Saturday Slam: The Utah Jazz are playing exceptional team basketball

                                         (Getty Images) 

On Friday night, the Utah Jazz defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-91, advancing to the second round of the playoffs, where they will face the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon. Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell stole the show, scoring 38 points, 20 of which were scored in the 3rd quarter. With Ricky Rubio going out with a hamstring injury (possibly out for a few weeks) and Russell Westbrook in full attack mode, the Jazz needed a big game from Mitchell and boy did he deliver.
   
What made Mitchell's performance so special was the way he took over the game. He did it all, hitting deep threes, throwing down vicious dunks, and slicing through defenders to make ridiculous layups around the basket. The amount of English he put on some of those shots was tantamount to what you'd see in a game of billiards. He was having one of those nights where nearly anything he threw at the basket found a way to go in.

Yet as well as Mitchell played, the Jazz didn't win this game by his performance alone. After all, Russell Westbrook was the top performer of the night, finishing with 46 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. What got the Jazz past the Thunder both on Friday and in this series was their selflessness and commitment to team basketball. Everyone found a way to contribute, whether it was Joe Ingles knocking down clutch threes, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert controlling the paint, or Ricky Rubio setting up others for easy baskets. Even Alec Burks got in on the action, scoring 11 points on Friday in 17 minutes of action.

What allows the Jazz to play this type of team basketball is the system put in place by head coach Quin Snyder, which demands lots of ball movement, cutting, and stellar defense. The Jazz realize that when they play the way Snyder wants them to, that brings out the best in them both as a team and as individuals. It takes a certain type of player to buy into this philosophy and the Jazz front office has done a stellar job of bringing in guys who embrace it.

As for whether or not the Jazz can actually take out the Houston Rockets, I personally expect the Rockets to win only because they have more talent. James Harden will be the best player in the series and Chris Paul could be the second best player. That all said, if the Jazz play the way they did against the Thunder and continue to execute the way Quin Snyder wants them to, they could make this an interesting series. As good as the Rockets look, they did show moments of vulnerability against the Timberwolves. They will definitely need to play a lot better if they want to avoid a competitive and close series with the Jazz.

Note: This blog post also appears on my Utah Jazz blog. Click here to check it out. 

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Saturday Slam: The loss of Zach LaVine is brutal for the Minnesota Timberwolves

Earlier today, the Minnesota Timberwolves confirmed that their explosive young point guard Zach LaVine would miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL in his left knee. Below is the official team release.

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken this morning at Mayo Clinic by Team Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Diane Dahm revealed that Wolves guard Zach LaVine has a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) in his left knee. LaVine, who will have surgery at a to-be-determined date, will miss the remainder of the season. Further updates as to LaVine’s progress will be issued when more information becomes available.The injury occurred during last night’s 116-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons.In 47 games this season, LaVine averaged 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 37.2 minutes per game. In his third NBA season, LaVine holds career averages of 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 206 games.

The loss of Zach LaVine obviously really hurts this young Wolves team. At 19-32, they are still very much alive for the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, just 3.5 games back of the 22-28 Denver Nuggets, who are currently clinging to the 8th seed like grim death. With the loss of LaVine, it's going to be really tough for this young Wolves team to make up for his quality production. LaVine was in the middle of having a breakout season, making it all the more sad that he had to go down. The good news of course is that with proper rehab and surgery, LaVine can come back even stronger thanks to the quality medical care that he'll receive at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

                                         (Credit: YouTube. Click here for video). 
           
In terms of who will need to step up, it's obvious that Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, who are both averaging north of 20 points per game, will need to carry even more of the load.  In addition to them, the rest of the Wolves backcourt will need to do all they can to make up for Zach LaVine's production.

The guy in the backcourt who can be expected to step up the most is Shabazz Muhammad, who is averaging 9.0 points per game on 46.6% shooting from the field, 45.8% shooting from three-point range, and 80.2% shooting from the free throw line. During the past 10 games, Muhammad has notched six games with 15+ points, so with Zach LaVine now out for the season, it can be expected for him to continue to put up similar numbers. Ricky Rubio being more of a facilitator can't really be relied on to score more, but he will have to undertake a larger chunk of the point guard duties.

The one guy who is sort of a wild card in all of this is rookie point guard Kris Dunn, who is currently nursing a sore right hand. Dunn was the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft but has so far not really lived up to the hype. LaVine's absence should free up a lot more minutes for him once he returns to the court, giving him a chance to flourish and showcase his skills. If there's any benefit of Zach LaVine going down, it is that his absence gives Kris Dunn more minutes and opportunities for growth. Dunn has to make the most of these extra minutes and prove to the Minnesota franchise that he was worth the fifth overall pick.

There's no question that the loss of Zach LaVine is a major disappointment, but the Timberwolves are still in big picture mode, so as long as he is able to make a full recovery, this shouldn't be too big of a set back. If anything, it will give other guys an opportunity to step up and grow, so maybe in a way this will benefit the team for the long term. Of course, my thoughts and prayers are with Zach LaVine. I've gotten to know a lot of these top basketball players through my work with GoldenBearReport.com of the Rivals Network, so I have nothing but mad respect for all the work that they put in. I hope LaVine comes back stronger than before and helps the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to grow into one of the most elite and dangerous teams in the NBA.

