The Suns have faced the Los Angeles Lakers without Anthony Davis, the Denver Nuggets without Jamal Murray and the LA Clippers without Kawhi Leonard.
Fortunate Suns favored over Giannis-less Bucks in NBA Finals — Las Vegas Review-Journal
It may not have been Ice Cube level, but Giannis Antetokounmpo had a good day.
Giannis Antetokounmpo “making good progress,” listed as doubtful for Game 1 — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
ATLANTA (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks proved they were good enough to wrap up the Eastern Conference finals without their best player.
Bucks hope Antetokounmpo can return for long-awaited Finals — Daily Tribune
By Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams, the stalwarts from the Clippers’ backcourt, peacocked across a casino floor in Las Vegas, their team the unquestioned winners after a wild night of free agency. It was the summer of 2019, and all that covered their faces were ear-to-ear smiles as the backcourt basked […]
Lakers are winning this offseason, but Clippers make a late play — Daily Republic
Pat Riley clarified the comments he made during an interview with the Miami Herald in which he appeared to add an asterisk to this season’s NBA title. “The asterisk is next to the Heat’s name, not the Lakers. Their title is legitimate. Our loss has an asterisk (next) to it. The Lakers were the better […]
Pat Riley Clears Up Asterisk Comment: Lakers Title ‘Is Legitimate’ — Portal4News
Sorry Pat, but injuries are just part of the game.
Pat Riley says Lakers’ title has asterisk due to Miami injuries — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
Head coach Frank Vogel’s unwavering confidence in his players helped the Los Angeles Lakers get through a tumultuous 2019-20 season that ended with them holding up the Larry O’Brien trophy at the conclusion of a long journey in the NBA bubble. Vogel did a good job of holding players accountable but also making sure no […]
Lakers News: Frank Vogel Had Heartfelt Conversations With Rondo, Caldwell-Pope After Winning Championship — Portal4News
Thousands of Lakers fans gathered outside the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the team’s 17th NBA championship late Sunday, despite pleas by city leaders to avoid the area and large crowds because of the coronavirus. Helicopter footage showed a large raucous and jubilant crowd cheering and setting off fireworks in the streets…
Lakers fans gather to celebrate at Staples Center, despite warnings to avoid the area — Press Telegram
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The final moments of the longest season in NBA history were dominated by a feeling that ran entirely counter to the 13 months that preceded it: Absolute dead certainty. The Lakers smothered the Miami Heat, not surrendering any sliver of space willingly and pummeling them on the other end of…
Lakers’ 2020 season added up to even more than an NBA title — Press Telegram
LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers can win the franchise’s 17th championship tonight, with a Game 6 victory over the Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler is coming off a monster performance, finishing with 35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals and a block in the Heat’s 111-108 victory in Game 5 on Friday. …
Lakers-Heat live updates: NBA Finals Game 6 — Daily News
The NBA’s official response regarding Anthony Davis’ shot at Jae Crowder is that there was no further action needed.
NBA decides not to discipline Anthony Davis after altercation with Crowder — LeBron Wire
While under normal circumstances, Anthony Davis likely would be suspended for a game, the NBA Finals are not at all a normal circumstance and the NBA has decided to go easy on Davis after his backhand slap of Miami’s Jae Crowder. The Los Angeles Lakers currently lead the Miami Heat 3-2 in the Finals.
Clay Ferraro of Miami’s News 10 got an official response from the NBA regarding the altercation between Davis and Crowder. According to the league, they reviewed the film of the game and decided that no further action was needed on their part, meaning no fines or suspension for Davis.https://widgets.thescore.com/embeds/d7e692d6-7228-4e21-b791-9d65f701db1c/57CA76541E2D01E6AE9F67156D818BAC
Official response from the NBA on this shot to the face of @CJC9BOSS from Davis: “We review every play in the games from all angles and there was nothing further to do with this.” https://t.co/7cCMt9dYsZ
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) October 10, 2020
Now, the only problem for Davis is making sure his calf is feeling better going into Sunday’s Game 6. While Davis still had an incredible statistical game, Miami’s Jimmy Butler appeared to have a little bit of an easier time scoring when guarded by Davis. While LeBron had one of the best games of his playoff career in Game 5, the Lakers will need more from Davis and everyone else to closeout a gritty Heat squad.
He did. At least for now.
Did Anthony Davis hit Jae Crowder’s in the face and get away with it? — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
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By Kurt HelinOct 10, 2020, 6:00 PM EDT
When the NBA’s Last Two Minute report came out on Game 5, it backed the referees who called fouls on the Lakers’ Anthony Davis and Markieff Morris, both of which sent Jimmy Butler to the line in crunch time. (The report did point out a LeBron James foul that was not called, and an Andre Iguodala three seconds that was missed.)
What it did not touch on, because it was not in the last two minutes, was when Anthony Davis hit Jae Crowder‘s face. It happened early in the third quarter when Davis and Crowder got tangled and went to the ground together.
Here is a better look at Anthony Davis hitting Jae Crowder in the face, and shown in comparison to Draymond’s suspension-worthy crotch punch in 2016: pic.twitter.com/lYScUROVEY
— Playoff Parakeet A. Cortes (@Ryan_Cortes) October 10, 2020
That’s a flagrant foul. Easy call.
It is possible the NBA comes in and gives Davis a retroactive Flagrant Foul call on the play — the league does that semi-regularly — but a suspension seems highly unlikely (despite what Heat fans are calling for). Comparing it to Draymond Green in 2016 is hard because Green has already gotten enough technicals in the playoffs that he was at risk of suspension (seven points led to the suspension). There was a pattern. That was not the case with Davis.
Davis played through an aggravation of his heel injury in Game 5 but said he would be good to go for Game 6.
The view from left field 