1. Former NBA commissioner David Stern passes away at age 77.

2. Injury Update:

- Kyrie Irving

- Blake Griffin

3. Trade Rumors:

- Andre Drummond

- Kevin Love

- Kyle Kuzma

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1.) The L.A. Clippers defeated the L.A. Lakers for the second time this season on Christmas day.

2.) The Philadelphia 76ers shut down Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas day.

3.) A Decade In Review:

- Best Team

- Best Play

- Best Player

- Best Coach 

- Best Free Agency Signing

- Best Draft Pick

- Best Trade

- Best Fight

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1. The Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Luka-less Dallas Mavericks on Monday.

2. The L.A. Lakers lost to the still Dipo-less Indiana Pacers.

3. Milwaukee vs. L.A.

4. The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly willing to listen to offers on Jrue Holiday.

5. The Golden State Warriors are not expected to trade D’Angelo Russell this season.

6. Neither the OKC Thunder, nor Chris Paul’s camp, expect a trade to happen involving CP3 this season.

7. The New York Knicks have hired David Blatt as a basketball consultant.

8. Fixing the Portland TrailBlazers

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1. The New York Knicks have fired head coach, David Fizdale. What’s next?

2. Rodney Hood has suffered an Achilles injury.

3. The Cleveland Cavaliers have announced that they are willing to receive offers on Kevin Love. This coming soon after a report from The Athletic that suggests the team is frustrated with new head coach, John Beilein.

4. Shams Charania reported that Trae Young was involved an emotional locker room exchange after a loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

5. NBA Trade Starting Line on the horizon. What players are you most intrigued by?

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1.) Most Valuable Player

2.) 1st Team All NBA

3.) Defensive Player of the Year

4.) 1st Team All Defense

5.) Rookie of the Year

6.) 1st Team All Rookie

7.) Sixth Man of the Year

8.) Most Improved Player

9.) Coach of the Year

10.) Fool's Gold Team

11.) Diamond in the Rough Team

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1. Games of the week.

2. Luka Doncic has been putting up crazy numbers this season, leading his team to wins, and cementing himself as an MVP candidate.

3. The NBA has reportedly explored various rule changes, including shortening the regular season, a mid-season tournament, playoff reseeding, and play in games.

4. Disappointing teams: Portland TrailBlazers, San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, & Chicago Bulls.

5. Marcus Smart said a Denver Nuggets fan told him, "That's right, stay on the ground. Get on your knees," after he got entangled with a chair on the sidelines.

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1. The Portland TrailBlazers have signed Carmelo Anthony to a non-guaranteed contract.

2. Dion Waiters suffered a panic attack on a team flight after ingesting some edibles.

3. Injury report: Hayward, Middleton, Lowry, Ibaka, Fox, Huerter, LaVert, Gordon, Bradley.

4. New York Knicks debacle; Perry’s press conference, Fizdale on the hot seat, front office on the hot seat, Messai and Giannis aspirations, Anthony Davis “not fitting timeline”, but they did sweep Dallas.

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1. Steph Curry will miss at least 3 months after breaking his hand. The Warriors are gonna really suck this year.

2. Zach Collins is likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. What’s next for the Blazers?

3. The Phoenix “From the Ashes” Suns knocked off Philadelphia Monday night, and are now 4-2. Are they for real?

4. John Collins has been suspended 25 games for testing positive for HGH. The Hawks seemed unphased as they got a win against San Antonio on the back of Trae Young.

5. Contenders or Pretenders:

- Atlanta Hawks

- Charlotte Hornets

- Miami Heat

- Dallas Mavericks

- Minnesota Timberwolves

- Phoenix Suns

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1. DeAndre Ayton was suspended for 25 games for testing positive for a Diuretic.

2. Jackie MacMullan of ESPN wrote in an article, “When Irving lapses into these funks, he often shuts down, unwilling to communicate with the coaching staff, front office, and sometimes even his teammates. Nets team sources say once such episode occurred during Brooklyn’s trip in China, leaving everyone scratching their heads as to what precipitated it.” She went on to say though Irving’s teammates seem to love him, “[his] mood swings are the unspoken concern that makes Nets officials queasy.”

3. The NCAA voted unanimously to begin the process of modifying its rules to allow college athletes to make money of their name, image, and likeness “in a manner consistent with the collegiate model”.

4. Biggest surprises / disappointments.

5. Four teams remain undefeated, the Sixers, Nuggets, Spurs, and Timberwolves.

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1.) Takeaways From Opening Night

- Pascal Siakam might be an Eastern Conference All-Star starter.

- The Pels will be just fine without Zion to begin the season. Still a fringe Playoff team.

