Finalists for NBA season awards are set

Now already a few games into the Conference Finals, the NBA has revealed the finalists for their regular season awards.

Who will be named the 2017-18 NBA MVP? Rookie of the year? There are some fresh faces on these short lists for the NBA's prestigious accolades.

Below are the top-3 players in each category as selected by the NBA:

Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

  • Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
  • James Harden, Houston Rockets
  • LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

  • Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
  • Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Kia NBA Sixth Man Award

  • Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
  • Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors
  • Lou Williams, LA Clippers

Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year

  • Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
  • Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

Kia NBA Most Improved Player

  • Clint Capela, Houston Rockets
  • Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets
  • Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers

NBA Coach of the Year

  • Dwane Casey, Toronto Raptors
  • Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz
  • Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics

Predicting winners - A few opinions

James Harden is the favorite to win MVP and has been all season. Stepping back, LeBron James is likely the only reason his team made the playoffs. Houston might have gotten in without Harden. Tough call, but Harden was the best player on the best team this season.

 This seems like a good year to split Rookie of the Year honors. Mitchell and Simmons have both been spectacular. Really, the whole rookie class has been great.

Lou Williams has sixth man sown up. Shoutout though to former Missouri Valley Conference player, Fred VanVleet - the unofficial captain off the bench for the best second unit in the league.

The Jazz had a surprisingly good year. That is because of their defense, which was centered around Rudy Gobert, your DPY. Most improved is tough between Oladipo and Capela. Another toss up, but Oladipo will likely win.

For coach of the year, it certainly seems like Brad Stevens should take it, though all those listed were great. Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, and Brett Brown deserve shoutouts as well.

Winners will be announced Monday, June 25. Did the NBA leave anyone off? Who do you think will win the awards? Let us know in the comments below!

 

NBA 2018 draft lottery order revealed

The Phoenix Suns are set to select first in the 2018 draft. Who will they take?

In the NBA draft, the first 14 picks are determined by their lottery system. Phoenix had about a 25 percent chance to come away with the top pick in this year's draft. The odds held true for them, while there were a couple of variances in the order.

Statistically, Memphis had an excellent chance at picking second or at least third. It was the Sacramento Kings that lucked into the second spot, however. The Atlanta Hawks also moved up, sliding into third by luck of the draw.

Memphis joins Dallas as the two "losers" of the lottery that were bumped down further than expected, though both retain top-5 selections. The draft order is below:

1: Phoenix Suns
2: Sacramento Kings
3: Atlanta Hawks
4: Memphis Grizzlies
5: Dallas Mavericks
6: Orlando Magic
7: Chicago Bulls
8: Cleveland Cavaliers (via Brooklyn Nets)
9: New York Knicks
10: Philadelphia 76ers (via L.A. Lakers)
11: Charlotte Hornets
12: L.A. Clippers (via Detroit Pistons)
13: L.A. Clippers
14: Denver Nuggets

Top basketball prospects in the world will be selected

This year's draft class looks strong, though it will have a tough act to follow after the dominant display by last year's crop of rookies.

The Phoenix Suns are expected to take Deandre Ayton from Arizona to fill there need for a reliable big man. However, their hiring of head coach Igor Kokoskov could suggest that they take European standout Luka Doncic. Kokoskov coached Doncic for the Slovenian national team.

Ayton's size and skill versus Doncic's savvy and athleticism will be an interesting comparison in this draft and likely years to come. The Kings will likely be thrilled to select the whichever player Phoenix leaves on the board.

Potential abounds for all of the remaining teams in the form of Duke's Marvin Bagley, Texas' Mo Bamba, OU's Trae Young, and more.

The draft is scheduled for June 21st. The Basketball Movement will continue to track the draft and it's prospects, so keep it locked right here.

Home court advantage

Whether you have it or you don't, it is tough to deny the existence of home court advantage in basketball.

We just saw it in the first game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals - we see it in grade school hoops; home court advantage helps in our sport.

Whether your fanbase is big or small, there is something to be said for the extra adrenaline that comes from preforming in front of your fans. Nothing builds confidence quite like a crowd going crazy when you hit a shot. The intensity really does seem to ramp up when the crowd chants "DEFENSE" as you prepare to make a stop.

Even if the parents/biggest fans travel well on the road, the crowd is almost never quite like it is when you play in your team's home gym.

The kind of energy brought on by playing on your home court is one that players must learn to harness. The extra energy and adrenaline is a great thing, but playing the right way and remaining focused on your own strengths are still what will pull you through.

For every home team, there is an away squad.

Okay, okay, this is pretty obvious. Still, it is worth pointing out that focus is important at home, but even more important on the road.

