Joel Embiid (30.6 ppg) edged out LeBron James (30.3 ppg) for the scoring title in the 2021-22 season  because LeBron missed a quarter of the season due to injuries and failed to meet the minimum games eligibility.

LeBron James 28.2 o/u (OVER)

What will LeBron do this upcoming season? Will he try to win the scoring title in the same season he secures the NBA all-time scoring record? He’s just 1,325 points away from tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28,387) for most points in NBA history. If LeBron averages 27 ppg next season, it will take him 50 games to pass Abdul-Jabbar. If he averages 30 ppg, he’ll do it in 45 games.

LeBron’s scoring output depends on the health status of Anthony Davis. If Davis is out any significant time once again, expect LeBron to head north of an 29 ppg scoring average. Then there’s the Russell Westbrook drama, which will affect LeBron’s scoring average. If they Lakers cannot dump Westbrook, and it looks like they’re bound for the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, expect LeBron to focus on the scoring title and breaking passing Abdul-Jabbar’s record instead of worrying about winning another championship.

Joel Embiid 30.1 o/u (UNDER)

Embiid has to make a decision: win a championship, or win the MVP. Sure, there’s a scenario where you can try to win both and that also hinges upon his overall health. Embiid was the runner-up in the closest MVP race in two decades. Philly fans think Embiid was robbed by Nikola Jokic, and you can make a fair assessment on either side.

Philadelphia has a narrow window to win the championship, and this might be their last chance with Doc Rivers as head coach and the current lineup. Embiid might not have to score as much as last season to win, but then again, he might have a chip on his shoulder and want to win the MVP. He won a scoring title and missed the MVP, so that achievement is not a lock to garner MVP votes. It looks like Harden will provide a much bigger scoring effort this season, so the scoring average of 30.1 under looks right for Embiid.

James Harden 21.7 o/u (OVER)

Harden is serious about trying to win a championship with the 76ers. He took a pay cut in the $15 million range so the team can afford to sign role players and former teammates with the Houston Rockets. He’s staying out of strip clubs, working out nonstop, shed weight, and he’s ordering In-n-Out Burger without the bun and skipping the fries.

Embiid challenged Harden to find the guy who averaged 36.1 ppg in 2019. He doesn’t have to score 30-plus in Philadelphia, but expect him to improve upon last year’s 21 ppg. Let’s not forget he only appeared in 21 games with the 76ers after the Brooklyn Nets traded him for Ben Simmons, so he was still trying to figure out Embiid and the rest of the offense when the playoffs rolled around. We have faith in Harden that he really wants to win this year. So long as he stays out of clubs and cuts out the carbs, we feel good about a scoring average over 22 ppg.

Nikola Jokic 27.0 o/u (UNDER)

Jokic won the MVP in back-to-back seasons, and maybe he should’ve finished second to Embiid. Then again, he posted even better numbers than the previous season (27.1 point, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists) and carried the entire Nuggets without two max-contract players. Jamal Murray missed the entire season with an ACL injury, and Michael Porter lasted a couple of weeks before he underwent season-ending back surgery. Both Murray and Porter are expected back in the lineup with full recoveries, so Jokic will not have to shoulder the scoring load. We like the under in scoring average for Jokic this season, but somewhere in the mid-20s and definitely below last year’s 27.1 ppg.

Luka Doncic 28.9 o/u (OVER)

Doncic will try to lead his home country of Slovenia to back-to-back EuroBasket titles at the end of the summer. So, at least he’ll be in shape by the time the season begins, unlike last year when he showed up to preseason a little paunchy. Doncic does not have the Unicorn or Jalen Brunson in the starting line up with him this season, so expect head coach Jason Kidd to rely on Doncic to score more than 30 ppg this season in the Mavs’ heliocentric offense.

Trae Young 28.3 o/u (UNDER)

The Atlanta Hawks acquired Dejounte Murray in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs to bolster their defense. Murray and Young mark the first time in NBA history where there’s a starting backcourt with players who averaged at least 20.0 points and 8.0 assists per game. But that’s all on paper with two different teams. How will it work out in Atlanta? Can the Hawks have a backcourt like the Portland Trail Blazers during the peak Damian Lillard/CJ McCollum days? Or a backcourt like the Washington Wizards with Bradley Beal/John Wall?

The Hawks could encounter some sharing issues with only one ball and Young used to being a huge ball hog. It will be a close call on trying to predict a scoring average for Young, but it seems logical it goes under with Murray on the team.

Dejounte Murray 20.1 o/u (UNDER)

If Young is a legit coinflip and close call, then Murray seems a lot easier to predict. He’s the new guy on the Hawks and will defer to Young. Expect Murray to score in the high teens over the season with a couple of monstrous games on nights when opposing teams are triple-teaming Young, or on the rare night Young goes cold from downtown.

