With the exception of Michael Jordan, no opposing player has had more dramatic moments in the Garden as Miller. Everything from his clutch shooting to his trash talking to Spike to his theatrics with the crowd. Who could forget his 8 points in nine seconds during the 1995 Eastern Conference semi-finals in MSG? That was also the time he gave the choking sign to Spike in the front row. Garden fans hated him and Miller embraced the role of being the villain. But in the end, Miller respected Knicks fans and vice-versa. Read More »
When Allen Iverson played his first game for the Sixers this season, you couldn’t have convinced me Andre Iguodala didn’t have an agenda. If the original A.I. had visions of adopting his old spot as “The Man” in Philly without dispute, the new A.I. let him know he was in for a battle: scoring 18 of his 31 points in the first half, doing all the things Iverson can’t do anymore (or never could do), and basically drawing his line in the sand. Iverson has been stuck in second-fiddle mode ever since.
The same dynamic was in play last night, when Tracy McGrady returned to the Rockets lineup. Read More »
The NBA is a point guard rich league. Almost every single team has a floor general who can kill you in a different way. Rajon Rondo can and will blow right past you in a blink of an eye. Jason Kidd can outsmart you and find those small edges that will give him even the slightest advantage.Tony Parker can destroy you with 18-footers all day long. But the point guard that is standing above the rest this season so far is, 35-year-old Steve Nash. Read More »
When comparing NBA players, fans always show bias. We all have players we hold above all others and will argue why they are better than another player or deserve an All Star bid more until we are blue in the face. We are often blinded by the player himself and use his past accomplishments as evidence for why he is so great today or his past failures of why he isn’t deserving. Read More »
Having been given a few years in the League to develop—and for some, that was a few years too many—these once projected gems, have surely not helped their GM’s resumes. For each of these players, their expectations—either be when they entered the League or were given a generous contract—have been high at one point or another in their respective careers. But with failed production and diminished minutes, each has seen their stock plummet. Read More »
I didn’t like the Celtics as a kid. “Hate” wouldn’t be the right word because I wasn’t a Lakers or Sixers fan, but there was a definite dislike there.
And even through that dislike, I still got the sense that Robert Parish was always undervalued as a Celtic. When people talk about the “Big Three,” it seems Parish is always mentioned last. Ranking behind Larry Bird is obvious, but should “The Chief” be permanently slotted under Kevin McHale? Read More »
When you’re a grizzled vet like Richard Hamilton and a longstanding member of Team Jordan, it’s safe to say that you get hooked up. That’s why you should make a point to check out Rip’s new PE of the Jordan Hallowed Ground. Read More »
Beast of the Night: Joakim Noah rose to the challenge of playing against a stacked Lakers frontline and finished with 11 points, 20 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 6 blocks and 3 turnovers. He missed a bunch of tip-ins and ended up shooting just 25 percent (4-16) from the field and 75 percent (3-4) from the line, but his overall line was too good to overlook for this honor. He continues to exceed expectations this season. Read More »
Martell Webster loves to shoot the long ball. In fact, more than 50 percent of Martell’s shot attempts stem from beyond-the-arc. With a 6-6 frame and underrated athleticism, Webster can dunk on people when he wants to. A few weeks ago, he smashed one right over Chuck Hayes and last night unleashed the beast on the Kings’ Jason Thompson. The best was the reaction to one of the Blazers’ TV commentators, “Do something else besides shoot that three…he’s dunking!”
After watching Kobe Bryant slap 42 points on the Bulls and hand them a tough loss in a hard-fought game, I figured Chicago fans could use a pick-me-up. Here is some of Mike‘s best work against the Lakers: Game Two of the ’91 Finals, when he put up 33 points and 13 assists and unleashed “The Move.”
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