4 years after becoming first Indian to be drafted into the NBA, Satnam Singh's draft rights have been traded to the Memphis Grizzlies

It takes nuclear fusion of the intergalactic level to give birth to a star, a minor big bang. Often, these stars die in spectacular supernovas. But sometimes, they just whimper away in silence, disappearing into the dark universe.

Four years ago, Satnam Singh's entry into the NBA began with a bang. The Dallas Mavericks made the 19-year-old, 7-foot-2 center the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA. His 2015 drafting was a major moment in Indian basketball history, spawning optimism for the growth of the game in India and a Netflix documentary detailing the astonishing story that ended with him wearing that Mavericks hat.

Four years later, and without a single NBA game under his belt, Satnam dalliance with the Mavs has ended in a quiet whimper. The Mavericks announced on Monday, July 8 that they were trading the draft rights to Satnam Singh from 2015 along with two future second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies, in return for point guard Delon Wright. It will now be up to the Grizzlies to decide if they wish to offer Satnam a contract, waive their draft right, or retain the rights without having Satnam under contract the way the Mavericks did for the past four years.

It is a question of curious NBA legalese on how the Mavericks were able to hold on to Satnam's draft rights since 2015. Satnam isn't the only one; the Mavericks have a habit of drafting players and retaining their rights for long terms, including Finland's Petteri Koponen who was drafted in 2007 by the Philadelphia 76ers, and whose rights the Mavs have held since 2011. Ben Zajdel of The Smoking Cuban dug deep into the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement and explained the rules in more layman terms:

Essentially, this means that as long as a player is under contract with a non-NBA team and gives the NBA team that drafted him no indication he plans to play in the NBA, they retain his draft rights. The process can go on for more than a decade, apparently. If an international player is no longer under contract with a non-NBA team and informs the team that holds his draft rights he intends to play in the NBA, they must tender him an offer within the next year, or he becomes a rookie free agent.

The draft rights for Satnam essentially meant that he can play for no other team except for the one's that hold his rights - which was the Mavericks, and which will now be the Grizzlies.

Even though he has been absent from realising his NBA dream, Satnam has been actively pursuing many other avenues of pro basketball. After he was first drafted, he spent two seasons playing for the Mavericks' affiliate Texas Legends. He returned to India to play a bigger role in the national team from 2017-18 and try his hand at 3x3 basketball. Last year, he took upon a new journey: Canada's National Basketball League, where he played for the St. John's Edge that made the NBL Finals.

Now, just when it seemed that Satnam's NBA affair was over, his name popped up in the news stream again, heading to a new team. Perhaps, a fresh start? Remember, we are still speaking of his draft rights, not his contract itself. No one yet knows what the future holds. When I reached out to Satnam about his thoughts on the trade, he was in the dark as the rest of us.

"I don’t know yet about anything," he said. "I hope I get soon some good news."

We in the Indian basketball world are hoping for the same. Hopefully the quiet decay of the star is only the beginning of something new, the start of another journey in Satnam's universe.

Revenge of the small market

Most of the big name unrestricted and restricted free agents over the last month chose to pass the glitz and glamour of the big city to choose the team that was the right fit for them and their ambitions. Some of the biggest moves were the ones that weren’t made, deals that were made by All Star calibre players to stay in cities without the ‘big market’ tag. In the new, smaller world, where the entire universe of information is just a few tweets away, the geographical location of NBA stars rarely matter anymore. All that matters is talent and success.

Check out my full article on SportsKeeda.

No Strings Attached: Who are the top NBA free agents available this summer?

The season of basketball is over, but the season of business is just about to begin. July 1 will mark the beginning of free agency, when a number of contracts of top NBA players will expire and there will be a several restricted or unrestricted free agents on the market. How many of these players will be wearing different NBA jerseys in a few months? Here is my look at the top free agents this summer, where I also predict the chances of them changing teams this offseason.

Check out my full feature on SportsKeeda.

Eight Different Stories: Previewing the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs

After the regular season reduced the fray of 30 to 16, the last two and a half weeks of the First Round further cut the number of remaining contenders to eight. Now, the remaining contenders enter the fight to the championship carrying eight different stories, and the baggage of eight different histories. Who will be the last team standing? Here is a look into the past and my preview of the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs.

Check out the whole article on SportsKeeda.

2015 NBA Playoffs - Expert's Bracket Challenge - Round 2

How are you all feeling after that? Yes, seven other series happened in the First Round and 34 other games were played, but it all came down to the epic Spurs-Clippers series, to a classic Game 7, to amazing championship performances by both sides, and a memorable performance by Chris Paul. I was so pumped that all I could think about doing after the game was heading out to the basketball court and hoping to be a little more coordinated than Big Baby Davis. But first, we have to deal with the next best thing and channel this excitement into words.

Before the playoffs, I joined ranks with fellow fans and experts of the NBA in India - Akshay Manwani (@AkshayManwani) and Kaushik Lakshman (@_kaushik7) - to turn this season's playoffs into our own mini competition, and in the process, give the fans of the game some hoops food for thought. Let me introduce to you the 2015 NBA Playoffs Bracket Challenge, where Akshay, Kaushik, and I unleash our inner prophets to predict each series of each round in the playoffs.