Bradley Beal 25.5 o/u (OVER)

Beal missed the last part of the season with wrist surgery. He said he’s not 100% healed, but a lingering injury will be the only thing that prevents him from averaging more than 25.5 ppg.

Two seasons ago, Beal (31.3 ppg) missed out on winning the scoring title when Steph Curry edged him out in the final weekend of the season. The seasons before that, Beal averaged 30.5 ppg for the first time in his career. Last season, Beal attempted to average 30-plus in three-straight seasons, but the wrist injury derailed his pursuit of that rare feat. Heck, only 11 players in NBA history averaged 30 ppg for at least three times in their career. Beal might not do it in three-straight seasons but he’d like to become player #12 on that exclusive list of NBA elite scorers.

In case you were wondering, Michael Jordan leads everyone with eight seasons averaging at least 30 ppg, followed by Wilt Chamberlain (7), and Oscar Robertson (6).

Ja Morant 27.5 o/u (OVER)

We love Ja Morant and he was our pick for MVP last season averaging 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.The Grizzlies won 56 games and finished with the second-best record thanks to Morant. He turns 23 next week and has yet to hit his full ceiling heading into his fourth NBA season. Health will be the main concern. Morant went down in the playoffs with a knee injury. He also missed 25 games last season with various injuries. If you think Morant can stay off the IL, then a scoring average north of 30 ppg is a possibility.

Devin Booker 26.7 o/u (TBD)

Booker averaged around 26 ppg the last four seasons, so his current scoring average total of 26.7 o/u seems spot on. Before we try to predict what Booker will do next season, let’s try to figure out what the hell happened to the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavs.

It was probably the worst performance in a series-clinching playoff game in NBA history. Hey, blow outs happen all the time in the NBA. Last postseason had a significant uptick in blowouts because of so many teams living/dying by 3-point shots. In a do-or-die Game 7, the Suns were down by 46 points. They lost by 33 points but the final score made it seem a lot closer than the reality.

Franchises usually do not bounce back from an embarrassment like that Game 7 loss, so we’ll see if the Suns will return to their winning ways, or if the Game 7 shellacking is a harbinger of doom.

We buried the lede on Booker. He broke up with girlfriend Kendall Jenner and I don’t blame Kendall for splitting up with Booker after how poorly he played in Game 7. Apparently the two lovebirds are back together, but you can never trust the Hollywood gossip rags. So, are we really going to make an NBA prop bet based on a relationship status? If Booker and Jenner resume their relationship, bet the under. If they break up for good a second time, then bet the over because he’s going to be wicked pissed off and will channel his relationship angst into a scoring flurry.

The post NBA Season Scoring Average Totals: Harden, Jokic, Doncic, Young, Beal, Morant appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

Jazz team president Danny Ainge is willing to trade all of their veterans, including Mitchell and Mike Conley, after they decided to implode the team and start from scratch.

• New York Knicks -325
• Utah Jazz +200
• Miami Heat +350
• Brooklyn Nets +1000
• Charlotte Hornets +1200
• Washington Wizards +1400
• LA Lakers +2500
• Philadelphia 76ers +3500
• Dallas Mavs +3500
• Cleveland Cavs +3500
• LA Clippers +4000
• Indiana Pacers +4000
• Toronto Raptors +4000
• Portland Trail Blazers +4500
• New Orleans Pelicans +4500
• Memphis Grizzlies +5000
• Sacramento Kings +5000
• Phoenix Suns +5000
• Boston Celtics +5000
• Golden State Warriors +6000
• Minnesota Timberwolves +6000
• Denver Nuggets +6000
• Chicago Bulls +6500
• Houston Rockets +7000
• Oklahoma City Thunder +7500
• Detroit Pistons +8000
• Orlando Magic +8000
• Atlanta Hawks +8000
• Milwaukee Bucks +8000
• San Antonio Spurs +8000

There’s a scenario in which the Jazz are unable to trade Mitchell in the offseason and must start the NBA regular season with him on the roster, which is why the Jazz are +200 odds as Mitchell’s next team.

New York Knicks -325

All the signs point toward the Knicks adding Mitchell in a trade, which is why they were listed as the betting favorite at -325 odds. Mitchell grew up in Westchester as a Knicks fan, and he’s hinted at playing at MSG for a couple of years now. The Knicks made several moves this offseason to put themselves at the front of the line to acquire Mitchell, including a draft0night trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder which netted three future first-round picks.

The asking price is the only thing that prevented the Knicks from adding Mitchell in a trade. Ainge and the Jazz want six first-round draft picks plus three up-and-coming players. The Knicks were willing to deal four first-rounders plus RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes, but the Jazz declined. The Jazz do not want to have to work out a contract extension with Barrett, which is why they’d prefer Obi Toppin or Immanuel Quickley to go along with Grimes and six first-rounders.

