Tag: lebron james

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: King sized comeback


1. LeBron at 80% is better than most players at 100%
After missing a game versus the Celtics on Sunday due to tendinitis in his right knee, LeBron James returned to the Cavs lineup last night in Minneapolis and nearly torched the Timberwolves for a triple-double. King James finished the game with 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals in the Cleveland victory. And LeBron’s performance came at a time when he considered himself to be “about 80-85 percent.” If that’s at 80 percent, just wait until we get to see him run the floor at full strength. Just one game separates the Cavaliers from the Bulls, but if Cleveland loses their grip on the slim lead they would slip from the second seed to the fifth seed and lose home court advantage in the post season.

2. Indiana locks up losing record

With eight games remaining in the season for Indiana, they have already clinched a Pacer benchmark that hadn’t been touched in a decade. Thanks to a 15 point loss at the hands of the Pistons, Indiana secured the franchise’s first losing season since 1996-97, which was also the last year that the Pacers failed to make the playoffs. But, that’s what happens when you go 3-18 over your last 21 games. Jermaine O’Neal refused to talk to reporters after the game as his frustrations continue to mount. This season could be last time O’Neal suits up in the yellow and blue; but a change of venue would be good for O’Neal. Unless he wants to follow in Kevin Garnett’s footsteps and simply decides to sink with the ship.

3. No Dirk, no problem
The Dallas Mavericks were forced to take the court against the Kings without their superstar and MVP candidate, Dirk Nowitzki, due to a nasty case of food poisoning. But the Mavs still managed to stay the course without their stud and defeated Sacramento by four points, 97-93. The loss of Nowitzki didn’t weaken the club, as the Kings hoped it would, but instead it simply allowed for other players to step up offensively and fill the scoring void. Josh Howard led the way for Dallas by scoring 29 points to go along with eight rebounds, while Jason Terry finished the game with 27 points. Oh, but that’s not enough 20+ point games by one team in a game; Jerry Stackhouse came off the bench to rack up 23 points of his own.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Gerald Wallace vs. Washington 44 min, 34 pts (FG: 16-24, FT: 2-5), 14 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Toronto (41-33) @ Orlando (34-40) The Raptors are coming off a close, three-point loss to the Heat last night but are still sitting one game ahead of Miami for the third spot in the East. Chris Bosh continues to impress as he scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Miami’s stout frontcourt. But Bosh will have to take on another All-Star big man as Dwight Howard will look to slow down Bosh in the paint. Howard’s numbers have fallen a bit since the season began but he is still only .7 rebounds per game away from becoming the youngest player ever to win the league’s rebounding title.

Buzzer Beater: Apparently, the Memphis Grizzlies are prepared to offer Billy Donovan a multiyear deal. As a two-time NCAA champion, Donovan really has nothing left to prove on the collegiate level so it would make sense to advance his career to the next stage. But, then again, the Gators could probably smoke the Grizz at this point so it’s not going to help his legacy any to jump on the back of the sorriest team in the NBA. In the end, this will be a financially motivated decision for Donovan; the only question remaining is will the cash be stuffed into his pockets by Florida, Memphis, Kentucky or someone else?

Categories
New York Knicks

Stephon Marbury verbally pimp slaps Lebron james


When asked whether he could endorse a $15 sneaker like Marbury does, Lebron said, “No, I don’t think so. Me being with Nike, we hold our standards high.” That’s a nice little dis but probably not meant with as much derision as it seems.

Yet, Starbury being Starbury came up the best retort we’ve heard in a while:


I’d rather own than be owned.

Nice shot, Stephon. Who knew he could think that quickly on his feet.

Links:

[Newsday]: LeBron steps up sneaker war

[SC]: Stephon Marbury’s shoes

Categories
Cleveland Cavaliers

James has a serious home court advantage


Life is pretty good for LeBron James right now. The Cavs clinched a playoff spot last night; he has a new investment and a new job and, now he has a brand new home. Actually, it’s more like a castle fit for a king. The 35,440 square-foot home is built on a 5.6 acre plot in Bath Township, Ohio and you know it has to be impressive because James destroyed an 11 bedroom, $2.1 million home in order to build his new palace.

