NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2009 – Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, the reigning T-Mobile Rookie of the Year, and Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, lead a list of 18 players selected for the 2009 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam to be held on Friday, Feb. 13 in Phoenix during NBA All-Star 2009.
The participants in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam were selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot. For the first time in the game’s history, two current NBA players, All-Star starters Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat – veterans of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and part of T-Mobile’s “All-Star Faves” – will serve on the coaching staffs, Howard for the Sophomores and Wade for the Rookies. The head coaches for the Rookie and Sophomore teams will be the lead assistants from the 2009 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs.
Forward Jeff Green, Durant’s teammate in Oklahoma City, joins him on the Sophomore team, which also includes Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford, Los Angeles Clippers forward Al Thornton, Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young, New York Knicks forward Wilson Chandler, Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey and a pair of teammates from the Houston Rockets – guard Aaron Brooks and forward Luis Scola.
Joining Rose on the Rookie team are two sets of teammates – guard O.J. Mayo and center Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies and center Greg Oden and guard Rudy Fernandez from the Portland Trail Blazers. Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Clippers guard Eric Gordon, Heat forward Michael Beasley and New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez round out the Rookie team.
The T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam will be televised live nationally on TNT at 9 p.m. ET and also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio, while NBA.com will make live audio available to fans in multiple languages. Fans tuning in to TNT will also get a special treat, as NBA All-Star starter LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a participant in the 2004 and 2005
T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, will join Kevin Harlan, Kenny Smith and Craig Sager as part of TNT’s broadcast as an analyst.
As title partner of the Rookie Challenge and overall NBA Rookie Program, T-Mobile has teamed up with the NBA and NBA Cares to create the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Phoenix students to experience NBA All-Star 2009. By successfully completing fitness, nutrition, and community service requirements, more than 3,500 “T-Mobile Stick Together All-Stars,” ages 11-15, from participating school districts in Phoenix will watch the game from the best seats in the house at US Airways Arena.
As a new element to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, fans had the unique opportunity to design the official jerseys worn by the Rookie and Sophomore teams. Thousands of fans registered for the NBA LIVE Jersey Creator Contest hosted by EA SPORTS for the chance to win a trip for two to Phoenix, AZ for NBA All-Star 2009. The winning jersey is being produced by adidas, the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, and will be
worn by all participating Rookie and Sophomore players, marking the first time that a fan designed jersey has ever been worn during an NBA game or event. In past years, Rookies and Sophomores wore their regular team jerseys during the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. The winning design was created by 18-year-old Tim Ahmed from East Meadow, Long Island. Ahmed attended East Meadow High School and is currently a first-year
student at Baruch College in Manhattan.
In last year’s T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson earned Most Valuable Player honors, making 11 three-pointers en route to a game-high 33 points, as the Sophomores cruised to a 136-109 victory. Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay added 22 points and Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar tallied 17 points and 11 assists. Durant, then of the Seattle SuperSonics, led the Rookies with 23 points.
The contest began its current format pitting the Rookies against the Sophomores in 2000 and the Sophomores hold a 7-2 advantage over the first-year players. The game will be played in two 20-minute halves. Individual foul totals will be kept, but a player cannot foul out. A team will be in the penalty situation after 10 team fouls or after the second foul in the final two minutes of each half. In the event of a tie game, there will be a two-minute overtime to determine the winner. The clock will stop after each successful field goal in the last minute of each half.
T-Mobile will provide basketball fans with the opportunity to have their vote count toward selecting the MVP of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam by voting on NBA.com or via SMS on mobile phones during the second half of the game.
The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15, will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio beginning at 8 p.m. EST. The game will also be telecast in over 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages and broadcast on NBA.com.
Below are the rosters for the 2009 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam:
ROOKIE TEAM ROSTER
Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School/Country
Michael Beasley Miami F 6-9 245 Kansas St.
Rudy Fernandez Portland G-F 6-6 185 Spain
Marc Gasol Memphis C 7-1 265 Spain
Eric Gordon L.A. Clippers G 6-3 222 Indiana
Brook Lopez New Jersey C 7-0 260 Stanford
O.J. Mayo Memphis G 6-4 210 USC
Greg Oden Portland C 7-0 285 Ohio State
Derrick Rose Chicago G 6-3 190 Memphis
Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City G 6-3 187 UCLA
Head Coach – TBD
Assistant Coach – Dwyane Wade
SOPHOMORE TEAM ROSTER
Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School/Country
Aaron Brooks Houston G 6-0 161 Oregon
Wilson Chandler New York F 6-8 220 DePaul
Kevin Durant Oklahoma City G-F 6-9 215 Texas
Jeff Green Oklahoma City F 6-9 235 Georgetown
Al Horford Atlanta F-C 6-10 245 Florida
Luis Scola Houston F-C 6-9 245 Argentina
Al Thornton L.A. Clippers F 6-8 220 Florida State
Rodney Stuckey Detroit G 6-5 205 Eastern Washington
Thaddeus Young Philadelphia F 6-8 220 Georgia Tech
Head Coach – TBD
Assistant Coach – Dwight Howard
PREVIOUS T-MOBILE ROOKIE CHALLENGE RESULTS
1994 - Phenoms 74, Sensations 68
1995 - White 83, Green 79 (OT)
1996 - East 94, West 92
1997 - East 96, West 91
1998 - East 85, West 80
2000 - Rookies 92, Sophomores 81 (OT)
2001 - Sophomores 121, Rookies 113
2002 - Rookies 103, Sophomores 97
2003 - Sophomores 132, Rookies 112
2004 - Sophomores 142, Rookies 118
2005 - Sophomores 133, Rookies 106
2006 - Sophomores 106, Rookies 96
2007 – Sophomores 155, Rookies 114
2008 – Sophomores 136, Rookies 109
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Kobe tops Lebron, KG in jersey sales
NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2009 – The NBA announced today that Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose debuted at No. 9 on the NBA’s Most Popular Jersey List. He is the only rookie to appear on the list. The Los Angeles Lakers’ 11-time All-Star Kobe Bryant has the most popular jersey in the NBA, moving past the Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett to regain the No. 1 spot on the NBA’s list. With the Western Conference best record, the Lakers top the list of Most Popular NBA Team Merchandise. The rankings are based on sales at the NBA Store in New York City and NBAStore.com since the start of the 2008-09 NBA season through January 2009.
TOP 15 PLAYERS TOP 10 TEAMS
- Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers 1. Los Angeles Lakers
- Kevin Garnett – Boston Celtics 2. Boston Celtics
- LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers 3. New York Knicks
- Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets 4. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Allen Iverson – Detroit Pistons 5. Chicago Bulls
- Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers 6. Phoenix Suns
- Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics 7. Detroit Pistons
- Dwyane Wade – Miami Heat 8. New Orleans Hornets
- Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls 9. Miami Heat
- Nate Robinson – New York Knicks 10. San Antonio Spurs
- Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns
- Dwight Howard- Orlando Magic
- Ray Allen – Boston Celtics
- David Lee – New York Knicks
- Carmelo Anthony – Denver Nuggets
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Jackson will coach Western Conference All-Stars
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson will coach the Western Conference All-Stars for the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 15, at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
With the Lakers’ 108-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers tonight, Jackson and the Lakers (33-8, .805) have at least tied for the best winning percentage in the conference through Feb. 1. In the event that the Spurs and the Lakers have the same winning percentage through Feb. 1, Jackson would earn the spot to coach the West All-Stars since Gregg
Popovich has coached an All-Star team most recently (2005). This marks the fourth time Jackson will serve as an All-Star head coach (1992, 1996, 2000).
