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.

The Drew League has been going on since 1973 when it was created by Alvin Wills — a teacher and coach at Drew Middle School — who formed a six-league team for local kids. Over the years, the Drew Summer League attracted amateurs and pros from all over the world and it eventually got sponsorship from Nike.

The Drew League saw an influx of superstars during NBA lockout in 2011, including LeBron and Kobe Bryant. As the story goes, Baron Davis invited LeBron to watch a Drew League game but he got so pumped up by the action and the buzz of the crowd, that he asked if he could play in the next game.

LeBron made a triumphant return to the Drew League 11 years after his first appearance. It was also the first public viewing of King James hooping it up after the end of a disastrous season with the LA Lakers.

Thank you @DrewLeague!! Loved the energy from start to finish! All for the city of 👼🏼's!! 🙏🏾🤎✊🏾👑 https://t.co/U4wovXaUuz

— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 16, 2022

LeBron: 42 Points and the W

DeMar DeRozan and Casper Ware invited LeBron to join their squad — MMV Cheaters — in a game against Black Pearl Elite. LeBron helped MMV Cheaters rally back for a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

LeBron hit one-of-two free throws late in the game to put MMV up by two points. Ethan Alvano from BPE — who plays pro ball in South Korea — missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer and MMV held on for the victory. When the buzzer sounded, LeBron tallied 42 points, 16 rebounds, four steals and three assists.

“LeBron’s a superstar so for him to come here to the middle of the hood where regular people are every day that look up to him and grace these people with his presence, it’s super dope,” said Alvano. “I’m glad he did it and it’s great for the community.”

LeBron struggled from 3-point range shooting just 2-for-13, but he was 16-for-23 inside the arc. Despite the poor 3-point shooting, LeBron dazzled the crowd who lapped up every second.

“I’m 100 percent healthy,” said LeBron.

“That’s a lifelong dream to play against LeBron James,” added Alvano. “Someone that I grew up watching, someone I grew up idolizing. It was an honor, it was a blessing to share the court with him.”

The post LeBron James Lights Up Drew League for 42 Points (VIDEO) appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

The Clippers finished in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 42-40 record, and that’s without Kawhi and Paul George missing significant time with an elbow injury. The Clippers qualified for the Western Conference Play-In Tournament but were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers were a huge disappointment last season finishing in 11th place with a 33-49 record. They played so poorly that fans and trolls referred to the underachievers as the “Losing Time” Lakers.

We’re not real financial advisors, but we love basketball and have a good grasp on what’s going on behind the scenes in the City of Angels Both the Lakers and Clippers failed to secure a spot in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, but both teams have championship aspirations heading into the 2022-23 season.

The Clippers are one of four co-favorites to win the 2023 NBA championship at +600 odds  — along with the newly minted champion Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets — according to the NBA futures board at DraftKings.

The Lakers are +2000 odds to win the 2023 championship, which would be the second once since LeBron James joined the team in 2019.

Clippers: Kawhi Returns

Without two All-Stars in the lineup, the Clippers still finished above .500. Ty Lue deserves all the credit for pushing the team to overachieve without their two big dogs. Toss in COVID madness and other injuries, the Clippers winning 42 games is something to build upon for next season.

The Cardiac Clippers did not wilt in the face of adversity. They stormed back from being down by 20-plus point deficits on multiple occasions, including 35 points against the Washington Wizards. When you have a roster loaded with 3-point snipers like Luke Kennard, the Clippers were never out of a game if their shooters got hot.

The Clippers should upgrade the point guard spot, or stick with their platoon consisting of Reggie Jackson and Terence Mann. Jackson has one more season on his contract, while Mann is in his final season of his rookie contact. The durable Mann led the Clippers with 81 appearances including 33 starts. He did a bang-up job last season averaging 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game off the bench.

The Clippers will also have Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, and Norman Powell back at full strength. Powell – a former teammate of Kawhi’s with the Raptors – signed a free-agent deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, but the Blazers imploded their team and sent Powell to LA in a trade. Powell provides the Clippers with a legit third scoring option behind Kawhi and George.

We like the Clippers to win the title next season at +600 odds, so long as Kawhi and PG-13 do not miss any time with new, or old injuries. Kawhi won titles with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors, and will try to win a third ring with the Clippers.

Lake Show Losing Time

The Lakers have three huge problems preventing them from winning another NBA championship: health, Russell Westbrook, and lack of depth.

