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Billups Down, Kobe Up
2008-05-08 07:27:00
Game 3 in Orlando featured Rashard Lewis scoring a career-playoff high of 33 points, while the Pistons suffered the loss of their PG leader, Chauncey Billups for most of the game. Billups went down with a strained right hamstring after stepping on Jameer Nelson's foot in the 1st quarter. An MRI will be done on Thursday, and Detroit coach Flip Saunders said they are shooting for Billups to return Saturday for Game 4. Orlando stayed in control throughout most of Wednesday's game, up 12 at the half. Detroit started to come back in the third, closing the gap to just 4. But the Magic started off with an 11-0 run in the 4th. Dwight Howard finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks. Orlando wins 111-86 to get back into the series. In the 2nd game of TNT"s slate, the Lakers hosted Utah for Game 2. Kobe Bryant held the MVP award high above his head prior to the contest, then hit an incredible shot which banked high off the backboard during the game. Kobe scored 34 tonight...

Be Cool Kobe!
2008-03-28 05:20:00
Wednesday night saw Kobe Bryant ejected from a crucial game, against the Charlotte Bobcats. It's crucial because in the West a loss puts a team like the Lakers from first down to a 3 way tie for second. LA now trails New Orleans by 1 game for first. Another loss or two could send the Lakers to the middle of the pack, about fourth or even worse. That's how tough the West has become this season. According to the San Fransisco Chronicle, Kobe earned his two techs within just 29 seconds. The T's came due to Kobe not liking a foul call and jawing with the officials. Sometimes star players aren't afforded too much talking time.More about Lakers v. Bobcats hereYou can now see how simple events could really hurt some West Coast teams. Dirk's recent injury is far from simple and it's unfortunate, but that injury according to Sportscenter could see Dallas not a part of the playoffs. Kobe is in dangerous territory because he's close to the max number for techs, before he start...
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Are the Celtics Best out West?
2008-03-27 17:28:00
Wednesday night saw the Boston Celtics continue their dominance over the West ern Conference with a 117-97 win over the Phoenix Suns. Despite an enraged Shaquille O'Neal and the usual great guard play from Steve Nash, the Celtics were just too powerful. Rajon Rondo even put quite the stutter step type move on Nash, crossing him over then driving by for a layup.If the Celtics can get past Cleveland, Orlando and Detroit, they could be your next NBA champions. The Spurs aren't the type of team that would just roll over in the finals though, so that could be one West team capable of beating them. As we've seen, the Western playoff teams keep shifting positions, so the remaining games of the season will be critical in terms of homecourt advantange and momentum, or which teams match up. Right now New Orleans sits up top, and it's questionable if they would have enough to make the NBA Finals. Chris Paul is having an outstanding season, but I wouldn't put money on them to beat a t...

Dirk Nowitzki Out for 2 Weeks
2008-03-24 18:04:00
An unfortunate injury came to Dirk Nowitzki in Sunday's Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs game. The 7 footer went down awkwardly on his left leg with just 3:18 remaining in the 3rd quarter. According to Mark Cuban the forward/center will be out of action for 2 weeks time.From Sporting News:Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has confirmed that superstar forward Dirk Nowitzki will be out about two weeks after suffering a lower leg injury Sunday afternoon, the Dallas Morning News reports.The Mavericks lost the game to the Spurs, 88-81. Nowitzki was injured with 3:18 remaining in the third quarter when he came down awkwardly after blocking a shot by Ime Udoka."I fell awkwardly, and my left leg got caught underneath me," Nowitzki said in a news release.Sources close to Nowitzki indicated Sunday night that a post-game MRI exam, like earlier X-rays, turned up no immediate issues with the knee, ESPN.com reported. The Mavs will need to rely on a "step-up" in play from Josh Howard and ...
