Tag: Golden State Warriors

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Heeee’s Baaaack

1. Waiting on Wade no more
Dwyane Wade is back on the Miami Heat’s active roster and the playoff bound Eastern Conference teams have got to be sweating bullets. Flash took the court yesterday for the first time in a month and a half and scored 12 points in 27 minutes, but the Heat were unable to welcome their superstar back in proper fashion as they fell to the Bobcats by eight points, 111-103. Wade struggled from the field (3-9 FG) but still managed to dish out eight assists in the loss. But the Heat are still in good shape as they prepare for the post season. They are currently sitting in the fourth spot in the East and appear to have the Southeast Division wrapped up after Washington’s injury problems have basically taken them out of contention. However, the loss pretty much took away any chance Miami had to gain home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

2. Suns burn LA

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points and handed out seven assists but it wasn’t enough to knock of the Suns. In what could be a first round playoff preview, Phoenix beat the Lakers 115-107 in the star studded Staples Center in Los Angeles. Steve Nash continued his trek for a third consecutive MVP award as he led the Suns in scoring (25) and assists (11). Phoenix has now beaten LA in nine of the last 11 regular season contests between the two clubs and what’s worse for the Lakers is that the loss moves them into the seventh seed in the West, just three games ahead of the teams who are on the outside of the playoff picture. The Lakers must now win all of their five remaining games if they are going to prevent Phil Jackson from setting a new personal low for wins in a season.

3. Double triple-doubles
On Saturday, Vince Carter racked up big, fat triple-double with 46 points, 16 rebounds and ten assists. But he wasn’t the only Net to scoop up a triple dip. Mr. Triple-Double, Jason Kidd, amassed the 86 triple-double of his career and his 11th of the season as he went off for 10 points, 16 rebounds and 18 assists. The Nets superstars became the first teammates to accomplish the lofty feat since another well known duo pulled it off in 1989. That was when Michael Jordan (41 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) and Scottie Pippen (15 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists) blasted the Clippers for a pair of TD’s. Now Kidd and Carter just need to win six championships and they’ll really be like Mike and Pip.

Sunday’s Player of the Day: Tracy McGrady @ Sacramento 40 min, 40 pts (FG: 14-28, 3FG: 3-6, FT: 9-12), 8 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk

Monday’s Game to Watch: Utah (48-28) @ Golden State (37-40) The Warriors are coming off a tough loss to the Spurs on Saturday but they have still won four of their last five games as they continue to keep their playoff hopes alive. But if Golden State wants to close the one game gap between them and the Clippers, Baron Davis is going to have to lead his team past a playoff quality team in the Jazz. Utah has already wrapped up their division crown but they are still in a must win situation because they are currently in a battle with Houston for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Even though the Jazz have locked up the fourth seed in the West, the Rockets can steal the right to hold the majority of the series in Clutch City if they finish the season with a better record.

Buzzer Beater: Normally a rally from 17 points down to grab a five point victory would be considered a pretty sweet comeback. But Philly fans have got to be cringing as they watched their Sixers fight all the way back to beat the Hawks by five, 109-104, in overtime. The win gets them one step closer to nowhere and one step away from the possibility of grabbing Kevin Durant or Greg Oden in the draft this summer. Thanks to a late hot streak in which the 76ers have won 13 of 20, Philadelphia now joins four other teams in a tie for the fifth fewest wins in the league. Can you say Joakim Noah?

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Memphis wins again?!


1. The Grizz are rollin’!
For the first time all season, the Grizzlies have finally won two games in a row after they knocked off the Lakers on Tuesday and then the Trailblazers last night. Pau Gasol has been playing some excellent ball lately but it took an entire team effort to overcome Zach Randolph and his 43 point, 17 rebound performance. What’s even better fot Memphis is that they actually have a shot at extending this win streak. Tonight they will to Seattle to play a banged up Sonics squad before receiving a pretty tough test Golden State on Sunday. The Warriors sit just one game out of the playoff picture, so they should ready to put away the Gizz if they truly want to make a post season appearance.

