Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will not be playing Tuesday night to Wednesday to face the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs. The 2016 Olympic champion suffers from an inflammation of the right knee and Miami does not want to take any risks for the rest of the competition. The Heat lead 3-1 in the series and can advance to the next round following this home game. In Butler’s absence, Hawks point guard Trae Young might take the opportunity to close the gap.
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Ja Morant (Memphis) received the Most Improved Player trophy
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
A year and a half following being voted rookie of the year, Ja Morant received another individual trophy. The Memphis point guard was named Most Improved Player (MIP) by a panel of journalists. All-Star in February for the first time in his career, he led the Grizzlies to second place in the Western Conference, behind Phoenix.
In 57 games this season, Morant (22) has scored 27.4 points, grabbed 5.7 rebounds and distributed 6.7 assists. Statistics in clear increase compared to his exercise 2020-2021 (19.1 points, 4 rebounds, 7.4 assists), which had already brought him to the gates of the All-Star Game. The former student of Murray State (Kentucky) beat two other leaders in the standings: Dejounte Murray (San Antonio) and Darius Garland (Cleveland).
But the trophy did not last forever at Ja Morant. On Instagram, the Grizzlies star posted a photo of the item dropped off at his teammate Desmond Bane’s house. The 23-year-old rear has proven this season in Tennessee going from 9.2 to 18.2 points per game with an excellent three-point address (43.6%). Bane finished fifth in the MIP vote.
Ben Simmons still forfeited with the Brooklyn Nets against Boston in the play-offs
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
Ben Simmons, expected to make his big debut with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday once morest the Boston Celtics, has finally withdrawn for this crucial match. Led 3-0, the New York franchise is forced to win, to avoid being knocked out in the first round of the NBA play-offs.
Traded last February with James Harden, who left for the Philadelphia Sixers, Simmons has not played a single game this season. Appeared in poor physical shape when he arrived at the Nets, he suffers from back pain which prevents him from being able to help his new team.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence chosen by Jacksonville in first place in the NFL Draft
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
As expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars picked Trevor Lawrence, star quarterback from Clemson University, in the No. 1 spot in the NFL Draft on Thursday. At the end of an exceptional university career, the young man with long hair from Tennessee (1.98 m, 21 years old) is expected like the messiah in Jacksonville, who has only seen the play-offs once ( in 2017) over the last thirteen seasons. The Jaguars hope to see him revolutionize an offensive game that has been one of the league’s worst in a decade.
Lawrence, who led the Clemson Tigers to the national title in his freshman year, won 34 of 36 games as a starter in college and recorded more than 10,000 passing yards. He is the tenth quarterback selected in first place in the draft since 2009.
Two other quarterbacks succeed him in this 2021 draft: Zach Wilson (New York Jets) in 2nd position, then the unexpected Trey Lance, from a not very reputable university (North Dakota State), chosen number 3 by the San Francisco 49ers .