Tim Varner tracks the evolution of LeBron James through his Nike campaigns. Lebron has entered his Rodney King phase.

A night after the most ballyhooed Big Three in NBA history made their historical debut, an 80-88 loss to the Boston Celtics, the league’s most accomplished Big Three quietly opened their season in San Antonio. For the first time in what feels like ages, a healthy Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker shared the [...]

In the past decade the NBA has dramatically tilted its rules in favor of quicker, more diminutive floor leaders. But while the NBA became a “quarterbacks” league, its greatest point guards have had surprisingly little say in the ultimate prize. In discussing the positional revolution, I stated under the current NBA rules defending quality point [...]

AT&T Center-Behind second year phenom DeJuan Blair, the San Antonio Spurs announced their presence among the very NBA elite in a one-sided victory over the heavily favored Miami Heat and LeBron James. James, the centerpiece to the summer’s ballyhooed free agent class, was held to 12 points on 3-of-8 shooting with three rebounds and three [...]

Through shades of black and silver, color me unimpressed with the Summer of LeBron. For all the hype, has anything drastically changed in the NBA? Well, one thing has changed. Cleveland is crushed. It’s hard not to feel sympathy for Cavaliers fans, who live in a city that does not simply endure suffering. They define [...]

Back on March 11, I suggested that Manu Ginobili’s recent strong play would have the effect of complicating his upcoming contract negotiations with the San Antonio Spurs. Quoting myself:

AT&T Center-For all of Manu Ginobili’s strengths, perhaps no attribute is more significant than his indelible sense of the moment and ability to take full control of it. And with a 102-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the AT&T Center, the Argentine guard can sense the Spurs making a better late than never push [...]

Texas is no stranger to intense debates, having long been the national hotbed for our public education system’s creationism vs. evolution discussion. Over the next few days a different sort of debate will play out in the AT&T Center, one that still challenges longstanding values and beliefs. Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, which one is the [...]

One thought I can’t chase away, no matter how remote the possibility, is the thought of LeBron James coming west this summer. Imagine a conference featuring Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Brandon Roy and LeBron James. Killer, right?

Tim and I oftentimes talk about the broader Spurs family. Kevin Pritchard. P.J. Carlesimo. Steve Kerr. Well beloved members of the Spurs community can be found on the coaching staffs and in the front offices of teams all over the league. Cleveland is no exception. In fact Mike Brown and Danny Ferry may have created [...]