Two major trades left the Lakers with a thin bench aside from the Big 3 consisting of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Westbrook. The team leveraged their future to acquire Anthony Davis in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, and he missed more than half the season in 2021-22. The Lakers lost all their valuable role players and bench guys when they acquired Westbrook in a trade with the Washington Wizards last summer. Without much help, the Lakers were a losing squad, especially when LeBron and Davis missed time with injuries.

Anthony Davis appeared in just 40 games last season, and the paper mache big man missed more than half the season. Meanwhile, LeBron missed 26 games with numerous injuries, which is more than a quarter of the season.

At 37-years young, LeBron missed out on a potential scoring title while averaging more that 30 points per game for the third time in his illustrious career. He moved into second on the all-time scoring list and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stands in his way from breaking the record. LeBron had to score a bunch because he didn’t have much help.

If Davis and LeBron avoid injuries this season, they could compete for a championship. But the Lakers might not even be the fifth best team in a stacked Western Conference with Kawhi returning to the Clippers and Jamal Murray returning to the Denver Nuggets. The Minny Timberwolves are an up-and-coming squad, and the New Orleans Pelicans could do some damage if Zion Williamson can avoid the IR.

Westbrook Dilemma

Rob Pelinka, the Lakers general manager, could not trade Westbrook before the deadline in February because the team lacked tradeable assets. The Lakers coughed up first-rounders in the Davis trade to the Pelicans. With three max-contract stars on the payroll, the Lakers lacked any attractive veterans with expiring contracts. Things were so bleak that the Lakers considered trading Westbrook for John Wall, but the Houston Rockets wanted a first-round pick to sweeten the deal.

Westbrook had a player option for this upcoming season worth $47 million, so the Lakers are stuck with him in 2022-23 if they cannot find a team stupid enough to take him. And let’s be honest here, very few teams are interested in doing the Lakers — especially LeBron — any favors.

Westbrook’s unwillingness to conform to the Lakers’ offensive scheme ended up getting head coach Frank Vogel fired. We’ll see if newly hired head coach Darvin Ham can persuade Westbrook to buy into whatever system the rookie head coach installs with the Lakers. Ham was the right-hand man under Mike Budenholzer during his tenure with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. Ham won a ring as an assistant coach with the Bucks last season and it was only a matter of time before he finally got a head coaching job. Ime Udoka guided the Boston Celtics to a trip to the NBA Finals in his first season as a head coach, so the Lakers hope Ham can replicate the rare feat for a newbie.

The Lakers might have to wait until early 2023 to trade Westbrook, but will it be too late?

With Westbrook and his $47 million weighing down the Lakers, it’s best to avoid getting stuck with a worthless futures ticket at +2200 odds.

The post NBA Futures in Los Angeles: Buy the Clippers, Sell the Lakers appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

On Friday, the next episode of “The Shop” debuts where LeBron states his intentions of owning a future NBA team in Las Vegas.

“I want a team in Vegas,” said LeBron, in a clip that’s been making the round. “I want the team in Vegas.”

LeBron already has a piece of the Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC.

In March, we reported about Bill Simmons hinting that LeBron would be a part of a potential expansion team in Las Vegas. However, this is the first time that King James has gone on the record about his involvement.

Billionaire King James

The news about LeBron and a Las Vegas expansion team occurs less than a week after Forbes announced that LeBron had become the newest billionaire, and the first active NBA player to join their exclusive list.

Michael Jordan is the only other former NBA player who has a net worth north of a billion bucks. It took Air Jordan almost a decade after he retired before Forbes pegged him as a billionaire for the first time in 2014.

LeBron has earned $385 million in salary as a pro baller during an illustrious 19-season career that’s spanned two stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron is also an astute businessman with celebrity endorsement deals, including a lifetime contract with Nike. He also has other investments, real estate holdings, and business ventures that raked in approximately $121 million in 2021. Forbes estimates that King James has a net worth of $1.2 billion.

LeBron isn’t close to retiring any time soon, although he’s definitely in the twilight of his career. He’s still under contract with the LA Lakers, where he’s trying to win one more title for both himself and the organization. LeBron says he’ll retire after he’s had the opportunity to play at least one season in the NBA with his eldest son, Bronny.

NBA in Vegas

Las Vegas already has a professional hockey team with the Vegas Golden Knights, and they became the new home of the Raiders after they left Oakland for Sin City.

There have been rumors that the MLB is eyeing Sin City for a potential expansion baseball team. The Rio Casino — the former home of the World Series of Poker — was recently sold by Caesars to a group that wants to implode the Rio to build a major league ballpark.