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Wednesday Windmill: Can the Timberwolves seriously make the playoffs?

     Earlier this week, Minnesota Timberwolves rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns, the #1 overall pick in June's NBA draft, expressed his confidence in his team's ability to make the playoffs. Knowing how terrible the Timberwolves were last season, it seems like Towns' words are nothing more than the words of a naïve rookie unaware of how difficult the Western Conference is.

     But while that is all probably true, we would be foolish to sleep on this Minnesota team given the talent that they have acquired. Karl-Anthony Towns has the potential to be one of the best big men in the NBA, Andrew Wiggins could be the next superstar of the league, Ricky Rubio is one of the better pass-first point guards in the NBA, and Zach LaVine has so much potential bottled up inside of him that it's simply frightening. In addition, Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic form a very nice frontcourt duo. Dieng in particular has the chance to be really good as a defensive big man to go along with Towns, who is much more of an offensive talent than a defensive talent.

     So, with all of that being said, where does this leave us in the discussion of the Timberwolves' playoff chances? Honestly, I don't see them making the playoffs just because the Western Conference is going to be really stacked this year. The Utah Jazz, a team further along in their rebuilding process, probably doesn't make the playoffs either.

     The only team that missed the playoffs in the West that should be expected to make the playoffs is the Oklahoma City Thunder. If they are healthy, then they probably steal a playoff spot from somebody (I'm thinking the Mavericks), but not even that is a guarantee. This of course means that the Timberwolves will once again be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

     But this shouldn't make us overlook the Timberwolves. They are finally building a team with the chance to be really good. It's just going to take more than one season for them to break through. Karl Anthony-Towns' confidence isn't for nothing. He has good reason to be confident in the team that drafted him. It's just that he isn't going to see success as quickly as he would like.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord to follow my NBA updates 

NBA Daily Dunks: 8/10-8/16/15

                                                  (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source) 
     
Here is my Daily Dunks page for Monday August 10, 2015 through Sunday August 16, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Patty Mills is replacing Dante Exum on Australia's roster for the Oceania Championships (Click here for details).

#2. Nike won't match Adidas' offer to James Harden. Harden is joining Adidas (Click here for details).

#3. The Celtics officially waived guard Zoran Dragic (Click here for details).

#4. The Nets officially waived forward Earl Clark (Click here for details).

#5. The Nets signed point guard Donald Sloan (Click here for details).

#6. The NBA and Under Armour announced a partnership (Click here for details).

#7. 76ers center Joel Embiid is scheduled to undergo a foot operation in the near future (Click here for details).

#8. Tristan Thompson may not re-sign with the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#9. The Lakers worked out Bobby Brown, Toure Murry, and other guys on Monday (Click here for details).

#10. Michael Jordan says he loves Kobe Bryant like a brother (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Kevin Durant is being cautious as he recovers (Click here for details).

#2. Timberwolves president/head coach Flip Saunders has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It is "very treatable" and he plans to continue on with his regular duties (Click here for details).

#3. The Pacers officially signed guard Toney Douglas (Click here for details).

#4. Markieff Morris demands a trade from the Suns (Click here for details).

#5. Phil Jackson doesn't miss Andrea Bargnani (Click here for details).

#6. Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns believes they can make the playoffs (Click here for details).

#7. Joel Embiid has reached out to Kevin Durant about his impending foot surgery (Click here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 84 Sky 63. Fever 73 Mystics 62. Lynx 83 Stars 76. Storm 85 Sparks 77.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Hawks forward Mike Scott faces 25 years on drug charges (Click here for details).

#2. The 2015-16 NBA regular season schedule was released (Click here for details).

#3. Baron Davis is working out and preparing for an NBA comeback. He's serious. (Click here for details).

#4. LeBron James hasn't made a decision yet on the 2016 Olympic games (Click here for details).

#5. Wisconsin governor Scott Walker has signed the Bucks' arena deal (Click here for details).

#6. Derrick Rose won't compete for Team USA in the 2016 Olympic games (Click here for details).

#7. Paul George has been excused from Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#8. Malik Rose is joining the Hawks as their manager of basketball operations (Click here for details).

#9. Greg Oden signed in China with the Jiangsu Dragons (Click here for details).

#10. Here is a funny version of Space Jam 2.

Wednesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sun 80 Shock 74. Mercury 83 Storm 66.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The NBA and officials officially agreed on a 7-year collective bargaining agreement that starts in the 2015-16 season (Click here for details).

#2. The Mavericks signed JaVale McGee (Click here for details).

#3. The Lakers signed forward Jonathan Holmes (Click here for details).

#4. James Harden has officially left Nike for Adidas (Click here for details).

#5. Kevin Durant says he's the best player in the world (Click here for details).

#6. The Kings signed undrafted UTEP forward Vince Hunter to a partially guaranteed deal (Click here for details).

#7. T.J. Zanin is leaving the Nets to be the head of college scouting for the Hornets (Click here for details).

#8. The Timberwolves have signed Tayshaun Prince to a one year, $1.4M deal for the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Former Nets point guard Tyshawn Taylor has been arrested for cashing a fake money order (Click here for details).

#2. Charles Barkley thinks the Knicks will make the playoffs next season (Click here for details).

#3. Kevin Durant reveals that there was a second break in his foot (Click here for details).

