Basketball

Frightening moment during the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers game ... when forward Derrick Jones, Jr. had to be stretchered off the court following a hard collision.

Jones -- the 2020 Slam Dunk champion -- collided with Pacers player Goga Bitadze in the second half of Friday's matchup ... when the center set a pick that sent DJJ to the ground.

Reporters on the scene say Jones, Jr. was lying face-down on the court for several minutes before he was put on a stretcher with a neck brace.

Jones -- who grabbed his neck as soon as he started falling to the ground -- was chasing forward Doug McDermott as he collided with Bitadze's shoulder.

No word on Derrick's status ... but here's hoping he's okay.

Another solid tribute for Kobe Bryant -- this time it's rap superstar, Lil Baby, teaming up with Money Man in a track paying homage to the NBA legend.

The two rappers dropped a song called "24" -- which includes several shout-outs to Kobe ... and some pretty incredible cover art which based around Black Mamba snakes, basketball and #24.

Some of the lyrics ...

"R.I.P. Kobe Bryant, R.I.P. 24
I can make a cool $50K in less than 24 hours."

Also ...

"Grew up in the trap watching Kobe yam on a n***a
Pull up in the Porsche, yeah, the Pan' on a n***a
Yeah, pull up in the Dodge, yeah, the Ram on a n***a
Anybody try, yeah, I'ma blam on n****s."

There's a gratuitous shot at NFL quarterback Joe Flacco ...

"White collar diamonds, n***a ballin' like Lonzo
These n****s overrated like Joe Flacco."

FYI, Flacco did win a Super Bowl!

Anyway, Money Man and Lil Baby are just the latest to honor Kobe ... following Lil Wayne, Amine' and others.

Kobe Bryant was big into hip-hop -- famously dropping a single with Tyra Banks back in 2000. He also appeared on some other tracks.

How did Gregg Popovich deal with his Spurs missing the NBA playoffs for the first time in 22 years? By mocking Donald Trump!

Pop's squad didn't exactly thrive in the NBA's bubble environment and played their last game of the 2020 season Thursday against the Utah Jazz. They lost and will now exit the bubble.

More importantly, it means Pop will miss the NBA playoffs for the first time in 22 seasons ... and when he was asked about his historic run coming to an end, he channeled his inner Trump.

"Who told [the media] that the streak ended?" Pop joked ... "That’s fake news!!"

"That’s total fake news. Lots of guys have been telling me the streak hasn't ended. I talk to people all the time, they call me, they tell me ‘Pop, the streak didn't end.'"

"It didn't. It didn't end. I don't know where you guys are getting this."

Pretty funny, right?! Unless you're a Trump supporter.

Of course, 71-year-old Popovich HATES Donald Trump and isn't quiet about it -- blasting #45 any chance he's gotten. He's referred to Trump as a "deranged idiot" and a "coward" in scathing comments at the height of the George Floyd protests back in June.

Trump's largely ignored the coach's criticism ... but could Thursday's impression finally be the one that gets Pop a tweet from the Pres?

He's hoopin' with Kevin Durant, playing football with Odell Beckham -- and getting tackled by Marshawn Lynch!

It's all in Drake's new music video for "Laugh Now Cry Later" ... which he dropped at midnight on Friday.

The video starts off at Nike World Headquarters in Oregon -- featuring Drake pulling up in a sick Mercedes.

After that, it was off to the basketball gym for some 1-on-1 with KD. Then to the field for some route running with OBJ.

They even recreate Odell's famous 1-handed grab.

The funniest part of the whole thing is when Marshawn comes out of nowhere to lay a big hit on Drake -- and then says, "Get the f*ck off the block -- f*ck's wrong with you?!!"

And, then he was out!

There's more ... Drake golfs, swings the baseball bat, hits the treadmill -- and even recreates that famous Muhammad Ali underwater video from back in the day.

The song knocks too -- and will be featured on his upcoming album, "Certified Lover Boy."

Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin is "vehemently" denying domestic violence allegations made by his ex-wife ... saying they're simply NOT TRUE.

Audrey Griffin posted a long message on Twitter Thursday ... claiming she experienced several incidents of violence from Adrian -- including when she was pregnant.

"How can someone continuously get away with abuse, almost take a life choking them while on the floor and almost passes out, throw them into a wall making a hole as big as their body, drag them across a lawn while pregnant ..." part of Audrey's message says.

Audrey continued ... "One thing I have realized is that I have been quiet and accepting of abusive behavior for far too long. And me staying silent has allowed sin to thrive. I can’t be quiet anymore. It’s too much to bear."

Adrian -- who starred at Seton Hall University and played 9 years in the NBA -- just released a statement through the Raptors ... saying his ex-wife is flat-out lying.

"This morning, accusations were made against me on social media by my former wife that I vehemently deny," Adrian says.

"We are involved in a longstanding legal dispute over alimony and child support arrangements. I am disappointed to have to address false accusations in this way, and I apologize for any distraction this has potentially caused for our team at this important time."

The Raptors added ... "When we saw these allegations this morning, we were dismayed -- Adrian is a valuable member of our team."

A brilliant charity move from LeBron James is living on ... the King is still selling off a bunch his game-worn sneakers -- with all the proceeds going toward his I Promise school in Ohio.

LBJ started the charity event a while ago ... giving collectors the option to buy one of his game-used shoes in exchange for a ton of cash that'll help the Bron-backed school in Akron.

Officials at Upper Deck, which is facilitating the sales, say with the purchase of a $15,000 (or, in some cases, much more) pair ... one of the shoes will go to the collector, while the other will go on the famous "Wall of Shoes" at the school.

UD officials add the buyer will also be able to personalize a plaque that goes along with the sneaker at the school.

In the meantime, the "I Promise" students benefit from it all the most ... with Upper Deck saying the cash from the sale will go directly toward helping fund school programs and initiatives.

Good deal, right?!

By the way, the shoes are REALLY cool ... they're all from LBJ's super successful line of kicks -- and some were even worn in some of Bron's best games -- like his triple-double in Detroit in 2015.

In fact, the charity idea is so cool ... PGA Tour star Bubba Watson has already contributed, throwing down cash for a pair of shoes Bron wore during the 2017 NBA Finals.

"We can see the positive change that LeBron is creating in his hometown," Watson said, "and I am happy to support such an important initiative that continues to impact countless lives in the community."

Michael Jordan's super fancy Mercedes Benz S600 Lorinser -- owned by MJ in the mid-'90s -- just hit the auction block and is expected to rake in $100k!!

"His Airness" -- known for his ridiculously fast and luxurious car collection -- had the whip back in the day ... when the '96 Benz was registered to Jordan and his then-wife, Juanita.

MJ unloaded the MB years ago ... but the car was recently acquired by the Beverly Hills Car Club who decided to sell it.

The S600 was just listed on eBay ... and the starting bid is only $23 (get it?!).

But, it's gonna take a lot more than a crisp Jackson to buy this car ... 'cause BHCC tells us they expect it'll bring in around $100 grand.

The car has 157,000 miles on it, and doesn't exactly have all the bells and whistles of a current Mercedes (it's got power windows, heated seats, and AC!) ... but, it was owned by Jordan.

And, the value of MJ items has exploded since the airing of ESPN's docuseries, "The Last Dance" ... with everything from signed checks, Little League baseballs and Bulls uniforms selling for crazy amounts of cash.

The coolest part? The metallic navy blue S600 actually made a cameo on the show ... with Michael behind the wheel.

We all knew this was coming -- Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been slapped with a 1 game suspension ... after the MVP candidate headbutted a player mid-game on Tuesday.

The Greek Freak was ejected following a scuffle with Washington Wizards center Moe Wagner in the 2nd quarter ... after the center hit Giannis with a hard foul.