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NBA-NCAA Family Ties
2008-03-22 17:42:00
If you follow this year's NCAA Tournament like millions of fans, you'll not only see players about to burst into the NBA in the next few seasons, but also players with NBA Family . Georgetown is probably the most prominent example, as it features the talents of Doc Rivers' son as well as Patrick Ewing's son, Patrick Ewing Junior. Both former NBA players (now coaching staff) have been on hand at the games. Drake was eliminated from the tournament yesterday but featured the look-a-like brother of Kyle Korver, Clayton. One player who had an amazing game was Del Curry's son for Davidson, who scored 40 points with his proud parents watching and rooting him on. The young Curry will go on to the second round on Sunday. While none of his family was involved, Bobcats player Adam Morrison was seen watching his Gonzaga team lose yesterday.There's also the top NBA prospects such as Georgetown's Roy Hibbert, UCLA's Kevin Love, Stanford's Brook Lopez and UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet (wh...
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Heat Hit Low, Sixers Surging
2008-03-20 22:59:00
On Wednesday night the Miami Heat continued their 2007-08 dry spell, as the team reached a new low. The Heat scored just 54 points in their game against the Toronto Raptors, and that is the 3rd lowest point total scored since the shot clock was introduced. Luckily, the Chicago Bulls have the lowest point total, 49, and it came against the Heat many years ago. So the Heat are now on two sides of that record, the winning and losing sides. Unfortunately, this year is a losing effort overall. Dwayne Wade is done for the season and undergoing treatment for injury rehab. Shaq exited thanks to a trade with Phoenix, leaving Shawn Marion "The Matrix" to be "The One" for the team. The bright spot is the Heat will be eligible for a top draft pick thanks to their poor record. Best guess is the Heat will be hoping to get a big man out of the 2008 draft, such as Roy Hibbert from Georgetown or Brook Lopez from Stanford, if either is available. First the Heat need to finish out a miserable...
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Celtics Land the Rockets
2008-03-19 19:37:00
Last night Houston had a problem. As the luck of the Irish continues, the Boston Celtics were able to use tight D to finally ground the Rockets , with a 94-74 triumphant victory. It not only crashes T-Mac and his crew to the earth, but also continues to prove just how tough and good a contender the Celtics make for NBA champions. According to a Wall Street Journal blog, the last time the Rockets lost, the New York Giants were underdogs in the Superbowl. From there the Giants won an impressive game over the Patriots to become champions, and the Rockets began their ascension into the stratosphere, winning 22 straight. Yao Ming was also lost for the season along the way, but that didn't stop the Rockets from winning 12 games without their Great Wall. The streak lasted for an impressive 48 days and really revved up Houston fans for their team's hopes at winning a title.Chris Sheridan of ESPNprovided the following about the streak:“The Rockets did, after all, write their own l...
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Celtic Green = Luck O' the Irish
2008-03-18 05:20:00
Call it the luck o' the Irish . The Boston Celtic s (decked out in special St Patty's Day green jerseys) survived a huge test on St. Patrick's day/night as they overcame the champion San Antonio Spurs to win by 2 points. The Celts were missing Ray Allen due to injury, but recent acquisition Sam Cassell provided his experience in the backcourt to help the Celtics pull out the win. Paul Pierce, KG and Rajon Rondo each scored 20 or more points with Sam I Am adding 17. The Celtics move to an impressive 53-13 record on the season.It's been said by many an analyst that the Celtics would need to show they can defeat West conference teams. They've been able to defeat Dallas and San Antonio among others, showing that the Celtics can definitely hold their own. It may be due to once again, their huge offseason pickup, Mr. Kevin Garnett.KG's faced most of these same West Conference foes over the past several seasons. Garnett was a steady producer of many stats out West for years and ...
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Feel the Madness of NCAA Basketball!
2008-03-17 20:23:00
While the primary focus here at Love and Basketball is NBA basketball, March Madness is now upon us! As of yesterday, the 65 team field for the 2008 NCAA Men's basketball tournament was announced. I'm definitely biased in favor of my alma mater, the UCONN Huskies, who have been on a bit of a tear during the second half of the college basketball season. However, they appear to be in probably the toughest of the brackets, the West region. This region includes #1 seed UCLA, #2 Duke and then West Virginia who just knocked off Connecticut in the Big East tournament. The Huskies will need to really step up their play to make it out of this bracket, or the other 3 teams will need to really be off.The other 3 top seeds in the tournament are North Carolina, Kansas and Memphis. Memphis has had a strong season, but the knock on them is free throw shooting. Kansas and UNC are already being penned in by many analysts as favorites to win it all, while the Georgia Bulldogs and Pitt Panthe...
