ESPN SPORTS

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — For as decorated a career as LeBron James has enjoyed, he has been at his absolute best in one particular realm: the first round of the NBA playoffs.

James’ teams are 48-7 in the first round and have won 21 games in a row coming into the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ series opener against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). James, who made his postseason debut in 2006, has never lost a first-round series (12-0) or Game 1 of an opening series.

Does James feel any added responsibility at the start of the playoffs this spring, with a roster that includes several rotation players — Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood — with little to no postseason experience?

“My responsibility has been the same for quite a while now: Go out and try to dominate,” James said after practice Saturday.

What hasn’t been the same is the regular season James just had. He enters the playoffs having played in all 82 games for the first time in his career.

The 33-year-old forward insists that his regular-season workload did not affect how prepared he is as he attempts to make it to an eighth straight NBA Finals.

“Mentally and physically, I’m where I should be right now,” James said. “I’m not comparing it to last year. I’m not comparing it to previous years. I don’t compare it to next year. Right now, how I feel, I feel where I need to be and I’m healthy going into the postseason — as healthy as you can be going into the postseason. So we’ll see what happens.”

James and the Cavs swept the Pacers out of the first round last season, but that series featured Kyrie Irving playing for Cleveland and Paul George playing for Indiana, just to name a couple of the changes that have occurred since then. James credited this year’s Pacers team for being “more well-balanced” with All-Star guard Victor Oladipo leading the charge, but he didn’t let that praise turn into paranoia.

“I mean, I don’t have any concerns,” James said. “Listen, it’s going to be a very good matchup. It’s 4-5 for a reason. Both teams played good ball at times throughout the regular season. Obviously their season, from the outside looking in, was more productive than ours because of what they went through in the offseason. But we went through a lot in the offseason as well. It’s a good matchup, and we look forward to the challenge.”

Game 1 will mark the first time the Cavs will have a completely healthy roster since Cleveland overhauled its franchise at the trade deadline, dealing six players and welcoming four new players in their place.

“That’s great for Coach [Tyronn] Lue and the coaching staff that we have everybody available for the first time this season,” James said. “I think that’s pretty cool, and it’s strange at the same time.”

James pointed out the potential downside to having too many options.

“We have lineups we can go to that we haven’t been able to go to all year,” he said. “But with that it also creates some unfamiliarity on the floor, too. You’re playing with lineups sometimes you haven’t played with or had a lot of minutes with. We’ll see how it benefits us.”

The Cavs and Golden State Warriors met in the Finals the past three years, but a fourth matchup is no certainty. Cleveland is the No. 4 seed in the East and no longer has Irving. The Warriors are the No. 2 seed in the West and missing Stephen Curry to start the postseason because of a knee injury.

“Who is the team to beat? Everybody’s the team to beat,” James said. “Golden State is the defending champions, so everybody’s trying to see if they can be a new crowned champion. Golden State is trying to defend that. I don’t know who’s the team to beat. There’s 16 teams, there’s going to be some great series going on and everybody is trying to win.”

James — who likened the playoffs to his taste of March Madness, seeing as he skipped college to go straight to the NBA — said he plans to have a bit of a survive-and-advance message when he addresses the team prior to Game 1.

“Let’s just put ourselves in a position to try to be successful every night and let’s try to continue to win,” James said. “It’s like ‘The Hunger Games’ — let’s see if we can keep going. Don’t want to hear that loud noise in the sky. You know what that means.”

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LeBron on playoffs: Go out and try to dominate
LeBron on playoffs: Go out and try to dominate
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis says he doesn’t need to have any input on the New York Knicks‘ coaching search.

“That’s [management’s] job. They’re going to do their part and I’m going to do my part. We’ll keep it like that,” Porzingis said Saturday before meeting with Knicks team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry.

Mills and Perry fired Jeff Hornacek earlier this week and have begun a search for the next Knicks coach.

Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale, former Cavaliers coach David Blatt (now coaching in Turkey) and former Warriors coach Mark Jackson (now an ESPN analyst) are among the candidates the Knicks planned to contact after Hornacek’s firing, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

New York also planned to contact Jerry Stackhouse — coach of Raptors 905, Toronto‘s G League affiliate — according to sources.

Whomever the Knicks hire will be Porzingis’ fourth coach in four NBA seasons in New York.

“The situation is what it is. I’m sure the front office, they will make the right decisions and build something that can go a long way,” said Porzingis, who averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 48 games. “I think they will make the right decisions, so we have to trust them.”

