A better basketball site.
For intelligent readers, from veteran writers.
Keep scrolling down. Good stuff here.
After a seemingly endless dead period of NBA news, the 2013-’14 season is lurking right around the corner.
Training camp is in sight, and players are starting to reappear back on the map. And with that, let’s get right to it. Here’s today’s latest from around the NBA.
We’ll start in New York, which will be home to this seasons hottest rivalry: Knicks vs. Nets.
In today’s NBA news, Kobe Bryant is healing nicely from his torn Achilles, the Knicks-Nets rivalry is quickly gaining steam, and Dirk Nowitzki looks to be healthy heading into training camp.
Black Mamba right on track
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, future Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant has been running at 75 percent of his body weight on 
a treadmill, and looks to be a few weeks away from advancing to full-weight bearing running.
This is music to the ears of all Lakers’ fans, as it sounds as though Bryant’s rehab is going according to plan.
It will still remain to be seen, however, if the Black Mamba will be able to suit up opening night when his Lakers host the rival Clippers at Staples Center.
“He’s doing well and has had no setbacks,” Lakers’ head athletic trainer Gary Vuitti said on Thursday, “He’ll be ready when he’s ready. Nobody has a crystal ball on this thing.” he later added.
It appears that we will not find out the true timetable on Bryant until deep into training camp, but it is safe to say that even if he’s not ready to play in the opener, that he will be ready sometime shortly after that.
Kobe, who will be entering his 18th season as a pro, will look to repeat the monstrous season he had last year, when he averaged 27 points on 46% shootin, to go along with six assists and just over five rebounds. “Vino”, as they call him, truly does get better with age. If healthy, Kobe and his Lakers will most likely compete for one of the bottom three playoff spots in the loaded Western Conference.
To see just how well the boys in purple and gold will fare this season, check out our preview.
Battle for NY heating up
The Knicks-Nets rivalry just got a whole lot more personal. A war of words has broken out between Brooklyn Nets’ newly acquired forward Paul Pierce, and New York Knicks’ dynamic shooting guard, and reigning Sixth Man of the Year, J.R Smith.
ESPN.com is reporting that the two have been jawing at each since the summer when Pierce said “it was time for the Nets to start running New York City”
Smith then responded: ”I just look at him as a bitter person just getting out of Boston. He doesn’t really know what New York is all about. He’s been playing in Boston his whole career,” he then added: “He just knows, just know that his words have consequences and he’s going to have to pay for them.”
Pierce did not take these comments very seriously when he was asked about it, as he would go on to say:
“Who? Exactly. Who? Who are we talking about right now? Exactly. Who are we talking about? We are talking about nothing.”
Can you feel the tension starting to mount? Surely both teams will use these quotes as bulletin board material when they play each-other this year.
The first scheduled game between the two is set for December 5th, in Brooklyn. Whatever you do, make sure you’re in front of a TV that night — even if Smith isn’t playing. Remember, he still must serve a five-game drug suspension after he is cleared to play.
Check here to see our Knicks and Nets season outlooks.
Dirk’s health looking great early
According to the Dallas Morning News, Dirk Nowitzki looks to be fully healthy entering training camp this season, he’s even been playing 5-on-5 with some of his teammates, which is something he hasn’t done in years.
His Mavericks will have a lot of new faces this season, as the team signed free-agent guards Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon in the offseason.
The offense will still undoubtedly run through Dirk, but he will definitely have a nice supporting cast surrounding him. Health was a
big problem last year for the 7-foot German, as he missed 29 games due to various injuries.
Head coach Rick Carlisle doesn’t seem to think Dirk will have any trouble meshing with his new teammates:
“Dirk is going to benefit from having guys like Monta (Ellis) and Jose (Calderon) around him and those guys will benefit from Dirk, too,” Carlisle said, “Dirk’s been very consistent on the fact that he’s down with anything that gets us winning more games and back to being one of those teams that has a chance. With this group, I think we have an opportunity to get there.”
Optimism is starting to grow in Dallas as the new season approaches, and if healthy, they could be a playoff team in the wild west this year.
To read our outlook on the Mavs, click here
In today’s NBA news, Carmelo Anthony says he’s staying in New York and the Black Mamba is unsure if he’ll be ready for opening night.
College football, it seems, is in a realm unto itself among sports. It evokes pride and intense passion—particularly among fans.
The passion for college football is evident in sheer numbers.
Don’t believe me? Let the attendance of the big game between Michigan and Notre Dame tell the tale.
On a slow news day, you have to give thanks for people like J.R. Smith and Dennis Rodman.
They break up the mundane — not that the mundane has to be boring (Case in point is the latest of our team previews, this one on the Oklahoma City Thunder. For all published team previews, click here.)
Here is the lowdown:
Smith gets five game ban
J.R Smith has been suspended five games by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Due to the length of the suspension, it would appear that Smith did not take any sort of performing-enhancing drug. Some people seem to be of the mindset that he tested positive due to marijuana — as five-game suspensions usually result from a third positive test for the evil weed.
The reigning sixth man of the year will begin his suspension only when he is medically cleared to play. If you recall, Smith had surgery in July to repair his patellar tendon as well as his meniscus in his left knee.
The sharpshooter is coming off a career year in which he averaged 18.1 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, and if the Knicks, who re-signed him, want to have any shot of competing this season, he needs to stay healthy and stay away from the ganja.
More on the Smith suspension here.
Rodman meets with Jong Un for second time
Former NBA star Dennis Rodman traveled to North Korea for a second time on Tuesday to meet with leader Kim Jong Un. The two apparently had a “cordial talk” and according to Korean Central News Agency, Kim invited Rodman back “anytime”
The two originally met in February when Rodman went to Korea promote basketball and make a film.
It is not clear if they spoke about the possible release of Kenneth Bae, an American missionary reportedly in bad health in North Korea. In April, Bae was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for trying to overthrow the government — officially described as committing ” hostile acts against the state.”
Rodman told reporters in Beijing “I just want to meet my friend Kim, the marshal, and start a basketball league over there or something like that.”
No further meetings have been scheduled between the two.
Timberwolves hire Newton
The Minnesota Timberwolves have hired former Wizards vice president Milt Newton to be their new general manager. This according to Wolves beat writer Jerry Zgoda.
Flip Saunders will still have final say, but Newton is expected help out with scouting and personnel.
Led by all-star Kevin Love and up-and-coming point guard Ricky Rubio, the T-Wolves hope to contend for a playoff spot this season.
ICYMI, here is our Timberwolves preview.
No timetable for Rondo
There is currently no set date on when Celtic’s guard Rajon Rondo will return to the court. He is still recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2012-13 season prematurely.
When asked about it, general manager Danny Ainge did not know when his superstar point guard would return:
“He’s not near 100 percent yet, but he’s out doing shooting drills and ballhandling drills. I really don’t have a date yet. We want to be careful with him, obviously.”
Rondo is one of the best point guards in the NBA, and without him there is a good chance the Celtics will finish in bottom half of the Eastern Conference this season.
Here is our Celtics preview.
