<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Alex Goodlett/AP</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>The Indiana Pacers have pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a decisive Game 7.</strong></li><li><strong>LeBron James' teams have never struggled so mightily in the first round of the playoffs, and it's sign that James doesn't have the help he needs on the team.</strong></li><li><strong>If the Cavs get eliminated, it will immediately raise questions about James' future as he enters free agency with the chance to join another team.</strong></li></ul><p><br />Going into these <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/nba-playoffs-2018">NBA playoffs</a>, LeBron James hadn't lost a first-round game since 2012.</p><p>Now, on Sunday, there is a possibility James could exit the playoffs without winning a single series.</p><p>The Cleveland Cavaliers have been given all they can handle against the Indiana Pacers, a feisty underdog that has arguably outplayed the Cavs in the series. They've pushed the Cavs to a decisive Game 7 on Sunday with the chance to knock out the team everyone thought would walk to the NBA Finals for a fourth year in a row.</p><p>The Pacers won Game 1 in Cleveland. They were a missed, wide-open, game-tying three-pointer from Victor Oladipo in Game 2 from going up 2-0.</p><p>In Game 5 in Cleveland, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-game-winner-vs-pacers-saves-cavs-2018-4">James saved the Cavs</a> from blowing a lead with a game-saving block and game-winning three-pointer to put them up 3-2 in the series. Indiana responded by blowing out the Cavs in Game 6 to even the series and force a Game 7.</p><p>Since returning to the Cavs, James hasn't faced an Eastern Conference playoff foe that has truly given him trouble. The Chicago Bulls came the closest in 2014-15, but the Cavs still won that series in six games. Last year, the Cavs swept through the East to make the Finals.</p><h2>LeBron's free agency looms large.</h2><p>Contending teams have been pushed in first-round series before, but few have ever had the stakes of this Cavs team, and it's all because of James.</p><p>James' free agency looms large over the league. It once seemed impossible that James would test the free agency waters again (though he's opted out each summer since returning to Cleveland, it was always just to re-up his contract and keep the pressure on the Cavs) but last summer, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-lakers-rumors-growing-2017-6">whispers began that James could leave the Cavs</a> in the summer of 2018. </p><p>It's difficult to pinpoint what team James could or would join. Would he really join a Western Conference team where he'd only have to face the Golden State Warriors earlier in the postseason? As <a href="http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=23297280">ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted on "The Lowe Post" podcast</a>, James has such power in the league that he can pick whichever team he wants and make it happen.</p><p>While leaving Cleveland for a second time would be a gut-punch to the city and organization, it's hard to see what would keep him there. There's little help on the horizon, other than the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cavs-trade-rumors-pressure-nets-pick-2018-1">Brooklyn Nets' lottery pick</a> the Cavs own this June. Even still, James hasn't been one to rely on rookies for help, instead favoring the experience that veteran players begin. He essentially ordered the trade in 2014 that sent No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love.</p><p>James has shouldered an almost impossible load just to keep the Cavs afloat against the Pacers. The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cavs-explained-dwyane-wade-trade-lebron-james-2018-2">pieces acquired at the Cavs' hectic trade deadline</a> haven't helped at all. George Hill has missed three games with back spasms. Love is playing through a thumb injury that many suspect is throwing him off more than he's revealed. Cavs veterans like J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson are no longer the role players James could rely on. Thompson is struggling to even crack the rotation.</p><p>That combination of players above - Love, Hll, Smith, Thompson, Larry Nance Jr., and Jordan Clarkson (the latter two acquired at the deadline) are owed almost $90 million next year. The Cavs don't have the financial ability to improve this team. Barring some major trade - and the Cavs have few attractive assets to lure another star - this is their roster.</p><p>The Cavs desperately miss the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/kyrie-irving-trades-cavs-problem-warriors-2017-7">one-on-one scoring ability of Kyrie Irving</a>, who bailed out Cavs possessions in the playoffs perhaps even more than people even realized. James is the Cavs' go-to scorer and facilitator and has struggled to go full-tilt because of the heavy minutes he's played. He's played 245 minutes of a possible 288 so far this postseason - or an average of seven minutes of rest per game.