NHL Veterans Having the Best Seasons of Their Careers in 2016-17
January 13th, 2017 by Allan Mitchell No comments »
Every year, the NHL game gets faster and younger, and the league's veterans include fewer and fewer role players. The impact veterans, the ones who make the big cap dollars, have gobbled up much of the overall dollars, and teams have been forced to fill in secondary roles with youngsters and less-proven NHL players.
All of which contributes to a smaller pool of veteran talents each season in the NHL. Inside that group of veterans, below the impact group, lies a key number of players on each team who play complementary roles as checkers, penalty killers and depth players.
Among that group of players, we are seeing several across the league flourishing in new roles. Most of these men are being asked to fill in for injured stars or phenoms on skill lines or prominent pairings. Some of these players are likely headed for massive pay increases this coming summer, so this ...
Jae Crowder Discusses Confrontation with John Wall After Win vs. Wizards
January 13th, 2017 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Jae Crowder and John Wall were involved in a physical confrontation after the final horn sounded following the Boston Celtics' 117-108 win over the Washington Wizards on Jan. 11, and the Celtics forward opened up on Friday about why the two players clashed in such a heated manner.
Speaking to reporters, Crowder said he believes tensions boiled over because the two teams have a history of smack talk that dates back to last season.
"It started during the game, a lot of disrespectful talk from his side that led to that," Crowder said, according to the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach. "I think it's been like that a few games since last year."
After the on-court incident, Himmelsbach reported "there was another confrontation in the hallway that separates the teams' locker rooms in the bowels of TD Garden." Police officers were reportedly called in to diffuse the situation and prevent it from escalating.
"A guy violates ...
Patrik Laine Injury: Updates on Jets Forward’s Concussion and Return
January 13th, 2017 by Tim Daniels No comments »
The Winnipeg Jets placed rookie sensation Patrik Laine on injured reserve on Jan. 13 as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 7.
Continue for updates.
Latest on Laine's Playing Status
Wednesday, Jan. 18
Head coach Paul Maurice said Laine participated in the Jets' morning skate but still does not have a timetable to return, per SportsCentre.
Maurice Comments on Hit That Injured Laine
Friday, Jan. 13
Tim Campbell of NHL.com provided comments from Maurice, who concluded the hit wasn't dirty:
I love Patty Laine. I'm going to protect my players all day long. I don't have a problem with the hit. When two big men get together at that pace, there's going to be some collateral damage. The hits they're talking about getting out of the game are blind-side hits, elbows to the head, people coming off their feet to drive into it. It's a very unfortunate result, and we're ...
Adam Silver Responds to George Karl’s Comments on PED Use in NBA
January 13th, 2017 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Former NBA head coach George Karl alleged in his new book Furious George: My Forty Years Surviving NBA Divas, Clueless GMs and Poor Shot Selection that the NBA has a performance-enhancing drug problem it has yet to confront, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver responded to those claims at a press conference Thursday.
Speaking to reporters before the Denver Nuggets took on the Indiana Pacers in London, Silver explained there has been no concrete evidence presented to this point that shows NBA players are doping to gain a competitive edge.
"I'll just say our testing is state-of-the-art," Silver said, according to USA Today. "I have no reason to believe whatsoever that we have an issue, either as the result of testing or as the result of other information that comes to the league office."
Silver added that Karl is the only prominent figure associated with the NBA to make such damning allegations.
"Other than what ...
NBA B/R Kicks of the Week: Best on Court for NBA Week 12
January 13th, 2017 by Giancarlo Ferrari-King No comments »
A London special, the reveal of a new signature sneaker and a "Player Exclusive" model worth salivating over. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Week 12 of the NBA season.
We've told you that great sneakers don't have time to sleep. In the NBA, it's a constant tug of war for on-foot supremacy.
If you don't know the drill by now, you should. Here are Bleacher Report Kicks' top footwear choices from the last seven days of NBA action. As always, leave your comments below and let us know which models you're feeling and which ones you could do without.Begin Slideshow
Derrick Rose Comments on Missing Pelicans Game, Future and More
January 13th, 2017 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Ever since Derrick Rose was mysteriously absent for the New York Knicks' game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 9, questions have cropped up regarding his short- and long-term status with the team.
