Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal has done some talking, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dion Waiters has responded to it, and now Beal’s team-mate John Wall has hit back at Waiters. Our bets of a Cleveland-Washington Playoff meeting start here at TB HQ.
WALL TO WAITERS: MAKE THE PLAYOFFS BEFORE YOU TALK
Washington Wizards’ John Wall has stuck up for team-mate Bradley Beal and told Cleveland’s Dion Waiters to make the Playoffs first before he runs his mouth.
Somehow, John, this year, I think Cleveland [favourites to win the Eastern Conference, by the way] will be able to do that.
Here is the timeline. Bradley Beal has the floor.
Via the Washington Post:
I think we’re definitely the best back court in the league,” Beal declared at his team’s Media Day at Verizon Center Monday. “Just in terms of what we’re capable of doing, the confidence that we have in that. At the same time we got to prove it.”
Wall, 24, enjoyed the breakout season many have been waiting for since he was drafted first over all in 2010, becoming an all-star for the first time and leading the NBA in total assists. Beal 21, averaged 17.1 points and shot 40.2 percent in 73 games in his second NBA season and is regarded as one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars.
Their emergence garnered the “House of Guards” nickname last spring, a play off the popular Netflix show “House of Cards.”
Waiters took offence, and responded. Well … LeBron did.
Via the Akron Beacon Journal:
“Every team there’s a guy they want to kind of place the blame on. It would be Dion on our team,” James said. “I told him, ‘You can’t get involved in that or what people say about you. It’s not what people think of you it’s what you think of yourself.’
“The only way to rewrite the notion of, ‘Can Dion fit in this?’ is to play the right way and dominate his opposition every single night. That’s all he should worry about.”
James has heard the same “Can Kyrie and Dion co-exist?” questions everyone has been asking since the Cavs selected Waiters fourth overall in 2012. James believes they can. […] “You’ve got two guys who love to play the game of basketball,” James said. “They’re gym rats and they love to compete. It’s not hard for them to mesh.”
Then finally, John Wall added fuel to the fire.
Via the Washington Times:
Circle Friday, Nov. 21 on your calendar. […] That evening, the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers will play for the first time this season. And both teams’ backcourts will attempt to back up bold words that they’ve exchanged over the past two days.
“[The Cavaliers] haven’t seen a playoff game yet, so when they make one, they can start talking,” Wall said.
“If you’re going to be the best backcourt, you have to start,” Wall said. “This is the year [Waiters is] probably starting, so let’s see if they’re the best backcourt.”
November 21 has been marked.
BRYANT: IGGY OVER SWAGGY
The Los Angeles Lakers media day was all about Nick Young and his aims to try and win any of the individual NBA accolades as well as sitting Kobe Bryant down and “showing him the ropes”.
Bryant, who starts his 19th season as a Laker, tied for the most in NBA history alongside Utah’s John Stockton had his own fun at the media day.
Via Bleacher Report:
During Lakers media day, Kobe Bryant was asked to choose between Nick Young and his girlfriend, Iggy Azalea. The Black Mamba chose the “Fancy” singer over his 29-year-old teammate.
Bryant’s reasoning: Azalea has been more successful. The rankings—based on the reasoning—would likely change if Young could help the 36-year-old win another championship.
