The 15-day, 24 hour barrage of firecrackers that start on chun jie (Chinese New Year) ended two nights ago to the relief of this now nearly deaf blogger as China celebrated the final night of the Lunar Festival, yuan xiao (Lantern Festival). Marking the 15th day and first full moon of the new year, the festival is the official end of the Spring Festival period… and of all of the loud firecrackers that are lit off in every corner of Beijing
It’s been tough for Nets fans the last few years. In addition to playing in New Jersey, the team just wasn’t anything to get excited about. But this offseason, things have changed, and now it’s at the point where I’m seeing Nets gear as far away from Brooklyn as Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’s funny how that happens. More on that below, with all the latest NBA news: Perhaps the biggest storyline in the East this season is the Nets’ complete overhaul of
Basketball is a part of my life! At any stage, anywhere, to my importance and my belief in it never changes. All the fans around family and friends, thanks! We look forward to a new day, a new season! If there is a way to embed a tweet from Sina Weibo, I have not figured it out. So this is a copy and paste version. Here is the link to Yi’s Weibo page. I answered some questions regarding Yi’s decision from our Beijing-based columnist, Guan
We have covered and linked you to Dwight Howard stories as much as anyone could possibly want to read about him since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles, so Andrew Bynum – the other major star of the trade – will lead the topic of discussion today. Be sure to read up on Jon Marks’ column about Bynum’s welcome party, as well as how Bynum feels about joining the 76ers and what Kareem Abdul Jabbar thinks of his
We are down to the bargain bin of free agency. Reduced for clearance! Everything must go! Up to 90 percent off! Yes, we know Mickael Pietrus and Derek Fisher aren’t exactly scrap heap material. Both were key players for playoff teams last season, as were Leandro Barbosa and Kenyon Martin. But most of what is left falls into three categories: Olympians, amnesty victims and veterans too proud to take minimum deals. There is some variety remaining at both forward spots and shooting guard but
Andrei Kirilenko makes Russia scary. Luis Scola is the craftiest big man in London. Let Pau Gasol catch the ball inside of seven feet and you’re toast. Yi Jianlian is a better player for China than he is in the NBA. And you should probably get a hand in Kevin Durant’s face. Long before Durant circled Olympic Stadium with his newly shaved head underneath a Ralph Lauren beret on Friday night, we knew this about him. We knew all of these things
from Bloguin.com One week until the draft. Time for a disaster refresher on the guys that didn’t quite pan out. From a talent evaluating perspective, there are so many players who can fit in and perform at a high level if put in the right situations. That is the real key when trying to add personnel, and it’s a challenge that every coach and executive faces come draft time. I’m one of those people who try to see the good in
By Chris Bernucca We all remember last year’s free agency extravapalooza – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh heating up South Beach, Amar’e Stoudemire making the Knicks relevant, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce making career commitments to their teams and Joe Johnson landing the biggest contract of them all. Next year could be a quality sequel, with a star-studded cast that includes Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Ray Allen, Jason Terry, possibly Jameer Nelson and Gerald Wallace, and oldies but goodies Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Steve