should have done it for him.

    In the end, Cashman performed about as well as his baseball team did last season.

    By the way?

    If it wasn’t analytics that got Cashman to give Aaron Hicks a 7-year contract, what was it — he thought Hicks looked really good in pinstripes?

    You want some analytics?

    The Yankees have won one World Series in the last 23 years.

    It is worth asking, and not for the first time, how the Jets didn’t have a real quarterback in place behind Zach Wilson when this season started.

    They had a back-up to Rodgers, no question.

    Just no back-up plan.

    How’s that working out for Joe Douglas?

    Seriously: Did they really think that nothing could ever possibly happen to Aaron Rodgers, who turns 40 in December?

    The news isn’t really getting much better for the mayor or New York City, is it?

    Maybe even Angel Reese was impressed with Caitlin Clark putting 44 on Virginia Tech the other night.

    The world was a much simpler place when it didn’t seem as if we had a tracking device on a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.

    Chris Kreider continues to prove that you really can never go wrong with a Boston College man.

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    Mike Lupica

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  • Nets to face the ultimate litmus test against undefeated Boston Celtics

    Nets to face the ultimate litmus test against undefeated Boston Celtics

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    The circumstances surrounding Saturday’s game against the Celtics couldn’t be tougher for the Nets.

    Fresh off a four-game road trip ending Friday in Chicago, the Nets will be playing on the second night of their first back-to-back of the season. Boston, meanwhile, comes to Barclays Center fresh, having last suited up Wednesday.

    The Nets are still nursing key injuries, with the calf strain Cam Johnson suffered in the first game of the season set to be re-evaluated next week. Nic Claxton, who sprained an ankle in the season opener, also hasn’t played since.

    That’s not to mention the reloaded Celtics are really, really good. They’re a legit 4-0 with their margin of victory increasing in every win — most recently with a 51-point blowout of the Indiana Pacers.

    It all adds up to Saturday being the ultimate early-season stress test for the new-look Nets.

    Now 10 months removed from the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era, the superstar-less Nets have largely lived up to their manta of competing with effort and depth. They hung close in losses to the playoff-contending Cavaliers and Mavericks; cruised to a convincing win over the less-talented Hornets; and had unlikely heroes emerge in a comeback victory over the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Miami Heat.

    Boston is a different animal, boasting superstar talent at the top and enviable depth to supplement it.

    Jayson Tatum is off to another stellar start, averaging 29.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Fellow well-rounded wing Jaylen Brown is also playing at an All-Star pace, averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and a team-leading 1.5 steals. Both are plus defenders, as is battle-tested point guard Jrue Holiday, the five-time All-Defensive Team selection whom Boston acquired right before the season.

    The Celtics’ other All-Star addition over the offseason, Kristaps Porzingis, has also made an immediate impact. The matchup-nightmare center is averaging 18.8 points and sank a game-winning three-pointer against his original team, the Knicks, in Boston’s season opener.

    How the rebuilt Nets, even in their undermanned state, hold up against the juggernaut Celtics will say much about their work-in-progress identity and how they measure up against the East’s elite.

    Kristaps Porzingis was one of the Boston Celtics’ big additions over the offseason. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

    Can they make life difficult for standout scorers like Tatum and Brown, who excel at getting to the basket and are both shooting above 40% from three? Throughout the preseason, the Nets preached their potential as a lockdown defense, with the lanky Mikal Bridges, Ben Simmons and Dorian Finney-Smith among those capable of guarding multiple positions.

    They’ve struggled thus far against opposing All-Stars, however, with Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scoring 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting and Dallas’ Luka Doncic exploding for 49 points on 16-of-25. Both dominated down the stretches of their games and finished off victories with go-ahead three-pointers. Brooklyn fared better against Miami’s Jimmy Butler, who put up 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting and was held scoreless over the final four minutes.

    Can Cam Thomas deliver another offensive outburst? The 22-year-old sensation scored at least 30 points in each of the Nets’ first three games but came back to Earth against defensive-minded Miami, struggling to find any rhythm in an ugly 13-point effort on 4-of-19 shooting. It only gets harder against Holiday and company.

    The 6-3 Thomas’ defense could also prove a liability against capable backcourt scorers in Holiday and Derrick White.

    Will the Nets have an answer for Porzingis? They certainly didn’t against another uniquely talented — albeit very different — All-Star center in Miami’s uber-athletic Bam Adebayo, who scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds. The Nets repeatedly rolled out a small starting lineup without the 6-10 Claxton, with the 6-7 Finney-Smith suiting up as the de facto center. That won’t cut it against the 7-3 Porzingis, who is shooting 45% from three.

    Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum plays against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 3, 2023, in Boston. (Michael Dwyer/AP)
    Jayson Tatum, pictured here in the Boston Celtics’ March 3 game against the Nets last season, is off to another strong start. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

    And can Bridges rise to the occasion and keep up with Boston’s stars? Bridges, who last season averaged 26.1 points in the 27 games after the Nets acquired him in the Durant trade, saw that mark drop to 20.8 through the first four games of this season.

    Bridges has spoken about his desire to emerge as the Nets’ go-to guy. After being held scoreless in the fourth quarter of the Dallas loss, Bridges stepped up as Brooklyn’s closer in the win over Miami, scoring nine of the Nets’ final 11 points and assisting on the other two.

    The schedule-makers did the Nets no favors to start the season, between the early four-game road trip and a downright brutal upcoming stretch in which they host the Celtics on Saturday, the Bucks on Monday and the Clippers on Wednesday before traveling to Boston for another bout with the Celtics next Friday.

    “I want us to embrace that,” Nets coach Jacque Vaugn said last month of the tough schedule. “It’s extremely important for us to be ready to play at the beginning of this year to kind of set an avenue, a tone, for us going forward.”

    Saturday marks his team’s greatest litmus test yet.

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    Peter Sblendorio

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  • Hollinger: 13 bold NBA season predictions, including All-Star Wembanyama and a Celtics title

    Hollinger: 13 bold NBA season predictions, including All-Star Wembanyama and a Celtics title

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    What time is it? That’s right …  it’s time to make some outlandish statements that people will look back on next spring and cackle hysterically.

    OK, that’s not actually the goal, but it is certainly an occupational hazard. Prognostication makes fools of us all; there are just too many things we can’t possibly have seen coming. Thank goodness for that, actually, as sports would be pretty boring otherwise.

    That won’t stop me from trying, though. With the regular season starting next week, now is the time to gaze into my extremely hazy crystal ball and make some calls for what will happen in the coming months. In particular, the goal is to make some calls that might go against the tide and are actually, y’know … bold. For instance, “Nikola Jokić will make the All-Star team” is a defensible prediction that likely will come true but doesn’t really clear the bar for this particular exercise.

    A bolder prediction, on the other hand, would be something unusual or unexpected. Like, say, predicting that something that hasn’t happened in two decades might happen this season. That would be a rookie — a true rookie — making the All-Star team. The last rookie to make it was Blake Griffin in 2011, but he was in his second season under contract with the LA Clippers after missing his entire first campaign. A fresh-from-the-draft rookie hasn’t made the squad since Yao Ming was voted in as a starter in 2003.

    We can qualify that even further because Yao only averaged 13 points a game that season and was voted in despite production that clearly paled next to the other potential options. (To be clear, Yao deserved his next six selections. Just not that year.)

    GO DEEPER

    The 24 biggest questions for the NBA season: Nuggets repeat? Wembanyama not ROY?

    To go back a bit further, to the last time a just-drafted rookie both made the All-Star team and had numbers that truly warranted his inclusion, one would need a full quarter-century. And, what a coincidence … that player happened to be Tim Duncan, in 1998, in his first season as a San Antonio Spur.

    Well, 25 years later, I’m going to go out on a limb and say a top overall pick of the Spurs will once again make the All-Star team … and will make it on merit.

    Don’t let one bad summer league game get you twisted: Victor Wembanyama is as unique a basketball player to ever enter the league, a rim-denying giant at one end with a guard’s mentality and skill set at the other. You thought Kristaps Porziņģis was a unicorn because he could shoot 3s at his size? Well, picture the same package except with genuine ball skills and the ability to play out of the pick-and-roll.

    I watched Wembanyama twice in Vegas last year and announced several of his French games for the NBA app; in every single one, he did something absolutely mind-blowingly unique, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do that before” type stuff. He was far and away the best player in a good overseas league at the age of 18.

    Here’s the crazy part: His preseason has been way better than that. Wembanyama seems to have made significant improvement both in his capability as a ballhandler and in his end-to-end speed (it helps when you can Eurostep to the rim from the 3-point line without needing to dribble), producing cascades of easy baskets for himself and those around him.

    While his French tape showed flashes of this, he’s been able to do it with greater consistency in the more open floor of the NBA and shown marked improvement in his reading of the court and playmaking. Through two preseason games entering Wednesday night (I know, but humor me), the top pick in the draft has averaged more than a point per minute on 71.4 percent true shooting, blocked four shots and dissuaded countless others from being attempted and compiled a 33.9 PER.

    I had thought Wembanyama might need a year to get his NBA sea legs before we really saw his impact. To hell with that. He’s already quite clearly his team’s best player and is likely good enough to lead the Spurs to a win total that may make them slightly uncomfortable. It’s becoming more and more apparent that he’s going to end up with an All-Star-caliber stat line that could, at the very least, put him on the short list for selection.


    Victor Wembanyama could very well flex his way right into the All-Star Game this season. (Sarah Phipps / Associated Press)

    Here’s the other part: The Western Conference is laden with star talent, but as a frontcourt player, Wembanyama should have an advantage. Other than Jokić, all of his main rivals for those spots have the words “if healthy” permanently attached as suffixes to the end of their names. Between LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson and Kevin Durant, surely at least one and possibly several will miss the festivities in Indy this February.

    Other players will be in the mix too, of course — Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen made it last year, for instance, and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns is still here — but between the shock and awe value of Wembanyama’s play and the likelihood of injury replacements on the West roster, he has a great chance of making the team even if he isn’t voted in as a starter.

    Wemby on the All-Star team is my first bold prediction, but it’s not the only one. Here are some more for the coming season:

    No coaches will be fired before the All-Star break

    Any prediction involving job security in the NBA coaching profession is a daring high-wire dance above a fiery lava pit, but this might be the season to pull it off. The league’s coaching roster looks as stable as it has in some time; while you can imagine seats getting hot in a few places with a slow start, there’s also the undeniable fact that recent turnover has been so high that there are relatively few long-tenured coaches remaining to get the ax.

