Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
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Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 20 for the top-seeded Lakers, who will face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The championship game will be staged Saturday, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who also racked up 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. "The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
James put on a masterful shooting performance down the stretch. The 21-year veteran scored 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points in the final period and got the assists on his teammates' other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, but he badly missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Suns. Phoenix had won eight of 10 before losing to Los Angeles for the third time already this season.
Devin Booker cut the Lakers' lead to 102-101 on a layup with 29 seconds to play, but Reaves drilled his third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
After Durant made another layup moments later, the Suns were left furious when officials granted James' request for a timeout while the ball appeared to be loose because Booker had knocked it away from Reaves an instant earlier.
"It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball," Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. "The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable. ... We got the trap, we got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."
Reaves said he thought Booker probably fouled him an instant before the timeout was granted
Ahmed
Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 20 for the top-seeded Lakers, who will face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The championship game will be staged Saturday, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who also racked up 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. "The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
James put on a masterful shooting performance down the stretch. The 21-year veteran scored 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points in the final period and got the assists on his teammates' other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, but he badly missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Suns. Phoenix had won eight of 10 before losing to Los Angeles for the third time already this season.
Devin Booker cut the Lakers' lead to 102-101 on a layup with 29 seconds to play, but Reaves drilled his third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
After Durant made another layup moments later, the Suns were left furious when officials granted James' request for a timeout while the ball appeared to be loose because Booker had knocked it away from Reaves an instant earlier.
"It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball," Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. "The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable. ... We got the trap, we got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."
Reaves said he thought Booker probably fouled him an instant before the timeout was granted.
"There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he's made a million times," Reaves said.
Durant didn't share his coach's anger about the call, saying he didn't initially believe the ball was loose when the timeout was granted.
"That's not the ballgame," Durant said. "That's one play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref ain't going to get it right all the time. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff and not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands."
Davis was eventually fouled, but he missed one of two free throws to open the door for Durant's potential tying 30-footer.
Booker and Grayson Allen scored 21 points apiece for Phoenix.
The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by going unbeaten in the group stage of the inaugural tournament, including a win Nov. 10 in Phoenix. The Suns rebounded from that setback to earn a wild-card spot in the knockout round.
While fans are still debating the merits of the in-season tournament, both Vogel and Lakers coach Darvin Ham said their players are getting into the spirit of the event, particularly with the motivation to earn financial bonuses for their teams' support personnel and younger players.
"They're well aware of that bag," Ham said with a grin. "Money speaks, man
Ahmed
Bradley Beal missed his 11th straight game with a persistent back injury for the Suns, who hung in despite committing 22 turnovers while their two healthy superstars struggled with foul trouble. Booker picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, while Durant entered the final period with four fouls and committed his fifth with 3:18 to play.
Phoenix committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone, the most by any team in the league this season. The Suns trailed by 15 in the first half but scored 14 consecutive points out of halftime to take a lead.
"We didn't do enough early in the game," Vogel said. "The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we're not talking about a close game like that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ahmed
MILWAUKEE -- When the Milwaukee Bucks put together the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they envisioned their team would have the kind of offensive firepower it displayed Tuesday night.
The Bucks put up their highest point total of the season in a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks to advance to the semifinals of the NBA's in-season tournament Thursday in Las Vegas, where they'll face the Indiana Pacers.
"I thought this was probably our best offensive game," said Lillard, who scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting. "That doesn't mean we're going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we have that type of explosiveness. We can't depend on having these types of nights every time, but it's definitely a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively."
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 35 points and 10 assists, and Milwaukee improved to 12-1 this season when Lillard scores at least 25 points, but the Bucks rode an avalanche of 3-pointers to victory. Milwaukee made 23 of its 38 3-point attempts while shooting 60.5% from the field, just the second time in franchise history the team has shot at least 60% while taking 35 3-pointers
Ahmed
And the Bucks did so against one of the NBA's stingiest defenses in New York, which led the league in opponent points per game entering Tuesday before giving up the most points the franchise has allowed since 1979.
"They're a terrific offensive team," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We gave them confidence early, and then the start of the third was a big problem for us."
The Bucks improved to 5-0 during this in-season tournament, defeating the Knicks for the second time in tournament play. Milwaukee began the season with championship aspirations, but as Bucks players began to participate in this tournament, they also have become focused on winning it.
"We want to win two championships this year," said Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who knocked down six 3-pointers Tuesday and finished with 18 points.
"You come out of this thing on top, the last team standing, I think it's a pretty strong statement," Lillard said. "It's something that everybody around the league has to respect."
Milwaukee's victory set up a showdown with Indiana and its top-ranked offense. The Bucks are ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency.
Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 20 for the top-seeded Lakers, who will face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The championship game will be staged Saturday, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who also racked up 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. "The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
James put on a masterful shooting performance down the stretch. The 21-year veteran scored 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points in the final period and got the assists on his teammates' other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, but he badly missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Suns. Phoenix had won eight of 10 before losing to Los Angeles for the third time already this season.
Devin Booker cut the Lakers' lead to 102-101 on a layup with 29 seconds to play, but Reaves drilled his third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
After Durant made another layup moments later, the Suns were left furious when officials granted James' request for a timeout while the ball appeared to be loose because Booker had knocked it away from Reaves an instant earlier.
"It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball," Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. "The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable. ... We got the trap, we got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."
Reaves said he thought Booker probably fouled him an instant before the timeout was granted.
"There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he's made a million times," Reaves said.
Durant didn't share his coach's anger about the call, saying he didn't initially believe the ball was loose when the timeout was granted.
"That's not the ballgame," Durant said. "That's one play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref ain't going to get it right all the time. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff and not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands."
Davis was eventually fouled, but he missed one of two free throws to open the door for Durant's potential tying 30-footer.
Booker and Grayson Allen scored 21 points apiece for Phoenix.
The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by going unbeaten in the group stage of the inaugural tournament, including a win Nov. 10 in Phoenix. The Suns rebounded from that setback to earn a wild-card spot in the knockout round.
While fans are still debating the merits of the in-season tournament, both Vogel and Lakers coach Darvin Ham said their players are getting into the spirit of the event, particularly with the motivation to earn financial bonuses for their teams' support personnel and younger players.
"They're well aware of that bag," Ham said with a grin. "Money speaks, man."
Bradley Beal missed his 11th straight game with a persistent back injury for the Suns, who hung in despite committing 22 turnovers while their two healthy superstars struggled with foul trouble. Booker picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, while Durant entered the final period with four fouls and committed his fifth with 3:18 to play.
Phoenix committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone, the most by any team in the league this season. The Suns trailed by 15 in the first half but scored 14 consecutive points out of halftime to take a lead.
"We didn't do enough early in the game," Vogel said. "The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we're not talking about a close game like that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bucks put up 146 points vs. Knicks to reach tournament semis
MILWAUKEE -- When the Milwaukee Bucks put together the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they envisioned their team would have the kind of offensive firepower it displayed Tuesday night.
The Bucks put up their highest point total of the season in a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks to advance to the semifinals of the NBA's in-season tournament Thursday in Las Vegas, where they'll face the Indiana Pacers.
"I thought this was probably our best offensive game," said Lillard, who scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting. "That doesn't mean we're going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we have that type of explosiveness. We can't depend on having these types of nights every time, but it's definitely a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively."
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 35 points and 10 assists, and Milwaukee improved to 12-1 this season when Lillard scores at least 25 points, but the Bucks rode an avalanche of 3-pointers to victory. Milwaukee made 23 of its 38 3-point attempts while shooting 60.5% from the field, just the second time in franchise history the team has shot at least 60% while taking 35 3-pointers.
And the Bucks did so against one of the NBA's stingiest defenses in New York, which led the league in opponent points per game entering Tuesday before giving up the most points the franchise has allowed since 1979.
"They're a terrific offensive team," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We gave them confidence early, and then the start of the third was a big problem for us."
The Bucks improved to 5-0 during this in-season tournament, defeating the Knicks for the second time in tournament play. Milwaukee began the season with championship aspirations, but as Bucks players began to participate in this tournament, they also have become focused on winning it.
"We want to win two championships this year," said Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who knocked down six 3-pointers Tuesday and finished with 18 points.
"You come out of this thing on top, the last team standing, I think it's a pretty strong statement," Lillard said. "It's something that everybody around the league has to respect."
Milwaukee's victory set up a showdown with Indiana and its top-ranked offense. The Bucks are ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency.
"Tonight was a huge step. We wanted to get to Vegas," Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. "But when we get to Vegas, we've got to take care of business. We still got two games to win there."
Through the first few months of the season, the Bucks have acknowledged they are a work in progress, still figuring out the best way to use Lillard and Antetokounmpo on the court together. Despite the learning curve, the Bucks have begun the season 15-6 and won 10 of their past 12 games, which was encouraging to Lillard as they head to Las Vegas while playing their best basketball of the season.
"It's been some bumps in that process where we don't play so great some nights but we're still able to win those games," Lillard said. "I think now is just starting to get a little more smooth -- knowing where we should be on the floor, knowing how to give each other outlets, knowing how to help each other be who we are. It's not perfect, but I just like that we're showing improvement and it's carrying over and you can see it on the floor
Ahmed
Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 20 for the top-seeded Lakers, who will face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The championship game will be staged Saturday, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who also racked up 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. "The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
James put on a masterful shooting performance down the stretch. The 21-year veteran scored 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points in the final period and got the assists on his teammates' other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, but he badly missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Suns. Phoenix had won eight of 10 before losing to Los Angeles for the third time already this season.