Head coaches for the East and West All-Star teams are based on teams with the best winning percentage in each conference. Last year’s coaches – Boston’s Doc Rivers and New Orleans’ Byron Scott – are not eligible to coach in the 2009 All-Star Game.
This season marks Jackson’s ninth year at the helm of the Lakers and his 18th season as a head coach. Jackson’s 1,009-426 (.703) record gives him the best winning percentage in NBA history, with his win total ranking him sixth all-time. Jackson became the first coach in NBA history to
lead a team to three consecutive championships three different times (Chicago, 1991-93 and 1996-98; Los Angeles, 2000-02), while his 193 postseason wins are the most by any head coach in league history. A member of the Naismith Hall of Fame, Jackson has led the Lakers to three NBA Championships and five Western Conference Championships. The Lakers’ 15-1 (.938) run in the 2001 NBA Playoffs marked the highest winning percentage by any team in a single postseason. From 1996 to 2003, Jackson led his teams (Chicago and Los Angeles) to an NBA-best 25 consecutive postseason series wins. With nine NBA championships over the last 18 years, Jackson is tied with Red Auerbach (Boston) for most NBA Championships in league history.
The NBA All-Star Game will broadcast live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more
than 200 countries and territories worldwide at 8:00 p.m. EST on Sunday,
Feb. 15, from Phoenix.
With the Lakers’ 108-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers tonight, Jackson and the Lakers (33-8, .805) have at least tied for the best winning percentage in the conference through Feb. 1. In the event that the Spurs and the Lakers have the same winning percentage through Feb. 1, Jackson would earn the spot to coach the West All-Stars since Gregg
Popovich has coached an All-Star team most recently (2005). This marks the fourth time Jackson will serve as an All-Star head coach (1992, 1996, 2000).
Head coaches for the East and West All-Star teams are based on teams with the best winning percentage in each conference. Last year’s coaches – Boston’s Doc Rivers and New Orleans’ Byron Scott – are not eligible to coach in the 2009 All-Star Game.
This season marks Jackson’s ninth year at the helm of the Lakers and his 18th season as a head coach. Jackson’s 1,009-426 (.703) record gives him the best winning percentage in NBA history, with his win total ranking him sixth all-time. Jackson became the first coach in NBA history to
lead a team to three consecutive championships three different times (Chicago, 1991-93 and 1996-98; Los Angeles, 2000-02), while his 193 postseason wins are the most by any head coach in league history. A member of the Naismith Hall of Fame, Jackson has led the Lakers to three NBA Championships and five Western Conference Championships. The Lakers’ 15-1 (.938) run in the 2001 NBA Playoffs marked the highest winning percentage by any team in a single postseason. From 1996 to 2003, Jackson led his teams (Chicago and Los Angeles) to an NBA-best 25 consecutive postseason series wins. With nine NBA championships over the last 18 years, Jackson is tied with Red Auerbach (Boston) for most NBA Championships in league history.
The NBA All-Star Game will broadcast live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more
than 200 countries and territories worldwide at 8:00 p.m. EST on Sunday,
Feb. 15, from Phoenix.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
TSN Radio
Listen to John McMullen on Troy Derengowski's Nightly Sports Report on WHON 930 at 5:00 p.m. Bang the link to listen...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The NBA's Other Elite Team
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - When you talk about the NBA's elite, you begin with the obvious.
The conversation usually starts with the league's two marquee teams -- the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.
It's hard to argue with that. After all, the Celtics dispatched the Lakers to win title No. 17 last June and this season, Boston raced out of the blocks to the best 29-game start in NBA history. Meanwhile, LA remains atop the Western Conference.
Joining those two clubs in the discussion is LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs and James' ridiculously chiseled physique are overpowering the NBA to the tune of a perfect 20-0 home record and a 31-8 overall mark.
Like I said -- obvious.
But, one other club now has to enter the debate -- the Orlando Magic.
The Magic made some serious strides last season, winning a playoff series for the first time since 1996 before being summarily dismissed by the Detroit Pistons in five games during the Eastern Conference semifinals.
[Dwight Howard]
Dwight Howard and the Magic own the NBA's best record at 33-8.
Superstar center Dwight Howard called the playoff loss to the Pistons "an embarrassment" and the All-Star, along with his mates, seem to have used the Detroit debacle as fuel this season.
With Saturday's win in the Rocky Mountains, Stan Van Gundy's club finished a grueling four-game road trip in perfect fashion and improved their NBA-best road record to 17-5.
The Magic beat three division leaders on the trek, San Antonio, the Lakers and Denver, and have won 15 of their past 17 games overall. Meanwhile, the team's 33-8 record is now the NBA's best.
Last Friday, the Magic completed a season sweep of the mighty Lakers for the first time in franchise history. They also have already swept both games from the Spurs this season and routed another talented Western Conference team, the New Orleans Hornets, on Christmas Day.
Van Gundy has been riding his big four - sharpshooters Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, much-improved point guard Jameer Nelson and the incomparable Howard - and the results have been there on a consistent basis.
In Denver, Turkoglu scored a game-high 31 points in a 106-88 romp over the Northwest Division-leading Nuggets, while Nelson and Lewis dropped 23 points apiece.
Howard, the game's most dominant big man and the league's only legitimate 20-20 threat on a nightly basis, recorded his usual double-double of 14 points and 20 rebounds.
Denver coach George Karl was more than a little impressed,
"(The Magic) figure out how to play and how to win," Karl said after the game. "Tonight, we just had too many holes to fill in. You got an Orlando team that's beating everybody and confident."
Scratch that...the Magic haven't beaten everybody...just yet.
Orlando hasn't recorded a win against the Eastern Conference's top teams. The Magic lost to the Celtics and their old nemesis, the Pistons, in their lone outings with both clubs this season. Meanwhile, they haven't met up with James and the Cavaliers yet.
In other words, there is still room for improvement and plenty of opportunity for Van Gundy to push his talented club, but Orlando no longer needs any "Magic" to compete with the league's best.
Howard, Nelson, Lewis and Turkoglu are more than enough.
The conversation usually starts with the league's two marquee teams -- the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.
It's hard to argue with that. After all, the Celtics dispatched the Lakers to win title No. 17 last June and this season, Boston raced out of the blocks to the best 29-game start in NBA history. Meanwhile, LA remains atop the Western Conference.
Joining those two clubs in the discussion is LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs and James' ridiculously chiseled physique are overpowering the NBA to the tune of a perfect 20-0 home record and a 31-8 overall mark.
Like I said -- obvious.
But, one other club now has to enter the debate -- the Orlando Magic.
