NBA Communications: The three finalists for the 2024-25 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award: 
Cade Cunningham of @DetroitPistons Dyson Daniels of @ATLHawks Ivica Zubac of @LAClippers
Source: Twitter
Cade Cunningham of @DetroitPistons Dyson Daniels of @ATLHawks Ivica Zubac of @LAClippersSource: Twitter
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Asked Ivica Zubac about bear wrestling (basically) with Nikola Jokic
Zu doesn’t have a problem with it lol pic.x.com/clbcfYt7Ng – 3:06 PM
Asked Ivica Zubac about bear wrestling (basically) with Nikola Jokic
Zu doesn’t have a problem with it lol pic.x.com/clbcfYt7Ng – 3:06 PM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
Brunson doesn’t look great out there. If that’s how this is going to go you have to think about this series differently.
Pistons are good enough to pull it off (and this is with Cade playing below his standard). – 8:13 PM
Brunson doesn’t look great out there. If that’s how this is going to go you have to think about this series differently.
Pistons are good enough to pull it off (and this is with Cade playing below his standard). – 8:13 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Cade taken out because it’s a massive difference whether he gets his 4th foul with 25 or 23 minutes left in the game. Schroder gets back to back turnovers. – 7:29 PM
Cade taken out because it’s a massive difference whether he gets his 4th foul with 25 or 23 minutes left in the game. Schroder gets back to back turnovers. – 7:29 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Harden finally found the pass off that look this quarter. Great finish by Zubac instead of the pass he made earlier. – 6:07 PM
Harden finally found the pass off that look this quarter. Great finish by Zubac instead of the pass he made earlier. – 6:07 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Basketball special teams: Nikola Jokic spikes two free throws.
Zubac goal-tended, Clippers re-take the lead pending official review – 6:06 PM
Basketball special teams: Nikola Jokic spikes two free throws.
Zubac goal-tended, Clippers re-take the lead pending official review – 6:06 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Christian Braun airballs what would have been the game-tying 3 to end 3rd quarter
Clippers lead 75-72. A defensive struggle, which is a credit to how Denver has performed thus far.
Ivica Zubac: 17 points, 8/13 FGs, 12 rebounds
FG%: LAC 47.7, DEN 43.1 – 5:34 PM
Christian Braun airballs what would have been the game-tying 3 to end 3rd quarter
Clippers lead 75-72. A defensive struggle, which is a credit to how Denver has performed thus far.
Ivica Zubac: 17 points, 8/13 FGs, 12 rebounds
FG%: LAC 47.7, DEN 43.1 – 5:34 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Game kinda going as expected in that Jokic is the best player on the floor but Harden, Kawhi and Zubac are lapping every other Nugget. – 5:16 PM
Game kinda going as expected in that Jokic is the best player on the floor but Harden, Kawhi and Zubac are lapping every other Nugget. – 5:16 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Larry Nance, Jr., on how happy he was for Dyson Daniels:
“Certain guys have been presented with opportunities, and they just can’t. They aren’t ready for it, or it passes them up. Dys seized it to the highest (degree).
To me, it is a no-brainer that he is the Most Improved.” pic.x.com/PAjSRe2GVc – 4:58 PM
Larry Nance, Jr., on how happy he was for Dyson Daniels:
“Certain guys have been presented with opportunities, and they just can’t. They aren’t ready for it, or it passes them up. Dys seized it to the highest (degree).
