Well, it’s finally here: Super Bowl weekend. For almost everyone in New York, it’s exciting. For Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, it’s frightening. The Knicks are in a horrendous 2-10 slide and will be feeling the pressure when they head to Boston to play the Celtics in Friday’s best NBA game. This is a make-or-break weekend for the head coach. The Daily, a gossip Web site, has reported that D’Antoni will be fired if the Knicks lose the first two games of their
// // Carmelo Anthony returned, and the Knicks finally won a game. Forgive the cynical New York media if it wasn’t that impressed. The Knicks were back home and hosting the Detroit Pistons, who would have trouble winning games if they played in the Big Ten Conference instead of the Central Division. In a season of awful performances, this one may have been the worst. Detroit established season “highs” for points allowed and margin of defeat, which is saying something when you
Thus far, the Boston Celtics have been riding a rollercoaster of wins and losses. As the ride begins another plunge, they would like to stop and get off. The Celtics visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Tuesday’s best NBA game, hoping to avenge their inexplicable last-second home loss Sunday. Boston held an 11-point lead with 4 1/2 minutes to play and appeared to be headed for a fifth straight win. However, the ride took an unexpected sudden turn as the Cavaliers scored the
Remember the old NBA slogan “I love this game!?” (It pre-dates “Where Amazing Happens”). If you are in your early 20s, you may not. But that’s OK. Lots of people in their early 20s seem to believe the world began 10 years ago, and have no recollection of crappy cell phone reception, dial-up Internet or the fax machine. But those who are a bit older certainly remember that ad campaign, and Sunday was one of those days when love for the game
// After the Orlando Magic’s shameful performance Thursday night vs. Boston, in which they blew a 27-point lead, scored 25 points in the second half and lost to a severely shorthanded team, Jason Richardson said the team was developing a soft reputation. After Friday night’s debacle in New Orleans, coach Stan Van Gundy said it all. From Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “If this isn’t rock bottom, what is? The Orlando Magic completed a forgettable week Friday night, falling to the
// There’s just no other way to say it. It was as if the Boston Celtics were all wearing four-leaf clovers on their jerseys, instead of three. Or maybe the Celtics found Orlando’s kryptonite in…in E’Twaun Moore? The rookie from Perdue scored 16 points and hit all four of his 3-pointers as the Magic stumbled, shouted at the refs, and folded — losing all of a 27-point deficit in a stunning 91-83 loss to Boston. When 3:11 remained in the second quarter,
The Orlando Magic host the Boston Celtics in the NBA’s best game Thursday night, three days after they were embarrassed in Beantown. And no one should be more embarrassed than Jameer Nelson. Nelson has gotten off to an awful start this season. He appeared to turn a corner last week with a pair of 17-point games, but that turn only took him down a dark alley. In Monday’s 87-56 loss, Nelson “piloted” the Magic’s offense to the lowest total in franchise history.
Glen “Big Baby” Davis returns to Boston in Monday’s best NBA game. No word yet as to whether he and the Orlando Magic will leave Celtics fans crying in their beer. A fan favorite and Kevin Garnett’s occasional whipping boy, Davis spent his first four seasons with Boston and was a member of the 2008 championship team. Prior to this season, he joined the Magic in a sign-and-trade for Brandon Bass. “He’s emotional. He might cry. We’ll make sure we bring a