2. Total eclipse of the Suns

It’s not very often that the Suns are the team getting run up and down the court by their opponents, but that was exactly what happened last night as the Warriors gave Phoenix a taste of their own medicine. Golden State opened the game by scoring 45 points in the first quarter before finishing the first half with a whopping 77 points and a 14 point advantage. The Suns struggled to fill the hoop with as much frequency as their opponents until the fourth quarter when they managed to outscore the Warriors 18 points but that was only good enough to get them within five points at the final buzzer. The Suns have been slipping in the standings lately, thanks to a 6-4 record over their last 10 games, and now they are just two games ahead of the Spurs for second place in the West. Next Thursday the two teams will get together for what should be a barn burner in San Antonio.

3. Chicago showdown
With a two point victory over the Pistons last night, Chicago was able to clinch a post season spot. Ben Wallace had a big game against his old team and helped to reverse a trend that has been plaguing the Bulls since Michael Jordan retired. Since 1998, the Pistons have owned the Bulls inside of the house that Jordan built, also known as the United Center, to the tune of winning 15 of their last 18 in the building. Now, Big Ben knows what it is like to be on both winning sides of the rivalry, but he almost didn’t get the chance to enjoy it. With under three minutes remaining in the game, Ben Gordon went to the line and missed three consecutive free throws which left the door open for the Pistons to take over. But Gordon lucked out and these two could just be warming up for a seven game series in the playoffs.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Zach Randolph vs. Memphis 40 min, 43 pts (FG: 16-26, FT: 11-16), 17 reb, 5 ast, 2 blk

Friday’s Game to Watch: Utah (47-24) @ San Antonio (51-20) The Spurs almost dropped an easy game against the Hornets on Wednesday, but they had a late rally and won their fifth game in a row to pull within 2 ½ games of Phoenix for the number two spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. But they are going to have to play for a full 48 minutes against the Jazz if they expect to pick up a victory. Utah has already wrapped up their division title and they have won four of their last five games thanks to Carlos Boozer who has been putting up some of his best games of the season of late. There are so many great individual match-ups when these two teams get together, hopefully we can see these two hook it up at some point in the post season.

Buzzer Beater: In October, the Cavaliers and the Magic will be meeting up for a pair of preseason contests on a neutral court in China. Talk about a road trip! Good thing there are a lot of youngsters on these squads who can recover from jetlag in a jiffy. Dwight Howard and his boys will be playing an additional game against the Chinese national team in between the other contests. But this should be becoming routine for the NBA starved nation, after all, David Stern did send their native son Yao Ming along with the Rockets to play against the Kings back in 2004. And next year the United States will send an outfit of the NBA’s best and brightest talent to Beijing for the Olympics. They did qualify for the Olympics, didn’t they?

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College Basketball

Odds and Ends: A true American hero



Who runs a $22 office pool?

Michigan state representative Kim Meltzer wants to decriminalize NCAA tournament pools because “what makes March Madness unique is that all kinds of people and sports fans of all levels fill out their brackets and enjoy the tournament. It’s a crime we consider that a crime, and I want to change it.”

Bravo Kim! Bravo! Any pool that’s $20 or less would be legal. Although nobody ever gets prosecuted over an office pool, it shouldn’t be illegal to throw your money away to the guy who just moved here from Bangladesh and is picking teams based on mascots. Hell, the office pool is probably the only chance sports geeks get a chance to talk to that cute girl in marketing. God Bless America and the bracket!

In other news…

[Sign On San Diego]: Adonal Foyle is now free to make fun of Canadians

[WrestleZone]: When your false teeth come flying out during a match, you might want to stop wrestling

[Nashville City Paper]: Even Pacman Jones knows he’s in a heap of trouble

[The Offside]: Sometimes you just gotta check the ol’ undercarriage

[The Big Lead]: Bill Belichick won’t have to testify for banging Sharon Shenocca

[10,000 Takes]: Yeah but where are the strippers?

And finally, we hope you signed up for March Madness On Demand cause it’s gonna be crazy this Thursday. Here’s a list of the announcer schedules. Sadly, one of the most intriguing Cinderalla matchups (Butler/ODU) has Kevin Harlan on the mic.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Is 17 Straight The Best You Can Do?


