OK, so that went well. First-round predictions included Western Conference 3rd-seeded Portland over 6th-seeded New Orleans in six games. So of course, Rajon Rondo reverts to yesteryear and the Trailblazers not only lose, but get swept. Then Oklahoma City loses to Utah in a series where the reluctant third member … Read more
During the course of an NBA season we hear a lot of statements from personalities considered authorities of the sport that, upon further examination, are debatable. Sometimes we hear these statements so often we just meekly accept them. Not a big deal, but after hearing these utterances once again leading … Read more
For most of the 2018 NBA playoff participants, it’s now time to inactivate the cruise control button–in most cases in effect since early March–and get serious. After about a six-week hiatus, the games count again. Only a handful of teams in the Western Conference got to experience playoff-level intensity at … Read more
The National Basketball Association is in a good place. It is globally popular, has recognizable stars, a healthy television contract and is looking to capitalize on the slowly declining popularity of baseball to improve its standing among the major sports. Even the off-season, while nowhere near as active as baseball’s … Read more
About 20 years ago, after periodically experimenting with hosting the NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball’s Final Four in cavernous sites like Houston’s Astrodome and the Louisiana Superdome (as it was called at the time) with seating capacities in excess of 60,000, the association finally decided that forevermore, the top level … Read more
