Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in Uncle Drew: Chapter 2

This is chapter 2 to the original viral Pepsi MAX campaign, this time with Kevin Love as a special guest, play old man West and a Bill Russell cameo.

If you missed the first one, here it it:

These commercial are great, hopefully Uncle Drew will bring his whole team back to together and we get to watch them destroy those "young bloods."

Source: @KyrieIrving

Kendrick Perkin refuses to sing with his teammates in a local commercial.

One thing you need to know is that Kendrick Perkins is serious all the time. It is not an act, he is serious 24/7 and will not break no matter the circumstances. On the other hand, we have Nick Collison, who is of course the most convincing salesman of the bunch, with his smooth voice and slick hair-do, who wouldn't be like the fellow below.

Sources: SB Nation

The problems the Lakers needs to address.

We all saw the game last night and it was ugly. If you didn't catch it, consider yourself lucky. The Lakers were just out hustled in every single way possible. You would think that a Mavericks team without the German Assassin Dirk and Huntsman Kaman, would get blowout by Kupchak's own version of the Avengers, but instead they put on an embarrassing debut.

The Lakers might have lost to the Maverick by a small 8 point margin, it was still in no way a close game. This game exposed all of Los Angeles's problems and surprising it took one shorthanded team to do it. If they want to get somewhere in June, they need to start addressing them now.

The Problems:

1. Dwight Howard's free throw shooting. Let's face it this will never get better, hopefully they don't meet the Spurs, other wise coach Popovich will be having the time of his life.
2. Having Steve Nash and not using his nashabilities. You can not have Steve Nash on your team without having him dominate the ball. Pick and Rolls need to happen and everyone on the team has to run.
3. This leads to another problem, if the Lakers decide to run and abandon the Princeton offense, how are they going to sustain their energy, with a aging and injury plagued roster, they can't really afford to run every possession. Going to the bench early is not an option, they will give up leads in a flash if they are relied on. The Mavs's bench outscored the Lakers 37 - 17.
4. Despite having so much height over the other team, they did not abuse it. The bigs need to put up at least 20 shot attempts every night. If they can't even put up big numbers against skinny Brandon Wright and undersized Elton Brand, what will they do against taller teams in the West.
5. The Back Court defense was just as horrible as I predicted, Collison and Beaubois torched Nash just by shooting jumpers, and if I am not mistaken most guards in this league on a playoff team can make a jump shot or two. Dwight and Gasol does their job just by being in the paint altering shots and lowers the confidence of players who dare to attack the basket.
6. This is not an actual problem, but Dwight Howard should never wear those sleeves again, those look absolutely ridiculous.

Until Mike Brown finds the answers, his future, along with the Lakers are facing imminent doom.

The Feed: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat [10/30/12]

This was the game we all have been waiting on tonight, and it was as good as expected. The Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 120 to 107 in the first chapter of Ray Allen's path of revenge. After all the drama, controversy, and rivalry talk in the summer, we get an action packed rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals and it could not have ended any better.

For those who are unconvinced of how good of a game this was, let's just show you how it started.

Yes, that actually happened, and at long last we finally get some rivalry fueled by some intense hatred.

I know this has been said, but the Heat look indestructible. Boston came out to play tonight, keeping the score close until the end and still couldn't be any farther from beating Miami. LeBron left the game early with another leg cramp early 4th quarter, and was still able to register a double double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Remember when we all criticized him for his inconsistent jumper, well, it was hitting tonight.

Without the MVP, the rest of the roster stepped up. Dwyane Wade struggled early, but still managed to pour in 29 points (scored his 15,000th career point in this game) . Bosh sneaked in 19 points and Ray Allen just shredding his former team with 19 points, establishing himself as a potential 6th man of the year candidate. The all time leader in three pointers made, hit his first bucket in less a minute in to the game, and of course it was a buzzer beater (shot clock). He capitalized on his defenders, using his pump fakes at the three point line to create a space for a easy twos and it was unstoppable.

On the Boston side, Paul Pierce put in 23 points, looking surprisingly ageless in his 14th season and even pulled out a dunk in transition. Unfortunately for the Truth, he didn't get much help early, as Rondo refused to look for his shot in the 1st quarter, however, he ended up with 20 points and 13 assists, by being more aggressive in the second half.

Kevin Garnett was left out offensively finishing with 9 points and 12 boards, his defensive production is still just as stellar, without him the defense collapsed. Jeff Green couldn't pick up the effort on defense or offense, looking as lost as Danny Ainge when he signed him to that 36 million deal. I thought Brandon Bass should have gotten more touches, with Shane Battier guarding him, he can easily out power him and put in more than 15 points. And who wouldn't want to see him dunk more, looking like he is always about to get rim stuffed with that low vertical of his.

The entire game was in Miami's control dominating on both ends of the floor. Boston made a late run (7-0) with Leandro Barbosa (16 points) pushing the ball on the floor, but it wasn't enough to spoil the glorious return of the reigning champions. The Celtic's depth that has been raved about all summer, didn't make a dent. Terry was out of control to start, throwing away passes and contributed to Boston's 16 turnovers to Heat's 8.

Funny things of note:

• Norris Cole's flat top could not be any more leveled.
• I am a 100% sure, NBA made a thicker headband just for LeBron.
• TNT really likes to film LeBron drinking his Gatorade, which was useless in helping him prevent cramps.
• Rashard Lewis's facial hair is disgusting and his jump shot is still super weird.
• Rondo pulled a Raja Bell on Dwyane Wade out of frustration.
• Kevin Garnett got a technical for faking an elbow to Mario Chalmers.
• Paul Pierce didn't take advantage when Mike Miller and his deteriorated body was guarding him.
• Wade complained just about every singe call and non call.

Offensive Set:
Miami returned to their strengths in the half court, using LeBron as the post to draw defenders close to kick out to more capable shooters. If they don't go to the post, they use the shooters to spread the floor for either Dwyane Wade and LeBron to attack the basket. They did run a similar double screen play Boston used to run for Ray Allen, but they abandoned that early when he was able to find his own offense. Their main weapon is still transition. They move the ball so quick, it is almost unbelievable. When they push against a unsettled defense, there is no doubt the ball will end up in the basket. 

Without Ray Allen to use as a decoy, Boston had to find a new offense. It mainly incorporates Rondo and Paul Pierce. Rondo obivously does Rondo things, weaving through the defense to find the wide open guys. If the ball lands in Paul Pierce's hands, he will either go for an iso, or a high post up that forces Heat's attention, allowing him to look for cutters.