#4. Markieff Morris, who wants out of Phoenix, would prefer to go to the Raptors or Rockets (Click here for details).

#5. The Heat signed center Keith Benson for training camp (Click here for details).

#6. The Thunder signed undrafted free agent guard Dez Wells (Click here for details).

#7. Bryce Dejean-Jones signed a three-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Pelicans (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 90 Sun 78. Lynx 84 Dream 82. Sky 94 Storm 84.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Hawks signed Jason Richardson to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#2. The Pistons' arena is being renovated (Click here for details).

#3. Roland Beech is joining the Kings to run their analytics department (Click here for details).

#4. Benny the Bull wins mascot of the year honors (Click here for details).

#5. Caron Butler is planning to release an autobiography (Click here for details).

#6. Michael Jordan and Nike are planning an all-Jordan Brand store in Chicago (Click here for details).

#7. J.R. Smith proposed to his girlfriend (Click here for details).

#8. 76ers center Joel Embiid's foot surgery is scheduled for Tuesday (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Shock 81 Liberty 76.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Kobe Bryant wants to play for Team USA in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio (Click here for details).

#2. The Cavaliers signed shooting guard Jared Cunningham to a training camp deal (Click here for details).

#3. Former #5 overall pick Nikoloz Tskitishvili wants an NBA comeback (Click here for details).

#4. Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas tweaked his hip playing for Lithuania, but he says it is nothing serious (Click here for details).

#5. LeBron James has set up a college scholarship program for at-risk Akron youth (Click here for details).

#6. Joel Embiid's foot isn't insured by the 76ers (Click here for details).

#7. James Harden says Ty Lawson is "more focused than ever" after rehab (Click here for details).

#8. Charles Barkley hopes Kobe Bryant retires after the 2015-16 season (Click here for details).

#9. The Knicks are interested in Ricky Rubio (Click here for details).

#10. The Hornets signed Sam Thompson to a training camp deal (Click here for details).

Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Dream 90 Sun 77. Mystics 77 Lynx 69. Sparks 76 Sky 64. Fever 75 Mercury 63.  Storm 72 Stars 63.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news and updates. Also, like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation  and follow my Google Plus page NBA Lord to stay on top of the NBA. 

Daily Dunks: 6/1-6/7

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

Here is my Daily Dunks page for June 1 through June 7, 2015.  Throughout the week this page will be updated with all the latest news from the NBA with highlights and scores included until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bulls hired Fred Hoiberg as head coach. His deal is worth 5 years, $25M (Click here for details).

#2. Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson practiced today and expects to pass concussions tests in time for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday (Click here for details).

#3. The Clippers are interested in Paul Pierce and ready to offer DeAndre Jordan max money (Click here for details).

#4. Dwyane Wade will opt out of his $16.1M contract with the Heat this summer in hopes of a more lucrative three-year deal (Click here for details).

#5. Pistons forward Cartier Martin exercised his $1.27M player option (Click here for details).

#6. Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao won't play in the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#7. Andre Kirilenko is retiring (Click here for details).

#8. Jeff Van Gundy doesn't like the way the Bulls handled the Tom Thibodeau situation (Click here for details).

#9. Lakers shooting guard Nick Young and Iggy Azaelea are engaged (Click here for details).

#10. The Hawks have a new logo. It's still the "Pac Man" look (Click here for details).

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Monty Williams is joining the Thunder as Billy Donovan's top assistant (Click here for details).

#2. Kings forward Carl Landry underwent wrist surgery. He is expected to take 4-5 months to recover (Click here for details).

#3. Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis hopes the Knicks draft him (Click here for details).

#4. Dwyane Wade is aiming for around $20M per year (Click here for details).

#5. Andrei Kirilenko says he hasn't yet retired (Click here for details).

#6. Warriors power forward Marreese Speights has been cleared to return for the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#7. The NBA's players union is hiring a neurologist to examine their concussion protocol (Click here for details).

#8. Report: The Timberwolves are willing to trade Ricky Rubio (Click here for details).

#9. Darren Erman, a defensive coach, is leaving the Celtics to join the Pelicans (Click here for details).

#10. Danilo Gallinari hopes Melvin Hunt remains as the Nuggets head coach (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Celtics will play a preseason game in Milan, Italy (Click here for details).

#2. The NBA is opening up the "NBA Experience" at Disney World (Click here for details).

#3. Adam Silver wants more data before making a decision on the "Hack-A-Shaq" rule (Click here for details).

#4. The Nuggets have interviewed Mike D'Antoni for their head coaching job (Click here for details).

#5. The Bucks will announce the plans for a new arena on Thursday (Click here for details).

#6. The Nets intend to keep Deron Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Brook Lopez (Click here for details).

#7. Rumor: The Timberwolves may draft D'Angelo Russell #1 and trade Ricky Rubio (Click here for details).

#8. Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek turned down an interview with Iowa State (Click here for details).

#9. Wesley Matthews is back on a basketball court (Click here for details).

#10. Earl Watson is joining Jeff Hornacek's staff on the Suns (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving injured his left knee and will undergo an MRI on Friday. He was walking out of the arena wearing crutches (Click here for details).

#2. Adam Silver may change the playoffs by not giving division winners an automatic top four seed (Click here for details).

