NBA FanHouse

Stinkface Chronicles: Lawson Order

Rob Peterson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Heat, Lakers, Nuggets, NBA Fans, NBA Videos

Some people never learn. D.J. Mbenga may be one of them.

Now, D.J. is a good guy and he makes a decent living as the backup center for world champion Los Angeles Lakers, but there's a reason he's a backup center. Besides a talent deficiency, Mbenga is not quick and therefore slow to rotate on help defense and recover on pick-and-rolls.

This often puts him in an awkward position, that position being Mbenga on a poster on his keister.

Such was the case again Friday when Nuggets rookie Ty Lawson went medieval on Mbenga.

(The pair of pliers and the blowtorch after the jump.)

Mbenga, Blake Griffin's foil in our first Stinkface Chronicles, now not only has the dubious distinction of being our first two-time dunk victim -- and the only one to be dunked on by rookies, who usually serve as the dunked upon -- but also he is the first to suffer from a relatively new affliction: triple-broadcast stinkface.

That's right, there are three YouTube-worthy clips of the barely 6-foot Lawson sticking that one-foot of difference between him and the 7-foot Mbenga right where the sun don't shine. To be fair, we need to call out Josh Powell as well, as he was also slow to check Lawson as he slalomed through the Lakers' defense.

But it was Mbenga with the foul and his taking the impromptu courtside seat that makes him the object of our breakdown.

Clip No. 1 -- ESPN

This was the broadcast most of the country saw as the Nuggets exacted a little early season revenge on the Lakers for last year's Western Conference final beat down with a 28-point win. But it was Lawson's late-game Stinkface that most people remember.

And for good reason, because Lawson did three amazing things in one play.

First, the drive. The Nuggets were already up 102-79 with less than 1:40 to go in the contest when Lawson used a soft pick on the left wing, crossed-over Mbenga and then drove his way to Stinkface immortality. Lawson had a step on Mbenga, who trailed the rookie into the lane.

At the nine-second mark of the video, the second amazing thing happened. Taking two steps after his dribble, Lawson launches himself from between the broken circle and the restricted area (LeBron James take-off territory) with Mbenga on his left. Ain't no stoppin' Lawson now, but Mbenga gallantly tries, fails.

And of course, the third amazing thing was the finish itself. Mbenga, using his longer frame, tries to come across Lawson's body to thwart the dunk attempt. Lawson, however, is too far gone and far too determined to let any mban get in his way. You know the rest: Mbenga gets a piece of Lawson, but not the ball and they tumble together to the court.

The whole sequence lasts for 14 seconds, but ESPN replayed it three times in the next 90 seconds and at the 27-second mark, a replay occurs in conjunction with one shown on the video board at the Pepsi Center. Listen to the crowd. It may be the best aural reaction to a dunk this season.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh!"

It sounds as if they've witnessed a Dumpster punch: something so wrong that they feel slightly guilty about taking pleasure at it having been perpetrated in their presence.

Then again, that's at the heart of a Stinkface philosophy: it's so right that someone was so wronged.

Of course, the Nuggets bench loved that a rookie delivered the goods other than the Krispy Kremes for a change. Kenyon Martin was as happy as if his mom dunked on Mark Cuban, Denver coach George Karl has a bemused look on his face and at the 1:15 mark, ESPN shows Carmelo Anthony making a classic stinkface. What's that smell? Nasty greatness, that's what that is.

Clip No. 2 -- Altitude

Altitude, the Nuggets' local broadcaster, also had the game. In the above clip (if you can make it through the first 13 seconds of Nuggets-fluff), analyst Scott Hastings screams: "Look at the bench. Look at the Nuggets' bench!"

Yes, look because Chauncey Billups can't bear to. Mr. Big Shot is so moved by Lawson's larceny of Mbenga's manhood, he has to cover his face with a towel. Chauncey's never dunked like that, and he has every right to live vicariously through his understudy.

Angle No. 1 v2.0 - NBA.com HD

And lest you think we're being too harsh with Mbenga, take it up with his teammates. Roll any of the three clips again and watch the fourth Laker on the bench. Please.

I don't know who it is (Ron-Ron? Mr. Kardashian?), but said Laker does the smelling salt-reaction (quick jerk of the head), turns away (Because he can't stand the sight of a teammate getting housed like that? Because he's laughing too hard?) and then leans across another Laker to grab Kobe Bryant's arm (Hold me!).

Hold me, indeed.

