Chris Paul, Phoenix dominate second half in Game 1 win over Denver

Game 1 between the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets was truly a tale of two halves. The teams played as competitive of a first half as any fan could have asked for but, then, Chris Paul and the Suns took control during the third quarter and never looked back as they came away with a 122-105 win.

All five of Phoenix’s starters scored in double figures, with four eclipsing the 20-point plateau, on their way to victory. Paul was fantastic, finishing the win with 21 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. He had plenty of help though as Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton combined for 64 points, 19 rebounds and 13 assists to help contribute to the Suns’ Game 1 win. On the other side, Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 22 points and nine rebounds but, in the end, his performance wasn’t enough to keep this game competitive down the stretch.

These two teams will meet again on Wednesday night as the opening tip of Game 2 is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET with TNT handling the broadcast.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from Phoenix’s Game 1 win.

1. He’s back

Yes, Chris Paul looked great in Game 4 of Phoenix’s first-round series against the Lakers, but his next two games were discouraging. He scored only 17 combined points on 33.3 percent shooting as the Suns closed out the Lakers, so there was no telling how he’d handle a more difficult test against a healthier Nuggets team. After scoring only five first-half points, it looked like his shoulder was still at considerably less than 100 percent.

Well, the second half should clear up any concerns. Chris Paul is healthy. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone, showing off his typical mid-range mastery after continuously managing to find the matchup he wanted (either Michael Porter Jr. or a big man) through pick-and-roll switch-hunting. He fired high-velocity passes all over the court and even looked faster than he did in the Lakers series. This was …

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Trae Young, Atlanta survive Game 1 after Joel Embiid, Philly storm back late

The Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks tipped off their second-round series at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday afternoon after both teams made short work of their opening-round opponents. If Game 1 was any indication, the series promises to be a lot tougher for both teams. The Hawks ultimately pulled out a 128-124 victory, but it was far from easy for them.

After dominating the first 24 minutes of the contest and taking a 20-point lead into halftime, the Hawks had their hands full in the second half as the Sixers made a furious comeback to cut the lead all the way down to three in the closing minutes of the contest. Despite being outscored 70-54 in the second half, Atlanta was able to hold on for the win, though coach Nate McMillan likely won’t be happy with his team’s play down the stretch of the game.

Just as he did against the New York Knicks in the first round, Trae Young led the way for Atlanta, especially early on. Young lit the Sixers up for 25 points and seven assists in the first half alone, and finished the game with 35 points and 10 assists. In the process, Young became the first Hawks player ever to record 35 points and 10 assists in a playoff game. He also got some major help from John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanović, as that duo combined for 42 points and eight rebounds.

One huge question regarding the series was answered before Game 1 even started: Would Joel Embiid play? He did, despite suffering a small tear in his meniscus against the Wizards. Embiid started for the Sixers, played a game-high 38 minutes and scored a game-high 39 points to go along with nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. While Sixers fans were certainly happy to see him out on the floor, his production wasn’t quite enough to help Philadelphia pull out a win in this one.

Even though they almost gave it away at the end, the Hawks have to feel …

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Clippers Advance to 2nd Round

After a grueling seven-game series, the Los Angeles Clippers have clinched their spot in the Western Conference semifinals with a 126-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon.

As we have seen him do over the course of his career, Kawhi Leonard put the Clippers on his back on both ends of the floor to help put Los Angeles in a position to pull away from Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in the second half as they used a 24-4 run to close the third quarter to really open things up. While Dallas made a run in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to seven points, Los Angeles had just enough answers down the stretch to finish the job and win the series.

With the win, Los Angeles advances to face the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals with Game 1 of that best-of-seven series scheduled for Tuesday night.

Here are four key takeaways from the game:

1. Clippers survive and advance

When the Clippers lost the first two games of this series at home, it was pretty easy to start firing up the same old narratives about this team’s playoff history. And even more so after they dropped Game 5 at home as well. After all, they blew a 3-1 lead in the second round just last season, and have never made the conference finals in franchise history.

