Growing up, fans are taught several “facts” about team sports. It’s a fact that teamwork is better than selfish play. It’s usually a fact that a good defense beats a good offense. It’s a fact in baseball that last licks is more advantageous than leading off. Perhaps no “fact” is more emphasized, however, than the notion that the best players in every sport always start. In the NBA in 2013, that “fact” is fiction. It couldn’t be further from the truth. [Read more…]
Capping off a mediocrity-defining three-year stretch that saw them finish ninth, ninth and eighth in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks should have entered the summer of 2013 with change as the most obvious mandate. As in change everything. Despite a return to the playoffs and encouraging progress from big men Larry Sanders, Ersan Ilyasova and John Henson, the Bucks had little to show for their efforts last season, as coaching upheaval and a dysfunctional locker room motivated GM John Hammond to take a
Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes turned plenty of heads during his first postseason appearance this past season – particularly against the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. He has become a fan favorite and a candidate to become a future star in the league. Along with teammate Klay Thompson, Barnes has been spending time showcasing his multiple skill sets in training camp for the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship team. Both players were invited for the camp
As the 2013 NBA Draft is just around the corner, Wednesday brought with it news that signaled the potential end of one career and the possible demise of his franchise. Wednesday afternoon New England Patriots rising star tight end Aaron Hernandez, 23, was picked up from his North Attleborough home by Bristol County police and taken to the Bristol County District Court where he was later arraigned. Within 90-minutes of being picked up by the police, Hernandez was released by the Patriots. A short
NBA scouts may have overlooked Bradley Beal’s best quality. When Beal declared for the 2012 draft, his combination of 6-5 size and excellent mechanics made him the top shooting guard prospect. After a slow start to the season – somewhat attributed to the injury absence oF backcourt mate John Wall – he has found his rhythm and is shooting better than 46 percent from the field since New Year’s Day. However, Beal also has shown remarkable mental and physical toughness throughout his
Pistons No. 1 draft pick Andre Drummond There is a developing groundswell of support for Andre Drummond as an alternative to Damian Lillard for Rookie of the Year. This is a borderline insane notion, of course. Drummond is a big man who doesn’t even start for the awful Detroit Pistons, who harbor only faint playoff hopes despite playing in the Eastern Conference. Lillard is a point guard, the toughest position in the NBA, and is playing it so
As good as Damian Lillard has been this season, he is not good enough to be an All-Star as a rookie. Lillard plays for the wrong team in the wrong time zone in the wrong conference. The Portland Trail Blazers are not a glamour bunch. Their home games end when half the country is asleep. And most important, their half of the league is loaded with awesome backcourt players. [Read more…]
