Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 8/23/20

- BKN-TOR:

  From Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/2020/08/22/nba-coaching-award-is-nick-nurses-reward-for-going-anywhere-and-trying-anything-for-basketball.html

  From Mike Ganter, Toronto Sun: https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors/vanvleet-a-perfect-example-of-why-these-raptors-are-so-successful/wcm/4f1aa1bb-3450-494d-aa96-18104e8c55f6/

  From Michael Grange, Sportsnet.ca: https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/nurses-self-belief-fuelled-remarkable-journey-nba-coach-year-award/

  From Doug Smith, Toronto Star:  https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/2020/08/22/good-things-come-from-serge-ibaka-for-those-raptors-that-wait.html

  From Louis Zatzman, Raptors Republic: https://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2020/08/22/fred-vanvleet-is-playing-like-torontos-best-player-and-he-just-keeps-getting-better/

  From Eric Koreen, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2014456/2020/08/21/the-raptors-are-up-3-0-on-the-nets-lets-worry-about-them/  and  https://theathletic.com/2016021/2020/08/22/nick-nurses-coach-of-the-year-win-shows-the-power-of-following-your-convictions/

  From Alex Schiffer, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2014470/2020/08/21/jarrett-allen-tyler-johnson-and-more-5-thoughts-from-the-nets-game-3-loss/

  From Blake Murphy, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2013726/2020/08/21/raptor-recalibration-game-3-kyle-lowrys-control-jarrett-allens-rare-line/

- BOS-PHI:

  From Mike Anthony, Hartford Courant:  https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/mike-anthony-kemba-walker-stepping-back-like-he-did-at-uconn-while-stepping-forward-with-celtics-in-nba-playoffs/ar-BB18hi9Q

  From Keith Smith, Celtics Blog: https://www.celticsblog.com/2020/8/22/21397006/boston-d-party-breaks-philadelphia-10-takeaways-from-boston-celtics-philadelphia-76ers-game-3

  From Justin Quinn, USA Today: https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2020/08/22/nba-boston-celtics-marcus-smart-best-defender-in-league-dpoy-or-not/

  From Jared Weiss, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2015154/2020/08/22/with-sixers-on-the-brink-marcus-smart-leaps-to-unprecedented-defensive-heights/

- DAL- LAC:

  From Duncan Smith, Hoops Habit:  https://hoopshabit.com/2020/08/22/la-clippers-adjustment-nba-playoffs/

  From Vincent Goodwill, Yahoo Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com/when-will-playoff-p-paul-george-show-up-for-the-clippers-023628698.html

  From Shane Young, Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaneyoung/2020/08/22/kawhi-leonard-powers-clippers-to-a-2-1-series-lead-over-mavericks/#6f923b3d3f2e

- DEN-UTA:

  From Gordon Gross, Denver Stiffs: https://www.denverstiffs.com/2020/8/22/21397165/identity-crisis-in-denver-nuggets-jokic-murray-porter-need-answers

  From Ryan McDonald, Deseret News: https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/8/22/21396275/how-rookie-juwan-morgan-went-from-undrafted-free-agent-to-playoff-contributor-for-the-utah-jazz

  From Mike Singer, Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2020/08/22/nuggets-jazz-game-3-autopsy-four-questions/

  From Josh Newman, Salt Lake Tribune: https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2020/08/22/royce-oneales-defense/

  From Eric Walden, Salt Lake Tribune: https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2020/08/22/utah-jazz-have-gone-never/

  From Adam Mares/George Karl, The DNVR: https://thednvr.com/george-karl-on-the-denver-nuggets-identity-crisis-against-the-utah-jazz/

- HOU-OKC:

  From Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman: https://oklahoman.com/article/5669832/thunder-mimics-rockets-in-game-3-victory

  From Royce Young, ESPN: https://africa.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29721063/after-shouldering-blame-2-0-hole-chris-paul-comes-clutch-thunder  and  https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29720347/thunder-come-clutch-game-3-going-away-their-best-lineup

  From Joe Mussatto, The Oklahoman:  https://oklahoman.com/article/5669829/okc-thunder-five-takeaways-from-the-thunders-game-3-win-against-the-rockets

  From Jenni Carlson, The Oklahoman: https://oklahoman.com/article/5669830/carlson-okc-thunder-makes-it-a-series-with-wild-ot-win-vs-rockets

  From Bill DeFilippo, Dime Mag: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/thunder-rockets-game-3-takeaways-recap/

  From Rahat Huq, Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rahathuq/2020/08/22/maximizing-ben-mclemore-presents-interesting-challenge-for-rockets/#7f0bb50b5c4f

- IND-MIA:

  From Greg Doyel, Indy Star: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2020/08/22/pacers-vs-heat-oladipo-not-ready-pacers-savior-vs-miami/5583310002/

  From J. Michael, Indy Star: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2020/08/22/pacers-face-insurmountable-hole-after-heat-unleash-3-point-barrage/3368632001/

  From Sekou Smith, NBA.com: http://global.nba.com/news/bams-big-moments-adebayo-helps-heat-dig-one-out-the-mud/

  From Joe Beguiristain, Heat.com: https://www.nba.com/heat/news/game-recap-ind-mia-200822

- LAL-POR:

  From Jamie Hudson, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/jusuf-nurkic-being-called-upon-provide-beastly-minutes-vs-lakers

  From Jason Quick, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2016647/2020/08/23/blazers-fall-to-lakers-find-the-beauty-of-jusuf-nurkic-might-be-his-curse/

  From Joe Freeman, Oregon Live:  https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2020/08/los-angeles-lakers-overwhelm-portland-trail-blazers-take-2-1-lead-in-nba-playoff-series-the-good-the-bad-the-biggest-issue.html

  From Baxter Holmes, ESPN: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29721672/hard-beat-lakers-live-free-throw-line

  From Colin Ward-Henninger, CBS Sports: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lakers-vs-blazers-game-3-lebron-james-went-into-vintage-freight-train-mode-when-his-team-needed-it-the-most/

  From Aaron Fentress, Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2020/08/portland-trail-blazers-running-on-fumes-and-with-little-depth-search-for-answers-down-2-1-to-los-angeles-lakers.html

  From Joe Vardon, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2016430/2020/08/22/playoff-lebron-james-lakers-swagger-back-in-a-big-way-over-blazers/

  From Bill Oram, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2016714/2020/08/23/how-the-lakers-swarming-defense-has-extinguished-portlands-firepower/

  From Ramona Shelburne, ESPN: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29721557/lebron-james-made-arrival-2020-postseason

- MIL-ORL:

  From Matt Velazquez, jsonline.com: https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2020/08/22/bucks-magic-game-3-first-round/3401207001/

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- NOP: How Ingram Rebuilt His 3-Point Shot (from Christian Clark, The Advocate):

Read it here: https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/article_2dd75120-e16b-11ea-be5f-a76618b8c464.html

- 2020 Draft Prospect James Wiseman (from Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report):

Read it here: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2885662-addressing-the-biggest-questions-about-nba-draft-prospect-james-wiseman

- The NBA's Two From The HBCUs (from Marc J. Spears, The Undefeated):

Watch it here: https://theundefeated.com/videos/the-nbas-two-from-hbcus/