Carmelo Anthony, Kyle O’Quinn Ejected During Knicks vs. Pelicans
January 9th, 2017 by Rob Goldberg No comments »
It was a frustrating night for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
Both Carmelo Anthony and Kyle O'Quinn were ejected for separate incidents during New York's 110-96 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The team was also playing without Derrick Rose, who was absent for an unknown reason, per Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Anthony picked up consecutive technical fouls in the third quarter to earn his ejection, as Steve Popper of NorthJersey.com described:
The All-Star had 18 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes before coming out of the game, though the Knicks had a minus-16 point differential while he was on the court.
This is the third ejection of the season for Anthony, who didn't have more than one in a single season coming into 2016-17. The two technicals brought his yearly total to seven.
O'Quinn was removed after committing a flagrant-2 foul on Anthony Davis.
Davis continued impressive season with ...
Derrick Rose Fined by Knicks After Missing Game vs. Pelicans
January 9th, 2017 by Joseph Zucker No comments »
The New York Knicks announced Monday night that Derrick Rose wasn't with the team and that Brandon Jennings would start at point guard in their matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans.
According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Rose's teammates and close associates as well as Knicks officials were unaware of the reason for his absence. New York had initially listed him as the starting point guard before elevating Jennings.
Wojnarowski added the Knicks had not been in contact with Rose by the time the game tipped off, and it was unclear if they spoke with him during the game.
Rose informed the team he had a family situation, according to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, who added Rose left the team without permission but had been in contact with Knicks officials. Rose spoke with Knicks general manager Steve Mills, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Rose returned to the team Tuesday and was spotted talking to Mills at the team's facility, per Ian ...
How the Blue Jackets Went from NHL Laughingstock to the Top of the Standings
January 9th, 2017 by Adrian Dater No comments »
It used to be that any story that started with the line "The Columbus Blue Jackets could win the Stanley Cup this year" was automatically rendered a work of fiction. Not humanly possible. The Blue Jackets were punching bags on the ice and punch lines off.
In the team's first 12 seasons, after joining the NHL as an expansion franchise in 2000, the Blue Jackets won zero playoff games. The only time they made it in those 12 seasons (2008-09), they were swept in the first round by the Detroit Red Wings. The Blue Jackets are one of only two current NHL franchises that have never won a playoff series, along with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets.
This year, their 16th NHL season (not including the lost one in 2004-05), Columbus' chances of making the playoffs, according to USA Today, were somewhere between slim and none. The Blue Jackets were coming off another ...
How LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers Fell in Love with the NBA’s Old Dudes
January 9th, 2017 by Jesse Spector No comments »
The day before the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for ace shooter Kyle Korver, general manager David Griffin reminded an inquiring reporter about how the defending champs approach team-building. It could have foreshadowed the following day's transaction, but it sounded like a subtweet directed at the Golden State Warriors, his team's opponent in the past two NBA Finals.
"We don't set up to be a superteam that's gonna win 70 regular-season games," Griffin says. "We look at it as playing for the playoffs. We're trying to line everything up to be the freshest and best we can be when the playoffs start."
But Griffin has assembled a team built for more than the postseason. The Cavaliers (28-8) have the best record in the Eastern Conference, after all.
There is a key difference between the regular season and the playoffs that Cleveland is positioned to exploit. The Cavaliers did it last year on the way to ...
Midseason Grades for Each Golden State Warriors Player
January 9th, 2017 by Zach Buckley No comments »
The Golden State Warriors are approaching the halfway point of the 2016-17 NBA season with a historic offense and ruthless efficiency.
The height of their superpowers has yet to be realized and still they're clobbering opponents like prime Mike Tyson. The Warriors hold the league's top spots in winning percentage (.842) and net efficiency (plus-11.4) while sporting the highest offensive rating ever recorded (116.1).
But not everything is coming up roses: Golden State's resume lacks many signature wins. It's 0-5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies, and it's been clunky in crunch time.
That shouldn't be surprising given the sweeping changes this roster has witnessed over the past calendar year. Yet even amid these hiccups, the Dubs are dominating like no one else.
