Denver Nuggets (9-9) vs. Atlanta Hawks (9-5) 8 p.m./ESPN It is still early enough in the season to wonder what kind of identity teams will be taking on. Twenty games hardly seems like enough to establish a long-range identity. But habits are still being formed and, believe it or not, 20 out of 82 is […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: More than a hiccup Remember when it was supposed to be easy for the Lakers. You know, stick Dwight Howard and Steve Nash on a team with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol and voila you […]

Oklahoma City Thunder (14-4) vs. Brooklyn Nets (11-5) 7:30 p.m./NBATV It is tough to be a new team on the block. No one quite takes you seriously until the Playoffs when the games really matter. The regular season is a never-ending question of "are they for real." So games against the league's elite take on […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: Paul, Griffin come alive in final act/quarter A good piece of music rises and falls like a good story. It climaxes at the end and builds and builds. Excuse the cliche, but it fits what […]

Los Angeles Clippers (10-6) vs. Utah Jazz (9-9) 9 p.m. When it comes to teams straddling the line between the two post, grind-it-out basketball and the stretch-4, spread the floor basketball that has pervaded the NBA, these two teams are in the middle of that spectrum. If the Grizzlies are on one end and the […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: Magic had something to prove Jameer Nelson was maybe the only guy willing to admit what Sunday's 113-103 win against Dwight Howard the Lakers actually meant. While Jacque Vaughn called it just another game and […]

Orlando Magic (5-10) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (8-8) 9:30 p.m. Does anyone else remember that little thing that happened in Orlando last year? You know the one about the franchise center who wanted out, then didn't, then did again and then finally got his way leaving a franchise in complete ruin in his wake? Orlando […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: Second wind Maybe this is why Gregg Popovich wanted to save his best player's legs. San Antonio needed every single one of Tony Parker's 30 points and six assists and every single one of Tim […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: When it rains, it pours It was a rough 48 hours for the Nuggets. First was the wild finish in Golden State that ended with Andre iguodala's shot falling after the buzzer. The next night […]

Utah Jazz (9-7) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-4) 8 p.m. The Jazz just do. They are quiet and they are workmanlike, with little flash and glitz. Al Jefferson is the team's star and he is just the definition of being underrated. Paul Millsap does his work as a hybrid forward that straddles the definitiono f […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: Allen bails out Heat Lesson No. 1 for defenses should be never leave Ray Allen for a moment beyond the 3-point line late in games. Bad things just happen to your defense when that happens. […]

San Antonio Spurs (13-3) vs. Miami Heat (10-3) 8 p.m./TNT Um, so this game got a lot less interesting. I mean, it might be fun to watch because Charles Barkley is calling the game, but Gregg Popovich's decision to send Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili home to end this road trip for San […]

If you believe the talk surrounding the Nets' invasion of Brooklyn and New York City, it is actually quite a big deal. The fact New York City is actually five distinct boroughs probably gets lost on most people outside The Big Apple — I am not even sure I get it as an "outsider." If […]

Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day. 1: Rondo's streak ends with scuffle, Celtics reign too? It is probably a little too early to declare Boston's reign at the top of the Atlantic Division over. Rumors of the Celtics' demise have been shot […]

Houston Rockets (7-7) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-4) 8 p.m./NBATV Oh, hey there, James. Did not even notice you are gone. Why are you wearing red? There is a game tonight. Huh? You got traded. I thought you looked less beard-y coming off the bench. Tonight, James Harden returns to Oklahoma City for the first […]