To me, it is a no-brainer that he is the Most Improved.” pic.x.com/PAjSRe2GVc – 4:58 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Zubac has really made offense difficult for Jokic…….Making him expend real energy to score and create basketball advantage – 4:41 PM
Zubac has really made offense difficult for Jokic…….Making him expend real energy to score and create basketball advantage – 4:41 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Zubac and Jokic draw offensive fouls against each other on back-to-back plays – 4:40 PM
Zubac and Jokic draw offensive fouls against each other on back-to-back plays – 4:40 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
It’s the LA Clippers that force the first timeout of the series, as they’re on a 6-0 go-ahead run and lead 17-13 with 6:12 left in 1st quarter
Matchups:
Clippers have Harden on Gordon, Leonard on Porter Jr., Dunn on Murray, Zubac on Jokic, Powell on Braun
Denver has MPJ on Dunn – 3:56 PM
It’s the LA Clippers that force the first timeout of the series, as they’re on a 6-0 go-ahead run and lead 17-13 with 6:12 left in 1st quarter
Matchups:
Clippers have Harden on Gordon, Leonard on Porter Jr., Dunn on Murray, Zubac on Jokic, Powell on Braun
Denver has MPJ on Dunn – 3:56 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The Clippers are getting whatever they want offensively….simple basketball….pick and roll….the nuggets are blitzing….Zubac is the release valve and they are playing 4 on 3 downhill…Clippers leading 17-13 – 3:56 PM
The Clippers are getting whatever they want offensively….simple basketball….pick and roll….the nuggets are blitzing….Zubac is the release valve and they are playing 4 on 3 downhill…Clippers leading 17-13 – 3:56 PM
Jeff Zillgitt @JeffZillgitt
Pistons finding firepower with Cunningham on floor, Bickerstaff at the wheel.
Bickerstaff told me: “Our guys are going to show up and they’re going to fight and they’re going to test their opponent and the opponent’s going to have to be the better team.”
usatoday.com/story/sports/n… – 2:30 PM
Pistons finding firepower with Cunningham on floor, Bickerstaff at the wheel.
Bickerstaff told me: “Our guys are going to show up and they’re going to fight and they’re going to test their opponent and the opponent’s going to have to be the better team.”
usatoday.com/story/sports/n… – 2:30 PM
Eric Woodyard @E_Woodyard
Playoff #Pistons basketball is back! Throwback Q&A with Cade Cunningham. pic.x.com/Q11b22g8kO – 9:14 AM
Playoff #Pistons basketball is back! Throwback Q&A with Cade Cunningham. pic.x.com/Q11b22g8kO – 9:14 AM
Lauren L. Williams @WilliamsLaurenL
Onyeka Okongwu just picked Tyler Herro’s pocket and scored a layup. Mo Gueye just blocked Alec Burks 3 and it runs out some clock, Heat have to chuck up a prayer and it hits backboard. Then Gueye makes a corner 3 in front of the Heat bench. Dyson Daniels picks off Wiggins. – 8:28 PM
Onyeka Okongwu just picked Tyler Herro’s pocket and scored a layup. Mo Gueye just blocked Alec Burks 3 and it runs out some clock, Heat have to chuck up a prayer and it hits backboard. Then Gueye makes a corner 3 in front of the Heat bench. Dyson Daniels picks off Wiggins. – 8:28 PM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Dyson Daniels is a candidate for #NBA DPOY and MIP with the Atlanta #Hawks. So why didn’t Daniels play like that with the New Orleans #Pelicans? The Australian tells @Andscape who’s to blame and talks about do or die Play-In game tonight. bit.ly/3Y6vjgA – 2:20 PM
Dyson Daniels is a candidate for #NBA DPOY and MIP with the Atlanta #Hawks. So why didn’t Daniels play like that with the New Orleans #Pelicans? The Australian tells @Andscape who’s to blame and talks about do or die Play-In game tonight. bit.ly/3Y6vjgA – 2:20 PM
Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
I previewed Round 1 by diving into 4 fascinating matchups
—Boston’s 3-point attack vs. Orlando’s 3-point defense
—Cade Cunningham’s pick-and-roll brilliance vs. New York’s vulnerable pick-and-roll defenders
—Amen vs. Steph
—Julius Randle vs. JJ Redick
theringer.com/2025/04/18/nba… – 9:35 AM
I previewed Round 1 by diving into 4 fascinating matchups
—Boston’s 3-point attack vs. Orlando’s 3-point defense
