NBA Stock Exchange: Let the (Mock) Drafts Begin!

First, a quick announcement. In addition to being automatically entered into Rick Barry's league when you create a team on NBA Stock Exchange, you now also have the option of joining leagues headlined by BJ Armstrong or Hall of Famer George Gervin. If you win any of these leagues, you will be eligible to win a prize package that includes a congratulatory call from the legend himself.

You can also enter my league. No congratulatory call or prize package, but you're not going to win anyway. League ID is 128269 and password is btbg. Just go to NBA Stock Exchange, create a team and join the league.

Next up, the mock drafts. This is nice. NBA Stock Exchange is completely new to the site, so we all need a free practice tries when it comes to the draft. The window of time you can participate in live drafts is only two weeks long. The reason for this is that we fix each player's IPO price during the draft period, and considering things change quickly (injuries, trades, etc.), we don't want to give someone who drafts late a significant advantage over someone drafting early.

Keeping the window of time to two weeks limits that possibility. Until then, participate in a mock draft. Try out a few. It will help you nail down a draft strategy when the real deal goes down.

I participated in my first mock draft last night, but it only included 12 people because we were testing (typical mocks will include hundreds of people). So mine isn't the best draft to judge, but I was able to pick a pretty solid roster. The draft doesn't save (write down your picks if you want to keep it for preparation), but I believe my roster looked something like this:

• PG Jason Kidd - $60.02
• SG Kirk Hinrich - $39.04
• G Raymond Felton - $36.16
• SF Danny Granger - $35.31
• PF Mikki Moore - $1.53
• F Trevor Ariza - $5.05
• FC Mehmet Okur - $35.33
• C Marcus Camby - $54.50
• UTL Andrea Bargnani - $32.76

To be honest, I'm not sure if I took Bargnani, but it was someone in that price range to get me up close to $300. Players sold out quickly in the mock I was in since there were only 12 people present and each player is available to one in 12 owners. Therefore, as soon as a player was picked by one owner, he was sold out. These were all pretty knowledgeable people, too, so once you have a few hundred people in a draft room with differing skill levels, the sell-outs will react differently. I'm not sure myself how quickly players will go, so I'll be testing out a few mocks as well.

Player IPOs
You'll notice the prices above for each player. These may actually change before the drafts start, depending on any extenuating circumstances. Once the drafting period begins, however, the IPO prices will be locked until the market opens. My job is to make sure there aren't any glaring bargains. At the same time, I want to price players based on how I believe they will sell. So while we have a scoring system, I completely ignored it for the purpose of setting IPO prices. Why? Because I realize that most other people will ignore the scoring system as well and buy players based on name. Ultimately, my goal is to price players so well that there won't be any huge fluctuations once the market opens.

You can view a full list of IPO prices by going to Roster and clicking on Initial Player Prices. If you're not playing the game yet, here's a quick run-down of the top 20 players:

• $85.12 Kobe Bryant - LAL [SG]
• $81.92 LeBron James - CLE [SF]
• $79.49 Kevin Garnett - BOS [PF]
• $73.71 Gilbert Arenas - WAS [PG]
• $70.77 Steve Nash - PHX [PG]
• $70.21 Shawn Marion - PHX [SF,PF]
• $69.58 Dirk Nowitzki - DAL [PF]
• $66.9 Tim Duncan - SAS [PF]
• $65.53 Amare Stoudemire - PHX [C]
• $64.02 Yao Ming - HOU [C]
• $62.35 Vince Carter - NJN [SG]
• $62.27 Allen Iverson - DEN [PG,SG]
• $62.06 Dwyane Wade - MIA [SG]
• $60.90 Paul Pierce - BOS [SG,SF]
• $60.37 Dwight Howard - ORL [C]
• $60.02 Jason Kidd - NJN [PG]
• $59.32 Ray Allen - BOS [SG]
• $58.91 Al Jefferson - MIN [PF,C]
• $58.51 Tracy McGrady - HOU [SG]
• $58.01 Josh Smith - ATL [SF,PF]
• $57.99 Chris Paul - NOH [PG]
• $57.95 Chris Bosh - TOR [PF]
• $57.69 Rashard Lewis - ORL [SF]
• $57.52 Michael Redd - MIL [SG,SF]
• $57.26 Pau Gasol - MEM [C]

If you want Kobe, you'll have to pay. This is my way of toying with the fanatical Kobe fans of the world who will stop at nothing to get him. I can see his price going out of control. He is one of the best in this game, but I'm willing to guess that many will overpay for him. You'll see some bargains on this list as well, but I'm basing the prices on some assumptions about how much the typical user will want to pay for a player.