This house is so big that LBJ shouldn’t have to leave his abode for anything except shooting hoops and shooting commercials. The house won’t be done until next year but by the time it is finished it will include a recording studio, a bowling alley, a barber shop, a casino, a theatre and an aquarium. Some of the other selling points, as if you need any more, include 27-by-27 foot dining hall, and a 34-by-27 foot “great room” which is only outdone by the even greater “grand room.” If that’s still not enough for you, the house has a six car garage, an elevator and the always popular self-promoting sculpture of his head. Klassy.

But the most impressive part of James’ new crib has got to be the master bedroom. The room is approximately 40-by-60 feet and has an enormous two-story walk-in closet. Now that’s a lot of clothes.

James is currently living in a four bedroom home while he waits for his new house to be completed. Wow, it must feel like a tomb in there to King James.

Links:

[Ohio.com]: King James builds a castle of a home

Categories
Cleveland Cavaliers

Lebron James takes his talents to the stage

As if being an All-Star, franchise carrying baller isn’t already enough for LeBron James, he has added a couple of side projects to keep his schedule full.

After buying an undisclosed stake in Cannondale, which creates a popular line of bicycles, last week, LeBron is now ready to give his skills on the mic a try. No, he’s not dropping a crappy rap album like Ron Artest and Shaq are known to do. Instead James will co-host the 15th annual ESPY Awards which will air on July 15. James will be sharing the stage with comedian Jimmy Kimmel who will be equipped with zingers and one-liners just in case LBJ stumbles over his lines.

Kimmel first met James backstage at a previous ESPY show where Kimmel has twice been a presenter.

We shook hands and I said, ‘Hello,’ and he just kind of looked at me quizzically,” Kimmel said. “He’s very, very tall. I’m not sure everyone knows that about him.

But LeBron is going to have to be pretty darn impressive if he is going to have a better on stage performance than Peyton Manning recently had on Saturday Night Live. And Peyton even had time to film this United Way commercial. Let’s see James top that.

Links:

[AZCentral.com]: LeBron James to co-host ESPY Awards
[SI.com]: LeBron meets Lance

Categories
Cleveland Cavaliers

We want to see you risk $90 million, Nader



I hate high priced shoes.

Ralph Nader is sick and tired of Nike and their damn sweatshops, so what does he do? He goes to Nike endorser LeBron James and asks him to shift the balance of power at corporate headquarters. In the second letter from Nader since LBJ joined the league in 2003, he asks the Cavs superstar to stand up for the workers in developing nations.

Mr. James, as someone who enjoys unsurpassed commercial influence and with it, great negotiating power, you are in a unique position to stand up for the people who make the products you endorse. We urge you to let Nike know that you support the rights of those workers by demanding that:

– Nike insist its contractors pay a living wage, under safe working conditions, that allows workers to meet their basic needs, and that Nike pay contractors enough to do this;

– Nike insist its contractors recognize independent unions and that factory management collectively bargain with these unions in good faith; and

– Nike agree to a program of factory monitoring through international unions and human rights organizations that are credible and completely independent of Nike.

You have a chance to make an impact around the world not just with your basketball playing ability, but for your generosity as a human being in helping to improve working conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Sounds great, and all James has to do is bite the hand that is feeding him $90 million for simply smiling at the camera. Somehow that doesn’t seem like a good deal for King James’ empire.

But the best part of the letter is when Nader says that it’s cool for Stephon Marbury to benefit from “sweatshop factory conditions” because he is selling his sneaks for $15 instead of $150. Is it also all right for some coffee company to exploit workers in Columbia as long as you can get a cheap cup of joe?

Links:

[Infoshop.org]: Nader asks LeBron James to help workers in Nike factories

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Ron Arrest


1. The NBA’s Equivalent of Iron Mike
Apparently it’s thug life or no life for Ron Artest. No matter how many chances this guy gets, he will always blow it. Artest’s latest episode got him thrown in the slammer for suspicion of domestic violence and suspicion of using force or violence to prevent the incident from being reported after he allegedly shoved a woman to the floor of his suburban Sacramento home. The Kings president of basketball operations, Geoff Petrie, also said that Artest has been excused from the team indefinitely. If it’s not animal abuse, it’s spousal abuse and if it’s not spousal abuse it’s auditory abuse. The question is what’s worse? Ron-Ron throwing his old lady to the floor, leaving his dog’s in the city pound for 77 days or subjecting an audience to a live performance of “Workin the Pole.” They’re all despicable offenses worthy of imprisonment in my book.

