It wasn’t like we were the only ones to say the Sixers were for real this year. Everyone was saying that, and the numbers backed it up. They were No. 1 in offense and defense – at the same time – for a while this season, and were dominating people at home. But last night, they ran into a real title contender, the Miami Heat, and the Sixers got blitzed worse than anything we’ve seen all year from the Ravens. Even without Dwyane Wade, the Heat won because they dominated on the glass and LeBron (28 points) was an absolute savage on the pick-n-roll. Whenever he got into the lane, it was an automatic bucket. Read More »

Talking All-Stars two weeks into the season? It happens when David Stern and co. attempt to stuff 66 games into 120 days. The All-Star balloting is already up on NBA.com, and you’ll start hearing campaigns emerge for players like Andre Iguodala, Andrea Bargnani, Tyson Chandler and LaMarcus Aldridge. But they’ll be players this year missing out just as there always are. Read More »

Weekend Wonder: Josh Smith averaged 24.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.5 steals, 4.0 blocks and 0.5 threes in two games over the weekend. In that stretch, he shot 63 percent from the field, 60 percent from the free-throw line and turned the ball over twice a game. After a slow start to the season, Smith has really found his groove lately. In his last four games, Smith is averaging 20.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.8 blocks. Read More »

And we thought he was going for 50. LeBron James didn’t quite get 50, but he made every shot he took in the first quarter, scoring 22 points, and put Miami into a lead they would never relinquish. New Jersey lost 101-90 despite the most hated player in the NBA, Kris Humphries, somehow going for 25 points and 12 rebounds. In his first game back after missing some time with an ankle, James had 32 points and nine assists. Read More »

This might be the year Josh Smith finally makes the All-Star Game. We don’t want to jinx him – everyone knows the type of luck he has when it comes to this – but his game has matured, he has his body in the best shape it’s ever been in and the Hawks figure to be, at worst, a No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Last night in Atlanta’s 92-75 drubbing of Charlotte to end the preseason, Smith had 21 points and six rebounds, hitting 10 of 15 shots in the game. Read More »

When Danilo Gallinari arrived in New York in 2008, the city couldn’t get enough of him. What was he wearing, where was he going – it’s as if he was dating a Kardashian. But after being traded to Denver last season as part of the deal for Carmelo Anthony, the fervor screeched to a halt. He finished out the year with the Nuggets before heading overseas to play in Italy during the lockout, keeping a relatively low profile along the way. Well, Gallo’s back, and he’ll be wearing some new shoes when he takes the court for the first time in Denver’s preseason game against Phoenix on Dec. 20. Read More »

With three contributing players inked to overseas deals that may prevent them from rejoining the NBA in the 2011-12 regular season (should it exist) and with at least two significant free agents to re-sign, the Denver Nuggets make for an intriguing study from a fantasy basketball perspective. While all that means the Nuggets will likely have fewer fantasy assets than they did last season, it might open things up for other players on the team. Let’s take a glance at the potential fallout. Read More »

Every time someone comes forward to attempt to break a story about the breakup of the Thunder, we get hit with a spinning forehand right back at our faces. Recently, a team workout was organized for four days on the University of Texas campus. 10 of the team’s 15-man roster showed up. Out of the players who didn’t show up, some were overseas, another was recently married and the other two were Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson. This came just before there were reports that Perkins and Russell Westbrook had problems last year. A team with rifts and chemistry problems doesn’t do this, trust us. There were no organization personnel on hand (obviously), and everything was set up by Royal Ivey, who just happens to be like, the last man on the bench. Read More »

Last week, we showed you Danilo Gallinari attempting a free throw line dunk. Now check out the shoes he did it in. Before Reebok launches John Wall‘s signature shoe next month, they kick off their 2011-12 basketball campaign with the Reebok Zig Pro Future. Check out Gallo’s Italian national team exclusives below: Read More »

At least Danilo Gallinari threw this down. That’s more than JaVale McGee can say…

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