Monday’s 10-game slate includes the NBA’s only unbeatens facing tests as Miami hosts Atlanta and Oklahoma City travels to Dallas. Elsewhere, the New York Knicks return home to face Toronto and the Orlando Magic take their four-game winning streak to Detroit. But the most intriguing game undoubtedly is at the Target Center, where the Minnesota Timberwolves host the San Antonio Spurs and perhaps giving Ricky Rubio his long-awaited duel vs. Tony Parker. I will be the first to admit that I have
Hubbard column: Spurs may be old, but they are hardly sleepers
A strange phenomenon has occurred in the supersonic world of information that is currently embodied by Twitter. Everything is faster now – information, reaction, criticism and analysis. There used to be a 24-hour news cycle. Now it sometimes does not last 24 seconds. There seems to be, however, an unintended consequence. The faster the world; the quicker people forget. A few years ago, there was measured reaction to subjects of the day; now the norm is overreaction. And that’s fine. No complaints here.
Gibson Column: On Kobe, Kirilenko and Parker in Europe
By Nick Gibson of EuroleagueAdventures.com Tony Parker hired himself for minimum wage, Andrei Kirilenko pointed a gun at Viktor Khryapa and Kobe Bryant got a step closer to Virtus Bologna, even though it may be only temporarily. Three players—three All-Stars—that have played their entire (American) pro careers in one uniform are ready to wear new colors in exchange for money while the lockout sorts itself out. It’s been a busy week. But busy means great for European basketball, right? Not absolutely. While the continent would never pass up
Overseas updates: Deron Williams, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bogut, Tony Parker
Spanning the globe to bring you the latest on NBA players who are, who may or who may not be playing overseas this season (the drop dead date of Monday seems such a long way away, eh?) From Jake Appleman of The New York Times in Mons, Belgium: “Deron Williams, the Nets’ point guard, was here Tuesday night with his teammates on Besiktas Milangaz, a professional team from Istanbul playing a game in the Eurocup, a second-tier intercontinental competition. Perhaps Williams wished he had
Spain wins EuroBasket, but can they beat Team USA
KAUNAS, Lithuania — There is only one thing that is ultimately relevant for Americans about the team that just won EuroBasket: One year from now, will Spain have what it takes to defeat Team USA in the gold medal game of the London Olympics? Because let’s face it, this Spanish team showed it is clearly the second-best team in the world right now, just as they were three years ago in Beijing when they put 107 points on the board (in a
Eurobasket: Batum’s dunk might dim the memory of Weis getting dunked on
By Chris Sheridan KAUNAS, Lithuania — The most memorable dunk in French basketball history will remain a dunk that they are not proud of. But at least now, there is a dunk — courtesy of Nicolas Batum — that the French can replay over and over again without feeling ashamed. France qualified for the 2012 Olympics by defeating Russia 79-71 Friday night in the semifinals of EuroBasket, staying strong down the stretch, thanks mostly to Batum, to end an 11-year limbo that began
Eurobasket: Kirilenko like “a wild horse”
By Chris Sheridan KAUNAS, Lithuania — You never quite know what will come out of David Blatt’s mouth, but it is always interesting, often controversial (such as what he said last summer about the Soviet Union rightfully winning the 1972 gold medal game against the United States at the Munich Olympics in 1972), and sometimes right on point. Emphasis on sometimes. Two examples from his post-game comments after Thursday night’s 77-67 victory over Serbia put Blatt’s Russian team into the semifinals of EuroBasket. _ “Viktor Khryapa was
Eurobasket: France beats Greece with talent, mentality
By Chris Sheridan KAUNAS, Lithuania — Historically, when the French have played the Greeks, the script has so often played out the same way: It would be a close game in the fourth quarter, and the French would then fall apart like they were mimicking the recent Greek economy. So when Thursday’s quarterfinal was a two-point game with 2:01 left, the French should have been predisposed to expect the worst. Who would make the crucial mistake? Who would commit a stupid foul? Who would let