At one point during the second half of the Oklahoma City-L.A. Clipper showdown at Staples Center Tuesday night, Clippers TV analyst Mike Smith said “Kevin Durant looks like he’s on a mission.” What was supposed to be a matchup of the two best teams in the NBA — although the Clippers were shorthanded without their … [Read more…]
Kevin Durant hardly seemed bothered by O.J. Mayo’s tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation. It just gave the Oklahoma City star a chance for a career high and the first 50-point game in the NBA this season. Durant scored 52 points, including the go-ahead basket with 16.9 seconds remaining in overtime, and the … [Read more…]
Last June the Oklahoma City Thunder watched the Miami Heat celebrate an NBA championship. Six months later, the Thunder met the Heat again. The marquee matchup between LeBron James and Kevin Durant lived up to the hype. James, the reigning regular season and Finals MVP, nearly had a triple-double as he finished with 29 points, … [Read more…]
The U.S.-Spain titanic showdown in the gold-medal game lived up to all the hype. The game hung in the balance until the final quarter when Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James made crucial baskets to give the U.S. enough separation from a very game Spanish squad led by Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, … [Read more…]
Mike Krzyzewski got a well-deserved victory shower after the United States held off Spain 107-100 in the men’s basketball gold-medal game. Instead of a Gatorade bath, Krzyzewski got doused with water courtesy of LeBron James. Krzyzewski announced that the 2012 London Olympics would be his last game coaching USA Basketball. He’ll only remain as adviser … [Read more…]
The most impressive part about the United States’ 156-73 destruction of Nigeria in the preliminary round of the men’s basketball tournament at the 2012 London Olympics was Carmelo Anthony’s 37 points in 14 minutes. Think about it. Melo made13 of 16 shots from the field and was 10-for-12 from behind the 3-pointer arc (a couple … [Read more…]
The U.S. men’s basketball team looked a little bit out of sync in its Olympic tuneup Monday night against Brazil in Washington, D.C., and with good reason. The Brazilians certainly had a hand in forcing Team USA out of its comfort zone, but the more likely excuse was the added pressure of having to perform … [Read more…]
Because of the lockout, the 2011-12 NBA season was one nonstop frenetic highlight reel. Games were fast and furious, and so were the slam dunks. There were several jaw-dropping dunks that drew attention from NBA TV, TNT, and SportsCenter, but only five ultimately stood above from the rest. Who could forget Blake Griffin’s tomahawk over … [Read more…]
LeBron James looks around the room at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas where USA Basketball is holding its Olympics press conference and he likes what he sees. It doesn’t matter that his Miami Heat buddies Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are not a part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team because of injuries, and … [Read more…]
No Derrick Rose. No Dwight Howard. No Dwyane Wade. No Chris Bosh. Is USA Basketball in trouble? Hardly. The talent pool is still very deep and whomever the U.S. sends to London they will be heavily favored to win an Olympic gold medal. The team convenes in Las Vegas on July 5 to start training … [Read more…]