NBA 101

NBA Cup predictions, Ja check-in & the AD sweepstakes with Tom Haberstroh + Draft Class with James Barlowe

Subscribe to The Kevin O’Connor Show

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Kevin O’Connor is joined by Tom Haberstroh to break down the Oklahoma City Thunder dominating the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinal as they continue their historic winning streak. Can OKC break the NBA record for the longest single-season win streak? Then, they discuss the San Antonio Spurs’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers without superstar Victor Wembanyama and share their picks for who will reign supreme in the NBA Cup.

Next, the duo dives into why the NBA is seeing a rise in calf strains across the league and shares their thoughts on the NBA’s response. And, are the Grizzlies better without Ja Morant? Where are potential landing spots for Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Plus, James Barlowe joins KOC’s Draft Class to discuss AJ Dybansta’s electric game against Clemson, Darryn Peterson’s return to Kansas and how Nate Ament can bounce back from his struggles.

(0:47) OKC defeats Phoenix in NBA Cup quarterfinals

(6:10) Spurs beat Lakers in NBA Cup quarterfinals

(8:54) Thunder vs. Spurs NBA Cup semifinal preview

(13:00) Increase of calf strain injuries in the NBA

(23:54) Knicks vs. Magic NBA Cup semifinal preview

(34:35) Ja’s last chance to make things right with Memphis

(43:36) Queen continues to shine for Pelicans

(46:28) Anthony Davis trade suitors

(57:20) Draft Class with James Barlowe

Wendell Cruz

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Chris Paul is 'at peace' after Clippers exit; Tyronn Lue says report they were feuding 'ain't true'

Former Clippers point guard Chris Paul says he’s “at peace with everything” after being abruptly dismissed by the team last week.

“Stuff’s been a little crazy in the past few days — to say the least,” Paul told People magazine in an interview published Tuesday. “But honestly, I’m home. My daughter had tryouts yesterday. My nephew had a basketball game. My son has a game coming up on the 12th.”

Paul’s son, Chris Paul II, is a sophomore guard for the Campbell Hall varsity basketball team, which plays Newbury Park on Friday.

“I have never seen my son play a game in person,” the elder Paul said. “Not a middle school game, not a high school game. So I’m excited about seeing him play.”

Also on Tuesday, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue denied an ESPN report from last week that he and Paul hadn’t been on speaking terms in the weeks leading up to the team’s decision to part ways with one of its most iconic players.

“That ain’t true. We were talking,” Lue told reporters at practice. “I mean, he played. How he gonna play [if] I’m not talking to him?

Read more:Chris Paul cut by Clippers after conflict with teammates, coaches and executives

“I mean, there was a stretch when we said he wasn’t gonna play, he’s gonna be out of the rotation. That was tough for him because he’s a competitor and what the game means to him and what he brings every single day. But after that it wasn’t really much.”

Paul is a 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist who ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists. He was the first player with at least 20,000 points and more than 10,000 assists.

Playing for the Clippers from 2011-17 — the team’s “Lob City” era — Paul and fellow superstar Blake Griffin led the team to six winning seasons, its first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. As a 40-year-old free agent in July, Paul signed a $3.6 million deal to return to the Clippers for his 21st, and very possibly final, NBA season.

This season, Paul averaged career lows in points (2.6), assists (3.3.) and minutes (14.3). He didn’t play at all in five consecutive games in mid-November. The Clippers, off to a disastrous 5-16 start to the season, were in Atlanta for a game against the Hawks when Paul made a surprise announcement on social media.

“Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” Paul posted Dec. 3 on social media at around 3 a.m. Eastern time.

Read more:James Harden moves to 10th on NBA’s all-time scoring list in Clippers loss

Later that morning, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank confirmed the move.

“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team,” Frank said in a statement. “We will work with him on the next step of his career.”

Frank indicated that the team will attempt to trade Paul, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday.

A league source not authorized to discuss the issue publicly told The Times last week that Paul had called out teammates, coaches and Frank this season. Paul apologized, but “everyone was fed up,” the source said.

Lue insisted Tuesday that his relationship with Paul wasn’t an issue.

“I had no problem with Chris,” Lue said. “The guy’s a competitor, he wants to play. You can understand that. So, you know, he was a little frustrated at first, but we got over that. … That’s my guy, my friend before he got here. So you don’t want to see that happen to anybody no matter what the circumstances are.”

Read more:Take a swing? Two Buss brothers consider investing in baseball’s Athletics

Asked why the team ultimately decided the situation with Paul couldn’t be fixed, Lue responded, “You gotta ask Lawrence.”

In his interview with People, Paul didn’t offer any insight on what happened between him and the Clippers. Instead, he seems to be focused on the present — “I’m excited to be back here with my family,” Paul said — and the future.

“More than anything, I’m excited about being around,” he said, “and getting a chance to play a small role in whatever anything looks like next.”

Staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Wolves Turn To Bones Hyland As Rob Dillingham Loses Rotation Spot

The Minnesota Timberwolves inserted Bones Hyland back into their rotation Monday night, replacing Rob Dillingham as Chris Finch searches for more offensive production off the bench. Hyland scored 14 points in 16 minutes during a 108-105 loss to Phoenix, his first meaningful action in nine games.

Finch made the change after 24 games to inject a spark into a second unit lacking scoring punch. The Timberwolves have struggled with slow starts despite their 15-9 record and sixth-place standing in the Western Conference.

“We’re 24 games in, and I thought it was time to try something different,” Finch said. “He’s been patient. He’s been playing really well in practice, doing everything we ask him to do. We need a spark there.”

Hyland shot 5-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range against the Suns. The performance provided the quick-strike scoring Minnesota has lacked from its reserves, though he committed three turnovers in his expanded role.

Anthony Edwards, who finished with 40 points, has been a vocal supporter of Hyland receiving more playing time. Timberwolves president Tim Connelly originally drafted Hyland while running the Denver Nuggets.

“Sometimes you can just see some people are meant to be a star,” Edwards said. “And I feel like I may not know the criteria to being a star, but if I think I do, I think he’s one of them.”

The move comes as Minnesota searches for consistent point guard play. Dillingham has shot just 35 percent from the field with only six made three-pointers in 21 games this season. Mike Conley, 38, has delivered inconsistent performances and struggled Monday, going 0 of 5 from the field.

The loss was compounded by Rudy Gobert’s third-quarter ejection for a Flagrant-2 foul. Gobert now has five flagrant foul points this season, with a suspension looming if he reaches six.