Here are the rules again: Each of us will get +2 for getting the series result correct. Additionally, if we get the scoreline right, we get a bonus of +1. You can find our First Round predictions here. Below, we move on to the tally on the scorecard and then make our predictions for the Second Round. Keep yourselves updated and feel free to give us your own predictions in the comments section at the end of this post.

As for our First Round predictions, all of us were correct in picking the Hawks, Cavaliers, Bulls, Warriors, and Grizzlies. Akshay is the only one who went 8/8 with his predictions, picking the right winner each time! With half of his length predictions right as well, he currently holds the top spot and bragging rights. But hey - there are three more rounds to go!

Scorecard

• Akshay Manwani: 20
  
• Kaushik Lakshman: 14
  
• Karan Madhok: 11
  

Without further ado, here are our bold predictions for the Second Round.

Eastern Conference:

Atlanta (1) v Washington (4):

Akshay’s pick: The season series went 1-3 in favour of the Hawks. But that was then. This is now. The Wizards have raised quite a few heads with their sweep of the Toronto Raptors in the first round. Contrastingly, we saw how the Hawks didn’t exactly breeze through their first round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, with the series squared 2-2, before Atlanta won Games 5 and 6. The Hawks are also likely to miss Thabo Sefolosha, who would have been made to match up against John Wall. The Hawks are a well-rounded team, but the Wizards have the veteran experience of Paul Pierce and the better individual talent to upset these Hawks. Wizards win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: I can’t say if the Wizards sweep of the Raptors was more of the Wizards being that good or the Raptors being that bad. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, but more importantly, The Truth – Paul Pierce – currently lies in Washington. The Wizards will strut into this series with new-found swag, and the talent in their arsenal isn’t that bad, either. However, I feel that the Hawks will still hold an advantage in this matchup. Although Atlanta stumbled a little against the Nets, they found their version of unstoppable team ball in their last two wins, and that momentum will continue against Washington. Expect a super-speedy matchup between Jeff Teague and John Wall, hot shooting between Bradley Beal and Kyle Korver, but the Atlanta bigs – Al Horford and Paul Millsap – will prove to be the difference-makers. Hawks win 4-2.

Kaushik’s pick: After a rather surprising first round from both these teams, prediction for the second round just got tougher. Atlanta don’t look as crisp as they did around January, and it was surprising how they lost 2 games to Brooklyn. Washington on the other hand ‘truth-ed’ their way through the Raptors in such a surprising way, absolutely nobody could have seen that coming. In my opinion it was more of Toronto’s flaws that led to this. Against Atlanta I think they will find it much tougher both in defence and offence and just aren’t deep enough to contend. The Hawks will learn from their slips in the first round and are favourites for this one. Hawks win 4-2.

Cleveland (2) v Chicago (3):

Akshay’s pick: Old playoff foes meet again. From the days of Michael Jordan hitting his buzzer-beating shots against the Cavaliers to the days of LeBron James and Derrick Rose. The Bulls have also had their run-ins with James when he was a part of the Miami Heat and so there is plenty of baggage between both teams. The Cavs are seriously hobbled by the absence of Kevin Love and the two-game suspension to J.R. Smith. But the Cavs also have the best player in the world in James. The Bulls have also not played defense like in previous years. It will be a tough, chippy series but I do expect Cleveland to put the Bulls away eventually. Cavaliers win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: The only matchup that has truly mattered in the Eastern Conference all season, and this is definitely the NBA’s most interesting Second Round series. Bulls-Cavs is a real rivalry with great talent on both sides. Even before Kevin Love hurt his shoulder, I had felt that Chicago’s depth and two-way potential would trouble Cleveland. The Cavs struggle defending in the post, and the Bulls’ big rotation could further exploit this weakness. Without Love, LeBron will have to focus more on defending bigs like Gasol, Noah, and Gibson inside, and this will hinder his offensive genius a little. Without Love, they will not be able to spread the floor with ease offensively. Ultimately, the edge will come to who wins the point-guard battle between Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving – and my heart says Rose. Bulls win 4-2.

Kaushik’s pick: Arguably the series of the round, I cannot wait for this one. I was impressed with Cleveland’s way of closing Boston out. Chicago in typical Bulls fashion showed both their Jekyll and Hyde side in the series but eventually were too good for the young Bucks. The main talking point will be Kevin Love and his injury. It looked like the Cavs finally started to use him very effectively, so the injury is a big blow. But they still have the best two players in the series, and normally that is enough, but probably not against this Bulls team. Loaded from top to bottom, they only need 2-3 players to click and I think it can happen. Chicago is just the kind of team where Cleveland’s offence, or lack of it, can get found out. However, there’s still that LeBron guy. The heart says Bulls, and the head says Cavs, but I’m going with the heart on this one. Bulls win 4-3.