Devin Booker cut the Lakers' lead to 102-101 on a layup with 29 seconds to play, but Reaves drilled his third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
After Durant made another layup moments later, the Suns were left furious when officials granted James' request for a timeout while the ball appeared to be loose because Booker had knocked it away from Reaves an instant earlier.
"It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball," Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. "The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable. ... We got the trap, we got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."
Reaves said he thought Booker probably fouled him an instant before the timeout was granted.
"There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he's made a million times," Reaves said.
Durant didn't share his coach's anger about the call, saying he didn't initially believe the ball was loose when the timeout was granted.
"That's not the ballgame," Durant said. "That's one play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref ain't going to get it right all the time. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff and not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands."
Davis was eventually fouled, but he missed one of two free throws to open the door for Durant's potential tying 30-footer.
Booker and Grayson Allen scored 21 points apiece for Phoenix.
The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by going unbeaten in the group stage of the inaugural tournament, including a win Nov. 10 in Phoenix. The Suns rebounded from that setback to earn a wild-card spot in the knockout round.
While fans are still debating the merits of the in-season tournament, both Vogel and Lakers coach Darvin Ham said their players are getting into the spirit of the event, particularly with the motivation to earn financial bonuses for their teams' support personnel and younger players.
"They're well aware of that bag," Ham said with a grin. "Money speaks, man."
Bradley Beal missed his 11th straight game with a persistent back injury for the Suns, who hung in despite committing 22 turnovers while their two healthy superstars struggled with foul trouble. Booker picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, while Durant entered the final period with four fouls and committed his fifth with 3:18 to play.
Phoenix committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone, the most by any team in the league this season. The Suns trailed by 15 in the first half but scored 14 consecutive points out of halftime to take a lead.
"We didn't do enough early in the game," Vogel said. "The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we're not talking about a close game like that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bucks put up 146 points vs. Knicks to reach tournament semis
MILWAUKEE -- When the Milwaukee Bucks put together the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they envisioned their team would have the kind of offensive firepower it displayed Tuesday night.
The Bucks put up their highest point total of the season in a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks to advance to the semifinals of the NBA's in-season tournament Thursday in Las Vegas, where they'll face the Indiana Pacers.
"I thought this was probably our best offensive game," said Lillard, who scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting. "That doesn't mean we're going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we have that type of explosiveness. We can't depend on having these types of nights every time, but it's definitely a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively."
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 35 points and 10 assists, and Milwaukee improved to 12-1 this season when Lillard scores at least 25 points, but the Bucks rode an avalanche of 3-pointers to victory. Milwaukee made 23 of its 38 3-point attempts while shooting 60.5% from the field, just the second time in franchise history the team has shot at least 60% while taking 35 3-pointers.
And the Bucks did so against one of the NBA's stingiest defenses in New York, which led the league in opponent points per game entering Tuesday before giving up the most points the franchise has allowed since 1979.
"They're a terrific offensive team," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We gave them confidence early, and then the start of the third was a big problem for us."
The Bucks improved to 5-0 during this in-season tournament, defeating the Knicks for the second time in tournament play. Milwaukee began the season with championship aspirations, but as Bucks players began to participate in this tournament, they also have become focused on winning it.
"We want to win two championships this year," said Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who knocked down six 3-pointers Tuesday and finished with 18 points.
"You come out of this thing on top, the last team standing, I think it's a pretty strong statement," Lillard said. "It's something that everybody around the league has to respect."
Milwaukee's victory set up a showdown with Indiana and its top-ranked offense. The Bucks are ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency.
"Tonight was a huge step. We wanted to get to Vegas," Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. "But when we get to Vegas, we've got to take care of business. We still got two games to win there."
Through the first few months of the season, the Bucks have acknowledged they are a work in progress, still figuring out the best way to use Lillard and Antetokounmpo on the court together. Despite the learning curve, the Bucks have begun the season 15-6 and won 10 of their past 12 games, which was encouraging to Lillard as they head to Las Vegas while playing their best basketball of the season.
"It's been some bumps in that process where we don't play so great some nights but we're still able to win those games," Lillard said. "I think now is just starting to get a little more smooth -- knowing where we should be on the floor, knowing how to give each other outlets, knowing how to help each other be who we are. It's not perfect, but I just like that we're showing improvement and it's carrying over and you can see it on the floor."
NBA to allow scouting of top prospects in Vegas
The NBA will allow scouts to watch Cooper Flagg and other elite high school prospects during the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, according to a memo to teams obtained by ESPN.
