hoop issue 28 2011 finals

Double Issue* Special Championship Edition

$4.99 USA

* Flip Over for Alternate Cover

DerChampFinals MVP Dirk Nowitzki brings home first

NBA Championship for the Dallas Mavericks

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The GameplanFeaTuresDeparTmenTs

4 2010-11 Greatest HitsNot since the days of Michael Jordan-led

Chicago Bulls teams has there been

as much attention on one team in the

NBA. Everywhere the Miami Heat went,

arenas were packed, wanting to get

a glimpse of the power trio of LeBron

James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The Heat aside, fan interest was at an

all-time high thanks to the amazing aerial

feats performed by Blake Griffin, Kobe

Bryant making his gradual ascent atop

the NBA scoring charts and rising teams

like the Oklahoma City Thunder and

Chicago Bulls led by their two young

stars, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose. Of

course those were just the top line items.

Peep the entire look back in our annual

aggregation of the season.

34 Simply Mav-elousGoing into the season, and even well

toward the end of the regular season,

the likelihood of a 2006 Finals rematch

didn’t seem very plausible. That it did

come to fruition was a pleasant surprise

as the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat

gave the world a series that will go

down as one of the best in history. Take

a look back at the six games that made

the Dallas Mavericks first-time NBA

Champions.

5 The Point

9 Jumpballnumerology: Our look into the

numbers of the NBA gets hijacked

by Shaq; head2head: LaMarcus

Aldridge vs. Zach Randolph; Know

Your newb: Gordon Hayward; First

Five: Sonny Weems, Ryan Anderson,

Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Henderson,

DeAndre Jordan; Celeb row: Charlie

Murphy; Dancelife: Dallas ManiACC

Big Rob; Brack-It: Which player

made the biggest jump?; In his

shoes: Alonzo Mourning looks back

at the biggest shot of his rookie year.

31 24 Secondswith Eric Gordon

46 Call OutThe NBA and WNBA provide tornado

relief; Brandon Jennings’ busy

offseason; The Heat and Mavericks

find time during the Finals to open

up learning centers; Lisa Leslie is

recognized for her inspiration to

women.

49 Check Itspin moves: Rodney Stuckey’s

favorite TV show might shock you;

Triple-Double: Thaddeus Young and

Carl Landry debate two albums and

offer up their summer playlist; Goods:

Our summer picks for consumer tech

highlighted by the iPad 2; Official

Goods: The best in NBA gear; Gear:

Summer basketball kicks, featuring the

adidas Crazy Light; Wear: Stay fresh

this summer with our T-shirt picks.

66 StepbackLooking back at Shaq’s first Finals

appearance against Hakeem

Olajuwon.

68 Final ExamDwight Howard might be the class

clown, but did he pay enough attention

to pass our test?

POSTERThe latest Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki is

paired up with the latest Hall of Famer

Dennis Rodman.

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HOOP004

Volume 39, No. 4

Editor-in-Chief Ming Wong #2

Design Director Kengyong Shao #31

Editor-at-Large Jeramie McPeek #4

Online Editor Darryl Howerton #21

Copy Editor Trevor Kearney #8

Tech Editor Shane Battier #31

Style Editor Caron Butler #4

Straight Shooter Kevin Love #42

Videogame Editor Nate Robinson #4

Music Editors Thaddeus Young #21, Carl Landry #24

WNBA Editor Lois Elfman #40

Senior Writer Michael Bradley #53

Contributing Writers Philip D’Apolito #14, Jon Cooper #10,

Art Garcia #44, Anthony Gilbert #1, Brian A. Giuffra #17,

Melody Hoffman #34, Andy Jasner #27, George Kiel III

#15, Holly Mackenzie #32, Brett Mauser #25, McG #93,

Jeff Min #12, Rob Peterson #9, Earl K. Sneed #23, Duane

Watson #7

Illustrator Matt Candela #52

Retired Numbers #6, #11, #13, #30, #99

Professional Sports Publications519 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018Tel: (212) 697-1460 Fax: (646) 753-9480

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Production Manager Jaime Ziegler

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Senior VP, Multimedia Production Paul Hirschheimer

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Coordinator, Licensing Lindsay Milne

Manager, Global Media Programs Felecia Groomster

Senior Directors & Senior Official NBAE Photographers Andrew D. Bernstein, Nathaniel S. Butler

Vice President, NBA Photos Joe Amati

Director, Photos Imaging David Bonilla

Official NBAE Photographer Jesse Garrabrant

Senior Photo Editor Brian Choi

Photo Coordinator Kevin Wright

All NBA photos appearing in this magazine, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of NBA Entertainment. All WNBA photos appearing in this magazine, unless otherwise indicated,

are copyright of WNBA Enterprises. All NBDL photos appearing in this magazine, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of NBDL Enterprises. HOOP is published monthly, December

through June, by PSP. © 2011 Professional Sports Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of publisher is prohibited. To subscribe to HOOP,

call (800) 829-3347. PRINTED IN THE USA

THE PoINT

Ming Wong #2

BONUS POINTS

1. This will all make sense when you get to the bottom.

2. Four-letter word that is slang for pressure.

3. Overlooked in the Finals was the great defense from Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion.

4. I had questioned Rick Carlisle’s claims that Dirk belongs in the top 10 of all time. He’s still not top

10, but he’s certainly climbed up a few rungs after this Finals.

5. You may disagree, but it’s true.

6. It was great to see a team-first player like Kidd finally win one. If nothing, just to shut up

childhood pal and notorious trash-talker, Gary Payton.

7. Jet walks the walk. Dude could’ve put that Larry O’Brien Trophy tatt somewhere discreet, but he

placed it on his bicep for all to see. We can’t wait to see the finished piece.

8. Matrix proved he can still defend elite players.

9. Dallas isn’t champ without Chandler. Just ask any of his teammates.

10. As if the guy who’s dating a former Miss Universe needs to win a chip. Some guys just have

all the luck.

11. Our Style Editor looks fresh in a suit, but don’t forget he was an integral part of the team before

his injury, and served as inspirational figure during his recovery.

12. Whose claims to fame involve a viral YouTube video of him losing to Gilbert Arenas in a three-

point shooting contest after practice, his long-running beef with the Cavs’ best player from some

years back, sporting an insane amount of tattoos (including one of Abraham Lincoln on his Adam’s

Apple) and a beard-growing contest against Drew Gooden (DeShawn won).

13. Brian Cardinal, who owns one of the best NBA nicknames.

14. The 67-win Mavs team that was pushed around by a crappy Golden State Warriors team in a

2007 First-Round playoff upset.

15. Losing four straight after going up 2-0 in the 2006 Finals.

It is not without some irony that a team that calls themselves the Mavericks was the squad that played like a

true team. And the losing team1 was the one that succumbed to their namesake.2

Whether it was the extra pass, the confidence in defensive3 rotations/assignments or the execution of the

play to its perfection, the Mavs played with the efficiency and precision of a group of guys who trusted each

other in battle.

It didn’t matter that: the Mavericks’ best player, Dirk Nowitzki,4 who was possibly the third-best player5 in

the entire series, went up against a team with a pair of top three talents coupled with an All-Star caliber third

wheel; that the Mavs’ supporting offensive pieces to Nowitzki were a 38-year-old Jason Kidd,6 and a pair of

33-year-olds in Jason Terry7 and Shawn Marion;8 that their starting center, Tyson Chandler,9 (at various points

in his career) has been labeled a bust, been rescinded in a trade due to health concerns and is playing for his

fourth team in six years; that one of their best offensive options is a barely-if-that 6-foot JJ Barea;10 that their

initial sidekick to Nowitzki was a suited-up11 Caron Butler; that middling career journeyman shooting guard

DeShawn Stevenson12 was a subpar shooter his entire career; that backup center Brendan Haywood shot 36

percent from the free-throw line during the regular season and was barely available during the Finals; that one

of their bench cogs is a guy whose nickname is the “Custodian”13 and looks a few years from collecting his

pension; that one of their most promising young players, Roddy Beaubois, failed to log a single postseason

minute; their hired gunslinger, Peja Stojakovic, shot 20 percent and didn’t log a single three-pointer; that the

team has had a long-running reputation as being soft14 and coming up short.15

None of that mattered. The only thing that does matter is that the Dallas Mavericks came together and are

the 2011 NBA Champions.

The team that the Mavs beat out for the title? Well, I think everyone talked enough about them all season.

Let’s properly give the Mavs their time in the spotlight.

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HISTORY WITHIN REACH.

WATCH COMPLETE NBA COVERAGE ON

nba.com/nbatv

Check your local listings for channel locationor call your local service provider today.

y g

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NumerologyThe 123s of The NBA

5,317The number of career regular-

season free throws missed.

Consider that Kevin Garnett has

attempted only 5,687 free throws

during his 16-year career.

All

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1 The number of career three-

pointers made.

Number of career

regular-season dunks

4,250

#34 The number ThaT The Los angeLes Lakers wiLL reTire in

honor of The 3 nba Championships, 3 finaLs mVp awards and 1

League mVp ThaT o’neaL earned as a member of The Lakers.

24

The age at which shaquille o’Neal was selected as one of The 50 Greatest

Players in NBA history, in 1996. It was slightly controversial at the time,

but 15 years later, it has proved to be prophetic.

1016-510The career regular-season record of

teams that Shaq was on, a .666 winning

percentage. In his 19 seasons, none of his

teams have ever had a losing season and

made the playoffs 18 times.

2 backboards broken in career.

6 The number of nicknames Shaq has officially retired

upon his retirement: The Big Aristotle, Shaq-Fu, The Big

Shamrock, The Big Cactus, The Diesel and Superman.

The number of special-edition

All-star shoes that shaq has

showcased during All-star.

A shoe phone in 2005; the

remote control car shoe and

video camera shoe in ’06; and

the slot machine shoe in ’07.

4

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HOOP010

HOOP: You’ve been with the ManiAAcs from Day

One; how did it all get started?

Big Rob: Well, at first we were just supposed

to come out as just a one-time act, just to try go

and change things up and do something funny

for the fans. Actually Mark Cuban had seen a big

guy dancing at one of the away games and the

crowd was getting into it, so he told the marketing

department, “Hey, why don’t you put a team

of those guys together for one game?”

So, they put it together, ran some

ads saying they were having an

audition for big guys that can

dance. [The payment

was] playoff tickets and

a chance to dance on

the court. I think they received

like 80 applications and from

that they chose like 40 guys to

come to the audition, and it was

the funniest thing you ever saw.

HOOP: So, what was that

first audition like?

Big Rob: They didn’t

really know what to do

with us so they had a choreographer do a few eight

counts. They were just looking to see if guys had

rhythm or if they could just learn a few simple dance

moves. So, they put this routine together, ‘It’s Raining

Men,’ and the rest is just history. We’ve done so much

stuff. This playoffs was our 10th one. We’ve done

everything under the sun, but it still feels like the first

time when we go out there.

HOOP: How unique are the ManiAAcs when you

look around the NBA, including in your own

arena, and see more traditional dance teams?

Big Rob: It’s extremely unique. And the one thing I

know Mark can pat himself on the back about is

that we started it. I know that there’s somewhere

between 12-15 teams that have a variation of

either older people or big guys and they got the

idea from us. And really that’s a huge pat on the

back. And we hang out. I see these guys at least four

to five times a week. At the end of the day, I tell the

guys that you have 17 guys that you can call for

anything, and most people don’t have that. That’s

about as unique as it can get.

HOOP: You guys were already becoming

one of the most popular dance groups in

the League, and then you appeared on

America’s Got Talent. Was that the best

achievement for the group so far?

Big Rob: Yeah, that’s a highlight. And we’ve done

two All-Star Games, we got a spread in GQ magazine,

we’ve done two documentaries on Japanese TV, The

Best Damn Sports Show a couple times, several

times on ESPN, CNN and spot here and there, but the

ultimate was this past summer going and auditioning

for America’s Got Talent. And not only making it on the

show, but making it past the first round to Las Vegas,

and then making it past Las Vegas to Hollywood. It

was insane. Nine days, the ManiAAcs in Hollywood,

everything paid for? OK, let’s do this. [laughs] So, it

was so much fun, man.

HOOP: So, where do you see the ManiAAcs taking

their talents to next?

