While I’m not a fan of the Scottie Pippen comparisons when it comes to Nicolas Batum, this dunk was filthy.

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After destroying 6-4 Gary Neal, someone might have told J.R. Smith to pick on someone his own size. So what did the 6-6 guard do? He dunked on 7-0 Darko Milicic.

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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 fourth entry, Cole talks about returning to the NBA from his D-League stint and his first Christmas as a pro. Read More »

Beast of the Night: Charlie Villanueva finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block last night in a surprising blowout victory over the Hawks. He chipped in three three-pointers and shot 59 percent (10-17) from the floor. Villanueva hasn’t started a single game this year, but he’s improved many of his stats from last season’s marks. Still, he remains far from an everyday fantasy stud and lines like this shouldn’t be expected from him that often. Read More »

We know everybody is trying to push this renewed Celtics/Knicks rivalry (or whatever Paul Pierce wants to call it), and we appreciate NBA TV giving us some 1985 Celtics/Knicks action during the workday yesterday. But what’s up with Pistons/Hawks? There has to be something in the archives with Isiah, Dumars, Dominique, Spud, Rodman and Kevin Willis. Matter of fact, we wouldn’t mind some 1997 Grant Hill vs. Mookie Blaylock re-runs … Last night’s Hawks/Pistons game had plenty throwback appeal. Read More »

When he left the University of North Carolina in 2009, Wayne Ellington was on top of the college basketball world. The 6-5 shooting guard averaged 15.8 points per game as a junior, hit a career-high 41.7 percent of his threes, helped the Tar Heels win a national championship, and Ellington won Final Four Most Outstanding Player after dropping 20 points on Villanova in the national semi and 19 on Michigan State in the title game.

Since being selected in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, however, Ellington has seen the contrasting side to success. Read More »

“Either you define the moment or the moment defines you.” Clippers’ announcer Mike Smith put it the best you could and captured the way Eric Gordon (29 pts) went into straight beast mode during the fourth quarter of last night’s win over the Kings … After Sacramento had come all the way back from a 17-point deficit to tie it up with under a minute left, Gordon freed himself off a screen and laced a deep trey, serenaded by an epic “BIIIIIIIIIIINGOOOOOOOOO!!” from L.A.’s Ralph Lawler. Gordon rebounded a Sacramento miss, and after the ensuing timeout, the Kings completely fell apart. Read More »

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in 14th place in the Western Conference. Only one team (the Clippers) has fewer wins than the four W’s the Wolves have accumulated. And yet, they’re still better than a lot of analysts predicted during the preseason.

The Wolves have been competitive. They came within a few overtime possessions of snapping San Antonio’s early-season win streak when it was up to 11. They hung around with the Lakers before losing by five. They upset the Bucks in the second game of the season before the reigning Eastern Conference 6-seed began its current tailspin. Read More »

Ranking the NBA from worst to first…

30. Sacramento Kings (4-11) Last week — Lost at L.A. Clippers, lost to Chicago Ten losses in their last 11 outings, and the only win was at home against the Nets. In the current four-game skid, Tyreke Evans is shooting 27 percent from the floor (15-for-54) and averaging just 11.2 points a night. Read More »

Beast of the Night: Deron Williams stepped up and churned out 26 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists and 5 steals in a victory over Chris Paul and the Hornets. He hit four threes, shot 50 percent (9-18) from the field, 100 percent (4-4) from the line and had five turnovers. While his field-goal percentage and assists are down from last season’s marks, and though his turnovers have crept up, Williams remains a fantasy stud that his owners are surely thankful for. Read More »