Anderson suspended
The NBA has suspended Heat F/C Chris "Birdman" Anderson for his part in an altercation with Indiana Pacers F Tyler Hansbrough. Anderson will miss Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Bucks hire Drew
The Milwaukee Bucks have hired former Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew as their new head coach. Drew's deal will have 3 guaranteed years with a team option for year four.
“We are pleased to reach an agreement with Larry Drew to become head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks,” Bucks GM John Hammond said in a statement. “After a thorough search and interview process, it is clear to us that Larry’s track record in Atlanta, along with his experience as an assistant coach and player, make him the right choice to lead our club. We look forward to what he will bring to this franchise and we welcome him and his family to Milwaukee.”
Taj Gibson receives invite
Chicago Bulls F Taj Gibson has been invited to participate in the Team USA mini-camp that is to take place this summer.
Press Release on sale of the Sacramento Kings
The Maloof family today announced that the agreement to sell the family’s controlling interest in the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Sacramento Kings and ownership of Sleep Train Arena to the Sacramento investor group led Vivek Ranadive has closed escrow and is now final. The transaction valuation equates to a purchase price of over $534 million, an NBA record.
“We respect and would like to acknowledge the NBA Board of Governors’ dedication and diligence in working through this process over the past several months. On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Commissioner David Stern and the NBA staff who worked tirelessly on this transaction. I also would like to praise Mayor Kevin Johnson and the Sacramento City Council and staff for their efforts and loyalty to the Sacramento community,” said George Maloof, Kings co-owner speaking on behalf of Maloof family members Colleen, Joe, Gavin, Adrienne, and Phil.
“Our family thanks Bobby Hernreich for his support throughout the years; he has been a great partner. We also thank our other partners, Bud Benvenuti, John Kehriotis, and Dave Lucchetti,” added George Maloof.
“We congratulate Vivek Ranadive and the entire Sacramento investor group for their willingness to come forward and purchase the franchise for the people of Sacramento. We are confident they will provide the stewardship necessary to continue to guide the organization to successful levels,” said George Maloof.
Joe Maloof added, “The success of the Sacramento Kings has been due largely in part to the dedication and enthusiasm of our team members, coaches, players, and fans. Since our family has owned the franchise, the people of Sacramento have warmly brought the Kings into their hearts and for that we will always be grateful. As we look forward to an exciting new chapter in our family business enterprise, we will never forget the people of Sacramento and everything they have done for the Kings organization.”
The Maloof family’s 14-year tenure as majority owners of the Kings organization (family was a limited partner as well in 1998-99) is the longest in the franchise’s 65-year history. On the court, the team enjoyed its most successful Sacramento-era years under the family’s guidance, producing seven playoff-qualifying seasons, including back-to-back Pacific Division titles in 2001-02 and 2002-03 and advancement to the Western Conference Finals in 2002. During those 14 seasons, the Kings produced 555 regular season wins, including five consecutive 50-plus win seasons, and 32 post-season victories.
Off the court the franchise was triumphant as well, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the Sacramento Valley by awarding and distributing more than $20 million in cash donations and in-kind gifts to charitable causes. The family’s dedication to community service earned Joe and Gavin Maloof the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame’s Most Involved Executives award in 2001. The organization’s benevolence also was recognized with the Pro Team Humanitarian Award in both 2002 and 2004. Additionally, the Kings were voted #1 in the NBA for overall fan experience in 2001 and 2003 in a survey conducted every other year by J.D. Powers and Associates.
“It is extremely satisfying to know that we have positively impacted the lives of so many people over years,” states Gavin Maloof. “The building of community centers, little league fields, and basketball courts along with the donation of resources to local schools and food and clothing to families in-need and so much more leaves a lasting impression that far outweighs the wins that were experienced on the court,” states Gavin Maloof.
The Maloof family also enjoyed a very successful tenure as owners of the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs. From 1999 to 2009 the Monarchs were a model WNBA franchise, qualifying for the league playoffs nine times, culminated by a pair of Western Conference Championships and the 2005 WNBA title.
“We respect and would like to acknowledge the NBA Board of Governors’ dedication and diligence in working through this process over the past several months. On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Commissioner David Stern and the NBA staff who worked tirelessly on this transaction. I also would like to praise Mayor Kevin Johnson and the Sacramento City Council and staff for their efforts and loyalty to the Sacramento community,” said George Maloof, Kings co-owner speaking on behalf of Maloof family members Colleen, Joe, Gavin, Adrienne, and Phil.
“Our family thanks Bobby Hernreich for his support throughout the years; he has been a great partner. We also thank our other partners, Bud Benvenuti, John Kehriotis, and Dave Lucchetti,” added George Maloof.
