Kevan Barlow fan club

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The Jeremy Lin-led Knicks are 9-2 after starting the season 8-15, standing at an even 17-17 record.

They are second in the Atlantic Division, trailing the Philadelphia 76ers by three games (who themselves are on a five-game skid).

If the playoffs started today, the Knicks would be the seventh seed playing the second seed Chicago Bulls.

With Carmelo and Lin both in the lineup, they are 2-1.

In their last 10, they are 8-2 (mostly due to the emergence of Lin) and have become a viable threat in the Eastern Conference (with two solid wins over the Lakers and Mavericks).

All signs are pointing to good things for the Knicks this season (obviously, providing they are healthy among the important factors).

They have tremendous depth on their team when you factor in the additions of Baron Davis and J.R. Smith (Smith had a great showing on Sunday against Dallas where he scored 15 points in his debut).

Guys like Steve Novak and Tyson Chandler get a boost when Lin is in the game (Novak, the beneficiary of open threes, and Chander, for his wide open lanes to the basket, not to mention pretty alley-oop plays).

Knicks or Heat?

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The Knicks have the potential to go far, but before they take the weekend off, they have one more test to go through, and that is a very hot Miami Heat team.

The Heat have won seven in a row and are 9-1 in their last 10 games. The Big Three in Miami is playing like we expected to, with all the stars getting theirs and playing very good basketball.

Thursday’s nationally televised game will be a must-see for hoops fans everywhere.

If New York is expected to do anything this season, they will have to most likely go through Miami.

A win would give them a huge momentum boost going into the All-Star break (not to mention all the great publicity surrounding the team since the insertion of Lin).

They will be playing on Miami’s home floor, but more importantly, can this Knicks team show that is can beat the best of the best?

Miami advanced all the way to the NBA Finals last season before losing to Dallas in six games. They have started this season on a tear, going 26-7 through 34 games (they are tied with Oklahoma City for the best record in the NBA).

If this Knicks team is for real, they will need to be on their A game if they want to get over D-Wade, Bron Bron and Chris Bosh.

The formula may be simply good team basketball and good defense. It could be something else. But the Heat are not an unstoppable force, as they do have seven losses on their record. Can the Knicks conquer their long-time rivals?

We’ll see if it happens tomorrow night.

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Follow us live as Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers take on Dirk Nowitzki and the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. Tip-off is just moments away.

9:31 PM ET

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The Lakers are 5-11 on the road this season. In year’s past, the team hung their hat on being one of the best, if not the best, road team in the NBA. The Lakers simply don’t have the horses to accomplish such feats this season.

9:22 PM ET

The Lakers are coming off arguably their most impressive win of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. There were plenty of Lakers’ highlights. Check out some of them below.

9:17 PM ET

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Hey everyone, tip-off between the Lakers and Mavericks will follow the conclusion of the Celtics/Thunder game on ESPN.

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Joel Pryzbilla

According to Marc J.Spears of Yahoo! Sports, free agent center Joel Przybilla has decided to sign with the Portland Trail Blazers.

This is a huge addition for a team that just received the devastating news that former first-overall pick Greg Oden will need to have knee surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the season.

Earlier this week, many believed Przybilla’s preferred destinations to be the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and the aforementioned Portland Trail Blazers. Despite not being a championship contender, the Portland Trail Blazers were always considered the favorites for the center’s services due to his familiarity with the organization.

Signing Przybilla will absolutely improve the Blazer’s chances of a playoff berth. Not only does the 32 year old fill their backup center need, but the former Minnesota star’s 7’1″ frame will help the Blazer’s match up with the bigger Western Conference squads.

Besides starters LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby, the Blazers have no solid big men in their rotation. Przybilla possesses an efficient mid-range jumper and a knack for hitting the boards hard.

The Blazer’s roster currently stands at 15 players, which means the team must make room to acquire their new center. It is expected that Przybilla will sign at the veteran’s minimum.

Last season, Przybilla averaged 1.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 14.4 minutes of action in 31 games. The veteran was then shipped off to the Charlotte Bobcats, where he would finish the season, at the trade deadline for star Gerald Wallace.

Przybilla’s debut will be on February 29 when the Blazers take on the Denver Nuggets on the road.

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The recently inaugurated Hall of Famer, Chris Mullin, is finally being honored by his former team. The Golden State Warriors have decided to retire his No. 17 jersey.

Mullin topped the 20 points per game plateau on six different occasions with the Warriors. He shot greater than 50% from the floor in each of those seasons.

Mullin was with the Warriors from 1985 to 1997 before playing with Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers for three seasons. In 2000, Mullin returned to the Warriors for one last season before calling it quits.