Of course, the NBA would be a perfect fit for Las Vegas. The NBA would have to add two teams to keep harmony and balance in the league when it eventually expands from 30 to 32 teams. If the league adds expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, then a team currently in the Western Conference would have to join the Eastern Conference to have an equal 16 teams in each conference. The Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans are popular choices for conference realignment, with the Timberwolves the more likely pick.

A new NBA team in Las Vegas would end up as one of four teams in the Pacific Division with both Los Angeles teams, including the Lakers, for whom LeBron currently plays.

Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t indicate a timetable for expansion, nor was he willing to discuss the rumors about Las Vegas or Seattle. Silver admits the NBA will expand sometime in the future, but no one knows exactly when.

The post LeBron James Wants to Own an NBA Expansion Team in Las Vegas appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

Of course, Michael Jordan and LeBron James continue to top the list of GOAT candidates. However, it is important not to overlook other NBA stars whose epic performances in the NBA Finals make them worthy of consideration to be called “The Greatest Of All Time”.
With this season’s NBA Finals now upon us, here’s a look at the shortlist of players to include in your next GOAT debate.

Michael Jordan – Chicago Bulls

The gold standard by which all other candidates are measured, it is harder to prove that Michael Jordan is not the NBA’s GOAT than to make the case for any other player. Not only the frontrunner in the NBA GOAT debate, Jordan’s dominance on the hard court has to put him front and center when debating who the greatest athlete of all time is.

“MJ” did it all during an NBA career that spanned two decades. Named NBA Rookie of the year in 1985, Jordan would go on to win 10 NBA scoring titles and earn NBA All-Star honors on 14 occasions. But more important was Jordan’s exploits during the postseason. Winners of just three total playoff series in franchise history, the Chicago Bulls emerged as a dynasty in the 1990s, with Jordan leading the club to NBA titles six times in as many appearances.

Hard times have fallen on the Windy City since Jordan left town in 1998. The Bulls have managed to get past the first round just four times in 12 playoff appearances, reaching the eastern Conference Finals just once over that stretch.

LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers

The player most often mentioned alongside Michael Jordan in the NBA GOAT discussion is LeBron James. But how does King James stack up in comparison to Air Jordan? For starters, James is the only player in NBA history to win NBA championships with three different teams.

However, the four-time NBA Finals MVP has managed to win just four titles in 10 total appearances in the NBA Finals. James also outpaces Jordan with 18 appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team on five occasions, but has emerged as NBA scoring champion just once over his two-decade career.

If you are to make the top criterion for inclusion in the GOAT debate success in the NBA Finals, the edge must go to Jordan. But if that is that case, there is also one player who cannot be left out of the conversation…

Bill Russell – Boston Celtics

Fans of Michael Jordan are quick to point out MJ’s perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals when making their NBA GOAT case. Unfortunately, few of those are old enough to remember the most prolific champion in NBA history, Bill Russell. Winners of just two playoff series in franchise history before acquiring Russell at the 1956 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics quickly emerged as a dynasty with the Louisiana native in the lineup. The club kicked off an epic run of 10 straight trips to the NBA Finals in Russell’s rookie season, including nine championship wins.

Russell never averaged more than 19 points per game in a season, a fact that leaves him well behind the likes of Jordan and James in the GOAT debate. But it is important to note that Russell played during an era when three-pointers didn’t exist, and scoring came at a much higher premium. Indeed, what Russell may have lacked on offence, in comparison to MJ and King James, he made up for with outstanding defensive play that earned him five NBA MVP awards and 12 trips to the NBA All-Star Game.

And while the argument can be made that Russell never won NBA Finals MVP honors, the reason is pretty simple. The award hadn’t been created yet. But when the league finally got around to introducing the honor in 1969, they named it after the obvious choice: Bill Russell.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers

Few players in NBA history have had as dramatic an impact on a team as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft, the young man then named Lew Alcindor spurned a massive contract offer from the ABA’s New York Nets to join the fledgling Bucks, and his impact was both instant and dramatic.

With Abdul-Jabbar claiming the first of two NBA scoring titles and the first of six NBA MVP awards, the Bucks rocketed to the top of the NBA standings with 66 wins. The club followed with a sensational Playoff run, losing just two total games over three series on their way to the NBA Championship, with Abdul-Jabbar claiming NBA Finals MVP honors.

Abdul-Jabbar’s departure from Milwaukee for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975 marked a return to the wilderness for the Bucks, and a resurgence for the Lakers, who had struggled over the previous two seasons. However, with the New York native leading the offense, the Lakers would reclaim dynasty status during the 1980s with eight NBA Finals appearances and five victories.

