// csprtContainer(); // ]]> Kevin Durant isn’t exactly taking over the league, but he certainly would be if he were playing in a larger market. For now, we’ll have to appreciate the performances like the one he put on Thursday night at Orlando in the same arena where he was named the MVP of the All-Star game last Sunday. He enters the weekend trailing Kobe Bryant (28.5 ppg) by a half-point for the league lead in scoring, but Durant is hitting at
Wednesday’s column mentioned a handful of players who need to be traded by the March 15 deadline. Apparently, NBA GMs are feeling the same way. No less than three players mentioned – Michael Beasley, Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson – saw their names dotting the interwebs as Wednesday became Thursday and February became March. There is some significance to that calendar observation. March 1 is the first day players signed to free agent contracts in the abbreviated offseason can be traded. So that
Far be it for me to criticize the selection process for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. I was once one of the 24 voters. I served a three-year term and kept my mouth shut. I know people on various committees right now and they keep their mouths shut. That’s the way the Hall of Fame wants it. If given the chance, perhaps I would change the voting procedure. Maybe make the panel more than 24 people. Make sure it
csprtContainer(); ORLANDO — We shot this video at the NBA Jam Session at the Orlando Convention Center, the first Jam Session I have spent extensive time at since 1994 when the game was in Minnesota and I saw Gheorghe Muresan walking around the Metrodome like a kid in a candy store. The opening and closing topics here were somewhat related: The first question was what was biggest surprise of the first half of the season, and I went with the decline of
Two days ago, Rajon Rondo had nearly a week off for the All-Star break. Now he’s an extremely busy man. The star point guard of the Boston Celtics, added Wednesday to the Eastern Conference All-Stars as an injury replacement for Atlanta’s Joe Johnson, will also fill in for injured Stephen Curry of Golden State in the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday. The NBA announced the move Friday, hours before media availability begins in Orlando, Fla. Sheridan Hoops is on site and will
Anybody want the Atlantic Division? The Nets don’t want it. They would much rather have Dwight Howard, who paid a visit to “The Rock” on Wednesday night and got the full recruiting pitch. In Orlando’s 108-91 road victory over New Jersey, Howard provided a complete showcase with 20 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks. He also made just 2-of-10 free throws and dropped below 50 percent (184-of-373) for the season. Nets fans couldn’t care less about the incessant clanging. They cheered Howard, chanted
NEW YORK — See ya after the All-Star break, Rajon. The NBA suspended Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics for two games Monday for throwing a ball at a referee and striking him in the chest. NBA VP of violence Stu Jackson announced the suspension, which will be served tonight when the Celtics play a home game against Dallas and Wednesday when they visit Oklahoma City. The incident occurred with 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 96-81 loss to
It is quite obvious that anyone reading this column is a basketball fan, and likely a serious one. Basketball fans are our people. If you’re looking for analysis of political races, that is not the strength of this web site. (And, by the way, some people who are sharp with political analysis should steer clear of sports to avoid embarrassing themselves.) Whether you are a serious or casual basketball fan, there is a must-see program still running on Showtime. If you haven’t