#3. The sale of the Atlanta Hawks is scheduled to be done June 24 (Click here for details).

#4. The Nuggets have interviewed former Kings head coach Mike Malone for their head coaching vacancy (Click here for details).

#5. David Lee expects the Warriors to trade him this offseason or at least try to (Click here for details).

#6. Chandler Parsons hopes the Mavericks can get Patrick Beverley from the Rockets (Click here for details).

#7. Nuggets point guard Jameer Nelson plans to opt out of his $2.85M option and enter free agency this summer (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards assistant coach Don Newman is in the mix for the Nuggets' head coaching job (Click here for details).

#9. LaMarcus Aldridge's house is for sale in Portland. He'll be a free agent this summer (Click here for details).

#10. LeBron James had a huge game in the Cavaliers' Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals: 44 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.

NBA Finals Game 1: Warriors 108 Cavaliers 100: Final/OT (Warriors lead series 1-0). Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Kyrie Irving has a fractured left knee cap and will be out 3-4 months (Click here for details).

#2. The Pistons hired Arn Tellem, a former agent, as Vice Chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment (Click here for details).

#3. Kevin Love reiterates that he wants to return to the Cavaliers next season (Click here for details).

#4. Grizzlies guard Beno Udrih underwent successful ankle surgery (Click here for details).

#5. Mavericks shooting guard Monta Ellis is expected to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent (Click here for details).

#6. Pacers forward Paul George plans to play some power forward next season (Click here for details).

#7. Hawks point guard Shelvin Mack's shoulder surgery was successful and he is expected to be fully recovered in 3-4 months (Click here for details).

#8. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons is trying to recruit Rockets guard Patrick Beverley to join him in Dallas (Click here for details).

#9. Paul Pierce will decide on is future in the next couple of weeks (Click here for details).

#10. Royce White is close to a deal with the Clippers for Summer League (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 73 Sun 68. Liberty 82 Dream 73. Lynx 83 Shock 75. Sky 95 Fever 72. Mercury 76 Stars 71. Sky forward Elena Delle Donne had 31 points and 8 rebounds.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving underwent successful surgery to repair his fractured knee cap. He should be ready for training camp after a 3-4 month recovery. (Click here for details).

#2. Kentucky forward Willie Cauley-Stein will workout for the Knicks (Click here for details).

#3. The Bucks have unveiled new uniforms (Click here to see the new uniforms).

#4. Cavaliers head coach David Blatt is saying that Kyrie Irving's fractured knee cap was caused by contact (Click here for details).

#5. Duke small forward Justise Winslow will workout for the Knicks (Click here for details).

#6. The Warriors and small forward Harrison Barnes have mutual interest in a contract extension (Click here for details).

#7. Kentucky big man Dakari Johnson has worked out for the Grizzlies (Click here for details).

#8. Should the Memphis Grizzlies go after DeMarre Carroll (Click here for a good article on the subject).

#9. Adam Silver plans to discuss the CBA with Michele Roberts this summer (Click here for details).

#10. The NBA plans to readdress lottery reform in 2016 (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 67 Liberty 62. Lynx 78 Fever 69. Shock 101 Sky 93. Storm 86 Sparks 61. Storm forward/center Crystal Langhorne had 18 points and 9 rebounds.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Ricky Rubio has told Sportando.com that he wants to stay in Minnesota (Click here for details).

#2. Willie Cauley-Stein will workout for the Nuggets on Monday (Click here for details).

#3. There are rumors that the Kings may be in play for Rajon Rondo (Click here for details).

#4. Mike Malone has had a second interview with the Nuggets for their head coaching job (Click here for details).

#5. Report:  Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao is "very unlikely" to return for the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#6. Kevin Garnett is a part of the Timberwolves' draft process (Click here for details).

#7. Dwyane Wade has indicated that he'll opt out of his contract in July (Click here for details).

#8. LeBron James is averaging 41.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game in the NBA Finals.

#9. Marreese Speights missed a wide open dunk in Game 2 of the NBA Finals (Click here to watch).

#10.  For the first time in NBA Finals history, Games 1 & 2 went to overtime.

Sunday's NBA Finals Results: 

Cavaliers 95 Warriors 93: Final/OT. Series is tied 1-1. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 39 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists (Click here to watch highlights from his Game 2 performance).

Sundays' WNBA results: 

Sun 75 Dream 70. Sun guard Alex Bentley had 17 points.


---Ben Parker: Follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Daily Dunks: 4/13-4/19

                                                    (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source) 

This is my Daily Dunks page for April 13, 2015 through April 19, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with all the latest news, scores, and rumors from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Celtics clinched a playoff spot. Also, the Pacers now are in the driver's seat for the #8 seed in the East. The Nets need some help.

#2. Lakers guard Dwight Buycks has a fractured right hand which will end his season. Lakers guard Jeremy Lin (knee) is also done for the season (Click here and here for details).

#3. In wake of injuries to their back court, the Lakers have signed guard Vander Blue from their D-League team just for the remainder of the season, which ends on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#4. Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio's ankle surgery was a success. He should be fully healed before the end of the summer (Click here for details).

#5. The Rocky Mountain Review, now the Utah Jazz Summer League will return this summer (Click here for details).

