While kids are ballin’ out this weekend in Atlanta, hoopers in the Windy City will be doing the same. Converse Open Gym will be going on in Chicago as well, so if you’re looking to play some ball come out. Read More »

Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated conducted an NBA Player Poll, asking guys all around the League “Which NBA Player Thinks He’s Better Than He Really Is?” Surprisingly, Kendrick Perkins tied for No. 1 with the no-brainer, DeShawn Stevenson. Read More »

Converse’s Open Gym hits the 404 this weekend. Open Gym currently has programs in Philadelphia, Miami, and Chicago. Open Gym gives kids the opportunity to lace ‘em up and shoot some hoops regardless of their skill level. Read More »

How exactly does it happen that a 6-10 physical specimen develops a ridiculously pretty jumper? If you want to hear more about Rashard Lewis‘ basketball story – from his days as a football wide receiver to his memories of the NBA Draft – head over to BallersNetwork.com. Read More »

After Allen Iverson (back) left during the first quarter of last night’s Pistons/Hornets game and it was reported that he wouldn’t be coming back, N.O. color analyst Gil McGregor said, “I don’t know if that’s a bad thing or not. Some of [the Pistons] might want to play without him, without saying it.” And, almost on cue, the Pistons rebounded from a terrible first quarter (with A.I.) to pull off a near-upset on the road against a Western Conference contender (without A.I.).

Is there any truth to the idea that Detroit is better without Iverson? As the Pistons have struggled this season and currently sit two games under-.500, Iverson has been an easy and convenient scapegoat. After all, this is pretty much the same exact roster that just played in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the only significant difference being that A.I. replaced Chauncey Billups at the top. And while the Nuggets have since flourished with Billups running the point in A.I.’s place, a couple things have happened: People have developed a higher appreciation for Chauncey’s game, while also getting new fuel for the concept that A.I. might be closer to Stephon Marbury than any of us would like to believe. Read More »

Among NBA fans who followed the game as far back as 1998, there’s a pretty commonly accepted theory, which was most recently brought to the table in yesterday’s “Getting to the Basket 101″ post:

If Michael Jordan played in his prime under today’s no-hand-check rules that are friendly to scoring guards and wings, he’d average at least 40 points.

For the most part, I agree. On talent alone, MJ would would a monster if he didn’t have to deal with the physical style of the 1990s (or the extra-physical style of the 1980s). But there’s another facet you have to consider, something about the old-school rules that made Jordan the player he was. Read More »

Devin Harris continues to have a tremendous second half. Last night Harris dropped 42 points, shot 60% from the field and added 3 threes, and 6 assists. I also loved the game that Josh Howard gave last night. Howard is finally looking like the healthy player that owners were hoping for in the first half of the season. His 27 points, including 4 threes, 7 boards, 5 steals, and 3 blocks would have possibly been the best all around line of the night if Tony Parker didn’t go nuts. Parker dropped 39 points, dished 9 dimes and grabbed 5 boards last night. He also shot 63% from the field. In case you didn’t know it, Parker is nasty. Let’s get to the names you need to know to satisfy your Thursday fantasy hoops fix. Read More »

It was 15 years ago that Glenn Robinson was the No. 1 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. But while the order of most drafts have nothing to do with the longevity of an NBA player’s career, as teams oftentimes select duds based on potential that never realizes, the 1994 Draft seems to have gone surprisingly to form.

After Robinson, the following four picks were Jason Kidd (No. 2), Grant Hill (No. 3), Donyell Marshall (No. 4) and Juwan Howard (No. 5). And besides them, no one else is currently in the League. While fifteen seasons is no easy feat, it’s amazing that in 1994, the cream rose to the top. Other than a few legit players sprinkled throughout the rest of the Draft – Eddie Jones (No. 10), Jalen Rose (No. 13) and Wesley Person (No. 23) – the rest was garbage, and the closest they’ve come to the NBA is perhaps signing up for League Pass. Read More »

The LeBron madness is far from over. After already releasing a plethora of colors and special make-ups for his Zoom LeBron VI, Nike is releasing a few more this March, starting with these… Read More »

Even if Rafer Alston isn’t playing at the All-Star level that Jameer Nelson was before he tore his labrum, he can still give the Magic the floor general that they need to contend in the East. We sat down with Skip at MSG yesterday to talk about his transition from a playoff team in the West to one in the East.

Dime: How does it feel to go from a contender out West to one in the East? Rafer Alston: It’s rare to go from one playoff contender to another one. In terms of being traded, it doesn’t usually happen like that. That’s the best situation for someone who gets traded. You don’t want to go to a team that’s not going to make the playoffs, that’s struggling. I come into this situation where the direction is set, you have a lot of talent, and I get to be the quarterback of it all. I’m happy about it. Read More »