For about 15 minutes, the Mavericks looked like they’d been playing with its new roster for months, building a double-digit lead in Oklahoma City while starting two-guard Caron Butler (13 pts, 4-16 FG) wasn’t shy at all about getting involved in the offense right away. Over on the bench Brendan Haywood appeared not miserable for the first time since Chapel Hill, DeShawn Stevenson had a serene “I’m probably not gonna play but that’s OK” vibe about him, and the trade seemed a rousing success. Read More »

Perhaps it was fitting that Omri Casspi put on a show at Madison Square Garden last night. For Jewish Heritage Night, the Israeli native came out of nowhere to rise and dunk on Italian Danilo Gallinari.

I’m sorry Celtics fans, but the Big Three as we know it could soon be coming to an end. Sure it will be incredibly hard – if not downright impossible – to replace the Hall of Fame trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, but a new day in Boston is upon us. And finding a new player to complete a trio that includes Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins has to be priority No. 1. In order to make this happen, the following trade has to go down: Ray Allen for Kevin Martin and Andres Nocioni. Read More »

As good as Omri Casspi has been this season, there was just nothing the rookie could do last night when J.R. Smith decided to take him in the post, spin baseline and finish with the vicious reverse on his head.

With the NBA Trade Deadline less than three weeks away, you knew that the rumors were going to start to heat up. The Sacramento Bee is reporting that the Bobcats are showing strong interest in acquiring Jason Thompson from the Kings, and between Tyson Chandler, Nazr Mohammed, DeSagana Diop and Alexis Ajinca, the Bobcats have a glut of big men – none of whom have done jack this season – they’re willing to offer in exchange. Read More »

Earlier today, the NBA released the list of 18 players selected for the 2010 Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend – headlined by reigning Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose and superstar freshmen Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings and Omri Casspi. The Sophomores have won seven in a row over the first-year players, but the rookies may have the firepower with a talented crop of young guards. Will this be the year the Rookies break through? I don’t think so. Read More »

Beast of the Night: Baron Davis had himself a triple-double to the tune of 27 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals, 1 block and 2 turnovers. He hit a three and shot 52 percent (11-21) from the field and 100 percent (4-4) from the line in a weird game in Memphis that included a 20-minute evacuation of the arena in the third quarter. Davis is having a fine season and should have no problem remaining a top-30 fantasy player if he can stay healthy. Read More »

Every year, several international players that you’ve probably never heard of get selected in the NBA Draft. Unless you watch or follow European leagues religiously, then your knowledge of those players is probably just limited to the 60-second grainy highlight tape that they show at the draft packaged with the Fran Fraschilla analysis. That is why when guys like Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili make immediate splashes in the League, you stop and ask yourself: Where the hell did they come from? Read More »

Buy Low: Vince Carter has been struggling with his shot all season long, but has hit a particularly rough patch since 2010 began, shooting a combined 10-for-47, or 21.3 percent, over his last four games. Part of this could be attributed to a sore ankle, but this is a downright dismal slump for VC. He’ll find his health and shot again soon enough. Read More »

Weekend Wonder: Kobe Bryant delivered two nice presents to his fantasy owners this past holiday weekend, averaging 36.5 points, 2.5 threes, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 4.5 turnovers. He shot 44 percent from the field and 100 percent from the line in those two games. Kobe played a whopping 96 minutes in those two contests, thanks to a double overtime game on Saturday. Read More »