Nba

NBA players who excelled during the first part of their career retain more of their skill as they age, scientists have found.  They also displayed a slower decline in performance after the peak of their career. That's according to researchers at the University of Oxford, who studied the interaction between ageing, development and deterioration. Scroll down for video  Luka Doncic of Dallas Mavericks (pictured) smiles during the game against the Toronto Raptors. Since entering the NBA this year, he has been a revelation. He recently became the youngest player ever to record a 30 point triple-double. players that start their careers well experience a  slower decline in performance after the peak of their career. The findings, published in the Springer journal Behaviour Research Methods, could help predict a sportsman's performance - and the rate of his decline - over his career.  Dr Nemanja Vaci and colleagues analysed data from a total of 2,845 players over 50 … [Read more...] about Basketball stars that shine early in their NBA careers, like Luka and LeBron, have better careers and stay skilled for longer, scientists claim

After years of taking heat for voicing their opinions on political and social issues, NBA players and coaches have found themselves this week being attacked for the exact opposite. With a cold war brewing between the NBA and China over a tweet made, and subsequently deleted, by Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey in support of anti-government protestors in Hong Kong, the league’s biggest names have mostly responded with a very loud silence. That in and itself has drawn criticism in the US, even while it has seemingly done nothing to appease China itself. Indeed, the Rockets are facing a boycott in China, and sponsorships and broadcasting deals for the whole league are under threat. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has attempted to placate everybody by expressing regret for Morey’s statements while reaffirming his employees’ rights to free speech. Unfortunately, he has been trying to find middle ground unaware that there is none. As a result, voices from both the left and right … [Read more...] about Are NBA stars and coaches hypocrites for not speaking out on China?

The NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, said the league is not apologizing for Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s since-deleted tweet showing support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, even after China’s state broadcaster canceled plans to show a pair of preseason games in that country later this week. Silver, speaking on Tuesday at a news conference in Tokyo before a preseason game between the Rockets and the Toronto Raptors, went as far as to say that he and the league are “apologetic” that so many Chinese officials and fans were upset by Morey’s tweet but insisted that the executive has the right to freedom of expression. The NBA has also received criticism from US politicians. Senator Ted Cruz said the league was guilty of “assisting Chinese censorship” by initially saying it was “regrettable” that Morey’s tweet had caused offence in China. “Daryl Morey, as general manager of the Houston Rockets, … [Read more...] about Silver defends NBA employees’ right to free speech as China cancels broadcasts

For Lisa Delpy Neirotti, the surest sign of the National Basketball Association’s booming business in China came during her morning commute. It was two years ago, and Delpy Neirotti, a sports management professor at George Washington University, was guest lecturing at Beijing Sports University. Riding the subway on her way to campus, she noticed other passengers watching NBA contests live on their smartphones. “It wasn’t just one or two people, it was a number of them,” said Delpy Neirotti, who has repeatedly traveled to China since the late 1980s. “8pm on the east coast is 8am there, so the games fall at a really good time. “When you walk through train stations, you see [Golden State Warriors star] Steph Curry everywhere. We’re not talking small signs. It’s large billboards of him holding a phone or something. Of all the sports, basketball is the one that [Chinese people] follow most. And those who follow are very passionate.” For … [Read more...] about How the NBA’s rift with China laid bare the cost of free speech

The NBA’s reaction to one of its executives speaking out on the anti-government protests in Hong Kong has received criticism from several US politicians. The controversy started when the Houston Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey, tweeted his support for protesters in Hong Kong, where police have used live ammunition on civilians after months of demonstrations. Morey deleted the tweet shortly afterwards and the NBA and the Rockets distanced themselves from his statement. The NBA said it was “regrettable” that the tweet had caused offence in China, and the Rockets said Morey’s views did not represent those of the team. The NBA’s statement is jarring to some, given the fact that the league has won plaudits for encouraging its players to express their views on social issues they believe are important. Texas senator Ted Cruz, who is a Rockets fan, condemned the NBA’s stance on Sunday. “We’re better than this; human rights shouldn’t be … [Read more...] about Ted Cruz says NBA is ‘assisting Chinese censorship’ over Hong Kong tweet