For the first time since 1993, the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings are in the conference finals, adding to the madness at Staples Center as they join the Clippers and Lakers in the playoffs. As the Kings try to win their first Stanley Cup, they can count on the support of Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. Read More »

As long as Rajon Rondo doesn’t have to shoot with the game on the line, he’s good money. We’ve constantly heard that the Celtics’ point guard is the John Nash – the genius – of the NBA. Maybe he just really is that smart. The dude fouls the Sixers up three, and then watches as Lou Williams botches it by making both instead of missing the second. Then, Doc draws up a spectacular play and Rondo runs into the backcourt all alone for a touchdown. Evan Turner couldn’t catch him for a foul, and that was that. Rondo bamboozled Philly’s whole team; Game 1 to Boston, 92-91. Read More »

The beast is back. The monster from Marion (Ind.) that carried the Memphis Grizzlies to last year’s incredible first-round playoff upset of the top-seeded Spurs had been relatively quiet this season — thanks to a major knee injury and his team’s offensive balance — but last night Zach Randolph picked the perfect time to dominate. Z-Bo put up 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Griz to a 90-88 road victory in Game 6 of their first-round series with the Clippers, forcing a Game 7 back in Memphis … Read More »

Does a dwindling lead equal diminished confidence? It was the question on our mind Thursday as Chicago went from 12 down, to five down, to three up in the final minute. Philadelphia, after going Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol in the season’s final weeks before slipping in, was never the most headstrong team. This is a way of saying that when Doug Collins threw up his arms after the final buzzer in obvious jubilation, it was about relief as much as celebration. Read More »

Lil Wayne mentions in this interview with The Los Angeles Times that he is “crazy insane” and that’s how he makes his music. Well, most basketball fans would probably say the self-description fits. He calls Kobe Bryant “the greatest player to touch a basketball,” which is almost sacrilegious. Read More »

In the last few minutes of Denver’s improbable Game 5 win in L.A. last night, Kobe Bryant was straight surgical with the rock, taking everyone in Denver on a ride back to 2006. He hit triple after triple, and when his final shot didn’t fall, it was an anti-climatic finish to an awesome 43-point night. Here’s his most acrobatic shot of the night, a play that seemed to be pleading with Marv Albert to call, “Ohhhh, a specTACular move by … KOBE BRYANT!” Read More »

JaVale McGee alone had more highlights in Tuesday’s Game 5 win in Los Angeles than there were combined in the Lakers-Nuggets series’ first four games (unless you count the clips of the reactions of his mom, Pam McGee, in the stands). Mixed into his 21-point, 14-board game were the crazy dunks, head-scratching goaltends and blocks we’ve all come to expect — plus something new. Read More »

The good and bad of Rajon Rondo surfaced in the final 10 seconds of Atlanta’s 87-86 Game 5 win against Boston. With Boston down one, the point stole the inbounds pass and came racing up court with a chance to win. Off a switch, he was matched up with Al Horford, dribbled in place for a few seconds, tried to go baseline, lost the ball, and then threw it to Kevin Garnett even as the buzzer sounded. Rondo never even got a shot off, and thus all he did (13 points, 12 assists, five steals) won’t be remembered. Read More »

Kobe is an animal on the court, so it only suits him that this year’s sneaker – the Nike Zoom Kobe VII – has had an array of animal-themed versions release. We’ve seen sneakers representing wolves, sharks, cheetahs and snakes, fitting for the NBA’s Black Mamba. Now, the “Poison Dart Frog” returns yet again with the third different frog-related color scheme, and this one is easily the best. Read More »

If you’ve been keyed in on the most disappointing playoff series at all, you’d know that before the Knicks dramatically eluded elimination yesterday against Miami, Carmelo Anthony owned the prestigious title of having the worst playoff record of any player with at least 50 postseason games. Now after his drama-bursting, 41-point Game 4 performance to keep the Knicks alive, he’s entered the record books for something else entirely. Read More »