It’s cool because he gets to use the phrase “Magic Nuggets.” But Tom Ziller also has an interesting plan — what if the NBA did away with conferences and just took the best 16 teams and threw them in a bracket? Here’s what it looks like. And it looks pretty good.
Eddy Rivera over at Magic Basketball makes the case that Derrick Rose is not the MVP this season (even though he is going to win it). He correctly points out the Rose for MVP debate is shaking out like those baseball stats vs. scouts arguments, which is something the NBA has largely avoided so far.
The case for LeBron James as MVP. (Which was written before but feels a little off after the Heat loss to the Cavs, even with LBJ’s triple-double.)
The NBA confirms the referees got it wrong on LeBron’s three pointer at the end of the quarter against the Cavs. Fortunately, it didn’t end up impacting the outcome.
From our own Rob Mahoney: You hear announcers use the points in the paint stat all the time, but it’s not as important as you think. (Controlling the paint and boards are important, but points in the paint can be a poor measure of that.)
Awesome caricature of this year’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paul Pierce likes to throw gum when in Indiana.
How hard did the Maloof brothers really work to get a new arena and stay in Sacramento? Not as hard as you think.
The Knicks are slumping, but Carmelo Anthony is getting some nice endorsement deals since coming to New York. Which is what really matters, right?
The Lakers have sent Derrick Caracter down to the D-League, to get some playing time so he can develop.
Jerry West scored a hole-in-one at the Lakers Celebrity Invitational golf event and fundraiser. That’s played at the Riviera Country Club, where the PGA Tour plays when it comes to Los Angeles each February.
Style tips from Zaza Pachulia.
Andre Iguodala is scoring less but he still leading the Sixers.
A conversation with Darryl Dawkins, talking the 1977 NBA finals against the Blazers and more.