Good morning. Gordon Hayward was right about LeBron.
That and much more in Thursday’s NBA newsletter.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
LONG READ: Nick Weldon on the painful history and hopeful future of pro basketball in New Orleans. Very good stuff.
LEVEL UP: Hey, Gordon Hayward was right -- he did annihilate LeBron and the Cavs with a dagger to send Cleveland to 1-3 on the season. Hayward also hit Bron-Bron with that chasedown block. Induce Cavs Panic! Induce Cavs Panic!
MEANWHILE IN CALIFORNIA ... The Warriors crushed the Clippers to stay perfect, and the Kings moved to 4-1 by trouncing the disappointing Nuggets. That win was punctuated by some adorable headband fixing chemistry between Boogie Cousins and Omri Casspi. Omri also might need to work on his finger gunz celebration.
OH NO: Watch Tobias Harris and the Magic break Sixers fans’ hearts. (In the background, you can faintly make out Sam Hinkie cheering.) The Sixers make the seemingly impossible happen.
WELL OF COURSE: Down two with minimal time left in OT, you’ve gotta let Roy Hibbert unwind a three. I find Marcin Gortat’s reaction to be thoughtful.
MORE SCORES? In other action the Spurs just barely edged the Hawks, the Pistons beat the Knicks, the Grizzlies stayed unbeaten and more. Our hub has all the recaps you need.
STEVE NASH AND FLEA TALKING ABOUT OLD PEOPLE STUFF: Vice’s Back & Forth series gets Nash and the RHCP bassist together for a conversation about Medicare Part D, sciatica and soup.
NEW D-LEAGUE RULES: Interesting R&D in the NBA pipeline. I really don’t want to see coaches’ challenges in the big leagues, though.
WOO BOY: It’s a day old now, but man, it’s really something to watch Kobe shoot 37 times in one game.
THE CRAZIEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD: Flip Saunders claims Sam Cassell injured himself in the 2004 playoffs doing the Big Balls Dance, leading to the Lakers getting to the Finals and the Pistons winning the title. My God.
WELL THEN: More evidence that I Am Starbury, the Chinese play based on and starring Stephon Marbury, was not a summer fever dream.
OBAMA STRIKES BACK: It appears that MJ caught the President on the wrong day with that golf crack.
GOOD QUESTION: Are the Rockets really this good?
Happy Thursday everyone. See you next time.