    Do you know how many coaches have been on the job since before the pandemic year? Four! That’s it! Those are the league’s four “made men,” championship-winning coaches Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr and Michael Malone, who have a combined 59 seasons with their current teams. They’re not going anywhere.

    Meanwhile, 13 teams have a coach in either his first or second season, which would make them unlikely to be dismissed so quickly. Five others are in Year 3, when the pressure normally increases, except four of those clubs are rebuilding and have limited expectations this season. Add it up and, for 21 of the league’s 30 teams, an early-season coaching change seems hugely unlikely.

    Again, this profession isn’t exactly renowned for its stability — last season’s first coaching change (the Nets’ Steve Nash) happened on Nov. 1! — so this prediction may end up looking hilarious come February. For the moment, however, we seemingly enter the season with almost unprecedented stability in the league’s coaching ranks.

    Minnesota will win a playoff series for the first time in 20 years

    That’s right, I have a second thing that hasn’t happened in 20 years that I’m predicting will happen in 2023-24. Good things to happen to the Timberwolves? Have I lost my mind? 

    Thus far, the preseason focus has been on other West locales — the world champion Denver Nuggets, the reloaded Phoenix Suns and the recent champions in Golden State and L.A. — while the Wolves haven’t garnered nearly as much attention. However, they quietly played well over the second half of last season, going 26-19 after the turn of the new year, and I’m projecting them to land one of the top four seeds in the West.

    If that happened, it would be the first time since their conference finals run with Kevin Garnett in 2004. In the only other three playoff appearances for the Wolves since then, they’ve been first-round roadkill as the West’s seventh or eighth seed.

    While it’s a little early to pencil in who might be their first-round playoff opponent, the Wolves would have home-court advantage in the first round based on their projected finish, and, particularly if they get the No. 3 seed or higher, would be in a historically strong position to advance.

    Additionally, there doesn’t seem to be any particularly compelling reason to bet against Minnesota once it reaches the postseason; the Wolves have the requisite inside-outside weapons in Anthony Edwards and Towns, their potential top-seven playoff rotation looks strong and, besides Towns, the team has strong individual defenders. Will this be the season we see Minnesota play in May? 

    Jayson Tatum will beat Nikola Jokić for MVP…

    Because he’ll be the only player eligible for the award! I kid, slightly, but the league’s new 65-game requirement for most of the major awards may knock some fringe MVP candidates out of the running. (Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo finished third last season with 63 games played; Memphis’ Ja Morant finished seventh while playing 57 in 2021-22; and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid finished second while playing just 51 of the 72 games in the shortened 2020-21 season.)

    More seriously, and in keeping with the theme of bold predictions and not regurgitating chalk, I expect the award to come down to Jokić and Tatum in April. There’s an obvious risk in my saying Tatum will win since Jokić enters the season as an overwhelming favorite, which is the blowback from a league-wide sentiment of mea culpa for not giving him the trophy a year ago.

    However, Tatum’s durability may give him a leg up in MVP voting despite the fact that he’s not perceived as the best player in the league. He nearly led the league in minutes a year ago and is young enough at 25 to again take on a big playing time load. Additionally, Boston could easily end up with the best record in the league and may do so by several games. As the team’s best player, Tatum almost automatically becomes a leading candidate.

    Finally, it’s entirely possible Jokić treats the regular season with a bit less urgency — much as he did in the final month last season — while he tunes up for the games in May and June that truly matter. (On the flip side, Denver’s bench may be so bad that he doesn’t have the luxury.) A Nuggets finish in the middle of a crowded West pack would also dampen his quest for MVP No. 3, and that’s definitely in the cards too.


    Nikola Jokić and Jayson Tatum will have to play at least 65 games this season to remain in MVP consideration. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

    The West will regain dominance over the East

    The East had a better record than the West for the second straight season in 2022-23, ending up with 22 more wins. That’s been a rarity over the past three decades; the West has been vastly superior nearly every season since Michael Jordan retired, culminating in the 2013-14 season in which identical 48-win seasons got Toronto the No. 3 seed in the East and earned Phoenix a ticket to the lottery in the West. 

    The NBA’s three best records also belonged to the East last year, and that part may hold up … partly because the depth of the West is so strong that it will be difficult for any individual team to push its win total much into the 50s. Nonetheless, the unusually tame regular seasons from expected West powers last season are unlikely to be an enduring feature; the Lakers, Warriors, Wolves, Clippers and Suns all figure to add several wins compared to 2022-23, while at the bottom of the conference, the 60-loss Rockets and Spurs could both be vastly improved. Only Portland will take a step back in the West.

    In the East, the opposite trend holds. While Boston and Milwaukee look as strong as ever and Cleveland is on the rise, Washington, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Chicago will have a difficult time matching last year’s win total. The flows of All-Star talent are another indicator: Damian Lillard went East, but since the last trade deadline, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart have all gone West, and James Harden might be next.

    The Clippers will re-evaluate everything 

    OK, this prediction needs a bit more time to breathe and might not really come to fruition until next summer. Still, watch the Clippers, especially if they start slowly. Yes, LA is still all-in on winning and will cut another massive luxury-tax check to the league (their estimated penalty right now is a cool $100 million), and the Clippers could easily add to that figure if they end up trading for Harden.

    Nonetheless, this season is a clear pivot point for the team, thanks in part to a new CBA that makes life much harder for teams that spend past the second luxury-tax apron, where the Clippers currently reside. After this year, teams in that position can’t aggregate salaries in trades or take back more money than they sent out. They also can’t use cash in trades, use their midlevel exception, sign bought out players or wear sneakers. Staying over the second apron next year would also result in their 2032 first-round pick being frozen and, if the payroll didn’t come down in future years, ultimately pushed to the back end of the draft.

    All this is happening right at the point when Steve Ballmer is surely questioning his ROI on the huge luxury-tax checks; over the past two seasons, his team is 86-78 and has won a single playoff game. 

    Two other timeline items stand out: First, the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome arena is set to open next year, and second, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard can become free agents this summer. You’ll note that you’re not hearing much about contract extensions for either player right now.

    The Clippers still owe future draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder through 2026, so it’s not a blow-it-up scenario as much as a scaling back. They have scenarios in which they could bring back Leonard and George while still skirting the second apron … or perhaps, dare we say it, even staying below the first apron and using their entire midlevel exception to balance out the roster.

    Still, this looks to be a tricky dance. Ballmer is willing and able to pay virtually anything for a winner, but the league has never punished expensive rosters like this. Waiving Eric Gordon this June seemed like the first salvo in an organizational rethink about the merits of blasting money out the firehose under the new CBA. 

    Tyrese Maxey will win Most Improved Player 

    Consider this partly a bet on Tyrese Maxey’s talent and partly a bet against Harden playing a significant role in Philly this season. If Harden is going to either be traded or behave so badly that the Sixers wish they had traded him, then Maxey should be the obvious beneficiary in terms of touches and shots.

    Maxey averaged 20.3 points per game last season, but the number ballooned to 24.8 in the 13 games he played and Harden didn’t; that latter average would have placed him 15th in the league.

    His other arrows are pointing up too. Maxey won’t turn 23 until November and is still figuring out how to weaponize his proficient 3-point shot (41.4 percent career) with more off-the-dribble attempts and how to parlay his blazing first step into more free-throw attempts. He’s an 85.8 percent career foul shooter but only attempted 3.8 free throws per game last year. That number should only rise as he gets more on-ball reps and figures out the dark arts of foul grifting.

    Note that Maxey should also be highly motivated to produce this season, as the Sixers have held off on signing him to a contract extension to preserve 2024 cap space. With a good year, he’ll be able to sign for the Maxey-mum (sorry) next summer.

    Two other players will make their first All-Star team: Jalen Brunson and Jamal Murray 

    Denver’s Jamal Murray might be the most obvious first-time All-Star pick in a while, coming off a fabulous postseason that signified his full recovery from a torn ACL in 2021. He posted a 21.6 PER in 20 playoff games, or about a quarter of an NBA season (or half of one if you’re a Clipper); those numbers alone would get him in range of selection, and keep in mind they were posted against playoff defenses. Presumably, life will get easier for him when we add some Blazers and Wizards back into the mix.

    As for Brunson, he missed the team a year ago while fellow Knick Julius Randle made it, but the playoffs may have been the tipping point in a swap of leading men in New York. Yes, Randle’s injuries were a factor, but Brunson averaged 27.8 points in the playoffs while taking by far the most shots on the team (over 20 a game). Moreover, those playoff stats were a continuation from the second half of the season: After a slow start, Brunson averaged 27.8 points per game after Jan. 1. Entering his age-27 season, Brunson, it would seem, is primed for a career year.

    The Knicks are likely to get one rep in the game if they’re again among the top seven teams in the East when the voting happens, and if so, it seems more likely the choice would be Brunson this time around. 

    While we’re here, apologies to the Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane and the Nets’ Mikal Bridges, two other players I think will post strong resumes that get them serious All-Star consideration. It’s hard for me to pull the trigger on predicting them to make it unless there is a rash of injuries to elite backcourt players in each conference, especially with Brunson and Murray claiming spots.

    The Bulls will blow it up

    Consider this a prediction in two parts: First, that the Bulls won’t be good enough to justify keeping the DeMar DeRozan–Nikola Vučević–Zach LaVine band together any longer, and second, that they’ll break out the dynamite at the trade deadline. The key here is timing: DeRozan is a free agent after the season, so the Bulls need to either cash in their stock on the high-scoring 34-year-old forward or sign him to an extension. 

    Moving off him would be the necessary first step in a process that would likely see the Bulls deal LaVine and Vučević as well, although LaVine has four years left on his deal and thus might be shopped more profitably at the draft in June.

    Historically, the Bulls haven’t been fans of tanking, and their first choice will (and should!) be to see how many games this nucleus can win. However, this particular decision might already have been made for them, as the endgame has seemed apparent ever since the seriousness of Lonzo Ball’s knee injury became clear. Chicago can either forge ahead with an expensive, not very good team with limited flexibility, or the Bulls can start over and hope they get lucky in the loaded 2025 and 2026 drafts.

    Taylor Jenkins will win NBA Coach of the Year 

    This has nothing to do with who I think the best coach is (Spoelstra, duh) but rather my reading of the trend lines of the history of this award, which skews heavily toward the biggest surprise in the top third of the standings.

    Based on my projections for the coming season and the comparative amount of buzz about the teams I have slated for winning records, the three most likely candidates would seemingly be Jenkins in Memphis, Darko Rajaković in Toronto and J.B. Bickerstaff in Cleveland. (Grizzlies alumni represent!) Boston’s Joe Mazzulla would be a strong candidate too, especially if the Celtics end up with the league’s best record by several games, as I suspect they might.

