(This article originally ran at The High Screen on Nov. 13, 2014) By: Joe Mags When Atlanta walked off its home floor Wednesday night with a 100-97 victory over Utah, Mike Budenholzer did what all victorious coaches do in the NBA — they wave across the floor to the opposing coach and walk to the locker room. But as Bob Rathbun and Dominique Wilkins discussed during the … [Read more...] about League of Extraordinary Copycats: Atlanta beat Utah at San Antonio’s game
Enter at your own risk: NBA stats this early can be dangerous
(This article originally ran on The High Screen on Nov. 8, 2014.) By: Joe Mags It is bad practice to attach merit to the numbers less than two weeks into any season of any sport. Particularly in the NBA, “small sample size” is an assumed prerequisite with any extreme statistic, good or bad, until early-December.In fact, making observations of any kind in any context can … [Read more...] about Enter at your own risk: NBA stats this early can be dangerous
Cleveland sneaks out a victory in first battle against Chicago
(This article originally ran on The High Screen on Nov. 3, 2014.) By: Joe Mags The Bulls and Cavaliers, in some order, were rightfully fixed atop every Eastern Conference prediction. The reasons why are self-explanatory. Chicago won the East in consecutive seasons in 2011 and 2012, amassing a 75.7 winning percentage the last two seasons where latter-day MVP Derrick Rose … [Read more...] about Cleveland sneaks out a victory in first battle against Chicago
A Year in the Life of Marc Gasol
(This piece originally ran on The High Screen on Oct. 15, 2014) By: Joe Mags Somewhere between upsetting the San Antonio Spurs as a no. 8 seed in 2011 and nearly taking down league MVP Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder this past spring, the Grit and Grind-era of Memphis Grizzlies basketball sealed its fate as a critically-acclaimed team. (Let Mr. Simmons … [Read more...] about A Year in the Life of Marc Gasol
Dirk, Dallas back in NBA Finals discussion
(This article originally ran on The High Screen on Sept. 1, 2014.) By: Joe Mags The NBA belongs to LeBron James, the Larry O’Brien trophy is with the San Antonio Spurs, and coverage of the Association has never been more heavily focused on what happens off the court than what happens on it. I mean, for God’s sake, there were a few days this past summer when the … [Read more...] about Dirk, Dallas back in NBA Finals discussion