Nike Basketball News

Play With Heart Moments: November 19, 2009

jechee — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:51:24 GMT

Rashard Lewis provided one of Wednesday's Play With Heart Moments when he returned to the court.

On Thursday night, it was time for Pau Gasol to make his regular-season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers. Gasol got off to a quick start, scoring 10 of his team's first 13 points. In 34 minutes, Gasol would finish up with 24 points and 13 rebounds, as the Lakers beat the Bulls 108-93.

Don't just play. Play With Heart. See what Playing With Heart means to LeBron James, and pledge your heart to the game.

The Finals: Game 4 Recap

GoodN81 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:15:16 GMT

The Lakers 99-91 Game 4 victory last night over the Orlando Magic marked the first time since 1984 that two NBA Finals games went into overtime.

And needless to say, this game did not disappoint.

Starting out just as powerfully as they had ended Game 3, it was obvious that the Magic came out of the gates with a fierce determination to keep up that game's incredible shooting percentages and tie up the series.

But then came halftime.

Down by 12, the Lakers launched into an unstoppable 3rd quarter counter-attack, resulting in numerous Orlando turnovers that Kobe and company gladly capitalized upon. As regulation minutes were winding down in the 4th, the two teams jostled for the lead. Trevor Ariza kept the Lakers involved with keydefensive rebounds that limited Orlando's second chance attempts. And with the Lakers down by three and only about 6 seconds remaining Derek Fisher knocked down what would be one of two clutch 3-pointers to send the game in to overtime. During the extra minutes the Magic fought to take back control, but the combined Laker effort and another key Fisher 3-pointer with :31 seconds left on the clock helpd the Lakers clinch the Game 5 victory.

Ending the game with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, Kobe and the Lakers are one game away from capturing the NBA Championship title that eluded them just a year ago. For the Magic, the threat of seeing their incredible season come to an end is looming as they return to Los Angeles. With so much to play for on both sides, expect nothing but great basketball on Sunday night when Game 5 tips off.

The Finals: Game 3 Recap

GoodN81 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:29:49 GMT

The Orlando Magic officially arrived at the NBA Finals Tuesday night. In fact, you might even say they blew the doors open.

With 75% shooting from the floor in the first half and 62.5% in the game overall, the Magic set not one, but two field goal percentage records last night to make their mark on NBA Finals history.

Leading the scoring charge for Orlando was Rashard Lewis with 21 points and great team defense helped the Magic keep LA at bay.

But it wasn't easy as the Lakers didn't go down without a fight.
Pau Gasol’s 23 points from 9 of 11 shots and Kobe's game high 31 points and 8 assists, helped keep LA on pace with the lights out shooting of the Magic making the game close to the very end.

Going into Game 4, look for the Lakers to try to set the table for a championship win in LA with a game 4 win. Meanwhile the Magic, will definitely aim to replicate the shooting history they made last night to even up the series.

The Finals: Games 1 & 2 Recap

GoodN81 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:36:13 GMT

Want to make a statement in the first game of the NBA Finals? Try dropping 40 pts, 8 ast and 8 reb. That’s exactly how Kobe led the Lakers to a game 1 victory against Orlando last week. That triple double flirtation complimented by strong play from Pau Gasol and great numbers off the bench from Lamar Odom, set the tone for the 100-75 victory.

Determined to head back to Orlando with the series tied up, the Magic returned to the Staples Center for Game 2 looking for revenge.

Unfortunately for them, LA brought their own brand of ferocity back to the court that night.

Energized by the clutch late-game shots of Pau, the Lakers were able to take control of the court in OT and survive a resurgent Magic squad that could've won in regulation but for a alley-oop lay-up that missed by inches. As overtime wore on, even the heroics of Rashard Lewis wasn’t enough to combat the team play of the purple and gold.

Tonight the party moves to Orlando, as the Magic try get their first Finals victory in franchise history. At the same time look for Kobe and company to try and draw one game closer to the title.

