AJ DeLaGarza Opens Up On Miami Days to FiveReasons

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After establishing himself as one of the most iconic soccer players of all time, David Beckham has spent the past decade building Inter Miami from the ground up as the club’s President and Co-Owner. Only two players have had the privilege of working alongside Beckham both as a teammate as well as an employee of his team: Blaise Matuidi, who played with Beckham at Paris Saint-Germain, and A.J. DeLaGarza, who played with him at LA Galaxy.

 

Born on November 4, 1987, Adolph Joseph DeLaGarza was raised in Bryans Road, MD and quickly established himself as one of the best young talents in the state, eventually earning a move to the University of Maryland, College Park. He led the Terrapins to the National Championship in his freshman and senior year, prompting the LA Galaxy to select him with the 19th overall pick of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by LA Galaxy. DeLaGarza quickly emerged as a vital cog in defense, leading the Galaxy to three MLS Cups and becoming one of just a handful of players to make 200+ appearances for them. He also made a name for himself at the international level, playing two friendlies for the USMNT in January 2012 before switching to Guam and registering 11 caps – including their first-ever two World Cup qualifying wins vs. Turkmenistan and India.

 

DeLaGarza departed for Houston Dynamo in 2017, leading them to a first playoff spot in three years, before enjoying a brief sojourn with expansion side Inter Miami during the 2020 season. He spent the final two seasons of his career with New England Revolution before retiring in November 2022: since then, he’s passed his time raising his three children in the Carolinas, bouncing around from various startup companies like ZALA and Photon Sports, working as a Match Director for MLS, and launching The GoalDen, an elite indoor soccer facility in Charlotte. Five Reasons Sports spoke to DeLagarza about a number of topics, including:

 

You grew up in Charles County…what was it like playing in this region of Maryland, and trying to prove yourself as not just one of the best players in the state, but one of the best players in the country? It does seem like early on, you were recognized as one of the top young players in Maryland. Was that a lot of pressure dealing with that?

 

Well, just for geography, Charles County is in southern Maryland, so I was actually right outside of Washington D.C., but I did play for a club team that was in Baltimore. The travel and the commute there every week to get to training, I remember going to training right after high school ended, and I would go sit up there and just wait for practice to start because of that commute, and if you waited too long, you were gonna be stuck in traffic and potentially miss practice. I would go there and take a nap in the parking lot if I needed to and all that in high school, but yeah, I would say that I kind of felt some pressure not until I was in high school, when I was one of two freshmen to make varsity. I was a starter, and I was also a forward, and as a freshman in high school, I probably weighed 95 pounds. But here I was, playing against grown men, right?

 

There were guys who were 3-4 years older than me, which I was not used to. I ended my first year as the leading scorer, making the all-conference team and the all-county team. I won’t say I had a target on my back, but everyone knew who I was at that point, if they hadn’t already. I would say that freshman year in high school was really where my name really started to get out there. and then I had expectations to follow that, and unfortunately, my sophomore year did not go as well as my freshman year. Our team went 0-16, we didn’t win a single game, and I still had to show up every day and try to be a leader. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but I think that going through that tough year helped me be a better teammate and a better communicator.

 

It was a challenge that most kids nowadays are like, ‘I don’t want to do that,’ whereas that helped me and made me stronger. I remember crying on the field in our playoff game. We all make the playoffs, so we actually lost 10-0 in the playoffs, and it was on Halloween night, and a few of our starters decided to go trick-or-treating instead of coming to our playoff game. Unfortunately, that was the commitment level of some of my teammates, whereas I was out there doing whatever I could, and at the end of the day, I was still all-county, and still all-conference, and all that. I try to put my best foot forward, even under very difficult circumstances.

 

Talk to me about your move to Inter Miami; did your previous relationship with David Beckham play a role in your transfer, or not really?

 

I mean, I’m sure it did. Obviously, he knew who I was and my character and all that, so I’m sure he had a little bit of an influence on certain moves. It’s cool to be one of two players that he played with, and then employed as an owner alongside Matuidi…pretty cool experiences.

 

Overall, what did you make of your time in Miami? Obviously, they were just starting off at that point, what was it like playing with an expansion side?

