![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767942068_240_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
CHICAGO GAME CALLED OFF FOR … CONDENSATION?<\/p>\n
In a very unique development, the Chicago Bulls\u2019 home matchup with the Miami Heat on Friday has been postponed due to condensation on the United Center court. <\/p>\n
In what\u2019s been described as \u201ctruly bizarre scenes\u201d in the Windy City, Bulls-Heat, which was meant to tip at 12.00pm AEDT, was delayed as stadium crews worked to \u201cclean the court from condensation caused by the torrential downpours outside, warmer temps and high humidity levels\u201d. <\/p>\n
After almost two hours of waiting around, it was confirmed that the game would be played at a later date due to the inclement conditions. <\/p>\n
It hasn\u2019t yet been made clear when the sides will reconvene. <\/p>\n
Chicago entered at 17-20 \u2014 on a three-game losing streak \u2014 while it was supposed to be the second in a four-game trip for the Heat, who entered 20-17. <\/p>\n
The Bulls said in an official statement: \u201cTonight\u2019s game has officially been postponed due to court conditions. The game will be made up at a later date, and tickets from tonight\u2019s game will be valid for the rescheduled game. We apologise for any inconvenience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Second-year guard Furphy\u2019s positive play came in a meeting with fellow countryman Josh Green as the travelling Pacers beat the Charlotte Hornets to snap a whopping 13-game losing streak. <\/p>\n
The 21-year-old former second-round pick took another promising step as he continues to emerge in the Pacers\u2019 rotation, again getting the start in the continued absence of injured guard Ben Mathurin. <\/p>\n
Furphy finished with a modest seven points on just three shots, but he added six rebounds, two assists and a block as he continues to show genuine three-and-D promise at the top level. <\/p>\n
And Furphy wasn\u2019t shying away in the early going, driving to the basket with purpose and drawing a foul. <\/p>\n
\u201cI love it. I really like seeing these guys stay aggressive,\u201d Pacers broadcast analyst Quinn Buckner said. <\/p>\n
\u201c(Furphy\u2019s) confidence is such that he\u2019s willing to take that risk (drive to the basket in traffic).\u201d<\/p>\n
The Australian had five points to his name in his first nine minutes on the court, also draining a three-pointer to help Indiana build a lead. <\/p>\n
Green, meanwhile, canned a three-pointer of his own during his initial stint on the floor. <\/p>\n
Furphy played three minutes in the second quarter but was pulled back to the bench after committing a shooting foul. <\/p>\n
Returning in the third period, the Kansas University product made an impressive hustle play that drew plaudits, grabbing two offensive rebounds \u2014 despite getting blocked on his first putback attempt \u2014 and getting fouled on his second attempt at the rim. <\/p>\n
\u201cLove the effort,\u201d Buckner said in reaction as the six-foot-eight guard took his tallies to seven points and four rebounds. <\/p>\n
Furphy played six minutes in the fourth quarter as things got tense \u2014 with the margin never increasing past four points in that time \u2014 before he exited at the four-minute mark. <\/p>\n
Furphy, who attended Canberra\u2019s Australian Institute of Sport, didn\u2019t add to his modest stat-line in that span, but simply being on the court in a clutch stretch is a clear sign of head coach Rick Carlisle\u2019s trust in the Aussie.<\/p>\n
He was then put in the game for Charlotte\u2019s final possession as it looked to tie or win the game, with Furphy trusted to play a key defensive role to help close out the visitors\u2019 triumph. <\/p>\n
Hornets guard Collin Sexton missed a game-tying jump shot, and Furphy got front position on his opponent to snatch the crucial rebound as time expired, denying the possibility of a Charlotte putback attempt to seal the result. <\/p>\n
Green, meantime, finished with three points on three shots in 18 minutes of action off the bench. <\/p>\n
NBA Wrap: Luka and Lebron combine | 01:59<\/p>\n
The Melburnian played in the injured Mathurin\u2019s place against the Cleveland Cavaliers two nights ago, logging 31 minutes. <\/p>\n
He scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a hard-fought outing that was headlined by an eye-opening breakaway slam in transition. <\/p>\n
