NBA players showed DeMarcus Cousins a
Chris Hubbard Jersey lot of love Friday night after the Pelicans big man .A sampling of Twitter responses showed support for Cousins is wide and deep, starting with Cousins' New Orleans running mate Anthony Davis:My dawg!! Tough to see bro but I know you gonna come back stronger than ever. We gone hold it down for you!! Anthony Davis (@AntDavis23) LeBron James,
Rashard Higgins Jersey who drafted Cousins to be an All-Star teammate:Thoughts out to ! Hope you good big fella. LeBron James (@KingJames) Clippers guard Lou Williams:Respectfully prayers up to boogie Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) Cavs guard Isaiah Thomas:Praying hard for my brother right now!!! Gods got you fam Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) Clippers forward Blake Griffin:prayers up to . hate to see that happen. come back stronger and better. Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32)
Odell Beckham Jr. Jersey Celtics forward Gordon Hayward, who is rehabbing from his own season-ending injury:Prayers go out for ...Stay positive through this man! Gordon Hayward (@gordonhayward) Suns guard Devin Booker:Prayers up Devin Booker (@DevinBook) Trail Blazers
Austin Seibert Jersey center Meyers Leonard:Hate to see the news about . Weve had our fair share of heated battles, but cant stand to see that happen to anyone. Come back better and stronger man. Too damn talented to let this slow you up I know it wont. Meyers Leonard (@MeyersLeonard11) Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons:damn Boogie. thoughts with you big homie. youll be back stronger than ever. Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) Spurs guard Dejounte Murray:Stay Strong
Myles Garrett Jersey Big Dawg, You A Monster And Dont Let This Break You, All Love Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray)
Following a pair of one-sided postseason lo ses to the Cavaliers, it became clear that the Raptors needed to make a change not nece sarily to their coaching staff or to their core of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas, but to their system.While the Raptors have had a top-10 offense since the 2013-14 season, something wasnt working. Whether it was their overreliance on Lowry and DeRozan or their reluctance to shoot 3-pointers in more volume, every game in the playoffs against lower-seeded teams turned into a slugfest. It took the Raptors 14 games to take down the Pacers and Heat in the 2016 NBA playoffs before the Cavs beat them in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. It then took them six games to beat the Bucks in the 2017 NBA playoffs before the Cavs took advantage of an injury to Lowry by sweeping them in the second round.NBA PLAYOFFS 2018: Backup
Gale Sayers Jersey center Jakob Poeltl summarized their postseason problems best when he told that they were "working so hard for not very good shots."So the Raptors underwent a much-needed culture change. With a focus on ball movement, pace and floor spacing three pillars of succe s in todays NBA theyve gone from being a team built to compete in the early 2000s to one built to compete now. The only teams with a better offensive rating in the closing weeks of the regular season are the Rockets and Warriors. The Raptors are holding opponents to 103.6points per 100 po se sions on the other end of the floor, too, making them one of two teams to have a top-fiveoffense and a top-fivedefense on the season, the other being the defending champions.From , a visual of how the Raptors' offense has changed from last year () Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) Lowry and DeRozan have been at the forefront of those changes. Theyve both lowered their usage ratings this season, with Lowry dropping his from 24.9 percent to 21.4percent and DeRozan dropping his from 34.2 percent to 29.3percent. Doing so has opened up more opportunities for others, such as Valanciunas, , and the second unit, which has carried the Raptors to a number of victories this season., but reducing their workload has been the catalyst to the Raptors running
Dan Hampton Jersey a more democratic offense."The big thing was just us getting away from isolation basketball, trusting every single player on the team and playing a style to where we wouldn't be predictable,". "That was the major part. We all agreed with that. It was taking a toll on me and Kyle Lowry to do that every night. Some nights, it was me going out there shooting 25-plus times. A lot of that takes a toll. So we needed to find another way to not be predictable and make everybody better on our team."Fueling his case as an and candidate this season, DeRozan has made two other noticeable changes to his game. Hes dishing out a career-high 5.2a sists per game, and hes having his best season yet from the 3-point line. Hes struggled to knock down pull-up 3s at a consistent rate, but DeRozan has made of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers on 2.0 attempts per contest. The combination of his pa sing and his willingne s to shoot from distance should help the Raptors overcome some of the i sues that have plagued them in the playoffs over the last three seasons.The Bucks, for example, are one of the teams that have had succe s slowing DeRozan down in the playoffs. Although the Raptors beat them in six games in the opening round of last seasons playoffs, the Buckslimited DeRozan to 19.3 points on 34.0 percent shooting over the first three games of the series by using their length to get in his air space and their athleticism to swarm him whenever he put the ball on the floor.It resulted