“We congratulate Vivek Ranadive and the entire Sacramento investor group for their willingness to come forward and purchase the franchise for the people of Sacramento. We are confident they will provide the stewardship necessary to continue to guide the organization to successful levels,” said George Maloof.
Joe Maloof added, “The success of the Sacramento Kings has been due largely in part to the dedication and enthusiasm of our team members, coaches, players, and fans. Since our family has owned the franchise, the people of Sacramento have warmly brought the Kings into their hearts and for that we will always be grateful. As we look forward to an exciting new chapter in our family business enterprise, we will never forget the people of Sacramento and everything they have done for the Kings organization.”
The Maloof family’s 14-year tenure as majority owners of the Kings organization (family was a limited partner as well in 1998-99) is the longest in the franchise’s 65-year history. On the court, the team enjoyed its most successful Sacramento-era years under the family’s guidance, producing seven playoff-qualifying seasons, including back-to-back Pacific Division titles in 2001-02 and 2002-03 and advancement to the Western Conference Finals in 2002. During those 14 seasons, the Kings produced 555 regular season wins, including five consecutive 50-plus win seasons, and 32 post-season victories.
Off the court the franchise was triumphant as well, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the Sacramento Valley by awarding and distributing more than $20 million in cash donations and in-kind gifts to charitable causes. The family’s dedication to community service earned Joe and Gavin Maloof the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame’s Most Involved Executives award in 2001. The organization’s benevolence also was recognized with the Pro Team Humanitarian Award in both 2002 and 2004. Additionally, the Kings were voted #1 in the NBA for overall fan experience in 2001 and 2003 in a survey conducted every other year by J.D. Powers and Associates.
“It is extremely satisfying to know that we have positively impacted the lives of so many people over years,” states Gavin Maloof. “The building of community centers, little league fields, and basketball courts along with the donation of resources to local schools and food and clothing to families in-need and so much more leaves a lasting impression that far outweighs the wins that were experienced on the court,” states Gavin Maloof.
The Maloof family also enjoyed a very successful tenure as owners of the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs. From 1999 to 2009 the Monarchs were a model WNBA franchise, qualifying for the league playoffs nine times, culminated by a pair of Western Conference Championships and the 2005 WNBA title.
NBA Q&A: Tristan Thompson
Courtesy of Ryan Wolstat
Q: You’re in Oakville helping to launch Healthy Me Week. What’s it all about and why is community/charity work so important to you (Thompson was one of seven finalists for the prestigious J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award this season, given annually by the Pro Basketball Writers Association to the player, coach, or trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community. He has given out turkeys and groceries, raised money for a number of charities and has made numerous appearances in the Cleveland area, as well as back home).
A: “It’s really just going out, promoting young kids to get out, be fit and really just to be active. We go about it in a step mode: Get up – which means be active and get outside. Fuel up – Which is eat a well-balanced meal which is really important, especially for young kids. You want to make sure they have all the nutrients, eating right, eating healthy. And own up – be motivated and make it happen.
Without the community, as pro athletes, we’re nothing, so I feel it’s important to give back and definitely connect with supporters the fans and the people that help us earn our living. I think it’s important and just seeing the smile on the kids’ faces and just hanging out with them because they don’t get that every day, they don’t get a pro athlete walking through their community centre and spending two hours with them hanging out.”
Q: What’s your plan for the summer?
A: “Just in Cleveland continuing to work out, we’ve got a new coach (Mike Brown, replacing Byron Scott) so will be learning his system, what he wants to do and where he wants to take this team. Work on my game. As a young player I should be going all summer getting ready for next year.” (Thompson said he will be in Las Vegas taking in summer league, but doesn’t plan on playing again this year).
Q: What has the coaching change been like?
A: “It’s been exciting whenever you get a new coach it’s an effort. It’s something that we’re excited about, coach Brown has a great resume, he’s accomplished a lot in this league, he’s been a coach of the year and won 60+ games numerous times so, him coming back, getting his mentality and mindset is something that we’re looking forward to and getting the ball rolling.”
Q: What was your reaction to the Cavs winning the No. 1 pick again (after securing Kyrie Irving in 2012, three picks before Thompson)?
A: “(Laughing) Nick Gilbert’s got that secret touch I guess. That was great for the city and the organization, they deserve it, got the best fans in the NBA adding another pick will help us move forward.”
Q: There is talk the pick could be traded, do you have a preference between getting another young guy or some veteran help?
A: “No, that’s for the GM. That's Chris Grant’s, that’s his job title. He dictates who is on the team and who we get. I’m going to leave that up to him. For me, I’m going to continue playing and whoever we are able to get I’ll just bring him in with open arms and get ready to work.”