The Magic made some serious strides last season, winning a playoff series for the first time since 1996 before being summarily dismissed by the Detroit Pistons in five games during the Eastern Conference semifinals.
[Dwight Howard]
Dwight Howard and the Magic own the NBA's best record at 33-8.
Superstar center Dwight Howard called the playoff loss to the Pistons "an embarrassment" and the All-Star, along with his mates, seem to have used the Detroit debacle as fuel this season.
With Saturday's win in the Rocky Mountains, Stan Van Gundy's club finished a grueling four-game road trip in perfect fashion and improved their NBA-best road record to 17-5.
The Magic beat three division leaders on the trek, San Antonio, the Lakers and Denver, and have won 15 of their past 17 games overall. Meanwhile, the team's 33-8 record is now the NBA's best.
Last Friday, the Magic completed a season sweep of the mighty Lakers for the first time in franchise history. They also have already swept both games from the Spurs this season and routed another talented Western Conference team, the New Orleans Hornets, on Christmas Day.
Van Gundy has been riding his big four - sharpshooters Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, much-improved point guard Jameer Nelson and the incomparable Howard - and the results have been there on a consistent basis.
In Denver, Turkoglu scored a game-high 31 points in a 106-88 romp over the Northwest Division-leading Nuggets, while Nelson and Lewis dropped 23 points apiece.
Howard, the game's most dominant big man and the league's only legitimate 20-20 threat on a nightly basis, recorded his usual double-double of 14 points and 20 rebounds.
Denver coach George Karl was more than a little impressed,
"(The Magic) figure out how to play and how to win," Karl said after the game. "Tonight, we just had too many holes to fill in. You got an Orlando team that's beating everybody and confident."
Scratch that...the Magic haven't beaten everybody...just yet.
Orlando hasn't recorded a win against the Eastern Conference's top teams. The Magic lost to the Celtics and their old nemesis, the Pistons, in their lone outings with both clubs this season. Meanwhile, they haven't met up with James and the Cavaliers yet.
In other words, there is still room for improvement and plenty of opportunity for Van Gundy to push his talented club, but Orlando no longer needs any "Magic" to compete with the league's best.
Howard, Nelson, Lewis and Turkoglu are more than enough.
Nelson, Paul earn Player of the Week honors
NBA EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Nelson helped the Magic to a 3-0 week on a West Coast road trip, averaging 24.7 points, 8.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals. On Jan. 16, Nelson scored 15 of his game-high-tying 28 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 35 seconds remaining in Orlando’s 109-103 win, as the Magic swept their season series with the Lakers for the first time in franchise history. In a win over
Paul earns his third Player of the Week award of the season after averaging 24.3 points, 9.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals. On Jan. 14, Paul recorded his fourth triple-double of the season with 33 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in
Here is a recap of the week for Nelson and Paul:
Jameer Nelson,
Jan. 13 @
Jan. 16 @ LA Lakers: Scored 28 points and added eight assists and six rebounds in a 109-103 win over the Lakers.
Jan. 17 @
Chris Paul,
Jan. 12 vs.
Jan. 14 @
Jan. 16 @
Jan. 17 @
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were
Russell is D-League Player of the Week
Walker Russell, Jr. of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants has been named NBA D-League Performer of the Week for games played during the week of Jan. 12, 2009. Russell is the first Mad Ant to earn the honor this season.
Russell averaged 28.5 points and 16.0 assists in two wins over the
A 6-0 guard, Russell is leading the NBA D-League with 11.6 assists per game this season. He also ranks fourth in the league with 2.5 steals, while averaging 16.9 points.
Other top performers last week included Tulsa’s Ronald Dupree, who averaged 30.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in two games for the 66ers; Othyus Jeffers, who averaged 26.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games for the Iowa Energy; Idaho’s Coby Karl who finished the week averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in two games for the Stampede; Antonio Meeking, who averaged 20.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in three games for the Reno Bighorns; and Anaheim’s James White, who averaged 27.0 points in three games for the Arsenal last week.
Blazers' Fernandez in slam dnk contest
Portland Trail Blazer rookie Rudy Fernandez, a native of Spain, will become the first international player to participate in the Sprite Slam Dunk competition to be held during NBA All-Star Saturday Night Feb. 14, at US Airways Center (8 p.m. ET on TNT) in Phoenix, the NBA
announced today.
Fernandez was selected as the fourth and final participant exclusively through an online vote on NBA.com, marking the first time fans have had a say in choosing a competitor for the Dunk contest.
More than 500,000 total votes were cast on NBA.com/dunk to determine one of this year’s dunkers as part of Sprite’s “They Dunk. You Decide” campaign. Fernandez received 251,868 votes, beating out fellow rookies Russell Westbrook (147,279) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Joe Alexander (114,963) of the Milwaukee Bucks. Fernandez, who is among rookie leaders in scoring, assists, steals, three-point field goal percentage and free throw
percentage, will compete against the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard, the reigning Sprite Slam Dunk champion, the Memphis Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay, who participated in last year’s contest, and the New York Knicks’ Nate Robinson, winner of the 2006 contest in Houston.
announced today.
Fernandez was selected as the fourth and final participant exclusively through an online vote on NBA.com, marking the first time fans have had a say in choosing a competitor for the Dunk contest.
More than 500,000 total votes were cast on NBA.com/dunk to determine one of this year’s dunkers as part of Sprite’s “They Dunk. You Decide” campaign. Fernandez received 251,868 votes, beating out fellow rookies Russell Westbrook (147,279) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Joe Alexander (114,963) of the Milwaukee Bucks. Fernandez, who is among rookie leaders in scoring, assists, steals, three-point field goal percentage and free throw
percentage, will compete against the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard, the reigning Sprite Slam Dunk champion, the Memphis Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay, who participated in last year’s contest, and the New York Knicks’ Nate Robinson, winner of the 2006 contest in Houston.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Bulls to honor Johnny "Red" Kerr
CHICAGO – The Chicago Bulls announced today that longtime team broadcaster Johnny “Red” Kerr will be honored for his career achievements and 35 years of service to the Bulls organization during a halftime ceremony at the Bulls’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, February 10 at the United Center.
“Johnny Kerr is a Chicago Bulls icon,” said Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “It is only fitting that we salute Johnny and thank him for the many contributions he has made to the Chicago Bulls organization over these past decades. We are pleased to have the opportunity along with 20,000 of our fans to tell Johnny how much we love and appreciate him.”
Kerr, a native of Chicago, has been a part of the Bulls organization in various capacities for 35 of the franchise’s 43 seasons, most notably as a team broadcaster for more than 30 years. He also served as the team’s first head coach in 1966 and earned NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 1966-67 season, when he directed the first-year Bulls to a playoff appearance. Kerr is the only head coach in NBA history to lead an expansion team to the playoffs during its inaugural season. Additionally, he was the franchise’s business manager for two seasons.
