Новости за 19.09.2023

Naveen Ganglani: Atlanta Hawks big Onyeka Okongwu is “open” to joining the /Gilas national team as a naturalized player, per sources. Okongwu grew up around a strong Filipino community in Chino Hills, California. He also trained with PBA star Alex Cabagnot & Fil-Am Nation. The Nigerian team is also interested to naturalize him but given their recent issues the PH has a leg up. As of the moment, Okongwu is focused on getting a big second contract in the NBA. He is extension-eligible up to the... Читать дальше...

This upcoming season do you want to stay in Portland? Damian Lillard: In a perfect world I could spend my entire career in Portland.
Source: YouTube

Damian Lillard: As far as like Golden State, I respect what they’ve been doing over the last eight, nine years or whatever and I’m from there obviously. That’s home. But I can’t be a part of that. They’ve won four championships… Like what I look like going to try to do that and say oh I’m joining my home team. Like no. It’s somebody that played my position that’s behind LeBron the best player of this era. It don’t even make sense. I never do nothing like that. I lose every year before I go.
Source... Читать дальше...

You think Steph is better than you? Damian Lillard: I don’t think nobody is better than me. I don’t think nobody’s better than me when I get on the court, that’s probably my greatest strength is I believe what I believe and that’s that’s what it is. But you’re the best point guard in the NBA right now? Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Source: YouTube

As for his upcoming season in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, he added: “The ideal start would already be the playoffs. For the rest… the best thing is not knowing. I hope it will surprise me and it will be beautiful. It’s no secret that it’s hard to win a ring. But I’m patient, and I know it will happen. Not winning my first few years is no barrier to becoming a Hall of Famer or winning five later”.
Source: EuroHoops.net

Damian Lillard: “It’s a way that you have to go about things where you can’t be an idiot. You say I’m gonna stay down, I’m gonna ride till the wheels fall off and all that stuff. I don’t have to prove that to nobody, like I’ve shown it. I mean that in my heart. But that’s like me and you saying no matter what happens we ain’t telling on each other. Ya know, I’m saying we never tell on each other. And then the day comes where I’m still playing by those same rules… Like man, you want the same thing? Читать дальше...

On The Crossover NBA Podcast, Chris Mannix was optimistic about Oklahoma City’s chances if the Thunder have momentum near the trade deadline. “Trust me, I wrote this last week,” Mannix said. “I believe I’m going to call this an educated opinion. That if Dame is still on that Blazers roster in January. And if OKC is overachieving. If they’re playing really well, don’t be surprised if they go out and make a run at Lillard.”
Source: Sports Illustrated

Cleveland Cavaliers fans are lucky to have an elite backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. However, that tandem may be too similar in their skill sets, both dynamic scoring guards who lack in size and who get picked on defensively, both with a propensity to take difficult shots too often, so it’s unclear how high the team’s ceiling is with that tandem.

Clutchpoints: “This one definitely stung… But as I see it, it is this hawks time to fly away from the nest. As my growth here is being stunted… And my business in Atlanta has come to an end. I can only hope y’all love me like I do y’all! … Until next time……BAPTIST OUT! 🏽” John Collins with a heartfelt goodbye to the Atlanta Hawks after being traded to the Utah Jazz this summer
Source: Twitter

“I’d say [the hardest part was] not be able to do your job to the fullest. I never have excuses, I never tried to say anything about different things going on. But I was dealing with an injury at the time, so I did what I could in the moment,” Simmons said. “And I owe it to everybody, the fans and everybody, to get back to where I need to be. That’s what I did this summer to get back.”
Source: Brian Lewis @ New York Post

Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent G/F Kelly Oubre Jr., is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Oubre — who averaged 20 points for Charlotte last season — could get significant opportunity on the wing with the uncertainty around James Harden.
Source: Twitter @wojespn

Q: Nick, as a basketball coach, how do you manage Joel Embiid now when considering the resting policy? Nurse: I think that we are looking at it maybe a little different than people think we might be. We’re trying to get him to play more games. Our goal is that it’s going up for him, not not the other direction, and some people would say, ‘Oh, that’s playoffs. Is he going to be?’ We’re just trying to get it going the other direction. I think that’s just what our people believe here that he can play and again... Читать дальше...