Heat stars out with injury
The Miami Heat have announced that LeBron James (hamstring), Dwyane Wade (knee) and Mario Chalmers (ankle) will miss tonight's game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Kings' Jason Thompson doesn't like being benched
In what was a close game, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings last evening and Kings forward Jason Thompson indicated that he didn't know why he was benched in the 4th quarter. Thompson even appeared to tweet in frustration after the game.
"I don't know why I didn't but sometimes you've just got to go with the flow. Especially those games, when you're in good rhythm and it's positive, it's not like you were down or anything like that, you were definitely up at times and energy was there, making shots, feeling good - the last place I want to be is watching it from the bench. For me being a veteran kind of, slightly, being my fifth year, you try not to get too frustrated; you try and learn from it."
"I don't know why I didn't but sometimes you've just got to go with the flow. Especially those games, when you're in good rhythm and it's positive, it's not like you were down or anything like that, you were definitely up at times and energy was there, making shots, feeling good - the last place I want to be is watching it from the bench. For me being a veteran kind of, slightly, being my fifth year, you try not to get too frustrated; you try and learn from it."
Smfh
— Jason Thompson (@jtthekid) March 31, 2013
Del Negro rips Clippers
Losing to a Houston Rockets team with James Harden didn't sit well with Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro who ripped into his team after the disappointing loss as the Rockets were without leading scorer James Harden.
“They played harder than we did,” Del Negro said. “We were terrible. Our effort was terrible. Our attitude was terrible. Our urgency was terrible. I’m very disappointed. I didn’t see the fight in us tonight. We need guys to step up.
“We were soft. We were sloppy. Our urgency was poor. Our defense was poor. Our transition defense was poor. Our post defense was poor. Our pick-and-roll defense was poor. I could go on and on.”
“They played harder than we did,” Del Negro said. “We were terrible. Our effort was terrible. Our attitude was terrible. Our urgency was terrible. I’m very disappointed. I didn’t see the fight in us tonight. We need guys to step up.
“We were soft. We were sloppy. Our urgency was poor. Our defense was poor. Our transition defense was poor. Our post defense was poor. Our pick-and-roll defense was poor. I could go on and on.”
Iguodala plans to opt out
Denver Nuggets F Andre Iguodala, 29, has stated that he will opt out of the final year of his contract which is valued at $16.1 million to seek a long term deal via free agency this upcoming off season. Iguodala understands that he lose millions by opting out but he's fine with that decision.
“Yeah, definitely,’’ Iguodala,said. “You got to weigh options. Security-wise, a player would opt, especially with the type of season we’ve had as a team. Teams know what I can bring to them, and I know (the Nuggets) know what I can bring to a team here.
“Players get like $50, $60 or $70 or $80 (million over multiple years), whatever the number was, they gave up a big number (in an option season by opting out). But in the grand scheme of things, pretty much get it back. You got security.’’
NBA Q&A: Jordan Crawford
Courtesy of Jodie Valade
Q: Everyone remembers you for the dunk you had on LeBron at his summer camp when you were in college. Do you still have people talk to you about that?
A: That's all they ever say. That's all they talk about. Still, yeah. I think my people was more excited than me, my family. It got my name out there, and then it carried on through the season, so that was good. It never was a big deal to me. It never was.
Q: You transferred to Xavier, what was that experience for you?
A: It was a good experience. They brought me in from Indiana. They didn't have a scholarship, but they gave me one, so from there on, it was just they gave me something, and I wanted to give back whatever I could on the court.
Q: Did you develop any love for Ohio in your time at Xavier? I know you're from Detroit, so I assume that's hard.
A: Yeah, not really.
Q: What do you miss about living in Detroit?
A: Everything. Just the life, the grind. Just the people. The uncertainty. All that. I miss all that.
Q: You've already played for three teams in the NBA -- Atlanta, Washington and now Boston. Why do you think that's happened?
A: That's just the route God put me in to travel. Learn a lot. I kind of got the basketball down, now I've just got to learn the business. I think that's what God has tested me with and I continue to learn from him and follow him.
