Who'd You Get?!: Vlade Divac, Topps Stadium Club (1996)

We at No Regard used to collect basketball cards. Convincing a parent to shuttle us and our friends to the local collector's shop was a consistently important victory. When we found out KMart was selling entire boxes for $20, we almost wore out our bike tires pedaling back and forth.

Now we've unearthed the cache, and the results are stunning. We've been reminded that players named Dino Radja and Wesley Person briefly and forcefully carved out steady roles for themselves in the league. We've been straight tickled by the goofy casual pics. And we've been touched and inspired by the relentless optimism of the copywriters. We hope you enjoy this odd time capsule, a Utopian angle from which to view the league, where everyone is the next somebody and context is pointless.

Back of the card after the jump.

No Regard Recaps: Kobe-the-Point

One Game We Watched Last Night: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Suns: 96, Lakers: 86


So many storylines to discuss from this basketball game: Kobe's new role on the Lakers as Kobe-the-Point, the Suns rocking their old-school threads and Steve Nash returning to his old ball club. For me, though, everything in the NBA is about Kobe-the-Point these days.

NBA Middle Names: Earl Clark

We at No Regard spend a lot of time in our NBA knitting circles trying to figure out the human side of these players. Whether it's musing about their commutes to work, how much "Call of Duty" they play, or what their favorite snack food is, we like to remind ourselves that NBA players are nothing more than young men with enviable jobs. What better way to humanize our heroes than look up their middle names?

Earl Rashad Clark

You're Starting To Piss Me Off!

I'm starting to worry about Michael D'Antoni a little bit. It's no secret that the Lakers are struggling. Their lack of chemistry is palpable and they are just so clearly taking longer than seven seconds to shoot the rock. Frankly, it sucks.    

But last night, after another tough loss when asked if his squad was working on defense before the game, D'Antoni replied, "Hell yeah, we worked on it for half an hour!"

Then he said, "You're starting to piss me off, you're starting to piss me off!"

My only comment regarding this is that half an hour is way too long to be working on defense for a D'Antoni team. That time should have been spent practicing three-pointers and possibly half-court shots. 

NBA Things I'm Thankful For

Last night I attended the Celtics 12-point loss to the Spurs. I used to live in Boston and went to Cs games all the time during the 2009-10 season (cheaper cost of living = more disposable income!), and being back at the TD Garden with one of my best friends from my time living there just felt like home. As such, I got the corny idea to make a list of NBA things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving, both about the game last night and the NBA in general. Enjoy!

No Regard Presidential Previews: Los Angeles Lakers (Ronald Reagan)

Oh the season. Oh the season! Election or NBA, both are upon us. We're getting into the spirit by bringing you our season previews (with a little help from the presidents). One per day for the next 30 days—which will bring us to the Day of Reckoning. So please join us on the campaign trail as we shake hands, kiss babies and sink jumpers.

"Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty." - Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan would please ask that you stay out of his way.

On March 30, 1981, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting U.S. president to survive a gunshot wound from an assassination attempt. Following the attack, just 69 days into his presidency, Reagan's approval rating shot up to 73% and then he went on to be one of the most successful, accomplished, divisive presidents over the course of his two terms. Not sure what was in that bullet, but we'd all be so lucky to get some.

Jerry Buss would please ask that you stay out of his way.

On December 8, 2011, Jerry Buss became the first acting NBA owner to survive a vetoed trade at the hands of Commissioner (and at that time, owner) David Stern. Like Reagan (and Obi-Wan) before him,  Buss made the assassination attempt look foolish. If you strike down Dr. Jerry Buss, he will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine. Take away his all-star point guard before he even gets a chance to don the jersey? He'll go out and get a Hall of Fame point guard and supplant him with Dwight Howard. Then start talking about going after LeBron in two years. You make him share his revenue? Fine, he'll make you tax him into oblivion just to see who blinks first. He's small government to the death and will gladly enter an arms race at the mention of another team's dynasty. We should all be so lucky.

