New York Yankees’ retires Derek Jeter’s No. 2 in style, James Harden and the Houston Rockets exit the NBA Playoffs, Jeremy racism experiences in basketball

NBA Playoffs Update

What happened to James Harden?

We are into the Conference Finals round of the NBA Playoffs, and before we talk about where we are right now, let's step back a minute and ask what happened to Houston Rockets guard James Harden. The MVP candidate gave an atrocious effort in Game 6 and an elimination game against the Spurs. Are we being too hard on Harden or is all of the criticism warranted?

NBA Playoffs Final Four

The NBA playoffs are now down to four teams. What can we expect in the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Finals?

Big Ballin’

The three shoe giants, Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour, did not offer a shoe deal to NBA prospect Lonzo Ball. Ball's father, LaVar Ball, vowed to have a Lonzo Ball sneaker made. He succeeded and the ZO2 Primer hit the open market to the tune of $495. While some balked at the price, LaVar tweeted “If you can’t afford the ZO2s, you’re NOT a BIG BALLER!”

Will the shoe be a flop? Will people be on the LaVar train if his son Lonzo Ball turns out to be a “Bog Baller” in the NBA?

Rapper Future’s Fans Start a Mother’s Day Squabble

This past week was Mother’s Day and Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, posted a sweet Mother’s Day note on Instagram to his wife, Ciara, and rapper Future’s fans came for Wilson’s head and fans of Wilson and Ciara clapped back. Here’s what the note said:

“Nothing better than spending time with you. You are an amazing mom & I'm so grateful I get to spend the rest of my life with you & raising our kids. I love you! #HappyMothersDay Weekend my love. @Ciara

People objected to Wilson saying “our kids.” Should Wilson have not said, “our”? Are those who objected to Wilson stating “our kids” out of line?

Volkswagen at the New York International Auto Show

Nikolai Jackson from our social media team delivered another new car video from the New York International Auto Show and this time it’s from Volkswagen.

New York Sports Report

New York Yankees

The Yankees retired future Baseball Hall of Famer shortstop Derek Jeter’s No. 2.

New York Mets

The Matt Harvey apology tour was in full effect this past week.

As if things couldn't get any worse for the NY Mets' pitching staff, the club announced that closer Jeurys Familia would be out of the lineup due to an anterior blood clot in his right shoulder.

Doctors say that Familia should be able to throw again in six weeks with a return to competition in about 3-4 months.

Brooklyn Nets' Jeremy Lin on Racism in Basketball

Jeremy Lin, the Nets guard, made some headlines recently when he mentioned that the racial slurs he heard in college were much worse than what he has had to deal with while playing in the NBA.

On The Bench

In view of the Brooklyn Nets guard, Jeremy Lin’s, story about the racism that he encountered in college, I am putting the NCAA and the NCAA's referees on the bench for allowing known racism to persist on the court and within the association.

When referees and coaches know that someone is being racially profiled, they have a responsibility to quash the activity.

Stephen Curry may miss Game 3 against the Houston Rockets in NBA playoffs; Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel fall again, will they ever see the NFL again?

In this episode of What's The 411Sports recorded on April 19, 2016, What's The 411Sports hosts Keisha Wilson and Mike McDonald are talking about the:

NBA Playoffs 2016;
Stephen Curry's ankle injury;
NBA Board of Governors decision to place brand logos on players' jerseys;
The NBA Draft chase by high school graduate, Thon Maker;
Los Angeles Rams - Tennessee Titans trade;
Seattle Seahawks' social media cupcake schedule promo;
Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel's latest falls from grace;
Kenny Atkinson is the Brooklyn Nets new head coach
New York Knicks and its coaching dilemma
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom’s stressful week

Upcoming sports events are:

• The NBA playoffs continue.......
• Yanks host the Rays for a weekend series 4/22-4/24
• The Mets visit the struggling Atlanta Braves 4/22-4/24

Disastrous 3rd Quarter Dooms Nets, Playoff Upset Hopes Dashed with 4-2 Series Loss

Unfortunately for the Brooklyn Nets, their Game 7 has come a game early.

Down 3-2 in their 1st-round series against the Atlanta Hawks in this year’s NBA Playoffs, the Nets returned home, hosting the Atlanta Hawks for their Game 6, a possible closeout-game for the away team.

Earlier in this series when the Nets backs were against the wall, they delivered. Down 2-0, the Nets tied this series up winning the next two games at home, highlighted by a 35-point outburst from Deron Williams in Game 4.

