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http://www.twitvid.com/XADMD
they might be the first team of clowns to ever win a championship
i hate not hating the celtics
OFFICIAL 2010-2011 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD : VOL. MOST. ANTICIPATED. PLAYOFFS. EVER?
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by bigmike23,
- Start date
http://www.twitvid.com/XADMD
they might be the first team of clowns to ever win a championship
i hate not hating the celtics
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- 812
- 21,365
- 812
- 13,094
- 2,121
Big Z
- 13,094
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Big Z
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Originally Posted by DubA169
http://www.twitvid.com/XADMD
they might be the first team of clowns to ever win a championship
i hate not hating the celtics
- 14,019
- 2,783
Originally Posted by DubA169
http://www.twitvid.com/XADMD
they might be the first team of clowns to ever win a championship
i hate not hating the celtics
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Lol rondo dead looks like tiger woods
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Lol rondo dead looks like tiger woods
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Spoelstra had him playing behind Arroyo & Chalmers.
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Spoelstra had him playing behind Arroyo & Chalmers.
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folks is/already gonna hate our team more....
- 12,911
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folks is/already gonna hate our team more....
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Lame.
- 92,545
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Lame.
- 11,939
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Heat
Team D is ridiculous right now. 81 ppg allowed.
What's a realistic number for them? 86-87?
Team D is ridiculous right now. 81 ppg allowed.
What's a realistic number for them? 86-87?
- 11,939
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Heat
Team D is ridiculous right now. 81 ppg allowed.
What's a realistic number for them? 86-87?
Team D is ridiculous right now. 81 ppg allowed.
What's a realistic number for them? 86-87?
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does lebron have a clause in his contract for mandatory synchronized hand motions?
- 29,630
- 1,863
does lebron have a clause in his contract for mandatory synchronized hand motions?
JA, I spoke to my cousin yesterday and he has the league pass for iPad and loves it.
How far can Steve Nash and Deron Williams push their new-look squads in the Western Conference?
The opening days of the NBA season are a dilettante's dream, with 13 games on Wednesday night and another dozen coming Friday night. With so many storylines streaming at us so fast, sometimes the biggest challenge is simply knowing where to focus.
This year, however, the schedule-makers made that task a bit easier by staging what amounts to a round-robin tournament between several Western Conference hopefuls and the team they ultimately hope to upend, the two-time champion Lakers. After L.A. met Houston in the opener, Portland played Phoenix, Utah played Denver and Phoenix played Utah. Friday night it comes full circle when the Lakers and Suns meet.
Sure, we've had plenty of other distractions this week, from watching the Heat struggle to prove their three-star lineup is championship material, to watching the Wizards emphatically prove they can take horrible shots even without Gilbert Arenas. (Statistical side note: Including preseason, Orlando is now 8-0 with a plus-25.5 average scoring margin when Stan Van Gundy wears a collared shirt. Coincidence? We think not.)
Nevertheless, the West is where the intrigue lies, because it's where most of the league's question-mark teams reside. We know the Heat and Magic will be very, very good. We strongly suspect the Wizards will not be. But the rebuilt rosters of Western hopefuls like Phoenix, Portland, Houston, Utah and Denver? Those are the clubs we're not quite sure about.
Portland looked very solid in winning its first two games sans Greg Oden, and ditto for Denver in a surprisingly robust opening-night blowout of Utah.
But for the other three teams in that group, the opening games brought some serious question marks.
For instance, Houston is off to an 0-2 start after close losses in L.A. and Golden State. While there is no shame in opening a West Coast trip with two narrow defeats, especially since the second came without the services of center Yao Ming, the way they transpired certainly raised eyebrows -- the Rockets surrendered 132 points to Golden State and 112 to the Lakers. In both games, their defense was ravaged by the opposing backcourt (L.A.'s guards scored 55, the Warriors' 8, raising questions about whether the guard combo of Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks can cover anybody.
It's not all on the guards, of course. The frontcourt -- Luis Scola, Brad Miller, Chuck Hayes and Yao -- is not the most athletically imposing and offers little resistance at the rim to thwart drivers. Houston has blocked just nine of the 188 shots attempted against it in the first two games, which would put the Rockets on pace for a bottom-five finish.
The Rockets reportedly may be close to signing center Erick Dampier, which would help alleviate that concern. However, I would treat any Dampier rumors cautiously, as it seems one of his main goals is avoiding playing as much of the season as possible before he gets paid.
Somehow, the Rockets need to inject some athleticism at the defensive end. In addition to the paucity of blocks, Houston has forced only 24 turnovers in two games despite the frenetic pace of both, and rebounded only 68.5 percent of opponent missed shots. One wonders if second-year pro Jordan Hill, who took a DNP in both games, could be part of the solution.
Utah is also 0-2 after an unexpectedly disastrous start to its regular season. The Jazz cruised through the preseason undefeated but have been totally outclassed in their first two regular-season games, to the point that a frustrated Deron Williams snapped at rookie Gordon Hayward late in Thursday night's loss to Phoenix.