Tarik Cohen Jersey in DeRozan settling for contested shots inside the perimeter against the likes of Tony Snell, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker:DeRozan still generates of his offense from 2-point pull-ups, but his frequency is down from last season to make room for the increase in 3-point attempts. His progre sion as a shooter means he can spend more time without the ball in his hands and mix it up enough when he does have the ball to not settle for the inefficient 2-pointers that have played a role in the Raptors cratering on offense in the postseason.Its culminated in the Raptors taking this season compared to last season, the difference between them ranking 26th and 12th in that category.MORE: DeRozans pa sing should also make a huge difference. Rather than making pa ses out of nece sity, DeRozan has grown more comfortable using the threat of his scoring to create opportunities for his teammates. The Raptors have been around league average from 3-point range as a team this season, but they have shooters at almost every position who can knock down open jumpers and space the floor for DeRozan and Lowry.That transformation became clear in the Raptors win over the Pistons on March 7, when DeRozan had the game-winning a sist to backup point guard Fred VanVleet:The question, of course, is whetherall of this is enough. The succe s the Raptors have had in the regular season suggests it is, especially when coupled with the injuries the Celtics, Cavaliers and the Wizards the three other teams in the Eastern Conference that had home-court advantage in the opening round last season have been dealing with as of late. In addition to being healthy and playing at a high level on both ends of the floor, the Raptors
Leonard Floyd Jersey have the depth needed for a deep playoff run, giving them all the makings of a title contender.There are some questions, though. As much shooting as they do have on the roster, teams like the Cavs will dare the likes of DeRozan, Ibaka, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam to beat them from outside. It could become a factor at the end of games, one of the few areas in which the Raptors have , if Lowry and DeRozan fall back on their old habits of going to isolation ball when they need a basket.It also remains to be seen how much Dwane Casey trusts his bench in the postseason. As dominant as VanVleet, Siakam, Poeltl,Delon Wright andCJ Miles have been together this season theyve outscored opponents by a whopping 22.2 points per 100 po se sions, of lineups that have appeared in at least 20 games teams usually shorten their rotations in the playoffs. Not playing them as much would take away one of the Torontos greatest weapons, but its po sible the Raptorswont have as much succe s if opposing teams are giving their bench players le s run as well.Even so, theres no doubt the Raptors are better positioned to compete for a title this season than they were last season. The improvements theyve made on offense should give them an easier road to the Eastern Conference finals
Dick Butkus Jersey and a fighting chance of taking down James and the Cavaliers if they meet again. Considering how uncertain their situation looked following their second-round ex
We all understand that the Warriors are fully within their rights to sign any player they like. We dealt with comments about "cheating" when Kevin Durant signed as a free agent two years ago. There is no need to restart a silly debate.The Warriors are a profe sional sports franchise. Their entire purpose is to put the best team on the floor, night in and night out. They want towin every single game they play. We all understand that. But that does not make their dominance any easier to stomach from a fan's perspective.This latest move only adds to the sense of helple sne s and, for many, anger already permeating throughout non-Warriors fan bases.MORE: NBA Twitter
Dominic Proctor Jersey was on fire after with the Warriors on Monday night. And while there may have been some logical reasoningon the signing Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles and didn't have any real offers it's hard to blame NBA fans for failing to be rational.WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE GUYS.!?? JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) There is certainly a chance that Cousins' injury prevents him from everbecoming an All-Star center again.But is that really the point? Doesnt Cousins at 75 percent
