Dallas Mavericks' All-Star Kyrie Irving took the opportunity in his post-game media appearance to share support for recently suspended Memphis Grizzlies franchise player Ja Morant.
The comments came after Monday's 112-108 road loss in Memphis, where Irving and Morant were seen embracing after the final whistle.
Morant had missed his ninth game in a row following an incident at a Colorado nightclub where he was seen on an Instagram live video flashing a gun to the camera.
An investigation by the NBA found the Grizzlies star guilty of bringing the league into disrepute by "holding a firearm in an intoxicated state", but there was no evidence the weapon belonged to him, or that he brought it onto the team plane, or any NBA facilities.
He was suspended for eight games, and missed Monday's contest also as he works his way back into game shape.
Irving said he understands what Morant is going through, and that he feels the public and media have treated him unfairly.
"I believe any hardship in life builds character," Irving told reporters. "When you’re dealing with particular hardships in the public eye, especially with the media being attracted to just keeping up with what we’re doing, or what’s the next kind of grab or story.
"I don’t want to assume anything by every media member, but that’s just the way it seems for me and my perspective, which is there was an overload of judgement on Ja.
"There was an overload of judgement on what I had going on, and there’s usually an overload of judgement from the public court of opinion."
He went on to discuss the "initial shock" Morant must have faced "dealing with the public opinion and all of the extra hoopla that comes with it".
"But then there’s a real human being dealing with emotion," he said. "I care about that aspect. That’s where I’m putting my energy.
"I wished his family well wishes, I wished him well wishes, and I just pray for his peace of mind.
"I was happy to see him out there today, and I just want him to make it through. He has a long career ahead of him. I don’t think anybody should be controlling but him."
Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks shared that he feels Morant has nothing to prove to the rest of the group when he returns to action, saying "hell no" to the thought of the All-NBA talent coming off the bench as he works his way back.
"He's proved everything from the jump," he said. "Love him as a brother. He’s the one who really put this city on the map.
"We were a low-market team, just roaming around the NBA. Now we're one of the most talked about teams in the NBA. We have a pride in the sense of a chip on our shoulder every single game.
"He doesn't have to prove anything to us. We have his back and he has our back."
Irving ended up leaving the arena in a walking boot, which he called "precautionary" to protect his previously injured and now swollen toe after Brooks fell on it in the third quarter.
"I just gotta make it back home to Dallas and start my recovery work and do everything I can to prepare for the next day and a half," he said. "Take time, rest and exhaust all my options to be ready to play the next game.
"I was really worried about my ankle being sprained, but once we came back here. It wasn't, it was just a re-aggravation of that same spot on the top of my right foot... It went in a position where I could only re-aggravate my big toe. Again, unfortunate, but just looking forward to the next 48 hours."
Suns tab former NBA champion coach Vogel to replace Williams
The Phoenix Suns are finalising an agreement with former NBA champion coach Frank Vogel to become their next head coach, according to multiple reports.
Vogel, who guided the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, takes over a talent-laden Suns team that has compiled a 160-76 record over the last three regular seasons - the highest winning percentage in the league over that period - but still seeks the first championship of the franchise's 55-year existence.
The 49-year-old replaces Monty Williams, who was fired shortly after the Suns were ousted by the Denver Nuggets in six games in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Williams was hired as the Detroit Pistons' head coach earlier this week. The 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year went 194-115 over four seasons in Phoenix and led the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals.
Vogel owns a 431-389 overall record over 11 seasons with three different teams along with a career 49-39 playoff record. His greatest success came during his first season in Los Angeles, where a Lakers team led by superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis went 52-19 before winning four playoff series in the Orlando bubble to earn the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The Lakers failed to follow up on that success, however, losing to the Suns in the first round the following season. Vogel was then fired after the 2021-22 campaign in which Los Angeles went a disappointing 33-49 and missed the playoffs.
Regarded as a defensive specialist, Vogel previously directed the Indiana Pacers to five playoff appearances - including two trips to the Eastern Conference finals - over a six-year stretch from 2010-16. He also served as the Orlando Magic's head coach from 2016-18.
Vogel will again be taking over a team with two bona fide stars in Phoenix with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker locked into long-term deals, though the Suns do have offseason decisions to make on two other key players. Veteran point guard Chris Paul turned 38 in May and has a partially guaranteed contract for next season, while center Deandre Ayton struggled in the playoff series against the Nuggets and sat out Denver's clinching victory with a rib injury.
Nikola Jokic triple-double propels Denver Nuggets past Miami Heat 104-93
The Denver Nuggets cruised to an 11-point win over a lacklustre Miami Heat in the first game of the NBA finals.
Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic was pivotal in the 104-93 victory, picking up a seamless triple-double in his finals debut.
Miami had no defensive answers for the 28-year-old Serbian, who orchestrated Denver’s offence before finishing with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
Outside of the first few minutes, Denver never looked like losing – much to the appreciation of a raucous home crowd.
Bam Adebayo had a strong showing for the Heat as he picked up a team-high 26 points, but he had little help from an inconsistent offence.
On the other hand, Jokic was ably assisted by a 26-point effort from Jamal Murray, while fellow starters Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr added 16 and 14 points respectively.
The seven-game series is Denver’s first trip back to the finals in 47 years, while Miami are on the hunt for their fourth championship.
Nikola Jokic has triple-double to lead Nuggets past Heat in Game 1 of NBA Finals
The Denver Nuggets didn’t show much rust despite a lengthy layoff and Nikola Jokic stepped up down the stretch in his NBA Finals debut, helping his team hold off the Miami Heat for a 104-93 victory in Game 1 on Thursday.
Jokic scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter – including eight in the final four minutes after the Heat stormed back to cut a 24-point deficit to just nine points.
The two-time league MVP also assisted on 14 baskets and grabbed 10 rebounds to notch his ninth triple-double of this year’s playoffs.
Jokic had plenty of help with Jamal Murray finishing with 26 points and 10 assists, Aaron Gordon adding 16 points and six rebounds and Michael Porter Jr. chipping in 14 points and 12 boards for a Nuggets team that improved to 9-0 at home in the playoffs.
The Heat were led by Bam Adebayo’s 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Gabe Vincent scored 19 and Haywood Highsmith had 18 points off the bench.
Jimmy Butler, the MVP of the Eastern Conference finals, had 13 points – his fewest of the playoffs – along with seven rebounds and seven assists.
With nine days off between games after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals, there was concern that the Nuggets would be a bit rusty, but that wasn’t the case.
Playing in its first Finals in the franchise's 47-year history, Denver came out firing on all cylinders early in front of a raucous crowd, shooting 59.5 per cent in the opening two quarters to jump out to a 59-42 half-time lead.
The Nuggets pulled away in the third quarter to build an 84-60 advantage but the battle-tested Heat responded.
Highsmith scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and his 3 with 2 ½ minutes to play pulled the Heat within nine points, but that is as close as they would get.
Game 2 will be Sunday in Denver, and it’s possible Tyler Herro will be cleared to play.
Herro has been sidelined since fracturing his right hand in Miami’s playoff opener on April 16, and has been increasing his basketball activities in the last week.
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