When you travel to another team's gym, they will get all of the above benefits. When the home team is on a role and all of the energy in the gym shifts to them, it can be intimidating as a visiting player.

Many of the same tips that apply at home still apply on the road. Laser focus on your role and your strengths become even more important. Road teams can get the same adrenaline, but in different ways. There is nothing quite like quieting a raucous crowd with a big block or by draining a timely three-ball.

Keeping your head up and focusing on the task at hand can be tough in a hostile gym, but it is often the key to stealing a win on the road.

No home team?

This time of year in particular, AAU games, various Summer tournaments, etc. means that both teams are playing in unfamiliar territory.

In a way, this produces some very pure basketball. No home court advantage means that there is a level playing field. Little crowd noise means that you can hear a few shouting coaches, every bounce of the ball, and sneakers squeaking as players drive all over the court.

Sweat and skill determines such games, meaning it is a great time to test your mettle.

Make The Basketball Movement your home court by reaching out to us here!

 

 

Highs and lows of coaching on display in the NBA

It has been an interesting few weeks for coaches in the NBA - Some shouldering blame and others receiving high praise.

Toronto Raptors Head Coach, Dwane Casey just received the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award as voted on by head coaches around the league. A day or two later, he was fired. Wait, what?

Casey's Raptors had the second-best record in the league this season (ahead of the Warriors) and the number one seed in the East. However, for the third consecutive season, they were knocked out by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Yes, LeBron is one of the premier athletes in the world and one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. Still, a clean sweep did not look good for the Raps. Toronto needed some kind of shake-up to try and get over this LeBron-shaped hump that seems to keep them from reaching their potential.

Still, a pretty wild end to Dwane Casey's 7-year tenure with the Raptors. His dismissal after sustained success in Toronto exemplifies the volatility of the head coach position. Unfortunately it seems to serve as a scapegoat for many organizations year after year.

The highs of coaching - Brad Stevens

Coaches may receive a lot of the blame when things go wrong, as Dwane Casey did. Unfortunately they do not always get the praise when things are finally going right, because that is simply their expectation.

Furthering the example of volatility in coaching - Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics is receiving very high praise for what his young squad is accomplishing.

To start the Celtics season, they lost Gordon Hayward (Stevens' old player in his Butler days) to a gruesome ankle injury in their first game. They made the playoffs anyway, but lost All-Star Kyrie Irving to an injury before they started.

“As a coach I think that’s one of the things we have to exude: the ability to move on regardless of the result.”
— Brad Stevens

Despite all this, they have moved on to the Eastern Conference finals, with their coach receiving much of the credit for guiding their very young team. Steven is deserving, but too often coaches are treated as lesser parts of their teams. It is always good to see good coaches recognized.

Around the league

The good news for Dwane Casey is that he will have a long list of teams that will be interested in his services. Other top coaches this year such as Stevens, Gregg Popovich, and Mike D'Antoni will be recognized and given the opportunity to stay with their squads.

76ers coach Brett Brown has garnered a lot of recognition for finally having a successful year after many organized seasons of tanking. Upon losing to the Celtics in the playoffs, he said a few days later that he believed the team needed help. ESPN jumped on him like crazy for making such a comment even though they agreed.

Life as a coach is tough.

David Fizdale has been named the head coach of the New York Knicks, Sixers assistant Lloyd Peirce was named as coach of the Atlanta Hawks, and the New Orleans Hornets hired Spurs assistant James Borrego.

Job security is a fickle thing at the pro level, but hey, the paychecks are pretty nice. A lot of these highs and lows of coaching apply all the way down to coaching kids. It can be very rewarding but also pretty tough. Coaches, hang in there. Players and parents, take it easy on 'em. They are doing a tough job the best they can.

2018 NBA Conference Finals are set

Four teams remain as the NBA playoffs second round concludes, giving way to the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

Many NBA fans will tell you that the second round matchups ended predictably. In the West, the 1 seed Houston Rockets knocked off a tough young Utah Jazz squad 4-1. The Golden State Warriors, now fully healthy with the return of Steph Curry, defeated Anthony Davis' New Orleans Pelicans 4-1 as well.

In the Eastern Conference side of things, one constant has remained predictable over the last decade; LeBron James own the East until further notice.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have bumped the Toronto Raptors from the playoffs for three straight years. They made a clean 4-0 sweep of them this year despite a franchise best 59 wins and a 1 seed for the Raps. The Boston Celtics bounced the Philadelphia 76ers last night in a thriller (4-1) despite losing Kyrie Irving to surgery before the playoffs.

