It ruined the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant pairing in Los Angeles, but Tracy McGrady won't let it derail Houston's title hopes.
With McGrady and Yao Ming, the Rockets resemble the Shaq-Kobe Lakers - one team, two superstars. One player has to be "the man,'' and O'Neal and Bryant both demanded that role.
McGrady doesn't care.
"I never did,'' he said. "I had no choice (in Orlando) but to go out and carry the team, because I didn't have Grant Hill. When I came here, I've got a big guy that I can go throw the ball to and he gets 25 shots a night and I could defer to him.''
When McGrady joined Orlando from Toronto, it was thought he would be Hill's sidekick, but Hill never stayed healthy.
McGrady turned into one of the league's most explosive scorers while playing for some bad teams, but he's never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. He said he believes the way to make it happen is by riding on the back of his 7-foot-6 center, who McGrady says is playing at an "MVP-caliber level.''
"I'm all about winning. I'm a very unselfish player,'' he said. "For me, it's all about getting Ws. I've won scoring championships. I don't care about none of that stuff no more. I'm at a point in my career where I just want to win ballgames. So if that's going out averaging 12, 15 points and we're winning ballgames, so be it.''
Not everyone agrees that a player who won two scoring titles and is one of league's most talented offensive players is best served being a No. 2 option.
"For (Houston) to go to the next level, Tracy McGrady cannot be the second man on the team,'' announcer Doug Collins said during TNT's telecast of the Rockets' game against the Bulls last Thursday. "He has to be the dominant guy on this team and not run away from the responsibility of being their best player.''
McGrady's way is working now. Yao has dominated, and the Rockets, who struggled last season when both players frequently were hurt, look like a contender in the tough Southwest Division.
"I think it's death with either one, because they're both capable of winning the basketball game,'' Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "It's a matter of pick your poison.''
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Friday, August 31, 2007
Who’s ‘The Man’ in Houston? McGrady Says, ‘Who Cares?’
Elson Suffers Fracture Of Left Eye Orbit
Elson was examined earlier today in San Antonio. He will have surgery within the next week. Elson is expected to be able to resume limited basketball activity one week after his surgery. Elson should be cleared for full contact by mid to late September. The injury will force him to wear a protective face mask throughout the 2007 preseason.
Krzyzewski Has Bryant's Back !
LAS VEGAS -- On the court, Kobe Bryant has been a ferocious defender for Mike Krzyzewski in the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament. Off the court, Krzyzewski is an equally strong defender of Bryant.
The bond between player and coach was formed when Bryant considered coming to Duke rather than jumping directly from high school to the pros. It was strengthened when Krzyzewski considered leaving Duke to coach the Lakers after Phil Jackson's departure in 2004.
And it has been sealed now that they are finally united on the U.S. basketball team.
While Bryant has been heavily criticized for his meltdown after the NBA season, when he went back and forth on his desire to remain a Laker, Krzyzewski is sympathetic.
"I would always want guys who would want to win," Krzyzewski said. "The fact that he's frustrated because they are not winning at the level he would like, I think that's a good problem. I'm sure the Lakers will work things out. The thing about Kobe is that every thing he does is so public. It's the scrutiny placed on an individual who has won three world championships and is considered the best player in the world. That goes with the territory.
"Krzyzewski says he has been there for Bryant behind the scenes.
"It's not so much you give advice," said the coach, "because to give advice, you have to have knowledge of the situation. What you want to do is give support, say, 'I'm behind you. Stay steadfast in what you want to do.'
"The two also spoke when it was Krzyzewski's future that was uncertain.
"When I was considering the Laker situation," Krzyzewski said, "he told me he loved the Laker organization and if that's what I wanted to do, he wanted to work with me. No pressure or anything like that. What came across during that time was his love of L.A. and his love of the Laker organization."
click for more details
source : latimes.com
Brandan Wright: Getting Ready For Life In The NBA
On Draft Night 2007, the Warriors made big news by trading Jason Richardson to the Charlotte Bobcats. And while initial reactions to the trade have centered on the six-year veteran, much less attention has been given to the player landed in exchange for Richardson - rookie Brandan Wright. Still more than two months away from seeing his first NBA regular season action, Wright wasn’t just a throw-in in this deal. He was the deal.
"We are very excited that we were able to get Brandan," Warriors Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin said on draft night. "We targeted him from the outset of the draft and we feel that with his athleticism, length and ability to block shots, he fits perfectly into our up-tempo style of play."
Although he’s just a rookie, Wright is well aware of the fact that he has some large shoes to fill.
Wright joins the Warriors with quite a pedigree. The No. 8 selection in the 2007 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-10 forward played one season for one of the premiere programs in all of college basketball at the University of North Carolina. Wright did more than just hold his own with the Tar Heels.
Bobcats Re-Sign Jeff McInnis
Charlotte Bobcats Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bernie Bickerstaff and General Manager Rod Higgins announced Wednesday that the team has re-signed guard Jeff McInnis, who became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Bobcats acquired the 6-4, 190-pound Charlotte native in a January 3, 2007 trade with the New Jersey Nets.
McInnis appeared in 38 games for the Bobcats last season, averaging 4.3 points, 3.3 assists and 1.6 rebounds. In three starts, he averaged 10.3 points, 5.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds, including a season-high 17 points on January 20 against Atlanta.
McInnis, who left the University of North Carolina after his junior season, was selected by Denver in the second round (37th overall pick) of the 1996 NBA Draft.
He has played in 522 career games for seven different teams over his 10 NBA seasons with career averages of 9.9 points, 4.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds split between Denver, Washington, L.A. Clippers, Portland, Cleveland, New Jersey and Charlotte.
source : NBA.com
How Kohl Sealed Deal With Yi
Sen. Herb Kohl is accustomed to the intricate circles of influence in Washington, D.C
On Wednesday, Kohl became a power broker in a different sphere as he sat in Hong Kong with Chinese basketball star Yi Jianlian and his representatives at the Peninsula Hotel.
Kohl, the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and the team's president, was integral during the negotiation process as the Bucks reached agreement with the 7-foot Yi, who signed a multiyear deal with the National Basketball Association franchise.
The talks, which included Bucks general manager Larry Harris, ended about 3 p.m. in Hong Kong (about 2 a.m. Wednesday Milwaukee time).
Now, instead of a long stalemate dragging into training camp or beyond, the Bucks can begin making the plans that will include the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft.
Early Wednesday morning, Kohl said Yi and his parents, along with Guangdong Tigers owner Chen Haitao, were impressed with the Bucks' "willingness to literally go the last mile, which is to come here."
Harris and team vice president Ron Walter also were present for the meetings with Chinese basketball officials, including Chen. Both Harris and Walter helped persuade Yi and his agents, easing their doubts over his role within the team.
click for more details
source : jsonline.com
Thursday, August 30, 2007
COMPETITION SYSTEM FORMAT
Sixteen teams will compete in EuroBasket 2007. Four groups of four teams will play in Alicante, Granada, Palma de Mallorca and Seville.
Only the top three teams from each group will go on to the next round. These 12 teams that have classified will be divided into two groups of six teams (the three best from groups A and B on one side and the three best from groups C and D on the other). The second round will be held in Madrid.