Q: (Said jokingly) Are you jealous at all of Cory Joseph being in the final? (Joseph, the San Antonio Spurs guard from Pickering is a close friend of Thompson’s and former high school, AAU and college teammate).
A: “No, not at all, I’m excited for him, I’m happy. He deserves it, he worked hard and he’s on a great team with great veterans and a great coach. I’m excited for him and I’m definitely going to go check him out in the finals.
We’ve all got different paths in life. That’s the adversity of becoming a pro. Things don’t always go your way, Cory’s adversity, his test was going to the D-League. For me, it’s being on a team that we didn’t make the playoffs the last few years and now it’s just make the playoffs. We’ve all got different ways to deal with adversity as pros, but if you want it and you want to be great, you’ve got to make it happen and fight through it.”
Q: You’re in contact with Myck Kabongo (another childhood friend and former teammate) often as he goes through the workout process, what’s he been saying about it? (Kabongo, from Toronto, is currently working out for prospective teams)
A: “I’m just telling him to play his game and do what he’s been doing and show what he can do. Go out there and compete.
He says he’s doing well, doing his thing and that’s all you can ask. Competing and playing hard.”
Q: Are there any Brampton bragging rights up for grabs at the draft next month since Anthony Bennett has a shot at challenging your record of being the highest-drafted Canadian ever?
A: “Records are meant to be broken, if Anthony is fortunate to go past four or be at four, I’m going to be happy for him. I just want the best situation for any of the young Canadians, it’s not about the pick or the number, it’s about the best fit and the best situation. Whatever pick Anthony, or Kelly (Olynyk), or Myck go, as long as it’s the best fit for them, I’ll be happy.”
Q: And I guess you all know Andrew (Wiggins) is going to go No. 1 next year anyway?
A: “Yep, there it is.”
Q: What’s the plan where Canada is concerned this summer?
A: “Right now I’m just working on July and June. But I’m definitely talking with team Canada and we’ll figure something out, what’s going on with them. It’s still early, so everything’s still in the works. We will get the dates. I know that the world qualifiers are coming up (FIBA Americas Championship tips Aug. 30-Sept. 11 in Venezuela), so we’ve got to get a piece of that.”
Gallinari to be out longer?
It was thought that Denver Nuggets F Danilo Gallinari would be out until January 1st of 2014 but after undergoing surgery on his torn meniscus four weeks ago, the surgery that he must have on his torn ACL has been pushed back further a couple of weeks. If all goes well and there's no setbacks, Gallinari should be ready for action after the NBA's All-Star Weekend of 2014.
Jason Kidd to return?
New York Knicks guard Jason Kidd isn't 100% sure that he'll return to the Knicks next season but indicated that the plan is to return. Kidd is mildly interested in doing some television work and even coaching once he decides to end his career and he will make his final decision within the next week. If Kidd does decide to retire it would be an ugly end to a once stellar career due to Kidd going scoreless in his last ten playoff games.
Paul George talks Carmelo Anthony
Last week it was revealed that New York Knicks F Carmelo Anthony played most of the playoffs with a partially torn left shoulder that may require surgery and many suspected that why his FG percentage fell during the Knicks match ups against the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. Pacers F Paul George who guarded Anthony for the majority of the season didn't think that Anthony was affected by the injury when speaking to the media yesterday.
“Not really,” George said. “Any time he’s putting up 20, 30 shots a game, there are no signs of him being hurt. I didn’t really see it. Every now and then when he got banged, he winced. I don’t think it had an effect on his shooting.”
Paul upset at Clippers?
A source has told various media outlets that G Chris Paul is upset at that Los Angeles Clippers due to reports indicating that he was the reason that the Clippers decided to part ways with head coach Vinny Del Negro. Many outlets had reported that Del Negro, who was fired on May 21st was let go in an attempt to convince Paul to re-sign with the franchise via free agency. Paul is so upset that he may decide to sign elsewhere once he becomes a free agent on July 1st.
"He's angry right now and his anger is directed toward the Clippers organization," the source said. "Chris is a man of principle and if he feels like you've gone against his principles, it will affect how he feels about you. He's very agitated that his name has been put out there as the reason for Vinny's firing. He had nothing to do with it."
"He's angry right now and his anger is directed toward the Clippers organization," the source said. "Chris is a man of principle and if he feels like you've gone against his principles, it will affect how he feels about you. He's very agitated that his name has been put out there as the reason for Vinny's firing. He had nothing to do with it."
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Kings hire Malone
The Sacramento Kings have hired long time NBA assistant Mike Malone to become their new head coach. Malone's deal with the Kings is a 4yr deal worth in excess of $9 million with the 4th year being a team option.
Another NBA coach fired
The Sacramento Kings have fired head coach Keith Smart after two seasons.