He was inducted into the Professional Basketball Hall of Fame in August of 2011. Just three months later, he was inducted to the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Mullin has most recently taken over as an NBA analyst for ESPN.

He also spent time in the Warriors’ front office from 2004 to 2009.

As for when the ceremony is planned to take place, the Golden State Warriors official website reports that it is not too far away. In fact, it’s less than a month away:

The Golden State Warriors will retire Chris Mullin’s jersey, #17, in a special ceremony on March 19, 2012, when the Warriors play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Oracle Arena.

Many old-school fans are certain to be on hand to celebrate the career of one of their all-time greats.

Hopefully, the new-school fans can honor him with a victory over Kevin Love and the Timberwolves…

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Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has been in talks with Minnesota Timberwolves brass in regards to Michael Beasley.

The 6’10″ forward could be a good fit with the Lakers, whether or not they choose to deal Pau Gasol. However, the risk that comes along with acquiring Beasley is the same reason that the Timberwolves want to ship him away.

That is, immaturity.

He was involved in a marijuana incident at the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program rookie camp, along with a slew of other drug related incidents.

Despite his off-the-court issues, there’s no denying his basketball ability. Last season, Beasley averaged just under 20 points a game in Minnesota while starting all but nine games. The season before that, he averaged 14 points per contest with the Miami Heat. That’s a good sign for the Lakers. It shows that he can still be productive while playing with a superstar.

Don’t forget that Beasley absolutely destroyed the NCAA in his one year of college at Kansas State, too.

It’s no secret the Lakers are in desperate need of a point guard, but Beasley would definitely be a welcome addition to the team. The Lakers could take him on by absorbing him into their $8.9 million trade exemption.

In other news, a possible future Laker guard, Gilbert Arenas, is still on the market as he continues to be blackballed by the NBA.

The Timberwolves don’t want all that much in return for Beasley. They’re simply looking to get him out of their hair. It’s feasible that the Lakers would only have to give up a draft pick and some cash to bring him to Los Angeles.

The Lakers are 22nd overall in points per game. It’s no secret Kobe Bryant needs some help. The addition of Beasley would bump this total up, since he is a threat to score from all over the court.

The current state of the Lakers is not exactly stable. It stems from the Gasol trade talks and possibly Kobe’s lingering issues with Lamar Odom’s exit before the season.

When Kobe’s not happy, nobody is.

Beasley won’t be able to match the 14 points and eight rebounds per game that Odom put up last season, but he would be able to come off the bench ahead of Matt Barnes when Metta World Peace needs a rest.

In 33 minutes off the bench against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Beasley scored 17 points on 16 shots, but also had seven rebounds. He played less than 20 minutes in the previous three games, so if Minnesota wants his value to go up, they should get him some more minutes.

Sooner or later, Beasley could end up in Los Angeles. Especially because there is no need for him in Minnesota with Kevin Love, Derrick Williams and Martell Webster.

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Most of the focus during NBA All-Star weekend is on the All-Star Game itself, but many find Saturday’s festivities to be the most exciting. Amway Arena in Orlando, Fla. will host the skills competition portion of the weekend on Saturday night, including the Three-Point and Slam Dunk contests.

Plenty of stars have stolen the show over the years in both of those events and while the star power may not be overwhelming this year, there will be plenty of opportunities for lesser-known players to make a name for themselves. Most of the players in Saturday’s events are on the younger side, so they’ll be hungry to put on a show.

Here are the three stars who will shine brightest on All-Star Saturday.

Stephen Curry (GS)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has already developed into one of the game’s best shooters, but he won’t be partaking in the Three-Point Contest. Rather, Curry will look to defend his title in the Skills Challenge. While the Skills Challenge certainly doesn’t receive anywhere near the attention of the Three-Point or Slam Dunk contests, it is a very underrated event that truly tests a player’s ball handling skills.

Curry was dominant last year as he was able to maneuver around pylons, feather passes through tires and nail three-pointers. He is one of the most explosive and exciting players in the game and the Skills Challenge allows him to showcase his rare ability.

Curry is already close to becoming a household name, and strong performances in events like the Skills Challenge will only serve to make him even more popular.

Jeremy Evans (UTAH)

With New York Knicks rookie guard Iman Shumpert likely to sit out the Slam Dunk Contest with a knee injury, it appears as though his replacement will be second-year Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans, according to Brian Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune. Evans isn’t very well known across the league, but his dunking prowess shouldn’t be underestimated.

