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4-Star Robert Miller to Longhorns?

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When it comes to up-and-coming basketball talent, Robert Miller III is a name that cannot be ignored. This 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward out of Pasadena Memorial High School in Houston, Texas, is making waves as a consensus top-100 overall recruit. Currently ranked as the fifth-best recruit in the Lone Star State, Miller has a storied athletic lineage that sets the stage for a promising future. And that future seems to lie with the Texas Longhorns.

Good Genes Heading to Texas

Born into a family of sports superstars, Miller boasts an impressive athletic pedigree. His father, Rob Miller II, was a standout football player at Louisiana State University. Meanwhile, his mother made her mark on the hardwood, playing basketball at Tulane before turning pro in the WNBA.

Now, it seems that the younger Miller is on the cusp of continuing this legacy. The Texas Longhorns’ college basketball program is eagerly awaiting his commitment in the coming months.

In recent conversations, Miller shared his thoughts on the Longhorns:

“They’re just talking about how they really want me to be a part of the Texas basketball team, saying it’s a really good fit, and just keeping it real with me.” And that’s a really big thing for Miller, who once said the biggest thing he’s looking for are open and transparent coaches.

Miller has seen firsthand the camaraderie and success that permeate the Longhorns’ program.

“They are getting me involved in pretty much everything. They are showing me the ropes and showing me how everything is. I saw what the family feel is like down there. They are playing together, and they are really successful. The new arena is pretty nice,” he added.

Miller and 5-Star Holland to Team Up

Texas has been relentless in their pursuit of Miller, a testament to how highly they value his talent. The young athlete has acknowledged that the Longhorns have been recruiting him the hardest. And it’s no wonder – the potential addition of Miller to the roster could elevate the team to new heights.

Another influential factor in Miller’s decision may be the opportunity to play alongside five-star prospect Ron Holland. The Texas native has already committed to the Longhorns, and is a major factor in Miller’s recruiting. The duo visited the campus together for the Kansas game at the beginning of March. That trip that seems to have convinced Miller that Texas is where his future lies.

Miller’s potential on the court is undeniable. A versatile player with a high ceiling, he has the skills and athleticism to become a force to be reckoned with in college basketball. His combination of size, strength, and agility make him a valuable asset to any team, and the Longhorns are no exception.

As the anticipation builds for Miller’s imminent commitment, the Texas Longhorns and their fans eagerly await the moment they can officially welcome this promising young athlete into the fold. With a family history of athletic excellence and a burning desire to succeed, Robert Miller III is poised to take the college basketball world by storm – and the Texas Longhorns are ready to harness the tempest.


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Nuggets reach first NBA Finals after earning 94th playoff win

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The Denver Nuggets reach their first NBA Finals after winning their 94th playoff game — the most prior to a team’s first NBA Finals appearance, in Monday night’s 113-111 series-clinching win against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

It was also the first time the Nuggets finished with a conference-best record of 53-29. Not to mention, Denver’s matchup with the Lakers was its 44th playoff series in franchise history and its first playoff series sweep. Plus, the Nuggets improved to 1-7 in playoff series against the Lakers.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Nuggets are the odds-on favorite to win the championship. Check out which sportsbooks are expecting the Miami Heat to defeat the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the ECF.

Nikola Jokic, the MVP runner-up to Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, ended his Game 4 performance with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. Jokic earned his eighth triple-double of the playoffs by the third quarter, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s 1967 NBA record for most triple-doubles in a single postseason.

“I think that’s why playoffs are so nice and so interesting, because you don’t care about how tired you are,” Jokic said. “You don’t care about minutes, fouls, shots, percentage. You just want to win a game. Some plays today we weren’t playing good defense sometimes, [but] you can win it in every kind of possible way.”

Denver Nuggets complete first sweep in their 44th playoff series in franchise history, improve to 1-7 against Lakers in all-time playoff series

Denver outscored the Lakers 36-16 in the third quarter. Jamal Murray added 25 points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in 43 minutes of action. The Nuggets shot 41-of-85 (48.2%) from the floor and 12-of-33 (36.4%) beyond the arc.

Although the Lakers led 73-58 at halftime, Denver managed to defeat L.A. on the road as a 3.5-point underdog. The Nuggets are 8-0 at home and 12-3 overall this postseason, and Denver has yet to trail in any playoff series. The top-seeded contender is 5-8 this season without Jokic.

“What he’s doing is real,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “The silly narratives this year are just somewhat ignorant. He’s averaging a triple-double in the playoffs. Have you seen any stat padding out there? Give him his damn respect.”

