http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith An NBA basketball blog Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:23:42 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Stephon Marbury has been hinting around for a year or so that it would be him, an NBA All-Star, to flee to Europe because it pays better than the NBA. But Marbury no longer is a star, assuming he ever really was. Perhaps Allen Iverson, who is a star, arguably ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/07/22/the-great-escape/ It was love at first sight, really. The perfect yin and yang, sun and moon coming together, different but making up the whole, complementary forces of basketball nature. Kevin Garnett was the defender but not the finisher. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were the shooters but not defenders or truly ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/06/17/champs-again/ This NBA Finals has been chased by history. There's Kobe Bryant, and, inevitably, there are the comparisons with Michael Jordan and Bryant's hunt for Jordan's legacy. There's Paul Pierce and the comparisons with the great Boston Celtics legends. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were brought together by the NBA before ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/06/12/blackballed/ I was reading the report last weekend of Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah being arrested back at the U. of Florida for marijuana possession. And I'm thinking, "Why is this news? Isn't it news if it was reported Noah—have you ever looked at or listened to this guy?—wasn't using marijuana?"   But ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/05/27/booze-not-pot-the-real-problem/ The 2008 playoffs are about halfway finished, and if there's one thing we've learned it's that the champion is going to come from the Western Conference yet again. Have you been watching this Celtics-Cavaliers series? No, I don't blame you. I have been watching, though I enjoy finger nails scraping across a ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/05/17/west-will-prevail/ Mark Cuban is a smart guy. I know this because I hear him tell everyone that. I find it difficult to challenge since he knew when to get out of the dot com boom and became a billionaire. I had no idea when to dump my newspaper stock and now ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/05/06/time-to-go/ So where was that great NBA playoffs we all were talking about and expecting? As everyone packed up and headed for new destinations after everyone finished two games Wednesday night, there were seven series at 2-0 and an eighth, the Pistons and 76ers at 1-1, and you know the 76ers have ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/04/24/still-warming-up/ Here's a multiple choice test, which were always my favorite since I'd at least have some answer. Who is Jeff Bower? A. The star character in the TV show 24? B. The lead singer in the old rock and roll group Sha Na Na? C. The right fielder for the champion New York Yankees' ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/04/16/the-best-unknown-gm/ I remember when the Houston Rockets were a mess, when national commentators were calling for major changes and that the team was a failure, when Tracy McGrady was in such a regular pout he was talking about being traded and Rockets' brass only wished they'd find someone dumb enough to ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/18/against-the-odds/ Having talked about the playoffs, the surprises and disappointments for the season for five months, it's now about time when everyone starts talking awards. Who is deserving? Who is the best? The MVP gets the most attention, and already there is a burgeoning debate among Kobe, LeBron and Kevin Garnett with ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/