But streaks are made to be broken, and narratives can always be rewritten. After their Game 7 win on Sunday afternoon, the Clippers are well on their way to doing just that. Perhaps it was fitting that after their collapses in past postseasons, the Clippers were the ones who battled back from significant deficits in this series. The jury is still out on their ability to win a title, but any questions about their toughness and will to win have been answered.

Now, they’re on to face the No. 1 overall seed, the Utah Jazz, in the second round. It will be a quick turnaround, …

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Nuggets pick out Trail Blazers in second half to take Game 6 126-115

Nikola Jokic tallied 36 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points, all in the first half, as the Denver Nuggets closed out the Portland Trail Blazers 126-115 in Game 6 to win the series 4-2. Damian Lillard led Portland with 28 points, but struggled from the field. CJ McCollum added 21 points for the Trail Blazers.

Porter Jr. started the game 5-5 from behind the arc to give the Nuggets an early advantage, but Portland found its rhythm to eventually get a 33-29 lead after one.

The Trail Blazers then went on a 16-6 run to open up a 63-53 lead in the second quarter. Portland took a 68-61 lead into halftime and went on a run early in the third quarter to open up a 93-79 advantage, but from there it was all Denver.

Jokic scored 20 points in the third quarter as Denver closed the frame on a 19-8 tear, trailing by three entering the final period. The Nuggets then went on a 21-7 run to open the fourth and never looked like letting up.

Lillard set a playoff record for 3-pointers made in a series, but will face speculation about his future with the franchise after his fifth first-round exit. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic could also be on the way out if the Trail Blazers look to start from scratch again. The Nuggets will face the Suns series in the second round.…

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LeBron James, Los Angeles eliminated from playoffs by Phoenix

The Phoenix Suns have knocked off the defending champions as Chris Paul and company have bested the Los Angeles Lakers in their best-of-seven series following their 113-100 victory in Game 6 on Friday night.

In the end, the Lakers had no answer for the loss of Anthony Davis as Los Angeles found themselves facing an insurmountable lead after the All-Star big man was forced to leave the floor in the opening six minutes. While Los Angeles was faced with their own injury issues, the Suns took advantage of the situation as Devin Booker led all scorers with 47 points to ensure Phoenix would take care of their opponent in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs. This marked the first time that a team led by LeBron James had been eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

With the win, the Suns advance to face the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. Denver advanced out of their first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers with a win on Friday night. Here are the three biggest takeaways from Phoenix’s win.

Devin Booker has been compared to Kobe Bryant for pretty much his entire career. Like many of today’s young stars, Bryant mentored Booker. Their playing styles are eerily similar and grew more so this season. Booker took the most mid-range shots of his career this season. More important by Bryant’s reckoning would be the fact that Booker made the playoffs for the first time in his career.

He happened to do so against Bryant’s former team, and on Thursday, he delivered a performance that would have made his idol proud. Booker scored 47 points, including 22 in the first quarter alone, but the variety of shots and moves that led to them were what truly stood out. Booker made 8-of-10 3-point attempts. He killed the Lakers in the mid-range. Every time they started sneaking up on the Suns, Booker nailed a dagger to remind us how big the margin in this game really was.

It was a …

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Blazers lose in Double OT thriller

Needing a win, the Portland Trail Blazers came out with their pants full of soup in Game 5 of their series against the Denver Nuggets. With defense as porous as a broken screen door and offense as dry as the Sahara, the Blazers dug themselves a 20-point deficit by the second period. Denver’s mission to capture advantage in the series seemed secure.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the rout. Portland ate away at the increasingly-complacent Nuggets, then Damian Lillard went nuclear, posting an amazing performance culminating in 17 straight points over two overtimes…a feat impossible to describe.

When the smoke cleared, Lillard had the best performance in Blazers playoffs history with 55 points on 17-24 shooting, an NBA record 12-17 from distance, with 10 assists. But Lillard’s teammates came up woefully short, missing rotations and easy scoring plays in the double-OT thriller, leaving the Blazers down 147-140 in the game, 2-3 in the best-of-seven series.

