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On this date in 1995, the expansion Raptors and Grizzles both made successful NBA debuts with victories in their first regular season games.  The Raptors throttled the Nets 94-79 in front of more than 33,000 fans.  Meanwhile, the Grizzlies topped the Blazers 92-80 in Portland.  Unfortunately for both clubs, the wins would not be a sign of things to come in 1995/96.  Toronto finished out the year 21-61 while Vancouver went 15-67 in their inaugural campaign.  Things would eventually improve for both clubs, of course, and the Raptors even saw guard Damon Stoudamire win the Rookie of the Year award for 1995/96. 

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• The Basketball Post still likes the Thunder's chances sans James Harden.
• SLC Dunk looks at the Jazz's three-point attempts in transition last season.
• Truth About It looks at some oddly specific prop bets for the Wizards this season.
• Bright Side Of The Sun talks Wesley Johnson and his future in Phoenix.
• Hoops Addict notes that the Magic still have strong leaders as they start from scratch.
• Brew Hoop peers into their crystal ball for the Bucks this year.
• RealGM splits the league into tiers for 2012/13.
• Canis Hoopus wonders if the Timberwolves can hold the line until Kevin Love gets back.
• Secret Rival breaks down the D-League draft.
• Bucksketball offers up their player capsule on Monta Ellis.
• Rufus On Fire has five questions for the Bobcats.
• Pounding The Rock looks at Kawhi Leonard's season debut.
• SB Nation DC is optimistic about Jan Vesely.
• Red 94 attempts to break down Daryl Morey's philosophy.
• Nets 101 gives us their top eight teams out of the East.
• Basketball Prospectus evaluates this year's extensions.
• NBA 24 7 365 feels for Andrew Bogut.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

Twenty-eight years and one day ago, a rookie named Michael Jordan debuted for the Chicago Bulls against the Washington Bullets.  MJ had 16 points as the Bulls rolled to a 109-93 victory on their home floor.  Jordan would ramp things up even further in his rookie campaign, averaging 28.2 PPG and 6.5 RPG while shooting 51.5% from the floor.

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• Wages Of Wins pits Ty Lawson against Russell Westbrook.
• The NBA Geek sticks up for the Suns.
• Hoops Addict believes that this is a big year for the Sixers.
• Smooth's Hoops offers a blueprint for how the Nuggets can win 50+ games this year.
• SB Nation asks if the Wizards overdid it with their culture change.
• Hardwood Paroyxsm rolled out their 2012/13 season preview guide.
• Basketball Prospectus looks at the Jazz's frontcourt logjam.
• Bright Side Of The Sun looks at the roster crunch in Phoenix.
• Rufus On Fire fired up the camera to break down the Bobcats in 2012/13.
• The Basketball Post takes a trip out to Greece.
• SLC Dunk isn't thrilled about Paul Millsap's preseason play.
• Blazer's Edge had a lot of takeaways from Portland's preseason.
• Raptors Republic wonders how Dwane Casey is going to divy up frontcourt minutes.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

On this date in 1976, the Philadelphia 76ers made the best purchase since Peter Minuit bought the island of Manhattan for $24.  The New Jersey Nets were set to join the NBA as a part of the ABA merger and had promised star Julius Erving a pay raise as they made the transition.  However, the Knicks demanded $4.8MM in territorial fees, meaning that owner Roy Boe could no longer afford the pay bump for his star player.  The Sixers seized the opportunity and when they offered the Nets $3MM for Dr. J's contract, they had no choice but to accept.