- The NBA coach’s challenge rule will (hopefully) only last one season.

- When healthy, the Lakers need AD at the 5.

- The Clippers are fucking outstanding!

2.) Blake and Bledsoe set to miss 2-3 weeks.

3.) Last Minute Contact Extensions

- Pascal Siakam - 4 years / $130 M

- Buddy Hield - 4 years / $106 M / $94 M Guaranteed

- Domantas Sabonis - 4 years / $85 M / $77 M Guaranteed

- Jaylen Brown - 4 years / $115 M / $103 M Guaranteed

- Dejounte Murray - 4 years / $64 M

- Taurean Prince - 2 years / $29 M

- Joe Ingles - 1 year / $14 M

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1.) Bradley Beal agreed to a 2 year / $72 million max contract extension, with a player option on the second year. 

2.) Jaylen Brown turned down a 4 year / $80 million contract extension. 

3.) Buddy Hield turned down a 4 year / $90 million contract extension.

4.) Hawks vs. Knicks Pre-season game recap.

5.) Luol Deng signs and retires with the Chicago Bulls.

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1.) LeBron on China / Morey:

- "I think when we talk about the political side, it was a very delicate situation, a very sensitive situation, and for me personally, you guys know that when I speak about something, I speak about something I'm very knowledgeable about, something I'm very passionate about. I feel like with this particular situation, it was something not only I was not informed enough about ... I just felt like it was something that not only myself or my teammates or my organization had enough information to even talk about it at that point in time, and we still feel the same way."

- "I believe he wasn't educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke and so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually. So just be careful what we tweet and say and we do, even though, yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that, too."

- "I believe he was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation, and if he was, then so be it. I have no idea, but that is just my belief. Because when you say things or do things, if you are doing it and you know the people that can be affected by it and the families and individuals and everyone that can be affected by it, sometimes things can be changed as well. And also social media is not always the proper way to go about things as well, but that's just my belief."

- "I do not believe there was any consideration for the consequences and ramifications of the tweet. I'm not discussing the substance. Others can talk about that. My team and this league just went through a difficult week. I think people need to understand what a tweet or statement can do to others. And I believe nobody stopped and considered what would happen. Could have waited a week to send it."

2.) Western Conference Preview

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1.) Daryl Morey and the Chinese backlash.

2.) Kyle Lowry extension.

3.) Eastern Conference Predictions

- Atlanta Hawks

- Boston Celtics

- Brooklyn Nets

- Charlotte Hornets

- Cleveland Cavaliers

- Chicago Bulls

- Detroit Pistons

- Indiana Pacers

- Miami Heat

- Milwaukee Bucks

- New York Knicks

- Orlando Magic

- Philadelphia 76ers

- Toronto Raptors

- Washington Wizards

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1.) Preseason Awards

- Most Valuable Player

- Defensive Player of the Year

- Sixth Man of the Year

- Rookie of the Year

- Most Improved Player

- Coach of the Year

- General Manager of the Year

- Scoring Champ

2.) News Rundown

- The Celtics are unlikely to agree on an extension for Jaylen Brown, as sources say his camp is pushing for a 5 year, $170 Million max deal.

- NBA teams must now certify and report the exact height and age of their players.

- G League will try out a new rule in which one free throw will count for 2 or 3 instead of taking 2 or 3 free throws.

- ESPN Player Ranking

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1.) Best Duos - Vol. 7

- Brooklyn Nets (Irving & Durant)

- Denver Nuggets (Jokic & Murray)

- Golden State Warriors (Curry & Thompson)

- Houston Rockets (Harden & Westbrook)

- L.A. Clippers (Leonard & George)

- L.A Lakers (James & Davis)

- Milwaukee Bucks (Antetokounmpo & Middleton)

- Philadelphia 76ers (Embiid & Simmons)

- Portland TrailBlazers (Lillard & McCollum)

- Utah Jazz (Mitchell & Gobert)

2.) News Catch Up

- Spain wins the World Cup; Rubio wins MVP.

- Shaun Livingston retires.

- The NBA voids Nene's incentive laden contract with the Houston Rockets.

- Isaiah Thomas will miss 6-8 weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb.

- NBA approves stiffer tampering penalties.

- LaMelo Ball has reportedly grown to 6'7" and is now, according to some, garnering comparisons to Luka Doncic.

- Reports have indicated a possible KD return this season.

- Memphis Grizzlies are seemingly cool with Iggy sitting out while they look for a trade.

3.) Biggest Questions

- Where will Iggy, CP3, Bradley Beal, Gallo, and Covington end up this season?

- Who is the East's third best team this season?

- More questions ...

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1.) World Cup check in.