One year ago, Porzingis skipped his exit meeting with then-president Phil Jackson, Mills (the general manager at the time) and Hornacek. He did so due to frustration over the drama and dysfunction surrounding the organization.

Before meeting with Mills and Perry on Saturday, Porzingis, 22, reiterated that he wants to remain in New York long term. “I love this place,” he said.

Porzingis repeatedly said that he’s focused on his rehab from a torn ACL and not on the Knicks’ coaching search.

The Knicks and Porzingis are entering a pivotal offseason. Mills and Perry can offer Porzingis a five-year, $157 million extension during free agency. The organization seemed comfortable with the idea of making that offer before Porzingis’ injury. It is unclear if or how Porzingis’ injury will impact their approach.

If the Knicks offer Porzingis an extension next summer rather than this summer, it could create an additional $10 million in cap space for the club in the summer of 2019.

Porzingis said his contract situation would not have any impact on when he returns the court.

“It all depends on how I can come [back] from the injury and how I move,” Porzingis said. “I want to come back more fluid. So whenever I see myself ready and whenever my team allows me to come back, I’ll come back. It’s tough to imagine already that decision and me trying to make that decision right now.”

There is no timetable for Porzingis’ return, but he is expected to be sidelined until at least December.

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Porzingis: We have to trust front office
Porzingis: We have to trust front office
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Michigan forward Moe Wagner will forgo his final season in college and turn pro, he announced Saturday.

The move that wasn’t much of a surprise after his stellar performance at the Final Four in San Antonio.

“Alle träume klingen verrückt. Bis sie wahr warden,” Wagner wrote in his native German for the Players Tribune.

In English, it means: “I’ve decided to sign with an agent and enter the 2018 NBA draft.”

The skilled 6-foot-11, 245-pounder from Berlin contemplated leaving after his sophomore season, when he averaged 12.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, but NBA executives told Wagner he was a likely second-round pick who might even go undrafted.

Wagner returned to Michigan and became a more well-rounded player this season, averaging 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds while improving his toughness and defense.

At the Final Four, he improved his stock with a 24-point, 15-rebound performance in a win over Loyola Chicago in the national semifinals. He finished with 16 points and seven rebounds in the loss to Villanova in the national title game.

Several NBA executives told ESPN that Wagner may have played his way into the latter portion of the first round. He is ranked at the No. 48 prospect in the ESPN Top 100.

This wasn’t an easy decision for me,” Wagner added in the Players Tribune. “I know people always say that, and maybe it sounds like they don’t 100% mean it. But I’m telling you guys – the idea of leaving Michigan, of leaving this community, is really tough. This place has really started to feel like home.”

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Michigan's Wagner to enter draft, sign agent
Michigan's Wagner to enter draft, sign agent
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

How can something so sour be so sweet?

The Los Angeles Dodgers became the latest to join the fight against Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) by puckering up for the #LemonFaceChallenge on Friday. The social media movement was created by Aubreigh Nicholas, an 11-year-old girl in Mobile, Alabama, who has the rare form of brain cancer.

Dodgers utility player Kike Hernandez and his teammates and coaches appeared on a video taking a bite out of a lemon wedge in support of Aubreigh’s Army.

At the end of the video, Hernandez, who said he got the idea from hitting coach Turner Ward, challenged the Arizona Diamondbacks to do the same over the next 48 hours.

The Diamondbacks won the first game of a three-game series against the host Dodgers on Friday. The teams play again Saturday and Sunday.

Alabama coach Nick Saban also appeared in a video on Nicholas’ Facebook page this week in support of her fight against DIPG.

“Our team is so proud to be a part of Aubreigh’s Army as you continue your fight and also your efforts in helping raise awareness for DIPG,” Saban said in the video. “I want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers, and we are behind you 100 percent.”

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Dodgers challenge D-backs in fight vs. DIPG
Dodgers challenge D-backs in fight vs. DIPG
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Free-agent quarterback Mark Sanchez has been suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, the league announced.

Sanchez acknowledged in an Instagram post Friday that he had tested positive for a banned substance.

“I was blind-sided by the news and I want to say unequivocally that I have never cheated or attempted to gain a competitive advantage by using a banned performance enhancing substance,” Sanchez wrote.

Sanchez blamed the positive test on an “unknowing supplement contamination.” He said he had clean tests 30 days before and 12 days after his positive test.

Even so, Sanchez said he accepts the suspension and will “look forward to getting back onto the field this season.”

Serving as the No. 3 quarterback for all of 2017, Sanchez was a mentor for Chicago Bears rookie Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick, while not throwing a pass during the regular season.

