Pacers vs. Thunder one of best NBA Finals what-ifs
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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic signs $165 million extension with Lakers
The Dallas Mavericks will have to watch their former star in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. On Saturday, Luka Doncic agreed to a three-year, $165 million deal with the Lakers, according to a report from Marc Stein. The former Mavericks star was dealt to the Lakers in a shocking trade in February, and he is now set to be on the West Coast throughout his prime. Doncic has formed a superstar duo with LeBron James since arriving in Los Angeles, and those two promise to help the Lakers contend for a title next season and perhaps beyond. While James' future is still up in the air, Doncic's extension signals that the Lakers are ready to build around the 26-year-old star for years to come. As for the Mavericks, this is another crushing blow in the saga that has resulted in non-stop criticism and backlash, particularly for GM Nico Harrison. Still, the Mavericks boast one of the most interesting rosters in the West and could be right there with the Lakers competing for a title next season and beyond. Still, the Slovenian superstar just led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024 and was a fan favorite who expected to spend his entire career in Dallas. Although there is no guarantee that Doncic ever wins an MVP or an NBA title, any accolades he accumulates in Los Angeles will only sting for fans in Dallas. With plenty of motivation to perform with the Lakers, Doncic will again be one of the top players in the league next season, and the Mavericks will simply have to watch as their former superstar dominates.
Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Bam Adebayo satisfied with Heat's offseason moves: ‘It's a very good shake up for our team'
Miami Heat captain and cornerstone Bam Adebayo predicted an offseason of change for the franchise. 'There are going to be a lot of changes this summer,' Adebayo said in late April just a few days after the Heat was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season. 'Just from my point of view, understanding how the guy with the silver hair [Heat president Pat Riley) works. So just be prepared for that.' So far, the Heat has three new faces on its standard roster for next season — Simone Fontecchio, Kasparas Jakucionis and Norman Powell. Those from last season's season-ending standard roster who are no longer with the Heat are Kyle Anderson, Alec Burks, Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson. Is that enough change for a Heat team that has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, has needed to qualify for the playoffs through the NBA's play-in tournament in each of the last three seasons, and finished this past regular season with a losing record for the first time since the 2018-19 season and just the sixth time in Riley's 30 seasons with the organization? 'It's a very good shake up for our team and now there's a different dynamic to it,' Adebayo said Saturday, making his first comments to South Florida media since the end of last season during a break at his sixth annual youth basketball clinic at SLAM! Miami charter school. While Adebayo has not yet won an NBA championship, the three-time NBA All-Star knows what it takes to make a deep playoff run. Boston's Jaylen Brown (135 playoff appearances) and Jayson Tatum (121 playoff appearances), Denver's Jamal Murray (79 playoff appearances) and Adebayo (78 playoff appearances) are the only players in the league currently younger than 29 years old who have already appeared in at least 78 playoff games during their NBA careers. Adebayo hopes the addition of Powell, who produced All-Star caliber numbers last season, can help the Heat get back to winning playoff series. Powell averaged a career-high 21.8 points to go with 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 41.8% on 7.1 three-point attempts per game for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. Powell was among six NBA players who averaged at least 21 points per game while shooting better than 48% from the field and better than 40% from three-point range last regular season along with Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine and Kawhi Leonard. 'I feel like Norman is one of those guys that floats under the radar,' said Adebayo, who turned 28 on July 18 and has already played in three Eastern Conference finals and two NBA Finals. 'But as you saw this year, he's really shown that he can be an All-Star caliber player. You've seen what he's done and you've seen him grow in this league. And, obviously, he wants to take the next challenge. Obviously, the next challenge is being with the Miami Heat. So I'm happy to have him.' The Heat also retained guard Davion Mitchell in free agency this offseason. Mitchell agreed to a new deal this summer worth $24 million over two seasons to return after thriving in Miami following his mid-season trade to the Heat as part of the Jimmy Butler deal in February. Following the trade to Miami, Mitchell averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 50.4% from the field and 44.7% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game in 30 regular-season appearances (15 starts) for the Heat. Mitchell's point-of-attack defense also immediately helped the Heat, as Miami allowed 3.4 fewer points per 100 possessions with Mitchell on the court compared to when he wasn't playing after the February trade. 