NBA News: Friday, April 7th, 2023

The NBA Playoff races are mostly decided at this point, but there could still be some maneuvering that could take place over the final few days of the year. You will see plenty of news stories this week about players sitting out as teams are trying to get healthy for the postseason. 

There are also some other news stories that have come out over the last few days, as this league always tends to be in the news for some reason. Here is a look at three of the biggest NBA news stories over the last few days.

NBA Denies Mavericks Protest

The NBA has finally issued a ruling on the protest from the Dallas Mavericks on a game that took place back on March 22. Dallas was protesting the outcome after they believed that the officials improperly administered a call that allowed the Golden State Warriors to score an uncontested layup.

That layup ended up being the difference, as Golden State was able to come away with a two-point win. After the game, owner Mark Cuban immediately protested the game, but there was a conflicting report on what took place in that matchup. 

Cuban and the Mavericks were convinced that the mistake cost the team the game, but they also knew that the protest would probably be denied. That became official earlier this week, and the league gave a very basic answer when coming up with the ruling. 

Dallas was actually able to take the lead a couple of times during the final four minutes, but they were unable to hold onto the lead. Because the Mavericks were able to get control of the lead, the NBA ruled that the error did not lead to the loss.

Gordon Arrested on Weapons Charge

Former NBA star Ben Gordon has had a tough time since his playing career ended, and he is once again in the news for the wrong reasons. Gordon was arrested in the state of Connecticut on Tuesday on weapons and threatening charges that stemmed from actions at a juice shop.

According to reports, Gordon was acting erratically at the juice shop and began yelling at workers and customers. When the police were called, Gordon was found with a dangerous weapon in his backpack. 

The police sent Gordon to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, but he was later released. In 2022, Gordon was arrested in back-to-back months for punching someone.

Pelicans Still Waiting on Williamson

The New Orleans Pelicans continue to wait on the return of superstar Zion Williamson, but it’s unclear if he will ever make his return. Williamson has been out with a right hamstring strain since January 2, and it’s now unknown if he will ever return this season. 

New Orleans got off to a 23-14 start with Williamson in the lineup to begin the year, but things have taken a turn since his injury. He reinjured his hamstring during the rehab process, and he hasn’t been close to a return since. 

The best-case scenario for Williamson and the Pelicans is a return during the NBA Playoffs.

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All Media on this page by Associated Press.