20 Second Timeout

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is Available Now!

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 11:37 PM

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2023-24 is on Sale Now

Monday, September 09, 2024

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2024-25 is on Sale Now

The annual publication of Lindy's Pro Basketball is a happy milestone for basketball fans because that means the NBA season is just around the corner. The 2024-25 edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball has 30 team previews, plus nine feature stories: "Scopin' the NBA" (Mike Ashley recaps the major off-season stories), "The Brunson Burner" (Mark Medina profiles Jalen Brunson), "Here Comes the Cash" (Michael Bradley details the implications of the NBA's big new broadcasting deals), "Edwards Learns His Own Hard Lessons" (Mark Medina discusses Anthony Edwards' emergence as a star), "Keeping the Faith" (Lyn Scarborough demonstrates how Jonathan Isaac is making a difference), "NBA Report Card" (Roland Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Carl Berman scouts the 2025 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy Guide" (Mike Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts), and "A Look Back" (Lazenby looks back at how NBA arenas have evolved).

I wrote six team previews and sidebar articles this year: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs. My sidebar articles discuss, respectively, Daniel Gafford/Dereck Lively II, the end of the "Splash Brothers" era, Dejounte Murray, Chet Holmgren, why "Tanking to the Top" is a myth, and the Spurs' playoff prospects after tanking to obtain Victor Wembanyama.

This is the 16th year that I have contributed to Lindy's Pro Basketball dating back to 2005 (with interruptions for the 2011 lockout, my law school attendance in 2014-15, and 2020 because Lindy's Pro Basketball was not published in the wake of COVID-19). As always, I am grateful to Roland Lazenby for providing the opportunity to contribute to Lindy's Pro Basketball, and I am proud to be associated with the finished product.

If you do not see the magazine in any stores in your area, you can order a copy online.

Selected Previous Articles About Lindy's Pro Basketball:

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2022-23 is on Sale Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2021-2022 is in Stores Now

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is Available Now!

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, San Antonio Spurs

posted by David Friedman @ 5:33 PM

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2022-23 is on Sale Now

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2023-24 is on Sale Now

The annual publication of Lindy's Pro Basketball is a happy event for basketball fans because that means the NBA season will begin soon. The 2023-24 edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball has 30 team previews, plus nine feature stories: "Scopin' the NBA" (Mike Ashley recaps the major off-season stories), "Wemby is Next" (Michael Bradley profiles 2023 number one overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama), "The Joker Abides" (Mark Medina examines if Nikola Jokic could become the next Tim Duncan), "The Real 'Winning Time'" (an excerpt from Roland Lazenby's forthcoming Magic Johnson biography), "Keeping the Faith" (Medina discusses Stephen Curry's faith), "NBA Report Card" (Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman scouts the 2024 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy Guide" (Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts), and "A Look Back" (Lazenby recalls how George Mikan led the Lakers to one NBL title and five NBA titles).

This is the 15th year that I have contributed to Lindy's Pro Basketball dating back to 2005 (with interruptions for the 2011 lockout, my attendance at law school in 2014-15, and 2020 because Lindy's Pro Basketball was not published in the wake of COVID-19). As always, I am grateful to Roland Lazenby for providing the opportunity to contribute to Lindy's Pro Basketball, and I am proud to be associated with the finished product.

If you do not see the magazine in any stores in your area, you can order a copy online.

Selected Previous Articles About Lindy's Pro Basketball:

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2021-2022 is in Stores Now

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is Available Now!