—Cade Cunningham’s pick-and-roll brilliance vs. New York’s vulnerable pick-and-roll defenders
—Amen vs. Steph
—Julius Randle vs. JJ Redick
theringer.com/2025/04/18/nba… – 9:35 AM
More on this storyline
Westbrook finished with 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting, but 10 of those points came in the fourth quarter and overtime. His putback with 3:37 to go in regulation, one of his four offensive rebounds on the night, gave the Nuggets their first lead at 93-92. Westbrook also made the defensive play of the game at the end of overtime as he deflected Nicolas Batum’s inbounds pass to James Harden with 10 seconds remaining and forced a turnover. “I know that play,” Westbrook said, referring to his time with the Clippers. “They have a dynamic roller with [Ivica Zubac], great cutters and guys that catch lobs. My job is to be able to be the low man and find ways to, excuse my language, f— s— up.” -via ESPN / April 20, 2025
Nikola Jokic on Ivica Zubac: “He was kind of one-dimensional before. But now he can post up, he can pass from the pocket. He’s really evolving his game.” “He’s a really good defender…it’s going to be a fun matchup.” -via reddit / April 18, 2025
Bennett Durando: Nikola Jokic on Ivica Zubac: “I’ve played against him a lot and for a long period of time. I think he’s really improving. I think he was kind of one-dimensional before. But now he can post up. He can pass it from the pocket. They are looking for him. He is really evolving his game.” -via Twitter / April 18, 2025
Cunningham’s emergence as an All-NBA player is one of the great individual stories this season. In his fourth season, the 23-year-old Cunningham produced his best season with career-highs in points (26.1 per game), assists (9.1 per game), field goal percentage (.469), 3-point percentage (.356) and games played (70). “He’s just an unbelievable person, leader, teammate, all those things,” Bickerstaff said. “Obviously, he’s taken steps in closing games, understanding when to take over games, the ability to decipher when it’s time to get his teammates involved and when it’s time for him to score. He’s understanding now how to manipulate the game to his advantage based on what the defense is trying to do.” -via USA Today Sports / April 19, 2025
“It’s exciting,” Cunningham said. “Watching the play-in games and knowing that we still have games to come, it is just exciting. I am looking forward to playoff basketball. It is something I always dreamt of. Just trying to stay rested and ready to go.” -via Detroit News / April 17, 2025
Cade Cunningham will make his postseason debut in a place where he has had a handful of successful moments in his young career. “I’ve played in the Garden, I know what it feels like,” Cunningham said. “I am going in there with an open mind. I am not shying away from anything. I am not blocking out any possibilities. I’ve played games there before. I think I have what it takes to do everything I like to do on the court. I am ready to go.” -via Detroit News / April 17, 2025
NBA Communications: The three finalists for the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Dyson Daniels of @ATLHawks Draymond Green of @warriors Evan Mobley of @cavs -via Twitter / April 20, 2025
Dyson Daniels of @ATLHawks Draymond Green of @warriors Evan Mobley of @cavs -via Twitter / April 20, 2025
But Daniels is quick enough to stay in front of playmakers. His hands are quicker than a three-card monte hustler’s, which he attributes to playing Australian rules football as a kid. And guarding underhanded gives him another advantage. “In the NBA today, you see so many guards now trying to draw fouls, and that comes from overhand swipes. I think that sweeping through, swiping at the ball, that’s a killer,” Daniels said. “You’re putting a guy on the foul line just from silly mistakes like that. So I think for me, I’m reaching under.” -via New York Times / April 15, 2025
NBA Communications: The official 2024-25 NBA season leaders include: PPG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander RPG: Domantas Sabonis APG: Trae Young BPG: Victor Wembanyama SPG: Dyson Daniels This is the first season that the leaders in these five per-game categories are from five different countries. -via Twitter / April 14, 2025