HOOP March April 2015

Russell Westbrook

The Dirty South: Grizzlies or Hawks?

MAR/APR 2015

PAINS Anthony Davis has blossomed to MVP proportions and IS putting the hurt on everyone else.

Kobe Hoops.indd All Pages

2/3/15 10:04 AM

WARM UPS

Miami’s Hassan Whiteside unequivocally impeded this dunk attempt by Houston’s Joey Dorsey.

BILL BAPTIST/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

WARM UPS

Pound-for-pound, Russell Westbrook is one of the most violent dunkers in the game. You can practically sense the rim bracing itself for impact.

LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Driving to get her daily DQ® fx, though you’re lactose intolerant.

Hearing her giggle when you say: Play episode “Natural Hair for Newbies.”

* Available feature. DQ is a trademark of Am. D.Q. Corp. and used with permission. ©2015 Ford Motor Company.

Having all your daughter’s radio stations programmed.

Taking your little genius to the library.

Loving your baby girl’s music and hating yourself for it.

It might be your Fusion, but it’s on your daughter’s schedule.

2015 FUSION + HYBRID with MyFord Touch® powered by SYNC ® *

C H A R G E D B Y B E L I E F. Stephen Curry’s path wasn’t lined with people saying he was great. He had to rely on the Will, Skill, and Belief inside him. Grinding every day…shot after shot after shot.

AND NOW, HE’S WRITING HIS OWN STORY.

©2015 NBAE. Photos by NBAE/Getty Images.

All rights reserved.

WARM UPS

DeAndre Jordan seems to average at least one posterizing dunk a season. The 2014-15 one will feature San Antonio’s Marco Belinelli.

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Travel to your heart’s content – the ref won’t mind.

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WARM UPS

Zach LaVine paid tribute to Michael Jordan’s Space Jam earlier in the night of his electrifying showing at the Slam Dunk Contest.

Here he is looking very much like he’s in space on his way to the dunk crown.

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Catch every jump shot of your favorite NBA teams plus 24/7 news and expert analysis on SiriusXM NBA Radio. With over 140 channels, including commercial-free music, plus the best sports, news, talk and entertainment, SiriusXM® makes every moment feel like the greatest one yet.

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Details: The subscription plan you choose will automatically renew and you will be charged according to your chosen payment method at then-current rates. Fees and taxes apply. To cancel you must call us at 1-866-635-2349. See our Customer Agreement for complete terms at www.siriusxm.com. All fees and programming subject to change. © 2015 Sirius XM Radio Inc. Sirius, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. All other marks, channel names and logos are the property of their respective owners. The NBA and NBA member team identifications are the intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams. © 2015 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved.

MAR/APR 2015

THE GAMEPLAN

FEATURES

46 Uni-versal Appeal For the frst few years of Anthony Davis’ young career, he was known more for his (pun warning) eye-catching, unibrowed look. This year, Davis’ game has upstaged his trademark facial hair. In just his third season, the future looks very bright for Davis. We look beyond the brow.

64 Serving Notice

38 Dirty South The NBA has long been divided into two hemispheres of East and West, but this season the South—namely the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies—is making plenty of noise, giving the rest of the League plenty of Southern inhospitality whenever they face them.

So good are the Hawks and Grizzlies, it’s a distinct possibility that this year’s Finals could be a dirty affair.

Jimmy Butler needs a day off. Ever since he picked up a basketball, the only thing Butler has known is work: working to prove he’s good enough to make the high school team, working to show he belonged in a Division I program, working to earn minutes as an NBA pro. All the toil has proved to be worthwhile: Butler was an All-Star this season. Naturally, he’s still hard at work.

72 Invinceability With all respect to the many legendary dunkers who have graced the Slam Dunk Contest, none have turned in a performance like the one Vince Carter unveiled at the 2000 contest. Like an episode of Scandal, Carter took the basketball world through a rousing journey full of unexpected twists, leaving the audience unsure of what would come next and leaving them wanting more. Carter, along with a few lucky individuals who witnessed the feat frsthand, relive the contest that still leaves mouths agape.

56 Twirling His Mustache Matt Barnes has always preferred to let his game do the talking—even if that means he’s hated by the opposition while the media and fans paint him as a villain. Barnes will gladly wear the black hat, knowing full well that his teammates love him, his teams win and his on-court heel persona is not refective of who he really is as a person.

Poster DeMarcus Cousins literally puts Jae Crowder on a poster; Cousins’ boss Shaquille O’Neal gets the fipside.

Cover photo shot exclusively by Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images.

015

THE GAME PLAN MAR/APR 2015 DEPARTMENTS

2 Warm Ups 18 The Point 20 Jumpball Starting Five: Shawn Marion gives his thoughts on the best co-stars to all his Matrix seasons; Transition Game: The maturation of LaMarcus Aldridge; Dance Life: Toronto Raptors Dance Pak’s Nina; Check Yo Man: The impossible task of trying to stop Russell Westbrook; First Five: Gorgui Dieng, Mike Conley, Dennis Schröder, Khris Middleton, Kelly Olynyk; First Ride: Damian Lillard’s frst car cost him one-and-a-half stacks and a PlayStation 2; Head2Head: The battle between two former Defensive Player of the Year centers in Dwight Howard and Joakim Noah; Numerology: The 123s of the NBA; Celeb Row: Funny man Hannibal Buress talks about his experiences at NBA arenas; Brackit: Debating the greatest All-Star MVP performance.

36 24 Seconds with Draymond Green

The do-it-all Dub who wears #23 sits down to answer our line of 24 questions.

94 Stepback 83 Check-It Spin Moves: Marcin Gortat gets medieval on his entertainment choices; The Goods: Home theater on a budget; Gear: A review of the three latest signature shoes (Kyrie 1, Curry One and D Lillard 1) bestowed upon a trio of elite point guards, along with a modern classic (Futurestar) and the 10th iteration of a legend’s shoe (Kobe X); Gear Check: A roundup of running shoes to pound the pavement with and a look at how Damian Lillard got blessed with his frst signature sneaker.

The greatness of the John Stockton-to-Karl Malone connection.

96 Call-Out The many good deeds that took place during All-Star.

016

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2015 GLA 250 4MATIC® shown in Mountain Grey metallic paint with optional equipment. Vehicle available September 2014. *COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system provides 60% braking power up to a certain speed. ©2014 Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC For more information, call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES, or visit MBUSA.com.

THE POINT BONUS POINTS 1. The term that was used to sum up the unpredictable and possibly doom-flled turn of the century seems prehistoric now.

2. At 40, Nash is the oldest player in the NBA. 3. Whose game as a 24-year-old rookie in 1999 isn’t too different from the 39-yearold version.

4. The one exception on this list, Duncan looks like he can go another few seasons.

5. His spirit and moxie might be the same as his 19-year-old self in 1995, but his body isn’t.

6. Don’t sleep on Vince, he can still dunk on anyone at 38.

7. Technically, the 37-year-old made his NBA debut in 2002, but was drafted in ’99.

8. The 37-year-old Terry has supplanted himself as this generation’s “Microwave” with about 18K career points primarily off the bench.

9. The Truth speaks for himself: 25K points, four All-NBA teams, a Finals MVP and 10 All-Star selections.

10. After Nowitzki’s questionable rookie season, there was plenty of doubt whether he’d survive another few NBA seasons, let alone 16 years as one of the most decorated players ever.

11. It’s absolute robbery that the versatile Marion has never been selected to an All-Defensive Team.

12. If you count his deep postseason runs, maniacal practices and fanatical workouts, Kobe has played like 40 NBA seasons.

13. This doesn’t even account for recently departed guys like Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady, Chris Webber, Yao Ming and Grant Hill.

14. I’m almost sure I left off a key name.

Forgive me.

15. What Wizards years?

16. Along with Kevin Love and some guy named LeBron James.

17. Other last rites: a dunk for VC, Dirk’s one-legged jumper, KG baseline J and Kobe 25-foot fadeaway jumper over three guys.

18. I’m not giving up on you, DRose.

19. Get better, Chris.

20. If this were the Oscars, the music would be playing to shoo me off my soapbox right about now.

This season has felt like a transitional one.

All the stars who made their debut in the ’90s are making their fnal victory lap.

Pre-Y2K1 dudes like Steve Nash,2 Andre Miller,3 Tim Duncan,4 Kevin Garnett,5 Vince Carter,6 Manu Ginobili,7 Jason Terry,8 Paul Pierce9, Dirk Nowitzki,10 Shawn Marion11 and Kobe Bryant12 are fading into the sunset.

With them will go: more than 240,000 points, 88,000 rebounds and 57,000 assists; 20 championship rings, seven Finals MVPs, seven MVPs, 67 AllNBA selections, 38 All-Defensive Team selections, two Sixth Man of the Year trophies, a pair of Rookie of the Years, a Defensive Player of the Year and 92 AllStar appearances.13 While it may seem like a huge void, it’s no bigger than the one these guys flled when they supplanted the previous generation of stars, headlined by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson.14 While it was sad to see Jordan leave in 199815 and it is sad to see Kobe on his way out, there’s always new talent ready to make its own mark in the game. Our covers this season have refected that, beginning with Kyrie Irving,16 followed

by Stephen Curry and now Anthony Davis. And they’re not alone: 25-and-unders John Wall, Damian Lillard, James Harden, DeMarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Andrew Wiggins, Andre Drummond, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Gordon Hayward, Eric Bledsoe, Brad Beal, Kemba Walker and Giannis Antetokounmpo will all help do their part propping up the League long after Duncan’s fnal bank shot or Pierce’s last stepback elbow jumper hits the bottom of the net.17 And let’s not forget the current crop of perennial All-Stars that will bridge the gap: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Blake Griffn, Derrick Rose,18 Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh,19 LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau and Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Z-Bo…20 The faces may change, but the show goes on.

Volume 43, No. 3

Editor-in-Chief Ming Wong #2 Design Director Kengyong Shao #31 Online Editor Darryl Howerton #21 Editor-at-Large Jeramie McPeek #4 Copy Editor Trevor Kearney #8 WNBA Editor Lois Elfman #40 Senior Writer Michael Bradley #53 Contributing Writers Russ Bengtson #43, Seth Berkman #91, Alex Bracetti #44, Frank Capa #28, Christopher Cason #24, Jon Cooper #10, Jim Eichenhofer #12, Anthony Gilbert #1, Brian A. Giuffra #17, Jarrel Harris #3, Melody Hoffman #34, Steve Hunt #29, Andy Jasner #27, Steven Lebron #88, Holly MacKenzie #32, Brett Mauser #25, Branden Peters #63, Duane Watson #7, Terrence Watson #24 Illustrator Matt Candela #52 Retired Numbers #6, #11, #13, #30, #99

Professional Sports Publications 519 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018 Tel: (212) 697-1460 Fax: (646) 753-9480 Executive VP Operations Jeff Botwinick Executive VP, Business Development Martin Lewis Executive VP, Sales Steve Farkas Executive VP, Sales Mitch Gibbs Executive VP, Team Relations Dave Gerschwer Executive Administrative Director Julie Wong Manager, Marketing Services Aron Sawyer Production Manager Jaime Ziegler

NBA Publishing/NBA Photos President and Executive Producer, Content Danny Meiseles Senior VP Content, Production Paul Hirschheimer Senior VP, Entertainment & Player Marketing Charlie Rosenzweig Executive VP, Communications Mike Bass VP, Editorial & Daily Content John Hareas President, Global Operations and Merchandising Sal LaRocca Vice President, Global Merchandising Group Matt Holt Senior Coordinator, Global Merchandising Group Brandon Eddy Senior Coordinator, Global Merchandising Group Greg Brownstein Coordinator, Global Merchandising Group Wonnie Song Manager, Global Media Programs Felecia Groomster Senior Directors & Senior Offcial NBAE Photographers Andrew D. Bernstein, Nathaniel S. Butler Vice President, NBA Photos Joe Amati Director, Photos Imaging David Bonilla Offcial NBAE Photographer Jesse Garrabrant Senior Photo Editor Brian Choi Senior 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 bimonthly, December through June, by PSP. © 2015 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.

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JUMPBALL STARTING 5

AS TOLD TO JON COOPER #10

SHAWN MARION

POINT GUARD: JASON KIDD Teammates in Phoenix from 1999-2001, in Dallas from 2009-2012

Living up to a nickname isn’t easy and gets harder with each passing year. Yet for more than 15 seasons, Shawn Marion has been famous for, and lived up to, the hype of his nickname “The Matrix.”

The moniker was frst bestowed on him in his rookie season of 1999-00 by TNT analyst Kenny “The Jet” Smith, who was blown away by Marion’s

“He’s just a walking triple-double.

He’s one of those guys that defnitely can affect the game in a lot of different ways. I won a championship with J-Kidd.”

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

special effects-like game. Listed at 6-7, Marion, the ninth overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the ‘99 NBA Draft out of UNLV, has made a career of being largerthan-life—longer-than-life, actually—and taking full advantage defensively of arms that just seem to stretch and stretch and stretch as much as necessary.

The versatility and athleticism that have allowed Marion, a four-time All-Star, and versatile defender (even at 36) have resulted in his playing in the League for 16 years. He’s logged eight seasons with Phoenix (where he was part of fve 50-win teams and two of the franchise’s three 60-game winners), two with Miami, a stint in Toronto, fve with Dallas, where he won an NBA Championship in 2011 (coincidentally beating current teammate LeBron James) and Cleveland, where he currently resides and continues to add to his résumé.

In his career, Marion has fnished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding six times and in the top 10 in steals six straight years. On Dec. 26, 2014, at Orlando, he pulled down his 10,000th career rebound, making him only the 36th player (one of four active) to grab 10,000 rebounds and one of only eight to do so at 6-7 or shorter. The board made Marion the frst player in NBA history to score 15,000 points, grab 10,000 rebounds, block 1,000 shots and make 500 three-pointers.

He also is one of only four players ever to score 17,000 points, pull down 10,000 rebounds, make 1,500 steals and block 1,000 shots—the other three are current Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone and future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.

While Marion, the defensive stopper for the champion Mavericks in 2011, can do it all, he still appreciates his teammates and had a diffcult time narrowing down his starting fve from among the many teammates over his storied career.

SHOOTING GUARD: PENNY HARDAWAY. Teammates in Phoenix from 1999-2004 “I played with some good ones, but Penny [Hardaway], he was just GOOD [laughs]. What more can I say? I got a chance to experience some of his stuff. Even though when we started playing together it was later in his career and he started having some injuries, when he was healthy he was very good.”

CENTER: OLIVER MILLER Teammates in Phoenix in 1999-2000 AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE Teammates in Phoenix from 2002-2008 “They’re two different types of guys. Oliver, you just had to play with him to see. Amar’e because he’s more athletic and he was going to dunk on your butt. Oliver was very skilled.

He blocked shots. He didn’t even have to jump because his wingspan was so long. Amar’e was athletic. He protected the rim very well when he was healthy.”

020 GREGORY SHAMUS; GLENN JAMES; FERNANDO MEDINA; BARRY GOSSAGE; ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

SMALL FORWARD: LEBRON JAMES Current teammate in Cleveland “I gotta take LeBron. I’ve played with him on USA [Basketball] teams so I know. He was the toughest for me to guard because of his size. In the halfcourt it was a lot easier to contain him than in the open court.

When he’s in the open court and he has that full head of steam, he’s coming hard, he’s like a train, he’s like a locomotive.”

POWER FORWARD: SHAWN MARION “That’s easy [laughs].

I’d put myself at power forward. Me and Bron can alternate that position.

The four and the three can interchange. Me and LeBron can play either one. I guarded all of them. I guarded everybody. I would do everything. Whatever I need to do I can do it. It’s a very competitive League.

We have some great matchups in this League. I think there is great young talent but it’s definitely not the same as it was when I came in. It’s definitely a change of generations that’s happening right now.

It’s not the same. But it’s definitely exciting.”

TRANSITION GAME

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE

2006

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2015

WILD CARD: CLIFF ROBINSON Teammates in Phoenix from 1999-2001 “He was similar to me but he was bigger than me. He could play and guard every position, whoever you put on the floor.”

021 JEFF HAYNES; DAVID LIAM KYLE; ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN; TERRENCE VACARRO; SAM FORENCICH (3); RON HOSKINS; ROCKY WIDNER (2); JENNIFER POTTHEISER; /NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; BRUCE YEUNG; JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES

JUMP BALL is better at Barclays. The Knicks— the Garden is obviously a historic place—but it’s way more expensive for good seats at the Garden and it’s more of a corporate vibe at MSG. The DJ, the energy [at Barclays], feel a bit younger, it is a new stadium, that’s part of it. I just like the vibe at Barclays better. Last year the Nets—they’re not my team, I’m a Bulls fan—were putting a better product on the floor last year.

CELEB ROW

HANNIBAL BURESS When actor/comedian Hannibal Buress isn’t appearing on Comedy Central’s Broad City or making audiences lose it during his stand-up tour, there’s a good chance he’s at an NBA game, crossing another arena off his list. Becoming a basketball fan was inevitable for a kid growing up in Chicago during the Michael Jordan years. Getting to watch from courtside seats these days has only strengthened his appreciation. We recently spoke with Buress about his favorite sport, Barclays versus Madison Square Garden, and the best seat in the house.

You’re from Chicago, so this kind of feels like a dumb question to ask, but how did you become a basketball fan?

Uhh..[laughs] Yeeeah. Yeah. We had a really good basketball team when I was a kid. I played as a kid. I played in the third grade, fourth grade. Third through sixth grade, I played basketball and just watched it as a kid. As a kid in Chicago, Jordan, Scottie Pippen, all of those championships—that was a huge deal, so that’s how I initially got into basketball and learned about the game. As an adult over the past few years I’ve been able to learn more about the game and go to a lot of games. Whenever I’m in a city and I have a day off, I try to go to a game. I’ll go watch anybody. It doesn’t have to be a marquee matchup.

Favorite game you’ve attended and why?

Damn...man, I’ve gone to some Nets games and sat courtside and that’s been cool. I went to Nets-Thunder and in the lounge, I was there with my girlfriend and somebody from the Nets organization, when I wasn’t around, hollered at my girl. That made me mad...the Thunder crushed the Nets, and I was there courtside rooting against them.

You’ve been in New York for a few years, yeah? Do you go to Knicks games? It’s been a rough few years for basketball fans in New York.

I go to more Nets games because I live in Brooklyn. Also the vibe 022

What’s it like being able to sit in really good seats now?

It’s crazy. Up until sitting actual feet on wood, courtside, I sat the first few rows up and that’s amazing. You get to hear players talk to the refs, you get to see the game in a different way. To be honest, courtside isn’t the best way to view the mechanics of the game. As far as that, it would be like center court maybe 14 rows up or so. That’s a seat you can see plays developing, see screens and backdoor cuts, see stuff happening. See an alley-oop, see someone break open for an alley-oop before it really happens. It’s amazing to hear what the coaches say, seeing the players react to the coaches, hearing the players talk to the refs.

When the Rockets were playing the Nets [last year], Chandler Parsons [said to]the ref, just real matter of fact, “That was a bad call. Jeff, that was a bad call.” Real, not even angry, just politely saying it. Hearing Jason Kidd, I forget who he was talking about, maybe [James] Harden, but Jason Kidd was saying to the ref, “He does that! I played against him. I know he does that!” Hearing that type of stuff, laughing and just hearing him. Seeing him react to people laughing, too.

The energy is just...I like good entertainment in general and basketball for me, I’m biased, [but] it’s the best live sport. I enjoy football, to see it live is cool, but basketball is action-packed. There are plays that could happen at any given moment that could make you amazed. That energy is incredible. As a kid I never got to see Jordan play live, but I’ve been able to see most of the greats now: Kobe, Durant and LeBron, Steph Curry, Harden. Most of the top players in the League now I’ve been able to see live so I appreciate that.

A lot of NBA players are into comedy. Have you gotten a chance to cross paths with any guys yet?

I performed at a Chicago Bulls event last year. I performed at the United Center. Even that, I got my parents season tickets to the Bulls. At that event, all of the Bulls were there. I met a lot of them there. The whole team—Derrick Rose, Joakim [Noah], [Jimmy] Butler, the coach. I go to the games sometimes. Harrison Barnes came through Oddball Festival last year and I’ve met him a couple of times. He’s a cool guy, really nice dude. I’ve met a few people.

Who do you most like watching now?

I like watching Durant. It’s cool. Durant and Kobe, too, you watch them, their motions are so fluid.

Even when they brick a shot it looks like it’s going to hit, you know what I mean? The stuff that doesn’t work still looks smooth and good. It’s fun watching them. I went to a Nets-Suns game last minute. I bought tickets to that purely because I knew Gerald Green was going to have like two crazy dunks. I knew it was inevitable for him to have a crazy play and that was the only reason [I bought the tickets]. I like seeing crazy plays. It’s fun watching LeBron. The first time I saw LeBron live was when he was on the Cavs [the first time] and they were playing the Nets and the Nets were still at the Izod Center. Just seeing his passing. His passing was so crisp. He’s the best in the League, so it’s fun to watch him. I’m excited for the League in general just to see what happens.

Is there a certain Jordan moment that stands out to you from childhood?

I can’t pinpoint any specific moments. I do remember after one of the championships people were just partying out and driving around. I forget how old I was for this one. I was outside on my block.

I was a kid and it was such a good vibe in the air, good energy. People drove by in a convertible and they were like, “Get innn.” I didn’t, but that was the vibe that was out there. People were just cheering and in a good mood and it was pretty amazing to see what happens when a city wins a championship—weird [expletive], where people set [expletive] on fire and flip cars—which is pretty stupid. Your team just won, why are you destroying your city? That seems like a dumb way to go about it, but yeah it was a fun time.

What would you want someone to know about your show if they’ve never been to see you before?

