NBA Playoff Pickem: Conference Finals: A delightfully improbable quartet of teams are playing in the conference finals of the NBA, beginning tonight when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Oklahoma City Thunder and continuing tomorrow night when the Indiana Pacers travel to the New York Knicks. Howard_T has jumped into first ahead of NoMich and Werty. Make your knicks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 03:54 PM - 8 comments

Dallas Mavericks Get No. 1 Pick Despite 1.8% Odds: The Dallas Mavericks, who previously had never moved up in an NBA Draft Lottery, won the first overall pick Monday night. They had 1.8% odds in the eleventh position going in. Christmas came eary to conspiracy-minded fans who believed the Mavs would get the top pick after making the insane trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:05 PM - 12 comments

SportsFilter NBA Playoff Pickem: Conference Semifinals: The second round of the NBA playoffs continues tonight with the Knicks/Celtics and Nuggets/Thunder playing game one of their respective series. The Pacers began the round with an upset win over the Cavaliers last night. Werty leads our pickem with 76 points. Make your picks and don't select Cleveland in 4.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:39 AM - 15 comments

Gregg Popovich Hangs Up His Spurs: After 29 years, 1,422 regular season wins and five NBA championships, Gregg Popovich will no longer coach the San Antonio Spurs. He'll move over to being the president of basketball operations. At 76 he was the oldest coach in league history. Mitch Johnson, who already was the interim coach since November, takes over.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:12 PM - 2 comments

Enter the SportsFilter NBA Playoff Pickem: The NBA Playoffs begin Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern when the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Indiana Pacers. Tonight's play-in games will decide the opponents the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers will face on Sunday. Pick the winners of all eight series, the games required and four prop bets. The team scoring 130 prop has been retired because no team accomplished it in round one last season. Good luck!

posted by rcade to basketball at 05:36 PM - 8 comments

NBA Pickem Champion: rcade: The SportsFilter NBA Pickem champion is, ahem, me. Ufez Jones broke a lock picking the Knicks over the Cavaliers on the final Friday of the season, a 30-point swing that put it out of reach. NoMich wins the week and the Costanza. Fire Nico.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:23 PM - 3 comments

The Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone with three games left in the regular season: Malone had served as Denver's head coach since 2015 and was the fourth-longest tenured NBA coach, trailing Pop, Kerr, and Spoelstra. The Nuggets are a on a four-game skid and caught up in a Royal Rumble for seeding in the West as the playoffs near.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 04:38 PM - 1 comment

NBA Pickem Week 22: All the Marbles: There are nine games to pick in the final five days of the NBA season, beginning with Kings/Pistons Monday night on NBA TV. My lead in the standings has shrunk by 25. Ufez is only nine back. Locking the Magic to beat the Mavericks out of bitterness led to a 15-point swing against me. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 06:23 PM - 11 comments

NBA Pickem Week 21: Deep Vein Thrombosis Edition: There are six games to pick this week starting with the ESPN doubleheader tonight of Lakers/Pacers and Celtics/Suns. The Celtics turn up two more times later, so Howard_T has an edge on the rest of us. The standings in the pickem have me in first followed by Ufez. NOMICH WON THE WEEK! Make your picks and rolls.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:57 PM - 7 comments

Celtics Sold For $6.1 Billion: The Celtics ownership group has agreed to sell the team to William Chisholm, managing director and co-founder of Symphony Technology Group, for a record $6.1 billion, a league source told the Globe on Thursday. The sale is pending approval by the NBA Board of Governors.

posted by NoMich to basketball at 10:34 AM - 7 comments

NBA Pickem Week 20: All Quiet on the NBA Front: The only national NBA games are an ESPN doubleheader Wednesday night of Pistons/Heat and Nuggets/Lakers, so the NBA TV slate for the following two nights is available in the pickem. I win the week and hold on to first. Make your picks and join our NCAA brackets.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:23 PM - 5 comments

March Madness is Here: Join our women's bracket and men's bracket and feel free to share the links. No password required.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:46 AM - 2 comments

NBA Pickem: Wall to Wall Basketball: There are 11 national NBA games this week, stretching from Bucks/Pacers tonight on TNT to a rare Monday night doubleheader on ESPN. I've jumped into first place in the pickem, hitting all six dunks with one exact pick and two close ones. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:10 PM - 4 comments

