Kobe Bryant has maintained his spot as the best basketball player in the world because, even as his nagging injuries pile up and he moves into his 30′s, he relies more on his skills and fundamentals than simple athleticism and explosiveness.

Don’t get it mistaken, though: Kobe can still get up every once in a while, even if some analysts and fans talk about his hops like he’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Read More »

One of the more prominently promoted features of the new NBA 2K12 is the ability to play with great teams from NBA history. Ostensibly, this would allow one to discover who the greatest squad ever was, albeit in a virtual and fictional setting. Is it Jordan and the 72-win Bulls? Bird and the ’86 Celtics? The Kobe-Shaq Lakers? The Duncan-Robinson Spurs? Make it a head-to-head contest, and you can find your answer. Read More »

Remember how David Stern said that if a deal wasn’t reached by Monday that the first two weeks of the regular season would be cancelled? Well, we’re pretty much there. CBSSports.com reported yesterday that the players reached out about a meeting Monday, but the NBA refused because the players would not prematurely agree on a 50/50 split of the basketball related income. A union source told Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski: “This just confirms what we suspected all along: The NBA was never serious about negotiating until guys missed checks.” So now we’re at a stalemate: Both sides know what they want, and yet neither one will cross that line in the sand. Read More »

What are we really fighting about?

For the scarred veterans of countless throw-downs with significant others, it is the grand question that hovers over each petty incident—the subtitles that clarify the curse words. And every now and then, the more mature versions of ourselves can diffuse a hostile situation by asking that question.

But sometimes it only makes things worse. Read More »

He’s a defensive player now known not for his quick feet but for unrelenting strength. He goes by nicknames like “Tru Warier” and “Queensbridge” and possibly real names like Metta World Peace. The last thing anyone wants to see Ron Artest do on the basketball floor is dance, yet here he is, about to start dancing on national television.

Not exactly the pedigree for “Dancing With The Stars.” But it appears the rumors surrounding Artest are true: he will be announced as a participant in the ABC show’s 13th season. Read More »

He’s gone from a No. 1 pick and a city’s great hope to an injured star whose career is in jeopardy. But to Greg Oden, that’s in the past – he’s looking up, and for good reason. Read More »

What’s up with Pau Gasol? Seriously. Ever since arriving in Los Angeles, Gasol has been considered one of, if not the best post player in the game. His true-shooting percentage since 2008-09, his first full season with the Lakers, is right at 60 percent. His offensive rating during that same span is tied with Chris Paul and Nene at 123, the highest in the entire league for players with more than 4000 minutes during that time.

Just a few weeks ago, Amar’e Stoudemire made waves when he again touted that Gasol was soft. He isn’t the first to make this claim and certainly won’t be the last. Read More »

On Feb. 1, 2008, Michael Heisley, the owner of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Chris Wallace, the team’s general manager, were the two most vilified men in the NBA. They had just traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers in a move that was seen as one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. They turned the Lakers into instant championship contenders, while getting pennies on the dollar in return. The package they got included Javaris Crittenton (now out of the League), Kwame Brown, a practically retired Aaron McKie, two late first-round picks, and the rights to Pau’s brother, Marc Gasol. Read More »

Somebody call Smush Parker and tell him to dust off his purple kicks. Because if Kobe Bryant is at all missing the time he played with Kwame Brown, a 10-day for Smush in L.A. could be in the cards … OK, so Kobe didn’t say he misses Kwame — he didn’t say anything at all — but during last night’s loss to the Bobcats, Kobe had to notice Kwame was outplaying his more talented opposition for key stretches simply because he went harder. Read More »

Losing was the theme of the day in the NBA. In Denver, Carmelo Anthony turned in his best effort of the season, but just as you’d expect in this strange trip for the Nuggets, his team still lost the game at home to a Lottery-bound opponent … On his way to dropping 50 points (16-24 FG, 16-18 FT) on the Rockets, Carmelo treated Shane Battier like an assistant coach in a practice drill, and when Houston tried to mix it up, ‘Melo made Chuck Hayes look like Chuck E. Cheese. ‘Melo added 11 rebounds and 3 blocks … But somehow it still wasn’t enough. Read More »