No Regard Weekend Preview: Halloween Edition

Game We Will Definitely Watch This Weekend: LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks

Blake Griffin wants YOU to care about the Clip Show.

Yes. Surprise. I'll be watching the Mavs, so just fucking deal. It may surprise you, however, to know that the largest contributing factor here is not a Maverick: it's Blake Griffin. Seriously, I've only seen highlights so far and I want to see what this kid can do to Caron Butler, who is no slouch as a defender. I am also amped to see what the guard corps of Dallas do to prove their worth while a mending Roddy B. continues gathering hype from the sideline. Jet Terry and JJ Barea will have things to prove and if JT's stat line from the season opener is any indication, prove they will. I would be remiss to not mention Boom Dizzle and his gut (which apparently he plays just as well with), and Eric Gordon (who I think even shocked himself this summer). The Clip show could be just that for once: a show... that's like, fun to watch and stuff. Here's hoping.

One Game We Probably Won't Watch: Miami vs. New Jersey

Be afraid. Be more than that - be grossed out.

I know the Nets have a lot of new weapons, and I'm not making a whole lot of friends on the staff here by saying this, but I can't help thinking of witnessing this match-up as comparable to watching the movie Hostel: There will be some flashy shots of hot girls on the beach (Miami's Menage of Evil), a splashy topless scene or two (read: 'oops over Blopez), but within three quarters of an hour the whole thing will have devolved into confusingly creative and unmotivated violence. You think to yourself, "Why am I even watching this? This is like a snuff film. With a worse soundtrack." Well, I won't be thinking that, because I won't be watching.

There are several asterisks to be inserted here: What about all of NJ's new scoring options? What about Brook's post game and the clear lack of D down low in Miami? What about Coach Avery's defensive focus and the potential of his relationship with Devin Harris to restore him to...well, NBA player status? What about Johnson's crazy-ass-Louisiana-everything-is-one-big-word-you-barely-understand-but-it-sure-is-motivating time-out voice? All good questions, the answers to which could make the game interesting. And I'm prepared to write an eat my words post come this time on Monday if the Netsies get frisky (after all, they did shed Yi, and the importance there can't be overstated). Risk I'm willing to take.

No Regard Daily Recap: 10-28-10

One Game We Watched Last Night: Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic


I knew the Wizards' team dynamic would be a little bizarre to start the season, but this was worse than I expected. Flip Saunders needs to be concerned not only about his offense clicking on just about zero cylinders, but about how quickly it took for John Wall to become visibly frustrated by the situation. You could feel the star rookie’s pain every time he drove to the basket and saw no one else making a move. He wanted to create plays, but it seemed like no one else wanted to be a part of them, and when they did, they were settling for mid-range jumpers that rarely fell. There were a couple positives here for the Wizards: one, that Wall, while a bit shaky, showed glimpses of his ability to get to the basket against any defender; another, that JaVale McGee and Yi Jianlian actually looked like an imposing frontcourt duo several times toward the end of the second quarter. But overall, you have to wonder how long it’s going to take for this team to come together with any sort of fluidity, and how the return of Gilbert Arenas will help and/or complicate that process.

No Regard Daily Preview: 10-28-10

Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Washington Wizards vs. Orlando MagicTonight marks the beginning of two eras in the Eastern Conference: the era of John Wall, and the era of Dwight Howard realizing he can fly and having a little self-respect. While Wall obviously has a lot to prove based on the lofty expectations that have been heaved his way for months, it may be Howard who will be watched most closely this game. As we noted in our Season Preview, it's just about do or die time for Howard to step up his post game and become the MVP-caliber player he physically has no right not to be. The East sure as shit isn't getting any weaker, aside from the gradual cellular decay of the Celtics, and Howard must be fully aware of how important it is for the Magic to prove this year that, Big Three be damned, they are team to beat not only in Florida, but in all the land. Personally, I think we're going to see a fierceness from this man that we've not seen before, and I greatly look forward to him owning the paint with an iron fist. A huge, Christian, iron fist.

This is not to say that I won't be loving every minute of watching John Wall begin his own reign of terror. With Gil's absence, Wall needs to make an instant claim to leadership of the Wizards, and even with a likely loss tonight, he has the chance to prove that there's no such thing as hyperbole when he is the subject of the conversation.