In particular, the Jazz's normally exquisite offense appears to have hit a few speed bumps. The past few seasons the Jazz have been primarily an offensive team that played at or just above the league average at the defensive end. Through two games, however, they're averaging only 91 points.
The Jazz have always drawn lots of fouls and have never had a particularly low turnover rate, and those two traits held in the first two games of this year. The difference, however, has been that they can't make shots.
Utah is shooting 40.9 percent overall, but what makes it even worse is that nearly all the shots were 2s. With Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews gone and Mehmet Okur injured, the Jazz find themselves with virtually no 3-point shooting on the roster, making just 6-of-26 on triples in the two games. Raja Bell has been a mild disaster as the starting shooting guard (2-of-9 on 3s, 6-of-20 overall, with six turnovers), while backup C.J. Miles has been worse.
No shooting equals no spacing, so it's not surprising that Al Jefferson has failed to get on track thus far. Similarly, the 38 turnovers in two games result in part from the crowds Utah players face any time they venture into the paint. Between Bell, Miles and Hayward, somebody has to stretch opposing defenses.
Looking at Utah's preseason, it didn't necessarily score in bunches then, either -- the Jazz put up only 82 in their final two exhibitions but defended well enough to win. If they can't either sink more shots or summon up more defense, it could be an unexpectedly long year for them.
And then there's the most interesting one of the bunch, Phoenix. The Suns split their first two games, which isn't a bad outcome when you open the season with road games in two of the league's loudest buildings. Unfortunately, the rough early slate for Phoenix will continue -- unbelievably, 15 of the Suns' first 16 opponents won at least 40 games last season, and nine of those 16 games are on the road.
"We haven't got the chemistry yet and there are no shortcuts," said point guard Steve Nash after Thursday night's win. "It just takes time."
Alas, the schedule doesn't give the Suns any. Phoenix has to play well immediately or it could easily find itself with a miserable record at the end of November simply because of the brutal schedule. If the Suns can just make it out of the month 8-10 or 9-9, on the other hand, one has to like their chances of remaining relevant in the Western Conference discussion.
Based on the first two games, we can offer some good news and some bad news in that pursuit. The bad news is that replacing Amare Stoudemire won't be easy. Sure, Hakim Warrick had an impressive dunk Thursday night, and he can deliver those types of plays as the dive-man in the pick-and-roll. But Warrick can't approach Stoudemire as an all-weather offensive force.
Warrick did, however, grab 11 rebounds in 26 minutes on Thursday, and if he does that it helps give Phoenix a fighting chance. The Suns projected to be the second-worst rebounding team in the league this season after Indiana, and lived up to that projection when they were massacred on the glass by Portland in the opener.
In Utah, however, the Suns played the Jazz to a draw on the boards 45-44. With the Suns' offensive skill, that's all they have to do to win consistently. In that vein, keep an especially watchful eye on Warrick and center Robin Lopez, especially against bigger teams like the Blazers and Lakers, Friday night's opponent. If they're coming up with caroms, the Suns will stay afloat.
If not? Minus Stoudemire, they no longer have the firepower to overcome such glaring rebound disparities.
http://[h3][/h3][h3]Curry kept in the locker room[/h3]
10:13AM ET
[h5]Eddy Curry | Knicks [/h5]
Eddy Curry, the Knicks oft-injured center, is planning to practice on Monday for the first time since the second day of training camp. He has been sidelined due to a right strained hamstring.
The Knicks on Saturday played their first regular season game at MSG and according to Marc Berman of the New York Post, only 14 of the 15 players were introduced during the pregame ceremony.
Berman writes: "A Knicks official said Curry was in the locker room during intros and the game. It is unclear whose decision it was to not be introduced. The other 14 players were introduced separately amidst a laser-light production. Curry, whose expiring contract is a trade asset, likely would have been booed heavily."
The Knicks are expected to waive Curry after the February trade deadline, if they can't deal him sooner than that. He will be part of a package for Carmelo Anthony, if the Nuggets agree to send the All-Star to New York.
http://[h3]Clock ticking for Clark and Dudley[/h3]
9:55AM ET
[h5]Phoenix Suns [/h5]
The http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=phoPhoenix Suns have until 8:59 p.m. (pacific) on Monday night to exercise their 2011-12 team option on Earl Clark and to sign http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3201Jared Dudley to an extension. The Suns plan to take the decisions right up to the last second.
"We're going to use the whole time to make all our final decisions," Suns general manager Lance Blanks told The Arizona Republic. "It's only fair."
"I know I still have a certain value, and I'm willing possibly to go down a little bit for security," Dudley said. "The question is, 'What's my limit? We'll see if they do an offer that's in the range that is respectable. I don't want to get over on them, and I don't want them to get over on me. Fair for both parties. I want at least a four-year deal."
