Latest news with #TimDuncan
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nick Young Faces Backlash From Fans For Controversial Tim Duncan, Spurs Comments
Nick Young Faces Backlash From Fans For Controversial Tim Duncan, Spurs Comments originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former USC Trojans star, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors fan favorite Nick Young played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association, averaging 11.4 points per game while shooting 41.8% from the field. Advertisement Young was known as an up-and-down player with an unpredictable but fun loving personality who could shoot a team into, or out of, a game on any given night. On Thursday, Young shared comments on Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs' dynasty that had fans reacting in a strong way as many could not believe the audacity of what the man known as 'Swaggy P' said. Draymond Green (L) and Nick Young receive championship rings at Oralce Arena on April 5, 2019. © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images "Tim Duncan spurs was not a dynasty team," Young said on X Thursday morning in a message that appeared to catch fans off-guard. "Swaggy, log off," one media account said in response. "Log off my boy," another said. Advertisement "HOW TF DO NBA PLAYERS HAVE SUCH BAD another fan said. The backlash continued unabated as fans continued to take Young to task for his take, but not everyone disagreed with him. "They a dynasty bro but just not as dominant as people try to make it seem," another said. "Never won back to back titles." "You really get a kick out of being objectively wrong," another said. "Get some sleep Nick. You obviously tired," another added. "Nick, come now, Timmy is basketball royalty," another fan said. Popovich and Duncan's Spurs won NBA titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. A few more fans chimed in with support for Young. Advertisement "He right. Can't consider yourself a dynasty with no repeats," another added. "Correct. Never defended a title," another said. "Maybe, maybe not. Find me another player with a better winning percentage over 19 years," another fan added. Related: Former Spurs Star Shares Heartfelt Gregg Popovich Story This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Milwaukee can tap into Giannis Antetokounmpo's playmaking: Bucks mailbag, Part III
As we continue to work our way through this mailbag, the Indiana Pacers continue to win games. The team that eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons is now two wins away from winning their first NBA title. By the time we finish up this mailbag next week, they could be NBA champions. Advertisement Such is life in this new NBA that has deemphasized dynasties and strived for greater parity. Rather than trying to decide if the Bucks should feel better or worse about losing to the Pacers in five games, let's get to some more questions. Note: Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar. Do you think LeBron James' longevity as a high-caliber player influences star players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo? If so, can it make them reconsider the traditional notions of what age-based decline must look like (and influence their career decisions)? — Adam R. Absolutely. Antetokounmpo has always laid out his vision for a 20-year NBA career. Early in his career, he talked about players such as Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan in laying out that vision, and I think that was because of their careers as one-team superstars. In recent years, he has mentioned LeBron James with more regularity. He just tweeted about James the other day: If they're people out there that believe that one of the greatest players to ever be on earth has no bag… Man i've seen it all 💯🤦🏽♂️ — Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) June 9, 2025 James was just named to the Second Team All-NBA at 40. So was Steph Curry at 37. Kevin Durant was named Second Team All-NBA last season at 35. Elite players aren't just putting together long careers; they're making All-NBA teams after they've been in the league for 15-plus years. Those guys are developing a new blueprint for superstars in real time, so it would be crazy to believe that Antetokounmpo is thinking his career will go any other way. Do you think Giannis' 'point forward' comments indicate the style/coaching he wants to play or what skills he wants to improve on to elongate his career? — Ryan G. For those unfamiliar, here is what Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks' Game 5 loss in Indiana about playing 'point forward' at the end of the season as the Bucks were without Damian Lillard: 'I always believe there's phases, and I always thought that would be my last phase as a guy that can play-make and set up the team and be a legit point forward out there,' Antetokounmpo said. 