In case you didn’t notice, the transition into a new era for the San Antonio Spurs hit a milestone of sorts this past weekend. For the first time in 1,360 career games, Tim Duncan did not score. Coming off a three-game absence – one for rest and two due to knee soreness – the no-brainer Hall of Famer played just 13 minutes Saturday, missing all three of his shots and failing to get to the line. And it was no coincidence that in
Marks: Changing Lottery Rules Won’t Cure What Ails the NBA
PHILADELPHIA – Let’s begin with a question. In the three-plus decades since David Stern took the reins as NBA commissioner from Larry O’Brien and handed them to Adam Silver, what do these franchises – the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers – have in common? Answer: None has gone to the NBA Finals. Furthermore, among that group only Denver, Minnesota, Milwaukee, Sacramento and
Tweet of the Day: NBA Finals Game 1 Anticipation From Around the League
Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs tips Thursday night at 9:00 PM. If you’re looking forward to watching it in hopes of getting some exciting NBA action, you’re not alone. After last year’s Finals that featured two amazing finishes—Tony Parker’s bank shot to secure a four-point victory in Game 1 or Ray Allen’s three-point shot, perhaps the shot heard round the world, in Game 6 to force overtime, everyone is hoping for
NBA Owners Respond to Sterling’s Unprecedented Punishment
With much of the national discourse centering on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, the reality of the matter is that a lifetime ban and a $2.5 million fine is the limit to what NBA commissioner Adam Silver is capable of doing. The rest falls on the shoulders of 29 team owners, as they—according to the NBA’s Constitution and By-Laws—must vote with a 3/4’s majority to force the sale of the team. Players, media pundits and people all across the nation
Schayes: Why Athletes Retire Badly
David Robinson played 14 years for the San Antonio Spurs, won a championship in his final season and rode off into the sunset as a basketball hero. Julius Erving played all 11 of his NBA years in Philadelphia and was honored in every arena where the 76ers played as he headed into retirement. While that may seem like the norm for star athletes, the truth is very different. This season, one MVP announced his retirement, while several surefire Hall of Famers are nearing the
The Numbers Say… Anthony Davis, Michael Carter-Williams Continue Torrid Starts
Five days into the 2013-14 NBA regular season, two players continue to dominate to the point that the record books have taken notice. Surprisingly, it’s not LeBron James and Kevin Durant, or even Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, for that matter. It’s Anthony Davis and Michael Carter-Williams. Davis, a second-year power forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, has been dominating on both ends of the floor. Carter-Williams, a rookie point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, has been doing the same, but in
Tweet of the Day: NBA Reacts To Navy Yard Massacre
Tragedy struck in Washington D.C. Monday morning where a gunman, identified as Aaron Alexis, 34, first opened fire at Building 197—the headquarters for the Naval Sea Systems Command—in the Washington Navy Yard. 12 victims (not including the gunman, Alexis) have been confirmed dead, several others are wounded. [Read more…]
Schayes: The Franchise Center is an Endangered Species
The Dwight Howard dramatics (but not the fallout) have finally ended after a two-plus year run with his commitment to the Houston Rockets. He has been the most sought-after free agent for the last 3 seasons because he is THE ONLY FRANCHISE CENTER IN THE NBA! What!?! [Read more…]