1. We Own You!
Not too many teams can say that they have the Mavericks number, but Golden State can. The Warriors improved to 2-0 on the season and 5-1 (4 straight) over the past two seasons after they snapped Dallas’ 17 game winning streak with a 117-100 victory in which the Mavs never led after the first quarter. Dirk Nowitzki struggled all night long to maintain his composure both on and off the court as he struggled to finish with just 13 points on 3-of-11 and managed to pick up a technical foul while sitting on the bench. But it’s hard not to get frustrated when eight different players light you up for at least 16 points a piece. What’s even worse for the defending Western Conference champs is that with the victory the Warriors are now one game behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot out west. If the season were to end with Golden State grabbing the eighth seed and Dallas remaining atop the league it would produce a best of seven series between the two. And you know Don Nelson is licking his chops at the opportunity to get even more revenge on his old boss and current enemy, Mark Cuban.

2. The NBA’s Teflon Don

No foul was called after an abnormally high elbow from Kobe Bryant caught Kyle Korver on the face during the Philadelphia/Los Angeles game on Friday night. But after reviewing the tape, the NBA decided to issue Bryant a flagrant 1 foul which is worth one point (a flagrant 2 foul is worth two points) and, as difficult as it is to comprehend, it’s only his first flagrant foul of the season. So, three players have felt the wrath of the Mamba but he only has one lousy flagrant foul point?!?! It takes at least five before David Stern starts handing out suspensions. Bryant can’t be suspended for the latest elbow because any suspension would have needed to be announced before the Lakers played in their next game which was against Dallas on Sunday. Basically, Kobe got off the hook without a scratch once again. Looks like even Bill Clinton and O.J. Simpson could learn a thing or two from No. 24.

3. JC And Kobe Would Be An Awesome Combo
It’s obvious that Phil Jackson is getting a tad depressed over the Lakers current situation but the Zen Master might be going a bit overboard with his latest comments. When asked about the team’s injuries and losses Jackson said, “The way they are playing now, it doesn’t matter who comes back. Jesus Christ could come back and we still wouldn’t have a chance because we’ve ruined the mix by not playing together.” Don’t be so sure about that Phillip, from what we hear Jesus has a pretty smooth outside jumper. Apparently it’s awfully tough for a nine time champion to suffer through a career-worst six game losing streak twice during the past 15 games. But look on the bright side Jackson; you’re still in the playoff picture and you still have Kobe Bryant at your disposal. Things could be much worse; you could be Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Vince Carter @ Memphis 41 min, 30 pts (FG: 10-19, 3FG: 3-6, FT: 7-8), 10 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Utah (43-19) @ Miami (33-29) No Wade, no sweat. Well, at least when you have Shaquille O’Neal playing like he did back in the purple and gold. Shaq is averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists during the Heat’s current six game win streak. And Miami has played remarkably well at home this season where they are 21-10. But Utah is on a six game roll of their own as the Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer connection is back in full swing for the first time since Boozer returned to the team in late February. Throw in the poor man’s version of Dirk Nowitzki in Mehmet Okur and you’ve got a Utah club that is on the brink of making some serious playoff noise.

Buzzer Beater: What happened to the meaning behind the cause? In just one short month since John Amaechi came out of the closet because he hoped it would be a catalyst for intelligent discourse, he has changed his mind and decided to use his sudden new found celebrity to make a quick buck by pushing a brand of head-shaving razors. But, hey, no corporation says intelligent discourse quite like HeadBlade Inc. Amaechi is now just inches away from becoming the new Jared of Subway.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Child Support Payments are a Bitch!


1. One Last Reign?
First it was Scottie Pippen who was on the comeback trail, now Shawn Kemp is considering making a return to the NBA. But while Pippen could be back in uniform within the next few weeks, Kemp will probably not be helping any team make a postseason push until next season. When Kemp was last seen on a court he looked nothing like the young Reign Man who is considered by many to be one of the most explosive players of all time. At 36 years old, Kemp will most likely have to wait until he can get an invite from a team during training camp. Of course, he’ll have to resist the buffet line over the next six or seven months if he wants to be taken seriously by any coaching staff.