"If they don't pick it up, it's obvious that I'm not in their future or they would have picked it up by now," Clark said. "If they haven't picked it up by now, I don't think they will."
Clark, the No. 14 pick in the 2009 draft, will be an unrestricted free agent in July if the option is declined and Dudley will be a restricted free agent if no extension is signed by Monday's deadline.
http://[h3]Hawks, Horford still talking[/h3]
9:55AM ET
[h5]Al Horford | Hawks [/h5]
According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Atlanta Hawks and center Al Horford are still in discussions regarding an extension.
Stein writes: "One source close to the negotiations told ESPN.com on Sunday that the parties 'are still talking' and says a deal -- rated as 'probable' by another source last week -- is a '50-50' shot at this point."
Joakim Noah and Kevin Durant are the only first-round picks from 2007 that have signed extensions. Noah's was for five years and about $60 million and Horford's deal, according to Stein, would be slightly above that.
The deadline to sign an extension for the class of 2007 is at 11:59 p.m. (eastern) Monday night.
http://[h3]Lakers willing to share[/h3]
9:54AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Lakers [/h5]
A lot of NBA owners and commissioner David Stern want to change how revenue is distributed among the 30 teams. This means the bigger teams, like the Los Angeles Lakers, will be giving more of their earnings to small clubs that can't compete with them financially. Owner Jerry Buss agrees that how revenue is shared must be changed for the health of the league.
"Not only are we not going to fight it, we'll support it," Lakers spokesman John Black told The Orange County Register, "due to the benevolence of our owner, who is willing to sacrifice for the overall good of our league."
The NBA and its players have held discussions regarding a new collective bargaining agreement and Stern's focus is to bring financial certainty for all 30 of the teams though a new revenue sharing plan and various concessions from the players.
http://[h3]Kobe: Knee's fine, stop asking[/h3]
9:21AM ET
[h5]Kobe Bryant | Lakers [/h5]
Kobe Bryant told a television reporter just after the Lakers beat the Warriors Sunday night that his right knee is 100 percent and he doesn't want to discuss it anymore. Bryant was asked in the locker room by other members of the media if he stood by that comment.
"Yes, so leave me the hell alone about my [expletive] knee," Bryant told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Lakers head coach Phil Jackson didn't agree with his All-Star.
"I'm pleased with the progress of Kobe, it looks like his offense is coming along," Jackson said. "Defensively he is still working on some things that he has to get done with his strength and base. He's not 100 percent, but that's nice of him to say it."
Bryant of course insisted his knee is healthy.
"I'm 100 percent, I don't give a [expletive] what he says," Bryant said with a laugh. "Leave me alone about my knee. I'm fine."
http://[h3]LeBron does have some regrets[/h3]
9:09AM ET
[h5]LeBron James | Heat [/h5]
LeBron James admitted on Sunday that he would have done things differently in regards to his departure from Cleveland to Miami. He didn't specify exactly what he would have changed, tough.
"If I had to go back on it, I probably would do it a little bit different," James told ESPN.com's Michael Wallace. "But I'm happy with the decision I made. There's always going to be a misunderstanding. I don't know what I would [have done], but I definitely would have changed it."
James interviewed with a bunch of teams in the beginning of July and says he never ranked them after his top choice -- the Miami Heat.
"Not really," James said. "It was some meetings that were better than others. But at the end of the day, this was the team I felt like I had the best opportunity to win for a long period of time. I didn't have a list, one through six or one through five, whatever the case was."
http://[h3]No extension for Wright[/h3]
8:30AM ET
[h5]Brandan Wright | Warriors [/h5]
A team source told the San Francisco Chronicle that Brandan Wright will not receive an extension from the team.
"I hope I'm around to allow my talents to flourish," Wright said. "At the same time, if they don't want me, I'm ready to move forward with another team and come back and burn them. I want to play, but there is also a comfort level with this team and this area. It would be tough to walk away."
"We'll be evaluating Brandan throughout the season," general manager Larry Riley wrote via text message. "We have a good relationship with both Brandan and his agent," who is Jim Tanner.
Wright has struggled with injuries in the first three years in the league and he'll be a restricted free agent in July if he's given a qualifying offer.
http://[h3]Iggy and Brewer on Cavs radar?[/h3]
7:52AM ET
[h5]Cleveland Cavaliers [/h5]
The Cavaliers need to upgrade the shooting guard and small forward positions and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal focuses on two players the team may try to acquire at some point.
Lloyd writes: "The Cavs already plucked one hidden gem from Minnesota when they traded for http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3231Ramon Sessions. Now the Timberwolves have declined to offer an extension to http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3191Corey Brewer, an athletic wing, because the Wolves are already full of athletic wings. ... . He is not a very good perimeter shooter, but is the type of long (6-foot-9) athletic body that would fit well in (Byron) Scott's system. ... The Cavs had interest in Andre Iguodala last season and his $12.3 million salary this year fits under the Cavs' $14.5 million trade exception."