Defensive Set:

The Heat is not only fast on offense, they are ridiculous with their rotations. They can afford to double and still recover just in time. Their specialty is still a ball handler trap at the top corner of the court, forcing lots of turnovers on any guard that is not prepared. 

Boston is without out a doubt still a great defensive team, but against a team loaded with this many weapons, they can only hope to slow them down. They like to double up on the stars for obvious reasons, rather risk the kick out then an easy basket. They have great communication for smooth rotations and props to Courtney Lee for his defense on Wade, that really bothered the star early in the game.

Rookie Watch:
Sulllinger is not ready, at least not against the heat. He might need to be in better shape, because he is a bit slow guarding Chris Bosh.

Conan throws an alley-oop to Blake Griffin in Video Game form.

That now makes the greatest red head basketball duo since ever. Also probably the first and last red head to red head alley-oop. The reason why Conan was traded because there is a NBA rule where you are only allowed to have one red head per team in order maintain competitive balance. When Scalabrine left, it only makes sense for the Celtics to sign Conan to become their new man and personality wise he would be a perfect fit. He should however, consider changing his number, 20 is not very hot right now in Boston.

Bonus clip of faces that Blake Griffin makes when he is dunking:

The Feed: Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers [10/30/12]

Recap:

Kyrie Irving and company defeated the Wall-less Wizards 94 to 84 in the first official game of the 2012 - 2013 season. I know it was not the best way to start the NBA off, but this was surprisingly entertaining to watch. For those who missed out on Kyrie Irving in the previous hectic 66 game season, the reigning Rookie of the Year was ready to put on a show. The Wizards had no answers for the sophomore allowing him to finish the game with 29 points. Without John Wall, and Nene, Washington could not buy any offense, relying on Jordan Crawford, which turned out like you would have guessed. The kid jacked up a shot every time he got the ball, scoring 11 points on 13 attempts.

Anderson Varejao put in a near triple-double performance, with 9 points, 9 assists and a ridiculous 23 boards, something no one has ever done in an opener since Wilt chamberlain in 1967. The "Wild Thang," (Yes, that is his actual nickname, I found out today too.) probably broke another record today, drawing two charges in two consecutive possessions against the same player and no, he did not do any flopping except for the curly locks on his magnificent head. His contribution on the offensive glass (12) created multiple offensive opportunities that eventually led his team to victory. 

Cleveland was in total control of the entire game, leading every quarter except the fourth, where they blew a 16 point lead. The Cav's second unit were just unable to find points and play defense, they got outscored by the Wiz's bench 46 to 23. It didn't really matter though, once Byron Scott re-inserted his starters, the lead was quickly erased, handing Washington, their first loss of the season.
 

Offensive Set:

Cleveland often struggled to score in a half court set, if they don't put a shot up before the opponent's defense are set, they will usually run a pick and roll with the ball handler, who will shoot or attack the basket off the screen. They are most successful with Kyrie and Dion on the floor pushing the pace for a quick bucket.

Majority of the time, Washington, tends to set up in the half court (this is likely not going to become their offensive scheme when John is back, but with A.J. Price as your starting point, somethings had to change). The set they ran the most was a on ball screen, where the ball handler passes to a forward standing on the wing, and cuts through the right side with the help of another 2 screens. The recipient of the ball returns it to the original ball handler who has now on the weak side, where he will either have a shot or a pass to the big man.The Wizards seem to favor an attack on the weak side.

Defensive Set: 

The Cavs traps the ball handler hard when their opponents are setting a screen, this was effective in forcing a few turnovers. However, neither teams played great defensively, Wizards' rotations were horrible, they were either too slow, or late. In the 4th quarter at around the 2 minute mark, Tristan Thompson was left open in the same spot for 3 straight possessions, where he threw down three back-to-back-to-back dunks that were so similar, you would have thought there was a disruption of the TV signal, causing a weird loop.


Rookie Watch:

Dion Waiters simply outplayed Bradley Beal. He has great awareness, taking good shots, making the right plays and oozes confidence. He finished with 17 points in 28 minutes.

Tyler Zeller wasn't really a factor in this game, he did seem nervous to start but managed to get 5 points and 2 boards.

Bradley Beal made a good debut, 8 points, 2/4 from three point within 21 minutes. Wittman should have gave him more opportunities, needs to draw up a few plays for him to be effective as a shooter.

Get to know Brooklyn Net's owner, Mikhail Prokhorov.

From GQ

On the surface, Mikhail Prokhorov is a Russian billionaire that happens to own a basketball team and has connections to the gangsters in his home-country, no biggie. Just by that short bio, many would be scared out of their mind to even approach him in the wrong way, but to my surprise he is actually pretty cool, at least from this recent interview with the New York Post.

The following are excerpts from the original article:

Even on vacation, it’s very intense. I do sports of different kinds for up to eight hours a day. My posse usually needs another vacation after a vacation with me.

That's tough, but I am up for it, take me to one of your French $30 million vacation that you have reportedly taken your posse to.

I’m much more like my mother. She was cool as a cucumber, as you say in English. In Russian, we say calm as a boa constrictor!

Way to put a new twist to the in Soviet Russia jokes.

I have said that if the Nets don’t win the NBA championship within five years, I will punish myself by getting married. We are in year three. So no one is more interested in winning a championship than yours truly.

Poor you, having to date and marry models.

Q: Which actor would you want to play you in the movie about your life and why?
A: Chris Rock or Danny DeVito. For obvious physical resemblance.

Oh man, this billionaire got jokes.

Q: People you haven’t met and would like to meet?
A: This person called Honey Boo Boo is at the top of my list at the moment.

Of his hit list! As bad as honey boo boo is, she is still just a little girl, stop your gangster bros before this gets out of hand.

Benjamin Franklin because I feel I know him already. During the wild 90’s, when there was no real banking system, Russia had more $100 bills in circulation than any country in the world!

The most billionaire thing to be said by a billionaire.

Q: Favorite sports movie?
A: All the “Rocky” movies, except the one where he beats up on the Russian, of course.

This man exuberates Russian pride like no other.

There we have it, the most interesting NBA Owner in the world.

Sources: NY Post, GQ (Picture)

The Indiana Pacers dunk contest.

I know you expected more, I am disappointed too, but that Paul George's effortless 360-through the legs dunk is ridiculous. Last time I saw it done was in the NBA Street Vol.2 (still the best basketball video game to day) using Street Legend Stretch's signature move.