Abdul-Jabbar played a key role in each of those wins, with his most memorable performance coming in Game 5 of the 1980 NBA Finals, when he led the Lakers to a series-defining 108-103 victory with 40-point performance despite suffering a serious ankle injury that prevented him from playing in Game 6.

The post Who is the Greatest Player in NBA Finals History? appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

Here’s a look at our picks for an Ultimate NBA Finals matchup.

Eastern Conference Ultimate Lineup

Bill Russell – Center, Boston Celtics

NBA Finals appearances: 12 (NBA record)
NBA Championships: 11 (NBA record)
NBA Finals MVP: 5

No list of NBA Finals greats would be complete without including the man whom the NBA Finals MVP award is named after. After sadly passing away recently, Bill Russell leaves behind a wonderful legacy. One of the most successful athletes of all time in all of North American sports, his name became synonymous with winning during an epic 14-season NBA playing career that featured a record 11 NBA championship victories and five NBA Finals MVP wins.

Michael Jordan – Shooting Guard, Chicago Bulls

NBA Finals appearances: 6
NBA Championships: 6
NBA Finals MVP: 6 (NBA record)

The only player to claim more NBA Finals MVP awards than Bill Russell, Michael Jordan was the most dominant player of the 1990s, leading the Chicago Bulls to six championships in six NBA Finals appearances.

Among the most memorable of Jordan’s epic playoff performances came in his final appearance with the Bulls. Reeling from a heartbreaking 83-81 loss on home court in Game 5 of their 1998 NBA Finals matchup with the Utah Jazz, the Bulls remained one win shy of glory as the scene shifted to Utah for Game 6, and if necessary, Game 7.

With Scottie Pippen hobbled by a back injury, the pressure was on Jordan to carry the Bulls, and “His Airness” rose to the challenge. Jordan racked up 45 points, capped by a 20-footer with just 5.2 seconds remaining that has long been immortalized as “The Shot”, which clinched Chicago’s sixth NBA title in eight years and Jordan’s sixth career NBA Finals MVP award.

LeBron James – Point Guard, Miami Heat/Cleveland Cavaliers/Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Finals appearances: 10
NBA Championships: 4
NBA Finals MVP: 4

Often included in the debate on who is the greatest NBA player of all-time, LeBron James has won on every finals stop during his 19-season NBA career. King James cracks the list as the only player in NBA history to win titles with three different teams. His most memorable performance to date came in 2016, when he powered the Cleveland Cavaliers to a sensational comeback from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals with a trio of MVP worthy performances to bring the NBA championship to Cleveland for the first time in franchise history.

Larry Bird – Small Forward, Boston Celtics

NBA Finals appearances: 5
NBA Championships: 3
NBA Finals MVP: 2

After some lean years for the Boston Celtics in the late 1970s, things changed with the arrival of Larry Bird in 1980. Bird had an immediate impact, leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals on five occasions between 1981 and 1987, raising the trophy on three occasions and claiming NBA Finals MVP honors twice during that stretch. The rivalry between Bird and Magic Johnson reached legendary proportions during three NBA Finals clashes between Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bird and the Celtics topping Magic and the Lakers on two occasions.

Dave Cowens – Power Forward, Boston Celtics

NBA Finals appearances: 2
NBA Championships: 2
NBA Finals MVP: 0

An explanation for Dave Cowens’ inclusion here can be provided in one word: defense. Selected as NBA MVP early in his career, Cowens earned a place among the greats in the rafters of the old Boston Garden during his two NBA Finals appearances.

Most notable among those was the 1976 NBA Finals, which also marked Cowen’s swan song in Boston. His dominating performances in the paint in the Games 5 and 6 turned the tide in the wake of back-to-back road losses to the Phoenix Suns. While Cowens never earned an NBA Finals MVP award, his 20.5 PPG, 16.3 rebound performance in the Finals proved to be the difference in Boston’s drive to a 13th NBA title.

Western Conference Ultimate Lineup

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Center, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Finals appearances: 10
NBA Championships: 6
NBA Finals MVP: 2

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made two trips to the NBA Finals with the Milwaukee Bucks, raising the trophy in 1971. But he’s best remembered for his epic Finals performances with the Los Angeles Lakers. A six-time NBA champion, Abdul-Jabbar’s most memorable performance came in the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Lakers returned home for Game 5 with the series knotted at two games apiece, but feared the worst when Abdul-Jabbar suffered an ankle injury that sent him to the locker room. That didn’t prevent the two-time NBA Finals MVP from embarking on an epic 14-point fourth-quarter performance to lead the Lakers to a 108-103 win and a series lead they would not relinquish.

