Los Angeles Lakers signing Carmelo Anthony has brushed off concerns about the age of the franchise's roster where he will play alongside four-time MVP LeBron James.
Anthony, who turned 37 in May, joined the Lakers from the Portland Trail Blazers last week.
The 10-time NBA All Star, who was the third pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, will team up with 36-year-old James who was the top pick in that year's draft.
The Lakers side also consists of veterans Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol, while 32-year-old point guard Russell Westbrook has also joined this offseason, leading to concerns about an aging roster.
"We don't care," Anthony interjected when the aging topic came up during his presentation press conference on Monday. "We don't care. We make our own narrative."
Anthony added: "I like when people talk about the age. It gives a better story. I think it gives a better story. I think people forget, at the end of the day, it's about basketball.
"You got to know how to play basketball. You got to have that experience. I think that's what we bring at this point and time. Our talent, our skill, but also our experience.
"There's different resources than when we came into the game. We understand what taking care of yourself means from the holistic perspective."
The power forward, who will likely play a bench role for the Lakers this season, averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in the 2020-21 NBA season for the Blazers.
Anthony will enter his 19th NBA season pursuing his maiden title, having had stints with five other franchises, getting closest in 2009 when the Denver Nuggets made the Conference finals.
"I'm coming in with a championship on my mind," Anthony said.
"I think we all know that this is the one thing that I'm missing, right? This is the one thing that it keeps me up at night, it motivates me, because I don't have it. I want that experience."
Anthony also revealed the role James played in luring him to the Lakers, having been linked with a move to Los Angeles numerous times in the past.
"Bron just came to me one time and said, 'yo, the time is now. I want you. We got to make this happen,'" Anthony said.
"I just felt like for right now, this is the best time. Most people would say we should've gotten together years ago early in our careers, but we were in two different lanes, we were on two different paths. Everything comes full circle."
The Lakers also unveiled Kent Bazemore on Monday after being added to the roster from the Golden State Warriors.
Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell were all previously traded out to the Washington Wizards as part of the Westbrook deal.
Tatum on White's buzzer-beater: 'That s*** was crazy!'
Boston Celtics hero Derrick White said "It just had to be won" after his buzzer-beating tip-in forced the Eastern Conference finals to Game 7, as Jayson Tatum added: "That s*** was crazy!"
From 3-0 down against the Miami Heat, the Celtics have fought back to 3-3 in the series, and are now just one win away from making history.
White grabbed and then sank the rebound from Marcus Smart's failed three-pointer with 0.1 seconds remaining to seal a 104-103 victory in Miami on Saturday.
The Celtics are now on the brink of the greatest comeback in NBA playoffs history, needing a win at home in Game 7 on Monday to become the first team to win a series after losing the first three games.
Boston are only the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series to force a deciding game.
Reflecting on the game-winning moment, Tatum told reporters: "I'm still, like, in disbelief. That s*** was crazy.
"That felt like the longest 10 seconds ever waiting for confirmation if he made it or not."
White told TNT: "It had to be won. Whatever it takes, our backs against our wall, it just had to be won.
"We're a resilient group. We pick each other up, we bond for each other.
"The job isn't done yet, we've got a tough one Game 7, we've got to find a way to get one more win."
White had tears sparkling in his eyes, but explained: "I'm just happy. So far, so good."
It is just the second time in league history that a player has hit a buzzer-beater when his team was down and facing elimination, after Michael Jordan's legendary "The Shot", way back in 1989.
"Derrick White, like a flash of lightning, just came out of nowhere and saved the day, man," team-mate Jaylen Brown added. "An incredible play."
The Heat can only lick their wounds as they head to Boston for Monday's winner-takes-all matchup.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said: "It's a seven-game series. There's nothing better than Game 7s.
"I don't know how we're going to get this done, but we're going to go out there and get it done, and that's what the next 48 hours is about.
"There's been nothing easy about this season for our group, and so we just have to do it the hard way."
Jimmy Butler did his best for Miami, with 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
"We've got to go on the road and do something special, but we've got a special group," Butler said.
Bucks tab ex-Raptors assistant Griffin as next head coach
The Milwaukee Bucks are finalising a deal to make Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin the franchise’s next head coach, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday.
He will replace Mike Budenholzer after his five-year stint in Milwaukee ended with the top-seeded Bucks losing to the Miami Heat 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Griffin, who spent the last four seasons as an assistant in Toronto, takes over a team that finished the season with an NBA-best 58-24 record and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to ESPN, Bucks talisman Giannis Antetokounmpo met with each of the three finalists – Griffin, former Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson – before general manager Jon Horst made his final decision.
Griffin began his coaching career in Milwaukee, where he was an assistant under Scott Skiles from 2008-10. He was also an assistant with the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder before joining the Raptors' staff.
The 48-year-old won an NBA title in 2019 with the Raptors after Toronto eliminated Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference finals.
Griffin played for five franchises during his nine-year career on the court and was a part of the Dallas Mavericks' run to the Finals in 2006.
Replacing Budenholzer with Griffin is likely just the first move in a key offseason for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo has two years left on his deal but will be eligible for a contract extension in September.
Brook Lopez is a free agent, and Khris Middleton could also test the market if he declines his $40.4 million player option for next season.
White's last-second putback forces Game 7 as Celtics win again
Derrick White put home Marcus Smart's missed three-pointer just before the final buzzer sounded to give the Boston Celtics a thrilling 104-103 victory over the Miami Heat to force Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals.
After Jimmy Butler sank three free throws to give Miami a 103-102 lead with three seconds left, the Celtics inbounded to Smart, whose three-pointer rattled in and out.
But White grabbed the rebound and released it with 0.1 seconds on the clock to save Boston's season.
The Celtics are on the brink of the greatest comeback in NBA playoffs history, needing a win at home in Game 7 on Monday to become the first team to rally to win a series after losing the first three games.
Boston are only the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series to force a deciding game.
Monday's winner will face the Denver Nuggets in a title series that will start on June 1.
Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 26 and 10 boards and Smart finished with 21 points as the Celtics improved to 5-0 when facing elimination this season.
Butler scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists.
The Heat need a win Monday to become only the second number eight seed to make the NBA Finals and avoid the dubious distinction of being the first team to blow a 3-0 series lead.
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