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, San Antonio Spurs

posted by David Friedman @ 11:15 PM

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2021-2022 is in Stores Now

Saturday, September 10, 2022

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2022-23 is on Sale Now

The arrival of the new Lindy's Pro Basketball is a happy and welcome sight because that means the NBA season is going to start soon. The 2022-23 edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball has 30 team previews, plus eight feature stories: "Scopin' the NBA" by Mike Ashley (recapping the major off-season stories), "The Pick-and-Roll, A Love Story" (Michael Bradley discusses how modern defenses adjust to basketball's oldest play), "Tatum and Brown" (Mark Murphy profiles Boston's dynamic duo), "Keeping the Faith" (Bill Sorrell writes about how Jonathan Isaac is strengthened by his religious beliefs), "NBA Report Card" (editor Roland Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman scouts the 2023 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy Guide" (Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts) and "A Look Back" (Lazenby reflects on the 25th anniversary of the Chicago Bulls' fabled "Last Dance").

I wrote six team previews and sidebar articles this year: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs. My sidebar articles discuss, respectively, Luka Doncic, the "GOAT" conversation surrounding Stephen Curry, CJ McCollum, the tanking Thunder, Damian Lillard, and the tanking Spurs (parenthetical note: it is sad that two of the six teams that I analyzed are openly tanking). It is worth noting that the magazine went to press before the Thunder's Chet Holmgren suffered a season-ending foot injury, so my Thunder preview does not indicate that he will not play in 2022-23. Also, my "3 Things to Look For" regarding the Warriors were reprinted from last year's issue due to a technical error; my "3 Things to Look For" regarding the Warriors should read as follows:

1) One For the Thumb? The Warriors are seeking their fifth title in nine seasons, a feat matched only by Mikan's Lakers, Russell's Celtics, the Magic/Kareem Lakers, and the Jordan/Pippen Bulls.

2) Revolving Door: The defending champions will have at least five new players on their roster, and will need to replace rotation players Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II.

3) Wiseman’s Impact: If James Wiseman can stay healthy and continue to develop, he could be an important member of the Warriors’ rotation.

This is the 14th year that I have contributed to Lindy's, dating back to 2005 (with interruptions for the 2011 lockout, my attendance at law school in 2014-15, and then in 2020 because Lindy's Pro Basketball was not published in the wake of COVID-19). As always, I am grateful to Roland Lazenby for providing the opportunity to contribute to Lindy's Pro Basketball, and I am proud to be associated with the finished product.

If you do not see the magazine in any stores in your area, you can order a copy online.

Selected Previous Articles About Lindy's Pro Basketball:

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is Available Now!

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, San Antonio Spurs

posted by David Friedman @ 5:59 PM

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2021-2022 is in Stores Now

The arrival of the new Lindy's Pro Basketball is a happy and welcome sight because that means the NBA season is about to start. The 2021-22 edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball has 30 team previews, plus nine feature stories: "Scopin' the NBA" by Mike Ashley (recapping the major off-season stories), "Where is the NBA Headed?" (Pete Croatto predicts how the league will change by 2046), "The Young and the Restless Luka" (Michael Bradley discusses Dallas' young superstar), "Welcome to the Arms Race" (DJ Siddiqi analyzes the Lakers' acquisition of Russell Westbrook), "Keeping the Faith" (Bill Sorrell provides his take on Kevin Durant's career ), "NBA Report Card" (editor Roland Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman scouts the 2022 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy 2021-22" (Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts) and "A Look Back" (Lazenby describes "The Agony of Jerry West").

I wrote six team previews and sidebar articles this year: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs. My sidebar articles discuss, respectively, Jason Kidd, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, the Thunder's rebuilding process, C.J. McCollum, and the Spurs' search for a new identity in the post-Duncan era. Due to a production error, the Pelicans preview indicates that the franchise was founded in 1988 as the Charlotte Hornets, but of course the franchise was founded in 2002 as the New Orleans Hornets, as correctly noted in the previous edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball.

This is the 13th year that I have contributed to Lindy's, dating back to 2005 (with interruptions for the 2011 lockout, my attendance at law school in 2014-15, and then in 2020 because Lindy's Pro Basketball was not published in the wake of COVID-19). I am grateful to Roland Lazenby for providing the opportunity, and I am proud to be associated with the finished product.

