Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news Inspiring every gambler in the world to beat the odds Thu, 04 Aug 2022 22:00:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 //wordpress.org/?v=5.4.16 Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/nba-player-scoring-average-totals-harden-jokic-doncic-young-beal-morant/ Thu, 04 Aug 2022 20:33:19 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90671 Here’s your chance to predict the future and try to figure out how many points your favorite players will score next season. We like the under scoring average season totals for Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Trae Young, and Dejounte Murray. We like the over scoring average season totals for James […]

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Here’s your chance to predict the future and try to figure out how many points your favorite players will score next season. We like the under scoring average season totals for Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Trae Young, and Dejounte Murray. We like the over scoring average season totals for James Harden, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Bradley Beal, and LeBron James.

LeBron James Ja Morant NBA scoring average totals over under Harden Embiid Jokic Doncic Beal
Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies guards LeBron James of the LA Lakers. (Image: Justin Ford/Getty)

Joel Embiid (30.6 ppg) edged out LeBron James (30.3 ppg) for the scoring title in the 2021-22 season  because LeBron missed a quarter of the season due to injuries and failed to meet the minimum games eligibility.

LeBron James 28.2 o/u (OVER)

What will LeBron do this upcoming season? Will he try to win the scoring title in the same season he secures the NBA all-time scoring record? He’s just 1,325 points away from tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28,387) for most points in NBA history. If LeBron averages 27 ppg next season, it will take him 50 games to pass Abdul-Jabbar. If he averages 30 ppg, he’ll do it in 45 games.

LeBron’s scoring output depends on the health status of Anthony Davis. If Davis is out any significant time once again, expect LeBron to head north of an 29 ppg scoring average. Then there’s the Russell Westbrook drama, which will affect LeBron’s scoring average. If they Lakers cannot dump Westbrook, and it looks like they’re bound for the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, expect LeBron to focus on the scoring title and breaking passing Abdul-Jabbar’s record instead of worrying about winning another championship.

Joel Embiid 30.1 o/u (UNDER)

Embiid has to make a decision: win a championship, or win the MVP. Sure, there’s a scenario where you can try to win both and that also hinges upon his overall health. Embiid was the runner-up in the closest MVP race in two decades. Philly fans think Embiid was robbed by Nikola Jokic, and you can make a fair assessment on either side.

Philadelphia has a narrow window to win the championship, and this might be their last chance with Doc Rivers as head coach and the current lineup. Embiid might not have to score as much as last season to win, but then again, he might have a chip on his shoulder and want to win the MVP. He won a scoring title and missed the MVP, so that achievement is not a lock to garner MVP votes. It looks like Harden will provide a much bigger scoring effort this season, so the scoring average of 30.1 under looks right for Embiid.

James Harden 21.7 o/u (OVER)

Harden is serious about trying to win a championship with the 76ers. He took a pay cut in the $15 million range so the team can afford to sign role players and former teammates with the Houston Rockets. He’s staying out of strip clubs, working out nonstop, shed weight, and he’s ordering In-n-Out Burger without the bun and skipping the fries.

Embiid challenged Harden to find the guy who averaged 36.1 ppg in 2019. He doesn’t have to score 30-plus in Philadelphia, but expect him to improve upon last year’s 21 ppg. Let’s not forget he only appeared in 21 games with the 76ers after the Brooklyn Nets traded him for Ben Simmons, so he was still trying to figure out Embiid and the rest of the offense when the playoffs rolled around. We have faith in Harden that he really wants to win this year. So long as he stays out of clubs and cuts out the carbs, we feel good about a scoring average over 22 ppg.

Nikola Jokic 27.0 o/u (UNDER)

Jokic won the MVP in back-to-back seasons, and maybe he should’ve finished second to Embiid. Then again, he posted even better numbers than the previous season (27.1 point, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists) and carried the entire Nuggets without two max-contract players. Jamal Murray missed the entire season with an ACL injury, and Michael Porter lasted a couple of weeks before he underwent season-ending back surgery. Both Murray and Porter are expected back in the lineup with full recoveries, so Jokic will not have to shoulder the scoring load. We like the under in scoring average for Jokic this season, but somewhere in the mid-20s and definitely below last year’s 27.1 ppg.

Luka Doncic 28.9 o/u (OVER)

Doncic will try to lead his home country of Slovenia to back-to-back EuroBasket titles at the end of the summer. So, at least he’ll be in shape by the time the season begins, unlike last year when he showed up to preseason a little paunchy. Doncic does not have the Unicorn or Jalen Brunson in the starting line up with him this season, so expect head coach Jason Kidd to rely on Doncic to score more than 30 ppg this season in the Mavs’ heliocentric offense.

Trae Young 28.3 o/u (UNDER)

The Atlanta Hawks acquired Dejounte Murray in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs to bolster their defense. Murray and Young mark the first time in NBA history where there’s a starting backcourt with players who averaged at least 20.0 points and 8.0 assists per game. But that’s all on paper with two different teams. How will it work out in Atlanta? Can the Hawks have a backcourt like the Portland Trail Blazers during the peak Damian Lillard/CJ McCollum days? Or a backcourt like the Washington Wizards with Bradley Beal/John Wall?

The Hawks could encounter some sharing issues with only one ball and Young used to being a huge ball hog. It will be a close call on trying to predict a scoring average for Young, but it seems logical it goes under with Murray on the team.

Dejounte Murray 20.1 o/u (UNDER)

If Young is a legit coinflip and close call, then Murray seems a lot easier to predict. He’s the new guy on the Hawks and will defer to Young. Expect Murray to score in the high teens over the season with a couple of monstrous games on nights when opposing teams are triple-teaming Young, or on the rare night Young goes cold from downtown.