    Nonetheless, Jenkins has the best ingredients in his favor for winning: Nobody is expecting all that much from his team, the Grizzlies are actually pretty good, and there’s a built-in narrative (“Didn’t have Ja Morant for the first 25 games and still …”) ready and waiting. Additionally, the margins in the West are tight enough that the Grizzlies don’t really need to overachieve much to get people’s attention, as I’m projecting a 50-ish win total might be enough to top the conference.


    Kevin Durant and the Suns will look to advance in a stacked Western Conference. (Craig Mitchelldye / Associated Press)

    Phoenix won’t have the West’s best record but will make the NBA Finals

    I would take the field over any individual team in the West, and there’s a risk in making any prediction at all given that several contenders will likely make in-season moves to reshape their rosters. Seven teams have at least a somewhat realistic shot of advancing out of this pool, and that number could expand if a team in the middle class decides to get frisky with an all-in trade.

    Nonetheless, right now, I like the playoff version of the Suns better than anyone else in a warty contender field. By the spring, Phoenix will hopefully have figured out some of the balance in its three-headed Bradley Beal-Devin Booker-Kevin Durant monster, and it’s quite possible the Suns will have used another trade chip or two to get more size and depth.

    Ultimately, it will come down to Phoenix and Denver, most likely, regardless of which round they end up meeting — much like last year when their conference semifinal series was effectively for a place in the NBA Finals. This time around, I like the Suns’ answers off the bench much more than the ones they came up with a year ago, and I like the Nuggets’ quite a bit less. At the margins, I think that tilts the advantage slightly Phoenix’s way … even with Denver undoubtedly having the best player. 

    Boston will outlast Milwaukee in the East 

    The thing about Milwaukee getting Lillard is that it also allowed the Celtics to turn Malcolm Brogdon into Jrue Holiday. Holiday, of course, is about the best antidote to Lillard that mankind has come up with so far, dating to the 2018 series with the New Orleans Pelicans when Holiday harassed Lillard into 35 percent shooting in a four-game sweep.

    That said, the Bucks present some real problems for Boston. The Lillard-Antetokounmpo two-man game threatens to be the best in the entire league, and the Bucks certainly can surround it with enough shooting. Dealing with Antetokounmpo might require heavy doses of an aging Al Horford, especially with Robert Williams gone to Portland, and Milwaukee’s dynamic duo also is one that could expose Porziņģis defensively. 

    There’s also some risk in choosing Boston here based on how the past few postseasons have gone, where the offense too easily degenerates into isolation-heavy slogs with Tatum and Jaylen Brown playing your-turn my-turn. (The Celtics also seem to lose all their mojo at the mere sight of Miami Heat jerseys, but that might not be a factor this season.)

    However, that’s where Porziņģis can really help. His ability to punish switches by posting up shorter players is an option that Boston simply didn’t have last year, and it could be a real factor against the postseason switching defenses that have tended to gum up Boston the last few years.

    I’m excited just thinking about this series … but I think the Celtics will prevail slightly in the end, much as they did in the second round two years ago. 

    Boston will beat Phoenix in the NBA Finals

    Boston vs. Phoenix would be an incredible Finals because it would involve the Suns’ eternal quest for a first crown against the Celtics’ hope of raising an 18th banner, which would once again give them a leg up on the Lakers on the all-time list. Of course, it would be a first of sorts for Boston as well, as the Celtics haven’t won since 2008 and the current Tatum-Brown-Horford core has yet to get over the final hump.

    It seems risky to pick Boston to win four straight playoff series despite the Celtics’ imposing defense and impressive top-seven rotation for the postseason. Historically, the postseason has been about having That Dude, and only a few teams have managed to get to the mountaintop with more of an ensemble cast. Tatum is one of the best players in the league, but he hasn’t yet shown himself to be a playoff cheat code on the Jokić/Curry/Kawhi level.

    On the other hand … Boston just has so many ways to hurt you that Tatum doesn’t have to play at an exalted level for the Celtics to win the title. Two years ago, they were up 2-1 on Golden State in the Finals, for instance, before succumbing in six games. Curry was the best player in that series and Tatum only shot 35 percent, yet the Celtics were still in it.

    Again, the Porziņģis acquisition potentially looms large, especially if he can hold up on defense, because it allows the Celtics to punish some of the switching schemes that so badly stagnated them in previous postseasons. At the other end, Boston is also one of the few teams with enough elite perimeter defenders to not sweat matching up against Beal, Booker and Durant at the same time. In the end, the Celtics’ defense is good enough that I worry less about the offense.

    So, book your hotels for Boston in June, print this out and file it away and prepare to laugh uproariously when 50 things we couldn’t possibly have imagined reshape the season in totally unexpected ways. That’s the beauty of sports, but I’ll keep trying to get this hazy crystal ball to give me a few tips.

    (Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos: Maddie Meyer, Paras Griffin, David Dow / Getty Images)

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    The New York Times

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  • NBA’s sudden change of heart on load management is odd, but better late than never

    NBA’s sudden change of heart on load management is odd, but better late than never

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    The NBA’s 180 on load management is giving me whiplash.

    Five seconds ago, every available piece of science the NBA told us it had in its possession from its teams said – screamed – the same thing: players not only needed more time off but that the league would be derelict in its partnership with its players if it didn’t align with teams, whose data said: rest.

    The league cut way back on back-to-back games. Many teams eliminated morning shootarounds, as they were viewed as disruptive to players’ sleep patterns. Every team had a “Director of Very Important Sports Science and Cutting Edge MahnaMahna” and scores of eager data collectors. Wearables tracked every waking moment of every player, what they ate, and when. Cameras high above each arena tracked every movement of every player on the court.

    So, Joel Embiid rested. Kawhi Leonard rested. LeBron James rested. Everyone rested. Including in your city, after you plunked down $300 to take the family to see the Dubs’ one appearance in your city that season. Sorry, Felicity and Mikal: Steph’s in street clothes tonight. Wave to him; he’ll wave back.

    And now … psych.

    “Before, it was a given conclusion that the data showed that you had to rest players a certain amount, and that justified them sitting out,” NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told national media in a conference call Wednesday.

    “We’ve gotten more data, and it just doesn’t show that resting, sitting guys out correlates with lack of injuries, or fatigue, or anything like that. What it does show is maybe guys aren’t as efficient on the second night of a back-to-back.”

    Dumars’ words echo those of Commissioner Adam Silver, as he introduced the league’s new “Player Participation Program” that was approved by the league’s Board of Governors last month.

    “Honestly, that’s what I’d been told as well, that it was the science,” Silver said. “I think it may be why the league didn’t become involved maybe as deeply as we should have earlier on. Part of the discussion today was about the science, and frankly, the science is inconclusive.

    “I think in the case here, that part of the commitment here from the league office is we are putting together a group of team doctors and scientists and others and trying to better understand it. One thing I want to make clear: The message to our teams and players is not that rest is never appropriate. And realize, there’s a bit of an art to this, not just a science.”

    GO DEEPER

    Load management has frustrated NBA, fans and TV partners. But will new rules help?

    Now, the NBA has a lot of smart, smart people in its sports medicine department. The department, led by Dr. John DiFiori, helped create the Orlando Bubble in 2020 out of thin air – and, more or less, pulled it off. It then created a comprehensive return-to-play program for the following season that was lauded by other medical people for its thoroughness and honesty about how to deal with COVID cases when and if they occurred. The league had extensive and continuing dialogue with the Players’ Association, before, during and after the two sides hammered out the newest Collective Bargaining Agreement about these kinds of issues. It’s a partnership.

    And during all of this, the NBA’s position was consistent: the science, the science, the science tells us so.

    Just eight months ago(!) this is what Silver said during All-Star Weekend in February, in Salt Lake City: “I hesitate to weigh in on an issue as to whether players are playing enough because there is real medical data and scientific data about what’s appropriate. Sometimes, to me, the premise of a question as to whether players are playing enough suggests that they should be playing more – that, in essence, there should be some notion of just get out there and play. Having been in the league for a long time, having spent time with a lot of some of our great legends, I don’t necessarily think that’s the case.

    “The world that we used to have where it was just, ‘Get out there and play through injuries,’ for example, I don’t think that’s appropriate. Clearly, I mean, at the end of the day, these are human beings – many of you talk to and know well – who are often playing through enormous pain, who play through all kinds of aches and pains on a regular basis. The suggestion, I think, that these men, in the case in the NBA, somehow should just be out there more for its own sake, I don’t buy into.”

    And now … forget all of that?

    To be fair, Silver has said, multiple times over the last few years, that he was concerned about the effect of load management on the league’s fans, who were increasingly paying to attend games in which no one they hoped to see play had on a uniform. And it became especially hard for the NBA to push teams to push their players to play after COVID reached our shores, though the league’s $100,000 fines instituted in 2020 for teams that group rested players was limited to nationally televised games.

    The league also clearly leaned into, let’s say, encouraging its players that more participation was warranted by tying a minimum games played requirement for many of its individual awards going forward.

    But at every turn, the league dropped back to its default position: We’re following the data.

    So, are we to believe the science turned on a dime? Since February?

    Did NBA players skip the line in the evolutionary process this spring, and suddenly grow a third lung, that now gives them greater breathing capacity? Have they been enhanced, like Grace in Terminator: Dark Fate, now better able to withstand the grind of an 82-game season, after not being able to go on past game 65 or so without congealing?

    And, coincidentally, I’m sure: the data changed that quickly just as the league is reaching a key moment in its discussions with its current and potentially new media partners on a new rights deal, to replace the expiring one in 2025? Or, did the networks and/or tech companies vying to air or stream NBA games in the near future say, with justification: “For our eleventy billion dollars we’re spending to buy these rights, you damn sure are gonna make sure that Giannis and Steph and the Joker suit up on the regular”?

    I’m not saying it’s the only consideration for TV/tech companies — who don’t know that they’re scheduling the Lakers back-to-back when they make their schedule requests; they don’t see the full 82 until you or I do. But it’s hard to believe they don’t push hard on that particular action item with the league’s media committee.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Let’s talk load management: Is it a problem? How do we know it works?

    For the last decade-plus in the NBA, it’s been all about the numbers, all about the data, all about the science, even as the league (he noted, quietly) implemented both a Play-In tournament after the 82-game regular season, and before the two-month-long playoffs, and will now have an in-season tournament during the 82-game season, which will add an 83rd game to the two teams that make the in-season tournament final.

    Rest, but play a little more, too, so that the regular season actually means something – and so we have another package to parlay into another sweet revenue stream.

