No Bias, No Spin, Just Basketball

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Monta Ellis to Orlando?

According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, the Orlando Magic and Goldenstate Warriors have had discussions involving Warriors guard Monta Ellis.  Howard has stated in the past that he'd love to play with Ellis and the Magic are trying to appease Howard so that he may stay instead of pursuing trading him to another team.  


Dwight Howard wouldn't sign extension if traded to Lakers

The agent for Dwight Howard has contacted the Lakers and informed them that Howard will not immediately sign a contract extension. Howard would earn more money via an extra year on his contract by being traded to the Lakers and resigning with them in the off season. By not signing the extension, Howard would make $30 million more.


Paul George shares his thoughts on Dunk Contest loss

Now that the dust has settled, many believe that Paul George should have won the 2012 Slam Dunk Contest, but do to fan voting the title went to Jeremy Evans.  George shared his thoughts on the loss after a recent Pacers practice.


“(Not to) take nothing away from the dunk contest, (but) it was a joke,” George said. “I guess whoever had the biggest celebrity involved in their dunk was going to be the winner. I guess I should have tried to reach out to some people......If you leave it up to fans, they probably wouldn’t have known who Larry was. I think I was destined to lose it.....I agree, you have to have the faces of the league come back and get involved in it......That’s what really made it big back in the day when you had Jordan and Dominique going at it. That was the All Stars and the guys that were the men in the league. That’s what fans want to see.”



Stephen A. Smith speaks on Dwight Howard playing for the 76ers

During a radio interview, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith spoke about the possibilities of Dwight Howard playing for the 76ers next season.

“What you really, really need is something like Dwight Howard. He needs to put the Sixers on the list of teams he wants to go to. So what the city needs to do, and what the organization needs to do, is to go out there and remind everybody that Philly is a big time sports town. And this is some place a star should want to consider coming to. Because they haven’t put Philly on the list of their desired destinations."





Charles Oakley praises the Knicks

Charles Oakley will always be remembered as a Knick and he would love to have a job within the organization that he battled for night after night.  Oakley is also satisfied with the direction that the Knicks are heading in and with Jeremy Lin.

Teams are going to take their best shot at him now and do what they can to pressure him (Lin)....When you’re taking everyone’s best shot, you have to have different options. You can’t leave it to him to make all the decisions and plays. Other guys have to step up, too.... Tyson is playing his heart out every night, and he’s not looking for credit because he’s just doing his job.......Everyone’s got egos, so you have to look around the room because without role players you’re going to go nowhere. You need that. You need guys to make stars go....I told them four or five years ago I was trying to get a job with them.....It’s up to them. I get caught in all this hype with management, and I don’t know why. The door is always open. My phone number hasn’t changed. I’m in Westchester. I’m easy to find.”



Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Delonte West was once homeless

During the NBA Lockout news surfaced that Delonte West took a job at a hardware store and most fans didn't take the new serious.  West had reportedly earned around $14 million during his career but it has seemed to disappear as West had to sell his jewelry and cars to help take care of his family.  During the start of the season, West lived in the Mavericks locker-room and even his car to extended his first check. West spoke to the Dallas Morning New and stated that he had trouble finding a home due to his criminal record.

“Soon as Mr. Cuban heard about that, he made one phone call and everybody was lining up to rent me an apartment.........They were calling back saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got the penthouse suite for you.’” 



Joel Przybilla speaks on returning to Blazers "Video"

Rip Hamilton close to returning?

After taking contact in practice on Monday, Rip Hamilton could be close to returning to the Bulls line-up.  Thus far this season, Hamilton has only played in 11 games due to thigh and groin injuries.


Dallas to form their own "Big Three"?

As reported previously by The Real NBA, Deron Williams has his eyes on the Dallas Mavericks and Dwight Howard could soon follow.  Despite the fact that the Nets would still have more money under the cap to sign both Williams and Howard to max contracts, the Mavericks could sign one to a max deal and acquire the other via a sign and trade so that he could receive close to max money.

The Mavs want to do what Miami did and put together their own big three,’’ said a GM. “That’s their goal.”



Could New York City land the 2015 NBA All-Star Game?

After recently undergoing an $800 million renovation, Madison Square Garden could be ready to host the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.  The final stage of the Garden renovation should be finished in time for the 2014 game but those in the know feel as if New York won't get chosen due to the fact that the Super Bowl will be held in East Rutherford two weeks prior.  The Knicks haven't hosted an All-Star game since the 1999 season but sources believe that 2015 will be a lock for New York.


