Tag Archives: basketball
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This was about as big a secret as who Michele Obama is going to vote for in the fall, but now it is official.
Duke point guard Austin Rivers is leaving the school to enter the NBA draft, the University announced Monday. Like we said, no shock as it had been reported last week.
On twitter Rivers wrote:
I just want to thank all the fans that have supported me this year. it was so fun playing there and becoming apart of the duke family!… I appreciate everybody, and the support y’all have given me! Duke nation has truly made me a better person and player! Duke #1
Rivers, the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers, will go in the first round — DraftExpress has him at No. 17.
The question is where he fits in the NBA. He played the point at Duke, but he is either a shoot first point or more likely an undersized two guard. He has a crossover that can create space and he can knock down shots. He’s not an elite athlete at the NBA level but he plays the game with a high IQ. Almost like he was the son of a former NBA point guard and a coach.
AP
Mike Krzyzewski and the coaches of Team USA have some very tough decisions ahead of them as they trim the list of 20 candidates down to 12 who get to suit up in London this summer for the Olympics.
Look at the power forward spot. You only really need three and the guys on that finals list include Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony. (Yes in the NBA ‘Melo is a three, but in international ball where you need a stretch four he plays mostly in that spot.)
One of the guys getting input on those cuts — Mike D’Antoni. The deposed Knicks coach. Anthony didn’t go to Knicks management and say “fire this guy” but his clashes and effort made it clear one of them had to go. And the elite players always beat the coach in the power struggle. Always. Then Anthony has admitted he is trying harder for D’Antoni’s replacement Mike Woodson.
But with Team USA D’Antoni has more power and putting together a team that fits well matters. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com spoke with an international basketball source about this very issue.
Among the greatest honors and marketing opportunities NBA stars have is to play with Team USA in the Olympics, and a person with ties to international basketball told CBSSports.com that Anthony’s role in D’Antoni’s demise — however unintended — did not sit well with USA Basketball authorities. D’Antoni, of course, is an assistant coach with Team USA. Anthony is by no means a coach killer, but his hold on a prominent role with the team in the London Olympics could be jeopardized by how his body of work with the Knicks is viewed by Team USA officials….
“I don’t even think Carmelo is thinking about this, but I think it’s going to hurt him,” the international basketball source said. “I don’t think he’s playing as well as the other power forwards are right now. He’s not a bad guy, but he needs to start playing better because the USA team is looking at that, and Mike is an assistant. It should not be given to him.”
I think in the end Anthony is there in London, and not just because Nike wants it. Although that helps. But ‘Melo’s game fits very well in international ball — he may have been Team USA’s third best player in Beijing four years ago. He can play inside and out and — with team USA — has been great about molding his game into the team concept.
If Team USA really is about winning, they need to bring Anthony. (Of that group listed above I’d leave Griffin home because his jumper is not nearly as steady as the other three.) But if they don’t the drop-off is not that steep.
AP
Three games in three nights. Three losses. Each seemingly uglier than the last.
Right now, the Clippers are not a good basketball team, and coach Vinny Del Negro could pay the price for that.
A night after Del Negro’s postgame tirade at his team after it was blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Clippers came out with a new energy in New Orleans on Thursday but were haunted by the same old problems — they don’t defend well (the Hornets shot 57.6 percent), they foul too much (the Hornets had 34 free throws) and when Chris Paul and the offense can’t bail them out they struggle.
The Clippers’ offense failed them late with 11 fourth-quarter points and the New Orleans Hornets won 97-90.
What has to turn the stomach of Clippers fans — and likely Clippers management — is how the less talented Hornets played with far more fire and passion. That is a feisty team that coach Monty Williams has executing to its strengths — Jarrett Jack (17 points, 9 assists) and Chris Kaman (20 points, 10 rebounds).
The feistiness got a little out of hand in the fourth quarter when Jason Smith put a full on body check on Blake Griffin as the Clippers star went up for a layup. Four Clippers including DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul ran over to Smith (who went back by the stands, which had to make David Stern queasy) but cooler heads prevailed.
Smith was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul and you can bet a multi-game suspension is coming. This hit was more reminiscent of something the Saints got in trouble for than the Hornets.
But while that put a new fire under the Clippers, it didn’t solve their execution problems.
Which may well tie into a report that Del Negro has lost the locker room. From Chris Broussard of ESPN:
Most of the players, according to sources, believe it’s time for a change. They cite the uncertainty of Del Negro’s rotation as a major problem…
Beyond that, players have complained that Del Negro’s offensive and defensive schemes are too basic and predictable and they say he plays favorites when handing out criticism, according to the sources. They say while he refuses to harshly criticize stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, he does not hold back in jumping on the team’s lesser players.
