Generations of fans know the Utah Jazz as a model of stability. They were raised on Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone, coach Jerry Sloan and super significant owner Larry H. Miller, the rock of the franchise. Miller kept the team together, mended issues with coaches and players and even took financial risks to purchase the team. When Miller died in 2009, the franchise slowly lost all the stability he imparted to it as the sole owner. It truly fell apart
Another season marks another chance to feel optimistic about your favorite NBA team’s chances of making some noise. Other than a few brief stretches, Minnesota Timberwolves fans have had trouble finding any reason to be optimistic over the past few years. From injuries to frequent coaching changes to frequent front office switches to Darko Milicic, the Timberwolves have had quite an interesting little decade. This season is a special one. It marks the 10-year anniversary of their 2003-04 run to the Western
The injury-ravaged Minnesota Timberwolves signed forward Josh Howard on Friday in an effort to strengthen their depleted roster. No terms were disclosed, although it is likely Howard – beginning his 10th season – received the veteran’s minimum. He will be in uniform when the Timberwolves host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. [Read more…]
(This is another in a series of 30 guest columns that will run in October, when optimism reigns supreme across the NBA. The theme will be “Five Reasons to Feel Positive About … ” We encourage you to follow the authors on Twitter and visit their sites. – CS) In the wake of the Carmelo Anthony trade and the departures of Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith – the ending of the “Thuggets” era – Denver Nuggets vice president of basketball operations
(This is another in a series of 30 guest columns that will run in October, when optimism reigns supreme across the NBA. The theme will be “Five Reasons to Feel Positive About … ” We encourage you to follow the authors on Twitter and visit their sites. – CS) Portland Trail Blazers fans had to endure one of the franchise’s worst meltdowns in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. Following an epic sell-off and housecleaning, the Blazers enter this season with a new
(This is another in a series of 30 guest columns that will run in October, when optimism reigns supreme across the NBA. The theme will be “Five Reasons to Feel Positive About … ” We encourage you to follow the authors on Twitter and visit their sites. – CS) To many NBA fans, the news of Kevin Love’s broken hand and subsequent absence of six to eight weeks came as a shock. To Minnesota Timberwolves fans, it’s just another year. The last time
(This is another in a series of 30 guest columns that will run in October, when optimism reigns supreme across the NBA. The theme will be “Five Reasons to Feel Positive About … ” We encourage you to follow the authors on Twitter and visit their sites. – CS) The Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the league’s most talked-about teams last season, and it seemed that they were destined to meet with the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. It
Northwest Division Fantasy Preview (Part I) Yesterday, Kent kick-started our week of division previews with the Atlantic. Today, I tackle the Northwest. The Northwest is a mecca for fantasy basketball players. The division has four of the NBA’s seven highest-scoring teams, and even the fifth (the Portland Trailblazers) finished in the top half. With new a coach and point guard in Portland, I expect all five teams to continue to push the pace in 2012-13. With all that scoring, the division gives fantasy