Archives › Rob Mahoney
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UPDATE (7:36 PM EST): The league has announced that Kevin Love will indeed serve as Yao Ming’s injury replacement for the All-Star Game. Before we all get too excited: what does it say about the All-Star system that there’s actual jubilation when players are chosen correctly? At this point, it should be regarded as truth…
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NBA teams are — by rule — prevented from running true zone defenses. The defensive three second violation was put in place specifically to prevent zones from clogging up the paint and slowing down the game, and as a result, even though most teams utilize some sort of zone coverage in pick-and-roll situations and the…
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Former D-Leaguers-turned-NBAers Steve Novak and Mike Taylor aren’t quite ready to give up playing pro ball here in the States, and are looking to start again from square one. Scott Schroeder of NBA FanHouse has reported that both Novak and Taylor have signed contracts to return to the D-League in an effort to showcase their…
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Rick Fox dispenses gambling advice, would like 144 hard-boiled eggs
Feb 2, 2011, 8:15 PM EDT
Rick Fox won a few titles with the Lakers once upon a time, but since then, he’s been busy as a kind-of-sometimes actor. He had a nice little bit on HBO’s Oz back in the day. Did well in a cameo on the unfortunately canceled Party Down. There were also rumors that he appeared on…
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Learn the fundamentals of basketball with the one and only Matt Bonner!
Feb 2, 2011, 5:33 PM EDT
The NBA features many great teachers of the game. One could fill a book with notes of Kobe Bryant‘s footwork, or lessons of Luis Scola‘s infinite moves and counters in the post. Yet if asked to name the wisest of all the league’s fine instructors, the entire basketball world would cry out Matt Bonner’s name…
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Carmelo Anthony trade rumors may have temporarily ceded their control of basketball fans the world over, but the possibility of an Anthony trade still looms. It’s not imminent. The relative seriousness of trade talks isn’t worthy of an hourly update. But the foundation of what would cause Anthony to be moved in the first place…
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In Yao Ming’s election as a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars, there’s no heart-warming consolation to be had; Yao Ming’s season is gone, and his inclusion in this event — which will give him the eighth All-Star berth of his career — is really just a reminder of why using a popular vote as…
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Kendrick Perkins speeds up his timetable, will return tonight
Jan 25, 2011, 7:07 PM EDT
With Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal both sidelined during last Saturday’s game against the Wizards, the Celtics were forced to rely on Semih Erden and Glen Davis as the entirety of their center rotation. When healthy, Boston is the deepest team in the NBA, and yet for his particular game their frontline had dwindled down…
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Every professional sports league carries with it an abundance of irrelevant records and streaks. The combinations of milestones available can create a new record on a whim (The first to 10,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, 3,000 steals, 2,500 free throw attempts, 3,000 turnovers, and 50 technical fouls!), and most “active streaks” stand as equally arbitrary. A…
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Jeff Teague is no star. He’s a second-year guard who isn’t great at initiating the offense, and isn’t much of a perimeter shooter. He isn’t the type of talent who demands playing time, but merely suggests it politely with each correctly executed possession. He makes mistakes, doesn’t often induce awe, and clearly has a lot…
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Raptors to sign Trey Johnson to a 10-day contract, ink Sundiata Gaines in the meantime
Jan 24, 2011, 6:30 PM EDT
The Toronto Raptors have had a fairly busy Monday. According to Scott Schroeder of NBA FanHouse, the Raps will soon bring Trey Johnson, member of the Bakersfield Jam and the D-League’s leading scorer, in for a 10-day contract. Additionally, Holly MacKenzie of The Score reported that the Raptors have signed former D-Leaguer Sundiata Gaines to…
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After a slight delay due to waivers and a trade snag, the Mavericks announced that they have signed Peja Stojakovic. The deal is presumably for the rest of the season, and will likely pay Stojakovic the minimum salary. In order to free up a roster spot, Dallas traded Alexis Ajinca to the Raptors, satisfying Ajinca…
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After league review, Mavs complete trade to make Ajinca a Raptor
Jan 24, 2011, 5:48 PM EDT
