Bringing up the argument of who won the James Harden trade is almost as pointless as the best rapper debate at your local barbershop. There’ll always be one or two guys who co-sign your stand, and there’ll always be a handful who think you’re out of your mind. There will be a lot of pointless arguing and talking in circles. There’s almost never a middle ground. Read More »

With the 2012-13 NBA regular season over and the playoff standings set, it’s time to dissect the first-round matchups. From team vs. team to player vs. player to front-court vs. front-court, here are the top-five most interesting matchups for the first round of the NBA playoffs. Read More »

In preparation for the start of this weekend’s NBA Playoffs, we thought that would be interesting to take a look at this postseason’s x-factors. While it is more conventional to say that Player X is the x-factor for their franchise entering the playoffs, you always need to dig a little deeper, go a little bit more in depth by taking a look at other specific variables within different team’s situations that have the capacity to swing a series. Read More »

“The (Other) Streak” is dead. 13 New York Knicks wins in a row undone by predominantly by one Nate Robinson, who came off the bench to give ‘em 35 in 33 minutes in a come-from-behind overtime win for the Bulls in Chicago … [Check out Nate's new custom Jordans] … The wonder of Nate was on full display for pretty much the entire game with plenty of the good (buckets, energy, tenacity) and a heaping helping of the bad (horrrrrible shots at inopportune times, knucklehead passes, constantly straddling the line of about-to-get-a T and/or punched in the face by an opponent, etc.). Perfect example: Read More »

As the first leg of the NBA season has closed, player values have fallen in place. Of course there are some exceptions, like if some of these players just happened to start off ice cold or riding a hot streak. However, by this time statistics have evened out. The early hot streaks dissolve, and the underachievers slowly work their way back into the fantasy hierarchy. Read More »

Christmas is here — a day that’s known for giving, receiving and family by most people. But for losers like me? It’s basketball time. This is an honor for each team that is playing in a Christmas Day game, meaning that for one reason or another, you’re what the people want to see around the league. And I’d say that the teams featured this year represent just that. Read More »

Before the season started, the Oklahoma City Thunder were relegated by many to a tier just below the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs for supremacy in the Western Conference. Even though they defeated the mighty Borg that is San Antonio to come out of the Western Conference in last season’s playoffs, the offseason was generally considered unkind to the young upstarts from Oklahoma City. But things certainly changed over the season’s first quarter, and the Thunder are playing superb basketball right now. Read More »

Today you probably woke up with excitement in your eyes because of the amazing dinner selection that will await most of us later in the day. Thanksgiving is famous because of the turkey, ham and stuffing that we all love to engulf over the holiday. But somewhere in that huge pile of food, we’ve lost what the true meaning of Thanksgiving is. Read More »

The Knicks went on an easy little stroll Sunday afternoon at the Garden and not even Jrue Holiday‘s spot-on mimicking act of Carmelo Anthony could spoil the ride in a 100-84 win over Philly. Holiday was there more often than not to serve as the counter to a big play by the Knicks, but he was just one guy – albeit, one guy whose 5-of-6 shooting from deep helped Philly shoot better from behind the line than it did overall. Read More »

It’s not where you start, but when you play. Like a baseball middle reliever shoring up the mess a starter left behind or holding the lead the starter built, the best Sixth Men hold the line given them, then build on it with their own play. There’s a certain distinction that goes along with being a starter, but there’s something devastating about changing the flow of a game at the first substitution. These 10 all have that capability, and it’s why they’re the top 10 candidates for 2012-13 Sixth Man of the Year. All week Dime has counted down the best rookies and best coach for our awards predictions. Today, let’s look at the super subs. Read More »