1. David Stern's Blocking of Chris Paul Trade Puts NBA in Jeopardy

    On Thursday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers , Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets consummated a deal that would send arguably the best point guard in the league to Los ...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 2 months ago 497 reads 0 comments

  2. LeBron James' Faustian Bargain: Guranteed Championships or Legendary Legacy?

    So the Super Friends of Miami have teamed up and in the playoffs, they have looked downright dominant. Last night they lost only their first home game in the playoffs and that's after being up 13 late in the fourth quarter...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 9 months ago 138 reads 0 comments

  3. Standing on the Top: Why Kobe Bryant Is a Top 5 Player of All Time

    After Kobe Bryant led his team to a fifth championship this past June he had secured his place in the books as one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 9 months ago 7,584 reads 202 comments

  4. Kobe's Participation In Blackops Commercial Ignites Debate Over Game Violence

    Kobe Bryant is in the news again for his off the court activities again. This time the controversy surrounds his participation in a commercial for the wildly popular video game, "Call of Duty: Blackops...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 1 year ago 1,539 reads 8 comments

  5. Why the L.A. Lakers Need To Have Dinner

    The Los Angeles Lakers had another bad loss last night, losing to the San Antonio Spurs. As bad as they looked on their road trip, and they looked horrible, they were just downright terrible on their home floor...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 803 reads 3 comments

  6. Is Kobe Bryant Better Than Larry Bird? And Where Does He Rank All Time?

    Kobe Bryant’s ranking on the all-time list is debatable. Some people have elevated him to GOAT status and some people claim that he’s barely a top 20 player of all time...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 5,256 reads 130 comments

  7. DJ Mbenga of the Los Angeles Lakers: If We Could Be Like Him

    Growing up, I remember seeing those Gatorade commercials: "If I could be like Mike." Everywhere you went, the store, the gym, the schools, it seemed as if all the kids wanted to be like Michael "Mike" Jordan...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 910 reads 8 comments

  8. Kobe Bryant Is the Definition of Clutch

    Sometimes a person can be so masterful at what they do that the extraordinary becomes expected. Perhaps it is just human nature to cease to be impressed by repetition. The first time you see a 3-D movie, it is an amazing cinematic experience...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 1,861 reads 39 comments

  9. The Los Angeles Lakers: The Psychology of Champions

    Many observers this season have written about how the Lakers are playing below par. Teams are apparently finding weaknesses in the Lakers. According to the critics, the Lakers' interior is too soft with Pau Gasol patrolling the paint...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 658 reads 9 comments

  10. Kobe Hate Will Fuel Lakers To Second Consecutive Title

    If anything is clear this season, it is that Kobe Bryant may have finally been surpassed by Lebron James as the best player in the league...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 4,080 reads 44 comments

  11. Cavs Get Jamison! LeBron To Get Title?

      The Cleveland Cavaliers completed a trade for Antawn Jamison today.  The move came as the highlight of a three team trade between the Cavs, Wizards, and Clippers...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 2 years ago 699 reads 7 comments

  12. Marketplace Economy or Greed: Are NBA Salaries Out of Control?

    A spectre is haunting the NBA: the spectre of salary caps. It's the classic case of the bourgeoisie against the proletariat. The high, mighty, and powerful NBA owners are ganging up against their poor, overworked players...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 2 years ago 1,395 reads 2 comments

  13. Kevin Durant Over LeBron James for NBA MVP? You Better Believe It

    The conventional wisdom is that LeBron James has already wrapped up the MVP award. With Kobe Bryant being unable to compete at the level necessary to merit the award because of injuries, ...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 2 years ago 1,194 reads 42 comments

  14. Are The Lakers Better Without Kobe? No, but....

    Kobe Bryant called me up a couple days ago. After a few minutes of chit chat, we got down to business. Kobe: Nate, I saw your post on the new blog. You really think I should sit out? Nate: Yeah...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 2 years ago 1,459 reads 9 comments

  15. Sorry LeBron: You Have the Crown, But Kobe Has the Throne

    The debate that is infiltrating barbershops, classrooms, and water coolers all over America is who's better, Kobe or LeBron? Last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked like they were poised for ...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about 2 years ago 1,100 reads 12 comments

  16. Los Angeles Lakers Need To Adjust For Pivotal Game 4 In Utah

    Kobe Bryant is unofficially known as the most clutch player on the planet. Last night, it was Deron Williams hitting the go-ahead bucket with 2.2 seconds to play setting up a last second shot by Bryant...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 3 years ago 260 reads 2 comments

  17. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade: Analyzing the MVP, Pt. 1

    As the 2009 NBA regular season cools down, the debate about who the MVP should be has heated up. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade have dominated the discussion about league MVP—and with good reason...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 3 years ago 853 reads 13 comments

  18. NBA All-Decade Team for the 2000s

    With the 2008-2009 season coming down to an end, it is time to name the All Decade Team. These are the top 10 players to play in this decade...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 3 years ago 615 reads 2 comments

  19. Why Kobe Bryant Should Repeat as MVP

    Let's be honest. There are only two legitimate MVP candidates: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. No other players have meant more to their teams' success than these two individual players and no two players are playing at a higher level...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 3 years ago 3,674 reads 28 comments

  20. How the No Call Actually Helped the Spurs

    The Lakers won Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals 93-91, but it didn't come without controversy. As Brent Barry went up for the potential game-winning shot, he was bumped by Lakers starting guard Derek Fisher...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about over 3 years ago 984 reads 6 comments

  21. NBA Mailbag and End of Season Awards

    Got a question? Send it to NateSmithBR@gmail.com This is my first mailbag and I'll be answering questions that have been sent to me. James (LA): I love your articles about Kobe...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 4 years ago 941 reads 11 comments

  22. Kobe Bryant Is the Clear MVP over Chris Paul

    The NBA MVP 2008 is Kobe Bryant and I'm going to explain why. Everyone keeps saying Paul has a worse supporting cast than the Lakers and that the Hornets would be worse without Paul than the Lakers without Bryant...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 4 years ago 8,042 reads 40 comments

  23. Chris Paul v. Kobe Bryant: MVP?

    As early as two weeks ago the MVP race was seen as a two man competition between Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Now, with Lebron suffering losses left and right he is no longer seen as a realistic candidate...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 4 years ago 2,810 reads 27 comments

  24. Los Angeles Lakers: Back to School

    After getting totally embarrassed in Houston, I think it is time to hand out some Laker report cards. The myth around the association is that the Lakers have a strong cast of talent that produces at every single position and that's simply not true...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 4 years ago 1,844 reads 7 comments

  25. NBA to Give College Basketball Competition During March Madness

    It is that time of year where fans get all crazy about March Madness. The NBA might finally have something to say about that...

    Nate Smith Written by Nate Smith about almost 4 years ago 905 reads 2 comments