List of Clippers coaching candidates
Jeff Van Gundy
Nate McMillan
Brian Shaw
Lionel Hollins
Byron Scott
Van Gundy talks D12 and Roy Hibbert
Former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy took to the airwaves this morning and shed some light on who he'd think would take his former player Dwight Howard or Indiana Pacers C Roy Hibbert in a draft.
“Come on, that one’s not close,” Van Gundy said. “You could put that question to 30 general managers in the league — and give them the choice — and Indiana, out of loyalty, might take Hibbert although I would doubt it. The other 29 would not even hesitate. Everybody’s taking Dwight.
“I understand … Roy Hibbert is playing the best basketball of his career right now (against the Heat). You have to understand that Roy Hibbert during the regular season had seven games where he had (at least) 20 points and 10 rebounds and now he has three in this series. So now people are looking at him and saying he’s great. He averages 11 points per game in his career and he’s not a terrific rebounder although he is an elite-level defender. But on the offensive end of the floor he’s never done (what he’s doing now) and he’s really taking advantage of a very, very small Miami Heat team and a defender in Chris Bosh who right now in the series has just not stepped up into the battle at all.”
Battier addresses flopping
The topic of flopping has taken over the NBA news feed over the last few days and Miami Heat F Shane Battier was the latest NBA player to address the topic at today's shoot around.
"I don’t know how well it’s being policed," Battier said after Thursday's shootaround. "I think guys thought about it a lot, but whether it made a difference ultimately, I don’t know."
"I think guys offensively still flop," Battier said. "I don’t think offensively flopping is called as much it could have been, I guess. The emphasis is on defensive flopping and I think that was called more, but offensive flopping is bad too. If you have to call one, you have to call the other."
Lee undergoes surgery
Golden State Warriors F/C David Lee underwent surgery yesterday to repair his torn hip flexor. After suffering the injury during Game 1 of their first round match up against the Nuggets, Lee was supposed to miss the remainder of the playoffs but he returned two games later. Lee should be ready for the start of training camp in late September.
Heat/Pacers Fined
The NBA has fined Miami Heat F LeBron James and Pacers G/F Lance Stephenson and F David West $5,000 for violating the NBA's Anti-Flopping policy during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
NBA Q&A: Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien
Question: Have you been approached by teams who would like to speak with Lionel?
Answer: At this point, Lionel is our coach, and I wouldn’t comment on that
Question: If you were approached by teams, would you allow them to talk to him?
Answer: I think I’m probably better off not engaging in hypotheticals at this point. That’s not something we’ve focused on … the season is 18 hours old, and certainly Lionel was a great asset to us, and he was here long before we got here and we’re very proud of the way the team performed and certainly disappointed by the ending. It was an emotional evening and an emotional day today with the players, and that’s where our focus has been.
Question: Do you want [Hollins] back?
Answer: I think what I would say at this point is … up to this point, we said we didn’t want to negotiate or talk about his contract status publicly and I think we’re going to stick with that. Certainly we admire the job he’s done, and it was very helpful and very positive, we had a long conversation last night in his office, Robert, myself and Lionel, talking about the team and the community and the organization and sort of what the potential is for it. I thought that was a very positive conversation on the heels of a very emotional ending to the season.
Question: Does [this process] play out within a week, bringing him back or not?
Answer: I don’t want to put a timeframe on it, because I wouldn’t want to box ourselves in. Certainly he’s under contract, as many have reported, until the end of June, but we want to move quickly because we have important steps towards thinking about the future.
Question: Do you intend to make an offer before that timeframe [the end of June] is up?
Answer: Again, I think we’d stick to our policy of not commenting on the negotiations or the discussions around his contract.
Question: That was during the season, but now that the season is over, any difference?
Answer: I don’t think it makes sense for us to comment publicly on it. If we have, or when we submit an offer to him, to let you all know that, the timing of the response back and forth, I don’t think it’s advantageous for us to do that. I don’t anticipate us publicly announcing where we are in that process.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Cavs interested in Love?
Last week The Hardwood Nation reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers were thinking of leveraging the overall 1st pick in this year's NBA draft to acquire a veteran big man. Sources have indicated to The Hardwood Nation that the Cavaliers have targeted Timberwolves big man Kevin Love and would part ways with the 1st pick to acquire him.
NBA Q&A: Mark Cuban
Courtesy of KESN-FM 103.3
On whether any potential options -- left unsaid is Chris Paul -- have been eliminated since the end of the season:
Mark Cuban: "No, not at all. Nothing has really changed. Our approach has always been to be opportunistic and explore all of our options, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We haven’t closed any doors, and as far as we know, there haven’t been any doors that have been closed to us. We’re just going to run them all out there and see what happens.”
