Damian Lillard's decision to return to Portland, Marcus Smart's launch toward Los Angeles, Chris Paul and Bradley Beal's collusion to remain out West, these are not major deals, massive shifts. No team in the dilapidated East is particularly envious of the additions. We hope
There was a time when "Crazy Train" was not on classic rock radio. Readers might think that I'm worth a one-way ticket with this particular recollection, but not only was "Crazy Train" not on classic rock radio, the idea of "Crazy Train"
This is the spoiler alert. If you would like to enjoy Gene Wojciechowski and Reggie Miller's fine work in full, the book is very enjoyable and very affordable! There are many, crackling, moments I left out of this email. The book is a must-read for any Pacer fan,
Indiana Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard met the media on Monday, something he doesn't do often despite good reason to, as Pritchard built a near-NBA champion in 2024-25. Built it, watched it taken from him. The Pacers were in with a chance during Game 7, all-but-belief crushed with 88
Before we cap the offseason, another three-team boost! The Clippers traded Norman Powell and didn't do it for a future first-round draft pick (whom will enter seventh grade in a few weeks). The Miami Heat pick up Norm, good basketball there. Clippers pick up John Collins, ex-Jazz, good
We want to think that, when a large Boom hits, there exists a studied reason behind that big ol' noise. That, whatever the hell that was, it was well-considered. Someone or something thought long and hard before, listen, we still don't know, maybe a transformer went. Maybe
Myles Turner left Indiana to go to the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana's fiercest rival. The Bucks are the only team the Pacers fight, the Pacers are the only team the Bucks fight, but Myles Turner left one to join the other. Why? Tax. The Pacers did not compete with
And NBA free agency has overwhelmingly become the realm of the role player. Sorry, Paul George. I guess that's what you were last summer, hopping up on stage with ABC and Joel Embiid. A role player. Some former All-Stars switched teams as free agents on Monday, but, they
Free agency begins Monday and nobody will go anywhere because the union and the NBA decided to encourage players via pay raise to re-sign with their own teams. Worse, much worse, each side decided to smooth out the salary cap increase earned via the new streaming rights deal. Boring. Super,
When I loved baseball, really really loved baseball, it felt as if baseball fans my parents' age were more in love with the baseball players their parents liked than the baseball players their own age. Maybe it is the same trap, everyone reflecting fondly upon things from when they
Cleveland spiced its title approach a little on Saturday, adding Lonzo Ball to the spread. Ball is 28 in October and worked but 70 games over the last four NBA seasons, undergoing a full meniscus transplant on his left knee, the first comeback of its kind in NBA history. His
Is this a little late, maybe early? Sure, but you shoulda seen my front lawn. Had to mow it. And if I want to keep the patrolling cops off my ass about the cats running outside, I gotta keep a tidy front lawn. Back lawn? I could lose the 1986
The Wizards' role in Washington's trade is quite clear, Washington acquired C.J. McCollum and Kelly Olynyk for a recovering Saddiq Bey and whatever you think Jordan Poole will turn into. I'm on Poole's side, but creating a sensible career turnaround with the
"Fun," that's what I heard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander say four times in 183 words, "fun." I guess I wasn't paying attention to the parts where he talked about pick and roll, or whatever. Blah blah blah closeout. "Joy," that's
Good job, Mat Ishbia. Not only did he waste the last post-prime years of Kevin Durant's career on a Suns team which didn't need Durant, not only did he ruin the we-got-enough-already-pal afternoon of world events and also the NBA championship, but he did it with
Through the first four minutes of the second half in Thursday's Game 6, neither Finals participant could manage a point. No buckets, no free throws, no delay of game penalties, no second delay of game, turning into free throws. We'll miss the 2025 NBA postseason. It
Indiana 108, Oklahoma City 91 Series tied 3-3 Desperation is a force, it can take legs out or lift them well off the ground, enervate or enliven, Game 7 or go home. There was a very real and understandable chance that the Pacers, equal to these Thunder is several critical
We were chased out to the front porch – OK, I told my wife I didn't want to hear an Alanis Morrisette song done karaoke-style and I dragged her from the bar out to the front porch to get away from it – and it was time to go, anyway.
The East is wide open, they told us, so we told you. And the Magic – the Magic! – made the first move. Finals trades? Takes some steamed huevos, big tray full of it. We thought any mid-Finals deal would see Kevin Durant's ticking scroll setting us straight. Maybe the
The first thing that popped to mind when Oklahoma City took its early lead in Game 4 was what the Thunder weren't. OKC is not the 2010-11 Miami Heat. Those Heat took until Game 6 in 2012 to find a routine with itself, the space to create, the
First off, I get it. Drugs, recording studio, beds. Name three nicer things. OK. Free drugs, good recording studios, large and comfortable beds. If I could slip through one to another while using all three? It would be the life. That's how the children of boomers learn about
This isn't a sly way to present takes, rather genuine things we've picked up on while driving to and covering three NBA Finals contests so far. Things like, WHO WEARS A MARK JACKSON JERSEY Who wears that. Seriously, who would wear that. Reggie Miller would. We
Oklahoma City 123, Indiana 107 NBA Finals tied, 1-1 If there was any doubt in the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team that beats its opponents by an average of 13 points per game, the Thunder fans shook it out. Clapped it out, stomped out, probably sweated it out. The Thunder
Human nature is where it is at for this weekend at least, we're probably going to have to wait a few millennia before we change significantly. We might lose our toes, hunch down a bit due to all that screen time. Maybe we'll destroy ourselves completely,