The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic’s daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox.
There aren’t many things funnier in sports than fans trying to distract Larry Bird at the free-throw line with swimsuit model posters.
Closeout Night?
Five questions entering Game 5
The Mavericks avoided the embarrassment of being swept in the NBA Finals, which has happened only six times since the ABA/NBA merger:
Dallas broke brooms over the Celtics’ collective knee, but history still stares back because 90 percent of teams down 3-0 in an NBA playoff series don’t reach Game 6. Here are the five questions I have heading into Boston’s possible – and historically likely – closeout game tonight.
-
- Did Tim Hardaway Jr. play himself into a bigger role? While adding the finishing touches to a blowout in the final frame of Game 4, the 32-year-old Hardaway tied Stephen Curry and Ray Allen for the most 3-pointers in an NBA Finals quarter (five). He had eight in his first dozen postseason games! Those 3s were Hardaway’s only points for the game and his first since May 18. Dallas has desperately needed scoring against Boston. Even though Hardaway’s points were mostly inconsequential, were they enough to give Kidd another contributor for the rest of the series?
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) June 15, 2024
Trick shots like it’s nothin’ 🤷♂️ @chime // #OneForDallas #MFFL pic.twitter.com/m09MMWpb9d
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) June 16, 2024
-
- Is this series closer than history suggests? Did you know the Mavericks (408) have outscored the Celtics (402) in the NBA Finals so far? And yet, Dallas sits in the barren wasteland of trailing 3-0 due to being blown out in Game 1 and coming close in Games 2 and 3. Still, this series has been more competitive than some might admit.
- Will the Boston deluge happen tonight? Here’s Boston’s game-by-game 3-point shooting in this series:
· Game 1: 38.1 percent (16 of 42)
· Game 2: 25.6 percent (10 of 39)
· Game 3: 37 percent (17 of 46)
· Game 4: 34.1 percent (14 of 41)The Celtics haven’t had that unfair shooting performance we’ve occasionally seen from them this season. Including the playoffs, they’ve had 16 games with at least 20 3-pointers. Nine of those have been at home, and only one has happened in the playoffs (Game 1 against Miami). This would be the perfect time for Boston to unleash 3-point hell on Dallas. - Did Kristaps Porziņģis’ injury change things? Boston is 1-1 in the finals without Porziņģis. The Celtics could very easily be 0-2 in those games. Without his scoring threat, Boston is still dangerous. But without his rim protection, the Celtics’ great defense is more vulnerable. If Dallas can feast in the paint early like it did in Game 4, tonight’s survival odds could grow.
- Does the season end tonight? Not to take anything away from Dallas’ great Game 4 performance to extend its season, but it also felt like Boston knew it had plenty of time and history on its side. I’m with the Celtics. Boston should close this out tonight at home in tremendous fashion.
PARQUET GAMEDAY ☘️ pic.twitter.com/sR2eQ4sE90
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 17, 2024
There’s no place like home ☘️#DifferentHere pic.twitter.com/6zb0slGrqn
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 17, 2024
one goal, one heartbeat, one step away pic.twitter.com/yhXK9qkvGq
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 16, 2024
Curtain Calls?
Charles Barkley says he’s retiring from TV
After Game 4 of the finals on Friday night, Charles Barkley uttered some words that made everybody reconsider their expectations about future NBA coverage, addressing the idea of going to another network if TNT/Warner Bros. Discovery actually loses NBA rights in the next TV deal:
“I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT. But I have made the decision myself that, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television.”
Wait — no matter what, it’s his last year? Even if TNT continues to broadcast games in the next TV deal? That’s still on the table, although we don’t quite know the extent. Barkley still holds eight more years on his current contract and has talked of retirement before, as our Andrew Marchand pointed out over the weekend. Plus, the guy is going to talk basketball regardless — wouldn’t he want to get paid for it?
Chuck might be bluffing. In yesterday’s Pulse newsletter, Marchand said he would bet on Barkley continuing to broadcast, as ESPN, Amazon and NBC would offer him millions if TNT does lose the NBA. Stay tuned.
BREAKING: After 25 years, Charles Barkley says he’s going to retire from TV after next season.
“No matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television.”pic.twitter.com/HzP4MfKH7G
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 15, 2024
Investigations
What do we make of Klay’s social media activity?
I will fully admit I find it absurd for people to regularly check if a player has unfollowed their current employer or removed social media posts about their current team. But maybe it’s something people should check more regularly in the social media world, especially since so many players apparently love to do this stuff. Regardless of the reason, internet sleuths discovered Klay Thompson is the latest athlete to do this over the weekend.
- Thompson has been on the Warriors for 13 years, winning four titles and making over $266 million from the franchise in career earnings. But the 34-year-old will be a free agent this summer and reportedly remains far apart with the Warriors on an extension or new deal.
- Thompson is currently finishing up a five-year, $190 million contract he signed after tearing his left ACL in the 2019 finals. He missed the first two years of that deal with that injury and an ensuing right Achilles tendon rupture. The five-time All-Star hasn’t quite been the same player since missing those two seasons, but he did help the Warriors win a title in 2022.
He’s expected to enter free agency with teams like the Magic and 76ers seeking his services, among plenty of other suitors. What does this mean? I have no idea, to be completely transparent. But here are the good and bad news follows for Warriors fans:
Good news: Thompson still follows six members of the Curry family. He also still appears to still be good with Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and several other current Warriors teammates. He also follows the Santa Cruz Warriors, the team’s G-League affiliate.
Bad news: He recently followed Lakers guard Austin Reaves, so maybe he’s going to L.A.? Thompson also recently followed Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero. Could a Splash Brother relocate to Florida? He is now a follower of Bronny James, but not Bronny’s dad. Maybe Thompson wants to play alongside LeBron’s kid since Bron talked so much about it? He follows Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Is it possible Thompson is switching sports? He’s clearly a Jeremy Piven fan too, so maybe he’s hoping for an “Entourage” reboot. Since Thompson also follows a yacht sales account, could he be preparing to sail the world or just sell a yacht? The possibilities are endless … for now. Only time will tell. 🤔🤔⏲️⏲️
“Klay Thompson, I’m told, is open to all external options in free agency coming up.” – @ShamsCharania 👀 pic.twitter.com/DlpiCfBgbv
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) June 17, 2024
“I definitely think [Klay Thompson] is up to something… You don’t just unfollow the Warriors and follow [Paolo Banchero], the best player on the team…” – @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/4rf3dFG36R
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) June 17, 2024
Klay Thompson is following Peppa Pig on Instagram 👀 pic.twitter.com/DYiSMpb2HD
— playoff paint (@nba_paint) June 16, 2024
Bounce Passes
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants to absolutely demolish the pharmaceutical industry.
Did Luka Dončić finally get his groove back? Shoutout to Stella.
Kyrie Irving is “on the outs” with Boston. He says he did it to himself.
(Top photo: Brian Babineau / Getty Images )
