By Zach Harper and Shams Charania
May 10, 2024
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Glen “Big Baby” Davis was sentenced to 40 months in prison for insurance fraud. Naturally, he went on IG Live and saidit’s the onlyway to keep him from eating hamburgers. Been there, bro.
Outside the NBA (cont.)
Andrew Marchand on NBA’s future with TNT
Yesterday, we alluded to the possibility of TNT losing NBA television rights and (mostly) discussed the potential horror of losing “Inside the NBA” – arguably the biggest staple in NBA broadcasting. The show has put Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal together for a long time, and was great even prior to Shaq’s 2011 addition to the show. I decided to hit up our senior sports media columnist, Andrew Marchand,who wrote aboutthe potential bluff from Warner Bros. Discovery, to answer three questions about what this could mean for the NBA media landscape.
How much do you think the product of “Inside the NBA” means to the NBA itself?
Marchand:It means a lot to the culture of the NBA, but it means little to the future home of the NBA’s TV rights. “Inside the NBA” is the most iconic sports studio show of all-time, in my opinion. It has cultural currency, which is a very good thing for the NBA and TNT Sports. However, in the end, the NBA will go with the bidder that makes the most sense in terms of the billions per year and the best way to reach fans in the future.
Is there any chance of this entire show in some form going to another platform?
Marchand:Never say never, but I think it is doubtful. Ernie Johnson, who turns 68, has been a TNT Sports lifer and has already said he will not leave. The idea of pairing Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith seems possible. It would be an easy, although expensive, win for one of the new platforms or, maybe even an old one, in ESPN.
If TNT loses the NBA, is it a lock that Charles Barkley ends up with Amazon?
Marchand:No, it’s not a lock. If the three rights holders are ESPN, Amazon and NBC, Barkley would certainly have interest from all three. He’s the greatest sports studio analyst in history, which is why all three would be expected to talk with him. He could end up with two of the places. He would be in an enviable spot – and he could probably try to keep the whole gang together, if he wants to make that attempt.
The Latest From Shams
Suns plan to hire Budenholzer
One day after parting ways with coach Frank Vogel after one season, the Suns have his replacement.
Phoenix is planning to hire Mike Budenholzeras its next head coach on a deal expected to approach eight figures per year, league sources tell me. Budenholzer, a native of Holbrook, Ariz., is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year and led the Bucks to the championship in 2021, when they beat the Suns in the NBA Finals. David Fizdale, who served as Vogel’s lead assistant, is expected to transition to a new front office role for Phoenix, those sources said.
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Budenholzer and his staff will be tasked with optimizing the Suns’ big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, who had an up-and-down first year together that ended with a first-round sweep against the Timberwolves. With Budenholzer on board and the Hornets’hiring of Celtics assistant Charles Leeon Thursday, the Lakers and Wizards are the two teams on the market currently still eyeing a permanent head coach.
Mining for Wins
Game 3 is must-win for defending champs
The champs are in trouble. That’s the only fair way to put it after the Timberwolves won Games 1 and 2 of their semifinals series in Denver. Now, the ring-toting Nuggets head to Minneapolis hoping to do something only five other teams in NBA history have ever done: go down 0-2 in a playoff series at home and win the series.
That’s it. Five times. The Nuggets are praying they can make it a half dozen such instances by the end of next week. Let’s review the others, shall we?
- 1969:The Warriors went up 2-0 on the Lakers in Los Angeles before the Lake Show, fueled by Jerry West (29.8 points, 8.8 assists in Games 3-6), won in six games.
- 1994:The Rockets trailed the Suns 0-2 two games in Houston ahead of Hakeem Olajuwon leading them to seven-game series win. The Dream averaged 26.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 4.2 blocks in the series’ final five matchups. Among these resilient teams, only the Rockets won the championship.
- 2005:Dallas beat Houston after being down 0-2 in Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry helped the Mavericks win in seven.
- 2017:The Celtics lost two in Boston before Isaiah Thomas brought them back in six games.
- 2021:The Clippers were down 0-2 to the Mavericks after two in LA, but Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (plus-13.2 net rating over 178 minutes together in Games 3-7) led them back in seven.