If you do not see the magazine in any stores in your area, you can order a copy online.

Selected Previous Articles About Lindy's Pro Basketball:

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is Available Now!

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, San Antonio Spurs

posted by David Friedman @ 11:33 PM

Monday, February 17, 2020

"Forever Mamba" Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant

"Forever Mamba," a special tribute magazine for Kobe Bryant published by Lindy's, is available in stores now, and can also be ordered online from the Lindy's website: Lindy's Special Editions

Roland Lazenby, editor of Lindy's annual pro basketball preview magazine and author of numerous books--including Michael Jordan: The Life, Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon, and Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant--edited "Forever Mamba." Lazenby also contributed three feature stories: "Kobe Bryant: Forever Mamba," "Fathers & Daughters," and "Heartbreak."

I wrote a feature titled "Kobe's Amazing Streaks and Big Games: 24 Indelible Memories From 20 Incomparable Years," and--though not mentioned in the masthead--I also selected the quotations for the "Outpouring of Grief for Kobe" feature (except for the quote from Kobe's widow Vanessa, which Vanessa released as a public statement after I had made my selections).

Michael Bradley wrote "Aces to Lakers."

Mike McGraw wrote "Air Balls and the Rise of No. 8," "The Three-Peat," "Most Valuable," and "Return to Glory."

Eric Pincus wrote "The Battle," and "The Moment."

Here is a picture of the cover:

Labels: Kobe Bryant, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Roland Lazenby

posted by David Friedman @ 10:24 PM

6 comments

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now

I am always happy and excited when I see the new Lindy's Pro Basketball in stores, because that means the NBA season is just around the corner. The 2019-20 edition has 30 team previews, plus nine feature stories: "Scopin' the NBA" by Mike Ashley (recapping the major off-season stories), "Giannis the Splendid" (Gery J. Woelfel profiles the 2019 NBA MVP), "Whither the Big Man" (Michael Bradley analyzes the sport's evolution to small ball), "Mighty Zion" (editor Roland Lazenby looks ahead to Zion Williamson's much-anticipated rookie season), "Keeping the Faith" (Gery J. Woelfel explains why the Pacers are so happy to acquire Malcolm Brogdon), "NBA Report Card" (Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman scouts the 2020 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy Guide" (Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts) and "A Look Back" (Lazenby recalls Michael Jordan's rookie season).

I wrote six team previews and sidebar articles this year: Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings. My sidebar articles discuss, respectively, Kevin Love, Luka Doncic, Steve Kerr, the Thunder's former "Big Three," Damian Lillard and Vlade Divac/Vivek Ranadive.

This is the 12th year that I have contributed to Lindy's. I am grateful to Roland Lazenby for providing the opportunity and I am proud to be associated with the finished product.

If you cannot find a copy of the magazine in a store, you can order a copy online.

Labels: Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, Sacramento Kings

posted by David Friedman @ 2:07 AM

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now

One of the first welcome signs that the NBA season will begin soon is the appearance of Lindy's Pro Basketball at your favorite bookstore or newsstand. The 2018-19 edition includes eight feature stories and 30 team previews. The feature stories are "Scopin' the NBA" (Mike Ashley looks at some of the major off-season stories, not surprisingly headlined by LeBron James' move from the Cavaliers to the Lakers), "Generation Next" (Lindy's editor Roland Lazenby shares insights gathered from top talent evaluators regarding young stars Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid), "Durant and the Drama Factory" (Michael Bradley examines how the NBA has become like AAU basketball with players "jumping ship and changing teams, almost on a whim"), "The Hoosier " (Mark Murphy profiles Brad Stevens and his Indiana roots), "NBA Report Card" (Lazenby rates each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman scouts the 2019 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy Guide" (Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts) and "A Look Back" (Lazenby describes the final championship of the Bill Russell's magnificent Boston Celtics career).

I wrote the team previews and sidebars for the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. My sidebars discuss Mark Cuban and Russell Westbrook respectively.