</p><p>One league source familiar with the Cavs noted that perhaps the only player on the Cavs James trusts right now is Kyle Korver. The same source said James looks frustrated and teetering on giving up - something apparent every time James doesn't sprint back on defense after a turnover or sulks after the Cavs' leaky defense cedes an open basket to the Pacers.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Christian Petersen/Getty</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>It's possible that Sunday is James' final game with the Cavs. Of course, no one in the NBA boasts James' resume in Game 7s, and the Cavs will be favorites for simply having James on their side on their home court.</p><p>But it stands to reason that if the Cavs' first-round opponent has given them this much trouble, the rest of the journey won't be any easier.</p><p>The entire league will be watching closely on Sunday. If James and the Cavs fall short, the biggest story in the NBA will begin right away - what will James do next?</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-referee-zach-zarba-basketball-official-job-athlete-2018-4">What it takes to be an NBA referee</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

LeBron James is being tested like never before in the playoffs, and the biggest question in the NBA hangs over it

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>The Golden State Warriors suffered a crushing defeat in the NBA Finals, losing three straight games after going up 3-1 in the series.<p>Though they were genuinely outplayed by the Cavaliers in the final three games, it became increasingly clear that the Warriors weren't playing with their full deck of cards. In particular, Stephen Curry was not the same unanimous MVP player the wowed the NBA world in the regular season.</p><p>Many people felt he simply wasn't healthy after spraining his MCL in the first round of the playoffs. Though he returned in the second round and played well sporadically, he&#xa0;notably lost his trademark shiftiness with the ball. After the injury, Curry struggled with side-to-side movement, particularly on the perimeter where he couldn't lose and punish opponents.</p><p>This seemed most evident on the biggest possession of the Finals. After Kyrie Irving hit what proved to be the game-winning three-pointer, Curry came down the other way and got Kevin Love on a mismatch. Love, a slow-footed big man, normally wouldn't have a chance at staying with Curry. And though Love did an excellent job trying to stay attached to Steph on the perimeter, the Stephen Curry from the regular season likely could have shook Love quickly.</p><p>Instead, Curry couldn't find the airspace, then forced a bad three-pointer and missed.</p><p><div></div></p><p>Again, Love should be commended for playing excellent defense, perhaps the defense of his life. But Curry simply couldn't get the separation he needed. The miss was essentially the dagger for the Warriors.</p><p>After the game, Curry continued to wave off the notion that the injury bothered him. Curry said if he was healthy enough to be on the floor, that's all that matters. However, he did acknowledge that on that play, he should have taken it to the basket instead of hunting for a three-pointer.</p><p>Players on both teams are quick to point out that nobody is completely healthy come June. The Cavs won the championship with an incredible comeback, but it's also fair to question if they got Curry's best shot in the series.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-vs-curry-nba-finals-playoffs-stats-sports-2016-6">LEBRON VS. CURRY: Here's how the NBA's biggest superstars match up </a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="p3cXEwNDE6WXlGKv31fJECBcY3Wypl77" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Stephen Curry came up short on the biggest play of the Finals, and it was the loudest evidence yet that his knee wasn't right

<p></p><p>Reddit users are accusing Unilever male deodorant brand AXE of "stealing" their content in a recently-launched <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> campaign, without giving them credit.</p><p>Last month, AXE launched a new online video series called "Shower Thoughts," produced by its agencies <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/axe-gets-deep-ok-not-really-campaign-about-genius-shower-thoughts-170418">Defy Media and Mindshare Entertainmen</a>t. </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve4GZk9Sw6w&amp;feature=youtu.be">The first ad in the series</a> sees a man pondering to himself in the shower: "When you're criticized for being short, they're really just saying the worst thing about you is that there isn't more of you."</p><p>The ad then cuts to a scene of 5' 3'' basketball legend Muggsy Bogues completely outplaying two taller men who challenge him to a two-on-one game on the basketball court.</p><p>Reddit user "Sleepy_time_wit_taco" posted the ad to the /r/PolitcalVideo subreddit, with the title: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/4dqk3q/axe_is_jacking_our_shower_thoughts_and_not_giving/">"'AXE' is jacking our shower thoughts and not giving credit. Literally word for word."</a></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/3ixtjo/when_youre_criticised_for_being_short_theyre/">Reddit</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/3ixtjo/when_youre_criticised_for_being_short_theyre/">In August last year, "JaSfields" had posted in the /r/Showerthoughts subreddit</a>: "When you're criticised for being short, they're really just saying the worst thing about you is that there isn't more of you."