Tag: Boston Celtics

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Is There a Doctor in the House?


1. Injuries Love Company
The injury bug is biting the big stars, and it’s biting hard. The latest victims are Carlos Boozer and Antawn Jamison. Jamison is out for anywhere from two to eight weeks with a sprained left knee, while a hairline fracture in Boozer’s left leg will keep him sidelined for four to five weeks. But the Jazz and Wizards aren’t going to be receiving much sympathy from the rest of the league. All-Stars are dropping like flies around the Association. Paul Pierce, Ben Wallace, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson (whew!) are all currently out of action with a variety of injuries.

2. Cold Blooded

Kobe Bryant returned to action against the lowly Celtics after being suspended for a game because of an elbow to Manu Ginobili’s melon. And when he got back on the court, he let out his frustrations by dropping 43 points on the leprechauns. Bryant showed again why he is the best scorer on the planet, despite his tendency to take a cheap shot from time to time. Kobe hit 13 of 25 overall and was dead on from behind the arc, going seven of nine. This is the Mamba’s fourth career game with at least 40 against Boston. There are some great players who don’t even have four games of 40 in their entire career. His scoring ability is almost underappreciated because he has been so explosive, so consistently since joining the league.

3. XXXXXXL

If you thought Yao Ming and Shaq were a couple of big boys, just get a load of the newest member of the ABA’s Maryland Nighthawks. Sun Ming Ming is a 7-9, 370 pound center from China and he’s only 23 years old. When being signed by the team, Sun had a difficult time squeezing into a XXXXXXL sweatshirt. The youngster’s career has been on hold for the past year while he underwent a pair of surgeries on a pituitary tumor that was the cause of his enormous size. But he’s gradually getting back into playing shape and it’s a pretty safe bet to assume that this giant will make his way into the NBA at some point because, if you haven’t noticed, most teams are willing to gamble on a seven footer.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ Boston 41 min, 43 pts (FG: 13-25, 3FG: 7-9, FT: 10-13), 8 reb, 8 ast, 2 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: San Antonio (32-15) @ Phoenix (36-9) Nobody likes playing in back to back games, especially when the second game is against the run ‘n gun Suns. But the Spurs are going to have to quickly forget about their four point loss in Salt Lake City last night and prepare themselves mentally to take on the hottest team in the league. Sure the Suns are coming off a loss to the T-Wolves on Monday, but 17 of 18 and 35 of their last 39 is still considered scorching where I come from. If that’s not impressive enough, Phoenix has only lost three games at home this season, but they are winless in five games against the Spurs, Mavs and Jazz.

Buzzer Beater: Talk about offensive productivity! In the third quarter of last night’s game between Washington and Toronto, the two teams put up an incredible 77 points. In a 12 minute shootout, Toronto scored 43 points while the Wizards responded with 34. Chris Bosh put in serious work during the quarter as he scored 16 of his game-high 34, including a 56 foot three pointer that hit nothing but the bottom of the net. After missing his first four shots of the game, Bosh went 15 of 15 during the remainder of the contest.

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Boston Celtics

Top 10 Dumbest in-game Injuries: #3 Tony Allen

[Sportscolumn is running down the ten dumbest in-game injuries in sports.  Here’s #3.]

With three minutes remaining in the third quarter of a game versus Indiana, Boston’s Tony Allen decided to woo the crowd with a high-flying dunk after a foul had stopped play on the floor. After missing the wide open jam, Allen landed awkwardly on his left knee and crumpled on the famous parquet hardwood. Allen tore two ligaments in his knee which led to ACL reconstructive surgery, along with having cartilage repaired. The luck of the Irish was definitely not on Allen’s side during that game as the stupid slam will keep him out of the lineup for the rest of the season.

Back to #4 | Forward to #2

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Christmas Comes Early


1. A Lump of Coal for Boston
Paul Pierce has a bum foot and will miss the next two to three weeks of action. Now, if the Celtics struggled to go 10-14 with a healthy roster, the injury would lead you to believe that Boston will begin to make a serious Greg Oden run without their All-Star and his sidekick, Wally Szczerbiak who is out with a sprained ankle. Obviously this is a hard blow for Boston to take right now. Pierce is having one of the best seasons of his career as he carries an inexperienced team, and it’s tough to see how Delonte West or Gerald Green could adequately fill-in for the league’s 10th highest scorer. Looks like Philly’s going to have some competition for worst team in the Atlantic Division over the next few weeks.