Through 15 starts this postseason, Jokic is averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 38.9 minutes per game. The five-time All-Star is also shooting 53.8% from the field and a career-best 47.4% outside the arc. He’s 15 points shy (449) of tying his playoff record (464) for most points scored in a single postseason.


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Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wants more recognition for Adebayo: ‘Whatever I said about Jimmy (Butler), you say that about Bam’ – Basketball Insiders

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Heat star Bam Adebayo is proving to be a player who can guard top offensive rivals at every position on the floor, while performing defensive schemes without missing a beat. 

“He has to have his fingerprints all over this competition,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra had said about his athlete during their playoff run. “And the way he does it is very similar to the way Jimmy does it.

“There are massive challenges for him — to be able to defend everybody, anybody, and all the schemes, and then offensively, you know, all the scoring, the facilitating, all of that. But that’s what he wants.”

Bam has also proved to be able to start the offense by taking the ball up the court, and either finding a pick-and-roll combination with his teammates, or simply going all the way downhill to attack the rim.

It is pretty clear that Jimmy Butler is another player who is just as versatile and dominant in both sides of the court, as he’s proved time and time again this postseason. Their coach, however, has insisted to the press that Adebayo deserves just as much recognition as his star teammate.

“Whatever I said about Jimmy, you say that about Bam,” Spoelstra told the press right after they beat Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final series. “Because he does it on both ends, and he’s not defined by that final number on the box score.”

Just by taking a glance on his stat lines, you can get a better idea on what the Heat trainer is stressing about. Bam has dropped 30 or more points 20 times in 478 career contests, reached a 40-point display once, and averaged 20 points per match for the first time ever this campaign. The 25-year-old seems to be getting better by the season.

“I understand the narrative [about Miami turning undrafted players into rotation contributors], but some of our best player development projects have also been lottery picks,” the Miami coach said last week. “You can make a case that Bam is one of the best examples of that.”

Adebayo also recognizes his own improvement and believes that his secret is to be himself

“I’ve gotten so much better since last year — making reads, being aggressive, knowing the time to score,” Adebayo said after beating the Celtics in Game 1 of the series. “Just the whole overall of the game, I feel like I’ve gotten better. So it’s a different me playing than it was last year.”

The Miami center admitted that he wouldn’t be in this favorable position if it wasn’t for his coach, who inspired him to be himself during his team’s playoff run.

“Spo gave me ultimate clarity: ‘Be you,’” Adebayo shared with the press. “For me, that’s simple enough. He wants me to be aggressive, and he wants me to score.”

Spoelstra is witnessing his constant growth as a basketball star. “He’s going through exploration,” the coach said. “The only way to get better is experience. I want him to be a different player six weeks from now, three months from now. And then I’ll move the goal posts again.”





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Jamal Murray averaged 32.5 PPG in the Conference Finals

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After missing the entire 2021-22 season due to injury, Jamal Murray is finally back to his dominant postseason form. He’s been incredible in the 2023 postseason for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic and himself have arguably been the best duo in the NBA in the playoffs. Murray is the first player to ever average 30 points on 50-40-90 shooting in a Conference Finals. 

In Denver’s 4 game sweep of the Lakers in the Conference Finals, Murray was playing at a championship level. In his last four games, he had 31, 37, 37, and 25. His ability to take over on offense is huge for Denver’s overall game. It allows Nikola Jokic to still control the offense with his elite court vision. Murray takes care of the scoring duties.

No team has looked more well-rounded than the Denver Nuggets this postseason. A win in Game 4 last night punched their ticket to the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals appearance.

Jamal Murray could not be stopped in the Western Conference Finals

Jamal Murray’s 4 games in the Western Conference Finals:  

  • Game 1: 31/5/5, 3 steals, 1 block on 12-20 shooting from the field, and 4-8 from deep 
  • Game 2: 37/10/5, 4 steals on 11-24 shooting from the field, and 6-14 from deep
  • Game 3: 37/7/6, 2 steals on 15-29 shooting from the field, and 5-11 from deep 
  • Game 4: 25/3/5, 2 steals, 1 block on 10-18 shooting from the field, and 0-4 from deep 

Denver made quick work of the LA Lakers and they crossed off a lot of boxes in the process. The Nuggets are making the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals appearance. Their 94 playoff wins are the most in NBA history prior to a team’s first Finals appearance.

Additionally, this was their first-ever playoff series sweep. It must have felt sweet to do that in the Conference Finals vs LeBron James and the LA Lakers. This was revenge for the Lakers beating the Nuggets 4-1 in the 2020 Western Conference Finals. The Lakers went on to win the Finals that season and the Nuggets are hoping to have a similar outcome.





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