They should come. It’s amazing. It’s like Cirque du Soleil meets Dexter meets Animaniacs. Throw in a little bit of Entrepreneur magazine, plus Weeds, plus Avis.com’s new website design and that equals my standup show. HOLLY MACKENZIE #32 BRYAN BEDDER/WIREIMAGE

JUMP BALL

BY MELODY HOFFMAN #34 FIRST FIVE

Minnesota Timberwolves second-year center Gorgui Dieng went from his role as backup to the starting spot with straight confidence.

“I knew I had to step up. I belong in this League, so I wanted to show that I can play in any situation,” says the 6-11 Dieng about filling in for the injured Nikola Pekovic1 at the beginning of the season. “I wasn’t nervous; I was excited. I love the game…I had the chance to show myself and what I can do so I was excited.”

The Senegal native averaged 10 points and 8.6 rebounds in the first half of the season,2 posted 13 double-doubles and improved his field goal percentage two percentage points from his rookie year.3 Dieng also began his sophomore season leading the team in rebounding and blocks, priding himself as a rim protector.

“A good night for me…is to make sure I make deflections, I make shots…and when I guard somebody, he does not get his average,” says Dieng, who was the 21st overall pick out of Louisville in the 2013 NBA Draft.4 Dieng says one of the biggest adjustments from coming off the bench was learning all of his matchups. “It’s tough being a starter in this League. The different players you have to cover from every team,5 you have to know when they will be open. I just have to do what I’ve been told and stay focused on the floor—that’s the most important.”

BONUS POINTS 1. Pekovic went down with a foot injury in midNovember.

2. Dieng stepped in and his performance improved each month. In November he averaged 8.5 points and 7.6 rebounds and by January, the center averaged 11.1 points and 9.5 rebounds. “[My Louisville coach Rick Pitino] always told me, ‘Good is the enemy of great.’ If you’re good, you’re going to be just good. But if you want to be great, you’re going to work every single day trying to get better and that’s what I do,” says Dieng, who was part of the 2013 NCAA National Champions.

3. Last year, Dieng started 15 of the season’s last 18 games where he averaged 12.0 points and 11.3 rebounds on this stretch while collecting nine double-doubles. This led to a spot on the NBA All-Rookie second team.

4. Dieng was acquired by the Timberwolves on draft night after being selected by the Utah Jazz with the 21st overall pick in 2013.

5. Asked about his toughest NBA matchup, Dieng said, “Al Jefferson plays tough—he has a lot of pump fakes, just tough to guard.”

GLENN JAMES/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

5

GORGUI

DIENG

CENTER - MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 023

JUMP BALL

BY STEVE HUNT #29 FIRST FIVE

Mike Conley Jr.1 is in his eighth2 NBA season, but the veteran Memphis point guard continues finding ways to improve. “He’s always adding to his game,” says Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger. “He studies a lot of tape3 and not a lot of guys do that. He works really hard and he wants to be great.”

A former high school and college teammate of Greg Oden,4 Conley welcomes new challenges. Take for example the December trade of Rajon Rondo to the Mavericks, a team the Grizzlies have to face regularly as a division rival.5 “I consider Rondo one of the best in the League. For him to come over to the West, I get to play against him four times a year now,” says Conley. “It’s also another measuring stick to see how much further I need to go.”

A big part of his relentless drive to keep improving comes from a simple mantra. “The best part about me is I’m very critical of myself. I’m looking at film and people might say, ‘Oh, you had 30 points tonight,’” says Conley.

“I’m looking at everything I did wrong.

Just never settling is something I take pride6 in.”

11

MIKE

CONLEY

GUARD - MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

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BONUS POINTS 1. Conley has worn No. 11 for most of his life because 10/11 is his birthday.

2. He admits his time in the NBA has flown by, calling this “a whole new stage in my career”.

3. Conley refers to anywhere he can set up to watch tape as “the lab.”

4. He and Oden are best friends and Conley calls him his No. 1 fan.

5. In the Southwest Division, Conley’s point guard counterparts have all been All-Stars at one point in their careers: Rondo, Dallas; James Harden, Houston; Tony Parker, San Antonio; Jrue Holiday, New Orleans.

6. Conley also is proud that his father, former gold-medal winning Olympic track star, Mike Conley Sr., is his agent.

BARRY GOSSAGE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

DANCE LIFE

NINA

TORONTO RAPTORS DANCE PAK What part of game night do you look forward to the most?

The whole game is exciting, but I would say the fourth quarter. You get really pumped up for it, it’s so energetic and the last quarter of the game. So much happens and it’s the part that’s the most fun for me.

What has been your personal highlight as a member of the Dance Pak? There are so many, but I’ve had amazing opportunities being able to travel with the Dance Pak. I’ve traveled to China twice now, and we went to the Philippines this past summer for NBA 3X. They’re great events. Getting to experience NBA basketball in different countries is crazy and I get to go with my teammates, whom I adore. That is the top highlight, being able to travel around the world with my team.

What has been the best game experience for you as a member of the Raptors Dance Pak? The playoffs last year were insane. I started with the team in 2011; being with the team for four years now I‘ve seen the growing process and to actually experience the playoffs last year was crazy. The fans were incredible and the whole We The North thing really latched on and it was amazing. The Air Canada Centre was crazy, the city of Toronto was crazy and every playoff game we did just kept getting

bigger and better.

You’re the captain of the Dance Pak; the Raptors have two leaders in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

Whose leadership style do you think matches yours?

I don’t know. I really just want everyone to make sure they’re having fun. This whole dance team experience is incredible and I want everyone to be able to soak it all in as much as possible. We all love dance and we’re all supporting our NBA team and I want to build a strong family and team.

Do you remember that moment when you knew that you wanted to dance?

I’ve been wanting to dance ever since I was a kid. I was enrolled since I was 3 years old and ever since then, I really never wanted to stop.

Do you have a pregame routine?

I’m always really early. If our games are at 7:30, we’ll have an on-court rehearsal at 4 and I make sure I’m really early. I always get my coffee and I always have to sit in the change room before our on-court rehearsal so

I can chill out and relax. I’m the earliest one for everything.

What was your first game like?

It’s so funny: I always say I get the exact same feeling every game as I did for my first game. I still get nervous, but it’s a good kind of nervous, a good kind of exciting. My first game was kind of a blur and it started really fast, kind of being thrown to the wolves, but it was great to be able to dance in front of 20,000 people for the first time.

I was 19 and it was overwhelming. It was crazy and almost unbelievable cause I didn’t think I would have that experience at the age of 19. I’ll never forget it.

If they made a Raptors Dance Pak blooper reel, what would they include in Nina’s segment?

I laugh a lot, and laugh at my teammates all the time, so it probably would be me laughing all the time.

Or when I talk, I talk with my hands.

So mine would be really silly, mostly me stopping and laughing my head off all the time.

DUANE WATSON #7

FIRST RIDE

DAMIAN LILLARD “I had a [Pontiac] Grand Prix. It was a ‘99. No hookup. I got it right before I went back to college for my last year. It was broke down. I got it for $1,500 and a PlayStation 2. I gave it to one of my friends in Utah when I entered the draft and then it got stolen when he moved back to Oakland. The person who stole it probably doesn’t even know it used to be my car [laughs].” DAMIAN LILLARD AS TOLD TO SETH BERKMAN #91

COURTESY TORONTO RAPTORS; NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

025

JUMP BALL HEAD 2 HEAD

Joakim Noah vs. Dwight Howard

One is passionate. The other, goofy. One is lanky. The other, a bodybuilder. One is a leader. The other wants to be the life of the party. They are so not alike.

And then again, they share common bonds.They are both defense-frst centers, though the inspiring lean leader Joakim Noah is more of a move-your-feet, fend-off-the-pick-and-roll defensive center who earned 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year honors, while silly, strong Dwight Howard, a three-time DPOY, is the shot rejector who loves to throw impromptu block parties when people come inside his painted area. Both are coming off 2014 knee surgeries, trying to get themselves back into All-NBA shape before playoff time, when both Noah’s Chicago Bulls and Howard’s Houston Rockets intend to be top contenders during the 2015 NBA Playoffs. Both their 30s this year. Noah just turned 30 February 25, while Howard has his 30th birthday Dec. 8. Neither is over the hill, yet both still believe they can be king of the mountain this year.

Dwight Howard

Center, 6-11, 275 Houston Rockets

01 Scoring: Noah had knee surgery in May 2014 that kept him off the court the entire summer. It didn’t stop him from missing any long stretches of preseason or regular-season ball, though he has been on a minutes restriction throughout 2014-15 (missing three games in November and four games in December). Consequently, his offense has been off: His scoring is down from last season (7.6 points in 30.5 minutes per game, down from 12.6 points in 35.3 mpg), as is his effciency (.479 true shooting percentage, down from .531). His biggest inadequacy this year is around the basket. Half of his shots always come within three feet of the rim where he normally makes 58 percent.

This season: only 51 percent. Dwight Howard had platelet-rich plasma surgery on his strained right knee November 20 that sidelined him through December 13. Howard is generally maintaining his season-long averages of 17.1 points in 33.1 minutes per game with a .579 true shooting percentage, while missing a dozen contests this season. Though Howard’s 2014-15 numbers are ever-so-slightly off his 2013-14 pace, he is, however, getting even more rim attacks in per game, making his standard .708 percentage of restricted-area shots that make up a careerhigh 63 percent of his attempts. An easy win for Dwight.

Advantage: Howard.

02 Floor Game: Noah has always been one of the NBA’s fnest passing big men—his teammates have called him a point center in the past. Coach Tom Thibodeau has no qualms about running the offense through Noah, especially in years past when former All-Star point guard Derrick Rose was injured and not able to play—remember those triple-doubles? He is no less effective this season where his League-leading (among centers) assist ratio of 26.8 is not far off his similar mark of 27.0 in 2013-14. Howard’s percentage of assists-to-possessions (7.5) is nowhere near Noah’s, while his turnover ratio (16.1) is even worse than Noah’s (13.7). Nosh also makes more passing attempts on the perimeter than Howard does on the low block, making him a special talent at his position. No other center creates more points off his assists than Noah, who contributes to 8.5 points per game off his assists.

Advantage: Noah.

026

BY DARRYL HOWERTON #21

03 Defense: This is the source of pride for both men, who are both past Defensive Players of the Year award winners and All-Defense honorees (Noah, three times; Howard, fve times). Noah has the better Defensive Real Plus-Minus numbers this season (Noah, +3.22; Howard, +2.08), but Howard has the better rim-protection numbers (Howard, 8.2 opponent attempts at rim and .450 opponents feld goal percentage at rim; Noah, 6.4 opponent attempts at rim and .519 opponents feld goal percentage at rim). Perhaps that is why Houston has overtaken Chicago as one of the NBA’s top defensive teams (the Rockets rank second in the NBA at 99.2 points allowed per 100 possessions; the Bulls rank 12th at 102.4). Granted, both men are coming off knee surgeries and have yet to even reach their 2013-14 peaks when Howard had a +4.91 DRPM and Noah had a +3.92 DRPM. But at this point in the season, we’re going to have to give the shotblocker the edge by the slimmest of margins, especially when you consider Howard’s intimidation factor that alters even shots he doesn’t lay a hand on.

Advantage: Howard.

Joakim Noah Center, 6-11, 232 Chicago Bulls

04 Leadership: Howard has come a long way from the days where he turned fans into foes in Orlando and Los Angeles, and where he either lost the hold of the leadership mantle or couldn’t ingratiate himself to the alpha dog. In Houston, Howard has tried his best to be a leader to the defense, as MVP candidate teammate James Harden is the leader on O. Credit must be given. But Noah is a born leader, whose passion shows in his game every night. Noah’s ability to play through injuries has only caused his stock to rise among Chicago teammates, even if he is not having his best of seasons yet. There is still hope Noah can return to his high 2013-14 level where League voters made him the fourth Most Valuable Player candidate. Will he get there in 2014-15? Who knows. Will he lead regardless? You betcha.

Advantage: Noah.

05 Intangibles: There is a reason some national personalities—most notably, Charles Barkley—call Noah their favorite NBA player. There is a reason this same national media vote a 13-point scorer fourth on their 2013-14 NBA MVP ballot. There is a reason why Hall of Fame center Pau Gasol came to Chicago last summer even though the Bulls already had Noah at center. There is a reason why stellar longtime Bulls power forward Taj Gibson happily comes off the bench for Noah and Company. Everyone loves Joakim. Howard can be fun and has a child-like appeal at times, but not too many people in the NBA seem more real and down-to-earth than the son of France tennis great Yannick Noah. The Bulls center truly has that tangible “It” factor that commands respect.

Advantage: Noah.

G

Noah

Howard

33

29

MPG

30.5

33.1

PPG

7.6

17.1

RPG

9.4

11.0

APG

3.6

1.4

SPG

0.7

0.7

BPG

1.5

1.5

FT%

.600

.530

2FG%

.449

.578

3FG%

.000

.000

3sPG

0

0

ORPM

-1.91

-1.14

DRPM

+3.22

+2.08

RPM

+1.31

+0.94

Stats thru January 13, 2015 Key: G games; MPG minutes per game; PPG points per game; APG assists per game; RPG rebounds per game; SPG steals per game; BPG blocks per game; FT% free throw percentage; 2FG% two-point feld goal percentage; 3FG% three-point percentage; ORPM offensive real plus-minus; DRPM defensive real plus-minus; RPM real plus-minus.

Sources: Basketball-Reference, ESPN, NBA

The Verdict Tough one. It’s safe to say that injuries aside, Noah wins this head-to-head battle. Unfortunately, we cannot just indiscriminately toss the ailments aside when it comes to judging this 2014-15 NBA season. Knee surgeries have played a big factor in both Noah and Howard’s seasons thus far, so we must take them into account and not give either player a pass based on past performance. Because of that, we have to choose the center who has had a better 2014-15 NBA season to this point.

Winner: Howard.

SAM FORENCICH; BROCK WILLIAMS-SMITH; ADAM PANTOZZI; CAMERON BROWNE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

027

JUMP BALL

BY CHRISTOPHER CASON #24

22

KHRIS

MIDDLETON FORWARD - MILWAUKEE BUCKS

FIRST FIVE

The difference between this season1 and last for Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton is pretty simple.

“We just respect2 each other and we’re playing for each other,” he says of the team’s success. “We learned from a lot of our mistakes from last year and what we need to do to get better as a team.”

With a new coaching staff and a roster comprised mainly of players with two years or less of experience, the only expectations observers placed on the League’s third youngest team3 were how high they would pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Thanks to buying into head coach Jason Kidd’s philosophy of trust, and playing for one another,4 the Bucks are one of the League’s best surprises. Thanks to their defensive effort,5 they have managed to keep afloat, despite adversities6 that would have overcome them a season ago.

Kidd didn’t hand out specific roles when training camp opened, but Middleton is clear on what his nightly objectives are.

“Just be able to knock down shots when I’m in and play with energy. Also, rebound and play defense7 as hard as I can. I have to be a defender with this team. That’s something I have to do every night.”

028

BONUS POINTS 1. Milwaukee won just 15 games last season and most of the players on the current roster were on last season’s team.

2. Middleton says that head coach Jason Kidd holds each player accountable in the team’s success and struggles, which has helped build consistency and camaraderie.

3. The average age of the Bucks’ roster is 24.2.

4. Middleton: “We’re not a team that can just count on one guy out there. The whole game is just a team effort for us.”

5. As of press time, Milwaukee ranked seventh in points allowed, giving up 97.7 points per night.

6. The Bucks lost rookies Jabari Parker and Damien Inglish for the season and have dealt with various injuries to their core, but the team has adopted a next-man-up approach.

7. As of press time, Middleton leads Milwaukee in steals, averaging 1.4 per night, and is averaging 10 points, just under 4 rebounds and shooting 40 percent from three.

JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

NUMEROLOGY

February 0, 2015 Russell Westbrook has had a memorable February: He became the second-highest scorer in All-Star history when he dropped 41 in his MVP-performance (Wilt Chamberlain’s 42 in the 1962 reigns surpeme). His 27 frst-half points did set an All-Star record.

On 2/22/15, Westbrook became the second player to notch 10-plus assists in a single quarter.

In 3 straight games (2/24-27), Westbrook put up 3 triple-doubles, becoming just the 4th player in past 20 years to do so.

Westbrook’s February 2015 averages: 31.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 10.3 apg.

483 4 In the frst 197 games of his NBA career, Andre Drummond has only made 4 feld goals from beyond 10 feet. Over that time he’s shot 4 of 39 outside of 10 feet (including 1 3-pointer) while making 993 feldgoals inside 10 feet.

1K

Gregg Popovich notched his 1,000th win on 2/9/15. Tim Duncan was a player under Pop for 929 of those wins. Of the 1,000 wins, the most have come at the expense of the Golden State Warriors (55) and the least against the Detroit Pistons (20).

After his dunk on 11/16/12, Kyle Korver went 179 games before dunking on 1/21/15. During that dunkless span, Korver made 483 three-point feld goals. For good measure, Korver dunked again in his next game on 1/23, giving him a 2-game dunk streak.

7

.308

The number of years since Kyle Lowry

percentage and his free-throwing

last dunked in an NBA game, a streak

shooting percentage. Jordan

that began in 2008. Despite making a big

has a chance at eclipsing Wilt

statement on his hops at the All-Star Game

Chamberlain’s all-time mark for

when he followed up a miss by John Wall

shooting profciency (.726 set in

with a putback dunk, the drought technically

1972-73) as he’s shooting .721.

continues since it was an exhibition game.

Like Wilt, Jordan also struggles at

After 56 games, that is the difference between DeAndre Jordan’s League-leading feld-goal

the charity stripe, shooting .409.

NATHANIEL S. BUTLER; ALLEN EINSTEIN; VICTOR BALDIZON; GLENN JAMES; NED DISHMAN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; KEVIN C. COX; ANDY LYONS/GETTY IMAGES

029

JUMP BALL BRACK-IT

EIGHT THINGS. ONE UNDISPUTED CHAMP.

GREATEST ALL-STAR MVP PERFORMANCE 1992 MAGIC JOHNSON VS. 2010 DWYANE WADE

2011 KOBE BRYANT VS. 2015 RUSSELL WESTBROOK

If you check the numbers, Wade’s performance in 2010 (28 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds) was actually more impressive in the box score than Magic’s 25 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds in 1992. But of course, the ’92 All-Star Game was about so much more than that. Magic had retired before the start of the 1991-92 season because he tested positive for HIV. He came out of retirement to play in the All-Star Game as a swan song, and to integrate himself back into the basketball fraternity.

Twenty years after that performance, Magic said about his performance in Orlando: “That was the therapy I needed to continue to live the rest of my life. It was a great, great moment for me.” For its signifcant beyond just the game of basketball, Magic’s moving on.

In 2011, Kobe was the League’s leading vote getter with over 2.3 million votes. The game was being played at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and Kobe—who is always aware of the moment—did not disappoint, putting up 37 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, helping the West to a 148-143 victory and winning the MVP award. Coming off his ffth championship the previous season, it was quite a celebration for Kobe’s career. For Westbrook, he became the second-highest scorer in All-Star history with 41 points, coming a point short of Wilt Chamberlain’s 42 in ’62 (Wilt lost the MVP to Bob Pettit). Both impressive performances from supreme talents. But Kobe, being at home, coming off back-to-back titles in the post-Shaq era? That’s the more memorable narrative. Sorry, Russ, Kobe’s got this one.

2001 ALLEN IVERSON VS. 2003 KEVIN GARNETT

1988 MICHAEL JORDAN VS. 1986 ISIAH THOMAS

In 2003, Kevin Garnett scored 37 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and added 5 steals to lead the West to a double overtime victory at the All-Star Game. This was a classic KG-in-his-prime game, and even somewhat overshadowed what was Michael Jordan’s fnal All-Star Game appearance. But the more memorable game has to go to Allen Iverson in 2001. Teaming up with Stephon Marbury, the duo led the East back from a 21-point defcit to secure a 111-110 win over the West. Iverson scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, in what was one of the most memorable 12 minutes in All-Star Game history. He gets the nod to the second round.

We couldn’t resist pitting Jordan against Isiah one more time! In 1986, Zeke scored 30 points and racked up 10 assists for the East, leading them to a 139-130 victory. It would be Isiah’s second All-Star Game MVP in three seasons, cementing him as not only one of the best point guards in the League at the time, but an all-time great. But what about Jordan in 1988? At the old Chicago Stadium, he dazzled the home crowd with 40 points and 8 rebounds, along with 4 blocks and 4 steals. The East won 138-133. The weekend was special for Jordan not just because of what he did in that game. But we’ll talk more about that in the next round. It’s Jordan over Isiah, with no handshakes.

030

BY STEVEN LEBRON #88

’92 MAGIC VS. ’88 JORDAN ’92 MAGIC VS. ’01 IVERSON The 2001 All-Star Game ranks pretty high on the list of games from this generation. But when you talk about iconic moments, what can top Magic Johnson hitting a three-pointer with the shot clock expiring and just 14 seconds left in the game? They didn’t even fnish the game. Like a mind-blowing play at the Rucker, everyone rushed to hug and congratulate Magic, who was going through so much more than just worrying about a basketball career. Afterward, commissioner David Stern said he believed Magic changed the way people thought about HIV and AIDS. It was a perfect example of how the All-Star weekend platform and the NBA in general could be used as a vehicle to help education and drive change in not just sports, but society as a whole. We’re sending Magic to the Finals.

A clash between the two most memorable NBA All-Star weekends in history, from two of the greatest players to ever play the game. While we remember vividly the details from both performances, one was about announcing his arrival, the other was saying goodbye. While Magic would come back and play for the Lakers a few years later, at the time, that was his fnale, one last chance to step on the court and compete against NBA players. He certainly made the most of his one night return. For Jordan, this was before the six championships, before he conquered the Bad Boy Pistons and anyone who stood in his way in the Finals.

