Championship

The Boston Celtics were one win away from the NBA Finals in 2018, coming as close as any team has to preventing LeBron James from making the finals since 2010. They did so with their two biggest off-season acquisitions on the shelf in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Their return and the defection of LeBron [...]

Klay Thompson isn’t worried about championship fatigue derailing the Golden State Warriors’ quest for a three-peat—mostly because this time, they’re trying to do it as a parting gift to the city of Oakland. From ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell: “We want to do it for the fans of Oakland,” Thompson said after Sunday’s practice. “Been so loyal [...]

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob isn’t concerned about his team becoming complacent after winning three NBA titles over the past four years. On the contrary, he believes their drive to continue dominating is what should scare opponents. As he told The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss: “We’re still really hungry,” Lacob says of the Warriors. “That’s [...]

James Harden has been second on the NBA’s MVP ballot in each of the last two seasons. Right now, he’s playing like someone determined to turn his runner-up status into a first-place finish. And that makes sense. Who wouldn’t want to prioritize winning the Maurice Podoloff Trophy when they’ve come so very close to snagging [...]

Stephen Curry is about to receive his second championship ring when the Golden State Warriors meet the Houston Rockets on opening night, a moment that will no doubt mean something to him. But it will also, apparently, give the two-time MVP another ring to not wear. When asked in front of reporters how he’s put the Warriors’ [...]

Tracy McGrady didn’t have the longevity of some of the other NBA greats such as Tim Duncan or Karl Malone, but for a period in the early to mid 2000s he was like a supernova that captivated the NBA and fans around the world with his elite athleticism, skill and scoring ability for a player [...]

When the Cavs shocked the Warriors last June, many tears were shed. LeBron James was sobbing as he embraced Kevin Love when the clock struck zero, and head coach Tyronn Lue never left the bench area. By the time the camera caught him, he was seating on the bench, crying tears of joy with his [...]

Dwyane Wade did not join the Chicago Bulls to contend for an NBA title—at least not this year. Pressed about the expectations of his new team, the 34-year-old shooting guard brushed off talk of winning a championship this season, per Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago: [tweet https://twitter.com/vgoodwill/status/785921139105116160] [tweet https://twitter.com/vgoodwill/status/785921323742613504] Though our initial reaction might be [...]

Similar to last season, J.R. Smith is looking for an NBA deal well into the Summer. At the conclusion of the 2014-14 season, he opted out of the deal with the Cavs; a move that ultimately cost him about $5 million. He opted out during the 2016 playoffs with the Cavs again, but that was [...]

For Dwight Howard, his fourth NBA team is the charm. Or so he hopes. The 30-year-old big man agreed to a four-year deal worth $70.5 million with the Atlanta Hawks shortly after free agency began, a move that likely became the impetus behind Al Horford’s departure. And now, after a disastrous season with the Houston [...]