It is always a source of pride to write for Lindy's and then to see the finished product just a couple months later. The death of print media has been proclaimed for quite some time but Lindy's is alive and well. This is the 11th edition for which I contributed at least one article or team preview and I hope to be on the roster next year as well.

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Mark Cuban, Oklahoma City Thunder, Roland Lazenby, Russell Westbrook

posted by David Friedman @ 10:15 PM

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2017-18 is on Sale Now

You know that pro basketball season is just around the corner when the welcome sight of Lindy's Pro Basketball greets you at your favorite bookstore or newsstand! The 2017-18 edition includes eight feature stories plus 30 team previews. The feature stories are "Scoping the NBA" (Mike Ashley looks at some of the major off-season stories), "Success, Always His Choice" (Michael Bradley examines Kevin Durant's path to an NBA title), "Together Again" (Mark Murphy discusses the reunion of Brad Stevens and Gordon Hayward in Boston), "Malcolm in the Middle" (Lindy's editor Roland Lazenby profiles 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon), "NBA Report Card" (Lazenby rates each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman scouts the 2018 NBA Draft), "Fantasy Basketball" (Ashley provides a handy guide for fantasy basketball enthusiasts) and "A Look Back" (Lazenby recalls Bill Russell's key dual role for Boston's 1968 NBA championship team).

This season, I wrote the team previews and sidebars for the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. My sidebars discuss Dwight Howard, Dion Waiters and Manu Ginobili respectively. Last year I only wrote one team preview (L.A. Lakers) as that summer I had just taken (and passed!) the Ohio Bar Exam but this year I was fortunate enough to have three assignments. It is always a joy to write for Lindy's and then to see the finished product just a couple months later.

Print media has taken a backseat to the internet but it is great that Lindy's is surviving and thriving in this new era. This is the 10th edition for which I have written at least one preview and I hope to continue to contribute for a long time to come.

Labels: Charlotte Hornets, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Miami Heat, Roland Lazenby, San Antonio Spurs

posted by David Friedman @ 6:50 PM

2 comments

Monday, September 12, 2016

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is Available Now!

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2016-17 is in stores now. This season's edition includes the standard lineup of eight feature articles plus previews for each of the 30 NBA teams. The features are "Scoping the NBA" (Jorge Ribeiro and Roland Lazenby examine some of the key off-season stories), "Stopping the Unstoppable" (Michael Bradley ponders whether anyone can stop the Warriors after the addition of Kevin Durant), "It's Legacy, Dudes" (Lazenby discusses the Cavaliers' chances of winning back to back titles), "The Curious Case of Benjamin Simmons" (Lazenby provides a scouting report on the number one overall pick in the draft), "NBA Report Card" (Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman previews the 2017 NBA Draft), "Fantasy Basketball" (Mike Ashley provides advice to fantasy basketball aficionados) and "A Look Back" (Lazenby reminisces about how Michael Jordan took over the NBA 30 years ago, averaging a non-Wilt Chamberlain record 37.1 ppg).

I wrote the L.A. Lakers team preview and sidebar this year. I enjoyed quickly shifting gears from Bar Exam preparation to analyzing the prospects of one of pro basketball's most storied franchises. This is the ninth edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball for which I have contributed at least one team preview or feature article, a run that started in 2005 and continued through 2013, after which I took a couple years off as I earned my J.D. degree. Respected author/editor Roland Lazenby has ably handled the editorial duties for Lindy's Pro Basketball seemingly forever; I first met Lazenby during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend in Denver after admiring his work from afar for many years and it has always been a pleasure to work with him.

When I was a kid/young adult, one of the highlights of this time of year was going to Waldenbooks and looking for the various NBA preview magazines, plus the new NBA Guide and NBA Register. The NBA Guide and NBA Register are now digital only products and many of the preview magazines of yesteryear have ceased publication but it still remains a thrill to go to a bookstore and see Lindy's Pro Basketball in the magazine section--and the thrill is heightened because I have been blessed with the opportunity to contribute to Lindy's!