This was still relatively early in his career, and he cemented his status as one of the best players in the game and the most exciting one. When we look back on the careers of Jordan and Magic, after we get through all the championships, we’ll remember these two All-Star performances. But Jordan’s weekend was simply remarkable. After the weekend, we all coveted Air Jordans, ate Wheaties and wanted to be like Mike.

’11 KOBE VS. ’88 JORDAN Two great players, two incredible homecoming weekends at the All-Star break.

But here’s the one difference that separates these two performances: Jordan not only dominated in the actual game, but he took over the entire weekend. The night before the All-Star Game, Jordan participated in the Slam Dunk Contest, competing against his “dunk rival” Dominique Wilkins. Jordan needed 49 points (a near perfect) from the judges on his fnal dunk to defeat Nique. And what did he do? Took off from the free-throw line, did a double clutch in the air, and got a perfect score for one of the most iconic dunks in NBA history. Jordan is going to the Finals, no arguments.

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN (9); NATHANIEL S. BUTLER; ANDY HAYT; JOE MURPHY; GARRETT ELLWOOD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; KEVORK DJANSEZIAN (2)/GETTY IMAGES

GREATEST ALL-STAR MVP PERFORMANCE:

’88 MICHAEL JORDAN 031

JUMP BALL

BY BRETT MAUSER #25

KELLY

OLYNYK

CENTER - BOSTON CELTICS

41

FIRST FIVE

It’s tough to find guys in the League like Kelly Olynyk, a 7-footer as comfortable—even more comfortable—behind the three-point arc1 as he is on the block. He’s a unique talent2 for whom the Celtics traded up to get on draft day3 and, after a roster shakeup this winter, remains a core member of their plans.

Trades sent away veterans4 and brought in fresh faces, but Olynyk says his and the team’s objectives have remained the same.

“We just come in every day, work hard, and try to help the team get better,” he says.

“We’re just trying to get better at everything we do—to understand the game better and be as consistent as you can.”

A point guard before shooting up to his current height while in high school,5 Olynyk has had to develop an inside game through his years at Gonzaga and now in the pros. In that time, he’s had learned how to score around the basket, defend the post and protect the rim.

“College was really tough because I’d never done it before,” he says. “Just because somebody’s big doesn’t mean he can play6 in the post. I’ve really had to work at it.”

The Celtics, too, are a work in progress. The team’s development and success will depend a lot on Olynyk’s own maturation in the paint and beyond.

032

BONUS POINTS 1. Olynyk shoots an excellent-for-a-big-man 35 percent from long range.

2. He has a unique look too. According to Olynyk, “people either love or hate” his shoulderlength locks, with teammate Gerald Wallace among his most ardent supporters. What’s more likely—Olynyk cutting his hair, or clean-cut Celtics head coach Brad Stevens growing his? “You’d have to talk to Brad about what he thinks of long hair,” Olynyk says.

3. Boston traded up from the 16th spot to take Olynyk with the 13th pick, dealing Lucas Nogueira and two second-rounders to Dallas. The Mavericks eventually dealt all three picks.

4. A busy winter featured trades of two of Boston’s pillars—Rajon Rondo (to Dallas) and Jeff Green (to Memphis). Of the players on the roster on 2/1, only Brandon Bass, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger had played more games in Celtic green than the 23-year-old Olynyk.

5. His father, Ken, coached at the University of Toronto and for the Canadian National Team. Olynyk grew up an avid Raptors fan in Toronto before moving to Kamloops, British Columbia, in junior high. He’s part of the recent wave of talent from north of the border, joining the likes of the Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, San Antonio’s Cory Joseph, Sacramento’s Nik Stauskas, and Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson.

6. Olynyk also played football at South Kamloops High School. However, the 6-6 quarterback’s career on the gridiron ended abruptly when he broke his shoulder at the end of his junior season.

CAMERON BROWNE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

BY JIM EICHENHOFER #12

CHECK YO MAN

RUSSELL WESTBROOK He’s a force of nature, a virtually unstoppable combination of speed, athleticism, leaping ability and aggressiveness. Trying to stop Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook is not an assignment for the faint of heart. (See his All-Star performance for visual proof.) We rounded up point guards who’ve defended Westbrook frequently, including a few who’ve faced him in the pressure-cooker of the Western Conference postseason. The playoff-tested foor generals have had their hands full: Westbrook averages even more career points per game in the postseason (24.1) than he does in the regular season (20.4).

MIKE CONLEY, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES PG 6-1, 175 POUNDS “His midrange pull-up shot, where he dribbles right at you and then stops quickly, is one of the toughest plays to defend in basketball, because of his quickness. He comes at you so fast that your natural reaction is to retreat and then try to catch up with him at a certain point, but he’s so good at stopping on a dime that you almost have to give him that shot. You try to contest it, as opposed to just allowing him to get to the rim for a dunk or a layup.”

CHRIS PAUL, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS PG 6-0, 175 POUNDS “Russ is explosive. Every night in the NBA you play against a great guard—Russ is at the top of the list. He knows how to score and push the ball quickly. You have to stay in front of him and rely on help from your teammates.”

JRUE HOLIDAY, NEW ORLEANS PELICANS PG 6-4, 205 POUNDS “When he’s trying to post up, I mainly try to switch up my approach. Sometimes you give resistance, sometimes you try to ‘pull the chair’ out from him. Sometimes you use your strength. You have to be smart about it, because he is so good at posting up and he’s strong. I have to know where the help is coming from my teammates and try to force him that way. That’s part of the team’s game plan.”

PATRICK BEVERLEY, HOUSTON ROCKETS PG 6-1, 210 POUNDS “Russell Westbrook is one of the toughest guards in the entire League. I have different things that I try against him to keep him in front of me and to use my teammates for help, but ultimately if we are going to slow Westbrook down, it’s going to take an entire team effort.”

LAYNE MURDOCH; SCOTT CUNNINGHAM; JUAN OCAMPO; ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN; LAYNE MURDOCH JR.; FERNANDO MEDINANBAE/GETTY IMAGES

JEREMY LIN, LOS ANGELES LAKERS PG 6-3, 200 POUNDS “When he gets in transition, you have to stay between him and the basket, which is easier said than done.

You have to make sure you move your feet and not give him straight-line drives. You have to cut off his initial move. You can try to pick him up a little earlier, but if you do that, you’re going to have to trust what’s behind you in terms of help-side defense, that people will build a wall and make him see their arms.”

033

JUMP BALL

BY JON COOPER #10 FIRST FIVE

17 DENNIS

SCHRÖDER GUARD - ATLANTA HAWKS

034

The pressure’s on when Dennis Schröder gets on the floor.

But unlike last year, the Atlanta Hawks’ point guard and first-round pick in 2013 (No. 17 overall),1 is applying it to opponents, not himself.

“Last year was a little rough,” said the 21-year-old point guard from Braunschweig, Germany, who averaged 3.7 points and 1.9 assists while shooting 38.3 percent in 49 games as a rookie and needed time in the D-League to rediscover his game. “My confidence level was very low. I think playing Summer League2 and [playing for the German] national team helped put my confidence back up.”

“Last year, this all just took him by surprise and it was a rude awakening,” says Hawks All-Star forward Paul Millsap.

“He came in and worked out during the summer and he got a ton better.3 People are seeing it in the games this year.”

Schröder’s game was on display during All-Star, as he played with the World Team in the Rising Stars Challenge.4 In addition to raising his confidence, Schröder improved his midrange game during the offseason, putting up 300 to 500 extra shots a day after practice. All this work has paid off for the Hawks. He’s effectively spelled starting point guard Jeff Teague, pushing the pace and wearing out the opposition in leading the high-speed second unit.

“With Thabo [Sefolosha] Mike [Scott] and Kent [Bazemore], it’s great energy,” says Schröder. “We play defense and try to play with pace on offense. It’s great to have a second unit like this.”

Schröder also has responded when called upon to start.

He won his first five starts and recorded a double-double in his first career start5 at Cleveland on Dec. 17, 2014, dishing out a career-high 10 assists.

It’s good times in Atlanta and Schröder is enjoying the ride.

“It’s very fun,” he says. “As a team we share the ball like nobody else and our team defense is incredible.

Everything is great.”

BONUS POINTS 1. Dennis is the 17th German-born player to play in the NBA, and the seventh picked in the first round. He was the first German firstrounder since the Memphis Grizzlies selected Donté Greene with the 28th overall pick in the 2008 Draft.

2. Schröder finished second overall in Las Vegas with 5.6 assists per game and was third on the Hawks scoring 10.8 points per game.

3. Schröder needed only 27 games to record his 94th assist, passing his rookie-season total, and had six straight double-digit scoring games (11/26 through 12/5), triple his total from his rookie campaign.

He also was on pace to more than double his points and assists and improve his shooting by more than 60 points.

4. Schröder joined OKC’s Steven Adams, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brooklyn’s Bojan Bogdanovic, Minnesota’s Gorgui Dieng, Utah’s tandem of Dante Exum and Rudy Gobert, Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic, Boston’s Kelly Olynyk and Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins on the World Team.

5. With 10 points and 10 assists, Dennis became the fourth player in franchise history to record a points/assists double-double in his first start as a Hawk. He joined Bob Sura (vs. Washington on 3/12/04), “Spud” Webb (vs. Washington on 10/25/85) and Armond Hill (at Houston on 1/28/77).

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ESTAMOS UNIDOS THIS MARCH, EVERYBODY UP enebea.com

JUMP BALL 24 SECONDS

with DRAYMOND GREEN HOOP: What are some of your favorites?

GREEN: I went to the Lorraine Motel, where Doctor King was shot.

I saw the Civil Rights Museum2 in Memphis. In D.C., I went to the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. I’ve been to the Empire State Building. Those are some that really stood out to me.

HOOP: We heard you made a trip to the Golden Gate Bridge after being selected by the Warriors.

GREEN: I did. I’ve been to the Pier, the Peaks, Lombard Street. I have not visited Alcatraz3 yet. I’m a last-minute type person, and you can’t be last minute with Alcatraz because it’s always booked.

HOOP: What do you enjoy most about the Bay Area?

GREEN: I’m from Michigan, so the weather in the Bay Area is way better.

HOOP: We hear you chose to live in Emeryville?4 GREEN: Yeah, it’s a nice area. There’s some shopping you can do there, a good movie theater. There’s a lot of stuff to do in that little town. And the price is a lot more reasonable than anywhere else in the Bay. HOOP: We read an article that described you as “fiscally shrewd.”5 Is that a good description?

GREEN: Absolutely. San Francisco is the most expensive city in America. My apartment would be $10,000 a month in San Francisco and it is nowhere near worth that, but that’s just the way the economy is out here.

HOOP: What is the one thing you spend too much on?

GREEN: Probably clothes and shoes.

HOOP: We traded texts the other night when you were in OKC and you said you were going to call us in 10 minutes, but never did. You fell asleep, didn’t you?

GREEN: I did [laughs]. I’m sorry.

HOOP: We forgive you. You must be tired with four games in five nights. What’s the toughest part of life on the NBA road?

GREEN: Just the traveling itself, constantly on airplanes, in and out of hotels, living out of a bag.

HOOP: How often do you go to the wrong hotel room?

GREEN: A lot. Especially when you’re on those East Coast trips, where you’re in three different hotels in three or four days. Most of the time when the key is not working, you figure it out.

HOOP: How would you describe your style?

GREEN: It’s a little different. I tend to switch it up. I may go casual some days, urban other days. You’ve got to have some versatility. You can’t dress the same way all the time. That gets boring.

HOOP: Tell us about your shoe collection. We see you posting photos of your kicks on social media.

GREEN: I’ve always had the love for shoes and growing up never really could afford them. I’d get one nice pair, but I’d have to wear that pair into the ground, because we didn’t have money.

HOOP: What’s your favorite NBA city to visit?

GREEN: I would say Detroit, because I get to go home1 and play in front of family, and just enjoy home for a day or two.

HOOP: Let’s talk basketball. Tell us about this Warriors team. It looks like you guys have a real family atmosphere.

GREEN: Absolutely. We all love and enjoy being around each other.

When we’re on the road, instead of going to our own rooms, we play games together, go eat together6 or go to movies together. What a lot of people don’t know about the NBA is that day-to-day life is lonely.

But spending that time together takes away the loneliness, and adds to our chemistry on the court.

HOOP: Do you ever go sightseeing when you do have a day off on the road?

GREEN: Absolutely! I’m one of those people that loves going to visit different historical landmarks, seeing those things and places that I heard about growing up.

HOOP: Tell us something about Steph Curry that nobody knows?

GREEN: A lot of people don’t know that he’s a comedian. Steph is the NBA darling, the baby-faced assassin, but he’s pretty funny, too.

HOOP: How often do you forget something in your hotel room?

GREEN: I leave stuff in my hotel room a lot, but our security will go room to room and make sure we didn’t forget anything.

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BY JERAMIE MCPEEK #4

HOOP: Who would win a shooting contest between Steph Curry and Steve Kerr?7 GREEN: Steph, absolutely.

HOOP: Are you sure? Kerr was a great shooter.8 GREEN: You didn’t say back in the day. You just said who would win a shooting contest. Right now, I would take Steph. But if you take Coach back to his prime, they’d probably go back and forth.

HOOP: Tell us about your rookie coach.

GREEN: He doesn’t have that vibe of a rookie coach. Obviously he played this game for 15 years, won five championships, has been a GM in this League, has been a commentator at the highest level. He just understands the game and he’s been great for us.

HOOP: Has he ever showed you guys his championship rings?

GREEN: He hasn’t. But the one thing I have learned about Coach Kerr is he only has one agenda and that’s to win a championship.

HOOP: Have you ever asked him about his fight with Jordan?

GREEN: I asked him about that last week. He just laughed.9 HOOP: What would Kerr say about your game if he was still in the TNT broadcast booth?

GREEN: He would probably say I am a hard-working, vocal guy, with high basketball IQ. HOOP: Tell us about the fans there at Golden State.

GREEN: The best fans in the NBA. It’s a great atmosphere. Year after year, even when the team was struggling, it was always one of the loudest places to play. They give us the best homecourt advantage in the NBA. HOOP: What would it mean to them if the Warriors make a deep playoff run this year?

GREEN: That would mean the world to them and we want to do that because we want to reward them for being loyal for so long.

They deserve it.

BONUS POINTS 1. Green grew up in Saginaw, Mich., and played four years of college ball for Michigan State.

2. The entire Warriors team took a trip to the Civil Rights Museum.

3. Although Alcatraz was dinged up in 1996 movie The Rock and destroyed in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, the former federal penitentiary is still standing and open for daily tours.

4. Emeryville, population 10,080 according to Wikipedia, is also home to Pixar Animation Studios.

5. Although the 24-year-old is careful with his money, his Instagram name is @money23green.

6. The Warriors play credit card roulette at every meal. After every meal, every player puts his credit card into a hat and someone from the wait staff selects the card for payment. Unfortunately, Festus Ezeli, third-year center still on a rookie contract, has been on the losing end most of the time this season (as of the All-Star break).

7. While he was the GM of the Phoenix Suns, Kerr had a verbal agreement to acquire the Warriors’ first-round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, which would have paired Curry with then-Suns guard Steve Nash. Golden State backed out of the deal, however, once Curry fell to No. 7.

8. Kerr shot .454 from three-point range over his 15-year NBA career. Through his first six seasons, Curry shot .434 from beyond the arc.

9. He just laughed when we asked him, too.

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he rebound belonged to Mike Muscala. Everybody saw it. And, given the fact that the second-year pro doesn’t get too much time on the court,1 it made sense to let him have it.

Shelvin Mack2 didn’t see it that way.

“Nooo!” he shouted at Muscala. Al Horford was to get the board. Sorry, kid, but triple-doubles take precedence over everything else. It was the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 105-87 rout of host Philadelphia, the Hawks’ ninth straight victory, a streak that would swell to 17 by late January, and Horford needed one rebound to join the Magic Johnson Club.3 Mack wasn’t about to let Muscala mess it up. It wasn’t a big problem.4 Not too much is for these Hawks, who play together like nobody else in the NBA. That’s why, with just over half of the season gone, they boasted the East’s best record, by a whopping seven games.

From the rubble of last year’s frst-round playoff collapse against Indiana and after an offseason that featured front offce turmoil, Atlanta is proving itself a legitimate title contender (that’s right, title contender) with a brand of ball that pleases purists and might just cause fans to pay attention to a team in the Deep South not named Miami.

Not so far away, another team with a Southern favor was clawing its way to the top of the nasty Southwest Division, stepping past the Spurs and Thunder by doing a lot of the same things as the Hawks. Memphis has a core group of largely underappreciated players, a coach few casual fans can identify and a way of playing5—sharing the ball, working through the pivot—that can’t often be found on basketball courts these days.

The Grizzlies started fast, rumbled past the inevitable hangover and boast the necessary parts and experience to give any of the Western bullies trouble in a seven-game series. Their midseason addition of Jeff Green6 necessitated some rotation experimentation, but head coach Dave Joerger called on his experience as a minor league alchemist7 and found a way.

“Players come and go there,” he says. “They get called up and go overseas. You’re always trying to integrate guys as smoothly as possible.”

While the Grizzlies look to put the fnishing touches on their new lineup, the Hawks are rolling over everything in sight. Don’t be upset if this has surprised you. Even the most seasoned basketball forecasters didn’t expect anything like this. When you look more closely, though, the success of both teams makes perfect sense.

“We have a system in place, and the guys we put out there take on the challenge of playing together,” Horford says.

How about that?

teammates, and his 16 games of action in the frst half of the season serve as stern reminders that even former All-Stars11 get dunked on by Father Time at some point.

“I know it’s winding down,” he said during his impromptu press conference.

With 5:10 left in the game, Brand cranked it up, grabbing a missed three-point attempt by Kent Bazemore and fushing it home with both hands. Though Brand tried to remain cool, the Hawks’ bench erupted with glee. “Elton dunked!” Horford said afterward. “It felt like he was back at Duke. We were excited.”

There is plenty of reason for exhilaration in Atlanta these days. The Hawks have stunned most observers with their march to the top of the East. On Nov. 26, the Hawks were 7-5 and looked to some exactly like the team that had gacked it up against Indiana last year in the frst round. Those who knew better understood that a second season in Budenholzer’s system and Horford’s good health (he played just 29 games last year) were important differences in the franchise.

Over the next 42 games, the Hawks went 36-6, playing the type of teamfrst ball that reminds just about anyone who watches them of Popovich’s When teams are winning, little things become big fun. Take the waning Spurs. This, of course, is no coincidence. From the moment he took over moments of the Hawks’ rout of Philadelphia. First off, coach Mike Atlanta last season, Budenholzer worked to create an offense that combined Budenholzer showed some of the knowledge he accumulated during 18 the best parts of continual ball movement and individual expression. It’s years8 working for Gregg Popovich by sitting three starters and his top not an easy balance to strike. Too much one-on-one, and things devolve reserve big man for the tilt against the tanking Sixers. No need to stress quickly—on and off the court. An overabundance of passing can lead to everybody, especially at the beginning of a stretch of four road games in players’ unwillingness to shoot. Throughout the frst half of the season, the fve nights, and especially against the Sixers.

Hawks were in wonderful harmony, registering the League’s highest assist12 That meant some serious burn for 35-year old Elton Brand,9 who ratio and its ffth-most effcient offense.13 spent a quality 15 minutes before the game speaking to some of his old “The players know they are going to get opportunities [to score] with the Philly media friends—after the locker room was supposed to have closed. way we move the ball,” Budenholzer says. “If they work and grow, their The genial Brand is referred to as an “Original Gangsta”10 by his younger opportunities will grow, whether they are making plays for themselves or 040

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without the ball and handling the complexities of playing interior defense.

“Paul has some of the best hands in the NBA,” point guard Jeff Teague15 says. “On the defense end, he is our leader, and he anchors our defense. He’s so skilled that he can do everything at the four/fve position, and he gives us a special dynamic that a lot of their teammates. Our players have embraced improving themselves, teams don’t have.” because they are getting opportunities in games, and that fortifes their Perhaps no Hawk has fourished more in Budenholzer’s system desire to improve.” than has Teague, who was often seen as a question mark before Through three quarters against the Sixers, the Hawks had 25 assists on 29 feld last season. He was considered a defensive liability at one point. goals. In its 127-98 humbling of the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Dec. 17, Atlanta He struggled with his shot at times last year. But this season, he has scored 49 baskets and had 36 dimes. Through 45 games, the Hawks had the featured an all-around approach—and delivery—that fts very well fourth highest feld goal percentage in the NBA. The abundance of outstanding with how the Hawks want to play. Teague is a reliable point man shooting opportunities—Kyle Korver isn’t wide open every time he tries a three; who makes sound decisions, scores effciently and understands how it just seems that way14—is a perfect representation of this team’s willingness to get the ball started in the halfcourt. to play like, well, a team.

“Jeff is very, very important to us,” Budenholzer says. “Every night, “They brought in the right guys,” forward Paul Millsap says. “We are a very different guys step up and may lead us in scoring, but Jeff knows every unselfsh group of guys, a high character group of guys. We want to win, and night he’s the engine that keeps us going. He gets us in the open court everybody has bought in.” and gets us moving the ball. He may not necessarily score a lot or lead Millsap signed a two-year free agent contract with the Hawks before us in different statistical categories, but he’s playing with great pace, last season and has provided steady interior production, along with a and that’s important to us.” burgeoning outside game. He and Horford provide the Hawks with one of One of the more popular—and perhaps lazy—ways to characterize the League’s most versatile big-man tandems, and each is comfortable these Hawks is as a clone of the Spurs, and there can be no denying the

“We have a system in place, and the guys we put out there take on the challenge of playing together.”

