The Year in Sports: Pro Basketball
Lockout, schmockout -- there was plenty to cheer for.
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The Year in Hoops - It may have been the year of the lockout, but young (and old) stars in the NBA and WNBA gave us plenty to cheer about in 2011. -- Jamie Katz
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The NBA lockout - The NBA lockout alienated everyone concerned and lasted for 160 days, almost – but not quite – long enough to turn fans into ex-fans. In the end, both sides claimed small victories about salary cap and revenue sharing matters, and the players quickly got back to doing what they do best. Minus 240 games (16 per team) of the 2011-12 season.(Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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The Miami Heat Catches Fire - With all the hype surrounding the superhero-laden lineup with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat actually did jell as a team, making quick work of the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs and coming with two games of the NBA championship.(Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Blake Griffin Dunks Over a Car - OK, it was gimimicky, but who can forget Los Angeles Clippers’ rookie Blake Griffin’s spectacular over-a-car alley-oop jam to win the 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend?(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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A Blockbuster Deal Brings ‘Melo Home to New York - Carmelo Anthony played his contract hand to perfection, pressuring the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks to engineer a major multi-team personnel reshuffle that brought ‘Melo, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman to New York and sent Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danillo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov to Denver, along with a first-round draft pick for 2014, $3 million in cash, and two future draft picks from the Golden State Warriors. Only time will tell who came out better in the deal.(Photo: Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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Rookie of the Year Maya Moore Leads Lynx to First WNBA Title - The WNBA’s first overall draft pick—after four straight years as a first-team All-American at UConn —forward Maya Moore kept the momentum going in the pros, winning Rookie of the Year honors and leading the Minnesota Lynx to their first league championship. In July, she became the first woman to sign an endorsement contract with Nike’s Jordan Brand.(Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Derrick Rose Hustles His Way to the MVP - Chicago Bulls’ guard Derrick Rose was voted the NBA’s youngest-ever MVP, at 22. Rose led the Bulls to a 62-20 record, averaging 25 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.(Photo: AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
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Kobe Bryant: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Kobe Bryant enjoyed another outstanding year, winning his fourth All-Star MVP and moving from 12th to 6th place on the NBA all-time career scoring list. In April, however, the league fined Bryant $100,000 for aiming a gay slur at a referee in a moment of frustration. And in December, Bryant’s wife of 10 years, Vanessa, sued him for divorce.(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)
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Kevin Durant Cops Second Straight Scoring Crown - Move over, Kobe, LeBron and Dwayne—there’s a new sheriff in town: Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant won his second consecutive NBA scoring title in 2010-11. And he’s only 23.(Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Tamika Catchings: Great on Both Ends of the Court - Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings was voted as the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player, and also led in the coaches’ voting for the league’s All-Defensive Team.(Photo: CSM/Landov)
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Mavs Veterans Sink Miami’s Title Hopes - Led by old pros like Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry, the Dallas Mavericks ruined the Miami Heat’s fantasy script, taking the NBA title in six hard-fought games.(Photo: Marc Serota/Getty Images)