One Game We Probably Won't Watch Tonight: Phoenix Suns vs. Utah Jazz

It's nothing personal, Suns and Jazz. There are only two games tonight, and you know as well as I do that there's a hell of a lot more intrigue in the other one. That said, Nash vs. Williams is a consistently great point guard duel, and both these teams are trying to avoid an 0-2 start. I'm calling for a Jazz win in a high-scoring affair, leading Steve Nash to further consider his move to the MLS.

And for the record, duh, I'm going to watch some of this game tonight. It's the only 10:30 EST matchup, for Pete's sake! But I have to be at work early tomorrow, so I'll probably go to bed before it's over, thereby qualifying it as a game I probably won't watch (in its entirety). In other news, I really miss the Lawrence Welk show.

The Newark, New Jersey Nets Open Building With Win

"They probably shouldn't put the lyrics 'lose control' on that video screen right as the Pistons win the tip."

A fair point by my girlfriend, and just another early detail to worry an eager Nets fan like myself on opening night in Newark. Aside from the glossy new intro video for the Nets and the shiny veneer of the Prudential Center, there were enough clues early on to make me question how much new the Russian and coach Avery Johnson had really brought to the team.

"Uh oh. There's Sly."

Knicks Remain Undefeated!

Last night, my beloved Knicks visited the Toronto Raptors for their season opener, and I am very happy to say that the Knicks are now currently tied for first place in not only the Atlantic Division, but in the entire Eastern Conference. Way to go, guys!

The 'Bockers achieved a 98-93 victory on strong performances from Wilson Chandler (22 points on 10 for 18 shooting) and A'mare Stoudemire (19 points, 10 rebounds, but also a LeBronesque 9 turnovers). Gallinari and Felton also looked solid, and Landry Fields justified his starting status by hitting three 3-pointers.

The most unfortunate part of the evening may have been rookie big man Timofey Mozgov's four fouls in seven minutes. Timofey, you need to stop that! I am no mathematician, but I'm pretty sure that is almost two fouls per minute! Too many! Luckily, Ronny Turiaf was able to come in and give the Knicks the inside defensive presence they needed, racking up four crucial blocks. Turiaf may just end up being the Knicks' sneakiest offseason acquisition.

Lastly of note is the regular season debut of Wilson Chandler with hair:

Very handsome! I don't know how it took me so long to figure this out, but Wilson Chandler is a lot cooler than I am. He has cooler hair, cooler tattoos, cooler weed possession arrests, and probably a cooler girlfriend (just kidding, this is a test to see if my girlfriend is actually reading). All I'm saying here is: Wilson, I think you're a really cool guy and I like the way you play basketball.

No Regard Daily Recap: 10-27-10

One Game We Watched Last Night: Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. Chicago Bulls

Chicago: 95 Thunder: 106

The night, as predicted, belonged to the stars that shined in Turkey this summer for team USA. Durant, Rose and Westbrook were all brilliant in a game that was fast paced, exciting to watch, and full of high-flying offense. KD and Westbrook's combined 58 points led the Thunder to their first win of the season, but Rose's penetration, finishing around the basket, and silly-precise passing didn't make things easy for OKC's version of Batman and Robin. The avid fan should feel more than satisfied with this game after watching young, humble stars put on a show during prime time. And the casual fan got to witness plenty of play above the rim. Here are a few observations that stood out for me:

No Regard Daily Previews: 10-27-10

Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Chicago Bulls Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

There is a lot on the line for the NBA's new golden boy, Kevin Durant, this season. He's been the recent recipient of some serious praise by fans and experts alike, as many believe that Durant will not only repeat as the NBA's leading scorer, but will also be the league's MVP. After watching his effort this summer, I'm inclined to agree with these arguments. Durant's the real deal Holyfield. And he's got the work ethic and attitude to dominate this year and beyond. I'll be a kid in a candy shop tonight getting my first look at him in an OKC uniform since losing to LA in six last year.

