NBA legend Jordan shoes sell at auction for $1.38 million

NEW YORK - Shoes worn by NBA legend Michael Jordan in the famous "Flu Game" of the 1997 NBA Finals were sold at auction for $1.38 million, Goldin memorabilia marketplace announced Thursday.

The sneakers were part of history for Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, who won six NBA titles in the 1990s

The Bulls and Utah were tied in the 1997 best-of-seven NBA Finals at two wins each ahead of game five, when Jordan felt ill, feverish and dehydrated due to a stomach virus but played for Chicago anyway.

Jordan scored 38 points in 44 minutes and made the decisive 3-pointer in the dying seconds for a 90-88 Bulls triumph -- delivering the only Jazz home loss of the playoffs -- and Chicago went on to capture the crown in six games, with Jordan taking the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award.

The shoes, which had belonged to a former Jazz ballboy, were first sold at auction 10 years ago for almost $105,000.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Mavericks fined $750,000 after benching stars in Bulls loss

LOS ANGELES -- The Dallas Mavericks have been fined $750,000 fine after controversially fielding a weakened team in their loss to the Chicago Bulls earlier this month, the NBA said Friday.

The NBA said the Mavericks abrupt decision to hold out five key players in a game they had to win in order to have a chance of reaching the postseason represented "conduct detrimental to the league."

"The Dallas Mavericks' decision to restrict key players from fully participating in an elimination game last Friday against Chicago undermined the integrity of our sport," said Joe Dumars, NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations.

"The Mavericks' actions failed our fans and our league."

The NBA said the Mavericks' decision was made to improve the franchise's chances of retaining a first round pick in the 2023 draft.

The Mavericks still owe a first-round pick to the New York Knicks as part of the trade for Kristaps Porzingis in 2019.

But if the NBA's draft lottery determines they have a top-10 selection, they don't have to give it up. A lower finish in the overall standings increases the odds of drawing a top-10 pick in the lottery.

"The Mavericks violated the league's player resting policy and demonstrated through actions and public statements the organization's desire to lose the game in order to improve the chances of keeping its first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft," the NBA said in a statement.

However the league said there was no evidence that the players who took to the court for the game were not playing to win.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd told reporters before the game that he had intended to field a full-strength side before being informed by billionaire owner Mark Cuban and the front office to rest Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr. and key reserves Josh Green, Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood.

"We were going to play until told otherwise," Kidd said. "And today is the day that we've been told that we're going to do something different."

It is not the first time Dallas and Cuban have fallen afoul of the NBA over the issue of "tanking."

Cuban was fined $600,000 in 2018 after saying in a podcast that he had told players and coaches that "losing is our best option."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: LaVine, Chicago Bulls sink Toronto Raptors

Zach LaVine inspired a fightback as the Chicago Bulls eliminated the Toronto Raptors from the NBA play-in tournament Wednesday, while rising Australian star Josh Giddey helped the Oklahoma City Thunder end the New Orleans Pelicans' season.

LaVine finished with 39 points –- 30 of them scored after half-time -- in a 109-105 road victory for the Bulls, who will now face Miami on Friday with the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs up for grabs.

LaVine and former Toronto star DeMar DeRozan showed superb composure down the stretch as Chicago recovered from a 19-point third-quarter deficit to snatch a win that left Toronto's Scotiabank Arena in stunned silence.

DeRozan finished with 23 points while Nikola Vucevic finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Chicago coach Billy Donovan hailed LaVine's role in the comeback as "extraordinary."

"He was phenomenal," Donovan said. "What he did in that third quarter and going into the fourth quarter -– it would have been very difficult for us to have won that game had he not done that.

"His performance was extraordinary. It gave us life, and it gave us hope...he had that mentality where he was going to do whatever he had to get us back in the game."

Toronto, who looked to be in complete control for long periods of the game, were left ruing a litany of missed free throws.

The Raptors shot only 18-of-36 from the foul line, a 50 percent success rate which was in stark contrast to the Bulls, who made 18 of their 22 free throws.

"That's a lot of misses," Toronto coach Nick Nurse said afterwards. "We left a lot of points on the floor there for sure.

"Okay, you're not going to make them all. But if you miss more than 10 free throws in a game, it's hard to win."

Pascal Siakam (32 points) and Fred VanVleet (26) were both outstanding for Toronto, with VanVleet electrifying the home crowd with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from near half-way as the second quarter ended.

That gave Toronto a 58-47 lead at half-time, and the Raptors kept up their scoring momentum early in the second half, extending their lead to 19 points as Chicago's offense sputtered.

But the pendulum swung back in the visitors' favor once LaVine found his range, and as Chicago's defensive fine-tuning stifled the Raptors, the Bulls began to steadily whittle away the deficit.

A Pat Beverley three-pointer put Chicago ahead for the first time in the second half at 98-95 and Toronto were never able to get back in front thereafter.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Lakers fall to Bulls in James' return, Cavs clinch playoff berth

LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.

As the push to the post-season headed into its final two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 with a 108-91 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Jarret Allen tied his season high with 24 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavs, who are assured of one of the top six places in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament for the seventh- through 10th-placed teams.