Sanchez, the fifth overall choice of the 2009 NFL draft, started 72 games for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles from 2009 to 2015 before taking on backup roles with the Dallas Cowboys (2016) and Bears.

He said in his Instagram statement that he has previously passed 72 drug tests and that his supplement regimen has been consistent for five years.

ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson contributed to this report.

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QB Sanchez given 4-game ban for PED use
QB Sanchez given 4-game ban for PED use
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Dez Bryant’s eight-year run in Dallas came to an end on Friday when the Cowboys released him. Set to make $12.5 million in 2018 and count $16.5 million against the cap, Bryant was a costly investment for a receiver who hasn’t cracked 1,000 yards in a season since 2014.

But Bryant still figures to attract interest from around the NFL. Where might he land? We polled our 32 NFL Nation writers for their thoughts on whether their team would have interest. Here are the four teams the Nation believes could make sense for the 29-year-old receiver.

Interest in Bryant can’t be ruled out — because the Bills have a need at wide receiver. They have invested resources in Zay Jones (drafted in the second round last year) and Kelvin Benjamin (acquired in a trade for third- and seventh-round picks last season), but the results left something to be desired. The Bills lost Deonte Thompson and Jordan Matthews in free agency, so they could use some veteran help. — Mike Rodak

It would be out of character for the Packers to add a character like Bryant — especially after tight end Martellus Bennett‘s signing went wrong last year. But despite Bryant’s big personality, he would fit nicely into the Packers’ offense, which has a hole after Jordy Nelson was released. The Packers certainly could use another perimeter weapon for Aaron Rodgers. — Rob Demovsky

Bryant fits a familiar Ravens profile — a soon-to-be 30-year-old wide receiver who has a chip on his shoulder after getting cut. Baltimore has had success with that type of player in the past with Derrick Mason, Steve Smith Sr. and Mike Wallace. The Ravens have shown they’re not finished adding receivers, meeting with Eric Decker and reaching out to Allen Hurns. They also hosted restricted free agents Willie Snead and Cameron Meredith (who signed with the Saints). With Bryant and recently signed Michael Crabtree, the Ravens would infuse plenty of swagger into the NFL’s No. 29 passing attack. — Jamison Hensley

The Saints could be a dark horse contender for Bryant because they’ve put such an emphasis on improving their receiving corps this offseason and missed out on high-profile targets such as Jimmy Graham and Nelson. But they have filled the void over the past two weeks by signing receiver Meredith and tight end Benjamin Watson. And they don’t really have the salary-cap space to afford Bryant right now. – Mike Triplett

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Best fits for Bryant: Teams that make most sense
Best fits for Bryant: Teams that make most sense
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

The Dallas Cowboys have released wide receiver Dez Bryant, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Friday.

“As an organization, we hold Dez Bryant in the highest regard, and we are grateful for his passion, spirit and contributions to this team for the past eight years,” Jones said in a statement. “He will always be a valued member of our family.”

Bryant was informed of his release after arriving at The Star, the team’s headquarters in Frisco, Texas. A source told ESPN’s Todd Archer that Bryant, who met with Jones, was not offered a pay cut.

Another source added that Bryant, who reacted to his release on Twitter after the meeting, will not be designated a post-June 1 cut.

let’s start the process #unbothered#ThrowUpTheX

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018

Cowboy nation I need you to know this wasn’t my decision.. I will always love y’all… forever Dallas in my heart

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018

If I didn’t have my edge I got it now… I’m sorry they got to feel me it’s personal… it’s very personal

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018

The Cowboys will save $8 million against the cap this season with the move.

“Dez and I share a personal and professional relationship that is very strong, and he is one of just a handful of players with whom I have become that close to over the past 30 years,” Jones said in the statement.

“This was not an easy decision. It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys. We arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization. Ultimately we determined it was time to go in a new direction.”

Bryant’s future has been the biggest topic of the Cowboys’ offseason because of his $12.5 million base salary and $16.5 million salary-cap figure.

Since signing a five-year, $70 million contract in 2015, Bryant, 29, has not recorded more than 69 catches or 838 yards in a season. He missed time in 2015 with a broken foot and was bothered in 2016 with a tibial plateau fracture.

In 113 games over his eight seasons with the Cowboys, Bryant has caught 513 passes for 7,459 yards and a franchise-record 73 touchdown receptions. His yardage total ranks fifth in franchise history behind Jason Witten, Michael Irvin, Tony Hill and Drew Pearson.