Al Harrington isn't ready to retire
Orlando Magic F Al Harrington, 33, has missed the majority of the season recovering from knee surgery and other ailments. Harrington is ready to play but the Magic have other plans opting to evaluate their youthful roster versus playing one of their veterans. Recently Harrington spoke of a desire to play and not wanting to retire from the game that he loves.
‘I can’t go out like this. I just can’t,’ he told me. ‘Not this way.’ Harrington said ‘I understand what they’re doing here. I do. But I think I have something left in this old tank,’ he said. [...] Harrington hopes to hook on with another team, preferably a playoff-caliber club. If he can’t, even as much as he loves the game, then he will face facts. ‘I’m through playing with bad teams,’ he said. ‘If I can’t [sign with a playoff team,] then that’s probably it. What would be the point?’
‘I can’t go out like this. I just can’t,’ he told me. ‘Not this way.’ Harrington said ‘I understand what they’re doing here. I do. But I think I have something left in this old tank,’ he said. [...] Harrington hopes to hook on with another team, preferably a playoff-caliber club. If he can’t, even as much as he loves the game, then he will face facts. ‘I’m through playing with bad teams,’ he said. ‘If I can’t [sign with a playoff team,] then that’s probably it. What would be the point?’
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Steve Nash injured
Los Angeles Lakers G Steve Nash has suffered a right hamstring injury against the Kings and will not return to the game.
James Harden out tonight
Houston Rockets G James Harden will miss tonight's game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a sore foot according to Rockets head coach Kevin McHale.
Ginobili to miss Heat game
San Antonio Spurs G Manu Ginobili has been ruled of of Sunday's matchup against the Miami Heat due to a strained right hamstring.
Hawks' Pachulia to miss remainder of the season
The Atlanta Hawks have announced that F/C Zaza Pachulia will miss the remainder of the season. Pachulia will have surgery on his Achilles on Wednesday and his recovery time will be at least 6 months.
Spurs' Popovich talks CP3 and Blake Griffin
The San Antonio Spurs slipped past the Los Angeles Clippers last evening in a game that could be a playoff preview. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich spoke about Clippers stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin by calling Paul one of the toughest players in the NBA and he thinks Griffin is one of the better young players in the league.
Speaking of Paul
"He's a mean, nasty man," Popovich said, affectionately. "And he's a pain in the (butt). I don't know if there is anybody more competitive in the league than that little dude. He's one of those guys that they must have stole his toys and everything when he was a kid. He's getting back at the world, because he's mad at everybody once he steps on the court."
Speaking of Griffin
"He's got an edge to him," Popovich said. "He's physical. He's competitive. He works on weaker parts of his game, just like all good players do. He improves year to year. So, he's special. That's why he's an All-Star. He's just going to get better. He hasn't even tapped what he's going to be two years from now, three years from now. He's just going to get better and better."
Kerr talks Stoudemire
Former Phoenix Suns GM Steve Kerr knew the risks of re-signing Amar'e Stoudemire before he departed the Suns a few weeks before Stoudemire did. There was even discussions at that time if the Suns should invest their future in Stoudemire or let him depart. Kerr stated that he was onboard with the Suns not taking the risk.
“Yeah,” Kerr said. “I was on board with it.”
“What I remember is our orthopedic surgeon Tom Carter saying that generally after six to eight years after a player has a microfracture there could be problems,” Kerr told the Daily News. “We calculated he had a couple of good years left and that the back end of the contract could be a problem.
“What I remember is our orthopedic surgeon Tom Carter saying that generally after six to eight years after a player has a microfracture there could be problems,” Kerr told the Daily News. “We calculated he had a couple of good years left and that the back end of the contract could be a problem.
“You never know for sure but you go with your experts and in this case it was Dr. Carter.”
Friday, March 29, 2013
Jerry Stackhouse admires Pat Riley's blasting of Danny Ainge
Brooklyn Nets G/F Jerry Stackhouse briefly played for the Miami Heat during the 2010-11 NBA season and Stackhouse recently stated that he admires the way that Pat Riley protects his guys in response to Riley putting Celtics President Danny Ainge on blast over commets Ainge made about LeBron James.