As part of the halftime salute, Bulls television play-by-play announcer Neil Funk will emcee the ceremony which will include a video tribute, speeches and appearances from notables such as Jerry Reinsdorf, Jerry Colangelo, Dolph Schayes, Al Bianchi, Jim Durham, Ron Guenther as well as David Stern who will appear via a taped message. The Bulls’ John Paxson and Bob Love will also be in attendance. Others expected to attend include former Bulls’ Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
“I very much appreciate the Bulls hosting a night in my honor,” Kerr said. “Other than my wife and my family, the Chicago Bulls have been the great love of my life. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to thank everyone.”
Kerr starred as a prep at Tilden Tech, collegiately at the University of Illinois and played 12 seasons in the NBA for Syracuse, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The three-time NBA All-Star played in 905 games and averaged 13.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg and 2.2 apg in 30.7 mpg during an illustrious career that included an NBA Championship with the Syracuse Nationals during his rookie season. Most remarkable, however, is the fact that Kerr played in 844 consecutive games from 1954 to 1965, setting an NBA record that would stand until Randy Smith broke it in 1983. He is also one of the select NBA players who totaled more than 10,000 points and 10,000 rebounds during his career.
Other career achievements include coaching the Phoenix Suns and also holding several administrative positions in both the NBA and ABA. Kerr’s book “Bull Session” was released in 1989 and he holds the title of President of Kerr Financial Services.
Spurs ink Croshere to 10-day deal
The 6-10, 235-pound Croshere joins the Spurs after being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on 1/6. Now in his 12th NBA season, he has also played for the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. Croshere was originally drafted 12th overall by Indiana in the 1997 NBA Draft.
This season Croshere appeared in 11 games with the Bucks and averaged 3.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per game. Over his career he has averaged 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 656 games. Croshere has also appeared in 68 playoff games where he averaged 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds.
The former Providence Friar enjoyed his finest NBA season in 1999-00, averaging 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 81 regular-season games, while helping the Pacers win the Eastern Conference and advance to the NBA Finals. Croshere ranks among the Top-10 all-time in Pacers franchise history in games (540), 3-pointers made (376) and attempted (1,095). He is also one of just six players (Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Dale Davis, Vern Fleming and Jeff Foster) to play for the team for at least nine seasons.
Crisis management with Larry Miller
It's always interesting to watch people handle a crisis.
In politics, the usual modus operandi is deny, deny, deny. A cheating spouse can always revert to emotional blackmail and, in the world of sports, the current rage seems to be throwing someone under the bus to save your own skin.
Portland Trail Blazers president Larry Miller went in a different direction when he reached a fork in the road last week. Instead of playing by the book and throwing an underling to the dogs over the Darius Miles debacle, Miller created his very own crisis management handbook -- entitled "threaten the competition."
In case you missed it, Miller and the Blazers attempted to bully the entire league by promising litigation if any team signed Miles, the third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft that might be better known for his roles in Van Wilder and The Perfect Score than anything he has done on the court.
The reason?
Portland received salary cap benefits when Miles' knee injury was ruled career-ending. If the former East St. Louis high school star can play in two more games this season, the Blazers will be back on the hook for the $18 million remaining on his previous contract with the team.
Perhaps more importantly, all that cash would count against the team's salary cap and force the Trail Blazers to pay a luxury tax, forcing them out of this summer's free-agent sweepstakes.
As one of the league's ascending teams, with a legitimate superstar in Brandon Roy and an ever-improving big man in Greg Oden, Portland figured to be a major player this summer.
Sensing his plans going awry, a desperate Miller rolled the dice.
"The Portland Trail Blazers are aware that certain teams may be contemplating signing Darius Miles to a contract for the purpose of adversely impacting the Portland Trail Blazers salary cap and tax positions," Miller wrote in the e-mail to each NBA team.
"Such conduct by a team would violate its fiduciary duty as an NBA joint venturer. In addition, persons or entities involved in such conduct may be individually liable to the Portland Trail Blazers for tortuously interfering with the Portland Trail Blazers contract rights and perspective economic opportunities. Please be aware that if a team engages in such conduct, the Portland Trail Blazers will take all necessary steps to safeguard its rights, including, without limitation, litigation."
When talking to reporters, Miller claimed that his team wasn't trying to block Miles' return to the NBA, just sending a "message" to possible Western Conference rivals who wanted to intentionally hurt their financial interests.
"We were hearing a lot of rumblings and rumors that there were teams out there planning to sign Darius Miles specifically and maliciously to hurt our organization," Miller said. "This was our way of responding to that and letting folks know that we were not going to take it sitting down."
Of course, the huge hole in that logic was that the Blazers, who are currently two games behind Denver in the Northwest Division, were screwed whether the Nuggets or, say, the Philadelphia 76ers signed Miles.
The NBA didn't make a big deal of Miller's antics but made sure to inform every team that Miles had cleared waivers and was eligible to be signed to a standard contract.
The NBAPA, however, was a bit more effusive with its response.
"We are shocked at the brazen attempt by the Portland Trail Blazers to try to prevent Darius Miles from continuing his NBA career," executive director, Billy Hunter said in a statement. "Their attempt to intimidate the other 29 NBA teams by threatening frivolous litigation merely for signing this capable NBA veteran is a clear violation of the anti-collusion and other provisions of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. We will vigorously defend Darius' rights."
In the end, they never had too.
The Memphis Grizzlies guffawed and re-signed Miles on Saturday. When he avoids a DNP-CD two more times, the Blazers will be on the hook for the entire $18 million.
If I were Miller, I would have just thrown an intern under the bus.
In politics, the usual modus operandi is deny, deny, deny. A cheating spouse can always revert to emotional blackmail and, in the world of sports, the current rage seems to be throwing someone under the bus to save your own skin.
Portland Trail Blazers president Larry Miller went in a different direction when he reached a fork in the road last week. Instead of playing by the book and throwing an underling to the dogs over the Darius Miles debacle, Miller created his very own crisis management handbook -- entitled "threaten the competition."
In case you missed it, Miller and the Blazers attempted to bully the entire league by promising litigation if any team signed Miles, the third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft that might be better known for his roles in Van Wilder and The Perfect Score than anything he has done on the court.
The reason?
 |
Perhaps more importantly, all that cash would count against the team's salary cap and force the Trail Blazers to pay a luxury tax, forcing them out of this summer's free-agent sweepstakes.
As one of the league's ascending teams, with a legitimate superstar in Brandon Roy and an ever-improving big man in Greg Oden, Portland figured to be a major player this summer.
Sensing his plans going awry, a desperate Miller rolled the dice.
"The Portland Trail Blazers are aware that certain teams may be contemplating signing Darius Miles to a contract for the purpose of adversely impacting the Portland Trail Blazers salary cap and tax positions," Miller wrote in the e-mail to each NBA team.
"Such conduct by a team would violate its fiduciary duty as an NBA joint venturer. In addition, persons or entities involved in such conduct may be individually liable to the Portland Trail Blazers for tortuously interfering with the Portland Trail Blazers contract rights and perspective economic opportunities. Please be aware that if a team engages in such conduct, the Portland Trail Blazers will take all necessary steps to safeguard its rights, including, without limitation, litigation."
When talking to reporters, Miller claimed that his team wasn't trying to block Miles' return to the NBA, just sending a "message" to possible Western Conference rivals who wanted to intentionally hurt their financial interests.
