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Ex-NBA player Gilbert Arenas explains why ‘no one will care’ if Nikola Jokic wins NBA title – Basketball Insiders

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After sweeping LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference Finals earlier this week, the Nuggets are off to their first NBA Finals with a legitimate chance to conquer the title. However, former player Gilbert Arena recently ranted about how Denver’s lack of marketability will eventually mean that no one will really care if they win the league. 

The ex-Wizards star joined JJ Redick on his “The Old Man & The Three” podcast and mostly discussed how the league can create a connection with the ever-changing modern consumers. This was exactly the moment when Arena said he never sees Nikola Jokic becoming a ‘megastar’ in the NBA.

“You know Jokic can win this championship. No one’s going to care. Let’s just be honest. I’m sorry. He’s not gonna go from where he is right now to this super megastar because he’s not doing anything kids want to see. It’s the players, their personality. You know Jokic is great, but he doesn’t have IT,” he explained.

Arenas believes it was the same case as Spurs legend Tim Duncan, saying that fans found San Antonio’s winning-dynasty as ‘boring’, even after earning five NBA rings.

The Serbian’s style of play might be slow, but no other player has proved to be as clever on the floor than him. Is the league only promoting players who display amazing poster dunks and dribble around their rivals?

No doubt that many will be happy to see the Denver franchise win their first-ever title, but we can’t help but agree that the NBA is slowly becoming more an entertainment business than an actual competitive sport, and that the two-time league MVP currently doesn’t even own a top 10-selling jersey in the NBA.

Most experts and analysts disagree with Arenas, and actually believe Jokic might eventually become a GOAT contender

NBA legend Magic Johnson appears to believe quite the opposite than Gilbert Arenas. He was one of the first to shower praise on the Serbian big man after disappearing LeBron James from this season’s map.

“Congratulations to Nikola Jokic for being named the Earvin Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP and averaging 27 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 11.3 assists for the series!” Magic celebrated Jokic.

The Hall of Famer then went on to compare the Nuggets center with the greats.

“The Joker is changing the game of basketball right before our very eyes, much like Michael [Jordan], Larry [Bird], LeBron [James], Steph [Curry], Kobe [Bryant], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], and Shaq [O’Neal],” Magic added.

Check out stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James show their admiration for The Joker in the video below:

ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson was another to recently compare him with some of the best to ever grace a basketball court. “If (Nikola) Jokic is able to win a championship this year and continue the numbers he’s putting up, It will be 1, 2, or 3 – pick it – greatest run we’ve ever seen,” the former NBA Champion expressed.

“He’s averaging a 30-point triple-double right now…He’s beaten (Devin Booker and Kevin Durant), and he’s beaten the (Los Angeles) Lakers. Show me another run from start to finish,” he concluded about the player who is averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per match this 2022/23 playoffs.



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Mark Cuban sells majority stake in Dallas Mavericks at 1,128% gain

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Dallas Mavericks owner and famed investor Mark Cuban will sell his majority stake in the team, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Cuban will sell the Mavericks to Miriam Adelson and her family for a valuation in the range of $3.5 billion. Las Vegas Sands Corp. announced Tuesday in an SEC filing that Adelson was selling $2 billion worth of stock in the company, approximately 10 percent of her stake, to put towards buying a majority stake in a sports franchise, along with her own cash.

Who Is Miriam Adelson?

Adelson is the largest shareholder in Las Vegas Sands Corp., which was formerly owned and run by her late husband, Sheldon Adelson.

According to Forbes, Adelson is one of the richest people in the world. With an estimated net worth of $32.3 billion, Forbes recently named Adelson the 35th-richest person in the world and the fifth-richest woman.

“We have been advised by the Selling Stockholders that they currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, along with additional cash on hand, to fund the purchase of a majority interest in a professional sports franchise pursuant to a binding purchase agreement, subject to customary league approvals,” Las Vegas Sands said in the SEC filing.

Cuban To Exit The Spotlight, Sells Mavs For 1,128% ROI

Cuban, the primary stakeholder in the Mavericks for nearly a quarter century, bought the NBA franchise in 2000 for $285 million. With the Mavericks sale, the American business mogul will earn a whopping 1,128% return on investment.

Despite the sale, Cuban will retain some ownership shares in the team and full control of basketball operations. According to Forbes’ recent NBA valuations, Adelson will be getting a considerable discount from Cuban. The Mavericks were pegged at an estimated $4.5 million valuation by Forbes, making them the seventh-most valuable team in the NBA.

Cuban also recently announced that season 16 will be his last on the TV show Shark Tank. After joining as a guest shark during the show’s second season, Cuban became a mainstay on the show, investing over $60 million into 218 deals, more than any other shark. He also entered into 104 partnerships with Lori Greiner being his most frequent partner (42 times).