Knicks fans and general manager Leon Rose are pissed off that the Minnesota Timberwolves ruined the trade market. Ainge set forth a chain of events that began with trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for four first-round draft picks and five players including a first-round pick from the 2022 NBA Draft. The Timberwolves were totally fleeced in the trade, but it now set precedent. If Gobert is worth four picks, then Mitchell is worth six.

Trade talks between the Knicks and Jazz cooled down, mostly because there’s limited interest from other teams and Ainge’s current asking price for Mitchell is too high.

Miami Heat +350

The Heat are trying to add a star player to their roster through a trade. They were banged-up int he postseason, yet were one 3-pointer short of a trip to the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons. Pat Riley has been keeping tabs on the trade market for Mitchell, Kevin Durant, and even Kyrie Irving. But the shrewd Riley will not leverage the Heat’s future unless he thinks he can get the right player to win them another championship.

The Nets are on no rush to trade Durant or Irving, so they’re not desperate to dump their unhappy stars which means they can dictate the price. The Heat prefers Durant, but the Nets want Bam Adebayo involved in any trade package. But that would entail the Nets to trade Ben Simmons because there’s a trade rule that a team cannot acquire two rookie max-contract players on the same team. The trade market for Simmons is extremely low right now, so the Durant trade chatter died down.

The big question remains: will the Heat be willing to cough up six first-round picks for Mitchell, while parting ways with Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro? The Heat are +350 odds to add Mitchell in a trade and they’re the only other serious contender aside from the Knicks.

Charlotte Hornets +1200

The Charlotte Hornets recently the mix with Mitchell trade rumors buzzing around Buzz City, according to a report from Shams Charania.

Gordon Hayward has not been shy about leaving the Hornets for a better opportunity. He could return to the Jazz, where he began his NBA career and played his first seven seasons. Hayward and Ainge have history together back in Boston. Ainge was the general manager of the Celtics when he offered Hayward a four-year contract worth $128 million. Then again, Ainge also traded the injury-prone Hayward to the Hornets in 2020, so he might not want him back.

The Hornets could offer a trade package for Mitchell that includes four first-round draft picks, Hayward and a handful of young players and former first-round picks like PJ Washington, James Bouknight, Mark Williams, and Kai Jones. Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak could also toss in Mason Plumlee and Terry Rozier in the deal to even out the value of Mitchell’s max contract.

The Hornets are +1200 odds to become the next team for Mitchell, but they definitely cannot compete with six first-round picks if the Knicks finally cave to Ainge’s insane demands.

Trade talks between the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks have stalled, sources tell @ShamsCharania.

The Jazz are engaging other teams, such as the Hornets and Wizards.

🎥 @TheRallypic.twitter.com/gC8Rjurky2

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 29, 2022

Check out more NBA trade rumors.

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“Winning Time” became an instant hit for show runner Adam McKay and HBO, despite the fact that Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar denounced the series based on a book by Jeff Pearlman. The first season of “Winning Time” covered Magic’s rookie season in the NBA after Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers and the LA Forum from Jack Kent Cooke.

The Lakers won the NBA championship in 1980 and had plenty of ups and downs along the way, including losing head coach Jack McKinney to a near-fatal bicycle accident and the rise of Pat Riley from a bumbling TV commentator to an assistant head coach.

HBO greenlit a second season of “Winning Time.”  The new season presumably covers the rise of the Lakers rivalry with the Boston Celtics. Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird drama began in college when Magic’s Michigan State defeated Bird’s Indiana State in the 1979 March Madness championship game, but it spilled over into the NBA during their fierce rivalry throughout the 1980s.

The show is casting. I repeat: The show is casting. #winningtime pic.twitter.com/7jSPJPnZdh

— Jeff Pearlman (@jeffpearlman) August 1, 2022

Casting Legendary Lakers and ‘The Chief’

Unknown actor Quincy Isaiah drew accolades for his portrayal of Magic in season one. The former college football player was not a hoops player, but Isaiah transformed into Magic thanks to Hollywood magic. Solomon Hughes, a former college basketball standout at California Berkley, played Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Wood Harris from “The Wire” fame did a stellar job in a small role as the troubled Spencer Haywood. DeVaugh Nixon played his father Norm Nixon, a former point guard from the Lakers who started out as Magic’s adversary but then became a close confidant.

HBO tapped top-notch actors to play real-life figures such as John C. Reilly (Jerry Buss), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley), Jason Clarke (Jerry West), Jason Seigel (Paul Westhead), Gaby Hoffman (Claire Rothman), and Hadley Robinson (Jeanie Buss). Playwright Tracy Letts took on the role of Jack McKinney, who is the architect of the up tempo brand of basketball synonymous with the Showtime Lakers. The creators took a bit of artistic license and added Sally Field as Jerry Buss’s mother even though she passed away before he purchased the team.

Several other noteworthy NBA players were portrayed as opponents or “villains” such as Larry Bird by former USC player Sean Patrick Small, James Lesure as Dr. J, Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, and Rory Cochrane as UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian.