There have been rumors that Iguodala wants out of Philadelphia if the team can't win, but that was denied by the swingman.
Brewer will be a restricted free agent next summer and Minnesota could decline to match an offer sheet if the price is too high.
http://[h3]Teams asking about Varejao[/h3]
7:41AM ET
[h5]Anderson Varejao | Cavaliers [/h5]
According to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald, the scuttlebutt about Anderson Varejao is correct.
Finnan writes: "The rumors are true that teams are inquiring about the availability of Varejao. He plays his butt off and is a talented big man. Not a lot of players around the league play as hard as he does. There's no plan right now to trade him unless the Cavaliers get blown away."
Varejao is making $7.28 million this season and is signed though the 2014-15 season.
http://[h3]Stuckey not unhappy says agent[/h3]
7:19AM ET
[h5]Rodney Stuckey | Pistons [/h5]
UPDATE: Stuckey's agent, Steve Banks, disputes a report that his client is not happy about the lack of an extension.
"All Rodney's worried about is the 2010-11 season," Banks told The Detroit News. "He'll be a restricted free agent and we'll go from there."
"All Rodney is concerned about proving his worth this season. He's not bitter," Banks added. "We'll discuss this when the time arises in the summer. He understands it's a business and he has an obligation to the Pistons."
----
A source told CBSSports.com's Ken Berger on Thursday that http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3235Rodney Stuckey, like most of the first-round picks from the 2007 draft, will not be signing an extension.
Most of the teams are reluctant offer big deals due to the uncertainty of the next collective bargaining agreement and that's why only Kevin Durant and Joakim Noah have signed new contracts.
Stuckey's situation is a little different than the others because the Pistons are being sold and that may have stopped any negotiations.
[h5]ESPN's Marc Stein[/h5]
Why an extension for Stuckey is unlikely
http://[h3]No extension for Chandler[/h3]
6:34AM ET
[h5]Wilson Chandler | Knicks [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3194Wilson Chandler was hoping to sign an extension by Monday's deadline, but it's not going to happen.
"We will wait until the year is over," Knicks president Donnie Walsh told the New York Post. "It has nothing to do with Wilson. We want him. It has to do with the fact that there will be a new collective bargaining agreement and we are not sure what impact it would have."
Chandler will be a restricted free agent in July.
http://[h3]Wafer and West are buddies again[/h3]
6:05AM ET
[h5]Delonte West | Celtics [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=2793Von Wafer and Delonte West had a fight in the Celtics locker room Friday, but on Sunday West said the two were fine and they laughed about the incident.
"I'm competitive, he's competitive, as long as it's for the betterment of the team, there's nothing wrong with healthy competition and pushing each other to get better," West told ESPNBoston.com. "Things went a little far, but at the same time, we were able to move past that. We're professionals."
Asked if he felt the two had patched things up, West added: "Oh yeah, no question. We laughed about it [Sunday]."
West also said the incident was overblown and facts about the fight were incorrect.
"I read the reports and a lot of things were taken out of [context], and facts were made up that were not true, how things played out," West told The Boston Globe. "Guys get into scuffles, or whatever you want to call it, but at the end of the day we're brothers in here and we had a big laugh about it. We're trying to win, we're competitive, we have fiery guys in here and, you know, you've got to get to the next thing, next game, next challenge."
http://[h3]Hawes' early struggles[/h3]
5:49AM ET
[h5]Spencer Hawes | 76ers [/h5]
Spencer Hawes, the 76ers starting center, is averaging only about 17 minutes per game in the first week of the season and head coach Doug Collins says Hawes' back injury during the preseason is the reason for the slow start.
"He's just struggling right now and I think a lot of it has to do with missing the time and not being able to get used to his teammates and get comfortable with what we're trying to do," Collins tells the Philadelphia Daily News. "It's not easy to miss time the way he did with a new team, a new coach, and then jump right back in. It's going to take some time for him, but we're hoping he comes around quickly."
Collins doesn't plan to remove Hawes from the starting lineup at this time.
http://[h3]Spoelstra to use one PG per game[/h3]
5:23AM ET
[h5]Miami Heat [/h5]
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has only played one of his traditional point guards in each game so far and he doesn't plan to deviate from that strategy for the foreseeable future.
That means that backup Mario Chalmers won't be getting any time behind starter Carlos Arroyo.
"I'm only playing one point guard now," Spoelstra told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Sunday. "And that is Carlos. And I'm divvying up the rest of the minutes between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with our shooters."
James and Wade aren't point guards, but they handle the ball a lot and are best when they can create off the dribble.
"They've done it before," Spoelstra said. "It's not like we're creating something new or reinventing their roles. Dwyane has done that now for seven years for us. LeBron did that often for Cleveland, even if he wasn't at the point, he was handling, bringing it up. It just allows us to change the dynamic. We play a couple of shooters on the floor and we're able to keep the paint open."
http://[h3]Pacers offense to run through Hibbert[/h3]
5:06AM ET
[h5]Roy Hibbert | Pacers [/h5]
Roy Hibbert has led Indiana in assists the last two games and the plan is to continue running the offense through the Pacers' 7-2 center.
