NBA Scores

Will the Mavs get out of the Number 8 Spot

2009-04-06T13:50:00.001-07:00

How many games will they be out?

2008-11-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

I want to know between T Mac and Yao, How many games do you think they will be riding the pine this season. My guess is between the two, they will miss 45 games.

What's your prediction

YouTube of the Day: Rick Barry and Larry Bird sell catalogs

2008-04-23T18:00:00.001-07:00

YouTube of the Day: Rick Barry and Larry Bird sell catalogs

Yes, this classic NBA commercial starring Rick Barry and Larry Bird lacks the slick digital effects and fast-paced, heart-stopping drama of Steve Nash's latest spot. But that doesn't make it any less awesome. In fact, it might be better. Larry Legend in Cliff Engle is really quite captivating.

(via Empty The Bench)�

Behind the boxscore, where CP3 is doing some legendary stuff
All three winners did what they were supposed to do.�

Predictions (I had each of Tuesday's losers moving on the second round), assumptions, and leanings aside; this is what we'd tell ourselves if this were any other year. If Tuesday night featured a triptych of lopsided pairings with an overbearing host taking down the underdog in an obvious fashion, as it was in any other season, we'd be stifling a yawn. Of course the home team is supposed to win out.

Seriously, let's just go with that old timey assumption for now. Pretend that it's any other year. Let's not bust out the shovel, just yet.

New Orleans 127, Dallas 103

This wasn't even a quick game. 91 possessions, and yet the Hornets still put up 127 points. This means that, defensively, Dallas probably had the worst game of its season. In the playoffs. Good timing, gents.

Everything, EVERYTHING, failed for the Mavs defensively on Tuesday. Trapping Chris Paul well behind or within the three-point line (when has trapping a point guard in the NBA ever worked?) led to easy and open shots for Paul's teammates, Tyson Chandler was a beast on both ends once again, and Peja Stojakovic was taking and making tough shots all night.

32 points, 17 assists, five rebounds, three turnovers, and three steals for Paul. In a 91-possession game. I don't know how things will turn out, some 15 years from now, but it's quite possible we might have a "best ever" on our hands. Chortle all you want at that.

Orlando 104, Toronto 103

The most entertaining game of the evening by far, the Magic ran out to an early lead mainly because the Raptors could not contain Orlando on the perimeter, and a helping Rasho Nesterovic continually forgot that he was charged with guarding someone who is not human.

Toronto came back, however. When Jose Calderon picked up a third first half foul, the Raptors went to a zone defense, which flummoxed the Magic (as it has all year, for some reason) to the point where we had a nip and tuck game down the stretch.

With Dwight Howard scaring everyone, Hedo Turkoglu pulled off some late-game heroics, Chris Bosh couldn't respond (for whatever reason, I'll let you battle it out in the comment section), and the Magic squeaked out a win. Jose also picked up his second turnover in the month of April, to 71 assists.

Dwight Howard: 29 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks, just three turnovers. Ridiculous. Tell your friends what they're missing.

San Antonio 102, Phoenix 96

Most of what you'd want to hear from me is contained in this BDL Liveblog, save for my shock and horror at what is a scary-good Spurs team on the defensive end.

Holding the Suns to 99 points per 100 possessions is one thing, but 11 points in the third quarter? The Suns? Barely credible, even knowing San Antonio's history. Brilliant play from the defending champs.

The Phoenix bench is miserable. Leo Barbosa was scoreless in nearly 24 minutes, and while Boris Diaw made half of his eight shots, the four he missed came on the low block against Tony Parker, who you could throw a jump hook over. Pathetic. Meanwhile, Grant Hill is D-U-N, done.

Each of the three losers has a solid chance of tying things up and making life a best of three by the end of the weekend, but it will have to come against a trio of teams that is playing the best basketball of its respective seasons.

The Internets are alive: Raptors at Magic, Game 2
Scanning the blogs and beats following the Magic's 104-103 win over the Raptors in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals ...

Arsenalist: This one falls on Sam Mitchell. What is Mitchell's job? His job is supposed to be to use his basketball intellect to our advantage in these situations by drawing up a play that is likely to create a good shot, not a 20 footer for a power forward who's clearly winded after playing practically the entire game. Giving him the ball beyond the key and asking him to do a Kobe impersonation is unfair and setting him up to fail. When was the last time Amare Stoudamire, Dwight Howard or even the great Tim Duncan were given the ball on an isolation play 20 feet from the rim with 5 seconds left? If that’s the "play" you're going to call, there's not even a need for a timeout, just come out and freestyle like you've been doing all year, at least you'll catch the defense somewhat off-guard.

Ken Hornack, Daytona Beach: Bosh bounced back from a subpar showing in Game 1 on Sunday. While he finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds, only six of those points came after halftime. Of his missed jump shot in the closing seconds, he said, "I knew he (Howard) was going to back up. I knew I was going to have space. The time before, I drove to the basket and I didn't get a call. So I didn't want to put it in the referee's hands." ... "That's Chris' shot," Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said. "He works on that shot every day. I have no problem (with that)."

Raptors Den: The story for the Raptors down the stretch was that Chris Bosh did not come up big, as the ball was in his hands three times in the final 45 seconds with Toronto trailing by only one.� What does he do? He turns the ball over to Keith Bogans after grabbing a rebound on the defensive end in possession one.� Possession two: Dwight Howard blocks his shot in the lane.� Possession three: (After a Carlos Delfino layup paired with a Keyon Dooling offensive foul gave the Raptors a chance to tie the series with 9.6 seconds to go) He misses yet again, this time off the mark from the top of the key.

Mike Ganter, Toronto Sun: Head coach Sam Mitchell announced that he will make a change in his starting lineup but refused to identify the change other than to tell a reporter, "You watched the game so use some common sense." One likely casualty is point guard T.J. Ford who, in the first two games of the series, now is 2-for-17 from the field and is being vastly outplayed by counterpart Jameer Nelson.

Bruce Arthur, National Post: Jason Kapono shot and competed like a $24-million player. Carlos Delfino played well, too. And both of them are better options than the 7-foot question mark. With Bargnani on the floor to start the game — and to be fair, with his teammates losing their damned minds under the pressure, again — Toronto was outscored 23-8, with a free throw pending. They can't afford that.

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel: While it might sound simple, the difference so far is that the Magic have Howard and the Raptors do not. They have a roster that resembles the United Nations with so many foreign players, but they also don't have Hedo Turkoglu, whose star is stretching from Orlando to his native Turkey.

John Denton, Florida Today: Emotions flared late in the second quarter when Turkoglu shoved Bosh hard to the floor on a breakaway layup. Turkoglu actually got one hand on the ball, but also shoved Bosh, causing him to hit the floor hard. Turkoglu, who exchanged words with Toronto coach Sam Mitchell, was whistled for a Flagrant 1 foul on the play. A Flagrant 2 foul would have resulted in an automatic ejection.

Games to pay attention to: Detroit's attention sparks ... eventually
Philadelphia at Detroit, Game 2

If we're dealing with a typical NBA team, reeling from what should be an embarrassing Game 1 loss at the hands of a team much, much lower on the talent totem poll, then you could probably pencil in an 89-point win for the Pistons tonight.

Sadly, we're not dealing with a typical NBA team. We're dealing with the Detroit Pistons, who could lose tonight and in Game 3 and then take a 19-point deficit into the fourth quarter of Game 4 before flipping that switch and starting a championship run. Or, they could lose out.

Usually this sort of unpredictability makes for a fascinating watch - who knew that the Hornets would be this good this soon, and where is Toronto/Orlando headed? - but Detroit's pell-mell nature is born of lethargy and elitism, two disturbing qualities for a supposedly blue-collar bunch.

Philly is a machine, not unlike the Chicago Bulls of recent years. They don't let much bother them, they look to get to the front of the rim and rarely get shook by large deficits. It's a credit to a coaching staff that had the guts to go with a younger rotation even when jobs for said coaching staff were on the line.

I would bank on the blowout win for Detroit tonight, but I've long looked a fool for expecting the Pistons to act their age, and the 76ers to fall off the face of the NBA world, so this is a pretty pointless bank.

Atlanta at Boston, Game 2

Atlanta should feel more comfortable on the playoff stage tonight, in the midst of a rather anonymous Wednesday night game on NBA TV, the defense should get a little better, and more shots should fall. The Hawks will play better. Count on it.

Boston by 112.

Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, Game 2

The Lakers still have plenty of holes, though Phil Jackson has done a masterful job of making his team look damn near invincible all season, but they can be beaten.

The team is one of the league's best defensively, but poor effort stretched out over a quarter and a half can put Los Angeles behind the eight-ball. Something I'm sure that some of the team's season-ticket holders are used to.

On top of that, the Nuggets aren't the Hawks (fascinating insight, I know). Denver is a solid team that was built with championship aspirations. They can steal a win. They will have better spacing and work better on the boards with Linas Kleiza in the lineup, and they can play 48 minutes of stupid basketball and pull out the win. That cannot be discounted - bad perimeter shots and lunges for steals can be enough.

It's a one in ten chance, but there is a chance. All in all, this should still make for the best watch of the night.

The Internets are alive: Suns at Spurs, Game 2
Scanning the blogs and beats following the Spurs' 102-96 comeback win over the Suns in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals ...

Scott Bordow, East Valley Tribune: Until the Phoenix Suns actually, you know, beat the San Antonio Spurs, can we stop all the nonsense we’ve heard the last few weeks? Like how Phoenix finally had San Antonio’s number after going 3-1 against the Spurs in the regular season. Or how Shaquille O’Neal was the antidote for Tim Duncan? And this quote, from coach Mike D’Antoni: "I think we’re the better team. Now we just have to go out and prove it." Oh, the Suns have proven something. They’re still inferior to the Spurs.

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: The Suns were supposed to be the deeper, more balanced squad in this series. The theory is that if the Suns could do a manageable job on the Spurs' "Big Three," keeping at least one from a heavy impact, the Spurs could not score with the Suns. But with Grant Hill's injury and Leandro Barbosa's ineffectiveness against the Spurs, the Suns looked like the team struggling to find some weapons.

Mike Monroe, SA Express-News: With possession to start the second half because the Suns had won the opening tip, the Spurs got into the set immediately and worked it to perfection. Finley came off a pindown on the baseline for a wide-open 15-footer that hit nothing but net. After Kurt Thomas rebounded a Shaquille O'Neal miss, the Spurs ran a second play for Finley. This time he nailed a 20-footer from the right baseline. Suddenly, the Suns' defense had another shooter to be concerned about, and the Spurs had another option.

Buck Harvey, SA Express-News: ... with the Suns in the lead, with Nash on the floor, with the two-time MVP in control, the Suns came apart and spit up another chance. ... [But] Nash won't get blamed the way, say, Tracy McGrady does. Nash is small and Canadian and a nice guy. ... Afterward Mike D'Antoni said, "We looked like we panicked," and the "we" is the responsibility of the point guard. A veteran such as Nash, a great player such as Nash, is supposed to assume control in these tense playoff moments.

Jerry Brown, East Valley Tribune: Popovich went to his Hack-A-Shaq card late in the third quarter, when he had O’Neal fouled on three straight possessions. The third foul was almost comical, as O’Neal tried to elude the grasp of Brent Barry. O’Neal, however, made Popovich pay for the fouls, sinking five of six free throws in a 48-second stretch. "The results were not mixed at all," Popovich said. "He made the strategy look really stupid."

Bright Side of the Sun: This just in. The Spurs are officially the best rope-a-dope team in the NBA ever. They do it during the season. They've done it in the past two games with the Suns. There was Amare on fire in the first half. Almost nothing in the second half. He got rope-a-doped. You can complain all you want about the Suns folding, players disappearing, real or imaginary coaching mistakes, but a lot of comes down to that the Spurs are always a lot tougher than they look.

Mike Finger, SA Express-News: It was far-fetched enough to think these Suns — these Suns who have lost 14 of 18 playoff games to the Spurs, and who have lost those games in every way imaginable — could beat their nemesis in four games out of seven. But to win four out of five? After the punches to the gut the Spurs delivered them in consecutive games at the AT&T Center? Steve Kerr might as well try to trade for Bill Russell and see how that helps him.

The Internets are alive: Mavs at Hornets, Game 2

Scanning the blogs and beats following the Hornets' 127-103 win over the Mavericks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals ...

John DeShazier, Times-Picayune: The Hornets took whatever adjustments the Mavericks allegedly made after being undressed in Game 1, and they made Dallas look even more helpless in Game 2. Chris Paul followed a performance for the ages — the first player to debut with a 35-point, 10-assist game in the playoffs — with one that, arguably, was even better: 32 points and a franchise-playoff-record 17 assists. The Mavericks aren't in trouble. They're out of options, seemingly with no clue of what to do with New Orleans.

Showboating: I want to say that the Mavericks need to figure out how they are going to stop Chris Paul in Game 3, but I think now the Mavericks are beyond the point of being able to stop him. They went both small and big against him, even putting the 6'8" Devean George on him at one point, with little success. The Mavs were supposed to try to tire him out by making him play defense, but that clearly was not the case. Jason Kidd was able to back him down in the low post and find the cutter for layups on a few possessions, but that was about as hard as Paul had to work on defense all day.

Hornets247.com: As a team, the Hornets shot 60.8% for the game. For the game! Has that ever happened in the Playoffs before? There will probably be a lot of Mavs fans saying that the Hornets were just on fire, kinda like the Warriors last season. I'll agree with that to an extent, because guys like Mo Pete and Jannero Pargo were nailing shots that they often brick. However, methinks the Hornets great spacing and excellent ball movement also had a lot to do with the high shooting percentage. David West in particular seemed to get a bunch of wide open looks because the Mavs were sending big men out to help on CP. The Hornets also ran the ball pretty good, getting 29 points on the break compared to 13 for the Mavs. That didn't hurt the shooting percentage.

At The Hive: Untrappable. [That was] the thing everybody was talking about pre-game — Avery Johnson’s plan to trap CP a lot more in Game 2. A lot of that trapping happened in the first quarter, but Paul escaped virtually every single one via a quick spin move or fancy dribbling. I was somewhat surprised that Avery didn’t go the trap in later quarters, but with Paul passing out of it deftly, what else was he supposed to do? In the end, CP made sure that the trap hurt the Mavericks more than it hurt the Hornets.

Jeff Caplan, Star-Telegram: Mavs coach Avery Johnson, wearing his 1999 Spurs championship ring, seemed to counter each defensive adjustment he suggested after the game with how difficult Paul’s ability makes it to enforce those adjustments. "We've got to do a better job of trying to deny him the ball, but at the same, time he’s pretty quick," Johnson said. "The easiest thing to do for our guards is just deny him the ball. Just because you try to deny him the ball, he’s not going to stop and give in. He's very strong-minded and tough, and he’s quick to the ball."

Peter Finney, Times-Picayune: "Sitting there watching Chris develop into the best point guard in the league is amazing," [Byron] Scott said. "He's lifted his game to another level in the playoffs. That's what great players do. He's definitely one of the best in the league right now." Is there a way to defend him? "I'm sure there is," said Paul, smiling. "One thing I learned this season is you have to be aggressive. If I just sit back and let them trap me, then they've succeeded in what they're trying to do. So I have to pick my spots and let the other guys go for it."

Mike Fisher, Dallas Basketball: It can be argued that there is plenty of blame to go around. Does Dallas have the wrong coach, the wrong scheme, the wrong players? Is chemistry overrated, is experience overrated, is Jason Kidd (barely a whisper in the boxscore) overrated, is this team’s talent overrated by its architects, is it just somebody else’s time?

David Moore, Dallas Morning News: The Mavericks hope their experience will make a difference now that the series moves to American Airlines Center. But the way this series has begun, experience appears to be nothing more than a code word for old. Maybe the club can fly noted curmudgeon Wilford Brimley in for Game 3 to whip the crowd into a frenzy and pass out Quaker Oats for every 60-point half the Mavericks allow. They better have plenty of oats on hand.

FireAvery.com: It seems pretty obvious to me that Avery has completely lost this team. Nothing he says seems to have any effect on them. For the past three days Avery has said that they have to play better defense and then they come out with this type of performance. On TNT they showed a bit of Avery’s speech in the locker room. He ended by saying "Let's score about 10 points in the paint to start this quarter." The first basket of the quarter by the Mavs? A 16 foot jumper by Dirk.

Eddie Sefko, Dallas Morning News: Only 12 times in NBA history has a team come back from a 2-0 hole to win a best-of-7 series. On the bright side, the Mavericks did it against Houston in 2005 after dropping two games at American Airlines Center in the first-round series. Also, the Hornets haven't won a game in Dallas since Jan. 24, 1998. But these are different bees. They sting hard.

Texas guards Augustin, Abrams declare for draft
Texas sophomore point guard D.J. Augustin will declare for the NBA draft and forgo his final two seasons of eligibility.

Gutsy Nash always gives his all ... but is it enough?

2008-04-23T08:45:00.001-07:00

Gutsy Nash always gives his all ... but is it enough?
The Suns lost again and are down 0-2 to the Spurs. Mark Kriegel says Steve Nash's legacy could be on the line in these playoffs.

Spurs rally past Suns
Michael Finley talks to FSN after San Antonio's 102-96 playoff win over Phoenix. Finley helped key a third-quarter rally that gave the Spurs a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.

Williams, Jazz close out Rockets, lead 2-0

2008-04-22T16:15:00.001-07:00

Williams, Jazz close out Rockets, lead 2-0
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

No suspension for Wiz's Haywood on LeBron foul
Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood was so steamed over his lack of playing time in last year's playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers that he left the court before the final game was over and removed the nameplate above his locker.

Report: Isiah barred from talking to Knicks players
Former Knicks coach Isiah Thomas has reportedfly been banned from having any contact with members of the team as part of his reassignment agreement with team president Donnie Walsh.

Celts' Garnett named NBA's top defensive player
Boston's Kevin Garnett won the NBA's defensive player of the year award Tuesday. He beat out Denver's Marcus Camby and Houston's Shane Battier.

Mississippi St. guard Gordon to enter NBA draft
Mississippi State point guard Jamont Gordon has decided to turn pro but won't hire an agent before the NBA draft.

Top 5 of Inside #1: EJ's Neat o Stat of The Night

2008-04-21T14:30:00.001-07:00

Top 5 of Inside #1: EJ's Neat o Stat of The Night
EJ takes the crew on a fishing trip.

Steal of the Night: Thaddeus Young
Watch Thaddeus Young follow up his own steal with the slam on the other end as the Sixers upset the Pistons in Game 1 on Sunday.

Top 5 of Inside # 3: Detroit vs. Sixers Gm 1
The guys discuss Detroit's lack of focus and poor play over the Sixers in game 1.

Hawks-Celtics Post-Game Presser
Watch as Hawks and Celtics players and coaches address the media in their post-game press conference.

Behind the boxscore, where Detroit disappoints
Philadelphia 90, Detroit 86�

I'm not going to shovel dirt on the Pistons because a giggly Rasheed Wallace had the wrong angle and blew a short bank jumper. Detroit could win out, sweep in the next round, dispatch the Celtics and the Western champ after that and I wouldn't be surprised. Neither should you. This team is that good.

But all the signs are there. They were there while the Pistons were trashing the Bucks in the first round back in 2006. They were around even as Orlando barely gave Detroit a problem in the first round last year. The results barely matter - but the attitude and style of play does. Something within the Pistons was lacking even in those two first round wins, and whatever it was revealed itself as they lost in the conference finals both years.

Something was lacking yesterday, and you saw what happened. 0-1. To the Sixers, man. To a team that should have woken Detroit up with this game, a close loss for the Pistons that actually saw Detroit play its starters, work for the win, and ultimately fall short. Don't let them tell you differently - Detroit tried in that game, and lost.

They tried for parts of this loss, but Philadelphia tried for 48 minutes. Simple as that. Reggie Evans (who, all season long, has been in incredible shape) offered 11 points and 14 rebounds off the bench, great help defense (his major failing with the Nuggets in years past), while Willie Green continued his very un-Willie Green-like play with 17 points on 11 shots with just one turnover.

Again, Detroit could romp from here until the end of June. But the signs, the same things that popped up even as the wins piled up against Milwaukee and Orlando in 2005 and 2006, the signs are there. Bummer. This team should be trying to get to the Finals for the fourth straight season, and they might not even make the second round this year.

Orlando 114, Toronto 100

T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon combined to play exactly 48 minutes, dished 14 assists, and turned the ball over exactly zero times. That's remarkable. That doesn't happen a lot - maybe once or twice a year for even a good team with a great point guard and good backup - and there's a reason why I'm bringing it up. That's an accomplishment.