Great deals like that are hard to come by, but here at Hoops Links, we have a pretty good offer of our own for quality basketball bloggers.  If you have a great piece that you feel is worthy of inclusion, then you can email it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com and be a part of next week's feature.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• Bucksketball has an interesting take on the Brandon Jennings situation.
• Wages of Wins has some bad news about the Spurs.
• Truth About It isn't sweating the preseason too much.
• The NBA Geek attempts to simplify the game a bit.
• SLC Dunk runs down their reasons for loving the Jazz.
• Raptors Republic wonders if Toronto should run with two point guard units.
• Basketball Prospectus explains the SCHOENE system in detail.
• Hoops Addict sees a big opportunity for John Lucas III.
• At The Hive wonders if Darius Miller can contribute this year.
• Bright Side Of The Sun has high hopes for the Suns' wing players.
• Canis Hoopus thinks that Andrei Kirilenko can be a nice complement to Kevin Love.
• Saving The Skyhook believes that Russell Westbrook is just outside the top 10 in the NBA.
• Secret Rival updates us on training camp rosters.
• Fear The Sword has some concerns over Dion Waiters.
• Brew Hoop sees the Bucks in the playoff mix this year.
• Hardwood Paroxysm peers into the future of basketball stats.
• NBA 24 7 365 expects more out of eight players this year.
• RealGM has five teams for you to watch on League Pass.
• Basketbawful breaks down Shaquille O'Neal's smack talk.
• Bullets Forever is anxious to see Kevin Seraphin this season.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

Thirty-three years ago, rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson made their NBA debuts.  In Boston, Bird put up 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Celtics topped the Rockets 114-106.  Meanwhile, Johnson had some impressive dimes in his first NBA action, but he wasn't even close to being the star of the night as the Lakers battled the Clippers.  World B. Free put up 46 points in San Diego only to watch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar win the game for Los Angeles with a buzzer-beating skyhook.

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• The NBA Geek expects the Nuggets to surprise this season.
• The Basketball Post wonders if the Cavs are ready to take the next step.
• Rufus On Fire sets the bar for Kemba Walker in his sophomore campaign.
• NBA 24 7 365 goes inside the huddle of Knicks coach Mike Woodson.
• Bullets Forever tackles the Wizards' small forward problem.
• SLC Dunk looks at who is overpaid and underpaid on the Jazz.
• Wages Of Wins has good news for Knicks fans.
• Bucksketball gives us a primer on John Henson.
• Smooth's Hoops defends their take on the Nuggets.
• Canis Hoopus looks at the future of one-guards.
• Nets Are Scorching would rather have this Nets team than Derrick Favors and cap room.
• Basketball Prospectus peels back the curtain to explain their NCAA projections.
• RealGM runs down the Pacific.
• Hardwood Paroxysm is amped for some exhibition basketball.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

On this date in 1993, Michael Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA.  Well, his first retirement, anyway.  The league's biggest star shocked the world when he called a press conference to announce that he was stepping away from the game and he would later disclose that it was largely shaped by the tragic murder of his father than summer.  James R. Jordan Sr. always envisioned his son as a Major League Baseball player and months later, MJ would ink a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox.  Of course, Jordan didn't quite flourish in baseball and his time away from the hardwood proved to be short-lived as he returned to the Bulls in the 1994/95 season.

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• Rufus On Fire remembers Kwame Brown's comeback in Charlotte.
• Pounding The Rock wonders if DeJuan Blair can put the distractions aside this season.
• Bright Side Of The Sun is ready for some rebuilding.
• Wages Of Wins thinks that the Nuggets will be strong if they go with the right rotation.
• The NBA Geek sees a big step forward for the T'Wolves this year.
• Stepien Rules looks at Dion Waiters' chances at a Rookie of the Year bid.
• The Basketball Post previews the 2012/13 NCAA season.
• The NBA Mistress sees Andre Iguodala as a defensive difference-maker for Denver.
• Smooth's Hoops, meanwhile, doesn't like the Iguodala deal for the Nuggets.
• Hardwood Paroxysm talks San Diego Clippers basketball.
• NBA 24 7 365 breaks down the Celtics' exhibition against Fenerbahce Ulker.
• SBNation brings us the story of SlamBall.
• Raptors Republic wants to see some trades in Toronto.
• Hoops Addict believes that the Nets will need defense to win this year.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

On this date in 1993, the NBA awarded an expansion franchise to the city of Toronto.  Two years later, the Raptors burst on to the scene armed with a team of expansion draft selections and some of the least attractive jerseys in league history.  Of course, things would improve from there as the Raptors would welcome Marcus Camby in 1996, Tracy McGrady in 1997, and Vince Carter in 1998.