2.) Eric Gordon agreed to a 4 year / $76 million contract extension.

3.) The Memphis Grizzlies are not interested in waiving Andre Iguodala and are requesting he report to training camp.

4.) Joe Johnson has reached a partially guaranteed deal with the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons cut Michael Beasley to open up the roster spit for Iso Joe.

5.) No Ninja Headbands.

6.) KD still salty.

7.) SI’s Top 10

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

2. Kawhi Leonard

3. LeBron James

4. Steph Curry

5. James Harden

6. Anthony Davis

7. Joel Embiid

8. Nikola Jokic

9. Paul George

10. Damian Lillard

8.) Best Duos Vol. 6: Northeast Division

- Cleveland Cavaliers

- Chicago Bulls

- Detroit Pistons

- Indiana Pacers

- Milwaukee Bucks

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1.) USA World Cup Team Finalized

PG: Walker, Smart, White

SG: Mitchell, Brown

SF: Middleton, Harris

PF: Barnes, Tatum

C: Turner, Lopez, Plumlee

2.) The Brooklyn Nets and Caris LeVert agreed to a 3 year / $52.5 Million contract extension. In addition, it's being reported the Kyrie and KD would like the Nets to sign Carmelo Anthony, and Wilson Chandler just got a 25 game suspension for violating the league's drug policy.

3.) Dwight Howard, after clearing waivers, has agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with the L.A. Lakers.

4.) A warrant has been issued for the arrest of DeMarcus Cousins on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.

5.) Best Duos - Vol. 5: Atlantic Division

- Boston Celtics

- Brooklyn Nets

- New York Knicks

- Philadelphia 76ers

- Toronto Raptors

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1.) According to Shams, there is mutual interest between the Lakers and Dwight Howard, and Memphis has permitted the Lakers to talk to Howard. The Lakers are expected to work out Noah, Speights, and Gortat in addition to Howard. Furthermore, Jared Greenberg reported the Lakers don’t plan to use Anthony Davis extensively at Center.

2.) Rookie Survey

- Rookie of the Year: Zion Williamson

- Best Career: Cam Reddish

- Most Athletic: Zion Williamson

- Biggest Steal: Bol Bol / Kevin Porter, Jr.

- Best Shooter: Tyler Herro

- Best Defender: Matisse Thybulle

- Best Playmaker: Ja Morant

3.) Kevin Pelton’s Real Plus/Minus Playoff Projection.

East:

1. Milwaukee Bucks

2. Boston Celtics

3. Philadelphia 76ers

4. Orlando Magic

5. Toronto Raptors

6. Miami Heat

7. Indiana Pacers

8. Brooklyn Nets

West:

1. Houston Rockets

2. Denver Nuggets

3. L.A. Clippers

4. Utah Jazz

5. L.A. Lakers

6. Golden State Warriors

7. Dallas Mavericks

8. Portland TrailBlazers

4.) Travis Schlenk received a contract extension and was promoted to President of Basketball Operations.

5.) NBA Duos Vol. 4: Southeast

- Atlanta Hawks

- Charlotte Hornets

- Miami Heat

- Orlando Magic

- Washington Wizards

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1.) DeMarcus Cousins has suffered a torn ACL.

2.) Joseph Tsai, founder of Alibaba, has agreed to purchase complete ownership of the Brooklyn Nets for $2.35 Billion.

3.) Revisiting Charlotte’s Kemba Walker decision.

4.) Would you rather have ...

- Charlotte Hornets or Cleveland Cavaliers

- Jamal Murray or Ben Simons

- Paul George or Klay Thompson

- Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic

- De’Aaron Fox or Trae Young

- Devin Booker or Donovan Mitchell

5.) Best Duos - Vol. 3: Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

#NBA #DeMarcusCousins #HoustonRockets #MemphisGrizzlies

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1.) NBA Schedule Released

- Further reduction of back-to-backs.

- 10:30 EST nationally televised games reduced from 57 games to 33 games.

- Not automatic that NBA Champs get a Christmas Day game.

- Raptors, Lakers, & Pelicans get the trifecta; opening day, Christmas day, and MLK Day nationally televised games.

- Which All-Star return are you most looking forward to?

2.) Six hours after Rich Paul published an article obliterating the NCAA via The Athletic, they amended their rule requiring agents for college players test the NBA waters to have a 4 year college degree.

3.) Which 2nd and 3rd year players do we expect to make big leaps?

4.) According to Mark Berman of the New York Post, "The 2020 free-agent pool is short on stars, but [the Knicks] could be one of the favorites for big fish Anthony Davis if the Lakers implode. Rich Paul, Davis’ agent, likes the idea of his client in New York, according to a source."

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