The battle between superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant has stolen headlines throughout the NBA Finals as the series heads to Miami tied 1-1. For James, winning his first ring in his third trip to the Finals would validate a career highlighted by individual achievement but lacking a Larry O'Brien Trophy. For Durant, winning a championship arguably ahead of schedule would start the dynasty chatter and make many wonder if James will retire as the best player to never reach basketball's pinnacle. With both James and Durant playing basketball at a remarkably high level, we ask you to consider tonight's poll question: Which player would you rather build a franchise around?
A number of teams in the draft lottery, such as the Bobcats, Warriors, and Raptors, are seeking an impact veteran at the small forward position, with the Lakers, Timberwolves, and Rockets among the other teams who have the trade assets to pursue an athletic wing player. Three of the league's more talented small forwards, Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay, and Danny Granger, could probably be had this summer for the right offer, meaning the rumor mill should be active. So today's poll question is simple: Which of these impact threes do you think will be moved this offseason, or do you expect all three to remain with their current teams?
While the Bobcats and Magic search for a new head coach, several other teams have decide to retain the ones that finished the 2011/12 season. Despite a class of potential coaches that includes Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Nate McMillan, Stan Van Gundy, Mike D'Antoni, Michael Malone, Brian Shaw, and more, the Clippers, Knicks, and Wizards elected not to interview other candidates before retaining their own guys. Was that the right decision?
The draft lottery for the 2012 NBA Draft was held on Wednesday, with the New Orleans Hornets receiving the top overall pick and the Charlotte Bobcats coming in second. In a draft filled with uncertainty and divisive prospects, the one note that virtually every fan and analyst agrees on is the inevitability of Kentucky forward Anthony Davis' top overall selection. After that, however, it gets murkier, with several players in line for consideration by the Bobcats. Which of these do you think will end up being the second overall pick in the draft?
Tonight's draft lottery holds the potential to rewrite the history of the 13 different franchises eligible to select first come June. For the Bobcats, winning the lottery would allow owner Michael Jordan to move past an especially trying season and re-energize a fan base hungry for a quality product on the court. Adding a player like Anthony Davis to complement last year's top pick Kyrie Irving would go a long way to continue to the healing process for the Cavaliers in a post-LeBron world. In Brooklyn, securing the top spot in the draft could lead to Dwight Howard wearing a black and white Nets jersey.
When the Celtics emerged from their hard fought seven game series against the Sixers, they looked more relieved than jubilant. This was a series they were supposed to win, and waiting on the other side of the tracks was a Heat team that knocked them out in five games last season.
The upcoming Eastern Conference Finals will be a battle of will between two organizations loaded with veteran players who're more than familiar with the task at hand. How do you think it plays out?
On Saturday, the Sixers will travel up to Boston to face the Celtics in the unlikely seventh game of their Eastern Conferencen Semifinals series. It's uncharted waters for the Sixers, while the Celtics have been in this exact situation several times over the past five years. Who do you think will win, and in what fashion will they get it done?