Over the last two weeks, Doc Rivers the coach has done a fantastic job of covering for Doc Rivers the GM. The Los Angeles Clippers have won nine straight games, the last eight without superstar forward Blake Griffin, who – in case you hadn’t noticed over the past couple of seasons – has overtaken Chris Paul as the team’s best player. When Griffin got hurt, the Clippers appeared to be in trouble. They had just lost three straight games to San Antonio,
It’s a 7-game NBA slate on Monday with several high-scoring possibilities. The unbeaten Warriors might underestimate the much-improved Pistons, which is actually a better DFS scenario than a blowout. [Read more…]
Physical condition, skill level and basketball knowledge are all crucial things that make NBA players who they are. Perhaps most importantly, though, it’s the mentality they have – this confidence in which they believe they are the very best in the world (whether it’s true or not) – that can take them to the highest level. Sometimes you hear certain players talk about themselves and can’t help but believe that some are completely delusional. Still, you’d rather deal with someone who is overly confident in their
“Fuhgetaboutit!” That’s what Brooklyn Nets fans were saying on Twitter when the team announced it had agreed to terms with Andrea Bargnani. Nets fans in Little Italy applauded the move. The agreement is reportedly a two-year deal for the veteran’s minimum salary, according to the New York Post. The second year of the deal is a player option. Barring a catastrophically bad season, Bargnani would opt out after this season. Fans of the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks may laugh at the signing,
With 14 minutes left, Game 6 felt just like the two in Los Angeles before it. The Rockets were close at the half, trailing by only two, but they were blitzed yet again in the third quarter, with the Clippers pushing the 64-62 halftime edge to 89-70. In the prior two cases, the Rockets folded and lost by 25+ points. This time? They were able to deliver a stunning 49-18 counter-punch to the Clippers to close the game and tie the series at 3-3, sending it back to Houston for a
The Houston Rockets haven’t lost three games in a row all season long. But if they’re going to keep that streak alive in Tuesday’s Game 5 — and with it, their season — they’re going to have to overcome a tidal wave of momentum in favor of the Clippers. [Read more…]
Over the weekend, we saw a trio of buzzer-beaters from Derrick Rose, Paul Pierce and LeBron James win NBA playoff games. All three were certainly fantastic moments that ended intense, exciting postseason games. But before we get too excited about them, let’s consider these two factors. 1. The shots by Rose and Pierce were lucky. Yes, lucky. The next NBA player who actually tries to bank in a straightaway shot will be the first. Was some experience and skill involved in finding
Austin Rivers hasn’t made much noise since entering the league three years ago as the 10th overall pick of the 2012-2013 NBA draft. That has changed in a big way in the playoffs for Doc Rivers’ son, who has found himself in critical situations for the Los Angeles Clippers and, at times, have delivered in a big way. [Read more…]