“That’s a big problem,” one player said. “The best coaches jump on whoever deserves it, no matter who it is.”
Del Negro’s job changed when the Chris Paul trade happened before the season — they instantly went from a young team that Del Negro was supposed to help grow to a contender. There were questions in Clipper camp then if he was the right coach for that job, but he was going to be given a chance. He was going to get the season (his contract has a team option for next season).
“Vinny has lost the team,” one source said. “They don’t want to play hard for him.”
Even when they do, their flaws and execution betray them.
Something needs to change with the Clippers. They are 7-12 in their last 19 games and while they are still going to make the playoffs in the West they are fast becoming the team everyone hopes to draw.
It’s hard to see how that changes without a major shakeup.
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Best season in franchise history from an overall success and excitement standpoint. First playoff game victory. First playoff series victory. Significant improvements in fan interest and long-term viability of on-court production. Things have been going really well in Memphis, Tennessee when it comes to the Grizzlies.
So, of course, this is happening. From the Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
Californian Larry Ellison, ranked as the third-richest person in the U.S., has inquired about buying the Memphis Grizzlies with apparent hopes of moving the team to San Jose.
But team owner Michael Heisley today downplayed the possibility of a sale — and of a relocation, citing a lease that ties the franchise to Memphis and FedExForum until 2021.
“I can’t downplay it enough. If it happens I’ll be surprised,” said Heisley, a Chicago-based billionaire who added that talks had not become serious. “It’s in the initial stages. We’ve handled this just like we’ve handled several other dozen requests. My situation in Memphis has not changed a lick. My preference will always be for somebody in Memphis to buy the team. There’s not any interest in Memphis. But we’ve always made it known that if somebody wants to buy the team, we’ll listen. If they’re real buyers we’ll probably be sellers. So far there hasn’t been anyone willing to buy the team under my terms and for my price.”
via Oracle Corp.’s Ellison inquires about buying Grizzlies; Heisley downplays possibility » The Commercial Appeal.
I’m not trying to be a negative nellie here, but that to me reads as “I can’t downplay it enough. I want to sell it to someone who doesn’t exist, and this person that does exist and will move the team and has been desperate to get a team for two years is interested, but seriously, no worries.”
Yeah, that’s not good for the Grizzlies sticking around.
If you want more proof — Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com reports the talks are in an “advanced stage.” Heisley and Ellison may already have a “handshake agreement” according to the report. This just does not look good at all.
Heisley has been consistent in saying he wants to sell. He has resisted investing in a losing team, which you can’t really blame him for. He’s finally put his money where his mouth is in the past year and a half though, handing out contracts to Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. He recently traded Sam Young for a player not playing in the NBA to avoid the luxury tax. Finances are on the guy’s mind and Memphis is a hard town to pull profit in.
Ellison on the other hand made a swing for the Hornets last year but was rebuffed. If you want some political intrigue, the California teams are wary of another team moving into their markets, especially the Warriors.
Heisley is on record as saying this isn’t a big deal. I can’t stress that enough. He said this isn’t the first pitch Ellison has made, and that there are other suitors, with one matching his $350 million price tag on the team. It’s just concerning because the more Memphis wins, the better value they are for a seller, and while many fans think Memphis is unworthy of having a team, they’ve responded to the Grizz being competitive and “tough” like the town is. Losing them to yet another California zipcode (making it five teams in one state) seems unfortunate for basketball coast to coast.
(HT: Inside Hoops)
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A statement from Derek Fisher gave a lot of us an odd flashback to the lockout, when as president of the players union he did that regularly, but he did it again upon signing with the Thunder.
Here is the statement, via Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated.
“I am extremely honored to announce that I will join the Oklahoma City Thunder in pursuit of the 2011-2012 Championship. What these players, coaches and front office have created is special. My representatives and I had conversations and offers from several teams, however, this just feels right and this is a choice I am confident in.
I will earn my spot on this team and do whatever my teammates need me to do to get us to a championship. I will also lead to the best of my ability whether from the bench, in the locker room or on the court.
Thank you to my fans, friends and family that have reached out. While I am surprised by recent events, I look forward to contributing to the Thunder and continuing to play the game I love so much and have fought so hard to bring back.
