NBA News Roundup: Draymond Green and Jordan Poole dap each other pregame, Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as No. 1 player in the NBA and more | October 15, 2022
On the final day of the NBA preseason, Draymond Green and Jordan Poole dapped each other before the Golden State Warriors faced the Denver Nuggets. It was the first time Green and Poole were seen together following their altercation in practice, which was caught on video.
Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo was listed as the best player in the NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar is also among the favorites to win the MVP award this season. However, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks has the highest odds of winning the accolade.
Here is the latest NBA news roundup for Oct. 15 brought to you by Sportskeeda.
Luka Doncic favorite among superstars to win NBA MVP
Luka Doncic (+425) of the Dallas Mavericks is the favorite to win the NBA MVP this season. Doncic beat out other superstars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo (+600), Joel Embiid (+650), Kevin Durant (+800) and Nikola Jokic (+900). He's expected to put up the best numbers of his career, while also leading the Mavericks to a winning record.
Doncic could have won the award last season, but he had a slow start. He's known for using the early part of the season to get into playing shape. However, that changed this offseason, with Doncic staying active to improve his conditioning. He led Slovenia to the quarterfinals of EuroBasket 2022.
The departure of Jalen Brunson puts pressure on Doncic to further carry the Mavericks offense. He also made strides on the defensive end last season under coach Jason Kidd. He just needs to avoid injuries in order to win the first MVP award of his career.
Draymond Green and Jordan Poole dap each other pregame
Draymond Green returned to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday after a week away from the team. Green started in the Warriors' final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Meanwhile, Jordan Poole came off the bench for the first time as Klay Thompson made his preseason debut. With Green starting, he dapped his teammates before the game. One of those players was Poole and it seemed like there was no tension between them.
In the video below, Poole was the third player Green high-fived and hugged.
Draymond is ready https://t.co/07THDuVdaz
It will be interesting to see how Green's punch on Poole will affect the Warriors this season. Green is also playing for a new contract, while Poole has until Oct. 17 to agree on an extension.
Results for final day of NBA preseason
The NBA preseason officially ended on Friday with 10 games on the schedule. The Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics slugged it out up North in an entertaining game. However, Jayson Tatum getting ejected in a preseason game grabbed the headlines.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers had a 47-point loss at the hands of the Sacramento Kings. It was another disappointing performance for the Lakers this preseason. If they perform like that in the regular season, their fans are in for a wild ride. The Kings, on the other hand, finished the preseason with a perfect 4-0 record.
Here are the results on the final day of the NBA preseason:
- Houston Rockets def. Indiana Pacers 122-114
- Orlando Magic def. Cleveland Cavaliers 114-108
- Toronto Raptors def. Boston Celtics 137-134 (OT)
- New York Knicks def. Washington Wizards 105-89
- Brooklyn Nets def. Minnesota Timberwolves 112-102
- New Orleans Pelicans def. Atlanta Hawks 120-111
- Dallas Mavericks def. Utah Jazz 115-101
- Denver Nuggets def. Golden State Warriors 119-112
- Sacramento Kings def. LA Lakers 133-86
The 2022-23 season will officially start on Oct. 18. The Golden State Warriors will host the Lakers on ring night, while the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Boston Celtics.
Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as No.1 player in the NBA for upcoming season
Bleacher Report released their Top 100 NBA players list less than a week before the start of the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks unsurprisingly topped the list, with Nikola Jokic in second place. Luka Doncic, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant round out the top five.
Joel Embiid came in at No. 6, while LeBron James was eighth. Despite not playing a game last season, Kawhi Leonard is at No. 9 and Zion Williamson is at No. 22. Anthony Edwards, who is expected to have a breakout year, is at No. 26 on the list.
B/R's basketball experts ranked their top 150 to 200 players entering the 2022-23 season. All of their rankings were averaged to get the final results.
We've watched them. Now we're rating them.
Here's our predictions for the Top 100 NBA players this season ⬇️
(via B/R's NBA staff)
Link to full article: bit.ly/3T4AjOf https://t.co/V3r08GHWRr
Detroit Pistons waive 4-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker
The Detroit Pistons are expected to waive four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday's deadline. Walker and Jalen Duren were acquired by the Pistons from the New York Knicks on draft night for a future first-round pick. The Pistons will have 15 guaranteed roster spots once Walker's release is official.
Walker has had a tough two straight seasons due to knee injuries. He made four consecutive All-Star appearances from 2017 to 2020. He played for the New York Knicks last season, averaging 11.6 points and 3.5 assists. He shot just 40.3% from the field, including 36.7% from beyond the arc.
The 32-year-old guard insisted in an interview with Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe last week that he's recovered from his knee issues. Walker is just waiting for the right opportunity to prove himself again.
"I've got something in the tank for sure," Walker said. "I feel great, I'm going to be honest. I'm going to have my opportunity. I'm not in any rush right now. I'm just grinding and trying to feel as good as I can. And right now, I feel great. I feel as good as I've felt in a long time."