"I've repeatedly said we're going to play through Roy and that's because he's a unique big man," head coach Jim O'Brien tells The Indianapolis Star. "He's effective in the low post. He can spot up and shoot and he's also a terrific passer and willing passer. Our guys know that. When you have a big guy who is going to have his hands on the ball a lot, you know if your guy turns his head, cut to the basket and he'll get you the basketball. That's a great weapon."
Hibbert has been plagued by foul trouble during his first two years in the NBA, but in three games so far this season he's been able to stay on the floor and average about 33 minutes per game.
JA, I spoke to my cousin yesterday and he has the league pass for iPad and loves it.
How far can Steve Nash and Deron Williams push their new-look squads in the Western Conference?
The opening days of the NBA season are a dilettante's dream, with 13 games on Wednesday night and another dozen coming Friday night. With so many storylines streaming at us so fast, sometimes the biggest challenge is simply knowing where to focus.
This year, however, the schedule-makers made that task a bit easier by staging what amounts to a round-robin tournament between several Western Conference hopefuls and the team they ultimately hope to upend, the two-time champion Lakers. After L.A. met Houston in the opener, Portland played Phoenix, Utah played Denver and Phoenix played Utah. Friday night it comes full circle when the Lakers and Suns meet.
Sure, we've had plenty of other distractions this week, from watching the Heat struggle to prove their three-star lineup is championship material, to watching the Wizards emphatically prove they can take horrible shots even without Gilbert Arenas. (Statistical side note: Including preseason, Orlando is now 8-0 with a plus-25.5 average scoring margin when Stan Van Gundy wears a collared shirt. Coincidence? We think not.)
Nevertheless, the West is where the intrigue lies, because it's where most of the league's question-mark teams reside. We know the Heat and Magic will be very, very good. We strongly suspect the Wizards will not be. But the rebuilt rosters of Western hopefuls like Phoenix, Portland, Houston, Utah and Denver? Those are the clubs we're not quite sure about.
Portland looked very solid in winning its first two games sans Greg Oden, and ditto for Denver in a surprisingly robust opening-night blowout of Utah.
But for the other three teams in that group, the opening games brought some serious question marks.
For instance, Houston is off to an 0-2 start after close losses in L.A. and Golden State. While there is no shame in opening a West Coast trip with two narrow defeats, especially since the second came without the services of center Yao Ming, the way they transpired certainly raised eyebrows -- the Rockets surrendered 132 points to Golden State and 112 to the Lakers. In both games, their defense was ravaged by the opposing backcourt (L.A.'s guards scored 55, the Warriors' 8
It's not all on the guards, of course. The frontcourt -- Luis Scola, Brad Miller, Chuck Hayes and Yao -- is not the most athletically imposing and offers little resistance at the rim to thwart drivers. Houston has blocked just nine of the 188 shots attempted against it in the first two games, which would put the Rockets on pace for a bottom-five finish.
The Rockets reportedly may be close to signing center Erick Dampier, which would help alleviate that concern. However, I would treat any Dampier rumors cautiously, as it seems one of his main goals is avoiding playing as much of the season as possible before he gets paid.
Somehow, the Rockets need to inject some athleticism at the defensive end. In addition to the paucity of blocks, Houston has forced only 24 turnovers in two games despite the frenetic pace of both, and rebounded only 68.5 percent of opponent missed shots. One wonders if second-year pro Jordan Hill, who took a DNP in both games, could be part of the solution.
Utah is also 0-2 after an unexpectedly disastrous start to its regular season. The Jazz cruised through the preseason undefeated but have been totally outclassed in their first two regular-season games, to the point that a frustrated Deron Williams snapped at rookie Gordon Hayward late in Thursday night's loss to Phoenix.
In particular, the Jazz's normally exquisite offense appears to have hit a few speed bumps. The past few seasons the Jazz have been primarily an offensive team that played at or just above the league average at the defensive end. Through two games, however, they're averaging only 91 points.
The Jazz have always drawn lots of fouls and have never had a particularly low turnover rate, and those two traits held in the first two games of this year. The difference, however, has been that they can't make shots.
Utah is shooting 40.9 percent overall, but what makes it even worse is that nearly all the shots were 2s. With Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews gone and Mehmet Okur injured, the Jazz find themselves with virtually no 3-point shooting on the roster, making just 6-of-26 on triples in the two games. Raja Bell has been a mild disaster as the starting shooting guard (2-of-9 on 3s, 6-of-20 overall, with six turnovers), while backup C.J. Miles has been worse.