Zach Johnson Jersey make the Warriors that much more unbeatable?The past two Warriors teams have beenlargely unstoppable. Theyhadarguably two of the top three players in the NBA in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durantto go alongside two top-15 players in Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. And even though the Rockets gave them a major scare in the Western Conference finals, it was hard to believe that the Warriors would not waltz to a second consecutive championship.The only weakne s that Golden State hadwas the lack of a dominant big man inside and that wasn't a huge concernconsidering how the current game is played. A healthy Cousins now makes them video-gameunguardable. No matter what lineup the opposing team puts on the floor, the Warriors will have an answer. There is no room for error on the other side.It's not a stretch to say the starting five of Curry, Thompson, Durant, Green and Cousins will
Miami Hurricanes Jersey be the greatest array of talent the league has ever seen at one time.The last team to be able to put five players on the floor who were All-Stars in the previous season? Boston in 1975-76, according to Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) For the fans that have found it difficult to enjoy the NBA over the past two seasons, let me warn you it is probably going to get worse. LeBron James to the Lakers may have given you a tiny bit of hope that someone could challenge the Warriors next season (or at least add some intrigue).You may have envisioned the Lakers orchestrating a trade for Kawhi Leonard. James and Leonard going up against Curry and Durant? The Warriors would still be heavy favorites of course, but at least the Lakers would have a fighting chance.Cousins choosing to take a mere $5.3 million to join the "Hamptons Five" eliminatesone major element that makes the NBA so great. The
Frank Gore Jersey level of competition has always been so high. Sure, dynasties emerge, but there is usually a worthy challenger. From the Lakersand Celtics in the 1980s to the Heat and Spurs not so long ago, there is a sense that something crazy could happen in the NBA Finals.The Warriors have taken away this belief. This is different.I hope Im wrong. I hopethere is a team in the West that can give the Warriors a run for their money. I hope Brad Stevens can concoct a game plan to challenge the Warriors in an exciting NBA Finals series. Or maybe the 76erscan take another step in their progre sion. It would be great for the league.But I
Anthony Lawrence II Jersey dont think Im wrong, and that's a bummer for those waiting to watch another NBA season. Regardle s of Cousins' actual on-court impact, putting him on the greatest team of all time just looks bad.The Warriorshave (completely legally) removedcompetition, replacingit with inevitability and even the biggest basketball fans must recognize that. Related Articles Three factors that led to DeMarcus Cousins signing with Warriors
With the exception of the Golden State Warriors and their pursuit of 73 wins, no team has been under the microscope the way the Cleveland Cavaliers have been this year. Despite Kyrie Irving mi sing a significant portion of the season, the controversial firing of coach David Blatt, and ablowout lo s tothe Warriors, the LeBron James-ledCavaliers are still the favorites to make it out of the
Moritz Wagner Jersey East.The Pistons are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009. They are led by big man Andre Drummond (16.2 points,14.8 rebounds per game) and guard Reggie Jackson (18.8 ppg)both of whom had career seasons.MORE: The Cavaliers spent most of the season at the top of the East and
Michigan Wolverines Jersey finished with the No. 1 seed at 57-25. The Pistons held on to the No. 8 spot at 44-38.Cavaliers vs. Pistons matchup to watchKyrie Irving vs. Reggie Jackson.Jackson has been a go-to-player for the Pistons all season, while Irving hasnt had to bare as much responsibility with James on his squad. Jackson will have to pick his spots
Devin Bush Jersey and conserve his energy while chasing Irving, especially with his recent abdominalinjury. Irving went for 28 points in his teams lone win of the regular season series.MORE: Cavaliers vs. Pistons regular-season seriesPistons won 3-1:Pistons 104-99,Cavs 114-106,Pistons 96-88,Pistons 112-110Cavaliers vs. Pistons schedule, TV infoAll times p.m. EasternGame 1: Sunday, April 17 at Cleveland, 3 (ABC)Game 2: Wednesday, April 20at Cleveland,
Jake Butt Jersey 8 (TNT)Game 3: Friday, April 22 at Detroit, 7 (ESPN)Game 4: Sunday,April 24at Detroit, 8(TNT)Game 5: Tuesday, April 26at Cleveland(TBD if nece sary)Game 6: Thursday,April 28at Detroit (TBD if nece sary)Game 7: Saturday, April 30at Cleveland (TNT if nece sary)Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictionThe Pistons took the regular season series but dont get it twisted the Cavs are still
Wilton Speight Jersey the favorites. The first game was beforeIrvings return from injuryand Cleveland rested James in the season finale.Pistons in five.