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Rockets Keep Soaring Higher
2008-03-17 00:43:00
The Rockets continued to fire on all cylinders on Sunday as they achieved their 22nd straight win, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 104-92. The Rockets now have the 2nd longest win streak in NBA History. The team they beat, the Los Angeles Lakers own the #1 all time streak at 33 straight games won.On Sunday, Kobe Bryant didn't have it in him to overcome the intense D of Shane Battier and the great 3 point shooting displayed by Houston. Kobe shot just 11 of 33 from the field thanks to Mr. Battier. The Rockets have won 10 games in a row since Yao Ming's departure, making them one of the most interesting 2nd half success stories.Next up for the Rockets is a tough 2 games facing first the Celtics and then the Hornets. See more about the Rockets-Lakers game here.Get your favorite NBA Player or Team Wallpaper for your cellphone!
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Four Breakout NBA Stars
2008-03-15 21:33:00
NBA Inside Access with Ahmad Rashad took a look at 4 NBA players who've been having breakout seasons this year. David West, Louis Williams, Al Jefferson and Hedo Turkoglu.David West of the New Orleans Hornets has had one of the best breakout seasons in the NBA, as he achieved All-Star status this season. It's his first selection and probably not his last. The forward was described by his coach Byron Scott as shy and quiet, but forceful when it comes to his play on the court. His teammate Chris Paul, fellow All-star, says West isn't concerned with being an All-star as much as just playing the game. West himself said he doesn't mind if people don't know who he is when he's out and about, because basketball is a game and entertainment. David West continues to play great the forward spot for New Orleans as they are one of the top teams in the NBA's West.Hedo Turkoglu isn't really an unknown star, as he's shown his brilliance previously for the Sacramento Kings. This seas...
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Lebron's Pose for Vogue
2008-03-14 20:26:00
King James continues to add to his resume of basketball and celebrity achievements. This time Lebron's feat comes on the cover of a magazine, that only a few men have ever appeared on, Vogue . Lebron will be featured on the upcoming Vogue issue with supermodel Gisele, the famous girlfriend of Patriot's QB, Tom Brady.From Yahoo Sports:Vogue is featuring athletes and models in an annual issue devoted to size and shape. The 6-foot-9 James and 5-foot-11 Bundchen, who dates Patriots star quarterback Brady, were a natural pairing.“Nobody says more about fashion size and shape than Gisele and LeBron,” Vogue spokesman Patrick O’Connell said. “LeBron is an amazing star and athlete that has crossed over into a cultural phenomena.”Bundchen wasn’t intimated by James’ frame.“He doesn’t really make you feel small, even though he is big,” she says in the magazine. “I think my leg is like the size of his shoe.”The James-Bundchen duo is one of several athlete-model pairing...
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The Other NBA Win Streak
2008-03-14 04:58:00
Another team which has been left in the shadow of the Houston Rockets' recent blastoff is the Boston Celtics. The Celtics as of Wednesday night defeated the Sonics 111-82 to extend their own win streak to 10 games. While it's only half the total of Houston's winning streak, it still shows the Celtics are a team to be reckoned with in the East.The Celtics are far from forgeotten, as they've been the talk of the town and the NBA since the big 3 was formed. As stated before, there's really just 4 teams to consider potential champions in the East: Boston, Detroit, Cleveland and Orlando. Each of the 4 teams has a legitimate shot at winning a spot in the NBA Finals. After those 4, it's hard to say the Sixers, Nets, Bulls or Raptors will be getting to the Finals. Orlando will be riding on the hopes of their man in the middle, Dwight Howard. The other 3, Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland will most likely be duking it out.Meanwhile the Rockets continue their rise out West, but have...

