Month: March 2025

Could Milton Williams be a fit for the Cardinals?

As the Arizona Cardinals’ need for pass rushing remains prevalent, Pro Football Focus writer Zoltán Buday thinks free agent interior defensive lineman Milton Williams is a fit.

The Cardinals retained the services of Baron Browning, re-signing the edge rusher to a two-year deal Sunday morning. But the franchise still could beef up its pass rush whether through the draft or free agency.

Williams, who played for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles last season and notched two sacks in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs, could help the Cardinals’ pass rush on the interior, Buday noted.

While Milton Williams might not be a complete interior defender due to some struggles against the run, he more than makes up for it with his pass-rushing production. In fact, his 91.7 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024 led all interior defenders in the NFL.

Williams, who was drafted by the Eagles in the third round of the 2021 draft, played under the eye of Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon when he was the defensive coordinator in the City of Brotherly Love, which PFF also noted as a reason that the move makes sense for both parties.

Williams totaled 24 tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble last season.

Williams could carry a hefty price tag, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote that he could “cash in” after a solid playoff run in free agency to earn himself upwards of $20 million annually.

CBS Sports rated Williams as the top available defensive lineman in the 2025 free agent class.




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Marte a 96, Carroll gets 99 steal rating

Spring is here, which means more baseball both on the real-world diamond and the virtual one.

MLB The Show 25 began releasing the top five rated players for some teams in a ratings reveal special last week ahead of the game’s March 18 release date (March 14 if you buy the deluxe edition).

Diamondbacks ratings in MLB The Show 25 we know of

Arizona has just one player with a rating above an 87 as second basemen Ketel Marte will start at a 96 — the highest at his position, one point above Los Angeles Dodger Mookie Betts. Marte gets a bit of a bump from the 92 rating he was at by the end of MLB The Show 24’s updates.

Veteran third basemen Eugenio Suarez gets an 86, putting him in a four-way tie at second among the position along with Manny Machado (San Diego Padres), Matt Chapman (San Francisco Giants) and Rafael Devers (Boston Red Sox).

Arizona’s young star Corbin Carroll, who was a 91 at the start of the MLB The Show 24, starts the latest version of the long-running video game as an 85.

He is the only outfielder at an 85 with 17 players ahead of him. New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto are each at 99. The ratings makers did give Carroll some love with a 99 steal and a 94 speed rating, putting the speedster in a special group of players dubbed the “catch them if you can” category.

New Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes leads the team’s pitching rotation at an 86 overall, and Zac Gallen is an 84 just behind him.

 




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GCU a No. 2 seed, will face UT Arlington

Reigning WAC tournament champion GCU men’s basketball will be the No. 2 seed in this iteration, having won it three of the past four seasons.

Entering Saturday and the final regular season game, the ‘Lopes still had a shot at the top seed but needed a win at Abilene Christian and a Utah Valley loss at Tarleton State. GCU (23-7, 13-3) fell 82-81 in overtime, sealing its tournament fate.

By all indications, the WAC will be a one-bid league with neither of GCU nor top-seeded Utah Valley doing enough in the nonconference to set themselves up for an at-large bid.

As the No. 2 seed, the ‘Lopes will match up against No. 7 UT Arlington, which they swept with seven- and 14-point wins in the regular season.

When is the WAC tournament?

The WAC tournament begins on Tuesday with women’s games preceding men’s games on each day. The GCU women are the top seed after an undefeated conference season.

Where is the WAC tournament?

The tournament will be held at Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nevada, near Las Vegas. The opening round play-in between the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds will be played at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah.

WAC tournament schedule, how to watch

All games in the tournament will be streamed on ESPN+ up until the finals, which will be shown on ESPN2.

Opening round (Tuesday)

Game 1: No. 9 Utah Tech vs. No. 8 Southern Utah at 1:30 p.m. MST

Quarterfinals (Wednesday)

Game 2: Game 1 winner vs. No. 1 Utah Valley at 6 p.m.

Game 3: No. 7 UT Arlington vs. No. 2 GCU at 8:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals (Thursday)

Game 4: No. 5 Seattle U vs. No. 4 Abilene Christian at 6 p.m.

Game 5: No. 6 Tarleton State vs. No. 3 Cal Baptist at 8:30 p.m.