On the sales pitch to convince a max free agent to decline the fifth year and larger raise his current team can offer:
Mark Cuban: “First, you try to look what is important to the player. All players say they want to win rings, and that’s true. All players want to make as much money as they can and that’s true. They all view their careers differently, and I try to focus on what we can do to help them reach their career goals and put them in a position to succeed.
"In terms of that fifth year, that really is overrated from the perspective that if he’s young enough, he’s going to get another contract or two. When you sit down with them and say that there might be the issue of this contract ends before we can opt out of this current CBA. That may sound silly since we just signed a new CBA two years ago, but the ability for the league to opt out after six years means a five-year contract signed now puts you other side of that CBA, which may not be a good thing. You may want to be in a position where you want to sign another long-term deal before the NBA has the option to opt out of this CBA. I’m not suggesting that anything is going to happen with this CBA, but it’s just something to consider. On the second side of that, you’re young enough to get another contract.
"The third point, look at what LeBron [James], Kevin Durant, [Chris] Bosh and all those guys did. They all signed deals with opt-outs after three years, so there’s plenty of precedent. It’s not like all of these guys have to have that fifth year. A lot of them look at the flexibility and the options, and they have enough confidence in their ability to get that next contract. They have enough confidence in their ability to find insurance contracts in case they get hurt.”
"In terms of that fifth year, that really is overrated from the perspective that if he’s young enough, he’s going to get another contract or two. When you sit down with them and say that there might be the issue of this contract ends before we can opt out of this current CBA. That may sound silly since we just signed a new CBA two years ago, but the ability for the league to opt out after six years means a five-year contract signed now puts you other side of that CBA, which may not be a good thing. You may want to be in a position where you want to sign another long-term deal before the NBA has the option to opt out of this CBA. I’m not suggesting that anything is going to happen with this CBA, but it’s just something to consider. On the second side of that, you’re young enough to get another contract.
"The third point, look at what LeBron [James], Kevin Durant, [Chris] Bosh and all those guys did. They all signed deals with opt-outs after three years, so there’s plenty of precedent. It’s not like all of these guys have to have that fifth year. A lot of them look at the flexibility and the options, and they have enough confidence in their ability to get that next contract. They have enough confidence in their ability to find insurance contracts in case they get hurt.”
On if he feels smart about letting Tyson Chandler go:
Mark Cuban: “When you’re out of the playoffs, you’re not allowed to feel smart. I’m not going to talk about specific players or teams other than to say that when we had to go on our decision of whether or not to stick to our plan, which was our older guys were coming off contracts and we went for it, had a super-huge payroll, knowing that all of our guys' contracts are ending within two years. Did we want to stick with that or bring them all back? You guys have heard me say many a time that my greatest fear was what happened to Detroit at the end of their run -- that we kept the guys too long. Now, you add to it all the things we discussed about the CBA and it really is difficult. You’re hearing some of those teams when their fans are asking if they can make a sign-and-trade for a free agent, and the answer is no. Can they keep some of their existing players? It’s going to be far more difficult and their options are very much limited. We didn’t want to be in that position as we try to put a great team around Dirk to make another run and prepare for our future.”
Bucks to let Jennings walk?
With guards Monta Ellis (un-restricted) and Brandon Jennings (restricted) becoming free agent on July 1st, the question surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks all season long was which one would they attempt to bring back or would they bring back both. With Jennings being younger and also the potentially cheaper option many suspected that the he'd be a lock to return but reports are now indicating that the Bucks are leaning towards doing what they can to keep Monta Ellis.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
LeBron James talks "flopping"
It's a question that divides family and friends and splits the NBA fan base.....Is LeBron James a flopper? While speaking to the media recently, LeBron James gave his insight on how flopping can affect the game we all love when asked about it.
“Some guys have been doing it for years, just trying to get an advantage,” James said. “Any way you can get an advantage over the opponent to help your team win, so be it.”
Bobcats to target Ewing?
The Charlotte Bobcats are expected to hire NBA legend Patrick Ewing to become the top assistant of newly hired head coach Steve Clifford. Ewing and Clifford spent time together as assistants under Stan Van Gundy with the Orlando Magic.
Hollins has suitors
Now that the Grizzlies season is over, the Nets, Clippers, and Bucks are all expected to request permission to speak to soon to be free agent coach Lionel Hollins. Hollins has stated that he'd like to receive an extension with the Grizzlies but at this point in time no one is sure of the direction that the franchise will take.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Bobcats hire head coach
The Charlotte Bobcats have hired former Los Angeles Lakers assistant Steve Clifford as their new head coach.