“I think they’re definitely becoming teams that don’t like each other,’’ Brooklyn Nets guard Jerry Stackhouse said “And just from the standpoint of Pat Riley is always going to protect his guys. I can only admire that. I hope I would have a coach or a general manager or a president or owner that if you feel one of his players is wrongfully dissed, some junk, he returns the favor a little bit, and that’s rare. So that must have really struck a nerve with him. With that team, they take shots all the time. To actually offer a rebuttal, you know he means business.’’
“I think they’re definitely becoming teams that don’t like each other,’’ Brooklyn Nets guard Jerry Stackhouse said “And just from the standpoint of Pat Riley is always going to protect his guys. I can only admire that. I hope I would have a coach or a general manager or a president or owner that if you feel one of his players is wrongfully dissed, some junk, he returns the favor a little bit, and that’s rare. So that must have really struck a nerve with him. With that team, they take shots all the time. To actually offer a rebuttal, you know he means business.’’
Pat Riley puts Danny Ainge on Blast
When the Chicago Bulls ended the 27 game winning streak of the Miami Heat, Heat F LeBron James was not happy with the officiating which prompted Celtics President Danny Ainge to state the following shortly after.
"I don’t think either one of those were flagrants, and I think the one — LeBron against Boozer — was flagrant, yes. I think the officials had it right…," Ainge said during a weekly radio-show appearance in Boston. "I think that it’s almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating."
Heat President Pat Riley felt the need to have his voice heard and today addressed the comments that Ainge made through a team spokesman.
"Danny Ainge needs to shut the fuck up and manage his own team," Riley said. "He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him."
"I don’t think either one of those were flagrants, and I think the one — LeBron against Boozer — was flagrant, yes. I think the officials had it right…," Ainge said during a weekly radio-show appearance in Boston. "I think that it’s almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating."
Heat President Pat Riley felt the need to have his voice heard and today addressed the comments that Ainge made through a team spokesman.
"Danny Ainge needs to shut the fuck up and manage his own team," Riley said. "He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him."
Nuggets' Lawson tears plantar fascia
Denver Nuggets G Ty Lawson has a plantar fascia tear in his right heel however at this time no surgery required. Lawson will be out tonight as the Nuggets face of against the Brooklyn Nets and his status is officially listed as day-to-day.
Hornets to be without Vasquez
The New Orleans Hornets will face the Miami Heat tonight without their starting point guard Greivis Vasquez. Vasquez will miss the game due to an ankle injury.
NBA Q&A: Al Horford
Courtesy of James Herbert
On Friday, you play against your rivals in Boston. Also, your brother [Jon Horford] will be playing for Michigan against Kansas and your alma mater, Florida, is going to be playing Florida Gulf Coast. How crazy a day will that be for you?
It's exciting times. It's an exciting time I guess in my life but more importantly my brother's life. He's in the NCAA Tournament and seeing my former school, Florida, there's a possibility they can play each other in the Elite 8. It's pretty exciting. My dad [former NBA player Tito Horford] is already going to be there, a lot of my family are going down and they're hoping to see that match-up. But we'll see what happens.
How do you deal with it if they play against each other?
I'll definitely be watching it. It's gonna be very different for me. But you know, it's kind of one of those things -- ‘may the best team win' type of thing. I feel like my Gators have done great this year, I think they can still do more and my brother's team, Michigan, they've been playing great as well. So it's one of those things that it just kind of tears me apart. I hope my brother gets to play and plays a lot but I'm a Gator at heart so it's very hard for me to pull against them.
Will you be sending your brother a motivational text or phone call before his game?