2. European Vacation
The NBA will be sending four teams to Europe in October to participate in training camps and exhibition games. It’s too bad for the fans across the pond that the teams making the trip are Memphis, Boston, Toronto and Minnesota. As of now, the Celtics and Grizzlies are the two worst teams in the entire league and Minnesota is barely clinging to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Surprisingly, the Raptors own the fourth best record in the East. But while the overall teams are not that impressive, the individual talent should have the fans lining up for tickets. Kevin Garnett and Chris Bosh will provide the primary star power this fall, with Paul Pierce and, possibly, Pau Gasol acting as supporting actors.

3. Mr. MVP Returns

Steve Nash has missed the last four games and in that time, the once white-hot Suns have lost three in a row. But Nash is looking to get back on to the court tonight when Phoenix travels to Los Angeles for a game against the Clippers. And it’s not a moment to soon for his All-Star teammates, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire, who were running all over the court for the West on Sunday as they combined to score 47 points. While the Suns are anxious to get back into the win column, their division lead remains intact as the Lakers are sitting a full 10 games behind. The main concern for Phoenix right now is to chip away at the 4 ½ game lead that Dallas has over the Suns for the best record in the league.

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Denver (26-25) @ San Antonio (35-18) Playtime is over and now teams are getting serious about improving their place in the playoff seeding. The Nuggets are hoping to finally have their dynamic duo together for the road game against the Spurs after Allen Iverson received some additional rest by pulling himself from the All-Star game over the weekend. Carmelo Anthony had a great outing against the other superstars as he scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in just 25 minutes. San Antonio will be looking to take advantage of their home crowd after struggling on their annual rodeo road trip. As the oldest team in the league, the Spurs were grateful for the break which allowed some of the veterans to rest their elderly bones. Even Tony Parker and Tim Duncan got to take it easy during the All-Star game as they combined for only 39 minutes in the contest.

Buzzer Beater: Baron Davis is rumored to be eyeing the 27th as the date when he will return to the court after undergoing knee surgery just last Tuesday. That would be great news for the Warriors considering that they have lost four of their last seven games. But the good news doesn’t stop there for Golden State. Jason Richardson could return by Wednesday when the Warriors host the Grizzlies. J-Rich has missed the last 22 games. Currently, Golden State is only one game away from being in the playoff picture, which would be a remarkable feat considering their string of injuries and lack of big bodies while playing in a stacked Western Conference.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Sun Sits, Suns Set


1. Pain in the Nash
Thanks to a bum shoulder, the reigning two time MVP will miss this weekend’s All-Star game in Las Vegas. So far, Steve Nash has missed the Suns last three games and the team has lost two in row without their primary ball handler. By withdrawing from the game and the skill competition, Nash will have two full weeks to get healthy for the final stretch of the season. But Nash’s injury forces David Stern to name a replacement for both events. Stern has already placed Carmelo Anthony and Josh Howard on the team, which leaves players like Mehmet Okur, Zach Randolph and Elton Brand up for consideration. Deron Williams would be an admirable replacement for Nash in both situations as he is averaging 17.3 points and 9.1 assists per game.

2. For Sale
Jason Kidd is already looking for a trendy new bachelor pad, but according to rumors it might not be located in New Jersey. That’s because it appears that the Lakers and Cavaliers are both looking to acquire the point guard extraordinaire. Los Angeles has offered two first round picks, along with the expiring contracts of players like Kwame Brown, Jordan Farmar and Chris Mihm with the hopes of teaming Kidd with Kobe Bryant. But, so far, the Nets seem to be holding pat. The Cavs are in a similar situation as they are looking for someone who can relieve some of the pressure from their star before the team makes the final push for postseason positioning. But come to think of it; who couldn’t use an unselfish, fast-breaking, triple-double threat on their roster during March and April?

3. Terrifying Trio
It was seven years ago today that the world was witness to the most frightening frontcourt lineup in the history of the NBA as Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal started for the Western Conference in the 2000 All-Star game. The trio combined for 70 points and 33 rebounds as the West won by a score of 137-126. K.G. was left out of the mix as Shaq and Duncan split the game’s Most Valuable Player award. Speaking of hardware, between the trio, they have two Rookie of the Year awards, four All-Star MVP’s, four regular season MVP’s, six Finals MVP’s and seven championship rings. And again, K.G. is left in the cold as the only superstar without Final’s experience.

