Jason Kidd’s basketball odyssey continues

Regrettably, we no longer get to see the nightly highlights of the mind-boggling passes that Jason Kidd used to make on the regular. The guy who would make his opponents look stupid with his superior court vision, exceptional ball-handling displays and passes that seem to reach his teammates from unbelievable angles has all but retired.

Instead we are exposed to a different Kidd these days. Now in his 19^th season in the league, Kidd is no longer a regular on the sports highlight shows but if you watch him during a game you will see why he is still an amazing player.

Lakers’ D’Antoni either unable or unwilling to adapt

New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson has been very successful since taking over the team after former coach Mike D’Antoni’s resignation last season. While D’Antoni has moved on to what most would consider a more talented team, D’Antoni hasn’t been nearly as successful as his New York successor.

It almost makes you wonder why D’Antoni was touted as such a big coaching hire to begin with. He didn’t get it done in New York and despite all the talent at his disposal with the Los Angeles Lakers, he hasn’t been able to get it done there either.

5 players besides Amar’e Stoudemire who should train with Olajuwon

New York Knicks power forward Amar’e Stoudemire has been one of the league’s most explosive players since being drafted out of high school in 2002. Numerous injuries have taken a toll on Stoudemire though who was noticeably slower and far less explosive last season.

But Stoudemire isn’t accepting that he is past his prime although he will turn 30 this season. Instead he enlisted the aid of former Houston Rockets’ center Hakeem Olajuwon to help him further develop his post game in hopes of getting his scoring average back above 20 points-per-game.

Rockets' Jeremy Lin: All-Star starter?

Point guard Jeremy Lin became an international sensation starting at point guard for the New York Knicks last season. Although Lin is now a member of the Houston Rockets, he may find himself wearing another team’s jersey by mid-season.

With the huge Asian population in Houston and the fact that the NBA has historically opened up All-Star voting to Asian countries like China, Lin could find himself starting at point guard for the Western Conference All-Star team.

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.

Arbitrator approves Bird rights for Knicks’ guard Jeremy Lin

The Lin-sanity may continue in New York next season. Arbitrator Kenneth Dam ruled on Friday that players like New York Knicks’ point guard Jeremy Lin who had been waived and signed by another team would be able to keep their Early Bird rights in order to re-sign with their current teams.

This ruling also affects Lin’s teammate Steve Novak, Chauncey Billups of the Los Angeles Clippers and J.J. Hickson of the Portland Trailblazers. Their teams are now allowed to go over the salary cap to resign them.

Lamar Odom eyeing the Knicks

New York-native Lamar Odom has decided he wants to add his hometown team the New York Knicks to the list of basketball cities he has called home during his NBA career.

Odom still has one year left to his contract with the Dallas Mavericks at $8.2 million but a team has up to June 29 to buy him out at $2.4 million if they don’t want to pay the whole sum.

Knicks await arbitration decision determining Jeremy Lin’s Early Bird rights

Point guard Jeremy Lin is expected to be re-signed by the New York Knicks this summer since he is a restricted free agent and the Knicks have the right to match any offer but Lin’s agent isn’t so sure his client will be wearing a Knicks’ uniform next season.

A clause in the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement called the Gilbert Arenas provision limits what teams can offer a restricted free agent who has only been in the league one or two years.

5 teams that will attempt to sign Jeremy Lin from the Knicks

Point guard Jeremy Lin has essentially become a restricted free agent now that the New York Knicks’ season is officially over but the Knicks may not have the money to sign him to a long term contract. The only good news for the Knicks is that under league rules, Lin can only sign for a maximum of $5 million per season over the next two seasons.

That doesn’t prevent teams from offering Lin a longer contract paying him more after those first two seasons though. If the Knicks can’t compete with a team willing to sign him to a longer contract then that could be the end of the “Lin-sanity craze” in New York.

The Bulls will struggle to contain Carmelo Anthony in playoffs

The Chicago Bulls haven’t missed a beat this year even with point guard Derrick Rose hobbled by injuries for most of the season. They have had the leagues’ best record for most of the year and could wrap up the number one seed in the Eastern Conference in the next couple of games but we all know that the postseason is an entirely different game in itself.

Matchups are everything in the playoffs and with the Bulls looking to draw Carmelo Anthony and the eighth seeded New York Knicks in the first round, the Bulls could be looking at a first round ouster if they are not careful.

Patrick Ewing to coach the New York Knicks?

Although interim head coach Mike Woodson seems to be doing a good job with the New York Knicks, he is not a lock to be their head coach next season. If the Knicks do decide to go another direction next year though, there is an ex-Knick who would love a shot at the job; former Knicks’ center Patrick Ewing.

Woodson wants Knicks to remove interim label

The New York Knicks have won three straight games since Mike D’Antoni resigned and assistant coach Mike Woodson was elevated to the interim head coaching position. Before Woodson took over the Knicks had lost six straight games and eight of their last ten.

Knicks need a Phil-In: Carmelo Anthony ill fit in D’Antoni’s system

[Revised]

Poor Carmelo Anthony. Anthony hasn’t looked comfortable in Coach Mike D’Antoni's offense since coming to the New York Knicks via trade last year.

Lin, Anthony provide puzzling pieces in New York

Things have gotten really interesting in New York lately. The New York Knicks were looking really foolish for waiving Chauncey Billups before the season started but are now looking like geniuses with the emergence of Jeremy Lin.

Lin the Knick of time

After the season the New York Knicks have been having, the emergence of Jeremy Lin couldn’t have come at a better time. Both Carmelo Anthony and Amare’ Stoudemire are out and the Knicks were already pretty far back in the standings even when those two were in the lineup but Lin is showing how important a good point guard is to Mike D’Antoni’s offense.

Lessons Learned from the Last Lockout-Shortened NBA Season

The 2011-2012 NBA basketball season is projected to be a very challenging season, more so than your usual season of NBA basketball. Due to the contracted schedule, shortened mini-camps and free agent period, and the weakness of the draft, this season will have a lot in common with the last lockout-shortened season back in 1998-1999.But first let’s take a quick recap of the 98-99 season.