Coach Brian Barone celebrated SIUE’s first-ever NCAA Tournament: "Six years ago! Six years ago, I put this (framed scissors) above our locker room door. Six years ago, Ray! I'm so proud of you, man! Six years ago, and that's been hanging above our locker room door. People didn't think we were going to be able to do it. But that dude right there, that dude right there, believed me.

posted by NoMich to basketball at 01:51 PM - 1 comment

Kyrie Irving Suffers Torn ACL in Knee: If you were curious how Mavericks GM Nico Harrison's "win-now window" for an NBA championship is going since the trade of Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis has played less than one full game before being injured and Kyrie Irving just suffered a torn ACL in his knee, which likely means being gone for a year. The video of Irving shooting two free throws after the injury is epic.

posted by rcade to basketball at 04:15 PM - 3 comments

NBA Pickem Week 17: Can't Stop the Cavs, Can Stop the Mavs: There are 12 national games on the NBA calendar this week, stretching from a Tuesday night doubleheader on TNT to a Sunday tripleheader on ABC and ESPN. Howard_T wins the week with only one missed pick on the Lakers/Nuggets game everyone thought would be a Denver win. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:03 AM - 7 comments

NBA Pickem Week 17: This is Painful for Me: The schedule is packed this week with 11 NBA games on our televisions, beginning tonight with Cavs/Magic early and (sigh) Mavs/Lakers late. Howard_T wins the week. Ufez leads. I picked Warriors over Mavs by 30 and got close enough for extra points. Yet I still feel dead inside. Make your selections.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:23 PM - 8 comments

NBA Pickem Week 16: Can't Stop the Nuggets: There are nine NBA games on the national tube this week starting with a TNT doubleheader tonight of Celtics/Sixers and Suns/Spurs. In two nights the red-hot Nuggets host the Lakers. Pickem scores last week were grim for two fans of the same team, but Ufez still leads. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 02:26 PM - 6 comments

Victor Wembanyama Out for Season Over DVT in Shoulder: San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will miss the rest of the season after a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was detected in his right shoulder. The reigning rookie of the year was an all-star this season putting up big numbers: 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a league-leading 3.8 blocks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:59 PM - 1 comment

NBA Pickem Week 15: Short Week: There are six NBA games to pick during this shortened schedule before the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, but only because we're adding some games on Wednesday that aren't on national TV. Enjoy the Heat and Clippers on your schedule along with the Dallas MASH Unit. Ufez leads the contest by 34. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:39 AM - 7 comments

Hubie Brown prepares to broadcast final NBA game: Brown and Breen will work ABC's telecast of Sunday's game between Philadelphia and Milwaukee, where Brown got his first NBA opportunity as an assistant coach with the Bucks teams featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson in 1972.

posted by NoMich to basketball at 02:15 PM - 2 comments

NBA Pickem Week 18: Don't Dream It's Over: There are 10 national TV games this week starting with a Tuesday night doubleheader on TNT. The Boston Celtics, my favorite team forever, play on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Ufez Jones leads the pickem by 11. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:52 PM - 8 comments

Lakers to acquire Luka Dončić from Mavericks for Anthony Davis, more: The Lakers will receive Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris from the Mavericks, sources said. Dallas will receive Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick.

posted by NoMich to basketball at 10:15 AM - 17 comments

NBA Pickem Week 13: Hoop It Up: There are nine NBA games on the tube to pick this week, stretching from Wednesday night to Sunday. Lots of Golden State and some Cavs but no Mavs (sigh). Ufez leads but Howard_T came to play, scoring 37 more points than anybody else. Nice job!

posted by rcade to basketball at 03:43 PM - 8 comments

NBA Pickem Week 12: Saturday Quadrupleheader: The NBA Pickem is back after a week lost to illness. Get your flu shot! There are six games to pick this time around -- a TNT doubleheader on Thursday and four games on ESPN and ABC on Saturday. Ufez and I are tied for first in the pickem.

posted by rcade to basketball at 02:17 PM - 6 comments

NBA Pickem Week 11: Hoopy New Year: There are NBA doubleheaders on TNT Tuesday and ESPN Wednesday. So many of us laid eggs on Christmas Day you'd think it was Easter. Ufez holds onto first by 10 points. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:45 PM - 5 comments

NBA Pickem Week 11: Merry Hoopmas: There are five NBA games on the tube Christmas Day: Spurs/Knicks, Wolves/Mavs, Sixers/Celtics, Lakers/Warriors and Nuggets/Suns. Ufez Jones has taken the lead in the pickem with a 36-point week. Forgetting to pick two games was a bad strategy for me, in hindsight. Happy holidays to you and yours.