No shooting equals no spacing, so it's not surprising that Al Jefferson has failed to get on track thus far. Similarly, the 38 turnovers in two games result in part from the crowds Utah players face any time they venture into the paint. Between Bell, Miles and Hayward, somebody has to stretch opposing defenses.
Looking at Utah's preseason, it didn't necessarily score in bunches then, either -- the Jazz put up only 82 in their final two exhibitions but defended well enough to win. If they can't either sink more shots or summon up more defense, it could be an unexpectedly long year for them.
And then there's the most interesting one of the bunch, Phoenix. The Suns split their first two games, which isn't a bad outcome when you open the season with road games in two of the league's loudest buildings. Unfortunately, the rough early slate for Phoenix will continue -- unbelievably, 15 of the Suns' first 16 opponents won at least 40 games last season, and nine of those 16 games are on the road.
"We haven't got the chemistry yet and there are no shortcuts," said point guard Steve Nash after Thursday night's win. "It just takes time."
Alas, the schedule doesn't give the Suns any. Phoenix has to play well immediately or it could easily find itself with a miserable record at the end of November simply because of the brutal schedule. If the Suns can just make it out of the month 8-10 or 9-9, on the other hand, one has to like their chances of remaining relevant in the Western Conference discussion.
Based on the first two games, we can offer some good news and some bad news in that pursuit. The bad news is that replacing Amare Stoudemire won't be easy. Sure, Hakim Warrick had an impressive dunk Thursday night, and he can deliver those types of plays as the dive-man in the pick-and-roll. But Warrick can't approach Stoudemire as an all-weather offensive force.
Warrick did, however, grab 11 rebounds in 26 minutes on Thursday, and if he does that it helps give Phoenix a fighting chance. The Suns projected to be the second-worst rebounding team in the league this season after Indiana, and lived up to that projection when they were massacred on the glass by Portland in the opener.
In Utah, however, the Suns played the Jazz to a draw on the boards 45-44. With the Suns' offensive skill, that's all they have to do to win consistently. In that vein, keep an especially watchful eye on Warrick and center Robin Lopez, especially against bigger teams like the Blazers and Lakers, Friday night's opponent. If they're coming up with caroms, the Suns will stay afloat.
If not? Minus Stoudemire, they no longer have the firepower to overcome such glaring rebound disparities.
http://[h3][/h3][h3]Curry kept in the locker room[/h3]
10:13AM ET
[h5]Eddy Curry | Knicks [/h5]
Eddy Curry, the Knicks oft-injured center, is planning to practice on Monday for the first time since the second day of training camp. He has been sidelined due to a right strained hamstring.
The Knicks on Saturday played their first regular season game at MSG and according to Marc Berman of the New York Post, only 14 of the 15 players were introduced during the pregame ceremony.
Berman writes: "A Knicks official said Curry was in the locker room during intros and the game. It is unclear whose decision it was to not be introduced. The other 14 players were introduced separately amidst a laser-light production. Curry, whose expiring contract is a trade asset, likely would have been booed heavily."
The Knicks are expected to waive Curry after the February trade deadline, if they can't deal him sooner than that. He will be part of a package for Carmelo Anthony, if the Nuggets agree to send the All-Star to New York.
http://[h3]Clock ticking for Clark and Dudley[/h3]
9:55AM ET
[h5]Phoenix Suns [/h5]
The http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=phoPhoenix Suns have until 8:59 p.m. (pacific) on Monday night to exercise their 2011-12 team option on Earl Clark and to sign http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3201Jared Dudley to an extension. The Suns plan to take the decisions right up to the last second.
"We're going to use the whole time to make all our final decisions," Suns general manager Lance Blanks told The Arizona Republic. "It's only fair."
"I know I still have a certain value, and I'm willing possibly to go down a little bit for security," Dudley said. "The question is, 'What's my limit? We'll see if they do an offer that's in the range that is respectable. I don't want to get over on them, and I don't want them to get over on me. Fair for both parties. I want at least a four-year deal."
"If they don't pick it up, it's obvious that I'm not in their future or they would have picked it up by now," Clark said. "If they haven't picked it up by now, I don't think they will."
Clark, the No. 14 pick in the 2009 draft, will be an unrestricted free agent in July if the option is declined and Dudley will be a restricted free agent if no extension is signed by Monday's deadline.
http://[h3]Hawks, Horford still talking[/h3]
9:55AM ET
[h5]Al Horford | Hawks [/h5]
According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Atlanta Hawks and center Al Horford are still in discussions regarding an extension.
Stein writes: "One source close to the negotiations told ESPN.com on Sunday that the parties 'are still talking' and says a deal -- rated as 'probable' by another source last week -- is a '50-50' shot at this point."
Joakim Noah and Kevin Durant are the only first-round picks from 2007 that have signed extensions. Noah's was for five years and about $60 million and Horford's deal, according to Stein, would be slightly above that.
