The NBA's Lou Willams sets a great example off the bench

The NBA has a shoo-in Sixth Man of the Year in Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Coming off the bench is not always as easy as Lou Williams makes it look. He led his team in scoring and assists, taking on a larger role after the Blake Griffin trade earlier in the season. The guard averaged career-best numbers across the board - all in his 13th pro season.

Williams has predominantly come of the bench his entire professional career. He was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2014-15 with the Toronto Raptors as well, averaging a career-best 15.5 PPG. This season he is averaging 22.6, nearly becoming an All-Star and almost pushing the Clippers to the playoffs.

A great perimeter shooter, Sweet Lou has to always be focused so he can come in firing. Coming off the bench means warming up with everyone, but then sitting to start each contest. As a sixth man, he comes in decently quickly. But what about the 7th, 8th, or 9th man?

Coming off the bench is a challenge - Embrace it

There is no denying that it is more glamorous to be a starter in your sport. There are only so many starting spots, and it is up to the coach to determine who gets them. If you come off the bench, but believe that you should be starting, you are in an excellent position to prove it.

As a reserve, you will predominantly be playing against other reserves. If you are able to stand out and effectively dominate your opponents, then that will show to not only your coach, but your teammates, and spectators. Sometimes however, that is just the most effective strategy that the team needs.

Many teams choose to bring very talented players off of the bench to balance the skill level they have on the floor at all times. Lou Williams is the leading scorer for the Clips because he can score like crazy against opposing reserves.

Donte DiVincenzo was the NCAA Finals MVP despite coming off the bench. Coming off the pine does not mean you cannot still get on a heater. Andre Iguodala came off the bench in the 2015 NBA finals and won MVP with his stellar defense.

Do not worry about starting, worry about helping the team

As we have discussed before, there is beauty in knowing your limits. If you are not given a starting opportunity, that does not mean that you cannot strive to become the team's top defender, rebounder, or playmaker. Accepting a role is one of the most important things a player can do to propel a great team.

The award is not final, but everyone and their brother can see that Lou Williams will become the 2017-18 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Congratulations to him and all of the other competing players such as Eric Gordon, Will Barton, and Missouri Valley Conference Alum Fred VanVleet.

Players that have declared for the 2018 NBA draft

Hundreds of college players and multiple overseas prospects have already declared for the NBA draft.

The NBA draft only has two rounds with 30 picks apiece. So, only 60 of these prospects will actually be selected in the 2018 NBA draft. Certainly worth a shot if you think you have even an outside chance.

Draft time is also excellent for getting yourself in front of NBA teams and scouts, as they will host workouts and combines. There is also the Summer league, so even if you are not a lottery pick in the draft, you can be invited to play and test your skills against NBA or near-NBA level talent.

Players like Villanova's Donte Divincenzo's draft NBA draft stock will never be higher, so stay heads up for some big names declaring sooner than later.

As mentioned, hundreds of hopefuls have already declared. There are likely more to keep popping up in the coming weeks. The 2018 draft is not until June, so this is not a draft preview. Now is just the time for players to put themselves on the map. Let's check out some of the top prospects from ESPN's top 100.

Top 100 underclassmen or internationals who have declared for the draft and foregone college eligibility.

Top 100 Prospects: In

PLAYER, YEAR, TEAM, HT, POS

Deandre Ayton, Freshman, Arizona, 7-0, C

Jaren Jackson Jr., Freshman, Michigan St., 6-11, PF/C

Marvin Bagley III, Freshman, Duke, 6-11, PF/C

Mohamed Bamba, Freshman, Texas, 7-0, C

Michael Porter Jr., Freshman, Missouri, 6-10, SF/PF

Trae Young, Freshman, Oklahoma, 6-2, PG

Collin Sexton, Freshman, Alabama, 6-2, PG

Miles Bridges, Sophomore, Michigan St., 6-6, SF/PF

Robert Williams, Sophomore, Texas A&M, 6-10, C

Kevin Knox, Freshman, Kentucky, 6-9, SF/PF

Lonnie Walker IV, Freshman, Miami FL, 6-4, SG

Mitchell Robinson, Freshman, None, 6-11, C

Keita Bates-Diop, Junior, Ohio St, 6-7, PF

Aaron Holiday, Junior, UCLA, 6-1, PG

Troy Brown, Freshman, Oregon, 6-7, SG

Anfernee Simons, HS Senior, IMG Academy, 6-4, SG

De'Anthony Melton, Junior, USC, 6-3, PG/SG

Shake Milton, Junior, SMU, 6-6, PG/SG

Chimezie Metu, Junior, USC, 6-10, PF/C

Justin Jackson, Sophomore, Maryland, 6-7, SF/PF

Landry Shamet, Sophomore, Wichita St., 6-4, PG

Malik Newman, Sophomore, Kansas, 6-4, PG/SG

Tony Carr, Sophomore, Penn St., 6-3, PG

Trevon Duval, Freshman, Duke, 6-3, PG

Ray Spalding, Junior, Louisville, 6-10, PF

Brandon McCoy, Freshman, UNLV, 6-11, C

Rawle Alkins, Sophomore, Arizona, 6-5, SG

Allonzo Trier, Junior, Arizona, 6-5, SG

Billy Preston, Freshman, Igokea, 6-10, PF

Matur Maker, International, Mississauga Prep, 6-10, C

 

Top 100 underclassmen who have declared for the draft but can still withdraw.