No, we usually, every time we talk we kind of talk about family stuff. And not even family, just anything that doesn't have to deal with basketball. I mean, if anything I'll be like ‘hey, good luck tomorrow' or ‘take care' or ‘make sure that you crash the offensive glass' or, you know, just something simple like that. But we're not sitting there trying to prep him up, I think he's pretty motivated. He's excited to be in the NCAA Tournament. He actually watched me, he went to the Final Four in Indianapolis the first time we won, he was in Atlanta [the second time]. He kind of followed me around when he was just in high school, in eighth grade, ninth grade, 10th grade, so he kind of saw what it was like. So I'm sure that he's excited to be in that position himself now.
Is this the kind of situation where you'd be rooting for Florida Gulf Coast if they were playing against any other team?
Yeah, yeah. If they were playing against anybody else -- well, I was rooting for them after I saw they beat Georgetown so they could beat San Diego State. It happens to be my school obviously, so that's enough. Enough is enough. The Gators need to take care of that.
With how successful you were in college, do you get nostalgic this time of year?
Not really, I just get more appreciative if anything because I don't think we realized what we did as a team at the time that we did it. And I think that I'm very thankful and grateful that I was part of such a special time.
The story back then was you Florida guys were really tight, you lived together. Obviously it can't be the same years later as you've grown up, what's it like now?
A lot of things change, a lot of us are married now and stuff like that. It's not as tight as it was, obviously we're not together. But we still keep in touch with each other, we still talk. Last year Corey [Brewer] and Taurean [Green] came to Dominican for my birthday and we were at Taurean's wedding, all of us, and we always try to stay in each other's lives as much as we can. It's just hard to keep up on a daily or weekly basis with all this, but we still have a very strong bond.
What's it been like to see Joakim Noah take all the criticism he took and develop into an All-Star?
We always knew of his capabilities and what he could do in the NBA. It was just a matter of time, of him figuring it out. And I think that's what happened to him in college. His freshman year, he didn't really get to play. His sophomore year, once he figured it out he became a better player. And that was just the same transition here in the NBA, it just took him a little longer. But I'm glad to see that he kind of found his niche.
I want to ask about the Dominican Republic -- what was it like being a basketball kid in a baseball country?
It was different. I think that the roads always led back to baseball and when I was telling people that I wanted to be a basketball player, there wasn't a lot of support behind it, I guess I should say. So it's one of those things that it's different but I was lucky enough that I was able to get an opportunity to come to the United States and further my career.
You told your mom when you were six years old that you wanted to play basketball instead of baseball -- what was it that made you fall in love with basketball back then?
Growing up watching my dad play and being around the sport just did something to me. I remember, I'll never forget being in a baseball field one day and over there in the Dominican you start from way young, like playing with the real balls and everything and I'm out there, shortstop, catching grounders, throwing them to first and things like that. Doing those type of drills. And I remember just kind of being like it's not me. I was taller, I was playing with kids that were like nine and 10, so it's a big difference when you talk about age in baseball. So I think that at that point I kind of realized. I was like, ‘You know what, I'm not passionate about this. I want to play basketball.' And my mom, her dream was for me to always play baseball, so when she found out I wanted to play basketball, she was like, ‘Well, you better be one of the best at it because there's no way you're going to not play baseball.' So I kind of that had pressure, but it was good pressure. She always supported me, so that's how I turned onto basketball.
At what point was she like, "Okay, you're good enough at this, this might turn into something?"
She was always very positive with me and giving me a lot of confidence, always celebrating every little accomplishment during basketball. And I think for a kid mentally that helps a lot and I think she -- honestly, you can ask her -- I honestly believe that she always thought that I was going to be where I'm at today and more. She's probably the only person that I can say that about. ‘Cause it's hard to see a person -- like, you know, you can have a 7-year-old kid, skinny, talking about all these things and it's a difference envisioning that. Especially, like you said, in a country that's all baseball players.
What was it like moving from a place like that to Michigan [when you were 14]? Obviously the weather could have been a bit of a shock.