No Regard Daily Recap: Opening Night

One Game We Watched Last Night: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics


Heat: 80 Celtics: 88

I haven't checked yet, but my guess is that some people are overreacting about this game, in every way possible. Sure, the Heat's offense looked like it had been diagnosed with Asberger's Syndrome, but they'll figure it out. So instead of extrapolating what this performance may mean for the rest of the season, here are a few scattered thoughts about the game:

*Starting to think Rondo's refusal to dribble in the backcourt is not to conserve time, but energy before he creates landscapes on offense. It's like one of those attacks in Street Fighter where you have to hold the back arrow for two seconds before any other button combo.

*Chris Bosh doesn't set good picks.

*Spoelstra's strongest coaching came when he refused to call timeouts right after big plays (like that trailing Shaq dunk off the pass from Rondo). But that's about it for strong coaching. The talk about Riley taking over is going to keep getting louder.

*A fast break in late first quarter was snubbed because LeBron streaked to basket and Wade, et al couldn't run an efficient break. How could Wade look so bad all night? Did sitting out until tonight effect him so much that we are going to be forced to reconsider how important the preseason is?

*According to Craig Sager's report on Shaq bringing joy to the Celtics: "This is the happiest Kevin's been in years," says Mrs. Garnett. Awwww.

*LeBron needs a softer touch around the rim. Whether it's his "post game" or runners, he just has to get better at finishing between five and eight feet from the basket.

*Marquis Daniels had a few nice baskets, mostly the result of determined footwork. Nice change for someone who normally looks like he'd be surprised if you told him there was a game going on.

*It's insane clown posse how important James Jones is going to be to this team.

*Garnett covering House on the last inbound play was smart. Even with one of the fastest shots in the league, House was forced to pass thanks to Garnett's harassment.

One Game We Didn't Watch Last Night: Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trailblazers


Phoenix: 92 Portland: 106

I told you Nicolas Batum was a thing: 26 minutes, 8 for 17 shooting, 3 for 8 from three-point range, 5 offensive rebounds, 11 total rebounds, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, and 19 points. Not sure what that all looked like, but he definitely played in an NBA regular season game. No one can say otherwise.

No Regard Daily Previews: Opening Night

Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

Ha. I spent some time today looking for that clip from season two of "Breaking Bad" when Jesse shoots up heroin for the first time and floats up off the bed, but couldn't find it. As NBA junkies, this isn't our first time getting high, but every time a new season hits our blood stream on opening night, it's like the first time all over again.

Anyway, I'm stalling here because what is there to say about this game that hasn't already been spewed ad nauseum. Even a bananahead knows the story lines and players taking the hardwood tonight in Boston.

Miller's injury does soften the impact of this whole exercise a bit, but only because it may force Spoelstra to play some more traditional line-ups. The match-ups are still where the intrigue resides with these two teams. More specifically, which coach will bow to the size of the other? No doubt Doc Rivers will try to force the action by trotting out very tall men like Garnett and Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal, but does he stay the course when Wade and LeBron spit in the face of conventional positions and offensive schemes and succeed at running the show like maniacs?

I'm trying to act cool and downplay this, pretend there are other things in play here, but seriously: Heat-Celtics. It's going to be incredible.

One Game We Probably Won't Watch Tonight: Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trailblazers

Nothing against these two squads, but I'm on the East Coast, and if I stay up late tonight, it's going to be for Yao Ming and Ron Artest's haircut.

But the Phoenix game should be pretty fascinating also, and maybe even a better game (the Lakers are receiving their rings tonight, and recently, teams in that position have struggled to shake off the celebratory hangover in time to win their first game). This is Nash's first opportunity to quell everyone's fears that the Sun's front office has finally put together a ragtag group of newsies too sorry for even Nash to salvage. But don't read a strong performance by him as anything more than a competitive dude excited for another season; Nash is too busy of a guy to spend time worrying about what the trees whisper about him.

Players who should come out looking to prove something are Dudley, Dragic, and the rest of the second-stringers who's play was so vital during last year's playoffs. It's one thing to respond to a challenge, but it's another rodeo altogether to be able to rope up high expectations and keep on riding hard.

As for the Blazers: Injuries, right? And Nicolas Batum. Those are things relating to that team, I'm sure of it!

No Regard 2010-2011 NBA Season Previews: Western Conference

The 2010-2011 NBA season starts tonight. Or another way to say it: Merry Christmas and good luck keeping the other areas of your life afloat for the next eight months! You've entered the No Regard Season Previews, where we won't bore you with stats or scouting reports, but instead entertain with Twitter heroes, the Proust Questionnaire, and oddly prescient Mitch Hedberg jokes. Find out which teams make the playoffs, which teams are lottery bound, and which players are most likely to show up at All Star Weekend with video cameras—all after the jump!