ShaiGilgeous-Alexander won't reveal pre-draftsecretsNEW YORK It has been a while since weve seen Kentucky
Carlos Dunlap Jersey point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, so when he popped upat the NBAs pre-draft interview se sions, there were some obvious questions. While other prospects have been trotting to cities around the league for team workouts, frequently speaking to the media afterwards, Gilgeous-Alexander has made zero trips to any NBA arenas.It turns outGilgeous-Alexander has been working out in Los Angeles ahead of the draft, and rather than traveling to workouts, sources told Sporting News that his agent, Thad Foucher of the Wa serman Group, had teams interested in drafting Gilgeous-Alexander visit LAto watch him.Gilgeous-Alexander could go as high as No. 6 to Orlando. Cleveland had interest, too, at No. 8, as well as the Hornets at 11. One reason the flow of teams to watch Gilgeous-Alexander was so tightly controlled, a source speculated, was a desire to have him drafted by the Clippers, who have back-to-back picks at Nos. 12 and 13.Toronto reportedly would to draft Gilgeous-Alexander, but such a deal the Raptors might need to dump either Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan to make it happen.The reason for the secrecy around Gilgeous-Alexander is a mystery in itself. But you have to appreciate the guys ability to stonewall us media-types.On Wednesday, Keith Pompey of Philly.com tried to pry some info of Gilgeous-Alexander and was shut down. Heres how it went:Pompey: Did you work out with anyone?Gilgeous-Alexander: Yeah, I did.KP: Who all did you work out with?SGA: Im not allowed to share that.KP (After
Nick Vigil Jersey SGA said he was in the lottery range): Is it low or high? Where at?SGA: Thats all Ive heard.KP: How many teams have you worked out for?SGA: I already answered that. Nice try, though.Will a team trade up for Mo Bamba?Weve been reporting for a while now that several teams love Mo Bamba, and why shouldnt they? Not only does he has a 7-10 wingspan, but he is an engaging young man who also happens to love his mother he moved her out of Harlem this week, I am told, and into a new apartment in Midtown Manhattan.Who wouldnt love a guy who takes care of his mom like that? Also, who wouldnt love a guy who spent the last couple of months working with Kevin Garnett, Joel Embiid and trainer extraordinaire Drew Hanlen?Hanlen broke down Bambas shooting mechanics since he declared for the draft, and rebuilt his shot, helping Bamba release the ball quicker and from a more consistent shooting pocket.I changed my mechanics for the betterment, honestly, Bamba told Sporting News, and it was when you are changing your jump shot, what people dont know about it is that it takes a level of vulnerability to be told that youre doing something not right, not correct. The
Randy Bullock Jersey proce s of changing it, it takes being open-minded and willing to change.Who doesnt love an open-minded student?The Celtics have been big fans of Bamba (they like Jaren Jackson Jr. as well) and have been of the draft for weeks now. Boston has two potential lottery picks next year to offer Sacramentos, protected for the No. 1 pick,and Memphis, protected for the top eightthough a potential deal is complicated by the po sible pursuit of Spurs star Kawhi Leonard.The other team with eyes on Bamba is Chicago, which had hoped that he would slide through the top sixand land right in the Bulls' laps. Because that looks increasingly unlikely (Orlando also likes Bamba if he is there at No. 6), Chicago has engaged in talks to move up to No. 3, where Atlanta is considering its options but is likely to hold its pick, as well as Memphis at No. 4.The Grizzlies going all the way back to the lottery, when they were the big loser, dropping from a potential No. 2 pick to fourth. Theyre seeking to attach Chandler Parsons albatro s contract to any move involving the pick.The Bulls would rather move a player (Bobby Portis, Kris Dunn) than take on the two years and $49 million of Parsons deadweight contract. Chicago hopes to use its cap space to absorb unwanted contracts and collect further a sets this summer, and Parsons deal would pretty much chew up that space.TraeYoung hears your defensive concernsThere has been chatter that Trae Young has slipped, and his that was reported by ESPN may be an indication that his comfort zone from No. 3 Atlanta to No. 6 Orlando is not so comfortable anymore. The Cavs pick eighth, and they have Gilgeous-Alexander, Alabama point guard Collin Sextonand Mi sourimystery man Michael Porter Jr. among their targets.Give Young credit.He knows exactly why teams are wary about him: defense. Its difficult to focus on D, of course, when you are scoring 27.4 points per game with 8
Damion Willis Jersey .7 a sists, but for Young, it is a nit that teams have picked.He was asked about why teams are knocking his defense. His answer: Well, I didnt play a lot of defense.I just think, the way I played this year, I left that
Joe Mixon Jersey out there, Young said, I left the question out there. So, the defensive criticism comes from stuff I did this year.Kentucky standout just keepsworkingOn the other end of the spectrum from Gilgeous-Alexanders pre-draft approach is the way that Kentucky teammate Kevin Knox went about his workouts in the past month. Knox worked out for every team from Orlando at No. 6 through the Clippers at No. 13, and he should land in that range.Not only that, but he eschewed the standard one-on-zero workouts that so many top prospects insist upon, and mixed it up with other potential lottery picks. He enjoyed the proce s so much that he snuck in one last workout on Tuesday for the Sixersbefore going to New York for the draft.A lot of guys were doing solo workouts, but I wanted to do group workouts, Knox said. I kind of wanted to compete. I wanted to show guys my competitive spirit. I did a lot of one-on-ones, a lot of two-on-twos. Thats the mindset I had going in, to try to go at people and try to dominate. So I decided not to do solo workouts and I did more workouts than people expected.
