Author Archive
Yao Ming, Drazen Petrovic, and NBA Careers That Were Cut Short Way Too Soon
July 9th, 2011
Yao Ming's retirement announcement, necessitated by persistent foot injuries, got me down on Friday. Yao, the 7'6" Chinese tree is both a great person and basketball player, and has helped tremendously to revolutionize the NBA into the global brand that it's become.His retirement, after eight seasons, is no shock to ...
2011 NBA Mock Draft: Which Wildcat Goes First, Brandon Knight or Terrence Jones?
April 4th, 2011
As the 2011 NCAA Tournament wanes, excitement builds for the next component of the college basketball calendar, the NBA Draft. One of the big questions surrounding this year's draft will be which of the Kentucky Wildcat star freshmen, PG Brandon Knight and PF Terrence Jones, will be drafted higher. John ...
2011 NBA Mock Draft: Predicting Kyrie Irving and the Rest of Lottery Selections
March 22nd, 2011
The 2011 NBA Draft is deeply dependent on the NCAA Tournament, which is currently underway. The NCAA Tournament is essentially a convention for employers and potential employees looking to find the right fit. Scouts are watching intently from courtside seats for the players who could fill their holes, while also ...
Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Reasons They’re the Hottest Team in the League Again
March 22nd, 2011
The Los Angeles Lakers continued their best streak of the season with a dramatic comeback over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night at Staples Center.Looking up at the monolithic arena board from my level-one box seat (ah, the perks of going to USC and having friends in fraternities and ...
Los Angeles Lakers: 10 Reasons Victory Vs. Boston Celtics Is Pivotal To Season
February 11th, 2011
The two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Boston Celtics to finish their regular season business for 2011, and the contest from TD Banknorth Garden in Boston did not disappoint. In a back-and-forth battle that saw both teams play great and poorly for stretches of time, the ...
Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: Can Extension Save Relationship With Nuggets Fans?
February 10th, 2011
In the newest development in the trade deadline saga, Carmelo Anthony made waves on Wednesday, admitting that he would "take a real hard look" at signing the extension the Denver Nuggets offered him in the summer if he is not traded by the February 24 deadline.
To this point, Carmelo had ...
NBA: So the Los Angeles Lakers Lost to the Boston Celtics, No Big Deal
January 31st, 2011
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were trounced by the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter of Sunday's matchup. Bryant had 41 points, but it was not enough to beat Kevin Garnett and company, who are still one of the NBA's best squads.
Think Bryant, Phil Jackson and the rest ...
LA’s Dramatic Duo: Optimism Peaks After a Wild Wednesday For Lakers and Clippers
January 13th, 2011
The Clippers and Lakers simultaneously took the court Wednesday night, and their matchups could not have been any more diametric.
The 28-11 Lakers donned their purple roadies for a barnburner in Oakland against the mediocre Warriors, while the developing Clips had a daunting undertaking: the 30-9 Heat. Conventional wisdom would have ...
L.A. Malaise: Despite Struggles, Lakers Right Where They Want To Be
January 8th, 2011
It's an easy pitfall when following sports leagues closely.
The temptation to generalize, exaggerate and overreact is subtle.
When a player comes out of nowhere to hit nine home runs in 13 games, he's an All-Star and MVP candidate suddenly.
When a backup center averages 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds over ...