2. Hey, Yao, Break a… Nevermind
After missing 32 games, Yao Ming made his much anticipated return to the Rockets lineup last night but by the end of the game it was LeBron James who was basking in the spotlight. Yao was struggling to find his timing from the very beginning of the game and ended with just 16 points on five of 15 shooting, but he did manage to grab 11 rebounds. But there’s no reason to rush Yao back for his defensive effort when the 40-something year old Dikembe Mutombo is gobbling up rebounds like his vocal clone Cookie Monster devours a pack of Double Stuf Oreos. Nevertheless, no player, man or Muppet, was going to stop LBJ last night as he put together a near triple-double effort in the Cavs 91-85 victory. Cleveland is now only three games behind Detroit for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

3. Oh No-ah!
Boy, one year and one boneheaded Dick Vitale conversation sure can make a big difference in a kid’s life. Just ask Joakim Noah. After leading Florida to the national championship last year, Noah could have decided to go pro and possibly be selected first in the draft. Chicago has admitted to being enamored with the 6-11 forward/center before last years draft and would have selected him with the second pick, should he have fallen to them. But that was when Noah was hot, now he’s not. In fact, some scouts are saying that he isn’t even worth being picked in the top ten. Even Noah has admitted that he hasn’t been fully contributing to his team of late. Throw in the fact that two of the biggest prospects in recent history are probably coming out this year and Noah’s decision that school is cool will probably end up costing him some serious cash.

Monday’s Player of the Day: LeBron James vs. Houston 42 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-24, 3FG: 3-6, FT: 5-9), 12 reb, 8 ast

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: New Jersey (28-32) @ Dallas (50-9) If the Mavericks aren’t must watch basketball then what is? Every single night it seems that Cuban’s kids are breaking records and extending streaks. At this point, every victory is setting a new franchise-high for consecutive wins, currently at 15, as they are now the sixth fastest team in NBA history to reach 50 wins. New Jersey is beginning the dreaded Texas road trip that includes stops at all three of the gyms in just five days. While the task is daunting, the duo of Vince Carter and Jason Kidd have been combining for some serious efforts of late. Jersey is fighting for their playoff lives as they are currently sitting just outside of the top eight in the conference. Presently, the last spot is up for grabs between Orlando, New York and New Jersey so every game is critical for the Nets.

Buzzer Beater: As if there aren’t enough reality shows on the tube already, now Shaquille O’Neal is getting into the act after agreeing to a six-episode series which has yet to be titled or scheduled for release. However, unlike reality gurus such as Flavor Flav, Johnny Knoxville and Dog the Bounty Hunter, Shaq’s show will be beneficial to society. That’s because the Diesel is going to be tackling a topic that he is quite familiar with, childhood obesity. Listed at 325 pounds (uh-huh, right), O’Neal will follow the lives of select kids as they participate in the ABC program and also lobby politicians on health related causes including school nutrition. You have to appreciate Shaq for using his fame to promote a worthy cause, but is the Big (fill in the blank) the right guy to show our nation’s future how to properly eat? Were Charles Barkley, Oliver Miller and Shawn Kemp busy or something?

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Getting Punk’d


1. Clown the Crown
King James is nobody’s court jester, but on Sunday LeBron will play the fool as he participates in a celebrity roast. James will be subjected to the ridicule of comedians like Cedric the Entertainer, Paul Rodriguez, Ralphie May and Mo’Nique. Teammate Damon Jones will even get on stage and take a few shots at his team captain. But before the roast, L.B.J. will have to put aside all laughing matters as Cleveland hosts the searing Suns, who put a 19 point hurting on the James gang two weeks ago. Nothing funny about that.