No Regard 2010-2011 Season Previews: Eastern Conference

The 2010-2011 NBA season starts tonight. Or another way to say it: Merry Christmas and good luck keeping the other areas of your life afloat for the next nine months! You've entered the No Regard Season Previews, where we won't bore you with stats or scouting reports, but instead entertain with Twitter heroes, the Proust Questionnaire, and oddly prescient Mitch Hedberg jokes. Find out which teams make the playoffs, which teams are lottery bound, and which players are most likely to show up at All Star Weekend with video cameras—all after the jump!

Team Dreamin' 2011: Minnesota Timberwolves

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.

If there was one thing I loved about being home sick from school when I was a kid, it was watching some kind of trick shot competition on ESPN2—pool, bowling, didn’t matter—it was all awesome. Okay, I also really liked watching Lifetime Original Movies when I was home sick, but you can only sit through Fifteen and Pregnant (starring Kirsten Dunst) so many times.

But back to trick shots. The Timberwolves haven’t been to the playoffs in over five years, and they don't have much of a chance to make it this year, but what they do have is Kevin Love. And if there is one thing he is good at, it is trick shots.

Anyone watching videos of Kevin Love sinking outrageous shots (like these) can see that he would be a beast of an opponent in H-O-R-S-E. So here’s my proposal: To keep things interesting, I say at Minnesota home games they get rid of free-throws and replace them with a round of H-O-R-S-E starring Kevin Love.

What I’m proposing here is not just a normal game of H-O-R-S-E, it’s more like H-O-R-S-E combined with the Daily Double from "Jeopardy" and also some old school, "Rock 'N' Jock" style awesomeness. Here’s how it would work:

Talkin' Turkey: Iverson to play for Besiktas

So, we're busy bees over here, preparing a special season preview feature for tomorrow. But sure, we've got time for some breaking news: this is happening! With Paul Pierce's recent talk about playing in Europe after his retirement, could we be seeing the beginning of a huge movement in which aging yet still very talented settle down across the pond? I mean, the benefits are obvious. These guys will get to be stars in different, sometimes more passionate markets. Their families will get the opportunity to travel the world and experience cultural excitement. They will help the increasingly global nature of basketball.

If the answer to my previous question is "yes," all seems to be well and good. But what about this question: Will the future bring a time when European teams can start plucking stars from the NBA while they are still close to their prime? Seems like a silly question right now, but if the MLS is a model, some of these clubs may start being able to offer money and experiences that could be enough to take players away from the League before the League is quite ready to let them go, especially if David Stern's plans for contraction and salary cuts become a reality.

I'm certainly not saying this would be a bad thing. Just saying it could be a thing.

Team Dreamin' 2011: New Orleans Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets dodged a bullet this offseason when Chris Paul decided to stay put. Like Carmelo Anthony, Paul has sometimes seemed less than thrilled with his situation, and for a while toward the beginning of summer, it certainly seemed as though he were going to force a trade situation. Now, with the season here, it looks like the Hornets have managed to secure their star point guard for the upkeeping season. But how can they keep him happy until after the 2011-2012 season, when his contract expires, and even beyond? How can they become a winning team that any star would want to play for?

Top 5 Player Tweets of the Week - In Pictures!

From Skillanueva's half-time tweets to Gil's fateful outburst, we're keeping tabs on this whole Twitter thing.  Each week we wade through the rants, shout outs and sheer insanity to bring you the best micro-blogging the NBA has to offer.

5. "Y'all would be suprised @ how many stories people make up about me. What's the new one? Me & Patty LaBelle are dating now? Losers!"

- Chris Dougey-Roberts

4. "Yo in china pizza hut is considered a fine dining restaurant."

- Patrick O'Bryant

Team Dreamin' 2011: Utah Jazz

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.

This is a hard one. It's the Utah Jazz we're talking about here. Quite possibly the most vanilla franchise in the NBA, literally. They've had the same coach since the inception of their franchise, they've run the same pick-and-roll offense since the inception of their franchise, and with the exception of Karl Malone, they've drafted only white players since the inception of their franchise. To top it all off, they've decided that this year they are going back to their original logo, which depicts the classic Utah Jazz note.

