The Donald Sterling fiasco has been pathetic on so many levels, but unfortunately it has overshadowed some pretty amazing basketball stories so far in the NBA playoffs. We have Oklahoma City and Memphis playing four overtime games in a row! That’s right. Four in a row.

Meanwhile, parity seems to have suddenly appeared in the NBA, as suddenly the Indiana Pacers have forgotten how to play basketball. Roy Hibbert in particular has been a complete mess, but the entire team has looked lost since they traded Danny Granger and decided to take on ultimate head case Andrew Bynum. The Atlanta Hawks have taken advantage of the situation and are on the verge of a stunning upset.

Staying the the East, Tom Thibodeau’s “genius” credentials are less impressive when playoff time comes around and everybody plays hard. Joakim Noah won the defensive player of the year award and then got humiliated in round one of the playoffs as Nene consistently abused him and treated him like a WNBA player. Suddenly we have the Washington Wizards moving on to round two. Either we’re seeing these young teams turn the corner or Miami will have a cake-walk to the Finals.

In the West we’ve seen tough battles in every series, with the Clippers trying to battle through the Sterling distraction and the Spurs trying not to blow big leads against the Mavs. But there has been a serious disappointment out West, and we’re not talking about the Thunder. The Houston Rockets are in a must-win game tonight down 3-1 against a tough Portland team. But James Harden hasn’t been living up to the hype, except for achieving his epic ineptitude on defense. Dwight Howard has looked pretty good, but Harden has to play better in the playoffs for Houston to have a chance. Oh, and there’s the “coaching” of Kevin McHale. The man is an all-time great, but it seems that all the experts are killing him this week.

So all of this craziness is either making you crazy or getting you excited for the opportunities if you’re into betting the games or series. You can check the lines at the Bovada sportsbook and then see if you can figure out what happens next. Miami fans have to be thrilled at this point, while many of the other favorites are sweating bullets. Oh, and if you’re a Chicago fan and you’re stunned by the early exit, stick to picking hockey games.

If you’re looking for cool NBA-themed gifts for the holidays or some new gear for yourself, check out these new “BIG Logo” uniforms unveiled by adidas and the NBA that will be worn by all 10 teams playing on the Christmas Day games. The “BIG Logo” Holiday Collection incorporates short-sleeve jerseys featuring oversized team logos in a reflective chrome color scheme on the chest as well as holiday-inspired warm-up jackets and shooting shirts and are available for purchase NBAStore.com. I suspect plenty of NBA fans would love to get this as a gift and then see players wearing them on Christmas day so this looks like a great promotional idea.

Check out the slideshow above as Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Harrison Barnes and Iman Shumpert show off the new jerseys. Also, keep an eye out for the new TV spot below showcasing the new uniforms.

Here’s the NBA game schedule on ESPN and ABC channels:

12 p.m. – Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets
2:30 p.m. – Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks
5 p.m. – Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers
8 p.m. – Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs
10:30 p.m. – L.A. Clippers at Golden State Warriors

According to Mayan prophecy, the world is set to expire on December 21, 2012. With only 4 1/2 weeks (and counting) to the end of the world, Old Spice has recruited arguably the best defender of all-time – NBA legend and global ambassador Dikembe Mutombo – to save the planet from its impending peril!

In a new digital campaign launched last week promoting its Champion scent, “Dikembe Mutombo’s 4 1/2 Weeks to Save the World” is a real-time, embeddable digital video game where Mutombo will embark on weekly globe-saving missions based on current news happening and events (featured in the narrative and gameplay) that could be considered signs that the Apocalypse is coming.

Bullz-Eye: Tell us about the game. According to the site you have 4 1/2 weeks to save the world before the end of the Mayan calendar, correct?

Dikembe Mutombo: I team up with Old Spice to promote the computer game and we have to save the world in 4 1/2 weeks. Also to promote Champion scent from Old Spice. It’s a wonderful game for everybody to play.

Bullz-Eye: The concept is you’re going to defeat your rivals and save the world. Is there any way you could save everyone on Earth except for my ex-wife?

DM: (Laughing) We have to save the entire world. We’re going to save the world because the Mayan calendar says it will end in four and a half weeks. And we’re going to do our best to stay alive.

BE: If you could just reject her head to like the 10^th row, I’d really appreciate it. Just like you’re blocking Shaq.

DM: (Laughing) You’re funny man. It’s like blocking a shot and if I could, I’d send it all the way to the 10th row, no problem.

BE: Let’s talk about Georgetown. You played there with Alonzo Mourning and a lot of other great players. Why couldn’t you and Zo win a national title?

DM: Man, that is a major question that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. We had a chance and ultimately went to the NBA to become dominant centers and we had opportunities to win in college. The opportunity was there, and we just didn’t do it.

BE: This may not be a basketball question, but it’s become an internet meme, and we’ve got to ask you about “Who wants to sex Mutombo?” story.

DM: That story is not true. I don’t know who came up with that story. Nobody ever said who was there at the party with me, who was out with me. First of all, when I came to Georgetown, I didn’t know English. So why would my mind come across like that? Plus, playing for Coach Thompson, one of the most disciplined coaches in college, he was very strict and knew where we were every night. Somebody asked me about it once and I said it was a made-up story. When you’re awesome, beautiful, tall, whatever, people will try to make up stories about you.

BE: How did the finger wave come to be your signature move?

DM: It happened after my 3rd year, just before we beat the Seattle Supersonics in the 1994 NBA playoffs. I was having such a great year and blocking shots and I was moving up in the league. I used to block the shot and then I would shake my hand and no one said nothing. One day, I decided shaking the hand doesn’t really mean nothing, maybe the best way not to come into the House of Mutombo is to wave my finger, so it worked out very cool. But it ended up getting me a lot of technicals.

BE: How did the NBA come to ban that? Did Does David Stern call you personally?

DM: It came from the players. You would hear from someone like Phil Jackson or something, that maybe you better stop what you’re doing it’s costing a lot of money. It was good for me to do in the players face, but if I could face the fans and wave my finger away from the players face, it would be great. That’s why you see in the last 5 years you can see I started doing it away from the players face. So I don’t have to lose a couple of thousand dollars.

BE: Was there anybody you loved to do it to where it was worth losing a couple thousand bucks?

DM: There were a lot of players who did it to me. Yes, a few players who had a chance to dunk on me. Like Michael Jordan in the playoffs, he had a big dunk and waved his finger at me. But he got a technical foul.

BE: Who was your favorite NBA player to block?

DM: That’s a good question. To me, not just one particular player. But I think playing against Shawn Kemp… he was such a high jumping, athletic player.

BE: Skinny 200 pound Shawn Kemp? Or fat 300 pound Shawn Kemp?

DM: (Laughing) Come on man! I don’t know what new Shawn Kemp looks like now, because I haven’t seen him in a while, but old Shawn Kemp!

BE: How gratifying was it to be the first eight-seed to beat a one-seed when your Nuggets beat Kemp’s Sonics in 1994?

DM: One of my proudest successes of my career. But I’m happy to promote the Old Spice game now. I want everyone to go to the website and play the game to save the world. We only have four and a half weeks, so we better do it.

Play the game “Dikembe Mutombo’s 4 1/2 Weeks to Save the World” and buy Old Spice Champion Scent here.

Old Spice’s fans and casual video gamers will also play a major role in helping save the universe. All points earned and submitted over the duration of the 4 1/2-week game will power a wood carver engineered to draw additional rings on the Mayan Calendar.

It’s been a crazy NBA season, but we really shouldn’t be surprised. With little preparation after the chaotic NBA lockout, few people expected solid play around the league. But coming off of last night’s All-Star Game, there are plenty of storylines for the second half of the season.