This was a relatively quick second round, considering the seven-game-series format for all four matchups. One sweep and three 4-1 victories means a little break and then to the Conference Finals.

What to watch for in the ECF and WCF

Games resume this Sunday, May 13th with the Cavs in Boston for game one. The Celtics are lacking their biggest stars in Irving and Gordon Hayward due to injuries, but have been as tough as anyone. The scrappyness of Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, and rookie Jayson Tatum paired with the steadying hand of veteran Al Horford has made for a lethal combination.

For the Cavs, this is likely the weakest squad LeBron has had in years. That hasn't slowed him down though, as a he personally sliced through a tough Raptors squad like butter. The winner in the East will have a brief celebration as they enter the NBA Finals as severe underdogs.

Many pundits agree that the winner of the Rockets/Warriors series will with the NBA Finals as well. Both teams, especially at full strength, are offensive juggernauts with improved defenses to boot.

The Western Conference Championship will be must-see-basketball. The reigining champion Warriors return the same four All-Stars that led them last year. The Rockets sport two unproven (in the playoffs) All-Stars in James Harden and Chris Paul. This is Paul's first WCF despite his successes with the Clippers previously.

Don't forget to tune in to these matchups and stay up to date with all the NBA movement by keeping it right here with us! 

Defensive physicality: A Rob Yanders specialty

The Basketball Movement is a place that encompasses every aspect of the game - from offensive skill, defense, and beyond.

Rob Yanders, founder of The Basketball Movement, is always pushing his players to be the best men and women they can be. On and off the court, TBM prepares players to be disciplined, respectful team players.

There are many lessons to be learned out on the hardwood. Robert taught me (@WilHarrington) multiple lessons through the sport of basketball. One that stood out to me as a relatively under-sized player was defensive toughness and physicality.

Rob is not the biggest player himself, so he can bring perspective to players of all sizes. In his career (and still today), he played like a player much bigger than he is.

Robert taught me about defensive toughness the hard way

I was invited to one of Rob's many camps one Summer when I was probably 14 or 15 years old. I had been playing for a while at this point, but still certainly had plenty left to learn.

Skill-wise, I was a little behind most of the players at the camp. I was among the shorter players there as well, so I was feeling like I had a lot to prove. As always, Robert had us doing unique and engaging drills that had players visibly improving with each passing moment.

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Towards the end of the day, we started doing more "game scenario" drills that acted as small scrimmages. Rob is a pretty hands-on teacher, so he inserted himself in some of these drills, often matched up with myself since he is a guard.

He kicked my butt.

I was a pretty quick kid, but he managed to make me look like I had cement blocks for shoes. He kept one hand on me at all times, which is common to keep track of the player being guarded. What was uncommon was the firmness of that stiff-arm. Without fouling, he managed to dictate my every move.

He also used his body to establish a strong based and plant himself in front of me everywhere I tried to go. I felt like a big, strong post-player was shadowing me on the perimeter - it was exhausting and frustrating as an offensive player.

So what to do?

I could have plowed through him and starting picking up offensive fouls (in a drill...), but I decided to just soak up what he was doing to me and make mental notes of everything.

We finished the day with a full court 5-on-5 scrimmage. I did not start in the game but was prepared to make an impact coming off of the bench. 

A lot of the players I guarded were not only bigger than me, but at least as fast. I kept a strong hand on them at all times and tried to be a pest, cutting them off everywhere they turned and staying low. I picked up some charges and was able to prevent my man from doing what he wanted.

I carried that defensive physicality and tenacity forward as a player, eventually being known as a defensive specialist - an important piece to any team.

I have said this before, but I will continue to say it again and again: Parents, get your kids involved with Robert Yanders and The Basketball Movement. It helped me grow as a player and in my discipline and toughness as a person. Contact us here to make this happen as soon as possible.

 

Let's talk about LeBron James

One of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James just keeps doing his thing.

James came into the league out of high school, bringing a ridiculous amount of hype with him. The expectations for LeBron were through the roof, yet somehow, he delivered. Great things were anticipated, but going down as one of the top players of all-time is never a reasonable expectation for any individual.

A one-of-a-kind physical specimen, the league had not seen anything like him since Magic Johnson. For all Johnson's skill, not even he had James' speed and strength.

The ball-handling, passing, athleticism, leadership, defense, basketball I.Q., and improved shooting in a 6-8, 250lb man; his place among the best of all-time is not really up for debate. Where exactly he falls may be, but not his overall basketball greatness.

He isn't done yet

LeBron James entered in the league in 2003, so it feels like he has been around forever. This year is his 15th season. That totals 1,143 regular season games, not to mention 225 playoff contests. How is there still tread on his basketball tires?