Uncivil War, Part One

photo via Daily News

If you weren't already aware, you should know that the No Regard staff consists of several passionate Knicks fans and several passionate Nets fans (as well as several passionate Celtics fans). Last night, we got our first glimpse of this year's Battle of the Hudson, as the Knicks and Nets faced off at Madison Square Garden.

Being one of the Knicks fans on staff, I was extremely happy with their 117-111 win. Amar'e dropped a preseason-high 39 points, and Toney Douglas (24 points) and Raymond Felton (13 points, 11 assists) both put in strong performances.

For the Nets, Jordan Farmar (21 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Brook Lopez (19 points, eight rebounds) were surprisingly and unsurprisingly (respectively, duh) effective.

I think all of us here can say that we're hopeful this game was indicative of what we can expect from further Uncivil War battles: fairly high scoring; filled with very strong performances from star big men and solid ones from point guards, and up-and-down enough to keep both sides interested throughout.

For now, we'll enjoy our health, because once the regular season starts, things are going to get bloody.

Team Dreamin' 2011: Memphis Grizzlies

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.

Which one is it???

If you offered me $1000, I still wouldn't have a prayer at being able to name the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. That's saying a lot coming from a guy who likes this league so much that the Celtics-76ers preseason game held my imagination for a good 20 minutes the other night.

And no, I'm not going to "look it up," because that would lessen the impact of my already paper-thin argument. But also because it doesn't really matter, does it? If I don't know him, then chances are he lacks the gravitas to lead this charmingly athletic group of pranksters to anything grander then a first-round playoff exit. That's the ceiling of this team, while the basement really isn't that much lower (maybe 10 games below .500?) owing to the pseudo-glut of young guns.

Hence, a jump-start is in order. Let's fire up the defibrillators, Grizzlies, and...

The New Big Three?

Kelly Dwyer raises a very good point about the cover of Sports Illustrated's NBA preview issue:


Weird, right?! If I had to guess, I'd say that Russell Westbrook was busy studying up on Obama's tax policy and James Harden was combing his beard.

Love the cover nonetheless.

Team Dreamin' 2011: Sacramento Kings

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.


The Sacramento Kings are one of the NBA's hottest young teams. They've got a dynamic second-year guard in Tyreke Evans, an extremely promising rookie big man in DeMarcus Cousins, and several other youthful players--Carl Landry, Omri Casspi, Jason Thompson, Beno Udrih--whose best years lie ahead of them. This is a team that, five years from now, could become a a title contender, provided they continue to draft as well as they have.

But what about this year? How can the Kings become an instant frontrunner in the Western Conference, surpassing the Lakers as the team to beat? Well, it's actually quite simple:

Monday Morning Dance Therapy

Monday mornings are tough. As the work week starts, we often need something to pick us up and remind us that things are going to be okay. That something is NBA players and other hoops figures dancing. This weekly column celebrates one of the finest things in life and gives you the kickstart you need to get the week started on the right foot.

For this inaugural edition of Monday Morning Dance Therapy, I'm going to make a ballsy move and start things off with a non-player dance video. But being that it's a Craig Sager dance video, you have no reason to complain. Happy Monday!

Team Dreamin' 2011: Drinking the Kool-Aid

Remember when we told you that the Wizards owner must have read one of our Team Dreamin' entries after he stated that his franchise is considering changing it's name back to the Bullets?

Well, it appears as if Rick Reilly of ESPN.com is drinking the Team Dreamin' Kool-Aid, as well. Check out his most recent article in which he suggests Kobe and Lebron playing one-on-one would be the "largest pay-per-view sporting event in American history." Just a few weeks back, we dreamed that the NBA All-Star weekend would include a 1 on 1 competition and used a very similar picture of Mamba and the King in our pitch.

Included in the article is a quote by Jeff Van Gundy, who also is clearly drinking the Kool-Aid. Van Gundy argues, "this is exactly what the All-Star game needs. Give us Kobe and Lebron to 21 and they call their own fouls." I've always liked you Jeff, but how about a shout-out to what is clearly your favorite NBA blog next time?

