The 10-man rotation, starring Stephen Curry getting on a roll
A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: Sports Illustrated. Lee Jenkins on how Stephen Curry gets cranked up, and how hard it can be to slow him down once he does.
PF: USA TODAY Sports. The backlash to Stephen Curry’s daughter Riley being wonderful at a post-Game 1 press conference was dumb, as were debates surrounding whether there should have been some backlash were dumb, and none of it, from my perspective, deserved much actual thoughtful consideration. Sam Amick provided some anyway, and it resulted in a good column.
SF: Talking Points. Tim Kawakami breaks down the interplay among Steve Kerr’s assistants, who have melded strategic acumen, competitive fire and a deft personal touch to help the Golden State Warriors reach new heights this season.
SG: Wizards Insider. After a second straight strong postseason, including a dynamic two-way performance against the Atlanta Hawks, Bradley Beal seems likely to receive a maximum contract extension. The question is: When should the Washington Wizards offer it to him?
PG: Grantland. Jonathan Abrams profiles Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov, whose career could’ve amounted to little more than a footnote in Blake Griffin’s rise to superstardom … if he wasn’t so damn big and such a tireless worker.
6th: FiveThirtyEight. Reuben Fischer-Baum and Nate Silver tell the story of each NBA franchise’s peaks and valleys, game to game and season to season, in some nifty interactive charts.
7th: SB Nation. Ricky O’Donnell on Robert Upshaw, whose size, athleticism and shot-blocking talent make him one of the 2015 NBA draft’s most intriguing prospects, but whose past on- and off-court troubles could give prospective employers pause.
8th: The Record. Tara Sullivan on Isiah Thomas’ first press conference since taking over as the new president of the WNBA’s New York Liberty, a controversial hire that has raised a great deal of concern: “a 25-minute back and forth that did nothing but expose a few more layers of his phony sincerity and obsequious smiles.”
9th: SB Nation. Jesus Gomez takes a closer look at why Kyle Korver’s struggled so mightily in this postseason. In short: other teams are doing a really, really good job of defending him away from the ball.
10th: Philadelphia Inquirer. Mike Sielski on the possibility that Philadelphia 76ers draft lottery representative Nerlens Noel — unlike prior lottery reps Jrue Holiday and Michael Carter-Williams — is actually a building block for roster-churning executive Sam Hinkie.
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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