Basketball Intelligence For 12/18/24
The Bucks Cup runneth over, The Thunder get clapped, and more...
*FEATURE OF THE DAY*
Mike Gminski Has Lived a Hard Life. Now He’s Living His Best One
Alex Squadron, Hoopshq
Give the gift of great basketball coverage. Basketball Intelligence is offering 30% off our annual subscriptions from now until the New Year. Just click the image below.
LEAGUE NEWS
2024 NBA Cup: Picking the top players, rookie and best game
Kevin Pelton, ESPN
Giannis in bloom and the elephants in the room: seven NBA Cup takeaways
Claire De Lune, The Guardian
NBA MVP rankings: Where Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and more land ahead of Christmas
Stephen Noh, The Sporting News
NBA Cup winners and losers: Damian Lillard hoists a trophy, Thunder offense scuffles, Hawks show their promise
Sam Quinn, CSB Sports
Adam Silver looking into critiques of increased 3-point volume
Tim Bontemps, ESPN
"The answer is yes, [we are having] many discussions about the style of basketball [being played]," Silver told a small group of reporters Tuesday night before the championship game of the league's second-annual NBA Cup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks. "I would not reduce it to a so-called 3-point shooting issue. I think we look more holistically at the skill level on the floor, the diversity of offense, the fan reception to the game, all of the above.
The Blueprint: Pick And Roll 101
Marc Campbell, Low Man Help
NBA News and Rumor Roundup 12/18/2024
Jacob Sutton, JSutt Hoops
Iced out
Tom Ziller, Good Morning It’s Basketball
CUP IF YOU BUCK and Why OKC Is Agenda Perfection
Matt Moore, Hardwood Paroxysm
The NBA's 7 Most Impactful Rookies
Jeremias Engelmann, 5x5
Home Court Conundrum
Owen Phillips, The F5
NBA DRAFT
What the NBA is saying about BYU’s Egor Demin
Sarah Todd, Deseret News
There was NBA buzz about Demin before BYU head coach Kevin Young recruited him. Originally from Russia, Demin signed a long-term deal with Real Madrid when he was just 15 and had worked through the Euro team’s academy for the last three years. Rather than move up to the main team for good, Demin opted to move stateside and play for the Cougars.
While his passing and ability to move like a guard with the height of an NBA power forward has long been a mainstay of his game and is enough to pique the interest of people in the NBA world, it’s not enough to guarantee Demin an NBA career.
Danny Wolf, Bobby Bacala or Vlade Divac?
Albert Gihm, No Ceilings
Big Board 2.0: Part 2 - Who’s Climbing the Boards?
Rafaeel Barlowe, NBA Big Board
Spreadsheet Sleepers 2025, Volume One
Maxwell Baumbach, No Ceilings
TEAM NEWS
ATL: For Hawks guard Trae Young, shooting percentage not his top priority, winning is
Lauren Williams, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ATL: Atlanta’s Defensive Building Blocks Are Exactly What Trae Young Needs
Brad Rowland, Uproxx
BOS: The Celtics love 3-pointers. Can the rest of the NBA beat them at their own game?
Gary Washburn, The Boston Globe
BOS: Celtics reserve reveals he’s improved already-elite skill
Souichi Terada, Mass Live
CHI: Injury timeline: A closer look at Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, who is rapidly returning to normal playing time
Julia Poe, The Chicago Tribune
CLE: The primary change that has Caris LeVert in the running for NBA Sixth Man of the Year
Chris Fedor, Cleveland.com
This is a new LeVert. He’s consistently playing within the offense and hunting the right shots. It’s led to him being in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. It’s made him one of the Cavaliers’ most important and impactful players through the first quarter of the season.
DAL: Mavericks hire Rick Welts, Hall of Fame NBA executive, as president and CEO
Brad Townsend, The Dallas Morning News
DAL: Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks’ youngest player, embracing role as a vocal leader
Mike Curtis, The Dallas Morning News
DAL: Mavericks Practice Notebook: Injury Updates, Chandler Works with Bigs, Thompson's Shooting, Prosper's Development
Dalton Afseth, Dallas Hoops Journal
DEN: The Nuggets are credibly rumored to have interest in Zach LaVine: Here's how a trade would work
Stephen Noh, Noh’s Notebook
GSW: Full Circle: Revisiting Monta Ellis' Curry critique as Warriors add Schröder
Punk Basketball, Dub Nation HQ
GSW: Schröder believes teaming up with Draymond will be ‘special'
Dalton Johnson, NBC Sports Bay Area
GSW: Warriors count on Dennis Schroder taking pressure off Stephen Curry, contributing on both ends
Janie McCauley, The Press Democrat
IND: T.J. McConnell’s drive to Arizona’s Ring of Honor and a long NBA run few expected
Doug Haller, The Athletic
This is an extraordinary jump considering when he first transferred to Arizona, assistant coaches sensed doubt. Pasternack said that on McConnell’s official visit, the point guard asked him: “Am I really good enough to come here and play?” Fellow assistant James Whitford said he believed this is what drove McConnell
Remaining League News continued for paid subscribers. Remember: With a paid subscription you get full access to all the best news and reporting that we hand-curate daily for your enjoyment. Already have a subscription? Now is the perfect time to gift one to someone you know!