Semifinals (Friday)

Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. Game 4 winner at 6 p.m.

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner at 8:30 p.m.

Finals (Saturday)

Game 8: Semifinal winners at 8:40 p.m.




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Nikola Jokic makes NBA history with 30-20-20 triple-double

Nikola Jokic sat in front of his locker, calmly scrolling through his phone, seemingly unimpressed that 30 minutes earlier he made NBA history.

The three-time NBA MVP had the league’s first 30-20-20 triple-double in the Denver Nuggets’ 149-141 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Jokic had 31 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 22 assists.

“It’s not supposed go that way,” Jokic said. “I was talking to (Aaron Gordon) and he said to me, ‘That was a quiet 30 points.’ I didn’t do anything special, just seemed like everyone was in flow.”

Jokic tied his franchise record with his 29th triple-double of the season, and he reached it just 1:20 into the second half with his 10th rebound. He was approaching the triple-double early, finishing the first quarter with 10 points, six assists and six rebounds and had 13, nine and eight at halftime.

The 30-year-old from Serbia is averaging a triple-double with 19 games left in the season. His 28.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game all rank in the top three in the NBA.

“I can’t describe him, so don’t ask me to,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “The guy is just an incredible player, and when you are one of one in this league, with the tremendous history of this league, that says a lot. There’s a lot of good players in this league, but Nikola, in my opinion, is just in a class all by himself.”

His fast start to overtime lifted the Nuggets after they had blown a 21-point lead. He had five points, five assists and three rebounds in the extra period, playing nearly 45 minutes overall.

He made a 4-foot turnaround to begin overtime, fed Jamal Murray for two baskets and assisted on a dunk and layup by Christian Braun in a 13-second span.

“He’s just one of a kind,” Braun said. “You’ll never see something like this ever again – ever. You’ll never see a player that does the things he does night in and night out.”

Jokic’s previous high in assists was 19, which happened Feb. 24 at Indiana. He surpassed that on Michael Porter Jr.’s dunk that gave Denver a 139-130 lead with 1:18 left.

Jokic has 149 career triple-doubles and Friday was the seventh time this season he has had at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. That tied Oscar Robertson for the most in one season. His 22 assists are the most by a center in a game but he is far short of Scott Skiles’ NBA record of 30, a mark he isn’t concerned about.

“I have different problems than that right now,” he said.




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Cardinals re-sign long snapper Aaron Brewer, S Joey Blount

The Arizona Cardinals re-signed special teams ace Joey Blount and long snapper Aaron Brewer, the team announced on Friday.

Brewer received a one-year contract while Blount’s is a two-year deal. Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro first reported the signings could be coming.

Brewer is the longest-tenured Cardinals, having originally joined the franchise in 2016. He’s appeared in 132 games for the Cardinals during that span.

Much like Blount, Brewer has been an integral part of special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers’ operations.

Blount has spent the past two seasons as one of Arizona’s top special teamers while serving as an added depth piece on defense.

Across 26 games with the Cardinals, Blount has an interception, a pass defensed and two forced fumbles. However, he finished last campaign on injured reserve with a rib injury.

Blount got his NFL start with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia.

The re-signings mark the latest returns for Arizona, falling in line behind contract extensions for pass rusher Zaven Collins, center Hjalte Froholdt, running back James Conner and safety Budda Baker.




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Big 12 Tournament court is a sight to see

The Big 12 tipped off its women’s basketball tournament this week before the men get their turn in Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center next. The debut of a uniquely designed court at best is getting mixed reviews.

At worst, it is taking a fair share of dings.

Basketball viewers seeing game action on the court for the first time are, from an unofficial scan of the internet, not impressed.

Not only does the Big 12’s “XII” logo take center court, it also appears in the lanes in black and white — and on every other inch of the 94-by-50-foot basketball playing surface.

The grey-on-grey of the “XII” pattern is making some people’s eyes do the heavy lifting while watching on television.

The court also features a red Phillips 66 logo. The Big 12 partnered with sports brand UNDEFEATED on the controversial court design, and the company’s 5-strike logo and name are featured on each baseline.

ASU has locked in the No. 15 seed in the men’s tournament after a loss to rival Arizona on Tuesday and will tip off against an undetermined No. 10 seed at 4 p.m. MST on Tuesday.

