Tag: NBA

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NBA General

Vern, Vern, Vern, Vern, Vern


Before there was Ron Artest and Sebastian Telfair there was Vernon Maxwell. From the end of his college career to the end of his 13-year stint as a pro, Maxwell was notorious for being a knucklehead. Well, apparently Mad Max refuses to slow down in his old age.

Former NBA player Vernon Maxwell was arrested in Charlotte on Thursday on charges related to failure to pay child support.

U.S. Marshals took Maxwell into federal custody at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.

He was arrested for violating the conditions of federal supervision. Maxwell was originally sentenced to serve five years of federal probation for willful failure to pay child support.

Being a dead-beat dad is one of the biggest sins imaginable in our book, but you gotta admit it’s a pretty tame charge by Maxwell standards. Let’s briefly recap the lowlights of his adulthood.

In 1987, his final two years at Florida were completely wiped off the boards after he was found to have committed NCAA violations. In 1994, he attacked his Rockets teammate Carl Herrera with a free weight and then in 1995, he ran into the stands during a game and punched a fan as a prequel to Artest’s brawl with the Detroit faithful. Maxwell followed that up by slapping his junk on the window of a car that rear-ended him. Oh, and he was found guilty of infecting a woman with herpes on purpose. He also became a fugitive and got popped with drugs in the recent past.

Now that’s a reign of terror that even impresses veteran miscreants like Dennis Rodman and Mike Tyson.

Links:

[WCNC.com]: Former NBA player arrested in Charlotte

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NBA General

Avery Johnson has a new career

Avery Johnson might have gotten canned as the Mavericks head coach following three consecutive postseason humiliations, but the Little General is already back on his feet with a new gig.

Kinda boring if you ask us. We think he could sell a lot more cars if he promoted his store in a more exciting manner.

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LA Lakers

Michael Jordan might be gone, but he’s not forgotten; at least, not by Kobe Bryant

With the Lakers two-point defeat of San Antonio in Game 4, they put a strangle hold on the series, meaning Kobe Bryant is one step closer to winning his fourth NBA championship. Of course, four rings still leave him two short of catching Michael Jordan who’s sitting in Charlotte with six in his pocket. And we all know that Kobe wants to be like Mike…in every way.

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

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Houston Rockets

The Rockets mascot goes on a scaring spree

Normally, when bears attack it ends with blood, guts and the detachment of body parts. However, when the Houston Rockets’ mascot attacks, it ends with laughter. For us, that is.

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

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New Jersey Nets

Jay-Z hopes to be the Nets lucky charm at the Draft Lottery


The NBA Draft Lottery is tonight which means some pathetic franchise could change its fortune for years to come. As things stand, Miami (.250 chance) has best shot at grabbing the top overall pick in the upcoming draft which holds collegiate gems such as Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo. Statistically speaking, Seattle (.199) is a close second with Minnesota (.138) and Memphis (.137) running just behind. Of course, no odds or percentages are going to keep the New Jersey Nets (.011) from busting out their big guns tonight.

Jay-Z needs to win the Lottery, but not for the same reasons most people do.

The self-proclaimed Michael Jordan of rap is set to represent the New Jersey Nets, the basketball team he partially owns, at the National Basketball Association Draft Lottery tomorrow at the NBA Entertainment studios in Secaucus, NJ. Jay will be one of fourteen team reps to sit on stage while NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, announces the winning order of teams participating in the draft lottery.

This year, the Nets have a 1.1 percent chance of gaining the first pick of the draft and less than a four percent chance of choosing one of the top three selections. Calculations based on their 2007-2008 season record predict that the Nets will most likely have the 10th pick in the draft (if they don’t get a top three spot).

Jay said in a statement that his participation in the draft lottery is “very exciting” and that he hopes his nickname `Lucky Lefty’ “holds up.”

Luck is good to have, but sometimes it is completely unnecessary in the NBA’s Draft Lottery. Isn’t that right, David DeBusschere?

