Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James will meet on Christmas Day. Photo Credit: Sports Illustratedoo

Today the NBA will launch a new “I’m Why” spot entitled “The Gift of Basketball” that highlights unforgettable NBA moments that get fans in the holiday spirit and bring us all together for the excitement of five marquee games on Christmas Day.

Part of the league’s global “This Is Why We Play” campaign, the spot’s vibrant holiday-themed graphics and jaw-dropping game footage are set to a classic version of “Jingle Bells,” and reminds fans why these exciting match ups make it feel like Christmas morning 5 times in one day.

 “The Gift of Basketball” spot will make its debut on Thurs (12/14) during the TNT primetime games between Los Angeles Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors.

This year, the NBA has made an effort not to have star players resting during nationally televised games so expect to see your favorites on the court. As noted on this page at MyTopSportsbooks, staying on top of the line-up is crucial if you’re planning on placing any bets on the games.

Last year the spotlight was on a healthy LeBron which lead to the Cavs defeating the Warriors 109 – 108. Keep an eye out for the line to move leading up to the big day here.

Christmas Day schedule: 

• Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks at 12:00p ET on ESPN
• Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors at 3:00p ET on ABC
• Washington Wizards at Boston Celtics at 5:30p ETon ABC
• Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City at 8:00p ET on ABC
• Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30p ET on TNT

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Sports and entertainment journalist Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Credit: Bianca Egalite/Scoop B Radio

Respect Magazine’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatted with Syracuse, NY’s 1260 AM The Score’s “Bud and The Manchild Show” about the Los Angeles Lakers and more.

Press Play Below To Listen.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers played a thriller last night at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, PA. Sixers big man Joel Embiid flashed a magnificent 46 point and 15 rebound outing for Philadelphia.

Ultimately, the night belonged to Lakers forward Brandon Ingram who drilled a game winner with 3 seconds left, courtesy of a crisp pass by his  Lakers teammate, Lonzo Ball.

It was a joy to see Brandon Ingram nail one of the biggest shots of his young career. He grew up liking Kobe Bryant. “My impression of Kobe is just his drive,” Ingram once told me.

Though Ingram was born in 1997, a year after The Mamba’s rookie year, he has fond memories of Bryant and the Lakers last championship run. “Everyone talks about how he works out, his work ethic, and that’s something that I eventually want to get to,” he said.

“Of course, and just want to talk with him and try to learn what he did to try to be what he is today.”

Prior to last night’s game I discussed both teams with “Bud and the Manchild” while also navigating through the rest of the NBA’s landscape. Click here to listen.  

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The post Scoop B: Lavar Ball, Lakers’ Brandon Ingram, 76ers, Warriors & Cavs talk on 1260 AM The Score’s “Bud and The Manchild Show” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Paul George and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Credit: Eric Salvary/Get Fit Radio TV

RESPECT Magazine’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatted with Ben Troupe and B.J. Bennett on Southern Georgia’s ESPN Coastal “Three and Out.” Press Play Below To Listen!

The NBA season is here and we’ve seen a ton of injuries. The Boston Celtics’ Gordon Hayward and Brooklyn Nets’ Jeremy Lin are done for the season and the Houston Rockets’ Chris Paul is sidelined for two to four weeks.

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James embrace after Tuesday’s opening night at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo Credit: USA Today

Lonzo Ball did not come out hot in his debut at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers and LeBron James and the new look Cleveland Cavaliers had something to prove in their home opener against former Cavalier, Kyrie Irving. Carmelo Anthony got revenge with his new team the Oklahoma City Thunder. He and his new teammates, Paul George and Russell Westbrook aided the former Knick in his victory over his old team.  Also click here to find out why I believe the Knicks should still retire Carmelo Anthony’s jersey.

My picks for this season:

6th Man of the Year: Lou Williams, Houston Rockets

Most Improved Player of the Year: Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Blazers

Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gorbert, Utah Jazz

Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics

Rookie of the Year: De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

MVP: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA Finals: Cavs vs. Warriors (Cavs win in 6)

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The post Scoop B: OKC Thunder’s Paul George & Russell Westbrook, The Cavs & More With ESPN’s Ben Troupe & B.J. Bennett appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Jawun Evans. Photo Credit: NBA.com

Los Angeles Clippers guard Jawun Evans chatted with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas. Press Play Below To Listen.