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source : NBA.com

Real Madrid Earns Win Over Raptors In Spain

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Raptors	29	27	19	28					103
Real Madrid	22	32	25	25					104

Real Madrid 104, Toronto 103

MADRID, Spain, Oct. 11 (AP) -- Louis Bullock and Charles Smith combined for 45 points to help Real Madrid rally for a 104-103 win over the Toronto Raptors in a preseason game on Thursday night.

Former Michigan player Bullock hit four free throws in the final nine seconds to lead Madrid with 25 points. Smith, a former player with the Miami Heat and L.A. Clippers, hit some big shots down the stretch.

Andrea Bargnani, who led Toronto with 23 points, hit a 3-pointer with 24 seconds to play to cut it to one, but Sergio Llull had a steal and made the subsequent free throws for the Spanish champions.

Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa played well in their return to their native Spain since joining the Raptors, with Garbajosa scoring 15.

A defensive stop by Madrid and a 3-pointer from Smith put Madrid up 97-92 with 59 seconds left.

Calderon's reverse layup gave the Raptors an 82-81 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Smith's 3-pointer gave Madrid a 79-75 lead going into the fourth.

After hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to tie it at 63, Bullock saved a loose ball that found its way to Michalis Pelekanos, who had a 3-pointer and lay-in giving Madrid a five-point lead.

But Garbajosa hit a 3-pointer then Caldron's layup tied it, before Bargnani's crossover dribble through the lane had the Raptors back ahead 70-68.

The Raptors were missing All-Star center Chris Bosh, but still got out to a 9-0 lead after T.J. Ford fed Rasho Nesterovic with a no-look pass for the easy dunk to open the game.

Madrid, 3-for-8 from 3-point range in the first period, rediscovered its shooting touch in the second quarter, with Bullock's 3-pointer early in the period getting Madrid within 33-29.

Bullock was hitting jumpers from the outside while Blagota Sekulic was strong inside as Madrid cut the advantage to 39-37 midway through the second before going into halftime down 56-54.

source : NBA.com

Wizards’ Etan Thomas Has Open Heart Surgery

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (AP)-- Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas underwent open heart surgery Thursday at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to repair a leak of the aortic valve, an irregularity discovered during a routine physical before start of training camp.

The Wizards were expected to make a statement later Thursday, and the doctor and team president Ernie Grunfeld were expected to comment Friday.

"Hopefully they can correct the problem,'' forward Antawn Jamison said following the team's practice. "We know how much he loves the game of basketball and what he means to this team, but the most important thing - you just hope that the surgery goes well.''

Whether the 29-year-old Thomas will play in the NBA again is unknown, and at the very least he will need months to recuperate before rejoining his team.

NBA veteran Fred Hoiberg was forced to retire after open-heart surgery for an aneurysm on the aortic root in 2005, but Ronny Turiaf was able to begin practicing with the Los Angeles Lakers less than six months after open-heart surgery for an enlarged aortic root that same year.
"It's always a shock when you think of his age, and you think you can play another six, seven, eight years because you're in great physical shape,'' Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. "You just can't shake it, no matter how much you have life in perspective.''

Teammates said Thomas' condition shows the necessity of having regular checkups, for professional athletes and everyone else. Guard Antonio Daniels wondered whether the Wizards' so-called "stress test'' - which involves a heart check after running on a treadmill - could have saved the life of his brother, Chris, a starting center in college at Dayton who died of a heart condition in 1996 at age 21.