The transition, it wasn't so bad. My parents are divorced, my dad remarried and I lived in Michigan with his new family, so lucky for me I got to go from Dominican to live with him and his family. But it was a smooth transition I thought for me. The winter, I actually liked the snow, believe it or not. I didn't like it when I had to start shovelling the driveway but before then I loved it. And I think that once I got to the point when I was starting to think about where I was going to go to college, that's when I was like, ‘You know what, I don't think I can go to class in this, walking in campus, cold weather, class to class. I have to go somewhere warmer.' And that's when Florida kind of came up. Once I got to the campus in January and it was 75 outside, I was like, ‘This is my place. This is where I'm going and no turning back. I love Michigan but I need to be back in the warmth.'
I think you're the only person on the planet to have played for both Billy Donovan and John Calipari [as a coach of the Dominican national team]. What was it like playing for those legendary coaches?
I'll tell you a similarity: they're both very passionate about the game. They're both believers in really hard work and pushing their players to the limit. It's a lot to be said about them. And Coach Donovan, he's great, he was much more than a coach to me and our class. He was a father figure and somebody that always, still to this day I can call and talk to directly and get great advice and talk about different things, so I was very lucky to have a coach like Coach Donovan.
I know you didn't have the result you wanted last summer [the team failed to qualify for the Olympics] but have you seen Cal's involvement helping basketball back home?
I think he definitely brought a lot of attention to Dominican basketball and the development of it and more importantly one of our players that plays for the national team is actually going to play with Cal in Kentucky in a few years. Karl Towns, he's 6'11, just a great kid. Born in the States but from a Dominican parent. And that's how his influence is and I feel like he's probably going to have some more kids in the future of Dominican origin that will probably want to play for him because of what he did for our country.
Who's been the biggest influence on your career?
My mom. Hands down, my mom. Her support and, like I said, her belief in me from a young age has always been the difference and by far I think she's been the biggest influence.
Gerald Henderson wants to re-sign with Bobcats?
Duke alumni and current Charlotte Bobcats' G/F Gerald Henderson's rookie contract will expire this off-season. He'll likely become a restricted free agent and would receive a little attention from around the NBA. Not the caliber of a max player, Henderson will likely receive a mid range deal from a franchise that's rebuilding but his heart may remain in Charlotte as he hinted to the media recently.
“I know one thing – the Bobcats have stuck with me,” Henderson said of free-agency. “So if we can work it out, (re-signing in Charlotte) would be a good thing.”
“I know one thing – the Bobcats have stuck with me,” Henderson said of free-agency. “So if we can work it out, (re-signing in Charlotte) would be a good thing.”
NBA Q&A: Derek Fisher
Courtesy of Darnell Mayberry
Question: Where do you feel like you are right now in terms of your performance?
Question: Where do you feel like you are right now in terms of your performance?
Answer: “I feel like overall I'm good in terms of just coming in trying to impact the game on a nightly basis. Sometimes it'll be hitting a couple of shots. Other nights it'll be defending well, creating some havoc on that end and just providing energy and toughness. In the role that most of us play for this team, you shouldn't really measure yourself by percentages or how you're shooting or whatever. It's really about how are you impacting the game and if you're making a positive contribution. We don't have a problem scoring points. So we don't need another guy worried about how many shots he's making. We need more guys worried about how many shots we're going to keep the other team from making.”
Why do you think you haven't been shooting the ball well?
“It's just kind of part of the game in terms of the ups and downs of a season. I'm obviously adjusting to a shorter role than I'm accustomed to playing overtime and over the years. So playing 12, 13 minutes a game, you have to really be ready to go right at it in terms of playing the game. But when I go in the game I'm not thinking just offense. Sometimes a shot shows up and you make it or you miss it. But as long as you're taking good shots at the basket I'm not worried about it, my teammates aren't worried about it and I'll keep taking those. I don't know many teams that will just leave me open as time goes on.”
On the defensive end, is that part of your game to the level that you would want it right now?
“I think overall it's pretty good, in particular team defense-wise. I'm guarding a lot of off-guards or wing players. And so being off the ball while Reggie (Jackson) is on the ball it's really important to be active on the weakside when Nick (Collison) is rotating over to take charges or some of our other guys are doing some things on the ball; cracking back, boxing out big guys, getting long rebounds, deflections, getting in the passing lanes, those are things that I think guys like Nick Collison do every night for our team. And so the more guys we have doing those things I think it'll just elevate our team game.”