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Jawun Evans  put on a show in Los Angeles Friday night. Evans poured in 22 points, dished out eight assists and hauled in four rebounds in 42 minutes of preseason action against Staples Center co-tenant Los Angeles Lakers.

A second round pick in this year’s draft, Evans played an air tight all around game. He shot 8/17 from the field and only missed three free throws and added two steals.

While he’ll back up newly minted Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley, Evans is not someone you should sleep on. In his freshman year at Oklahoma State he averaged a shade under 13 points and 5 assists.  He set an Oklahoma State record as a freshman when he notched 42 points against the school’s rival, University of Oklahoma.

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Isaiah Thomas and LeBron James. Photo Credit: Cavaliers Nation

Listed at 6’0 but realistically about 5’11, Evans has got something to prove. A second rounder? 5’11? Hmm…sounds familiar.

At 5’9, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas defied odds as a member of the Boston Celtics last season. He led the team to the NBA Playoffs and playing inspired basketball after the death of his sister.

Juwan Evans sees the similarities in their game. “Yeah because I can score in different ways,” Jawun Evans told me on Scoop B Radio.

“But also get my teammates involved. And I just make my teammates better so I can do a little bit of both so yeah I can see the comparison.”

A first-team all-conference and a third-team All-American by Sporting News magazine as a sophomore at Oklahoma State, Evans like Thomas says he is doubted for an obvious reason. “I  would have to say my size,” he said.

“I say that, because I’m a little bit shorter than everybody. But I can do the same things that everybody else can do like rebound and score the ball.”

After all, Evans did average 4.4 rebounds in his freshman season at Oklahoma State.

‘The Logo’ Jerry West getting some advice in to #Clippers‘ rookie Jawun Evans pic.twitter.com/pI5sYctv4f

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 11, 2017

Evans saw an upward spike in his minutes in all four of his preseason games. If he continues to play well in Doc Rivers’ system, he’ll be rewarded. Friday’s preseason game against was a dress rehearsal. Both teams will open up their season playing each other on Thursday at Staples Center.

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The post Clippers’ Jawun Evans On Parallels To Cavs’ Isaiah Thomas: “I can see the comparison” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Sal Masekela. Photo Credit: Zimbio

Tracy McGrady was recently cemented into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Tracy McGrady was one of the most successful swingmen to play in the NBA. At a slim and lanky 6’8, McGrady had a quick first step, a smooth glide to the basket.

That explosiveness could easily be identified in an NBA Playoffs matchup between McGrady’s Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons. In the 3rd quarter of that first round series,  McGrady dunks on Pistons 6’11 forward Mehmet Okur.

High school senior LeBron James and Maverick Carter courtside at Orlando Magic playoff game in 2003. Photo Credit: Uproxx

What’s lost in the translation is that LeBron James, a high school senior was in attendance courtside at that game donning an all- red Chicago Bulls Orlando Woolridge jersey with his now, business partner Maverick Carter next to him.

James was excited after McGrady’s dunk.

But what’s even cooler was the interview that LBJ did afterward with Sal Masekela. Who? You know who Sal Masekela is! The X Games guy!

“Man that dunk was ridiculous,” LeBron James told Masekela courtside during the live broadcast.

“His athletic ability is beyond wonders and right now he’s showing a lot. His first game of the playoffs and if they keep going, I hope he gets a victory out of this.”

The video with LeBron James and Sal Masekela begins at the 0:48 mark

 

Masekela had a natural rapport with James and probably got more courtside tv time with James back then versus what many get now but that synergistic moment was worthy of examination. Masekela is no longer at ESPN after a 13 year run covering the X Games. He’s now making magic happen at Vice Sports Sports. “ I am hosting and executive producing Vice World Of Sports,” Sal Masekela told me on Scoop B Radio.