There's a lot here: A Hollywood President. Reaganomics. Phil Jackson as Reagan's early Democratic tendencies. Reagan's War on Drugs and the fact that War on Drugs (the band) are huge NBA fans. Guys, it's all there if we just believe.

And then, there's Lakers fans and Young Republicans, who are probably all the same people. I guess Republicans read blogs, too, but you all seem crazy and entitled. I'm sorry. (I'm not sorry.)

Sorry, to ignore the actual basketball team that the Lakers are trotting out this year, but they are scary and I'm still getting better at facing my problems head on. Bedtime for Bonzo? More like bedtime for the rest of the league. We're all in trouble.

Rushed Pull-Up Jumpers

Pokemon who the team should adopt as its new mascot: Mewtwo

Headline we'll be most sick of reading: "Kobe and Dwight and Nash and Pau and World Peace"

Headline we're most looking forward to: "Nash Takes Leave of Absence to Chase MLS Cup With Henry"[Ed. - We'll never stop this campaign.]

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you enter the pearly gates?: "I give up."

No Regard Previews: Is The Future Anything?

One Game We Will Watch Tonight: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets

Face it: You're going to try to explain JaVale McGee to your kids one day. Sorry. It's not going to be easy, but most things in life worth doing are hard. His game five performance will be a crucial part of your presentation, seeing as that game was the realization of everything promised, but rarely delivered, by that seven-foot six-inch wingspan.



Then he hurled the game ball into the stands three seconds after Craig Sager told him to hold onto it. It was a great moment because Sager was kind of a jerk to him in the interview ("You've had a rather uneventful career in Washington..."), but also because it ensured that we'll never lose Pierre McGee, even as JaVale hopefully blossoms. You'll probably include that video in your presentation, too.

"Then, in game six," you'll next explain to your now-enthralled child... But we don't know what you'll say next. Hopefully, you'll be able to say that JaVale continued his progress towards his first All-Star Game. But it's just as likely that you'll simply pull up an embarrassing GIF (like this one) and begin wrapping up your presentation. Regardless, tonight's game seems like a pretty crucial block in JaVale's narrative, so how could we not watch?

One Game We Probably Won't Watch Tonight: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Chicago Bulls

(photo via @cjzero)

There are enough things that bum us out in this world. No need to tune into another.

Mamba's Last Stand

While Mark Cuban was undoubtedly lighting up a victory cigar after returning to Dallas with a 2-0 lead on the two-time defending champion Lakers, I imagine Kobe Bryant, the game's fiercest and most competitive player was fuming, aggressively lifting jump-shots in an empty gym while plotting his team's comeback. Pundits, experts and fans have written off Los Angeles, stating claims like, "Pau Gasol is soft and can't stop Dirk" and "Kobe is too old to dominate a seven game series." I hate the Lakers, but I truly believe they will pull this off; when you've got the kid from Lower Merion, PA (via Italy) on your team, his insatiable desire for perfection offers light in the darkest of situations.

I don't need to remind of you the Mamba's resume, because his accolades aren't why I'm convinced he will bring L.A. back from the dead. No, Kobe is driven by a greater calling...

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.

No Regard Daily Previews: 11-17-2010

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder


We are a few weeks into the season and have barely written about the Thunder, the team we spent all summer championing until our throats were sore. We even picked them to win the Western Conference. So a fair question is, "Wha' happened?!"

The simplest answer is, "The Minnesota Timberwolves became our spirit animal." The long answer would get boring, so let's just leave it at that and say we're sorry. The road to recovery starts tonight, when we watch the team we crushed so hard on for the better part of this year play the Rockets.

"Why the Rockets?" you ask. I just like them. But I know this shoudn't be a close game. The Rockets are venturing into the loudest arena in the NBA without their starting point guard and starting center. Those two absences would kill their chances in a tug of war or egg spoon race, and pretty much do the same for tonight's basketball exhibition. But the Rockets have pulled off wins against much steeper odds in the past few years (including most of those during their 22-game winning streak back in 2008). Regardless, I think Luis Scola's hair is nice and I'm excited to watch rookie Ishmael Smith. I've never seen so much as a picture of the guy, but dude's name just sounds fast.

