Only for Guild Members » night in Philadelphia

Adam Silver has encouraged the Philadelphia 76ers to both quickly and thoroughly resolve the investigation into whether team president Bryan Colangelo used Twitter inappropriately Albert Wilson Jersey Elite , a story that the NBA commissioner acknowledged was not one he wants to be thinking about during the league’s title series.

Silver, speaking Thursday before Game 1 of the Cleveland-Golden State matchup at the NBA Finals news conference, said he has talked with 76ers officials after the story about five Twitter accounts and how they were used was broken by The Ringer earlier this week.

”Here we are, Game 1 of the finals, it’s not necessarily something that we want to be talking about,” Silver said. ”But it’s the reality of this league. And so I have no information beyond that, other than that investigation is underway.”

The 76ers retained an independent law firm to determine whether Colangelo used the Twitter accounts. The situation could overshadow Philadelphia’s efforts this summer to land any of the top players who will be free agents – a list that includes LeBron James, who’s appearing in the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive year.

Among the targets of harsh or critical comments on those Twitter accounts: Philadelphia players Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz, former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie, Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri and former Sixers players Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. Embiid has said he does not believe that Colangelo wrote the tweets, dismissing the story as ”insane.”

Colangelo has acknowledged using one of the accounts to monitor NBA happenings.

”Let’s find out what’s going on,” Silver said. ”We have to separate the chatter and sort of what either fans or frankly the media are saying from the facts. The first thing we have to do here is determine what the actual facts are in this circumstance.”

Silver touched on many other topics in his annual address, including:

SPORTS BETTING

There will be wagering on Game 3 of the NBA Finals, at least in Delaware casinos.

That state’s officials have announced that full-scale sports betting will begin there at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday , one day before the series between Golden State and Cleveland shifts to the Cavaliers‘ home floor.

Delaware is the first state to take advantage of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that now permits states to allow sports wagering. Delaware has been permitted to offer parlay wagers on NFL games since 2009, and has had sports betting legislation on its books for nearly a decade. Other states are trying to follow suit quickly.

The NBA has told states it is seeking a 1 percent cut of betting Authentic Frank Ragnow Jersey , which it is calling an ”integrity fee” to help offset the costs of enforcement incurred by the league office and also to serve as a royalty.

”The real issue as we move to new jurisdictions that are legalizing sports betting is access to information,” Silver said. ”That’s one of the things we have sought in model legislation … and so what we can do is going to depend in large part on the quality of the information we can get from these states.”

Silver said the NBA game is the league’s ”intellectual property, and we think we should be compensated for it.”

STERLING BROWN

Silver has seen the footage of police using a Taser on Milwaukee guard Sterling Brown during an incident outside a Walgreens store in January, one that started over a parking violation.

”I saw the video for the first time when the public saw it,” Silver said. ”It’s horrific. For any of us, regardless of the fact that he’s an NBA player, it was difficult to watch. It’s painful.”

An officer approached Brown for illegal parking, called for backup and six squads responded. Silver said has also had conversations with the player’s father, Chris Brown, a Chicago police officer for many years.

”It’s a reality in our country right now that there’s a disconnect often between young people of color especially and police officers – incidentally black and white,” Silver said. ”And one of the things the league has undertaken, led in many ways by our players and by our leading players, has been defined ways to build bridges in communities to create dialogue directly between young people and police officers.”

Silver said some NBA teams have had meetings with police in various communities, trying to improve relations.

EXPANSION

Silver said there are no plans for expansion, though lauded the success of the NHL’s first-year Vegas Golden Knights – who are in the Stanley Cup final against the Washington Capitals.

He also congratulated Ted Leonsis, who owns both the Capitals and the NBA’s Wizards.

”Invariably Jordan Howard Jersey , it’s only natural for any business to grow and expand at some point,” Silver said.

—

Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid certainly aren’t acting like playoff first-timers, and JJ Redick provided the veteran leadership that Philadelphia so desperately needed.

The 76ers might very well be the NBA’s team of the future.

