NBA D-League 2016-2017 Season Preview

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The NBA D-League will kick off its 16th season today. The league expanded to a record 22 teams for the 2016-2017 season. The three new teams joining the league are the Greensboro Swarm, Long Island Nets, and Windy City Bulls. 

Two other existing teams, the Bakersfield Jam and the Idaho Stampede, were bought by NBA teams and rebranded as the Northern Arizona Suns and Salt Lake City Stars. There are now only eight NBA teams that don't have a D-League affiliate. There are two conferences, with 11 teams split into two divisions. 

The Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat's affiliate, won the championship last year, and will look to defend their championship starting tomorrow against Salt Lake City. They will have to do this under a new Head Coach, as Nevada Smith will take over for Dan Craig. The Skyforce defeated Los Angeles to take home the title, but expect Los Angeles to be a contender once again this season.

 With the first pick in the D-League Draft, the Erie BayHawks selected Anthony Brown. The Stanford alumni was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA Draft, but he was waived by the team before the season started.

 Brown averaged 14.7 points with the Los Angeles D-Fenders last season. The season kicks off with the Canton Charge taking on the Grand Rapids Drive.

2016-2017 NBA Season Preview

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The 2016-17 NBA season kicks off tomorrow night when the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the New York Knicks. The Cavs are the defending world champions, but they are not the biggest story heading into the season.

That would be the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors finished with a 73-9 record in 2015-16, the best regular season finish in NBA history. Unfortunately, they couldn't finish the job and fell to the Cavs in seven games. Now, with Kevin Durant on their team, they're heavy favorites to win the title.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant's former team, are being counted out without him. They shouldn't be. Russell Westbrook has shown he can win without Durant and will do that again this season.

In the Eastern Conference, a lot has changed, as well. The Bulls have Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo, the Knicks have Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and so much more. This will be a very interesting season and it will be interesting to see who hoists the Larry O' Brien trophy in June. 

Raptors Beat San Lorenzo 122-105

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The Buenos Aires-based San Lorenzo de Almagro traveled to Toronto to take on the Raptors in international exhibition play on Friday night. With Toronto sitting most of its top roster players, San Lorenzo was able to keep the game close for a while, but the Raptors pulled away in the fourth quarter to earn a 122-105 victory.

Toronto had just played against the Cleveland Cavaliers the previous night, so head coach Dwayne Casey decided to give a handful of players the night off. Kyle Lowry, Demar DeRozan, Jared Sullinger and Demarre Carroll, amongst others, all watched from the bench as players fighting for the last roster spot got the chance to show off their skills.

Leading the charge were Norman Powell and Fred VanVleet. In just 24 minutes, second year shooting guard Powell put up 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting, with four assists and two highlight reel dunks that were sure to catch the attention of the crowd and the coaching staff. VanVleet, an undrafted rookie point guard out of Wichita State, had significant playing time and filled that box score accordingly. In 38 minutes he deposited 31 points on 12-for-19 shooting, five rebounds, five assists, and a +/- of 25.

San Lorenzo kept the game exciting for quite some time. They had the lead at halftime, and had a 61-59 advantage at the 9:30 mark of the third quarter, but Toronto used a small run to take a 79-73 lead six minutes later. The Raptors were up by just five after three quarters, but eventually pushed the margin to 20 points late in the fourth, before settling for the final score.

The Raptors are 3-2 in the preseason, with additional victories over Cleveland and the Golden State Warriors. The two losses came at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets. They have two more games to complete their preseason, against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday and the Washington Wizards on Friday, before they open their regular season at home against Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Cavs Resign J.R. Smith to Four-Year, $57 Million Deal

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Shooting guard J.R. Smith has verbally agreed to a four-year $57 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein. Smith announced his decision to sign back with the Cavs via Bleacher Report’s Uninterrupted. Smith is guaranteed to make $45 million over the next three seasons. 

Smith was looking for $15 million per year, but the Cavs were only willing to give him $10-11 million per year. Once the Philadelphia 76ers expressed interest in the streaky shooting guard, Cleveland sweetened the deal to bring Smith back. Cleveland now has its core from last year’s championship team intact. Cleveland will begin their title defense on Oct. 25 against the New York Knicks. 

Smith has missed all of training camp and five preseason games, but he’s been seen with the team, including at last week’s Cleveland Indians MLB playoff game. The Cavaliers had a similar dispute over a contract with Tristan Thompson last year, but it didn’t take as long to end the stalemate as this one did. Smith was traded from the Knicks to the Cavaliers in the 2014-2015 season. Smith has played a vital role on both Cavaliers teams that have made it to the NBA Finals the past two seasons. 

Smith has provided knockdown three point shooting and a shooter that can space the floor. Smith was a starter last season and should be in the lineup for the upcoming season. Smith averaged 12.4 points while starting in 77 games. Smith was ranked seventh in the league in three-pointer (207). Smith converted on 50% of his three point attempts against the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta in last year’s NBA playoffs. Smith scored 12 points in Cleveland’s Game 7 NBA Finals win over the Golden State Warriors. 

Rockets Beat Pelicans 116-104 in Beijing

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The Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans faced off again in the NBA preseason in Beijing Wednesday morning. The two met in Shanghai back on Sunday with the Rockets coming out with the 123-117 win.

The Rockets would best the Pelicans for the second time in China this preseason, beating them by a final score of 116-104. The biggest story from this game is Pelicans forward Anthony Davis left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury.

