KC Johnson: DeRozan on clutch shots: “I’m not scared to fail. I want those moments more than anything. It always reminds me of my childhood and doing the little fake countdown, jumping on the bed and fake-shooting the shot. As a competitor, those moments are the ones I relish.” -via Twitter @KCJHoop / March 14, 2024

Julia Poe: Tried and failed to fully catch Jevon peeking around the corner for this exchange. DeMar: “I told JC at the start of overtime — what I told you at the start of overtime?” Jevon: “He’s gonna go crazy.” DeMar: “Before we walked on the court, I told him I’m gonna get to it.” pic.twitter.com/KARv9mXMqf -via Twitter @byjuliapoe / March 14, 2024

KC Johnson: Bulls 132, Pacers 129 (OT) DeRozan 46 pts (season-high pts) Caruso 23 pts, 7 rebs, 7 assists (season-high pts) White didn’t finish game due to injury -via Twitter @KCJHoop / March 13, 2024

Cameron Tabatabaie: Dwyane Wade did not win the Oscar for his documentary short “The Barber of Little Rock”. Steph Curry, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Conley, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant remain the only NBA players to win an Academy Award -via Twitter @CTabatabaie / March 10, 2024

DeMar DeRozan grew up in Compton, Calif., as a Los Angeles Lakers fan and long has been a student and fan of the history of the NBA. So when he was told recently that next up for him to pass on the all-time scoring list is Hall of Fame Lakers legend Elgin Baylor, DeRozan’s reaction was priceless. “Oh really? Damn,” DeRozan said, pausing to collect his thoughts. “I wouldn’t have guessed that one.” DeRozan needs 53 points to pass Baylor and 69 points to pass Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, who is DeRozan’s close friend and current offseason neighbor near Los Angeles. “Oh, I can’t wait for that one,” DeRozan said, smiling at the prospect of light-hearted bragging rights over a player he respects immensely. “As soon as I pass him, I’m going to let him know.” -via NBC Sports Chicago / March 8, 2024

Joking aside, I know you have a ton of respect for DWade, right? DeMar DeRozan: Man, DWade when I came in the league was by far the hardest person to guard. Me being a two and coming in the Eastern Conference, I had to see him so many times early in my career. Having the opportunity to play him in the playoffs in 2016, the way he played the game was so incredible. He was so physical, so fast. He had a drive to him that showed why he’s one of the best to ever do it. It’s beyond an honor. I grew up watching him play. So for me to be able to have a friendship with him means so much more to me. I can ask him so many questions for advice on late-career decisions. I remember talking to him when I came to Chicago and about what it’s like to play for that city. So to have the opportunity to pass somebody I admire, played in All-Star games with, competed against, have a great relationship with is definitely cool. It means a lot. -via NBC Sports Chicago / March 8, 2024

Justin Kubatko: Giannis Antetokounmpo last night: ✅ 46 PTS ✅ 16 REB ✅ 6 AST ✅ 16-22 FG It’s the 20th time he’s recorded a 40-point game while shooting at least 70% from the field, tying Adrian Dantley for the most such games in NBA history. Today’s free game notes: statitudes.com/p/nba-game-not… -via Twitter @jkubatko / March 2, 2024

Stephen Curry moved up from No. 33 to No. 31 in the scoring all-time list after passing Adrian Dantley, Dwyane Wade -via HoopsHype / February 26, 2024

“Every franchise is worth three-plus billion. The Washington team is worth $3 billion. I mean, my favorite player — LeBron goes from Cleveland to Miami, back to Cleveland and then L.A. Do you think LeBron was the only one involved in that? Don’t you think the ownership of the Miami Heat was involved in that? But when they have it in the press, it’s almost like LeBron is a dog, he’s a traitor. Look at what he’s done for franchises over the years. … Free agency has made guys like movie stars.” The union itself? Robertson, along with Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and most of the other superstars of that era, essentially threatened a wildcat strike of the All-Star Game itself, 60 years ago, in 1964, demanding the NBA’s owners officially and formally agree to a pension plan for their players. That All-Star Game was the first that was to be televised nationally, in prime time. Yet as the clock neared tip-off time, Robertson and the other players held firm, not capitulating to threats from owners just outside the players’ locker room, who were threatening dire consequences if the players refused to come out and play. Finally, the owners capitulated. -via The Athletic / February 18, 2024

Adam Lefkoe: “We have the perfect person to answer this question. Dr. J, what would it have been like if Shaq faced off against Wilt Chamberlain?” SHAQ: Want me to answer this for you Doc? I would have bust Wilt’s ass! You know why? Because you I would have looked over and seen him playing with my idol and that would’ve pissed me the fuck off…I would’ve been like, doc, you playing with that motherfucker and you ain’t playing with me. Watch this Wilt in the first play of the game, I’m going to try to knock his motherfucking teeth out his mouth. How about that? Go ahead doc. You may answer. DR. J: I don’t know if anything needs to be said after that. I mean, obviously they were different eras, but all the diversification that was in Shaq’s game and that would’ve made for a very, very tough matchup for Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt constantly played against Bill Russell and he dominated Bill Russell, but Russell’s team won the game. So with Shaquille now, would it be a matter of who wins the matchup or who wins the game? Because Russell is definitely on my list of all-time greats in my top five in that list of five..but I got Chamberlain in there too and I got Elgin Baylor and I got Oscar Robinson and Jerry West there. Some people don’t even know, they can’t remember those names or what those guys did. Shaq versus Wilt. Man, that’s a question for the ages. Like Shaq said, he would take no prisoners…It ain’t about the stats in that particular game. I think it’s about being blessed with the opportunity to see two giants of the game. And they could be one, two or two, one depend on who you’re talking to on the court at the same time. That would be a fantasy. -via YouTube / February 7, 2024