Coming into the season, the Portland Trail Blazers were viewed as a potential sleeper in the
race to win the championship of the Western Conference. The Utah Jazz, on the other hand,
supposedly didn't have a chance to make the playoffs. Things done changed.
On Monday, the Jazz beat the Blazers 93-89 and now have a one-game lead over Portland in the
West.
Nic Batum is one of the most exciting small forwards in the NBA to watch. He's huge but he can
shoot, run, dunk and play defense. Unfortunately, the Portland Trail Blazers may be without him for
a while due to a knee injury.
Watch the Nic Batum video below to see his knee buckle in the game between the Blazers and the
Utah Jazz.
Who says Kobe Bryant is old? He sure doesn't look old right now. The superstar guard for the Los
Angeles Lakers dropped 40 points on the Utah Jazz tonight 24 hours after torching the Phoenix Suns
for 48 points. With Kobe on fire, the Lakers have won four straight games and once again look like
a legit contender in the Western Conference.
A lot of older teams around the NBA have struggled. This condensed season appears to be favoring
the younger squads who have youthful energy. However, so far the San Antonio Spurs have been able
to avoid struggles even though their core is older.
Against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night, the Spurs cruised to a 104-89 victory.
REAL SALT LAKE (5th) VS. TORONTO FC (16th) RIO TINTO STADIUM - SATURDAY 9PM ETTV: GOLTV THE KICKABOUT:- Will TFC have enough healthy players to make up a midfield?
- Are the recent positive and optimistic Reds player's sound bites real or simply an effort to
appease anxious supporters?
Now that we know the order of the 2011 NBA Draft, it's time to start the predictions. While this
draft is considered weak, especially in the lottery, there are some teams that should really be
able to help themselves most notably the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the first and fourth picks
in the draft!
The basketball gods are smiling on Cleveland again. After losing LeBron James to the Miami Heat
in free agency in a bitter divorce, the basketball gods made things right again by giving the
Cleveland Cavaliers the top choice in the 2011 NBA Draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves will draft
second, while the Utah Jazz get the third pick.
To the surprise of no one, Blake Griffin was a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie first team
for the 2011 NBA season. Somewhat surprising is the fact that John Wall wasn't a unanimous first
team choice he got 28 of 29 needed votes. The other three players on the first team were DeMarcus
Cousins, Gary Neal and Landry Fields.
Deron Williams will undergo wrist surgery, according to a press release by the New Jersey Nets.
The star point guard is undergoing the surgery to remove scar tissue and bone fragments in his
wrist. He is expected to be ready to go by the beginning of next season. The Nets traded for Deron
Williams a few days before the 2011 NBA Trade Deadline in a shocking deal with the Utah Jazz.
The injury update on Mehmet Okur isn't good. The bulky center for the Utah Jazz is out for the
rest of the regular season due to lingering issues regarding his Achilles and his back. Mehmet Okur
ruptured his Achilles last season and just hasn't been able to recover. As a result, he's had a
very sub par campaign.
The new-look New York Knicks are built around Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey
Billups. However, to become a good team, they need role players to step up and contribute. On
Thursday, Toney Douglas did just that to put it mildly. New York's backup guard buried nine
three-pointers on his way to a game-high 29 points as the Knicks demolished the Grizzlies,
120-99.
Quietly, Rudy Gay has been one of the most improved players in the NBA this season. He has
matured and is playing consistent, smart basketball. However, Rudy Gay will be away from the court
for a while after injury his shoulder. Rudy Gay's shoulder injury will have him sidelined for at
least a month likely longer.
Jerry Sloan was the rarest of NBA coaches. First of all, he coached the Utah Jazz for 23 seasons
a ridiculously long time by any measurement. And when it was time for him to go, Jerry Sloan went
out on his own terms. According to reports, Jerry Sloan's abrupt move on Thursday was due to an
ultimatum involving superstar point guard Deron Williams.
In the fourth quarter, the Utah Jazz were charging hard against the San Antonio Spurs. Superstar
point guard Deron Williams had 17 of his 39 points in the final stanza, however it wasn't enough
for the Jazz to overcome the Spurs, who won 112-105. It was San Antonio's 10th win in their last 11
games, while the Jazz lost for the sixth straight time.
Tom Thibodeau, the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, is known for being a master of teaching
defense. On Thursday, those defensive teachings were on full display against the Dallas Mavericks.
In a tough, defensive struggle, the Bulls defeated the Mavs by a final score of 82-77 in front of
their home fans in Chicago.