—Al Horford

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“It kind of feels more like a college team.

Everybody’s bought in.”

—Kyle Korver

link between the two teams, thanks to Budenholzer’s time with the franchise. But San Antonio has sure-fre Hall of Famer Tim Duncan and another pair of strong candidates in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. For all of the interest in how the team carved up Miami in last year’s Finals with its excellent passing and creative play, it’s easier to win big when you have three stalwarts on whom to depend.

Atlanta has plenty of talent. No team wins so much in the NBA with plain grit and scheme. But there are no big-ticket items in the team’s cart. Atlanta’s Rockefeller is Horford, who has this season and next remaining on his fve-year, $60 million contract. That’s less than half of what Carmelo Anthony received from the Knicks last summer—and Anthony took $5 mil less than he could have. Millsap is in the second season of a two-year, $19 million deal, and Teague is getting $8 million per for four seasons. They aren’t poor, but they don’t command top dollar, either.

The relative modesty of the paychecks may be the biggest contributor to the team’s willingness to play so unselfshly, although that can sometimes backfre, as players vie for shots in order to get fatter deals down the line.

“It takes a while to develop that culture,” sniper extraordinaire Korver says. “You have to have guys who can play that style. It’s not taught at younger levels. You have to fnd guys who can ft.”

Korver is experiencing personal basketball bliss, thanks to his ability to hunt for shots, either by settling in to open spaces or by setting screens and then popping back behind the three-point line. As of the end of January, he was shooting better than 50 percent from the feld, 50 from behind the arc and 90 percent from the free throw line.16 Though he says the idea of fnishing the season at those levels remains “a long way away,” Korver is a true pleasure to watch play—much like his whole team.

“It kind of feels more like a college team,” he says. “Everybody’s bought in.”

championship run—even if they unfurl a 12-2 streak in March and close the year with fve wins in a row. That’s what happened last year, and it wasn’t fun for Memphis.

But adversity creates character. Or something like that.

More likely, it gives people experience, so that when trouble strikes again, they have a reference point from which they can seek equilibrium and begin progress.

Memphis started this season 15-2, quite a turnaround from last year’s mess. But when an 8-8 stretch threatened to push the Grizzlies back into the ruthless Southwest crowd,17 Joerger was able to remind his team of what it had overcome last year, when it reached the playoffs and pushed Oklahoma City to a seventh game (in OKC, of course) in the frst round of the playoffs.

“We were able to refect on what we went through last year and use it as an anchor,” he says. “We had been there before, and when we were struggling, it was about the process. You don’t have to have symptoms of being sick to know you’re sick. We might have been winning some games, but we did not have the energy.

“Eventually, it will get you. It’s about the process. If you do this and this and this, you’ll be all right.”

It wasn’t going to happen again, even if last season’s shaky start was due in large part to Marc Gasol’s knee sprain. You can’t hope to make real postseason progress in the NBA if you stumble at the start, even if you get rolling later on. The teams that advance deep into the playoffs put up big win totals and secure homecourt advantage. They don’t go without a top player for 23 games, sit at 15-19 in early January and then make their 042

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ITY L A T I P S O H SOUTHERN As Finals matchups goes, few encapsulate the East-West dynamic of the NBA better than Boston vs. Los Angeles (the two have faced off in the Finals a dozen times), and for good reason: The two franchises make up the crown jewels of the League with 33 combined championship banners.

With the Northeast quartet of Boston, New York, Brooklyn and Philadelphia counting ping-pong balls (Toronto has self-proclaimed rights to the North) and the Lakers suffering their worst season to date (we see you, Golden State and L.A. Clippers), the East-West rivalry won’t happen this year. In fact, with the ATL crew and GnG Grizz winning—along with fellow Southies Houston, Dallas and San Antonio in heavy contention— the NBA might see an All-South Finals come June, something that hasn’t happened too many times. Only three other times have the Finals have featured two teams from the Southern half of the country.

FINALS 1995 HOUSTON VS. ORLANDO The Magic ran roughshod over the East during the regular season with a Conference-best 57 wins as the team hit its Shaquille O’Neal-Penny Hardaway peak. The team showed plenty of growth in the playoffs, dispatching a still-rusty Michael Jordan (MJ had just ended his baseball firtation) in the playoffs and surviving a tough seven-game series against Indiana that looked like a championshipbuilding lesson. Orlando would be facing the Houston Rockets, who looked like they were suffering from a post-championship hangover (47 wins and just a sixth seed) after winning the franchise’s frst title a season ago. But they managed to escape a few playoff elimination games to get back to the Finals. Once there, the sleeping giant in the form of Hakeem Olajuwon woke up, dominating the young and overmatched Shaq (Dream had just come off a Western Conference Finals against the Spurs where he eviscerated League MVP David Robinson) in the four-game sweep to repeat as champs.

FINALS 2006 MIAMI VS. DALLAS The 2005-06 Mavericks were one of three teams to notch 60 wins and needed the full seven games to dispatch another 60-win team (63, to be exact) in San Antonio in the playoffs to reach the Finals.

Miami won 52 games, but never seemed to fash any championship potential until head coach Pat Riley worked his motivational magic in the playoffs, getting the Heat to peak at the right time of the year: the postseason.

Headed into the series the Mavericks were the favorites, and after the frst two games, proved to be right with a 2-0 edge. As Mavs fans can lament, the next four games were a fog of Dwyane Wade, questionable foul calls and a collapse of the highest order as the Heat came back to win four straight.

FINALS 2011 DALLAS VS. MIAMI A Finals rematch of the previous Southern series, the two teams reversed roles. The Heat were the prohibitive favorites, riding LeBron James’ free-agent arrival to what looked like instant championship fruition. The Heat got better as the season progressed and took care of business quickly in the playoffs, losing just three games. Dallas did the same, also losing three games in the West playoffs, setting up the rematch. After a being down 2-1 after three games, Dallas came roaring back in the next three. A tentative and sometimes listless James didn’t help Miami’s fortunes, but credit Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki in carrying the Mavericks to their frst title and vengeance from fve years ago.

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As February dawned, Memphis was more than all right. The Grizz had whipped Dallas for its eighth win in nine games and sat in the Western Conference’s second spot with the third-fewest losses in the League. The power move had attracted very little notice, just as much of what Memphis does not receive big notice. Despite a core18 that has stuck together for several seasons, the Grizzlies aren’t big fan or media favorites. But they are winning and look to be on a prosperous path. That’s especially true now that Memphis has added forward Green, whom the organization has coveted for more than a year. At a time when the established players in the West are (at least) a step or two off their usual pace, Memphis has plenty of reason for optimism.

“I do believe [the Grizzlies could win the West],” point man Mike Conley said. “I think with us adding a guy like [Jeff]—but even before him, I thought we had a chance. But now with him, I feel it gives us that much more of a boost, that extra confdence that we belong. We can really do it now for sure.”

Green is indeed an interesting piece. Some have wished Green had one standout skill on which he could rely, instead of a diverse game that featured many different facets. But it is that very versatility that Joerger and the Grizz coveted, especially on the defensive end. “It’s very signifcant for what we do as a defensive team,” Randolph says. “He can play the four, three, guard guards, guard bigs. He’s multi-dimensional.”

The fact that Memphis has such an accomplished interior tandem makes it extremely fexible, too. Some teams use their big men simply to set screens, hit the occasional jumper off the pick-and-roll or clean 043

BONUS POINTS 1. Muscala, a 6-11 forward, did start that game this season, and played 25 minutes and scored 6 points with 9 rebounds.

2. Point guard Mack is also part of the Hawks’ reserves.

3. Magic might be known for triple-doubles since he made the feat famous, but Oscar Robertson, who averaged a trip-dub season in 1961-62, has the most career trip-dubs with 181.

4. Horford would eventually get that 10th board to go with 21 points and 10 dimes.

5. Grit ’n Grind.

6. On 1/12/15, as part of a three-team trade, Memphis traded away Tayshaun Prince and a future frst round pick to Boston and Quincy Pondexter and a second round pick to New Orleans in exchange for Green.

7. Joerger has coached his teams to fve championships in the minor leagues: once in the International Basketball Association (2001), three times in the Continental Basketball Association and once with the NBA D-League.

8. Budenholzer started out his frst two seasons as the Spurs’ video coordinator before moving into the bench role.

9. The 16-year veteran and 2000 Rookie of the Year was the No. 1 pick in the 1999 NBA Draft.

10. Though they usually use OG. 11. Brand was an All-Star in 2002 and 2006. up messes inside. Randolph and especially Gasol are able to initiate offense, attract 12. Over 54 games Atlanta averaged a League-best 25.7 dimes per game.

13. Buoyed by the team’s League-best .389 three-point shooting percentage. nearly constant double-teams and create opportunities for others. Joerger is perfectly 14. Especially when you consider his ridiculous .523 rate from three. suited for creating a system around two postmen, thanks to the uncertainty of life he 15. Teague joined Korver as a frst-time All-Star this season, along with three-time All-Star experienced in various developmental leagues.

Horford and two-time Millsap.

16. Steve Kerr is the only player in NBA history to ever pull off the 50-50-90 season, but “We’re different than a lot of teams in the NBA,” Joerger says. “We’re trying to play to technically does not qualify since he didn’t shoot a qualifying number of feld goals and that strength. In the minors, you don’t know what kind of team you’re going to get. You free throws.

17. At the All-Star break, all fve teams in the division were above .500. can’t have a one-size-fts-all team. You play to your strengths.”

18. Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Tony Allen.

Gasol has—quietly—become one of the League’s best players, a surprise to some who 19. A second-round pick in 2007 by the Lakers, Marc was essentially a throw-in player as part of the package for big brother Pau in 2008. wondered what the doughy Spaniard could do when he entered the League.19 For years, 20. Marc was selected as a starter for the frst time, setting up an opening tip-off with the one Gasol people noticed was Pau. Now, the smart fans pay as much, if not more big brother Pau in the All-Star Game, an NBA frst.

“I like having success as a team. It’s easier to go through the grind when you’re winning.”—Marc Gasol

attention, to the big Grizzly, who earned his second All-Star20 nod this season and was scoring at a career-high clip (18.9) through the season’s frst 45 games.

“Marc’s a great teammate and looks out for everybody, almost like a big brother,” Conley says. “He also stands behind his teammates and is willing to stick up for people, which guys respect. That’s the kind of leadership you want.”

Conley’s reputation is on the move, too. He’s scoring more and shooting more accurately, especially from long range. He remains an active defender and can set up his teammates well. Joerger is impressed with Conley’s commitment to team. “He always asks, ‘How can I put us in a position to win?’” Joerger says. Randolph does that with his usual reliable board work and effcient scoring. He works perfectly with Gasol, stepping outside when the big man wants access to the engine room and posting up when Gasol works from the high post. He’s

another valuable piece of the evolving Grizzlies product that has grown together and keeps growing. As long as Joerger and the players remain committed to fnding the right way to make it all work, good things are likely to happen.

“I like having success as a team,” Gasol says. “I’ll tell you that. Everything makes more sense. It’s easier to go through the grind when you’re winning.”

So far in Atlanta and Memphis, there is plenty of clarity, as the success keeps on coming.

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a e l p p A al He might be famous for the tuft of facial hair that joins his two brows, but Anthony Davis is crossing the hard-to-span bridge into future MVP.

By JIM EICHENHOFER #12 047

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n road city after road city, reporters converge on Anthony Davis’ locker to ask a series of similar questions: What does it feel like to be mentioned as one of the NBA’s elite players, in the company of greats such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant, at age 21?

What do you think about posting a Player Effciency Rating that’s on pace to break Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time record?1 How do you react to people saying you’re a frontrunner for MVP this season?

Although he usually handles it with the grace of a 15-year veteran, the talk can make Davis a bit uneasy. He’d much rather discuss another topic, like teammate Ryan Anderson’s three-point shooting. Or maybe how Tyreke Evans has set Davis up for countless alley-oops this season. Or how unheralded New Orleans forward Dante Cunningham sparks the Pelicans with his defense and hustle. Anything besides what everyone else seems to want to talk about: Davis’ incredible rise to superstardom in year three of his NBA career.

“He doesn’t want to do anything that separates himself from the rest of the team,” explains Anderson, a teammate for each of Davis’ three pro seasons. “He doesn’t want to be looked at any differently. I’ve been around players that had a ton of success,2 and they want to be looked at in a certain light, or they want to walk into practice and have everybody stare at them and say, ‘That’s him [The Man].’ Or they play 42 minutes in a game and their teammates think, ‘Well, obviously he’s not going to practice tomorrow.’ Anthony would never do that. He’s going to be the frst guy shooting on the court, and he’s going to come in and practice, just like everybody else.”

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“It’s a team game,” Davis explains of his reticence to focus on himself. “You’re not going to win championships or any games by yourself. So my biggest thing is, it’s always about the team. And it is kind of uncomfortable when you’re sitting there talking about yourself, saying, ‘Oh, I did this or I did that.’ It’s uncomfortable—for me at least. [Teammates] do a lot for me. They cover up my mistakes, to make me look good. At the end of the day, I give them all the praise and glory that I can give them. They help me become a better player.”

In recent years, it’s been a trend among some of the NBA’s megastars to pursue control of all of the major aspects of their existence. They want a max contract. They need to play with a specifc set of teammates. They’d prefer a coach of their choosing. And they’d like to do all of it in a city of their liking.

Anderson views the mature-beyond-his-years Davis’ perspective as the polar opposite.

“He’s not really searching for anything,” Anderson says. “He just wants to play well, have fun and play basketball. I admire that, in a world that’s always wanting more. It seems like superstars always want more. I can’t see him ever... [in] any situation that brings negative attention toward him, any unneeded attention. And that’s so different to see. Guys are trying to be the coach, or you see superstars trying to tell the coach what to do.

“The frst word I use to describe Anthony is humble. To be 21 years old and in the conversation as one of the best players in the NBA, or the best, to have so much attention through college and to be the No. 1 pick in the draft and all this now, to remain the same guy is really admirable. Those are the things I look out for and the things I really notice. He’s stayed the same guy. He’s just a humble,

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“It’s a team game. [Teammates] do a lot for me.

They cover up my mistakes, to make me look good. At the end of the day, I give them all the praise and glory that I can give them. They help me become a better player.” great, real genuine guy. He just cares. He’s done some things for me that I really appreciate.”

Anderson explains that after the most frightening incident of the seven-year forward’s basketball career—on Jan. 3, 2014, he collided with Celtics forward Gerald Wallace3 and ended up in a Boston hospital with a season-ending neck injury—Davis was the frst teammate to visit Anderson at his home in the New Orleans suburbs. It’s a similar story to one told

by Paul George in August; Davis checked in on George in a Las Vegas hospital immediately after George broke his leg during the USA Basketball team scrimmage.

“After I came back home from Boston, Anthony was the frst guy to drive over to my house, without calling me or telling me,” Anderson says, admiringly. “He knew that I’d be home. He came over—my family was there—and just sat with me and hung out with me, asked how I was doing, how I was feeling, because he knew it was a tough thing for me to go through. Obviously he’s such a busy guy, with more responsibilities [off the court] than we’ll probably ever realize, so to do that meant probably far more than he would ever imagine. Those are the things I will remember most about [playing with] Anthony. He’s had a million dunks, and in his career he’s going to have triple-doubles, blocks, amazing stats, but the things I’m going to remember most are him just being Anthony, being there for people he cares about.”

A throng of fans has gathered outside a Chicago hotel to greet one of their hometown heroes, even if he’s in town on a frigid late-December 050

night to try to beat their beloved Bulls. Davis, a proud native of the Windy City, dutifully signs autographs for dozens of fans, but he’s also got another task in mind that he’s been eagerly awaiting. As Pelicans players approach the team bus nearby that’s going to whisk them to the United Center, Davis stands nearby, handing each player a box containing brand-new famousmaker headphones, two days after Christmas.

“He’s always making sure he’s taking care of his teammates and thinking about himself last, which is the quality of a great leader,” says guard Jimmer Fredette, in his frst year with New Orleans.4 “He’s just a great kid, level-headed, a hard worker. He’s a guy you want to be teammates with. He’s an unselfsh superstar. He’s great off the court, joking around with guys, and has great relationships with guys.”

“I think he’s a natural leader,” Pelicans forward Luke Babbitt says. “He’s gotten us together for team dinners. He’s been outspoken at times when we needed it. That’s just another sign of what a great player he is, that he takes that on at such a young age. That stuff is almost as valuable as what he does on the court.”

What he’s been doing on the hardwood is virtually unprecedented in NBA history. During one second-half stretch of last season, Davis not only cemented himself as New Orleans’ franchise player, but also as one of the League’s great ones. Shortly after making his NBA All-Star debut in February 2013, Davis compiled a 10-game March stretch in which he averaged 29.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. He followed that up in 2014-15 with a fantastic frst half of the regular season, ranking in the SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

FAM BEFORE FAME

Where did Anthony Davis’ grounded perspective originate? Start with his parents, Anthony Sr. and Erainer (each pictured above), Chicago natives who met while attending church.

“We taught him to treat people the way you want to be treated,” Anthony Sr. says. “We brought him up in the church. Every Sunday growing up, we were in church. Our parents raised us that way, to have church be a part of their life. We told Anthony to always stay humble, and enjoy what you’ve got.”

The Davises—who also have two daughters, including Anthony’s twin sister—were instrumental in helping guide their son through what’s been a surreal rise from lightlyrecruited NCAA prospect to NBA MVP candidate. Anthony Sr. convinced his son not to commit early to a mid-major NCAA program, a decision that proved wise when Kentucky and other blueblood schools jumped into his recruitment. Erainer helped sway Anthony Jr. away from football, and like her husband, constantly stressed education (her son always got As and Bs in school).

“He always loved basketball,” says a smiling Erainer, beloved by Pelicans players for her friendly personality and kindness. “I told him all the time, ‘Anthony, stop bouncing the ball in the house!’ [At one point] he tried to play football and I told him, ‘No, you’re too little, and if somebody is going to break or hurt my baby, there’s going to be a problem!’ So football was not an option. I was hoping it would be basketball, not football.”

“They had a big infuence,” Anthony Jr. says. “They always wanted me to be the best I can be and achieve all of my goals. They are defnitely supportive, and whatever I need, whether it’s being at my games or being giving of their time, they make sure they do it. That’s a big thing, having your parents there supporting you at games. They don’t have to do it. They could just stay in Chicago and see us there. But they are always there to support their son.”

They frst met in a church, and now you can often fnd Anthony Sr. and Erainer together at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Although they still reside in Chicago, the couple frequently makes trips to the Crescent City during basketball season. They sometimes can’t believe what’s happened in their son’s life in the span of just a few years, and appreciate everything that’s been said about him related to his upbringing.

“It makes me feel good as a mom to know that everything that we tried to teach him, he actually was listening because of the way he is now,” Erainer says. “It wasn’t in one ear and out the other.”

“He’s been a great kid,” Anthony Sr. says. “We are so proud of him. I remember the day he got drafted, just to watch him sit there [in New York City], getting ready to live his dream, he was like, ‘Man, I’m going to be in the NBA.’ I was like, ‘You made it son.’ ” These days, one of Mr. Davis’ proudest moments comes at Pelicans home games, when he gazes around the 17,000-seat Smoothie King Center and sees his surname on countless navy blue, red and white shirts. He sometimes has to pinch himself.

“Just to come into this arena and see your name on the back of all of these jerseys, it really gives you goose bumps,” he says. “I get so emotional every time I come here and think, ‘This really is amazing.’ ”—#12

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League’s top 10 in scoring, rebounding and blocks (he was on pace to top the NBA in rejections for a second straight time).

Despite a steady stream of accolades that have resulted from his oncourt accomplishments, Davis has maintained the approach that he wants to be treated like everyone else on New Orleans’ roster.

“It’s really a testament to his character,” Anderson says. “His ability to just get along with everybody is impressive. He’s the type of guy who strives for greatness, but off the court, he’s just Anthony. His ability to separate that is pretty awesome.”

“He’s the ultimate pro, and he’s only 21,” says Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday,5 shaking his head at how quickly that’s happened. “He knows that with his talents and abilities comes a lot of benefts, and he shares them with his teammates. Off the court, he’s just a regular person. I don’t think he takes the fame and all that to his head. He’s aware of how good he is, but that doesn’t get to him. That’s awesome to see.”

Monty Williams knows it’s coming. When the Pelicans head coach meets with the media prior to every New Orleans game, someone invariably wonders, “Why has Anthony Davis improved so rapidly?” Williams has a

“He’s real hungry.

That’s probably the biggest thing. He’s very intelligent, driven. Those type of guys, you combine that with his overall talent, it’s scary what he’s going to become.”

—Tom Thibodeau standard answer that gets right to the heart of the question: “It’s because he’s worked so hard on his game. He’s put in the time to become a better player. When you do that, you tend to see the rewards.”

Indeed, New Orleans’ coaches and players are more familiar than anyone with Davis’ drive to transform himself on the court. After struggling to consistently make perimeter shots as a rookie, he quickly became a dangerous threat from 18 to 20 feet. After being pushed around some as a 19-year-old fresh off a national championship at Kentucky, Davis spent countless hours in the weight room with Pelicans assistant coach/director of player development Carlos Daniel.7 He’s added roughly 20 pounds since entering the NBA, mostly muscle, allowing him to hold his ground much better and withstand contact8 in the paint.

“Coming into his rookie season, I don’t want to say it overwhelmed him, but it came fast and quick,” Daniel says of the challenge a spindly 220-pound Davis faced going up against bigger and stronger frontcourt players. “He knew at that point, ‘You know what? I have somewhere to go, and I can’t mess around with the process.’ He knew he had to get stronger and better and took the time to do it. It made a difference.