</p><p>JaSfields is certain AXE copied his idea. The Reddit user <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/4dqk3q/axe_is_jacking_our_shower_thoughts_and_not_giving/d1tlhwo">wrote</a>:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">I did a quick google search of the exact wording I used excluding all results after my post and it returned nothing to do with what I posted. Given the number of words which exist in the english language and the number strung together in that post I'd be highly surprised if they were ever put together in that combination ever before in the history of mankind. Then again, I could be wrong, I don't know. But yeah as far as I can see the "exact wording" is my idea.</p><p>Of course it's difficult for any Reddit user to say they they really "own" their Shower Thought idea - indeed some people replying to the /r/PoliticalVideo subreddit were certain they'd seen the "short" meme before. And as with all social media, Reddit is often a place where jokes and ideas are endlessly recycled. Nevertheless, JaSfields still wants credit from AXE.</p><p>The video in question has now been viewed more than 800,000 times on YouTube and has received more than 18,000 downvotes, likely from angry Redditors, judging by the comments.</p><p>AXE-owner Unilever, Defy Media, and Mindshare Entertainment could not immediately be reached for comment. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dea-agent-when-asked-to-try-drugs-mike-vigil-deal-2016-3">EX-UNDERCOVER DEA AGENT: What I did when drug dealers asked me to try the product</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="w1MGxlMjE6hH45aq4Ag4Q590qZgMWztE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Deodorant brand AXE is being accused of stealing content from Reddit for an ad

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>The Boston Celtics are down 3-1 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs, on the verge of elimination.</strong></li><li><strong>The Celtics have not been able to "flip the switch" in the playoffs, as they suggested through most of their confusing and disappointing regular season.</strong></li><li><strong>While Kyrie Irving hasn't lived up to his billing as a star who could carry them in the playoffs, his supporting cast hasn't come through either, and a team that was once considered to have the brightest future in the league has an uncertain path going forward.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>After falling to the Milwaukee Bucks, 113-101, in Game 4 on Monday, the Boston Celtics are now 3-1 and proving that they haven't been able to "flip the switch" in the playoffs.</p><p>Expectations for these Celtics were sky high this season after their injury-depleted team took LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Most assumed that welcoming back two stars in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, along with the growth from their young players, would take them to the next level.</p><p>Instead, the team struggled all season with chemistry and consistency. It seemed as if there were too many mouths to feed, and several portions of the season were marred by infighting.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:&#xa0;</strong></em><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kyrie-irving-celtics-future-bleak-2019-3">Kyrie Irving has reportedly become 'disengaged and detached' as the Celtics fall apart, and nobody knows what's going on</a></em></p><p>While there was never a crisis or breaking point - the team still won 49 games - they kept talking about the playoffs, claiming the bigger stage would help them coalesce.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>"I can't wait for all this other BS about regular season and keep getting better, and talking over and over and over and again about what we can do to keep getting better in the regular season," Irving told reporters in February. "I just want to be at the highest level playing. I mean, that's what I'm here for."<p>Irving could be forgiven for looking ahead. He helped lead the Celtics to the best record in the East last year after Hayward went down on opening night and then got injured shortly before the playoffs, missing the entire postseason run.</p><p>But the second round of the playoffs - in which the Celtics are not just being outplayed by a better Bucks team, but failing on their terms, too - is suggesting that the Celtics never had another gear to use.</p><h2>Kyrie Irving hasn't lived up to the billing</h2><p>Irving will take the brunt of the blame. Against the Bucks, Irving is averaging 21 points per game on just 37% shooting and 24% from three. Since the Celtics' surprising Game 1 in Milwaukee, Irving has shot only 30% from the field in three straight losses.</p><p>After going 8-of-22 in the Celtics' Game 3 loss, Irving vowed it wouldn't happen again. Instead, in Game 4, he shot 7-of-22 for 23 points.</p><p>After the game, Irving said the Bucks were doing things on defense to make him uncomfortable, but he accepted the expectations that come with being a star, noting sometimes you just miss shots.