Fansided

The Weekside: Where superstar calls come from

By Jared Wade

Jun 9, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) talks with NBA official Marc Davis during the fourth quarter of game three of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 9, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) talks with NBA official Marc Davis during the fourth quarter of game three of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
nba the weekside
nba the weekside /

Words With Friends

Five recent must-read articles about the NBA. Excerpts here — click through to read the full piece.

1. Bosh on initial chest pains: ‘I did not pay attention to it’
by Chris Bosh (on the radio)

"I had a pulmonary embolism — a blood clot in my left lung. I had the shortness of breath. I had the shooting pains. I did not pay attention to it. I should’ve called my doctor right off the bat. My wife still gives me a hard time about it, but Boomer, you know how it is. You’re an athlete and you just say, ‘Hey, I’m going to go out there. I’m going to keep playing. I can’t let my team and the fans down.'”"

2. Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant among 10 important comebacks
by Ben Golliver, Sports Illustrated

"Year 20 could—and probably should—wind up being Bryant’s final campaign, meaning his army of fans could be treated to an emotional victory lap down the stretch. There’s history too: Every point he scores raises the bar for James and Durant when it comes to defending the No. 3 spot on the all-time scoring list, and Bryant will likely extend his record-setting All-Star Game selection streak to 18 games."

3. Challenging The King
by BBall Breakdown

"Though diminished, Rose is still a threat to turn the corner off screens and in transition, operating as a catalyst instead of end-all-be-all. The foundations of the Thibodeau defense should remain intact, and redistributing the responsibilities in a more sensible way across the roster should help keep the Bulls’ oldest stars from being crushed under the weight of such burdens. By putting away the things that brought them so close to challenging James in 2011, perhaps they can again."

4. Rick Carlisle’s higher calling
by Tim MacMahon, ESPN

"Carlisle lives in South Carolina in the offseason, but has been in Orlando for a coaching clinic at the University of Central Florida where he spoke, that morning, about how he came to learn to love and embrace pressure situations … He’s a self-taught pianist who has performed in many packed concert venues, which brings about a different form of pressure. And he’s now a licensed pilot on the brink of achieving his instrument rating. Carlisle understands the pressure in aviation literally can come with life-and-death consequences. Asked what he thought about his coach being a part-time pilot, Mavs owner Mark Cuban replied, “I hope he’s a good one.”"

5. Tim Duncan Revs Up Style in His Car Shop, Revealing a Rare Portrait of a Legend
by Jared Zwerling, Bleacher Report

"It takes less than a minute after Tim Duncan pulls up to the entrance of his car customization business in San Antonio, BlackJack Speed Shop, to realize that this isn’t the same mild-mannered Tim Duncan in a Spurs uniform. Stepping out of his blue Porsche 911 Turbo with gold-finished Pur Wheels—one of his nine customized cars—Duncan opens the front door wearing sunglasses, army cargo shorts and a T-shirt with the ThunderCats logo of the animated TV series … The 39-year-old likes discipline and concentrated effort in hoops and training, which includes Muay Thai, kickboxing and swimming. He even cooks for himself, usually grilling ribs, steak and chicken, without the use of a personal chef as many superstars have. Basketball to Duncan is his job with no fanfare."

Next: Each NBA Team's All-Time Starting Five

More from LeBron James