“His body is totally different from the body he came into the League with. For him to seamlessly add the new strength and the new muscle, and apply it to his game, that is a skill. Some guys over time have gained weight or muscle, but it’s had a negative effect on their game. Anthony knew there needed to be a change. And when you accept that there needs

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BONUS POINTS 1. Wilt’s 1962-63 season: 31.82. Davis this season (as of 2/9): 31.7.

2. Anderson can count Vince Carter and Dwight Howard as two former teammates.

3. With a nickname like “Crash,” it was inevitable.

4. Fredette joined the Pelicans as a free agent over the past summer.

5. Holiday is the only other player on the Pelicans' roster to have been named an All-Star. Holiday was an All-Star in 2013 as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

6. Davis was about 1 year and 8 months old when Williams made his NBA playing debut with the New York Knicks on 11/8/94.

7. Daniel, in his fourth year with New Orleans, was a former NBA hopeful, trying out for Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, appearing in a few preseason games for both teams.

8. For the season, Davis averages about seven foul shots per game.

9. Davis got the pre-rookie treatment from the veterans of USA Basketball when he played on the team the summer prior to his rookie season.

10. After just per-game averages of 7.6 minutes and 3.7 points in 2012, Davis was third in scoring with 12.3 ppg in 2014.

11. In high school, Davis spurted eight inches in 18 months—from a 6-2 guard to a 6-10 center.

12. The greats—Jordan, LeBron, Kobe—have always added wrinkles to their game with each passing season.

to be a change, you’re more open to the process. When he opened himself up to the process [of adding muscle and strength], the benefts are just a product of that. It’s more a testament to who he is as a young man than anything else.”

Davis has also profted greatly from participating in USA Basketball for three straight summers, including winning gold medals at the 2012 Olympics9 and the 2014 FIBA World Cup.10 Seeing how the NBA’s premier players practice and prepare was invaluable.

Davis: “It was huge. Being able to play with those guys, some of the best players, was a great honor. I had tons of fun with it. It made me see the foor differently, see myself as a player differently, see the League differently. Those guys helped me through it all.”

“I saw how highly motivated he was throughout the entire summer,” says Bulls head coach and USA assistant coach Tom Thibodeau. “The way he practiced, the way he worked with Monty before and after practice, the way he worked with their strength coach [Daniel]. You could see how important it was to him. And the way he played with Team USA. I thought he was phenomenal last [season], but he was even better in the summer.”

Pelicans assistant coach Kevin Hanson, a 6-10 former post player overseas, has taken a literal hands-on approach in working with Davis, frequently getting out on the foor to teach low-post moves in the paint and counters to opponents’ defensive strategies. It’s helped Davis improve from averaging 13.5 points as a rookie to becoming top-fve NBA scorer status this season.

“It’s all confdence,” Hanson says. “Confdence in the work he’s put in, confdence in his shot, confdence in his individual moves, recognizing defenses. There’s a confdence about him now that he didn’t have before.

It’s pretty simple. Because he’s the best player on the foor—and now he’s really starting to recognize that.”

The ingredients are all there: World-class natural talent. A skill set aided by the fact that he was still a small guard prior to a well-documented growth spurt11 in high school. A determined work ethic praised by everyone around him. The most frightening thing about Davis’ future? His birth certifcate, which indicates a 22nd birthday on March 11.

“I’m impressed at how quickly he’s adapted and done some things in

this League at such a young age,” Daniel says. “Obviously it’s scary to say, but the kid is going to get better. There’s ebb and fow to this League, and the League adjusts to you. So how do you gauge a player in any sport?

Well, what do they do when the League catches up to them? Great players, they change something and force the League to catch up to them again.12 I think as his frst three years come to an end, he’s going to do something that makes the League have to catch up to him again. That’s what makes him special. He has the ability to do that.”

“Growing up, he was a guard. To characterize him as a center [now] might be a mistake, or as a power forward, because he’s a basketball player,” Thibodeau says. “He’s got great skills—he can shoot, he can pass, he can post, put it on the foor, run the foor, has great hands, can make plays. And he’s real hungry. That’s probably the biggest thing. He’s very intelligent, driven. Those type of guys, you combine that with his overall talent, it’s scary what he’s going to become.”

054 RON HOSKINS; LAYNE MURDOCH JR.; LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Twi

H

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By Holly MacKenzie #32

wirling His

Moustache He's no villain, but Matt Barnes plays one to perfection on the basketball court.

F

ake tough guy. Dirty player. Loose cannon.1 Your opinion of Matt Barnes does not matter to Matt Barnes. It used to. If we’re being entirely truthful, sometimes the negative impressions can still sting a little, but the 35-year-old2 Los Angeles Clipper has learned to only worry about those who actually know his story.

“I look at it and sometimes it makes me mad to think there’s such a misconception of me,” says Barnes. “I think that reputation is earned whether good or bad, and early on, I had to do whatever it took to survive, to make it. Now that I’ve made it, I’m labeled as whatever I’m labeled as. It’s not who I am and that’s something I have to learn to deal with.”

In his 12th season, Barnes has played important roles for various contending franchises. The career success he’s experienced has made it easy to forget his rocky start. Drafted by Memphis in 20023 before being traded4 and cut5 and then spending two years in the D-League6 and ABA7 before actually making it into the NBA,8 Barnes has seen it all. He’s had a coach—Maurice Cheeks in Philadelphia9—tell him there was no point in working on his shot because he’d never get to use it. He was thisclose to leaving the NBA for NFL tryouts.10

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“When I got traded to Philly, I wasn’t playing at all and [Chris Webber]11 was the person in my ear every day saying, ‘You can’t let this beat you. You’ve got to work and you’ve got to want it,’” says Barnes. “I think his push and his drive, him being like a big brother to me really shaped and guided my outlook in my career.”

Barnes had grown up admiring Webber and having him in his ear supporting him wasn’t something he took for granted. Barnes knew he couldn’t give up on making his hoop dreams a reality.

“He was there in the worst times when I wanted to quit and wanted to go try to play football,” remembers Barnes. “He was the one that was telling me, ‘What are you going to show everyone else?’ He got me a shooting coach. That was the guy I really started working with in Philly. He was the one that really pushed me.

“I think what drove me more than anything was always hearing that I couldn't do it or that I’m not good enough for this, not good enough for that. It’s things like that that keep lighting and adding fuel to the fre.”

If you’re not in his immediate circle, there isn’t much that Barnes needs you to know about him. In a time where professional athletes are concerned with how each interaction will affect their brands and choose to present carefully constructed versions of their real selves, Barnes is a throwback to a different era.

“If I have to be the NBA’s bad guy or villain to have a successful career, play hopefully 15 or 17 years, it’s something I’ll do.”

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JUAN OCAMPO; ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The Clippers are a talented team with championship aspirations who are trying to prove they’re serious championship contenders. They’re also known around the League for complaining to offcials and picking up technical fouls in a hurry. On a roster where toughness has been questioned, it’s easy to understand why Barnes is so important. There are few players in the NBA who relish the role of enforcer like he does.

“When they say what do you want to be remembered for, my thing is, obviously I want to win a championship, but it’s not [being an] All-Star or trying to be the best player ever—I’m trying to be the best player I can be,” says Barnes. “I want people to know I was a good teammate.

“I have such a misleading reputation in the League. I’m a guy people hate to play against but love to play with. I’m all about the team. My team is my family.”

There are two events that have shaped Barnes more than anything else. One involved the greatest loss of his life.

The other: his greatest gain.

Barnes will never forget the date: Nov. 1, 2007. The phone rang. Like so many other days, his mother, Ann, was calling. This conversation was different, though. Revealing that she had been diagnosed with four types of cancer, all stage 4,12 Ann had to begin telling her family that this wasn’t something she would be able to conquer. Her loved ones didn’t even have time to begin processing the news because 27 days after her diagnosis she passed away.13 “My mom was a really caring person,” says Barnes. “She was a special-ed person.14 She had a lot of patience and she had three bad kids, too. In college I’d go back and help them with play dates and stuff and I couldn’t believe the patience and caring she had for others. I knew when she passed with cancer, I had to do something to give back to people who are going through it.”

That something quickly morphed into Athletes vs. Cancer, the foundation Barnes created to provide support— emotional, educational, fnancial—to those suffering from the same disease that robbed his family of their heart and soul.

From providing cancer screenings to paying medical bills, Athletes vs. Cancer is Barnes’ way of honoring his mother while attempting to make the fght easier.

“It’s sad that all you ever see is the negative stuff [about athletes],” says Barnes. “We never see that athletes are STEPHEN DUNN/GETTY IMAGES

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“He has your back always. He’s there to voice his opinion, he’s there to be honest, he’s there to be supportive. I think he’s underrated in his role, what he does. It’s very important.

Ask anyone who he’s played with, they’d go to war with him.”

—Jamal Crawford really giving back. For the last seven years we’ve provided medicines [to people in need], someone hit me on Twitter one time and said his mom was sick. We got $10,000 to [her to] get her medicine and she’s doing better now.

“Our foundation is doing things that are affecting, saving and changing lives,” says Barnes.

Losing his mother so quickly was impossible to comprehend. Entering his second season with the Golden State Warriors15 when it happened, his teammates were there for him as he fgured out how to move forward without his biggest fan.

“The whole organization, the Golden State organization, they are still some of my closest friends,” says Barnes. “It was tough that it happened so fast. It was tough for it to happen at the beginning of the season and it just came out of nowhere. My teammates were very loving and supportive and really helped me pull through to be able to continue on. I was the leader in my family so my family turned to me and I didn't really have anyone to turn to at the time. Having someone come over daily, check on me, send me stuff, just going out of their way to make sure I was okay meant a lot.”

Two years after the death of his mother, Barnes became a father and was overjoyed by the birth of twin boys.16 In a recent Instagram post on the date of his mother’s birthday, Barnes posted a letter to her, telling her that the boys are getting big and expressing how much he wished she could have met them. After the pain of losing her, he says becoming a father has changed his life in a way he couldn’t have understood prior to the twins’ arrival.

“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” says Barnes. “It puts basketball and life in perspective. I’ve been blessed to play this long—the average career is three years. Being a father is a lifetime job and an honor.

Just to be around my kids and see them grow and help them and teach them, see the looks on their faces when they’re in the locker room with my team or by the bench with me when we have a blowout, it’s priceless.”

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ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN; (2); ROCKY WIDNER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Winning Attitude Every NBA team has its own blueprint for success.

Regardless of what that plan looks like, a contending team needs a tough guy. That player might be a big man, scrappy guard or fearless wing, but he’s needed as much for what he brings to the locker room as he is for what he’s contributing on the court.

“You always need guys that are going to do the dirty work for you,” says Jameer Nelson. “Guys who won’t complain about the ball and [number of] shots [they’re getting].”

Charles Oakley (the mid-’90s Knicks seemed to have a roster filled with tough guys), Raja Bell, Matt Charles Oakley Harping, Bruce Bowen and Kendrick Perkins are all very different players who have played the role of irritant for good teams, getting under an opponent’s skin while boosting the confidence of their own team.

Matt Barnes has filled that role for the Los Angeles Clippers since 2012. And before that he played that role for seven other teams, most famously for the Golden State Warriors when they upset the top-seeded Mavericks in 2007. Current and former teammates are quick to make sure he gets praise for his efforts.

“You never get the accolades [because] it doesn’t show up in the box score,” says Caron Butler, who was teammates with Barnes for two seasons from 20112013. “Along with being out there physically playing, as well as having foresight and wisdom of knowing what [teammates are] going through and knowing what to say when to say it , I think that’s exactly what Matt Harpring Matt adds to that locker room.”

While it’s easy to see what Barnes does on the floor, away from the court, he tries to pass along all that he has learned over his NBA career.

“I try to let these guys know you’re not always going to be able to control how many shots you take or how many shots you make but you can always control your effort and how hard you play so I try to lead by example in that aspect,” says Barnes said.

“I’ve seen a lot of No. 1 picks, lottery picks come and go,” he continues. “I think to stay in the League, everybody wants to come in and be Kobe, or Kevin Durant, LeBron [James], and take 25 shots, but not many guys in the League get to do that. The sooner you accept that the better chance you have to make this a career.”

Through the ups and downs in every NBA season, Bruce Bowen having a voice that cuts through the rest of the clutter is invaluable. Although his words sometimes get him in trouble with technical fouls and fines, Barnes is able to get through to younger players because they trust, for better or worse, that he’s speaking the truth.—#32

BILL BAPTIST; MELISSA MAJCHRZAK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; LISA BLUMENFELD; ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES

Like his time with the Warriors, Barnes hasn’t hesitated to blur the lines between work life and home life. With so many of his teammates having children close in age to his twins, he is especially thankful that his sons get to experience his career, too.

“You can’t explain that,” says Barnes. “My kids, Chris Paul's, Jamal Crawford's , Blake’s son—they’re all just best friends.

They run around Staples Center like they own the place and when we win, they come in the locker room. It’s stuff you have to be there to experience. It’s a once in a lifetime experience and I’m really blessed to have my kids be able to experience that.”

Barnes’ devotion to kids goes beyond his own. One Instagram video shows Barnes and an adorable little girl who suffers from alopecia17 at the moment where Barnes surprises her with a wig specially fit to her head.

“To have kids of my own now and know you would literally do anything for [them], you don't understand it until you’re a parent, to see another kid unhappy, there’s nothing you wouldn’t do to try to help that,” says Barnes.

Upon hearing that children were teasing her for being without hair, he told her family he’d like to buy her wig, then used an off-day to fly to the family and be there for the presentation.

“We got [the wig] fit because she was so small, we got to cut it and dye it and all this cool stuff and to see the look on her face when she actually got it on was incredible. It was great.”

To the average NBA fan tuning in to watch a Clippers game, Barnes is the player that is easy to root against. He doesn’t play with grace. He doesn’t score18 much or do anything glamorous. He’s fiery and physical and doesn’t ever stop 061

“I have such a misleading reputation in the League. I’m a guy people hate to play against but love to play with. I’m all about the team. My team is my family.” talking. He’ll get up in an opponent's face, he protects his teammates at all costs, picking up technical fouls19 and the ensuing fnes to do it. If you’re sitting courtside at a game and decide to chirp at him, he’ll chirp back.

“Most people who don't know me think I'm an [expletive] because of how I play or how I live,” says Barnes. “But I think it says a lot that whenever I do something I always have the support of my teammates, no matter who the teammates are.”

For Clippers teammate Jamal Crawford, it’s a no-brainer.

“We love him,” says Crawford. “He’s one of the best. He has your back always. He’s there to voice his opinion, he’s there to be honest, he’s there to be supportive. I think he’s underrated in his role, what he does. It’s very important. Ask anyone who he’s played with, they’d go to war with him.”

Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy coached Barnes in Orlando.20 While Dwight Howard was the face of the franchise at the time, it was Barnes who provided a boost in the locker room.

“Matt’s a high-energy, high-confdence guy who brings you a toughness and a swagger to your team,” says Van Gundy. “He’s got great belief in his teammates. He’s a guy who will never back down from anybody and that gives everybody confdence.”

During Barnes’ Orlando tenure,22 he earned the respect of Kobe Bryant after the two spent a game jawing at one another before picking up technicals for their refusal to quit it. There’s a classic YouTube clip of Bryant defantly staring down Barnes as Barnes is inbounding the ball that speaks volumes21 about each player. Even more telling: That offseason, Barnes signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and went from battling Bryant to going to war with him.

Veteran players in the League claim that a contending team needs a guy like Barnes. In today’s NBA, though, his intensity and grit often result in fnes and ejections. Barnes doesn’t shy away from admitting when he has done wrong, but also feels that he is held to a different set of rules than much of the League, especially big-name superstars.

“I’ll push somebody and get suspended for a game,” explains Barnes. “You look at it and sometimes you just sit back and laugh...it’s very frustrating sometimes. If I have to be the NBA’s bad guy or villain to have a successful career, play hopefully 15 or 17 years, it’s something I’ll do.”

As the Clippers continue marching forward, it’s all but guaranteed that Barnes will continue to rack up more fnes than most of his teammates.

As he continues to deal with consequences stemming from a reputation that he can’t quite shake, those same teammates will continue singing his praises.

BONUS POINTS 1. Google these terms with “Matt Barnes” and you’ll fnd a few clickbait lists that feature him.

2. He just recently turned 35. Barnes’ birthdate is 3/9/80.

3. Pick No. 45 in the second round after a four-year career at UCLA, where Barnes averaged 8.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 2 apg.

4. Barnes was sent to Cleveland along with Nick Anderson for Wesley Person.

5. The Cavs waived him in the preseason.

6. The Fayetteville Patriots made Barnes the 106th pick in the 2002 D-League draft.

7. Barnes hooped for the Long Beach Jam for the 2003-04 season.

8. The Clippers gave Barnes his frst NBA chance in 2003-04 when he appeared in 38 games.

9. In 2005-06, Barnes spent 50 games with Philadelphia, where he took 110 shots.

10. Barnes was a high school letterman in football and basketball at Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, Calif. His younger brother Jason plays in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts.

11. It was Webber’s fnal season where he averaged a 20-10 (20.2 ppg and 9.9 rpg) 12. The fourth stage is the worst cancer diagnosis and means the cancer cells have spread all over the body.

13. Ann Barnes passed away at 50.

14. She was an elementary school teacher specializing in mentally-challenged students.

15. The previous season the Warriors pulled off one of the biggest playoff upsets as the 42-40 eighthseeded Dubs defeated the NBA’s top team, the 67-15 Dallas Mavericks, in the frst round.

16. Carter Kelly and Isiah Michael.

17. Baldness caused by a variety of factors, usually a genetic or autoimmune disorder.

18. Barnes has only averaged more than 10 points in two seasons: 2008-09 with the high-octane Phoenix Suns (10.2) and in 2012-13 with the L.A. Clippers (10.3).

19. This season will be the fourth time in his career that Barnes will exceed 10 techs in a season.

20. Barnes played on the Magic in 2009-10.

21. Barnes fakes a pass into Kobe’s face as Kobe unfinchingly stares at Barnes.

22. Barnes has played for eight teams, including every NBA team in the state of California.

062 ROCKY WIDNER; SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

WITH G

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& KRIS NT HILL

TEN LED

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T E N O O N S Y SATURDA

SERVING NOTICE Jimmy Butler has toiled tirelessly to get to where he is.

By Bryan Crawford #26

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he odds of making it to the NBA aren’t very high. There are only 450 openings, even less if you count the superstars and max players with guaranteed roster spots. Millions of kids all over the world are training year round with the dream of someday competing on basketball’s biggest stage. Simply put, to make it to the League, you have to be very good, a little lucky and above all, work hard.

Now imagine how much tougher it is for someone to make it when life has thrown one curveball after the next, and to achieve any goal, the stars have to be perfectly aligned at all times. There’s an old saying that goes, “It’s better to be lucky than good.” That axiom perfectly describes Jimmy Butler’s incredible journey from Tomball, Texas,1 to the famous position of being starting guard for the Chicago Bulls.2 Butler’s backstory is something that he doesn’t like to talk about publicly. As the story goes, when he was 13 years old, his biological mother kicked him out of the house and until he was 17, Butler would eat and sleep wherever he could.

At 13, most kids aren’t thinking very much about life beyond what they’re going to do for the day. But Butler had to fgure out how to make it to the next day.

By his senior year, Michelle Lambert, the woman he calls his mom, had taken him in, providing Butler with a permanent roof over his head and a stable home environment.3 As a graduate from Tomball High School, Butler had virtually no buzz4 and decided to enroll at Tyler Junior College.5 Mike Marquis has been the head coach at Tyler Junior College for 15 years.6 In that time, he’s seen a lot of players come and go. But from the moment he met Butler, he knew right away that he had something special in the skinny teenager from Houston’s suburbs.

“He had a certain demeanor that most 18-year-old kids don’t have and he carried himself with a confdence and maturity that struck me right away. But it wasn’t just about the way he played basketball,” Marquis remembers of his frst meeting with Butler. “As I got to know him, I found out that he’d been through a lot. I understood pretty quickly that his situation had a lot to do with making him into the person he was. It was very easy to want him to be a part of the program, that’s for sure.”

When he arrived on Tyler’s campus, Butler knew he had to earn the respect of his teammates and coaches. After being overlooked coming out of Tomball, he wanted everybody to know that he wasn’t going to be outworked.

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“I haven’t always been the best guy on any team that I’ve played for—maybe with the exception of high school. But I just always worked, man,” says Butler. “I worked like I wasn’t any good at basketball. I would go through drills over and over until I got comfortable on whatever I was trying to get better at then I would change and start focusing on something else. I just always worked because I knew that was the only way to maintain and stay at the level I was at—whether that was junior college, Division I, and now the NBA.” Butler may have made his mark in the League on the defensive side of the ball, but coming out of high school, he was a pretty good offensively.

At 6-7, he had the height and build of a prototypical NBA shooting guard and he was receptive to any coaching that would help make him better on both sides of the ball.

“Jimmy is on the high end of the scale when it comes to being coachable,” says Marquis. “When he got here, Jimmy bought into everything we wanted to teach him offensively. He would come over between classes and work on his footwork, shooting and being able to create off the dribble. He would watch flm for as long as you wanted to. He was an old-fashioned gym rat and passionate about being great.”

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As a defender, Marquis saw that Butler had even greater potential and openly gushes over the physical attributes that allow him to guard some of the world’s best players.

“Jimmy has great shoulders to play defense— he has a great physique for basketball in

general—and I always thought that’s what separated him from a lot of other guys,” says Marquis. “He can get through screens and tight spaces and he’s got great feet to match. He’s like a bloodhound. Once he gets a scent of that basketball, he’s not going to stop.

“Jimmy is also a student of the game. He studies his opponent, the tendencies the other team has and who he’s going to guard on any given night. He was so much fun to be around because he was always so upbeat about not just being good, but being great.”

