Three thoughts after a Friday night of watching NBA basketball: _ I am going to spend more time watching the Minnesota Timberwolves this winter, since I know who I’ll be watching in late May and most of June (not them). Ricky Rubio is the reason why, even if his 12 assists in his coming-of-age game had to come on the same night LeBron James celebrated his 27th birthday with his 38th career 30-point, 10-assist performance. (The most among active players, one
Tonight’s best game: Chicago at LA Clippers
With ESPN’s prime-time air time locked into bowl season and TNT having already aired a pair of doubleheaders this week, Friday belongs to NBA TV. Despite an 11-game slate, there are not many intriguing matchups. But if you can fight your eyelids at the end of a work week, the Chicago Bulls visit the Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30 p.m. ET. This is a getaway game for the Bulls, who started the season with a four-game trek through California. They stole a
Chandler says Marbury is still NBA material
BEIJING _ That is the video from the Beijing Ducks’ third consecutive loss after their 13-0 start to the season, a game in which Wilson Chandler scored 44 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. (Shoutout to NiuBBall.com for the footage). At one point in the game, Stephon Marbury told his coach he would defend Chandler. Marbury, 34, is 10 years older, 6 inches shorter, and 15 pounds lighter. “Nobody asked me, but I have to do that. Because at the time my teammates were
Gibson: Bulls’ Mirotic Is Worth The Wait
BARCELONA — In prison movies, when a freshly incarcerated inmate wants respect, he drops his tray, strolls up to the baddest dude in the cafeteria and knocks him in the jaw. Real Madrid’s Nikola Mirotic picked out one of the biggest, baddest dudes in Euroleague and dunked on him. The 220-pound Montenegran let out a yell as he threw the ball through the net and off the head of 350-pound Sofoklis Schortsanitis. Mirotic landed, shot a searing gaze at Big Sofo and
Hamilton: Lack of assists and 3s killing Knicks
After Carmelo Anthony gave a sold-out Madison Square Garden a great Christmas gift last Sunday, the Knicks have dropped consecutive games. On Wednesday night, they visited Oakland and lost to Mark Jackson’s Warriors, 92-78. And Thursday night’s showdown in Los Angeles saw Kobe Bryant and the Lakers defeat them, 99-82. During Thursday night’s telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, TNT’s Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan, while calling the game, had the following exchange: RM: “What kind of basketball is this we’re
Durant’s 3 at buzzer stuns Mavs
That video is Exhibit A in the case for why Kevin Durant is going to be the MVP. Five of the eight columnists here at SheridanHoops.com selected Durant as their choice for the league’s most prestigious individual award, and that buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave him his fourth 30-point game of the season and moved the Oklahoma City Thunder to 4-0 as they stunned the defending champs from Dallas 104-102. It was the only close game on a night when there were six games played
Bernucca: Wanna keep Wall? Dump Blatche
Andray Blatche is a knucklehead, and the Wizards better get rid of him if they want to keep John Wall. It is becoming next to impossible to prevent NBA superstars from flying the coop. They want to play in more attractive big markets. They want to play alongside other superstars. They want to win championships. And of course, they want to get paid. What they don’t want is to be stuck with a lottery-bound team. They don’t want to share a locker
What to make of Durant v. Westbrook
Why did Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook get into another fight on the bench last night, as they did in last year’s playoffs? One reason is because they are young and emotional, and youngsters get into fights and show their emotions more than most veterans. Kids will be kids, after all. Also, one of them is more mature than the other. Does it mean Durant and Westbrook hate each other? Far from it, as I explain in the above video. Want to win two free