#6. Child abuse charges against Dwight Howard have been dropped (Click here for details).

#7. Isaiah Thomas and Tim Duncan have won player of the week honors (Click here for details).

#8. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (foot) didn't play on Monday (Click here for details).

#9. Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum (knee) and Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (ankle) are questionable for Wednesday after getting hurt on Monday (Click here for details).

#10. Pistons center Greg Monroe says he hasn't agreed to anything with the Knicks (Click here for details).

Monday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pelicans 100 Timberwolves 88. Jazz 109 Mavericks 92. Warriors 111 Grizzlies 107. Cavaliers 109 Pistons 97. Bucks 107 76ers 97. Rockets 100 Hornets 90. Knicks 112 Hawks 108. Heat 100 Magic 93. Bulls 113 Nets 86. Thunder 101 Trail Blazers 90. Kings 102 Lakers 92. Clippers 110 Nuggets 103.

Monday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Skyforce 100 Charge 89: Final. Skyforce forward Shawn Jones had 26 points and 14 rebounds.

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Duke freshman small forward Justise Winslow is declaring for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#2. Hawks shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha says the NYPD caused his leg injury (Click here for details).

#3. Paul Pierce has spoken about his time with the Nets (Click here for details).

#4. Report: The Lakers plan to shop Nick Young this summer (Click here for details).

#5. Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll reportedly has interested in joining the Knicks in free agency (Click here for details).

#6. Luol Deng is unsure about his future with the Heat (Click here for details).

#7. Rod Thorn, a long-time NBA executive, is retiring (Click here for details).

#8. Bobby Portis is leaving Arkansas for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#9. Perry Ellis will return to Kansas for his senior season (Click here for details).

#10. Olivier Hanlan is leaving Boston College for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Celtics 95 Raptors 93. Pacers 99 Wizards 95 (2OT). Clippers 112 Suns 101.

Tuesday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Charge 105 Skyforce 95: Final. The Charge advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The NBA Playoffs start Saturday. East: #1. Hawks vs. #8. Nets. #4. Raptors vs. #5. Wizards. #3. Bulls vs. #6. Bucks. #2. Cavaliers vs. #7. Celtics. West: #1. Warriors vs. #8. Pelicans. #4. Trail Blazers vs. #5. Grizzlies*. #3. Clippers vs. #6. Spurs. #2. Rockets vs. #7. Mavericks. *Grizzlies have home court advantage. (Click here for a full schedule of all the first round playoff games).

#2. N.C. State guard Trevor Lacey is declaring for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#3. Hawks power forward Paul Millsap (shoulder) returned on Wednesday and will be available for the playoffs (Click here for details).

#4. Hawks power forward Paul Millsap also has won the Bob Petit Award (Click here for details).

#5. Duke freshman guard Tyus Jones is declaring for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#6. Thunder poing guard Russell Westbrook has won the NBA's scoring title (Click here for details).

#7. Pacers small forward Paul George injured his left calf, but it's nothing serious (Click here for details).

#8. Grizzlies shooting guard Tony Allen and point guard Mike Conley are both questionable for Game 1 on Sunday (Click here for details).

#9. The Wizards have unveiled a new logo (Click here for details).

#10. Andrew Wiggins plans to play for the Canadian National Team this summer (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Rockets 117 Jazz 91. Thunder 138 Timberwolves 113. Grizzlies 95 Pacers 83. Warriors 133 Nuggets 126. Raptors 92 Hornets 87. Pelicans 108 Spurs 103. Bulls 91 Hawks 85. Cavaliers 113 Wizards 108 (OT). Mavericks 114 Trail Blazers 98. Celtics 105 Bucks 100. Nets 101 Magic 88. Pistons 112 Knicks 90. Heat 105 76ers 101. Kings 122 Lakers 101.

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The NBA and NBAPA will start testing for HGH next season (Click here for details).

#2. Nike is close to securing a long-term deal with the NBA as the brand of its uniforms (Click here for details).

#3. Mike Malone and Mike D'Antoni are linked to the Nuggets' head coaching vacancy (Click here for details).

#4. The Magic are targeting Tom Thibodeau, Scott Skiles, and Billy Donovan in their head coaching search (Click here for details).

#5. Hornets center Al Jefferson says he is unlikely to opt out of his contract this summer (Click here for details).

#6. Rockets small forward K.J. McDaniels is likely done for the post-season due to a fractured wrist (Click here for details).

#7. The Thunder may let Scott Brooks go (Click here for details).

#8. Kobe Bryant is making progress with his rehab (Click here for details).

#9. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak says the Lakers can get one max player this summer (Click here for details).

#10. Brandan Wright hopes to re-sign with the Suns (Click here for details).

Thursday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Mad Ants 105 Charge 91: Final. Mad Ants lead the Eastern Conference Finals 1-0. Mad Ants shooting guard Jordan Crawford had 27 points.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Hawks shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha has undergone surgery and should be ready for the season opener (Click here for details).

#2. The NBA Draft had some tiebreakers settled on Friday (Click here for details).

#3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had quadruple coronary bipass surgery (Click here for details).

#4. Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose will play Game 1 against the Bucks (Click here for details).

#5. Adam Silver says he doesn't expect any changes to the NBA Draft Lottery or playoff system in the near future. He is focused on decreasing the number of back-to-backs and making the schedule easier on players (Click here for details).