The sustained greatness is certainly one of the things that propels the "greatness" conversation. His Cleveland Cavaliers had an up-and-down season, yet are still hanging around in the playoffs. If they go all the way, it will be LeBron's 8th consecutive NBA Finals appearance.

LeBron has owned the Eastern Conference for almost a decade.

Last night, his Cavs, fresh off a seven game series with Indy, beat the 1 seed Raptors in Toronto. It took overtime to do it; 46 minutes and a triple-double from James.

Can he keep it up?

Even with a less-familiar host of teammates than in recent seasons, LeBron is finding a way to get it done. In his age-33 season, he played all 82 games for the first time in his career.

Getting to the Finals will be tougher this year than in any of the previous seven seasons. Once the Eastern team gets there, they will likely earn a date with the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors. Maybe not as fun when you think of it that way.

Regardless of how it all shakes out, one thing is certain: LeBron James is a constant, dependable force in the NBA.

He won't be going anywhere for a few years (well, aside from his pending free agency). Appreciate his basketball mastery while you can. He is physically gifted, but there are parts of his game that any player can work to emulate.

Keep a close eye on King James and stay involved with The Basketball Movement to get the most out of your hoops experience.

Maintaining a "next play" mentality

Basketball is unique from other major sports with its non-stop action. It is important to keep your head up at all times.

In football, when the person with the ball gets tackled, you regroup and set up a new play to try again. After so many attempts, you either score or give up the ball to head to the sidelines for a while. In baseball, you strikeout or hit, then get a lengthy break.

Basketball is different.

If you miss a shot in basketball, you either need to attempt to rebound your own miss or be ready to sprint back on defense. There is not always time to regroup after a miss and especially not after a turnover.

Let's say you have back-to-back turnovers; is there time to hang your head and feel bad for yourself or feel embarrassed? I think you know where we are going with this.

Keep your head up and move on to the next play

Shooting slumps happen. Consecutive lapses in judgement happen. That is just part of the sport of basketball. When these things affect your mentality or your hustle, that is when you actually have a problem on your hands.

It may be tempting to hang your head when things are not going your way. There are a few big problems with that. Your teammates will see that and lose trust, your coach may see and pull you out, or the other team may see and gain confidence.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
— Michael Jordan

The best thing that you can do is instantly focus on the next play. Just stay in the zone and play the game that you have been practicing and practicing. If it results in a defensive stop, you will regain some confidence. If you work to get a layup, it may breed confidence in your shots from every range.

The "next play" mentality is relevant at all levels of the game. You will miss a lot of shots in your career, which will allow lots of opportunities to bounce back. Stay ready and seize those opportunities.

First round of NBA Playoffs nears its conclusion

The first round of the NBA Playoffs are almost over, save for a pair of exciting game sevens.

All of the first round matchups in the NBA have been decided but two, which will make for some must-see TV. The Western Conference is ready to go, while the matches in the East have yet to be determined. That will change in about 24 hours.

In the West, the 1 and 2 seed teams predictably handled their competition. The Houston Rockets beat the Timberwolves 4-1 and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Spurs 4-0. The rest of the West, who all finished with similar records, had a couple of upsets.

The 4 seeded OKC Thunder fell to the 5 seed Jazz last night to lose the series 4-2. The 6 seed Pelicans had a much more surprising start to their playoffs, sweeping the 3 seed Trailblazers. The New Orleans Pelicans could be an interesting foe for the potentially Steph Curry-less Warriors in the second round.

The beasts of the East

The 1 seed Raptors handled the Wizards 4-2 and the young 3 seed Philly team defeated the Heat 4-1. The other matchups are yet to be decided, coming down to one of the best parts of playoff ball: game sevens.

Tonight, the 2-seed Celtics will try to remain near the top of the food chain despite losing Kyrie Irving to injury. They will face of with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:00 PM central on TNT.

LeBron James is looking for his (ridiculous) 8th consecutive Finals appearance. That is in jeopardy as his Cavaliers have been pushed to game 7 by potential Most Improved Player, Victor Oladipo and the Pacers. That game will be on tomorrow at noon central on ABC.

Sit back and enjoy the show.

The Celtics/Bucks game tonight should be a lot of fun. The second round actually tips off tonight as well as Anthony Davis and the Pelicans open their series with the Warriors.

Tomorrow's tilt between the Cavs and Pacers should also be very entertaining as one of the greatest players ever will attempt to build on his legacy. That will conclude the first round of the 2017-18 NBA Playoffs.