Check Out Sal Masekela & Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson’s Chat On Scoop B Radio 

“Which for me has become the show that I am most proud of so far in my career because I’m getting to get out and go around the world and tell real stories about places and cultures but the lens just happens to be sports.”

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The post Scoop B: Reliving Tracy McGrady’s Dunk On Mehmet Okur In NBA Playoffs & Sal Masekla’s ESPN Interview With LeBron James appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and LeBron James. Photo Credit: The News Bite

NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan won six NBA championships as a member of the Chicago Bulls and will go down in history as one of the greatest.

Many hold similar expectations for Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James to be Michael Jordan’s heir apparent as the NBA’s ultimate alpha male.

Is it fair?

“I think it has always happened,” NBA Hall of Famer Dr. J Julius Erving told me on today’s episode of Scoop B Radio.

“I think people always make comparisons to people who are done. LeBron may play another six years, LeBron may play one year, we don’t really know. But I think it’s the fans argument, not the players argument. So I stay away from it. My all time greatest player is Kareem Abdul Jabbar. I think when you add up the numbers and add up the years, nobody has contributed more to the NBA history or pro basketball history. It’s very subjective for you to say Michael or LeBron who was better? Or who was the greatest, the GOAT that  is for the fans to argue about.”

NBA Hall of Famer Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving & sports and entertainment journalist Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Credit: The Scoop B Brand

In barbershop conversation, the argument that the internet places added pressure on LeBron to live up to Jordan’s accomplishments is often discussed. Dr. J says he saw similarities in his era where he was compared to players like Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor. “Then there were other guys that were high jumpers and those were the three that came up the most often in terms of the comparisons,” he said.

“And I looked at how I played the game and what was going through my thought process during that time. It wasn’t the same as theirs, but you know, there were some definite real comparisons to made.”

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The post Julius Erving On Michael Jordan & LeBron James Comparisons: “It’s the fans argument, not the players argument” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Former New York Knicks Chris Smith and J.R. Smith. Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

In Game 5 of the NBA Finals Monday night, Cavs guard J.R. Smith made the last basket of the 2016-17 season. A three-pointer with with 15 seconds remaining.

Smith, who went 9-of-11 from the field and 7-of-8 from downtown, finished Game 5 one 3 pointer shy of tying Ray Allen’s record for the most in an NBA Finals game.

Smith finished the game with 25 points.

He also made sportsbooks happy! According to Business Insider’s Tyler Lauletta, going into the game, the Warriors were listed in most sportsbooks as 9- or 9.5-point favorites, meaning that for Warriors bettors to cash in on their tickets, the Warriors had to win by 10 or more points. With Smith’s deep 3, he made everybody in Vegas happy as the Warriors won Game 5 129-120 and become the NBA Finals champs.

Smith, the 18th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft out of St. Benedicts High School in Newark, NJ likes to have fun. A former New York Knick, he was often the subject of criticism for going out and partying in the New York City area. He found solace in the change of scenery that brought both he and Iman Shumpert to Cleveland last year. They’d end up winning a championship too, and many got amnesia that they’d ever criticized Smith.

On an episode of Scoop B Radio released last night, Chris Smith, brother and former Knicks teammate of J.R. Smith schooled me on why that is so. “I think people got it confused about the hanging out and the partying,” Chris Smith told me on Scoop B Radio.

Check out Chris Smith and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson’s chat on Scoop B Radio 

“It’s evident in New York everybody hangs out and parties it’s just the level and the platform of the people that you hang out with. Pictures are being taken and stuff like that so everybody is going to think that you’re always out. And if the media portrays you in one way, people will take it and run with it. So that only leaves people who are not in your life to believe that they are in your life.”

Chris Smith had a good high school career at St. Benedict prep. He averaged 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.8 steals in his final season at the school. During his junior year at the University of Louisville, Smith averaged a shade under 10 points per game for a Cardinals team that finished that season with a 25-10 record.

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The post Chris Smith on J.R. Smith: “If the media portrays you in one way, people will take it and run with it.” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.