It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavaliers have reached the playoffs without James, whose 20-year NBA career has included two stints with his hometown team, where he won one of his four titles in 2016.

James said Sunday that the chance to challenge for a fifth title overall, and a second with the Lakers, had driven his rapid return from what he revealed was a torn tendon in his right foot.

All eyes were on the 38-year-old forward at Crypto.com Arena, where he came off the bench for just the second time in his career -- the only other occasion coming in December of 2007 when he was with Cleveland.

James checked in to a standing ovation with the Lakers up 12-9 in the first quarter -- going through his traditional hand-chalk toss near the scorer's table before hitting the floor.

He led the Lakers with 19 points in 27 and a half minutes on court. Troy Brown and Malik Beasley added 18 apiece while Anthony Davis scored 15.

But the Bulls crashed the party, Zach LaVine scoring 32 points and DeMar De Rozan adding 17 points and 10 assists as Chicago gave themselves a three-game cushion over the Washington Wizards for the 10th place in the East.

"They came out with a sense of urgency tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "We came out a little flat, turned the ball over early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough."

The Lakers, who had gone 8-5 in James's absence, saw their three-game winning streak end.

They slipped from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Oklahoma City and half a game behind New Orleans and Minnesota.

James said seeing his teammates claw out wins in his absence had spurred his injury return.

"It definitely changed my mindset on me coming back and trying to be a part of this. Well, I don't even want to say changed my mindset. It just enhanced what I was trying to do as far as my workouts, as far as my treatment and everything."

Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 home rout of the San Antonio Spurs.

The injury absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum was no problem for the Celtics, who kept the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for top seed in the East.

- Morant leads Grizzlies -

Ja Morant returned to the Memphis starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first two games back from suspension, scoring 27 points to lead the Grizzlies in a 123-119 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.

Desmond Bane added 25 points as the Grizzlies, second in the West, fended off Atlanta's late challenge to push their winning streak to six games.

The Dallas Mavericks' downward spiral continued with a 110-104 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte, where Mavs star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which will trigger an automatic one-game suspension.

After failing to make a basket in the first quarter Doncic finished with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to stave off a second loss in three days to the hapless Hornets -- who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: DeRozan, Bulls leave Sixers waiting after OT thriller

DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points as the Chicago Bulls snapped Philadelphia's eight-game winning streak with a thrilling 109-105 victory in double overtime on Monday.

The red-hot Sixers had been looking to clinch their playoff ticket with victory in front of an expectant home crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.

But despite a 37-point performance from Joel Embiid -- the MVP front-runner's 10th straight 30-point game –- Philadelphia were left waiting to reach the postseason after a gritty road win from Chicago.

Embiid missed an attempted tip-in after Tyrese Maxey's attempted three-pointer at the end of regulation which would have snatched victory for the Sixers.

Embiid put Philadelphia 99-97 ahead in the final minute of the first period of overtime but DeRozan levelled with a driving layup. 

The Chicago star missed an attempted three-pointer with less than two seconds on the clock, to take the game to a second period of overtime.

The Sixers looked to have taken a grip on the contest after opening up a 105-101 lead in the second overtime period, but with Embiid absent after fouling out, the Bulls reeled off eight unanswered points to close out the win.

It was the first time in 12 career meetings against Chicago that Embiid has finished on the losing side.

DeRozan admitted that he was aware of that statistic prior to the game.

"I knew that," DeRozan told reporters. "It was only a matter of time. Not saying that was part of the motivation. We've got a bigger goal than just trying to beat him. But I'm glad we got the win."

Chicago improved to 34-37 and remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings, leaving them on course for a place in the play-in tournament for teams ranked between seventh and 10th, which determine the last two spots in the eight-team conference playoffs.

Philadelphia, third in the East with a 48-23 record, remain one win away from formally clinching their playoff spot.

Randle dazzles in vain 

In other games around the NBA on Monday, Julius Randle erupted for 57 points in a scintillating performance but it was not enough to stop the New York Knicks falling 140-134 at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Randle's masterpiece included eight three-pointers from 19-of-29 shooting, while Jalen Brunson added 23 points. Three other Knicks players finished in double figures.

However Minnesota's balanced offense was enough to give the Wolves victory, with Taurean Prince leading the visitors scoring with 35 points. 

All of Minnesota's starters posted double-digit points totals, while Naz Reid (12) and Jaylen Nowell (14) combined for 26 off the bench.

In Utah, the high-flying Sacramento Kings, who remain third in the Western Conference, came unstuck in a 128-124 loss to the Jazz, who are 11th in the standings.

Ochai Agbaji led the Utah scoring with 27 points, with no fewer than eight Jazz players making double-figures. De'Aaron Fox led the Sacramento scoring with 37 points.

In Houston, meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors finally snapped their miserable losing streak on the road with a 121-108 defeat of the Rockets.

The NBA champions had gone into the game on the back of 11 straight defeats away from home, but ended that sequence against a Rockets team who have just 18 wins this season.

Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 59 points, including 10 three-pointers yet the Warriors still made hard work of the win, coughing up 20 turnovers, 14 of them in the first half.

"We were not focused, but second half we did a better job of taking care of the ball," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

"I don't remember the last road game we won," Kerr added. "It's been a while. We needed it obviously."

In Memphis, the Grizzlies staged a late fourth quarter rally to down the Dallas Mavericks 112-108. Memphis outscored the Mavs, 29-12, in the fourth to seal victory.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Tatum stars as Celtics hold off Bulls, Nuggets and Grizzlies win

LOS ANGELES -- Jayson Tatum scored 32 points to help the Boston Celtics hold off the determined Chicago Bulls on Monday and reach the midway point of their NBA season with the best record in the league.

Grant Williams added 20 points, Jaylen Brown scored 19 and Al Horford's eight included a crucial three-pointer with 25.5 seconds remaining in Boston's 107-99 home victory.

The Celtics pushed their record to 29-12 after their first 41 games of the 82-game campaign.

Meanwhile Denver and Memphis remained neck and neck atop the West, the Nuggets beating the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 122-109 and the Grizzlies downing the San Antonio Spurs 121-113.

Boston, who were stunned by the Oklahoma City Thunder and had to fight to hold off the rebuilding Spurs on their recent road trip, again let a big lead slip but managed to hold on.

After Chicago star DeMar DeRozan departed with a thigh injury in the third quarter the Celtics stretched their lead to as many as 16 thanks to a strong offensive showing from Tatum.

But the Bulls, with Zach LaVine scoring 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, sliced the deficit to two points in the closing minutes.

Horford's three-pointer, off a feed from Tatum, pushed the lead back to five points with 25.5 seconds left and after LaVine missed a three-pointer Tatum threw down a two-handed dunk, drawing a foul and making the free-throw as Boston clinched the win.

"It's all about trusting your teammates," Tatum said of the pass to Horford as he himself was double-teamed. "Al made a big-time shot."

Tatum said that despite Chicago's modest 19-22 record it was a good win.

"That's a tough team," he said. "Well coached, they play hard, they're long, athletic. So that's a big win."

In Memphis, the Grizzlies were without top scorer Ja Morant for a second straight game because of a sore right thigh.

But with 24 points from stand-in Tyus Jones and 16 from Jaren Jackson they snuffed out a late Spurs charge.

Tre Jones, Tyus's brother, led San Antonio with 18 points and Josh Richardson scored 16 for the Spurs, who trailed by as many as 16 in the first half.

After trimming the deficit in the third quarter the Spurs twice took the lead early in the fourth.

They were up by five on Richardson's tip-in with 9:19 to play but the Grizzlies managed to turn the tide and pull away, improving to 27-13 for the season.

That's the same record as the Nuggets, whose two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic posted his 11th triple-double of the season with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists in their victory over the Lakers.

Jokic was a perfect five-for-five from the floor. Jamal Murray, who missed all of last season with a torn knee ligament, scored a season-high 34 points for the Nuggets, who have won 11 straight at home.

- Sore ankle sidelines James -

Lakers superstar LeBron James sat out with a sore left ankle, joining injured Anthony Davis on the sidelines. The banged-up Lakers also lost Patrick Beverley to a hip injury at halftime.

Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with 25 points off the bench and Thomas Bryant added 17 points and 10 rebounds, but Los Angeles' five-game winning streak ended.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied for a 111-107 victory over the Knicks in New York, erasing a 17-point deficit to end the Knicks' four-game winning streak.

The Knicks did a good job of containing Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks with 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

But seven Milwaukee players scored in double figures and the Bucks drained 19 three-pointers -- 12 of them in the second half.

Brook Lopez scored 17 for Milwaukee and Joe Ingles added 17 off the bench.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Bucks beat Raptors on Giannis triple double as Nets' streak ends

Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double sparked the Milwaukee Bucks to a 104-101 overtime victory at Toronto on Wednesday while the Brooklyn Nets saw their 12-game NBA win streak snapped.

Greek superstar Antetokounmpo scored 30 points, pulled down 21 rebounds and passed off 10 assists, the last to set up Grayson Allen's decisive 3-pointer with 11 seconds to play that rescued a Milwaukee triumph.

"You can't do it by yourself. You've got to trust your teammates, make plays for them," Antetokounmpo said.

"I'm trying to be aggressive... but at the end of the day everybody is sucking me in and the guy is open. That last play Grayson was wide open and I was able to get him the ball."

It was the 31st career triple-double for Antetokounmpo and the sixth time he managed 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game -- heroics coming a night after scoring a career-high 55 points in a victory.

Antetokounmpo, who made 7 of 18 shots from the floor and 15 of 21 from the free throw line, was unhappy with a 28-7 Raptors run to close regulation time, Toronto tying the game at 97-97 on Gary Trent Jr's last-second 3-pointer to force overtime.

"We can't put ourselves in that position," Antetokounmpo said. "We were up 15 with two minutes left.

