The back-cut is among the simplest but most spectacular plays in basketball. Gary Payton II and Bruce Brown are two of the best practitioners of this art form. There is something aesthetically captivating about the back-cut and the way it unfolds. Time slows for a second. From the bleachers or our couches, we can see
Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard made a comment over loyalty, possibly throwing shade Kevin Durant’s way. With Damian Lillard’s comment hinting about being loyal to one franchise, he may have thrown some shade at Kevin Durant and other NBA superstars who have regularly switched allegiances. Lillard has spent his entire professional career with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was
Damian Lillard and other Trail Blazers seemed to shoot their shot with Kevin Durant amid trade rumors but KD’s brother was quick to pour some cold water. Another Brooklyn Nets shakeup seems almost inevitable at this point. After the team sent James Harden away in a trade for Ben Simmons ahead of the deadline this
It’s one of the biggest hypotheticals in NBA Draft history — What if Kevin Durant and Greg Oden had been selected in a different order? The 15th anniversary of the 2007 NBA Draft is here. Sorry, Blazers fans. Let’s get this over with and delve into the latest “What If,” courtesy of Strat-O-Matic, the Market Leader
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets, Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, Team USA. (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images) Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin already eyeing LeBron James’ crown by Cody Williams Damian Lillard posted a photo of himself and Kevin Durant, who was wearing a Portland Trail Blazers uniform, on his Instagram Story. The NBA world
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue Boilermakers. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) Blue Jays: 3 left-handed bats that Toronto should trade for by Eric Treuden Former Purdue basketball star Caleb Swanigan has sadly passed away at the young age of 25. Purdue basketball fans are in mourning, as former Boilermakers standout Caleb Swanigan passed away at the age of
As the effects of the overturning of Roe v. Wade ripple throughout the nation, notable professional athletes and teams speak out while many remain silent. There’s an intersection between social justice and sports not because people are changing, but because platforms are. In 1969, Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists
The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Pistons forward Jerami Grant the day before the 2022 NBA Draft, and didn’t give up much in immediate assets. Grant has flourished in his time with the Pistons, in part due to the saying, “Well, someone has to score.” But Grant is a capable wing, and has been on the
Portland Trail Blazers power forward Greg Brown III. (Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports) Kyle Shanahan expects Deebo Samuel at 49ers mandatory minicamp by Owen Crisafulli With the Trail Blazers on the verge of being sold, NBA owners are reportedly against letting them move to Seattle preferring expansion for the city. The NBA is heading for major
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard could not believe the team fell to the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery. Just ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics was the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery. The event was set to determine the exact
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. The NCAA Tournament starts this week shining the spotlight on, among other things, some of the best draft prospects in this year’s class. The consensus seems to be that
While the Suns and Warriors have taken the NBA by storm, the Utah Jazz have quietly improved upon last year’s dominant play with the league’s best offense. The Warriors and Suns currently sit at the center of the NBA world’s attention this week, and rightfully so. The two teams have won a combined 36 of
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. This week on The Long Two, Ben Ladner looked at the difficult decision the Blazers are facing at the trade deadline — whether or not to trade Damian Lillard.
The action kicked off early with a handful of big trades days before the actual NBA Trade Deadline. Here are all the latest rumors and analysis of every completed deal. We’ve already seen a few of the biggest dominos fall with Domantas Sabonis and CJ McCollum both traded on Tuesday. Here are the deals we’ve
Can the Los Angeles Lakers trade for Damian Lillard after the Blazers dealt C.J. McCollum to the Pelicans? Why a deal is still unlikely: To put it simply, despite the Lakers’ fanbase’s insistence that they trade for Lillard, it’s still quite unlikely. Unless the trade between the Blazers and Pelicans for C.J. McCollum loaded the
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 30: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on January 30, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of
Both the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans took bold swings head of the NBA trade deadline, but where will those moves ultimately take them? Both the blessing and the curse of building around someone like Zion Williamson is the urgency he places upon the present. A player this dominant, this soon with this kind of
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. We’re just four days away from the NBA Trade Deadline and we’ve already seen some dominoes fall with the Cleveland Cavaliers picking up Caris LeVert from the Pacers for