Western Conference:

Golden State (1) v Memphis (4):

Akshay’s pick: The fast paced Warriors match up against the grindhouse Grizzlies. Sizzle meets attrition. In three regular season meetings, the Warriors went 2-1 against the Grizzlies, but with the Warriors playing without Andrew Bogut and David Lee in the first matchup when they lost. Now, Golden State will also have Lee available, the Warriors’ forward unavailable for the first round against New Orleans due to a sore back. The Grizzlies had no answer for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in their two defeats and it is unlikely that they will be able to stop the Warriors’ backcourt now. Golden State also has home-court. Warriors win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: The Warriors are making basketball magic over in the Bay Area, and Stephen Curry is the sorcerer leading this show from the point. Curry was ridiculously good against the Pelicans, averaging over 33 points and seven assists in the First Round. Meanwhile, the Grit-‘n-grind Grizzlies looked efficient and defensively sound in their beat-down of the Trail Blazers, but with Mike Conley’s status up in the air, Memphis’ immediate future is looking a whole lot more complicated. The Grizzlies are a great defensive team, the Warriors are a great defensive and offensive team. Memphis will aim to slow down the pace to hamper the Warriors from getting into their comfort zone. Unfortunately for them however, the Warriors are looking comfortable in all zones. Warriors win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: Oh man, what a series. The flair on one side, and the grit and grind on the other. If there was one thing I would ask the basketball gods for, it is that Mike Conley gets fit for this because he is such a game changer. With him, this series gets competitive, else it is a wash out, that’s how good the Warriors are and that’s how influential Conley is. If you haven’t guessed already, I have a pretty big mancrush on Conley. Both teams got through Round 1 rather easily and will be reasonably well rested for this series. To beat the Warriors, you have to be good defensively, which the Grizz are, and also have good enough shooting to hang with them, which the Grizz can be but are only sparingly. And that is why they need Conley so much, he knows how to dictate play, control the tempo etc, such a vital weapon against Golden State. It is hard to bet against Curry and friends right now, and I’ll make that safe pick, while actually rooting for the Grizzlies to come through. Warriors win 4-1.

Houston (2) v LA Clippers (6):

Akshay’s pick: Firstly, congratulations to the Clippers on their win against San Antonio in what was truly one of the all-time great seven-game series in the playoffs. The question now for the Clippers is whether they can recover fast enough for Game 1 against the Rockets, who are well rested. The Clippers will also be anxious by the state of Chris Paul’s hamstring, which seemed to have impeded his movement in Game 7 against the Spurs. However, the Rockets don’t offer the same bench strength that the Spurs did and their defense isn’t anywhere near San Antonio as well. Patrick Beverley may have helped the Rockets on that front, but he is out of this series. If the Clippers can guard the 3-point line against the Rockets, they will fancy their chances no matter what the odds. Clippers win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: After years of coming up short in the super-competitive West, the Clippers finally grew up and showed that they are a team to be truly respected by knocking out the defending champs in a classic seven-game series win. Now, they face a Rockets side that has surprised me all season and looked particularly comfortable in their 4-1 win over Dallas. In some ways, this may be the most annoying series to watch, with Chris Paul and James Harden taking part in a flop-fest / complaining-competition, while Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and DeAndre Jordan collectively miss 1,350 free throws per game. With the pressure of facing early failure off their backs, I expect Clippers to be a lot more relaxed and confident in this series. If Paul’s hamstring issues are not serious, he should make the Conference Finals for the first time in his career. Clippers win 4-2.

Kaushik’s pick: After the epic first round series between the Spurs and the Clippers, almost nothing that can happen in this series will live up to it. Will the Clippers be spent after playing a near perfect series? Is Chris Paul’s hamstring injury bad? Can they deal with another fast paced shooting team that is themselves playing beyond potential? You’d have to think the answers don’t look good for the Clips. I don’t like either of the teams but I think Houston is quietly doing something special. Harden is going to be the key seperator in the series in my opinion. I should count out the Clips at my own risk after the series we’ve just witnessed but I feel Houston will take this in a close one. Rockets win 4-2.

2015 NBA Playoffs - Expert's Bracket Challenge - Round 1

Since my friends and I are sitting here and typing on our computers - instead of being at a pre-game shootaround at an NBA playoffs game - you can probably infer that none of our hoop dreams have (yet) come true. But hey, who said that only NBA players can have the fun of competition during the playoffs? For the next few months, as the NBA Playoffs progress to give us the 2015 champions, I have joined ranks with fellow fans and experts of the NBA in India - Akshay Manwani (@AkshayManwani) and Kaushik Lakshman (@_kaushik7) - to have a little competition of our own. Let me introduce to you the 2015 NBA Playoffs Bracket Challenge, where Akshay, Kaushik, and I unleash our inner prophets to predict each series of each round in the playoffs.

The rules, as suggested by Akshay: Each of us will get +2 for getting the series result correct. Additionally, if we get the scoreline right, we get a bonus of +1. I will publish the results of the first round predictions as a separate blog at the end of the first round. Then there will be a new blog post for our predictions for the Conference semi-finals and so on. So keep yourselves updated and feel free to give us your own predictions in the comments section at the end of this post.

(Akshay, Kaushik, and I recorded our thoughts on the NBA season and the growth and popularity of the league in India on Episode 2 of our Hoopdarshan podcast a few weeks ago. Check it out!).

So without further ado, here are our bold predictions for the first round:

Eastern Conference:

Atlanta (1) v Brooklyn (8):

Akshay’s pick: Brooklyn had a good run to end the season, going 17-13 since the All-Star break to make it into the playoffs. But the Hawks just have too much firepower even without Thabo Sefolosha. They blanked the Nets 4-0 during the reason and I expect things to be no different in the playoffs. Hawks win 4-0.