</p><p><span>"For me, the 22 shots? I should have shot 30. I'm that great of a shooter," he said.</span></p><p>As the Bucks pulled ahead in the fourth quarter, led by a driven Giannis Antetokounmpo, Irving and the Celtics played loose and sloppy. Irving's shot wouldn't fall throughout the night, but home run attempts amid mini-runs to close the gap didn't help.</p><p>Nor did lackadaisical defense, like losing George Hill in transition, then committing a bad foul on Antetokounmpo for a three-point play:</p><p>After the game, as the final buzzer sounded, Irving walked well ahead of his teammates and into the locker room, a visual that didn't help matters.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h2>Other Celtics haven't stepped up</h2><p>Of course, Irving isn't solely to blame. The Celtics shot 9-of-41 from three-point range in Game 4 (22%) and are shooting only 40% from the field and 32% from three in the three losses.</p><p>Again, perhaps prior performances portended this. The Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round but did it mostly with defense. In the first round, they posted a 103.7 offensive rating, eight points worse than their regular season figure and a mark that would have ranked last in the league in the regular season.</p><p>Those offensive struggles have carried over into the Bucks series. Hayward, who appeared to be making strides late in the season as he continues to come back from his gruesome ankle injury, has shot just 34% against the Bucks. Jayson Tatum, who shined as a rookie and looked poised to become a star, has shot only 37% and has been invisible for stretches. Terry Rozier, the spark-plug guard who broke out in last year's playoffs while replacing Irving, has shot 26% in the second round, continuing a rough season on the brink of free agency.</p><p>The most intriguing part of the Celtics coming into the year was their depth. It hasn't helped on the big stage.</p><p>Even Celtics fans seemed to have turned on the team after 90 rocky games this season.</p><h2>An uncertain future</h2><p>The series isn't over, but the Celtics are on the brink of disaster. A team some thought could win 60-plus games and challenge the Warriors could be out in five games in the second round. They face the daunting task of trying to keep their season alive by winning three games in a row vs. a Bucks team that hasn't lost three games in a row&#xa0;<em>all season</em>.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>What happens next if they lose? Irving, likely to become an unrestricted free agent, could hit the market and leave the Celtics. Al Horford, the team's rock, has a $30 million player option to weigh. If he declines it, he, too, can become a free agent.<p>The Celtics were considered the favorites to land Anthony Davis in a trade this offseason. How attractive are their assets now? The Celtics could have as many as four first-round picks this year (depending on how the lottery shakes out). Tatum and Jaylen Brown remain intriguing pieces, but the playoff run has not helped their stock, especially Tatum, who was once considered the key to getting Davis.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anthony-davis-trade-jayson-tatum-celtics-key-2019-2">The key to an Anthony Davis trade may be a 20-year-old Celtics player who has the entire saga in limbo</a></em></p><p>If the Celtics manage to land Davis before Irving's decision is made, perhaps it would change his calculation. But if the Celtics believe Irving is gone, how wise would it be to trade multiples picks and their two best young players to land Davis, who can become a free agent in 2020?</p><p>The Celtics' future was once considered the brightest in the league. There is still an easy path to a rebound - re-sign Irving, stay committed to the young core, and use some of their draft assets to improve, either with good picks or through trades.</p><p>But the playoffs haven't proven to be the easy fix-all the Celtics claimed it might be. They've only further shown that the cracks seen in the regular season were real.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kawhi-leonard-raptors-playoffs-stats-kobe-jordan-2019-5" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Kawhi Leonard is saving the Raptors' season by doing something Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant never accomplished</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/giannis-antetokounmpo-dominates-nba-2019-4" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">How Giannis Antetokounmpo's jaw-dropping work ethic made him unlike anyone the NBA has ever seen</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2019-nba-free-agents-2019-5" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">The 2019 NBA free agent class is stacked and has the potential to alter the league - here are the best players available</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-best-coaches-sports-age-2019-4" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Photos show how some of the oldest and longest-tenured head coaches in sports have aged through the years</a></li></ul><div></div><div></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/game-of-thrones-season-8-episode-4-details-missed-easter-eggs-2019-5">14 details in 'Game of Thrones' season 8 episode 4 you may have missed</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The Celtics waited all year for the playoffs, and now they're failing in spectacular fashion