The Collection: Zoom Kobe IV iD Lakers Edition

GoodN81 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:40:46 GMT

It wasn’t just Kobe's kicks that were different last Thursday night.

During the 100-75 rout of the Orlando Magic, the supporting cast of The Lake Show could be seen dominating both sides of the court wearing NikeiD Zoom Kobe IVs, customized specifically for the NBA Finals.

On route to an important game 1 victory, the unstoppable teamwork of Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Josh Powell and Shannon Brown was intensified by the one-of-a-kind combination of purple and yellow on a gleaming white base.

Next Tuesday, when the squad laces up in Orlando they’ll be sporting their Kobe IVs in a colorway designed for the road, also customized through NikeiD. Both styles are available for purchase or you can create your own at NikeiD.

The Family: L.A. Silences the Jazz

Hotnix — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:53:11 GMT

No man can do it alone. That’s the lesson the Lakers have learned. And it’s a lesson they continued to put into practice as the entire squad stepped up to shut down the Jazz.

Last night was the night. Los Angeles was determined to end a series that perhaps they should’ve sweeped. And from the moment they hit the floor they smothered Utah on both offense and defense, pushing the lead to as much as 22 point.

The big story is Lamar Odom, who for most of the game led all scorers. His silky smooth 26 points were matched with 15 hard fought rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.

And despite a reported ankle injury, Trevor Ariza looked 100% as he terrorized Utah with 2 monster blocked shots that translated to easy fast break points, seven rebounds, a steal and 12 solid points.

The L.A. big men dominated throughout the series, overpowering Utah’s undersized front court. Last night Pau Gasol continued his All-star worthy season with a 17 point, 11 rebound performance. And although Andrew Bynum is still finding his way back to health, his size and presence was felt early on.

But what’s the postseason without a little drama? After spending most of the game leading by as much as 22, the Lakers got a little too comfortable. And the Jazz made their move. Led By Deron Williams’ quick feet and the relentless offense and defense of Andrei Kirelinko, Ronnie Brewer and Matt Harpring, they were able to close the gap to 10.

Kobe wasn’t having it. He spent the night picking pockets, defying gravity and breaking tackles on his way to scoring by any means necessary. After a an impossible fadeaway jumper in the last seconds of the first half, and a third quarter fast break a collision with a ref, he racked up 31 points and five steals to close out the Jazz 107-96.

The Family: Playoffs Preview

Hotnix — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:45:45 GMT

With the regular season just about history, it’s time to turn our attention toward the Greatest Show On Earth, aka the postseason. Two months of intense desire, amazing finishes, and furious battles. The games are played with the sure knowledge that anything less than full effort means a premature end to championship dreams.

Let’s begin our look ahead with the team that came up just short last season, and is gearing up to erase that bitter ending from their collective memory—the Los Angeles Lakers. Showtime is back on the coast, as the #1 seed out west is favored to make it back to the ultimate round.

Leading the way…well, you already know about Kobe Bryant. Great talent, sure, but also an incredible competitive streak, a ferocious defender, and a player who can will his team to victory, either in a game or a series. Simply put, Kobe has to be accounted for at all times, even when he’s taking a breather on the sideline—just his glare from the bench gets his teammates motivated.

One of those sidekicks is critical to L.A. making that leap to winning it all. Andrew Bynum was just shoving his way into the elite big man category when he went down with a knee injury. Fortunately, it wasn’t as serious as the one he suffered last season, when he missed that showdown with Boston. Bynum has made his return, and should provide the missing piece to the puzzle in the paint. L.A. was brutalized inside by the Green Machine last year—that won’t happen with Bynum around.