Steph Curry – Point Guard, Golden State Warriors

NBA Finals appearances: 5
NBA Championships: 3
NBA Finals MVP: 0

Steph Curry has yet to claim NBA Finals MVP honors, but played a central role in three championship wins over five straight appearances during the 2010s. Curry has averaged 26.5 points per game over 27 career NBA Finals contests and has been dominant from three-point country. He accounts for five of the top 12 three-point performances in NBA Finals history, and sunk a record nine threes in Game 2 versus Cleveland in 2018.

Tim Duncan – Power Forward, San Antonio Spurs

NBA Finals appearances: 6
NBA Championships: 5
NBA Finals MVP: 3

One of just five players to be named NBA Finals MVP on three or more occasions, Tim Duncan emerged as a star on both sides of the ball during his two-decade career with the San Antonio Spurs. The five-time NBA champion averaged over 20 points per game in three of his six NBA Finals appearances.

Names to the NBA’s All-Defensive First team on eight occasions, Duncan also gave opposing shooters fits while racking up 81 career blocks in the NBA Finals, second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Magic Johnson – Shooting Guard, Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Finals appearances: 9
NBA Championships: 5
NBA Finals MVP: 3

Magic Johnson may be best remembered for the epic rivalry he developed with Larry Bird over the Los Angeles Lakers’ three straight clashes with the Boston Celtics during the 1980s. And with good reason. Johnson recorded 12 double-doubles and five triple-doubles while leading the Lakers to a pair of championship wins over Boston.

However, his most memorable NBA Finals appearance came in 1980, when he drained 42 points while leading LA to a 123-107 Game 6 win over the Philadelphia 76ers that clinched the first of his five championship wins with the Lakers.

Kevin Durant – Small Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder/Golden State Warriors

NBA Finals appearances: 4
NBA Championships: 2
NBA Finals MVP: 2

The youngest player to ever win a scoring title, Kevin Durant also played a huge role in two of the Golden State Warriors’ three recent NBA championship wins. Durant averaged an impressive 32.2 points per game and claimed a pair of NBA Finals MVP awards while leading the Warriors to glory in 2017 and 2018.

He is also one of just three players in NBA history to tally at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a series clinching game on the road.

The post The Ultimate NBA Finals Dream Teams appeared first on OnlineGambling.com | OG News.

Jackson is the latest name buzzing around the gossip mills in Hollywood. Two weeks ago, Quin Snyder was the front runner to become the Lakers’ next head coach. Last week, Doc Rivers returning to the City of Angels to coach the Lakers was the big talk of Tinsel Town. This week, it’s Jackson as the leading contender to take the reins.

Other notables on the shortlist include Nick Nurse from the Toronto Raptors and Juwan Howard from the Michigan Wolverines. Assistant coach David Fizdale seems like a safe choice for the Lakers. He’s already on the payroll, familiar with the team, and almost took over when the Lakers almost fired Vogel in January. However, if Fizdale had a legit shot, then LeBron would be lobbying for Fizdale in the media, and not Jackson.

LBJ backs M-Jax

Back in the summer of 2019, LeBron lobbied heavily for Ty Lue to replace Luke Walton as head coach. The Lakers wouldn’t meet Lue’s salary demands, so he took the Clippers job instead. The Lakers settled on Vogel, who ended up winning the championship in his first season despite the pandemic-shortened season.

This time, LeBron likes Jackson. But how will this play out?

“Sources say LeBron James would be very enthused by the prospect of Mark Jackson landing the job,” wrote Sam Amick from The Athletic. “But as history tells us, that doesn’t mean it will actually happen.”

Jackson played 17 seasons in the NBA as a point guard and got his start with his hometown New York Knicks after playing college ball for St. John’s. After his playing days ended, Jackson pivoted to coaching. He was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors for almost three seasons between 2011 and 2014, amassing a 121-109 record.

Jackson is a coach who’s better suited to oversee reclamation projects or rebuilds. He’s not the type of high-profile coach who’s coming in to specifically win a title. Jackson helped rebuild the Warriors when they were awful, and turned them into a playoff squad. But the team realized they needed a better coach to take them to the championship level. That’s why they brought in Steve Kerr, who won three titles for the Warriors.

Jackson hasn’t coached since he got fired in 2014, instead, spending the past eight years as a TV analyst.

Snyder no longer interested?

In the last 48 hours, Snyder — head coach of the Utah Jazz — distanced himself from the Lakers job because of how the team handled the Vogel dismissal, especially just two years after he won them a championship. NBA head coaches are like a fraternity and there’s solidarity among the small, yet eclectic group of coaches who have one of the toughest jobs in pro sports. Many coaches would love to coach the Lakers, but there are significantly more who would pass up on an offer after the treatment of Vogel.

