🏀 Caleb Martin Appreciation Day

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Enjoyers, we sit here on the eve of another NBA Finals. Let’s not think about the fact that we only have 4-7 games left of this postseason—just sit back, relax, and live in the moment.

Today’s Lineup

Smoking Hot: 🔥 Miami wins Game 7, advances to NBA Finals

From a Doc to a Nurse: 🩺 Philadelphia has a new head coach.

Runs in the Family: 🎤 Draft prospect Pete Nance speaks on his hoops journey.

Jarritos

The NBA season may be winding down, but our thirst for Jarritos is year-round! 🔥

No matter who you’re pulling for in the Finals, we can all agree on one thing; Jarritos is the best drink to have waiting in the fridge when the games tip off.

Whether you’re a Mango, Pineapple, or Watermelon fan, there’s no wrong way to enjoy Jarritos 🥭 🍍 🍉

There’s truly nothing like enjoying a cold Jarritos. With no high fructose corn syrup it’s certainly not your average soda.

Go pick up a Fiesta Pack today 🎊 and see what all the hype is about!

Miami Moves On

For the Boston Celtics, it just wasn’t meant to be.

With everything on the line, Miami walked into TD Garden and came away with a comprehensive 103-84 Game 7 victory to book their second trip to the NBA Finals in four years.

Firstly, it would be remiss not to mention what happened to Jayson Tatum just 20 seconds into the game: he twisted his ankle driving to the basket on his first touch of the night and just didn’t look right after that.

But let’s give credit to the Heat, because they fully took advantage of the opportunity. They consistently attacked Tatum in the pick-and-roll and hounded his co-star Jaylen Brown on defense to the tune of eight turnovers.

And as the Boston offense fell into disarray (except for Derrick White), the Heat thrived down the stretch. Jimmy Butler poured in buckets when things stalled, Bam Adebayo overcame a rough scoring night, but everyone stand up and give a massive round of applause for Caleb Martin. He’s been a monster all series, but his transition into prime Kobe last night wasn’t exactly something we expected.

And now, after all of the drama, upsets, and chaos, it all comes down to this. Miami, the second team in NBA history to make the Finals as an 8-seed, is on the ultimate underdog run. However, the titan known as Nikola Jokic is waiting, and nobody has been able to slow him down yet. Will we get the first title in the history of Denver basketball, or the greatest miracle run of all time? Let us know:👇

BOX SCORE

Latest News

Nick Nurse hired as 76ers Head Coach

It didn’t take long to find Doc Rivers’ replacement, and you can do a lot worse than a coach who’s just four years removed from an NBA championship.

Nick Nurse had a great stint in Toronto, getting the most out of a rangy group of players. In a lot of way’s he’s sort of the Anti-Doc—Nurse experiments early and often when things are going south, while Rivers sticks with his strengths, often to a fault.

He might run Joel Embiid into the ground playing him 40 minutes a night, but he could be just what Philly needs to take that next step in the postseason.

Bob Myers steps down in Golden State

It might not be the official end of an era in Golden State, but it’s starting to feel like one.

Bob Myers was undoubtedly the architect of the Warriors dynasty. From drafting Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, to signing Kevin Durant in free agency, to making the crafty Andrew Wiggins trade, his work in the front office has helped extend Golden State’s incredible run beyond its original lifespan.

Thanks for your contributions to the game, Bob. Go find a beach somewhere and Enjoy retirement. 🙏

Enjoy the Journey: Pete Nance

On the doorstep of his professional basketball career, Pete Nance isn’t worried. After all, he has a whole family of hoopers in his corner.

Pete’s basketball story all started with his two older siblings. Casey, who played college basketball at Dayton, and Larry Jr, an eight year NBA veteran, were the youngest Nance's inspirations growing up. Their intense living room games of 21 is where he found a love for the game, despite his mom's ire when they knocked ornaments off the Christmas tree during the holidays.

But always there to defend them was their father, Larry Nance Sr, a 2X NBA All-Star and one of the finest dunkers in basketball history. And except for breaking out his old highlights from time to time, Larry Sr. let his kids find their own way to the sport.