Top 100 Prospects: Testing

PLAYER, YEAR, TEAM, HT, POS

Zhaire Smith, Freshman, Texas Tech, 6-5, SF

Jacob Evans, Junior, Cincinnati, 6-6, SG/SF

Bruce Brown, Sophomore, Miami FL, 6-3, SG

Melvin Frazier, Junior, Tulane, 6-6, SF

Jontay Porter, Freshman, Missouri, 6-10, C

Jerome Robinson, Junior, Boston College, 6-5, PG

Jalen Hudson, Junior, Florida, 6-5, SG

PJ Washington, Freshman, Kentucky, 6-8, PF

Josh Okogie, Sophomore, Georgia Tech, 6-4, SG

Jarrey Foster, Junior, SMU, 6-6, SG

Shamorie Ponds, Sophomore, St. John's, 6-1, PG

Sagaba Konate, Sophomore, West Virginia, 6-8, C

Kerwin Roach, Junior, Texas, 6-3, SG

Kris Wilkes, Freshman, UCLA, 6-7, SF/PF

Carsen Edwards, Sophomore, Purdue, 6-0, PG

Issuf Sanon, International, Olimpija Ljubljana, 6-4, PG/SG

Lindell Wigginton, Freshman, Iowa St., 6-2, PG

Kostas Antetokounmpo, Freshman, Dayton, 6-10, SF

Ethan Happ, Junior, Wisconsin, 6-10, PF/C

Terence Davis, Junior, Mississippi, 6-4, SG

Cody Martin, Junior, Nevada, 6-7, SF

William McDowell-White, International, Bamberg, 6-5, PG

Caleb Martin, Junior, Nevada, 6-7, SF

And more! ESPN has a comprehensive list of the undecided players and player that are automatically eligible due to being seniors.

There are still plenty of undecided players, such as Villanova's DiVincenzo and Mikal Bridges. A few noteworth seniors that have yet to officially declare are Duke's Grayson Allen and Missouri State's Alize Johnson. The most notable prospect outside of the top 100 has to be LiAngelo Ball, who is currently playing in Lithuania.

These list are of course subject to change. The Basketball Movement will do its best to stay on top of player movement at all levels going forward. Stay tuned!

Kyrie Irving to miss the 2018 NBA playoffs

Irving had successful surgery on March 24, but it has been revealed that he has a bacterial infection at the surgical site.

The surgery Kyrie Irving had was to remove a tension wire that was placed to mend his left patellar fracture from a 2015 playoff injury. An infection has since appeared where the hardware is in his leg. He must now undergo surgery on his patella to remove two screws.

Early estimates suggest that he will miss 4-6 months following the procedure. This is of course a huge blow to Irving and his team, who thought they would have him back early in the 2018 NBA playoffs. 

Irving spoke out to his fans about the new happenings on Instagram:

“The hardest thing to do sometimes is accept the uncontrollable things life throws at you. You try consistently to learn, grow, and prepare everyday to equip your mind, body, and spirit with tools to deal with some of those things, but I feel when those moments arise they all give you a sense of unfulfillment, simply because it puts some of your professional journey and goals on a brief hold. It’s simply a test of your perseverance and Will, to be present, even in the wake of what’s going on. In this case, finding out I have an infection in my knee is definitely a moment that I now accept and move past without holding on to the all the what ifs, proving the nay-Sayers completely f***ing wrong, and accomplishing the goals I’ve set out for the team and myself. This season was only a snapshot of what’s to come from me. Trust Me. “The journey back to the top of Mt. Everest continues.” #StandingRockSiouxTribe Let’s go Celtics!! Celtics fans, I look forward to hearing how loud it gets in the TD Garden during the playoffs and experiencing how intense the environment gets. Thank you all!”

Kyrie was dealt to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas and company this offseason. His transition was seamless in regards to the game of basketball. Despite losing running-mate Gordan Hayward to injury in their first game, Irving propelled the team, putting up MVP-like effort.

The Boston Celtics are currently the 2 seed in the East behind the Toronto Raptors. This clearly changes their playoffs hopes a bit. They will still be a tough out for someone, executing their scrappy style under head coach Brad Stevens.

