Author Archive
LeBron’s Olympic Decision Should Be a Matter of Choice, Not Duty
August 13th, 2015
LAS VEGAS — There were only six minutes when LeBron James appeared as if he'd rather be anywhere else Wednesday, and those ticked off—painfully slowly—after USA Basketball's light practice session concluded and after he changed his shoes and clothes while flanked by both his sons. Now LeBron Jr. had taken his ...
With Foot Healed and Free Agency Next, Kevin Durant Ready to Be Story of Season
August 11th, 2015
LAS VEGAS — There were smiles for sure, plenty of them, flashed most frequently while he was engaging in friendly conversation or competition with his fellow stars, and especially his fellow (Russell Westbrook) or former (James Harden) teammates.
But there were also flashes of anger Tuesday, aimed entirely at himself, whenever he ...
Like It or Not, LeBron Is Going to Make His Voice Heard, and Why Shouldn’t He?
June 20th, 2015
LeBron James has never made it a secret, from the start, what he's about.
Empowerment.
He's repeatedly shown he doesn't always view authority structures the way traditionalists might, nor does he necessarily believe in all of the boundaries society has arbitrarily set for elite athletes. He's shown that by trusting childhood friends rather than ...
Pressed to Adjust, LeBron James Proving There’s More Than One Right Way to Play
June 9th, 2015
CLEVELAND — Initially by necessity, due to the injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, but now increasingly by design, LeBron James has transformed himself into the sort of player he and we hardly recognize, as he heeds the call of teammates and associates to unburden his brain, clear his conscience ...
Kyrie Irving’s Loss Leaves LeBron James Facing Another Lost Year of His Prime
June 5th, 2015
OAKLAND — LeBron James sat at the podium Friday, still slick with sweat, following a solo spectacle, a 20-minute shooting workout on the main floor of Oracle Arena, one that predictably sidetracked both the impressed and bemused media members talking to many of his teammates. One teammate, the one who was ...
In Taking Control of East Finals, LeBron Again Separates Himself as a Superstar
May 23rd, 2015
ATLANTA — It's always tough to pinpoint when one player breaks another team's spirit, especially in a game won via a plethora of passes.
But Friday night during a 94-82 victory, what LeBron James did in a single play late in the second quarter demonstrated the startling contrast between a superstar ...
No Matter How Good a Coach David Blatt May Be, Is He Right for LeBron James?
May 12th, 2015
CLEVELAND — Not even a game-winning shot in the conference semifinals is suitable to serve as the lead to the next day's sportscast—not in this Cavaliers season, not when there's a firestorm to be fueled. So there we were Monday, the media mob, angling for anything to advance the assumption of ...
Paul George’s Return Is Victory That Means Most for Pacers
April 4th, 2015
While gracefully scaling the sky toward NBA stardom, Paul George has never been shy to show his appreciation, or seek the support, of those already in that exalted class.
He has made no secret of modeling his approach after Kobe Bryant, and he went so far as to publicly reveal, even ...
Knicks Hope to Emulate Spurs’ Success After Lost Season
March 17th, 2015
Recently, Dominique Wilkins has begun to receive his just due, whether a statue outside or a ceremony inside Philips Arena, for all he did as a NBA player. Well, actually, for all he did as an Atlanta Hawk since few can recall his four other stops. The aerial artist commonly ...
Atlanta Hawks Have Nothing Left to Prove Until NBA Playoffs Begin
March 7th, 2015
ATLANTA — The creativity was on display prior to the contest, not only in the highlights shown, but in the way they were presented, appearing as 3D images exploding off the surface of the Philips Arena court.
It was the most spectacular and spell-binding of all the tributes to Dominique Wilkins, ...