    The numbers ruled. And so, midrange jumpers were now stupid; rebounds no longer mattered. Big men who got in the way of all the driving and kicking were anathema; we only want rim runners now. And teams’ medical staffs all erred on the side of caution, to try to head off stress injuries and similar maladies before they got worse, by sitting players as much as possible. The days when players, proudly, would play all 82 games because that was what was expected of them were dismissed as Codger Thinking, ridiculous clinging on to the old days by old people who didn’t understand that they were shortening their careers by playing in meaningless games. (It wasn’t as if players back in the day didn’t deal with mental health issues as well.)

    The NBA seems to want everyone to forget.

    What’s more likely: All the teams’ data for the last half-dozen years has suddenly been discovered to be irreparably, incontrovertibly wrong? Or, the league went along with that data, ignoring those who said “Wait; Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas and John Stockton and Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing all suited up as much as possible, year after year, and didn’t fall apart,” because it didn’t want to push back against alleged “modern thinking”? That it couldn’t take a position of “Well, we trust our players,” because someone would present a paper at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference calling such thinking outdated? That it had to justify what every team, from its hedge fund CEO ownership on down, was now saying was “best practices?”

    Dumars, one of those codgers, said Wednesday: “Obviously everybody’s not going to play 82 games, but everyone should want to play 82 games. And that’s the culture that we are trying to reestablish right now.”

    Whatever the process the NBA used to go back to the future, I’m glad it did. It’s all right to keep some old-school thinking along with the new jack intel.

    Fans can’t be guaranteed they’ll see the league’s top stars when they buy tickets; legit injuries happen. But if the league leaves it up to teams to make close calls on player health, the teams will protect their investments, every time. And I know enough about most players to know that, given the choice, they’ll opt to play. Whether out of ego or incentives or genuine care about the fans who pay top dollar to see them, they want to suit up.

    That’s how you make the regular season more meaningful.

    (Photo of Adam Silver: AAron Ontiveroz / The Denver Post via Getty Images)

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    The New York Times

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  • Inside the Damian Lillard trade to Milwaukee and how it came together

    Inside the Damian Lillard trade to Milwaukee and how it came together

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    As the NBA offseason calendar shifted to September and there was no trade in sight to his preferred trade destination of the Miami Heat, Damian Lillard incorporated himself back into the Portland Trail Blazers’ ecosystem. For the last two weeks, team sources say Lillard has been working out at the Blazers practice facility, interacting with players and coaches.

    Nearly three months after his trade request, was there a reconciliation in the works? No, but Lillard wanted the Blazers to know he was willing to remain patient while his uncomfortable exit played out.

    On a call between Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, and Blazers general manager Joe Cronin earlier this month, it was communicated that Lillard would be content rejoining Portland for training camp. Lillard let the Blazers know he was willing to be fully present for the start of the 2023-24 season, if only to give the organization more time to work toward a potential trade with the Heat, sources briefed on those conversations say. But according to league sources, Cronin expressed skepticism about that approach. The Blazers were determined to get a deal done before the start of camp.

    Over the next two weeks, the Blazers’ focus turned toward trading Lillard before the start of training camp and media day on Oct. 2 — and removing the speculation and what they believed was a cloud over the organization. Cronin and his front office have amassed tremendous young talent in Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, and the Blazers were ready for a drama-free camp.

    So the Blazers made the much-awaited blockbuster trade on Wednesday, trading Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal that sent Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 first-round Bucks pick and two Bucks pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Portland. Jusuf Nurkić, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson and Grayson Allen are off to Phoenix.

    The trade has massive implications for the landscape of the NBA. The Bucks are now one of the favorites to win the 2024 championship, teaming Lillard with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidate Bobby Portis and shooters Pat Connaughton and Malik Beasley.

    After he made public comments about being unsure about the Bucks’ desires to contend for a title and being unsure himself of signing an extension, Antetokounmpo has been delivered an All-NBA player who is a perennial All-Star and was voted onto the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team and The Athletic’s NBA 75 list.

    GO DEEPER

    Damian Lillard to the Bucks? A deal that makes the NBA say, ‘Holy (bleep)!’

    In 2020, with Antetokounmpo’s future uncertain ahead of what was a super-maximum contract extension, the Bucks traded for Holiday to push the team closer to a championship. Eight months later, they secured their first NBA championship in 50 seasons with a victory over the Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals.

    Three years later and with similar questions about Antetokounmpo’s future amid extension eligibility, Bucks general manager Jon Horst lands Lillard by making the tough and emotional decision to trade Holiday, the player for whom he traded to help the Bucks secure that title in 2021. And the move could go a long way in securing the future of the Greek Freak once again.

    But this was a deal that shocked much of the NBA world. With much of the expectation throughout this process being that Lillard could end up in Miami and with the loudest chatter in the days before the blockbuster trade being that he could go to Toronto, a deal with the Bucks seemed to be far off the radar.

    Here’s how it all came together.

    From the moment Lillard requested a trade from the Blazers on July 1, he informed the team that he wanted a deal specifically to the Eastern Conference champion Heat, sources briefed on those talks say. Lillard believed he gave the Blazers loyalty over 11 seasons and wanted the franchise to move him to his preferred landing spot.

    The Blazers and Heat had multiple conversations in July, but the sides never engaged in substantive negotiations, according to those sources. In an initial call, the Blazers asked the Heat for Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo. The Heat came to believe that the Blazers had little to no interest in engaging in a deal with them, and as much as Lillard and Goodwin wished that the Blazers would attempt to satisfy the seven-time All-Star’s wish, Portland refused. As the summer progressed, Lillard wanted the Blazers to find a deal with Miami, but those wishes, in his mind, also went unfulfilled.

    For their part, the Heat, league sources say, were prepared in July and August to offer up to three first-round draft picks — with Tyler Herro going to a third team — and multiple second-rounders and swaps along with expiring contracts and 2022 first-round pick Nikola Jović. But the Blazers were disinterested with each side developing a level of contentiousness.

    As the Blazers began to start serious trade talks across the league on Sept. 18, a bevy of teams — the Bucks, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls — all showed interest in Lillard, league sources have told The Athletic. For all involved, the questions revolved around the price tag for Lillard and whether the roster would be able to compete for a championship post-acquisition.

    Meanwhile, in Lillard’s camp, sources briefed on the matter say there was a realization that he would need to start seriously considering the prospect of playing somewhere other than Miami. That had been the case since the start, back when Lillard fielded a recruiting call from the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum not long after his trade request.

    But when Cronin stopped responding to all communication from Goodwin in mid-September — with the tension rising between both sides along the way — sources briefed on the discussions say it inspired the agent to explore other team options that would be to Lillard’s liking. And Tatum, as it turned out, was hardly the only superstar who wanted to bring him to town.

    Antetokounmpo also was a big fan.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Bucks trade for Damian Lillard signals one thing: It’s time for another championship push

    Throughout this Lillard saga, there was the looming question of whether a team would take on his massive contract if he didn’t want to be there. Lillard has three years remaining on his deal plus a player option for 2026-27 for a projected $63.2 million. For example, the Raptors’ interest was serious, but Lillard’s disinterest in playing in Toronto remained an obstacle until the end.

    Yet once Lillard was convinced that joining the Heat was virtually impossible, sources briefed on discussions say he became open to the prospect of playing for the Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets. The backchannel blessings commenced. Goodwin, sources briefed on the talks say, communicated Lillard’s interest to those teams as a way of paving the way for a possible deal. League sources say the Suns, with their sights set on Nurkić and other roster depth, were planning to be a part of trades with the Bucks, Nets or Heat.

    The Blazers began discussing the framework of the Suns’ involvement with the Ayton-for-Nurkić swap in mid-July but needed two months to find the third team for Lillard and ensure that they wouldn’t be entering the luxury tax given Ayton is on a max salary.

    For the Trail Blazers, Phoenix was an essential component of any Lillard trade. Portland valued Ayton, 25, as a foundational piece to anchor a roster headed by Henderson and Sharpe, and the talented big man is sure to be a 20-and-10 threat in his new home. In terms of Holiday, the expectation around the league is that the Blazers will work on finding the two-time All-Star a new home with several playoff contenders squarely in the mix.

    In Phoenix, Nurkić is seen as a better fit for the Suns’ style of play and culture, and his contract (three years, $54.4 million), compared to Ayton’s deal (three years, $102.1 million) gives the franchise additional flexibility moving forward on a roster with three max salaries in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

    After their lackluster finish in the Western Conference semifinals last season, indications from the Suns organization were that it would be open to moving Ayton in a trade that made sense — and general manager James Jones, CEO Josh Bartelstein and owner Mat Ishbia found one with the Blazers.

    Milwaukee became seriously engaged over the last week, believing that pairing Lillard with Antetokounmpo would serve as a convincing factor for Lillard to want to be with the Bucks, even though they weren’t his original preferred destination.

    Now, Antetokounmpo is eligible for a three-year, $186.6 million extension with the Bucks before the start of the regular season or a commitment for up to four years and $260 million next offseason. The Bucks delivered the max, three-year extension to Antetokounmpo in recent days, league sources say, and it is immediately unclear how he and his representatives will reconsider a potential deal now versus waiting to evaluate after the season.

    Milwaukee owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam showed genuine aggressiveness Wednesday, taking on the four years and $216 million remaining on Lillard’s contract. It went a long way toward showing Antetokounmpo that, yes, they want to win badly too.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    How do the Heat recover from losing out on Damian Lillard? They can’t just stand pat

    For Lillard’s part, he finally gets the chance to win it all, something he has always wanted, even if the city where he landed isn’t exactly what he had in mind.

    He has everything but a championship on his résumé. Seven All-Star appearances. Seven All-NBA selections. All those playoff memories that helped make him the greatest Blazers player of them all.

    But this — a title-contending roster that fits so well with his generational skill set — is what he always dreamed of in the City of Roses.

    “In a perfect world, I could spend my entire career in Portland,” he said on a podcast earlier this month.

    This was an imperfect process, to say the least, and a flawed pairing in these recent years. But both sides found a way to win, just in time for the games to begin.

    Related reading

    Quick: After Lillard trade, what remains is worth celebrating
    Harper: Grading the NBA’s latest megadeal

    Related listening

    (Photo by Amanda Loman / Getty Images)

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    The New York Times

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  • How the NBA’s new player participation policy affects the Knicks and Nets

    How the NBA’s new player participation policy affects the Knicks and Nets

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    Julius Randle and Ben Simmons are “star” players under the criteria set by the NBA’s new Player Participation Policy.

    Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges are not — though that could change the instance either earn their first All-Star or All-NBA nod.

    This is how the league is tackling its widespread load management issue, with new rules that penalize teams for sitting star-level players without just cause.