Anyone watching Game 2 of the NBA Finals knew
Michael Brockers Jersey that Kevin Love was dealing with concu sion symptoms except, apparently, the Cavaliers' doctors.Love eventually left the game for good at his own discretion and entered the league's concu sion protocol after lookingdisoriented on the defensive end and heading back to Cleveland's bench.MORE: He didn't do it after spending about 30 seconds on the court crumpled in a heap, courtesy of Harrison Barnes'accidentalelbow. Play continued on the other end of the court while Love was on Mars, and Cleveland's doctors didn't bother to take him out of the game to check.He didn't do it after halftime, when those same doctors finally looked at him and said "yep, good to go. No symptoms."A few minutes later, Love, clearly lost, checked himself out of the game with "dizzine s" and ended his night.It was reiterated on the TV broadcast and in a release by the team during the game: Love didn't show any symptoms during the first half or athalftime, so the medical staff thought he was fine. That ignores the fact that getting crushed in the back of your head hard enough to end up on the ground for a little minutes is, in itself, a concu sion
Greg Zuerlein Jersey symptom.MORE: Why did that happen? How did it happen? Was it an honest mistake by the staff, or were they thinking about the NBA's concu sion protocol? Like Jeff Van Gundy said, it's not a quick proce s. Love can't do anything until 24 hours post-impact, and even then, he's got a ways to go. :A player who had a concu sion may not return to participation until:1.He is without concu sion-related symptoms at rest;2. He has been evaluated by a physician;3. He has succe sfully completed the NBA return-to-participation exertion protocol;4. A
Kayvon Webster Jersey team physician has discu sed the return-to-participation proce s and decision with the Director of the NBA Concu sion Program, Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher. Note that the final return-to-participation decision is to be made by the players team physician, in order to maximize the consistency of care for the player.Now, Love can't come back until he's symptom-free, in order, "froma stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact team drills."That's a
Los Angeles Rams Jersey lot to deal with. And in a series that the Cavs already trail 2-0, it's time they may not have. Game 3 is Wednesday (9 p.m. ET, ABC) in Cleveland.If they rolled the dice on Love being OK, despite his in-game nap, they lost. Twice.MORE: Brain injuries don't come up often in the NBA; it's not a contact
Marcus Peters Jersey sport in the way that football and hockey are, so TV audiences, media and teams are le s used to reacting in the moment but Love, for his own safety and public perception,should've been taken out immediately. You do not react the way he did if you are OK.Now, you're going to see cluele s people wonder why Love came out at at all, since he was "fine" initially. It's a failure of the proce s, and for Cavs fans, it should be as much of a disappointment as the final score.
