Now that the 2009-10 NBA season has finally begun, we’ll have brief overviews of the previous night’s games each day, highlighting noteworthy performances and trends, along with some recommendations. These will be fantasy-focused posts and hopefully, you’ll find these to be at least a bit helpful as you navigate your fantasy squads through the regular season. Read More »

Last year we debuted the “Highs and Lows” system — previewing the NBA season by predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team. Same theme, different season…

Added: Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Fabricio Oberto, Paul Davis

Lost: Darius Songaila, Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov, Juan Dixon Read More »

Today we’ll continue our week-long look at late-round players who can help you fill in the statistical gaps you find yourself with near the end of your fantasy drafts. This doesn’t mean these players will necessarily help you in other categories (though most do), but they should at least offer some value in these respective categories. Without further ado, let’s look at players (in no particular order) who will likely be drafted in later rounds and could help you catch up in the rebounding department. Share your perspectives below. Read More »

Before you skip the article and head directly to the comments to destroy me, just hear me out. And for fans of the Celtics, Cavs and Magic, it’s not that you don’t think it’s possible, but rather that the thought of the Wizards beating you in the second round of the playoffs makes you sick. But the more and more I think about it, the more and more I convince myself that the Wizards could win the championship this year. Read More »

In case you didn’t know, last season there were only five players in the NBA that averaged over 2.0 blocks per game. And now that the offseason landscape has finally settled down, with the majority of the big trades and free agents signings out of the way, here are five guys that will average 2+ blocks this coming season that didn’t last year. Read More »

Welcome to the (so far) most Twitter-infected edition of Smack ever written. We begin with Nate Robinson, who was arrested yesterday in NYC for driving on a suspended license, and broke the news himself — on Twitter. Nate actually tweeted while he was being pulled over (if only this kind of technology existed when Rodney King got popped in ‘91), and what started with his windows being too tinted turned into a revelation that his license had been suspended for an unpaid ticket he says he didn’t know about. Granted, this is a very minor legal matter, but it’s also horrible timing for Nate when he’s still technically unemployed … One of the League’s other high-profile jobless guys, Allen Iverson, took his free agency news to the Twitter crowd. Read More »

Last week it seemed a forgone conclusion that Stephon Marbury had — either intentionally or unintentionally — ended his own NBA career by following his crazy Internet act with a public admission that he smokes weed. However, maybe there’s still a chance for Steph to get back in the League … if he really wants it.

According to ProBasketballNews.com, the Wizards are keeping Marbury “on their radar” as a possible late signing. Read More »

Considering the level of celebrity involved, this D-Wade vs. Pat Riley game of million-dollar chicken hasn’t come close to owning the headlines like it would if Kobe and his front-office were at odds. (Good thing that’s never happened before.) If you haven’t been following, here’s the quick version: Wade’s contract expires in 2010, Riley wants Wade to sign an extension before then, Wade wants to make sure he’s not playing for a mediocre team before he signs anything, Riley says he won’t spend a lot of money to improve the roster until he knows Wade is committed. And aside from Riley making an honest run at Lamar Odom and showing interest in Allen Iverson, neither side has hit the brakes yet. Read More »

Blown out in Houston. Twenty-pieced in Denver. Temporarily shut down in Orlando. Even when the Lakers looked their absolute worst in the ‘09 playoffs, there was one man associated with the team who still had reason to celebrate.

David Lee (not the New York Knick) is the agent for both Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza. Throughout the postseason, Lee watched as Ariza, an unrestricted free agent come July 1, made his job easier and his percentages more lucrative with every clutch steal, timely three-pointer, and defensive stop against the likes of Carmelo and Hedo. Read More »

The Washington Wizards are walking, stinking proof that the Yankees/Red Sox Strategy — spend more money, get more wins — doesn’t always work. Having re-signed Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas to $160 million worth of contract last summer, the Wizards will spend this summer working out Lottery picks, as they’ll finish with the East’s worst record (18-61 as of today) and have a good shot at the No. 1 overall pick.

Caron Butler isn’t standing for a repeat. Read More »