Archives › Brett Pollakoff
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Dwight Howard and his poor free throw shooting have been the subject of much consternation for the Lakers. Howard is shooting under 47 percent from the line, and has attempted 211 foul shots — more than any other player in the league by a wide margin. Howard showcases his gregarious personality on the regular with…
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PBT Podcast: Talking Knicks, Heat, Lakers and some quality time with Adrian Wojnarowski
Dec 7, 2012, 2:08 PM EDT
In this edition of the podcast, Kurt Helin and I sit down to discuss the Knicks, following their big win over the Heat on Thursday. We wonder if New York is for real, while breaking down what ails the Heat, and whether or not we believe Miami’s truly in trouble at this early stage of…
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O.J. Mayo helps Mavericks bounce back to hand Suns fifth straight loss
Dec 7, 2012, 2:42 AM EDT
PHOENIX — Dallas barely showed up for their game against the Clippers on Wednesday, falling behind by double-digits early and then never really competing while the second half turned into nothing more than extended garbage time. Things began similarly in Phoenix on Thursday, with the Suns getting out to an 11-1 lead in the game’s…
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LeBron hits the practice court for ‘extended workout’ after Heat lose to Knicks
Dec 7, 2012, 12:17 AM EDT
The Knicks blew out the Heat for the second time this season, this one coming in Miami and with Carmelo Anthony sidelined due to injury. The loss didn’t sit well with LeBron James. The reigning MVP did all he could, finishing with a near triple-double statistical line of 31 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.…
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Mark Cuban not in favor of Stern changing ‘hack-a-Dwight’ rule on intentional fouls
Dec 6, 2012, 11:27 PM EDT
The NBA’s intentional foul rules — you know, the ones that allow the “Hack-a-[blank]” strategy which grinds the game to a halt to send the other team’s worst free throw shooters to the foul line — have been a hot topic in the early part of the season. You can largely thank Dwight Howard and…
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Tim Duncan comments on Halloween photo where he appears to be threatening referee Joey Crawford
Dec 6, 2012, 8:50 PM EDT
Tim Duncan is unquestionably one of the greatest basketball players of his generation, but he’s also a private person who has no interest in showing anything resembling a personality to anyone outside of his close inner circle. Some of that personality was leaked to the general public, however, in the form of a photo that…
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There were plenty of stellar performances on a night that featured an 11-game slate. Kyle Lowry continues to toil in obscurity in Toronto, putting up 34 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a loss to the equally horrendous Kings. DeMarcus Cousins had no problem getting his confidence back in the same game with a 25-point,…
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Carmelo says he ‘doesn’t know’ if he’ll play Thursday against Heat after getting stitches in Charlotte
Dec 5, 2012, 11:14 PM EDT
The Knicks beat the Bobcats in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, but Carmelo Anthony wasn’t on the court to see J.R. Smith’s heroics. Anthony was forced out of the game and into the locker room after suffering a laceration to a finger on his left hand, after diving into the stands to chase down a loose…
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Chauncey Billups has only been back with the Clippers for the team’s last three games, but he’s already sidelined once again due to injury. Billups went down with a torn Achilles tendon last season, and worked extremely hard to make it back. But he was forced to sit out of Wednesday night’s home contest against…
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J.R. Smith hits the step-back jumper at the buzzer to help Knicks beat Bobcats (VIDEO)
Dec 5, 2012, 10:23 PM EDT
The last few possessions of this game were pretty crazy, so it’s only fitting that things ended on a shot like this. The Knicks beat the Bobcats on Wednesday in a game that was closer than expected, likely due to the fact that it was a look-ahead contest for them with a nationally televised game…
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Kobe Bryant becomes fifth player in NBA history to score more than 30,000 points (VIDEO)
Dec 5, 2012, 9:15 PM EDT
As expected, Kobe Bryant joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain on Wednesday as the only players in NBA history to score more than 30,000 career points. Bryant achieved the milestone with 1:16 left in the first half in New Orleans, by converting a right-handed floater in the lane over Hornets center…
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Chauncey Billups latest to receive warning for flopping (VIDEO)
Dec 5, 2012, 4:00 PM EDT
Chauncey Billups became the latest offender of the league’s policy against flopping on Wednesday, receiving a warning for this kickout of his left leg late in the Clippers win over the Jazz on December 3. It’s a clear flop, but the problem is that it worked to perfection. L.A. was trailing by two, and Billups…