Also, the duo's inability to finish on jumpers, lay-ins, and chippies cost Toronto the game. Yeah, Toronto's defense was crummy early on, the team should have been quicker to recognize Dwight Howard's (25 points, 22 rebounds, five blocks, not fair) rhythm, Chris Bosh should have been smarter with his fouls, and Orlando hit some tough shots - but if Ford and Jose don't miss 16 of 20 shots, Toronto is right there.

Orlando won't shoot that well from long range again, but Rashard Lewis (who, I was told yesterday, is nigh on unstoppable in the latest version of NBA Live) will make up for Maurice Evans and Jameer Nelson's drop-off with improved play of his own. Orlando has it in them to make the Finals, and Toronto's only hope is what allowed them to down the Magic in years past: the Raptors have matchup advantages and are able to dominate the guard pairings.

Toronto isn't going to beat the Magic based off ability alone. The Raptors are going to have to run plays that the Magic, despite their best efforts, cannot stop. If that sounds annoyingly simple, then I apologize, but Toronto's pick and roll can down Orlando in four straight.

Los Angeles Lakers 128, Denver 114

We knew it going in, the Nuggets played right up to stereotype, and lost a game they could have had.

Denver cannot win by trying to trump the Lakers offensively. Denver isn't good enough offensively. They have a batch of names that you recognize as being only worth a lick on the offensive end, but at the end of a game (in spite of 114 points), Denver isn't good enough offensively to hang with the Lakers, Suns, or Mavericks. They aren't efficient enough.

I didn't see this game with the volume on, so I don't know how much the ABC crew focused on the Kenyon Martin-guarding- Kobe Bryant sideshow, and it's a typical George Karl move. If it works, he's a genius. If it doesn't, the defender in question gets to play the martyr: "I thought Kenyon worked hard. Kobe is Kobe. Blah blah blah. Excuses, excuses. I wear funny ties."

You know what? I'd work hard guarding Kobe. You'd work hard guarding Kobe. We'd rise to the occasion, move our feet, and try to shut the guy down. It doesn't mean you let us guard Kobe.

Karl's done this before. Even with all-world defender Gary Payton on his team, he put Detlef Schrempf on Michael Jordan for the first three games of the 1996 NBA Finals, and the results were what you'd expect. Karl claimed that he didn't want Payton worn down on offense from all the effort it took to guard MJ. Fine. You know what? Let Detlef handle the shooting. Let Shawn Kemp shoot a little more. Let Hersey Hawkins bring the ball up. Sic GP on MJ.

These Nuggets don't have a GP, and J.R. Smith fouled out, but you can do a little better than Kenyon Martin.

Pau Gasol (36 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks) likes to finish, Kobe was Kobe (32 points after a slow start), and Lamar Odom had a terrific and active all-around game (17 points, 14 rebounds, six assists). The Lakers are hot stuff right now.

Boston 104, Atlanta 81

Boston held the Hawks to a pro-rated 94 points in a hundred possessions, and it's only going to get better from here on out. This is a Celtic team that was essentially resting for the bulk of March and April, they haven't played since Wednesday, they haven't played big minutes together in weeks, and they were still solid enough to come out and dominate defensively in spite of the extended break.

The Hawks will improve as well, and might carry a lead through the first half of Game 2, but it won't be nearly enough to make up for a Celtic team that the rest of the NBA should be scared witless about. �

Kevin Garnett, first playoff win in four years. Feels good, don't it?

NBA TV Daily: April 20
Check out all the highlights from Sunday's playoff action, including Philadelphia stunning Detroit in Game 1.

Haier Play of the Day: Lamar Odom

2008-04-21T03:00:00.001-07:00

Haier Play of the Day: Lamar Odom
Check out Lamar Odom polishing off the give-and-go from Luke Walton on Sunday as the Lakers won their series opener vs. the Nuggets.

Nuggets-Lakers Post-Game Presser
Watch as Nuggets and Lakers players and coaches address the media in their post-game press conference.

The List: Top 10 Storylines of the Week
Check out the most significant storylines of the past week, including the New Orleans Hornets clinching a division title and Jason Kidd's 100th triple-double.

Post-Game Presser: Pierce and Garnett
Watch as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett address the press after the Hawks-Celtics game Sunday.

Hawks-Celtics Post-Game Presser
Watch as Hawks and Celtics players and coaches address the media in their post-game press conference.

Rosen: Spurs, Suns play hearts out in Game 1

2008-04-20T02:15:00.001-07:00

Rosen: Spurs, Suns play hearts out in Game 1

CP3 stars in first ever playoff game
Chris Paul, welcome to "The Show." In his first playoff game, Paul put up 35 points and 10 assists as the Hornets rallied past the Mavs.

Duncan, Spurs top Suns in 2OT

Paul powers Hornets' rally past Mavs in Game 1

The Internet's 10,000th Playoff Preview: East side

2008-04-18T20:00:00.001-07:00

The Internet's 10,000th Playoff Preview: East side

Boston vs. Atlanta — Game 1, Sunday (8:30p EDT)

Kelly Dwyer: This shouldn’t be an issue for Boston, it’s hard to beat any pro team four times in a week, but a sweep would not be a surprise.

Boston’s reserves toppled Atlanta’s starters in a game earlier this month, Sam I Am came through with the cojones rumble after nailing an 16-footer on the left side of the court to close the win, and the Hawks just won’t have enough to take a game unless somebody gets really, really hot.

And, now that Shelden Williams is out of Atlanta, nobody’s going to do that. Pity.

What would warm my heart would be a few 28-point wins for the C’s. It’s not that I want to see Atlanta trashed beyond belief, but I would like Boston warm up after a second half of the season that they basically took off. This isn’t to say that I didn’t like them taking it easy, I was pining for fewer minutes for Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, et al back in December, and hopefully the rest did this (what could be a) legendary bunch good.

A few 100-72 wins against the Hawks would lead me to believe that we’re in store for a classic Eastern Conference final against the Pistons. Or, should Detroit falter, a classic Finals pairing against whatever team comes out of the West. The C’s need to perk up, especially if Washington shows up in the second round.

Celtics in two.

J.E. Skeets: I’m going to use a lot less words to run through these series previews because everything that needs to be said has already been said, and chances are you just read it above. So, instead, I'll force a few bad jokes, give you my prediction and we’ll call it a day. It's patio weather in Toronto this afternoon, and my pasty white skin could really use the sun. (My pasty white skin could also go for a beer.)

This series is going to be a massacre if you consider the broom a dangerous weapon in combat. Boston is too focused on the defensive end of the floor to fall asleep and let Joe Johnson or Mike Bibby steal a game late in fourth. It's not going to happen. It can't happen.

Celtics in four. Big yawn.

*****

Detroit vs. Philadelphia — Game 1, Sunday (6:00p EDT)

KD: Philadelphia can win this series, and on the flip side of that, Detroit can win the NBA Finals in five games against any Western team. As it’s always been, the onus is on the Pistons.

Philly makes its hay by getting to the front of the rim, and daring you stop them. Dunk after lay-in after alley-oop after reverse after which the score is 89-74 all of the sudden and you don’t feel like coming back. The trick for Detroit is to care, and that’s been tricky for this bunch for about two years now.

With the Pistons, I’m scared that the team’s formidable bench could lead them to a win, without the starters having to play well. It would essentially be an extension of the regular season, and it would essentially end the team’s season, because you essentially know certain guys on this team who are nicknamed “Roscoe” much prefer waiving a towel and exhorting the youngsters to taking the opposing team’s power forward to the low block.

It’s not that the Pistons are lazy. It’s just that didn’t mind losing and making excuses while throwing the Eastern Conference title away in 2006 and 2007. You could tell in both of those years during first round wins (against Milwaukee and Orlando, respectively) that the Pistons weren’t up to the task, and I’m hoping to see better signs this time around.

Pistons in five.

JE: Everyone keeps telling me that the Sixers are a scary first-round match-up even though they’re a sub-.500 team that messed up the sheets over the final week of the regular season. Everyone also keeps telling me how great I look in skinny jeans. Everyone is lying to me.

Yes, yes, the Sixers beat the Pistons twice this season, including once in the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Sixers won the glass and the Pistons turned the ball over in each game. Well let me tell you something in a very strict voice: Rebounding takes effort, and controlling the ball takes focus. The Pistons’ starters couldn’t care less for those two white board words — effort and focus — late in the regular season. They do, and will, in mid-April.

Pistons in five.

*****

Orlando vs. Toronto — Game 1, Sunday (12:30p EDT)

KD: To hear some pundits refer to the Cavs/Wizards pairing as the only interesting duel in the East’s first round was a bit infuriating, because this bad boy is going to be a battle.

Orlando is a damn good team, but Toronto has historically matched up well against the Magic, and taken them apart over the last few years. It doesn’t mean that the Raptors are any better, but they have the right parts and Orlando’s laughably-bad bench won’t be able to make up for the matchup issues Toronto creates.

The Magic will have their chances. If Rashard Lewis works his way into 20 shots, or if the point guard/Dwight Howard troika doesn’t turn the ball over much, then the Raptors will have a tough series on their hands. But that hasn’t been the case all season, even while the Magic won heaps of games. Lewis has been willing to float, and Chris Bosh might average 30 in this series.

Still, these guys know each other. Since the 2005-06 season, both of these teams have put forth spirited, standout efforts against each other, and it’ll make for a fun watch.

Raptors in six.

JE: A solid match-up in Toronto's favor for two key reasons:

1) Contrary to what Kenny Smith tells you, the Raps' point guard play is much better than the Magic’s duo of Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo. In fact, my ninth sense tells me that T.J. Ford’s clutch scoring will single-handedly win the Raps a game in this series, while Jose Calderon’s steady leadership won’t (specifically) cost them any. (My ninth sense is called obvious.)

2) The Magic don’t have the services of an elite, scoring two-guard. (Sorry, Redick.) As hard as Anthony Parker gets at it on the defensive end, high-volume scorers usually destroy him. It’s painful to watch. And while Keith Bogans has been known to hit the open three in the corner, he’s not going to change a series. This individual match-up will hopefully give AP a little more energy on the offensive side of the ball.

With that said, there is no doubt (even in my homer mind) that Sam Micthell will be out-coached by Stan Van Gundy at some point over a long, seven game series. That mustache is wise.

Magic in seven. (Reverse-jinx!)

*****

Cleveland at Washington — Game 1, Saturday (12:30p EDT)

KD: Cleveland just never got it right this season.

Last year, they took advantage of an easy bracket in the first two rounds, a mopey Piston team, and one stand-out game from LeBron James to make it to the Finals. The hallmarks were defense, LeBron going for 35, and a bit more defense.

This year, LeBron went for 35 quite a bit, but the defense let up. And then the team made a trade, bringing in Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, and Delonte West; ostensibly to aid that pitiful offense. Then the offense let up. And the defense hadn’t exactly returned at this point. And the team never settled on a rotation or a starting lineup, while limping toward the end of the season.

Meanwhile, the Wizards have proven themselves all year, without Gilbert Arenas, without Caron Butler … and now they have both back. The only obstacle?

A motivated LeBron. This is pro basketball, cats and kittens, and one man can down an entire team. It won’t be easy, but LeBron can do it if he attacks the defensive boards and starts a one-man break on his own. He has to do his damage before the defense can hone in on him while ignoring the rest of his ignoble teammates. It’s the only way Cleveland can survive.

I don’t know if LeBron, too beholden (for whatever reason) to his play-calling coaching staff at this point, will pull it off.�

Wizards in six.

Skeets: I couldn’t agree more with KD.

Wait, yes I could.

Wizards in five.

Too much Rod Benson: Creating my virtual self

Sports video games, like The Matrix in a way, are always a little different from real life because they follow sets of rules. When I play Madden, I know that if Junior Seau comes after Tony Romo, Romo's 82 SPEED will help him escape. Seau may track him down in real life, but he will never catch Romo in the game.

Basketball video games are similar. I'm not talking about the old school games like Double Dribble (the most fun a seven-year-old can have in 1991) or NBA Jam. I'm talking about the new hotness NBA 2K8. Baron Davis and his 99 CLOSE and 99 LAYUP ratings mean that he is guaranteed buckets inside of ten feet. Seriously, it's impossible to get him to miss anything inside no matter how well contested his attempt may be.

I bring this up because my teammate Renaldo Major just entered a code on his PS2 that unlocked many things. Among them was a D-League All-Star team. I couldn't believe that there was really a D-League team on that bad boy. It got me to thinking that it would be funny if there were a whole D-League game complete with ratings. I remember when I was in college I had a "99 INS SCR" which I think meant inside scoring, but I have never been fully sure.

Well, it got me to thinking about what my ratings would be this season. If you know video games, you know there is a pre-season rating and a roster updated rating based on season performance. Tony Romo didn't begin the year with 82 SPEED, he earned it. I decided to give myself my 2K8 ratings pre-season and post-season, so that if they decide to put me in next years D-League game, they will have all the info they need.

Note that these ratings are relative to other D-Leaguers and not to the NBA.

Pre-season:
OVERALL: 83
CLOSE: 77
MEDIUM: 70
3-PT: 50
FT: 69
LAYUP: 73�
DUNK: 81
HANDLE: 74
PASS: 60
LOW POST DEFENSE: 78
LOW POST OFFENSE: 72
BLOCK: 79
STEAL: 69
OFFENSIVE REB: 94
DEFENSIVE REB: 91�
SPEED: 84
STAMINA: 70�
DURABILITY: 75
DEFENSIVE AWARENESS: 80
OFFENSIVE AWARENESS: 72

I would say those would have been my ratings before this season if a game had come out. Now that the season is over, with the appropriate roster updates, I'd be much more game ready.

Roster Updates:
OVERALL: 92
CLOSE: 90
MEDIUM: 74
3-PT: 50
FT: 69
LAYUP: 77�
DUNK: 81
HANDLE: 81
PASS: 65
LOW POST DEFENSE: 80
LOW POST OFFENSE: 87
BLOCK: 90
STEAL: 79�
OFFENSIVE REB: 99
DEFENSIVE REB: 99�
SPEED: 84
STAMINA: 86�
DURABILITY: 83
DEFENSIVE AWARENESS: 82
OFFENSIVE AWARENESS: 85

I think I'd be all right in the game now. I was league leader in rebounding, shot 52%, was 8th in the league in blocks, and averaged 18 and 13 over the last 16 games of the season. Although, if you look closely, there are some areas I improved in and some areas I still need to improve in if I'm gonna make it to the show. Time to hit the weights and improve my low post defense. If I do that I should be staring at a 70 OVERALL in the NBA instead of a 92 in the D-League, if you get my drift.

Rod Benson is a Cal grad who plays for the D-League's Dakota Wizards. He also blogs two or three times a week on Ball Don't Lie. Read his archive, pay a visit to TooMuchRodBenson.com and always support the Boom Tho movement.

NBA Playoff Previews: No. 3 Spurs vs. No. 6 Suns

After 1,230 regular season games, the NBA Playoffs are finally here. (Tomorrow!) KD and I will have our own first round predictions soon, but for now we finish with our bloggin' team experts. Up last: Spurs Dynasty and Phoenix Stan from Bright Side of the Sun breakdown the San Antonio-Phoenix rematch. Enjoy.

(Note: I actually dropped the ball trying to land a Spurs blogger. So, instead, here is an excerpt from Spurs Dynasty's look at the series. Click here and scroll down for their complete PG-13 analysis.)

Spurs Dynasty: I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you youngsters, it won't be easy. Before we always had an edge on these guys because we could neutralize Shawn Marion like nobody else could. Against everyone else the guy is a superduperstar. Against us in May he was basically Drew Gooden. Ten, twelve points, and maybe a dozen or so mostly defensive rebounds. Decent numbers but nobody you concern yourself with at the end of the day.

We made Marion a non-factor because "The Matrix" as he fancies himself can only score in one of three ways: Transition, 3 pointers, and putbacks. Well guess what our defensive specialties are kiddies? Getting back on defense, limiting threes, and defensive rebounding. Stopping Marion didn't involve a single extra sentence in our game plan, it was all stuff we do well with regularity anyway.

But now Marion is gone and in his place is the Big Fatso and all his HILARIOUS quotes. To my shock, the jerkass has proven that he can still be an effective scorer when inspired and it really is pretty stupid at this point for us to guard him one-on-one. He's still too damn big and as accurate from two feet away as you'd expect a seven-footer to be.

We gotta double him. Simple as that. Gotta double him and make him give it up. The guy is a turnover machine and just the act of making him think or pass will give us a half dozen easy fast break points. "Shaq" and "thinking" go together as well as "blimp" and "hydrogen." It's like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, but the exact opposite. [...]

*****

Phoenix Stan, Bright Side of the Sun: This series is just like when I was growing up on the mean streets of Maryvale on the west side of Phoenix. In sixth grade there were a group of boys from the next block that always picked on me. Stole my lunch money and generally pushed me around. Then over the summer I grew three inches and put on 15 pounds, took karate lessons, bought a baseball bat and my big brother came home from the Army. We showed those punks who's boss! It's time to kick the Spurs in the teeth.

Basketball analysis starts where we left off last year. Since then, the Spurs are older, slower and have much less depth and far fewer weapons offensively. They don't have the ability to score in more then two or three ways anymore and have to hold the Suns to under 90 points to have any chance at all.

Is there anyone anywhere that thinks the Spurs are better now then they were a year ago?

The Suns on other hand, are a much improved basketball team. Most notably in all areas of the game.

Shaq of course gets most of the attention and rightly so. He's owned Duncan over their careers and makes double teams unnecessary. When you don't have to double Timmy in the post there's only two other guys on the Spurs team that can beat you off the dribble. Two. And they generally don't play well together.

San Antonio, where average defensive teams go to look good happens.

Offensively the Suns now can throw the ball in the post to Shaq. Give the ball to Grant or Barbosa in transition or on the wing to create. Post up Diaw when the Spurs switch and neutralize the Spurs best perimeter defender by playing Nash off the ball when Bowen saddles up.

And let's not forget Amare — the most dominate unstoppable offensive force in the game (over the past three months). In isolation at the top of the key where he's impossible to double or on the unguardable pick and rolls. There is no answer.

The only way the Spurs can hold the Suns to under 100 points in a game is with foul trouble. And this is the deepest Suns team yet. Gordan Giricek and Boris Diaw will be huge in this series.

Bring your cups gentlemen. It's not going to be pretty. But this time big brother is here and he's fully armed for battle.

Prediction: The Spurs will win a couple based on playoff savvy (knees, flops and whines) but that's it —� Suns in 6.

Kidd Records 100th Career Triple-Double

2008-04-17T08:30:00.001-07:00

Kidd Records 100th Career Triple-Double
Jason Kidd set a career high with 13 triple-doubles this season when he got his 100th overall on Wednesday.

Assist of the Night: Jason Kidd
Watch as Jason Kidd taps it back to Brandon Bass for one of his 10 assists.

Dunk of the Night: Tyson Chandler
Watch as Tyson Chandler slips the screen and receives the alley-oop from Chris Paul for the slam.

Steal of the Night: Monta Ellis
Watch as Monta Ellis steals the pass, gives it up, and gets it back on a lob for the finish.

Behind the boxscore, where Dallas cannot be ignored
Dallas 111, New Orleans 98

If you're a Mavs fan, or just an NBAnik looking for a championship-level team to return to championship-level play, this had to warm your heart.

First of all, if Jason Terry is hitting shots, being aggressive, and playing like he did in 2004-05, then the Mavericks are incredibly dangerous. Terry had 30 points on just 19 shots in this win.

Secondly, Jason Kidd had a throwback game, possibly the best one I've seen him play in two years. 27 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists to just one turnover. In fact, the Mavs coughed the ball up just six times, a remarkable amount under any circumstance.

The idea that these two are just capable of performances like this against one of the better defensive teams in the NBA is very promising, especially because you know Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki aren't going to combine to shoot 10-36 from the floor very often.

Dallas doesn't need the Jasons to pull this stuff off all the time, but it does help to know that these guards can still put numbers up like this maybe once or twice in a long series.

New Orleans didn't play a bad game, but even smallish free throw (Dallas hit 23, NOLA 17) and turnover (nine to six) disparities can cost you a double-digit loss to a playoff team. The Hornets better learn that quickly.�

No marigolds in the promised land for Dallas, but there is hope. There should be championship hope. This team is good enough.

Detroit 84, Cleveland 74

I am truly relieved to find these two teams on opposite ends of the Eastern bracket, because if the Pistons and Cavaliers meet each other in the Eastern Conference finals, I'm going to have to see if MJD needs help on any of his Yahoo! blogs. I know LeBron James sat the game out, and the Pistons only played their starters 12 minutes apiece, but these two teams are bad news should they hook up again. This game was drudgery to behold.

