NBA
Wizards’ Westbrook could average a triple-double this season
On Wednesday, Russell Westbrook made his Wizards’ debut on the road against the 76ers, and while he had a triple-double(21 points, 15 assists, 11 rebounds), Washington(0-1) would fall to the 76ers(1-0) 113-107.
The 32-year-old Westbrook, who came over to Washington from Houston in the trade that sent John Wall to the Rockets earlier this month, was disappointed in himself after the game.
“Not good enough. Honestly, I’m kind of disappointed in myself,” Westbrook said. “I had some mishaps and plays where I could have been better and had a better game to try to win. I don’t like moral victories at any point in my career. I always like to go out and try to win the game. I’ve gotta be better, and I’ll be better next game.”
Last season, moral victories were acceptable for the Wizards, who won only 25 games a year ago. However, this year is a different story. With Westbrook, Bradley Beal, and Davis Bertans on the court, Washington is looking to make the playoffs, and like Westbrook, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks is not interested in moral victories.
“The results matter. We’re not happy. There’s no moral victories,” Brooks said. “Last year, I thought we had just a different mindset. Not good or bad, we were just in a different place. This year, there are no moral victories. We have to come out and keep competing.”
Washington played well against the 76ers and had a legitimate chance to win the game, but they could not make the plays and get the stops down the stretch to get the victory.
In a loss, it’s clear that this team is going to put up points. Beal, who led the way with 31 points against Philadelphia, averaged 30.5 ppg last season. Also, Bertans scored 14 points, including 4-6 from downtown. He would only play 20 minutes, which was due to him being on a minutes restriction. So, scoring points won’t be an issue for Washington, especially when the team starts to gel.
On another note, we might be seeing a lot of triple-doubles out of Westbrook this season. The 12-year veteran is second in NBA history in triple-doubles(147). According to Elias Sports Bureau, Westbrook is the 6th player in NBA history with a triple-double in his team debut. With all the scoring they have on this team, Washington could offer Westbrook an opportunity for many assists. Furthermore, without a big-time rebounder on this roster(Thomas Bryant led the team with 7.2 RPG last season), Westbrook will get his rebounds, and he’s most definitely going to score. Based on this roster, if Westbrook remains healthy, he might mess around and average a triple-double this season for the fourth time in his career.
Cavs’ Nance Jr.: ‘We’re a very real team with very real ambitions’
When the Cavaliers decided to put together a backcourt of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, they envisioned nights like what they got in the season-opener against the Hornets. Behind Sexton’s 27 points and Garland’s 22 points, Cleveland(1-0) defeated Charlotte(0-1) 121-114 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday night.
Many have questioned whether two 6-1 guards, who both like to have the ball in their hands, can work for Cleveland. However, while they did allow Charlotte’s Terry Rozier to score 42 points, including 36 points in the second half on Wednesday, Sexton and Garland were very effective on the offensive end and combined for 49 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds.
“It’s always going to be downs; It’s always going to be ups,” Sexton said. “Once you figure it out, we will be solid. At the end of the day, I’m not going to doubt my guy. At the end of the day, he has my back, and I have his, so we’re going to go to war together. Simple as that.”
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which shutdown the NBA season, Wednesday’s game against Charlotte marked the first time Cleveland had played a game since March. Last season, Cleveland had a lot of struggles. Ultimately, the team won only 19 games.
Entering this season, there is some hope for the Cavaliers, and according to the third-year guard, this team is much different than a year ago.
“I feel like we’re a changed team, completely,” Sexton said. “We got depth coming off the bench. We got some guys who know how to win, so I definitely feel like the message was sent. I feel like we have to continue to get better, continue to strive in the right direction so that everybody knows that we’re not going to lay down. We’re not going to roll over for nobody so that just comes on the defensive end. I feel like we’re the toughest team out there.”
Larry Nance Jr., who had 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists, agrees with Sexton and believes Cleveland will be tough to beat this season.
“We’re not doing what we did the past two years,” Nance Jr. said. “We’re not winning 19 games this year; we’re not winning 20 games this year; we’re not winning 25 games this year. We’re here. We’re a very real team with very real ambitions.”
The Cavaliers were without Kevin Love on Wednesday, who is dealing with a calf injury. However, Cleveland’s depth was on full display against Charlotte. The Cavaliers got 34 points from their bench, including 13 points from their newest addition JaVale McGee, who recently won a championship with the Lakers last season. Sexton views the 32-year-old McGee as one of the leaders of the Cavaliers.