 

 Yeah, that’s one of the biggest what-ifs. Obviously, we all wish COVID didn’t happen, but I wish the experience was a little bit different in year one, especially with that team. But also, I remember being in preseason, and I was actually doing finishing drills with the strikers, and the defenders were doing defending drills, and I was like, ‘Hold up, does this coach know who I am? He’s got me on the wrong side of the field, like, what am I doing up here? It was hard because we were not good; we were not playing well. I had asked manager Diego Alonso midway through the year, ‘What do I need to do to get on the field?

 

And he told me, ‘You do everything great, but I like my center backs to be taller and faster. And I was like, ‘You really don’t know who I am, right? It’s not all about being tall and fast. You have to be able to read the game and control moments, and give the balls to the proper people to make things happen, right? That’s what I felt like I was good at, and unfortunately, I wasn’t given that opportunity until really late into the season, and we started doing well, we were the last team to make the playoffs, and then the COVID bug hit us again. We were missing too many folks in the playoffs, and we got bounced by Nashville. I was a free agent again, and left to go to New England, so that’s one of the biggest what-ifs, because I really enjoyed my time in Miami and where we lived, and the culture, and all that.

 

Do you feel like that’s the biggest regret of your soccer career?

 

Yeah, I would’ve liked to have stayed there a little bit longer to see that club evolve, obviously, to what they are today. It would have been great to be a little bit more stable, right? Like, I had to move two cities in one year, so that was hard on my family, and I had young kids at the time as well.

 

Injustice in the main event in Giza, Rey Mysterio’s colossal collab and more

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The spectacle in front of the Pyramids of Giza was a grand production, that featured Frank Sanchez scoring an upset KO over Richard Torrez Jr., but the public lost thanks to a waste of time for the WBO vacant title fight (Hamzsah Sheeraz KOed Alem Begic), and a criminally premature stoppage, favoring Oleksandr Usyk.

 

This is pay-per-view.

 

Rico Verhoeven, the kickboxer, was supposed to be the guy he walked through for an easy payday, but Usyk got his own lesson in bravery and class. By the look of him, the reigning heavyweight champ (IBF, WBC, WBA), didn’t prepare like he did for high-profile engagements against Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois plus Anthony Joshua, and now some top dogs of the division might think he’s vulnerable.

 

Usyk lost the first two rounds on all three score cards. It was as if Mobb Deep’s Survival of the Fittest was flowing through Verhoeven’s veins as he made a name for himself, landing power shots and bothering him with awkward movements.

 

The judges even had it 96-94, 95-95 plus 95-95, and it was going to be an Usyk round because he battered Verhoeven and scored a knock down with a right uppercut. Verhoeven got extra time by spitting out his mouthpiece, yet still, one of the greatest potential shockers was derailed with a second left in the 11th round.

 

Mark Lyson has refereed 1,158 fights, but was as sophomoric as an official in the amateur ranks.  He also smugly shook his head, defending his position to Verhoeven’s protesting corner, yet it only would’ve been justified if he had a lobotomy. It was arguably just as pathetic as Howard Foster’s foolishly abrupt stoppage of the Fabio Wardley versus Joseph Parker fight back on Oct. 25.

 

Usyk remains undefeated but his résumé now has a blemish, in similar way that Fury stained his by going the distance with MMA monster Francis Ngannou. Naturally, all fighters have a day at the office, performing below their standards and Saturday’s showing highlighted that Usyk is more human than The Terminator he’s been known to be. He also dodged the question in his post-fight interview on if he thought he needed a stoppage/KO to win.

 

Perhaps, this is what age 39 looks like. Yet his mind is elsewhere since he offered the information that his home country is at war, affecting those close to him.

 

That rising British  star, Moses Itauma, must have seen Verhoeven’s work, thinking, “Forget this development plan —  I better put this down this Ukrainian chap before he takes off the gloves for good,” and he wouldn’t be wrong. It takes beating the man to be the man, and this is a young person’s game.

 

Usyk’s handlers and those that care for him should want him far away from Itauma, eliminating the risk of an undignified wipe out this late in his career, yet the public will call for it or one of the few remaining big fights, like seeing German heavyweight Agit Kabayel. Or maybe Fury will try to scheme his way into a third fight.

