May 12, 2023

Age [38] All-Star team



LeBron James, who received All-NBA honors for the 19th consecutive season on Wednesday, is the best 38-year-old player of all time. He averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists, shooting 58.0% on 2-pointers. He also broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record with a fadeaway jumper over Kenrich Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder in February. The Lakers (43-39) were 30-25 with James in the lineup. He is the third 38-year-old to make an All-NBA team. Abdul-Jabbar made the first team in 1986, Tim Duncan the third team in 2015 and James the third team this season.
— Kevin Brewer

Age 38 >> Starting lineup

Forward >> LeBron James, Lakers, 2022-23
 >>  28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists (55 games)

Center >> Tim Duncan, Spurs, 2014-15
 >>  13.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.0 blocks

Center >> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers, 1985-86
 >>  23.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 56.5% 2-point shooting

Guard >> John Stockton, Jazz, 2000-01
 >>  11.5 points, 8.7 assists, 51.4% 2-point shooting

Guard >> Reggie Miller, Pacers, 2003-04
 >>  10.0 points, 3.1 assists, 40.1% 3-point shooting

Age 38 >> Bench

Forward >> Karl Malone, Jazz, 2001-02
 >>  22.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists

Forward >> Michael Jordan, Wizards (!), 2001-02
 >>  22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists (60 games)

Guard >> Manu Ginobili, Spurs, 2015-16
 >>  9.6 points, 39.1% 3-point shooting (58 games)

Center >> Robert Parish, Celtics, 1991-92
 >>  14.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 53.5% 2-point shooting

Center >> Hakeem Olajuwon, Rockets, 2000-01
 >>  11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, (58 games)

April 12, 2023

2023 NBA awards / The Big Score



Scoring reached an all-time high this season.

Scoreboards tilted. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria.

Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard each scored 71 points in a game. The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers 176-175 in the second-highest scoring game of all time. And Ol’ Man River just keeps rolling along: LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record with a fadeaway over Kenrich Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If you’re scoring at home, a record six players averaged 30-plus points: Lillard, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. A record 43 players averaged 20 points — and that doesn’t include LeBron, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis and a few others who played less than the qualifying 58 games.

There were 25 individual 50-point games. Doncic had four, including a 60-point triple-double. Lillard, Embiid and Antetokounmpo had three, Curry and Booker two.

>> Nikola Jokic was the league’s top player for the third straight season. Possibly the greatest, most creative passer of all time, the Nuggets center was 12 total assists shy of averaging a triple-double. He shoots like a guard, rebounds like a center. He led the league in virtually all advanced metrics, and my personal eye test.

>> The Brooklyn Nets trashed their four-year championship plan, trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and splitting up with Steve Nash — and they still made the playoffs.

>> Klay Thompson led the league in 3-pointers made and attempted in his first full season back from knee and Achilles injuries.
— Kevin Brewer

TEAMS

Best record >> Milwaukee Bucks, 58-24

Worst record >> Detroit Pistons, 17-65

Home team >> Golden State Warriors

Road team >> Sacramento Kings

Best offense >> Sacramento Kings

Best defense >> Cleveland Cavaliers

Fastest pace >> Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs

Slowest pace >> Cleveland Cavaliers

AWARDS

Most Valuable Player >> Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

2. Joel Embiid, 76ers
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
5. Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers

Coach of the Year >> Mike Brown, Kings

2. Tom Thibodeau, Knicks
3. Joe Mazzulla, Celtics

Teammate of the Year >> Jalen Brunson, Knicks

Clutch Player of the Year >> De’Aaron Fox, Kings

Rookie of the Year >> Paolo Banchero, Magic

Sixth Man of the Year >> Immanuel Quickley, Knicks

Bench >> Malcolm Brogdon, Bobby Portis, Christian Wood, Tyus Jones, Malik Monk, Brandon Clarke

ALL-NBA >> First team

Forward >> Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
 >>  31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 59.6% 2-point shooting

Forward >> Jayson Tatum, Celtics
 >>  30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 85.4% free throw shooting

Center >> Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
 >>  24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists
 >>  67.5% 2-point shooting, 82.2% free throw shooting