But the Nets failed to win a pivotal Game 5, on the road and here we are.

The Nets season is on the line and to force a Game 7, the Nets have no choice but to lay it all on the line like a Game 7 and Friday night, they failed to do so.

The Hawks had their way with the Nets all game long en route to a 111-87 win, advancing to the second round to challenge the Washington Wizards, eliminating the Nets from the post-season.

In tonight's contest, Paul Millsap led all scorers for the Hawks with 25 points (6 assists and 9 rebs) accompanied by DeMarre Carroll and Kyle Korver, who found success consistently, both scoring 20 each.

As far as the Nets are concerned, as a team, this game got away from them in the 3rd quarter alone, which sealed their fate early in the second half.

The Hawks scored the first seven points of the 3rd, extending what was a 51-45, six-point half-time lead to a 14-point, 59-45 lead, forcing a Nets timeout, through the first two minutes of the quarter.

Deron Williams would answer with a trey, cutting the deficit to 11, 59-48, with less than nine minutes remaining in the quarter and then the Hawks retaliated with yet another run.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams

"When it started happening (Hawks run), I called a time out," Hollins said post-game.

"Then I called another time-out and you could just see they had the wave of momentum that they weren't going to let up."

Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll would hit back-to-back three's and Al Horford would sink two consecutive buckets generating a 10-0 run, which ballooned their double-digit lead to 21, 69-48, forcing the second Nets timeout of the quarter in less than three minutes.

And that 21-point lead continued to 26, as the Hawks shot 57.4% from the field in the 3rd alone, shutting out the Nets who struggled to keep up with the no.1 seeded Hawks, shooting 37.5%.

In addition to their shooting woes, the Nets had a hard time taking care of the ball, committing five turnovers which aided the Hawks in scoring quick, easy baskets, contributing to their runs in the 3rd, routing the Nets in the process.

"The thing that's been killing us turnovers," said Joe Johnson. "Each and every game, no matter what game, and especially again tonight, at the start of the third quarter we started off with three or four turnovers and they go on a 12-0 run. We never bounced back from that."

Brooklyn Nets shooting guard, Joe Johnson

The runs, early in the 3rd quarter by the Hawks sucked the life out of the Nets, and created a deficit that the home team was unable to cope with and the pace of the game, without a doubt favored the visiting Hawks.

"We gotta stay being true to who we are and that's playing house basketball," said Carroll post-game.

"That's getting up and down the court, and I think Jeff Teague did a good job of that even though he didn't score tonight."

And they didn't need him to.

Teague distributed the ball like a true floor general, collecting 13 assists, helping three Hawks to score 20+ points, almost four in Horford who finished with 18 points.

The Nets on the other hand, didn't have a 35-point D-Will performance to lean on and as a team, lacked one 20-point scorer which defined their offense tonight.

It wasn't there.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 19 points, followed by 13 from Williams and 12 by Johnson.

The Nets entered the final quarter down by 26-points, and with an uphill battle ahead of them, waved the white flag within time.

At the 4:40 minute mark in the 4th, Hollins called a timeout subbing in Jerome Jordan, Darius Morris and Earl Clark for Williams, Johnson and Mason Plumlee and you didn't need a basketball analyst to know that this Nets season has come to a close.

Those subs were drowned out by the boos that filled the Barclays Center and to begin the quarter the PA announcer didn't even bother addressing the crowd, a home-game ritual where he asks Brooklyn to stand-up.

It wouldn't have helped.

The Hawks were focused and the Nets couldn't match the level of play necessary to force a Game 7.

"They were the better team and they showed it in the last game here," Hollins said during his post-game press conference which is the painful truth.

Only three teams in NBA history have successfully upset a no.1 team in the NBA playoffs (94 Nuggets, 99 Knicks, 07 Warriors) and like father time, history is undefeated also.

In closing, Hollins reflected on the season expressing his gratitude to the players he's coached and also shared his thoughts on the immediate future.

"We'll have to collect our thoughts and get ready for the summer," Hollins said.

"It is an important summer for our young players. We're going to attend two summer leagues and try to get some of our internal players better, then I'll get with Billy [King] and our front office and we'll talk about other needs."

And those comments capped off a frustrating season leading into what could be an interesting off-season for the home-team, but most importantly there's always next year.

Disastrous 3rd Quarter Dooms Nets, Playoff Upset Hopes Dashed with 4-2 Series Loss