"We were hearing a lot of rumblings and rumors that there were teams out there planning to sign Darius Miles specifically and maliciously to hurt our organization," Miller said. "This was our way of responding to that and letting folks know that we were not going to take it sitting down."
Of course, the huge hole in that logic was that the Blazers, who are currently two games behind Denver in the Northwest Division, were screwed whether the Nuggets or, say, the Philadelphia 76ers signed Miles.
The NBA didn't make a big deal of Miller's antics but made sure to inform every team that Miles had cleared waivers and was eligible to be signed to a standard contract.
The NBAPA, however, was a bit more effusive with its response.
"We are shocked at the brazen attempt by the Portland Trail Blazers to try to prevent Darius Miles from continuing his NBA career," executive director, Billy Hunter said in a statement. "Their attempt to intimidate the other 29 NBA teams by threatening frivolous litigation merely for signing this capable NBA veteran is a clear violation of the anti-collusion and other provisions of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. We will vigorously defend Darius' rights."
In the end, they never had too.
The Memphis Grizzlies guffawed and re-signed Miles on Saturday. When he avoids a DNP-CD two more times, the Blazers will be on the hook for the entire $18 million.
If I were Miller, I would have just thrown an intern under the bus.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Warriors sign Davidson to 10-day deal; waive Nelson
OAKLAND, CA – The Golden State Warriors have signed forward Jermareo Davidson to a 10-day contact and placed guard DeMarcus Nelson on waivers, the team announced today.
Davidson, 24, is being called-up from the NBA Developmental League’s Idaho Stampede, where he averaged 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds in 15 games. The 6’10’’ forward ranked first in the D-League in double-doubles (10) and third in rebounding (10.8). He scored a season-high 25 points on December 10 vs. Dakota and grabbed a season-best 14 rebounds against the Los Angeles Defenders on December 12.
Originally selected by the Warriors in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft (#36 overall), Davidson had his rights traded to the Charlotte Bobcats on June 28, 2007. The draft-night trade sent Davidson and Jason Richardson to Charlotte in exchange for the rights to the eighth overall selection in the draft, Brandan Wright.
Davidson appeared in 38 games with Charlotte during his rookie campaign in 2007-08, averaging 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds. Prior to being waived on October 27, 2008, he appeared in three preseason games with the Bobcats this season, averaging 2.0 points in 8.7 minutes.
Nelson, 23, appeared in 13 games with Golden State this season, averaging 4.1 points and 1.0 assists in 13.1 minutes. Following a four-year college career at Duke, he was not selected in the 2008 NBA Draft and was signed by the Warriors as a free agent on September 9, 2008.
Mining for Diamonds
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Hardcore basketball fans are bound to get a little giddy Monday when the 2009 NBA Development League Showcase tips off its 16-game schedule in Orem, Utah.
The fifth annual event, which features all 16 NBA D-League teams playing two games apiece under one roof, has become the premier in-season basketball scouting event.
General managers, player personnel staff and scouts from each of the 30 NBA teams converge on Utah for four consecutive days to evaluate the league's talent.
Meanwhile, Monday also just happens to be the day NBA teams can start officially signing players to 10-day contracts, so it's time for some of the league's lesser teams to start mining for diamonds.
The NBA is certainly lopsided this year. The top teams like Boston, Cleveland, the LA Lakers and Orlando sport some very gaudy records and need little help, but there are plenty of have-nots that could use a role player or two to make a run at one of the final playoff spots.
Philadelphia is in perpetual need of a shooter, while Golden State and the Clippers could certainly use a defensive stopper on the wing.
Indiana and Jim O'Brien are always on the lookout for players that can fit into an up-tempo style, as is Mike D'Antoni and his New York Knicks.
Meanwhile, the Wizards could use some toughness inside and Oklahoma City just needs more good basketball players.
Make no mistake, there are no quick fixes and the D-League rarely offers players with large upsides, but improving things, no matter how small or incremental that improvement might be, should be the goal of each and every NBA team.
This year's Showcase features three members of the 2008 NBA Draft class that didn't make the league on their first try - Joe Crawford (Los Angeles D-Fenders), Patrick Ewing, Jr. (Reno Bighorns) and Richard Hendrix (Dakota Wizards).
There is also a host of NBA assigned players like Joey Dorsey (Houston Rockets, playing with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers), J.R. Giddens (Boston Celtics, playing with the Utah Flash), Malik Hairston (San Antonio Spurs, playing with the Austin Toros), Walter Sharpe (Detroit Pistons, playing with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants), Bill Walker (Boston Celtics, playing with the Flash), and Sonny Weems (Denver Nuggets, playing with the Colorado 14ers).
Additionally, six members of the 2007 NBA Draft class will be at the Showcase, including Sean Williams, currently on assignment with the 14ers from the New Jersey Nets, and Derrick Byars (Bakersfield Jam), Jermareo Davidson (Idaho Stampede), Jared Jordan (Rio Grande Valley), Chris Richard (Tulsa 66ers), and Marcus Williams (Austin).
"With the extraordinary depth of talent in the NBA D-League this season, the NBA D-League Showcase affords NBA teams an opportunity to evaluate all of the League's players in one location," said Chris Alpert, vice president of basketball operations and player personnel for the NBA D-League." "Historically, we have seen NBA teams sign players immediately following the Showcase, and in some instances during the Showcase, too."
The most serous call-up candidates this year appear to be a quartet of former SEC players, Hendrix. a 6-foot-8, 250-pound banger from Alabama, along with Davidson, Crawford and Byars.
At 6-foot-11 and 230 pounds, Davidson, who had a cup of coffee with the Charlotte Bobcats and also starred at Alabama, offers the kind of length to be an elite shot blocker at some point. He is averaging 1.5 swats a game in the D-League this season and might be a nice interior presence for someone down the line.
Crawford, a former Kentucky standout and LA Lakers draft pick, is blessed with a nice stroke from beyond the arc and a potent mid-range game, while Byars, who went to training camp with the Sixers last season and is a former SEC Player of the Year at Vanderbilt, is the kind of athletic swingman that can offer a solid 10-to-15 minute defensive effort on a nightly basis.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Rose, Westbrook earn rookie honors
The Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook today were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.
Westbrook ranked third among rookies in scoring for the month of December (15.5 ppg), second in assists (5.1 apg) and sixth in rebounding (5.1 rpg). The first-year guard’s 1.33 spg in December was second only to the 1.77 spg of Miami rookie Mario Chalmers. Westbrook was the lone rookie, and one of only seven players in the league, to post averages of at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists for December. Westbrook recorded two 30-point games and a five-steal game for the Thunder during the month.
NBA Atlantic: Chink develops in Celtics armor
By John McMullen, NBA Editor
(Sports Network) - When the Celtics raced out to the best 29-game start in NBA history, a number of observers were already handing title No. 18 to Doc Rivers and Company.
A 1-3 west coast swing didn't exactly knock the C's off the prohibitive favorite pedestal but it did reveal a few chinks in the team's armor, and gave hope to the other elite teams in the league like the Lakers and Cavaliers.
