The Grizzlies should’ve just hit up a Super Bowl party early because Boston slapped them around all afternoon, winning their fourth-straight game 98-80 behind a throwback (24 points, nine rebounds) from Kevin Garnett and yet another, ho-hum 21 points from The Truth. Boston’s defense was suffocating, holding Memphis to under 37 percent from the field and under 20 points in every quarter outside of the third. And with Rajon Rondo (14 assists, his first game with double-digit assists since Jan. 13) really back, they had one of their best bucket-getting halves of the year (the second frame) … Read More »

If you’re a fan of Jackie Moon and Semi-Pro, then you’re going to love this. The Miami Heat will pay tribute to the ABA this season as part of the NBA’s “Hardwood Classics Nights” by hosting a series of 1970′s retro-themed games. Leave your Heat jerseys at home this weekend, because starting tomorrow night the Miami Floridians will take the hardwood at AmericanAirlines Arena against the Philadelphia 76ers. Read More »

Oklahoma City didn’t play Thursday, but try telling Thunder fans it wasn’t a victory. Guard Russell Westbrook went all Boomer Sooner by signing a five-year, $80-million extension. The deal brought praise for GM Sam Presti and hailed Westbrook, slammed for being a “shoots-lots” guard, for his unselfishness: “Instead, Westbrook delivered to his teammates, his organization and this city a blessed gift. Expansion of the Thunder’s window of opportunity to turn Oklahoma City into Titletown. … No promises beyond 2016, but until then, barring catastrophic injury, an oil-and-gas bust or general manager Sam Presti losing his senses, the Thunder is set for five years of excellent basketball,” the Oklahoman columnist Berry Tramel wrote. Read More »

So what did Otis Smith say? Or what did he do? Something happened. Something weird, because just hours after Dwight Howard basically came out and said “Look man, trade me. I’m not feeling like we can work things out. You and I don’t have a good relationship,” the big man is now saying he loves Orlando and doesn’t want to leave. Whereas Chris Paul had made it pretty clear he’s not trying to stay in New Orleans, Howard has been going back and forth for the past few weeks on whether he wants to stay or not. Read More »

Someone has to pay for Tyson Chandler, right? It looks like that someone in New York will be Chauncey Billups. With the Knicks apparently very close to signing Chandler, they need money for the deal with the Tyson, while still setting themselves up for a Chris Paul move [click here for what that might look like].

That leaves Mr. Billups to be either traded or waived as a victim of the Knicks’ Amnesty Clause. While Chauncey is reportedly not the least bit happy about today’s developments, it might end up working out for him in Miami. Read More »

There were rumors going around last night that it may happen, and Shane Battier just confirmed it on his Twitter feed: He will sign with the Miami Heat. A few minutes ago, Battier tweeted this (after telling his followers last night that he would have an announcement today): Read More »

Even so little as 12 months ago, who would’ve thought we’d be starting an edition of Smack talking about J.J. Barea? He’s a big part of the story, but so is Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler. The plot of it all: the Dallas Mavericks are breaking up the defending NBA champions. They haven’t had a shot yet to defend what they won so amazingly last summer, and here we are, with the once-reckless Mark Cuban now a part of this new age NBA where superstars team up together, and Cubes doesn’t overpay for big centers coming off career years. It’s too bad for Mavs fans that it’s looking like the one time he wants to be careful is the one time they really need his wallet. Read More »

While Marc Spears is reporting that Greg Oden is “strongly leaning” towards taking the one-year $8.9 million qualifying offer from Portland and just becoming a free agent next summer, there is another team who could go out and snatch up the oft-injured big man. When you roll an entire season with a list of centers that miraculously tops out at Joel Anthony, taking a chance on a talent like Oden isn’t a big risk. Sure, he’s a risk individually. But for the Miami Heat, it’s moves like this that could turn them into a potential dynasty, and if it doesn’t work out, it might not do much harm. Read More »

There’s no player in the league who draws as much conversation as Rajon Rondo. For some reason, people either love him or hate him. Maybe it’s the jumper (or lack thereof). Or maybe it’s the attitude. He has talent, but in certain areas, he desperately struggles. There have been rumors all summer about where he could be ending up, and yesterday he told Boston that all he wants is clarity. Rondo would love to be in Boston, as long as he was sure the Celtics wanted him. You can feel his pain; Danny Ainge has told him he isn’t trading him, and yet we’ve heard his name in trade rumors for three consecutive summers. Read More »

Now we can talk about the fun stuff – actual basketball. The next few weeks are going to be crazy, with teams racing to get ready for the season while adding a ton of new faces to their rosters at the same time.

We all know about next year’s monster free agents, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. But there are some nice players available now you’d love to have on your squad. Read More »