As the NBA regular season approaches, we preview the upcoming campaign with the “Highs and Lows” system — predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team.

Added: Quentin Richardson, Chris Duhon, Daniel Orton, Malik Allen

Lost: Matt Barnes, Anthony Johnson Read More »

Combine the typical widespread preseason optimism of every NBA team with the fact that the start of training camp means Media Days all around, and you know why this time of year is always good for blatant bulletin-board material and more subtle jabbing comments … On one hand you have Chris Bosh, who (intentionally or not) sneak-insulted the Raptors by telling everybody that he’s never been in a training camp as intense as Miami’s — probably because they’re focusing on, you know, defense. Read More »

When the 1992 Dream Team was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last week, Magic Johnson — as the de facto spokesman for the team on stage — saved the coveted “last but not least” status and maybe his most glowing remarks for Larry Bird, his longtime rival.

Watching Bird receive another Hall of Fame honor (he was inducted into the Hall as a player in 1998), I couldn’t help but think that Steve Nash is the Bird of this generation. Read More »

Timing is everything. LeBron James bought a full-page ad in the Akron Beacon Journal, thanking his hometown fans, friends and family. “For all my life, I have lived in Akron — and for that, I am truly a lucky man,” the ad reads. “It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors. Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me. Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It’s where I started, and it’s where I will always come back to. You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, which is so important to my family and me. Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me.” Read More »

Lost amongst all of the Sports Illustrated covers, ESPY interviews and polls proclaiming the Heat to be nothing short of sensational, the best team in Florida could still be the Orlando Magic. For them, this summer was more about curtailing roster losses and keeping their core together. With two straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, Dwight Howard & Co. have the foundation to contend for years. Read More »

The Commish has spoken, and the Cavs felt it in their pockets. While the NBA’s owners met in Las Vegas yesterday — with one reported topic being the accusations of collusion among LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat — Stern was interviewed about the LeBron decision and fallout. Though he defended LeBron’s right to pick whichever team he wanted, “ill-conceived” was Stern’s word for LeBron’s big TV announcement. Stern also fined Dan Gilbert and the Cavs $100,000 for Gilbert’s attack on LeBron. “He was completely correct in expressing his disappointment,” Stern said, but also called Gilbert’s reaction “a little bit extreme,” “ill-advised” and “imprudent” … Read More »

Later on tonight, 60 ballplayers will live out a dream moment, while at least 60 more will feel the sting of getting pretty close to the dream but falling short. (Before re-focusing on making it the hard way.) That would be the NBA Draft, and as we get closer to the festivities at Madison Square Garden, the trade rumors and high-stock/low-stock speculation is running rampant … For the longest time it seemed the Nets were clearly taking either Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins at No. 3, but yesterday Wes Johnson suddenly entered the picture: On one hand because he’s been killing in workouts, and because there may be a little handshake deal in place where if the Nets take Johnson, his agent will deliver them Carlos Boozer in free agency. Read More »

Except for a couple of dudes in Detroit, is there anybody who doesn’t love Ron Artest? In a Lakers/Suns tiebreaker Game 5 that was headed for one of two finishes — Kobe Bryant being the hero or Steve Nash being the hero — Ron stole the show and the after-party … Blowing what had seemed like a safe second-half lead because they couldn’t stop Nash (29 pts, 11 asts), the Lakers were only up three with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter. Artest bricked a jumper, and after Pau Gasol got the offensive board, Artest immediately jacked a trey as the entire Staples Center screamed “NOOOO!” Read More »

Here’s all you need to know about the Celtics/Heat series: Dwyane Wade is averaging 27.5 points through two games. Quentin Richardson is averaging 10 points. And nobody else is in double digits. Defense wins championships and all that, but Miami isn’t going to win a game this postseason if they can’t score more than the 76 points a night they’ve scored so far.

More than anything, Jermaine O’Neal and Michael Beasley need to become a factor. Read More »

With 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Celtics’ victory over the Heat on Saturday, Kevin Garnett clocked Quentin Richardson in the head with an elbow, thus getting suspended for Game 2 on Tuesday. But even before the suspension was announced, Joakim Noah (who honestly should be focused on the Cavs) felt he should chime in on the situation after Bulls practice on Sunday: “I’m going to say it: He’s a dirty player.” Read More »