With this and all of the other injuries going into the 2018 playoffs, it has become a two-team race in the Eastern Conference. We will see if the Raptors can hold off LeBron James and his new-look Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Basketball Movement wishes Kyrie Irving a speedy and effective recovery.

Injuries abound for many NBA playoffs teams

With the regular season winding down, many playoff-bound teams in the NBA are monitoring injuries to key players.

NBA and NCAA basketball fans alike are in the middle of one of the best times of the year for the sport. March Madness is in full swing and the NBA regular season is coming to a close, which means one very exciting thing: the playoffs are almost here.

Unfortunately, there are many teams this year that are dealing with injuries while the playoffs are quickly approaching (playoffs begin Saturday, Apr 14). There is still plenty of time for those players that are dealing with very minor injuries, but for many playoff teams, there are longer-term issues at hand.

We already saw the Boston Celtics lose Gordon Hayward to a leg injury to start the season, so we knew he would be out at this point. Kyrie Irving is the big question mark for the C's right now. The Celtics are number 2 in the East and have already declared that Irving is out for the regular season. His return in the playoffs will truly shift the balance of power. Marcus Smart is also nursing a thumb injury, not expected back until May.

Welcome back, Markelle Fultz

For the Philidelphia 76ers, they finally look healthy, with number 1 pick Markelle Fultz coming back from his season-long shoulder injury last night. "The process" is shaping up nicely in Philly. The Washington Wizards are now expecting star John Wall back after a lengthy absence as well.

The Milwaukee Bucks are hoping that last year's Rookie of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon will be back sometime in April, so chalk him up as questionable for the playoffs. Current 8 seed Miami is hoping that Hassan Whiteside can hold up after missing a lot of time this season. He is currently out with a hip injury.

In the Western Conference, the top seeded Houston Rockets are healthy and already starting to rest players to stay that way. It is the 2 seed that is one of the biggest playoff mysteries, injury-wise...

The Golden State Warriors are banged up

Before the emergence of Houston, the only thing that everyone said could stop the Warriors was injuries. Well, they are pretty battered and bruised right now. Draymond Green is just sick at the moment, ready to return soon. However, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson had more serious injuries, though they are expected back before April begins.

Thompson's shooting thumb and Durant's rib are two things the Warriors can ill-afford to chance as far as rushing them back. Steph Curry is the real story though. A grade 2 MCL sprain will sideline Curry for what coach Steve Kerr says will be at least the first round of the playoffs. 

“Hopefully, I prove what coach said was wrong and put myself in position to get back as soon as possible, but right now, who knows? Just try to do my job in the rehab process and get back as soon as I can.”
— Stephen Curry

The rest of the West

C.J. Wilcox of the Portland Trailblazers is out indefinitely with a knee issue. The Oklahoma City Thunder have already lost all-pro defender Andre Roberson to season-ending surgery. The New Orleans Pelicans took one of the biggest injury hits of the season, losing DeMarcus Cousins to an achilles injury. The Pels have lost a couple role players as well.

The only San Antonio Spur on the injury report is Kawhi Leonard, but there seems to be more to the story there than an injury keeping him from playing. For the Minnesota Timberwolves, All-Star Jimmy Butler is determined to return before the playoffs, though his surgery for his torn meniscus was only in February.

The Utah Jazz currently hold down the final playoff spot and are missing perimeter defender, Thabo Sefolosha, who is out for the season. The Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers are fighting to overtake the Jazz for that spot. Gary Harris should be back soon for the Nuggets while the Clips have lost a couple of guards for the season: Avery Bradley and Patrick Beverly.

Hopefully these teams and players can heal up, because no-matter who you root for, the game is at its best when everyone is fully healthy and ready to go. For more on the NBA and everything basketball, you are in the right place - The Basketball Movement. Check out our NCAA final four preview here.

Injury notes per Rotoworld.

NBA looks to eliminate the "one-and-done"

With NCAA teams under fire for rule violations related to amateurism and preferential treatment, the NBA seeks to pave a new path for elite players.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is currently looking into changes in the way the NBA interacts with top high school talent, according to a report by ESPN's Brian Windhorst. This is of course a large step, as the league is not currently allowed to do so, requiring players to be 19 or a year removed from high school before entering the league.

Nothing conclusive has come from the Commissioners office, though we will likely hear more in the coming months. These restructuring initiatives of course hinge on the recent scandals surrounding NCAA and youth basketball. 

Between the multitude of jobs around the league and the infrastructure provided by the G-League (formerly the D-League), paid positions or playing opportunities certainly abound. There are several options here besides just reducing the required age to 18 again.