The Miami Heat are certainly getting plenty of attention. Despite his errant pass last night that ultimately decided the game, LeBron James is having another monster season. Naturally, the pundits who are only capable of living in the moment have made their proclamations of how LeBron James is again proving he’s the best player in the NBA, yet the rest of us know that regular season stats mean nothing. In the end, James needs to prove that he can perform when an NBA title is on the line. Plain and simple, he choked last year, and nothing will help him overcome that until he actually contributes to an NBA championship.

The biggest story, of course, has been Jeremy Lin. The NBA betting lines regarding the New York Knicks have been all over the place, as this team started by underachieving, and the Lin came along and sparked a remarkable winning streak. That said, Lin was exposed a little against Miami as he really needs to work on his defense, but he’s still an amazing story and has real talent.

Lin might not be the best new talent in the league, however, as Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving has been dazzling onlookers all year long and then put on a show during All-Star weekend.

Then we have all the possible trades, as the make-up of many teams will hinge on what happens with Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol.

In the end, this all might come down to a battle of superstars again in the Finals, as Kevin Durant seems poised to stake his claim as one of the NBA great.

It should be fun to watch.

The first thing you notice when entering a gentlemen’s club is the quality of the talent. When I walked into Rick’s Cabaret in New York City recently for a night of fun and relaxation, I saw exactly what I expected from an upscale gentlemen’s club – tons of beautiful girls! You can have a great location and plush décor, but none of that matters without the entertainers.

Once you’re surrounded by eye candy, you can sit back with your drink and really get the feel for a place. Finding decked out, upscale clubs in New York is easy, but the atmosphere can vary greatly. At Rick’s I found a fun and relaxed atmosphere that put me at ease immediately. I noticed it right away with the attitude of the girls and the staff, and the cozy feel of the venue added to the experience. The idea is to have fun and everyone at Rick’s Cabaret gets it.

The tone is set in large part by Lonnie Hanover who is a legend in the New York nightlife scene. Howard Stern fans will recognize him as the guy who always takes care of Howard and the crew from his show. When they need a night on the town, Lonnie handles it, and they’ve been coming to Rick’s ever since Lonnie moved there. Lonnie knows how to show people a good time and celebrities from all over flock to Rick’s because they know Lonnie will take care of them. Anyone looking for privacy can request entrance through one of the side doors direct to the private VIP suites. But this sense of hospitality permeates the culture at Rick’s so that every customer is treated well and everyone there wants you to have a good time.

The girls working at Rick’s are simply gorgeous and there’s something for everybody depending on your taste with plenty of bikini models and fashion model types mixed in with the sexy girl next door. The key is that they’re all very friendly which you don’t always find in the upscale clubs.

With the decked out venue with 10,000 square feet and classy atmosphere, Rick’s Cabaret is naturally a great spot for entertaining business clients as well. The club features a great steakhouse so you can make a full night of it and the VIP area on the top floor is second-to-none. Throw in the smoking deck on the roof and great views of the city and you can indulge in anything you like. But you don’t have to break the bank to have a great time here. The atmosphere throughout the club makes it an ideal spot to party with a group or spend some quality time with one of the entertainers. Their website features daily specials including lunch and drink deals.

They also come up with great promotions like Rick’s Basketball Association during the NBA lockout. Check out the pics in the slideshow above where former NBA star Spud Webb is introduced as coach of Rick’s Cabaret/New York City team. “The girls love Spud,” said New York team member Sky. “We picked him to be coach because he’s such an inspiration to people.” The New York team will be playing against teams of dancers from the Minneapolis Downtown Cabaret and Tootsie’s Cabaret in Miami. That should be fun!

There’s nothing worse than paying the cover at a gentlemen’s club and then being disappointed when you walk in. Some clubs just don’t have the girls, while others can create an upscale environment but take all the fun out of the experience. That’s not a problem here. Based on what we saw in New York, you’ll love Rick’s Cabaret.