It is these attributes that earned Butler an All-Defensive Second Team selection7 last season and his improving ability to score has him in the running for the Most Improved Player Award8 this year.

“I defnitely pride myself on being a two-way player,”9 said Butler. “I think a lot of guys who play basketball, look up to people who can guard their man and score on the other end. It’s very hard to do, but I think anybody is capable of it. You’ve just got to decide that you want to be that kind of player and then put in the work to make it happen.”

At Tyler, Butler’s talent and his tireless work ethic caught the eyes of many of his teammates, including Chicago native Randall Hampton.

Hampton was the starting point guard at Tyler when Butler arrived on campus and he knew a thing or two about what an exceptional basketball player looks like. Hampton’s best friend is Butler’s current backcourt mate with the Bulls, Derrick Rose.

DAVID BANKS; SCOTT HALLERAN/GETTY IMNAGES; GREGORY SHAMUS;/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

“I JUST ALWAYS WORKED BECAUSE I KNEW THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO MAINTAIN AND STAY AT THE LEVEL I WAS AT—WHETHER THAT WAS JUNIOR COLLEGE, DIVISION I, AND NOW THE NBA.”

“When I frst saw him, I thought he was super good. He was a stone cold killer on the court,” Hampton10 recalled. “He could really score. His one-dribble pull-up game from midrange was crazy. He rarely missed those shots.”

“He was our go-to guy,” says Marquis, echoing Randall’s sentiment. “We played him at small forward a lot, but he also played point guard for us at the end of games. He was good with the ball, he made his free throws and he was a very good decision maker.”

In his frst conference game in an Apache uniform, Butler scored 34 points. In his fnal junior college outing, a triple-overtime thriller against Panola College, he dropped 43. In his one season at Tyler, Butler averaged 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

“Jimmy always played with a chip on his shoulder and his work ethic was crazy,” Randall says of his former teammate. “The funny thing is that I don’t think he ever realized how good he really was. We used to talk about the NBA a GARY DINEEN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

lot and he would say he didn’t even want to go to the League.”

Butler may not have envisioned himself playing professionally, but his confdence was clearly growing. After one year at Tyler, he was ready for the next challenge in his basketball career.

Qualifying academically to play Division I after his freshman season, Butler decided to transfer.

He chose to attend Marquette University, despite having never visited Milwaukee.

Joe Fulce was Butler’s roommate when the two were at Tyler. Fulce had a relationship with Buzz Williams back when the coach was an assistant at Texas A&M. After joining Marquette’s staff, once again in an assistant’s role, Williams stayed in contact with Fulce who would unknowingly put Butler on the fast track to the NBA. “When I was at Marquette, I would go down to Tyler to check on Joe and he introduced me

to Jimmy,” explains Williams of his frst meeting with Butler. “I wasn’t really looking at him as a potential recruit for Marquette, but when I took the head-coaching job, he was the frst guy that we signed.”

Lady Luck once again smiled on Butler.

“There really is no recruitment story,” says Williams on how Butler became a Golden Eagle. “Jimmy and I never talked on the phone and he never visited the Marquette campus.

I had known Joe since he was in the eighth grade. He told me Jimmy was a good player.

The assistant coach at Tyler worked under me at New Orleans. He vouched for Jimmy as well. I didn’t make the decision to sign Jimmy based on any intel that I had. I made it based on the information the people I trusted gave me about him.”

Being a long way from home, living in a strange city he’d never been to before, and playing on a team full of guys with NBA potential—Wesley Matthews, Jae Crowder and 067

Butler was determined to do whatever it took to not only get on the foor, but stay there. After a disappointing sophomore campaign where he saw limited action, during his junior and senior seasons, Butler earned the trust of his head coach and began to fourish.

“With each passing game he played more and more,” says Williams. “He would be the sub at every position other than the point. Because of that, he ended up being the guy that just stayed on the foor because I would sub him for the other guys to give them a break.”

Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, arguably Marquette’s most famous and accomplished alum, remembers Butler in college and liked what he saw from day one.

“He was young when I frst saw him, but he grew a lot over the years he was there,” says Wade. “Jimmy always played hard. He was the kind of guy who would do whatever needed to be done on the basketball court.”

After three years at Marquette, in which he was named All-Big East Honorable Mention as a

perimeter scorer. All the while, Butler made the best of whatever little scoring opportunities fell his way. When a starting spot opened up in the Bulls’ lineup, Butler seized it.

Much like he did as a young teen, Butler found a way to thrive even when most would struggle to survive.

The Chicago Bulls are one of the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in this year’s Finals. Their success, of course, will depend on a number of factors—most notably, the health of the team’s key players. Thibodeau is often chided for allowing his players to log heavy minutes during the regular season and by playoff time, his guys are either hurt or simply too tired to compete at a high level This year, Butler has replaced Luol Deng as the Bulls’ perennial workhorse. At the season’s midway point, Butler was tops in the League in minutes played per game. After coming out of the gates strong, he seemed to hit the proverbial wall in mid-January and his on-court production

“JIMMY BUTLER ALWAYS BELIEVED IN HIMSELF AND HE’S ALSO A GOOD GUY TO HAVE ON YOUR TEAM. HE’S A GREAT LOCKER ROOM GUY. HE REPRESENTS WHAT THIS CITY IS ALL ABOUT. IT’S BEEN FUN JUST TO WATCH HIS EVOLUTION.”—JOAKIM NOAH

Lazar Hayward,11 to name a few—Butler would do the same thing at Marquette that he did during his time at Tyler: lock himself in the gym.

“I would just work on my game and give myself the confdence to feel like I belonged [at Marquette],” says Butler. “I wanted to be a good player on both ends of the foor. I think that’s 90 percent of this game. If you believe that you can do something, then you can. You’ve just got to keep working to perfect your craft.”

Coming to a veteran ball club like Marquette, 068

junior and senior,12 Butler was ready to turn pro.

Butler’s college numbers, while good, were not good enough to attract much attention from pro scouts, especially coming from a mid-major program like Marquette. And unlike Wade,13 Butler’s stock didn’t get a boost with a deep NCAA Tournament run. Just when it looked like Butler would acquire the unguaranteed status of a second-round pick or undrafted player who has to earn their roster spot, the Chicago Bulls called out Butler’s name with the fnal frstround pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.

When he got to Chicago, he found himself on a championship-aspiring team,14 stuck behind veterans like Luol Deng, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver. He also found it diffcult to earn the respect of head coach Tom Thibodeau and crack his tight rotation. Now, he’s playing big minutes and his on-court success has earned him the respect and admiration of his teammates and peers.

It wasn’t overnight, but Butler gradually earned Thibs’ trust and with it, the minutes.

Per usual, he did it the only way he knew how: hard work. First on the defensive end, coming off the bench to body up the opposing team’s

regressed quite a bit. Some felt he was simply regressing to the mean. But his coaches and teammates knew that no matter what happens on the court, Butler is simply going to work his way out of any slump.

“I always tell him that no matter what you go through [on the court], just put your trust in the training you’ve done and the work you’ve put into the game,” explains NBA veteran and current Bulls assistant Adrian Griffn. “He’s always been willing to put in the time and he’s devoted a lot of hours into working on his game, and it shows. JB is constantly working.”

“The thing with Jimmy is that his potential was always so overwhelming,” says Joakim Noah. “Last year you saw him lock down some of the best players in the world and you just knew that the more he played, the more comfortable he’d be on the court. He’s always somebody who believed in himself and he’s also a good guy to have on your team. He’s a great locker room guy. He represents what this city is all about. It’s been fun just to watch his evolution.”

Since being traded, Deng has kept a close eye on his former protégé. While most people didn’t ROCKY WIDNER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; JONATHAN DANIEL/GETTY IMAGES

Started From the Bottom…

The last pick in the frst round of the NBA Draft hasn’t produced many stars. Most guys in that spot usually wash out of the League after a few years, their fondest memory being the last guy to have his name called by the Commissioner before he hands the draft over to the deputy commish. But that hasn’t always been the case.

Every now and then, GMs will fnd some gems after every other team has had a chance to make a selection, much like Gar Forman did with Jimmy Butler. We traced back a few notable “last guys” beginning in 1977 when the frst round expanded beyond 20 picks.

Tony Parker Parker was the last pick (28th) in 2001, but if you go back to the draft board, you can make a case he should’ve been the frst to shake the Commissioner’s hand that night. With four championships as the Spurs’ lead guard, one Finals MVP, four All-NBA selections and the title of the best player to ever come out of France, Parker is the poster boy for not shorting the frst round’s last pick.

Arvydas Sabonis Had Sabonis entered the NBA when he was taken with the frst round’s last pick (24th) in 1986, he could’ve showed American fans the entire scope of his game. Still, when the big Lithuanian fnally put on an NBA uniform 10 years after he was drafted, he proved to be worth the wait. Even though he was past his prime at 31 with achy knees and feet from a decade of European and International competition, Sabonis still displayed some unique basketball skills for a big man rarely seen at the time. He inhaled rebounds, thwarted shots and wrapped passes from every conceivable angle. While he didn’t score much, he showed plenty of cunning and wisdom when he did. The basketball world knew his talents, inducting Sabonis into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2011.

Terry Porter A vastly underrated point guard during his playing days and almost forgotten now, Porter was Portland’s frst-round pick (No. 24) after every other team made its selection (Portland went 2-for-2 in consecutive last picks in the frst round with Porter a year before Sabonis). Hailing from the “basketball powerhouse” of WisconsinStevens Point, Porter (much like current Blazers PG Damian Lillard) didn’t let his small-school stature hold him back. Porter was a steady 17-ppg 9-apg man for Portland in the ’90s, when Porter made two appearances in both the Finals and All-Star Game.

JESSE D. GARRABRANT; ANDY HAYT; BRIAN DRAKE; RON KOCH; NOAH GRAHAM; GLENN JAMES; SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Norm Nixon When Showtime took root in Los Angeles in the ’80s, Nixon was the recipient of many of Magic Johnson’s dimes. A speedy and high-fying guard, Nixon was Johnson’s running mate, averaging almost 17 points per game and helping the Lakers win a pair of titles in 1980 and ’82 with an AllStar nod. Not too bad for a dude 21 other teams passed over on in 1977.

David Lee Lee might have garnered the biggest live reaction of any fnal frst round pick in history. With the draft held in New York, Knicks fans stuck around for the team’s second frst rounder in 2005 (Channing Frye was taken frst at No. 8), greeting the pick with the usual mix of fervent cheers and jeers when the Florida product was announced.

Lee developed slowly, emerging as a doubledouble man off the bench and fnally an All-Star in 2010 as a full-time starter with 20-10 credentials (20.2 and 11.7, to be exact). Lee picked up another All-Star in 2013 with the Golden State Warriors where he is still playing.

Josh Howard Few people paid much attention to the last pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, especially after the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade made up four of the frst fve picks.

When then-NBA Commissioner David Stern called out his name, few would imagine Howard being a game changer like the guys picked 24 picks before him. Howard would go on to distinguish himself, becoming Dirk Nowitzki’s sidekick on the Mavericks and an All-Star in 2007. Howard peaked the following season with a 19.9 ppg and 7.0 rpg season, but a knee injury curtailed him two seasons after.

Nazr Mohammed There are still a few players from the 1998 NBA Draft that are still currently playing: Vince Carter (No. 5), Nowitzki (No. 9) and Paul Pierce (No. 10). While he might not have the same Hall of Fame credentials as the aforementioned trio, Mohammed has proven to have the same longevity, outlasting guys like Mike Bibby, Antawn Jamison, Jason Williams and Larry Hughes, to name a few, to play in his 17th NBA campaign.

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“LOOKING AT [BUTLER’S] GAME AND THE WAY HE’S BEEN PLAYING, IT’S CLEAR THAT HE’S BEEN DOING THAT CONSISTENTLY OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE HE’S BEEN PLAYING EXTREMELY WELL. IT’S NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT’S NOT A HOT STREAK. HE’S EXPANDED HIS GAME.”—KOBE BRYANT

see him having this kind of a breakout season, don’t count Deng as one of them.

“From day one, Jimmy was just relentless. He came in ready to work,” recalls Deng, now with the Miami Heat. “A lot of people are surprised at the way he’s been playing, but I’m not. He was determined to show everybody what he could do and prove his value.”

Like Deng, Rose also watched Jimmy grow from a rookie trying to fgure out how to ft in to a seasoned veteran who has fnally put it all together. The way his backcourt running mate has been playing has actually given Rose the opportunity to work his way back into form slowly after sitting out two seasons with knee injuries. And he appreciates it.

“I’m very proud of Jimmy,” says Rose. “I love how prepared he is for games. He comes in early to get shots up. Sometimes he’ll get in some postgame weightlifting. It’s little things like that that will help him become a better player and make our team stronger.”

However, the ultimate validation of Butler’s emergence comes from someone who is regarded as the second-greatest shooting two guard to ever play the position behind legend 070

Michael Jordan.

“It’s funny, but I remember we played in Chicago and I came out early to shoot and he was out there working out,” recalls Kobe Bryant of his frst matchup with Butler. “At the time, he wasn’t a very consistent shooter, but he was out there working hard15 early, before anybody else. Looking at his game and the way he’s been playing, it’s clear that he’s been doing that consistently over the years because he’s been playing extremely well. It’s not an accident. It’s not a hot streak. He’s expanded his game.”

For Butler, in addition to making sure he’s physically and mentally prepared to compete against the best players in the world night after night, winning a championship is the only other thing on his mind. While he appreciates the recognition he’s achieved of late for his play, he still approaches the game with a singular focus.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t care about scoring points or grabbing a whole lot of rebounds,” he explains. “It’s always going to be about the championship with me. I’m trying to play deep into the summer. I want that ring, man. At the end of every season, I want to be celebrating because we won it all.”

BONUS POINTS 1. A city that is part of the Houston metro area formerly known as Peck until it was renamed after local congressman Thomas Henry Ball.

2. Since Michael Jordan retired after the 1997-98 season, the Bulls have had a revolving door of players at that position, none of them an All-Star—until Butler this season.

3. Butler shared a home with six other children in the family.

4. Despite per-game averages of 19.9 points and 8.7 rebounds and being named the team’s MVP. 5. Located a little over three miles north of Houston in Tyler, Texas.

6. Marquis has been the head coach at TJCC since 2000.

7. Butler joined Patrick Beverley, Roy Hibbert, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard on the team.

8. If Butler were to win the award at year’s end, he would join past MIP winners Paul George (2013), Kevin Love (’11), Danny Granger (’09), Jeramine O’Neal (’02), Tracy McGrady (’01) and Alvin Robertson (’86) who were also frst-time All-Stars in the same season.

9. Among last year’s All-Defensive Teamers, only Paul George and LeBron James averaged over 20 ppg. Butler will join that club if he maintains his 20-ppg output and gets selected again.

10. Hampton played with Rose in high school at Simeon Career Academy and now serves as Rose’s manager.

11. Like Butler, Hayward was the last pick (30th overall) in the frst round of his draft (2010).

12. In his senior year spanning 37 games, Butler averaged 15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 2.3 apg.

13. Wade carried the Golden Eagles to the school’s only Final Four appearance, skyrocketing his draft status.

14. The Bulls were coming off a 62-20 season that ended with a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals.

15. Coming from a guy who is legendary for his maniacal workout schedules, that’s quite the compliment.

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; SCOTT HALLERAN/GETTY IMAGES

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IN VIN SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

An oral history of the greatest Slam Dunk Contest performance ever.

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By Andy Jasner #27

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hrough the years, the NBA has featured many stellar Slam Dunk Contests during All-Star.

The likes of Julius Erving,1 Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan2 have come to represent the contest. The big (Dwight Howard)3 and the small (Spud Webb4 and Nate Robinson)5 have proven that size takes a backseat to showmanship. And even new bloods like Zach LaVine6 have shown they have what it takes to carry the torch.

But the performance by Vince Carter in 2000 is arguably the greatest of all time. Fifteen years have passed and the ’00 contest still brings back vivid memories.

After a few down years of the contest (including a cancellation of it in 1998) and a lockoutshortened 1999 that didn’t see an All-Star at all, the Slam Dunk Contest looked to be on its last legs.

Enter Carter. In a highlight reel of two NBA half-seasons and college, the explosive guard proved to be an aerial showman (this is even before he leaped over the 7-2 Federic Weis in the Olympics)7 and the world waited with bated breath to see him leap off the stage.

He certainly didn’t disappoint. Even with the anticipation of something magical, Carter managed to hurdle over the inflated expectations with a routine that might be the best ever. With the opening dunk, Carter took the crowd in the Oakland Arena through amazement, surprise, puzzlement and back. When it was over,8 he singlehandedly brought back the Dunk Contest, put Toronto on the basketball map,9 birthed an endless stream of nicknames10 and helped mend the relationship between League and fan after the 1999 lockout.

Carter is still a valuable contributor in the League at the age of 38. He has other immediate goals— like trying to win an NBA Championship—and never minds reliving wonderful memories.

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JED JACOBSOHN (2)/GETTY IMAGES

VINCE CARTER: I had a lot of ideas in mind for dunks.

One dunk I really wanted to attempt was a 360. I ended up with a windmill and threw it down. I kind of reinvented the wheel in mid-air. I got higher than I expected. It felt great. I could tell by the crowd that it went well.

DOMINIQUE WILKINS, Hall of Famer and twotime (1985 and ’90) Slam Dunk Champion: What an amazing dunker.11 He could get up so high and pretty much do anything that he wanted to do. There were a couple dunks that year that will last forever in terms of being among the best. He had it all and the fans got an extra-special treat that year.

CARTER: There was a dunk called the honey dip. I didn’t plan that name. It was a case where I wanted to get as high as I could above the rim. I needed to get my arm through the rim. I didn’t want it to get caught. That would have been bad. I knew if I could do that and place my arm through the rim and come down clean, it would all work out. I heard a huge roar from the crowd and it kind of felt like a buzz went through the arena.

ELTON BRAND, Atlanta Hawks forward: I was just coming into the League.12 I felt like I was a really good athlete who was really skilled. Then you see an athlete and a player like Vince Carter and you’re almost in awe.

It’s like, “Can he really do this and that?” He could get up so high and throw down the most vicious dunk. He could step back in a game and hit a three-pointer from 25 feet.

He would swish it and do it with ease. That dunk contest was something special. He had several perfect-50 dunks.

They were all amazing. I couldn’t believe he could have so much variety. The one where he rose above the rim and popped his hand and arm through the rim…whew…it’s crazy great all these years later.

DIKEMBE MUTOMBO, 18-year NBA veteran and eight-time All-Star: I’m tall and dunked a lot in my career. It was rather easy because of my height.13 I don’t think I could be creative like Vince. He was flying through the air like Jordan and Doc. He wasn’t a short guy. What was he, 6-6? He could do anything he wanted.

He did do anything he wanted. I remember the bounce pass off the glass that Tracy McGrady gave him and he caught, went through his legs and slammed it through. If I tried that, I’d be on the ground. My body doesn’t bend like that. Seriously, it was a dunk I’ll have in my head14 for years to come.

KYLE KORVER, Atlanta Hawks guard: I came into the NBA in 2003-04 with the Sixers. I remember the 2000 Dunk Contest. I played against Vince Carter so many times and he’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever had to cover.

He’s so skilled in all areas of the game. He’s so athletic and gifted on both ends of the court. Those dunks15 in 2000 were off-the-charts incredible. The one from the free throw line was reminiscent of Doc and Jordan.

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

CARTER: I wanted to dunk it from the free-throw line with one hand. I got it, but took off about a foot inside the line. I was close. I ended up with a two-handed dunk. I was happy with it but it’s funny how things change.

It ended up as a strong two-handed dunk a foot inside the line. It really makes you realize and appreciate how spectacular the likes of Jordan and Dr. J16 are to this day.

EARL CURETON, former 76ers center: I played with Dr. J and saw him make some of the most amazing dunks ever. He is a legend of the game. When certain players come through the League and remind you of players like Doc—I think it’s the ultimate compliment. Vince Carter was one of those players. Those dunks from the 2000 contest will be among the greatest All-Star dunks in the history of the game. It’s hard to outdo certain dunks. In terms of game action, I think Doc and Jordan probably will have dunks in the top one, two or three. In terms of the dunk contest, Carter just might be at the top for his overall performance that year.

STEVE FRANCIS, 2000 Slam Dunk competitor: I wasn’t even sure I was going to be a part of that contest.17 I thought about it and thought about it. In the end, I realized it would be good for me and good for the organization. It was all positive. I had a legitimate chance to win.18 When you go up against a competitor like Vince Carter and he has the type of night that he had, you just tip your cap19 and say, “Congratulations.” I had a view from the court and as a player and a competitor, I was—and still am—amazed to this day.

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STEPHEN CURRY, Golden State Warriors guard: He can still get up and dunk and he’s still playing so well in this League. I think that’s a tremendous accomplishment. When you see the highlights on YouTube or anywhere else, you realize it’s not that long ago. Seeing Vince throw down those dunks—the 360 is awesome—and it almost gives you chills.20

K.J. MCDANIELS, Houston Rockets rookie guard: I love the feeling after dunking the basketball21 and hearing the fans go crazy. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. I’ve seen tape of Vince’s dunks from that contest. I’m blown away and it’s from 2000. Watching him get up so high and make it look so easy … crazy. It takes so much skill to do that.

MOSES MALONE, NBA legend and Hall of Famer: In Philadelphia, the fans remember the1983 team for winning the championship. They remember the 2001 team for going to the Finals and almost beating the Lakers. They also remember Vince Carter because of that playoff series.22 If Carter makes that final shot, it’s a different memory. He missed and the Sixers advanced to face Milwaukee and eventually the Lakers. Just one year earlier in 2000 was the Dunk Contest. I remember the dunk where he was behind the basket and he kind of windmilled it through.23 When I played, I would dunk, but almost always easy ones with two hands. His dunks weren’t easy at all.

