Cnotes 2019 nba preseason news and notes !

[StarDust Bum]

Harden, Russ to chase title in Houston
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) James Harden and Russell Westbrook are thrilled to be reunited in Houston and can't wait to prove they will work just fine together.

And Harden knows the rest of the team is excited about the addition of the eight-time All-Star as well.

''I enjoy it but I know that everybody else enjoys it, too,'' he said. ''They get more shot opportunities ... with another guy that gets to the rim and draws so much attention to create opportunities for his teammates. Obviously he plays at a different pace than I do. He plays way faster than I do but we are both trying to accomplish the same thing, making sure our teammates get involved and we share the wealth.''

Westbrook joined the Rockets this summer in a stunning trade that sent the longtime face of the Oklahoma City Thunder to Houston in exchange for Chris Paul. The deal brought Harden and Westbrook back together after the guards spent three seasons together with the Thunder at the start of Harden's career.

It was a trade that came with questions about how two players used to handling the ball will be able to work together. Both brushed off the concerns, and insist they'll make it work to chase an NBA championship in a conference loaded with powerhouse teams.

''I impact the game in so many different ways and I've proven that for many years and that's why I'm not worried,'' Westbrook said. ''I don't have to have the ball to impact the game. I don't have to score. I can defend. I can rebound. I can pass. I can lead.''

Westbrook, the 2017 MVP who is entering his 12th season, said statistics don't matter to him.

''My main goal and main focus is to win,'' he said. ''I can go in a game and be scoreless and if we win that's the best thing that ever happened and that's all I care about and all I've always cared about.''

Harden, who led the NBA in scoring last season for the second straight year by averaging 36.1 points, said he welcomes having another player on the team who can lessen his load a bit. And while Harden believes that Westbrook will help the Rockets get to the next level, he's comfortable with the fact that the team's success or failure will always be linked to his performance.

''If we don't win I'll take all the blame for it,'' he said. ''It comes with it. That's why we have to go out there and win. That's why we work extremely hard in the offseason to bring players in and bring whatever is necessary in to give ourselves that chance to win. I know what's at stake.''

The Rockets open the season Oct. 24 against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

CHINA RELATIONS

The Rockets are eager to move on from the distraction caused by a since-deleted tweet by general manager Daryl Morey in support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong that angered China and many fans.

The Rockets were in Hawaii on Oct. 4 to play a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers on the first leg of a trip that included two games in Japan when Morey tweeted an image that said: ''Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong.'' His tweet was in reference to pro-democracy demonstrations in the semiautonomous Chinese territory that has been mired in escalating violence between protesters and law enforcement.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta quickly rebuked his GM with a tweet saying that Morey does not speak for the team, but the damage was done. The Chinese Basketball Association, headed by former Rockets star Yao Ming, suspended its ties to the Rockets over the tweet. Events in China promoting a Lakers-Nets series were canceled, NBA media partner Tencent said it was evaluating its plans to cover the league and some Chinese corporations have suspended relationships with the NBA.

HOUSE PARTY

The Rockets signed G/F Danuel House to a three-year, $11.1 million contract this summer after the 26-year-old split time between Houston and the G-League last season. Coach Mike D'Antoni is glad he'll have House in Houston all season this year after he averaged 9.4 points in 39 games last year.

''Danuel House excites me,'' D'Antoni said. ''He should have a big year.''

HEY OLD FRIEND

Power forward Ryan Anderson is back with the Rockets after signing as a free agent just before the start of camp. The 12-year veteran spent two seasons in Houston before being traded before last season.

HARDEN'S LEADERSHIP

D'Antoni doesn't believe Harden can do much more statistically this season after putting up gaudy numbers the past several seasons. But he likes the way he's grown as a leader in the last couple of years and hopes to see him continue to evolve in that area this season.

''His leadership is getting better every year,'' D'Antoni said. ''He understands the importance of being positive. That's invaluable and it's invaluable that we keep that attitude all year.''

[StarDust Bum]

Murray expected to boost Spurs' speed
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan is keenly aware it is not going to be easy to keep up this season.

The Western Conference is once again flooded with talent, but that isn't what concerned DeRozan entering training camp. No, DeRozan was not sure how he is going to keep pace on a fastbreak led by the returning Dejounte Murray.

''I just know Dejounte is fast as hell, so we're not going to have a choice as soon as he has the ball,'' DeRozan said.

While the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz remade their rosters through trades and free-agent signings, Murray's return from injury could be a key for San Antonio this season.

Murray's defense and leadership were expected to ease the final transition from the Big Three era that produced five NBA championships to one that featured Kawhi Leonard. Instead, the Spurs suffered an inconsistent and enigmatic season after Leonard demanded and was granted a trade and Murray's season ended before it began due to a knee injury.

Murray returns to a roster built to take advantage of his speed and playmaking. Coach Gregg Popovich has transitioned his team from a plodding, defensive-minded squad to something different. Entering his 24th season, Popovich now has the pleasure of adapting to a fast, athletic team spearheaded by players such as Murray, DeRozan, Derrick White and Lonnie Walker IV and centered around veterans LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay.

''It's just fun to watch these guys come out and play,'' Popovich said. ''I'm watching Dejounte and, my gosh, I haven't seen a guy that fast in five, six or seven years. His speed is incredible and then you see Lonnie and he might be faster. Seeing that speed and athleticism is going to be fun to add to the program. So, pace and that sort of thing becomes pretty important.''

MR. MURRAY

The Spurs offense transformed from a more deliberate, relentless attack to a faster-paced one when Murray succeeded franchise stalwart Tony Parker at point guard midway through the 2018 season.

''I don't really care about scoring,'' Murray said. ''I know I could score but I want to make my teammates happy. That's one thing me and Coach Pop always talk about, make your teammates really love playing with you and that's something that stuck with me.''

Murray averaged 8.1 points, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals while starting 48 of 81 games and was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team in just his second season. The lanky, 6-foot-5 guard spent the following offseason improving his mid-range jumper and 3-point shooting but never got a chance to show off the hard work. Murray tore his right anterior cruciate ligament Oct. 7, 2018, in a preseason game and had season-ending surgery.

He seems to be at full speed and planting hard on his surgically repaired right knee to start a ''Eurostep,'' proof of his recovery.

''He feels confident and he looks confident,'' Popovich said. ''He's not holding back or anything like that, so it's good he's being aggressive.''

PACE OF PLAY

The Spurs averaged 111.7 points per game, 18th in the league, as a predominantly mid-range shooting team last season. San Antonio finished 23rd in points per possession. That pace is expected to quicken considerably.

''Pushing the ball, using his quickness, getting up and down the floor, getting steals and turning those into easy baskets,'' Aldridge said of Murray. ''Just using his energy out there.''

SCORING BALANCE

Aldridge, DeRozan, Gay, Bryn Forbes and Marco Belinelli all averaged double figures last season and White and Patty Mills both averaged 9.9 points.

Losing Murray did result in an unexpected bonus with White's emergence. He averaged 3.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds while starting 55 games. He capped his second year in the league with 36 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in a Game 3 playoff victory before the Spurs fell to Denver in seven games.