Remember last year's ECF? You might remember LeBron's brilliant takeover of Game Five, but not the rest of the run - which was marred by physical play, horrible shooting, and the typical Piston indifference. Even the memories of this game standing strong, the pairing wouldn't be worth it.

Detroit ended its season with a full head of steam: the starters combined to shoot 5-20 from the field for 13 combined points.

Orlando 103, Washington 83

Washington couldn't (and didn't really want to, candidly, and thankfully) get over the absence of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison; and though the Magic didn't play their own starters for long, 32 combined minutes for Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu (combined, 26 points on 18 shots) was enough to keep the Wiz at bay.

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan already knows what he has in youngsters Nick Young, Andray Blatche (20 and 11 in just 34 minutes), but it was nice to see actual proof that Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy can play benchwarmers like Marcin Gortat (12 and 11) and J.J. Redick (18 points in 24 minutes) without having the Earth open up to swallow Epcot Center whole, with copious bouts of raging, uncontrolled copulation revealing itself in the high street.

It's OK, SVG. It's OK.

Indiana 132, New York 123

I don't think I saw Isiah Thomas get off of his sideline seat once in this game, and I took in quite a bit of it. With a whimper, y'know?

The Pacers looked great, the defense wasn't there but Mike Dunleavy Jr. came through with a strong end to a season he should be pretty proud of: 36 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, three turnovers. Dunleavy looked stronger this season, and it showed in his play - he had the strength to square his shoulders easier when taking a shot after a drive, and he could handle open-court finishes better in 2007-08.

Other than Thomas' statuesque demeanor, nothing on this Knick team stood out. They shot well at times, made the opposing announcing team laugh out loud with a few ridiculous passing or jump shot tries, and basically improved their way through a rather nasty performance.

To any thinking fan, Thomas' ascension to the Knick throne was a mistake. The people that told you that it was a mistake to mortgage your future on Stephon Marbury were right, the people that warned against the Eddy Curry trade were right, the people that warned against the Steve Francis, Jalen Rose, and Zach Randolph (geez, how did this guy not trade for Darius Miles) were right, and yet it took until recently for some fans, MSG executives, and NBA scribes to realize that everything Isiah Thomas has done has been wrong.

Even the David Lee draft? Even finding gems in the lower rungs of the draft? Yes. Isiah traded Trevor Ariza, didn't give Lee the minutes he deserved, and his laissez-faire training camp had Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins a step slow and out of shape all year. Picking up Randolph Morris was fine, but keeping him out of the NBDL out of spite hurt worse. Every step forward Isiah took was mitigated by three steps backwards.

Good riddance, go away, leave my league alone.

Charlotte 115, Philadelphia 109

The Sixers might be the league's worst three-point shooting team, but sometimes they'll have nights like this: 10-21 (47.6 percent) from long range. Be careful, Detroit. Tread lightly, watch the front of the rim, and act your age.

No stopping the Bobcats on Wednesday, they really wanted to eke out a win and were really on point with the passing. Guys like Jared Dudley were hitting cutters, it was pretty cool to see (if not a little surprising, where was this spread offense all season?), and the Bobcats finished with 34 assists on 45 baskets.

Thaddeus Young, in the loss: 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals, one turnover in 35 minutes. 19 years of age. We have a winner.

Boston 105, New Jersey 94

A couple of times over the last few weeks, the Celtics reserves have pulled away and held onto leads playing against the other team's starters, including a win over their first round opponent in Atlanta. I know the Pistons reserves did the same thing in Cleveland on Wednesday night, but I'm jus' sayin' ...

Three years from now, Vince Carter will make a guaranteed 17.5 million bucks. Good thing the Nets kept him around.

Miami 113, Atlanta 99

Sometimes bad decisions pay off, and sometimes bad shots go in. That's about all I can say for a game that sees Mark Blount - quite capable of hitting three-pointers, I submit - taking and making four of six treys. I only saw the two misses, so there's a bit of inherent bias working here.

Atlanta wanted to win this one, and actually had its starters re-enter the game midway through the fourth quarter. Admirable, but not the smartest move. It's not as if they have a chance against Boston, but you don't want to chance things in the midst of a game that most are going to forget by midday Thursday.

Jason Williams tried some behind-the-back passes in this one, it was fun to party like it's 1999, and I'd be shocked if any of the Miami NBDL cats have trouble finding NBA work next season.

Minnesota 110, Milwaukee 101 (OT)

I don't if it was this way for everyone, I don't know if anyone else on Earth outside of Wisconsin or Minnesota was watching a League Pass version of a Bucks/Timberwolves game, but my feed was shot. Crackles, tremolo'ed voices, messed-up visuals, and nigh on impossible to watch. So I didn't watch more than a few minutes.

Here's what I missed: Bucks rookie point man Ramon Sessions playing all 53 minutes of the overtime loss (can't remember the last time that happened, though it probably happened to Allen Iverson), and coming through with 25 points and 14 assists, with seven rebounds, three steals, and three turnovers. Ramon's stats in April read like this: 11.5 points per game, 11.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 turnovers and 1.5 steals in 38 minutes per game.

Chicago 107, Toronto 97�

Here's what Chicago's starting lineup should look like next year:

PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Thabo Sefolosha
SF: Luol Deng
PF: Tyrus Thomas
C: Joakim Noah

Bring Aaron Gray (19 points and 22 rebounds) and Ben Gordon off the bench, banish Larry Hughes (1-6 tonight, 38 percent shooting on the season) to the end of the pine, trade Andres Nocioni for a lower-rung draft pick and potential cap relief that can be spent on re-signing the parts to what could be a special, special team.

Find a coach. Find a real coach. Show the coach a tape of this game. Understand that Noah and Thomas are this team's two best passers, and run things through those two. Drink in the potential and watch as it works when you give players consistent minutes and roles they can count on. Watch 55 wins pile up.

(Drops mic.)

Houston 93, Los Angeles Clippers 75

The Rockets can play defense. Man, o', man can these guys play defense. Every bone in my body told me that this team - even taking into consideration the defensive gifts and presence of Tracy McGrady - wouldn't have a chance at the playoffs after Yao Ming went down. And yet, here they are. And while every bone in my body tells me they won't have a chance against Utah in the first round, why start doubting this bunch now?

As far as the Clippers go, I truly wish they had rolled the dice on any number of NBDL point guards before taking a flier on Smush Parker. Parker couldn't tell you the name of our current Vice President, he's no good for any team; and, if you want to bring in an older player to learn the plays, why not throw some well-earned cash at Randy Livingston?

Livingston, the 2016 NBA Coach of the Year, would at least bother to learn the plays.

Denver 120, Memphis 111

I took two things away from this meaningless game, and while it's just one man's voice (and what a voice it is!) I implore you to listen:

*Rudy Gay finished the game with just 12 points on 14 shots, with seven rebounds, six assists, and five turnovers. And yet, there were moments in this game where he showed the sort of ability that could result in an All-NBA appearance at some point. Whether it's with Marc Iavaroni or not, I tell you, I'm not concerned about that. This man needs to be a focal point.

*He sometimes shoots Denver into wins with his derring-do, he has skills, and he has All-Star potential (though he'll never sniff an appearance). I still wouldn't want J.R. Smith on my team. The sheer amount of plays he takes off on both ends more than mitigates the contributions that end up winning games.

I'm not saying coach George Karl doesn't need to find more minutes for Smith in the playoffs over Anthony Carter, that's not the issue. What needs to happen is for the Nugs to try and find a better solution besides a guy that is starting to make Ricky Davis look like Bobby Gross.

San Antonio 109, Utah 80

The Jazz don't match up well against San Antonio, but that doesn't do much for the shock that results from this one. Utah couldn't execute its offense (ranked second in the NBA with 115.8 points per 100 possessions), ended up with 89.9 points per 100 p's, and never had a chance against a Spurs team that took all those missed shots and turned them into run-outs and their best offensive game in weeks.

I really don't know what to take from it. Some things you can't explain away, beyond the obvious (the Spurs make life hellish for screen/roll devotees, Carlos Boozer is a bit undersized in the face of Timmy the D, Mehmet Okur is a bit frustrated by an Argentinean that deigns to follow him out to the three-point line), but you'd like to think talent would out at some point.

I thought that the Jazz would make a better showing in last year's Western Conference end-game, but they didn't, and they didn't have much luck tonight. The Jazz against the Spurs might be a lost cause. Bugger.

Phoenix 100, Portland 91

Twenty minutes, forty-six, for Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal. Combined. I'm happy about that.

I'm not happy about Grant Hill's groin strain, nobody's talking about it, and it looks to be the kind that could keep him out of the entire postseason run, even if it stretches into June. Let's just ignore it, for now. No room for drags.

Portland competed but couldn't keep the concentration once the Phoenix reserves hit the floor for good. Sean Marks will do that to a man. Nate McMillan's team is looking forward to 2008-09, and I can't blame them.

Seattle 126, Golden State 121

In 42 minutes over a SuperSonic win, Kevin Durant had the game we've been waiting for: 42 points on 25 shots, 13 rebounds, six assists, five turnovers, a steal, two blocks, stop writing out stats and take a walk around the block because I'm a little ticked - this game wasn't televised!

Couldn't tell you if Baron Davis was moping or mopping the floor with Luke Ridnour, couldn't tell you if Stephen Jackson had gone gunnin' for the man that stole his water, haven't a clue as to how rookie Jeff Green turned in 27 and ten boards.

But I don't have to worry about such things anymore. The playoffs, man, the playoffs are mere hours away.

I had a blast tending to these BtBs for the first time since the 2000-01 (!) season, and appreciated your views to no end. It gets better, I'll remind you, now that these things start to count, those heads get shaved, the sneakers run black, and the postseason commences.

Playoffs, man. Playoffs. It's a good time to be awake.

NBA TV Top 10: April 16
Watch the Top 10 plays from Wednesday night, including Ray Felton's tough, off-balance bank in the lane.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam, in his final Low Five of the year, gives you his First-Team All-Fantasy.

Donaghy's ex-classmate pleads guilty

2008-04-16T12:30:00.001-07:00

Donaghy's ex-classmate pleads guilty
A former classmate of disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy has pleaded guilty in connection with a betting scandal. Thomas Martino entered his plea Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court to conspiracy to defraud the NBA, and faces 12 to 18 months in prison when he is sentenced on July 11. His co-defendant, professional gambler James Battista, is due in court Monday. Martino told a judge he paid Donaghy for "good picks" on NBA games.

Power Rankings: Celtics, Lakers go 1-2
The Celtics are No. 1. The Lakers are No. 2. If John Galinsky's Power Rankings hold up, we'll be in for a renewal of a great rivalry.

Paul, Hornets win Southwest, seize No. 2 seed

Alston out at least a week with hamstring injury
Houston Rockets point guard Rafer Alston will miss at least a week with a strained right hamstring. The 6-foot-2 Alston suffered the injury in the Rockets' 111-94 loss to Denver on Sunday. He sat out Monday's loss in Utah. Alston underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday that revealed a moderate to severe strain. The Rockets said he would miss at least a week of playing time. Alston has started 74 of the Rockets' 81 games this season, averaging 13 points and five assists per game.

Block of the Night: Theo Ratliff

2008-04-16T00:00:00.001-07:00

Block of the Night: Theo Ratliff
Check out this block by Theo Ratliff as he throws away a shot from Minnesota's Chris Richard on Tuesday.

Game to pay attention to: Kings at Lakers

2008-04-15T18:30:00.001-07:00

Game to pay attention to: Kings at Lakers

The baby T-Wolves look to even the score against the Pistons' second unit. The mighty, mighty Bobcats travel north to face the intimidating Nets. The Magic meet the playoff-bound Hawks with absolutely nothing on the line!

How many days left in the regular season again?

Two?

Good.

Yes, as lame as tonight's NBA schedule looks, at least there's some playoff seeding to still be decided out West.

In Los Angeles, the Lakers can wrap up home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs with a win against the Kings.

Considering how kind the STAPLES Center celebrities and lighting has been to Lakers this season (29-11 at home), you can be sure Phil Jackson will look to play Kobe and the starters enough minutes to go after that slight advantage for the upcoming hellish playoffs.

Game time is a late one — 10:30 pm EST — so in the meantime make sure you swing by Forum Blue & Gold to read Kurt's excellent game preview. No one sets up a LAL game better than him.

Enjoy the action.

Sacramento Kings: 38-43, 93.2 possessions per game (8th in the NBA), 109.0 points scored per 100 possessions (13th in the NBA), 111.5 points allowed per 100 possessions (25th in the NBA).

Los Angeles Lakers: 56-25, 94.0 possessions per game (6th), 114.7 points scored per 100 possessions (3rd), 107.1 points allowed per 100 possessions (7th).

Create-a-caption: Nugget Man to the rescue!

"Faster than an Allen Iverson crossover, more powerful than a Kenyon Martin slam, and able to leap tall Marcus Cambys in a single bound ... it's ... it's ... Nugget Man!" But who or what is he coming to save? What powers does he possess? What's his kryptonite? So many questions, folks. Best answers win his tinfoil cape.

After the jump, Young Hov and Hakeem spit a few bars.

Winner, Mash:
[Jay-Z]
I'm wit my girl B and my boy Hakeem / We be watchin' these Nets, yeah, I own the team
We be conquerin the globe, from the Bay to Brussels, / Between these Nets and I, only one Carter hussles (not you Vince!)
Devin, he be aight, the rest are like a cursed itch / Yo Hakeem, unretire, and please replace Krstic
With some solid moves, like LeBron, we should win / So long as the second move, is these Nets to Brooklyn!

Runner-up, TC:
[Hakeem]
People call me Hakeem, and I got so much game / I had to add another letter to the front of my name
Why am I smilin'? Me and my boy Jay Z / After the game are going to go to Coldstone Creamery

[Jay-Z]
Its ya boy, with Beyonce sitting next to me / And some dude I never met who calls himself The Dream
He's been bugging me all game, and just to keep him quiet / I said we'd go to Coldstone, he doesnt know that I'm lying.

Engrave it: Who is the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year?

We continue engraving names into the NBA's end of the season hardware. Up next: the Defensive Player of the Year. Cast your vote below, but first a quick look at the top defensive stalwarts.

Shane Battier, Rockets. Key stats: 5.1 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 1.0 spg. Battier often matches up against one of the opposition's top scorers (Kobe, Melo, Speed Racer) and has built a strong reputation as an elite perimeter defender. He's got The Dream Shake's vote.

Bruce Bowen, Spurs. Key stats: 2.9 rpg, 0.7 spg, 0.3 bpg. At 36, Bowen is still one of best perimeter defenders in the NBA, with seven consecutive nominations for the NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams.

Marcus Camby, Nuggets. Key stats: 13.2 rpg, 3.6 bpg, 1.2 spg. The Camby Man once again leads the league in blocks, is second in defensive rebounds, and still swipes over a steal a game from the center position. Overall his numbers are better than last season's DPOY campaign.

Kevin Garnett, Celtics. Key stats: 9.3 rpg, 1.6 spg, 1.4 bpg. Boston leads the league in fewest points allowed, defensive efficiency, opposing field-goal percentage and creating turnovers. People want to give credit to Rondo and assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, but forget it: KG's the real reason for the C's 180. Look at this man!

Josh Smith, Hawks. Key stats: 8.3 rpg, 2.9 bpg, 1.5 spg. "The Human (Defensive) Highlight Film."

Honorable mentions: Ron Artest, Kings; Kobe Bryant, Lakers; Tim Duncan, Spurs; Dwight Howard, Magic; Chris Paul, Hornets; Tayshaun Prince, Pistons; Rasheed Wallace, Pistons.

[Note: There is a poll within this post, RSS readers. Please visit BDL to cast your vote.]

The Internets are alive: Sonics soap opera
The 'Save Our Sonics' dream will not die. Former Sonics owner Howard Schultz, who sold the team to Clay Bennett and his Oklahoma City investors, has hired a lawyer and is preparing to file a lawsuit against Bennett to rescind the July '06 sale. Here's what they're saying out in the ether about this latest legal development ...

SonicsCentral: "What I think we are really starting to get a sense of is something I have been saying for a while. People ask how I can be involved in such a David VS Goliath type battle but they never realize that OUR TEAM IS GOLIATH! The combined business power, consumer base and government influence of this region should not be intimidated. We’re coming at the league from all angles now and it feels very good. [...] In this case I think we'll also be able to see that his efforts will be compared and contrasted to other ownership efforts to get an arena. When this starts to vet publicly Clay's efforts are going to look pathetic. I think there is a strong possibility that this results in a deferral of the vote. It is getting somewhat out of control and that is a good thing."

Peter Nussbaum, Supersonicsoul: "I wish the rest of the country would have some inclination as to how unlikely it is that the Sonics will leave. I think the prevailing opinion is that the Sonics are as good as gone, when in reality they are quite unlikely to leave, for a variety of reasons. It's wonderful to see people such as Stern and Bennett have to lose in public, since it doesn't happen nearly enough to blowhards such as them."

Prof. Joel Ngugi, Enjoy The Enjoyment: "... it seems important that Howard used very specific legal language namely 'best efforts.' If this language was actually included in the contract, it imposes a very high burden on Bennett & Co. It not only obligates them to act diligently and cooperatively to accomplish the purpose of the contract, but an express 'best efforts' clause would impose a higher burden that rises to near fiduciary level of obligation. This would make it easier to prove a breach of 'good faith' efforts clause."

Jerry Brewer, Seattle Times: "Schultz's dire attempt to right his wrong is the longest of all shots. And though he probably won't admit it, he's motivated in part by a desire to suppress fan anger. If Seattle becomes an NBA ghost town, he doesn't want to walk around fearing for his coffee beans. Since selling the team in July 2006, Schultz has been able to avoid his great mistake without penalty. He could've continued to skirt the issue and lived on, guilty but wealthy. So his decision to litigate the Raiders — and consequently, put his basketball failures back in the limelight — shows both contrition and an honest admission that he was bamboozled."

Shoals, The Sporting Blog: "Howard is reviled in this city, and has largely avoided the entire fray up until now. When, out of nowhere, he emerges as maybe the best shot this city has at salvation. Really, this just means more court hi-jinx, but this new wrinkle has soap operatic potential. I'm actually almost back to thinking "damn, we really missed out by not seeing Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, and Kevin Durant together," which hasn't occurred to me in months. Thanks, Howie."

Memphis' Rose to leave early, enter NBA draft
Memphis freshman Derrick Rose announced on Tuesday that he would forgo his last three years of eligibility and enter the NBA draft.

Cavs clinch No. 4 spot in controversial fashion

The 'Year of the NBA Clock' continued in Philadelphia last night. With the Sixers back in the locker room playing Madden and eating oranges slices — convinced they had just beat Cleveland 90-89 — the NBA officials convened at the monitors to take a second look at the game's final play. After much deliberation, they decided Samuel Dalembert had fouled Devin Brown with 0.2 seconds left, thus awarding him two free throws. Here's the drama, via Odenized:

Adding insult to injury, the loss means that the Sixers will be the seventh seed in the playoffs and face the Conference Finals machine Pistons in the first round. The boys over at Passion and Pride are not impressed.

But hey, props to Brown for calmly sinking both of his free throws after the extended break in action. He should consider becoming an NFL placekicker.

Gonzaga's Pargo to enter draft, won't hire agent
Gonzaga junior Jeremy Pargo will declare for the NBA draft but not retain an agent, the school announced Tuesday night.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Haier Play of the Day: LeBron James

2008-04-15T03:15:00.001-07:00

Haier Play of the Day: LeBron James
Watch LeBron James speeds down the runway for an unforgettable takeoff.

NBA TV Fantasy: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam selects his Sixth Man of the Year. Is it Kyle Korver?

Supposed Sonics farewell turns into love-fest

2008-04-14T07:45:00.001-07:00

Supposed Sonics farewell turns into love-fest
For one, perhaps final, night, optimism trumped doom in Seattle. If this really was the last time the SuperSonics played in this city, nobody convinced the more than 15,000 fans who showed up to watch their beloved team rally to beat the Dallas Mavericks 99-95 on Sunday night. They chanted "Save our Sonics!" and had a far less gracious chant for Sonics owner Clay Bennett.

Sonics beat Mavs; last game in Seattle?

Assist of the Night: Derek Fisher
Check out Derek Fisher's eagle eye on the feed to Pau Gasol.

Warriors 122, Clippers 116 (F)

2008-04-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

Warriors 122, Clippers 116 (F)
Baron Davis had 25 points and nine assists as the Golden State Warriors claimed a 122-116 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.