To Kobe, Pau, Andrew, Matt, Steve, Devin, Darius, Josh, Drew, Troy, Metta, Luke, and Jason, and all my teammates in Los Angeles through the years, thank you for your friendship, for the camaraderie, for pushing me each and every day to achieve greatness and letting me lead you the best way I knew how. You each have a lifelong friend and supporter in me.
Los Angeles will always have a place in my heart, it will remain a home to my family and my businesses, but basketball will be played elsewhere and I look forward to seeing everyone on the court … even if it is in a different uniform.”
If you remember Fisher’s missives during the lockout, you remember that he was very good at getting his message through between the lines. If you read this, do you notice any mention of Lakers ownership or management? Exactly.
Fisher returns to Staples Center to take on the Lakers (with his new Thunder teammates) on March 29. You can bet Lakers fans will warmly embrace him.
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There are going to be comments below and tweets about this story that are going to make you question whether we shouldn’t just abandon society and live as separate lives as we can, because we’re truly vile. As an incredibly funny man once said, “We’re a virus with shoes.” But the story needs to be shared and discussed.
The Daily Oklahoman has a story today about LeBron James. It has nothing to do with basketball. It doesn’t talk about “The Decision.” It’s not about his MVP candidacy or his global brand, Maverick Carter, his hairline or his athleticism. It’s just a story about what happened during a stopover for the Heat’s lane at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City. During the Heat’s stop, a group of military helicopters were also stopped at the airport for a refuel. The servicemen approached the Heat’s security personnel to ask for a photo, and were rebuffed. (Let’s pause here for a moment. Security guys, I don’t give a good damn if you’re guarding Michael Jordan, Donald Trump, or noted R&B artist Keith Sweat. If a group of military helicopter pilots come up asking for autographs and photos, you at least go ask the client. Thanks for playing “How to not be a Jackass 101.”)
LeBron noticed, and the Oklahoman has the details:
Some of them wanted pictures with the players, but when the crew members approached the teams security detail, they were told no.Maybe LeBron could overhear the conversation, or perhaps he could just tell by their body language what was going on. Either way, he piped up.
“Hey, hey,” he said, “any of these military guys can take a picture with us.”
He turned to his teammates
.“You guys get up,” he told them.He turned to the servicemen.
“Get your camera up,” he said.
He started to wave the servicemen over but noticed that some of the players werent yet on their feet.
“Hey, everybody get up,” he said. “Get in a circle here. Anybody that wants their picture taken with us, well do it.”
via LeBron James the nice guy? Run-in with servicemen makes Miami Heat star harder to dislike | NewsOK.com.
OK, that’s just cool.
Look, I know absolutely nothing about LeBron James. I have stood in a pack with two dozen reporters or in a press conference for James about 15 times in my life. So I have no insight into who he is, I wind up guessing and interpreting based on public events and body language like the rest of you. I can tell you that he comes off as arrogant in these instances before and after games, but then, given that most players hate the press and think we’re, specifically, the virus with shoes, that doesn’t tell you a whole lot. This story doesn’t remove “The Decision,” or what he did to Cleveland. It doesn’t take back the “People will wake up tomorrow” comment after last year’s Finals. It doesn’t mean that he went above and beyond. You should let servicement get a photo with you if they want. That’s a pretty low bar.
But James could have opted out. This is a non-story if he says nothing. Just another group of athletes passing through. There’s no huge obligation on James’ part. He has a PR person who manages his time for the team, a publicist who does so privately. And yet he stood up and not only took photos with the guys, he got his teammates off their asses to do the same. That’s a good thing to do for someone, an important thing to do for people who actually do something important in our society instead of play basketball or blog about people playing basketball.
It’s just one story. But maybe if nothing else it shows you that these people we try and transform into two-dimensional figures are not such cardboard caricatures. James can be the egomaniac you despise and still be someone who did something good for a group of troops on a layover. He can be the hero he is to a lot of kids and still be a complex figure who has stumbled with public perception. None of us are simple, all of us are complex. And if you needed a reason to give James the same consideration you give people in your day-to-day life, maybe this story gives you that.
So, yeah, LeBron, thanks for doing that, from all of us.
(Little tip, though, man, don’t read the comments.)
(HT: HoopsHype)
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Jim Boeheim should be nervous. Let’s just say, I’m not betting on Syracuse next week.
It’s been a tough week for three of the four coaches that will lead Team USA this summer in the 2012 Olympics in London — Mike Krzyzewski, Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan.
Head coach Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils screwed up President Barack Obama’s bracket and many others by losing to 15-seed Lehigh in the first round. (Obama is better off than most though, he had Duke losing to Baylor in the sweet 16.)