James Harden led the Rockets with 14 points on 5-11 shooting from the floor. Ryan Anderson was the only other Rockets player to record double figures (11 points) and also led the team with seven rebounds.

Solomon Hill led the Pelicans with 12 points on 2-8 shooting (1-5 from three). He also led the team with seven rebounds.

Kings Beat Maccabi Haifa 135-96

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The Sacramento Kings won their first game of the preseason Monday evening at the Golden One Center against Maccabi Haifa 135-96. The Kings showed they could dominate inferior competition, but it was a great opportunity to see what some of the newest players on the roster were capable of.

Their newest addition at point guard, Ty Lawson had a near triple double with 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Sacramento's two draft picks showed promise as well. Former Kentucky big man Skal Labissierre finished with 10 points and Syracuse standout Malachi Richardson chipped in nine as well. Ben Mclemore also had a game-high 18 points off the bench.

When you talk Kings basketball, the conversation always goes back to Cousins. Boogie was just too physically dominant for Maccabi Haifa's undersized front court to stand a chance. The Kings star had 14 points in 17 minutes of play but also had five fouls. If the Kings are to make a serious push for the playoffs after such a long drought, it is essential Cousins controls his himself in the paint.

Sacramento's new head coach, Dave Joerger, has plenty of new pieces to use this year as he tries to do the impossible and rebuild the culture in Sacramento. The Kings were never in danger of losing in this game and were up by as many as 46 points. They continue their preseason Thursday, Oct. 13 against the Lakers.

Rockets Beat Pelicans 123-117 in Shanghai

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The Houston Rockets and the New Orleans Pelicans rekindled their divisional rivalry overseas on Sunday morning, when the two teams met in Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. This is the first of two meetings between Houston and New Orleans in the preseason, as they’ll meet again on Wednesday in Beijing. Houston used a strong fourth quarter to defeat the Pelicans, 123-117. 

The game was a shootout from the beginning, as both teams combined to score 67 points in the first quarter. After trailing by seven at the end of the first, New Orleans played much better in the second quarter to cut Houston’s lead to 68-65 at halftime. The Pelicans would outscore Houston by five in the third quarter to take a two point lead into the fourth quarter. 

Houston responded by outscoring the Pelicans by eight in the fourth quarter, which would give them the six point victory in front 15,844 fans in Shanghai. New Orleans was led by E’Twaun Moore, who scored 25 points and shot 4/4 from beyond the arc. Anthony Davis added 23 points and five rebounds. Former Rocket Omer Asik posted 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Pelicans. 

On the other side, fan-favorite James Harden led the way for Houston. Harden recorded 26 points, while adding 15 assists and seven rebounds. Former Pelicans Ryan Anderson (21 points) and Eric Gordon (24 points) both had big days against their former team. K.J. McDaniels chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Houston (3-0) will play the Pelicans (1-2) on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. ET at the MasterCard Center in Beijing.  

WNBA Finals Preview: Minnesota Lynx vs. Los Angeles Sparks

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The Women's National Basketball Association finals are almost in full swing. Two teams, the Minnesota Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks, battled to be the final two teams to go head-to-head to lift the trophy.

The Minnesota Lynx have a talented roster, including four women who were on the USA Women's Basketball Team that won gold in Rio de Janiero this summer. Lindsey Whalen, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, and Seimone Augustus are the four gold medalist on the Lynx's roster.

In their three postseason games, the Lynx have had only three players not see action in all three games. Keisha Hampton and Anna Cruz both appeared in two games while Janel McCarville only appeared in a single game.

Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the Lynx, has started Moore, Whalen, Fowles, Augustus, and Rebekkah Brunson in all three matches. Standing tall at 6-foot-2, Brunson leads the team in rebounds, with an average of 8.6 per game (offensive and defensive rebounds totaled).

As for the Sparks, the team is packed with players looking for their first trophy or medal this year, as there are no Team USA participants from Rio on the roster. Head coach Brian Agler has started Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, Kristi Toliver, Essence Carson, and Alana Beard in all four of their games in the postseason.

Parker, the 6-foot-4 forward, leads the team in offensive and defensive rebounds with 10.3 per game. Four players have not participated in all four games. Sandrine Gruda has appeared in three games while Jelena Dubljevic, Ann Wauters, and Evgeniia Belyakova have appeared in two games.

The WNBA Finals game one kicks off on Oct. 9 at 3 p.m. ET.

Clippers beat Raptors 104-98

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After a lackluster effort against the Warriors Tuesday night, The Los Angeles Clippers got their first win in the preseason against the Toronto Raptors 104-98. The Clips held a double-digit lead throughout the contest until the 4th quarter when the Raptors bench went on a 19-0 run, cutting the lead to one with just under four minutes left.

Doc Rivers found surprising success with a starting lineup consisting of Chris Paul, Raymond Felton, Austin Rivers, Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan. Paul doesn't seem to be slowing down since joining The Clips in 2011. He recorded 15 assists before halftime along with his pitbull mentality on the defensive end. The acquisition of Raymond Felton seems to be one of the more underrated free-agent signings of the Summer. He struggled last season in Dallas, but he seems to have gotten stronger and in far better shape during the off-season.

Blake Griffin led The Clippers with 26 points on 10-13 shooting, while Deandre Jordan chipped in with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan also went 4-6 from behind the free-throw line. The Raptors were lead by Demar Derozan, who is fresh off of signing a $139 million contract. With Kyle Lowry's noticeable absence, Cory Joseph ran the point and finished with 13 points and and a single assist.