Bradley Beal 25.5 o/u (OVER)

Beal missed the last part of the season with wrist surgery. He said he’s not 100% healed, but a lingering injury will be the only thing that prevents him from averaging more than 25.5 ppg.

Two seasons ago, Beal (31.3 ppg) missed out on winning the scoring title when Steph Curry edged him out in the final weekend of the season. The seasons before that, Beal averaged 30.5 ppg for the first time in his career. Last season, Beal attempted to average 30-plus in three-straight seasons, but the wrist injury derailed his pursuit of that rare feat. Heck, only 11 players in NBA history averaged 30 ppg for at least three times in their career. Beal might not do it in three-straight seasons but he’d like to become player #12 on that exclusive list of NBA elite scorers.

In case you were wondering, Michael Jordan leads everyone with eight seasons averaging at least 30 ppg, followed by Wilt Chamberlain (7), and Oscar Robertson (6).

Ja Morant 27.5 o/u (OVER)

We love Ja Morant and he was our pick for MVP last season averaging 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.The Grizzlies won 56 games and finished with the second-best record thanks to Morant. He turns 23 next week and has yet to hit his full ceiling heading into his fourth NBA season. Health will be the main concern. Morant went down in the playoffs with a knee injury. He also missed 25 games last season with various injuries. If you think Morant can stay off the IL, then a scoring average north of 30 ppg is a possibility.

Devin Booker 26.7 o/u (TBD)

Booker averaged around 26 ppg the last four seasons, so his current scoring average total of 26.7 o/u seems spot on. Before we try to predict what Booker will do next season, let’s try to figure out what the hell happened to the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavs.

It was probably the worst performance in a series-clinching playoff game in NBA history. Hey, blow outs happen all the time in the NBA. Last postseason had a significant uptick in blowouts because of so many teams living/dying by 3-point shots. In a do-or-die Game 7, the Suns were down by 46 points. They lost by 33 points but the final score made it seem a lot closer than the reality.

Franchises usually do not bounce back from an embarrassment like that Game 7 loss, so we’ll see if the Suns will return to their winning ways, or if the Game 7 shellacking is a harbinger of doom.

We buried the lede on Booker. He broke up with girlfriend Kendall Jenner and I don’t blame Kendall for splitting up with Booker after how poorly he played in Game 7. Apparently the two lovebirds are back together, but you can never trust the Hollywood gossip rags. So, are we really going to make an NBA prop bet based on a relationship status? If Booker and Jenner resume their relationship, bet the under. If they break up for good a second time, then bet the over because he’s going to be wicked pissed off and will channel his relationship angst into a scoring flurry.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/brittney-griner-sentence-russian-judge-gives-9-years-to-wnba-star/ Thu, 04 Aug 2022 19:23:28 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90667 Brittney Griner is facing nine years in prison after a Russian court convicted the basketball star of drug possession and smuggling on Thursday. Judge Anna Sotnikova announced the sentence, which also included a fine of one million rubles ($16,700). Griner sentence prelude to further negotiation Legal observers expected Griner to […]

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Brittney Griner is facing nine years in prison after a Russian court convicted the basketball star of drug possession and smuggling on Thursday.

Brittney Griner sentence Russia
Brittney Griner received a nine-year sentence from a Russian judge on Thursday for drug possession and smuggling. (Image: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty)

Judge Anna Sotnikova announced the sentence, which also included a fine of one million rubles ($16,700).

Griner sentence prelude to further negotiation

Legal observers expected Griner to receive a guilty verdict and jail time as a necessary step before any potential prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States. The verdict was relatively harsh by Russian legal standards: it came near the maximum punishment of ten years in prison, while most Russians spend up to five years in prison for possessing small quantities of illegal drugs.

Russian police said they found vape cartridges with cannabis oil in Griner’s luggage when she landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on Feb. 17. Griner was traveling to Russia to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Yekaterinburg, where she competes in the WNBA’s offseason.

US President Joe Biden released a statement decrying the verdict.

“Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney,�?Biden said in the statement. “I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.�?/p>

US officials have offered a prisoner exchange with Russia. Many have speculated that the United States would send Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for Griner and Paul Whelan, who has remained in Russian custody since an arrest in December 2018 on espionage charges.

Russia looks for leverage in prisoner swap

The guilty verdict also opens up other avenues for Griner’s release. She could appeal the verdict, or appear to Russian President Vladimir Putin for an appeal. However, a prisoner swap remains the most likely outcome, something Griner tangentially acknowledged in court.

“I made an honest mistake, and I hope that in your ruling, that it doesn’t end my life here,�?Griner said on Thursday. “I know that everybody keeps talking about ‘political pawn’ and ‘politics,’ but I hope that is far from this courtroom.�?/p>

Griner’s trial proceeded quickly for a politically charged case involving a foreigner, raising hopes that Russia may move for an exchange sooner rather than later. However, the severity of Griner’s sentence could also be a tactic to gain leverage against the United States.

“I think that the harsher the sentence, the more pressure there will be on the Biden administration to make a deal,�?lawyer Tom Firestone told the Associated Press. “Obviously they like leveraging that pressure.�?/p>

Griner is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year who has spent her entire professional career with the Phoenix Mercury. She has twice led the league in scoring, and is the all-time career leader in blocks per game, averaging 2.8 for her career.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/donovan-mitchell-next-team-odds-knicks-heat-hornets-jazz/ Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:29:25 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90657 DraftKings posted a prop bet on what team Donovan Mitchell will play his next regular season with the New York Knicks — heavily rumored to acquire Mitchell in a trade — installed as the betting favorite at -325 odds, followed by the Utah Jazz at +200, and Miami Heat at […]

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DraftKings posted a prop bet on what team Donovan Mitchell will play his next regular season with the New York Knicks — heavily rumored to acquire Mitchell in a trade — installed as the betting favorite at -325 odds, followed by the Utah Jazz at +200, and Miami Heat at +350.