The Bryant and Bynum combo isn’t all L.A. has to offer. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom were pushed around pretty good by Boston’s bigs last year, and they are eager for redemption. Gasol has been berserk this campaign, averaging just shy of 20 and 10. Thursday night, with Bynum back and occupying defenders, Pau pounded Denver to the tune of 27 points and 19 rebounds, his third double-double in four games. Odom is always a double-double threat every night, too, showing a rare ball-handling, shooting, post-up versatility. More importantly, the tandem has taken the opportunity to establish more of an inside presence in Bynum’s absence. That’s some serious size and length L.A. can throw at teams when all three are playing, and playing well.

Another player who will be more of a factor this time around is Trevor Ariza. The 6’8” forward has given his team a little of everything this year—a scoring option, solid defense, smart rebounding, and a step up in “want-to.” L.A. has depth to spare, and Ariza is the best of the subs.

Nothing is guaranteed in this league, but it will be a surprise if the purple and gold aren’t in the final two.

The Family: Versus

Hotnix — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:05:29 GMT

The Lakers are seven games ahead of their closest competition in the conference, but as unstoppable as they may seem, recent losses to Phoenix, Denver and Portland show they still have some work to do before they face the Spurs Thursday.

L.A. has had a phenomenal season. Coming off a devastating Finals loss to Boston last season, the reigning MVP Kobe Bryant and February's Player of the Month Pau Gasol are leading their team to 50W-13L, the best record in the league. Recently they've suffered some unexpected losses to teams that aren't as seasoned or deep, casting a shadow over their seemingly guaranteed spot in the Finals. With Kobe's 28 point average, Gasol's 18.4 points a game and the best bench in the game, they're fighting to keep fewer losses than Boston and stay miles ahead of the competition.

Since 1999, The Spurs have been a constant figure at the top of their division, winning six titles and 4 league championships in 10 years. As their veteran center continues to dominate on offense and defense while Tony Parker averages 21 points and 6.7 rebounds, they remain a threat to the Lakers success. But after a rocky start to the season due to injuries, and with the league's reigning Sixth Man of the Year Manu Ginobili out, can the 42-20 Spurs close the gap on L.A.?

How much longer can L.A. keep the San Antonio at bay? Thursday night, the two teams collide for the Western conference.

It gets wild in the west starting Thursday at 8:00pm.

NBA Regular Season

Tuesday, March 10

Memphis vs. L.A. Lakers @ 10:30pm ET

Wednesday, March 11

Houston vs. Utah vs. 9:00pm ET

Thursday, March 12

L.A. Lakers vs. San Antonio @ 8:00pm ET

Friday, March 13

Cleveland vs. Boston @ 8:00pm ET

Saturday, March 14

Detroit vs. Atlanta @ 7:00pm ET

Sunday, March 15

Orlando vs. Boston @ 1:00pm ET

The Family: Versus

Hotnix — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:28:01 GMT

This Sunday, the top four teams in the East and the West face off in this season's biggest double-header. Featuring the league's hottest All-stars, all 4 of these teams have the talent, the experience and the desire to play in this season's Finals.

On January 19th, the league's two biggest stars faced off in an epic battle. The reigning MVP Kobe Bryant led Pau Gasol and the rest of the Lakers to a 17 point victory over LeBron James and his Cavs. With the best record in the West, they're steam rolling their way back to the championship series.

But standing in their way is a rematch with Cleveland, a team with arguably the best player in the league, lots of young talent and a hunger to win. After a historic start to the season, LeBron must use all his super-human power, explosiveness and selflessness to lead his team to victory over one of the deepest benches in the NBA.

After a rough, injury-ridden start to the season, including Tony Parker's sprained ankle, San Antonio has climbed into the number 2 spot in the West. A constant threat for the division title, they're facing Boston, the top team in the East and a favorite for the championship trophy.

Boston started the season the same way they ended the last, but Paul Pierce and the reigning champion Celtics hit a rough patch in late December and early January. After losing 7 of 9 games they quickly recovered and have gone undefeated for 11 straight games. Riding the winning momentum, their big 3 is fighting to protect the crown they've battled so long to earn.

This epic double-header starts Sunday 1:00pm.

