In case you missed it…

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is going to an “undetermined period of time”. Translation – it’s going to be awhile. Pick up Varejao. Now.

Stats, stats, and more stats. Last night featured a ton of stats, some from the regulars, but there is certainly plenty to talk about. 18 players had 25 points over last night. 27 players had 10 rebounds or more! We’re not talking about everybody today (there is really no way we could) but here are the players that really need to be on your radar today.

Kevin Durant – Wow is he tearing it up right now. He had 33 points (4 threes), 9 boards, and 5 dimes last night and is among the hottest fantasy players in the game right now.

Rodney Stuckey – Young D-Wade is really looking like young D-Wade. Let’s compare both of their lines last night. Stuckey had 38 points, 7 dimes, 4 boards, 2 steals and 4 turnovers. Wade had 33 points, 6 assists, 7 boards, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers. They both shot over 50% from the field and neither hit a three. Stuckey owners have to be very happy right now. Read More »

Typically, after a sports fight — or even one of those Major League Baseball stand-and-stares — teams rally together when one of their guys gets bullied. In last night’s Blazers/Hornets game, that wasn’t the case at all. After Tyson Chandler picked a fight with Joel Przybilla midway through the third quarter (Chandler got ejected), the Blazers went flat, wilted and lost their lead, and eventually lost the game. It started when Joel P and Chandler were jockeying for position on the block and Chandler blatantly karate-chopped Przybilla’s wrist, which is already broken. Przybilla pushed back, then Chandler forearm-punched him in the chest. Both guys squared off (with Joel screaming “F*** YOU!”) before the rest of the players and refs got between them. At the same time Greg Oden and assistant Monty Williams were laughing on the bench, one of the Blazers’ announcers said, “That would have been like De La Hoya/Pacquiao, with Przybilla playing the role of Pacquiao.” (For what it’s worth, we’re thinking Przybilla destroys Chandler in a real fight) … With Chandler out, Portland tried to force-feed Oden, but even against Hilton Armstrong, he just doesn’t have the offensive skills yet to be a dependable scorer. Read More »

Most everyone who saw Vince Carter getting ejected from Nets/Pistons on Wednesday after seemingly overreacting to a simple out of bounds call by referee Derrick Stafford figured VC was just trying to get an early start on New Year’s Eve. After all, hardly anyone involved in that game seemed like they wanted to be there.

Now it’s come to light the real reason why Vince went off. Video footage of the incident showed Vince yelling, “Don’t call me ‘boy’,” to Stafford, and today the NBA confirmed that Stafford did indeed use the term toward Vince. Stafford has since apologized and the NBA won’t take any further action. Read More »

When Minnesota played Dallas on Tuesday night, there was a more interesting storyline beneath the Mavericks comeback and the Timberwolves meltdown. On either bench sat former Celtics teammates Kevin McHale and Rick Carlisle, currently head coaches of their respective squads. Read More »

If you’ve been watching the college basketball season at all this year, then you’re as excited as I am for March Madness. But looking ahead, there are four players playing head and shoulders above the rest.

With three of their teams ranked in the Top 7 in the country, and the other having recently fallen, the National Player of the Year race is in full swing. Boasting a 13-0 record and the consensus as the No. 1 team in America, UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough isn’t going anywhere. Nonetheless, Blake Griffin, Stephen Curry and Luke Harangody are doing everything in their power to unseat Psycho T.

Check out the stats: Read More »

I’m not gonna lie. Just like the NBA, I was out of commission yesterday. So with no games on the docket to write about, and the new year upon us, I figured we should take a look back at the Top 10 plays of the young season.

In your opinion, what’s the best? What’s missing?

This rumor has been out there since Steph first took his seat on the very end of the Knicks bench next to Jerome James. But now, it seems likely that Marbury will join forces with his former Timberwolves teammate Kevin Garnett in Boston.

When asked specifically about the likelihood of Marbury joining the Celtics this season, the source predicted that “it will happen.”

Read More »

No NBA games on New Year’s Day, as basketball had to step aside for college football. Watching Joe Paterno coach Penn State in the Rose Bowl from a skybox at the ripe old age of 800, can you envision a scenario where a big-time college basketball coach sticks around in that condition? Lute Olson coached Arizona into his early 70′s, and when Coach K had back surgery years ago and was immobilized for most of the season, he had an assistant take over. True, he’s forgotten more about football than any of us will ever know, but you have to wonder if JoePa even knows the names of all his players at this point … Was anyone else hoping for one of those “USC tradition” montages just to see if they’d pretend O.J. Simpson never existed? … Speaking of famous athletes embarrassing themselves, our good friends at The Smoking Gun have uncovered more on the Charles Barkley DUI case. According to the incident report filed by the Gilbert Police Department, when the officer who pulled Barkley over asked where he was going in such a hurry at 1:30 a.m., Barkley said, “You want the truth? I was gonna drive around the corner and get a [BJ McKie].” Read More »