'At times, I've showed that I can do it. At times, when I have a great point guard next to me, I just let the guy do his job and I do my job, but I believe — obviously, one of the greatest players, LeBron James being the best at it — you see a lot of people playing like that right now. Advertisement 'From (Pascal) Siakam to Pablo (Banchero), Scottie Barnes, you see a lot of people that can handle the ball and put their teammates in the right place and play-make and make the team better. It's something I enjoy to do. If I have the opportunity to come back next year and do that, I would love it.' Antetokounmpo's priority will always be winning at the highest level. That priority will always supersede any preferences he may have about play style or his potential role. He will always do what the team needs, and he will always try to execute whatever his idealized role for that specific team might be at its absolute zenith. But while that is true and — I don't see that ever not being true — Antetokounmpo did seem to enjoy getting the opportunity to serve more as a 'point forward' or whatever you might want to call his role at the end of the season. He explained why he believed it was happening with a 'cookie jar' analogy late in the season, but I think one of the most impressive aspects of his shift into the 'point forward' role was his ability to increase his assists while also decreasing his turnovers. Before Lillard went out with deep vein thrombosis on March 20, Antetokounmpo recorded 338 assists and 182 turnovers. In the 11 games after Lillard's diagnosis, the two-time MVP dished out 95 assists while only committing 24 turnovers. That means he decreased his turnovers per game from 3.25 to 2.18 and increased his assist-to-turnover ratio from 1.86 to 3.96. It's a major role change and a comparison between a large sample and a small sample, but the ability to rack up assists and limit turnovers makes this path forward all the more intriguing. Regarding the second question, I thought we saw some of that on display in the 2024-25 season. In my last mailbag, I talked about the changes in Antetokounmpo's shot diet and I would reiterate that I believe it is a big part of elongating his career, so I wanted to instead look at something else that plays into a potential 'point forward' change and that is Antetokounmpo's ability and comfort to throw different passes from different places on the floor. Advertisement Under former coach Mike Budenholzer, Antetokounmpo grew accustomed to throwing a lot of the same passes. With five-out spacing, Antetokounmpo focused on getting downhill and then throwing passes to the boxes that Budenholzer trained players to fill around the floor. At the end of Budenholzer's time in Milwaukee, the degree of difficulty changed slightly as Antetokounmpo needed to start throwing passes to the dunker, but overall, the expectations remained the same. This past season, the diversity of passes Antetokounmpo was expected to throw changed. Despite playing in six fewer games, per data from Sportradar, Antetokounmpo threw considerably more assists to teammates in the paint this season: With different responsibilities and more touches in the post and on the elbows this past season, Antetokounmpo needed to throw different passes. He needed to get far more comfortable in finding his teammates in tight spaces in the paint, as he did on this assist to Kyle Kuzma: That might not have been a no-look, over-the-head pass from a post-up, but it was a play that Antetokounmpo made on what was an aborted drive off an inverted pick-and-roll with Pat Connaughton. Rather than barreling through traffic, the Bucks' superstar forward saw the traffic, slowed himself down, dribbled into a brief post-up, saw the help defenders and used his height and skill to make the right pass. As he gets older, those are the plays he will need to make more often. And as a bonus, that type of playmaking requires far less stress on his body and can help mitigate the risk of a potential injury from getting up in the air or tripping over a defender trying to take a charge. Using tracking data from Sportradar, you can see how Antetokounmpo started to implement a different style of playmaking this past season and how that play style may help him age more gracefully. The graphic above, assembled by the amazing Todd Whitehead, shows all of Antetokounmpo's kick-out assists made for 3-points over the last two seasons (excluding swing passes and handoffs) using these definitions: While it doesn't happen exactly like this because of the amazing ways in which Antetokounmpo can contort his body while still making on-target passes, it is safe to say that a majority of the peach arrows represent passes where he was going downhill and faced up to the basket. On the other hand, the green-blue arrows represent passes where Antetokounmpo likely had his back to the basket and pitched the ball out for a 3-point shooter. Advertisement The increase in those green-blue arrows shows that the 2024-25 season represented real change in the way that Antetokounmpo played and how he created shots for his teammates in a less dangerous way. Antetokounmpo can be devastating getting downhill off the dribble or posting up at the elbows faced up to the basket and throwing those passes represented by peach arrows, but aging gracefully may require more possessions represented by the green-blue arrows where he is a threat with his back to the basket. What was the rationale behind extending Jon Horst? — Elwood B. The Bucks chose not to put out a news release