By Josh Cohen ORLANDO -- In between Orlando Magic games throughout the NBA season, it’s always enjoyable to sit back on the couch, or better yet, the Magic Theater Recliner (Buy Here), and watch a rousing and inspirational movie about basketball. Hoops flicks have several purposes: To stir our sports-enthused minds, buildup our real-life aspirations and prepare fans for actual basketball. There have been many classics throughout the years. Some movie buffs suggest Hoosiers, a 1986 film about a small-town high school basketball team in Indiana that wins the state championship, is the “original” of all hoops movies. Others, on the other hand, propose that the most “engaging” basketball motion pictures are those that feature NBA stars. For instance, Space Jam, starring Michael Jordan, Blue Chips, featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, He Got Game, highlighting Ray Allen and Just Wright, including Dwight Howard, are some of the notable flicks that included NBA players. I have watched nearly every basketball movie ever made and I decided to rank my top 16. But rather than conclude which was my favorite of all-time, I think it would be fitting to let you, the fans, determine the best hoops film in American history. Below are the matchups. Vote for which movie you think was more entertaining, more stirring and more inspirational. The winners will advance to the next round until a champion is crowned. If you have not seen a particular movie from the list, I recommend you rent it, watch it and judge fairly.
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