The deadline to sign an extension for the class of 2007 is at 11:59 p.m. (eastern) Monday night.
http://[h3]Lakers willing to share[/h3]
9:54AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Lakers [/h5]
A lot of NBA owners and commissioner David Stern want to change how revenue is distributed among the 30 teams. This means the bigger teams, like the Los Angeles Lakers, will be giving more of their earnings to small clubs that can't compete with them financially. Owner Jerry Buss agrees that how revenue is shared must be changed for the health of the league.
"Not only are we not going to fight it, we'll support it," Lakers spokesman John Black told The Orange County Register, "due to the benevolence of our owner, who is willing to sacrifice for the overall good of our league."
The NBA and its players have held discussions regarding a new collective bargaining agreement and Stern's focus is to bring financial certainty for all 30 of the teams though a new revenue sharing plan and various concessions from the players.
http://[h3]Kobe: Knee's fine, stop asking[/h3]
9:21AM ET
[h5]Kobe Bryant | Lakers [/h5]
Kobe Bryant told a television reporter just after the Lakers beat the Warriors Sunday night that his right knee is 100 percent and he doesn't want to discuss it anymore. Bryant was asked in the locker room by other members of the media if he stood by that comment.
"Yes, so leave me the hell alone about my [expletive] knee," Bryant told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Lakers head coach Phil Jackson didn't agree with his All-Star.
"I'm pleased with the progress of Kobe, it looks like his offense is coming along," Jackson said. "Defensively he is still working on some things that he has to get done with his strength and base. He's not 100 percent, but that's nice of him to say it."
Bryant of course insisted his knee is healthy.
"I'm 100 percent, I don't give a [expletive] what he says," Bryant said with a laugh. "Leave me alone about my knee. I'm fine."
http://[h3]LeBron does have some regrets[/h3]
9:09AM ET
[h5]LeBron James | Heat [/h5]
LeBron James admitted on Sunday that he would have done things differently in regards to his departure from Cleveland to Miami. He didn't specify exactly what he would have changed, tough.
"If I had to go back on it, I probably would do it a little bit different," James told ESPN.com's Michael Wallace. "But I'm happy with the decision I made. There's always going to be a misunderstanding. I don't know what I would [have done], but I definitely would have changed it."
James interviewed with a bunch of teams in the beginning of July and says he never ranked them after his top choice -- the Miami Heat.
"Not really," James said. "It was some meetings that were better than others. But at the end of the day, this was the team I felt like I had the best opportunity to win for a long period of time. I didn't have a list, one through six or one through five, whatever the case was."
http://[h3]No extension for Wright[/h3]
8:30AM ET
[h5]Brandan Wright | Warriors [/h5]
A team source told the San Francisco Chronicle that Brandan Wright will not receive an extension from the team.
"I hope I'm around to allow my talents to flourish," Wright said. "At the same time, if they don't want me, I'm ready to move forward with another team and come back and burn them. I want to play, but there is also a comfort level with this team and this area. It would be tough to walk away."
"We'll be evaluating Brandan throughout the season," general manager Larry Riley wrote via text message. "We have a good relationship with both Brandan and his agent," who is Jim Tanner.
Wright has struggled with injuries in the first three years in the league and he'll be a restricted free agent in July if he's given a qualifying offer.
http://[h3]Iggy and Brewer on Cavs radar?[/h3]
7:52AM ET
[h5]Cleveland Cavaliers [/h5]
The Cavaliers need to upgrade the shooting guard and small forward positions and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal focuses on two players the team may try to acquire at some point.
Lloyd writes: "The Cavs already plucked one hidden gem from Minnesota when they traded for http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3231Ramon Sessions. Now the Timberwolves have declined to offer an extension to http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3191Corey Brewer, an athletic wing, because the Wolves are already full of athletic wings. ... . He is not a very good perimeter shooter, but is the type of long (6-foot-9) athletic body that would fit well in (Byron) Scott's system. ... The Cavs had interest in Andre Iguodala last season and his $12.3 million salary this year fits under the Cavs' $14.5 million trade exception."
There have been rumors that Iguodala wants out of Philadelphia if the team can't win, but that was denied by the swingman.
Brewer will be a restricted free agent next summer and Minnesota could decline to match an offer sheet if the price is too high.
http://[h3]Teams asking about Varejao[/h3]
7:41AM ET
[h5]Anderson Varejao | Cavaliers [/h5]
According to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald, the scuttlebutt about Anderson Varejao is correct.
Finnan writes: "The rumors are true that teams are inquiring about the availability of Varejao. He plays his butt off and is a talented big man. Not a lot of players around the league play as hard as he does. There's no plan right now to trade him unless the Cavaliers get blown away."
Varejao is making $7.28 million this season and is signed though the 2014-15 season.
http://[h3]Stuckey not unhappy says agent[/h3]
7:19AM ET
[h5]Rodney Stuckey | Pistons [/h5]
UPDATE: Stuckey's agent, Steve Banks, disputes a report that his client is not happy about the lack of an extension.