Will we see another expansion team in the near future?  Given the current economic climate, it doesn't seem terribly likely.  Seattle investor Chris Hansen appears to have all the pieces in place to bring an NBA team back to the city, but the team to fill the Sonics' shoes will likely be a relocated franchise rather than the Association's 31st club.

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• The Basketball Post is high on Real Madrid.
• Nets Are Scorching gives us a sneak peak of the Barclays Center.
• Wages of Wins looks at where teams get their stars from.
• Hardwood Paroxysm is cheering for Royce White.
• Stepien Rules doesn't see where the Raptors are going to get their offense from.
• Bright Side Of The Sun says that NFL fans can finally feel the pain of NBA fans.
• Basketball Prospectus wonders if the Bulls can be contenders this season.
• RealGM looks at the choices James Harden will face.
• A Wolf Among Wolves has a creative take on Brandon Roy.
• SLC Dunk previews the 2012/13 season for Paul Millsap.
• Truth About It talks Cartier Martin.
• Secret Rival brings us the vitals on nearly 1,000 players in the NBA and overseas.
• NBA 24 7 365 wonders what Orlando's new marketing campaign is all about.
• Rufus On Fire looks back on Bismack Biyombo's rookie season.
• Bullets Forever writes that Nene Hilario will be key for the Wizards with John Wall sidelined.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

Hoops Links would like to wish NBA commissioner David Stern a happy 70th birthday.  Stern first took over as commissioner in 1984 succeeding Larry O'Brien and in the 28 years since, the Association has undergone radical change, including the relocation of six NBA teams and the introduction of seven new clubs.  Stern also led the owners through the league's first lockout in 1995 and again in 1996 (lasted only a couple of hours), 1998–99, and 2011.  While games were lost along the way, the NBA never lost out on a full season of action.  While Stern has taken criticism over the years, there is no denying that when he decides to step aside that his legacy will be overwhelmingly positive due to the tremendous growth that the game has seen since his arrival 28 years ago.

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• SLC Dunk isn't high on Josh Howard.
• Hardwood Paroxysm gives their starting five for each division in the league.
• Wages of Wins is expecting some big things out of the T'Wolves in 2012/13.
• Bucksketball approves of Milwaukee's signing of Marquis Daniels.
• Saving The Skyhook looks at where Kobe Bryant stacks up against the NBA's elite.
• Blazer's Edge fields your questions in their latest mailbag.
• Basketbawful previews the 2012/13 Hornets.
• Raptors Republic takes a glass-half-full view of Toronto's prospects this season.
• Nets Are Scorching has some advice for Kris Humphries.
• Heinnews talks Euroleague financial fair play in their newest podcast.
• Bright Side Of The Sun tackles the Suns' rotation.
• Pounding The Rock asks if the Spurs are too soft.
• RealGM caught up with former UNC Greensboro standout Kyle Hines.
• Brooklyn Nets 101 stacks the Nets up against the Central division.
• The Basketball Post predicts a bright future for Tony Mitchell.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

This week, Hoops Links would like to wish happy birthday to Southern Methodist University coach Larry Brown, who has served as coach for an eye-popping ten NBA and ABA franchises.  Brown, 73, began his coaching career in 1972 when he agreed to man the sidelines for Davidson after his four-year professional playing career came to a close.  The Brooklyn-native never did settle in one place for too long and for many years, the Larry O'Brien trophy eluded him.  Of course, that came to an end in 2004 when he guided the Pistons to the NBA championship. 