Season two  of “Winning Time” will shoot in Los Angeles beginning in August and ending in early 2023. HBO is still casting for “Winning Time,” specifically other members of the 1980s Showtime Lakers such as the Rec Specs-wearing Worthy, Rambis, Scott, and Kupchak. The casting call needs someone to play Robert Parish from the Boston Celtics. Sounds like they already hired actors for the roles of hated members of the Celtics such as Kevin McHale and Dennis Johnson.

The post HBO Casting Roles of Byron Scott, James Worthy, Kurt Rambis for Season 2 of “Winning Time” appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

The Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, which has been dubbed the “Pandemic Championship” by trolls and haters. The Lakers were knocked out in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs after Anthony Davis went down with a groin injury, and LeBron James was hobbled by an ankle injury.

The Lakers missed the playoffs completely in 2022, and were so bad they did not even qualify for the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. The Lakers fired head coach Frank Vogel even though he won them a title a couple years earlier. However, Vogel became a scapegoat for the numerous problems that plagued the Lakers last season including the front office and personnel.

So long as Russell Westbrook is on the roster, the Lakers will not win another title and could even miss the NBA playoffs once again.

(Don’t) Bet the Lakers

The Lakers are a popular team with a legion of fans that will back their team even if they really do not have a chance to win a title. It’s one thing to be loyal to your squad, but it’s dangerous to be so disconnected from reality that you’re making foolish futures bets on a team that is not as good as you think.

Oddsmakers installed the Lakers with a win total of only 45.5 o/u, which means they’re closer to being a Play-In Tournament team than a title contender.

The Lakers are +800 odds to win the Pacific Division, or fourth overall out of five teams. The Phoenix Suns are the betting favorite at +180 odds to win the division once again, with the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors tied at +210 odds. The bookies are projecting a fierce three-team fight for the division crown, but the Lakers are the odd team out.

The Lakers are +750 odds to win the Western Conference, but there’s no way they’re the fourth-best team in the west. Even if they trade Westbrook for Kyrie Irving, they’re barely a top five team. With Westbrook, we’re looking at a potential #7 seed, or #6 seed in a best-case scenario.

The Lakers are +1600 odds to win the 2023 NBA championship and eighth overall on the NBA futures board at DraftKings. They saw a huge uptick in odds after fans bet the Lakers to win the title based on Irving trade rumors. Oddsmakers moved the Lakers to +1100 a couple weeks ago, but the numbers adjusted when trade rumors simmered down. At this point, it looks like the Lakers will start the season with an untradeable Westbrook on the roster.

Ham: LeBron Puppet?

The Lakers hired long-time assistant coach Darvin Ham as their new head coach to replace Vogel. The Lakers hope that the rookie head coach can restore the Lakers back to their championship glory. LeBron tends to bully rookie head coaches (e.g. Ty Lue with the Cleveland Cavs), so there’s a lot of chatter that the Lakers installed Ham as a puppet coach with LeBron the behind-the-scenes head coach. LeBron had the “LeGM” nickname for over a decade.  Numerous insiders think that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is an empty suit and LeBron called all the shots since his arrival.

Regardless of who pushed forth the Westbrook trade with the Washington Wizards last summer, it was a terrible move that blew up in their face. It was doomed from day one when Westbrook clashed with Vogel in practice and refused to take his direction on how to bring the ball up the court after a rebound. Westbrook did not mesh well with the Lakers, and the team imploded. Vogel got axed and even Westbrook broke up with his long-time agent. Things are so bad that no one wants to help out the Lakers with a Westbrook trade. That’s why teams are asking for one or two first-round picks to sweeten and trade deals. The Lakers refused to give up any draft picks, which is why they’re planning to start the season with Westbrook.

Ham said he wants to figure out a way for Westbrook to fit in with the team, but will Westbrook actually listen? If he truly changes up his game, then the Lakers will make the playoffs. If Westbrook continues to be a pain in the ass, it’s going to be another long season on the bubble.

Health Issues: Old Man LeBron, Paper Mache Davis

LeBron missed a quarter of the season due to injuries. Davis missed half of the season. LeBron is old and has an excuse, but Davis’ durability has become a liability. When he’s healthy, Davis is one of the premier big men in the NBA who can be a menace on defense and score against anyone. A banged-up Davis is just an above average big man. When he’s sitting on the bench in street clothes, the Lakers have no shot to compete because they lack depth.

The Lakers traded their top role players –who helped them win a championship in 2020 — to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Westbrook. With three max-contract players on the roster, the Lakers had no wiggle room to pay for decent veterans. Heck, even Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard played for a “friend” discount last season and the Lakers still finished 33-49.

If the Lakers want to acquire Irving in a trade, they’d have to give up the last decent guys on their roster — Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker — plus draft picks. The Lakers would ditch Westbrook, but they’d inherit Irving and his numerous “issues” so it’s probably best they keep Westbrook and play out the season and hope that LeBron and Davis stay somewhat healthy.