When you came back, did you know this was going to be your role?
“There was really no expectation laid out in terms of here's what we're going to be able to provide for you. I knew coming in I'd be basically the third smaller guard or point guard on the roster. Reggie had been playing well in the opportunities he's had to play. So I didn't really expect to come in and play a certain amount of minutes but really just bring the mentality that whatever the coach or the team asks of me I'll be prepared to do it. So that's what I'm trying to do.”
Are you aware of your slump?
“I'm aware I haven't made a shot in a few games or so, but I'm not measuring myself by whether or not I go 0-for-2 in terms of how I'm playing, or whether or not our team is developing the way it needs to develop.”
Pistons' Drummond set to return?
Detroit Pistons F/C Andre Drummond has missed the last 6 weeks with a stress fracture in his lower back. He's missed the last 22 games but could return as early as tonight when the Pistons face the Toronto Raptors.
Hornets re-sign Harris
Thursday Hornets guard Terrel Harris finished his second 10-day contract and the Hornets have decided to sign Harris for the remainder of the NBA season.
Stan Van Gundy talks John Wall
Back in December, the always outspoken Stan Van Gundy shocked most by stating that he didn't see John Wall as a player to build a franchise around. Recently Van Gundy has seemed to have changed his mind on Wall.
“You know what, I’m sort of sitting on the fence now,” Van Gundy said. “So yeah, I havereevaluated. I don’t think anybody has done more for a team this year than John Wall has. Look, they were 5-28 when he came back. Five and 28. The worst team in the league. And they’re 21-16 since then.
“And if you look at the numbers, they’re the ninth-best team in the league if you compare defensive numbers and offensive numbers — the ninth-best team in the league, fourth-best team in the East since he’s come back,” Van Gundy continued. “So this is a team that you could project, with John Wall, could be not only a playoff team but be sitting with home-court in the playoffs. And they were the worst team in the league before he came back. Nobody else has done that for a team.
“But I look at his numbers and he’s still not a real efficient guy. Forty-five percent shooting’s a little bit better, but for a point guard, 45 percent, and you don’t make many threes, that’s still not really efficient. Three-and-a-half turnovers a game. So there’s still some things to doubt, but his presence has been HUGE for that team, and they went from being a good defensive team, to a GREAT defensive team when he came back. They’re second in the league defensively since he came back.
“So I think that he has proven me wrong in terms of his value to a team. I’m still not sure he’s enough to build a team around, but if you could put a great offensive player around him, then possibly that could be enough to start pushing this team to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.”
Omer Asik fined $5,000
The NBA has fined Omer Asik $5,000 for violating the anti flopping rule for the second time this season.
Violation 2: $5,000 fine
Violation 3: $10,000 fine
Violation 4: $15,000 fine
Violation 5: $30,000 fine
Enes Kanter out for Jazz
The Utah Jazz have announced that C Enes Kanter will be out indefinitely with a dislocated shoulder. The Jazz currently have 10 games left in the regular season and are currently tied in the loss column with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 8th and final playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
NBA sends out another flopping warning
The NBA officially warned Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari for violating its anti-flopping policy on Thursday.
Pacers shut Granger down
There were hopes that Danny Granger would make his return tonight against the Mavericks but the Indiana Pacers have announced that Granger will undergo surgery on his ailing left knee and that will knock him out of action for the remainder of the season.
NBA Announces mistake
The NBA has announced that the officials of last game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Timberwolves did indeed miss a foul call on Kobe Bryant on the last play of the game as Ricky Rubio was shooting a desperation 3 that was missed.
Jennings upset with Benching
Last evening Brandon Jennings was having one of his worst games as a professional when the Bucks faced off against the 76ers. Bucks coach Jim Boylan benched Jennings after 3 quarters due to the guards stat line...0-3, with no free throw attempts and no rebounds. After the game while in the locker room Jennings shared his displeasure.
