Coming off the first playoff appearance since 2010 and turning the page on some miserable years, Charlotte now has new hope — and a new old nickname. The Charlotte Hornets have rediscovered their sting and are for real. Guided a year ago by first-year coach Steve Clifford, Charlotte restructured its entire defensive system, and along with star big man Al Jefferson saw its win total spike from 21 all the way to 43. According to analyst David Locke, the Hornets shaved off
In a summer marred by racial controversy, the NBA community has managed to keep its focus on the usual topics of conversation. Few debates have captured the imagination of the masses as much as the oldest question in the book: Who is the best player of all-time? The answers have varied, but not as much as people may think. From Kevin Durant to Brandon Jennings, multiple big-name players have made the claim that Kobe Bryant is the greatest of all time. Some have
When it comes to debating who the better player is between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, there is basically no contest: anyone who has seen both play knows Jordan was the better overall player. The statistics overwhelmingly supports that idea (particularly in the playoffs). Phil Jackson, who has famously coached both players, has said a number of times that Jordan was the better player on both ends of the floor. Even Bryant himself at some point wished people would stop with
The NBA offseason continues to roll along, complete with Kevin Love trade talks seeming to have spiked to an all-time high. If you’re interested, our own Chris Sheridan spoke with Dan Bickley on KTAR 98.7 regarding the latest on a potential trade. The Detroit Pistons have had a rather busy offseason. Theirs began with the hiring of a new head coach and president of basketball operations, Stan Van Gundy. Lacking a first round draft pick, they drafted Colorado point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, whom
Lance Stephenson, seen posing with $1 million in cash, will be cashing in upwards of $27 million in Charlotte. Lance Stephenson has chosen to turn down longterm offers to stay in Indiana for the Charlotte Hornets. The reports seem as perplexing as his on-court behavior. He was being offered five years and $44 million guaranteed to remain with the Pacers, but opted for three years and $18 million guaranteed—the third year is a team option. While it may seem puzzling to
In returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James took a maximum salary. But he did not take a maximum contract length. James declined the maximum four-year, $88 million deal available to him as a 10-year veteran and instead signed a two-year, $42.1 million contract with the Cavaliers. The deal has an opt-out clause after next season, which means we could have Decision III as early as a year from now. Does that mean James is hedging his bets on returning home and
YOUR ALL-TIME STARTING FIVE: Pick your $15 All-time Starting Five pic.twitter.com/NPsa7VmDkA — Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 28, 2014 So lets have a little fun with this (thanks to Ballislife for the tweet/idea). My team: Magic Johnson ($5), Michael Jordan ($5), Scottie Pippen ($1), Kevin Garnett ($1), Wilt Chamberlain ($3). Here’s the logic: Johnson is regarded by most as the greatest point guard of all-time. Easy choice. Jordan is regarded by most as the greatest player of all-time. Easy choice. It’s time to use my money wisely, so for
Eddie Johnson had a long career in the NBA, spanning from 1981 to 1999. At the end of his career, he had amassed 19,202 points, the 22nd highest total at that point in time, better than all but 30 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees. Yet, during his career, he was never an All-Star, never an All-NBA athlete nor did he win any major awards save for one—the 1989 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. In his many years