First Quarter

The Blazers opened the game with a new wrinkle: stiff defense! They made the Nuggets waste dribbles and passes. Denver tried to run the offense through Aaron Gordon but he couldn’t deliver. Portland forced him to go away from the basket instead of towards it once he received the ball. Unfortunately the Blazers were ice cold on offense, missing easy shots and hard. Jusuf Nurkic went scoreless on three fairly makeable conversions. CJ McCollum drifted on his jumpers. As the Blazers bricked their first 8 shots, the Nuggets opened up a 10-0 lead.

The Blazers finally got their first point at the 7:53 mark on a free throw after an Illegal Defense call on Denver. Their second score came on a goaltend of a Norman Powell layup. They didn’t make a real bucket until the clock read 6:25, when Robert Covington got loose in the lane. By that time Denver was like butter on a roll. Nikola Jokic, Facu Campazzo, Michael Porter, Jr., everybody was scoring. The Nuggets ended up hitting 7 threes in the period, Portland only …

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James Harden triple-double leads Nets past Celtics

The Brooklyn Nets are headed to the second round. The Eastern Conference’s second seed completed a gentleman’s sweep against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. All three of the Nets’ stars put together strong performances, but James Harden led the way in the 123-109 victory.

Harden did a little bit of everything as usual and led all scorers with 34 points in a triple-double effort. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists to finish with a game-high 75.5 DKFP. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant poured in 25 and 24 points, respectively. Boston’s lone star wasn’t enough to keep up with one of the NBA’s most productive offenses. Jayson Tatum only trailed Harden in points with 32 to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Tatum tallied 55.25 DKFP in a game-high 41 minutes.

The Nets covered the spread by the skin of their teeth as 12.5-point favorites. The absences of Kemba Walker and Robert Williams gave the home team a major edge, and it handled business for Brooklyn backers.

The Nets will take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round. Milwaukee lost its first matchup against Brooklyn two-thirds of its Big 3 were active, but won the next two matchups. Milwaukee’s offense and defense dominated the Miami Heat in a sweep in the first round thanks to far above-average offense and defense. Keeping that up against the NBA’s best scoring offense will be a challenge, but Giannis Antetokounmpo and company might have the tools to pull an upset off…

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Russell Westbrook makes history as Washington forces Game 5

The Philadelphia 76ers lost Joel Embiid to a knee injury during the first quarter of Game 4 of their best-of-seven series against the Washington Wizards but that was just one of their issues coming out of Monday night’s matchup in D.C. as the Wizards were able to take advantage of Embiid’s absence in order to pick up a 122-114 win to extend the series to, at least, a Game 5.

While Bradley Beal performed at a high level as he has throughout the series, he finally received some support on the offensive end as Washington had seven players, including their entire starting five, score in double figures. Philadelphia was able to hold off Washington in the first half to take a one-point lead into the break but it was the Wizards who took control from there on out.

With the win, this series will shift back to Philadelphia for Game 5 as that matchup is scheduled to take place on Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center.

Here are three key takeaways from the game:

1. Embiid leaves after hard fall

Yes, the Wizards won the game and extended the series, but the biggest takeaway from this game is by far Joel Embiid’s injury. Late in the first quarter, Embiid drove to the basket and tried to contort his body to get a shot away against Robin Lopez. In the process he lost his balance and landed awkwardly on the baseline.

He got up grabbing his hip and lower back, and that seemed to be the problem based on his landing. However, the Sixers later announced that he would be out for the rest of the game due to knee soreness. Upon further review of the video, you can see that he sort of jolts his knee when he comes down, and that was apparently a bigger issue.

When Embiid left the game, the Sixers were leading 20-12. Without him, they were outscored by 16 points the rest of the way and ended up losing 122-114. They’re still a better team …

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Anthony Davis Questionable for Game 4

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis is dealing with an injury to his knee that has his status for Sunday’s Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns up in the air.