<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">TNT</p></div>After the <keyword id="523433" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Denver-Nuggets">Denver Nuggets</keyword> beat the Golden Warriors 107-100 to send the series to Game 6, Warriors coach Mark Jackson accused the Nuggets of sending "hit men" to try and rough up Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>"They tried to send hit men on Steph. But give them credit. It wasn’t cocky basketball; they outplayed us. It wasn’t magic; they outplayed us," <a href="http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/01/mark-jackson-accuses-nuggets-of-dirty-plays-on-stephen-curry-after-warriors-game-5-loss/">he said at this postgame press conference</a>.</p>
<p><span>He continued, <span>"There were some dirty plays early. It’s playoff basketball. That’s alright. We own it. But make no mistake about it, we went up 3-1 playing hard, physical, clean basketball, not trying to hurt anybody."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Here's one of the plays Jackson was talking about. </span></span></p>
<p>Nuggets center Kenneth Farried clearly sticks out his leg to try and trip Curry as he's going through the lane. Curry has been fighting through an ankle injury all playoffs.</p>
<p>The full video is below, but it's a little grainy. You can see it better in this slow-motion GIF:</p>
<p><table class="image-container" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"></div><p class="source">TNT via Sportscenter</p></td></tr></table></p>
<p>The full sequence:</p>
<p></p>
<p>Curry torched the Nuggets in Game 4, so he had to expect more physical play in the Game 5.</p>
<p>He said as much after the game, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/05/01/denver-nuggets-golden-state-warriors/2125901/">while also accusing Denver of dirty play</a>, <span>"There were a couple, man. Going through the paint minding my own business and they come out of nowhere trying to throw elbows. I got a (target) on me, I don't know what it is, just got to keep playing and do your thing."</span></p>

Here's The 'Dirty Play' That Made The Warriors Accuse The Nuggets Of Trying To Injure Stephen Curry

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Jimmy Butler emerged as the Chicago Bulls' most important player this season.</p><p>The fourth-year wing player has become one of the top two-way players in the NBA, averaging 20 points per game while guarding the opponent's best player nightly.</p><p>The timing couldn't have been better for Butler. On the eve of a contract year, <a href="http://chicago.suntimes.com/?p=147506">Butler reportedly turned down a four-year, $40 million contract extension</a> from the Bulls.</p><p>It was a risk at the time. Butler was coming off a season in which he played through injuries and his numbers suffered, posting woeful shooting percentages of 39% and 28% from three-point range. As always, turning down a contract means a player is betting on himself. Butler not only had to avoid injury this season, he had to outplay the $10 million a season he was offered.</p><p>Now Butler's gamble looks genius.</p><p>As a fourth-year player, Butler can earn a maximum contract that's worth 25% of the salary cap, <a href="http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q16">according to Larry Coon's CBA FAQ</a>. With the salary cap projected at $67 million next season, if Butler gets a max contract, he can earn over $16 million next season. If he remains with the Bulls, they can also offer him a five-year contract (while other teams can only offer four) with 7.5% raises each season (while other teams can only offer 4.5%). If the Bulls offer him a maximum contract, Butler could earn ~$96 million over five seasons - more than double his extension at the beginning of the year.</p><p>Butler prepared himself for the best season of his career. He <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jimmy-butler-went-all-summer-without-cable-and-internet-to-train-more-2014-11">reportedly went all summer without cable or Internet</a> so he'd be forced to go to the gym and train when he was bored. </p><p>With Derrick Rose in and out of the lineup, Butler took on an increased offensive role, and while his usage rate jumped from 16.8% to 21.6%, his shooting percentages jumped, too, showing increased efficiency.</p><p>Butler's brilliance is now at the forefront at the most important time for the Bulls. In Game 2 of their first-round series with the Milwaukee Bucks, Butler took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his 31 points.</p><p>Butler's game oozes confidence, whether it's taking players off the dribble and dunking in traffic:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Or isolating and knocking down a pull-up three over 6'11" Giannis Antetokounmpo:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><a href="http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/21/jimmy-butler-micd-up-during-bulls-game-2-win-over-bucks-they-cant-guard-me/">Butler was mic'd up for the game</a>, and in the midst of his fourth-quarter explosion told coach Tom Thibodeau, "They can't guard me, man."