Adam Silver is in a tough spot. Silver became the NBA’s fifth commissioner on Saturday. He follows David Stern, whose 30 years as the league’s top executive likely will be unmatched by anyone in any sport. Silver begins his term without facing a major problem that needs immediate fixing or a hot-button issue that requires immediate attention. With TV contracts running through 2016, labor peace assured until at least 2017 and most of the top stars in their 20s, the NBA is
With about two weeks from the All Star game, now is the time for the players that were selected to showcase why they were among the ones picked. In this particular case it was a chance for first time All Star selection Demar Derozan to demonstrate why he was among the chosen few. The Toronto Raptors found themselves in a highly contested game against the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter, after coming back from a deficit as high as 19
Finally. After much anticipation, and to some chagrin, the NBA’s coaches have submitted their list of reserves for the forthcoming 2014 NBA All-Star game in New Orleans, LA. Many of the All-Star reserve selections are expected, though there were a few selections (and snubs) that were unconventional, though deserving. In the Eastern Conference, Chris Bosh [Miami Heat], DeMar DeRozan [Toronto Raptors], Paul Millsap [Atlanta Hawks], John Wall [Washington Wizards], Joe Johnson [Brooklyn Nets], Roy Hibbert [Indiana Pacers] and Joakim Noah [Chicago Bulls] all join
To say it’s been an eventful 24 hours of basketball is a major understatement. NBA fans were treated to emotional tributes, heavyweight tilts and massive scoring outputs. In addition to all the fun, NBA Sunday Showcase also returned. For the remainder of the season (with the exception of Super Bowl Sunday) fans can watch top teams in the league go head-to-head during the daylight hours. Let’s go to Boston, where two highly anticipated returns brought many to tears. Kevin Garnett: six years, one
Since training camp opened, there have been five significant trades involving 10 teams, 19 players and seven draft picks. The big winners have been a team that got rid of the highest scorer among the traded players and a team that acquired a player who has yet to play. The big loser has been a team that swears by analytics. Another way to look at it is like this: The biggest trades thus far have been the ones that haven’t been made
The intensely cold weather brought on by a polar vortex continues to freeze many Americans from the midwest across the southeast. Temperatures in midwest are so frigid that the penguins and polar bear in the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is being kept indoors. Atlanta Hawks small forward DeMarre Carroll came to the A-T-L as a free agent in the offseason. The past two stops for the “Junkyard Dog” were with the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets—both cold weather cities. Yet, the
Mitch Kupchak shouldn’t be playing hardball. In his desire to trade Pau Gasol, the GM of the Los Angeles Lakers should not have insisted on receiving Dion Waiters or a first-round pick from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nobody has overpaid for a rental since Ernie Grunfeld sent Ray Allen to Seattle for Gary Payton — and that was a long time ago. Kupchak should have lowered his demands to match the team’s expectations. The Lakers are done for this season and should be
Last week, we ran a post from @Betropolitan listing the incredible odds on winning the Eastern Conference for teams other than the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. It seemed strange at the time that the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls were the third choice, at 25-1, but it was a reminder that Vegas is all-knowing. And those oddsmakers look even smarter this morning after the Raptors put together their signature win of the season, defeating the mighty Indiana Pacers 95-92 last