Head coach Frank Vogel told reporters after Saturday’s practice that Davis will be listed as questionable with a sprained knee, though Davis made it clear he will be out there.

“There’s no chance that I don’t play tomorrow,” he told reporters.

Davis said after the Lakers’ Game 3 win that he hyperextended the knee but expected to play on Sunday.

After starting the postseason with 13 points in Game 1, Davis has averaged 34.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in the past two games against the Suns.

As the Lakers fought to avoid being relegated to a spot in the play-in tournament, head coach Frank Vogel was careful not to push Davis too hard. The eight-time All-Star missed 30 straight games from February 16 to April 19 because of a strained calf and Achilles injury.

Davis showed some rust after returning, averaging 20.5 points per contest with a 41.5 field-goal percentage in 11 games. He did have a fantastic performance on May 9 with a season-high 42 points in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers held Davis out of their May 12 win over the Houston Rockets with a groin injury. The reigning NBA champions have also played most of the second half of this season without LeBron James because of a sprained ankle.

As long as Davis and James are healthy for the postseason, the Lakers are capable of making another deep run in their quest for a second straight title.

Markieff Morris will likely move into the starting lineup if Davis is unable to play in Game 4.…

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Bucks sweep Heat, advance to second round of 2021 NBA playoffs

Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied a triple-double with 20 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds, Brook Lopez added 25 points and Bryn Forbes continued his hot shooting with seven triples as the Milwaukee Bucks knocked off the Miami Heat 120-103 in Game 4 to complete a first-round sweep of Miami. Jimmy Butler had 12 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the Heat in the loss.

Milwaukee was expected to struggle with the team that eliminated them from last season’s bubble, but the Bucks showed why they’re a contender for the 2021 NBA title. They covered the spread (-5) easily in a Game 4 they struggled in before the second half.

The Heat jumped out to an early 22-12 advantage and maintained their lead for much of the first half. Miami held a 66-57 lead after Bam Adebayo scored the opening bucket of the third quarter but the Bucks made a major push, going on a 34-19 run to close the frame and hold a 91-85 lead. Miami missed 15 shots in the third quarter.

Antetokounmpo kept Milwaukee humming with two baskets and two assists to open the fourth quarter while the Heat continued to go cold from the floor. Miami missed 13 shots in the fourth quarter, including five attempts from deep.

The Bucks now await the winner of the Nets-Celtics series, with Boston getting Game 3 after Jayson Tatum’s 50-point explosion. Milwaukee will get some additional rest before its second round series.…

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Lakers hold off Suns to take 2-1 lead in series

The Los Angeles Lakers took their first series lead of the NBA playoffs on Thursday with a 109-95 win over the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center. They now lead 2-1 after previously trailing 1-0.

The Lakers struggled in many of the same areas on Thursday as they have all series, and that was especially true when it came to the seemingly Herculean task of guarding DeAndre Ayton. Ayton, in his third game against the Lakers, scored 22 points on 11-15 shooting from the field. For the series, he’s shooting 82.1% from the field.

The Lakers also struggled to knock down their 3-point attempts once again, going 6-27 from behind the arc. Wesley Matthews led all Lakers in 3-point makes with two (huge) makes in four attempts.

Fortunately, they were able to compensate for most of those mistakes with their defense. Their defensive effort was there from the moment the ball was tipped, but they flipped the switch in the third quarter and broke the game open.

The Lakers will play one more game at home before going back on the road for Game 5. However, despite the fact that they’re going to play at home in Game 4, they’ll get two “travel days” to recuperate, so their next game will be on Sunday.…

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Rivers Hoopers record first win in Rwanda

After suffering back-to-back losses in their first two games at the ongoing Basketball Africa League (BAL) in Kigali, Rivers Hoopers secured their first win in the tournament on Saturday.

The coach Ogoh Odaudu-tutored side registered an 11-point win over Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club of Madagascar (80-69) to the delight of many Nigerians who have been longing for a positive result from the ‘KingsMen’.

