Mike Woodson A few weeks ago, I wrote that the Knicks had one of the NBA’s deepest frontcourts. Obviously, whether or not they would be able to live up to their potential depended on whether or not they would be able to stay healthy. Because of Hurricane Sandy, as I write this, the Knicks are one of the NBA’s seven teams who are yet to play a game. We know that Amar’e Stoudemire is going to be out for
It was fun while it lasted, or can someone call the Lakers and tell them the season has started? Ending three months of post-resurrection celebration, the legends-in-their-own-minds are 0-10 this fall, losing eight exhibitions, getting turned every which way but loose in the opener by the Dirk-less Mavericks, then getting bombed, 116-106, in Portland by last season’s No. 11 team in the West. Of course, the Lakers have been here before, will be OK, etc. No, Coach Mike Brown isn’t in trouble. He’s
PHILADELPHIA—This was the night Philadelphia 76ers fans had longed for; a chance to shower their love on their new big man (didn’t quite turn out that way) while at the same time bidding good riddance to the player who had unwittingly become an eyesore to the local hoops community over the past eight years: Andre Iguodala. Who could have imagined that those MVP chants reverberating throughout the building in the closing stages of the Sixers’ opening night 84-75 win over Iguodala’s
MIAMI – LeBron James has completed the rarely seen transition from national villain to national darling. For the first time in two years, there’s no over-the-top hatred for James to start the season. There’s no venom or vitriol. It’s been an amazing transition to watch. Kobe Bryant made a similar change/comeback a few years ago. LeBron’s might have been bigger. “Quicker,” Dwyane Wade said with a smile. “But I don’t know about bigger. You can go with quicker comeback.” OK, he’s got a
Fans of the Thunder, Rockets and the NBA were stunned with Saturday night’s news that James Harden was traded to Houston for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and draft picks. Among those stunned was Harden. “It happened pretty fast,” Harden said. “I was at dinner and (Oklahoma City general manager) Sam Presti called me and said I was traded to the Rockets and I was kind of in shock.” It extended to Kevin Durant, who took to Twitter with a simple, “Wow.” During Monday’s news
When the Oklahoma City Thunder traded James Harden on Saturday night, they revealed to everyone that they are a team far more concerned with the bottom line than the top of the heap. Probably a bit ahead of schedule, the Thunder reached the NBA Finals last season. As we have said before, they were a questionable foul call away from opening a 2-0 lead on the mighty Miami Heat that would have cultivated the doubt and derision that has swirled around
As much as I enjoy the NBA, there is a tedium to the preseason that only makes me feel dissatisfied. I’m that much closer to regular season basketball, but yet I don’t quite have it, kind of like Al Pacino and his retirement in The Godfather 3. Nonetheless, as we enter a new season, I’m always looking for players who will emerge as stars. I also look at who has a realistic chance of getting traded. And then I like to
As we get underway with the NBA season, we know we are in store for some wondrous action. We also know in the majority of the 1,230 regular season games on the schedule, the entertainment will be wonderful. And we know acts of wonder by players will be performed regularly. But as the season begins, we are face with a different sort of wonder – the one of uncertainty. So as we predict and project, I find myself contemplating these mysteries. Call them the Twelve