You never would’ve believed it unless you watched the game, especially with one team sporting guys like Chris Paul, Eric Bledsoe, Jamal Crawford and DeAndre Jordan (Blake Griffin didn’t suit up). But the Jazz were the more exciting team on the floor last night in their 99-91 win over the Clippers, and nearly did enough in the first half alone to steal the Lob City nickname. Read More »

You can probably guess how the Atlanta Falcons feel right now. They get a huge win on Monday Night Football, but all anyone wants to talk about is how the other team — more specifically how the other quarterback (Peyton Manning) — lost the game, not how the Falcons won the game. It must be frustrating and a little insulting. Well, that’s how every opponent of the Miami Heat and L.A. Lakers is going to feel this upcoming NBA season. Whenever the Heat or Lakers lose, that will be the story; that they lost, not that the other team won. Read More »

LeBron James‘ jaw-dropping year has been much discussed around these parts, not just for his accomplishments, but the scale of them. You know the list by now, with its various MVPs and gold-plated championship accoutrements. This year’s NBA rookie class is looking at what Anthony Davis has accomplished in the last year and believes he won’t be stopped either. The NCAA title, an all-time freshman blocks record, first pick in the draft and an Olympic gold medal are quite the haul for the lanky, 6-11 forward in New Orleans, especially one who wasn’t Mr. All-World Everything out of high school. Read More »

The Rockets want Dwight Howard the way the dudes from Workaholics want off from work. Also like those three, Houston is willing to do some crazy things for its dream to happen. Today they agreed to send Marcus Camby to New York in a sign-and-trade for three years and $13.2 million. Camby is 38, which adds to this year’s free agency class as possibly the greatest coup for the over 35 crowd in free agency’s history. This isn’t about Camby, though. Read More »

If there’s one thing fantasy basketball owners should know, it’s that a team coached by Mike D’Antoni is a team to embrace. While his attention to offense and disregard for defense bring up valid concerns about the New York Knicks‘ real-life success, it’s pretty much gold for fantasy basketball purposes. There are two players driving the bulk of this team’s fantasy appeal, and in this type of offense there’s always the possibility of plug-and-play success for guys who fill in for injured players, especially in the backcourt. Still, as currently constructed, the Knicks do have some potential issues that diminish their fantasy luster, though not by much. Read More »

The NBA Draft is full of characters. Of course, you wouldn’t know it unless the NBA media people dug deep enough to find out all those little tidbits about each and every player.

After all, when players are drafted, where do you think Stuart Scott gets his random lines that awkwardly end each interview segment? The NBA Draft Media Guide, of course. So to study up for tonight, here’s a spoiler to Stuart’s wacky facts. Read More »

While at the Knicks-Magic game a couple nights ago, I was privileged to experience firsthand a rookie hard at work. No, it wasn’t Landry Fields‘ three-point, four-rebound performance in the OT thriller; I’m talking about work of a different variety. Away from the hardwood, in the Magic locker room after the game, 6-10, 255-pound rookie Daniel Orton – draped in his Sunday’s finest – was doing his best impression of Geoffrey, the butler from Fresh Prince. Not only was he cleaning out the locker of Gilbert Arenas, carrying Earl Clark’s tote bag and moving chairs out of the way for reporters, but he even waited ‘til the bitter end to collect Dwight Howard’s Louis Vuitton toiletry bag after he was finished his postgame interviews. A spectacle to say the least. Read More »