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.

The other evening I was at a party, and as tends to happen, I was talking about my childhood affinity for early 90s R&B groups. I mentioned Jodeci, of course, as well as Silk and Shai. There was a brief misunderstanding, and I was forced to explain to someone that Shai was a different entity than Shai Hulud. In fact, Shai probably could not have been any more different than those hardcore stalwarts. I might go as far as to call them "softcore." I'm not sure if that person thinks less of me now, but sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in. And Michael Beasley and I believe in "If I Ever Fall in Love."

No Regard Daily Previews: See You In LA!

Big night tonight for NBA addicts. Not only do we get LeBron James tearing up MSG but, as we all know, live on TNT, Kenny, Ernie, and Chuck will be announcing the starters in this year's All-Star Game.

My appetite is whetted, and has been some time, anticipating what is going to be a show-stopping East vs. West battle come February. The league is chock full of talented talents with neither conference having a decided edge.

Will the NBA's wunderkid, Blake Griffin, get the nod? Does Minnesota's lovable Love have the national presence to beat out worldwide favorites like Dirk or KD? What about the East? Two Heatles starting? How about Chicago's precious Rose? We'll have these answers, and many more, within just a few short hours.

After the announcement, love him or hate him, LeBron will be taking his talents to Madison Square Garden, where he unquestionably owns the world's most famous arena. This is a must-watch. Expect James to shine under the bright lights, bait the New York fans, and perform at his best. I wouldn't bet against a triple-double and some sick, eye-popping highlights from LBJ tonight.

Get your popcorn ready, Association fans.

No Regard Reviews: The Association: Boston Celtics

During one my daily stops on ESPN.com's NBA page, I stumbled across a link labeled The Association: Boston Celtics. I had no idea what it was. To my surprise, I was ecstatic with my discovery:

A year long documentary of the Celtics 2010-2011 season, reminiscent of HBO's Hard Knocks and the 24:7 series.

So far there have been two 30 minute episodes, beginning with preseason story-lines and anticipation, through the quarter pole of the this year's campaign. In typical sports documentary fashion, the episodes present an abundant amount of behind the scenes footage including in-depth interviews, practice sessions, intimate game coverage, and player profiles.

One scene in particular stuck out for me as both intriguing and extremely enjoyable. It focuses on an injured Shaq watching his Celtics play Philadelphia from the trainers' room. Shaq's reaction, not surprisingly, is revolutionary. So is the celebration of the Boston team exiting the court immediately after the dramatic victory. Larry Frank's boyish smile as he giggles through the hallway and sneaks in a quick slap on the Diesel's chest is inspirational.

Of course, as a serious Celtics fan, I relish the opportunity to watch my favorite team from such a close perspective, but I promise that this fandom does not blind my ability to analyze the quality of the work. No matter how you feel about the Celtics, it's undeniable that their current roster is full of personalities, characters, and multiple hall-of-famers. Simply put, they are perfect for The Association: Boston Celtics.

Smell Yah Later, NFL!

While the majority of sports fans in the country are getting amped for the upcoming Super Bowl two weeks from now, Association junkies are secretly smiling for our own reason. The end of football marks the start of great NBA games on Sundays from here on out.

No longer are we handcuffed by the NFL on our day of rest, forced to watch the team from whatever city we reside in rush for two-yard-gains, throw incomplete passes, and punt on 4th down for 21 straight weeks. Finally, we get to engage in a lazy Sunday we can truly enjoy.

Stern and the scheduling crew are not wasting any time either, pimping the first Sunday Showcase with two salivating fixtures. First, the Heatles visit OKC to face off against Kevin Durant and Company, followed by a rematch of last year's Finals with Beantown visiting the Lakers.

Cheers to the end of football season!

Monday Morning Dance Therapy: Finally, a Baby 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.