</p><p>Though Butler's earning potential this summer is huge, the only thing stopping him could be the NBA's rules. Butler will be a restricted free agent, which means the Bulls have the right to match any contract offer he receives. As opposed to offering Butler a five-year, $96 million max contract themselves, the Bulls could wait for another team to offer him a four-year, $71 million max deal and simply match it.</p><p>Nonetheless, Butler took a gamble and it's going to pay off massively. He's turned into one of the best players in the NBA, and he's going to get paid as such.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/high-intensity-interval-training-workout-2015-4">This interval cardio workout is the key to burning fat fast</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="I5eTZqdDrTmg29r27AOGzqemKMakYvlx" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Bulls player Jimmy Butler turned down $40 million before the breakout season that's going to make him millions more

<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">Ronald Martinez/Getty Images</p></div>The Houston Rockets thoroughly out-played the <keyword id="581560" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Oklahoma-City-Thunder">Oklahoma City Thunder</keyword> last night, winning 107-100 and forcing a Game 6 on Friday.</p>
<p>At this point, it's clear that the <keyword id="525844" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russell-Westbrook">Russell Westbrook</keyword> injury has hurt OKC more than we ever imagined.</p>
<p>Even with Westbrook, the Thunder were prone to long stretches of stagnant and isolation-heavy offense. They were 8th-worst in the <keyword id="6361805" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NBA">NBA</keyword> in assist rate with Westbrook, but it didn't matter because he and Kevin Durant are such exceptional individual offensive players.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">They never developed a successful offensive system that could exist independent of those two star players because they never had to.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">But as we've seen in the last three games, when you take Westbrook out of the equation, the whole thing falls apart.</span></p>
<p>They've tried to use Reggie Jackson to approximate Westbrook, but he has been hit-and-miss and his insertion into the starting lineup has had a domino effect on the second unit.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Kevin Durant is the second-best player on Earth. But Houston has shifted its entire defense toward him, and the Thunder have been utterly unable to adapt and use the Rockets' focus on Durant against them.</span></p>
<p>But even though OKC isn't as good as usual on offense, they're still averaging ~109 points per 100 possessions since Westbrook went out. Part of that is Houston's awful defense, but that number is equivalent to a top-8 offense in the regular season.</p>
<p>Somewhat surprisingly, the Thunder have missed Westbrook mightily on defense.</p>
<p>Since the blowout in Game 1 Houston has decided to go small, playing Francisco Garcia and Chandler Parsons at power forward. That has forced OKC to remove one of their defensive-minded big men (Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka) in favor of a guard.</p>
<p>And more times than not, that guard has been the aging and defensively suspect Derek Fisher.</p>
<p>After playing 11 minutes in Game 1 and six minutes in Game 2, Fisher has averaged 27 minutes in the three games since Westbrook got hurt.</p>
<p>Houston won two of those games, lost one in the final seconds, and averaged 111+ points per 100 possessions.</p>
<p>Last night, OKC coach Scott Brooks lost so much faith in his defense that he deployed the "Hack-Asik" strategy — intentionally fouling Rockets center Omer Asik in lieu of trying to play defense.</p>
<p>It was a joke:</p>
<p><table class="image-container" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"></div><p class="source">TNT</p></td></tr></table></p>
<p>The Thunder will probably still win this series.</p>
<p>Durant is good enough to win one of these games by himself, and the Rockets are still a terrible defensive team.</p>
<p>But going forward OKC has all sorts of problems. Since Westbrook went down, they've been unable to do the things they did successfully with him, and there doesn't appear to be a fully developed Plan B.</p>

The Russell Westbrook Injury Has Hurt The Oklahoma City Thunder More Than We Ever Thought

The Oval is the venue where the final Test of the English summer is played. In the current series between <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/teams/england/3001/home">England</a> and India, England hold the upper hand, having won convincingly in Southampton and Old Trafford. India, on the other hand, have lost all momentum after their victory at Lord's. If they have to salvage something in this series, then they need to win at The Oval to turn the corner in performances outside of the subcontinent.<br />
<br />