announcing the general manager's extension, so there was no official statement from ownership. The team's ownership group was not made available to discuss their decision to extend Horst, so unfortunately, there is no official word from the team on their rationale. Here's why I think this was the basic logic behind the Bucks' decision. While they have not found high levels of postseason success since winning a championship in 2021, Horst still has a championship ring. No matter who wins the NBA Finals, we will not see a repeat this season, and seven different teams will have won the last seven titles. The Bucks are one of those seven teams. Looking at the regular season, the Bucks have been one of the NBA's most successful franchises during Horst's tenure. Since he took over in the summer of 2017, the team has compiled a 412-225 regular-season record, which gives them the second-best winning percentage during that time. Shrink that period to the last four seasons since winning the title, and the winning percentage only drops to fourth. The last three seasons? Fifth. Even over the last two seasons, Milwaukee still has the 10th-best regular-season winning percentage. So, while things haven't gone as well as the organization would have liked recently, the Bucks have still been a strong team, and injuries have played a major role in their lack of postseason success. On top of the organization's success during his tenure, Horst has convinced Antetokounmpo to sign two contract extensions. While some may argue that it was not a tough task or that it happened simply because Antetokounmpo wanted to stay with the Bucks, it still happened, and keeping Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee is among the top priorities for any decision maker for this franchise. For eight seasons, Horst has done that successfully. Finally, as the Bucks approached an offseason that was going to potentially feature a lot of conversation about Antetokounmpo and his future, the organization wanted to have stability at the top. Advertisement In your opinion, are the most talented rosters making the final four playoff teams since the salary cap and aprons took effect, or are the most cohesive and deep teams the ones winning in the playoffs? — Evan M. That's an interesting question, and it's a little difficult to fully answer because of how people define the term 'most talented.' I'll try to tackle that in a second, but I think there has been a fundamental change in the general rules of playoff basketball. For many years, I subscribed to the notion that as long as the top eight players on both teams were relatively close, the team with the best player in the series would win that series. As teams have become better at attacking the weakest links and using certain players off the floor, we are seeing fewer situations in which the best player in a series can carry a team to a win. Maybe the Bucks just haven't had enough talent on the rest of the roster, but Antetokounmpo was the best player in the series against the Boston Celtics in 2022, again this season against the Pacers and Milwaukee came out on the losing end of each series. The new CBA took effect in 2023, so that means these are the eight rosters we'd be dissecting regarding Evan's initial question: With their collection of All-NBA talent and defensive skill across the board, I think it is reasonable to say that last year's Celtics team was the most talented roster in the NBA. With this year's MVP and a Third Team All-NBA player, plus an amazing collection of defensive talent, I think it would be reasonable to say that this year's Thunder team is the most talented roster in the NBA. So, I don't think we've reached a point where the teams with the most talented rosters in the NBA are struggling to get to the NBA Finals. That is still working, and those teams are being rewarded. The Pacers are the strongest evidence for the argument of the value of depth over top-end talent. Haliburton is their best player, and the highest honor he has earned is All-NBA Third Team, something he's done the last two seasons. The other teams in the final four had a player most people see as one of the five best in the NBA (Luka Dončić, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards) surrounded by talented ensembles. Overall, the greater point is that there are fewer truly stacked rosters. Each conference had one (Oklahoma City, Boston) heading into the playoffs, and an injury to Jayson Tatum threw the Celtics' immediate future into question. Outside of the Thunder, there are not many teams that have a future that seems likely to feature both amazing top-end talent and a strong top eight. Advertisement Ultimately, I think the greater point here is that every team, including the Bucks, must think about getting more versatile and skilled players into their top eight. For the Bucks specifically, that means this summer needs to be about finding greater depth in their top eight. No matter whose opinion you may value, it is a consensus opinion that Antetokounmpo is one of the three best players on the planet. Now they need to find a way to build a more complete roster around him. (Photo of Giannis Antetokounmpo: Jeff Haynes / NBAE via Getty Images)