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:50 PM - 9 comments

NBA Cup Looking Up in Year Two: Ahead of the finals tonight, the NBA Cup is doing pretty well with players and coaches in its second year. The league hopes it will grown to become "a true second championship," said NBA strategist and analytics exec Evan Wasch.

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:24 AM - 2 comments

NBA Pickem Week 16: : The NBA Pickem is highlighted this week by Tuesday's NBA Cup Final on ABC between the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder. The game's played in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena and OKC is favored by 4.5. I'm holding on to the contest lead by 21, but Ufez got 10 more points locking Houston over Golden State.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:49 AM - 7 comments

NBA Pickem Week 8: NBA Cup Runneth Over: The quarterfinals and semifinals of the second NBA Cup are this week's national games. Tonight its Magic/Bucks and Mavs/Thunder on TNT. Tomorrow night it's Hawks/Knicks on ESPN and Warriors/Rockets on TNT. The winners play Saturday. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:53 AM - 9 comments

NBA Pickem Week 7: Three Thousand Threes: Just four games on the national NBA calendar this week, beginning tonight with Magic/Knicks and Warriors/Nuggets on TNT. I won the week with 30 to pass Ufez for first place. Thank you, Phoenix Suns. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:56 AM - 7 comments

NBA Pickem Week 6: Six Games No Turkeys: There are six national NBA games before and after Thanksgiving, starting tonight with a Bucks/Heat and Lakers/Suns doubleheader on TNT. Ufez holds onto first place in the pickem, where we all thought the Thunder would beat the Spurs and paid the price. Make your picks and enjoy the holiday.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:00 AM - 6 comments

NBA Pickem Week 5: Cavaliers Go for 16-0: The NBA has six national games this week, starting on Tuesday night when the 15-0 Cleveland Cavaliers face the defending champion Boston Celtics. The Cavs are tied for second all time with wins to open a season. Ufez Jones takes first in the pickem after hitting close locks on the Knicks over the Sixers and the Thunder over the Pelicans. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:09 AM - 7 comments

NBA Pickem Week 4: Let There Be Cup: The in-season tournament now known as the Emirates NBA Cup begins today. There are six national TV games starting tonight on TNT with Knickerbockers/Sixers and Mavs/Warriors. I lead the pickem with 102. Howard_T wins the week with 28. Make your picks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:49 AM - 7 comments

NBA Pickem Week 3: The Warriors Are Good Again?: The NBA doesn't schedule games on Election Day, so this is a slow week with just four national TV games beginning tonight when the surprising 6-1 Warriors visit the 7-1 Celtics. Ufez Jones has taken the lead in the pickem after not locking the Celtics over the Pacers. Make your selections.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:14 AM - 9 comments

NBA Pickem Week 2: Paolo in the Zone: There's a TNT doubleheader tonight of Mavs/Wolves and Pelicans/Warriors to start the NBA national broadcast week. Former rookie of the year Paolo Banchero of the Magic dropped 50 on the Pacers Monday and has a game on ESPN tomorrow. I'm in first in the pickem after scoring 66 and hitting five locks. Fortune favors the bold.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:43 AM - 9 comments

Tony Bennett's retirement is yet another sign of college basketball's brain drain: “The game and college athletics are not in a healthy spot. I think I was equipped to do the job the old way.”

posted by NoMich to basketball at 01:27 PM - 0 comments

Enter the NBA Pickem: The NBA Pickem returns to SportsFilter for the final season of the greatest studio show of all time. TNT is losing its NBA package to NBC and an online bookstore, which means no more Inside the NBA. The Knicks face the Celtics in the season opener Tuesday night on TNT. Pick the games, set some slam dunks and say goodbye to Charles, Shaq, Kenny and Ernie.

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:07 AM - 10 comments

Sam Mitchell Doxxes Cohost on NBA TV Pregame: A mild joke about salaries led to former NBA coach Sam Mitchell going on a strange rant against his cohost Chris Miles during NBA Gametime Live Friday night on NBA TV. Mitchell revealed the address of Miles' Florida beach house at one point after he said, "I done told you, young fella. You got to stop messing with me on national TV." A 2005 incident where Vince Carter picked up Mitchell and threw him was hilariously recounted by Jalen Rose.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:54 AM - 1 comment

Coming to Broadway this season: KAT!: The Minnesota Timberwolves are trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round draft pick.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 03:01 PM - 0 comments