As part of a growing partnership with Nike, NBA teams will be permitted to attend five Nike EYBL Scholastic Showcase Games on Dec. 8-9, including a Dec. 8 game at T-Mobile Arena between Montverde Academy and Link Academy, which will be broadcast on ESPNU (8 p.m. PT).
Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in high school basketball -- committed to Duke -- will match up with Texas-commit Tre Johnson, who is ranked No. 4 in the 2024 class by ESPN.
The NBA in-season tournament will be conducted at T-Mobile on Dec. 7 and 9, so NBA teams will already be in Las Vegas.
This is one of several high school events certified by the NBA in a memo sent to teams Nov. 20, which includes the Sunshine Prep Showcase at IMG Academy (Dec. 14-17 in Bradenton, Florida), the Tarkanian Classic (Dec. 15-21 in Las Vegas), the City of Palms Classic (Dec. 18-23 in Fort Myers, Florida), the HoopHall Classic (Jan. 11-15, Springfield, Massachusetts), the Throne National Championship (March 28-31 in New York), and the High School Boys Basketball Nationals (April 4-6, Brownsburg, Indiana), formerly known as the Geico Nationals.
NBA front offices have long pushed the NBA league office to allow increased access to evaluate elite prospects before they enter college.
In the past, NBA teams were not allowed to attend any high school team events because of the "no-contact" rules, which were put in place in the David Stern era to keep NBA scouts out of high school gyms.
"It sends the wrong message for them to be there," Stern said in 2005. "Where does it stop?"
Those rules are gradually being loosened, in part because several elite prospects in recent years, such as Shaedon Sharpe, Mitchell Robinson and Darius Bazley, elected to forgo playing competitive basketball in the year between graduating high school and becoming eligible for the NBA draft. Other top prospects, like James Wiseman and Darius Garland, played in only a few college games because of eligibility concerns or injury. That forced NBA teams to make difficult decisions on draft night with incomplete scouting information because they previously were not allowed to evaluate them in live action during their high school team season.
The NBA has made a significant push into the youth basketball market in the past year through their NBA App, creating partnerships with the Nike EYBL Peach Jam and Nike Nationals in July, as well as broadcasting nearly every game played by 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama in France last season. Four of the five EYBL Scholastic Showcase Games will stream on the NBA App, with three games re-airing on NBATV.
As part of the event, the six high school teams -- AZ Compass, IMG Academy, Veritas Academy, Orangeville Prep, Montverde and Link Academy, will also participate in NBA life skills seminars, coaching development sessions and NBA Cares community outreach activities, as well as attend the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals.
Nike merged with the NIBC this season to create a high school basketball superconference, called the EYBL Scholastic, featuring 14 of the top prep schools in North America. It's an extension of Nike's grassroots (also known as AAU) EYBL platform played in the spring and summer; and will feature 84 games and 15 events across the 2023-24 season, 30 of which will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, culminating with the High School Boys Basketball Nationals in early April
Ahmed
Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 20 for the top-seeded Lakers, who will face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The championship game will be staged Saturday, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who also racked up 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. "The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
James put on a masterful shooting performance down the stretch. The 21-year veteran scored 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points in the final period and got the assists on his teammates' other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, but he badly missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Suns. Phoenix had won eight of 10 before losing to Los Angeles for the third time already this season.
Devin Booker cut the Lakers' lead to 102-101 on a layup with 29 seconds to play, but Reaves drilled his third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
After Durant made another layup moments later, the Suns were left furious when officials granted James' request for a timeout while the ball appeared to be loose because Booker had knocked it away from Reaves an instant earlier.
"It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball," Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. "The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable. ... We got the trap, we got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."
Reaves said he thought Booker probably fouled him an instant before the timeout was granted.
"There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he's made a million times," Reaves said.
Durant didn't share his coach's anger about the call, saying he didn't initially believe the ball was loose when the timeout was granted.
"That's not the ballgame," Durant said. "That's one play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref ain't going to get it right all the time. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff and not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands."
Davis was eventually fouled, but he missed one of two free throws to open the door for Durant's potential tying 30-footer.
Booker and Grayson Allen scored 21 points apiece for Phoenix.
The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by going unbeaten in the group stage of the inaugural tournament, including a win Nov. 10 in Phoenix. The Suns rebounded from that setback to earn a wild-card spot in the knockout round.
While fans are still debating the merits of the in-season tournament, both Vogel and Lakers coach Darvin Ham said their players are getting into the spirit of the event, particularly with the motivation to earn financial bonuses for their teams' support personnel and younger players.
"They're well aware of that bag," Ham said with a grin. "Money speaks, man."
Bradley Beal missed his 11th straight game with a persistent back injury for the Suns, who hung in despite committing 22 turnovers while their two healthy superstars struggled with foul trouble. Booker picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, while Durant entered the final period with four fouls and committed his fifth with 3:18 to play.