Fox News
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
2025 NBA Finals MVP odds: Can Gilgeous-Alexander pull off MVP trifecta?
The NBA regular-season MVP will look to pull off the double dip in the Finals. Oklahoma City and Indiana are set to face off in this year's NBA Finals, after each team somewhat breezed through their respective playoff matchups, with both going 12-4 so far in the postseason. Now, the Larry O'Brien Trophy is on the line, as well as the Bill Russell Finals MVP award. Will league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander complete the MVP sweep? Let's check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of June 9. 2025 NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: -475 (bet $10 to win $12.11 total)Tyrese Haliburton: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)Pascal Siakam: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)Jalen Williams: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Chet Holmgren: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total) SGA is heavily favored to take home the hardware, not only because he is the league MVP, but because his Thunder are heavily favored to win the Finals, at -525. Only once has a player won Finals MVP while playing on the losing team: the Lakers' Jerry West in 1969. In NBA history, 10 players have won both regular-season MVP and Finals MVP. That list includes LeBron James (2012, 2013), Tim Duncan (2003), Shaquille O'Neal (2000), Hakeem Olajuwon (1994), Michael Jordan (1991, 1992, 1996, 1998), Magic Johnson (1987), Larry Bird (1984, 1986), Moses Malone (1983), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971) and Willis Reed (1970). As noted, Jordan accomplished the feat four times, the most in league history, followed by James and Bird, who both did it twice. However, SGA does have a chance to make some history this year. He could become the first player in NBA history to win regular-season MVP, Western Conference finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP. The Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy (West finals MVP) and Larry Bird Trophy (East finals MVP) have only been in existence for four years, meaning the likes of Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar and others from the list above (everyone except James) never had a chance to win it during their playing days. Nikola Jokić came closest to pulling it off in 2023, when he won Western Conference finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP. However, Joel Embiid won regular-season MVP that year. As for other names on the oddsboard, Pascal Siakam was named Eastern Conference finals MVP, meaning he still has a chance to win two MVP awards in one season if his Pacers can pull off the upset — or, if he goes Jerry West-mode. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"I wanted it to happen because I was coming to a fabulous team" – Shaquille O'Neal looked forward to helping the Suns in 2008, despite Father Time catching up
"I wanted it to happen because I was coming to a fabulous team" – Shaquille O'Neal looked forward to helping the Suns in 2008, despite Father Time catching up originally appeared on Basketball Network. Even when he reached his mid-30s, Shaquille O'Neal was a player who could help any team. However, "The Diesel" needed to be healthy and suited up for it to happen. Advertisement Although he had a memorable run with the Miami Heat in 2006, winning his fourth and final NBA title, there were already signs of decline. With the LSU product struggling to stay healthy, the South Beach squad shipped him to the Phoenix Suns in 2007. O'Neal welcomed the move, alleging he could help the team reach the next level. "I'm very excited to be here. I just want to fit in with a damn good team," O'Neal said at a news conference via UPI. "I'm just here to make everyone else better. I wanted it to happen because I was coming to a fabulous team. Helping them get to the next level will be exciting." Suns needed someone to stop the Spurs One area the Suns desperately needed to shore up was the center position. To make a real playoff push, they had to find someone