NBA

by Marcel Mutoni

The MVP debate this year has centered around three players. LeBron, Kobe and D-Wade. Though it’s pretty clear to everyone that James has the award all but locked up, the complete list of candidates continues to take shape.
Tony Parker’s name has now been thrown into the hat by his teammate, Tim Duncan.

There must be something in the Bay Area and Dallas water systems: “I think anybody can beat anybody, just like when we beat Dallas, we were eight and they were one,” Nelson said. “I think it could happen again.” Why? Because injuries are playing havoc with the West. Nelson believes that with the Lakers missing center Andrew Bynum, nothing is guaranteed. “I don’t think everybody’s as deep as they thought,” Nelson said. “Even the Lakers are lacking something.

by Marcel Mutoni
Though A.I. maintains that he will be a good soldier, and faithfully come off the bench for the Pistons once his back feels better, a lot of people are skeptical. Among those is Reggie Miller, who shared his feelings with a national TV audience.
From the Detroit News:

You can’t touch the refs, Nene: “Nuggets center Nene has been suspended by the league for [last night's] game here and Friday’s game at Dallas for his role in an altercation Monday. Nene was ejected Monday night in Phoenix after throwing an elbow at Louis Amundson. It appeared he had slight physical contact with official Bill Spooner upon leaving the court.”

The League’s pioneer in the Web 2.0 movement is hanging up his keyboard: “I’m retired from that. At first it was fun, but then it seemed like it was turning into a double-edged sword. Your words can work against you.” Arenas didn’t give any specific examples of how his words have been used against him, but just said, “At first people enjoyed just reading the blog for fun, but then they started trying to read into it and take bits from it.

by: Holly MacKenzie
Hello. Thursday. NCAA again. TNT night. Lots going on.

Allegedly, of course: “Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa are being sued by their former housekeeper, who claims Vanessa was incredibly abusive — even demanding that she put her hand in a bag of dog feces to retrieve a tag from her blouse … so Vanessa could deduct the cost of the blouse from the maid’s salary!

by Marcel Mutoni
Should a nuclear war wipe out life on this planet at some point in the future, only a few earthly creatures will survive: cockroaches and, apparently, Isiah Thomas.
Thomas is reportedly a hot commodity in NBA circles again, with the Los Angeles Clippers being the leading candidate to acquire his brilliant services. Of course they are.

Photo by Atiba Jefferson
Originially published in SLAM Streetball 4
Smush did the NBA thing for a minute, repping the purple and gold. But his real bread-and-butter has always been the park—and the freedom it provides a PG like him. —Tzvi Twersky

by Lang Whitaker