Oh, and Gerald Green, you can not just do a self alley-oop wind mill after doing a similar dunk in game. After that photo of your chin above the rim, you have the responsibility to do like a 720-windmill-honey dip dunk while blowing out a candle on a cup cake.

Source: SLAM

John Lucas III mic'd up in a Toronto Raptors scrimmage.

Just John Lucas the Third showing you all why he is the Most Interesting Man in the NBA.

Source: Toronto Raptors on YouTube

Breaking down of the James Harden Trade.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann from Getty Images

So long are the days of the beard flowing in the winds of Oklahoma city, and cue the sad but adorable YouTube videos of children crying. The internet exploded on Saturday night when Sam Presti traded James Harden (along with Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward and Daequan Cook) to the Houston Rockets for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks (from Dallas and Toronto) and a second-round pick (from Charlotte).

Let's break this down.

For the Houston Rockets:
Daryl Morey finally gets his franchise guy in James Harden, and an opportunity to attract free agents to Space City. The re-building process post Yao Ming and T-Mac era can begin, and they have a lot of money to do so in the summer. The Rockets easily wins this trade, getting an All Star for an expiring contract of the unhappy Kevin Martin, rookie Jeremy Lamb and a few draft picks. They are still unlikely to make the playoffs this year with this group, at least a path for the future has been laid down.

Houston should be worried about one thing though, James Harden has previously stated that he did not like to be the "MAN," a role he played in college and successfully grabbed the attention of NBA general managers. Harden is a young developing NBA star that improved statistically every year, but they were all done as the sixth man, behind the shadows of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. With that said, he actually plays better without those two on the floor, as a matter of fact, he played 464 minutes with neither Kevin Durant nor Russell Westbrook on the floor last season. 

He might have struggled in the NBA Finals last year, averaging 12.4 points and 3.0 assists per game on 37.5% shooting. Confidence should be brewing inside him now, coming back from a brutal beating by the Miami Heat and a gold medal at the Olympics, he should be more than prepared to step into the spotlight with his majestic facial hair.  

For the Oklahoma City Thunder:
This is a huge loss for Loud City, without James Harden, they lose an efficient scorer, a second unit leader that can orchestrate the offense while creating his own shots. Just how efficient is this man? He shot at a 49.1 field goal percentage last year, 70 percent at the rim and 39 from the three. Not to mention his play making ability, according to synergy sports he is ranked 9th in scoring efficiency as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, and a 19.3 assist percentage when he is in the game. His production is simply irreplaceable, OKC will likely never get someone as good as Harden and it might wind up as one of biggest regrets in Basketball history.

However, this is just a set back for the Thunder and they are still not out of contention for the Larry O' Brien Trophy. Chemistry within the team are without a doubt disrupted but they did get a fair deal in return and if Scott Brooks can put this together, be prepared to be surprised. Kevin Martin is a dynamic scorer who might have been under your radar for his entire career, because unfortunately, he plays for terrible teams. Through out the 10 seasons of his career, besides his rookie and sophomore year, he averaged 21.4 points a game at a 43 field goal percentage. He is near Harden in assist percentage at 14.5 and can draw fouls like a quarterback playing against Ndamukong Suh (wrong sport, but you get the reference).

The second unit will suffer without Harden, but Eric Maynor is back from his season ending knee injury. Maynor is a reliable back up point guard that might be able to run the offense in the beard's absence. He will be the key to make Martin fit in to this unit, and let's not forget OKC landed a few rookies with star potential. Perry Jones III and Jeremy Lamb are promising players and playing under the culture of this team, without having to worry about becoming the immediate franchise rescuers will be nothing less than beneficial.

If everything listed above does not work out, the Thunder can still afford to play Westbrook and Durant more minutes. Serge Ibaka is a developing offensive threat and giving Presti the Raptor's pick will more than likely make Morey regret it.

In my opinion, both teams made the best decision possible. The Rockets answered their desperate need for change and are finally ready to compete. It is fair to criticize the Thunder for not going to a last run at the championship with the beard and paying Perkins an undeserving contract, but for the future, they may have booked themselves a better scheduled appointment at another NBA Finals.

Sources: Picture,Yahoo! Sports, SB Nation, MySynergySports, Arizona, Hoopdata, Basketball Reference.

Spurs wins the NBA Halloween Costume Contest.

Who would have thought that a team that Popovich coaches and led my Tim Duncan would win a costume contest. No one would have ever thought the Spurs would even dress up for Halloween, but here are the pictures proving me wrong.

Two kickasses? Is it that really necessary to have two heroes that have zero super powers and mediocre combat skills?

Of course, Tim Duncan is the punisher, how Tim Duncan of him to recycle his costume ideas. We already saw him earlier this year with a punisher knee brace, I wonder if he is wearing it.

Zorro is Spanish, Ginobili speaks Spanish, so therefore it is a perfect fit. What would be better is a Bat exterminator costume, because we all saw Manu smacking the living crap out of that unlucky bat at the AT&T Center.

Guess someone didn't get the memo, it is the number one rule at any Halloween costume party, never show up in the same costume. If anything, Stephen Jackson is the best joker, I mean who else has a similar personality as the Joker than Stak5? Tiago, you should have stuck with the Usain Bolt costume you planned.


 Happy Halloween, I have saved the scariest picture for last.

Hope you can sleep well tonight!

Source: @DaTrillStak5

Blake Griffin gives advice to his younger self.

This is possibly my favorite commercial, it includes my favorite song, a back to the future reference and it's NBA-related.

Telling a 10 year old that can dunk to practice free throws is never going to happen, this is why you are you and also why you do this:

Source: KIA on Youtube

Gerald Green rests his chin on the rim.

We already know that Gerald Green's hops are bonkers, but this is just absolutely ridiculous. How are we of the same species? I mean I can do the same thing to the nerf hoop in my room that is about the height of my door, except he is actually doing the same thing to a 10 foot hoop, damn his genetic pool.

Source: @D_West30

Blake Griffin and the Clippers dances on the bench.

Just when you thought Gangnam Style would magically disappear from the internet forever, we get this hilarious bench rendition of the dance. Caron Butler and his old dance moves are just the best, aside from doing the whole thing wrong, by just being the oldest guy on the team willing to do such a dance makes him the coolest.

Source: Beyond the Buzzer

DeAndre Jordan does a blind man prank.

This is completely normal, just another 6'11" blind man walking the streets on Venice Beach aimlessly.

Source: The NOC on Youtube

Kevin Garnett watches Family Guy before games.