Labels: Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant, L.A. Lakers, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Michael Jordan, Roland Lazenby

posted by David Friedman @ 11:04 PM

5 comments

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Preview of Lindy's Pro Basketball 2013-14

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2013-14 includes eight feature stories: "Scoping the NBA" (Jorge Ribeiro's perspective on a variety of off-court happenings involving NBA players), "Spread 'Em" (Michael Bradley's examination of the evolution of the usage of the three point shot), "All's Cool That Ends Cool" (Mike McGraw's Derrick Rose profile), "Super Teams" (my contribution, an analysis of various franchises that tried to win a championship by gathering together big name players), "NBA Report Card" (Gary Woelfel grades each team's offseason moves), "A Look Ahead" (Jeremy Treatman previews the upcoming season), "Fantasy Basketball" (Mike Ashley offers some tips) and "A Look Back" (Lindy's editor Roland Lazenby recalls the great "Bad Boys" Pistons teams).

This year I wrote eight team previews: Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz. Each team preview includes a brief sidebar story.

Here are the titles of each of my sidebar stories, plus capsule summaries:

Charlotte: "An Artist in the Paint, Jefferson Draws Doubles" (Al Jefferson provides a low post presence that the Bobcats have never had).

Denver: "Shaw Finally Gets a Shot" (Long-time NBA assistant coach Brian Shaw takes the reins from George Karl in the Mile High City).

Miami: "James Building Legacy" (LeBron James' body and skill set combine elements that have never been seen in one player: he has Karl Malone's size, Larry Bird's passing skills, Scottie Pippen's defensive versatility and Julius Erving's ability to attack the hoop with spectacular grace and power).

New Orleans: "Pelicans Took a Holiday" (New Orleans traded potential franchise center Nerlens Noel to obtain a point guard, a decision that would have been almost unthinkable for most of the NBA's history because a dominant paint presence used to be an essential element for a championship team).

New York: "Knicks' Mismatch is in Their Lineup" (It seems unlikely that the Carmelo Anthony-Amare Stoudemire duo will lead New York to a championship).

Orlando: "Big Nik has Arrived" (Nikola Vucevic did a much better job replacing Dwight Howard than anyone could have reasonably predicted).

Phoenix: "Horny Takes Over" (Former Phoenix All-Star Jeff Hornacek returns to his old stomping grounds and makes his NBA head coaching debut in the Valley of the Sun).

Utah: "They're Virtually Pointless" (The Jazz have employed a series of undistinguished point guards after being blessed with first John Stockton and then Deron Williams)

In the "Super Teams" article I distinguish between great teams that formed organically--i.e., the key players played together for all or virtually all of their careers, such as Bill Russell's Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson's L.A. Lakers and Larry Bird's Boston Celtics--and teams that added at least one superstar to an already established mix. Russell's Celtics beat the Lakers five times in the NBA Finals in the 1960s and the Lakers faced the daunting question, "How do you overthrow the league's dynastic kings?" Russell led the Celtics to 11 championships in his 13 season career and the Lakers knew that nothing short of a basketball revolution would shift the balance of power. That led to the formation of the NBA's first Super Team, a trio featuring Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. My article also discusses the 1976-77 Philadelphia 76ers, the 1982-83 76ers, the 2003-04 Lakers, the 2007-08 Celtics, the current Miami Heat and the Super Team that the Nets hope that they have built for the 2013-14 season. The 1976-77 76ers, led by Julius Erving, are the first Super Team that I remember; on p. 187 of The Legend of Dr. J, Marty Bell summarized why that squad did not win the title: "The fact was, these Sixers were not a great team. No one was able to play up to their ability. Julius had the most ability and he sacrificed the most."