Karan’s pick: Atlanta finished the season 60-22 at the top of the Eastern Conference, while the Nets (38-44) only sneaked into the playoffs on the last day of the season. But Brooklyn can take heart in the fact that they have actually been in better form than the Hawks in the final stretch of the season. Ultimately, Atlanta’s system, team-play, and shooting should be good enough for a series win. Hawks win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: This is probably the easiest pick to make. Brooklyn Nets apart from a late season run headed by Brook Lopez, have been a truly horrible team and are in the playoffs only because of the (L)eastern conference. Hawks have tailed off a bit compared to how they dominated January, but will still have too much to handle for the Nets. Hawks win 4-0.

Cleveland (2) v Boston (7):

Akshay’s pick: The season series scoreline, surprisingly, went 2-2 between these two teams, but don’t read too much into that as Kyrie Irving didn’t play in both the Cavs’ defeats while LeBron and Kevin Love also didn’t figure in the last loss. However, the Celtics may still infuriate the Cavs by playing small ball, but eventually Cleveland will come through. Cavaliers win 4-0.

Karan’s pick: I’ll give Boston and their exceptional coach Brad Stevens some credit here, but ultimately, the Cavs won’t have to sweat too much to win this series. Beyond LeBron, they are relatively playoff inexperienced (including Coach Blatt), so this series will be important for them to learn the pace of the game for tougher post-season battles ahead. Cavaliers win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: The Celtics have been a nice feel good story in the last month or so. They are a team so devoid of stars and are only here because of exceptional coaching and super effort from the players. Unfortunately NBA doesn’t have very many Cinderella stories. The Cavs are a freight train right now and will be too good for the young Celtics. Cavaliers win 4-0.

Chicago (3) v Milwaukee (6)

Akshay’s pick: Milwaukee have done well this season despite the season ending injury to rookie Jabari Parker in December 2014. They also are the second best defensive team in the league behind Golden State. But the Bulls are buoyed by the return of Derrick Rose and have too much firepower in their arsenal to lose this series. Bulls win 4-1.

Karan’s pick: The Bucks have shocked everyone in the league by finishing at .500 even without Jabari Parker. Unfortunately, their youth and inexperience will play against them against the deep Bulls. Chicago is loaded with multiple weapons from top to bottom of their roster and won’t even have to over-work Derrick Rose too much to win this series. Bulls win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: Great turnaround from Milwaukee from where they finished last season and Kidd has done a great job with this young team, but this team is still a couple of years away from peaking. Chicago on the other hand is a loaded monster. With Rose back, and their team deeper than ever, it feels like they’re built like a team meant for the playoffs. Bulls win 4-1.

Toronto (4) v Washington (5)

Akshay’s pick: Easily the best first-round matchup in the East as a top-5 offensive team (Toronto) takes on a top-5 defensive team (Washington). Both teams also have near identical records post All-star break, with Toronto going 13-16 and Washington going 13-15. The key for me is Paul Pierce. His experience and Washington’s big men – Nene and Gortat - give the Wizards the edge. Wizards win 4-3.

Karan’s pick: Both teams are the dictionary definition of mediocrity, of playing good but not great basketball and being too inconsistent to truly be contenders. I think that the series will go the full seven games, and will see some heroic individual performances by both the talented backcourts (Lowry and DeRozan, Wall and Beal). Ultimately, ‘The North’ should win their first playoffs series since 2000. (!!!!) Raptors win 4-3.

Kaushik’s pick: It doesn’t speak much about the conference that this is the best matchup of the first round. Both these teams, so similar in storylines, have dragged themselves to the end of the season and neither is really a force for later on in the post-season. However, I think Toronto still has a little more fire and experience from losing last post-season and will nick this one in a close series. Raptors win 4-3.

Western Conference:

Golden State (1) v New Orleans (8):

Akshay’s pick: Anthony Davis has been a star for the Pelicans all season long and the team will look to him to carry their fortunes. But in Golden State, they have an opponent, which is the best team in the league by some distance, with All-Star players and a deep bench. Warriors win 4-0.

Karan’s pick: The Warriors have been a historically good squad this season, and will continue to play at the highest level on both ends of the floor. All signs may point to a Warriors' whitewash, but the Pelicans will have the best player in the series - Anthony Davis - and I think he will be able to lead them to at least one win. Warriors win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: This is going to be such a fun series. I don’t think the Pelicans will actually win, but Anthony Davis. That’s all that needs to be said really. Davis is a beast, and has the perfect tools of a big man that can trouble Warriors’ small ball front court. There will be a couple of close matches, but Warriors ultimately are too good and too deep for the Pelicans. Warriors win 4-1.

