In February of 2005, the Philadelphia 76ers made what was thought to be a blockbuster deal when they acquired Chris Webber from the Sacramento Kings. It was their last effort to pair Allen Iverson an All-Star-caliber player. The Sixers failed to do so in prior attempts with guys like Glenn Robinson, Toni Kukoc and even Dikembe Mutombo (although they had to make that deal and every Sixers fan knows why). C-Webb was 30 years old and only played in 23 games in the season prior due to knee injuries. Read More »

Through the first 20 days of the NBA’s regular season, injuries and setbacks have already occurred. Some, like Chicago, were injuries we already knew about; they would be without their former MVP, Derrick Rose, for a large portion of the season. Others, like the Los Angeles Lakers, lost their former two-time MVP point guard in the inchoate days before we’d really seen them play as a full, Hall-of-Fame, group. But most of the teams missing their stars have banded together and kept from sliding all the way to the territory of Detroit or Washington. Read More »

In one of those dreaded Saturday afternoon Atlantic Division games (seriously, who came up with these?), Boston turned a close game against Toronto into a rout during the second half of a 107-89 beatdown. Jason Terry, still starting in the Bean, went off for 20 points, and Rajon Rondo had a dozen assists just a few minutes into the second half. He’d end up with 20 in just 32 minutes, his streak of consecutive regular season games with double-digit assists now at 33. Is anyone in the league dominating a single statistical category like Rondo is assists? Read More »

One day after New York stayed as the NBA’s last unbeaten team by being selfless and smart (and ridiculously accurate from range), Memphis usurped the Knicks as the NBA’s best team right now by luring them in, then springing the trap. Start spreading the news: Memphis, owner of a seven-game win streak, is mowing down the league’s best teams like the hero of a Tarantino film. Just 10 percent of the season in the Griz are 7-1, but it’s still apt to be cautious about being too effusive with praise. Still, how can anyone deny these signature wins the Griz have just rattled off in their last three games: an 18-point win over Miami, a 10-point win in Oklahoma City and Friday night’s 105-95 win over New York that wasn’t as close as the score looks. Read More »

It’s not every day you see the defending champs get completely outclassed. But it happened in the Staples Center last night as the Clippers rolled over the Heat, 107-100. The game was never that close – a late Miami run turned what was nearly a 20-point game into a more respectable score. But it was obvious, especially in the second half, that Miami has real problems with L.A.’s size and athleticism. Blake Griffin went for 20 and 14, Chris Paul (16 points, 10 dimes) dominated a third quarter stretch that put the game away by scoring the last 13 Clipper points of the quarter, garnering “CP3!” chants from the crowd, and Jamal Crawford led the team with 22 points while adding four or five ankle tendons to his collection of victims at home … Read More »

Yes, we know the season is still young. There are a lot of games left to be played in what should be a great year, but still, it seems there’ll be a surprise for us waiting around every corner.

This season has already given us some unexpected gut-punches in the first two weeks of the season. Even before opening week ended, we were treated to some moves that garnered a lot of attention and excitement, and I think the regular season will have the same compelling feel as the offseason did. Read More »

Pau Gasol, we hope you surround yourself with protection tonight. You might turn up along the rocks in the Pacific Ocean tomorrow morning, courtesy of a crazed Kobe Bryant. Down two on the last possession last night against the Spurs, Gasol couldn’t find anyone to pass to. Instead, he launched a moon shot from the corner. Even as he was shooting it, Bryant (28 points, eight assists) already had his palms out in the ultimate “WTF ARE YOU DOING?!” stance. Read More »

Getting your hands on young talent in the NBA is the equivalent to finding a $100 dollar bill on the ground. Some of it has to do with luck; some of it has to do with being in the right place at the right time. Once you get it, you contemplate whether or not to hang on to it for a while, or trade it in right away for something that will benefit you immediately (or hope it does). The amount of young talent floating around the NBA is at an all-time high, and some teams are fortunate enough to have more than one young gun. Read More »

If you’re trying to beat Miami, there are a few specific things you can’t do. You can’t let LeBron dominate an entire second half. You can’t let Chris Bosh shoot the same jumpers he takes in the pregame all night long. And if you have a look at a wide open, game-winning triple, you can’t shoot an airball. All of this happened in Houston’s 113-110 loss to the Heat last night, a game that LeBron James just wasn’t going to let South Beach lose. Read More »

Well this has started off terribly for us. Andrew Bynum‘s (latest) mysterious knee issues keep creeping along and so far, there has really been nothing definitive from the team about when fans can expect to see him on the court.

The Sixers released some solid info today, stating when they believe that he can resume basketball-related activities – but hardly a date when he will playing in actual game. Read More »