#6. Warriors power forward David Lee has some back spasms and won't play in Game 1 against the Pelicans (Click here for details).

#7. Nets forward Mirza Teletovic has been cleared to resume all basketball related activities (Click here for details).

#8. The Pacers want to go small, which likely means less Roy Hibbert (Click here for details).

#9. 76ers head coach Brett Brown says Joel Embiid wasn't the most coachable dude this season (Click here for details).

#10. The Pacers are unlikely to re-sign C.J. Watson (Click here for details).

Friday's D-League playoff scores: 

Warriors 106 Spurs 95: Final. Warriors lead the Western Conference Finals 1-0. Warriors guard Darington Hobson had 20 points and 5 steals.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. There is some chatter that LaMarcus Aldridge may leave the Trail Blazers in free agency (Click here for details).

#2. DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook won player of the month honors for April (Click here for details).

#3. The NBA salary cap is projected to skyrocket to $108M in the  2017-18 season with a $127M luxury tax threshold (Click here for details).

#4. Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade plans to opt in to his contract next season (Click here for details).

#5. Suns guard Brandon Knight had surgery on his left ankle (Click here for details).

#6. The Clippers may get a new logo (Click here for details).

#7. The 76ers fined Joel Embiid for missing and arriving late to rehab sessions (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 34 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

#9. Wizards small forward Paul Pierce had 20 points and 4 rebounds.

#10. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose had 23 points and 7 assists.

Saturday's NBA Playoff Scores: 

Warriors 106 Pelicans 99 (Warriors lead series 1-0). Wizards 93 Raptors 86 (OT) (Wizards lead series 1-0). Bulls 103 Bucks 91 (Bulls lead series 1-0). Rockets 118 Mavericks 108 (Rockets lead series 1-0).

Sunday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Pelicans small forward Tyreke Evans has a bone bruise in his knee. He is questionable for Game 2 on Monday (Click here for details).

#2. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri was fined $35K for his comments about Paul Pierce. The team got fined an additional $25K (Click here for details).

#3. LeBron James is worried about his team's lack of playoff experience (Click here for details).

#4. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving had 30 points.

#5. Mike Conley, Tony Allen, and Jeff Green all played for the Grizzlies in Game 1.

#6. Grizzlies reserve point guard Beno Udrih had 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

#7. Hawks guard Kyle Korver had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

#8. Clippers point guard Chris Paul had 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

#9. Clippers power forward Blake Griffin had 26 points and 12 rebounds.

#10. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis was huge on Saturday: 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

 Sunday's NBA Playoff Scores: 

Cavaliers 113 Celtics 100 (Cavaliers lead series 1-0). Hawks 99 Nets 92 (Hawks lead series 1-0). Grizzlies 100 Trail Blazers 86 (Grizzlies lead series 1-0). Clippers 107 Spurs 92 (Clippers lead series 1-0).

Sunday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Mad Ants 103 Charge 85 (Mad Ants win the series 2-0, advancing to the D-League Finals). Spurs 100 Warriors 91 (Series is tied 1-1.)

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Daily Dunks: 12/29-1/4

                           (Credit---Andy Melton. Image is smaller than original size. Click here for source)


Welcome to my first installment of Daily Dunks! Throughout the week, this page will be updated with the top news from each day as well as the NBA scores! Check this article every day to see what news you have missed. The page will be updated through the following Sunday until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week on Monday nights.

Monday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Timberwolves PG Ricky Rubio has no firm date for his return. A mid-January return is the best guess at the moment (Click here for more info).

#2. Miroslav Raduljica's contract with the Timberwolves is guaranteed for the rest of the season (Click here for more info).

#3. Wizards' small forward Martell Webster was active for Monday's game (Click here for more info).

#4. Heat power forward Chris Bosh was active for Monday's game (Click here for more info).

#5. Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler and Rockets shooting guard James Harden won player of the week honors for last week (Click here for more info).

#6. Clippers center Spencer Hawes was active on Monday (Click here for more info).

#7. The Hornets sent rookie power forward Noah Vonleh to the D-League (Click here for more info).

#8. The Lakers claimed power forward Tarik Black off waivers from the Rockets and waived small forward Xavier Henry (Click here for more info).

#9. Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony is dealing with soreness in his left knee. He could miss some time (Click here for more info).

#10. Cavaliers head coach David Blatt appears to be in some hot water. (Click here for more info).

Monday's NBA Final Scores: Clippers 101 Jazz 97.  Bulls 92 Pacers 90. Bucks 104 Hornets 94 (OT). Magic 102 Heat 101. Nets 107 Kings 99. Wizards 104 Rockets 103.

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Hornets center Al Jefferson has a groin strain. He'll miss at least one month (Click here for more info).

#2. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving returned from his knee injury on Tuesday. He had 35 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists.

#3. Pelicans shooting guard Eric Gordon (shoulder) plans to return to practice on Saturday. He says he should be playing in a game very soon (Click here for more info).

#4. Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (ankle) is expected to make his return on Wednesday against the Suns (Click here for more info).

#5. The Sacramento Kings signed Tyrone Corbin to be their head coach for the rest of the season (Click here for more info).