NBA Regular Season

Monday, January 2

Portland vs. New Orleans @ 8:00PM ET

Tuesday, February 3

San Antonio vs. Denver @ 9:00PM ET

Wednesday, February 4

Miami vs. Detroit @ 7:30PM ET

Thursday, February 5

L.A. Lakers vs. Boston @ 8:00PM ET

Sunday, January 8

San Antonio vs. Boston @ 1:00PM ET

L.A. Lakers vs. Cleveland @ 3:30PM ET

Blogging the Journey: Pau Gasol

Hotnix — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:38:59 GMT

What’s at Stake: As Pau prepares to lead Spain against some of the world's toughest athletes, he looks back at his greatest inspirations and forward to his greatest challenges.

I guess it goes back to my dad, when I was growing up as a little kid. Me and my mom went to watch him play in a veteran team. I guess that's when I started getting interested in basketball. I wanted to play and imitate my dad. My mom used to play but I never watched her because she got pregnant and had to quit. I guess that's where I started and developed a good ability and passion for it.

I guess I just had more fun playing than I had playing soccer or doing any other sport. I felt I had better skills to play basketball, even though I was very skinny and lanky and tall at the time. Since I was 16 of 17 years old I was always very skinny. So, I guess I always had a better passion, stronger passion for playing basketball than soccer. I also enjoyed playing soccer but everyone was so small and so quick and even though I defended myself pretty well it just wasn't my sport.

I have some flashes and moments when I watched the NBA on TV in Spain. I don't remember much, I just remember watching it and just thinking it was a totally different level, totally different world in the NBA. So far out of reach of anybody in Europe. There weren't many Europeans at the time.

The Olympics is a great event to be in. It's an event that you can see all the sports in the world and all the athletes in the world at the highest level. So it's always an honor to be a part of it and defending your country in it. It's a big honor. I personally take a lot of pride being with my national team and trying to get medals and success for my country. So I'm definitely looking forward to it.

The Olympics and any international competition is going to be always very tough and teams compete hard. You never know who's going to be out there but always you know the United States is always a candidate to be the champion of the tournament. Argentina is always a tough team to play against. You know, they've always been up there. They already got the Olympic gold medal last time in Athens so we got to respect them a lot. They know how to play and they play tough. And then Russia, Lithuania, Greece, those teams are always very though. You never know. They put a good team together and they're hard to beat. I think those teams are going to be up there.

I always consider myself a competitor and winner. I love to win and hate losing. I don't handle it very well. It’s definitely like someone is stabbing me every time I lose a game. That's what pushes me through everyday. And also the fact that I want to prove that I'm one of the top elite players in the world. I have a whole country behind me that is supporting me and cheering for me and believing in me. So that's also a big plus and motivation.

More on Pau
Read his Bio »

More on Team USA
See all Team USA Blogs »
Check out the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

The Competition: Pau Gasol

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:48:11 GMT

In 2006, behind the strength of Pau Gasol, Spain shook up the world. Can he do it again in ’08?

Since joining the international basketball federation, Spain has been a dominant force in the European game. With sixteen appearances in the Eurobasket tournament and 8 medals, they’ve easily proven themselves against their European counterparts. But when faced with the rest of the world, Spain has often struggled to keep up.

After a string of defeats on the world stage, it became painfully clear that the team was in need of a strong leader. They needed someone to unite them both on and off the court. Someone who could give hope not only to the players themselves, but to a country in need of a savior.

And when that savior showed up, he came in the form of Pau Gasol.

At the 2004 Games, Pau was introduced to the world in a big way. The leader of a new generation of Spanish superstars, his game was revolutionary. The 7-footer moved like a small forward, played with either hand and could knock down open jumpers. And he’d already racked up medals for his country in the Junior European, Junior World, European and FIBA World championships. With his record of success, Spain was all but guaranteed a medal.

But that year, despite his country’s high hopes, the team was faced with too many obstacles. The Spaniards finished a distant 7th out of 12 teams in the tournament.