SPURS DEPTH

White also earned a place on the USA Men's National Basketball Team, which finished seventh in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup this summer under Popovich. White has not started for San Antonio during the preseason despite his success and could be used as Manu Ginobili was, essentially a starter coming off the bench.

Either way, the Spurs have the enviable dilemma of great depth at the wing. Murray, White, Forbes and Walker will vie for minutes along with veterans DeRozan, Belinelli, Mills and newly signed DeMarre Carroll.

''We have a lot to prove and we're going to expect a lot out of these young guys,'' Gay said. ''They're going to have to bring it, as we (veterans) do, too.''

[StarDust Bum]

Hawks' Young glad to be franchise face
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) Trae Young gladly accepted his role as the new face of the Atlanta Hawks.

He knows he will have to step up his game even more to make the franchise relevant in the NBA.

Young had a brilliant debut season, averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game while showing fearlessness in clutch situations. He finished as runner-up to Dallas' Luka Doncic in rookie of the year balloting.

''I had pretty much everything thrown at me at least a couple of times last year,'' Young said. ''I know it's going to be even tougher this year, but that's something you work on during the summer and something I knew I needed to be even more prepared for. Be able to adjust at any moment to what defenses are trying to do.''

Even with two of the NBA's top young players in Young and high-flying John Collins, the Hawks struggled to a 29-53 record. They are still in the midst of a massive rebuilding job, so it will be another year or two before they are ready to make a big push in the free-agent market.

Young thrives on those who doubt him and his team.

''There's never going to be 100% of the people on my side, and that's OK,'' he said. ''That chip of proving people wrong will always be there.''

DYNAMIC DUO

Young paired well with the 6-foot-10 Collins, who emerged as the team's top scorer (19.5) and rebounder (9.8). It will be intriguing to see how they develop in their second season together.

Young needs to become a better defensive player. Collins must expand his shooting range. Their continued improvement will be a key to the Hawks' success. Also keep an eye on shooting guard Kevin Huerter, another former first-round pick. He didn't have Young's immediate impact as a rookie but was an effective outside threat by the end of the season.

''We're still in foundation mode,'' second-year coach Lloyd Pierce said. ''Progression will be a word I use all year.''

ROOKIE CLASS

While the Hawks lost out in the Zion Williamson sweepstakes, they still added to their core with a pair of top 10 draft picks.

De'Andre Hunter is a polished wing player who starred in Virginia's run to the national championship. He gives the Hawks a much-needed defensive presence as well as another threat from 3-point range.

Cam Reddish might have even more upside, though his lone college season at Duke was a bit of a disappointment. The Hawks will focus on his development, hoping he matures into a key contributor in the seasons to come.

Atlanta also landed center Bruno Fernando with a second-round pick. He's not likely to play much at the outset, but could be worth watching down the road.

''We're a really young group,'' general manager Travis Schlenk said. ''That's what is real exciting from my seat. What I see is what we could be.''

PARKER'S CHANCE

Jabari Parker, the No. 2 overall pick in 2014, is looking for a reset with the Hawks. Parker is still just 24 years old and has averaged 15.1 points per game over his first five seasons in the league, including a career-best 20.1 with Milwaukee in 2016-17, but he has yet to reach his full potential.

Schlenk said the Hawks are looking to ''maybe spark something in him. We're talking about a kid who was the second pick in the draft, who was the No. 1 player in high school, who won four state championships in high school. He's an extremely talented player.''

CENTER OF THINGS

The Hawks are taking on another project at center: Seven-footer Damian Jones was acquired from the Golden State Warriors, where he barely played the last three seasons.

Atlanta hopes that he'll have a breakout season, mirroring Alex Len's progress after joining the Hawks Len averaged 11.1 points and showed surprising skills for a 7-footer from beyond the arc (36.3 percent from 3-point range).

LAST HURRAH

Forty-two-year-old Vince Carter is returning for his record 22nd - and final - season. Carter showed last season that he's still got game (he played in 76 games, including nine starts), but he doesn't figure to get a lot of minutes in his last hurrah. The Hawks made it clear his role this season will be more of a player-coach and mentor to a bunch of teammates who are young enough to be his sons.

[StarDust Bum]

Clippers still among best without PG
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers shocked the NBA by landing two superstars to go with a proven supporting cast. Only one of them will be on the floor to start the season.

Joining his third team in three years, Kawhi Leonard is healthy. Paul George is still rehabbing after two offseason shoulder surgeries.

The Clippers' chemistry - cemented through offseason workouts, group chat via text, a fishing trip and attending Rams games - should provide George plenty of time to work his way back.

He will miss the season's first 10 games, according to coach Doc Rivers, although the team has yet to confirm a timetable for his return. If Rivers is correct, George would be back at Houston on Nov. 13. He would miss key games against the Lakers, Golden State and Milwaukee.

''Hopefully, God willing, I can get through a season healthy,'' said George, who still finished third in MVP voting last season with Oklahoma City.

Playing with a scrappy intensity, the Clippers won 48 games last season and made the playoffs, even winning on Golden State's home court before bowing out in the first round.

''It's important for us to maintain that mindset,'' said Lou Williams, who earned his third Sixth Man of the Year award. ''I don't think we should just stop being ourselves because we have the addition of those guys.''

After being impressed by what the Clippers accomplished, Leonard came on board in July and brought Paul along, a couple of Los Angeles-area natives eager to get back to their roots. It didn't take either long to blend in.

''We fast-forwarded all that getting to know each other based on us already being in that chat,'' George said of his new teammates. ''Hopefully, by June we're the last team standing.''

Leonard is even more blunt about what he's back home to do.

''It's getting the Clippers to the finals,'' he said.

The franchise long dogged as the laughingstock of the NBA has never reached the conference finals.

Leonard owns two championship rings (San Antonio and Toronto) and Rivers has one (Boston). George is hungry for his first heading into his 10th season after years of futility in Indiana and Oklahoma City.

''It's about enjoying the journey and not getting ahead of yourself and not skipping any steps,'' Leonard said. ''Going out there as one unit all trying to accomplish that ultimate goal.''

The Clippers host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to open the season on Oct. 22.

Here are some things to know:

DEFENSE

Adding Leonard and George to Patrick Beverley's tenacious defense elevates the Clippers to an elite level. Leonard and George can guard multiple positions, defend man-to-man or help away from the ball. ''It's just going to become contagious on a nightly basis,'' George said. ''For the first time, people are going to be excited to watch the defensive side.''

SCORING POWER

Williams led the team in scoring last season, averaging 20 points off the bench. Toss in George (28 ppg) and Leonard (26.6 ppg) and suddenly the Clippers have a trio of high scorers with the ability to be clutch in the fourth quarter. Montrezl Harrell averaged 16.6 points in joining Williams to form the NBA's highest-scoring bench duo last season.

MEN IN THE MIDDLE

Ivica Zubac walked down the Staples Center hallway from the Lakers' locker room to the Clippers' in February. The 7-foot-1 Serb became his new team's starting center and averaged 6.1 rebounds. They want more of that from him this season. Harrell was right behind Zubac in rebounding at 6.5. The physical big man worked on his offensive game over the summer, eager to improve his shooting from all over the floor. As if the feisty Harrell needs any extra inspiration, he'll be an unrestricted free agent next year.