So many big “ifs” hang over the Lakers like a dark cloud of doom this upcoming season, which is why betting against the Lakers to make the playoffs seems enticing. If the Lakers do not trade Westbrook, then bet “no” for the Lakers to make the playoffs. If the Lakers trade Westbrook, then bet “yes” for the playoffs.

The post Prop Bet: Will the LA Lakers Make the 2023 Playoffs Next Season? appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

There’s a hackneyed phrase used in old newsrooms, “Print the legend.” In the case of Russell, his statistics speak for themselves. This is the same guy who once tallied a 30/40 game in Game 7 of the NBA Finals with 30 points and 40 rebounds. Russell also broke the color barrier as the first black head coach in NBA history.

No other American professional athlete won more championships than Russell with 11 NBA titles. If you count the two championships he won in college, plus the 1956 Olympics, Russell was a gold medalist and 13-time champion in a 15-year span. Remarkable. Incredible. GOAT, indeed.

Russell was the star player during the Celtics dynasty that won eight-consecutive championships. Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls only won six titles, but Russell won more titles in a single stretch than Jordan did over his career.

An announcement… pic.twitter.com/KMJ7pG4R5Z

— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) July 31, 2022

Russell: Celtics Legend

The St. Louis Hawks drafted Russell — a 6-foot-10 center — with the #2 overall pick in 1956 out of San Francisco, where he led the Dons to back-to-back college championships in 1955 and 1956. Russell was named the best basketball player in the collegiate ranks in 1956, at a time when college hoops were more popular than the NBA.

On the day of the 1956 NBA Draft, Red Auerbach traded Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to the Hawks in exchange for Russell. The rest is history. The Celtics won the NBA championship in 1957 and then rattled off eight-consecutive titles between 1959 and 1965. The Celtics added two more titles in 1968 and 1969, after which Russell retired. He left after only 13 seasons, but had spent the last three as a player-coach.

Russell became the NBA’s first black head coach. He spent time in the 1970s coaching the Seattle SuperSonics and had a stint coaching the Sacramento Kings in the mid-1980s.

During his 13 seasons with the Celtics, Russell won 11 championships. He was named to the All-Star team 12 times and earned five MVP trophies. Russell was also a four-time rebounding champion, which he was more proud of than his five MVPs. He finished his career averaging 22.5 rebounds per game.

Most rings by an MVP:

6 — Jordan, Kareem, Cousy
7
8
9
10
11 — Bill Russell

Russell has won more rings in a row (8) than other MVPs in history have won in their careers. pic.twitter.com/BpuzKoQblF

— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 31, 2022

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In the last 21 years, the Knicks qualified for the playoffs just six times including two seasons ago. They won one playoff series back in 2013, but have just one appearance in the last nine season.

The Knicks failed to qualify for the play-in tournament just one season after they finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and secured the #4 seed in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Oddsmakers posted win totals recently and the Knicks were installed at 39.5 o/u out of 82 games. The bookies do not think the Knicks can break even and finish above .500.

The Knicks were the long shot on the board at +3500 odds to win the Atlantic Division. In Eastern Conference futures, the Knicks are +4500 odds to win their conference and secure a spot in the NBA Finals. In terms of NBA championship betting, the Knicks are a moon shot at +10000 odds to win the 2023 title.

Knicks: Jinxed Since 2001

The Knicks were in the playoffs first 14 straight seasons between 1988 and 2001. Spike Lee is set to direct a docu-series on the 1990s Knicks, or the golden era for fans when the Knicks were actually relevant and went to the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999.

James Dolan ruined the Knicks ever since his billionaire father let him run the show. The franchise ha been jinxed ever since they traded Patrick Ewing to the Seattle Sonics in 2000. Head coach Jeff Van Gundy abruptly quit before the start of the 2001-02 season after his best friend died in the 9/11 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. Since then, the Knicks made it to the post season just six times. They had a mini-resurgence between 2012 and 2014 under Mike Woodson, and even won a series in 2013 with Carmelo Anthony, but it’s been all downhill since then.

Under Dolan, the Knicks have become the biggest joke franchise in the NBA even though it’s considered one of the richest according to Forbes and valued over $5 billion. Fans hate Dolan, former players loathe him — especially Charles Oakley — and top-end free agents refuse to sign with the Knicks due to Dolan’s reputation of being a jagoff. The Knicks tried to entice LeBron James to sign with them in 2010 and even employed James Gandolfini from “The Sopranos” to make a pitch video to bring LeBron to the Big Apple. However, Dolan botched the meeting and LeBron said he would never sign with the Knicks.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were rumored to join the Knicks a few seasons ago, but they signed with the Brooklyn Nets instead.

Knicks Trade Rumors: Spida or No Spida?