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source : NBA.com

Grizzlies Roll Over Estudiantes at Europe Live

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Grizzlies	32	20	28	18					98
MMT Estudiantes	11	22	19	21					73

Memphis 98, Estudiantes 73

MADRID, Spain, Oct. 11 (AP)-- Pau Gasol scored 10 points in his return to Madrid as the Memphis Grizzlies rolled over Spanish team Estudiantes 98-73 Thursday in an NBA preseason game.

Gasol finished 4-of-6 from the field, with eight rebounds and three blocks in just under 20 minutes.

Spaniards Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro played at the Palacio de Deportes for the first time since Spain fell to Russia 60-59 in the European championship final last month, when Gasol's jumper lipped out as time expired.

Emilio Jasen led Estudiantes with 17 points, while center Larry Lewis - one of 38 Americans playing in the Spanish league - had 14.

Later Thursday, Spanish players Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa were to play with the Toronto Raptors against Spanish champions Real Madrid to wrap up the NBA's preseason tour of Europe.

Estudiantes, which finished ninth in the 18-team league last season, shot 33 percent from the floor, a figure that improved after the pace dropped off going into the fourth with Memphis holding an 80-52 lead.

The Grizzlies, coming off a 102-99 loss at Unicaja Malaga Tuesday night, proved too much for Estudiantes in the post, outrebounding the Spaniards 49-39 with 10 blocks.

Point guard Damon Stoudamire pushed Memphis out ahead quickly on the fast break to quiet the capacity crowd of 15,000.

Memphis center Darko Milicic - jeered with every touch of the ball after insulting the officiating staff during the Euros last month - rolled in a layup to push the Grizzlies out 24-9.

The crowd had something to cheer about at 3:58 as Navarro made his first appearance. The former Barcelona guard finishing with six points and four assists.

Carlos Suarez ended a near five minute scoring drought for Estudiantes - which shot 5-of-29 from the floor in the first - before a Navarro layup put the Grizzlies ahead 28-11 with just over a minute to go in the first.

Jasen's 3-pointer at 3:28 of the second cut the lead under 20 as Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni rotated his lineup, but Milicic's nine points sent the Grizzlies into the locker room ahead 52-33. Milicic, who signed from the Orlando Magic in the offseason, finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Gasol hit a layup to open the third and the Grizzlies built their lead back to 30 points.

source : NBA.com

Okafor Wins September Community Assist Award

NEW YORK, Oct. 11 – In recognition of Emeka Okafor’s outstanding efforts in the community and for his ongoing philanthropic work, the NBA has honored the Charlotte Bobcats forward with the Community Assist Award for September.

During September, Okafor, who was the 2003-04 National Player of the Year for the NCAA champion University of Connecticut Huskies, contributed $250,000 his alma mater’s Neag School of Education. The donation will support the school’s Husky Sport Program, where UConn student-athletes serve as mentors on nutritional education and life skills lessons for area youth. The funds contributed by Okafor will be used to expand the program by increasing the scope of activities offered to the Hartford-area students and time they spend with their mentors.

“Nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstones of my life and I am blessed to be able to help the Husky Sport program continue to enrich young people’s lives and make sure that the children in this program not only have a mentor but are getting the tools needed to succeed in life,” said Okafor.

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source : NBA.com

Webster, Aldridge Spark Blazers Past Clippers

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Clippers	28	28	19	27					102
Trail Blazers	23	35	25	28					111

Portland 111, L.A. Clippers 102

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 10 (AP) -- Martell Webster scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half and the Portland Trail Blazers opened the preseason with a 111-102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and six rebounds for the Blazers, while Channing Frye, acquired as part of a draft-night trade that sent forward Zach Randolph to the New York Knicks, had 15 points.

Webster's 3-pointer late in the third quarter kicked off a 17-4 run that was capped by another Webster 3 and gave the Blazers a 95-79 lead.

Blazers guard Steve Blake hit a jumper at the halftime buzzer to give the Blazers a 58-56 lead. Blake returned to the Blazers in the offseason after stints in Milwaukee and Denver.

