Controversy off the court negated by action on it…
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It has been another highly entertaining year in the NBA in 2014, and here are five of the most memorable moments of the last 12 months including the best and worst the league has offered us.
Adam Silver takes NBA throne as new commissioner
After replacing David Stern as the NBA commissioner in February, Silver has established himself as a popular choice after his handling of various situations during his tenure thus far.
Silver acted quickly and decisively in the Donald Sterling affair and he has successfully negotiated a new $24 billion agreement for the league’s broadcast rights with ESPN and TNT which will start in 2016/17.
Overall, he has emerged as a softly-spoken leader of the league and it is fairly certain that the NBA is in safe hands moving forward.
Donald Sterling era ends at the Clippers
After his racially-fuelled rant was exposed by TMZ, Sterling was finally ousted as the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and was hit with a hefty fine.
Despite years of similar controversy he remained in charge of the franchise, but Silver acted to remove him with the backing of the other owners in the league and ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer came in to replace him.
With the type of passion and craziness that he displayed at the introduction rally in the video below, who doesn’t love the new Clippers owner…
Kobe passing Michael Jordan on NBA all-time scoring list
For years, Bryant has been in the shadow of the man many regard as the ‘Greatest of All Time’ when it comes to the NBA, and despite their close friendship, critics have always argued that the Lakers star’s game is massively based on Jordan’s.
However, with a pair of free-throws against the Minnesota Timberwolves in December, the 36-year-old created history as he moved into third place on the all-time scoring list and above Jordan.
Whether you like him or not, Bryant deserves a huge amount of respect for the career that he has had in the NBA, and he isn’t done yet.
LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers homecoming
After two championship-winning seasons with the Miami Heat, LeBron left South Beach behind to complete some unfinished business in Cleveland.
“Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart,” James explained in a Sports Illustrated article.
The road to delivering a title to Cleveland fans has gotten off to a rocky start, but James will be desperate to make his dream a reality before he calls time on his career in the league.
San Antonio Spurs put on a basketball clinic to secure fifth championship
If you want to watch team basketball at its best, then highlights of the NBA Finals 2014 are just the thing you need in your life.
San Antonio waltzed their way through a packed Western Conference before gaining revenge over the Miami Heat in the Finals after the heartbreaking loss of the year before.
The Spurs dazzled and mesmerized en route to their fifth title in the last 17 seasons, and while it is impossible to pick out one YouTube clip of their brilliance, there is the tribute video that went viral which showcases some of their incredible ball movement and execution. Thanks to Gregg Popovich and the Spurs for some great moments in 2014.
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