The Clippers play their next preseason game Oct. 10 against a revamped Utah Jazz team and The Raptors face the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers Oct. 13.

Thunder Beat FC Barcelona 92-89

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The Oklahoma City Thunder played FC Barcelona in Spain on Wednesday afternoon. They were looking for their first after an opening loss to Real Madrid.

They would get that first win after defeating FC Barcelona by a final score of 92-89. Domantas Sabonis led the Thunder with 31 points on 3-4 shooting. Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and recorded three rebounds and five assists.

Brad Oleson led FC Barcelona with 35 points on 3-5 shooting, including 2-4 from three. Victor scored 30 points on an impressive 9-12 shooting from the floor. 

The Thunder will play their next preseason game back in the United States. They will play at the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

Nuggets Beat Raptors 108-106

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The Toronto Raptors took on the Denver Nuggets in Calagary on Monday night. This was a game part of the NBA Canada Series.

The Nuggets went on to win by a final score of 108-106. The Raptors went for the win with a three from Norman Powell, but it was no good.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 28 points on 4-7 shooting from the field. Jusuf Nurkic recorded the Nuggets' only double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds).

Patrick Patterson led the Raptors with 22 points on 1-4 shooting from the field and 1-4 from beyond the line. Jonas Valanciunas led the team with nine rebounds. 

Thunder Fall to Real Madrid 142-137 in Overtime

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The Oklahoma City Thunder took a trip to face Real Madrid in the NBA's International Tour. However, it was Real Madrid that earned the win with a final score of 142-137.

Real Madrid was led in scoring by Jaycee Carroll, who finished out with 24 points. His teammate, Sergio Llull, also earned more than 20 points with a final total of 22 points. In addition, five Real Madrid players scored in the double digits.

Leading the team in assists was Llull with nine assists and leading the team in rebounds were Anthony Randolph and Andres Nocioni with six rebounds.

As for the Thunder, they were led in scoring by Victor Oladipo with 34 points. Behind him was Enes Kanter with 29 points. Only three other players for the Thunder (Russell Westbrook, Ersan Ilyasova, and Alex Abrines) hit double digit points.

Leading the team in rebounds was Kanter, with ten rebounds. Leading the team in assists was Oladipo with five assists.

Real Madrid led in the turnover rate with 24 turnovers, while the Thunder had 17 turnovers. Real Madrid also out-shot the Thunder at the three-point line with their 54.1 conversion rate to the Thunder's 37.9 success rate.

The Thunder will return to action against FC Barcelona on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Rockets Beat Shanghai Sharks 131-94

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The Houston Rockets opened up their preseason against the Shanghai Sharks on Sunday night in front of 12, 313 fans at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX. Houston certainly didn’t show any rust, as they crushed the Sharks, 131-94, to open their preseason slate with a demanding win. 

Former Rocket and Hall of Famer Yao Ming was on site to watch the team he owns, the Sharks, play against his former NBA team. Ming played for Shanghai before playing for Houston. Ming was given a huge round of applause and a standing ovation when he was shown on the video board. 

Houston showcased its offensive firepower on Sunday night, as they 72 points at halftime in their first game under new head coach Mike D’Antoni. Houston kept it going, as they outscored Shanghai by nine points in the second half to pick up the victory in their first exhibition game of the new season. 

James Harden scored 16 points for Houston, which led the team. Ryan Anderson and Nene both scored 12 points in their first game in a Rockets uniform. Shanghai had some players that fans could easily recognize. Jimmer Fredette, who became a fan-favorite at BYU, started and played 42 minutes for the Sharks. Fredette scored 33 points, while also having eight assists and eight rebounds.

 Guerschon Yabusele, who the Boston Celtics drafted in the first round, played 44 minutes for Shanghai. Yabusele scored 24 points and added 14 rebounds, and he shot 9-18 from the field. Houston will play its first NBA team of the season when they take on the New York Knicks on Tuesday in Houston. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN.

Raptors Beat Warriors 97-93 in First Game of NBA Canada Series

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The Golden State Warriors debuted their new “super-team” on Saturday night against the Toronto Raptors in Vancouver, Canada, as both squads opened up their preseason in the first game of the NBA’s Canada Series. Most of the buzz surrounding this game was the Warriors debut of Kevin Durant, who played in his first as a member of the Warriors.

Durant recorded nine points, with his first basket as a Warrior coming on an uncontested dunk. Durant shot 2-9 from the field, and he went just 1-4 from beyond the three-point line. Both teams went with their expected starting lineups, as Golden State started Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Durant, Draymond Green, and Zaza Pachulia. Toronto went with Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, DeMarre Carroll, Jared Sullinger, and Jonas Valanciunas. 

Golden State rested their stars after halftime, and the Raptors did the same in the third quarter. This gave Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr a chance to play his bench, a unit many people have questions about heading into this season. Rookie Patrick McCaw played well for Golden State, as he scored 11 points, while also having four assists and five steals. Toronto would end up winning the game, 97-93, giving the Raptors their first win of the preseason. 

Carroll scored 14 points for Toronto, while DeRozan and Terrance Ross both chipped in 11 points. Instead of first round pick Jakob Poeltl or Lucas Nogueira, Dwayne Casey opted to play Pascal Siakam as the team’s backup center, and he delivered. Siakam scored nine points, and he added eight rebounds and two blocks. Klay Thompson scored 16 points to lead the way for the Warriors. 