Phoenix committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone, the most by any team in the league this season. The Suns trailed by 15 in the first half but scored 14 consecutive points out of halftime to take a lead.
"We didn't do enough early in the game," Vogel said. "The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we're not talking about a close game like that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bucks put up 146 points vs. Knicks to reach tournament semis
MILWAUKEE -- When the Milwaukee Bucks put together the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they envisioned their team would have the kind of offensive firepower it displayed Tuesday night.
The Bucks put up their highest point total of the season in a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks to advance to the semifinals of the NBA's in-season tournament Thursday in Las Vegas, where they'll face the Indiana Pacers.
"I thought this was probably our best offensive game," said Lillard, who scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting. "That doesn't mean we're going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we have that type of explosiveness. We can't depend on having these types of nights every time, but it's definitely a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively."
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 35 points and 10 assists, and Milwaukee improved to 12-1 this season when Lillard scores at least 25 points, but the Bucks rode an avalanche of 3-pointers to victory. Milwaukee made 23 of its 38 3-point attempts while shooting 60.5% from the field, just the second time in franchise history the team has shot at least 60% while taking 35 3-pointers.
And the Bucks did so against one of the NBA's stingiest defenses in New York, which led the league in opponent points per game entering Tuesday before giving up the most points the franchise has allowed since 1979.
"They're a terrific offensive team," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We gave them confidence early, and then the start of the third was a big problem for us."
The Bucks improved to 5-0 during this in-season tournament, defeating the Knicks for the second time in tournament play. Milwaukee began the season with championship aspirations, but as Bucks players began to participate in this tournament, they also have become focused on winning it.
"We want to win two championships this year," said Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who knocked down six 3-pointers Tuesday and finished with 18 points.
"You come out of this thing on top, the last team standing, I think it's a pretty strong statement," Lillard said. "It's something that everybody around the league has to respect."
Milwaukee's victory set up a showdown with Indiana and its top-ranked offense. The Bucks are ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency.
"Tonight was a huge step. We wanted to get to Vegas," Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. "But when we get to Vegas, we've got to take care of business. We still got two games to win there."
Through the first few months of the season, the Bucks have acknowledged they are a work in progress, still figuring out the best way to use Lillard and Antetokounmpo on the court together. Despite the learning curve, the Bucks have begun the season 15-6 and won 10 of their past 12 games, which was encouraging to Lillard as they head to Las Vegas while playing their best basketball of the season.
"It's been some bumps in that process where we don't play so great some nights but we're still able to win those games," Lillard said. "I think now is just starting to get a little more smooth -- knowing where we should be on the floor, knowing how to give each other outlets, knowing how to help each other be who we are. It's not perfect, but I just like that we're showing improvement and it's carrying over and you can see it on the floor."
NBA to allow scouting of top prospects in Vegas
The NBA will allow scouts to watch Cooper Flagg and other elite high school prospects during the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, according to a memo to teams obtained by ESPN.
As part of a growing partnership with Nike, NBA teams will be permitted to attend five Nike EYBL Scholastic Showcase Games on Dec. 8-9, including a Dec. 8 game at T-Mobile Arena between Montverde Academy and Link Academy, which will be broadcast on ESPNU (8 p.m. PT).
Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in high school basketball -- committed to Duke -- will match up with Texas-commit Tre Johnson, who is ranked No. 4 in the 2024 class by ESPN.
The NBA in-season tournament will be conducted at T-Mobile on Dec. 7 and 9, so NBA teams will already be in Las Vegas.
This is one of several high school events certified by the NBA in a memo sent to teams Nov. 20, which includes the Sunshine Prep Showcase at IMG Academy (Dec. 14-17 in Bradenton, Florida), the Tarkanian Classic (Dec. 15-21 in Las Vegas), the City of Palms Classic (Dec. 18-23 in Fort Myers, Florida), the HoopHall Classic (Jan. 11-15, Springfield, Massachusetts), the Throne National Championship (March 28-31 in New York), and the High School Boys Basketball Nationals (April 4-6, Brownsburg, Indiana), formerly known as the Geico Nationals.
NBA front offices have long pushed the NBA league office to allow increased access to evaluate elite prospects before they enter college.
In the past, NBA teams were not allowed to attend any high school team events because of the "no-contact" rules, which were put in place in the David Stern era to keep NBA scouts out of high school gyms.
"It sends the wrong message for them to be there," Stern said in 2005. "Where does it stop?"
Those rules are gradually being loosened, in part because several elite prospects in recent years, such as Shaedon Sharpe, Mitchell Robinson and Darius Bazley, elected to forgo playing competitive basketball in the year between graduating high school and becoming eligible for the NBA draft. Other top prospects, like James Wiseman and Darius Garland, played in only a few college games because of eligibility concerns or injury. That forced NBA teams to make difficult decisions on draft night with incomplete scouting information because they previously were not allowed to evaluate them in live action during their high school team season.