Originally answered on July 6th, 2016.This question originally appeared on - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique
Jason Spezza Jersey insights. You can follow Quora on , , and .MORE FROM QUORA: by :The Golden State Warriors have become the most stacked team in NBA history, and they will likely prove that they are the best team to ever play the game during the next season.As of Durant's decision, the Warriors have two players who have been MVPs in recent seasonswho are both in their primeDurant and Steph Curry. The Warriors have 4 All-NBA, All-Starteam membersin Steph Curry, Kevin Durant,
Cale Makar Jersey Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.It is difficult to find a team in the history of the NBA that has collected so much talent and has been as deep as the current Golden State Warriors.This past year, the Warriors went 739and were 1 game short of winning the NBA Finals and repeating as world champions. If they had won the Finals, the Warriors would have gone down as the greatest NBA team of all time. A team that was alreadyincredibly close to being the greatest of all time has just become significantly better, and has acquired the 3rd best player in the league.There is no one who wouldn't admit that the Warriors are currently "stacked."Additionally, Kevin
Nathan Noel Jersey Durant's move will affect his legacy significantly. In 2010, LeBron James went to the Miami Heat, where he joined Wade and Bosh, two other All-Stars. This was viewed as a superteam, and the Heat hadn't even won a championship in 5 years. This new Warriors team iseven more of a superteam. Durant's move will be viewed as ring chasing
Patrick Kane Jersey , and haters will accuse him of not being loyal.This changes the dynamic of the whole NBA. There is no team in the league that can be competitive with the Warriors. The Cavs barely beat them with an injured Curry, Iguodala
Rasmus Dahlin Jersey , and Bogut. And the Cavs needed Draymond suspended for a game in order to win the championship. Now, imagine if that whole team was healthy, and then add Kevin Durant.It is extremely likely that the Warriors will break their own record and win more than 73 games.Who can beat them now?MORE FROM QUORA:
"Next summer, if nobody comes and Im still sitting here like this, then its a failure," Lakers president of basketball operationsMagic Johnson said Tuesday. "If I cant deliver, Im going to step down myself. Lakers owner Jeanie Bu s wont have to fire me.Ill step away from it, because I cant do this job."Those are bold words from the man in charge of a franchise that has failed numerous times over the past several years to bring big-namefree agents to Los Angeles.In the next fewdays, starting late Saturday night when free agency kicks off, the Lakers could very well become the NBAs next "superteam."Maybe the
Jadeveon Clowney Jersey Spursdecide that they need to get what they can now for Kawhi Leonard. Maybe Paul George is readyto finally make the jump to his hometown team. And maybeLeBron Jamescomes to the realization that the Lakers offer the best on-court and off-court situation.If this transpires, Bu s and Johnson will have fulfilled their promise to Lakers fans, bringing at least two stars to Los Angeles and once again making the Lakers a championship-caliber team.But what about the end resultno one is discu sing? What if no stars ultimately wantto don the purple and gold?It has been five years since the Lakersearned a playoff berth. During that span, some of the shine on those cla sic jerseyshas dulled. And it has not just been the lack of succe s in the win column the organizations pride has taken a hit.Dwight Howard traveled to Houston despite all of the billboards urging him to stay in Los Angeles.Carmelo Anthony went to the bright lights of New York City.LaMarcus Aldridge chose San Antonio over LA because there was hardly a mention of basketballin the pitch meeting.Kevin Durant?
Mark Ingram Youth Jersey No chance.Johnson was brought in to regain the Lakers pride. Bu s was tired of losing, tired of being overlooked by free agents."Today I took a series of actions I believe will return the Lakers to the heights Dr. Jerry Bu
Matt Prater Men Jersey s demanded and our fans rightly expect,"Bu s said on the day she hired Johnson. "Together, Earvin, head coach Luke Walton and our new general manager Rob Pelinka will establish the foundation for the next generation of Los Angeles Lakers greatne s."Since around the midway mark of the regular season, Johnson and the Lakers have pitched the two-year approach. It was a smart play, giving the front officean extra year to prove to a restle s fan base that this new group had a plan in place to ensure a return to glory.But dontbelievefor a second that the 2019 cla s is the prize. This current crew of free agents is the one that the Lakers have been eyeing. This is the summer in which they expect to make a big splash. And the timing could not be better for the Lakers to bring one, two or even three stars to LA.As free agency creeps closer, the pre sure is mounting. Recent reports suggestJames is hesitant to be the first star to sign with the Lakers, though he may be willing to take the dive and convince others to join him later. The Lakers front office has re-engaged the Spurs in trade talks after San Antonio previously refused to shop Leonard within the Western Conference. The Lakers could lose considerable young talent in any deal for
Zay Jones Women Jersey Leonard, butif it results in James becoming a Laker as well, the risk is clearly worth it.George went so far as to tell thePacers that he would choose the Lakers when he became a free agent after the 2017-18 season. That remains a po sibility, but the latestrumors point to George returning to the Thunder. Ifthe Lakers are unable to trade for Leonard and James also stays put, Johnson and the front office will have an out. They will lean on that two-year strategy and claim not all is lost.But dont be fooled.A swing and a mi s onone (if not
La'el Collins Youth Jersey two) stars to Los Angeles will be one of thebiggest public failures the organization has endured. And remember, those words come directly from Johnson himself.How can the Lakersbe viewed as an organization with the same mystiqueif they cannot lure players away fromCleveland and Oklahoma City? If they mi s out on this golden opportunity, what's the next move for Bu s?Magic and the Lakers have put themselves out there. They have made their intentions clear. It is time for the front office to deliver or Johnson might have to start looking for another job.
