Confidently declare your allegiance for the both the Mavericks and the Magic with State Farm Nation, now live on Facebook to root on Dirk Nowitzki (28 points vs. Magic) and Dwight Howard (19 points, 15 rebounds vs. Mavs) and their respective clubs!

The “State of Fandom” allows you to have customized Facebook cover photos, have friends or foes with fans of the Mavs and the Magic, or other teams in the NBA that you just love to hate.

You can also generate your NBA fan graph to see where your Facebook friends’ loyalties lie, and watch the fifth-seeded Mavs and the third-seeded Magic as they approach the NBA Playoffs!

Created by: Online Colleges Resource

NBA trade talks are once again stirring up as the trade deadline draws closer. At the center of the trade rumors is the possible exile of Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics. For some, this does not come as much of a surprise. Rondo has been cited lately for his poor attitude, especially towards head coach Doc River and general manager Danny Ainge. Not to mention, the Celtics have a higher winning percentage in the 12 games Rondo missed in 2012 than the 10-13 record they hold with him at the helm. Rondo’s trade potential is also Boston’s best leverage dealing with other teams. He is the youngest star-caliber player on the team and can likely reap good talent in return.

Despite those reports, both Rivers and Ainge are standing by their star point guard. The Celtics’ head coach has gone so far as to say nothing is wrong between Rondo and the organization.

“My relationship with Rajon is as strong as it has ever been. Our communication has never been better. I want him here,” said Rivers in response to allegations of a feuding relationship with the three time all-star.

Rivers went on to say that he is almost certain Rondo would not be going anywhere this season.

In other trade news, Pau Gasol’s name is centered on many team’s current trade ambitions. There are talks of him being involved with a trade to the Houston Rockets, or to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard. While the Orlando/L.A. trade may be far-fetched, some say it could be a blockbuster trade in the works involving other standout players, like Hedo Turkoglu.

What’s more, there is buzz about Gasol leaving Los Angeles for Boston in exchange for Rondo. As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the fate of Gasol will be decided. Without a doubt his tenure as a Laker seems to be drawing to an end with all of the trade talks.

On a related note, there are rumors that Dwight Howard wants to team with Steve Nash. Whether that means Howard to the Phoenix Suns or Nash to the Orlando Magic is uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the combination on the court would be a thrill to watch.

At this point, the fate of Howard is also largely up in the air. He has made it crystal clear that he wants a big shift to happen. This comes after the Golden State Warriors made repeated attempts at landing a deal with Howard. They continue to do so.

Away from trade talks, Lamar Odom’s presence in Dallas seems to be on the rocks as he has missed two extra games than previously expected while attending to family affairs. He is currently scheduled to play on the Dallas Mavericks’ D-league team. The demotion of sorts seems to be more of a precautionary measure, making sure to easy him back into the NBA pace after his extended leave. However, it could also be a message for him to better communicate with his team and front office.

“Trust factor is always big. For that, he’s going to have to earn it with a lot of the guys. But we all give second chances, third chances,” Dallas Point Guard Jason Kidd said about his distant teammate.

Obviously, Odom has some work to do by regaining the trust of his teammates and organization. Ultimately, what really matters is his performance on the court and how he meshes with his teammates. It is evident that Kidd and fellow teammate Dirk Nowitzki want another championship, whether Odom has the commitment to be a part of that remains to be seen.

This post brought to you courtesy of Porter from UsDirect.com.

The International Olympic Committee’s latest promotional campaign is asking the world to “Show Your Best”, by inviting people around the world to submit videos showcasing their talents. The grand prize is a feature in the global Olympic TV spot and a trip to the London 2012 Olympic Games!

Timo Lumme, Managing Director of IOC Television & Marketing Services, said: “Not everyone can be an Olympic athlete, but everyone can strive to be their best at something. This campaign celebrates that effort.” For instance:

• Athletes can submit a video of their best pass, punt, shot, kick, goal, tackle, jump, throw, time, etc.
• Tricksters can submit a video showcasing their acrobatics, hula hooping, handstands, skateboard tricks, kneeboard skills, etc.
• Just about anyone can submit a video of their first time skydiving, water skiing (or skiing at all for that matter), standing up while surfing, ice skating, paragliding, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc.

So what are you waiting for? Whatever you’re skilled at or would like to try, film your personal best on your camera or smartphone, and upload it to their site for your chance to win.

Good luck!

A tearful Gavin Maloof announced the pact after the Kings’ co-owners emerged from a Monday morning meeting in Orlando, Fla., The Sacramento Bee reported.

“We’ve always said we wanted to stay in Sacramento, and now’s our opportunity,” Joe Maloof said, according to the newspaper.

The Maloofs agreed to contribute more than $70 million upfront to the construction of the arena, “probably another $75 million over the term of the agreement.”

“Today is a new day for Sacramento and a defining moment for our community,” Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said. “We came to Orlando needing to convert both ends of a one-and-one free throw. Over the weekend, the city hit the front end of the free throw by making clear it had delivered on its promises and, today, the Maloof family hit the second free throw by stepping up and increasing their contribution.”

MVP: Kevin Durant – 36 points.

Milestone: Kobe passed Jordan for most points in All-Star game history.

East Leading Scorer: LeBron – 36 points.

Triple Double: D-Wade – 24 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists.

The Rising Stars Challenge belonged to Cavs rookie Kyrie Irving Friday night, as the first overall pick made eight 3-pointers and finished with 34 points, winning the MVP of the event.

The output by Irving helping Team Chuck beat Team Shaq 146-133.

Indiana’s Paul George added 23 points, and another Cavalier – Tristan Thompson scored 20 points to lead Team Shaq. New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin only had two points.

This year’s Rising Stars Challenge had a different format, with the rookie and second-year players mixed together on teams for the first time. The league also inserted a little more name recognition with former stars Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley serving as general managers and drafting the teams.

While the teams had a different look, there was once again no real defensive effort and plenty of fan-pleasing fast breaks and flashy play.

Irving opened the game with an alley-oop to George, and Minnesota rookie Ricky Rubio turned routine passes to his Shaq teammates into behind-the-back and between-the-leg looks.

It was part of an acrobatic early tone that was fast-paced and allowed the next generation of stars to showcase open-court and aerial skills that have already made many of them fan favorites on their respective teams.

Lin had a relatively quiet night. His biggest highlight came early in the second half when he took a pass from Rubio and drove it underneath for a reverse layup.

He played just nine minutes before heading to the bench midway in the second half, and instead mostly yielded to the more high-flying players on his team. He took just four shots.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin had several highlights while playing for Team Shaq, catching several alley oops and even throwing his own pass off the glass and catching it for a dunk.

His return to action has been rumored for weeks, propelled by an inspiring showing at the Pro-Am tournament in North Carolina last summer.

It only became rekindled by, according to league sources, an improved conditioning regimen that apparently has him looking better than he has “in years.”