The NBA has made a significant push into the youth basketball market in the past year through their NBA App, creating partnerships with the Nike EYBL Peach Jam and Nike Nationals in July, as well as broadcasting nearly every game played by 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama in France last season. Four of the five EYBL Scholastic Showcase Games will stream on the NBA App, with three games re-airing on NBATV.
As part of the event, the six high school teams -- AZ Compass, IMG Academy, Veritas Academy, Orangeville Prep, Montverde and Link Academy, will also participate in NBA life skills seminars, coaching development sessions and NBA Cares community outreach activities, as well as attend the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals.
Nike merged with the NIBC this season to create a high school basketball superconference, called the EYBL Scholastic, featuring 14 of the top prep schools in North America. It's an extension of Nike's grassroots (also known as AAU) EYBL platform played in the spring and summer; and will feature 84 games and 15 events across the 2023-24 season, 30 of which will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, culminating with the High School Boys Basketball Nationals in early April.
Tyrese Haliburton posts 1st triple-double, Pacers top Celtics
INDIANAPOLIS -- After missing Saturday's win over the Miami Heat with an upper respiratory infection, Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton didn't look like himself in the first half of Monday's in-season tournament quarterfinal against the Boston Celtics.
"The first half, I was dead," Haliburton said later.
So, at halftime, Haliburton -- at the behest of the athletic training staff -- did something he's never done before: He used an inhaler.
When the second half started, he looked like himself again -- and the Pacers looked like a totally different team. Behind Haliburton's first career triple-double -- 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in 40 minutes -- Indiana emerged with a 122-112 victory over the heavily favored Celtics to advance to the in-season tournament semifinals in Las Vegas on Thursday.
"It feels good to win," Haliburton said with a smile, "especially in a game where nobody expected us to
Ahmed
Lakers snag last semifinal spot after controversial timeout
LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 20 for the top-seeded Lakers, who will face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The championship game will be staged Saturday, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.
"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who also racked up 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. "The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."
James put on a masterful shooting performance down the stretch. The 21-year veteran scored 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points in the final period and got the assists on his teammates' other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, but he badly missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Suns. Phoenix had won eight of 10 before losing to Los Angeles for the third time already this season.
Devin Booker cut the Lakers' lead to 102-101 on a layup with 29 seconds to play, but Reaves drilled his third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
After Durant made another layup moments later, the Suns were left furious when officials granted James' request for a timeout while the ball appeared to be loose because Booker had knocked it away from Reaves an instant earlier.
"It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball," Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. "The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable. ... We got the trap, we got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."
Reaves said he thought Booker probably fouled him an instant before the timeout was granted.
"There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he's made a million times," Reaves said.
Durant didn't share his coach's anger about the call, saying he didn't initially believe the ball was loose when the timeout was granted.
"That's not the ballgame," Durant said. "That's one play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref ain't going to get it right all the time. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff and not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands."
Davis was eventually fouled, but he missed one of two free throws to open the door for Durant's potential tying 30-footer.
Booker and Grayson Allen scored 21 points apiece for Phoenix.
The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by going unbeaten in the group stage of the inaugural tournament, including a win Nov. 10 in Phoenix. The Suns rebounded from that setback to earn a wild-card spot in the knockout round.
While fans are still debating the merits of the in-season tournament, both Vogel and Lakers coach Darvin Ham said their players are getting into the spirit of the event, particularly with the motivation to earn financial bonuses for their teams' support personnel and younger players.
"They're well aware of that bag," Ham said with a grin. "Money speaks, man."
Bradley Beal missed his 11th straight game with a persistent back injury for the Suns, who hung in despite committing 22 turnovers while their two healthy superstars struggled with foul trouble. Booker picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, while Durant entered the final period with four fouls and committed his fifth with 3:18 to play.
Phoenix committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone, the most by any team in the league this season. The Suns trailed by 15 in the first half but scored 14 consecutive points out of halftime to take a lead.
"We didn't do enough early in the game," Vogel said. "The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we're not talking about a close game like that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bucks put up 146 points vs. Knicks to reach tournament semis
MILWAUKEE -- When the Milwaukee Bucks put together the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they envisioned their team would have the kind of offensive firepower it displayed Tuesday night.
The Bucks put up their highest point total of the season in a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks to advance to the semifinals of the NBA's in-season tournament Thursday in Las Vegas, where they'll face the Indiana Pacers.
"I thought this was probably our best offensive game," said Lillard, who scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting. "That doesn't mean we're going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we have that type of explosiveness. We can't depend on having these types of nights every time, but it's definitely a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively."