I honestly cannot believe it has taken this long for me to include a dancing baby in this column. What say you? This is supposed to be a place for "NBA players and other hoops figures dancing"? Well, I have a few things to say to you:

• Shut up.
• Everyone loves dancing babies.
• Who hasn't danced to that song?
• This baby's name is Captain.

That said, Captain, once you can actually support your own weight, I'm going to expect a little more.

Mikhail Prokhorov: Deal With It

"Yeah, he's a very interesting man. So, for me to just be in the room with him and just have a conversation with him, I would have loved that." - Carmelo Anthony

"This was no white knight sashaying into the States on a horse, but a basketball dummy on a donkey. This franchise has a long, illustrious history of sitcom moments, and this ranks with the most entertaining of all." - Adrian Wojnarowski

"So like the stern headmaster in a really wacky private school, he announced that he’s canceling the prom because his recalcitrant students lobbed a stink bomb into the science lab." - Dave D'Alessandro

"The Russian smelled a rat from an ocean away, and Mikhail Prokhorov swooped in Wednesday to stomp on it." - Ken Berger

"The deal is dead. Done. Denver, ‘Melo, Chris Sheridan, Woj, et al, shove it. The buck stops here... [Prokhorov] earned his stripes last night and he proved what should have been obvious from the get-go – no one becomes a billionaire by being a patsy." - Mark Ginocchio

Video Tribute, Please!

At No Regard, some of us are all about video tributes for players returning to their former teams in new uniforms. Big Z should have gotten one in his honor when the Heatles visited Cleveland earlier this season. He's the Cavalier leader in rebounds, was one of their best players during some terrible seasons, and was a solid foil to Lebron James.

David Lee got one when he returned to MSG.

So tonight, when the NJ Nets face Los Angeles in the Staples center, I'm hoping the home side has something cooking for the return of previously employed Laker backup guards, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic.

They don't need individual tributes, rather I'd prefer if the video presented some of the best highlights they shared together in purple and gold. Perhaps a slick give-and-go concluding in an easy layup in transition. Or maybe probing penetration from Farmar followed by a fantastic assist and wet three-pointer by Sasha.

Do the right thing, Lakers.

No Regard Daily Previews: No Melo Talk!

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight:
Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns
The Nets and Nuggets need to work on their red-zone offense, because after Chris Broussard of ESPN reported on Sunday that the deal was, "on the 10-yard line," here I am two days later waiting for a touchdown that still hasn't formulated. At the risk of having a panic attack, we won't discuss the massive pink elephant that's going to be stomping around the Pepsi Center tonight and instead compare the two teams playing in the game as constituted.

2011 NBA Resolutions

2011 is here and here to stay, folks, and we're sure some of you are knee-deep in your New Year's resolutions. At No Regard, we believe that NBA players should be no different than the rest of us when it comes to making some much needed changes. We've found a list of some of the more popular resolutions and decided to apply them to some of the league's employees.

1. Spend More Time With Family and Friends: Carmelo Anthony

Well, it looks like things are finally shaping up. And by "things" I mean a complete demolition of three current teams in order to, once and for all, bring 'Melo to the NY/NJ region. It's not pretty, but it will be nice to just have this over with so that we can stop hearing one DOA rumor after another. So, 'Melo, if and when the ink is on the paper, make sure you take advantage of your return and call all those cousins and childhood friends from Red Hook that you haven't seen in years. They've been waiting for you. -Ain't

Monday Morning Dance Therapy: Stay Tuff 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.

While EndlessPat has a terminal case of Mav Fever, it should be noted that, as a UConn fan, I was also quite sad to learn that alum Caron Butler was done for the regular season. Although he assured us that he's doing okay, I want to remind him and everyone else that he'll be up to a sitting position and dancing again in no time. Stay Tuff, Caron!

Houston, we Have a Dunk Contest

Wowzers, do we ever! According to the LA Times, this year's dunk contest will field the following four competitors: Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, JaVale McGee, and Brandon Jennings. Which means we have, respectively, the most exciting dunker to come along in years; the biggest dreamboat in the NBA; the man who dominated this past summer league's highlight reel, and the league's cult star du jour.

