First off, we are doing away with the Roman numerals, which only are used in copyright dates and Super Bowls. They can have ’em. Now back to business. Last week’s Bernucca List was first correctly answered by reader Matthew, who said the list was players who were parts of trades involving Shaquille O’Neal. He narrowly edged Sam Millner, preventing him from winning a second straight week. This week’s list is below. Whether you are a reader or a tweeter, send an answer.
NEW YORK — I alluded to this in yesterday’s power rankings: Coaches need to set examples, and coaches need to impart upon their players that the worst time to get a technical foul is in the fourth quarter. Mike Brown picked up two of them in rapid succession Saturday night in the fourth quarter of the Lakers-Jazz game, and today he is paying the price. NBA vie president of violence Stu Jackson announced that Brown has been suspended one game without pay and fined
Guys were losing their cool all over the league Saturday night. Coaches, players, winners, losers – it didn’t matter. Things got out of control in Utah, Minnesota and Indiana, and fines and suspensions should be coming. Let’s start in Salt Lake City, where Lakers coach Mike Brown totally lost it in the fourth quarter of a 96-87 loss to the Jazz. LA trailed, 72-68, and Pau Gasol had possession at the top of the circle. Utah guard Earl Watson came from his blind
// Fans in the NBA’s two biggest markets can’t be very happy right now. For that matter, neither can David Stern. The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA. They predate instant replay, maximum salaries, team planes, the draft lottery, the 3-pointer, free agency, conferences and leather sneakers. For more than 50 years, they have anchored the league on opposite coasts, guaranteeing interest in the two biggest cities in the country. Both teams basically have unlimited budgets. Both teams
Will the New York Knicks fire Mike D’Antoni? Should Kobe Bryant & the Lakers panic as they keep failing to score 100? And are the Indiana Pacers to be taken for real? CineSport’s Noah Coslov & Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com discuss. //
Sunday night’s best game starts after the football is over and has the surprising Indiana Pacers visiting the Los Angeles Lakers, who are in a favorable stretch of their schedule and have an opportunity to fix some of their issues on offense. The first issue is scoring. Despite having the NBA’s leading scorer in Kobe Bryant, the Lakers are just 21st in offense at 92.1 points and dead last in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 25.7 percent. Derek Fisher is 7-of-29,