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 35 points and 10 assists, and Milwaukee improved to 12-1 this season when Lillard scores at least 25 points, but the Bucks rode an avalanche of 3-pointers to victory. Milwaukee made 23 of its 38 3-point attempts while shooting 60.5% from the field, just the second time in franchise history the team has shot at least 60% while taking 35 3-pointers.
And the Bucks did so against one of the NBA's stingiest defenses in New York, which led the league in opponent points per game entering Tuesday before giving up the most points the franchise has allowed since 1979.
"They're a terrific offensive team," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We gave them confidence early, and then the start of the third was a big problem for us."
The Bucks improved to 5-0 during this in-season tournament, defeating the Knicks for the second time in tournament play. Milwaukee began the season with championship aspirations, but as Bucks players began to participate in this tournament, they also have become focused on winning it.
"We want to win two championships this year," said Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who knocked down six 3-pointers Tuesday and finished with 18 points.
"You come out of this thing on top, the last team standing, I think it's a pretty strong statement," Lillard said. "It's something that everybody around the league has to respect."
Milwaukee's victory set up a showdown with Indiana and its top-ranked offense. The Bucks are ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency.
"Tonight was a huge step. We wanted to get to Vegas," Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. "But when we get to Vegas, we've got to take care of business. We still got two games to win there."
Through the first few months of the season, the Bucks have acknowledged they are a work in progress, still figuring out the best way to use Lillard and Antetokounmpo on the court together. Despite the learning curve, the Bucks have begun the season 15-6 and won 10 of their past 12 games, which was encouraging to Lillard as they head to Las Vegas while playing their best basketball of the season.
"It's been some bumps in that process where we don't play so great some nights but we're still able to win those games," Lillard said. "I think now is just starting to get a little more smooth -- knowing where we should be on the floor, knowing how to give each other outlets, knowing how to help each other be who we are. It's not perfect, but I just like that we're showing improvement and it's carrying over and you can see it on the floor."
NBA to allow scouting of top prospects in Vegas
The NBA will allow scouts to watch Cooper Flagg and other elite high school prospects during the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, according to a memo to teams obtained by ESPN.
As part of a growing partnership with Nike, NBA teams will be permitted to attend five Nike EYBL Scholastic Showcase Games on Dec. 8-9, including a Dec. 8 game at T-Mobile Arena between Montverde Academy and Link Academy, which will be broadcast on ESPNU (8 p.m. PT).
Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in high school basketball -- committed to Duke -- will match up with Texas-commit Tre Johnson, who is ranked No. 4 in the 2024 class by ESPN.
The NBA in-season tournament will be conducted at T-Mobile on Dec. 7 and 9, so NBA teams will already be in Las Vegas.
This is one of several high school events certified by the NBA in a memo sent to teams Nov. 20, which includes the Sunshine Prep Showcase at IMG Academy (Dec. 14-17 in Bradenton, Florida), the Tarkanian Classic (Dec. 15-21 in Las Vegas), the City of Palms Classic (Dec. 18-23 in Fort Myers, Florida), the HoopHall Classic (Jan. 11-15, Springfield, Massachusetts), the Throne National Championship (March 28-31 in New York), and the High School Boys Basketball Nationals (April 4-6, Brownsburg, Indiana), formerly known as the Geico Nationals.
NBA front offices have long pushed the NBA league office to allow increased access to evaluate elite prospects before they enter college.
In the past, NBA teams were not allowed to attend any high school team events because of the "no-contact" rules, which were put in place in the David Stern era to keep NBA scouts out of high school gyms.
"It sends the wrong message for them to be there," Stern said in 2005. "Where does it stop?"
Those rules are gradually being loosened, in part because several elite prospects in recent years, such as Shaedon Sharpe, Mitchell Robinson and Darius Bazley, elected to forgo playing competitive basketball in the year between graduating high school and becoming eligible for the NBA draft. Other top prospects, like James Wiseman and Darius Garland, played in only a few college games because of eligibility concerns or injury. That forced NBA teams to make difficult decisions on draft night with incomplete scouting information because they previously were not allowed to evaluate them in live action during their high school team season.
The NBA has made a significant push into the youth basketball market in the past year through their NBA App, creating partnerships with the Nike EYBL Peach Jam and Nike Nationals in July, as well as broadcasting nearly every game played by 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama in France last season. Four of the five EYBL Scholastic Showcase Games will stream on the NBA App, with three games re-airing on NBATV.
As part of the event, the six high school teams -- AZ Compass, IMG Academy, Veritas Academy, Orangeville Prep, Montverde and Link Academy, will also participate in NBA life skills seminars, coaching development sessions and NBA Cares community outreach activities, as well as attend the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals.