Donovan Mitchell Utah Jazz prop bet next team odds Knicks Heat Hornets
Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz throws down a dunk against the New York Knicks. (Image: Getty)

Jazz team president Danny Ainge is willing to trade all of their veterans, including Mitchell and Mike Conley, after they decided to implode the team and start from scratch.

PROP BET: DONOVAN MITCHELL NEXT TEAM ODDS
  • New York Knicks -325
  • Utah Jazz +200
  • Miami Heat +350
  • Brooklyn Nets +1000
  • Charlotte Hornets +1200
  • Washington Wizards +1400
  • LA Lakers +2500
  • Philadelphia 76ers +3500
  • Dallas Mavs +3500
  • Cleveland Cavs +3500
  • LA Clippers +4000
  • Indiana Pacers +4000
  • Toronto Raptors +4000
  • Portland Trail Blazers +4500
  • New Orleans Pelicans +4500
  • Memphis Grizzlies +5000
  • Sacramento Kings +5000
  • Phoenix Suns +5000
  • Boston Celtics +5000
  • Golden State Warriors +6000
  • Minnesota Timberwolves +6000
  • Denver Nuggets +6000
  • Chicago Bulls +6500
  • Houston Rockets +7000
  • Oklahoma City Thunder +7500
  • Detroit Pistons +8000
  • Orlando Magic +8000
  • Atlanta Hawks +8000
  • Milwaukee Bucks +8000
  • San Antonio Spurs +8000

There’s a scenario in which the Jazz are unable to trade Mitchell in the offseason and must start the NBA regular season with him on the roster, which is why the Jazz are +200 odds as Mitchell’s next team.

New York Knicks -325

All the signs point toward the Knicks adding Mitchell in a trade, which is why they were listed as the betting favorite at -325 odds. Mitchell grew up in Westchester as a Knicks fan, and he’s hinted at playing at MSG for a couple of years now. The Knicks made several moves this offseason to put themselves at the front of the line to acquire Mitchell, including a draft0night trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder which netted three future first-round picks.

The asking price is the only thing that prevented the Knicks from adding Mitchell in a trade. Ainge and the Jazz want six first-round draft picks plus three up-and-coming players. The Knicks were willing to deal four first-rounders plus RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes, but the Jazz declined. The Jazz do not want to have to work out a contract extension with Barrett, which is why they’d prefer Obi Toppin or Immanuel Quickley to go along with Grimes and six first-rounders.

Knicks fans and general manager Leon Rose are pissed off that the Minnesota Timberwolves ruined the trade market. Ainge set forth a chain of events that began with trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for four first-round draft picks and five players including a first-round pick from the 2022 NBA Draft. The Timberwolves were totally fleeced in the trade, but it now set precedent. If Gobert is worth four picks, then Mitchell is worth six.

Trade talks between the Knicks and Jazz cooled down, mostly because there’s limited interest from other teams and Ainge’s current asking price for Mitchell is too high.

Miami Heat +350

The Heat are trying to add a star player to their roster through a trade. They were banged-up int he postseason, yet were one 3-pointer short of a trip to the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons. Pat Riley has been keeping tabs on the trade market for Mitchell, Kevin Durant, and even Kyrie Irving. But the shrewd Riley will not leverage the Heat’s future unless he thinks he can get the right player to win them another championship.

The Nets are on no rush to trade Durant or Irving, so they’re not desperate to dump their unhappy stars which means they can dictate the price. The Heat prefers Durant, but the Nets want Bam Adebayo involved in any trade package. But that would entail the Nets to trade Ben Simmons because there’s a trade rule that a team cannot acquire two rookie max-contract players on the same team. The trade market for Simmons is extremely low right now, so the Durant trade chatter died down.

The big question remains: will the Heat be willing to cough up six first-round picks for Mitchell, while parting ways with Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro? The Heat are +350 odds to add Mitchell in a trade and they’re the only other serious contender aside from the Knicks.

Charlotte Hornets +1200

The Charlotte Hornets recently the mix with Mitchell trade rumors buzzing around Buzz City, according to a report from Shams Charania.

Gordon Hayward has not been shy about leaving the Hornets for a better opportunity. He could return to the Jazz, where he began his NBA career and played his first seven seasons. Hayward and Ainge have history together back in Boston. Ainge was the general manager of the Celtics when he offered Hayward a four-year contract worth $128 million. Then again, Ainge also traded the injury-prone Hayward to the Hornets in 2020, so he might not want him back.

The Hornets could offer a trade package for Mitchell that includes four first-round draft picks, Hayward and a handful of young players and former first-round picks like PJ Washington, James Bouknight, Mark Williams, and Kai Jones. Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak could also toss in Mason Plumlee and Terry Rozier in the deal to even out the value of Mitchell’s max contract.

The Hornets are +1200 odds to become the next team for Mitchell, but they definitely cannot compete with six first-round picks if the Knicks finally cave to Ainge’s insane demands.

Check out more NBA trade rumors.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/uconn-star-paige-bueckers-out-season-torn-acl-injury/ Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:03:10 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90652 The Lady Huskies took a huge blow when UConn lost point guard Paige Bueckers to a season-ending ACL injury, and she’s expected to miss her entire junior season. Bueckers suffered a left knee injury during summer workouts in a pick-up game. “It’s so crazy because you work so hard to […]

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The Lady Huskies took a huge blow when UConn lost point guard Paige Bueckers to a season-ending ACL injury, and she’s expected to miss her entire junior season.