Assistant coach D’Antoni was fired/resigned from the Knicks last week (both sides called it “mutual”) after he demanded New York management try to get him players that fit his system and they said they were sticking with Carmelo Anthony. D’Antoni got the worst part of the rebuilding effort in New York but when they got talent he couldn’t fit it into his system — and Anthony never really bought in.
The friction there has some wondering in Anthony might miss the Olympics. Don’t bet on it. For one, Nike wants him there. For another, he is consistently one of the better international performers for Team USA — his wing game fits very well in FIBA ball where he gets good looks or room to attack. And with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and others on the team he doesn’t dare demand 25 shots a game.
USA assistant coach Nate McMillan was fired by the Portland Trail Blazers as they completely blew up their roster and started to try to rebuild with cap space and picks last week. The Blazers had fallen apart this season and McMillan took the fall for that, even though this team hasn’t had a GM for more than a season and the owner’s whims are part of the problem.
Coach K, D’Antoni and McMillan may need the extra time thrust upon them. Because of the lockout and the relatively early Olympics (starting July 27) the roster for Team USA will be set before the NBA season ends, before a training camp and tryout. And they have a lot of hard choices to make.
Jim Boeheim — the fourth coach on the staff — may be joining them soon enough.
Reuters
The Knicks are feeling it right now. Undefeated since giving Mike D’Antoni the boot and riding the scapegoat momentum express, they won again Saturday over Detroit in a laugher. How much of a laugher was it? Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith pulled off something which is the kind of thing you can only shake your head and laugh at.
That’s Wade-LeBron-esque right there. An impressive performance to say the least.
The double-alley-oop is the new alley-oop. The bar has been raised. Eventually we will see the quadruple alley-oop and be calloused to it, especially when the defense scores immediately afterwards.
And in conclusion, Iman Shumpert.
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Jim Boeheim should be nervous. Let’s just say, I’m not betting on Syracuse next week.
It’s been a tough week for three of the four coaches that will lead Team USA this summer in the 2012 Olympics in London — Mike Krzyzewski, Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan.
Head coach Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils screwed up President Barack Obama’s bracket and many others by losing to 15-seed Lehigh in the first round. (Obama is better off than most though, he had Duke losing to Baylor in the sweet 16.)
Assistant coach D’Antoni was fired/resigned from the Knicks last week (both sides called it “mutual”) after he demanded New York management try to get him players that fit his system and they said they were sticking with Carmelo Anthony. D’Antoni got the worst part of the rebuilding effort in New York but when they got talent he couldn’t fit it into his system — and Anthony never really bought in.
The friction there has some wondering in Anthony might miss the Olympics. Don’t bet on it. For one, Nike wants him there. For another, he is consistently one of the better international performers for Team USA — his wing game fits very well in FIBA ball where he gets good looks or room to attack. And with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and others on the team he doesn’t dare demand 25 shots a game.
USA assistant coach Nate McMillan was fired by the Portland Trail Blazers as they completely blew up their roster and started to try to rebuild with cap space and picks last week. The Blazers had fallen apart this season and McMillan took the fall for that, even though this team hasn’t had a GM for more than a season and the owner’s whims are part of the problem.
Coach K, D’Antoni and McMillan may need the extra time thrust upon them. Because of the lockout and the relatively early Olympics (starting July 27) the roster for Team USA will be set before the NBA season ends, before a training camp and tryout. And they have a lot of hard choices to make.
Jim Boeheim — the fourth coach on the staff — may be joining them soon enough.
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This is not really a surprise to anyone, it’s just going to lead to a lot of speculation about how he can land on the Celtics.
Austin Rivers, the freshman starting point guard at Duke and son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers, is going to sign with an agent and declare for the NBA draft, reports CBSSports.com. Even before he signed at Duke he was expected to be a one-and-done.
Rivers is considered a solid first round pick — DraftExpress has him at No. 17 right now. He played the point at Duke, which was good because he had been the man in high school and needed to learn how to set up teammates and work within a system. He struggled with that early in the season but improved.
He has a good shot and has a crossover that can create space for it. He can get in the lane. He is not however an elite athlete. At the NBA level he is either a score-first PG or more likely an undersized two. He comes in with some confidence and plays the game with a high IQ, like you’d expect from a coach’s son.
He’s not going to have a Kyrie Irving rookie season coming out of Duke, but the guy can put the ball in the hole and last time I checked that is the name of the game.
