Rockets' James Harden scores franchise-record 61 points in victory over Knicks
Houston superstar James Harden continued his historic streak Wednesday night by scoring a career-high and franchise-record 61 points, but it was Eric Gordon who drained the biggest shot, a 3-pointer with nine seconds left, that gave the Rockets the lead for good in a ...
Jets, Kings set for inaugural Super 8 tourney
Next week, the Chiba Jets Funabashi and Ryukyu Golden Kings will test their mettle against some of Asia's top club teams. The Super 8, an inaugural regional tournament set to be held from Sept. 20-24 in Macau, will also feature teams from China (Zhejiang Guangsha ...
Baker brings skills clinics to Japan
Internationally renowned basketball skill guru Ganon Baker came to Japan earlier this month to teach local boys and girls some of the drills and techniques required to elevate a player's game. At an event in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, which was the final of five clinics ...
Warriors, Kobe serve up unprecedented drama to end season
Now THAT was one fantastic finish to an NBA regular season. Not even the spoil-sport antics of San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg "Sourpuss" Popovich could ruin it (MAS will explain later). Instead of having to snooze through the usual dreary ending to six long months of ...
Duncan quietly winding down a sensational career
In this NBA season of Kobe, his season-long farewell tour perhaps the only thing distracting from the Golden State Warriors fast break to history, it is fitting that this likely is the final season for probably the greatest power forward of all time in ...
Bryant determined to remain defiant until the end
In some respects Kobe Bryant, perhaps the true Baby Jordan, reminds me the most of Jerry West, the original Los Angeles Lakers great guard. Because they go out of their way, defiant to the end. Bryant is on his announced retirement tour for presumably his ...
Decline of NCAA men's hoops result of poor fundamentals
"Speaking as a fan, I think (men's college basketball) is a joke." —Geno Auriemma, UConn women's basketball coach "Respect/Admire Geno, but that was a real cheap shot; gimme a break." —Tweet from Dick Vitale, TV college basketball analyst Sorry Dickie V, but Geno is spot on in the ...
NBA has a different look as All-Star break nears
Up is down and down is up in the NBA these days. One look at the current standings says it all. Former powerhouses have fallen upon hard times. Meanwhile, the recently downtrodden have risen to unfamiliar heights. Some ballclubs are struggling like never before. Take the precipitously plunging ...
Jordan could have begun career with different team
This is the second installment from Hall of Fame writer Sam Smith's new book "There Is No Next: NBA Legends on the Legacy of Michael Jordan." * * * It became obvious during the last month of the 1983-84 season teams were trying to lose to ...
No sign of 'Showtime' in future for listing Lakers
Hey, everyone has a bad decade or so. Welcome to the Los Angeles Lakers' future. Uniforms, history and tradition don't win. It's talent, and unless the Lakers get very fortunate they're likely to be in for a long ride down. The Celtics, the gold standard of the ...
Jackson certain to win in New York like everywhere else
Kobe Bryant for five championships played for Phil Jackson. In his seven seasons playing for coaches other than Jackson he got none. Michael Jordan won six championships playing for Phil Jackson. In his eight seasons not playing for Jackson, Jordan won zero. LeBron James is going ...
Kobe's greatness won't let him quit
Well, at least we know Kobe Bryant isn't retiring. One of the underlying stories of this NBA season — and, of course, it had to involve the Los Angeles Lakers, as almost everything did — was Bryant saying how with the final season of his ...
