Phil Jackson 23
Olympiacos wins! Olympiacos wins! Olympiacos wins! (a.k.a. *The* European basketball story of 2011-12)
Let’s put this into perspective. The last time Olympiacos took the Greek national title, they were led by David Rivers and Dragan Tarlać. Vassilis Spanoulis was 15 years old and not near professional club play. Dejan Bodiroga was in the middle of his career and Mirsad Turkcan had just turned 21. Across the pond, Lebron […]
Reports: Ettore Messina signs with Los Angeles Lakers as consultant
The rumor mill is grinding it out on Sunday, with some in the blogosphere today reporting that Ettore Messina has been hired as a “consultant” under new Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike Brown. Stories of Messina perhaps landing work in the Lakers organization first began two weeks ago. Eric Pincus over at website HoopsWorld […]
From Zen Master to Euroleague Master in Los Angeles?
Whoa, well now. Los Angeles Lakers fans knew that life would be bizarre in the post-Phil Jackson world, but so immediately? And involving Ettore Messina, for Naismith’s sake? HoopsWorld reported last night (this morning by CET standards) that the four-time Euroleague champion coach might be coming aboard to serve under intriguing non-Kobe approved incumbent Mike […]
Pau Gasol: “A bit distracted,” “A bit exhausted” in Lakers-Mavs series
For the Spanish-language ‘site Marca.com, Los Angeles-based sportswriter Jesús Sánchez recently got some quality face time with Pau Gasol – enough to fill three columns’ worth of stories. The key news for those looking ahead to the summer, a group that certainly includes Lakers fans and those cynical about the possibility of the NBA actually […]
Romanian playoffs: Cluj-Napoca meets Gaz Metan Medias in last game of semifinals
In case you don’t have enough hoops to watch today – there’s the Nike International Junior Tournament, the Real Madrid-Montepaschi Siena Euroleague third-place game, the Euroleague championship, the Chicago Bulls-Atlanta Hawks playoff game, and the Los Angeles Lakers going out like chumps and ending the brilliant career of Phil Jackson rather ignominiously playing the Dallas […]
And the nominees in the category of “Best Euroleague Coach” are…
Over at the Lithuanian Perspective, BallinEurope typically contributes to a weekly column entitled “The Wise Men Know” (hey, BiE didn’t choose the moniker). This week, the deadline sadly whooshed past this writer and so no contribution from Os Davis appears in the current edition. However, BiE just couldn’t let this week’s third question – namely, […]
Pau Gasol versus the vampires (and BallinEurope versus Bill Simmons)
BallinEurope yesterday read the latest anti-Laker screed basketball column by ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons, an alternately funny and blood-boiling confession-style bit about conditioning one’s children to cheer for the “right” sports team, i.e. Daddy’s favorite team. Ultimately, however, The Sports Guy’s affectionate look at dominating your child’s formative years is perhaps best characterized as “disturbing.” And […]
Official BallinEurope Euroleague Power Rankings: Final preseason edition
The 2010-11 Euroleague season tips off tomorrow? Right, then. Presenting the last preseason – and thus last totally subjective, because we’ll be able to base these things on, you know, wins and losses beginning next week – BallinEurope Official Euroleague Power Rankings™. (Plus lots of video clips.) Enjoy! 1. (↔) FC Barcelona – Yeah, as […]
The 35 Greatest Basketball YouTubes of All-Time: Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5
BallinEurope nears the end of The 35 Greatest Basketball YouTubes of All-Time with truly the cream of the crop from YouTube contributors. Today, we’ve got adrenaline-inducing excitement, record-breaking achievement, history-making tournament action, and the addiction of 2001. And apologies in advance to a certain fan demographic for no. 3 on this list; y’all can console […]
Lebron James yadda yadda yadda (or, Ahem – anyone remember the Los Angeles Lakers?)
This is a bit beyond the realm of European basketball, but since apparently the entire balance of the basketball universe lurched based on a single media event last night and because, let’s face it, i have a blog, this Lakers fan would like to weigh in momentarily on the whole Overrated Big Three-to-Miami Heat thing. […]
What FC Barcelona must do (with special reference to Lakers-Celtics)
Two teams teetering on the edge, two series remarkably similar in a few outstanding features. With FC Barcelona one game from elimination at the hands of Caja Laboral Baskonia in the ACB championship series, BallinEurope – like so many others – is looking for answers to the Blaugrana’s mysterious woes. Perhaps some might be found […]
On the origins of the Dragon-Machine feud
From the always-busy Whoda Thunk It Department comes a real mind-boggler of a statement regarding tonight’s Western Conference Championship game six: The matchup of Sasha “The Machine” Vujacic on Goran “The Dragon” Dragic matters. After the Phoenix Suns’ bench absolutely immolated the Los Angeles Lakers in game four of the series – The Dragon Was […]