NBA 2K12 won’t stop with just a few basketball legends. They’re going all out this holiday season, giving us everyone from George Mikan to Jamal Mashburn. It was recently announced that 2K would be offering a special mode – called the “Legends Showcase” – for download at some point soon where gamers would have the chance to hit the blacktop in Times Square and play one-on-one, H-O-R-S-E, 21 and any other number of games like two-on-two teammate challenges against some of the best the NBA has ever seen. We knew that. Now we also know what players will be in the add-on. If you didn’t think you would be purchasing the “Legends Showcase,” this might change your mind. Read More »

More than just a championship is on the line in this weekend’s Final Four. A lot of these players – guys like Kemba Walker, Shelvin Mack, Joey Rodriguez and Brandon Knight – have the chance to do something special. This has been the year of the underdog with not a single number-one or number-two seed still dancing. These four teams weren’t expected to be here, but that doesn’t mean the basketball won’t be great.

Great, but perhaps not great enough. With the games set to tip tomorrow, I went diggin’ in the crates to try to find the greatest players in Kentucky, VCU, UConn and Butler’s history.

So here are the all-time starting lineups for each of the four schools playing this weekend. Read More »

The last time the Grizzlies played the Lakers at the Staples Center, Rudy Gay quietly tortured Ron Artest while the rest of his team was dominated in every phase of the game. Last night, Rudy dropped buckets on Ron-Ron again, but his teammates backed him up while handing L.A. an embarrassing 19-point blowout loss where the home team got booed … After missing his last game with a stomach flu, Gay (27 pts, 3 stls) was making the Lakers sick on Sunday. He gave ‘em the full repertoire of inside, mid-range and outside shots, then punctuated it in the fourth quarter with transition dunks that hurt the rim. Read More »

Though situated on the holy grounds of SEC football, the state of Kentucky is just as basketball-obsessed as traditional hotbeds like North Carolina, Indiana and New York. Today marks the latest edition of the Bluegrass State’s marquee matchup: Kentucky vs. Louisville.

The Wildcats are ranked 11th in the Associated Press poll, while the Cardinals are 22nd. Both teams are in contention for respective SEC and Big East conference crowns. Currently, they are two of the most explosive teams in the country. But how do they match up historically? Read More »

No disrespect to Caron Butler — who is one of our favorite guys to work with in the NBA and tougher than your first night in prison — but at this stage in his career, if he is your primary scoring option against a team like the San Antonio Spurs you’ll have to play an almost flawless game to win. Without Dirk Nowitzki (knee) in the lineup on Thursday, the Mavs had to lean on Caron (30 pts) against the Spurs, and they just didn’t play perfect enough to get the W … Meanwhile, the Spurs were overloaded with options. Read More »

With the NBA season underway and the college basketball season right around the corner, the Dime office was engaged in a debate yesterday over which is more entertaining: College or pro ball.

I’m on the fence in this argument. I love the atmosphere and drama of the college game. No matter how good or bad each team is, in general I will always watch a Duke/Carolina over a Celtics/Lakers game. However, when it comes to the actual play on the floor, the pro game is simply better. Read More »

We argue. You decide.

JOHN CALIPARI (by A. Macaluso) When it comes to family, no one is closer than the Italians. You used to be able to say the same about John Calipari and his predecessor, Rick Pitino. Both coaches have known each other ever since they worked together at Five Star Camp. Both head coaches were actually friends in the beginning, with Pitino helping Calipari land the head coaching position at Massachusetts in 1988. Read More »

After 11 years in the NBA, current ESPN analyst Jamal Mashburn knows a thing or two about basketball – both on and off the court. So when I had the chance to talk with Mash for an extended period of time, it was a no-brainer. From his All-American years at Kentucky to buying the Pistons to doubting Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game,” we covered it all. Check out the exclusive Dime interview below. Read More »

After the first three days of the NCAA Tournament belonged to lovable underdogs like Jimmer Fredette, Ali Farokhmanesh, Cornell and the St. Mary’s Hoosiers, Day 4 belonged to the big dogs — a.k.a. the Big Ten. Thanks to Korie Lucious and Chris Kramer‘s clutch play and Evan Turner‘s overall dominance, we’re headed to the Sweet Sixteen with the Big Ten having more teams still standing (Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue) than any other conference, including the much-hyped Big East … Michigan State was trailing Maryland by one with six seconds left after Greivis Vasquez (26 pts, 8 asts, 3 stls) hit a tough shot in the lane. The Spartans got it to Lucious (13 pts), and the sophomore calmly found his spot and drained a three at the buzzer. Read More »

As the NBA trading deadline approaches, no name has been thrown around more than Amar’e Stoudemire. An All-Star starter two years running and once thought to be the future of the Phoenix Suns, now it appears certain that if Amar’e isn’t traded this month, he’ll sign with another team in free agency this summer.

Back in Dime #52 (Oct. 2009), Amar’e talked about facing criticism, injuries, falling short of a championship, as well as the trade rumors that have followed him for the last year. Read More »