Also, no matter what happens in the game, tomorrow morning I'm going to run the headline, "Houston, We Have a Dog!". And that's as fair a reason as any I can think of to watch a basketball game.

One Game We Probably Won't Watch Tonight: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons


If we want to see innocent people get ruined by ruthless killers tonight, we'll watch Hotel Rwanda. At least that has a sort of hopeful ending.

No Regard Daily Previews: 11-11-10

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

It seems like just yesterday that we were sitting here, jittery, waiting for these two teams to open up this season in Boston. Before that kickoff on October 26, expectations could not have been higher to watch these teams play each other, to see if the reigning Eastern Conference champs would be able to defend their turf against the newly-created behemoth.

We now find ourselves two and a half weeks into the season, and here we are, just as anxious to watch sparks fly, this time in Miami. Sure, we know more than we did then. We now know that this Heat team, at 5-3, is very human indeed, and also that the Celtics are more ready than a lot of us expected to reassert their dominance. We know that LeBron James probably won't give KD a run for the scoring title, but that there's a damn good chance he finishes in the top ten in assists. We know that Rajon Rondo is pretty much definitely going to finish first in that category, and probably in steals, as well. We know that Kevin Garnett is not the most sensitive person in the world (okay, we already knew that).

No Regard Recap: 11-9-2010

One Game We Watched Last Night: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Jersey Nets

Cavs: 93 Nets: 91

The 2010-2011 Cavs are like kids whose father has died, but their mother doesn't think they're old enough to hear the truth yet.

"Your father," coach Byron Scott manages to say in a low voice, struggling to stay audible through a mask of dried tears, "had to go on a business trip."

"When will he be back?" quizzes Anderson Varejao.

"Not for a while."

No Regard Daily Recaps 11-2-10

EndlessPat toasts Cartier Martin for sending his team into overtime.

So here's the thing: I was told to review what surely would have been a fascinating Orlando-New York game at The Garden tonight.

Unfortunately that game was called on account of asbestos.

No, I'm not kidding. Madison Square Garden was deemed an unsafe workplace for its hard-laboring employees, and I was told to shift my attention to the Lakers-Grizzlies matchup, which we all knew was going to be super lame.

I don't like playing by the rules, so instead, I decided to be a bit of a wild card, a free agent if you will, and decided to watch The Battle of Who Could Care Less: a showdown between the winless Wizards and the equally winless 76ers.

It turns out I am a genius. Here's why:

Bynum: Okay By Me!

So I must admit that this post is a bit weird for me to write. But after a discovery I made this morning, I realized I can no longer deny that I sort of like Andrew Bynum. Obviously, as an intense Celtics fan it doesn't make sense for me to like any Lakers, ever. Ironically, the following three reasons have led me to the conclusion that even though he plays for hated Los Angeles, Bynum is fine by me.

First and foremost, Bynum is a Jersey man. Born and raised in the Garden State, I automatically am drawn to him knowing that his basketball career started in my favorite place. Although, simply being an NJ native is not enough for me to claim that I somewhat admire this man. No, it's that this past June, he declined to immediately get the knee surgery he required to be ready for opening day and instead decided to attend the FIFA World Cup in South Africa!

I am on record as being a fan of soccer, so after hearing that Bynum will now miss the beginning of the season because he went to go watch soccer games in Africa elevates his status for me big time. Good work, Drew! You're not so bad after all.

Finally, he looks a lot like one of my favorite comedians.

Team Dreamin' 2011: LA Lakers

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.

Pau Gasol and Brook Lopez are two of the best big men in the league right now. Pau was dominant all year alongside Kobe to help Los Angeles win it's second title in two years and Brook looks like he might someday be a 25 and 10 guy for the Nets. What do they have in common? For starters, they both have brothers who are big-men in the NBA.

How cool would it be to see the Gasols and the Lopezes on the same team playing with the Black Mamba?