Cavs struggle throughout, hang on to hold off Heat
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Celtics 99, Hawks 89 (F)
Boston's backups outplayed Atlanta's starters in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics beat the Hawks 99-89 victory on Saturday night.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

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Nets 111, Bucks 98 (F)
Richard Jefferson scored 24 points and Vince Carter added 21 as the New Jersey Nets beat Milwaukee 111-98 on Saturday night.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: April 12

2008-04-13T09:30:00.001-07:00

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: April 12
NBA TV's Rick Kamla recaps all of Saturday's action and provides commentary on how individual performances will impact your fantasy squads.

Blazers 108, Mavericks 105 (F)
Though out of the playoffs, the Trail Blazers are still pushing toward a goal to finish out the season: a winning record.

Coach of the Year Discussion
The TNT crew, featuring Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley, discuss who should be Coach of the Year.

Warriors 122, Clippers 116 (F)
Baron Davis had 25 points and nine assists as the Golden State Warriors claimed a 122-116 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.

Lakers win big game, but leave questions

2008-04-12T11:00:00.001-07:00

Lakers win big game, but leave questions
The Lakers beat the Hornets, sealing the Pacific in the process. Charley Rosen still found the flaws to question L.A.'s playoff future.

Are Nuggets capable of a first-round upset?
The Nuggets are probably playoff-bound after beating the Warriors. Charley Rosen examines their chances once they arrive.

Lakers hold off Hornets to tighten Western race

Bulls beat Cavs despite LeBron's 10-of-10 start

2008-04-11T20:45:00.001-07:00

Bulls beat Cavs despite LeBron's 10-of-10 start

Hawks close in on playoffs with sweep of Knicks

Still anyone's game out West
Are the Warriors out and the Nuggets in? It may look that way, but Mike Kahn expects it to come down to the last day of the season.

LIVE: Can Lakers whittle Hornets' lead in West?

Are Nuggets capable of a first-round upset?
The Nuggets are probably playoff-bound after beating the Warriors. Charley Rosen examines their chances once they arrive.

Rockets rout Suns in battle of West contenders

NBA season's most dubious distinctions
From Greg Oden's pick-up games to Donnie Walsh's move to Kobe's GM skills, Randy Hill mocks the NBA's dubious achievements.

Judge sides with Jordan in paternity case
A woman must abide by a previous restraining order to avoid contact with former NBA star Michael Jordan and stop using litigation regarding the order to claim he fathered her child. Crawford County Judge Gordon Miller issued the ruling Thursday in response to motions filed this month by Lisa Miceli, 35, of Meadville, Pa., who was acting as her own attorney. "This is not a paternity suit nor a (child) support action," Miller said in an eight-page opinion.

Are Nuggets capable of a first-round upset?

2008-04-11T02:45:00.001-07:00

Are Nuggets capable of a first-round upset?
The Nuggets are probably playoff-bound after beating the Warriors. Charley Rosen examines their chances once they arrive.

Lakers down short-handed Clippers

Shaq starting to fit in nicely in Phoenix

2008-04-10T17:00:00.001-07:00

Shaq starting to fit in nicely in Phoenix
As the Suns showed in pounding the Spurs, they've managed to integrate Shaq into their system. Charley Rosen stands corrected.

What a turnaround for Dirk, Mavs
Suddenly Dirk's a tough guy. J-Kidd has found the net. And the Mavs have the look of a spoiler. Mike Kahn can't believe the turnaround.

Shaq starting to fit in nicely in Phoenix

2008-04-10T00:30:00.001-07:00

Shaq starting to fit in nicely in Phoenix
As the Suns showed in pounding the Spurs, they've managed to integrate Shaq into their system. Charley Rosen stands corrected.

Report: UCLA's Love, Collison to enter NBA draft

2008-04-09T14:15:00.001-07:00

Report: UCLA's Love, Collison to enter NBA draft
UCLA's Kevin Love and Darren Collison will reportedly enter the NBA draft.

Amare takes over in Shaq's absence, Suns coast
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Haier Play of the Day: Danny Granger
Watch as Danny Granger meets Josh Childress at the summit for a wicked block on Tuesday night.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Rick Kamla gives you this season's All Over-Achiever fantasy team.

Rested Big 3, Celtics need overtime to clip Bucks
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

NBA Cares: Manu Visits E.T. Wrenn
The Spurs' Manu Ginobili visited the E.T. Wrenn school to give back to the local community and engage in learning activities with students.

Syracuse freshman Greene declares for NBA draft
Syracuse freshman forward Donte Greene has declared himself eligible for the NBA draft.

Warriors 140, Kings 132 (F)
Baron Davis had 33 points to keep the Warriors in the frantic Western Conference playoff race with their highest-scoring game of the season, a 140-132 victory over the Kings on Tuesday.

Steal of the Night: Kobe Bryant
Take a look as Sasha Vujacic pokes the ball out of the hands of Brandon Roy and into the grasp of Kobe Bryant, who breaks the other way for a powerful putdown Tuesday.

Warriors beat Kings in high-scoring affair

2008-04-09T02:45:00.001-07:00

Warriors beat Kings in high-scoring affair

Taking baby steps

2008-04-08T10:15:00.001-07:00

Taking baby steps
Even Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant weren't immediate stars, which is why Mike Kahn likes bumping the minimum age to 20.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five

2008-04-06T08:30:00.001-07:00

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Noah Coslov addresses some of the unknown players currently suited up for the Heat.

NBA TV Top 10: April 5
Check out the best highlights from Saturday's action, including ferocious slams by LeBron James and Andre Iguodala.

NBA TV Daily: April 6
Watch highlights from Saturday's six games, including the Celtics clinching the No. 1 seed in the East.

Dunk of the Night: Jamario Moon
Jamario Moon catches a lob pass from T.J. Ford and flushes home a backwards two-handed slam.

Haier Play of the Day: Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala glides to the rim on a fast break and flushes home a monster one-handed slam.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: April 5
NBA TV's Noah Coslov takes you through all the performances from Saturday that may impact your fantasy team.

Jazz snap Spurs' streak with 26-point rout

2008-04-05T07:30:00.001-07:00

Jazz snap Spurs' streak with 26-point rout
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Warriors within half-game of playoff spot in West
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Sixers secure 1st playoff spot in 3 years
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Paul's 33 help Hornets earn playoff berth
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Lakers clinch playoffs, keep Mavs in tenuous spot
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Suns crush Wolves, extend home win streak to 7
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Sixers secure 1st playoff spot in 3 years

2008-04-05T00:15:00.001-07:00

Sixers secure 1st playoff spot in 3 years
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Lakers clinch playoffs, keep Mavs in tenuous spot
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Suns crush Wolves, extend home win streak to 7
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Steal of the Night: Ron Artest

2008-04-04T09:15:00.001-07:00

Steal of the Night: Ron Artest
Watch Ron Artest make the strip on the opposite end and eventually dish it off to Spencer Hawes for the lay-in.

Dunk of the Night: Larry Hughes
Watch Larry Hughes leap over Anderson Varejao and drop the hammer slam off the miss by Andres Nocioini.

Top 5 of Inside #3: Charles Questions Dikembe's Age

2008-04-04T05:15:00.001-07:00

Top 5 of Inside #3: Charles Questions Dikembe's Age
TNT's Charles Barkley debates the age of Dikembe Mutombo and refuses to believe the actual number.

Rockets 95, Blazers 88 (F)
Tracy McGrady scored 26 of his 35 points in the second half, and the Rockets defeated the Blazers 95-88 Thursday night to snap a two-game skid.

T-Mac Pummels Portland
Tracy McGrady went off for a game-high 35 points, 26 of which came in a monster second half as the Rockets topped the Blazers.

Report: Larry Brown bored, wants to coach again

2008-04-03T18:45:00.001-07:00

Report: Larry Brown bored, wants to coach again
Larry Brown wants back in.

Air Force Academy to honor Spurs coach Popovich
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will receive the Air Force Academy's distinguished graduate award Friday.

Loyola Marymount hires Blazers assistant Bayno
Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Bill Bayno will be named Loyola Marymount's men's basketball coach at a news conference Friday, Bayno confirmed to ESPN.com.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

MSG releases plans for $500 million renovation
Madison Square Garden will widen hallways, raise ceilings and build bigger luxury boxes and more restaurants and bathrooms in a $500 million renovation of the nation's best-known sports arena. The renovations announced Thursday won't change the exterior of the drum-shaped arena built above Penn Station, although knocking down some walls on the inside would give patrons street views from concourses twice as large as before.

Nuggets' Martin suspended 1 game under foul rule
Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was suspended for one game without pay Thursday for exceeding the flagrant foul points total with five.

MSG's owner to proceed with renovation plans
The owner of Madison Square Garden plans to widen hallways, raise the ceilings and add restaurants and bigger luxury boxes to the nation's busiest sports arena in a $500 million renovation.

MSG's owner to proceed with renovation plans

2008-04-03T16:00:00.001-07:00

MSG's owner to proceed with renovation plans
The owner of Madison Square Garden plans to widen hallways, raise the ceilings and add restaurants and bigger luxury boxes to the nation's busiest sports arena in a $500 million renovation.

Hollinger: How will the West play out?
John Hollinger forecasts how the West's playoff seeds will shake out.

Celts tie best-ever turnaround with 60th win
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Dirk's surprise return highlights Mavs' rout
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Heat's Marion out final 7 games with foot injury
Miami Heat forward Shawn Marion will miss the final seven games of the season because of a left foot injury.

Loyola Marymount hires Blazers assistant Bayno
Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Bill Bayno will be named Loyola Marymount's men's basketball coach at a news conference Friday, Bayno confirmed to ESPN.com.

Gasol back, adds 10 points in win vs. Blazers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Assist of the Night: Vince Carter

2008-04-02T13:15:00.001-07:00

Assist of the Night: Vince Carter
Watch as Vince Carter delivers to Richard Jefferson who throws down the reverse alley-oop.

Jazz rout Wizards by 42 points

2008-04-01T11:00:00.001-07:00

Jazz rout Wizards by 42 points

Down 22, Suns rally to beat Nuggets by 15

Suns rally vs. Nuggets; pull even with Lakers
Phoenix rallied against Denver to tie the Lakers for the Pacific lead, while the Nuggets lost ground to the Mavs in the wild West.

Young Blazers are learning on the job
They are young and erratic. The Blazers also have lots of talent. Mike Kahn says their up-and-down week belies a bright future.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 2: Kevin Garnett's intensity vs. Squatch

Second round action of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament continues. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA, seeded them into four regions and created a Madness-like bracket. Today we'll unveil the final eight second-round match-ups. Voting will remain open until the end of Tuesday, EST.

Our final battle in the Lord Baron Region is a goody: No. 7 seed Kevin Garnett's intensity vs. No. 15 Squatch, the Sonics mascot. In the first round, KG stared a hole through S-Jax's chest tattoo, while Squatch decapitated Isiah Thomas somewhere in the Cascade Mountains. Another look at the nominees:

No. 7 Kevin Garnett's intensity: Kevin Garnett is an animal! (RAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWR!!!!!!!)

No. 15 Squatch: At every Sonics home game, Squatch uses his superiorly evolved skills to achieve dunks, jumps and other stunts far too dangerous for lesser primates. He also kicks ass on the drums.

So, what/who makes it through to the Sweet Sixteen? What do you love more? Hit the polls.

Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam second round match-ups.

Gordon called up to British hoops squad
Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon is the latest NBA player to be selected to the fledgling British basketball team that's trying to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. Gordon, who turns 25 on April 4, moved to the United States shortly after he was born in London. The former Connecticut star was drafted by the Bulls in the first round in 2004. He was one of two Bulls players to appear in all 82 games last season, averaging 21.4 points.

Mavericks hold off Clippers

Behind the boxscore, where the Nuggets can't be trusted
Phoenix 132, Denver 117�

Just an embarrassing display for Denver, turning in one of the best 24 minutes of defense we've seen all year in the first half (holding the Suns to 51 points in an incredibly fast-paced game), then deciding to give up defensively and play right into Phoenix's hands offensively in the second frame.

Yes, Denver gave up 132 points, but dig this: against the Suns, who couldn't guard your throw pillows, the Nugs scored just ten points over the last 7:22 of the game. That's including free throws and cheap baskets taken in once the starters leave the floor. That's pathetic. That's Denver. That could be a lottery team.

Even when the Nuggets were dominating in the first half, nasty signs abounded. Denver was reaching, sending the Suns to the line and playing as if they were up 15 with a minute to play. The result was a 33-36 mark from the line for the Suns, with Amare Stoudemire (brilliant, 41 points and 14 rebounds) leading the charge and destroying Kenyon Martin.

I've never seen an NBA team play good/bad defense like the Nuggets, be it within the same week, game, or quarter. This is an astonishingly weird basketball team. This is also a team that hosts the Suns tonight, and I'm quite interested to see what happens.

Also, Steve Nash? He's a [cuss-word]. 36 points, eight assists, cowlicks, and zero turnovers.

Toronto 104, Charlotte 100

Emeka Okafor may have had 18 and 14 for Charlotte, with four blocks, but it still kills me how this 25 year-old continues to bite on pedestrian pump-fakes, and it hurts to note that he still won't run hard in transition offense.

Chris Bosh (32 points, 13-16 from the line) was a beast in this one. Great win for the Raps, Sam Mitchell's crew could have let this slip away, but decided to hang around and pull away instead.

Indiana 105, Miami 85

Miami may have had a chance if Danny Granger (4-7 from long range) not gotten hot from behind the arc. It stinks to lose to a streak shooter, but that's how it flows when you stack the deck with NBDL call-ups and refuse to ring Rod Benson.

Jermaine O'Neal may have only pulled in two rebounds in almost 18 minutes, with nine points, but he was a defensive factor and had the highlight of the night with a strong block of a Kasib Powell try.

Atlanta 116, Memphis 99

Considering the team it was up against, Memphis probably turned in the worst three quarters of defensive basketball I've seen in a while. The Grizzlies gave up 103 points to a Hawk team that is no great shakes offensively - 19^th in offensive efficiency - while making the sort of mistakes (in the half-court, transition, wherever) that would make a broke-ass owner pine for Larry Brown.

26 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and ZERO turnovers for Josh Smith. Atlanta wants to be in the playoffs.

Utah 129, Washington 87

No Arenas, no Caron Butler, no Antonio Daniels ... the Wiz (on the second night of a back-to-back, on the road) didn't have a chance against a Jazz team that was ticked off and looking to make a statement.

Washington's defense stunk, but it wasn't due to a lack of effort. The Wizards may have made some dumb mistakes defensively in the first half (especially guarding the three-point line), but the Jazz were not to be denied on Monday night.

Wizards rookie Nick Young (18 points in less than 28 minutes) continues to play well, but the Jazz were moving the ball and finishing. 40 (40!) assists on 50 field goals for Utah in the win. Damn.

Dallas 93, Los Angeles Clippers 86

The Clippers nearly pulled this one out, they didn't get any calls, but they did force Dallas to sweat a bit and double-team rookie Al Thornton (26 points on 19 shots) at times.

Jason Kidd had his once-a-fortnight touch on, finishing with 27 points, and Josh Howard came through with a strong second half in the win.

Nash Leads the Charge

2008-04-01T07:15:00.001-07:00

Nash Leads the Charge
Check out this perfomance from Steve Nash as he drained eight treys and scored 36 to lead a 22-point comeback by the Suns on Monday.

O'Neal says he will play Monday night

2008-03-31T11:30:00.001-07:00

O'Neal says he will play Monday night
Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal says he will return to the court Monday night after sitting out more than two months with a bone bruise on his left knee. O'Neal is among the league's best interior defenders, and the Pacers could use him for the stretch run. They enter Monday's game against the Miami Heat three games behind Atlanta for the eighth and final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference with nine games left.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 2: Pistons' Zoo Crew vs. 'NBA super fan' Drew

Second round action of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. Today we'll unveil the first eight match-ups of the second round. Voting will remain open until late Tuesday night.

Up next in the Kobe Region ... not Kobe. Instead it's No. 8 seed Pistons' Zoo Crew vs. No. 16 seed 'NBA super fan' Drew. In the first round, the Zoo Crew made easy work of Agent Zero's blog, while Drew Cieszynski did the impossible, knocking off No. 1 seed Kobe Bryant. Yes, folks, we have our Cinderella! A second look at the nominees:

No. 8 Pistons' Zoo Crew: The stereotype of the Pistons as aging and slow couldn't be farther from the truth. Jason Maxiell (25-years-old) eats babies; Amir Johnson (20) makes t-shirts; and Jarvis Hayes (26), Rodney Stuckey (21) and Arron Afflalo (22) regularly change the game on both ends of the floor. The Zoo Crew is the future ... and the future is eyeing the Sweet Sixteen.

No. 16 NBA super fan: Drew Cieszynski, a regular dude from Milwaukee, is trying to visit all 30 NBA arenas while blogging about it. He's getting close. For more on Drew's incredible journey, check out his BDL interview.

So, who makes it through to the Sweet Sixteen? Zoo or Drew? Vote away.

Click here (and scroll down) to see and vote on all of the BDL Bedlam second round match-ups.

Young Blazers are learning on the job
They are young and erratic. The Blazers also have lots of talent. Mike Kahn says their up-and-down week belies a bright future.

Behind the boxscore, where Kobe is doing what he's s'posed to
Los Angeles Lakers 126, Washington 120 (OT)�

We'll have more on the Lakers later this week, but let's get this out now: don't listen to them.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that Kobe Bryant is shooting too much. Don't believe them when they tell you that this is the reason the Lakers are either losing, or struggling to win (at home) against a team like Washington.

Kobe Bryant is working on a team that cannot guard the perimeter even with a broomstick and Ming the Merciless' ring, and is missing its second and third-best players. If Tim Duncan put up a ton of shots in a game without Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, nobody would think twice. Don't think twice about Kobe's play without Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. It's alright.

It's pretty remarkable that these two teams put up 246 points in 53 minutes, and combined to turn it over only 15 times. Bryant managed 13 assists and just one cough-up, while Wizard Caron Butler notched a triple-double (17 points, 12 boards, 12 assists) and turned it over just three times.�

San Antonio 109, Houston 88

This one sounds about right. Years after his prime, Michael Finley is going to be the sort of turning point that San Antonio's season falls short on the basis of or rides on about, and the same could be said for Bruce Bowen and Ime Udoka. Tim, Manu, and Tony are going to show up, and you know that Michael, Bruce, and Ime are going to show up - but will they provide enough spacing? On Sunday, they did. Hence the win.

After Sunday? Who knows.

Tracy McGrady needed 22 shots to score 13 points. Yikes. Makin' his cousin proud.

Minnesota 110, Utah 103

Do the Jazz have some sort of block? Can they not win on the road? Is this worth paying attention to?

Stop it. It matters not where they play. What does count is the team's defense, which stunk for the first half of this season, got better, and stunk on Sunday. There's nothing in that that cannot be learned from, because a lot of things stunk on Sunday. Father O'Callaghan? I'm looking at you. Let's get it together.

Ryan Gomes (17 points in 34 minutes, four turnovers, four rebounds) is just a little ball of energy.

Atlanta 114, New York 109

If Marvin Williams (27 and 11) could play the Knicks once a week, he'd end up in the Hall of Fame. I'm not saying what Hall of Fame, but he'd end up in it. At the very least, should Isiah stick around, and when the team clears some cap space in 2019, Thomas will probably end up giving him $18 million a year.

Anyway, the Knicks aren't good at defense. That's what we're getting at.

New Orleans 118, Toronto 111

Here's the disconnect: a Western powerhouse waltzes into the office of an Eastern powerhouse, and is up by 22 points entering the third quarter. Nobody bats an eye. It just makes sense. The Hornets are brilliant. The offense has been getting better, all year, game by game. The defense has been strong from the beginning.

The "rhymes with stick" update? Sure. Let's do it. Starter T.J. Ford: 10 points on 10 shots, six assists, four turnovers, -18 overall. Jose Calderon? 10 points on eight shots, 11 assists, one turnover, +14 overall. Thanks for ruining the Raptors, Teej.

Cleveland 91, Philadelphia 88

We know that Cleveland coach Mike Brown hates offense, and appears to enjoy ruining the youth of the NBA's biggest and most prominent talent, but he's been recently afforded a favor that (we're guessing) Brown was unaware of:

Ben Wallace went back on the shelf with some back spasm-y issues. Yay. Cleveland only had to play 4-on-5 offense (with Andy Varejao) as opposed to the 3-on-5 we saw on Saturday night against Detroit.

Those Sixers, they try! Reggie Evans is in shape and Dre Miller has the right attitude and Andre Iguodala can jump real high. Nearly enough to beat Cleveland, I reckon. Nearly.