2. Denver’s Stocking Stuffer
It’s finally here. After weeks of waiting, Allen Iverson will suit up in a new uniform at his Denver debut tonight when the Nuggets host Sacramento. Of course, it will still be a while until A.I. teams up with Carmelo Anthony, but all that means is that Iverson gets the stage all to himself until late January. Now, the only things standing between Iverson and the Pepsi Center floor are a physical and the residual effects of a severe snow storm. But once Iverson gets the official nod to join the team, no blizzard is going to be able to keep the Nugget faithful from enjoying their Christmas present three days early.

3. Dreaming of a Green Christmas
Nike appears to be reaping the rewards of having two of the brightest stars in the NBA signed to shoe contracts with them. Thanks in part to the latest kicks associated with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Nike’s quarterly earnings showed an increase in profit by eight percent in the United States and 15 percent in Asia. While eight and 15 percent might not sound like a lot at first, when dealing with a corporation the size of Nike, it can add up to millions. Wade is not directly endorsed by Nike, but he is signed by Converse who is owned by Nike. The juggernaut of the shoe world will be packing quite a punch for some time considering the duo are only in their fourth season and it is merely a matter of time before their faces are etched onto the Mt. Rushmore of the NBA’s newest generation.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kevin Martin vs. Washington 46 min, 40 pts (FG: 13-23, 3FG: 4-10, FT: 10-11), 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Friday’s Game to Watch: Houston (15-10) @ San Antonio (20-6) While Yao Ming has been elevating his game to new heights this season, the Rockets have struggled to find wins of late; especially on the road where they have dropped five of their last eight. And no relief is in sight as they go up against the leagues best team and their 10-3 home record. The Spurs have won nine of ten games, including their current five game winning streak, thanks to a deep squad that has seen five different players lead the team in scoring over the last ten games.

Buzzer Beater: The Heat have been inconsistent this year, to say the least. However, they have managed to be consistently poor against high scoring teams. When allowing 100 points or more, the Heat are a pathetic 1-11. Unfortunately, Miami’s next three games are all against teams that average triple-digit scoring. So, even though Christmas is right around the corner, Miami is not going to be in a giving mood.

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.”

Categories
MLB General

Dec 7 in Sports History: Lou Gehrig inducted in the Hall of Fame


In 1939: Because of his failing health, the Baseball Hall of Fame waived its standard rule that a player must be retired two years before they can be elected to the hall for Lou Gehrig. Gehrig, who once held the record for playing in 2,130 consecutive games, suffered an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease called ALS (which became known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He played his final game in May of 1939, and gave his famous “luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech on July 4, in which his number four was retired by the Yankees. It was the first number ever to be retired by a sports team. Only when Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972 was the waiting period (which is now five years) waived. (lougehrig.com)

Also in 1939: On the same day Gehrig was enshrined, a brash, cocky nineteen-year-old who was killing American Association pitching was signed by the Boston Red Sox. Ted Williams went on to tear up American League pitching that year, hitting .327 with 31 HR and 145 RBI. During his Hall of Fame career, he hit .344 with 521 homers. He was the last player to hit over .400 when he hit .406 in the 1941 season. He also served in two wars (flying 39 missions in Korea) and won two triple crowns (although he didn’t win MVP either year). He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1966 and named the greatest hitter of all-time during baseball’s 1969 centennial celebration. (baseballlibrary.com)

Also, happy birthday to Larry Bird, who turns 50 today and let’s not forget that today is the day the German’s bombed Pearl Harbor.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: The Hot Seat


1. A Czar, Zeke, Doc and Cheeks
If a coach is judged by wins and loses, then four coaches are clearly in line to be the first to get whacked this season. Doc Rivers, Mike Fratello, Maurice Cheeks and Bernie Bickerstaff all reside in futility with less than six wins each. Each coach has their own reasons for why they should be fired, but if one deserves to go first, who should it be? Bickerstaff is doing all he can with a team of kids. Fratello has to be given the benefit of the doubt considering that he has started the season in a ship without a sail after Pau Gasol broke his foot over the summer. Doc Rivers coaches a team of one, with Paul Pierce as the sole star in Boston. So, the pink slip goes to Cheeks. He is accomplishing the least with a team that is experienced, talented and athletic. Two AI’s, Chris Webber and Samuel Dalembert have to add up to more than five wins.

2. Marion, Out
Last night during a dominating win over Sacramento, the Suns Shawn Marion hit a 14 foot jumper at the buzzer. He proceeded to run off the court and into the locker room to the sweet sounds of an arena filled with cheers. One problem, it was only the end of the first quarter. Once Marion realized that he was the only player to have left the court, he returned to a bench full of laughing and pointing teammates. Some of the Suns were laughing so hard, they were literally holding their sides. There’s nothing like a little humor to keep a winning streak alive.