Antetokounmpo immediately got into it with Wagner after the play ... and went after him with a good ole Zinedine Zidane-esque headbutt.

The NBA announced Giannis' punishment on Wednesday ... saying he will miss the next Bucks game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

"Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been suspended one game without pay for headbutting Washington Wizards center Moritz Wagner during a stoppage in play," the league said in the official statement.

"The incident, for which Antetokounmpo was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 8:50 remaining in the second quarter of the Bucks’ 126-113 win over the Wizards on Aug. 11 at Visa Athletic Center on the campus of ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando."

8/24 is now officially "Kobe Bryant Day" in Orange County!

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to honor the late Lakers legend -- and the measure passed with flying colors.

"During his career, Kobe Bryant’s numbers on his jerseys were 8 and 24, therefore a fitting day to celebrate his legacy would be August 24," the resolution said.

Of course, Kobe lived in Orange County for most of his 20-year career with the L.A. Lakers ... and his family stayed there even after he retired.

Kobe was well-liked around town -- and was seen several times playing the role of Good Samaritan when he spotted car accidents.

So, when Kobe -- along with daughter Gianna and 7 other people -- passed away in a January 26 helicopter crash, officials wanted to make sure to honor his legacy.

"Kobe Bryant was a basketball legend that inspired so many globally to pursue their dreams and taught us that hard work truly pays off," the resolution says.

Officials even spell out how fans can celebrate KBD -- "By engaging in community building, helping young people in need, encouraging aspiring youth to follow their dreams, and living by Bryant's words: 'The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they could be great in whatever they want to do.'"

FYI, Kobe's #8 and #24 jerseys were both retired by the Lakers -- he's the only player in franchise history to have two numbers hanging in the rafters.

The NBA will allow players to FINALLY bring guests into the Bubble environment in Orlando ... but not EVERYONE will be allowed in.

In fact, the NO ENTRANCE list is the most interesting part!!

First off, the guest list will open up to players beginning after the 1st round of the NBA playoffs (which is approaching fast).

The league sent a memo to teams, obtained by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, laying out the criteria for entrance.

"Four guests per player, but can be exceeded for children," Woj says.

"Guests can travel on team charters following testing. Guests will be allowed to attend games."

There will be strict quarantine protocols for guests before they're allowed inside the bubble ... similar to what the players are already going through.

But, here's where it gets interesting ... the league is clearly trying to prevent players from bringing in random people they meet on social media for booty calls. Aka, no randoms from Tinder!!!

"Any individual the player has not previously met in person or with whom the player has had limited in-person interactions [will not be granted access]."

The league cites a hypothetical example of a person who would NOT be allowed in -- "[someone] known by the player only through social media or an intermediary."

Get it? Seems pretty clear to us!

Woj says other people NOT allowed inside include "agents, trainers, massage/physical therapists, personal chefs and tattoo artists."

Sorry, no new ink inside the bubble!

Once inside, Woj says "Each player is allowed one ticket per playoff game for a guest -- plus an additional admission for a child (32 inches and below)."

Gilbert Arenas recently told us he's been talking to players who are griping about not being able to get booty while inside the bubble.

Grab some tissues, 'cause this video will hit you in your feels.

The Phoenix Suns found an amazing way to surprise their players Tuesday -- having their friends and family make a special pregame intro video before their game.

And, for guys who haven't been outside the bubble in a month ... man, was it emotional.

The players' reactions are amazing -- from Deandre Ayton's disbelief to Mikal Bridges smiling from ear to ear when he saw his mom ... hold up, is it getting dusty in here??

Devin Booker got a special shout-out from his #1 fan, Jenna Warren -- a 20-year-old with Down syndrome who's been close with the NBA superstar for years.

Did you see his face when she came on the screen -- priceless!!!

Afterward, LeBron James commented about the video -- saying, "That was AMAZING!!!!!!!! S/O the Suns for that. Damn I miss my family!"

