Top Posts
-
David Stern wins: Stan Van Gundy to stop talking about referees
Apr 25, 2010, 10:16 AM EDT
1 CommentCall him heavy handed, but David Stern gets results. He gets what he wants. He tells coaches to stop complaining about the referees, throws out a couple of fines and…. Stan Van Gundy said he is done talking about the referees during the playoffs, as the Associated Press reported. “I’ve been fined for saying how…
-
Note to Lakers: Don't let Kevin Durant drive unguarded to the basket
Apr 25, 2010, 9:51 AM EDT
The Thunder scored an inordinant amount of easy baskets Saturday in their blowout win over the Lakers. But this was the signature basket — and the crowd loved it. Great basket by Durant, horrific defense in transition by the Lakers — that pretty much sums up the game.
-
NBA Playoffs, Thunder Lakers Game 4: That's what you call an old fashioned beat down
Apr 25, 2010, 2:27 AM EDT
This is exactly the kind of game you expect when the top seed Oklahoma City team gets those young, eighth seed Lakers on their home court. The better team wins big, runs them out of the building from the first tip. Just an old fashioned, no mercy beatdown. Wait, what? The Lakers were the top…
-
NBA Playoffs, Hawks vs. Bucks Game 3: What a difference a venue makes — Bucks win a one off
Apr 25, 2010, 12:30 AM EDT
Suddenly it felt like late March again for Milwaukee. Like that one day in winter that reminds you of the spring to come, it was that one perfect day for the Bucks where once again Brandon Jennings and John Salmons were unstoppable. It was a flashback to better days. It was a one-off. A random…
-
NBA Playoffs Blazers Suns Game 4: The vengeful return of Brandon Roy
Apr 24, 2010, 11:51 PM EDT
The Blazers needed an emotional lift. Something to get their crowd back into the zone after a deflating Game 3. Something to give them just a little bit of a push at both ends. And Brandon Roy, out for two weeks following surgery to repair a torn miniscus, making an early return? That’ll do it.…
-
Winderman: Hammond as Executive of the Year because less is more
Apr 24, 2010, 9:43 PM EDT
The press release from the NBA that accompanied Saturday’s announcement of Bucks General Manager John Hammond as Executive of the Year was noteworthy for what it didn’t mention. In announcing Hammond as winner of the award, the release cited the drafting of Brandon Jennings, the selection of coach Scott Skiles, the addition of veterans Carlos…
-
The Charlotte Bobcats did everything right on Saturday afternoon. They frustrated Dwight Howard on both ends of the floor, baiting him into silly fouls and rendering him ineffective on the offensive end for most of the time he was in. They held the Magic to 9-30 shooting from beyond the arc. They turned defense into…
-
The Club vs. Country debate. You’ll see it this summer first in South Africa, when some major world power soccer club will lose a star player to injury next season when that player gets hurt playing for his country in the World Cup. Is it fair to the club teams that pay these guys millions…
-
Amare Stoudemire: "I never had a clue on how fun defense really is because we never played it"
Apr 24, 2010, 1:05 PM EDT
It’s seemed a revelation in the playoffs, but the Suns started playing defense just after the All-Star Break. Seriously. They kept putting up the mountains of points, but from the All-Star Game to the end of the season, the Suns were 12th in defensive efficiency in he league (according to ESPN’s John Hollinger). Not great,…
-
Amare Stoudemire: Should he stay or should he go now? He's talking extension with Suns.
Apr 24, 2010, 12:01 PM EDT
We’ve all been sizing up Amare Stoudemire for a new look. Maybe a Heat uniform for next season. Or a Bulls uni. Or maybe a Nets jersey. What about a Suns white and orange jersey? Sure, that’s the team he’s about to opt out from, surrendering $17.5 million for next season to get a long-term…
-
8 teams play today, 4 in Game 3′ss, and 4 in Game 4′s. But for the underdog in each of these contests, this will be their last stand in the hopes of a competitive series. If these teams want to force a Game 7, forget about the elimination game, whenever it comes. Today is their…
-
Manu Ginobili breaks nose, keeps right on playing, like he's a hockey player
Apr 24, 2010, 10:26 AM EDT
Dirk Nowitzki’s elbows, which earlier this year helped provide Carl Landry a painful reminder about the importance of regular trips to the dentist, now are helping Manu Ginobili get a nose job. Early in the third quarter of game three Friday night, an inadvertent Nowitzki elbow caught Ginobili on the nose and broke it. But…
-
NBA Playoffs: Paul Pierce puts the nail in Miami's coffin
Apr 24, 2010, 10:01 AM EDT
This series is now over. They will play another game Sunday, and people in Miami will speak of the 2004 Red Sox, but they shouldn’t. This is done. This shot by Paul Pierce ended it.
-
NBA Playoffs: Wade gives last full measure of devotion, then Pierce wins it for Boston
Apr 24, 2010, 9:54 AM EDT
Dwyane Wade has carried the weight of the Miami Heat franchise — and carried underachieving teammates — through 82 games. He carried them through the first two games of their playoff series with the Celtics, averaging 27.5 points per game while nobody else averaged more than 10. He did it again in game three, for…
-
NBA Playoffs: Utah scores at will against Denver, takes 2-1 series lead
Apr 24, 2010, 3:11 AM EDT
The Nuggets got out to an early lead against the Utah Jazz on Friday, taking a 27-21 lead after the first quarter behind 10 points by Chauncey Billups. They were running their offense, they were hitting their shots, and they even managed to keep the Utah crowd quiet. Then Paul Millsap showed up, and things…
-
Stealing a win on the road was a huge break for the Utah Jazz. Utah and Denver were a combined 66-16 at home this year, and went 40-42 on the road. Clearly, both of these teams are a lot more comfortable in their own buildings. Even without Kirilenko and Okur in the rotation, Utah has…
-
It was never a secret that the Oklahoma City crowd was going to be a factor in whatever first-round series the Thunder ended up playing in. Oklahoma City has a loud, passionate fanbase, and it’s their team’s first ever NBA playoff appearance. Yet for all the predictions of how loud the building was going to…
-
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post tweeted that Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin will play in Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz. Martin missed practice on Thursday to rest his knee and was earlier reported to be a “game-time decision,” but Adrian Dantley is now saying that he will play. Martin averaged 11 points and 7.5…
-
You didn’t really think Phil Jackson — make that the recently fined Phil Jackson — was going to let David Stern’s “I should have suspended them to start with” comments go unchallenged, did you? That’s not how Phil works. Here is the transcript from Scott Howard-Cooper at NBA.com’s Sekou Smith’s Hangtime Blog. “I think when…
-
Play
Video: Grizzlies ready for 'running' Spurs
-
Play
Video: Durant won't 'compromise himself' like other stars
-
Play
Video: Knicks avoid elimination
-
Play
Video: Heat finish off Bulls, James 'has no energy left'
-
Play
Video: Health woes make Heat vulnerable
-
Play
Video: Good news for Sacramento, Kings stay