Monday, February 27, 2012

Kings to stay in Sacramento?

The Maloof family, owner of the Kings announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement with the city to keep the Kings in town. The Maloof family will use $75 million of their money to finance a new arena.



The Pulse: Your take

Is it accurate or fair to blame LeBron for the Eastern Conference's loss in the 2012 NBA All Star game last evening? Share your thoughts with The Real NBA and leave your comments below.


Kevin Durant's All-Star MVP press conference "Video"

The Orlando Magic deny trade rumors

All-Star weekend hasn't been over a full 24 hours yet and already there's drama beginning in Orlando when it comes to future of Dwight Howard.  The Orlando just denied a report that they have agreed to trade franchise center Dwight Howard to the Lakers.  The rumored trade had Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson to the Lakers and the Magic would receive Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. A third team, the Toronto Raptors, could be part of the deal or in a separate trade with the Magic, sending point guard José Calderon to Orlando.



Sunday, February 26, 2012

Kobe is #1

Kobe Bryant has just surpassed 264 points in All-Star Game play to pass Michael Jordan on the list of most career all star game points.


Charles Barkley feels that the Knicks are tiring Lin

Jeremy Lin stated that fatigue really doesn't matter when it comes to his playing style, Charles Barkley feels otherwise and shared his thoughts on the matter.

“The Knicks have to do a better job handling him  with the press,” Barkley said. “He does too many interviews. I understand Linsanity and everything. It’s a great story but he’s doing too much.”





Paul George dunks in the dark "Video"

Did Kobe consider retirement?

With his knee failing him last season and a left ankle injury limiting him, Kobe Bryant thought of retiring after being swept out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks last season.  He shared his thoughts with friend Alex Rodriguez on the matter.

"I know that he was hurting before, almost even thinking about retirement, that's how much pain he was under. And then he said after he went to Germany he felt like a 27-year-old again. I was still a little apprehensive about it and he kept staying on me about it."



Saturday, February 25, 2012

Photos from the East/West Practice




Derrick Rose signs new deal

Mere months after signing a five year $95 million extension with the Bulls, Derrick Rose has signed a "lifetime" contract with Adidas.  The deal is believed to be a 13 year contract worth a guaranteed $185 million.  The contract is also full of incentives which could push the deal past to $260 million.

"Man, it’s a blessing," Rose said. "It’s definitely a blessing. They’ve been with me since the beginning and stuck with me and I’m happy I’m a part of them for the rest of my life. They’ve been doing everything promotional-wise to make sure they put me out there, marketing me great all over the world. That’s all I needed from them."


The Real NBA is at All-Star Weekend

One can't run an NBA site and not be at the biggest NBA event of the year.  The Real NBA attended the Rising Stars Challenge last evening and today we're at the Jam Session.





Courtesy of the Closer

Westbrook shares his thoughts on the Thunders rise

During his previous 3 full seasons in the NBA, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has seen his team improve in wins every season.  Now at the mid way point of his 4th season, the Thunder currently share the league's best record with the Miami Heat with 27 wins and 7 losses.

“I mean, we was on the bottom,” Westbrook said. “We worked our way to the top. So it's not a bad thing to be on top and be where we want to be at this halfway point of the season.....It's a great feeling...It just shows that we're getting better. That's definitely a big step for us.”






New Jersey Nets owner tries to rap

Friday, February 24, 2012

#kobesystem Level 7: Success at success at success

Is Rasheed Wallace close to returning?

Rumors are running rampant today that Rasheed Wallace is close to signing with the Lakers. At this time I can't confirm the reports but we could see Sheed soon somewhere.


Bryant misses Media Session

Kobe Bryant missed the mandatory media session today for the NBA All-Stars.  After members of the media waited for well over 40 minutes, a Lakers spokesperson informed them that Bryant was ill.  Of course Bryant didn't appear ill last evening but perhaps getting run out of the building by OKC can do that to you.


The Timberwolves take on *NSYNC "Video"

Kobe Bryant shares his thoughts on Russell Westbrook

Despite the fact that the OKC Thunder ran past the Lakers last evening, Kobe Bryant shared his thoughts on the Thunder players including guard Russell Westbrook.

"I don't know what the media is doing out here, but everybody just needs to lay off of Russell. That's a bad little dude, man. That's a bad little dude, man. You guys are fortunate to have him. You guys have got two explosive scorers here. I like how he's playing. He just has to continue to improve and do his stuff......He's got the same type of dog that I had in me — that I still have in me — when I was coming up with Shaq. He's got the same fight and he's just 6-4."






