Paul ready to turn page on turnovers
Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul will try to bounce back from a rough Game 4 in the NBA Finals when the series resumes Saturday.
Paul, who committed five costly turnovers, including a crucial one in the final minute, took the blame for Wednesday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks but said he had moved on from the disappointment.
He added that no one on the Suns thought this would be easy.
“Me turning the ball over is not giving us enough shots at the basket,” Paul said. “I’ll figure it out.”
Suns coach Monty Williams was also confident the 11-time All-Star would be his old self on Saturday and called the tough Game 4 “a blip on the screen“of a terrific career.
“Other than having to deal with me, he’s good,” Williams said with a wry grin.
“We know what’s in front of us. You know Chris Paul, I mean, everybody in here has seen him.
“There’s not a person in our locker room that’s not expecting him to not come out and play really well the next game.”
Portland’s Lillard denies trade report
Portland All-Star guard Damian Lillard denied reports that he would be requesting a trade in the coming days from the Trail Blazers, which included that the Lakers would be one of his desired destinations.
Lillard said he “woke up to those reports” Friday morning before practice with Team USA in Las Vegas.
Lillard also said he hasn’t decided on his future, whether that’s in Portland or somewhere else.
“It’s not true. I’ll start off the rift and say it’s not true,” Lillard said of the reports. “I said the last time I spoke with you guys [in the media] that a lot of things are being said and it hasn’t come from me. So, No. 1, it’s not true. And secondly, I also said that I haven’t made any firm decision on what my future will be.
“So, it’s really no need for anybody else to speak for me and report this and report that. If there’s something to be said, as I said the last time, I’ll speak directly with my team and with [Portland general manager Neil Olshey]. So, that’s that.”
Lillard, 31, was asked what will factor into the decision about his future.
“A lot of things go into it,” he said. “But I choose not to discuss it openly.
“Like I said, the only people that I need to discuss that with at this moment is my team.”
Lillard said he is active on Twitter and therefore aware of the fan bases around the NBA that want him.
The Lakers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors were supposedly on Lillard’s list as trade destinations.
— Broderick Turner
Unseld Jr. offered Washington job
The Washington Wizards offered their coaching job to Wes Unseld Jr., an associate head coach with Denver and son of Hall of Fame center Wes Unseld, and expect to reach an agreement with him, according to the Associated Press.