This was NOT the scene in Indianapolis after the Pacers defeated the Heat, but it is a fitting approximation of the post-game mood at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Have they cleaned up the confetti yet in Indianapolis? OK, maybe that is raining on the Pacers parade a little bit. It was a nice win last night, a great win really when you consider what was at stake — validation as a team that can truly compete with the Heat,
The Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers will square off for the first time tonight in Indianapolis since the Heat defeated the Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last spring. [Read more…]
It’s official, Kobe Bryant is returning to the court this Sunday against the Toronto Raptors after an eight-month recovery from a torn Achilles that sidelined him during last years playoffs. While that technically is the “news” of the day, it sure isn’t the talk of the town. That is because Kobe announced his comeback with an extravagant, two minute video via Facebook titled “Seasons of Legend.” The video entails nothing more than Kobe’s jersey flapping in a windy sky. For two
Parity \ˈper-ə-tē\ — the quality or state of being equal or equivalent. Parity is what most professional sports leagues strive for. Parity, or competitive balance in the case of sports, is good for business. It means games are competitive. It gives fans—of all teams—hope and reason to fill arena seats. Unfortunately for the National Basketball Association, parity seems non-existent nearly 20 games into the 2013-14 season. Former Boston Celtics forward Antoine Walker took notice of the disparity between the NBA conferences. [Read more…]
This caption doesn’t exactly fit what the author is writing, but it adequately shows your typical Knicks fan. Pacers fans act oppositely. There are moments in life when we become one with our sofa. We get comfortable, we sink deeper and deeper into the plush fabric, we cover ourself with a blanket or two and we try to set the record for popcorn consumption. (I worked in a cinema when I was 16, and my popcorn skills are
Remember that streak of games hot-shooting LeBron James put together last February? Well, he’s doing it again. Much earlier in the season. And for a longer stretch. And if he keeps it up, it will become historic. Because since the ABA-NBA merger, no wing player or point guard has scored this much while shooting this well. Not Dr. J. Not even Michael Jordan. Yes, really. Through the first month of the season, James is third in the league in scoring at 26.2 points per
The NBA has disciplined another player this season, this time it’s Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers. Chalmers will be suspended one game (served tonight against Charlotte) for a forearm to the head of Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki in Friday night’s game. Chalmers was unhappy with the ruling by the league. He later took to Twitter to explain his side of the story. Never in my career been a dirty player. It’s clear that my arm was being held and that’s wat caused
By now, you’ve probably already had a peek at the jerseys NBA players will be wearing on Christmas. Yes, they have sleeves. Now, if Santa leaves one of these under your tree, you may not be so happy. They are clearly not conventional jerseys, which remain incredibly popular. And they are not quite T-shirts, either. They are somewhere in between. The sleeved jerseys are unquestionably a marketing tool. In addition to being a new item that many fans believe they have to have,