Stoudemire to work with "The Dream"
For the second consecutive off season, New York Knicks F Amar'e Stoudemire will workout with NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon. The workouts are planned for August at Olajuwon's ranch which is located outside of Houston. Olajuwon charges $50,000 a week for the private lessons and attendees have included LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.
Finalist for the Bucks vacant coaching job
 |
| Hawks Coach Larry Drew |
 |
| Rockets' Assistant Kelvin Sampson |
 |
| Lakers' Assistant Steve Clifford |
NBA Q&A: Sarah Palin
Courtesy of Joe Goodman Jr.
ME: “Since you’re here sitting in the front row, I figured I would be remiss if I didn’t try to interview you.”
PALIN: “You can try. It’s your job.”
ME: “So, I guess what do you think of the game so far?”
PALIN: “We love the NBA. We love Indiana. We go back to being big Hoosier fans. So, anything that has to do with Indiana, we’re going to support, so coming here and rooting for the Pacers is kind of parlaying our love of Indiana.”
ME: “Were you here for the race?”
PALIN: “For the race and we were lucky enough to get to come to this game then, too.”
ME: “So, you did the Indianapolis double today.”
PALIN: “Yeah, this a dream come true for sports nuts like Todd and me. It’s really, it’s surreal.”
ME: “What did you do at the race? I covered the Daytona 500 one year when you were there.”
PALIN: “What we got to do is hang with Parnelli Jones and do a lap with Parnelli yesterday and it’s the 50th anniversary of his win in Indy, so that was cool to get to be with him. And then just to experience the race, something so iconic and all-Americana, something we grew up watching on TV all these years to be there today was spectacular.”
ME: “So, growing up in Alaska, who were some of your favorite NBA stars?”
TODD PALIN, interjecting: “Well, back in the day, Dr. J., Larry Bird, Magic…
PALIN: “Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, I mean the crew in the 80s, growing up in the 80s, you know. But all these guys today, these athletes are amazing athletes. And Miami is so doggone stacked, but the Pacers have this tenacious, scrappy, underdog persona that everybody’s going to root for.”
ME: “But you’ve got to be pulling for Miami, too, right? Because they’ve got an Alaskan on the team.”
PALIN: “We love Chalmers. Any of the Alaskan kids who make it so big, like Trajan Langdon and Carlos Boozer, all those guys we’re always going to root for, but when it comes to team, though, I’m always going to root for the underdog. Go Pacers!”
TODD PALIN: “I always like seven games in a series, though.”
PALIN: “That’s the thing. I just texted my girlfriend that hopefully it goes seven.”
ME: “So, where do you see your political future going?”
PALIN: “That’s up to the American people. And if they want to see positive change in this country, or if they want to just kind of keep embracing the status quo of going down the wrong road. It’s up to the American people and where someone’s political future is going to go.”
ME: “You got anything planned in the near future?”
PALIN: “Near future is helping change the senate in the 2014 races, get some good common sense conservatives elected.”
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Wade to play tonight
The NBA has decided not to suspend Miami Heat G Dwyane Wade for an elbowing Pacers G Lance Stephenson during game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Suns pick head coach
The Phoenix Suns have are working out the final details on a contract for former NBA player Jeff Hornacek to become the franchise's new head coach. Hornacek played for the Suns during six years of his 14 year NBA career.
Williams talks being arrested
Celtics G Terrence Williams spoke with reporters for the first time yesterday after being arrested earlier in the week for a domestic incident involving the mother of his 10 year old son.
"We all know there’s two sides to every story,"
"That’s all I’m going to say about that, I’m not crazy. You guys have been around me for whatever 2 ½ months, I’m not crazy at all."
"Very frustrating, because I was there, I know what happened, and I know what didn’t happen," he said. "To anybody reading, and everybody that’s writing these stories, it makes me out to be this bandit, whatever that guy’s name is in Public Enemy No. 1, a long time ago, John Dillinger. It made me be like I was him. It’s very frustrating, because I know what happened, and what didn’t happen. All you can do is pray and move forward, that’s what I’ve been doing my whole life (anytime) something happens."
"We all know there’s two sides to every story,"
"That’s all I’m going to say about that, I’m not crazy. You guys have been around me for whatever 2 ½ months, I’m not crazy at all."
"Very frustrating, because I was there, I know what happened, and I know what didn’t happen," he said. "To anybody reading, and everybody that’s writing these stories, it makes me out to be this bandit, whatever that guy’s name is in Public Enemy No. 1, a long time ago, John Dillinger. It made me be like I was him. It’s very frustrating, because I know what happened, and what didn’t happen. All you can do is pray and move forward, that’s what I’ve been doing my whole life (anytime) something happens."