A shake-up is always nice, but it also seems a little silly to bet against LeBron James. Enjoy the show and as always, check out the rest of The Basketball Movement blog while you're here!

 

Playing on either side of a blowout

In your basketball career, you will undoubtedly be a part of a few blowout games on one side or the other.

We hope that you will always be on the winning side, but that may not always be the case. Sometimes you will be on a team that is heavily outmatched; maybe things just were not clicking for you at all.

Being down by so many points can be disheartening. No one wants to lose so badly in front of their fans and peers. The desire to not let this happen though is an important piece of competitive spirit. We are not saying that avoiding getting blown out should be top-of-mind entering a game, but if it starts looking that way, then it should probably click.

"Blown out" sounds a little subjective. It could mean different things to players at each level of the game. For the NBA it may mean 20 to 25-plus points or so. For NCAA, more like 15 to 20-plus, since the game is a slower pace. High school is played at many different levels, but that 15-20 range likely is not too far off depending on how early it happens.

What to do if your team is getting blown out

If you find yourself in this situation, there is no need to panic OR hang your head. Large deficits happen frequently, and occasionally, they are overcome. Check a recent example by the OKC Thunder in the NBA Playoffs. The Thunder were down 25 in the third quarter.

The number one thing that you can do for your team in these situation is to continue playing hard. The fans will see it, the coach will see it, and your teammates will see it. Set an example for the rest of your team by playing through and attempting to come back.

Who knows, you may just pull an upset. Such wins are often the most memorable, so do not pass up such an opportunity.

What if you are the team that is applying the beatdown?

Basketball is at its best when played between two evenly matched teams that take the contest down to the wire. It is more entertaining and more fun (though comebacks are pretty great).

In many situations, how to proceed in such times is dictated by the coach. Are the teams so mismatched that you could pour it on as much as possible? Is the other team a threat to come back and need to be kept a arm's length?

Continuing to play hard in a blowout is not a bad thing, but it is a better opportunity to play right. If you are up by so much that it ceases to be fun for either team, it is a great time to focus on fundamentals and run through your playbook in a game-time situation for excellent practice. Never pass up an opportunity to improve.

For more on the sport we all love, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The 2017-18 NBA rookie class was dominant

Though the 2017-18 regular season is over, we are still seeing plenty of rookie prowess with the postseason underway.

Even though the Rookie of the Year honor is essentially a two-man race, it is worth stopping to admire the work put in by this season's entire rookie class. So many of them came in to play large roles on their teams. Some rebuilding, and some legitimate playoff contenders.

An argument could be made that at least seven or eight of these guys could have beat out Malcolm Brogdon for ROY honors last year if they had entered the league. Brogdon represented a bit of a down rookie year, but still. The stark comparison between last year and this one is noteworthy.

A couple of fun, unorthodox rookies were Milos Teodosic and Andre Ingram. Teodosic came over from Europe at the age of 30 and started slinging flashy passes for the Clippers, though his season was marred by injury. Andre Ingram at 32 had spent his entire career in the G-League, but was to finally called up by the Lakers for their last two games. LA loves the old fellas.

Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell

The aforementioned two-man race is between Ben Simmons of the Sixers and Donovan Mitchell of the Jazz. Both teams are still in the thick of the playoffs, led by their star rookies.

Simmons is likely the front-runner; a Magic Johnson-esque 6-10 point guard that puts up well-rounded lines without needing an outside shot. Once he develops as a perimeter threat and more efficient free throw shooter, he will be one of the best in the game.

Donovan Mitchell is the offensive focal point of the defense-heavy Utah Jazz squad. He leads rookies in scoring as the only one to average over 20 per contest. The sky is the limit as he improves his efficiency and ball-distribution.

The other guys/studs

Any other season, Kyle Kuzma, Jayson Tatum, Lauri Markkanan, and Dennis Smith Jr. would be legit ROY contenders. Tatum had a great year shooting the ball and doing everything asked of him for an already established Celtic squad. The others listed above stood out due to necessity on weaker teams, but had fantastic years.

You could even argue that Josh Jackson, De'Aaron Fox, Bogdon Bogdonovic, and Lonzo Ball could have been in contention on down-years like in 2016-17. All of the above players so-far averaged double-digit scoring. Ball spent much of the year hurt, however. Bogdonovic won MVP of the rookie-sophomore game that probably featured many future All-Stars.

All this and we barely got to see anything out of number one draft pick, Markelle Fultz due to a shoulder injury. He is now coming of the bench for the playoff Sixers though. A couple of other rookies that had solid seasons that we'll see more of in the future are John Collins, Jarrett Allen, Bam Adebayo, and Mike James.

