Basketball

• Milwaukee Clinches Playoff Spot Earlier Than Any Other Team in History

  Feb 25, 2020 SportZ 0 Comments

  There is little doubt the Milwaukee Bucks is currently the best team in the NBA. For months, there has been speculation on whether or not they could reach 70-wins in the regular season, a historic milestone only accomplished by two teams since the league began. The Bucks are a deep roster led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is the overwhelming favorite to win back-to-back MVP, averaging 30 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, a steal, and a block in only 30.9 minutes per game. He leads the league in defensive rating and is on pace to record the highest PER in NBA history. As it stands now, a 70-win season is definitely within reach for them.

  Just a couple of days ago, on February 23rd, after only playing 56 games, Milwaukee became the first team in the league this season to clinch a playoff berth, nearly two months before it's supposed to begin. This is the earliest any team has managed to achieve this feat in at least 15 years, beating the mark set by the 2016-17 Warriors, who clinched their playoff spot on February 25th, after playing 58 games.

  At this rate, it is safe to say this year's Milwaukee Bucks squad will ultimately rank among the best all-time teams. They are a clear championship contender and the overwhelming favorite to win the Eastern Conference, despite their disappointing performance last year. Only time will tell how far they can carry this current success.

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• Masai Ujiri Sued for Alleged Assault

  Feb 10, 2020 SportZ 0 Comments

  

   

  Masai Ujiri, president of basketball operations for the Toronto Raptors, has been sued for damages by an Alameda County sheriff's deputy. The deputy, whose name is Alan Strickland, claims that moments after the Raptors won game 6 against the Golden State Warriros, Ujiri struck him in the face and chest with both fists as he attempted to reach the court. He and his wife, Kelly, are suing Ujiri, the Raptors, the MLSE, and the NBA on six separate counts. They seek to be rewarded general damages exceeding $75,000, punitive damages, payment of all medical an incidental expenses – to date and in the future – all proven loss of earnings, and all legal costs of filing the suit.

   

  This incident briefly made headlines shortly after its occurrence, in late-June and early-July, when Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern initially requested Ujiri be charged with battery of a peace officer. However, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office ultimately declined to press charges after an extensive investigation.

   

  There are multiple sides to this story. For example, one witness, who was reportedly standing right next to the officer, refuted the department's narrative, which stated that Ujiri had refused Strickland's request for credentials and shoved him. According to reports, he claims that no such conversation had occurred, or any for that matter. The encounter began when the officer approached Ujiri and pushed him. Ujiri managed to shove him back before bystander intervened. Furthermore, a video taken around the time of the incident shows Ujiri with his credentials in his hand.

   

  There are many factors involved in this case, including the reputation and history of both parties. Only time will tell how this lawsuit will turn out.

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• NBA All-Star Reserves Revealed

  Feb 2, 2020 SportZ 0 Comments

  

  About a week ago, the NBA announced the starters for this year's All-Star game in Chicago. For the East, there is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Pascial Siakam of the Toronto Raptors, Joel Embiid of the Philadephia 76ers, Kemba Walker of the Boston Celtics, and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks. For the West, there is James Harden of the Houston Rockets, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the LA Lakers, and Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers.

   

  A couple of days ago, the NBA finally released the reserves for each team, providing us with a full All-Star roster. The reserves for the West are Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook of the Houston Rockets, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz. The reserves for the East are Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors, Ben Simmons of the Philadephia 76ers, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, and Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers. There are a total of 9 first-time All-Stars this year, with 4 from the west and 5 from the east.

   

  Notable All-Stars snubs include Paul George, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker. As one source noted, in the case of Devin Booker specifically, he is the first player to ever average 27 points and 6 assists on 60 TS% and still miss the All-Star game. Bradley Beal, on the other hand, is averaging 28.8 points and 6.3 assists per game. While there may be much disagreement and debate over the final roster, all of these players have had remarkable seasons and are all deserving All-Stars.

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• Laker Legend Kobe Bryant is Killed in Helicopter Crash at Age 41

  Jan 27, 2020 SportZ 0 Comments

   

  

   

  Tragedy and heart-break has struck the hearts of many today, especially in the world of basketball and sports. Sunday morning, just after 10 o'clock, a helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California. There were no survivors. Among the nine casualties were NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his teenage daughter, Gianna, who were headed to a travel basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy at the time of the accident, alongside another player and parent. Kobe Bryant had great success, both on and off the court. In addition to being an MVP, 5-time NBA champion, 2-time Olympic gold medalist, and 18-time NBA all-star, he was an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, even winning an Oscar for his animated short-film “Dear Basketball”. He was still only 41 years-old at the time of his death. Kobe as a person and an athlete was very influential, and had positively impacted the lives of many. He will be sorely missed by family, friends, fans, and media alike.

  RIP Kobe

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• Zion Williamson's Remarkable Debut

  Jan 23, 2020 SportZ 0 Comments

  

  Last night featured what was debatably one of the most anticipated moments of the season. After sitting out the first three months of the regular season, Zion Williamson debuted in a home game against the San Antonio Spurs. Although the Pelicans ultimately lost, Zion's debut was still a memorable one, and in a way exceeded its surrounding hype.

  Zion had a relatively slow start over the course of the game, recording only 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists heading into the fourth quarter, and playing in only four minute stretches during the first three. Then, in a mere 3 minutes and 29 seconds, Zion scored 17 points, leading his team back into the game, and shot 4 for 4 from 3-point range. He finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in 18 minutes of play, the most from any player in the shot-clock era in an NBA debut while playing less than 20 minutes. Zion Williamson is actually the first player in NBA history, period, to record at least 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 4-made 3-pointers in fewer than 20 minutes. He is also the first NBA player in history to shoot 100% on at least four 3-pointers in a debut.

  While his performance may have been lacking in the vicious dunks he's known for, his debut has without a doubt met, or even exceeded, the expectations of his fans. If this is any indicator of how his season – or even his career – will turn out, then we are in for something special.

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