When you think of words to describe the New York Knicks’ season, “fun” isn’t among them. If you’re looking for words beginning with the letter F, “frightening” and “failure” come to mind. If you’re looking for three-letter words, “bad” certainly works. As for four-letter words, well, I’m sure Knicks fans have used them all. But fun? Well, that’s how Langston Galloway sees it. “I’m just out there having fun,” the rookie point guard said after Wednesday’s win over Oklahoma City. “Just trying to play
Rookie Rankings, Week 11: New International Rookie Game Format is Good Idea
The glorious history of NBA All-Star Weekend is littered with bad ideas. Remember 2-Ball? The Wheel of Fortune at the Slam Dunk Contest? The game uniforms that had different colors on the front and back, so you couldn’t tell which players were on which team? This week, however, the NBA announced a change to one of the All-Star Weekend events that is a really good idea. The Rising Stars will pit American players against international players. The Rising Stars has undergone several changes
Rookie Rankings, Week 10: The Cavs Should Have Kept Wiggins
Maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers should have kept Andrew Wiggins. Yeah, I know, it’s easy to say now, with Kevin Love sitting out fourth quarters and contemplating whether to re-up alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, while Wiggins drops 20 every night for the Minnesota Timberwolves. But I’m not just saying it now. I said it back in the summer, too, before the big deal was even done. [Read more…]
Rookie Rankings, Week 9: Jusuf Nurkic, Winning
It’s hard to find an NBA player – let alone a rookie – who had a better week than Jusuf Nurkic. Last Saturday, the center from Bosnia and his Denver Nuggets teammates were lying in wait for the Memphis Grizzlies, who were coming off a tougher-than-expected road win over the Los Angeles Lakers the previous night and had to make one of the league’s tougher overnight trips. LA to Denver may not seem like much, but it is a long flight
Fantasy Spin: Daily Value In Overlooked NBA Games
Atlanta moved into top spot in the East by beating the Jazz last night. Back-to-back against the well-rested Blazers is a much tougher test; there will be better spots to use Jeff Teague $7400 and Al Horford $7000 in DFS. [Read more…]
Rookie Rankings, Week 8: Smart Shows Toughness, Now Has to Play Smart
Whether you are in the schoolyard or the prison yard, the theory remains the same: If you’re the new guy and want to prove your toughness, go pick a fight with the biggest guy in the yard. That’s what Boston Celtics rookie Marcus Smart did in Wednesday’s home win over the Sacramento Kings. In the fourth quarter with the Celtics pulling away, the 6-4, 220-pound Smart ran directly into the chest of the 6-11, 270-pound DeMarcus Cousins, who was trying to set
Rookie Rankings, Week 7: Mirotic Earning His Minutes With Bulls
When the offseason began, all the talk around the Chicago Bulls was regarding the acquisition of veteran All-Star forward-center Pau Gasol and how he would work in a three-man big rotation with Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Then the focus shifted to former MVP point guard Derrick Rose and his arduous comeback from a pair of debilitating knee injuries as he played for Team USA in the World Cup and arrived in training camp. Once the first two months of the season
Rookie Rankings, Week 6: Injuries Hurt Development, Too
When looking at the lottery picks of the 2014 NBA draft, it’s almost easier to list those who are healthy than those who are not. The torn ACL suffered this week by No. 2 pick Jabari Parker was devastating news for the Milwaukee Bucks, who have been surprisingly competitive throughout the first third of the season, currently 6th in the East, and appeared to have the Rookie of the Year favorite in their starting lineup. But Parker’s injury also continued a trend among the most