Coaches often become the scapegoat for an inept franchise (eg, the Knicks), get thrown under the bus from the front office due to poor decisions from the general manager, or get canned because you can’t fire a player. Anyone who even remotely follows the Lakers knows Vogel was the scapegoat for a disastrous season caused by injuries and a terrible decision to acquire Russell Westbrook in a trade.

Even though Vogel knew the Lakers were going to sh-t-can him at the end of the season, he maintained a professional relationship and never passive-aggressively went after players in the media. Even when the front office and teammates wanted Vogel to bench Westbrook, he remained faithful to his point guard.

As much as the Lakers job would look great on a resume, Snyder is smart enough to know that he doesn’t want to be sucked into the drama as LeBron’s puppet coach.

Snyder has his eyes on the San Antonio Spurs and replacing Gregg Popovich, if he retires. Otherwise, he’d rather remain in Utah even after the Jazz breaks up at the end of the season.

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LeBron James, who’s been nursing an ankle injury, didn’t suit up for the injury-plagued Lakers who faced a do-or-die situation against the Suns — the best team in the NBA — and the betting favorite to win the 2022 NBA Championship.

The Lakers made a costly decision to acquire point guard Russell Westbrook in a trade with the Washington Wizards. They gave up numerous role players like Kyle Kuzma who helped them win the 2020 NBA championship. The Lakers’ brass and LeBron thought Westbrook could be the third element in a Big 3 that could secure a second title in three seasons.

At the start of the season, the Lakers were the second-favorite to win the championship at +400 odds on the NBA futures board.

Oddsmakers projected the Lakers would win 52 or so games this season, but right now they’re 31-48 and 17 games under .500 with three games remaining. Even with the expanded play-in tournament, the Lakers can’t even backdoor a playoff berth under the new system.

LA ER

The Big 3 of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Westbrook suited up for just 21 games together. That’s exactly one-quarter of a full season of 82 games. When you’re missing your core unit, bad things will happen.

Davis appeared in just 40 games and missed almost half a season while LeBron missed 23 games or a quarter of the season.

It’s just a bad beat across the board, but the lack of a bench came back to bite the Lakers in the butt because they had to give up numerous role players to acquire Westbrook in the first place.

But let’s be honest, the Big 3 didn’t exactly gel. The Lakers were just 11-10 with the Big 3 in the starting lineup. There was hope they would get their proverbial shit together by the second half of the season, but by the time the new year arrived, Davis was out with a sprained MCL and there were whispers that the Lakers were shopping Westbrook in a trade.

Losing time: The decline of the modern-day Lakers

Tinsel Town loves gossip, especially celebrity gossip, and once word got out that Westbrook was on the trading block, the team imploded. They were 21-19 after the first week in January and no one thought that would be the last time the Lakers would win back-to-back games. They went 10-29 since that high-water mark.

While Lakers fans drenched themselves in nostalgia with HBO’s new series “Winning Time” about Magic Johnson and the rise of the 1980s Showtime Lakers, they were disgusted with the current, inept team who were quickly dubbed “Losing Time” in numerous memes.

“This was a season where we just didn’t get it done,” said Carmelo Anthony.

LeBron competed for a scoring title at 37-years old, which is a remarkable feat, but he had no choice but to shoulder the scoring load with so many different starting lineups due to injuries and COVID-19.

“This year, we had more starting lineups than wins,” said Davis.

“Extremely disappointed,” said Lakers head coach Frank Vogel. “Disappointed for our fan base. Disappointed for the Buss family, who gave us all this opportunity and we want to play our part in bringing success to Laker basketball and we fell short.”

The Lakers fought for the final spot in the play-in tournament over the past couple of weeks, but couldn’t overcome the surging San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers are down BAD

Losing Time is in full effect 😭 pic.twitter.com/QiEPPyN4RQ

— Whistle (@WhistleSports) March 30, 2022

What’s next?

The Lakers will do a lot of finger-pointing in the next few days. Expect Vogel to get fired sometime next week. He helped guide the Lakers to a championship inside the NBA bubble in Disneyworld in 2020, but he’ll become the easy scapegoat.

The Lakers should fire general manager Rob Pelinka for signing off on the Westbrook trade to begin with. If not for that misfire, he should get axed for not coming up with a creative solution to unload Westbrook on another team. While numerous teams made serious moves at the trade deadline, the Lakers stood pat and didn’t acquire anyone. Then again, it’s hard to wheel and deal in the modern NBA if you don’t have any coveted assets.