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Blazers coach Stotts says criticism of LaMarcus Aldridge is undeserved
Dec 5, 2012, 2:42 PM EDT
Overall, LaMarcus Aldridge is playing at a high level for the Blazers. But the fact that he’s seemingly reverted to jump-shots over post play has resulted in some criticism that his head coach doesn’t feel is appropriate at this time. Aldridge’s points-per-game average of 20.8 is down alost a point from last season, but his…
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Lamar Odom says he won’t have any emotions when facing his former team (the Mavericks)
Dec 5, 2012, 1:44 PM EDT
The Lakers traded Lamar Odom to the Mavericks before last season began, but after Odom had just finished his best all-around year in 12 NBA seasons. Odom took home the Sixth Man of the Year trophy in 2011, and yet L.A. had no problem dealing him to a Western Conference rival in exchange for nothing…
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The Kings are once again terrible, just as they’ve been every season for the past seven years. Help was supposed to be on the way, thanks to solid young talent acquired through the draft in Tyreke Evans, the 2010 Rookie of the Year, and mercurial big man DeMarcus Cousins. Evans has regressed since that stellar…
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Rockets broadcaster says Lakers ‘pooped their big boy pants’ after losing in Houston
Dec 5, 2012, 12:27 PM EDT
After the Lakers fell at home on Sunday to the Orlando Magic, Kobe Bryant was quoted as saying that Pau Gasol needed to “put on his big boy pants” and start playing with a little more toughness. Gasol missed the Lakers loss in Houston on Tuesday due to tendinitis in his knees, but the Rockets…
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Kevin Durant missed this dunk, but it would have been amazing (VIDEO)
Dec 5, 2012, 11:42 AM EDT
We’re not in the habit of bringing you highlights of missed dunks or shots that don’t count, but for this clip of Kevin Durant from the Thunder’s win over the Nets on Tuesday, an exception needs to be made. This one is great for a lot of reasons. Durant seemed to have been eyeing this…
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Magic get ultimate revenge on Dwight Howard, beating the Lakers and humiliating him in the process
Dec 3, 2012, 12:47 AM EDT
There really is nothing that could happen in one game for the Orlando Magic that could possibly make up for what Dwight Howard put them through a season ago, considering the way he forced his way out of town and left the franchise in a full-blown rebuilding situation. But for a single night, the Magic…
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Sebastian Telfair flops after hitting Pablo Prigioni in the face (VIDEO)
Dec 2, 2012, 10:18 PM EDT
The league has begun to crack down on flopping this season. Players who are caught in the act will first receive a warning, before then receiving fines escalating in value for each subsequent violation. Sebastian Telfair may find himself on the league’s radar, after this play that occurred during the Knicks’ win over the Suns…
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MRI reveals Rip Hamilton suffered torn plantar fascia, which is actually good news
Dec 2, 2012, 8:43 PM EDT
In the third quarter of the Bulls’ win over the Sixers on Saturday, Rip Hamilton was forced to leave the game with a foot injury, the severity of which was unknown at the time. Hamilton returned in the game’s closing seconds to ice it for his team at the free throw line, but afterward, his comments…
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Tim Duncan has been nicknamed the “Big Fundamental” for a reason, one that is showcased nicely in this highlight from the Spurs’ overtime win over the Grizzlies on Saturday. The spin move and the up and under on the way to the dunk were almost more impressive than the slam itself. Duncan isn’t a leaper…
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The Cavaliers aren’t exactly having a great season, but if nothing else they play hard just about every time out under head coach Byron Scott. Once Kyrie Irving returns from injury things should improve a bit, but even in his absence, Anderson Varejao is making an impact in every one of his court appearances. Varejao…
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Celtics ‘wary’ of bringing in Kenyon Martin to fill team’s roster spot
Dec 2, 2012, 4:30 PM EDT
The Celtics need help on the boards, and could use an experienced big man to fill the team’s open roster spot. Someone like Kenyon Martin, maybe, who is out there and waiting to be picked up by any team that will have him. Boston has always been a team sensitive to the personalities it brings…
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The Celtics were playing in Milwaukee on Saturday without Rajon Rondo, who was serving the second game of his two-game suspension for starting the altercation with the Nets’ Kris Humphries on Wednesday. Boston won the first without Rondo in blowout fashion over the Blazers on Friday, and was on pace to do it again after…
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This clip of Nicolas Batum highlights (and lowlights) from Saturday night’s double-overtime win over the Cavaliers is great, because we get to experience the struggle before the ultimate redemption. It begins with two missed dunks in the first and second quarters, shots that Batum (and most NBA players with his skill set) can usually get…