Dwyane Wade on Anderson Varejao

There are many things to appreciate about this one: Wade himself, that it's Varejao getting the brunt of it (I like Varejao, but it is fun to see him get legitimately run over instead of him flopping to the floor), that Varejao tries to block it, but doesn't come close, the normally sedate American Airlines Arena crowd popping up out of their seats as one and Marv Albert's call (which is instantly zero-summed by Reggie Miller's "analysis" -- Kodak moments are supposed to be good memories, not posterizations, Reg...) to name a few.

But the two best things happen quickly after Wade and Varejao hit the deck. Wade's dunk is so powerful, Varejao doubles over as if he's been socked in the gut. Look at how the Cav lands, jackknifed against the stanchion. He's lucky he didn't end up in Biscayne Bay.

Also, at the end, Wade "A.I.-ed" Andy. Remember when Allen Iverson (when he was good, and relevant) stepped over Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of the 2001 Finals? Wade does it to Varejao, but without the disdainful look and foot stomp.

That's OK. The dunk was enough of a statement.

Stinkface Chronicles: Lawson Order originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nets Make Losing a Marketing Gimmick

Matt Watson — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, NBA Fans

Most struggling teams tend to gloss over their losing ways when trying to sell tickets, but with winning in ~~short~~ no supply this season, the 0-10 New Jersey Nets have accepted that ignoring the big, fat goose egg in "W" column is no longer possible ...

... which is why they've unveiled the "10 is Enough" promotion, which involves giving every season ticket holder two free tickets to Tuesday's game and selling a bunch more tickets to the general public for $10 a pop. Yes, losing streaks are now fuel for advertising taglines.

"Your team has played very hard this season, but with an unprecedented amount of injuries we just haven't been able to attain a victory," said NETS CEO Brett Yormark. "But even with the injuries, the entire team believes that '10 is Enough.' That's why we are asking you, our loyal fans, to rally around your team like never before at Tuesday night's game."

Capitalizing on losing to fill empty seats -- it sounds kind of funny at first, but it's better their first idea: trying to convince fans to cheer for the other team.

(via NYT's Off the Dribble)

Nets Make Losing a Marketing Gimmick originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick

Tom Ziller — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Mavericks, NBA Fans, NBA Rumors

OutSports.com reported Tuesday that Drew Gooden made homophobic remarks to two hecklin' Clippers fans after the Mavericks' Saturday game in Los Angeles. One of the Clippers fans happened to be actor Chris Wylde (pictured, far right), who has -- no joke -- appearances on a show named Heckle U to his credit. (The plot of Heckle U, according to IMDB? Two dudes change the course of basketball games by heckling the opposing teams into submission.)

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reportedly emailed Wylde, saying the team would deal with Gooden. Meanwhile, the Dallas Morning News reports that the NBA is currently investigating the matter, while ESPN's Tim MacMahon has an anonymous source who claims it wasn't Gooden who made the remark. (No word on whether that anonymous source is Gooden.)

NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knicks Have a Stalker: Stephon Marbury

Tom Ziller — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:12:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, NBA Fans

ESPN's Chris Sheridan reports on the world's first non-uStream Stephon Marbury sighting of the NBA season. It came at Madison Square Garden, where Knicks security had to ask a paid-in-full Starbury to go to his seat. Marbury had purchased a ticket in row A (that's the second row) for Saturday night's Knicks home opener against the Sixers. The only problem was that Marbury instead tried to sit in row AA (the Spike Lee zone).

Sheridan reports that Marbury spent part of the first quarter standing and recording live video of the action (as pictured). Eventually, a Madison Square Garden security guard asked Marbury to move to his actual seat. Instead of doing so, Sheridan reports that the former self-professed World's Greatest Point Guard left the arena. Front row or bust! Hilariously, according to the New York Daily News's Mitch Lawrence, a Knicks usher mistakenly sat Marbury in the front row in the first place. Whoops.

Knicks Have a Stalker: Stephon Marbury originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ron Artest Visits Manny Pacquiao's Camp

Elie Seckbach — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, NBA Fans, NBA Videos

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

NBA star Ron Artest is a huge boxing fan, and this week he was thrilled when he stopped by the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood to watch Manny Pacquiao train for his Nov. 14 fight against Miguel Cotto.

In this exclusive FanHouse video, we talk to Ron, his father Ron Sr., who used to be an amateur boxer, and other fans. We also hear from Manny's sparring partners Rashad Holloway and Shawn Porter, and find out what Artest is going to be for Halloween.

Check out the video after the jump.

Ron Artest Visits Manny Pacquiao's Camp originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Still Responding to Slow Economy

Matt Watson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Fans

If you make your living as a quick change artist or riding a unicycle while balancing bowls atop your head, you might want to consider a second job.

