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On this date in 1989, Michael Jordan caught the inbound pass in Game 5 against Cleveland. He took two hard dribbles to the free-throw line, rose, hung in the air, fired and hit “shot on Ehlo.” This call by the Bulls crew is forever etched into my brain.
🥩 Court!
Beef Court: Austin Rivers vs. Draymond Green
The Bounce Beef Court is back in session for another very important case. This time, we’ve got a contentious dispute between Warriors forward Draymond Green and former NBA guard Austin Rivers. It began with Draymond offering up a very curious take regarding his coach, Steve Kerr, on his podcast:
“When I think of who I was offensively as a player and who I became, I think a part of that is due to him. I don’t hold that against him. I’m forever grateful that he still put me in a position to be successful, and that I could become Draymond Green despite my offensive role on our team.”
Green mentioned that he hadn’t had a single play run for him since 2016. That caused Rivers to question what Green was talking about. And to be fair to Rivers, many people wondered aloud if Green was being unreasonable, incorrect, delusional or all of the above. Rivers was asked on “The Dan Patrick Show” on how to feature Draymond, and Rivers responded with, “Featured doing what?” He called it “ridiculous” that Draymond thinks like this, because Draymond isn’t a scorer, and he’s left open 80 percent of the time.
Rivers noted because Draymond is such a high-IQ player, he’s taken advantage by making other plays. He claimed it wasn’t a slight to say Draymond wouldn’t be a future Hall of Famer if he were drafted to another team. I don’t know … kind of sounds like a slight.
Draymond fired back on his podcast, and Rivers has since responded. Let’s review the cases for both and make a Beef Court ruling.
The case for Draymond: Green was ruthless when he clapped back at Rivers. He started off by mentioning that Rivers is on his second act (as he’s now firmly in a media career) and that Draymond is still in his first act (playing in the NBA). Then he mocked Rivers’ ability as a player, essentially saying he peaked in high school.
“Austin, you and I averaged the same amount of points in high school, and I say high school cause that’s when you were at your best.”
Ay, Dios mio! It’s not totally true. Green averaged 20 points per game in his senior season and 25 points as a junior in high school. Rivers averaged 23.9 as a junior and 28.8 as a senior, according to MaxPreps.
He didn’t stop there. He said Rivers was “very featured at Duke,” but his NBA career started with his first team getting rid of him after two years. That’s when New Orleans declined Rivers’ fourth-year option on his rookie deal and traded him in the middle of his third season. Then he got personal with the sensitive subject of his dad, Doc Rivers, giving his son a big contract with the Clippers.
“The guy received the biggest bailout in U.S. history, prior to President Trump bailing out the airlines, when his dad gave him $42 million.”
Doc actually gave Austin a three-year, $35 million contract in 2016. But Draymond said he prays he can one day give his children $200 million or $250 million one day. My goodness.
The case for Rivers: Rivers started his response by saying he was actually being wildly complimentary of Draymond, even though it didn’t completely come off that way. Then he said, “But it’s you, and I shouldn’t be surprised. You always act irrationally, emotionally and immature. And your anger always puts you in hot water.” Rivers had previously mentioned Kerr allowing Draymond’s “spasms” and outbursts to go relatively unchecked.
Rivers defended his high school career, noting he received the Naismith national prep player of the year award (which he panned to on camera). “I was ranked No. 1, and you were ranked I don’t know.” He said Draymond was solid in college, but it’s hard to compare because Rivers was only at Duke for six months. “Something you could never do,” as Rivers referenced being a one-and-done guy versus Draymond’s four years at Michigan State.
Rivers then acknowledged his pro career can’t match Draymond’s but hit him with an “easy, tiger” before talking about how lucky Draymond has been to play with so many Hall of Famers and greats. Rivers called him the luckiest basketball player he’s ever seen. He also mentioned how Draymond chased Kevin Durant off the Warriors because he “talks too much.”
Rivers also called Draymond “the backpack jump shooter,” referencing the meme of how Draymond looks when he shoots a jumper. He closed by mentioning how teams wouldn’t give him a coaching job because he sucker punches teammates.
Beef Court ruling 🧑⚖️: We were going to take Draymond’s side. But then he showed a lack of cognitive awareness with this incorrect jab at Charles Barkley. So the Beef Court rules in favor of Rivers.
The last 24
🥽 See no evil. Does the NBA have an integrity problem, especially when it comes to gambling and tanking? Not according to our latest anonymous player poll.
🧔🏾♂️ SOS. Has anybody seen the “good” James Harden? Please send him to Cleveland ASAP, Candace Buckner writes.
🩼 Bad news. I wouldn’t get excited about a Luka Dončic return. It’s unlikely in the second round.
🦌 Uh oh. Bucks owners were honest with new coach Taylor Jenkins about Giannis. “He may or may not be with us.”