The Sun Devil women got their first run on the court with an 82-75 win on Wednesday against Cincinnati and face Iowa State on Thursday.

What they’re saying about the Big 12 Tournament basketball court design




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Here is the 2025 Diamondbacks Spring Breakout roster

Seven of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ top 10 prospects on MLB Pipeline’s rankings are expected to play in the 2025 Spring Breakout game March 14 against the Kansas City Royals.

The D-backs released their roster for the game at Salt River Fields, which is part of the prospect-highlighting games taking place from March 13-16 in both the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues.

No. 1 prospect Jordan Lawlar is the most notable omission from the roster as he continues to push to impact the MLB roster with a strong spring.

Fast-rising infielder Demetrio Crisantes, who is viewed by MLB Pipeline as the second-best prospect on Arizona’s farm, will participate. So will the D-backs’ No. 3-ranked prospect, outfielder Slade Caldwell.

The Spring Breakout game on March 14 at Salt River Fields starts at 5:10 p.m. MST, and fans who purchase tickets for a 1:10 p.m. spring training game between the Reds and Diamondbacks will be able to stick around the ballpark for the prospect game that follows.

Pitchers

Daniel Eagen, RHP, No. 16
Yordin Chalas, RHP, No. 17
Spencer Giesting, LHP, No. 18
Dylan Ray, RHP, No. 20
Connor Foley, RHP, No. 23
Sam Knowlton, RHP
Phil Abner, LHP
Zane Russell, RHP
Luke Craig, LHP

Catchers

Alberto Barriga, No. 27
Ivan Luciano, No. 28
Christian Cerda

Infielders

Demetrio Crisantes, No. 2
Tommy Troy, No. 8
Jansel Luis, No. 9
Gino Groover, No. 10
JD Dix, No. 12
Cristofer Torin, No. 14
Yassel Soler, No. 15
Ivan Melendez
Ruben Santana

Outfielders

Slade Caldwell, No. 3
Ryan Waldschmidt, No. 6
Druw Jones, No. 7
Gavin Conticello, No. 24
Jack Hurley
Anderdson Rojas

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Gabriel Moreno stresses consistency after offensive flashes

SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno hit a rocket off San Francisco Giants left-hander Kyle Harrison during Cactus League action on Wednesday.

Moreno worked a 3-2 count and crushed a fastball 456 feet to left field, appearing at first like it could clear the lawn.

“Finally,” Moreno said afterward. “I’ve been feeling good, I’ve been swinging good, trying to get my balance to get ready for the season. Just working.”

Moreno is already a stalwart defensive catcher with a Gold Glove on his mantle. He’s already set such a high standard on defense. The next steps that will take him into another tier of players, a potential All-Star, are his bat and his health.

The 25-year-old put together starling stretches in each of his first two seasons in Arizona. In 2023, he came off the injured list after a shoulder issue and was lights out the rest of the year, hitting .311 with an .878 OPS over his final 37 games.

After a slow start to 2024, Moreno hit .312 with an .878 OPS in 33 games before suffering a groin strain that knocked him out for six weeks. His final numbers in both seasons were solid yet unspectacular (.741 OPS from 2023-24), and on Wednesday, he repeatedly stated his focus is on being more steady for this lineup.

“I want to get that consistency from when the season starts to the finish,” Moreno said. “Trying to get more good pitches, my consistent swing and my balance, that’s what I gotta do better.”

Moreno tried to pull the ball more in the first half of last season and struggled. He eventually found the right balance, helped by elite strikeout, walk and chase rates. External projections are bullish on the phase of his career, but, he’s got to stay healthy to get there.

Manager Torey Lovullo mentioned earlier in camp Moreno set out to get in better shape for this season, and he is clearly leaner.

Moreno said he put a greater emphasis on his diet this offseason while building strength in his legs after the injury.

“He plays a very demanding position where there’s a lot of soft tissue injuries and you just got to be careful and take care of your body,” Lovullo said on Feb. 19. “He looks great, and he’s going to be able to move around a little bit more freely.”

Brandon Pfaadt balancing competition and preparation

Starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt did not have the outing he sought on Wednesday. He delivered 46 pitches without getting out of the second inning, losing out on a planned third up-down. He allowed three earned runs on six hits in 1.1 innings.

