Warriors become just second team with 50-40-90 NBA Finals game

By Dan FeldmanJun 5, 2017, 1:01 PM EDT

The 50-40-90 club is a bit antiquated. Entrance is gained by shooting 50% from the field, 40% on 3-pointers and 90% on free throws. Just seven players – Steve Nash (four times), Larry Bird (twice), Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Reggie Miller and Mark Price – have done it for a full season.

Teams have increasingly realized they should hunt more 3-pointers, which lowers 3-point and field-goal percentages while producing more efficient offense. True shooting percentage better aggregates all the relevant factors.

But 50-40-90 remains the classic measure of elite shooting, and it shows versatility of scoring. It’s a feat worth celebrating.

The Warriors have fully embraced the modern philosophy on 3-point shooting, and they still entered the 50-40-90 club as a team in Game 2 last night.

Golden State made 52% of its shots, 42% of its 3-pointers and 92% of its free throws. The Celtics are the only other team with a 50-40-90 NBA Finals game, posting 50%/44%/96% in Game 2 against the Rockets in 1986.

Team	FG%	3P%	FT%
GSW-CLE 2017 G2	52% (46-89)	42% (18-43)	92% (22-24)
BOS-HOU 1986 G2	50% (45-90)	44% (4-9)	96% (23-24)

Here are the teams that came closest:

Team	FG%	3P%	FT%
LAL-BOS 2008 G2	49% (41-83)	48% (10-21)	100% (10-10)
IND-LAL 2000 G5	57% (39-68)	50% (10-20)	89% (32-36)
LAL-BOS 1984 G1	52% (43-83)	50% (1-2)	88% (28-32)
IND-LAL 2000 G4	50% (42-84)	53% (10-19)	86% (24-28)
BOS-LAL 2008 G6	49% (43-87)	50% (13-26)	86% (32-37)
SEA-CHI 1996 G4	56% (41-73)	53% (9-17)	84% (16-19)
MIA-OKC 2012 G2	47% (36-76)	43% (6-14)	88% (22-25)
LAL-PHI 2001 G3	47% (35-75)	40% (4-10)	88% (22-25)
MIA-OKC 2012 G5	52% (40-77)	54% (14-26)	82% (27-33)
SAS-MIA 2014 G3	59% (38-64)	45% (9-20)	81% (26-32)
DET-POR 1990 G4	46% (42-91)	44% (7-16)	88% (21-24)
DET-LAL 1988 G6	49% (39-79)	40% (2-5)	81% (22-27)
DAL-MIA 2006 G2	49% (34-70)	42% (8-19)	82% (23-28)
NJN-LAL 2002 G4	49% (45-92)	44% (4-9)	81% (13-16)
PHI-LAL 2001 G1	48% (40-83)	36% (4-11)	92% (23-25)
IND-LAL 2000 G6	47% (36-77)	48% (12-25)	84% (27-32)
IND-LAL 2000 G3	46% (36-78)	39% (7-18)	88% (21-24)
LAL-DET 1989 G2	45% (35-77)	40% (6-15)	85% (29-34)
MIA-SAS 2014 G1	47% (37-78)	41% (12-29)	82% (9-11)
SAS-DET 2005 G2	47% (29-62)	46% (11-24)	82% (28-34)
LAL-CHI 1991 G1	45% (30-66)	50% (5-10)	82% (28-34)
LAL-BOS 1987 G5	45% (43-95)	50% (4-8)	82% (18-22)
CHI-UTA 1997 G2	46% (32-69)	38% (6-16)	82% (27-33)
BOS-LAL 2008 G4	45% (33-73)	36% (8-22)	82% (23-28)

Spurs’ Keldon Johnson to miss start of training camp with shoulder injury

By Kurt HelinSep 24, 2022, 9:00 PM EDT

Morgan Engel/Getty Images

Keldon Johnson is poised to have a monster season on a rebuilding Spurs team.

Except he’s going to miss the start of training camp and the team’s preseason games. And could be out longer.

Johnson suffered a “right shoulder posterior dislocation during Spurs open gym” the team announced Saturday. Posterior dislocations are rare (less than 5% of all dislocations) and are usually from a fall on an extended arm. Recovering from the injury depends on many factors but can extend out for months. However, the Spurs said Johnson is expected to be available for the start of the regular season less than a month from now.

League source says Keldon Johnson is confident he’ll be ready for the start of the season after suffering his shoulder injury two weeks ago.

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) September 24, 2022

Johnson averaged 17 points and 6.1 rebounds a game last season, and is an elite perimeter shooter off the catch-and-shoot (39.8% from 3 overall), who also can put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim. He was the team’s second-leading scorer last season (to Dejounte Murray, who is now in Atlanta).

