NBA ROUNDUP: 7/11-7/17

It’s a sad state of affairs when a defending champion cannot re-sign a crucial part of their team. The Los Angeles Lakers and Lamar Odom are at a standstill in their negotiation process. Odom needs to just take the $9 million and play for the team. Read more

NBA ROUNDUP: 4/25 - 5/1

The Cleveland Cavaliers showed why they had the best record in the NBA by easily sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The presumptive favorites, the Los Angeles Lakers, failed to look anything like a championship contender by blowing huge leads to the Utah Jazz before finishing them off. The San Antonio Spurs were shocked by the Dallas Mavericks and it’s Tim Duncan’s first ever playoff exit in the first round. Look for an exciting series to go seven between the Mavs and Denver Nuggets. Read more

NBA ROUNDUP: 4/18 -4/24

The NBA playoffs have started with the top two teams in the league - the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers - easily taking the first two games. Look for easy wins by these powerhouses as they continue their journey to the Finals. Things have not been easy for the defending champions Boston Celtics with Leon Powe out for the playoffs with a knee injury. Look for the Chicago Bulls to stun the Celtics in seven games. Another series to watch out for is the Dallas-San Antonio series, with tempers likely to rise as Eric Dampier looks to protect the basket with rough play on Tony Parker. The Mavericks will also stun the Spurs in six games. Read more

TOP NBA GAMES: 4/13 - 4/19

The NBA regular season is coming to a close, but not to worry. The two-month postseason known as the NBA Playoffs is about to begin. As far as I’m concerned, any Finals series worth watching would have to include the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers vs. Celtics, Kobe vs. LeBron, even Dwight Howard vs. Andrew Bynum. Los Angeles - the only place where amazing will happen. Read more

TOP NBA GAMES: 3/30 - 4/05

In the blink of an eye, a once dominant sports franchise can fall into mediocrity. It happened to two teams this season, one from the Eastern Conference and one from the Western Conference. I’m talking, of course, about the Detroit Pistons and the Phoenix Suns. It’s kind of sad actually, that up until just a year ago, these two teams were always mentioned as championship contenders. Age, changing systems, and departing point guards have all led to the rapid decline of these once-proud franchises. Seeing this, you really can’t give enough credit to the San Antonio Spurs organization, who has basically kept the same team for the past 10 years and somehow maintained their championship caliber level of play.

Read more

TOP NBA GAMES: 3/2 - 3/8

Wednesday //

Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz. Two of the hottest teams in the league face off in a game that may determine playoff positioning. After a disappointing start to the season, both the Rockets and the Jazz have picked up their level of play as of late.

Read more

TOP NBA GAMES OF THE WEEK: 2/9 - 2/15

Wednesday //

Phoenix Suns at Cleveland Cavaliers. Only a few games worth noting this week as we head into the NBA All-Star break. First up is the Suns visiting the Cavs in Cleveland. The Cavs will be playing at home for the first time since losing there to the Lakers on Sunday, snapping their perfect 23-0 home winning streak to start the season. Read more

ALL QUIET ON THE UTAH FRONT

Despite being on the outside looking in, the Utah Jazz are content to hold the line. That means a trade is unlikely as we butt up against the deadline on Feb. 19, says the Salt Lake Tribune. The team is willing to wait for Carlos Boozer to get healthy before making a late playoff push. Just for consideration, there are a number of attractive expiring contracts on that team.

Read the article here

TOP GAMES OF THE WEEK

Monday //

Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant versus LeBron James is always a sight to see. This year, the expectations are ramped up; anything short of a championship for either team will be viewed as a disappointment. Read more