Top NBA Stadiums You Need to Visit

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Top NBA Stadiums

Some of the greatest dates in the history of basketball have been made in these basketball stadiums. Each national stadium has its own community culture, history, and contribution that makes up who the NBA teams are today. Here’s a look at the must see NBA stadiums to visit in your lifetime.

 

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

The staples center is known for one of the best stadiums in the nation. Even if you’re not into basketball, this is a tourist must For one, you’re bound to see at least one famous celebrity on the sidelines at a Lakers  home game. Second, the spontaneous atmosphere and cheering of fans, will remind you that you’re in the hollywood neighborhood.

 

United Center, Chicago, IL

The United Center is known for its basketball hype from back in the day. The 90’s basketball stadium is known for having some of the best seats in the battle of stadiums. The stadium is also known for holding a statue of Michael Jordan, as a retirement gift. It also offers great wine, beer, spirits and food for you can enjoy the game to the max.

 

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Madison Square Garden is known as one of the best stadiums in the country. Settled in the heart of New York, the stadium is only steps away from Pennsylvania Station. The stadium opened in the late 1960’s and is home to hundreds of events such as basketball games and concerts. The Garden is a must see for tourists and basketball lovers alike, as the stadium is known for its clean and newly renovated attractions.

 

The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI

Known as the biggest NBA stadium in the nation, this is a must see to experience the history of the Midwest’s industrial city. The stadium is also known for the three titles won by the Detroit Pistons. And let’s not forget about the 2004 Pacers vs. Pistons fight, which resulted in the suspension of 9 players.

 

Bankers Life FieldHouse, Indianapolis, IN

Bankers LIfe Fieldhouse is only one of the two sporting Venues in the Windy City. Indianapolis is already known as one of the most sportiest cities in the Nation, and the Fieldhouse stadium is one of the reasons. It’s great for locals and tourists alike as almost everything in the City is of walking distance and there is not one bad seat in the house! Don’t forget to stock up on your food and beverage as the Windy City offers plenty of food and drinks within one of the cleanest stadiums in the midwest.

How Basketball Will Help You Succeed in Business

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Basketball Businessman

Basketball is a sport that’s loved by many. Watching the game establishes a culture community, while playing the game allows you to establish simple life skills that you’ll be able to use throughout your life. Basketball is also a great sport to learn to play if you’re looking to manage a team or start your own business. Basketball can change your worldwide view of teamwork and strategy concepts. Here’s a look at how basketball skills can allow you to manage your own business.

Leadership

Some of the greatest skills you will learn in basketball is leadership skills. Leadership skills are essential to those looking to manage their own business as well as others. The game of basketball teaches every team member how to manage their own position while coming together to quickly make team decisions. Being on the court teachers you how to work with others and establish relationships (with your teammates) to win over your competition. A workplace is at risk of failure if leadership skills are not exercised. For an even better leadership experience you can practice in basketball is being a team captain. This will allow you to set up strategies and goals for your basketball team to overcome competitors. You can then take these skills back to your office and establish a game plan that applies to your team and customer engagement.

Risk Taking

Another important skill that applies to aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners is taking risks. In basketball, team and individual risks are taken all the time. When it comes to making decisions, such as who to pass the ball to or when to shoot hoops, you’re making tough and quick decisions. When you’re on the court, there is always a high risk of loss. Basketball will help you take risks within your business as well. This is an important skill to have in life, but also in the office when it comes to making choices. Although there is a slightly smaller level of risks taken within a business, there’s still a chance of failure. Basketball allows you to relieve the stress of risk failure and boosts your confidence in the decisions you make.

Versatility

Playing basketball also allows you the flexibility and adaptability of problems and challenges. In basketball, if the team needs a player to step in and switch positions, typically they would for the sake of the business. In an office, if a position is missing or needs to be quickly replaced, you’re able to step in and take over. For many people, change isn’t easy, but the game of basketball allows you to learn versatile skills so that you can easily adapt to challenges and change positions.

Life Lessons From Basketball

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Ryan C Heffernan: Life Lessons from Basketball

Many people I talk to always wonder, “Why basketball?” For some people, basketball (or sports in general) is very hard to understand. For others, like myself, the game brings critical life values off the court. Basketball is a sport that is revolved around determination, teamwork, and personal development that leads to overall success. These are the reasons why I chose to compare the game of basketball to success.

 

  • Personal Development

 

Basketball is a great sport for personal and professional development. In the game, you learn how to determine your goals and the strategies you will use to reach them. Hard work and long hours of practice are crucial to learning to play well on the court. There will be obstacles that you and your team will have to hurdle over. Basketball teaches you that it’s okay to lose a game, as long as you put hard work and determination into it. This will push you to get back on your feet and try again. These skills are important to apply in life challenges and will push you towards your goals. Basketball allows you to learn and apply the skills of discipline and determination not just on the court, but in real life as well.

