If you saw the box score of the Rockets-Spurs preseason game on Sunday, you may have noticed an ugly stat line from Mr. Linsanity – the electrifying point guard that shocked the basketball world last season. Lin managed to hit just one-of-10 shots with one assist while committing two turnovers in 25 minutes of play against the stifling defense of San Antonio. Lin’s biggest issue so far in the preseason appears to be the status of the knee he had surgery
Southeast Division Fantasy Preview Part II In Part 1, we covered the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. In Part II, we look at the Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats. Orlando Magic “Incompetence is the world’s greatest cloak for corruption.” I heard this quote on a local radio talk show discussing the referee situation in the NFL. I wish I knew the guest so I could properly credit him. It stuck with me as a perfect explanation for what may be going
UNDER CONTRACT: G Ben Gordon, F Tyrus Thomas, C DeSagana Diop, F Matt Carroll, G Gerald Henderson, G Ramon Sessions, F-C Bismack Biyombo, F Reggie Williams, G Kemba Walker, C Brendan Haywood, C B.J. Mullens, F Jeff Adrien, F DaJuan Summers DRAFT PICKS: F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, F Jeff Taylor FREE AGENTS: G Cory Higgins MOVES: The new coach is Mike Dunlap, whose only previous head coaching experience was filling in for cancer-stricken Steve Lavin at St. John’s last season. The Bobcats made a move before the
There are three NBA teams with new coaches for the start of the 2012-13 season, and no one is expecting any of them to work miracles. In fact, ownership and management appear to be expecting just the opposite. The Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic both are undergoing massive rebuilding projects and don’t seem overly concerned with winning. Both teams have hired inexperienced coaches with strong backgrounds in player development, which means they also have strong backgrounds in patience. It remains to be
With the opening of training camps in late September, there is now more offseason behind us rather than in front of us. With six weeks to go, many teams are looking to fill the final spot or two on their rosters. And as we pointed out last week, there is not much to choose from. Although there has been talk about some of these teams possibly adding another player, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Golden State, Indiana, the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis, New York, Oklahoma City
Commissioner David Stern wanted to level the economic playing field and curb overspending by the NBA’s bigger markets with the new CBA. Some very useful players got squeezed this summer, while some not so deserving players cashed in major checks. Some guys such as O.J. Mayo and D.J. Augustin did it to themselves. Others such as Devin Harris and Mickael Pietrus were victims of their own circumstances. But at the end of the day, a win is a win, and a loss
The NBA’s offseason is far from over. And as Chris Bernucca told us Monday, there are still at least 20 free agents out there that can provide value to a number of teams. Although it’s still pretty early in the summer, it’s not too early to identify some of the offseason’s biggest losers. And while we fully acknowledge that individual player progression, maturity, and development can improve a team just as much as a splashy free agent signing or witty trade, keep