Otherwise, teams trailing 0-2 in a series generally win it only 7.3 percent of the time (33-421). That’s the challengeahead of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and company. Here’s what Denver can try to do in order to win Game 3 in Minneapolis:
Pressure the basket:The Nuggets averaged 29 shots in the restricted area in the first round against the Lakers, making 66.9 percent of them. They’re only down to 27.5 attempts per game in the first two games against the Wolves,but that efficiency has droppedto just 54.5 percent. They must score at the rim against this defense.
Get Jamal Murray going:The Nuggets guard is banged up and playing horribly. He scored 25 points on 32 shots in Games 1 and 2. His biggest highlight isthrowing a heating padonto the court. In losses this season (including playoffs), Murray shoots under 40 percent, compared to over 50 percent in wins.
Force turnovers and score:They lost Game 1 but scored 26 points off 14 Wolves turnovers. That’s the right idea. You know what isn’t? Forcing 12 turnovers and scoring only two points off them, like the Nuggets did in Game 2’s blowout loss. That’s it –two.
About Last Night
Cavs, Mavs decided to change some narratives
Two road teams in the semifinals got blown out in embarrassing fashion in their respective Game 1s. One was seemingly written off, and the other was thought to be in deep trouble. After last night, both of those road teams stole Game 2 and opened some eyes. Let’s get into last night:
Cavaliers 118, Celtics 94 (series tied 1-1)
- What was the key?The Cavs outshot the Celticson 3s, making 46.4 percent of their attempts to the Celtics’ 22.9 percent. They outscored them by 15 points beyond the arc and 60-44 in the paint. And, yes, every Celtics playoff loss comes with alowlight from Jaylen Brown’s left hand.
- Who shined for the Cavs?Donovan Mitchell continued his super play with 29 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and one turnover, and Evan Mobley was ridiculous with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and perfect defense.
- Is this a Heat-esque situation for the Celtics?I need to see this at least one more time before believing the Celtics are in trouble.
- Let’s overreact:I wondered if the Celtics would lose two more games in the East, and then they lost the next.Let’s move to Celtics in six.
Donovan Mitchell 2H takeover ‼️
Spin to lay. Euro to float.
Has 23 of his 29 PTS in the 2nd half on ESPN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GGHVGxtXys
— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2024
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/TNXlZ82a8o
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 10, 2024
Mavericks 119, Thunder 110 (series tied 1-1)
- What was the key?It simply came down to the game being even across the board, except for the 3-point shooting. Dallas made eight more 3s than OKC, which was enough of a difference.
- Who shined for the Mavs?Luka Dončić had abig bounce-back gamewith 29-10-7 to make up for Kyrie Irving’s off night. Also, PJ Washington had a playoff career-high 29 points after scoring 26 combined points in his previous three games.
- What changed for the Thunder?They were terrible with Josh Giddeyon the floor. The Thunder also couldn’t force turnovers and turn them into points like they did in Game 1.
- Let’s overreact:Previously, I movedfrom Thunder in six to Thunder in five. Let’s now change to Thunder in seven!
Right on target 🎯
Tonight’s @kroger Assist of the Game. #OneForDallas #MFFL pic.twitter.com/tuF9KoM5Ru
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 10, 2024
Took all 15 guys 🤝 #OneForDallas // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/KqWxt1dQ4Z
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 10, 2024
Puttin’ on a magic show 🍿 pic.twitter.com/mOKcGuP0Y1
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 10, 2024
Bounce Passes
We won’t see OG Anunobyon the court in Game 3 for the Knicks.
Patrick Beverley was suspendedfor four games, due to clown behavior.
On “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” Idiscussed the Wolves’ ownership situation.
Screen Game (All times Eastern)
- Do-Or-Die:Nuggets-Wolves (9:30 p.m. ESPN). Not even Denver and Jokić can risk a deep series hole against the Wolves.
- Also Do-Or-Die:Knicks-Pacers (7 p.m. ESPN). Anunoby’s injury leaves the door open for the Pacers, who also can’t afford to go down 0-3.Full schedule here.
(Top photo: Bart Young / Getty Images)