Team USA to hold training camp in 4 cities

Team USA will hold training camp in 4 cities leading up to the 2012 London Olympics.  The cities are Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Manchester England, and Barcelona Spain.


Rondo replaces Curry

Rajon Rondo will replace Stephen Curry in the Skills Challenge during All-Star Saturday Night.




Magic players frustrated after loss

After losing to the Atlanta Hawks again, the players for the Orlando Magic held a brief team meeting after the game and the voices were raised.  Yelling could be heard outside of the locker-room as the players aired out their frustration and then came the message of togetherness.

"We talked about everybody coming back together," Magic forward Ryan Anderson said. "We got to keep each other accountable and make sure we play with great effort every night."











Thursday, February 23, 2012

Greivis Vasquez says Hornets are making progress

Oscar Robertson shares his thoughts on Dwight Howard

NBA legend Oscar Robertson is in Orlando Fl, to raise awareness for prostate cancer took to the airwaves when the topic of the future of Dwight Howard came up.

“Keep your mouth shut and play basketball,” said Robertson, ”If he wants to be traded, he’s going to be traded. Go and talk to the owners and say, ‘I want to be traded’ and keep it a secret.’  In a situation like this, he can’t win. …  Anytime they (Magic) stumble and fall and every time they get beat, they’re going to blame Dwight Howard and it’s totally unfair because it’s not all his fault. I don’t think management has done a great job in keeping certain players on the team. They had a nucleus of players that got them to the Finals and then, all of the sudden, it’s gone downhill.”



Derrick Rose denies agreeing to trade

Rumors spread across the internet yesterday claiming that Derrick Rose had agreed to have the Bulls trade Carlos Boozer to the Lakers for Pau Gasol.  Derrick Rose has since spoken out denying the claim.

“That’s something I would never say to anyone, that I need someone to come to this team, trying to get rid of someone on this team,” Rose said before Wednesday night’s game against the Bucks at the United Center. “That’s all false. It’s something I would never do........That’s something I would never say to anyone, that I need someone to come to this team, trying to get rid of someone on this team,” Rose said before Wednesday night’s game against the Bucks at the United Center. “That’s all false. It’s something I would never do."



Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Rondo to replace Joe Johnson

Rajon Rondo will replace Joe Johnson as a reserve during the 2012 All-Star weekend. Johnson has been plagued by left knee issues.


Udonis Haslem moves into second place

Undrafted in 2003, Udonis Haslem used grit and heart to make the Miami Heat roster and has since joined the Mount Rushmore of Heat greats along side of Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade, and Tim Hardaway.  Last evening, Haslem moved into the 2nd position of the Miami Heat's All-time list of rebounders.  Haslem has 4,549 rebounds and he's only behind leader Alonzo Mourning who grabbed 4,807 boards.

 

NIKE UNVEILS USA BASKETBALL HYPER ELITE UNIFORMS










Jeremy Lin to play in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game?

It was announced that Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson will miss the teams' two remaining games before the All-Star break due to tendinitis in his left knee and right now his status as an All-Star reserve is unclear as he may elect to skip All-Star Weekend.  It has also been rumored that Derrick Rose may miss All-Star Weekend to rest his back due to lingering issues.  With both stars ailing and possibly missing the All-Star game, the door could be left open for Jeremy Lin, keep in mind that he was suddenly added to the Rising Stars Challenge.  There could very well be "basketball reasons" for Jeremy Lin to be added to the roster or at the very least Brandon Jennings who is having his best year thus far in his young career.


Charles Oakley shares his thoughts on.......

Charles Oakley was one of the toughest and more colorful players to ever grace the NBA, retired since 2004, Oakley has never been one to not share his opinion.  Recently during an interview with Jim Rome, Oakley once again shared his thoughts on a number of topics including Charles Barkley and Kevin Garnett.

Oak on Kevin Garnett

”He is a good player, but he’s a complementary player,” Oakley said about Garnett. “He went to a Paul Pierce team and won a championship....He’s not real tough,” Oakley said. “I wouldn’t put him in the top 10 tough guys, so you do the math. If you’re a real tough guy, you should be in the top five, top 10, but if you ain’t tough, it don’t count after 11.”