“We’re spending a lot of time on [youth basketball]. I think there is a big opportunity, on a global basis, focus on elite players in terms of better training, better fitness, so that they ultimately can be successful at the highest level.”
— Adam Silver

The above is a quote from the Commissioner given over All-Star weekend, though talks have recently accelerated due to the FBI investigation of the NCAA.

The takeaways thus far are simply that the NBA, the top global basketball league, is taking close note of the happenings at every level of the sport. More will be coming on this, likely once the NCAA tourney has ended. Stay at The Basketball Movement for everything high school, NCAA, AND pro basketball for more.

See ESPN's full report here.

 

 

SLAM top 100 NBA players

SLAM Magazine has released a special issue highlighting who they believe to be the top 100 NBA players of all-time.

One of the best things about humans as that we are all wonderfully different. We look differently, act differently, and all have unique opinions. Opinions lead to debates and debates lead to lists like the recent SLAM Top 100.

SLAM is one of the premier outlets for NBA culture on down through prominent high school ballers.

How tall a task is it to rank every basketball player through all-time against each other? It is really impossible to judge the greatness of Steph Curry against "The Admiral" David Robinson. SLAM recently put themselves out there and produced what they believe to be the best possible evaluation.

Below is a complete list of their selections:

A few things jump out from this list, though different things likely jump out for different individuals. There are a lot of players on the list that many did not have the opportunity to watch when they were in the league. Was Dolph Schayes really better than Vince Carter? Pretty tough to say.

Michael Jordan at 1 is tough to dispute. Kobe at number 5 would likely draw plenty of arguments both ways, same for Bird at 10.

One thing that stands out to this blogger is how difficult it is to gauge active players - especially younger ones. Perhaps it is a little early to have Giannis Antetokounmpo ten spots higher that Carmelo Anthony. On the other hand, maybe James Harden should already have passed Tracy McGrady. See? Tough to judge.

Stephen Curry may be the toughest pick to gauge because he is already at 19 - ahead of Karl Malone, Dwyane Wade, John Stockton, Allen Iverson, and well, most people obviously.

What do you think? Any big snubs of note? Players too high or low? Please let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @BBall_Movement

Recap - NBA All-Star Weekend 2018

Another NBA All-Star weekend in the books, this time with some new formats and faces, which all worked for the most part.

Here at The Basketball Movement, we are all about everything basketball from the NBA on down. We previewed NBA All-Star Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights to let you know what to look for. The NBA changed a couple things, but overall it was a great spectacle of the sport as usual.

As always, one great takeaway from the weekend was the presence of basketball royalty. From coverage by Reggie Miller, Shaquille O'neal, and more to courtside appearances by Jerry West, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell, some of the greats were in attendance, including our own Rob Yanders.

The pageantry of the weekend is typically robust, but may have been a little too above-and-beyond with strange All-Star game intros and a national anthem that was shaky at best (sorry, Fergie).

Back to basketball...

The future of basketball is in good hands

The Basketball Movement tracks players from high school, to college, to the pros. We are very familiar with the pipeline that tells us how high the talent level is looking over the next few years. Some of this is already very apparent from what we saw from the young guys this weekend.

The Rising Stars U.S.A. vs. the World game featuring NBA rookie and sophomore players was a great show of the league's young talent. Joel Embiid participated though he was also a starter in the big Sunday night game. Rookie of the Year frontrunners Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell both quietly had efficient, well-rounded games.

The Sacramento Kings had a great showing with two of the top player in the game - Buddy Hield and the game's MVP, Bogdan Bogdanavic. It looks like their rebuild is coming along nicely. Kyle Kuzma of the Lakers and Jamal Murray of the Nuggets showed out too. The Celtics Jaylen Brown had the top stat line with 35 points and 10 boards.

The young talent did not stop on Friday, as they young guns were well represented over the next few events as well.

Skill and three-point competitions as good as ever

The skills competition did not have as many big names as we may have seen in the past, but was still highly entertaining. Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets took the title by beating the Bulls sharpshooting rookie, Laurie Markkanen in the final round.

Since introducing post players into the event, the bigs had been undefeated, winning the last two years. The guards took it back in this one, despite the presence of All-Stars Joel Ebiid, Andre Drummond, and Al Horford.

The three-point shootout featured a stacked field of long-range snipers and was set up to be gold from the start. Last year's winner Eric Gordon of the Rockets couldn't escape the first round, while 2016 winner Klay Thompson advanced easily to the finals.

Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns ousted the Warriors former champ in epic fashion, scoring a contest record 28 points on 20 of 25 shooting (of course money balls have not always been a thing). The three-point shot is alive and well in the NBA and we will only see shooting improve.

Oh, there was a slam dunk competition also

The 2016 slam dunk contest may have spoiled us. Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon's high-flying masterpiece was easily one of the all-time greats in dunk contest history. A couple years later, the contest was entertaining, but struggled to live up to the lofty standards.

