Archives for March 2010

"Fantasy Basketball Camp," the sports comedy to which the superstar athlete is attached as an actor, has gained a director in Malcolm D. Lee. Also, Peter Steinfeld has come aboard to pen a new draft. Both moves give the Brian Grazer-produced Universal project drive to the hoop.

Originally written by veteran comedy scribes Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz, the story centers on five men who come to Las Vegas to live out their fantasy by attending the LeBron James Adult Basketball Camp only to end up dragging James into their various life issues. Lee directed "Undercover Brother" and "Soul Men." Steinfeld's credits include "21," "Be Cool" and "Analyze That."

Cleveland Cavs player LeBron James has been made the slight favorite to be named NBA MVP for.

The 2009/2010 season according to the oddsmakers at BetUS.com (see website here).  James was closely followed by Kobe Bryant at 2/1 odds.

A handful of players clearly dominated the NBA landscape this season as well as clearly positioning themselves.

As most valuable to their respective teams. While perennial MVP potential mainstays Lebron, Kobe.

And Wade are in the conversation once again, relative newcomers in the form of Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant made their presence felt just as emphatically.

With the race so close and fans looking for answers, the largest most successful sportsbook on the web, BetUS.com posted odds on all things NBA MVP.

 LeBron James scored 23 of his game-high 34 points in the second half, as the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the Sacramento Kings, 97-90.

James also dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had an eight-game winning streak snapped at San Antonio on Friday. Cleveland improved to 58-16 on the season and sits atop the East, 6 1/2 games ahead of the Magic, who play later Sunday versus Denver.

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Similar to Magic Johnson Lebron has built his career upon being the best overall player in the NBA. If you need to score what he doesn't get plowing through the lane, he'll make up on the line.

Need a rebound? He's strong enough to wrestle with the power forwards, yet athletic enough to out jump your favorite guards and small forwards.

Need a assist he gets those at will, with the majority of his key role players being spot up marksman form behind the arch dimes aren't hard to find.

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LeBron James has changed up his pregame routine in order to provide himself with a playoff mentality. He's showing up for pregame warmups earlier and raising the intensity level. Don't be surprised to see his play pick up over the course of the next month. Of course, this could be offset if the Cavs decide to rest James before the playoffs.

LeBron James scored an efficient 38 points on 15 of 22 shooting to go with nine assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight game, 105-92 over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.

J.J. Hickson scored 20 for the Cavs, who led by as many as 17 and never trailed after James' floater tied it at 10 in the first quarter. Delonte West added 15 points and Antawn Jamison had 11 points and 11 rebounds as Cleveland won its 27th straight over a team with a losing record.

Marcus Thornton scored 20 points and Darren Collison added 17 for the Hornets, who moved almost to the brink of elimination. David West added 16 points.

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As a fan of the NBA and with the 2010 playoffs around the corner, I already have my picks for those teams that might go all the way. Here are the NBA odds for my favorite teams to win the NBA title this season (Discuss the NBA in our forum):

The Cleveland Cavaliers (2 / 1) will probably finish with the best record, considering that  LeBron James is having a monster season, averaging 29.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. During the season the Cavs reached thirteen wins in a row including victories over the Lakers and Orlando Magic.

The Atlanta Hawks (20 / 1) are 45-25 so far and are ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference with only two defeats in the last seven games.  The sixth man of the year, Jamal Crawford, gives the Hawks enough talent to give a good show in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

After a 23-5 start the Boston Celtics (10 / 1) loss 8 of their 14 meetings in January, but they have improved their performance with four victories in the last five games.  Also, it’s their defense performance in recent games that make the Celtics one of the most attractive teams to bet on. Not to mention they have players like Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that certainly will make an impact for the Celtics in the playoffs.

The Denver Nuggets (10 / 1) are 47-23 and are averaging 107.5 points per game. The Nuggets lost only one player from last season, Dahntay Jones, in a season that placed the Nuggets as an NBA’s elite team. I think there’s no reason to believe that this has changed, in fact.

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The Cavs routed the Pistons by a score of 104-79 on Sunday, which capped the fantasy output of the entire team, including LeBron James who had just 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting with three rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and two 3-pointers.

LeBron James became the youngest player to score 15,000 career points, breaking Kobe Bryant's mark by about two years.

As the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away late to beat Chicago, 92-85, Friday for their 12th win in 13 games.

James scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, giving him 15,026 in his career, and had 11 rebounds.

He scored seven straight late in the game as Cleveland increased its lead to 10, sending the Bulls to their 10th straight loss.

James reached the milestone at 25 years 79 days, and he did it in his 540th game. Bryant was 27 years 136 days and playing his 657th game, according to STATS LLC, when he did it for the Lakers.

C'mon now, ladies and boys, girls and dads, with Quicken Loans pep and feelin'. Accordion in, and ah-one and ah-two and ah-d'ree and ah-four:Up where the buckeyes tumble down.

You'll find the country's grandest town. If only LeBron James danced the polka, then maybe sports fans in Cleveland could breathe easier. Lil Wayne, roll out the barrel -- please.

Of course, even homie Frankie Yankovic, the prime auteur of ''The Cleveland Polka,'' bolted for other dance floors, eventually hosting TV shows in Chicago and Buffalo.

Eventually, it seems, they all leave for more gilded dance floors: John D. Rockefeller Sr., Bob Hope, Alan Freed, Ernie ''Ghoulardi'' Anderson, Rocky Colavito, Jim Brown, Drew Carey, Art ''The Devil'' Modell, Jim Thome, Carlos Boozer.

On and on -- the most transitional location in the nation. That's why James tea-leaf reading should be in vogue right now.

He and the Cavaliers clinched yet another Central Division championship Wednesday night with a yay!-yawn 99-94 victory over the visiting Indiana Pacers.

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