Boston 88, Miami 62

I understand that no Boston starter played more than 25 minutes, but couldn't the C's win by more than 26? It's the Heat, after all.

Is Boston slipping?

Sacramento 120, Seattle 107

This is important. This is why certain players win games. This is the difference between Dirk Nowitzki, and Ricky Davis. Ready?

Kevin Martin had 31 points on 19 shots, very good, and only turned the ball over once in almost 41 minutes of play. One time. That sort of stat is overlooked so much by your usual NBA scribes, and it's a bit scary. And it's not (completely) about the opposing defense. Just because Seattle can't guard anyone, it doesn't mean Martin can't throw the ball away or throw in a few charges.

Seattle rookie Kevin Durant had just two rebounds in 38 minutes, which is a little depressing, but he also scored 25 points on 18 shots and turned the ball over just one time. Still, I don't want to live in a world where it's OK for Kevin Durant to only pull in one double-double a year. Carmelo Anthony is not a role model. Sure, he got LaLa, and those things are nice, but ...

Well, I'm not sure what my point is, here. Just rebound a little more, please.

Golden State 114, Dallas 104

I love Golden State boxscores.

Usually, with most teams, when a bench player logs over 44 minutes, you can tell exactly who he'll take the minutes from. One of the starters will only play 11 minutes.

On Sunday, Kelenna Azubuike played 44:29, but no Warrior starter played less than 26 minutes. In fact, three of them played over 37 minutes. That means Azubuike took a turn at center, forward, and guard. Don Nelson is awesome. He's a nutter, and he thought that Chris Webber would help, but he's also awesome.

Dallas tried, which is a credit to Avery Johnson. Still, you're replacing Dirk Nowitzki with a guy (Malik Allen) who gave you four rebounds in almost 37 minutes. Nobody's going to win with that.

Monta Ellis makes me shudder. Such touch.

LeBron struggles as Pistons hold Cavs to 71 points

2008-03-29T21:00:00.001-07:00

LeBron struggles as Pistons hold Cavs to 71 points
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Suns beat Nets, force tie for first place in Pacific
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Lakers' Fisher to play through tendon tear in foot
Derek Fisher has a partial tear of a tendon in his right foot and the Los Angeles Lakers guard plans to play through it.

Blazers reprimand Oden for gym game
Injured center Greg Oden was reprimanded by the Portland Trail Blazers for playing in a pickup game at a neighborhood gym.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

2008-03-29T18:45:00.001-07:00

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

NBA TV: Weighing in on Hornets

2008-03-28T17:00:00.001-07:00

NBA TV: Weighing in on Hornets
NBA TV's Rick Kamla and Peter Vecsey analyze the Hornets and why they are currently the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.

Melo, A.I. lead Denver past Dirk-less Mavericks

Nene returns from cancer surgery, plays vs. Mavs
Nuggets forward Nene is planning to returning to action Thursday, more than two months after having surgery for testicular cancer.

Mavs facing a short road out of playoffs
They can't beat winning teams. They can't win on the road. Mike Kahn says these last two weeks look bad for Jason Kidd's Mavs.

Hobbled Webber retires

2008-03-27T04:30:00.001-07:00

Hobbled Webber retires
Time is up on Chris Webber's basketball career.

Rockets keep pace in West with win vs. Wolves
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Cold stretch kills Clips' rally, Spurs win 5th in row
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

West answers LeBron, sends Hornets by Cavs
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Kobe tossed, Cats roll
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Behind the boxscore, where Drew Gooden happens, slowly

2008-03-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

Behind the boxscore, where Drew Gooden happens, slowly
Chicago 103, Atlanta 94

The most intriguing game of a rather uninspiring Tuesday night lot, and it still wasn't enough to convince me (the pie-eyed red and black optimist) that Chicago has an outside chance at the playoffs.

Chicago did play well, and though his shots weren't falling in the fourth quarter, Kirk Hinrich finally grabbed his team by the blankety-blanks when it counted the most. That's a significant improvement for a player who has moped the year away and likely cost Chicago a playoff berth more than any other rotation player.

Newish Bull Drew Gooden had a 20 and 10 game by halftime, finishing with 31 and 16 (Al Horford worked hard against the Chicago veteran, but Gooden was on and the Hawk rookie didn't have a chance). He was brilliant, and active, and had the sort of game that sort of unfolds slowly before you. I'm not sloughing off his energy level, which was through the roof, but everything came very slowly and easily for Gooden on Tuesday.

Luol Deng was all over the place in the second half, Joakim Noah was a fixture both in the paint and on the perimeter watching Josh Smith, and Ben Gordon was solid off the bench with 16 points on eight shots.

The Bulls are two games behind the eighth place Hawks, but ... eh, I'm not feeling it.

San Antonio 107, Orlando 97

Orlando plays this sort of game against any other squad outside of the Lakers, and they win by 15 - even with Jameer Nelson (bruised jaw) and Hedo Turkoglu (sprained wrist) leaving the game for good in the first half.

The Magic worked its tail off, but San Antonio's ball movement was too good, Manu Ginobili was too potent offensively (he had the Magic scrambling all night), Tim Duncan was a game-changer defensively, and Michael Finley (24 points, most from the perimeter) had a game he's not likely to duplicate.

New Orleans 114, Indiana 106

Just as it was down in Orlando, the Indiana Pacers deserve credit for staying with an obviously superior Western team until the final buzzer, incessantly trying to make more than a close game of things.

The issue is, the Hornets are too good. Chris Paul (31 points and 14 assists with one turnover, geesh) and David West (35 and 16 rebounds) had an answer for every Pacer run, and Indiana couldn't make up for the fact that the Hornets (who don't usually get to the line much) nailed 30-39 free throws.

Utah 128, Charlotte 106

Call me a party pooper, but I do not like the fact that Utah - given new life with a Dirk Nowitzki ankle injury that could keep him out for the rest of the year (I don't care what Marc Stein says, this is a high ankle sprain, not a normal sprain) - allowed a crummy Bobcats team to make half its shots and score 106 points in spite of 19 turnovers on Tuesday night.

Offensively, the Jazz were brilliant: 53.6 percent shooting, 31 assists on 45 field goals, free balloons for the kids. It's that other end that continues to bug me. Also, in my day, those damned kids had to work for their damn balloons.

Portland 102, Washington 82

The Wizards, playing a million miles from home, getting out-rebounded by 19, and taking in a combined 9-33 shooting night from Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, were lucky not to lose by 47 in this one.

Martell Webster - 23 points on 14 shots - had the sort of game he's going to have for twice a month for the rest of his career.

Dirk Nowitzki with the play-by-play call

For years, I've told anyone who would listen -- mom, grandpa, the guy at the concierge desk -- that Dirk Nowitzki is, by far, the funniest player in the NBA. (Sorry, Shaq.) The video of Dirk squashing a bug at the '06 Finals is still comedy gold, as is the footage of him dancing to the Stones. You can just tell he's a naturally funny dude. The latest proof: Nowitzki, mic'd up with a faulty ear-piece, on the FSN play-by-play call:

Yes, he yelled "short bus" after Corey Maggette's missed jumper. Yes he did.

(via Odenized)

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: the Eddy Curry line vs. Zach Randolph, PG

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Up next in West Region: No. 7 seed the Eddy Curry line vs. No. 10 seed Zach Randolph, point guard. Is it possible to win a poll with negative votes? Let's find out! A closer look at the nominees:

No. 7 Eddy Curry line: Yahoo! Sports' own Matt Buser established the 'Eddy Curry line' a few years back to shine a big fat spotlight on how truly anemic Curry's overall fantasy line is. The standard: a player must average more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined and have appeared in at least half of his team's games and averaged 25 minutes of burn. Two of this year's leaders: Zach Randolph (ha!) and -- surprise, surprise -- Eddy Curry.

No. 10 Zach Randolph, point guard: Worst. Basketball possession. Ever.

So, who/what makes it through to the second round? Yes, you have to pick one of them. Vote or eat.

Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting is open till Sunday.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Hubie Brown vs. Craig Sager

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Our final battle in the difficult West Region: No. 2 seed Hubie Brown vs. No. 15 seed Craig Sager. Gimme me a mic check and take a closer look at the nominees:

No. 2 Hubie Brown: This is too easy, but ... You're Hubie Brown. You look scary in HD, but you're trying to win the Ball Don't Lie Bedlam tournament. You did some great coaching in the league, not to mention winning two Coach of the Year awards over 25 years apart. Now you've got the chance, thanks to your excellent work in the broadcast booth, to win this entire tournament. You know you're going to crush Sager because you've got nothing but upside.

No. 15 Craig Sager: In case you don't know, Sager works as a sideline reporter during TNT's Thursday night action. He wears hideous suits -- it's his shtick, you see! -- and is 6'4". (Seriously.) He also lays claim to fame for re-naming Yager-bomb shooters Sager-bombs.

So, who/what makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote or die.

Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.

Roy goes down but Blazers have enough vs. Wiz
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Adande: Webber's career full of promise and pain
How will Chris Webber be remembered? For his failures more than anything else, J.A. Adande writes.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Chris Bosh on YouTube vs. Ron Artest

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Our next West Region match-up: No. 6 seed used-car salesman Chris Bosh vs. No. 11 seed Ron Artest. Tip some cows, swallow your crazy pills and take a closer look at the nominees:

No. 6 Chris Bosh on YouTube: Chris Bosh has range. From a Texas used-car dealer trying to win your All-Star votes to Blane Harrington, an Oxford-educated scholar, "lonelyBosh15" has truly taken the YouTubes by storm this season. Remember, a vote for Bosh is a vote for Bubba.

No. 11 Ron Artest: OK, so maybe Ron-Ron's not as crazy as he used to be. (Or maybe we all just got crazier? Hmm. Think about it.) But at least he's still good for a quote or ten. Artest, via the Sac Bee, immediately after the trade deadline: "[The Kings] were trying to bargain shop," he said. "They were trying to get government cheese, and I'm Kraft." Brilliant.

So, who makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote or die.

Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.

The 10-man rotation, starring the All-Ugly-Shot team

2008-03-26T11:30:00.001-07:00

The 10-man rotation, starring the All-Ugly-Shot team

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: T. Jose Caldeford. Marcus Camby, Shawn Marion, Kevin Martin ... that's a pretty good All-Ugly-Shot team.
PF: YAYsports. Breaking news: LeBron James retires to become a lawyer.
SF: McSweeney's. Underwhelmingly titled hypothetical pro-sports video games from the early 1990s.
SG: SLAMonline. Memories of Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III. (The Jones reminisce too.)
PG: Garbage Time All-Stars. The Knicks, in comic form, always makes me giggle.
6th: Free Darko. Video of Chris Paul on the piano with some old cat from the Preservation Hall Band.
7th: Arizona Republic. Shaq is all set to become a volunteer with the Tempe Police Department.
8th: The Big Lead. Magic Johnson has never looked better.
9th: Epic Carnival. Kobe Bryant is more important than he is valuable.
10th: TalkHoops. Zach Harper: "If you don't shed a tear thinking about the love and joy that will pour out of Kevin Garnett's heart when he finally wins an NBA championship and hope that someday he gets that wish granted by the basketball gods, then maybe you don't deserve to celebrate this game."

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Mark Cuban vs. Phil Jackson's throne

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Our next West Region match-up: No. 3 seed Mark Cuban vs. No. 14 seed Phil Jackson's throne. A closer look at the nominees:

No. 3 Mark Cuban: I do worry about how I'll get Cuban his BDL Bedlam trophy if he wins this thing, but we'll just cross that bridge when we get there.

No. 14 Phil Jackson's throne: Ever wondered about that throne-like chair Phil Jackson sits on during games? Well, it's a LaunchPad -- the world's first pneumatic, height adjustable, folding chair. Jackson claims it's ergonomic design helps with his long legs, but he really just likes to tower over his players on the bench. It makes him feel like Gandalf. ("I am not a conjurer of cheap tricks, Sasha Vujacic!")

So, who/what makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote now.

Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Heat dance team vs. Kings' dance team

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Let's get this hump day started off right. Up next in the West Region: No. 8 seed Miami Heat dancers vs. No. 9 seed naughty Sacramento Kings' dancers. Something tells me this could be a popular poll. A closer look at the sexy nominees:

No. 8 Miami Heat dancers: It's not like you're reading any of these words, but I'm told that the Miami Heat dancers are currently defending their back-to-back championship (garter) belts in this year's NBA.com Dance Team Bracket. Back-to-back titles? Wow. They must be really good dancers!

No. 9 Sacramento Kings' dancers: Can you imagine the type of party the Kings' dance team will throw if they win this BDL Bedlam tournament? Because I can, and it's amazing.

So, what lovely ladies make it through to the second round? Who do you -- ahem -- love more? Vote away.

Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups.

Behind the boxscore, where Drew Gooden happens, slowly
Chicago 103, Atlanta 94

The most intriguing game of a rather uninspiring Tuesday night lot, and it still wasn't enough to convince me (the pie-eyed red and black optimist) that Chicago has an outside chance at the playoffs.

The Bulls are two games behind the eighth place Hawks, but ... eh, I'm not feeling it.

San Antonio 107, Orlando 97

New Orleans 114, Indiana 106

Utah 128, Charlotte 106

Martell Webster - 23 points on 14 shots - had the sort of game he's going to have for twice a month for the rest of his career.

NBA Power Rankings

2008-03-25T13:15:00.001-07:00

NBA Power Rankings
If you don't like John Galinsky's power rankings, don't worry. They'll change. For now, the Hornets are on top of a league in flux.

Walsh leaving Pacers; team denies Knicks report
Donnie Walsh answered one question: Yes, he's leaving the Indiana Pacers at the end of the season. Next question: Are the New York Knicks in his future? Walsh, the Pacers' CEO and president since 1988, said Monday he would step aside after this season, his 24th year, giving operation of the troubled franchise a single voice under Hall of Famer Larry Bird. Even before the announcement, however, there were media reports that he already has been talking with the Knicks. Late Monday night, ESPN.

Report: Sonics would leave name in Seattle
You can take the Sonics out of Seattle, but if you do, they won't be the Sonics anymore.

Walsh would be right at home in NY
It's clear to Mike Kahn that a New York homecoming is perfect for Donnie Walsh. Larry Bird's future, however, isn't nearly as clear.

Oklahoma Council approves potential lease for Sonics
Oklahoma City officials will try to convince NBA commissioner David Stern and representatives of four teams that the city is ready to permanently host a franchise. On Tuesday, City Council members unanimously approved a preliminary lease agreement with the Seattle SuperSonics, contingent on the team's proposed relocation.

Rockets 108, Kings 100 (F)

2008-03-25T09:30:00.001-07:00

Rockets 108, Kings 100 (F)
Rafer Alston scored 28 points as the Rockets beat the Kings 108-100, giving coach Rick Adelman his 800th career victory.

76ers 95, Celtics 90 (F)
Andre Iguodala scored 28 points as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 95-90.

Nets 106, Knicks 91 (F)
The Nets moved within one game of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 106-91 victory over the Knicks on Monday night.

Warriors 115, Lakers 111 (F)

2008-03-24T09:15:00.001-07:00

Warriors 115, Lakers 111 (F)
Stephen Jackson made two treys in final 40 seconds to send the Warriors to a 115-111 victory over the Lakers on Sunday.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam gives you tips on some players who can help you in the short term.

Steal of the Night: Kenyon Martin
K-Mart closed the store on Chris Bosh on Sunday, swiping this ball and limiting the Raps star to zero points in the fourth quarter.

Behind the boxscore, where flat feet happen

2008-03-24T07:15:00.001-07:00

Behind the boxscore, where flat feet happen
Golden State 115, Los Angeles Lakers 111

We've gone over this before: one of Stephen Jackson's most redeeming qualities is the fact that the Warrior wing is a flat-footed jump shooter.

So this means that, as tired as his legs might be toward the end of a game, his shot is going to be as accurate in a contest's final minutes as it was in the first quarter, because he doesn't rely on a spring in his step in his pull-up.

Of course, Jack (37 percent on the year) isn't really providing Jason Kapono-like accuracy, but he is good enough, and he is streaky enough to make things happen.

Against the Lakers on Sunday night, Jackson made things happen with 6-11 shooting from long range, keeping Los Angeles at bay while the other Warriors struggled to put points on the board. Relatively speaking.

Kobe Bryant was brilliant with 36 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists; and the Lakers did well to dominate Golden State on the glass (60-43), but sometimes these games are just going to happen.

San Antonio 88, Dallas 81

The Mavericks got a pretty good look at a not-so-pretty future when Dirk Nowitzki went down with a left leg injury during the third quarter of this one. The Spurs, who were at one time down 12 points in that quarter, rallied to pull out the seven-point win despite making just a third of its shots from the floor.

To paraphrase Nowitzki, well, obviously the bigger issue is the 2007 MVP's leg. Dallas owner Mark Cuban surreptitiously flashed a signal indicating "two weeks" following the game, but this was done pre-MRI, and it's hard to see this injury as just an ankle sprain. Then again, high ankle sprains aren't usually as - for lack of a better word - twisty as this one, so we might come out OK on this.

That said, this is the Western Conference and it is the spring of 2008, so the Mavs might be in the doo-doo even if Josh Howard and Jason Kidd really step up the production. Over the next two weeks alone the Mavs play the Warriors twice (Golden State is just a half-game in back of the Mavericks, in the eighth spot), the Lakers, the Clippers twice, and the Nuggets.

Between San Antonio's early-season injury plague, Kobe's pinkie, Bynum's knee, Shaq's everything, Yao's foot, and now Dirk's knee, it's been a pretty frightening time for those of dying for a Western Conference playoffs for the ages.

Denver 109, Toronto 100

Nuggets coach George Karl praised Kenyon Martin's defense on Chris Bosh in this one, which is fine, but he thankfully stopped short of praising his team's overall defense.

Fans tend to think of the Toronto Raptors as a run-and-gun team, and the Raps do gun, but they do it in a slow-down set. There were only 86 possessions in this one, and the Nuggets gave up 116.3 pro-rated points per 100 possessions. Pretty lousy.

Denver's offense was superb, the Nugs only turned the ball over seven times, and Allen Iverson scored 36 points on 16 shots.

Washington 95, Detroit 83

Detroit never really put the hammer down in Washington on Sunday night, the Wizards didn't really ease into the 12-point win, but it's safe to say the Pistons lost this one just as much as the Wizards (who, again, played hard and played well) won it.

Washington shot ridiculously well from the floor (52.8 percent), and Detroit was telling reporters after the game that they were trying out new and different offensive schemes. Great.

West's 37 help host Hornets overcome Celts

2008-03-23T15:30:00.001-07:00

West's 37 help host Hornets overcome Celts
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Nowitzki leaves with leg injury, Spurs top Mavs

Stoudemire, Suns hitting stride with 7th in row

Iguodala scores 19 in 2nd half to fuel 76ers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Bucks top Cavs, end six-game skid
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Stoudemire's touch carries Suns by Rockets
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Nuggets ride strong finish to top Raptors

Amare Dominates With Style

2008-03-23T01:30:00.001-07:00

Amare Dominates With Style
Amare Stoudemire posted 38 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Suns past the Rockets on Saturday.

Hornets 113, Celtics 106 (F)
David West scored 37 points and the Hornets overcame an early 15-point deficit to defeat the Celtics 113-106 on Saturday.

Assist of the Night: Earl Watson
Earl Watson delivers a dandy to Kevin Durant by dropping one off to the rookie between the legs.

Ernie Asks Charles Some Important Questions
Ernie Johnson poses some very intriguing questions to Charles Barkley about some very key players.

Lakers 130, Sonics 105 (F)

2008-03-22T20:00:00.001-07:00

Lakers 130, Sonics 105 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 23 points, seven of his teammates also scored in double digits, and the Lakers beat the SuperSonics 130-105 on Friday night, sending the SuperSonics to their 10th straight loss.

Dunk of the Night: LeBron James
Watch LeBron James throw down the hammer slam to tie Brad Daugherty for No. 1 on the Cavs' all-time scoring list.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: March 21
NBA TV's Mike Yam takes you through all the fantasy action from Wednesday's games.

Who Made You?: Shane Battier
Houston forward Shane Battier discusses his childhood and the roots of his basketball career.

Halftime Highlights: Knicks-T-Wolves
Halftime highlights from Minnesota

Halftime Highlights: Heat-Bobcats
Halftime highlights from Charlotte

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam gives you his top five former UCLA Bruins who could help your team down the stretch.

Who Made You?: Michael Redd
The Milwaukee Bucks' Michael Redd discusses the influences that helped him become a star.

