Last Word On Sports • 13/09/2024

5 Contenders to Win NBA Scoring Title

There is a lot of offensive talent in the NBA, with plenty of players capable of winning the scoring title.  It is difficult to pick out five players, but which stars have the best chance of leading the scoring charts in 2024-25?
This year is set up to be a very different season for Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. For the first time since 2011, the Warriors will have only one-half of the ‘Splash Brothers’ following  Klay Thompson’s departure to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade...

Last Word On Sports • 11/09/2024

NBA Legend Questions Victor Wembanyama’s Dominance

Shaquille O’Neal has recently questioned the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama’s future dominance, despite a historic rookie campaign for the San Antonio Spurs. Citing his heavy reliance on shooting jumpers, the Hall-of-Famer suggested that the Frenchman’s playstyle does not invoke fear in the opposition compared to other greats in the game.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee show, Shaq said:
Clarifying his ‘dominant’ definition, O’Neal cast doubt on whether Wembanyama fits the criteria.His com...

VAVEL • 06/09/2024

Los Angeles Lakers: 2024/25 season preview

There is a lot of pressure on the Los Angeles Lakers this season as they try to win their first Championship since 2020.

Last season they enjoyed their best record since their title triumph, but the franchise knows further improvements must be made to compete again.

Plagued by injuries to several key role players throughout the season the Lakers endured a campaign of inconsistency. This led to an eighth-seed finish and a play-in spot, though they suffered at the hands of a very competitive Wes...

Last Word On Sports • 06/09/2024

Two-Time NBA Finalist Still Searching for Team in Free Agency

The new NBA season is just weeks away, but Jae Crowder is still without a team.  After spending last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, the veteran forward entered free agency. This is where he remains, as one of the top options on the board that remains unsigned. Heading into year 13 of his career, Crowder could provide a tough and experienced 3-and-D wing for any team, especially a contender having played in two NBA Finals. However, no one has made a move yet to sign the veteran.
Milwaukee paid...

Last Word On Sports • 04/09/2024

4 Dark Horses Who Could Push for NBA MVP Award

As the new NBA season approaches, it is time to start discussing MVP candidates. Several players will force themselves into the conversation, and here we take a look at some potential dark horses who could make a push for the award.
The Minnesota Timberwolves surprised many last season by finishing as the third seed before ultimately falling to the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the Western Conference Finals.  They finished just one game back of the first-seed Oklahoma City Thunder and expect...

VAVEL • 28/08/2024

Phoenix Suns: 2024/25 NBA season preview

​​​​​There is a new coach at the helm of the Phoenix Suns this season, but the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are back to avenge the embarrassment suffered at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

A lot of eyes will be on the team this season, with the pressure ramping up even more to deliver a first NBA Championship for the franchise.

After acquiring Beal in the summer of 2023 to team up with Booker and Durant, the expectations were s...

VAVEL.com • 17/05/2024

Top Five Highest Paid Players in the NBA

The money in the NBA is increasing year-on-year, and with that comes the huge contracts that players and agents are able to negotiate. The talent in the league is ever-growing, but who are the highest paid players this season?

The highest-paid player in the NBA this season is no other than Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Being the greatest three-point shooter of all-time, a two-time MVP and a four-time NBA champion, it is no doubt that he is worth his contract. Additionally, he is a 1

VAVEL.com • 10/05/2024

Victor Wembanyama Named Unanimous Rookie of the Year

Earlier this week, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, voted for unanimously with 99 first place votes, beating out competition from Oklahoma City Thunder forward-center Chet Holmgren. By doing so, he became the first unanimous recipient of the award since Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016. The youngster is also the third player to win the award as a member of the Spurs, following in the footsteps of David Robinson in 1990 and Tim

VAVEL.com • 15/04/2024

Bradley Beal leads Phoenix Suns to victory against Minnesota Timberwolves

This season has been clouded with uncertainty for the Phoenix Suns, who have had to navigate a brand new roster, coaching staff and a number of injuries throughout the campaign. However, the regular season ended in victory as they secured the sixth seed with a 125-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. They needed some help, with the LA Lakers beating the New Orleans Pelicans to ensure that the Suns finished above the latter as they had won the tiebreaker between the two.

It had been a couple

VAVEL.com • 13/04/2024

Top 5 Highest Scoring Performances this Season

Prior to last season, only one player had reached 70 points in a game since Kobe Bryant scored 81 in 2006. That was Devin Booker, who scored 70 in a defeat against the Boston Celtics in 2017. In the last two seasons, four different players have reached or eclipsed that figure, signifying the leap in offensive talent that the NBA has seen in recent years. Fifty and sixty point games have become more common, and plenty of different players are enjoying success. Here are the top 5 scoring performan

VAVEL.com • 06/04/2024

New York Knicks Dealt Serious Blow as Julius Randle is Ruled Out for Season

On Thursday, the New York Knicks announced that all-star power forward Julius Randle would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. It is an injury that has kept him out since 27th January, when he dislocated his shoulder against the Miami Heat. He took a hard fall after drawing a blocking foul on Jaime Jaquez Jr, which left him in serious pain. What makes it even harder for the Knicks to take is that there were just four-and-a-half minutes left in the game, and they were up 17 points.

