The 2014-2015 season did not go as planned whatsoever for the Indiana Pacers. As a matter of fact, their season practically ended before it even got started. After reaching the Eastern Conference finals the previous two years, the Pacers had huge expectations heading into the new season. But all it took it was one defining moment in a meaningless game to send the Pacers on a downward spiral. Aug. 1, 2014 is a day that will forever be etched in the minds
Not much happening. Which leads us to a Sportswriting Etiquette 101 lesson: It is bad form for basketball writers who are covering a tight game to say: “Looks like it’ll go to overtime.” Same thing with baseball writers, who are forbidden in press boxes from mentioning the words “extra innings” prior to the start of the 10th. It s considered a jinx. OK, not forbidden. But it is frowned upon, heavily. Sportwriters like to go home to their families, especially those families with
A look at the overall NBA standings shows four teams at the top – Indiana, Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Miami – separated by one game in the loss column. In fact, they were dead even until three of them lost Sunday. Just a notch below them are three more teams – Houston, the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland – separated by two games in the loss column. They also would have been dead even had the Blazers held
Does anyone want Danny Granger? How about Jimmer Fredette? This is the last week for contenders to shore up their playoff rosters with NBA players for a run they hope will last into June. Teams have until March 1 to sign players eligible for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers already made a big splash on that front by signing Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who had the final two years of his contract bought out by Orlando. It’s a good fit. The Clippers desperately
It didn’t necessarily have any marquee names, but a three-team trade that sent Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks to the Golden State Warriors was the talk around the league on Wednesday (before Nick Young threw some punches). See below for some insight and analysis on the who and the why: Chris Sheridan broke down what the trade does for each team involved. Bill Simmons shares his thoughts on the deal, from our Michael Brumagin. Members of Warriors World chime in on how Crawford
NBA on ESPN analyst and Grantland editor in chief Bill Simmons maintains many titles: writer, fan, Los Angeles Clippers season ticket holder, husband, dad, among a few others. Among the many hats that he wears, he is an avid Boston Celtics fan. If you’ve followed his blogs or read his book, you know that he has been a big Celtics fan since he was a child—when his father would take him to the old Boston Garden. While still maintaining his Boston NBA
Memo to Brad Stevens: You are the new Michael Dukakis in Massachusetts. For those too young to remember, a short history lesson: Before he got trampled in the 1988 U.S. presidential election, the former governor of Massachusetts tried to toughen up his softie image by doing a photo op with Army troops, riding on an Abrams M1 tank. The whole thing was so ludicrous, so obviously staged, that Dukakis riding a tank became a euphemism for anything that seemed so completely out
How you gonna beat the Miami Heat? For the last three seasons, that was the most important question for the other 29 NBA teams — and it remains the case this season, too. But the Knicks and Nets did it on successive nights, which shows it is not impossible. [Read more…]