joevardon.bsky.social

joevardon.bsky.social

@joevardon.bsky.social

Writes NBA for the The Athletic; spot host, SiriusXM NBA radio, BBC contributor.

7.9K followers44 following255 posts

When the Cavaliers tell you how much better they are with James Harden, it means they believe they couldn’t win with Darius Garland. What about the rest of the original core four? And the coach? We’re about to find out www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

nytimes.comCavaliers’ collapse changes everything: Is Cleveland’s core already finished? (Gift Article)Cleveland has decisions to make, from an extension for Donovan Mitchell to the futures of James Harden, Kenny Atkinson and Koby Altman.

Yes, Dan Gilbert really rented a fleet of buses, put 1,400 Clevelanders on them and sent them to Detroit for Game 7. But that’s only a part of this story of belief the city’s only living championship owner has in his team, the Cavs www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...

nytimes.comDan Gilbert did more than bus 1,400 Cavs fans to Detroit: He offered ‘sage advice’ (Gift Article)Cleveland's owner had everyone's backs heading into the Cavs' Game 7 blowout win, from the fans, to the players, to the coaching staff.

James Harden is the easy mark for critics in this Cavs-Pistons series. But what the ultimate outcome means for the past, present, and future isn’t really about him, now, is it? The drama of this series was years in the making, www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

nytimes.comCavs-Pistons isn’t about James Harden — here’s why we’ve been looking at it wrong (Gift Article)Mitchell said he watched Harden bring it home instead of demanding the ball because “he’s James Harden, right?”

Donovan Mitchell and Jaylen Brown are close friends, so of course the Cavs’s star noticed the NBA’s $50K fine against his pal. Mitchell also said he may ‘have to flop’ to get more calls against Detroit www.nytimes.com/athletic/725...

nytimes.comA frustrated Donovan Mitchell only had 2 free throws in Game 1 loss. ‘I don’t flop’ (Gift Article)Mitchell pointed out that the free-throw disparity was not why the Cavs lost to the Pistons. But it sure didn't help.

A lucky bounce or a bad one. Basketball gods ripping Molsons and crossing the U.S. border. Stars not needing to score 30 in a big game and coaches burning through challenges? Oh boy. This is how the Cavs got a Game 7. Can they survive it? www.nytimes.com/athletic/724...

nytimes.comThe Cavaliers had no business losing Game 6. Now comes a nerve-wracking Game 7 (Gift Article)The shot that won Game 6 for the Raptors may have been lucky. But the Cavs have nobody but themselves to blame for even being in this spot.

The Cavs seemed to have little trouble with Toronto in Game 1, but they nearly had a big problem with Tony Brothers. Here is how the coach and star player took risks to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

nytimes.comHow Cavaliers avoided a Game 1 ejection scare with help from their coach, star (Gift Article)The Cavs' Max Strus and referee Tony Brothers were getting under each other's skin. Then Donovan Mitchell intervened.

James Harden, with his famous, protruding beard and those dark, piercing eyes, was determined to use his star power to get his way, to bring with him a slice of comfort to a new city. What did he ask of the Cavs, and did they agree? www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

nytimes.comHow James Harden has made the Cavaliers a ‘better team,’ on and off the court (Gift Article)The Cavs are 18-6 when James Harden plays, forming a backcourt duo with Donovan Mitchell that a rival coach called "nightmare fuel."

On paper, the NBA saw the numbers it wanted for Adam Silver’s European league: $1 billion, a couple times. But how real the bids were, from whom, and is a EuroLeague merger more viable are the next steps for NBA Europe www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

nytimes.comNBA Europe draws host of bids, including $1 billion offers: Sources (Gift Article)Potential investors include existing European clubs, which could have major implications for the future of the continent’s top competition.