John Hollinger

2 days ago | nytimes.com | John Hollinger

Welcome to the doughnut draft. You can thank name, image and likeness. What do I mean by that? Well, we still have the same highly rated one-and-dones at the top of the draft board that we always have. And we still have all the college seniors who have used up their eligibility. What we don't have, in any meaningful way, are all the guys in between: the sophomores and juniors who decided to leave behind their remaining eligibility and turn pro. They've all but vanished.

6 days ago | nytimes.com | John Hollinger

I traveled to seven NBA playoff games in five cities over the past two weeks, and if there was one word I heard over and over again in talking with coaches, execs and players, it was" physicality." Multiple coaches have mentioned physicality during these playoffs; Minnesota's Chris Finch the day after Game 1 against Golden State, Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson following Game 1 against Indiana and Denver's David Adelman after Game 6 against the Clippers are a few that come to mind, and I'm sure...

1 week ago | nytimes.com | John Hollinger

When it comes to building an NBA contender, the last steps are always the hardest. Just ask the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic, two teams coming off a rebuilding cycle that saw each earn top-six draft picks from 2021 to 2023. With young players and clean salary caps, each team is poised to be a factor in their respective conference playoff races for the next several years.

1 week ago | nytimes.com | John Hollinger

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Three and a half years ago, on Dec. 5, 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Oklahoma City Thunder by an NBA-record 73 points. On Sunday, those same Thunder eliminated Memphis from the playoffs in a 4-0 first-round sweep. The Thunder's rapid ascent from doormats to dynasty is the main story in that transition, but the Grizzlies' descent matters, too.

2 weeks ago | miamiherald.com | John Hollinger

There is no way to sugarcoat this: The Milwaukee Bucks are done. The only important thing to monitor now is whether they trade center Giannis Antetokounmpo, and if so, when. Damian Lillard’s Achilles tendon injury Sunday was the final blow, the last solid piece of the Good Ship Giannis that was keeping it afloat. Let’s start here: You will pardon Lillard if some of these plotlines seem familiar because within the tragedy of his injury lies multiple parallels.