Houston (2) v Dallas (7):

Akshay’s pick: This could be interesting if Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis can make things work for Dallas in the backcourt. Also, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is known to spring a surprise or two with his strategies in the playoffs. The Rockets are also missing the underrated Donatas Motiejunas and Patrick Beverley. But in the end, James Harden and Dwight Howard should do the job for the Rockets. Rockets win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: I have faith that the brilliant Coach Rick Carlisle will find a way to make Rondo, Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler, and former Rocket Chandler Parsons work out for a huge upset. Houston are struggling with various injuries and will be exposed for having no offensive direction beyond what James Harden. As the series progresses, I think Dallas will contain Harden, negate Houston’s other options, and score an upset. Mavericks win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: Houston Rockets or Harden Rockets? My MVP pick for the season has single handedly carried the Rockets to the second seed! This team may not look deep but Harden is having a career season and the Mavericks don’t have enough in my opinion to stop him. Rondo isn’t a good fit, Dirk doesn’t seem like Dirk and they’re not as deep as they have been in prior runs. Rockets win 4-1.

LA Clippers (3) v San Antonio (6)

Akshay’s pick: The best matchup in the first round across conferences, vindicated by the 2-2 season series scoreline. The Clippers have players in their prime, but the Spurs have experience and a terrific young player in Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers are lacking in bench strength but have home-court to make up for it. My head says Spurs, but for once I will go with my heart. Clippers win 4-3.

Karan’s pick: I expect Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to play the series of their lives to finally win a playoff series; unfortunately, the Spurs have more than enough experience in thwarting star-driven teams that break down without multiple options and depth. The Spurs have been in scorching hot form primed for another deep post-season run. This will be a tough series for them, but ultimately, I think they will pull out an upset and advance. Spurs win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: OMG! Why is this match up so early in the playoffs?! Both teams are ON FIRE at the moment and are meeting only because of another dumb NBA rule. Paul is balling right now and the Clippers starting unit is one of the best there is. Spurs too look great led by the monster that is Leonard. This will be a close series, but I pick Spurs because of their experience and depth. Spurs win 4-2.

Portland (4) v Memphis (5)

Akshay’s pick: This could have been a terrific series had Portland been completely healthy. Right now they are just too banged up, with the season ending injury to Wesley Matthews being the biggest handicap for the Trail Blazers. Memphis has also won all four regular season meetings. Grizzlies win 4-1.

Karan’s pick: Portland seems to be snake-bitten with all the injuries they have suffered in the lead up to the playoffs. Memphis have been out of form slightly in recent weeks too, but they are a team built to capitalize on slowing down in the post-season, and they should be able to get through to the second round. Grizzlies win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: Portland were my dark horse pick for the title had they been fully fit but Mathews’ injury is just so tough that I can’t see them going too far. Memphis themselves haven’t been very impressive in the past couple of months but I think they’ll have too much grit and grind that will help overcome the beaten down and seemingly cursed Blazers. Grizzlies win 4-2.

Scorecard

• Akshay Manwani: 0
  
• Karan Madhok: 0
  
• Kaushik Lakshman: 0
  

Upset Watch 2015: My NBA playoffs first-round preview

We have entered the zone of straight-up best-of-seven knockout series. And beyond the single game edge that every ‘home’ team will have in each series, nothing from the past will matter anymore. Like every year, I present a preview in terms of percentage probabilities; as in, the probability of an underdog (away team) to upset the favourite in every series (home team) in the First Round. It’s an inexact science, occasionally wrong, but I promise you, thoroughly entertaining. Here – in ascending order of least probably upset to most – is my preview of all the series in the First Round.

Click here for full feature on SportsKeeda.

Upset Watch 2014: NBA Playoffs 1st Round Preview

Welcome to the 2014 playoffs’ edition my now trademarked, annual, ‘Upset Watch’ feature. For the first round every year, I like to present a preview in terms of percentage probabilities; as in the probability of an underdog (lower seed) to upset the favourite in every series (the higher seed). It’s an inexact science, occasionally wrong, but I promise you, thoroughly entertaining.

Here – in ascending order of least probably upset to most – is my preview of all the series in the First Round.

Click here for full feature.

Marc-ism: On Marc Gasol leading the Grizzlies season turnaround

Marc-ism: noun The influence of Marc Gasol on an NBA team, often times barely evidenced by the box score but more appreciated in total team synchronization, particularly on the defensive end. The pure joy of watching a smooth-passing big man.

Ever since his return, reigning DPOY Marc Gasol has helped the Grizzlies turnaround for a late playoff push.

Click here for full feature.

Questions, and the Answer

Earlier this week, Allen Iverson indicated that he would officially announce his retirement, bringing an end to years of speculation of whether he’ll ever get an opportunity to wear an NBA jersey again. It was the end to a career that ignited the basketball-loving world for most of the past decade.

In the near future, Iverson will probably receive his accolades, mostly from the Philadelphia fans who became an extension to his family. He will have the jersey retired and will hear words of respect from his peers. But no matter the tribute at his retirement parties, it could never truly capture the adulation that Allen Iverson’s career once deserved.

Click here to read full feature

Legacy Watch: Previewing the Heat-Spurs 2013 NBA Finals

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs. The 2013 NBA Finals. Is this what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Technically, as the Pacers stretched them to the limit, we saw that his Heat squad isn’t exactly unstoppable. And for all their failures in the playoffs over the recent years, we witnessed that the Spurs haven’t been immovable either. But what we are about to witness is going to be one of the closest Finals matchups in recent memory, between two incredibly talented teams. They have reached here in different ways, been built like opposites, and play in a contrasting fashion, but they have been the NBA’s best teams in the post-season, and rightfully so, they will face off in the epic Finals encounter to adjudge who will lay hands on the 2013 NBA trophy.