Subsequently, after all the teams have faced each other, and taking into account the results obtained from the first round, the four best teams from each one of the two groups of six will move on to the quarterfinals, which will be played in a single game format (the fourth-placed team of one group will play the first-placed team of the other, the second-placed team of one group will face the third-placed team of the other, and so on).
source : eurobasket2007.org
James’ Hot Shotting Lifts U.S. Team Over Uruguay
LAS VEGAS, August 30, 2007 (AP) -- LeBron James couldn't miss, not from 3-point range and certainly not while soaring for a series of powerful dunks.
And that was all before halftime.
James was 11-for-11 from the field, making all four of his 3-point attempts, and scored 26 points in the first half Wednesday night to lead the United States to a 118-79 victory over Uruguay in the FIBA Americas tournament.
In a sensational display of speed and power, James raised his tournament-leading shooting percentage to an almost comical 79.7 percent (47-of-59). He is 14-of-20 from 3-point range, a 70 percent mark that also leads the event.
Despite playing only 14 minutes, he fell two points shy of the American record in an Olympic qualifying game shared by Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson.
The Americans will face fellow unbeaten Argentina on Thursday in the final game of the second round. A victory would send the United States into Saturday's semifinals as the No. 1 seed.
That will be the sixth straight night with a game for the Americans, but the easy victory Wednesday allowed them to get some rest. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski rested his starters for the entire second half, but the Americans still had no problem meeting the 117.5 average they entered the game at.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
KINGS ADD REX KALAMIAN TO COACHING STAFF
SACRAMENTO, CA, Wednesday, August 29, 2007 --- The The Sacramento Kings today added Rex Kalamian to their coaching staff as an assistant coach, it was announced by Kings' President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.
"Rex brings a lot of experience to the job," said Petrie. "Reggie intervied a lot of people and felt he would be the best fit for the remaining vacancy on his staff. We all look forward to working with him and the contribution he can make."
Kalamian, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves, enters his first season with the Kings and 15th year overall in the NBA. He served as an assistant coach for player development for the Denver Nuggets in 2004-05.
"I think Rex really does round out a very good coaching staff," explained Kings' Head Coach Reggie Theus. "I think it's as important to blend experience with personalities, and we have a good blend of both with this coaching staff. I'm very excited because I got to know Rex when he was working with the Clippers and I was doing television in Los Angeles. So there was some familiarity there with him."
Prior to joining the staff in Denver, Kalamian served as a West Coast scout for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2003-04. Additionally, he spent 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kalamian began his career with the Clippers as an assistant to the scouting department in 1992 before being promoted to video coach in 1994. In addition to his many responsibilities on the bench, Kalamian prepared scouting reports on upcoming opponents for coaches and players, as well as breaking down individual player performance.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Fernandez Honoured Before Spain Win
EuroBasket fever hit Palma de Mallorca Tuesday night as Germany and Spain played their second friendly in less than a week and fans had a chance to pay tribute to young superstar Rudy Fernandez.
The 22-year-old was named the FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year for his efforts with club and country in 2006, culminating in a World Championship for Spain.
FIBA Europe Secretary General Nar Zanolin and the President of the Spanish Basketball Federation Jose Luis Saez were on hand to present Fernandez with the award, which earned him a standing ovation from the sellout crowd.
“This award is a real honor,” said Fernandez.
“It means that I am ahead of people like Andrea Bargnani and Ersan Ilyasova (second and third in the voting) and that’s something that really motivates me to get better and to continue to do the same things I’ve been doing until now.”
The 22-year-old credited National Team Coach Pepu Hernandez with his growth saying: “Pepu gave me a lot of self confidence (at the World Championships) in Japan and I was really satisfied with the work that I did there.”
Fernandez celebrated the newest addition to his trophy case with 12 points in a game where both teams struggled to find their rhythm on offense, though Spain had the better of the action, coming away with a 72-56 victory.
The DKV Joventut star did bring the capacity crowd to its feet four minutes from time when he caught a Jose Calderon alley-oop pass and threw down a reverse dunk worthy of the highlight reel.
The Spanish were in control most of the way with the partisan crowd providing plenty of motivation.
Despite a sub-par performance from Dirk Nowitzki the Germans managed to keep it close, trailing by just three at the half way mark.
Spain then went on a 15-3 run to start the second half and it was never in doubt from there.
click for more details
source : fibaeurope.com
Clippers Sign Veteran Forward Ruben Patterson
The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent forward Ruben Patterson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
A nine-year NBA veteran, Patterson is coming off a successful 2006-07 season in Milwaukee, where he established new career-highs by averaging 14.7 points, 2.9 assists and 31.4 minutes per game. Patterson appeared in 81 games for the Bucks, equaling a career-high while also tying his career-high with 5.4 rebounds per game. Patterson shot 55 percent from the field last season, his highest field goal percentage as a pro.
“We are thrilled to add Ruben to our team,” Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor said. “Ruben plays hard every single night. He is an aggressive defensive player and has a real enthusiasm for the game. He gives 100 percent every game.”
The Clippers will be Patterson’s fifth NBA team, as he spent the 2006-07 season with the Bucks after appearing in 70 games and splitting time with the Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets in 2005-06. Patterson faced the Clippers in the 2006 NBA Playoffs, appearing in four games and starting one as the Clippers defeated the Nuggets.
“I am really excited by our signing of Ruben Patterson,” Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He is a great competitor. I have always admired the intensity he brings from game to game. His versatility will help improve our team.”
In his career, which has also seen stops with the Seattle Supersonics and Los Angeles Lakers, Patterson has averaged 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Originally drafted by the Lakers with the 31st overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of Cincinnati, Patterson played in 10 games for AEK Athens in Greece during the 1998-99 season as well. The Ohio native signed with Seattle before the 1999-2000 season and then moved to Portland prior to the 2001-02 season.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Viagogo, NBA Strike Deal for NBA Europe Live
Viagogo, Europe’s leading secondary ticketing company, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced an agreement that will make viagogo the official secondary ticketing partner of 2007 NBA Europe Live Presented by EA SPORTS™ in London.
The partnership, which marks the first time that the NBA has had a secondary ticketing partner in Europe, allows viagogo to serve as the official secondary ticketing provider of the game at The O2 in London between the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves on October 10. viagogo will provide fans with a secure and guaranteed way to buy and exchange game tickets online. In addition, viagogo will auction off exclusive NBA Europe Live packages that will include tickets to the game and related events in London.
“The National Basketball Association is a huge draw for sports fans and we’re excited to be working with them to bring the best of US basketball to the UK,” said viagogo CEO Eric Baker. “viagogo is unique as it offers fans the only safe, secure and guaranteed way to see this sold out game, and this deal cements our leadership position as the best online ticketing destination for live events.”
“There is a high level of excitement in the UK as we prepare to stage the first NBA event in the country since 1995,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, Vice President, Marketing Partnerships and Business Development, NBA Europe. “With tickets to the game sold out it is a natural fit for us to partner with viagogo, the leading secondary ticketing company in Europe.”