Pfaadt called it frustrating but said he’d rather have this occur now than later, obviously. At the same time, he is vying for a rotation spot, and while these games are meant to get players ready for Opening Day, there is an added uncertainty for those on the cusp.

The Diamondbacks have too many MLB-caliber starters to fit a rotation and have some tough choices to make, so a Zac Gallen spring start may have a different vibe than Pfaadt’s.

“Yes and no, we’re going out there and we’re trying to compete regardless of the situation,” Pfaadt answered when asked if it is tougher to treat spring training games the same as usual. “So, yes and no.”

Pfaadt was the staff workhorse in 2024, pitching a team-high 181.2 innings with a 4.71 ERA and better peripherals (3.78 expected ERA, per Statcast).

Cactus League is not seen an indicator of regular season performance. Jordan Montgomery, for instance, has yet to even make his spring debut due to a finger injury. Lovullo said he still wants to see competitors play with an edge, regardless of the role they are in consideration for.

“Everything counts, and we got to evaluate everything that we see,” Lovullo said. “So it is a balancing act. … I don’t want people to be comfortable. I think that spirit of competition brings out the best in everybody.”

Separate from his outing on Wednesday, Pfaadt said he’s spoken to decorated newcomer Corbin Burnes a few times since the start of camp, particularly about his signature pitch.

“He throws a cut fastball, so I talked to him about that a little bit and how he implemented it years ago,” Pfaadt said. “Looking forward to keeping that conversation going.”

Jordan Montgomery starting soon

Lovullo said Montgomery will make his Cactus League debut on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Montgomery threw a live bullpen on Monday, and the club is moving forward with his progression after he came into camp with a strained left index finger.

Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. updates

Wednesday was a target date for D-backs outfielder Corbin Carroll to return to the lineup after leaving Sunday’s game with lower back tightness. The club opted to give him another day off.

“I felt like we could combine a bunch of days to knock this totally out, and we’re very close to that. Just made a lot of sense,” Lovullo said.

Carroll is not scheduled to play on Thursday but will likely be back on Friday.

Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. started Wednesday’s game but came out after three innings with left hamstring tightness. Lovullo said he is doing fine, but they wanted to get him off the field after his second plate appearance.

Reliever Kendall Graveman will hopefully throw a bullpen this weekend, Lovullo said. Graveman has been dealing with some back soreness, but imaging came back clean.

Diamondbacks in Vegas

The D-backs will head to Las Vegas to face the Athletics in a pair of exhibition games over the weekend.

Lovullo said Josh Naylor, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, Jake McCarthy and Adrian Del Castillo will all make the trip, while left-handers Blake Walston and Tommy Henry will be on the mound.

The D-backs will also play games in the Valley, as they have split-squads on both Saturday and Sunday. Arizona has three split-squad days through Sunday, so the club wants to get through this busy stretch before making its first cuts of camp.




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Suns get win of season vs. Clippers, ‘magical question’ looms

PHOENIX — As Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer phrased it, the “magical question” looms large for how his group responds to a bonkers 119-117 comeback win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

An opening three quarters that was exactly what the Suns have been struggling with over a tailspin of a last two months produced a deficit as large as 23. They then roared back in a 43-22 fourth quarter to complete a heist that film director Steven Soderbergh should consider spinning off to kickstart his next heist franchise.

But with Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving tearing his ACL and giving the Suns a chance to re-enter the postseason picture, will there be any carryover?

“That’s been our magical question: How can we do it for more than 48?” Budenholzer said. “That’s going to continue to be our push. How do we capture that good team? There’s a good team (in there).”

This was more about if the Suns can grasp the last dozen minutes.

After they sparked the arena at the end of the first quarter to lead by six, they were outscored 41-19 to go into halftime down 16.

In that quarter, TNT color commentator and long-time NBA coach Stan Van Gundy did not sugarcoat it, describing the Suns’ defense as “pathetic” over nearly two minutes.

Analysis that uninterrupted during the flow of the game is usually reserved for the end of blowouts but it was more than justified to allow a larger audience to understand how horrible the Suns are defensively.

Phoenix is well aware of this type of criticism coming in over the last handful of weeks. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant were both heavily engaged defending on the ball. But that is only part of the effort required. As the basketball saying goes, a team defense has to be connected on a string. That string burned into flames three months ago, as did any consistent intention to play transition defense.