Cool moment for a team that's been playing their asses off. The Suns are 6-0 in the bubble and gunning for that 8th seed in the playoffs.

Isiah Thomas was furious when he saw his 1984 NBA All-Star Game MVP trophy hit the auction block recently -- claiming it's "stolen" property that was heisted from his old high school.

The trophy itself is a pretty cool item -- Thomas won the award after posting 21 points, 5 rebounds and 15 assists while playing against guys like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Thomas says he allowed the trophy to be displayed at his old high school in Illinois, but claims it was stolen back in June 2019.

So, when he saw it up for auction with the Heritage Auctions website, Thomas was not pleased.

"This trophy was stolen from St. Joseph High School the night Mr. Pingatore my coach died," Thomas posted on Twitter ... "It belongs to me."

"You stole my trophy please return it! Let it be known."

Heritage Auctions responded to Thomas -- saying, "We take the concerns and allegations of Mr. Thomas very seriously. We will investigate them as expeditiously as possible."

A rep for the auction house tells us the item was "immediately removed" -- noting, "We are working at this very moment to find out the real story behind this trophy."

In the meantime, watch the highlights of Thomas from the game ... dude was BALLIN!!!

Ya wanna see one of the tallest dudes in the world whack a golf ball??

Check out 7'6" Boston Celtics center Tacko Fall hit the links with his fellow NBA buddy and 7-footer, Mo Bamba, while in the bubble in Orlando ... and the dude's not too bad!!

As we've previously made very clear over here at TMZ Sports -- we are absolutely fascinated by Mr. Tacko Fall, and the challenges the friendly giant faces on a daily basis (see here).

But, Fall took things to another level when he hit the course in Orlando on Monday ... showing what a massively tall man looks like swinging a golf club.

For reference, the tallest golfer to ever win a major championship is 6'5" George Archer, who won the Masters in 1969.

We've seen NBA legends like Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley give golf a try in the past ... and it's always funny as hell.

But, Fall looks like he'd smoke either of these dudes ... impressively making solid contact with the ball while Bamba documents the shot.

No vid of Bamba's skills -- we'll assume it's for good reason.

Matt Barnes is paying tribute to his friend and teammate Kobe Bryant with a brand new tattoo ... and it's incredible.

The ex-NBA star hit up legendary ink artist Steve Butcher -- who did the amazing Tupac work on Matt's hand -- in order to add a new image of Kobe and Gianna to his arm.

The image Matt's new tattoo is based from was a moment between Kobe and Gigi at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando ... a moment captured on Valentine's Day.

Matt only played 2 seasons on the Lakers with Kobe (from 2010 to 2012) -- but they were friends and Barnes has talked openly about how much respect he had for Kobe on and off the court.

Barnes prepped for the tat sesh with a variety of goodies -- from joints to candy ... the works!

We're still waiting for the final reveal -- but it's already looking incredibly detailed.

Of course, Kobe had such an impact on generations of NBA players -- stars from LeBron James to Anthony Davis and Devin Booker have all had Kobe ink tatted on their bodies.

Kobe and Gianna passed away on January 26th in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.

LeBron James is taking advantage of the NBA's relaxed dress code while in the Orlando bubble ... rockin' an open shirt and showing some serious skin before the Laker game on Monday!!

Of course, the league decided to take it easy on its fashion requirements during the NBA's restart ... allowing players to ditch their sport coats and suits for a more casual look.

LBJ is taking things to a whole 'nother level before tipping off against the Denver Nuggets ... wearing an unbuttoned short sleeve shirt and some shorts.

If you didn't know about the context, you'd assume the King was about to hit the beach!!

"Miami Drip in Orlando," L.A.'s Twitter account captured the pic of James heading to the team bus.

To top off the whole look, LBJ is sporting the Klutch Sports agency with a custom mask ... which has to make his buddy Rich Paul happy about the free advertising.