In the latest Bill Simmons Report podcast, Brian Scalabrine AKA the "White Mamba" talked about what it was like playing with Kevin Garnett. Everyone knows that KG is a feared competitor with a mean stare and intensity that can make his opponents feel like they don't belong in the league. He even made his own team mate Glen "Big Baby" Davis cry in a game once. But according to Scal, Garnett actually has a chill bro switch, that allows him to joke around and watch family guy before games. This is a huge surprise, if this is true, I am assuming, that he only watches the episodes that involves Stewie trying to fight/kill someone because what else can get him to that mentality and win those "BAR FIGHTS."

Source: B.S. Report

Chinese People love Tracy McGrady.

Warning: If you are wearing headphones, lower your volume or else your eardrums will explode and I will not be responsible for that.

This is kind of a heartfelt moment for me, I was never a huge fan of Tracy McGrady but to see an all world talent succumb to injuries that derailed his career can not be any more depressing. I am glad that 2,000 Chinese fans gathered at the airport to welcome T-MAC, whose popularity definitely rose when he was paired with Yao Ming.

I wish nothing but the best for Tracy and his future endeavors, it just sucks that him and Penny might never be inducted into the Hall of Fame, even when they are more than well deserved of such an honor.

Source: BDL

Shaq trolls Dwight Howard in a freestyle rap.

Here we go again, more shots fired by the NBA Analyst (I say this loosely because he is terrible, take him off the TNT Halftime show, he only cares about farts), but this time in a more familiar format. Dwight Howard has become the second victim of Shaq's hot "rhymes," at this point I am just wondering if the man is just trying to hold on to the attention that he seems desperate for. After all he has been firing off at Dwight with stupid remarks after another in the past few months.

It seems like Shaq is bitter about Dwight taking the "Superman" nickname, which is just incredibly selfish when he has like a million more, he basically comes up with a new one every interview anyways. (Well, according to Wikipedia, I am about 999,983 off, he has 17 nicknames, and none of which is better than the Diesel.)

Source: SB Nation

Blake Griffin really needs to go to the bathroom.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!

Source: BDL

Doc Rivers: "Jason Terry is slow as (bleep)."

Photos By: Elise Amendola/AP Photo and
Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff

 

 

This summer, Boston ended the era of the original "Big 3" of the Celtics. With the rise of Avery Bradley last season, Allen had to take a backseat, in a role he was not comfortable with and eventually drove him out of town.

The addition of Terry, became a perfect fit, as the 2009 sixth man of the year, he can provide an offensive spark off the bench that the veteran team was desperately missing. His ability to create his own shot and making it at a consistent high percentage will be key to the Celtic's success. And because you want to know, in a recent interview, Jason explained his technique on creating his own shot.

From the Boston Herald:

... It’s changing speeds and changing pace, and sometimes when you’re slow, you’re quick. I mean, the defense doesn’t know what you’re doing. If you hurry, you run into your defender, and then you’ve accomplished nothing. So I had to slow myself down a little bit but still be quick at the same time.

The best part besides the fact that this made no sense was that Doc River heard it and called out on Jason Terry's bullshit

“He’s in no hurry. Well, he can’t be,” the coach said. “He’s slow as (expletive). 

That just moved Doc up in my non existent extensive list of coolest coaches ever. If you have the time please check out this great piece on Grantland about him, it might just make you move him up in your non existent list too.

Source: The Boston Herald

James Harden and Tony Parker surprise drop in at a local park.

This can not be more staged, I mean seriously, what kid cares about Tony Parker, especially when you had the beard right next to you. Also can this be any more of an unlikely pairing, an upcoming young star with an established veteran guard, weird. At least get Ginóbili, then we can get a mirror one on one match with ALL OF THE FLOPS.

Source: ShareATT on Youtube

Jason Terry falls for his own prank.

I am pretty sure, Jason Terry was scared every time Dionte Christmas jumped out of that box, otherwise why would he keep running away. Too bad Dionte is now waived by the Celtics, Boston is back to being the old and serious team that rarely jokes. 

Source: NOC

Chris Paul destroy human beings in sweat pants.

FACT: Doesn't matter how you defend Chris Paul, you can throw double teams, triples, whatever you can think of, Chris will get through it all and embarrass you while doing so.

Pro-Tip: Don't open up your defensive stance too wide, you are just asking for that ball to go right between your legs, save yourself some pride.

Source: Ball is Life on Youtube

Kobe Bryant doesn't like losing to kids. Scarred DeMar MeRozan.

Photo by Michael Peake/Toronto Sun

If you have watched any of  Kobe's youth basketball camps in the summer on youtube, you probably know that there was never a time the Mamba will let a little kid win. It gets even worst if you are older. If you are in your teens, not only will Kobe completely destroy your desire to continue to play basketball, he will trash talk and straight up embarrass you. For those who are still in disbelief of what you are reading, I have found evidence that the 5 time NBA champion do, do such things.

In a recent interview, DeMar DeRozan who grew up in LA, talked about the traumatic experience of playing Kobe at the tender age of 15.

From the National Post:

Was he trash talking a 15-year-old kid?
Was he? A little bit. Every time he got scored on, he really didn’t like that too much. It was cool, though.

Is it really cool DeMar? Then why do you have an average of 34% FG when you played against him in the last 2 seasons, when uou normally hit your shots in the mid 40's range. It's okay to confess, after all what else do bloggers like me have to do in the off season then investigate a story that is probably a fiction.

Man, I am gonna miss Kobe when he retires, we will never have another person who hates to lose with every single fiber of his living body.

Sources: National Post, NBA Advanced Stats, Toronto Sun (Photo)

Metta World Peace doesn't care for your Stanley Cup superstition.

As a Canadian, it is obligatory to love Hockey more than anything in the world. We live in this culture where Hockey is the only sport that everyone has to watch, and if you are anything less than a fan, you will get a shit storm of criticism. The worst part of it is that during the Hockey season, nobody and I mean absolutely nobody, talks about anything else. Switch on Sportscenter on TSN (Canadian ESPN), where you are suppose to get 90 minutes of coverage on all active sports, but nope, you get more like a 60 minute hockey show show with highlights from other sports.

I am a victim of this society, as a "rare" hockey watcher, I struggle to find other conversation topics with strangers and often than not, get looks of disappointment. You know the one that you get when you are in trouble with your parents, Yea, that one. With that very cool story told, I do know that there is one superstition in hockey that nobody ever dares to disprove and today Metta World Peace just showed a disregard for all of the hopes Laker fans have for their team.