But after the Knicks defeated the Chicago Bulls 104-89 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, Rose opened up and explained why he stepped away for an evening without providing prior notice.
Although he didn't divulge many details, Rose reiterated he had to deal with a family situation that required his full attention.
"My family is first," Rose told The Vertical's Michael Lee. "I didn’t make the decision off the strength of people caring about what I did. I went home, did what I had to do, because my family is before anything. I was going to take the fine of whatever it may be."
The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson reported on Jan. 10 that the distance between Rose and ...
Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: Latest News, Speculation Surrounding Knicks SF
January 13th, 2017 by Adam Wells No comments »
With the New York Knicks' season spiraling in the wrong direction, Carmelo Anthony may be a candidate for trade discussions.
Continue for updates.
Anthony Comments on Future in New York
Sunday, Jan. 15
"If they feel like my time in New York is over, I guess that's a conversation we should have," Anthony said, per Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Anthony Reportedly Won't Approve Trade
Friday, Jan. 13
Per Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, citing a source close to Anthony, the Knicks forward is "unwilling" to waive his no-trade clause to approve any deal the Knicks might seek.
Anthony is in the third year of a five-year, $124 million contract with the Knicks that he signed in July 2014. Trade rumors and speculation have followed the 32-year-old for two years.
Anthony Leads List of Knicks' Highly Paid Veterans
Zach Lowe reported for Grantland in September 2015 the Knicks were "getting closer" to engaging teams in trade talks for Anthony, though ...
NBA Player Power Rankings: B/R’s Top 30 Centers at the Halfway Point
January 13th, 2017 by Adam Fromal No comments »
Young centers are taking over the NBA.
While Joel Embiid (22 years old) puts up massive numbers in his Rookie of the Year conquest for the Philadelphia 76ers, a number of other organizations are thanking their lucky stars: Nikola Jokic (21) is thriving for the Denver Nuggets, Myles Turner (20) for the Indiana Pacers and Karl-Anthony Towns (21) for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
And that's saying nothing of the established studs still blessed with youth. Anthony Davis (23), DeMarcus Cousins (26), Andre Drummond (23), Steven Adams (23) and Hassan Whiteside (27), among others, remain on inexorable marches toward their primes.
Between all those up-and-comers and the veterans still playing at high levels, the center position is back. (For that matter, it may never have left.)
By analyzing the work these players have done in 2016-17, as well as their reputations from previous seasons and the expectations going forward, we're identifying those we'd most want to ...
Lakers Become First Team to Lose by 40 or More Points Multiple Times This Season
January 13th, 2017 by Daily Facts No comments »
Fact: The Lakers lost to the Spurs 134-94 on Thursday, becoming the first team in the NBA to lose by 40 or more points multiple times this season.
Bleacher Report will be bringing sports fans the most interesting and engaging Cold Hard Facts of the day, presented by Coors Light.
Source: B/R InsightsRead more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
Midseason Player Grades for Each Houston Rockets Player
January 13th, 2017 by Kelly Scaletta No comments »
Houston Rockets fans are about to get that feeling proud parents have when their kid brings home a better report card than they could have possibly expected.
That’s because they are a better team than anyone expected.
As I noted for FanRag Sports: "NumberFire had the Rockets winning 40.4 games. FiveThirtyEight.com had them at 45. ESPN’s Mark Stein had them going 41-41. The larger ESPN panel had them doing a bit better at 45. CBS’s experts had them winning 43, with James Herbert going with 47. Bleacher Report’s Adam Fromal said 38. The range for wins ran from 38 to 47, with around 42 being the average."
They are 31-10 at the halfway point of the season
Chicago was expected to contend for a bottom-tier playoff spot. Instead, it is emerging as a legitimate challenger for the title.
That doesn’t happen without magnificent player contributions. I’m inclined to give every player an A, but there are still a few warts that need to be removed. Still, if the ...