Hoops Rumors

Limited by injuries, veteran forward Kawhi Leonard appeared in just four playoff games for the Clippers from 2022-24 and wasn’t himself last spring, scoring just 24 total points in the two postseason appearances he was able to make. So it was a welcome sight to see a healthy Leonard in peak form on Monday in Denver, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Leonard was dominant on both … [Read more...] about Pacific Notes: Leonard, Bol, Kings, Murray, Ellis

If practice makes perfect, the Lakers should be in good shape for Game 2 of their first-round series against Minnesota. The Lakers had their best practice in months, coach JJ Redick said on Monday, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Los Angeles lost by 22 points on Saturday. The Lakers will look to even the series on Tuesday. “Hopefully, we can just right our wrongs,” guard Austin … [Read more...] about Pacific Notes: Lakers, Van Gundy, Butler, Warriors, Durant

Jonathan Kuminga‘s role in the playoffs will be closely watched around the league as he heads into restricted free agency, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line report (Substack link). Kuminga never entered the game in the Warriors‘ play-in victory over Memphis on Tuesday. It’s expected that Kuminga will have at least a limited role in the first-round series against the … [Read more...] about Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kuminga, Suns, Jones, Williamson, Nowitzki

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who spent most of the season away from the team while recovering from a stroke, was taken to a hospital on Tuesday following a medical incident at a restaurant, as first reported by TMZ and confirmed by Shams Charania of ESPN. According to TMZ, Popovich was taken out of the restaurant on a stretcher and was transported to a hospital in an … [Read more...] about Western Notes: Popovich, Durant, Rockets, Thompson, Randle, DiVincenzo

Although six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler has never won an NBA championship, he told Sam Amick of The Athletic this week that, as the playoffs get underway, he’s thinking more about getting a fifth title for two of his Warriors teammates than getting one for himself. “Look, I’m not gonna say I’m not hungry, but I’m doing this for Steph (Curry),” Butler said. “I’m doing this for … [Read more...] about Pacific Notes: Butler, Booker, Clippers, Lakers