“I don’t see any All-Stars in this locker room,” he said. “I think that everyone should be held accountable,” he said. “There’s no maxed-out players in this locker room. So don’t try to put me on a pedestal and just give everyone else the freedom to do whatever they want.”
“I don’t see any All-Stars in this locker room,” he said. “I think that everyone should be held accountable,” he said. “There’s no maxed-out players in this locker room. So don’t try to put me on a pedestal and just give everyone else the freedom to do whatever they want.”
Pacers' stars to return
Tonight when the Indiana Pacers face the Dallas Mavericks, they will be complete for the first time in weeks. Forward Danny Granger and David West are expected to return to the lineup tonight, West will start and Granger will come off of the bench. Granger has missed all of 5 games this season and if the pain in his knee returns, he will be shut down for the remainder of the season and playoffs.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Grizzlies add guard
Reports indicate that the Memphis Grizzlies have added veteran G Keyon Dooling for the remainder of the season. Dooling will be eligible to play once the playoffs begin.
Metta World Peace to miss 6 weeks
The Los Angeles Lakers have announced that Metta World Peace will undergo surgery on his torn lateral meniscus and is expected to be out a minimum of 6 weeks.
Turkoglu to return
Orlando Magic F Hedo Turkoglu's 20 game suspension ended with the Magic losing to the Miami Heat. Turkoglu will be available to play tonight when the Magic face off against the Bobcats but he is still uncertain of his future at this time. He has one year left on his contract but only $6 million of the $12 remaining is guaranteed.
"I just have to wait and see what happens," Turkoglu said Tuesday, before the Magic left for Charlotte.
"I don't expect a whole lot. It's just because of the situation — what happened — and we've got a lot of young guys playing good. So, that wouldn't surprise me at all if I don't play. If I play, I'll just try to do my best. I don't know how I can, but I'm still a professional. I'm just going to go out there in the minutes they give me, and I'll try to do the best for my teammates, for the young guys, and just set the example."
"I just have to wait and see what happens," Turkoglu said Tuesday, before the Magic left for Charlotte.
"I don't expect a whole lot. It's just because of the situation — what happened — and we've got a lot of young guys playing good. So, that wouldn't surprise me at all if I don't play. If I play, I'll just try to do my best. I don't know how I can, but I'm still a professional. I'm just going to go out there in the minutes they give me, and I'll try to do the best for my teammates, for the young guys, and just set the example."
Kenyon Martin talks Celtics
Veteran F Kenyon Martin has been huge for the Knicks since signing with the team after the NBA All-Star break. The Celtics and the Heat were two other franchises courting Martin and yesterday evening after the Knicks defeated the Celtics, Martin spoke about his not signing with the Celtics being their fault.
“It’s their fault; they lost,” Martin said. “There was talks, there was negotiations, they chose not to do it. It was out of my control. I’m a Knick now, so they lost. I’m just here to prove I never lost it. I guess I’m a better person than I am a basketball player.
“But the chip I’ve always played with hasn’t gotten bigger. I’m here to prove what I can do; that’s against everybody, every night. It doesn’t start with the Celtics. It’s whoever puts on that uniform opposite us.”
Taj Gibson talks LeBron James
The Chicago Bulls are the next franchise in line to attempt to stop the Miami Heat from making history, yesterday Bulls F Taj Gibson spoke of LeBron James trying to recruit him to the Heat during the summer of 2012.
‘‘We talked about it a lot because I was coming up on my contract, possibly becoming a free agent,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘We were kicking it around, and [James] was saying: ‘Come to Miami. Come in, and we’ll treat you right there.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I’m cool with the Bulls.’ ’’
‘‘I mean, that shows that there is a sense of respect about your game. It means that there are other guys around the league watching you, other than just going up and down the court and banging bodies against each other.’’
‘‘We talked about it a lot because I was coming up on my contract, possibly becoming a free agent,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘We were kicking it around, and [James] was saying: ‘Come to Miami. Come in, and we’ll treat you right there.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I’m cool with the Bulls.’ ’’
‘‘I mean, that shows that there is a sense of respect about your game. It means that there are other guys around the league watching you, other than just going up and down the court and banging bodies against each other.’’