The bottom two participants only got one round to show their stuff, which is unfortunate, because Dennis Smith Jr. may have had the top dunk of the evening with his reverse, between-the-legs 360.

Larry Nance Jr. used his fathers influence to great effect by putting on his uniform for a throwback dunk. Nance' "Double-Tap" dunk was one of the most memorable from the contest.

Rookie Donovan Mitchell was filling in for the injured Aaron Gordon and won the whole thing. His first "Rec League" dunk was fun, but he mostly leaned on nostalgia the rest of the way over innovation.

The Vince Carter slam was an exact replica of the 2000 Vinsanity reverse 360 windmill. Nance was more innovative, so it was arguably a cheap way to earn the championship round scores.

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

The Sunday night All-Star game was one of the best we have seen in years. The league ramped up the monetary incentives, though they were geared toward charity. The new format featured captain-picked squad for added intrigue.

The league wanted more defense/competitive basketball and the players certainly delivered. It was a down-to-the-wire contest with a defensive stop sealing the deal for team LeBron. Not even Stephen Curry could get a final shot off against a LeBron James/Kevin Durant double-team.

Highlights were frequent as usual, though the heightened defense also allowed fewer of the high-flying dunks fans might be used to. We saw well-rounded games from Damian Lillard, DeMar DeRozen, Kyrie Irving, and Joel Embiid.

A lot of players seem to be developing beef with Embiid, who has still not played 82 games total in his career. This seems to speak volumes for how intimidating a force he is becoming in the NBA.

LeBron James was the undisputed MVP. His 29-10-8 line was the most impressive in the contest. In a game in which the best of the NBA came to play, King James still stood out as the top player. Will we ever see LeBron get old and slow down? Probably, but it does not look like it will be soon.

Here's to the final stretch of the season

Talent old and new was on full display and the NBA is looking as strong as ever. It will be exciting to see these stars head back to their teams and gear up for what is looking to be a dramatic final portion of the season.

Keep it locked to The Basketball Movement as we follow along here and on Twitter @BBall_Movement

All stats per ESPN.com

NBA All-Star Sunday Night

Ladies and gentlmen, the moment you have all been waiting for - the 2018 NBA All-Star game!

It has already been an exciting NBA All-Star weekend with plenty of young talent, memorable dunks, and dazzling skills.

Last night gave us skill competition champ Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets, 3-point champ Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, and slam dunk master Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz.

Did the best shooter win? Was Donovan Mitchell the rightful winner of the dunk contest or did he just cash in on nostalgia instead of innovation? We will go more in-depth tomorrow with a recap of the full weekend.

For now though, it is time to look ahead to tonight - the main event.

Sunday night's 67th annual NBA All-Star game

At a glance, one can quickly determine that team LeBron vs. team Stephen is a different format than in previous years. We have broken down the new format for you already here at The Movement.

The general change is that the top vote-getters in each conference are team captains that select their teams using players from either conference. Fan voted starters were selected first, then coach selected reserves.

Team LeBron has suffered four injuries that required NBA-chosen fill-in players. Team Stephen remains unchanged. LeBron has stated that reserve Russell Westbrook will replace the injured DeMarcus Cousins in his starting lineup.

The starters:

Team Lebron: Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and *DeMarcus Cousins

Team Stephen: Steph Curry, DeMarr DeRozen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, and Joel Embiid

The reserves:

Team LeBron: *Kristaps Porzingis, *Kevin Love, Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge, *John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Russell Westbrook, +Goran Dragic, +Andre Drummond, +Kemba Walker, and +Paul George

Team Stephen: Kyle Lowry, Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Al Horford, Damian Lillard, and Jimmy Butler

* Injured - will not play

+ Replaced injured player

Things to watch for

Team LeBron seems to have some statistical advantages over Team Stephen, with higher total points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals over the course of the season. Team Stephen only leads in 3-point makes (stats per NBA.com)

That is not to say Team LeBron will walk all over them. No team that includes Curry, Harden, and more can be doubted. They will also have the chemistry of three Golden State teammates on their side.

The other Warrior, Kevin Durant, will be going against them while teaming up with old ally Russell Westbrook. LeBron and Kyrie Irving are another former tandem that will be joining forces. How these allies turned foes interact will be interesting to watch.

Check back to The Basketball Movement tomorrow for a recap of this game and the All-Star weekend as a whole.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night

A stacked 3 point contest field and a promising dunk contest highlight NBA All-Star Saturday Night.

As anticipated, Friday night kicked off NBA All-Star weekend in a big way with the Rising Star challenge. Bogdan Bogdonavic, Serbian rookie for the Sacramento Kings took home the MVP trophy for his part in the Team World three-point barrage.

