Yesterday we told you the NBA silly season has already begun. Any lineup is possible for any team; logic and past performances, while never infallible predictive tools, mean less and less each week until the playoffs begin. [Read more…]
Eight games were on the NBA schedule during the Tuesday of Championship Week 2013 as three more teams secured their place in the NCAA tournament. Meanwhile in the NBA, the Heat continued to inch closer to NBA history with their 19th straight win, the Lakers continued their march toward the postseason, the Celtics were treated very poorly by the Bobcats and Timberwolves showed everyone “that’s why you play the game”. Welcome to the latest Championship Week edition of Five Fast Facts.
Note to coaches who wish to employ the Hack-A-Dwight strategy: if the man starts making his free throws – and he is capable of making them if you send him there frequently enough – ditch the stubborn tactic and go to something else. For some reason, Orlando Magic coach Jacque Vaughn kept going to this play, despite Howard’s gradual increase in success rate. The Los Angeles Lakers center eventually made 16 of his final 20 attempts at the line, finishing 25-of-39
The theme of the night Tuesday in the NBA was superstars returning home. Dwight Howard made his long anticipated return to Orlando, while Pau Gasol may soon be returning to the Lakers lineup. Meanwhile Carmelo Anthony is returning to Denver Wednesday night and the return of Derrick Rose to Chicago is still in question. [Read more…]
Long Island University at Brooklyn is heading back to the NCAA Tournament after capturing the Northeast Conference title for the third straight year. The Blackbirds dominated Mount St. Mary’s in a 91-70 win. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about LIU-Brooklyn: 1. The Blackbirds are the first team to win three straight Northeast Conference titles. LIU dominated the rest of the league en route to its first two titles but needed a late 15-3 push to win the NEC this
James Madison is partying like it’s 1994. The Dukes will be dancing for the first time since that year, after capturing the Colonial Athletic Association championship by throttling Northeastern on Monday night. 1. It was originally a women’s college. Established as The State Normal and Industrial School for Women, the school underwent four name changes before finally settling on James Madison University in 1975. (It had been Madison College since 1938). 2. They’re horrible on offense. At least statistically. The Dukes rank
Western Kentucky clinched a berth in the NCAAs last night by knocking off Richard Pitino and the Florida International Panthers. The Hilltoppers will be making their fourth NCAA appearance since 2008, when current Celtics guard Courtney Lee led them to the Sweet 16. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the Hilltoppers: 1. They’ve been to the Final Four. Led by 6-11 All-American Jim McDaniels, WKU reached college basketball’s zenith in 1971. That team went 20-5 and lost to Villanova
MIAMI – Once again, the defending champion Miami Heat – the favorites to win the title again this season, winners of 18 consecutive games, owners of best record in the NBA, darlings of media and fans alike – find themselves walking a high wire without a safety net. Almost everybody expects the Heat, led by superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, to repeat as champions. They look unbeatable in a best-of-seven series. Heck, they look unbeatable every night, something they’ve been