When the final buzzer sounded on the Toronto Raptors last season, the team was left deflated on its home court after a crushing last-second Game 7 loss. It was an ending to a season that no one – not pundits, not fans, maybe not even management – could have predicted. After 18 games and a 6-12 record, it appeared as though the Raptors were destined for yet another forgettable season, lodged firmly in the bottom third of the NBA. Instead, after
Travel back to 2012. Rajon Rondo had ripped off 24 consecutive games with double-digit assists, falling just five games short of John Stockton’s NBA record. In the weeks that followed, Rondo posted four postseason triple-doubles, a 44-point clinic against the Miami Heat and a not-so-sudden emergence as one of the best players in the league. This resulted in the relatively common belief that Rondo had emerged as one of the Top 10 players in the league. In the two seasons since, Rondo has been unable to stay on
Athletes today have to be mindful of what they say to the media. Even if something was lightheartedly said or meant to be a joke, words could look bad if printed without context or little of it. It’s not clear if that’s exactly what happened to Mario Chalmers, but the Miami Heat point guard made headlines on Friday when he referred to his former teammate LeBron James as “that guy”. [Read more…]
Today was media day for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and understandably everyone was crowding around LeBron James. They asked him the patently obvious questions. What’s it like to be back where it all started? How much do you know about new coach David Blatt? Can the Cavaliers win the NBA championship and finally end Cleveland’s 50-year sports title drought? Here’s a question they might have wanted to ask: Hey, LeBron, which fourth star would you like to add to the roster next summer?
Friday brought about the first media days for a few NBA teams. The Miami Heat, New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers were among the teams meeting the media before the start of training camp. The Heat are the defending Eastern Conference champions but are retooling. The Knicks are beginning the Phil Jackson era. The Spurs are trying to defend their NBA title. But no team got as much attention Friday as the Cavaliers. [Read more…]
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — He gets asked the question once per day, on average. “How long, Phil? How long will it take?” Phil Jackson never answers in specifics. At least that is how he made it sound Friday as he was asked that very same question yet again as the New York Knicks prepared to open their 2014-15 training camp. “How long?” When will the championship drought that began in 1973-74 come to an end? When will the reconstruction be complete? When will the
Thursday night proved to be quite sentimental for long-time New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and baseball fans around the country. It marked the final game Jeter would ever play in pinstripes in front of his home crowd with the living legend set to retire after this season, and the captain did not disappoint. Your browser does not support iframes. He started the night off with an RBI double, then ended the emotional night on a game-winning single – a conclusion that seemed almost too
It’s easy to look back at the end of last season and come up with a bunch of “what if?” scenarios about what would have happened if Miami had won the NBA Finals. Well NBA conspiracy theorists can continue coming up with their own possibilities, as word has spread that LeBron James is teasing folks on what this past summers decision could have been. In an interview with Rachel Nichols that is set to air Friday night at 10:30 pm on