3. M.V.Three?
Steve Nash has won two consecutive MVP awards, and if the formula used by voters over the last two seasons holds true, then Nash is well on his way to a third. Nashty is currently averaging career highs in points (19.9) and minutes (36.5) while leading the league in assists per game with 11.4. If he can slightly increase his scoring, he will be the first player to average 20 points and ten assists since Tim Hardaway in 1992-93. While his trademark long locks are gone this season, his annoying habit of licking his fingers remains. But whatever he’s been doing, its working and the Suns have won nine out of ten, including a current seven game win streak. Last night against Sacramento, Nash put on a passing clinic as he dished out 20 assists.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Elton Brand vs. Miami 42 min, 33 pts (FG: 13-18, FT: 7-8), 17 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Houston (12-5) @ Minnesota (7-9) The Rockets have won six of their last seven games and Tracy McGrady has become much more active on the offensive side of the ball lately. Kevin Garnett continues to do everything for Minnesota as he leads the team in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Lots of talent and All-Star appearances will be on the court between The Big Ticket, T-Mac and Yao Ming.

Buzzer Beater: David Stern finally admitted to not taking player’s opinions into consideration before forcing a new ball on the league. It’s about time, players have only been complaining about the new rock since training camp. Guess that the backlash from his stars finally became too much to handle for the commissioner. Stern made a decision that affected the entire league and thought that the initial revolt would simply go away, but it hasn’t. Swallowing your pride is tough, but continuing to lose face over an unnecessary change in procedure is just stupid. Bring back the leather ball already!

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Celtic Pride


1. Mr. Everything
Boston is tied for the second worst record in the league at 2-6, including a pair of three game losing streaks. But it’s not due to a lack of effort from the team’s lone superstar. Paul Pierce is averaging 26.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Pierce is the only player in the league to lead his team in total points, rebounds and assists. He also leads his team in minutes, defensive rebounds and steals, and his field goal and three point percentages are higher than his career averages. Unfortunately, Pierce can’t beat teams by himself. Wally Szczerbiak gives the team a good complimentary scorer but it is not enough to compensate for a team that lacks depth, defense and overall talent. Boston is currently very, very far away from competing for a championship and it’s a shame to see a guy give his all, just to keep racking up the loses. At least Pierce is acting like a professional and playing hard for his money despite the situation; many veterans of his caliber would be demanding for a trade in the same circumstance.

2. Gimme a Break!
The players are already sick of the all the changes’ going on in the league right now and it’s not just about the new composite ball. In addition to the crackdown on whining and reactions to official’s calls, the league has brought in a whole new set of officials to oversee the lesser noticed violations that go on during games. These officials oversee the players and issue disciplinary consequences for infractions such as, players removing their jersey from their shorts when going to the bench or having their name printed on a wristband they are wearing. They also make sure that the players remain still and do not chew gum during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Furthermore, the fashion police strictly prohibit the wearing of wrist bands on a player’s bicep. The breaking of these and about 12 other absurd rules can get players slapped with a fine from David Stern. Stern is still trying to repair the image of the league after the ugly incident in Detroit two years ago, but he is doing so at the expense of his work forces’ satisfaction. The players aren’t happy with the strict enforcement of these rules and, frankly, who can blame them. They are quite trivial. However, NBAers need to be prepared to pay the fines for any violations because Stern’s watchdogs are out in full force.

3. Inside, Inside the NBA

Now that world has been shocked by the dancing prowess of NFL legends Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, who’s going to be the next athlete to show off their twinkle toes on primetime television? Could it be TNT’s own, Charles Barkley? On Thursday’s episode of Pardon the Interruption, the question of participating on the program was asked of Barkley. Sir Charles responded by saying he would go on Dancing With the Stars if the PTI’s host, Tony Kornheiser, would stop wearing a hideous, bright red jacket he sports from time to time. Last night on Inside the NBA, in quite possibly the funniest moment in the history of the show, everybody got a preview of what could be as the crew played a tape of Smith’s body with the Chuckster’s head attached as he performed the samba in a shiny, bright green shirt. It was played repeatedly until the end of the show while Barkley’s colleagues hysterically laughed to the point of tears. Barkley’s only comment during the footage was “That’s better than peanut butter and jelly.”

