Author Archive
NBA /
Jan 27, 2012 / 1:30 pm
By Austin Burton
There’s something purely Americana about the hometown kid making good in front of the hometown crowd.
Whether it’s David Freese blasting home runs to lead his St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title, or Chauncey Billups going from prep legend to college superstar to NBA bust back to NBA superstar in Denver, or even Jerome Bettis winning a Super Bowl in Detroit in his final NFL game while playing for another team, we like these stories. In a sports culture where free agency and stressed-out GMs eager to trade make it increasingly tougher for fans to claim one group of players as “our guys” for any length of time, hometown ties remain nearly impossible to break. Read More »
Tags: Blake Griffin, Brian Scalabrine, Caron Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Deron Williams, dwight howard, Eric Gordon, Evan Turner, feature, Grant Hill, Isaiah Thomas, Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, Jerryd Bayless, john wall, Jon Brockman, Jrue Holiday, Kemba Walker, LaMarcus Aldridge, Luke Ridnour, Martell Webster, Marvin Williams, Metta World Peace, Nate Robinson, Nick Young, Rashard Lewis, Richard Jefferson, rodney stuckey, Spencer Hawes, Terrence Williams, Tristan Thompson, Tyreke Evans
11 Comments » | Posted in NBA |
NBA /
Jan 25, 2012 / 5:00 pm
By Austin Burton
Something big, something definitive, is supposed to happen in Los Angeles tonight. Not saying it will, but if you’ve been paying attention to those who promote and report on the NBA, that’s the plan.
The wheels were set in motion last season, when Blake Griffin turned his official rookie campaign into an Albino Shawn Kemp mixtape, followed by Kobe Bryant experiencing a playoff series loss via sweep for the first time since 1999 – also the last time Kobe averaged less than 20 points per game as a pro. The wagon gained momentum this past December, when Chris Paul was traded to the L.A. Clippers days after a would-be trade sending CP3 to the L.A. Lakers fell apart. Read More »
Tags: chris paul, feature, Los Angeles Clippers, los angeles lakers
20 Comments » | Posted in NBA |
NBA /
Jan 4, 2012 / 11:00 am
By Austin Burton
When Kyrie Irving was chosen No. 1 in the 2011 NBA Draft, he knew his rookie year would be impacted by the league’s lockout. He just didn’t know how great that impact would be. After his close brush with unemployment, the Rookie of the Year front-runner can now resume the business of proving he belongs here. Read More »
Tags: Austin Rivers, Brandon Knight, Byron Scott, Cleveland Cavaliers, derrick rose, Drederick Irving, Duke University, feature, Greg Oden, Jeff Teague, Jeff Wechsler, Jimmer Fredette, Josh Hairston, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, lebron james, Michael Olowokandi, Nolan Smith, Ramon Sessions, St. Patrick High School, Tristan Thompson, Tyler Thornton
3 Comments » | Posted in NBA |
By Austin Burton
When I first met Tyreke Evans five years ago, I came away unsure that the 6-foot-6 high school sophomore could dunk.
I mean, he could dunk – at his height, with natural athleticism and arms long enough to box with God, he could definitely get himself above the rim – but next to the aerial showmanship of Class of 2008 peers such as DeMar DeRozan, Willie Warren, Devin Ebanks and even little Brandon Jennings, Tyreke’s arsenal of jams was like Duck Hunt compared to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. During an afternoon-long photo shoot for the cover of Dime #24, Tyreke wowed me with 30-foot jump shots. But when he was asked to dunk on camera for some mid-air shots, the letdown was jarring. Read More »
Tags: demarcus cousins, feature, Jimmer Fredette, Lamont Peterson, Marcus Thornton, Sacramento Kings, Tyreke Evans
1 Comment » | Posted in Dime Training, NBA |
By Austin Burton
On Friday, when we posted the unfortunate news about Brandon Roy being forced into medical retirement, we were moved by the instant outpouring of love for B-Roy from our readers. So we thought today was as good as any to post Roy’s national magazine cover debut from Dime #48. Read More »
Tags: Allen Iverson, Amar’e Stoudemire, Brandon Roy, Chauncey Billups, chris paul, Dwyane Wade, Greg Oden, Jamal Crawford, Jerryd Bayless, John Stockton, kobe bryant, lebron james, magic johnson, manu ginobili, michael jordan, Nate McMillan, Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Travis Outlaw, Will Conroy
4 Comments » | Posted in Featured Gallery, NBA |
By Austin Burton
I’ve been to some good games at some great venues – Madison Square Garden for the NBA, CenturyLink Field in Seattle for the NFL, Busch Stadium in St. Louis for Major League Baseball – but I doubt there’s a better place to watch a big game than Assembly Hall at Indiana University.
