Cheers!

To you and yours from Captain Jack and No Regard!

Monday Morning Dance Therapy: Amar'e Santamire Edition

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.

Once again, not trying to turn this into a Knicks blog (especially after this weekend, ugh), but I came across this video last Monday and was super sad that I had to wait a week to put it up at the most holiday-appropriate time. Well, we're here, folks. 'Tis the season for Dancing Amar'e Santa.

No Regard Daily Previews: Bright Lights, Big Payback

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight:
Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks (aka LeBron James vs. New York City)


Lately, I've had to remind myself that this isn't a Knicks blog. It's been difficult, because for the first time in my adult life, my team is the talk of the League, in a good way. They are exciting, they are gellin' like Magellan, and they are looking like a playoff lock. With all that, it's hard for me not to think of the Knicks first and foremost when I currently think about the NBA (or when I think about anything, really). That said, I've told myself that, for this blog's purpose, I need to avoid the temptation of writing about the Knicks all the time.

Well, that's gonna have to wait, isn't it?

No Regard Daily Previews: Goin' Streaking!

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight:
New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics


Something's gotta give tonight. And no, I'm not going to be watching the 2003 movie starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, and Keanu Reeves in which, according to IMDB, "A swinger on the cusp of being a senior citizen with a taste for younger women falls in love with an accomplished woman closer to his age." I'm talking about streaks, baby, either Boston's (ten straight wins) or New York's (eight straight wins). Tonight's epic Eastern Conference clash is perhaps the first Knicks-Celtics game I've witnessed that's had any significance. Both teams are good, finally. As a huge fan of the New York/Boston rivalry, I couldn't be happier. The NBA's version of this northeastern rivalry is exciting! On that note...

HOUSTON WE HAVE A DOG

Rocket Dog from Rocket Dog on Vimeo.

News broke late last night that Terrence Williams would be packing his bags and leaving Newark for Houston in a minor three team trade between the Nets, Rockets, and Lakers. It should be understood that the above title is not a dig at Terrence, nor a reference to his general resemblance to a canine. It's simply the catchphrase to my favorite Tracy Morgan sketch, that also happens to demonstrate the way I feel about the Nets right now. How many young, promising players can I watch my favorite team strap rockets to and send off into orbit?

No Regard Daily Previews: Holden Caufield

One Game We Will Watch Tonight:
Denver Nuggets Vs. Orlando Magic

I'm not in love with what is going on with either of these franchises these days.

I understand that Orlando is still one of the top teams in the East record-wise, Dwight Howard's offensive game has improved since last year and Stan Van Gundy is a great coach. Fine.

Something About a Number

The NBA minimum age requirement is the kind of issue that makes one feel as though all that can possibly be said already has been said. Yet, as last week's news that the players' union may use the abolition of the rule as a bargaining chip proves, it is an issue that still requires some conversation.

When the current rule, which states that a player must be both 19 as of his draft year and that he must be one year removed from high school in order to be eligible for the draft, went into place in 2006, I was cautiously supportive. Although I was fully aware of the class and racial implications that made the issue so heated, and although I was (and still am) a very liberal fan and believer in giving more power to players, I had also seen a lot of heartbreaking career turns that I imagined could have been avoided had this rule been in place. I had seen Darius Miles let mediocrity frustrate him and turn him into a "difficult" player. I had seen Kwame Brown fail to develop at an NBA level and become selfish and, perhaps, delusional. I had seen Jonathan Bender underperform in every way imaginable. I had seen Eddy Curry get eaten alive by the pressures of fame, expectations, and medical issues.

Monday Morning Dance Therapy: Ronnnnny Edition

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.

This one goes out to the wastey-faced dudes sitting behind Andrew Abides and me at the Knicks game last week. They thought it was really funny to yell "Ronnnnnny" every five seconds. Guys, we get it, Ronny Turiaf is easy to make fun of. But he is also very good at dancing, so shut up.

No Regard Daily Previews: Three's Company!

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Dallas Mavericks Vs. New Jersey Nets

This matchup is deceptively interesting despite the chasm-like discrepancy in wins and losses between these two teams. Here are some of the story lines that make tonight's featured game worth checking out:

No Regard Daily Previews: Tortoise and Hare

One Game We Are Definitely Going To Watch Tonight:
Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets


Tonight's featured match up pits a classic run-and-gun high octane offense against a stone-cold, blue-collar defense. It should be great to watch and see if George Karl's hectic style can solve Boston's lockdown D. The key battle will be between Pierce and Anthony: can the Truth handle the jab-step and smile, or will Melo be able to handle the Truth?

Speaking of Melo (can you believe he's still on the Nuggets?), despite a drop in his scoring average, 22.8 down from last season's 28.2, he remains one of the best closers in the league and perhaps the purest scorer of his generation. (I'd love to hear some feedback in the comments section on that debate!) Off the bench, George Karl has found himself a sprightly backup for Billups in the form of former Tar Heel Ty Lawson, whose 8.8 points and four assists per contest have been pivotal in Denver's 13-7 start.