Guard >> Luka Doncic, Mavericks
 >>  32.4 points, 8.0 assists, 58.8% 2-point shooting

Guard >> Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
 >>  28.3 points, 4.4 assists, 57/39/87 shooting splits

ALL-NBA >> Second team

Forward >> Jimmy Butler, Heat
 >>  22.9 points, 5.3 assists, 85.0% free throw shooting

Forward >> LeBron James, Lakers
 >>  28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists

Center >> Joel Embiid, 76ers
 >>  33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 85.7% free throw shooting

Guard >> Stephen Curry, Warriors
 >>  29.4 points, 6.3 assists, 58/43/92 shooting splits

Guard >> Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
 >>  32.2 points, 7.3 assists, 57/37/91 shooting splits

ALL-NBA >> Third team

Forward >> Julius Randle, Knicks
 >>  25.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists

Forward >> Jaylen Brown, Celtics
 >>  26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 57.6% 2-point shooting

Center >> Domantas Sabonis, Kings
 >>  19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists

Guard >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
 >>  31.4 points, 5.5 assists, 90.5% free throw shooting

Guard >> De’Aaron Fox, Kings
 >>  25.0 points (5.0 in clutch minutes), 6.1 assists

LEADERS

Box Plus-Minus >> Nikola Jokic, 13.0

Estimated Plus-Minus >> Nikola Jokic, 7.9

Box score RAPTOR >> Nikola Jokic, 13.6

Scoring >> Joel Embiid, 33.1

Total points >> Jayson Tatum, 2,225

Rebounding >> Domantas Sabonis, 12.3

Total rebounds >> Domantas Sabonis, 973

Assists >> James Harden, 10.7

Total assists >> Trae Young, 741

Steals >> OG Anunoby, 1.9

Blocks >> Jaren Jackson Jr., 3.0

SUPERLATIVES

Best shooters >> Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant

Best mid-range shooters >> Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic

Best 3-point shooters >> Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson

Best free throw shooter >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Best backcourt >> Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Cavaliers

Iron man >> Mikal Bridges, Suns and Nets (83 games)

Sensation >> Mac McClung, 76ers

Best young player >> Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves

Best old player >> LeBron James, Lakers

April 10, 2023

Udonis Haslem is done.


Udonis. U-did it.

On the final day of the regular season, when Rudy Gobert fought Kyle Anderson on the Timberwolves bench, Bones Hyland fought Mason Plumlee on the Clippers bench, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels broke his hand by punching a wall, the Warriors scored a record 55 points in the first quarter, Stephen Silas coached his last game with the Rockets, and Dwane Casey coached his last game with the Pistons …

Udonis Haslem, 42 years old, in his 20th season, all with Miami Heat, scored 24 points, including three 3-pointers, in the final game of his career as the Heat beat the Orlando Magic 123-107.

It was Haslem’s highest scoring game since he had 28 points against the Nets on Nov. 14, 2009, when they were in New Jersey, and Dwyane Wade led the league in scoring.

Haslem, who played just seven games this season and just 102 games over the past eight seasons, has mostly been a solid-as-oak locker room presence late in his career. He averaged double figures four times and earned a reputation as one of the better post defenders in the league. He was a part of three NBA championship teams and three more NBA finals teams.

Undrafted out of Florida (where he played with Mike Miller and David Lee), Haslem entered the league with Wade and future teammates Chris Bosh and LeBron James, who is four years younger than Haslem.

In fact, Haslem played with more than 150 teammates.

He played with a King (LeBron James) and a Barron (Earl).

He played with a Cook (Daequan), Waiters (Dion) and three Butlers (Jimmy, Caron, Rasual).

He played with a Herro (Tyler) and Justice (Winslow). He played with a Person (Wesley) and a Guy (Kyle).

He played with a Birdman (Chris Andersen) and a Dedmon (Dewayne). He played with two Walkers (Antoine, Henry) and a Parker (Smush).

He played with a Nunn (Kendrick) and a Bimbo (Coles).

He played with a House (Eddie) and a Shaq (O’Neal). He played with Banks (Marcus) and a Penny (Hardaway).

He played with a Head (Luther) and a bust (Greg Oden).

He played with all sizes and colors: White (Chocolate), Brown (Shannon) and Green (Gerald).