D’Antoni vs Jackson: a Contrast in Coaching Styles

Los Angeles Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said he chose to hire Mike D’Antoni over fan-favorite and 11-time champion Phil Jackson because he felt D’Antoni’s system would be a better fit for the Lakers current roster. Only time will tell though if he made the right decision.

Now no one doubts that D’Antoni’s system can be implemented on the fly much quicker than the triangle system that Jackson prefers, but Jackson’s coaching style and familiarity with the team’s core players may have ultimately led to more team success.

Josh Smith’s Olympic Team snub is puzzling

Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith just can’t seem to get any respect. Despite being one of the Eastern Conference’s best players he seems to get snubbed from the All-Star team year after year. Now he has been looked over for a chance to show off his vast array of skills on the ultimate stage: the Olympic Games.

It’s understandable that Smith wouldn’t be among the final players chosen by the Olympic committee to fill the 12-man roster but when a rash of injuries lessens the talent pool like it has this year, there is no way Smith shouldn’t get a shot to represent his country as a member of Team USA.

NBA Rivalries: Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony versus Heat’s LeBron James

The 2003 NBA Draft was celebrated as one of the best drafts the NBA had seen in a long time even before any players were drafted. That’s because the two biggest names in that draft were current New York Knick Carmelo Anthony and current Miami Heat forward LeBron James.

These two small forwards drafted at the top of the 2003 Draft had different games but both possessed all-world ability. This was supposed to be the second coming of the Bird-Magic rivalry that put the NBA on the map back in the early ‘80s.

Patrick Ewing and the Bobcats are a bad fit

Charlotte Bobcats’ owner Michael Jordan is interviewing Patrick Ewing for the Bobcats’ head coaching position? Say it ain’t so Patrick! I know Ewing wants to coach but even he shouldn’t be desperate enough to want that job.

But if Jordan does offer Ewing the job and he takes it, I hope he knows what he’s getting into. There is very little talent on this team and there isn’t a single player in this draft that could single-handedly turn a franchise around.

Charlotte Bobcats: Perfect example of how not to run a franchise

I wonder will the Charlotte Bobcats get to put an asterisk by this season’s win total since their record-setting season of futility didn’t happen during a standard 82-game season?

Doubtful that would matter much to the people of Charlotte who have had to endure this miserable 7-59 debacle that has been the Bobcats’ season. Even worse though is the fact that this team doesn’t look to make any significant improvements anytime soon.

Basketball doesn’t have a draft system that automatically rewards the worst team with the top pick like football does. Indianapolis Colts’ fans have known for months that their team would be able to draft Andrew Luck with the first pick in the NFL Draft since the Colts were a league-worst 2-14 last season.

Stardom comes at a price for Bulls' Derrick Rose

Chicago Bulls’ star point guard Derrick Rose recently admitted in a GQ Magazine article that he is uncomfortable with his celebrity status. As Rose has risen to fame playing in the city where he was born and raised, his heightened visibility has made it nearly impossible for him to go anywhere in public without drawing attention.

Rose stated that having celebrity status doesn’t fit his personality. He has a soft-spoken, low-key type of personality and loves his privacy. He also loves being able to move about in obscurity but being a Chicago native and fan favorite he is not afforded that luxury.

The ‘Jordan-factor’ has hurt Kobe Bryant in MVP race

The Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant is arguably one of the greatest players of all time but as good as Kobe has been it makes you wonder; why does Kobe only have one MVP award on his resume? Well there are a lot of reasons really and many of them can be traced back to Michael Jordan.

Kobe is a victim of the legacy that Jordan left. I mean you can’t fault Kobe for wanting to emulate the player who most consider the greatest player of all time but when you step into Jordan’s shadow you can expect to be overlooked at times.

Kobe's Legacy: 5 most deadly assassins after Bryant

Kobe Bryant recently made the statement that he hasn’t had anyone he could consider a true rival throughout his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although there are many players who have played in the NBA during Bryant’s tenure who should feel slighted by his remark (as well as a few current players), Bryant has a point.

Is Michael Jordan the new Donald Sterling?

MICHAEL JORDAN

Isn’t it ironic that the ultimate competitor is owner of the league’s least competitive team? It’s sad to see how futile Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats have become. They have the worst record in the league at 3-24 and things don’t look to get any better in Charlotte anytime soon.

Danny Ainge: The Perfect Example of a Bad GM

You don’t trade away a Larry Bird. I’m sorry but that’s just ludicrous. You don’t trade Larry Legend under any circumstances just like you would never trade a Michael Jordan, a Tim Duncan or a Magic Johnson.

Kobe Goes H.A.M.

Really Kobe? Really? I mean what does Kobe Bryant have to prove at this point in his career?

I don’t know what point Kobe is trying to make but he has now scored over 40 points in three straight games this week.

DeMarcus Cousins is a ‘Throwback’ Player

When people hear the word throwback they immediately get an image of some legendary player back in the days when an athlete’s heroic feats were captured either in black-and-white footage or that grainy technicolor stuff. Well there is no need to harken that far back. No need to waste your time envisioning the exploits of Bob Cousy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or even Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, at least not for the purposes of this story.

Can Andrew Bynum Carry the Lakers?

Los Angeles Lakers’ coach Mike Brown understands basketball fundamentals. If you have an athletic big man who can score, give him the rock. That’s right. Give Andrew Bynum the ball, Kobe Bryant be damned!

The Chris Paul Controversy Isn’t Going Away Any Time Soon

The ink hasn’t even dried on the NBA’s new labor agreement and we already have our first controversy of the season. Thursday the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets and Houston Rockets announced a three-way trade that would have sent Chris Paul to L.A. and Pau Gasol to Houston. The Hornets would have received Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and a 2012 first-round draft pick in the deal but the NBA canceled the trade hours after it was announced yesterday.

Amnesty Clause May Fuel Huge NBA Free Agency

There may be a lot of players to be had on the cheap during the NBA free agency period as some teams are expected to clear cap room by invoking the new CBA’s amnesty clause. This would allow each team to remove one burdensome contract from their salary cap and allows teams with cap room to bid on that player.