“JaVale’s(McGee) a champion,” Sexton said. “He knows what it takes. You could hear his energy no matter what. He’s always there uplifting guys. He’s a straight leader, and he leads by example as well. We need that one vet that’s going to get into everybody and not sugarcoat anything, and I feel like that’s JaVale.”
It’s only one game, but this was a good start for the Cavaliers. They appear to have a nice mix of veterans and young players, which could serve this team well moving forward.
Cavaliers exercise contract options on Sexton, Garland, Porter Jr., Windler
The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the fourth-year (2021-22) contract option on Collin Sexton, and the third-year (2021-22) options on Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr, Dylan Windler, the team announced on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Sexton started in all 65 games for Cleveland last season, averaging a team-best 20.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal in 33.0 minutes. He joined LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as the only Cavaliers to average 20.0 points in a season before age 22. Sexton also had the third-highest scoring average among second-year players in 2019-20, behind only Trae Young (29.6) and Luka Doncic (28.8), and was one of just two Eastern Conference players last season (six in NBA) who averaged at least 20.0 points with a .470 mark from the field and a .840 clip from the foul line (Khris Middleton). Sexton was the 8th overall pick by Cleveland in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Garland, 20, was the 5th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, was the only NBA rookie in 2019-20 with at least 700 points, 225 assists, and 100 three-pointers. Over his 59 appearances (all starts) last season, Garland averaged 12.3 points and 3.9 assists in 30.9 minutes. He ranked second among all rookies in assists per game, behind only Memphis guard Ja Morant.
The 20-year-old Porter Jr. was the 30th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, was acquired by the Cavaliers in a trade with Detroit on June 26, 2019. Porter played in 50 games (three starts) with the Cavaliers last season, averaging 10.0 points (12th among rookies), 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists (7th among rookies), and 0.92 steals (4th among rookies) in 23.2 minutes. Porter has had his share of issues of the court, including being arrested with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle back in November. Ultimately, the charges were dismissed. Porter Jr. has been away from Cavaliers training camp due to personal issues.
Windler, 24, missed the entire 2019-20 regular season due to a left lower leg stress reaction, was the No. 26 overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers after a four-year career at Belmont.
Cavaliers begin their season on Wednesday when they host the Charlotte Hornets.
Mavs’ Trey Burke: ‘We believe that we have the talent here to compete for a championship’
At the start of every NBA season, many teams believe they have an opportunity to win an NBA title. For some, those beliefs are realistic. For others, those beliefs are a little unrealistic.
In terms of the Dallas Mavericks, this is a team that is on the rise. Maybe not ready to win a title, but a team and player in Luka Doncic that are ready to take that next step. Last season, Dallas was the seventh-seed in the Western Conference, and obviously, they want to improve on that this season.
According to Mavericks G Trey Burke, Dallas has enough to compete for a championship.
“It’s always easy to say expectations is a championship,” Burke said on Tuesday. “That is our goal. We believe it. We believe that we have the talent here to compete for a championship. I think we have a lot of short-term goals that we want to accomplish before we can look toward a championship.”
Dallas starts the season against the new-look Suns, who added 10-time All-Star Chris Paul in the offseason and ended the season on a high note after going 8-0 in the Orlando bubble. Burke thinks Phoenix will be a nice early season test for the Mavericks.
“We have a good test tomorrow in Phoenix against a really good team who went undefeated in the bubble with a great addition in Chris Paul,” he said.
Burke is also excited about the chemistry that the Mavericks have at this point of the season, and according to Burke, it’s the best he’s been around.
“Chemistry-wise, this is one of the best teams I’ve been on,” he said. “This early as well as we meshed. It’s crazy, so I think the sky is the limit for this team. Where will it go? I don’t know. It looks good; it looks really good, and tomorrow I think we’re all excited to get out there for our first game and see what we do.”
Look, is Dallas a championship contender? It depends. Suppose Doncic continues to flourish and Kristaps Porzingis can stay healthy. In that case, the Mavericks will be a tough out for any team in the West, and you could argue if Porzingis would have stayed healthy last season against the Clippers in their first-round playoff series, that possibly the Mavericks could have pulled off the upset.
Outside of the Lakers and Clippers, you could argue that Dallas could be just as good as anybody in the Western Conference, so expect the Mavericks to take that next step this season.
Luke Kennard signs extension with Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have signed Luke Kennard to a contract extension, the team announced on Monday.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, it’s a four-year, $64 million deal.
