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The NBA playoffs enter a crucial stage as the four Conference finalists will be decided within the next few hours.
Two Game 7s will take place in today's schedule. The Bucks and Celtics will square off at TD Garden first, followed by the Mavericks-Suns' matchup at Footprint Center.
The defending champions, the Bucks, who have been hosting watch parties outside their arena for road games, will not be moving forward with the tradition for Milwaukee's Game 7 against the C's.
Meanwhile, former champion and Cavaliers veteran Kevin Love shared some excellent views regarding the development of international players in the NBA.
Several other stories like this have made headlines recently. Take a look at them below in today's edition of the NBA news roundup article.
Milwaukee Bucks cancel watch party for Game 7 against Celtics due to shootings outside Fiserv Forum
Towards the end of the Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks' Game 6 contest at Fiserv Forum, an unfortunate event took place when three people, including a teenager, got shot one block away from the arena. The police took a 29-year-old man in custody who possessed a gun.
Neither victim suffered life-threatening injuries. The Bucks have elected not to proceed with a watch party for Sunday's Game 7 against the Celtics as a precautionary measure. Here's what the Bucks said regarding this (h/t USA Today):
"In order to allow law enforcement to devote needed resources to the continued investigation of last night’s events, we have decided to cancel tomorrow’s planned watch party on the plaza," the Bucks said in a statement. "Deer District businesses will remain open as usual. We continue to work with the Milwaukee Police Department and other public safety partners to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our fans. We plan to have further details soon."
According to the latest reports, 21 people were injured in separate shootings that took place on the same night.
Kevin Love appreciates the emergence of international talent in the NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love has appreciated the growth of international players in the NBA. The league has seen plenty of international stars hit their stride over the last two decades. The likes of Hakeen Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming and Tony Parker, among many others, paved the way for several foreign players to play in the NBA.
The league is now stacked with international talent. Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, just to name a few, have taken the NBA by storm. To top that off, Giannis and Jokic have been the two MVP award recipients over the last four years.
Here's what Love had to say about the rise of international talent in the league during a recent interview with Bleacher Report:
"The world is catching up. A few years ago, I remember Luka was Rookie of the Year Slovenia," Love said. "Giannis, obviously MVP from Greece, Siakam from Cameroon. What other league can say that?"
Chris Broussard says Luka Doncic is the new-age Larry Bird
Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard compared Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic to NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird. Broussard believes Doncic has the credentials to become a top-10 player of all time but won't be able to find his way into the GOAT conversation. Here's what Broussard said recently:
"I think he could be a Larry Bird. I think he's a new age version of Larry Bird," Broussard said. "He could be, perhaps, top 10 player of all time. I don't think he could be in the GOAT conversation ever, but obviously at 23 years old, he's doing a lot."
Luka Doncic has been compared to Larry Bird several times in the past. Many believe they have identical playing styles. Luka's ability to shoot the ball on all three levels, rebound and playmake is similar to Bird's traits.
Devin Booker embraces the challenge of playing in his first Game7 contest
Devin Booker is eager to lead the Phoenix Suns to the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive season. He will have to go through his maiden Game 7 contest against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. Booker said he and his team are locked in ahead of this all-important clash. Here's what he said in a recent media availability session (via ESPN):
"I like coming in here with everybody locked in, top to bottom from the front office looking through the windows -- you can feel their demeanor," Booker said after practice Saturday at the Verizon 5G Performance Center. "That's why we play the sport. We thought we had something going there [in terms of pressure] during the regular season, trying to break the franchise record, and this is a whole different beast."
The Suns will be the favorites to advance. Their series against the Mavericks has been dominated by homecourt advantage, with neither team being able to secure a win on the road thus far.
Kevin Love says it would be cool to have LeBron James finish his NBA career as a Cavalier
LeBron James and Kevin Love formed a great relationship during their time as teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Close to four years after LeBron left the franchise for the second time, Love is still appreciative of the 'King,' and recently claimed that it would be 'cool' to see the four-time NBA MVP retire as a Cavaliers.
Here's what Love told Bleacher Report regarding this:
"I feel like it will be cool even if it's just like one of those things where it's like a one-game type of thing just to say like if people asked where did you finish your career? 'Oh, I finished in Cleveland.' No matter if you checked in or whatever.
"Obviously, I know he wants to have like a Kobe (Bryant) type exit where he scores 60 and does his thing, which like he probably will. Where it will be? Who the hell knows? But at the end of the day, I think retiring a Cav, for him, the city, and Akron and Ohio. I mean, he'll have that statue, I can't wait that that goes up, I'll be there."
LeBron James has one year left on his current contract. He has expressed his desire to play alongside his son Bronny James, hinting that he would likely end up playing his last season with the team that drafts the latter. It will be interesting to see if another return to Cleveland is on the cards for the four-time NBA MVP.
