Normally, we’d start a 13-game night off with some recaps, but since the average margin of victory across the NBA last night was like 87 points, it felt good just to look forward to the weekend. The regular season is over and the matchups are set. In the West, it’ll be San Antonio and Utah, OKC against Dallas, the Lakers taking on Denver and then Memphis hosting the Clippers. The East looks pretty good as well: Chicago takes on Philly, Miami and New York do battle, Indiana will host whatever’s left of the Magic, and even though they’re the No. 4 seed, Boston will open the playoffs in the ATL. Read More »

Laker fans should slow down. They’re better than they were earlier this year, but San Antonio has showed them recently how far they still have to go. The Spurs took it back in time, unleashing their vaunted Big Three on the visitors in an easy 121-97 W. Kobe played and scored 18, and it didn’t matter. Tony Parker (20 points, 10 assists) blended them up and turned the Los Angeles defense into a milkshake in the first half. Tim Duncan (21 points) outplayed Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum nearly by himself. And Manu Ginobili (20 points on nine shots) turned in one of those crazy lines he’s known for … Read More »

If you had asked me this question even just a few weeks ago – can Boston make it back to the NBA Finals? – I would’ve laughed in your face and pinned you in as a New England homer. There was Chicago, Miami and then everyone else in the Eastern Conference. But as the Heat have lost their way and as the Bulls have lost their star, the Celtics went from surviving day-to-day to becoming the East’s sleeper, and now at 21-9 since the All-Star Break, the squad playing the best basketball east of the Mississippi. Until the Knicks broke a box score last night, Boston was playing historic defense while Rajon Rondo is on an assist run not seen since John Stockton. The rest of the team is all either reaching in the time machine (Kevin Garnett), playing above their heads (Brandon Bass) or coming into their own (Avery Bradley). Read More »

The “best pure scorer” label always came with a crutch. Yes, you can score, but what else can you do? Carmelo Anthony has been answering a lot of questions lately, and last night he might’ve given the world his best all-around game as a Knick. 35 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, he was the ring leader on a night where the Knicks could’ve opened up their own sperm bank because they were shooting so well. New York got the win they needed, 118-110 over the Celtics, but it was the box score that had everyone talking. The Knicks messed with the video game sliders in the first half. They MUST have. Read More »

Utah has been an odd matchup all season for Memphis, and after they jumped out early against the Grizzlies, we figured this would be the game that killed Memphis’ shot at homecourt advantage in the first round. Instead, the Grit N’ Grind gang did what they do best, and took it over in the fourth quarter, pulling away 103-98. O.J. Mayo had 17 in the fourth quarter, and his weak side triple in the final minute put Memphis up four, completing an unexpected turnaround that saw Juice score 20 and yet not have a single assist or rebound in 24 minutes. Just before that, Rudy Gay (26 points, 12 rebounds) had knocked down a triple and had a couple of beastly plays to open up a little Memphis cushion. Even with the Jazz getting another 20 points from Devin Harris, they couldn’t match the talent. Read More »

What goes up must come down. Marc Gasol found that out in a hard way last night, hitting the deck about as awkwardly as possible after smashing one on Markieff Morris‘ head. Read More »

Kobe who? If you would’ve told us that Bryant was going to sit out a game in San Antonio against the red hot Spurs, we would’ve said Gregg Popovich would’ve been pulling out the victory cigars early in the fourth quarter. You can’t fault us though because no one, repeat NO ONE, could’ve expected Andrew Bynum to set an NBA season high and in the process nearly outrebound San Antonio by himself: 33 to 30. The big man also chipped in 16 points, and with Pau Gasol putting in a quiet 21 and 11, the Lakers completed dominated inside in their blowout win. Read More »

As Kentucky’s championship celebration from Bourbon Street to Lexington drew to an end, baseball’s Opening Day debuted this past weekend. In between the taste of alcohol in N’awlins and smell of hot dogs filling the lazy summer days at the ballpark, the Los Angeles Dodgers are now relevant again thanks to one of the city’s own original caretakers: Magic Johnson. He became the first African-American owner of a MLB team and instantly the face of one of the most iconic franchises in sports history. Read More »

Oklahoma City should show some love to Russell Westbrook for getting them back into first place in the West. The Thunder rolled on Milwaukee by 20 behind their superstar point guard. Westbrook destroyed the new look Buck backcourt, going for 26 easy points and seven rebounds in only 26 minutes. Kevin Durant added 19 and Thabo Sefolosha had a reverse dunk that even Kobe would’ve enjoyed … Who caught the Mike Dunleavy and Serge Ibaka tussle? Ibaka reached out to grab him by the shoulder, and Jr. busted out the most epic karate chop we’ve ever seen in an NBA game … The Thunder are back in first because Devin Harris got revenge, and Paul Millsap got freaky in the fourth. Read More »

Outside of this, the Grizzlies had one of the best weekends possible. They beat Miami to end the Heat’s double-digit home winning streak. Then they took out Dallas in a game with major playoff implications. O.J. Mayo was so caught up in all the excitement that he ran the wrong way against the Mavs. In his best JaVale McGee impersonation, Mayo sprinted back after the Grizzlies had controlled a jump ball and was either getting back on defense or looking for a pass that would’ve resulted in an obvious backcourt violation. Either way, Mayo had me chuckling when I watched this live. Read More »