Due to the economy, one of the many cost-cutting tactics adopted by NBA is to reduce the number of prominent halftime acts, opting against booking high-priced traveling acts in favor of more affordable local options, Fred Whitfield, chief operating officer of the Charlotte Bobcats, told David Biderman of the Wall Street Journal.

From the WSJ:

So during halftime this season, don't expect to see one of those national traveling acts that cost up to $15,000 per game. For about a dozen games this year, Mr. [Fred] Whitfield has enlisted the Junior Bobcats-a group of youth basketball players who are mostly 8 to 12 years old-to entertain the fans. The kids work pro bono, he says, and as a bonus, their parents usually buy tickets to see them perform. "It saves money and drives in revenue," Mr. Whitfield says.

Yes, things have apparently gotten so bad that NBA teams are not only slashing their halftime budgets but also looking forward to the extra 20-30 tickets a five-minute youth basketball game might generate.

Some of the other cost-cutting maneuvers make sense -- teams opting to email holiday cards instead of printing paper ones, cutting back on employee perks such as free cellphone texting -- but the payoff is only realized several thousand dollars at a time. Some decisions are more drastic, such as reducing the size of coaching staffs and scouting departments, but the savings still pale in comparison to roster decisions.

With a reduced salary cap and luxury tax, many teams were expected to carry 14 players into the season instead of the maximum of 15. Instead, over half the teams in the league opted for a full roster. Considering the league minimum salary is upwards of $400,000 for a rookie without any experience (and greater than $1 million for players with at least six years in the league), one extra player might equal several regular employees on the marketing or sales staff.

The extent of the league's efforts to reduce costs also highlights just how punitive the NBA's fines can be. Larry Brown and the Bobcats, for instance, were recently handed matching $60,000 fines for Brown's ejection and subsequent comments about the officiating. In most years, $60,000 is a rounding error for teams. This year, it could very well be the difference between someone else in the organization keeping his job or getting the axe several months later.

NBA Still Responding to Slow Economy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Letter of the Law: The NBA From A to Z

Chris Tomasson — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans

A to Z.

It sounds like the 1952 NBA All-Star Game, which featured Paul Arizin and Max Zaslofsky.

It sounds like the 1971 champion Milwaukee Bucks, who had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Zopf.

It sounds like the history of Lithuanian centers, from Arvydas Sabonis to Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

It also sounds like a good way to take a look at the 2009-10 NBA season:

A is for Allied Van Lines. One wonders if Miami guard Quintin Richardson, traded four times during the offseason, will be hired as a spokesman for the company.

B is for belly. The one on Sean May is gone. May, once a 300-plus pound Blobcat, got down to 261 for Sacramento and earned the final $100,000 to fully guarantee his seasonal contract.

C is for cape. The one Dwight "Superman'' Howard wears got stepped on in the NBA Finals. Howard, who averaged 15.4 points in Orlando's NBA Finals loss to the Lakers, compared to 20.6 during the regular season, will look to bounce back while keeping his cape out of harm's way.

D is for doughnut. With Houston's Yao Ming out for the season with a broken foot and Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal now docked in Cleveland, the hole at center for the West in the All-Star Game might be as big as one in the roof at Cowboys Stadium. Then again, that hole will be shut for the All-Star Game, and perhaps the Lakers' Andrew Bynum or Minnesota's Al Jefferson can close the West's hole at center with a strong start.

E is for envy, as in the green variety. Boston supporters weren't overjoyed seeing Lakers coach Phil Jackson win his 10th title to break the tie he held with Celtics legend Red Auerbach. But Gang Green is hoping to topple Kobe and company to regain the crown won in 2008.

F is for France. With the addition of Dallas rookie Rodrigue Beaubois, from Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean island, the nation has reached double figures. There are 10 Frenchies in the NBA, by far the most from any foreign country. But Frederic Weis, whose draft rights are held by New York, still might be too embarrassed to show up in America after being posterized by Vince Carter during the 2000 Olympics in what the French call "le dunk de la mort'' ("the dunk of death'').

G is for generous. The NBA Register has continued to list Denver coach George Karl at his one-time playing weight of 190. He's about 75 pounds north of that.

H is for honeymoon. No, Richard Jefferson didn't have one after abruptly canceling his wedding last summer by e-mail. But playing for San Antonio, where the forward was dealt during the offseason from the Bucks, sure might seem like a honeymoon after a year in exile in Milwaukee.

I is for Israel. Sacramento rookie Omri Casspi is the first player from the nation to make the NBA. Casspi was in the Israeli Army, but says there's no truth to the rumor he was a sniper. One wonders if, when Casspi is battling foes in the paint, that might have been a good rumor to have kept intact.

