CLEVELAND — Walking out of Quicken Loans Arena Sunday night, I had a chance to catch several fragments of conversation. “That place was nuts,” said one man. “I can’t wait for the season,” said a middle-aged woman. Most of the time, though, all I could catch was a name. “LeBron James.” “LeBron James.” “LeBron James.” It couldn’t have been more obvious who the fans came out to see. And, unlike most preseason games, this wasn’t just the diehards (or if it was, there are suddenly a lot
At this time last year, the vibe surrounding the Sacramento Kings was overly positive. The Sacramento community had just found out that Vivek Ranadive was purchasing the team with intent to keep it in Sacramento, essentially saving the franchise from moving to Seattle. This all happened in the span of a couple of months, and when the fight to keep the team was finally won, basketball decisions had to be made. The ownership group, front office and coaching staff were assembled
It’s the dawn of a new era for the Milwaukee Bucks, with new ownership at the helm, a new coach on the sidelines, and (hopefully) a new approach to building a championship-caliber team. The Bucks have really gone through the ringer over the past year, enduring a franchise-worst 15-67 season and a messy coaching change, yet fans might be as hopeful as ever. If anything, that just goes to show how maddening the status quo had become, but the optimism isn’t unfounded.
The Miami Heat had a four-year run from 2010 to 2014 that will not be soon forgotten by NBA fans, writers, analysts, players or historians. Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade formed, “The Big Three,” and took the Heat to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances, winning two titles. The ride was phenomenal, but it had its ups-and-downs for everyone involved. James, a four-time MVP, joined forces with two of the league’s premier players at the height of their abilities. Wade had already won
The 2014-15 NBA season boasts changes for many teams throughout the league. Of course there’s players switching teams every season, but this year it seems that teams are doing more to change the cosmetics of their franchises. With the Golden State Warriors again unveiling new sleeved uniforms, the Dallas Mavericks bringing about the first fan-based jerseys, and even the Cleveland Cavaliers with a new court with a silhouette of the city’s skyline that was showcased at their scrimmage Wednesday night, teams
The New York Knicks looked like the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus on a nightly basis last season. Carmelo Anthony’s free agency, and the uncertainty it brought, hung over the Knicks like a dark cloud on a rainy day. J.R. Smith had knee surgery before last season and violated the league’s anti-drug policy, resulting in a five-game suspension to start the season. He then became more preoccupied with untying the shoelaces of opponents instead of loosening their laces with his
The “hazing” – if that’s what you want to call it – of rookies and young players by veterans happens in almost all college and professional sports. Carrying bags or equipment, paying for meals and ridiculous haircuts are just a few examples of such hazing. Anything along the lines of giving them a small sense of embarrassment and humiliation usually works. One common approach by veterans is to somewhat emasculate the rookie. Whether it’s football, baseball or basketball, male athletes are
Perhaps no team in the NBA has moved on from its past and looked toward its future more than the Utah Jazz. Virtually all of the ties to the great Jazz teams of the 1990s are gone. In their place are a rookie coach and a starting lineup that figures to have no one older than 24. The Jazz won’t be much better than last season, when they lost 57 games, their most since arriving in Salt Lake City from New Orleans