Who Made You?: Carlos Boozer
Carlos Boozer discusses the influences that helped him go from Alaska to the NBA.

NBA TV Top 10: March 21
Check out the top plays from Friday's 10 games, including a sweet steal by Caron Butler and a miracle shot by Allen Iverson.

College basketball? I couldn't care less

2008-03-22T10:45:00.001-07:00

College basketball? I couldn't care less
Not everyone gets caught up in the madness of March. NBA analyst Charley Rosen explains why he doesn't watch college hoops.

Rockets get back on track, win in Golden State

TMRB: An interview with new Heat guard Blake Ahearn

2008-03-21T19:00:00.001-07:00

TMRB: An interview with new Heat guard Blake Ahearn

Today the very teammate I wrote about Wednesday, Blake Ahearn, was called up to the Miami Heat. He and I decided that the call-up was obviously a direct result of my blog which posted his stats. We also decided that Miami, having only scored 54 points the night before, might have just really needed a scorer.�

I decided to interview Blake quickly before he left for the sunshine state. Our topics included much of what I wrote about on Wednesday:

I wish him the best of luck.�

I also wanted to thank people for the Pistol Pete responses. Some of my favorites included "Pistol Pete could run a 3-man weave by himself," and "Pistol Pete ate white chocolate and pooped out Jason Williams." Those were pretty fantastic. I'm gonna have to get all these down and have a site that rivals Chuck Norris' fan site. �

That being said, I am a big time Pistol Pete fan. I think that some people thought that I thought that Pete was not legendary or deserving of a top 5 all-time college hoops rating. He definitely deserves all the credit he has been given. The true question I was asking, and I hope to get some more good responses, is do you think if he were playing today that he would average 44 points per game, and regardless, do you think he would be ranked in the top five of all-time after playing today’s game?�

Before you answer, consider these facts (yes, I know there was no three-point line when he played):�

Pete averaged 38 field goal attempts and 14 free throw attempts per game in college. It's safe to say that he shot over 40 shots per game if you say that two free throws is equal to another field goal attempt. In today’s game, where would a player, no matter how good, get up 40 shots per game? Am I saying it would make him any less great? No. But, it would be hard to imagine Coach K, heck, even Coach Steve Fischer, letting one guy take 80% of his teams shots today.��

If you look at the college scoring-average record holders, 7 of the top 10 played between 1964 and 1973 and none of the 10 played after 1973. Did players just decline in ability after 1973? I doubt it. I think it's a testament to the pace of play back then in general, thus leading to more points. If the pace is slower today, there will be less possessions, and thus less opportunity to score.�

Let's say he did play today, and because of the above factors, he averaged 31 points per game (which would be the highest total since 1973). He would undoubtedly be the best NCAA player, a top draft pick and have a legendary career, but I doubt that if they put out a "top college players of all-time" list next season, that he would be #5. Not because he doesn't deserve that ranking, but because I feel that those lists give bias to older players. Maybe it's because guys leave early for the NBA, who knows?��

I have to say some of you had some interesting points. I also must say that Blake pretty much laid all that out for me before I wrote my post. I'm not by any means saying that he wouldn't be every bit as great in today’s game, but greatness is different nowadays. After 1973, nobody has scored 31 points per game. Larry Bird certainly didn't and he is a legend too. White, black, it doesn't matter.��

I just think that eras are eras and guys can’t be put into a big list together. Pistol really is a top 5 player and maybe the #1 showman of all-time, not to mention a unbelievable shooter and ball-handling pioneer. Point is, I don't think you'd see 44 points out of him and his place on the list would be different if he played his freshman year at LSU in 2007-08.� Let me know what you think.

Rod Benson is a Cal grad who plays for the D-League's Dakota Wizards. He also blogs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Ball Don't Lie. Read his archive, pay a visit to TooMuchRodBenson.com and always support the Boom Tho movement.

The 10-man rotation, starring the 'NYC for LeBron' campaign

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: NYC for LeBron, via Dime. The official website of New York’s campaign to bring LeBron James to the Knicks.
PF: Jones on the NBA. Nate Jones recommends that Gilbert Arenas hire an agent.
SF: CelticsBlog. It's true. What is there left to say about this year's Celtics' regular season?
SG: Hardwood Paroxysm. Lance Allred to Blake Ahearn on Facebook: "My team is better than yours." (Ha!)
PG: Empty The Bench. Six interesting ideas to make the NBA even better.
6th: Blazers Blog. Talks about watching Greg Oden run the hills of Tigard with Nate McMillan.
7th: Half Court Heave. A look at the NBA's all-time best facial hair. (Brian Winters. Wow.)
8th: 3 Shades of Blue. What does the NBA consider "verbal abuse"?
9th: Sports Media Watch. TNT's Tuesday Rockets-Celtics game scored some pretty good ratings.
10th: Frye Blog. Channing Frye on the movie Be Kind Rewind: "They bamboozled me. I went in there thinking I was getting ready to laugh my socks off, and what did I get? A mushy chick flick."

(Note: I've got a train to catch, so that's going to be it for me today. Rod Benson should have his Friday Boom up shortly. Happy Easter, enjoy the Madness (both college and NBA), and I'll see you Monday.)

Behind the boxscore, where 'you still gotta guard us' happens
Los Angeles Lakers 106, Utah 95

There are a lot of things to worry about when it comes to the Dallas Mavericks, but this loss is not an example of such. Simple as that. There's so much that is simple about this game, while we're at it.

For weeks I was secretly harboring a wonder regarding exactly how the Lakers were going to guard the Utah Jazz. A suitable worry, actually, I just had the teams messed up: the Jazz didn't have a chance against Los Angeles' offense.

Not only was this score way the heck closer than the game actually was, it doesn't give credit enough to a Laker team that had no problem putting points on the board.

The ball moved, the team leaked out into transition if it meant a quick bucket, Kobe Bryant (27 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) was nearly unstoppable when it seemed like the Lakers were dying for a bucket, and it was a pretty devastating attack - even without considering the context of a missing Mssrs. Gasol and Bynum.

San Antonio 102, Chicago 80

The Bulls, as currently constructed (with no additions), can win a championship in 2010 or 2011. I belive that. If I'm wrong, slap me around in 2011.

On Thursday, they were horrible. Starting point man Kirk Hinrich was out, Ben Gordon decided to fill a whole batch of stereotypes (keep feelin' those small samples sizes, mugs), and the team was more or less outclassed.

Not sure if you've heard, but Tony Parker is quite good at hitting those damned glass-shots.

Boston 94, Dallas 90

There's so much to love about this game.

Boston and Dallas could have played for 42 quarters, branched out over two fortnights, and the resulting tally would have likely been a one or two-possession deficit.

It's the beauty of this game. Specifically, there's nothing to take from "this game," but "this game" was so much fun - each team worked like mad to stop the other from scoring in transition, it tried to cover shooters when possible, and no team involved in "this [sort of] game" should be frustrated by the final score.

Pundits can plead and pray for the Mavs to run with abandon and score in the open court; but Avery Johnson's Mavericks (and Avery, you know what's up: keep standing up to your boss, please) have never run, and they've never been more successful as a result.

Meanwhile, the Celtics (first in defensive efficiency) know a thing or two about stopping transition buckets. Boston was incredibly defensively. There's not a lot to point out beyond feet that moved, sound anticipation, and hard work; but that's enough.

Kobe Bryant is still poppin' his jersey

If you missed the first stop of the Kobe Bryant Poppin' tour, don't worry. "Kobe and the Lakers" had another gig in Salt Lake City last night, and our good friends at Odenized snuck a camera in to film the show.

Oof, there was a lot of hate in those pops. Kobe definitely remembered the Jazz fans booing Derek Fisher back in November.

Assist of the Night: Kobe Bryant

2008-03-21T11:00:00.001-07:00

Assist of the Night: Kobe Bryant
Watch as Kobe Bryant makes the steal and finds Lamar Odom with the lob for the fast break and Thursday's Assist of the Night.

Riley to miss Heat game to scout NCAA
Pat Riley is back on the scouting trail. The Miami Heat coach was studying players in the NCAA tournament on Friday and wasn't expected to be with the team for its game with the Washington Wizards. Assistant coach Ron Rothstein filled in when Riley missed a game against Orlando last week while on another scouting trip. Rothstein was handling the game-day coaching responsibilities on Friday, and was expected to stay in that role Saturday when the Heat visit Charlotte.

Inside the NBA Replay: March 20
Charles and Ernie recaps Thursday night's action, including the Lakers' snapping of Utah's 19-game home winning streak.

Top 5 of Inside #2: Who's the MVP?
Charles makes his pick for MVP.

Dunk of the Night: Kobe Bryant
Watch as Kobe Bryant drives the lane and brings it to the hole for Thursday's Dunk of the Night.

Steal of the Night: Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher picks off the pass on the fast break and send the other way to start a break for the Lakers.

Kobe helps Lakers halt Jazz home streak at 19

Best of Wireless: Thursday
Check out all the behind-the-scenes sights and sounds at the Celtics-Mavericks and Lakers-Jazz games.

Lakers 106, Jazz 95 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 27 points on Tuesday as the Lakers claimed a 106-95 road win over the Jazz.

Bell sprains ankle as Suns win 6th straight

2008-03-20T18:15:00.001-07:00

Bell sprains ankle as Suns win 6th straight
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Wife of disgraced NBA ref seeks restraining order
The estranged wife of disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy has asked a Florida judge to issue a restraining order against her husband, who is facing prison time next month for wagering on games he worked.

Harris out after 4 years as Bucks general manager
Larry Harris is out as general manager of the Bucks.

Sonics' Gelabale out for season with torn ACL
The Seattle SuperSonics have lost reserve swingman Mickael Gelabale for the remainder of the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Hornets roll, send Rockets to 2nd straight loss
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Celts face Mavs, go for 6-game Texas sweep
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Bulls PG Hinrich (sprained ankle) sits vs. Spurs
Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich sat out Thursday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs with a sprained right ankle.

Warriors crush Clips, move closer to playoffs
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Carter keeps Nets in East's playoff picture
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Haier Play of the Day: Carmelo Anthony

2008-03-20T05:15:00.001-07:00

Haier Play of the Day: Carmelo Anthony
Watch as Carmelo Anthony cocks it back and throws it down on the break over Andre Miller.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
Mike Yam gives you the top five fantasy performers from Memphis, in honor of their No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Dunk of the Night: Shawne Williams
Watch as Shawne Williams takes the pass on the break and leaps over a stationary Jared Dudley.

Steal of the Night: Chris Paul
Watch as Chris Paul sneaks up on Tracy McGrady and takes it the other way for the dunk.

Timberwolves 98, Grizzlies 94 (F)
The Minnesota Timberwolves erased a 16-point second-quarter deficit in a 98-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Warriors 116, Clippers 100 (F)
Stephen Jackson scored 29 points as the Golden State Warriors tightened their grip on a playoff berth with a 116-100 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

Iverson Returns to Philadelphia
Allen Iverson was warmly received in his first trip back to Philadelphia since being traded to Denver last season.

Suns 110, Sonics 98 (F)
Steve Nash scored 23 points, Amare Stoudemire dominated inside with 26 points and the Phoenix Suns overcame a season-high 27 turnovers to beat the Seattle SuperSonics 110-98 on Wednesday night.

Raptors 96, Heat 54 (F)
Andrea Bargnani and Anthony Parker each scored 14 points and the Toronto Raptors held Miami to the third-lowest point total in the shot-clock era, beating the Heat 96-54 on Wednesday night.

Lakers 102, Mavericks 100 (F)

2008-03-19T08:45:00.001-07:00

Lakers 102, Mavericks 100 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and Vladimir Radmanovic scored 10 of his 21 in the final quarter, giving the Los Angeles Lakers just enough to hold off the Dallas Mavericks, 102-100, Tuesday night.

Suns down Blazers for fifth in a row

2008-03-19T00:45:00.001-07:00

Suns down Blazers for fifth in a row

Celtics don't back down from Rockets' challenge
The Celtics ended the Rockets' 22-game win streak because they didn't back down from a challenge, Charley Rosen says.

Finally, former MVP Iverson comes back to Philadelphia

2008-03-18T17:45:00.001-07:00

Finally, former MVP Iverson comes back to Philadelphia
The 76ers are talkin' about Allen Iverson once more. Here he comes, 15 months after he was kicked out of Philadelphia over irreconcilable differences, A.I., The Answer, the MVP, the hip-hop hoops icon - call him what you want - is back in the city he once owned like few others ever have in its deep, rich sports history.

On the Mark: I'm sorry, Mrs. Alston. I was wrong
Playground legends can't lead teams to historic heights, right? Rafer Alston is proving the doubters — and Mark Kriegel — wrong.

Power rankings: Best to worst, 1-30
The Mavs are soaring, the Lakers are worrying and the Nuggets are scoring, but are any of them atop the Power Rankings?

Celts extend Spurs' skid

2008-03-17T23:15:00.001-07:00

Celts extend Spurs' skid
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3-point shooting lifts Magic to 5th straight win
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ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

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Jazz drill Raptors, tie team's best home win streak
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NBA TV News: Al Harrington Stresses Fitness

2008-03-17T18:00:00.001-07:00

NBA TV News: Al Harrington Stresses Fitness
Warriors forward Al Harrington recently appeared at a Hoops and Health clinic as part of the team's Get Fit initiative.

Dunk of the Night: J.R. Smith
If any single play can be carved out of Denver's 168-point night, J.R. Smith's jam plus-one is a sweet one.

Top 10 Plays of Rockets' Win Streak
Check out the top 10 plays from the Houston Rockets' 22-game win streak, including dazzling assists and defensive stops.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
Headed into the playoffs and looking for waiver-wire bargains? Look no further than Mike Yam's top five picks.

NBA TV Top 10: March 16
Check out Sunday's top plays, including K-Mart's rimrocking dunk on the Sonics and a sweet dish by T.J. Ford.

NBA TV News: Turkoglu Steps Up for Magic
Forward Hedo Turkoglu has taken his game to new heights this year for the Orlando Magic. Learn more about the transformation.

Inside This Week For Thursday, March 20
EJ, Kenny and Charles look ahead to Thursday's double-header, which will feature a Mavericks-Celtics match-up and a Lakers-Jazz pairing.

Suns are peeking through the clouds again

2008-03-17T17:00:00.001-07:00

Suns are peeking through the clouds again
Things were bleak in Phoenix after the Shaq trade, but then the Big Fella dove into the crowd and everything changed, says Mike Kahn.

Fight charges dropped for Pacers' Tinsley, Daniels
Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels avoided a trial Monday on charges stemming from a 2007 bar fight.

Prosecutors agreed to drop all charges if the players stay out of trouble for two years.

Power Rankings: Streaking Rockets stay on top
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

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Pacers Tinsley, Daniels avoid trial on charges
Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels avoided a trial Monday on charges stemming from a 2007 bar fight. Prosecutors agreed to drop all charges if the players stay out of trouble for two years. Tinsley faced a felony charge of intimidation, and misdemeanor counts of battery, disorderly conduct and intimidation in the fight at the 8 Seconds Saloon in February 2007. Daniels was charged with battery and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Riley returns to Heat after college scouting trip
The Pat Riley scouting tour is over, for now.

Arenas has MRI on knee, vows to be 'assist man'
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is increasing the intensity of his workouts in an attempt to return this season from knee surgery.

Five Star: Jason Maxiell

2008-03-16T16:45:00.001-07:00

Five Star: Jason Maxiell
Check out the rejection Jason Maxiell puts on Tyson Chandler -- even Darryl Dawkins would give this a 10.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Rick Kamla takes a look at the top five storylines of the season.

Dunk of the Night: Amare Stoudemire
Steve Nash sets up Amare Stoudemire with a perfect alley oop and STAT finishes with a ferocious slam.

Gasol (sprained ankle) to miss at least 3 games

2008-03-16T07:00:00.001-07:00

Gasol (sprained ankle) to miss at least 3 games
Even the Houston Rockets acknowledge they've had some good luck during their 21-game winning streak. They are getting more heading into their biggest regular-season game in years. Pau Gasol will sit out with a sprained left ankle when the Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday for first place in the Western Conference. Gasol was injured in Friday's loss to New Orleans and left the arena on crutches.

Rockets' Upcoming Schedule
NBA TV takes a sneak peak at the upcoming schedule for the Rockets.

Warriors 110, Grizzlies 107 (F)
Baron Davis scored all of his 19 points in the second half Saturday night, including a key jumper in the final minutes that helped the Warriors slog their way to their eighth win in 10 games, a 110-107 victory over the hapless Grizzlies.

Pistons are a force when Rasheed's clicking

2008-03-15T12:30:00.001-07:00

Pistons are a force when Rasheed's clicking
His defense makes the Pistons potent. But Charley Rosen says Detroit reaches a new level when Rasheed Wallace scores.

Dirk scores 21 as Mavs continue Eastern feast
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Iverson overcomes injury to lead Nuggets to win
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Williams, Jazz stop Celts' win streak at 10
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Wolves use balanced scoring to stop SuperSonics
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Pistons steal win from short-handed Spurs
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ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

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Stoudemire, Suns survive Davis' 38-point night

2008-03-14T01:00:00.001-07:00

Stoudemire, Suns survive Davis' 38-point night

'Tough Juice' boost: Butler leads Wiz to win

2008-03-14T00:15:00.001-07:00

'Tough Juice' boost: Butler leads Wiz to win
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Kings sink Blazers
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Celtics blast past Sonics for 10th straight win

2008-03-13T00:15:00.001-07:00

Celtics blast past Sonics for 10th straight win
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Jazz escape Bucks
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Nets weather LeBron's 42 points, end skid
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ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

2008-03-12T08:00:00.001-07:00

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Rajon Rondo gets his roller skate on

Yes, it lacks Baron Davis' killer wardrobe and the New Edition soundtrack. That vid will never be topped. But you've got to admit -- Rondo moves just as fluidly on the roller rink as he does on the court. Kid looks smooth out there. Real smooth.

Lakers regain top spot
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Behind the boxscore, where the Chicago Bulls could happen
Chicago 108, Utah 96

This is how the Chicago Bulls, with the right coaching, right effort on both ends and correct rotation choices, can play every night. Not with another lottery pick. Not with another trade. Not with a modest free agent signing. This roster, this group, this team, these sorts of results.

I'm convinced of it even after watching them get blown out, and I'm just as convinced of it (no more, I promise) after watching what was easily the team's most satisfying win in months.

Chicago closed out on the perimeter as best it could, made things distracting when Utah (42.7 percent from the field) tried to finish in the paint, caused heaps of turnovers (17), and generally kept focus (which is enough, sometimes, for this batch of mopers) on the offensive end.

Drew Gooden was active and inspired going up against the guy (Carlos Boozer) he had to replace in Cleveland back in 2004, and responded with a 24-point, 10-rebound, five-assist and three-block effort. Gooden, sans headband but plus a whole lotta beard, smacks of some crusty Bolshevik from the early 20^th Century, and that appeals to me for some reason.

Chicago's bench was great, with Tyrus Thomas providing energy, Ben Gordon nailing a series of second half shots, and Thabo Sefolosha (+17 in only 13 minutes; and I'll be going to that stat a lot today, because we had a few instances on Tuesday where the stat can be presented nearly without qualifiers) completely changed the tone of the game upon coming off the bench in the first quarter.

The Jazz have been hearing about the team's road woes for a while now, Utah is stuck at 14-20 (as compared with 28-3 in Salt Lake City), with three road games coming up. I have a feeling this loss will get their attention.

Washington 105, Milwaukee 97

A lot has been made about Milwaukee's pathetic commitment to the defensive end this year - and, well, a lot should be made about Milwaukee's pathetic commitment to the defensive end of things, because the Bucks are a solid 30^th in the NBA in defensive efficiency.

But the issues don't stop there. For a team featuring Michael Redd, Mo Williams (though not tonight), and a host of other strong offensive talents, there is no reason for the Bucks (20^th) to be as bad as they are offensively. You go down a box score like this, see that Andrew Bogut made half his shots on his way toward 23 points, see that Charlie Villanueva continued his potent streak (24 points), but it hardly tells the story: this team takes some horrible shots.

And not just your typical quick perimeter hits early in the shot clock. We're talking poor fundamentals, here: hooks and runners around the basket sent up without shoulders squared, without follow-throughs, and without a strong commitment (there's that word again) to the type of shot it should be.

Washington won this game by attacking early and keeping its wits about them when Milwaukee made a third quarter surge.

A quirk for the junkies: Antawn Jamison (eight turnovers) and Michael Redd (seven) were coughing the ball up all night. Quite the oddity, considering that Jamison was second in the NBA in turnover ratio last season (only letting loose in 6.2 percent of the possessions he used) among power forwards, and Redd has long been one of the more careful ball-handlers in the NBA.