A couple of rookies that saw plenty of time, but will hope to produce more in the future were Frank Ntilikina and Malik Monk.

The Basketball Movement looks forward to monitoring the progress of all of these players and getting to work with more and more NBA talent moving forward. Great season, everyone!

Any statistics used from Basketball Reference

Highlight factory: NCAA edition

The Basketball Movement takes a look back at some of the most exciting moments and thunderous finishes from the 2017-18 NCAA season.

Basketball produces a lot of exciting highlights. Anything can happen when the clock is winding down or a player leaps to contest a shot. The 2017-18 NCAA basketball season has ended, with championships in the books and many players declaring for the NBA or WNBA drafts.

We wanted to take a few moments to look back at some of the most exciting and memorable plays from this past season. We open things up with some of the best buzzer-beaters through the regular season.

Buzzer-beaters create such an intense moment for both sides. One side is instantly crushed while the other feels elation. As the video showed, it can also put exclamation points on upsets by teams that played their hearts out to defeat higher-ranked opponents.

The next round of highlights are exciting for different reasons. Mainly though because: everyone loves slam dunks. Here are some of the best from the season.

Ladies NCAA highlights to end all highlights

In case you were under a rock during the final NCAA tournaments, you need to watch these shots by Arike Ogunbowale. As we mentioned before, buzzer-beaters are very exciting. For Ogunbowale, knocking down two monstrous buzzer-beaters two days apart made for some of he greatest moments ever in women's college ball. Take a look.

The tournament of course produced some great moments on both the men and women's side of things. For more on the tournament, we have plenty of good stuff for you here at The Movement.

As some leagues end, wind down, startup, or enter the playoffs, there will be plenty of basketball to keep up with. Keep it locked here at The Basketball Movement to stay in the loop and work on your own game.

We also outlined a few outstanding high school highlights here.

 

Perspective: Erin Popovich passes away at 67

Greg Popovich's wife, Erin passed away Wednesday after battling an illness for a long time according to ESPN.

The head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Greg Popovich has been a key figure in the NBA for a long time. The news of the passing of his wife, Erin is a tough blow to the basketball community. Gregg and Erin Popovich had been married for over 40 years, had two children, and two grandchildren. The couple met while Coach Pop was an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy. 

As devastating as it must be to the Popovich family, it also serves a reminder of what it truly important.

The game seems insignificant in the face of such real-life tragedy. However, the fraternity created by basketball can be a tremendous source of support and family. Stars such as Kevin Durant and LeBron James both used the term "family" when presented with the news of Erin's passing.

This is not enjoyable news to deliver, but we hope that it brings about feelings of appreciation for the people and things that we have. Gregg Popovich has been a polarizing figure of late, becoming more bold with political statements and always firing off sarcasm and wit. No-matter your stance on him, this is a tragedy that must be respected. 

ESPN staff writer, Michael C. Wright reported the following quote from the Spurs General Manager.

“We’re all suffering a profound loss to a really important member of our family and our team. Erin and Gregg were best friends who were together for 40 years, and Erin’s impact and influence on our organization, on our families, on our players and their families will be felt for years to come. I spoke to Pop this morning. He’s overwhelmed by the support. He’s very appreciative of the love that’s been shared with our group, and with him and his family and Erin’s family. As you’d expect from Pop, he wants our focus to be about the game today, about this series, and that’s what today will be about. We’ll miss Erin a lot, and the focus of our team will be on supporting Pop. But we’ve got basketball to get back to”
— Spus G.M., R.C. Buford

The Basketball Movement's thoughts are with the Popovich family and the Spurs organization in this difficult time. Coach Pop will of course miss game 3 of the first round series with the Golden State Warriors (GSW leads 2-0).

NBA's 2017-18 regular season stat leaders

Things are heating up in the NBA playoffs and the regular season has officially come and gone.

Let's take a look back at the 2017-18 NBA regular season to see how things shook out as far as statistical leaders. There was a lot of exciting young talent on display this season, but familiar names still sit near the top of each list.

One category however did yield an unexpected result. The NBA's steals leader this season was Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers. He is a candidate for most improved player and averaged 2.6 steals per contest. We see the number 2.6 again in the other defensive category, as the New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis led the NBA with that many blocks per game.

The LA Clippers' DeAndre Jordan had the highest defensive rebound percentage at 37.6, but it was the Detroit Pistons' Andre Drummond who not only collected the most defensive rebounds, but also the most rebounds in general. He averaged 16 boards per game.