capable of matching up with Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. Advertisement Back then, Mike D'Antoni was at the helm, leaning heavily on his fast-paced, small-ball system. It worked wonders in the regular season, but every time Phoenix ran into San Antonio, that approach came up short. The Suns lost to the Spurs in the 2005 Western Conference Finals in D'Antoni's first year at the helm. The Texas squad would do the same in the 2007 postseason, eliminating Phoenix in the WC semifinals. The Shaq experiment failed Even with the acquisition of the top pick of the 1992 Draft, the Suns still fell to the Spurs that season. Both teams faced off in the first round, with San Antonio booting out Phoenix 4-1. Advertisement This put then-general manager Steve Kerr in a tough position. He had been the driving force behind the Shaquille trade, a move he later acknowledged was aimed at addressing the glaring hole in the paint. Looking back, Kerr admitted he could've handled the situation more effectively including improving communication and alignment with the respected head coach, who wasn't fully on board with the direction the team was headed. "I have some regrets. I think we had a few differences that I probably didn't handle very well as a GM that I could've probably handled better, especially given that we really like each other and have a lot of similar viewpoints on the game," Kerr stated in 2018. Related: "There's a lot of things I hate about it" - Tim Duncan admits he can't stand some things about today's NBA Shaq had nothing more to prove Although he remained tough to stop, Shaq's numbers show that his playing days were coming to an end. From the monstrous performances he had with the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers, his production dropped considerably. Advertisement O'Neal's most productive stint with the Suns came in his second season, where he put up 17.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 blocks across 75 games. Little did the 7-foot-1 behemoth realize that it would be his last good run in the NBA. He got shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and made his final stop with the Boston Celtics in 2010. Try as he might, "The Big Aristotle" had to accept the fact that his game was on the decline. Injuries prevented him from being his usual self and his unavailability was a huge problem for teams. O'Neal came to that realization in June 2011, ending his 19-year run. While the final chapter of his career may not have gone as hoped, Shaq's NBA journey was nothing short of legendary. Advertisement With four championship rings and a league MVP to his name, the big man's resume is stacked with accolades most players can only dream of. Related: LeBron James reveals which NFL players resemble him the most: "We have that same stature, as far as the build goes" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA／21次入選最佳陣容再創歷史紀錄 40歲詹姆斯：有點瘋狂
在今天官方公布的年度最佳陣容中，湖人當家球星詹姆斯（LeBron James）一如預期入選年度最佳第二隊，這是他自2004-05年賽季以來連續21次入選最佳陣容，持續推高聯盟紀錄，同時也以40歲又125天的年齡，樹立自己保持的「高齡障礙」。 在詹姆斯之後，歷史上所有巨星也只有賈霸（Kareem Abdul-Jabbar）、鄧肯（Tim Duncan）與布萊恩（Kobe Bryant）等3人可以累積15次入選最佳陣容，詹姆斯可說是斷層式的遙遙領先。 詹姆斯21次最佳陣容中，有13次第一隊，第二隊和第三隊各4次，13次第一隊也是史上第一。 不過很多球迷還是忍不住為「詹皇」抱屈，如果沒有出現腹股溝傷勢，以詹姆斯場均24.4分8.2助攻7.8籃板的成績，甚至有望進入年度第一隊。 「對一個40歲的人來說，這種表現簡直不可思議。」、「居然有人認為湖人沒有詹皇會更好」、「如果他沒有腹股溝傷病，很難想像他會排在前5名之外，」、「瘋狂的是，在他受傷之前還是MVP前3名的人選」、「詹姆斯應該取代米契爾進第一隊」。 ALL NBA at 40!! Low key crazy to me right now! Sitting here watching the playoffs just thinking about it. Blessed beyond I can even imagine.👑🙏🏾 — LeBron James (@KingJames) 2025年5月24日 針對自己再度刷新紀錄，詹姆斯也滿懷感恩在社群上寫道：「40歲再次入選年度最佳陣容！！此刻對我來說簡直有點瘋狂！坐在這裡看季後賽，一邊思考這一切。我所擁有的，遠比我能想像的還要幸運與感恩。」 從投票分布來看，詹姆斯一共獲得17張第一名選票，僅次於年度第一隊的5名球星，不過他在第二名選票中只有拿到61張，遠低於愛德華（Anthony Edwards）的87張，也讓他的總分289略低於愛德華的318分。 A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2024-25 Kia All-NBA selected five players for the First Team, five players for the Second Team and five players for the Third Team at any voting results ⬇️ — NBA Communications (@NBAPR) 2025年5月23日 更多udn報導 中職／老是病急亂投醫 富邦悍將還找不著屬於自己「球隊文化」 中職／孫易磊高中就很有魅力 桃猿教頭看新庄超勇調度：信任選手 中職／走過關節唇損傷重返一軍 王尉永哽咽感謝老婆一句話讓他轉念 NBA／交易前柯爾認為勇士沒救了 曝熱火主帥有說巴特勒好話