Monday’s Player of the Day: J.R. Smith vs. Golden State 23 min, 28 pts (FG: 10-18, 3FG: 6-11, FT: 2-2), 4 reb, 1 ast

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Toronto (27-24) @ Chicago (29-23) This could be a preview of things to come in the playoffs as these two would be facing off if the postseason began today. But due to a weird seeding clause, Toronto would hold the home court advantage despite sitting 1 ½ games behind the Bulls in the standings. But unfortunately for the Raptors, this game is occurring in Chicago where the Bulls are 20-6 this season. Toronto has been pathetic on the road (9-17) even though Chris Bosh continues to earn legitimacy as an MVP candidate. At least Toronto can look forward to not playing another road game until February 24, while the Bulls have to play nine of their next 15 games away from home.

Buzzer Beater: The Warriors playoff hopes took a serious blow when the team found out that Baron Davis would have to undergo surgery to clean up his left knee. Davis was hurt in a game against Charlotte on February 3. Golden State is currently within a game and a half of the final postseason slot but they have lost six of their last nine games and have a five game Eastern Conference road trip that is quickly approaching. Even if Stephen Jackson can manage to keep himself out of the big house, the Warriors chances of moving forward without Davis are somewhere between slim and none.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Christie Mania



“Who wears the pants?”

1. Newlyweds Again
After being waived by the Dallas Mavericks in 2005, Doug Christie is hopeful that he will be able to make a return to the NBA soon. Supposedly, Christie would like to rejoin the Raptors, where he spent five years from 1995 to 2000. Of course, he would have to get approval from the old lady. Maybe he could run it by her during the couple’s 12th wedding (no joke – they renew their vows every year), which will occur on July 8. But in the meantime, there are plenty of things to occupy their time. Primarily, themselves. In addition to pitching a second season of their reality TV show, Committed: The Christies, to several networks, the couple now has a self absorbed film which is based on their lives. The Christies Un-Cut, is written, directed, starring and sold by the estrogen pumping Christie and his wife, Jackie, and is available online for $19.95.

2. Can He Rebound?

We have a new leader in the NBA when it comes to rebounding. After holding the leagues best average for almost the entire season to this point, Dwight Howard was surpassed on the list. Not once, but twice. Kevin Garnett and Marcus Camby are now tied for first in the category with both averaging 12.6 per game which is only slightly better than Howard. With a couple low totals in some recent games, Howard’s average is now 12.5. The slide could motivate Howard as he looks to make history this season. At 21, should Howard end the season with the league’s best average he would become the youngest player to ever win the rebounding title.

3. Shooting Guard

The Golden State Warriors just got Stephen Jackson, but they might already be regretting their decision to bring him on board. Based on some probation issues, he must appear in a Michigan courtroom on Friday where he could be incarcerated immediately for 93 days. But because of an incident outside of an Indianapolis strip club when Jackson shot his gun at least five times, there is a possibility that Jackson could be placed in prison for up to five more years. Things have really gone downhill for Jackson since he played an important role in bringing San Antonio their second championship in 2003. Larry Bird must be relieved that Jackson’s not weighing the Pacers down with his problems anymore.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Dwyane Wade @ Indiana 46 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-22, 3FG: 1-3, FT: 7-8), 5 reb, 8 ast, 5 stl, 3 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Dallas (35-8) @ Chicago (24-19) The Bulls have only lost six games at home this season but they have been struggling lately, going 5-7 in 2007. There have been lots of trade rumors surrounding Chicago over the past few weeks but Ben Gordon and some other pieces might be too high of a price to pay for Pau Gasol or Kevin Garnett. On the other side of the court, the Mavs recent successes have been well documented and they have no interest in making any major moves. Dallas is on track to having home court advantage throughout the playoffs, especially if they continue stringing together double digit win streaks. Chicago could really use the boost in confidence that would accompany a win over the Mavericks.