🔊 “NBA Daily.” Watch and listen to a recap of last night’s games. And a discussion about whether Alperen Şengün really is the league’s most overrated player.
Stream the NBA on Fubo (try it for free!) and catch out-of-market games on League Pass.
About last night
Knicks, Spurs protect home court
Let’s recap last night’s Game 2s:
Karl Anthony-Towns and the Knicks are up 2-0 on the Sixers. (Wendell Cruz / Imagn Images)
Knicks 108, 76ers 102 | Knicks lead 2-0
Without Joel Embiid (ankle and hip) in Game 2, the Knicks were expected to have another blowout victory like in Game 1. Instead, the Sixers put up a great fight … until the fourth quarter. While they did a phenomenal job of limiting the Knicks in that fourth, the Sixers only scored 12 points in the final 12 minutes. That dashed any chance of stealing a game at Madison Square Garden.
Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points, while Kelly Oubre and Paul George had 19. But Jalen Brunson put up 26 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had a 20-10-7 and OG Anunoby had 24 for the Knicks. Something to monitor? It looked like Anunoby might have hurt his hamstring. New York can’t afford to miss him for long, Ian O’Connor writes.
What’s the adjustment for Philadelphia? Find more paint points. Losing that battle without Embiid is expected. Losing it 56-30 is not the discrepancy the Sixers should accept.
How does New York take another one? Get that 3-point percentage up. The Knicks went just 7-of-26 from deep. They played a really good game in a lot of areas, but they left a lot of meat on the bone from the perimeter.
Telling stat: 21.1. That was the percentage the Sixers shot in the fourth quarter, going 4-of-21 from the field. George, VJ Edgecombe and Maxey combined to go 2-of-16 in the quarter.
Playoff Panic Meter (out of five): 🔔🔔🔔🔔 for Philadelphia
Spurs 133, Wolves 95 | Series tied 1-1
After a spirited Game 1 loss to the Wolves, the Spurs responded exactly as they hoped. Gregg Popovich sat in on the film session between games, and San Antonio did everything right in Game 2. It forced more turnovers (22) than it allowed assisted buckets (19). Victor Wembanyama had 19 points, 15 boards and two blocks. The Spurs had 29 fast-break points. And in the blink of an eye, they made a lot of people forget about the Game 1 loss. This was a complete beatdown.
What’s the adjustment for Minnesota? Literally everything from Game 2. Limit turnovers, make free throws, make 3-pointers, protect the paint, don’t give up fast-break chances and play a little perimeter defense in the process.
How does San Antonio take another one? Continue to put pressure in the paint. That’s how the Spurs got going early, and Minnesota’s defense crumbled.
Telling stat: 40.9. That’s the percentage of shots the Wolves made in the paint on their way to a 58-36 disadvantage in Game 2. Some of that was Wemby lurking, and some was just sloppiness.
Playoff Panic Meter (out of five): 🐺🐺 for Minnesota | 🤠🤠🤠 for San Antonio
Since we’re here, let’s do a quick preview of tonight’s Game 2s. All times Eastern.
Cavs at Pistons, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime) | Pistons lead 1-0
- Adjustment for Cleveland: Stop turning it over. The Cavs had 20 turnovers in Game 1; they have to be more intentional with their passing decisions.
- Adjustment for Detroit: Trap Donovan Mitchell better and see if you can make anybody else beat you.
Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (Amazon Prime) | Thunder lead 1-0
- Adjustment for Los Angeles: Get Austin Reaves going with some easy buckets early. Hard screens to get him clean looks.
- Adjustment for Oklahoma City: Get Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in better spots to handle the traps and give him better passing angles. Too many turnovers in Game 1.
Spin City
Let’s simulate the lottery, Part 4
As we lead up to Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery, we’re taking a spin on the Tankathon lottery simulator every day this week.
Tankathon is the best website for tracking the lottery odds. It’s also the best site for simulating the lottery and seeing what comes up. We are trying to figure out what would happen with each random drawing. One spin and we play the result, no matter what. On Monday, Miami won the top pick. Tuesday, it was Dallas going back-to-back. Yesterday, Indiana took it.
Today? AJ Dybantsa stays close.
The Jazz finally winning the top pick after years of tanking could not come at a better time. They have a good, young player in Ace Bailey. Keyonte George took a massive leap. And they added Jaren Jackson Jr. to Lauri Markkanen for a pair of All-Star veterans. Bringing BYU’s Dybantsa into the mix would add incredible size, skill and potential to the roster.
Indiana stays in the top two and could add Kansas guard Darryn Peterson to Tyrese Haliburton’s backcourt. And the Grizzlies get No. 3, where they could take Duke’s Cameron Boozer in the first major pick of their rebuild. Unfortunately for the Wizards, they drop four spots. And Atlanta “only” gets the seventh pick from New Orleans.