From outlier 3-point shooting to the most inexplicable technical foul you’ve ever seen, last night was a weird one around the NBA. There are 1,230 games in an NBA season, stretched out over six months, an enormous canvas on which to paint all sorts of weird and never-seen-before scenes. But sometimes it all seems to
Portland Trail Blazers
With just three games on the docket in the NBA on Thursday night, the focus turns to the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat in the early games, and the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers later in the night. Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard’s statuses for tonight’s game are in question, which could make
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports The 2022 NBA rookie class has been impressive. Two weeks into the season, here are the way-too-early NBA Rookie of the Year rankings. We are now officially two weeks into the NBA season. This year’s rookie class has made a big impact early. Paolo Banchero and Bennedict Mathurin are both averaging
Damian Lillard has been nearly unstoppable but he’s not the only player off to an impressive start in their comeback seasons. One of the most fascinating storylines coming into this season was the abnormally large number of players returning from injuries or other circumstances that caused them to miss all or most of last season.
Are the Portland Trail Blazers primed to bounce back from their 27-55 season? Last season did not go according to plan for the Portland Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard got off to a disappointing start before suffering a season-ending abdominal injury. Lillard was limited to 29 games, and he posted new career lows in field goal
The back-cut is among the simplest but most spectacular plays in basketball. Gary Payton II and Bruce Brown are two of the best practitioners of this art form. There is something aesthetically captivating about the back-cut and the way it unfolds. Time slows for a second. From the bleachers or our couches, we can see
Damian Lillard made a comment over loyalty, possibly throwing shade Kevin Durant’s way. With Damian Lillard’s comment hinting about being loyal to one franchise, he may have thrown some shade at Kevin Durant and other NBA superstars who have regularly switched allegiances. Lillard has spent his entire professional career with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was
As the effects of the overturning of Roe v. Wade ripple throughout the nation, notable professional athletes and teams speak out while many remain silent. There’s an intersection between social justice and sports not because people are changing, but because platforms are. In 1969, Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists
The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Pistons forward Jerami Grant the day before the 2022 NBA Draft, and didn’t give up much in immediate assets. Grant has flourished in his time with the Pistons, in part due to the saying, “Well, someone has to score.” But Grant is a capable wing, and has been on the
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue Boilermakers. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) Blue Jays: 3 left-handed bats that Toronto should trade for by Eric Treuden Former Purdue basketball star Caleb Swanigan has sadly passed away at the young age of 25. Purdue basketball fans are in mourning, as former Boilermakers standout Caleb Swanigan passed away at the age of
Can the Los Angeles Lakers trade for Damian Lillard after the Blazers dealt C.J. McCollum to the Pelicans? Why a deal is still unlikely: To put it simply, despite the Lakers’ fanbase’s insistence that they trade for Lillard, it’s still quite unlikely. Unless the trade between the Blazers and Pelicans for C.J. McCollum loaded the
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 30: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on January 30, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of
Both the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans took bold swings head of the NBA trade deadline, but where will those moves ultimately take them? Both the blessing and the curse of building around someone like Zion Williamson is the urgency he places upon the present. A player this dominant, this soon with this kind of
As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the Blazers face the franchise-defining choice of trading Damian Lillard or holding onto him for another playoff run. The trade deadline typically serves as an inflection point of the NBA season, both for the league as a whole and for individual teams. Championship contenders try to upgrade their rosters,
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. In this season, as COVID-19 has pushed player absences and roster uncertainty to historic levels, reliable depth has never been more important — particularly at the point guard position.
As the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Golden State Warriors, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard addressed rumors about his unhappiness in Portland. There’s been a lot of talk surrounding Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers this week, and Lillard has heard enough of it. As the 11-14 Trail Blazers prepare to take on the
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Since the season began, any NBA trade rumors or fantasies have mostly been built around Ben Simmons and the ongoing fiasco in Philadelphia, or lingering pessimism about the Blazers’
While the Suns and Warriors have taken the NBA by storm, the Utah Jazz have quietly improved upon last year’s dominant play with the league’s best offense. The Warriors and Suns currently sit at the center of the NBA world’s attention this week, and rightfully so. The two teams have won a combined 36 of
Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors. (Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports) UFC Vegas 39: Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez preview and prediction by Curtis Calhoun Alex Cora gives ominous update on Chris Sale before postseason by Scott Rogust Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry becomes one of the first victims of new NBA rule change. Monday
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. This summer, Damian Lillard has repeatedly stated his commitment to winning with the Portland Trail Blazers but the obvious elephant in the room is the roster around him. The
The Cavaliers’ young frontcourt trio might pan out, but is it worth the investment the team made to bring them Lauri Markkanen, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley together? It’s difficult to grasp the rationale behind the Cavaliers giving Lauri Markkanen $67 million over the next four years, even before accounting for their other moves this
Damian Lillard and Ben Simmons need to be traded. While a straight-up swap would work, it’s more fun to get a third team involved. It’s time to stop dancing around it. It’s time to make the move. The rumors, swirling. The sources, anonymous. The players, cryptic. Two enormous dominos from opposite coastlines still have to
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Damian Lillard is committed to the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s been repeating this fact for months, using different words and different degrees of intensity but the core message has
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. According to a Sunday story by Derek Bodner of The Athletic, for the 76ers “the goal is less to trade Ben Simmons and more to acquire Damian Lillard.” It’s a
Ben Simmons apparently thinks he has too much of a social life to play for the Portland Trail Blazers or Toronto Raptors. After an embarrassing playoff performance, the rumor mill surrounding Ben Simmons has been churning rapidly. The 25-year-old still has four years and $145 million remaining on his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, but
Damian Lillard and Carmelo Anthony talk during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Matt Olson walks off Padres in thrilling late-innings comeback for Athletics (Video) by Alicia de Artola As the now Laker, Carmelo Anthony bids his farewell to Portland via Instagram. But Damian Lillard comes with a
Steven A Smith isn’t sure Damian Lillard will leave the Trail Blazers but says if he does request a trade, the New York Knicks will be the target. Damian Lillard’s future with the Trail Blazers is still very much up in the air. Will he stick around and work it out? Will he request a
A pair of surprising lottery teams are reportedly aggressively pursuing disgruntled Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. Forget the NBA Finals for a minute. The next-biggest story in the league right now is the uncertainty around Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. Although a trade this summer still feels unlikely, when it comes down
Damian Lillard’s waffling about his future leaves the Portland Trail Blazers with no good options this offseason. On Friday, Damian Lillard did everything but request a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. In an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Lillard made it clear that he’s no longer content with the status quo in
Damian Lillard should have a big trade market if the Portland Trail Blazers put him on the block. After nine years in the Pacific Northwest, All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard may have played his last game for the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard has been all-league on six occasions, as well as a six-time Western Conference All-Star.