The Miami Heat were the team to beat when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh teamed up in the early 2010s.

They won two NBA championships in four trips to the NBA Finals, and while some thought they would never go back to the mountaintop after that era, it didn’t take long before they did.

With two NBA Finals appearances in four seasons, Jimmy Butler is determined to get his team its fourth championship.

That’s why it wasn’t much of a surprise to see him vow that this will be the year they finally get over the hump and get the job done once and for all (via NBACentral).

“We're going to end up in the Finals and this time we'll win it.”

– Jimmy Butler

(Via @flasportsbuzz ) pic.twitter.com/PtR07H6WaL

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 2, 2023

Advertisement

Of course, it was kind of difficult to take him seriously in that fake emo look, but Butler has usually been a man of his word.

However, the Heat may find it very complicated to find the same success they found last season, as they lost two key rotation pieces in Max Strus and Gabe Vincent.

They cleared some salary space in hopes of being able to land Damian Lillard, but to no avail.

They also couldn’t get Jrue Holiday, and it seems like Pat Riley has lost all of his pull and his magic in the league.

Erik Spoelstra has made the most of hidden gems and has made a living out of turning undrafted players into legit rotation-caliber guys, but there will be several new faces in South Beach, and they might still be one piece away from winning it all.

The post Jimmy Butler Makes Bold Finals Claim For The Heat This Season appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source link

The Denver Nuggets are still walking on clouds.

The reigning NBA champions lost a key piece in Bruce Brown Jr., but they’re still the team to beat until proven otherwise.

That’s mostly because they still have arguably the best player on Earth right now, which is Nikola Jokic.

That’s why the team was so excited to let everybody know that the reigning Finals MVP was back in the building ahead of their Media Day.

He’s baaaaaaack pic.twitter.com/Un0n6CH5EO

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 2, 2023

We didn’t get to see a lot of Jokic during the offseason.

But judging by the few clips of footage we could get our hands on, he was living his best life from the very moment he arrived in Europe.

Jokic is a simple man, and it’s clear that he doesn’t enjoy the spotlight as much as other NBA stars do.

But once he sets foot on the basketball court, there aren’t that many guys who could get in his way.

He’s the ultimate triple-threat, a guy who can score from all three levels, and perhaps the best passer in today’s game.

The Nuggets also have Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon locked in for the next two years at the very least, so their title window is still wide open.

Of course, all teams will aim for their heads, as usually happens with reigning champions.

But if Jokic stays healthy and plays the way he played in the playoffs, it would be hard to choose any other team over them in the Western Conference.

The post Nuggets Make Big Nikola Jokic Announcement appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source link

The Los Angeles Chargers managed to escape with a much-needed win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brandon Staley’s team hit the ground running but took their foot off the gas in the second half, surviving a bit of a scare against an undermanned team.

Moreover, a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport states that star QB Justin Herbert just suffered a fractured finger on his non-throwing hand, also leading to a gruesome nail injury.

#Chargers QB Justin Herbert suffered a fractured finger on his left, non-throwing hand, sources say. The finger also suffered a gruesome nail injury. Herbert somehow finished the game and with the bye, should not miss time. pic.twitter.com/IQh3YiS0ou

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 2, 2023

Fortunately for him and his team, the bye week will give him enough time to heal, so he’s not expected to miss time at all.

Herbert was good as usual in the win, although he made more damage on the ground than through the air, which is not common for him.

The young star completed just 13 of 24 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown, and one pick, adding 12 rushes for 27 yards and two touchdowns.

The Raiders offensive line had plenty of trouble containing Khalil Mack, who single-handedly recorded a whopping six sacks, becoming just the fifth player in NFL history to get those numbers in a single game.

It was the perfect revenge for Mack, one of the best pass rushers in the game and one of the many talented stars the Raiders have let go throughout the course of the years.

The Raiders now have a date with the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, while the Chargers will look to get their record over .500 with a win over the Dallas Cowboys two weeks from now.

The post Insider Details Severity Of Justin Herbert’s Finger Issue appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source link