Liberty Links: Oscar Robertson backs Russell Westbrook for NBA MVP

Happy Thursday! After last night’s defeat, #TheLastLoss, against the Knicks, the Sixers secured the fourth spot in the lottery standings all to their own. The Magic’s win over the Pistons drops them to fifth, while the Kings locked themselves into the eighth spot after losing to the Clippers. Here’s to not having to worry about crazy lottery scenarios anymore. To the links!

NBA Final Score: Sixers WIN by losing to the Knicks, 114-113

Philadelphia Eagles bigwig writer Brandon Lee Gowton had the pleasure of recapping #TheLastLoss. We’re living in a world where Maurice Ndour’s made free throw could change the course of the franchise’s history. There’s no other world I’d rather live in.

Oscar Robertson endorses Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook for MVP

After breaking Oscar Robertson’s record of 42 triple-doubles in a single season on Sunday and becoming the first player to average a triple-double in a season since Robertson accomplished that feat, Russell Westbrook got the ultimate stamp of approval from Robertson last night. The Big O led an “M-V-P” chant for Westbrook ahead of the Thunder’s home game as part of a ceremony to honor Westbrook’s historic numbers this year.

It’s worth nothing, however, that Robertson finished third in MVP voting in 1962 when he averaged a triple-double, coming in behind MVP winner Bill Russell and runner-up Wilt Chamberlain.

Book: LeBron, Westbrook and CP3 Have ‘Disdain’ for Stephen Curry

Bay Area News Group writer Marcus Thompson released Golden, a biography on Steph Curry, yesterday. The release of books like this, much like Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin’s Return of the King this week, always come with some juicy tidbits to get people to buy the book. One notable bit from Thompson’s work: several stars around the league have “disdain” for Curry. Here’s what Thompson had to say to The Big Lead’s Jason McIntyre about it:

There’s a thing with [Curry] and LeBron that’s a little weird. There was a time when LeBron and Steph were big brother and little brother and LeBron was like a mentor.

He was a big fan of Steph, went to games at Davison, and even when [Curry] got to the NBA, they had moments where LeBron was looking at him like, ‘wow’ and then Steph kind of challenged LeBron’s status. The part that’s odd for Steph – why does that mean there has to be beef between us? He loves LeBron and respects LeBron, and he’s like, ‘because the outside world is pitting us together, why do you and I have to now have this disdain between us, I thought we were cool? … that’s the question that’s in Curry’s mind and Curry’s camp. Why do you not like me when all I did was basically respect everything you did, and follow the model you carried out? … it’s not just with LeBron … Steph wants to be accepted by all these guys. this is what he worked for. For [them] to say, ‘you’re one of us.’ It seems like they don’t want to give that to him.

This obviously makes the possible Cavaliers-Warriors Finals rubber match just that more intriguing.

Moe Harkless had a clause worth $500,000 in his contract this year if he shot 35 percent from three

Coming into last night’s game against the Pelicans, Trailblazers forward and former Sixers draftee Moe Harkless was shooting 35.1 percent on 194 attempts from three this season. If he stayed above 35 percent, he got a fat $500,000 bonus. Harkless, the smart man that he is, didn’t attempt a three in this meaningless game when the Blazers were already locked into the eight seed in the Western Conference. Just one missed three would’ve left him at 34.8 percent for the year. All I’m left wondering is one thing:

How could you be Moe Harkless?!?

Draft declarations - DraftExpress

DX has a comprehensive list of who’s in and who’s out for June’s draft. Here are some notable recent names to declare:

Aaron Holiday, PG, UCLA

Zach Collins, PF, Gonzaga

Thomas Bryant, C, Indiana

Dillon Brooks, F, Oregon