"All Rodney's worried about is the 2010-11 season," Banks told The Detroit News. "He'll be a restricted free agent and we'll go from there."
"All Rodney is concerned about proving his worth this season. He's not bitter," Banks added. "We'll discuss this when the time arises in the summer. He understands it's a business and he has an obligation to the Pistons."
----
A source told CBSSports.com's Ken Berger on Thursday that http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3235Rodney Stuckey, like most of the first-round picks from the 2007 draft, will not be signing an extension.
Most of the teams are reluctant offer big deals due to the uncertainty of the next collective bargaining agreement and that's why only Kevin Durant and Joakim Noah have signed new contracts.
Stuckey's situation is a little different than the others because the Pistons are being sold and that may have stopped any negotiations.
[h5]ESPN's Marc Stein[/h5]
Why an extension for Stuckey is unlikely
http://[h3]No extension for Chandler[/h3]
6:34AM ET
[h5]Wilson Chandler | Knicks [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3194Wilson Chandler was hoping to sign an extension by Monday's deadline, but it's not going to happen.
"We will wait until the year is over," Knicks president Donnie Walsh told the New York Post. "It has nothing to do with Wilson. We want him. It has to do with the fact that there will be a new collective bargaining agreement and we are not sure what impact it would have."
Chandler will be a restricted free agent in July.
http://[h3]Wafer and West are buddies again[/h3]
6:05AM ET
[h5]Delonte West | Celtics [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=2793Von Wafer and Delonte West had a fight in the Celtics locker room Friday, but on Sunday West said the two were fine and they laughed about the incident.
"I'm competitive, he's competitive, as long as it's for the betterment of the team, there's nothing wrong with healthy competition and pushing each other to get better," West told ESPNBoston.com. "Things went a little far, but at the same time, we were able to move past that. We're professionals."
Asked if he felt the two had patched things up, West added: "Oh yeah, no question. We laughed about it [Sunday]."
West also said the incident was overblown and facts about the fight were incorrect.
"I read the reports and a lot of things were taken out of [context], and facts were made up that were not true, how things played out," West told The Boston Globe. "Guys get into scuffles, or whatever you want to call it, but at the end of the day we're brothers in here and we had a big laugh about it. We're trying to win, we're competitive, we have fiery guys in here and, you know, you've got to get to the next thing, next game, next challenge."
http://[h3]Hawes' early struggles[/h3]
5:49AM ET
[h5]Spencer Hawes | 76ers [/h5]
Spencer Hawes, the 76ers starting center, is averaging only about 17 minutes per game in the first week of the season and head coach Doug Collins says Hawes' back injury during the preseason is the reason for the slow start.
"He's just struggling right now and I think a lot of it has to do with missing the time and not being able to get used to his teammates and get comfortable with what we're trying to do," Collins tells the Philadelphia Daily News. "It's not easy to miss time the way he did with a new team, a new coach, and then jump right back in. It's going to take some time for him, but we're hoping he comes around quickly."
Collins doesn't plan to remove Hawes from the starting lineup at this time.
http://[h3]Spoelstra to use one PG per game[/h3]
5:23AM ET
[h5]Miami Heat [/h5]
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has only played one of his traditional point guards in each game so far and he doesn't plan to deviate from that strategy for the foreseeable future.
That means that backup Mario Chalmers won't be getting any time behind starter Carlos Arroyo.
"I'm only playing one point guard now," Spoelstra told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Sunday. "And that is Carlos. And I'm divvying up the rest of the minutes between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with our shooters."
James and Wade aren't point guards, but they handle the ball a lot and are best when they can create off the dribble.
"They've done it before," Spoelstra said. "It's not like we're creating something new or reinventing their roles. Dwyane has done that now for seven years for us. LeBron did that often for Cleveland, even if he wasn't at the point, he was handling, bringing it up. It just allows us to change the dynamic. We play a couple of shooters on the floor and we're able to keep the paint open."
http://[h3]Pacers offense to run through Hibbert[/h3]
5:06AM ET
[h5]Roy Hibbert | Pacers [/h5]
Roy Hibbert has led Indiana in assists the last two games and the plan is to continue running the offense through the Pacers' 7-2 center.
"I've repeatedly said we're going to play through Roy and that's because he's a unique big man," head coach Jim O'Brien tells The Indianapolis Star. "He's effective in the low post. He can spot up and shoot and he's also a terrific passer and willing passer. Our guys know that. When you have a big guy who is going to have his hands on the ball a lot, you know if your guy turns his head, cut to the basket and he'll get you the basketball. That's a great weapon."
Hibbert has been plagued by foul trouble during his first two years in the NBA, but in three games so far this season he's been able to stay on the floor and average about 33 minutes per game.
- 2,573
- 10
Chalmers deep in the doghouse
- 2,573
- 10
Chalmers deep in the doghouse
- 5,215
- 837
Utah dominated OKC last night huh
- 5,215
- 837
Utah dominated OKC last night huh