It wasn’t until the 2006 FIBA World Championships that Spain – and Pau Gasol – were given a second chance.

Right from the start of the tournament, Pau set the tone, averaging 21.3 points and 9.4 rebounds a game. Spain bulleted through the competition, and in the most memorable game of the series, they faced Argentina – the world champs – in the semifinals.

With a minute left in the game, Pau fractured a bone in his foot. It was a shock to the team, but they were able to recover quickly, holding on to win 75-74. Shortly after, despite losing their leader, Spain went on to beat European rival Greece to become the World Champions.

Pau was awarded the MVP trophy for the tournament.

"My teammates today played an amazing game," Pau said. "They played with their hearts and together as a unit. It's no fun to watch. I thought I would suffer some more, but I am so happy to see the way they responded without me being there."

This summer, as Spain gears up to defend its title, all hope is resting on Pau’s shoulders. But if his first season with Los Angeles is anything to judge by, he’s never been more ready.

After being traded mid-season to L.A., Pau ignited the renaissance that took a controversial L.A. team from the middle of the pack to the top. He was the perfect fit for a roster that needed a quality, consistent low-post player to step into the number two scoring position. When he wasn’t getting clutch rebounds and easy buckets down low, he was capitalizing on an amazing chemistry with Kobe that resulted in huge points.

Without Pau, the Lakers may never have made the Finals.

More on Team USA
See all Competition Bio’s »
Check out the Olympic Histories »

This Is Our Game: The Fall

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:37:19 GMT

This is Our Game explores the rich tradition of the U.S. National Teams, uncovering the victories, defeats, and rivalries of the last seven decades. In Part Four of the series, Team USA gets the biggest wake-up call in history.

2000-2006

The Dream Team changed the game in 1992. The world responded in 2000.

After the Dream Team's exciting victories in 1992 and 1996, basketball's popularity exploded around the world. Players and teams from everywhere – Argentina, Lithuania, Russia and Spain – developed their own unique styles. It wasn’t unusual to see 7 footers shooting threes or offensive possessions where the ball was passed ten times before a shot was taken.

The world wasn’t just trying to catch up with Team USA. They, too, were trying to change the game.

At the 2000 Games in Sydney, the U.S. team took home the gold, but a closer look showed cracks in their game. They no longer beat opponents by 40 or more points, but faced some very close calls. Lithuania lost to them by only nine points – the first time Team USA won by less than double digits. Playing Lithuania again in the semis, they squeaked by with a 2 point win. They went on to beat France for the gold, but it was clear they were no longer the team to fear.

When the 2004 Athens Games came around, people expected more of the same winning ways.
But for too long, the international competition had been playing as unified teams while the U.S. pro team was a collection of 12 great individual talents. That year, it was that solid team play, that on-court chemistry that beat out America's raw talent.

In the very first game of the tournament, Puerto Rico gave Team USA the biggest wake-up call in history: a 19-point loss. Another loss came to Lithuania in the prelims and the final nail in the coffin was a semifinal loss to Argentina, the current reigning world champs. After suffering a string of embarrassing defeats, the U.S. realized something needed to change if it wanted to regain the gold.

There was only one man to lead the charge.

In 2005, the legendary Coach K was brought in to not just coach, but to start a program that would rebuild a team from scratch. After wrapping up the season with Duke University, he assembled a team for the 2006 World Championships.

The new Team USA wasn't used to working together and the players were hampered by injuries, resulting in a 101-95 loss to Greece in the semifinals. Though they didn't win the top prize, there were signs that they were back on the right path. They won most of their games by 25 points or more, and defeated the defending world champions to win the bronze.

As the 2008 Summer Games approached, Coach K’s next mission was to prepare Team USA for the battle to earn their spot in Beijing. With players dedicating three years to the development of the team and more time for training camp, entered the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament ready to prove regain the throne.

More on Team USA
Meet the men on this year's Team USA »
Meet the women on this year's Team USA »