NBA Week in Review: Social media beef, Kevin Durant free agency, more
Welcome back to the NBA Week in Review, a look back on all the happenings on and off the court in the Association. Today, we take a look at social media beefs, All-Star Saturday night and more. You can read last week's review here.
Stories of the Week
• Hassan Whiteside has been reading your Instagram posts. The Heat center was beefing this week, going back at an unofficial Heat Instagram account that posted statistics showing the team was better without Whiteside. Look, I’m all for athletes being allowed to use social media how they want. They shouldn’t have to live under a different set of rules than the rest of us. Feel free to call people out, Hassan! I just hope he also took a look at those stats. They weren’t lying.
Data Dimes: Which NBA players could net a max contract this off-season?
• We know the field for the All-Star Saturday Night competitions. Watching big men DeMarcus Cousins and Karl-Anthony Towns compete in the skills challenge will be fun. Andre Drummond in the dunk contest seems like a weak attempt at novelty, right? I’m most happy for Chris Bosh, whose season ended last year after the All-Star break when doctors found blood clots in his lungs. Bosh won’t be able to defend his Shooting Stars title—that competition has been axed—but he will compete in the three-point contest, a fun reminder of how his game, and the NBA’s, has changed.
• Also, should Kevin Durant sign with the Warriors? I don’t know. But it’s going to be annoying as hell if he does and your one friend won’t use any other team in NBA 2K.
Tweet(s) of the Week
Vine(s) of the Week
Roundup
The Crying Jordan photographer had no idea his photo went viral ... [siren emoji] Andrew Sharp made his SI.com debut [siren emoji] ... The Open Floor podcast is back with Lee Jenkins ... How Kyle Korver got his groove back ... Which players can earn a max deal this off-season? ... Harrison Barnes explains why the death lineup is so good ... James Harden reveals what he learned from losing in the Finals and how to beat the Warriors ... Oh no, Manu Ginobili is out four weeks after testicular surgery ... Look at Blake Griffin’s swollen, broken hand ... Watch Charles Barkley sing “One Shining Moment.”
The Ben Golliver YouTube Corner
RIP, Maurice White.
The Fashion Outlet
Love the “NOLA” across the front, but that’s about it when it comes to these jerseys:
Also, nah.
The One-Question Interview
Off the court only. This week, SI’s newest writer Andrew Sharp, who was kind enough to answer some deeply personal questions.
Rohan Nadkarni:How much did you love Gilbert Arenas before, uh, recent events?
Andrew Sharp: Gilbert was my favorite athlete of all time, and he still is. He's probably like 30% of the reason I wound up writing about sports and loving basketball. Having said that, someone needs to take away his Instagram password as soon as possible.
Open Floor Podcast: The remarkable rise of Suns head coach Earl Watson
RN:You’re a Wizards fan. Which fictional wizard best represents your personality?
AS: I'm more Ron Weasley than Harry Potter, but at least I'm not Neville Longbottom.
RN:In that case, which is your favorite Harry Potter book and why?
AS: I stopped reading the books after book 3, because they started to go for 1000 pages and I didn't have that kind of energy. But I've seen all the movies. During the DC blizzard I watched the movie where (SPOILER) Cedric Diggory dies, and that was great. My favorite is the one with Miss Umbrage at Hogwarts, because she is the best at being the worst. She's like the Roger Goodell of wizards.
