A Serbian, a Canadian, a Slovenian and a Greek fellow walked into a bar …
Well, they’ve actually walked into the NBA and now own the place.
The world’s pre-eminent basketball league is now under new ownership with four foreign players all but certain to finish as the highest votegetters in the MVP count for the first time in history.
In basketball’s quest to rival football as the most popular sport on the planet, this is significant and for the NBA, which was essentially an all-American league with a sprinkling of foreign talent a generation ago, it is a major milestone as it looks to build on its global popularity.
The first round of the playoffs are not even halfway done but it is already clear that there is no longer any question that the NBA’s older superstars have made way for the likes of Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
New Orleans Pelicans
v
Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA : Head To Head
Sun, 28 Apr 2024, 05:35
Miami Heat
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Boston Celtics
NBA : Head To Head
Sun, 28 Apr 2024, 08:05
Los Angeles Lakers
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Denver Nuggets
NBA : Head To Head
Sun, 28 Apr 2024, 10:35
Philadelphia 76ers
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New York Knicks
NBA : Head To Head
Mon, 29 Apr 2024, 03:05
Dallas Mavericks
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Los Angeles Clippers
NBA : Head To Head
Mon, 29 Apr 2024, 05:35
Indiana Pacers
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Milwaukee Bucks
NBA : Head To Head
Mon, 29 Apr 2024, 09:05
Phoenix Suns
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Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA : Head To Head
Mon, 29 Apr 2024, 11:35
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Jokic already has two MVPs and will soon collect his third, Antetokounmpo has won and another international star Joel Embiid received last year’s highest individual honour.
Although the Cameroon-born Philadelphia star has now pledged his allegiance to the US to play in the upcoming Olympics, which is probably not going to happen given he is battling a knee injury while trying to drag the 76ers past the Knicks in their first-round series down 2-1.
And the next genuine superstar of the NBA is almost certain to be another European with French centre Victor Wembanyama produce countless jaw-dropping moments on offence and defence during his rookie season at San Antonio to turn the league on its axis.
LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant still have the brand name star power but the chances of either of them winning another championship look slim to zero.
Steph’s Warriors didn’t even get through the play-in tournament and with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins still expensive but past their prime, Golden State have no path to title contention in the remaining few years of their 36-year-old franchise cornerstone’s career.
LeBron’s Lakers are on the canvas down 3-0 in their first-round mismatch with Denver and have no answer to Jokic’s playmaking mastery even when they have a defensive juggernaut in Anthony Davis to throw at him.
Kevin Durant reacts during game three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
On the rare occasions that Davis makes Jokic uncomfortable, the Nuggets star dishes out to Jamal Murray, Michael Porter jnr or ex-Lakers swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the perimeter of finds Aaron Gordon at the dunker’s spot.
It’s all over bar the shouting, which will come in the form of LeBron’s passive-aggressive social media comments targeted at the coach, the Lakers’ front office, his support crew or perhaps all three.
If the Kings holds court over the decision making, the Lakers will surrender their remaining draft capital on a flawed option like Trae Young to give him one last chance of adding to his four championship rings.
But if the Lakers are smart, they will realise that they don’t want to end up like Cleveland after LeBron’s first stint, with nothing left in the cupboard after trading it all away and being forced into a lengthy and painful rebuild.
Durant’s Suns are also heading for a more ignominious first-round exit after Saturday’s 126-109 trouncing in game three against Minnesota.
Even if they were able to somehow win four straight games after dropping the first three, their “reward” is a second-round meeting with Denver. But that ain’t gonna happen.
The swing for the fences trades to bring Durant and Bradley Beal to Phoenix have not worked – the Suns traded their current and future assets to put their faith in these two ageing stars alongside Devin Booker but their spotty availability coupled with paper-thin depth has not translated into a title contender.
If they go straight out the back door at the hands of the Timberwolves, there are few options left on the table for the Suns but to run it all back with KD, Booker and Beal, who still has a no-trade clause in his albatross contract after fleecing the perennially inept Washington executives.
Durant, who is now at his fourth franchise and he will be 36 by the time next season tips off, surely won’t ask out again after the Suns again falter in the playoffs.
He doesn’t get enough credit for being Golden State’s best player in two of their championships but he also appears a long shot of ever getting a third ring at a team where he forms the foundation for success after the Brooklyn experiment backfired and this Phoenix sojourn is turning into ashes.
Flying the flag for the next generation of American talent is the alpha dog on the other side of the court to Durant at the moment in Anthony Edwards, who has taken great delight in telling his elder statesman that he can no longer keep up.
He poured in a game-high 36 to light up Phoenix’s home court and the 22-year-old has the talent, athleticism and definitely the attitude to be an MVP and potentially bring Minnesota their first title since the Lakers were in town way back when, in the 1950s.
Boston forward Jayson Tatum, who will probably finish fifth in MVP voting, is the other American who will be marketed as one of the faces of the league in the post-LeBron-Curry-KD era.
In his seventh season, the Celtics forward is having his best all-round year even though his scoring has dropped from 30.1 to 26.9 per game but he is yet to show he can be the go-to guy for a championship team despite coming close a couple of times in recent seasons.
The champions of the past have done well to dominate the league into their late 30s but the new era is well and truly in full swing.
Jokic is famously media shy and prefers being home in Serbia to getting attention for his on-court feats.
He may never be the face of the NBA but whoever assumes that spot can only truly become the next top dog by taking down Denver and judging by the way they have dismantled the Lakers, only the foolhardy or very brave would be betting on Jokic not holding the trophy aloft for the second straight year at the end of the post-season.
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