LOAD MANAGEMENT

It's a term not heard much around the Clippers, but it will be now in regards to Leonard. Injuries have marred each of his last three seasons - two in San Antonio and last year in Toronto - and his rehab process was a contentious issue with the Spurs, who eventually traded him north of the border. ''I'm feeling good,'' Leonard said. ''Feeling way better than I was at the start of last season.'' He played sparingly in the preseason.

IN THE LIMELIGHT

Besides playing on opening night, the Clippers and Lakers meet again on Christmas night. The Clippers have dominated the match-ups over the last several years while having the playoff spotlight to themselves with the Lakers sitting at home. ''It's not a head-to-head battle,'' George said, downplaying two teams in Los Angeles with shots at winning a championship. Still, their four meetings will be major events. The early schedule is favorable to the Clippers, who play 12 of their first 20 games at Staples Center. They're at home for five of their final eight to end the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

Doncic, Porzingis lead way for Mavs
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) The Dallas Mavericks now belong to the young European pairing of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, and maybe for as long as German superstar Dirk Nowitzki led the franchise while spending a record 21 seasons with the same team.

Since Dallas once again fell short trying to add a big name in free agency after trading for Porzingis before the deadline last February, the Mavericks will lean on the two budding stars to get back to the playoffs after missing for three straight seasons. The last time Dallas went this long without going to the postseason, the franchise was among the worst in pro sports coming out of the 1990s. It won't be easy in the Western Conference.

Simply contending for the playoffs will be an accomplishment for the Mavericks.

''I think it's important,'' said Doncic, the third overall pick in the 2018 draft. ''Obviously, there's a lot of teams, they have great players in the West that want to go to the playoffs. I think we can.''

Doncic was a nearly unanimous choice for rookie of the year after joining Oscar Robertson as the only first-year players to average at least 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game.

The 20-year-old Slovenian's eight triple-doubles were the third-most for a rookie, behind Robertson (26) and Philadelphia's Ben Simmons (12, two seasons ago).

''I really think one of the things that makes him the most special is the fact that he has the ability when he steps on the floor to make four other guys significantly better,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. ''And has the ability to make the game much easier for them.''

The 7-foot-3 Porzingis had just been named an All-Star when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in what ended up being his final game with the New York Knicks on Feb. 6, 2018.

Now the Latvian is ready to roll with Doncic after the Mavericks held him out the final two months of last season after the trade even though he could have played. But Porzingis, the fourth overall pick in 2015, isn't expecting some sort of Magic-Kareem connection right away.

''We're not going to come on the court and play like we've played 10 years together already,'' he said. ''But I feel like with the type of personalities and where we come from, we're both European, we both speak Spanish, all those things are going to help build the chemistry. And just knowing how selfless Luka is sharing the ball with his teammates and making everybody better. I have no doubt that we'll find that connection sooner than later.''

As for owner Mark Cuban suggesting they could be together as long as Nowitzki was around - even though Porzingis is 24 - the Mavericks at least have long-term plans after signing Porzingis to a max contract at $158 million over five years. A max deal for Doncic is a no-brainer.

''Their experiences from a young age mirror each other at least on some level,'' Carlisle said. ''I feel those kind of things ultimately are going to lead to them bonding and becoming more familiar with each other on the court as well.''

LIFE AFTER DIRK

Nowitzki retired at 40 as the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history, sixth overall with 31,560 points. The smooth-shooting 7-footer carried the Mavericks to their only championship in 2011.

''It's real sad on some levels for sure,'' said Carlisle, who coached Nowitzki for his final 11 seasons. ''But here's a guy that gave every last ounce of everything that he had to this organization, to this fan base, to all the teammates that he had over a 21-year period.''

OFFSEASON TRAINING

Cuban stayed on Doncic last season about fine-tuning his body in the offseason, and the 6-7 player does look leaner. Porzingis made a point to bulk up and showed off a powerful-looking upper body in the days before training camp.

Porzingis said he weighed 223 pounds as a rookie and ''that was not a good weight for me. I felt horrible.'' He went up to 235 but said he felt slower. Now he's at 242 but says, ''I feel light, strong.''

''For me it was important to feel how I'm supposed to feel but get stronger also,'' said Porzingis, who was averaging 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks when he got hurt with the Knicks. ''There's a balance with those kinds of things.''

THE FREE AGENT

While the Mavericks missed on bigger names, they were happy with the free agent they did get in Delon Wright. Acquired in a sign-and-trade with Memphis, the restricted free agent had back-to-back triple doubles in consecutive games against Dallas late last season. He's expected to start alongside Doncic.

[StarDust Bum]

Curry, Green eager to lead Warriors
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Stephen Curry knows how different this season will be.

He realizes many aren't considering the Golden State Warriors a clear contender even following five straight trips to the NBA Finals.

No Kevin Durant. No Andre Iguodala. No Shaun Livingston. And that's just to name a few of the departed players who had made such key contributions to the franchise's recent runs of success.

Klay Thompson is recovering from surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee and likely will be sidelined well into next year.

There's also a new arena. In another city, no less, with the Warriors moving from Oakland across San Francisco Bay to sparkling new Chase Center.

Not that Curry is expending too much energy on these potential distractions. The two-time MVP plans to keep the Warriors a consistent winner even with all the change.

At age 31, Curry is the old guy around Golden State, and new backcourt mate D'Angelo Russell can't wait to learn from the two-time MVP.

''Stop reminding me!'' Curry said emphatically of his senior status.

''Just hearing it is weird, but I'm still young. I wake up every day with a smile on my face, with the opportunity I have in front of me, being in my prime, being able to play basketball at the highest level and do it with this team and in front of our fan base, and I know I have a lot, a lot of years left at this level,'' he said. ''It doesn't change anything but just makes me laugh, and for people to notice some gray hairs that might pop out every once in a while. But other than that, it's kind of business as usual.''

Still, general manager Bob Myers acknowledges it's not realistic for any team to remain elite all the time.

''It's a new dawn for us, but it's OK,'' Myers said. ''We haven't been in this position for five years. It's going to be fun. It doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Because when you have young players there's a learning curve to their growth, to their NBA experience.''

Here are some things to watch for as the Warriors begin a new era of sorts:

FAMILIAR FACES

Draymond Green, who received a $100 million, four-year extension, said all along he would like to retire with the Warriors, and committing to playing with Curry and Thompson for the immediate future means a lot. Thompson stayed put on a $190 million deal spanning the next five years.

Not having to think about what's next allows Green to focus just on basketball.

''I didn't want to come into this season dealing with all of that stuff. It kind of becomes a headache,'' he said. ''It definitely played a little part in it, and just understanding what was best for myself and my family and for this organization. You know, I think I've said a million times now, I want to be here for my entire career. What makes that possible? What makes that more realistic? I think this did.''

KLAY'S KNEE

Thompson was injured June 13 in the deciding Game 6 of the Warriors' NBA Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Warriors don't expect him back until at least after the All-Star break.

Thompson plans to be smart about his return from a July 2 surgery, even though he is someone who never likes to miss time.