 

  • Team Work

 

Playing basketball requires combined effort through multiple people. In a team, everyone has their own role that they must practice in order to contribute to the team. This creates value to the whole team, while learning how to manage your role within a team. In the real world, jobs and organizations require some type of team work. The team-work skills that are learned in the game can effectively be applied to team-work in the workplace.  Everyone has their own role and must manage it in order to reach the overall end goal of the team. Working together creates respect for everyone on the team. Respect is a critical aspect of teamwork so that everyone can reach the same end goal. A game can’t be won without everyone working together.

 

  • Strategize for Success

 

Basketball isn’t just a game, it’s an art. The game requires players to determine the team’s goal, but also planning strategies that will help reach that goal. Players must be organized and understand their roles within the team. They must also learn to plan and prepare for their goal through individual and team practice. Basketball allows players to become leaders and solve problems within the game. Through these skills, the game teaches players the planning process of reaching goals, which can then be applied outside of the court.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” As a basketball player, it is easy to apprehend this quote and apply it to our personal lives. This quote reminds us, that no matter whether or not we play basketball, if you don’t try something you’ve always wanted to do, you’ll never know if you could have succeeded. In basketball, if you miss a shot, you always have an opportunity to try again. The same goes for real-life instances.

Kevin Garnett Retires from Basketball

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Ryan C Heffernan: Kevin Garnett Retires from Basketball

Kevin Garnett is unfortunately retiring from basketball. This star player is certainly a contestant for the Hall of Fame, after being the NBA all-star 15 times, receiving an Olympic gold medal, and the NBA champion in 2008. He was scouted immediately out of high school and drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995. He then went on to play with the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets, and finished his career with the Timberwolves once again.

While Garnett was with the Timberwolves, the team saw their greatest period of success ever, winning various titles and championships. The same thing happened when he played for the Celtics. Success followed him throughout his entire career, particularly when he joined the ranks of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jason Kidd as the fifth player in the league to play more than 50,000 minutes, due to his amazing talent.

Watch the video below to relive some of the top plays from his career!

 

Where does the Basketball Get its Distinctive Color?

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Ryan C Heffernan: Why is the Basketball Orange

Why is the Basketball Orange

Ever wondered where the distinctive orange basketball comes from? The sport is still quite young, originally invented a little over 100 years ago in 1891. Now one of the most popular sports in the USA, basketball was invented by a Canadian YMCA instructor who was looking for a way to get his students active during the freezing cold winters. He used a soccer ball and invented 13 rules of his own, most of which are still used in the game today.

He played with peach baskets, which meant the ball was caught and had to be retrieved every time someone made a basket. First they invented baskets with a hole in the bottom so that the ball could be pushed out with a long metal pole, and these were subsequently switched out for the first metal hoops in 1906.

The first balls made specifically for basketball instead of soccer were simply brown. It was not until the late 1950s that the orange ball was developed, in response to the need for a ball that would be more immediately visible for players and audience members.

Basketball has come a long way in just a few years, and there’s no telling the next developments to come! To read more about the history of basketball, visit the Olympics page.

USA Basketball Unveils the 2016 Olympic Team

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2016 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team Finalists

2016 US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team Finalists

The USA has a lot to be proud of when it comes to our history with Olympic Medals for basketball. In 17 Olympics, the American men have never come home without a medal, including 17 gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals. With a truly impressive 130-5 (.963 winning percentage), the USA men hold an all-time record in Olympic action. Today, June 27, USA Basketball finally released the 12 man roster for the official 2016 US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team.

Top players like Lebron James and Stephen Curry dropped out following injuries and a lot of minutes played in the NBA playoffs, leaving fans worried for our prospects in Rio De Janeiro this summer. The release of the final roster comes as a relief, and fans everywhere will be excited to see that even without James and Curry, this formidable team is jam-packed with talent and well positioned to defend its title following America’s 2012 gold medal victory in London. If they bring home another gold, it will be the USA’s third consecutive Olympic title. This exciting roster is currently pending final approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

At long last, here’s the official team that will be representing us this summer:

Carmelo Anthony, F, New York Knicks
Harrison Barnes, F, Golden Warriors
Jimmy Butler, G, Chicago Bulls
DeMarcus Cousins, F, Sacramento Kings
DeMar DeRozan, G, Toronto Raptors
Kevin Durant, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
Paul George, F, Indiana Pacers
Draymond Green, F, Golden State Warriors
Kyrie Irving, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
DeAndre Jordan, F, Los Angeles Clippers
Kyle Lowry, G, Toronto Raptors
Klay Thompson, G, Golden State Warriors

Perhaps the team’s greatest strength is it’s immediately evident balance and depth. USA is in a strong position with an impressive mix of some of the best scorers and shooters, a daunting defence, big men, past gold medal winners, and promising youth.

