We’ve come up with a well-deserved nickname for the Class of 2013. The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. The perpetual clanging coming from this group makes an auto body shop sound like a library. Among rookies averaging 10 minutes per game, Brooklyn big man Mason Plumlee is the only one making more shots than he misses. Cody Zeller, who is 7 feet tall, has gone 11 straight games making less than half his shots. Not one of the top eight scorers is shooting
Kyle Korver won’t tie Dana Barros’ record for most consecutive games with a 3-pointer. At least not tonight. Korver is one of three members of the Atlanta Hawks who did not make the trip to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday night. He remained in Atlanta to receive treatment for a bruised rib. So why are we giving you an injury report on an otherwise ordinary player with a fantastic shooting stroke? Because the last time Korver didn’t make a 3-pointer in a
Kobe Bryant has signed a two-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, which means he likely will have a 20-year career. The Lakers did not announce financial terms. Bryant is the highest-paid player in the NBA this season, making $30.4 million. He and Michael Jordan are the only NBA players to make $30 million in one season. Bryant was eligible to receive 105 percent of his current salary, which would put his 2014-15 earnings at almost $32 million. However, reports out
We are all familiar with the Spurs and their uncanny efficiency. Are you familiar with AAU basketball? I have coached it at the high school level for the last three years. And one thing I have learned is that with just four hours of weekly practice time followed by four games every weekend, if you don’t have definitive, well-drilled schemes on both offense and defense, you have no chance to compete. However, if you have a group that is committed to a
First, the good news, Derrick Rose does not have another torn ACL. Now, the bad news. Rose does have a medial meniscus tear in his right knee that requires surgery and is out indefinitely. The superstar guard of the Chicago Bulls somewhat dodged a bullet Saturday as an MRI taken in Los Angeles revealed torn cartilage but not a torn ligament. The difference could shorten his absence considerably. [Read more…]
While the NBA world waits for news on Derrick Rose’s knee, the Memphis Grizzlies got some bad news on Marc Gasol’s knee. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 sprain of his left MCL. Surgery is not required, the team announced Saturday. The 7-1 Gasol suffered the injury in the second quarter of Friday night’s home loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He appeared to suffer the injury without contact while playing defense. Gasol left the
Last week, we discussed how the race for Rookie of the Year is wide open because of injuries to several of the top picks. No. 3 Otto Porter, No. 6 Nerlens Noel and No. 10 C.J. McCollum still haven’t taken the court this season. But a couple of first-round picks – both point guards – made their NBA debuts this week. On Monday, it was Dallas Mavericks guard Shane Larkin, who suffered a broken ankle in the last practice before summer league.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the great landmarks of our country. And right now, it connects the home boroughs of perhaps the NBA’s two most disappointing teams this season. Remember all the back-and-forth this summer between members of the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets? Jason Kidd retired from the Knicks to coach the Nets. Raymond Felton questioned his Knicks being ranked below the Nets. Paul Pierce said it was time for the Nets to start running the city. J.R. Smith