Links:

[Sportaphile.com]: The NBA Draft Lottery Just Got 83% More Gangsta. Hovi’s Home!
[Vibe.com]: Representing for the New Jersey Nets: Jay-Z

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New Orleans Hornets

Around the Rim: Hornets swarm the Spurs


1. Pressure? What pressure?
Just when it looked like the pressures of inexperience were finally catching up with the playoff green New Orleans Hornets, they stepped up again against the veteran defending champs. The Spurs owned a three-point advantage at halftime, just like in Games 1 and 2, but promptly had their socks blown off in the third period, just like in Games 1 and 2, when David West helped led his team on a 28-11 run in the quarter. By the time the final buzzer sounded, New Orleans had a 101-79 victory and a 3-2 lead in the series. The Spurs had no answer for West who recorded playoff career-highs with 38 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks on the same night San Antonio reserve Robert Horry played in his 238th postseason game, the most in league history. The Spurs philosophy of shutting down Peja Stojakovic (3-8 FG, 9 pts) offensively with Bruce Bowen worked once again, but, once again, they had no such luck against West or Chris Paul who finished with a 22-point, 14-assist double-double. Tim Duncan could not find his range, missing 13 of his 18 shots, but still posted 23 rebounds while Manu Ginobili erred his way to a team-high 20 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Game 6 is on Thursday in San Antonio where it will be do-or-die time for the home team.

2. It’s over!

In the final seconds of the game, Hedo Turkoglu went for a dunk that would have brought Orlando within a point of the Pistons. But Tayshaun Prince swooped in to make a game-changing block, forcing the Magic to foul and Detroit strolled into the Eastern Conference Finals with a 91-86 win. The Pistons are playing in their sixth consecutive conference finals, tying them with three other teams for the third most in NBA history after defeating Orlando in five games. Despite playing without Chauncey Billups for the final two contests, the Pistons were still the superior team, led by the starters who combined for all but four of the team’s points in the series closer. Richard Hamilton was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 16 of his attempts en route to a game-high 31 points and Antonio McDyess was outstanding with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Hamilton also became the franchise’s all-time leader in postseason points with 2,282 in 110 career games. For the Magic, it’s another disappointing to finish to an impressive season. They continue to take baby steps or in Dwight Howard’s case, man-child steps forward, but until Howard truly becomes the unstoppable offensive threat he is capable of being then these early exits will continue to occur.

3. Pain in the back
Going into Game 5 of the Lakers/Jazz series on Wednesday night, there’s really only one question that matters: How’s Kobe’s back? The MVP was in obvious pain during Game 4, but he still managed to almost record a triple-double in the loss, scoring 33 points to go with eight rebounds and 10 assists. So, in order to make sure their star was as close to 100 percent as possible, the Lakers rested Bryant during practice on Tuesday. Bryant said he would be “fine” for the momentum swinging game tonight which will give the winner a 3-2 advantage. We’re expecting a big game out of Bryant tonight; after all, if he can play with the weight of a sexual-assault trial on his back then a little tweak should be no problem at all.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: David West vs. San Antonio 44 min, 38 pts (FG: 16-25, FT: 6-7), 14 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 5 blk

Buzzer Beater: After carrying bags and bringing in the doughnuts for an entire season, it’s time to give the NBA’s rookies a little love. The league’s All-Rookie teams were announced yesterday and the Hawks Al Horford was the only unanimous selection on the first squad. Surprisingly, the NBA Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant received only 57 of a possible 58 votes. Joining the hands-down best rooks in the game was Luis Scola from Houston, Al Thornton with the Clippers and Durant’s teammate Jeff Green. Second teamers included Jamario Moon (Tor), Juan Carlos Navarro (Mem), Thaddeus Young (Phi), Rodney Stuckey (Det) and Carl Landry (Hou).

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Utah Jazz

Around the Rim: Home cooking rules the West


1. Jazz jump on Kobe’s back
Utah came roaring back on their home floor over the weekend, winning both games to tie their series against the Lakers after getting punked-out on the road. Despite having a bad back for most of the game, Kobe Bryant poured in 33 points and 10 assists, helping the Lakers force overtime where they fell to the Jazz 123-115. It’s difficult to say a team that gave up 115 points played good defense, but Utah did. Jerry Sloan’s boys forced 12 turnovers, blocked 10 shots and stole the ball seven times during the 53-minute grudge match. Deron Williams paced the Jazz with 29 points and 14 assists while Carlos Boozer (14 pts, 12 reb) and Mehmet Okur (18 pts, 11 reb) posted double-doubles. Game 5 should be a doozie back in L.A. on Wednesday. If the Jazz want to win this series, they are going to have to take a game on the road at some point.