2. O-Factor
Lamar Odom went down with a sprained knee ligament on December 12, but it appears that he could finally be returning to action this Friday. The Lakers have gone 12-9 without Odom as Kobe Bryant has struggled to find his offense at times over the stretch. The semi-emergence of Andrew Bynum could be enhanced by the return of Odom as defenders will be forced to respect the Lakers second best scorer. Obviously, nobody is more important to L.A. then Kobe, but Odom’s versatile style adds a unique dimension to the Lakers game plan. The Lakers won 15 of their first 21 games this year when opposing defenses were faced with the dual threat of Kobe and Lamar.

3. Champion off the Hardwood
Dikembe Mutombo is popping up everywhere these days. His career is experiencing a David Hasselhoff type resurgence of late. In the absence of Yao Ming, Mutombo has been pulling down double digit rebounds on a nightly basis and wagging his index finger with regularity. On Saturday, Mt. Mutombo put up 11 points and 13 rebounds against the Nuggets, and then he flew to the nation’s capital where he sat next to first lady Laura Bush during the president’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. “W” even publicly recognized Mutombo’s efforts with the impoverished in Africa during his speech. The Rockets center recently helped bring a $27 million hospital to his home land. Tonight, Mutombo will go back to work on the court when Houston travels to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. Just another week in the life of Dikembe.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Carmelo Anthony @ Seattle 40 min, 34 pts (FG: 12-26, 3FG: 0-3, FT: 10-11), 9 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Houston (25-16) @ San Antonio (30-13) The Spurs use to be unbeatable at home but their home record has significantly declined this year. The Rockets picked up a win over the Spurs in S.A. back in late December but the silver and black have heated up of late, winning seven of their last nine games. When healthy, Tracy McGrady is one of the elite scorers in the league but he has struggled with back problems this season. However, T-Mac should be rested and ready to go after having three full days since playing in his last game. Bruce Bowen will have his hands full tonight.

Buzzer Beater: Everyone has been waiting on pins and needles for this moment and now its here. The NBA finally announced the league’s All-Star team. No, not those All-Stars; the 2007 Las Vegas All-Star Dance Team. One chick from each city will make the trip to Sin City where they will shake their All-Stars assets for you; the devoted fan. Have your TiVo ready.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Step Aside Showgirls


1. Vegas Rules
Forget about Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Gilbert Arenas. The real all-stars are performing during the timeouts. So, for the first time, NBA.com is compiling votes in order to assemble The 2007 Las Vegas NBA All-Star Dance team which will be composed of one girl from each NBA team. Now, you can go online and, ahem, entertain yourself with pictures and bios from every babe, I mean dancer, on every team. Finally, the talent and inner beauty of women like Courtney from Boston, Katherine from Miami and Julie from Houston can get the proper recognition they deserve. So, show these ladies how much you truly appreciate them; vote early, vote often and send a thank you to NBA.com for creating a one stop shop for dancing divas from around the league.

2. Way Downtown
The Cavs LeBron James proved on Wednesday that he is capable of hitting the long range bombs in real life, as well as in commercials. When he nailed an 83 footer at the end of the third quarter against Boston, not only did he add three points to his scoring total but he also added his name to the record books. According to a statistician, James’ shot was the third longest in NBA history. Only an 84 footer by Chicago’s Norm Van Lier in 1977 and an 89 footer by Baron Davis (then with Charlotte) had more air time than James’. Kinda makes you wonder if he really was hitting jumpers from the opposite baseline in those ads. Nah, he couldn’t do that. Could he?

3. The Hornet with No Sting
Tyson Chandler isn’t far from becoming a big time player in this league. Chandler cleans the glass with the elite in the league, he’s currently sixth in boards, and he’s been blocking shots with ferocity of late. But despite all of the talent that he possesses, Chandler appears to have absolutely no desire to score. In fact, his season high is only 14 points and he hasn’t taken ten shots in any game this year. The Hornets have got to find a way to get more offense out of his 7-1, 245 pound frame and Chandler must learn to be aggressive if he’s ever going to live up to his second pick potential.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ Sacramento 48 min, 42 pts (FG: 11-21, 3FG: 3-5, FT: 17-20), 10 reb, 9 ast

Friday’s Game to Watch: Dallas (26-7) @ San Antonio (23-10) It’s probably the biggest rivalry in the NBA and tonight’s game should be another great game between these two division foes. The Mavericks have a 10-4 record away from Dallas this season, as well as a three game lead over the Spurs in the Southwest Division that has been steadily growing during the Mavs current 12 game win streak. San Antonio, on the other hand, has struggled recently; losing two in a row and four of their last seven. This will be the third game between these two with each team winning in the others gym.