"But I think we did a good job keeping our composure and executing in the overtime -- finding open spots and defending -- and we were able to get the win."

Fred VanVleet, who led Toronto with 28 points, missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the finish.

DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams each scored 22 points and Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead Chicago over Brooklyn, 121-112.

The Bulls (17-21) snapped Brooklyn's 12-game win streak when a victory would have pulled the visiting Nets (25-13) level for the Eastern Conference lead with Boston.

Instead, they share second with the Bucks, one game adrift.

Chicago's triumph spoiled a 44-point effort from Brooklyn's Kevin Durant while Kyrie Irving added 25 points.

Philadelphia's James Harden had 26 points and eight assists while Tobias Harris, De'Anthony Melton and Montrezl Harrell each added 19 points to power the host 76ers over Indiana, 129-126, in overtime.

The 76ers (23-14) were playing without star big man Joel Embiid due to a sore left foot but still snapped Indiana's four-game win streak.

A Harris tip-in with six seconds to play lifted the Sixers level at 120-120 to force overtime. Harris made two free throws with four seconds remaining in the extra session to create the final margin.

 Cavs beat Suns 

Evan Mobley's jumper with four seconds remaining gave Cleveland a 90-88 victory over Phoenix. Caris LeVert led the Cavaliers with 21 points while Donovan Mitchell had 20 and nine assists.

Ja Morant scored 23 points and dished out eight rebounds to spark Memphis in a 131-107 romp at Charlotte as the Grizzlies (24-13) matched Denver for the Western Conference lead.

Anthony Edwards netted 32 points to power the Minnesota Timberwolves over visiting Portland, 113-106.

C.J. McCollum scored 28 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 17 rebounds to lead New Orleans over visiting Houston, 119-108.

Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and Julius Randle added 25 points and 13 rebounds to spark host New York over San Antonio, 117-114.

Paolo Banchero, last year's NBA Draft top pick, had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead host Orlando over Oklahoma City, 126-115.

Saddiq Bey's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Detroit Pistons a 122-119 victory at Golden State. Croatian forward Bojan Bogdanovic led Detroit with 29 points.

John Collins and De'Andre Hunter each scored 22 points to lead Atlanta in a 120-117 triumph at Sacramento.

German guard Denis Schroder shook off an ankle sprain to score a season-high 32 points and lead the Los Angeles Lakers over visiting Miami, 112-109.

Lakers star LeBron James sat out against his former club with a non-COVID illness, joining injured forward Anthony Davis on the sidelines.

Agence France-Presse

 

NBA: Bucks hold on for Game 1 win vs. Bulls

Reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, led by Most Valuable Player award contender Giannis Antetokounmpo, beat the Chicago Bulls 93-86 in their Eastern Conference playoff opener.

Antetokounmpo scored 27 points and pulled down 16 rebounds to lead the Bucks to victory, although foul trouble kept him on the bench for much of the fourth quarter.

Montenegrin center Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 24 points and 17 rebounds, but missed two straight baskets in the paint in the final minute.

The Bucks led by as many as 16 points in the first half, the Bulls taking the lead for the first time with less than three minutes left in the third quarter.

Milwaukee's Jrue Holiday drilled a go-ahead three-pointer with 5:03 remaining, and the Bulls wouldn't get in front again.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Bucks stay dominant at home with easy win over Bulls

Jrue Holiday finished with a game-high 27 points as the Milwaukee Bucks earned a 126-98 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night to record their fifth consecutive home win.

Holiday added seven assists and cashed in on 12 of his 17 field goal attempts to lead the Bucks over their division rival for the third time this season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo supplied 25 points and 17 rebounds to notch his third straight double-double, and reserve Pat Connaughton chipped in 14 points while all five starters scored in double figures.

Milwaukee was extremely efficient all night, finishing with its second-highest field goal percentage (61 percent) this season.

Nikola Vucevic finished with a team-high 22 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting for Chicago. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine each added 21 points, and Ayo Dosunmu tallied seven off the bench.

The Bucks made 55 percent of their field goals (22 of 40) in the first half to go into the break with a commanding 16-point lead. Milwaukee had led by as much as 26, but the Bulls closed the second quarter on a 10-0 run to trim the deficit.

Antetokounmpo had a double-double in the first half alone, pacing the Bucks with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Brook Lopez added 10 points, and Connaughton scored nine. Milwaukee also dominated on the glass, hauling in 28 rebounds compared to Chicago's 16.

Vucevic led all scorers with 15 points, and LaVine added 12. Chicago got just four points from its bench, while the Bucks got 18.

The Bulls brought things within 10 in the third quarter, but Milwaukee answered and extended its lead to 22 by the fourth. Despite his team's struggles, DeRozan caught fire, scoring 12 points.

Antetokounmpo got off to a fast start, collecting 10 points and five rebounds in the first quarter. Eight of those points came during a 13-0 run over the final 3:17 of the frame which allowed the Bucks to jump out to an early 33-20 lead.

