COLUMN: There is no question Russell Westbrook has won the NBA MVP race
Crushing a so-called un-crushable record in professional sports is usually followed by an MVP award.
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COLUMN: NBA can’t use title as an excuse for resting
Last Saturday’s primetime NBA game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers was overshadowed. No, the culprit wasn’t the NCAA Tournament. It was the fact that a game that — on paper — featured the likes of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love duking it out against Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre […]
Column: NBA should nix stadium theatrics, follow college basketball’s lead
I’m not a huge NBA fan. Before moving to Los Angeles, I never lived in a state with a team, and the Big-12 filled all of my basketball needs during the winter and spring. So I’m never particularly tuned into the world of professional basketball unless I’m trying to tease my associate managing editor Eric […]
Sterling situation raises questions
When Daily Trojan Editorial Director Yasmeen Serhan pitched a story about President Barack Obama decrying the racist statements made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling earlier this week, I was reluctant to pick it up. Everyone and their mom (including mine) had an opinion about Donald Sterling’s racist comments at that point, so I […]
Trojans will thrive in playoff system
It’s no secret that brand names drive TV ratings in sports. The NFL, the NBA and college football are all the same in this regard: Big names sell tickets and draw attention. As legendary as Boise State’s victory over Oklahoma was in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, it was also one of the lowest-rated games of […]
Chris Paul Ignites “Real” Playoff Basketball
Chris Paul crossed over at the top of the three-point arc, took five aggressive dribbles, and attacked the right side of the lane. As the floater left his fingertips, there was no doubt over what the result would be. There was nothing the outstretched arms of Tony Allen and Darrell Arthur could do. The shot […]
Can A Resurgent Star Be The One to Topple The Miami Heat?
“All he can do is score. Low percentages. He’s going to jack up thirty shots a game and get you seven rebounds a game if you’re lucky. Get ready to tank your percentages and sacrifice virtually every other category.” That was me last October, talking to my little brother during one of our eight team […]
The Clippers flying under the radar
While the purple and gold have dominated the headlines this season, the red and blue have done something more important: win basketball games. The Los Angeles Clippers (49-26) are primed to win their first Pacific Division title and the most games in franchise history this season – the franchise record is 49 wins – but […]
Lakers On Target To Miss Playoffs
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in the unfamiliar position of having to fight for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NBA’s Western Conference. Despite their mediocre record this season, coverage of the Lakers has not been lacking, with a litany of talking points about the team dominating the headlines every week. Such […]
Show goes on in Buss’ absence
On Monday, Los Angeles Lakers owner and USC alumnus Jerry Buss passed away at the age of 80. Buss had owned the team since 1979, winning 10 championships at the helm of one of the NBA’s most profitable and successful franchises. Buss’ legacy has been covered extensively since his death — he reinvigorated the Lakers, […]