Indiana 114, Seattle 107

Scads of offensive rebounds, a sound free throw advantage, and the continually satisfyingly strong play of Mike Dunleavy Jr. gave Indiana a much-needed win.

The Pacer small forward is averaging 18.3 points per game at this point, and while his 5.3 boards a night might seem a little slim, the Pacers are a good enough rebounding team (with essentially two rebounding specialists rounding out the frontcourt) to get away with it.

SuperSonics rookie Jeff Green (15 and five rebounds in 33 minutes) is looking more and more comfortable on the NBA level. He may have been a reach with the fifth selection in last year's Draft, but I don't think Seattle regrets the pick in the slightest.

Portland 103, Minnesota 96

The Trail Blazers are likely out of the playoff picture, but it's hard not to be swayed by this team's veteran-like savvy. The shots weren't falling tonight for Portland, but they stuck with the offense, made life hell for Al Jefferson in the first half (Jefferson rebounded to finish with 20 and 10), rarely turned the ball over (seven miscues, nice), and made a point to get to the line.

They also made a point to not bail the Timberwolves shooters out with freebies. Minnesota shot just nine free throws in the loss, making eight, and I'm hard pressed to recall a point that should have had the Wolves taking more (read: getting screwed on calls). The team is just too full of young slashers who still think they can make crazy shots (a lot of the time, they're right) without needing to absorb contact or get to the line occasionally.

For slashers Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, and Rashad McCants to play about a combined 90 minutes and not take a single free throw attempt? That's not going to work.

Phoenix 132, Memphis 111

You can't read too much into this: as much as the NBA fandom at large wants Phoenix to get back to its winning ways, the Grizzlies stink and most teams worth that day's per diem should be taking Memphis down by 20 points at a time

Phoenix does need to pay attention to this: Gordon Giricek scored 18 points in 30 minutes during the blowout, and missed his only three-point attempt. GG can stroke the three-pointer, sometimes, but he's more of a slasher and scorer than shooter. More of a solid scorer and sometimes-slasher than suspect-shooter, susceptible to sending too many 20-footers to the back of the rim, I'd say. Ten times fast.

If Phoenix can involve Gordon in its offense without asking him to stand in the corner and hit threes, they may have something here, as limiting Raja Bell's minutes (at 35 a game right now) wouldn't hurt. Bell had a great game with 20 points on 14 shots.

Los Angeles Lakers 117, Toronto 108

Yeah, it was Kobe Bryant Blog Day and all, but I'm not sure why Phil Jackson couldn't find more than 1:22's rest for his All-Star guard in this win. Then again, I've learned not to question the 11-time champion (nine as a coach, twice as a player) too much.

Kobe was great (34 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals), and the Laker offense was just brilliant in the win. The slower pace affected things, but the Lakers threw in a pro-rated 125.8 points per 100 possessions on Tuesday night, and that's a ton (Phoenix leads the NBA at 114.6 per 100).

The Lakers go for a few too many steal attempts, but it's a long season, and great teams can't help but test the limits a few times. Though Los Angeles has been pretty flighty on D over the last month, the focus and preparation that a seven-game series creates and demands should have things turned around a bit. In the meantime, enjoy one of the finer half-court offensive teams I've seen in years.

Behind the boxscore: Coby Karl and Luke Walton combined for just six points, five rebounds, four assists, and two block in their combined 24:45, but the impact these two had on the win was palpable in a way that went beyond they're modest stats.

Or was it? The pair's +16 mark in limited time looks like a stat, to me at least.

I might be way the hell off on this, but something seems up with T.J. Ford. He's obviously playing with a chip on his shoulder, for whatever reason, but the Raptors always seem to do poorly overall when he's out there nailing shots. Ford had 28 points on 23 shots and four assists in the loss, but his team was -6 overall with him out there. Not passing final judgment, just passing the observation along.

Suns share ball in 21-point rout of Grizzlies
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Suns share ball in 21-point rout of Grizzlies

2008-03-12T02:31:00.001-07:00

Suns share ball in 21-point rout of Grizzlies
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Lakers down Raptors to retake West lead

Lakers regain top spot
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Lakers take down Toronto
Kobe Bryant scored 34 points as the Lakers beat the visiting Raptors 117-108. Bryant talked about the victory with FSN after the game.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five

2008-03-11T18:15:00.001-07:00

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam takes a look back at some of the year's biggest fantasy disappointments.

New Television Agreement For Hornets
Cox Sports Television announces an agreement with Dish Network to have the satellite service televise Hornets games.

Wade Out For Season
The Heat announced that guard Dwyane Wade will undergo treatment on his left knee and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2007-08 season.

Bulls discipline Duhon over comments on benching
Add another item to the laundry list of issues the disappointing Chicago Bulls have had to face this season.

Warriors exercise Nelson's 2007-08 option

2008-03-11T16:15:00.001-07:00

Warriors exercise Nelson's 2007-08 option
The Golden State Warriors exercised the option Tuesday to keep coach Don Nelson under contract for the 2008-09 season. The two sides reworked Nelson's deal last September, giving the coach a raise in exchange for turning the third year of his contract into a team option. The Warriors (39-23) put together one of their best season on years, and the team decided to guarantee Nelson a reported $5.1 million for next season.

Time to write the Rockets back in
Mike Kahn thought they were a flash in the pan, but the Rockets proved him wrong. He's now rooting for this blue-collar bunch.

NBA Daily: March 10
Watch highlights from Monday's seven games including the Celtics' 50th win.

Heat shut down injured Wade for rest of season
Dwyane Wade needs time to heal, and the Miami Heat saw no reason to further postpone the inevitable.

Riley scouts college talent, may miss Heat games

2008-03-10T15:15:00.001-07:00

Riley scouts college talent, may miss Heat games
Pat Riley is scouting college talent and may miss some Heat games.

Timberwolves 99, Clippers 96 (F)
The Timberwolves overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Clippers 99-96 on Saturday.

Raptors top Sonics, win second game without Bosh

2008-03-10T06:30:00.001-07:00

Raptors top Sonics, win second game without Bosh

Young paces 76ers past Bucks

Riley starts college scouting tour with trip to Indiana
Pat Riley's search to bring young help to the Miami Heat is officially underway. Riley, the Heat coach and president, was in State College, Pa., on Sunday, watching Indiana freshman guard Eric Gordon play against Penn State. Gordon scored 26 points, but the 18th-ranked Hoosiers lost to the Nittany Lions, 68-64 in overtime. Riley is expected in Miami on Monday night when the Heat host the Los Angeles Clippers.

Suns down Spurs with passion, energy
With their backs to the wall, Shaq and the Suns out-hustled the defending champion Spurs and showed Charley Rosen they're not done.

Kings come through in clutch over Lakers

Team reports: Rockets moving up standings
The 18-game streak is impressive. But the bigger deal for the Rockets is they've played their way into third place in the West.

Sixers spank Bucks
Sixers PG Andre Miller has 16 points and nine assists as Philly won its 4th straight over Milwaukee, 119-97. Hear from Miller after the game.

Bulls waste chance against Pistons

Nuggets look good, but can they keep it up?
The Nuggets looked like contenders in their win over the Spurs. Charley Rosen takes at look at whether Denver has what it takes.

Team reports: Rockets moving up standings

2008-03-09T10:15:00.001-07:00

Team reports: Rockets moving up standings
The 18-game streak is impressive. But the bigger deal for the Rockets is they've played their way into third place in the West.

Spurs' streak ends at 11

2008-03-08T08:15:00.001-08:00

Spurs' streak ends at 11
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Paul alley-oops way to 16 assists against Nets
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ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Aldridge's 13-footer caps Blazers' comeback
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Boozer atones for slow start as Jazz halt Suns
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Wolves weather Kings' Martin for rare road victory
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Celtics win seventh straight
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Rockets make it 17 in a row by routing Mavs

2008-03-07T18:00:00.001-08:00

Rockets make it 17 in a row by routing Mavs

NBA Tipoff: New Orleans vs. Houston
The Rockets have won 17 in a row. Can the Hornets cool them off? Marques Johnson says Houston will be hard to stop.

Johnson suspended 1 game for flagrant foul
The NBA suspended Alexander Johnson of the Miami Heat for Friday's game against the Golden State Warriors because of a flagrant foul earlier in the week. Johnson committed a hard foul Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors' Andrea Bargnani, the 2006 No. 1 overall draft pick. Bargnani was driving the baseline, Johnson leaped in an effort to keep Bargnani from scoring, and the collision sent the Raptors' forward to the ground in a heap.

What a long, strange game this is
As the Heat and Hawks get ready for 51.9 seconds of insanity, Mike Kahn looks at how this situation keeps getting stranger.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich goes crazy, gets tossed

KD linked to this bad boy in Behind the Boxscore this morning, but it's worth a second look. Keep an eye on Spurs coach Gregg Popovich at the top of the screen. He loses his Shiraz immediately.

Couple this with Pop's Tuesday night outburst about the Spurs lack of focus, attention to detail and execution -- following their 10th freakin' win in a row! -- and it's easy to see why the Spurs are as successful as they are. Pop's ready for the playoffs and he's firing up the troops.

Hench's Hit List: Get over yourself, Riles
Hey, you made this mess, now suffer through it. Pat Riley lands on Kevin Hench's Hit List after saying he may skip upcoming games.

Behind the boxscore, where Chicago playing defense happens

Chicago 107, Cleveland 96

As bad as Chicago's been offensively this season, and they've been pretty lousy, it's the team's defense that has fallen farther in comparison to last year's 49-win team, which goes a long way toward explaining why the Bulls have to work so hard to get easy buckets.

The Bulls have dropped to 26^th in the NBA in offensive efficiency, down six spots from last season; but the drop from 1^st in defensive efficiency in 2006-07 to 8^th this season is why the team might miss the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

(Actually, it's the rotation choices cobbled together by the team's two head coaches that have really put the Bulls in the muck, but I think it's fair to say that we've gone over that quite a bit already.)

Thursday's win over the Cavaliers has to be encouraging. Cleveland still put up a respectable amount of points, but Chicago harassed the non-LeBron James Cavaliers into a poor shooting night (the interior triptych of Anderson Varejao, Ben Wallace, and Joe Smith combined to shoot 4-19 from the floor), and Chicago was able to run as a result. When the Bulls consistently don't have to try and score against a half-court defense, a win is usually in the offing.

That said, there's no reason why James should be as passive as he was in the second half. Yes, the man was less than a day removed from dropping 50 half a country away at Madison Square Garden, but that's all the more reason to set up camp in the low post, draw fouls, and win the game from the line. Without the benefit of college tutoring, James' footwork has always been lacking down low, but he needs to find ways to overcome fatigue and pull out a win.

(I just spent a paragraph complaining about a player who scored 39 points, while his teammates combined to shoot 35.1 percent from the floor. Only three games on Thursday night, so I'm left to nit-pick. It was kind of fun. While we're at it, what's the deal with the Beatles? Magical Mystery Tour? Where do they get off?)

Joakim Noah (13 points, 20 rebounds) was awesome, and Bulls coach Jim Boylan deserves credit for going with Ben Gordon late in the game. It seems ludicrous to give Boylan credit for making moves that seem obvious and needed, but he's also the guy who pulled a white-hot Tyrus Thomas from the game in the fourth quarter of Chicago's loss to the Cavs on Sunday, only to watch Cleveland finish the contest on what felt like a 49-2 run.

Houston 113, Dallas 98

It's a pretty simple concept that seems to consistently elude all 30 NBA teams, every year, and cost them anywhere between 10 and 73 losses a season: if you don't put forth effort, you're not going to pull out the win.

On Thursday night, Jason Terry appeared to be the only one who showed up for the Dallas Mavericks, and the result was (what should be) an embarrassing home loss to the Yao Ming-less Rockets. Terry (17 points on 15 shots) actually wasn't much of a factor in the second half as the Rockets tilted their defense in his direction, but his teammates weren't into picking up the slack, and the Mavs sunk lower in the Western Conference bracket as a result.

Josh Howard led Dallas with 21 points on 8-19 shooting, but he missed nine of his first 12 shots, and most of his points came with the game already in hand. Jason Kidd was pretty bleh with seven points, six rebounds, six assists, and four turnovers - and, you know what? There's no reason why a talent like Kidd shouldn't be trying to make a bigger impact on a game like this with Dirk Nowitzki out. There's no reason why he couldn't have turned up the heat defensively, and no reason why he couldn't have given the Mavs a better chance at a win.

Of course, Kidd probably feels that the Mavs could have beaten Houston had the Nets re-signed Kenyon Martin back in 2004. Can't possibly be J-Kidd's fault.�

San Antonio 108, Indiana 97

I was blacked out of another Indiana game. League Pass seems pretty arbitrary with the Pacer contests they choose to black out here in the plains, so I didn't get to see Coach Pop's meltdown until TNT deigned to show the highlights.

Off the boxscore, one thing that stood out was San Antonio's rebounding advantage: Los Spurs out-boarded the Pacers 47 to 35 (semi-shocking), but it also held rugged glassworkers Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster to only 12 combined rebounds in about 65 minutes of play. That's a pretty solid accomplishment.

By the way, Kenny Smith had it right: if you're going to wear "Los Spurs" uniforms, why not go all the way and wear "Los Est�mulos?"

Assist of the Night: Drew Gooden

2008-03-07T03:30:00.001-08:00

Assist of the Night: Drew Gooden
Drew Gooden finds Luol Deng in the lane for Thursday's Assist of the Night.

Turkoglu is focal point of Magic offense
As the Raptors learned Tuesday, Hedo Turkoglu does a little (make that a lot) of everything for the Magic, Charley Rosen says.

Dunk of the Night: Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady takes the lob from Rafer Alston for Thursday's Dunk of the Night.

McGrady, Rockets Extend the Streak
Tracy McGrady scored 31 points and dished out nine assists as the Rockets extended their season-best winning streak to 17 games.

Yao tells Chinese fans he's targeting Olympic return
Yao Ming's message to his Chinese fans was clear: He plans to play in the Beijing Olympics. In a letter published Friday in Chinese-language newspapers, the Houston Rockets star assured fans that his operation Monday to repair a stress fracture in his left foot was successful and he'll be fit to play in August despite missing the rest of the NBA season. "My injury has made many of you worried and you expressed your concern and sympathy in many ways," Yao wrote.

Spurs win 11th straight
San Antonio notched its 11th consecutive victory by cruising past the Pacers. Hear from newcomer, Kurt Thomas, after the 108-97 win.

Kirilenko still out for Jazz with hip injury

2008-03-06T16:45:00.001-08:00

Kirilenko still out for Jazz with hip injury
Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko will miss Friday's game at Phoenix and is doubtful for Saturday's home game against Denver. Kirilenko injured his right hip Monday when he was knocked down by Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, who was called for a flagrant foul on the play. The NBA suspended Nowitzki for one game Wednesday. Kirilenko did not travel with the Jazz to Phoenix on Thursday.

LeBron scores 50, dishes 10 assists vs. Knicks

Report: Microsoft CEO to make bid for Sonics
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is among the local investors involved in an effort to buy the Sonics and cover some of the cost of a $300 million KeyArena expansion to try to keep the team in Seattle, the Seattle Times reported Wednesday.

Celtics don't back down from Pistons
Physical play. Ferocious defense. Cool in the clutch. The Celtics beat the Pistons at their own game, Mike Kahn says.

In The Paint: Wild West
The Lakers and Spurs are gaining some separation from the Western pack. Marques Johnson isn't sure things will stay that way.

Butler plans to practice next week
Washington Wizards forward Caron Butler plans to be back at practice next week, but there is still no timetable for when he might be able to return to games after being sidelined by a hip injury. "I am trying to get back out there," the two-time All-Star said Thursday. "I am going to wait until next week to start participating in practices, and I am going to play it by ear. My body is going to determine whether I am able to play or not.

Celtics pummel Pistons, clinch playoff berth

Jazz 105, Timberwolves 76 (F)

2008-03-06T16:15:00.001-08:00

Jazz 105, Timberwolves 76 (F)
Deron Williams had 21 points and 11 assists and the Utah Jazz won their 17th straight home game, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-76 on Wednesday night.

Doug Collins Previews Thursday's TNT Games
TNT's Kevin Harland chats with Doug Collins about recent trades and tonight's action.

Nuggets 126, Suns 113 (F)
Carmelo Anthony crashed the boards as hard as he worked for open looks at the basket, grabbing 13 rebounds and scoring 30 points Wednesday night in the Denver Nuggets ' 126-113 win over the tired Phoenix Suns.

LeBron Puts On 50-Point Show at MSG
LeBron James put up 50 points in his Cavs' win over the Knicks on Wednesday. It was his second 50-point game of the season.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: March 5
NBA TV's Mike Yam takes you through all the fantasy action from Wednesday's games.

TNT Insider: The Future of the Clippers
David Aldridge says the Clippers' future may be tied to a buyout of Sam Cassell and the happiness of Elton Brand and David Falk.

NBA Daily: Mar. 5
Watch highlights from Wednesday's 12 games including LeBron's 50-point game in a win over the Knicks.

Assist of the Night: LeBron James
Watch as LeBron James threads the needle with the bounce pass to a cutting Anderson Varejao.

NBA TV Top 10: March 5
Check out the Top 10 plays from Wednesday, including a pair of thunderous dunks from rookies Julian Wright and Al Thornton.

Mavs' Nowitzki suspended 1 game for flagrant foul

2008-03-05T15:30:00.001-08:00

Mavs' Nowitzki suspended 1 game for flagrant foul
Dallas Mavericks' forward Dirk Nowitzki was suspended one game by the NBA for his flagrant foul on Utah's Andrei Kirilenko during Monday night's game in Salt Lake City.

Duncan, Spurs run by Nets for 10 wins in row
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Suns withstand Blazers' rally
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

The Birdman's back: Andersen returns to Hornets
The New Orleans Hornets formally welcomed back Chris "Birdman" Andersen on Wednesday after he spent more than two years sidelined because of a drug suspension.

Deron Drops 20 Dimes

2008-03-04T08:15:00.001-08:00

Deron Drops 20 Dimes
Deron Williams dished out a generous 20 assists in the Jazz's win over the Mavericks on Monday.

Steal of the Night: Jason Kidd
Watch as Jason Kidd strips Matt Harpring and dishes to Jason Terry for the jumper.

Sixers 106, Clippers 80 (F)
The Philadelphia 76ers avoided a letdown after their upset win at Phoenix by routing the Los Angeles Clippers 106-80 on Monday night.

Dunk of the Night: Tyson Chandler
Watch as Tyson Chandler catches the alley-oop and throws it down over two Knicks defenders.

Sixers showing signs of turnaround

2008-03-03T16:30:00.001-08:00

Sixers showing signs of turnaround
Allen Iverson is gone. So is Larry Brown (from the bench). Yet Mike Kahn says the new-look Sixers appear to have a bright future.

Report: Cassell likely to sign with Boston
The strong keep getting stronger in the Eastern Conference.

Baron can be a top PG — when he wants to be
Baron Davis can be an elite PG when he wants — ask the Blazers. Problem is, it's sporadic. Charley Rosen tries to solve the enigma.

Assist of the Night: Manu Ginobili

2008-03-02T00:30:00.001-08:00

Assist of the Night: Manu Ginobili
Manu Ginobili delivers a nifty slick bounce pass to Tim Duncan, who finishes with a layup.

Jazz 113, Grizzlies 92 (F)
Deron Williams had 19 assists and scored 13 points, and the Utah Jazz sent the Memphis Grizzlies to their eighth straight loss, 113-92 on Saturday night.

NBA TV Top 10: March 1
Check out the top 10 plays from Saturday's action, including a wicked block by Dwight Howard and a halfcourt shot by Andre Iguodala.

Block of the Night: Marcus Banks

2008-02-29T07:00:00.001-08:00

Block of the Night: Marcus Banks
Watch as Marcus Banks blocks Derek Fisher's shot for Thursday's Block of the Night.

Harris Shines in Debut
Devin Harris came off the bench for 21 points and five assists in his Nets' debut Thursday. Making New Jersey fans forget all about that other point guard.

Spurs 97, Mavericks 94 (F)
Tim Duncan scored 31 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Spurs past the Mavericks.

Lakers 106, Heat 88 (F)
Kobe Bryant tallied 21 points and eight assists to lead the Lakers in a route of the Heat on Thursday.

Nets 120, Bucks 106 (F)
Devin Harris scored 21 points off the bench to lead the Nets to a win over the Bucks in his debut.

Thursday's Wireless
TNT's Inside Trax takes you behind the scenes for the sights and sounds of the Dallas-San Antonio and Miami-Los Angeles games.

