Draymond Green on ESPN’s Under 25 list: ‘What justifies Tyrese Haliburton being in front of Jalen Williams?’

Draymond Green: Then for him to come out and say what he said—it hit me. When you share something meaningful with someone, don’t be a hypocrite about it. When they say something you don’t appreciate, address it, but also give credit where it’s due. Most things people say don’t bother me. They don’t affect me—I really don’t give a damn. But when KD says something, I care. So when he said that about me last year, I cared a lot. I’m not a hypocrite. I won’t sit here and say I didn’t care, because I did. It meant a lot to me—not just for my personal growth but also because it’s coming from a peer. And when it’s someone as great as Kevin Durant, that carries weight. Hearing him say I’m a cerebral monster, that I’m playing my best basketball and have found the balance between being ultra-aggressive and on the edge—it means the world. Especially when it comes from someone you’ve gone to war with, won a championship with, and whose opinion truly matters to you. -via YouTube / December 7, 2024

Anthony Slater: Steve Kerr said he’d like to keep Draymond Green coming off the bench in near future. He said they’re trying to “maximize” Jonathan Kuminga and not “wear down” Draymond Green. Plan is to close halves with Green at center. The Andrew Wiggins ankle injury could complicate puzzle. -via Twitter @anthonyVslater / December 7, 2024

Anthony Slater: Draymond Green on his move to the bench to elevate Jonathan Kuminga “A lot of people in this organization including myself think he is next. So if he is next, at some point we gotta see it.” pic.x.com/C229PUoD49 -via Twitter @anthonyVslater / December 7, 2024

Tony East: Final: Pacers 132, Bulls 123. Pacers are still unbeaten when they reach 122 this year and 5-1 when they hit 120 on the scoareboard. They were rolling on offense tonight. Tyrese Haliburton: 23 points, 8 assists. 21 points and 7 rebounds for Pascal Siakam. Pacers are 10-14. -via Twitter @TonyREast / December 6, 2024

Michael Scotto: Tyrese Haliburton on his assessment of the season for him and the Pacers: “Not good necessarily. We haven’t won a road game in over a month. I think as a group, I’ve got to be better. I think it’s testing us right now. I can’t really give you a ton of positives. Maybe that’s a negative way of viewing it right now. I just feel like as a group we can get better in every aspect. The great thing is there are 82 games and we have about 60 more games to figure it out, but there’s got to be a sense of urgency. You can only say that so many times. As a group, I think we’ve got a lot of growing up to do. If we don’t do that, the league is going to (pause). There are times like right now where the league could either bury you or you can dig yourself out of a hole.” -via Twitter @MikeAScotto / December 5, 2024

“I mean, listen, we’re 9-13 right now. We can act like the world is falling apart, and that’s not the case,” Haliburton said. “But there also needs to be a sense of urgency. Everybody can say, ‘Oh, it’s four games, we’ll be back to 500.’ It ain’t that easy. “It starts with me. I have to be a better leader. I got to do everything better and harder because I’m not ready to piss away a year of my career, or this organization’s — this team’s — season.” -via New York Times / December 4, 2024

Royce Young: Thunder beat the Raptors 129-92. – SGA: 30-4-5 + 2 steals – Dub: 20-7-2 – Joe: 16 and 4 rebounds (4-6 from 3) – Hartenstein: 16 rebounds and 6 assists – Wallace: 9 points, 4 blocks, 2 steals OKC: 14 steals to 6 turnovers -via Twitter @royceyoung / December 5, 2024

Williams made 2-for-5 from deep, a facet of his game that’s evolved in 2024-25. “I think a lot of my game, too, this year, has been shooting a lot more of the open threes,” Williams added. “And that’s been opening up the mid-range. It’s just something I work on. Something where, like I said, like the way our offense is, somewhere I’m ending up a lot. It’s something I’ve tried to perfect over time and figure out different ways to get to those spots. This year, I’ve been shooting a lot more on the right side of the floor. Just kind of how teams are guarding me and understanding that.” -via Clutch Points / November 30, 2024

After entering halftime 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and the Oklahoma City Thunder finished 12-for-16 in their 101-93 NBA Cup victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault mentioned the free-throw shooting disparity leading up to his game against the Lakers and during his halftime interview with ESPN. And without being asked directly, the topic unexpectedly appeared during Williams’ postgame media availability. After scoring 19 points, including 6-for-14 from inside the 3-point arc, a reporter asked Jalen about his mid-range touch after Friday’s win. “I don’t really go to the free-throw line a lot. A lot of that was predicated on trying to get other shots. That’s an aspect of my game I’m still trying to figure out,” Williams said. “So, it’s just somewhere where I got comfortable. I think whenever you perfect any shot, no matter statistically, you can be really good at it. And that’s just something that I kind of found myself within our offense, being at a lot. “So, I thought I might as well get good at shooting at. I know analytically it’s probably not the best shot, but for me it is,” he concluded. -via Clutch Points / November 30, 2024