The Knicks and Utah Jazz discussed a trade for Mitchell, but the current price tag is too high. The Knicks stockpiled picks for the chance to acquire Mitchell, and they offered four first-rounders and a couple of players. Danny Ainge from the Jazz rejected the offer and asked for six first-round picks plus three young up-and-coming players like Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, and Quentin Grimes.

The Knicks and Jazz have backed off on trade talks, but other teams called Ainge about Mitchell including the Miami Heat.

If the Knicks add Mitchell, then you should consider the playoffs prop bet and hitting the over on win totals. The Knicks might not win a playoff series, but at least they’ll make the postseason with a backcourt consisting of Mitchell and newly-added free agent Jalen Brunson. For the first time in two decades, the Knicks have a legit point guard with Brunson.

However, could the Knicks make the playoffs with the current roster? It will be tough because Julius Randle had an awful season last year and struggled with his shooting. Late in the season, Randle developed an adversarial relationship with the crowd at MSG. As soon as things start going sideways next season, the boo birds will blast Randle and things can get worse from there.

The post Prop Bet: Will the New York Knicks Make the Playoffs Next Season? appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

Lee is season ticket holder and lifelong Knicks fan who could be spotted sitting courtside for home games at Madison Square Garden. Stefan Bondy from the New York Daily News confirmed the rumors that Lee would be involved in an upcoming series on the Knicks.

“It’s not a rumor,” said Lee.

It was only a matter of time before the Knicks for the proper treatment, and it’s fitting that Lee gets to bring the story to life.

There’s no specific timetable on the release date, nor is there a specific streaming entity involved as of yet.

And for Knicks fans:

Spike Lee confirmed to me he’s working on a film series based on “Blood in the Garden,” a book about the 90s Knicks.

“It’s not a rumor.” https://t.co/dxWkAEhZgC

— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) July 26, 2022

Rising Popularity of Sports Docs

In the last few years, sports documentaries have been growing in popularity. It began with the 30 for 30 series conceived by Bill Simmons for ESPN, when he tapped top-notch directors to delve into some of the biggest sports stories of the 1980s and 1990s.

The New York Knicks were the subject of a three different 30 for 30 docs. Don Klores directed “Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks”, which was released in 2010 and also features Spike Lee. In 2013, ESPN released “Bernie and Ernie” directed by Jason Hehir about the relationship between New York Knicks stars Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld. “When the Garden Was Eden”, directed by Michael Rapaport, debuted in 2014 and covered the heyday of the Knicks with two championships in the 1970s.

The Michael Jordan documentary series “The Last Dance” on his last season with the Chicago Bulls became an international hit. The Jordan documentary release coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, so “The Last Dance” was an instant hit without any sports to watch.

Earlier this year, HBO released a series “Winning Time” based on the Jeff Perelman book about the 1980s Showtime Lakers. It would be cool to see a similar scripted series about the Knicks, but it looks like Lee is focusing on a documentary-style series.

Apple released a documentary series title “They Call Me Magic” on the life of Magic Johnson and his fight to stay alive after he was diagnosed HIV+.

Blood in the Garden

After nearly 30 years since Pat Riley took over as head coach of the New York Knicks, it’s time to revisit the last time the Knicks were relevant. The modern-day Knicks has been in a tailspin ever since Cablevision scion James Dolan took over control of the team after his father purchased it in the late 1990s.

However, before the Dolans bought the Knicks, they were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The early 1990s version of the Knicks were led by Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley, and the blue collar work-ethic of the team epitomized a defensive-minded mentality that encapsulated the rough and tumble NBA in that era.

The Knicks, coached by Riley and later on by his protege Jeff Van Gundy, parlayed their success into two trips to the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999. However, the Knicks fell short of winning a championship by losing to the Houston Rockets in the 1994 Finals, and to the San Antonio Spurs in the strike-shortened season at the 1999 NBA Finals.

For the first half of the 1990s, the Knicks could never get out from the shadow of Jordan and the Bulls. By the end of the 1990s, an aging and banged-up Ewing could not put the Knicks over the top.

In the last two decades, the Knicks have become the laughingstock of the NBA. The ineptitude stems from Dolan, because the toxicity and incompetence rolls downhill. No matter what moves the Knicks tried to make, they all backfired.

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Engelland joins the staff under head coach Mark Daigneault. Engelland will be tasked with improving the Thunder’s overall shooting. They were ranked dead last in the NBA in 3-point efficiency.

Engelland will also help develop Josh Giddey and incoming rookies Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

Everyone is wondering if the Thunder will finally take off the training wheels and take flight, or if they are going to tank again this season for a shot at hitting the draft lottery with Victory Wembanyama. The bookies think the Thunder will tank because their win totals are 26.5 o/u.

Regardless if the Thunder actively try to lose games or not, they’ll be fun to watch thanks to a young squad that includes Giddey, Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lug Dort, Darius Bazley, Tre Mann, and Theo Maledon.

The Thunder are long shots claim the Southwest Division title at +30000 odds, and they also have astronomical odds to win the 2023 NBA championship at +70000 odds.