For those who still don't get it, you are probably American, but that is okay, I love you too. It is an unwritten rule made by hockey players to never touch the Cup unless you have earned it. So that's about it for this Lakers's season, just like that almond, MWP just crushed it all up and swallowed it. At least we know who to blame now if another banner doesn't hang in the rafters of the Staples Center by end of June.

FYI, our beloved Steve Nash didn't even look at the cup, he knows he don't got no time left in his career to be messing with some ancient sport superstition.

Source: SB Nation

Roy Hibbert goes Gangnam Style with a Flash Mob.

I know you can't get enough of the Gangnam Style NBA new lately, so who am I to stand in your way of getting your fix.

For Park and Recreation Fans, Entertainment 720 presents: Roy Hibbert.

This was the first 7 ft person since Shaq to ever move so gracefully on the dance floor. Roy sure knows how to win fans, not only did he obtain a new level on the fan favorite scale, he also got a Halloween costume as a bonus. If you happen to see a 7'2" PSY trick or treating this year, you know who it is now and your welcome. 

Source: Pacers Video on Youtube

The Most Interesting Man in the NBA.

Most people would agree that the most interesting players are the most weird ones. The Metta World Peaces, JaVale McGees or just some foreign dudes. But SB Nation decided to look outside the box and found themselves the most interesting man in all of NBA Basketball. The honor goes to none other than new acquired Toronto Raptor, John Lucas the Third. Surprise?

Source: SB Nation

The Clippers goes to a Haunted House.

In the spirit of Halloween, the Clippers, well 3 members of the team decided to do some bonding in a Haunted house.

Trey Thompkins was definitely the most frightened, holding on to Caron's arm for comfort. I am sure there was a Scooby Doo reenactment at some point, but unfortunately they had to cut it out to preserve his pride.

Also Caron is a really weird man, he seems almost too happy to be in there, add that with his strange McDonald's straw chewing habit, dude is creeping me out.

Source: USHHorrorNights on Youtube

Shaq does a terrible Prince imitation.

I am at a loss for words, just a plain disturbing sight.

Source: Guyism

Kevin Love broke his hands doing push ups.

Marlin Levison, Minneapolis Star Tribune

It's been a rough preseason for Kevin Love this past week. First, he woke up to a elbow injury from sleeping with his arm hanging off the bed. And now, he is out for 6 to 8 weeks because he broke his right hand doing push ups. These freak injuries are hurting the Timberwolves, to Love's credit, he did break it doing KNUCKLE push ups with his trainer.

Perhaps he should learn how to do them properly from the other Kevin:

Sources: Orlando Sentinel (Picture), CBC Sports

Gangnam Style cured Dwight Howard's Back.

From MenudoBol.com

When the Lakers signed Dwight Howard, they were well aware of the risk. The back injury he sustained over last season, caused worries through out the Lakers camp. That was until, they discovered a foreign treatment.

From Laker Nation:

“Gagnam style has helped me strengthen my core and lower back. I’ve got a great PT program, but this dance has taken me to the next level,” said Howard.

Weeks later, Howard was on the court at training camp, ferociously dunking on roster hopeful Robert Sacre. Coach Mike Brown and Kobe Bryant have been amazed by Howard’s progress, comparing him to Bill Russell and noticing no signs of injury.

In a team with an aging roster, and a history of injuries, this new sensation in the medical world will bring back the youth in the veterans. Steve Nash, you can finally forget about your Phoenix Training Staff. If you feel any pain or aches, just blast Gangnam Style and pretend you are riding a horse galloping on a really bump road.

One certain teammate however, is still not bought by it.

Asked why Bryant didn’t join Howard in the Gangnam Sytle dance during a break in action at the Lakers-Trailblazers preseason game, he sternly replied “I don’t ride horseys.” 

As imagined Kobe Bryant refuses to believe in some silly Korean Pop dance would fix his ailing knees. But this is the Mamba we are talking about here, he would do anything to pro-long his career. May I remind you he went under the German Orthokine procedure as the first NBA prototype. I bet the man is in his castle of solitude, listening to PSY's melodic voice with his headphone on, (just so no one ever knows about it) while swinging an imaginary lasso.

Sources: Picture, Lakers Nation

NBA: Where you have 90 seconds for a handshake.

Well, this came out of no where. Apparently the NBA is tired of starting games later than allotted, so David Stern decides to put his tyrannical power to work.

From PBT:

From the time pregame introductions end, teams will have 90 seconds to return to the court and be ready for the opening tip.

Basically, this means no more pre-game rituals, no more silly handshakes and no more dancing.
I for one absolutely hate this, those rituals are something fans love and try to imitate. Removing them for casual watchers is just not fair.

This really hits hard, where am I going to get my .GIF fixes now?

Sources: PBT  and PurpleandYellow Tumblr (Picture)

Marvel and ESPN Comics Presents - LeBron: King of the Rings.

From ESPN Magazine.

Marvel and ESPN teamed up to create a comic about LeBron's journey for the seven championship rings he promised to Miami when he first  arrived.

You should really check it out, it is hilarious and involves a Zombie Shane Battier, Bionic body parts and LeBron Clones. How can you not be interested?

Click HERE!

Source: Yahoo's BDL

NBA East Preview: Who makes the Playoffs?

The East has been a step behind the West in terms of quality teams. While it houses the reigning NBA champions, achieving a playoff spot in this conference is slightly easier. The competition is lackluster, besides the few notable powerhouses, the rest of the teams are the butt of the NBA. This summer, a lot of new faces arrived in the East. Some soared in the power rankings, where as some dropped. Here are my predictions for the 2012-2013 eastern conference playoff spots.

1. Miami Heat
With the Bulls now out without Derrick Rose and their bench mob, the Heat will take over at the top. The addition of sharp shooters Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis will make this team even deadlier. Especially in the small ball offense that they like to run. Look for LeBron to post up more often. He can wreak havoc in the paint by himself, and if you dared to double, his court vision will find an open man, which will result in 3 points. Miami's defense will remain just as irritating, but they will have to come up with a solution for the skilled Big Man (Hibbert and Bynum). It will not be a problem for this team to make it back to the finals this year, but whether they will repeat depends on Wade's pending health.

2. Indiana Pacers
How good Paul George will get this season will define what the Pacers can achieve in the post season. Otherwise this remains a solid team that plays great defense and suffer from occasional offensive droughts.