    Teams with two such star players — that is: a player who has been named an All-Star or made an All-NBA team in any of the previous three seasons — are not allowed to rest both players in the same game.

    Randle is a two-time NBA All-Star (2021 and 2023) and a two-time All-NBA honoree (2021 Second Team, 2023 Third Team). Simmons is a three-time All-Star, though his last All-Star appearance was in 2021. If he does not make an All-Star team this season, he will not qualify as a star for the Nets next season.

    As a practical example, the Los Angeles Lakers deciding to sit both superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the same game without prior approval from the league would trigger a league investigation this season.

    Under the NBA’s new player participation policy, star-level players must appear in all nationally-televised games – and they must appear in all of the league’s upcoming In-Season Tournament games, as well.

    The Knicks play 25 nationally-televised games in the 2023-24 season, 20 if you exclude games broadcast on NBA TV. And now that Durant and Irving have orchestrated trades out of Brooklyn, the Nets have seen their national exposure nosedive: just five games this season set to air on either ESPN or TNT and six more on NBA TV.

    This new set of rules, however, also triggers the moment a player earns star status.

    So if Brunson were to become an All-Star this season, the NBA would fine the Knicks for resting both Brunson and Randle in the same game unless both were justifiably hurt or excused by the league for a pre-approved absence.

    These exceptions to the rule include multigame absences for bona fide injury, personal reasons, rare and unusual circumstances, roster management of unavailable star players, and end-of-season flexibility

    The Nets would need to seek similar approval should Bridges earn his first All-Star nod this season, a likely outcome given his exceptional play representing Team USA in the FIBA World Cup.

    Mikal Bridges’ standout World Cup game marred by late miss

    The Player Participation Policy features five key rules teams must comply with to avoid the stiff financial penalties for sitting star players: No more than one star player can be unavailable for the same game; star players must be available for nationally-televised and In-Season Tournament games; if a player is going to miss games, the league prefers the games be missed at home; teams can no longer shut down players for long stretches of games without league approval; and healthy players who are resting a game must be on the bench and visible to fans.

    Failure to comply with any of these rules will now trigger a league investigation, with a team’s first PPP infraction set to trigger a $100,000 fine — not to the player but levied upon the team.

    The second infraction of the player participation policy prompts a $250,000 fine, and the third activates a $1.25 million penalty. Every subsequent violation triggers a fine worth $1 million more than its previous penalty.

    This fine structure would have crippled the Nets during the Durant, Irving and James Harden era, where the Big 3 only appeared in 16 games as a trio. It would have also hurt the Nets last season, when Simmons appeared in just 42 of a possible 82 regular-season games.

    Nets rule Ben Simmons out for season with goal of rehabbing back

    WHAT ABOUT BACK-TO-BACKS

    Teams must now seek pre-approval to rest stars in either night of back-to-back games, and if one of those games is a nationally-televised, the rest must occur for the other game.

    For example, the Knicks travel to Boston on April 11 for a matchup against the Celtics set to air on TNT. The following night, they host the Nets at Madison Square Garden in a game that will air locally on MSG Networks.

    Under the new rules, barring verifiable injury or excused absence from the league, Julius Randle must play against the Celtics. If the Knicks wanted to rest him for any game of that back-to-back, they would need pre-approval from the league to sit their star forward against the Nets.

    This would become complicated, however, if Brunson were to also receive his first All-Star nod this season as teams cannot rest both star players in any single game. Both would be required to play against the Celtics, then only one would be eligible to rest the ensuing night.

    The Knicks have three other instances of nationally-televised games occurring on one leg of back-to-back: Oct. 27 at Atlanta and 28 at New Orleans (NBA TV); Oct. 31 at Cleveland (TNT), then Nov. 1 at home against the Cavaliers; and Nov. 12 hosting the Charlotte Hornets before Nov. 13 at Boston (NBA TV).

    In each of these instances, the Knicks would need pre-approval to rest Randle in the non-nationally-televised leg of the back-to-back, though Brunson wouldn’t apply to this rule because he is not yet an All-Star.

    The Nets host the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in a nationally-televised (NBA TV) game on Dec. 22, then host the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 23. Under new league rules, Brooklyn would need to seek pre-approval to rest Simmons against the Pistons – though given his injury history, they should have no problem securing such approval; nor should they have any issues with the fashionable Simmons appearing on the bench in games he is resting.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The Nets, however, have a nationally-televised back-to-back: Feb. 5 against the Golden State Warriors in a game that airs on NBA TV, then Feb. 6 against the Dallas Mavericks in Kyrie Irving’s return to Brooklyn – a game that will air on TNT.

    According to the new rules, the Nets would need to seek prior approval for a player to rest one leg of a back-to-back if both games are nationally televised or In-Season Tournament games.

    The Nets have two more back-to-backs that feature a game aired on national television: March 9 at Charlotte and March 10 at Cleveland (ESPN); then March 16 at Indiana before March 17 against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, a game set to air on NBA TV and, surprisingly, be played at a neutral location.

    These games will be played after the All-Star break, meaning if Bridges earns his first career All-Star nod, both he and Simmons will be ineligible to rest one leg of each back-to-back.

    Nets’ Ben Simmons ‘as healthy as he’s ever been’ since last season in Philly’: report

    EXCLUSIONS TO THE RULES

    According to the release issued by the league, the exclusions to the player participation policy include injuries, personal reasons and pre-approved back-to-back restrictions based on a player’s age, career workload or serious injury.

    Under these rules, the Nets should have no issues seeking rest time for both Simmons and Bridges, as Simmons has a verifiable back injury history that must be monitored to prevent aggravation.

    Bridges, due for an All-Star nod, played in 83 combined regular-season games for both the Suns and Nets last season, then played more minutes than any player not named Anthony Edwards for Team USA during the FIBA World Cup. Should he qualify for star status, the Nets could easily point to his workload over the past calendar year as just cause to rest him in the second half of the season.

    Despite Bridges’ miracle, Canada eliminates Team USA in bronze-medal game

    That will be difficult to pull off, however, if they are actively load-managing Simmons’ back.

    For the Knicks, both Brunson and Josh Hart played into the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs then played regular Team USA minutes in the FIBA World Cup. Hart does not qualify as a star under the new rules, but a case can be made for workload management for both.

    Cam Johnson also represented the Nets for Team USA but should have fresh regular-season legs after spending most of the World Cup watching from the sidelines.

    WHAT ABOUT THE AGE AND WORKLOAD EXCEPTION?

    The NBA has created an exception to the rule for appearances in back-to-back games for players who are 35 years old on opening night or have career workloads of 34,000 regular-season minutes or 1,000 combined regular-season and playoff games, according to ESPN.

    Neither the Knicks nor Nets rosters feature a player who qualifies for this exception. Bridges has appeared in 392 regular-season games and 39 additional playoff games. Randle has appeared in 595 regular-season games and an additional 15 playoff games. Brunson has only appeared in 345 regular-season games plus 36 more playoff games. And after missing an entire season, then half of last season, while also missing his entire rookie season due to injury, Simmons has only tallied 317 regular-season games since 2017, plus 34 more playoff games.

    Chris Paul, Mike Conley, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan and James Harden are the only NBA players covered by this exception.

    Under these new rules, the Nets would have only been able to rest Durant, who met the 34,000 minutes criteria, in last season’s Dec. 10 matchup against the Indiana Pacers, where they won despite sitting Durant, Irving and Simmons.

    PLAYER PARTICIPATION POLICY

    NBA end-of-the-season honors now have updated criteria based on availability.

    In order to be eligible for Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player or Defensive Player of the Year, as well as any All-NBA or All-Defensive Teams, a player must appear in at least 65 regular-season games. They may appear in 62 games and still qualify for an end-of-the-season award if they suffer a season-ending injury and appeared in at least 85% of his team’s regular-season games prior to suffering the injury.

    Under this new rule, Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr. would not have been eligible to win Defensive Player of the Year because he only appeared in 63 games.

    Julius Randle, who earned Third Team All-NBA honors last season, appeared in 77 games for the Knicks last season and would have remained unaffected had these new rules been implemented last season.

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    Kristian Winfield

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  • Alibaba replaces CEO and chairman in surprise management overhaul

    Alibaba replaces CEO and chairman in surprise management overhaul

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    China’s Alibaba Group has announced a major management reshuffle as the e-commerce giant restructures into six different business divisions to adapt to fast-changing technologies.

    The moves also are aimed at spurring growth at a time when the Chinese economy is slowing despite an end to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions a half-year ago. Eddie Wu, chairman of its e-commerce group, will succeed Daniel Zhang as CEO, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

    Zhang will be CEO and chairman of Alibaba’s cloud computing unit, which has been approved to be spun off and is expected to be listed for trading within a year.

    Alibaba’s current executive vice chairman, Joseph Tsai, is to succeed Zhang as chairman of the Alibaba Group. Tsai, who owns the NBA basketball team Brooklyn Nets and is the chairman of Alibaba-owned Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post, is a Taiwan-born Canadian citizen. He helped to found Alibaba in the late 1990s.

    Wu was the company’s technology director when the company was founded in 1999. He also served as special assistant to Alibaba’s co-founder and former board chairman Jack Ma between 2014 and 2019, and has had stints as CTO of Alibaba’s digital wallet business Alipay and as a chairman of Alibaba Health.

    Alibaba’s reorganization will allow five of its six business divisions, excluding the core e-commerce business, to raise outside capital and go public. The changes take effect Sept. 10.

    US-ECONOMY-MILKEN
    Joe Tsai, co-founder and executive vice chairman, Alibaba Group, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference on October 18, 2021, in Beverly Hills, California.

    PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images


    Zhang, became Alibaba Group’s CEO in 2015 and succeeded Ma as chairman in 2019. He is known for creating the Singles’ Day shopping festival, which over the years has grown to become the world’s largest online shopping extravaganza.

    “This is the right time for me to make a transition, given the importance of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group as it progresses towards a full spin-off,” Zhang said in a statement.

    “I look forward to working closely with Joe and Eddie in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition.”

    Alibaba’s Hong Kong shares were down about 1.5% Tuesday afternoon following the news.

    Alibaba has in recent years come under scrutiny by the Chinese government amid a crackdown on the technology industry.

    Beijing leashes Jack Ma

    Ma, the firm’s best known co-founder and once China’s richest man, has kept a low profile with few public appearances after he publicly criticized China’s regulators and financial systems during a speech in Shanghai in Oct. 2020.

    Shortly afterward, the government scuttled a planned initial public offering of Alibaba’s financial affiliate Ant Group. It had been set to raise $34.5 billion in what would have been the world’s largest share offering at the time.