 

Quick takes:

 

–Fabio Wardley exercised his rematch clause to get back in the ring with Daniel Dubois after suffering an 11-round stoppage on May 9. Respect to him for wanting to reclaim his honor, but part one was a one-sided beatdown, despite Dubois being knocked down twice. There isn’t much need for a rematch, at least at this time. The sickos won’t mind running it back, but might grumble them if it is PPV like the first.

 

-Claressa Shields smacked Alycia Baumgardner at MVP Promotions’ Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano MMA fight on May 16 after they got into a verbal exchange. Shields was subsequently banned from promotional events. Both have hurled venom in interviews and to each other’s faces previously, but Shields, while she is financially exposed if Baumgardner wants to seek restitution through civil court, which has been threatened, put her smaller foe in a lose-lose situation: Shields would hurt Baumgardner at a catch weight, and if the latter does nothing, some will hold it against her forever that she didn’t defend her honor. Additionally, Shields has also threatened to sue, accusing MVP Promotions’ statement and Baumgardner’s of defamation.

 

WWE Legend Rey Mysterio reveals big plans

 

If you’re not listening to the Duke Loves Rasslin podcast, do yourselves a favor to correct this behavior. The show exclusively broke in a interview with the superstar wrestler that he is partnering with Footballco “to launch an official, Team Mexico-inspired World Cup Soccer Jersey.”

 

Mysterio said, “The fact that we’re created something based on my nationality, my representation, you know, Mexico… I remember sitting down with my dad, you know and watching the World Cup in ’86 when the World Cup was in Mexico City, in Estadio Azteca, you know, so to be able to collaborate based on the cartoon (Rey Mysterio vs. The Darkness) and based on the colors of Mexico, representing all the players that are in the lineup for the World Cup is truly an honor.”

 

Mysterio will also be featured at the River City Wrestling Con on June 6 at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida. He will be presenting his cartoon series, which first aired on Cartoon Network Latin America. “And we’re bringing the cartoon (Rey Mysterio vs. The Darkness) over to the U.S. for the first time,” he said. Mysterio has been passionate about this since he started in the business.

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Adjustments the Spurs can make ahead of Game 3 against the Thunder

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The Western Conference Finals are deadlocked at 1-1 in what’s shaping up to be a classic series. It’s appointment viewing for hardcore hoop heads because it’s two 60+ win teams with one side having the MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and the other having the next face of the league, who is averaging 31 points and 20.5 rebounds (Victor Wembanyama).

 

Coach Mitch Johnson didn’t have an immediate update after Game 2 on Dylan’s Harper’s status. Harper is currently questionable for Friday’s outing. Additionally, Jalen Williams’s hamstring injury is somehow being treated as day-to-day by the OKC Thunder.

 

With the next two games in San Antonio, there’s a few things the Spurs could try to help take control of the series. Let’s review. 

 

Keldon Johnson needs more minutes

 

Keldon Johnson’s strength allows him to have success against bigger OKC players at close range. Keep in mind that all five of his rebounds in Game 2 were offensive.

 

The role of sixth man is important, but he is better than a 24-minute player in a high-stakes series. He can create his own shot and handle physicality better than Julian Champagnie, who should not be playing more than 27 minutes, but has to now if De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are out for Game 3.

 

Consider how the lineup featuring Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Victor Wembanyama with Champagnie and Johnson has been one of their best in the playoffs, logging an excellent 105 defensive rating in 10 minutes. It’s never a bad idea to lean hard on the defense and while this unit hasn’t been tested for long spurts in the playoffs, it could turn into an ace in coach Johnson’s sleeve: it has two ball handlers, two snipers who can guard and a demigod.

 

The non-Wemby minutes

 

Luke Kornet played an important role in being the team’s reserve big man this seasion, yet it’s ideal to limit his minutes, potentially to less than the 10 he’s averaging. The Thunder are a bad matchup for him, and insist on attacking his weaknesses through screen rolls. 

 

There’s two solutions: use veteran Harrison Barnes as the backup center, which would bring in the threat of an accurate release valve who can guard up. A double would have to come to help depending on how deep his matchup catches an inside pass, but this must be considered since he can play at the level of the screen better than Kornet. 

 

Then there’s Carter Bryant, the extremely athletic and strong perimeter pest. He’s age 20, but like Harper, shouldn’t be looked at as a rookie anymore since they’ve lapped their peers in experience. Bryant can do all the things Barnes does defensively as a small-ball five at a higher level.  