Granger hasn't improved into the offensive threat they would like, he needs to find consistency, as with much of the other players on this team. Hibbert has to demand the ball into the post more often, he is too skilled to not get more touches. Note to Vogel, please tell me you worked on getting the ball into the post over the summer, there is no reason why Hibbert should not be your go to scorer.

Coming back from this summer, they gain more depth with D.J. Augustin, Gerald Green, and importantly Ian Mahimi to back up Roy. To get past the Heat they must improve offensively, they have the basic tools but the players are just outmatched in some positions.

3. Boston Celtics
If there is anyone that can take the Heat down before their return to the throne, it's the Celtics. Losing Ray Allen might seem detrimental at first, but adding Jason Terry, who will be more than happy to be the sixth man can turn out for the better. Terry is a streaky shooter, but he is able to create for himself, which will be needed for instant offense that Boston is really short of. Courtney Lee is a bonus, gives them another streaky shooter that can defend the wing.

The Celtics are a  heavily loaded defensive team, if they can stay healthy, any team they play will have a tough match up. With excellent depth at Doc's disposal, the elders will get enough rest to be effective in late game. The struggles on offense has to be cured by Rondo, he has to put points on the board, giving up shots frequently hurts the team more than often.

4. Brooklyn Nets
I know this might be a stretch, but this Nets team looks promising. Offensively, they are a juggernaut, a starting group of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez will light up the score board. The key factor for the team is for Joe Johnson to find his place. With Deron beside him, there should be no circumstances, where he should play as iso-joe.

Kris and Brook will sweep the glass and should give them double doubles every game. They have a decent bench in C.J. Watson, Marshon Brooks, Reggie Evans, foreigner Mirza Teletovic, and Josh Childress. Oh, I forgot about Andray Blatche. Sorry, can't even write that without laughing.

The biggest problem will be on defense, they are lacking in basically every position, Gerald Wallace is not as young as he used to be. If they figure out a way to cover up their defensive woes, this team should give New York something to talk about.

5. New York Knicks
Adding a bunch of players that you recovered from fossils do not make them better defensively. I don't understand what James Dolan and Glen Grunwald was thinking, letting go of Jeremy Lin could have cost them a lot more than the poison pill contract. Off the record, I am not caught up into the Linsanity hype, but I do think he is an average point guard and by far better than the always chubby Raymond Felton.

The issue lies with Carmelo and Amare, if they don't find a way to mesh, the Knicks will never get anywhere. Their defense has already improved under Mike Woodson, I just don't see it can any better with the veterans they added. This team remains a solid playoff team, other than that they are no where close to contention.

6. Philadelphia 76ers
This young team has all the potential in the world, right now it is just waiting on Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner to get up to the next level. They need to provide consistent performance for this team to improve.

Andrew Bynum is now the face of the franchise, free from Kobe's grasp, he should be a terror for any team that he plays against. He has to put up big numbers every game to push Philadelphia up the seeding chart to avoid an early playoff exit. (Which should have happened last year if it wasn't for a certain knee that gave out.)

Doug Collins have done a wonderful job with this team, assembling a surprising third best defense in the league. Losing Andre Iguodala might take a toll on this team against opposing Superstars, hopefully putting Bynum in the paint will slow them down.

7. Atlanta Hawks
So long are the days of Atlanta's boring isolation offense. Let's welcome a new running game. Jeff Teague has been spectacular, finally discovering his role. He has to improve on his passing game with the new shooters Danny Ferry has put on this team. Anthony Morrow and Kyle Korver will be a huge boost to the offense.

Al Horford comes back this year at complete health, he and Josh Smith combining down at the low post will put up big numbers. This all comes down to Smith, he has to stop settling for jumpers, this is his contract year, it is time for him to play at an All-Star level. Which he is very capable of doing, the fate of Atlanta is in his hands, if he can break out from this Joe Johnson absent offense, Hawks will crack the playoffs easily.

8. Chicago Bulls
As a Bulls fan this is heart breaking, without Derrick Rose this year, they will play for an early exit in the playoffs. This again, prevents them from getting a good lottery pick. In honesty, they should tank and see if they can pull what San Antonio managed to do in 1997 (David Robinson got injured, Spurs tanked and got Tim Duncan). That's enough of my rambling, because I can go on forever, but let's just stop here.

The best chance Bulls had at a championship was last year, who knows what would have happened if Rose didn't tear his ACL. Losing the bench mob is a huge hit for the Bulls, their depth was the only thing that kept them from losing. Without them, even with Rose back they can't compete with the Heat. It will take some time before they re-insert themselves as a contender, most likely in Rose's prime (Yes, I believe his knee will be fine) or when LeBron's age catch up to him.

The Others:
Milwaukee Bucks
Don't Sleep on this team yet, they might sneak on into the playoffs. They have been stuck at the 9th seed for quite a while now, but with the Bulls and Hawks feeling the void left behind by their superstars, it lays out a perfect opportunity for Milwaukee. I am still perplexed by the Ellis and Jennings combo, which have yet to work out. Ilyasova is a promising player whose production will be necessary to clinch playoff berth. With all that said, defense remains an issue and it just seems like they are a few pieces short for any future success.

Toronto Raptors
This team has been frustrating, they have the talent, but are having a hard to time to find it. The Raptors are a team in progress, Bryan Colangelo is beginning to build an impressive team, it is just going to take a few years before they get out of the missing playoff slump. Their future relies on DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry,  Andrea Bargnani's health, the Jonas Valanciunas project and a surprise in Terrence Ross.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Kyrie Irving is ridiculously good, but that is all this team has going for them. Tristan Thompson has been disappointing so far, let's hope Dion Waiters doesn't follow that trend.

Washington Wizards
Nothing is going right for the Wiz, John Wall is injured, and Nene is still unclear when he can comeback. Next year Washington, next year.

Detroit Piston
They a potential star in Greg Monroe, if he can fit with Andre Drummond, they can put in a devastating front court. Give this team some time for their draft picks to develop, Joe Dumars might finally be on track.


Charlotte Bobcats
They can't get worst than last year. Ben Gordon, Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker should be able to pick up the load on offense. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is still a work in progress, he does provide a bright future for the Cats but still, defensively this team is a disaster. Maybe Brendan Haywood and Bimack Biyombo can fix that?

Orlando Magic
If your offense depends on Jameer Nelson, your team is likely not going to do so well. Orlando created a huge mess this summer, getting Arron Affalo out of a 4 way trade that lost Dwight Howard. It will be some time for this team to be any good, and it starts with getting rid of those heavy contracts.

