Warriors coach Steve Kerr: “Not going to talk about basketball. Any basketball questions don’t matter. I’m tired, I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences. I’m tired of the moments of silence.”
Asked why Deandre Ayton played only 17 minutes (0 in the fourth), Monty Williams says in the most stern voice I’ve ever heard him use: “It’s internal.”
Erik Spoelstra, who has never won Coach of the Year, advances to the conference finals as an eight seed by beating two coaches who’ve each won the award twice.
Giannis says today was the first time he’s seen the replay of his block on Deandre Ayton, and it only happened during the team’s film session.
“When you talk about the past, that’s your ego talking.”
Nobody had to trade for Deshaun Watson. No team had to prioritize theoretical wins over nearly two dozen accounts of sexual misconduct. There was no reason this had to be an inevitability. It shouldn’t take a suspension. Watson escaping even a modicum of accountability is gross.
a Jimmy Butler appreciation: Avoiding a sweep, let alone leading two improbable wins, was a massive accomplishment for him. Jimmy's two best teammates were injured. Next best guy was undrafted. Next best was 20-years old. He went toe-to-toe with two HOFs until he ran out of gas.
His coach’s wife is jealous of his travels. He went toe to toe with LeBron in the Finals. He loves riding bikes in Amsterdam. And he’s maybe the most famous barista in the world.
He’s
@JimmyButler
, and he’s the most interesting man in the NBA.
NEW: Multiple Pac-12 athletes spoke to SI about opting out of the football season if their voices aren’t heard.
“We’re not your entertainment, we’re human beings.”
“This is bigger than our individual selves. This is for all future college athletes.”
Sheriff Villanueva: It is “wholly inappropriate” that TMZ reported names before best of kin was notified. The office won’t confirm victims until the families have been notified.
In the 2020 NBA Finals...
Jimmy Butler
29.0 PPG
8.6 RPG
10.2 APG
2.6 SPG
55.5 FG%
LeBron James
30.2 PPG
11.4 RPG
8.2 APG
1.2 SPG
57.3 FG%
All-time duel.
The NBA COVID replacement rule should have stipulated that once you're down multiple players, you HAVE to sign at least one franchise legend. You wouldn't watch Dirk on Christmas day???
how is LeBron running in from the three-point line and doing one-handed putback dunks in year 18 after making 9 of the last 10 Finals after a short offseason during a pandemic
Kerr: “I ask you Mitch McConnell, I ask you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence…are you going to put your own power ahead of the lives of children?…I’m fed up. We can’t get numb to this.”
"Erik Spoelstra called a timeout with a 1:30 left down by 16, 30 seconds later that play happens... that looked shady to me."
Brian Scalabrine reacts to Caleb Martin's foul on Jayson Tatum
The worst lineup in the NBA so far this season, minimum 35 minutes played:
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Royce O’Neale
OFF: 95.9
DEF: 126.3
NET: -30.4 (!!!!)
Hard to overstate how much Jimmy Butler has meant to the Heat. Team was in no man’s land in 2019.
Since he joined Miami, despite the team never being the favorite, Butler has led the Heat to three conference finals, two Finals, and the most playoff wins in the last 4 years.
LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva: 9 people were on board the aircraft. The pilot plus 8 people. “It is entirely inappropriate right now to identify anyone by name.”
Jimmy Butler to SI:
“Put your head down and just battle…Nobody’s gonna pick us, ever. Nobody’s gonna pick us this year. No one’s ever gonna pick any team that I’m on, which is great, because I don’t give a fuck and I don’t like none of y’all anyways.”
Considering the team, his age, the opponent, the injury, the two-way brilliance…I think that Jimmy Butler performance tops LeBron’s Game 6 in 2012. It’s *at worst* on par.
if you want to see what power imbalance is like in college sports, a player apologizes for tweeting about something their coach did, while the coach simply has to offer some platitudes
I wrote my first cover story for
@SInow
:
@DwyaneWade
, with a little help from his friends, looks back on his whole career, from his first conversation with Shaq, to LeBron’s departure, to now, his last dance.
I met Josh Richardson at the NBA Rookie Photoshoot in 2015 and told him he needed to try a pub sub once he got to Miami. Years later I went to speak to him before a Heat playoff game and he said “chicken tender sub guy!”
Since Jimmy Butler joined the Heat in 2019, Miami is first in playoff wins (38), has the most Finals appearances (2) and leads teams with at least 50 playoff games played in winning percentage (.585).
objectively the funniest outcome here was Dame not getting traded to Miami after all the posturing and chest-thumping this summer.
But the newest funniest outcome is the Heat eliminating the Bucks in the playoffs again anyway.
So, basically I was told today we have only 90 days left at SI.
To anyone who ever engaged with my work on any level, I can’t thank you enough. I learned not to take it for granted.
It’s been a literal dream come true to work here. For now, what’s next is mojitos.
dil se,
Ro
Kyle Lowry’s tenure wasn’t perfect, but in his two full seasons with the Heat they were the 1 seed and made Game 7 of the conf finals in 2022, and then made the Finals in 2023. Neither happens without him.
Chief Osby: The firefighters had to hike into the incident. The paramedics were hoisted down to search for survivors. The presence of magnesium made the fire worse. It took 8 minutes to arrive on scene and one hour to extinguish the fire.
Asked Bam if he’s satisfied to be averaging a career high in playoff points after the way teams defended him last year.
“I won’t be satisfied until we raise one.”
Undrafted Max Strus has now outscored Jayson Tatum, James Harden, and Trae Young in individual games in the playoffs. The Heat have a 99.0 def rtg with Strus on in the postseason.
I wrote about his journey to the starting five and his two-way steadiness.
so jimmy butler played through a (possible) torn meniscus/MCL but the broadcast was lauding joel embiid (returned two weeks ago) for playing through a strenuous pregame warmup
Aaron Gordon has an offer for the NBA.
“If I’m in the All-Star game, I’ll do the Dunk Contest.”
Here’s how he’s making a strong case even without the bribe:
Here's a take I’ve been sitting on:
If Jimmy & Bam had Tatum & Brown’s supporting cast from the last four seasons, the Heat would have multiple titles by now.
Jimmy Freakin’ Butler—guest editor of SI’s NBA Preview—on moving on from the Finals, how many cappuccinos he drank before dropping 56 points, curiosities and obsessions.
For the cover of
@SInow
:
Sheriff Villanueva not really taking any questions. Won’t say what caused the crash or any details of the incident. Sounds like the department will wait for the NTSB.