 

Castle needs to cut down on turnovers 

 

The team is averaging 22 turnovers, and Castle is responsible for 10 per game. The Spurs are in a tricky situation here because De’Aaron Fox (ankle) is also questionable on the injury report. Assuming Fox and Harper don’t play, Castle has to step up with his ball security by not recklessly passing and driving into traffic.

 

Consider how the Thunder are only averaging 12 fastbreak points per game. The Spurs can be even sharper in getting back if they play with less mistakes.

 

Yet most importantly, they need to be cut down so Wemby has as many opportunities as possible with the ball. As much as pick-and-pop plays are useful, Castle needs to get him the ball closer to the rim in half-court actions so he doesn’t work as hard. In Game 2, the first shot Wemby took starting his offense inside the arc was in the third quarter, and nearly all of his possessions started from the outside. 

 

Perhaps Castle will make easier passes if Wemby is put in more motion.


Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Pistons need to get Cade Cunningham more help

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The 60-win Detroit Pistons disappointed with a Game 7 blowout loss at home in round two to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but their weaknesses were exposed in the quarterfinal against the Orlando Magic. 

 

Keep in mind that the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team that beat the Pistons, have another capable ball handler next to their best player. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, which are the best two teams in the playoffs now facing off in the Western Conference finals, have three shot creators each. It only adds to the urgency that the Indiana Pacers will return to contending status next season after a gap year because of the injuries, and they also have at least three dependable ball handlers.

 

Ausar Thompson is entering his fourth year, but he is not ready to be even the third offensive option in Detroit. Tobias Harris had great moments in the playoffs, but can’t be the second scorer, and Duncan Robson is a top-notch release valve. 

 

The worst thing the Pistons could do is get comfortable because title windows are short. Cade Cunningham, who averaged an awful 5.6 turnovers through two rounds, needs more help on offense in the form of another high-level shot creator, and finding one should be the top priority of the off-season. They should be thinking about big fish like Jaylen Brown or Ja Morant, and if they have to give up something valuable, then so be it. 

 

It will be a painful offseason for those kept around, and Thompson even said in the locker room after defeat that the team would “let it sting.” Their effort in Game 7 lacked the same intensity they displayed in three-straight elimination games against the Magic and two nights previously in Cleveland. It was similar to how flat the Miami Heat came out at home in Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, which they lost after being the first seed that year.  

 

Humiliation is one of the best teachers and it’s something great players have experienced before taking a leap. Nobody should be writing off Jalen Duren, who averaged 9.3 less points in the playoffs, and Thompson for that reason.

 

The Pistons had a 16-win improvement in the 2025-26 regular season — if they make a similar leap next year, not in terms of wins but in potency, then they’ll be one of the top squads in the league with a better shot at the tile.



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Jamahl Mosley is the new coach of the New Orleans Pelicans

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 Despite the Orlando Magic blowing a 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons in round one of the playoffs, the New Orleans Pelicans found their new head coach in recently fired Jamahl Mosley. They clearly like him because they gave him a fifth year in his contract, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

 

At the very least, Mosley established he is a gateway coach that will help legitimize a team. The Magic were not as defensively potent this season as they were in 2024 and 2025 (second ranked in both), but some of that is on the injuries to key players and a bit of the message going stale after a while. 

 

One thing he will demand more out of the team is commitment on defense, especially from Zion Williamson in screen rolls and in small lineups. As the playoffs have shown, teams need to be able to bang with the big boys at close range because versatile size is king. 

 

The Pelicans have more talent than the typical 26-win team, yet they play in the superior conference and do not have a first-round draft pick this season, as it was owed to Atlanta. A good year in 2026-27 would be reaching the first round of the playoffs, whether by going through the Play-In Tournament or not. Those are only modest expectations because it’s hard to expect more when the ultra-talented Williamson has logged at least 60 games thrice since 2019-20. If he, who is going into his eighth season (well, seventh because he didn’t play in2021-22 due to injury), can change the narrative on his health, the Pelicans have a chance to be more than a respectable team early. 