Dwyane Wade's Shocking Season...
2008-03-11 20:54:00
With just 21 games left in their season, the Miami Heat's star player, Dwyane Wade is hanging up his Converse. The superstar has dealt with nagging injury and decided it's in his team and his own best interest to get healthy for the Olympics and next season. According to The Sports Network : The team announced Monday that Wade will undergo shock therapy treatment, a non-surgical procedure, later this week. He will then be limited to passive exercise for 30 days before returning to basketball activities.After missing the first couple of weeks this season while recovering from last May's surgery, Wade has averaged a team-best 24.5 points and 6.9 assists in 51 games for a club that has the NBA's worst record of 11-50 heading into Monday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.The Miami Heat have just 11 victories this season, putting them far way from the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. Coach Pat Riley even suggested he would give season ticket holders a refund for how dismal ...
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When Will Rockets Land?
2008-03-09 17:46:00
Just over a week ago, I discussed here at the Love and Basketball blog how the injury of Yao Ming would ground the Rockets , who were on an impressive run. Since then, they've continued their winning ways, thanks to the power of superstar Tracy McGrady. As of Saturday night, T-Mac and his Houston crew are now on an 18 game winning streak, one of the more impressive streaks in recent sports history. Last night T-Mac put on a show scoring 41 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds to lead his team over a very good New Orleans squad in the West.According to the Houston Chronicle:If this wasn't a perfect game, it was close. McGrady was on the floor for all 48 minutes, scored 41 points, handed out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds.Years from now when someone asks you why McGrady was special, tell him to watch this game. Whenever New Orleans seemed about to get back in it, McGrady delivered."We also had Tracy McGrady, and it didn't matter what they did," Rafer Alston said.When it was o...
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KJ to Run for Mayor
2008-03-06 17:07:00
According to AOL Sports, former Phoenix Suns guard Kevin Johnson is entering the Sacramento Mayor 's race. KJ will be challenging three-term incumbent Heather Fargo in the municipal election this coming June.From AOL Sports:"We need a change in the city and I believe we need a change now," Johnson said. "As I went out the last month and talked to people around the city, folks have said to me they believe city government is nonresponsive, tired, uninspired and bureaucratic. They want something different in Sacramento. (They're) clamoring for change."Fargo said she was "looking forward to holding my record up against his record. I think the voters will find more credibility and progress in my record than his.""We've been making a lot of progress throughout the city," Fargo said. "He has a great image and a great star quality as a basketball player, but that's a far different job than being mayor of a city." (SOURCE)Kevin Johnson has already been instrumental in bringing about a no...

NBA Observations 03.05.08
2008-03-06 06:20:00
Lebron drops 50 on the Knicks at MSG..It's not the first time the Garden's seen that sort of performance, and not the first time it was partly involving Spike Lee. This 50 point performance by James comes just days after Kobe Bryant had his own 50 plus point game.The Suns are still a "Big Enigma" after adding Shaq. Tonight they lost to a Nuggets team who's been pretty inconsistent this season. It remains to be seen if this Suns team will have what it takes to get by the likes of Dallas, San Antonio or even the Lakers now.Here's how the West Conference is stacked for playoff position as of right now:1) Spurs 2) Lakers 3) Hornets 4) Jazz, 5) Rockets 6) Suns 7) Mavs 8) Warriors. According to Sportscenter the West's 9th team (Nuggets) would be 4th over in the East. That's not to say the East is entirely bad, just the bottom half of their playoff teams right now will have a tough road and slim chance at the NBA Finals.Get your favorite NBA Player or Team Wallpaper for your cel...
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Celtics Clinch NBA Playoff Spot
2008-03-06 06:07:00
It's been quite the reversal of fortunes for the Boston Celtics in the 2007-08 season. After being in the Eastern Conference basement last year, the Celtics added serious star power with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Combined with longtime Celtic all-star Paul Pierce the trio with their supporting cast has already clinched a playoff spot this year, making them the 1st NBA team to do so.From The Sports Network:Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Kevin Garnett scored 31 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Boston Celtics became the first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff berth with an impressive 90-78 win over Detroit in a matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The win also gave the Celtics the season series over Detroit, 2-1, and thus home-court advantage in the playoffs if the teams finish the season tied.Some analysts still say Detroit is the team to beat for the East, and tonight the Celtics beat them, again. The talk wouldn't be complete with Cleveland and Orla...