''I've become much more sympathetic to all athletes at all levels who go through a major injury or surgery. It's not fun, and it really tests your patience,'' Thompson said. ''But it's our job to come back even stronger, and the team has faith in me to do that.''

NEW FACES

Losing two-time NBA Finals MVP Durant leaves a huge void.

Russell is ready to take on a large role, while also learning from Curry, Green and Thompson about how things work with Golden State.

Other new faces include Willie Cauley-Stein and Glenn Robinson III.

''For any young player coming into the league, I think it's a luxury to have guys of that caliber to just learn from, kind of just to watch and just pick their brains any time,'' Russell said. ''It's a luxury to have because you can easily come into the league and not have that.''

NEW DIGS

Moving to Chase Center will be a big adjustment, too.

''It's still always bittersweet for sure, because I've spent 10 years here,'' Curry said. ''I remember my first training camp with Don Nelson and Kelenna Azubuike and that whole roster and now 10 years later all that we've been able to accomplish. A lot of guys that have come through this organization and help us win championships, a lot of memories. ... It's still kind of down the road where you can't really understand what it's going to look like, what it's going to feel like to go to a different building.''

[StarDust Bum]

Beilein leaves college to teach Cavs
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) John Beilein stood at midcourt with his arms folded and watched as the Cavaliers pushed through practice drills that the former Michigan coach developed and perfected during 37 years at the college level.

With each bounce of the ball, every pass and shot, Beilein's head bobbed ever so slightly, his eyes fixated on details - foot work, hand placement, balance, follow-through.

He smiled knowingly, and it's clear the 66-year-old grandfather is in his element.

''He's a gym rat,'' said Cavs rookie guard Darius Garland.

And, an NBA rookie coach picked to rebuild the Cavaliers.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the Cavs ended their coaching search in May with the surprising hire of Beilein, a self-professed basketball lifer with a sterling reputation and sparkling track record for developing players.

He was not thought to be on Cleveland's radar, but the Cavs knew they needed an experienced coach to oversee their massive rebuilding project. Once owner Dan Gilbert and general manager Koby Altman sat down with Beilein, it didn't take long for them to realize he was the person they needed.

Beilein appears to be an ideal fit.

''With young guys you need a culture first and you can't just build that,'' said forward Larry Nance, who expanded his game last season. ''You can't just throw a culture in and hope it works. You have to start from the bottom. I don't want to say he's starting from the bottom, but within the league, he's fresh. He's starting new. We're starting new. It's good that nobody is really above the other.''

Beilein inherits a team that went 19-63 last season, the inevitable freefall sealed when LeBron James packed up and left Cleveland for the second time as a free agent. It didn't help that All-Star forward Kevin Love was limited to just 22 games after undergoing toe surgery.

From the start of training camp, Beilein has gone old school with the Cavs, who were more than a little stunned when he had them doing elementary-level movements normally seen in grade school practices.

''I hadn't done the Mikan drill in like 12 years,'' said Nance, referring to the time-tested exercise for basketball big men.

Beilein's firmly believes even pros need to brush up on the basics.

''The veterans understand that there is slippage in the fundamentals, especially over a summer,'' Beilein said. ''There's just incredible slippage and you have to remind them of that. It's not their fault. ... For the good veterans it's like riding a bike, it's like, `Oh, yeah, I should have boxed out there.' But you have to train them and keep it going.''

Beilein's next challenge is to keep the Cavs from going in reverse.

LOVE STATUS

Without fail, Love begins another season encircled in trade talk.

It's been that way since he arrived in Cleveland, where he's gone from having a supporting role alongside James and Kyrie Irving on title contenders to being the Cavs' unquestioned top player and most important leader on a sub-.500 squad.

Love doesn't want to go anywhere, and he's committed to nurturing his young teammates. However, the Cavs could be tempted to trade him for a package of players and/or picks that could hasten their turnaround.

DYNAMITE DUO

The Cavs are counting on Garland, the No. 5 overall pick this season, and Collin Sexton to blossom into one of the league's best backcourts. Based purely on skill level and upside, the pair is already drawing comparisons to Portland's Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

Garland played only five games at Vanderbilt before a left knee injury ended his college career. He's got all the tools, the right makeup and has an NBA pedigree as his father, Winston, played eight seasons in the league. Durability seems to be the only question mark about Garland.

SECOND SEASON

Sexton's rookie season went from poor to polished.

Stung by being left off the NBA's rising stars team at the break, the speedy guard kicked his game into overdrive. He improved in all areas and wound up averaging 16.7 points on 43% shooting - 21 points and 48% in the second half. He's got a scorer's mentality, but the Cavs need him to do other things and he added some muscle during the offseason to prevent other guards from pushing him around.

OTHER ROOKIES

The Cavs added two other interesting rookies with first-round picks - swingman Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr.

Windler averaged 21.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and carried tiny Belmont to its first NCAA Tournament win. The Cavs like Windler's versatility and shooting range. He's been slowed by a leg injury so far.

A five-star high school recruit, Porter was suspended from USC's team for bad behavior. The slim 6-foot-6 left-hander has all the moves, and he could provide Cleveland with scoring punch off the bench.

GOLDEN YEAR

The Cavs are celebrating their 50th season, which began with two unfortunate incidents - owner Dan Gilbert's stroke and longtime broadcaster Fred McLeod's death.

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Knicks vow to show toughness
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) The New York Knicks were playing their first preseason game when Marcus Morris delivered some postseason-type toughness.

His first appearance in his new uniform ended early when he was ejected for banging the ball off Justin Anderson's head as the Washington Wizards forward closely defended him. Morris apologized afterward, but he also made it clear the Knicks weren't going to be pushed around.

He had a similar message on the eve of training camp, saying the Knicks have a lot of ''dogs'' on the roster, a term he defined as players like him.

''Guys that's not going to back down,'' Morris said. ''Guys that are going to go out there and compete every night.''

That would be a welcome change in New York, where the Knicks didn't compete much at all last season.

They had the NBA's worst record at 17-65, matching the poorest performance in franchise history. They were last in the league in field goal percentage and at one point dropped 18 straight games, a franchise-worst within one season.

That futility during a sixth straight season out of the playoffs certainly hurt when the Knicks went into free agency, where they couldn't land any of the All-Star players available. They came away with a seven-player class that aims to back up Morris' boasts.

''Guys are just hungry going out there,'' new forward Taj Gibson said. ''You look at the makeup of a team, a bunch of guys who are underdogs, highly skilled, highly talented guys, but they bring a mentality that just wants to win and wants to prove people wrong.''

Joining Morris and Gibson were Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Elfrid Payton, Wayne Ellington and Reggie Bullock. There are no stars there, but the Knicks see that as a strength.

''I think the best thing about our team is that we have a lot of guys that's always picked second,'' Portis said. ''We have a lot of guys that are underdogs in a sense that nobody really believes in, nobody's really talking about, and I think when you put a full roster of guys like that on the same team you build a great basketball team.''

Perhaps the Knicks will surprise, though they don't appear to have enough firepower to play their way back into postseason contention. But just playing hard would be an improvement and endear the team to fans who appreciated the hard-nosed style of the Knicks of the 1990s, before they became one of the NBA's worst franchises.

