There is a school of thought that after a slow start, the defending champion Dallas Mavericks are starting to figure things out. There also is a school of thought that after a quick start, the Philadelphia 76ers are coming back to the pack. Both of those notions will be tested when the Mavericks visit the 76ers in Friday’s best NBA game. The Mavericks (19-11) have matched a season high with five straight wins, and there’s not a bad one in the bunch.
The NBA announced Friday the teams and participants for the Shooting Stars competition, which annually kicks off All-Star Saturday Night. Here are the teams, which are made up of an NBA player, a WNBA player and a former player: ATLANTA: Joe Johnson, Lindsey Harding, Steve Smith NEW YORK: Landry Fields, Cappie Pondexter, Allan Houston ORLANDO: Jameer Nelson, Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Dennis Scott TEXAS: Chandler Parsons, Sophia Young, Kenny Smith Atlanta is the defending champion, but the New York entry appears to be the favorite because the event
In a major upset, global sensation Jeremy Lin was added to the player pool for the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend. Lin, the second-year point guard of the New York Knicks, was a late addition to the pool, as was Miami Heat rookie guard Norris Cole. TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal served as GMs and chose from a pool of 10 sophomores and 10 rookies. Here are there picks (O’Neal had the first pick): TEAM SHAQ Blake Griffin Greg Monroe Markieff Morris Ricky Rubio Jeremy Lin Kemba
Rajon Rondo has been scoring in bunches lately, and that’s not a good thing for the Boston Celtics, who visit the Chicago Bulls in Thursday’s best NBA game. Rondo is averaging 15.2 points, 9.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds – excellent all-around numbers and what we’ve come to expect from the former All-Star point guard. But Rondo’s play hasn’t been the key to Boston’s success this season. The Celtics are just 15-13 overall and 6-2 without Rondo, although it should be stated that
Psst. There’s a white American guy in the Slam Dunk Contest. Houston Rockets forward Chase Budinger was among the four players announced Thursday as participants in the Slam Dunk Contest that will take place on All-Star Saturday night Feb. 25. Budinger is the first white American player entered in the contest since Chris “Birdman” Andersen in 2004 and 2005. That didn’t go so well. Other white American players to participate are Bob Sura (1997), Rex Chapman (1990, 1991), Tom Chambers (1987) and of
Last week’s winner was reader Doug, who was first to correctly answer that The Bernucca List was active coaches who have lost their only trips to the NBA Finals. The list was actually one coach longer at the start of the season, but Paul Westphal (1993 with Phoenix) was fired by Sacramento. This week’s edition is below. See if you can correctly identify the list with all of its parameters. First correct answer gets a mention in next week’s list.
Kevin Love will be in the Three-Point Contest. The field was announced by the NBA on Wednesday, and Love is among the six gunslingers who will be hoisting on All-Star Saturday night Feb. 25. Known more for his rebounding, Love is shooting 36 percent (44-of-122) from 3-point range this season, slightly below his career mark. The All-Star forward of the Minnesota Timberwolves is participating for the first time. Also in the field are defending champion James Jones and Mario Chalmers of the Miami
Wednesday’s best NBA game has the first-place Philadelphia 76ers figuring out a way to defend Dwight Howard as they visit the Orlando Magic. Howard seems due for a big game, having managed 11 points and 14 rebounds at Milwaukee on Saturday and 11 points and seven rebounds as he was limited by fouls vs. Minnesota on Monday. Despite the drop in production from Howard, the Magic (18-11) won both games. His presence in the post allowed Orlando to make 27-of-67 3-pointers in