Traditionally, The Oval is considered a flat deck even though it gives ample assistance to spinners. India's record at this venue is a bit of a mixed game. This was here that they won their first Test in England in 1971, a victory that sealed their first series win in the country. But victory has eluded them since. At the start of the 21st century, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/teams/india/4001/home">India</a> have played three Tests and drawn two. This table gives the <strong>W/L ratio</strong> of the teams at The Oval.<br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table">
	<tbody>
		<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
			<th>
				TEAM</th>
			<th>
				SPAN</th>
			<th>
				MATCHES</th>
			<th>
				WON</th>
			<th>
				LOST</th>
			<th>
				DRAWN</th>
			<th>
				W/L RATIO</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				PAKISTAN</td>
			<td>
				1954-2010</td>
			<td>
				9</td>
			<td>
				4</td>
			<td>
				3</td>
			<td>
				2</td>
			<td>
				1.33</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				WEST INDIES</td>
			<td>
				1928-2004</td>
			<td>
				16</td>
			<td>
				6</td>
			<td>
				7</td>
			<td>
				3</td>
			<td>
				0.85</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				AUSTRALIA</td>
			<td>
				1880-2013</td>
			<td>
				36</td>
			<td>
				6</td>
			<td>
				16</td>
			<td>
				14</td>
			<td>
				0.37</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				INDIA</td>
			<td>
				1936-2011</td>
			<td>
				11</td>
			<td>
				1</td>
			<td>
				3</td>
			<td>
				7</td>
			<td>
				0.33</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				NEW ZEALAND</td>
			<td>
				1931-1999</td>
			<td>
				9</td>
			<td>
				1</td>
			<td>
				4</td>
			<td>
				4</td>
			<td>
				0.25</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				SOUTH AFRICA</td>
			<td>
				1907-2012</td>
			<td>
				14</td>
			<td>
				1</td>
			<td>
				6</td>
			<td>
				7</td>
			<td>
				0.16</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				SRI LANKA</td>
			<td>
				1998-1998</td>
			<td>
				1</td>
			<td>
				1</td>
			<td>
				0</td>
			<td>
				0</td>
			<td>
				0</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<br />
India have a better W/L ratio here than the current No.1 ranked team in Tests. South Africa, who have won only one Test in 14 attempts, achieved victory only in 2012, their first at this venue since they started playing at The Oval 105 years ago. Among all visiting teams, Pakistan have the best W/L ratio, having not lost at this venue since 1967*.<br />
<br />
*There is a dispute regarding the result of the 2006 match. <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/teams/pakistan/7001/home">Pakistan</a> have called for the match to be drawn while the match has been awarded to England due to Pakistan's refusal to play.<br />
<br />
<strong>Spin vs pace at The Oval</strong><br />
<br />
This table showcases the amount of wickets taken by spin and pace. The first table is from the 2000-2007 period while the second is between 2008 until August 2014.<br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table">
	<tbody>
		<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
			<th>
				BOWLING TYPE</th>
			<th>
				WICKETS TAKEN</th>
			<th>
				AVERAGE</th>
			<th>
				FIVE WKT HAUL</th>
			<th>
				10 WKT HAUL</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				PACE</td>
			<td>
				62</td>
			<td>
				32.07</td>
			<td>
				2</td>
			<td>
				0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				SPIN</td>
			<td>
				42</td>
			<td>
				42.53</td>
			<td>
				3</td>
			<td>
				2</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table">
	<tbody>
		<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
			<th>
				BOWLING TYPE</th>
			<th>
				WICKETS TAKEN</th>
			<th>
				AVERAGE</th>
			<th>
				FIVE WKT HAUL</th>
			<th>
				10 WKT HAUL</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				PACE</td>
			<td>
				61</td>
			<td>
				28.19</td>
			<td>
				3</td>
			<td>
				0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				SPIN</td>
			<td>
				44</td>
			<td>
				24.06</td>
			<td>
				1</td>
			<td>
				0</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<br /> If you compare the performance in both periods, then the first period is dominated by pace in all aspects. In the second period, although pace has taken more wickets, the spinners have chipped regularly thus giving them a better average. <keyword id="17439" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shane-Warne">Shane Warne</keyword> and <keyword id="62118" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Graeme-Swann">Graeme Swann</keyword> topped the bowling charts in the first and second time periods respectively. However, the pacers have held their own at this venue, suggesting that the wicket is a bit of a mixed bag. There will be assistance for both spinners and pacers and team composition will play a huge role for both teams.<br />
<br />
<strong>Batters paradise</strong><br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table">
	<tbody>
		<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
			<th>
				AVERAGE OF BATSMEN AT THE OVAL 2008-2014</th>
			<th>
				81.41</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				AVERAGE OF BATSMEN AT THE OVAL 2000-2007</td>
			<td>
				62.36</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table">
	<tbody>
		<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
			<th>
				NUMBER OF FIFTIES/HUNDREDS AT THE OVAL IN 2008-2014</th>
			<th>