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Biedrins to opt-in
Golden State Warriors big man Andris Biedrins will opt-in to the finals year of his $54 million contract. Biedrins averaged .5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game and the final year of his contract is valued at $9 million.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Grizzlies Allen Fined
Memphis Grizzlies G Tony Allen has been fined $5,000 for violating the NBA's Anti Flopping rule during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
NBA Q&A: Jeff Van Gundy, Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello
Courtesy of Dave D'Alessandro
Q. So where did you come down on Pacers coach Frank Vogel’s decision to lift Roy Hibbert on those two need-stops in Game 1?
CZAR: "It was the right call. Not knowing what Miami would run, Hibbert’s man would just read it and screen and pop to the top of the circle to force a switch, so he’d have to guard a small. (Heat coach Erik) Spoelstra drew up a hell of a play, and spaced the floor beautifully to make it a great catch-and-go for LeBron (James). And Paul George was in a bad body position."
JVG: "People overlooked David West on the ball, giving no support to keep it out of LeBron’s hands; that George was caught off-guard; and that Sam Young was ... I don’t even know what he was doing. So Frank is taking the heat for what may be a mistake on his part, but others are being left off the hook."
HUBIE: "I don’t second-guess it. But if you say ‘Put Hibbert on the inbounds passer,’ I can buy that. That’s a fair second-guess. A 7-2 guy would make that pass much more difficult for (Shane) Battier."
Q. The Pacers had 20 turnovers, George Hill looks groggy, yet they lost by one. If you’re Vogel, is it a hard sell at shootaround (today)? What do you say to keep the faith, when you just lost control of the series?
JVG: "Some idiot — that’s me — said they have no chance before Game 1. But when you play D like that, and Paul George holds his own against LeBron, they have a shot. Sure, it may be minimal. And for a defensive team to lose like that, it stings. But if you’re the coach and you think you screwed up,
start by saying so. Then point out what you can do better."
CZAR: "It’s tough. An outsider would say, ‘Well, Paul George made a Hail Mary just to get the game to overtime, so they should have lost earlier.’ But you can always find positives; they were one stop away. You just clean up what you did wrong and play the same defense."
HUBIE: "You remind them, ‘We proved that we can play with this team — in our two (regular season) wins against them, plus Game 1, we held them to 12 under their average. Now, what we can improve on is passing it into the post guys who are fronted,’ because they let Miami sit in their laps. And Lance Stephenson and Hill cannot go 4-for-19 again."
Q. The difference out West is the Spurs’ Tiago Splitter preventing the Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph from getting leverage around the rim, but will that series end up as a referendum on Rudy Gay?
HUBIE: "In both games, the Spurs were able to rough (Randolph) up without the call. You can see what’s happening to Zach — he’s exasperated. And people can talk all they want about not needing Gay, but this is the third round, baby: You must have guys who make the pressure shots with 3-2-1 on the damn clock."
JVG: "It’s the Spurs’ length, but they are also ignoring the wing shooters, Tayshaun Prince and Tony Allen. The floor is really congested right now. What will they do to get more balance: They found more of it in the second half with (Quincy) Pondexter and (Jerryd) Bayless. As for Gay, he’s a talented offensive player, but often an inefficient one."
CZAR: "In the last series, Zach did damage on three guys — he seemed to foul out two guys every game and get his team in the bonus early. But San Antonio has been magnificent with its post defense — fronting, traps, all of it. Didn’t San Antonio win two games against OKC and then lose four in a row last year? I think it’s still a series."
Q. So what else has stood out to you in this postseason that you haven’t heard as a talking point in the pregame shows?
HUBIE: "We have (eight) coaching vacancies. Think about that: You’re not even safe if you’ve won 50 games, if you’re not in the round that management expects. Perfect example: You hear P.J. (Carlesimo) could only save his job if he got to the Conference Finals. C’mon, you haven’t won a round in years, and now you’re talking about the third round? To me, it’s a bad situation when one-third of your coaches are unemployed every year."
CZAR: "Hubie said coaches, right? Good, I agree with him. Not only do we have eight jobs open, many others (Atlanta, Minnesota, Toronto) could be question marks. It’s kind of amazing. And troubling."
JVG: "I was all for replay, but now I’m almost against it. Pace, rhythm, flow — it’s destroyed by excessive timeouts. When you’re coaching you don’t think about how long these games take. When you watch them, it takes forever. I bet Paul George wanted to call timeout on LeBron’s first dribble (Wednesday) night.
CZAR: "It was the right call. Not knowing what Miami would run, Hibbert’s man would just read it and screen and pop to the top of the circle to force a switch, so he’d have to guard a small. (Heat coach Erik) Spoelstra drew up a hell of a play, and spaced the floor beautifully to make it a great catch-and-go for LeBron (James). And Paul George was in a bad body position."