Boston finished its trip by squandering a double-digit lead in Portland on Tuesday against a Brandon Roy-less Trail Blazers club.
The Celtics got no help from the officials in the Pacific Northwest as the Blazers were credited with a basket despite employing six men on the floor. Rivers immediately pointed out the gaffe to the refs and Portland was given a technical foul. But, it was ruled that the basket would count since none of the officials caught it beforehand.
That said, the Celtics had plenty of opportunities down the stretch and were never able to get over the hump despite the fact Portland was missing its All- Star.
Now, the Celtics' brass might be on the verge of seriously harming the team's vaunted chemistry. Numerous media reports have circulated that guard Stephon Marbury will eventually make his comeback with Boston.
The enigmatic Marbury still needs to negotiate his release from the New York Knicks but the Celtics are reportedly excited at the prospect of signing him.
No one can question Marbury's ability but the former All-Star has been a distraction at every single one of his NBA stops and it's strange that Boston general manager Danny Ainge would want to take on such a headache, considering the continued development of Rajon Rondo at point guard.
SAME OLD SIXERS
Changing coaches from Maurice Cheeks to Tony DiLeo looked like a bit of an overreaction when Sixers GM Ed Stefanski made the move.
There's no question we all over-evaluated the talent Stefanski put together in Philadelphia and Cheeks perished for that sin.
Before dislocating his shoulder Elton Brand looked like the proverbial square peg being forced into the round hole, while Andre Iguodala should be embarrassed that his talent level translates to so little on the floor. Meanwhile, Samuel Dalembert may be the first player in the history of the NBA, whose basketball IQ shrinks every time he hits the floor, and Lou Williams looks like the stereotypical prima donna who mailed it in when he got the big contract.
Still, the Sixers did underachieve under Cheeks and they are doing the same under DiLeo. After racing out to a 3-0 start under their interim coach, the Sixers are now just 4-4. The team can't shoot the three and won't defend it.
Like Cheeks, DiLeo is understated but at least the former Sixers coach had an NBA pedigree. DiLeo is best known for starring at Cinnaminson, NJ High School and what the Sixers call his "extensive experience in international basketball," both as a player and coach.
DiLeo did have a nice run as a coach in the former West Germany but his stint in the Sixers personnel department has to be questioned since the team has always been one of the worst in scouting and unearthing talent from Europe.
Despite all his failings, Cheeks should still be on the bench in Philly. But, if Stefanski was hall-bent on getting rid of him, why not promote veteran coach Jim Lynam or bring in Eddie Jordan?
BIZARRO NETS
The road is often a torturous place for NBA teams. Whether its planes, trains or automobiles, the thought of leaving home is enough to throw off the most talented teams in the NBA. Heck, even the mighty Celtics finished an ugly 1-3 on their recent trek to the left coast.
So how do you explain the New Jersey Nets?
The Nets have lost four straight and seven of eight in North Jersey and are now a dismal 5-12 at the IZOD Center. Of course, it's not like bad teams can't have bad records at home. The Oklahoma Thunder for instance are 3-14 at the Ford Center but they are even a more miserable 1-15 as the visitor. The Nets, however, are a sterling 10-5 on the road...bizarre.
On the court for New Jersey, rookie center Brook Lopez has quickly established himself as a legitimate NBA pivot man. The former Stanford star recorded his sixth double-double of the season Wednesday when he scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds against Detroit.
Meanwhile, veteran defensive stalwart Eduardo Najera seems to have supplanted another rookie, Ryan Anderson, as the backup power forward to Yi Jianlian. Anderson may have hit the rookie wall and is struggling mightily with his shot, while Najera offers more in the intangibles department.
CURRY'S A LOST CAUSE
When the New York Knicks hired coach Mike D'Antoni, you could almost guarantee that hulking center Eddy Curry wouldn't fit in with his seven-seconds-or-less offense.
No one has gotten a chance to prove that thesis since the veteran center has spent all season on the sidelines with a balky right knee, But, Curry may be close to a return. He has already received three cortisone shots in the knee and might be ready to hit the floor in about two weeks.
"I think I'm close," Curry told the New York Daily News. "I don't know. It all depends on how I feel. If I keep healing the way I am, I'm not too far away."
It remains to be seen if D'Antoni will even want Curry. The bet here, however, is that Curry gets regular minutes. The Knicks mentor, like any NBA coach, could certainly use more productive minutes from a reliable big man.
It's almost a given that Curry will not be able to keep up with D'Antoni's offense but the Knicks will need to showcase Curry for a possible trade.
On the hardwood, New York stopped a six-game slide in Charlotte on Tuesday when Chris Duhon scored 15 points -- including two clutch free throws down the stretch -- and doled out eight assists, as the Knicks edged the Bobcats and ex-coach Larry Brown, 93-89.
LAST CHANCE FOR RAPTORS?
The Raptors were supposed to be much improved this season with the addition of six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal to a nucleus that included fellow All-Star Chris Bosh and underrated point guard Jose Calderon.
Instead, Toronto has battled with the Sixers for the right to be called the NBA's most disappointing club.
Interim coach Jay Triano has pointed to the team's current three-game homestand as a pivotal part of the season. Since taking over for the departed Sam Mitchell, Triano, thanks to a six-game road swing, has gotten in just four full practices with his players. The residency will allow his team to get into a rhythm that includes rest, practice and hopefully winning.
Things didn't start on a great note as Denver's Nene had 21 points and seven rebounds to help lead the Nuggets to a 114-107 win over the Raptors at Air Canada Centre in George Karl's 900th win as an NBA coach.
Chris Bosh logged 24 points and 11 rebounds while Andrea Bargnani netted a game-high 26 points for Toronto, which lost for the eighth time in 10 games.
"I wish we could start over again," Bosh said of the team's struggles thus far. "It has been a struggle early on and things really haven't gone our way. We haven't played the basketball we're capable of playing."
Things aren't going to get any easier.
The Raptors will close the residency with two very talented teams, Houston and Orlando.
NBA Central: Pistons will not R.I.P without Rip
By Shawn Clarke, Contributing NBA Editor
(Sports Network) - Depth is a necessity all teams in professional sports must have, especially when a leading scorer is out for some time due to injury.
Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton has led the team in scoring every since he was acquired from the Washington Wizards prior to the 2002-03 campaign. Hamilton, also known as Rip, has missed the last three games because of a nagging groin injury and is listed as doubtful on the squad's game notes for Friday versus the Sacramento Kings.
Hamilton is averaging 17.2 points per game this season. Even though his sidekick Chauncey Billups is winning out in Denver, Hamilton was starting to connect with Allen Iverson before his latest setback. Hamilton admitted earlier in the season that it will be difficult at first to start building a connection on the floor with Iverson, and the adjustments are starting to produce results. Iverson is averaging 18.5 points over the past four games.
Second-year guard Rodney Stuckey has stepped up lately, averaging 19.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in his last six games. Stuckey even posted a career-high 40 points in a win over the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 23 for the Pistons, who have held the opponent to less than 90 points for four straight games and seven of their last nine contests. According to head coach Michael Curry, the Pistons have been trying to keep their big lineup in for about 32 minutes per game in order to put more emphasis on a solid defensive effort.