				8/7</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				NUMBER OF FIFTIES/HUNDREDS AT THE OVAL IN 2000-2007</td>
			<td>
				9/6</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<br />
If one has to compare the batting average of The Oval with its northern neighbour, Lord's, it is significantly higher. From 2008 to 2014, the average of batsmen is over 80, the most for an England venue. Batsmen have always feasted at this venue. <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/kevin-pietersen/3001/3050">Kevin Pietersen</a> and <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/alastair-cook/3001/3056">Alastair Cook</a> have two hundreds at this venue, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ian-bell/3001/3048">Ian Bell</a> has a highest score of 235 while <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/hashim-amla/8001/8034">Hashim Amla</a> scored South Africa's first individual triple-hundred at this venue. <keyword id="2727" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Dravid">Rahul Dravid</keyword> has an average of 110.75 in four Tests at this venue. The batting average and the number of fifties/centuries scored at this venue has been fairly consistent across both time periods.<br />
<br />
<strong>Average innings score at The Oval</strong><br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table">
	<tbody>
		<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
			<th>
				TEAM INNINGS</th>
			<th>
				AVERAGE</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				1ST INNINGS</td>
			<td>
				406</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				2ND INNINGS</td>
			<td>
				356</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				3RD INNINGS</td>
			<td>
				245</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				4TH INNINGS</td>
			<td>
				234</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<br />
Looking at the statistics, the team that bats first and puts up a big total on the board has the advantage at this venue. The pitch is excellent for batting on the first two days and then it starts to crumble. Batting has traditionally not been easy in the third or fourth innings at this venue and both teams will be vary of this fact.<br />
<br />
<strong>County trends at The Oval</strong><br />
<br /> Surrey are the county side that play their home first-class games at The Oval in Division 2. At the start of the summer in April, the UK was under the midst of a wet spell and that had spiced up the pitches that were used in the venue. In Surrey's first game against Glamorgan, no side managed to go past 300, with Surrey getting blown away for 81 in the second innings thanks to a haul of 6/29 from <keyword id="2472321" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Graham-Wagg">Graham Wagg</keyword>. Surrey went on to lose the match by 10 wickets.<br />
<br />
In the next match against Essex, rain played spoilsport but both teams managed to score in excess of 250 as the match was drawn. Their next encounter against Gloucestershire was a low-scoring thriller with both teams getting bowled out for under 200. Set 267 for victory on a difficult wicket, Surrey chased it down thanks to Graeme Smith's 103 as they won the match by four wickets. In that match, Chris Tremlett picked up 6/59.<br />
<br />
In the game against Worcestershire, Surrey were blown away by <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/moeen-ali/3001/3153">Moeen Ali</a>'s 162 but the home team held on for a draw despite following on. Surrey achieved their first 500-plus score for the first time at home this season against Leicestershire as they won the match by 10 wickets. Another high-scoring draw ensued against Hampshire after Surrey racked up 474.<br />
<br /> In the game against Kent, they were outplayed by a haul of 9/178 from <keyword id="159148" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Darren-Stevens">Darren Stevens</keyword> as they lost the match. Kent had notched up 408 and Surrey responded with 398. In the second innings, Kent managed 292 and Surrey folded up for 213.<br />
<br />
The trend that can be established from this is that the pitches employed at The Oval this season have gotten better. Teams are managing to score over 400 on a regular basis. The last match against Kent fits the normal Test wicket that The Oval normally produces. It is good for batting and crumbles away as the game wears on.<br />
<br />
<strong>Conclusion</strong><br />
<br />
The situation confronting India is pretty similar to the one they faced against Australia in 1981. After losing the first Test, they drew the second and won the third to level the series. In England 2014, India are currently trailing 1-2 and a win will go a long way in salvaging some pride for them. With their overseas record deteriorating and with all top players under immense pressure, India can take a leaf out of their opponents book by performing like they did in 2003. Against South Africa at The Oval in 2003, a double-ton from Marcus Trescothick and a fine bowling display helped England finish the summer on a high by drawing the series 2-2. That win was the revival of their cricketing fortunes. India will be hoping that a win in 2014 at this venue sparks off a similar trend.<br />
<br />

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