Headlines
LeBron Wants Cavs, J.R. Smith to Reach Deal Now
It only took until the close of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first week of training camp before LeBron James stuck his neck out into the stalled J.R. Smith negotiations and publicly stumped for the holdout guard.
“I hate coming into another season — two years in a row — with one of my big guns not here,” James said, alluding to Tristan Thompson, who missed most of training camp last fall with a similar holdout situation. “So, for a leader of a team and for me personally, I just hate to deal with this s— again.
“It’s just too big of a piece to our team to have to deal with in another training camp. Like I said, hopefully things get resolved fast, because you know how big and important he is to our team.”
Source: Dave McMenamin of ESPN
All-Star center Joel Embiid is doubtful for Game 3 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round series against the Heat on Thursday.
The series is tied 1-1, and Embiid has missed both games.
Source: Ian Begley of ESPN
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love suffered a partially torn ligament in his left thumb in Wednesday night’s Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers, sources told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Despite the injury, head coach Tyronn Lue said Love will be “ready to go” in Game 3 on Friday in Indianapolis. X-rays taken after the game came back negative. The Cavs won 100-97 to tie the Eastern Conference first-round series at 1-1.
Source: Dave McMenamin of ESPN
TNT analyst Kenny Smith will interview for the New York Knicks’ head-coaching job on Friday, a source told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
Smith, who played from 1987 to 1997 with six NBA teams, has never coached in the NBA.
Source: ESPN
