Mateo Mayorga

1 month ago | fivereasonssports.com | Mateo Mayorga

The Heat nearly completed a 13-point fourth-quarter comeback, but Donovan Mitchell’s on-the-dribble 3-pointers denied the upset as the series shifts to Miami for Games 3 and 4. He had 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and logged all but one of his team’s field goals late.

1 month ago | fivereasonssports.com | Mateo Mayorga

At practice a day before Game 2 in Cleveland, Heat captain Bam Adebayo said the team has to force the Cavaliers into tougher shots. Tyler Herro echoed those sentiments by wanting to be a more annoying pest on the ball. Bless their souls, but this team has no chance despite claims of being more physical. In fact, Frankie DeCicco had better odds of surviving a car rigged with explosives than the Heat’s chances of advancement. They might seize a game, sparing them the indignity of a sweep. Winning two?

1 month ago | fivereasonssports.com | Mateo Mayorga

The Heat lost Game 1 because they were the smaller, slower, and weaker team against a machine that didn’t show up in top form. They also rolled into the match physically, mentally and emotionally spent after surviving two elimination games in the Play-In Tournament. They played well for their standards and hung around with the Cavaliers for three quarters, but they were overwhelmed by artillery strikes late.

1 month ago | mateomayorga.substack.com | Mateo Mayorga

The Nuggets survived the Clippers after 11 lead changes, seven ties and overtime in Game 1. Nikola Jokić plus Aaron Gordon pummeled the lane, and Russell Westbrook’s fourth-quarter heroics prevented the team’s early grave.  Thanks for reading Mateo’s Hoop Diary! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. After the game, Jamal Murray credited Westbrook for his intangibles and performance.

1 month ago | open.substack.com | Mateo Mayorga

Strahinja Jokić, brother of the Nuggets’ center, will go to trial on May 7 and 8 for the third-degree assault charge, stemming from an altercation at a Nuggets game in April 2024. The trial was originally scheduled for April 24. Here is a video of the incident. Thanks for reading Mateo’s Hoop Diary! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Judge Schwartz said there was no perfect solution for picking the date after nearly an hour of trying to set it because of logistical issues.