Spurs Lose Engelland

Engelland played collegiate ball at Duke, but he also gained notoriety for dating Jeanie Buss in high school. They both attended Pacific Palisades High School in the late 1970s.

Engelland spent the last 17 seasons on Gregg Popovich’s staff with the San Antonio Spurs. Across the league, Engelland was respected as one of the NBA’s highest paid assistant coaches because of his sensational transforming members of the Spurs into elite shooters. Some of his former pupils include Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. He also helped out former Duke players like Grant Hill and Shane Battier.

Engelland first made a name for himself as a “Shot Doctor” nearly 30 years ago when he helped Steve Kerr become a reliable 3-point sniper when Kerr first joined the Bulls in 1994.

The Spurs and Engelland were in the middle of a lengthy contract negotiation, but the Thunder saw the value in Engelland and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Giddey will become the primary student for Engelland. The young player from Australia set a couple NBA records last season as the youngest player to record a triple-double, and the youngest player with back-to-back triple doubles. The big and only knock against Giddey was his inconsistent outside shooting, especially from 3-point range. Giddey shot only 419% from the floor and struggled with a 26.3% clip from 3-point range. He was also just a 70.9% free-throw shooter.

The Thunder want Engelland to help develop Giddey into a much better shooter across the board. Of course, they’d love for Giddey to become a 50/40/90 guy, which would put him in an elite shooter category.

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The Heat tend to win the Southeast Division in even-numbered years, but slack off in the odd-numbered years, which bodes well for the Hawks. Over the previous 10 years, the Heat were division champs in 2022, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, and 2012. Between 2011 and 2014, the Heat won four-straight Southeast Division titles, but 2013 was the last time they won it in an odd year. Since then, the Heat have won the division every other year.

• Miami Heat -180
• Atlanta Hawks +165
• Charlotte Hornets +850
• Washington Wizards +3000
• Orlando Magic +30000

The Charlotte Hornets are +850 odds to win the division for the first time since the inception of the Southeast, but it’s looking like a two-way race between the Heat and the Hawks this year. The bookies don’t have any faith in the Washington Wizards at +3000 odds, and the Orlando Magic were installed with astronomical odds at +30000 to win the Southeast.

Heat -180

The Miami Heat could shake up their roster with a blockbuster trade. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Donovan Mitchell have all been mentioned in trade rumors involving the Heat, but which one will Pat Riley land?

If the Heat acquire Durant, how much of their team will they have left intact to make a run? If Riley and the Heat gamble on Durant, they think that even Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Durant plus a bunch of no names could still be a championship contender.

The Utah Jazz don’t want too many veterans and would prefer six first-round draft picks for Mitchell, which the Heat are lacking. The Irving trade market is thin and the Heat could get an upgrade at point guard at a much lower cost than through a Durant or Mitchell trade. Meanwhile, Riley tends to avoid players who could derail the winning culture that head coach Erik Spoelstra cultivated over the last dozen years.

The Heat could stand pat and try to run it back with the same squad. They were the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, and fell one 3-pointer shy of a trip to the 2022 NBA Finals. Unfortunate injuries to Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro prevented the Heat from a second trip to the NBA Finals inside of three seasons.

Even without Durant, the Heat are still the best team in the Southeast and you should back them at -180 odds to win the division. They’re a bargain at -180 if they end up with Durant or Irving because the price will definitely spike after any acquisition.

Hawks +165

The Atlanta Hawks surprised everyone two seasons ago when they got hot in the playoffs and secured a spot in the Eastern Conference finals. Trae Young is a legit superstar who loves playing the role of the villain, which is reminiscent of Reggie Miller from the Indiana Pacers in the 1990s.

John Collins is one of the few players on the roster who didn’t jibe with how Young runs the offense, and he requested a trade. The Portland Trail Blazers are interested in surrounding Damian Lillard with a player like Collins, but trade talks have simmered down.

The Hawks acquired Dejounte Murray in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs in an effort to upgrade their defense. Young is an offensive superstar, but opposing teams hunt him on defense. Murray is an All-Star and defensive stopper. The Hawks added one of the top two-way players in the league to provide them with a much stronger defensive presence on the perimeter.

The Hawks will have one of the premier backcourts in the Eastern Conference, but we’ll see if it can translate into a division crown or a high playoff seed. You can back the Hawks at +165 odds to win the Southeast Division, but it’s a bit of a risk because of the unknown status of the Heat and their pursuit of Durant.

Hornets +850

The Charlotte Hornets advanced to the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament over the past two seasons, but bubbled the final playoff spot both times. The high-flying Hornets had one of the most exciting offenses in the NBA last season, led by LaMelo Ball, but they couldn’t play defense to save their lives. Michael Jordan re-hired Steve Clifford in hopes the former Hornets head coach can teach the young Hornets how to play better defense.