''The first thing most guys talked about in the offseason before I came here is that this city will love you if you go out and just play hard and do whatever you can do for just five minutes,'' Gibson said. ''You can just become a special person in this city.''

Other things to know about the Knicks:

RJ'S ROLE

The Knicks took RJ Barrett with the No. 3 pick, their highest since drafting Patrick Ewing first in 1985, and need the ACC scoring leader from Duke to quickly find his stroke after they averaged just 104.6 points, 28th in the league.

RISING RANDLE

Randle signed with the Knicks following what was probably his best NBA season, ranking in the league's top 20 in both scoring (career-high 21.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.7) for the New Orleans Pelicans.

HOME-COURT DISADVANTAGE

The Knicks need to play better at Madison Square Garden after going 9-32 with an 18-game losing streak that was one shy of an NBA record. They ranked ninth in attendance, but their 13 sellouts were their fewest since 1990-91.

MITCHELL IN THE MIDDLE

Mitchell Robinson was second in the NBA in blocked shots as a rookie but prone to fouls while trying too hard for blocks. The Knicks hope he can clean up that aspect of his game while expanding his offensive repertoire after shooting 69.4% to lead first-year players.

TV TIME

With a dismal 2018-19 behind them and the potential for more struggles ahead, the Knicks were not deemed to be must-see TV this season. They didn't get their customary spot on the Christmas schedule and landed only three national TV appearances at all. The first is Nov. 14 on TNT against Dallas, when New York welcomes Kristaps Porzingis back for the first time since trading its former All-Star midway through last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Wizards focus on Beal, development
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) Now Bradley Beal finally gets his chance to be the focal point for the Washington Wizards from the get-go, on and off the court.

The main issues of interest with this club at the moment are whether Beal's play takes another step up and whether his future with the franchise will be definitively determined.

Wins? Playoffs? Those are really afterthoughts as new general manager Tommy Sheppard and the rest of an overhauled front office stress the importance of player development while attempting to begin the reconstruction of a roster for a club that was hoping to get to 50 victories a year ago and instead ended up with 50 losses.

''I know a lot of people are down on us. Questioning: How are they going to be? What's their identity? What am I going to do? There's a million questions,'' said Beal, an All-Star shooting guard. ''But I'm all about proving people wrong. We have a hungry team. I'm a hungry individual. I believe in myself. I believe in my teammates.''

With so many new faces, so many young faces and so many injuries - most prominently, point guard John Wall is sidelined for most, and possibly all, of the coming season after rupturing his Achilles tendon - setting goals is not easy.

Accomplishing goals will be difficult, too.

''I don't know how good we're going to be,'' coach Scott Brooks said, ''but I know we're going to be scrappy, and we're going to be tough. We're going to play together and we're going to play hard.''

Two-thirds of last season's players are gone, but it wasn't as if Sheppard, who replaced the fired Ernie Grunfeld, had a lot to work with in terms of draft capital or salary-cap space as he was beginning his overhaul.

So he had to make smaller moves, stress patience and let everyone know this is about the long haul, not the short term.

''Every player on our roster,'' Sheppard said, ''we want to see him get better.''

Some other things to know about the Wizards, who open the regular season at Dallas on Oct. 23:

WALL'S ROLE

Wall is starting a four-year deal worth $170 million, but there's really no way to know what the Wizards will get for that. The expectation is he will not see the court much, if at all, in 2019-20. ''He's not going to play until he's ready,'' Brooks said. In the meantime, Brooks, Sheppard and Wall all have spoken about the guard's role as a sort of assistant to Brooks, helping players, especially the team's youngest, with what his veteran eyes see.

''My job is to try to help as much as possible,'' Wall said. ''I'm basically like a coach this year.''

MYSTERY LINEUP

All sorts of other players were hurt in the offseason, including backup point guard Isaiah Thomas, potential starter C.J. Miles, second-year guard-forward Troy Brown Jr., and backup center Ian Mahinmi. That means only two of five starting spots - Beal and center Thomas Bryant - were solidified heading into training camp. Brooks definitely has his work cut out for him.

ROOKIE RUI

Sheppard's initial draft pick was forward Rui Hachimura of Gonzaga, who already is a big deal in his native Japan. His progress as a rookie will be monitored closely back home - and by the Wizards, of course, as they try to determine how best to take advantage of his versatility.

''That's kind of the best thing about him, because now we can mold him into what we need him to be,'' Beal said. ''He can shoot the ball. He can rebound the ball. He can put the ball on the floor. He can defend most of the positions.''

SHEPPARD'S SHOT

After more than 15 years with the Wizards, Sheppard finally gets a chance to run the team as its GM.

''Let's revitalize. Let's really get people here that we're proud of, that we feel we can grow,'' he said. ''And it's not just here with the players, right? It's the staff; it's all the support staff.'' Wall's been around Sheppard his entire NBA career. ''Let's see what he can do with it. What adjustments can he make for the team? What can he do for the organization to change things around?''

BEAL'S BOUNCE

Beal averaged 25.6 points, 5.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds last season, all career highs. He, and his team, expect even more this season in Wall's absence. ''Me and John have sort of shared the spotlight the last few years,'' Beal said. Now the Wizards are all about him - and what happens next, too, because Beal has been offered an extension that would keep him in Washington beyond the two years remaining on his current deal. ''Really excited to see what Bradley Beal does this season,'' Sheppard said. He's a tremendous cornerstone of this franchise. We're very blessed to have him.''

[StarDust Bum]

Thunder starts over without Westbrook
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

No one knew.

Russell Westbrook had a chance to put the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead in the final moments of Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round series against Portland. He tried a layup with 18 seconds left. It missed.

No one knew that was the 17,350th and final shot he would take as a Thunder player, the last time he would touch the ball in an Oklahoma City uniform, the end of an storied 11-year run that - when factoring in both regular-season and postseason games - saw him score more points than anyone else in franchise history.

A new day has arrived in Oklahoma City. The Thunder - one of only two teams to have a better-than-.500 record in each of the last 10 seasons, San Antonio being the other - have pushed the reset button. Westbrook is gone to rejoin James Harden in Houston, Paul George has taken his still-unfulfilled pursuit of a championship to the Los Angeles Clippers, and Oklahoma City is thinking about the future.

''We're still 100 percent focused on building the most sustainable path for an elite team in Oklahoma City, realizing that that's something that eventually we're going to embark on, but we're not at that point yet,'' Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. ''And we think that this season is one that we should really dive into and experience.''

The cupboard is far from bare. Chris Paul - whose first NBA ''home'' game was 14 years ago in Oklahoma City, back when the New Orleans Hornets had to temporarily relocate there in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina - is back in the city, just now as part of the Thunder. He was the big piece the Thunder got back in the trade that sent Westbrook to the Rockets.

Paul was the subject of more trade speculation after the deal between the Rockets and Thunder went down. But he insisted that he's happy to be back in Oklahoma City.

''I think that's the thing that fuels me is competition and always trying to get better, always trying to pay attention, seeing how I can improve,'' Paul said. ''I've got an unbelievable team around me, people who try to help me day in and day out.''