Bryant, Irvin and Pearson all wore the No. 88 jersey for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys made a bid to sign Sammy Watkins as free agency began and have since added receivers Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson. The Cowboys have also been linked to some of the top wide receivers in the draft, with Alabama’s Calvin Ridley, Maryland’s D.J. Moore and Oklahoma State’s James Washington among the team’s top 30 visitors to The Star.

At the recent owners meetings, Jones said he had not entertained the thought of Bryant not being on the roster in 2018. Coach Jason Garrett acknowledged the growth Bryant has experienced on and off the field since the Cowboys selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft, but he also said there is a business side to the NFL as well.

At present, the Cowboys have more than $30 million in cap space committed to their wide receivers and have a run-first offense that will lean heavily on Ezekiel Elliott.

The Cowboys officially begin their offseason program Monday.

ESPN’s Todd Archer contributed to this report.

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Cowboys release Dez, 'go in a new direction'
Cowboys release Dez, 'go in a new direction'
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

FRISCO, Texas — Dez Bryant hopes to remain in the NFC East after his eight-year run with the Dallas Cowboys ended Friday.

“I won’t say any teams, but being in the division, that’s a huge possibility,” Bryant told NFL Network. “That’s a huge possibility. That’s something that I want.”

In a late-morning meeting that lasted approximately 20 minutes, Bryant was told he would be released by owner and general manager Jerry Jones. The Cowboys did not offer Bryant a pay cut and did not designate him a post-June 1 cut.

He was set to make $12.5 million and count $16.5 million against the cap. With the move, the Cowboys will save $8.5 million against the cap.

Late last season Bryant said he would not accept a pay cut, but he told the NFL Network that he would have been open to one if it had been offered.

“The only question I was going to have for that was, even if I did take a pay cut, am I going to be able to come in to work and be happy?” Bryant said. “Will I be able to enjoy it? Because I already got a feeling that this person don’t like me.”

Bryant put the decision to release him on coaches and players he labeled as “Garrett guys,” but he did not name anybody specifically.

“I won’t put no names out, but they know, and I went them to know I know,” Bryant told NFL Network.

“I’ll shoot them a text message and let them know. Little do they know is, they can wear that ‘C’ all they want to, but in the locker room, they know they run and they talk, too. They know who they communicate with. Everybody knows where the real love is at.”

In a series of tweets earlier Friday, Bryant said he’s extra-motivated post-release.

let’s start the process #unbothered#ThrowUpTheX

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018

Cowboy nation I need you to know this wasn’t my decision.. I will always love y’all… forever Dallas in my heart

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018

If I didn’t have my edge I got it now… I’m sorry they got to feel me it’s personal… it’s very personal

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018

Bryant’s production slipped the last three seasons after signing a five-year, $70 million contract in 2015. He did not record a 1,000-yard season and was slowed by foot and knee injuries. He did play in every game last season and had 69 catches for 838 yards and six touchdowns.

“As an organization we hold Dez Bryant in the highest regard, and we are grateful for his passion, spirit and contributions to this team for the past eight years,” Jones said in a statement.

“He will always be a valued member of our family. Dez and I share a personal and professional relationship that is very strong, and he is one of just a handful of players with whom I have become that close to over the past 30 years. This was not an easy decision. It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys. We arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization. Ultimately we determined it was time to go in a new direction.”

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Dez: Playing in NFC East 'something I want'
Dez: Playing in NFC East 'something I want'
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Who will win each NBA playoff series? Which series will go to Game 7?

Our ESPN Forecast panel predicts all eight matchups in Round 1.

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(1) Rockets vs. (8) Timberwolves

Likelihood of winning series

• ESPN Forecast: Rockets 89 percent likely to win; Wolves 11 percent

• Basketball Power Index: Rockets (87 percent)

• Fan panel: Rockets (86 percent)

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

Game 1: Sunday, April 15 | 9:00 p.m. ET, TNT

(2) Warriors vs. (7) Spurs

Likelihood of winning series

• ESPN Forecast: Warriors 83 percent likely to win; Spurs 17 percent

• BPI: Warriors (77 percent)

• Fan panel: Warriors (78 percent)

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

• “Golden State has the advantage, but the Spurs, though aged and different, are still the Spurs.”

• “The Warriors, even with their injuries, should win but it won’t be easy.”

• “Spurs can’t beat Warriors … without Kawhi.”