Curry scored eight points in 16 minutes of action. Before the game, the Raptors locked arms during the “Star-Spangled Banner”, and “O Canada,” while the Warriors didn’t take part in any form of protest. Toronto will play the Denver Nuggets on Monday in Calgary, while the Warriors will host the Los Angeles Clippers in Oakland on Tuesday. 

What to Watch for During the NBA Preseason

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Are the Warriors a Superteam? 

The Golden State Warriors are coming off of a season in which they won a record 73 games. After overcoming a 3-1 deficit to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors blew a 3-1 series lead to the Cleveland Gladiators in the NBA Finals.

That team had a bunch of superstars such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguadola. Now, they have Kevin Durant on the team. Is this team a team of superstars that will be unbeatable? Their performance in the preseason will tell a lot.

New Team, Different Results?

The Miami Heat first lot Dwyane Wade and now have lost Chris Bosh. While the Heat still do have Justice Winslow, Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic, there are many doubting the Heat. They will need to show that they can still compete, even without a few big-name players.

The same thing goes for the Los Angeles Lakers. According to one of the players, the Lakers tanked last season for Kobe's farewell tour. If this is true, this season, the Lakers could prove themselves worthy with young talent. They will be able to show that in the preseason.

One-Man Bands

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder will have only one superstar on their team. The Rockets will only have James Harden with the loss of Dwight Howard. Howard left for the Atlanta Hawks. 

Harden's other former teammate, Russell Westbrook, will not have his former teammate Kevin Durant with him anymore. Durant left to play for the Golden State Warriors. Westbrook played without Durant in the 2014-2015 season. He led the Thunder to just one game out of the playoff hunt. 

We've seen that Westbrook can lead the Thunder by himself, but can he do it again? 

WNBA Playoffs Semifinals Preview: Los Angeles Sparks vs Chicago Sky

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The number two-seeded Los Angeles Sparks will battle the fourth-seeded Chicago Sky in the semifinals for the right to play in the WNBA Finals. The two teams will be playing a five-game series with the first two games being in Los Angeles, before the next two games will be held in Chicago. If necessary, game five will be hosted by the Sparks. 

The Sparks swept the season series with the Sky, as they won all three games by double digits. The Sparks haven’t played a game in 12 days, while the Sky staved off elimination after defeating the Atlanta Dream, 108-98. Chicago will be at a disadvantage before they even step onto the court, as they will be without reigning MVP Elena Della Donne. Della Donne had thumb surgery two weeks ago, which is why she will be sidelined. 

Chicago is 4-2 without Della Donne, but they will face their biggest challenge yet against a Sparks team that went 26-8 during the regular season. Without Della Donne, Chicago will turn to Courtney Vandersloot and Jessica Breland to lead the offense. Vandersloot scored 21 points, while Breland put up 20 points in Chicago’s victory over Atlanta. Chicago was able to spread the ball around in that victory, as seven players scored at least eight points. 

They will need more of the same as the Sparks post a potent attack that only eight teams were able to stop during the season. Chicago will be tasked with stopping Nneka Ogwumike, this years MVP, and Candace Parker, who has won two MVP’s in her career. Ogwumike averaged 19.7 points and 9.1 rebounds while shooting a league best 66% from the field. 

Parker averaged 15 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game during the regular season. If Chicago is able to neutralize those two, then they have a legitimate chance of pulling off the upset. If they are unable to, like practically every other team in the WNBA, they it might be a long series for the Sky. The game will start at 10 p.m. ET tonight, and it can be watched on ESPN2. 

WNBA Playoffs Semifinals Preview: Minnesota Lynx vs Phoenix Mercury

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The Minnesota Lynx will host the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Semifinals. Game 1 is set to tip off tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET in Minnesota.

This is a David vs Goliath type of game. The eighth seeded Mercury have won two single elimination games on the road against the Indiana Fever and the New York Liberty. They have won both games by a combined 18 points. They will be looking to shock the WNBA world by beating the Lynx.

Minnesota finished the regular season with a 26-5 record. That is the best finish in the history of the 20-year women's professional basketball league. They will look to so what their male counterparts in the Golden State did - break the league record for wins in a season and make it to the finals. They will also be looking to do what the Warriors couldn't - win the title.

The Mercury, led by Brittney Griner, will look to advance to the WNBA Finals as an eight-seed.

WNBA Playoffs Preview: Chicago Sky vs Atlanta Dream

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Round 2 of the WNBA Playoffs will take place this weekend, beginning with the New York Liberty hosting the Phoenix Mercury at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, and followed by the Chicago Sky hosting the Atlanta Dream at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Chicago (18-16) earned a bye into the second round as the fourth-ranked team heading into the playoffs. New York (21-13) did likewise as the third seed, while the Minnesota Lynx (28-6) and Los Angeles Sparks (26-8) earned byes into the semifinal round as the top two seeds in the WNBA's new and unique playoff format.

To earn the right to face the Sky in the second round, Atlanta had to first get through the first round. Hosting the Seattle Storm, the Dream managed a 94-85 victory behind 37 points (on 14-for-21 shooting) and 7 assists from Angel McCoughtry and 21 points and seven rebounds from Bria Holmes. Other key contributions included Elizabeth Williams' 16 rebounds and three blocked shots, while Layshia Clarendon filled stat categories with 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists and a team-leading +14 while she was on the floor.