If Lakers owner Jeanie Buss decides to fire Pelinka, she could install Kurt Rambis as the general manager. Pelinka and Magic Johnson often butted heads, and ditching Pelinka would get Magic back into the inner circle. At this point, Buss needs all the help she can get from real basketball minds instead of a former agent and glorified pimp like Pelinka.

Both Quin Snyder from the Utah Jazz and Doc Rivers from the Philadelphia 76ers are leading candidates to replace Vogel as head coach. Other potential new coaches include Lakers assistant coach David Fizdale, Mike Brown (assistant coach on the Golden State Warriors), and Steve Clifford (former Orlando Magic head coach).

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If LeBron can stay healthy, King James will pass Abdul-Jabbar and, eventually, secure the scoring throne sometime next season.

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
• LeBron James 36,985
• Karl Malone 36,928
• Kobe Bryant 33.643
• Michael Jordan 32,392

LeBron, at age 37, is the NBA’s scoring leader averaging 30 ppg, with 10 games remaining in the regular season. Only 23 NBA players were good enough and healthy enough to play 19 seasons, but none of them came close to what LeBron has done this season.

Chasing greatness: LBJ vs KAJ

Abdul-Jabbar slowed down during the twilight of his career, especially in his last two seasons with the Showtime Lakers. While Abdul-Jabbar was a shell of his former self in the winter of his Hall of Fame career, LeBron is still considered one of the top players in the NBA, averaging 30 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. With a PER rating of 26.64, LeBron is ranked #4 in the league.

If LeBron stays healthy and averages 25 ppg next season, he’ll be on pace to secure the new record less than 50 games into next year. We estimate that historic moment will happen sometime before the 2023 All-Star Break.

“When I was younger, I used to think, ‘Ain’t nobody catching Karl Malone. Nobody catching Kareem,'” said Carmelo Anthony from the Lakers.

“I will not allow myself to think about it,” said a humble LeBron after he passed Malone. “I’ve always just played the game the way I’ve been playing it over the years, and these things have just happened organically by trying to win every game, playing the right way, playing for your teammates, and things of that nature.”

LeBron and players of his generation benefit from several advantages over the previous generation of NBA superstars. The advances in technology, sports medicine, and nutrition allow modern players to prevent injuries and recover from injuries at a faster rate than the old guard. The current generation of NBA stars are paid ridiculous contracts and they do not have to hustle side jobs in the offseason, which means they can focus on their bodies and on improving their games. Let’s not forget that 40 years ago, NBA players traveled with the public and flew in cramped coach seats for games, versus teams with their own private planes or chartered planes.

LEBRON PASSES KARL MALONE FOR SECOND ALL-TIME IN REGULAR SEASON SCORING 😤 pic.twitter.com/tkbAszUHDT

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 20, 2022

Abdul-Jabbar: One-and-done in 2022

LeBron is only 37 but he’s logged 19 seasons as a pro baller because he entered the league as an 18-year-old prodigy. He had the benefit of skipping college and entering the NBA directly from high school before the NBA ended the direct conduit. LeBron was one of the last batch of NBA stars who were able to bypass the college ranks and declare for the NBA draft. Current NBA rules stipulate that high school graduates must play a gap year — in college, at the NBA’s developmental league, or overseas — before becoming eligible for the draft.

Abdul-Jabbar spent four years in college at UCLA, where he won three championships under legendary coach John Wooden between 1967 and 1969. Abdul-Jabbar, who entered college with his birth name of Lew Alcindor, played ball at a time when even the premier stars in the NCAA stayed in college through their senior season. Heck, when Abdul-Jabbar attended UCLA, freshmen weren’t able to play varsity ball, so he was limited to playing games on the freshman squad. During his first season in Westwood, the freshman team regularly whooped the varsity team because no one could stop Abdul-Jabbar.

Clearly, someone of Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring prowess would have been a one-and-done player in the modern era. Or, if he played at the turn of the century as one of LeBron’s peers, Abdul-Jabbar could have gone directly from Power Memorial High School in New York City to the NBA ranks.

More LeBron stats: 30K/10K/10K

LeBron recently became the first player in NBA history to pull down 10,000 rebounds, while dishing 10,000 assists. LeBron is also the only player in NBA history to score 30,000 points plus 10,000 rebounds and assists, which is something that Malone, Michael Jordan, and Abdul-Jabbar never achieved.

He passed both the 10K mark in rebounding and assists this season. If he remains healthy, he could become the first player to reach the 40K/10K/10K mark. Heck, if LeBron pulls a Tom Brady and plays through his mid-40s, he can become a 45K/10K/10K player.

