NBA arenas, chartered flights, five-star hotels and being set financially; all of these things were supposed to happen for Damon Powell. Despite some setbacks, he still finds himself one step closer to his ultimate goal. Read More »

Playing in the same American Century Celebrity Golf Championship as Jimmer Fredette, Charles Barkley heads into the tournament with 500-1 odds. Arguably the most entertaining basketball personality on television, Barkley has no reservations about speaking his mind. I caught up with Chuck yesterday to talk about Jordan, LeBron, Shaq, gambling and the looming NBA lockout. Read More »

You may have noticed that the drama surrounding Scottie Pippen‘s comments concerning the NBA’s G.O.A.T. had begun to die down. Well, that was only because Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was late to the party. In the letter below posted on his website, he had some less than kind words for Mr. Pippen. Read More »

Eleven NBA championships, five league MVP’s, two NCAA championships, one Olympic gold medal, a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. And yet, at 77 years old, Bill Russell received his highest honor yet when he was presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier today. Russell is one of an obviously select group of athletes to receive the honor, joining the likes of John Wooden, Hank Aaron, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens, Richard Petty and 2011 recipient Stan Musial, among others. Russell is the first person with NBA ties to receive the Medal of Freedom.

On his way to four NBA championships, three Finals MVPs and two league MVPs, Tim Duncan has become fairly adept at good timing. He’s the 7-footer who steps out and hits a three-pointer when his team needs a trey. He’s the alleged slowpoke who darts across the lane like a jaguar and blocks a shot when his team needs a stop. He’s the star who plays his best in the biggest games — like posting 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks in a decisive Game Six of the NBA Finals. Read More »

Every legit NBA title contender this season seems to have that one Lottery-bound team that poses problems for them. For the Celtics, it has been Detroit. For the Spurs, it’s been Minnesota. For the Heat, it’s been Indiana. The Lakers? They’ve been having a tough time with the Rockets for the last couple of years now, Yao or no Yao. Last night’s matchup was another nail-biter … It’s easy to see why the Rockets are a bad matchup for the defending champs. Read More »

With all the directions you could take in promoting yesterday’s Lakers/Celtics game — NBA Finals rematch, NBA Finals preview, legendary franchises collide, Future Hall of Famers Summit — it’s a good thing nobody tried to hype it as Kobe vs. Shaq. That rivalry, as Justin Timberlake would sing it, is dead and gone.

Kobe dropped 41 points on Sunday. Shaq went scoreless. There was one moment when Kobe baited Shaq into a foul before hitting a tough baseline shot, then made a show out of glaring at his ex-teammate/ex-nemesis, but otherwise there was nothing to see. Read More »

When we talk “rivalries” in sports, the first question that needs to be asked is the following: Have both teams been competitive during the same established period of time?

The answer, of course, when it comes to the Knicks and Celtics is “No.” We are not talking about Boston vs. New York, which has been dominated by Yankee/Red Sox in terms of a sports rivalry with sprinkles of Jets/Patriots and even Giants/Patriots (Super Bowl XLII) recently mixed in. Read More »

How impressive was Chris Bosh‘s 35-point performance in Miami’s 27-point destruction of the Suns last night? It depends on whom you ask. ESPN play-by-play guy Mark Jones asked, “A defining night for Chris Bosh?” Perhaps. Bosh came out aggressive and was seeking out spots on the floor where he was comfortable. And it does help when you’re playing the Suns, whose interior defenders make Bosh look like the Old Spice Guy … But then we got this gem from Bosh after the game: “(Erik Spoelstra) knows he has to meet us halfway. He wants to work, we want to chill, but we’re gonna have to work to get everything down.” Read More »

With the NBA season underway and the college basketball season right around the corner, the Dime office was engaged in a debate yesterday over which is more entertaining: College or pro ball.

I’m on the fence in this argument. I love the atmosphere and drama of the college game. No matter how good or bad each team is, in general I will always watch a Duke/Carolina over a Celtics/Lakers game. However, when it comes to the actual play on the floor, the pro game is simply better. Read More »