Buzzer Beater: It’s not too often that you hear about a professional sports franchise imposing a curfew for their team, but Jerry Sloan doesn’t mind sticking out. This year, Utah players must be in their rooms by midnight when traveling on the road. Sloan said he has never made a team abide to a curfew before but some troublesome preseason behavior involving four players and an exotic dancer changed the coach’s mind. Sloan is old school; he’s not going to put up with immature behavior that tarnishes the franchise’s image. There’s a reason that Karl Malone and John Stockton’s teams never had a bedtime when playing on the road.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Detroit Debut for Webber


1. Numbers Game
Chris Webber officially signed with the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and will be paid approximately $650,000 this year on a prorated contract for the veterans minimum, but that’s wasn’t the odd part of the press conference. The head scratcher came when C-Webb held up a Pistons home jersey with the number 84 stitched onto it. The unusual number was chosen for Uncle Chris by one of his nephews. Now, Webber joins Gilbert Arenas (0), Ron Artest (93) and the league’s most notorious weirdo of all time, Dennis Rodman (91), with some of the more abnormal numbers. But regardless of the digits he wears, Webber will be a valuable asset to the Pistons this season, despite what his first game might imply (17 minutes with 2 points on 1 for 5 shooting).

2. Packin’ Jackson
There were some rumors floating around that Mike Dunleavy Jr. could be joining his old man in Los Angeles on the Clippers, but those rumors can be squashed now that Dunleavy Jr. was involved in an eight player deal that sent him to the Pacers along with Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu and Keith McLeod. In return, Golden State picked up Al Harrington, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Josh Powell and the problematic Stephen Jackson. The Warriors were desperate for another complimentary player to line up beside Baron Davis and if they are willing to put up with the headaches, this could be a perfect fit for Golden State. And should Harrington ever live up to his potential, this trade could be a giant step toward making noise in the playoffs for the Warriors.

3. Party Pooper
A man is walking down the street with a 2 ft. by 2 ft. birthday cake in his hands at 1:45 in the morning wait, is this a gag? Nope. It might sound like the set up to a shoddy joke but it’s not. Close to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, Alexander Martinez left his birthday party with a $190 cake and ran into Lakers forward Ronny Turaif who agreed to pose for a B-Day photo. About that time, Kwame Brown walks out of a club, grabs the chocolate cake and throws it at Martinez before leaving the scene in a white limo. Further down the street, Martinez ran into Lamar Odom and confronted him about Brown’s behavior but a man believed to be Odom’s bodyguard shoved Martinez into the street and yelled at him to stay away from Brown. A police report was filed 12 hours later but Brown has yet to comment on the incident. Now it’s obvious why Gilbert Arenas didn’t invite Kwame to his 25th birthday bash.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ San Antonio 36 min, 34 pts (FG: 12-19, 3FG: 0-2, FT: 10-11), 6 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Los Angeles Lakers (25-13) @ Dallas (32-8) The last time these two teams met up was in Los Angeles on January 7, when the Lakers put an end to the Mavericks 13 game win streak. But this time the Lakers won’t have a home crowd to take advantage of. The Mavs are currently riding an eleven game home winning streak as Dirk Nowitzki continues to make his push for the M.V.P. Dallas is probably one of the last teams anybody wants to play in the second game of a back-to-back, but that is exactly the situation L.A. is facing after winning against the Spurs last night, 100-96.

Buzzer Beater: Just when it looked like Tracy McGrady was healthy again and back to his former high-scoring self, he misses another game with soreness in his back. Since returning from a stint in December where he missed seven games because of back spasms, T-Mac had averaged 26.8 points per game with eight games over 30. Tuesday night, McGrady lit Dallas up for 45 in a 109-86 loss. With the loss of Yao Ming already hobbling the club, McGrady’s pain in the back is becoming a serious pain in the butt of Jeff Van Gundy.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Houston, We Have A… Nevermind


1. No Yao, No Problem
There’s no doubt that the Rockets miss their big man in the middle, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at their record. Since Yao broke a bone in his leg the Rockets have won four of five games, including their current four game winning streak. Whatever was holding down Tracy McGrady earlier in the season is no longer a problem as he has scored over 30 points in four of the games since Yao got injured. But the rest of January could prove to be detrimental as their schedule becomes tougher with teams that rely more on their inside presence. While nobody is happy with the loss of Yao, T-Mac has got to be enjoying having free reign to create on the floor and, once again, be able to score at will.