Big Rob: To be honest with you, every year we think,

“We’ve done this, so there’s nothing we can do next.”

But really to me the only thing we haven’t done is a

movie role, so I could see us showing up somewhere in

a movie. I could see us showing up in a music video, but

other than that we’ve done just about everything else.

But to be honest we’re having so much fun with it, and

we understand exactly what it is and it doesn’t have to

go anywhere. This is where we want to be, and really our

ultimate goal is to just work hard and just be a part of the

Mavs’ family and do this to a point where they feel they

can’t have a game without us. Earl K. SnEEd #23

DANce Life

Big roBdallaS ManiaacS

“We’re not the prettiest bunch. We’re not the smoothest, either. if you look at

our game, it’s kind of dirty. i just found a dirty name and called us the Goon

Squad. We go out there and do the dirty work.”

—Tyler Hansbrough on the indiana Pacers’ bench unit

“You know i remember the time i was 19, i could get hit by a car and five

minutes later i would be OK.”

—Shaquille O’Neal on getting older

3 PTS

Kevin Durant

“I just remember when I was about 8 or 9, and the

Bullets were the eighth seed and they played the

Bulls in the first round (1997 NBA Playoffs). That

whole series was fun, watching it on TV. Washington

never really got to the playoffs, but they had Chris

Webber and Juwan Howard, Chris Whitney and

those guys. I was a big Bullets fan back then. We

weren’t a real dominant team year in and year out,

but we made the playoffs that year and US Airways

Arena—that’s what they called it back then—was

rockin’. I remember that, watching it on TV from my

house, me and my mom. So that really kind of brought

that competitive spirit out of me as a kid.”

Shawn Marion

“Probably the [1998] NBA Finals, Michael Jordan’s

crossover of Byron Russell. That was tough. That

would have been tough for anyone to guard him in that

situation. [Russell] tried, but what are you gonna do?

You know, I was a Bulls fan growing up, so watching

that series and that shot, I was like, ‘That’s for real!

That’s for real!’ A bunch of us were watching it at

Antoine Walker’s house. We were going crazy. It was

hyped up, I’ll tell you that. It was a magical moment.”

Jose calderon

“I remember the Lakers-Spurs series (2004 Western

Conference Semifinals) when Derek Fisher hit

the shot with 0.4 seconds. I don’t think anybody

expected him to make that shot. I think everybody

just thought it was over, but he just got it and made

it. It was unbelievable. I think that changed the whole

(series). It changed the momentum. I think those kind

of shots, when you fight the whole game and you’re

winning, and in the last second they hit a shot like

that, it’s always something in your mind.”

What’s your greatest nBa playoff memory growing up?

HOOP0506-DanceL-3pt.indd 10 6/21/11 10:52 AM

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HOOP012

straight shooter

Kevin Love

I usually get takeout from Manny’s Steakhouse...probably a filet mignon with shrimp cocktail

and a Caesar salad.

With room service I’m always eating pretty healthy so anything that I can get that’s good for me.

I would grow out my hair, definitely.

I don’t know if it would look too good on

a big fellow like me though rocking the

Tom Brady haircut. I might do a mohawk

or something just to be different because

that’s me.

Yeah, usually it’s Michael Beasley’s car

that we’re looking at because he always

has new cars around.

I want to take a couple of vacations but I don’t really know the destinations yet. That’s something

I’ll start thinking about after the season, but definitely going out of the country a couple of times

and going back home to see my family.

The best part of practice is when you’re

scrimmaging with your teammates and

they’re keeping score and you’re getting

down to the last couple buckets and you

need a stop or a score. If you’re going

to 11 or 15 and you have to win by two

and it’s coming down to that last bucket

and you’re getting into it. The worst part

is probably when you turn the ball over a

couple of times and you have to get on the

line and run.

My headphones, my iTunes, my laptop,

my phone, my wallet...probably more than

anything my Tumi backpack which carries

all of that stuff. And I have to have my

toothbrush, toothpaste and all my toiletries.

I might take the Ocho Cinco route and

try to play baseball and be a pitcher. But if

I really had to go to another job I actually

would probably go back to school.

got a question for Kevin? email it to [email protected]

What’s your go-to take-out

food order?

What about room service meal?

Would you ever consider

growing your hair, If so, what

style would you rock?

When a teammate gets a new

car does everybody go to the

parking area to check it out?

Other than working out and

working on your game, what do

you have planned for fun this

coming offseason?

What is the best and worst part

of practice?

What do you never go on a road

trip without?

What would you like to do if

you weren’t a professional

basketball player?

When Michael Beasley debuts a new car, there’s almost this

much fanfare in the Timberwolves locker room.

We were skeptical, but it’s actually not a bad

look for Kevin.

Some vacation suggestions for Kevin while

he grows out his mohawk.

Headphones...check. iPhone...check. Crap, where’s my

teddy bear?

“Thanks, Darko...you just cost us laps.”

The Minnesota big man aims for honest answers to your questions

“When you lay on a bed and eat hamburgers and drink soda, actually

your day is pretty easy, not too hard,”

—Yao Ming

“Why would i shoot a floater when i can dunk on you?”

—russell Westbrook

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HOOP014

1Round

Scoring: If this comparison took place prior to this

season, it would not be much of a debate that Randolph is

the superior scorer. Even though he’s averaged about 18 ppg

the past three years, until this season, Aldridge relied primarily

on his capable outside stroke and finesse moves around the

basket. This season, however, the should’ve-been All-Star

has diversified his offensive game, namely developing some

power moves inside (LA is one of the league leaders in dunks

this season and even has bruises on his wrist to prove it) and

getting to the line (just 71 games into the season, he’d easily

surpassed his career-high in free-throw attempts).

Randolph might be a one-trick pony since almost all of

his attempts come in the paint, but this horse can get the

ball into the bucket efficiently. Although undersized for a 4,

Randolph uses his bulk to get position where he can muscle

the ball through guys. This has served him well throughout

his career, as he’s averaged 20 ppg five times in his 10

NBA campaigns. He has a passable jumper, but it’s not his

strength, nor is putting the ball on the floor. A big plus to

Z-Bo’s repertoire is his excellent offensive rebounding, which

leads to many putback points.

While Randolph’s offensive game might not be majestic like

Hakeem or Kareem, Z-Bo just gets it done, finding ways to

score even if it’s sometimes ugly.

Advantage: RANDOLPH

2Round

Floor Game: Neither guy is known

for having an all-around game, and both are

more of throw-it-into-them-on-the-block

forwards who are capable of manufacturing

their own points. Aldridge plays it careful with

the ball and rarely turns it over for a guy who

gets a lot of touches, but he’s also not known

to be a type of player to set up mates either.

The same goes for Randolph, although he

has improved on his turnovers and assists

in the past few seasons. That said, the two

areas where Aldridge has an advantage over

Z-Bo are in transition and off the pick and

roll. Although the Blazers don’t run too much,

on the break, Aldridge is good at beating

most power forwards down court and

finishing. On the ubiquitous pick and roll that

every team employs, LA is a great target to

set up for the pick and pop. And this season

has seen Aldridge flash toward the basket

more on the play, proving that he’s just as

capable rolling to the rim.

Advantage: ALDRiDge

head 2 head

LAMARcus ALDRiDge vs. ZAcH RANDOLPH Power forwards LaMarcus Aldridge and Zach Randolph may look dissimilar; their games are anything but, as they are two of the more effective players at the position.

What separates them from one another?

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Aldridge Randolph

PPG 21.8 20.1

APG 2.1 2.2

RPG 8.8 12.1

SPG 1.0 0.8

BPG 1.2 0.3

FG% .500 .503

3PT% .174 .186

FT% .791 .758

PER 19.2 22.6

’10-11 stats

LAMARcus ALDRiDge ForwArd 6-11, 240 pounds

PORtLAND tRAiL BLAZeRs

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HOOP 015

3Round

Defense: As effective as Randolph may be

on the boards (he sits at 9.2 over his career with

a personal high of 12.5 this year), he’s a poor

defender. His lack of lateral mobility and speed

means difficulty in staying in front of most players.

A lack of commitment on the defensive end also

means he gives up a lot of uncontested jumpers.

His career mark of 2.8 fouls per game might also

indicate a lack of aggressiveness on D. Although

on the plus side, his attention to boardwork means

getting to a lot of errant shots and preventing

second-chance points.

Aldridge is no world-stopper on defense, but

he’s put in some time to improve himself. At an inch

shy of 7 feet, LA uses his height and reach to keep

scorers at bay. This season he’s even averaged a

combined 2.0 in blocks/steals, which shows he’s

active on defense. This season he added extra bulk,

meaning he’s less prone to get pushed around

on the block as in years past. Aldridge achieved

a personal high on the boards this season, but

eeking out another rebound of two per game would

make him a vaunted 20-10 performer.

Despite being a much better rebounder,

Randolph’s other deficiencies on defense can’t

overcome Aldridge in this area.

Advantage: Aldridge

4Round

Leadership: Early in his career, Randolph was an

impressionable youngster on a team full of veterans where he had

a less-than-stellar reputation as a teammate. Now it’s exactly the

opposite: Randolph is one of a few vets on a team full of younger

cats. The turnaround has been dramatic. The player once labeled as

immature and selfish is now the guy teammates turn to for guidance.

In an Sports Illustrated article, Aldridge was cited as being the

rock to his mother during her battle with cancer and was the guiding

force in helping his brother not give up after he lost his job. In the

Blazers locker room, Aldridge is already a lead-by-example guy

with his work ethic. In addition, head coach Nate McMillan is always

challenging Aldridge to become more of a vocal leader on the team.

With his ascension to the team’s best player this year, things are

primed for Aldridge to take the reins.

Advantage: Aldridge

5Round

Clutch: Throughout Aldridge’s career, the Blazers have put

the ball in Brandon Roy’s capable hands in tight situations, but with

the guard ailing most of this season, the next in line is #12. He’s

not knocked down any YouTube-worthy game-finishers, but LA is

one of the most dependable offensive players to throw the ball into.

Opportunities beget clutch and Aldridge will soon be besieged with

plenty of chances to play hero.

Randolph is not known as a player to come up big in closing

situations, only because he’s either not been afforded the chances

or played on bad teams that saw little crunch time. He’s had some

late-game heroics, most recently the 20-foot rainbow he knocked

down to beat the Mavericks on the road in early March. A cold-

blooded scorer, Randolph certainly has the makeup to take and

make shots like that.

Advantage: rAndolph

The VerdicTIt’s tough to argue for Randolph in this matchup against a counterpart that is equally as good right now, but who is younger and getting better. Randolph has been one of the best producers at his

position for a long time now, but Aldridge is every bit as effective right now and we envision him surpassing Randolph’s peak, so we’re going with LA.

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By Ming Wong #2

“I don’t care if my momma’s on the court, I’d hit her, too.”

—Chris Paul on his competitive nature

Zach randolph ForwArd 6-9, 260 pounds

MeMphis griZZlies

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BY ART GARCIA #44FIRST FIVE

Larry Brown’s departure opened the door for more

than Paul Silas in Charlotte. Gerald1 Henderson2

went from being a bit player to a starter with the

coaching change, and quickly rewarded Silas’ trust

with the most productive stretch of his young career.

“He’s one of those coaches that gives you

confidence, lets you play,” Henderson says of Silas.

“For me I’ve gotten a lot better learning his system

and also getting confidence from my teammates, but

I still have a lot of room to get better.”

Henderson, 23, played sparingly last year as rookie

lottery pick out of Duke.3 It wasn’t much different this

season until the demanding Brown abruptly stepped

down in December. The February trade of Gerald

Wallace to Portland cleared up even more minutes

for Henderson, an athletic 6-4 shooting guard

looking for a chance.

“It’s not fun when you’re not playing,” he says. “I’m

always a good teammate4 and work on my game5

to get better, but at the same time you want to be

out there on the court playing in a game setting like

you’ve done your whole life. When you’re not doing

that it’s tough.”

A leader and winner at Duke, Henderson wants to

be part of the future in Charlotte and do his part with

a franchise that hasn’t known much success.

“The biggest thing for me is I want our team to

do well,” he says. “I love how I can influence and

impact that.”

