Game 5 is a defining moment as the Los Angeles Lakers are fighting to win a championship while the Miami Heat is fighting to survive. Both teams know that desperation will be the key to winning.
The Los Angeles Lakers returned to the NBA Finals for the first time in a decade to face the Miami Heat in Game One inside the Orlando Bubble on Wednesday. While the Heat jumped out to a hot start in the first quarter, Los Angeles rebounded to outlast Miami 116-98 and would lead by as many as 32 points in the game.
On the first night of the Los Angeles Lakers’ arrival to the NBA bubble in Orlando, FL, newly signed J.R. Smith took to Instagram Live to give his followers a behind-the-scenes look into what players were experiencing. He lightheartedly criticized everything from his view of the parking lot to the size of the blanket the NBA provided pointing out that it was too small for most NBA players who are well above average height. He questioned how players were expected to stay healthy with the bags of candy that were placed as snacks in each players’ room. He went on to show his teammates in the hallway simultaneously grabbing their first meal and ran through the dinner menu. Before long, Smith shared with his captive audience that he was instructed to shut it down.
Wes Unseld was an undersized NBA center known more for his bruising picks, tenacious rebounding and perfectly placed outlet passes than any points he produced. He thrived in his role as a workmanlike leader. “I never played pretty,” Unseld said when elected to the Hall of Fame in 1988. “I wasn’t flashy. My contributions were in the things most people don’t notice. They weren’t in high scoring or dunking or behind-the-back passes.” Unseld, who began his pro career as a rookie MVP, led Washington to its only NBA championship and was chosen one of the 50 greatest players in league
The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Toronto Raptors 98-88, in an anticipated nationally televised game that had many fans across the spectrum ready to see how points Kawhi Leonard would put up against his former team and the defending NBA champions.
Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is showing his appreciation for Kevin Durant’s contributions to three successful seasons by promising that no other player will wear jersey No. 35 as long as Lacob is team chairman. Lacob released a statement Monday thanking Durant, the two-time NBA Finals MVP who helped the Warriors win back-to-back championships in 2017 and ’18 before his postseason was shortened by injury this year. Durant on Sunday announced he would be signing a contract to join the Brooklyn Nets. He is expected to miss all of next season while he recovers from surgery for a ruptured
The Warriors are trying to become the 12th team to come back from a 3-1 deficit and only the second in the NBA Finals
TORONTO (AP) — The scoreboard said Golden State 106, Toronto 105. The reality was that both teams lost. It’s almost unimaginable: an NBA Finals game where neither team felt like celebrating afterward. That was the bizarre reality on Monday night, after the Warriors staved off elimination by rallying in the final moments to beat the Raptors and send this series back to Oracle Arena for Game 6 — on a night when Kevin Durant’s season came to an end. Durant has an Achilles injury. The Warriors know it’s bad. They’ll find out how bad on Tuesday. “It’s devastating,” Toronto forward
TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Durant was playing basketball on Sunday. The Golden State Warriors hope he will again on Monday. With the Warriors’ backs to the wall now in the NBA Finals, Durant — now out for more than a month with a strained calf — was taking the practice floor on Sunday in an effort to determine if he will be able to play in Game 5 of the title series on Monday night. The Warriors trail the Toronto Raptors 3-1 in the series, and need three straight wins to capture a third straight championship. “He’ll get some extra
Toronto star Kawhi Leonard filed a federal lawsuit against Nike on Monday, saying the footwear
and apparel giant is blocking him from using a logo that he believes he owns.
The Bucks had the best record in the NBA during the regular season and were two wins shy of reaching the NBA Finals
The NBA announced the list of 12 referees who will officiate the NBA Finals 2019 presented by YouTube TV. The championship series between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors tips off on Thursday, May 30 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Here are the schedule and national television arrangements for the 2019 NBA Finals:
Rajon Rondo officially joined the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday with a clear idea about his future with LeBron James.
Irving’s first regular-season game for Boston will be against Cleveland as the Cavs will host the Celtics on Oct. 17 – a date being circled by fans already.