The Pistons (19-11) will try to extend their winning streak to six games when they close out a three-game homestand versus Sacramento. They are 11-5 at The Palace this season. After that, Detroit will pay a visit out west to the Clippers, Blazers, Nuggets and Jazz.
INJURY-RIDDLED PACERS TRY TO FIND WINNING FORMULA
Try asking the Boston Celtics to win without Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Paul Pierce and see what type of results they would bear. Do the same with Indiana by taking T.J. Ford, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger off the floor and see how well Pacers head coach Jim O'Brien does.
Ford missed two of the last three games because of a back issue and returned in a 110-104 loss versus Atlanta on Dec. 30, finishing with five points, two rebounds and an assist in just over 11 minutes of action. Dunleavy had been already rehabilitating an injured right knee until spending time in the hospital because of a viral illness. The same type of illness got to Troy Murphy, Marquis Daniels and Danny Granger, but all three have returned.
Granger, who leads the Pacers in scoring at 24.9 ppg, missed two games with the virus and is currently fifth in the NBA in scoring. Granger is averaging 27.8 points over the last four contests.
Indiana (10-21) is last in the Central, has lost four straight and 11 of its previous 14 games. It will play six of its next seven games on the road, starting with Friday's tilt against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers are only 4-12 away from Conseco Fieldhouse this season.
BULLS SET FOR TOUGH ROAD TEST IN CLEVELAND
Chicago Bulls first-year head coach Vinny Del Negro knows the odds are stacked against his team for Friday's road battle with the division-rival Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
Del Negro has coached the Bulls to a 4-14 road mark this season, and will go face-to-face with NBA darling LeBron James and the Cavs, who are an amazing 16-0 at Quicken Loans Arena this season. Cleveland has already beaten the Bulls twice this season and is 10-6 over the previous 16 matchups in the series. Chicago has lost 13 of 17 and 18 of its last 23 games at Cleveland.
The Bulls (14-18) could use a boost in the paint with the return of forward Drew Gooden, who has missed six straight games with an ankle injury. Gooden is listed as questionable for tonight and is averaging 12/7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. Gooden was active in a loss versus Orlando on Wednesday but did not play. It doesn't help either that fellow forward Luol Deng is out for at least a week with an injured ankle. Deng is averaging 14.3 points and 5.3 boards this season.
Forwards Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas will have the luxury of trying to contain James, perhaps the best player in the NBA. Sefolosha has registered 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in seven starts this season.
Chicago will open a five-game homestand at the United Center following Friday's road test in Cleveland. It will host the Timberwolves, Kings, Wizards, Thunder and Trail Blazers.
BUCKS GETTING DEFENSIVE
The Milwaukee Bucks are starting to crack down on defense, having allowed 88.2 points per game over the past five contests.
Milwaukee is third in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage over that stretch (40.8), while five of its last six opponents have been held under 90 points. The Bucks have forced 16.1 turnovers over their last 10 games and will have a somewhat easy task on Friday, when they open a home-and-home series versus the Charlotte Bobcats at the Bradley Center.
The Bucks (15-18), who are 13-3 all-time versus the Bobcats, has lost two of three games since a season-high three-game winning streak. They will play four of their next five games at home, where they are 8-5 in 2008-09. On the upcoming home list, Charlotte, Toronto, Philadelphia and New Jersey will visit Wisconsin.
Luke Ridnour has shot 53.0 percent from the floor over his last nine games, while rookie Joe Alexander has announced his candidacy for the 2009 Slam Dunk Contest to be held All-Star weekend.
HARRIS, RONDO, NELSON...WHAT ABOUT CAVS' WILLIAMS?
Devin Harris of New Jersey, Rajon Rondo of Boston and Jameer Nelson of Orlando are all deserving of applause for their ability to run an offense. But the one player who has been playing under the radar, and for obvious reasons, is Cleveland point guard Mo Williams.
Acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks in August of 2008, Williams has been just another piece to the immaculate puzzle the Cavs are putting together right now. With NBA superstar LeBron James, a perfect 16-0 mark at Quicken Loans Arena and one of the best overall records this season, it's no wonder Williams has been slipping through the mainstream cracks.
Williams, who is averaging 16.0 points, 4.2 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game this season, is deserving of an All-Star nod as well but probably won't get one because of either Harris, Rondo, Nelson and perhaps even Detroit's Allen Iverson. Williams has helped James to the No. 2 spot in scoring this season, as the muscle-bound Nike dreamboat is averaging 27.8 points per game.
The Alabama product is the best Williams in Cleveland since John 'Hot Rod' Williams donned the creamsicle style Cavaliers jersey. Speaking of 'Hot Rod', Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is closing in on his all-time blocks record set from 1986-87 to 1994-95. Ilgauskas is already the Cavs' all-time leader in rebounds.
Cleveland leads the Central by 6 1/2 games over Detroit and will put its perfect home record on the line Friday versus Chicago. The Cavaliers had a six-game winning streak come to an end with Tuesday's 104-95 loss to the Miami Heat in the back end of a home-and-home series in South Beach. James had 38 points on his 24th birthday for the Cavs.
Pulling for Chuck
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Who is the biggest train wreck in popular culture today?
Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are always good guesses but, while the meth-pack is always interesting water-cooler fodder, mildly entertaining, and good for a nice wardrobe malfunction every couple of weeks, they have really toned it down in 2008.
That opens quite the void for the human flotsam making their living as TMZ paparazzi.
I just hope Charles Barkley doesn't fill it.
Barkley has always struck me as a guy teetering on the brink.
His basketball resume is without peer. "Sir Charles" retired as one of only four players in NBA history with 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists during his 16 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets.
Barkley was the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 1993 and the best player of the original Olympic Dream Team. He also was selected as one of the NBA's 50 greatest players in 1996 and enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
All that was secondary to his engaging personality, however.
If Barkley wasn't a basketball star, he could have been the world's best stand-up comedian. It was his unmatched wit that made his a star as an NBA analyst on TNT and a go-to-guy for virtually every national talk show when they needed a sound bite on the hot topic of the moment.
Many even speculated Barkley would eventually run for Governor in his home state of Alabama.
But, Chuck has always courted controversy. There was the spitting incident in New Jersey, the throwing of a patron through a window at a Milwaukee bar and his famous "I am not a role model" Nike commercial.
Most recently, Barkley sparred with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, telling "King James" to shut up instead of discussing his options when he becomes a free agent in 2010. James responded by calling Barkley "stupid."
Barkley is certainly a lot of things but stupid isn't one them.
That's why I don't understand why Barkley can defend losing millions of dollars on casino gambling by saying he has the money and doesn't plan to stop.
I don't understand why Barkley, by his own admission, carries a registered loaded gun in his car at all times.
And I sure don't understand why Barkley was arrested for driving under the influence in suburban Phoenix early Wednesday morning.
In 2005, Barkley released the book "Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?", which was a collection of interviews with leading figures in entertainment, business, sports, and government. If he wasn't penning the book, Barkley might have been one of the first people featured.