GERALD

HENDERSON

15 - Guard - Charlotte Bobcats

BONUS POINTS

1. His full name is Jerome McKinley Henderson Jr. His dad was given the moniker “Gerald” in his

hometown of Richmond, VA. “Gerald was a nickname for Jerome,” Henderson says. “I can’t really

explain it, but that’s where it came from.”

2. Gerald’s dad, Gerald Henderson Sr., played 13 NBA seasons and won three titles, but Junior never

felt any pressure to live up to his dad’s legacy. “That pushed me, not to outdo him or be better than

him, but earn my own way,”

3. Henderson credits Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski for helping mold him into an NBA player: “Coach

K has a vision for you as a player when you come into school. He’ll push you as a player all the time

you’re there.”

4. Gerald was high school teammates with Wayne Ellington at Episcopal Academy in Merion, PA.

Ellington went to North Carolina before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

5. Gerald is a scratch golfer…during the offseason. “During the season my game goes to the

basement,” he admits. “After, I try to figure it out again.”

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When Charlie Murphy started in the entertainment

game, he was simply known for being Eddie Murphy’s

older brother. After the widespread success of

Chappelle’s Show and performing his comedy

around the world, the screenwriter and actor has

established a successful stand-up career of his own.

Murphy has an affinity for hoops that goes beyond his

infamous pickup game against Prince, the portrayal

of basketball guru Leroy Smit1h in an Air Jordan

campaign and his passion for the Boston Celtics.

You’re a New York guy, how did you become a

Celtics fan?

I liked Pierce, Garnett and Allen as individual players,

so when they formed the big three that made me a

Celtics fan. I was a Lakers fan, but then they broke up

Kobe and Shaq. Now we have Shaq on the Celtics,

it’s a perfect squad.

How did you feel about the Kendrick Perkins

and Nate Robinson trade for Jeff Green and

Nenad Krstic?

I like Perkins. I didn’t want to see him go. But you

know, it is what it is.

Do you play basketball?

No, I watch. My job is to tell jokes.

Basketball is a contact sport. I’m in

show business. I can’t do stand-up with

a sprained ankle, I can’t be in front of

the camera with teeth missing.

On Chappelle’s Show, in “Charlie

Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories,”

the skit had you famously losing a

game of 5-on-5 to Prince and the

Revolution. True story?

It was true! Of course he didn’t have on

the outfit or the pumps and stuff; he had

regular clothes on. Everything else was

true. We went to his house after the club

and we played basketball. We didn’t even

think it was funny when it happened.

So it’s true? Prince can ball?

Back then he could, he has a slick little

man’s game, very fast.

If you had to pick four players for

a rematch vs. Prince’s team, who

would you take?

My Celtics: Rajon, Ray Allen, KG and

Paul Pierce.

In your autobiography The Making

of a Stand-Up Guy, you wrote about

your awkward fan moment with Kareem Abdul-

Jabbar. Have you seen him since the airplane

incident?

No, and I don’t want to see him. When you see

somebody and you have a confrontation with them

and admit to yourself that you did something childish,

you don’t want to see them no more.

So you recently started doing stand-up comedy

after all of these years?

That’s my main source of income, that’s what I do more

than anything else. I’m doing this movie right now, but

I’m booked doing stand-up all the way to December. I

do real well so that’s good, but the bad side of it is I’m

a single parent, which makes it kind of rough.

What else are you working on?

I’m getting ready to do another stand-up DVD in

July, called The Charlie Murphy Acid Trip. Right now

I’m shooting a movie with Will Saso from MAD TV,

it’s called The Guys Who Move Furniture. I’ll be in

another comedy called Cookout 2 coming out this

year; there’s a lot of cameos in it: Jalen Rose, Rick

Ross and Jay-Z. I also did some commercials with

the NBA that will aired during the playoffs. It’s with

some talking basketballs; one of those basketballs is

Charlie Murphy. Duane Watson #7

Celeb ROW

Charlie Murphy

TRANSITION GAMe

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BY DUANE WATSON #7FIRST FIVE

With Chris Bosh’s departure, Sonny Weems,

DeMar DeRozan and Amir Johnson are the promising

future1 of the Toronto Raptors. Weems spent time up

north during the offseason working out and training

with team staff. He also endeared himself to the

city when a fan invited him to play at a local run via

Twitter. The West Memphis, Ark.2 native agreed:

“Pick a day this week to have people at the gym and

me and DeRozan will come play.”

Fans and ballers alike arrived en masse and true

to Weems’ word they came, they saw and they

conquered. “It’s just part of our personality,” Weems

says. “It’s not for the attention or for anything else.

We play open gym back home anyway; fortunately,

we just have a bigger name here so whenever we do

something like that it kind of always goes public.”

On the NBA hardwood, the third year forward

posted career stats of 10.7 points 2.6 rebounds and

2.3 assists through mid-December, before suffering

a back injury that forced him to miss 18 games. “The

season started off great, and then gradually went

downhill. Getting injured was hard ‘cause I ain’t ever

really been hurt like that.” Yet he bounced3 back to

post career season averages in points,4 assists, and

free-throw percentage and remains positive despite

the Raptors growing pains.

“Hopefully next year will be a better season.” With

new expectations, Weems has already proven that he

doesn’t shy away from challenges.5SONNY

WEEMS

24 - Forward - Toronto Raptors

BONUS POINTS

1. The trio have dubbed themselves “Young Onez.”

2. In the 2008 NCAA tournament, Weems led the Arkansas Razorbacks to their first tourney win in

nine years, knocking off Indiana University and freshman sensation Eric Gordon.

3. Weems won the 2008 NCAA Slam Dunk Championship and assisted J.R. Smith at the 2009 NBA

Slam Dunk Contest and DeMar DeRozan at the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

4. Weems scored a career-high 25 points in a Raptors win against the 76ers in 11/17/10.

5. He’s been on three other teams in his NBA career (Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee). In addition, he led

the Colorado 14ers to the D-League championship in his rookie season.


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“Hard for me to come to work? That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard today. There’s challenges and obstacles whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company,

whether you’re doing surgery and you’re in the medical field. There’s challenges every day. Sometimes you have travel issues getting from city to city,

but guess what? You still show up, right? I love what I do.”—Avery Johnson

When you think about professional basketball, most of the guys live to

compete. It was very exciting because it was my first time in the playoffs. You’re

ready to get your feet wet, prove yourself, and for us, it doesn’t get any bigger

than facing the Boston Celtics in the first round. That was a pretty big hurdle to

face in only my rookie season. Growing up and watching all those guys, Robert

Parish and Kevin McHale, compete against the Lakers, and then to be on the

court against them, I wanted to prove myself to them. For us to beat them was a

pretty amazing accomplishment for the Hornets franchise.

The play where I scored the series-clinching shot, the play was originally

designed for Dell Curry. Because he was the inbounder, we were supposed to

screen and throw it back to him, but when the whistle blew, he had no one to throw

it to. I was the outlet pass and so I ran to the top of the key. I was so wide open

and the seconds seemed to be ticking off the clock so fast, I just shot it and it

went through and everyone jumped me on the floor. It was one of the most exciting

moments in my professional career. Alonzo Mourning As told to Mcg #93

In HIS SHOES

Alonzo Mourningon his game-winning shot in Game 4 of the

1993 NBA Playoffs, First Round

How hard was it

watching Butler

and UConn go at

it during the nCAA

Tourney?

Well it was tough

because they played

so well throughout

the tournament.

I don’t think they

played poorly they

just didn’t shoot

the ball well. They

picked a bad game

to go cold and it was

tough watching them because I know they wanted to

win so badly.

So from the college game to the pros, what’s

been the toughest adjustment?

I think the mental aspect is the biggest transition. You

go from being the guy on the team getting the ball all

the time and playing the whole game to sitting. This

year I’ve had to watch from the bench a little bit, and

even when you’re in there you’re not the first option

and it’s just been different. It’s an adjustment you

have to make.

It’s easier to pinpoint what it would take

physically to succeed in the nBA, but the mental

hurdles are a little bit harder to overcome. Did

any player take you under their wing?

Raja Bell did a good job of showing me the ropes a

little bit. Mentally though you just got to deal with the

change in mindset and realize your time will come,

and that right now you got to wait it out.

Did you experience any rookie hazing?

Uh, at the beginning of the year we had to dance in

front of everyone. We had sort of a rookie dance off.

We had to carry pink bags to all the away games,

which was kind of rough. I had to get bagels before

the game and [fellow rookie] Jeremy [Evans] had to

get doughnuts. We all had to go through that, so it

was alright.

When head coach Jerry Sloan resigned the

entire culture of Jazz basketball changed. How

has the team got through that? Has it made the

team stronger?

I think so. It’s obviously been different, but at the

same time, moving forward, I think it’s good for us.

We’re excited as a team.

It seems like new head coach Tyrone Corbin is

running a lot more plays through you.

I think he just wanted me to be more aggressive and

expand my game. He feels he can get more out of

me so he’s putting the ball in my hand a little bit more

and letting me make plays.

Any parts of your game you plan on improving

on over the summer?

I’m going to work on everything. When you come

into this league you realize that everything’s got to

improve, every part of your game has to be sharp. I’ll

definitely hit the weights and get stronger.

What about your free time?

Hopefully I can go on a couple vacations with my

friends, and kind of get away from the game for a little

bit. It’s been a while since I’ve been away. I’ve been

going nonstop. It’ll be nice to have a little break.

Jeff Min #12

KnOW YOUr nEWB

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BY MELODY HOFFMAN #34FIRST FIVE

When the Indiana Pacers made coaching

changes1 in the midseason, Tyler Hansbrough’s role

changed, too.

“[Head coach] Frank [Vogel] told me I was going

to be a big part of the offense and he wanted me to

help contribute on a nightly basis and see consistent

minutes,”2 says Hansbrough. “ I kept my game up

to par, really working hard. When I wasn’t playing, I

was always in the gym working on my game with the

assistant coaches trying to get a little better so when

I did have my chance I would make the most of it.

“All the time in the gym really paid off.”

Limited to just 29 games3 during his rookie season,

the 6-9 second-year forward has been an immediate

source for points and rebounds4 for the young team.

Over a 10-game stretch in March, the former North

Carolina Tar Heel5 scored 20-plus points seven

times. His scrappiness, midrange game and scoring

ability down low and with pick and pops helped the

Pacers get into the playoffs for the first time since in

2006.

He does admit that he needs to continue to get

better and this offseason6 he’ll be working on his

defense7 with his younger brother, Ben,8 who is

currently playing college ball at Notre Dame.

If things go accordingly, the Pacers will have

another piece in place on their burgeoning young

team next season.

TYLER

HANSBROUGH

50 - Forward - Indiana Pacers

BONUS POINTS

1. Assistant coach Frank Vogel took over for Jim O’Brien on 1/30/11.

2. Hansbrough went from averaging 8.9 minutes a game in December to 30.4 min and 16.8 pts in

March and started all six games in April.

3. The same number of games Tyler started this year.

4. For the 2010-11 regular season, Hansbrough averaged 11 points and 5.2 rebounds in 70 games.

5. The 2008 national player of the year led the Tar Heels to an NCAA championship in 2009.

6. This offseason Hansbrough says he will work on his game beyond the arc. “I want to develop my

jumpshot farther, maybe possibly have three-point range and also work on my left hand.”

7. Says Hansbrough: “I think I’m growing as a defensive player and really starting to pick up on the rotation.”

8. Tyler and Ben played on the same Missouri high school team together and led Poplar Bluff High

School to back-to-back state championships. Tyler says the possibility of the brothers both being in

the NBA next year would be a dream come true. “It would be pretty cool. It would be awesome if I

played with him, too.”


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BY DARRYL HOWERTON #21FIRST FIVE

From mid-December throughout all of January,

DeAndre Jordan played like his old teammate and

mentor Marcus Camby.1

“Marcus told me this game is really all about timing

and where to position yourself,” recalls Jordan of his

former Clipper teammate. “That goes for offense,

offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding, blocked

shots and screen and rolls.”

In those 21 games, Jordan seemingly was always at

the right place at the right time, averaging 2.3 blocks

and 9.1 rebounds in 26.1 minutes per game, while

starting for the injured Chris Kaman and playing like a

Camby clone.2

Consequently, the Los Angeles Clippers were

winning at unprecedented levels, taking 14 of 21

games3 and knocking off NBA elite in the process

(Lakers, Heat and a road win over the Bulls).3

Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin was the

showstopper, but even he was crediting4 Clipper D

and good friend D.J. for getting the party started in

L.A.

