The Lakers got a big 99-98 win over the Hawks last night to move back to .500 on the season. A key play late in the game: the Kobe dunk you see above. It’s being hailed as one of his best in years, and maybe it is – but Kobe’s own recent play demonstrates it’s nothing he hasn’t had in him all along.

We talked some about Kevin Durant utterly dominating the Hawks last night in the morning roundup post, but it deserves another look – specifically, one sequence from the middle of the fourth quarter. See what we mean after the jump.

Welcome to “Pretty Much Screwed,” our 2012-13 guide to the upcoming NBA season, in which we identify the reasons why your favorite team might have to start looking forward to 2013-2014 — and highlight at least one reason for you to be hopeful. Today: the Atlanta Hawks.

There’s no shortage of juicy NBA trade- and free-agency-related rumors heading into tomorrow night’s draft. Here’s a roundup of some of the most interesting.

After a loose ball scrum resulted in a foul on the Celtics, rather than a jump ball, Rajon Rondo lost it – and got himself ejected.

Just think — that awkward kid in the center would one day grow up to date Gabrielle Union. More pictures, and observations, after the jump.

Josh Smith threw down something fierce on Serge Ibaka last night. He also managed to sum up his entire career in the same sequence. Check it out after the jump.

This resulted in a push from Smith, a I’m-trying-to-make-it-look-like-I’m-ready-to-fight-you-but-I-don’t-really-want-to turnaround from Boozer, and a intervention by players from both teams.

An Orlando sports columnist called the Hawks the Atlanta Birdbrains. Josh Smith, after defeating the Magic and advancing in the playoffs, replied, “In yo face!”

When NBA players Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith, and Russell Westbrook traveled to Fox Business’ Varney & Co., they expected to plug the upcoming video game NBA 2K11. What they got, though, was much, much more…painful.