Top 5 of Inside #2: West playoff standings
Kenny and Charles talk about the Western Conference playoff teams.

Top 5 of Inside #4: Charles gets a new contract
Charles gets a new contract.

Assist of the Night: Devin Harris
Devin Harris serves up the lob for Vince Carter in Thursday's Assist of the Night.

Steal of the Night: Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd explodes to pick off the pass and drives coast-to-coast in Thursday's Steal of the Night.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

2008-02-29T04:16:00.001-08:00

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Photo fun: Jarrett Jack believes in his Blazers

2008-02-28T15:31:00.001-08:00

Photo fun: Jarrett Jack believes in his Blazers

Jarrett Jack: Sons of Portland! I am Jarrett Jack.

Steve Blake: But Jarrett Jack is over six feet tall!

Jarrett Jack: Yes, I've heard. 6'3". Scores points by the hundreds. And if HE were here, he'd consume the Clippers with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse.

[Blazers laugh]

Jarrett Jack: I AM Jarrett Jack! And I see a whole team of my Blazers, here, in defiance of the Western Conference powers. You've come to play as free men, and free men you are. But what will you do with that freedom? Will you make the playoffs?

James Jones: Against the Nuggets, Warriors and Rockets? No, we'll run, and we'll live.

Jarrett Jack: Aye, try and you may lose, run, and you'll live ... at least a while. And then dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell the West that they may take our rebounds, but they'll never take ... OUR PLAYOFFS!!!!!

[Blazers cheer]

Kobe Bryant's 'Way of the Intercepting Fist'

Not only will Kobe Bryant beat you down on the basketball court, he'll also kick your ass off of it. Yes, according to the embedded NBA correspondent, Elie Seckbach, Kobe trains in Bruce Lee's martial art, Jeet Kune Do -- literal translation, "way of the intercepting fist" -- in order to take his game to the next level.

Man, I can’t wait to watch Kobe do this to Raja Bell or Bruce Bowen in the playoffs.

(Hat-tip to Larry Brown Sports, Seattle PI)

'Genius' continues: Kobe Bryant as George Washington Carver

I realize this is the second Mamba video of the day, and that the official Kobe Bryant Blog Day isn’t scheduled until March, but ... well, I couldn’t resist. Kobe with a mustache makes me happy.

This is the fourth in a series of five "Genius" commercials. In Kobe's first three spots we've seen him personate Leonardo da Vinci, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Albert Einstein.

Any guess what final "genius" Kobe will play? Shakespeare? Darwin? Phil Jackson?

The Indiana Pacers are a public relations nightmare
Over the course of three months, the Pacers' PR team has had to deal with a point guard who dodges bullets ('Pacer's night out ends in shooting'); another guard was linked to a rape incident ('Sex assault reported at home of Pacers' Marquis Daniels'); and now, a forward who houses fugitives ('Cops nab murder suspect at home of Pacers' Williams').

And as SLAMonline points out, this junk all went down AFTER they got rid of "troublemakers" Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. Jeesh. How does Larry Bird even sleep at night?

So, I figured since the Pacers can't avoid making front-page news, I could just write a few of their headlines in advance. You know, save the newspaper editors the hassle. They'll probably be true by Monday morning, anyway.

* Eye disease linked to Pacers’ David Harrison
* Pacers’ Jermaine O’Neal kills 17,000
* Mexico says drug traffickers, Pacers’ Travis Diener behind bomb
* Pacers’ Jeff Foster indicted on animal cruelty, hamster fighting charges
* Earthquake: Pacers’ Mike Dunleavy Jr. could be to blame
* Caught pants-down in house's chimney, Pacers’ Troy Murphy claims he was stargazing
* Boomer arrested on sex charges
* Some scholars, reassessing Cold War, blame Pacers’ Danny Granger
* Enraged Pacers’ GM injures team with ax

Feel free to leave your inevitable Pacers' headlines below. Some of you are quite creative.

An awkward four minutes with Kyle Korver
KUTV news anchor Shauna Lake went one-on-one with Utah Jazz shooting guard Kyle Korver last week. It is without doubt one of the most awkward interviews I have ever seen. I loved it!

(Note: This is where I'd normally embed the video, but KUTV -- Utah's source for breaking news, weather and sports! -- has included some weird script code in the video that won't allow me to post it here. Computers, man. I give ‘em three more years. Tops. Anyway, click here to watch the interview.)

Lake grills Korver on anything and everything. She asks him about moving to Salt Lake City, his religious ties, his favorite music (Linkin Park, Pearl Jam, Incubus), his three brothers, and whether he's comfortable being considered a sex symbol. (Nope.) Korver clutches a pillow to his chest throughtout the interview.

And then Lake's four-year-old son shows up to hand Korver a squished peanut butter and jelly sandwich from her purse. Seriously. It's wild.

Just watch it, if only for the ridiculously awkward banter between Lake and another host before and after the interview. Cable television is the best.

(Thanks to the My Utah Jazz blog for the tip.)

Behind the boxscore, where the Jazz have the Pistons' number
~~Detroit~~ Utah 103, ~~Utah~~ Detroit 95�

The best game of the night. Detroit's first half defense was outstanding, scoring 53 points in Utah in a low-possession game is pretty impressive, but holding the Jazz to 42 points was quite the accomplishment.

Utah made what had to be termed an "expected" second-half run, and it was a little disappointing to see the Pistons unable to at least come close to matching Utah's energy solutions (not sure where that phrase popped up, because it's not as if ad execs can get to me, by Mennen). The Jazz turned up the heat defensively, and got out in the fast break for easy scores as the Pistons weren't talking in transition.�

Deron Williams was nice, finding teammates on the baseline for quick scores, while matching and eventually exceeding Chauncey Billups' physical play. He didn't shoot well, 4-12 from the floor, but managed 14 assists to two turnovers. Rasheed Wallace had a crummy shooting game until the fourth quarter, but his half-court defense in the first half was huge. In the second, however, he and Antonio McDyess and Jason Maxiell were left pointing at the Jazz wing or big that had beaten one of them down court for the flush.�

Paul Millsap, of all people, was the go-to guy for the Jazz down stretch, scoring 16 points in a 13-minute run on a series of post-ups, jumpers (!), trips to the line, and dunks off of Williams feeds. 19 points in 20 minutes total for Millsap, while Mehmet Okur (in his favorite little spot on the left elbow extended) took over offensively in the final minutes.

36 fourth quarter points for the Jazz. Against the Pistons. Against an interested Pistons team. Nice. �

On another front: look at Carlos Boozer. How does that shot even make it to the rim?

Toronto 107, Minnesota 85

I'm not going to say that Minnesota had a chance to win this one, but they did kind of give up on this game in the second quarter. The Wolves just kept fouling people, reaching, giving up on plays, refusing to move its feet, and sending a Raptors team full of jump shooters to the line.�

Toronto's 107 points may seem like a solid amount, but in a low-possession (85 of ‘em) game, this was a bit of a scoring spree. The Raptors threw in a pro-rated 125.9 points per hundred possessions; and, for comparison's sake, the Phoenix Suns have the best mark in the league with 114.9 points per hundred possessions.

Chris Bosh was great (28 points on 17 shots), while the Toronto point guard tandem of Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford combined for 22 points, ten assists, and one (!) turnover in 48 minutes. Rashad McCants led the Timberwolves with four fouls.�

Philadelphia 101, Orlando 89

As you read this, the Orlando Magic (after having probably spent the night in Philadelphia, and with two days off before playing New York at MSG) are either flying back to Florida, already ensconced at home in Florida, or on its way toward NYC. I'm not sure of the team's travel plans. I called up LaGuardia last night to ask if they'd been, and I quote, "Redick'ed yet?", but nobody wanted to take me seriously. Their loss. �

No, your loss. Because I'm in it to inform you, the reader.

Either way, wherever the team is, you can be sure coach Stan Van Gundy is muttering. �

The Magic came out completely unprepared to compete against a 76ers team that they clearly thought was beneath them, and allowed the Sixer shooters to throw in 33 first quarter points. By the time Orlando started caring defensively, the shots stopped falling. Orlando was +7 in the second half, but all that did was make this blowout appear closer than it was. �

Atlanta 123, Sacramento 117

This game should have been alot more entertaining, it was a pretty cool run, but both these teams have tons of holes, so it wasn't the best 48-minutes of basketball you've ever seen.

Unsurprisingly, Mike Bibby had his best game as a Hawk against the Kings. He better have: you play with a team for almost six and a half years, get traded, and then play your former team twice in a week? Better bring it, yo. 24 points on just 13 shots, five rebounds, 12 assists to just one turnover for Bibby. �

Josh Childress was the man in the second half for Atlanta, he had 25 off the bench on just ten shots. Some team is going to steal him from the Hawks this summer, pundits will claim that the team overpaid, and they'll be way the hell off. This guy is a stud.

Sacramento got its house in order once they stopped turning the ball over, and the team at least knows what to do defensively (in that empty Atlanta gym, each of Reggie Theus' defensive instructions could be heard bouncing off the walls), but the Kings need to keep it together for 48 minutes just to compete against more talented teams. They haven't been up to that task, recently.�

Also, a hint: every few weeks, until something pops up, keep entering "Reggie Theus hunting" into the search bar over at YouTube. Trust me.

Boston 92, Cleveland 87

I've got 30 teams to watch, and yet it felt as if the Celtics were playing their first game at home since Boxing Day. It's only been two weeks since the team's last homer, so I can't imagine what it's felt like for Boston fans.�

The Celtics did well not to overplay defensively, Delonte West snuck in some baskets in half-court and transition, but LeBron James missed 17 of 24 shots, and only managed 26 total points in spite of taking in 15 free throws. �

Wally Szczerbiak (3-13 on Wednesday, 12-41 as a Cav, 29.3 percent) continues to throw up bricks from the baseline, and Ben "we need someone to guard KG" Wallace didn't really seem to matter as Garnett went for 18 points on 14 shots in 33 minutes, with 11 rebounds, five assists, four steals, and one turnover. �

New York 113, Charlotte 89

Any Knick win, even a blowout win, fails to surprise me: this team has a ton of talent. And I don't mean, "Eddy Curry's gonna rise up!"-talent. I mean actually efficient, aggressive talent that should result in more wins. �

David Lee, Jamal Crawford (when penetrating), Nate Robinson, Fred Jones (!); even Quentin Richardson, when his shot is on, gives the team a version of whatever the hell they thought Jared Jeffries was going to be for them. These guys can play. Too bad Isiah Thomas can't coach.

David Lee (four points, 14 rebounds, three assists, no turnovers, two steals, one block in 21 minutes) was a ridiculous +37 on the night. Charlotte lost Jason Richardson in the second quarter after the high-flying wing was smacked in the eye.�

New Orleans 120, Phoenix 103

The Hornets don't like to run much, so 120 points for them is something like 130 points for the Warriors and Suns, but this accomplishment is sort of mitigated by the fact that the Phoenix Suns don't play defense anymore.�

They used to, whether people want to believe it or not. Phoenix was consistently smack dab in the middle of the points allowed per possession stats. The Suns weren't a good defensive team, but they were mediocre; and, when matched with an offense that no team could touch, this was enough to build a championship contender.

Now they're lousy: still stuck at 15^th in the NBA at defensive efficiency, but bound to head down after this one. Anyone who wants to pile dirt on the Suns is a fool, I believe, because we have to wait until May to make the final call. That said, things aren't really working out so far. �

Chris Paul (25 points, 15 assists, six rebounds, three steals, just one turnover) is awesome, David West (27 points) was potent, and Jannero Pargo (22 points in about 23 seconds) had one of those Jannero Pargo-type games he seems to have every two weeks.�

Denver 138, Seattle 96

Denver shot 67 percent in this game. This pro basketball game, against an NBA team. They shot 67 percent.�

A pretty ridiculous outing, even when the team was averaging two makes for every three tries, it never felt as if Denver was on fire. You didn't get the feeling that they could make a 23-footer with one eye shut; and, then again, it didn't seem as if Seattle (pathetic as it was defensively) was just handing the Nuggets lay-ups.

Denver just ran its offense, moved the ball (35 assists), and got into the lane long enough for a batch of unknowing SuperSonic youngsters to collapse in a heap. Look at this boxscore: rookie Taurean Green and Linas Kleiza tied for the worst shooting percentage on the Nuggets, and they made half their shots.

Portland 82, Los Angeles Clippers 80

Credit the Clippers for getting back into this one, because the first half of this game was some of the worst offensive basketball I've seen in a while (29 points for L.A.), and I'm a few days removed from watching the Spurs "drop" five points in a quarter.

Portland needed a good scoring game from Jarrett Jack (21 points on 13 shots) to "hold on," because Steve Blake (zero points in almost 19 minutes) was giving them nothing. Also, someone needs to tell LaMarcus Aldridge (nine points on nine shots, six rebounds in almost 33 minutes) that he "needs to stop doing that."

Chicago 113, Indiana 107

The thing about Indiana's drive-and-kick offense is that, eventually, the drivers won't want to drive anymore, and the kick will end up in the hands of a shooter who rarely has the legs or accuracy to squirrel away a win based off of 25-footers alone.

Chicago hung in there, benched its mopey Iowan in the third quarter, held on to the ball, and dominated the paint offensively. Forwards Drew Gooden and Tyrus Thomas combined for a great game; and while newcomer Larry Hughes hit for 29 points on 19 shots, I'm not going to read too much into it because the overwhelming bulk of his attempts were pretty lousy shots, and he seemed lucky to hit a third of them.

Andres Nocioni was Chicago's go-to guy as they pulled away in the fourth, and Joakim Noah righted his own personal ship with 11 points, seven boards, two steals and a block in 26 minutes.

The 10-man rotation, starring the CEO who beat Michael Jordan

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: FanNation. Apparently, CEO John Rogers Jr. once beat a post-Wiz era Jordan in a game of one-on-one.
PF: The Onion, via YAY. Gerald Green's cupcake has been inducted into the Cupcake Hall of Fame.
SF: KnickerBlogger. They don't call Knicks forward David Lee "Mr. Good Things" for nothing.
SG: Mavs Moneyball. An early look at the impact of Shaquille O'neal and Jason Kidd.
PG: Los Angeles Times. Is the Lakers’ bench the best in the West?
6th: Odenized. Quentin Richardson. Words. Short.
7th: Dallas Morning News. Uh-oh. Kidd’s on the cover of this week's SI. Better stretch those hamstrings, Jason.
8th: The Blowtorch. Oh where, oh where has the Suns' three-point shooting gone?
9th: Detroit Bad Boys. Live near Detroit? Then get your 2nd annual Need4Sheed/DBB Blogfest game tickets.
10th: X's & O's. "If the Suns have any hope to win in the playoffs then Steve Nash is going to have to pick up his defense."

Paul, Hornets end slump

2008-02-28T01:00:00.001-08:00

Paul, Hornets end slump
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

Jack jumps in, helps Blazers end slump vs. Clips
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Iverson, hot-shooting Nuggets burn listless Sonics
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Rockets 94, Wizards 69 (F)

2008-02-27T10:45:00.001-08:00

Rockets 94, Wizards 69 (F)
In their first game without Yao Ming, Luther Head had 18 points to lead the Rockets to a win over the Wizards on Tuesday for their 13th straight victory.

Block of the Night: Tracy McGrady
With Yao Ming out for the season, Tracy McGrady does his best to fill in on the inside by coming up with a wicked block on Brendan Haywood on Tuesday night.

Steal of the Night: Baron Davis
Watch as Baron Davis picks off an inbounds pass from the Sonics and takes it the other way to set up Monta Ellis with a sweet alley-oop pass on Tuesday.

Lakers 96, Blazers 83 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 11 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and the Lakers beat the Blazers on Tuesday night for their ninth straight victory.

Suns 127, Grizzlies 113 (F)
Steve Nash had 25 points and 13 assists and Shaquille O'Neal added 13 points and 11 boards to lead Suns to a win over the Grizzlies on Tuesday night.

Warriors 105, Sonics 99 (F)
Monta Ellis scored 30 points, Austin Croshere added 14 in the third quarter without missing a shot, and the Warriors beat the SuperSonics on Tuesday night.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Feb. 26
NBA TV's Rick Kamla takes you through all the fantasy action from Tuesday's games.

Dunk of the Night: Ronny Turiaf
Ronny Turiaf takes a dish from Kobe Bryant and finishes with a two-handed throwdown for the hoop and the harm on Tuesday.

Kobe Leads Lakers' Charge
Watch as Kobe Bryant scored 21 of his game-high 30 points in the second half -- including 11 in the fourth quarter -- to help the Lakers beat the Blazers and notch their ninth straight win Tuesday.

Redd's 3 beats buzzer, spoils LeBron's night

2008-02-27T10:30:00.001-08:00

Redd's 3 beats buzzer, spoils LeBron's night

Ginobili makes the Spurs go
You need to look beyond the box score — and Manu Ginobili's career-best stats — to see what he means to the Spurs, Mike Kahn says.

Congress raises possibility of drug sports law
Once again, professional sports and their leaders were hauled up to Capitol Hill on Wednesday by lawmakers who say they might try once again to legislate drug-testing policies for U.S. leagues. Facing a House subcommittee that also held hearings on steroids in 2005, commissioners sat side-by-side with their sport's union chief: Bud Selig was inches away from Donald Fehr; the NBA's David Stern was next to Billy Hunter.

Dunk of the Night: Josh Powell

2008-02-26T16:00:00.001-08:00

Dunk of the Night: Josh Powell
Watch as Josh Powell takes the pass and throws it down despite Leon Powe's protest.

TNT Insider: Trade Deadline Deals
David Aldridge and the TNT crew evaluate the deals that took place at the NBA trade deadline.

NBA Life: Baron Davis
Warriors guard Baron Davis talks about the Boom Dizzle Book Club he created with his teammates.

Block of the Night: Kenyon Martin
Watch as Kenyon Martin flies to the ball and swats Jarvis Hayes.

Steal of the Night: Thabo Sefolosha
Watch as Thabo Sefolosha intercepts the pass and kicks it out to Andres Nocioni for three.

All-Access: Sprite Slam Dunk Contest
Behind the scenes with some of the sights and sounds you didn't see in the broadcast.

NBA TV Top 10: Feb. 25
Watch the Top 10 plays from Monday, including Troy Murphy's baseline drive and reverse dunk.

DeShawn Hits Game-Winner to Cap Career Day
DeShawn Stevenson capped a career-best 33-point performance with a game-winning three at the buzzer on Monday night.

Assist of the Night: T.J. Ford
Watch as T.J. Ford delivers the behind-the-back pass to a backdoor-cutting Jason Kapono for two.

Celtics 104, Clippers 76 (F)
Paul Pierce and James Posey scored 17 points apiece Monday night to lead the Boston Celtics' well-balanced scoring in their 104-76 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Spurs overcome dismal start, win 6th straight

2008-02-25T23:15:00.001-08:00

Spurs overcome dismal start, win 6th straight
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Missed FTs doom Nuggets in close loss to Pistons
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Celtics close West trip with victory over Clippers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Bulls-Mavericks, Halftime

2008-02-25T21:00:00.001-08:00

Bulls-Mavericks, Halftime
Watch first-half highlights from Dallas.

Pistons hang on against Nuggets

TNT Doubleheader Preview: Feb. 28
The TNT crew looks ahead to this Thursday's doubleheader, which starts with Dallas at San Antonio at 8 ET followed immediately by Miami visiting the Lakers.

Spurs overcome sluggish start

Jackson in a comfort zone with Rockets
Bobby Jackson felt comfortable in his first game for the red-hot Rockets. That's no surprise given his history with Rick Adelman.

The List: Top 10 Storylines of the Week
Check out the top stories in the NBA this week, including the return of Kevin Garnett and the Celtics' three-game skid.

Wizards win on last-second shot

NBA TV Daily: Feb.24
Watch highlights from Sunday's eight games including the debut of the Cavaliers' newest players in a win over the Grizzlies.

Mavs keep Bulls at bay

Pistons-Nuggets, Halftime
Watch first-half highlights from Denver.

Newly acquired G Jackson introduced in Houston

2008-02-24T13:45:00.001-08:00

Newly acquired G Jackson introduced in Houston
Bobby Jackson believes he was at his best in the five seasons he played for coach Rick Adelman.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.

You want ridiculous, Mark? Try that Kidd trade

2008-02-24T11:45:00.001-08:00

You want ridiculous, Mark? Try that Kidd trade
Mark Cuban called Peter Vecsey's Dirk Nowitzki trade rumor "ridiculous." But we give Vecsey a chance to have the last word.

Lakers win 7th in a row

Streaking: Spurs win 5th straight