In some respects, you have to understand where Allen Iverson is coming from. Going back to Little League and all the way through intramurals or whatever level you reached in your athletic career, we’ve all been taught that the best players start the game. Of course, it’s a little different in the NBA: If a coach really wants his second unit to have more offensive firepower or defensive stability, he might put one of his best five players on the bench, which is why Manu Ginobili and Jason Terry are annually up for Sixth Man of the Year.
That said, there are some backups who — forget what the coach might be trying to do — have no business being backups. And it’s not always because they’re so great, but that the guy starting in front of them shouldn’t be starting. Who should be taking a seat? Read More »
Ten days ago on Halloween night, New York Knicks fans walked into Madison Square Garden with their usual annual optimism and excitement. The sold out crowd roared and cheered like it was the playoffs, especially after the Knicks put on a spirited fourth quarter comeback against the Sixers that forced overtime. Then once again, the Knicks ruined the moment by getting blown out in OT. Read More »
At every gym and every park where there’s a basketball court, you’ll find that guy who’s saddled with a team of four bums. Whether he’s a point guard or a big man, a kid or a 40-year-old, you can often find him by his facial expression: Less of a boiling frustration and more of a miffed resignation that’s steadily losing its steam. He’s not mad anymore, just annoyed over something he can’t control; the only reason he’s not cussing the bums out and sucking his teeth every other play is because his teammates are his friends, or it’s just not in his nature to be a jerk. Read More »
Allen Iverson made last night’s Grizzlies/Kings game worth checking out from the beginning, but Kevin Martin made it worth staying until the end. What was originally billed as A.I.’s big debut turned into K-Mart’s showcase, it may have been the best game of the season so far, and it was a hell of a timely ad for NBA League Pass as the free preview week wraps up … Checking in to a nice ovation from the Sacramento crowd, Iverson looked like he was just testing out his hamstring in his initial rotation, a scoreless five-minute stretch of the first quarter. Read More »
The Heineken Red Star Soul Tour passed through New York City last weekend. Dime was able to hit up the show, which was invitation only and closed off to the public. The Red Star Soul event was held right in the heart of midtown Manhattan at Gotham Hall. With its pillars and marble detailing, the venue is usually reserved for big corporate functions, parties and wedding, but on this Saturday night it hosted a hip-hop concert. Read More »
With point guards, shooting guards and small forwards taken care of, today we’re proceeding to the projected top 10 fantasy power forwards this season. A few of these players are eligible to play center as well, but the ones listed here are slated to start the season at power forward. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts below.
1. Dirk Nowitzki: Diggler is as steady and productive as big men come. Dallas has a stronger, deeper roster than they did last season, but it won’t affect Nowitzki’s sexy stats, which leave little to be desired. His scoring could dip a point or two, but his assists should climb a bit while his shooting percentages will remain intact. It would be great to see him make his way back into the 1+ steal, 1+ block club, but Dirk will leave his owners very happy (and, with his new headband, entertained) even if he doesn’t. Read More »
The Big Three had the night off Tuesday (as did Mike Sweetney, so maybe that’s like The Big Five), leaving Rajon Rondo and Rasheed Wallace to carry the load in the Celtics’ win over the Nets. ‘Sheed posted 20 points and nine boards before tweaking his ankle in the third quarter, taking turns shooting Yi Jianlian’s face off and beasting Ed Najera in the post; Rondo had 18 points and 13 dimes and took over in the fourth quarter. Big Baby helped seal the W by showing some vertical and swatting Courtney Lee on one of NJ’s last possessions, then getting a key offensive board on a Rondo missed FT in the final seconds. Read More »
On the day when the highly-anticipated NBA Live 10 was released, the EA Sports’ NBA Live 10 trailer stopped back in NYC. The NBA Live 10 Invasion Tour kicked off on Sept. 25 at the Boys Club of New York in the city’s Lower East Side and has since hit up several other U.S. cities including Indianapolis (IN) and Columbus (OH). Yesterday, the trailer was parked just across the street of the NBA Store in Manhattan. Read More »
One person most people didn’t expected to be donning a Knicks uniform this season is David Lee. The 6-10 rebounding specialist was supposed to be a hot commodity in this summer’s free agent market. But due to the recession, he was not able to secure the long-term, big money deal he was seeking. Right on the eve of training camp, Lee re-upped with the Knicks and is ready to prove he can help make a team a winner. We caught up with David at the EA Sports NBA Live 10 release party at the NBA Store in Manhattan. Read More »
The NBA preseason is underway, meaning it’s time again for Dime’s team-by-team season previews. Last year we debuted the “Highs and Lows” system — predicting the respective ceilings and basements for each team. In other words, what is the realistic best-case and worst-case scenario for the 2009-10 campaign?
Added:Jordan Hill, Darko Milicic, Toney Douglas, Gabe PruittRead More »
