The traditional ‘quiet week’ in Chinese basketball is rarely what it’s designed to be. Instead, the brief break that splits the regular season and the playoffs are often the most frantic few days in the CBA schedule as teams race to get ready for the postseason. But this year however, things have been even more chaotic than usual. Not only did the playoffs create some unexpected matchups, the recently unveiled foreign MVP shortlist also raised a lot of eyebrows. With
With a triple-double of 14 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks on national TV, Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has shown that impactful midseason signings can be found in the strangest of places. Whiteside was a 2010 second-round pick of the Sacramento Kings. He was waived by both the Kings in 2012 and the Memphis Grizzlies three months ago. In between, Whiteside was playing for Jiangsu Tongxi in the second tier of Chinese basketball. With the regular season of the Chinese Basketball
NBA playoff teams in need of help can still find a difference maker before the deadline arrives for setting postseason rosters. All they need to do is look overseas. With the playoffs less than a month away, and the trade deadline and “February free agency” in the distant past, NBA teams are typically left to rely on the D-League to provide injury replacement players at this point of the season. With players needing to have been released by their previous NBA team by
Half a world away from all the Phil Jackson madness, Stephon Marbury is competing for a championship … again. Game 1 of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Finals is Wednesday night. The two best teams in the league — the Beijing Ducks and the Xinjiang Flying Tigers — will play a best-of-seven series for the CBA championship. Beijing comes into the series having just upset the top dog of the league, the Guangdong Southern Tigers. Xinjiang, on the other hand, is the undisputed
Hoop dreams come in all shapes and sizes. And halfway around the world, some dreams are just beginning — the dream of making it back to the NBA. This weekend, the Chinese Basketball Association concludes its regular season as teams gear up for the playoffs. For many Americans playing in China, the dream is humble yet significant – to compete for an NBA roster spot. No matter how you look at it, getting back to the NBA is always a long shot.
Have you ever wondered what became of Delonte West? How about Randolph Morris? Hamed Haddadi? Marcus Williams? They are all part of the growing contingent of former NBA players in the Chinese Basketball Association. The CBA is definitely a league of its own and well worth following for its American star power. Defense is not a priority in the CBA, an offensive-minded league which emphasizes transition and the 3-pointer. It is a great place for undersized guards, tweener forwards and big men not
We are down to the bargain bin of free agency. Reduced for clearance! Everything must go! Up to 90 percent off! Yes, we know Mickael Pietrus and Derek Fisher aren’t exactly scrap heap material. Both were key players for playoff teams last season, as were Leandro Barbosa and Kenyon Martin. But most of what is left falls into three categories: Olympians, amnesty victims and veterans too proud to take minimum deals. There is some variety remaining at both forward spots and shooting guard but
NEWS Kevin Love says he’s feeling better after his concussion but is still unsure about playing in Minnesota’s next game. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting Magic center Dwight Howard underwent successful arthroscopic surgery Friday on a herniated disk in his lower back. The NBA union’s executive committee has requested the resignation of President Derek Fisher. NOTES The Memphis Grizzlies have signed free agent guard Lester Hudson. The Cavaliers have shut down center Anderson Varejao for the remainder of the season with a broken right wrist. Golden State