Paige Bueckers UConn knee injury
Paige Bueckers, guard from UConn, celebrates a big shot in the 2022 March Madness Women’s Basketball Tournament. (Image: Susannah Greenburg/Getty)

Bueckers suffered a left knee injury during summer workouts in a pick-up game.

“It’s so crazy because you work so hard to get back healthy, you feel stronger than ever, and you are playing your best basketball and with one sudden movement it all shifts,�?Bueckers posted on Instagram. “It’s hard trying to make much sense of it all now but I can’t help but think that God is using me as a testimony as to how much you can overcome with Him by your side.�?/p>

At the start of her sophomore season, Bueckers dropped 34 points on 15-for-19 shooting in a 15-point victory against Arkansas. She tallied a career-high game despite not scoring a single bucket in the first quarter. Everyone thought the 34-point heater was a good omen for UConn, who had not won a March Madness championship since 2016.

However, Bueckers missed 16 games with a fracture kneecap and torn MCL injury. It happened just six games into the season, but she returned to action late in the season a week before the Big East tournament. With Bueckers back in the starting lineup, UConn secured another trip to the Final Four.

Bueckers, UConn on Championship Quest

Bueckers was considered the top high school prospect from the class of 2020. She could’ve played college basketball anywhere and even earned her first scholarship offer when she was still in grammar school. However, Bueckers fulfilled a childhood dream by attending UConn to play for legendary coach Geno Auriemma.

In her first two seasons with Uconn, the Lady Huskies fell short of winning a championship but advanced to the Final Four in back-to-back years.

In her freshman season, Bueckers led the team with 20.0 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. She also shot a blistering 46% from 3-point range.

In her sophomore season, Bueckers averaged only 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 29.1 minutes per game while recovering from her kneecap injury.

Last year’s Women’s Final Four was hosted in Bueckers’s home state of Minnesota, and despite the pro-Bueckers crowd, UConn could not overcome South Carolina in the championship game. Uconn lost by 15 points, and Bueckers tallied 14 point, six rebounds, and two assists in the heartbreaking loss.

UConn lost three starters from last year’s squad to the WNBA when Evina Westbrook, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, and Christyn Williams were drafted into the pro ranks. Toss in the injury to Bueckers, UConn is down four starters from last year’s Final Four team.

Junior Nika Muhl will take over at point guard, but UConn will be relying on their youngest players this year. The offense will now focus on shooting guard Azzi Fudd, who averaged 12.1 ppg and shot 43% from 3-point range in her first season.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/2022-eurobasket-odds-serbia-france-slovenia-greece-betting/ Wed, 03 Aug 2022 20:42:00 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90615 Led by the two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets, Serbia is the betting favorite at +300 odds to win the 2022 EuroBasket, and listed ahead of France (+450), Slovenia (+450), and Greece (+500). Defending champion Slovenia defeated Serbia in the 2017 EuroBasket championship game. They’re a […]

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Led by the two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets, Serbia is the betting favorite at +300 odds to win the 2022 EuroBasket, and listed ahead of France (+450), Slovenia (+450), and Greece (+500).

2022 EuroBasket Odds Greece Slovena Serbia France Jokic Doncic
Nikola Jokic, playing for Serbia in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, won the NBA MVP in back-to-back seasons with the Denver Nuggets. (Image: Di Yin/Getty)

Defending champion Slovenia defeated Serbia in the 2017 EuroBasket championship game. They’re a close second on the betting board to win back-to-back titles at +450 odds.

The 2022 EuroBasket tournament features 24 nations with Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, and Georgia sharing co-hosting duties.

2022 EUROBASKET ODDS
  • Serbia +300
  • Slovenia +450
  • France +450
  • Greece +500
  • Spain +900
  • Lithuania +1200
  • Italy +1400
  • Turkey +1600
  • Germany +1700
  • Croatia +2000
  • Czech Republic +3500
  • Israel +4000
  • Poland +5000
  • Finland +5000
  • Montenegro +5000
  • Ukraine +5000
  • Belgium +6500
  • Georgia +6500
  • Netherlands +8000
  • Great Britain +8000
  • Bulgaria +10000
  • Bosnia +15000
  • Estonia +20000
  • Hungary +20000

EuroBasket was originally supposed to take place in 2021, but the four-year event was pushed back until 2022 to accommodate the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which took place last summer.

EuroBasket 2022 starts September 8, and concludes with the championship game in Berlin, Germany on September 18.

FIBA banned Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, and they were replaced by Montenegro.

Serbia +300

Jokic is thrilled to return to Serbia to play for the national team for the first time since the 2019 World Cup. Jokic is on a mission to make sure Serbia locks up a berth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup before they focus on avenging a loss in the championship game at 2017 EuroBasket.

“I feel great, similar to every time I reunite with these guys,” said Jokic. “I just met some of them. We are preparing, we just started and we will see how far we can go. Up first are the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and the goal of helping Serbia qualify to the World Cup.”

Serbia is a mix of NBA players and pros in Europe. Not every player with NBA experience was allowed to participate. Serbia will miss two big men because Aleksej Pokusevski and Nikola Jovic did not obtain permission from their teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder would not grant Pokusevski permission to miss workouts with the team. Jovic, a late first-round pick with the Miami Heat, was also not allowed to play in EuroBasket. The Heat want their incoming rookie to focus on the upcoming season.