“It was great,” says the 22-year Jordan. “I just

tried to do my job, just do my role. Whenever I had a

chance to block or alter a shot or even just contest

it, that’s what I tried to do. Just try to limit shot

opportunities to help my team out.”

Injuries5 later took out Eric Gordon, ending the

Clippers’ 2011 playoff hopes.

But with Gordon and Kaman back in the lineup

March 2, the team started to jell again, starting a string

that went 10-7, despite losing Gordon for another half

dozen games in the midst of that span.

“If we come out and play the way we know we can

play and execute all 82 games,” says Jordan, “then of

course we’re going to be in the 2012 playoffs. I just

really think with a full, healthy team and us playing the

basketball we’re capable of playing, the sky’s the limit

for us.”6

DEANDRE

JORDAN

09 - Center - Los Angeles Clippers

BONUS POINTS

1. Camby was the Clippers’ starting power forward/center in Jordan’s first two NBA seasons in

2008-09 and 2009-10.

2. In Camby’s two years as a Clippers’ starting big, he averaged 9.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.0 blocks

in 31.2 minutes per game; in his first season as Clippers’ starting center, Jordan averaged 7.1 points,

7.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 25.6 minutes per game.

3. The team won nine home games in a row, bringing the excitement—and even old fan Billy Crystal—

back to Clipper games in Staples Center again.

4. During that stint, Griffin said, “It starts with our defense. When we get steals and blocks and we

start running the floor, that creates those exciting plays for us.”

5. The Clippers went 32-50 in 2010-11, despite Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman missing 26 and 50

games, respectively.

6. Jordan adds: “We’ll be a team that nobody thinks can do it, but we all have each other’s back and

we believe in each other.”


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BY BRETT MAUSER #36FIRST FIVE

He was hurt, he got sick, and on top of all that, he

wasn’t playing much. For Magic forward Ryan Anderson,

even after he committed to polishing his game last

summer, the expectations he had for the 2010-11

season weren’t being met.

At that point, it wasn’t his game that needed to be

revamped; rather, it was his woe-is-me attitude. Anderson

scrapped it and focused his energy on contributing when

given a chance, and believing that things would turn

around. They have, and the confidence with which he

plays now is a byproduct of Orlando’s belief in him.

“It was a really tough time for me, but it helped me

grow as a person,” he says. “I realized that basketball

is my life, and when I changed my attitude, everything

started getting more positive.”

Rashard Lewis1 was dealt to Washington2 in

December, freeing up minutes for Anderson. He seized

the opportunity, averaging three three-point makes a

night in January at a 42 percent clip, and poured in nearly

12 points per game over the season’s final four months.3

The Magic have reaped the benefits as well, having

won 50-plus games for the fourth straight season.

“When you get consistent minutes, you play better

more consistently,” Anderson says. “But it takes a lot of

hard work to get those minutes.”

Anderson’s been dynamite on the pick-and-pop, and

opposing 4s have had trouble finding their guy crashing

the boards from 22 feet out. He and Brandon Bass have

been the perfect complements to Dwight Howard on the

block.

This offseason, he’ll work on getting stronger4 and, as

defenses give him more attention, further developing his

pull-up jumper. Anderson5 knows what it took to earn his

role and how quickly he can be replaced.

“It’s been pretty unbelievable,” Anderson said. “I’ve

been given this amazing opportunity, and I feel so

blessed. It’s been a great year.”

RYAN

ANDERSON

33 - Forward - Orlando Magic

BONUS POINTS

1. Lewis’ 10-game suspension to start the 2009-10 campaign opened the door for Anderson, who

averaged 15 points a night over six games of that stretch before spraining his ankle.

2. That Anderson had proven his mettle allowed Orlando to trade Lewis to the Wizards for three-time

NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas in January.

3. Anderson’s stroke began to round into shape in eighth grade. When friends mocked his shoot-from-

the-hip form, he reworked his shot. After growing into a big man, he began to fire from outside during

his freshman year at Oak Ridge High School.

4. Anderson has played in the 240-pound range this season but hopes to hold steady at 250, where

he feels he’s most effective.

5. He was a first-round selection (21st overall) by New Jersey in the 2008 Draft. After his rookie year,

he was dealt with Vince Carter to Orlando for a package that included the next pick in the ’08 draft,

Courtney Lee.


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EIGHT THINGS. ONE UNDISPUTED CHAMP.

HOOP028

WHO MADE THE BIGGEST JUMP THIS SEASON?

It can be argued that Love’s potential was always there. Per 36 minutes, Love has always

shown to be a double-digit rebounder. Even so, no one expected him to go Moses Malone

(the last NBA player to average 20 points and 15 rebounds for an entire season) on the

League. Love’s season put him on notice as one of the young cats to pay attention to for the

rest of this decade.

For his first four NBA campaigns, Millsap established himself as the best power forward

backup in the game, spelling Carlos Boozer to an extent where many wondered if he might

even be better. Boozer’s departure this year gave him that opportunity and he proved every bit

as dependable, averaging two points and rebounds shy of a 20-10. The boards were down,

but it can be a result of playing alongside an equally adept boardman in Al Jefferson.

Still, Love’s season will go down as a special one since he pulled off a feat not seen in the

NBA in 28 seasons.

As much credit Kevin Durant deserves for

Oklahoma City’s success, it might not be

possible without Westbrook. His ascension

into the top flight point guards of the League

is equally as paramount to the Thunder’s

success. Comparatively against Chris Paul, the

standard bearer of point guards, Westbrook

compares favorably and might even have an

edge on defense where his frenetic technique

can wreak havoc on the opposing team.

Aldridge began the season as a curious

sidekick to Portland’s established and

unquestioned leader, Brandon Roy. He was

also viewed as a perimeter-oriented big man

who preferred to pick and pop than roll. This

year, with Roy missing swaths of time and

Aldridge adding bulk and dedicating more of

his offense inside, he put up a career year

(21.8 ppg and 8.7 rpg) deserving of an All-

Star nod.

As big of a jump LA made in’10-11,

Westbrook’s leap was as high as one of his

dunks that he routinely unleashes.

If you asked Wright and even the Miami Heat,

the 16.2 ppg season that Wright displayed in

his first year as a full-time NBA starter for the

Golden State Warriors was no surprise. Miami

always knew Wright had potential, plucking the

swingman in the ’04 draft out of high school.

But in order to assemble the Big Three, they

relinquished the swingman to free agency.

He’s more than doubled his scoring output

and continues to show a three-point stroke.

Little needs to be said about Rose and

his massive leap to become one of the best

young players in the game that has his name

in the same sentences as Kobe, LeBron and

Durant, which is to say he’s joined elite status.

Statistically, Rose only saw modest gains, but

it’s really about his impact he’s had on his

team that puts him in the running.

Taking nothing away from Wright, but he

could’ve tripled his scoring average and he

might not get past Rose. Yes, Rose was just

that good in ’10-11.

In the 2008 NBA Draft, Beasley and Gordon were both highly touted

prospects. After being taken five picks from one another (Beasley, No. 2;

Gordon, No. 7), Gordon looked like he should’ve been the higher selection.

During their rookie seasons, Gordon tallied 16.1 ppg while Beasley

struggled to fit in despite a solid 13.9 pgg. This season, the two draftmates

have both made good strides: Gordon making the jump to a 20-plus

scorer (22.5, to be exact) while Beasley has established himself as one of

Minnesota’s go-to weapons on offense while averaging 19 points.

A tough mid-seed matchup, but we have to go with Gordon’s smooth

scoring over the spectacular, though sometimes-erratic Beasley.

Russell Westbrook

Westbrook

Kevin Love

Love

Michael Beasley

LaMarcus Aldridge

Paul Millsap

Eric Gordon Gordon

Derrick Rose Rose

Dorell Wright

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Derrick Rose

It’s hard to believe that the UCLA Bruins didn’t win it all in the 2008 NCAA Tournament with the

Love-Westbrook tandem on the roster, one that would look equally potent in the NBA. Both were

taken in consecutive picks in the draft (Westbrook, No. 4; Love, No. 5) and this year they both

cracked the All-Star team in the West. Statistically, Love unequivocally made the bigger jump,

putting up almost eight points and five boards above his career numbers. The 20 and 15 Moses

line was unexpected, but most people could love at Love’s career per-36 minutes numbers and

extrapolated his success. Westbrook was a bit more unexpected even though he’s put up two

solid seasons. Even going up against an abundance of PG talent, RW has managed to shine at the

position. The uptick in production has been modest, but Westbrook plays a tougher position and

his role on the Thunder cannot be understated. Durant might be the constant force to OKC, but

it’s Westbrook’s booming presence that gives the Thunder’s storm extra strength.

Westbrook to the finals? Like his nickname, Why Not?

It comes down to a battle of point guards who

might soon, if not already, usurp Chris Paul

and Deron Williams as the two top point men

in the game. Both guys have jumped another

notch on the NBA ladder in their third years

and both look to stay on top for the remainder

of the decade.

Westbrook made the tough leap from

being a 16.1 ppg scorer to a 21.8 one.

While it may look simple. many players have

struggled to conquer that ceiling. And it may

not mean much in the grand scheme, it does

demonstrate Westbrook’s drive to improve

upon a game that was already pretty good

to begin with. His fearless approach might

sometimes seem overzealous, but it’s that

exact quality that makes him so effective,

dangerous and a game-changer.

What made Rose the top pick in the ’08

draft wasn’t his deft ballhandling, ability to get

to the basket, speed or any other natural skill

he’s been blessed with. What made him stand

out to the teams vying for him and Chicago

the fortunate team to garner his services is

the inner drive he possesses in wanting to be

better. As he’s grown, the Bulls have improved

with him. And just like this season when Rose

made a quantum leap, so have the Bulls,

making him an easy choice for this Brack-It.

Much like Rose’s first-round opponent, Gordon’s rise this

season was predicated on scoring more points, which he did

very well. If Gordon can improve on his 45-percent mark from

the field next season, get to the line more and shoot the three

ball better, he can explicably see 25 ppg next season. As good

as ’10-11 was for him, Gordon still has room to improve, which

speaks volumes.

That said, if Gordon were to jump to 25, drop about four

more dimes, beef up the defensive intensity, lead his Clippers

to a top seed in the conference, there’d be more of a debate

here. OK, the top seed part was unfair as that is a team

accomplishment, but it does show the divide between Rose and

Gordon’s ’10-11 performance.

Rose in a second-round cakewalk.

Who made the biggest jump this season?

Westbrook

Rose

+223��%UDFN,W�LQGG�� 30

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HOOP: We hear you’re back in Indiana right now?

GORDON: Yes, I am. I came back to see family.

HOOP: Do they still call you Mr. Basketball1 when you’re

back in town?

GORDON: Yeah, yeah, they do. You know, that meant a lot.

When you see the guys before you, like Oscar Robertson

and Larry Bird, it’s always great to have your name up there

with those guys.

HOOP: Do you get priority seating at restaurants by

checking in under the name Mr. Basketball?

GORDON: I’d probably get comped or something [laughs].

Everybody knows who is Mr. Basketball in Indiana.

HOOP: How soon after the season ends do you pick up

a basketball again?

GORDON: About a month and a half. I take a little break.

HOOP: Was it difficult to watch the playoffs rather than

being a part of it?

GORDON: No, I love watching the playoffs, especially being

at games in that environment. I mean, I wish I was in it, but

you’ve also got to learn about the playoffs for when you do

get there.

HOOP: Now tell us the truth: You headed home to

Indiana after the playoffs ended so you didn’t have to hear

about the Lakers in L.A. for two months, right?

GORDON: Yeah, basically [laughs]. The Pacers are in the

playoffs, so I’m going to check those guys out.

HOOP: What’s it like sharing the Staples Center?

GORDON: It’s a good arena, but it’s different sharing it with

another organization. It’s basically like roommates.

HOOP: What’s the difference between Lakers games

and Clippers games inside the building?

GORDON: They are different environments. I like our Clippers2

environment better, because I think our fans are really in tune

with the game. The crowds are into it and the attendance

was really good for us this year.

HOOP: The Lakers, obviously, are known for their

celebrity fans, but you guys have a lot of stars come out, too,

right?