“He really let us find it for ourselves, and that’s one thing I’m really thankful for from him," said Pete Nance of his father. "I bet it’s really easy to force your kid into playing basketball when you love it so much, but I feel like I'd be playing basketball no matter what my last name would be.”

He might have let his kids discover their love for basketball on their own, but Larry Sr. certainly didn't hesitate to immerse them in the best the sport had to offer. Pete grew up watching LeBron James dominate the hardwood in Cleveland, where his father had played a decade earlier. From James’ buzzer-beating heroics over the outstretched arms of Hedo Türkoğlu in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals to his herculean efforts in the Cavs 2018 playoff run, Pete was in attendance for more magical moments than you can count.

As he absorbed years of high-level hoops at Quicken Loans Arena, Pete blossomed into a talented basketball player in his own right. Inheriting the height and frame of his father, the now 6'11" Nance led Revere High School to its first ever district championship while also being named Ohio Division II Player of the Year. As a four-star prospect and the 64th best player in the country according to 247Sports, he had offers from top college basketball programs in the area like Ohio State and Michigan.

But it was a private school about 30 minutes north of Chicago that eventually caught his eye. Northwestern hadn’t historically been a basketball powerhouse, but in 2017 they were coming off their first NCAA tournament appearance in school history. That recent success, coupled with shiny new facilities and great academics, made Evanston an intriguing option for Nance. But it was a coach with a very similar story that had him hooked.

Chris Collins knew a thing or two about living up to a father's lofty legacy. His father, Doug Collins, was a 4X NBA All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers and a successful coach for four different franchises. He forged a close connection with Pete regarding the challenge of getting out of your family's shadow.

”We used to talk about being able to run my own race and not compare myself to anybody," said Nance. "My dad and brother were, and are, amazing people who have had amazing careers. But just helping me find comfort in the fact that I'm on my own journey that has nothing to do with them is something he helped me out a lot with.”

(That's not to say Nance hasn't taken parts of his game from his dad and brother. All three are willing passers, good teammates, and overall high IQ players.)

On a team level, Northwestern was never able to cobble together a season as successful as 2017. But individually, Nance thrived. He became the Wildcats’ focal point during his junior and senior year as a dominant interior presence, feisty rebounder, and elite shooter for his height; he averaged nearly 14 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting over 40% from deep.

So it was no surprise that Nance attracted some NBA interest in the summer of 2022. He got his first taste of professional basketball when he was invited to the G League Elite camp.

“It's an interesting perspective for us in this position, because it's kind of the first time in our lives where we're not on a team," said Nance. "We're always so focused on developing towards becoming a better team and winning games, but then it was all about us and just becoming the best that we can be individually.”

While the camp went well, Nance couldn't help but feel that there was something more for him in college basketball. That’s why that summer, he transferred to one of the most prestigious programs in the country: the University of North Carolina.

If you want to hear about the rest of Pete Nance's basketball journey, tune in on Friday for part two!

Frozen Moments

• Jimmy Butler’s prophetic statement from a year ago…

• A rare wholesome moment on Inside the NBA…

• You won’t believe who helped Caleb Martin join the Heat…

What We’re Enjoying

Carmelo Anthony revived basketball in Denver, laying foundation for these Nuggets to build on - Nick Kosmider (The Athletic)

Basketball Reference Frivolities: Is summer boredom setting in a little earlier than usual? Maybe you’re stuck at an airport after your flight got delayed? Do we have the thing for you. We all know Basketball Reference, but their Frivolities page comes in clutch with hours of entertainment during desperate times. Want a list of every buzzer beater ever? How about every player with only one career game played? If you’re into quirky stuff like that, this is the spot for you.

Signing Off

That’s all from us! We’ll leave you with a quote from Jimmy Butler’s postgame press conference on Monday about the Miami bench.

“I don’t call them role players, I call them teammates…”

Be like Jimmy and show some love to the people who do the little things to make your life better, no matter how small.

Until next time,

-Spencer Poole

Trivia Answer: The answer to today’s trivia question is Robert Horry! Big Shot Rob had seven steals in Game 2 of the 1995 NBA Finals.

We must give a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Amit, Armaan, Brayden, Ed, Jack and Landon! We appreciate all of your support. Have the best day ever!🎈

To get a birthday shout out of your own, take our survey! Right down there! ⬇️