Nemanja “Belly” Bjelica just won a NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors and Serbia is hoping his winning luck rubs off on them. The roster also includes Boban Marjanovic, who is one of the nicest guys in the NBA, but rides the bench for the Dallas Mavs. Filip Petrusev averaged 17 ppg with Gonzaga a couple seasons ago, and he’s on the Serbian roster.

Serbia is the team to beat this year because Jokic is playing the best ball of his life, so it’s no surprise that they’re the betting favorite at +300 odds to win EuroBasket 2022. Serbia has a somewhat easy knockout pool round in Group D that also includes the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Israel, and the Netherlands.

Slovenia +450

All eyes will be on Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavs, and the NBA All-Star leads the defending champion Slovenia into battle. Goran Dragic from the Brooklyn Nets will be Doncic’s wing man heading into EuroBasket. With Doncic and Dragic, Slovenia boasts one of the top backcourts in Europe.

In two World Cup qualifying games, Doncic led Slovenia averaging 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. Dragic averaged 19.5 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 61% from the floor.

Keep an eye on center Mike Tobey, who played college basketball in America for Virginia. Tobey currently plays for FC Barcelona Lassa in Spain-Liga Endesa. He averaged 13.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for Slovenia in the World Cup qualifiers.

Slovenia is the best team in Group B, but France, Germany, and Lithuania are no slouches. With Doncic anchoring the team, Slovenia is worthy of a flier to win EuroBasket 2022 at +450 odds.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXve-w-BoDQ

France +450

Joel Embiid was recently granted French citizenship, but he will not be able to play for France in EuroBasket 2022. Keep an eye out for the next Olympics though, where Embiid is itching to play.

France has a couple of NBA ringers including Frank Ntilikina from the Dallas Mavs, Petr Cormelie of the Denver Nuggets, and Jaylen Hoard and Theo Maledon from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Victor Wembanyama, the teenage sensation and projected #1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is not playing on the national team.

Maledon, the starting point guard, led France in scoring with 13.5 points and 3.5 assists per game during a couple of World Cup qualifying games.

Center Vincent Poirier plays for Real Madrid in Spain, and he was France’s second-best scorer in the WCQs with 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

France last won EuroBasket in 2013 with a runner-up finish in 2011 and a third-place finish in 2015. In 2017, they finished a disappointing 12th place. France has a tough draw in the knockout pool of Group B that also includes Slovenia, Lithuania, Germany, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Greece +500

As expected, Giannis ‘Greek Freak’ Antetokounmpo returns home to play for Greece. With the Greek Freak on the court, Greece has a fighting chance.

Georgios Papagiannis, the 7-foot-3 starting center, played high school ball in America but ignored scholarship offers to blue chip programs to go back to Greece to play for Panathinaikos. He has a short stint in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in 2016-2018 sandwiched in between his time with Panathinaikos. Papagiannis averaged 16.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in three games during the World Cup qualifying round.

Dimitris Agravanis was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2015, but his draft rights were traded to the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavs. He never played in the NBA, and spent the last few seasons with Promitheas Patras. Agravanis ed Greece with 17 ppg in five WCQ games while shooting 41% from 3-point range.

Greece should dominate in Group C in the knockout pool round against Italy, Croatia, Ukraine, Great Britain, and Estonia. If you’re looking to take a flier on a team that’s not Serbia or Slovenia, Greece is worthy of a flier at +500 odds. They last won EuroBasket in 2005, but finished in eighth place in 2017.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/hbo-casting-byron-scott-james-worthy-kurt-rambis-lakers-season-2-winning-time/ Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:07:22 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90529 Are you at least 6-foot-2, love basketball, and want to work in Hollywood? If so, HBO is holding open casting auditions for the second season of “Winning Time” and specifically need to cast the roles of memorable Lakers sch as James Worthy, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, and Mitch Kupchak. “Winning […]

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Are you at least 6-foot-2, love basketball, and want to work in Hollywood? If so, HBO is holding open casting auditions for the second season of “Winning Time” and specifically need to cast the roles of memorable Lakers sch as James Worthy, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, and Mitch Kupchak.

Lakers HBO Winning Time Showtime 1980s casting season two second Kurt Rambis James Worthy Byron Scott Robert Parish
Hollywood is seeking an actor to play Kurt Rambis, a starter on the 1980s Showtime Lakers, in the new season of “Winning Time” on HBO. (Image: Getty)

“Winning Time” became an instant hit for show runner Adam McKay and HBO, despite the fact that Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar denounced the series based on a book by Jeff Pearlman. The first season of “Winning Time” covered Magic’s rookie season in the NBA after Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers and the LA Forum from Jack Kent Cooke.

The Lakers won the NBA championship in 1980 and had plenty of ups and downs along the way, including losing head coach Jack McKinney to a near-fatal bicycle accident and the rise of Pat Riley from a bumbling TV commentator to an assistant head coach.

HBO greenlit a second season of “Winning Time.”  The new season presumably covers the rise of the Lakers rivalry with the Boston Celtics. Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird drama began in college when Magic’s Michigan State defeated Bird’s Indiana State in the 1979 March Madness championship game, but it spilled over into the NBA during their fierce rivalry throughout the 1980s.

Casting Legendary Lakers and ‘The Chief’

Unknown actor Quincy Isaiah drew accolades for his portrayal of Magic in season one. The former college football player was not a hoops player, but Isaiah transformed into Magic thanks to Hollywood magic. Solomon Hughes, a former college basketball standout at California Berkley, played Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Wood Harris from “The Wire” fame did a stellar job in a small role as the troubled Spencer Haywood. DeVaugh Nixon played his father Norm Nixon, a former point guard from the Lakers who started out as Magic’s adversary but then became a close confidant.

HBO tapped top-notch actors to play real-life figures such as John C. Reilly (Jerry Buss), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley), Jason Clarke (Jerry West), Jason Seigel (Paul Westhead), Gaby Hoffman (Claire Rothman), and Hadley Robinson (Jeanie Buss). Playwright Tracy Letts took on the role of Jack McKinney, who is the architect of the up tempo brand of basketball synonymous with the Showtime Lakers. The creators took a bit of artistic license and added Sally Field as Jerry Buss’s mother even though she passed away before he purchased the team.

Several other noteworthy NBA players were portrayed as opponents or “villains” such as Larry Bird by former USC player Sean Patrick Small, James Lesure as Dr. J, Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, and Rory Cochrane as UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian.

Season two  of “Winning Time” will shoot in Los Angeles beginning in August and ending in early 2023. HBO is still casting for “Winning Time,” specifically other members of the 1980s Showtime Lakers such as the Rec Specs-wearing Worthy, Rambis, Scott, and Kupchak. The casting call needs someone to play Robert Parish from the Boston Celtics. Sounds like they already hired actors for the roles of hated members of the Celtics such as Kevin McHale and Dennis Johnson.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/nba-prop-bet-la-lakers-make-2023-playoffs/ Tue, 02 Aug 2022 16:45:01 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90507 DraftKings posted a fun prop bet and you can wager on whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers make the playoffs next season, with “yes” paying out -265 odds, and “no” paying out +210 odds. The Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, which has […]

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DraftKings posted a fun prop bet and you can wager on whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers make the playoffs next season, with “yes” paying out -265 odds, and “no” paying out +210 odds.

LeBron James Russell Westbrook Prop bet LA Lakers make 2023 NBA playoffs
LeBron James from the LA Lakers reminding teammate Russell Westbrook that he missed another defensive assignment. (Image: Getty)

The Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, which has been dubbed the “Pandemic Championship” by trolls and haters. The Lakers were knocked out in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs after Anthony Davis went down with a groin injury, and LeBron James was hobbled by an ankle injury.

NBA PROP BET: WILL LA LAKERS MAKE 2023 PLAYOFFS?
YES -260 NO +210

The Lakers missed the playoffs completely in 2022, and were so bad they did not even qualify for the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. The Lakers fired head coach Frank Vogel even though he won them a title a couple years earlier. However, Vogel became a scapegoat for the numerous problems that plagued the Lakers last season including the front office and personnel.

So long as Russell Westbrook is on the roster, the Lakers will not win another title and could even miss the NBA playoffs once again.

(Don’t) Bet the Lakers

The Lakers are a popular team with a legion of fans that will back their team even if they really do not have a chance to win a title. It’s one thing to be loyal to your squad, but it’s dangerous to be so disconnected from reality that you’re making foolish futures bets on a team that is not as good as you think.

Oddsmakers installed the Lakers with a win total of only 45.5 o/u, which means they’re closer to being a Play-In Tournament team than a title contender.

The Lakers are +800 odds to win the Pacific Division, or fourth overall out of five teams. The Phoenix Suns are the betting favorite at +180 odds to win the division once again, with the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors tied at +210 odds. The bookies are projecting a fierce three-team fight for the division crown, but the Lakers are the odd team out.

The Lakers are +750 odds to win the Western Conference, but there’s no way they’re the fourth-best team in the west. Even if they trade Westbrook for Kyrie Irving, they’re barely a top five team. With Westbrook, we’re looking at a potential #7 seed, or #6 seed in a best-case scenario.

The Lakers are +1600 odds to win the 2023 NBA championship and eighth overall on the NBA futures board at DraftKings. They saw a huge uptick in odds after fans bet the Lakers to win the title based on Irving trade rumors. Oddsmakers moved the Lakers to +1100 a couple weeks ago, but the numbers adjusted when trade rumors simmered down. At this point, it looks like the Lakers will start the season with an untradeable Westbrook on the roster.

Ham: LeBron Puppet?

The Lakers hired long-time assistant coach Darvin Ham as their new head coach to replace Vogel. The Lakers hope that the rookie head coach can restore the Lakers back to their championship glory. LeBron tends to bully rookie head coaches (e.g. Ty Lue with the Cleveland Cavs), so there’s a lot of chatter that the Lakers installed Ham as a puppet coach with LeBron the behind-the-scenes head coach. LeBron had the “LeGM” nickname for over a decade.  Numerous insiders think that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is an empty suit and LeBron called all the shots since his arrival.

Regardless of who pushed forth the Westbrook trade with the Washington Wizards last summer, it was a terrible move that blew up in their face. It was doomed from day one when Westbrook clashed with Vogel in practice and refused to take his direction on how to bring the ball up the court after a rebound. Westbrook did not mesh well with the Lakers, and the team imploded. Vogel got axed and even Westbrook broke up with his long-time agent. Things are so bad that no one wants to help out the Lakers with a Westbrook trade. That’s why teams are asking for one or two first-round picks to sweeten and trade deals. The Lakers refused to give up any draft picks, which is why they’re planning to start the season with Westbrook.

Ham said he wants to figure out a way for Westbrook to fit in with the team, but will Westbrook actually listen? If he truly changes up his game, then the Lakers will make the playoffs. If Westbrook continues to be a pain in the ass, it’s going to be another long season on the bubble.

Health Issues: Old Man LeBron, Paper Mache Davis

LeBron missed a quarter of the season due to injuries. Davis missed half of the season. LeBron is old and has an excuse, but Davis’ durability has become a liability. When he’s healthy, Davis is one of the premier big men in the NBA who can be a menace on defense and score against anyone. A banged-up Davis is just an above average big man. When he’s sitting on the bench in street clothes, the Lakers have no shot to compete because they lack depth.

