A crestfallen Giannis Antetokounmpo declared "there's no failure in sports" after the Milwaukee Bucks were consigned to a stunning first-round playoff exit by the Miami Heat.
The Heat won Game 5 128-126 in overtime at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday to take the series 4-1.
Inspired by Jimmy Butler, who scored 42 points, Miami became the sixth number eight seed to beat a top seed and the first since the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012.
The Heat were two points down with 2.1 seconds to go, prompting Erik Spoelstra to call a timeout and draw up a play that Butler did not feel was the right approach, so his coach changed his mind.
That paid off when Gabe Vincent threw a pass to Butler, who tied up the game to force overtime and the Heat went on to eliminate the Bucks.
Bucks superstar Antetokounmpo, who scored 38 points and took 20 rebounds, dismissed talk of the team being a failure this season.
"There's no failure in sports," he said. "There's good days, bad days. Some days you're able to be successful. Some days you're not. Some days it's your turn.
"Some days it's not your turn. That's what sports is about. You don't always win.
"It’s not a failure, it's steps to success. There's always steps to it. You work towards a goal. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? No."
Spoelstra lavished praise on Butler after he stepped up once again to make a huge impact.
"He’s desperate and urgent and maniacal and sometimes psychotic about the will to try to win," Spoelstra said of Butler.
"He'll make everybody in the building feel it. That's why he is us and we are him. That's the way we operate as well."
Morant allowed to travel, practise with Grizzlies during suspension
Ja Morant won't be able to play his first game for the Memphis Grizzlies until December 19.
He will, however, be allowed to train with the team immediately.
The Grizzlies confirmed Monday that Morant is allowed to travel, practise and even participate in shootarounds during his 25-game suspension.
"I think it's great for Ja, and I think it's great for the group that he can be with us day to day," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said during the team's media day. "The NBA basically has said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he's going to be clear to participate in all private team activities, so practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. He's not going to be with us obviously for preseason games and the first 25, but we'll see him out there and we can't wait to have him back Game 26."
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games without pay on June 16 for appearing in a second video on social media while brandishing a gun. He had posed with a firearm for a social media live stream on May 13, less than two months after serving an eight-game suspension for posing with a gun for a video in a Denver nightclub on March 4.
Kleiman said having Morant able to train and be around the team will be beneficial to both the Grizzlies, as well as, Morant as it will help keep him accountable.
"There's steps that I think Ja is continuing to take that are really positive and in the right direction," Kleiman said. "It's great to have him here. I think he's put himself in a position where there’s no reason why he can't keep following through on this. So we're glad he's here and can't wait to have him back."
Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant won't be working with the starters during practise, seeing as he won't be playing in any games for the first two months of the season and the team needs to be able to function without him, but they have a plan to get him ready.
An All-Star each of the last two seasons, Morant averaged 26.2 points with career highs of 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 61 games last season.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year is entering the first year of a five-year $197million maximum contract.
Morant allowed to travel, practice with Grizzlies during suspension
Ja Morant won't be able to play his first game for the Memphis Grizzlies until December 19.
He will, however, be allowed to train with the team immediately.
The Grizzlies confirmed Monday that Morant is allowed to travel, practise and even participate in shootarounds during his 25-game suspension.
"I think it's great for Ja, and I think it's great for the group that he can be with us day to day," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said during the team's media day. "The NBA basically has said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he's going to be clear to participate in all private team activities, so practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. He's not going to be with us obviously for preseason games and the first 25, but we'll see him out there and we can't wait to have him back Game 26."
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games without pay on June 16 for appearing in a second video on social media while brandishing a gun. He had posed with a firearm for a social media live stream on May 13, less than two months after serving an eight-game suspension for posing with a gun for a video in a Denver nightclub on March 4.
Kleiman said having Morant able to train and be around the team will be beneficial to both the Grizzlies, as well as, Morant as it will help keep him accountable.
"There's steps that I think Ja is continuing to take that are really positive and in the right direction," Kleiman said. "It's great to have him here. I think he's put himself in a position where there’s no reason why he can't keep following through on this. So we're glad he's here and can't wait to have him back."
Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant won't be working with the starters during practise, seeing as he won't be playing in any games for the first two months of the season and the team needs to be able to function without him, but they have a plan to get him ready.
An All-Star each of the last two seasons, Morant averaged 26.2 points with career highs of 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 61 games last season.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year is entering the first year of a five-year $197million maximum contract.
Celtics acquire Holiday in trade with Trail Blazers
Jrue Holiday is on the move again.
Four days after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to Portland, the Boston Celtics have acquired the veteran point guard from the Trail Blazers.
Boston sent point guard Malcolm Brogdon and forward Robert Williams, along with a 2024 first-round draft pick and an unprotected first-round pick in 2029 to Portland for Holiday on Sunday.
Holiday was just acquired by the Trail Blazers on Wednesday as part of the blockbuster three-team trade that saw the Bucks land seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard.
The 33-year-old Holiday earned a second career All-Star nod in 2022-23, averaging 19.3 points and 7.4 assists.
Despite the solid offensive numbers, Holiday is considered one of the NBA's best defenders. He is a five-time All-Defensive selection and has been a finalist for defensive player of the year each of the last three seasons.
With the Celtics, he is expected to take over as the team's starting point guard after Marcus Sent was shipped to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade this offseason.
Aside from his four days on Portland's roster, Holiday, who has career averages of 16.4 points and 6.5 assists in 14 seasons, will once again continue playing for an Eastern Conference power, as the Celtics have reached three of the last four conference finals.
Brogdon averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 67 games off the bench last season for the Celtics - his first in Boston after spending the previous three with the Indiana Pacers. Brogdon began his career with the Bucks in 2016-17, and is averaging 15.4 points in his seven-year career.
Williams had spent his first five NBA seasons with the Celtics, and averaged 8.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 35 games in 2022-23.
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