-reuters-

Jordan memorabilia soars in value amid 'Last Dance' nostalgia

NEW YORK -- The immense global success of the documentary "The Last Dance" amid the coronavirus lockdown has boosted sales of collectibles related to NBA icon Michael Jordan, some of which are trading in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Timing is everything," says Jordan Geller, a collector who on Sunday will be richer by at least $240,000 thanks to the sale at Sotheby's of a pair of Air Jordan 1 sneakers -- the first model created especially by Nike for Michael Jordan, who made his NBA debut in 1984.

The game-worn pair could set an auction record for sneakers set last year by Nike's Moon Shoe, a pair of which sold for $437,500.

The various Air Jordans have been popular with collectors for 30 years, along with jerseys and trading cards featuring Jordan -- who won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and is widely considered the greatest player in league history.

Many specialists consider Jordan a key figure in creating the market for collectible sneakers, with only non-sports personalities such as Kanye West or Travis Scott able to compete with him today.

But ESPN's 10-part documentary "The Last Dance" which weaves details of Jordan's entire career through the narrative of the Bulls' pursuit of a sixth NBA title, has ramped up interest in all things Jordan.

"I think this is a game-changer," Chris Ivy, director of sports collectibles at Heritage Auctions, said of the documentary series that was carried globally by Netflix.

Ivy predicted the interest fueled by "The Last Dance" will continue.

- 'Iconic, mythical' -

On the StockX shoe resale platform, the Air Jordan 1 Chicago model now sells for up to $1,500, compared to $900 in March.

The first episode of "The Last Dance" aired on April 19.

"That could be largely attributable to the documentary because that's a sneaker that's been on the market for years," says StockX economist Jesse Einhorn.

Likewise, a 1986 Fleer collector's card sold for $96,000 in early May at Heritage, an item that was worth $20,000 to $30,000 at the beginning of the year.

"A lot of people who had a sports cards collection as a kid have been frantically going through their attics to find those boxes and those binders," laughs Geoff Wilson, founder of the Sports Card Investor platform.

"I haven't seen anything like this, where it's well past his career," Ivy said, noting Jordan retired in 2003.

The excitement extends beyond Jordan himself.

Sales of Bulls-branded items are up 400% in May compared to last year on the sports merchandise site Fanatics.

"For a lot of people my age between 40 and 50 years old, Michael Jordan was the Babe Ruth of our generation," Ivy said. "People in that age range are starting to get in a point in their lives where they're starting to collect again."

Even younger fans, weaned on the exploits of the late Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, are feeling the allure of Jordan.

"The majority of our customers are millennials and Gen Z, many of whom were not necessarily alive when Jordan played," Einhorn said. "It's a testament to Jordan's staying power as an iconic, almost like a mythical, cultural figure."

And the market for basketball shoes is maturing, with support from a new generation of enthusiasts as evidenced by the emergence of trading platforms and the prices realized at auctions over the last three years.

"Sneaker collecting and reselling used to be underground activities that were enjoyed by a few sneaker heads," Geller said. "It’s much more mainstream now."

The change has not escaped the notice of manufacturers, who have adapted their marketing and promotional strategies accordingly.

"Sneaker brands are catering to sneaker collectors by releasing more and more limited edition sneakers, so with smaller quantities demand goes through the roof."

But in Geller's opinion, nothing can compare to the original Air Jordans, especially those that can be linked to the great man himself.

"I think the Game Worn Air Jordan 1s are the most iconic sneakers of all time," Geller said. "The fact that these shoes were Game-Worn by Michael Jordan takes them to a whole other level."

Will we ever crack the $1 million mark?

"I think so," said Ivy. "I'm working towards a consignment in the future that I think has the potential to get to a million dollars."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Doncic delivers another triple-double as Mavs beat Bulls

Luka Doncic registered a triple-double for the second straight game, contributing 38 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to boost the host Dallas Mavericks to a 118-110 victory against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

Doncic scored a career-high 21 points in the third quarter, capping the flurry with a deep 3-pointer. The home crowd serenaded him with chants of "M-V-P!" as he shot free throws in the final minute of the game.

Dwight Powell (16 points), Tim Hardaway Jr. (15) and Dorian Finney-Smith (11) followed in double figures for the Mavericks.

Lauri Markkanen scored 26 points to lead six Bulls in double figures. Tomas Satoransky (11 points, 14 assists) notched a double-double for Chicago, which has lost four straight and five of six to fall a season-worst 11 games below .500.

Dallas led, 61-55, at halftime and 88-82 after three quarters before gaining separation to start the fourth. After a Thaddeus Young layup brought the Bulls to within 88-84 with 10:54 to go, the Mavericks responded by scoring of 15 of the game's next 23 points.

The Mavericks stretched their advantage to as many as 14 points in the fourth.

Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. left the game with a right ankle sprain midway through third quarter. Carter was driving to the basket when he landed on Powell's foot and rolled his ankle. The second-year player writhed in pain for a few moments before a small group including trainer Jeff Tanaka helped him off the floor. X-rays were negative, the Bulls reported.

