MACAO, China — When the final horn sounded in Macao following a high-scoring 135 to 117 exhibition loss to the Houston Rockets, the box score offered a fascinating preview into the future of Dallas basketball. A Cooper Flagg 19-Point Mavericks…
MIAMI — It only took a few preseason quarters for opposing head coaches to start filing grievances regarding the suffocating nature of Miami Heat defense. Following a high scoring contest where Erik Spoelstra watched his squad dictate tempo on both…
CLEVELAND — When head coach Joe Mazzulla elected to rest his entire starting five for the preseason opener in Cleveland, most observers expected a disjointed exhibition. Instead, the bench reserves put on an offensive masterclass, posting 124 points in a…
PHILADELPHIA — Watching genius adapt to new surroundings is one of the distinct pleasures of the NBA calendar. In his preseason debut with the Philadelphia 76ers, the league all time leading scorer did not need to dominate the ball or…
CLEVELAND — Mohamed Diawara defensive upside was on full display during the season opener, offering a glimpse into how New York can construct a terrifying defensive identity. Standing tall with a vast wingspan and fluid lateral quickness, the second-year forward…
MIAMI —If you ask Keshad Johnson, the groundwork for a blockbuster South Beach arrival started long before trade machine scenarios took over the summer. Appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show, the energetic Miami Heat forward jokingly claimed he foreshadowed…
SAN FRANCISCO— Fixing Adou Thiero landing must become an urgent priority for the coaching staff after a terrifying moment in preseason action. During a recent contest against the Golden State Warriors, the explosive second year forward threw down a powerful…
HONOLOLU, Hawaii — Preseason basketball usually comes with a heavy dose of healthy skepticism, but certain lineup choices are simply too noisy to ignore. Seeing Yaxel Lendeborg starting in the preseason opener surprised plenty of Bay Area fans. Throwing a…
CLEVELAND — As training camp in Charleston officially wraps up and the Boston Celtics arrive in Cleveland for their preseason opener tomorrow, Boston enters the campaign with a fresh frontcourt identity. Coined on Media Day by center Neemias Queta and…
CERNOBBIO, Italy. — As the dust settles from the contentious summit at Lake Como, the prospect of an independent NBA Europe launch has sent shockwaves through the international basketball landscape. While shareholder teams squabble over whether the recent corporate proposals…
PHILADELPHIA — Addressing the viral rumor regarding the LeBron James Joel Embiid drama in Camden, the four-time MVP wasted no time setting the record straight. During the Philadelphia 76ers preseason matchup against the New York Knicks, veteran commentator Mike Breen…
SAN ANTONIO — Hearing league insiders declare Dylan Harper as the Spurs second best player after an intense postseason run sent shockwaves across the basketball world. According to ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst, team leaders internally view the sophomore guard as…
SAN FRANCISCO — Finding clever cap workarounds to upgrade a roster without dismantling the core requires creative front office maneuvering. A fresh Golden State Warriors trade proposal by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report outlines an intriguing path for GM Mike…
CERNOBBIO, Italy — The high-stakes battle for the future of European basketball has reached a dramatic boiling point. What was intended to be a discreet exploratory summit in Cernobbio, Italy, has instead triggered an open rebellion among club owners, dominating…
PHILADELPHIA — When evaluating how the Philadelphia Sixers backup center depth chart was constructed to survive an 82 game grind, no one anticipated a devastating injury five minutes into the preseason opener. The injury to Ariel Hukporti occurred in non-contact…