NBA Titles

<strong><em>Big Book of WHO</em> is a book your young sports fans will return to again and again!</strong><br /> <br />From the editors of <em>Sports Illustrated Kids</em> comes <em>The Big Book of Who: Basketball</em>, a collection of basketball’s brightest stars, past and present. Profiles, facts, and stats will bring the best players in basketball history to life with all of the classic touches that <em>Sports Illustrated Kids</em> is famous for—terrific, age-appropriate writing and exciting sports photography. Court greats from LeBron James to Michael Jordan, Candace Parker to Ja Morant, Shaq to Elena Delle Donne, will be profiled. Written in a fun question and answer format, kids will be able to stump their friends.<br /><br />The <em>Big Book of Who: Basketball</em> is a book young sports fans will return to again and again as a lively, exciting resource.<br /><br /><strong>Completely redesigned to match the modern look of <em>Sports Illustrated Kids</em>, this fun collection of questions and answers will have kids stumping their friends and adult sports fans with their expert knowledge of basketball#&39;s brightest stars.</strong><br /><br /> 

Sports Illustrated, the most respected voice in sports journalism, has covered the NBA for the much of its existence, documenting its expansion from fledgeling league to global force. Curated by editor and bestselling author Chris Ballard, this anthology features the best hoops writing from theSI archives along with new postscripts from nationally renowned basketball journalists including Jackie McMullan, Jack McCallum, Jeff Pearlman, S.L. Price, Lee Jenkins, Frank Deford, and more.

A hands-on, illuminating deconstruction of NBA basketball, tracing the tactical evolution of the modern game. As the NBA celebrates and surpasses 75 years of existence, today's game looks nothing like it did in generations past when Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took turns ruling the league. But it's also entirely different from a decade—even half decade—ago.  Today's stars enter the league with more versatility and fluidity than ever before, and they need it to handle the strategies, philosophies, schemes, skill sets, movement patterns, and measures of basketball intelligence that simply didn't exist in the past.Spaced Out tells the story of what professional basketball looks like right now and how it got here. Taking a court-level view, Mike Prada breaks down high-level play to elucidate the athleticism, strategy, and skill demonstrated on a nighty basis, while shining a light on the historical forces that have dramatically altered the shape of the game and the role of its superstars. Topics covered include the explosion of three point shooting, the rise and fall and rise again of zone defense, the impact of tighter enforcement of perimeter contact rules, and other pivotal factors impacting the pro game. From Xs and Os to keen historic analysis, this definitive volume will reveal the intricacies of a beautiful game for savvy fans, players, and coaches alike. 

<strong>Celebrate the championship glory and Hall of Fame personalities that make the Los Angeles Lakers one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports.</strong><br /><br />Standard-bearers for basketball greatness, the Los Angeles Lakers have thrilled their loyal fans since the franchise moved west in 1960. Led by Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, they raced to the top of the league and refused to slow down, with superstars like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O#&39;Neal, and LeBron James carrying the torch on the way to 17 NBA championships.<br /><br /><em>Sports Illustrated™</em> now celebrates the Lakers with an extraordinary collection of classic writing and photographs from the pages of <em>SI</em>. This commemorative book also spotlights the players, championships, and stats that have made the Lakers the greatest show on earth.<br /><br /><strong>Featuring a foreword by Howard Beck and stories by Frank DeFord, Jack McCallum, Chris Ballard, and more, this is an essential volume for Lakers fans.</strong>

<div><p>At its core, the goal of any basketball team is relatively simple: take and make good shots while preventing the opponent from doing the same. But what is a “good” shot? Are all good shots created equally? And how might one identify players who are more or less likely to make and prevent those shots in the first place?<br /><br />The concept of basketball “analytics,” for lack of a better term, has been lauded, derided, and misunderstood. The incorporation of more data into NBA decision-making has been credited—or blamed—for everything from the death of the traditional center to the proliferation of three-point shooting to the alleged abandonment of the area of the court known as the midrange. What is beyond doubt is that understanding its methods has never been more important to watching and appreciating the NBA.<br /><br />In <em>The Midrange Theory</em>, Seth Partnow, NBA analyst for <em>The Athletic</em> and former Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, explains how numbers have affected the modern NBA game, and how those numbers seek not to “solve” the game of basketball but instead urge us toward thinking about it in new ways.</p><ul><li>The relative value of Russell Westbrook’s triple-doubles</li><li>Why some players succeed in the playoffs while others don’t</li><li>How NBA teams think about constructing their rosters through the draft and free agency</li><li>The difficulty in measuring defensive achievement</li><li>The fallacy of the “quick two”</li></ul><p><strong>From shot selection to evaluating prospects to considering aesthetics and ethics while analyzing the box scores, Partnow deftly explores where the NBA is now, how it got here, and where it might be going next.</strong></p></div>

