NBA

Jason Collins: "34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay."

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 29, 2013

Twelve-year NBA veteran, Jason Collins, is making history as the first openly gay man from a major American sports team. The announcement came in an essay published in Sports Illustrated’s May 6 issue. “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport,” Collins writes. “But since...

NBA

NBA Western Conference Playoffs: Familiar Foes

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: April 19, 2013

Two of the four first-round series have direct connections between the opposing teams, and those linkages provide another level of intrigue to these matchups. (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Houston Rockets Quite the ironic situation for former Thunder forward James Harden. One year ago, he was OKC’s valuable sixth man off the bench; this...

NBA

NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs: Dominance, Resilience

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: April 18, 2013

One sweep and one upset are forecasted for the opening round of the four series in the East. The Heat will continue to demonstrate their dominance, and the Celtics, like the city of Boston, will display their resilience. (1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks There’s no reasonable expectation of the Bucks making it past...

NBA

Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan Carry Raptors Past Nets!

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: April 15, 2013

The Nets will have to settle for the fourth seed in the East as a big double-double from Rudy Gay and 36 points from DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors to victory on Sunday. Al Dannity gives his take. This was what we’ve been waiting to see. That it came in a nothing game at the...

NBA

Rest for Raptors Valanciunas and Ross against Bulls?

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: April 12, 2013

Al Dannity says there’s no point risking Jonas Valanciunas or Terrence Ross tonight. The Toronto Raptors would be better served giving Quincy Acy a closer look instead. Regulars on this site will know that I have a giant man-crush on Jonas Valanciunas. What’s not to like about a Lithuanian big-man who can bang hard and...

NBA

Valanciunas Proves Valuable In Raptors' Injury-Plagued Season

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: April 10, 2013

It looked like a relatively minor incident, but it still sent shock waves through the Toronto Raptors organization and its fans. Centre Jonas Valanciunas bumped with teammate Rudy Gay after a tipoff during Tuesday night’s 101-98 win over the Bulls in Chicago. He came away from the collision holding his neck and appearing dazed. A...

NBA

Rudy Gay Won't Tap Out on Toronto Raptors' Season

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: March 26, 2013

Forgive Rudy Gay, he’s only been a member of the Toronto Raptors for a short time. Otherwise, he’d know that now is about the time of year that you fold up your tent and start planning for next year. The writing has been on the wall for some time. The Raptors are going to miss...

NBA

Bargnani's Season Done, and So Might His Time As A Raptor

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: March 13, 2013

The cursed season of Andrea Bargnani is now officially over. The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday their starting power forward has been shut down because of a new injury in his blighted right elbow. Picked first overall by the Raptors in 2006, Bargnani has spent his entire pro career north of the border, but that too...

NBA

LeBron Brushes Off Magic Johnson’s Slam-Dunk Offer

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: March 3, 2013

Would you play in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest if the top prize was $1 million? You’d have to consider it even if you’re not LeBron James. The Miami Heat forward has to be intrigued by Lakers legend Magic Johnson’s offer, but for now he’s shrugging it off. Ever since he came into the league,...

NBA

Telfair to the Raptors Screams of Meh

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: February 21, 2013

It’s trade deadline day in the NBA and any potential move in a period lacking star power is going to get a heap of attention. Al Dannity can’t get his head around Toronto potentially moving for Sebastian Telfair. Some moves scream bust, others scream bargain. Most fall somewhere in-between, Sebastian Telfair to Toronto may just...

NBA

Cleveland Cavaliers Must Step Up to Keep All-Star Kyrie Irving

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 17, 2013

Swish. Swish. Swish. One after another the basketballs went through the hoop, often hitting nothing but net, once they left the hand of Kyrie Irving. His 23 treys from 30 shots edged Spurs forward/center Matt Bonner by three, and the Cavaliers point guard won the three-point contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston on Saturday....

NBA

Even when he’s Off, Rudy Gay is On for the Raptors

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: February 14, 2013

Al Dannity looks back at a night where Rudy Gay had a hot start, got into foul trouble, and then re-appeared just into time to save Toronto. Again. And that’s before we get to last night’s win in New York. I’m a stats guy, it’s rather important when working for a sportsbook to be one....

NBA

Knicks’ White Touted as Slam Dunk Contest Talk Heats Up

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 8, 2013

Who are these guys? Eric Bledsoe? Terrence Ross? Really, NBA? Yes, really. The announcement of the participants in this year’s Slam Dunk competition are a bunch of invisible men, players who will never likely get the power or the fame of a LeBron or a Kobe. But they can dunk. They better be able to...

NBA

Los Angeles Clippers May Have Chris Paul Back vs. Heat

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: February 7, 2013

What Are The Odds the Clippers Win the Pacific? The Heat is on the Los Angeles Clippers, so to speak. With point guard Chris Paul and swingman Blake Griffin battling injuries, the Clippers have won just three of their last 10 games. Now, after jumping out to a great start to the season and holding...

NBA

Farewell to Jose Calderon, the under-appreciated Raptor

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: January 31, 2013

A crying Jose Calderon left his team-mates last night. Al Dannity was almost in tears with him. He’s been around you know. European leagues, international tournaments for every age group bringing him everywhere, and then the NBA. Jose Calderon may hail from Spain but he’s been a citizen of the world. For the last eight...

NBA

Golden State of Mind: Andrew Bogut Back for Warriors

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: January 29, 2013

Bogut Returns From Ankle Injury Stop me if you heard this one before, but Andrew Bogut returned from a major injury Monday night against the Toronto Raptors and looked like he barely missed a beat. Yes, the 7-foot Aussie has an injury list longer than Lindsay Lohan’s rap sheet at this point in his eight-year...

NBA

Brooklyn Nets Dismiss Head Coach Avery Johnson

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: December 27, 2012

Despite getting the team off to a solid 11-4 start and being named the NBA’s Coach of the Month in November, the Brooklyn Nets fired Avery Johnson on Thursday. With the team in the middle of a 3-10 slide, capped off by an embarrassing 93-76 loss Christmas Day at home to the Boston Celtics which...

NBA

As Defense Improves, Bulls Still Struggling on Offense

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: December 18, 2012

Without All-Star point guard Derrick Rose, recovering from ACL surgery and likely to be out for a few months more, the Bulls looked to be a team in trouble before the season began. Yet here they are with a 13-10 record, leading the Central Division and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference despite having...

NBA

Toronto Raptors Are At a Crossroads with Calderon

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: November 22, 2012

To trade or not to trade: that is the question with Raptors point guard Jose Calderon. When Toronto acquired Kyle Lowry from the Houston Rockets, it was assumed Calderon would end up elsewhere. It’s a good thing that hasn’t happened yet, because an ankle injury to Lowry has allowed Calderon to shine at the point-guard...

NBA

Top 8 Reasons to Watch Mike D'Antoni's Lakers

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: November 15, 2012

[slideshow gallery_id=”9″] They may have lost to the Spurs a couple of nights ago but there’s a lot to like about Mike D’Antoni’s Los Angeles Lakers. Al Dannity breaks down his top reasons to get excited about D’Antoni’s appointment.