 

Keep in mind that the Pelicans were only the seventh seed in 2024 with 49 regular-season wins. The Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns (before the Play-In Tournament) in the following years were the seventh seed with 48 and 45 wins.

 

Notably, the area Mosley’s teams needed an upgrade is the offense because they didn’t have enough movement, passing and screening. Hiring some different minds for his assistants could alleviate some of those issues, yet he also needs to improve the same way it’s expected of players. 

 

It will be the area he is judged most critically, and he at least has to have the team be better than the 11th-ranked attack since that was the best it was during the Willie Green era. The next area of importance will be the development of the youngsters such as Jeremiah Fears, Yves Missi, Derik Queen. 

 

Mosley has a great agent in Bret Just of WME Basketball for getting him a gig where he doesn’t have to start over from the basement. Now it’s on him to show he was the guy and not just the best name available on the coaching market.



Ruiz becomes secret weapon for speedy Marlins

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Speed is a weapon that has been well wielded by the Miami Marlins so far this season. 

Led by Jakob Marsee (13), the Marlins have demonstrated to be the fastest team on the base paths, leading MLB with 57 stolen bases. However, on the other side, the have also been caught stealing 17 times, which is among the highest in the big leagues. 

The Marlins player with the second most stolen bases doesn’t have everyday playing time. Outfielder Esteury Ruiz has been used as a secret weapon by the Marlins. He came into Saturday’s 10-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays as a pinch runner to score in the 10th inning. The Marlins kept scoring that Ruiz ended having a plate appearance, in which he drove in a run on a base hit. 

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said during his postgame press conference on Sunday that the Marlins “try each day looking at how to best utilize the 13-man position player group in one way.”

“Those guys that aren’t starting to be ready for whether they come off the bench to play defense in a game, pinch-hit, pinch-run, whatever it may be,” McCullough said. “Do something that day. Be ready for your moment that may come.”

Ruiz is 6-for-27 with two home runs in his limited opportunities but also has seven stolen bases and seven runs this season. He started the season on the injured list and didn’t make his Marlins debut until April 23.

“He has swung the bat well,” McCullough said. “He put together some good at-bats and handled himself well versus left thus far. It’s a nice dynamic to have him on our team, and he’s a great guy.” 

The Marlins acquired Ruiz over the offseason from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade for international pitching prospect Adriano Marrero. Adriano Marrero the other way. Ruiz’s potential for base stealing came in 2023, when he swiped 67 bags as a rookie with the Oakland Athletics.

The Marlins (21-26) went 2-4 during their recent road trip, including falling to the Rays in the Citrus Series this past weekend. The Marlins return home on Monday for a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves and a three-game series against the New York Mets. 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Hall-of-Famer Carmelo Anthony shares his thoughts on the upcoming Western Conference Finals

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The Oklahoma City Thunder are still the team to beat on their quest for back-to-back titles, even with Jalen Williams hamstring injury keeping him absent so far, but the San Antonio Spurs are reaching for the throne. The upcoming clash between the regular season’s top-two Western powers will begin on Monday in OKC.

 

They played five times before the playoffs, which included an NBA Cup game, with the Spurs winning four of them, but considering how the physicality has been raised 80° since, it’s hard to use those games to gauge which team has the advantage.

 

Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony imparted his wisdom in his interview with D.J. Siddiqi on these matters, saying, “ “Regular season doesn’t mean anything right now. It’s a different brand of basketball. I know people want to put one up against the other, but it’s a different brand of basketball. Nobody’s even thinking about regular season once you’re in the playoffs.”

 

Another thing the Hall of Famer is sure about is that great players can’t be shut down. Much of that has to do with the rules favoring the offensive player since hand checks are outlawed and carrying violations are not always enforced, which is a huge disadvantage for the man back peddling. Nonetheless, when it comes to Victor Wembanyama, the challenge is making it difficult for him for “48 minutes.”

 

The Thunder will try but, Wembanyama‘s height and passing gifts make him a threat to dissect double teams. That’s a lethal combination with three high-level ball handlers that eat up schemes at the point of attack. The challenge gets tougher since he is a good roamer without the ball behind the arc and on the baseline. He’s shown he can be dormant while he waits for his teammates to get going, then he turns into a supernova.