<div><p><strong>“From front offices to college campuses, Jake Fischer takes you on an engrossing tour of the NBA in its latest golden age, when some of the most captivating teams won by losing.” —Lee Jenkins, former <em>Sports Illustrated</em> NBA writer </strong></p><p><strong>An insider account of modern NBA team-building, based on hundreds of exclusive interviews. </strong></p><p>A single transcendent talent#&8239;can change the fortunes of an NBA franchise. One only has to recall the frenzy surrounding recent top pick Zion Williamson to recognize teams’ willingness to lose games now for the sake of winning championships later. It’s a story that weaves its way behind closed doors to reveal intricate machinations normally hidden from public view.  </p><p>Backed by extensive reporting and hundreds of interviews with top players, coaches, and executives, Jake Fischer chronicles secret pre-draft workouts, feuding between player agents and executives, surprising trade negotiations, interpersonal conflicts, organizational power struggles, and infamous public relations fiascos, making for a fascinating look at the NBA. </p><p><strong>Updated to include new material, this is the definitive account of the NBA’s tanking era, when teams raced to the bottom in the hope of eventually winning a championship. </strong></p></div>

In 2022, the Golden State Warriors proved critics wrong and resurrected a dynasty, triumphing over the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals to reign supreme once again. Steve Kerr's squad dug deep following years of injury and disappointment to form new bonds and reclaim their glory. The stellar trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green was finally reunited, this time with a new supporting cast including Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, and Jordan Poole. Heart of Gold: The Golden State Warriors' Remarkable Run to the 2022 NBA Title chronicles their incredible accomplishments through in-depth analysis and expert insight from The Athletic. Featuring dynamic full-color photography, this commemorative edition traces the key storylines of the 2021-2022 season, including Curry's quest to break Ray Allen's 3-point record, Thompson's march to recovery, and of course a momentous postseason journey. With in-depth profiles on Curry, Thompson, Green, Wiggins and more, this commemorative book is an essential chronicle for all Warriors faithful.

A candid and insightful memoir from one the NBA's most unlikely stars. Growing up, Muggsy Bogues was always told he should do something else, anything besides basketball. He never acknowledged his many doubters except to prove them spectacularly wrong. Twenty years after receiving his first basketball as a toddler, he stood proud—at five-foot-three—as the starting point guard for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. From the East Baltimore playground courts where he earned his nickname by "muggin'" opponents for possession of the ball, to Dunbar High School where he excelled alongside future NBA players, Bogues set the tone in his early years for the great heights he'd reach professionally. In this new autobiography, Bogues delves deep into his life and career, reflecting on legendary battles with Michael Jordan, John Stockton, and other generational stars of '80s and '90s hoops. He shares far-ranging anecdotes from playoff runs in Charlotte, filming Space Jam, and even watching a young Steph Curry grow up.Conversational and clear-sighted, this is a story of uncompromising vision and fleet-footed determination during a golden era for the NBA.

"Basketball gave me a life; Parkinson's taught me how to live it." —Brian Grant After 12 years of playing basketball at the highest professional level, Brian Grant could have been forgiven for thinking that the hardest part of his life was behind him, that he'd be able to kick back and enjoy the fruits of his considerable labors. But soon after his retirement from the NBA, Grant was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson's disease, ushering in a challenge greater than any he'd faced before, as well as an opportunity to embrace what really matters. With esteemed basketball writer Ric Bucher, Grant shares his story in raw and candid fashion, as he takes readers to Sacramento, Portland, Miami, and beyond; to the airplane 30,000 feet in the air where he first came to understand the source of the tremors in his hand; and to the summit of Mount St. Helens alongside five others with PD, where he once again put himself to the test and defied expectations. In Rebound, Grant shares his remarkable life before, during, and after those NBA years with no shortage of compassion and wit. 

Tony Parker is nothing short of a San Antonio legend, and his number 9 hangs high in the rafters as a symbol of teamwork, longevity, and tenacious talent. For the first time in the English language, the beloved Spurs point guard opens up about his life and career in the NBA, on the international stage, and beyond. This candid, conversational memoir takes fans on a whirlwind tour which includes Parker's early life in France, his four NBA championships with the Spurs, and countless memorable interactions with luminaries like Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan. It also includes insights on more personal matters and unique challenges Parker faced. Featuring photos from Parker's personal collection, this is an essential read for all basketball fans.