    Alibaba was later fined $2.8 billion for breaching antitrust rules as Chinese authorities cracked down on the once-freewheeling technology industry.

    In March, Ma returned to mainland China after being reportedly being sighted in Europe, Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong over the past few years. His itinerary has been closely watched as a barometer of Beijing’s attitude towards private businesses.

    He is currently a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo until Oct. 31, according to a university profile page, which describes his research as “sustainable agriculture and food production.

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  • Durant cheered by fans, says Suns have ‘all the pieces’

    Durant cheered by fans, says Suns have ‘all the pieces’

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    PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant watched the Phoenix Suns from afar over the past few years, admiring the budding nucleus of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.

    Now he’s thrilled to be a part of it.

    “We’ve got all the pieces to be successful,” Durant said.

    The 13-time All-Star was introduced Thursday on the floor at Footprint Arena in front of about 3,000 fans, who showed up in the middle of the afternoon just to hear the veteran forward answer a few questions.

    Many were already wearing his No. 35 jersey, which has been a hot seller at the downtown fan store since GM James Jones pulled the blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets just before last week’s trade deadline.

    Nearly every time Durant tried to speak on Thursday, he was interrupted by cheers from fans overjoyed by the biggest superstar arrival in Phoenix since the Suns traded for Charles Barkley in 1992.

    The two-time Finals MVP soaked in the applause, but said he didn’t deserve it.

    “I appreciate your warm welcome, but we’ve got work to do,” Durant said.

    He later added: “I feel like I’ve still got to prove myself. I want to put good stuff on film every day. That’s the only thing I’m concerned with at this point in my life, is putting good stuff on film every night. I’m looking forward to doing that for Suns fans and hopefully they accept me after that.”

    The 34-year-old Durant is still playing at an elite level, averaging nearly 30 points per game this season. He initially asked for a trade last summer and the Suns were interested before Durant patched things up with Brooklyn. They finally got him, less than 24 hours before the trade deadline.

    The Suns paid a hefty price, sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, and other draft compensation to the Nets. Bridges was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year while Johnson has evolved into a versatile scorer.

    Bridges, Johnson and Crowder were all instrumental in the team’s run to the Finals two years ago, where it lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

    Durant is recovering from a sprained knee ligament, and when he returns he will join a Phoenix lineup that suddenly could be one of the best in the Western Conference. He said he hopes to be back soon after the All-Star break.

    He became choked up talking about his time in Brooklyn, where he signed after rupturing his Achilles tendon playing for Golden State in the 2019 NBA Finals. A potential championship contender was broken up when first Kyrie Irving and then Durant asked for trades and then were dealt before the deadline.

    “Everybody who was in that gym, we grinded, so I love those guys,” Durant said. “I get emotional talking about them, because that was a special four years of my career, coming off an Achilles, and they helped me through a lot.

    “So yeah, it was terrible how some stuff went down, but at the end of the day I loved the grind and we all loved the grind there in Brooklyn and I wish them the best going forward. They’ve got a bright future.”

    Durant and Booker played together on the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

    “I think I’ve built my game around being efficient, taking good shots, making good plays on both ends of the floor,” Durant said. “I think my defense feeds my offense. I like to take shots in the mid-range, I like to cut to the basket, I like to do the little things throughout the offense and I think that’s what makes you a versatile player and adapt to any offense.”

    The Suns were on the upswing even before Durant’s arrival. They struggled with injuries for most of the first half of the year, but have won 11 of their last 14 games and entered Thursday fourth in the West at 32-27 — one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, their opponent Thursday night.

    Booker (groin) and Paul (hip) have both recently returned.

    Now the Suns are adding one of the game’s most gifted scorers.

    Phoenix has never won an NBA championship, losing in the finals in 1976, 1993 and 2021.

    “That’s why we play the game of basketball,” Durant said. “We understand that. But I’m more concerned about what we do every day as a team, what you guys don’t see. I think that’s what really brings championships.”

    ___

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Super Bowl Guide: Where to watch and who to watch

    Super Bowl Guide: Where to watch and who to watch

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    PHOENIX (AP) — The Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs is rapidly approaching. Here are some things to know ahead of Sunday’s game:

    HOW DO I WATCH?

    The game begins at 6:30 p.m. EST on Sunday and can be viewed on Fox, Fox Deportes and the NFL+ app. It can also be streamed on multiple services, including YouTube TV. The national radio broadcast is on Westwood One.

    WHO ARE THE TEAMS AND PLAYERS?

    The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl for the third time in four years after winning another AFC Championship. The Chiefs won Super Bowl 54 against the 49ers after the 2019 season but lost to the Buccaneers after 2020.

    The Chiefs are led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who claimed his second MVP award on Thursday night. They’ve also got several other stars, led by tight end Travis Kelce and defensive lineman Chris Jones.

    The Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC championship and are trying to win their second Super Bowl in six years. They’re led by quarterback and MVP finalist Jalen Hurts, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and linebacker Haason Reddick.

    WHAT’S THE HALFTIME SHOW?

    Nine-time Grammy Award winner Rihanna is the headline act of this year’s halftime show.

    She’s had 14 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “We Found Love,” “Work,” “Umbrella” and “Disturbia.” She and rapper A$AP Rocky recently welcomed her first child.

    “The setlist was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest, hardest part. Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate — that’s what this show is going to be. It’s going to be a celebration of my catalog in the best way that we could have put it together,” Rihanna said.

    WHERE’S THE GAME BEING PLAYED?

    The Super Bowl will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which is home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Glendale is a suburb of Phoenix.

    It’s the third Super Bowl the stadium has hosted.

    The Phoenix area is no stranger to big events: In fact, two of them are happening right now. The Super Bowl is obviously attracting a lot of attention but the yearly WM Phoenix Open is also this week, drawing thousands of golf fans — and a steady stream of private planes — to the city to watch players like top-ranked Rory McElroy.

    The NBA even made a brief cameo: The Phoenix Suns acquired superstar Kevin Durant in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets late Wednesday that rocked the sport and galvanized the city’s fan base.

    WHO IS FAVORED?

    The Eagles are favored by 1 1/2 points to beat the Chiefs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, and the line has stayed fairly constant over the past two weeks. The over-under is 50.5 points.

    Picking the game’s winner is one of the basic ways to bet, but there are many, many prop bets gamblers can also choose.

    Sportsbooks have taken advantage of the increasing popularity of prop bets, which could range from whether there will be a safety to whether the Chiefs or Eagles will score more points than NBA stars LeBron James or Steph Curry when their teams meet the day before the big game.

    Professional sports bettors tend to make the more traditional wagers and look for value in the props if they believe they can find a betting number to exploit. For the most part, the props belong to the general public.

    WHAT WERE THE TOP MOMENTS FROM NFL HONORS?

    The league had its yearly “NFL Honors” show on Thursday night, with Mahomes receiving his second MVP and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott earning the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year.

    Another highlight: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his second appearance of the week, paying tribute to those who had a hand in giving him a second chance at life.

    Hamlin was on stage a little more than a month after he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati.

    ___

    AP Sports Writers Mark Anderson and John Marshall, AP Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. and Associated Press Writer Terry Tang contributed.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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  • Amazon CEO says retailer will continue to sell antisemitic film

    Amazon CEO says retailer will continue to sell antisemitic film

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    Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said Wednesday the company does not have plans to stop selling an antisemitic film that gained notoriety recently after Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving tweeted out an Amazon link to it.

    Pressure has been mounting on Amazon to discontinue sale of the film, called “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” since Irving shared the link to the documentary with his millions of Twitter followers in October. The synopsis on Amazon says the film “uncovers the true identity of the Children of Israel.”


    Kyrie Irving back with Brooklyn Nets: CBS News Flash Nov. 21, 2022

    01:00

    At The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York City, Jassy said it is difficult for the company to determine what content crosses the line to where Amazon doesn’t make it available to customers.

    “As a retailer of content to hundreds of millions of customers with a lot of different viewpoints, we have to allow access to those viewpoints, even if they are objectionable — objectionable and they differ from our particular viewpoints,” the Times quoted Jassy as saying.

    Some cases are “more straight forward”

    He said making decisions about what content to take down is “more straight forward” in some cases, such as when it “actively incites or promotes violence, or teaches people to do things like pedophilia.”

    Dozens of celebrities, public figures as well as Jewish organizations and the Nets have called on the company to take down the film or add a disclaimer offering an explanation as to why the documentary and related book are problematic.

    Amazon told the newspaper earlier this month that it would look into adding a disclaimer on the documentary’s main page. But that hasn’t happened.

    The Seattle-based company did not reply to request for comment sent by The Associated Press earlier this month on whether it would add a disclaimer or not. Jassy, who is Jewish, said Wednesday that Amazon has employees that flag content, but scaling that more broadly could be challenging.

    “The reality is that we have very expansive customer reviews,” he said. “For books with a lot of attention — especially public attention — customers do a good job monitoring other people.”

    Irving was suspended by the Nets on November 3 after he refused to issue the apology that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting the link the the film. He returned after issuing an apology more than two weeks later. He missed eight games.

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  • Kyrie Irving returns to the Brooklyn Nets after serving 8-game suspension | CNN

    Kyrie Irving returns to the Brooklyn Nets after serving 8-game suspension | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Kyrie Irving’s eight-game suspension ended Sunday as the star point guard suited up for the Brooklyn Nets game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

    Irving hadn’t played for the Nets since November 1. The Nets suspended Irving November 3 after he tweeted a link to a documentary containing antisemitic messages, followed by an initial refusal to issue an apology.

    Irving has since issued multiple apologies, including during his pregame media availability Sunday.

    “I just want to offer my deep apologies to all those who were impacted over these last few weeks, specifically my Jewish relatives, my Black relatives, all races and cultures,” Irving said Sunday. “Feel like we all felt an impact and I don’t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is ‘anti,’ going against the human race.”

    “I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountability for my actions,” Irving said.

    Irving received a warm welcome from the Brooklyn crowd during player introductions before tip-off. He finished the night with 14 points and five rebounds in the Nets’ 127-115 victory over the Grizzlies.

    Irving said after the game that it “felt good” to be back on the court.

    “Missed my teammates,” Irving told reporters. “Missed the coaching staff. Just getting prepared with them in the morning and carrying over to the game, it felt good.”

    When asked if he would file a grievance over his suspension, Irving said he’d leave that decision to his legal team.

    “I have some strong people, men and women, around me that are going to do everything possible to make sure that I’m protected and my family’s protected and we protect one another, so I’m sure some things will be done in the future,” Irving said. “There’s no timetable on that right now.”

