Erick Dampier was almost the headline photo for today’s Smack. Seriously. In the late stages of the fourth quarter of Mavs/Hornets, Damp (16 pts, 14 rebs, 3 blks) was the most clutch player in the building, getting a putback off a Dirk Nowitzki miss to break a tie, catching an alley-oop from Jason Kidd on the next possession, then scoring on another tip-in with 16 seconds left. That should’ve been the dagger, but Dallas killed themselves at the free-throw line in the final seconds: Jason Terry missed one after Chris Paul got T’d up for arguing a push-off call (CP had pushed off on J.J. Barea like 3-4 times in the fourth, but didn’t get called for it until what looked like N.O.’s last-chance possession), then Barea missed two freebies to keep the Hornets alive. Read More »
Even with Vince Carter’s ankle keeping him sidelined for his latest return to Toronto (where he could get booed in an Orlando uniform this time), there were more than enough ready-made story lines going into Magic/Raptors: Hedo Turkoglu’s first game against his old squad, the next chapter in the Dwight Howard vs. Chris Bosh rivalry (quietly and consistently more exciting than Deron Williams vs. Chris Paul), and the intrigue of seeing which players would be visibly sleep-walking for a 1 p.m. EST tip-off the day after Halloween. So you can understand why nobody was ready for J.J. Redick to become the headliner. 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:Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, Ryan Anderson, Jason Williams
Lost:Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, Tyronn LueRead More »
Last season, the Orlando Magic kind of snuck up on the rest of the league. While everybody knew that they had a solid roster, not many expected them to come out as Eastern Conference Champions. This time around, Orlando is not only one of the favorites to win the East again but is right there in the mix to compete for a title as well. This time around, the path will be a little different. Read More »
Of course the games don’t count in the standings, and not everybody is going all-out although they’re still getting paid (it’s like Tim Thomas‘ fantasy land), but one of the biggest misconceptions about the NBA preseason is the idea that you can’t learn anything from these exhibitions. If a guy can’t hit a shot in the preseason (e.g. Peja Stojakovic right now), it’s not like he’s going to automatically become more accurate when the games count. And if he’s busting the defense’s ass and making it look easy in the preseason (e.g. Kobe every year), it’s not like he’s going to suddenly turn into a scrub when it matters. Look at the Orlando Magic: Read More »
Who do you want your offense to run through with everything on the line? Counting down 30th to 1st (one per team), I’ve ranked the League’s go-to guys…
Back in July, when he was introduced as a member of the Magic, Carter said he doesn’t desire to be the face nor the focal point of his new team. Read More »
The EA Sports NBA Live 10 Invasion Tour is continuing to make its way across America. Yesterday, the NBA Live 10 trailer touched down in Memphis, TN, where it was parked right outside the entrance of the FedEx Forum - the home of the Grizzlies. That night, the Magic were in town to play a preseason game and a couple of hours prior to tipoff, NBA Live 10 cover boy Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson stopped by the trailer. Read More »
This week we’ll be going through the projected top 10 (and then some) fantasy players for each position during the 2009-10 NBA season. Clearly there’s room for debate here, so speak up if you see something you either agree or don’t agree with.
Just like Prom Night, the new NBA season holds promise for a handful of youngsters to lose their (All-Star Game) virginity. At the same time, each incoming crop of first-timers means there are some ASG incumbents who will be spending that February weekend at home — or at least be restricted to hitting the clubs in whatever city All-Star takes place. A while back, Gerald Narcisco nominated some 2010 first-time All-Stars; here are the guys who stand to lose their spots when the big game goes to Dallas next year: Read More »
When the Magic re-signed Marcin Gortat this summer, a lot of people didn’t understand the move. And after bringing in Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, Jason Williams, Ryan Anderson and Morris Almond, you might think that Gortat and his new five-year, $34-million deal could be sent packing for another piece or if they need cap relief. But apparently GM Otis Smith wants no part of that, seeing The Polish Hammer as a tool you use in case of emergency. Read More »