When Lily and Alex entered a packed gymnasium in Queens, New York in 1972, they barely recognized their son. The boy who escaped to America with them, who was bullied as he struggled to learn English and cope with family tragedy, was now a young man who had discovered and secretly honed his basketball talent on the outdoor courts of New York City. That young man was Ernie Grunfeld, who would go on to win an Olympic gold medal and reach previously unimaginable heights as an NBA player and executive. In By the Grace of the Game, Dan Grunfeld, once a basketball standout himself at Stanford University, shares the remarkable story of his family, a delicately interwoven narrative that doesn't lack in heartbreak yet remains as deeply nourishing as his grandmother's Hungarian cooking, so lovingly described. The true improbability of the saga lies in the discovery of a game that unknowingly held the power to heal wounds, build bridges, and tie together a fractured Jewish family. If the magnitude of an American dream is measured by the intensity of the nightmare that came before and the heights of the triumph achieved after, then By the Grace of the Game recounts an American dream story of unprecedented scale.From the grips of the Nazis to the top of the Olympic podium, from the cheap seats to center stage at Madison Square Garden, from yellow stars to silver spoons, this complex tale traverses the spectrum of the human experience to detail how perseverance, love, and legacy can survive through generations, carried on the shoulders of a simple and beautiful game.

Celebrate the championship glory, Hall of Fame personalities, and passionate fans that make the Boston Celtics one of the most revered teams in basketballSports Illustrated™ celebrates basketball greatness with The Boston Celtics at 75, an extraordinary collection of classic stories and photographs from the pages of SI. This commemorative book salutes hall of famers like Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Paul Pierce, and coach Red Auerbach.Fans will unearth countless gems from the Celtics' past on each page of this diamond celebration.

At its core, the goal of any basketball team is relatively simple: take and make good shots while preventing the opponent from doing the same. But what is a "good" shot? Are all good shots created equally? And how might one identify players who are more or less likely to make and prevent those shots in the first place? The concept of basketball "analytics," for lack of a better term, has been lauded, derided, and misunderstood. The incorporation of more data into NBA decision-making has been credited—or blamed—for everything from the death of the traditional center to the proliferation of three-point shooting to the alleged abandonment of the area of the court known as the midrange. What is beyond doubt is that understanding its methods has never been more important to watching and appreciating the NBA. In The Midrange Theory, Seth Partnow, NBA analyst for The Athletic and former Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, explains how numbers have affected the modern NBA game, and how those numbers seek not to "solve" the game of basketball but instead urge us toward thinking about it in new ways.•The relative value of Russell Westbrook's triple-doubles•Why some players succeed in the playoffs while others don't•How NBA teams think about constructing their rosters through the draft and free agency•The difficulty in measuring defensive achievement•The fallacy of the "quick two"From shot selection to evaluating prospects to considering aesthetics and ethics while analyzing the box scores, Partnow deftly explores where the NBA is now, how it got here, and where it might be going next.

A nostalgic romp through modern NBA history as documented by basketball's most iconic and innovative magazine coversEvery magazine cover is the result of a series of intentional decisions. Cover Story shares the behind-the-scenes stories of these deliberate choices, which led to the most iconic basketball-related magazine covers during a period from 1984 to 2003. Through 100-plus interviews conducted with writers, editors, publishers, photographers, creative directors, and the players themselves, the book explores Michael Jordan's relationship with Sports Illustrated, Shaquille O'Neal and the hip-hop generation's impact on newsstands, the birth of SLAM and the inside stories of their most iconic covers, how the 1996 USA women's basketball team inspired a new era of women's sports magazines, the competition among publishers to put high school phenom LeBron James on the magazine cover first, and much more.Offering an immersive look at some of the most impactful moments in a golden era for modern basketball, this engaging read will appeal to basketball fans, pop culture enthusiasts, and those who want to take a deep dive into understanding how the individual components of a classic magazine cover come together.Features four full-color inserts showcasing a collection of notable magazine covers!

Having won two NBA titles with the Celtics before joining the broadcasting team as a radio analyst, Cedric Maxwell knows what it means to live and breathe Celtics basketball. In If These Walls Could Talk: Boston Celtics, Maxwell opens up about his life and career and provides insight into the team's inner sanctum as only he can, from Larry Bird to the Big Three era and up to the current roster.Featuring conversations with players and coaches past and present as well as off-the-wall anecdotes only Maxwell can tell, this indispensable volume is your ticket to Celtics history.