Beast of the Night: Paul George finished with 24 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals, a block and four threes last night against the Nets. He shot 73 percent (8-11) from the field, 100 percent (4-4) from the free-throw line and had one turnover. George has had clunkers every now and then this season but has still managed to average top 60 numbers. He’s an all-around producer who doesn’t drag any category down for his owners, making him a sleeper-turned-stud. Read More »

Beast of the Night: LeBron James had himself a typically big line to the tune of 35 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks. He shot 57 percent (13-23) from the field, 100 percent (9-9) from the free-throw line and had two turnovers. Through three games, James is averaging 32.7 points on 59 percent shooting from the field and 87 percent shooting from the charity stripe. The odd thing is that he has yet to attempt a single three-pointer. The fact that he’s been such a stud without a three-pointer says volumes about his fantasy value. It’s early, but James looks like the probable top dog in fantasy basketball this season. Read More »

As the entire basketball universe will be fixated to their TVs today to finally witness this season commence, there are several underrated gifts under the Christmas tree to unwrap as well. While the league’s brightest stars will be going at it throughout the five-game docket, every hoops junkie should also pay attention to some of the other battles that’ll take place. Kind of like those unexpected cash envelopes you receive from your distant aunt, uncle, or grandparents, the following 10 matchups will surely not disappoint. 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 »

From what I recall in my young life, I’d rank this draft in the top 5, not because it was utterly surprising as far as picks go, but mostly because of how much Twitter enhanced the viewer experience. OK sometimes the pre-pick “sources told me blank team is taking blank player” tweets ruined the surprises; it was a little too NFL Drafty for my tastes. Read More »

Yesterday, the NBA All-Rookie First Team was finally unveiled, with Blake Griffin securing the only unanimous selection of the group including John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Landry Fields and Gary Neal. As for the Clips’ wonder kid, we’ve been dropping highlights of his monster games and dunks all season long. Griffin may have gotten the winner’s share of the media limelight this year, but all five of these guys rose to the occasion on more than a few instances. And to celebrate their inclusion on the All-Rookie First Team, here are our favorite individual highlights of the rooks. Read More »

It’s been so long since Madison Square Garden has witnessed the playoffs that its mystique has nearly disappeared. What was once an implicit understanding that games in the heart of New York spelled disaster for opponents is now mere myth. For any other arena, an attempt to regain past glory may be futile. Just not the Garden, and not now. Especially after fans watched ‘Melo finally ascend his throne during Game 2. Read More »

If you haven’t checked out the The Andy & Landry Show yet, you’re missing out on comedic genius. So after getting their own theme song and attending a speed dating event for ladies who like tall guys, watch Knicks rookies Andy Rautins and Landry Fields visit Times Square and hang out with the one and only Naked Cowboy.

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It’s tired and cliché but it’s still true: the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. What worked during the 82-game run may not work in the playoffs. Still, normally you can find clues to determine who will move on and who’s starting the summer early, and it’s not always the big names that make the difference. It’s the supporting cast, the good players, the guys only the bloggers and hardcore fans who watch the same team every night of the year truly appreciate. (Guys like James Harden.)

With that, here are my key players for each series: Read More »

The ability to progress forward or move backward; the chess rook and the NBA rook both follow a similar path. With the regular season nearing its end, teams are either gearing up for the playoffs, fighting to get in or prepping for the NBA Draft. With that said, now may be as good a time as ever for teams to take stock on their first-year experiments and weigh-in on their overall impact. Although the Rookie of the Year is all but wrapped up for Blake Griffin, I decided to bestow some unconventional awards on rookies who – like the aforementioned chess piece – either made strides forward or submitted to retreat this season. Read More »