Click here for my preview and my predictions for the Finals.

Together we go farther: An NBA Conference Finals Preview

A long, grueling NBA playoff run can be sort of like a journey through an unforgiving desert sometimes. Those who dream of the desert oasis at the end of the horizon – the NBA championship – must battle through all kinds of trials and tribulations. They must suffer past injury, fatigue, hostile road environments, and the stacks raised against them. An exceptional individual could certainly help a team achieve great things, win a big game, or hit a big shot; but it is the effort of the team as a whole that carries the group through four best-of-seven-series, through long road journeys, through defensive adjustments, and with the effort of every member of the troop stepping up whenever their number is called.

So far in the playoffs, teams have succeeded over star individuals. My predictions for what is set to happen next.

Click here to read full feature

Survivor Series: NBA Playoffs 2nd Round Preview

With matchups getting closer and the repercussions for every decision bearing bigger fruits, the Second Round of the playoffs turns into a Survivor Series. Although nothing is guaranteed, we can assume that it will be LeBron James and the Heat waiting at the end. But who will advance all the way to challenge them?

Click here to read full feature

Healthy Body; Healthy Minds: Best NBA Players turned Coaches

Being an NBA Head Coach is a terribly competitive job, and holding one of those 30 available positions is definitely a rare honour for those in the basketball coaching profession. But is it necessary to have NBA experience to be an NBA Head Coach? Common knowledge says no; a lot of big name coaches, such as Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown have been successful in recent years without playing a minute in the NBA. But if you look at the list of the current 30 head coaches today, you’ll notice that 19 of them – over 63 percent – have had NBA playing experience.

In no particular order, here are the top five players-turned-coaches.

Click here to read full feature.

Unsung Heroes of the Advanced Stat!

We shall focus our attention on some of the league’s lesser-known names who do not get the stats or the individual accolades, or who do now play in a big enough market to make a name for themselves. We shall turn to Stats.NBA.com to find the league’s advanced stats heroes, who are quietly making a big difference for their team.

Here are five unsung heroes of the advanced stat!

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5-Man Armies: The best 5-player lineups in the NBA this season

Newsflash: Basketball is a Team Game. Yes, your superstars can be the difference between a win and a loss in a close fourth quarter finish, but the majority of the work is done by how the unit on the floor performs as a whole on both sides of the floor. In basketball, five players on the court have to work as one single entity: passing, scoring, defending, rebounding, and even fighting together as a group.

Taking the point-differential (+/-) as a reference point, let’s countdown the top five lineups in the league that have been the most effective when they are set together on the court this season.

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OJ Mayo: No Surprises

OJ Mayo’s brief basketball career has taken more tumbles and more rises and falls than an oscillating sound wave. If you told a Mayo fan in 2007 that he would playing at an All Star level in the NBA in 2012, you wouldn’t be met with surprise. From earning comparisons to Kobe Bryant as a high-schooler to an underwhelming start to his NBA career before skyrocketing again… The surprise isn’t the destination where he is currently at, but the journey which he took to arrive at that destination.

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Upset Watch 2012: Playoffs 1st Round Preview

What’s going to happen in the first round of the playoffs? Do the Knicks have a chance over the Heat? Can Jazz upset the Spurs? What about the Dwight-less Magic versus the Pacers? Here is my wholly unscientific breakdown, in ascending order, from the team least likely to cause an upset to the one most likely.

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Memphis Grizzlies are The Expendables

No matter what happens in tonights/tomorrow morning's Game 7 between the OKC Thunder & the Memphis Grizzlies, one thing is for sure: The Grizz have more than impressed this post-season. For a franchise that had never even won a single playoff game, to finish 8th in the Western Conference standings, and still find themselves just a game away from a place in the Conference Finals is nothing short of amazing.

But what makes this feat even more amazing is that the Grizzlies, unlike the other teams still surviving in the playoffs (Bulls, Heat, Thunder, Mavericks), have done it with a roster full of misfits, rejects, and expendables. Unlike Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Dirk Nowitzki, the Grizzlies don't have a single current all star on their squad. And it was this roster that defeated the best team in the West, the Spurs in the first round, and it's this roster that is now taking the Thunder to a deciding game in the second round.

Leading from the front is obviously Zach Randolph, the much-maligned power-forward who bounced around the league carrying on him a reputation of being a nutcase and a selfish, incomplete player. Randolph was only the 19th pick in the 2001 draft, and after his third year in the league, he started to build an impressive offensive repertoire. As he traveled from Portland to New York to the LA Clippers to Memphis, Randolph's production remained consistent, but he was never considered to be an elite power forward. He has only one all star appearance and his highest individual honour has been a single All-NBA third team appearance, which only happened this year.

And yet, he has been one of the most valuable players in this post-season, peaking at just the right time in his career in terms of maturity and talent to carry this unfancied side this far.

Randolph's frontcourt mate is Center Marc Gasol, the less popular brother of Pau, who is considered to be one of the greatest Euros to ever play in the NBA. While Pau won rings and accolades, Marc slowly gained a reputation as being one of the most solid if not spectacular NBA big men. But Marc was also considered an 'expendable' three years ago - he was drafted by the Lakers as the 48th pick, but his rights were traded to Memphis with a few others in exchange for older brother Pau. It is funny to think that this year, Marc has been far more valuable than his older bro.