Nike merged with the NIBC this season to create a high school basketball superconference, called the EYBL Scholastic, featuring 14 of the top prep schools in North America. It's an extension of Nike's grassroots (also known as AAU) EYBL platform played in the spring and summer; and will feature 84 games and 15 events across the 2023-24 season, 30 of which will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, culminating with the High School Boys Basketball Nationals in early April.
Tyrese Haliburton posts 1st triple-double, Pacers top Celtics
INDIANAPOLIS -- After missing Saturday's win over the Miami Heat with an upper respiratory infection, Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton didn't look like himself in the first half of Monday's in-season tournament quarterfinal against the Boston Celtics.
"The first half, I was dead," Haliburton said later.
So, at halftime, Haliburton -- at the behest of the athletic training staff -- did something he's never done before: He used an inhaler.
When the second half started, he looked like himself again -- and the Pacers looked like a totally different team. Behind Haliburton's first career triple-double -- 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in 40 minutes -- Indiana emerged with a 122-112 victory over the heavily favored Celtics to advance to the in-season tournament semifinals in Las Vegas on Thursday.
"It feels good to win," Haliburton said with a smile, "especially in a game where nobody expected us to."
The Celtics, who entered the tournament with the NBA's best record, were many people's selection to win all three games this week and claim the first-ever NBA Cup. Instead, they found themselves flying back to Boston early Tuesday morning after an avalanche of plays from Haliburton and a second half left the Celtics searching for answers.
It didn't matter that Boston has the league's best defensive backcourt in Jrue Holiday and Derrick White; all Haliburton did was score or assist on Indiana's first 19 points of the third quarter, and 24 of the first 27 overall. He later buried a ridiculous four-point play on a deep 3-pointer as he was fouled by Jaylen Brown with 1:33 to go that put Indiana ahead for good -- just a couple of minutes after he juked Holiday out of his shoes with a ridiculous move and buried a 3-pointer right in front of Indiana's bench.
In total, it was a 24-minute flurry that showed the basketball world why Haliburton and the Pacers entered the night with the NBA's best offense by an absurd margin of four-points per 100 possessions - a bigger gap than the one separating the league's second-and-10th ranked offenses.
And as he was serenaded with "MVP" chants late in the second half, center Myles Turner -- who has been with the franchise since with 2015, and is its longest-tenured player -- couldn't help but soak in an atmosphere that hasn't been seen around these parts in quite some time.
"The story, the backstory of it all makes it, you know, the most special," Turner said. "And the fact that he got his opportunity, he is able to take it and run with it ... I mean, it's just dope to see where this franchise, where I started with to what it's becoming and what it potentially can become from the same level. It's honestly, like I said, it goes back to the atmosphere. I haven't heard MVP chants, maybe when (Victor) Oladipo was here, but Ty's really come in and taken over and it's fun stuff."
It was less "fun stuff" for Boston, which was left kicking itself for allowing a game to get away -- one that it held a seven-point lead in at halftime and that the Celtics had their chances to take control of in the closing minutes. But the Pacers have been a team all season long that has surprised its opponents with the hellacious offensive pace that they play with -- and the Celtics, after letting Indiana hang around when it shot 29% on 2-point shots in the first half, learned that the hard way.
"We got to just be more connected defensively," said Jayson Tatum, who finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds for Boston. "But, I mean, it's the NBA. Sometimes guys are going to make plays. He hit some tough shots. So it's kind of two fold.
"Guys get paid a lot of money to play basketball, and they're pretty good."
Haliburton certainly qualified as pretty good Monday night. Much had been made entering this game of how he had never played on TNT before this game, and the Pacers haven't been shy about expressing why this tournament was a prime opportunity to put Indiana -- and, by extension, Haliburton -- on the national stage in an entirely new way.
"The thing about the in-season tournament is that as you advance, you're going to, you're gonna play two more games, win or lose, in the quarterfinals, against better opponents," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "And so this is something that's great for us because we need high level competition. It really is another thing that's a simulator of playoff basketball. So it really helps us. And so, coming out with the win tonight was big for a lot of reasons that I mentioned.
"But I know this is very special to (Tyrese), as well."
Ahmed
The Pacers will now savor their victory while they wait to see whether they'll face the New York Knicks or the Milwaukee Bucks in Thursday's semifinal in Sin City. But while there was a celebratory mood after Monday's win, Haliburton was insistent that the goal is still far from being accomplished.
"We've wanted to be in this situation all year, and here we are," Haliburton said.
"Now it's not just about being here. It's about winning."
Tatum and the Celtics, meanwhile, were left with a few days to ruminate on what could have been.
"Yeah. I wanted to f---ing go to Vegas," Tatum said with a rueful smile. "I didn't want to go home.
"I wanted to go Vegas, so yeah, I'm mad. Next year, I guess
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