Less than three weeks ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were mourning the death of owner Jerry Buss, refuting rumors that Dwight Howard would be traded and staring down the draft lottery. With his team mired in ninth place in the Western Conference, Kobe Bryant defiantly told Sports Illustrated, “It’s not a question of if we make the playoffs. We will. And when we get there, I have no fear of anyone – Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver … whoever. I have
One of the best things about seeing something incredible happen in an NBA game – be it amazing, funny, stupid, etc – is sharing the moment with folks on twitter. And boy, was there a reaction on Sunday night. [Read more…]
We thought that Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams had the most spectacular night on Friday. He did, after all, break the all-time record for most 3-pointers made in a single half with nine total (he finished with 11 for the game) and scored a season-high 42 points on 15-of-24 shooting. And then Kobe Bryant happened. [Read more…]
Finally, a chance for some our candidates for the Sixth Man Award to get time in the national spotlight. With TNT airing two extra games Tuesday, the week was filled with national TV showcases. While some candidates were able to step up, others didn’t look quite as prepared. While it’s likely that the televising network didn’t have much to do with their success, or lack thereof, the difference in production for a couple players seemed to change when the likes of
When February turns into March, the hope for all NBA coaches is that their teams will be fresh and up to the challenge of competing for respect around the league (relatively speaking for each team, of course). Sometimes things just happen that the neither the coaches nor the players can expect or account for. In a lot of cases, after the All Star break, some players who were on a roll can run into problems. [Read more…]
This year’s trade deadline was a weak one in terms of star power, but it did include one of the top candidates for the NBA Sixth Man Award in J.J. Redick, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in a six-player deal. Like Redick, many top-notch bench players have been battling injuries for some time now, and the All Star break brought a very convenient period for players such as Jamal Crawford and Gordon Hayward to nurse their injuries and prepare
All Star Weekend begins today. Starting off with the NBA Rising Stars Challenge, most NBA players will finally get some time to recuperate and prepare for the home stretch of the regular season, where much more than a spot in the All Star festivities will be on the line. It couldn’t come at a better time for some of the top bench players in the NBA. With injuries, streaky play, or sometimes a combination being a factor, a number of players have
The Los Angeles Clippers secured an important road victory Sunday afternoon at New York. They took control in the fourth quarter, pulling away to secure a 102-88 win over the Knicks. [Read more…]