Offensive stats leaders

 Last year's MVP, Russell Westbrook of the OKC Thunder averaged a triple-double again. It is the first time a player has ever accomplished the feat twice. He was the only player to even average double-digit assists this season at 10.2 a game. He also led in field goals missed and turnovers (by 34 TOs over LeBron). You have to take the bad with the good.

Speaking of Cleveland's LeBron James, he led the NBA in minutes in his age 33 season (36.9 per game). An impressive feat for the star that also made the most field goals in the NBA (857).

Now for the scoring champion. Three-point shooting and free throw prowess added up in a big way for the Houston Rockets' MVP hopeful, James Harden. He was the only player over the 30 ppg mark at 30.4 points per contest. He attempted and made the most triples and attempted and made the most free throws. He was third in assists and turnovers as well.

A few other interesting statistics

Six players made 90 percent or better at the free throw stripe: J.J. Redick, Jamal Murray, Marco Belinelli, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and the leader, Steph Curry (92 percent). Plenty of players shot a nice percentage from three, with Darren Collison hitting an impressive 46.8 percent.

Clint Capela of the Rockets edged DeAndre Jordan in field goal percentage with 65 percent. True shooting percentage (takes into account 2's, 3's, and FTs) was led by Steph Curry at 67.5 percent, with Springfield, MO's Anthony Tolliver in second.

Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves had the most fouls, and the Charlotte Hornets' Dwight Howard had the most technicals (17).

It was a fun regular season and should prove to be an exciting playoff season as well. The Basketball Movement intends to stay on top of the league and keep delivering news, so stay tuned!

All stats per Basketball Reference

Playing for a tough coach or with a tough teammate

You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can't always pick your teammates or coach. Or something like that.

If you have played a sport for any length of time, you have likely already encountered either a tough coach or teammate. Teams consist of many different styles, attitudes, and demeanors. In some ways, this is what makes team sports special. Sometimes though, it can be really hard to adjust to.

You will have teammates over the years that will not play hard. Some may not even have any desire to play at all. Some will hog the ball, others may pick on you at practice. These things will seem very difficult to get over in the moment, but in the long term, you will be better for it. Not only as a player, but as a person.

These people will not be limited to sports, but all aspects of life. You will experience many of the same personality traits someday at work, or in social situations. Learning to roll with the punches and taking the high road is not easy, but it is a key part of growth.

“Ask not what your teammates can do for you, ask what you can do for your teammates.”
— Magic Johnson

Not meshing with your coach

Not always getting along with teammates is one thing. Those are your peers that you share many of the same circumstances with. Even more difficult is experiencing a coach that rubs you the wrong way or that you do not see eye-to-eye with.

It is easier said than done, but this situation must be treated similarly to the teammate issue above. Taking the high road in a situation where you are the subordinate is a very backwards-feeling scenario.

If your coach is on you for no reason, stand tall and do not let him/her get a rise out of you. If you are not getting minutes or situations that you deserve, keep grinding until everyone in the gym can clearly see the mistake. Learning to turn the other cheek to those in positions of authority will pay off exponentially as far as your growth as a person.

Know when things have gone too far

Standing tall and not retaliating is the go-to response when you encounter these tough situations. That does not mean that you should just allow yourself to be bullied or harassed. If you feel that things have gone to far with a teammate, bring it up to them. If that does not resolve the issue, it may be time to approach the coach.

If the coach is the problem, discuss it with someone that you trust. A lot of coaches are intense people, and it may just be that they get a bit too passionate about the sport or getting the most out of their players. If it is going beyond that or becoming personal, it may be time to voice your concerns to someone with the ability to resolve the situation.

For examples of great coaches, a player-first atmosphere, and a true team mentality, you are in the right place and Robert Yanders is your man. Contact The Basketball Movement to get involved in our program!

 

The NBA Playoffs start on Saturday

The 2017-18 NBA season had its dramatic wrap-up last night, so the first round playoff matchups are set.

It feels like the big NCAA tournament just finished, yet we are already on the precipice of another great bracket of basketball. This time, it is the NBA's turn. Familiar faces abound, but there are some notable newcomers as well. Let's see how the regular season shook out.

Much of the seeding was not decided until last night, with many close teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. There was however one game that undeniably stood out as the most dramatic.

You know how every action movie has someone sliding under a huge door right before it closes? Well the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets had identical records, were the 8 and 9 seeds (top eight make it), and played each other last night. Minnesota made it in at the very last second, with the game going into overtime.

It was a fantastic game that served as a preview for the kind of basketball goodness that is in store this playoff season.