    Speaking before Sunday’s game, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn showed no hesitation about his decision to put Irving on the floor to start the game.

    “He’ll start, and we’ll see where his conditioning is, the pace of the game which we want to play at. Excited to have him back on the floor with our group, and he’ll fit right in,” Vaughn said.

    During an interview Saturday with SNY’s Ian Begley, Irving said he reacted emotionally to being called “antisemitic.”

    “I felt like I was protecting my character and I reacted out of just pure defense and just hurt that I could be labeled, or I thought that I was being labeled as antisemitic or anti-Jewish, and I’ve felt like that was just so disrespectful to ask me whether or not I was antisemitic or not,” Irving said.

    The Nets’ next scheduled game is Tuesday at the Philadelphia 76ers.

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  • Analysis: No shock in East as Celtics, Bucks vie for lead

    Analysis: No shock in East as Celtics, Bucks vie for lead

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    The top of the Eastern Conference looks about as expected — with Boston and Milwaukee currently neck and neck for the lead.

    Those fast starts have been anything but routine, however.

    The Celtics suspended their coach before the season even started, but under interim choice Joe Mazzulla, they’re now on a seven-game winning streak and have the best record in the NBA. The Bucks won their first nine games, but recently they’ve had to deal with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s occasional absences. They’ve won two of three when he’s been out.

    “It just shows our depth and how good of a team we truly are,” Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez said recently. “Coach (Mike Budenholzer) — he said before, it’s like, it’s kind of exciting. Giannis gets to rest, refill his cup, and we get a chance to get better and see what we’re like without Giannis on the court, and get better in that way.”

    The Celtics (11-3) and Bucks (10-3) don’t play each other until Christmas. For now, these two teams — who played a stirring seven-game playoff series in the second round last season — are bringing a bit of normalcy to the standings. That’s been largely absent in the West, where Golden State is muddling along under .500 while Utah and Portland are around the top of the conference.

    The Celtics went to the NBA Finals last season in Ime Udoka’s first season as coach. Then he was suspended for at least this season for violating team rules by having a relationship with a female staffer within the organization. Mazzulla took over and has the team rolling. Boston routed Nikola Jokic and Denver 131-112 on Friday. On Monday night, the Celtics rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat Oklahoma City 126-122.

    After falling just short of a title last season, Boston looks tested and ready to contend again.

    “These guys have been through a ton, and it helps them in a game like tonight where they really don’t have it going, and then they’ve got to turn it on on both ends of the floor and they did,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after Monday’s game. “So credit them. They went and got that one.”

    Boston is No. 1 in the league in offensive rating, and Milwaukee is No. 1 in defensive rating. The first time the Bucks played without Antetokounmpo this season was a little over a week ago against Oklahoma City. Lopez scored 25 points, Bobby Portis had 21 rebounds, Jrue Holiday had 13 assists — and Milwaukee held the Thunder under 100 points to win by 14.

    “I think we all knew obviously that we’d all have to chip in,” Lopez said. “Pretty much everyone came on, had an impact.”

    These are the stretches that test a team over the course of an 82-game season, when injuries or just normal wear and tear leave a star player unavailable. That win over the Thunder gave Milwaukee a 9-0 record, and since then, the Bucks have played twice more without Antetokounmpo, who has dealt with left knee soreness.

    The Bucks split those two games. Ironically, they’ve lost the last two games they’ve played with Antetokounmpo, including Monday against Atlanta.

    Still, they’ve shown they can win without their biggest star. Another team that’s done that of late is the Washington Wizards, who have won four straight despite playing all of those games without Bradley Beal, who went through health and safety protocols.

    The last game Beal played in was Nov. 4, a 42-point loss to Brooklyn. Coincidentally, that was also the first game for the Nets following Kyrie Irving’s suspension. Irving was suspended after posting a tweet with a link to a documentary that includes Holocaust denial and conspiracy theories about Jews. The Nets said they suspended him in part because he wouldn’t say unequivocally he has no antisemitic beliefs.

    Brooklyn looked downright dysfunctional while losing six of its first eight games. Coach Steve Nash was replaced after the team’s seventh game, and then — with Jacque Vaughn serving as acting coach — Irving scored just four points in a loss to Chicago.

    But since then, Brooklyn has won four of six, all without Irving — and the Nets decided to keep Vaughn as their head coach going forward. His team isn’t surging quite the way Mazzulla’s is, but Brooklyn is hopeful it has found the right leader after an ugly start to the season.

    ___

    Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

    ___

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Kyrie Irving will begin suspension of at least 5 games Friday over antisemitism controversy. The NBA star has since apologized | CNN

    Kyrie Irving will begin suspension of at least 5 games Friday over antisemitism controversy. The NBA star has since apologized | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Kyrie Irving will miss the first of several Brooklyn Nets games Friday after he was suspended for comments regarding his tweet linking to an antisemitic documentary.

    The Nets suspended Irving Thursday after he initially doubled down on his decision to share the content on his Twitter account. The star point guard issued an apology hours later on his verified Instagram account, in which he said he takes full accountability for his action.

    “To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize,” Irving wrote. “I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary.

    “I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate. I am learning from this unfortunate event and hope we can find understanding between us all,” Irving continued.

    On Friday, criticism of Irving continued to mount with Nike suspending its relationship with the NBA star.

    “At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” Nike said in a statement to CNN. “To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”

    The company’s move comes after Irving defended his decision to share a link to the 2018 film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” last week. The movie, based on Ronald Dalton’s book of the same name, has been blasted by civil rights groups for its antisemitism.

    Reporters asked Irving earlier Thursday – before he posted his apology – if he holds antisemitic beliefs or if he was sorry. At the time, he replied saying he respects “all walks of life” and that he didn’t mean to cause any harm.

    The Nets later said they were “dismayed” when the player “refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film,” during a media session.

    “Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team,” the Nets said in their statement before Irving apologized.

    The team also said they made repeated attempts to help Irving “understand the harm and danger of his words and actions.”

    Irving’s suspension without pay means he will not play in Friday’s game against the Washington Wizards. The suspension will last for at least four additional games, and Irving is also required to satisfy “a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct,” the Nets said.

    When asked Friday if there was any consideration of releasing Irving, Nets general manager Sean Marks replied, “No. Not at this particular time.”

    “There is going to be some remedial steps and measures that have been put in place for him to obviously seek some counseling … from dealing with some anti-hate and some Jewish leaders within our community,” Marks said while speaking to reporters before the Nets-Wizards game.

    “He’s going to have to sit down with them, he’s going to have to sit down with the organization after this, and we’ll evaluate and see if this is the right opportunity to bring him back,” Marks added.

    Irving’s Nets teammate Kevin Durant described this week’s matters as “unnecessary” and expressed his belief that the team could have “kept quiet” about Irving’s comments.

    “I ain’t here to judge nobody or talk down on nobody … I just didn’t like anything that went on. I feel like it was all unnecessary,” Durant said about Irving’s team-issued suspension during the Nets’ pre-game availability on Friday. “I feel like we could have just kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization. I just don’t like none of it.”

    Asked whether he thought the suspension was unfair, Durant said, “I believe and trust in the organization to do what’s right.”

    Shortly after his media availability, Durant tweeted, “Just wanna clarify the statements I made at shootaround, I see some people are confused..I don’t condone hate speech or anti-semitism, I’m about spreading love always.”

    “Our game Unites people and I wanna make sure that’s at the forefront,” he added.

    Irving’s remarks during the media session with reporters Thursday have escalated the controversy.

    When asked if he was apologizing, he said, “I didn’t mean to cause any harm. I’m not the one that made the documentary.”

    Asked if he was surprised by the reaction, Irving said, “I take my full responsibility, again I’ll repeat it, for posting something on my Instagram or Twitter that may have had some unfortunate falsehoods in it,” Irving replied.

    Asked if he had any antisemitic beliefs, Irving responded: “I respect all walks of life. I embrace all walks of life. That’s where I sit.”

    Pressed further to answer yes or no to a question on whether Irving had any antisemitic beliefs, he replied: “I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from.”

    When Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, learned of how the NBA star answered that question, he pointed out that Irving has “a lot of work to do.”

    “The answer to the question ‘Do you have any antisemitic beliefs’ is always ‘NO’ without equivocation. We took @KyrieIrving at his word when he said he took responsibility, but today he did not make good on that promise,” Greenblatt wrote.

    After Irving was suspended Thursday, the ADL refused to accept a $500,000 donation that Irving and the Nets had previously announced. The ADL’s decision to decline the donation was before Irving apologized late Thursday.

    The star’s comments also garnered reproach from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who said he was “disappointed” in Irving.

    “Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material,” Silver said in a statement before Irving apologized.

    The controversy comes as antisemitism has been on the rise in the US over the past few years. At least 2,717 antisemitic incidents were reported in the US in 2021, an increase from 942 such incidents in 2015, according to the ADL.

    Irving has run into controversy in recent years that has affected his playing time. Last season, Irving did not play in many of Brooklyn’s home games because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19, which was a hindrance to playing in indoor arenas due to a New York City workplace vaccine mandate. The rule was later lifted and he returned to Barclays Center in March.

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  • Brooklyn Nets suspend Kyrie Irving without pay for at least 5 games

    Brooklyn Nets suspend Kyrie Irving without pay for at least 5 games

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    The Brooklyn Nets have suspended star guard Kyrie Irving without pay, the team announced Thursday, following a controversial tweet last week in which Irving appeared to support a documentary film that contains antisemitic ideas and several press conferences during which Irving refused to condemn antisemitism. The Nets said the suspension will last “no less” than five games.

    In a statement, the organization said that it came to the decision after “repeated attempts to work with Kyrie Irving to help him understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, which began with him publicizing a film containing deeply disturbing antisemitic hate.”

    The team added that it was “dismayed” by a media session Thursday during which the 30-year-old Irving was asked by reporters directly if he held any antisemitic beliefs.

    “Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film,” the Nets said. “This was not the first time he had the opportunity — but failed — to clarify.”

    “Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets,” the team wrote. “We have decided that Kyrie will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period served is no less than five games.”

    The move comes after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver earlier Thursday said in his own statement that he was “disappointed” that Irving didn’t offer an “unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize,” adding that he planned to meet with Irving next week to “discuss this situation.”

    Irving did finally apologize later in an Instagram post for not explaining the specific beliefs he agreed and disagreed with when he posted the documentary.

    “To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize,” Irving wrote. “I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary.”

    His reluctance to do so earlier Thursday came hours before the FBI said it had received credible information about a “broad” threat to synagogues in New Jersey, Irving’s home state.