GORDON: I’ve seen Billy Crystal at a lot of games. The guy

from The Green Mile, Michael Clarke Duncan3 attends a lot

of our games. We get a lot of different people that come at

different points of the season.

HOOP: You didn’t mention Clipper Darrell. He’s

practically a celebrity now.

GORDON: Clipper Darrell! He’s probably the No. 1 fan for the

Clippers. It’s always good to have a guy like him. He has a

fire about him, where he wants us to win.

HOOP: You need to get a red and blue suit4 like his.

GORDON: [laughs] I don’t know about that. He’s very

supportive.

Jen

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HOOP 031

with Eric Gordon

By JEramiE mcPEEk #4

24 seconds

HOOP0506-24 Seconds.indd 31 6/23/11 1:33 PM

HOOP: Let’s talk about Blake Griffin. What did he mean to your team this year?

GORDON: He definitely means a lot. He brings a great work ethic every day, and he’s a

rebounding and scoring machine.

HOOP: How much fun has it been to play with him?

GORDON: A lot of fun. You know, he makes spectacular plays up in the air. Not many guys in the

League can do what he can and jump over people. It’s always good to see a big man like him

come down the court, making plays, dribbling and also getting those dunks.

HOOP: Have you ever dunked over a car?

GORDON: No, I’ve never really dunked over anything like that. But I dunked over my brother5

once. He’s about 6-1.

HOOP: NBA TV followed Blake around for 24 hours. What would fans see if they

followed you around for a day instead?

GORDON: A lot of people would think I am a comedian. I’m a jokester and am always pulling

pranks on guys in the locker room.

HOOP: How would you grade your season?

GORDON: I would say a B+. Scoring wise, I showed I am capable6 of being one of the best

in the League, and I did it while shooting a good percentage. And I was making plays for

everybody on my team.

HOOP: If you hadn’t injured your wrist7 and missed so many games, you would have been

a contender for Most Improved Player.

GORDON: Right. I think I probably would have helped our team’s record, too, if I was in some of

those situations in late games where we were close and I didn’t get a chance to play.

HOOP: When the season ended, what did Coach Del Negro tell you he wanted you to

work on over the summer?

GORDON: Just to keep working on my ball handling, my low-post game and become even more

of a leader.

HOOP: You’re still a young guy with a lot of room to grow. Where do you see yourself in

five years?

GORDON: Well, definitely an All-Star and hopefully an MVP candidate, and an NBA

Championship contender.

HOOP: What do the Clippers need to do to take the next step as a franchise?

GORDON: We can make a big step up if we can just stay healthy. Every team has some injuries,

but we can’t miss as many games as we did this year. I’m looking for us to be a playoff team

next year and be one of the elite teams soon.

HOOP: What else are you going to do this summer? Do you have any vacation plans?

GORDON: Yeah, I’m going to do some traveling for vacation and business reasons, too. I’m

doing a couple camps overseas in Europe and China.

HOOP: You were in Turkey last summer for the World Championship. What did that mean

to you to represent the U.S.?

GORDON: It meant a lot. I always wanted to be a part of a USA experience. I still remember the

first Dream Team like it was yesterday. Michael Jordan, John Stockton and all those guys. They

just killed everybody.

HOOP: Are you wearing your gold medal right now?

GORDON: No, I don’t wear it. I’ve got it in a nice display case.

HOOP: What’s it like having a birthday on Christmas day?

GORDON: I enjoyed it growing up. We celebrated Christmas that day and my birthday at night,

so I got presents all day.

Bonus Points

1. Gordon was named “Mr. Basketball” as a senior at North Central High School in Indianapolis,

a year after Greg Oden won the award playing at Lawrence North.

2. The Clippers selected Gordon with the 7th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft out of Indiana.

3. Who also coincidentally voiced one of the “talking balls” for the NBA’s playoff commercials this year.

4. Check out the suit and the red and white ride at ClipperDarrell.com.

5. Eric’s younger brother Evan recently transferred to Arizona State University to play basketball.

6. Gordon averaged 22.3 points, 4.4 assists and 2.9 boards, while shooting 36 percent from behind the three-point line.

7. The third-year guard suffered a sprained wrist during a game in late January and missed 26 games. The Clippers went 7-19 without him.

Noah G

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HOOP032

HOOP0506-24 Seconds.indd 32 6/23/11 1:33 PM

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marks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. The NBA and individual NBA member team identifi cations used on or in this product are trademarks, copyrights designs and other forms of intellectual

property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NBA Properties, Inc. © 2010 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family l ogo are registered trademarks of

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The PlayStation Network Logo is a service mark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Entertainment

Software Association. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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SImply

Mav-elousFew predicted that a Dallas team featuring a veteran core

would even make it to the Finals, let alone win it. But the

Mavericks never stopped believing in themselves, reminding

everyone that basketball played as team will always prevail.

The victory gave four longtime NBA stars, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason

Kidd, Jason Terry and Shawn Marion, their first taste of being

NBA champions.NAthANiel S. Butler/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

HOOP034 HOOP034

HOOP0506-f-Finals Recap.indd 34 6/23/11 1:35 PM

HOOP 035HOOP 035


In their 11-year run of playoff

appearances, Dallas has

always lacked a pivot who

could control the paint. The

addition of Tyson Chandler

proved to be a difference as

the Mavs were able to have a

dependable presence in the

middle.

NAthANiel S. Butler/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

Dallas is all too familiar with what Dwyane Wade

is capable of doing in a short series. Despite the

difference in outcome, Wade was every bit as deadly

as he was in 2006 when the two teams met in the

Finals. Over the six games, Wade averaged 26.5 points

while shooting 55 percent, 7 rebounds , 5.2 assists,

1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals.

JeSSe D. GArrABrANt/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

With one of the most original

nicknames in the NBA, Brian

“the Custodian” Cardinal was

a solid contributor for Dallas

off the bench.


He might no longer be able to do the freakishly athletic

things he once did in his career that earned him the

“Matrix” moniker, but Shawn Marion can still get up to

finish a dunk without the aid of any CGI.


HOOP036 HOOP036


One of the few bright spots for Miami during the series

was the play of Mario Chalmers. The third-year point

guard proved he’s not shy on the big stage, averaging

a solid 11.8 points per game and shooting 40 percent

from three-point range.


The series was a tightly

contested battle between the

two teams with many lead

changes, so it was fitting

that it came down to hustle

plays and scrapping for the

ball—like this one between

Mike Miller and J.J. Barea.

mike ehrmANN/Getty imAGeS SPort

A streaky but inconsistent shooter throughout his 13-

year career, it was fortunate for the Mavs that DeShawn

Stevenson was on a hot streak during the Finals,

shooting 54 percent from the field and an even better

56 percent from three.


Going into the series, all eyes

were on Miami’s vaunted

trio of stars and whether or

not Dallas would be able to

match up against the three.

ANDrew D. BerNSteiN/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

In the 2006 Finals, Miami’s

Udonis Haslem was able to

keep Nowitzki in check. Five

years later, no one on the

Heat roster had an answer

for him, as Nowitzki was able

to constantly shed defenders

off—including Haslem—to

get to the basket.

mike ehrmANN/Getty imAGeS SPort

The Dallas defense cooled

the Heat attack for most

of the series, but on the

occasions that it showed

some cracks, Dwyane Wade

was able to capitalize in a

big way.

Pool/Getty imAGeS SPort

HOOP 037


In a rare crunch time miscue, Wade

mishandled the inbounds pass at

the end of Game 4 with 6 seconds

remaining and the Heat down three

points, fumbling away a good shot

opportunity for Miami.

Bill BAPtiSt/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

Is it a surprise that someone

with 11,578 career assists

knows how to throw a perfect

bounce pass? Just look at

the precision of the pass,

between two defenders to

a cutting—and just barely

in the frame—Chandler for

what was likely an easy

basket. Well played, Jason

Kidd.


They weren’t of the game-

ending variety, but Mario

Chalmers still managed to

impress with two makes

to end quarters. This one

pictured ended the first

quarter of Game 3.


We’re not sure if it was in French or English, but Ian Mahinmi, by way of France to

the NBA, unleashed his pregame huddle scream to amp up his teammates. Besides

providing hype, the backup center for Dallas gave the Mavs plenty of tough boards and

some interior scoring when Tyson Chandler was on the bench.


HOOP038


Miami’s defense was every

bit as good as Dallas’. It

was just that when the Heat

turned up the pressure,the

Mavs were able to hit big

shots with the shot clock

expiring, get an offensive

rebound or, in this case,

make the right pass to

negate Miami’s defensive

efforts.

Victor BAlDizoN/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

DeShawn Stevenson is not

one who has a problem

expressing himself.

Throughout the series,

Stevenson did his best to

get under Miami’s skin as

much as his tattoo artist

has gotten ink onto his. With

his blistering shooting from

deep, Stevenson was able

to flash his “three monocle”

regularly.

GArrett ellwooD/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

What makes Dirk Nowitzki so difficult to guard is that

his lights-out jumpshot sets up his forays to the basket.

Once in the paint, the right-handed Nowitzki is adept at

finishing with his left hand.


An underrated matchup during the Finals was Tyson

Chandler going up against Chris Bosh. The two 7-footers

were regularly mixing it up in the paint for loose balls

and positioning.


Dallas knew that LeBron James is at his best when

he gets to the basket and commands extra attention,

enabling him to create opportunities for his teammates.

So when the Mavs were able to get James to shoot

fadeaway 20-foot jumpers, they knew their gameplan

is working.


When the Heat were able to create turnovers and get

into their transition game, the Mavericks were unable to

keep up. It was a good thing Dallas did a good job taking

care of the ball, preventing more of these breakaway

Wade dunks from taking place.


HOOP 039


In what was likely the best dunk of the

Finals, LeBron James went strong into the

belly of Dallas’ defense and was met with

the Mavericks’ last defender at the rim, Ian

Mahinmi. James went up and over the 6-11

center to flush it home.


He is smaller than some of the fans that packed the

arenas during the Finals, but J.J. Barea proved that

one’s game cannot be measured by size. His quickness

and speed allowed him to dart around the Heat defense

to score to the tune of 8.8 points per game.

Joe murPhy/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

The most demonstrative player on the court, Jason

Terry feeds off the crowd, so he was regularly seen

encouraging and rallying the Dallas faithful.


HOOP040


Part of what makes Dwyane Wade so effective at

finishing at the rim is that he possesses uncanny body

control to squeeze himself through the tiniest sliver in

any wall of defenders to get himself into a clearing to

get his shot off.

GleNN JAmeS/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

Usually when a 7-footer and a 6-4 guard meets at the

rim, it’s the smaller guy attacking the rim while the

bigger guy is trying to protect it. In this case, the roles

are reversed as Dwyane Wade goes up to block Tyson

Chandler’s dunk attempt.


Despite the burden of his newborn daughter Jaelyn’s

heart condition weighing heavily on his mind and in his

heart, Mike Miller soldiered on through the Finals.


For those who have followed

Jason Kidd’s 17-year career,

it has been amazing to

witness the improvement

in Kidd’s three-point

shooting. He’s gone from

being a subpar shooter from

distance to one of the best

on the Mavericks. Heady

stuff if you also consider that

he plays with Dirk Nowitzki

and Jason Terry.

NoAh GrAhAm/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

When they first came

together, some people

wondered who of the Miami’s

big three would take the last

shot in games. In Game 3,

the answer was Chris Bosh,

as his clutch jumper in the

corner sealed the win for

the Heat.


Jason Kidd took full advantage of Dwyane Wade’s aggressive

defensive approach with the best countermove: the pump fake. It

worked so well, in fact, that Wade flew up and over Kidd in an attempt

to challenge the shot.


HOOP 041


Controlling the boards, especially on the offensive end, was a big reason the Mavericks were able to overcome the Heat. Tyson Chandler, particularly, took advantage of Miami’s smaller frontline to clean up the glass after one of his teammates’ misses.

Pool/Getty imAGeS SPort

Absent during most of the regular season and playoffs, Udonis Haslem came back late in the postseason to provide the Heat with his rugged interior defense, rebounding and even a bit of scoring.