Jewell Lloyd and Breanna Stewart had 24 and 19 points, respectively, for the Storm, but it wasn't enough to overcome the field goal percentage discrepancy that saw Atlanta shoot 53% from the field while Atlanta was at just 39%. At one point late in the first half, Seattle held a 43-33 lead. From that point to midway through the fourth quarter, Atlanta went on a 52-28 run to take a 85-71 lead before reaching the final score.

Heading into Round 2, the teams have faced each other three times this season. In all three games, the home team came out victorious. Atlanta mustered margins of six and four points in their victories, while the most recent matchup tilted in Chicago's favor, 90-82. The Sky are normally led by defending-League MVP Elena Delle Donne, but they will be without her services as she underwent surgery on her thumb and is out indefinitely. Cappie Pondexter is shouldering much of that load moving forward, and her recent performance has proved her more than capable. She has scored in double digits in 12 straight games, reaching at least 15 points in six of those games and helping the Sky to a 9-3 record during that stretch.

With Delle Donne out for Chicago, and McCoughtry playing at such a high level, it's hard to envision Atlanta losing this game, even in Chicago. The game will be available on ESPN2. If the Liberty win their matchup, the winner of Chicago/Atlanta will face Minnesota in the Semifinals. If Phoenix pulls off the upset, they will face Minnesota and the Chicago/Atlanta winner will take on Los Angeles. The Semifinals begin on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

WNBA Playoffs Preview: New York Liberty vs Phoenix Mercury

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The eighth-seeded Phoenix Mercury will battle the third-seeded New York Liberty in a second-round playoff matchup starting on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. ET in New York. The win-or-go-home game will be played at Madison Square Garden, where the Liberty are 10-7 this season. The Liberty earned a first round bye, while the Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever, 89-78, in order to clinch a spot in the second round. 

These two squads met three times during the regular season, with the Liberty taking two of those three games. Both of these teams split the two games that were played in New York. The Liberty defeated the Mercury 92-70 in the last meeting between these two on Sept. 3. New York and Phoenix have met only one time in the postseason, and that was in the semifinals in the WNBA’s inaugural season. New York defeated Phoenix 59-41, to advance to the championship back in 1997.

 Despite the fact Phoenix was the last team to clinch a playoff berth, the Mercury have a potent attack that pose a threat to any team. In their win over Indiana, Diana Taurasi scored 20 points, Brittney Griner recorded 18 points, while DeWanna Bonner added 18 points off the bench. New York has skidded into the playoffs, as they enter Saturday’s game with a three-game losing streak. The Liberty were just 3-5 after the WNBA returned from its Olympic break. 

The Mercury were just 5-12 on the road this season, but they were able to go into Indianapolis and defeat the Fever. Tina Charles for New York and Griner for Phoenix will be two players who will most certainly impact the game. Charles is a legitimate WNBA MVP candidate after becoming the third player in WNBA history to lead the league in points and rebounds. 

Lauren Jackson and Chamique Holdsclaw were the two other players to accomplish that feat. Charles has averaged 21 points and nine rebounds this season, and she has the second highest usage rate in the league (30.7%). Griner has averaged 17 points and seven rebounds since coming back from the Olympic break. The game can be watched on NBATV.

WNBA Playoffs Preview: Fever vs Mercury

The first round of the WNBA playoffs tip off this Wednesday at 6 PM ET between The Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever. With both teams falling short of their high expectations this year, they now have a chance to redeem themselves in a win-or-go-home matchup.

This series will be featuring two of the top three scorers in WNBA playoff history in Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi. Both Taurasi and Catchings have been their team's respective leaders and a major reason both have been so successful for the past ten years. Tamika Catchings in particular hopes to make yet another impressive playoff run, as she is retiring after this post-season.

The Phoenix Mercury feature a top seven scorer in Taurasi as well as two top fifteen scorers in 6'8 Brittany Griner and 6'4 DeWanna Bonner. For The Mercury to have success, Griner has to be dominant in the paint. She averaged 13 points 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in their regular season matchup. Look for Griner to crash the boards as well as Diana Taurasi looking to get hot from behind the arc. Wednesday's game will be played at The Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

WNBA Playoffs Preview: Dream vs Storm

The first round of the 2016 WNBA playoffs begin on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The second of the two games will see the #7 seed Seattle Storm travel to the southeast to take on the #6 seed Atlanta Dream.

In the WNBA's new playoff format, the first round matchups are a one game, win-or-go-home scenario. The second round is identical, with the winners moving on to the semifinals in a best-of-five series, followed by another best-of-five series for the finals.

The Storm (16-18) are led by Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, and Jewell Lloyd. The 6'4" Stewart averaged 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game during her rookie season, more than living up to her potential as the first overall pick in the 2016 draft out of the University of Connecticut. The 35-year old Bird is in her 14th season in the league, all with Seattle, and led the league with 5.8 assists per game to go with her 12 points per game. Lloyd is in her second year in the league and averaged 16 points per game while shooting almost 50% from the field and 90% from the free throw line.

The Dream (17-17) are led by top scoreres Angel McCoughtry (19.5 points per game) and Tiffany Hayes (15 ppg), while Elizabeth Williams was among the league leaders in rebounds per game (8.1) and blocked shots per game (2.3).

Seattle and Atlanta faced each other three times during the regular season, with Seattle coming away with two victories. The Storm won a tight first matchup (the only one in Seattle) in late June, 84-81. Atlanta managed a 13-point margin in their 77-64 victory just one week later. In the rubber match on Sept. 4, the Storm won 91-82. Atlanta will look to even the score (and then some) on their home floor in attempting to advance to the second round.

