Manu Ginobili just kept rubbing his temples, not even looking ahead at the court. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan looked stonefaced, like they were at an opera. In the background, slightly out of focus, the blue T-shirts had coalesced into one dancing, delirious mob. The scene was the fourth quarter and if you haven’t already picked up the hint, nearly the entire quarter was garbage time because of how big the Oklahoma City lead had grown and the Spurs’ stars had to watch it. Read More »

Beast of the Night: Chris Paul finished with 34 points, five rebounds, eight assists, two steals and four three-pointers. He shot 50 percent (10-20) from the floor and 91 percent (10-11) from the charity stripe, and had two turnovers. CP3 has been a top three stud this season, which is about as surprising as Metta World Peace contradicting his surname. Read More »

It’s a misnomer to call Thursday’s picks for the rest of the All-Star squads “reserves” considering their place as some of the world’s best ballers, but we learned who filled out the All-Star rosters last night on TNT. Some experts weren’t thrilled by all the picks, which opens up the annual conversation: Do fans want the big names or should they deserve the best in the moment? A perfect example is LaMarcus Aldridge, who was balling last season in Portland but got cut because he wasn’t a hot name. He got his much-deserved All-Star spot last night. Paul Pierce, Luol Deng and Dirk Nowitzki, though? And no Rondo? Read More »

The Oklahoma City Thunder are not like a box of chocolates. You know they’ve got four fantasy studs that can feasibly be drafted in succession in the first four rounds of standard-sized drafts. Truth be told, no one else on this roster really matters. It will be interesting to monitor how the team’s mercurial point guard adjusts to having a more prominent mate in the backcourt. Read More »

When C.J. Watson replaces Derrick Rose, Chicago fans collectively hold their breath. While their star briefly recharges the batteries, they can only hope that he does not shed his offensive leash. In a structured offense, an overconfident backup can singlehandedly ruin the dynamic. Think Jamal Crawford when he’s ice cold. This, in a nutshell, is C.J. Watson. But the emotional rollercoaster that is Watson’s game does not provide a concrete answer to the following question: How much do the Bulls actually miss Rose when Watson is on the floor? More generally, how great a difference is there between a starter and a backup in the playoffs? Let’s find out. Read More »

Mike Tirico said it best: “Is it me, or does this feel like a playoff game?” LeBron and ‘Melo played like it was. And so did Chauncey Billups … Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire playing defense? The last people who would’ve ever believed in that statement would be Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. But in yesterday’s three-point statement-win in Miami, the two Knick stars combined for perhaps the biggest play of the game on the defensive end. Read More »

On his way to dropping 22 points in the first quarter of what looked like a blowout in the making, Dwyane Wade‘s best play of the night was an assist: He got a defensive rebound, turned without dribbling and fired a 90-foot dart that LeBron caught in mid-air for a layup. Incredible. Wade’s awareness to turn and immediately make that read, then the accuracy to throw a pass Tom Brady would’ve been proud of, is why he really might be the best basketball player in the world. He finished with 41 points (16-29 FG) and 12 rebounds … Read More »

After an outstanding three-year career at Kansas, which included a 2008 NCAA Championship and three Big 12 titles during his tenure, Cole Aldrich was a Lottery pick this June. First selected by the Hornets before being trading to the Thunder on Draft Night, the Bloomington, Minn. native gladly returned to the Midwest. So with everyone’s expectations for the Thunder going through the roof this season, we decided there was no one better to turn to for the inside scoop on life in OKC. In his initial entry, Cole talks about rookie hazing, facing his childhood idol and the best spot to get spicy California rolls in town. Read More »

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

Added: Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook, Morris Peterson

Lost: Etan Thomas, Kyle Weaver, Kevin Ollie Read More »

Welcome to the first day of the rest of the NBA offseason. While so much attention has been focused on LeBron and now the Miami Heat, there are 29 other teams and a couple hundred other players with business to take care of before training camp.

Not everybody was waiting for LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh, either. From the eve of the NBA Draft to the early stages of free agency, those who were active have been rewarded. Here are the five best offseason moves that may have slipped under the radar: Read More »