- The NBA has admitted it missed a call at the end of last night’s Mavs/Wolves game: “Rod Thorn, NBA President, Basketball Operations, issued the following statement today regarding a missed foul call late in the fourth quarter of the Dallas Mavericks’ 100-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 30, at Target Center: “Through postgame video review, we have determined that Minnesota’s Kevin Love was fouled on the right arm by Dallas’ Shawn Marion while attempting a two-point field goal. Love should have been awarded two free throws with one second left on the clock.””
- Eric Bledsoe may be making the biggest impact in the NBA this season: “Bledsoe liked the challenge of beating out a player everyone else thought was better than him and the daily battles they’d have in practice. All that would make him better in the long run, Bledsoe thought. And besides, who said they were really better than him? “I’m not afraid of anybody,” Bledsoe said. “I’m going to compete and I’m going to give it my last. I’m always going to be confident in myself. “Nothing has been handed to me my entire life. You have to go there and take it. My mom taught me that.””
- Here’s why everything you know about Nick Young is wrong: “I think it has something to do with his role on the court and demeanor off it. He’s a self-proclaimed “pure scorer,” which in today’s NBA is code for “inefficient heat check gunner.” His self-coined nickname, “Swaggy P,” is just as ridiculous as it sounds. He plays with undeniable swagger, but even he couldn’t tell you the origins of where the “P” comes from. Despite being the Lakers’ leading scorer, he’s a distant second in his family to cousin – rapper Kendrick Lamar – in terms of popularity in Los Angeles. It’s not exactly a stretch to assume a player like Young would be an egomaniac. After all, he’s unabashed to hoist up 20 difficult shots on any given night, which naturally leads some to conclude that he’s selfish and fails to buy into the concept of teamwork. But Young is nothing like the stereotype. He’s genuine and always seems to be smiling. Around the locker room, his positive attitude has become something coach Mike D’Antoni calls “invaluable” for the team. “Without a doubt, his personality has helped us in the locker room and on the floor,” D’Antoni said. “He’s one of those guys who’s always positive. He’s funny, but he’s not silly. He never messes a play up and he always comes out and adds energy in positive ways at practice and at shootarounds. He’s the first guy to get everybody going.””
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.