Before Saturday’s win, Rivers Hoopers had suffered a 99-70 points defeat against Tunisian champion AS Monastir following the opening day defeat to Rwandan side Patriots BBC.

Like the Hoopers, GNBC had also lost their first two games and desperately needed something positive from Saturday’s tie. It was thus not surprising when they took an early lead but at the end of the first period, both teams were tied at 18-18.

Rivers Hoopers were slightly ahead by the end of the second period at 41-40 but at the end of the third period, both teams were tied again at 59-59.

It was in the final quarter that Rivers hoopers blew their opponent away; winning 21-10 to emerge 80-69 winners. Despite this win, the team from Nigeria still needs to wait to know if they will make the playoffs.…

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Nba Playoff Updates

Nets vs. Celtics score: Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving in perfect sync as Brooklyn takes 2-0 lead

In Game 1, Brooklyn’s Big 3 of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving took eight 3-pointers each. In Game 2, they took 12 total shots each. The balance these guys are showing, the feel for playing in harmony, is incredible when you consider they only suited up for eight total games together during the regular season.

On Tuesday, Durant led the way with 26 points, while Harden finished with 20 and Irving 15. They shot a collective 20-for-36 from the field, including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc and 14-for-14 from the free-throw line. Because the stars are playing such an efficient, balanced brand of offense, the Nets were able to get everyone involved in Game 2 to the tune of 31 team assists. When you have this kind of individual scoring and you’re still racking up 30-plus assists, you’re really onto something.

Through the first seven minutes on Tuesday, Harris was 4-for-4 from beyond the arc for 16 points. He finished the first half 5-for-7 from deep for 22 points in 15 minutes. He was a plus-29 for the game.

Harris would be a fantastic shooter and player on any team, but with all the attention that Durant, Harden and Irving command, he’s borderline unfair on the Nets. No shooter who hit 47.5 percent of his 3s in the regular season (as Harris did on over six attempts per game) should get the number of open looks that Harris gets, but what other choice does Boston, or any other defense for that matter, have?

Harris found his looks in a variety of ways. In transition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz2Lr3ZzbUk

Obviously, the Celtics need Tatum to do more than play; they need him to play like a superstar if they want to have a chance to get back in this series. Tatum finished Game 2 with nine points on 3-of-12 shooting. Suffice it to say, that’s not going to get it done.

Tatum

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NBA Playoff Recaps

Bucks vs. Heat score, takeaways: Milwaukee tops Miami in Game 2 after tying record for 3-pointers in a quarter

The Milwaukee Bucks made quick work of the Miami Heat on Monday night after a record-tying first quarter as Milwaukee knocked down 10 3-pointers in the opening frame, matching the NBA playoff record set by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. After 12 minutes of action at Fiserv Forum, the Bucks owned a 26-point lead and they never looked back as Milwaukee ultimately dominated Miami throughout the game to come away with a 132-98 victory.

In the end, Milwaukee knocked down 22 3-pointers as a team with Byrn Forbes leading the charge from beyond the arc with six made 3-pointers of his own. While Forbes led all bench scorers with 22 points, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo who paced the Bucks on the offensive end as he finished the win with 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. On the other end of the spectrum, the Heat struggled mightily from beyond the arc after setting a franchise playoff record for made 3-pointers in Game 1. That cold spell proved to be enough to decide this one as Miami was never really in it after the opening eight minutes of play.

With the win, Milwaukee takes a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. Things will shift to Miami for Game 3, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night with TNT handling the broadcast. Here are the three most important takeaways from Milwaukee’s Game 2 victory.

The Bucks are switching so much more now that no single defender is ever responsible for what an opposing scorer does, but Antetokounmpo has exceeded all expectations against Butler so far, and that switching has protected him from chasing Butler over screens, an area in which he struggles.

Nuggets beat Blazers 128-109 to even series

Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Damian Lillard and the Nuggets evened the first-round series by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-109 on Monday night in …

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Trae Young Silences the New York Knicks in MSG

What the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young did in silencing the New York Knicks and their raucous fans in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series Sunday was that second, much louder kind.