The future opponent for the winner of this matchup will be determined by the outcome of the other first-round game. If the #5 seed Indiana Fever win, they will travel to Chicago to take on the #4 seed Sky while the Seattle/Atlanta winner will go to New York to battle the #3 seed Liberty. If the #8 seed Phoenix Mercury win, then the destinations will be flip-flopped. As the 1-seed and 2-seed, the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks, respectively, received byes straight into the semifinals.

Tip off for Atlanta and Seattle is at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPNews and can be live-streamed on ESPN.com or on the Watch ESPN app.

USA Men Wins Third Straight Olympic Gold Medal

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After cutting it close against Serbia a few days ago in the preliminary rounds, the United States Men's Basketball Team dominated them in the Olympic final game.

The last time the two teams met, the USA narrowly came out with a 94-91 win. This time, Team USA finished the job with a final of 96-66, earning them their third-straight gold medal in the summer Olympics.

Team USA were led in scoring by Kevin Durant, who put up 30 points. That was the most points scored by a single player for Team USA during the Rio Olympics. He was followed by DeMarcus Cousins with 13 points and Klay Thompson with 12 points. Cousins also led the team in rebounds with 15.

Every member of Team USA played in the final game and each member recorded at least a single point.

Kyle Lowry, Kyrie Irving, and Durant all led the team in assists with four while DeAndre Jordan led the team in blocks with three. Paul George and Durant led the team in steals with three each.

Claiming the bronze medal, since Serbia took the silver, was the team from Spain, as they narrowly defeated Australia 89-88 to bring a medal back home.

Both Team USA basketball teams have won gold medals in Rio, with the women's team taking down Spain with a 101-72 final on Saturday to claim their fourth-straight gold medal.

The Olympics end today with the closing ceremonies scheduled for this evening, starting at 8 p.m. ET.

USA Women Capture Sixth Straight Gold Medal, Defeat Spain 101-72

(photo credit: Associated Press)

The United States Women’s Basketball Team came into the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio with one goal: capture their sixth straight gold medal. After a dominating run in this year’s Olympics, the Americans can officially say mission accomplished. The United States wound up earning their sixth straight gold medal after they defeated Spain 101-72 in the gold medal game on Saturday afternoon at Carioca Arena 1 in Rio. The U.S. defeated Spain by 40 points in pool play, but the Spaniards weren’t going to let that happen again, at least it seemed that way in the first quarter. 

The U.S. got off to a slow start, as they only led 21-17 at the end of the first quarter. The Americans had a 27-24 lead in the second quarter, when Head Coach Geno Auriemma decided to go with something very familiar to him to spark the United States. Auriemma, the Head Coach of women’s basketball at Connecticut, put five of his former Huskies on the floor at the same time for the first time in these Olympics, and it seems that he made the right decision. Those five players went on a 16-3 run which blew the game wide open, as the Americans were leading 49-32 at the halftime break. Spain only scored two baskets in the final 6:55 of the first half. 

The Spaniards never came close to making a comeback in the second half. Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, and Tamika Catchings are all playing in their fourth Olympics, and the dynamic trio exited the court together for what might be one final time with just under six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Catchings is playing in her final Olympics, and there’s no better way for her to end her career then winning a gold medal. Taurasi and Bird have both hinted at retiring, so the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team will definitely have a new look by the time they take the floor for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Catchings, Bird, and Taurasi joined Lisa Leslie and Teresa Edwards as the only Olympians to win four gold medals in women’s basketball. Taurasi and Lindsey Whalen both scored 17 points to lead the United States. The Americans have now won 49 straight games in the Olympics with only one of those games being decided by single digits. Despite the loss, these Olympic Games were definitely a bright spot for Spain. The Spaniards earned their first ever medal in women’s basketball. 

USA Men Defeat Spain, Reach Third Straight Gold Medal Game

(photo credit: USA Basketball)

The United States Men’s Basketball Team has been faced with many challenges during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, as they’ve had tightly-contested games with Australia, Serbia, and France during pool play. Things didn’t get any easier for the Americans this time around when they faced their rival Spain for the right to go the gold medal game.

As always, the Spaniards gave the U.S. a very tough time, but the Americans pulled it out in another classic, as they outlasted Spain 82-76. This means the Americans will be heading to their third straight gold medal game. The United States never trailed in the game, but they were never able to pull away from the pesky Spaniards. 

Kevin Durant made some United States history today, as he surpassed LeBron James for second all-time in points scored. Durant scored seven points in the first quarter, which helped the United States take a 26-17 lead at the end of the first quarter. The U.S. extended that lead to ten, but it didn’t last much longer. Spain went on a 7-0 run which cut the Americans’ lead to 33-30. The second quarter was filled with technical fouls, as both teams combined to have six technical fouls in the quarter, including one on Durant, which gave him three personal fouls. 

The United States wound up leading 45-39 heading into the halftime break. Every time the United States was starting to create some separation, Spain simply wouldn’t go away. The Americans built a ten point lead to start the third quarter, but Spain would cut the lead to five with about five minutes left in the quarter. Spain would lose some ground by the end of the quarter, as the U.S. held the 66-57 lead after three quarters. The United States took their largest lead of the game (72-57) with seven minutes left, and Spain was unable to come back from there. 

They did outscore the U.S. 11-4 to end the game, but it was a little too late, and the Americans went on to win 82-76. Klay Thompson scored 22 points to lead the Americans, while DeAndre Jordan provided a strong game all-around for the United States. Jordan scored nine points, and he grabbed 16 rebounds, which tied an Olympic record. 