And that future might be starting sooner than many envisioned.

Simmons was the first rookie to since Magic Johnson in 1980 to have a playoff triple-double, Redick led Philadelphia with 24 points and the 76ers moved one win from the second round by topping the Miami Heat 106-102 on Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

”I’m shocked that we won this game,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said. ”We really didn’t have a right to win the game.”

Here’s why he said that: His team turned the ball over 27 times, shot 7 for 31 from 3-point range and trailed by 12 late in the third quarter in an extremely hostile environment against a desperate opponent.

Despite it all, the 76ers were unfazed.

Philadelphia turned a 10-point deficit into a seven-point lead with a 19-2 run that ended midway through the fourth quarter, then absorbed the best shot Dwyane Wade could throw at the 76ers in the final minutes before heading home with a chance to close the Heat out in Game 5 on Tuesday.

Wade led all scorers with 25 points off the Heat bench, 12 of them coming in the fourth. But it wasn’t enough.

”They don’t let you off the hook,” Wade said, tipping his cap to the 76ers. ”You make one mistake, or you take your foot off the gas for one second, they make you pay.”

Wade doesn’t have a contract for next season. He’s said if he plays, he’ll be back with Miami – though there’s no guarantees.

And that means Saturday might have been his last home game in a Heat uniform. If he knows what the future holds, he didn’t offer any hints.

”I’m focused on the next game, trying to win that one Jihad Ward Jersey ,” Wade said.

Simmons became the first rookie since Magic Johnson in 1980 to post a playoff triple-double – 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists. Joel Embiid finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for Philadelphia.

”We took care of business,” Embiid said.

Wade carried the comeback effort, with the Heat down six and less than 2 minutes left. His three-point play cut the margin in half and his next two field goals got Miami within one each time.

The Heat got no closer.

Goran Dragic scored 20, James Johnson had 15 and Hassan Whiteside finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, which now needs to pull off some history. The Heat have erased a 3-1 deficit only once, in 1997 against New York.

”We all feel that we’re this close,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, holding his thumb and index finger maybe a millimeter apart. ”That’s what makes this game tough. They made bigger plays than us in the fourth quarter.”

Miami held slim leads at the half – 2-0 in players who went to the locker room injured, 4-0 in stitches received, 61-56 on the scoreboard.

A wild scene was the story of the second quarter. Philadelphia’s Dario Saric was driving from the right wing and had his dribble knocked away by Justise Winslow, and four players wound up on the floor as they went for the loose ball. Josh Richardson took the worst of it, getting slammed into by Embiid. Richardson stayed down for more than a minute, eventually getting helped to his feet and to the Miami locker room.

Hardly anyone noticed.

All eyes were on the other end, where Dragic was shoved to the floor by Robert Covington. James Johnson – a black belt and MMA fighter – took exception and went toward Covington Josh Ferguson Jersey , so Simmons came in for a few words.

”He was protecting his guy,” Covington said of Johnson.

”Physical, competitive basketball,” Spoelstra called it all.

The 76ers kept hitting Miami in the second half too, albeit on the scoreboard. And now Tuesday awaits, with Philadelphia – coming off a Super Bowl title and Villanova’s NCAA crown – on the brink of another celebration.

”We’ve got to finish it,” Simmons said.

TIP-INS

76ers: Embiid went out for a play in the fourth quarter without his mask, drawing a foul, then getting the mask back on. … Philadelphia finished with 27 turnovers, 17 of those in the first half – after not having more than 14 in any of the first three games of the series.

Heat: Winslow needed four stitches and Richardson bruised his left shoulder in the second-quarter physicality. … Richardson had a Heat playoff record seven steals. … Miami started 1 for 6 from the foul line, and finished 13 for 25.

REBOUND ROUT

Philadelphia dominated the backboards, 57-43 and extending possessions time and time again with 17 offensive rebounds.

SECOND HALVES

Philadelphia has outscored Miami after halftime in all four games: 74-43 in Game 1, 61-57 in Game 2, 65-44 in Game 3 and 50-41 on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

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