Sam Cassell, who did not play in the Clippers' preseason opener against the Nuggets, had 21 points, including 16 points in the first quarter. The Clippers lost 119-107 at Denver on Tuesday night.

Al Thornton added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers.

Blazers guard Brandon Roy, last season's Rookie of the Year, sat out because of heel inflammation.

Top overall draft pick Greg Oden was cheered as he hobbled to the bench on crutches. Oden will miss his rookie season with the Blazers after having microfracture surgery on his right knee.

source : NBA.com

Bucks?Yi Is Better Second Time Around

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Bucks	13	28	31	18					90
Jazz	19	24	29	9					81

Milwaukee 90, Utah 81

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 10 (AP)-- Rookie Yi Jianlian's second exhibition game was a lot different from his first.

The first-year forward scored 12 points - and committed just four fouls - as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Utah Jazz 90-81 on Wednesday night.

Jianlian, who came off the bench in the second quarter, went 4-for-11 from the field, including 1-for-2 from 3-point range, for the Bucks (2-0).

On Tuesday, the 6-foot-11 lottery pick from China scored three points and fouled out in 16 minutes in Milwaukee's preseason opener against Chicago.

Michael Redd scored 17 points for the Bucks, who outscored Utah 18-9 in the fourth quarter.
Andrei Kirilenko, who last month said he wanted to be traded from Utah, received a mixed welcome from the fans in the Jazz's exhibition opener. The forward had 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

Ronnie Brewer, who is in competition to be Utah's starting shooting guard, scored 17 points.

Point guard Deron Williams scored eight points and had six assists in 22 minutes for the Jazz.

Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut had 10 points and seven rebounds in a homecoming of sorts for the former college player of the year at the University of Utah.

Both teams played their starters for most of the first quarter. The Jazz starters returned for the third quarter while Milwaukee played a mixed lineup of starters and reserves for most of the second half.

source : NBA.com

Childress, Hawks Outlast Heat

Team	1	2	3	4	OT				Full Time
Hawks	24	26	26	24	6				106
Heat	27	21	25	27					100

Atlanta 106, Miami 100 OT

MIAMI, Oct. 10 (AP)-- Shaquille O'Neal believes he's in regular-season form, even though the Miami Heat are still three weeks away from games that count.

O'Neal scored 10 points in 16 first-half minutes before taking the rest of the game off Wednesday night, and the Atlanta Hawks benefited from his absence. Josh Childress scored 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, helping Atlanta beat Miami 106-100 in an exhibition game.

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Marvin Williams added 17 for the Hawks (2-0), who got a game-high 15 rebounds from Josh Smith.

"I'm ready. I just want everybody to know that I'm ready to go,'' O'Neal said. "I don't have any injuries. Just ready to play, ready to get us off to a good start.''

If the first two preseason games are any indicator, the Hawks are also ready for a good start.
They held off Orlando on Monday in the exhibition opener, then forced the Heat into an 0-for-8 shooting performance in overtime to win for the second time in three nights.

"The exhibition season is a time to evaluate players,'' Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said. "For us, we're just trying to bond and build some chemistry, something we desperately need and we didn't have a chance to do last year with all the injuries. It's fun to coach games like this.''

Udonis Haslem finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds for Miami (0-2). Smush Parker scored 14 points and Brian Chase - one of several players fighting for a roster spot - had 11 for the Heat.
Miami was outscored 6-0 in overtime.

Childress scored the final four points of regulation to pull Atlanta into a 100-all tie, then opened overtime with a three-point play.

Both teams had shots late in regulation to win.

Atlanta rookie Acie Law IV - who had the game-winner against Orlando on Monday - missed a 20-footer with 11 seconds left. The Heat got the rebound and set up a play for Haslem, who missed a contested shot in the lane, and Atlanta didn't get another shot off before overtime.

With O'Neal helping Miami control play, the Heat led by 14 points midway through the first half. But Atlanta owned a 16 1/2-minute stretch from there, outscoring Miami 41-16 and taking a 70-59 lead with 4:27 left in the third.