When a visiting player takes over down the stretch not just of any game but of the first playoff game he’s ever played … when the building in which he does that isn’t just any arena but Madison Square Garden … when the crowd being quieted isn’t just pent up from 15 months of a global pandemic but eight years of postseason drought, that’s more than just an index-finger-held-up-to-the-lips moment.

The Hawks’ unflappable point guard broke out the muzzles and the duct tape, too, against the 15,000 fans so boisterously stirring echoes of Knicks playoff thrillers past.

Catching the ball in the backcourt with 9.8 second left in a game tied at 105-105, Young pushed forward, veered to the right around New York’s Taj Gibson and Frank Ntilikina, evaded Reggie Bullock as he pinched in from the wing and tossed up a floater that dropped at the 0.9-second mark.

Trae Young says ‘it got real quiet in here’ after his game-winning floater to beat the Knicks in Game 1.

Young earned the chance to respond in pantomime to fans who, many of them by his telling, weren’t just vocal but vulgar. Hey, it’s New York, right?

“I don’t know, I’ve always looked at it as I’m doing something right if I’m affecting them with my play that much,” Young said after scoring 32 points with seven rebounds and 10 assists. “Fans can only talk. They can’t guard me. They’re not out there playing. For me, it’s just a part of the game.

“As I hit the floater, it felt like everybody got quiet.”

In that instant, Young became the first player to hit a game-winner in the final five seconds of his postseason debut since the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade in 2004.

Said Atlanta teammate John Collins, whose shot at setting a screen for Young ended

…

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D’Tigress Need Extra Focus For Women’s World Cup

D’Tigress point guard, Ezinne Kalu, has demanded extra focus from her teammates as they start the second phase of their camping in Lagos on Monday in preparation for the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup.

The 26-year-old, who plays for Vasa Akademia in the Hungarian league, said their mission in Lagos is to finish the second phase on a high note in time for World Cup in Spain.

She said: “I expect everybody to have a solid focus.

“We are ready to finish the second part of camp and get a solid defence going.

“I expect that everybody will come in and stay focused because the second phase of the camp is the most important.”

According to the former co-captain of the team, going by the statistics of the friendlies played during the first phase of their camping in Atlanta, the team’s offence has been great.

LeBron James Opens I Promise School

NBA superstar LeBron James has proved he’s a role model both on and off the basketball court by opening I Promise school for underprivileged children.

The I Promise School will house 240 at-risk third and fourth-grade students in James’ hometown Akron, Ohio.

The school is a joint venture between the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools.

“We just want everything for them,” the three-time NBA champion said. “Everything and more. So it’s going to mean a lot to me.”

James will serve as primary donor to help form the extra-curricular goals of the school. The school’s board will oversee the curriculum development.

The 33-year-old, who recently moved from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year contract worth $154 million (£116 million), hopes the school will help kids who are falling behind in education and struggling at home.

FIBA World Cup Qualifier: D’Tigers Outdunk Mali, Qualifies For Second Round

African champions, D’Tigers, has extended her winning streak to three, courtesy the 93-53 win over Mali in Lagos on Sunday to qualify for the second round of the Federation of International Basketball Association World Cup.
Having thrashed Uganda and Rwanda in their previous games, the Nigerian side consolidated her lead in the series by winning the first and second quarters by 22-15 and 25-10 points.
The Alex Nwora tutored lads coasted to victory with 24-19 and 22-9 in the third and final quarter of the tie.
With 12 points from six matches, Nigeria has qualified for the Second Round of the qualifiers.
According to FIBA, the top three teams from each group advance to the Second Round, where the 12 qualified teams are divided in two groups (E and F) of six teams each.
FIBA website revealed: “The first legs of the Second-Round tournament take place during the fourth window (September 10-18, 2018), with the return legs to follow during the fifth window (November 26-December 4, 2018) and the sixth window (February 20-28, 2019).
“The top two teams from groups E and F and the best third-ranked team will secure their tickets for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.”
The first-ever 32-team edition of FIBA’s flagship competition will take place from August 31 to September 15, 2019 in China.…

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LeBron James Pens $154m Lakers Deal

LeBron James has agreed a $154 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In a short statement, the 33-year-old’s sports management group said the three-time NBA champion has agreed a four-year contract with the Lakers, seeing the star leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second time and make his debut in the Western Conference.