The Hornets have some off-the-court drama to deal with and might start the season without Miles Bridges due to a domestic abuse assault charge. Forward Gordon Hayward also hinted at wanting out of Buzz City, so there’s a chance they might trade him before the season begins. The Hornets could use an upgrade at center, especially a defensive-minded rim protector.

The Hornets aren’t a legit threat to win the Southeast Division this season, but their +850 odds seem very generous and should be +1000 or higher.

Wizards +3000

The Washington Wizards were able to persuade Bradley Beal to stay with the team, but they foolishly traded away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Denver Nuggets for Willie Barton and Monte Morris. KCP had championship experience and was both a 3-point threat and lockdown defender, but the Wizards are going all-in on rookie Johnny Davis. Davis might end up the steal of the 2022 NBA draft as the #10 pick, and has a great mentor in Beal.

Kyle Kuzma (17.1 ppg 8.5 rebounds) is the only other reliable and healthy scorer besides Beal on the roster. Kristaps Porzingis averaged 20.2 points and 8.1 rebounds in 17 games with the Wizards last season after the Dallas Mavericks exiled the Unicorn to DC. However, Porzingis is a huge health risk and missed 31 total games last season.

Porzingas missed 24% of his games in the first three seasons with the Knicks. He sat out the entire 2018-19 season recovering from an ACL injury. Since heading to the Mavs in a trade, he missed 31% of his games in 2019-20, 40% of games in 2020-21, and 38% of last season’s games. Even if he plays 70-plus games next season, the Wizards will struggle to qualify for the Play-in Tournament.

Magic +30000

The Orlando Magic are loaded with young, inexperienced players, but can they develop them into a team that’s a perennial playoff contender? Instead of selecting Jabari Smith, Jr. — the overall consensus #1 pick in the draft — the Magic threw everyone a curveball and picked Paolo Banchero from Duke with the first pick. Banchero joins a strong group of up-and-coming future stars, including Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, RJ Hampton, and Wendell Carter, Jr.

Markelle Fultz has been plagued with injuries since the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the #1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, but he has a chance to thrive with the Magic as their Sixth Man.

The Magic might be fun to watch, but don’t expect them to win many games. They might try to tank again. Sound familiar? At least there’s a good excuse to suck this upcoming season. The bottom feeders in the league — especially the Magic — are excited at the possibility of hitting next year’s draft lottery for a shot at Victor Wembanyana. The French teenager is regarded as the best big man prospect in a decade even more.

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In real life, Hernangomez was a star basketball prospect in Madrid, Spain before he caught the eye of NBA scouts. The Denver Nuggets selected him with the #15 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He had a tough time adapting to the NBA and spent 3.5 seasons with the Nuggets before they traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the winter of 2020.

It looked like he finally found a place to thrive in Minnesota. In 14 games with the Timberwolves, he averaged a career-best 12.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game before the season was shut down due to the pandemic. He lost his starting job in the 2020-21 season and had a falling out with the front office when they denied him the opportunity to play for Spain in the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.

Six teams in 12 months

The Raptors mark the sixth team for Hernangomez since the end of the 2020-2021 season. He was traded twice in a three-week period last summer, and then traded twice in a three-week period last winter.

After spending 1.5 seasons with the Timberwolves, Minnesota traded Hernangomez to the Memphis Grizzlies last August. He never suited up for the Grizzlies because, three weeks later, the Grizzlies traded him to the Boston Celtics.

Hernangomez languished on the bench and saw garbage-time action in only 18 games in Boston. The Celtics traded him to the San Antonio Spurs in January. He appeared in five games before the Spurs shipped him to the Utah Jazz prior to the trade deadline.

Hernangomez played in 17 games with the Jazz, starting nine and averaging 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 43.8% from 3-point range. The Jazz cut him at the end of the season when he became a free agent.

Raptors trade rumors: KD

Hernangomez joins a forward-heavy team in Toronto, especially after they signed Otto Porter, Jr. Porter was a key bench player for the Golden State Warriors who helped them win the 2022 NBA Championship.

The Raptors are on the shortlist of teams that could acquire Kevin Durant in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are also in the mix, but the Raptors have an optimal combination of young players and draft picks to send to the Nets for Durant.

The Raptors would have to part ways with Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes or Pascal Siakim to entice the Nets to work out a deal. OG Anunoby and Chris Boucher are also mentioned in trade rumors for Durant. If the Raptors add Durant and have to give up a couple of starters, Hernangomez could see a significant boost in playing time.

If the Raptors don’t acquire Durant, Hernangomez will struggle to find playing time behind Barnes, Porter, Boucher, and Anunoby. Barnes played so well as a rookie last season that Anunoby saw his role minimized as the season went on. Anunoby wants to have a bigger impact on the offensive end of the court, which is why he requested a trade. The Portland Trail Blazers are interested in Anunoby, so if he leaves the Raptors, that’s one less player Hernangomez will compete against for a coveted spot in Nick Nurse’s rotation.

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