That night against Portland in April, Westbrook missed the go-ahead layup, and Damian Lillard made a 37-footer at the buzzer to give the Trail Blazers a 118-115 win - ending the Thunder's season, ultimately ending Westbrook's tenure with the team as well.

''I think our focus right now is on the team that we have,'' Presti said. ''It's going to be a different iteration of Thunder team than we've seen over the last several years. But I would just say that we're going to take a very long view to make sure that we're putting ourselves in position to have a long run of success in Oklahoma City as we possibly can and not shortcut that process.''

Here are some things to know about the Thunder this season:

NEW FIVE

Paul will likely be joined Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari, two of the pieces in the George trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, as new starters for Oklahoma City. The faces will change, but the team's mission will not, said returning center Steven Adams. ''The one thing this organization does really well is you keep consistent with the values. Doesn't really matter who the players are,'' Adams said.

ALMOST 200

The first Thunder win this season will be a milestone for coach Billy Donovan. He enters the year 199-129 in his four seasons with the club. In Donovan's first 25 seasons as a head coach - counting his college stints at Marshall and Florida - he's finished with a winning record 22 times.

GALLINARI RISING

For Gallinari, this era of pace-and-space NBA basketball seems to work wonders. He set career bests last season for points per game (19.8) and in field-goal percentage (46.3%). He likely would have set another career high for 3-pointers made in a season if he had more appearances; he had 161 3s in 68 games last season, 25 shy of his personal-best 186 in 81 games for New York in 2009-10.

FACING RUSS

The Thunder won't have to wait long before facing Westbrook as an opponent for the first time - Oklahoma City goes to Houston on Oct. 28. But the Rockets and Thunder play only three times this season, and that means Houston's trip to OKC on Jan. 9 will be Westbrook's lone appearance as a visitor on his former home floor during the 2019-20 campaign.

ELDER MOVEMENT

The Thunder are revamped, but certainly didn't bring in a bunch of inexperience. The three oldest players on their roster this season - the 34-year-old Paul, 31-year-old Gallinari and 28-year-old Mike Muscala - are all newly acquired.

[StarDust Bum]

Zion makes new-look Pels compelling
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Zion Williamson celebrated a recent alley-oop dunk with an ebullient smile and a flexed left bicep as an energized crowd roared approvingly.

The NBA preseason has provided a tantalizing taste of the excitement the league's top overall draft choice - a charismatic, 6-foot-6, 285-pound force of nature - could bring to New Orleans' long moribund small-market franchise.

Energetic crowds well in excess of 10,000 showed up for the Pelicans' first few exhibition contests, whether at home or on the road, rumbling with anticipation when Williamson had the ball and erupting when he launched his massive frame skyward to throw down rim-rattling dunks.

''We would have loved to have crowds like this for any game last year,'' Pelicans fifth-year coach Alvin Gentry said following his club's lone home exhibition game. ''In the years I've been here, I've never seen this much interest in the start of a basketball season.''

The Pelicans look primed to play entertaining and compelling basketball, whether or not they emerge as playoff contenders this season.

Williamson has shown no fear against established NBA big men, routinely scoring 20-plus points during exhibition games.

The former Duke star also doesn't seem fazed by the enormous expectations or hype surrounding his highly anticipated first pro season. He's familiar with fame, having been an internet sensation since high school.

''I feel like when he dunks and does all that, you've seen that since he was like 16 years old,'' Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday said. ''One thing that surprised me was his maturity - his maturity level off the court, being able to handle these types of situations and come in with so much hype and still be able to go out there and perform.''

Or as Williamson puts it: ''I'm just playing a game I love.''

Here are some other things to know about the New Orleans' 2019-20 campaign:

NEW ERA

The Pelicans, who've missed the playoffs three off the past four seasons, have been looking forward to a fresh start since six-time All-Star and 2012 No.1 overall draft choice Anthony Davis requested a trade in late January.

They started by replacing former general manager Dell Demps with new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin, who'd led Cleveland's front office during the Cavaliers' 2016 NBA championship.

Griffin arrived looking to bring in a bounty of promising young players in exchange for Davis. He gained more leverage than expected when the Pelicans won the NBA's draft lottery - and the right to select Williamson.

New Orleans ultimately dealt Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a major haul: 2016 second overall draft pick Brandon Ingram, 2017 No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball, 2017 late first-round pick Josh Hart and three first-round draft picks. Those picks include the fourth overall this year, which Griffin trade so he could select Texas center Jaxson Hayes eighth overall and Virginia Tech guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker 17th.

Having accumulated all that youth, Griffin made a trade with Utah for veteran center Derrick Favors and signed free-agent guard J.J. Redick.

LINEUP CHANGES

Holiday, whom Griffin calls the Pelicans' ''best player,'' is expected to be the only returning player in the starting lineup.

''Jrue is a perfect conduit for us between the young guys and some of our veteran leaders,'' Griffin said.

The 29-year old guard, who has been among the club's top scorers and defenders in recent seasons, is expected to be joined by Ball at point guard, along with Ingram, Williamson and Favors in the front court.

How that lineup stacks up in the Western Conference remains to be seen. In the meantime, Griffin is preaching patience.

''We're in an unbelievably difficult conference. We're going to take some lumps,'' Griffin said. ''What we do after that is all that really matters.''

REDICK'S ROLE

Redick looks likely to be a top reserve in his 14th season. A 41 percent career 3-point shooter, he should draw defenders to the perimeter and give players like Williamson more space to operate inside.

Griffin said he also values Redick's veteran presence in the locker room.

''Our style of play lends itself very well to the way he plays the game, but our roster lends itself to the leadership component he brings,'' Griffin said.

ZION'S ZEAL

While Williamson is bound to find NBA defenses more nuanced and challenging during the regular season, he doesn't downplay his ability to contribute.

''I can see myself being a big play-maker for this team, like attacking the basket, making open passes and just improving on my jumper,'' Williamson said, adding that he believes his perimeter shooting is underestimated.

''People kind of over exaggerate the whole `can't shoot' thing,'' Williamson said after hitting a 3-pointer in his third preseason game. ''If they want to leave me open, I'm going to shoot every time.''

Pelicans executives, coaches and players have effusively praised Williamson for an unselfish, team-first approach that they find refreshing for a player who has been such a magnet for attention.

''He wants to win,'' Holiday said. ''I feel like that's the main thing for him. He doesn't care about exposure.''

[StarDust Bum]

Nuggets set sights much higher this season
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

DENVER (AP) The Nuggets didn't make major upgrades over the summer like so many of their Western Conference opponents, and they're fine with that - they figure Denver will turn into a desired destination soon enough.

The Nuggets return a young corps that won 54 games last season and came within four points of reaching the conference championship. Eight of their top 12 players are 25 years old or younger, including All-Star center Nikola Jokic, power forward Jerami Grant and fascinating forward Michael Porter Jr., the No. 14 selection in 2018 who sat out last season as he recovered from back surgery.

Although they didn't make any splashy moves in the offseason, the Nuggets were busy over the summer, acquiring Grant from Oklahoma City, picking up Paul Millsap's $30 million option and signing point guard Jamal Murray to a $170 million extension.