With seconds remaining until victory, the Mavericks bench is ready to erupt off the sidelines to hit the floor as NBA Champions. Yes, that is team owner Mark Cuban to the right of Brendan Haywood.

roNAlD mArtiNez/Getty imAGeS SPort

Sure, Dirk Nowitzki owns one of the best strokes in the game, and at 7-feet tall, he’s able to shoot it over everyone, but his ability to unfurl the shot at varying angles and positions, and still maintain a crisp release makes him almost impossible to guard.

iSSAc BAlDizoN/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

After his underwhelming Game 4 showing where he totaled only 8 points, LeBron James returned in Game 5 with a 17-point, 10-assist and 10-rebound triple-double, the only one during the Finals.

Bill BAPtiSt/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

Dirk Nowitzki won Finals MVP, but Jason Terry was equally brilliant in the six games. He shot 49 percent from the field (including 39 percent from three) while averaging 18 points per game.

NoSh GrAhAm/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

HOOP042


If it wasn’t #41 hitting a big bucket,

you can bet that it was #31. And

after every momentum-shifting or

rally-killing basket made, you will

likely see The Jet take off back to

defense.


His teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade might

be bigger stars, but Chris Bosh showed during the

Finals that he can shine just as bright. For the series,

Bosh averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 boards.


Even when the Heat were successful at preventing

him from getting his shot off, Dirk Nowitzki was able to

patiently locate his other four teammates.


One of the biggest subplots to the Finals was the

mystery behind LeBron James’ game fading as the

series progressed and his fourth-quarter struggles.


HOOP 043


As with most Finals, the

stars get top billing, but

oftentimes it’s the play of

role players and the bench

that decide the outcome of

the series. Dallas’ reserves

routinely outplayed Miami’s

thin bench, putting even

more pressure on Miami’s

stars to shoulder more of

a load.


No NBA owner wears his

dedication and loyalty

to his team more on his

sleeve than Mark Cuban. In

past losses, he’s been as

emotional as any fan, so it’s

no surprise that in winning

the NBA Championship for

the first time, that Cuban

would celebrate just as hard.


He might have one of the sweetest strokes in

NBA history, but Dirk Nowitzki shows that he can

occasionally display some power to his game as well.


Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd waited a total of 28 years

of ring-less NBA seasons. When the two enter the Hall of

Fame one day, they will now have NBA Champion to add

to their storied careers.


Although in his 12 NBA seasons, Shawn Marion has

proven to be an excellent defender, many thought he

might be too old to take on the big task of checking

LeBron James. Marion proved otherwise, even

managing to block a James shot or two.


Dallas’ clever mixing of defenses—from traditional

man to zones to quick trapping double-teams—never

allowed Miami to be comfortable on offense.

NoAh GrAhAm/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

HOOP044


Shawn Marion’s primary

responsibility during the

Finals was to defend LeBron

James, which he did with

aplomb. But he also found

time to expand on his role by

chipping in with 13.7 points

per contest, forcing James

to work just as hard on the

other end of the floor.


The Miami Heat might have

the bigger parts, but the

Mavericks proved that it’s

the sum of the parts that

matters.


When Dirk Nowitzki hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy

up in the air, the Dallas Mavericks officially entered

the elusive club of NBA Champions, as this is the

franchise’s first title since joining the League in 1981.


He’s been one of the best players over the past decade and been bestowed every

conceivable accolade including a League MVP, but Dirk Nowitzki managed to add a

new one to the mantle—Finals MVP. At the postgame press conference, Nowitzki got

emotional reflecting on the long road to becoming a champion.

mike ehrmANN/NBAe/Getty imAGeS

HOOP 045


04

It might’ve been in the midst of

one of the more tightly-contested

Finals in recent history, but members

of both the Dallas Mavericks and the

Miami Heat still found time between

pressure-soaked games to open up

an NBA Cares Learn & Play Center in

partnership with HP and State Farm

in their respective cities. As part of

the NBA Cares Community Caravan,

Miami team president Pat Riley and

several members of the extended Heat

family cut the ceremonial ribbon to

the center at Paul Laurence Dunbar

Elementary School, while in Dallas,

Jason Terry took on a bunch of school

children at the newly dedicated JW

Ray Learning Center in a game of Clue.Jesse D. Garrabrant(2)/nbae/Getty ImaGes

03

Awards are nothing new for Lisa Leslie, one of

the most highly decorated players in WNBA history

(if you need a reminder: She’s a two-time WNBA

champion, three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star, to

name just a few) but even in her post-playing days,

she’s still garnering accolades, including the CieAura

Pioneer Award she’s shown here accepting during

the 2011 Inspiring Women’s Luncheon in New York.nathanIel s. butler/nbae/Getty ImaGes

HOOP046

02

NBA and WNBA players did their part in helping areas of the country recover

from the ravage caused by extreme weather, which left destruction and displaced

lives across the country this past spring. D.J. White, Eric Bledsoe and DeMarcus

Cousins were down in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with the American Red Cross to lend a

hand with donations of shoes and clothing after a tornado. WNBA players Miranda

Ayim, Kayla Pedersen and Betty Lennox organize food for victims of a tornado in

Joplin, Mo.shane beval; bIll baptIst/nbae/Getty ImaGes

01

Brandon Jennings’ Milwaukee Bucks might not have qualified for the playoffs

but he’s having himself an eventful summer nonetheless. He started his offseason

on a goodwill tour of India, where he conducted several basketball clinics around

the country, and then came back to Milwaukee to help install drywall as part of

Habitat for Humanity.Gary DIneen/nbae/Getty ImaGes

03

04

01 02

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TEE TIMEIf you’re like the average guy, you

probably own T-shirts. A lot of

T-shirts. We’re certainly guilty of

it ourselves. Our closets are filled

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HOOP050

Rodney Stuckey

Detroit Pistons

Stuckey just finished his

fourth season, where he

led the Pistons in per-

game scoring and assists.

Despite the Detroit guard

being often mistaken for

50 Cent, he doesn’t list

Curtis Jackson as one of his

favorite artists to listen to.

During the offseason, other

than working on his game,

Rodney plans on catching up

on all the movies he missed

during the season since he’s

not big on videogames and

other tech. His one big

guilty TV pleasure? It

will surprise you.

Rodney’s Movies

All time, it’s a really old-school movie called The Sixth Man. It’s a basketball movie.

Rodney’s Videogames

Nah, I’m not really a big videogame guy. If anything I’ll play the Wii, that’s

about it though. [Growing up,] I was a big fan of the old Nintendo,

like Super Mario and Contra and Double Dribble. So if I could get

my hands on one of those I think I’ll be addicted back to playing

videogames. [laughs]

Rodney’s Music

I listen to a lot of stuff, different stuff. Mainly the artists I really like to listen to are

Drake, Lil Wayne, I like Rick Ross, Fabolous. I like R&B, too. I listen to a lot R&B,

too. You got Trey Songz, Marques Houston, Usher. I like all different kinds of

music. I listen to it all, man.

SPIN MOVES

Rodney’s TV

My favorite TV shows to watch are like The First 48, I like CSI Miami. One of my favorite

TV shows is Entourage. I like, it’s called The Secret Life of the American Teenager. It’s

like a high school show it’s funny though it’s like a drama show—if you haven’t seen it you

should watch it. [Ed note: We were rolling in laughter at this point.] Yeah it’s funny though.

Whatever’s on TV, I watch whatever.

CHECK IT

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HOOP 051

CHECK IT

Three albums. Two players. One dynamic pair of music critics

Stone Rollin’ is a soulful and artistic album. Raphael’s music has a retro feel and a style all his own. He does an outstanding job of capturing the old ’60s Motown sound in tracks like “Radio,” “Movin’ Down the Line” and “Just Don’t.” It reminds me of when I was young and our family would play music on the record player. I really liked “Good Man,” which had a catchy hook and was well-put together. The title track was another favorite—I loved the guitar and lyrics. Raphael’s music is very chill and his lyrics do an excellent job of painting a picture of the message he is relaying to his listeners. If you are an R&B fan and enjoy unique music, this is a must have. I really enjoy listening to quality and creative music. Great Buy!

Raphael Saadiq is a soulful musician, and it shows in Stone Rollin’. His old-school R&B style sounds much different than the club R&B of today. He plays a lot of instruments, including bass, drums, guitar and tambourine, to name a few, and handles vocals, showing his range as a musician. He also brought on more than 60 other musicians to work on the album. The single “Good Man” is one of my favorites on the album; his soul really comes through. The song “Radio” is another classic with an old school ’60s feel to it. Saadiq is one of the most talented musicians of our time, and Stone Rollin’ is a great album, a refreshing change from the normal radio R&B.

THAD’S SUMMERTIME PLAYLIST

“Touchdown” - Yo Gotti “Tupac Back” - Rick Ross feat. Meek Mill

“I’m On One” – DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Lil

Wayne, Rick Ross

“That Way” - Wale feat. Jeremih & Rick Ross

“Oh My” - DJ Drama feat. Roscoe Dash,

Fabolous, Wiz Khailfa

“Motivation” - Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne

“Made Men” - Rick Ross feat. Drake

“M-Town” - Yo Gotti “Light Up” - Drake feat. Jay Z

“In the Morning” - J. Cole feat. Drake

“Feel Love” - Sean Garrett feat. J. Cole “You Got It” - J. Cole feat. Wale

CARL’S SUMMERTIME PLAYLIST

“I Smile” - Kirk Franklin

“Tupac Back” - Rick Ross feat. Meek Mill

“The Lazy Song” - Bruno Mars

“In Da Club” - Canton Jones

Motivation - Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne

“Sure Thing” - Miguel

“I’m On One” – DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Lil

Wayne, Rick Ross

“Down On Me” - Jeremih feat. 50 Cent

“All I Do Is Win” - DJ Khaled

“Int’l Players Anthem” – UGK feat. Outkast

“The Edge of Glory” - Lady Gaga

“Eye of the Tiger” - Survivor

I can’t believe the Beastie Boys are still around! I remember hearing “Fight for Your Right” when I was just a little kid. This is their eighth studio album, with some of the old Beastie Boys flavor while sampling some new styles. The album ranges from punk to rap to rock. I really like “Too Many Rappers” featuring Nas. “Long Burn The Fire” sounds more like their old stuff. They have certainly earned their respect over the years and are still solid. And if you have a chance, check out the promo video “Fight for Your Right (Revisited)” on Hulu, with tons of celebrity cameos. Good wishes to MCA, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009.

The Beastie Boys are a little before my time. I know a little of their history and have heard some of the more popular, earlier music. With that said, I was very interested in reviewing an album to see what these legends had in store. The first impression is that the Beastie Boys stay true to who they are, B-Boy hip hop. “Make Some Noise” starts off the album with an extremely uptempo track. Typical Beastie Boy sound, the guys have unmistakable voices and delivery. I liked “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win” and it was great to hear the collaboration with Nas on “Too Many Rappers.” My only problem with Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 is that the music can be a little too busy and sometimes distracting. The sound can overwhelm the vocals at times and make it difficult to understand the lyrics. I know this is somewhat of a trademark for the Beastie crew, but it makes it tough for me to get 100 percent into the music.

Beastie Boys

Hot Sauce Committee Part 2

Raphael Saadiq

Stone Rollin’

CARL LANDRY

TRIPLE DOUBLE

THADDEUS YOUNG

+223��7ULS'XE�LQGG�� 30

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the goods

CheCK It

Apple iPad 2The folks at Cupertino changed the game with the release of the iPad and the follow-up to it merely cements the notion that a tablet device can be a replacement to most people’s basic computing needs. The ridiculously intuitive device improves on the original by being lighter and thinner, beefing up the processing speed under the hood and adding in a front-facing camera for facetime chatting. Also new is the Smart Cover, a simple, yet ingenious cover that hooks on via magnets and doubles up as a stand for the unit and a way to elegantly put the device to sleep.

$829 (for the pictured 64GB WiFi + 3G model) $39 (iPad Smart Cover)

ESPN 30 for 30 Vol. 2The second part of the Worldwide Leader in Sports’ set of sports documentaries come bundled together in a six-disc DVD set (also available on Blu-ray) that includes three hours of bonus content (deleted scenes, extended interviews, trailers and director commentaries). Of the 15 films in the set, two notables include: Jordan Rides the Bus (about Michael Jordan’s brief foray playing minor-league baseball) and Once Brothers (about the relationship between Croatian Drazen Petrovic and Serbian Vlade Divac that was torn apart by political and ethnic strife).

