Shams Charania - Basketball Analysis

Jordan Crawford Finds His Commitment To The Game

by Shams Charania

Jordan Crawford’s a gifted scorer with the basketball in his hands, but he didn’t fully understand the professionalism and dignity needed within an organization. So he’s worked on maturing, worked to repackage his image. Read more »
Tim Duncan Carries Spurs Through Generations, Leaves Robinson Hoping He'll Continue

by Shams Charania

Five championships later, yes, you don’t hold back Tim Duncan. You set him free on the league, and reaped rewards come for Spurs players across the generations. Read more »
LeBron's One-Man Show Given Championship Lessons From Spurs

by Shams Charania

As San Antonio amplifies its team morale, its team play, a back-to-back champion and the Earth’s best basketball player have been knocked into submission. LeBron James was Miami’s greatest advantage of all. Read more »
Kawhi Leonard Delivers Spurs The Present And Future

by Shams Charania

Kawhi Leonard is the connector of present and future on the Spurs’ legendary dynasty of championship contention. Gregg Popovich has persistent belief, they all do around the Spurs: One day, Leonard will grow out of his role as a foundational part – and become the foundation. Read more »
LeBron James Vanquishes Spurs' 'No Guard' Scheme

by Shams Charania

LeBron James didn’t complete the everyday star’s task. He vanquished the Spurs, tarnishing San Antonio’s version of a rulebook against James once and for all, if only for one night. Read more »
LeBron James' Body Unravels In Sweat Of NBA Finals Opener

by Shams Charania

The most dominant player on the planet has also been the most indestructible, treating injuries with tape and pressure, not rest – and suddenly, on the grandest stage of professional basketball, a catastrophic malfunction left LeBron James at his body’s mercy. Read more »
With LeBron Limited, Paul George Delivers Life Into Pacers With Superstar Performance

by Shams Charania

No one’s amassed the identical amount of energy and physical toll defending LeBron James in the last two years, no one but Paul George. Before each matchup across the regular season and late in the playoffs, James and George pound each other’s chests in acknowledgement, and then the understudy thrusts into duty. Read more »
As Cavaliers Win Draft Lotteries, LeBron James Continues Enhancing Legacy

by Shams Charania

LeBron James continues to vindicate his free agency decision of 2010, but time and time again the Cavaliers validate everything for him. Winning and losing. Organizational structure. Worthy sidekicks. Read more »
Lance Stephenson Backs His Mouth As Pacers Reestablish Formula To Beat Heat

by Shams Charania

Indiana isn’t afforded Lance Stephenson behaving like every other 23-year-old, nor afforded his lapses in judgment. So, yes, Stephenson had issued a challenge on the eve of this Eastern Conference final series, a calculated approach to work Dwyane Wade, work his legs to swell on the court. Read more »
How Jamal Crawford Stayed True To Himself And Won Over Defensive-Minded Doc Rivers

by Shams Charania

Jamal Crawford received a direct order from his new coach, a message his teammates reciprocated: don’t change. Absorb the finer details of the sport. Be Jamal Crawford, one of the NBA’s remarkable enduring scorers. To him, nothing was doctored for the sake of spewing. Read more »
Roy Hibbert Earns Indiana Cheers Again, Must Build On Postseason Breakthrough

by Shams Charania

Roy Hibbert had clapped on the sideline, gathered teammates for huddles on the court and punctuated a defensive revival in Game 7. This resembled the Hibbert of last season, and these were the Pacers of last season. Read more »
Wizards Stay Course, Remain Patient With Revival Led By Wall, Beal

by Shams Charania

For years, Ted Leonsis ensured these Wizards’ rise again as long as patience sustained. We’ll be bottom-dwellers, until we’re be reputable again, and then this core will go on and on for contending runs, he’d preach. Still, he sensed teams hoping for them to rush the process; those on the hunt to capture a star let go too soon. Read more »
Troy Daniels Rewards Rockets, Proves Detractors Wrong With Game-Winner In Game 3

by Shams Charania

The Bulls, Bucks and Magic closely monitored and had interest in Troy Daniels before he signed with the Rockets, sources told RealGM. And yet, these Rockets were the benefactors of Daniels’ 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range Friday, honoring his commitment to the Summer League and D-League route to the NBA. Read more »
D.J. Augustin Falls Short Of Rescuing A Bulls' Offense Running On Fumes

by Shams Charania

D.J. Augustin kept shooting and hitting, slashing and cutting, and soon it had come to a weary halt for the Bulls in Game 2. Ultimately, they all understand these playoffs fall upon their production, and the ranks of reliability are closing fast. Read more »
Nene Shows Wizards Impact Of His Skill, Health In Franchise's First Playoff Win Since 2008

by Shams Charania

Everywhere around the Wizards, everyone knows Nene is capable of these big nights. Twenty-four points, eight rebounds and three assists, force, skill and a 1-0 series lead. Read more »
DeRozan Never Doubted Future With Raptors, Validated In Franchise Turnaround

by Shams Charania

DeMar DeRozan had to prove the organization’s old vision of him as a cornerstone, as an efficient guard and reliable leader. He needed to mature as a two-way, inside and out player. For DeRozan, the departure of Gay had been the precise sign. His stats couldn’t be empty anymore. Read more »
Xavier Henry Elevates Game, Mind And Body In Redemptive Season With Lakers

by Shams Charania

For three seasons, Xavier Henry had been a meager part and less heralded talents rose above him in rotations. He was a five-star college recruit fleeting out of a role in the NBA. Read more »
Haslem, Wade Share 'Maintenance' Plan In Quest For Fourth Ring

by Shams Charania

Together, Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem share the same highs of prosperity, the same low of futility, in this franchise. Together, their plan for freshness could prove genius in June. Read more »
Aquille Carr's Second Chance

by Shams Charania

Upon his release from the D-League, Aquille Carr started a purifying process around him, eliminating distractions and creating a gym regimen. Read more »
Early Team Meeting Inspired John Wall Into Raising Leadership, Belief In Wizards' Core

by Shams Charania

John Wall had grown so accustom to the scene: a lackluster start to the season and segments of the Wizards' locker room slowly griping. This team meeting, teammates had settled upon the chair of the franchise’s max player. Read more »