J is for Jackson. New Lakers acquisition Ron Artest is wearing No. 37 to honor the number of consecutive weeks the late Michael Jackson spent at No. 1 on the album chart with Thriller. It should be noted Artest now plays for a pretty good Jackson, with Phil's 10 titles double the number of No. 1 albums Michael had.

K is for King. Shaq has come to the Cavaliers with his goal being a "ring for the King.'' But, if that isn't reached, will LeBron James abdicate the throne at his Cleveland castle next summer when he can become a free agent?

L is for long. It's been a long time, 1990-91 to be precise, that the NBA had a season without the guy with the longest full name in NBA history. Finally retired is Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo, known to his friends as Deke.

M is for Mexico. New Jersey forward Eduardo Najera might be a hero from there, but he didn't score the most points in the NBA last season for a player from Mexico. That would be guard Tyronn Lue, a native of Mexico, Mo., who, with Milwaukee and Orlando, outscored the injury-riddled Najera 183-79.

N is for never. That's how many times, since moving to Los Angeles in 1984, the Clippers have had a Rookie of the Year. This is despite in the past quarter-century having gone into 11 drafts with a top-four selection, including three times picking a guy No. 1. Forward Blake Griffin, taken No. 1 by the Clippers last June, isn't helping the chances of the drought ending by being out for the season's first 1 1/2 months because of a broken left kneecap.

O is for Obama. The nation's first fan favors the Chicago Bulls, but Washington coach Flip Saunders is looking to come up with a team good enough that the guy in the White House will want to go to the Wizards' house.

P is for podiatrist. There might be a lot of nervous ones working on Yao's broken left foot. Only a billion Chinese are following his recovery.

Q is for Quinn. Miami guard Chris Quinn, who now has gotten into 168 games, broke Brian Quinnett's NBA record last season of 138 for most career games by a player whose last name begins with Q. Seems Heat officials forgot to stop the game and give him the ball.

R is for rusty referees. Let's hope the officials, locked out the entire preseason while the replacements ran games, don't pull too many hamstrings early in the season.

S is for Siberia. With the Nyets, er Nets, about to be owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, one wonders if players who don't perform up to par will be threatened with exile to Siberia.

T is for Thurston Howell III. It only seems he's the Cavaliers owner. Rather, it's Dan Gilbert, who throws around money much like the millionaire who was shipwrecked on Gilligan's Island.

U is for The Unanswer. There's been no indication that aging and ailing guard Allen Iverson will be The Answer for Memphis.

V is for vowel. Philadelphia forward Andre Iguodala never should need to buy one on Wheel of Fortune. He's got all five vowels in his name, and he further shows his versatility on the court.

W is for Williams. At 11, it's by far the most popular NBA surname. Nine return from last season, Terrence is a rookie and Jason has come back after a year retired. An all-Williams lineup would be very strong on the perimeter with guards Deron and Mo and small forward Marvin, but quite weak in the post with Shelden and Sean being the best available.

X is for X-ray. Houston's team picture has been more like an X-ray in recent years. While Yao will miss the entire season, at least Tracy McGrady eventually is expected back.

Y is for youngster. Philadelphia guard Jrue Holiday is about to get into the NBA Encyclopedia as the league's first player to have been born in the 1990s. Holiday joined the world June 12, 1990, just in time to see Detroit two days later wrap up a second straight NBA crown.

Z is for Zephyr. Golden State coach Don Nelson, a rookie forward on the 1962-63 Chicago Zephyrs before the team moved to Baltimore, is the last remaining Zephyr active with the NBA.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Letter of the Law: The NBA From A to Z originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: Most Popular Jersey Number? Surprisingly, 12

Tom Ziller — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Thursday, there are 12 days remaining.

You would think that a decade into the post-Jordan world, the ubiquitous No. 23 might have become the NBA's most popular jersey number of all time. While the number is popular, it's not the most popular. Nor is No. 1, long worn by self-professed top-notch players (some of which ended up looking deluded).

The most popular jersey number in NBA history is actually No. 12, which some 327 players have worn for at least one NBA season.

Sounds odd, right? No. 12 doesn't have one of those showstopping stars attached to it like 23 or 32. The best players to ever wear No. 12 are Maurice Stokes and John Stockton. But clearly, not many contemporary players would be wearing No. 12 because of those who came before. There aren't many rappers dropping George Yardly references, you know?

Dwight Howard is today's No. 12 champion. In fact, his nickname is D-12. Will Bynum, Chris Andersen, LaMarcus Aldridge, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Al Thornton are among the other players who wear the number currently. It's not a particularly star-studded line (just like the historical No. 12 roster) but it's pretty vast. It'll be interesting to see wheter a more glamorous number like No. 23 ever catches up. Without the data to back it up, I would imagine 23 became more popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s as players who grew up watching MJ came of age and entered the league. Perhaps not -- 18 NBA players wore No. 12 last season, while only 10 wore No. 23.