But Miami then pulled off its own rally, a 25-8 spurt that put the Heat ahead 84-78 after consecutive baskets by Chase and a baseline jumper by Haslem.

O'Neal didn't play in Miami's exhibition opener on Monday, and it's doubtful that he'll be a regular in the remaining five preseason games.

He took a handoff from Jeremy Richardson and dunked shortly after tip-off, then caught a lob from Jason Williams about 5 minutes later and threw the ball down hard. O'Neal also scored on a jump hook while moving across the lane, and a turnaround jumper from the baseline - two of his go-to moves.

"I say this all the time: I don't know how you stop Shaquille O'Neal,'' Woodson said. "You could go to him every time down the floor and get something good.''

Notes: Miami's Southeast Division championship banner from last season is already hanging, with no fanfare. ... Richardson picked up his third foul with 5:48 left in the first quarter, fouling Johnson on a 3-point attempt. He got his fourth foul 15 seconds into the second half, again hitting Johnson on a 3-point try. ... Atlanta rookie Al Horford - a member of Florida's two-time NCAA championship teams - knocked over a couple of courtside chairs diving to save a loose ball. ... Miami F Penny Hardaway didn't dress for the second straight preseason game because of a quadriceps injury.

Turkoglu Scores 20 Leads Magic Past Bobcats

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Bobcats	27	20	23	29					99
Magic	39	27	23	34					123

Orlando 123, Charlotte 99

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 10 (AP)-- Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points to lead eight Orlando players scored in double figures and the Magic routed the Charlotte Bobcats 123-99 in an NBA exhibition game Wednesday night.

J.J. Redick, one of three players competing for the starting shooting guard spot with the Magic (1-1), scored 19 points, going 5-of-8 from 3-point range. Keith Bogans, another of the shooting guard candidates, hit both of his 3-point attempts and had 10 points.

Five of the Magic's double-figure scorers came off the bench as Orlando shot 64.1 percent from the field.

Gerald Wallace had 19 points and Jason Richardson added 17 for the Bobcats, who were playing their exhibition opener.

Rashard Lewis, who signed a six-year, $118 million deal with Orlando over the summer, left the game with a sprained ankle after playing only eight minutes. Lewis is listed as day to day and the team said he will be evaluated Thursday.

source : NBA.com

Dunleavy Scores 20 Points Leads Pacers Over Hornets

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Hornets	16	19	31	30					96
Pacers	27	28	22	24					101

Indiana 101, New Orleans 96

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 10 (AP) -- Mike Dunleavy scored 20 points to lead Indiana to a 101-96 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday night in Jim O'Brien's exhibition debut as Pacers coach.
Jeff Foster had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana while Danny Granger added 11 points and eight rebounds.

David West led New Orleans (1-1) with 17 points and Hilton Armstrong added 16.

O'Brien said all summer the Pacers would push the tempo, and it didn't take long for the home fans to see what he meant. Dunleavy scored 15 points in the first quarter to help the Pacers take a 27-16 lead.

Indiana opened the second quarter on a 9-2 run and the Pacers continued to pour it on and led 55-35 at halftime.

New Orleans erased much of that deficit early in the third quarter. The Hornets went on a 13-0 run to get within 64-61, but the Pacers recovered. A 3-pointer and a layup by Troy Murphy, then a 3-pointer by Dunleavy bumped the lead back to 72-64. Indiana led 77-66 at the end of the period.

The Hornets cut Indiana's lead to 84-79 with 7:22 to go, but Andre Owens scored a basket and a three-point play to make it 89-79, and the Pacers led by at least five points the rest of the way.
The Pacers outrebounded the Hornets 60-41, though New Orleans' best rebounder, Tyson Chandler, did not play.

The Pacers played without All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal, who was injured Monday when he collided with Shawne Williams during practice. O'Brien said the knee swelled, and O'Neal woke up sore on Wednesday morning. O'Brien considered playing him, but took him out of the lineup about an hour before game time. The injury isn't considered serious.