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• At The Hive stacks Anthony Davis up against No. 1 picks of the past.
• Red94 looks at Omer Asik's limitations on the offensive end.
• Bullets Forever pits the Wizards against the Knicks.
• The Hoop Doctors explains why Tracy McGrady may be a necessity for the Knicks.
• Hardwood Paroxysm brings us their first ever mailbag.
• Stepien Rules is happy with the Cavs' deal for Alonzo Gee.
• Pounding The Rock would like to see more out of Stephen Jackson.
• Wages Of Wins has a bone to pick with Mark Cuban.
• Bucksketball is optimistic about Beno Udrih in 2012/13.
• Bright Side Of The Sun asks who has gotten the most hate in Phoenix over the years.
• Canis Hoopus would like to see the T'Wolves have a rival.
• Hoops Addict was surprised to learn Kevin Garnett is the NBA's all-time highest-paid player.
• Raptors Republic brings us gift ideas for the Raptors fan in your life.
• NBA 24 7 365 looks at the best remaining free agents.
• Fear The Sword fondly remembers one of the Cavs' best games in 2011/12.
• SLC Dunk talks Al Jefferson.
• Brew Hoop defends Luc Mbah a Moute.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

Happy birthday to former NBA swingman Latrell Sprewell, who turns 41 today.  Sprewell made four All-Star teams over the course of his 13 year career, but he is best known to some for his clash with Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo during the 1997 season.  After being suspended for the rest of the season, the guard/forward would get his chance at redemption when he was traded to the Knicks for John Starks, Chris Mills and Terry Cummings in January of 1999.  The Knicks were widely panned for gambling on the volatile Sprewell, but the club would surprise many by finding their way to the finals that season, where they would lose in five games to the Spurs.

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• Wages of Wins looks at Magic Johnson and his effect on the Lakers.
• Hardwood Paroxysm breaks down the heel turn of Dwight Howard.
• Red94 fills us in on the backup one-guard battle in Houston.
• Nets Are Scorching previews the Nets starting five with some statistical analysis.
• At The Hive wonders where the Hornets point guards rank.
• Hinton's Sports Highlights reflects on Virginia Beach's moment in the NBA sun.
• Bucksketball profiles veteran center Joel Pryzbilla.
• Bright Side Of The Sun previews the 2012/13 season in Phoenix.
• Truth About It continues to rank the top Wizards from across the last five seasons.
• RealGM looks ahead to the NBA's possible labor issues in 2017.
• Secret Rival helps us get familiar with the Belgian Ethas League.
• Bullets Forever thinks the Wizards have a better shot at the playoffs than the Hawks.
• Saving The Skyhook takes an optimistic look at the Raptors.
• Blazer's Edge has Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas as the most influential Blazers of all-time.
• SLC Dunk applies some psychology to the Jazz roster.
• The Hoop Doctors wonders what might have been in Boston.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

On this date in 1966, five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway was born in Chicago, Illinois.  Hardaway first established himself in Golden State where he was one-third of Run TMC alongside Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond.  In the 1995/96 season, the guard would take his breakaway speed and lethal crossover dribble out east when he was traded to the Heat.  With Hardaway at the helm and Alonzo Mourning in the middle, the Heat would go on to be a force in the Eastern Conference, with their most memorable run coming in 1996/97, where they knocked off the hated Knicks in seven games before succumbing to the Bulls in the conference finals. 

If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..

• Hoops Addict wonders if the Nuggets can truly break the mold.
• Bucksketball looks at Milwaukee's tough power forward situation.
• The True Fan's Sports Blog has some possible landing spots for the Kings.
• Pounding The Rock bids farewell to James Anderson.
• Hardwood Paroxysm looks back at the top players of the 1952/53 season.
• Canis Hoopus would like to see some consistency in Minnesota.
• Wages of Wins isn't terribly high on George Karl.
• Secret Rival brings us this offseason's imports and exports.
• Red94 tries to define success in Houston.
• NBA 24 7 365 compares the careers of Tracy McGrady and Baron Davis.
• Fear The Sword asks if the Cavs should play for today, tomorrow, or both.
• SLC Dunk tries to motivate the Jazz's young core.
• Basketbawful previews the Raptors.
• Raptors Republic believes in the power of positive thinking.
• The NBA Geek revisits the small ball discussion.
• Brew Hoop is still waiting on Brandon Jennings.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.