Do you need a point guard? With so many little guys infiltrating the NBA these days, you’d think many teams would be aching to ship off some of their smaller contributors. But for every five me-first, get-my-own, shoot-‘till-my-arm-is-numb lil’ guys, we might have one legit point guard left. They’re a dying breed, even as teams line their benches with quick-hitting spark plugs. At this point, there are a few guys available, and you take what you can get – shoot-first or not – as long as they can run an offense. Read More »
When Kyrie Irving was chosen No. 1 in the 2011 NBA Draft, he knew his rookie year would be impacted by the league’s lockout. He just didn’t know how great that impact would be. After his close brush with unemployment, the Rookie of the Year front-runner can now resume the business of proving he belongs here.Read More »
I tell people all the time that I didn’t really pay much attention to college basketball last year. March Madness killed me. I hadn’t watched most teams play for longer than one half during the season, and for once I felt like one of those office chicks who were too stupid basketball-wise to do anything other than guess on colors and mascots and hope for the best. Some of it was work – the NBA took up all of my time. But most of it came down to one thing: I didn’t care about that draft class. Read More »
Last season’s UConn men’s basketball team had one of the craziest and rarest runs to an NCAA Championship that we’ve ever seen. 11 straight postseason wins eventually climaxed with a 53-46 win over Butler for the program’s third NCAA Championship. For such an incredible season, amazingly no one had covered the whole story: how they all got there, the expectations (or lack thereof) and the motivation. Until now. Read More »
Beast of the Night:LeBron James had himself a typically big line to the tune of 35 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks. He shot 57 percent (13-23) from the field, 100 percent (9-9) from the free-throw line and had two turnovers. Through three games, James is averaging 32.7 points on 59 percent shooting from the field and 87 percent shooting from the charity stripe. The odd thing is that he has yet to attempt a single three-pointer. The fact that he’s been such a stud without a three-pointer says volumes about his fantasy value. It’s early, but James looks like the probable top dog in fantasy basketball this season. Read More »
Who would’ve ever thought the most exciting game of the season would happen in Charlotte? The Bobcats dominated with energy in the first half as the Heat gave up 58 percent shooting and 60 points. But the real fireworks came late. LeBron James (35 points) had the best dunk ever that wasn’t, slamming a backdoor cut so hard that the ball hit a dude in the head and came back up and threw the net, as well as a ridiculous double-pump reverse IN THE LANE. Chris Bosh (25 points) had a monster smash down the lane that Michael Jordan probably felt from the bench, and finally Dwyane Wade (10 points) made the game-winning shot in the closing seconds to send the Heat out with a 96-95 comeback win. Read More »
It seems like forever ago that the members of this year’s draft class were welcomed to the NBA. After patiently waiting for nearly five months, training camps have opened and these rookies’ lifetime goals are finally coming to fruition. But in a season of constant travel and drastically shortened training camps, which of these youngsters have the capability to break out this year? In perhaps the only top ten list where you can find two members of both the Timberwolves and Cavaliers, we give you the most likely rookies to make a big positive impact on the league this season. Read More »
Nobody told Jeff Teague he had to stick to the script.
Before last summer’s Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Hawks and top-seeded Bulls tipped off, Teague was cast as a bit player. The 6-2 point guard, Atlanta’s first-round draft pick in 2009 who was on the verge of being labeled a bust, had averaged just 4.5 minutes of action in just two appearances during the Hawks’ first-round series. But when injuries forced Teague into a starting role – and a nightly matchup with league MVP Derrick Rose – he responded like a man ready to steal the show. Read More »
“We came to put on a show,” said Derrick Williams, and that’s exactly what he did. About a month ago, Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif., hosted a three-day, four-team exhibition tournament to raise money for the school’s athletic department. And since countless NBA players spend their offseason training there, everyone decided to come out. Dubbed the “Short Summer Pro League,” the games featured Williams, Andre Iguodala, Brandon Knight, Jordan Hamilton, Kenneth Faried, Ed Davis, Julian Wright, Darius Morris, and Devin Ebanks. After already showing you Day 1, check out the highlights from Day 2 that were just released…
Next up for fantasy basketball discussion: the Detroit Pistons. There’s a good deal to like here from a fantasy perspective – although there’s no first-round stud, there is some decent value in the middle rounds and a few fill-in guys to watch on the waiver wire when need be. With a good number of free agents for the Pistons, fantasy owners should expect things to change in the upcoming season. Read More »
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