NBA

When legal gambling on sports began to explode in the U.S., some critics said it was just a matter of time before athletes themselves were caught up in the billion-dollar business of wagering on contests.

Major homecourt victories over the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors this weekend allowed the Boston Celtics to solidify their hold as the number one team in the NBA.

Following their 50-point blowout victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Valentine’s Day, the Boston Celtics headed into this year’s NBA all-star weekend sporting a 43-12 record, the best in the league.

The deal is done. Jaylen Brown has got his fortune for playing a child’s game at the professional level. His new $304 million contract extension makes him the second highest paid player, (behind recently signed Anthony Davis of the Lakers) in the NBA — for the moment!

Growing up in Turkey, a young Enes Kanter could sense the authoritative hand being thrust down on his society. An independent thinker, Kanter, who now goes by Enes Kanter Freedom, early on seemed imbued to challenge his peers when he differed with their mode of expression.

It was inevitable that the Boston Celtics would make some trade following their recent failure to win championship flag number 18.

The first time Brendan Kent laid eyes on Bruce Brown on a basketball court, he knew he was in trouble.

For young basketball fans like my sons, Ja Morant is a symbol of hope, an under-recruited kid out of high school who comes from a two-parent household in the small town of Dalzell, South Carolina.

While Black Americans still make up more than 73% of the NBA's players, two European stars — Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo and Serbian Nikola Jokic — have won the last four regular-season NBA MVP honors.

It used to be met with suspicion when NBA players sat out regular-season games with dubious injuries. Known euphemistically as “load management,” the concept is so ingrained now it has become tongue-in-cheek and gives off an air of inmates running the asylum.

Former NBA star Latrell Sprewell two decades ago turned down a $21m contract extension, foolishly exclaiming that he “had a family to feed.” Unless he was preparing his offspring as future candidates for “My 600-Lb. Life,’’ his comment was highly misguided. Sprewell never got another offer, and despite making close to $100 million in career earnings, he allegedly fell on hard times, although it’s never quite clear if athletes in these situations go completely broke or just lose portions of their vast earnings.