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The Great Debate: Kobe or Lebron?
2008-03-04 20:56:00
ESPN ran the great debate of 2008 on Sportscenter today. Is it Kobe or Lebron who is best equipped to lead our NBA nation? Arguing on behalf of Kobe was former All-star, Jamal Mashburn. On behalf of Lebron was all-time 3 point marksman, Tim Legler. Mashburn argued for Kobe in terms of past achievements, with Legler discussing how the league needs "change" and the potential of Lebron is great for the future basketball nation.Here's how their team records and stats measure up as of this moment in time.Lebron JamesCavaliers Record (34-26)PPG 30.3RPG 8.1APG 7.5SPG 2.0BPG 1.0Kobe BryantLakers Record (42-18)PPG 28.2RPG 6.1APG 5.4SPG 2.0BPG 0.6In terms of stats, Lebron is almost triple double status. Kobe's are just as impressive. We get another glimpse at these two phenoms as the Lakers and Cavs face off in a battle yet again. Will Lebron or Kobe's scoring and playmaking make the difference, or will someone on their surrounding cast make the big plays?Right now in terms of MVP ...
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Where's the NBA Love?
2008-03-01 22:33:00
The recent ESPN magazine pictures "Mr. NBA" himself on the cover, Michael Jordan. It offers a surprising revelation to some: that sports fans as a whole just aren't in love with the NBA like they were in Jordan's time. Let's face it, MJ really brought the league up and got mainstream America interested, as he transcended pop culture. He brought NBA into unison with everything from McDonald's to Coca Cola to Nike sneakers. American truly embraced Jordan, along with other stars such as Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, and Magic Johnson. They displayed great basketball feats and personality, so America showed them the love. According to ESPN's latest magazine, America doesn't share that love with the current roster of NBA talent. Jordan is featured in one article discussing his role in cultivating the NBA. Commissioner David Stern gives his usual spin on the league and its issues in another article. Stern is optimistic, despite recent trends and demographic p...
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The Rise and Fall of Houston's Yao Ming
2008-02-27 06:39:00
The Rockets continued their impressive winning streak on Tuesday night as they dropped the Wizards. However, the Rockets may soon be landing. Unfortunately for Houston it's big man, Yao Ming went down with a serious foot injury which will keep him out for the rest of this NBA season as well as the 2008 Playoffs.According to USA Today and ESPN, Yao has suffered a stress fracture of his tarsal navicular bone, aka the foot. TNT analyst Doug Collins had the same type of injury in both his feet when he was a player. Due to limited technology it was misdiagnosed as tendinitis. Yao's dealt with the injury bug for the past 3 seasons now, limiting his games play drastically. USA Today's recent article discussed how Yao "doubts his durability" and how his dynasty as a top center may soon be in jeopardy. The article also discusses how the Rockets have always gone sub .500 when either Yao or T-Mac is hurt. See the full USA Today article here. It's a shame because the All-star Yao Mi...
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No Easy $ on NBA Contenders
2008-02-26 18:55:00
It's definitely still looking wide open in the NBA title chase. As of this point it's going to come down to which team gets an unfortunate injury, or which star player steps it up come the playoffs. Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitski, even Shaq could all help elevate their teams to the promised land. The West still claims to be the best.One guy who definitely has elevated his play out West is Jason Kidd. When you see his recent assist totals at numbers like 17, it's apparent he's happy where he is, distributing the ball in a much higher scoring, potent offense with the Mavs. It would be pretty impressive to see Kidd break Scott Skile's all time assists in a game record this season.The Pau Gasol-Kobe Bryant tandem also seems to be working very well in LA. Either Kobe's become a lot less selfish, or Pau Gasol doesn't complain a lot. Either way, it's been working nicely for the Lakers who are up top in the Western Conference. When you add Andrew Bynum back into the...