While Zach and Marc may do all the scoring, the real reason why Memphis are troubling the Thunder so much has been the defense of Tony Allen on Thunder superstar Kevin Durant. Guarded by Allen, one of the best man-to-man defenders in the NBA, Durant's efficiency has fallen way off. He had early troubles in his career as a Celtics off the court, as he was involved in a shooting incident where he was accused of 'breaking another man's eye socket'. But just like Randolph, Allen's on-court reputation was impeccable: He was an important part of the Celtics side that reached the 2010 Finals, but Boston considered him expendable come summertime, leaving the door open for Memphis to swoosh in and sign him. He has since become the heart and soul of his rugged side, giving them the toughness they have needed - before Durant, Allen was responsible for tough D on Manu Ginobili in the first round.

The next case is of swingman OJ Mayo, who has had his own brushes with controversy. Despite being an unstoppable high-school talent, Mayo's reputation was tarnished when he was accused of receiving improper from his college, USC. He was still the third pick in the 2008 draft (by the Timberwolves) but with his character in question, he was traded away to Memphis. This year, Mayo, who in his youth was compared to Kobe Bryant, was humbled when asked to play off the bench. The core of this Grizzlies side nearly self-combusted when Mayo was invovled with an altercation with Tony Allen on an airplane, but the situation was quickly resolved and the team found its chemistry again. But Mayo's troubles didn't end, as in January, the NBA suspended him 10 days for testing positive for banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The Grizzlies nearly traded him away at the trade deadline, but the attempted trade for Indiana Pacers' Josh McRoberts failed because both teams ran out of time.

But the prodigious talent seems to have left behind his issues for the playoffs, where he has been an important contributer whether off the bench or when in the starting lineup.

There are several other cogs to this complex Grizzlies side. There is Shane Battier, the offensively limited, but defensively brilliant small forward, who has time and again taken the responsibility of guarding the opposing team's best players. Battier was only brought back to Memphis from Houston in the mid-season, and its no coincidence that this intelligent glue-guy is behind this team's surprising rise.

There is Mike Conley Jr., who came into the league as an afterthought at the point guard position but slowly and unspectacularly worked his way to a stable starting role for the Grizz. The Grizzlies even game him a surprisingly large contract extension at the beginning of the season, but he has so far repaid (kind of) their faith.

Then there's second year man Sam Young, probably the least known starter for the Grizzlies. Most teams would've ignored him - and they did, since he was the 36th pick by the Grizzlies, but despite averaging just over 7 points a game, Young's range and work ethic have suddenly made him crucial for this Memphis side.

This core is surrounded by the likes of Greivis Vasquez, Darrell Arthur, and Hamed Haddadi, players who are surprising many onlookers by being important contributers to Memphis' deep playoff run.

But what is perhaps as interesting as what the Grizzlies have is who the Grizzlies lost. They started off last season with a certain Allen Iverson on their team, who is by far the most popular player to ever wear a Grizzlies jersey. Alas, Iverson's issues with coming off the bench made this a short alliance - he only played three games for the Grizz before his contract was terminated. The team continued their rise without him.

The other 'absent' piece is Rudy Gay - on pure talent, perhaps the most valuable player in the Grizzlies franchise, and the one who has come closest to representing the team as an all star. Gay was averaging nearly 20 points and over six rebounds a game this season before his year was cut short after only 54 games. He was counted out for the rest of the season, and without him, the Grizzlies were doubted even to make the playoffs, much less be on the verge of a Conference Finals date. But that is how basketball works sometimes - Memphis found addition in the subtraction, and without Gay dominating the ball in the perimeter, they found a simple and effective system in going to their post players first and spreading the floor around them. And viola! - the Grizzlies became a better team without their (former) best player!

So, who knows how far the Grizzlies can go? Will tonight beat the end of their fairytale season? Or will they beat the Thunder in Game 7? Will they cause match-up problems for the Mavs? NBA Finals? This team consists of players who have fought personal demons, rejection, and low expectations throughout their career. But against everyone's predictions, they have bounced back, and now, no one will predict it against them to keep soaring.

Playoffs... Round 2... FIGHT!

I don't know about you, but that was indeed a breathless and emotional first round, perhaps one of the more exciting ones in recent years (of course, barring that SUPER-EPIC Bulls-Celtics 1st Round series two years ago). This year was breathless because of some crucial big games and some crucial upsets, and emotional because my favourite team, the Knicks finally made the playoffs for the first time in seven years only to be shown the door in four depressing games.

Anyways, we are now in the second round, and in a few paragraphs, I will lay out my predictions for four more intriguing series. Before we get there though, let's take a quick recap of what's happened so far:

- His Hornets couldn't complete their incredible bid for an upset, but Chris Paul (22 ppg, 11.5 apg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 spg) is my nominee for 1st Round MVP. Epic performances in Game 1 (33, 14, 7) and Game 4 (27, 15, 13) were especially impressive.
- Grizzlies created history by becoming just the fourth eighth seed ever to beat a top seed when they beat the Spurs. I'm still enjoying the afterglow of that victory. The West has indeed been pushed wide open.
- Goodbye to Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Chris Paul - great players gone fishing.
- My first round predictions were a semi-disaster. With Hawks, Mavericks, and Grizzlies winning, I only scored 5/8. Let's see how these ones go...