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Bulls’ Zach LaVine Scores Only 2 Points in 25 Minutes vs. Celtics

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Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine has been the subject of a number of NBA trade rumors over the past few weeks, and his performance reflected it in Tuesday’s 124-97 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics.

LaVine, 28, left with a sore right foot and did not return. The two-time All-Star ended his outing with two points on 1-of-9 (11.1%) shooting from the field and three missed 3-point attempts in 25 minutes of action.

Boston now advances to the quarterfinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

Referring to a couple of NBA betting sites, the Chicago Bulls hold 22nd-ranked odds to win this season’s championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets.

The Celtics won a three-team tiebreaker with Orlando and Brooklyn based on point differential to win Group C and earn the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston will visit the No. 2-seeded Indiana Pacers next week.

DeMar DeRozan and Coby White led the Bulls in scoring with 19 points apiece. Patrick Williams added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Bulls. Boston ended the second quarter with 38 points, finishing with a 69-50 halftime lead.

Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine recorded a season-low two points vs. Boston Celtics, left game with sore right foot

Additionally, the Celtics outrebounded the Bulls 51-38 and shot 47-of-90 (52%) from the floor. Boston led by as many as 35. Chicago’s losing streak was extended to five games.

Through 18 starts this season, LaVine is averaging 21 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 35.3 minutes per game. He’s also shooting 44.3% from the field, a career-low 33.6% outside the arc, and 86.6% at the foul line.

Last July, the 10-year veteran inked a five-year, $215.16 million contract with the Bulls. He’s slated to earn $40.04 million this season and $43.03 million in 2024-25. His deal includes a $48.96 million player option for 2026-27 as well.

In other news, the Los Angeles Lakers remain interested in trading for LaVine. However, the Bulls are reportedly asking for Austin Reaves and multiple draft picks in return.

“The Bulls, I’m sure, would covet Austin Reaves in any potential Zach LaVine trade,” said Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Of course, the Lakers’ free agents they signed over the summer will not become trade eligible until mid-December. If LaVine is to be traded, it will likely not be until later next month.

In an interview back in 2020, LaVine let it be known that he would contemplate playing with LeBron James and the Lakers. “I’d love to go there and play with a dude like LeBron James. Playing with a dominant big man is great, too,” he said.





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Clippers star Russell Westbrook clashes with fan during game: ‘I won’t allow it’

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Over the years, we’ve seen plenty altercations involving Russell Westbrook with fans, usually exchanging heated words during a game or even after the contest. This Tuesday, the Clippers star got into a new argument with someone in the audience late in his team’s loss to the Nuggets. 

As it happened, NBA official Lauren Holtkamp stood between the veteran guard and the audience during the final 30 seconds of the match. That’s when two security personnel came on court to try and solve the situation, while DeAndre Jordan went over to a heated Westbrook to calm him down and advise him to move away.

“I’m not going to speak on it because it’s not appropriate,” the 35-year-old responded when asked what the fan had shouted at him.

“It’s unfortunate today fans can say whatever they want,” Russell claimed. “I’m just protecting myself. Personally, I won’t allow it. I won’t stand for it.”

Just last season, the L.A. guard and a Phoenix Suns fan got into a discussion at half-time in a club area at Footprint Center during the playoff series. Then again in December 2022, he had another furious exchange with a fan sitting courtside back when he still wore the Lakers jersey.

“I understand fans are enjoying the game and feeling up to whatever that may be,” the player acknowledged. “I guess they feel they can kind of say whatever, but this is our job … all the negative comments about family and things of that nature, I would kind of stay away from. But anything else, they can kind of say what they want.”

Westbrook then shared how he won’t let these situations just slide by. “Respect is a big thing that I value so the moment that line gets crossed I won’t allow it no more,” he said. “I stood for it for years and now my son is old enough to know what’s going on and asks me, ‘Hey Dad, what does that mean or what’s that?’”

ESPN’s panel of experts share strong opinion on Westbrook’s recurrent discussions involving basketball fans

All throughout the internet, both fans and experts have been talking about these constant situations involving the Clippers superstar. ESPN’s “First Take” panel delivered a strong diagnosis on these incidents, mostly stating the many fans go too far when shouting during the exhibition.

“I’m disappointed that Russell Westbrook is in these situations. I want to say that, I’m not blaming him, I want to make sure I emphasize on that. There are fans that go a bit too far,” said Stephen A. Smith. “There are fans that say things out of pocket. And in Russell’s defense, they say stuff they would never say to his face if you didn’t have people as intermediaries blocking.”

According to the ESPN icon, the 35-year-old guard is a way better person than most people think. “You got a bunch of punks in the stands that are paying customers. Having said that, here’s where my problem is with Westbrook.

“He is a gazillion times better as a human being than people realize. But the reason people don’t realize this is because of him. Because he wears this chip on his shoulder, where its the media, its the fans, and to him, everyone’s against him,” he assured.





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