Working with the NBA extends viagogo’s roster of key sports partnerships into top class basketball, having already established itself in football and rugby as the official secondary ticketing partner of Manchester United, Chelsea FC, Everton FC, Blackburn Rovers FC, Portsmouth FC, FC Bayern Munich, Heart of Midlothian FC and rugby clubs London Wasps and Leicester Tigers.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Elson Out Six Weeks With Fractured Orbital Bone
ALMERE, Netherlands -- San Antonio Spurs center Francisco Elson left Holland's national team Wednesday after he was diagnosed with a fractured eye socket that is expected to sideline him for six weeks.
ElsonElson sustained the injury from an elbow to the face during the Netherlands' 77-72 European Championship victory over Belarus in Almere, near Amsterdam, last week.
He also played Saturday as the Dutch lost at Slovakia, 80-75, But medical staff became concerned when Elson complained of double vision. On Tuesday, he consulted an eye specialist in Rotterdam, who performed a scan and determined Elson had suffered a fractured orbital socket.
After consulting with the Spurs and their medical staff, the national team sent Elson home to undergo treatment from the NBA champions' doctors.
It is believed that Elson will be unable to play for six weeks. That would still allow him to join the Spurs early in their training camp.
"Six weeks is average for an injury like this," said Dutch national team doctor Erik Jager. "The scan showed he has a little fracture at the bottom of his eye socket. At that time, I said he could not play any more and Francisco called his agent, who spoke with the Spurs. They called him directly to the States. I do not think Francisco needs to have an operation but, if he does, they want him to have it there.
"Francisco is very sad about this," Jager said. "I spoke with him today and he wanted to stay here to have treatment so he could support the team. He still wants to come back in one week to support his teammates."
click for more details
source : sports.espn.go.com
Strawberry Is Ripe With Anticipation
It's usually impressive when a second-round draft pick is signed by an NBA team. But what's even more remarkable about D.J. Strawberry's signing with the Suns, is that three years ago he thought his basketball career was finished.
Coming off a strong inaugural season at the University of Maryland, Strawberry tore his ACL at practice during the early part of his sophomore year. A couple days after completing surgery, the former Terrapin remembers his despair.
"There was a lot of doubt that I'd ever play basketball again," Strawberry recalled. "I felt like it was never going to happen."
However, he continued to persevere.
"It was a long process," the guard said." My trainer and I worked everyday. The days I didn't want to come in she (my trainer) drove out to my house, picked me up and made me work on my knee. But day-by-day I got a little bit stronger and then I finally reached the point where I was better than before."
Strawberry returned to the court revitalized and closed out an exceptional college career. He was named to the All-ACC Second Team, the ACC All-Defensive Team and won back-to-back ACC Player of Week honors during his senior season.
But it wasn't his accolades that drew the attention of NBA scouts, it was his freakish athletic ability.
Strawberry tested off the charts at the pre-draft camp, producing eye-popping numbers for shuttle times, horizontal quickness, strength and vertical leap. Not only was he calculated as the best overall athlete in his position, but as the best overall in camp.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
A loving farewell for Griffin
The late-morning sun brightened the windows of the First African Baptist Church in Sharon Hill, Delaware County, but midway through yesterday's "Service of Celebration" for Eddie Griffin, a little more light was added inside.
Photographs of Griffin were beamed onto the back wall: Griffin with his family, with the daughter he loved, and in various basketball uniforms, often smiling widely.
There were scriptures read, from the Old Testament and New, Psalm 23 and John 14:1-6. From the soaring gospel hymn "Can't Give Up Now," a trio sang, "I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me."
Outside, neighborhood youths watched a procession of basketball dignitaries fill the church, from former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Kevin Garnett to local stars. Teammates and coaches from Griffin's days at Roman Catholic High and Seton Hall filled the pews.
Waiting out in the sun, one young man held a basketball in his hand.
Inside the packed church was the 25-year-old's casket, brought here from Houston, where Griffin was killed on Aug. 17 when his SUV slammed into the side of a moving freight train in the middle of the night.
Former Seton Hall teammate Marcus Toney-El stepped to a podium and spoke of his friendship with Griffin, how they had made a pact to go to the same college, and how Griffin crossed North Carolina off his list because Toney-El was not recruited by the Tar Heels.
"I don't know if I'm being selfish because I want him here or happy he's going to a better place," Toney-El said.
This wasn't the time or place for anyone to speak of the demons in Griffin's life. His sister, Marian Middleton, after reading "a poem from Eddie in heaven," pointedly said not to believe anything in the media. She said that her brother was not looking to end his life, that he had things to look forward to, such as the birthdays of nieces and nephews, which he would not have missed.
She said to remember Griffin as they really knew him, from family barbecues and other get-togethers.
An obituary was read that began by saying, "Eddie Jamaal Griffin was a man of few words." It went on to talk about how he was always "quiet in his generosity and . . . was extremely giving to his family, with stipends, houses, cars and vacations."
Many news reports have focused on Griffin's missteps and his addiction to alcohol, the problems that kept him from the heights that seemed to be his destiny after he was named Parade magazine's national high school player of the year as a senior at Roman Catholic.
Chandler's Rise Is Easy To See Now
You're waiting for Tyson Chandler to gloat, to refer to his critics and detractors and relish the opportunity to tell them where they can stick the harsh words that draped their assessments of his NBA career.
But he won't, as much as he has earned the right, as much as no one would begrudge him the counterpunch. Because, goodness knows, he's been punched hard and often enough that it would've been understandable if he'd chosen to stay down, rather than get up and risk more punishment.
But he won't -- which, actually, is a good thing for a certain columnist.
That doesn't make his rise as a Hornet, for which the word "meteoric" hardly does justice, any less impressive to us or satisfying to him.
A little more than 13 months ago, Chandler was a throwaway for the Chicago Bulls, who happily traded him to the Hornets in exchange for veteran forward P.J. Brown and guard J.R. Smith. In five non-remarkable seasons with the Bulls, Chandler, the No. 2 overall pick in 2001, didn't average more than 9.2 points, 9.7 rebounds or 1.76 blocks per game.
Today, he's one of the 12 members of Team USA, playing with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in the FIBA Americas Tournament in Las Vegas. The tournament is one of five Olympic qualifying zone tournaments and will determine the two men's teams from the Americas zone that will qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
click for more details
source : nola.com
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Quarter Final Round 2 Results
Game Date
Tuesday, Aug. 28
Venezuela 88, Uruguay 79
Argentina 85, Canada 70
Brazil 104, Mexico 90
USA 117, Puerto Rico 78
Bucks Sign Yi Jianlian To Multi-Year Contract
Yi Jianlian is expected to join the team for training camp that begins on Monday, October 1 at the Bucks Training Center in St. Francis, WI.
“There has been a genuine excitement throughout our city and state, as well as internationally, following our selection of Yi in the NBA Draft,” said Senator Herb Kohl. “We all anticipate Yi’s arrival and welcome him and his family to Milwaukee. We look forward to a successful relationship for many years to come.”
“We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge and thank Mr. Chen for his assistance and support in the negotiating process,” Kohl added.
“We were thrilled to be able to draft Yi Jianlian in June and are equally excited to sign him to a NBA contract as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks,” said Harris. “We drafted Yi with the expectation that he would be a part of our franchise for a very long time and this is the first step in that process. Yi is a skilled and versatile young man who we have seen play numerous times over the last few years including this summer in the NBA Summer League. Our players and coaches look forward to working with Yi and I know our fans will enjoy watching him compete with the many talented, young players on our roster.”
NBA Commissioner David J. Stern commented, “We are happy that Yi will be playing with the Bucks to further develop his skill and his contribution to both the Chinese National Team and the NBA. This is another great example of cooperation between the CBA and the NBA and I want to congratulate the CBA, Mr. Chen, the Guangdong Tigers and the Milwaukee Bucks.”
A 6-11, 238-lbs. forward, Yi Jianlian has played professionally for the Guangdong Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) since 2002-03, when he was awarded Rookie of the Year honors. He has competed in the last five CBA Finals and won titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006, earning the Finals Most Valuable Player honors in 2006. In 2003-04, he averaged 9.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 28 games, including his first CBA title. The following season in 53 contests, Yi improved his numbers to 16.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots on his way to a second consecutive CBA title. Yi led Guangdong to a third straight CBA title in 2005-06, averaging 20.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 52 games. Last season, Yi posted career-high averages with 24.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 30.7 minutes. He led Guangdong to a fifth straight appearance in the CBA Finals, but bowed to Bayi in five games (4-1).
This summer, Yi Jianlian and Team China Basketball played five games in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Yi averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in 28.0 minutes per game. He tallied a team-high 23 points vs. Memphis, and 20 points, including the game-winner, in Team China Basketball’s win over Cleveland.
Most recently in the Efes Pilsen World Cup in Izmir, Turkey, Yi averaged 23 points and 8 rebounds over three games against Poland (28 points, 10 rebounds), Serbia (17 points, 9 rebounds) and Latvia (24 points, 5 rebounds).
Yi competed for the Chinese National Team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.
U.S. Team Tops Puerto Rico, Clinches Spot in Semifinals
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 28, 2007 -- The Americans made Athens look like ancient history.
Three years after its stunning loss in the Olympics, the United States smothered Puerto Rico in a 117-78 victory Tuesday night in the FIBA Americas tournament.
LeBron James scored 21 points and Carmelo Anthony added 17 for the Americans, who clinched a spot in Saturday's semifinals -- where a win would earn them a berth in the Beijing Olympics.
Michael Redd had 15 points and Kobe Bryant 14. He also set up James for a pair of powerful dunks, thrusting his arms in the air like a quarterback who had just thrown a touchdown pass after both.
Puerto Rico handed the United States a 92-73 loss, its worst ever, in the 2004 games. Current U.S. stars Anthony, James and Amare Stoudemire were all in Greece and watched Carlos Arroyo and the rest of the Puerto Ricans torch the Americans for 56 percent shooting.
The Americans ended any hopes of a repeat with their latest sensational second quarter and remained unbeaten in this event. They came in just about at the 117.6 points they were averaging coming into the game.
The United States plays Uruguay on Wednesday before closing second-round play Thursday night against follow unbeaten Argentina. But even with losses in those two games, the Americans would still be guaranteed a spot Saturday.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Garnett, Lucas Among Mourners at Eddie Griffin’s Funeral
SHARON HILL, Penn. (AP)-- One final, sorrowful time, an Eddie Griffin highlight reel played for family and friends.
Snapshots of Griffin as a child, as a Philadelphia prep star, smiling with his family and shaking hands on draft night with NBA commissioner David Stern seemed more appropriate for a big screen All-Star tribute than flashed on a plain white wall at a memorial service.
The photos were indicative of the way mourners at Griffin's funeral Tuesday wanted to remember him: a family loving kid with a tender heart and congenial nature.
"His heart was bigger than his wingspan,'' said friend and former Seton Hall teammate Marcus Toney-El.
Sadly, for those who knew the 25-year-old former NBA player, they were powerless to stop the self-destructive demons that plagued him from high school all the way to his mysterious death two weeks ago.
Griffin died when his sport utility vehicle collided with a moving freight train near his Houston home. Griffin's body was badly burned and there was no initial identification. Dental records later revealed the man was Griffin.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Strawberry Signs 2-Years Deal
D.J. Strawberry has gone from a Suns roster hopeful to a Suns roster lock.
The Suns signed Strawberry to a two-year contract that includes a guaranteed first season and a second-year team option, his agent, Bill Duffy, said.
Strawberry, Phoenix's second-round pick (No.59 overall) in June's draft, will receive the rookie minimum salary of $427,163 this season, giving Phoenix 12 signed players for the coming season.
The Suns must carry at least 13 players but are pursuing 6-foot-11 big man P.J. Brown, whose agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Brown still is deciding whether he wants to retire.
Bartelstein said Brown had not narrowed his options to Phoenix and Dallas despite such speculation.
Strawberry, a 6-foot-5 combo guard who played at Maryland, graded out as one of the top athletes and defenders in the draft. He handled the point guard spot well at NBA Summer League, averaging a league-best 6.4 assists.
source : azcentral.com
Bryant Shows His Zeal For Defense At FIBA Tournament
LAS VEGAS — Kobe Bryant is showing that he really enjoys playing defense."For him, it's about playing defense, and he enjoys that challenge," said Bryant's starting backcourt mate Jason Kidd. "He understands he doesn't need to score 60 points to help us win, so he can use a little more energy on the defensive end than he's done in the past."
Kings' Martin Agrees To Deal
K-Mart is no longer a blue-light special.
According to two league sources, fourth-year shooting guard Kevin Martin late Monday night agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Kings worth about $55 million.
Martin, whose breakout 2006-07 season will vault him into the upper pay ranks of NBA shooting guards, unexpectedly flew in from his training hub at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., and arrived in Sacramento on Monday in anticipation of signing his new contract. A news conference is expected this week to announce the deal.
The Kings had until Oct. 31 to finalize an extension or allow him to become a free agent next offseason, but discussions between Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and Martin's agent, Jason Levien, began in early August.
The team's initial offer was about $43 million, with the rising price tag a clear sign of the organization's interest in making Martin a major piece of its rebuilding.
Martin, who is scheduled to leave Friday for Africa as part of the league's "Basketball without Borders" program, could not be reached for comment. Levien declined comment when reached.
Martin's deal, which starts in the 2008-09 season, is among the largest signed this offseason. Though it's nowhere near the six-year, $112.8 million contract of Orlando small forward Rashard Lewis, it is in the neighborhood of deals for two-time All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups (five years, $60.5 million) of Detroit and former Kings small forward Gerald Wallace (five years, $47.5 million) of Charlotte.
click for more details
source : sacbee.com
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Semi Final & Final Rounds
Game Date---------Time (EST)
Saturday, Sept. 1
Semi Final Game 1 - 4:00 p.m.
Semi Final Game 2 - 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 2
Bronze Medal Game - 4:00 p.m.
Gold Medal Game - 7:00 p.m.
Quarter Final Round
Tuesday, Aug. 28
Venezuela vs. Uruguay - 3:30 p.m.
Canada vs. Argentina - 6:00 p.m.
Mexico vs. Brazil - 8:30 p.m.
Puerto Rico vs. USA - 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 29
Canada vs. Mexico - 3:30 p.m.
Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico - 6:00 p.m.
Argentina vs. Brazil - 8:30 p.m.
USA vs. Uruguay - 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 30
Mexico vs. Venezuela - 4:30 p.m.
Brazil vs. Uruguay - 7:00 p.m.
Puerto Rico vs. Canada - 9:30 p.m.
Argentina vs. USA - 12:00 a.m.
Quarter Final Round Results
Game Date
Monday, Aug. 27
Canada 95, Uruguay 88
Argentina 98, Venezuela 63
Puerto Rico 97, Brazil 75
USA 127, Mexico 100
An Ugly Win Is Still A Win
LAS VEGAS, August 27, 2007 — “Everybody’s waiting for you to fail, and we did do that last year,” U.S. assistant coach Mike D’Antoni said earlier Monday, referring to the team’s loss to Greece in the World Championships, where, as he noted, a couple bad quarters derailed its hopes of bringing home the gold medal.
Later in the night, D’Antoni and the rest of the coaching staff saw their team struggle for another couple quarters, before finally pulling away from the Mexican national team for the 127-100 victory in the teams’ opening game of the quarterfinal round.
Magic Sign Marcin Gortat
Orlando, FL – The Orlando Magic have signed forward-center Marcin Gortat (MAR-chin GOR-tat) General Manager Otis Smith announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed. Gortat was originally selected by Phoenix in the second round (57th overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft. His rights were acquired by Orlando on draft night (June 28, 2005) in exchange for cash considerations.
Celts pick Posey to get tough
Reggie Miller would have added a nice offensive punch off the bench.
But James Posey, the 6-foot-8 forward who agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Celtics [team stats] yesterday, offers an upgrade in two areas of greater need.
The swingman, who alternated with Antoine Walker as sixth man when the Miami Heat won the 2006 NBA title, is one of the most energetic players in the league, as well as one of its finest defenders.
That combination makes Posey one of the NBA’s most highly regarded role players, and it has earned him a reputation for tough defense and the eternal scorn of Chicago fans after two playoff appearances against the Bulls.
As playoff matchups against Richard Hamilton, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and, in particular, the Bulls’ Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas have illustrated, Posey is a rugged defender who relishes tough assignments. His defense on Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki during the 2006 Finals was vital to Miami’s defeat of the Mavericks. His rough play against Deng, Thomas and Kirk Hinrich over the last two playoff seasons has earned Posey two ejections.
In terms of grit, no addition could have been more important for a Celtics team that already has Paul Pierce [stats], Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
click for more details
source : celtics.bostonherald.com
The Road Back: Chris Mihm
When Laker center Chris Mihm suffered a severe sprain of his right ankle in March of 2006 little did he realize how long it would take him to get back on the court.
Not only was Chris unable to play the rest of that season, but he continued to be plagued by pain and swelling through the summer and into training camp the following October.
The decision was made in November of 2006 that Chris’s best chance to resume his career at a high level was to have major reconstructive surgery, essentially changing the biomechanics of his ankle and forcing him to miss the entire 2006 -2007 season.
Following the successful surgery, Chris’s ankle was immobilized and he was non-weight bearing for over 2 months. Following this period, Chris was allowed to begin partial weight bearing and some gentle passive range of motion exercises. (These are exercises where the clinician moves the joint rather than the patient). Gradually Chris was able to work his way up to full weight bearing and active range of motion (the patient actively moves the joint themselves), and active resistive range of motion (the patient moves the joint with additional resistance such as elastic bands or weights).
One of the challenges with any patient is failing to recognize that the focus can’t be limited to the joint that’s been injured. Chris now had significant loss of strength and range of motion throughout his kinetic chain including but not limited to his knee, hip and spine, that all had to be addressed.
Under the supervision and guidance of Head Athletic Trainer Gary Vitti, Athletic Performance Coordinator Alex McKechnie, and myself, Chris gradually worked his way back to having essentially normal pain free function in his daily activities. This was obviously still a long way from meeting the demands of playing basketball at the highest level in the world, and there was still much work to be done.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Monday, August 27, 2007
2007 FIBA Americas Championship Preliminary Round Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 25
USA 113, Canada 63
Brazil 93, Virgin Islands 89
Uruguay 82, Puerto Rico 79
Argentina 104, Mexico 83
Sunday, Aug. 26
Venezuela 100, Virgin Islands 90
Uruguay 91, Mexico 82
USA 113, Brazil 76
Argentina 109, Panama 92
A Complimentary Player
When LaMarcus Aldridge recently withdrew from the USA Select Team, it seemed almost fitting. Playing in the shadow of Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy last season and welcoming No. 1 pick Greg Oden earlier this summer, Aldridge often finds himself far from a main attraction with the Portland Trail Blazers. Hard to believe, since the Bulls selected Aldridge with the No. 2 pick in the 2006 draft before sending him to Portland.
If Aldridge had joined the squad assembled to prepare the national team for the Olympic qualifying tournament, his comfortable low profile could have disappeared. But Aldridge withdrew as a precaution, taking time to nurse a sore left heel. With the Blazers building for the future around a nucleus of Aldridge, Oden, and Roy, arriving for training camp healthy matters most.
"We know that LaMarcus is a very, very important piece to this puzzle," said Blazers head coach and national team assistant Nate McMillan. "He will be the guy that we run a lot of our offense through -- LaMarcus, Brandon, and Greg. We're going to expect him to score, defend, do a lot of things for us. He showed that potential last year and we're looking for a little bit more this coming season."
After starting his rookie year slowly as he continued to recover from right shoulder surgery, Aldridge did not log enough playing time to earn consideration for the Rookie-Sophomore All-Star Game. He made up for lost time during the second half of the season, earning first-team All-Rookie honors. Averaging 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, Aldridge took his spot on the squad alongside Roy, Andrea Bargnani, Randy Foye, Rudy Gay, and Jorge Garbajosa.
click for more details
source : boston.com
Prince Sprains Ankle After Going For Rebound In First Quarter
LAS VEGAS -- Tayshaun Prince sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the United States' 113-76 win over Brazil on Sunday night in the FIBA Americas tournament.
The 6-foot-9 forward for the Detroit Pistons fell and stayed on the floor after going for a defensive rebound late in the first quarter. He was attended to for about a minute and then helped off the court. He gingerly walked to the locker room.
A team spokesman said team doctors decided Prince would not return to the game as a precautionary measure and he would be reevaluated Monday.
Prince averaged 5.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in the United States' first three games in the tournament that decides two berths in the Beijing Olympics.
click for more details
source : sports.espn.go.com
Magic Discover Role That Suits Foyle Perfectly
The Golden State Warriors had little use for Adonal Foyle. The Orlando Magic should have plenty.
It's all about finding the right fit in the NBA.
"He brings a lot of things that we need,'' said Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy. "For us, it's a great addition. He fills a real void that we had.''
Foyle, 32, is the shot-blocking defensive-minded center who was signed by the Magic on Friday, expecting him to be the third wheel in the three-big-man rotation that will start with Dwight Howard and Tony Battie.
Although Foyle doesn't have the offensive game, or the long-term potential of center/forward Darko Milicic, who left last month as a free agent for Memphis, he should provide the frontcourt toughness the Magic needed.
Foyle signed a two-year deal that starts with the veteran's minimum of $1.2 million but includes the option to become a free agent after this season.
He became available this summer when he accepted a buyout from the Warriors, who owed him $8.9 million for this season and $9.7 million the following year. He decided to take a little less for his freedom, knowing he would sign somewhere else to make up much of the difference, and receive a chance to revitalize his career.
click here for mroe details
source : orlandosentinel.com
Posey Is A Fit With Celtics
The Celtics agreed to terms with free agent small forward James Posey yesterday on a $7 million, two-year deal, with the second year a player option. Posey should arrive in Boston tomorrow or Tuesday to sign officially, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Posey spent the last last two seasons of an eight-year career with the Miami Heat. He averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds and started 63 of 67 games during the 2005-06 season, when the Heat won the NBA title.
As a player who knows what it takes to win a title, the 6-foot-8-inch Posey was particularly attractive to the Celtics. Career averages of 9.5 points and 4.9 rebounds, in addition to his standout defensive ability, helped convince the Celtics that Posey was worth spending the midlevel exception.
"He's going to add a lot to the Celtics," said Bartelstein. "He's one of the premier defenders in the league at the wing position. He can be a lock-down defender every night.
click for mroe details
source : boston.com
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Game Date
Wednesday, Aug. 22
Uruguay 88, Panama 84
Mexico 100, Puerto Rico 89
Brazil 75, Canada 67
U.S. Team 112, Venezuela 69
Thursday, Aug. 23
Argentina 90, Uruguay 69
Canada 80, Venezuela 73
Puerto Rico 108, Panama 67
U.S. Team 123, Virgin Islands 59
Friday, Aug. 24
Panama 95, Mexico 90
Canada 93, Virgin Islands 83
Argentina 87, Puerto Rico 75
Brazil 101, Venezuela 75
Saturday, Aug. 25
USA 113, Canada 63
Celtics, Posey Agree To Terms
The Celtics agreed to terms with free agent small forward James Posey yesterday on a $7 million, two-year deal, with the second year a player option. Posey should arrive in Boston tomorrow or Tuesday to sign officially, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Posey spent the last last two seasons of an eight-year career with the Miami Heat. He averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds and started 63 of 67 games during the 2005-06 season, when the Heat won the NBA title.
As a player who knows what it takes to win a title, the 6-foot-8-inch Posey was particularly attractive to the Celtics. Career averages of 9.5 points and 4.9 rebounds, in addition to his standout defensive ability, helped convince the Celtics that Posey was worth spending the midlevel exception.
"He's going to add a lot to the Celtics," said Bartelstein. "He's one of the premier defenders in the league at the wing position. He can be a lock-down defender every night.
"He didn't get to show all he can do offensively [with Miami] because of Shaq [O'Neal] and Dwyane Wade. In Doc [Rivers]'s offense, I think he'll get a lot of opportunities. He is a high-energy, tough-minded guy who plays his heart out every night."
The news on Posey comes less than 48 hours after Reggie Miller declined a comeback offer with Boston. If second-round picks Glen Davis and Gabe Pruitt sign in the next few days, as expected, the number of players under contract with the Celtics will increase to 15 with little more than a month until the start of preseason.
source : boston.com
Raps Say Garbajosa Can't Play For Spain
The Raptors have ruled forward Jorge Garbajosa out of playing for Spain at the upcoming EuroBasket tournament, the club announced yesterday.
"Despite Jorge feeling and looking ready to play, the medical findings suggest otherwise," Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo said in a statement.
Garbajosa suffered a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments during a Raptors game in Boston in March.
The Raptors said Garbajosa was recently evaluated in Toronto by Raptors medical, training and coaching staffs, and was able to perform on-court drills proficiently and without pain. But a detailed review and assessment of the various images and scans taken have revealed insufficient healing of the fractured fibula.
Combined with the inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage, the Raptors would not consent to Garbajosa's participation in the upcoming European Championships, Sept. 3-16 in Spain.
click for more details
source : thestar.com
Posey Likely Leaving HEAT For Better Offer
It looks like James Posey found some free-agent offers he likes better than the Heat's.
The agent for Posey said Friday that the forward was close to signing with another team, which would end Posey's Heat tenure after two seasons and leave the Heat thin at small forward.
Agent Mark Bartelstein declined to name the two teams vying to sign Posey but said a return to the Heat wasn't among the likely options.
"I don't want to get into the teams, but I expect something to get done later [Friday] or [Saturday]," Bartelstein said.
Heat coach Pat Riley said earlier this week that the team had extended an offer to Posey that he characterized as "the best offer out on the market." Riley added that team owner Micky Arison, already paying more than $1 million in luxury taxes, is unwilling to add major payroll unless it's a "significant asset to help us win, not a role player."
click for more details
source : sun-sentinel.com
Griz's Miller Knows Role For USA
LAS VEGAS -- Mike Miller has won an international gold medal, but he is hungry for another.
During the 2001 Goodwill games in Brisbane, Australia, Miller was 21 and fresh off winning the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. Six years later, Miller is the lone returnee from those Goodwill Games and is doing what he knows best for Team USA in its Olympic qualifier, the FIBA Americas Championship: shooting.
"I know my role is going to be coming off the bench, but when I'm in there I want to play with intensity and, when I get the ball, to hit my shots," Miller said.
Alongside Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd and so many other NBA All-Stars, Miller might seem like the odd man out when it comes to getting the floor time he's used to as a guard for the Grizzlies.
Team USA's opening game against Venezuela provided little competition in a 112-69 victory. With high-flying dunks by Amare Stoudamire and the triple threat of Bryant, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, the United States not only put on quite a show, it put to rest whispers that a team full of superstars wouldn't work together.
click for more details
source : commercialappeal.com
Team USA Working In Perfect Harmony
Usually, a team needs a few months to develop a personality. But this USA Basketball team isn't your ordinary squad.
In two games at the FIBA Americas Championship, Team USA has taken on the personality of a club that thinks pass first and shoot second, plays ferocious defense and has had its superstar players sacrifice parts of their individual games and blend in.
Did you think Kobe Bryant would be talking about his defense before his scoring? Do you believe Jason Kidd would have attempted one shot in two games? Would you have guessed that Mike Miller, Michael Redd and Chauncey Billups would be happy coming off the bench?
But that has been the case. Team USA is a happy 2-0 club entering today's nationally televised Group B pool play game at noon against Canada at the Thomas & Mack Center (ESPN2, Cable 31).
click for more details
source : lvrj.com
Friday, August 24, 2007
Gary Payton Will Not Return To HEAT !
Veteran guard Gary Payton is not expected to return to the Miami Heat next season.
Heat coach Pat Riley said Thursday that while the 17-year veteran Payton is unlikely to return, the team has interest in signing free agent forward P.J. Brown and are hoping to re-sign forward James Posey.
Payton averaged 6.6 points in two seasons with Miami, and helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title. Payton said several times last year that he's considering retirement, but the nine-time All-Star hasn't decided, yet.
Brown averaged 6.1 points last season for the Chicago Bulls. Brown, who'll turn 38 in October, played for Riley and the Heat from 1996 through 2000, helping Miami to the playoffs in all four seasons.
''I'd love to hang his jersey from the rafters here,'' said Riley, who has talked to Brown personally about a return. ``I really would because he is one of my all-time favorite players, I think one of the all-time favorite players in the history of the Heat. I think he could really help us.''
Posey has spent the last two seasons with Miami.
''We're still talking and I don't know what is going to happen,'' Riley said.
The Heat's decision on Payton was long-expected, since Miami already has three point guards -- Jason Williams, Chris Quinn and newly acquired former Los Angeles Lakers starter Smush Parker -- on the roster.
source : miamiherald.com
HEAT Sign Alexander Johnson
MIAMI, August 24 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed free agent forward Alexander Johnson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Johnson appeared in 59 games (19 starts) as a rookie with the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2006-07 season, averaging 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.59 blocks and 12.8 minutes per game while shooting .538 from the field which tied Pau Gasol for the team lead. Johnson led the team in blocks on nine occasions, steals six times, rebounds four times and points once.
Johnson was originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 45th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. His rights were then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers along with two future second-round picks in exchange for the draft rights to James White. His draft rights were then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Prior to that, he spent three seasons playing at Florida State University where he finished 14th on the Seminoles all-time career blocks list with 66.
source : NBA.com
Richardson Brings 40 Minutes Of 'Infierno' To Mexico
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 23 -- So much has changed for Nolan Richardson in the five years since he was last seen barking out instructions as head coach of Arkansas. His once-dark Afro is now gray and closer cropped. He has lost more than 20 pounds. And, the trademark playing style that led to three Final Four appearances and a national championship -- 40 minutes of hell -- is now said in a different language.
"Cuarenta minutos de infierno," said Richardson, 65, who is serving as national team coach for Mexico in the FIBA Americas Championship.
It seemed a little odd seeing Richardson guiding Mexico to a preliminary round upset of Puerto Rico on Wednesday -- and it had nothing to do with the goofy-looking blue outfit he was wearing. But given Richardson's background, he sounds like the perfect fit to possibly guide the Mexican basketball team back to the Olympics for the first time since 1976. "I always dreamed that I would one day get a chance to coach the Mexican team," said Richardson. "All my life I've been a part of Mexican culture. I knew if they needed some help, they could always call me and I would be there."
click for more details
source : washingtonpost.com
Fantasy 2007-08: It’s BACK!
-New look and feel. It looks different. It feels different. It's just better. The best way I can describe it is clean and comfortable.
-New navigation. No reason to get lost in the navigation now. Everything is where it should be and easy to find.
-Improved league creation. Not only is the standard league creation easier and cleaner, but we added an Express option.
-Improved Join a League process. Joining a public league? We'll place you. No more owners with multiple teams in a league.
-Improved league message forum. You will now enjoy chatting it up with your fellow league members in the message forum.
-Improved league home page. Everything you want, where it should be, and displayed clearly. Some new features.
-Improved live draft room. This may be my favorite. The Draft Room was one of our biggest issues last year. Now it's a strength.
Comeback Craze Adds ex-Knick Houston
Allan Houston says he believed in his heart that his career wasn't over when he retired two years ago because of knee problems.
Now he says his heart and body are on the same page and the former New York Knicks captain is ready for a comeback.
"I'm going to give it a shot," said Houston, whose foundation on Sunday will sponsor a Father Knows Best Retreat, a faith-based event in Harlem designed to strengthen father-son and mentor-mentee relationships. "I'm working out every day. I just have to figure out where it's going to be. In my heart I always felt it wasn't over. As I started working out, I felt my body was catching up with my heart."
Houston, 36, is among of trio of All-Star guards on the comeback trail. Reggie Miller, who turns 42 Friday, has spoken to the Boston Celtics about playing with them, and Penny Hardaway, 36, signed with the Miami Heat.
Houston said playing for the Knicks isn't out of the question and that two teams have contacted him. The 6-6 guard said that while several teams, including Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit and Miami are going to be good, going to a good team doesn't guarantee a title.
"I want to be in a good situation where you have a lot to offer a team," Houston said. "I'd love to be on a championship team. But … you want to have some kind of a role, help make the team better and have a chance to win."
click for mroe details
source : latimes.com
JAZZ: Araujo Signs With Russian Club Team
Rafael Araujo's tenure with the Jazz ended with the signing of second-round draft pick Kyrylo Fesenko, a 7-foot-1 center from Ukraine who won't turn 21 until Dec. 26. Now Araujo's NBA career is on hold after three seasons in which the Brigham Young product failed to live up to expectations as the No. 8 overall pick in 2004.
Araujo signed Thursday with Spartak St. Petersburg, the Russian club team for which Andrei Kirilenko once played. Spartak plays in the Russian Superleague but not in the Euroleague that is home to most of the continent's top teams. The signing was announced on Spartak's Web site (www.bcspartak.ru). Araujo will join the team in September and take part in training camp in Lithuania.
The Jazz were willing to invite Araujo to attend training camp on a non-guaranteed contract but encouraged him to explore Europe as an option. Araujo has played in the equivalent of just 33 full games in his career, with the belief that he needs playing time to develop.
The hope is Araujo will be able to play his way back into the NBA after a season or two overseas. Araujo came to the Jazz from Toronto in a June 2006 trade for Kris Humphries and Robert Whaley and played 28 games last season as the No. 3 center.
source : sltrib.com
Miller Won't Return To NBA
Reggie Miller is not coming back after all !
After two weeks of pushing his body to see how it might react to the punishment of an NBA season, Miller told The Star late Thursday he has decided he will not make a comeback with the Boston Celtics or anybody else.
"That's it,'' he said by telephone from his home in Malibu, Calif. "Physically, I know I could have done it. But mentally, when you do something like this, you've either got to be all in or all out. And I've decided I'm all out.
"Earlier today (Thursday), I was ready to come back. I was going to do it. But then I flew back here, I thought about it, I talked to a lot of people, and honestly, most people told me I should come back. Charles (Barkley), Mark (Jackson), Doug (Collins), they all said I should do it. And when I was back in Indy this week (for the Peyton Manning charity bowling event), people on the streets, they'd tell me to do it.
"But as the day went on, I just realized I wasn't ready mentally to put myself through the grind again.''
Miller, the NBA's all-time leader in 3-pointers, retired after the 2005 NBA playoffs after 18 seasons with the Pacers. At the time, he said he was done with the game and was heading off to work in broadcasting and movie production. But when the Celtics added both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to a team that already included Paul Pierce, his interest was piqued.
Miller, who works on the NBA's TNT broadcasts and in film production, said he's retired for good this time. Really.
"Please write, I will never, ever, ever try something like this again,'' he said, laughing. "Any of the 30 teams in the NBA, if you're interested, please don't call.''
source : indystar.com
Source: Orlando Magic, Adonal Foyle Agree To Terms
Veteran center Adonal Foyle has agreed to terms with the Orlando Magic, according to a league source, waiting only for his agent/attorney to return to the country to announce the deal. It could come by Friday.
Foyle accepted a contractual buyout earlier this summer from the Golden State Warriors.
Foyle, 32, has played his entire 10-year NBA career with the Warriors, who made him the former Colgate University standout the No. 8 pick of the 1997 NBA Draft.
Bryant Is The Star Of Stars
Lebron James, left, watches as he is pressured by Kobe Bryant during the first quarter of a USA men's senior basketball practice game at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on July 22.