Near the midseason point, it's becoming clearer which players are exceeding expectations and who is falling short. All 15, presented in ascending order of importance, are evaluated ...
Calling Fact or Fiction on the Hottest NHL Trade Speculation
January 9th, 2017 by Lyle Richardson No comments »
As we approach the midpoint of the NHL schedule, the March 1 trade deadline is less than two months away. Notable players, such as Jarome Iginla and Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, are appearing more frequently in media trade speculation.
Teams will have different reasons for making moves. Given their fading playoff hopes, the Avalanche could attempt to move Iginla, Landeskog and Matt Duchene as part of a roster shake-up. A playoff bubble team, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, must decide if it will be a buyer or a seller.
This slideshow will determine which aspects of recent NHL trade speculation are based in fact or fiction. As always, you can express your views in the comments section. Begin Slideshow
Midseason Player Grades for Each Los Angeles Lakers Player
January 9th, 2017 by David Murphy No comments »
The Los Angeles Lakers are a study in contrasts as they reach the halfway mark of the 2016-17 season.
They can be fun to watch as they romp up and down the court, but they can throw that enjoyment right out the window by inexplicably caving from one quarter to the next. No lead is safe with this young squad.
L.A. is in 12th place in the Western Conference and two games out of a playoff spot at the crowded bottom of the bracket. Any serious run will have to happen fast, before the standings begin to harden.
But as we wait to see what kind of collective fortitude the 2016-17 edition can muster, we can also pick apart the roster individually.Begin Slideshow
NBA Player Power Rankings: B/R’s Top 30 Point Guards at the Halfway Point
January 9th, 2017 by Adam Fromal No comments »
The point guards of today's NBA are no longer tasked solely with making teammates' lives easier.
Those "pure" floor generals still exist, but the league's best at the position also do everything else. They're capable of driving to the hoop and finishing plays through traffic, connecting on long-range attempts off the dribble, rebounding to start transition opportunities without an outlet pass and attempting to slow down their counterparts.
The ones who can do almost everything? They're the players who rise to the forefront of the MVP conversation. Stephen Curry is your two-time reigning MVP, while James Harden and Russell Westbrook are trading blows in the race for this year's premier individual award.
But this position isn't just top-heavy. It's also deep.
By analyzing the work these players have already done in 2016-17, as well as their reputations from previous seasons and the expectations going forward, we're here to put the top 30 point guards ...
Anthony Bennett Waived by Nets: Latest Comments and Reaction
January 9th, 2017 by Scott Polacek No comments »
The Brooklyn Nets waived forward Anthony Bennett on Monday, per Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Marc Stein of ESPN cited league sources who confirmed the move and said the Nets will sign Quincy Acy in place of the 2013 No. 1 overall pick.
Bennett played 23 games this season for the Nets and averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per night.
Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com wrote the Nets "came away impressed" after they worked out Bennett during the offseason. Mazzeo also noted Brooklyn "needs to find diamonds in the rough" since it "does not have total control over its own first-round pick until 2019."
Bennett did not turn out to be that gem and was lost in Brooklyn's rotation at 11.5 minutes per game.
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Bennett with the first pick four years ago with the hope he would join forces with Kyrie Irving and help the franchise recover from LeBron James' decision to head ...
LeBron James, Michael Phelps Meet Following Cavaliers vs. Suns
January 9th, 2017 by Scott Polacek No comments »
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has few equals in the sports hierarchy, but he met with one Sunday following his team's 120-116 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, 28-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps greeted James outside Cleveland's locker room following the game. McMenamin captured the two greats enjoying each other's company after the Cavaliers win:
James was well aware Phelps was sitting in the stands Sunday. McMenamin noted the forward pointed to the swimmer after throwing down a dunk in the fourth quarter. "Just recognizing greatness, that's all that's about," James said of the acknowledgment, per McMenamin.
Phelps commented on the interaction as well:
I was just talking to people who were sitting around us and they were like, 'Did he just point at you or is he pointing at me?' And I was like, 'Yeah, I don't really know.' And then he drills a 3. It was awesome. ...