 

Guarding Wemby presents even more problems because he can dribble up court, and pull up from long range. Setting early pick up points against that are not the same as sending them at someone like Kevin Durant, who is still close to seven feet, but not skyscraper big.  The playoffs have made it clear that using bully-ball to bother Wembanyama gets canceled out by his length.

 

On the other side, one thing the Thunder could try is to make Wembanyama work by limiting Isaiah Hartenstein’s minutes on the floor with him. While Hartenstein has a nice jump hook from the short to mid range area, Wembanyama can complicate things for OKC by sagging off to the middle like he did against Portland and Minnesota successfully. If Chet Holmgren is playing center, it will force Wembanyama to guard a real scoring option.

 

As the stakes rise with each round and coverages get tighter, this could be a tough series for Luke Kornet because he is a slower-footed disruptor, most ineffective outside of the lane. It’s not what the Spurs want to do, but this could mean Wemby playing close to 40 minutes a game because he’s a much stronger against screen rolls, especially if they are coming from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

 

Anthony said Wembanyama is the best defender in the NBA — it helps that he’s got major help because opposing ball handlers have a quality disruptor switched on to them at every turn. Still, the Thunder are capable of matching San Antonio’s defensive potency and bring their own edge to that side.

 

All of the talent featured in this Western Conference Finals could create a classic series that will be remembered for decades. Make no mistake: this series will be the equivalent of two heavyweights facing off in a title eliminator. 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The three Cavaliers deserving the most credit for the Game 5 win in Detroit

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The Cleveland Cavaliers stunned the Pistons in Detroit, coming back from a 15-digit deficit to win Game 5 in overtime. It looked like it would be a quick series because Detroit seized the first two outings, but now it shifts back to Cleveland for the sixth confrontation.

 

It’s not over but the winner of a Game 5 after being tied 2-2 advances 81.5 percent of the time.

 

Props in order: James Harden, who has taken relentless criticism for his playoff performances, came through with his best game of the series, which included a combined 18 points between the second and third quarters. He kept putting pressure on the defense by getting to the line, which took pressure off Donovan Mitchell, who didn’t step up until overtime. 

 

Harden’s play of the night was recovering an offensive rebound off his own missed free throw while the Cavs were up three points with 24.4 seconds left. He even cranked up his defense after Cade Cunningham locked him up, by putting pressure on the ball and forcing misses. 

 

Additionally, Evan Mobley found his groove in the second half, finding shooters and cutters out of the short roll, plus he scored on two rim strikes and two 3-pointers, which included the shot to cut the deficit to two points with 82 seconds left of the fourth quarter. 

 

And mad Max Strus was the perfect release valve, nailing six 3-pointers, and had one pivotal play of overtime when he stripped Cunningham in Detroit’s territory and flicked the ball to Mitchell for a pick-6. Coach Kenny Atkinson quickly mentioned that play when asked about one that stood out to him. 

 

The Pistons were affected by Duncan Robinson’s absence (sore back) by not having a reliable punisher when Cunningham was doubled. It was also impossible to ignore Tobias Harris remembering he’s a mortal, and J.B. Bickerstaff, the Cavaliers’ former coach, benching his brawny big man, Jalen Duren, for the third-stringer Paul Reed (remember him Doc Rivers?), who didn’t play scared and logged every minute of the fourth quarter. 

 

Each series is different because of the matchups, but the Pistons can at least tell themselves that they’ve been in this situation before versus Orlando, and believe they are capable of an encore. But the Cavs are undefeated in these playoffs at home. 

 

Additionally, the Cavaliers are on the verge of going to their first conference finals since 2018, which was LeBron James’ last year with the team. A good case could be made that Mitchell has been the organization’s second-best player ever in his four tours with them. 

 

The series is in the equivalent of the championship rounds in boxing — regardless of how much longer it goes, it’s been a delight to witness the Cavaliers-Pistons rivalry reborn.



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Victor Wembanyama cost his team in Game 4 and now a disciplinary decision looms

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The NBA probably doesn’t have the stones to suspend Victor Wembanyama for viciously and intentionally elbowing Naz Reid in the throat, but they should. His good reputation will help his case, but chief disciplinarian James Jones has to make sure his penalty is more than a fine because there was potential for catastrophic damage and a big brawl.

