Monday night. 10 p.m. Eastern. Memphis Grizzlies. Phoenix Suns. Only one of them can make the playoffs. The Grizzlies will be coming off a game the previous night against the Lakers. If they win that game, they’re a game up on the Suns. If they lose, the two teams are tied. Phoenix has to be praying the Lakers get the win, because they’ve lost all three games against the Grizzlies this season, and they need to claim the eighth spot
We are about to witness what may be a first in the long history of the NBA. For the first time, four of the league’s flagship franchises could well be out of the playoffs. OK, the Knicks aren’t technically out of the race in the Hindenburg Conference, but they have a lot of ground to make up on Atlanta – four games in the loss column with 13 to play. The Celtics, Lakers and 76ers all are making plans for the
Phil Jackson to the New York Knicks? That has been the talk for much of the day, and with good reason. Although Jackson doesn’t really have any experience in a front office position, he does, obviously, have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the game of basketball. It certainly would create quite an intrigue around the league to see if he has what it takes to help right the ship for this struggling Knicks organization with so many movable
NBA writers have been speaking with anonymous scouts as of late, and you have to wonder if some of those scouts are paying as much attention as they really should, based on some of their questionable analysis. For example, saying you don’t like the Golden State Warriors’ chances in the playoffs because they’re not good enough defensively simply makes no sense, given that they are the third best defensive team in the league – the very best if you only count
Catch that riveting Celtics-Lakers game Friday night? Yeah, neither did I. Talk about a scheduling nightmare. The game featuring the two marquee franchises – as opposed to teams – was the second of ESPN’s Friday Night doubleheader. It featured two teams who have a combined 13 wins over the last two-plus months. With Kobe Bryant and the calcifying-before-our-eyes Steve Nash out, the Lakers’ only discernible attraction was Pau Gasol. The Celtics had Rajon Rondo, whose much-trumpeted comeback from knee surgery has helped
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, rumors have been rampant around the league throughout the day. Can Cleveland find a taker for Luol Deng? How serious is Sacramento about moving MIP candidate Isaiah Thomas? Will the New York Knicks finally trade Iman Shumpert? Those are some of the many burning questions as general managers try to determine what will be the best course of action for their respective franchises. Some minor deals have already gone down on Wednesday, and plenty more
With the NBA Trade Deadline less than 48 hours away, we have a lot of noteworthy news and rumors around the league to get to. Before we just recklessly cannonball right in, let’s take a look and see how deep the water is. [Read more…]
If Rajon Rondo is truly available, there is one team where he’d be such a good fit that it might make the Miami Heat the second choice among oddsmakers to win the NBA title. And if Larry Bird can get his hands on Rondo, the Indiana Pacers would be that team. Word was spreading on Twitter yesterday that Celtics GM Danny Ainge was seeking two unprotected first-round draft picks in any deal involving Rondo, and I tweeted my immediate reaction. If #Celtics truly