Basketball has returned. Sort of.
The Dallas Mavericks played their preseason opener Monday night, hosting the Milwaukee Bucks at the AAC. The few that got to see this game were treated to some firsts — 9th pick Dennis Smith, Jr. in uniform with real NBA players — and some definitely not firsts — Dirk Nowitzki once again taking the stage — and about 27 hours after those two sat down for good, the Mavs prevailed.
Golden State was an ice cold 4-33 from beyond the arc, and dropped the opener 108-102
The Golden State Warriors’ first preseason game of the year started off on an exciting note. Right before tipoff, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green was presented with his trophy for the award. Much to the surprise of Green, the person presenting the trophy was his boyhood idol and four-time recipient of the award, Ben Wallace.
The NBA’s Kevin Durant Rule enabled Oklahoma City keep its other superstar.
On July 4, 2016, Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the powerhouse Golden State Warriors. Durant left a bit of money on the table to make the choice, but there was only minor financial incentive to remain with the franchise that had drafted him. NBA contract structures turned free agency into a preference choice. He preferred the Warriors.
The Spurs have not announced a timeline for his return.
Kawhi Leonard will miss the entire preseason, according to a release by the Spurs, as he continues rehabilitation for “right quadriceps tendinopathy.” That’s a fancy way of addressing tendinitis, which Leonard has experienced in his knee before. In 2013, he played through it for some of the season.
The trades that never were.
This wild NBA offseason got a tad wilder when Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder last weekend in a blockbuster deal. But according to Anthony himself, a blockbuster trade elsewhere could have happened much sooner.
Meanwhile, the Warriors did not choose to protest in any particular fashion during the game.
Denver Nuggets players and coaches locked arms during the national anthem in the NBA’s preseason opener against the Warriors, something that Denver forward Kenneth Faried had told the Undefeated they planned to do.
Meralco bolts survives blackwater elite 104-96, to advance to the semifinals round of the 2017 Governors cup vs Purefoods star
This is a huge sigh of relief for Thunder fans.
Russell Westbrook has committed himself to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the long haul. He’s agreed to sign a five-year, $205 million designated player contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It’s the richest contract in NBA history.
The last restricted free agent on the market finally has a contract.
The NBA’s final marquee restricted free agent has finally signed a contract. JaMychal Green and the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a 2-year deal for a little over $17 million, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Shams Charania.
