ATLANTA — With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, Washington forward Drew Gooden hit a baseline jumper to put the Wizards and Hawks in a 73-73 deadlock. It marked the sixth time in eight postseason games that Atlanta had blown a double-digit lead, and the once-jovial Philips Arena crowd let out a collective groan. “Here we go again.” On the ensuing play, however, Dennis Schroder drove to the rim on a pick-and-roll and kicked the ball out to the left corner to an
In Elton Brand’s 14 NBA seasons, the two-time All Star has played alongside some of the league’s most respected point guards. From Sam Cassell to pre-injury Shaun Livingston to Andre Miller to Jrue Holiday, Brand has grown accustomed to excellence from his floor generals. So when Brand signed with Atlanta over the summer and was told to check out the highlight reel for his new teammate, a 19-year-old who had been nicknamed “Baby Rondo,” he was understandably skeptical of the moniker. “People
With training camps underway, teams are getting their first look at players making their way from Europe to begin their NBA journey. Over the last two decades, the talent pool for basketball has rapidly expanded worldwide, and teams are constantly scouring the globe to find the next hidden gem. Just who are these newest international men of mystery, and what can they bring to their respective squads? Here is a look at the top European players who are set to make their
CHICAGO — It was not a make or break situation, but when you walked into the gym for the NBA pre-draft camp on Chicago’s west side – filled with scouts, general managers, coaches, media and everyone in between – you could feel the intensity in the air. [Read more…]
In case you missed it, the NBA released the list of early-entry candidates for the 2013 Draft last week. We have a post up from our U.S.-based draft guru, Joe Kotoch, highlighting the names that were conspicuously absent (Marcus Smart chief among them), and we also have a brand new Mock Draft update that takes into account the recent rise of San Diego State’s Jamaal Franklin. As you can see from the big list, there are 31 international prospects — quite a