 

It was the biggest elbow thrown in the NBA since Metta World Peace (now Metta Sandiford-Artest) brutalized James Harden in 2012 with a strike to the dome. MWP got suspended for seven games.

 

Thank goodness Reid is OK, but if that elbow had flown higher, we could be talking about a fractured jaw with teeth on the court, or a broken orbital bone. It doesn’t matter that Wembanyama was being held and fouled hard because he overreacted.

 

Had he stayed in the game, there’s a good chance the San Antonio Spurs would have taken a 3-1 lead. Anthony Edwards had to go HAM, scoring 16 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter. Now the Minnesota Timberwolves remain dangerous as the series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5. Keep in mind that the winner of a Game 5 when both teams are tied at 2-2 advances 81.5 percent of the time.

 

Naturally, some will jump to this reality: if it were Draymond Green, he’d get suspended, like he was for one game in the 2023 playoffs, among many occasions, for stomping on Domantas Sabonis’ ribs, after his ankle was held.

 

Wemby waited at the bench for a referee review and appeared to not know the rule, making an ejection mandatory for a Flagrant Two.

 

It’s a decision that will have huge consequences for the series, and no way both teams will be satisfied. Still, the league shouldn’t create any impression that they are soft on hostile acts because things could backfire with more elbows or fisticuffs flying. 

 

As for Wemby, some opponents will back off because he means business when you get rough with him, but others will test his limits to see if he loses his head in an another important game.  

 

Update

Wembanyama was not suspended, nor did he receive a fine. Clearly, preferential treatment was shown. Hard to imagine that Jones would have demonstrated the same lack of discipline if someone had elbowed the NBA’s new golden goose in the throat.



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The playoffs are proving again that James Harden is not that guy

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Hopefully, Patrick Beverley is watching the NBA playoffs. And the seat boils wherever Cleveland Cavaliers president Koby Altman is watching round two.  

 

They are down 2-0 to the macho Detroit Pistons, and this series can be submitted as exhibit 319 on why James Harden isn’t on Dwyane Wade’s level. Yes, yes, Harden once upon a time led a team to Game 7 in the Western Conference finals against the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors, but he never mastered the greatest playoff stat of all: wins.

 

Wade was so great, in fact, that he was able to sacrifice ego and coexist with LeBron James, before his body broke down on him. Flash also came through in big games and retired thrice a champion.

 

Coach Kenny Atkinson should start looking into staggering Harden’s minutes, even at the expense of putting more playmaking responsibilities on Donovan Mitchell, and placing a brighter spotlight on Altman. He rolled the dice for the Beard, a bigger, stronger guard than Darius Garland (now a LA Clipper), but now Harden’s age is catching up to his disappearing act.

 

He’s had four of nine playoffs games with Cleveland, picking up more turnovers than field goals. Mitchell is better off passing to Dean Wade and Max Strus. On top of that, his 3-point percentage has dropped 11.3 points following his 26 regular-season games with the team, and he’s only taken 13 shots in the lane across two outings in Detroit. He’s having so much trouble getting loose that he couldn’t score on Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II, the three who logged the most minutes guarding him in Game 2.

 

Beverley and some misguided peeps have opined that Harden is superior to Wade, but in reality, he doesn’t even have Reggie Miller’s playoff résumé. Let’s see Harden, age 36, lead his squad to the Finals as Miller did at 34 as the Indiana Pacers’ leading scorer (24.0).

 

The Cavs haven’t lost at home yet in the playoffs, but this could be over in five. Harden has a player option for next year, which he would be wise to take up because no one is likely offering him that base for multiple years. Yet, he always splits town when things get hard, so who knows?

 

Garland wasn’t the answer for this build, but neither was Harden, and Altman plus anyone else who had a part in bringing him in should have known that his regular-season stats are like cubic zirconia masquerading as a diamond. Somehow, that series he lost to Portland mainly because they dropped the first two at home, or the one he lost to the Warriors minus Kevin Durant in Game 6, or he when he played scared versus the Boston Celtics in Game 7, or last year’s no-show in Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets, wasn’t enough to convince Cleveland’s decision makers that’s who he’s always been. 

 

Harden is not a big-time player when it matters. He once trash talked on-his-last-legs Ray Allen by telling him “This is my time.” Ray is still waiting for him to prove it.