Tag: the NBA

Kobe officially back for tonight’s game

Kobe Bryant went through a complete shootaround practice with the Lakers this morning at the ATT Center and will be ready to play tonight against the Spurs.

and Los Angeles Times beat writerboth report that Bryant will return to the Lakers’ lineup for the first time after missing seven games with a bruised shin. The Lakers have notched a 5-2 record since he left the lineup, including splitting two games with the Spurs.

It will be interesting to see how quickly it takes the NBA’s leading scorer to get his bearings in the Lakers’ rotation.

Just a guess from here. But I’m betting it will take less than a quarter.

T-wolves’ commercial jabs at Cuban

The Minnesota  Timberwolves have had an innovative advertising campaign as they attempt to rebrand the once struggling franchise into one of the NBA’s better young teams.

In the process, they have skewered some notable enemies around the NBA during a season-long series of commercials.

The most recent one is a spoof of 1960′s science-fiction television shows.

Two spacewomen describe an alien leader as appearing much like Minnesota coach Rick Adelman because of his power and mustache.

But when threatened by the leader’s death beam, one woman says that the alien leader instead looks more like Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

Upon hearing that, the alien leader bellows “you take that back” as the commercial ends.

It’s a part of the team’s “Everybody is talking about the Timberwolves” campaign.

And it’s pretty clever in the usually staid world of sports commercials. 

Here’s the commercial, which appeared recently on You Tube.

Manu earns place on ESPN.com’s ‘All-Floppers’ first team

Manu Ginobili’s ability to sell fouls with a little dramatic flair always has been known around the NBA.

So it’s no surprised when he was tabbed on the first team of ESPN.com’s .

Ginobili shares a first-team position at guard with Raja Bell. Other first-team selections on Beckley Mason’s team include Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Luis Scola and Ben Wallace.

Here’s what Mason has to say about Ginobili’s inclusion with Bell on the team:

“Raja Bell/Manu Ginobili, SG: Controversial decision to include both of them here, but really these two have given so much to the game. Manu with his whiplash-inducing head thrashes as he drives to the basket and Raja Bell with his ability to be thrown backwards by the slightest of contact.”

For proof, Mason even throws a mixtape of some of  both veterans’ more esteemed bits of floppery over the years.

Despite his likely Hall of Fame credentials as a key player in the Spurs dynasty and his memorable international play over the years, Ginobili has never been among the most popular players for opposing teams.

But I’m curious Spurs Nation. Does Ginobili really merit inclusion with the NBA’s most notable floppers?

I’ll be interested in your responses.