The decision of Dirk Nowitzki to have knee surgery isn’t a complete surprise. It will cost him all of November, a definite setback to his owners, including Mark Cuban. If there’s any consolation, Dirk should be much better in the second half; the non-surgical option might have ruined his entire season, with the Mavericks and in fantasy leagues. You cannot replace a Hall-of-Famer. Elton Brand will start at PF. How much he has left, we’ll find out. Brandan Wright is also in
We all realize at this point that the Los Angeles Lakers have assembled a team to do some special things this season. There is an incredible amount of talent on the team from Steve Nash’s play-making abilities, Dwight Howard’s defensive presence, Kobe Bryant’s scoring prowess to Metta World Peace’s renewed focus. Then there is Pau Gasol, whose ability to be an all-around player for the team could be the x-factor to help carry the Lakers over the top. See why
(This entry is the second in a series of 30 guest columns that will run during 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) There’s absolutely nothing in the NBA worse than mediocrity. It’s a top-heavy league where if you’re not in the top five, the bottom five, or you don’t have a superstar,
Fantasy Basketball Primer Part 3 – Custom League Settings In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, I introduced you to the Fantasy Basketball Primer and reviewed Head-to-Head, Rotisserie and Keeper League strategies. Today we look at some common league rules and settings, how they will inform your strategy and who are the right players for your league. Know Your League Rules and Settings Fantasy basketball rules can vary widely across leagues, as hosting websites offer more and more customization. Apply a little
PHILADELPHIA—Maybe it’s no big deal. Andrew Bynum will be back before they know it—with two healthy knees—and the Philadelphia 76ers will go on to have the glistening season many are projecting. His unexpected three-week precautionary absence due to a bone bruise suffered while recovering from that recent non-invasive Orthokine procedure performed on both his knees in Germany—announced at the start of Media Day here yesterday—will simply be a glitch in the road to their ultimate success. Certainly that’s what they’d all like to
As some of you may know, the site was down on Monday due to GoDaddy issues, but we’re back to fill you in on some relevant NBA news. See what Knicks guard J.R. Smith expects from his team this season, what Dwight Howard has to do to earn the respect of Shaquille O’Neal, what Dwyane Wade thinks of his jump shot and more below. Speaking of Wade, be sure to check out what he thought when Steve Nash was traded to
In the biggest game of the season for the Boston Celtics, the Big Four took a back seat to the Other One. All of the attention in Boston rightfully goes to Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. They are the only four players remaining from the team’s last championship in 2008 and comprise perhaps the best quartet in the NBA. They are the reason the Celtics are still in the title hunt when most felt their window of
Kobe Bryant is more or less known as one of the most clutch performers in the NBA down the stretch of games. On Wednesday night, his late-game antics were the furthest thing possible from clutch. Kevin Durant took the honors instead. The Los Angeles Lakers had the chance to show the basketball world that their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder was about to be renewed. After getting blown out in Game 1 by 29 points, the former champions came out with a sense