Five months later and coach Michael Malone is still blown away by The Joker's playoff performance that put him in some pretty elite company.

In 14 games, the Nuggets' unpretentious 24-year-old superstar averaged 25.1 points, 13 rebounds and 8.4 assists. The only other players to post averages of at least 20 points, 10 boards and eight assists while playing at least 10 games in the postseason are Oscar Robertson in 1963, Wilt Chamberlin in 1967 and LeBron James in 2015.

''Going into the year I don't know how you can even have an MVP discussion without mentioning his name because of what he did last year, for a guy that is supposedly unathletic and out of shape,'' Malone said. ''I think he proved a lot of people wrong.''

So did the Nuggets, who ended a six-year playoff drought by going 54-28 and becoming the youngest No. 2 seed ever. They won their first playoff series since 2009 with a seven-game ouster of Gregg Popovich and the Spurs in the opening round before falling at home in Game 7 to the Trail Blazers.

''We saw our young players grow up,'' Malone said. ''You can't replicate those 14 games in the postseason. You can't replicate two Game 7s. And I think all of our players have grown from that experience. They're coming back more confident.''

COACH'S CAUTION

Now that the Nuggets have broken through and tasted playoff success, Malone's main goal is to make sure his team guards against letting up. ''That's going to be our greatest challenge,'' he said. ''It's not the Lakers, the Clippers, the Warriors, the Jazz or Rockets. It's us. Fighting ourselves and fighting human nature and not thinking that we've arrived, because we haven't done a damn thing yet.''

NO JOKE

Malone wants more AND less out of Jokic . ''We became so reliant upon Nikola in the postseason,'' he said. ''I go back to Game 7, when we lost to Portland and he came to my office he's crying and apologizing for missing a big free throw. He missed the free throw because he was dead tired. The guy was playing 40 minutes a night. Hopefully this year in the playoffs - if we get back to the playoffs - we don't have to be so reliant on him.''

MOTIVATED MURRAY

Murray cringes when he hears someone say the Nuggets can end Golden State's reign out West and reach the NBA Finals. ''We need to have the mentality that we're going to win it,'' he said. Murray figures the Nuggets have all the ingredients: ''a passing center, shooters all around, the deepest bench.'' What they need is more consistency, starting with his own. ''I can't go 4 for 18 or whatever I was in Game 7'' against Portland, he said.

GRATEFUL GRANT

The Nuggets acquired Grant from the Thunder for a 2020 first-round pick. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward is coming off a breakout season that saw him set career highs in points (13.6) and rebounds (5.2). He also blocked 100 shots and collected 61 steals. ''It's good to get off a sinking ship,'' said Grant, the son of longtime NBA player Harvey Grant. ''I couldn't really ask for a better situation.''

PERSISTENT PORTER

''I have no pain. All my flexibility is back and I feel pretty good out there,'' said Porter, who has only played in three games since high school because of his bad back (and a knee injury that scuttled his Summer League plans). ''No matter how many times you fall it's up to you if you're going to get back up, even if you fall a million times,'' Porter said. ''Eventually my time will come when I'm meant to be a basketball player.''

[StarDust Bum]

T'Wolves take nice chemistry into '19-'20
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The featured attraction of this latest fresh start for the Minnesota Timberwolves is Karl-Anthony Towns, the two-time All-Star center who finished in the top 20 in the NBA last season in more than a dozen major statistical categories.

After a tumultuous start to 2018-19 that led to a revamped front office, a new head coach, Ryan Saunders, and several changes to the roster, Towns in year five has the reins of this team both on and off the court. That's where the next step in his development began to take place during the offseason, encouraging teammates to spend more time in town for workouts and with each other away from the facility.

''That's different than what I've been used to here in Minnesota,'' Towns said, ''and it's going to show.''

The youngest head coach in the NBA at age 33, yet still a decade older than Towns, Saunders has taken over the position his beloved father held for 10 seasons with the Wolves plus a one-year return in 2014-15 before he died of cancer.

Saunders will run a faster offense with greater emphasis on 3-point shooting than his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau. Starting halfway through last season when he took over as interim coach, Saunders has also helped usher in a more upbeat environment, a power-of-positivity approach that's a clear contrast from Thibodeau's throwback style. Still, don't mistake such a young, affable authority for a pushover.

''He also has a side where he's a dog, you know?'' Towns said. ''He's a dog, especially when it comes to getting things right, doing what he commands and asks.''

Culture and process have become just as prominent of concepts around the Timberwolves as perimeter shooting.

''I'm just going to continue doing what I've been doing, and that is holding players accountable in my own way and making sure that we're getting better every day,'' Saunders said. ''We can't skip days.''

Minnesota opens the season Oct. 23 at Brooklyn.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

The Wolves are counting on a return to full strength by point guard Jeff Teague, who was limited to a career-low 42 games due to a left ankle injury that lingered throughout the second half of the season and required a cleanup surgery. That was the first of his 10 years in the NBA in which Teague did not reach the playoffs.

''It's like a blank canvas. We can do anything we want to do. Our team could be really good. No one's expecting much, and that's the beauty of it,'' said Teague, who's in the final season of a three-year, $57 million contract.

With Tyus Jones now playing for Memphis, Shabazz Napier will be the primary backup. Rookie Jarrett Culver could be groomed for an eventual takeover.

HIGH HOPES

The Timberwolves moved up in the draft for the sixth overall pick to take Culver, the 6-foot-5 sparkplug from national runner-up Texas Tech. He's long and quick, with defensive ability on the perimeter the Wolves have badly needed for years.

With Towns, Robert Covington, Andrew Wiggins and Teague locked in to the lineup, there's a starting spot on the wing that could be rotated depending on matchups and health. Culver will likely be in that mix with Jake Layman, Josh Okogie and Treveon Graham.

MOVING PARTS

The strategy under Saunders has also shifted on defense, where the Timberwolves finished 23rd in the NBA last season with an average of 114 points allowed per game. In keeping with a league trend, they'll employ more switching to better head off pick-and-rolls and other problematic plays and lean heavily on the long arms and court instinct of Covington.

''It's just going to give me more freedom to be able to see things on a different scale depending on how and where I am,'' Covington said.

THE FACILITATOR

Towns can not only shoot the 3-pointer as well as any big man in the league, but he can be a deft distributor, a skill new president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas and Saunders have urged him to use more. One quick flick of the ball out of the post is all it takes to set up a wide-open 3-pointer for a teammate.

''It's really fun to have the ball in my hands where I am able to do things I've been doing since high school, which is be an elite passer,'' Towns said. ''That's really where my comfortability in my game comes if I'm not able to score.''

STILL HERE

The longest-tenured player on the team is backup center Gorgui Dieng, who has played for five head coaches in six years and still has two more seasons and more than $35 million remaining on a contract he signed three years ago. With newcomers Jordan Bell and Noah Vonleh in the mix as big men off the bench, playing time for Dieng could be sporadic. But over the last eight games of last season, Dieng averaged 14.5 points in 21.5 minutes while shooting 55.2% from the floor.

''When you look at numbers and the way that guys are looking, I'm very consistent since I've been in this league,'' Dieng said.

