Ian Thomsen
NBA.com
Boston, MA, United States
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Past articles by Ian:
Blogtable: Is LeBron James one of top 5 greatest players ever?
********************************************************************************************************************************************************** Clippers coach Doc Rivers said LeBron James is “one of the top five players to ever play the game.” What say you?… → Read More
Bertans hoping his perseverance pays off
He was 18 years old. He was three inches shorter than today and at least five pounds skinnier, which doesn't begin to account for his newfound strength. In 2011, at the Hoop Summit in Portland, Davis Bertans was known as the best European shooter in the upcoming NBA Draft. His skills and length were intriguing to a number of teams. → Read More
Celtics banking on Horford to bring stability to young squad
The practice court was cluttered with TV cameras, soft white lights, tripods of all shapes and lengths and wires sprawled everywhere across the parquet floor. → Read More
All-Star Millsap continues to quietly go about his work
Paul Millsap is like the movie stars who speak a little and do a lot. Liam Neeson. Clint Eastwood. John Wayne. → Read More
An unlikely road to Portland for undrafted free agent
The rookie had no driver's license. His English was halting. All he wanted to do was go to the gym, but he had no way to get there. → Read More
D'Antoni hopes formula is enough to bring him a title
The new idea is to pair his future-is-now offense with playoff-worthy defense. If the formula succeeds in Houston as it has in other NBA cities, then Mike D'Antoni may be able to check off one of the last remaining items on his coaching bucket list. → Read More
Suns hope rookie big men mold into solid foundation
The NBA Draft was approaching in June, and the Suns were facing a difficult choice among teenaged forwards. Would they invest their No. 4 pick in the length and skills of 7-1 Dragan Bender, or in the athletic potential of 6-10 Marquese Chriss? The Suns went for Bender. → Read More
Vonleh, Trail Blazers both looking to take next step
First came the signing of free agent small forward Evan Turner, which will have the domino effect of converting Al-Farouq Aminu into the starting power forward. Portland also matched an expensive offer sheet to retain sixth man Allen Crabbe, signed backup center Festus Ezeli and traded for Shabazz Napier as a third point guard. Altogether the deep young Blazers grew deeper. → Read More
Pelicans prepared for bumpy road, learning curve for Hield
The first impression was not as he had hoped. Buddy Hield, the rookie guard drafted by New Orleans to provide perimeter balance to Anthony Davis, was shooting unreliably throughout Summer League. Hield led the Pelicans with 16.8 points, but across five games in Las Vegas he converted only 32.7% from the field overall, and 22.9% from the 3-point line. → Read More
Summer League Standouts: Day 8 in Las Vegas
A look at the top performers from Day 8 in Las Vegas: → Read More
Summer League Standouts: Day 7 in Las Vegas
A look at the top performers from Day 7 in Las Vegas: → Read More
For Warriors' Looney, rookie season a learning experience
It looked very much like a year of disappointment. Instead of pushing his way into the lottery, he fell to the back end of the first round. Two surgeries with extended rehabs were in his future. He was doomed to play no more than five games in his rookie NBA season. → Read More
Ainge, Celtics have plenty of options in Draft (and beyond)
Trades tend to happen in the final hours before the NBA Draft, says Danny Ainge. And so the Boston Celtics president may find himself with little more than a few seconds Thursday night in which to decide the future for his team. → Read More
Curry creates kind of magic only he can in Game 4 win
It is not supposed to happen like this. → Read More
Relatable, flexible Stotts pushing all the right buttons
It began with C.J. McCollum finding him alone in the corner for an open 3-pointer in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. Then Damian Lillard was feeding him there again, just before halftime. → Read More
Blazers take advantage of lapses in hard-fought win
So now it's a series. Isn't it? → Read More
Valanciunas' coming out party timed perfectly for Raptors
The secret weapon of the Toronto Raptors is 7 feet tall and 265 pounds. His power was bound to be revealed eventually. → Read More
Raptors bounce back behind Valanciunas, Lowry
He was saying this in spite of the seven-game postseason losing streak perpetuated by his Toronto Raptors. He was saying this even though, for much of their breakthrough 98-87 win later Monday night, Game 2 was going to feel less like fun and more like an exorcism. They were going to lead Indiana throughout the final 45 minutes. Their center Jonas Valanciunas was going to generate a playoff… → Read More
Raptors fans left with more doubt after tough Game 1
The game was an hour away. Jurassic Park was almost filled. Its gates were about to be closed. → Read More
Series Preview: Can Raptors' talented guards be stopped?
Dating back to their December 2013 trade of Rudy Gay to Sacramento, the Toronto Raptors have been improving annually -- their 56 wins and No. 2 seed in the East are franchise bests. But that success has not been consummated in the recent postseasons. → Read More