#6. Knicks power forward Andrea Bargnani fully practiced on Tuesday and expects to make his season debut on Wednesday (Click here for more info).

#7. Jazz shooting guard Alec Burks will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder (Click here for more info).

#8. Kenyon Martin will workout for the Bucks. The Cavaliers are also interested in him (Click here for more info).

#9.The Heat assigned rookie point guard Shabazz Napier to the D-League to join the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Click here for more info).

#10. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant had a triple-double on Tuesday. He had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 95 Spurs 87. Jazz 100 Timberwolves 94. Warriors 126 76ers 86. Pistons 109 Magic 86. Hawks 109 Cavaliers 101. Pelicans 110 Suns 106. Nets 96 Bulls 82. Mavericks 114 Wizards 87. Lakers 111 Nuggets 103. Trail Blazers 102 Raptors 97 (OT).

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Thunder small forward Kevin Durant returned and dropped 44 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists on the Suns. Russell Westbrook was also ejected from the game for two technical fouls (Click here for more info).

#2. LeBron James (knee), Kevin Love (back), and Shawn Marion (ankle) all didn't play for the Cavaliers.

#3. The Hornets recalled rookie power forward Noah Vonleh from the D-League (Click here for more info).

#4. The Cavaliers received a $4.9M Disabled Player Exception due to Anderson Varejao's season-ending Achilles injury (Click here for more info).

#5. The Pistons assigned rookie guard Spencer Dinwiddie to the D-League to join the Grand Rapids Drive (Click here for more info).

#6. The Jazz assigned guard Toure' Murry to the D-League to join the Idaho Stampede (Click here for more info).

#7. In addition to Andrea Bargnani making his season debut, J.R. Smith (heel) returned to the lineup for the Knicks after a 10 game absence (Click here for more info).

#8. Rockets shooting guard James Harden had 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Hornets.

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Celtics 106 Kings 84. Pacers 106 Heat 95. Clippers 99 Knicks 78. Bucks 96 Cavaliers 80. Rockets 102 Hornets 83. Spurs 95 Pelicans 93 (OT). Thunder 137 Suns 134 (OT).

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James is expected to miss two weeks due to strains in his left knee and back (Click here for more info).

#2. Hawks center Al Horford (illness) practice fully on Thursday and should be good to go Friday night in Salt Lake City (Click here for more info).

#3. The Nets assigned guard Markel Brown and forward Cory Jefferson to the D-League to join the Maine Red Claws (Click here for more info).

#4. Kings rookie power forward Eric Moreland has a torn labrum and will undergo surgery. His season is over (Click here for more info).

#5. Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony plans to play through his knee pain (Click here for more info).

#6. The Warriors plan to keep David Lee coming of the bench (Click here for more info).

#7. Bulls power forward Pau Gasol blocked a career high 9 shots against the Nuggets.

#8. Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler had 26 points,  8 rebounds, and 8 assists against the Nuggets.

#9. Timberwolves rookie shooting guard Andrew Wiggins had 27 points and 9 rebounds against the Kings.

#10. Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double against the Bulls: 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Thursday's NBA Scores: 

Kings 110 Timberwolves 107. Bulls 106 Nuggets 101.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin (wrist) could be back in two weeks. He may also have a stint in the D-League to complete his rehab (Click here for more info).

#2. Bulls rookie small forward Doug McDermott  (knee) hopes to practice in two weeks (Click here for info).

#3. Knicks power forward Andrea Bargnani is hurt again. He injured his right calf (Click here for more info).

#4. 100% of the Atlanta Hawks are for sale (Click here for more info).

#5. Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love returned on Friday. He had 27 points and 5 rebounds.

#6. Ty Lawson has talked to Kevin Durant about joining forces on the Wizards in D.C. Lawson has roots to the D.C. area as well (Click here for more info).

#7. Rumor: The Nuggets may fired Brian Shaw and replace him with Mike D'Antoni (Click here for more info).

#8. Bucks power forward Larry Sanders is out indefinitely due to personal reasons (Click here for more info).

#9. Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo returned to Boston and dominated the Celtics. He had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

#10. Warriors forward Draymond Green had a triple double on Friday: 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists.

Friday's NBA Scores: 

Hawks 98 Jazz 92. Warriors 126 Raptors 105. Grizzlies 109 Lakers 106. Nets 100 Magic 98. Cavaliers 91 Hornets 87. Mavericks 119 Celtics 101. Pistons 97 Knicks 81. Pelicans 111 Rockets 83. Thunder 109 Wizards 102. Pacers 94 Bucks 91. Suns 112 76ers 96.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Jazz rookie Rodney Hood will miss several games with a left heel injury (Click here for more info).

#2. Pistons center Greg Monroe has signed with the Jordan Brand (Click here for more info).

#3. Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler didn't play against the Celtics. Mike Dunleavy was out, too (Click here for more info).

#4. Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony could be done for the year (Click here for more info).

#5. Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan is targeting a Thursday return (Click here for more info).

#6. Grizzlies center Marc Gasol plans to keep his options open in free agency (Click here for more info).

#7. Emeka Okafor doesn't plan to return until next year if at all (Click here for more info).

#8. Josh Smith is no longer a starter for the Rockets (Click here for more info).

#9. Bojan Bogdanovic is no longer in the Nets' rotation (Click here for more info).