O'Neal tore cartilage in the same knee last season and had surgery to repair it in April.

source : NBA.com

Allen Scores 28 To Help Celtics Tame Timberwolves

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Celtics	23	27	25	17					92
Timberwolves	22	21	20	18					81

Boston 92, Minnesota 81

LONDON, Oct. 10 (AP) -- Somebody forgot to tell Ray Allen that the Celtics are Kevin Garnett's team.

Allen scored 28 points Wednesday night to lead the Celtics to a 92-81 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Garnett's first game against his former team.

Garnett, who spent 12 years in Minnesota, scored nine points in less than 30 minutes at London's O2 Arena, but he helped in other ways.

"When you have KG in the post, everyone wants to double him,'' said Allen, who was 5-of-8 from 3-point range. "We can knock down 3s. We have so much available.''

Garnett had six rebounds, two assists and three blocks.

"The past is the past,'' Garnett said. "This is a new chapter in my life.''

It seems Ricky Davis hasn't forgotten his old teammate, however.

"It was definitely a different experience seeing Kevin in green,'' said Davis, who scored a team-high 18 points. "I almost threw him the ball once, but then I saw that green jersey.''

The Celtics ran away from the Timberwolves late in the second quarter. A 15-6 run gave Boston a 50-43 lead at the half, and a 15-5 run to start the third pushed the lead to 65-48.

Garnett scored only two points during the stretch before halftime, but he set up Kendrick Perkins for two straight dunks and had a steal in between. Allen, Boston's other big offseason addition, had nine of the 15 points at the beginning of the third.

"Kevin's going to do what he's done for 12 years,'' Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman said.

"Kevin's going to score, rebound, block shots. Kevin is going to be Kevin, and that's what he was tonight.''

Boston's new "Big Three'' of Garnett, Allen and Paul Pierce sat out the fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 80-75 with 6:53 to go.

"We have three guys at the exact right time,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "They've done everything. They've achieved everything individually. Now they want to achieve something as a team.''

Pierce, who led Boston in scoring last season, finished with only eight points and was 6-of-11 from the free throw line.

"That's the way it's going to be for us on any given night,'' Rivers added. "One, maybe two are going to get going. The night we get all three going, it's going to be a fun night.''

Still, the combination of star players is expected to help the Celtics contend for its record 17th NBA title.

"Kevin and I are here now,'' Allen said. "We know what it's like trying to carry a team. We can help each other make this team better.''

The atmosphere at the sold-out O2 looked familiar to some. The dancing girls, the mascots and the dunking team all made for a regular NBA atmosphere.

"I said it a couple of times on the bench, 'This is the NBA right here,''' Allen said.

And don't forget the celebrities at courtside.

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton drew one of the biggest cheers of the night when he was shown on the video screen. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba also was in the crowd, and Celtics great Bill Russell also drew a huge cheer when he was introduced at center court during the second quarter along with Rick Barry and B.J. Armstrong.

"Seems only appropriate that there's an NBA team here,'' Allen said of the celebrities.

The Celtics and Timberwolves traded the lead throughout the first quarter and the start of the second. Davis scored 16 of Minnesota's 22 points in the first quarter, hitting four 3-pointers.

The Timberwolves started the game with three former Celtics on the court - Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff and Sebastian Telfair.

Garnett made his first field goal late in the first quarter, dunking from the baseline to give the Celtics an 18-17 lead. But he also got called for traveling several times, including two straight infractions that were followed by a bad miss from the field.<>Wednesday's game was part of NBA Europe Live, which also includes the Toronto Raptors and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Celtics beat the Raptors 89-85 Saturday in Rome, and the Wolves beat Turkish team Efes Pilsen 84-81 in Istanbul.

"I'm pleased with what came out of Turkey and London, but we still have a lot of work to do,'' Wittman said.

source : NBA.com

Etan Thomas To Undergo Surgery

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that after further evaluation it was determined that center Etan Thomas will require surgery to repair a leak of the aortic valve.

Thomas’ surgery will be performed on Thursday, October 11th, and the Wizards will provide an update regarding Thomas’ condition following his surgery tomorrow.

Thomas, a six-year veteran, was not cleared to play after a routine physical revealed an abnormality.

source : NBA.com