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JED JACOBSOHN/GETTY IMAGES

SLAM DUNK HIGHS...

MICHAEL JORDAN’S FreeThrow Line Dunk in 1988 It was done before (Dr. J) and a countless number of times since, but Jordan’s free-throw line dunk in the 1988 contest was its most iconic. Hell, MJ even pulled it off the year prior, a few inches further even. But the ’88 one is seared into our memories because of a few things: It was his fnal dunk of the night that netted a 50 to defeat Wilkins in a tough battle (Jordan needed at least 48 to tie); it was done with the Air Jordan IIIs on his feet, the shoe that helped launch sneaker culture and kept Jordan with Nike; of all free-throw line dunks, it’s still the most balletic, what with Jordan cocking the ball back and bending the knees with legs splayed. It helped create the mystique of Michael Jordan and pinned millions of posters on rooms across the world.

dunkers had and paired ill-ftting dunks with dunkers. The dunk contest became an awkward game of HORSE with zero anticipation from the crowd.

VINCE CARTER’S 360 Windmill in 2000 It was expounded with great detail in the story, but with anything so great, more can always be bestowed upon it. You have to remember, the Dunk Contest was shelved in 1998 and the lockout killed any chance of a revival of it in ’99. The contest was losing relevancy, and with it being gone two years, it was at risk of disappearing altogether. In 2000, Carter had an arena thick with anticipation of a young man with springy legs to show the world something special, but there was also the weight of the entire Dunk Contest on his shoulders. In spite of all the pressure, Carter didn’t disappoint, jumping over any doubt that the Dunk Contest should live on. He opened up the contest with a roar, and kept that door open for generations to follow.

SPUD WEBB 360 dunk in 1986 Technically, any of Webb’s dunks would count, as a 5-7 man has no business dunking a ball, let alone winning the Slam Dunk Contest among a feld that stood almost a foot taller than him.

There have been better versions of Webb’s dunk repertoire that night—offthe-board catches, reverses, off-thebounces and that 360—but seeing a man who’s shorter than the average U.S. male go up and perform it was a sight to behold. All the air and distance between him and the ground made every Spud dunk look even better. He looked like he was coming off an invisible trampoline to meet the rim on every dunk. His showing brought dunking to the masses (if Spud can dunk, so can I) and started an ongoing love affair with the little guy at the Dunk Contest. Without Spud, there wouldn’t be Nate Robinson and other sub-6-footers daring to dream big.

ALLAN HOUSTON’S Off-theHead Dunk in 1994 The 1994 Dunk Contest saw Isaiah Rider unload the “East Bay Funk” and run away with the trophy, but it was supposed to be a showdown between the brash rookie (on draft night Rider proclaimed Slam Dunk victory if he were to be selected) against the defending champ Harold Miner. An injury to Miner

AND LOWS...

SLAM DUNK CONTEST WHEEL IN 2002 The intention was good: A wheel that determined what great dunk from the past the dunk participants had to pay homage to. The problem with the format was that it stifed whatever creativity

NATHANIEL S. BUTLER (4); ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN (2_; GARY DINEEN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; JED JACOBSOHN/GETTY IMAGES

made Allan Houston a last-minute replacement. To his credit, Houston, a sweet-shooting rookie who was more cut out to take part in the Three-Point Contest than a dunk exhibition, gave it his best despite a lack of big-time hops and time to properly prepare. The format

that year was a 90-second routine with a cumulative score awarded. Running out of ideas, Houston decided to head the ball to himself for the heads-up oop, sending the assembled players on the sidelines into cackles and giggles.

Said sideline commentator Charles Barkley: “I don’t know if he’s gonna win, but that was the most original dunk I’ve ever seen with that little bounce off the head.”

CHRIS ANDERSEN’S NineTries Dunk in 2005 It was the longest drumroll in history.

The Pepsi Center played an endless drumroll during Andersen’s frst dunk attempt (the rules that year allowed for endless tries until you got one down clean). The build-up was big going into it: Birdman had parted a sea of photographers at midcourt for him as the crowd grew excited. But with each missed try—Andersen was trying to throw a high bounce pass to himself

from midcourt—the Denver crowd grew listless. By the third and fourth attempt, even Kenny, Chuck and Ernie grew impatient and started making jokes.

By the seventh and eighth tries, it just got awkward. Had the arena lights not went off after he fnally made it on his ninth try, the crowd might’ve forgotten to cheer. Oh, and his second dunk: It just took him six tries.—Ming Wong #2 077

ANDRE IGUODALA, Golden State Warriors forward: I’ve been in the dunk contest24 and it’s challenging. You have to be creative, flashy and athletic all at once. You have to do it in all the rounds. It’s mentally challenging as well as physically challenging. It’s a lot of fun, but at the same time, once you’re in it, it’s business as well. Vince put it all together the whole contest and I think that’s the most impressive25 aspect to me.

TIM DUNCAN, San Antonio Spurs forward: I don’t know where you rank it in terms of history. I know this much: It’s got to be at or near the top. He did it all in the same contest. If a ranking came out now, I don’t see how he’s not one or two in any top 10 list. It would be tough to keep him from the top.

DOC RIVERS, Los Angeles Clippers head coach: What can you say? He’s one of the most amazing dunkers this game has featured. That’s major high praise with Doc, Jordan, Nique and so many others. Vince put his arm through the rim. I mean, wow.

JASON RICHARDSON, Philadelphia 76ers guard: I was in the Slam Dunk Contest.26 I won27 the Slam Dunk Contest.

Looking back, I had some pretty darn good dunks, ones I’m really proud of because I was able to execute. Vince’s dunks were through-the-roof amazing. He took off from inside the foul line, put his arm in the rim, did a 360...I doubt he even practiced all that much. It was probably instinct. He did it in front of a packed arena with the spotlight on him. I remember the feeling...even though it’s for fun, you still kind of feel some pressure. You don’t want to mess anything up. You want it to be perfect. He got several perfect-50 scores. He deserved it all. That was a stacked field with Francis, Tracy McGrady, Jerry Stackhouse and other strong dunkers. It may have been the toughest field from top to bottom.

They could all hop and dunk. They all could have won. Vince was just a bit better. In that class, to win like that, it’s something for the history books.

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, NBA legend, on Carter’s performance: Half-man, half-amazing.

JERRY STACKHOUSE, NBA legend, to the Philadelphia Daily News: I was playing in Detroit28 and was still a pretty young player in the League. I was so excited to be in that field in 2000.29 It was exciting and I thought I had a 078

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good chance at winning. When Vince started making spectacular dunks, I knew he was going to win. He just had it all on that day. In a tough field, he wasn’t going to be denied. He delivered. He deserved it. It was an honor to be part of that group.

JAMES JONES, Cleveland Cavaliers guard: Being LeBron James’ teammate,30 you see the best dunks every day in practice and in the games. It’s almost like you take it for granted because he does it with such ease and makes it look so smooth. You realize it’s not easy when you stop and think about it. I came into the League in 2003-04, which was after the contest you’re talking about. You see the dunks and it reminds you of the greats. I’ve seen highlights of past contests like Dr. J and Michael Jordan taking off from the free-throw line. I saw the highlight of Vince Carter doing that, too.

He’s right there at the top. I mean, it was pretty sick in the greatest way.

LARRY HUGHES, 13-year NBA veteran to the Philadelphia Daily News: I had a tough night.31 I couldn’t get anything to go. I was pretty frustrated. Even if I was at my best, there’s no way I was going to rise above the field. Vince was at the top of his game with his dunks. Francis and T-Mac and Stack were also tops. I knew early on that I was out. When it was over, I was glad to be there because you kind of knew you were part of history.

CARTER: When something sticks with you and others for years in the future, you figure it was special. I’m glad to have been in that contest and done so well. I really didn’t have an agenda when I started. It flowed and things went my way. It worked out for me. I never intended to be remembered for it. That happened and I’m thankful. It would be cool if people remember this even further in the future.

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BONUS POINTS 1. Technically, Dr. J was at his physical peak in the ABA when he unfurled his free-throw line dunk in the 1976 ABA dunk contest, but he revisited the same dunk in the 1984 NBA contest.

2. MJ and Nique goes down as the greatest dunk contest duel, each man matching each other dunk for dunk.

3. Howard is the tallest winner at 6-11.

4. Webb is the shortest dunk champ at 5-6.

5. The 5-9 three-time dunk king Robinson has won the contest the most.

6. Easily the best showing since Carter in 2000.

7. That might be the greatest dunk ever since there were no rehearsals, second-attempts or planning when Carter skied over the French big man.

8. Often overlooked, the field that included Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Jerry Stackhouse, Ricky Davis and Larry Hughes was nothing to sneeze at.

9. Before that, Toronto was known more for its dinosaur nickname.

10. Half-Man, Half-Amazing, Vinsanity, Air Canada.

11. Wilkins is tied with Clyde Drexler with most appearance in the Slam Dunk Contest with five.

12. Brand was at All-Star 2000 to take part in the Rookie Challenge.

13. Mt. Mutombo stood 7-2 and is second all-time in blocks with 3,289.

14. Mutombo was present at the event and his reaction after Carter’s first dunk is akin to him seeing Xanadu.

15. This season, Korver dunked for the first time in two years.

16. Dr. J might be the first to unfurl the free-throw line takeoff in a dunk contest, but MJ took it to another level when he cocked the ball back in his version.

17. Francis would also compete in the 2002 contest.

18. Francis had an overlooked showing, advancing with two spectacular catch-off-the-bounce dunks and a terrific baseline windmill and doublepump dunk off the catch in the final round.

19. Francis lost 98-91 to Carter. He scored a 43 and 48 on his final two dunks.

20. Kind of like when Curry goes on one of his torrid shooting streaks.

21. Besides dunking, the high-flying Sixers rookie has made a name for himself as a shotblocker.

22. Carter was unfairly criticized by some for attending his graduation ceremony from North Carolina on the morning of Game 7 between the Raptors and 76ers.

23. His second dunk, which received “just” a 49.

24. Iguodala was part of the 2006 field and had one of the best routines to never have won when he lost to Nate Robinson, 47-46, in the contest’s only ever tiebreaker round.

25. Impressive was also Iguodala’s off-the-back-of-the-backboard dunk and a behind-the-back jam he showcased.

26. Three times for J-Rich: 2002, ’03 and ’04.

27. Richardson joins Jordan and Robinson as the only two players to win the Slam Dunk in consecutive years (2002 and ’03).

28. Stackhouse was also part of the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest.

29. Stackhouse would lead the League in scoring as a Piston in 2000-01 with a 29.8 average.

30. Jones has had a front-row seat to LeBron’s dunks since 2010-11 in Miami and this season in Cleveland.

31. Hughes missed all of his dunks in the first round of the only Dunk Contest he’s been part of.

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CHECKIT 84 SPIN MOVES 86 GOODS 88 GEAR 92 WEAR

STEP UP YOUR RUN After a cold and snow-laden winter for many folks in the country, the spring thaw is (hopefully) in full swing, which means the drudgery of indoor treadmills is over as outdoor runs are again an option. (For those who never gave it up, we salute you.) We gave a few new running kicks a go (see page 91) for those much-welcomed alfresco runs.

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CHECK IT SPIN MOVES

MARCIN GORTAT Marcin Gortat had a busier offseason than you last year. First, the free agent center re-signed with the Washington Wizards for fve years, $60 million. He spent parts of the summer back in his home country of Poland, and lit up Instagram with photos of a pet pig at a shopping center (for the record, it was not his pig) and another one riding a Humvee with a giant machine gun attached to it.

Gortat’s larger-than-life style was also refected in his new hair choice, which he introduced when he showed up to training camp with a mohawk. Just before the All-Star break, Gortat shaved off the mohawk, but would like to thank the fans who were a fan of his style. “It was fun for a while,” he says. “But now I have to go back to being myself. I wasn’t going to keep the mohawk forever, since I have to meet a lot of important people during the offseason.”

As for his beard? “No, no, no. You don’t have to worry about that,” he says. “That’s staying for sure. 100 percent. That’s not going away.”

As for his entertainment choices, you can bet they’re ftting for a 6-11, bearded, formerly mohawked guy dubbed the Polish Hammer.

AS TOLD TO STEVEN LEBRON #88

MOVIES

Two of my favorites are The Road and 300. A movie I watched recently that I really enjoyed was Fury.

[On which actor would play him in a movie] Oh, man. There’s a lot of actors to choose from. I would go with Gerard Butler, because I really liked him as Leonidas in 300.

MUSIC It depends on how I feel on that day. Sometimes I just want silence, to clear it all out. So, yeah, I listen to music occasionally, but I’m defnitely not someone who can’t play without it. I listen to everything.

Trance, techno, rave, hip-hop, R&B, house, everything. Some of my favorite artists: Kanye, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Tiesto and Calvin Harris.

VIDEOGAMES

Right now, I’m playing Far Cry 3. Assassin’s Creed was one of my favorites, I can’t wait for the new one.

TV

I have so many: Lost, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Vikings. But my all-time favorite would be Spartacus. I’ve watched the entire series at least three times.

[On the ending of Lost] I thought the ending was really bad.

They couldn’t come up with anything better and that’s why they came up with a story like that to wrap it all up.

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SOCIAL MEDIA I have to be honest with you, [social media] kind of goes away for me during the season. I’ll still post pictures on Instagram maybe every 10 days, but I haven’t even checked Twitter for a week now. I just don’t have time for that and you can really lose your mind over social media sometimes.

[On whether he checks the comments and replies:] No. Well, you know what, I would be lying if I said I don’t read them because sometimes I do. If I refresh a photo and get 300 new comments, I won’t read them all, but I might read the most recent ones.

But I can’t do that every day. I’m tired of listening to all these haters and people who have no clue about basketball.

ILLUSTRATION: MATT CANDELA;

CHECK IT GOODS

Quirky PowerShell

The humble worklight gets a Quirky makeover, turning it into a compact and durable LED light panel that folds up to illuminate any project. Three power outlets provide power to the job while the handle makes it easily portable and stowable.

$59.99

ZVox SoundBase 570

Built to accomodate a TV on top of it (55 inches and under), the ZVox SoundBase 570 is designed to provide big home theater sound without the hassle. Setup is as simple as placing the sturdy SoundBase beneath your tv (it can support TVs up to 100 pounds), connecting the connection of choice (optical, coaxial and two sets of stereo RCA inputs). Without a dedicated subwoofer, deep bass was lacking (higher notes overtake the low end) but movie sound is where the SoundBase makes its mark. Surround sound is properly replicated as background, foreground and overhead noises were distinct, with enough power to fll the average living room.

$399.99

OVIVO 55-inch ARES 4K UHD TV

The hype of 4K is nothing new, but now might be the time to make the jump into the richer viewing experience. More content providers are gearing up for the four-times-1080p resolution, paving the way for 4K TVs. The OVIVO ARES TV features a thin profle and narrow bezel, giving the appearance of a foating picture while the wide (178 degrees) viewing angle gives everyone a good seat to the picture. While not a “smart� TV, it does come bundled with a Roku MHL (Mobile High-Defnition Link) streaming stick as brains for streaming content.

$1,599 086

WHERE TO BUY: Logitech K830: logitech.com; McFarlane NBA Figures: mcfarlane.com; Narrative Clip: getnarrative.com; OVIVO ARES 4K UHD TV: ovivo.tv; Quirky PowerShell: quirky.com; Vert Jump Device: myvert.com; ZVox SoundBase 570: zvoxaudio.com

Logitech K830

Narrative Clip

Utilizing a remote control to navigate through the ins and outs of a home theater PC, smart TV or stream box is downright painful. Typing on an on-screen keyboard with arrows and clicks is akin to using a rotary dial to make a phone call. The K830 is an elegant HTPC keyboard to zip through all menus and search queries with its compact (yet, not too squished) keyboard and touchpad. Its sleek design and build makes it look right at home in the living room and backlit keys mean typing in the dark isn’t an awkward game of keyboard whack-amole. The internal battery charges via micro USB and the K830 connects via a tiny USB dongle, but make sure to check your TV for compatibility.

If the point is to take carefully curated photos to showcase your life, then the Clip is not for you. If you want a natural and real representation of what and where your life takes you, then the Clip should be on your list. It’s a wearable camera that clips unobtrusively (at less than 1.5 inches square, it’s easily forgotten) to your clothing and life logs your day, snapping a photo every 30 seconds, giving you a time-lapsed account. The photo quality is a mixed bag—some photos were composed poorly, and the camera struggles with low-lit environments—but getting studio-quality images is not the point. The end product is a slideshow of images that chronicles the day, mundane and memorable alike.

$150

$99

Vert Jump Device No form of raw athletic metric gets basketball and volleyball players (think dunks and spikes) more juiced than the vertical leap. The Vert Jump Device does away with the unscientifc (though satisying) test of who can touch the higher spot on the backboard with a wearable device that clips onto the waistband. Paired with an iOS device, the Vert Jump relies on a high-precision gyroscope, accelerometer and proprietary algorithm to accurately and continuously track a player’s hops in real time, be it one time or during a game or training session. All the analytics can be used to help maximize performance and motivate with sharing options.

McFarlane Toys Sports Picks NBA Series 26 Figures Known for its attention to detail and realism, McFarlane Toys has been producing lifelike NBA fgures longer than LeBron James has been in the NBA. Speaking of the King, with his return to Cleveland he gets a new fgure as part of Series 26, along with 2014 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who outdueled him for the title, and the likely 2015 Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, with the latter two making their McFarlane debuts.

$14.99

$124.99 087

CHECK IT

Under Armour

GEAR

OUR TAKE: The Under Armour Curry One is not only Stephen Curry’s first signature shoe; it is also the first signature basketball shoe that the company has ever produced. Since making the jump from Nike, Curry is the biggest basketball star signed to the Baltimore-based brand and thus earned the look.

The Curry One is fairly different from a design aspect than the two previous Under Armour sneakers the Golden State Warriors point guard has played in—Anatomix Spine and ClutchFit. The mono-body design was inspired by the Speedform running shoe—which is one of Curry’s favorite shoes. It is very clean and probably one of the few UA hoop shoes that consumers can wear on or off the court.

Curry’s signature is lighter and more comfortable than the Under Armour ClutchFit. The shoe’s new underfoot, something UA calls Charged Cushioning, was developed with four distinct polymers along with Dow Chemical Company.

The innovative cushioning system works two ways. When the user is relaxing, Charged Cushioning is soft and cushy. On the court it is much more responsive, becoming more firm.

The other innovation that UA added to Curry One was inspired by the company’s active apparel (UA’s roots are in performance apparel). AnaFoam is a combination of a stretch textile molded with a foam compound. It’s a super lightweight material that also fits well around the foot and ankle. Upon initial wear, it feels as if the shoe is too tight, but it never gets uncomfortable because anafoam moves along with your foot.

The Curry One doesn’t really have a breaking-in period. The shoe is ready to play in fresh out of the box. After playing in several games in the sneaker, we didn’t notice a difference from the first time we played in them.

Under Armour will release six different colorways of the Curry One as the season rolls on, starting with the home “Dub Nation” Warriors color, followed by the away “Black Taxi” which Curry ironically debuted at a home game in January. The other four colors that UA has shown are based on various personal things about Curry including his love for candy (“Candy Reign”) and family (“Father/Son”). Each shoe features different nuances that clue fans in to the inspiration behind the colors.

One issue with past UA releases was that distribution was limited; the company promises that the Curry One distribution will be everywhere and especially targeted to regions that Curry is most popular in. Being that Curry is one of the most popular players in the NBA—No. 1 in All-Star voting and No. 2 in jersey sales—the Curry One should do better than previous Under Armour basketball shoes have done in the past sales wise.—Branden Peters #63

Nike

$180 Weight: 13.75 oz.

$119.99 Weight: 14.6 oz.

01

The tongue features 4:13, a reference to a Bible verse (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”) from the book of Philippians.

02

Curry’s SC/30 logo is featured on toe box and tongue.

05 03

05

The outsole of Curry’s shoes will show Davidson, Charlotte and Oakland to represent the three cities that made him.

03

The Hybrid cushioning system combines Lunarlon, Nike Free-inspired grooves and Zoom Air unit in the heel.

01

The new open-weave seamless textile upper is inspired by the pattern and strength of Shark skin.

04

04

The outsole features an advanced traction system, which is comprised of hundreds of “nodules” that grip the court.

It is similar to the intricacy of the treads on performance racecar tires, which grip and splay at high speeds.

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05 06

A gold Roman numeral “X” is embedded beneath the Zoom unit.

01

06

Inside the shoe a mesh bootie enhances ventilation and provides a comfortable, snug fit.

07

Rear ankle pad is higher for maximum ankle support.

Curry One

02

Kobe X

02

Nubuck fabric on the shoe’s tongue features a mamba-inspired snake scale pattern.

The left heel in each pair features four red lines representing Kobe’s return from injuring his left Achilles tendon.

04

Charged Cushioning along with Micro G is an adaptive foam that reacts to the wearer’s activity level.

Mesh upper surrounds anaFoam (multi-layered mesh) body for ventilation.

OUR TAKE: Kobe Bryant is a different human being. It is not hard to see what separates him from most basketball players. His drive and relentlessness are like no other. But leave it to Kobe to be inspired by a 5 a.m. dive into a pool to serve as inspiration for the launch colorway of his 10th signature sneaker with the Swoosh. The Kobe X is a shoe that is dedicated to performance and supreme stability.

Aesthetically, the sneaker was created to be as clean and minimal as possible with the main importance on the performance aspect, in which the sneaker exceeds. The Kobe X’s biggest innovation is the like-no-other traction system. The outsole features hundreds of “nodules” that grip the court similar to a racecar tire, which grips the track under control at high speeds. The sneaker will work on any court whether outside or in, but they’re optimized for indoor play.