Oak on Charles Barkley


“Barkley, for his size, was a good player but he’s a coward,” Oakley continued. “He was a good player for his size, but he wasn’t a leader and wasn’t a role model.....Now he talks so bad about younger guys. I don’t respect that from him. He’s a fraud. He can criticize all the younger kids and if he got something to say, call them and talk to them before you just blast them. He’s wants to be funny, that whole TNT thing and all that, they’re like some clowns on that show”



Joe Johnson speaks on the Hawks recent struggles

At the beginning of the season, the Hawks were one of the surprise teams in the Eastern Conference but now at the mid way point, the Hawks are losers of 7 of their last 10 games.  Hawks guard Joe Johnson shared his thoughts on the teams' recent struggles.


“When I look at our team, we are a very talented team, but I [don’t know] whether guys know their roles or not,” Johnson said. “We know the right thing to do. A lot of times we don’t come out and do it. I just think we should all have one agenda, one goal and that is winning the basketball game. Not who scores what, who does what. I think we are too self conscious about [who is] scoring and the little things that really don’t matter. For us to win the game we have to put all of that to the side and help one another on both ends of the floor. If we don’t do that, we are going to continue to struggle to win games. I think we have to put a lot into perspective about how good we want to be as a team or what direction we are headed in or what are our goals. Right now I’m not sure if everyone has that one common goal – and that is winning.......We’ve had spurts where we’ve played great together. The ball movement has been great. We’ve had times when we haven’t been so great. Times we haven’t been so great, we have struggled as a team. I know it’s noticeable. I think we just have to start getting the ball into the right people’s hands who make plays, who score the basketball and make others better. That’s it.”

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Is there any truth to the Beasley to Lakers rumors?

During the last 24 hours reports have surfaced that the Lakers are actively pursuing Michael Beasley from the Timberwolves.  There is truth to the rumors but as of right now things are still in the beginning stages as no Lakers players and/or draft picks have been discussed to be swapped.  The Lakers were close to acquiring Beasley in the off-season is the Chris Paul trade to LA had not been shot down due to "basketball reasons".


Mark Cuban's master plan worth it?

Is the gamble worth breaking up the heart of your championship team?  Mark Cuban surely thinks so.  The gamble I am speaking of is clearing cap space this current off season to potentially acquire Deron Williams and Dwight Howard to play along ride of Dirk.  It's known throughout league circles that Deron has a strong desire to play in Dallas but the Dwight Howard situations remains unresolved.  Is the gamble worth it....let me know what you think.


Milestones reached in Dallas

Last evening, Dirk moved past Robert Parrish and into the 20th spot on the NBA all-time scoring list but it didn't end there.  Jason Kidd moved past Michael Jordan and into the 2nd spot for most steals all-time, Kidd only trails John Stockton.



The contestants for the Skills Challenge are.....

Stephen Curry
Kyrie Irving
Tony Parker
John Wall
Russell Westbrook
Deron Williams

Stephen Curry will attempt to become only the second player to defend his Skills Challenge title.  Steve Nash won the title in 2005 and 2010, and Dwyane Wade won the title in 2006 and 2007.


Monday, February 20, 2012

History made in OKC

Last evening for the first time in NBA history, teammates scored 50 and 40 points and also earned a triple double in the same game.  Kevin Durant finished with 51, Russell Westbrook added 40, and Serge Ibaka recorded his first triple double, all in an overtime win over the Nuggets.


Kobe Bryant defends Pau Gasol

Kobe Bryant is tired of all of the trade talk involving teammate Pau Gasol and shared his frustration after last evening's game.

"I wish management would come out and either trade him or not trade him," Bryant said crisply after the Lakers' 102-90 loss Sunday. "It's just tough for a player to give his all when you don't know if you're going to be here tomorrow. I'd rather them not trade him at all, but if they're going to do something, I wish they would just ... do it.....If they're not going to do it, come out and say you're not going to do it," Bryant said. "This way, he can be comfortable and go out and can perform and play and he can invest all of himself into the game. You can't have one of our pillars not knowing if he's going to be here or not. Do something. One way or another, do something."







Doug Collins wants more aggression from Holiday

The Sixers have surprised some this season with their play on the court but lately they have struggled to set up their offense at times.  Sixers head coach Doug Collins has asked that Jrue Holiday, their starting point guard, play more aggressive.

"We need Jrue to be more aggressive and looking to score the ball early," Collins said Sunday. "He needs to score for our team. I don't want there to be any indecision about what he needs to do for our team."




Derrick Rose to return today?

After participating in a very physical practice Sunday, Derrick Rose is expected to play today for the Bulls.  Rose has missed the last 5 games and during that stretch the Bulls have a record of 3-2.