The Golden State Warriors's Rookie Initiation is always fun.

The Golden State Warriors always welcome the fans in their open practice with either a song or a dance, this year we get the best of both worlds. Their rookies in the past have been way too shy and unwilling to participate, but these new guys know how to put on a show. 

I will list some key highlights for those who are too lazy to watch the entire video.

• Kent Bazemore seems like the funnest guy ever, busting out to weird dance moves at every opportunity. Can't wait for his candidacy for the best bench reaction award. Ronny Turiaf is tough to beat.

• At one point, someone busts out with Usher's Nice and Slow, if you ever heard of it it, I am sure that it is very appropriate at a family filled event.

• Gangnam Style is still a thing.

Just a heads up, rapping is NOT okay and should not be tolerated when everyone else sang.

Source: Golden State Warriors on Youtube

The Brooklyn Net's New Barclays Center has no toilet paper.

Photo by Adam E. Moreira

When the Net left New Jersey this year, they were were given a new home in Brooklyn. The city spent a billion dollars to build them the Barclays Center. You would think a billion dollar sports revenue would have all the luxuries in the world, but apparently you and I are both mistaken.

From DNAinfo:

Department of Health inspectors this month hit the freshly opened arena’s Calvin Klein Courtside Club with four violation points after they discovered the bathroom at the exclusive lounge was “not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.”

Maybe they are being interpret wrong, seeing that Calvin Klein are sponsors, they might be supplying towels for your butt wiping needs and fresh underwear as you leave. Or it is safe to assume that only rich people can afford the facilities in the center.I mean, who else can afford to wipe themselves with money. 

Just jokes Mikhail Prokhorov, please don't call your former Russian gangster bros to break my fingers, I can help you with this problem. I am sure you don't want your players to have to hold it in during games. If you are looking for some advice for long term NBA success, NEVER GO CHEAP ON THE 2-PLY, 3 is too thick, not optimum for a complete clean.


Source: Nets Are Scorching

The White Mamba explains the difference between him and the Black Mamba.

In conclusion, Brian Scalabrine is the chillest bro in the world. All other arguments are invalid.

Kobe is getting old, but never forgets.

Kobe have been contemplating to retire after his contract expires after the 2013 - 2014 season. He wasn't sure he would still have the drive to keep going for another year after the contract expires, taking him to the age of 36.

The Black Mamba have been preying on his opponents in the NBA for 17 years now, and it is finally showing. First, it is an universal fact that Kobe got his knees the first German platelet rich plasma therapy, which he made famous. It is unknown however, if there are actually volkswagen parts in him. This is highly doubted, because there have been no news of Kobe being held in the airport since the procedure, well, at least not yet.

And now, we have the 1997 Slam Dunk Champion straining his shoulder in practice, during a poster session with Antawn Jamison.

From ESPN:

Bryant said he thinks he hurt the shoulder Tuesday during practice when he dunked over teammate Antawn Jamison. He said he didn't feel pain at that point and continued to finish the practice. 

Here is the video of the dunks, not sure which one cost the injury:

Yes, we are now living in a world where Kobe gets hurt in a non-contested dunk. That is the circle of life, people get old and move on. But not the Mamba, coming back this summer with his own super team doesn't let him forget about his worst year in Los Angeles.

From Yahoo's BDL:

"I almost won an MVP with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown on my team," Bryant said before Wednesday's 93-75 exhibition loss to Portland. "I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it to Chris Mihm or Kwame Brown?"

 Bryant was referring to 2005-06 when the Lakers' roster included Brian Cook, Stanislav Medvedenko, Devean George and Parker, Mihm and Brown.

 Bryant continued, taking aim at his favorite whipping boy, Parker, calling him "the worst. He shouldn't have been in the NBA but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard. So we let him walk on."

Those words are probably the most Kobe Bryant thing ever. Blaming his teammates for everything, and not so humble bragging about his success. Mario Chalmers should be glad he is on the Heat and getting occasionally yelled at by LeBron, can't imagine what Kobe would have done.


Sources: Listed above.

Brandon Roy and his knees are back!

You can't hate Brandon Roy. This man, who was reaching his prime at age 28, was forced to retire due to his degenerative knee condition. He lacks cartilage in the bones of both his knees, but it never deterred him from his goal. After taking a whole season off, and undergoing the Kobe procedure, his new German-engineered knees are finally ready to pick up, where he left off.

His knees look great, even pulled off a little up and under layup with defenders in his face. If Adelman can manage his minutes without over-exerting him, I have confidence that the Timberwolves will make the playoffs.

Source: ESPN on Youtube

Al Jefferson has a $23,000 sized bed.

 Al Jefferson is a 6'10" human. He plays center for the Utah Jazz. And he happens to have a 10 ft. by 12 ft. bed. Do you know how many of me can fit into that Hulk of a bed. I am about 5'8", which is the average height of human beings (if you disagree, I will fight you to the death) and about 20 inches wide (yes, I actually measured) laying down with my hands by my side. That bed will fit six of me horizontally and two vertically, with inches of leg room.

If you still don't believe me, look at the picture below. That's 6'1" Mo Williams, he looks like he just climbed up the beanstalk and crawled on to the Giant's bed. Unbelievable!

 

Oh, and if you are interested, here's the actual receipt

Source: SB Nation, @MoWilliams and @SaltCityHoops for pictures.

Dikembe Mutombo sent Jalen Rose to get his "adult goods."

These Jalen Rose NBA stories are getting better every week.

Little insights into the life of a NBA player are always amazing, finding out that Jalen Rose had to go to a drugstore at 2 in morning to get Dikembe Mutombo some adult goods repeatedly just made my day. The impression needs some work though, old fella.

Don't ever ask about the bat.

Source: Grantland

NBA West Preview: Who makes the Playoffs?

The West have been a powerhouse for years now. Making the playoffs in this conference is no easy feat. The competition is tougher, and for lower seeded teams, making into a guaranteed playoff spot is always a struggle. A lot have changed in the West since last season, some teams went under construction, some added new players, but one thing is for sure, the strong remained strong. Any thing can happen in a full 82 game season, here are my predictions for the 2012-2013 western conference playoff spots.