(By the way, Basketball-Reference's jersey number database is a great way to kill a few hours.)

Tip-Off Timer: Most Popular Jersey Number? Surprisingly, 12 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ron Artest Takes His Fans Bowling

Elie Seckbach — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Interviews, NBA Twitter, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

There are many basketball stars in the NBA, but few have a connection to fans like Lakers forward Ron Artest. He goes above and beyond to give back. In this FanHouse video, we catch up with Ron-Ron and 50 lucky fans who won a Twitter contest and got to bowl with Ron.

Check out the video after the jump.

Ron Artest Takes His Fans Bowling originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: 25 Years at Head of NBA for David Stern

Tom Ziller — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Friday, there are 25 days remaining.

No one -- not Wilt, not MJ, not Red, not Magic or Bird, not Kobe or LeBron -- no one has had more impact on the NBA than a 5'9 lawyer from Teaneck, N.J., named David Stern. You'd think that'd be a sad commentary on the game, that it has been defined in the board room rather than on the hardwood.

But there's no doubt that if Stern had worked for Major League Baseball or the National Football League after earning his J.D. at Columbia, it'd be the same story. Like Wilt, like MJ and Magic and Bird and Kobe and LeBron, Stern is one of the rare stars who -- with his undeniable talent and incredible work ethic -- could not have failed.

Stern celebrated his 25th anniversary as the NBA's commissioner last spring. His history with the league is actually much longer: he was an early fan of the early Knicks, and he first served as an outside counsel on league matters back in 1966, when the NBA was still relatively fledgling.

When Stern took over the league's board room in 1984, the league wasn't terribly stronger than it had been in those Wilt vs. Russell days. Sure, television had arrived, and Magic vs. Bird was quickly reaching its professional crescendo. But the game was riddled with drug problems, and had trouble drawing lucrative broadcast crowds. Despite extant love for the game internationally, the NBA had not yet spread its tentacles to the Far East, to Europe, to Africa, to South America.

Stern changed all that. He cleaned up the game as well as can be expected, he (along with Nike and David Falk) ushered in the era of the superstar, which helped push the league into more households than ever. He made a quiet push in China as far back as 1990, and accelerated the global spread of the game by practically giving away broadcast feeds in foreign countries (including Communist China). And he did all this without removing the commodity status the NBA has held in America's urban centers (though it can be argued that the NFL made significant headway into the NBA's city power this decade).

Stern hasn't been without follies. Like every other major league, the NBA has struggled to find a sustainable arena solution to keep sports alive in the nation's small markets. (Or in Seattle's case, even big markets.) At times his attempts to clean up the game's image have slinked toward silly (see: dress code) and he presided over one of the worst breaches of trust (the Tim Donaghy case) in decades. The WNBA is still finding its way ... after more than a decade in existence. And for all the good, the NBA is still the nation's clear-cut third choice behind football and baseball.

But take it all together, and imagine the league without Stern, and ... well, you can't. He's left such an indelible mark that imagining the NBA under any other leader feels preposterous. I don't think the Commish will be sticking around another 25 years, but it's impossible to argue that'd be bad for the league. Here's to Stern, the NBA's most valuable person.

Even if he can't dunk.

Tip-Off Timer: 25 Years at Head of NBA for David Stern originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LeBron James Takes Over Hollywood

Elie Seckbach — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Interviews, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Earlier this week, NBA superstar LeBron James took over Hollywood in a big way -- along with two dozen celebrities including Chris Tucker and Chris Brown, hundreds of school children, a marching band, fans, giveaways and basketball courts galore.

The LA visit was the last stop in a 10-city tour promoting LeBron's new film "More Than A Game," in addition to the release of his seventh shoe from Nike. In this video, we talk to James, some of his fans and rappers Common and Omarion.

Check out the video after the jump.

LeBron James Takes Over Hollywood originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA's Rumored Twitter Policy Is Minimal, Sensible

Tom Ziller — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:48:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans, NBA Twitter

ESPN's Marc Stein reports that the coming NBA Twitter policy will be less stringent than the guidelines NFL commissioner Roger Goodell enacted in his league. The main thrust of the NBA's policy will be extending the "criticism of officials" to social media, which means players and coaches can get fined for tweeting something like "these rplcment refs r tha suxxors, amirite????."