We also got a preview of the hops rookies Dennis Smith Jr. and Donovan Mitchell will display tonight in the slam dunk competition. It will be a full Saturday of events to keep the momentum going in an exciting All-Star weekend.

Things kick off Saturday on NBA TV with hall of fame announcements at 12:00 (CST). NBA All-Star practice and media day will immediately follow. Commisioner Adam Silver will be available to the media at 6:00 (CST).

Then, the real fun begins.

State Farm All-Star Saturday Night

At 7:00 (CST) begins the first event: the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. This one has been growing in popularity and will once again feature guards and bigs alike. The contestants are as follows (per NBA.com):

2018 Participants: 
Spencer Dinwiddie (Nets), Joel Embiid (76ers), Al Horford (Celtics), Lauri Markkanen (Bulls), Buddy Hield (Kings), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), *Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks), Andre Drummond (Pistons), Lou Williams (Clippers).

* = injured and will not participate

The JBL Three-Point Contest is up next. Defending champ Eric Gordon is back as well a '16 winner Klay Thompson. There are better shooters in the NBA than ever before and that will be on full display in this contest.

Here is the full list of participants (per NBA.com):

2018 Participants:
Eric Gordon (Rockets), Klay Thompson (Warriors), Bradley Beal (Wizards), Paul George (Thunder), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Devin Booker (Suns), Wayne Ellington (Heat), Tobias Harris (Clippers)

The main event: Verizon Slam Dunk

The skills event is fun and the three-point contest is impressive, but there is one Saturday night event that always steals the show.

The slam dunk contest is primed to be great once again this year. Aaron Gordon unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury, but the NBA did a great job of filling his spot with bouncy rookie Donovan Mitchell. Full list of participants:

2018 Participants:  
Victor Oladipo (Pacers), Larry Nance Jr. (Cavaliers), Dennis Smith Jr. (Mavericks), Donovan Mitchell(Jazz)

Mitchell and Smith Jr. are two exciting rookies that seem to top the predictions for most players and analysts. Victor "Mr. 360" Oladipo participated in the 2015 contest, falling to Zach Lavine, but he certainly is capable of putting on a show.

Larry Nance Jr. has big shoes to fill as his Father won the first even dunk contest. He has plenty of highlights to his name and fills the spot of the tallest participant.

Basketball fans are in for a treat once again this Saturday with what should prove to be a highly entertaining evening of flashy skills, three-point dominance, and thunderous dunks.

As always, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement as we continue to follow some of the most exciting events in hoops.

NBA All-Star Friday Night

No dunk contest or All-Star game Friday night, but that is no problem with the Rising Stars game on deck.

Even the most casual NBA fan has been hearing about some of the rookie ballers this season. Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr., Donovan Mitchell, Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Kuzma, and Jayson Tatum anyone?

NBA Friday Night showcases this rookies in the 2018 Mtn Dew Kickstarter Rising Stars game. That is a mouthful. Yes Lonzo Ball will be there too, though he will be unable to play due to injury. There are plenty of noteworthy second-year players also, highlighted by NBA All-Star starter, Joel Embiid.

Once again, the game will be set up in a U.S.A. versus the World matchup, with foreign players taking on the "home team". The full lineups are as follows per NBA.com:

WORLD TEAM

No. | Player (Team) | Pos.
8 | Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings) | G
24 | Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies) | F-G
21 | Joel Embiid (76ers) | C
24 | Buddy Hield (Kings) | G
24 | Lauri Markkanen (Bulls) | F
27 | Jamal Murray (Nuggets) | G
11 | Frank Ntilikina (Knicks) | G
11 | Domantas Sabonis (Pacers) | C-F
9 | Dario Saric (76ers) | F
25 | Ben Simmons (76ers) | G-F

U.S. TEAM

No. | Player (Team) | Pos.
2 | *Lonzo Ball (Lakers) | G
13 | *Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks) | G
7 | Jaylen Brown (Celtics) | G-F
20 | John Collins (Hawks) | F-C
32 | Kris Dunn (Bulls) | G
14 | Brandon Ingram (Lakers) | F
0 | Kyle Kuzma (Lakers) | F
45 | Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) | G
1 | Dennis Smith, Jr. (Mavericks) | G
0 | Jayson Tatum (Celtics) | F
12 | Taurean Prince (Hawks) | F
5 | De'Aaron Fox (Kings) | G

* = injured and will not participate

The game will kick off at 8:00 PM CST at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Celebrity All-Star game

Since the festivities are in LA, we cannot forget about the celebrity game that starts before the Rising Stars. A few former pros highlight the field such as Paul Peirce, Jason Williams, Nate Robinson, and Tracey McGrady.

Justin Beiber will be participating as well as Nick Cannon, Bubba Watson, and more. Here is to hoping Jason Williams and little Nate Robinson steal the show and give us some nice highlights. Not that we don't want to see one of the HGTV Property Brothers ball out.

