0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/16/2016
Saturday night in Georgia, the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round. That’s what the official historical record will indicate. Unofficially, the Cleveland Cavaliers won. They will play one of these teams in the Eastern Conference semifinals, barring an all-time sports upset at the hands of the Detroit […]
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The Toronto Raptors would not agree with George Santayana. The Spanish-born, Harvard-educated philosopher famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemened to repeat it.” The Raptors’ problem is that they’re all too aware of their previous playoff failures. Their coach and their star players keep repeating the patterns that lead to losses… at […]
Feb 23, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) talks with head coach Brad Stevens in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Celtics defeats the Suns 115-110. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/15/2016
When the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks begin their best-of-seven playoff series, the NBA will probably witness its most compelling first-round showdown. That’s a fat dollop of praise to heap on a series which hasn’t even begun… and yet, that’s just one reason why this clash is so thoroughly attractive. Let’s not downplay that notion, […]
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A word about expectations is merited before the playoffs begin. A word within a word: Let’s divide expectations into two parts… at least in some instances. Fans and pundits will have their own expectations, while teams will internally carry their separate sets of standards. Naturally, everyone wants to win it all, but only one team […]
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Inconvenient truths abound in sports for so many reasons. In the 2015-2016 NBA season — which is about to reach its crescendo — we have witnessed the emergence of several highly complicated realities which demand a recalibrated assessment of the postseason. The way we saw the NBA in late October is not the way we […]
Photo by Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
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The Utah Jazz were stung near the end of the season by established veterans who used to play for them. The Jazz will feel the pain of their loss to Dallas — and their inability to make the playoffs — over the next several months. Yet, if the Jazz lost the battle in 2016, they’re […]
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We’ve tracked them throughout the season, and now we can give you final back-to-back splits for the Western Conference. 2016 NBA SEASON: BACK-TO-BACK COMPOSITES DALLAS MAVERICKS 17 B2Bs Overall record: 16-18 Road split: 11-14 Home split: 5-4 Front ends of B2Bs: 6-11 Back ends of B2Bs: 10-7 45s: 3-1 Road: 1-1 Home: 2-0 DENVER NUGGETS […]
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All the numbers have been collected and added over the past five and a half months, so without further ado, here are back-to-back splits for the 2015-2016 NBA season in the Eastern Conference: 2016 NBA SEASON: BACK-TO-BACK COMPOSITES ATLANTA HAWKS 19 B2Bs Overall record: 24-14 Road split: 12-10 Home split: 12-4 Front ends of B2Bs: […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/14/2016
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 — it was a “Where were you when?” sports night, and for most American sports fans, Kobe Bryant made it that kind of night. Is that a fact in the same way that 2 + 2 = 4? No. Nevertheless, in judging from Twitter and morning-after output by media outlets, Kobe’s […]
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 11: Paul George #13 of the Indiana Pacers looks on during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on November 11, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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Let’s take one more walk on the high wire. Forget about games decided by five points or fewer — let’s offer an even more specific examination of NBA teams and their results this season. Below, you’ll find records in overtime games and games decided by no more than two points. Why two, you might (reasonably) […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/13/2016
On the night Kobe Bryant plays his last NBA game, keep in mind that Bill Russell engineered the best farewell of any especially great NBA player. It is an art, orchestrating the perfect NBA walk-off. Being able to create the perfect exit from an all-time career requires an exquisite sense of timing, but the attempt […]
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Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest Los Angeles Lakers of all time. Being one of the best players for one of professional basketball’s two royal franchises is, itself, the richest of honors, an enduring point of pride and the centerpiece of a legacy. Bryant’s place — as one of the 25 best players in […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/12/2016
Rick Carlisle has won a world championship. He has firmly established himself as one of the NBA’s five best coaches. Yet, his 2016 season — for reasons totally beyond his control — might get lost in the tides of history. In a season defined by the supreme excellence of the Golden State Warriors and San […]
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The Utah Jazz aren’t an inept organization. They haven’t endured dysfunctional ownership situations or suffered in the face of incompetent management — not for long periods of time, at any rate. Yes, Ty Corbin coached this team for a period of time and destroyed a lot of stomach linings in Salt Lake City, but decades […]
November 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg (right) instructs guard Jimmy Butler (21) during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Bulls 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/11/2016
Jerry Reinsdorf, the Chicago Bulls’ longtime owner, was just selected as part of the Class of 2016 for the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Reinsdorf will need to live up to that Hall of Fame status if his team is going to move forward next season and beyond. What does the future hold […]