Buzzer Beater: The referees in last night’s game between the Lakers and Kings became a bit whistle happy in the second quarter as they sent players to line an astounding 47 times. Talk about a snore fest! By half-time of the game there had been 38 total fouls called and six players had already picked up three fouls each. After regulation and overtime ended, a total of 80 fouls had been called and 102 free throws had been shot. I hope that the NBA front office takes note and remembers this performance when it comes time to assign referees to the All-Star Game. Please Mr. Stern, just say no to Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey and Robby Robinson.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Remembering the Life of LBJ


1. The House of James
Have you every wanted to completely immerse yourself into all things LeBron James? Well, now you can. That’s because Nike has opened up a temporary store named IV in the heart of New York’s SoHo district. It is part shoe store and part LeBron James Historical Museum. The store takes its customers along a journey that spans the entire life of the soon-to-be 21 year old. Memorabilia from old football and basketball uniforms to baby shoes and childhood pictures are scattered throughout the store. Models of shoes that were never released are on display, and written on the floor are quotes about him from important people in his life. But The Big Apple has even more to offer the hardcore LeBron groupies. A block from Madison Square Garden there is a neon sign several stories high promoting Nike’s “Witness” campaign, in which James is seen performing a trademark dunk.

2. Portland Woes
Despite all the praise Zach Randolph has been recently receiving from basketball critics for his great play on the court; he will now have to be subject to criticism of a much more serious nature by a judge in a court of law. A woman has filed a $2 million civil lawsuit, claiming she was sexually assaulted by the Portland power forward. Allegedly, the incident took place on August 11 in a hotel room. The woman, identified as Jane Doe, filed a complaint on August 14 but Randolph was never identified by police as a witness and in September, the county’s district attorney decided not to prosecute the case.

We’ve seen enough of these types of cases in the NBA to know that it is possible for players to take refuge in the game and maintain high levels of success during times of stress. Just look at Kobe Bryant and his rape case. But we’ve also learned that once a player becomes involved with any type of sexual misconduct, regardless of the case’s outcome, the endorsement deals go away. Just look at Kobe Bryant and his rape case.

3. More Portland Woes
Darius Miles had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season. While in surgery, doctors discovered that Miles also needed microfracture surgery. The procedures were successful and Miles is expected to begin rehab soon, hopefully allowing him to recover fully. This is not good news for the Trailblazers organization who is already struggling to capture victories with consistency. The team lacks depth at the small forward position and was hoping that Miles could provide help at some point this year. Portland needs all the aid they can get and, unfortunately, they can’t even rely on their rookies for minutes early in the year. The second pick overall, LaMarcus Aldridge has played in only two games this season after having shoulder surgery in August and Brandon Roy is expected to miss at least a week with a banged up left foot.

4. Finally!
After dropping the first four games of the season, the Dallas Mavericks are on a three game winning streak and have, at last, won a home game. Heads were being scratched all over when the Mavericks opened the season playing such lousy basketball, but since their eight game losing streak, stretching back to last year’s Finals, was snapped, the team has looked more like the Mavs of old. During the first four games of the season, Dallas was struggling to score points, averaging 89 points per game. In the three wins, Dallas has scored 119, 103 and 111 points. The winning can also be attributed more directly to the performance of Dirk Nowitzki. In the three wins this season, Nowitzki has averaged 30.7 points per game while during the four game skid he was only getting 22.5. Coincidentally, the winning streak has come while one of the team’s best players, Josh Howard, sits on the bench due to injury.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Dwyane Wade vs. Denver 45 min, 37 pts (FG: 9-21, 3FG: 3-5, FT: 16-17), 8 reb, 11 ast, 2 stl