Whose next to drink the Kool-Aid? I seriously hope it's Coach Spo. You, drink that Kool-Aid, Erik, you drink it up!

Team Dreamin' 2011: Portland

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.

I always used to say that Greg Oden was probably buying beer for his friends since he was 12 years old. When he was at Ohio State he looked like he was in his mid-40's. Since joining the NBA, he still looks ridiculously old. Also, he's been hurt a ton and so far is a waste of a number one pick, especially with KD available the same year.

But he's the best. He really is. What a friendly and wacky guy. Plus, his junk was on the Internet.

Portland, start Oden 82 games this season.



It's called Team Dreamin' 2011', isn't it?

Team Dreamin' 2011: Orlando Magic

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.

Hi Orlando Magic. Yeah, we see you in the back refusing to make eye contact with us, trying not to get called on. But we didn't forget about you.

Because Magic, your plans for this year are as important as any other team's 2010-2011 strategy. You need to capitalize this season or never, because in Dwight Howard you have the one piece that no other team has (Pau is 3/4 the player Howard is; Brook Lopez is about 2/5, but on his way up), but his athleticism will only last so long. And your former All-Star Rashard Lewis (who gets paid $10 million too much each year) is clearly the favorite to gain 35 pounds during the inevitable lockout of 2011.

Unfortunately, you've surrounded Dwight with mediocrity, albeit an opulence of mediocrity. But as we've learned from the Mavericks, you can have as many third options as you'd like, but you cannot win a ring without two sincere stars, one at least seven-feet-tall and the other capable of creating his own shot.

(Yeah, OK. 2004 Pistons, I see you in the back, you can put your hand down now. Right, you won a ring without following this rule. Your outlandish collection of role players masked as all-stars worked together to create a demonic mega-lord with Larry Brown for a brain. When a squad regularly holds teams to 68 points, you can disregard whatever algebra other teams use to chase rings.)

What I'm suggesting here is the NBA equivalent of "write what you know": Hide your deficiencies by playing to your strengths.

Your deficiencies: Lack of traditional post-up scorer; having a point guard who's merely very good during the New Golden Era of Point Guards; the aforementioned missing second banana; no one willing and able to take over offensively in the last two minutes of a close contest; the dangerous trajectory of losing interest in an effective and outspoken head coach; Patrick Ewing on your coaching staff.

Your strengths: Dunks.

So, a humble suggestion for the upcoming season...

Top 5 Player Tweets of the Week - In Pictures!

From Skillanueva's half-time tweets to Gil's fateful outburst, we're keeping tabs on this whole Twitter thing.  Each week we wade through the rants, shout outs and sheer insanity to bring you the best micro-blogging the NBA has to offer.

5. "Yo this dude is swimming wit gerat white shatrks on the discovery channel"

- Jonny Flynn

4. "Going to the best place for Kobe beef tonight for dinner. The best!"

- Andrew Bogut

EndlessPat vs. PeteB11: Who Wore it Better?

If there is one thing that EndlessPat loves in this world, it is Jason Terry. If there is one thing PeteB11 loves in this world, it is the point where basketball and soccer intersect. If there is one thing I love in this world, it is turning things into competitions. Ball Don't Lie points us to two videos that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that on some days, we can all be winners. BUT WHO WON TODAY BETTER??? (Note: I will leave it up to you to figure out which one is Charlize Theron at a Lakers game and which one is David Beckham at a Lakers game)

EndlessPat:



or PeteB11:

Team Dreamin' 2011: Toronto Raptors

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em.



Where to go from here, Raptors? Bosh is gone, the East is stacked and frankly, things look grim for you.

Until now...

Hey, Someone's Listening!

The Wizards are getting smart and thinking about following our suggestion. See #31.

Do the right thing, Ted. Do the right thing.

Sorry about the racy picture of scantily-clad, ethnically ambiguous twins(?). It's the best I could do.

Bibby's World/Team Dreamin' 2011: Atlanta Hawks

At No Regard, we love basketball. We love the spectacle and strategy of the game, but sometimes the league's lack of imagination confounds and disappoints us. Call us optimists, visionaries, or kids who watched too much Space Jam, but we have ideas. Damn are we gonna share 'em. In this particular instance... Mike Bibby will be sharing his ideas for making the Atlanta Hawks the perfect team going into the 2011 season.

