Steve Nash became just the fifth player to record 10,000 assists last night, even as his disappointing Lakers team got manhandled by Houston’s backcourt of James Harden and Jeremy Lin. But Nash has always been all about the team and making other guys better, and that’s at the heart of dishing a dime. Read More »

Turkey Day is one of those guilt-free days where you can cheat on the NBA without feeling bad. NFL football is a tradition on Thanksgiving of course, and we’re left with Texas (Cowboys got RG III’d) and New York (a Jets fail for the ages) as two of the biggest stories coming out of a day without any NBA games. You won’t even have to readjust to make room for one of Friday’s biggest games — the Knicks at the Rockets. Do we even need to state the obvious about the matchup to watch in this game? Read More »

Throughout every player’s NBA career, they’ll experience various highs and lows.

Players face certain expectations based on their ability and their production from the previous year, and each time a player performs well, the public expects more. This isn’t only a year-to-year phenomenon – it happens from game to game. Some players are able to live up to expectations, but some fold under the pressure. Read More »

Tim Grover made his name on making Michael Jordan, well, Michael Jordan. As a trainer he was one of the elite because he trained the very best. But going in business together on a West Chicago basketball-focused gym apparently hasn’t been as successful for wooing the regular customer. According to the Chicago Tribune, Attack Athletics is headed into foreclosure because it owes more than $12 million from an initial $9 million loan — and both Jordan and Michael Finley are on the hook as creditors, too. Read More »

Building an Olympic team shouldn’t be like constructing an All-Star team. A one-off All-Star team doesn’t need chemistry, role players or defense (definitely not any defense). An Olympic U.S. team requires all that and a dose of humility, too, a point underscored after the 2004 bronze medal Olympic performance and the World Championship failures surrounding it. This summer has broken out the nostalgia from the 1992 team, and the otherworldly talent on it. Picking that squad must have been like having a dozen straight first-round picks in your fantasy league. No team, though, is perfect, even with that much leeway. Try as a committee might, there are always deserving players left out when it comes time to represent a country at the Olympics. Here then, are the best 20 players of the last 20 years who never made a U.S. Olympic team. Read More »

Despite their success as a program, only 20 players that attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison have made it to the NBA. And until Alando Tucker makes it back in from the D-League, that leaves Devin Harris as the only current Badger representative. The other day, Harris and Michael Finley showed up to practice with this year’s Badger squad, and talked about the experience. Also, check out a lengthy interview with Finley after the jump.

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At this stage in the game, if you’re still a free agent, you’re most likely looking for an NBA roster spot before you have to settle for an overseas gig (or perhaps even retire). But with that in mind, there are still some talented veterans – over the age of 35 – that are worth the minimal investment. I’m not saying sign them to a three-year, $10.5 million contract like the Lakers did with 35-year-old Derek Fisher, but you get the picture. Without further ado, here are the Top 5 NBA Free Agents Over 35 Years Old. Read More »

Maybe the Celtics and Heat should switch rosters. When you think about it, wouldn’t Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Jermaine O’Neal and now Shaq be a better fit amongst the old-folks set in Miami? They can bring Mike Finley and ‘Sheed with them and put together the most intimidating shuffleboard squad of all-time … Yes, Shaq is now part of Team Green, signing up for a reported $2.3 million over two years (or $1.4M for one year depending on where you get your information). The first question that comes to mind: Will he start? Read More »

Immediately after winning a championship, we have a pretty good idea what Kobe, Pau, Ron-Ron, L.O. and the rest of the Lakers are doing right now: Sleeping. Clyde Drexler once told us in a Dime interview that after he won the ’95 title with Houston, he spent the next two weeks sleeping all day, and on NBA TV right after Game 7, Kevin McHale said he would sleep about 15 hours a day for a few days after his Boston ‘chips. (This was when broadcast partner Chris Webber could only nod, smile and wonder.) … Read More »

As a Celtics fan, I got a lot of texts, BBMs and e-mails last night after the game. Some of them were condolence calls, and others were boastful, champagne-ridden messages from Laker fans. But you know what? I was content. Back when I wrote that the Celtics could still win the NBA Championship on March 8th, people thought I was crazy. And in retrospect, I knew that i was going out on a limb. But after this amazing series, I’m more proud of Boston’s resilience than upset with their loss.

Now that the offseason has officially started, it’s time to look forward to the 2010-11 Boston Celtics. From possible major shakeups to the NBA Draft and free agency, here’s everything you need to know. Read More »