1. San Antonio Spurs
I got to give it to the Spurs. Every year you expect a drop off, but they always make a late run to the top. Not much has changed to the solid Spurs team, their core group remained intact, and the bench stayed just as deep. Tony Parker will once again pick up the baton and conduct beautiful music with this team. This time however, he will have more help from Kawhi Leonard whose continuous improvement can guide this team to a deep playoff run.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Coming off the beating they took in Game 5 at the hands of the Miami Heat, the reigning western conference final champions will play with a sense of revenge. The Thunder comes back this year without any veterans. They instead, added more youth, drafting the enigmatic Perry Jones III, and picked up Hashen Thabeet. All is good for Scott Brooks, Eric Maynor returns from his knee injury, providing OKC with a defensive back up point guard.

This might be Thunder's best shot at winning the Larry O' Brien trophy. After this season, James Harden will likely be gone. Kevin Durant and company will have to take advantage of this opportunity to seal the deal. They will give the Spurs a run for their money as the top seed, but inconsistency will be a factor, as they can often shoot themselves out of the game.

3. Los Angeles Lakers
Without a doubt, the biggest story of the whole summer, adding Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, makes this team a title contender again, and a damn good one too. They added more offensive weapons to their bench, with Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks. The problem for the team is that it still lacks depth and defensive presence (except Dwight Howard, of course). Mike Brown will need to make this team gel quick, and find ways to rest his stars, without letting leads blow away.

I would put them up higher in the seeds, but in a 82 game season, for a roster full of aging players, injuries are inevitable. Any injury to the core group, will cost them games. If they somehow stay healthy, they would take 2nd seed. Don't even think about 73-9 Metta World Peace, you will be lucky to get 60 wins.

4. Los Angeles Clippers
No idea how the new flopping rule will affect this team. I do know that they still have their all stars, and they will definitely improve with a full training camp. Giving Chris Paul time to adjust with his teammates will make this team all the more offensively devastating. With Billups returning, they will get a veteran guard that can control the pace and hit shots when it matters. Additions of Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes, Jamal Crawford and Grant Hill provides more overall depth.

Defensively, the Clippers will miss Kenyon Martin and Reggie Evans who held down the paint for them. DeAndre Jordan will have to pick up the responsibilities of guarding the west big men, which will be different than his usual help defensive role. How well he adjusts to this change will determine where the Clippers stand.

5. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets will stay burning the soles of their opponents with their incredible speed. Andre Iguodala provides them with versatility at both ends of the floor. His defense will be heavily relied on, especially against fellow All Star players from opposing teams. Javale McGee should have settled in to Denver by now, and if he absorbed even half of what he learned from Hakeem Olajuwan this summer, it will give the Nuggets something in a half court situation.

Ty Lawson will be appointed to lead this team on the open floor, despite his height, he is a huge threat offensively in transition. Gallinari has to play at an All Star level for this team to get to the second round, he can not continue to miss open opportunities. This team will have a lot of defensive troubles, hopefully Kenneth Faried, McGee and Timofey Mozgov can cover the porous back court defense.

6. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies was a surprising 4th seed last year. This time around, Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph have time to mesh together. The front court of Marc Gasol and Randolph is the key to this team's success. They have to rely on post scoring or involving them in some kind of play to find points. This will be a gritty defensive team, but on offense the lack of shooting can hurt them in the long run.

7. Dallas Mavericks
 Another team you can never count out. The Mavericks rebuilt their front court with Chris Kaman and Elton Brand. Kaman gives the Mavs something that never got from Haywood, an actual offensive package in the low post. This depth in the front court is new to the team, and Rick Carlise will have to figure it out. Without other offensive pieces, the Mavs will be fighting for this spot, and possibly a early playoff exit.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves - Utah Jazz
Edge to Timberwolves if Ricky Rubio comes back 100%, if not Jazz will sneak in at 8 again. The Wolves have all the pieces to take this spot if they can manage to stay off the injury list. Kevin Love will continue to put up big numbers, and new wings Andrei Kirilenko and Brandon Roy can put points up in bunches.

The Jazz kept their bigs, which will be a plus in the west. Favors and Hayward are bound for a break out season, and if the new back court of Mo and Marvin Williams work out, they can easily creep up on Minnesota.

The Others (Not in Order):
Golden State Warriors 
Stephen Curry is finally back, hopefully for good. This team might make a splash late in the season, only if Bogut comes back, Klay Thompson's promising future holds up and the rookies adjust quickly. Oh, and they will have to learn how to play defense too.

Sacramento Kings
I don't even know what is going on with this team. They have alot of talent but they just never seemed to be able to get it together. For any playoff hopes, they will have to make some changes.

Portland Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets
These are all teams in rebuilding mode, the future is bright for the Suns and Hornets. As for Blazers and Rockets, it is not looking too good.

Allen Iverson is still crossing people up.

...In China.

Sad news for many AI fans. The once dynamic guard who dominated and changed the NBA with his playground style, is now reduced to playing basketball in China. Hard to believe nobody in the league wants him, but the man is still proving people wrong, and that he can still ball even if he is destroying "professional" chinese players. 

Note: Jason Williams was also on his team, which basically makes this team, super hoop mix-tape worthy. All the behind the back passes and crossovers you can ever imagine. 

Source: SLAM Online

Utah Jazz Rookie Dance Off.

A rookie dance off is basically a tradition now for all teams. This years submissions have been pretty bad, especially the Raptors one. But I got to hand it to Quincy Acy, that beard might just rival James Harden. The clear winner of this year's unofficial NBA All Rookie 1st Dance Team, goes to the Utah Jazz. Although the ace, Enes Kanter is a sophomore, he brought it to the floor, literally, with a move that we haven't seen it years, since Shaq's perfection of it. With that submission he now becomes the second tallest or longest in this case to ever do the worm. Mind blowing facts here, people!

Source: SB Nation

This Week in the NBA: Terrible Life Decisions.

This is not going to be a recurring segment on this site. I just felt like I had to show you guys some pictures that captured a few NBA Players and their horrible life choices that happened this week.

First, we have Dwight Howard showing us the clear disadvantages of being 6' 11". Apparently at that height you can not find a turtleneck that will fit, nor can you pull it off. A few questions do come to mind though, if I am correct you play for the Lakers now, which means you live in a place that is summer all year long. There should be no occasion, where you will look at your closet and go "oh, a turtleneck would be perfect today."

Then we have the winner of the week, Brandon Jenninngs who decided to jump on the twilight-inspired trend and get golden teeth on where you would normally find vampire fangs. Oh, did I mention the lip tattoo, a freakin' lip tattoo. To make things worst, you can't even read what it says, that artist has kindergarten level hand writing. Have fun with that thing on your lip the rest of your life.

Source: Beyond the Buzzer