D’Angelo Russell just really appreciates the health benefits of green tea

In ultimately unimportant but hilarious and extremely old school NBA news, D’Angelo Russell was cited at LaGuardia Airport for having a small amount of marijuana hidden in an AriZona Iced Tea can with a secret compartment in his checked luggage. That is a sentence, folks.

Russell’s citation will cost him $100 -- he was still able to make his flight to Louisville, and it’s not clear whether this will land him in the NBA’s marijuana protocol since there’s not a criminal conviction per se. Woj reports that the Nets are unconcerned by this and still plan to offer Russell, a restricted free agent, a large contract to stay in Brooklyn. In all, this is less impactful to anything real than, say, a traffic stop.

But there is a lot to appreciate here. Based on the size of Russell’s citation, it appears he stuffed a zip into the fugazy iced tea, and then put that in his checked baggage. He thought ahead here as he packed -- this wasn’t a last-minute attempt to hide a bag inside his carry-on, and he didn’t just roll up the zip in his socks or something -- and he wasn’t getting too crazy with the supply (less than two grams).

I just love that idea that an AriZona Iced Tea can in checked baggage isn’t suspicious to Russell. What do you say when questioned? “Yes, I uh just really like Mucho Mango and I’m not sure if they carry it in Kentucky.” Also, this -- an AriZona Iced Tea stash can -- is just something D-Lo had sitting around his place, ready for use. Maybe he stores his weed in it all the time, in case Kenny Atkinson drops by for a house call or something.

Are we sure Nick Young didn’t have something to do with tipping off the TSA, by the way?

Scores

Raptors 95, Sixers 116
Philadelphia leads series 2-1

Schedule

Bucks at Celtics, 8 ET, ESPN
Series tied 1-1

Nuggets at Blazers, 10:30 ET, ESPN
Series tied 1-1

Links

I do not want to talk about what happened to the Raptors. I do not want to talk about what happened to the Raptors. I do not want to talk about what happened to the Raptors. I do not want to talk about what happened to the Raptors. I do not want to talk about what happened to the Raptors.

Mike Prada with a full Pradan breakdown of Pascal Siakam.

Matt Ellentuck investigates the Blazers’ innovative strategy to leave Nuggets shooters wide open and scream at them.

Seven reasons James Dolan should lean even more into his musical career and away from the Knicks.

The Warriors are just a bad match-up for Clint Capela.

How coaches use their timeouts.

How mapping shots changed the NBA forever.

Zach Lowe on how philosophical difference define the Warriors-Rockets rivalry.

Why defenders bite on Joel Embiid’s pump fake.

And finally: Chris Bosh’s life story in five scenes.

Be excellent to each other.