#10. Rajon Rondo comments on his defense, or lack thereof (Click here for more info).

Saturday's NBA Scores: 

Jazz 101 Timberwolves 89. Nuggets 114 Grizzlies 85. Hornets 98 Magic 90. Bulls 109 Celtics 104 (OT). Rockets 115 Heat 79. Spurs 101 Wizards 92. Hawks 115 Trail Blazers 107. Clippers 127 76ers 91.

Sunday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Wizards are shopping Glen Rice Jr, and will waive him on Wednesday if they can't find a home for him (Click here for more info).

#2. Samuel Dalembert could be on his way out of New York (Click here for more info).

#3. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving won't make the trip to Philadelphia on Monday (Click here for more info).

#4. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (rest) won't play on Monday (Click here for more info).

#5. The Jazz waived guard Toure' Murry and signed guard Elijah Millsap to a 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#6. The Lakers recalled center Tarik Black and guard Jordan Clarkson from the D-League (Click here for more info).

#7. Lakers forward Wesley Johnson has a strained right hip flexor and is out indefinitely (Click here for more info).

#8. Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw is thinking about getting rid of morning shoot arounds (Click here for more info).

#9. Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings had 35 points and 7 assists against the Kings .

#10. Lakers forward Julius Randle will undergo foot surgery on Tuesday (Click here for more info).

Sunday's NBA Scores: 

Mavericks 109 Cavaliers 90. Pistons 114 Kings 95. Heat 88 Nets 84. Bucks 95 Knicks 82. Suns 125 Raptors 109. Lakers 88 Pacers 87.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Wednesday Windmill: By turning down $48M, Ricky Rubio is asking the Timberwolves to let him go

                                                (Credit: en.global.nba.com)
   
     Ricky Rubio is entering the final year of his contract before he hits restricted free agency next summer, which means that he's looking to get an upgrade from his rookie scale contract. He is scheduled to make a shade over $4.6M this season and $6.7M next season, the year teams can sign him to an offer sheet. If you have been following the talks between Rubio's camp and the Timberwolves, you know that Rubio turned down a 4 year, $48M offer from the Timberwolves, asking for more money. I personally think that by doing this, Rubio is asking the Timberwolves to let him go since he definitely isn't worth any more than that.
     I understand why Ricky Rubio is asking for more money. The NBA is a point guard driven league and he recently saw Eric Bledsoe get more money by turning down the Suns' initial offer. With that being said, Rubio isn't nearly as good of a point guard as Eric Bledsoe, and while he does show signs of promise, he hasn't yet shown that he will become the kind of point guard that deserves to be paid like a franchise player.
     Let's take a look at his stats: Over his three years in the NBA, his rebounding average has consistently stayed right around his career average of 4.1 rebounds per game; his points per game average has actually dropped, going from 10.6 points per game to 9.5 points per game; his steals per game average has stayed relatively the same, which is 2.3 steals per game; his assists per game average has slightly gone up from 8.2 to 8.6; his field goal percentage has risen from 35.7% to 38.1%; his three point percentage has gone down from 34% to 33.1%; and his free throw percentage has stayed relatively the same across all three years at 80%.
     Judging by his numbers, I would say he has improved, but only slightly. More importantly, he hasn't taken a leap in his scoring average. If you are going to demand more than $12M per season, even as a point guard, you need to at least be averaging around 17 points per game and 10 assists. I personally think the best Rubio can ever become is a 15 and 10 guy, which means I don't think he'll ever be worth what he's asking.
     This doesn't mean that I think Rubio doesn't have any value or that he isn't a quality point guard. I just don't think he's worth anything close to the money that he is asking. He's a B grade John Stockton from a passing and defending perspective and nothing close to Stockton from a shooting perspective. John Stockton was a point guard worth more than $12M a year, Rubio on the other hand is a point guard worth around $7-8M per year.
     If Rubio wants to ask for a shorter and cheaper contract and prove to the Timberwolves he's worth what he says he's worth, I'm all for it. Rubio could prove us all wrong in 5 years and morph into a bigger John Stockton. But so long as he demands this money without proving he's worth it, the Timberwolves are left with no choice but to trade him or let him go in free agency if they can't find a good deal for him.

                                         (credit: www.hoopsaddict.com)

     One of the things that Rubio isn't considering in all of this is that to a certain extent he was viewed as a good piece to put with Kevin Love. The Timberwolves envisioned Love and Rubio being the future of their team as an item. But with Love now gone, the franchise has gone in a different direction, instead building around Andrew Wiggins, Thaddeus Young, Zach LaVine, Gorgui Dieng, and Nikola Pekovic. The Rubio-to-Love duo is no more without Love, which means that Rubio is more expendable.
     The reality for the Minnesota Timberwolves is that they really shouldn't pay Ricky Rubio any more money than what they have offered him. He simply hasn't proven to be worth this kind of money. A final thought on this is that drafting Ricky Rubio was David Khan's idea and Khan is no longer the general manager of the team.  It was David Khan who was sold on Ricky Rubio and celebrated his arrival like he was Jesus coming to redeem his people, not Flip Saunders. By letting Rubio go, the Timberwolves would officially be starting a new chapter in the Flip Saunders era and purge themselves of the David Khan era which for Wolves fans is an era that they want to forget.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord