Sam Amick

Wolves survive Warriors, turn focus to 'great challenge' of their matchup with Thunder

On the (unimpressive) week that was for the Jekyll-and-Hyde Timberwolves, who played with their food in a win against the Warriors, and why this won’t work against the best of the best (like OKC on Sunday).

@theathletic.com

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Why Bam Adebayo and the Heat should have stopped at matching Kobe Bryant’s 81 points (Gift Article) What Adebayo did Tuesday was remarkable in its own right, but here's why he should have called it a night a little bit sooner.

Why Bam Adebayo and the Heat should have stopped at 81 - just like the broadcast said - rather than taking Kobe’s mark, @theathletic.com

(Free link)

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nears Wilt’s record, Kon Knueppel’s ROY case and more (Gift Article) Plus, more on the Warriors' Kristaps Porziņģis, his mysterious health history and his impending free agency.

Monday morning musings, at @theathletic.com

* On SGA catching Wilt in the 20-plus club, and why it warrants a pause in the officiating conversation

* ROY race: Cooper returning & Kon’s (compelling) candidacy

* The Warriors’ Porzingis problem

(Free link)

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Timberwolves making sure they’re part of the conversation in crowded West Minnesota beat Denver then beat the Nuggets to the airport. Can the Wolves find themselves ahead when it matters most?

On the Timberwolves’ race to pass the Nuggets in the West standings, and on the way to the local airport, en route to the title-contending conversation, at @theathletic.com

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Debate, confusion and a 'message' sent: Inside the NBA's call with GMs on tanking

‘He sounded more like Stern than Silver.’ Debate, confusion and a ‘message’ sent: Inside the NBA’s call with GMs on tanking w @samamick.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

Adam Silver tells teams NBA plans to make anti-tanking rule changes

Additional details from the GM meeting where the anti-tanking discussion was in full force, including messages sent by NBA commissioner Adam Silver and (adviser) Mike Krzyzewski, at @theathletic.com

“We’re all to blame,” one GM said.

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What I’m hearing about the Clippers investigation, Giannis, LeBron and more There has been a significant upswing in league-wide speculation that the NBA’s hammer is likely to fall on the LA Clippers.

Taking on five top-of-mind topics as we head down the home stretch of this NBA season: Clippers investigation, Rockets' descent, Giannis/LeBron futures and...tanking, at @theathletic.com

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Mat Ishbia sank the Suns by chasing superstars. Then he turned Phoenix into winners The Phoenix Suns owner realized he was going to get criticized regardless. So now, "I'm unapologetically Mat Ishbia."

Inside the Suns' surprise season, and Mat Ishbia's choice to overhaul the organization his way, at @theathletic.com

"I'm unapologetically Mat Ishbia."

The Suns owner unpacks it all: The unorthodox GM hire, coaching changes, Durant, regrets and much more...

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For Giannis, Bucks stick to Plan A(ntetokounmpo), but it’s about to get complicated

Why the Bucks, who still believe they can compel Giannis to stick around, stuck with Plan A(ntetokounmpo) at the trade deadline, at @theathletic.com

It’s about to get complicated - again.

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What we’re hearing about Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks future, plus more NBA trade intel With the Knicks floundering, would they really consider trading Karl-Anthony Towns? Plus more on Lamelo Ball, Ja Morant.

What I’m hearing about the Knicks’ struggles and the Karl-Anthony Towns questions, a look at the LaMelo Ball situation and what Charlotte might do at the trade deadline, Kings corner and much more, at @theathletic.com

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Warriors’ Jimmy Butler tears ACL, expected to miss the rest of the season: Source The Warriors' star wing suffered the injury after coming down awkwardly in the third quarter of Monday night's win over the Heat.

Story with Nick Friedell on the Warriors' devastating loss of Jimmy Butler, whose torn ACL is expected to cost him this entire season, and what it means, at @theathletic.com

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What we’re hearing about Ja Morant’s tepid trade market, plus more deadline buzz Ja Morant's trade saga underscores the difference between teams simply showing interest in a player and legitimately pursuing him in a deal.

Weekly roundup of of our NBA trade buzz, at @theathletic.com, including my read on the Ja Morant situation and why what he wants (Miami) isn’t what matters most here.

A boo-bird/Bucks watch on the Giannis front, Kuminga, AD, Timberwolves and more…

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How Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors drifted apart — and why a split maybe isn’t imminent With Kuminga now trade eligible, the Warriors' front office faces a defining decision.

It’s Jonathan Kuminga day - and he’s still on the Warriors.

An inside look at this broken relationship and why, even with Jan. 15 finally arriving, a resolution still isn’t in sight, with @thompsonscribe.bsky.social and Nick Friedell, at @theathletic.com

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Great seeing you, John!

Why Grizzlies put Ja Morant on the trade market and which teams could be interested Morant is now at the center of the NBA trade market solar system, and he might be leaving Memphis sooner than later.

From Sacramento to the Clippers, Wolves, Miami, Toronto, Brooklyn and beyond, the one and only @johnhollinger.bsky.social weighs in on the Ja Morant market in Memphis, at @theathletic.com

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Giannis says he will never ask for trade from Bucks: ‘That’s not in my nature’ In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Antetokounmpo reiterated his commitment to Milwaukee but noted it's "as of today."