For those who can’t wait, the U.S. team will be playing five exhibition games, the first two versus China, the 2015 FIBA Asia zone champ in July 2016 in California. Continuing the tour, you can watch the U.S. play 2015 FIBA Americas gold medalist Venezuela in Chicago and 2015 FIBA Africa zone champion Nigeria in Houston. To get your tickets for the USA Basketball Showcase exhibition now, visit usab.com/showcase.

You can also read the official NBA press release here.

3 Teams That Won the NBA Finals After Trailing 2-0

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The Cleveland Cavaliers quest for their first NBA Championship in franchise history doesn’t look too promising after they were dismantled by the Golden State Warriors the other night. Cleveland is now in a 0-2 hole, a feat that only three teams in NBA history have overcome. The Cavaliers are looking at a daunting task ahead of them, especially since their opponent is defending NBA Champions and might have the best team ever assembled. However, when you have Lebron James on your team anything is possible. Now, let’s take a look at the three teams that have come back from 0-2 deficit and went on to win the series!

1969 NBA Finals – Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers

These two historic franchises have been labeled the best rivalry in the NBA. They have met a record 12 times in the NBA finals and have combined for 33 NBA Championships. The 1969 NBA Finals proved to be one of the best between these two teams. Boston had won 10 of the previous 12 NBA championships but still came into the NBA Finals as the clear underdog. The Lakers had won 55 games on the season and were the top seed in a talented Western Conference. They were led by a talented duo in Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. They both had dominating performances in first two games to help give the Lakers a 2-0 series lead. At the time, no team had ever recovered from a 0-2 series hole in an NBA Finals. However, this talented Celtics team would make history. The Celtics won three of the next four games to force a game 7. They win game seven 108-106 behind a spectacular performance from Bill Russell.  West, who averaged almost 38 points a game, became the first (and only) losing player to win Finals MVP.
1977 NBA Finals – Portland Trail Blazers defeat Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers jumped out to 2-0 series lead behind the performances from Julius Erving and Doug Collins. When the Trail Blazers returned back home they gained their home dominance back as they would blow out the 76ers in games three and four to tie the series. After the Trailblazers won on the road to take a 3-2 series lead they returned home with a chance to win franchise’s first NBA title.  Let’s just say their star center, Bill Walton would not let them give this opportunity away. He was named Finals MVP after a dominant 20-point, 23-rebound performance in a Game 6 win.

2006 NBA Finals – Miami Heat vs Dallas Mavericks

The Miami Heat were lead by Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and up in coming star named Dwayne Wade. This was the series that put Wade in the superstar discussion. The Dallas Mavericks took care of business in first two games at home. The series then shifted to Miami for a pivotal game three. Miami trailed most of the game and faced a double-digit fourth quarter deficit until Wade decided to take over the game. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and rallied the Heat to a 98-96 win. He finished with 42 points and 13 rebounds. This victory sparked the Miami Heat as they would go on to win the next three games and capture their first NBA title in franchise history. Wade averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 boards, 3.8 assists per game, which led him to being named Finals MVP.

 

Top 3 Playoff Moments in Lebron James Career So Far

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At 6 foot 8, Lebron James is unlike most players in the NBA. He can dominate the game at multiple positions, something you don’t often see. The hype of Lebron James started when he was in high school and many believed he would be the next star in the NBA. Well, they were right. Everyone was immediately fascinated with LeBron James as soon as he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. Throughout his career, he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. James led the Cavs to their first NBA Finals appearance in 2007 before bolting for Miami after the 2010 season. In four seasons with the Heat, James won two titles, but he is now back with Cleveland. Here now are the 3 greatest playoff moments of LeBron’s career so far.

Lebron’s First Title
Lebron’s first championship will always his memorable one. After reaching the Finals twice and walking away empty, James and the Miami Heat won the first of two NBA Championships during the Big Three Era. They defeated a talented Oklahoma City team that featured, Kevin Durant one of best players in the league. Lebron had an incredible series and won the Finals MVP.

Game 6 of 2012 Eastern Conference Finals
In game 6 of 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, Lebron James put together one of greatest playoff performances in NBA history. Yes, it was that amazing. With the Heat facing elimination, James was as locked in as I have ever seen him before. He scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out five assists to lead Miami to victory. The Heat would then defeat the Celtics in Game 7 a few nights later and move on to the NBA Finals.