originally appeared on Ask a question, get a great answer. Learn from experts and acce s insider knowledge. You can follow Quora on , , and .Answers by , Point Guard for the Charlotte HornetsQ:What do NBA players do in their free time?Many NBA players enjoy spending time with family and friends because free time is so rare. Often times when we are on the road, we like to visit restaurants or places that are really particular to that area.Many cities have cool restaurants, malls, or landmarks that are always interesting to visit. For example, in LA,I love to go to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, or in New York, I love going to Sushi of Gari.Q:What
West Virginia Mountaineers Jersey Sale is a typical daily diet for an NBA player during the season?My diet consists of healthy carbs, proteins, veggies, and fruits.For carbs I like to eat pasta, couscousand rice.All the meats I eat have to be lean and healthy like fish, chickenand steak. Every once in a while I'll treat myself to a very unhealthy meal which usually consists of going to multiple fast food places in one night.More from Quora: |My biggest no-no's are fried food, candyand soda.I'm a big snacker so it's hard to give up my normal snacking habits.If I could pick, I would always drink soda, eat gummy candiesand devour huge bags of chips.My snacking habits have been changed to yogurt, trail mix, granolaand veggie platters...it's the worst.Q:How has Jeremy Lin used his personal failures and mistakes to grow as a basketball player and as a person?Often times, failure
Matt Lehmann Jersey makes me re-evaluate what I need to get better at, whether it is on the court or as a person. God has frequently turned my shortcomings and failures into life-changing experiences.For example, breaking my ankle junior year in high school taught me the le son of humility and hard
Will Culliton Jersey work as I watched my team lose in the playoffs without me. Before that happened to me I had a terrible attitude and was very arrogant. I was constantly getting kicked out of practice because of my attitude.During this time I also remember my older brother writing me a letter while he was away in college. His letter reminded me that my career could end at any time, and that all I could control was my attitude that I shouldn't take basketball for granted.The recovery proce s seemed to take forever because all I could think about was giving my best effort and adopting a humble attitude in training. I am confident that without this le son, my career would have been over a long time ago.Q:What do NBA players do after games?NBA players shower immediately after a game (or at least I hope so). After that, many players get into a ice bath or cryo chamber, stretch to regenerate their bodies, and then grab a huge meal. Typically I eat anything in my way after a game because I am so hungry from expending so many calories.Q: How has Jeremy Lin been so succe sful even when so many people doubted his abilities?I think God has empowered me in many situations and really opened the door for the perfect opportunities that have allowed me to overcome obstacles in my life. I can undoubtedly say that God has been with me every step of the way, giving
Devan Barrett Jersey me strength even when I didn't think I had enough to go on.For example, there were many times I thought about quitting basketball my rookie year, especially after getting sent to the D-league several times and again after getting cut from two teams my second year in the NBA. During those situations, God reminded me that everything happens for reason, and that
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The Dirk Nowitzki Show has at least one more act to go after this season.The Mavericks forward has decided to pick
Ka'imi Fairbairn Jersey up the player option on his contract next season, .MORE: | Dirk will pick up the player option on his contract this summer and play next season. After that, he hasn't decided if he'll play some more. Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) Nowitzki, 37
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Kyle Allen Jersey ."If thats what the Mavs are going to do rebuild then well have to wait and see.The Mavericks are currently in
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Phillip Lindsay Jersey .He is averaging18.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season.
