With Amare Stoudemire due back any day now for the New York Knicks, there has been plenty of chatter about what his return may do for the chemistry of the best team in the Eastern Conference. Even before the long awaited return, the issue of whether the power forward can fit in with Carmelo Anthony has constantly been questioned by the media and fans alike, with good reason. The two simply have yet to prove that they can both be highly productive
What has gotten into the abilities of the once-great Deron Williams? This is a guy that was once touted as the best point guard in the league during his tenure as a Jazz. Clearly, that sentiment was still strong over this past summer when he was heavily pursued by teams, before the coveted guard chose to sign with the Brooklyn Nets for nearly $100 million. Is it a simple case of a lack of effort for the guard, who has been handsomely paid?
Even when the Los Angeles Lakers win games, the drama just doesn’t seem to stop. [Read more…]
With a quarter of the season already completed, we are starting to get a feel for the identity of most teams. There is still plenty of basketball left to play with plenty of questions about many teams, but if you were wondering if the Toronto Raptors or the Cleveland Cavaliers could potentially make the playoffs before the start of this season, those thoughts are probably no longer there, given the struggles of those respective teams. Although there is a general picture painted
As the season approached near, an incredible sense of optimism surrounded the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ricky Rubio was due back from microfracture surgery at some point in December. Nikola Pekovic looked to reach new heights after a breakout rookie season. Newly acquired players like Andrei Kirilenko, Chase Budinger, Alexey Shved and Greg Stiemsma provided the team with excellent depth. Brandon Roy would make a triumphant comeback from degenerative knees after showing much promise during workouts in the offseason. Most importantly, Kevin
Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, Brendan Haywood and anyone else who has struggled with free throws, take heart. Each of you is a regular Rick Barry compared to this guy. [Read more…]
The Lakers can’t seem to buy wins right now. Tonight’s loss to the Jazz put them back to 9-12, eight back of West-leading San Antonio and Oklahoma City, and a game and a half back of eighth-place Minnesota for the last playoff spot in the conference. And yet they’re scoring 3.1 more points per game than they’re allowing, and also they have Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant. Something doesn’t seem right here. Meanwhile in the East, things are shaking out slightly
Was the chance to play with Pau Gasol one of the primary reasons for Nash’s decision to become a Laker in the offseason? According to Ric Bucher’s source (more on that below), that appears to be the case and if so, the rumors of the Lakers having a desire to acquire Ryan Anderson becomes a moot point. The question is, does Nash still feel the same way after seeing how much Gasol has struggled up to this point of the season? Before sitting