Teams will also reportedly be allowed to adjust their own social media guidelines, which of course means Bulls and Spurs will have to immediately delete all their social media accounts, while the Mavericks and Knicks will be allowed to update their Match.com profiles from the huddle. One assumes the league policy will go up in smoke during All-Star Weekend, and I'm really eager to see how someone incorporates a Facebook status update into their dunk contest attempt. (By "really eager" I mean "the complete opposite of eager.")

NBA's Rumored Twitter Policy Is Minimal, Sensible originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: Last League Lockout Claimed 32 Games

Tom Ziller — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Friday, there are 32 days remaining.

The last time the word "lockout" was a common refrain in NBA coverage was, well, back in 2005, when the league threatened players with a lockout if reforms to the pay scale weren't agreed to.

But the only reason a deal got done in 2005 was because the actual lockout of 1998-99 was so devastating.

David Stern and the players union couldn't reach a deal on a collective bargaining agreement in the summer of 1998 ... or the fall of 1998 ... or most of the winter of 1998. A deal was reached in January 1999, forcing the cancellation of 32 regular seasons and the All-Star Weekend. The competitive season was a bit of a disaster, with offenses suffering due to the long layoff and a shortened preseason schedule.

The Knicks famously got to the Finals as one of the best eighth seeds ever. There, New York fell to the Spurs, lead by the twin towers of Tim Duncan and David Robinson. While I'm sure Spurs fans enjoyed that title just fine -- and who could blame them -- the whole production felt a little cheap. (Thankfully, the Spurs legitimized their dynasty by winning three more rings.)

As a lockout looms ahead in 2011, the league and its players out to continue to direct a scornful eye at the '98-99 disaster ... and the 2005 success, where both sides made concessions and got a deal done in time to avoid delays.

Tip-Off Timer: Last League Lockout Claimed 32 Games originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: Barkley Made It Fun to Watch No. 34

Tim Povtak — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Suns, NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Wednesday, there are 34 days remaining.

He wasn't the best No. 34 who ever played the game -- that probably belongs to Hakeem Olajuwon or Shaquille O'Neal -- but he was the most controversial. And maybe the most contradictory.

Charles Barkley, who wore his 34 with both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns, stood alone when it came to polarizing basketball fans.

Through his 16-year playing career, he had fans who absolutely adored him and the way he played the game. He had fans who absolutely hated him, for the way he played, the way he acted, and for the things he said.

It's the same path he travels today as a television analyst. For every fan who thinks he's hilarious, there is one who finds him tasteless. Some find him compelling to watch. Others can't stand the sight of him.

He can be insulting, yet comical, happy to make fun of himself, yet arrogant in his stance. He is confrontational yet compassionate. He would give you the shirt off his back, then knock you down to take it away when he changes his mind.

He did it as a player, and he does it today as an analyst. It's not easy to top a Hall of Fame playing career that included two Olympic Gold Medals and an NBA Most Valuable Player Award. But he has done it in television, becoming the biggest attraction on an Emmy Award-winning basketball show. He is unrefined, yet clearly defined in his style.

He was unique from the day he arrived in the NBA. He looked too short and too overweight to be the No. 5 pick in the 1984 Draft out of Auburn University. He didn't have the body for the things he could do, proving to be one of the most versatile players in basketball history, always too big for the little guys to guard and too quick for the big guys who tried to guard him.

He led the league in personal fouls, but he also led it in rebounding. He told jokes on the court, then got into fights, undeterred when it came to battling bigger guys like Shaquille O'Neal and Bill Laimbeer. He was praised for his honesty, often generous with his time to a fault, yet criticized for being so outspoken.

He loved to entertain the fans with his play, but he bristled at those who wanted him to be a role model for their kids. He loved mingling with fans who adored him, yet he often got out of hand. The fan who threw a cup of ice at him in Orlando once found himself being thrown through a plate-glass window.

He would smile and kiss babies in the stands, yet he was suspended by the league when he tried to spit on a heckler but hit a little girl instead.

There were those who still think of him as a racist, yet others who believed he helped break down racial barriers in society with his often humorous comments on the issues. His conversation is usually peppered with political incorrectness, yet he expects soon to be involved in politics, eventually running for governor of Alabama.

He was once criticized for a tasteless remark when Magic Johnson retired because of contracting the AIDS virus, yet it was Barkley who changed his number in Philadelphia to 32 for one season to honor Johnson.

As a player he never won a championship, yet he won the hearts and the attention of many along the way, and he continues to leave an indelible impression on the game.

Tip-Off Timer: Barkley Made It Fun to Watch No. 34 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ron Artest Is the New King of L.A.