In terms of being a complete player, Evans has a ton of work to do, but there is no question that he has hopes. The Slam Dunk Contest is wide open since he is taking on fellow youngsters in Derrick Williams, Chase Budinger and Paul George. None of those players are in the national spotlight, but all of them are more well known than Evans. The Jazz high-flyer has a great platform to make his presence felt, and he’ll do so with some highlight-reel dunks.

Which star will shine brightest on All-Star Saturday?

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Which star will shine brightest on All-Star Saturday?

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Ryan Anderson (ORL)

The Three-Point Contest may be lacking in star power this year—aside from Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love—but there is one player with the ability to tear the house down. Orlando Magic 6’10″ forward Ryan Anderson may be the best shooter in the league that nobody is talking about. He is converting at an insane clip of 44 percent from beyond the arc this season and has the natural shooting motion needed to excel in the competition.

Anderson will be competing in front of the hometown fans, so he should have plenty of support. Although bigger players like Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic and Larry Bird have won the contest in the past, it is generally thought that smaller players are more likely to excel in the Three-Point Competition. Anderson figures to be the latest big man to buck that trend, though.

All-Star Weekend Schedule

Friday:

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Rising Stars Challenge, 9 p.m. ET (TNT)

Saturday:

NBA D-League All-Star Game, 2 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Shooting Stars, 8:30 p.m. ET, first event, (TNT)

Skills Challenge, 8:30 p.m. ET, second event, (TNT)

Three-Point Contest, 8:30 p.m. ET, third event, (TNT)

Slam Dunk Contest, 8:30 p.m. ET, fourth event, (TNT)

Sunday:

All-Star Game, 7:37 p.m. ET (TNT)

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Sure, the Los Angeles Lakers could use an upgrade at point guard—that’s been clear since they tried to trade for Chris Paul.

But the team could also use an infusion of scoring, which is why trading for Michael Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves makes a lot of sense.

According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has inquired about the forward:

He’s spoken to Minnesota about Michael Beasley, and sources say the Lakers are intrigued by the Timberwolves’ small forward. The Lakers were actually in discussions with Minnesota about a potential trade for Beasley before the season started. If they would have been able to pull off the deal for Chris Paul, there is a good chance that a trade for Beasley would have followed.

It’s not clear what the Lakers would give Minnesota for Beasley (if indeed the talks get that far), but the Lakers could absorb Beasley into their $8.9 million trade exception while giving up a draft pick or cash.

The Lakers don’t exactly light up opponents on the offensive end, as they are currently 21st in the NBA in points per game (93.3). And if there’s one area where Beasley continues to show potential, it’s in his ability to score.

No, he hasn’t exactly lit up opponents this season—and as Broussard noted, the Timberwolves have soured on his lack of maturity—but he did average 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in Minnesota last season.

Clearly, the potential is there for greater things.

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A no-nonsense alpha male in the locker room like Kobe Bryant and the veteran presence of Derek Fisher might be the sort of leadership that Beasley needs to recognize his potential. Being surrounded by players that both set a professional example on a daily basis and will call out Beasley if he isn’t handling his business could be the jolt he needs to grow up a little.

If the Lakers can get Beasley at a reasonable rate, it seems like a low-risk, high-reward play for the team. Beasley may be the surprising piece that could turn an odd and chaotic season in L.A. into a campaign highlighted by a deep playoff run.

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Have you heard about this guy Jeremy Lin? He is the point guard for the New York Knicks and he’s supposed to be quite the basketball player.

With all the attention he’s been getting in the past weeks, he must be. Lately, it seems like anybody with half a brain and a working knowledge of the English alphabet has been writing about what Lin does, what Lin means, and what Lin says about the American dream.

Well, I’ve got half a brain and fancy myself a writer, so that makes it my duty—and my pleasure, really—to contribute to what Janet Malcolm called that old, uncanny zeitgeist, by commenting on the latest flavor.

The Lin narrative that’s been pushed and repeated by almost every major American media outlet stresses determination. With a little hard work and a can-do attitude, even the most unlikely of us can make our dreams comes true. The Lin narrative is one that all Americans love to hear. Unfortunately, it isn’t an accurate view of Jeremy Lin.

In fact, it sells him a bit short. The Knicks, remember, didn’t just find this guy sleeping in Penn Station.

Lin is a lean 6’3”, 200 pounds, and is one of the strongest dribblers in the world. He’s got handle, and he can move at full speed with the ball. He graduated from Harvard with a degree in economics and left behind a legacy as one of the Ivy League’s greatest basketball players, right up there with another Knick, the former Princeton Tiger, Bill Bradley.

If the Knicks put out a yearbook, Lin would be voted “most likely to succeed.”