Gafford, who rolled his ankle late in the first half, helped keep the Bulls afloat with his hustle on both ends of the floor. During one second-quarter sequence, he blocked a shot before slamming home a tip dunk off the backboard seconds later. Gafford finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks, and has blocked multiple shots in six of the past seven games.

Zach LaVine (20 points), Coby White (15) and Young (11) also were in double figures for Chicago. Markkanen and Young both finished one rebound shy of a double-double as the Bulls won the battle under the boards 45-43.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: LaVine, Bulls never trail in win over Grizzlies

Zach LaVine scored 25 points on 7-for-13 shooting, and the Chicago Bulls never trailed during a 106-99 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Wendell Carter Jr. scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season. Lauri Markkanen finished with 15 points, and Tomas Satoransky added 13 to go along with eight assists.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 32 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies. Jae Crowder and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 15 points apiece as Memphis lost for the eighth time in its past nine games.

The Bulls won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Memphis opened the fourth quarter on a 23-10 run to cut the deficit to 88-87 with 4:29 remaining. Crowder hit a 3-pointer from the right corner to draw the Grizzlies within a point and prompt a full timeout by the Bulls.

But Chicago responded with eight straight points to push the lead back to 96-87. LaVine hit a 3-pointer and a long jump shot, and Kris Dunn drained a 3-pointer to cap the run.

The Bulls led, 78-64, entering the fourth quarter.

The Grizzlies cut the deficit to six points when Crowder made a 3-pointer with 6:07 remaining in the frame. But Chicago regained a comfortable lead by finishing the quarter on a 17-9 run, including a last-second putback layup by Daniel Gafford.

Memphis missed its first 16 3-point attempts before Jackson finally hit one with 7:31 to go in the third quarter.

Chicago led by as many as 22 points in the first half and entered the intermission ahead, 50-35.

LaVine provided a punctuation mark during a dominant first half when he caught a lob pass from Satoransky from the top of the key and threw down a dunk. Grayson Allen gave chase a step behind LaVine but could not stop the alley-oop play.

The Grizzlies fell behind, 27-20, at the end of the first quarter. Bulls guard Ryan Arcidiacono drained a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded at the end of the session.

The Bulls scored the first seven points of the game and led, 13-2, before Memphis regrouped.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Harden scores 42 as Rockets wipe out Bulls

James Harden scored 42 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished nine assists, and the visiting Houston Rockets pulled away for a 117-94 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Russell Westbrook added 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting for Houston, which won its third game in a row. Danuel House Jr. recorded a game-high six steals to go along with 11 points, and Clint Capela finished with 16 points and 20 rebounds.

Wendell Carter Jr. had was among four players with 13 points to lead the Bulls. He also had 16 rebounds. Chandler Hutchison scored 13 in his first start of the season in place of Otto Porter Jr., who has a sprained left foot.

Lauri Markkanen and Thaddeus Young also added 13 points each.

The Rockets outscored the Bulls, 36-18, in the third quarter to turn a one-point edge into a lopsided lead.

Chicago followed a victory with a loss for the third time this season. The Bulls have yet to win back-to-back games.

Houston opened the third quarter on a 12-2 run to set the tone for the rest of the way. Westbrook started the outburst with a jump shot and a free throw, and Harden added to the run by making a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer. Capela contributed a layup before Westbrook made another basket on an assist by House.

By the start of the fourth quarter, the Rockets led by 18. The lead ballooned past 20 points when Harden made a 3-pointer with 6:58 remaining.

Houston held on to a 50-49 lead at the half. The Rockets led by six points with 1:25 to go before intermission, but the Bulls closed the gap, thanks to five straight points from Zach LaVine on a slam dunk and a 3-pointer.

Chicago led by as many as nine early in the second quarter after a dunk by Young. Houston answered with a 24-7 run to pull ahead, 46-38, with 4:14 left in the first half.

The Bulls built a 27-20 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Houston improved to 3-2 on the road this season. Chicago dropped to 1-3 on its home court.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: LaVine drops 37 as Bulls rally over Grizzlies

Zach LaVine scored 37 points, Coby White added 25 and the Chicago Bulls stormed back for a 110-102 win over the host Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

The Bulls trailed by as many as 14 points and did not get their first lead of the night until White hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 95-94 with 3:54 to go. 

Chicago outscored Memphis 63-42 during the second half.

Jaren Jackson Jr. posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead Memphis in its home opener. Teammate Jonas Valanciunas also notched a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards.

The Bulls ended the game on a 12-1 run in the final 2:17. White and LaVine made back-to-back layups to spark the outburst, as Tomas Satoransky and LaVine combined to go 6-for-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch.

After White's go-ahead 3-pointer, the Grizzlies regrouped to go up 101-98 with 2:29 remaining. Jae Crowder and Ja Morant made back-to-back shots to prompt a full timeout by Bulls coach Jim Boylen.

The Bulls closed the third quarter on a 9-2 run to pull within 81-79. White's basket with 2:17 to go in the quarter started the rally, and he added a driving layup and 3-pointer to account for all but two points during the run.

Memphis led 60-47 at the half thanks in part to a strong second quarter in which it outscored Chicago 31-22.

