0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/11/2016
The New York Knicks have the worst owner in the NBA, but the Sacramento Kings have endured the worst leadership situation in the league over the past several years. The messy divorce from the Maloof brothers, Joe and Gavin. The disastrous firing of Michael Malone as head coach before the arrival of Vlade Divac as […]
Washington Wizards forward Nene (42), from Brazil, stands as center Marcin Gortat (4), from Poland, talks with guard John Wall (2) in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, in Washington. The Wizards won 101-91.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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The Washington Wizards can cite repeated injuries as a reason they didn’t reach their potential this season. However, they can’t point to injuries as the only reason they failed to make the NBA playoffs. The Wizards — if they wanted to have a realistic shot at landing Kevin Durant in free agency — needed to […]
Feb 20, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) reacts after scoring against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Philips Arena. The Bucks defeated the Hawks 117-109 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/10/2016
The Milwaukee Bucks arrived at Christmas Day 2015 with the unwelcome distinction of being the most exasperating team in the NBA. It is of little comfort to the Bucks and their fans that by season’s end, the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets passed Milwaukee as elites in terms of eliciting exasperation. The Bucks let this […]
Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker celebrates a 3 point shot against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Phoenix. The Suns defeated the Hornets 111-102. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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What’s the most productive thing the Phoenix Suns did this past season? One could make a strong case that shipping Markieff Morris to Washington and getting so much in return — including what will become a lottery pick to stack on top of a likely top-five selection — is the best answer. General manager Ryan […]
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The Orlando Magic will carry a measure of regret into the NBA offseason. That said, the frustration attached to early tee times — at least there are plenty of great golfing options in Orlando — will burn off when the Magic consider how many resources lie at their disposal. However, check back with this team […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/9/2016
The Denver Nuggets might not have the same upside the Minnesota Timberwolves possess, but they join the T-Wolves as a non-playoff organization which died a very good death in 2016. Most of the non-playoff organizations in the NBA — not to mention their fans — cannot be very happy right now. The Sixers, Nets, Lakers, […]
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The Brooklyn Nets didn’t make the playoffs as they had in 2015, but this was nevertheless a fairly typical season for the organization. Brook Lopez was discussed as the subject of possible trades, but stayed put. Mikhail Prokhorov didn’t look very smart. The season ended with everyone feeling pretty depressed, with not a lot of […]
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The New Orleans Pelicans exist in an uncomfortable situation… and that discomfort isn’t even an immediate reference to all the injuries which have afflicted the organization this past season. No, the discomfort most centrally in evidence in the Big Easy is the gnawing sense that no one in the organization knows how to solve problems. […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/8/2016
Before the Golden State Warriors get to 73 wins, they need to reach 72. That’s basic math, but the simple progression of numbers doesn’t begin to tell the story which has consumed the 2016 NBA season. In professional basketball or any other sport, numbers can and do acquire larger-than-life significance. .406 (Ted Williams in 1941). […]
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Let it be said up front, for the sake of clarity: Kawhi Leonard, the San Antonio Spurs’ best player in the present tense, played well on Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors. An 8-of-12 shooting line, two 3-point makes, eight trips to the foul line, and only two turnovers represents a relatively efficient performance. […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/7/2016
Rick Carlisle isn’t Steve Kerr or Gregg Popovich. He isn’t wonderboy coach Brad Stevens. Not the coach of a championship contender, and not in his late 30s, Carlisle doesn’t have the present moment or the future on his side. Yet, if Wednesday night’s victory by his Dallas Mavericks over the Houston Rockets reaffirmed a single […]
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Life is complicated — if you read Sam Hinkie’s 13-page letter of resignation from the Philadelphia 76ers, this truth will be reaffirmed on many levels. In reading that letter, observers will arrive at different conclusions. Try these three: Reasonable people can and will disagree about Hinkie’s methods, their effectiveness, and how coherent a plan Hinkie […]
0 comments by Matt Zemek on 4/6/2016
The New York Knicks’ tape has to become a nix tape. Hopefully, this will exist on only one level, so that it doesn’t have to emerge on two separate fronts. What does this mean, as we evaluate New York at the end of a lottery-bearing season? The answers are not that complicated. No lengthy preamble […]
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Tuesday night in Oracle Arena, the Minnesota Timberwolves reminded the NBA that although they didn’t come close to earning a playoff berth this season, they’re going to be heard from in the future. The question is: “How much?” The Timberwolves are definitely going to win more in the coming years, as long as Karl-Anthony Towns […]
Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group
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We come not to bury the Golden State Warriors, but to praise the San Antonio Spurs… yet not praise them too much. As you can see, the NBA got a little more complicated last night in Oakland… and even more interesting than it already was. After the Warriors’ streak of 114 straight wins with a […]