The most underrated downside of being bad on defense is how confident it makes other teams. L.A.’s offense was stagnant about 15 minutes in before you could legitimately see the zip in their activity moving the ball increase dramatically because of the possibilities that began opening up. Opponents come to Phoenix and know it’s time to eat.

That made this game feel absolutely over at halftime, even though the Clippers are known for spotty offensive evenings.

But while Phoenix has grown a reputation for folding in games, which it admittedly has done at times, the Suns rarely do that when things get out of hand. Most of the time, they will give some increased effort to get back in the game.

This time around was enough to steal one.

Collin Gillespie comes up big for Suns

Two-way guard Collin Gillespie played the last 14:39 of the game, picking up full court on defense and flying around the floor anywhere he could. Phoenix was down 19 entering the fourth quarter before a quick 11-2 spurt got the deficit down to 10. It looked as simple as one player giving their absolute all and some shots going in being enough for Phoenix to relocate full energy.

Durant looked toward the crowd after Grayson Allen made his 3 and implored them for even more noise, which the crowd obliged him with. Suns fans in the building deserve major credit, as they were rightfully booing the quarter prior but were immediate in providing encouragement when the quality in play changed.

“Just looking around after we were down 20, it looked like they were having a terrible time and I hate putting that type of product on the court. … I survey the crowd because we need them,” Durant said. “We need that energy. And the only way to spark it up is make some plays.”

That run grew to a 24-7 surge in the first five-and-a-half minutes to improbably find Phoenix down two. It was plenty of time for the Clippers to stabilize and regain control but teams can often be overwhelmed and that was the case.

Durant kept rolling, scoring 19 of his 34 points over the final frame before setting up Gillespie for the dagger 3 to put Phoenix ahead 119-114 with 36 seconds remaining.

The free-throw shenanigans almost resulted in a disaster. With the Suns up three and the Clippers without timeouts at 5.2 ticks left, Booker missed both his free throws before wisely fouling James Harden, who made the first before purposefully whiffing on the second.

A loose ball ensued that Los Angeles’ Kawhi Leonard managed to get a shot off that was actually a perfect pass to Ivica Zubac on the other side of the basket. His open tip-in that would have sent the game to overtime somehow was too strong and went off the other side of the rim to end it.

Gillespie finished with 10 points, two rebounds and three assists. He was +21.

“I always love how Collin is poised and he’s a dog. He cares,” Durant said, noting how Gillespie was one of the most vocal guys in the locker room after Sunday’s loss he referred to as a “disaster.”

Gillespie spoke on the energy he brought that shifted the game.

“I take pride in that stuff,” he said. “I play that way. I’ve always played that way. … Normally when you play hard and you compete, good things happen. It was really just a credit to my teammates. They picked their energy level up, we started getting stops, we started running — that’s kind of human nature when things are going well, right?”

Gillespie should start on Friday in Denver against the Nuggets. Budenholzer should send a direct message for what will get minutes and what won’t. A rotation spot isn’t loud enough. Start him.

Durant played 41 minutes to end up with 34 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks. Greatness was on display in that fourth quarter.

Zubac continued his tremendous season for the Clippers with a career-high 35 points on 15-of-19 shooting. He greatly benefitted from Phoenix’s woeful off-ball defense and was punishing any matchup he got in the post.

The Suns limited themselves to only 11 turnovers and managed to keep it close in points off turnovers at 17-15 Clippers, while second-chance points were 9-5 Suns. How the Suns were not only running off Los Angeles’ turnovers in the fourth quarter but off misses should have been the standard all year.

Tuesday was the latest game to feature Durant having a heated conversation Budenholzer, with this one getting captured by the national TV broadcast. The viral clip did not include the aftermath, which was Budenholzer and Durant both looking to come away positively from the entire interaction.

“That’s what usually happens when you don’t know the dynamics of a relationship,” Durant said of it. “You catch something on TV, you get a quote and now you pushing that narrative as if Bud and I don’t do that [expletive] all the time. We’re competitive as two individuals who want to see things done the right way. And sometimes my way ain’t the way that Bud want to do it, and vice versa.

