Tonight is the night: The NBA is back in business. The moment that we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. We’re seeing the real deal tonight — no longer are we stuck in preseason mode or Summer League.

For some of us, this is like Christmas in October. I’ve been waiting for this day since June and I’m sure that many of you have had the same feeling, too. Read More »

During last night’s Nets/Wizards game in Brooklyn, Deron Williams and A.J. Price were getting into a bit throughout the game. The tensions escalated when Price cracked Deron on a fast break drive in the open court (see the video after the jump). Price’s foul though was no match for D-Will’s barbs in the postgame interviews. Read More »

Brooklyn’s executives had to be happy with the Nets’ opening night at the Barclays Center. Not only did they get the Wizards, one of the league’s worst teams, but they got them with people like John Wall and Nene out in street clothes. Washington has more injury problems than perhaps everyone outside of their neighbors from Baltimore (the Ravens), so it wasn’t surprising to see Brooklyn open up the new arena (at least basketball-wise) with a 98-88 win behind 18 points and 11 rebounds from Brook Lopez. Read More »

After three years in Indiana and career averages of 6.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 turnovers per game, A.J. Price is headed to the nation’s capital to back up John Wall in the Wizards’ backcourt. The Washington Post had the news today that the former second-round pick from UConn — who lived up to his hyped expectations there in his last chance — will try again to tap into his potential and be more than just a 14.9 minutes-per-game breather guy in Washington. Read More »

Beast of the Night: Nick Young makes an unexpected appearance here thanks to his 35 points, three rebounds, two steals and seven three-pointers last night. He shot 71 percent (12-17) from the field, 100 percent (4-4) from the free-throw line and had one turnover. After starting the season on the bench, Young has managed to give his owners reliable value as a scorer and three-point maker. So far in February, he’s averaging top 25 numbers. Read More »

The Indiana Pacers are some kind of something. That is to say, they’re a mediocre team with a few mildly appealing pieces for fantasy purposes, but nothing to go nuts about. If anything, there are a lot of untouched ceilings here, which may or may not appeal to you. Let’s take a look at what Larry Bird’s boys can offer fantasy owners next season. Read More »

Even the late Rodney Dangerfield would have agreed that after arriving in Boston, Nenad Krstic has received no respect from NBA referees. If you look at the numbers, he’s being called for 3.7 fouls per game since his arrival, while he averaged only 2.3 an outing in Oklahoma City. But after six years in the League, you’d think he’d earn himself some clout. Watch the following play from Monday night’s game in Indiana to see what Krstic means when he says the refs are making him feel like a rookie again: Read More »

Things change quickly in the NBA. At the beginning of last season, T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush made up the Indiana Pacers’ starting backcourt on Opening Night. Today, both Ford and Rush are falling out of Indy’s rotation, and very well could be available for whoever wants them as the February trade deadline approaches.

Ford, the 8th-year pro who was once upon a time was knocking on the door as maybe a top-10 point guard in the NBA, has been in and out of coach Jim O’Brien‘s doghouse throughout his tenure with the Pacers. Read More »

Other than “I can’t stand Reggie Miller,” the last thing you’d expect to hear from an Indiana Pacers fan is, “I hope we start T.J. Ford at point guard.”

But that’s where I’m at right now. After incoming rookie Lance Stephenson turned in a surprisingly effective and efficient performance at the Orlando Summer League (14.8 ppg, 73% FG), the idea of him starting at point guard next season is building momentum. Read More »

Anybody who’s followed the Pacers over the past couple of seasons would understand why T.J. Ford has been Marburied on Jim O’Brien‘s bench lately.

For all of his speed and attack-mode mentality that theoretically should be tailored for O’Brien’s up-tempo system, Ford’s poor decision-making, shot selection and defense was finally too much for the coach to deal with. So for the last 18 games, Ford has been racking up DNP-CD’s while Earl Watson and A.J. Price handled the point guard duties. Read More »