Game 5 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals

If there is one performance that can contend with the one above it is when Lebron and Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons in game 5 of 2007 Eastern Conference Finals. With the series tied at 2 games a piece, James single-handedly carried the Cavaliers to victory over a great Detroit Pistons team. He scored the Cavs’ final 25 points to defeat Detroit 109-107 in double overtime. James finished with a remarkable 48 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.

 

 

 

 

A Historic Night in the NBA

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Last night, marked a historic night in the NBA. NBA legend, Kobe Bryant was playing the last game of his hall of fame career and the Golden State Warriors were going for win number 73 on the season. The 95-96’ Chicago Bulls held the record for most wins in a season with 72, so you knew Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors were eager to break the record.

In the black mamba’s last game he put on one last show for fans and players around the world.  He scored 60 points, yes 60 points and carried the Los Angeles Lakers to an improbable victory.  Bryant scored 23 of his 60 points in the fourth quarter and rallied the Lakers from a 15 point deficit to win the final game of his career.

He had the whole Staples Center crowd buzzing throughout the night and with the Lakers needing one last heroic performance to will them victory he answered the call. Bryant made a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left in the game to cut the Lakers deficit to two, and then he hit another with 31 seconds to play, putting the Lakers ahead for good. After the game Lakers head coach Byron Scott, said “It just didn’t surprise me, the way he would go out, sixty points wasn’t a surprise. I knew he had it in him.”

It was a special night for Bryant, as many of his former teammates, friends, and Laker legends played tribute to him during the game.

Now, in the Bay Area, the Warriors became the first 73-win team last night by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104. Oh, and Steph Curry achieved yet another shooting milestone in this magical season of his. He became the first player to make 400 3-pointers in a season by knocking down 10 three pointers and finishing with 46 points on the night.

The Warriors are looking forward to the NBA playoffs starting Saturday and they have only one thing in mind and that is to bring another NBA title back to the Bay Area. The are the favorites to win it all again this year and how can anyone disagree, especially with the historical season they just had.

As a NBA fan, it was truly an amazing night and will definitely go down as one best nights in NBA history.

March Madness 2016

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Last night was selection Sunday, the most anticipated night in NCAA Division I men’s College Basketball. It is when the basketball committee reveals which 68 teams have made the field to compete for the National Championship. It is a big event as it was televised on both NCAA.com and CBS. This year they made the show a two hour broadcast with more of an in depth look of how the college basketball analysts think the teams will do. Now with every team knowing where they will be playing this Thursday or Friday, the team’s best players will look to rally the team together and make a run deep into March. Below you will find the top 4 players heading into the NCAA tournament.

Buddy Hield – Oklahoma

Coming in at number one, is no other than the front-runner for the National Player of the Year award, Buddy Hield. Hield is one of the most exciting players to watch in college basketball. The Senior guard ranks second in the nation with 25 points per game, and has been the main reason why Oklahoma has enjoyed so much success this season. Hield has eclipsed the 20-point barrier in 22 of the Sooners’ 30 regular-season games and reached 30 points nine times. Oklahoma has not reached the Final Four since 2002, so you get bet that Hield will do everything in his power to get them there in his final season.

Denzel Valentine – Michigan State

Another Senior standout, Denzel Valentine,  is also in the running for National Player of the Year. The 6 foot 5 guard is the first player to average more than 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. An impressive stat line to say the least. Valentine’s leadership has also been key for the Spartans fantastic run this season. All of the players admire Valentine’s hard work and energy he brings each and every game. The Spartans will be a tough out once the tournament kicks off, especially with Valentine leading the way.

Kris Dunn- Providence

The talented star out of Providence has been extremely impressive this season and he looks to take the Friars deep into March.  Dunn is a versatile players, as he can score and defend very well. He ranks fourth in the nation in steals with 2 steals game and he also averages 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists per contest. He and the Friars will be force to reckon with come Thursday.

Tyler Ulis- Kentucky

Ulis is arguably the best point guard in college basketball. With Ulis leading the way, Kentucky has a shot of getting back to the Final Four for the fifth time in the past six years. The 5 foot 9 first team All-American is having one of best seasons in Kentucky basketball history. He ranks sixth in the nation in assists per game with 7.2 and averages 16.8 per contest. Ulis has been dominant down the stretch, especially in the SEC tournament where he led Kentucky to a SEC tournament title and took home the SEC Tournament MVP. All I have to say is watch out for Ulis and the Wildcats!