NBA notes: Rockets game postponed; GMs pick Lakers to win title, Antetokounmpo for MVP
NBA general managers believe LeBron James will lead the Los Angeles Lakers to another championship and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will become the first player in 35 years to win three consecutive MVP awards.
In the 19th annual NBA.com GM Survey, 81% of responding general managers picked the Lakers to repeat as NBA champions. The survey showed 86% of general managers believe the Lakers will win the Western Conference and 64% expect the Bucks to win the Eastern Conference. In the West, the Lakers were followed by the Los Angeles Clippers (11%) and Denver Nuggets (4%). In the East, the Bucks were followed by the Brooklyn Nets (25%), Miami Heat (7%) and Boston Celtics (4%).
Antetokounmpo was picked by 32% of general managers to win the MVP award for the third year in a row. Others picked Luka Doncic (21%), Anthony Davis (18%), James (18%), Kevin Durant (7%) and Nikola Jokic (4%). Antetokounmpo would be just the fourth player in NBA history to capture three consecutive MVP awards. The feat was last achieved by Larry Bird (1984-86). The only other players to win MVP three years in a row were Bill Russell (1961-63) and Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68).
Don’t be surprised if Antetokounmpo comes up short. When voting for the 2019-20 season was conducted — based on games played before the coronavirus shutdown — the Bucks had a big lead in the Eastern Conference standings and appeared to be headed to the NBA Finals. Milwaukee’s playoff collapse could linger in the minds of voters and the Bucks might not be able to create as much separation in the East this season.
Two members of the Kings’ young core showed up in the survey as well. Rookie first-round draft pick Tyrese Haliburton was chosen as the biggest steal in the NBA Draft after falling to the Kings at No. 12. Haliburton captured 43% of the vote, far surpassing Saddiq Bey (11%), Kira Lewis Jr. (7%), Tyrese Maxey (7%) and Obi Toppin (7%).
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox, who recently signed a five-year, $163 million contract extension, was third among players most likely to have a breakout season in 2020-21. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15%) and Michael Porters Jr. (15%) finished atop the poll, followed by Fox (12%), Devin Booker (8%) and Zion Williamson (8%).
More drama in Houston
The chaos and upheaval in Houston took another turn Wednesday when the Rockets sent three players home under COVID-19 contact tracing protocols hours before their season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
ESPN reported John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Jae’Sean Tate were sent home to self-isolate after rookie teammate Kenyon Martin Jr. tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday. Wall, Cousins and Martin were reportedly among a group of players who gathered at another player’s apartment Tuesday evening for haircuts. According to ESPN, two-way rookie guard Mason Jones’ status is also uncertain due to contact tracing protocols and Ben McLeMore has been away from the team after contracting the virus.
The NBA is investigating whether Rockets star James Harden violated league protocols after video surfaced Tuesday showing the former MVP at a large party that apparently involved strippers. Harden, who has demanded a trade, addressed the latest controversy in an Instagram Story post Wednesday.
“One thing after another,” Harden wrote. “I went to show love to my homegirl at her event (not a strip club) because she is becoming a boss and putting her people in position of success and now it’s a problem. Everyday it’s something different. No matter how many times people try to drag my name under you can’t. The real always end up on top.”
The NBA announced shortly before 2:30 p.m. the game had been postponed in accordance with the league’s health and safety protocols. The league noted that three Rockets have returned positive or inconclusive COVID-19 tests, four other players are being quarantined, another play is unavailable due to injury and Harden is unavailable due to a violation of protocols.
“As such, the Rockets do not have the league-required eight available players to proceed with tonight’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder,” the NBA said in a news release.
Brooklyn Nets are contenders
The Nets showcased their talent and depth in Tuesday’s season opener, trouncing the Golden State Warriors 125-99 in the first game of the new season.
The game marked the return of Durant, a former MVP who missed the 2019-20 season with a torn Achilles. Durant was silky and smooth as always, scoring 22 points on 7-for-16 shooting with five rebounds, three assists, three steals and one blocked shot in 25 minutes.
The Bucks are favored to win the East, but they might be on a collision course with the Nets. In addition to a starting lineup of Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris and DeAndre Jordan, Brooklyn has a bench that features Caris LeVert, Landry Shamet, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, Jeff Green and Tyler Johnson.
This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 1:35 PM.
