In Oklahoma City, the source of civic pride is never in doubt. Trying to walk or drive through the streets without seeing a Thunder sign or flag or banner is like trying to stand in Times Square without seeing a tourist. In fact, if you didn’t know any better, you would swear the name of the place is “Thunder” city rather than “Oklahoma City.” On Thursday night, NBA royalty even appeared at courtside to take in a Thunder game. Beyoncè visited the
Considering his background in the military, it should not be surprising that Gregg Popovich leads a unit that seems to always fly under the radar. Figuratively, of course. Popovich is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and stayed in the service long enough to serve a tour of duty in the Kurdish area in eastern Turkey near the border of Syria. It was a top secret assignment; obviously, the good military man has never elaborated on it, other than to
Over the years, bashing the Clippers has hardly been an art form primarily because if anyone can do it, it’s not art. As lousy of a history as the Clippers have had, they have always been an underground favorite of writers. At certain points of the season, most writers have some sort of burnout. When that happens, Clips owner Donald Sterling will inevitably do something absurd and, boom, you’ve got a column. The wacky Sterling stories are so numerous that it’s
Although I wouldn’t consider myself to be a serious bettor, I do enjoy an occasional trip to Las Vegas, where the betting is legal and sometimes expensive. Vegas is the ultimate venue for those who believe they are blessed with the power of clairvoyance. Think you’re smart enough to predict the outcome of a game, or games? Sports books provide unlimited opportunity for you to prove it. On an ideal day, I would wish for the ability to make three correct
(Readers: This column originally ran during the NBA Finals. It is especially pertinent now that the NBA is switching back to 2-2-1-1-1.-CS) The most important playoff series in NBA scheduling history — the one that changed the NBA Finals from a 2-2-1-1-1 format to the current 2-3-2 — began easily enough. The leisurely pace of the first four games would get lost in the frenzy of the last three, but travel was not an issue the first 11 days of the 1984
(READERS: This column originally ran on Oct. 28, 2012, and we call your attention to the fine print in the final item. Why? Because news came Wednesday that Heidi Ueberroth is stepping down as president of NBA International, which means she will not get the position that Jan Hubbard thought she’d be a strong candidate for. She was known as an “FOA” — Friend of Adam –so the news of her departure comes as somewhat of a surprise. -CS) As
Regardless of any lingering disappointment, the offseason for many NBA teams is an uplifting time. Young players are drafted. Veteran free agents are signed. Trades are made. New coaches are hired. Teams with a strengthened core, like Brooklyn, are confident they have done everything possible to take the final step to win a title. Teams such as Oklahoma City and Chicago, who were limited by injuries, are optimistic that if healthy, championship dreams are realistic. Teams that have been building, like Cleveland, are
Regardless of any lingering disappointment, the offseason for many NBA teams is an uplifting time. Young players are drafted. Veteran free agents are signed. Trades are made. New coaches are hired. Teams with a strengthened core, like Brooklyn, are confident they have done everything possible to take the final step to win a title. Teams such as Oklahoma City and Chicago, who were limited by injuries, are optimistic that if healthy, championship dreams are realistic. Teams that have been building, like Cleveland, are