I hope it always stays that way. Watching a celebrity fall from grace seems to be a cottage industry in America today.
Here's hoping "Sir Charles" starves the feeding frenzy.
Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are always good guesses but, while the meth-pack is always interesting water-cooler fodder, mildly entertaining, and good for a nice wardrobe malfunction every couple of weeks, they have really toned it down in 2008.
That opens quite the void for the human flotsam making their living as TMZ paparazzi.
I just hope Charles Barkley doesn't fill it.
Barkley has always struck me as a guy teetering on the brink.
His basketball resume is without peer. "Sir Charles" retired as one of only four players in NBA history with 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists during his 16 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets.
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All that was secondary to his engaging personality, however.
If Barkley wasn't a basketball star, he could have been the world's best stand-up comedian. It was his unmatched wit that made his a star as an NBA analyst on TNT and a go-to-guy for virtually every national talk show when they needed a sound bite on the hot topic of the moment.
Many even speculated Barkley would eventually run for Governor in his home state of Alabama.
But, Chuck has always courted controversy. There was the spitting incident in New Jersey, the throwing of a patron through a window at a Milwaukee bar and his famous "I am not a role model" Nike commercial.
Most recently, Barkley sparred with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, telling "King James" to shut up instead of discussing his options when he becomes a free agent in 2010. James responded by calling Barkley "stupid."
Barkley is certainly a lot of things but stupid isn't one them.
That's why I don't understand why Barkley can defend losing millions of dollars on casino gambling by saying he has the money and doesn't plan to stop.
I don't understand why Barkley, by his own admission, carries a registered loaded gun in his car at all times.
And I sure don't understand why Barkley was arrested for driving under the influence in suburban Phoenix early Wednesday morning.
In 2005, Barkley released the book "Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?", which was a collection of interviews with leading figures in entertainment, business, sports, and government. If he wasn't penning the book, Barkley might have been one of the first people featured.
I hope it always stays that way. Watching a celebrity fall from grace seems to be a cottage industry in America today.
Here's hoping "Sir Charles" starves the feeding frenzy.
Williams feeling sweet again under DiLeo
Like him or not, understand Philadelphia 76ers general manager Ed Stefanski isn't a stupid guy.
Stefanski pulled the trigger on Mo Cheeks after two consecutive games with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, knowing hand-picked interim coach Tony DiLeo would have a chance to kick-start things with a pair of contests against the hapless Wizards and a game each with Milwaukee and Indiana, the latter a bad team made even worse by the flu-bug.
Sure enough, DiLeo's bottom line looks good (3-1), but in reality the Sixers have looked anything but impressive in close wins over the Bucks and Wizards, along with an embarrassing loss to the short-handed Pacers on Saturday.
The first true test for DiLeo will be the road trip that kicks off Tuesday night in Boston against the 26-2 Celtics. The Sixers must also face Denver, Utah, the LA Clippers, Dallas and San Antonio in a trek that resembles the Bataan Death March.
A 2-4 mark on that road swing would be cause for celebration. Anything better should get the Sixers' new coach an extension.
I'm expecting the worst for DiLeo -- 1-5 or 0-6. After all, the 76ers' problems run far deeper than the coach.
That said, DiLeo has already been a positive influence on at least one player -- Lou Williams.
After a breakout season in 2007-08, Williams inked a five-year extension worth just over $27 million during the offseason, but struggled badly under Cheeks, netting just 10.1 points over 22 games.
In the four games since DiLeo took the helm, Williams is averaging over 20 points a game. "Sweet Lou" scored 25 points last Wednesday against Milwaukee, matching his previous career-high, and bested that in Washington two days later with 26. He then netted 17 against the Pacers and scored the go-ahead basket in the final minute before T.J. Ford sent the locals home in a bad mood with a game-winning jumper with under five seconds to go.
Asked to explain his sudden resurgence, Williams was blunt.
"Guys are playing a little bit more free under Tony," Williams said. "That's just the style of coach he is. He rolls the balls out and tells us to go out and play."
Hardly a stern taskmaster with most, Cheeks was the exact opposite with the talented Williams. Mo rode just one player under his reign, and it was his 22- year old young star.
The reasons were obvious. A prototypical undersized point guard in his day, Cheeks was intent on turning Lou into the same type of player. But Cheeks' vision was fundamentally flawed.
A natural scorer, Williams will never be the pass-first, quarterback type. In fact, the former Georgia High School standout is the best pure scorer Cheeks had.
Maybe if Mo realized that, he would still be roaming the sidelines of the Wachovia Center with public address announcer Matt Cord yelling out more of his signature Looooooooouuuuuus.
Instead, Cheeks is spending his time playing pickup ball in Philly and no doubt distributing the ball -- to a scorer.
A novel concept.
Stefanski pulled the trigger on Mo Cheeks after two consecutive games with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, knowing hand-picked interim coach Tony DiLeo would have a chance to kick-start things with a pair of contests against the hapless Wizards and a game each with Milwaukee and Indiana, the latter a bad team made even worse by the flu-bug.
Sure enough, DiLeo's bottom line looks good (3-1), but in reality the Sixers have looked anything but impressive in close wins over the Bucks and Wizards, along with an embarrassing loss to the short-handed Pacers on Saturday.
The first true test for DiLeo will be the road trip that kicks off Tuesday night in Boston against the 26-2 Celtics. The Sixers must also face Denver, Utah, the LA Clippers, Dallas and San Antonio in a trek that resembles the Bataan Death March.
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I'm expecting the worst for DiLeo -- 1-5 or 0-6. After all, the 76ers' problems run far deeper than the coach.
That said, DiLeo has already been a positive influence on at least one player -- Lou Williams.
After a breakout season in 2007-08, Williams inked a five-year extension worth just over $27 million during the offseason, but struggled badly under Cheeks, netting just 10.1 points over 22 games.
In the four games since DiLeo took the helm, Williams is averaging over 20 points a game. "Sweet Lou" scored 25 points last Wednesday against Milwaukee, matching his previous career-high, and bested that in Washington two days later with 26. He then netted 17 against the Pacers and scored the go-ahead basket in the final minute before T.J. Ford sent the locals home in a bad mood with a game-winning jumper with under five seconds to go.
Asked to explain his sudden resurgence, Williams was blunt.
"Guys are playing a little bit more free under Tony," Williams said. "That's just the style of coach he is. He rolls the balls out and tells us to go out and play."
Hardly a stern taskmaster with most, Cheeks was the exact opposite with the talented Williams. Mo rode just one player under his reign, and it was his 22- year old young star.
The reasons were obvious. A prototypical undersized point guard in his day, Cheeks was intent on turning Lou into the same type of player. But Cheeks' vision was fundamentally flawed.
A natural scorer, Williams will never be the pass-first, quarterback type. In fact, the former Georgia High School standout is the best pure scorer Cheeks had.
Maybe if Mo realized that, he would still be roaming the sidelines of the Wachovia Center with public address announcer Matt Cord yelling out more of his signature Looooooooouuuuuus.
Instead, Cheeks is spending his time playing pickup ball in Philly and no doubt distributing the ball -- to a scorer.
A novel concept.
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