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Gerald Wallace KO'd but OK
2008-02-23 17:12:00
During Friday night's Bobcats vs. Kings matchup, G/F Gerald Wallace took an inadvertant elbow from Kings' player Mikki Moore. The elbow knocked Wallace down to the hardwood and required he be taken from the game by stretcher. According to ESPN, Wallace was having bouts of amnesia from the blow as well.From the Charlotte Observer:"It was Gerald -- you knew he'd get up," said Charlotte Bobcats teammate Matt Carroll, following a 116-115 overtime home loss to the Kings. "Then I saw his eyes were shaking and I knew he was really out."Out with a Grade 3 concussion, which the Bobcats describe as the most serious. He had a slight case of amnesia after the injury. Following a CAT scan, Wallace was sent home to rest.He didn't accompany the team to Washington for tonight's game against the Wizards, and there's no telling when the player teammates nicknamed "Crash" will be well enough to play. (SOURCE)Let's hope for a speedy and safe recovery of Bobcat Gerald Wallace who does just abou...

Friday's NBA Numbers
2008-02-23 17:07:00
In the words of Mos Def from his song Mathematics, "it's really just a numbers game". Stats rule everything around the NBA, just ask ESPN Sportscenter. Counting down from 15 here's a look at how numbers figured into Friday night's NBA contests.15 assists by guard Jason Kidd against Memphis14 rebounds for new Phoenix Suns center, Shaq13 games total on last night's schedule12 losses now for the Boston Celtics11 straight wins for the Houston Rockets10 is number of Carlos Boozer's rebounds or Deron Williams' assists9 Pacers players suited up for a win (Nets)8 Cavs players suited up for a win (Wizards)7 turnovers for Knick Jamal Crawford who also had 43 points6 game losing streak snapped by Hawks, 117-110 win over GS5 fouls a piece for Ben Gordon & Kirk Hinrich, Bulls still win4 points total scored by Phoenix Sun, Shaq3 technical fouls called in Hornets vs. Rockets2nd straight game between Portland and Seattle, Sonics win it.1 point, the difference in the Cavs win over WizardsJus...
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Ben Wallace's Central Division Tour
2008-02-22 02:56:00
Ben Wallace's Central Division Tour The Cavs finally pulled the trigger on a move to bring in more talent to help out Lebron's quest for an NBA championship. On the final day of NBA trading, Cleveland orchestrated a 3 team trade involving 11 players total. The big name, Ben Wallace came to Cleveland as Drew Gooden went to Chicago. Here's a look at who each of the 3 teams got in the deal.Chicago BullsDrew Gooden, FLarry Hughes, GCedric Simmons, G/FShannon BrownCleveland CavsBen Wallace, F/CDelonte West, GWally Sczerbiak, G/FJoe Smith, FBulls 2nd round draft pick (2009)Seattle SupersonicsIra Newble, FDonyell Marshall, F, Adrian Griffin, GThe trade is pending approval from the Commissioner's office. Charles Barkley on TNT's pre-game coverage Thursday night seems to like the trade for the Cavs as it gives them a much needed point guard and better defense/rebounding. Barkley added that Wallace should play better with Lebron James than he was in Chicago. However, it still remain...

2 Big NBA Debuts Spoiled
2008-02-21 06:55:00
The two big names in the recent NBA trades made their debuts Wednesday night. Shaq suited up for the Suns as they faced Kobe's Lakers. Jason Kidd also debuted in a Mavs' uniform as his new team took on the New Orleans Hornets. Unfortunately the debuts were spoiled as they were facing the top two teams in the West.Chris Paul and the Hornets made sure that Jason Kidd saw a glimpse of how tough the West competition is. The Hornets are the surprise leader in the Western Conference right now, thanks to the play of their excellent floor general. Chris Paul is showing why he is the next ambassador for the role of top point guard in the NBA. He does it all; scores in bunches, dishes the ball very well, gets steals and plays smart basketball. And the Hornets sit on top of the Conference thanks to that.On the other side, Kobe and his Lakers held off Shaq's new team, the Phoenix Suns by just 5 points. The game was a seesaw affair into the 4th where the Lakers managed to keep ahead a...