The Spurs will be cautious with bringing Johnson back. Even in what could be Gregg Popovich’s last season as coach the Spurs are looking more to be part of the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes than push for a playoff spot. Johnson is a quality player who helps San Antonio win games, which both is why they want him back healthy and why they are not going to rush him.

Cavaliers reportedly extend Dean Wade for three years, $18.5 million

By Kurt HelinSep 24, 2022, 7:51 PM EDT

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

This could be a steal for the Cavaliers — Dean Wade could be the starting three for the Cavaliers by the end of this season and he’s got a genuine upside.

The Cavaliers have extended Wade for three years, $18.5 million, a story where multiple sources were on top of it, including Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Cleveland Cavaliers F Dean Wade has agreed to a three-year, $18.5 million extension, his agents Austin Walton and Adam Papas tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 24, 2022

Wade, 25, is a development success story of the Cavaliers’ rebuild, an undrafted two-way player who will now compete to be a starter this year for the Cavaliers. https://t.co/PpKotSDkB6

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 24, 2022

Wade’s counting stats aren’t eye-popping — 5.3 points a game and shooting 35.7% from 3 — but he is a quality wing defender who has improved as a floor spacer (sometimes setting picks and popping out). He’s a two-way player who has put in the work and could pass Isaac Okoro on the depth chart this season.

The Cavaliers have four All-Stars who will undoubtedly be starting for them — Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley up front — and the looming question is at the three. Wade has a chance this season to step into that role.

Which makes extending him at a little over $6 million a season a potential steal for the Cavaliers.

Warriors GM Myers reiterates he would like to extend Green, Poole, Wiggins

By Kurt HelinSep 24, 2022, 2:00 PM EDT

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Andrew Wiggins is entering the final year of his contract and the Warriors want to extend him. Jordan Poole is up for a contract extension and if it isn’t worked out by the start of the season he becomes a restricted free agent next summer. Draymond Green is eligible — and wants — a four years, $138.4 million extension (the max they can give him).

Bob Myers said again this week that he wants to keep all three of those players — all critical parts of the Warriors run to a title last season — but financial reality could intrude upon that dream. Here’s what Myers said Thursday, via Kendra Andrews of ESPN:

“We want all of those guys,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said at a news conference Thursday. “Can we get all of them? I don’t know.

“It depends on what the money ends up being. What the ask is what we can end up doing. We’re not at a point to make those decisions yet. Some of these decisions may be made in the next two weeks, some might be made in the next seven, eight months.”

The Warriors turned heads around the league paying more than $350 million in player salaries and luxury tax last season — and this season they will be in the same ballpark. Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob has said even with the cash cow that is the new Chase Center, this is not a team that can spend $400 million. Some expenses are locked in, such as Stephen Curry and his $215.4 max contract extension. Klay Thompson is at the max for a couple of more years.

Poole is part of the future in Golden State — along with Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and maybe Jonathan Wiseman — and they can’t let him go. Wiggins was the Warriors’ second-best player in the postseason last year. That has led to some speculation Green could be the odd man out — something Myers has denied. Green will make $25.8 million this season but is expected to opt out of the $27.6 million player option he has next season. It leaves the Warriors and Green with a choice.

Something’s got to give, but the Myers and the Warriors seem ready to kick that financial can down the road until next summer, and for this season get the band back together and chase another ring.

Poole would be the first up (there is an Oct. 17 deadline to extend him). Whatever happens, this will be an undercurrent of a story all season long in the Bay Area.

C.J. McCollum inks two-year, $64 million extension with Pelicans

By Noah RubinSep 24, 2022, 1:16 PM EDT

Getty Photo

After helping New Orleans return to the playoffs for the first time since Anthony Davis was traded to the Lakers, C.J. McCollum earned a two-year, $64 million extension with the Pelicans. He will remain under contract with the team through the 2025-26 season, and there isn’t a player or team option in the deal. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news Saturday afternoon.

New Orleans traded Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, a 2022 protected first-round pick (turns into 2025 first-round pick that is top-4 protected), and two future second-round picks for McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell.

New Orleans now has their core of McCollum, Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram under contract for the next three seasons.

The expectations will be high for the Pelicans for the next few years. After starting last season 1-12, first-year head coach Willie Green helped turn the team around, and they finished 36-46 before beating the Spurs and Clippers in the play-in tournament. Their season ended after losing to the Suns 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs.

McCollum averaged 24.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.7 triples per game after the trade to New Orleans.

The return of Zion this season, along with the success of last year’s team, has the team expecting a return to the playoffs. Locking up their star guard in McCollum emphasizes that their rebuild is over. After missing the playoffs during their first three seasons in the post-AD era, they don’t expect to return to the lottery for a long time. The big question surrounding their potential success will be Zion’s health.

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