Like high-end racing tires, the traction system on the Kobe X is not designed to hit the streets, or in this case, outdoor courts, so be advised these shouldn’t be your go-to sneaker for outdoor runs.

The Kobe X works well as there is enough support to maneuver and make cuts without the fear of tweaking anything. We did welcome Kobe going back to a low for the X after he went sky-high on the 9. The low cut gives the foot more freedom on direction changes and pivots.

It’s also worth noting that the Kobe X works straight out of the box, no need for any break-in period. Much of that is a result of the new open-weave textile that is inspired by the pattern and strength of sharkskin and which makes it extremely durable, yet flexible.

The Kobe X made its debut with the “5 AM Flight” colorway but four more colorways were released: “All-Star,” “Blackout,” “Vino” and “Silk Road.” The sneaker is also available on NikeiD if you want to customize your own pair.

While the $180 price of entry is kind of steep for the Kobe X, keep in mind it’s a signature product of one of the most obsessive players to ever play, giving you a shoe that reflects his attention to detail.

Also, the innovative grip system is something that should definitely be experienced. —Jarrel Harris #3

Nike

Kyrie 1 $110 Weight: 13.3 oz.

09

02

01

Padded ankle collar for upper foot support.

The upper is constructed using Hyperfuse, a layering of synthetic layers for lightweight durability and breathability.

Mesh zones for ventilation.

03

Forefoot frame used to increase lateral stability.

08

Rubber outsole with modified herringbone pattern for traction.

04

Nike Zoom unit in forefoot for low-profile responsive cushioning.

06

Outsole extends into the side walls for added lateral traction during change of directions.

07

Textured heel counter for foot lockdown.

OUR TAKE: The adidas Pro Model has been an on-court staple since 1969. It’s seen many updates since, but it’s remained an under-the-radar basketball shoe for the brand. The latest iteration marries the classic silhouette with adidas’ winning Boost cushioning tech, resulting in the Futurestar.

The Futurestar made its debut during All-Star with several of adidas’ non-signature athletes lacing them up during the showcase. Despite its glitzy debut, the Futurestar isn’t a flashy shoe. A clean design is its main draw, along with performance.

The fit is reminiscent of older basketball shoes. While it lacks the “second skin” feel of modern fused or knit shoes, it goes on comfortably and should work well for a wide range of players and foot shapes. The bootie is integrated with the tongue, offering a nice snug fit when the laces are tightened.

The midfoot and toe are spacious enough for even wide feet.

The StableFrame does give the sensation of a running shoe, where you sit in the shoe.

The Boost is evident immediately on first landing. Firsttimers might find it a little gummy, but in time it will be appreciated. We only wish adidas was able to incorporate it into the forefoot.

Cutting is fine as the Futurestar is very responsive, but a dusty gym floor during testing gave the Futurestar some problems when braking. We suspect the traction pattern (north-south lines) was the cause.

If a solid performing basketball shoe with a clean aesthetic is on your radar, we can’t recommend the Futurestar enough.—#28

05

Phylon foam in heel for impact absorption.

OUR TAKE: There was a time when Nike had both Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry on its roster as the two point guards were quickly burgeoning beyond in-line shoe status. Nike kept Irving and Curry moved on to Under Armour and now, unsurprisingly, the two All-Star PGs have signature shoes on their feet.

Irving became just Nike’s 20th athlete to get a signature shoe (amazing to think, given the company’s long-running allegiance with athletes). As it usually does, Nike did an excellent job of conveying the player’s essence into the shoe. In Irving’s case, that’s his pinball-like game that is predicated on a lot of lateral movement, stop-and-gos, changes of speed and deception. The Kyrie 1—from its emphasis on traction, lateral responsiveness (peep the sidewallextended outsole) and low-profile design—fits Irving’s game to a T. The fit of the shoe is tight. There is no other way to put it, based on several testers. It will require a size up, but keep in mind, many Hyperfuse-constructed shoes do stretch out over time so some break-in should be expected.

The Kyrie 1’s main draw is responsiveness and we agree it works, to a point. The traction is excellent, comparing favorably with another guard shoe, the CP3.VIII. The midfoot cut confused us a bit since we found it slightly restricting on the ankle, a surprise given Irving’s penchant for direction changes when he leaves defenders clutching ankles. The low-to-the-ground design gives the foot good court feel, but the cushioning left something to be desired. The forefoot Zoom Air wasn’t very noticeable and the foam in the heel could’ve been aided by another option (more Zoom Air perhaps?). Breathability was adequate. As much as Hyperfuse is billed to provide breathability, we aren’t convinced, but the panels of mesh did help.

Obviously the Kyrie 1 works well for point guards, but even the perimeter player who runs off curls and picks could benefit from the shoe. Big men should stay away considering the shoe’s lack of cushioning.—Frank Capa #28

adidas

Futurestar Boost $125 Weight: 14.5 oz.

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The upper features a subtle snakeskin texture.

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Rear heel counter to lock in foot.

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Full-length StableFrame guides the foot through the foot strike, cradling the foot rather than having it sit over the frame.

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Rear elastic strap for added support.

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Soft reinforced rubber toe cap as an homage to the classic shell toe of the Superstar.

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X-bar in the midfoot joins the forefoot and heel for responsiveness.

Boost cushioning in the heel for impact absorption.

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adidas

03

Stable low-cut design for optimal mobility.

D Lillard 1 Price: $105 Weight: 14.3 oz.

02

Techfit tongue and inner booty provide a top notch fit and support.

01

Forefoot lacing provides better lockdown and control.

04 06

The midsole features full length adiprene+ cushioning for enhanced responsiveness and superior heel-to-toe transition.

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Wave patterns on the outsole ensure peak multidirectional traction.

The Sprint Frame stabilizes the heel up through the midfoot for enhanced lateral support.

OUR TAKE: Just like the ebbs and flows of the ocean, sneaker styles change with the times. There are low tides and high tides. For the folks at adidas, high-top shoes were the predominant style for years, but the D Lillard 1 is the first low-top signature shoe for the brand since Gilbert Arenas’.

When done right, a low-top basketball shoe is a coup. With Damian Lillard’s first entry, adidas is on the right path. The integrated techFit sockliner provides a snug fit around the ankle and the forefoot lacing system provides extra lockdown, which is perfect for a cat like Dame who plays on his forefoot and is constantly cutting on the court. The lower ankle pocket helps stability and at no point during action does your foot feel less steady without the protection of a high top.

The design is low-key, but distinctive enough to give the shoe its own flavor. Aesthetically, we love the look of the big adidas logo and Dame’s signature logo on the back of the shoes, the latter of which combines his initials as well as the impression of an “O” representing a multitude of things important to Lillard: his 0 number, Ogden (college town), Oregon (current location) and Oakland (hometown). The wings on the side of the logo are a nod to Lillard’s Fly Guyz crew.

Few guys are as active on the floor as Dame, but even for the weekend warriors, the shoe is a solid first foray, providing stability and style. We’d be interested to see if low-tops remain Dame’s signature from here on out. Though too many bells and whistles can damage a brand, some more design flair next go-round could have this shoe as an All-Star for years to come—kind of like the player it’s tailored for.—Seth Berkman #91

Gear Check

It’s Dame Time

There’s no questioning that Damian Lillard is beloved in Portland. And with adidas headquarters nearby, it seems like a perfect fit that the Three Stripes would throw its weight behind the hometown hero.

With no disrespect to the City of Roses, Portland is no New York or Los Angeles. Trail Blazers have rarely topped the lists of the League’s merchandise movers. And despite his ability to craft a witty four bars on the fly, grassroots heroes don’t always equate to dollars.

So when adidas decided to bestow a signature shoe to Lillard, the right was earned. As he participated with groups in campaigns for the CrazyQuick 1 and Crazy Light, on the court, he was copping Rookie of the Year awards, All-Star berths and 090

dropping game-winning buckets. That stepback J, that speed, that unstoppable Oakland drive—that’s what leads to your signature gracing the inside of a shoe.

“I think his game and how he plays on the court is what started to demand the question,” says Robbie Fuller, adidas’ design director for basketball. “It makes sense to me that he’d be one of the fastest guys to get a signature shoe.”

When looking for a signature athlete, Fuller and team consider a host of questions. Jack Gray, adidas’ senior director for basketball footwear, says after Lillard’s award-winning rookie season was when the conversations turned serious. “I think that’s when it was like, ‘OK ,we gotta get in to overdrive and have some discussions with him,’” Gray says. “Is this the

right time for him? Is this the right time for the brand? Are the fans ready? Pretty much all signs said it’s time.”

Gray adds that player relationships are built on the high school level, through AAU teams or competitions like adidas Nations.

“He has been on our radar, in terms of the type of player he is, for a long time,” Gray says. “One of the things we always do is try to get the best guys, the best talents we see in the draft. One of our big pitches to any guy who wants to join the roster is, ‘We are the brand that rewards excellence.’ He was the guy that really took a call to arms. This came about because of him.”

With two super speedy point guards already on its roster in John Wall and Derrick Rose, one might think Lillard would present a glut in the market. But his different style of play and his access to the area allowed the designers to come up with something that would set it apart from Wall and Rose’s signature kicks. Dame frequently texted Gray and Fuller, even on Christmas Day, and would drop in unexpected to adidas HQ or even their houses to discuss his shoes.

“I was all over it,” Lillard says. “I probably got on their nerves.

I would just pop up and show up to the office like, ‘What you got?’ I would send them pictures of some of my favorite shoes as a kid and stuff that I like. If I just see it on the Internet, I’ll just screenshot it and send them a picture of it. They listened to everything I had to say.”

Player involvement was never to be doubted from Lillard, as he showed to be a team player early on in his career. Although the CrazyQuicks and Crazy Lights were not his own, he showed that he could carry a brand.

“I don’t think it was, ‘Hey, he’s not ready,’” Gray says. “I think it was more of, we have these great innovations and we want to put him at the forefront of some of those things. What are the right shoes for the right moments?”

The moment is now for Lillard as an ambassador for the Three Stripe Life in Portland, Oakland, Ogden, and worldwide.

Adidas is already at work for the next D Lillard signature and many more after.

“Our interaction with him is so different than other guys,” Gray says. “I think it’s a special time.”—#91 COURTESY OF ADIDAS

Gear Check

Run These Jewels

Puma

Jordan

Ignite Weight: 10.5 oz Price: $100

FlightFlex Weight: 7.8 oz.

Price: $100

KEY FEATURE: The soul of the Ignite lies in its sole, which the shoe is named after. Ignite is the newly developed polyurethane foam (developed with Usain Bolt) that promises more responsive cushioning and energy return, even in the coldest or hottest extremes.

OUR TAKE: As cushioning goes, the Ignite is adequate. Compared to adidas’ Boost, it’s not as pillowy on foot strikes—not necessarily a bad thing. Some runners prefer a natural feeling (think Nike’s Free sole) on each landing and not have to “feel” the cushioning technology. The molded heel cup and mesh upper combine to keep the foot frmly locked down while the outsole is reinforced with EverTrack on high-wear zones for durability.

KEY FEATURE: The upper on the FlightFlex, based on its no-sew mesh and compressionmolded foam bootie, along with the FlightFlex midsole promise optimal fex, breathability and range of motion.

OUR TAKE: Size up, as the bootie (which doubles up as heel lockdown) requires some stretching and cajoling to get your foot into. Once in, the FlightFlex will lock the rear of your foot in like a vise. The shoelaces merely serve to lock in the midfoot. While not a dedicated running shoe, the FlightFlex trainer can certainly moonlight as one, given its lightweight and breathable upper.

The fexible FlightFlex midsole, which also serves as the shoe’s outsole (reinforced with more durable rubber on the heel and toe), gives great range of movement with its tri-star pattern.We wouldn’t recommend the FlightFlex for lengthy runs because of the cushioning, but it’s certainly the most versatile shoe of the lot.

adidas

Under Armour

Ultra Boost Weight: 11.4 oz.

Price: $180

SpeedForm Gemini Weight: 10.6 oz.

Price: $129.99

KEY FEATURE: Full-length Boost cushioning and PrimeKnit upper combine for a sleek runner.

OUR TAKE: Judged strictly based on “bounce” and energy return, there’s no better foam in the market than adidas’ Boost. It’s no surprise it has rolled out Boost across its many categories: It simply works. Granted, Boost—and especially the added Boost in Ultra Boost—is not for everyone (some fnd it too soft), the Ultra Boost has the best impact absorption in this lot.

The PrimeKnit upper stretches like a sock (we still recommend socks with it) while the heel counter and midfoot overlay (in the form of the Three Stripes) lock in the foot when cinched. The rubber-nubbed outsole sandwiches the Boost and gives reliable traction, but we wonder how durable that would be, especially in the heat—our only question mark (especially given its $180 price) to a luxurious running shoe that will certainly fnd its way into everyday fashion with its sleek lines.

KEY FEATURE: Unlike typical running shoes (or most shoes for that matter) which are usually designed from the bottom up, the Speedform Gemini is crafted in a clothing factory, making it a better ftting shoe for your foot.

OUR TAKE: The SpeedForm Gemini is very unique: The upper is made with one-piece seamless construction and not cobbled together from templated pieces like traditional shoes. That, along with the molded heel cup, gives the foot a nice cradled sensation when laced on, like your feet wearing a custom-tailored shirt. Cushioning comes in the form of UA’s Charged Foam midsole that offers good spring-back on landings. The meshed upper and anatomically-placed fex grooves ensure good movement from heel to toe.

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CHECK IT WEAR

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01

Reebok Pump Watch

These digital watches have all the necessary features of a good training watch (stopwatch, timer, alarm) with the retro look of iconic Reebok Pump shoes. Pictured is the black-and-orange Pump Omni Lite worn by Dee Brown during his memorable “peeka-boo” dunk in the 1991 Dunk Contest; the other is the white-and-neon Court Victory Pump made famous

by Michael Chang.

$129.95

01

New Balance ML999OBB

Part of the Urban Exploration Pack, this 999 Elite Edition blends bright colors with earth tones and rough and soft textures to juxtapose the ruins of the modern world captured with high-speed lenses.

$124.95

04

Jordan AJ All Season Compression Long Sleeve

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Base layers are boring—until you think about how they serve as the foundation for a good workout. The compression ft gives a locked-in sensation while the ergonomic seams still give plenty of motion while reducing chafng. The Dri-Fit fabric keeps things dry and comfortable.

$40 03

adidas Superstar

For some ’heads, adidas in 2015 is all about the Yeezy, but don’t ever sleep on a classic like the Superstar. The brand’s most iconic model (it’s actually a loppedoff version of the high-top Pro Model), in no small part aided by Run DMC and hip hop, it’s making a big play this year in every favor imaginable (peep Pharrell’s Instagram) under the sun. But every original starts with the frst one, and we can only imagine the white one with black stripes (rubber shell toe standard) was one of—if not—the frst Superstar.

$80 03

06

Jordan Illusion

Designed with premium leather and laser-cut geometric details, this off-court shoe sits on the chassis of an Air Jordan 1.

05

Strideline Socks

$105

These days the hosiery game is every bit as important as the shoe game.

Strideline offers up a multitude of graphical and color treatments to complement or contrast (the rules now are there are no rules) your sneakers. All the socks feature padded footsteps, a strapped ft for snugness and a sweat-wicking blended fabric.

$13.95

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Jordan Instigator

The Instigator is admittedly not for everyone (few sneakers are) but if the futuristic vibe with an opulent twist is your thing, these are made for you. The glossy to matte upper (transitioned by a triangular pattern) is subtle; the rear pyramid-textured heel counter is distinguishable from a distance.

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$150 07

Jordan Flight Woven Short

These Dri-Fit shorts are cut close to the body to reduce extra weight and to maximize movement. The entire short is perforated to increase ventilation and side seam pockets provide some stowage (preferably dimes).

$70

09

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Jordan Melo M11

Whether it’s because it’s warm enough out or the outdoor basketball court was cleared of snow, you can rest assured that the outdoor-freindly Melo M11 can be your shoe of choice.

The XDR (Extra Durable Rubber) outsole provides good traction while giving extra mileage for the rough-andtumble outdoor game.

$160 12

Jordan All Season FlightFlex Compression The volatile spring weather means preparation must be made for anything the season brings your way. The extra layer gives you protection and warmth if you need it and the Dri-Fit fabric wicks away heat and sweat when it warms up. The ergonomic seams offer range of motion and no chafng when things get moving.

10

$50 11

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10

Reebok Ventilator “Refective”

Don’t let the monotone color scheme fool you. When the light hits these Ventilators just right, it will reveal its true brilliance.

The “Refective” Pack consists of four shoes (pictured is the collegiate burgundy; the other three are: dark green, foggy grey and black).

$89.99

11

New Balance M998CBL

Besides being made in the USA, this 998 also represents Americana as part of its Made in USA Connoisseur Guitar Pack collection. Each shoe in the pack will represent an American guitar style and comes with a custom New Balance guitar pick specifc to the model.

$169.95 WHERE TO BUY: adidas Superstar: adidas.com; Jordan All Season FlightFlex Compression, AJ All Season Compression Long Sleeve, Flight Woven Short, Illusion, Instigator, Melo M11: Jordan.com; New Balance M998CBL, ML999OBB: newbalance.com; Reebok Classics Ventilator “Refective,” Pump Watch: reebok.com; Strideline Socks: strideline.com

093

STEP BACK

April 26, 1999, Phoenix Suns vs. Utah Jazz Danny Manning and Chris Morris were two of the top four picks in the 1988 NBA Draft. Manning was selected No. 1 overall while Morris was taken three picks later at No. 4.

Despite a solid 11-year NBA career that totaled 8,184 points, Morris might be most famous for shattering a backboard during a slam dunk on March 2, 1993.

Together, John Stockton and Karl Malone amassed 56,639 points (56,085 wearing Utah uniforms as Malone played one season with the Lakers).

The Stockton/Malone duo has combined to lead the Jazz to victory 906 times, the most in NBA history. That record will likely stand for now, as No. 2 is Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, currently more than 200 wins away.

Manning tore his ACL during his rookie year but recovered to play 15 NBA seasons, scoring 12,367 points, making the All-Star Game in 1993 and winning the Sixth Man of the Year in 1998.

After Wilt Chamberlain, Manning might be the most decorated player in Kansas Jayhawks history, taking the Naismith and Wooden awards while leading Kansas to the 1988 NCAA National Championship. Twenty years later, Manning would be a part of KU’s coaching staff that won the National Championship in 2008.

Cliff Robinson, a second-round pick in the 1989 NBA Draft (36th overall), played 18 NBA seasons with five teams: Portland, Phoenix, Detroit, New Jersey and Golden State.

In addition to having their numbers retired, Stockton (#12) and Malone (#32) also both have statues in front of Energy Solutions Arena.

Like Stockton, Malone is an iron man, missing just 50 (40 in his final NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers) out of 1,526 games.

Malone is the NBA’s second all-time scorer with 36,928 points.

Many of Malone’s points came unguarded as he’s attempted the most free throws in NBA history with 13,188 freebies, making a record 9,787 of them.

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NORM PURDUE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Of the top 10 in games played, Stockton, Malone and Robinson join Reggie Miller with no championship to their career.

Jason Kidd is the second all-time assists leader with 12,091.

Stockton and Malone have combined to play the most games together as a duo with 1,412 games.

Besides being considered one the greatest duos in the NBA, Stockton and Malone might be the greatest draft steals. Stockton was the No. 16 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft while Malone was the No. 13 player taken the following year.

Kidd trails only Stockton in career steals, 2,684 to 3,265.

Kidd is one of just three players (along with Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson) to have more than 100 triple-doubles: Roberton, 181; Johnson, 138; Kidd, 108.

Greg Ostertag ranks sixth all time in games played for the Utah Jazz with 700 and is third in career blocks with 1,253.

Ostertag is just one of 28 players who have ever suited up in the #00 uniform. Among them, only Robert Parish is in the Hall of Fame.

In his retirement, the 7-2 Ostertag is playing recleague hockey in Arizona.

Stockton led the NBA in assists every season from 1987-88 through 1995-96.

Stockton has eclipsed the 1,000-assist plateau in a season seven times. Only Isiah Thomas and Kevin Porter (once each) have reached that mark.

One of the most durable players in the NBA, Stockton has played in 1,504 of a possible 1,526 games, or 98.6 percent of his games.

Even though Stockton is the runaway leader in career assists with 15,806, he trails Magic Johnson in career assists per game, 11.19 to 10.51.

In Stockton, Malone, Kidd and Robinson, you have four of the top 10 players in games played. Stockton is third all time with 1,504 games, Malone is fourth with 1,476, Kidd is No. 7 with 1,391, and No. 9 is Robinson with 1,380.

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CALL OUT

One of the most dynamic playmakers in the game, Damian Lillard shows off his creative side with fans during the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service at the Metropolitan Pavilion.

ADAM PANTOZZI/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The two leading vote-getters for the All-Star Game in LeBron James and Stephen Curry stopped by the High School of Graphic Communications & Arts in Manhattan to speak with kids for the NBA FIT program.

JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

DeAndre Jordan might be known for his shotblocking, but he wasn’t denying any high-fves at the Los Angeles Clippers’ 15th annual Charity BasketBowl Challenge presented by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

ADAM PANTOZZI/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Russell Westbrook is on pace to average a career high in assists per game this season, but no dime is bigger than his opening(as part of the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation and partnership with Scholastic) “Russell’s Reading Room” at Martin Luther King Elementary in Oklahoma City.

LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

096

NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bernard King still gets daps from his old stomping grounds of Brooklyn (King hails from Fort Greene) during the NBA Cares/FIT Day of Service at P.S. 131.

NBA PHOTOS/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

KEVIN LOVE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS