'I Hope To Be Better Than Ever' -- Oden

A week after undergoing season-ending knee surgery, Greg Oden is recovering -- mentally and physically -- at his Tualatin home.

Oden's agent, Mike Conley Sr., said Friday that Oden has not experienced any complications from the microfracture surgery he had on his right knee last week and is recuperating comfortably.

"His spirits are a little down, just like anyone's would be," Conley said. "But he seems to be doing fine."

Thursday night, Oden made his first public comments since undergoing surgery, posting a one-minute, 20-second first-person video clip on his yardbarker.com Web log. In the clip, Oden thanked fans for their support, vowed to return and offered a brief glimpse of his surgically repaired knee.

"It's gonna be a long rehab time, but when I come back, I hope to be better than ever," Oden said in the video. "And I'm going to work real hard. Thank you for still supporting me."

The Blazers also posted a short video clip featuring Oden on their team Web site in which the 7-footer and No. 1 NBA draft pick offered more thanks and reiterated his motivation to rehabilitate his knee and return healthy next season.

The Blazers are in the process of setting up a news conference with Oden, possibly for late next week. The team opens training camp on Oct. 2.

source : oregonlive.com

Jose Happy To Hit Road

Raptors point guard Jose Calderon believes that breaking bread together may lead to a breakout year for the club.

A day after Toronto head coach Sam Mitchell grumbled that holding training camp this season in Europe was not the greatest idea, Calderon added his two cents worth yesterday, suggesting that he can see major benefits in the club being stuck together for almost two weeks.

Calderon believes the team will bond even closer because the guys will see more of each other outside of the basketball court while they're in Europe from Sept.29 to Oct.11.

The Raptors play three pre-season games in Europe, Oct. 6 and 7 in Rome and Oct. 11 in Madrid, after holding training camp in Treviso, Italy and, unlike when they play pre-season games at home, they will see more of each other after and before the games. And that, said Calderon via a conference call yesterday, ultimately will pay dividends -- basically, the old 'team that spends time together, wins together' theory.

"We are going to be a better team because sometimes you play better with your teammates once you know them outside, personally," Calderon said. "We can be more like family, more of a group. I think it's great. That's why everyone is waiting for this, because we are going to know each other better."

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source : torontosun.com

Bucks Sign Michael Ruffin

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 22 -- The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Michael Ruffin (6-8, 248) to a free agent contract, General Manager Larry Harris announced today. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

“Michael has made a career out of being a high-character, high-energy player who does the little things to help his team,” said Harris. “He is a very good rebounder and excels on the defensive end of the court.”
A seven-year NBA veteran, Ruffin played the last three seasons with the Washington Wizards averaging 1.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 185 games. He played in 19 post-season games with the Wizards during the last three seasons, averaging 1.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. In the 2004-05 season he ranked 5th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (5.0), and in 2005-06 he ranked 3rd in the NBA (5.8) in the same category.

Ruffin, 30, was originally a second round draft choice (32nd overall) of Chicago in 1999 and played two seasons with the Bulls. He averaged a career-high 2.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in 45 games during the 2000-01 season. Ruffin played 15 games for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001 before signing with Caprabo Lleida of the Spanish League. In 54 games over two seasons in the Spanish League, Ruffin recorded averages of 6.2 points and 7.7 rebounds.

The Utah Jazz signed Ruffin as a free agent prior to the 2003-04 season. In 41 games for the Jazz, Ruffin averaged 2.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per contest.

In 327 career regular season NBA games, Ruffin owns averages of 1.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
A native of Denver, CO, Ruffin earned his degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tulsa. Ruffin is the only player in Tulsa history to surpass 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his collegiate career, and set a school record by playing 128 games in his four years. In his senior year, Ruffin was named to the Academic All-America First Team.

Ruffin and his wife, Mistye, have four children.

sourec : NBA.com

Arenas Says Wizards Have Magic To Win East

Washington Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas is not among those anointing the rebuilt Boston Celtics as the team to beat in the East.

"That made them better," Arenas said. "But at the end of the day, they still have to play basketball."

Arenas' pick to win the East? The Wizards, of course.

"When we were healthy, we were the best team (last season)," he said, pointing out that the Wizards were never completely healthy most of last season.

Arenas said the addition of free agent James Posey is the real key for Boston.

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source: usatoday.com

Celtics Receiving The Stars' Treatment

LeBron James and several of his fellow NBA Eastern Conference stars have been impressed with how the Celtics put together a star trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce in the offseason. James and Co., however, believe the jury is still out on whether the Celtics can immediately jell into an East power.

"You can't [say] that right now," said James, a three-time NBA All-Star. "They have enough talent to compete with everyone in the NBA. But you don't know until you go out there and play a game."

Said Milwaukee Bucks star Michael Redd: "Any time you get a chance to get three future Hall of Famers, you got to take that opportunity. It's a great move. At the same time, I don't think anyone's intimidated by that team in the East. But it's a terrific move for Boston. They need to win right now."

James led Cleveland to its first Eastern Conference title last season, and though the Cavaliers have done little to improve their roster in the offseason, several East stars view them as the conference favorite to repeat this season.

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source : boston.com

Wolves Hire Pinckney as Assistant Coach

Pinckney, who has been an assistant at Villanova, his alma mater, since 2003, will join head coach Randy Wittman on the Timberwolves bench. He will work primarily with Minnesota's post players, including Al Jefferson, who was acquired from Boston in a trade for Kevin Garnett in July.

"We are very lucky to have the opportunity to add a coach who I think will have a great rapport with our big men as they develop in this league,'' Wittman said in a statement. "Ed brings with him great experience working with younger players from his years at Villanova which will benefit the younger talent on our current roster.''

Pinckney led Villanova to an upset of Georgetown in the 1985 NCAA championship game, then played 12 years in the NBA with Phoenix, Sacramento, Boston, Milwaukee, Toronto, Philadelphia and Miami.

source : NBA.com

Suns Continue Search for Thomas’ Replacement

The Suns watched free agent big man Brian Skinner work out Thursday at US Airways Center and he and Uruguayan Esteban Batista have vaulted to the top of the list beside veteran Vitaly Potapenko as the team narrows down the search for a big man to bolster their roster.

One or two of them could be signed or invited to training camp, which begins next Tuesday in Tucson. But all three players have either worked out for, or are in communication with, other teams looking for reserve help.

The 31-year-old Skinner, who started 44 games for the Bucks last season and averaged 5.1 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes, is a physical defender but is limited offensively.

Batista, 24, played well for his country in the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas and is also a banger (both are about 6-foot-9) but won’t provide the shooting Phoenix lost when it shipped Kurt Thomas to Seattle in a cost-cutting move during the summer.

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source : NBA.com