The Lakers traded their top role players –who helped them win a championship in 2020 — to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Westbrook. With three max-contract players on the roster, the Lakers had no wiggle room to pay for decent veterans. Heck, even Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard played for a “friend” discount last season and the Lakers still finished 33-49.

If the Lakers want to acquire Irving in a trade, they’d have to give up the last decent guys on their roster — Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker — plus draft picks. The Lakers would ditch Westbrook, but they’d inherit Irving and his numerous “issues” so it’s probably best they keep Westbrook and play out the season and hope that LeBron and Davis stay somewhat healthy.

So many big “ifs” hang over the Lakers like a dark cloud of doom this upcoming season, which is why betting against the Lakers to make the playoffs seems enticing. If the Lakers do not trade Westbrook, then bet “no” for the Lakers to make the playoffs. If the Lakers trade Westbrook, then bet “yes” for the playoffs.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/11-time-nba-champion-bill-russell-celtics/ Sun, 31 Jul 2022 19:29:24 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90376 Bill Russell, who was considered the GOAT before the acronym was ever created and who won 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics, passed away at 88. There’s a hackneyed phrase used in old newsrooms, “Print the legend.” In the case of Russell, his statistics speak for themselves. This is […]

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Bill Russell, who was considered the GOAT before the acronym was ever created and who won 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics, passed away at 88.

Bill Russell Boston Celtics 11 championships
NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell hauls down a rebound against Walt Bellamy of the New York Knicks in 1967. (Image: Getty)

There’s a hackneyed phrase used in old newsrooms, “Print the legend.” In the case of Russell, his statistics speak for themselves. This is the same guy who once tallied a 30/40 game in Game 7 of the NBA Finals with 30 points and 40 rebounds. Russell also broke the color barrier as the first black head coach in NBA history.

No other American professional athlete won more championships than Russell with 11 NBA titles. If you count the two championships he won in college, plus the 1956 Olympics, Russell was a gold medalist and 13-time champion in a 15-year span. Remarkable. Incredible. GOAT, indeed.

Russell was the star player during the Celtics dynasty that won eight-consecutive championships. Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls only won six titles, but Russell won more titles in a single stretch than Jordan did over his career.

Russell: Celtics Legend

The St. Louis Hawks drafted Russell — a 6-foot-10 center — with the #2 overall pick in 1956 out of San Francisco, where he led the Dons to back-to-back college championships in 1955 and 1956. Russell was named the best basketball player in the collegiate ranks in 1956, at a time when college hoops were more popular than the NBA.

On the day of the 1956 NBA Draft, Red Auerbach traded Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to the Hawks in exchange for Russell. The rest is history. The Celtics won the NBA championship in 1957 and then rattled off eight-consecutive titles between 1959 and 1965. The Celtics added two more titles in 1968 and 1969, after which Russell retired. He left after only 13 seasons, but had spent the last three as a player-coach.

Russell became the NBA’s first black head coach. He spent time in the 1970s coaching the Seattle SuperSonics and had a stint coaching the Sacramento Kings in the mid-1980s.

During his 13 seasons with the Celtics, Russell won 11 championships. He was named to the All-Star team 12 times and earned five MVP trophies. Russell was also a four-time rebounding champion, which he was more proud of than his five MVPs. He finished his career averaging 22.5 rebounds per game.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/prop-bet-will-the-new-york-knicks-make-playoffs-2023/ Fri, 29 Jul 2022 22:02:55 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90232 DraftKings posted a fun prop bet on whether or not the New York Knicks advance to the playoffs next season, where “yes” plays out +155 odds and “no” is the favorite at -195. The future of the Knicks — including the 2023 playoffs — hinges upon whether or not general […]

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DraftKings posted a fun prop bet on whether or not the New York Knicks advance to the playoffs next season, where “yes” plays out +155 odds and “no” is the favorite at -195. The future of the Knicks — including the 2023 playoffs — hinges upon whether or not general manager Leon Rose can work out a trade for Donovan ‘Spida’ Mitchell from the Utah Jazz.

RJ Barrett Knicks Will Make Playoffs Prop Bet NY
RJ Barrett from the New York Knicks brings the ball up the court at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (Image: Mitchell Leff/Getty)

In the last 21 years, the Knicks qualified for the playoffs just six times including two seasons ago. They won one playoff series back in 2013, but have just one appearance in the last nine season.

The Knicks failed to qualify for the play-in tournament just one season after they finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and secured the #4 seed in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

PROP BET: WILL THE KNICKS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS?
YES +165 NO -195

Oddsmakers posted win totals recently and the Knicks were installed at 39.5 o/u out of 82 games. The bookies do not think the Knicks can break even and finish above .500.

The Knicks were the long shot on the board at +3500 odds to win the Atlantic Division. In Eastern Conference futures, the Knicks are +4500 odds to win their conference and secure a spot in the NBA Finals. In terms of NBA championship betting, the Knicks are a moon shot at +10000 odds to win the 2023 title.

Knicks: Jinxed Since 2001

The Knicks were in the playoffs first 14 straight seasons between 1988 and 2001. Spike Lee is set to direct a docu-series on the 1990s Knicks, or the golden era for fans when the Knicks were actually relevant and went to the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999.

James Dolan ruined the Knicks ever since his billionaire father let him run the show. The franchise ha been jinxed ever since they traded Patrick Ewing to the Seattle Sonics in 2000. Head coach Jeff Van Gundy abruptly quit before the start of the 2001-02 season after his best friend died in the 9/11 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. Since then, the Knicks made it to the post season just six times. They had a mini-resurgence between 2012 and 2014 under Mike Woodson, and even won a series in 2013 with Carmelo Anthony, but it’s been all downhill since then.

