NBA

A Conversation with Eric Simonson

by Jake Kring-Schreifels

Magic/Bird, the new Broadway play opening April 11th at the Longacre Theater, chronicles the side-by-side journey of two of basketball’s biggest pioneers, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The team that created Lombardi, Producers Tony Ponturo and Fran Kirmser, Director Thomas Kail, and Writer Eric Simonson, all reunite to form another sports themed play about players who transcended their sport. In this case, they move from the gridiron to the hardwood and the transition is seamless.

Dee on D'Antoni

by James Passarelli

The up-and-down Knicks have had a tumultuous season to say the least, highlighted by the resigning of their head coach Mike D’Antoni. Now winners of 3 straight since interim head coach Mike Woodson has taken over, the Knicks are starting to gel. Tommy Dee of the Knicks blog spared a few minutes of his St Patrick’s Day festivities to talk with Mike Giandomenico and I about the state of these New York Knicks in the post-D’Antoni era.

Amit's Sports Beat: The Dirty Little Secret About Lin

by Amit Badlani

After a historic start to his NBA career, Jeremy Lin has proved that he is real. He’s obliterated the very low expectations that were set for him by adjusting to defenses and new offensive schemes that are thrown at him on the fly. Now, Lin will have to face his toughest challenge yet: adjusting to new players on the floor.

Is Something Getting the Best of You?

by Eric Mollo

It is said that winning can mask all pains. Losing does just the opposite. It exposes all weaknesses, and the Nets have some glaring ones. As the season drags on, the losses keep coming. The team has now dropped 8 of their first 10, sporting the 28th worst offense in basketball (87 PPG), shooting under 40 percent from the field.

Why So Serious?

by Eric Mollo

The Nets are trying to put 2011 behind them amid persistent trade rumors and an offseason lockout, but it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the soon-to-be Brooklyn basketball team. New Jersey lost center Brook Lopez for 6-8 weeks, and after beating Washington opening night, the Nets have dropped 5 straight and dubiously hold the second worst record in basketball (Washington is 0-7). Shooting just 37% from the field and failing to top 100 points thus far, their offense is in shambles.

Landry Fields: Knicks Shooting Guard

by Amit Badlani

It was the second day of Knicks training camp in Greenburgh, New York.

There were two basketball courts and long row chairs for the media, ranging from mid-court to the left baseline of the near court. Curiously, the colors of the courts were not orange and blue. Instead they were a light blue and green for the New York Liberty, the Knicks’ WNBA counterpart. The Knickerbockers still managed to make a larger presence in the gym. The numbers of their legends, like Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, and Willis Reed, hung in the background.

DRAFT, Don’t Talk about a DRAFT

by Amit Badlani

By Joe Vitiello

One topic dominated NBA talks these past four months; the lockout. For many reasons, the league and the players association have not been able to come to an agreement and end the labor dispute. The main issue is on the distribution of Basketball Related Income (BRI) amongst the owners and the players. The last labor agreement had the players sharing 57% leaving the owners to split the remaining 43%. There have been reports the owners want to go down to a 50-50 split while the players have offered a 53-47 split. At the surface, 3% does not seem to be a huge difference. However, when last season's BRI was $3.8 billion you’re left with a pretty hefty number (114 million to be exact).