2. Champs have new life

San Antonio came roaring back on their home floor over the weekend, winning both games to tie their series against the Hornets after getting punked-out on the road. (Hmmmm, this sounds familiar.) The Spurs finally looked like the defending champions against New Orleans on Sunday, pounding the Hornets 100-80 in a contest that was all but finished in the second quarter. San Antonio led by 2 points after one, 13 at the half and 24 by the end of the third quarter, tying the series at two games apiece. Tim Duncan was solid with 22 points, 15 boards and four swats while Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili chipped in a combined 36 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists. San Antonio allowed Chris Paul (23 pts, 5 ast) to get his by design, choosing instead to limit his teammates. Bruce Bowen kept Peja Stojakovic out of synch, limiting the sharpshooter to just six points on 3-of-9 shooting. David West was well below average as well, missing 11 of his 15 attempts. Game 5 should be a doozie back in N.O. on Tuesday. If the Spurs want to win this series, they are going to have to take a game on the road at some point. (Hmmmm, this sounds familiar.)

3. Rick Carlisle heads to Texas
The Mavericks have a new head coach and his name is Rick Carlisle. The former Pacers and Pistons big cheese now heads to Big D where he hopes to change the fortunes of the franchise after a pair of brutal first round exits and one monumental Finals collapse. The news conference is set for Wednesday and the parties appear to be looking at a contract of four years worth a guaranteed $17.5 million. Carlisle has experienced similar disappointments in the postseason with a 30-32 combined record, but the guy was good when he had solid talent around him. With Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard and Jason Terry to play with, we expect Carlisle to lead the Mavs back to respectability after finishing seventh in the West this season. The mystery remains if he can get the soft Mavericks to show some guts in the postseason.

Sunday’s Player of the Day: Deron Williams vs. Los Angeles Lakers 44 min, 29 pts (FG: 9-13, 3FG: 3-4, FT: 8-8), 3 reb, 14 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk

Buzzer Beater:

“I’m not trying to be arrogant or cocky or anything like that,” said [Jameer] Nelson after the Magic fell to the Pistons 90-89 Saturday in Game 4. “But tonight, we let it slip out of our hands. Game 2 we let slip out of our hands.”

“We’re going to win this game in Detroit.”

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San Antonio Spurs

Around the Rim: Stayin’ alive in SA


1. Dynamic duo comes through
The Spurs knew they had to win Game 3 or the curtain on their 2008 season would come down. The defending champs weren’t able to stop Chris Paul, but by containing the rest of the Hornets squad, San Antonio grabbed its first win of the series, 110-99, behind the offensive wizardry of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Spurs backcourt provided 31 points apiece to offset another tremendous game from the should-be MVP Paul. The Hornets guard was close to yet another 30 and 10 game, finishing with 35 points and nine assists as he torched San Antonio from every possible angle. It was a back and forth contest all night, but the Spurs used and 11-0 run, capped off by a Bruce Bowen trey, to seal the game with 5:57 remaining. Tim Duncan had a big role in the victory as well with 16 points and 13 rebounds, but there’s no doubt who stole the show. Parker and Ginobili became just the third duo in the past 15 seasons to each post 30 points in a playoff game. Dwyane Wade (32 pts) and Damon Jones (30 pts) did it for the Heat in 2005 and ten years earlier, Kenny Smith (32 pts) and Clyde Drexler (30 pts) went off for the Rockets.

2. Shutdown by Beantown

LeBron James is in a serious funk. After missing 16-of-18 shots in Game 1, James had another dreadful shooting performance in Game 2, going 6-for-24 from the field in an 89-73 loss to the Celtics. James finished with 21 points and seven turnovers in the contest. On the other side of the court, Paul Pierce (19 pts) and Ray Allen (16 pts) broke out of their opening game funk, joining Kevin Garnett (13 pts, 12 reb) in double-digits. The Cavs were able to take an early lead despite losing Ben Wallace in the opening minutes after he began experiencing dizziness and had to be taken to the locker room. However, the Cs roared back in the second and third quarters when they combined to outscore Cleveland 53-27. The defense is clicking for Boston in this series and with Allen and Pierce returning to form, so is the offense. Good thing Game 3 is taking place in Cleveland, the Cavs need all the help they can get.

3. Dream team
If you’re wondering what the ultimate fantasy basketball lineup is, wonder no more. The NBA released the players on the All-NBA team and it is a star-studded affair indeed. Led by the only unanimous selection of the first team and current MVP Kobe Bryant, the panel gave its utmost props to Chris Paul, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett. Second team honors were issued to Phoenix duo Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash, as well as Tim Duncan, Deron Williams and Dirk Nowitzki while Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Carlos Boozer, Paul Pierce and Manu Ginobili make up the third team. In case you’re wondering, all five first teamers and 10 of the 15 total players are still alive in postseason action.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Tony Parker vs. New Orleans 41 min, 31 pts (FG: 12-24, 3FG: 0-1, FT: 7-8), 4 reb, 11 ast

Buzzer Beater: Happy birthday Mike D’Antoni. The coach turned 57 years old on Thursday and looks like he might get a giant wad of cash from the Knicks as a gift. New York is poised to offer D’Antoni a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $30 million! D’Antoni has yet to make a decision about his coaching future as he is apparently bouncing between either Chicago or the Big Apple. However, after the Knicks threw down there offer, sources in Phoenix could hear screams of “Yippeee!” and “I’m rich bitch!” emanating from the D’Antoni house.