Roland Lazenby deftly edited the features and team previews. His piece about the "Bad Boys" discusses the strategic reasons behind the much-discussed Adrian Dantley-Mark Aguirre trade; some commentators are quick to buy into the idea that Isiah Thomas orchestrated the deal so that he could team up with his childhood friend Aguirre but the reality is that Aguirre's passing skills and post up ability added new dimensions to Detroit's offensive repertoire.

Last year I concluded my Lindy's preview with some words that also apply to the current edition:

"An editor is like a basketball referee: when he does his job well he is not necessarily noticed by the casual fan but he is still playing an important role in the proceedings (in contrast, bad editors and bad referees both stick out like Rudolph's famous bright red nose)."

Labels: Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, LeBron James, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Roland Lazenby, Super Teams, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 3:23 PM

2 comments

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Preview of Lindy's Pro Basketball 2012-13

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2012-13 includes eight feature stories: "Scoping the NBA" (a quick hitting discussion of a variety of subjects), "Read, Relax...and Dominate" (a LeBron James profile), "The Older, the Better" (an examination of older guards who are still thriving), "NBA Report Card" (exactly what it sounds like: grades are given for the offseason moves made by each team), "Fantasy Basketball" (provides "Ten Commandments" for fantasy basketball aficionados), "A Look Back" (Lindy's editor Roland Lazenby describes Bob Cousy's great career) and "He's a Rare Breed" (my contribution to the mix, a comparison of Kevin Durant's skill set and productivity with George Gervin, Bob McAdoo, Alex English and Dirk Nowitzki). The Durant feature includes a sidebar with quotes from my interview with an East Coast scout who has followed Durant's career since Durant starred at Texas.

I contributed seven team previews this year: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz. Each team preview is accompanied by a sidebar story. The sidebars are typically limited to 300 words but perhaps I adhered to that guideline too strictly because in almost every case a few sentences were added to what I wrote, a contribution I would have been glad to make if I had realized that more space was available; this is just me being a perfectionist, because I don't have a serious complaint with how the product ultimately turned out but I try to submit copy that does not have to be changed for any reason ranging from the obvious (grammar, spelling, accuracy) to the less obvious (word count, style considerations).

Here are the titles of each of my sidebar stories, plus some brief notes about the content:

Brooklyn: "What will Joe Johnson bring to Brooklyn?" (The last two sentences of the sidebar were added to what I wrote but I do agree that Deron Williams and Joe Johnson should "make life a lot easier for each other" if they both play up to their capabilities).

Charlotte: "Somewhere, Jerry Krause is laughing" (A few sentences were changed around but, however one phrases it, the unchanged major point is that Michael Jordan--the great player who once mocked Jerry Krause's management acumen--assembled arguably the least talented roster in NBA history).

Denver: "No more foolin' around for McGee" (JaVale McGee must strive to become a star on the court, not just a star in Shaquille O'Neal's "Shaqtin' a Fool" segments).

Detroit: "Sticking with Stuckey" (I did not write the last three paragraphs; I agree with the sentiment that Rodney Stuckey needs to live up to the potential that Dumars sees in him but I continue to be skeptical that this will happen).

Oklahoma City: "For Durant, the ring's the thing" (What I wrote was slightly expanded but without changing the essential point that Kevin Durant, like other greats of the game, will ultimately be remembered for how many championships he wins).

Phoenix: "Requiem for 'Seven Seconds or Less'" (The sidebar was extended past 300 words to include a second comparison to the Showtime Lakers, plus a question about the likelihood that Goran Dragic will run any kind of uptempo offense).

Utah: "Corbin leads Jazz revival" (Again, the sidebar was extended past 300 words but the message stayed the same: Tyrone Corbin survived initial turmoil during his coaching tenure and is doing a solid job).

Most of the material in my team previews appears as I submitted it, though C. J. Miles' departure from Utah after my deadline necessitated some slight changes to the Jazz preview, while Jermaine O'Neal's mid-August signing with Phoenix also happened past my deadline. The blockbuster Dwight Howard deal affected the Brooklyn and Denver previews: I submitted some late alterations that made the cut and then Lazenby made some slight changes as well.