His teammate Amar’e Stoudemire, however, doesn’t have the same history we as a culture think of as breeding success. When Stoudemire was very young, his father died, his mother and older brother were incarcerated for various crimes (his mother on more than one occasion). Before graduating from Cypress Creek High School, Stoudemire bounced around to five others, six if you include the fake one made by an AAU coach as a way to guarantee Stoudemire on his team.

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Through it all, he became NBA Rookie of The Year in 2003—despite also being nearly blind.

Not often, however, is Stoudemire praised as a symbol of the American dream fulfilled. But Lin has, and is. The reason has nothing to do with either of them as people—obviously, there are valuable lessons to be learned from both of their biographies—and everything to do with them as newsworthy stories.

The media system in the United States, and other countries, too, is based on a system of conventional wisdom. It’s been called the way in which a culture speaks to itself. History, economics and a number of other factors help determine what words and images will be broadcast over the airwaves in the form of messages. However, the meaning of those messages stems from, either consciously or subconsciously, a mutually agreed upon sense of cultural understanding, or stereotypes.

A newsworthy story is that which challenges those stereotypes. Stoudemire, despite what he has been able to achieve, doesn’t strike people as a challenge. African-American, 6’10”, solid and athletic, Stoudemire cuts the image Americans associate with the NBA. In truth, plenty of young African American basketball players with Stoudemire’s size and athleticism haven’t been able to achieve what he has. However, he is viewed as normal by basketball standards regardless.

Lin, on the other hand, has been seen as a challenge to those stereotypes. As an Asian American, Lin is rare in the NBA. But beyond that, he is an Ivy League graduate. Balling and book worming are not supposed to exist within the same person, and with Lin we see that they can. And we are supposed to be surprised by it.

Contrary to the presented narrative, Jeremy Lin’s story doesn’t teach us anything more about that value of hard work and determination that we can’t find in other NBA players. Within any locker room around the country you will be able to find inspirational stories about achieving goals against the force of adversity. He is just one more incredibly talented basketball player.

All the “Linsanity,” however, says we are supposed to be excited about him more so than other players. That, in a weird way, contributes to the kind of stereotypes Lin is supposed to be challenging.

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Kyrie Irving in his career best scoring game going for 32 points against the New Jersey Nets at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. Final Nets 99 Cavs 96

Wade and James have grown into an unstoppable force.
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We are only a few days away from the NBA All-Star Game in Orlando on Sunday. Just a few miles away, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been leading the Miami Heat on a tear as of late.

From strong defense, half-court ally-oops and beating teams by the third quarter the Heat are looking impossible to beat. Late February is good time to get a feel for who will be vying for the playoffs in May. The Miami Heat are showing why the best teams need a balance of star power and chemistry.

The Heat are a cut above all other franchises currently. It seems the growing pains of last year have led to the maturity of the 2011-12 roster. They are beating teams by double digits and crash out of the gates like a pack of greyhounds from start to finish on a nightly basis. After being embarrassed in the 2011 NBA playoffs, it looks as if they are playing with a chip on their shoulder.

The Evil Empire might be hated by many basketball fans, but they are a must-watch for all fans of the game. 

LeBron James might be the biggest villain in the NBA but is a hero in South Beach. He is en route to taking the MVP award by March. Even though he has tons of talent around him, that should not take away from his historical production this season. During the Dwyane Wade injury, James put the team on his back and was a scoring machine as he improved his three-point shot. James is shooting over 50 percent from the field even though all of this shots come various areas on the court. All the other players that are in that percentage are big men whose offense stems from the post. Only Dwight Howard has been to the foul line more than LeBron.

Can the Heat dominate in the playoffs?

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If the other contenders in the East want to make it to the Finals, they will have to find an answer for the Big Three in Miami.

The Boston Celtics are showing their age. Many think Danny Ainge needs to blow up the team to start the rebuilding process. The old Big Three needs to make way for the new Big Three.

The Chicago Bulls are right behind the Heat from a record standpoint, but all teams start 0-0 come playoff time. Derrick Rose has been hampered by injuries and Carlos Boozer is still a defensive liability. We have seen that Rose still needs another running mate to take on the Heat.

The New York Knicks are definitely a work in progress. Even though Jeremy Lin has been the headline at Madison Square Garden, the chemistry between Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire will be the Achilles’ heel for a deep playoff run.

The Orlando Magic will most likely lose Dwight Howard right after the All-Star Game. He has been very outspoken about wanting out of town, which means that if an Eastern Conference team acquires him it could be an instant threat.

Unless something drastic happens, look for the Miami Heat to be playing into June in dominating fashion.

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