Shaq vs. Kobe and KG's Return
2008-02-20 05:50:00
Wednesday night's big story will be the matchup between the Phoenix Suns and LA Lakers. It's Shaq and Kobe on the same court again, on opposing teams, but this time they are in the same division. We may even get a Suns - Lakers playoff preview here. It's going to be the aged and beat up Shaq debuting for the Suns, vs. Kobe Bryant and his injured pinky. It still will make for an intriguing match as the Lakers and Suns are amongst the West's top teams. Give the edge to the Suns, because Steve Nash, Amare and even Shaq will bring it. The Lakers should also be tired after a big win over the Atlanta Hawks and Kobe has said his finger feels like a spaghetti noodle at times.Another return came as Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics faced the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. KG's been out for 9 games with an abdominal strain. According to ESPN analyst Tim Legler on Tuesday that's one of the toughest injuries to heal from as you utilize your abdominal muscles in almost all you...
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Changing of the NBA Guards
2008-02-19 16:28:00
We now have a shift of guards going on in the NBA from East to West, West to East. Just as All-Star weekend descended upon us, we saw Mike Bibby sent over to Atlanta in a multiplayer deal. This gives the Hawks a better floor general and greater chance at a playoff spot. While Bibby is a great player, he won't put the Hawks into the Finals this season. He makes for an extra scorer and passes well, but it's hard to see him leading them to the promised land. Playoffs? Yes. out of round 1? Probably not.The other move is Jason Kidd is finally headed back to Dallas. The funniest part of this trade was that Keith Van Horn, a retired NBA player, had to make the decision to finalize the trade. How often is that seen in the NBA? Van Horn's contract amount allowed the trade to happen, so Van Horn returns to his original team, the Nets. It remains to be seen if he will play. Kidd arrives into Dallas to help Dirk and Josh Howard try to get back into the Finals and win it. Everyo...
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2008 NBA All-Star Game Review
2008-02-18 05:32:00
This year's All-star game from New Orleans featured plenty of starpower and playmakers looking to showcase their talents. Prior to the game Kobe Bryant spoke about his injured right pinkie and having to play despite his coach or GM not wanting him to. Kobe has a torn ligament in his finger but will play the remainder of this season and wait to get surgery. Jason Kidd told TNT reporter David Aldrige he expects to be in Dallas within the next 48 hours. TNT's Ernie Johnson added in that Keith Van Horn may be part of the deal and have to come out of retirement to sign a $4 million contract with the Mavs. First Quarter:Kobe Bryant came out within the first 3 minutes of the 1st quarter with no points scored. The East squad jumped out to an early lead. Chris Bosh had a ton of dunks early on and J-Kidd threw an impressive lob to Lebron for a throwdown. At one point all three Detroit Pistons were in the lineup along with the lone 2 Bost Celtics. Crowd members shown included Alyss...
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NBA All-Star Saturday Highlights
2008-02-17 05:36:00
NBA All-Star Saturday night has become a fan favorite event with all the hoopla and special competitions they have. There's the Skills contest which tests a player's ability and agility around an obstacle course. There's the 3 point shootout where ballers test their accuracy from beyond the arc. And then there's an event where creativity reigns supreme, the Dunk contest.Team Shooting competition In the newest of the contests city-teams were made up of 1 retired NBA star, 1 current NBA star and a WNBA star from that city. The Spurs team of David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Becky Hammon beat out the Chicago Bulls squad featuring Chris Duhon, BJ Armstrong and Skills Contest As players tried to get through an obstacle course to the basket quickly, Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz edged out hometown hero Chris Paul to take this one. Foot Locker 3 Point ShootoutIn the 3 point shootout, Detroit Piston Rip Hamilton had his score subtracted from, added back to and subtracted from yet ag...
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