Alright, let's talk. Atlanta Hawks 2011. Eastern Conference Champions. Finals Champions. Rings all around.

You've got the questions; I've got the answers.

How are we going to pull it off? With one simple motto:

MVPreseason

So I think we're all pretty confident that Kevin Durant is indeed going to be the indisputable number one fantasy player this year. But now we're talking a whole different ballgame!

So let's put this new conversation up for discussion: Should KD also be the consensus preseason pick for MVP? Or do you think that most of these GMs are just spitting back the sour grapes LeBron stuffed down their throats this summer?

Personally, I think the GMs are right. LeBron simply won't be as "valuable" to the Heat as he ever was to Cleveland. Miami would be a very, very good team with D-Wade (provided he's healthy), Bosh, and the rest of the supporting cast they've assembled. And while LeBron certainly takes the team to another level, they would be in decent shape without him.

Think about the Thunder without Durant. As much as I love Westbrook, Jeff Green and James Harden, a KD-less OKC isn't winning more than 25 games. In the coming years, he will lead the Thunder into the elite tier of title contenders, and this season stands to serve as the moment when that process really picks up steam.

This blog is certainly no stranger to drinking the Kevin Durant juice (get your mind out of the gutter), and while I don't want to stoke the flames of unrealistic expectations, this outpouring of GM love doesn't hurt the idea that in 2010-2011, we're all going to Witness a change in the MVP landscape.

Hurt Me Soul, For Real

I was serious when I said I worried that Carlos Boozer's injury could be related to a domestic dispute. I am more serious when I tell you that this post on TrueHoop about athletes and domestic violence is a must-read. Reader Mike Stephenson gets straight to the point: athletes, no matter how wealthy or famous, must be treated like normal people when it comes to this issue. That means that they must be held accountable, but that we must also look at the issues behind their horrible actions and have an open discussion about how to stop these kinds of things from happening. This is bigger than the game, and it is essential that when confronted with articles about athletes as aggressors or victims of domestic abuse, we remember that it is real life. Very real life.

Hurt Me Soul: The Truth Behind NBA Injuries

When I heard about Carlos Boozer's hand injury yesterday, I went through the same reaction process that I assume many of you did. Initially, I thought about how tragic it was for those unfortunate enough to have picked him in early fantasy drafts. Next, I wondered if he had actually been beaten up by his partner. Finally, once I realized that tripping over a bag is too goofy to be a cover-up and came to terms with the fact that fantasy implications are, I guess, less important than real-life implications, my thoughts turned to how embarrassing this must be for Boozer! All the cool kids are out there tearing their ACLs or getting hard-won groin injuries, and here was Carlos, just lumbering around like a giant and falling over grounded objects that are too far away for him to see. Sad! He must feel like a real klutz, ya know?

Wall's 360 Layup

This doesn't suck to watch.



via Skeets

Top 5 Player Tweets of the Week - In Pictures!

From Skillanueva's half-time tweets to Gil's fateful outburst, we're keeping tabs on this whole Twitter thing.  Each week we wade through the rants, shout outs and sheer insanity to bring you the best micro-blogging the NBA has to offer.

5. "No 1 lives forever, no 1. But w/ advances in modern science & my high level income, it's not crazy 2 think I cn live 2 B 245, mayB 300."

- Rudy Gay

4. "Tlc-no scrubs"

- John Wall

Highlights from the email thread in which we decided not to dedicate a post to the LeBron James race comments

Yesterday morning, when the LeBron James race comments were catching fire across the web, we had a rather lengthy email thread about the topic. Ultimately, we decided that the whole controversy wouldn't quite pass the David Letterman "Is this anything?" test, no matter what Paul Shaffer would think. That said, we had a pretty interesting conversation about it, and we wanted to share some of the things that came out of the dialogue:

Kerb Your Enthusiasm

Congratulations to Trey Kerby on his new gig. I'm not exactly sure what this means for Ball Don't Lie, but Kelly Dwyer is certainly competent enough to hold shit down for now. We here at No Regard are trying to figure out a way to go all Thunder Team Dreamin' and apply for the job as one sixty foot tall supereditor.

As for The Basketball Jones, an already great blog just got even funnier and scarily deep. I'm looking forward to watching that gluttony of talent in action.