2. Scoring at Will
If you had to guess two teams in the league that would combine to score 279 points in a game, it probably wouldn’t have been Memphis and Golden State. But that’s exactly what happened. In an offensive explosion, each team scored at least 30 points per quarter as Memphis held on to win, 144-135. The Warriors’ Matt Barnes had a game-high 36 points and Mike Miller lead his team with 33. 13 out of 19 players that logged time in the game scored double digit points. It was only the fourth win since the beginning of December but it was their second win in four games as Pau Gasol returns to his old form. Tony Barone Sr. seems to be filling in quite nicely since the team fired Mike Fratello.

3. The Hurt Heat
There were not too many people who believed that Miami would win the championship last year, but now it’s getting hard to believe that Miami will even make the playoffs. Injuries have plagued this team throughout the year and nothing appears like it will change anytime soon. Currently, the team is missing Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, James Posey, Wayne Simien and coach Pat Riley. And last night against the Clippers it showed. Miami lost 110-95 and fell to 13-18 on the season, dropping them to five games behind first place in the Southeast Division. At this point, the defending champs would miss the playoffs altogether. But even with a healthy cast it will take a spectacular comeback over the second half of the season for the Heat to have a chance to defend their title in the post-season.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Gilbert Arenas vs. Milwaukee 44 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-25, 3FG: 4-9, FT: 4-5), 11 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Indiana (17-15) @ Dallas (25-7) After a surprising end to last season and an even more surprising start to this season, the Mavericks have been one of the most impressive teams in the league. Dallas strung together a 15 game win streak earlier this season and also have a current 11 game streak. Despite a loss to Charlotte on Saturday, the Pacers have been playing good ball lately in winning six of their last nine. Jermaine O’Neal has stepped up his play and currently averages a double-double but Dirk Nowitzki will be a tough opponent to defend as he continues to push his name into the ring for MVP.

Buzzer Beater: When you make your living as a professional athlete, is it too much to ask that you be in shape? Apparently, some Miami players think it is. And that’s why Antoine Walker and James Posey could be facing suspensions for their poor health. The two were already deactivated for their game against the Clippers and forced to remain in Miami where they will workout with the team’s strength and conditioning coach. Looks like it’s time to leave the lunch line and start running lines for these Heat heffers.

Categories
NBA General

Where will Iverson end up?



Looks good

The question on everyone’s mind is: where will Iverson end up? Well, here are the latest rumors and conjectures from around the league:

Philly Inquirer: “A source indicated last night that Denver was willing to part with center Nene as part of a package for Iverson and that George Karl had expressed no problems with coaching Iverson…The Nuggets would also be willing to deal injured forward Kenyon Martin, but the Sixers have no interest in the surgically susceptible forward. Martin is out for the year following a second microfracture knee surgery in November and still is due $59.75 million after this season.”

NY Daily News: “One of the deals King was strongly considering is with Golden State, for point guard Baron Davis, center Andris Biedrins and a third unidentified player. In addition to Iverson, the Warriors would get backup center Steven Hunter. While a source close to one of the players involved called the deal “done,” the Sixers remain quiet about where they will be sending Iverson.”

Golden State of Mind: “One of our sources in close touch with an Eastern Conference scout said that the last thing they heard was that the Warriors upped their offer to Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Ike Diogu and a 1st rounder for Allen Iverson and presumably some other 76ers players. It’s not clear whether this heavy offer was made before or after Bucher’s earlier TV report that the Warriors were out of the running.”

Boston Globe: “With the asking price for Allen Iverson too high, the Celtics‘ interest in the former NBA MVP may have cooled, according to league sources. Boston knows what Philadelphia wants, but is reluctant to put certain players, and possibly draft picks, on the table. Gerald Green and Paul Pierce are off limits. And Al Jefferson may have joined Green and Pierce as players executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge will not deal.”

Detroit News: “Minnesota: The Timberwolves appear to have fallen to the end of the line. Randy Foye has some value to the Sixers, but apparently that’s where the intrigue ends for King.”