Pau Gasol wasn’t expected to play for Spain because of injury, but he played through it, and ended up scoring a game-high 23 points. The U.S. Men have now won 24 straight games in the Olympics, as they’ll take on Serbia in the gold medal game on Sunday. The United States defeated Serbia by three points in pool play. Spain will take on Australia in the bronze medal game on Sunday morning. 

NBA To Move 2017 All-Star Game To New Orleans

Photo Credit: ABC11.com

After pulling The 2017 NBA All-Star game from Charlotte, North Carolina, The league has decided that it will take place in New Orleans this February. The change of location was due to the state government's decision on a controversial law that has been categorized as anti-LGBT.

The Law is known as HB2, and was created in March as a way to minimize a previous law protecting those who faced discrimination for their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The latest law, that is considered offensive to many, does not allow transgender people to use a restroom in schools and public buildings that does not correspond with the gender labeled on their birth certificate.

HB2 takes away protective rights from the LGBT community and the NBA wanted no part in conducting themselves in a friendly manner with the North Carolina government until this matter is resolved. There are open talks about an All-Star game returning to Charlotte in 2019 if the law is changed.

The transition to New Orleans in the wake of the historically dangerous flooding that has killed 13 is a move NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes will help unite the people of Louisiana. 2017 will be the league's third time hosting the NBA-All Star Game at Smoothie King Arena.

USA Women Beat France, Reach Gold Medal Game

(photo credit: ESPNW/Twitter)

Team USA will be fighting for the gold medal once again. After their 86-67 victory over France, who they defeated for the gold medal back in the 2012 London Olympics, Team USA punched their ticket to another gold medal game.

This time, their opponent will be Spain, as they defeated Serbia 68-54 earlier today. Team USA and Spain have already met once this season, with the United States taking the 103-63 win.

Against Spain, a key player for the United States was Diana Taurasi. Against France, Taurasi continued her stellar Olympic campaign by putting up 18 points, leading the team in points. She was followed by double digit scorers Maya Moore (15), Sylvia Fowles (12), Seimone Augustus (10), and Brittney Griner (10).

Taurasi also led the team in assists with four while Fowles led the team in rebounds with nine. Angel McCoughtry led the team in steals with two and no player for the United States made a single block. Only two players didn't score for Team USA, which were Breanna Stewart and Tamika Catchings.

Not participating in the game at all was guard Sue Bird. Bird came off the court in the last game against Japan with a knee injury. Her status against Spain in the final game is unknown at the moment.

Team USA will face Spain in the gold medal game on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Randen Lubart's Top Five Games of 2016-17

(photo credit: miamiherald.com)

5. Bulls at Heat: Thursday Nov. 10

With Dwyane Wade's shocking free agency decision, Miami Heat fans have Nov. 10 circled on their calendars. The 13 year veteran who has played his entire career as a member of the Heat will now be returning as a member of the Chicago Bulls. Many believed Wade would remain on the Heat until retirement, but the 12 year all star was sick of being expected to take less money year after year. This matchup will allow Wade to prove once again that he is still one of the premier players in the league. Chicago's big three of Wade, Rajan Rondo and Jimmy Butler is a bit of a wildcard, but it will be fun to watch them against Miami's Goran tragic, Hassan Whiteside and their assortment of young talent.

(photo credit: thesixersense.com)

4. Lakers at 76ers: Friday Dec. 16

The 76ers have a bright future with all the lottery picks they have collected over the past few seasons. Headlining this group is the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, Ben Simmons. The Lakers second overall pick from the same draft, Brandon Ingram, will be the Lakers bright spot after Kobe Bryant's recent retirement. Both teams will struggle to win 20 games this season, but there is something exciting about watching a young group figure out how to play together. Hopefully both teams will show promise as they go further into the season.

(photo credit: the3pointconversion.com)

3. Warriors at Cavaliers: Christmas Day

Christmas day is truly a special treat for NBA fans. The finals rematch everyone is waiting for will feel more like an all star game this time around. With Kevin Durant joining a Warriors team that is already stacked with talent, Lebron James and company will have their hands full. Lets see if Kevin Love can keep up his stellar defense on Steph Curry like he did in the waking moments of Game 7. Will Andre Iguadala ever recover from arguably the greatest full court block in Finals history. I'm hoping to see a few more clutch three-pointers and jaw dropping ankle breakers from Kyrie Irving as well.

(photo credit: nba.com)

2. Knicks at Cavaliers: Oct. 25

The Knicks have made several key offseason moves that should add some wins this upcoming season. The additions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee and Brandon Jennings would make them title contenders if it was 2011. Their roster is much more impressive on paper and injuries are more than likely to take place. Carmelo Anthony has seemed to catch fire while playing for the Men's Olympic Team. Lets see if he can bring that fire to the court against an old rival in Lebron James. Lookout for Kristaps Porzingis to continue his barrage of nasty putback dunks, a sound postgame and the occasional three-pointer.

(photo credit: nba.com)

1. Warriors at Thunder: Saturday Feb. 11

There is not going to a more important game on the schedule for Russell Westbrook this season. The Thunder point guard fully believes he is the best player on the court at all times and sometimes he is. Kevin Durant's decision to bolt for the Warriors has clearly left its mark on Westbrook and he's ready to go after the Slim Reaper as well as Steph Curry. This game will be a true test for the Thunder as they recover from losing their first superstar. Westbrook will put up a countless number of shots, but it sure will be a good time to watch him defend his homecourt. I expect another triple double for Westbrook and a great performance by is supporting cast who all have something to prove against a goliath Warriors team.