LAS VEGAS -- Winter, summer, in a Lakers uniform or that of the U.S. team, it's still all Kobe, all the time. . . .
He's not just a Lakers obsession, now he belongs to the world, or at least international basketball, and just in time with the U.S. expected to mop up the competition in FIBA's Tournament of the Americas that begins today -- We're back! -- if only because there isn't any.
Argentina, which won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, won't have Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni or Fabricio Oberto. Brazil, which upended the U.S. in the 2002 World Games, won't have Anderson Varejao.
Even with the U.S. team's new humility that comes from winning their last gold medal in 2000, followed by embarrassments in one Olympics and two World Games, the Americans are expected to be OK here, needing only to finish in the top two to qualify for next summer's Olympics in Beijing.
On the floor, this unofficially became another of Bryant's teams in its televised intrasquad game when he shut down LeBron James at the end and hit the game-winning shot.
Off the floor, there was never a question with Kobe making his first public appearance after last spring's media blitz in which he demanded that the Lakers trade him.
click for more detailssource : latimes.com
Spurs Release Spanoulis
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have released Vassilis Spanoulis from his contract. The Spurs obtained Spanoulis on July 12 - along with a 2009 second round pick - from the Rockets in exchange for Jackie Butler and the rights to Luis Scola.
During the 2006-07 season Spanoulis averaged 2.7 points in 31 games for Houston.
source : NBA.com
Raptors' Jorge Garbajosa Injury
TORONTO (CP) - Jorge Garbajosa was recently evaluated in Toronto and was put through a battery of clinical and functional tests by members of the Raptors medical, training and coaching staffs. Jorge was able to perform on-court drills with a relatively high level of proficiency and without pain.
Doctors concluded that overall the ankle joint is structurally intact and the soft tissue injury seems to be healing well. Unfortunately however, a detailed review and assessment of the various images and scans taken have revealed insufficient healing of the fractured fibula.
Under the present circumstances, which include the inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage, the Toronto Raptors will not consent to Garbajosa’s participation in the upcoming European Championships 2007.
"Despite Jorge feeling and looking ready to play, the medical findings suggest otherwise,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “We have consulted with a number of foot and ankle specialists and have concluded that there is an elevated risk for Jorge to compete at this time. Regarding his eventual return to competitive basketball, we are currently evaluating and discussing treatment options with Jorge and his representatives which include both surgical and non-surgical paths.
"We know this decision is disappointing for Jorge and the Spanish Basketball Federation, but we feel strongly that this is in the best interest of Jorge Garbajosa to continue a long term and productive basketball career.”
source : NBA.com
Ex-Lakers Coach Butch Van Breda Kolff Dies
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Pedowitz To Lead Review of League’s Officiating Program
NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 2007 – NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today that the NBA has named Lawrence B. Pedowitz, a former Chief of the Criminal Division in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and current partner at law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, to lead a comprehensive review of the league's rules, policies, and procedures relating to gambling and its officiating program.
click for more details
source : NBA.com
Sonics To Announce New Assistants
Nearly two months after naming a head coach, the Sonics will announce Thursday the completed coaching staff that will work under P.J. Carlesimo.
According to club sources, the Sonics will name former NBA guard Scott Brooks, former NBA forward Mark Bryant and returning Sonics assistant coach Ralph Lewis to Carlesimo's staff.
The team also will name former San Antonio Spurs assistant video coordinator Brian Keefe to the staff as a player development coach, while former NBA guard and scout Gerald Madkins will join the Sonics in a player development role.
Brooks, 42, spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant for the Sacramento Kings on Eric Musselman's staff after three years as a Denver Nuggets assistant. The former spark-plug point guard played parts of 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, New York and Cleveland. He averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 assists in 680 games.
Brooks interviewed with general manager Sam Presti for the Sonics' coaching position in June, and apparently impressed enough during the process to be one of Presti's first choices for Carlesimo's staff. He was Musselman's top assistant in Sacramento, and is considered a standout strategist.
Bryant, 42, played parts of 15 seasons with 10 teams, including his first seven with Portland. He played for Carlesimo during Carlesimo's coaching stint with the Trail Blazers and also at Seton Hall, where he was an All-Big East forward in 1988.
Bryant was an assistant in Orlando during the 2005-06 season and spent a season with the Dallas Mavericks as a member of their player development staff. Bryant is the former NBA player Carlesimo had been looking for to relate with the Sonics' younger core.
click for more details
source : seattlepi.nwsource.com
Mo Williams Prepared For Season
Williams gets the ball rolling
Mo Williams is hanging out in Las Vegas this summer, but it's less about relaxation and more about preparation for the upcoming season.
The Milwaukee Bucks point guard, armed with a new six-year, $52 million contract, wants to be ready when training camp starts the first week of October. He has been working out for the past few weeks under the tutelage of famed athletic trainer Joe Abunassar, along with 20 to other 25 National Basketball Association players, at the Abunassar Impact Basketball facility.
click for more details
source : jsonline.com
Analysis of U.S.A.’s Second Opponent, Virgin Islands
Overview
Whenever you are talking about the Virgin Islands, you can’t help but think about the player who is not going to be there, and that is Tim Duncan, who was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team in 2004 in Athens, and therefore, is not eligible to play for his home country. Currently ranked 38th in the world by FIBA, this is a team that has struggled in international play, most recently finishing eighth at the 2007 Pan Am Games. The roster has a New York City feel to it, with four players having honed their skills on the city’s courts, and fans of college basketball will most certainly recognize several faces of both the players and coaches.
Strengths
Carl Krauser is the most familiar face on the roster, having helped lead Pittsburgh University to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances while also garnering AP Honorable Mention All-America status as a senior. Krauser is a tenacious defender who plays hard and has the ability to make the spectacular play.
Though 29 years old, Kitwana Rhymer is a good shot blocker who is very active and can score. As a junior at UMASS he won the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Joining him up front is Frank Elegar, a thin and athletic 20-year old forward entering his senior season at Drexel University. Capable of scoring the ball consistently as evidenced by his double digit point totals in 26 of his 32 games this past year, Elegar put up a career-high 27 points in a win over Syracuse and 24 in a loss to North Carolina State in the NIT.
Weaknesses
This is a team that doesn’t have enough interior depth. They have an enormous challenge ahead of them, especially playing the U.S. for their first game, in which they’ll be an extreme underdog. Basically they’re looking to shock the world right now.
X-Factor
Elegar is a guy who is going to want to make an impression and prove that he is a possible up-and-coming NBA prospect. Look for him to try and leave his mark on this tourney for as long as the Virgin Islands is alive.
Coaching Philosophy
The names Tevester Anderson and Jim Harrick Jr. are recognizable to many. The head coach at Murray State for years before moving on to Jackson State, Anderson led both teams to the NCAA Tournament. Harrick Jr. joins him as an assistant after having coached with the Bakersfield Jam of the D-League last season. Anderson has been known to play an up-tempo style, which is something I am not sure he will want to do against the U.S. Most likely they’ll have to count on the three point shot. I will be shocked if they don’t pack it into an incredibly tight zone and hope that the U.S. just clanks because they will not be able to match up man to man.
source : NBA.com