East

(1) Bulls vs. (5) Hawks: Chicago struggled more than they should have against the Pacers, but they still managed to pull off a neat-looking 4-1 victory. They showed two things: 1) They still needed consistent offense from someone else but Derrick Rose to beat the better teams in the playoffs and 2) They showed poise to win games where they didn't play well, a sign of a great team. I think this team will be a lot more confident now that they have survived a first round.
The Hawks will go as far as the Bulls allow them to go. Yes, I don't discount their surprising domination of the Magic in the first round, but Chicago will be a whole another animal to deal with. Hawks will have trouble scoring over an elite Bulls defense, and everyone in that team will have trouble stopping Derrick Rose, especially since news is now coming that Kirk Hinrich may be seriously injured.
Chicago Bulls win 4-2

(2) Heat vs. (3) Celtics: Adrian Wojnarowski, on his Yahoo! Sports article, predicted that this could possibly be the biggest second round series ever. I am inclined to agree. This is a match-up fit for the finals, with enough storylines to keep one's mind well and truly boggled. Here's a quick rundown of the drama that will surround this incredible series:
1) Miami showed great vulnerability against Boston all season, losing their first three match-ups, before getting their revenge in the last one.
2) Miami, with its Big 3 of Wade, LeBron, and Bosh, are the league's most hyped team this year. Celtics have done it all before with their own Big 3 of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen, who won the championship in 2008. The question now is, who wins? Players in their prime in Miami but lacking the experience that the Celtics three had/have? Or the veterans, with more experience now, and with a much deeper bench?
3) LeBron James: A year ago, LeBron played for the Cavs against the Celtics at this exact stage. We all know how that ended. Celtics helped kill the LeBron era in Cleveland, helped push the brand of LeBron as a big-game choker, and the NBA's villain. Believe this: there is NO team in the world that LeBron wants to beat more than Boston. Read Wojnarowski's article linked above to know more.
4) Dwyane Wade: Before they beat LeBron, the Celtics beat Wade and Miami in the first round last year, but Wade didn't lose without having some big individual games. He has struggled against Boston this season, but now its his chance to show that he can beat them with the right squad around him.
5) Shaquille O'Neal: Will Shaq even play? A former teammate to both LeBron and Wade, I will be looking to see if the Big EVERYTHING can be a factor to end the dreams of his former teammates.
6) Delonte West: He's a Celtic now. He was a Cav last year. Ask LeBron's mum about the rest of the story.
7) The Matchups: Kevin Garnett vs. Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce vs. LeBron James, Ray Allen vs. Dwyane Wade will all be intriguing to watch... But who's gonna stop Rondo? And will Miami have an answer for Boston's deep bench?
My answer to that last question is yes, they will. Boston are deeper and more experienced, but they are also old and past their primes. I believe that Miami have begun to peak at just the right time in this series. It will be a back-and-forth battle where the equation and the momentum could shift after each game - I know it's tough to call, but I am going to side with the home-court advantage. I expect big things from LeBron and Wade here, and I expect seven unforgettably close games.
Miami Heat win 4-3

West

(2) Lakers vs. (3) Mavericks: With the Spurs out of the equation, the Lakers have to be feeling a lot more confident about completing their three-peat now. I know they showed some hesitancy in the first round against New Orleans, but from experience, I can say that this is a team that just gets better as the playoffs progress - remember last year, when they showed hesitancy against the Thunder in the first round and then went on to win a championship? Kobe is in Warrior-Mode, Gasol showed signs of recovery, and Bynum will be the key once again. Lakers are deep enough beyond these three, as consistent play by Artest and Odom will only improve.
Mavs, on the other hand, are running out of legitimate believers. Yes, they beat Portland, but it is how they perform against LA that will define them. Kidd and Nowitzki have been searching for that championship for all their careers, and this season could be their last best chance - fitting then, that their job is to remove the reigning champs off their perch. I say that they come up short.
LA Lakers win 4-2

(4) Thunder vs. (8) Grizzlies: If you're the Thunder, you have to be happy, right? Not only did you just cross the first round for the first time, beating a tricky Denver team 4-1, but your second round just got a whole lot easier. No disrespect to Memphis, but I'm sure Thunder had the Spurs and their experience in mind all throughout. Tony Allen contained Manu Ginobili - could he contain Kevin Durant? This could be the year that Durant begins to build his playoff legacy, and a big series against the Grizzlies could go a long way in securing it.
But can the team that just beat the West's best be so easily discounted? It took some amazing basketball by the Grizzlies to defeat the consistently unstoppable Spurs. And Memphis power-forward Zach Randolph has especially impressed me with elite-level play against perhaps the greatest power forward ever in Tim Duncan. Will Grizzlies be able to keep up the momentum in the second round, especially against another youthful team? I doubt it, but I doubted them before, too, and look what they did.
OKC Thunder win 4-1

So there we go - I say that the Conference Finals will be Bulls vs. Heat and Lakers vs. Thunder - what are your predictions?