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Baron Davis vs. Sacramento 44 min, 36 pts (FG: 12-20, 3FG: 2-5, FT: 10-10), 8 reb, 18 ast, 3 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: Utah (7-1) @ Seattle (4-5) Utah has the best record in the NBA and is riding a three game winning streak, including a win over the Clippers without the injured Andrei Kirilenko. Carlos Boozer is getting some early MVP consideration and Deron Williams is shaping into the point guard Utah has lacked since the retirement of John Stockton. Seattle had a three game winning streak snapped at home versus Philadelphia on Wednesday and will look to the combo scoring of Ray Allen (25.1 points per game) and Rashard Lewis (23.7) to begin a new winning streak at the expense of the league’s best team.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Welcome Back, Carter


1. Vinsanity
Vince Carter is chugging along, full steam ahead, and he’s not looking back. In fact, Carter has created a new season high in points for every game he has played this year, including 38 last night in a loss to Seattle. His 31.2 points per game is second in the league to Michael Redd’s 32.4. Besides his scoring output, Carter has increased his accuracy. He’s shooting 50 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from behind the three point line, and 84.1 percent from the free throw stripe, all career highs. To go along with his breakout shooting year, Carter is grabbing five rebounds, dishing out five assists and poking free a steal per game. Unfortunately, the Nets have alternated wins and loses all year and currently only have a 3-3 record. Carter’s numbers are impressive but if New Jersey doesn’t improve as a team then his shot at becoming an MVP will come up well short.

2. I’m Sorry Mrs. Jackson
Indiana Pacer Stephen Jackson pleaded not guilty on Monday to a charge that accuses him of violating his probation during an incident last month outside of a strip club in Indiana. Jackson allegedly fired his gun at least five times into the air, in what he describes as self defense during a fight that occurred outside the club. His probation stems from his role in the altercation between himself and several fans during the melee that occurred last year in Detroit. Jackson’s attorneys claim that he could not have violated his probation during the early October episode because he had already completed his probationary terms and therefore did not violate any of its conditions. Jackson could face three months in jail if found guilty. Furthermore, Jackson is charged with criminal recklessness, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct. The felony charge carries a prison term of six months to three years.

3. Malpractice
Doc Rivers’ coaching career could be coming to a close in Boston. Why? The team’s GM, Danny Ainge, recently gave Rivers the notoriously dreaded vote of confidence, saying that the team’s poor record would not result in a coaching change. In most cases, that means the team’s acceptance of applications for replacements has already begun. The Celtics are currently 1-6 on the year; this follows a dismal 33-49 2006 season. This season was supposed to be a dedication to the late Red Auerbach, but at this point it is becoming an embarrassment to the organization. Rivers was fired from Orlando eleven games into the 2004 season when the Magic started off by going 1-10. But if Rivers is indeed fired, you could still expect to seem him on the sidelines. Rumor has it that he very well could be the third man in the booth on ABC’s lead broadcast team with Mike Breen and Mark Jackson.

4. The Journeyman
The Charlotte Bobcats are in their third year as a franchise and they are struggling to simply be 1-5. And what’s the first thing to happen when a young team can’t find a way to win? That’s right, the coach gets fired. It certainly appears that Bernie Bickerstaff is not the answer for this club. If so, the logical fit would be to bring in Larry Brown who is free to job hunt, now that his settlement with the Knicks is final. Michael Jordan would love to have a fellow North Carolina alum sitting on the bench and, to his credit, Brown is considered to be one of the best teachers in the game. With a franchise that is still in its infancy, the young Bobcats sure could use some fundamental education from a coach know for “playing the right way.” Brown always said he would like to coach a high school team after his retirement. While the pay won’t indicate it, this would definitely be a step in that direction.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Vince Carter vs. Seattle 43 min, 38 pts (FG: 13-26, 3FG: 5-9, FT: 7-8), 4 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: San Antonio (5-1) @ Houston (5-2) It’s a Texas sized showdown and a division shootout as the Rockets hope their undefeated home record remains intact after the Spurs, 3-0 on the road, pay a visit to Houston. Tracy McGrady’s point production has been down this season, but he still must be considered as one of the most explosive scorers in the NBA. The Spurs learned this firsthand in 2004 when T-Mac lit them up for 13 points in 33 seconds, including the game winning three-pointer.

