Archives › Rob Mahoney
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Of all of this year’s contending teams, the Dallas Mavericks are perhaps the most improbable champions. Their trials begin in the first round, as the Mavs are rewarded for winning the West’s No. 3 seed with a tough matchup against the Portland Trailblazers. Should they take care of business against Portland, Dallas would likely have…
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Forget the narrative. Forget the plot that turned LeBron James into a villain for changing zip codes, forget the half-baked media criticism without warrant, and forget the lazy reactions to Miami’s relative struggles at various points in the season. This Heat team is positively fantastic, and though they don’t come to the playoffs without flaws,…
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With a win tonight, the Atlanta Hawks have a chance to lock up a spot in the playoffs. As we know, merely making an appearance in the postseason cures all ills; no malady can withstand the tide of good feelings that comes from playing in bonus basketball games, and the Hawks will be reborn again…
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Tyson Chandler sees home loss to San Antonio as a turning point for the Dallas defense
Mar 25, 2011, 9:30 PM EDT
Last Friday, the San Antonio Spurs went into Dallas and rocked the Mavericks on their home court. The final margin was just six points after a late-game flurry from the Mavs, but the Spurs were in control throughout. San Antonio put together an impressive offensive showcase, as the Spurs’ “Big Three” combined for 80 points…
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The Memphis Grizzlies have announced that Rudy Gay, who was injured during a game against the Sixers last month, has undergone surgery to reset his partially dislocated shoulder, per the Associated Press. Gay’s plan to have surgery was announced earlier this week, but the actual procedure was performed today, and has brought a complete termination…
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David West’s season is over, and thus, the Hornets’ season is over. New Orleans will still likely hold onto their playoff spot (though with West sidelined, a tough schedule ahead, and Houston on a roll, maybe we shouldn’t even take that much for granted), but even the slim chance the Hornets had to make it…
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Ilgauskas still recovering from infection, gauging progress on day-to-day basis
Mar 25, 2011, 6:31 PM EDT
Zydrunas Ilgauskas has missed six straight games with a foot injury, albeit one quite different than the myriad of foot ailments that have hindered him throughout his career. A wound to Ilgauskas’ foot — some reports claim that he stepped on a nail, while others cite a mere blister — opened up an opportunity for…
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Kendrick Perkins is gone, but the sky isn’t falling for Boston’s defense. Even with only one true center (if Nenad Krstic even qualifies) in the rotation, the Celtics have posted two fantastic defensive performances in a row, holding both the Grizzlies and the Knicks to under 97 points per 100 possessions. That’s a remarkable level…
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A ruptured patellar tendon is a particularly troublesome injury for anyone who makes a living with their legs, but Caron Butler apparently isn’t all that impressed with the injury’s potential. After initially being ruled out for the remainder of this season, Butler has been rehabbing relentlessly in an effort to rejoin the Mavs at some…
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Lost in the Rashard Lewis-Gilbert Arenas shuffle was an interesting development: Ryan Anderson, a young player (though one not exactly exploding with potential) still on his rookie deal, had a ready-made offensive game that could essentially make Lewis replaceable. Anderson isn’t capable of matching all of Lewis’ strengths — he still has a ways to…
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Damion James diagnosed with Grade 1 concussion, will miss two games
Mar 9, 2011, 5:42 PM EDT
It’s a good thing that the NBA appeares to be taking concussions very seriously, because head trauma has become a prevalent theme in recent weeks. The latest victim: New Jersey Nets rookie Damion James, who suffered a serious, Grade 1 concussion that will keep him sidelined for a few games. From Conor Orr of the…
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Ricky Rubio’s NBA relevance has gone from YouTube sensation to fanboy whimsy to actual draft pick to mythical figure, all with only one real constant: for all of the hype and criticism alike, Rubio has yet to play a single NBA game. It’s incredibly unclear when that might change, and if Rubio’s situation wasn’t tenuous…
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UPDATED: March 2, 2:11 pm: The good news is that X-rays on Chandler’s ankle were negative. But the bad news is he will be out at least two more games, according to the Dallas Morning News. Those games are against the Pacers and the surging Grizzlies. That Grizzlies game starts a four-games-in-five-nights stretch for Dallas,…
