A new day, a new year. That’s what the Clippers hope as they host undefeated Portland tonight at 9:30 to kick off 2012. The honeymoon is over for the Clippers as they look to right the ship after a 1-2 start to a season filled with extremely high expectations. The buzz created by trading for one of the league’s premier point guards, Chris Paul, quieted Friday when Chicago came into the Staples Center and unleashed Derrick Rose. The Bulls’ own star
Brian
Sheridan Power Rankings: Week 2
This item will be called Sheridan Power Rankings each Sunday, because we are doubling down on Power Rankings and running two of them each week. The next edition will run Wednesday, and it will be written by the one and only Mark Heisler, whose qualifications include being a member of the media wing of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. There is a change at the top this week, some big-time movers rising from the middle, and still
Silva: What the Bulls showed in California
CHICAGO — I tried to not get caught up in all the hype surrounding the first week of the NBA season because, well, it’s the first week of a 66-game season. No matter how frantic the pace – four games in six nights for the Bulls – there’s still plenty of basketball to be played, and much more to be revealed. The first four games for Chicago, and the rest of the league for that matter, were more like an exercise
Bynum Returns, Gallinari Blows Layup
// Happy New Year, all. There was much rejoicing in Los Angeles, where Andrew Bynum made his return. But should there have been? After sitting out the first four games of the season for his sore-loser bodyblock on J.J. Barea in last year’s playoffs, Bynum had a huge debut with 29 points and 13 rebounds as the Lakers edged the Denver Nuggets, 92-89. The Lakers had muddled their way to a 2-2 start and were sorely awaiting the return of Bynum. But even with
Kravitz: Fantasy Pickups after Week 1
(A note to readers: SheridanHoops is expanding into fantasy basketball coverage, because so many of our readers are hard-core fans of the game, and because so many hard-core fans play fantasy hoops. It’s a natural fit. Several readers applied to fill the role, and I have selected Marc Kravitz of Philadelphia because of his writing talents and his track record in cashing. This season, he was smart enough to select Brandon Jennings. I am struggling in my league, in part
Zagoria: Top 10 American Draft Prospects
The 2012 NBA Draft has the potential to be both very strong at the top and deep because several elite players chose to remain in college this season because of the NBA lockout, and were joined by a number of impact freshmen. The lottery figures to be rich with bigs – scorers, shot-blockers and rebounders. Here is a look at the Top 10 Americans who could be available, including seven power forwards or centers: 1. Anthony Davis, PF, 6-10, 220, Kentucky The consensus No. 1
Mitnick: Top 10 International Draft Prospects
Evan Fournier, France