Considering that the news that Peja Stojakovic had given the Mavs a verbal commitment to join the team essentially came paired with a report that Dallas would sent Alexis Ajinca to Stojakovic’s old team, the Toronto Raptors, in exchange for no tangible assets at all, it’s not surprising that league officials raised an eyebrow. Regardless,…
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Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution noted a bit of a scorekeeping oddity in his practice report, which can be chalked up to simple oversight or collusion against the visiting team depending on how quickly you take to conspiracy theories. Those who made it through to the end of Miami and Atlanta’s slugfest on…
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UPDATE (5:27 PM EST): Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that the Mavericks have received a verbal commitment from Peja Stojakovic, who was just waived by the Toronto Raptors this afternoon, to join the team. That’s not a rosy development for Pavlovic, who will almost surely be released at the conclusion of his second 10-day contract.…
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D-Leaguers D.J. Strawberry and Paul Harris take contracts overseas
Jan 20, 2011, 4:07 PM EDT
The D-League Showcase is in the books, and while Larry Owens was the first NBA call-up following the conclusion of the Showcase, more are sure to follow. Additionally, those who don’t see an NBA opening as imminent may take on more lucrative contract elsewhere, as the D-League currently offers only a meager paycheck. Case(s) in-point:…
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Antawn Jamison is 34 years old. He isn’t exceptionally athletic (and never has been, really), exceptionally strong, or exceptionally tall. His game could age fairly well as long as his employer is willing to put up with his defensive limitations, and Jamison could certainly find NBA work as a scorer, rebounder, and calming locker room…
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Ish Smith had enough draft red flags coming out of Wake Forest that he wasn’t selected at all in this past summer’s draft, but by now there should be no doubt that Smith is a legitimate NBA prospect. Smith may not have exploded onto the scene with his first chances at legitimate playing time, but…
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I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but amidst the ridiculous number of Carmelo Anthony trade rumors is an actual basketball team in Denver that’s still playing games now and again. They’re not bad, either, but apparently fall a bit short of Anthony’s expectations. Regardless, Chris Andersen — Birdman and the Nuggets’ energy big extraordinaire —…
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The Dallas Mavericks have Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler, Jason Terry, and Shawn Marion, but they can’t win without Dirk Nowitzki. Having Caron Butler sidelined for the season and Rodrigue Beaubois still recovering from injury don’t exactly help matters, but Nowitzki is the type of player who makes all things go, and transforms a roster of…
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Larry Owens may be called up from the D-League by San Antonio
Jan 13, 2011, 6:25 PM EDT
UPDATE (9:10 EST): Scott Schroeder of NBA FanHouse and Ridiculous Upside offered his take on the Spurs’ situation: [For what it's worth], I’ve been told Spurs haven’t decided on Larry Owens for sure. It’s pretty likely, but not confirmed by anyone. Yet. 7:25 EST: Zabian Dowdell scored the honor of being the first D-League call-up…
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Antoine Walker schadenfreude is the internet’s unofficial pastime, which is reason enough to inform you that despite Walker’s relatively strong start with the D-League’s Idaho Stampede, he looked fairly incompetent during the two biggest games of his D-League career. Concluding today is the D-League Showcase, which is, Essentially, a matter of convenience; rather than assuming…
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Richard Jefferson didn’t have to play for the Spurs this season. He didn’t have to accept an offer that would pay him $8.4 million this year to play for the team with the league’s best record. He didn’t have to work personally with one of the best coaches in the NBA over the summer, or…
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DeSagana Diop is over two years removed from being a productive NBA player, and based on Diop’s recovery timeline for his recent surgery on his Achilles’ tendon, it could be some time before Diop even has a shot at NBA relevance again. According to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, Diop’s surgery could put him…
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Aside from breakfast and family, what have I always said is the most important thing? Animated GIFs of Matt Harpring using a Shake Weight. So start your day off the right way, and enjoy these gems courtesy of SLC Dunk.
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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