$74.95

Apple TV Apple’s svelte streaming box is nothing new. The tiny (about 4-inch x 1-inch) box can do the usual for entry-level media streamers: shuttle your iTunes, Netflix, YouTube and photos to your TV, but new to the mix is the ability to stream NBA League Pass Broadband onto the big screen at 720p high-def goodness. You can opt to go with a wired approach (Ethernet) or wireless (802.11n) and HDMI brings it all to your HDTV. We usually gloss over the stock remote controls, but Apple’s included one-piece aluminum-shrouded remote is, like most things Apple, an elegant solution.

$99

Dyson Air Multiplier Tower FanIf you’re to believe the folks at Dyson, fans with traditional blades are so uncivil, what with an old-time propeller chopping up air in clunky waves. The Air Multiplier is akin to a wheel-less car, using their bladeless approach to smoothly push air to cool. The lack of blades means little Johnny and Jenny won’t lop any curious fingers off, there’s no dust-collecting parts to clean and it’ll capture the attention of anyone who comes across it. An analog dial means you can fine-tune the power of the fan and 90-degree oscillation disperses air accordingly.

$449.99

Wet Circuits Power StripSummer means bringing the indoors out. Devices like TVs, stereo systems and projectors find their way to the backyard and with it, the need for power strips. It also means an additional hazard as poolside splashes, water gun sprays and spilled beverages and power cords don’t make for a good mix. Alleviate concerns with the Wet Circuits power strip that can prevent electrical shocks from water contact. In addition, the power strip features overheating protection and protects against electric shock from insertion of metal objects into the outlets.

$70

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Black & Decker Steam-MopFloor cleaning could mean doing it OG style with a bucket of soapy water, a mop and plenty of elbow grease from wringing it out. Or it can be filling up the B&D Steam Mop’s chamber with tap water, attaching a washable microfiber pad and harnessing the power of hot steam to power away the grime and disinfect surfaces. The mop is good for wood, tile and laminate floors (a dial controls the steam output for each floor type), and has a quick power-up time of just 15 seconds and a built-in filter for areas with hard water.

$89.99

V-Moda Crossfade LP CustomYour one-of-a-kind playlist of Rebecca Black, Rick Ross and Neil Diamond demands that you listen to it from headphones as unique as your musical tastes itself. Rather than looking like the masses of white ear buds or similar headphones, V-Moda can help you trick out your own set of Crossfade LP. The options include a palette of colors, metal plates and laser-engraved designs or words on a set of over-the-ear headphones that deliver deep lows and vibrant midranges with high-def clarity. The headphones’ lightweight and memory foam ear cushions ensures extended wear without fatigue and the steel frame and Kevlar-reinforced cables provides durability. The in-line microphone/remote allows phone call management and volume and playback control. It also comes with a snazzy exoskeleton case (not pictured) that handsomely houses the headphones.

$199.99

Conair iStubbleFor those sporting the not-quite-clean/not-quite-beard look, the iStubble is a device with the five o’clock shadow in mind. The motorized length control system can adjust the cutting length from 0.4 mm to 5 mm (shown on the digital LCD display), a floating contoured head guides along the nooks and crannies of your face and the rechargeable unit means wire-free operation.

$68.99

Dell Streak 7For those in love with their Android-based smartphone and wished for a bigger experience, Dell has come up with the Streak 7. A 7-inch tablet based on the quickly growing Android platform, the Streak 7 has a few good things going for it. The dual-core 1GHz processor gives the Streak 7 a very snappy user experience, flicking from page to page is almost instantaneous and apps launch and run quickly and video playback is excellent. The one glaring (a fitting word) is the screen. Using it under bright sunlight or overhead lights will mean fighting a huge glare that washes out the display, and on that note, the Streak 7’s paltry 800 x 480 left images and video looking less sharp than what it could’ve been. We got about 5-6 hours of use on a charge, which could’ve been better. But on the positive note, the Streak 7 comes with three iPad-killing features: a SD card slot for expandable storage, tethering capabilities so you can share your device’s data connection and a very friendly price point.

$149.99 (requires data contract)

DYMO LabelManager PnPAdmittedly, when this came across our desk, we were far from impressed. Label makers are nothing new and certainly nothing exciting, but the LabelManager impressed us in its sheer simplicity. You take it out, plug the USB cable in (it’s powered via USB), your computer (PC and Mac compatible) detects it like any USB device, you launch the software (no need to install anything) and you type and print your label using whatever system fonts you have. It’s perfect for the obsessive-compulsive organizer who doesn’t have the time or know-how to deal with complicated set-ups.

$59.99

Where to Buy:

Apple iPad 2 and Apple TV, applestore.com; Wet Circuits Power Strip, wetcircuits.com; Conair

iStubble, conair.com; DYMO LabelManager PnP, dymo.com; Black & Decker Steam Mop,

blackanddecker.com; Dyson Air Multiplier Tower Fan, dyson.com; V-Moda Crossfade LP Custom

v-moda.com; Dell Streak 7, tmobile.com; ESPN 30 for 30 Vol. 2, amazon.com

HOOP0506-Goods.indd 53 6/23/11 2:52 PM

HOOP054

OFFICIAL GOODS

1. NBA Marvel

HeadwearNew Era’s NBA Marvel

line combines Marvel’s

legendary superheroes—The

Incredible Hulk, Spider-

Man, Iron Man and others—

with team logos of the NBA.

The visor graphic for each

hat features an image of

the Marvel superheroes in

NBA team colors. These

caps come in both adult

and kids sizes and are

available at NBAStore.com,

marvelstore.com, Lids and

shop.neweracap.com.

$34.99

2. Team Grill

NBA Patio Series

Game Day GrillCook up whatever it is

you desire with the Team

Grill NBA Patio Series

Game Day grill. The three

stainless steel tube burners

and porcelain-coated

grates are sure to cook

your food perfectly, while

the side shelves extend

for additional preparation

room. The high-quality finish

cleans easily and is weather

resistant.

$899.99

3. NBA Marvel

T-ShirtsC-Life provides another

element of the NBA’s

collaboration with Marvel.

Designed for fans of all

ages, this t-shirt collection

features your favorite

team’s name and logo,

paired up with comic-book

superheroes dressed in

team colors. Each oversized

bold graphic is screen-

printed on the chest.

Available at NBAStore.com,

JC Penney and Champs

Sports.

$23.99

4. Spalding NBA

Game Ball Series

NEVERFLAT BallNever lose air during your

next pick-up game with

Spalding’s NEVRFLAT

basketball. The indoor/

outdoor composite leather

basketball with Nitroflate

technology, is guaranteed

to stay fully inflated for a

year—10 times longer than

traditional basketballs.

Available at sporting goods

retailers.

$39.99

5. NBA Digi SocksYou may recall these socks

from the All-Star Friday

and Saturday Night events

during NBA All-Star 2011.

The For Bare Feet Digi-Fade

crew sock is crafted with

an all-over printed pattern in

six different colorways and

is finished with an official

NBA logoman on the cuff.

Available at

NBAStore.com and

Champs Sports.

$11.99

1

2

3

4

5

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GEAR

CHECK IT

adidas

Crazy Light$100

weight (size 9): 9.8 oz.

We understand the logic behind adidas choosing the “Crazy” moniker to its

revolutionary basketball shoe. When you pick it up for the first time, one of the

words that come to mind is exactly that; that’s how light the shoe is. To put it in

perspective, the Crazy Light weighs roughly the same as two iPhones, a little less

than half the weight of an official NBA basketball and almost an ounce under Nike’s

lightest basketball shoe, the Zoom Kobe VI (as demonstrated in those web ads that

has adidas slicing/chopping/hacking the competition’s shoes). The shoe weighs in

at 9.8 ounces, making it the first sub-10-ounce basketball shoe in the market.

Unlike some shoes where it’s designed first and then weight is pared off of it,

the Crazy Light’s genesis had lightweight in mind. Much of it was accomplished

through adidas’ Sprint Web, a light, yet strong exoskeleton that makes up the

upper of the shoe. Cut-outs on the Sprint Web were made judiciously to pare

more weight down while keeping the integrity of the shoe intact. The end result

is much like a web, a relatively strong structure that requires minimal material to

create. Bonded to the Sprint Web is nylon mesh that serves as reinforcement and

to provide ventilation. The other component to the Crazy Light is the Sprint Frame

that is a one-piece heel counter and midfoot support that locks the foot in and

provides energy return.

Speaking with the lead designer of the Crazy Light, Robbie Fuller, he went into

how no small detail of a shoe was overlooked when it came to engineering it for

maximum lightness. Even taken-for-granted details like eyelets and shoelaces were

scrutinized in the process. It didn’t make the final cut, but a prototype version of

the CL had these “hollow” shoelaces that were loosely woven tensile strands that

were designed to shave even more ounces. But according to Fuller, they were

scrapped from the final version due to durability issues. And like the Air Jordan

2011, the CL comes with a choice of two insoles to customize the experience.

One insole is the “Crazy Light” for, you guessed it, maximum weight reduction and

“Crazy Comfort” for a more padded ride.

Upon first lacing up the shoes, the lightweight sensation is felt immediately,

especially if you’re used to wearing a 13-ounce-or-heavier shoe. It feels almost like

wearing sandals or having a basketball midsole/outsole bonded to the bottom of

your feet. And speaking of the outsole, the traction surprised us. From looking at

it, the pedestrian-looking outsole pattern didn’t instill much confidence, but it’s one

of the better performing ones we’ve tested recently, providing a nice stickiness to

the court. Those looking for low-profile and responsive shoes will be glad to hear

that the shoe has great “feel” to the floor. Coupled with the traction, hard cuts and

changes of direction will not be a problem for the CL. That said, the cushioning is

a bit lacking, but it’s not to say not good enough. For the smaller player, the small

sacrifice of shock absorption is well worth the trade-off for explosiveness. A bigger

player, however, might not see this as a good compromise. As for ventilation, the

360 mesh cutouts leaves your feet feeling like a sleeping with the windows open

on a cool spring night.

The one drawback to the shoe, and potentially a big one depending on the

particular wearer, is the stability of the shoe. The Sprint Web upper, while strong,

might not be suitable for a big man. In our testing, the smaller players had almost no

issues with it, while the bigger players felt a lack of security on the foot during lateral

movements. This is less a blemish on the shoe than it is a warning to bigger players.

We were excited when we first heard about the Crazy Light and after testing

we walked away impressed. No, it’s far from being a versatile shoe for everyone

(that shoe has yet to be created), but for a smaller player looking for light and fast,

adidas really got very close to a perfect shoe for them. But at $130, it’s certainly

not cheap. Considering it’s the lightest shoe in the game with the high price tag,

pound-for-pound, this easily makes the Crazy Light the most expensive basketball

shoe—the saffron of b-ball kicks. Nevertheless, it’s adidas’ best effort in a while,

and we just hope it’s a signal for more great innovation and creativity in the

basketball shoe game to come.—Ming Wong #2

Construction:

Comfort:

Playability:

Value:

Style:

Innovation:

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HOOP056 HOOP056

Jordan

Play In These F$115

Weight (size 9): 14.8 oz.

The Jordan Play In These F was the go-to model for Jordan Brand members

such as Gerald Wallace, Ray Allen and Joe Johnson during the first round

of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Its mid-cut, ridged-side panel look is something

very unique that we have not seen from Jordan Brand in terms of aesthetics.

Although it is classified as a lightweight sneaker, the Jordan Play In These

features a bulky build, and this is a testament to how the shoe plays. It owns a

very sturdy, firm wear, which gives way to very little flexibility. There is not much

room for one’s foot to maneuver in the shoe, which can positively aid comfort

on the court or decrease one’s ability to move freely. Nevertheless, the Jordan

Play In These does possess a maximum, snug fit and the ever-so-comfortable

Podulon cushioning, which is one of the main characteristics in Chris Paul’s

high-performing Jordan CP3.IV. Another interesting attribute on the Jordan

Play In These is the supreme amount of breathability it owns. A snug-fitting

shoe usually ranks very low in the breathability column; however, Jordan Brand

incorporated a limitless amount of perforations throughout the side panels

and toe area eliminating the sweat factor after playing a number of games.