There was

VAVEL.com • 29/03/2024

Analysing the Western Conference Play-Off Picture

Despite the regular season winding to a close, the Western Conference play-off picture is still very unclear. There are up to 11 teams who are still in the hunt for post-season basketball. The number one seed is yet to be determined, and there are three teams battling for top spot with less than 10 games remaining. The fight to avoid the play-in is just as intense, with six teams competing for three positions. Finally, there is an intriguing head-to-head for the final play-in position as the 10t

VAVEL.com • 29/03/2024

The Sacrifices of Bradley Beal

When the Phoenix Suns surprisingly traded for three-time all-star Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards last summer, many were quick to crown the team as early favourites. They were already amongst the top teams in the league, given the presence of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but this acquisition gave them a new dynamic which plenty believed would be near impossible to stop.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way, however. For Beal personally, it has been a campaign riddled with injury, as h

OddsNow • 24/03/2024

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors: Betting Odds & Prediction

The Minnesota Timberwolves (48-22) host the Golden State Warriors (36-33) in this Western Conference clash which will have huge implications for a number of teams in the standings.

Steph Curry will lead his side to take on young star Anthony Edwards in this exciting late season matchup.

It has been a thrilling season for Timberwolves fans as they watch their team compete at the top of the Western Conference. They have so far exceeded expectations, as they sit third in the standings. All that s

OddsNow • 23/03/2024

New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets: Betting Odds & Prediction

The New York Knicks (41-28) host the Brooklyn Nets (26-44) in this crosstown rivalry, with the opportunity for bragging rights on the line.

The pair have endured very contrasting seasons, but victory for either team could have big implications for the standings in the Eastern Conference.

In a conference dominated by the Boston Celtics, the Knicks have emerged as a potential threat to them in the post-season. Despite suffering from multiple long-term injuries to key players, Tom Thibodeau’s tea

VAVEL.com • 21/03/2024

There is much to look forward to for the Memphis Grizzlies despite nightmare season

Coming into the 2023/24 season, there was a lot of hope within the Memphis Grizzlies organisation that they could produce a deep post-season run following the return of star guard Ja Morant. Last season they ended as the two seed for the second year in a row, though Morant missed eight games through suspension. They faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round and lost in six games. In 2022, they made it to the semi-finals but were eliminated by the eventual champions Golden State Warriors. A

OddsNow • 17/03/2024

Milwaukee Bucks vs Phoenix Suns: Betting Odds & Prediction

The Milwaukee Bucks (43-24) host the Phoenix Suns (39-28), in a rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals on Sunday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard take on Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in what should be an entertaining matchup filled with stars.

The Milwaukee Bucks are currently second in the Eastern Conference, but have endured a season of inconsistency and underperformance, as they sit 9.5 games back from the Boston Celtics in first. The off-season trade for Damian Lillard was supposed to pr

OddsNow • 17/03/2024

Dallas Mavericks vs Denver Nuggets: Betting Odds & Prediction

This Sunday sees the Dallas Mavericks (38-29) host the Denver Nuggets (47-20) in a star-studded matchup between the league’s two supreme European talents in Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.

Both teams will be desperate for a win in what is a stacked and congested Western Conference, as the end of the regular season approaches.

The Mavericks currently occupy a play-in position, sitting in eighth spot. They are only 3.5 games behind the New Orleans Pelicans in fifth, but just three ahead of the Gol

VAVEL.com • 13/03/2024

NBA: Race for Most Valuable Player

As the NBA season enters the final stretch, the race for the league’s Most Valuable Player award is heating up. Throughout the campaign there have been a number of players involved in discussions, some looking to add to their trophy collection, and others hoping to receive the honour for the first time. Here are the top five players on the NBA’s MVP ladder heading into the final month of the regular season.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has cemented himself as the most dominant player in t

OddsNow • 06/03/2024

Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

The reigning champions Denver Nuggets (42-20) host the current title favourites Boston Celtics (48-13) in a star-studded matchup at the Ball Arena.

Both sides are tipped to make it out of their respective conferences, so this could provide a glimpse into what could be a potential finals series.

How to Watch Nuggets vs Celtics in the UK:

UK viewers will be able to watch the game on TNT Sports 2, with tip-off at 3am.

Ea

OddsNow • 02/03/2024

Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

The Phoenix Suns take on the Houston Rockets on Sunday for the third time in the space of a week as they try and maintain their seeding in a congested Western Conference.

Ime Udoka’s Rockets team are currently 12th in the Western Conference, despite a surprisingly strong start. With a record of 25-34 they are unlikely to make it in to the top ten, which would mark a fourth consecutive season without making the playoffs. T

OddsNow • 02/03/2024

LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

The Los Angeles Lakers host the Denver Nuggets at the Cyrpto.com Arena in the early hours of Sunday in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals.

Champions Denver are hoping to retain their title, and are in a strong position to do so, currently sitting third in the conference led by MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic. The Lakers, in contrast, are ninth and battling to avoid the play-in tournament, though they face a tou

FlashPicks • 15/12/2023

FlashPicks March Madness Full Guide | FlashPicks

In 2011, the tournament was expanded to 68 teams from an original 64, adding three additional opening round games. The opening week sees eight teams compete in the ‘First Four’ which determines the four winners to join the 60 other teams to compete in the first and second rounds. These teams are the four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and four lowest-seeded at-large teams.

From these rounds, sixteen winners advance to compete in the regional semi-finals and finals in the second week. These

FlashPicks • 18/10/2023

Highest Points Scorers in NBA History | FlashPicks

Arguably the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan opens up the top five with 32,292 points. He spent 13 years with the Chicago Bulls, winning six championships and six Finals MVPs. Within that, he took a year and a half away from the sport and signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. After he returned to the Bulls in 1995, he spent another three years with the franchise before announcing his retirement for a second time. However, he ended up playing a further two seasons with t