Under Dolan, the Knicks have become the biggest joke franchise in the NBA even though it’s considered one of the richest according to Forbes and valued over $5 billion. Fans hate Dolan, former players loathe him — especially Charles Oakley — and top-end free agents refuse to sign with the Knicks due to Dolan’s reputation of being a jagoff. The Knicks tried to entice LeBron James to sign with them in 2010 and even employed James Gandolfini from “The Sopranos” to make a pitch video to bring LeBron to the Big Apple. However, Dolan botched the meeting and LeBron said he would never sign with the Knicks.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were rumored to join the Knicks a few seasons ago, but they signed with the Brooklyn Nets instead.

Knicks Trade Rumors: Spida or No Spida?

The Knicks and Utah Jazz discussed a trade for Mitchell, but the current price tag is too high. The Knicks stockpiled picks for the chance to acquire Mitchell, and they offered four first-rounders and a couple of players. Danny Ainge from the Jazz rejected the offer and asked for six first-round picks plus three young up-and-coming players like Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, and Quentin Grimes.

The Knicks and Jazz have backed off on trade talks, but other teams called Ainge about Mitchell including the Miami Heat.

If the Knicks add Mitchell, then you should consider the playoffs prop bet and hitting the over on win totals. The Knicks might not win a playoff series, but at least they’ll make the postseason with a backcourt consisting of Mitchell and newly-added free agent Jalen Brunson. For the first time in two decades, the Knicks have a legit point guard with Brunson.

However, could the Knicks make the playoffs with the current roster? It will be tough because Julius Randle had an awful season last year and struggled with his shooting. Late in the season, Randle developed an adversarial relationship with the crowd at MSG. As soon as things start going sideways next season, the boo birds will blast Randle and things can get worse from there.

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Basketball – nrxhb.shop | OG News //nrxhb.shop/news/spike-lee-direct-documentary-series-1990s-ny-knicks/ //nrxhb.shop/news/spike-lee-direct-documentary-series-1990s-ny-knicks/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2022 21:27:47 +0000 //nrxhb.shop/news/?p=90142 Get ready for a flashback to New York City in the 1990s with Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason. Spike Lee â€�?self-proclaimed superfan of the New York Knicks and big time Hollywood director — will create and direct a documentary-style series on the New […]

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Get ready for a flashback to New York City in the 1990s with Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason. Spike Lee â€�?self-proclaimed superfan of the New York Knicks and big time Hollywood director — will create and direct a documentary-style series on the New York Knicks based on the book “Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s Knicks” by Chris Herring.

New York Knicks 90s 1990s documentary series Spiker Lee Blood in the Garden Pat Riley Patrick Ewing
Director Spike Lee berates an official for a bad call in a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. (Image: Getty)

Lee is season ticket holder and lifelong Knicks fan who could be spotted sitting courtside for home games at Madison Square Garden. Stefan Bondy from the New York Daily News confirmed the rumors that Lee would be involved in an upcoming series on the Knicks.

“It’s not a rumor,” said Lee.

It was only a matter of time before the Knicks for the proper treatment, and it’s fitting that Lee gets to bring the story to life.

There’s no specific timetable on the release date, nor is there a specific streaming entity involved as of yet.

Rising Popularity of Sports Docs

In the last few years, sports documentaries have been growing in popularity. It began with the 30 for 30 series conceived by Bill Simmons for ESPN, when he tapped top-notch directors to delve into some of the biggest sports stories of the 1980s and 1990s.

The New York Knicks were the subject of a three different 30 for 30 docs. Don Klores directed “Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks”, which was released in 2010 and also features Spike Lee. In 2013, ESPN released “Bernie and Ernie” directed by Jason Hehir about the relationship between New York Knicks stars Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld. “When the Garden Was Eden”, directed by Michael Rapaport, debuted in 2014 and covered the heyday of the Knicks with two championships in the 1970s.

The Michael Jordan documentary series “The Last Dance” on his last season with the Chicago Bulls became an international hit. The Jordan documentary release coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, so “The Last Dance” was an instant hit without any sports to watch.

Earlier this year, HBO released a series “Winning Time” based on the Jeff Perelman book about the 1980s Showtime Lakers. It would be cool to see a similar scripted series about the Knicks, but it looks like Lee is focusing on a documentary-style series.

Apple released a documentary series title “They Call Me Magic�?on the life of Magic Johnson and his fight to stay alive after he was diagnosed HIV+.

Blood in the Garden

After nearly 30 years since Pat Riley took over as head coach of the New York Knicks, it’s time to revisit the last time the Knicks were relevant. The modern-day Knicks has been in a tailspin ever since Cablevision scion James Dolan took over control of the team after his father purchased it in the late 1990s.

However, before the Dolans bought the Knicks, they were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The early 1990s version of the Knicks were led by Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley, and the blue collar work-ethic of the team epitomized a defensive-minded mentality that encapsulated the rough and tumble NBA in that era.

The Knicks, coached by Riley and later on by his protege Jeff Van Gundy, parlayed their success into two trips to the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999. However, the Knicks fell short of winning a championship by losing to the Houston Rockets in the 1994 Finals, and to the San Antonio Spurs in the strike-shortened season at the 1999 NBA Finals.

For the first half of the 1990s, the Knicks could never get out from the shadow of Jordan and the Bulls. By the end of the 1990s, an aging and banged-up Ewing could not put the Knicks over the top.

In the last two decades, the Knicks have become the laughingstock of the NBA. The ineptitude stems from Dolan, because the toxicity and incompetence rolls downhill. No matter what moves the Knicks tried to make, they all backfired.

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