IYSSSS: Race and Gender

If You See Something, Say Something (IYSSSS) is our semi-regular Internet intelligence report, a liberal arts approach to following the NBA on the Web. E-mail us at jewsforjesusshuttlesworth@gmail.com if you've got any suggestions.

A couple interesting reads on important topics:

TrueHoop: Henry Abbott gives us the lowdown on the publishing of a study that examines the possibility of unintentional racial biases in NBA referees.

Fanhouse: Lisa Leslie thinks the WNBA's lack of popularity is the fault of the media, and the media alone. New sports journalism catchphrase: If it bleeds, it doesn't lead. (Sorry.)

The Right Hand Is Coming Back

"If they ask me to do it, I'll do it." - Blake Griffin on the NBA dunk contest.

No Regard Daily Previews: Throwing Down Ain't Nothing But A Thang

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors

In typical Dirk-era Dallas fashion, the Mavericks have been piping hot so far this regular season, most recently rattling off nine victories in a row. In typical Curry-era Golden State fashion, the Warriors haven't played any defense so far this regular season, allowing 106.9 points per contest, which ranks them 28th in the league.

Cuban's boys are defending the shit out of the ball, allowing only 92.2 points per game. Shocking, I know, for a team whose nucleus is made up of 67-year-old Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki who, in the past, played as if he'd rather take a swift kick to the nuts than actually try and check opposing bigmen in the post. This whole, allegiance-to-defending gig is a massive step for a team that has championship aspirations. Dirk could easily find himself bodied up against a particularly dexterous Spaniard come May, so everything he's doing now to learn how to defend down low is pivotal.

As for Golden State, don't tell Monta Ellis and Steph Curry that their team doesn't worry about defending.

Top 7 Player Tweets of the (Last Two) Week(s) - 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.

7. "Where is the beach at?"

- Amir Johnson

6. "U think throw back jersey will ever come back in style???"

- Brandon Jennings

5."Clowns... Boy I tell ya"

- DaJuan Summers

No Regard Daily Recap: Strange but not a Stranger

One Game We Watched Last Night: Oh, you know.

Heat: 118 Cavs: 90

Will he throw the powder? He sure did.

Will fans throw stuff at him? No, and thank goodness.

Will he get a tribute video? No way, Jose.

Will Z get a tribute video? What would a Z tribute video look like anyway?

Will Z get booed? Not even close. Resounding applause. Very sweet.

How quickly into the game will Varajeo send LeBron to the floor? Not at all. Big hug pre-game. Very sweet.


Will LeBron's mother be in attendance? Don't think so. Can anyone confirm?

Will Bron drop 50? Not quite. But hell of a game.

What will the pre-game pleasantries between the two teams look like? Generally businesslike and unspectacular.

Will Mo Williams cry? Who?

Will LeBron smile once? ...


How many times will Dan Gilbert be shown on camera? Five by our count.

Will the actual game be any good to watch? Depends on whether or not you like torture porn.

Really, can you ever go home? Yes, you can. And when you get there, you can burn the house down.

No Regard Daily Preview: You Can Never Go Home

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Oh, you know.


Will he throw the powder?

Will fans throw stuff at him?

Will he get a tribute video?

Will Z get a tribute video?

Will Z get booed?

How quickly into the game will Varajeo send LeBron to the floor?


Will LeBron's mother be in attendance?

Will Bron drop 50?

What will the pre-game pleasantries between the two teams look like?

Will Mo Williams cry?

Will LeBron smile once?

How many times will Dan Gilbert be shown on camera?

Will the actual game be any good to watch?

Really, can you ever go home?

No Regard Daily Recap: Broken Promises, Happy Surprises

One Game We Watched Last Night Even Though We Told You We'd Watch Something Else: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Jersey Nets

Thunder: 123, Nets: 120 (3OT)

I was honestly excited for the Grizzlies-Hawks game. When Adam said those sorts of games are pretty much what we're about, I nodded silently but vigorously in my cubicle. Unfortunately, I didn't watch one second of said matchup. I was too busy detoxing in the Nets-Thunder triple overtime holistic sauna.

No Regard Daily Preview: Beasts of Land and Air

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks


In a lot of ways, this is the exact kind of game we had in mind when we decided to do a feature spotlighting one matchup each night. Some games feature two high profile teams with major star power (see tonight’s alternate game of Orlando vs. Chicago), and these games are often amazing to watch. Other games feature two down-in-the-dumps squads who are playing merely for pride, and these games often produce a sort of human drama that we enjoy greatly. But this kind of game—the kind that features two teams that are competitive but not elite, two teams with exciting players who are not quite household names, two teams that are likely to be fighting for a playoff spot come April—is sort of what we live for.