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Philadelphia 76ers

Nov 9 in Sports History: Larry Bird vs Dr. J


In 1984: Usually in sports, if two teams don’t like each other, they’ll let the scrubs fight it out. Not on this night, as Larry Bird and Julius Erving went toe-to-toe against each other on the court. At the Boston Garden, the Celtics were pounding the Sixers, and a frustrated Erving (who was held to six points) and a red-hot Larry Bird (who had 42) began throwing punches at the end of the third quarter. Both were ejected and fined $7,500 each. Players on both teams were fined for their involvement, including a rookie named Charles Barkley, who scored 27 points off the bench up to that point. The Celtics won 130-119.

In 1961: If you thought baseball was bad, it never touched golf in terms of racism. Baseball had an “unwritten” rule that blacks were not allowed to play in the major leagues. Golf, on the other hand, actually made sure to include it in their constitution. Only in 1961 did the PGA finally remove it’s “Caucasians only” clause. Charlie Sifford was the first African-American to play on the PGA Tour, and he was soon joined by Lee Elder, Jim Thorpe, Calvin Peete and Pete Brown. Sifford became the first black player to win a Tour event in 1964 at the Greater Hartford Open. Tiger Woods is the only African-American on tour today.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Winners and Losers



Dirty player?

1. Big Winners
And then there were two. New Orleans and Utah, both at 4-0, currently sit above the rest of the league as the only remaining undefeated teams. Unexpected, considering that neither team made the playoffs last year. Unfortunately, both teams are in a tough western conference so their reign at the top probably won’t last long. New Orleans shares a division with San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Memphis, and it is unlikely that they will win the division or even come in second. However, Utah, on the other hand, is putting themselves in a position to finally return to the playoffs. The Jazz are in a much weaker division and these early wins could allow them to be in contention for the division crown later in the season. Win your division and you receive a golden ticket to the postseason; simple as that. While New Orleans’ early run to 4-0 might be more surprising, the path to the playoffs has far fewer obstacles for Utah.

2. Big Losers

Boston, Dallas and Denver remain as the three teams who have yet to pick up a victory. It is not surprising to find the Celtics in this position but Denver’s rocky start was unexpected. However, Denver has only played in two games, losing by a total of four points. And you can expect the team to grab their first victory tonight when they host the Knicks. Without doubt, the biggest loser of this young season has to be the Mavericks who are 0-3, with two home losses and losses to both in-state rivals. Go back to last year’s collapse in the Finals against Miami and you have a team on a seven game losing streak that is becoming desperate for a win. With a tough three game road trip starting tonight against the Clippers, followed by the Suns tomorrow, it might be Sunday at Portland before Dallas grabs their first win. As if the schedule isn’t tough enough, Josh Howard will be out for two weeks with an ankle injury.

3. Fight Club

Etan Thomas and Brendan Haywood have become more than just teammates, they’ve become sparring partners. Apparently, the two Washington centers had a verbal argument in the locker room on Thursday that led to Thomas throwing a punch. Haywood proceeded to throw Thomas to the ground and rip out two of his dreadlocks before teammates could separate them. And this isn’t the first time these two have gone toe to toe. Haywood was suspended for a game last year after an unpleasant incident occurred with Thomas during practice. Haywood appears to be upset with his demotion behind Thomas. Couple that with the fact that these two have a history with one another and it’s likely that Haywood will be traded at some point during the season.

4. Ankle Breaker

Bruce Bowen is building up a reputation throughout the league, and it’s not for his work in the community. Bowen is becoming known as one of the dirtiest players in the game after he was, once again, the cause of an opponent’s sprained ankle. His latest victim, Knicks guards Steve Francis. While Francis never publicly accused Bowen of intentionally sticking his foot underneath him while in the act of shooting, other players have. Vince Carter had incidents over the same issue with Bowen in Toronto and again in New Jersey. Along with Carter, Ray Allen and Vladimir Radmanovic have both blatantly accused Bowen of being dirty. Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady have also felt the pain from Bowen’s aggressive style. Bowen is known for his smothering defense and it is tough to determine if the injuries are a byproduct of tight positioning or caused by malicious intent. But at this point, the controversy has been created and the label of “dirty” is going to stick to Bowen like he sticks to shooting guards.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Kevin Garnett @ LA Lakers 39 min, 26 pts (FG:10-18, FT: 6-6), 9 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (1-3) @ San Antonio (3-1) A rematch from the 2005 western conference finals, San Antonio will be motivated to redeem their home loss to Cleveland and a sloppy finish versus New York. Phoenix is determined to pick up a victory and thus, Amare Stoudemire is expected to make his first start of the season. Despite getting the start, you can expect to see Kurt Thomas defend Duncan for a good portion of the game as the Suns won’t try to rush their young stud.