The 2012-13 NBA regular season is right around the corner. For fans, this means it’s time to re-up on your team’s merchandise. Anyone can go to the nearest sporting goods store and pick up a brand new jersey or hat, but what about the unique collectibles that separate the dyed-in-the-wool fan from the bandwagon supporter? These can be found on eBay. In the days leading up to, and after, NBA tip-off, Bidding Basketball will scavenge the online auction site’s “infinite inventory of NBA junk” for rare, memorable and/or quirky basketball memorabilia from every team around the league. Read More »

Few of life’s details are as guaranteed as death, taxes and Mark Cuban getting the last word. Cuban is still in Europe traveling with the Mavericks as they play FC Barcelona Regal in Spain today, but word about Deron Williams‘ free agency comments yesterday didn’t take long to reach the Dallas owner. Even as his sixth sense likely feels David Stern reaching for Cuban’s number on speed dial, Cuban shot back. Read More »

Between what’s happened with former stars like Stephon Marbury and Allen Iverson, we sadly must admit that if Tracy McGrady signs on with a Chinese team this year, he’ll basically be announcing his NBA retirement. At that point, we doubt we’d ever see T-Mac in the NBA again. Read More »

Last week, the NBA formally (and finally, if your name is Jeff Van Gundy) announced plans to crack down on flopping. The new policy establishes an escalating penalty structure for violators based on postgame video review by the league office. Penalties start with a warning and scale upward. The second flop costs a player $5,000, the third $10,000, the fourth $15,000, and the fifth $30,000. After that, violators will be subject to further discipline that may include a larger fine and/or suspension. The league also indicated that a separate set of penalties—presumably harsher—will be applied during the post-season. Read More »

Not since 1999 at Brookline has the chaste golf world let its hair down quite like it did yesterday at Medinah for the Ryder Cup. If you didn’t happen to catch the only tournament that sounds like a college football game, Europe tied a record for largest comeback to beat the U.S., and rallying from a 10-6 hole to win 14.5-13.5. It sent the Euros into a Moet-soaked celebration and the wife of former world No. 1 Luke Donald to tweet, “FYI Sergio gets drunk on 1 beer…” Read More »

Well, there are certainly worse ways to open up a new arena. The Barclays Center opened for business Friday in Brooklyn with a Jay-Z-headlined show. We felt like we were there thanks to all the updates and photos we saw blowing up social media. Read More »

I never thought O.J. Mayo and Darren Collison would find themselves in the same predicament.

Mayo is one year away from possibly being tacked onto the all-time lottery pick bust lists, while Collison is three years removed from a promising rookie season that made the league fall in love with his potential (until he stood them up last season). Read More »

The challenges facing Eduardo Najera are threefold after his retirement from playing last spring. His new roles include minority ownership of the NBA D-League’s Texas Legends, where the 36-year-old will also be head coach, and an unspecified front-office position with the Dallas Mavericks. The NBA’s first Mexican-born player ever drafted thus became its first Mexican-born coach under its umbrella, too, and with those already on his resume, another milestone he hopes that can be achieved is next: bringing the first NBA franchise to Mexico. If it sounds like a stacked workload, it is, Najera said in a recent interview with Dime. Read More »

It’s protocol for a team’s brass to anoint a new acquisition with all sorts of titles: He has untapped potential…he was underutilized for so long…he’s an even better person off the court…he’s so unselfish and can’t wait to finish out his career here. Politically correct answers often infect press conferences, fans get blown up with new expectations, and the resulting hype either consumes or electrifies. Mark Cuban isn’t shy at all about talking up his players. He went so far as to say his team in Dallas is better off without Deron Williams. Hard to believe. Read More »

The Mavericks have stayed on our radar more than Tropical storm Isaac in the south after owner Mark Cuban‘s rant about Jason Kidd, justification of not getting Deron Williams, and discussion of Jason Terry‘s place in Dallas lore. Sunday didn’t change much: speculation reigned supreme from another Mavericks’ headliner. This time though we had to pay attention, because it was Dirk Nowitzki on his future. Read More »