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Metta World Peace Update
After missing the second half of last evening game against the Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers F Metta World Peace is returning to Los Angeles after an MRI revealed that World Peace has a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Metta World Peace is unofficially out indefinitely.
Vogel talks Granger
This is not the season that Danny Granger envisioned with the Indiana Pacers but the Pacers have endured while Granger has been out with his knee injury. Outside of a few games after the All-Star Break, Granger has missed the majority of the NBA season. A few moment ago Pacers coach Frank Vogel spoke to the media regarding Granger's rehab.
“Some of the games are going to be his rehab assignments. It’s not like we can wait & let him have 5-6 practices under his belt....If he re-injures it or it flares up really bad again, then you got to look some alternatives."
“Some of the games are going to be his rehab assignments. It’s not like we can wait & let him have 5-6 practices under his belt....If he re-injures it or it flares up really bad again, then you got to look some alternatives."
NBA Q&A: Alvin Gentry
Courtesy of Bob Young
THI: Are you going to wait for another head coaching opportunity in the NBA, or would you consider a job as an assistant or even as a college coach?
AG: “I’ve spent some time thinking about all three of those, really. Hey, I’ve got nothing but time!
“Obviously, I’d prefer to be a head coach. That would be my goal. I had eight really good years here (in Phoenix). Obviously, this season wasn’t what I thought it would be.
“But I made friendships that will last forever. The thing is, there are some really good people affiliated with the Suns organization, and not just people on the basketball side.
“What happened this season, I won’t let it tarnish what happened over eight years here.
“But I do want to be a head coach, if that’s a possibility.”
THI: What if it isn’t a possibility right away?
AG: “There are some other areas I’ve explored. I’ve done NBA TV a couple of times, and that’s something I may want to pursue.
“But I would say my heart is in coaching. My heart says I want to be a head coach, and given the right opportunity and the right circumstances, I’ve shown that I can have success.”
THI: How do you think your former assistant, Dan Majerle, will work out as head coach at Grand Canyon?
AG: “I think he’ll be great, especially in the college game. I think his teams will mirror his personality and you’ll see a team that’s hard-nosed, plays extremely hard.
“And I think he’ll put a great staff together. Obviously, I think he’s going to have to explore the junior colleges and try to find some good players that he can develop, and I think he’ll be really good at doing that.”
THI: Did you discuss a spot on his staff with him?
AG: “Nah, we never talked about that at all. He’s got a lot of contacts, and he’ll get good people, and his teams will be fun to watch.
“They could be like Florida Gulf Coast (which is in the Sweet 16 six years after joining Division I and in only its second year of eligibility for the NCAA Tournament).
“I think Grand Canyon could definitely be something like that.”
THI: Did you do an NCAA Tournament bracket?
AG: “I did. It’s in the trash now. I had Wisconsin in the final eight. They shoot the ball well; they’re a smart team. They got athletically overpowered. I had Georgetown going deep, too.
“You know what I’ve come to realize, though? When you have a really successful program, you’re playing freshmen and sophomores. Then it hurts you in the tournament when you play teams with a lot of good junior and senior players.
“That’s why a team like Wichita State, LaSalle and Florida Gulf Coast are so dangerous. Collectively, and chemistry-wise, they’re better teams and, believe me, they have a chip on their shoulder when they play Duke or North Carolina or Kansas.”
THI: So who are you pulling for now, Kansas?
AG: “I’m still a Kansas guy. I was a little nervous about them in the first half, but they had a great second half against Carolina.
“And you can’t help but pull for that Florida Gulf Coast team. It’s the nature of this time of the year, really. There’s always some team that rises to the top.”
THI: Do you ever watch the Suns?
AG: “You know, I don’t. Just for a lot of reasons, but am I concerned about the players there? Yeah. Goran Dragic, I love that kid like a son, really. I worry about him sometimes. J.D. (Jared Dudley) is another guy like that.
“It’s hard for me because, as individuals, I hate to see them go through something like this.”
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