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Gerald Wallace for Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, and two future first round picks. If we reduce the trade between the Charlotte Bobcats and Portland Trailblazers to that simple form, both teams did well for themselves. The playoff team acquired a talented piece to complement their already existing core, and the rebuilding club cleared…
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The Cleveland Cavaliers will have another lottery pick with which to establish a young core for the future, but they had better hope that in their trade deadline deal — which netted the Clippers’ Baron Davis and the aforementioned pick for Mo Williams — the only price they pay is measured in salary committed and…
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Carmelo Anthony’s move to the Big Apple may be taking up all the headline real estate, but Raymond Felton’s departure is also quite notable. He was neither a star nor a New York establishment, but like former-Knicks, now-Nuggets Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, Felton is a quality player and a legitimate starter. However, the Anthony…
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Just in case you hadn’t had enough fun with the latest surge of Carmelo Anthony trade rumors (that may or may not be exactly the same in status as the rumors which circulated some six months ago), here’s a fun bit: Anthony apparently has no knowledge at all of the reported meeting he’s supposed to…
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Rio Grande Valley Vipers sign former Duke guard Jon Scheyer
Feb 18, 2011, 3:43 PM EDT
Jon Scheyer was never a surefire NBA player to begin with, a point made crystal clear when he went undrafted last summer. That said, Scheyer still seemed like an interesting prospect, even if he’s fairly limited in terms of athleticism. As a tall combo guard who can initiate offense and his outside shots consistently, Scheyer…
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You may have forgotten, but the Clippers have had a starting-level center in their back pocket all along. Chris Kaman has played just eight games this season for Los Angeles, but the once quasi-All-Star is apparently ready for his first NBA action since December 5th. Here’s what Kaman had to say on Twitter: I will…
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Dexter Pittman to be sidelined 5-6 weeks due to knee surgery
Feb 16, 2011, 5:03 PM EDT
There was a time when the stability of the Miami Heat’s center rotation was a matter of national importance. That time has faded as the Heat themselves have weathered through some growing pains as a team, but there’s still quite a bit riding on Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, and Erick Dampier. Notably not included in…
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Even with their best player out of action, the Atlanta Hawks had no business being completely eviscerated by the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. Philly is a solid team, but Atlanta is supposedly superior. They’re supposedly worthy of their decent seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, even if their efficiency differential puts them just…
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I suppose it never hurts to ask. Despite their lack of compatible assets, the Golden State Warriors are reportedly inquiring as to the availability of Nene, the highly efficient pivot who could make all of the Dubs’ dreams come true. From Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News: According to multiple sources, the…
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Last week the Spurs dropped a hell of a teaser on their official website. Rather than pimping the kind of softball interviews or rosy recaps that usually populate online team hubs, San Antonio put together an incredible instructional video series, with Matt Bonner starring as a video mentor. The preview in itself was promising, but…
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LeBron James dominated the Miami Heat’s Thursday night game against the Orlando Magic. After hitting his first 11 shots and dropping 23 on Orlando in the first quarter alone, James finished with 51 points (on a mere 25 shots), 14 rebounds, and eight assists and led the Heat to a win that wasn’t quite as…
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Just when you think there isn’t any love to be lost at all between the Detroit Pistons and Rip Hamilton, news arrives in the latest tear in the once-strong relationship between franchise and player. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Detroit has formally deactivated Hamilton, removing even the slightest possibility that he’ll touch the…
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Video: Grizzlies ready for 'running' Spurs
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Video: Durant won't 'compromise himself' like other stars
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Video: Knicks avoid elimination
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Video: Heat finish off Bulls, James 'has no energy left'
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Video: Health woes make Heat vulnerable
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Video: Good news for Sacramento, Kings stay