JVG: "People overlooked David West on the ball, giving no support to keep it out of LeBron’s hands; that George was caught off-guard; and that Sam Young was ... I don’t even know what he was doing. So Frank is taking the heat for what may be a mistake on his part, but others are being left off the hook."
HUBIE: "I don’t second-guess it. But if you say ‘Put Hibbert on the inbounds passer,’ I can buy that. That’s a fair second-guess. A 7-2 guy would make that pass much more difficult for (Shane) Battier."
Q. The Pacers had 20 turnovers, George Hill looks groggy, yet they lost by one. If you’re Vogel, is it a hard sell at shootaround (today)? What do you say to keep the faith, when you just lost control of the series?
JVG: "Some idiot — that’s me — said they have no chance before Game 1. But when you play D like that, and Paul George holds his own against LeBron, they have a shot. Sure, it may be minimal. And for a defensive team to lose like that, it stings. But if you’re the coach and you think you screwed up,
start by saying so. Then point out what you can do better."
CZAR: "It’s tough. An outsider would say, ‘Well, Paul George made a Hail Mary just to get the game to overtime, so they should have lost earlier.’ But you can always find positives; they were one stop away. You just clean up what you did wrong and play the same defense."
HUBIE: "You remind them, ‘We proved that we can play with this team — in our two (regular season) wins against them, plus Game 1, we held them to 12 under their average. Now, what we can improve on is passing it into the post guys who are fronted,’ because they let Miami sit in their laps. And Lance Stephenson and Hill cannot go 4-for-19 again."
Q. The difference out West is the Spurs’ Tiago Splitter preventing the Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph from getting leverage around the rim, but will that series end up as a referendum on Rudy Gay?
HUBIE: "In both games, the Spurs were able to rough (Randolph) up without the call. You can see what’s happening to Zach — he’s exasperated. And people can talk all they want about not needing Gay, but this is the third round, baby: You must have guys who make the pressure shots with 3-2-1 on the damn clock."
JVG: "It’s the Spurs’ length, but they are also ignoring the wing shooters, Tayshaun Prince and Tony Allen. The floor is really congested right now. What will they do to get more balance: They found more of it in the second half with (Quincy) Pondexter and (Jerryd) Bayless. As for Gay, he’s a talented offensive player, but often an inefficient one."
CZAR: "In the last series, Zach did damage on three guys — he seemed to foul out two guys every game and get his team in the bonus early. But San Antonio has been magnificent with its post defense — fronting, traps, all of it. Didn’t San Antonio win two games against OKC and then lose four in a row last year? I think it’s still a series."
Q. So what else has stood out to you in this postseason that you haven’t heard as a talking point in the pregame shows?
HUBIE: "We have (eight) coaching vacancies. Think about that: You’re not even safe if you’ve won 50 games, if you’re not in the round that management expects. Perfect example: You hear P.J. (Carlesimo) could only save his job if he got to the Conference Finals. C’mon, you haven’t won a round in years, and now you’re talking about the third round? To me, it’s a bad situation when one-third of your coaches are unemployed every year."
CZAR: "Hubie said coaches, right? Good, I agree with him. Not only do we have eight jobs open, many others (Atlanta, Minnesota, Toronto) could be question marks. It’s kind of amazing. And troubling."
JVG: "I was all for replay, but now I’m almost against it. Pace, rhythm, flow — it’s destroyed by excessive timeouts. When you’re coaching you don’t think about how long these games take. When you watch them, it takes forever. I bet Paul George wanted to call timeout on LeBron’s first dribble (Wednesday) night.
Barkley talks Suns front office situation
Those in the know have stated that despite being one of the most popular NBA figures on television, TNT's Charles Barkley dreams of being even more. It's no secret that Charles has privately thought about calling Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver to discuss future employment. Having addressed their front office situation weeks ago, Barkley has again decided to let this thoughts be heard on the situation.
“The Suns did not call me…but once they rehired Lon Babby, they lost me,” Barkley said. ”I thought they should have cleaned house. And anybody who thought (former general manager) Lance Blanks was running things is a damn idiot.
“I thought they should have gotten rid of everybody and started over because this is going to be a long process. The Suns are probably three years away from making the playoffs.”
“I wanted the job (in Phoenix),” Barkley said. “Everybody knew I wanted to be a GM. But I’m not going to campaign for any job. I think I’m going to be a good GM when that time comes. I know I’m going to be successful.”
“I want them to be successful,” Barkley said. “You think I want to watch crappy basketball every night when I’m at home?”
Vasquez to undergo surgery
New Orleans Pelicans G Greivis Vasquez will undergo minor surgery today to remove loose particle from both ankles. Vasquez's recovery time is expected to be 12-16 weeks and had a season average of 13.9 points and 9 assists per game.
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