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It is common to have your ‘guys’ on your coaching staff. Brown will make at least one significant addition to his staff when he adds an associate head coach. I still expect that there will be holdovers from last year on Brown’s staff (Rick Brunson, Mark Bryant, Maurice Cheeks and Darren Erman). But Brown was told during the interview process that he’d have full autonomy to hire his own staff. Of course, it’s naïve to think that he would include all four coaches if he had a blank slate to work with.
He will evaluate his options as he gets going, but as he sorts things out, I’d strongly expect Rick Brunson, Darren Ermann, Mark Bryant and Maurice Cheeks to end up on Brown’s staff. How the staff looks will ultimately be his call. But I’d be surprised if the names mentioned above don’t end up on the final staff.
During practice, the now co-podcat host of "All the Smoke" took a shot the head coach saw as "ill-advised," and Cheeks stopped everything to call out his player in front of the whole roster. "I was going to pounce on him," Matt remembered his reaction. "Luckily, Chris [Webber] grabbed me and stopped me." Ultimately, Barnes, outspoken as ever, couldn't resist a jab. He said Cheeks' poor treatment of players left a lasting, and not positive, impact. "That's probably why he's a lifelong assistant," the 45-year-old noted, alluding to the fact that Mo hasn't held a main role on the sidelines since the 2014–15 NBA regular season.
Draymond Green passes Oscar Robertson, Dwight Howard and Maurice Cheeks in playoff scoring
Jorge Sierra: Draymond Green passed Oscar Robertson, Dwight Howard and Maurice Cheeks in playoff scoring last night. He's No. 75 all-time now. He also tied Kawhi Leonard in steals at No. 18.
When Maurice Cheeks was coach of the Trail Blazers, he had a wonderful approach to dealing with stress, chaos and/or conflict that often intersects with life in the NBA. “It’s just a moment,” he would say. “It will pass.” But sometimes, moments don’t just pass. Sometimes, moments live on and help shape a life.
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Just ask Natalie Zito (neé: Gilbert). On Wednesday night in Portland, she was back in the building that changed her life, performing a stunning rendition of the national anthem, the same song that threatened to haunt her had it not been for Cheeks. “I feel like it was yesterday that we were in this moment,” Zito said. It was 22 years ago, 20 seconds deep into the National Anthem, when then-13-year-old Natalie Gilbert forgot the words. If her brain freeze wasn’t bad enough, it felt like the entire world was watching and waiting for the silence to end. It was before Game 3 of the playoff series between Portland and Dallas. In front of 20,000 fans. And a national television audience. “That moment where I was standing there looking around, that felt like forever,” Zito remembered. “But then … he was just like there. Like, the second I turned over my shoulder, he was right there and he was like, ‘No, we’re not gonna do this … you’re gonna finish this song.’ ”
It became one of the most memorable and viral moments in national anthem history — Cheeks coaching her through the lyrics, one arm around her shoulder, the other conducting the sellout crowd to join in. She finished to a rousing ovation and melted into Cheeks’ chest. “That’s a hard time in a young child’s life, where something like that happens on national television,” Zito said. “That moment really stuck with me.”
Near the end of her rendition, the video board flashed to Cheeks, who was smiling from ear to ear, proud as he was that day 22 years ago. For Zito, Wednesday wasn’t so much closure as it was a celebration of that moment 22 years ago. It was, as Cheeks likes to say, just a moment. But it was a moment that she believes helped define her. “It made me a much stronger individual,” Zito said. “I can face adversity or anything that’s coming at me. I just push through now, because that’s probably the worst thing that can happen to you when you are 13 and in middle school.”
Natalie Gilbert returned to the Blazers' home arena nearly 22 years after her first performance on April 25, 2003, when the Blazers hosted the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Then 13 years old, Gilbert stumbled on her words and mixed up "twilight's last gleaming" with "stars last gleaming." Up stepped Portland's then-head coach Maurice Cheeks, who stood side-by-side with Gilbert to encourage her, saying, "C'mon," before singing "stars last gleaming" with Gilbert. The former Philadelphia 76ers guard continued to sing alongside her, and the crowd joined in as well. Cheeks and the teenager belted "home of the brave" together, and Cheeks gave her a hug to close out the heartwarming performance. They later appeared on "The Tonight Show" and CNN.
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LeBron James ties Dirk Nowitzki for most rebounds
Jorge Sierra: LeBron James tied point guard Maurice Cheeks for steals at No. 6 all-time yesterday. He also tied power forward Dirk Nowitzki for rebounds at No. 26. Addendum: Giannis Antetokounmpo moved ahead of Bernard King in the scoring list. He's No. 53 now.
Joe Cowley: Minor happenings, but Jim Paxson was still involved with the Bulls as a consultant/NBA scout, and it sounds like he's walked away. Also, it's hard getting details on Mo Cheeks departure from staff, but a source said Bulls FO botched things, and Thibs of course swooped in.
This is why the Caruso-for-Giddey trade offered a second clue. DeRozan consistently praised Caruso, almost projecting a sense of awe when discussing his team-first mindset and defensive prowess. DeRozan also was close with assistant coach Maurice Cheeks, whom the New York Knicks hired, and some behind-the-scenes staffers who have quietly been let go. From the Bulls’ perspective, there’s no doubt DeRozan outperformed his three-year, $81.9 million deal while making two All-Star appearances in Chicago. It’s why internal discussions during the season initially centered on offering DeRozan a two-year deal at a high annual salary, perhaps nearing $40 million.
Ian Begley: Regarding the Knicks adding Maurice Cheeks to coaching staff: no assistant coach is leaving NYK to make room for Cheeks, per people familiar with the matter. Cheeks is an addition to the staff currently in place. ESPN first reported the Cheeks hire.
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