Tune into the games tonight and remember to check back on The Basketball Movement tomorrow as we discuss more of the All-Star Weekend festivities.

 

Player movement - Cavaliers give up on Isaiah Thomas experiment

About six months after trading Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, the Cavaliers trade him away for role players

The NBA trade deadline is upon us and the player movement is in full swing. Isaiah Thomas was injured when the Boston Celtics first dealt him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving last August.

Since coming back from his injury, Thomas has played in 15 games for the Cavs averaging 15 and 5 on just 36 percent shooting from the field (per basketball reference). With the Cavaliers starting to slip in the win column, they were desperate to shake things up at the deadline.

Coming off an extended injury, rust was expected for the 5'9" point guard. Apparently the Cavaliers were expecting more - trading he and Channing Frye to the Los Angeles Lakers for Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, and a protected 2018 1st round pick.

The Cavs also dealt Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder to Utah for George Hill and Rodney Hood in a three-team deal with the Kings and they are looking to send Dwyane Wade back to Miami per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Apparently the Cavs regret their Celtic and veteran acquisitions.

Crazy how quickly business can change the landscape of the sports world. We already learned about the business of basketball recently with the dealing of Blake Griffin.

Implications of the trade

For the Lakers, this trade makes sense. They lacked outside shooting and now get that in Thomas and Frye, though they also get older. They also cleared cap space for free agent acquisitions in the Summer (Paul George or... LeBron??). The pick is also valuable.

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, the future is less clear. This makes the Irving trade look like a big loss, even with Boston's pick they acquired.

Utah is likely tanking the best they can in the loaded Western Conference.

The Cavs were running out of patience with their team underperforming and Isaiah Thomas appears to have been their scapegoat. They look much different now with the Laker and Utah trades.

We will see if this shake-up re-energizes the Cavs for a push to convince LeBron James to stay. If not, they may have paved him a path to leave for Los Angeles.

With the trade deadline forcing teams to make moves, be sure to keep it locked to The Basketball Movement here and on Twitter @BBall_Movement.

 

Lakers fined $50,000 for tampering

Here is a weird one: The LA Lakers were fined because Magic Johnson complimented Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In an interview with ESPN, LA Lakers Team President Magic Johnson praised Giannis Antetokounmpo, earning himself a fine... for some reason. Johnson's quote is as follows:

“With his ball-handling skills and his passing ability. He plays above the rim; I never could do that. But in his understanding of the game, his basketball IQ, his creativity of shots for his teammates ... that’s where we [have the] same thing. Can bring it down, make a pass, make a play.

...I’m just happy he’s starting in the All-Star Game because he deserves that. And he’s going to be like an MVP, a champion. This dude, he’s going to put Milwaukee on the map. And I think he’s going to bring them a championship one day.”

This certainly seems like a harmless, even thoughtful gesture by Johnson. However, the league seems to think otherwise.

Magic Johnson's Lakers have already been hit with a tampering fine, the last one for $500,000 last August. It was discovered that they had been engaged in talks with Paul George's agent outside of the appropriate times.

The league is clearly demonstrating the seriousness with which they see these kinds of dealings. Be careful who you compliment, people.

Follow along with all of the latest basketball news on Twitter @BBall_Movement or here at The Basketball Movement.

Who is da real MVP... so far?

LeBron, KD, Steph, the Beard, Westbrook - there can be only one NBA MVP.

Many say the LeBron James is the best basketball player on the planet. That is tough to argue against, though we still seem to have a bunch of potential NBA MVP candidates on our hands.

If the season ended today, who would win the MVP honor? The Basketball Movement weighs in.

How about LeBron? He has spoiled us for years with a combination of size, strength, and skill unlike anything we have seen. He has been putting up big numbers this season, but the Cavs have been a dissapointment.

Kevin Durant is in the debate for greatest basketball player alive as well. He continues to score like crazy and has improved his defense this year, contributing to the Warriors NBA-leading record. However, he is splitting that accomplishment with another former MVP.

We are all familiar with what Stephen Curry can do. He is on pace to be the best shooter in NBA history and continues to lead his team to the top year after year. His play has been stellar, but it is tougher to gauge his value playing alongside Durant.

The reigning MVP anyone? Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double last season, earning him the MVP honor. He is less than a rebound away from doing it again this year, though his scoring is down.

James Harden is likely leading in this conversation at this point in the season. He is averaging 31 points, 9 assists, and 5 boards a game while powering his team to the second best record in the league. He has been doing it without CP3 for much of the season. All highlighted by his recent 60 point triple-double.

There are certainly other players worth naming such as DeMar DeRozan, Kyrie Irving, and Giannis Antetokounmpo being the standouts.