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle admitted post-game he \u201cprobably should have played him more in the 2nd half.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked why Furphy got the start, Carlisle added: \u201cHe is starting because of how hard he plays. And that he does rebound and runs and goes hard and does things in our system that are very important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, fellow Australian guard Tyrese Proctor was a DNP-Coach\u2019s Decision in the Cleveland Cavaliers\u2019 131-122 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz edged the Dallas Mavericks at home, 116-114. <\/p>\n
GIANNIS PUTS BUCKS TRADE RUMOURS TO BED: \u2018I\u2019M LOCKED IN\u2019<\/p>\n
Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to insist that he has not demanded a trade out of Milwaukee and that he is \u201clocked in\u201d to play for the Bucks. <\/p>\n
Antetokounmpo, 31, reaffirmed his position in an interview with The Athletic that was published on Friday amid the ongoing speculation over his future with the Bucks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, \u2018I want a trade,\u2019 \u201d Antetokounmpo told the outlet. \u201cThat\u2019s not \u2026 in \u2026 my \u2026 nature. OK?\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bucks have not engaged with other NBA teams regarding a possible trade, though it was previously reported that the team had talks with the Knicks over the summer about a possible deal. The two sides never really got anywhere, however.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I wanna win games. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe last six games we\u2019ve played, we\u2019re 4-2. We have a lot of games in front of us. I\u2019m locked the f\u2014k in. I\u2019m locked in. My priority is just staying healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bucks superstar also told the outlet that his plan was to be in Milwaukee for the rest of his career and insisted that \u201cI\u2019m not the one in charge. I am an employee.\u201d<\/p>\n
Antetokounmpo does still hold considerable cards at the table in the situation in Milwaukee, where he\u2019ll be eligible for a sizable extension on Oct. 1. He also has an opt-out clause for the summer of 2027 as part of his current deal. <\/p>\n
During the lengthy interview, Antetokounmpo told The Athletic that he was \u201c1 million per cent\u201d committed to \u201cmy teammates, to my craft, to this team and to this city.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 with Christian Arnold, NY Post<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Australian guard Johnny Furphy grabbed a crucial rebound to seal the Indiana Pacers\u2019 skid-breaking 114-112 win over the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":401450,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2095,64,63,143312,80784,213430,213439,73337,5670,153136,17603,213437,10855,213435,800,213441,5330,213438,7221,213431,3231,213444,196484,213436,108311,7232,5332,5130,2041,31659,2067,134411,203358,213432,213443,213445,213433,213440,213434,14056,12837,213442,181332,85,3370,17602,2535,2614,91338,12216],"class_list":["post-401449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-america","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-guard","tag-australian-institute-of-sport","tag-ben-mathurin","tag-bucks-trade","tag-charlotte","tag-charlotte-hornets","tag-clear-sign","tag-cleveland-cavaliers","tag-clutch-stretch","tag-collin-sexton","tag-crucial-rebound","tag-espn-inc","tag-final-possession","tag-head-coach","tag-impressive-hustle-play","tag-indiana-pacers","tag-initial-stint","tag-jack-jovanovski","tag-johnny-furphy-stats","tag-josh-green","tag-kansas-university","tag-key-defensive-role","tag-los-angeles-lakers","tag-losing-streak","tag-milwaukee","tag-north-america","tag-north-carolina","tag-northern-america","tag-offensive-rebounds","tag-opt-out-clause","tag-pacers-head-coach","tag-positive-play","tag-possible-deal","tag-possible-trade","tag-putback-attempt","tag-quinn-buckner","tag-rick-carlisle","tag-san-antonio","tag-shooting-foul","tag-six-foot-eight-guard","tag-sports","tag-texas","tag-toronto-raptors","tag-trade-rumours","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-win-games","tag-wisconsin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=401449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/401450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=401449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=401449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=401449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}