Categories
NBA General

Charles Barkley has an epiphany on-air

The Round Mound of Rebound finally said what we’ve all been thinking for years but wouldn’t say because we were afraid he’d throw us through a window.

Categories
LA Lakers

Around the Rim: It’s good to be MVP


1. Fo-fo-fo-fo?
They’ve got a stellar cast of players, including the league’s newest MVP. They’ve got a proven coach who knows how to win and win and win some more. And they’ve got a perfect record through six games in this year’s playoffs. Life is good for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant’s Wednesday night started with commissioner David Stern handing over the MVP trophy and ended 34 points later when Los Angeles increased their series lead to two games with a 120-110 victory. Derek Fisher posted 22 points, Pau Gasol finished with 20 and Lamar Odom had another outstanding game with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 16 rebounds. There’s no doubt that the Lakers are starting to look scary-good, but the series now shifts to Utah where the Jazz owned the best homecourt record during the regular season. Carlos Boozer was in foul trouble early and often, making defense difficult for the Jazz all night long. Deron Williams led Utah offensively, scoring 25 points to go with 10 assists. Boozer had just 10 points in 24 minutes of action. The Jazz must now treat Game 3 like a Game 7 because the Lakers are simply playing too good to surrender a 3-0 lead.

2. Working their Magic

The Pistons lost more than Game 3 on Wednesday night, they might have lost their leader. Chauncey Billups left the game early in the first quarter after straining his hamstring and did not return and his status for the next game is up in the air. Detroit defiantly missed Mr. Big Shot against the Magic who routed the Bad Boys 111-86 behind a career playoff-high 33 points from Rashard Lewis. The forward connected on 11 of his 15 attempts, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc, scoring 12 of the team’s final 14 points of the first half. Dwight Howard looked Supermanesque once again with a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double and Hedo Turkoglu nailed three treys for half of his 18 points. Rodney Stuckey played in place of Billups, finishing with 19 points, and could be asked to fill in once again in Game 4. Richard Hamilton (24 pts) and Tayshaun Prince (22 pts) were about the only players to hit shots with any consistency which could lead to a tied series if the pattern repeats itself next time out.

3. Richard Jefferson needs his space
The Nets are going downhill fast. After losing Jason Kidd to the Mavericks, the franchise falls on the shoulders of Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter. Actually, let’s just make that Carter seeing as how Jefferson is having a hard time keeping his nose clean according to a report. The former Wildcat was charged with assault on Wednesday following an incident in a Minneapolis club when Jefferson allegedly grabbed a man by his throat. Jefferson denies that he did anything wrong and went on “The Mike and Murray Show” to try and clear his name.

It was actually Vince Carter’s birthday,” he said. “A party. We were actually, you know, all hanging out as a team. I was in our hotel. Actually, I was in the hotel bar. I wasn’t at a strip club, you know, three hours away. I wasn’t, like, in a casino. I wasn’t doing anything. I was literally in our hotel bar and I had an individual come up to me who was very rude and very disrespectful and, you know, an altercation broke out.”

Jefferson downplayed the severity of the incident.

“There were no punches thrown,” he said on the radio show. “They were saying there was choking. It was more of a getting your space. This individual doesn’t have a scratch on him. There was no mark. There was no blood. There was no anything. Obviously, [athletes] have a target on our back and it is unfortunate that these people would even do this. This incident happened four months ago. I wasn’t drunk.”

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Rashard Lewis vs. Detroit 43 min, 33 pts (FG: 11-15, 3FG: 5-6, FT: 6-8), 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl

Buzzer Beater: San Antonio is in a must-win situation tonight against the Hornets. Trailing 0-2 in the series, the Spurs have looked old, slow and basically unmotivated during the first games, getting popped in the mouth twice. Now the Spurs will have a home crowd on their side as they try to slowly climb out of the hole they are currently being buried alive in. If New Orleans wins tonight the Spurs are dead in the water and it will just be a matter of time, but if San Antonio can pull out a victory then you’d better buckle-up for Game 4 on Sunday because it will be an all-out war!