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Denver (3-3) @ Orlando (5-3) If you love to watch the future stars of the NBA, then this is the game for you. Denver’s Carmelo Anthony is averaging 29.4 points per game and J.R. Smith is always only a head fake away from slam dunking on someone’s cranium. Orlando seems to have found their point guard, power forward combination of the future as Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard have begun to develop a nice chemistry. Howard plays like a veteran at 20 years old; averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds and over two blocks a game. And if you enjoy watching the great players on their way out, keep your eyes on Grant Hill who could hang up his sneakers for good if his left ankle goes out on him yet again.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Suns Burned

1. Arizona Heat
Coach Mike D’Antoni had some harsh word for his Suns team after falling to
1-5. “We’re soft as freaking cupcakes out there,” said D’Antoni. The
coach’s frustrations boiled over after a 119-112 loss to the Dallas
Mavericks but they had been simmering for quite some time. The Suns are on
a four game losing streak and have blown substantial lead in all of the
losses. What’s worse is that all have been conference loses, a conference
that Phoenix has made it to the finals in for the past two seasons.
Obviously, D’Antoni is upset with the defensive effort of his team. The
coach went on to say, “”We’re done messing around and we’re going to play
guys that are going to play hard.” Unfortunately, when you look at the box
scores, the Suns are hot on offense but seem to fear an overexposure from
defensive plays.

2. Cav Quitter?
LeBron James has been criticized since Tuesday night for walking off of the
court during the final moments of an overtime loss to Atlanta. According to
some, James quit on his team and showed poor sportsmanship. The incident
happened in the last ten seconds of the game with his team down by nine
points. James said that he never left the court although the television
footage doesn’t show it that way. He also questions whether this would be
an issue if it happened during a victory. Was he frustrated? Of course,
his team lost to one of the doormats of the NBA over the last eight years or
so. Should he have stuck around to shake hands with the other team?
Probably so, but I wouldn’t consider 34 points, seven rebounds and six
assists as quitting on your team. Following the controversy, the Cavs went
on to dominate the Bulls behind the efforts of James who had 19 points and
12 assists. Most would consider that to be a pretty good teammate.

3. C’mon Down!
Charles Barkley put up a new career high last night. And it didn’t involve
the gobbling up of rebounds or baked goods. On TNT’s Inside the NBA,
Barkley stunned the world when he proved to be somewhat knowledgeable on the
league’s players. The studio crew brought back its annual game show parody
named, “Who He Play For?” where Barkley attempts to name the team of a
player that has recently relocated. The Chuckster has been notoriously
awful over the past few years; however, this year he smashed his previous
best by correctly answering three out of five. Barkley knew that Raef
LaFrentz played for Portland, Theo Ratliff was on Boston and Darrell
Armstrong now resides in Indiana. Sir Charles was unaware that Alan Houston
played for Philadelphia or that Othella Harrington went to Charlotte.
Barkley’s playful excuse was that he only keeps up with the players that
actually get into the games.

4. So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance
Joe Johnson is beginning to spread his wings as he has the Atlanta Hawks
soaring to the best record in the eastern conference. As unbelievable as it
may sound, Atlanta has a 3-1 record and is riding a three game winning
streak. Credit has to be given to Johnson as he is putting up some MVP type
numbers early on in the season. Johnson is averaging 40 minutes, 27.8
points, four rebounds, five assists and 1.5 steals per game. In addition,
his shooting numbers are terrific. Currently he sits at 48 percent on field
goals and 50 percent from behind the three point line, both are career
highs. While Atlanta has a few good, young players on their roster, at 25,
Johnson is the only diamond out of the batch. Johnson leads the team in
minutes, points and assists, and ranks 5th in rebounds, 3rd in blocks, and
3rd in steals. With Johnson, Atlanta has an outside shot of cracking the
top eight in the conference but without him, this team is guaranteed to
repeat their past performances as division cellar dwellers.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Baron Davis vs. New Orleans 44 min, 36 pts
(FG: 11-17, 3FG: 1-4, FT: 13-17), 4 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: New Orleans (4-1) @ Portland (3-2) Doesn’t look
right on paper, does it? But Portland is undefeated at home behind the
impressive efforts of power forward Zach Randolph who is averaging 28 points
on 52 percent shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, a steal and a block per
game. The Hornets are off to their best start in franchise history and tied
for the western conference’s best record. Second year point guard Chris
Paul is leading the way for the team as he comes off a career high night,
scoring 34 points against Golden State.