Call it motivational, maybe even inspirational. On a severely sprained ankle, Kobe Bryant actually started and played 12 minutes, though he was scoreless and spent the rest of the game as a self-appointed assistant coach. Dwight Howard (20 PTS, 12 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK) was a force, Steve Nash (15 PTS, 9 AST, 4 REB) played well and Metta World Peace (19 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL) raised his game, but it was the Lakers’ bench that made
On paper, Friday’s tilt between the Heat and Bucks offered an intriguing if not entirely predictable preview of the two teams’ possible first-round playoff matchup. The East’s best versus its erratic eighth seed. The unstoppable force versus the decidedly movable object. The inevitability of LeBron James’ quest for a second title against the maddening inconsistency of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. It might not have been Bird vs. Magic, but as far as Friday night NBA storylines go, you could do much
MIAMI – Once again, the defending champion Miami Heat – the favorites to win the title again this season, winners of 18 consecutive games, owners of best record in the NBA, darlings of media and fans alike – find themselves walking a high wire without a safety net. Almost everybody expects the Heat, led by superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, to repeat as champions. They look unbeatable in a best-of-seven series. Heck, they look unbeatable every night, something they’ve been
Daylight savings time is upon us, and as we celebrate with another hour of daylight, the NBA had a busy day with nine games on the docket. The Heat continued their unbelievable stretch with their 18th straight win, the Clippers toyed with Detroit, the Lakers moved into playoff position and the Thunder continued their dominance at home. Sit back and get some rays with our latest version of Five Fast Facts.
MIAMI – At this moment, this is probably the best Miami Heat team ever. This Heat team, with superstar forward LeBron James playing as though he’s the best player in the world, and superstar guard Dwyane Wade playing as though he’s still a top-three player in the world, might be the best the franchise has ever seen. [Read more…]
Dwight Howard is the best center in the NBA. Yes, still. He also is (a) incapable of making an elbow jumper, (b) unreliable at the free-throw line, (c) susceptible to long-term injury, (d) hypersensitive to criticism from teammates and coaches, (e) more interested in becoming the next Bill Murray rather than the next Bill Russell and (f) wondering why no one has handed him the icon status he desperately craves. But the worst thing Howard is – and unlike the items above,
The last two games of the ‘first half’ are in the books. Actually, the ‘second half’ of the NBA season is more like the final third. Every team has played at least 50 games, some as many as 56. There are only five weeks left in many Head-to-Head fantasy leagues until the playoffs begin, and trade deadlines are looming in both real basketball and our imaginary version. [Read more…]
What a first half of the season, huh? As we head into the break, the Three-Man Weave covers LeBron James’ remarkable run, what to look forward to during All-Star Weekend 2013 edition, and which teams may be poised for a second-half push that sneaks them into the postseason. Without further ado, the second edition of the Three-Man Weave: [Read more…]