Although the Jordan Play In These fits very snug, the smothering feeling was

non-existent thanks to the previously mentioned perforations.

The hardened rubber outsole, along with the herringbone pattern on the

outsole, provides the wearer with a great amount of traction in multiple

directions; but the bulky feel again keeps one from feeling explosive in this

shoe at times.

The Jordan Play In These F is definitely a peculiar shoe in terms of aesthetics

and performance capabilities. Jordan Brand incorporated a very interesting

look on this shoe and put a lot of focus into the extreme grip and breathability

columns. One of these qualities is usually the benefactor of the other’s inability

to exist, but the Play In These oddly ranks high in both categories. It is not the

most comfortable of shoes and may be a bit low in value considering its $115

price tag.—George Kiel III #15

Construction:

Comfort:

Playability:

Value:

Style:

Innovation:

Nike

Zoom Hyperfuse

2011$100

Weight (size 9): 12.25 oz.

The Zoom Hyperfuse made its debut last year and was met with positive

reviews, including our seal of approval. Inspired by outdoor basketball in China,

the Zoom Hyperfuse makes for a very versatile shoe. I keep a pair in the office

and in the car for impromptu pick-up opportunities.

The follow-up doesn’t stray too far from the original (it even has the same

weight). The fused upper is basically the same. Ditto for the tongue and

midsole/outsole. The two big changes lie in the ankle collar of the shoe and

the midfoot area on the lateral side. The 2011 moves away from the more

padded ankle collar and adds in additional support in the midfoot with some

stiff reinforcement material (where the Swoosh lies). We’re not sure if either

change was prompted by any issues with the 2010 as we didn’t have any

problem with either area when we reviewed the shoe.

As expected, on the court, there was little deviation from the 2010 and

2011—which is a good thing. Nike knew it had a winning formula with the

original and stayed close to it. The fit remains as snug even for the narrowest

of feet, thanks in part to the Hyperfuse material’s foot-molding properties. The

Zoom Air supplies low-profile responsiveness, making this an ideal shoe for

the nimble player. We were a initially disappointed in seeing the same outsole

pattern as we experienced some minor sliding in the 2010, but we had no

issues this time around.

We’re giving the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 high marks, but we’re not

recommending it. For those who like the tweaked look of the 2011 or

absolutely have to have the latest kicks, buy it, as you won’t be disappointed.

But for those with a limited sneaker budget, we recommend you pick up a

pair of the 2010 instead since it’s so similar in performance. There’ll be more

colorways to be had and you’ll likely be able to find it marked down.—#2

Construction:

Comfort:

Playability:

Value:

Style:

Innovation:

GEAR

Where to Buy:

adidas Crazy Light (previous page): adidasbasketball.com

Jordan Play in These F; Fly Wade: jumpman23.com

Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011; LeBron 8 PS: nikebasketball.com

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Nike

LeBron 8 PS$150Weight (size 9): 14.5 oz.

The third part in the LeBron 8 trilogy, the PS stands for Post Season. The

reason behind the three-shoe approach was that LeBron wanted to start off

the season in a luxe ride (V1), then streamline things for the second half of

the season (V2) and then really go barebones for the title run (PS). Gone is

the heavy leather upper from the V1, the Flywire in the V2 is swapped out for

Hyperfuse construction and the 360 airbag in the V1/2 gets replaced with a

180 bag in the heel coupled with full length Zoom in the forefoot. A carbon

fiber midfoot arch transitions the 180 Air in the heel to Zoom in the forefoot.

The result is a nice mix of speed and responsiveness with big man cushioning

in the rear—much like LeBron’s game.

The other new wrinkle in the shoe is the Hyperfuse upper. It cuts down on

material, thus making it lighter, but at the sacrifice of fit. Because the shoe is

a bit wide in the toe box, those with narrow feet might experience pinching in

the front when laced tight. Yes, the Hyperfuse should mold to feet after some

time, but if you have very narrow feet, the PS might not be the best choice.

Performance-wise, the PS gets high marks. It’s a heavy shoe, but it doesn’t

feel plodding, especially when compared to the V1 and V2. Cushioning as

touched upon earlier is where the PS shines. Ventilation is a close second as

the Hyperfuse upper provides ample cooling. The one complaint to the shoe

would be the traction. Overall, it’s fine, but when making sharp cuts or turning

corners, there would be some slippage along the medial and lateral sides.

The PS does feel like a different shoe from the previous in the series, while

remaining close enough to the original. Of the three, we still like the V2 the

best as it was the perfect medium. The V1 and the PS seem like opposite

extremes of the LeBron 8. Call us Goldilocks.—#2

Construction:

Comfort:

Playability:

Value:

Style:

Innovation:

CHECK IT

Jordan

Fly Wade$140

Weight (size 9): 13 oz.

Everything seems to be getting lighter these days in regards to performance

basketball shoes. Recently, Jordan Brand made sure it was apart of the

lightweight craze by introducing Dwyane Wade’s first Jordan signature shoe, the

Jordan Fly Wade. Although we have witnessed a ton of lightweight sneakers from

the brand, this shoe instantly becomes the lightest Jordan basketball sneaker

ever created (13 oz.). At first thought, it seems a little odd for Jordan Brand to

make an extremely lightweight shoe for a player like Dwyane Wade considering

his physical, rugged approach to the game of basketball. However, the Jordan Fly

Wade possesses a very unique mixture of lightweight synthetics, durability and

explosiveness to coincide with Flash’s aggressive style of play. Usually, extremely

lightweight sneakers are built for finesse and a perimeter-oriented game. Yet, the

Jordan Fly Wade’s combination of a Nike Zoom unit in the forefoot and a Max Air

unit in the heel provides the wearer with unmatched responsiveness and impact

protection. When lacing this shoe up, one will immediately notice the springy

footbed surface in addition to the almost weightless construction this shoe owns.

These aspects, along with the close-to-the-foot attribute, make this shoe feel as if

nothing is covering you foot. Basketball has evolved into a more athletic, speedy

competition, so it is very important to not lose seconds if possible. The Jordan Fly

Wade’s uncanny ability to provide a weightless feel with an encapsulating grip of

the foot definitely aids those who rely on their athleticism as an advantage.

The Jordan Fly Wade has a very slim, confined construction, which can be a

positive or negative depending on the wearer’s foot shape. Therefore, versatility

from a position standpoint can be a bit of a concern. It seems more guard-ready

than any other position.

The upgraded herringbone traction element proves more to the fact that this

shoe is designed for the quicker athletes that rely on speed and deception on

the perimeter. Jordan Brand also added an aesthetic side to the traction by

incorporating an elephant print design throughout the outsole.

The overall construction of the shoe will not grab your attention instantly. At a

first glance, it seems to borrow a few characteristics we have seen on past team

Jordan models, but, as stated earlier, the Jordan Fly Wade is one of the better

performing sneakers on the market currently, even at $140.—#15

+223��*HDU�LQGG�� 30

wear

Kidrobot $40

Nike $25

Nike $25

LRG $28

Sportiqe $28

Sportiqe $28

Nike $25

HOOP058

HOOP0506-Wear.indd 58 6/23/11 3:03 PM

Jordan $32

Junk Food $32

Nike $25

Reebok $30

Jordan $32

Nike $25

Kidrobot $40

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CHeCK IT

HOOP0506-Wear.indd 59 6/23/11 3:03 PM

wear

Nike $25

Junk Food $32

We Are The Process $25

LRG $28

adidas Originals $35

We Are The Process $25

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HOOP0506-Wear.indd 60 6/23/11 3:03 PM

Jordan $32

Converse $48

Kidrobot $40

Sportiqe $28

Nike $25

Converse $48

HOOP 061

CHeCK IT

HOOP0506-Wear.indd 61 6/23/11 3:03 PM

(Clockwise from top) Reebok RealFlex

Run, $89.98; Reebok x Swizz Beatz

Kamikaze III, $99.99; Rockport,

Berkeley Place Boat, $140; Modus

Optimus, $295; LRG Clear Cut

Woven, $56

wear

HOOP062

HOOP0506-Wear.indd 62 6/23/11 3:04 PM

(Clockwise from top) Vans Thurso, $65;

Reebok CL Leather Ultralite Packable,

$80; adidas Originals Azzie Lo Textile,

$75; New Balance Custom 574, $114.95

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CHeCK IT

HOOP0506-Wear.indd 63 6/23/11 3:04 PM

(Clockwise from top) Converse Chuck

Taylor All-Star Premium, $110; Vans

Rata Vulc, $40; LRG, Trees Company

Woven, $56; Nike Sportswear, Dunk

Hi $82

wear

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HOOP0506-Wear.indd 64 6/23/11 3:04 PM

(Clockwise from top) Reebok

CL Leather Ultralite, $69.99;

New Era 9FIFTY Snapbacks,

$24.99; Nike Sportswear

Dunk Hi Hyperfuse, $150; Nike

Sportswear Air Force 1, $88

Where to Buy:

adidas Originals: shoporiginals.com; Converse: converse.com; Jordan:

jumpman23.com; Junk Food: junkfoodclothing.com; Kidrobot: kidrobot.

com; LRG: l-r-g.com; Modus: moduswatch.com; New Balance:

shopnewbalance.com; New Era: neweracap.com; Nike: nikestore.com;

Reebok: reebok.com; Rockport: rockport.com; Sportiqe: sportiqe.com; Vans:

vans.com; We Are The Process: wearetheprocess.com;

HOOP 065

CHeCK IT

HOOP0506-Wear.indd 65 6/23/11 3:05 PM

HOOP066

STEP BACK BY JERAMIE MCPEEK #4

AND

REW

D. B

ERNSTEIN

/NBAE/G

ETTY IMAG

ES

June 7, 1995: HOUSTON ROCKETS vs. ORLANDO MAGIC, 1995 Finals, Game 1

After winning the 1994 NBA Championship, the Houston Rockets won just 47 games in 1994-95 and entered the playoffs as the sixth seed.

Despite their playoff position, the Rockets defeated the 60-win Utah Jazz, 59-win Phoenix Suns and the 62-win San Antonio Spurs, who were led by the 1995 MVP David Robinson, to return to the Finals.

The Rockets acquired a tag-team partner for their All-NBA center midway through the season when they traded for All-Star guard Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon’s former “Phi Slama Jama” teammate from the University of Houston.

Shortly after the 1995 Finals, Olajuwon and O’Neal were featured in an advertising campaign for Taco Bell. In the commercials, produced by Spike Lee, the two All-Star centers rode a tandem bike together.

The Orlando Magic defeated Boston (3-1), Chicago (4-2), which had recently welcomed back Michael Jordan out of retirement, and Indiana (4-3) to reach the Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Houston had averaged 86 points a game in the 1994 NBA Finals to defeat the Knicks, but put up 114 a game in the ’95 Finals vs. Orlando.

The Rockets defeated the teams with the four best records in the NBA in ’94-95.

Hakeem Olajuwon recorded 35 points and 15 boards in Game 4, and was unanimously named the Finals MVP, joining Jordan as the only person to have earned the honor in back-to-back years.

Houston also took Game 2 in Orlando, the Rockets’ seventh straight road win of the postseason and ninth overall, both new NBA Playoff records.

Games 3 and 4 of the Finals were held in Houston at The Summit, which today is known as Lakewood Church. The Rockets played in the building from 1975 to 2003, before moving into the Toyota Center.

The Rockets became the lowest seeded team in NBA history to win a championship and did so in dramatic fashion by sweeping the Magic.

The Magic also boasted second-year guard Penny Hardaway, who contributed 20.7 points, 7.2 assists and 4.4 boards a game in ’94-95.

The 1995 Finals tipped off at the Orlando Arena, where the Magic ran out to an early 20-point, second-quarter lead. The Rockets showed the heart of champions, however, and fought back to force overtime and pull out a 120-118 road victory.

Rockets guard Kenny Smith hit a Finals-record seven three-pointers in the Game 1 win, including the three that forced OT with 1.6 seconds left.

The NBA’s senior photographer, Andrew D. Bernstein, joined the League in 1983 and has his images featured in thousands of magazines, as well as a number of books. He is also one of only four photographers whose work is on permanent exhibit in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

The NBA’s highest-scoring team, Orlando (110.9 ppg), was led by Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA’s scoring champion, who averaged 29.3 points along with 11.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in his third pro season.

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