USA Men Beat Argentina to Advance to Semifinals

(photo credit: USA Basketball/Twitter)

The United States Men's Basketball Team hit the century mark once again in points with their 105-78 win over Argentina.

Team USA were led in scoring by Kevin Durant, who put up a staggering 27 points. He was the only player, for both teams, to score more than 20 points. Behind Durant was Paul George with 17 points, DeMarcus Cousins with 15 points, and Kyrie Irving with 11 points.

Team USA were dominant in their rebounds, getting 53 total rebounds compared to Argentina's 42 rebounds. Leading Team USA in rebounds was George with nine rebounds.

Team USA faced a familiar opponent from Argentina in San Antonio Spurs forward Manu Ginóbili. Ginóbili gave Team USA a run for their money by scoring 14 points and having six assists. However, his efforts weren't enough to top the number one ranked team in the world.

Team USA will now go on to face Spain, who defeated France to get to the semifinals, for the first time in the Rio Olympics. The two teams will face off on Friday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. ET.

USA Women Beats Japan to Advance to Semis

(photo credit: USA Basketball/Twitter)

The United States Women's Basketball Team is heading to another Olympic semifinal. This time, they will either face France or Canada in the semis of the Rio Olympics.

The women reached the semifinals with a 110-64 dominant win over Japan on Tuesday evening. Diana Taurasi continued her stellar Olympic campaign, as she and Maya Moore led Team USA in points with 19 each. Angel McCoughtry also had double digits with 13 points and with 10 points were Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, and Lindsay Whalen.

Sue Bird was the only player to not score a point for Team USA. However, Bird wasn't on the court, as she told head coach Geno Auriemma before the game that she felt something pull in her leg, and decided to sit out.

Tina Charles led Team USA with assists, nabbing five, while Brittney Griner led the team in rebounds with seven. Griner and Breanna Stewart both led the team in blocks, having three apiece.

Team USA had their trouble in shooting on the free throw line, as they only made five out of nine free throws. Taurasi missed her only free throw while Angel McCoughtry only made three out of six free throws.

Team USA will now wait to see who they face on Thursday, August 18 at 2 p.m. ET. Team USA will face the winner of tonight's France-Canada game.

Breaking Down the Christmas Day Games

The Christmas Day games have long had a tradition of showcasing the NBA’s rising talent and biggest names. This Christmas will be no different, as the NBA has scheduled a rematch of the last two NBA Finals, a matchup of two cities with a bitter rivalry, and an in city rivalry to cap off the night.

(photo credit: bleacherreport.com)

Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks

The Christmas Day schedule starts with a rivalry that spans sports, decades and any sense of sanity. No two cities hate each other more than Boston and New York. A Christmas Day matchup between a rising Boston squad and a revamped Knicks will do nothing to ease tensions.

The Knicks have added former Chicago stars Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah to play beside nine-time all-star Carmelo Anthony and sophomore Kristaps Porzingis. While Boston added former Atlanta All-Star Al Horford, they will still rely heavily on Isaiah Thomas to lead them throughout their season.

(photo credit: rantsports.com)

Golden State Warriors @ Cleveland Cavaliers

The first time the Warriors and Cavs will meet since Game 7 of the 2016 Finals will be the second game on Christmas Day. This game is the highlight of the schedule and will lead off ABC’s coverage.

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and newcomer Kevin Durant will come into Cleveland looking to make a statement that they plan to reclaim the Championship. Cleveland, led by LeBron James, will be anxious to see how much of a difference Durant will be in the matchup.

(photo credit: pinterest.com)

Chicago Bulls @ San Antonio Spurs

Both the Bulls and Spurs come into this matchup without the longtime faces of their franchise. Future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan will not take the court for the Spurs for the first time in almost two decades, and 2011 MVP Derrick Rose has left Chicago for New York.

However, while the Spurs are relying on pieces already in place, namely Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, to lead the team, Chicago has brought in outside help to replace Rose, as well as Joakim Noah. Picking up Robin Lopez through a trade with New York will help with the loss of Noah, the addition of former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is a huge pick up.

A test against San Antonio will be a good preview if the new pieces in Chicago can help restore balance to a team that has seem to lost its way in the past few years.

(photo credit: welcometoloudcity.com)

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder

The rising stars in Minnesota will make their Christmas Day debut at Oklahoma City, who will be looking to show the league they are still contenders without Kevin Durant.

The Timberwolves young cast of Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine are looking to cement their status as the up and comers of the NBA. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook will be on a crusade to lead the Thunder back to the playoffs, for the first time without Durant.

This primetime test should serve as a good indicator as to where both teams stand moving forward. Can the Thunder survive without Durant? Are the Wolves’ ready to make the next step?

(photo credit: nba.com)

Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers

In what has become a tradition, the Clippers will face the Lakers in the nightcap. The first of four matchups between the in-city rivals, new Laker head coach Luke Walton will be looking to showcase his teams’ young talent.

Walton is hoping that in their first season without Kobe Bryant, rookie Brandon Ingram, sophomore De’Angello Russell and third-year player Julius Randle will thrive in increased offensive roles.

Meanwhile, Doc Rivers and the Clippers are hoping to finally breakthrough to an NBA Finals berth. A midseason matchup against a young squad is a good tune up for tougher competition to come.