melo Page 6 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Hear me out: LiAngelo Ball has proven he belongs
LiAngelo Ball has earned an opportunity to be on someone’s NBA roster....

It’s okay to find the feel-good in Kemba Walker’s return to New York
From the land of chopped cheese and quarter waters emerged the coldest motherfucker to come out of New York City playgrounds and gyms since Sebastian Telfair in 2004. And that same guy is now a New York Knick, bringing it full circle 10 years after being drafted into the NBA, and after hitting possi...

Yes, it's a gold medal for Team USA, but what does that mean?
Nobody is going to argue that this was the best men’s basketball team the United States has sent to the Olympics. They’re gold medalists today thanks largely to Kevin Durant — throughout the tournament and including the title game against France; deciding that play time was over, and proceeding to w...

Are we properly understanding USA women’s dominance on the court? Nah, probably not
We’ve gotten two collaborations around 20 years in the making this week: LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, and Nas and Eminem. Even when they all broke into their respective industries, Team USA’s women’s basketball program had already been winning gold medals. The first came in 1984, and they’ve wo...

Lakers will be in contention for both a ring and an early-bird special
Half of the Banana Boat crew will be playing in Hollywood this season. ...

Deadspin fixes NBA free agency, Part VI: The Sleepers
This isn’t a best of, and it can’t be; we don’t even know who will be available by the time this goes up. ...

Deadspin fixes NBA free agency — Part 1: Point Guards
Free agency, the part many of you care about most, begins the evening of August 2....

Giannis' NBA title and KD’s big toe are latest examples of media’s ‘Winner Myth’ fallacy
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s performance in the NBA Finals to beat the Phoenix Suns was epic. ...

Who should be ‘next <i>men</i> up’ for Team USA if more replacements are needed?
This is not what the R&R Partners meant by “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”...

Gregg Popovich’s entire tenure with Team USA has been a failure
Over the past 17 years, every time the United States men’s basketball national team has been terrible, Gregg Popovich has been on the sidelines. And that’s not an opinion, either. It’s a fact....

Don’t be surprised if Kevin Love is really good in the Olympics
Experience matters and Kevin Love has it....
![Both Team USA Basketball squads looking super stacked [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/51503b88e262f7715869fc26bc8e9bcb.jpg)
Both Team USA Basketball squads looking super stacked [Updated]
Yesterday, the Team USA women’s basketball squad announced its full 12 for next month’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, and the men’s roster, while yet to be finalized, is taking shape....

Can we all finally recognize Paul George for his greatness?
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined with an ACL injury, everyone rushed to their computers to rule out the Clippers in their series with the top-seeded Utah Jazz. Even though the series was tied 2-2, no one expected the Clippers to steal a game in Utah without Kawhi on the court. Much like my colleague Jon...

Deadspin looks at all the injuries that have affected the NBA playoffs
When Kyrie Irving went down with an ankle injury halfway through the second quarter of Sunday’s Bucks and Nets Game 4 matchup, basketball fans simultaneously let out a loud groan. The injury bug had hit another star in a season that may be remembered for who was left standing, instead of who was the...

The Top 5 Idiots of May
Welcome to Deadspin’s IDIOT OF THE MONTH, in which we make fun of famous (and non-famous!) people who have done stupid things. And May did not disappoint....

Nuggets/Blazers is so much more than just Jokić vs. Lillard
Nikola Jokić and Damian Lillard are doing exactly what they’re supposed to do....

Blazers-Nuggets briefly bumped to ESPN2, still a far cry from tape-delayed 1981 Finals
The start of Trail Blazers-Nuggets was bumped to ESPN2 as Jose Ramírez and Josh Taylor fought for the undisputed junior welterweight title on ESPN, which is barely fathomable in 2021. Taylor won by unanimous decision, and ESPN switched over to the action in Denver with 6:40 left in the first quarter...

Don’t be fooled, LaMelo is surrounded by talent in Charlotte
I know the national media never talks about them, but the Charlotte Hornets have hoopers not named LaMelo Ball....

The NBA’s very confusing playoff picture, as it currently stands
We know which 20 teams won’t be heading for summer vacation after the last day of the NBA regular season on Sunday, but that’s about all we know....