Speculation had been mounting over the NBA star’s future after his player option with the Cavs expired over the weekend.

In the early hours of Monday, Klutch Sport Group posted on Twitter: “LeBron James, four time NBA MVP, three time NBA finals MVP, fourteen time NBA All Star, and two time Olympic gold medalist has agreed to a four year, $154million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.”

Entering his 16th NBA season, James had been with the Cavs for 11 of them with a four-year break at the Miami Heat in 2010-2014.

This year, the Cavs made the NBA Finals for the fourth season in a row but were beaten to the title by the Golden State Warriors.

Hours after the announcement, the Cavaliers issued a statement from chairman Dan Gilbert, thanking James for leading the team to the NBA championship in 2016, calling it a title that “united generations of Clevelanders, both living and passed”.

In a post on the Cavs’ Twitter page, Gilbert said: “We will always remember the evening of June 19, 2016 as the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, ended the 52-year drought delivering the long elusive championship that many thought they would never see.

“None of this would have happened if LeBron James did not agree to come back home and lead the Cavaliers to the promised land. The entire Cavaliers franchise thanks LeBron for that precious moment and for all of the excitement he delivered as he led our team to four straight NBA Finals appearances.”

Gilbert went on to say the team wish James “nothing but the best in the years and decades ahead” and also said they looked forward to someday retiring the star’s number 23 jersey.

…

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We Have Learnt Vital Lessons From 3×3 Basketball World Cup — NBBF

Nigeria’s leader of delegation to the just-concluded FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Manila, Philippines, Frank Jituboh, on Wednesday said he was satisfied with the result of Nigeria’s team to the competition.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the quartet of Kano Pillars Yahaya Abdul, Dike Azuoma, David Godwin and Lucky Subel represented Nigeria at the competition.
It was also Nigeria’s first ever outing at the World Championship level and the D’Tigers were paired against teams like Latvia, Croatia, Ukraine and Jordan.
The competition which began on June 8 and ended on June 12 with had 20 countries competing for honours.
Nigeria had qualified having emerged as Africa’s champions in the 3×3 FIBA Africa competition which was held in Bamako, Mali in 2017.
Jituboh, who is also the Chairman of Federal Capital Territory Basketball Association said: “I am very satisfied with the performance of the boys being their first time at this level”.
He added: “The experience garnered here playing against the best teams around the world will be very important going forward.”
He added that the win against Jordan who are number 16 in the latest FIBA 3×3 ranking is a great boost to the team’s morale and should have a positive effect on future FIBA rankings.
He said: “We are eagerly waiting for the revised ranking at the end of this month to see the effect of our World Cup outing.’’
“After losses to Ukraine, Croatia and Latvia at the tournament, the vital lessons have been learnt.
“I will be reporting back to the federation when we arrive on Thursday with special emphasis placed on the need to have a 3×3 league in Nigeria.
“This at the end, should help us to have a bigger pool of players for future selections.”
NAN reports that of the 20 teams that participated in the World Cup, in spite of being ranked 66th in the world, Nigeria finished in the 17th spot above Brazil who are 13th.
The team is expected to arrive in Lagos on Thursday aboard a Qatar Airways …

Category: Basket Ball

1. He’s back

1. Clippers survive and advance

First Quarter

1. Embiid leaves after hard fall

Nets vs. Celtics score: Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving in perfect sync as Brooklyn takes 2-0 lead

Bucks vs. Heat score, takeaways: Milwaukee tops Miami in Game 2 after tying record for 3-pointers in a quarter

Nuggets beat Blazers 128-109 to even series