[StarDust Bum]

Butler arrives in Miami, Heat hopes soar
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) Jimmy Butler wants this made clear: He is not in Miami to be the next Dwyane Wade.

He wanted to be in Miami to honor his retired friend's legacy - and pick up where Wade left off.

Wade's ''one last dance'' is over, his retirement has come after 16 seasons and now Butler has arrived to become the Heat's go-to guy in winning time. Adding Butler on a four-year contract was the centerpiece of the Heat's offseason, and even in a year of transition - learning to play without Wade, again - Miami believes a return to the playoffs is well within reach.

''Seeing what he helped build here - and I never want to compare myself to him, but I think that what they have going on here and the way they go about everything here is the right way,'' said Butler, who went to Marquette (as did Wade) and was Wade's teammate in Chicago in 2016-17 after the three-time champion left Miami the first time. ''That's what I'm banking on, that we continue to do that.''

Wade's last home game as a Heat player was against Philadelphia, with Butler one of the opponents that night. The scene, the way the Miami crowd feted Wade, it all made an impact on Butler's thinking as far as where he wanted to play this season and beyond.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra compared Miami's move to bring Butler in to one of the other seismic moves in franchise history - the one, early in Pat Riley's tenure with the team, that landed Alonzo Mourning.

''We bring in a super, like-minded player to our culture,'' Spoelstra said. ''In my mind, Jimmy is having the same impact Zo had when he joined the team.''

Butler thought one of the adjustments he'd have to make with the move to Miami was the process of getting to know what makes his new teammates tick. Turns out, that's almost been seamless - a good sign for a team going into a season with Miami's traditional high expectations.

''I'm just happy to be able to hoop,'' Butler said. ''We've got a great group of guys. We like being around each other. Everyone's laughing and smiling. It's going to be a long year and a long great year. Everyone around here is looking forward to it.''

Here are some other things to know about the Heat entering the season:

BUTLER'S MOVES

The Heat are Butler's fourth team - fourth team since 2017, too - and he says he wants Miami to be the final stop in his career.

Butler has been to the postseason seven times, including with Philadelphia last year, yet still hasn't gotten past the second round. Miami also hasn't been past the second round since its last NBA Finals trip in 2014, yet it believes adding Butler is the first huge footstep toward reversing those recent fortunes.

FREE THROWS

Miami was awful from the foul line last year. The Heat shot 60% or less from the free-throw stripe a league-worst 17 times last season - and went 2-15 in those games. Look no further than that as the reason why Miami wasted a chance at a postseason berth. Of those 15 losses, five came in games where Miami wound up losing by five points or fewer; the Heat wound up missing the playoffs by two games.

DEFEND HOME

Another key area where the Heat must get better this season is defending home court.

Miami was 19-22 at home last season - actually a game worse than its 20-21 record on the road. Last season marked the first time since 1996-97 that the Heat had a better record away from Miami; that team was 32-9 on the road, 29-12 at home.

THE ROOKIE

No. 13 pick Tyler Herro is loaded with confidence, and the Heat aren't holding him back. The rookie from Kentucky quickly has earned the trust of teammates, not just because of his strong summer league and preseason performances but because of his practice habits as well.

''We are trying to prepare Tyler as much as we can to be ready to help us win,'' Spoelstra said.

THE VETERAN

Udonis Haslem is back for his 17th season, all with Miami.

The Heat offered Haslem a chance to become a coach this season instead; he decided to remain as a player, even with the knowledge that he likely won't get much court time.

With Wade retired, he's the last remaining player from any of Miami's three championship teams still on the roster.

[StarDust Bum]

Raptors experimenting after departures
October 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse expects he'll be experimenting with lineups a lot in the early part of the season.

That's the challenge when you lose two starters from any team, let alone an NBA champion.

Nurse's tinkering became a necessity after free agent forward Kawhi Leonard left the Raptors to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. Toronto also lost guard Danny Green, who joined LeBron James and the Lakers.

''With the two guys missing, that kind of throws us into experimenting mode,'' Nurse said.

The plus side? Nurse has plenty of talented players eager to pick up the offensive slack created by the two high-profile departures.

''There's plenty of shots to spread around,'' he said.

Five-time All-Star Kyle Lowry, whose contract extension was made official Tuesday, will see some time at shooting guard this season, Nurse said, playing alongside point guard Fred VanVleet.

''I've got to be a lot more of a scorer,'' Lowry said of his new responsibilities. ''It's going to be interesting how we play.''

Center Marc Gasol, the defensive standout acquired from Memphis in a deadline move last season, will also figure more prominently, Nurse said. So will Pascal Siakam, whose huge leap forward last year earned him the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.

''I'm really looking forward to seeing Pascal, Serge (Ibaka) and Marc as soon as possible, because I think that's something we could end up using a lot,'' Nurse said. ''I'm always trying to get my best players on the floor and those guys are three of our best players.''

Still, it's the loss of Leonard, Toronto's best player last season, that's likely to have the biggest impact on how the Raptors fare in their quest for repeat title after beating the Golden State Warriors in six games.

KEEPING KYLE

Toronto's longest-tenured player, Lowry is beginning his eighth season with the Raptors and 14th in the NBA. He had one year remaining on a three-year, $100 million contract. His new deal is for one year and $31 million.

''It's a place I wanted to be and it's the place I've been the most successful in my career,'' Lowry said Tuesday in his first public comment on the extension.

Lowry had left thumb surgery this offseason and missed the first two weeks of training camp and preseason. Even so, Toronto's front office wasn't worried about any decline in their star guard's abilities.

''He has a chance to go down as best Raptor ever,'' general manager Bobby Webster said. ''Obviously he's playing at a high level, he's continued to play at a high level. We have no reason to expect him not to.''

Nurse certainly appreciates Lowry's trademark tenacity.

''He's an influential guy from a lot of standpoints,'' Nurse said. ''Nobody plays harder. To me, he just keeps getting better and better.''

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR

The Raptors don't have to wait long for their first look at Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clipper: the teams meet in California on Nov. 11. It's the second game of a back-to-back at Staples Center for the Raptors, who face the Lakers one night prior. Leonard and the Clippers come north of the border to face the Raptors in Toronto on Dec. 11

NEW IN TOWN

After losing out on Leonard and Green, the Raptors beefed up their wing options by signing forwards Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Stanley Johnson. Both are first-round picks from 2015 who bring defense-first reputations but not big scoring totals.

SHARPSHOOTER

Toronto also added an outside-shooting threat by signing guard Matt Thomas to a three-year contract. Thomas made 254 3-pointers in four seasons with the Iowa State Cyclones, the third-highest total in school history, but went undrafted in 2017 and ended up playing in Spain. Last season, Thomas shot .481 (116 for 241) from 3-point range to help Valencia Basket win the EuroCup.

FINGER FURNITURE

The Raptors will receive their championship rings before they tip off the regular season at home to rookie star Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 22.

''It's going to be cool,'' Nurse said. ''Obviously it's kind of a last moment to celebrate and it's a big one.''

The only thing bigger might Toronto's new rings.

''Those things, they're like pieces of furniture,'' Nurse said. ''They're not really rings they're so big these days.''