Well this is a hell of an interview that @samamick.bsky.social had with Giannis. Not gonna spoil it but Giannis made a lot of strong declarative statements about his present and future in Milwaukee www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

Giannis says he will never ask for trade from Bucks: 'That's not in my nature'

A late-night discussion with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tells me he’ll never ask for a trade out of Milwaukee.

“It’s…not…in…my…nature, ok?” the Bucks big man said.

Much more here on his superstar saga, from the loading dock, at @theathletic.com

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What we’re hearing about Anthony Davis and a possible trade from the Mavericks With Dallas struggling to hold down a Play-In Tournament spot, will the team look to deal its star big man before the Feb. 5 trade deadline?

The latest on Anthony Davis, why his camp wants him traded before the Feb. 5 deadline, and the difficult dynamics Dallas is dealing with among suitors, at @theathletic.com (w/ @christianclark3.bsky.social)

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Will Giannis or Trae Young be moved? Our experts debate biggest NBA trade deadline questions It's not only the stars that could make a difference with the trade deadline coming in one month.

Talking NBA trade season, with @johnhollinger.bsky.social and @joshrobbins.bsky.social, at @theathletic.com

Weighing in on Giannis, AD, Trae, LaMelo, Ja et al...

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Jamal Murray is walking tall as the Nuggets' last starter still standing

Jamal Murray’s choice to take a basketball break last summer sparked his start. We talked in camp about the welcome difference from his (Olympic) offseason.

Little did he know he’d be doing this w/out Joker, AG, Cam, Christian or Jonas 🤦‍♂️

@theathletic.com

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Jamal Murray is walking tall as the Nuggets' last starter still standing

On this brutal challenge facing the battered Nuggets and why Jamal Murray - whose All-Star drought should come to an end this year - is the key to surviving it, at @theathletic.com

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Five NBA teams that desperately need to make a trade before the deadline With Hawks, Lakers, Warriors and more feeling the pressure, here's what they're considering ahead of the trade deadline.

Under pressure: A deeper look at five teams that are front and center as the NBA trade deadline nears.

Intel on the Hawks (Trae, AD/Risacher?), Clippers plans, Bucks buying, the Warriors’ dilemma, and Lakers’ pursuits, at @theathletic.com

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Nikola Jokić leaves Nuggets-Heat game with left knee injury

Nikola Jokic newser, at @theathletic.com

In the midst of another MVP-caliber season, the Nuggets big man goes down with a left knee injury in Miami. More details here…

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Giannis throws down: ‘We’re fighting for our lives and we gotta get our hands dirty’ His late windmill may have been an affront to basketball decorum, but to Giannis Antetokounpo, it was an absolute necessity.

On Giannis’ windmill that left the Bulls seeing red late Saturday night, at @theathletic.com

Amid all of the messiness that surrounds him, and with the Bucks stubbornly signaling that he’s going nowhere, it was a refreshing reminder that he’s one of a kind.

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Talking all things NBA on “The Athletic Show,” where the intentional fouling debate was in full swing.

Episode (on Amazon Fire and YouTube) features a strong Steve Kerr interview from @zenakeita.bsky.social

@theathletic.com @robertmays.bsky.social and Jason Goff

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The Spurs lost the NBA Cup, but the rest of the league remains on notice

The Spurs lost the finale, but the message sent to the Thunder - and the league at large - was still the most meaningful NBA Cup moment of them all.

On San Antonio’s emergence as a real threat and questions surrounding their ascent, at @theathletic.com

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What I'm hearing about Giannis, AD and other major NBA trade situations

(Early) NBA trade talk: What I’m hearing about Giannis, Anthony Davis, the Timberwolves’ plans, all things Kings, and Jonathan Kuminga (with a Pelicans tie-in) as the key Dec. 15 date nears, at @theathletic.com

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Which NBA teams have the best front offices? Here’s how 36 executives voted Three dozen decision-makers across the league weighed in on their peers, what they admire and who stands above the rest.

The annual NBA front office rankings are back - with 36 execs weighing in - and one thing remains unchanged: OKC stands alone at the top.

See how the top 10 unfolded, with a bonus question about front offices on the rise, at @theathletic.com

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How Chris Paul’s short-lived reunion with the LA Clippers fell apart Chris Paul returned to a Clippers team many believed could compete for a title. Instead, LA is 5-16 and Paul is no longer with the team.

An urgent call for a meeting, change of travel plans, plane delay and a late-night hoops divorce that shocked the NBA world: Inside the stunning Chris Paul exit from the Clippers, with @lawmurraythenu.bsky.social and @joevardon.bsky.social , at @theathletic.com

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Can the Thunder break Golden State’s 73-win record? The Warriors say yes After beating Golden State to improve to 21-1, OKC is chasing the 2015-16 Warriors. "I do think they're capable," Draymond Green said.

Can OKC - now 21-1 after beating Golden State - break the 73-win record? The resident experts, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green, weigh in.

A deep (data) dive on how this Thunder team compares (so far) to the 2015-16 Warriors, at @theathletic.com

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