As the NBA preseason gets underway, we preview the upcoming campaign with the “Highs and Lows” system — predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team.

Added: Tiago Splitter, James Anderson, Alonzo Gee

Lost: Roger Mason, Keith Bogans, Ian Mahinmi Read More »

Right before the NBA free agency negotiating period began, Richard Jefferson threw a wrench into the game by surprisingly opting out of his contract with the San Antonio Spurs. Jefferson would have made $15 million next season, but after a disappointing campaign (12.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg), word is he wants to be back in the New York area, either with the Knicks or Nets. (Although conflicting reports say the Spurs might just re-sign him for less money.)

But if in fact the Spurs did get some wiggle room salary-wise, can they become players in the free-agent bonanza? Yes. Actually, they could walk away with one of the most coveted players in the League. Here’s the trade that can get it done: Read More »

Manu Ginobili’s bald spot might signal it’s over for the old guys. But, the San Antonio Spurs are trying to gear up again for one final push with their current roster. Every year, the “Spurs aren’t dead” headlines appear. Last summer, the signings of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess were supposed to put them over the hump. They didn’t.

Now, the San Antonio News-Express is reporting that Spurs’ 2007 first-round pick, Tiago Splitter really wants to and is planning on coming to the States for next season: Read More »

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce put the ball in the basket, but the real MVP of yesterday’s Celtics/Magic Game 1 was Kendrick Perkins.

Playing on a sore knee, Perk had more combined turnovers and fouls (10) than he did points and rebounds (6), but Boston’s win hinged on his 1-on-1 defense against Dwight Howard. Coming off a series where he pummeled the Atlanta Hawks for 21.0 points per game on 84 percent shooting from the field (i.e., plenty of dunks), Dwight was held to 13 points on 3-of-10 shooting yesterday. Read More »

In less than a season, Raylan Givens is rocketing up the Austin’s Favorite TV Cops power ranking — threatening Frank Pembleton (“Homicide”), J.C. Williams and Eddie Torres (“New York Undercover”), Rick Hunter (“Hunter”) and the entire cast of “In The Heat Of The Night” — the same way Kevin Durant crashed the NBA’s elite party.

In a recent episode of “Justified” (Tuesdays on FX), Givens had gotten his ass kicked in a barroom brawl, and while his ex-wife is nursing him back to health, they have this exchange: Read More »

If this really was Dwyane Wade’s last home game in Miami, it was like a mind-blowing goodbye bang for Heat fans: You wouldn’t have it any other way, but it’s gonna make it even harder to get over the eventual breakup. Facing elimination, Wade started off hot like he did in Game 3, but he finished even hotter – outscoring the Celtics 19-15 by himself in the fourth quarter as the Heat survived for at least one more game with the series headed back up North … Wade (46 pts, 16-24 FG) had his usual array of circus layups and highlight dunks – the reverse jackknife was Harold Miner-esque, and the one-hander on KG was just nasty – but he was really killing ’em with his jumper. Read More »

It sounds strange to make a favorable comparison between a future Hall of Famer and a former NBA journeyman — and have the journeyman set the standard of said comparison — but watching Dirk Nowitzki drop 36 points in Dallas’ Game 1 win over San Antonio the other night, I couldn’t help but think of Christian Laettner. Read More »

I don’t smoke tweeds, but I grew up much closer to the greenery than just listening to The Chronic and Cypress Hill. So while 4/20 is more significant to me because the new season of “Deadliest Warrior” debuts tonight, I understand the importance of the stoner’s holiday.

According to some of my more laid-back colleagues, “nuggets” is a term commonly associated with 4/20. You can probably guess why. So with that, here are my 10 favorite Denver Nuggets of the past 25 years: Read More »

The Lakers are still the smart bet to defend their championship, but we’re also not counting out the Thunder in their first-round series. But if OKC is really going to pull a ’94 Nuggets job and win as an 8th seed, they may need to actually reanimate Dikembe Mutombo in his prime … The front line was the key to L.A.’s Game 1 win: Pau Gasol put up 19 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Andrew Bynum went for 13 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks. And Lamar Odom didn’t even do much in this game. OKC can only counter with Nick Collison (not skilled enough), Serge Ibaka (too young) and Nenad Krstic, who is what we thought he was … Tough game for each of the marquee superstars: Kobe had a quiet 21 points (6-19 FG), while Kevin Durant scored 24 on just 7-of-24 from the field. Read More »

From the cover of Dime to the cover of GQ, Kobe Bryant has been everywhere lately. Except the basketball court. And it’s been killing him. Previously on his way to one of the most impossible Iron-Man like seasons in recent NBA history — playing through well documented injuries to his fingers, back, knees, shoulders and ankles — Kobe finally had to show human frailty and miss some games sandwiching the All-Star break, including the All-Star Game itself. (Kobe may be the only guy in the League who takes the ASG seriously.)

Last night he returned to the lineup, and in storybook fashion, dropped 32 points and the game-winner in Memphis. This entire season for Kobe has been a self-inflicted cross-examination of his toughness, but is KB24 the toughest man in the NBA? Read More »