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this lineup. Another Dwight/Nate showdown would have literally made me vomit up my heart. Literally.

But this...whew. A chance for legit creativity. The promise of at least two players becoming household names. No gimmicks, just sheer, awe-inspiring athleticism.

Good look, dunk contest. This one's for you:

No Regard Daily Previews: Born to Run

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight:
New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs

If you've been watching the Spurs so far this season and you didn't know who their coach was, you might hypothesize that it was Mike D'Antoni. Compare the two teams offensively and the evidence is clear.

San Antonio is 4th in the league in scoring, averaging an impressive 105.6 points per game. Ginobili and Parker have been instructed to to run and gun and they've been doing exactly that, even at the expense of significantly decreasing Tim Duncan's role in their offense. (Duncan is averaging by far a career low in points, just 13.6 per game so far this season.) To top it all off, they take about 22 3-pointers per contest.

The team Mike D'Antoni actually coaches, the Knicks, is first in the league in scoring, putting up a crazy 107.2 points per game. They too run-run-run and then run some more on the offensive end. As for 3-pointers, about 24 per game jacked up so far this season.

Perhaps Coach Pop woke up in a cold sweat one night this summer in the middle of a nightmare in which D'Antoni's 7-seconds-or-less Phoenix Suns were blowing the doors off of his Spurs. Or maybe he was hammered at a bar and made a drunken bet with his buddy that he'd 'completely change the way his team plays in order to get laid more often!' Or maybe, more likely, he realized that sometimes change is necessary in order to be successful in the NBA. Particularly on a team that boasts some of the fastest and most electric players in the league.

Should be a fun one tonight in the Garden.

One Game We Won't Be Watching Tonight But Will Be Thinking About: Sacramento Kings vs. Atlanta Hawks

Good luck against your old team tonight, Mike! We know how much this means to you! Do it!

No Regard Daily Previews: Working in the Garden

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight:
Charlotte Bobcats Vs. Miami Heat

After pretty much everyone in the entire world blasted LeBron for his decision, LBJ tweeted that he was "taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at him this summer." One of the more famous and notable individuals that ripped King James was Michael Jordan. Said Jordan on Miami's new trio, "I would not have called Magic and Larry and said 'let's play together.' I wanted to beat those guys."

LeBron has been off the charts in games that have been important to him so far this season. First there was the dismantling of his former team in which the entire world watched him metaphorically slaughter all of Northeast Ohio. After that was the MSG showcase where his filthy behind-the-back pass after almost falling over twice was just one of his many eye-popping highlights. Finally came his triple-double on Christmas ending the "Whose better now, Kobe or Lebron?" conversation. (There's no question that Lebron's better than Kobe at this moment.) I get the feeling that we're in for another one of those performances tonight against Michael Jordan's team after the six-time champion's words this summer. I'm expecting the swagger, the attitude, and the 'I'm looking-for-my-own-shot-tonight-sorry-Wade' mentality that's driven #6 to some of his greatest games ever.

Also, I still haven't seen the new look Bobcats with the Oak-Man on the bench, so I'm pretty fired up to see what that looks like.

One Game We'll Be Tuning Out Tonight: Utah Jazz Vs. Detroit Pistons

Watching the Pistons isn't all that fascinating this year. Their 11-22 record leaves a lot to be desired.

Perhaps, one day, years from now, Big Ben, Tayshuan, and Rip will get the hell out of Michigan. I doubt it, though.

As for Utah, it's 2011 and Jerry Sloan's still the coach, huh?

Monday Morning Dance Therapy: Arthur Agee 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.
My girlfriend got me the Criterion Collection Hoop Dreams DVD for Christmas, and we watched it this past weekend. It was my first time seeing the movie in ten years. I'll have some more on that experience later on, but for now, enjoy this clip with two wonderful bookends of Arthur Agee and his family getting down.