The house that Bob Knight turned into NCAA hoops holy ground was the site of not only the best college basketball game of the season on Saturday, but maybe the best game of any sport in 2011. Sports Illustrated writer Seth Davis tweeted afterward that Indiana’s buzzer-beating upset of No. 1 Kentucky might have been the best regular-season game he’s ever seen. Read More »
Tags: Brad Beal, Christian Watford, D.J. Cooper, Draymond Green, Duke University, Indiana University, Jamelle Hagins, Jared Sullinger, kenny boynton, LeBryan Nash, Long Beach State, Mark Lyons, Marquis Teague, Mississippi State University, Murray State, Ohio State University, Oregon State University, Ramone Moore, Renardo Sidney, Royce White, Temple University, Thomas Robinson, Tony Wroten, Tu Holloway, Tyshawn Taylor, University of Cincinnati, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Memphis, University of North Carolina, University of Tennessee, Villanova University, Xavier University, Yancy Gates
3 Comments » | Posted in College |
By Austin Burton
The first month of the college hoops season has already had enough defining moments to warrant the Luther Vandross treatment.
There was the poignant high of Coach K surpassing his mentor Bob Knight as the all-time leader in NCAA D-I coaching wins; the gut-wrenching (and ongoing) low of Syracuse assistant Bernie Fine throwing his program into scandal; the inspiring comeback stories of Arizona forward Kevin Parrom and Kansas forward Thomas Robinson; made-for-March upsets like UNLV over North Carolina, Presbyterian over Cincinnati, and Central Florida over UConn; and big-time matchups like Ohio State vs. Duke, Kentucky vs. Kansas, and Syracuse vs. Florida that were dipped in Tournament atmosphere.
This past weekend, though, gave us the most thrilling game, the highest display of talent, and the most grand exhibition of the best of college basketball, all wrapped in one 40-minute showcase in Lexington, Ky. Here is that game, plus the rest of the best and worst of the weekend: Read More »
Tags: Anthony Davis, Ashton Gibbs, B.J. Young, Brandon Triche, Chane Behanan, Cody Zeller, Damian Lillard, Durand Scott, Hollis Thompson, John Henson, Kendall Marshall, kenny boynton, Marquis Teague, Meyers Leonard, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Peyton Siva, Reggie Bullock, Ryan Boatright, Scoop Jardine, Thomas Robinson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Will Barton
4 Comments » | Posted in College |
By Austin Burton
It takes a full-time job, or a full-time class schedule, for one to truly appreciate a four-day weekend. And when those two extra days off come courtesy the Thanksgiving holiday, the full-time college basketball fan (or writer) goes into overtime mode.
Just about every D-I team in the country seemed to be playing in a holiday tournament this past weekend – from the balmy paradise of the Bahamas to the cold-ass bustle of New York City on Black Friday. When it was over, some top dogs were going home with their national-championship promise in doubt, while some underdogs returned to campus with brand-new hero status.
Here are the highlights and lowlights from the long weekend: Read More »
Tags: Andre Drummond, c.j. leslie, Chace Stanback, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jared Sullinger, Jordan Taylor, Keith Clanton, Kendall Marshall, Khem Birch, Kim English, Kris Joseph, Marcus Jordan, Mike Scott, P.J. Hairston, Shabazz Napier, Terrence Jones, Trevor Mbakwe, William Buford
2 Comments » | Posted in College |
By Austin Burton
OK, college football, you got this one.
Responding to a week of college basketball that started strong with ESPN’s 24-hour tip-off marathon, then got scandalous with news of a potential catastrophe at Syracuse, the gridiron guys regained the spotlight with some Top-5 upsets and plenty of down-to-the-wire thrillers.
But even though college hoops took a comfortable backseat to the BCS, NFL and NASCAR, that doesn’t mean it was uneventful. Here are the best and worst of the weekend: Read More »
Tags: Anthony Hicky, Bernie Fine, Billy Kennedy, Dominic Cheek, Doron Lamb, Elston Turner, Gary Bell, harrison barnes, Jabari Brown, JaMychal Green, Jared Cunningham, J’Covan Brown, Jeremy Lamb, Jim Boeheim, Kevin Pangos, Khalid Mutakabbir, Lorenzo Romar, Mason Plumlee, Mike Anderson, Ray McCallum Jr., Renardo Sidney, Robbie Hummel, Shabazz Napier, Tahj Tate, Trevon Harmon
1 Comment » | Posted in College |
By Austin Burton
Hidden between the lines of the most depressing sports stories of the week – Penn State’s cover-up scandal putting a dark cloud over college football, and the NBA lockout threatening to put pro basketball on indefinite hiatus – are two words that should cheer up anybody who frequents this site: “college” and “basketball.” Read More »
Tags: Aaron Craft, Allen Crabbe, Andre Dawkins, Anthony Davis, Arnett Moultrie, Austin Rivers, Chane Behanan, Colt Ryan, Deshaun Thomas, Draymond Green, harrison barnes, Jared Sullinger, J’Covan Brown, Jeremy Lamb, John Henson, Kendall Marshall, Kris Joseph, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Quincy Miller, Romero Osby, Ryan Pearson, William Buford
11 Comments » | Posted in College |