I enjoyed writing the Durant article, the team previews and the sidebars and I hope that the readers find the magazine as a whole to be informative and entertaining. The upcoming NBA season features several compelling storylines--including Miami's quest to repeat, Oklahoma City's determination to win a championship after falling just short and the possibility that the rebuilt Lakers could challenge for the title; the lockout sadly meant that Lindy's did not produce a preview issue last season, so it is good that Lindy's is back as strong as ever for the 2012-13 season. Roland Lazenby did an excellent job melding together the contributions of the various writers and I also enjoyed his piece about Cousy; an editor is like a basketball referee: when he does his job well he is not necessarily noticed by the casual fan but he is still playing an important role in the proceedings (in contrast, bad editors and bad referees both stick out like Rudolph's famous bright red nose).

Labels: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Kevin Durant, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 3:40 AM

1 comments

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2010-11 Includes Pau Gasol Feature Story, Kevin Durant Interview

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2010-11--available in stores now--includes a Pau Gasol feature story by editor/renowned Lakers authority Roland Lazenby and Jorge Ribeiro's interview with Kevin Durant. Lazenby asserts that Gasol's strong performances during the Lakers' back to back championship runs have done a lot to destroy the stereotype of European players as "soft." Durant discusses a wide range of issues, including his experiences playing for Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

I contributed five team previews this year: Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz. As usual, each team preview is followed by a 300 word sidebar story. Here are the sidebar subjects that I examined:

Charlotte: Michael Jordan is the first NBA player to become the majority owner of an NBA franchise.

Denver: The importance of coaching in general and the specific impact that George Karl's absence had on the Nuggets last season.

Oklahoma City: Switching from shooting guard to small forward sparked Kevin Durant's emergence as an elite NBA player.

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans posted LeBron-like rookie numbers but to truly become an elite player he will have to make the same kind of second year jump that LeBron James did.

Utah: A good case can be made that Deron Williams has emerged as the NBA's best point guard.

Most of what I submitted was published exactly the way I wrote it, though the first sentence of my Nuggets' sidebar was deleted ("Statistics can be valuable when used properly but some people insist that anything that cannot be quantified on a spreadsheet is not important") and this sentence was tacked on to the end: "Karl's health appears to be on the mend--and the entire NBA wishes him well and has nothing but admiration for the Nugget's (sic) coach--but his comeback remains yet another unanswered question for this franchise." One of the core tenets asserted by "stat gurus" is that coaching ultimately does not make that much difference. I disagree with that sentiment, noting, "Unlike baseball, basketball is a dynamic game, so it is difficult to accurately quantify each player's impact on a given play, let alone decipher the overall effect that a coach has." Naturally, "stat gurus" realize that it is not in their self interest to acknowledge the importance of anything that they cannot quantify (or at least pretend to be able to quantify)--but it is not coincidental that five coaches (Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Pat Riley and Gregg Popovich) have won 34 of the NBA's 64 championships.

The Bobcats officially added Sherron Collins to their roster after the article submission deadline, so I did not write the brief comments about him. Also, I think that if Larry Hughes is healthy he could play his way into Charlotte's rotation but my analysis of Hughes was deleted. Here is what I originally said about Hughes:

"Larry Hughes was once a top notch defender; injuries have taken away a lot of his athletic ability and he is now a player who does several things adequately but nothing exceptionally well. Hughes has always been an erratic outside shooter. If he can stay healthy then he can be a solid backup for (Stephen) Jackson."

Writing the team previews is always fun; I hope that readers are informed and entertained by my contributions and by the magazine as a whole.

Labels: Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, Deron Williams, George Karl, Kevin Durant, Lindy's Pro Basketball, Michael Jordan, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Tyreke Evans, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 2:21 AM