Game 1: Saturday, April 14 | 3:00 p.m. ET, ABC/WatchESPN

(3) Trail Blazers vs. (6) Pelicans

Likelihood of winning series

• ESPN Forecast: Blazers 65 percent likely to win; Pelicans 35 percent

• BPI: Blazers (62 percent)

• Fan panel: Blazers (62 percent)

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

Game 1: Saturday, April 14 | 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN

(4) Thunder vs. (5) Jazz

Likelihood of winning series

• ESPN Forecast: Thunder 55 percent likely to win; Jazz 45 percent

• BPI: Thunder (53 percent)

• Fan panel: Thunder (52 percent)

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

• “The Jazz will give the Thunder all they can handle, and the series will be in doubt until the final minute of Game 7.”

• “The red-hot Jazz upset a Thunder team that’s desperately missing Andre Roberson.”

• “OKC is only favored to beat Utah thanks to getting home-court advantage based on the craziness of the last week of the season.”

• “Jazz-Thunder = Russ + raucous home courts”

Game 1: Sunday, April 15 | 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT

(1) Raptors vs. (8) Wizards

Likelihood of winning series

• ESPN Forecast: Raptors 73 percent likely to win; Wizards 27 percent

• BPI: Raptors (88 percent)

• Fan panel: Raptors (76 percent)

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

• “Had the Wizards been better against below .500 teams, this wouldn’t be the Raptors’ first-round matchup. And if the Raptors struggle at all, it will mean trouble down the line.”

• “The Wizards have advanced past the first round in three straight years. I think they are going to be an incredibly tough out for the Raptors, pushing the series to seven games.”

Game 1: Saturday, April 14 | 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN

(2) Celtics vs. (7) Bucks

Likelihood of winning series

• ESPN Forecast: Celtics 63 percent likely to win; Bucks 37 percent

• BPI: Celtics (80 percent)

• Fan panel: Celtics (58 percent)

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

• “Injuries make things tough for the Celtics but Brad Stevens crafts a game plan that limits Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s impact on the series and forces the Bucks’ supporting cast to beat them.”

• “The Celtics are well coached and play a team game which bodes well for playoff basketball.”

• “With the Celtics’ injuries, Giannis Antetokounmpo needs to seize the opportunity to knock Boston out.”

Game 1: Sunday, April 15 | 1:00 p.m. ET, TNT

(3) 76ers vs. (6) Heat

Likelihood of winning series

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

• “The Heat aren’t an ideal matchup for a young team like the Sixers.”

• “This matchup combines the intrigue of Whiteside-Embiid instagrams with the joy of watching Ben Simmons glide past every defender who somehow thinks Donovan Mitchell should be Rookie of the Year.”

• “How Miami schemes to stop Ben Simmons is the biggest question of the first round. Can he thrive without a jumper in a seven-game series?”

Game 1: Saturday, April 14 | 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN

(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Pacers

Likelihood of winning series

Panel predictions and reasons to watch:

Game 1: Sunday, April 15 | 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/WatchESPN

To join the fan panel, click here. ESPN Forecast is conducted in collaboration with The Wharton School and Microsoft Research.

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ESPN Forecast: Who will win, sweep Round 1?
ESPN Forecast: Who will win, sweep Round 1?
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

The Charlotte Hornets dismissed coach Steve Clifford on Friday morning, the team announced, ending a five-year run that included two trips to the playoffs.

After hiring Mitch Kupchak as president and general manager on Sunday, owner Michael Jordan has afforded him the autonomy to reshape the franchise’s basketball operations and coaching staff. Charlotte joins an increasingly crowded group of teams pursuing new head coaches, including Orlando, New York, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Memphis.

Leaving the Hornets clears the way for Clifford to become a candidate for openings with any of those teams.

Charlotte missed the playoffs the past two seasons after two playoff appearances in Clifford’s first three seasons as coach. Clifford’s NBA coaching peers view him as a strong tactical coach with the ability to build strong relationships with his players.

All-Star guard Kemba Walker recently said of Clifford, “He’s been great from Day 1. He’s been a great coach for me, very motivational. He got me to another level. I just love him as a coach, as a person. He’s been special for me in my career.”

Clifford finished with a 196-214 regular-season record, including a 36-46 record each of the past two seasons. Before that, Clifford was a 13-year NBA assistant coach with the Knicks, Rockets, Magic and Lakers.

Clifford, 56, has recovered from a several-week bout of headaches and insomnia that caused him to take a leave of absence this season.

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Hornets fire Clifford after 36-46 season
Hornets fire Clifford after 36-46 season
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Source: ESPN SPORTS