In his first game without a headband since the 2003 preseason, LeBron James’ point total of 27 was exceeded only by Cleveland’s margin of victory — 33 over the Dallas Mavericks. So that makes it four wins in the last five games and 22 wins in the past 26. The Cavaliers’ lead over the injury-riddled Chicago Bulls has grown to 1 1/2 games and figures to continue growing, and I have a question to ask. Why is James so absent from
It happens every spring: The snow melts, the birds start chirping, the cherry trees eventually blossom … and the Spurs start looking their best. We have gotten a small sample size of it over the first few days of March, and with five weeks now remaining in the season, I will be so bold as to predict that San Antonio will finish with one of the top four records in the West and end up defending their title in Game 1
The summer’s free agent market will not be as crazy as last year’s, when LeBron James left Miami for Cleveland, or next year’s, when Kevin Durant and his agent, Jay-Z, will decide where he will continue his career. In fact, this summer’s market could be a relative dud given the incentive teams now have to match any reasonable offer their restricted free agents receive. And with the influx of new TV money coming into the NBA, “reasonable” is a relative term. But
July 1 is almost here. Wait, it isn’t? You mean there is still two feet of ice, slush and snow piled up outside the home office in New York? Well, if you compare July to October, then July is almost here! And there is no bigger date on the NBA calendar than July 1 (although the May 19 draft lottery is a close second). Phil Jackson becomes relevant again for something other than his Twitter vitriol. Jeanie Buss becomes more interesting
There is a new King James, thanks to a bold and brash tweet by the Houston Rockets, and he is a guy who would NEVER miss eight free throws in a single game. Congratulations, James Harden. You have solidified your hold on the first-place spot in the MVP race in the mind of this voter and in the minds of other voters, and you now have six weeks to produce a finishing kick that holds off Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and
Nobody hates standing around in locker rooms more than basketball reporters. But if the player you are seeking to interview is not there when the media is allowed inside for a 30-minute pre-game access period, you know what you have to do? Wait around. Same thing post-game. If a guy is taking a shower, or getting treatment, or lifting weights … you stand around and wait. It is part of the job, it is somewhat demeaning, and I can see how it
It has become fashionable to include Russell Westbrook in the MVP discussion, and as we all know, fashion and Westbrook go together like Anna Sui and horned Viking hats. Not only did Westbrook win MVP honors at the All-Star game while coming up one point shy of Wilt Chaberlain’s record of 42 points in the NBA’s midseason showcase, he has taken that performance and built some momentum off of it, leading the Olahoma City Thunder into a somewhat secure standing in
The MVP is James Harden’s to lose, right? And Coach of the Year is a two-man race between Steve Kerr and Mike Budenholzer, correct? Not so fast. It is still February, the temperature here in New York is going to hit zero again tonight, and the number zero was an accurate reflection on the chances of Russell Westbrook contending for the MVP award and Stan Van Gundy being in the mix for Coach of the Year as recently as Christmas. To refresh your