“We are excited to secure a commitment from a dynamic, emerging young player who continues to grow every day,” said Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. “We have been impressed with Luke’s versatility and maturity, and it’s been a privilege to get to know him better during this training camp. We believe he is a fantastic fit for our organization and we are delighted he feels the same.”
“Today is a great day. I couldn’t be more excited to play for the LA Clippers, and am thankful for Steve Ballmer, my teammates, and the entire Clippers organization for giving me the opportunity to be part of this world-class franchise,” said Kennard. “I am inspired by Steve’s unwavering commitment to winning and look forward to contributing to the team’s success on the court.”
Kennard, 24, appeared in 28 games for the Detroit Pistons last season and averaged a career-high 15.8 points, 4.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Acquired as part of a three-team deal on Nov. 19, Kennard ranked second on the Pistons last season in free throw percentage (.893), third in points and 3P% (.399) and fourth in assists.
The four-year veteran was selected by the Pistons as the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Spurs exercise team options on Walker, Johnson, Samanic
The San Antonio Spurs have exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Lonnie Walker IV and their third-year option on forwards Keldon Johnson and Luka Samanic for the 2021-22 season, the team announced on Monday.
Walker IV, 22, is entering his third year with the Spurs after appearing in 61 games last season and averaging 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 16.2 minutes. Walker has athleticism, good off the dribble, and has a decent shot. The Spurs are expecting Walker to take that next step this season, and he has the ability to do it.
Johnson, 21, begins his second season after appearing in 17 games for San Antonio last year and averaging 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.7 minutes. The Kentucky alum played well in the bubble. In eight games in Orlando, Johnson averaged 14.1 points after recording multiple 20-point outings.
Samanic, 20, enters his second season with San Antonio following his rookie year when he averaged 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 16.0 minutes over three contests, including the final game of the season when he posted 16 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists in his first career start.
Over the years, San Antonio has done an excellent job of drafting and developing young players, and these young guys have talent. If they can continue to grow as players, the future could be bright for the Spurs.
Derrick White signs extension with Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard Derrick White to a contract extension, the team announced on Monday.
According to ESPN’s, Adrian Wojnarowski, it’s a four-year, $73M extension.
White is a guy who the Spurs will count on to get the team back into contention and a player who has grown his game since coming to the league. The 26-year-old White posted a career-high 11.3 points along with 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 24.7 minutes last season while ranking second among all NBA guards in total blocks (59) and second in the league in charges drawn (30).
White played very well during the NBA Restart in Orlando. In seven games, White averaged 18.9 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 29.8 minutes while shooting 39.3 percent from three-point range on 8.0 attempts per game.
For his NBA career, White has appeared in 152 NBA games, averaging 9.8 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 23.3 minutes while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from long range.
Entering his fourth season with San Antonio, White was also a member of the USA Men’sMen’s National Team at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. San Antonio originally selected White in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft (29th overall).
Hardaway Jr. on Mavericks: ‘From a confidence standpoint, it is really high’
Last season, the Dallas Mavericks returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Dallas was the seventh-seeded team in Western Conference and gave the Los Angeles Clippers a very tough playoff series before losing in six in the first round.
For Dallas, it’s a new year and a new team. The top two guys are the same in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, but Dallas added Josh Richardson from Philadelphia in a deal that sent Seth Curry to the 76ers. Also, they had added more toughness by adding James Johnson another trade.
Tim Hardaway Jr., who returned to Dallas after opting into the final year of his contract, believes the Mavericks are a very confident team.
“We know what we have to do out there on the floor to be a productive playoff-caliber team,” Hardaway Jr. said. “And it is on us to just go out there and execute. The coaching staff has done a hell of a job this whole training camp so far of preparing us and making sure we are on track, and making sure everyone is focused. From a confidence standpoint, it is really high. We have to take that on the road when we start next week.”
According to Mavericks F Dorian Finney-Smith, the goal is not just the playoffs, but to win a title this season.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I feel like we’ve got a great group of guys, especially with the new guys. They’ve all been here, and we all want one thing – that’s to win and get back to the playoffs and win the championship.”
Dallas can be a very good team this season, but they are in the Western Conference, which won’t be easy. To get to that next level, Dallas has to defend better, and while they were not a bad defensive team last season(16th in points allowed), the defense must improve, and Richardson should help in that area.
There is a lot of talk about Doncic being one of the MVP favorites, but for that to happen, Dallas must be one of the top teams in the league, which, if they want to have a long playoff run, is something that probably needs to happen.