Who would you give the honor to if you had to pick today? Comment below or let us know on Twitter @BBall_Movement

All stats from basketball reference

Player movement - Blake Griffin and the business of basketball

You might've heard: Blake Griffin has been traded, despite a seemingly mutual desire for his legacy to be as a Clipper.

If you follow pro sports, you have already heard by now that Blake Griffin has been dealt to the Detroit Pistons. You may also recall during the free agency period last Summer how badly he and the Los Angeles Clippers seemed to want to stay together.

Griffin had a tough decision on his hands last Summer when he met with the Clippers. They raised his jersey into the rafters at the Staples Center and talked about his lasting legacy as the greatest Clipper. Griffin was convinced and bought in, signing a 5-year $173MM contract.

Jump forward about seven months and Blake Griffin is headed to the Detroit Pistons with Los Angeles looking to rebuild.

The Clips were hovering around the 9th position in the West with no real hopes of seriously contending. Griffin has been in MVP discussions before, but only when healthy. His health has been a concern for a very long time.

The Clips have been big with he and DeAndre Jordan for a while, and decided to blow up what wasn't working and gear towards the future. With draft prospects so bright over the next few years, you can see why.

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Still, why string Griffin along only to dish him now?

Basketball (especially at the pro level) is a business above all-else. This is a tough lesson for many players and superstars like Blake Griffin are no exception.

The Clippers have had a taste of success and want to rebuild to get back into contention in the future. The Pistons need a star to get fans to brave the cold weather and attend games. So, a deal was made, regardless of player feelings.

This sends a message to all players that loyalty is not valued in all organizations. When your contract is up or free agency rolls around, do what is best for you, your family, and your career. Don't count on generosity in the business of basketball.

Follow more player and basketball movement at thebasketballmovement.com

New NBA All-Star format

The NBA is at it again trying to mix up the format of the All-Star game. Starters and reserves have been selected, but how are teams determined?

The line that divides conferences will be blurred this year as East and West All-Stars will be mixed into two different teams. The Basketball Movement is here to fill you in on how it is all going down.

LeBron James (top vote-getter in the East) and Steph Curry (top in the West) will be team captains, selecting players for their squads.

The starters and reserves are now set, barring any injuries. The starters are as follows:

East: Kyrie Irving, DeMarr DeRozen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.

West: Steph Curry, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins.

Starters must be picked first

LeBron and Steph will take turns selecting from the pool of starters, regardless on conference affiliation. LeBron gets the first pick, giving him a chance to steal Curry's Golden State teammate, KD.

Once the starters have all been selected, they move to the reserves, which are as follows:

East: Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Love, Al Horford, Kyle Lowry, Bradley Beal, John Wall, Victor Oladipo.

West: Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Russell Westbrook.

There you have it. The teams will be mix-and-match, though we will likely see Kevin Love on LeBron's team and as many Warriors on Curry's as he can get. Unfortunately, the selection won't be televised as Commissioner Adam Silver says "It could put the captains in a compromising position".

Big snubs this year?

Cases could be made for a lot of players to get in, as usual. Paul George and Lou Williams are on the outside looking in in the West. Andre Drummond is likely feeling left out in the East.

As always, it is tough to try and find spots for all those that are deserving. Please let us know in the comments below what you think of the new format or which players you feel should have made the cut. You can also let us know on Twitter @BBall_Movement

Jason Kidd fired from head coaching job

There was some basketball movement in the NBA yesterday, as the Milwaukee Bucks oust Jason Kidd

The blog for The Basketball Movement is here to give you all the details on what's happening in the basketball world. There was a big surprise yesterday when the Bucks announced the firing of head coach Jason Kidd.

Kidd had been with the organization for the last three and a half seasons with 139 wins and 152 losses. The Bucks had high hopes this season of being an elite contender in the East. Jabari Parker's injury and a recent skid in the standings have the team currently sitting in the 8th spot.

Parker is due back soon, but the leaders in the organization clearly believed change was needed to address the recent mediocrity. Giannis Antetokounmpo was just named as an All-Star starter, but the team around him isn't helping enough to light up the win column.

Reports show that the 23 year old Antetokounmpo was not happy with the firing of coach Kidd.

Antetokounmpo clearly doesn't have as much pull as other stars such as LeBron James or even Marc Gasol who seem to have a say in the coaching situations.

Going forward

This leaves a pretty desirable job opening in the NBA. Even after a so-so start, Milwaukee is a team that will surely be in the playoff mix. With Parker coming back, a legitmate star in the "Greek Freak" Antetokounpo, and a solid young cast, this is a team on the rise.

It could be tough for Jason Kidd to find work this late in the season, but the (relatively) young coach should bounce back soon. It will be interesting to see how the Bucks respond to this shift going forward.

Keep it locked to The Basketball Movement for everything NBA and everything basketball.