“And he allows me as a player on the team, as a veteran on the team, to voice my opinion. If we both didn’t care, we would never have stuff like that. I’m glad that the win is going to sweep all of that stupid stuff under the rug because people couldn’t wait, even some people in Phoenix in here couldn’t wait to run with that stuff.”

Durant also elaborated on his relationship with the crowd and that aforementioned moment, letting something off his chest in regards to what booing does for a team.

“I always wonder what booing is going to do for your team? It actually makes no sense,” Durant said. “If you really wanted to make your voice heard, just get up and leave and we’ll feel that more than you booing. So, we need energy. When we down 20, we need y’all to get a little louder in there. That was my thing once I started talking to the crowd like, ‘Yeah, booing has been a part of sports culture for the last 50, 60 years but I think it’s about time we put that up. …’

“The energy that they showed, how loud they get on a good night is second to none, so I wanted to ignite that as much as possible and I’m sitting there like, ‘Yo, what the [expletive]. Get yo ass up. Do something for us.’ They responded well. It’s nothing but love with this fanbase.”

And last but certainly not least, Durant on the type of mindset the Suns need to have in the last 20 games of the season with where they are in the standings.

“I think everybody needs to bring that playoff-type intensity of the focus every possession,” Durant said. “I think that more than anything, just focusing on every possession and building on good possessions and not letting bad things compound themselves. … We gotta get on our horse and see what we can do. That pressure should be fun for us.”

Time will quickly tell if that answer to the magical question is indeed reflected on the court.




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Kevin Durant and Mike Budenholzer downplay testy exchange

Suns forward Kevin Durant and coach Mike Budenholzer both downplayed the testy exchange they had early in Tuesday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

“That’s what happens when you don’t know the dynamics of the relationship,” Durant said postgame. “You catch something on TV and you get a quote and then you’re pushing that narrative as if me and Bud don’t do that (expletive) all the time. We’re competitive as two individuals who want to see things done the right way.

“And sometimes my way ain’t the way that Bud wants to do it and vice versa and he allows me as a player on the team, a veteran on the team to voice my opinion. If we both didn’t care, we’d never have stuff like that.”

TNT cameras showed Durant visibly upset with Budenholzer in the first quarter of the win. During a timeout when the Suns coach tried to talk to the superstar, Durant yanked Budenholzer’s arm away and blew right by the coach before turning back to say something.

TNT sideline reporter Stephanie Ready said the pair had a discussion during the timeout that stemmed from some “miscommunication” in an offensive set.

“I’m glad that the win is going to sweep all that stupid stuff under the rug because people couldn’t wait, even some people in Phoenix in here couldn’t wait to run with that and say this is the reason the team ain’t playing well because that specific thing,” Durant added.

“But c’mon man, that shows me and Bud really care about trying to right this ship and trying to win basketball games. So he understands where I’m coming from, I understand exactly where he’s coming from. It’s just the people on the outside don’t know the dynamics of the relationship so in order for them to get some attention they’re going to run stuff like that.

Durant played 41 minutes and finished with 34 points on 10-for-22 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks. He had 19 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter.

“He and I are like old friends whenever we’re on the spot grabbing and talking to each other,” Budenholzer said after the game. “I thought his energy and his voice tonight was great. I think there was some kind of play, offensive play, he wanted something, I wanted something and that’s the beauty of basketball.

Budenholzer said Durant’s feedback ended up being a big part of the comeback.

A video from NBC 12’s Cameron Cox later showed Durant tapping Budenholzer to talk things out when players were returning to the court after the same timeout.

“I wish they’d cut to that and slow-mo that when me and him are trying to come to a solution together and we’re smiling on the bench and tapping each other on the chest and slapping hands hard,” Durant added.

“I wish they would post that on Instagram and Twitter and say, ‘Wow, this is leadership right here.’ But when we do that other (expletive), that gets attention and that’s just the nature of the world we’re in. That’s the nature of content and the NBA in general, so it’s frustrating when you see (expletive) like that.

“And you see the reaction to it, but I know deep down what it is between Bud and I, and he knows it too, and this ain’t the first time we got into it, not even got into it but had a quick disagreement and moved right on right after the last play. So it’s not gonna be the last either. And Bud knows that, and he knows and respects how much I care, and I respect how much he cares.”




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