'Davion being back, obviously, we've been missing somebody that can really play on-ball defense,' Adebayo said. 'And having him come in and be that guy and understand his role, I'm looking forward to him being here for a full year and all of us being together and getting to know one another and turning this into more of a brotherhood. We were kind of disconnected a little bit trying to figure out everybody's role and trying to figure out everybody's style of play. But now we're going to have a good training camp and then we go from there.' While Adebayo is satisfied with the Heat's roster changes this offseason, he has mixed emotions about some of the moves made because of the teammates he lost. 'I'm going to miss them, obviously,' Adebayo said of losing Robinson and Love as Heat teammates. 'Just because Duncan has been here for eight years and having that connection was special. And then K-Love was a leader that could speak to somebody from a championship level, could obviously encourage the younger group, be an example, but also he was the bridge between some of the coaches and the players. So like I said, I'm going to miss both of them. I'm glad we had the time that we did. It was, obviously, helpful for my growth and my development as a player and as a captain.' Adebayo's time in Miami continues after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Heat. Hosting his sixth annual youth basketball clinic in Miami is a reflection of his long Heat tenure. 'It just speaks to what I've done in the community and that people believe in Bam camp,' Adebayo said. 'They see it as an opportunity for kids to get better, kids to start understanding the game better. I take pride in that because these kids are our future. So it's my job to invest in them now and you never know what can happen.' As the Heat's captain and highest paid player, Adebayo hopes his ninth season with the Heat is his best yet. 'I care. That's the one thing that people don't understand about me – I care,' said Adebayo, who is under contract with the Heat through the 2028-29 season. 'I value relationships, I value me being loyal to this community.'
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Stephen Curry once admitted he couldn't stop Kyrie Irving's iconic 3-pointer in the 2016 NBA Finals: "I was right there, tried not to foul, I stayed in front and contested"
Stephen Curry once admitted he couldn't stop Kyrie Irving's iconic 3-pointer in the 2016 NBA Finals: "I was right there, tried not to foul, I stayed in front and contested" originally appeared on Basketball Network. The 2016 NBA Finals were undoubtedly memorable given the unexpected twists and turns. With that being said, Kyrie Irving's game-winning 3-pointer over Stephen Curry will always remain one of the main highlights of the unforgettable seven-game series. A rematch from the 2015 Finals, with the Golden State Warriors prevailing over the Cleveland Cavaliers previously. Given the commanding 3-1 lead, it looked like history would repeat itself. However, LeBron James would not let this one slip so easily, especially with Irving by his side. The Cavs won the next two games to tie the series at 3-3, with the Dubs still having the home-court advantage in Game Seven. Trading punches, there came a time when neither side could drain a shot until Irving took matters into his own hands, with 53 seconds left in the game. A game-winning 3-pointer that etched his name in history. Unable to stop him, Curry did not have any regrets when it came to his defense. "You could tell that's a shot he's worked on. I was right there. Tried not to foul. I stayed in front and contested. He just made an amazing shot. You have to give him credit. There's nothing I'd do differently on that play," said Curry, who was recently named the first-ever unanimous MVP in 2016. Good defense but better offense Interestingly, Klay Thompson had been assigned defensive duties on Irving. But a timely screen from J.R. Smith had Curry switching with his Splash Brother. The Chef was locked in despite the sudden adjustment but could do nothing to combat Uncle Drew's wizardry. Irving sank the 3-pointer, which gave the Cavs a 92-89 lead with less than a minute remaining. He ended the fourth-quarter scoring dry spell and helped Cleveland snap its 52-year championship drought. The first team to ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. It was an emotional moment for James, considering his history with the franchise and city. None of this would have been possible without Irving, who averaged 27 points during the Finals and shot 40 percent from the field. Mutual respect between Curry and Irving Two generational guards known for their one-of-a-kind skill sets, Curry and Irving, were drafted two years apart. It's no surprise, they were positioned as rivals, especially given their history in the Finals. Nevertheless, the two shared a common admiration for each other. While Curry gave his flowers to Irving regarding the 2016 Finals game-winner over him, the latter never hesitated to acknowledge what No. 30 has meant to the game. "I just show respect to the guys like that. He has put in a ton of work for our league, he has set the bar for a lot of us point guards of where we want to be, we are still chasing his legacy," said Irving about Curry in 2024. Both Curry and Irving have been game-changers when it comes to the point guard position in the NBA. Blessed with marksmanship and ball-handling skills, the two veterans have inspired a story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