Elie Seckbach — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:14:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Interviews, NBA Twitter, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

This has been an amazing summer for NBA star Ron Artest, who in a relatively short time has taken over Los Angeles. Ron-Ron has caused many Lakers fans to fall in love with the defensive specialist by being himself -- chatting with fans, handing out his phone number and getting involved in the community. In this FanHouse exclusive, we catch up with Ron at a press conference for boxing stars Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, where we talk to him about basketball, boxing, charity work and even making a mean sandwich.

Check out the video after the jump.

Ron Artest Is the New King of L.A. originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Considering Twitter Policy

Tom Ziller — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans, NBA Twitter

Hot on the heels of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's rulemaking on gameday tweeting, Yahoo!'s Marc Spears reports that the NBA is considering a policy of its own. Commissioner David Stern was noncommittal on what an NBA Twitter policy would ban, though one would imagine the NFL's "no Tweet window" around games -- from 90 minutes before kick-off until after post-game media access -- would be a likely base.

I understand why the league wouldn't want players tweeting (or doing anything else on an electronic device) during a game, and unofficial injury updates or referee disclosures would be bad all around.

But beyond that, it's probably best left to each team's discretion. The NBA, after all, doesn't set rules for what activities can occur on the team bus before or after games, or whether headbands are allowed on the court. Teams do. Perhaps the league can set guidelines for the franchises, but Twitter is not a rogue NBA crisis ready to burst. If having an NBA policy prevents a suspended Dwight Howard from live-tweeting a Magic playoff game, I want no part of it.

NBA Considering Twitter Policy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bucks' Mbah a Moute Proves NBA Outreach Really Does Matter

Tom Ziller — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Kings, NBA Fans

When Luc Richard Mbah a Moute meets Africa's top youth players in Johannesburg Wednesday, he'll understand their anxiety and their hopes. Just six years ago, Mbah a Moute was in their shoes.

The Bucks forward is with an NBA contingent in South Africa this week as part of the Basketball Without Borders program. Cameroon native Mbah a Moute has joined Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki and others on the sojourn to lead a group of 60 top African youth players in five days of basketball clinics and life-skills seminars.

In the summer of 2003, a 17-year-old Mbah a Moute was one of those campers. He credits the program with helping him get to the NBA.

Mbah a Moute said while he had watched Michael Jordan rule basketball in the 1990s, the Africa 100 program (which became Basketball Without Borders) brought the NBA into his immediate consciousness.

"It meant so much to us, to see and touch NBA players," Mbah a Moute told FanHouse before departing for Johannesburg. Among the NBA players appearing at the 2003 camp were Senegal's DeSagana Diop, Cameroon's Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje and, of course, Congolese legend Dikembe Mutombo.

Though Mbah a Moute didn't play organized basketball until age 15, the sport was a part of his life from a young age. He'd get up early to watch Chicago Bulls games; like so many children of the '90s (myself included), Luc was enamored with MJ. The soaring leaps, the smooth shot, the ferocious energy.

But the success of Mutombo and Hakeem Olajuwon made the NBA dreams of youngsters from all corners of Africa seem a bit more tangible. That's what Mbah a Moute hopes to offer in Johannesburg this week.

"I just want to bring hope, that if a kid like me can do it, so can they," he said.

Further east, some 48 youth players in Indonesia were recently given the same sort of pep talk, albeit from a non-native player. Indonesia has never produced an NBA player. But that didn't stop the players at the Indonesia Development Camp, put on by the DetEksi Basketball League and NBA Asia, from embracing Kings star Kevin Martin as one of their own.

Martin arrived in Surabaya, Indonesia, in time for the championship game of the DBL, which is Indonesia's top student league. DBL commissioner Azrul Ananda said the 5,000 fans in attendance greeted Martin by chanting his name.

For his part, Martin returned the love. The King, who brought his 75-year-old grandmother Maxine on the trip, ended the development camp by donating his $15,000 NBA stipend back to the DBL to help pay for the students' trip to a competition in Perth, Australia.

These events may not register on fans' radars -- sure, we see the NBA Cares promos and we watch stars hand charities oversized checks during All-Star weekend. I'm sure most of us roll our eyes. "With all that money, you're supposed to give back."

But this outreach really does amazing things for kids all over the world. Ask Mbah a Moute. Ask the kids of the DBL.

Bucks' Mbah a Moute Proves NBA Outreach Really Does Matter originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LeBron James' New Documentary Is Both Fascinating and Disturbing

Will Brinson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch, FanHouse Exclusive

Will Brinson kicked it in Akron with Nike and LeBron James for the release of LBJ's new shoe and documentary. We're referring it as 'Ballin' With LeBron.'

