Take flopping, please. Happily for the NBA, it’s going away, even if the league will pay a higher cost than it knows from crime-and-punishment headlines, stemming from David Stern’s decision to make it a crime, not a basketball play, punishable by huge fines. How hard would this have been: Tell the referees to make defenders be stationary for a count, not an instant. What’s the hard part? Tie goes to the offensive player, as it does to the runner in baseball. Unfortunately, nothing is easy
I’ll do a quick hit on the latest fantasy blockbuster before talking about auction drafts today, as promised. Love the One You’re With The big news in fantasy in the last 24 hours is Kevin Love‘s injury. Kent broke down exactly what it means in this morning’s Fantasy Spin but I wanted to add a few words more of caution. A broken hand or a wrist injury can cause players mechanical problems that linger far longer than the expected time for healing.
// At the top of our 2012-13 NBA wish list is the cessation of the overuse of the word “Linsanity.” We had enough of that last year, IMHO, and Lin should drop off the national radar once the fallout from his GQ cover article begins to subside. He had a nice game last night against the Grizzlies with 12 assists and five steals, but he also missed three of four free throw attempts. He is playing on a team that has one
(This is another in a series of 30 guest columns that will run in October, when optimism reigns supreme across the NBA. The theme will be “Five Reasons to Feel Positive About … ” We encourage you to follow the authors on Twitter and visit their sites. – CS) The Bobcats of last season were 100 percent tragedy. They were an utter disaster on the court, making NBA history with the worst season winning percentage. Thankfully for them, the shortened season
Here are this morning’s top NBA news stories: “Sixers still talking extension with Holiday,” by John Finger from CSNPhilly.com “Rasheed Wallace’s fate with Knicks in coach Mike Woodson’s hands,” by Marc Berman from the New York Post “McGrady’s China move earns NBA plaudits,” from 560 WGAN “Why it’s worth it for Mavs to take wild ride with Delonte West,” by Eddie Sefko from Dallas Morning News “New rule puts crimp in Jordan’s pre game ritual,” by Dan Woike from the Orange County Register “Ray Allen is running circles around his teammates,”
If you already own Kevin Love, his fractured right hand is a bad break indeed. If someone else owns him, you might send a friendly note of sympathy and a trade suggestion. If your league hasn’t drafted yet, this is a possible opportunity. He’s certain to fall, from third or fourth overall to much later in the first round, if not lower. In keeper leagues, Love’s value hasn’t changed. Target him. In redraft leagues, you know he’s going to miss a fifth of
Last season in Europe, Besiktas was making headlines for their courtship, acquisition and eventual enshrinement of Deron Williams, Zalgiris was up to their ears in Ty Lawson complaints, Alba Berlin was kicking around Nowitzki talk and Union Olimpija was riding Danny Green to an ice cold start of a season that would finish even colder with a 1-9 record. Subtract all the lockout hoopla, add a year and what do you have? Four of the Euroleague’s unlikeliest group leaders. Thanks to 1-0