A floating jump shot by Shaquille Harrison pulled the Bulls within 29-27 in the first minute of the second quarter. But the Grizzlies quickly established a double-digit edge with a 9-1 run that included a jump shot and a 3-pointer from Marko Guduric, plus a 3-pointer and a free throw from Grayson Allen.

Brandon Clarke capped the first-half scoring with a layup with 22.7 seconds remaining.

Memphis posted a 56-45 advantage on the glass in a losing effort, including a 15-9 edge in offensive rebounds.

Grizzlies rookie Morant finished with 10 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals in his second NBA contest.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Chicago Bulls reach deal with Young

The Chicago Bulls reportedly agreed to a three-year, $41 million contract with forward Thaddeus Young on Sunday night.

Young, who played the last three seasons for the Indiana Pacers, agreed to the deal after the start of the NBA free agency period. Deals can officially be signed starting July 6.

Young tweeted about his new team with shout-outs to general manager Gar Forman, coach Jim Boylen and president of basketball operations John Paxson.

"What's up @chicagobulls ? Gar, Jim, and Pax thanks for opportunity to help build culture and get us back on track. Let's work," Young tweeted.

Young, 31, averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in 81 games for the Pacers.

He has career averages of 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 901 games (671 starts) over 12 seasons. Young has averaged in double digits in each of the past 11 campaigns.

--Field Level Media

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: LaVine scores 39, carries Bulls over 76ers

Zach LaVine's driving layup with 1.6 seconds left in the game lifted the Bulls to a 108-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday in Chicago.

Philadelphia had a chance to win after LaVine missed a free throw, but a lob into the paint intended for Jimmy Butler with was off the mark as the buzzer sounded.


Players walked off the floor but the officials convened and determined that Robin Lopez did not tip the ball and the clock erroneously started, giving Philadelphia a second chance.

Ben Simmons' inbound pass to Butler was fumbled and the Bulls finally earned the win to snap a two-game losing skid.

Butler made two free throws with 4.8 seconds left to give the 76ers a 107-106 lead. Chicago called timeout and LaVine drove the lane practically uncontested to score the winning basket after a defensive switch gone wrong. He was fouled by Mike Scott, but missed the free throw.

LaVine finished with 39 points on 14 of 26 from the field. He scored 24 of his points in the second half.

Robin Lopez recorded 19 points and nine rebounds. Otto Porter Jr. finished with 15 points and nine boards.

Butler scored 22 points to lead five Philadelphia players in double figures. Ben Simmons, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, compiled 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

The Sixers were playing without Joel Embiid, who missed his seventh straight game because of knee soreness. He could return on Friday when Philadelphia faces the Rockets in Houston.

The Sixers led 86-82 heading into the fourth quarter and opened an eight-point lead on a 3-pointer from James Ennis III.

The Bulls fought back and tied the game on a 24-foot 3-pointer by Porter with 2:44 left. The Sixers maintained the lead until Lopez's free throw with 17.1 seconds left gave the Bulls a 106-105 lead.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA:Thompson, Warriors blitz Bulls

Klay Thompson buried three consecutive 3-pointers in the first 70 seconds of the game Friday night as the Golden State Warriors ran away from the Chicago Bulls early on their way to a 146-109 victory in Oakland, California.

The win capped one of the highest-scoring, season-series sweeps in NBA history, with the Warriors having blown out the Bulls 149-124 in Chicago on Oct. 29.

No team had ever scored 149 and 146 points in a two-game season series against the Bulls in their franchise history.

Thompson, who broke the NBA record by making 14 3-pointers in the earlier meeting, hit 7 of 11 from beyond the arc in the rematch en route to a game-high 30 points.

He scored 52 points in the October game.

With Thompson leading the way, the Warriors scored 14 of the game's first 16 points and never looked back, rolling to a 31-8 lead and a 43-17 edge by the end of the first period.

Golden State was up 76-55 at halftime before coasting home for its third consecutive win.

Stephen Curry backed Thompson with 28 points and a game-high eight assists for the Warriors, and Kevin Durant added 22 points.

Curry's third of five 3-pointers in the game was the 2,283rd of his career, moving him past Jason Terry for third on the NBA all-time list behind Ray Allen (2,973) and Reggie Miller (2,560).

Thompson shot 10-for-18 overall, Curry 10-for-16 and Durant 7-for-11, leading the Warriors to a 57.6 percent shooting performance.

Backups Quinn Cook (15 points), Jordan Bell (13) and Marcus Derrickson (10) also scored in double figures for Golden State, which beat the Bulls for the fourth straight time.

Zach LaVine went for a team-high 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting for the Bulls, who were playing for the second time on a five-game Western trip.

Bobby Portis had 16 points, Antonio Blakeney 12 and Ryan Arcidiacono 10 for Chicago, which shot 44.9 percent. The Bulls lost their sixth game in a row.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Thunder's Schroder, Felton handed 1-game suspensions

The scuffle between the Chicago Bulls and the Thunder on Monday led to larger repercussions for Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

The NBA announced one-game suspensions for Thunder guards Dennis Schroder and Raymond Felton in response to them leaving the bench area during the third-quarter fight that spilled into the stands.

League executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe also announced a $25,000 fine for Bulls center Robin Lopez and a $20,000 fine for Thunder forward Jerami Grant, both for escalating the altercation. 

Bulls guard Kris Dunn was fined $15,000 for instigating the incident by shoving Thunder guard Russell Westbrook.

Schroder and Felton both were set to miss Oklahoma City's Wednesday night road game against the Sacramento Kings. The punishment will cost Schroder $182,353 and Felton $29,194.

Dunn, Lopez, Grant and Westbrook received technical fouls in the immediate aftermath of the melee. Lopez was ejected after a subsequent incident in which he was given a second technical foul.

Schroder, 25, is averaging 16.6 points, 4.7 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game this season. Felton, 34, has averages of 4.8 points, 1.8 assists and 1.5 rebounds.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

George, Westbrook help Thunder roll past Bulls

Paul George scored 24 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-96 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

George scored 16 points in the final 4:47 of the second quarter as the Thunder closed the quarter on a 23-7 run to seize control of the game.

It looked like Oklahoma City had done that earlier, when a 21-3 run in the first quarter brought it from down five to up 13 before Chicago fought its way back in.

Russell Westbrook had 13 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists for his 111th career triple-double as the Thunder won for the second consecutive game. Steven Adams added 19 and Dennis Schroder 18.

George scored only one point in the second half.

Westbrook capped off the triple-double with his 10th assist with 6:33 remaining as he bounced a pass to Hamidou Diallo in the lane and Diallo finished with a reverse layup as he was fouled by Chandler Hutchison.

Westbrook also added five steals. The Thunder have forced 49 turnovers in the last two games after Chicago gave the ball up 23 times Monday.

Lauri Markkanen led the Bulls with 16 points and a season-high 15 rebounds. Bobby Portis added 16 points as well.

The Bulls were without leading scorer Zach LaVine for the second consecutive game.

Late in the third quarter, a skirmish broke out as Chicago's Cameron Payne was being called for a foul on Terrance Ferguson.

Nearby, Westbrook and Kris Dunn traded pushes, leading to an altercation between the teams that brought Bulls coach Jim Boylen over in front of the Thunder bench and led to Robin Lopez being restrained in the front row between the bench and the scorer's table after he got tangled up with Jerami Grant.

After a review, Westbrook and Grant were assessed technicals for the Thunder while Lopez and Dunn were given technicals for Chicago.

Lopez was ejected less than three minutes later after picking up another technical foul.

The Bulls, who were coming off a win over San Antonio, have yet to win back-to-back games this season.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Celtics hand Bulls worst loss in franchise history

Daniel Theis scored a career-high 22 points and Boston opened the game with 17 consecutive points while rolling to an easy 133-77 victory over the host Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Jaylen Brown scored a team-best 23 points off the bench and Jayson Tatum made all four 3-point attempts while scoring 18 points as the Celtics won their season-best fifth straight contest. 

Terry Rozier added 15 points, Kyrie Irving and Semi Ojeleye each scored 13 and Marcus Morris tallied 12 for Boston.

Shaquille Harrison scored a career-best 20 points, Zach LaVine added 11 and Cameron Payne had 10 for the Bulls, who have lost eight of their last nine. The franchise-worst 56-point defeat occurred in Jim Boylen's third game as coach after replacing the fired Fred Hoiberg.

Boston was 22 of 43 from 3-point range as Brown, Ojeleye and Rozier each knocked down three. The Celtics shot 53.8 percent overall.

Theis collected a season-best 10 rebounds to help Boston record a 54-37 rebounding edge. He had an increased role with Al Horford scratched due to a knee injury.

The Bulls shot 38.3 percent and were 6 of 24 from 3-point range.

Chicago missed its first 11 field-goal attempts while the Celtics were scoring the first 17 points. Morris' dunk with 6:12 left capped the burst for Boston.

Jabari Parker's two free throws with 5:42 to play were the Bulls' first points and Robin Lopez's basket 36 seconds later was the team's first field goal.

The Celtics held a 20-point lead on Gordon Hayward's 3-point with 33.1 seconds left before settling for a 35-17 advantage.

Boston led 43-21 early in the second quarter after Rozier drained a 3-pointer with 9:47 left in the half. LaVine's 3-point play moved Chicago within 48-33 with 6:17 to play but Marcus Smart knocked down a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to give the Celtics a 64-43 halftime lead.

The assault continued in the third quarter as Boston pushed the lead over 30 for the time when Irving buried a 3-pointer to make it 83-51 with 5:41 left. The margin was 34 two-plus minutes later on Brown's basket and the Celtics closed the quarter with a 93-60 lead.

The lead topped 40 for the first time when Brown drained a 3-pointer to make it 109-67 with 8:19 remaining.

Brown also did the honors to push the lead over 50 when he connected on a 3-pointer to make it 125-73 with 3:12 to play.

Boston's biggest lead was 58 points.

source: news.abs-cbn.com