NBA teams
Jovan Buha, ESPN.com Editor 6y

The top social media moments from Week 2 of the NBA playoffs

NBA, Los Angeles Lakers

Last week was the week of beefs in the NBA. From rivals to teammates to celebrities, shots were taken and shade was thrown. The roasting never stopped as the focus shifted to the postseason, and we kept track of it all.

Here are the top social moments from the past week (April 16-23):

Lakers' roast wars wage on

The young Los Angeles Lakers have become the most entertaining group of players to follow on social media. Their season-long Instagram and Twitter battles have extended into the offseason, with Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart at the center of it all.

In fact, they were so active on social media this week that we could pick only their three best moments and had to relegate the rest to honorable mentions.

Among those honorable mentions: Julius Randle calling out Hart for talking too much on team plane rides. Kuzma rubbing it in Ball's and Hart's faces that he's among the finalists for #BestStyle for the NBA's fan-voted awards. Kuzma challenging Ball to make a better album than Nas, who reportedly will be releasing his next album on June 15.

At the beginning of week, Ball celebrated his first win in Fortnite by screaming and waking up his girlfriend on his Instagram post. After seeing tweets about Ball's first victory, Hart -- who plays as much Fortnite as any NBA player -- claimed he's Ball's "proud father."

Later that day, Hart called himself the king of Fortnite on Twitter. Kuzma, seeing a prime opportunity to strike, made a play on words with Hart's brag, calling him "Josh Fartnite."

Hart followed that up by telling everyone to leave him alone on Friday because J. Cole's new album, "KOD," was being released. Kuzma, once again smelling blood, roasted Hart for trying to look cool.

Kuzma definitely won the week among the Baby Lakers.

Eric Bledsoe doesn't know who Terry Rozier is

After Game 1 of Boston's first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Celtics guard Terry Rozier accidentally referred to Eric Bledsoe as "Drew Bledsoe," the former NFL quarterback.

Eric Bledsoe took offense to Rozier's remark and, when asked about Rozier after Game 2, pretended he didn't know who Rozier was.

"Who?" Bledsoe said when asked if he takes his matchup with Rozier personally. "I don't even know who the f--- that is."

What made matters worse for Bledsoe was that, through the first two games of the series, Rozier had badly outplayed Bledsoe. When relayed Bledsoe's remarks, Rozier decided to not engage further. "I'm not feeding into that," Rozier told ESPN.

Bledsoe doubled down on his disrespect at practice ahead of Game 3, again claiming he didn't know Rozier's name.

It isn't wise to talk trash when you're being outplayed and trailing in a playoff series. But Bledsoe backed up his talk in Game 3, outperforming Rozier and helping lead the Bucks to a dominant 116-92 win. With the Bucks winning Game 4 and extending this series to at least six games, here's hoping this isn't the last we hear of this (one-sided) beef.

Drake and the Wizards trade shots

Drake has been known to get into it with Toronto Raptors opponents while sitting in his courtside seats, including former NBA star and ESPN analyst Paul Pierce while he was with the Washington Wizards during the 2015 postseason. After the Wizards pulled off an upset and swept the series, Pierce took to social media to roast Drake. So there's history here.

During the Raptors' 130-119 win over the Wizards in Game 2 on April 17, Drake posted an Instagram story telling John Wall, "John, you're getting bodied by 20 [points] tonight."

Later in the same game, Drake was caught on camera calling Kelly Oubre Jr. a "bum" as he ran by.

Following the game, Oubre took the high road when asked about Drake's comment, saying he's friends with Drake and adding that the two hang out around Los Angeles throughout the summer.

Like the Bucks, the Wizards rallied to win Games 3 and 4 at home to even their first-round series -- and not without taking a couple of shots back at Drake on their JumboTron.

As the series shifts back to Toronto, Wall said that Drake said the Raptors would sweep the Wizards and that he was supposed to come to D.C. to attend Game 3 but never showed. Game 5 is Wednesday, and we can't wait.

Kevin Hart gives Dwyane Wade the motivation he needs

Dwyane Wade turned back the clock in the Miami Heat's Game 2 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 28 points, the most he had put up in a playoff game since 2016. During his postgame interview, Wade credited actor/comedian Kevin Hart, who was courtside cheering on his hometown Sixers, for motivating him.

"Kevin Hart," Wade said. "Thank Kevin Hart for that."

Hart clapped back on Twitter, saying the series was far from over.

Wade flexed his power as one of the most influential figures in Miami, announcing Hart wasn't welcome in his city.

When one fan suggested that Wade was dissing Allen Iverson, who was sitting near Hart, Wade clarified his target.

KD 'accidentally' likes an Instagram comment dissing Russ

Kevin Durant has had a rough time with social media over the past year, dating back to when Twitter figured out he had a burner account to reply to haters. Since then, Durant on his phone sitting at his locker has become a meme. On Monday, a screenshot began to circulate showing Durant liking a comment that criticized Russell Westbrook. The comment stated: "The problem was Westbrook. They had a good a-- team."

Durant denied that he liked the comment intentionally, telling ESPN that it was a "total accident" and that there was "no story here."

But we know better. This is the second time Durant has been caught engaging with a comment about the Oklahoma City Thunder and/or Westbrook on social media -- and both times, he was either writing or agreeing with criticism. While it's certainly possible he accidentally liked the comment, it's unlikely.

Pelicans flex their sweep

The New Orleans Pelicans are feeling themselves right now, as they should be. None of the 22 ESPN NBA experts picked them to beat the Portland Trail Blazers, let alone sweep them, and the Pelicans' Twitter account decided to let us hear about it.

But that was just the icing on a crazy week for New Orleans. Things started with Nikola Mirotic lobbying for free razors from Gillette after his 30-point performance in Game 3 -- and getting them!

Then, as things got heated between the Pelicans and Blazers in Game 4, the Pelicans' Twitter account called out the Blazers for playing "salty" and threw in the Salt Bae meme.

Once the Golden State Warriors lost to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4, eliminating the possibility of a second team sweeping in the first round, Pelicans mascot Pierre the Pelican posted the Kermit the Frog meme and threw shade at the rest of the playoff teams.

It was quite the week.


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