First round matchups

On both sides of the bracket, great matchups are ubiquitous and upset-potential abounds. That's fancy talk for: this should be fun. The Warriors are not favorites to defend their title, dropping 10 of their last 17 entering the preseason. Steph Curry is still on the shelf as well.

West

Houston (1) vs. Minnesota (8) - Here are your title favorites. The Timberwolves are rewarded for making it in with a matchup against the top team in the NBA through the regular season.

Oklahoma City (4) vs. Utah (5) - Russell Westbrook locked up a triple-double average last night and is the second player ever to do it twice. Yet, they are barely favorited despite no All-Stars for the Jazz.

Portland (3) vs. New Orleans (6) - The Trailblazers are one of the hottest teams in the league. Despite the injury to DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and the Pelicans should give them plenty of trouble.

Golden State (2) vs. San Antonio (7) - The Spurs are in for the 21st season in a row. They certainly aren't as strong as normal. The Warriors are down Steph Curry, leaving them only one MVP and two other All-Stars.

East

Toronto (1) vs. Washington (8) - With John Wall back, the Wizards are a scary 8 seed. The Raptors have had their best season in years and anything short of the Finals will be a letdown.

Cleveland (4) vs. Indiana (5) - The Pacers have been better than anyone might have expected. Unfortunately for them, LeBron James seems to find himself in the NBA Finals almost every single season.

Philadelphia (3) vs. Miami (6) - The 76ers won 50+ games for the first time since Iverson. It will be interesting to see how far their young stars can take them. An injured Joel Embiid could be trouble against the Heat's Hassan Whiteside.

Boston (2) vs. Milwaukee (7) - The Celtics are without Hayward and Irving, but have scrapped all season against the odds. Do not count them out, even against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

Perseverance: 32-year-old rookie makes a splash

After 10 years in the NBA's G-League (formerly the D-League), Andre Ingram finally plays an NBA game.

Andre Ingram was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers to play the final two games of their season. Several of the Lakers' young players are nursing injuries and the team has been officially eliminated from the playoff race for over a week now.

At 32-years-old, Ingram was called up for the first time from his 10-year stint in the G-League. According to the NY Times, he is the oldest American rookie in 50 years. He got the nod to enter the game in the first quarter from Head Coach Luke Walton. It was then that Ingram did what he had been doing for years, made it rain from deep.

Apparently, this fella has hit three pointers at a 46 percent  clip in his G-League career. He is the all-time leader in made triples in the league. He drained all three of his attempts from deep in the first half, finishing the home loss with 19 points, 3 boards and blocks, one 1 assist, steal, and turnover.

Basketball has given us a shining example of perseverance in Andre Ingram

The man's G-League stats are a bit of a head-scratcher. How had this three point sniper not been called up before? No doubt Ingram had been scratching is now greying head before any of the rest of us. Yet he patiently waited for his time to come, and he stepped up to the plate when his number was called.

This type of feel-good story is not uncommon in the sport of basketball. The sport requires a lot of hard work and grit, and this player personifies that. More often than not, hard work pays off in some shape or form. Sometimes, that requires patience, which is not always easy.

We are thrilled that Andre Ingram got to live out his dream (and make approximately 73 percent of his G-League salary in three days). We wish him luck in the Lakers' final game tonight. Maybe someone will take a chance on the long range shooter next season and we can continue to watch his story unfold.

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.

The Basketball Movement offers basketball-specific workout opportunities

At The Basketball Movement, we couple skill, speed, and agility training with resistance workouts designed specifically with basketball in mind.

Much of the game of basketball is mental, which is a big focus of The Basketball Movement. More apparent though is the need to be strong and conditioned. Basketball can be exhausting when you are playing correctly (as hard as possible). TBM can help players be the best they can be by doing basketball-specific exercises with top-of-the-line equipment.

To be the top basketball training facility in the area, it takes more than the two 94 by 50 foot courts. The walls are lined by free weights, skiers, versaclimbers, concept bikes, sleds, rowers, and other low impact, basketball-specific training equipment.

A couple TVs run basketball and other sport news where players can work out just a few feet from one of the revamped courts. For shooting repetition on your own, there is even a GUN rebounder that players can rent.

The Basketball Movement is dedicated to providing the optimal training equipment that players need to succeed. Couple this with the facility - two courts, film analysis room, and more - and you get a premier basketball environment run by some of the most dedicated coaches around.

For more about what The Movement is as well as info on its founder, Rob Yanders, click here. To contact us about jumping on board,  please click here. The Basketball Movement not only stresses continuous player development, but strives to continue its own development as well. Keep checking back here as we keep ramping up the biggest basketball movement around.