Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Thursday, there are 5 days remaining.
It takes five years of retirement for a player to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Make it 10 for Dennis Rodman, who always did things differently. He did win five NBA titles.
If you think that Michael Jordan caused a commotion with an unconventional acceptance speech last month when he headlined the Class of 2009, just wait until Rodman shows up in 2010 wearing a dress and lipstick.
Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Sunday, there are 72 days remaining.
The number 72 conjures up just one memory in the NBA: the marvelous Chicago Bulls of 1995-96, who racked up an unbelievable 72-10 record. No team has ever reached 70 wins, let alone 72. Not Russell's Celtics, not Magic's Lakers -- no one. Heck, even the Bulls couldn't match their own standard in the two title seasons that followed '96.
There's nothing I enjoy more than trudging my way through pouring rain to huddle under a small tent with people I don't know to wait to speak with people who, as a general rule, want nothing to do with me. But I hold my commitment to FanHouse with too much gravity to stay safe in a warm (dry) bed, so I made the trek to New York City's Union Square for the NBA Tip-Off 08 presented by KIA Motors Basketball Celebration on Tuesday and, with the exception of the weather (and maybe David Stern), it wasn't a disappointment.
There's nothing I enjoy more than trudging my way through pouring rain to huddle under a small tent with people I don't know to wait to speak with people who, as a general rule, want nothing to do with me. But I hold my commitment to FanHouse with too much gravity to stay safe in a warm (dry) bed, so I made the trek to New York City's Union Square for the NBA Tip-Off 08 presented by KIA Motors Basketball Celebration on Tuesday and, with the exception of the weather (and maybe David Stern), it wasn't a disappointment.
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.
It's a place that kicks collectors call heaven. The sneaker boutique where you can find almost anything basketball-related, the House of Hoops, used to only have one store, in Harlem, N.Y. But this week there was a one-of-a-kind grand opening party in Los Angeles, where hoop fans were treated to an Ice Cube concert, Chris Tucker doing stand-up (check out the "Brady Bunch" joke at 2:12), and a panel discussion with Scottie Pippen, John Salley and Ron Harper.
Our cameras were there when this event went down. Watch the full, exclusive video report after the jump.
Here's original footage from TBS Sports covering the 1987 draft. Just how long ago was 1987? Well, I was about to enter the third grade, the NBA had only 23 teams, David Stern still had more pepper than salt in his hair and the draft lasted seven rounds.
At 9:25 minutes, the video is long, but once you get past the ridiculously cheesy intro, it's worth it, from the unintentional humor of Patrick Ewing's blatant goal-tending "highlight" (1:05) to the shots of Reggie and sister Cheryl shooting hoops in his backyard (6:50).
Kudos to YouTube user 1987Hawkeyes, who also posted the entire first round. Seriously, it's like cracking open a time capsule, going back to a time when drafting Dennis Hopson (3rd overall) over Scottie Pippen (5th) and Reggie Miller (11th) actually made sense.
Derek Fisher plays for the Lakers now, but spent last year as a member of a Utah Jazz team that went to the Western Conference finals. Because of this, Fisher has an entire season of knowledge gained on the intricacies of Utah's offensive and defensive schemes. And Phil Jackson isn't at all hesitant to try to use that knowledge to the Lakers' advantage.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged that beyond scouting reports and hours of watching tape, any information provided by Fisher on Jazz tendencies is a bonus.
"There's a person that knows a lot more than we can impart to the players," Jackson said. "We can tell them what Utah is going to do, but then there's the reaction time and all the things that go into that make it easier for him (Fisher). He can tell his teammates, also."
There's no doubt that having a player who played for a team you're now facing in a seven game series can be an advantage, but I think it's more likely to help that particular player than it is his new team. The Lakers' coaching staff has hours and hours of video on the Jazz, and since Jerry Sloan has been coaching the team for (seemingly) the last 75 years or so, there aren't really any secrets left that L.A. isn't aware of.
But it's clear that Fisher's experience with the Jazz has helped him out personally. In Game 1, Fisher had a whopping six steals, which was most likely a result of him knowing exactly where Utah was trying to go with their passes. When Scottie Pippen played for Portland against Phil Jackson's Lakers earlier this decade, he had similar success at the defensive end due to his knowledge of the Triangle Offense. So yeah, an individual player may have some advantages as far as reaction time to what his former team is doing, but the team isn't likely to benefit much from this so-called "inside information."
Apparently soon after playing a game in Finland, Scottie Pippen decided to swing through Russia. I have no clue what the circumstances are, but I'm guessing this isn't just a goodwill trip and that a few rubles exchanged hands. It's a long interview (though interesting, if you were a Pippen fan), but if you skip to the end there's a nice pay-off in the last minute when Pippen admits to speaking to John Paxson about coaching the Bulls next year and that he expects to have a face-to-face meeting soon.
Scottie Pippen's most lately been in the news for chasing the Bulls coaching job -- after harshly criticizing most of the current players. Don't forget, though, that he's also been moonlighting as a basketball player over in Finland. He may not be have what it takes to return to an NBA roster, but he doesn't look so bad here, does he?
Correction: My bad, apparently this is in Sweden, where Pippen went to play a one-game stint.
It looks like Scottie Pippen's European Tour is a success, especially at the box office. Check out this clip of Pippen being introduced, as the fans in the packed arena rise to their feet to welcome the six-time NBA champion.
The playing of "Sirius" -- the old Chicago Bulls intro music -- was a nice touch, and I'm sure it got Pippen properly pumped up for the game. He had nine points and nine rebounds in his team's 98-85 victory.
Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Thursday, there are 5 days remaining. 
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There's nothing I enjoy more than trudging my way through pouring rain to huddle under a small tent with people I don't know to wait to speak with people who, as a general rule, want nothing to do with me. But I hold my commitment to FanHouse with too much gravity to stay safe in a warm (dry) bed, so I made the trek to New York City's Union Square for the NBA Tip-Off 08 presented by KIA Motors Basketball Celebration on Tuesday and, with the exception of the weather (and maybe 
It's a place that kicks collectors call heaven. The sneaker boutique where you can find almost anything basketball-related, the 
