Opportunity doesn’t knock twice. For the Nets, a banged up Bulls team gave the Nets a chance to stay in this series. Thanks to Brook Lopez, Brooklyn is still alive. Home playoff games afforded the Hawks the chance to reverse their fortunes, but how drastically it turned this series around is astounding. And who will get the opportunity to shine for the Thunder in Russell Westbrook’s absence? All this and more in today’s StatBox playoff breakdown. [Read more…]
Before Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Los Angeles Lakers handed out white towels to fans at the Staples Center. Apparently, someone in the marketing department didn’t understand symbolism. By halftime, those towels had become flags of surrender for the Lakers, the biggest underachieving team in the history of the NBA. Dwight Howard offered his own symbolism, figuratively throwing in the towel midway through the third quarter. Unwilling to grit his teeth and bang
In the wake of the Chicago Bulls opening a 3-1 lead over the Brooklyn Nets in their first-round series came this piece in the Chicago Tribune in which Reggie Rose – the brother and manager of sidelined Bulls superstar Derrick Rose – said, “(Derrick) is getting his mind ready, getting comfortable with his body. I think (his mind) is probably at a good 90 percent now.” So does that mean Derrick Rose is getting ready to finally return to the court and face
While Michael Jordan was busy getting married Saturday, Nate Robinson was one point shy of tying him for most points scored by a Chicago Bulls player in the fourth quarter of a game, finishing with 23 in the period of what became a triple-overtime thriller between the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls. The Nets were seemingly in control, up 14 with just over three minutes remaining. After blowing a fast break dunk that would have extended the lead to 16, Brooklyn collapsed.
Nate Robinson had been bouncing around the league for eight seasons now, always a popular player wherever he played – but never being a stable enough player to stick around very long. He is currently on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract with the Chicago Bulls, and he will be an unrestricted free agent as of July 1. And when the free agency signing period begins, N8 may finally get papered (NBA parlance for getting paid). Robinson’s performance was astounding Saturday in the Bulls’
To say that winning a championship — in any sport — requires a certain amount of luck is a fair statement. But to say that the Miami Heat have not benefited from a high-degree of luck on their quest to repeat as NBA champions, well that would be a little naive. It’s unfair to criticize them for what is 100 percent out of their hands, but it is hard to ignore this fact: every respectable competitor of the Miami Heat has, or
This is the part of the playoffs where things get interesting — or they don’t. If the Rockets win Game 3 against an Oklahoma City Thunder team that will be without Russell Westbrook, then it’s an interesting series. If the Rockets lose, don’t waste your time on Game 4. Same thing with Spurs-Lakers — although the urge to watch El Lay’s funeral might actually make Game 4 a compelling view. If the Knicks win tonight in Boston, it’ll be another pity party to
Just in the nick of time, Memphis found its elite defense on Thursday night. But where was it hiding? Should the Nets reconsider its contract extension of its general manager after its offensive performance against the Bulls? How can Brooklyn get back in this series? Is Milwaukee’s backcourt worth keeping? The answers to all these questions and a whole lot more in today’s StatBox breakdown. Milwaukee’s backcourt problems continue There are very few teams that could survive a poor night in the