LeBron hinted that he won’t retire until he’s had a chance to play with his son Bronny. His oldest son is still a couple of years away from making his NBA debut, but LeBron indicated he would sign a free-agent contract with the team that drafts Bronny. He would love the father/son combo to suit up for the Lakers, but also mentioned it would be cool if it happened with the Cleveland Cavs. In many ways, it would be fitting for LeBron to begin and end his career in Cleveland.

LeBron has often said he won’t ever play for the New York Knicks because of his not-so-hidden disdain for owner James Dolan. However, the Knicks could finally lure King James to the Big Apple if they draft Bronny. Wayne Gretzky ended his career with the New York Rangers and skated his last season in the NHL at Madison Square Garden. Perhaps, LeBron can make his curtain call at MSG?

LeBron James is the first player in NBA history with 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists. pic.twitter.com/WS4RLdQ9hx

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 14, 2022

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The way LeBron played the last couple of weeks, which included 56 points against the Golden State Warriors last Saturday night in Hollywood, he’s been in full-blown playoff mode averaging 36.2 ppg in March. After last night’s 50-point eruption, LeBron is now the NBA’s leading scorer with 29.7 ppg.

“Just an incredible, unbelievable, epic performance by LJ,” said head coach Frank Vogel.

The Lakers are flirting with missing the postseason and skating near the edge of the Western Conference playoff bubble. With the victory, the Lakers with the #9 seed improved to 29-37 on the season and they opened a 2.5-game edge over the New Orleans Pelicans in the #10 seed. The Lakers took a huge step forward and added a 3.5-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs (26-41) and Portland Trail Blazers (25-40) on the bubble.

LeBron: 50 Points… Again

Without Anthony Davis in the lineup, LeBron started at center for the Lakers and scored 50 points with seven rebounds and six assists in another must-win game for the Lakers. He played just 36 minutes and shot 18-for-25 from the floor for a 72% clip. He knocked down 6-for-9 from 3-point range and shot a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

The Lakers were down by nine points late in the third quarter when LeBron heated up and led the comeback charge against the Wizards.

Despite a losing record and a game against the lowly Wizards, the Lakers had a sellout crowd at Crypto.com Arena. The crowd responded to the sensational scoring performance with chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!”

“Listen, the Laker faithful knows when bad basketball is being played and they know when good basketball is being played,” said LeBron. “They have the right to have any response they want. They’ve seen so many great teams, so many great individuals. So for me, being a part of this franchise, I just try to give them an opportunity to have memorable nights as well.”

Up until last week, the Lakers were 0-6 in games in which LeBron scored 50 or more points in a game. However, since last Saturday, the Lakers went 2-0 in games where LeBron dropped 50 or more points. In his last two home games at home in Tinsel Town, LeBron gave the fans their money’s worth when he exploded for 106 points including 56 points against the Warriors.

“Try to give them something to cheer for,” said LeBron. “Something to feel good about on a nightly basis. It hasn’t been as great as they would like for it to be this year, but you take the small wins when they come.”

Old Man LeBron

Michael Jordan was 35-years old when he secured his last scoring title during the Last Dance season with the Chicago Bulls in 1997-98. LeBron is on pace to set a new record.

It’s amazing that LeBron has been tearing up the league as 37-year old. Most guys his age are in the twilight of their NBA careers and became the beta on a team, or the third wheel of a Big 3. However, with the current-day Lakers, LeBron is as alpha as he’s ever been during his 19th season in the NBA. Let’s not forget, LeBron was one of the last batch of high school players that were able to enter the NBA directly without playing one season in the NCAA or a gap year overseas.

In comparison, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged 22.0 ppg at age 37 with the Lakers during the height of the Showtime Era in the 1984-85 season. However, in his 19th season as a pro as a 40-year-old, Abdul-Jabbar averaged just 14.6 ppg.

LeBron holds down third place in the NBA all-time scoring list with 36,793 points. He’s only 1,594 points away from breaking the record set by Abdul-Jabbar when he retired in 1989. If LeBron plays until he’s 40-years old, he’ll catch Abdul-Jabbar. At this rate, LeBron is just 135 points away from passing Karl Malone, who is second on the all-time scoring list with 36,928 points.

Most PPG in 19th season:

29.7 — LeBron James
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14.6 — Kareem-Abdul Jabbar

That gap is bigger than Kareem and 0. LeBron has lapped the field. pic.twitter.com/q5ZhUpJvJ0

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 12, 2022

Check out more installments of NBA High Guys.

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