    The team had announced Wednesday in a joint statement with Irving and the Anti-Defamation League that Irving and the Nets would each donate $500,000 to anti-hate groups. 

    In that statement, Irving wrote: “I oppose all forms of hatred and oppression and stand strong with communities that are marginalized and impacted every day.”

    He also said he was “aware of the negative impact of my post towards the Jewish community and I take responsibility. I do not believe everything said in the documentary was true or reflects my morals and principles.”

    Following the announced suspension, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted that the organization would not be accepting any donations from Irving.

    “Kyrie Irving has been given ample opportunity to do the right thing, apologize and condemn #antisemitism,” Greenblatt tweeted. “He has failed at almost every step along the way. This suspension is well-deserved.”

    “We were optimistic but after watching the debacle of a press conference, it’s clear that Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions,” Greenblatt added. “@ADL cannot in good conscience accept his donation.”

    The controversy began when Irving on Oct. 27 posted a link on Twitter to the film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.” The synopsis on Amazon said the 2018 film “uncovers the true identity of the Children of Israel.”

    The film is filled with conspiracy theories about Jewish people, including false claims that Jews dominated the slave trade. 

    The following day, Nets owner Joe Tsai wrote on Twitter that he was “disappointed” that Irving appeared to support a film “based on a book full of antisemitic disinformation.”

    “I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion,” Tsai wrote.

    The tweet drew criticism from across the NBA community. Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said Tuesday on TNT, before the suspension had been announced, that he felt the NBA “dropped the ball” by allowing Irving to continue playing.

    “I think he should have been suspended. I think Adam [Silver, NBA commissioner] should have suspended him,” Barkley said.

    — The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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  • Kyrie Irving does not apologize for antisemitic tweet

    Kyrie Irving does not apologize for antisemitic tweet

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    Kyrie Irving does not apologize for antisemitic tweet – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has not apologized for posting a link to an antisemitic film. The Nets announced the team and Irving would each donate $500,000 to anti-hate groups. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, said he’s disappointed that Irving has not denounced the film. Michael George has the latest.

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  • Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets each to donate $500,000 to anti-hate organizations; NBA star takes ‘responsibility’ for negative impact of tweets | CNN

    Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets each to donate $500,000 to anti-hate organizations; NBA star takes ‘responsibility’ for negative impact of tweets | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets announced on Wednesday that they will both donate $500,000 towards anti-hate organizations after the point guard tweeted a documentary deemed to be antisemitic last week.

    In a joint statement between Irving, Nets and the Anti-Defamation League – a “nonprofit organization devoted to fighting antisemitism and all types of hate that undermine justice and fair treatment for every individual” – the 30-year-old said he took “responsibility” for the “negative impact” his post had towards the Jewish community.

    “I oppose all forms of hatred and oppression and stand strong with communities that are marginalized and impacted every day,” Irving said.

    “I am aware of the negative impact of my post towards the Jewish community and I take responsibility. I do not believe everything said in the documentary was true or reflects my morals and principles.

    “I am a human being learning from all walks of life and I intend to do so with an open mind and a willingness to listen. So from my family and I, we meant no harm to any one group, race or religion of people, and wish to only be a beacon of truth and light.”

    Irving was condemned last week by, among others, Nets owner Joe Tsai and the NBA for tweeting a link to the 2018 movie “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.”

    The movie is based on Ronald Dalton’s book of the same name, which has been blasted as being antisemitic by civil rights groups.

    Earlier this week, NBA analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said he thought the league “dropped the ball” on Irving and that he believed Irving should have been suspended.

    On Tuesday, when asked why Irving had not been disciplined for his actions, Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters: “I think we are having these discussions behind the scenes.

    “I honestly don’t want to really get into those right now. … Really just trying to weigh out exactly what the best course of action is here.”

    NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he is “disappointed” with Irving after the guard did not offer an apology nor denounce the “harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize.” Silver will meet with Irving in the next week, the commissioner said in a statement Thursday.

    “Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material,” Silver said. “While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize.”

    Irving was not made available to the media on Monday or Tuesday following Nets games on those days.

    The joint statement said the donations were made to “eradicate hate and intolerance in our communities.”

    “This is an effort to develop educational programming that is inclusive and will comprehensively combat all forms of antisemitism and bigotry,” the statement read.

    Jonathan Greenblatt, the Anti-Defamation League CEO, said: “At a time when antisemitism has reached historic levels, we know the best way to fight the oldest hatred is to both confront it head-on and also to change hearts and minds.

    “With this partnership, ADL will work with the Nets and Kyrie to open dialogue and increase understanding.

    Irving talks with now-former head coach Steve Nash during a game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, January 21, 2022.

    “At the same time, we will maintain our vigilance and call out the use of anti-Jewish stereotypes and tropes – whatever, whoever, or wherever the source – as we work toward a world without hate.”

    Kanye West, who has been criticized following antisemitic remarks on social media and in interviews, showed his support for Irving, tweeting a picture of the guard on Thursday.

    Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has previously said Jewish people have too much control over the business world.

    He threatened in a Twitter post to “Go death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.” He also ranted in an Instagram post about Ari Emanuel, CEO of the talent agency Endeavor, referencing “business” people when he clearly meant Jews.

    Last Friday, he told paparazzi that his mental health issues had been misdiagnosed by a Jewish doctor, made reference to Jewish ownership of media and compared Planned Parenthood to the Holocaust.

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  • Kyrie Irving faces backlash for promoting antisemitism

    Kyrie Irving faces backlash for promoting antisemitism

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    Kyrie Irving faces backlash for promoting antisemitism – CBS News


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    Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving recently tweeted a link to an antisemitic documentary that pushed conspiracy theories about Jewish people and the slave trade. The NBA is facing criticism for its silence in response. Michael George has the latest.

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  • Brooklyn Nets owner

    Brooklyn Nets owner

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    Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai said Friday he is “disappointed” that Kyrie Irving appears to support a film “based on a book full of antisemitic disinformation.”

    The Nets’ star guard posted a link for the film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” on Twitter on Thursday. The synopsis on Amazon said the 2018 film “uncovers the true identity of the Children of Israel.” The synopsis adds that viewers will “find out what Islam, Judaism and Christianity has covered up for centuries in regards to the true biblical identity of the so-called ‘Negro’ in this movie packed with tons of research.” 

    According to Rolling Stone, the film, based on the 2015 book, asserts that “many famous high-ranking Jews” have “admitted” to “worship[ing] Satan or Lucifer.”

    Tsai and the Nets reacted quickly to the latest trouble stirred up by Irving, who had previously supported the idea of the Earth being flat and last month on social media shared an old clip from conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

    “I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion,” Tsai wrote on Twitter regarding Irving.

    Irving was unavailable for most of the Nets’ home games last season because he refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as was mandated in New York City. The Nets then declined to give him a contract extension this summer, meaning Irving could be in his final season with the team.

    “The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech,” the team said in a statement. “We believe that in these situations, our first action must be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL, who have been supportive during this time.”

    Irving’s tweet comes as Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, continues to face backlash after he made multiple antisemitic comments earlier this month. 

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  • Nash out as Nets coach after poor start, more controversy

    Nash out as Nets coach after poor start, more controversy

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    NEW YORK — Steve Nash is out as Brooklyn Nets coach after a disappointing start and more controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving.

    The Nets announced Tuesday that they had parted ways with the Hall of Fame point guard, a day after they beat Indiana to improve to 2-5.

    Nash made it to this season after Kevin Durant said he wanted him out this summer, but not much longer. The Nets have been another mess, with bad play on the court and bad headlines off it.

    The biggest — again — was created by Irving, who posted a link to an antisemitic work on his Twitter page last week, drawing criticism from Nets owner Joe Tsai.

    “Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

    “Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time.”

    The Nets may move quickly to replace Nash. A person with knowledge of the matter said the Nets were in discussions with suspended Boston coach Ime Udoka — a former Brooklyn assistant who is not with the Celtics this season because he was found to have violated team rules by having a relationship with a female staffer within the organization. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because those talks were not revealed publicly.

    ESPN first reported the talks between Udoka and the Nets. The Nets said a decision on the team’s next coach would be made in the near future.

    Nash led the Nets to a 92-62 record and the playoffs in both full seasons, his first as an NBA coach. But they lost Irving and James Harden to injuries during their second-round loss to Milwaukee in 2021, then were a first-round flop last season after trading Harden during the middle of the season.

    Much of the Nets’ problems during the latter season were caused by Irving being unavailable for most of their home games because he refused to get vaccinated for the coronavirus, as mandated at the time in New York City.

    Nash handled it all as best as possible, but apparently not good enough for his best player. Durant said he wanted to be traded this summer if the Nets didn’t fire Marks and Nash, but Tsai stood by them and Durant eventually pulled back his request.

    Nash downplayed that before this season began, saying he didn’t believe the reports were entirely true and that they had quickly talked through their issues.

    But things started poorly this season and Nash gave some his hardest criticism of the team during his tenure after their loss to Indiana on Saturday night, calling their defensive effort a “disaster” and saying he didn’t see desire or will.

    “We have to look deep, deep inside ourselves and what we want to do, what we want to accomplish,” Nash said. “Do we want to give up on this because it’s been difficult early, or do we want to stay the course and start to build something?”

    Much of that was ignored because the focus was on Irving’s combative news conference defending his tweet, and the Nets beat the Pacers in the rematch Monday to end a four-game skid.

    But Nash’s tenure ended anyway a day later, hours before Brooklyn is set to host Chicago. Jacque Vaughn will serve as acting head coach against the Bulls.

    Tsai alluded to the constant turbulence around the team in his statement thanking Nash.

    “My admiration and respect for him grew over time as he brought hard work and positive attitude to our organization every day, even in periods of exceptional storm surrounding the team,” Tsai said.

    Nash thanked the Tsai family and Marks for giving him the opportunity, calling the job “an amazing experience with many challenges that I’m incredibly grateful for.”

    Marks chose his former teammate as coach in 2020 despite no experience in the job, citing Nash’s ability to be a connector of personalities as a player. Nash was a two-time MVP with the Phoenix Suns who ended his 18-year career third on the NBA’s list with 10,335 assists.

    But his schemes were criticized as the Nets struggled defensively throughout his tenure and often didn’t show the ball-moving style of play on offense that his Suns teams did, instead relying on Durant, Irving or Harden to isolate.

    Beyond the player changes, Nash also had to adapt to changes on his bench. Mike D’Antoni, the two-time NBA Coach of the Year, stepped down as his assistant after one season, and Udoka left to become coach of the Celtics.

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    AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this story.

    ———

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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