Whether they’ve begun to produce already or not, there are some notable draft picks in the 2011 NBA Draft that just aren’t getting the attention they deserve. Whether they garnered concern over injury, attended a less-reputable school, or are simply undersized, they all fell, for one reason or another. The question is, who fell for [...]

Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals served as the final chapter in Kobe Bryant’s Era. This is not an attempt to say the last era or decade or so has been defined by Kobe. Rather, the era when a team could be built successfully around an alpha-dog, double-team-drawing Kobe Bryant has ended. The Lakers [...]

By Ryan McGowan “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” –Obi-Wan Kenobi, Revenge of the Sith. I hate when one of my teams makes a big trade.  If only because I’m pretty much guaranteed to want to poke my ears out after a few days of listening to the reactions on sports radio, especially when said [...]

[NOTE: Of course, everything in this column might be completely moot by 10:00 EDT tonight.  The author reserves the right to say "I told you so" but also to backtrack 100% in case of something completely unforeseen.] By Ryan McGowan There’s only one word to describe tonight’s “The Decision”—embarrassing. Freaking embarrassing.

By Ryan McGowan The last three years were more than I ever would have hoped for on May 22, 2007, when I sat down at my old Brighton house on Newton Street to watch the NBA draft lottery. At the time, we Celtics fans were hoping for the mathematical near-certainty of landing at least one [...]

By Ryan McGowan Dave Cowens, #18 himself, said it best on Friday night. “Go out there on behalf of the NBA and Red Auerbach and all Celtics present and past,” he said, as he presented the Eastern Conference championship trophy to Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, “and bring home No. 18.’’

It was right there for the taking. Or the shaking, if you will. The Sixers, the fans, the organization — so close to shedding the dead weight of Samuel Dalembert and Andre Iguodala’s contracts — and Ed Stefanski let it get away. There is no guarantee the deal was in place and that Houston would [...]

The prevailing precedent Stern created was his steadfast endorsement of the prohibition of legalized sports betting. And he has now seemingly opened Pandora’s Box, if but a crack