If you think Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao would be a clash of styles, recall this December 2000 shootout between Vince Carter (at the height of “Vinsanity”) and Jalen Rose. On one hand you have Vince’s almost uncontrollable athleticism and bounce; on the other is Jalen’s ground-bound crafty way of getting buckets. But all that matters is that you get the ball in the basket, right? Vince dropped 45 points in this game, while Jalen scored 42 in an often forgotten gem:
During the past week we’ve looked at the projected top 10 fantasy point guards, shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards. Now it’s time to complete the puzzle by examining the projected top 10 fantasy centers for the 2010-11 season. Solid centers are the rarest of breeds for fantasy basketball, but that doesn’t make it any easier to rank them. Share your reactions below, and remember that this is based on a nine-category perspective. Read More »
You have to wonder if the Denver Nuggets had any idea how quickly this Carmelo Anthony thing would spiral out of their control. Back when the Nuggets got knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by Utah, it was bad, but you still figured the team had a bright future with ‘Melo (who’d already signed one extension in Denver and seemed content where he was) not too far removed from a Western Conference Finals berth, a few more years of quality Chauncey, some young talent in Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith, etc. Just a few months later, the odds are looking slim that Denver opens this season with ‘Melo on the roster. Did the Nuggets know ‘Melo had been growing frustrated? Read More »
Following last week’s Michael Jordan’s Greatest Moments trailer, 2K Sports has released the second of several planned spots for NBA 2K11. This one features some trash talk between David Lee and Derrick Rose as they show off some of their signature moves. That all ends after Rajon Rondo politely asks if anyone in the room has any rings.
As all great basketball minds know, the sixth man position is just as valuable as a starter. Every team needs someone capable of providing a spark of instant offense off the bench when their team is down, or when the starters are taking a breather. There have been numerous winners since the award was given out in 1982 (25 to be exact), from former Celtic great Kevin McHale all the way to Ben Gordon – who became the first rookie to win the award.
Last season, Hawks swingman Jamal Crawford took the award home after averaging 18.0 points per game. This season, there are a few new names looking to bring home that trophy. With that, here are my top five sixth man candidates for this season. Read More »
Looks like not everyone wants to leave Ohio. As we noted in Smack, Cleveland native Jawad Williams has accepted the Cavs’ one-year, partially guaranteed qualifying offer for $1.02 million this season. After becoming a rotation player and even starting six of the 54 games he played in last year, take a look at what Cavs fans have to look forward to.
In basketball, being a go-to guy isn’t always about who takes the last-second shot. It’s the guy who regularly gets the basketball when things are getting tense in the fourth quarter; the guy expected to calm things down when teammates are getting antsy; the guy called upon to snuff out an opponent’s rally or spark a rally of his own; the guy who’s not just supposed to make shots, but make the right decisions. Bottom line: Who do you want the offense to run through when everything is on the line?Read More »
Times have changed in Detroit. The 2004 NBA championship is a distant memory. No longer are the Pistons one of the most superior defensive teams in the League. Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace are gone, and the team is playing under its third coach since Larry Brown led them all the way in ’04.
It’s been a rebuilding process without a “rebuilding” label, and as expected, wins were hard to come by this past season in the D. Read More »
With the NBA season around the corner, it’s time to start getting excited about the new shoes on tap as well. First up, the initial colorway (black/del sol) of Kobe Bryant’s newest signature shoe, the Nike Zoom Kobe VI. Dropping the day after Christmas, this you’ll know at least one thing to put on your list. Check out more pics and info after the jump. Read More »
During the bad ol’ days for the Grizzlies (then repping Vancouver), stuff like this happened far too often: Michael Jordan dropping 19 points in the final six minutes of a game the Griz had a decent chance of winning. This only helps confirm our suspicions that MJ could kill grizzly bears with his bare hands.
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