LeBron's documentary, "More Than a Game," debuts in October. I recommend seeing it, especially if you care to learn more about the guy who might arguably go down as the greatest player in NBA history.

Sports documentaries are hard-pressed to be successful. Two problems usually arise: either we already know plenty about the subject at hand or we just don't care. In the case of LeBron James' documentary, "More Than a Game", that's somehow not the case.

More: Brinson Test Drives LBJ's New Shoes

This is a bizarre fact, of course, because the media and the basketball-watching world has been following LBJ since he entered high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary's in Akron, Ohio. Ergo, in theory, henceforth, etc., we should already know far too much about King James' life.

But that fact is also why the documentary about Bron's high school basketball career comes off so well -- there is an absolutely insane amount of footage relating to James and his friends as well as their SVSM seasons.

Which, honestly, is a little disturbing. I mean, right -- it has to be, I think; and it's okay, I'm just as morally conflicted about this as it sounds. This is a film that, because it chronicles Bron's years in high school, could have easily been released four or five years ago, if you want to really give a wide berth for editing.

Obviously the notion of releasing a documentary about yourself as a second or third-year player in the NBA is beyond absurd, but then again, isn't the whole notion of planning the same documentary?

(Rhetorical answer: Yes. Yes it is, regardless of how awesome you are.)

That being said though, the story's still enjoyable. Why? Because as much as I watch sports and have watched sports over the past decade, I didn't see every single play in LeBron's high school career.

Sure, I remember when he briefly lost his eligibility -- for one game, which, frankly was WAY over-dramatized in the doc -- after his mother secured a loan for a Hummer. And I remember when he got his eligibility back and SVSM won the state and national titles.

I didn't know, at least until spending the weekend in Akron, that Dru III was the son of "Coach Dru." Of course, that's probably because I didn't know who Coach Dru was -- his attitude throughout the course of the weekend really explains a lot as to why he's been successful; the guy has a tremendously positive outlook on life, he gets along with nearly everyone and has a fantastic notion of core moral values.

And that was something fascinating to see within the documentary -- how he played the role of father figure for someone like LeBron, who grew up in a single parent (his mother was 16 when he was born) home and could have struggled without some direction in his life.

Maybe that -- the idea that the world somehow might not have ever gotten to see LeBron James play basketball, a shudder-worthy prospect indeed -- was the core principle of the film. Because without that, regardless of the entertainment level (high, despite graphic cheesiness), the idea of an entire movie dedicated to a "global icon" before he was ever supposed to be famous and set in a time when the entire world was asking, "Is this too much/too early?" seems perilously dangerous, at least for the prospect of this continuing with every "could-be-great" player.

I'm not knocking the film -- I'd absolutely watch it again on cable and if I hadn't been privileged enough to catch a sneak preview, I'd probably pay $6.75 (or whatever movie theaters are charging these days) -- to watch it. Just the game footage, featuring a lanky LeBron James, diced and spliced for effect is completely worth it.

But as noted above, unless we're supposed to think of life without LeBron or to really jump onto the idea of friendships being born out of successful high school athletics, there's always going to be something disturbing about posed pictures and videos of high school athletes, especially when it was blatantly being setup for a movie later.

Of course, I watched his games then. And I watched the movie now. So don't let me keep you from watching it -- I'm as guilty as anyone else.

LeBron James' New Documentary Is Both Fascinating and Disturbing originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gary Payton Hopes to Help Bring the NBA Back to Seattle

Elie Seckbach — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, SuperSonics, NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Thunder, Interviews, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Former NBA All-Star Gary Payton became "The Glove" when he starred for the Seattle Suppersonics alongside Shawn 'The Rainman' Kemp and many other great players. But this coming NBA season will be the second year in a row that Seattle won't have an NBA team, leaving many fans disappointed.

In this exclusive FanHouse video, Payton tells us what he's doing to bring back an NBA team to the city he loves so much. We also ask Gary about his intensity as a player, which is rarely seen in today's NBA.

Check out the video after the jump.

Gary Payton Hopes to Help Bring the NBA Back to Seattle originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shaq Talks About New Reality Show

Elie Seckbach — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Interviews, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Shaquille O'Neal is the one of the most entertaining NBA players, so it's no surprise that Shaq landed his own reality show. In Shaq Vs., he takes on professional athletes in their sports. In this video, we hang out with Shaq as he shoots an episode of his show in Hermosa Beach, Calif. There, he goes nose to nose against beach volleyball greats and Olympic gold winners Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Shaq took time to talk to FanHouse between shoots and engage us in a little trash talk.

Check out the video after the jump.

Shaq Talks About New Reality Show originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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